LOS ANGELES -- It is draft day, and as expected, the Edmonton Oilers and Boston Bruins exchanged a phone call Friday.
And Oilers GM Steve Tambellini had a sales pitch for Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli.
"I spoke with Steve this morning and I told him what I told him before: that we're not in a position to make a significant offer to allow us to pick the player we want in the first two picks," Chiarelli told ESPN.com early Friday afternoon. "But he inquired about trading for the second pick, and I have to give him credit. He's been really persistent in trying to get that pick. But I told him, as I've been telling everyone else, that I'm not moving the second pick."
You do have to give Tambellini credit; he's being aggressive in trying to improve his last-place team. Imagine the Oilers being able to pick both Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin on Friday night? Not going to happen, though.
Chiarelli did make one move Friday, re-signing veteran Mark Recchi to a one-year deal worth $1 million in base salary plus performance bonuses.
"He had a terrific year, especially at his age [42]," Chiarelli said. "But take his age out of the equation; he had a great year anyway. He's just a great example for the young kids. He goes to the dirty areas. It's just a wonder that he's doing what he's doing, and we hope he can do it again."
Hamhuis talks
It appears Dan Hamhuis is very likely headed to the free-agent market.A source involved in the situation told ESPN.com on Friday that talks between the Philadelphia Flyers and the defenseman have essentially broken down and it appears Hamhuis is headed to July 1 to test the waters of unrestricted free agency.
Having said that, Flyers GM Paul Holmgren and Hamhuis' agent Wade Arnott were expected to meet again at Staples Center right before the first round of the draft Friday.
Negotiations have not even gone that far since the Flyers acquired his rights last weekend, a source said.
There were reports Friday that the Flyers and Canucks were talking about a trade that would see Hamhuis' rights moved to Vancouver, but a Canucks front-office source said that was not the case. It wouldn't be the style of Canucks GM Mike Gillis to do so. He's on record as saying he doesn't believe in trading assets in exchange for the rights to a player who soon will be a UFA. But you can bet he does indeed have interest in signing the British Columbia native. The Canucks desperately need to fill a hole with a top-four blueliner, but it'll have to wait until July 1.
