Mark Spector

Mark Spector is a columnist for sportsnet.ca

One last set of thoughts, as UFA season slows into summertime.

What? Rookie camps start on Tuesday? Are you kidding me?

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Crowded house

There are three defencemen in Vancouver who make $3 million-plus and have one year left on their contracts before becoming UFA’s. Kevin Bieksa, Christian Ehrhoff and Sami Salo, the only one with a no-trade clause.

So why is Kevin Bieksa the only one anyone talks about when conversation moves to clearing some space on Vancouver’s crowded blue-line?

Well, he’s only 29, had a lousy season last year and a very average playoff, and people who are close to the Canucks say that head coach Alain Vigneault isn’t real big on Bieksa anymore.

He wanted more responsibility this past season, we’re told, and when he got it in the playoffs he was not reliable. Either Bieksa thinks he’s better than he is, or for some reason, he’s not playing to his potential.

Either way, the Vancouver Province reports as many as 10 teams are inquiring about Bieksa. If that’s true — and other GMs are not simply trying to capitalize on GM Mike Gillis’ crowded cap situation, he’ll be gone by training camp.

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You must be Jokinen

We stole the headline from the Calgary Herald, where Jarome Iginla was quoted as saying, “I think Olli and Alex could be two of the best signings — at the best prices and payoffs — of this free agency.

“I understand people are going to be on both sides of the fence. People are going to be debating it.”

Debating it? That’s kind.

By the numbers, it’s accurate to say that Jokinen — a 50-point player at $3 million — is good value. Fair enough. But his numbers have declined for three seasons, and at age 31, he’s never figured out how to be a solid team guy or a winner who can overcome tough circumstances.

Do you think Jokinen figures all of that now?

In Tanguay, you’ve got a second player with declining numbers. Like Chris Drury and Derek Morris, Tanguay never quite became the player we thought he could be when he ventured away from a Colorado lineup supported by greats like Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, Rob Blake and Adam Foote.

Calgary is banking on Tanguay, like Jokinen, to have a bounce-back season. Same goes for Jarome Iginla. That’s a lot of hope, especially for Jokinen and Tanguay, whose career paths have settled into the category of “OK” player. We’re not of the mind that “OK” players are going to turn the Flames into a second- or third-round playoff team.

Meanwhile, Daymond Langkow’s neck injury has not responded.

“It’s still an issue,” said Sutter. “We’re 100 days post-injury. We thought he would be further along that he is, and he’s still not.

“We’re still 100 days away (from the start of the season), but it is a concern.”

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Souray stand-off

An interesting stand-off is developing in Edmonton, between GM Steve Tambellini and defenceman Sheldon Souray.

Souray cleared waivers on Saturday, so Edmonton's hopes that an NHL team that missed out on the defenceman derby — Los Angeles, Washington, San Jose — would show interest went unanswered. There is no deal in place for a team to pick him up on re-entry waivers, nor do the Oilers plan to buy him out (a cap hit of $1.5 million for four seasons).

So, unless a suitor appears out of nowhere, the Oilers face two difficult decisions: Send Souray to the minors and eat entire salary, or bring him back to training camp and hope he can play himself into a viable trade commodity down the road.

The Oilers are dead set against the minors, though that would erase Souray’s cap hit from their books. But with kids like Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle and perhaps others likely to play in Edmonton next year, it is imperative that Tambellini clean up what was a toxic dressing room at times over the past two seasons.

Gone are Pat Quinn, the entire training staff, captain Ethan Moreau (waivers), Patrick O’Sullivan (traded), Robert Nilsson (bought out) and others. Can you bring Souray back into that room and hope for the best?

He wore an ‘A’ last season. You would have to strip that letter.

Then ask him to be a good soldier…?

This won’t end pretty.