Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Auston Matthews

Toronto Maple Leafs Extend Auston Matthews

at CDT | by 47 Comments

August 24: Similarly to his last contract, Matthews’ extension is paid out mostly in signing bonuses. PuckPedia has the full breakdown of his deal, which includes a full no-movement clause.

2024-25: $775K salary, $15.925MM signing bonus
2025-26: $775K salary, $14.425MM signing bonus
2026-27: $900K salary, $10.18MM signing bonus
2027-28: $900K salary, $9.12MM signing bonus

August 23: The Toronto Maple Leafs announced they have signed Auston Matthews to a four-year contract. The financial details of the deal were not originally reported by the club, but Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that Matthews will be making $13.25MM AAV, making it a four-year, $53MM contract extension.

For one season, Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche will hold the honors of being the highest-paid athlete in the game at $12.6MM AAV; however, the season after, Matthews will take the crown. Now that Matthews is signed for the next five seasons in Toronto, he will become an unrestricted free agent at 30 years old after the 2027-28 NHL season.

In one of the most important orders of business for new General Manager Brad Treliving this summer, the Maple Leafs have locked up the most significant player to their core. They have infamously struggled in their mission to lift the Stanley Cup, but Matthews has earned his fair share of medals up to this point in his career.

Last season, in what was considered somewhat of a down year, Matthews scored 40 goals and 45 assists in 74 games, finishing third on the team in scoring. More importantly; however, is that Matthews was fundamental in Toronto being able to win their first playoff series since the 2003-04 season, scoring five goals and six assists in 11 games.

The season prior, Matthews had one of the best seasons in the salary cap era, scoring 60 goals and 46 assists in 73 games, winning the Hart Memorial Trophy, Ted Lindsay Award, and the Maurice Richard Trophy. Only Connor McDavid, Steven Stamkos, and Alex Ovechkin have been able to score 60 goals in a single year since the 2005-06 NHL season.

Aside from the personal awards, the main goal of Matthews and the Maple Leafs is to win their first Stanley Cup since 1967. Given his play, Matthews likely could have asked for — and received, more on this contract, but Toronto’s salary cap table will only tighten with this deal. With this contract now factored in, the Maple Leafs will have around $30MM in cap space next summer but will have to retain or replace players such as William Nylander, Tyler Bertuzzi, Max Domi, T.J. Brodie, John Klingberg, and Ilya Samsonov.

It was well known that Toronto was pressed hard against the cap this season, but with teams now knowing that the Maple Leafs will have limited financial flexibility for at least the next two seasons, this might spell the end for Nylander’s time in Toronto. Given that Nylander is seeking around $10MM on his next deal, it might benefit the Maple Leafs more to recoup some assets and create more cap space rather than having $45.15MM tied into four forwards for the 2024-25 season.

Nevertheless, this appears to be a solid outcome for Toronto altogether. It is likely that the team would have liked to sign Matthews to a max term eight-year extension, but having Matthews in general extends the team’s window for however long he is on the roster.

By signing short-term, high AAV contracts, Matthews will likely go down as one of the highest-paid stars in the game for his generation. Once this extension comes to its conclusion, Matthews will have made a touch over $122MM altogether, before he even hits 31 years old.

Matthews is one of the best goal-scorers in the game and one of the best players to ever wear the blue-and-white. However, especially for the Maple Leafs, Matthews will ultimately be judged on whether or not he can break the organization’s curse, and once again bring Lord Stanley back to Toronto.

Previewing The Top 2024 Unrestricted Free Agents

at CDT | by 4 Comments

This year’s free agent class was underwhelming. There’s no disrespect intended here to players like Alex Killorn, Dmitry Orlov and Vladimir Tarasenko. However, we’ve grown accustomed to at least one true star being available on the market every year – at least a top-ten player at their position. But a flurry of extensions took some potential game-breakers, such as Boston Bruins sniper David Pastrnak off the market, limiting the amount of star power available.

