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UFA Notes: Duchene, Smith, Simmonds, Vanek

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Speaking about the impending unrestricted free agent class on Sportsnet’s “31 Thoughts Podcast“, Elliott Friedman updated the statuses of several prominent UFA’s-to-be. Of course, few names will draw as much attention (and money) as Matt Duchene. Following a 70-point season and point-per-game postseason, there is little doubt the Duchene is the best available center and will soon cash in on a contract worth upwards of $60-70MM. What remains is simply who has the means and the interest to make that offer to Duchene. Although they would have to move out salary, Friedman echoes the sentiment that the Nashville Predators should not be counted out of the Duchene sweepstakes until a deal is done. The mutual interest between the two sides is well-documented, but the hurdles of clearing the necessary space remain. As such, Friedman also mentions that the Montreal Candiens are expected to be one of the front-runners for Duchene. The Habs have approximately $11.7MM in projected cap space with almost their entire 2018-19 roster locked up and are simply looking to add pieces to help them get into the playoffs after narrowly missing out this season. Duchene is the top center they need and fortunately can afford and Friedman hears that there is interest.

  • Friedman believes that the goalie market will be more active than many realize. With the growing trend of having a 1A-1B tandem or at least a well-rested starter, the value of backup goalies is going up and Friedman feels a veteran player like Mike Smith could be a beneficiary. Smith, 37, endured one of the worst seasons of his career in 2018-19, but played much better in the postseason despite the Calgary Flames’ early exit. There is still a chance that Smith could stay in Calgary and continue his tandem with David Rittich. However, the Flames are reportedly considering an upgrade. Yet, Smith could be of value to many other teams looking for an established veteran to be their backup. Smith is no longer a 50-game or maybe even 40-game goaltender, but Friedman feels he still has the pedigree to land a significant deal. Of course, if the goalie market is active, that means others like Semyon Varlamov, Brian Elliott, Cam Talbot, or Curtis McElhinney will be in the running for those priority backup jobs as well.
  • Another player whose market may be greater than once expected is power forward Wayne Simmonds. Simmonds had a dreadful year, recording just 30 points on the season, his lowest total since his rookie campaign. Just three of those points came after he was traded to the Nashville Predators and then Simmonds missed a chance at redemption as injury kept him out of all but two of the Predators’ postseason games. With his stock at its lowest, many were reasonably expecting Simmonds to draw considerably less interest this off-season than he may have just one year ago. However, Friedman warns that the performance of a player like the St. Louis Blues’ Pat Maroon may change that. Maroon has shown that hard-nosed, physical forwards still have a place in the game, particularly in the playoffs. Friedman feels Maroon – who is also a UFA – has reinvigorated the market for similar players, such as Simmonds or an experienced two-way forward like Derick Brassard, who himself had a down year. Simmonds is still unlikely to get the kind of contract he would have just a year or two ago, but he won’t be unemployed for very long despite his poor season.
  • Friedman wonders what the market will be like for veteran forward Thomas Vanek. After back-to-back seasons of being a valuable trade deadline commodity, Vanek finally stayed put this year with the Detroit Red Wings after requesting not to be dealt. Yet, Vanek finds himself on the move again as a free agent. The 35-year-old saw a major drop-off in production this year and is unlikely to be a fit back in Detroit. In fact, Friedman doesn’t see an obvious fit anywhere for Vanek, who has played for eight different teams in his long and successful NHL career. A veteran “hired gun” who also isn’t keen on moving is a tough player to fit and Friedman says there’s a chance that Vanek is done.

Snapshots: Datsyuk, Faulk, Karlsson, Sutter

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Despite some initial speculation early this off-season, it seems an NHL comeback for Pavel Datsyuk is unlikely. Speaking to Helene St. James of The Detroit Free Press, agent Dan Milstein stated that Datsyuk’s probable landing spot remains his home town of Yekaterinburg with the KHL’s Avtomobilist. A free agent after wrapping up a very successful three-year stint with SKA St. Petersburg, Datsyuk made it known that he was leaving SKA and was hoping to land somewhere more familiar to he and his family. The 40-year-old center’s NHL rights are currently owned by the Arizona Coyotes, but they expire on July 1st with the start of the new league year. As such, there was some thought that he could return to the Detroit Red Wings, where he spent all 14 years of his NHL career. Datsyuk would be joining a team now run by fellow Red Wings legend Steve Yzerman and even in his advanced age, Datsyuk would have had the chance to return to a key role for Detroit. Although he recently visited the city and reportedly spoke to Yzerman and company, Milstein maintains that Datsyuk is more likely to settle into a cushy role in Yekaterinburg. “We are meeting in the coming days to discuss options and future plans,” Milstein said, but it seems that the decision is already close to being made. “It’s very likely Pavel will live up to his promise of playing for his hometown team in Russia.”

