- Mark Spector: It is looking like Oilers defenseman Griffin Reinhart is NHL ready. The Oilers are trying to find a trade partner for either Nikita Nikitin or Andrew Ference. It may be hard to find a taker.
- Mark Spector: The Blackhawks are trying to trade forward Bryan Bickell. They had talked with the Oilers with Nikitin’s name coming up, but there was no deal.
- Tim Panaccio of CSN Philly: Flyers GM Ron Hextall said he’d rather trade a player than expose one of his young players to waivers. Luke Schenn is the most likely trade target. Brandon Manning would likely be claimed on waivers if the Flyers exposed him.
“We’ve got options,” Hextall said, speaking of what can be done without waivers. “We’re going to look at them all and figure it out at the end.”
On preferring the trade route.
“Probably, but it’s not something you can make happen,” Hextall said. “You have to do what is best for the team and the franchise moving forward.”
- Joe Haggerty of CSNNE: Bruins president Cam Neely on head coach Claude Julien.
“I’ve read some things about Claude being on the hot seat to start the year. I think that’s unfair to say. It’s unfair to Claude,” said Neely. “Claude is a very good coach in the league. I think it’s unfair to say that he’s on the hot seat.”
Julien on the talk.
“To be honest with you, it really isn’t a burden for me,” said Julien. “It’s not a concern for me. We know as coaches what our job security is, and it’s not very big. With the people that are assessing our jobs, it’s not just about wins and losses. It’s about situations and expectations. I’m good where I am right now.”
Haggerty thinks that if the Bruins get off to a slow start, may be hard to see Julien surviving it.
- Jenn Menendez of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Wingers on the Penguins top two lines could be a revolving door.
“You’ve got Kessel and Crosby, Malkin and Hornqvist. You know, there’s nothing wrong with having pairs,” Tocchet said. “Whoever is going good can be thrown on that wing. Doesn’t always have to be set lines, for me.”
