Garrioch rumor roundup …
- Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun: If Steven Stamkos isn’t re-signed by the trade deadline, GM Steve Yzerman will have a big decision to make. Stamkos has a no-movement clause, so he controls some of his own destiny. If there are any contract extensions talks between Newport Sports and the Lightning, they are doing an excellent job of keeping things quiet. If Stamkos hits the open market, someone could offer him $11 million per season. The Lightning have never shopped Stamkos, but there was talk that Yzerman may have been listening to teams at last year’s draft.
- Talk is that Lou Lamoriello has been aggressively working the phone since he took over as the Maple Leafs GM. Daniel Winnik’s name has come up as possibly being available.
- It might be time for the Penguins to starting looking at shopping some of their core players to see what they could get for them.
- Each week a new Ducks player seems to hit the rumor mill. Andrew Cogliano and Cam Fowler have already been mentioned, and now there is talk of Sami Vatanen. The Ducks are not shopping Vatanen, but he could bring back a nice return.
- Word is the Canucks have been looking for a defenseman.
- Some league sources aren’t sure that Islanders GM Garth Snow will trade Travis Hamonic before the trade deadline. Snow won’t trade Hamonic unless he gets what he needs.
- Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen has been interested in Hamonic since the start of the season, but hasn’t been able to come up with the right fit for the Islanders. It might not also work for Hamonic either as there likely isn’t any direct flights from Columbus to Winnipeg.
- Blues defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk will be a free agent after next season, and he’ll be looking for a huge deal. The Blues will have some decisions to make. The Blues would love to add another top-six forward.