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Early Notes: Lehner, Matthews, Nylander

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Last season went down as the worst statistical season Robin Lehner had during his time as a Buffalo Sabres goaltender, registering just a .908 save percentage while putting together a 14-26-9 record. His struggles weren’t just localized in the crease though, as the 27-year old explained in an incredibly open and honest piece for The Athletic today. Lehner revealed struggles with mental health and alcoholism that he has dealt with for some time, and only just started getting help for.

Though his departure from the Sabres at the end of the year may have been surprising given the team invested a first-round pick in him a few years earlier when they acquired him from the Ottawa Senators, Lehner explains it was anything but contentious. Sabres GM Jason Botterill has apparently stayed in touch with Lehner all offseason to make sure things were trending in the right direction for him, and the New York Islanders have embraced him as part of their squad for this season.

  • Auston Matthews doesn’t have a long-term extension with the Toronto Maple Leafs yet, but that doesn’t mean he’s not committed to being with the team for a long time. Newcomer John Tavares confirmed as much in an interview alongside Matthews, telling Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman that the young forward’s commitment was part of the selling process on Toronto. The two star centers seem comfortable with each other already and easily deflected any questions about the Maple Leafs captaincy going forward.
  • Matthews’ teammate William Nylander on the other hand is still not under contract and won’t be at the start of training camp as he continues his negotiations. Head coach Mike Babcock and GM Kyle Dubas both downplayed the situation by indicating that there are many players who go through this process around the league, but wouldn’t give an update as to when the Maple Leafs can expect Nylander on the ice. The young forward is looking for a long-term contract to secure his future in Toronto but there have been reports of a substantial gap between the two sides.

Latest On William Nylander Negotiations

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The Toronto Maple Leafs announced their training camp roster today and young forward William Nylander was not on it as he continues to negotiate his next contract. Though both sides seemed very confident that a deal would be done before the season, nothing has been announced yet as the team prepares for camp to open. Darren Dreger was on TSN radio earlier today discussing the situation, and suggested that other sources around the league believe that Nylander’s ask could have been around $8MM per season. The Maple Leafs meanwhile, according to Dreger, are looking at other comparables that sit somewhere in the $6-7MM range.

Nylander, 22, is coming out of his entry-level contract and has made it clear that he would rather sign a long-term deal with the Maple Leafs. The team meanwhile has to carefully consider their options, given that big extensions are coming down the pipe for Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner at some point. After handing out a $77MM contract to John Tavares this summer, the team could be trying to get Nylander on a bridge contract for now and deal with the cap problems up front later. Nylander’s teammates meanwhile have said that they expect him in camp, though unless something is announced in the next few hours it doesn’t seem likely that he’ll be there for day one.

The Maple Leafs are a rising pick to contend for the Stanley Cup this season after their big free agent acquisition, but there is more than just Nylander’s deal to be done before they find themselves in the playoffs. The team’s defense still has several question marks given Travis Dermott’s relative inexperience and the lackluster right side, while there isn’t a ton of depth after their big three centers. At camp there will be a battle for the backup goaltender position as well, but the biggest distraction will easily be Nylander’s contract situation if it drags out. Though the report of $8MM could have just been an initial ask when the negotiations started, the two sides obviously haven’t yet come together on a number that suits both the long-term financial structure of the Maple Leafs and Nylander’s self perceived worth as an up and coming star.

After two consecutive seasons with 61 points, Nylander has already established himself as one of the better players from the 2014 draft. When we examined a group of players from that class and asked the PHR community which they’d rather have, the young Maple Leafs forward came in second behind David Pastrnak and ahead of both Nikolaj Ehlers and Dylan Larkin. If that’s his value going forward, he’d have to settle for a deal somewhere between Ehlers’ $6.0MM and Pastrnak’s $6.67MM cap hits.

Snapshots: Prospects, Byron, Nylander

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It’s that time again, when early rankings of the 2019 draft prospects begin to release and fans everywhere argue over the merit of certain players. Today, Craig Button of TSN published his early Top 40 list for next year’s draft, and to no one’s surprise Jack Hughes sits on top. The 17-year old center has shown he can compete with players several years older than him and should break just about every record imaginable for the US National Team Development Program this season.

Behind Hughes though is a much less consensus ranking with Button putting Dylan Cozens in second place and Kaapo Kakko down at four. Both forwards should be in contention for the second-overall selection by the June draft but could be overtaken by any number of other first round talents. Philip Broberg, another Swedish defenseman occupies Button’s third spot, and brings just about every measurable you’d want on the blue line.

