With the NHL Draft coming up on June 27 and free agency opening on July 1, discussions between NHL general managers are already heating up towards a busy off-season. Mark Walton Bengals Jersey . Each day, TSN.ca provides the latest rumours, reports and speculation from around the NHL beat. Keeping The Captain? Brian Giontas agent Steve Bartlett told La Presse on Tuesday that the Montreal Canadiens want to keep their captain - an unrestricted free agent on July 1 - in the fold, while sources tell the paper that the two sides will start talks this week. "Well probably make progress in our discussions over the next few days," Bartlett told Richard Labbe of La Presse. "We havent really discussed an amount or length of contract, weve only had a few discussions in very general terms, nothing precise. "But I know that the Canadiens want to bring him back and I must now talk about this possibility with my player." Bartlett added that Gionta is open to signing a new deal with the Habs, a team hes played with for the last five seasons. "He loves Montreal and he loves the team, but needs to know where he fits with their plan of direction - what would be his role," said Bartlett. Gionta, 35, signed a five-year, $25 million contract with the Canadiens in 2009 and tallied 173 points in 303 games. Still Happy In San Jose Joe Thorntons agent and brother John Thornton told the San Jose Mercury News that his client would consider waiving his no-movement clause if he felt the fans in San Jose didnt want him back. "If he felt the fans didnt want him in San Jose, he might re-think things," Thornton explained to Mercury News writer David Pollak. John Thornton added that his Joe is very happy in San Jose and wants to stay and help the team win a championship. "He wants to stay there and win the Cup," he said. "He believes they still have enough talent." A New Face In Winnipeg? Gary Lawless of TSN Radio 1290 and The Winnipeg Free Press suggests that Mike Richards - if hes bought out at the end of the season by the Los Angeles Kings - would be a great fit with the Jets. "For the Jets, its a no-brainer," Lawless wrote. "Richards would set a standard of competition in the Jets dressing room and on the ice. Itll be easy from the perspective of the coaching staff and management to see who matches up and who doesnt. "The Jets need a player willing to grab the rest of the team by the throat." No Jokin Around Lawless adds that no talks have taken place between the Jets and soon-to-be-free agent Olli Jokinens camp. Jokinen, 35, made $4.5 million last season and tallied 18 goals and 25 assists. "We havent heard a thing from the Jets," Jokinens agent, Ian Pulver told Lawless. "I understood we would talk. But it hasnt transpired. Well see where it goes. I dont know Winnipegs plans." Busy Summer In Pittsburgh? Jeff Gordon of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch breaks down the Pittsburgh Penguins off-season possibilities and suggests that winger James Neal could be a trade candidate this summer. Neal, 26, will make $20 million over the next four years. Gordon adds that new GM Jim Rutherford might retain former Hurricanes forward Jussi Jokinen, while Martin Brodeur might be a good addition in net alongside Marc-Andre Fleury. Also, Gordon writes that the Blues or Anaheim Ducks could be a good fit for Jason Spezza, with the Ottawa Senators reportedly wanting a prospect, a player and a first-round pick in return. Gordon adds that salary cap concerns could force the Boston Bruins to deal forward Brad Marchand, who has three years and $13.5 million left on his contract and could feee up room to re-sign Jarome Iginla. Logan Woodside Jersey . The thunderous cheers quickly changed to an appreciative chant: "Ma-son! Ma-son! Ma-son! Headed to New York with new life, Mason sure earned this curtain call. Malik Jefferson Bengals Jersey . Off-Season Game Plan looks at what the Blue Jackets may do to build upon last seasons success to return to the playoffs again next year.ROME - Canadas Milos Raonic defeated Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6 (5), 6-4 on Thursday to reach the Italian Open quarterfinals. Raonic, the No. 8 seed from Thornhill, Ont., won five of the last six points in the first-set tiebreaker. He picked up a break in the second set en route to his first career victory over the 11th-seeded Frenchman. Tsonga outlasted Raonic in a marathon match at the