Timonen and Predators making progress

CHICAGO -- Will the recent wave of NHL restricted free agent signings carry over to the Predators?

Defenseman Kimmo Timonen hopes so.

Though still in Helsinki, Finland, where he is contemplating where to play this season, Timonen feels progress is being made toward a new contract.

"There's still some points we have to discuss, but I think we're getting closer," Timonen said yesterday. "It's still hard to say, but I'm hoping everything is going fast and we're going to get it done."

In the past week, a number of notable restricted free agents have re-signed, including Boston's Joe Thornton and Sergei Samsonov, San Jose's Patrick Marleau and Steve Shields, Detroit's Kris Draper and Edmonton's Ryan Smith.

As for Timonen and the Predators, the two sides are at least still working toward a deal. Timonen said the Predators made a new offer Wednesday, and today will likely mark the third straight day agent Bill Zito and assistant general manager Ray Shero will talk.

"Personally, I'll be embarrassed if we can't get a deal done," Zito said.

Still, there are no guarantees an agreement is imminent for Timonen, who totaled 33 points in 51 games en route to a spot in the NHL All-Star Game last season.

After all, the two sides had a lot of ground to close. Predators General Manager David Poile said earlier in the preseason he'd never been so far apart in any negotiations.

It's believed Timonen was -- at least initially -- asking for an agreement that would pay him well over $1.5 million this season.

Only two Predators, leading scorer Cliff Ronning ($1.75 million) and team captain Tom Fitzgerald ($1.6 million), are scheduled to make more than $1.5 million in base salary this year.

The 25-year-old Timonen, who has 12 goals and 33 assists (45 points) in 101 NHL games, made $600,000 last year, including a $200,000 signing bonus.

"It's really a unique circumstance because you have a player that's gotten too good too fast," Zito said. "You could take a salary range from $400,000 to $6 million and make good arguments for everything.

"I think we've come up with some pretty compelling arguments for the range Kimmo should be in, and we've discounted it based on ... experience, and how long he's been playing the game. But we're still getting nowhere."

Timonen said he will play for HIFC Helsinki if he doesn't return to Nashville. He said he has no timetable for making a decision.

Poile said he sees a couple of possible conclusions.

"The end of the day for him comes if he signs with us or in Europe," Poile said. "The end of the day, from our standpoint, could come if we obtain another defenseman, and that took us in another direction."

Asked if the Predators were looking for such a player, Poile said: "We're always taking a look."

John Glennon covers the Predators for The Tennessean. He can be reached at 259-8262 or jg1sport@qol.com.