MacLellan address Green trade speculation

Washington Capitals GM Brian MacLellan spoke with the media Thursday.

On if he feels comfortable with other GMs, sussing out the trade market:

“Yeah, I’m fairly comfortable doing that. I have relationships with a lot of the people involved already from just being around the rinks for the last number of years. Some of them I know personally. Some of them I’m working on, yes. The guys you don’t know, you have to develop a relationship of what kind of person they are, what their makeup is. I’m working on a few of them. Some of them I already have good relationships with.”

On if other GMs have presented him with outrageous offers, or are trying to take advantage of him:

“I don’t know if they’re outrageous, but I wouldn’t consider them things I would do. I’ve been presented with opportunities to make moves that I didn’t think made sense to us from a personnel perspective. Yeah, it happens. I think people are constantly trying to upgrade on what they do have, and players they want to move out. So I expect that to happen. Right.”

Related: MacLellan, Capitals eyeing salary cap projections

On how teams would have an interest in Mike Green, and how he’s handling Green being in the last year of his contract:

“Yeah, I mean, he’s had a good year. Coming into the year I think he had an off-year last year. I think we’re probably both going through an evaluation. Is he comfortable with his role and does he want to stay and play in that role? And are we comfortable with him in that role he’s playing in now? Is it going to work for us as an organization, as a team? Are we going to have success with Mike Green playing where he’s playing and doing what he’s doing, and is that a big part of our team moving forward?

“Just as he needs to evaluate. Do I like this coach? Do I like this situation? Am I comfortable here? I mean, I think we’re both going through an evaluation period and we’ll come to a decision at some point.”

Source: Monumental Network/ Transcript: Nichols On Hockey