With the salary cap finally expected to jump significantly by about $4MM next offseason, some NHL general managers will undoubtedly look to spend that extra cash on a shiny new toy on the UFA market. As 2023 is mainly in the rearview mirror, let’s take a look at some of the best players slated to hit the open market next summer, whether or not they may extend, and offer some way-too-early contract projections in the process:

F Auston Matthews (Toronto Maple Leafs) – The unquestionable crown jewel of the 2024 free agent class might also be one of the least likely to hit the market. Matthews is more than just a superstar – he’s a season removed from back-to-back Rocket Richard Trophies, he’s led the league in even-strength goals in four out of his seven NHL seasons, and he’s coming off a “down season” in which he still managed 40 goals despite a career-low 12.2 shooting percentage. Toronto is still plugging away at an extension with Matthews, a process that was surely elongated by a change at the GM position earlier this offseason. While multiple reports suggested it likely won’t be a long-term deal to keep Matthews in Toronto, seeing his name available for anyone to pursue next July would be shocking.

Extension Likelihood: Very Likely
Projected Contract: Five years, $62MM ($12.4MM AAV)

F William Nylander (Toronto Maple Leafs) – Another star in Canada’s largest city is also headed for the open market next season. Nylander is coming off a strong season with a career-high 40 goals and 87 points, but multiple reports indicate contract talks are currently at an impasse between the two sides. The Swedish winger reportedly wants an eight-figure cap hit on his next deal, one he’s increasingly unlikely to receive after sub-$10MM extensions for players like the Carolina Hurricanes’ Sebastian Aho. He will be in his prime at 28 years old next summer, though, and he currently holds the undisputed title of the best pure winger slated to hit the market. Given the slated cap increase, Nylander may be able to garner the money he desires elsewhere if Toronto isn’t willing to fork over another eight-figure deal.

Extension Likelihood: Somewhat Unlikely
Projected Contract: Seven years, $70MM ($10MM AAV)

F Steven Stamkos (Tampa Bay Lightning) – Including Stamkos on this list seems like more of a formality than anything else. The captain of back-to-back Stanley Cup championship teams in Tampa and likely to go down as the greatest player in franchise history when he retires, it’s nearly impossible to imagine him wearing another jersey. Barring an unforeseen breakdown in communication, Stamkos will be re-upping with the Bolts on what could potentially be the final contract of his NHL career as he enters his mid-30s. After yet another point-per-game season, Stamkos will undoubtedly be sticking around in Tampa as long as they’ll have him, likely at a slight discount to help them replenish their depth reserves.

Extension Likelihood: Very Likely
Projected Contract: Four years, $31.5MM ($7.875MM AAV)

F Jake Guentzel (Pittsburgh Penguins) – The Penguins have exhibited a strong tendency toward keeping the band together in recent seasons, but it’s a trend that may change under the front-office leadership of Kyle Dubas. Still, it’s hard to imagine the Penguins won’t field a competitive offer to keep Guentzel in the fold. He’s been one of the most successful and consistent linemates to Sidney Crosby in the entire illustrious career of the future Hall-of-Famer, he’s a two-time 40-goal scorer, and he’s an incredibly clutch playoff performer. While contract extension talks haven’t begun between the two parties yet, reporting indicates the Penguins’ core shares the public’s view of Guentzel and would like to keep him around.

Extension Likelihood: Likely
Projected Contract: Eight years, $75MM ($9.375MM AAV)

F Mark Scheifele (Winnipeg Jets) – The first of two Jets on this list hasn’t been in trade rumors quite as much as his netminding counterpart, but there’s still a very good chance Scheifele is sporting a different jersey by the 2024 trade deadline. Speculation has immediately run rampant about Scheifele as a stop-gap fix down the middle for the Boston Bruins, who are without their number-one center after captain Patrice Bergeron announced his retirement last week. There are plenty of question marks about how highly Scheifele is actually valued around the league, given his significant defensive lapses, but he’s consistently produced the offense you’d want out of a number-one center. Despite scoring a career-high 42 goals last season, 2022-23 was actually Scheifele’s first campaign falling short of a point per game since 2015-16, when he was just 22 years old.

Extension Likelihood: Unlikely
Projected Contract: Seven years, $66MM ($9.4MM AAV)

D Devon Toews (Colorado Avalanche) – Toews may be the most unheralded defenseman in the league thanks to his partner, Cale Makar. On almost any other team, Toews would be a legitimate number-one defender with very few holes in his game. Little has been made of his impending free agency, but he’ll be due a major raise on his current bargain-bin $4.1MM cap hit. Combined with the potential loss of captain Gabriel Landeskog’s LTIR relief should he return to play in 2024-25, it could be incredibly difficult for Colorado to retain him even with the cap going up. Not only does Toews consistently rank among having some of the best defensive impacts in the league, but he’s also coming off back-to-back 50-point campaigns and has finished top-15 in Norris voting during each of his three seasons in Colorado.

