The Ottawa Senators are engaged in contract talks with pending unrestricted free agent defenseman Marc Methot, who's not exactly holding his cards tight to the chest.

The 29-year-old, set to earn $3 million on the final year of his current deal, is quite forthright with his desire to remain a Senator.

"I know one thing: I want to be here. I made that clear throughout the season," he said via Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun.

Methot added that he would like to sign an extension before the season begins, and it appears that management is prepared to accommodate his request - and some.

"With Methot, it's a fairly simple one because Marc wants to be here," said assistant general manager Pierre Dorion. "We're not talking a one-year extension. It's going to be multi-year."

With the cards laid out on the table, the only thing keeping the two sides from continuing their partnership is pinpointing a reasonable long-term figure for a 6-foot-3, 230-pounder with a 52.3 Corsi For rating partially skewed by his playing partner, former Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson.

Oh, and he scored a career-high 23 points on an even plus-minus rating.

As Methot says, "It's up to my agent to get something done."