- Kevin Kurz of CSN Bay Area: Sharks Dan Boyle said yesterday that he would like to sign a multi-year deal with the Sharks. He is entering the final year of his six-year, $40 million deal. He’ll make $6.67 million this year.
“Ideally, I think we would all like it to be done before the season starts, but there’s three of us that are in the same boat,” Boyle said, referring to Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau, also in their final contracted seasons. “We just kind of let our agents deal with that, and that’s what they’re there for. We just try not to think about it.
“Obviously, we’re going to be asked, but ideally, in order not to get asked, you finalize something before the season starts. We’ll see what happens.”
Boyle turned 37 in July and he thinks he can play until he’s at least 40.
- Sarah McLellan of Arizona Republic: The Coyotes and Radim Vrbata have been talking about a contract extension.
“I’d prefer to get it done as soon as possible before the season starts, so we don’t have to worry about it,” Vrbata said. “We can focus on hockey.”
“It’s really more exploring what we’re thinking,” General Manager Don Maloney said. “I don’t feel anxious about it at all. I think at the end of the day, my intent is to see if there’s a deal. It always comes back to money and term, but we know Vrby has been a good player for us.
“We like the player. He likes us, but the market now — it’s so all over the map. We haven’t gotten down to, ‘OK, what do you want? What do you need?’ ”
Talk would likely be put off until the end of the season if they can’t agree on a deal before the start of the season.
- Bruce Garrioch: Breakdown of Jared Cowen’s salary: $1.5 million, $2.7 million, $3.7 million and $4.5 million.
- Andy Strckland: Blues GM Doug Armstrong was up front with defenseman Ryan Whitney, telling him he thought he’d be able to get him signed soon.