Christian Ehrhoff and Vancouver Canucks Contract Talks at a "Stalemate"

On Hockey Night in Canada's The Hotstove, analyst Pierre Lebrun reported that talks between the Vancouver Canucks and Christian Ehrhoff regarding a contract extension have hit a "stalemate." 

Lebrun reports the Canucks made an offer to Ehrhoff's agent Rick Curran and a counter-offer was made. Both parties have decided to "wait a few weeks, maybe until the new year" before they resume contract talks.

He speculates the Canucks are willing to offer between $4 million to $5 million in annual salary, but realizes that Ehrhoff knows on July 1st as an unrestricted free agent he can get more as there aren't many puck-moving defenseman available on the market.

Ehrhoff, 28, is in his second year as a Canuck and is in the final year of a three-year contract signed back in 2008 that pays him $3,400,000 with an average annual value of $3,100,000. He is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st, if unsigned.

Last year, he set career highs in goals with 14 and points with 44 points. After 16 games, he is on pace this year to eclipse his career high in points.

Two offensive defenseman that recently signed contract extensions include Pittsburgh Penguins' Kris Letang and the Calgary Flames' Mark Giordano.

Letang signed at the end of the 2008-09 season for $14 million over four years for an average annual value of $3.5 million.

Giordano signed just a few weeks ago for $20.1 million over five years for an average annual value $4.02 million.

Both Letang and Giordano were 30-point players when they signed their contracts and Ehrhoff's a 40-point guy, so he will be getting a raise and more than $4 million a season. It's just a matter of if Ehrhoff's willing to take less than market value to play for a winning and contending team.