Extension Likelihood: 50/50
Projected Contract: Seven years, $61MM ($8.7MM AAV)

D Brandon Montour (Florida Panthers) – A pair of prominent Panthers defenders are up for UFA status next season in Montour and Gustav Forsling, but Montour’s the one we’ll cover more in-depth here after he led the Panthers’ defense in playoff scoring with eight goals and 13 points in 21 games despite playing through a shoulder injury which will cost him the beginning of the 2023-24 campaign. His stock has never been higher after exploding for 73 points in 80 regular season games, along with a career-high 107 penalty minutes. While he’s still a rather one-dimensional player and likely to be somewhat of a liability defensively, he’s finally shown legitimate top-pair ability at 29 years old. Committing any term to Montour as a UFA may be a case of buyer beware, however, as his track record is far from consistent.

Extension Likelihood: Somewhat Unlikely
Projected Contract: Four years, $26MM ($6.5MM AAV)

G Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg Jets) – It seemed very unlikely a few months ago that Hellebuyck would be on this list today. While there’s no chance he’ll be signing an extension with the Jets, a trade followed by an extension with a new team seemed rather likely this offseason. However, some outlandish financial demands from Hellebuyck’s camp dried up trade interest, and there hasn’t been a lot of movement on that front lately. While small, the possibility that Hellebuyck lands on the open market next season seems to be increasing without a trade or extension any closer to fruition.

Extension Likelihood: Very Unlikely
Projected Contract: Seven years, $61.25MM ($8.75MM AAV)

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Atlantic Notes: Matthews, DeBrusk, Montour

at CDT | by 18 Comments

For a while now, there has been plenty of speculation that Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews intends to set a new benchmark for the highest AAV when he signs his next contract.  In a recent appearance on Sportsnet 590 (audio link), Nick Kypreos suggested that the two sides are believed to be in agreement on a cap hit at or around $13.5MM which would come in well above Nathan MacKinnon’s $12.6MM price tag.  At this point, the discussions between the two sides are focused on term.  Matthews took a five-year deal off his entry-level contract instead of a max-term agreement and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him take a shorter-term pact again with an eye on landing one more significant contract down the road.

More from the Atlantic:

  • While the Bruins are right now focusing on the pending arbitration hearings for Jeremy Swayman and Trent Frederic, Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald opines that Boston also needs to get a sense of what Jake DeBrusk’s next contract is going to cost. Now extension-eligible as he’s in the final year of his deal, the winger could theoretically be used in a trade for a center if they decide to try to make a move to replace Patrice Bergeron if they find themselves too far apart in discussions.  The 26-year-old has a $4MM AAV for next season and stands to be in line for a raise on that next summer after recording 27 goals and 23 assists in 64 games in 2022-23.
  • In an appearance on the Cam and Strick podcast (video link), Panthers defenseman Brandon Montour provided an update on his recovery from shoulder surgery. He was recently able to remove the sling but anticipates he’s still at least a month away from being able to lift weights and he doesn’t expect to be able to hit the ice until sometime in September.  Recovery from labrum surgeries typically carry a four-to-six-month recovery time so while it’s possible that Montour could be back early next season, his return could also be pushed back as far as into December.

Maple Leafs Notes: Nylander, Matthews, Samsonov

at CDT | by 24 Comments

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported on the NHL Network today that he believes that the Toronto Maple Leafs and forward William Nylander are at a standstill in their contract negotiations. He goes on to say that he doesn’t think a contract will get done anytime soon unless one of the sides budges dramatically from their position. Friedman’s belief is that Nylander doesn’t want to take a discount to remain with the Maple Leafs if their other top-end players aren’t willing to take one too.

It’s hard to fault Nylander’s logic, he has been playing on a contract well under his market value for a half-decade while several of his teammates have been collecting annual salaries north of $10MM. Chris Johnston reported weeks ago on the Chris Johnston show that Nylander’s ask on his next contract is an annual salary of around $10MM, while the Maple Leafs are countering with an extension offering him between $8MM and $9MM per year. Given the way things are going, it appears that Auston Matthews next contract could be a big factor in whether the Leafs can lock up Nylander to a long-term extension.

