- Dennis Bernstein: (answering some Kings questions) – Dustin Brown won’t be going anywhere. He has a limited no-trade clause and the backing of GM Dean Lombardi. Mike Richards has zero trade value. Think they will buy him out and take the cap hit.
- Craig Custance of ESPN: Nine teams in total offered Tyler Johnson contracts after his 2011 season in Spokane. He attended two Wild camps previously and they were one of the teams that submitted an offer. The Blackhawks also gave him a contract offer before he signed with the Lightning.
- Tom Gulitti: Devils GM Lou Lamoriello said that Blake Coleman declined to play in the AHL on a ATO while the sides worked on a NHL contract. They are still working on getting a deal done.
- Harvey Fialkov of the Sun-Sentinel: Scottie Upshall’s career with the Panthers is coming to an end, and the pending UFA is looking forward to free agency.
“It’s unfortunate we weren’t able to take the next step as a team and make the playoffs,” Upshall said Wedneday after practice at BB&T Center. “I like the way our young guys carried the weight this year. They were given the reins to do some damage. We were right there.
“It was great, loved it,” Upshall added of his Panthers’ stint. “This is a great opportunity this summer. Fresh starts are good. I’ll close out the season, continue to work hard and keep your head up.”
- Mark Purdy of the San Jose Mercury News: Purdy thinks firing head coach Todd McLellan won’t help the Sharks.
Pose yourself this question: If everybody in the Sharks’ organization, from front office to player to Zamboni driver, were suddenly declared a free agent, which person would receive the most interest from other teams?
The answer would be either Joe Pavelski or McLellan. And given that teams would not have to pay McLellan as much as they would Pavelski, then McLellan would probably draw more interest.
- Randy Miller of NJ.com: Flyers coach Craig Berube knows he’s on the hotseat. He does think that the Flyers can be a good team next year with minimal changes.
“I do believe that,” Berube said Tuesday before the Flyers’ game against the New York Islanders at Wells Fargo Center. “I’m surprised that we haven’t scored more 5-on-5 I really am. And again I’ll look at our road record and it’s astonishing, to be honest with you.
“We just lost too many close games, too many overtime games, too many shootout losses on the road where we needed a goal here and there.”
