Update: The Calgary Flames have accepted Bill Peters resignation letter. Geoff Ward to act as interim coach.
I will be updating this blog throughout the day with rumors involving the Atlantic Division.
On Jonathan Drouin...
Hearing the Avalanche has interest in not ONLY Taylor Hall but Jonathan Drouin...Of course Drouin has been rumored to Colorado before because he is close with MacKinnon, the two were a dominant pair in juniors... The Sharks and Flames have also kicked tires regarding JD, but have faded since his injury...More on this soon..
On Ryan Miller to Leafs (e4)
Starting today with a rumor I first heard a week ago and now I am elevating to an e4. The Leafs are looking very much like a team re-born under Young Sheldon, but long after this initial burt of adrenaline fades they are still a team who looks like they are contender, but will never truly be a factor until the sure up the backup/1A goalie spot.
And yet everyone is saying there is no way they can afford to even look at legit backups with their salary restrictions. After all, they need a guy with experience and competitiveness, who has played in big games, is STILL solid, having a good year, and yet is making less than 1.5per year on an expiring contract.
Well, for a long time I didn't see an answer out there either, but now I believe there is one...and he is a player who played for the hated enemy for years, just killed Toronto. He has been a great goalie, but the team he has played the best against is now the team who needs him desperately...
Ryan Miller is 27-14-0 against the Leafs with a GAA of 2.38 and a save percentage of .924...He has plenty of big game experience and has a contract under 1.5M expiring after this season.
Now I know many of you are saying, "He loves living in SoCal with his beautiful model wife" and I shared that sentiment until I talked to a long-time friend of Millers last week who said, "If he can go somewhere with a chance to win a Cup, on a very short term basis, I have very little doubt he would be open to it. He is a huge competitor, hall-of-famer for the NHL and USA Hockey, but he never raised the Cup."
The Leafs have little choice and a perfect option here. Getting him in sooner than later woud be ideal, but even if it means waiting to see where Anaheim ends up at the deadline I am told they have already had discussions about this...and it goes back to Lamoriello who really wanted him at one point..
Then this morning a Leafs source texted me.."You can put a big E4 next Miller and Toronto. There appears to be an appetite on both sides..."
What will they have to give up? That is the question, but I can't see it being too much since I can't see many other fits for him as perfect...
moe to come...next up I will get into the Sabres in just a bit..