- Pierre LeBrun of ESPN: Steven Stamkos’s agent, Don Meehan, is expected to meet with Lightning GM Steve Yzerman today to discuss contract extension. The Nashville Predators continue to talk with Don Meehan about a contract extension for Shea Weber. Former Nordiques owner Marcel Aubut is still trying to get an arena built to bring the Nordiques back Quebec City. The Red Wings haven’t begun contract talks with soon to be UFA goalie, Jimmy Howard.
- Rich Hammond of LA Kings Insider: The LA Kings have lost Willie Mitchell for 4-6 weeks with a fractured wrist (we noted yesterday that initial x-rays didn’t detect the fracture, an MRI was done yesterday). Alexei Ponikarovsky will be out 4 weeks with a broken finger.
- Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer: The Philadelphia Flyers have signed the 22-year old Claude Giroux to a 3 year contract extension. He’ll have cap hit of $3.75 million, earning $2.75 million in 2011-12, $3.5 million in 2012-13, and $5 million in 2013-14. GM Paul Holmgren is also working on signing Jeff Carter and Ville Leino. Bob McKenzie via twitter: Now that Claude Giroux is looked up for the next 3 years, look for the Flyers to try to sign Jeff Carter to a long-term extension.
- Erik Erlendsson of the Tampa Tribune: Tampa Bay Lightning left winger Simon Gagne continues to be out with a strained neck (a concussion has been ruled out). He hasn’t been cleared for skating yet, has been riding a stationary bike.
- Mike Zeisberger of the Toronto Sun: The Toronto media continues to bring up Ron Wilson’s firing again as the team has 1 regulation win in the last 9 games.
“I don’t even talk to Brian (Burke) about stuff like this,” he said. “It suddenly switched from Lindy Ruff to me overnight and it’s always coming out of Toronto. There is some coach in the league that we’re talking about and I get asked not just about my own situation, but every other coach who is losing a couple of games and it always seems to come out of Toronto, not from the city where the coach is struggling a little bit.”
- Adrian Dater via twitter: Colorado Avalanche injury update. Craig Anderson skated but is still a week or two away from returning. Adam Foote skated but is still out indefinetly. Kyle Cumiskey is also out indefinitely, while Ryan Wilson is out another week.
- Frank Seravalli of the Philadelphia Inquirer: The Flyers have fired their AHL (Adirondack Phantoms) coach Greg Gilbert. The Phantoms are 2-10-1 and losers of 9 straight. Last week they sent their leading scorer Pat Maroon home. He could be traded or loaned to another team today when Holmgren meets with other GM’s at the general managers meetings, with a team source saying the Lightning could be the leading candidate.
- Andy Strickland of True Hockey: Rumors have surfaced that the Montreal Canadiens are clearing cap space, with the possibility of signing Bill Guerin. Guerin hasn’t heard from GM Pierre Gauthier at all. News on what Guerin plans on doing appears to still be weeks away. If he were to sign somewhere, it would still take a couple weeks to get in game shape. Guerin is also talking to MSG and VS regarding some TV work.
- Joe Haggerty of CSNNE: David Krejci never lost consciousness when he suffered his “moderate” concussion, he’ll be reevaluated today, and will take an exertion test later this week. Krejci will likely be out 10-14 days.
- Bucky Gleason of the Buffalo News: Buffalo Sabres all-star goalie Ryan Miller returned to practice yesterday and should be back either Wednesday or Thursday, with Thursday being more likely according to coach Ruff. Craig Rivet is battling the flu. Nathan Gerbe took part in no-contact drills as he recovers from a broken jaw.
- Matthew Sekeres of the Globe and Mail: The Vancouver Canucks are expected to get defenseman Dan Hamhuis back tonight after missing the last 8 games with a foot injury. Keith Ballard recently returned from a concussion but has been relatively ineffective. Andrew Alberts and Aaron Rome have filled in well. Sami Salo is recovering ahead of schedule so far, and could return to the lineup next month. Iain MacIntyre of the Vancouver Sun: MacIntyre thinks that if Hamhuis returns, Ballard should sit over Rome.