- Derek Van Diest of the Edmonton Sun: If the Oilers don’t think Jeff Petry is part of their future, they could look to move him by the deadline.
“This is the first time I’ve been in this position,” he said prior to Friday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks. “It’s something that’s new to me, but it’s not in my control if there are trade rumours. You have to block that out and just go out and try to play a consistent game, whether it’s here moving forward or in a different position, it could go both ways.”
The Oilers and Petry couldn’t work out a long-term contract last summer, and settled on a one-year deal.
- Chip Alexander: Hurricanes GM Ron Francis said they need to take “emotion and frustration” out of personnel decision they need to make at their upcoming management meetings. Francis wouldn’t comment on the Cam Ward to the Minnesota Wild rumors, but added that there are some teams looking for goalies. Francis added that Ward has a no-trade clause. The UFA market for goalie isn’t strong this offseason, so they need to be careful.
- Chip Alexander: Hurricanes GM Ron Francis said there has been some contract talks with Andrej Sekera and Jiri Tlusty, but they have been “put on the backbunner.” He added that talks should pick up soon.
- John Hoven: “RE: Richards trade possibility… little has changed. Jun/July deal was always likely. Feb/Mar only likely if D involved. Nothing on horizon.”
- Hope Smoke: Ray Ferraro: “What are the Leafs going to do with Clarkson’s contract. He makes NO impact. What are you going to do if you want to move Kessel or Phaneuf’s contract. Those are hard deals to move & they have limited NTCs.
- Friedman on 630 CHED: There is not a lot of contract talks going on between the Maple Leafs and pending UFA Cody Franson, and pending RFAs Jonathan Bernier and Nazem Kadri.
“So that says to me that they haven’t made up their minds on some of their other guys who don’t have term yet heading forward toward the end of the season.”
Cody Franson is the most likely to be traded by the Leafs. He’s a pending UFA and they almost traded him in the summer. They haven’t started contract talks with him. Either they will give him a big deal last minute, or they’ll move him.
Coyotes GM Don Maloney told a team what it would cost for Antoine Vermette, and they were even in the ballpark.
There has been talk of a Keith Yandle for Ryan O’Reilly trade. Rumor has been out there for a couple days.