Penguins/NHL
Latest UFA Update
Barring some surprising developments in the next 48 hours, Penguins defenseman Jordan Leopold appears headed to the free agent market.
As of 12:00 p.m. this afternoon, a source close to the situation tells me Pens GM Ray Shero hasn’t spoken to Leopold’s agent Ben Hankinson since the two met at a Los Angeles hotel before round 1 of the NHL entry draft.
Up until last weekend, the Penguins continued to touch base with Leopold’s camp for most of the off-season but never engaged in negotiations or talked specifics.
It is believed that Leopold could become a fallback option for the Penguins after July 1, if they strike out on their big targets, that currently include Dan Hamhuis and Sergei Gonchar.
Leopold, 29, is expected to be an attractive defenseman on the market.
When it comes to the Penguins off-season plans, they intend to revamp their defensive core, even if Gonchar, Hamhuis don’t sign before July 1.
The team has full intentions of targeting………
Devils defenseman Paul Martin, while the team doesn’t expect to be a serious suitor for Anton Volchenkov as agent Jay Grossman is seeking upwards of $5 million per season and a term of 5-to-6 years.
More to come
