Predators winger Luke Evangelista is one of the few remaining restricted free agents with training camps on the horizon. Nick Kieser of Lower Broad Hockey relays that the two sides are focused on a bridge deal with the sides discussing contracts between one and three years but that there is still a gap to work through with more talks scheduled for this week. The 23-year-old notched 10 goals along with 22 assists in 68 games last season and has 86 points in 172 career appearances with Nashville. A short-term pact should carry a price tag in the $3MM range, one that they can easily afford with more than $9MM in cap room, per PuckPedia. Kieser added that there has not been any talk about trading Evangelista so far.
Elsewhere around the hockey world:
- Speaking at the NHL Player Media Tour today, Islanders forward Mathew Barzal provided reporters, including Daily Faceoff’s Matt Larkin (Twitter link), an update on his recovery from a knee injury that ended his season early. While he stopped short of declaring himself fully healthy (acknowledging he might not get back to that point), he will be ready to go in training camp. Between this injury and one earlier in the season, the 28-year-old was limited to just 30 games last season where he had 20 points.
- Hurricanes winger Seth Jarvis told reporters at the NHL Player Media Tour today, including Daily Faceoff’s Matt Larkin (Twitter link), that his rehab from a shoulder injury has gone great. He opted not to undergo surgery this offseason despite dealing with the issue for the second year in a row, calling it a pain tolerance situation. Jarvis, who had 32 goals and 35 assists in 73 games last season, also signalled an openness to being tried at center again, an experiment that hasn’t gained much traction over the last two seasons.
- After being non-tendered by Chicago back in June, unrestricted free agent winger Jalen Luypen has found a team for the upcoming season as ECHL South Carolina announced that they’ve signed him to a one-year deal. The 23-year-old spent most of last season in the AHL with Rockford, notching eight goals and six assists in 56 games.