Free Agent Rumours
With just a few days until the free agent signing period begins, here are the latest rumours for the biggest names soon to be on the market:Washington has been rumoured to possibly make a try to get Sergei Gonchar back in their lineup. They might actually be a big spender in the FA market — it would be a surprise, but there have been rumours…
In Beantown news, Glen Murray is expected to be back in a Bruins uniform. He is reportedly interested in Toronto, but Boston will probably re-sign him. Both Montreal and Pittsburgh have expressed interest in Martin Lapointe, and although the Bruins would like to keep him, it’s currently in the air.
Toronto is, as always, rumoured to be interested in several players, on of them marquee. Peter Forsberg is interested in heading wherever fellow countryman Markus Naslund goes, but is also interested in Leaf Nation apparently, somewhere Naslund is not rumoured to go. Toronto might also go after Manny Fernandez, considering their goaltending situation with Ed Belfour, Trevor Kidd, and Mikael Tellqvist is not so strong.
LA should be a big factor in the FA market, with money at their disposal. They should look for quality young forwards, considering they have several UFAs at that position, and the fact that they have had several injuries there in the past few seasons.
Rivals Dallas and Detroit will also be looking to sign their marquee men — expect the Stars to re-sign Sergei Zubov. However, the Wings will have some trouble inking Pavel Datsyuk to a deal, what with their lack of cap room. He is apparently saying that he could lots of money in Russia, trying to get Ken Holland to up his offer to hold off Russian squads.
And last, but certainly not least, expect Devils stalwart Scott Niedermayer to test the market. He is expected to get offers near the maximum of $7.8 million, and therefore will not jump right to New Jersey, who may not put so much on the table. Niedermayer has said himself that Vancouver would be an attractive destination because of family considerations — he and his wife both hail from Canada’s west.
Anyway, that’s all for now. Expect more rumours soon, however!
–CBA