Last Night’s Hockey Thoughts

from Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, - Please recognize that this is manifesting purely in my head. But, as I watch Daniel Alfredsson on the bench in Ottawa, I can’t help but wonder if the Senators consider a Karlsson reunion. At least, brainstorm it. Yes, it’s complicated and yes, everyone would have to be on board. But no one mind-melds with Karlsson like Alfredsson, and, since it got into my head, I can’t stop thinking about the possibility of it. - Doug Armstrong never talks about this stuff, but the price on Pavel Buchnevich is said to be very high. The versatile forward has another year under contract. Two firsts, or something like it? - Interested parties do not believe David Savard wishes to leave Montreal. - Teams have asked Buffalo about Alex Tuch, but the Sabres value him. - There’s been a lot of speculation about the Lightning — which, on paper, makes a lot of sense — but look at the trade the Flames made for Elias Lindholm. Can the Lightning put together a similar package, knowing there will be competition? It’s hard to see. Toronto made a pitch, and would want to know the possibility of signing him, but Hanifin appears headed for the US on a long-term basis. Teams want to know where he’s willing to sign. - At the last Board of Governors meeting, the NHL indicated it was thinking of something different with this year’s awards. The last possible day of the Stanley Cup Final is June 24, with the draft June 28-29. That’s not a lot of time. What’s possible here is a smaller, scaled-down event at the draft, with only a few of the major awards announced. The NBA reveals its winners during the opening rounds of the playoffs, so players get an ovation from the hometown crowd. I like the idea, we’ll see what the NHL does. more Thoughts