Several rumors reported that Adams called Verbeek about Gibson but Gibson rejected the idea as part of his NTC.

Who knows if Kane would really want to leave one rebuild to join another, even if it's in his hometown and the Sabres are further along in the process than the Hawks but there's no way that Adams/ Granato, with all of the off-ice importance Okposo has increasingly shown as the next captain, will trade Okposo.......and why would Davidson want to add a 34-year old to a roster he clearly wants to make younger?

Ducks already have 2 stud goalie prospects so that doesn’t move the needle much at all. Can’t see Anaheim making thrs deal since Middelstatd isn’t needed and Olofsson is 1 year out from being a UFA

Well I don't know how true but rumor is Kane told Chicago he will only waive for 2 places and Buffalo is one of them. But Kane won't waive until he sees a goalie in Buffalo.

Ok have not seen said Gibson rumours.

My feeling is that Buffalo is emerging from their rebuild and fast approaching the 'we really need to take them seriously' stage.

In terms of the Captaincy my feeling is Girgensons is the higher value vet there. He's a career Sabre.

Davidson takes Okposo because he gets rid of Kane's entire cap hit and gets Petrerka.

In the off-season mock, you'll see that I re-signed Olofsson to an extension (3 years. 4 mil per). As for Middlestadt, it is far easier to move a center to wing than a wing to center. I'm under the impression that with a change in scenery he could be something. The Eichel Years in Buffalo were not kind to him. He's obviously not the centerpiece of the deal, Levi is. Could you swap Petrerka from the other deal with Levi? I do not see why you could not. Perhaps Chicago's goalie pipeline is a bit less full.

While Girgensons has the longer tenure, he himself has pointed to looking up to Okposo's leadership.

One other note on the Gibson theories - Kypreos reported today that Gibson's agent said he won't play for Toronto either; Gibson wants to stay in Anaheim and will apparently use his NTC to force that just like Getzlaf did a few times.