Should the Maple Leafs opt to dangle Nylander in the trade market there would be a long lineup of suitors for the 27-year-old. Nylander is coming off back-to-back 80+ point seasons and has become much more responsible with the puck as his career has gone on. He is no longer regarded as a turnover machine as he might have been in earlier parts of his career.

In other Maple Leafs notes:

  • Speaking of Auston Matthews, Elliotte Friedman had a small update on the Maple Leafs star forward. Friedman told the NHL Network that he believes Matthews will sign an extension very soon that will be between three and five years. While it’s hardly a surprise to hear that Matthews is once again looking at signing a shorter-term deal in hopes of maximizing his earning potential, it is surprising to hear that Matthews would consider a five-year contract that would take him through most of his prime and into his early 30s. Even at 31 Matthews will likely be able to fetch a lucrative long-term deal, but he may not be able to command as much money as he could as a 29-year-old hitting free agency.
  • Friedman also reported that he believes that the Maple Leafs don’t want to go beyond a three-year extension with restricted free-agent goaltender Ilya Samsonov. The Maple Leafs and Samsonov are expected to go to arbitration on July 21, meaning that arbitration numbers will be exchanged tomorrow morning. The 26-year-old netminder was terrific in his first season with Toronto posting a .919 save percentage to go along with a 2.33 goals-against average and a 27-10-5 record. The Maple Leafs are currently over the salary cap meaning that they will need to shuffle around money to fit in Samsonov’s new deal when it is completed.

Snapshots: Nylander, Dumba, Domi

at CDT | by 10 Comments

Chris Johnston reported on The Chris Johnston Show that the Toronto Maple Leafs and forward William Nylander remain far apart in extension talks. Johnston said that he believes that the 27-year-old is looking for a contract that pays him over $10MM annually while the Maple Leafs offer is in the range of $8MM-$9MM per season.

Nylander’s ask is reasonable given that he has put up back-to-back 80+ point seasons and is a pending unrestricted free agent. The trouble for the Leafs will be managing a potential Nylander extension with the cap hits of Mitch Marner, John Tavares, and whatever number Auston Matthews signs for. Couple that with the Morgan Rielly extension and a salary cap that hasn’t budged much in recent seasons, and it could create a very top-heavy team in Toronto going forward.

Nylander had a career year last season putting up 40 goals and 47 assists in 82 games and has silenced critics in recent years who doubted his ability to score in the postseason. Nylander has been a point a game player in both the regular season and the playoffs the past few years and would generate a ton of interest if his name were to be floated in the trade market.

In other snapshots from around the NHL:

  • Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports is reporting that the Arizona Coyotes have been in pursuit of free agent defenseman Matt Dumba since the start of free agency on Saturday. Dumba picked a very unfortunate time to have the worst offensive season of his NHL career as he put up just four goals and 10 assists this past season in 79 games with the Minnesota Wild. The 28-year-old Regina native has been a 25-point defenseman for most of his career but regressed offensively last year and saw very little in the way of power play time. Arizona has been aggressive in free agency thus far signing Jason Zucker, Alexander Kerfoot, and retaining Nick Bjugstad while trading for defenseman Sean Durzi.
  • Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet mentioned this morning that newly acquired Toronto Maple Leafs forward Max Domi would like to remain with the team well beyond the one year he signed on for. Domi was inked to a one-year deal that will pay him $3MM this season, but as Friedman puts it Domi wants Toronto to be his long-term home and it’s easy to see why. Domi’s father Tie Domi was one of the most popular Maple Leafs in recent history and Max spent much of his childhood in Toronto while his father was still playing. He will now get the chance to put on the same jersey he watched his father wear and play in front of the same fans who cheered his Dad on for 12 seasons.

Free Agency Notes: Gostisbehere, Quick, No-Movement Clauses

at CDT | by 3 Comments

As the defending Eastern Conference Champions start the 2023-24 NHL season, they will reportedly be without defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour. Both will be recovering from separate surgeries, and both are expected to be out for about a month after the season kicks off. Needing another defenseman aside from Gustav Forsling to manage the offensive load on the back end, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports the team has an interest in unrestricted free agent, Shayne Gostisbehere.

