Rumors II: Franson, Ladd, and Byfuglien
  • NHL.com: Cody Franson on TSN 1040 radio said that they’ve been in talks with five or six teams, including the Bruins.

    “There are some very interested , but some teams are in cap situations and all the rest that comes with it,” Franson said. “So everything is just kind of slowly rolling, but definitely have some action.”

    He’s not sure when a deal will get done.

    “Obviously, I’d like to get something a little more than one year,” he said. “I’m sick of doing one-year deals. But we’re open to all suggestions, really.

    “We haven’t said a number and we’ll take nothing less, or a term and we’ll take nothing less than that. We haven’t said that at all. We’ve had a lot of teams call to see where we’re at. We just said in a certain ballpark. Nobody has laughed at us. Everybody has thought it was reasonable. It’s just one of those things that some teams we’re talking to are in cap crunches and some teams don’t want to go maybe as long. It’s a number of different circumstances. Hopefully something happens sooner than later.”

  • Gary Lawless of the Winnipeg Free Press: Andrew Ladd will be a UFA after this season, and will get a six-year contract at worth over $6 million a season – from the Jets or from someone else.Ladd likes it in Winnipeg and is willing to work with the Jets, but not at $5 million or a big discount. It will likely be his last contract, so he’ll want to cash in. Ladd would fit into anyone’s top-six forward group.

    Dustin Byfuglien will also be a UFA after the season, and his agent and the Jets have only held preliminary talks. Ladd is their number one priority. Jacob Trouba will be a RFA after next season.

    If they find they can’t re-sign Ladd and/or Byfuglien and want to explore the trade route, they would likely get a roster player, a prospect and a draft pick for eaach. Moving one or both would be a big blow to the NHL roster and would hinder their playoff chances.