- Dave Molinari of the Pittsburgh Gazette: The Penguins have traded away early round draft picks in the past to make runs at the cup. They traded their first rounder this year to the Oilers for David Perron. GM Jim Rutherford will be trying to trade for a first round pick before the draft.
“I’ll certainly pursue it,” general manager Jim Rutherford said, acknowledging that, “I don’t know if we’ll be able to pick up one or not.”
The Sabres, Maple Leafs, Coyotes, Flyers and Jets have two picks and Rutherford will focus on those teams.
“There are some teams that have acquired an abundance of first-round picks, and they may not need them all,” he said. “I’ve actually talked to a couple of those teams already.”
The Sabres have let it be known that they listen on offers on their second first round pick – the 21st overall.
- Tom Dougherty and Tim Riday of CSN Philly: Dougherty: It will be harder for the Flyers to trade Vincent Lecavalier this summer than it was last summer. GM Ron Hextall has said that he won’t be buying Lecavalier out. Riday: Unless they can find a team looking to get to the cap floor – Coyotes, Sabres and Panthers – he’ll be hard to move. New coach Dave Hakstol’s style of play doesn’t really suit Lecavalier’s game.
- Allan Muir of SI: The Senators will be looking to move a goalie this offseason. The Stars could use an upgrade on Kari Lehtonen. The Sharks, Oilers and Sabres will be looking for a goalie. If the Stars acquire a goalie, they would likely start shopping goalie prospect Jack Campbell.The idea of Steven Stamkos ending up in Toronto when his contract expires after next season doesn’t sound as crazy now is it did before.
- David Pollak of the San Jose Mercury News: Potential coaches linked to the Sharks: Dan Bylsma, Randy Carlyle, Peter DeBoer and Adam Oates. Dave Lowry is another potential coach to keep your eye on. TSN’s Darren Dreger has linked the Sharks and Lowry.
“I don’t have anything to really say about all that (conjecture about the Sharks),” Lowry told that newspaper. “It is all rumors.”
Later he added: “There’s a wave of coaches who have aspirations to move up to higher levels, and I’m no different than those guys. It’s all about opportunities, but opportunities with the right people.”