- Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch: Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson said none of the offers that he’s received have come close.“I thought there might be (more interest at the draft),” Howson said. “But there wasn’t.” It’s likely that Nash will remain with Blue Jackets through the start of free agency. Howson has said that even if a deal isn’t done by mid-July, he won’t take a lesser deal to get it done. Howson is banking on free agency to drive up Nash’s value, with teams missing out on Zach Parise and Ryan Suter to come calling. But teams are also going in different directions. The Hurricanes dealt for Jordan Staal, and the Flyers traded a James van Riemsdyk, who would have been a central part of a deal. The Rangers, Senators and Sharks are still potential destinations.
- Michael Arace of the Columbus Dispatch:
“We’ll just keep working,” general manager Scott Howson said. “I sensed through the middle of (last) week that there was not a big push from the teams I’ve been talking to. This was not a day when people felt a pressure point.”
Howson wants 3-5 pieces, top end prospects, NHL players and draft picks. Things got trickier when Bobby Ryan hit the trade market as he’s younger and cheaper.
- Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times: Blackhawks defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson is still available. The Senators and Oilers are said to be looking at him. GM Bowman did talk with the Panthers and Lightning GMs at the draft.
“The discussions I did have, everyone agreed that you don’t need to try to jam a trade in in the next half-hour before we get going. But we had some brief discussions with a few teams. We all agreed that it will probably pick up as the weeks go on. There will be movement with players around the league over the next two weeks.”
- Aaron Portzline via twitter: The Ottawa Senators are not on Rick Nash’s approved trade list.
- Aaron Porzline via twitter: The Blue Jackets were counting on James van Riemsdyk to be a big part of a Rick Nash deal with the Flyers.
- Damian Cristodero via twitter: Lightning GM Steve Yzerman said that he wants to add defense through trade or free agency but isn’t opposed to fill holes from within.
- Sarah McLellan via twitter: Coyotes assistant GM Brad Trleiving said yesterday that if Henrik Samuelsson wasn’t available for the Coyotes at #27, they would have trade the pick.
- BD Gallof via twitter: Source said the Oilers offered Sam Gagner and Magnus Paajarvi for Keith Yandle during the draft.