  • In an article offering up some trade suggestions over the waning days of the NHL postseason for those teams no longer in the running, USA Today’s Kevin Allen notes that teams may not want to waste their time trying to pry a defenseman out of Carolina. The Hurricanes succeeded this season largely because of their strength on the back end and GM Don Waddell appears more concerned with maintaining that depth rather than leveraging it. Allen reports that the team is engaged in extension talks with long-time stalwart Justin Faulk, whose current contract expires after next season. Allen adds that the team is not interested in dealing Faulk or any of their top-four defensemen at this time, which certainly includes Dougie Hamilton, Jaccob Slavin, and Brett Pesce, but may also include their big free agent addition from last summer, Calvin de Haan. The one defenseman who might have been dangled as trade bait is Trevor van Riemsdyk who, like Faulk, has only one year remaining on his contract. However, a long-term injury that will see van Riemsdyk on the sidelines to begin the season will probably put a damper on any trade talks. van Riemsdyk’s early-season absence will also allow youngsters Haydn Fleury and Jake Bean to see some NHL ice time, keeping all blue line parties content through another season at least.
  • Offer sheets remain a rare occurrence in the NHL – the last came in 2013 – but that doesn’t stop talk from spreading every off-season that one of the top restricted free agents could finally land such an offer. One prominent RFA whose name has not been associated with an offer sheet thus far, perhaps should be, writes David Schoen of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Schoen believes that center William Karlsson is a prime candidate for an offer sheet this summer. The Vegas Golden Knights are already buried in payroll and the off-season has yet to begin. CapFriendly estimates that they are already over the projected $83MM ceiling for next season, yet still have Karlsson, Nikita Gusev, Malcolm Subban, and others to re-sign. The Knights will be forced to move out salary regardless, but a substantial offer sheet signed by Karlsson may be too much for Vegas to match. Specifically, Schoen names the Carolina Hurricanes, Ottawa Senators, Minnesota Wild, and Detroit Red Wings as potential suitors, citing cap space and need for all four teams.
  • While it is not a done deal, the Los Angeles Kings don’t appear worried about losing one of their key free agents. Fox Sports’ Jon Rosen reports that the Kings are close to extending Brett Sutter, the captain of the AHL’s Ontario Reign. Sutter, 32, is a respected veteran who Rosen states is a “great conduit between the coaching staff and dressing room.” An experienced and productive minor league forward, Sutter is the type of dedicated player that all organizations like to have around and it seems he will be back with L.A. for at least one more year.

Nikita Soshnikov Signs In KHL

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The St. Louis Blues won’t be re-signing Nikita Soshnikov this summer. The oft-injured forward has decided to take his talents back to Russia, and today signed a two-year contract with Salavat Yulaev Ufa after the team acquired his rights from SKA St. Petersburg in exchange for those of young forward Vladimir Tkachev. In the release, the team mentions that Soshnikov has not completely given up on an NHL career.

Soshnikov, 25, originally signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2015 after going undrafted. The speedy forward had excelled as a young player in the KHL and looked to be a legitimate prospect for the Maple Leafs, who allowed him to develop in the minor leagues during his first season in North America. After a late-season taste of the NHL, he ended up playing nearly the entire next year there, but was limited by injury and recorded just nine points in 56 games. In March, 2017, he was hit twice by Zdeno Chara in the same game and suffered a concussion that would torpedo the rest of his time in Toronto.

Eventually finding himself on the Blues in 2017-18 after threatening to use his European Assignment Clause in order to return to Russia, Soshnikov would again miss a good chunk of the season due to injury. He would play just 12 games for them that season, and five this year. Scheduled to become a restricted free agent, the Blues can temporarily retain Soshnikov’s exclusive rights by issuing him a qualifying offer, but at this point he obviously intends on getting his career back on track back in Russia.

