Scouting the Blackhawks and Blues
Ben Pope: Scouts listed to attend yesterday’s Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues game: Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, Washington Capitals, Nashville Predators, San Jose Sharks, and the Seattle Kraken.
Scouting the Sharks and Kraken yesterday and Saturday’s Sharks-Bruins game
Curtis Pashelka: Scouts listed to attended yesterday’s San Jose Sharks and Seattle Kraken game: Edmonton Oilers, Minnesota Wild, New York Rangers, Calgary Flames, Nashville Predators and Winnipeg Jets.
Curtis Pashelka: Scouts listed to attend Saturday’s Sharks and Boston Bruins game: New York Rangers.
Time for the Penguins to move on from Kapanen, areas of need, and pending UFA Bryan Rust
Josh Yohe of The Athletic: (mailbag) The Pittsburgh Penguins should look into trading Kasperi Kapanen to a team that is rebuilding and there is less pressure on him. The Vancouver Canucks may be one option they could look at.
The Penguins could use a better backup goaltender, a depth defenseman and someone to play beside Evgeni Malkin. A depth defenseman will likely carry the cheapest cost, and thinks they’ll acquire someone. Winger Jason Zucker’s return would help but they could use a middle-six right winger.
Don’t see the Penguins offering pending UFA Bryan Rust more than Jake Guentzel’s $6 million. He’d have to take less than the open market would give and not sure if he’d be willing to give the big payday.
Toronto is on the road in Washington and are
-135 on the moneyline with Betway
Lightning GM on the trade deadline
Joe Smith of The Athletic: Tampa Bay Lightning’s GM Julien BriseBois when asked about his comments he made a month ago that they likely won’t do much at the trade deadline given their salary cap situation and their roster.
“I feel the same way. I don’t think we need anything. Are we a perfect team? Of course not. There are no perfect teams. Our last two squads that won the Stanley Cup weren’t perfect either. You’re always on the lookout for opportunities to improve your odds of winning the Stanley Cup.
We could do nothing, which is the most likely scenario, and still win the Cup. Or we can do something that, on paper, looks like it moves the needle, and we do not win the Cup. There’s no guarantees and there’s a lot of competition every year. This year, there’s a lot of competition at the top. “