LeBrun outlines Kovalchuk NHL return hurdles
/"He did, absolutely, sign his retirement papers – and that’s important."
Read MoreDreger: Blues "expressed some interest" in Lupul
/"I want to say Ottawa kicked tires, but again, you have to be careful in establishing definitive interest or tire-kicking."
Read MoreFriedman on Monahan's exciting career potential
/“I think what he’s going to be is he’s going to be one of the best two-way centres in the NHL. I think that’s what you’re looking at."
Read MoreFriedman: Senators likely to deal Lehner or Anderson
/“The other question though is do they really feel comfortable going with a Lehner/Hammond combo."
Read MoreLeBrun on Hammond & goaltending needs of Sabres, Oilers, Sharks, Stars
/“Now again, I have no idea whether they’d have interest in Andrew Hammond per say, but I do know they’re looking for goaltending in the off-season."
Read MoreFriedman: Thornton is "alpha male" of Sharks' room
/"When he gets going in his way – and he’s a, like I said, an alpha male - I think there are guys who back away from him."
Read MoreFriedman: Rangers "were convinced" Oilers would target Talbot as UFA
/"One of the reasons the Rangers signed him when they did was they really were convinced that Edmonton was going to take a run at him this summer."
Read MoreInsider Trading
/Darren Dreger and Bob McKenzie were on TSN’s Insider Trading on Friday evening.
McKenzie, on the Joe Thornton/ Doug Wilson exchanges and how we don't see this every day: "No, you don't see this every day and the fact that a high-profile player like Joe Thornton goes after his general manager verbally the way Thornton did in response to what he felt was a verbal attack by the general manager - you're right, you don't see that every day.
"But what this really is is just pulling back the curtain to allow everyone else to see what's really been the case since last summer. And that is the San Jose Sharks wanted to strip Thornton of the captaincy. They did that. Ostensibly they would have liked to have traded Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau as part of a new youth movement, but Marleau and Thornton had no-move clauses in their recent extensions from last season and they said, 'No go. We're not going anywhere.'
"The relationship between the management and Joe Thornton has been fractured for quite some time. They put that behind them. This brings it out in a public way, but it doesn't really change anything. The Sharks are playing some pretty good hockey right now and I don't think this is going to impact Joe Thornton or the Sharks in the very short term. And if you think this might hasten Thornton's departure from San Jose, think again. He wants to stay and he plans on out-lasting just about everybody there - the general manager, the coach, you name it.
"Thornton doesn't want to go anywhere."
Dreger: NHL GM meetings will address 3rd goalie protocol. Video review will be a hot topic. Leafs want to look at puck review for puck over glass.
McKenzie: College free agents of interest include Matt O'Connor and Kyle Baun.
"The other guy that's interesting to keep an eye on is Mike Reilly. That is a draft pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets - but like Justin Schultz before him, Kevin Hayes before him - he has the opportunity, if he decides to leave school, and that's a distinct possibility, he could become an unrestricted free agent 30 days after that. Or June 1, which is later. And a lot of NHL teams are looking to see if Columbus is going to be able to sign this guy, because if they don't he becomes the most interesting college free agent."
Dreger, on speculation the Leafs were going to move Nazem Kadri this past summer: "Well, there was and there were a number of conversations between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators' general manager Bryan Murray about the potential of a Nazem Kadri trade for Mika Zibanejad. Now, in the moment this makes no sense from Ottawa's perspective. But back in that day, last summer, there was some interest in this. Toronto wanted more, believe it or not, than Zibanejad to close on this deal. The Ottawa Senators got cold feet and that's an example of a deal that turns out well when you don't make that deal."
Source: TSN/ Notes, Transcript: Nichols on Hockey
Related: Dreger: "Considerable back and forth" between Leafs, Senators on Kadri trade last summer
Related: Dreger: Could Shero land as GM in San Jose?
Related: Friedman: "A lot of teams" will want to sign Mike Reilly
Dreger: "Considerable back and forth" between Leafs, Senators on Kadri trade last summer
/“Yeah, they have had a number of conversations and some are going to be surprising when we divulge them."
Read MoreDreger: Could Shero land as GM in San Jose?
/“Who would go into San Jose, if you start with the general manager? Ray Shero is going to land somewhere."
Read MoreGomez addresses "bullshit" stigma of signing big contract, taking it easy
/"I’m a sports fan, so I’m familiar with the stigma – guy signs a big contract and then starts taking it easy."
Read MoreMcKenzie guesses Oilers bring back MacTavish, Nelson
/"I’m guessing that Craig MacTavish is back as general manager next year, but I don’t know that for an absolute fact."
Read MoreDillman updates Richards' status with Kings
/“I think a few people might have kicked the tires. I think right before he was put on waivers, I think there were more serious talks."
Read MoreLeBrun: Sharks, Flames "lurking in the weeds" on cap-strapped teams
/"The San Jose Sharks have made this their off-season plan."
Read MoreBlack: "Teardown mode" is over for Sabres
/"I think we’re going to transition now from rebuild to build in this off-season."
Read MoreFriedman's likely Norris finalists will "no doubt" include Giordano
/“But there’s a chance he still gets my vote. Yes I am going to consider that.”
Read MoreFriedman: "Price has my vote" right now for Hart Trophy
/“I haven’t set my final vote yet right now guys, but I’m leaning towards Price..."
Read MoreSubban on embracing pressure of playing in Montreal or Toronto
/"You have to learn to embrace it because they are special places to play. I don’t see it as a negative. I really don’t. I enjoy it. I like that."
Read MoreFriedman: "A lot of teams" will want to sign Mike Reilly
/"And I think there are a number of NHL teams who are keeping their eyes on him. "
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