NHL: Penguins seek three to four year extension for Fleury?

PENGUINS WILL PUSH FOR 3-4 YEAR DEAL FOR FLEURY Will Marc Andre Fleury have a new extension before the new year? An organization decision has been made this week to push forward in talks and the Penguins brass and Fleury’s agent Allan Walsh are expected to hold their first set of substantive contract talks next month in Pittsburgh. Both sides have expressed a strong interest in reaching a new deal.

Latest NHL Buzz: Nail Yakupov could interest Penguins GM Jim Rutherford, NHL sources say

LATEST NHL BUZZ *Rumblings Around the League* — Nathan Horton’s back injury is so bad, his career could be over. According to the Columbus Dispatch, Horton has been diagnosed with “degeneration” of the entire lumbar region of his spine/lower back. Having surgery to fix the issue would end his career. The Blue Jackets are a team that is in a win-now mode and already on the hunt for a top-6 forward. Don’t be surprised if a two team battle emerges between the Blue Jackets and Boston Bruins aggressively going after Sabres forward Chris Stewart who is in demand. Others in the East like Penguins, Canadiens figure to also poke around on Stewart. One NHL executive on Stewart: “He has Boston

Rutherford suddenly determined to resign Marc Andre Fleury?

LATEST PENGUINS RUMORS When hired Jim Rutherford was said to have been strongly undecided about whether to commit long-term to Marc Andre Fleury, a reason Rutherford opted not to engage into contract talks this summer with Fleury’s agent Allan Walsh. However, is Rutherford already having a change of heart?

Inside the Metropolitan Division: Two non-playoff teams from 13-14 set to contend with the best in the division

INSIDE THE METROPOLITAN DIVISION The Metropolitan Division looks deep enough this season where it could be a division that sends five teams to the post-season. The division sent four teams to the playoffs last year in Pittsburgh, New York Rangers, Philadelphia and Columbus. The New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders off to 3-0 starts, are both much improved teams where scouts I’ve heard from in the last week feel they’re not only serious playoff contenders this season but contenders to battle for the division title. The Islanders boast maybe the most balanced team upfront in the Eastern Conference. It all starts with John Tavares and they have a great mix of speed and skill where they can be getting

The Ryan Johansen saga is over

The Columbus Blue Jackets are on a team on the rise but within a few weeks looked like a team that would be heading into the season suddenly trending down. They were involved in a nasty contract negotiation with star center Ryan Johansen, Boone Jenner will start the season on the shelf with a broken hand and Nathan Horton has a really bad back. No one knows when Horton will return or if he does, will he be productive at all, but one big issue has been resolved. The Blue Jackets agreed this morning to a three year contract worth $12 million with Johansen. The deal, according to Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch, pays Johansen $3 million in 2014-2015,

Veteran goaltenders Brodeur, Vokoun, more likely to be forced to retire than playing this season

VOKOUN, BRODEUR LOOK HEADED TOWARDS RETIREMENT Marty Brodeur received one official offer this summer all the way back on July 1, within the first 30 minutes of free agency. That offer came from the Pittsburgh Penguins, a one year contract in the neighborhood of $1.5 million but the two sides were unable to bridge a gap of over $1 million and Pittsburgh quickly moved on, agreeing to a one year deal with Thomas Greiss worth $1 million. It remains unclear what incentive the Penguins saw in trying to add Brodeur but the 42 year old whose play has severely declined the last two years, has claimed all summer he still wants to play, yet, his demands have been a contract

Who will blink first in Blue Jackets, Johansen dispute?

JOHANSEN LIKELY TO BLINK FIRST? It won’t surprise many around the league if Ryan Johansen’s contract dispute goes into the NHL regular season. The Blue Jackets continue to hold firm on offering a two year deal worth $7 million, while Johansen seeks $6.5 million over two years. Who will blink first with the two sides $3 million apart? Johansen’s agent Kurt Overhardt is a strong believer that a player holding out gives the player the leverage, not the team. “If he’s not in camp, the pressure slips to the other side,” Overhardt told the Columbus-Dispatch. The obvious scenario would be meeting in middle at $5 million but don’t look for the Blue Jackets to cave in. If there’s going to

Source: Penguins ownership has signed off on making camp invite to Ryan Malone

Penguins ownership has signed off on making a camp invite to former Penguin Ryan Malone to training camp, Inside Pittsburgh Sports has learned. Malone has been a point of discussion in the organization over the last couple weeks and high ranking members of the organization, including ownership have been involved in those discussions because of Malone’s off ice issues. With ownership’s blessing, Penguins management is now giving strong consideration to officially inviting Malone to training camp, assuming he is reinstated by the NHL before camp opens. No official invite will be made until Malone is reinstated, according to a source. Malone has been working out in Minnesota where he has dropped over 25 pounds, sources tell Inside Pittsburgh Sports. Penguins