from Allan Muir of Sports Illustrated,

With Labor Day in the rearview mirror, we’re now less than 10 days away from the start of NHL training camps. While most teams and players know what to expect heading into that annual pruning process, there are several questions still waiting to be answered. Here’s our stab at predicting what will, and won’t, happen during the next 10 days.

Cody Franson will not sign a new deal.

Back on July 1, it would have seemed unimaginable that a right-shooting defenseman capable of working the power play would still be available after Labor Day. But Franson (or more likely, his agent) overestimated the market, leaving him without a deal just days away from the start of training camp.

He’ll eventually find a fit, but as one agent told SI.com last week, it doesn’t make sense for Franson to sign now. “Franson has lost all bargaining power at this point,” the agent said.“He signs now, he probably settles for a one-year deal. If he waits it out .. .a team might realize that their defense isn’t as sound as they hoped and maybe they’re more inclined to give him a deal he can be happy with.”

So unless a team comes calling with a multi-year offer during the next few days, Franson is most likely to be airlifted in as reinforcement after camp begins.

The Blackhawks will not re-sign Marcus Kruger.

It’s pretty clear at this point that the veteran forward wants to remain a part of the Blackhawks organization and, given his value to the team—he led Chicago’s forwards in penalty-kill ice time last season—and their issues at center ice, they’d like him to return.

The hold-up is the lack of cap space.

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