MONTREAL -- Speculation on Jim Popps future with the Montreal Alouettes has been put to rest, at least for now. The only general manager the CFL club has had since it returned to Montreal after a 10-year hiatus in 1996 signed a three-year contract extension on Thursday that runs through the 2017 season. There was concern that the 49-year-old, who was in the final year of his contract, was ready to move on. But the Elkin, N.C. native said: "I plan to be here and fulfil my contract." He did not say if his deal includes an out-clause if he is offered an NFL job. He drew interest ahead of last season from the Indianapolis Colts and rumours of a move south have arisen periodically throughout his tenure with the Alouettes. Its assumed Popp would jump at the chance, but he said hed be just as happy to stay in Montreal until he retires. "I cant foresee the future," said the married father of six children, all born in Montreal. "I have to work. "I dont know if Ill ever retire, with six kids. But I love the job, the city and the team, so if it happens that way, youll find a very happy person. I dont dwell on whether (an NFL job) will ever happen. I know Im very fortunate to have a job. Theres really only two pro football leagues and there are 41 jobs. I have one of those." Popp was GM of the defunct Baltimore Stallions for two years, winning a Grey Cup in 1995, before the team moved to Montreal. He is 233-129-1 as a CFL general manager, adding Cups with the Alouettes in 2002, 2009 and 2010. In Montreal, his teams have never missed the playoffs and never won fewer than eight games in a season. But it looked like his stay was coming to an end last winter when owner Robert Wetenhall did not let him keep the head coaching job, left him out of the decision to hire Tom Higgins as coach and did not immediately extend his contract as GM. Popp took over as head coach for the third time in his career when Dan Hawkins was fired only five games into the 2013 season. He is 14-18 in the regular season as a coach. If there was any bitterness about not being allowed to coach, Popp said he is over it. "I have no hard feelings about anything," said Popp, who is also vice-president and director of football operations. "Its business. Its (Wetenhalls) team. "He makes the decisions. It was a real roller-coaster in the off-season, especially for me personally with different things that went on, but I knew the entire time that I might not be the head coach. I also want to make it very clear that my relationship with Tom Higgins is very good." Team president Mark Weightman said Wetenhall did not attend the news conference because he was ill. Weightman hopes the move will end talk of a rift among management. "For us, there wasnt a lot of doubt that it would play out this way," he said. "I understand how perception wasnt always that clear, so to have this done early, if it silences the critics or closes the door on that conversation, great. "We can focus on the season and winning some games. Having Jim secured for many more years is a big part of ensuring the stability of our club." Popp said that talks on his contract extension lasted only a week. "There was never any doubt or worries from my end that those discussions would take place," he said. Wholesale Air Max Shoes China . After not scoring 40 points in the opening quarter in the last five seasons, the Rockets have done it five times this season and twice in the last three games. Nike Air max Shoes China . It will then be back to business once the puck drops as the two clubs battle for key points in their respective playoff races. Watch the game live on TSN Canadiens and listen on TSN Radio 690 starting at 7:30pm et. http://www.cheapairmaxchina.us/. Linemates Ryan Johansen and Boone Jenner each had a goal and an assist in the first period, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 36 saves to lead the Blue Jackets past the Florida Panthers 4-1 on Saturday night. Nike Air Max Shoes 2017 China . He says he will have the operation Wednesday and be ready in time for training camp in September. Bernier missed five games in March due to the injury. Nike Air Max Supply From China . -- Among the 31 players at the Montreal Canadiens rookie camp, none feels closer to cracking the NHL roster than right winger Aaron Palushaj.TAMPA, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Lightning are having success even without their starting goalie. Kristers Gudlevskis made 36 saves to win his NHL debut, Eric Brewer scored two goals, and the Lightning beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2 on Friday night. Ondrej Palat also scored for the Lightning, who took a one-point lead over Montreal for second place in the Atlantic Division. A runner-up finish would give Tampa Bay home-ice advantage in its first-round playoff series with the Canadiens. "Wed love to have home-ice," Brewer said. "Clearly its something that you never want to use, but youd love to have. The other thing is, you just want to play well going into the playoffs." Boone Jenner and David Savard had goals for Columbus. The playoff-bound Blue Jackets are tied with Philadelphia -- which has one game at hand -- for third place in the Metropolitan Division. "We just have to regroup," Blue Jackets right wing Corey Troop said. "We just need to take care of business on our end." The Blue Jackets are also tied with Detroit, which will be one of the two Eastern Conference wild-card teams. Gudlevskis had played in the ECHL and AHL, and for Lativa in the Sochi Olympics this season. Anders Lindback started in place of the injured Ben Bishop in the Lightnings 4-2 win Thursday night over Philadelphia. "Its my biggest dream come true," Gudlevskis said. Bishop, 37-14-7 this season, might not be ready for the start of the playoffs due to an upper-body injury. Bishop left early in the first period of Tuesdays game against Toronto with what appeared to be a left elbow injury. "If something were to happen and Gudie had to go in, I did not want his first game to be a playoff game," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said.dddddddddddd After Jenner scored a power-play goal at 13:46 of the second, Brewer gave Tampa Bay a 2-1 lead when he beat backup goalie Curtis McElhinney 1:08 later. The Lightning took a 3-1 advantage on Brewers second of the game and fourth this season with 1:54 left in the second. All four of the defencemans goals have been scored in the last 12 games. Savard pulled Columbus within 3-2 with 3:23 to go in the third. Palat put the Lightning up 1-0 with a power-play goal at 3:55 of the second. The rookie has four goals and eight points during a six-game point streak. The Blue Jackets took three penalties in the opening 4:42 of the second. "Thats something that you cant do going forward," Columbus coach Todd Richards said. "I looked down the bench and I think I used four or five forwards, six forwards, for the first five, six minutes of the second period." NOTES: Palat left in the third after taking a hard check. ... Tampa Bay C Valtteri Filppula (lower-body injury) and RW Teddy Purcell (flu) were late scratches. D Victor Hedman left after three shifts in the first period because of a lower-body injury. ... Blue Jackets RW Nathan Horton had surgery Friday for an abdominal injury and is expected to be out for six weeks. ... Tampa Bay D Sami Salo (upper-body injury) missed his second consecutive game. ... Columbus reassigned D Tim Erixon to Springfield of the AHL. ... The Lightning recalled C Cedric Paquette from Syracuse of the AHL. He had an assist in his first NHL game. ... Columbus C Ryan Johansen had an assist, giving him a five-game point streak (four assists, six points). ' ' '