A top-pairing of Gostisbehere and Forsling shouldn’t be expected to replicate the output of Ekblad and Montour, but those two would be serviceable for the first month of the season, and would even represent a superb top-four once Ekblad and Montour make their return. If the Panthers and Gostisbehere do come to an agreement, it will be interesting to see the term handed out, as the team currently doesn’t have any defenseman signed beyond 2024-25.

It wasn’t so long ago that Gostisbehere was considered a salary dump, after being traded along with a second-round pick in 2022 and a seventh-round pick in 2022, to the Arizona Coyotes for nothing but future considerations. After landing in the desert, Gostisbehere had an offensive resurgence of sorts, scoring 24 goals and 58 assists in 134 games with the Coyotes. At last year’s trade deadline, Gostisbehere was moved to the Carolina Hurricanes for a third-round pick in 2026. In a combined total of 38 games in Carolina, Gostisbehere scored three goals and ten assists split between the regular season and the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Other notes:

Atlantic Notes: Matthews, DeBrincat, Reaves, Reinbacher

at CDT | by 3 Comments

Although numerous insiders have spoken about their confidence that the Toronto Maple Leafs will end up re-signing Hart Trophy winner Auston Matthews, it doesn’t appear a deal is imminent according to The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta. Pagnotta says “a deal is not yet close,” and adds “his next deal will be 3, 4, or 5-year” term.

Matthews would be a league-altering free agent if he were to hit the open market, but it doesn’t look like it’s going to get there. It’s something of a surprise that the Matthews won’t be locked down to a longer term, but going on a shorter deal allows him to take another bite of the apple down the road to secure another massive deal in his late 20s.

Some other notes from the Atlantic Division:

  • Ottawa Senators general manager Pierre Dorion told The Athletic’s Ian Mendes that they “are not close” to an Alex DeBrincat trade. Many had assumed that the Senators would push to make a trade before the 2023 NHL draft in order to potentially add a first-round pick for Ottawa to be used in tonight’s first round. But Ottawa’s reluctance to give other teams permission to negotiate a contract extension with DeBrincat has likely slowed the trade negotiations, meaning we’re unlikely to see a DeBrincat deal in the near future.
  • Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports today that the Toronto Maple Leafs are “looking to beef up their bottom six,” and specifically connects two names to the team: Ryan Reaves and Austin Watson. Neither Reaves or Watson offer much on the ice outside of their physical play, but given the perception among many that Toronto didn’t put up enough of a fight in recent playoff series that might be exactly what the team needs.
  • The Montreal Canadiens have been eager to give recent top selections every chance to make their NHL roster in the fall after their selection, but that may not be possible with David Reinbacher. The Austrian defenseman told the media after the draft, including Sportsnet’s Eric Engels, that he has one more year of business to take care of before joining the Canadiens organization in North America. Reinbacher played in the Swiss National League in his draft season and could return to EHC Kloten for another year, or he could move to another team in Europe.

East Notes: Granlund, Matthews, Leafs Assistant Vacancy

at CDT | by 5 Comments

The NHL’s first buyout window opens today, and teams have until 4 p.m. CT on June 30 to use them to create space ahead of free agency. If the Pittsburgh Penguins decide to pursue one, keep your eye on forward Mikael Granlund, The Athletic’s Rob Rossi said this morning.

Rossi notes that buyouts weren’t encouraged by previous ownership, but now, under Fenway Sports Group, interim general manager Kyle Dubas will have the freedom to pursue one if he so chooses. Pittsburgh acquired Granlund in a March 1 trade with the Nashville Predators and would essentially be throwing the 46th overall pick they gave up for him (and the cap hit of his buyout) down the drain. Granlund, who has two seasons remaining at $5MM per season, had just one goal and four assists in 21 games with Pittsburgh after the trade, as they missed the playoffs for the first time in nearly two decades. Per CapFriendly, a buyout would provide $4.17MM in savings next season and $3.17MM in 2024-25. Pittsburgh would then be hit with a $1.83MM penalty in 2025-26 and 2026-27.

