Russell’s Roundup: Necas Sweepstakes; Skinner and Islanders?

We’ve officially reached the eve of the NHL Draft. The NHL Buyout window opens today, and Jeff Skinner is the only name rumored to be bought out so far, with the possibility of more. Elsewhere, the Martin Necas talks are bubbling over, Fanatics unveiled their new jerseys, and Vancouver made a late-night trade with the Blackhawks to clear some salary.

These Necas talks are really taking over. Really, it’s Carolina who’s dominating the conversations. They’re still clinging to Jake Guentzel, trying to re-sign him desperately. They’re also letting Teuvo Teravainen and Brett Pesce walk away. They still have to iron out contracts for Seth Jarvis and Jack Drury. Eric Tulsky is maybe three weeks into his tenure, and his reputation and legacy in Carolina might actually depend on what he gets done in the next few days.

New York Islanders

Jeff Skinner is being bought out. He’s a consistent goal scorer playing on bad teams. So bad, in fact, he’s never played in a playoff game despite having over 1,000 NHL games played. Is he a fit for the Islanders?

The NHL buyout window is now officially open, and while it’s unlikely the Islanders buy out anybody, it’s worth keeping an eye on the rest of the league, as things can get a little crazy with buyouts. Anders Lee is the only Islander with true potential to be bought out.

NHL Trade Talk, News, & National Hockey Now

Sportsnet: Last night, news broke of a deal that saw Vancouver ship out Ilya Mikheyev and pending UFA Sam Lafferty, plus a second-round draft pick to the Chicago Blackhawks, who sent back a fourth-round pick. It’s another salary dump, giving Vancouver the flexibility it wants.

Buffalo Hockey Now: As previously stated, Buffalo is buying out Jeff Skinner. It’s a tough end to a tenure in which the player was thrust into some poor situations and had very high highs but incredibly low lows. Here’s the full scoop on the buyout itself.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The NHL Board of Governors officially ratified the proposed rule changes from March, including expanding coaching challenges to the dreaded puck-over-glass penalty. Dan Kingerski gives you the full wrap.

Boston Hockey Now: Are the Bruins going for Martin Necas? It’s certainly possible, especially with the B’s now possessing a first-round pick once again. The Bruins are poised to make a big move, especially with the impending departure of Jake DeBrusk. Adding in Necas would go a long way in helping their secondary scoring, especially considering he’s from Czechia, just like potential teammates David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha. It could happen.

New Jersey Hockey Now: More on the Necas front, as the New Jersey Devils are reportedly in on the forward. It seems like Tom Fitzgerald will not be silent this summer, especially after missing the playoffs. He’s got the 10th overall pick to dangle in front of teams, and he could use it to score a player like Necas.

The Chris Johnston Show, SDPN (Video): Chris Johnston went over every and any possible trade rumors out there, providing more insight into a potential Leon Draisaitl move, along with updates on Guentzel, Tanev, and a lot more. I highly recommend giving it a listen.