- Kevin Allen of USA Today: Coyotes Antoine Vermette could be the hottest commodity leading up to the deadline. Other players that could be dealt include: Jaromir Jagr, Jiri Tlusty, Marc Methot, Tyler Myers, Zbynek Michalek, Jeff Petry and Drew Stafford.
- Keith Gave of Fox Sports: (s/t Kulka’s Korner) Red Wings GM Ken Holland is ready to make a deal, but trade talk has been quiet.
“My history as a manager has been that I’ll pull the trigger and pay the price if there’s a player out there that our scouts, (coach) Mike Babcock — and we think will be a real good fit for us at a price we feel good about,” Holland said in a recent conversation.
The Wings aren’t desperate to make deal despite all the talk of then needing a right-handed defenseman.
“We like our depth. We like our kids,” Holland said, adding that he’s approaching the trade deadline this year like he always does. “I’ll work the phones. I haven’t talked to a lot of teams, but I have talked to a few.”
- Luke Fox of Sportnet: Elliotte Friedman on Sportsnet 960 on the Coyotes and Martin Hanzal.
“Maloney wants to beat the rush. If you make him the offer now, he will do it,” Friedman said on air. “I think Vancouver, for example, would be interested. They’re not going to pay what wants. I look at what Vancouver’s got, and I don’t know this for sure, but I guarantee he’s talking like Horvat and a pick. And I just don’t think the Canucks are going to do that.”
Friedman on the Ducks
“They’ve got a lot of guys who can move the puck,” the insider said. “I think he’d love – not that he’s available – but if there’s a Johnny Boychuk-type defenceman, I do think Anaheim would love to add somebody like that.”
- Elliott Pap of the Vancouver Sun: Canucks Zack Kassian has been a healthy scratch in three of the past seven games.
“I don’t even know what the hell is going on,” said Kassian, who hasn’t scored a goal in 21 games. “I thought I played well against Anaheim. I took the bad penalty but I was playing with emotion and I was trying to do the right thing. I played a good game against Buffalo and then that happens. So, honestly, I can’t tell you. I don’t know. I was if not more shocked than anyone.
“Am I frustrated? You guys have no idea how effing frustrated I am. But that’s the way it is. I’m not going to sit here and sulk. I just have to find a way. It’s no secret I need to start scoring goals and I need to be more consistent. I have two goals this year. I came in and I had high expectations… it’s tough to score when you’re riding the bike.”