Each day through the NHL Draft on June 22 and up until free agency on July 1, TSN.ca breaks down the latest news and rumours around the NHL.

Price Tag

Buffalo Sabres centre Ryan O'Reilly has seen his name in the rumour mill ever since sounding off on his team's season in April.

TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reports, however, that the Sabres have no plans to give away the 27-year-old.

“The price tag is going to be very, very high,” Dreger told TSN Radio 1040 in Vancouver. “(GM) Jason Botterill made that abundantly clear when this speculation first arose at the end of the year. I think to some degree it has to be connected to his comments and the level of frustration that he has with his own game, and everything that has gone into the losing ways of the Buffalo Sabres in general.

Dreger: Price for O'Reilly likely young player, high pick, maybe more

Darren Dreger suggests Buffalo would want a young NHL player or a prospect, a high pick, and likely more for Ryan OReilly. Darren suggests Washington definitely wants to keep John Carlson, and admits the timing of the Snow/Weight firings on Long Island are a bit curious.

“And that wasn’t eradicated with his experience at the world hockey championship in representing Canada. Obviously I sat down with him there and he reiterated the same remarks that he made at the end of the year. But he’s got a good relationship with Botterill. I think that if the right deal or the right offer was made, absolutely Buffalo would consider trading him. And it’s starting to feel like it’s more likely now than not likely.

“But again, there are so many teams that are looking for a versatile forward. In his case, he can obviously play center or play the wing, he’s a good character guy, he’s got a high level of compete. So it makes you wonder why Buffalo would want to part with him, but there’s still a lot of areas of concern for the Buffalo Sabres.

“But for Botterill to move out Ryan O’Reilly, he’s going to need several pieces. And if it’s around draft time, you know what it’s going to be: It’s going to be likely a young NHL player or a prospect, a high draft pick, and maybe something else on top of that.”

TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie mentioned the Vancouver Canucks as a team with interest in O'Reilly earlier this week, along with the Carolina Hurricanes. The Montreal Canadiens have also been linked to O'Reilly as they search for a top-six centre.

O'Reilly scored 24 goals and posted 61 points in 81 games this past season. He signed through the next five seasons at a $7.5 million cap hit.


Quiet on the Floor?

Detroit Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said last week he's open to moving down from the sixth overall pick in the draft, but didn't want to drop out of the Top 10.

TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie said Tuesday that Holland isn't the only general manager in the Top 10 willing to move down, which could actually lead to fewer trades on the draft floor.

McKenzie: Would be surprised with a lot of 1st-round trades at NHL Draft

TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie says if all the teams drafting in the 4-9 range at the upcoming NHL Entry Draft think they can move down to get the player they want, and get something else in return to do so, other teams won't be willing to pay a premium to move up. Bob says he's not convinced we'll see many first round picks get traded.

"I think what you're going to find with a lot of the teams that are picking at 4-8, they're all going to say 'I'm prepared to move down,'" McKenzie told TSN Radio 1040 in Vancouver. "It's that kind of draft where the guy you take at six might be the guy you get at nine or 10. But, everybody's kind of got their own idea of where that cutoff point is.

"My argument is this - if a whole bunch of the teams that are picking in that 4-9 range think it's a good idea to move down, because they think they're going to get as good a player down 3-4 slots and they'll pick up a little something for their trouble. If everybody feels that way, then there won't be anybody who's prepared to pay a premium to go up three or four slots. I'm not convinced we'll see as much movement, but right now Detroit - amongst others - are all shopping their pick and saying they're prepared to move down, I'll be really surprised if it happens."

As McKenzie wrote in April, the 2018 draft drops off after "Big Four" of Rasmus Dahlin, Andrei Svechnikov, Filip Zadina and Brady Tkachuk. 

TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button released his final draft ranking on Tuesday.

 

On The Block

Craig Custance of The Athletic released a list of 20 players he believes could be moved this summer on Tuesday, headlined by Erik Karlsson at No. 1.

Arizona Coyotes defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson was second on the list, followed by scoring wingers Phil Kessel and Max Pacioretty. 

Though he didn't make the list itself, Custance listed Detroit Red Wings defenceman Xavier Ouellet as a player who is being "actively shopped."

The 24-year-old defenceman appeared in just 45 games with the Red Wings this past season, posting seven assists. The 2011 second-round pick appeared in career-high 66 games last year, scoring three goals and adding nine assists.

"He wants a fresh start," Red Wings general manager Ken Holland told Custance of Ouellet last week. 

Custance argues, however, that the Red Wings are likely to have an easier time finding a trade partner for 27-year-old Nick Jensen, if they're looking to move a bottom-pairing player. Jensen was listed at No. 19 on Custance's list.