Penguins/NHL
*Word out of Boston is that the Bruins have stepped up their efforts to lock up center Marc Savard but a sticking point in the deal remains the term of a contract. Boston has offered a three year extension while Savard is seeking at least a four year deal and believes he has a lot of hockey left in him.
*The Washington Post reports that center Michael Nylander has an offer from a KHL team, believed to be from the KHL’s Dynamo Minsk. Getting rid of Nylanders contract will give the Capitals some much needed cap space moving forward.
LA and Chicago are not interested and Nylander will be heading to Russia.
*On the waiver wire, the Florida Panthers have claimed defenseman Steve MacIntyre and Sabres forward Adam Mair cleared waivers today.
*The Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers remain very aggressive in their attempts to lure Petr Forsberg back to the NHL. Interest from Colorado, Detroit, Philadelphia, Chicago and Washington has been lukewarm to this point.
Scouts with the Rangers are sold that Forsberg can contribute this season.
*Contrary to reports, I’m hearing a trade between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Anaheim Ducks that would send Jean-Sebastien Giguere to Toronto is not close to being done or even being discussed at this point.
*There’s talk around the league that the St. Louis Blues have put Paul Kariya on the trade block. The chances that a team would be interested in taking on Kariya’s salary ($6 million) at this point in the season is slim.
*The New York Islanders are 5-3-2 in their last 10 games and only 7 points behind the first place Penguins. Franchise goaltender Rick DiPietro is progressing but Dipietro will not play before Thanksgiving. He’s still about three weeks away from returning.
* Miroslav Satan drawing significant interest around the league? According to Team Slovenia GM Peter Bondra that is a fact. I’m not buying it and this is likely just talk coming out of Satan’s camp. His agent indicated in July that “serveral teams” were interested….It’s November and Satan is still unemployed. Satan has a house in the Long Island area and has wanted to join the Islanders. They are not interested.
*Hurricanes defenseman Joe Corvo is a prime candidate to be traded by the Canes. His name is being shopped around the league but Canes aren’t shopping winger Ray Whitney at this point.
Ottawa has shown significant interest in Penguins winger
Ruslan Fedotenko. Fedotenko could be a trade candidate after the new year.
*The GM meetings are being conducted this week.
