from Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet,

- On Karlsson, my sense is the Vegas trade fell apart because of how the purchase price would be adjusted by Bobby Ryan’s inclusion. I’m not 100 per cent sure if it was Ottawa’s ask or Vegas’s offer, but one of the rumblings is that the teams were talking two first-rounders, a high-level prospect and a conditional pick for Karlsson — the condition being whether or not the Golden Knights re-signed him. Whatever the case, it didn’t happen and I can’t imagine Vegas would have been willing to do all that if they were taking Ryan’s contract, too.

I’m one of those who believes that this was the optimum time for Ottawa to deal Karlsson, because the leverage flips to the player the closer he gets to free agency. That said, there were undoubtedly teams who said they would be able to make better offers at the draft, and that is the wager GM Pierre Dorion made. Ottawa also faces a difficult decision on its 2018 first-rounder, since, if it is not given to Colorado, the 2019 version must go to the Avalanche. Maybe someone with a high pick decides it wants Karlsson for a quick turnaround, which could solve that problem.

- One exec on Vegas eating 40 percent of Derick Brassard’s salary. “I can’t believe the NHL let it happen, but I wish I’d thought of it.”

- Sounds like the Panthers, Rangers and Wild discussed a three-way that would have sent McDonagh to Florida. I don’t think Toronto ever got really close to snaring the New York defender.

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