Things moving fast and furious on the Monday before the Draft. The Sabres have traded one of their 4 third round picks to Nashville for the rights to Jimmy Vesey, but comments from GM Tim Murray are not reflective that signing the Hobey Baker winner is certain.
The Maple Leafs acquired goalie Freddie Andersen from the Ducks for a pair of draft picks, which has been rumored for a number of months. Toronto has already signed Andersen to a five-year contract extension.
The Rangers have also swapped the negotiating rights to Keith Yandle to Florida for a sixth rounder and a conditional pick, according to Darren Dreger.
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I am hearing that the Lightning could move Stamkos' rights as early as today, but what is really fascinating regarding this is that this wouldn't mean that Stamkos couldn't still end up in Tampa on July 1. Tampa is still his first choice I am told, but he will likely want to see what's out there....and why not start that process as soon as possible?
"Teams will have to go above and beyond for him to leave Tampa," one source noted.
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The first on many deals involving draft picks occurred on Monday between Arizona and San Jose, with the Coyotes swapping prospect Maxim Letunov and a 2017 sixth round pick to the Sharks for a 2016 fourth rounder and a 2017 3rd rounder.
Letunov is a 20-year-old Russian prospect acquired by Arizona from the St. Louis Blues and currently playing at the University of Connecticut.
With the deal, the Sharks have further emptied the cupboard of draft picks, as the Western Conference champs do not have their own 1st, 3rd and 4th round picks in 2016 and their own 2nd and 3rd round picks in 2017 and 2018.
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