Kris Letang‘s camp hopes to start extension talks in the next couple of weeks
Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Phil Lecavalier will be taking over for Kent Hughes as Kris Letang’s agent. Lecavalier said they are looking forward to getting talks going with the Pittsburgh Penguins
“In the next couple of weeks, I look forward to getting on the phone with Ron (Hextall) and Alec (Schall).”
A source did say that there were some preliminary talks this past offseason.
Blue Jackets have three options with Patrik Laine
Rory Boylen of Sportsnet: The Columbus Blue Jackets have three options for pending RFA forward Patrik Laine.
If they take him to salary arbitration this offseason, a one-year deal would mean he’d be an unrestricted free agent after next season.
The Blue Jackets could try to work out a long-term deal, but that would come in at a big cap hit. He’s making $7.5 million this season.
The third option for Blue Jackets would be to trade him.
Option one could lead to them trading him at next year’s deadline if an extension isn’t reached. They gave up Pierre-Luc Dubois to get him and they wouldn’t get that much back on a deadline deal.
Laine hasn’t lit it up Columbus which brings into question the long-term deal. Would the Blue Jackets want to commit big money to a player that hasn’t worked out since they acquired him?
The Blue Jackets could look to trade Laine at the deadline or during the offseason. You would think that at least one team may be interested in giving up a big package in hope that he can return to his former scoring ways. The tight salary cap won’t make it easy.
Aaron Portzline on Sportsnet 650.
“This is a really tough situation for the Blue Jackets because this is a 23-year-old player with sublime talent. That’s the kind of guy typically you’d want to put your arms around and have him be part of your rebuild, which you’re undergoing. But I don’t know where it goes with him.
“This is a huge decision. I think he’s a decision that hasn’t quite been made yet. But you talk about big trade chips for a rebuilding team, that’s your difficult call, what to do with this player.”