- Terry Frei of the Denver Post: Avalanche’s VP/GM Joe Sakic on Tyson Barrie and Nathan MacKinnon after signing Erik Johnson to a seven-year contract extension.
“He was out one UFA we wanted to get done and we know we have some other guys (Barrie and MacKinnon) … and we’re going to have talks with both of their representatives. They’re RFAs, so they’re not going anywhere.”
- Eric Stephens of the OC Register: Ducks John Gibson signed a three-year contract extension earlier this week, but he’ll likely be starting the season in the AHL according to GM Bob Murray. Over the weekend Murray met with Gibson’s agent and laid out the Ducks vision for Gibson. Gibson’s camp was on board with it and an extension was reached.The Ducks have already had initial talks with some of their other pending RFAs – Fredrik Andersen, Hampus Lindholm, Sami Vatanen, Simon Despres, Rickard Rakell, and Jiri Sekac. Murray:
“It seems just recently that, all of a sudden, things have started to move with a few of them.”
It is thought that the Ducks have made Lindholm a long-term offer. Extension talks are not far along.
“A lot of our players in the past — and they’ve been here for a long time — have taken a hometown discount, haircuts, whatever word you want to use,” Murray said. “But they want to play here. And I want young players who want to stay and be part of this organization. It’s not a bad place to play.”
- Mark Spector of Sportsnet: The Flames have three goalies in Jonas Hiller, Karri Ramo and Joni Ortio. The Flames had been shopping Hiller before last year’s trade deadline, and again at the draft. Ortio would need to clear waivers if they want to send him to the AHL – he wouldn’t get through. Hiller has one-year left at $4.5 million and Ramo signed a one-year, $3.8 million deal this past offseason. GM Brad Treliving would prefer not to carry three goalies.
“I’ve never seen three work. You keep three if you have to. I’d prefer not to.”
Spector thinks they’ll continue to shop Hiller, waiting for an injury to hit a team. The Flames would have to retain salary in any deal, and would prefer that to sending his contract to the minors.