- Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal: (mailbag) Oilers Andrew Ference has a no-trade and no-movement clause. He has this year and next left on his four-year, $13 million contract. There is a chance that the Oilers could buy him out after the season. Two-thirds of his $3.25 million salary would cost them $2.145 million over two years.
- Chris Nichols of Today’s Slapshot: Elliotte Friedman on 630 CHED on the if Peter Chiarelli needs to make a minor move to spark his team.
“Well, I think obviously he’d probably like to get some help on defense. I mean, the thing is though there are teams out there looking for defensemen. Boston’s looking for a defenseman. Carolina’s looking for a defenseman. There’s not much available out there right now.”
Things are quiet on the trade front.
“I was just talking to one GM this afternoon. I said, ‘Is anything going on out there?’ He said, ‘No, not really.’”
The Flyers have extra defenseman, but what to the Flyers want for them?
On if there is anything new with regards to Zdeno Chara
“Not really. I just think it’s going to be very difficult for them to do that right now. I’m not sure he wants to do it. I know he loves being a Bruin. Secondly, there’s not a lot of teams that can handle that. It’s a $6.9 million cap hit for two more years after this one. And aside from the Oilers, I don’t know many teams that are out there that can pull that off. Columbus, I think, is a team I think would be a perfect fit for him and I don’t think they can do it.
“The other thing too, is does Chara want to go? I’m not convinced he does and he holds the cards here because he’s got the no-move.”
Loui Eriksson hasn’t worked out in Boston. They tried to trade him last year and you have to think he’ll get traded at some point his season.
- Elliotte Friedman on Sportsnet 960 on if teams will call the Blue Jackets and inquire about Ryan Johansen.
“Yeah, I don’t think there’s a chance that’s going to happen. I think in Columbus – they know what they’ve got there. I don’t think they’re moving Ryan Johansen.
“I mean, they’ve got the big contract battle coming up in a year from now and they know that. They know it’s going to be something like that. But they also know – how many No. 1 centers are there? And once you trade one, you’re always looking and saying, ‘Boy, did we make a mistake.’
“You have to get a – if you’re going to trade Ryan Johansen, you have to get a legit, high-impact player who’s going to play for you for a long time.
“That’s a tough trade to make, man.”