The Sabres' chats this week with the agent for center Tim Connolly have not included any contract proposals, agent J.P. Barry told The News by phone this afternoon.
Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier said Saturday and Monday that he had talked to and planned to again talk to Barry about Connolly, who will become an unrestricted free agent Friday. Barry said it's impossible to tell at this stage whether Connolly will reach the market or re-sign with the Sabres before it opens.
"We haven’t gotten into the stage of making offers to each other," Barry said. "We’re just talking about whether or not there’s a chance and whether or not it makes sense for them and for us to do something."
Connolly has been with the Sabres since 2001.
"He’s been there a long time, and Tim still feels very strongly about the Sabres," Barry said. "We’re going to keep talking here."
The 30-year-old Connolly's place in a thin free agent market can be debated. He had just 13 goals and 42 points in 68 games last season, suffering a horrific broken nose during the regular season and a sternum separation in the playoffs. In the first season of his expiring two-year, $9 million contract, he averaged nearly a point per game with 65 in 73.
"Obviously, Tim’s going to be an interesting player," Barry said. "As far as production, if you want to line up all the guys available on their ability to produce offense, he’s probably right at the top. The thing that can work against Tim is he’s had unfortunate injuries, some fluky. It’s that injury profile that is the issue. His ability, you look at his whole career and his ability to produce offense, is excellent."
---John Vogl
