Sens' Ryan leaves door ajar for Flyers in 2015

Winger Bobby Ryan spoke with the media Thursday and, to be perfectly clear, was effusive in his praise of the Senators and the city of Ottawa.

With his five-year, $25.5 million contract expiring in the summer of 2015 though, people are naturally wondering about his thoughts on his playing future.

Will he extend with the Senators when the time comes to talk contract, or is he leaning toward testing free agent waters?

"I love it here," Ryan said. "We love it here, more importantly. It's been a great change for us. When the time comes, if that's what Bryan wants to go with, to sit down and have conversations, we'll certainly do that."

Ryan also talked about wanting to reward an organization that drafted or traded for him, a message with which he's been consistent over the years. He once again reiterated how he LIKES being held accountable in a hockey market like Ottawa.

"That's a change from what I've had, so I've enjoyed it."

All positives signs for re-upping with the Sens.

Now... you know there have been five trillion, give or take, rumours about Ryan and the Philadelphia Flyers over the years because he's from Cherry Hill, NJ (right near Philly).

"Probably 5% of players in the NHL, if that, get to play with their hometown team," said Ryan. "If (everyone wanted to) Toronto would be full of guys.

"Because Clarkie and my family and myself are so close, I think that's always been a natural theme or progress, but outside of seeing them in the summer and skating with those guys, it's never been a conversation 'oh we'll see you 2015' ... we've never had that conversation or anything like that."

Fair enough. That quote was from The Ottawa Sun.

Slight variation, but with an additional morsel, via The Ottawa Citizen.

"But it’s never been a conversation, oh we’ll see you in 2015,” Ryan says. “I’ve always wanted to be part of one organization, now I’ve been part of two. For me, that’s the way I like it. If that time (free agency) comes, maybe. But I’m a Sen and I truly love that.”

If that time comes, maybe.

The door, albeit ever so slightly, is still ajar.

Source: Don Brennan, Ottawa Sun

Source: Wayne Scanlan, Ottawa Citizen