from Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe,

- The Coyotes surrendered only prospects (three) and draft picks (two) this past week to acquire Taylor Hall. No headliners. No plug-and-plays for a New Jersey roster that needs help now. Meanwhile, it’s possible Hall falls in love with the desert and signs an eight-year uber free agent deal there on or before July 1. More likely he hits the open market, where one of the more aggressive suitors should be the Islanders. Boss Lou Lamoriello has plenty of cap space, even when considering he’ll have to roll out a big payday for dazzling forward Mathew Barzal, whose entry-level contract expires after this season.

- Zdeno Chara was set to play in his 992nd game as a Bruin on Saturday vs. Nashville. Provided Big Z stays healthy, he’ll hit the 1,000 mark in Black and Gold on Jan. 9 with the Winnipeg Jets in town. Chara thus will become only the second NHLer to log 1,000 games with one team after reaching the 500-game plateau elsewhere. The only other: Jumbo Joe Thornton, who played his first 532 in Boston. Headed into weekend play, he had 1,070 with the Sharks.

- As the weekend approached, 36-year-old Ilya Kovalchuk had yet to find a new NHL landing spot after having his contract terminated this past week by the Kings. Rare move in today’s NHL, but Kovalchuk’s numbers were, let’s say, tepid. He gets to walk with some $14 million total for a line of 19-24—43 in 81 games (not to mention his minus-36). Per one Kings insider: Kovalchuk’s work ethic was not the issue, but rather his adherence to coach Todd McLellan’s game plan. In other words, too much freelancing. Oh, and did we mention the minus-36? All that said, he likely lands elsewhere in the Original 31, but for very short money, maybe a token $1 million for summer fun back in Russia. The truth about Kovalchuk: His last outstanding year was 2007-08, when he potted 52 goals with the Thrashers. Otherwise, not worth the price or the bother.

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