Gonchar remains top priority

10:23pm - Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010 by DePaoli

Letang not biting on short-term offer

Contract talks with pending free agent Sergei Gonchar have been on-going since Penguins GM Ray Shero and J.P. Barry, the agent for Gonchar, held their first set of substantive talks during the Penguins Western Canada road trip in mid-Janaury.

A meeting in Pittsburgh did not happen this weekend between the two sides, but negotiations have been described as "productive" according to a source close to Gonchar.

Shero and J.P. Barry intend to hold extensive talks leading up and into the Olympic break, with Pittsburgh currently focused on a three year deal.

Penguins GM Ray Shero is truthful that the teams' priority is to retain Gonchar and young defenseman Kris Letang but Pittsburgh's top priority is to keep Sergei Gonchar, even if it might be at the expense of Letang.

Sources tell me Pittsburgh's cap projections for the next two seasons can withstand a Letang/Gonchar combined cap hit of around $7.5 million. Any higher is stretching it.

While Pittsburgh's focus has been on Sergei Gonchar of late, Letang and his agent Kent Hughes are playing a crucial role in the Gonchar negotiations.