from Fluto Shinzawa of the Boston Globe,

- If Tampa Bay follows Chicago’s lead, Steven Stamkos will sign an eight-year extension in less than three months. On July 9, 2014, the summer before the final seasons of their deals, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane signed identical eight-year, $84 million extensions. Stamkos, who has one year remaining on his current deal, will use both contracts as benchmarks. It’s arguable that the center is even more valuable to his team than Toews and Kane are to the Blackhawks. From that perspective, Stamkos should earn at least $11 million per season, even with the cap correction because of the Canadian exchange rate.

- Ottawa will have some serious work to do this summer. Mika Zibanejad, Mark Stone, Mike Hoffman, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, and Alex Chiasson will be restricted free agents. Of the group, Zibanejad, Stone, and Hoffman project to be top-six fixtures. All will require raises. The Senators have decent cap space, partly because of the smart money they invested in Kyle Turris. On Aug. 29, 2012, Ottawa re-upped Turris to a five-year, $17.5 million extension. It was an excellent move. Ottawa’s No. 1 center is playing like he’s worth double his $3.5 million average annual value. Even smarter than the extension: the price the Senators paid to acquire Turris from the Coyotes. On Dec. 17, 2011, Ottawa landed Turris for David Rundblad and a 2012 second-round pick.

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