On the Boston Bruins …
Joe Haggerty of CSNNE: The Bruins are expected to dangle David Krejci or Ryan Spooner for a defenseman of the next few weeks.
A source said that Kris Russell turned down a four year, $17 million offer from the Maple Leafs.
Russell may have been thinking he could yet a six year deal in the $30 million neighborhood.
The Bruins should be cautious if they go after Russell as he’s marginally better than they already have.
On the Arizona Coyotes and Shane Doan …
Craig Morgan of Arizona Sports: Shane Doan spoke yesterday about his contract talks with the Coyotes.
“We’re close enough that I’m not really worrying about other teams and things like that,” Doan said. “I’m excited about what the team has done and encouraged by some of the (free-agent) signings. At the same time, I hope to get my own deal done and it has already been seven weeks. I wish that it had been done already.”
Doan’s agent, Terry Bross, doesn’t think it’s as close as Doan does.
“Lots to be done. We’re not close,” Bross said. “(General manager) John (Chayka) and I continue to talk. No deal is imminent, but I’m cautiously optimistic.”
Doan is a little surprised how talks have went considering his history with the organization.
Doan received lots of interest from outside the Coyotes and received several offers.
“Twelve teams have contacted me,” he said. “Three made substantial offers.”
On the St. Louis Blues and David Backes …
Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: The Blues never moved off of a four year term offer for David Backes.
“If you can’t agree on term, and both sides are pretty stuck on term, I don’t know how you get a three-quarter year or a half year … to find a happy medium there,” Backes said. “It wasn’t like, ‘Hey, we’re a half-million dollars away, let’s meet in the middle and stop this lunacy.’ That’s a very bridgeable gap that wouldn’t be a question. But when it’s term …”
Backes said the Blues wanted to go four years and then year-to-year after that.