  • Paul Byron is expected to be ready for the start of Montreal Canadiens training camp according to Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports, as he continues to rehab his injured shoulder. That is a good sign for Montreal, given that Byron is now the team’s top trade chip after they sent Max Pacioretty packing early this morning. Getting off to a healthy and productive start could make Byron one of the most sought after players at this year’s trade deadline, if the Canadiens decide they aren’t going to be able to extend him into the future. The 29-year old is coming off shoulder surgery, but has missed just one game over the past two seasons and tallied 42 goals over that span.
  • William Nylander is still without a contract despite Toronto Maple Leafs camp opening in just a few days, but newcomer John Tavares isn’t worried. The former New York Islanders captain told reporters including Kristen Shilton of TSN that the players believe Nylander will in fact be in camp. For that to happen the Maple Leafs would need to get a contract finished in the very near future, as players rarely show up without some sort of deal already in place.

2018-19 Season Primer: St. Louis Blues

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With the NHL season now just a month away, it’s time to look at what each team has done this summer and what to watch for in the year to come. Today, we focus on the St. Louis Blues.

Last Season: 44-32-6 record (94 points), fifth in the Central Division (failed to reach the playoffs)

Remaining Cap Space: $284,845 per CapFriendly

Key Additions: F Ryan O’Reilly (trade, Buffalo Sabres); F Tyler Bozak (free agent, Toronto Maple Leafs); F David Perron (free agent, Vegas Golden Knights); F Patrick Maroon (free agent, New Jersey Devils); G Chad Johnson (free agent, Buffalo Sabres); F Brian Flynn (free agent, Dallas Stars); D Tyler Wotherspoon (free agent, Calgary Flames); F Jordan Nolan (free agent, Buffalo Sabres)

Key Departures: F Kyle Brodziak (free agent, Edmonton Oilers); G Carter Hutton (free agent, Buffalo Sabres); F Patrik Berglund (trade, Buffalo Sabres); F Vladimir Sobotka (trade, Buffalo Sabres); F Tage Thompson (trade, Buffalo Sabres); F Wade Megan (free agent, Detroit Red Wings); F Beau Bennett (free agent, Dinamo Minsk (KHL)); Petteri Lindbohm (free agent, Laussane (Swiss League))

[Related: Blues Depth Chart From Roster Resource]

Player To Watch: G Jake Allen — The team has upgraded its offense, already had a solid defense and has several of their top prospects banging on its door, hoping to get into their rotation this year. What they didn’t do much with is their goaltending. Allen, once considered the franchise goalie, has now struggled for more than a full season, but with three years at $4.35MM per season still on the books, he’s not going anywhere this year.

The 28-year-old netminder struggled down the stretch during the 2016-17 season, but his consistency got even worse last year when he posted a .906 save percentage and a 2.75 GAA in 59 games. The team was forced to use Hutton on many occasions to replace the struggling goaltender. In hopes of redeeming his job, Allen has said that he has changed some of his training methods this summer and hopes to come into camp and prove that he is the starting goaltender.

The team had better hope that he can, because the team lost Hutton to the Buffalo Sabres in the offseason and replaced him with Johnson, who struggled in a one-year stint in Buffalo, albeit behind an atrocious defense. The team does have prospect Ville Husso waiting in the AHL, but many believe he still needs at least one year of seasoning there before he can challenge Allen for his job.

Key Storyline: The offense has been thoroughly upgraded in the last few months and it will be up to the team to find a way to gel and make it work. One key story will be whether they can get the breakout performance that everyone in the NHL has been waiting for from Vladimir Tarasenko. The winger posted three impressive seasons coming into last year, including a 37, 40, 39-goal seasons. However, while the 26-year-old still had a solid season last year, his 33 goals was a disappointment for a player who many felt was closer to a 40-goal scorer than a 30-point scorer.

One possibility to Tarasenko’s season could come down to the addition of O’Reilly. Adding a top-line center will be critical and if the two can co-exist, then you might see the development of a superstar as Tarasenko and Paul Stastny had limited chemistry together. There is also a likelihood that Maroon, who played together with Connor McDavid in Edmonton for a while, could add his physicality to that first line and give Tarasenko an even better chance to have a big season.

