Each day leading up to free agency on July 1, TSN.ca breaks down the latest news and rumours around the NHL.

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Alzner a fit in Montreal?

According to multiple reports on Monday (including from TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun), soon-to-be unrestricted free agent defenceman Karl Alzner visited with the Canadiens in Montreal this week as one of his site visits before July 1. LeBrun added later on Tuesday that Alzner is also scheduled to visit the Canucks and Golden Knights.

Alzner told Le Journal de Montreal's Jean-Francois Chaumont that he's "very interested" in the Habs, who are looking to bolster their blueline corps.

"I'm interested, really interested in the Canadiens," he told the paper. "We'll talk to (Canadiens general manager Marc) Bergevin. I can't deny that."

But Alzner didn't elaborate further on when asked if Montreal was his preferred spot. "I do not know, Mr. Bergevin is the person who can answer that," he told Le Journal. "He's the one who will make the contract offer."

Alzner, who made $2.8 million last season with the Washington Capitals is among the most sought-after blueliners as Saturday's opening bell on free agency looms. He is ranked third on TSN Hockey's updated Top UFAs list.

"I'll wait to see my options, but I'm only 28-years-old and I can tell you that I'd like to get a long-term contract," he told Le Journal. "It is always attractive for a player to be able to settle in the same city for a long time."  

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On the Way Out

The Vegas Golden Knights have been active in moving defencemen since the expansion draft, trading Trevor van Riemsdyk, David Schlemko and Marc Methot. 

TSN Senior Hockey Reporter Frank Seravalli reports Alexei Emelin and Luca Sbisa are the next two blueliners the team is expected to try to move.

Seravalli believes the remaining nine defencemen on the Golden Knights' roster are expected to stay put with the team.

Emelin, selected off the Montreal Canadiens' roster, owns a $4.1 million cap hit next season in the final year of his contract and has a 10-team no-trade list. Sbisa, selected from the Vancouver Canucks, is also entering the final year of his contract and owns a $3.6 million cap hit.

Should Vegas move Emelin and Sbisa, the team would be left with Jason Garrison, Clayton Stoner, Brayden McNabb, Jon Merrill, Colin Miller, Deryk Engelland, Shea Theodore, Griffin Reinhart and Nate Schmidt on defence.

In return for van Riemsdyk, Schlemko and Methot, the Golden Knights have acquired two second-round picks, a 2019 fifth-round pick and goaltender Dylan Ferguson. 

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Time to Add Offence

With Marc Methot now added to their blueline, the Dallas Stars are getting set to turn their attention to offence in free agency.

TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger notes Washington Capitals pending free agent Justin Williams as a player he could see fitting in with the Stars.

Despite adding Methot's $4.9 million cap hit on Monday, the Stars still have $18.3 million in cap space entering July. The team faces decisions on pending unrestricted free agents Ales Hemsky, Patrick Sharp and Jiri Hudler. Patrik Nemeth, Jamie Oleksiak, Brett Ritchie and Radek Faksa are all restricted free agents in need of new deals.

The Stars currently have just eight forwards signed from their 2016-17 NHL roster.

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Burned Out?

The Calgary Flames are facing competition as they look to re-sign two key free agents.

Dreger reports that 12 teams reached out forward Kris Versteeg as the window to talk to pending free agents opened on Monday. He notes the Flames remain in the mix to bring back the veteran winger.

LeBrun adds that the Flames are also trying to keep defenceman Michael Stone, even after adding Travis Hamonic, but Stone is now hearing offers from other teams, too.

Versteeg, 31, scored 15 goals and added 22 assists with the Flames this season. Stone, 27, was added ahead of the trade deadline from the Arizona Coyotes and finished the season with a total of three goals and 12 assists in 64 games.

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Scandella still on the Block?

Minnesota Wild defenceman Marco Scandella appeared to be on his way out of the Twin Cities ahead of Friday's first round of the NHL Draft. However, Scandella remains a member of the Wild and some have wondered if he's now off the market.

Michael Russo of the Minnesota Star Tribune said Monday the Wild could still move Scandella but are waiting for a better offer to come in.

He notes that the Boston Bruins still have interest as they look to add a left-handed defenceman this summer.

Scandella, 27, scored four goals and added nine assists in 71 games with the Wild this season while logging 18:20 of ice time per game. He is signed through 2019-20 at a $4 million cap hit.

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Come on Back?

Jonathan Bombulie of the Pittsburgh Tribune Review wrote Sunday that the Penguins are set to enter free agency with a large hole in the middle of their lineup.

With Matt Cullen considering retirement and Nick Bonino set to enter free agency, the Penguins have only Carter Rowney left as NHL-ready option at centre behind Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

The Penguins parted with centre Oskar Sundqvist at the draft in order to add winger Ryan Reaves, which further depleted their stock of in-house options.

Bombulie says price to acquire the top centre on the trade market in Matt Duchene likely rules out the Penguins, while Marcus Kruger, rumoured to be on the block in Chicago, doesn't score enough to justify his $3 million cap hit.

In free agency, he doesn't see the Penguins adding either Martin Hanzal or Joe Thornton and thinks options such as Brian Boyle and Dominic Moore fit better on the fourth line than in Bonino's third-line spot.

Bombulie believes the Penguins' best option is to retain Bonino and talk Cullen out of retirement and into re-signing.

The Penguins have $18.9 million in cap space.

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More Cannon Fire?

Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch reports that the Columbus Blue Jackets' pursuit of top-six talent this summer did not end with the addition of Chicago Blackhawks sniper Artemi Panarin.

Portzline believes the Blue Jackets are looking to add a top-six centre, likely via trade, and at this time are not in "full-on pursuit" of Russian star Ilya Kovalchuk. 

If the Blue Jackets fail to land their centre, Portzline says the Blue Jackets could then focus on adding Kovalchuk since he would provide the Blue Jackets, along with any other team, a boost on offence.

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Looking to Stay

The Buffalo Sabres could be looking for a new captain next season with Brian Gionta slated to hit free agency. 

John Vogl of the Buffalo News reports Gionta wants to stay with the Sabres and is still "hoping to find a way to make it happen."

Gionta could be allowed to walk the Sabres open a new era under general manager Jason Botterill.

The 38-year-old scored 15 goals and added 20 assists in 82 games last season while carrying a $4.25 million cap hit.

Thornton Watch

TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reports veteran centre Joe Thornton has already heard from a dozen teams checking in on his status and interest ahead of free agency.

LeBrun doesn't expect Thornton to make any visits before making his decision this summer and said staying in San Jose is still Thornton's top wish. He adds the Los Angeles Kings have likely reached out since general manager Rob Blake played with Thornton.

Thornton is coming off successful knee surgery to repair significant MCL ligament damage and a torn ACL that the 37-year-old managed to play through for the San Jose Sharks’ final three games of the postseason.

Thornton still managed to put up two assists in four playoff games before the Edmonton Oilers eliminated the Sharks in the first round. He had seven goals and 43 assists in 79 games during the regular season, his 19th in the NHL.

The former Art Ross Trophy winner is coming off a three-year, $20.25 million contract signed with the Sharks in January 2014. 

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