Can the Maple Leafs afford $5 million for Jack Campbell?
@Nylanderthews: Chris Johnston said on TSN 1050 that he’s not sure if pending UFA Jack Campbell will be back with the Toronto Maple Leafs next season.
Johnston said that Campbell is looking for $5 million per season and he doesn’t think the Leafs can go that high.
Johnston thinks that the Leafs could be looking for two goaltenders this offseason.
It will probably take a three-year contract for Campbell according to Johnston – with the Maple Leafs or elsewhere.
What the Flyers need, and should the Sabres go after a top free agent?
Adam Kimelman of NHL.com: (mailbag) The Philadelphia Flyers have been linked to pending UFA forward Johnny Gaudreau but they lack the salary cap flexibility and other areas that need to be improved on as well. Not easy to lure a top UFA under those circumstances. The Flyers should have adding a top-four defenseman as their top priority and they may need to find a backup goaltender if they don’t re-sign Martin Jones.
The Buffalo Sabres finished the season strong but are more than one player away from being a contender. They have the salary cap space but now may not be the time to spend on a pending UFA like Ville Husso, Nazem Kadri, Filip Forsberg or Johnny Gaudreau. If they were to go after any of those, 27-year-old goaltender Husso be the guy.
Laine is friends with a recent Blue Jacket signee
Brian Hedger of The Columbus Dispatch: The Columbus Blue Jackets signed Finnish forward Joona Luoto to a two-way contract on Wednesday. Luoto happens to be a friend of pending RFA forward Patrik Laine. They played together on Junior teams.
The Blue Jackets and Laine’s camp had started contract talks in late April. In 56 games this past season he scored 26 goals and added 30 assists.
He was on a one-year, $7.5 million deal and will be looking for a raise.
The Avalanche are on the road against the Oilers and are
-135 on the moneyline with Betway