Andrew Gross: Rangers assistant GM Jeff Gorton said there are no updates on Derek Stepan or Henrik Lundqvist.
Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News: The Red Wings wanted to re-sign Daniel Cleary, but sit at $66.9 million with RFA Gustav Nyquist left to sign. Once Nyquist is signed, they’ll have 16 forwards under contract. GM Ken Holland has been trying to move out forwards, but he’s received little interest in Jordin Tootoo or Cory Emmerton. Cleary likely won’t wait much longer. Unless Damien Brunner lowers his asking price, he may find himself back in Switzerland.
James Gordon of the Ottawa Citizen: Senators owner Eugene Melnyk said they were not able to meet Daniel Alfredsson’s salary demands as well as meeting his request to add talent to the team. They would not have been able to afford Bobby Ryan and Alfredsson.
“You can’t have it both ways and say, ‘Well I want this for me, but I want you to do this with me and the team.’ It’s ‘which one do you want?’”
Melnyk says he eventually told general manager Bryan Murray: “We won’t be able to spend that kind of money, so don’t promise that we’re going to bring anybody else in other than filling a hole that was there.”
GM Murray had said at a press conference shortly after Alfredsson had made his announcement, that Melnyk had told him he had a blank check to get a deal done.
“To come up with the kind of money they were talking about and being fiscally responsible and ensuring the ongoing success of the organization, we knew we needed to add a Bobby Ryan-type player,” Melnyk explained. “And at the end, when I said blank cheque, that would have meant we would not have gotten the (Bobby Ryan-type player). Couldn’t afford it. Just couldn’t do it.”
Howard Eskin: Sources confirm that Philadelphia 76ers owner Josh Harris has agreed on the money to buy the Devils. He will cover Jeff Vanderbeek’s debt as well. Vanderbeek has lost the bank. Done deal.
Rob Rossi: Jacques Martin will be the Penguins 3rd assistant coach. They are still looking for a goalie coach. Seth Rorabaugh: Based on yesterday’s conference call, it doesn’t seem like Martin’s role has been defined yet.
Andrew Gross: Rangers defenseman Dan Girardi said he’s talked with Marc Staal recently, who is doing fine and the eye is doing well.
Oilers Now: Oilers Taylor Hall said he may play a few games at center at the start of the season while Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is out.
Corey Pronman: Capitals draft pick Andre Burakowsky said he is still deciding on where to play next season. He will talk again with Erie soon. (Erie holds his CHL rights)
CBC: The NHL will hold four outdoor games in January and two in March.
“If you’re looking at it on a national basis, obviously we’re doing more,” commissioner Gary Bettman said Thursday at Yankee Stadium, which will host two games in January. “But for teams and markets that want to host this (event), for fans that want to attend, we can’t do enough of them.”
Games will be played at Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium, Chicago’s Soldier Field, Yankee Stadium (two games), the Heritage Classic in Vancouver and the Winter Classic in Ann Arbor, Mich.
“The reason we’re doing more outdoor games is really what it’s now doing locally,” Bettman said. “This is an incomparable event and what happens is fans get connected to the game in ways they never imagined, we get new fans who, for the first time, will come and be a part of this. This is a fan-oriented, fan-driven event, and that’s why we’re doing so many games so we can bring it to more fans.”
Shawn Mitchell: Forward Jody Shelly has retired from the NHL and will take a job with the Blue Jackets.
Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News: After a successful first NHL season, Stars defenseman Brenden Dillon could find himself in a variety of spots this season. He could be reunited with Stephane Robidas, used as support for the 39-year old Sergei Gonchar or with Trevor Daley which could become their future shutdown pair.
Igor Eronko: Jets UFA Nikolai Antropov will play in the KHL this season according to Sport-Express. (signed a two-year deal with Astana Barys)
The Fourth Period: It’s sounding like Teemu Selanne is preparing for another season. A Finnish report is reporting he skated with other NHLers for over an hour two days ago, the first time with other players this offseason. He had been skating four times a week by himself.
“I’m ahead of the biggest decision of my career,” he said. “I have three options I can choose from.”
Options are to re-sign with the Ducks, sign with another team (seems unlikely) or retire.
Arthur Staple: The Islanders and Matt Moulson have had no talks about a contract extension. Moulson is entering the last year of his deal and an extension is not on his radar.
Corey Pronman: 2014 top draft prospect William Nylander signed a two-year contract with MODO of Swedish Hockey League.
Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun: Jason Spezza on Daniel Alfredsson leaving.
“I spoke to him the night before free agency, and we had a really good conversation, but I was shocked to hear it at that point,” Spezza told the Sun Wednesday from Toronto.
“We had talked about two weeks before he left and I had a good feeling he was going to come back and play. He still wasn’t even 100% committed. Once he said he was going to play, I just assumed it was going to be for us.”
Spezza admitted he did try to talk him out of it.
“At that point his mind was already made up,” said Spezza. “We talked about a few things. I don’t feel 100% comfortable talking about what we talked about. I have too much respect for Alf and the process I know was hard for him.
“But all I can say is I would have liked to have seen him back with our club. I still feel like we have a very good team. You don’t have to agree with somebody to understand why they’re doing something.”
Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News: Stars Jamie Benn will move back to his normal position of left wing and will start on the wing with Tyler Seguin at center.
Dan Rosen of NHL.com: Blackhawks Brandon Pirri thinks he should be their second line center between Marian Hossa and Patrick Sharp.
“It’s something I think I’ve earned the opportunity to do and I have to take advantage of it,” Pirri told NHL.com. “I want to make that jump and I think I’m ready.”
Coach Joel Quenneville said that Brandon Saad could be given a chance to become their No. 2 center and thinks that Pirri could challenge for the spot.
“Could [Pirri] do it? I think he could, but that’s a big job, and with him we’re looking for that consistency,” Quenneville told NHL.com. “We know he’s capable of doing a lot of good things offensively and defensively he’s improved over the last few years, but now game in and game out getting to that level of predictability that we want, that’s going to be the challenge. I think he’s capable of it for sure, so he’s one guy under consideration.”
Dennis Bernstein: The Ducks signed a multi-year agreement with the Utah Grizzlies of the ECHL.