If Marc Methot and the Ottawa Senators are closing in a new deal, the defenceman is staying tight-lipped about it.

"I'd like to think we are getting closer, other than that I can't elaborate much more on it," Methot told a scrum of reporters on the first day of training camp on Thursday. "It does no good having me comment on the way things are going."

On Monday, Senators GM Bryan Murray told TSN Hockey Insider Bob Mckenzie that if they can't get Methot re-signed soon they will have to look at trading him rather than lose the pending unrestricted free agent in the summer.

"It's one of those situations where it's not always going to be easy and I've just got to hope that my representative in Larry Kelly does his job and sorts out all that stuff," Methot said, addressing trade speculation. "Right now, I'm just focused on camp and getting into shape, getting my legs back and helping the team win some games." 

Methot and Kelly fired back later in the week saying they were close on a deal off by just $300,000 a season - numbers the Senators disagree on.

Kelly declined to comment further on the issue to TSN.

The 29-year-old blueliner is in the fourth and final year on his current contract that's worth an average annual value of $3.75 million.

Methot scored six goals and added 17 assists over 75 games in 2013-14, his second year in the nation's capital.

"I've got to be better - I want to be better," Methot continued. "There's not a whole lot different that I can do other than maybe approach it slightly different this year. Through camp really focus on the exhibition games that I am playing in and making sure right from the get go we're coming out hard. As far as the partners and all that stuff goes I have no idea yet, but we'll see whoever I'm with I'll be ready to go."