A third-line center option for the Oilers, and notes on Puljujarvi and Athanasiou
Kurt Leavins of the Edmonton Journal: Believe that free agent center Mikko Koivu would be a good stopgap third-line center for the Edmonton Oilers. It’s not known if Koivu plans on retiring from the NHL or not.
Don’t believe that Riley Sheahan will be back with the Oilers as he is looking to be paid like a third-line center but is better suited for the fourth-line.
Things are improving between the Oilers and Jesse Puljujarvi. Believe he could sign a one-year deal at close to $1 million.
The Oilers would love to convince Andreas Athanasiou to agree to a ‘show-me’ one-year deal before qualifying offers are due. It may not happen though with Darren Ferris as Athanasiou’s agent. He has a rep of being a fierce negotiator.
Hurricanes looking to extend Svechnikov, no talks with Hamilton yet
Tom Gulitti of NHL.com: The Carolina Hurricanes and forward Andrei Svechnikov have been talking contract extension. They don’t have a timetable to get a deal done but GM Don Waddell is confident it will get done.
“I think the player definitely wants to be here,” Waddell said Thursday. “His representation has been very forthright about that. We obviously want Andrei here, so we’re keeping it open minded. There’s no timetable if this happens two weeks from now or two months from now. One way or another, there’s no doubt we’ll sign Andrei at some point to some kind of extension.”
Svechnikov is entering the final year of his entry-level deal. Waddell would like to keep Svechnikov long-term but realizes that “it might make sense to do a bridge deal” given the economics and “then set yourself up for an eight-year deal.”
Waddell said they haven’t had any contract extension talks with Dougie Hamilton who is also a year away from free agency. They believe that Hamilton wants to stay but they’ll need to find the right value for him.
After they sign restricted free agents Warren Foegele and Haydn Fleury, they may only have $3 or $4 million left for free agency. Waddell said they’d like to upgrade certain positions but don’t have a lot of room to work with.
The Hurricanes expect defenseman Sami Vatanen and Trevor van Riemsdyk to test free agency but they could circle to them.
Justin Williams is pondering retirement again.
