Morning Hits: Buyouts, Trading Draft Picks, Injuries and Callahan’s Clauses
Dan Rosen: The Lightning use a compliance buyout on Ryan Malone. The move clears $4.5 million off their cap. Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Blues GM Doug Armstrong is looking for an offensive forward before or after the…
NHL Rumors II: Tampering, Ducks, Kesler, Spezza, Thornton, Niemi and Marleau
Craig Custance of ESPN: On free agents, “The tampering out there is ridiculous,” said one GM. Ryan Kesler and Jason Spezza trade talks are holding some other potential moves. “There are teams we haven’t talked to within the last three…
Top 10 2014 NHL Free Agent Centers
First expanded look at unrestricted free agency this week by Todd Cordell, who can be found on twitter @ToddCordell. NHL free agency is just a few days away, and with this year’s free agent crop arguably more underwhelming than usual, teams…
NHL Rumors IV: Blues Looking for Offense and Kings Could Be Busy Next Offseason
Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: The Blues are looking for someone to add some scoring and could look to add a top-end center. They have checked in on Jason Spezza, Ryan Kesler and others. “You hear the names being…
NHL Rumors III: Oilers, Maple Leafs, Ducks, Stars, Avs and Bonus Overages
Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal: (Oilers GM Craig MacTavish Q & A) Q: About that No. 3 pick? You’re not of a mind to give it up, are you? What about moving up to No. 1? A: There will…
NHL Rumors I: Blues, Leafs, Available Centers, Jets and Byfuglien
Jeremy Rutherford: It's unlikely the Blues re-sign any of their own pending UFAs until after July 1st. Their UFAs include: Steve Ott, Brenden Morrow, Derek Roy, Carlo Colaiacovo and Ryan Miller. Pending RFAs that don't have any deals imminent include: Vladimir…
NHL Rumors III: Hurricanes, Red Wings, Yandle, Overpaying UFAs and Tocchet
Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer: Hurricanes GM Ron Francis has lot of decisions to go over and make this offseason. “I don’t foresee a major makeover,” he said. “We’ve got some pretty good pieces in place. I…
NHL Rumors I: O’Reilly, Spezza, Kesler, Thornton, Red Wings, Ducks and Blues
Pierre LeBrun of ESPN: If a team signs Ryan O'Reilly to an offer sheet, the Avs will match it. "We're going to match that," Sakic said, when asked about a possible offer sheet for the restricted free agent. The minimum O'Reilly…
NHL Rumors IV: Jason Spezza – Blues, Ducks, Preds, Lightning and Stars
Wayne Scanlan of the Ottawa Citizen: Senators GM Bryan Murray on Jason Spezza. “The only explanation I have is that he would like to try something different,” Murray said of Spezza, in the GM’s final media appearance prior to the…
NHL Rumors IX: Rangers, Senators and Blues
Craig Custance of ESPN: Priorities for Rangers this offseason. 1. Use a compliance buyout on Brad Richards: It's more about the math and not about his performance. They can't risk the cap recapture penalty. 2. Sign Anton Stralman: His playoff…
NHL Rumors VIII: Leafs To No. 1? Stralman, Smith, Kesler, Spezza, and Thornton
Gare Joyce of SportsNet: The Panthers No. 1 pick might be available, but they won't move it for anything along the lines of the rumored Maple Leafs No. 8, Jake Gardiner and Nazem Kadri. The Leafs would then draft Aaron…
NHL Rumors III: Spezza, Kesler, Campbell and the Islanders
Bruce Garrioch: The Maple Leafs and Canadiens are not on Jason Spezza's 10 team no-trade list as he knows he likely won't be sent to either place. Aaron Portzline: As best as Portzline can tell with the Blue Jackets regarding…