Overall Outlook: Looking at the massive changes to the team, especially at the forward position means the team expects to win now. The franchise has put a lot of expectations on head coach Mike Yeo and the team as they are expected to not just make the playoffs, but compete for the Central Division title. That’s a tough chore for any Central Division team if you assume that the Nashville Predators and Winnipeg Jets will likely assume the first two spots in the division. That leaves just two playoffs spots for the rest of the division that includes the Minnesota Wild, who have been to the playoffs for six straight years, an improving Dallas Stars team, a young impressive Colorado Avalanche franchise and the Chicago Blackhawks who are trying to prove that their run isn’t over just yet. If the team fails to impress early on, that could put Yeo on the hot seat.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

2018-19 Season Primer: Toronto Maple Leafs

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With the NHL season now just a month away, it’s time to look at what each team has done this summer and what to watch for in the year to come. Today, we focus on the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Last Season: 49-26-7 record (105 points), third in the Pacific Division (lost to Boston in the first round of the playoffs)

Remaining Cap Space: $13.317MM per CapFriendly (still need to re-sign F William Nylander)

Key Additions: F Tyler Ennis (free agent, Minnesota), F Par Lindholm (free agent, Skelleftea, SHL), F John Tavares (free agent, NY Islanders)

Key Departures: F Tyler Bozak (free agent, St. Louis), F Leo Komarov (free agent, NY Islanders), F Matt Martin (trade, NY Islanders), F Dominic Moore (free agent, unsigned), F Tomas Plekanec (free agent, Montreal), D Roman Polak (free agent, Dallas), F James van Riemsdyk (free agent, Philadelphia)

[Related: Maple Leafs Depth Chart From Roster Resource]

Player To Watch: F John Tavares – Really, who else could it be?  The long-time Islanders star surprised quite a few people by heading to his hometown team in free agency this summer and signing a seven-year, $77MM contract.  How will he adapt to his new environment and, quite possibly, his new role?

With New York, Tavares was the focal part of their attack but Toronto already boasts three high-end players up front in Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and Nylander.  Matthews was their number one center last season and it’s hard to envision that changing.  They’re not going to move Tavares to the wing (that wouldn’t make any sense to do) so that means he will likely slot in on the second, a position he hasn’t been in quite some time.

On the surface, that may seem like a demotion but it could certainly go the other way too.  Tavares should now be freed from the top checking he faced with New York which should result in some extra space and opportunities.  He should also play alongside one of their top wingers so there shouldn’t be a big drop off in talent either.

The contract is going to firmly place Tavares in the spotlight.  The pressure and expectations have never been higher for him but he’s going to have a lot more on-ice support than he has been used to.  It’s going to be quite interesting to see how he fares in Toronto.

Key Storyline: Toronto’s long-term cap questions have been well discussed already.  However, even though they won’t be up against the Upper Limit again until next season, that looming cap crunch is probably going to play a role in their decision making in 2018-19.

Whenever Nylander signs, Toronto should still have enough room to account for their potential bonuses without having to put Nathan Horton on LTIR.  (Placing him there could result in a bonus carryover like there is for this coming season, something they’re really going to want to avoid now.)  After all that, they still should have enough room left to start banking some space towards the trade deadline, especially if they opt to shuttle some of their entry-level players back and forth between the NHL and AHL to save some extra money.

Even with the most optimistic view of next year’s cap situation, there is still going to be some roster trimming for 2019-20.  With that in mind, new GM Kyle Dubas may view this season as their best chance to really make a run for the Stanley Cup.  In other words, around the trade deadline is going to be the time to look to make another significant addition to their roster.  If they stay fairly healthy between now and then, Toronto should be able to bank enough space to make that impact addition without setting themselves up for the bonus overage.

We’re still a year away from really seeing what the full effects will be once Nylander, Matthews, and Marner all are on big-money, long-term deals.  Even so, it still should play an important role in Toronto’s decision making as they shape their roster throughout the season.

Overall Outlook: Toronto was already a contender last season and while their losses shouldn’t be overlooked entirely, adding the prized free agent in Tavares should only help.  The Atlantic Division looks like a three-team runaway already and the Maple Leafs are certainly among those teams.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Toronto Maple Leafs

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Navigating the Salary Cap is probably one of the more important tasks for any general manager to have. Teams that can avert total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2018-19 season. This will focus more on those players who are integral parts of the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Current Cap Hit: $66,183,333 (under the $79.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

D Travis Dermott (two years, $863K)
F Kasperi Kapanen (one year, $863K)
F Par Lindholm (one year, $925K)
F Mitch Marner (one year, $894K)
F Auston Matthews (one year, $925K)
D Igor Ozhiganov (one year, $925K)

