Notes on the Maple Leafs, Flames, Jets, Avalanche, Capitals, Canucks and Canadiens
James (@Account4hockey): Elliotte Friedman on WGR 550 yesterday.
Friedman thinks that the Toronto Maple Leafs had decided already who their next captain would be before the Auston Matthews news was made public – John Tavares. There were some within the organization that wanted Matthews, the group that wanted Tavares won out.
Matthew Tkachuk was asking for a five-year deal. The Flames were trying to do six years. After Brayden Point signed the three-year deal, both Tkachuk and the Flames agreed on three years.
Patrick Laine is asking the Winnipeg Jets for $7 million per season on a two-year deal. The Jets are countering with $6 million per for two years and are not wanting to go much higher.
- UPDATE: Darren Dreger: The Winnipeg Jets have signed Patrik Laine to a two-year bridge deal with an AAV of $6.75 million.
Kyle Connor and the Jets are looking at six years.
The Colorado Avalanche offered Mikko Rantanen a long-term deal at $8.5 million but it was not high enough.
The Winnipeg Jets were interested in defenseman Joel Edmundson before he was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes. Without knowing Dustin Byfuglien status for the season, the Jets can’t do much. Byfuglien is leaning towards retiring.
Nicklas Backstrom will likely be re-signed by the Washington Capitals, but it won’t be easy for them to re-sign Braden Holtby. Sergei Bobrovsky’s will be a comparable.
The Vancouver Canucks would like to move one of their depth forwards.
The Montreal Canadiens are looking to trade a forward. The Canadiens and Jonathan Drouin‘s relationship has been rocky.
Babcock on the Maple Leafs captaincy
TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock on their captaincy.
“Yeah, you know what, what’s interesting about captaincies? It’s really interesting to me. When you name a captain, if you do it right, the players think they picked him, the owner thinks he picked him, the manager thinks he picked him, the coach thinks he picked him because it’s obvious to you. It’s all the same guy. I have a strong feeling in the end that’s what it’ll be like here.”
The favorites for the Leafs captaincy – John Tavares, Morgan Rielly and Auston Matthews.