- Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch: The Blue Jackets and Ryan Johansen’s camp haven’t had any contract negotiations in the past six weeks, but the sides are expected to meet face-to-face this weekend in Traverse City, Michigan.
“The last time they contacted us, (the offer) wasn’t something that merited further talks,” Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said.
Johansen has been in Columbus skating with teammates. The Blue Jackets and Johansen’s side have agreed to work on a two-year deal, with the Blue Jackets offering $3.5 million and Johansen looking for $6.5 million.
The Blue Jackets have also had limited talks with Sergei Bobrovsky regarding a contract extension and nothing appears to be close. Bobrovsky will be a RFA after the season.
- Craig Morgan of Fox Sports Arizona: Ray Whitney continues to skate, but no teams have called him with regards to an offer in the last four weeks.
“I’m not going to be one of those guys who skates on his own for an extra three weeks after the season starts in hopes of getting an offer,” Whitney said Tuesday. “If there’s nothing there when the season starts, that will more than likely be it.”
Whitney wants to remain out west or with a real Cup contender, but if not, he seems to be okay with the idea of not playing.
“I’m at peace with possible retiring.”
- Josh Yohe of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Penguins GM Jim Rutherford didn’t believe that this past offseason was the right time to start contract extension talks with goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. Fleury will be a UFA after the season hopes to remain with the Penguins.
“Sometimes you wonder what it would be like to be somewhere else,” he said. “But at the same time, I’m so happy here. I don’t want to go anywhere. I’m not going to wait just to see what it would be like (to enter unrestricted free agency). We’ll see.”
