from Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal,

- If the cap-stretched Blackhawks (nine forwards making a combined $43 million next season) feel they have to move Andrew Shaw, you can bet they’ll be trying to attach Bryan Bickell’s $4-million contract onto the deal. I think the Oilers would do that; Bickell’s a big body and has just one year left on his contract, and if they don’t like him because consistency’s always been a problem, they can bury the contract in the minors as they did with defenceman Nikita Nikitin. I can’t see anybody giving up more than a third-round draft pick if Bickell’s in the package, though. Scotty Bowman says Shaw reminds him of Derek Sanderson with his versatility and bug-the-opposition style.

- Kerry Fraser flat-out says the NHL’s Situation Room on video replay and coach’s challenges needs former referees and linesmen in there night after night. “Put a crew of officials in the situation room like Major League Baseball did,” said Fraser. “They’ve got retired officials who are supervising (at games). Instead of sending them on the road and babysitting (young zebras), put (Don) Koharski, (Bill) McCreary, (Paul) Devorski, (Don) VanMassenhoven and Rob Shick in the Toronto office a week at a time and rotate them through. They’ll be on duty to communicate with the officials on the ice.”

more