Friedman’s Thoughts …
- Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet: Watch out for the Canadiens on the trade front. GM Marc Bergevin is one of the more active GMs, who makes a lot of calls to see what is out there. Don’t know when it will happen, but there is a feeling that he will add something. Bergevin could be looking to add on the blueline, as well as up front.
- Bergevin was looking for two second round picks for defenseman Jarred Tinordi in the summer, but he would probably take less now.
- Lars Eller’s name is usually out there, but hard to determine if it’s new or old info. The Stars were interested before they traded for Jason Spezza. Will be curious to see if the Coyotes would consider Eller. Not a easy trade for Coyotes because of their budget. One executive noted that the Coyotes could be hard to trade with as they don’t have many bad contracts.
- Some teams are kicking tires on Nikita Nikitin. The Blackhawks may have kicked tires on him at some point this year. Sense the Blackhawks may have consider it if the Oilers took back a player with longer term. Thought Trevor Daley, but told that was not the case.
- Many teams were told they were not a fit with regards to Travis Hamonic. Don’t think the Flames and Oilers can make a Hamonic trade without a third team.
- TJ Brodie is a non starter for the Flames. Islanders GM Garth Snow may not be interested in Dougie Hamilton.
- May not be a match with the Avalanche.
- The Wild have defensemen, but they are looking for a forward. The Islanders have pending UFAs in Frans Nielsen and Kyle Okposo, but they are going to need forwards this year and next. May not be a fit between the Wild and Islanders.
- Reports are the Oilers don’t want to trade Darnell Nurse. If Snow is looking to replace Hamonic with equal value this year, why would he be looking at Nurse? Nurse isn’t a fit for this year. Could be something else – forward with term – in that offer? Maybe the defenseman comes if/when they trade one of their pending UFAs.
- The Jets are the most logical fit. Think the Islanders ask for Jacob Trouba.
- Think the Jets have recently spoken with Dustin Byfugien’s camp. Term may be an issue on a deal. Can see the Jets wanting to do a three year deal, but Byfuglien won’t go for that.
- The Ducks could do a straight up deal for Hamonic, but it doesn’t appear that he wants to go to Anaheim.
On the Oilers and Blackhawks …
- James Mirtle: (on Friedman’s notes on the Oilers and Blackhawks) … Sense is it would involve Nikita Nikitin and Bryan Bickell. Guessing that other moving parts would have been involved – retained salary, etc. The Oilers maybe better off keeping the cap space open for next season.
- James Mirtle: The Blackhawks could buy Bickell out in the offseason if they need too.
On the Flames …
Scott Lewis of Sportnet: The Flames have until next August 15th to sign 2012 1st round pick, Mark Jankowski. GM Brad Treliving plans on getting him signed long before that.
“We feel we’ve got a real good relationship with this player. The plan is to have him signed at the end of the year. The organization knew when they drafted him that this was going to be a longer term project with him. He’s having a terrific season on the top-ranked team and we look forward for him to be part of our organization moving forward,” said Treliving.