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Dallas Stars Daily Links: Coyotes Looking to Unload Salary?

Arizona has been a tough place to play for a while. While Dave Tippet has made the most of the talent he’s had there–and by the way, remember how the Stars way back when fired Tippet to hire Marc Crawford?–it’s no secret that the market and situation have been under severe scrutiny for the past few years. From relocation rumors to sale rumor bonanzas, the Coyotes franchise has been fraught with turbulence for longer than any team should have to endure.

And with a 10-15-3 start, the newly-branded Arizona club hasn’t done itself any favors. Trade rumors have been going around for a while now, but Larry Brooks reports that the Coyotes may be going into Jim Cramer Sell Mode even sooner than suspected:

Remember how a few short weeks ago Andrew Barroway was on the verge of gaining majority control of the Coyotes, the news first reported by The Post?
Not so fast, for now comes word from a plugged-in source that the deal appears to be falling apart, with Barroway seemingly on the verge of backing out.

Slap Shots has been told the current ownership has directed GM Don Maloney to shed payroll … which would mean stripping the club with the league’s third-lowest payroll into a bare-bones operation.

Who could be going in addition to Keith Yandle (at $5.2 million per season through next year)? Not Shane Doan? Not Oliver Ekman-Larsson?

The equally pertinent question, though, is which will come first: the end of the NHL’s financial problems in the desert or the end of Coyotes?

Actually, it’s not so much a pertinent question as a rhetorical one. [NY Post]

Keith Yandle, you say? Well, even aside from the fact that the left-handed defenseman has played every one of his team’s games over the past five years, there’s certainly some appeal there. But would the Stars be willing to shake up their defense to that degree after the overhaul this season has already seen? That’s the real question. But if there’s anything we know about Jim Nill based on his moves thus far, it’s probably the fact that he isn’t afraid to trade a player you didn’t expect to go anywhere. If management thinks another player will make the team better, then look out. Personally, I’d take a double order of OEL over easy any day of the week.

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Monday morning means modern music. Is it to your taste?

The Stars held the tired Canadiens to a season-best 17 shots on goal Saturday. Can they keep it up, Mike Heika asks? Answer him, please. [DMN]

Get used to this. Tyler Seguin was Puck Daddy’s number one star for his goal duet against Montreal the other night. I know there are people who have criticized Seguin for one reason or another, but I am just going to state right here that he is amazing and we should love him forever. That is not the objective reporting I learned in college. [Puck Daddy]

Ryan Garbutt played the way Lindy Ruff wanted him to play against Montreal. He had been benched the previous game for not doing that. [DMN]

Anders Lindback held the Bulldogs to a single, and Maxime Fortunus scored a game-winning powerplay goal as the Texas Stars won in overtime (yes, it is possible to do this) over the weekend. Scott Glennie also scored. Hey, Scott Glennie. [100 Degree Hockey]

Chicago is experiencing what can happen when a good young player gets healthy-scratched eight straight games: he has reportedly suggested that he ought to be traded if he can’t play. Would anyone like a Jeremy Morin? [Chicago Sun Times]

Fun little Q&A here with the former Stars captain. Of note: Brenden Morrow drives “a BMW” and reads James Patterson. Someone get that man a Tom Clancy novel! Also, he had better be driving an M5 or a 550i xDrive. Any lesser BMW would just be a shame. [THN]

Pierre LeBrun reports that the salary cap may increase next year after all. The reported range is somewhere between $72 million and $74 million. [ESPN]

Minimalist hockey logos, anyone? I think the Islanders one might be my favorite. [SprestonDesigns]

Finally, check out Radim Vrbata’s sweet goal against Ottawa the other night. At least Craig Anderson wasn’t “too deep in his net,” right?

Talking Points