Bits: Letang hardball, Coyotes something, NHL trade, VL4, Matty Marts

The NHL Draft is Sunday. Buyouts have begun. Free agency is soon after. And we have a trade. Here are some links; as always, add more in comments.

• The Flames and Avalanche traded baggage, but it's baggage you know (Tanguay, Sarich, Jones, O'Brien...)
• You guys, the Canucks are totally going to try to trade Roberto Luongo this time.
• Jeez, the Lightning bought out Vincent Lecavalier. [Raw Charge remembers VL4]
• Keep up with ALL THE BUYOUTS (No DiPietro? Refresh. No DiPietro? Refresh.): NHL.com official compliance buyout tracker - NHL.com
• Uh oh, Kris Letang is doing the Jordan Staal "I reject your offer" thing. Eight years, $56 million isn't enough.
• The Blackhawks are shopping Bolland? Instead of buying out Hossa? This frames Hossa and VL4 in context.
• The Devils have extended Zubrus for three years.
• Something about Glendale, the Coyotes, and a deadline. Here is a breakdown of the lease proposal.
  
• Heh, Ilya Bryzgalov's agent blames the Flyers defensive system. Not the defensemen themselves (potential clients). But the system.
• A draft FanPost: What kind of players have fallen in the #15 range in the draft?
• Griffin Reinhart did an informal Q&A on Twitter last night. He's gunning for a job on L.I., and has his goals in the right place.
• Then there's this: Islanders Star Matt Martin Suits Up at John Varvatos - YOUNG HOLLYWOOD
• This was my family's hometown team (though the team has gone through a ton of names), so I found this story pretty disheartening. The beer though? The beer is still really good. Cool to see the true "Budweiser" imagery on Puck Daddy. It's suddenly harder to find stateside again, though we've been through this before; seems someone in Connecticut always manages to import it.
• The latest volley from traditionalists hoping to eliminate the Garden in favor of a new Penn Station.

Last word goes to Keith, on Messier's decision to stop doing whatever it was he was doing for the Smurfs:

The title of "Rangers last link to glory" is now vacant. Former oilers and Blackhawks can send their resumes to Glen Sather.

— Keith (@KeithLHHockey) June 27, 2013