Mark Spector: Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland and Zach Kassian’s agent, Rick Curran, and been talking and are finding common ground on a contract extension.
gets the sense that before the trade deadline they will announce a multi-year contract extension.
Sportsnet: Spector in an interview with Oilers GM Ken Holland (not released yet) said they are talking with Kassian’s camp and they hope a deal can be reached.
“I’ve had a number of conversations with his agent, Rick Curran,” Holland noted. “The hope is that we can keep him in an Oilers uniform. I love his passion, his physicality. He’s a presence, and I am aware of the big playoffs he had three years ago. There is still five months before free agency. I believe Kass loves it in Edmonton, so hopefully we can find a solution that works for him and us.”
The soon to be 29-year old in last year of a three-year deal that carries a $1.95 million cap hit.
David Staple of the Edmonton Journal: Sportsnet Mark Spector was on CHED 630 with Bob Stauffer and was talking about pending UFA Zack Kassian. Spector says that the Oilers want to extend him, and Connor McDavid loves having him on his wing.
“Zack Kassian is heading for his first big pay day here possibly. And he’s increased his value a great deal. The question for me was: Do they want to sign earlier? Or do they want to take it to free agency? And my understanding now is that they like it, Zack likes it in Edmonton. He doesn’t see why he would go anywhere else. He’s playing with maybe the best player in the world here. And we would expect to see a deal get done possibly very shortly. I understand it could happen anytime. But I certainly would think it would happen in the next couple weeks.”
Spector adds they are still working on the term and dollar amount, and guesses a three-year at $4 million or a four year deal at $3.75 million.
If put on the trade market, Stauffer believes at least 20 teams would have an interest.
“I don’t know if you’d go above $3.5 million (per year), but maybe you have to… For all of the guys that want to sit there and go, ‘Well, you can’t give him a four year term. Look at Lucic.’ I don’t think Looch is a terrible skater, but Looch is not what we could consider a fast, explosive skater at this stage of his career. Zack Kassian can skate.”