from Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal,

• Kerry Fraser flat-out says the NHL’s Situation Room on video replay and coach’s challenges needs ex-referees and linesmen in there night after night. “Put a crew of officials in the situation room like major league baseball did. 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,” said Fraser.

• So how much is Steve Stamkos worth if Tampa, say, wins two playoff rounds without him as he works on clearing up that blood clot in his arm? Can’t imagine it would be any more than $9 million. He’s going to see what the Leafs offer or maybe Detroit if Datsyuk’s off the books, but that blood clot would scare the bejeebers out of me if I was trying to sign him long-term as a UFA.

• Fans in Pittsburgh love Evgeni Malkin’s talent but there’s a segment who feel he slows down coach Mike Sullivan’s up-tempo attack. The Malkin-Sidney Crosby tag-team can be dynamite, of course, but Malkin and Crosby have long played better and put up big points when the other one’s hurt.

much more