Lee didn’t think he’d get this close to free agency
Brian Compton: New York Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello on Anders Lee‘s comments: “I have no response to it. We’ll do everything we can.”
Brian Compton of NHL.com: Islanders captain and pending unrestricted free agent Anders Lee still doesn’t have a contract extension in place as the interviewed period opens today.
“This was never an intention,” the left wing who can become an unrestricted free agent July 1 said Saturday. “There hasn’t been an agenda or anything like that. I guess that’s where we’re at. We’re right there, so it’s just part of the process, I guess.
“I didn’t think we’d get to this point. The process hasn’t … I haven’t enjoyed it, but it is what it is. We want to make sure that everything is done right and it’s right for both of us, for both sides. I hope it works out. They’re working on it right now.”
The sides continue to work on trying to get a deal done.
“It’s one of those things that this is the business side of it. Neil and Lou are working on it right now.”
Wild won’t trade Zucker unless it immediately improves them
Michael Russo of The Athletic: Minnesota Wild GM Paul Fenton said again on the weekend that they won’t trade Jason Zucker unless it’s a deal that immediately improves the team.
“For Jason, he’s a part of our team,” Fenton said Friday night of Zucker, who two seasons ago scored 33 goals and Wednesday night was awarded the King Clancy Trophy for all his humanitarian work in Minnesota. “I don’t plan on getting rid of Jason unless the right thing came to me. I listen to offers and I make offers just like everybody else does. It doesn’t mean that he’s pigeon-holed into something. I love Jason as a player and he’ll be a great fit for us when he comes back for us.”
Fenton when asked if he had anything going and why things may have been so quiet during the first round.
“There’s a lot of bantering. There’s really not enough where I would say that it’s presented itself to me anyway. Some teams may have some more things going than I do. That doesn’t mean that we’re not exploring it. … I do not have a trade on the table right now that I can say anything about.”
