from Steve Zipay of Newsday,

... But if Glen Sather & Co. eventually offer, say, a four-year deal, Callahan and his representatives could try to drive that term longer, perhaps to take him to age 35. Then it's crunch time; Sather might dig in, even if Callahan is reluctant to leave.

Face it: A long-term, secure deal could be Callahan's swan song, and given the number of clubs who will have big bucks to spend this summer with the salary cap rising, the market is appetizing.

According to projections, 14 teams will have more than $23 million in cap space. The Rangers will have $31 million. Buffalo will have $41 million.

You think Pat LaFontaine and the Sabres wouldn't love to have an upstate hero come home?

What about the Ducks, who will need to replace Teemu Selanne?

How about the Red Wings putting Callahan with either Pavel Datsyuk or Henrik Zetterberg?

Think John Tortorella might find some room for a former heart-and-soul guy out on the Pacific Coast?

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