Jimmy Vesey watch is now on around the league.

On Monday NHL clubs will have their first opportunity to meet face-to-face with Vesey and his agent Peter Fish.

As reported last month here, Vesey only has a list of six teams he plans to consider signing with.

Where are the Penguins in all of this going into Monday? [hide]

Pretty much on the sidelines.

Unlike the Chicago Blackhawks that have been watching Vesey like a hawk this month while he skates four times a week at a local hometown rink of his, the Penguins have not gone out of their way to start laying the groundwork for a signing like some teams are behind the scenes.

Penguins officials have told the agent Peter Fish, that if Vesey has a legitimate interest in Pittsburgh, then the Penguins will conduct a meeting but the team is not planning to be pounding on the door to get one.

Things can always change, but doesn’t appear Pittsburgh is going to be much of a player here, though, the Penguins being awarded a meeting is not being ruled out by the Vesey camp.

The Buffalo Sabres, New York Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks, Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs and New Jersey Devils are the six primary teams I’m hearing. As mentioned last month, the Devils are a darkhorse candidate to sign Vesey due to the presence of Tom Fitzgerald in the organization who is close to the Vesey family.

That’s a team Fish and Vesey have been looking at very closely.

Extension Talks

Jim Rutherford and his staff are planning to get together in a little less than two weeks to begin going over the group of players who are eligible to sign extensions this season.

The four primary players these discussions will center around are certainly goaltender Matt Murray, defenseman Brian Dumoulin, center Nick Bonino and defenseman Trevor Daley.

Daley and Bonino can become free agents after the 2017-2018 season.

The Penguins internally believe Nick Bonino is going to be a really tough signing to get done with the agent Peter Fish believing he can get Bonino a $5 million+ a year pay day.

Prior to most of the management team going on vacation in mid-July, close associates to Rutherford believed the Penguins GM would prioritize getting an extension done with Trevor Daley very early into the season.

Because of Daley’s skating ability, Pittsburgh feels Daley has another three or so impact seasons left in him and Daley’s value in the room is something coaches rave about.

Daley is also a Rich Curran client.

Curran and Rutherford are best friends.

Connect the dots……[/hide]