NHL Rumors: Minnesota Wild, and the Chicago Blackhawks

Wild GM hasn’t spoken with any other free agents

Jessi Pierce: After signing Matt Boldy to a seven-year extension, Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin on their other RFAs/UFAs: “We haven’t started talking to anybody because we really needed to get this done first.”

UFAs – Ryan Reaves, Frederick Gaudreau, Matt Dumba, Andrej Sustr, Brandon Baddock, Joe Hicketts, Zane McIntyre, Dakota Mermis, Andrei Svetlakov

RFAs – Sam Steel, Brandon Duhaime, Mason Shaw, Calen Addison, Filip Gustavsson, Hunter Jones, Damien Giroux, Nick Swaney, Mitchell Chaffee

Jonathan Toews seeing the writing on the wall

Charlie Roumeliotis of NBC Sports Chiago: Chicago Blackhawks Jonathan Toews on if Patrick Kane‘s situation has any influence on him, or if they’re separate.

“But for myself, it’s still a difficult question to answer cause there’s a part of myself that still doesn’t really want to admit the situation and also wants to continue being a Blackhawk and finish my career here.

But at the same time, there’s a part of me that sees the writing on the wall and sees that this team, this organization is trying to hit the reset button and that maybe a change for everybody is not such a bad thing, and that goes for myself as well.”

Patrick Kane’s agent talking with the Blackhawks and soon it will be Kane’s turn

Sportsnet: Patrick Kane’s eight-year, $84 million contract expires after the season and he’ll be one of the most coveted players at the trade deadline.

“It’s a different year, obviously, going into the last year of your contract and different variables about what’s going to happen or where you’re going to be the rest of your career, different things like that,” Kane told Boyle. “You think about that stuff, especially when it gets into January here and got a couple months to the trade deadline. We’ll see how it all shakes out.”

The Blackhawks are talking with Kane’s agent Pat Brisson.

“Just to kind of hear … where each side is at,” Kane said, characterizing the discussions. “I think whether it’s about my play now or just about the team, about things that I see with the team that could maybe help, and obviously about maybe what’s coming up. I don’t think we’ve got to that point yet, but I’m sure we both know it’s right around the corner here.”