- Craig Custance of ESPN: If a team is looking for some depth upfront, they should call the Predators. Source saying that with Mike Fisher’s return and the emergence of some of their young players, the Preds would be willing to move Olli Jokinen or Matt Cullen. Cullen has more value, but he comes with a $3.5 million price tag.
The Panthers are said to be willing to move Tomas Fleischmann, Scottie Upshall and Tomas Kopecky. Their contracts may make it difficult to move them.
“Upshall has some use in a third-line role,” said one source. “If you’re a good team, you can have Kopecky on your fourth line.”
The Wild and Mikael Granlund’s camp have been talking since the summer, with a two- or three-year bridge deal the most likely scenario. Talks are still positive and they are not in a rush to get it done.
- Hope Smoke: Darren Dreger on the Stars: “Renovation isn’t over yet. Nill is going to continue to add pieces. He knows he has to better the team defensively”
- Hope Smoke: Darren Dreger: “Spezza is a key contributing player. If he had made it to UFA in July the Leafs would have been one of the teams kicking tires”
- Jim Matheson: “Can’t fathom Oiler GM Craig MacTavish watching this result from pressbox and doing NOTHING before week’s out. It’s wrong to finger Eakins solely, but if he’s sacrificial lamb for bad team, it could come after Wed in Wpg., before Sunday vs SJ.”
- Nichols on Hockey: Darren Dreger: The Blue Jackets and Oilers were talking about more than Artem Anismov and David Perron. The Oilers have been talking with other teams. Dreger thinks the Oilers were trade Jordan Eberle “in a heartbeat” if they got good value for him. If they don’t get a fair offer, they won’t move him.
Elliotte Friedman on Sportsnet 960 on Panthers Brian Campbell:
“You know, I have chased Brian Campbell rumors for years and years and years and years. I think there are teams out there who have been interested in him. I think Detroit has tried to get their hands on him for awhile. But I think Florida realizes a) you need veterans to play with some of these guys, and he’s playing with Ekblad a lot of the time. And b) defensemen who can move the puck – they’re hard to find.
“So over the years I’ve heard a lot of Campbell rumors. I know there’s teams out there who have been interested. But every time I check, they say, ‘No, we’re not going to do it.’
“Now I think there was a point last year where things might have changed, but they held on to him and now the word I’m getting is they’re not going to do it.”