On the Detroit Red Wings …
Ansar Khan of MLive: It doesn’t look like the Red Wings – Andreas Athanasiou situation will end anytime soon.
Athanasiou is unlikely to sign with the Swiss team he’s skating with, and the Red Wings are unlikely to trade him unless they get an offer of “top-four defenseman, similar young forward with high upside,” which is unlikely to happen.
The Red Wings are also concerned about the message they would send other young players if they gave in to what Athanasiou wants.
Ak Bars of the KHL have taken their offer for Athanasiou off the table.
On the Ottawa Senators …
Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun: Forward Kyle Turris isn’t paying attention to the reports that he could be traded if he’s not signed to a contract extension before the NHL trade deadline.
When asked if he’s asked for a trade.
“I haven’t. I’m not going to get into talks because that’s between my agent (Kurt Overhardt) and (GM) Pierre Dorion. I’m focused on playing hockey.”
Contract talks don’t appear to be going well as the term seems to be an issue for both sides. The Senators don’t seem to want to go past five or six years, and Turris camp is confident he’d be able to seven years if he went to the open market next July.
It’s believed that Turris’s agent Kurt Overhardt at one point told that Senators that if an extension weren’t in place before the start of the season, they would put off any further talks until the season was over. The Senators have said that that is not the case.
If the Senators decide to go down the trade route, there would be some interest in Turris. The Columbus Blue Jackets are one team that has been looking for a top-line center.
The Senators aren’t shopping Turris, but teams would call about him.
The 28-year old Turris carries a $3.5 million salary cap hit and he doesn’t have a no-movement clause.
