MacArthur will attempt to 'nudge' Ryan towards contract extension with Senators

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Clarke MacArthur signed a five-year, $23.25-million contract extension with the Ottawa Senators Tuesday, and plans to do his part to ensure linemate Bobby Ryan does the same at some point in the near future.

“[Ryan] is a natural, he’s a player we want on the team,” MacArthur said Wednesday, as per the Ottawa Citizen. "If I can nudge him to stay, I’m going to try to.”

Ryan enters the 2014-15 season as the team's highest-paid forward ($5.1 million per Capgeek), and will likely be seeking a significant pay upgrade. 

As such, it may not be a matter of whether or not he wants to stay in Ottawa, but rather if owner Eugene Melnyk's wallet can be pried open wide enough.