from Michael Russo of the Star Tribune,

- There has yet to be a significant trade in the NHL this season, mostly because many teams are so close to the salary-cap ceiling. Depending on how much is committed in future years determines whether a team can even take on a player with term left on his deal.

- Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen continues to work the phone hard trying to make a trade for a defenseman. He’s shopping Cam Atkinson and Kerby Rychel hard.

Because of the cap and the fact the 75-cent Canadian dollar may only result in the cap going up marginally again, a lot of free agents expecting gigantic paydays next summer could be awfully disappointed. In fact, it’s one reason you should see more teams re-sign their pending free agents.

It used to be you could get more on the open market. Now players may have no choice but to re-sign with their current teams.

- The Red Wings just re-signed Justin Abdelkader to a seven-year deal. Some of the top players who could conceivably become unrestricted next summer include Steven Stamkos, Anze Kopitar, Dustin Byfuglien, Kyle Okposo, Andrew Ladd, David Perron and David Backes.

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