- Ed Barkowitz of the Philadelphia Daily News: Newly acquired Sam Gagner could fit into the their top-nine, something that GM Ron Hextall was trying to add, or he’ll provide them with some extra cap space. The Flyers are about $7 million under the cap, but still could use some extra space.
“Make no mistake,” Hextall said, “we’re still up against it. This doesn’t get us out of problems, but we’re closer.”
The Flyers aren’t sure if they will buy Gagner out or not. He has a $3.3 million cap hit. A buyout would cost them just under $1.5 million over two years.
“We’ll make that decision and other decisions we have to make here,” Hextall said from the Fort Lauderdale airport following Saturday’s draft. “It could be a combination of a few things. I really don’t have an answer for you and I don’t want to speak before I have all the information in front of me.”
- Dave Issac of the Courier Post: Sam Gagner on if he thinks he’ll be bought out or not.
“I honestly couldn’t even give you a ballpark,” Gagner said on a conference call Sunday morning. “From the conversations I’ve had, it’s just trying to figure out where I fit against the cap. They said they like me as a player and they’re gonna try and make it work, but in this league with the cap situation and everything like that, it’s hard for me to say.”
- Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun: The Oilers and Stars had kicked tires on Eddie Lack before the Canucks traded him to Carolina.Canucks Kevin Bieksa has a no movement clause, but he was asked, and provided a list of teams he would accept a trade too.
There is the belief that Antoine Vermette will sign with the Coyotes.
If the Senators had traded Robin Lehner to the Oilers, it might have included Colin Greening. The Oilers didn’t want to include their 1st round pick. The Sharks and Flames made an attempt to land Lehner.
Blues GM Doug Armstrong has to be a bit disappointed that they weren’t able to make any changes. They have made TJ Oshie and Patrick Berglund available.
The Panthers are still looking at Patrick Sharp, but the Blackhawks don’t appear to be in a rush to move him.
