- Elliotte Friedman of SportsNet: CBA talks between the NHL and the Refs/linesmen are moving well.Will a team offer Mike Babcock a role similar to Patrick Roy’s position with personnel control? Roy is also the VP of Hockey Operations.
With five right handed defensemen, there was some speculation about Dennis Wideman, but GM Brad Treliving shot that down. Wideman has a full no-movement clause.
There are not a lot of rumors out there, but one’s that are out there, usually involve defensemen. The Blues have nine defensemen, and Jordan Leopold’s name is out there. The Senators have seven defenseman on one-way contracts and Cody Ceci looking to make the team. The Senators would like to trade one and likely after a forward in return.
The Bruins are also looking to move a defensemen. Talks between the Bruins and Oilers fell apart two months ago. Matt Bartkowski and Johnny Boychuk remain in the rumor mill.
Nothing is imminent with regards to a Marc Staal contract extension with the Rangers.
It’s thought that the Blue Jackets would go a little over $4 million a year for Ryan Johansen. Johansen may have come down a little but is still around $6 million. After talking with some teams, Friedman thinks it’s unlikely that the Blue Jackets would trade Johansen.
If Justin Schultz has a good year, leverage will start to swing his way and he could crack $6 million.
- Chris Kuc: Michal Handzus still wants to play in the NHL. He’s talked to several teams but doesn’t have a deal yet.
- Jonas Siegel: Maple Leafs GM Dave Nonis told Bob McKenzie that William Nylander’s chances of making the team are “remote.”
- Hope Smoke: Bob McKenzie: “Nonis simply defended the players. Without getting into a disagreement with Leiweke per se.” … “He said the players have good character and if they didn’t they would have moved them out.”
- Adam Vingan: The Capitals were rumored to have some interest in bringing Paul Bissonnette into camp on a PTO, but that will not be happening according to his agent.
- Randy Miller of NJ.com: Flyers Kimmo Timonen is back home to go through more medical testing. They don’t know yet if he’ll be able to play this season. A Finnish paper is suggesting if Timonen has a protein C deficiency, he may not play again.
“We have to be diligent and thorough here before we start announcing things that are half truths,” Hextall said. “We want to have all the information. I hope to have something this week, but no promises.”