Sunday, January 11, 2009

Sunday Rumor Roundup

During its Saturday night second intermission “Satellite Hotstove” segment the following was discussed:

-Al Strachan claims the Penguins players despise head coach Michel Therrien and management is under pressure to make the playoffs from ownership. Pierre LeBrun and Mike Milbury also claim GM Ray Shero is under pressure to make a trade or do something else, with Milbury suggesting firing Therrien could be the option. Strachan suggested moving a young player like Evgeni Malkin while LeBrun notes recently re-signed Jordan Staal’s new contract doesn’t have a ‘No-trade” clause.

-LeBrun noted the Lightning deny shopping Vincent Lecavalier but some around the league claim otherwise. The league is satisfied the Lightning are ok financially. Strachan claims the Lightning might not be shopping Lecavalier but they are “exploring” the option. LeBrun notes Lecavalier’s NTC kicks in July 1st.

-LeBrun suggests the Maple Leafs could trade Tomas Kaberle if he sought a deal while Strachan suggests Kaberle may be willing to move now when he could have some say in where he’d go rather than this summer , when there’ll be a two-month window (if the Leafs miss the playoffs) where he could be traded anywhere without his consent.

From The Ottawa Sun

-The Edmonton Oilers are eyeing the Senators for help at center but are more interested in Mike Fisher (despite his struggles this season) than Jason Spezza, as the latter’s contract is expensive and the Oilers would prefer to bring in a “hard-nosed” player.

-One team that might be interested in Spezza is the Columbus Blue Jackets as supposedly head coach Ken Hitchcock believes he can improve Spezza’s all-round game. The Jackets are believed shopping Rostislav Klesla.

- Now that Maple Leafs d-man Tomas Kaberle has let it be known he’d be willing to waive his NTC the Senators, Canadiens, Canucks and Kings could make pitches for him. Garrioch claims Leafs GM Brian Burke isn’t afraid to deal with the Senators or Habs. Teams could also be interested in Leafs such as Nik Antropov, Matt Stajan, Alexei Ponikarovsky and Dominic Moore.

-Carolina Hurricanes GM Jim Rutherford can’t find any takers for defenseman Frantisek Kaberle

From ESPN.com

-The Ottawa Senators will start rookie call-up goalie Brian Elliott for the next week or so and decide after that if they’ll keep him up, which could mean they would try to shop Martin Gerber. LeBrun reports there were talks between the Senators and LA Kings about Gerber but they’ve passed preferring to give Jonathan Quick “a good look”.

-Contract talks between the Detroit Red Wings and Henrik Zetterberg are ongoing but so far no breakthrough. LeBrun claims the Wings won’t start talks with Marian Hossa and Johan Franzen, who are also UFAs this summer, until they’ve got Zetterberg signed first.

-NY Islanders centers Doug Weight and Mike Comrie are available. Weight isn’t keen to leave the Isles but he lacks a no-trade clause and would have no say in what happens.

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