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Agent: ‘No progress at all’ between Caps, Hendricks on new deal

Montreal Canadiens v Washington Capitals

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 31: Matt Hendricks #26 of the Washington Capitals celebrates after scoring a shootout goal against the Montreal Canadiens at the Verizon Center on March 31, 2012 in Washington, DC. The Capitals won the game 3-2. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)

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It appears as though another Washington Capitals free agent could be on his way out of town.

Matt Hendricks doesn’t appear anywhere close to reaching a new deal with the Caps, his agent told the Washington Post.

“There has been no progress at all. We haven’t even talked,” Hendricks’s agent, Michael Wulkan explained. “Matt said from day one that his preference is to stay in Washington, but we were negotiating and then it stopped.

“They know our position.”

Hendricks, 31, has blossomed from a fringe NHLer to a lineup regular in the nation’s capital.

He put up a career-high 25 points in his first season with the Caps (2010-11) and carved himself a unique role as a tough guy, good faceoff man, respected teammate and quality shootout participant.

Hendricks is in the final season of a two-year, $1.65 million deal signed with the Caps in 2011. It’s likely he’ll have a fair number of suitors in free agency -- the Post reports the Rangers are interested -- but it’s curious as to why Washington isn’t expressing more of an interest in bringing him back.

Whatever the case, it’s clear the club is looking to overhaul some of its role players from last season.

Joey Crabb said he has no intentions of re-signing, Tom Poti said it’s time to move on, Wojtek Wolski has already signed in the KHL and Jeff Schultz will apparently have his trade demands met.