Darren Dreger via twitter: Rick Nash’s agent, Joe Resnick will meet with Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson this afternoon. You have to think that he’ll be encouraging a trade.
Darren Dreger via twitter: The same teams are in on both Rick Nash and Bobby Ryan. If one player is moved, the other may go quickly afterwards.
John Vogl of the Buffalo News: The Sabres need to add some size up front. Last year their top 2 centers were 5′ 9″ and their 3rd line center weighs 185 pounds. Either through the draft or trade, they hope to get bigger up the middle this weekend.
“If there is a position that we’re focused in on it’s probably in the middle still,” Buffalo General Manager Darcy Regier said. “Tyler Ennis obviously did an excellent job, and so did Cody Hodgson. Derek Roy is a known commodity. You can look at a size factor, and that’s certainly one area we’re looking in.”
“I’m not talking about a one-year fix or a player that is going to be looking at becoming an unrestricted free agent and you don’t think you’re going to have the ability to sign and keep, then you’re going to lean more toward the draft,” Regier said. “If you have the opportunity to add someone who’s either under contract or is a high-profile player at a reasonable – whatever reasonable accounts for these days – cost, then certainly that’s something we’ll pursue.”
Mike Brophy of Sportsnet: One of Brian Burke’s priorities is to get some experience to fill some holes in his lineup. There has been more talk on Roberto Luongo and Rick Nash than the #5 pick. The Leafs are not a big team, nor are they hard to play against. The Canucks have to trade Luongo, and the Maple Leafs getting him would be a step in the right direction to make the playoffs. Other targets could be: Brandon Prust, Bobby Ryan, Jordan Staal and James van Riemsdyk.
Josh Yohe of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Penguins defenseman Paul Martin has struggled since signing a 5 year, $25 million deal 2 years ago. He was playing hurt in the playoffs, suffering concussion-like symptoms during the 1st 3 games of the Flyers series. Martin knows his name is in trade rumors and that they won’t go away this summer.
“I know there are going to be rumors about me and Z (defenseman Zbynek Michalek),” Martin said. “I’ve talked with Z. We both want to stay. We both went to Pittsburgh because we wanted to win, and we still want that. I love the city. I love the passion of the fans. I love the team. It’s on me to play better, and I realize that.”
“I’d be lying if I said I don’t think about them,” Martin said. “Do I think the same team is going to be back in Pittsburgh next year? No. But I hope I’m one of the guys who is back. I want to prove to myself and to reestablish to everyone the player that I am. Ray is a good GM. I can’t control what he’s going to do.”
Julie Stewart-Binks via twitter: Talked with some scouts this morning and they think there is a 50% chance that the Ryan Murray gets drafted 1st overall.
Mark Spector via twitter: 9 out of 10 scouts say Nail Yakupov should be the 1st overall pick. 1 scout said if their team was drafting 1st overall, they’d take Ryan Murray first. If Murray goes first, there is a belief that Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson would trade the #2 pick instead of drafting another Russian. The Sharks lost $15 million last season. It looks like Toronto may be the only option for Roberto Luongo as low cap teams like the Panthers or Blue Jackets may not want the $47.3 million that is left on his contract. Spector wouldn’t be surprised if the Canucks try to package Mason Raymond with Luongo in an attempt to get some size on the wing. The Blackhawks may be the only other option for Luongo if they are concerned about Corey Crawford and Ray Emery. The Oilers are small up front, and if they draft Yakupov, they’ll be even smaller. If they do move Sam Gagner, who will be their 2nd line center? Brian Burke on the 1st overall pick, “no sense from Edmonton that that pick’s in play. If someone’s trying to actively get that pick it’s not us.”
Sean Fitz-Gerald of the National Post: 5 potential teams for Roberto Luongo: Toronto Maple Leafs, Florida Panthers, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Vancouver Canucks.
Tom Gulitti of the Bergon Record: Zach Parise agent, Wade Arnott, said he’ll probably talk informally with Devils GM Lou Lamoriello some time over the weekend at the draft. He’ll meet with Parise on Monday to formulate their plan.
Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News: Heika thinks the Stars are trying to be in on the conversation for every top player that is available, such as Zach Parise, Ryan Suter and Rick Nash. Price to acquire them through free agency or trade may be too high though. He thinks are they interested in Justin Schultz.
Darren Dreger via twitter: “Final player interviews, meetings with the agents for unsigned players (Pavelec) or trade targets (Nash) expected to take place today.”
Michael Russo of the Star-Tribune: As of last night, Wild GM Fletcher had nothing big on the trade front despite continued trade talk.
“There’s nothing out there I’ve seen where there’s easy ways to get better,” Fletcher, the Wild’s general manager, said earlier this week. “There’s ways of getting players and paying a big price, but I don’t know if they make us better right now.”
Fletcher won’t offer up many of their top prospects for a top forward. The Wild could be interested Jordan Staal if he becomes available. Fletcher expects to meets with Guillaume Latendresse’s agent today. Latendresse was cleared by doctors on Tuesday. The Wild agreed to contracts with Chad Rau and Chay Genoway. Met with Justin Falk yesterday.
Brian Stensaas of the Star-Tribune: When asked if there have been any talks with Devils since the end of the season, Zach Parise responded:
“We’ve kept everything pretty quiet, and we’re going to do the same thing for however long it takes.”
It’s no secret that the Wild would be interested if he doesn’t sign by July 1st.
“As a player, [free agency is] something you work hard to try and take advantage of, but at the same time it might get a little stressful,” Parise said of the next 10 days.
Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News: Some names in the rumor mill: Rick Nash, Jordan Staal, Roberto Luongo, Tim Thomas and Bobby Ryan. The Bruins, Blackhawks, Penguins and Flyers don’t have a lot of cap space at the moment. Gary Bettman said last night that they are working on a date to begin CBA talks.
Steve Rosenbloom of the Chicago Tribune: Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman on Tuesday,
“for the most part we know what our roster is going to be with some minor tweaks here and there.”
The Blackhawks still don’t have a legit #2 center, and Patrick Kane may be a better trade chip than a #2 center. Even if they still make the error of having Kane at center, they are still 2 forwards short in their top 6. Bowman says that Marian Hossa continues to improve.
Ansar Khan of MLive: If the Red Wings don’t get Ryan Suter, Jason Garrison, Dennis Wideman or Matt Carle, Filip Kuba could be an option.