- Craig Custance of ESPN: Eric Staal trade talk is premature, but it won’t slow down. He’s owed $8.25 million for one more season, and if the Hurricanes want to maximize his value, this might be the time to start considering it. The Hurricanes can learn from the Senators and and Canucks in their handling of Jason Spezza and Ryan Kesler, both received less by hanging on too long. Staal has a complete no-movement, no-trade clause.
“It’s going to be up to him,” said one NHL source. “He’s going to dictate where he goes, when he goes, if he wants to go at all.”
Not many teams can take on a $8.25 million player at the moment. There is also Jordan Staal, who if they trade Eric, may not want to stick around either.
“It’s a big, complicated thing,” said the source. “I don’t think one is going to leave and the other one is going to stay.”
A perfect world would see them trade both to the same team, a combined $14.25 million.
“If it comes at the deadline or in the offseason, there’s a possibility. Now is so premature,” said the source. “Maybe you start thinking about it around the new year, closer to the deadline.”
- Craig Custance of ESPN: The Bruins don’t have a lot of cap flexibility at the moment, and if they are in the same situation at the trade deadline, they could add a $2.2 million player. They might be able to take on a player with a higher salary if they could convince a team to retain some salary like the Kings got the Blue Jackets to do in the Marian Gaborik trade last year.
- Darren Dreger of TSN: Based on their stalled contract extension talks, trade talks involving Marc Methot could pick up when he is able to return from his injury.