- Nick Kypreos via twitter: Coyotes Raffi Torres suspension appeal will be heard Thursday morning.
- Craig Custance of ESPN: According to Alexander Semin’s agent Mark Gandler, he has no intentions of re-signing with the Capitals and will become a UFA on July 1st.
“It was good while it lasted. With the lack of playoff success, with the direction they are going. They decided to change directions. That’s within their rights. Alex doesn’t fit into that system obviously,” Gandler told ESPN the Magazine. “It just doesn’t make any sense to him. He plays, he did the best he could under the circumstances and he earned his right to be a free agent.”
Semin would prefer to remain in the NHL rather than heading to the KHL. He would also like to get an expanded role, which includes penalty killing. He averaged 16:47 minutes per game this year, his lowest since his rookie year.
“I think the issue is with the organization, not necessarily with the coach,” Gandler said. “They told us Alex is not going to play short-handed, he’s not going to play in the last minute. He’s going to get the same icetime as everybody else … Alex is not ready to be a role player. He wants to be a full-time player. It’s important to him.”
Semin made $6.7 million last season.
“I don’t know what the market (for him) is going to be,” Gandler said. “I know there aren’t many players like Alex around.”
- Greg Brady via twitter: A scout told Brady at the trade deadline that GM George McPhee was pleading with other teams to trade for Alexander Semin.
- Nick Kypreos via twitter: Tomas Vokoun doesn’t have a deal in place with Lokomotiv of the KHL. He prefers to stay in the NHL. Chuck Gormley via twiiter: Vokoun said he never planned on playing with the Capitals for more than a year.
- The Fourth Period: A source told TFP that Rick Nash and his agent recently reviewed his contract with the Blue Jackets and could have an expanded list of teams he’d accept a trade too. The Sharks, Maple Leafs, Rangers, Canucks, Kings and Bruins had interest in Nash at some point this season.
- Slava Malamud via twitter: Russian sources say that CSKA could make a big play for Mikhail Grigorenko. If true, it could hurt his draft stock.
- Dmitry Chesnokov via twitter: Leo Komarov will join the Maple Leafs this summer. Gus Katsaros via twitter: At this point, Komarov would be a Marlies player.
- Rich Hammond of LA Kings Insider: Kings winger Simon Gagne has been cleared for contact but is long ways from playing. He remains in LA. He’s a long shot for returning this yeare.