- Don Brennan of the Ottawa Sun: Senators Clarke MacArthur still has a year left on his contract (2-years, $6.5 million), but is open to discussing a contract extension this summer.
“If something works out for both sides, then yeah, that would work good,” he said after the morning skate. “If not, I’ve got one more year to play well and do what I can.”
Don Brennan of the Ottawa Sun: Senators Bobby Ryan would consider talking about a long-term contract extension after July 1st. Ryan has one more year left on his deal.
“I love it here,” said Ryan, one of five key Senators presently holding contracts that expire July 1, 2015. “We love it here, more importantly. It’s been a great change for us. When the time comes, if that’s what Bryan wants to go with, to sit down and have conversations, we’ll certainly do that.”
- The Forth Period: Multiple sources saying MLSE CEO Tim Leiweke is contemplating several offseason moves. Both coach Randy Carlyle and GM Dave Nonis could be on the hotseat. Nikolai Kulemin is a pending UFA and a source is saying that Nazem Kadri is likely to be moved. Pending RFA defensemen Jake Gardiner and Cody Franson could be on the outs. The Leafs would like to re-sign Dave Bolland, but his $5 million asking price may be too high.
- The Fourth Period: The Canucks are expect to revisit offseason trade talks involving Ryan Kesler and Alexander Edler. They will still look to upgrade their team.
“We will try our hardest to spend to the cap providing it’s the right players and the right ages and the right positions,” Gillis said. “There’s not going to be a ton of free agents out there, but we’ve managed to do well in the first week of July in the past four or five years.”
Contract talks with pending RFAs Zack Kassian and Christopher Tanev are expected to start once the season is over.
- Jim Matheson of the Emonton Journal: Matheson wonders about the future of Alex Ovechkin in Washington. “Would Leonsis ever give the green light to trading Ovechkin, who turns 29 this fall?” Ovechkin is owed $10 million a year for the next seven years, and carries a $9.538 million salary cap hit. He’ll be 36 at the end of his contract.
- Hope Smoke: Darren Dreger: “It would be a good guess that Bolland will test free agency. There have been no meaningful discussions at this point” … “Bolland is an attractive player. It’s his decision: does he want term and money” … “Nonis will be fair to Bolland. He’ll be prepared to offer 6 or 7 years but won’t talk about a salary that starts with a 5.”
- Hope Smoke: Ray Ferrero: “I don’t see ownership stomaching paying both Gillis & Torts to not be there and then pay their replacements too” … “I’ve been told by various sources (some pretty good ones) that ownership was heavily involved in the Torts hiring”
- Igor Eronko: Lightning prospect Andrei Vasilevsky was offered a one-year deal by Salavat Yulayev. His original plan was to join the Lightning.