While no talks have been held regarding a potential contract extension, Ducks goaltender Jonathan Bernier told Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register that he’s hopeful that he’ll be able to stick around with the team beyond this season. Anaheim brought him in early in July after Toronto paid his $2MM signing bonus that was due July 1st and he has had a resurgent season, posting a 2.49 GAA and a .918 SV% in 32 games, much better numbers than he had with the Leafs over the last couple of years.
What may be a challenge is finding the right cap hit for both sides for next season. While it’s a certainty that Bernier will come in below the $4.15MM he’s getting this year, it’s not a given he’ll be willing to accept regular backup money either. However, the Ducks won’t really be able to afford a premium backup as things stand as they already have nearly $70MM committed next season to 19 players which doesn’t leave them a lot of wiggle room to work with. While a potential extension for Cam Fowler will dominate the offseason discussion, Bernier’s case will need to be addressed by then as well.
More from the Pacific:
- Sharks coach Peter DeBoer detailed to CSN Bay Area’s Kevin Kurz the reasoning for winger Timo Meier’s return to the AHL last month. One area in particular that they wanted the 20 year old to focus on was shot selection. While he has done well at getting the puck through to the net (he’s averaging 2.4 shots per game), the coaches have asked him to pick and choose his spots better instead of just putting the puck on net for the sake of doing so. Meier has played in San Jose’s last two games since being recalled but could find himself on the outside looking in once Jannik Hansen (upper body) returns to the lineup.
- Oilers winger Patrick Maroon acknowledged to Robert Tychkowski of the Edmonton Sun that he needs to be more selective in terms of when he drops the gloves. He has long had the reputation of being a willing fighter but as his role increases with Edmonton, the team needs him on the ice more often and not in the box. The 28 year old already leads the team in fights with nine but he also happens to be tied for the team lead in goals with 25. Maroon also noted that his hands are starting to hurt from fighting which may force him to put a stop to that part of his game for a while.