- Harvey Fialkov: The Panthers should be signing goalie Jacob Markstrom “shortly” according to GM Dale Tallon.
- Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News: Sabres GM Darcy Regier on whether it’s possible that Ryan Miller and Thomas Vanek could be at the Sabres training camp in the fall.
“I think that’s fair. The nature of this business is that as we move through July lineups get more and more settled, there’s less movement. Once training camp starts, things begin to change some again.”
Most conversations that Regier has had involves the Sabres taking on money. Regier added that he’s held no negotiations Vanek, Miller or Steve Ott, who will all be UFA after next season.
“Talking to my counterparts around the league, that’s not unusual right now,” he said. “For whatever reason, there’s not a lot of activity on players that are going to become unrestricted in ’14.”
- Larry Brooks of the NY Post: Ilya Kovalchuk could become an unrestricted free agent on April 15, 2018. He would be removed from the “voluntary retired list” on his 35th birthday. To return earlier, he would need unanimous consent.
“It would require unanimous consent at any point at which the player tries to return to the League without having been out of professional hockey for a full calendar year,” Daly wrote. “Once he sits out for a full calendar year, he can only come back with the Devils’ consent.”
- Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times: Blackhawks Marian Hossa does not require back surgery to fix the disc issue that was causing his foot to go numb during the Final. Brandon Pirri will likely get the first crack at the Blackhawks 2nd line center spot. Michal Handzus has a cast on his right arm and his knee is wrapped. Bryan Bickell had thumb surgery.