from Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal.

- Most disturbing downturn this season? Tyler Myers.

The Buffalo Sabres defenceman won rookie-of-the-year honours in 2010; everybody figured he was Norris Trophy worthy and an automatic for the 2014 Olympics in Sochi.

Huge frame, nice hands, commanding presence on the ice; he was captain material with the Sabres. Now?

“What’s happened to this guy? He’s six-foot-eight, he can move the puck. He doesn’t look anything like the player of a couple of years ago,” said one former NHL coach who spoke on condition of anonymity.

- With Matt Greene (back) and Willie Mitchell (knee), not returning anytime soon, the Kings are looking for a third-pairing defensive defenceman. The Sabres’ unrestricted free agent Robyn Regehr, who played for Darryl Sutter in Calgary, would be ideal. He’d probably cost them a second-round pick. Buffalo also has unrestricted free-agent Jordan Leopold. Leopold and Regehr were partners on the 2004 Stanley Cup finalist Calgary roster. I suppose Sutter might like Calgary’s Cory Sarich, too, but he has another year left on his contract. Calgary GM Jay Feaster sent a Fax to every team saying Sarich is available.

- I know Blues coach Ken Hitchcock is a Jay Bouwmeester fan from international team competitions, figuring he can eat up minutes and play with an offensive blue-liner, but at $6.8 million (one year left), St. Louis would have to move some significant cash to deal for the Calgary blue-liner. The Blues, as we all know, have also been looking at Ryan Whitney. They want a guy to play with Alex Pietrangelo.

more on Myers here and other hockey notes too, and the 2nd and 3rd topics above are here with more notes and even more here.