Each day through the NHL Draft on June 22 and up until free agency on July 1, TSN.ca breaks down the latest news and rumours around the NHL.


Not Closing the Door

Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said Thursday the team remains open to re-signing deadline acquisition Rick Nash and plans to speak with the winger in the near future.  

“We’re going to have follow-up conversations this week,” Sweeney told The Boston Globe. “I hope to have a clear understanding as to where that necessarily ends. Rick indicated that when he came to Boston that he was excited about the opportunity, and he wants to win. He felt badly, and certainly he is not responsible for this because he got injured. And it took away a little juice for him. He missed time down the stretch and jumping right into the playoffs.”

Nash sustained a concussion shortly after the Bruins acquired him from the New York Rangers for a first-round pick and appeared in just 11 regular season games with the team. He played in all 12 post-season games with the club, scoring three goals and adding two assists. Nash said after the season he was open to returning to Boston, though his first stint with the team didn't go as planned.

"It was disappointing with having the concussion and having some effects during it and only playing a certain amount of games and then coming back for the playoffs," Nash said on May 10. "But everything was positive. The organization was great, the guys were awesome, so it was a great chapter here and hopefully it can continue."

On Thursday, Sweeney said three players that will not be re-signed by the team - Brian Gionta, Kenny Agostino and Paul Postma.

The Bruins still have decisions to make on six unrestricted free agents; Nash, Riley Nash, Tim Schaller, Tommy Wingels, Nick Holden and Anton Khudobin. Sweeney was asked specifically about Wingels on Thursday and said he had not ruled out bringing back the winger in a depth role.

According to Capgeek.com, the Bruins currently have $66 million committed in salary to next year's roster, leaving the team with $12 million - $16 million to spend this off-season, depending on whether the salary cap falls.

Rick Nash ranked 10th on TSN Senior Hockey Reporter Frank Seravalli's Top 50 Free Agents list Thursday, while Riley Nash was listed at No. 14. Khudobin (No. 16), Schaller (37) and Holden (39) also made the list.


Price Too High?

The Vancouver Canucks have recently been linked to Carolina Hurrricanes defenceman Noah Hanifin in trade rumours, but Ben Kuzma of The Vancouver Province argues it makes little sense for the Canucks make the move.

Kuzma believes the Hurricanes would ask the Canucks for not only the seventh-overall selection in this month's draft, but also a top young roster player in return for Hanifin. He lists Brock Boeser, Bo Horvat, Elias Pettersson, Adam Gaudette, Jonathan Dahlen and Thatcher Demko as untouchable, which limits the assets the Canucks are willing to move. He also believes the Canucks are simply better suited to select a defenceman seventh-overall at the draft this month and wait for him to develop.
 

Back in the Draft

A second member of the Toronto Maple Leafs' 2016 draft class is set to re-enter the draft this month, Dhiren Mahiban of The Canadian Press reports.

The agent for 2016 sixth-round pick Nicolas Mattinen told Mahiban the Leafs will not sign his client before Friday's deadline and Mattinen will put himself in position to be drafted again. 

Mattinen joins fourth-rounder Keaton Middleton, who Mahiban reported last month the Leafs would not sign, as the second member of the Leafs draft class to go unsigned to an entry-level deal.

Mattinen, 20, began the OHL season with the Flint Firebirds but was moved during the year to the Hamilton Bulldogs after 38 games. He scored eight goals and had 30 points in 64 games this season between the two teams. He scored one goal and had six assists in the playoffs as the Bulldogs won the OHL championship.

Middleton, also 20, spent the past four seasons with the Saginaw Spirit and scored four goals and posted 24 points this past season. He scored one goal and added six assists with a minus-24 rating in 66 games in the season prior to his draft.