Senators priority is to still re-sign Duchene and Stone
Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun: The NHL trade deadline is now 50 days away. The Senators will be having their annual scouting staff meetings this week in Florida. They will map out a potential strategy for future deals and they may look to make moves before the deadline if their losing continues.
The Senators have three pending UFAs in Matt Duchene, Mark Stone and Ryan Dzingel. Re-signing Duchene and Stone are priorities for the Sens.
It is believed that Senators GM Pierro Dorion will meet again with Pat Brisson, Duchene’s agent, in the next two to three weeks.
Stone has said that he expects his agent to meet with Dorion soon.
Dorion could look to trade another veteran player or two if the losing continues.
Duchene talks have cooled
Sportsnet: Ottawa Senators pending UFA Matt Duchene has 40 points in 37 games and it’s not looking like a contract extension is close.
Chris Johnston reports on ‘Headlines’ that talks between the two sides have cooled off and that there are no scheduled talks for the upcoming weeks.
“Pierre Dorion, the general manager, doesn’t want to place any sort of deadline on when he needs an answer on Matt Duchene’s intentions – whether will he sign an extension – but clearly, as this slides along here, we are looking at him as a potential target in that trade deadline period and someone that the Senators are going to have to make a decision on because I don’t get the sense from Duchene’s side that there’s any rush for them to make that kind of decision.”