Yesterday, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported in an appearance on Sportsnet 590 (audio link) that there was a snag in Vancouver’s hub city bid with Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre clarifying that it pertains to contingency plans around a potential positive test. It appears that the NHL’s concern is rather significant as Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic notes (Twitter link) that the league has shifted towards more detailed conversations with Edmonton and Toronto regarding their bids. It’s not necessarily the final nail in the coffin for Vancouver but right now, the odds of them being a host city seem lower than they were earlier this week. Vegas is believed to be the other presumptive frontrunner.
Elsewhere out West:
- While the salary cap not increasing like originally anticipated would seem like a problem for the Blues when it comes to re-signing defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, Tom Timmermann of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch posited in a recent chat that it could actually work to their advantage. A lower Upper Limit means there will be fewer teams with significant cap space that could put together a top dollar offer to try to lure him away. If that causes the offers to come in lower than anticipated, the captain re-signing with St. Louis becomes more of a possibility. Nevertheless, the 30-year-old is in line for a notable jump on his current $6.5MM AAV.
- Although he’d be unlikely to play for them, Peyton Krebs should on the Golden Knights’ expanded postseason roster, argues Ken Boehlke of SinBin.vegas. Injuries limited the 17th pick last June to just 38 WHL games this season (where he had 60 points) so some extra practice time with the big club would certainly help his development. Krebs is already signed so he would be eligible to be on their roster and unless he got into ten postseason games, his contract for this would still slide.
Great news for the Captain! (Alex from the St. Louis Operation) Thanks (or not) to a (probable) flat cap for next season, almost no one else will be able to afford you. Bad news for the Captain! Even your own team won’t be able to pay you what they/you want, but they’ll be able to be competitive (sort of). And, a bunch of teams who were looking to snag you for a massive upgrade on their blueline, now have to settle for plan B. #27 stays put! Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming…
Hopefully they can find a way to send Faulk packing.
Understood trading for him (sort of) but never understood the extension.
@Ol Voodoo – You & I are *SO* on the same page! I just recently stopped screaming at Army for that dope extension. Although, I didn’t care for the trade then, they definitely need to unload him to somebody…
Security. Blues will look to move Allen to resign Petro.
Simply put the Blues made a mistake by overpaying for Faulk (both in the trade and the extension) and extending Scandella. Should have just allocated that money to signing Pietrangelo
@CapsFan70 – Funny how so many of us railed on that in the moment, yet Doug A. still rammed the bus into the wall. It was as if they had resigned themselves to losing him without even trying to keep him. After all, who was going to be a better replacement? Even though he gets well-deserved praise, in my book, the Captain is still a little underrated.
My Jets have dumped a significant salary (Buff)and have been mentioned as a good match
Dubas loaded up on UFA D men to have room for Pietroangelo. But, now the lower cap might mess than plan.