TORONTO -- Montreal Canadiens center Tomas Plekanec is entering the final year of his contract with the only NHL team he has ever known, but he said he's not worried about it.
Plekanec, who turns 33 on Oct. 31, is the Canadiens' top center, one who plays in all situations, faces top opposition on a regular basis, and is a consistent offensive producer. Plekanec has scored at least 20 goals in seven of his past eight full NHL seasons, not counting the 14 goals he scored in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season, and he has missed 12 games because of injury in nine years.
He is a vastly important player to the Canadiens but has also reached an age when NHL forwards generally begin to decline.
Plekanec is aware of all these things but said he remains confident Canadiens general Marc Bergevin will eventually begin discussions with agent Rick Curran to bring him back.
With training camp looming, however, those talks have not begun.
"What am I supposed to do? I'm not going to ask them if they want me," Plekanec said Tuesday at the NHL Player Media Tour. "If they want me, they would call, I guess. Should I call and ask, 'Do you want me here?' I have a phone number. I think it's up to [Bergevin]. If he wants me, I'm sure he'll call the agent and start talking."