Heading further north in the Eastern Conference:

  • Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said on today’s 32 Thoughts podcast that the Toronto Maple Leafs’ preference with Auston Matthews is to get him locked into a max-term extension rather than a short-term payday. While Friedman couldn’t comment on the likelihood of that happening, he did say there’s been a heightened sense of urgency from both Matthews and the Leafs to get an extension done so the team can move on to other offseason business. Friedman said that after Matthews had a successful meeting with new general manager Brad Treliving in Arizona last week, he’s “even more confident” a deal will get done this summer.
  • Staying in Toronto, Treliving and head coach Sheldon Keefe are deep in the process of interviewing candidates to replace former assistant Spencer Carbery, TSN’s Darren Dreger said today. Carbery had spent the past two seasons on Toronto’s bench before the Washington Capitals named him their next head coach earlier this spring. Dreger also mentioned that although Treliving and Keefe have spent time getting to know each other since the former’s hiring, no extension talks have begun yet for Keefe, who’s entering the final season of his contract.

Snapshots: Matthews, Bratt, DeAngelo

at CDT | by

David Pagnotta of the NHL Network is reporting that the Toronto Maple Leafs are focused right now on evaluating their coaching staff and don’t have urgency at this time to speak with star forward Auston Matthews. He adds that they do intend to meet with the 25-year-old and his agent later this month, at which time they will presumably begin to talk about a contract extension for the upcoming unrestricted free agent. Matthews is just a year away from being able to walk out the door for nothing and the direction of the franchise will likely be dictated by what happens in the Matthews talks.

It’s an interesting approach from newly anointed general manager Brad Treliving given that he cited talking to Matthews as his number one priority at his introductory press conference. It’s also curious because he just came from a franchise in which he lost two 100-point scorers in a matter of months just one year ago. One would have to assume he will be prudent in making sure that doesn’t happen again with Matthews who has a no-trade clause that kicks in on July 1st.

In other news from around the league:

  • Pagnotta also writes that talks between the New Jersey Devils and pending RFA Timo Meier have picked up this week, but he describes the situation with Jesper Bratt as status quo. Bratt and the Devils have a bit of a contentious relationship when it comes to negotiations as they have come up against each other in the past when it comes to money. This happened most notably last summer when they nearly went to arbitration but settled on a one-year deal just hours before they were set to square off.  Bratt posted a career high 32 goals last season while posting his second consecutive 73-point season. He has bet on himself in the past and with just a year left until he is an unrestricted free agent, this could be the Devils toughest negotiation yet.
  • Elliotte Friedman mentioned on The Jeff Marek Show today that he believes the Philadelphia Flyers are looking to move defenseman Tony DeAngelo. The 27-year-old continued to produce on the powerplay in his first season in Philadelphia but struggled at even strength and in his own defensive zone. The New Jersey native became a lightning rod for criticism, particularly from head coach John Tortorella who scratched DeAngelo multiple times last season. Philadelphia acquired DeAngelo last summer from Carolina for multiple draft picks and signed him to a two year $10MM contract. Many people questioned the move at the time and that continued into the season despite the defenseman’s offensive production. It’ll be curious to see if any teams bite on the gifted but limited rearguard.

Brad Treliving Not Allowed At Maple Leafs Draft Table

at CDT | by 20 Comments

Brad Treliving was recently announced as the 18th general manager in Toronto Maple Leafs history. Treliving was officially introduced today and stated that his first priority is to meet with superstar Auston Matthews. While getting Matthews signed long-term is the focus, another focus is the upcoming NHL entry draft, which Treliving will not be allowed to take part in. Chris Johnston of NorthStar Bets is reporting that this condition was put in place by the Calgary Flames when granting Toronto permission to talk to him. Treliving is under contract with Calgary until July 1st.

Maple Leafs president of hockey operations Brendan Shanahan was asked about this stipulation at the press conference this morning and praised the teams scouting staff and said they are still preparing to pick late in the first round of the draft as well as the fifth and sixth round. One would have to presume that either Shanahan or head scout Wes Clark will be making Toronto’s picks this year in the absence of Treliving.

It’s not surprising to see the Flames attach a condition like this to Treliving as they were originally apprehensive about even allowing their long-time general manager to interview for other jobs before his contract expired. Three weeks ago, it was reported by The Hockey News that Calgary wasn’t allowing him to speak with teams, however they had a change of heart and let the 53-year-old pursue other employment. One would have to guess that the draft condition was a compromise Treliving, and the Maple Leafs had to make to move forward with the interview process.

It’s not unheard of for a team to block a former employee from participating in the entry draft, although it doesn’t happen often. In fact, it happened to the Flames back in 2000 when general manager Craig Button came over from the Dallas Stars and was blocked from taking part in draft day.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

scroll to top