NHL Rumors: Arizona Coyotes, Buffalo Sabres, Colorado Avalanche and Columbus Blue Jackets

Coyotes will be in on Eichel

Jimmy Murphy of Boston Hockey Now: Source saying that the Arizona Coyotes will be major players in Jack Eichel trade talk and that they have the pieces that might interest the Buffalo Sabres. The sides have spoken about the cost for Eichel.

Avalanche expansion draft decisions

Mike Chambers of the Denver Post: Projecting the Colorado Avalanche protected list for the Seattle Kraken expansion draft.

Forwards: Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, Gabe Landeskog, Andre Burakovsky, Nazem Kadri, Joonas Donskoi, Tyson Jost

Defense: Devon Toews, Cale Makar, Sam Girard

Goaltender: Pavel Francouz is Philipp Grubauer isn’t signed.

Unprotected notable players – Fowards J.T. Compher, Valeri Nichushkin, and Kiefer Sherwood. Defesenmen Erik Johnson, Ryan Graves, Jacob MacDonald, Keaton Middleton, and Dennis Gilbert. Goaltender Hunter Miska.

Gabriel Landeskog is an unrestricted free agent. It might take a five- or six-year at around $7 million. Could he take less to help keep the core together?

Johnson will have to waive his clause to not be protected and should be okay with doing so. He has injury issues and a $6 million cap hit for two more seasons.

Defenseman Graves could be a target for the Kraken.

Blue Jackets will likely talk to Gallant, Tortorella wanted to leave last offseason, and Del Zotto could be back

Aaron Portzline of The Athletic: Gerard Gallant has already spoken with the New York Rangers, and the Columbus Blue Jackets and Seattle Kraken are expected to reach out to him. Gallant has already been the head coach of the Blue Jackets for three seasons and was with the organization for seven years.

“When I got fired, I understood it. Doug was one of my best friends. He had to fire me, and that’s fine, it’s all part of the game. You learn from it and you go work for your next opportunity. I have nothing bad to say about days in Columbus, and I never will. It was all perfect, really.”

Last offseason John Tortorella tried to step down but Blue Jackets weren’t interested in firing him and having to pay his $2.5 million salary. Captain Nick Foligno also had met with Tortorella and convinced him that they should “finish what we started.”

The Blue Jackets told pending unrestricted free agent defenseman Michael Del Zotto that they would be interested in re-signing him.