Rumors from the Edmonton Journal
Most people think the Pittsburgh Penguins will dangle defenceman Simon Despres to get a forward at the NHL trade deadline because they have Derrick Pouliot, who was outstanding in the world junior hockey championship, coming and they like blue-liner Brian Dumoulin, who they acquired in the Jordan Staal trade.
Fans can knock the $7 million a season for seven years the Toronto Maple Leafs gave captain Dion Phaneuf, but I’m from the school that thinks you overpay a little for your own free agents, rather than go out in the summer for somebody you don’t know as well. Phaneuf has cut down on the search-and-destroy open-ice hits. He plays a more controlled, hard game now.
T.J. Oshie, the forward the Oilers were spitting mad they couldn’t draft with the 25th overall pick in 2005 — he went 24th to the St. Louis Blues — could be an all-purpose player for Team USA at the Olympics. “He’s a real Swiss Army knife player,” said U.S. director of player personnel Brian Burke. The Oilers took Andrew Cogliano at No. 25 in ’05, and he’s turned out just fine, too.
It’s looking more and more like the Maple Leafs are leaning to Jonathan Bernier as their No. 1 goalie, which means James Reimer could be available this summer. Would the Edmonton Oilers be interested? Just asking. Reimer played for Oilers coach Dallas Eakins on the Toronto Marlies.
http://blogs.edmontonjournal.com/2014/01/05/short-shifts/