With one team having already gone the offer sheet route, there has been plenty of speculation surrounding whether or not another one will be tendered to one of the remaining prominent restricted free agents this summer. It appears that teams are at least sniffing around on Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner. In an appearance on 630 CHED (audio link), Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman noted that a team wanted to sign him to an offer sheet but they were looking for a max-term contract (seven years), something Marner’s camp is unwilling to do at this time. Instead, he’s believed to be seeking a shorter-term pact to get him to unrestricted free agency quicker and allow him to sign a longer-term deal when the salary cap is even higher.
Elsewhere around the league:
- Back issues caused Stars center Martin Hanzal to miss all but seven games last season. Those may be the last games he winds up playing in Dallas as Mike Heika notes on the Stars’ team website that Hanzal, who is now in the final year of his contract, is unlikely to play at all in 2019-20 and that he’ll spend the entire year on injured reserve. That means that the 32-year-old could be placed on LTIR to free up some extra wiggle room on the cap for next season. However, there will be a risk to doing so with Miro Heiskanen, Corey Perry, and Andrej Sekera having achievable bonuses in their contracts. Using LTIR would save cap space in the short term but create an overage for 2020-21 if anyone meets those incentives.
- The Coyotes are hoping to sign first-round pick Victor Soderstrom in the coming days, reports Expressen’s Johan Svensson. While the defenseman is under contract with Brynas of the SHL for another season, Arizona can sign him and gain control over where to assign him to because he was picked in the first round. While they could still loan him back to the SHL, signing him would give them the ability to also loan him to their AHL affiliate in Tucson to help him start adapting to the smaller North American ice surface right away.
It’s too bad Hanzal had so many injury issues. He was a force when healthy. One of the best third line centres in the league.
It definitely looks like it’s over for Hanzal. He was a solid 3rd Line center for a long time in this league I agree with you on that manos.
Soderstrom’s gonna be a stud
In Marner’s case via report on rotoworld.com the New York Islanders and Montreal Canadiens are reportedly considering presenting Marner an offer sheet , thus Toronto gets the opportunity to match any offers.
JD,
7 pts in 44 game some stud!
Gerald,
Mitch will get signed soon!
@Marner#16 – Soderstrom’s 2018-19 numbers: 5G, 10A in 58 combined games (2 leagues), with an aggregate -6 (eliteprospects.com) and that’s not bothering with the U18 numbers. Still, not really world beating, no matter how you look at them… And, as far as the (theoretical) offer sheets go, which team low-balls first and which one gets rejected by Marner first? My $$$ are on Bergevin…he’s already made a reputation for himself with the last debacle, and he apparently doesn’t care who in GM-land gets pissed at him…
Racking up points doesnt happen in Swedish leagues for the majority of players but especially for defensemen. But I’m sure you guys knew that already
Mac,
JD was the one who said hes a stud not me. You might be right but Marner deserves at least 12 a season.
Dahlin had 22 points in 42 games in his draft year and he was considered a first overall franchise defenseman for months. 15 points isn’t bad for a 17/18 yo kid playing against men
Price,
Who cares its “soft” hockey over there!
Well then I’d be worried about the future of the leafs as everyone seems to want to rely on two young Swedish defencemen to carry this team in the future.
Marner at 12 million a season is laughable. great player. 10 million dollar player but not 12 minimum. But hey trolling is an art form.
Price,
Who cares about “future” we live in a now mode!
Price,
Its what he should get bases on what matthews and tavares are signed for hes more dynamic then both. I think you forgot how high Marner was in scoring if EK makes 11.5 in San Jose and Mitch isn’t worth 500,000 k more then something is wrong with this league!
Marner is not twice the player Pasternak is if we want to play that game. Karlsson certainly seems like an overpay at 11.5 but Marner getting 12 would just be stupid for any team.
Pasternak 320 gp 132 g 152 a 284 pts avg of 0.88 pts a game
Marner 241 gp 67 g 157a 224 pts avg .92.
Really price…. the real comparision is what matthews and tavares makes on the leafs cleary he is the leafs best player and should get more
then the 11.634 that matthews makes. Hes been healthier,played more games has more pts.
sorry did you just try to counter my argument by saying that .04 points is worth around 5 million or more?
Price,
Are you really that dumb. When you compare like I said the top leafs Marner deserves 12 hands down. Keep smoking whatever is that you smoke bud!
dumb? you may want to use your logic of comparing PPG to those leaf players you say he is way better than. Marner is actually the lowest of the three in PPG past 3 seasons.
But sure 12 million. Hah! Guess you better turn your leaf jersey in for an Isles or Habs Jersey if your set on him making that type of annual money.
Price,
You brought up Pasta Man I didn’t. Boston payroll is structured different then the Leafs. Your arguement for Marner would be valid if Tavares had more then 1 season with the Leafs.
In the Leafs structure and for what he could get if its a short deal yes.. 12 a year is what he should be at. I highly doubt its all about the money though. I wouldn’t be cheap like you. I would just by a new one and support Marner and whatever team he ended up on.
it’s certainly apparent you wouldn’t be cheap doing out 12 million dollar contracts like that.
Price,
We both know Leafs are in this situation cause Dumbass caved into Nylander shoulda traded him. That set the bar for Matthews to get the $ he wanted so why shouldnt Marner get at least that!
Marner is not worth Matthew’s Money. I will agree that Dubir should have dealt Nylander for the Dman the team needed/needs. I do agree that Nylander is likely overpaid by 1 million or so BUT I think Dubas is trying to learn from that mistake with Mitch. He’s now leery of overpaying for one great season when that player is paired with a superstar. Marner IMO is a 9.75 – 10.25 million dollar player but not a penny more right now. Unfortunately he is the guy having the line In the sand drawn for the Nylander contract
Dubas
Price,
Love to know what your smoking he has way more heat, is more dynamic.Know is not the time to learn from his mistake too late pony up and pay the man. Your kidding yourself I know weed is legal know but common man!
Dumbass is foolish if he doesnt this done cause guys like Marner rarely come along!