Report: Senators, Bobby Ryan have no plans to hold serious contract talks before season
Momentum in contract extension talks between the Ottawa Senators and forward Bobby Ryan appears to be losing steam.
According to Ken Warren of the Ottawa Citizen, "there are no plans for the Senators and Ryan’s agents to hold serious talks about a contract extension until the regular season begins Oct. 9."
The two sides were believed to be planning to sit down once Ryan arrived back in Ottawa prior to the start of training camp. At this point, the 27-year-old doesn't appear to be in too much of a hurry to get a deal done.
Ryan told the Ottawa Sun:
"I think we all kind of have a feeling that when the time is right, we'll all have to sit down ... if that's next week or that's December, I don't care. I know they know I feel that way, that it doesn't matter to me, whether it gets done or not. If we have to start the season without it, I'm comfortable with that....
"One of the guys already asked me about Philadelphia. I said listen man, that's all a year away, if I get to that point. Everybody I've talked to in this city from a fan standpoint has been incredible. They've all stressed they'd love to have me here as a lifelong Senator. I think that was Bryan Murray's goal when I came. I've tried to do everything right by the Sens, but at the same time you have to do right by yourself a little bit. I don't know, I just want everybody to understand that nobody is the bad guy here. It's not the Sens, it's not Bobby Ryan ... at this point, there's nobody to be mad at or fed up with or anything like that. These things will get done when they get done....
"Everybody's guess (on when or if it happens) is as good as mine right now."
Ryan represents the most high-profile name among the team's forward ranks, and keeping him in the mix would be a big win for a team seeking a new identity in light of the recent departures of Daniel Alfredsson and Jason Spezza. Whether an extension comes to pass remains decidedly up in the air as the 2014-15 season rapidly approaches.