- Aaron Portzline: Ryan Johansen’s latest offer to the Blue Jackets was for two-years and $9.4 million, $2 million a year lower than their original offer. The gap is now down to $1.7 million per year. Portzline still doesn’t think the Blue Jackets will want to negotiate off of $4.7 million a year and may be waiting for when Overhardt gets closer to $4 million.
- Ken Campbell of The Hockey News: Agents on the Ryan Johansen and Kurt Overhardt stance with the Blue Jackets.
“I think it’s been terribly mishandled by the player and the agent,” said an agent, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “It flies in the face of all convention. I look at it almost like a lawyer dealing with a client in court. I would tell the player, ‘If you insist on taking this position, our chances of success are almost nil. I don’t like your chances at all and I’m under obligation to tell you that. ‘ ”
“Don’t you have to actually earn it at some point?” one agent said. “How many players have had one good year and we never hear from them again? We never learn anything as agents if nobody teaches us. And for the good of the game, management has to be able to do its job. How does it benefit any of us if teams misallocate resources?”
- TSN: The Jets held trade talks with over the summer involving Evander Kane, and may have been close to deal with the Flyers according to Bob McKenzie. Darren Dreger adds that if they were to move Kane, they’d need a similar player in return.
- Chris Nichols of Nichols on Hockey: Elliotte Friedman on SportNet 960 Radio. He doesn’t think the Jets will trade Evander Kane and that there is more buzz or likelihood that they trade Dustin Byfuglien.
“I get that Byfuglien can be frustrating and I think if Winnipeg deals him, it’s probably going to be a contract thing.
“I remember a couple of years ago, I heard rumours that Byfuglien was available and the agent was taken by surprise and the team ferociously denied it. Like, harder than regular denials go. So I’ve heard these rumours about Byfuglien before and it’s never happened. I just think Winnipeg is eventually going to have to do something to shake up their group.
“And I think they’ll have a big decision with their rookie too. There were a lot of people who watched him last week in Penticton and they kind of said, ‘This guy might be ready now.’”