Snapshots: Blues Injuries, Marleau, Berglund, Gretzky, Quartexx

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After a forgettable performance in their first home Stanley Cup Finals game since 1970 on Saturday, the St. Louis Blues might get back a key player for Monday’s Game Four. Defenseman Vince Dunn was seen as a full participant in their optional practice on Sunday, according to NHL.com’s Lou Korac. While he’s still day-to-day, it’s extremely possible he may be ready to go on Monday.

The injury news may not be as promising for forward Robert Thomas, who has now missed two games with an undisclosed injury, although it is now believed it’s a wrist injury that the 19-year-old has suffered. Thomas practiced at Sunday’s optional skate, but NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti reports that he didn’t handle any pucks and was following Robby Fabbri in drills, suggesting he’s not ready to return to the lineup.

  • With continued rumors surrounding Toronto Maple Leafs forward Patrick Marleau and his interest in moving to a west coast team, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that the Maple Leafs have already had discussions with the Arizona Coyotes, one of the three teams that Marleau is reportedly interested in playing for next season. LeBrun reports that Arizona didn’t show significant interest and he senses that the Coyotes would require a premium prospect sent along with Marleau if the team is willing to take Marleau’s contract off of Toronto’s hands.
  • After walking away in December from millions of dollars, former Buffalo Sabres forward Patrik Berglund said on the Hockey Sense Podcast with Andy Strickland that he doesn’t regret leaving the Sabres and now that he’s had a chance to recuperate, intends to return to the ice next season. Berglund, who would have had three years remaining on the contract he signed back in 2017, choose not to report to the team in December and was suspended and then given his unconditional release and had his contract terminated. “I’m doing really well, back home in Sweden and just kind of hanging out right now, getting back to work through working out and doing all that and I’m looking forward to playing hockey next year somewhere, so it’s all good,” Berglund said. No word on whether he intends to return to the NHL or play overseas.
  • The Edmonton Journal’s Kurt Leavins writes that while there has been no official word, it looks like Edmonton Oilers former interim general manager Keith Gretzky is likely to stay within the organization and could fill a dual role. He is expected to return to his old role of assistant general manager with an emphasis on the amateur side, while also having a bigger role with Edmonton’s AHL franchise, the Bakersfield Condors, which was the same role that Craig MacTavish held before he left the organization.
  • In agent news, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the player agency Quartexx is merging with Darren Ferris and DHG Sports Agency to form an even bigger agency. Among the players that DHG brings over to Quartexx are Toronto’s Mitch Marner, New Jersey’s Taylor Hall, and Detroit’s Andreas Athanasiou and Filip Zadina. Friedman adds that the merger shouldn’t have any effect on any negotiations.

Free Agent Focus: San Jose Sharks

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Free agency is now less than a month away from opening up and there are quite a few prominent players set to hit the open market while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign.  San Jose should have one of the busiest off-seasons, as the team has multiple key free agents to sign or otherwise may have a completely new look next season.

Key Restricted Free Agents: F Timo Meier – With so many questions concerning their unrestricted free agents this off-season, it might be easy to forget that the team must also find a new contract from one of their young stars and Meier should get quite the pay raise this year after making just $894K last season. Meier repaid the Sharks with his best season yet, scoring a career-high 30 goals and 66 points. He also posted 15 points in 20 playoff games. With the money that many restricted free agents have been getting over the past couple of years, Meier could be in for a giant payday, regardless of whether he signs a bridge deal or the team locks him up long-term.

F Kevin Labanc – It took quite a while for Labanc to work his way into San Jose’s veteran-laden lineup, but he has done quite a good job on the team’s third line and could be headed for a even larger role depending on how the off-season shakes out for the Sharks. Like Meier, Labanc has had season highs in both goals (17) and points (56) and would be a likely candidate to take a bridge deal in order to prove whether he can take his game up to another level and become a top-six option for them.

Other RFAs: D Michael Brodzinski, F Rourke Chartier, D Nick DeSimone, D Cody Donaghey, D Cavan Fitzgerald, F Dylan Gambrell, F Maxim Letunov, F Jonathon Martin, F Francis Perron, D Joakim Ryan, F Alex Schoenborn, F Antti Suomela, D Kyle Wood.

