from Larry Brooks of the New York Post,

- Carolina is demanding a first-rounder in return for the rights to Adam Fox, Slap Shots has been told by several parties. But it is very, very early in the process — in which the Hurricanes’ leverage diminishes almost daily, with the Harvard defenseman having the option to hit the open market as a free agent in 2020.

- At some point, the ongoing debacle in Buffalo is going to start sticking to Jack Eichel, the 22-year-old captain of a team that tuned out head coach Phil Housley months ago, just a couple of years after they stopped playing for Dan Bylsma.

At this point, though, with the Sabres out of the playoffs for the eighth straight year despite eight consecutive top-eight draft picks (including a first-overall and a pair of seconds), Eichel still seems more an innocent bystander swept up in ownership meddling....

- So 91+46 equals, somehow, somewhat of a regular-season step back for the Maple Leafs — who, despite John Tavares’ 46 goals before Saturday night’s finale, never quite lived up to their preseason hype.

Has anyone noticed, and most certainly more and more will if things go wrong against Boston, that Toronto coach Mike Babcock’s teams have won three playoff series this decade while not advancing past Round 1?

more on the Eichel topic plus other short notes...