Updates on Tomas Plekanec and Colin Greening, plus the latest on the Maple Leafs, Oilers and Flames.
Could next season be Tomas Plekanec’s last with the Montreal Canadiens?
MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens center Tomas Plekanec is entering his contract year, and his future beyond that remains to be determined.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s some talk the Habs could trade the 32-year-old center, whose cap hit for next season is $5 million, but they would certainly miss his reliable two-way style.
OTTAWA SUN: It’s unlikely the Senators buy out little-used winger Colin Greening, who has two years and $5.95 million remaining on his contract. It’s believed the club will keep trying to trade him.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: They’ve been unsuccessful in their attempts thus far to trade him. Unless Greening is bundled into a larger deal or the Sens agree to take back a toxic contract, the only way I see them moving him is by picking up part of his salary.
TORONTOMAPLELEAFS.COM: The Leafs yesterday announced “Jim Hiller, D.J. Smith and Andrew Brewer have been named assistant coaches on Mike Babcock’s staff.”
EDMONTON JOURNAL: Jim Matheson examines potential goaltending targets via the draft for the Edmonton Oilers.
CALGARY HERALD: The Flames have released their preseason schedule, which kicks off on Sept. 21 with split-squad games against the Edmonton Oilers.
Have to see how it all works out but the Leafs front office and coaching staff is starting to resemble a whos who of successful guys from the OHL over the past decade, Hunter Dubas Keefe Hofford Smith it will either look brilliant in a few years or like an episode of Game of Thrones, with all that ambition and groups from different camps..Shanny may need to polish his badge and retake the Sheriff Shanny tag to keep the egos in check, I wasnt keen on the Babcock hire but now looking at it its probably a good thing to have another strong personality with tones of experience with that group. *fingers crossed*
Pleks put up 60 points last year, his best points totals since 2010; and considering the ice time he got, including pp time, there is the argument that Eller might get similar numbers if he were to center the 2nd line with the same offensive ops. Plekanec’s value is as high as it’s gonna get this year.
Great to see the management taking this team building a little serious. they are building a team for the future starting at the top.