Key Unrestricted Free Agents: D Erik Karlsson – Many people expected the Sharks to lock up Karlsson to a long-term deal at the trade deadline, but when that didn’t happen, there were many questions about whether he was willing to sign a deal with the Sharks at all, as well as many people who wondered whether Karlsson was worth a long-term deal considering his injury history. After all, the 29-year-old missed most of the second half of the season with a groin injury and even when he returned for the playoffs, he wasn’t fully healthy as he had trouble keeping up with the quicker opposing forwards. It looks more like Karlsson intends to test the open market and head to a team he would like to play for long-term or take the best offer that he can get. Will it be San Jose though?

F Joe Pavelski – The 34-year-old captain has been a key figure for the Sharks throughout his career, but so far there have been few talks of giving the veteran a new deal. While it’s hard to picture Pavelski heading elsewhere, the Sharks must factor in what a new contract for the soon-to-be 35-year-old would look like for the rest of their cap structure. Pavelski is coming off a unique 38-goal season, a number that he is unlikely to equal again, and with the difficulty of long-term deals for 35+ players, the team will likely want to avoid a multi-year deal that has a large AAV attached to it, meaning the club will have to hope that Pavelski isn’t going to be asking too much.

F – Joe Thornton – It’s unlikely the team is worried about money when it comes to Thornton, as the team will bring him back on a one-year deal at a reasonable cost (he signed for one year and $5MM last offseason). However, the real question is whether Thornton is ready to call it quits. Thornton will turn 40 in July and didn’t make it clear during locker clean-out day that he will definitely return next season. He wants time to think about it.

Other UFAs: F Tim Clifton, F Joonas Donskoi, F Micheal Haley, D Tim Heed, F Gustav Nyquist.

Projected Cap Space: With a little over $58MM committed to 15 players for next season per CapFriendly, the Sharks should have some cap room to work with despite a number of high profile free agents this off-season. The team must try to bring back Karlsson and Pavelski, while trying to get reasonable deals in place for Meier and Labanc. While they may have to wait for a Thornton decision, they do have other important free agents they must consider for a deal as well, such as Donskoi and Nyquist. If all of these impending free agents are interested in a return, San Jose may be forced to move someone else with cap space at a premium. Regardless, the team may have to rely even more on younger players to fill holes in the bottom of their lineup next season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Winnipeg Jets Sign Forward Andrei Chibisov

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The Winnipeg Jets are facing a considerable cap crunch this off-season, but that won’t prevent them from making minor depth additions if there’s value to be had. Case in point: CapFriendly reports that the team has signed Russian forward Andrei Chibisov to an entry-level contract. It is a one-year, two-way pact for the 26-year-old import that will pay him the minimum $700K base salary at the NHL level and $70K at the AHL level, but also includes a $92,500 signing bonus as well as performance bonuses totaling a $925K AAV. The Jets have since confirmed the contract.

Chibisov has flown under the radar in his playing career, never considered an NHL Draft prospect and hardly playing at all on the international stage for Russia. The 6’4″, 227-lb. winger has had to work hard at developing a physical checking game and two-way intelligence to get to where he is and only in the past two years did the offense finally follow. After bouncing between the KHL and second-tier VHL for many years, Chibisov finally stuck with Metallurg Magnitogorsk after a mid-season trade in 2017-18. After recording 11 points in 37 games down the stretch last season, he followed it up with his first 20-point campaign this year, notching seven goals and 13 assists in 50 games. An injury kept Chibisov from adding to those totals and from participating in the postseason. Magnitogorsk felt his absence, as they were upset in the first round. Chibisov finished the year as a top-six scoring forward on his team for the first time in his KHL career and that, combined with his size and strength, was clearly enough to draw some attention from across the pond.

The Jets add an intriguing bottom-six option to their organization and do so at a low price point, which could be key for a club that has their hands full this summer. After trading away Brendan Lemieux at the NHL Trade Deadline, Winnipeg now faces the real possibility that unrestricted free agent Brandon Tanev – as well as depth players Matt Hendricks and Par Lindholm – will also depart and restricted free agent Andrew Copp is also in need of a new deal. The Jets may need to totally reconfigure their bottom-six and Chibisov may come in handy. The Russian forward will be an unrestricted free agent after next season, so Winnipeg will try to get the most out of him while they can if his game translates to the NHL level.

