Nugent-Hopkins didn’t like the Oilers latest contract offer
TSN: Frank Seravalli said that the Edmonton Oilers and pending unrestricted free agent Ryan Nugent-Hopkins are talking but haven’t made any meaningful progress on an extension.
“No meaningful progress but that certainly not for a lack of trying. I’m told that the Oilers tabled a recent offer to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and his camp but it was one that wasn’t flattering; I believe in the five-year term, certainly not one that Nugent-Hopkins was rushing to find a table to sign.
At this point, these two sides are going to continue talking, that’s what they’ve agreed to. They’re going to continue the dialogue and see if they can work something out and I have zero sense at this point that the Oilers have any interest in moving Nugent-Hopkins before the trade deadline even without a deal done. They’d like to keep him and try and find a way to win as well as keep him locked up long term. We’ll see if they can do that.”
Teams immediately called Panthers about Driedger after Knight signing
TSN: Pierre LeBrun said that after the Florida Panthers signed draft pick Spencer Knight on Wednesday, teams have already started calling about what they are going to do with pending UFA goaltender Chris Driedger.
“And the answer from Zito, I think, to teams was ‘we don’t know yet.’ There is a possibility now that Driedger gets dealt, now that the Panthers have signed Knight. There have even been a couple of trade offers that were made on the spot on Wednesday, I’m told, in lieu of this news. Keep an eye on this as Driedger is a cheap cap hit and there are teams looking for goalie insurance and Driedger would certainly top the list for a lot of those teams.”