London Olympics in 2012 and beat him again last year at Indian Wells. Raonic hit seven aces and saved five break point chances on the red clay courts at the Foro Italico. Hell make his fourth Masters 1000 Series quarterfinal appearance of the season Friday against Jeremy Chardy of France. Chardy, who upset Roger Federer of Switzerland in the second round, advanced with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Croatias Ivan Dodig. Raonic has yet to reach a semifinal this year. Also Thursday, Rafael Nadal was pushed to three sets for the second consecutive match before ultimately prevailing to set up a quarterfinal against Andy Murray. The top-ranked Nadal dropped behind a set and a break against Mikhail Youzhny of Russia, then won 11 of the final 12 games to win 6-7 (4), 6-2, 6-1 on another windy day at the Foro Italico. "Get used to (it)," Nadal said of his recent struggles. "With the years thats the normal thing. Everybody suffers. Thats part of the sport." At 27, Nadal believed his best days were probably behind him. "At this age, (Bjorn) Borg was doing other things," said Nadal, a 13-time Grand Slam winner. "Its not possible to win for 10 years with easy scores and easy matches. At the same time, Im sure I can do much better than I am doing." Nadal was looking forward to facing Murray for the first time in more than two years. "I play against one of the top players in the world after two tough days," Nadal said. "If I play well Im going to have my chances, if not Im going to spend the weekend (at home) in Mallorca." Murray eliminated Jurgen Melzer of Austria 7-6 (1), 6-4 to celebrate his 27th birthday. In an upset, the seemingly ageless Tommy Haas beat third-seeded Stanislas Wawrinka 5-7, 6-2, 6-3. On the womens side, Maria Sharapovas 12-match winning streak — which included titles in Stuttgart and Madrid — ended with a 6-1, 6-4 loss to Ana Ivanovic. Showing no signs of trouble from the left thigh injury that forced her tto withdraw from Madrid, defending champion Serena Williams cruised past fellow American Varvara Lepchenko 6-1, 6-2. Billy Price Bengals Jersey. Pushed for three hours by Gilles Simon to nearly midnight a day earlier, Nadal didnt generate the usual depth with his groundstrokes, and began to take control only when Youzhny started committing more unforced errors. "The conditions were very impossible," said Nadal, a seven-time Rome champion. "You always have to find the positive thing. I was able to play with the right motivation even if the feeling was not perfect." Nadal consistently ran around his backhand, a shot that also caused him concern in recent losses to David Ferrer and Nicolas Almagro in Monte Carlo and Barcelona, respectively. Of Nadals 29 winners, only two of them came with his backhand. Haas, the oldest player in the draw at 36, used his expertise to give Wawrinka trouble with heavy topspin. Haas last beat a top-10 player more than a year ago in Miami, where he took out then-No. 1 Novak Djokovic. "These things dont happen too often anymore, so when I take them Im really proud of them," the German said. He has been winning this week in Rome for the first time since he lost the 2002 final to Andre Agassi. Wawrinka cited a back injury that occurred in colder conditions during his opening win. "I couldnt move too well," he said. "Its really nothing serious. Its just painful and I need some rest — maybe a few days." Wawrinka has made a great start by winning the Australian Open and the Monte Carlo Masters but another early exit in last weeks Madrid Open leaves his form in question with the French Open starting in 10 days. Haas quarterfinal opponent will be Grigor Dimitrov, who at 22 is the youngest player in the top 20. Dimitrov rallied past sixth-seeded Tomas Berdych 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-2. Fifth-seeded David Ferrer beat Ernests Gulbis of Latvia 6-2, 6-3 and will meet either Novak Djokovic or Philipp Kohlschreiber, who were playing late. In womens play, second-seeded Li Na defeated Sam Stosur 6-3, 6-1 and will next meet Sara Errani of Italy, who kept the crowd content by beating Czech qualifier Petra Cetkovska 6-4, 7-6 (3). Also, third-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska eliminated Francesca Schiavone 6-4, 6-1, and will play 2007 and 2008 Rome champion Jelena Jankovic, who got by Flavia Pennetta 6-2, 6-3. 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