Contract talks between the Detroit Red Wings and a pair of restricted free agents - Gustav Nyquist and Joakim Andersson - have been a little tedious to this point.
But, as Brendan Savage of MLive.com reports, it would appear both are expected back with the Red Wings for next season.
“I haven’t really begun” negotiating, Red Wings general manager Ken Holland told MLive.com on Friday.
“I talked with Nyguist’s agent Monday or Tuesday. We haven’t talked since. I played telephone tag with Andersson’s agent.
“If somebody puts in an offer sheet, we’ll match.”
Andersson is coming off a three-year entry-level contract that paid him $637,500 at the NHL level, according to Capgeek.com.
Nyquist is coming off a two-year entry-level deal that paid him $837,500 at the NHL level this season, again, as per Capgeek.com.
The lockout-shortened season marked Nyquist’s second in the league and with the Wings. He had three goals and six points in 22 regular season games for Detroit, but had a stronger offensive impact in the playoffs.
In 14 games - both series the Wings were in went to seven games - he had two goals and five points.
Andersson, who got his first taste of the NHL in 2011-12, had three goals and eight points in 38 games during the 2013 regular season, but also put up decent numbers in the playoffs, considering he has yet to play a full year in the league.
He had one goal and five points in 14 post-season games.