- Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News: Heika doesn’t think Joe Nieuwendyk is looking to add a player just yet. If they are looking to improve the most, they might eventually look for a number 1 defenseman or center, but they are not easy to get.
- Pierre LeBrun of ESPN: Some Sabres fans are calling for trades, others to fire the GM and/or coach. Sabres president Ted Black said they are not going to fire Lindy Ruff or Darcy Regier. Black asks fans to be patient. Ducks GM Bob Murray on trading Teemu Selanne at the trade deadline:
“No, he’s retiring a Duck and that’s the way it’s going to be,” Ducks GM Bob Murray told ESPN.com on Tuesday. “But the way he’s playing, why should he retire?”
If the Ducks are still at the bottom of the league around deadline time, they could begin listening to Bobby Ryan trade offers again.
- Erik Erlendsson of the Tamp Tribune: Lightning forward Martin St. Louis returned to practice yesterday wearing a full cage. No timetable has been set as to when he’ll return.
- Tim Panaccio of CSNPhilly: Though it’s not 100% certain, but it’s looking like Claude Giroux will return tonight.
- Kevin Kurz of CSNBayArea: Sharks winger Martin Havlav will not play before Christmas due to a leg injury. Coach Todd McLellan: “He won’t play before Christmas, and will be evaluated a little bit more over the next few days, but it’s probably going to be a little bit more longer term than what we originally thought. We’re not ready to put a timeline on it yet, but he won’t play before Christmas.”
- Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News: Sabres defeneseman Tyler Myers has been cleared to return to the team. He is now allowed to grip his stick as he begins him recovery from a broken wrist which happened on Nov. 19th.
- TSN: The Maple Leafs have placed Colby Armstrong on the IR due to his concussion. The Leafs have recalled Darryl Boyce from the Marlies.
- Shawn Mitchell of the Columbus Dispatch: Blue Jackets goalie Curtis Sanford is expected to return today after he missed a start on Sunday and yesterday’s practice. Defenseman James Wisniewski also missed yesterday’s practice but he’s expected to return today.
#1 by Wunschkind89 at December 21st, 2011
Theoretically, if the Ducks blew up their team and traded most of their top players for a boatload of prospects–Getzlaf, Ryan, Hiller (keep Perry and Selanne)–and a couple years of solid drafts, the Ducks could be dangerous in 2013-2014.
#2 by hotwings at December 21st, 2011
i dont think the ducks needs to blow it up. i think what is realistic, is trading one of their big 3 and getting something like a top 3 d, prospect, draft pick(s)…
they definitely need help on the d, since hiller has been horrible this year..
if they cant get selanne back for another year, then this franchise is going nowhere fast..
i think trading one of their top 3 becomes more realistic if they can land a top 3 draft position and get one of the forwards (forsberg, nail, grigorenko)