Bergeron, Malkin, Gaudreau, and Forsberg Fill The Headlines BUT…
Chris Johnston of NorthStarBets.com: Again, Johnny Gaudreau has been talked about over and over from the Calgary Flames. No one knows yet if he will test the market. One thing is certain, he is likely to get a deal north of $10 million AAV. The only question is seven or eight years.
Boston anxiously awaits the decision of Patrice Bergeron. Giving everything that has happened this offseason, question marks abound. The concern with the Bruins is Bergeron’s age and that lengthy handshake line where the center lingered a long time on the ice. He won’t test the market but he will test retirement.
Evgeni Malkin and the Fenway Sports Group are at an inflection point when it comes to the Pittsburgh Penguins. He still plays at an elite level even in his mid-30’s. What could a next deal bring? Does ownership let Malkin test the market?
Lastly, in this group, there is Filip Forsberg. Both Forsberg and David Poile have said they want to come to an agreement. Forsberg does have a few nagging issues and maybe one with the coaching staff. No one can confirm that truly but the winger did have an extended goodbye in Nashville when the season ended. Stay tuned!
The last one is Ondrej Palat. Palat has been the truest soldier of Tampa Bay the last several years in these Cup runs. Does he go for the payday or for the chance to win more? He is 31 and will get some nice offers if he tests free agency.
The Defense – What About Kris Letang and John Klingberg?
John Klingberg had one bumpy season last year but in the end, came up in good form. The question now is can Klingberg and the Dallas Stars come to some sort of an agreement? It takes two to tango and Klingberg seems willing to give on some term and maybe even AAV. Dallas has room to negotiate.
As for Kris Letang, what does Pittsburgh do with the other 35+ player on the cusp of free agency? Pittsburgh will need to entice Letang a good bit. There are not a lot of impact defenders on the market. Letang holds a considerable amount of cards here.
Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, Tampa is + 140 on the moneyline and
Colorado is -165 on the moneyline with Betway