Are the Bruins close to re-signing Marc Savard? What's going on with Patrick Kane's contract talks? Could the Thrashers shop a goalie? Will the Penguins re-sign Jay McKee? Read on to find out!

BOSTON GLOBE: Kevin Paul Dupont reports the Bruins are close to re-signing center Marc Savard to a seven-year deal believed worth between $4.5-$4.8 million per season. The deal could be announced "any day now".

SPECTOR'S NOTE: That would be an affordable cap hit for the Bruins and it will likely be front-loaded so Savard earns the bulk of his money in the early years of the contract.

CHICAGO TRIBUNE: Chris Kuc reports Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane said his contract extension, reportedly close to being signed, is still being "tweaked". His new deal and that of teammates Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith are said to be delayed because the Blackhawks having "tagging" issues, meaning they cannot spend more on payroll next season than the current salary cap.

SPECTOR'S NOTE: Still no word on how close the Blackhawks are to addressing those tagging issues, be it via trade or demotion.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Ryan Kennedy reports the Atlanta Thrashers could have a goalie glut on their hands when Kari Lehtonen returns from back surgery in January, joining Ondrej Pavelec and Johan Hedberg. Kennedy suggest Lehtonen could become a tradeable asset for the Thrashers if they're still playing well later in the season, pointing out he's on the final year of his current contract of which two-thirds of his $3 million salary will have already been paid.

SPECTOR'S NOTE: If Pavelec continues playing well I agree with Kennedy that Lehtonen could hit the trade block. His injury history might be a concern but for teams seeking goaltending depth later in the season he could become a palatable option for some of them.

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE: Dave Molinari in response to a reader's question about the possibility of the Penguins re-signing Jay McKee suggests it's too early to tell what the Pens will do with their upcoming UFA players but admits it might not be possible for them to have enough cap space to re-sign him, especially if McKee seeks a deal which reflects his market value.

SPECTOR'S NOTE: Given the number of free agents they'll have to consider retaining I think it's unlikely McKee could be retained.