Hearsay: Cowen, Senators talking contract

Ottawa Senators defenceman Jared Cowen played all 82 regular season games in his rookie season, but was limited to seven contests last year.

Hockey Hearsay compiles stories from around the hockey world and runs weekdays, 12 months a year.

CONTRACT TALKS CONTINUE FOR COWEN, SENATORS

Restricted free agent Jared Cowen’s agent tells The Ottawa Citizen more contract talks are expected with the Senators this weekend.

Rick Valette told the Citizen Thursday afternoon the focus is more about term right now. The agent said they’ve traded ideas for three scenarios: A one-year deal, a bridge contract in the 2-3 year range and a long-term contract at four-plus years.

Asked if he felt there was enough time to get it done in time for camp, he said: “I think we can. I don’t see any reason why we can’t reach a conclusion.

“I think that there’s two willing parties and usually reasonable people come to a reasonable conclusion, so I think we can.”

THEODORE NOT THINKING RETIREMENT YET

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel details how unrestricted free agent Jose Theodore admitted his agent has not heard from the Panthers, but said he has received interest from two other unnamed teams.

“The Panthers are still my No. 1 choice. I don’t know if the door is closed, but there’s been no discussions,” Theodore, who’ll turn 37 next month, said Thursday in an exclusive interview with the Sun Sentinel.  “Training camp is still a month away, so I’m not ready to think about [retirement].

“I was in the same situation before I signed in Minnesota before the [2010 season]. There’s not a lot of room out there so I’ll just wait, stay in shape because that’s what I can control. I know I still have options.”

He added: “My injury last year hurt my value with me not finishing the season, but look at just two years ago when I played [53] games and we finished first in our division,” Theodore said. “It’s not like I didn’t show the league what I can do. Last year was tough for me personally and the team.”

WILD SEEK TO EXTEND POMINVILLE

The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports Wild GM Chuck Fletcher says he has had one preliminary conversation with the agent of Jason Pominville, who has one year left on his current deal, regarding a contract extension.

Fletcher says there’s no rush and he would even be willing to talk once the season starts if Pominville isn’t extended beforehand.

Pominville, incidentally, says he has felt 100 percent for awhile. He was concussed in April.

DEVILS’ SALE DIDN’T HOLD UP HENRIQUE’S CONTRACT

You’ve no doubt seen the news about Joshua Harris and David Blitzer becoming the new owners of the New Jersey Devils.

Fire & Ice put together an excellent rundown of how they plan to separate running the hockey operations side and the business side of the franchise.

Included at the end is that Lou Lamoriello said the team’s ownership being in transition did not impact how he conducted team business this off-season and made it clear that it wasn’t holding up the re-signing of restricted free agent center Adam Henrique.

“I’ve been doing things as they should be done and I have to thank the league and Gary Bettman on that. They said, ‘Push along and do what’s right’ and I have been doing that.

“Adam Henrique has not been held up by this.”

Lamoriello said this of Henrique:  “He’s a Devil.”

STARS MULLING BENEFITS OF PRACTICE FACILITY LOCATION

The Dallas Morning News illustrates how the Stars had been considering moving their practice facility from Frisco to Dallas. However, those discussions will be put on hold now because the Cowboys have decided to move their practice facility to Frisco. The Cowboys will not use the new facilities until 2016, so the Stars will have to wait a while to see the impact.

“The investment for our organization (to move) would cost in excess of $10 million, so we have to be smart about this and weigh all of the factors,” Stars president Jim Lites said. “While that investment might have made sense a few months ago, it might not now. If the Cowboys’ move delivers some of the benefits we think it might in terms of media exposure, then it might make sense for us to just stay where we are.”

BLUE JACKETS SWITCH TO RELATIONSHIP MARKETING

The Columbus Dispatch outlines how Blue Jackets president of hockey operations John Davidson has been shooting the latest in a series of television commercials that are part of the NHL team’s new marketing campaign.

“It’s a very conversational tone,” Tiffany Wise, chief creative officer at the marketing agency, said. “This man was so poised, he needed very little direction. He was so good, and such a kind man as well. He makes you stop, he makes you listen. He’s not talking at you, he’s talking with you. He makes you feel part of the team.”

The shift in tone toward emotion and away from straight-ahead sales is “really smart,” said Deborah Mitchell, a professor of marketing at Ohio State University’s Fisher College of Business.

“People in Columbus have demonstrated they can form very strong emotional ties to a sports team — Buckeyes are a prime example,” Mitchell said. “So the capacity is there. What they’ve done is changed from straight, ‘Let’s get people to buy,’ to building a relationship. There’s lots of research that has shown if you create relationships with consumers, they’re more loyal to the brand, and they end up spending more. So, this marketing campaign, it’s got legs.”

WHAT THEY’RE TWEETING ABOUT

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