Oskar Sundqvist Suspended For Game Three Of The Stanley Cup Final

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After a hearing earlier today, St. Louis Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist has been suspended one game for boarding Boston Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk in Game Two of the Stanley Cup Final. The decision was handed down from the NHL Department of Player Safety this evening. A high hit from behind in the first period injured Grzelcyk and he did not return to the game, tilting the ice in St. Louis’ favor as Boston played two-thirds of the game with just five defenders. The Bruins will try to take advantage of karma swinging back in their direction, as the Blues will be without a key checking forward in Game Three.

Player Safety, which had top officials George Parros and Damian Echevarrieta on hand for Game Two, met with Sundqvist this afternoon and took a fair amount of time to make their decision. At the end of the day, the league could not ignore a hit to between the numbers on a defenseless player, even if Sundqvist was not intentionally trying to check Grzelcyk from behind as he played the puck behind his own net:

Sundqvist adjusts his force, then hits (Grzelcyk) forcefully from behind with speed, driving him violently into the glass and causing an injury. This is boarding. It is important to note that the boarding rule places the onus to deliver a legal check on the hitter. Therefore, while we acknowledge that Grzelcyk does adjust his body position in making a play on the puck, he does not do so in a way that absolves Sundqvist of responsibility for the nature of this hit. From the moment Sundqvist hits the bottom of the face-off circle until contact is made, Sundqvist sees nothing but Grzelcyk’s numbers. This is not a situation in which a sudden and unexpected movement by the player receiving the check turns a legal hit into an illegal one at the last moment… Sundqvist has time to react to Grzelcyk’s movements and reacts by cutting back across Grzelcyk’s body. This movement results in a more forceful and direct hit to Grzelcyk’s upper back and head, which then drives Grzelcyk’s head into the glass… Sundqvist chooses to finish his check into his opponent’s back with force. Sundqvist had sufficient time to minimize the force of this hit, avoid the hit entirely, or adjust his course to deliver a legal check.

This is not only the expected result on the play, but also a fair punishment and well-adjudicated by Player Safety. Sundqvist’s lack of any history of supplemental discipline and the fact that playoff games, Stanley Cup games in particular, are worth more than regular season games may have convinced some that he would avoid a suspension. However, the fact that Grzelcyk was hurt on a play that Sundqvist could have avoided in a game that was chippy and physical from the start hurt his case. So too did the fact that officials gave Sundqvist only a minor on a check that should have been deserving of a match penalty and could have evened the odds for the short-handed Bruins. Instead, Sundqvist will now sit for Game Three.

There is no word yet on when Grzelcyk is expected to return to the Boston lineup, but it won’t be for Game Three. NHL.com’s Amalie Benjamin reports that Grzelcyk is considered day-to-day and has entered the league’s concussion protocol. He did not travel with the team to St. Louis and will miss Game Three, but that does not rule out him re-joining Boston for Game Four or later in the series, which will go at least five games and likely longer. In the meantime, John Moore is likely to draw in for Grzelcyk on Saturday night in St. Louis.

Oskar Sundqvist To Receive Hearing From Department Of Player Safety

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The Department of Player Safety has some work to do, as they have announced a hearing for St. Louis Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist. Late in the first period, Sundqvist hit Matt Grzelcyk behind the Boston Bruins’ net, earning himself a two-minute boarding penalty. Grzelcyk was forced from the game with an injury and taken to hospital for further evaluation.

Sundqvist has been a force for the Blues this postseason, registering nine points and (perhaps more importantly) 63 hits in the 21 games the Blues have played so far. The 25-year old forward has been part of a formidable fourth line alongside Ivan Barbashev and Alex Steen, providing a physical presence while also chipping in offensively. Given that Robert Thomas was held out of game two due to injury already, a suspension for Sundqvist could mean the entrance of Zach Sanford.

The Stanley Cup Final has already proven to be one of the most physical series of these playoffs, with two teams more than willing to engage each other and deliver some huge hits. Unfortunately for St. Louis, it looks like they’ll be forced to play without one of those physical players for game three when they travel home to try and take the early lead.

