Hockey Trade Rumors

If you’re a Detroit Red Wings fan, you’re delighted that the Phoenix Coyotes eliminated the Nashville Predators in the second round of the playoffs on Monday.

And not just because you’re upset that the Predators ousted Detroit in the first round – although that probably has something to do with it.

Instead, you’re happy because you believe the early exit for a Nashville team that was all in this year to win the Stanley Cup will enhance the Red Wings’ chances to land impending unrestricted free-agent defenseman Ryan Suter.

Now that their season is over, where do the Flyers go from here?

Well, one of the first things on general manager Paul Holmgren’s agenda is trying to resign defenseman Matt Carle ($3.4 million cap hit this year) and right winger Jaromir Jagr ($3.3 million), a pair of potential unrestricted free agents. The Flyers would like to sign both players, a source said

The Flyers have $61.2 million committed to next year. If Chris Pronger is on the long-term injured reserve list again next season, the Flyers will get $4.9 million of cap relief.

Much criticism and many jokes have been made about Dustin “Pancake” Penner, but it wouldn’t come as a shock if Senators GM Bryan Murray shows interest in the 6-foot-4, 240-pound (on a good day) Los Angeles winger when he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer.

The two have a history, and Penner is proving in these playoffs that he still has some game. The native of Winkler, Man. has two goals and five assists in nine post-season games, helping the Kings earn the first berth in the final four.

Shea Weber hugged Pekka Rinne in a somber dressing room, the two stars shaking their heads in disbelief.

Out in the second round against the Phoenix Coyotes? Not how they had envisioned their season ending. Not by a long shot.

“It’s very disappointing. It’s very disappointing,” Nashville Predators GM David Poile told ESPN.com, while making sure to give the Phoenix Coyotes the utmost respect for a series win he felt they certainly deserved.

It was one of the first questions asked to Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman during his end-of-the-season press conference.

How would you describe your working relationship with [coach] Joel [Quenneville] this year? Was it any more strained or different than past seasons?

money talks, and when it comes to hiring coaches, there is no salary cap. Phil Jackson money would be ridiculous in the NHL – but Jacques Lemaire is surely worth at least half as much as Scott Gomez.

What is the going rate for a superb NHL coach? Right now, Mike Bab***** is believed to be the highest-paid coach in the league at about $2 million a season.

So what do you want? Would Lemaire go back behind the bench for that much or a little more, over three seasons? Only one way to find out, right? As for the cost to the Canadiens, one modest playoff run would more than cover the entire cost of the contract.

New Habs GM Marc Bergevin, not surprisingly, wants to bring his old Blackhawks colleague Rick Dudley with him to Montreal and is in discussions with the Toronto Maple Leafs to do just that.

Dudley is director of player personnel for the Leafs. Montreal wants to make him its new assistant GM. Toronto GM Brian Burke is talking to Bergevin about how to proceed.

TV here is reporting a deal between the NHL and Greg Jamison to buy the team. Bettman and Jamison here tomorrow for a presser

https://twitter.com/#!/dave_zorn/statuses/199374856100397056

Money key issue in Smyth-Oilers talks

Edmonton Oilers winger Ryan Smyth hoped to have a new contract before the season ended and while there is a two-year deal being discussed, money is the issue.

How much is he worth?

“He wants to remain in Edmonton and they know that,” said Smyth’s agent Don Meehan.

Their general manager is on more solid footing than the coach, ownership is miffed at another spring in which Stanley Cup expectations weren’t met and there’s expected to be a shake-up of some sort in the hockey operations department — whether it involves the bench boss or his assistants.

This is the situation in San Jose. It parallels the uncertainty in Vancouver.

We speak here of the Detroit Red Wings and the approximately $20 million they have at their disposal to chase free agents, and an owner, Mike Ilitch, with the track record indicating he’s going to do just that. Question is, will realignment go ahead after Collective Bargaining Agreement talks are finished or not?

After the Canadiens formally announced that Chicago Blackhawks assistant GM Marc Bergevin will take over their vacant general manager’s job, Louis Jean of Sportsnet reported on AM 590 in Toronto that Gomez’s contract will in fact be bought out by Montreal.

Maybe all you folks with those trade ideas to move the No. 1 overall pick in the June NHL entry draft should forward your proposals to Steve Tambellini. You could go right to the guy making the final call, never mind voicing your opinion on the talk shows and the blogs.