- Dan Rosen of NHL.com: (mailbag) Two areas of concern for the Blackhawks:1) lack of depth on defense 2) power play. GM Stan Bowman need to bring in a Dman before the deadline, a 5th-6th guy.
Rosen doesn’t think Devils GM Lou Lamoriello’s job is in jeopardy just yet.
Teams to watch at the deadline – Coyotes, Oilers, Bruins and Leafs.
Don’t see the Blue Jackets doing much at the deadline. They could move Mark Letestu and Jordan Leopold.
The Rangers need a big center that can win faceoffs. They may be better off to shelter Kevin Hayes on the wing during his first post season.
- Damien Cox: With Jets Mathieu Perreault likely done for the regular season, wonder if they’d be interested in Olli Jokinen.
- Patrick Kearns: Hearing that the Rangers are interested in Blue Jackets Mark Letestu.
- The Fourth Period: Sources saying the Rangers and Penguins are among the teams interested in Mark Letestu. The Blue Jackets are getting calls on Cam Atkinson, Matt Calvert and some of their defensemen.
- Jonathan Willis: The chances of the Oilers trading Viktor Fasth at the deadline were remote to begin with, but now he’s out indefinitely with a knee injury. They would have likely taken a late round pick for him.
- Dan Rosen of NHL.com: Jaromir Jagr’s message to teams.
“I think some teams worry about when I go there I want to be on the first power play, I want to be on the first line; it’s not true,” Jagr said. “I’m here on the third line, and I play 15 minutes, sometimes I don’t get on the power play, and I’m happy. Not happy, but I do my job. I try to do it the best. I think sometimes the teams or the coaches, they think, he always plays on the outside. I know where’s my strength. I like to play offensive zone on the boards. I still feel like I’m strong enough to beat anybody, at least hold that puck. If it’s true or not, I still believe in it. Maybe I’m not going to beat that guy one-on-one like I used to, but I can still make a play from that corner from the cycle. That’s my strength. And in the playoffs that’s the way you play. I don’t have to play 40 minutes.”
On his plans for next year.
“If I have to go to tryout I go to tryout. I just love the NHL, so it doesn’t matter,” Jagr said. “I’ll go try out. If I have to go I’ll go, and I’ll be ready. Trust me, I’m going to make that team.”