TSN Hockey Insiders Bob McKenzie, Pierre LeBrun and Darren Dreger gathered for the latest installment of Insider Trading and the topics discussed were the Buffalo Sabres GM search, trade talk around the league, and which junior-eligible players in the NHL could be loaned to Team Canada for the World Juniors. What is the latest news coming out of Buffalo regarding the Sabres General Manager hunt? Bob McKenzie: The Buffalo Sabres have asked for permission from the Boston Bruins to talk to assistant manager Jim Benning about the vacant Sabres GM job and the permission has been granted. Im also hearing that Lafontaines profile for the job is that hes looking for young assistant GM types throughout the NHL. Weve heard Jason Botterills name in Pittsburgh, Brad Trelivings name in Phoenix, Paul Fentons name in Nashville. That might mean a guy like Rick Dudley, whos been a GM in the NHL before doesnt necessarily fit the profile of what Buffalo is currently looking for. With American Thanksgiving nearing, are you hearing any talk on the trade front? Darren Dreger: We are hearing some interesting names that are starting to surface. Two of them that come to mind are Brayden Schenn of the Phildadelphia Flyers and Michael Del Zotto of the New York Rangers. Now the Flyers arent trying to push out Schenn – they may want to push out his brother Luke – but what theyve told teams quietly is that if there is the right deal available, if they can find the right fit, then absolutely they would include Brayden Schenn in a trade scenario. And we know Paul Holmgren likes to make that big blockbuster deal. As for Del Zotto and the Rangers, hes not having a good year, playing well behind Ryan McDonagh and Marc Staal on the left side, so hes a third-pairing defenceman. He could probably embrace a change and were told that at least five or six teams have inquired about scenarios. Pierre LeBrun: I think one of those teams is the Ottawa Senators. Theyve had this mystifying start, theyve been so inconsistent and Im told one of their top priorities on the trade market between now and the trade deadline is to find another puck-moving defenceman and Del Zotto is on that list of players on their radar. But its money in, money out with the Senators with the situation with ownership. A quick update on Pekka Rinne. LeBrun: Hes going to have an MRI on his hip again next week and thats a big one for Nashville. If it comes back clear, they hang on and wait for him to come back. If it isnt, it certainly heats up trade talks for Nashville. There are five junior-eligible players in the NHL. We dont think Nathan MacKinnon will be offered to Team Canada for the World Juniors, what about the other four? McKenzie: Sean Monahan of the Calgary Flames looks like an extreme longshot but the Flames arent necessarily closing the door on that – theyll make a decision on that closer to the time it needs to be made in mid to late December. As far as Matt Dumba goes with the Minnesota Wild, I think hes the guy thats most likely to be loaned to Team Canada, but again Minnesota wont make that decision until they check their injury situation. Right now Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly looks like an extreme longshot and Tom Wilson of the Washington Capitals, even though hes playing fourth line minutes there for Adam Oates, the Capitals seem to feel that putting him on a big ice international tournament would probably interrupt his pro apprenticeship and probably not be in his best interest. Hes highly unlikely so not a lot of help on the NHL front on the horizon; Dumba seems like the most likely candidate. LeBrun: And sticking with international hockey, the Russians caused a little bit of a kerfuffle over the past week by saying “What about this Olympic roster deadline on December 31st? Wed like to name a partial roster and name the rest of the roster before the Olympics.” The NHL, NHLPA, and IIHF said, “No, nothing has changed on that front, its a hard deadline for the full roster.” Except that the IIHF council meets next week and the Russians are expected to press their case once again there. Tyler Chatwood Jersey . The Rainbow FlickNext up is the Rainbow Flick, or as you probably know it, the trick that everybody at soccer camp thought they knew how to do. Nicholas Castellanos Jersey . "He started putting me on the ice to strengthen them at the suggestion from a doctor," he said. Weight said it wasnt a pretty sight at the rink in St. Clair Shores, Mich. "I looked like Forrest Gump," he joked. https://www.cheapcubs.com/380t-joe-maddon-jersey-cubs.html. -- Ryan Millers debut for the St. Kosuke