- On Curtis Glencross, from Eric Francis of the Calgary Sun:
In 2011, Glencross inked a four-year, $10.2 million deal, accepting a smaller contract to remain in his preferred city and with the Flames. Now a free agent again, and still without a new deal from 2015-16, Glencross has admitted regret over passing on more money while he had the opportunity. Glencross said to Francis:
I love my time in Calgary and the organization, but you learn that eventually it’s a business and you’re just a number…Everyone waits for free agency to get a good paycheque. Turns out, it’s different. I thought something would be done by now, but obviously, the market is not there, and everyone is against the cap. Teams are paying the top-two lines so much money that all they can do is fill with entry-level guys who are going to not cost much.
Glencross mentioned that both the Capitals and Flames initially showed interest in re-signing the veteran winger. But Washington eventually elected to add T.J. Oshie and Justin Williams while Calgary added Michael Frolik. Glencross remains reluctant to “bounce around” his family by accepting a PTO.
On Justin Abdelkader, from Ted Kulfan of The Detroit News:
Last season, Wings forward Justin Abdelkader put up career highs in every important statistical category. Kulfan writes that a repeat season prior to free agency next summer could help to land the 29-year-old a big free agent contract. Abdelkader said:
You try to not to think about it too much because then it starts affecting your game…You just go out and do your best to make a case for yourself. All you can do is take care of yourself and let the business side take care of itself.
The Red Wings will have a number of contracts to settle – UFAs Abdelkader and Darren Helm, RFAs Petr Mrazek, Danny DeKeyser, and Riley Sheahan – leaving GM Ken Holland with some cap issues to solve before next summer.
- From NHL.com correspondent Brian Hedger on Marcus Kruger:
Speculating on the salary cap issues in Chicago, Hedger writes that Marcus Kruger, the Blackhawks’ best penalty-killer, is waiting on GM Stan Bowman to free up enough cap space to offer a long-term deal. Young forward Joakim Nordstrom is in a similar situation. Hedger suggests that veteran forwards Bryan Bickell or Kris Versteeg could be traded away to create the needed cap space.
- On Daniel Winnik, from NHLPA.ca’s Chris Lomon:
Winnik doesn’t believe the Toronto Maple Leafs are destined to sink to the bottom of the standings this season. Instead, the veteran forward likes the challenge of playing in Toronto this season. Winnik said to Lomon:
I don’t see us in full rebuild mode…I don’t think it’s going to be, ‘This will be extremely painful, we’re going to lose a lot of games.’ What happened post-December I don’t know. But I like that challenge.
After re-signing in Toronto this offseason after being traded by the Leafs to the Penguins at the trade deadline, Winnik seems likely to play out his two-year deal in Toronto with the Leafs.