Free Agent Hits: Morrow, Markov, Franson, Daugavins and Svatos
  • William DePaoli: Brenden Morrow has been looking for $3 million a season, which is likely why he’s still unsigned.
  • Dave Stubbs of the Montreal Gazette: Canadiens Andrei Markov is entering the final year of his contract.

    “I will be happy to stay with the Canadiens, but you never know what’s going to happen. You can’t read the mind of management. All I can do is play my game the best I can. That’s all I can say about the situation. Deep in your mind you know it’s the last year of your contract, but I don’t want to think about that and lose my focus on my game. I’m going to try to take one game at a time and we’ll see what happens.”

    On if talks could happen during the season.

    “I’m going to leave that between my agent and the team. It’s not my priority. Nobody knows what will happen tomorrow, or what management thinks about the future or about particular players on the team. All I can do is play my game.”

  • Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star: Maple Leafs Cody Franson on how the Leafs would like to sign him to a multi-year deal.

    “I just think with the current cap situation we’re in, a one-year (deal) would suit the team the best,” Franson told TSN on Tuesday after working out with the Ryerson Rams. “They’ve got a little bit of a crunch on numbers and I’m trying to make it happen for both sides.

    “I think it’s in my best interests and the team’s best interests to do it (sign a one-year deal). That’s part of negotiations. We’ll see how it goes.”

    Franson is said to be looking for a one-year, $3 million deal. The Leafs are looking for a longer deal as they already will have four defensemen in the last year of their deals: Dion Phaneuf, Mark Fraser, Paul Ranger and Jake Gardiner.

  • Didzis Rudmanis: Kaspars Daugavins signed a one-year deal with Geneve-Servette of the Swiss League.
  • Corey Pronman: Marek Svatos signed with a team in Slovakia. He has only played in eight games the past two years.