Snapshots: Marner, Coffey, Vilardi

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Mitch Marner’s next contract continues to be the talk of the town in Toronto—at least the hockey part of town—and Darren Dreger was on TSN radio today discussing what’s next in the negotiation. Dreger suggested that the Marner camp will be speaking to other teams when the free agent interview period begins in late June, to see what kind of opportunity would be out there if he were to pursue the infamous offer sheet.

The 22-year old forward is coming off an incredible season with the Maple Leafs where he immediately found chemistry with John Tavares and ended up with 94 points in 82 games, and now has a chance to be among the record-setting group of RFA wingers this summer. Names like Mikko Rantanen, Kyle Connor and Patrik Laine also all need new contracts and could very well change the landscape for top wingers coming off their entry-level contracts. The Maple Leafs and GM Kyle Dubas meanwhile have always seemed very confident they can get a deal done with Marner without an offer sheet coming into play, given the complete lack of them over the last several years.

  • It looks like another one of the “old boys club” in Edmonton is on his way out, as the team has parted ways with skills coach Paul Coffey according to Mark Spector of Sportsnet. The Oilers organization has been criticized heavily in the past for allowing their former players to have too much influence over the team, but have also recently seen Craig MacTavish leave by way of the KHL. This comes on a day when new GM Ken Holland announced the hiring of Dave Tippett as the next head coach of the team, another huge change of leadership as they try to get back to playoff contention.
  • According to Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider the Los Angeles Kings are still in a “holding pattern” in regards to top prospect Gabe Vilardi’s rehab, as they wait for clearance before getting him into a skating and rehab program. Vilardi has unfortunately dealt with a serious back injury since being drafted 11th overall in 2017 and suited up for just four minor league games last season on a conditioning loan. The 19-year old forward has incredible offensive upside given his big frame and puck protection skills, but will need to get back to health before ever really figuring into the Kings plans.

Playoff Notes: Marchand, Dunn, Thomas, Chara

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Boston Bruins fans got a scare Sunday when star forward Brad Marchand was missing from practice as Karson Kuhlman took his place in practice, according to NHL.com’s Matt Kalman, making many wonder if Marchand would be made available for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals, which start on Monday.

“He had a maintenance day today, so that’s all, he’ll be ready to go tomorrow,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said about Marchand.

There was some concern that Marchand, who leads the Bruins with 18 points (seven goals and 11 assists) in 17 games, injured his left hand in Thursday’s scrimmage when he bumped into Connor Clifton and returned to the bench at one point, favoring his left hand. However, he continued playing in the scrimmage.

“I’ve been trying to get out of practice every day this week,” Marchand joked. “It’s just been dragging out here, so we’re excited for it to start tomorrow and it should be fun.”

Kalman also writes that David Krejci, who has been out with a fever the last couple of days, practiced today and is expected to be ready for Monday’s game as well.

  • St. Louis Blues defenseman Vince Dunn, who has missed three straight games after taking a puck to the head during Game 3 against the San Jose Sharks, has traveled with the team to Boston and skated with the team Sunday, wearing a plastic face guard around his entire face, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He is still considered doubtful for Game 1 as he practiced with the extra defensemen. Head coach Craig Berube said there is a chance that Dunn returns at some point in the playoffs. “That was the best he’s looked, which is a good sign. He’s pretty close,” Berube said.
  • Thomas also posts that St. Louis Blues forward Robert Thomas (undisclosed injury) did not skate among the regulars during practice on Sunday. He came out later in practice and worked on his own. However, Berube said that Thomas was “a go” for Monday and is expected to play in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Robby Fabbri filled in for Thomas on the third line.
  • In an in-depth piece on Boston Bruins 42-year-old defenseman Zdeno Chara, the Boston Globe’s Christopher L. Gasper writes that Chara expressed an interest to play until he’s 45, a claim very similar to the ones made by fellow New England athlete Tom Brady with the New England Patriots. “Obviously, I’m signed for next year. I’m planning to play. I want to compete and still play. I’ll be 43. I’m not, obviously, that far away. I’m taking it one year at a time,” Chara said. “I think you have to respect that things could change. It could go from my end, ‘Hey, I just don’t feel like it.’ Or it could be, ‘Hey, I still love it. I still have so much passion for it. I want to keep going.’ But I want to play until I can still be contributing to the game and still be effective. At the same time, you’ve got to realize that when there is a time there is a time. At this point, I’m still hungry. I still love the game. I have so much passion for it.”

 

 

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