- Mike Chambers of the Denver Post: The Avalanche will likely inquire about Dion Phaneuf, Cody Franson and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, but the asking prices will likely be more than the Avalanche would be willing to pay. Ekman-Larsson would probably cost a top-six forward/top-four defenseman, a top prospect and a first round draft pick. Only teams that are poised to make a deep playoff run may be interested in making that type of deal.
- Mark Spector of Sportsnet: The Penguins may not be done adding to their roster, GM Jim Rutherford.
“We’re almost down to the final exams. It’s the marking period here, these next few weeks. What do we really have?” he said, in reference to March 2 trade deadline, his last chance to retool a team that has made just one conference final since back-to-back Stanley Cup appearances in 2008 and ’09. “In my mind it can all come together, but we’ll watch it very closely here in the next few weeks.”
Rutherford could be looking for a defenseman and a winger for a left winger for Evgeni Malkin.
“You manage your team around the core, and the core of this team has won a Cup. So, they’ve been there, they know what to expect, they know how to do it. So, what are the pieces that go around that core group? That’s how I manage,” he said. “The one thing that I like to do is to make moves earlier than the trade deadline. The (David) Perron deal was important for us. We’ve added (Maxim) Lapierre; he’s got playoff experience. He’s had two good runs. We added (Mark) Arcobello as a depth guy.”
- Chuck Gormley of CSN Washington: Capitals GM Brian MacLellan will have some decisions leading up to the trade deadline. MacLellan on ESPN 980 radio yesterday morning on if they’ll address their first line right winger issue (Ovechkin and Backstrom have had 8 different right wingers):
“Yeah, we’ve looked at it. We’ve tried just about everybody on the team up there and people have had success for periods of time. Ideally, we’d love to have a consistent guy who fits with both those players. Obviously, those two make everybody that plays there a little better. At times Wilson has done a really good job. At times Burakovsky has done a really good job. We’ve had Ward there and Beagle there for short stints. It is an area and it will be interesting to see how JoJo plays there the next few games.”
On how often he talks to other GMs
“It goes in spurts. Pretty much everybody is evaluating their own teams like we are. Everybody’s got a few holes. I think the communication starts off in a broad sense. ‘What are you guys thinking of doing?’ And then it kind of narrows down over the next couple weeks, where people get more serious. Injuries come into effect, players playing better or sitting out. Everything kind of comes to a boil at the deadline and decisions get made at that point.”
On if he’ll look to make a move in the next two weeks instead of waiting to March 2nd.
“Ideally, that would be the case. Unfortunately, the teams that have players that one or more teams have interest in will try to stretch it out until the last minute to maximize the value for their players. I think it’s more a strategy thing. There might be a couple things that happen early, but most of the time I think they take it right to the deadline.”
On the best trade currency this year.
“I think the picks are going to be big this year. I think you’re going to see teams with the UFAs that aren’t in the playoffs a combination of first-round and second-round picks and prospects. I really believe the second-round picks are going to be valuable and they’re going to try to leverage them into first rounds. It’s going to be hard to give those picks up knowing you could get a good player in the second round this year.”
