Kane and Toews each asked for $12 million per season during
recent negotiations to extend their contracts. ESPN reported that
the two may rework their contracts so the team can add improvements
to the roster and remain a contender.
Bowman believes he can extend both players by July 1, the first day
they are eligible to sign new deals. They both have one year left on
their contracts.
Kane, 25, and Toews, 26, were top-five draft picks by the Blackhawks
and started their NHL careers in 2007. Since then, they have won two
Stanley Cups, been to six straight playoffs and reached four Western
Conference finals.
The Blackhawks acquired the No. 83 overall selection in the draft on
Saturday from the Calgary Flames in exchange for forward Brandon
Bollig.
In 125 NHL regular-season games, Bollig has seven goals and seven
assists.
- - -
The Buffalo Sabres opened the second day of the NHL draft on
Saturday by taking forward Brendan Lemieux with the first pick of
the second round.
Lemieux, taken No. 31 overall, is the son of former New Jersey
Devils star and Stanley Cup champ Claude Lemieux.
Brendan Lemieux played for the Barrie Colts in the Ontario Hockey
League. He wears jersey No. 21 because that was his father's number
when he played junior hockey and he also inherited the nickname
"Pepe" from his father.
- - -
The Vancouver Canucks acquired right winger Linden Vey from the Los
Angeles Kings for the No. 50 overall pick in the NHL draft on
Saturday.
Vey, 22, had five assists in 18 games with the Kings last season. He
also had 14 goals and 34 assists in 43 games with the Manchester
Monarchs of the AHL.
The Kings used the No. 50 pick to take defenseman Roland McKeown.
The 18-year-old had 11 goals and 32 assists in 62 games with the
Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League last season.
- - -
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The Toronto Maple Leafs traded defenseman Carl Gunnarsson to the St.
Louis Blues for defenseman Roman Polak on Saturday.
The Maple Leafs also sent the No. 94 pick in the draft to the Blues
as part of the deal.
Polak, 28, gives Toronto a needed stay-at-home defenseman. He also
has 79 points in 424 NHL games. Gunnarsson spent five seasons with
Toronto.
- - -
The Winnipeg Jets traded goalie Edward Pasquale and their
sixth-round pick to the Washington Capitals for three draft picks.
The Jets sent the No. 159 overall selection to Washington for the
No. 164 overall pick. Winnipeg also received the Nashville
Predators' seventh-round pick (previously acquired by Washington,
No. 192 overall) and the Capitals' seventh-round pick in 2015.
(Editing by Gene Cherry)
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