Once again, I tried to leave room on the front page early this week with the news of Boone Jenner’s broken hand (you can join in our grief session here). There has not been much of an update on Nathan Horton, who is reportedly out with a “degenerative back condition” and has not seen the ice since camp started. He also has not spoken with the media the last couple weeks.
Add to the equation that projected #1 center Ryan Johansen is without a contract and there goes the entire. first. line. Joy.
Time for some more links:
- Michael Arace of the Dispatch recaps the Johansen/Overhardt v. CBJ FO contract negotiations, and says more time without a deal actually hurts both sides (potentially pay-walled). Talks did resume late on Monday and have been reported to be “very civil.”
The Hockey News weighs in on the contract dispute, and compares Johansen to the recently-signed Torey Krug (D – Boston) and the leverage each have had (or not had) at various points of their careers. - Martini Hockey suggests the CBJ sign RyJo now and then trade him at the deadline next year because he’s not worth the headache with his agent.
- The Union Blue has some nice pictures from camp.
- Portzline breaks down the remaining camp roster. Milano to Plymouth and Dansk (eventually) to Springfield will bring the roster down to 30, with of course Horton and Jenner out. That would leave five more cuts, and potentially six if Johansen gets signed. Frederic St. Denis would bring that total down to 27 if you leave Horton, Johansen, and Jenner off the Opening Night Roster. That means four of the following will need to be cut (five if Johansen signs) – Dana Tyrell, Alexander Wennberg, Kerby Rychel, Simon Hjalmarsson, Marko Dano, Jerry D’Amigo, Brian Gibbons, and Michael Chaput (that’s assuming Tropp and Boll are locked in). Personally, I think Chaput played himself on to the 4th line and Hjalmarsson may have played his way into the top 9 by virtue of all the absences. No clue on how those last two spots might play out.
- Curtis McElhinney is proving to be a solid veteran netminder behind Bobrovsky./
We remain in a holding pattern as #JoeyWatch nears its second full week. Only two preseason games left and then Opening Night in Buffalo is here in EIGHT DAYS. Keep it locked on The Cannon as hopefully we start to get some good news out of CBJ land.