Potential Bonuses:

Lindholm: $850K
Marner: $850K
Matthews: $2.85MM
Ozhiganov: $850K

Total: $5.4MM

You’d be hard-pressed to find a team that’s getting more value out of their entry-level players right now.  Matthews has quickly established himself as one of the top centers in the league and between that and his draft pedigree, he’s likely looking at a contract around the $10MM mark for next season.  Marner hasn’t received quite as much hype as Matthews but he led Toronto in points last year and will be in line for a significant raise of his own.  He shouldn’t get quite as much as Matthews will but he’ll only be a couple of million shy.  Kapanen impressed in a late-season showing and was a regular in the postseason.  His role will still probably be limited which makes him a strong bet for a short-term deal next summer.  Lindholm was brought in to contend for the fourth line center spot but even if he succeeds in landing that spot, a big raise is unlikely.

On the back end, Dermott worked a midseason recall into a regular spot and he should be able to hold down at least close to a full-time role.  If he does that over the next couple of seasons, he’ll be well-positioned to double his current AAV at the very least.  Ozhiganov was brought over to push for a roster spot on the right side that doesn’t have a ton of depth at the moment.  He could need some time in the minors to get acclimated to the shorter ice surface but they’ll be counting on him to contribute at some point.

One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level

D Connor Carrick ($1.3MM, RFA)
F Tyler Ennis ($650K, UFA)
D Jake Gardiner ($4.05MM, UFA)
D Ron Hainsey ($3MM, UFA)
F Andreas Johnsson ($788K, RFA)
F Josh Leivo ($925K, RFA)
G Curtis McElhinney ($850K, UFA)
G Garret Sparks ($675K, RFA)

Leivo was essentially a full-time reserve forward last season but Toronto thought enough of him to sign him to an in-season extension to stop him from potentially hitting Group Six free agency.  Despite the small raise in pay, there’s a decent chance he finds himself in a similar role in 2018-19 which won’t help his bargaining power.  Johnsson played well in the postseason but with such a limited track record, he opted to simply take his qualifying offer and will bank on a strong first full NHL season helping him get a bigger raise one year from now.  Ennis is making a lot more than just the $650K thanks to his buyout from Minnesota and he will push to crack the fourth line and try to rebuild some value.

Gardiner had a rough showing in Toronto’s final playoff game but has been a critical part of their back end for several years now.  He’s also coming off of a career year offensively and a repeat of that would make him even more coveted next summer.  With what the Leafs will soon have tied up in their forward group, they may be in tough to give Gardiner the raise he’ll be able to get if he tests the open market.  Carrick was a frequent healthy scratch last year and still managed to land a small raise.  If that repeats itself this coming season, however, he may become a non-tender candidate as they will be looking to round out their back end with cheaper depth options.

McElhinney had a nice year as the backup and really hasn’t done anything to lose the position.  However, Sparks, who is ten years younger, had a good year at the AHL level and would need to clear waivers to return there.  With that in mind, this will be a battle to watch during training camp.

Two Years Remaining

F Connor Brown ($2.1MM, RFA)
F Nathan Horton ($5.3MM, UFA)
F Patrick Marleau ($6.25MM, UFA)

Marleau’s decision to leave San Jose for Toronto caught many by surprise but he fit in well in a secondary role.  Of particular interest with his deal is that after July 2, 2019, only $1.25MM in actual salary will remain on the deal so if they need to try to free up some cap space, this deal is one that they will likely try to move (pending Marleau waiving his no-move clause, of course).  Brown’s numbers dipped a bit last season but so did his ice time so that’s somewhat understandable.  He’s in the middle of his bridge deal and should be in line for a decent raise two summers from now.  Horton hasn’t played since April of 2014 and won’t play on these final two years of the deal.  With the bonuses for Matthews and Marner, Toronto will want to avoid placing Horton on LTIR this coming season (to avoid the bonus overage) so his deal being on the books will be more of a factor than it has been.

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Long Negotiation With Ryan Ellis Was Watched By Oilers, Maple Leafs

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One of the biggest contracts signed this summer in the NHL was an eight-year $50MM extension handed out to Nashville Predators defenseman and associate captain Ryan Ellis. That contract was filed on August 14th, six weeks after Ellis originally became eligible to add some years on to his current situation. A deal for one of their most important players was obviously at the very top of the to-do list for GM David Poile and the rest of the Predators front office, but as Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription required) details there was a ton of work involved to come to the final agreement. Interestingly, LeBrun mentions the Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers specifically when speaking about teams that were keeping a close eye on the Ellis situation, hoping it would deteriorate and he would be put on the trade market.

