- Damien Cox of Sportsnet: There currently is a truce between Joe Thornton and GM Doug Wilson, but can’t see how this continues beyond this season. With a no-trade clause in hand, it’s hard to see how Wilson can win this.
There has been widespread belief that the Maple Leafs could have traded Dion Phaneuf to the Red Wings at the trade deadline. They Leafs may have pulled back on the deal with the thinking that they could get a better deal in the offseason. There have been at least two teams since the deadline that have contacted the Leafs about Phaneuf.Douglas Murray is with the Flames on a tryout, but it seems unlikely that they would sign him.
One GM on Connor McDavid: “We’re all starting to wonder; could he be the best player ever? It seems crazy, but then you see him play, and you wonder.”
Speculation is that the NHLPA won’t approve that cap escalator, which would keep it around $69 million. Players are getting tired of the 16 percent escrow fee.
- John Vogl: According to Louis Jean, Sabres GM Tim Murray has been telling people at the GM meetings that he’s open to trading their second first round pick.
- Rich Hammond: Double-checked on Sunday if Mike Richards would remain in Los Angeles in case he’d be needed with Jarret Stoll out, the answer was ‘No.”
- Bruce Garrioch: The Senators haven’t had any contract talks with pending free agent Andrew Hammond or any of their RFAs. They will wait until after the season.
- Luke Fox of Sportsnet: Wild GM Chuck Fletcher last week on if there have been contract talks with goalie Devan Dubnyk.
“It just doesn’t make sense right now to introduce a contract negotiation dynamic into the room,” Fletcher explained. “We’re a good fit for Devan, and he’s a good fit for us, and there will be plenty of time at the end of year to address this.”
Dubnyk carries a $800,000 cap hit this season and will be a UFA at seasons end. They Wild have Darcy Kuemper ($1.25 million) and Niklas Backstrom ($3.417) signed through 2015-16.