Fukudome Jersey . Kalish got his first hit since Sept. 11, 2012, when he rapped an RBI triple in the first inning Sunday in the Chicago Cubs 8-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. Brandon Kintzler Jersey . But unfortunately for the Niagara Falls, Ont., native, a pulled muscle wouldnt allow him to go past the second set. Japan sealed its victory over Canada in the first-round Davis Cup tie after Nishikori downed an ailing Dancevic 6-2, 1-0. MINNEAPOLIS -- If anyone needed a game-winning hit in extra innings, it was Aaron Hicks. The once-prized Minnesota Twins prospect was hitting just .161 and was challenged by manager Ron Gardenhire and acting general manager Rob Antony the day before to take a more professional approach to the game. Hicks responded with an RBI single in the bottom of the 10th and Phil Hughes struck out eight in six innings to help the Twins beat the Boston Red Sox 4-3 in the series finale on Thursday. Many think the only reason Hicks was not sent down already was because of the injuries that have decimated an already thin outfield group. Gardenhire and Antony both said they didnt feel Hicks was doing the necessary homework behind the scenes to be ready every day. "Maybe preparing is something I need to try to do more," Hicks said. "Try things to be able to make my game better and have an edge on the game." All-Star closer Glen Perkins blew his second save of the season, giving up a two-run single to Will Middlebrooks with the bases loaded that tied the game in the ninth. But Kurt Suzuki doubled down the left-field line and Hicks lined a 3-2 pitch to left field off of Andrew Miller (1-2) to win it. "Its such a big hit in a big situation," Hicks said. "It just comes down to how much heart you have in the game. Thats the kind of player I am. I like to play with passion and I dont like the way Ive been playing so far. But its something that sometimes youve got to go through in order to be able to make that next step into becoming a better player." Mike Carp had two hits and an RBI for the Red Sox, but David Ortiz was a quiet 1 for 4 with a single after going deep twice in each of the first two games of the series. Hughes gave up five hits and no walks and Chris Parmelee hit a two-run homer for the Twins, who took two of three from the defending champions. Suzuki and Eduardo Escobar each had three hits and Brian Duensing (1-1) picked up the win. Clay Buchholz gave up three runs on 10 hits and struck out six in six innings for the Red Sox. The Red Sox hitters had been doing well recently, with Ortizs personal home run derby contributing to 28 runs over their previous four games.dddddddddddd But Hughes put those hot bats on ice on a day when the temperature was 46 degrees at first pitch. Hughes knows Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia and the Red Sox lineup well from years of facing them while he was in the Yankees rotation. "He pitches more comfortable here, it seems," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. "They threw a lot of strikes, didnt issue many bases on balls. Didnt have a whole lot going for the first eight." Hughes retired nine of the first 10 hitters he faced, won a 14-pitch battle with Xander Bogaerts to end the fifth inning and finished with more strikeouts against the Red Sox than he had in his previous 22 appearances against them. "Im going after them," Hughes said. "Thats been my game plan and has continued to be. Just attack with my fastball and get some flyouts, some strikeouts, swings and misses. I just tried to stay aggressive the entire time." Gardenhire said he hopes Hicks big hit will be the jumpstart his young centre fielder needs. "Hes working at it. Thats all weve asked him to do, study and work and hes doing that," Gardenhire said. "Thats a big hit for him. Nice to see him smile in a big situation like that." NOTES: Farrell gave OFs Grady Sizemore and Shane Victorino the day off. Farrell said the oft-injured Sizemore is doing fine and would play a lot this weekend while Victorino is resting a sore left knee. ... The Twins gave SS Danny Santana the day off to rest some sore legs, Gardenhire said. ... University of Minnesota football coach Jerry Kill threw out the first pitch shortly after announcing a $100,000 donation to start the Chasing Dreams foundation for epilepsy research. ... The Red Sox head home to open a series against Detroit on Friday. LHP Jon Lester (4-4, 2.75) will start for Boston against Max Scherzer (5-1, 2.04). ... The Twins start a series against Seattle on Friday. RHP Kyle Gibson (3-3, 4.74) will start against Mariners RHP Chris Young (3-0, 2.63). ' ' '