- Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet: As of Monday night, not 100 percent certain that Kyle Baun will forego his senior year and sign with a team. The Flames, Oilers, Maple Leafs and Jets are interested.Teams are also looking at Vermont’s junior goalie Brody Hoffman.
Sabres GM Tim Murray wasn’t sold on giving Casey Bailey the performance bonuses and immediate NHL action like the Maple Leafs offered. Sabres owner Terry Pegula funded the hockey program at Penn State, where Bailey was playing.
20 teams have inquired, and six teams are “very active” in Russian forward Artem Panarin.
Maple Leafs goalie Jonathan Bernier compared the Leafs to a junior team last week after a loss to the Sharks. Bernier (RFA) has the largest financial incentive to ask out of Toronto when looking at all the players who are rumored to be traded by the Leafs. Is it better for him to try and cash in now or next summer?
If the Capitals are able to re-sign Mike Green may partly depend on Braydon Holtby’s next contract.
Sean Burke will hold off formal management position interviews until the offseason.
The Senators drafted Matt Puempel 24th overall in the 2011 draft. The Maple Leafs traded up at draft Tyler Biggs at 22.
“Toronto had told me if I was there they would grab me. They traded for the 22nd pick, so I was anxious and excited, but they didn’t take me. Then Ottawa moved up… and they were interested, too. My agent (Pat Morris) winked at me, and I knew.”
- George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press: University of Michigan head coach Red Berenson would like Dylan Larkin to return to school next year, but Larkin is still undecided. The Red Wings are letting Larkin decide if he wants to go pro now or later. Larkin could join Grand Rapids in the AHL immediately if he wants.
“I don’t know that he’s 100% sure,” Berenson said. “I think he really enjoyed his first year at Michigan. I think he thrived on it. How could it be a better year? Everything fell into place for him at the world juniors and then here. Detroit has opened the door for him, not necessarily to play in Detroit, but to start his development in the minors.
“I would like him to come back and continue to develop his game until he’s more ready to play with men, but that’s going to be up to him and his family.”
- Scott Powers of ESPN Chicago: The Blackhawks are having contract talks with Vermont senior and 2011 3rd round draft pick, Mike Paliotta.
“We’ve had conversations,” said Paliotta’s agent Jordan Neumann of Edge Sports Management. “I think everything is progressing. We’re listening to everything the Blackhawks say, and Michael and his family are giving signing with the Blackhawks a tremendous amount of thought.”
The Blackhawks have until August 15 to sign Paliotta and North Dakota defenseman Nick Mattson.