On Jaromir Jagr …
Zdenek Janda: Jaromir Jagr is skating with Kladno – his hometown team – but is still hoping to sign with a NHL team: “I don’t think I am so bad that I couldn’t play there.”
On Alexanders Semin …
Slava Malamud: Alex Semin is still trying to find a KHL that will sign him. A couple of team have kicked tires on him, but found his demands to be unreasonable.
On the New York Islanders …
Arthur Staple: When the Islanders re-sign defenseman Calvin de Haan, it will give them defensemen on NHL deals. The Islanders won’t have to make a move as they can start the season with 13 forwards, eight defensemen and two goalies.
On the Pittsburgh Penguins …
Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: After avoiding salary arbitration with defenseman Brian Dumoulin with a six-year, $24.6 million deal yesterday, the Penguins have one player remaining – Conor Sheary.
Both Dumoulin and Sheary share the same agent, Lewis Gross, and he’s confident the sides will reach an agreement before the August 4th hearing date.
“We’ve been working on Conor for a while,” Gross told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Monday morning. “We’ll get back at it . Hopefully we’ll be able to make a deal on Conor as well.”
Penguins GM Jim Rutherford continues his search for a third line center and has about $2 million for the position.
The Penguins now have just over $6 million in salary cap space. Some money could be set aside for Matt Cullen if he decides to return, $2 million for a third line center, Sheary around $2 to $2.5 and a couple million for potential future moves.
“We’ve been working on Conor for a while,” Gross told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Monday morning. “We’ll get back at it . Hopefully we’ll be able to make a deal on Conor as well.”
Rutherford said he hasn’t heard anything from Cullen about his playing future.