For the Maple Leafs, it’s easy to see why they would be interested. The Ontario-born Ellis was a superstar in the OHL before heading to Nashville, and his two-way skill from the right side would be a perfect complement to the Maple Leafs left-heavy defense group. With Morgan Rielly, Jake Gardiner and Travis Dermott locked into the left, if the Maple Leafs are going to improve the blue line—as so many believe they desperately need to do in order to contend—there aren’t many fits better than Ellis available. They would have to try to convince him to sign long-term, but some of the sticking points in Nashville like signing bonuses and trade protection haven’t been off the table so far with young GM Kyle Dubas.

The Oilers might need Ellis even more desperately though, after a wasted season near the bottom of the standings despite Connor McDavid’s outstanding play. When blue line members like Oscar Klefbom and Adam Larsson took a step backwards last season it was clear that McDavid couldn’t carry the load all by himself. Edmonton struggles at times to get the puck quickly out of their zone with any sort of control, something that Ellis excels at while also contributing offensively. They too have a need on the right side, and don’t have the cap space to acquire a very expensive asset. Ellis is earning just $2.5MM on the final year of his current contract, as one of the biggest bargains in the league.

That the Maple Leafs and Oilers were interested in Ellis—at least in passing—shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, though it does make the next few months even more interesting. With a player like Erik Karlsson still without an extension in Ottawa, and others like Tyler Myers and Nate Schmidt heading into their final years before free agency, the two teams will likely still be keeping an eye on various situations to see if they can improve.

Maple Leafs Will Not Name A Captain This Off-Season

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The Toronto Maple Leafs did not have a captain last season and judging by the comments of new GM Kyle Dubas, they may not have one this season either. In an interview with TSN’s Bob McKenzie, Dubas stated for a fact that the team would not name a captain prior to the beginning of the season and would again go without one until Dubas, Brendan Shanahan, and the coaching staff can better evaluate their options.

I want to get into a day-to-day with these people and see who is best suited to handle [the captaincy]… if we do determine that we need somebody to handle that. If we feel we have a void in leadership because we don’t have a formal captain, then that is something that I think we can address… We need to evaluate it as the season evolves and as we go through the ups and downs of a season and see how the players each individually handle the daily process of a season.”

Dubas seems hesitant to make any sort of decision until he has a complete read of the locker room and until a time that he feels naming a captain is necessary. He calls the title for a historic club like the Maple Leafs “an honor” and wants to make sure that the correct person is named. Dubas feels that being patient with naming a captain will be the right move and eliminates the risk of any future drama surrounding the team’s leadership.

Dubas specifically mentions Patrick Marleau, Ron Hainsey, and free agency prize John Tavares as top candidates if and when a decision is made. The latter was the captain of the New York Islanders before signing in Toronto and some speculated that the commitment made by the team to Tavares could indicate that he would be in line for the same role. Meanwhile, Dubas singled out Marleau as a player who stepped up as a locker room leader for the team last year. While the team lost regular alternates in Tyler Bozak and Leo Komarov this off-season, Marleau, Hainsey, and Nazem Kadri also wore the “A” occasionally last season. As for the young core of the team, Dubas says that he hopes William Nylander, Morgan Rielly – a frequent alternate the past few years, Jake Gardiner, Auston Matthews, and Mitch Marner continue to grow in their leadership abilities, but stopped short of calling any of them a prime candidate at this point. With Nylander still unsigned and both Gardiner and Hainsey on expiring contracts, it would seem that either Marleau or Tavares would be the favorite for the role, with Rielly, Matthews, and Marner as possibilities. However, Dubas will not rush the decision and the Leafs may even go another whole season without a formal captain.

Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner Unlikely To Sign Extensions Before Season

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While all eyes around the Toronto Maple Leafs right now are on William Nylander and his ongoing contract negotiations, there is also now the possibility of long-term extensions for Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. Both star forwards have been eligible for an extension since July 1st, but haven’t been in the spotlight much after the team signed John Tavares in free agency and still has not reached an agreement with Nylander for the upcoming season. Now, while sitting down with Bob McKenzie of TSN, Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas admitted that those extensions may not get done before the season.

