- Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch: The Blue Jackets will be very active this week in trying to improve their roster. They have too many forwards on one-way contract and too many NHL-ready prospects. With a thin free agent market, teams will be looking to make trades.
Portzline wonders if Jared Boll is a potential buyout candidate help clear a forward contract.
It wouldn’t be a surprise if the Blue Jackets trade a prospect, with Kerby Rychel’s name already out there.The Blue Jackets are looking to add depth to the blueline. They have eight defensemen on one-way contracts and Justin Falk on a two-way. They would like to add a top prospect defenseman to their system.
- Chad Graff of the Pioneer Press: Devan Dubnyk will be able to speak with teams today, but he’s still hoping they can work out a deal with the Wild.
“I think there’s room to get it done,” Dubnyk said via telephone after winning the Masterton award, given to the player who best displays the attributes of sportsmanship, at the league’s ceremony in Las Vegas on Wednesday night. “The biggest thing is nothing has changed in that we both want to make it happen. I haven’t thought about anything other than being in Minnesota. I’m certainly going to continue thinking that way unless I have reason to think another way. I do believe that we’re going to get this done.”
Dubnyk met with GM Chuck Fletcher on Tuesday.
“We didn’t talk numbers or anything,” Dubnyk said. “But I think the most important thing that we both knew is we both reiterated that I want to be there and they want me to be there and nothing has changed in that regard.”
Fletcher will meet with Dubnyk’s agent, Mike Luit today. Dubnyk downplayed their ability to speak with other teams starting today.
“I don’t think either of us are looking at (Thursday) or any day really of being any sort of deadline,” Dubnyk said. “We both said that’s where I want to be and that’s where they want me to be. We’re going to do everything we can to get something done, and I don’t know if that will take one day or two days or three days — I don’t know. This is a new process for me.”
- Dave Molinari: The Penguins have pending UFA Viktor Tikhonov on their radar.
- Lisa Dillman: Talk is the Ducks final offer to Matt Beleskey was four-years and $16 million and was front loaded.
- Jim Matheson: Josh Mason is one of the most asked about Ducks players. The Ducks keep saying no. They will trade Clayton Stoner or James Wisniewski first.
- Damien Cox: The asking price for Maple Leafs center Tyler Bozak is a second round pick.
- Chris Kuc: Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman on trade talks: “It’s still early. There’s a lot of talk.”
