Free agent Cody Franson in talks with Bruins, up to 5 other teams
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The summer months are dragging along for Cody Franson.
Thought to be one of the more attractive defensemen to hit the free-agent market on July 1, the 27-year-old remains without a contract.
Franson said Tuesday on TSN 1040 in Vancouver that he's in talks with five or six teams - specifically naming the Boston Bruins as one - and that his inability to secure a new contract up to this point has nothing to do with exorbitant demands.
"We haven't said a number and we'll take nothing less or a term and we'll take nothing less than that. We haven't said that at all. We've had a lot of teams call and kind of see where we're at. We said a certain ballpark and nobody's kind of laughed at us, everybody's thought it was reasonable and stuff.
"It's just one of those things where some of the teams we're talking to are in cap crunches or don't want to go maybe as long. A number of different circumstances."
Franson added that he's open to different term options, but he's sick of one-year deals, having signed three in a row with the Toronto Maple Leafs in recent years.
He said a short-term deal would likely have to come with the opportunity to win a Stanley Cup, and further cited a good fit as being of utmost importance after having been forced, at times, to play on the left-hand side as a right-handed defenseman down the stretch with the Nashville Predators.
Further to that, he pointed to the Bruins' trade of Dougie Hamilton - another right-hand shot - opening a top-four role that he could certainly fill.
"With the trade they made with Hamilton, and some of the other stuff they've done, they're one of the teams we're in talks with," he said. "Boston would be an interesting spot. It's obviously an awesome city, and they've got a great organization.
"But like I said there's a handful of other teams too and everything's kind of slow rolling at the moment."
Franson also admitted to having interest in playing for the hometown Canucks, returning to the city wherein he played junior hockey as a member of the WHL's Giants, as well as returning to the Maple Leafs, but admitted both destinations are unlikely.
Franson has scored 35 goals and added 134 assists in 400 career games, good for an average of 35 points per 82 games.
The Bruins, for the record, have almost $4.2 million in cap space to work with, meaning they may need to shed some salary before committing to Franson, or any other free agent.