Yashin

The Ottawa Sun reported Sunday that Senators general manager Marshall Johnston faxed a letter to the star holdout last week informing Yashin that if he doesn't start to honor the final year of his contract by Nov. 8, he'll be suspended for the season.

The Senators originally had set a Dec. 4 deadline for Yashin, who is working out in Switzerland while waiting for a new contract or trade.

It's believed the Senators also informed Yashin that if he doesn't return before the deadline, he'll owe the team another year on his contract and won't become a Group II restricted free agent next year.

Yashin's New Jersey-based agent Mark Gandler wouldn't confirm the Nov. 8 date when contacted Saturday, but the Senators apparently were acting with the backing of NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.

Gandler said Yashin will continue to work out with the Kloten Flyers of the Swiss Elite League and isn't making any plans to come back to Canada.

The fax apparently indicated if he honored the contract, the club would be willing to hold talks in March.

Yashin has made it clear he wants a contract done before returning to the ice.

"I'll wait as long as it takes to get what I want," Yashin told the newspaper from Switzerland. "They can set a deadline if they want, I don't care about any deadline."