Dater’s Daily: NHL trade freeze lifts, Hall stays with Bruins, NHL schedule out today

Good Thursday to you all. Just dropped my 17-year-old, 6-foot-7 son at the airport for a trip back east to visit his grandparents. The kid will see his first Red Sox game ever next week, and he’s pretty excited about that. For him, showing excitement is moving his upper lip a little. Let’s do that hockey, though, starting with some NHL trade freeze talk:

• The freeze lifts at 11 a.m. mountain today. Saddle up, kids, it could be a busy day. Hey, it could be for the Avs too, though I think the main focus of the team remains trying to sign their unsigned guys. I have NOT been told of any talks breaking off between the team and Landeskog or Grubauer. I don’t think much has gone on between the Avs and Brandon Saad, but maybe that will change now that the Avs have more money to spend after losing more than $7 million of payroll in the last few days, with the departures of Joonas Donskoi and Ryan Graves.
• The Kraken seem pretty happy with their new roster (Seattle Times)
• I thought the Kraken getting Jamie Oleksiak from Dallas was a great signing. He’s big and plays with a mean streak.
• The Kraken’s first home and road sweaters look pretty cool (Seattle Times)
• Did the Pittsburgh Penguins screw up over the expansion process? Dan Kingerski thinks so (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)
• Looks like Taylor Hall is staying put in Boston (Boston Hockey Now)
• Jack Eichel continues to be the conversation starter of the offseason as the Wild and Avalanche are mentioned as possibilities for the Sabres superstar. (Hockey News)
• Who would the Avs trade to the Sabres for a Jack Eichel? I would imagine it would have to start with a Bo Byram. Or, maybe Sam Girard.
• With the loss of Donskoi, I expect Sampo Ranta to get quite a chance as a middle six right winger at training camp.
• The Avalanche/NHL schedule will be out today.
• The Red Wings were the only team that didn’t leak the name of their player picked by Seattle (Detroit Hockey Now)
• Mark Giordano, former Norris Trophy winner, was claimed by the Kraken, but is he really headed to the New York Rangers now? (NY Post)