I wouldn’t say it’s all too likely. We’ve had good discussions with all of them, with both Mitch and Auston and their people. These are the types of things that because there’s no real immediacy to it—they both know they have another year on their contract, everyone’s excited for the season—it’s been a very patient process on all parts. That’s more from the team that it is from the players. We believe that if a player is going to commit that long to a team on a long-term agreement, that we want them to be fully comfortable and aware of what they’re getting into. 

Dubas went on to explain how his team would always be willing to negotiate in-season, but understands if the player doesn’t want that distraction as they’re trying to perform to the best of their abilities. That likely means that the two sides would have to come together next offseason and hammer something out, a tact that could end up costing the Maple Leafs even more.

There is little reason to believe that Matthews or Marner will take steps backwards this season given their individual talent and the expected improvement to the team. If they head into negotiations with new career highs, or even just a third season at the level they’ve been at their demands may increase. That said, both players would likely already be looking at huge contract extensions in any negotiations this summer, with players like Jack Eichel and Leon Draisaitl as potential comparables.

Dubas again seemed confident that all three of the Maple Leafs’ young stars will be with the club long-term, even going so far as to suggest the team try to keep them for their entire careers. While many have wondered how they’ll fit everyone in under the salary cap now that John Tavares is in town making $11MM per season, the young GM obviously has a plan in place. Nylander is the next step on that plan, and needs a contract in the next week or will be in danger of missing the start of training camp.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Atlantic Notes: Maple Leafs’ Defense, McAvoy, Bruins’ Rookies, Drouin

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With most of the media attention drawn towards the Toronto Maple Leafs’ signing of John Tavares, many people didn’t notice that the team didn’t really address their defensive issues this last offseason. The main reason for that is that general manager Kyle Dubas feels the answers to their defensive problems are more likely to be found within their own organization.

The Star’s Mark Zwolinski writes that the team has their top four of Morgan Rielly, Jake Gardiner, Ron Hainsey and Nikita Zaitsev, but they also have an overabundance of talented blueliners who are ready to step in and fill in those final two spots as well as help out if one of those top four struggle next season. The team can look to a number of defensemen, including Travis Dermott, Igor Ozhiganov, Connor Carrick, Timothy Liljegren, Justin Holl, Jordan Subban, Andreas Borgman, Calle Rosen, Martin Marincin and Andrew Nielsen, who all have the capabilities of checking in if needed.

The scribe writes that one major advantage for all these players is they’ve had at least one year (except for Ozhiganov) of experience with defensive coach D.J. Smith, who was voted in a players’ poll as the assistant coach best suited to become a head coach.

  • After seeing Calgary Flames defenseman Noah Hanifin sign a six-year, $29.7MM deal ($4.95MM AAV) on Thursday evening, The Athletic’s Joe McDonald (subscription required) wonders what it might end up costing the Boston Bruins to lock up defenseman Charlie McAvoy, who is playing out the final year of his entry-level deal this season. If Hanifin makes that much, McAvoy, who has been quite an impact for the team already in just one-plus season, should be able to get an even bigger deal. The scribe writes that the Bruins had already started extension talks at $6MM over seven years, but are more likely to work out an even longer-term deal after this season, which could be an eight-year deal between $7.5MM and $8MM.
  • In a team preview, The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa (subscription required) writes that it looks like a rookie will be centering the Boston Bruins’ third line next season after having Riley Nash centering it last season. It just comes down to who wins that job between Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson, Trent Frederic and Jack Studnicka. All are expected to have significantly better offensive skills than Nash, but all have no NHL experience so far. The 21-year-old Forsbacka-Karlsson was inconsistent in his first season in the AHL last year. The 20-year-old Frederic is considered to be more of a grinder after two seasons at the University of Wisconsin, while the 19-year-old Studnicka still lacks both size and strength and may not be ready for an NHL role yet, despite excellent offensive skills. If none are ready, Sean Kuraly or Chris Wagner would have to assume the role.
  • Patrick Hickey of the Montreal Gazette, in a series on key players the Montreal Canadiens need to get a better season from, suggests that the team must get a major improvement out of center Jonathan Drouin this season. One reason the highly-touted Drouin struggled was because the 23-year-old spent the previous summer training with Max Pacioretty with the assumption they would be linemates, but learned early on that they weren’t very compatible together as well as the fact that some within the organization felt he would be a better winger, while others wanted him playing center. Now, a full-time center, Drouin has been training for this season all offseason. “Last year, I came in and I had no feel for what was going on,” Drouin said earlier this week. “As the year went on, I felt more comfortable knowing what do in some areas, at some points in the game. At the end of the year, things were starting to work out and I want to continue like that.”

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