"I haven't had any discussions with Bryan. I haven't had any requests from him, so I don't know where any of this nonsense is coming from," Meehan said Monday.

Redden, who is getting married in August, hasn't offered any instruction to Meehan about what direction to go in, the agent said. The 30-year-old defenceman has played his entire career with the Senators.

While it is unlikely Redden will return to the Senators - even he seemed to feel the inevitability of a move the day after the team got knocked out of the Stanley Cup playoffs by the Pittsburgh Penguins - it's also not unthinkable he would take a pay reduction to return, though reducing his salary by half might be too much to ask.

Redden said during the season that he'd be open to taking a reduction, and Meehan's philosophy is to place his clients where they are comfortable and have a chance to win, even if it means taking less than they'd receive on the open market.

That was the thinking behind Jarome Iginla's five-year, $35-million contract with Calgary. It left the Flames with some money to put a supporting cast in place to compete for the Stanley Cup. Iginla, one of the candidates for the Hart Memorial Trophy, given to the league's most valuable player, might have left as much as $1 million a season on the table in his negotiations with the Flames.

Meehan said once he talks with Murray, he and Redden will decide their next move.

Even if the Senators don't want him, Redden will still be a hot commodity on the market this summer, and he would likely take little or no cut in pay.

The Florida Panthers, now under the direction of general manager Jacques Martin, a former Ottawa coach, would likely actively pursue Redden. Martin views him as one of the few top-flight defencemen available this summer.

Redden, however, might be the least of Murray's problems.

Centre Chris Kelly, also represented by Meehan's Newport Sports Management, is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, meaning he can also sell himself to the highest bidder.

The Senators would have saved money by re-signing Kelly a year ago, but will have to pay a premium now that Kelly is so close to being able to test the market.

Mike Commodore, Cory Stillman, Shean Donovan and Martin Lapointe will also be unrestricted free agents the Senators might have some interest in keeping.

Ottawa's restricted free agents, whose only option is to play for the Senators or sit, provided they receive a qualifying offer, include Antoine Vermette, Josh Hennessy (the last remaining piece from the Martin Havlat trade), Brian McGrattan and Andrej Meszaros.