Marcus Johansson and the Washington Capitals have not made any progress in contract negotiations in advance of a salary arbitration hearing scheduled for July 29.
"I think they're status quo from last time," Washington general manager Brian MacLellan said Friday while discussing goalie Braden Holtby's new five-year, $30.5 million contract.
Holtby and the Capitals had an arbitration hearing Thursday in Toronto. MacLellan said he hopes to avoid one for Johansson, a 24-year-old center.
"As we get closer and, you know, as both parties go through their arbitration process, I think you get a better feeling for the value of the player," MacLellan said. "Hopefully we can come to an agreement before then, but again, we're willing to go through the whole process and keep negotiating."
Johansson set NHL career high in goals (20), assists (27) and points (47) in 82 games last season, then had four points (one goal) in 14 Stanley Cup Playoff games. He has 186 points (61 goals) in 345 NHL games over five seasons, all with the Capitals.
"I'm not worried about [the arbitration process]," Johansson told Swedish website Varmlands Folkblad in an interview published Tuesday. "I think I will continue to play [in Washington]. My focus right now is on training hard and getting myself prepared, for I know I will be playing."
Johansson made $2 million last season in the final year of a two-year contract. The Capitals are about $5 million under the NHL salary cap of $71.4 million, according to war-on-ice.com.
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