Each day through the opening of NHL free agency on July 1, TSN.ca breaks down the latest news and rumours around the NHL.

Leaving Town?

Just six days ago Robin Lehner said he had no plans to talk with any teams other than the New York Islanders during the UFA speaking period, but it appears negotiations between the two sides have not progressed.

According to Arthur Staple of The Athletic, the two sides are not close on a contract, with a league source adding "Lehner will almost certainly play elsewhere next season."

Staple reports that the Islanders appear to be sticking on a shorter-term deal with a cap hit under $5 million, which is believed to be a non-starter for Lehner.

“I’ve got no plans to talk to another team at this point,” Lehner said Sunday. “From my understanding, that’s not (general manager Lou Lamoriello's) intention either. Hopefully, it will work out so we can finish what we have started.”

Lehner joined the Islanders on a one-year deal last summer and enjoyed a career season, finishing as a finalist for the Vezina Trophy. He had a 25-13-5 record in the regular season with a .930 save percentage and a 2.13 goals-against average.

If the Islanders elect to move on from Lehner, Staple speculates Sergei Bobrovsky could be on Lamoriello's list of targets on July 1. Staple notes the Islanders have enough cap space to sign both Bobrovsky and his Columbus Blue Jackets teammate Artemi Panarin, but that would spell the end of captain Anders Lee's time in Brooklyn.
 


Big Swings

The Florida Panthers are hoping to be major players in free agency on Monday after reportedly hosting Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky for visits earlier this week.

“We’re confident we’re gonna make our team better and we’re trying to hit some home runs here,” Tallon said, per the Florida Sun Sentinel. “But if we have to hit three singles to score a run, we’ll think about that too, as well. We’re gonna do everything we can to possibly get better and get [Coach Joel Quenneville] the players he needs to get us to the promised land.”

Tallon did not revel which players he has met with on Thursday, but said he believes the visits went well. 

“We told them our plan. We told them what our goals were and how we were gonna do it, and I think they appreciated it,” he said. “I’m selling a great future. I’m selling a great coach and a great young talented team and a wonderful place to play and all those things.”

The Panthers, who missed the playoffs for the sixth time in seven seasons this year, have $23.9 cap space, according to CapFriendly.
 

Ready to Deal

According to Josh Yohe of The Athletic, trade talks involving the Pittsburgh Penguins are "heating up" as general manager Jim Rutherford looks to clear cap space ahead of July 1.

Rutherford has already had one major deal fall through this summer, as Phil Kessel refused to waive his no-trade clause in a trade which would have sent him and Jack Johnson to the Minnesota Wild for Jason Zucker and Victor Rask.

Yohe reports that Rutherford is still looking to "change the culture" of the Penguins this summer and wants to add players who can make the team's lineup younger and faster. With that in mind, Yohe adds that despite speculation otherwise, the Penguins are not interested in signing Corey Perry or Wayne Simmonds on the free agent market. 

As for Kessel, Yohe believes there's "no question" Rutherford is attempting to move his $6.8 million cap hit. 

According CapFriendly, the Penguins currently have $3.19 million cap space with Zach Aston-Reese, Marcus Pettersson and Teddy Blueger in need of new contracts as restricted free agents.