On the Columbus Blue Jackets and Artemi Panarin …
Aaron Portzline of The Athletic: The Blue Jackets and Artemi Panarin hadn’t started any contract extensions talks according to agent Dan Milstein. thinks that if the Blue Jackets were to make an offer it likely would be for eight-years in the $9 million range.
Tom Reed: The biggest question regarding Panarin saying he’s not willing to talk contract extension with the Blue Jackets at this time: “Is this his reps saying they’re not happy w/ negotiations or is it his reps saying he doesn’t want to commit to #CBJ long term?”
WGR 550: Darren Dreger on WGR 550: “The Blue Jackets need to make a decision relatively soon with how deep they want to go in with Artemi Panarin. There would be an amazing market with Panarin.”
Igor Eronko: Have been told that Panarin is just not ready to sign a long-term contract, but that could change.
Aaron Portzline: The Blue Jackets are getting numerous calls on Panarin. They still want to sign him to a long-term contract, but if they receive a fair offer for him at the draft – a roster player who is already under contract – how can they say no?
On the Calgary Flames …
Eric Duhatschuk of The Athletic: An interview with Flames GM Brad Treliving. Treliving was asked blocking out the outside noise or pressure to add to his roster.
“At the end of the day, would I like to add a top-six forward, preferably one who shoots right? One hundred per cent. OK, there are two ways of going about it. One is you make a trade. People will say, ‘OK, you’ve got extra defencemen,’ which is true, but if you move a bunch of them, now you’ve created holes elsewhere on your roster. Soon, the chorus becomes ‘now you need another defenceman.’ So, you’ve got to be careful.
The other way is to sign a player. If you look at the free-agent list, everybody knows the big names out there. We’re looking more at players that are maybe not the sexy names.”
Treliving later adds that there is lots of talk going on and deadlines create urgency. The draft is not a hard deadline unless you’re involving draft picks this year. He adds that only one or two teams have salary cap pressure, something different than from past years.
