NHL Report: Esposito makes Team Canada

The Pittsburgh Penguins 2007 1st round draft pick Angelo Esposito who was traded to Atlanta last season, makes Team Canada after being cut three years in a row Many NHL scouts still see Esposito as a project. As I’ve been saying for weeks, the Rangers remain Mats Sundin’s first choice with the Canucks being his fall back option. Sundin met with Rangers GM Glen Sather over the weekend and all indications are things went very well. Now it is up to the Rangers to clear enough cap space to accommodate Sundin. If it was about the money Sundin would have signed with Vancouver months ago. He’s clearly not going to sign for $2 million per season but $4 million per

The Latest Penguins Buzz

The Philadelphia Flyers may have the most depth at the forward position in the National Hockey League. They don’t have a Malkin or Crosby but top to bottom they are much deeper than the Penguins. Sources tell me the Rangers are inching closer to signing Mats Sundin. Rangers GM Glen Sather is aggressively trying to move Petr Prucha who has a cap hit of $1.6 million. Sundin is open to signing for $3.5 – $4 million per season. Vancouver is Sundin’s fall back option. According to a source, now that Penguins General Manager Ray Shero got a decent look at the top WBS players, he is developing a plan to make some personnel moves/trades. There is some concern in the

Atlantic Division Report: Sundin remains set on signing with New York

Sources continue to indicate that Mats Sundin’s top choice remains the New York Rangers. I’ve been told Glen Sather has told J.P. Barry the agent for Mats Sundin that he needs until Christmas to move enough salary to sign Sundin. Sundin appears to be willing to wait according to reports. As I reported yesterday in the BOG Article, it is really a two team race between the Rangers and Canucks, with the Canucks the second option if the Rangers are unable to move enough salary. There’s a crazy rumor that the Rangers could move Michael Rozival to Dallas for Sean Avery and then the Rangers would send Avery to the minors. Sather continues to work the phones to move forward

NHL Insider Update: The Latest on Jagr & Sundin

Source: Jagr not looking to return to NHL: A source with connections to Jagr tells me “that Jagr is not thinking of returning to the nhl … infact, he’s involved in a very special kind of All-Star game in Russia to take place January 10th Team Jagr against Team Yashin. The KHL is in financial trouble and teams have missed making salary payments but nothing on Jagr or his team not getting paid.” Rangers holding out hope to land Sundin: Sources in New York tell me that the Rangers believe they are among the leading candidates in the Sundin sweepstakes. The Rangers only have $1.7 million in cap space but word is Sundin will join the Rangers for $4 million

NHL: Senators have the cap space to sign Sundin

The Ottawa Senators remain very interested in Mats Sundin and GM Bryan Murray continues to have discussions with J.P Barry the agent for Sundin about the possibility of Sundin signing with the Ottawa Senators. The Senators are among the few teams that are pursuing Sundin who actually have over four million in cap. Sundin has already sat down with Vancouver Canucks GM Mike Gillis and is expected to have a face-to-face session with Anaheim Ducks GM Brian Burke this week. The Ducks, Rangers, and Blackhawks have shown significant interest but all three teams are up against the cap. Sundin is expected to return sometime after December 1st. Source: Ottawa Sun

NHL: Sundin off to train in LA

Mats Sundin took a physical in Toronto Wednesday and is off to Los Angeles to begin training. Sundin will skate for two weeks and then begin talking to NHL teams about his playing future. The usual suspects (Vancouver, Colorado, Ottawa, Toronto, and the New York Rangers remain very interested Source: Globe and Mail

NHL: Sundin will return this season

J.P. Barry, the agent for C Mats Sundin, tells the Toronto Sun he believes the free agent will play this season. Sundin who has been heavily pursued by the Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers is expected to return sometime after December. The Ottawa Senators and Colorado Avalanche are two teams with cap room that have also shown interest. The New York Rangers are believed to be Sundin’s first choice but they have less than two million in cap space

NHL: Senators in hot pursuit of Mats Sundin?

Ottawa Senators’ owner, Eugene Melnyk, told Mats Sundin last week they are very interested in signing him. Sundin who was in Sweden last week for the ceremonial puck drop between the Penguins and Senators, remains undecided on his future. Sundin looking to join a contender has been heavily pursued by the Vancouver Canucks, New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs and Colorado Avalanche. The Canucks, Avalanche and Senators all have over $4 million in cap space. Sundin is likely to return sometime after December. Source: Ottawa Sun