Morning Hits: Bettman, Wang, Smith, Pouliot, Maatta and Mayer
Eric Francis: Gary Bettman was named the 2014 Sports Executive of the Year at the Sports Business Awards. Chris Botta: Gary Bettman on the Islanders sale: "Charles (Wang) is still deciding what he wants to do. No decision has been made." Sarah…
NHL Rumors III: Kesler, Canucks, Ducks, Penguins, and Lemieux
Hope Smoke: Bob McKenzie: "Couldn't honestly tell you what final price was & if Shero/ownership backed off but the Penguins tried really hard to get Kesler" ... "People criticize Shero for not trying to upgrade the Penguins team but he tried to…
NHL Rumors II: Free Agents – Bolland, Stastny, Kulemin, Miller, Tedenby, Grabovski, Ott and Raanta
Hope Smoke: Darren Dreger: "When you're talking about Bolland & Stastny you're talking about 2 distinctly different players" ... "In Bolland you get what you get provided he's healthy and that's going to be the biggest issue for the Leafs or any team" ... "To…
NHL Rumors II: Ryan Miller and Goalie Market – Who Is Available and Who Could Be Looking For A Goalie
Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Brian Elliott's three-year, $7.5 million deal and Jake Allen set to play in the NHL next year, means that they won't be bringing Ryan Miller back. "At the trade deadline, we took a…
Morning Hits: Ovechkin, Letang, Elliott, Murray, Beleskey and Andersen
Darren Dreger: Canadiens Therrien: "Really disappointed. He's our best player. Looking at incident it's a reckless play. Not first time Kreider goes at goalies. Mike Morreale: Reports are that Alex Ovechkin will miss only one game at the World Championships. Evgeni…
NHL Rumors: Penguins, Capitals, Staal, Gaborik, Phaneuf, Umberger, Marchand and Ovechkin
Elliotte Friedman of CBC: It wouldn't be a surprise if the Penguins tested James Neal's trade value. Kris Letang's health scare may keep teams away. Scott Howson was in Vancouver for a second interview. Jim Benning has had two interviews…
NHL Rumors III: Flyers, Teams In Need of Change and Players That Could Be Available
Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer: Hiring an assistant GM to fill his old position is not high on Flyers GM Ron Hextall's priority list. Flyers fans shouldn't expect major changes. "I don't anticipate anything real big," he said. ".…
NHL Rumors II: Fighters, Boychuk, Martin, Johansen, Boyle and Stastny
Fluto Shinzawa of the Boston Globe: The heavyweight fighters may be on the decline, and pending UFA tough guys may be on their last contract: Shawn Thorton, John Scott, Michael Haley, George Parros, Mike Rupp, Cam Janssen, Steve MacIntyre, Ben…
NHL Rumors I: R.J. Umberger Requests Trade Out of Columbus
Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch: There is a mutual agreement between R.J. Umberger and the Blue Jackets management that a trade out of Columbus would be a good idea. Umberger was a healthy scratch for four games towards the…
NHL Rumors III: Ducks, Trade Talk, Sharks, Penguins, Gretzky and Canucks
Craig Custance of ESPN: Three priorities for the Anaheim Ducks this off-season. 1. Target Jason Spezza or Ryan Kesler in a trade - GM Bob Murray should bring in a No. 2 center. The Ducks have lots of young assets…
NHL Rumors I: Pittsburgh Penguins – Lots Will Be Up To New GM
Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Click link for full interview with Penguins owners Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle. DK: So, what are we looking at here, some massive overhaul? Lemieux: That’s going to be up to the GM. That’s why we’re…
NHL Rumors IV: Penguins and Bruins
Update: Penguins GM Ray Shero is fired, Dan Bylsma hasn't been fired. Bob McKenzie: The Penguins will announce this morning that GM Ray Shero and head coach Dan Bylsma have been fired. Will DePaoli of Insider Pittsburgh Sports: (posted before this…