The latest from the Globe and Mail, SI.com, Boston Globe and New York Post.
GLOBE AND MAIL: Eric Duhatschek recently reported several notable free agents remain available, including former Montreal Canadiens Robert Lang, Mathieu Schneider, Alex Tanguay, Patrice Brisebois and Francis Bouillon, while former Columbus Blue Jackets Mike Peca, Manny Malholtra and Jason Williams are still unsigned. The biggest surprise on this list is Tanguay, who is considered skilled by soft and is recovering from shoulder surgery. Duhatschek suggested the Tampa Bay Lightning or Colorado Avalanche might be possibilities...The Calgary Flames were thought interested in bringing back Todd Bertuzzi for the right price but given their recent additions there might not be room for Bertuzzi...The most puzzling player available is former Sabres forward Maxim Afinogenov, who hasn't found work in the NHL or KHL...
SPECTOR'S NOTE: Of the former Habs still available only Tanguay and perhaps Bouillon in my opinion stand a good chance of signing with another NHL team....the fact Malholtra is appearing in free agent rumors more than Peca and Williams doesn't bode well for those two staying in the NHL next season...Tanguay will eventually be signed this summer but his rumored asking price of $5 million per season would also be a show-stopper in contract talks...Bertuzzi could land with another NHL team but at a considerable discount...I don't see Afinogenov playing in the NHL this coming season.
SI.COM: Allan Muir wonders why Sergei Zubov remains unsigned. Zubov has hinted at signing in the KHL if he cannot find an NHL contract this summer...The Sharks would like to move winger Jonathan Cheechoo but his market value isn't high due to his declining production and high salary. Nashville, Ottawa, Minnesota and the Islanders might be in the running...Interest in Alex Tanguay is growing, with the Panthers, Blue Jackets and Predators believed sniffing around. The Panthers recently denied a rumor they'd signed Tanguay...Bruins forward Marco Sturm has no interest in waiving his no-trade clause.
SPECTOR'S NOTE: There's no mystery to why Zubov remains unsigned. He missed most of last season with a hip injury and that's why teams are leery about signing him...Cheechoo won't be moved unless he's part of a package with someone else as the centerpiece...Tanguay will be signed at some point this summer but as I noted earlier he'll have to accept considerably less than he made last season...If Sturm won't waive his clause he won't be going anywhere.
BOSTON.COM: Kevin Paul Dupont reports nothing new in the Bruins contract talks with restricted free agent winger Phil Kessel. Dupont suggests several options for Kessel, including accepting a one-year contract, something similar to the $3.6 million per season for three years signed by David Krejci, try to force a trade or wait for an offer sheet, of which there's been none this summer. GM Peter Chiarelli said two reasons why there've been no offer sheets is the results aren't there (citing the Dustin Penner signing by the Oilers two years ago) plus the flat-lining salary cap....it's rumored winger PJ Axelsson could be poised to sign with another team...Chiarelli claims three NHL veterans have sought permission to join the Bruins training camp on a tryout basis. Of the three Chiaralli has told one of them he would consider giving them an audition.
SPECTOR'S NOTE: A trade remains a possibility although Chiarelli appeared to shoot down that possibility recently by saying he wanted to retain him...It remains to be seen where Axelsson might end up, or who for that matter might attend the Bruins training camp on a tryout basis.
NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks reports he made a mistake last week reporting Bruins center Marc Savard had two years remaining on his contract when in fact he has only one, meaning Rangers GM Glen Sather could bid for his services next summer. Failing that, Brooks reports of "widespread belief" the money problems of Dallas Stars owner Tom Hicks could force them to cut salary, specifically center Brad Richards and the $7.8 million per season over the next two seasons remaining on his contract. Brooks believes there's "no doubt" Sather would try to land Richards if he hits the trade market.
SPECTOR'S NOTE: Brooks has been beating the drum for Richards for some time now, but as Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News noted over a week ago, talk of a Richards trade is coming out of New York, not Dallas, which means Brooks is the only one reporting Richards might be moved for financial reasons. No offense to Brooks, but Heika is closer to the Stars organization and would be in better position to know what's going on with the team than a reporter based in New York.

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