Tuesday, July 1, 2008

One year after the Washington Capitals added Michael Nylander, Tom Poti and Viktor Kozlov in the first 36 hours of free agency, General Manager George McPhee isn't expected to grab the spotlight again when the signing period begins today. Instead, it's believed he will focus on re-signing his players, with goaltender Cristobal Huet and defenseman Mike Green topping his list.

A league source said Huet's agent, Stephen Bartlett, and the Capitals continue to talk and are closing in on a three-year contract extension believed to be in the $5 million per season range. Huet, 32, can start fielding offers from other teams at noon, but McPhee hopes to get him under contract before he reaches the open market, where, as the best goaltender in shallow pool, he could attract a more lucrative offer.

As for Green, the Capitals have presented the 22-year-old with multiple offers, ranging from short to long term. His camp continues to weigh the proposals, but the sides are not close to an agreement, according to a source. As a restricted free agent, Green has been free to negotiate with other clubs since Thursday and can sign an offer sheet this afternoon. McPhee has said he will match, and there's a shortage of teams with the cap space, draft picks and money to make such an offer, especially now that Tampa Bay and Edmonton have made their moves.

Once Huet and Green are re-signed -- some league officials consider this to be a matter of when and not if -- McPhee will turn his attention to re-signing unrestricted free agent Sergei Fedorov and restricted free agents Brooks Laich, Boyd Gordon, Eric Fehr and Shaone Morrisonn.

The Capitals would like to bring back the 38-year-old Fedorov, but he's a "question of want, not need," according to a league source. Laich, meantime, is coming off a career-best 21 goals and is believed to be seeking more than twice the $725,000 he earned last season. The Capitals want to re-sign Laich, 25, but management wants to be sure his breakout season was not a fluke before committing to a big contract.

"We have a perceived market value," Laich's agent, Roland Thompson, said. "They have one. When we get to the same page, it will get done."

McPhee declined a request for an interview.

-- Tarik El-Bashir