Morning Hits: Theodore, Erat, Bourdon, Lombardi, Komarov and Brunner
  • Patrick Caisse: Citing a TVA Sports report, Jose Theodore will be signing a one-year deal worth between $800,000 and $1.1 million. Bob McKenzie: Still on holidays, McKenzie reports that there is zero truth to Theodore signing with the Bruins.
  • Brian McNally of CSN Washington: The Capitals expect Martin Erat to play left wing on the second line with Brooks Laich and Troy Brouwer. He’ll also be used on the power play and penalty kill.
  • Dave Isaac of the Courier-Post: Flyers defenseman Marc-Andre Bourdon has been training hard this summer in his comeback from his second concussion. He hasn’t played since last November. Bourdon still hasn’t been medically cleared. The Flyers would have nine defenseman on one-way contracts if/when Bourdon gets clearance.
  • Dobber of Dobber Hockey: Citing a report that Matthew Lombardi is apparently close to signing a deal with HC Geneva.
  • SportsNet: Translating a SovSport report, Leo Komarovplans on returning to the NHL.

    “I have not finished the NHL. I want to go back there. After this season, I’m a free agent.”

    The Maple Leafs were not able to sign the RFA Komarov before he signed a deal with Dynamo Moscow of the KHL.

    “There were serious differences on the contract,” Komarov said about his negotiations with the Maple Leafs. “The club has not fulfilled the conditions that I had requested.”

  • George Malik of Kuklas Korner: (via Kyle Richardon’s THN piece) Damien Brunner still hopes to sign a NHL deal according to his agent Neil Sheehy. They understand they will have to wait to get a $3+ million deal. Translated from a German article:

    “There’s a lot of speculation regarding Damien because he hasn’t found a new employer. People who believe that he hasn’t received an offer because he wants too much money have no idea . Money was not and is not the priority for him. He wants to play where he has the best opportunity. In that sense, nothing’s changed,” explains the Canadian .