The Sabres and restricted free agent defenseman Conor Timmins are not close on a new contract with his arbitration hearing eight days away, according to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period. Two of the seven players who filed for arbitration and didn’t reach settlements in the first few weeks of July have since settled since their hearing dates were announced. Arbitration hearings were initially slated to begin today with the Kraken and Kaapo Kakko, but they reached a three-year settlement earlier in the week. Earlier today, the Islanders also signed Maxim Tsyplakov to a two-year, $4.5MM deal. That leaves Blackhawks goaltender Arvid Söderblom with the first hearing on Monday if the two sides don’t come to an agreement over the weekend. As for Timmins, Pagnotta says there has been no traction on the talks, and the two sides expect to use the hearing to resolve their dispute. Buffalo acquired Timmins from the Penguins on draft day in something of a salary dump, sending older, more expensive righty Connor Clifto
