Eerily quiet on the Karlsson front
TSN: Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson has been skating with some teammates in Ottawa. The start of training camp is a month away and could it become a distraction if he’s not traded or re-signed? TSN’s Brent Wallace says that since GM Pierre Dorion made the contract offer back on July 1st:
“There has been no talks whatsoever, it has been eerily quiet in fact in the Nations capital.”
Wallace adds that Karlsson hasn’t spoken on the matter, or about the situation that involved former teammate Mike Hoffman‘s fiancee.
Karlsson has declined to talk with the media, and has been told that it likely won’t happen until the start of training camp, which would then cause a large distraction for the first few days.
Contract talks between the Canucks and Boeser to pick up next week
Ben Kuzma of the Vancouver Province: The Detroit Red Wings signed Dylan Larkin to a five-year, $30.5 million deal last week – a $6.1 million salary cap hit – and that could be a starting point for a Brock Boeser contract extension with the Vancouver Canucks. The Canucks should also consider going longer to buy up more free agent years.
Canucks GM Jim Benning said the sides have held preliminary talks last month, and they plan on have more talks next week.
“We haven’t got down to talking term,” Benning said Tuesday. “We plan to circle back and I’m not sure where it’s going to go, but we want to see if we can get somewhere. There’s no time frame on it.
“Brock is going to see the best matchup line and best defensive pair, but I don’t expect a drop-off. He has pushed himself hard to pick up where he left off and there are other contracts coming up in the league in the next six months that could drive up the price — I understand that part of it.
“But it has to make sense for everybody.”
TSN Radio Vancouver: Boeser on TSN 1040 talking about his contract situation: “I haven’t talked about it, or worried about it at all. I just worry about coming in, playing my game like last year. I’ll have a bigger role, so I want to come in, be a leader, work as hard as I can, and help produce.”
TSN Radio Vancouver: Boeser continued: “Whenever they start talking to (my agent), then we can worry about it. But my main goal is to come into this year and not think about it until I have to”