Monthly Archives: February 2013
Panthers plan to keep Stephen Weiss
If you watched Hotstove Tonight on Hockey Night In Canada last weekend, you heard Florida Panthers general manager Dale Tallon toss cold water on rumours that he was willing to trade unrestricted free agent-to-be Stephen Weiss, who has a no-move clause.
“Ridiculous,” Tallon said. “I’m not trading him, I’m going to try to sign him.”
The Panthers are loaded with prospects and re-signing Weiss allows the organization to a) hold on to those players and b) prevent head coach Kevin Dineen from tossing them into situations they may not be ready for.
It’s really hard to find good centres. Clubs get them and try their hardest to keep them. In the last four seasons, Florida’s finished 17th, 28th, 27th and 27th in goals per game. In each of those years, Weiss finished in the top two in team scoring.
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/opinion/2013/02/30-thoughts-panthers-plan-to-keep-weiss.html
Dave Stubbs: P.J. Stock no expert on P.K. Subban
Canadiens defenceman P.K. Subban made a modest return to action on a perfect Super Bowl weekend. He was neither a commanding presence nor a step out of place, but rather one of a half-dozen blue-liners who contributed to a sweep of the Buffalo Sabres and Ottawa Senators.
And there’s not a thing wrong with that.
It’s just a shame, if you’re to believe one Hockey Night in Canada panellist, that Subban is disliked by everyone on his team, a young man who is profoundly troubled by the frosty shoulder of his teammates.
Could the Flames be looking to move a defenceman?
Anton Babchuk will likely be cleared for contact this week, meaning the defenceman is close to returning to the lineup. Or, at least, returning to the active roster. Hartley has, obviously, identified his top four blueliners, with the pairings of Jay Bouwmeester-Mark Giordano and T.J. Brodie-Dennis Wideman logging a lot of minutes. With Chris Butler, Cory Sarich and Derek Smith already rotating in and out, Babchuk’s return from a shoulder injury will only complicate matters. The Flames are likely listening to trade offers for a defenceman.
Roberto Luongo could help Caps, others
There was hardly even time for fun speculation, Washington Capitals GM George McPhee made sure of that. On Sunday afternoon, both Vancouver GM Mike Gillis and Canucks assistant GM Laurence Gilman were in Washington, D.C., among those scouting the matinee game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Capitals. When asked what brought the two executives so far east, especially in a season in which the Canucks won’t have to face either team until the Stanley Cup finals, Gilman smiled. Just watching some hockey.
Sabres looking to make a trade?
The Buffalo Sabres are among the teams trying to make a trade to help push their way up the standings after starting the season 3-5-1.
The Sabres, currently sitting 11th in the Eastern Conference, haven’t had trouble scoring, but they rank 28th in the NHL in goals-against per game, averaging 3.67.
Cory Schneider’s agent hopes Roberto Luongo trade comes sooner rather than later
Just like his client, the agent for goalie Cory Schneider is not about to criticize the Vancouver Canucks for the team’s handling of its goaltending situation.
But Mike Liut, himself a former goalie, clearly hopes the uncertainty regarding a possible trade of Roberto Luongo does not hang over the team and Schneider all season.
“Our concern is we were hoping that this would be the year that Cory would play 75 per cent of the games,” Liut said in a phone interview Monday from his Michigan office.
Roberto Luongo trade rumors: Would Canucks deal with Capitals?
The issue for the Capitals is whether adding Luongo, at his age and cap hit, makes sense this season and in the immediate future. They are already behind the eight-ball in the Eastern Conference, and the Alex Ovechkin-Nicklas Backstrom-Mike Green core hasn’t contended since 2010.
Players Gillis could be interested in: young defenseman Dmitry Orlov and prospect Filip Forsberg. If he’s looking for immediate help along the second line, though, the Capitals don’t have much to offer.
Kesler takes first full practice
Ryan Kesler is finally back at practice. His teammates good-natured ribbing of him is in playoff form, mind you.
Kesler took to the ice in a Vancouver Canucks’ full workout for the first time this season on Sunday. He led the opening stretch sequence, prompting both a rousing stick tapping from his teammates and Kevin Bieska to sneak up from behind him and drape a white cape with Kesler’s No. 17 on over his back.
NHL Notebook: Will Flyers pursue Iginla?
They need veteran scoring help and general manager Paul Holmgren has been sniffing around for more than a week now, sources said.
What about Jarome Iginla? He’s 35, but he’s still a bonafide NHL scorer, a guy who has scored 31 or more goals for 11 years in the league.
And here’s the thing: he won’t cost you Sean Couturier or Brayden Schenn or Claude Giroux.
Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reports …..
Nonis may consider moving F Phil Kessel. Just one problem: Somebody has to be willing to take him. Not easy finding a fit because he is making $5.4 million and is one year away from being a UFA … Once the New York Islanders are officially out of the playoff picture, expect D Mark Streit to get dealt.
Some possible trade targets to upgrade the Flyers offense
Here are some of the unrestricted free-agent forwards who could appeal to the Flyers in a deal, one that would ease the pain of losing winger Wayne Simmonds (out indefinitely with a concussion) and Scott Hartnell, who could miss another five weeks:
Canucks scouting the Caps
VAN GM Mike Gillis and asst GM Laurence Gilman taking in the WSH-PIT game today in D.C.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) February 3, 2013