- Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post Dispatch: Blues GM Doug Armstrong has informed pending UFA defenseman Barret Jackman that they won’t be re-signing him before July 1st. Both sides admitted there could be a small chance he returns next year – if he can’t find a deal in free agency and if the Blues can’t find another fit in free agency.
“I think I saw it coming,” Jackman, 34, said. “They really like the way (Petteri) Lindbohm has played and (Robert) Bortuzzo has earned a spot too. So I knew I’d be on the outside looking in.”
GM Armstrong:
“So it’s a little premature for me to do the post-Jackman era conversation. What we talked about was making sure that he understands that July 1st is going to come up and be prepared to talk to teams. As we’re going through the process, we can talk at that point.”
- Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun: Pending UFA Jim Slater isn’t sure if he’ll be back with the Jets next season. Slater on TSN 1200 radio.
“For me, things haven’t picked up right now,” Slater told Steve Lloyd and former Atlanta Thrashers teammate Todd White. “Most teams are waiting for the draft to see and Winnipeg is no different. After the draft and with that window on June 25, we can start talking to other teams. Hopefully on July 1, I’ll have a contract and be playing in the NHL for another couple of years.”
The 32-year old Slater is coming off a three-year deal that carried a $1.6 million cap hit.
“Whatever role I’m given, I’m there to play it. I’ve played 10 years for the same organization and enjoyed my time there. We’ll see what happens. It’s part of business too. It’s an interesting time for me, being an unrestricted free agent again and being a little older.
“I feel I definitely add a lot to a team and hopefully there’s one out there that can see that and I’ll play for them just like I have the last few years of my career.”
- Tom Dougherty and Tim Riday of CSN Philly: Looking at if the Flyers should be interested in pending UFA right winger Justin Williams. Dougherty – Williams will be turning 34. The Flyers need to find younger wingers. Williams will likely also cost too much and doesn’t fit into their long-term plans. Riday: think that Williams is a good fit for the team right now. He can play up and down the lineup, giving them options. Ideally the Flyers could sign him to a one- or two-year deal. Williams is coming off a deal where he made $3.65 million, a number that may already be high for GM Ron Hextall.