http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Vanc ... story.html
Vancouver Canucks left-winger Mason Raymond has avoided salary arbitration but he hasn't avoided a pay cut.
The 26-year-old forward agreed Monday to a one-year contract for $2.275 million, which represents a $325,000 reduction from his $2.6 million wage of last season. Maybe he'll even have Shane Doan on his line after Canucks assistant GM Laurence Gilman confirmed the team is pursuing the unrestricted free agent captain of the Phoenix Coyotes.
“I have spoken to Shane Doan on behalf of our organization a couple of times,” Gilman said Monday. “I spoke with him on July 1 to express our interest in bringing him to Vancouver and subsequently followed up with Shane last night. I know from my experience in Phoenix that he has been interested in Vancouver in the past. He's a western Canadian guy whose wife is from Kamloops. So I think there is interest there. I had productive discussions with both Shane and his agent.”
Gilman was quick to note there will be many suitors for Doan, 35, if he opts to leave the Coyotes and their unstable financial situation.
“Shane is a sought-after commodity and there are a number of teams who would be interested in adding him to their roster,” Gilman continued. “So we'll see what happens.”
He would be a great fit on the 2nd line with Kesler and I think really help in the room as well. I think we need to bring in a guy with some leadership from somewhere else. Almost all our guys who we consider leaders are homegrown and to add in something a little different I think would really help refocus the team after last years great reg season but early playoff loss.
