Maple Leafs and Marner closing in on a bridge deal?
Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun: Toronto Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas had been hoping to have Mitch Marner re-signed by July. thinks they will get a deal done in early October.
Have been told that the Maple Leafs could have signed Marner to an eight-year extension with an $8 million salary cap hit a year ago but they thought it was too much at that time.
Mark Zwolinski of the Toronto Star: There is the belief that the Maple Leafs and Mitch Marner could be closing in on a three-year bridge deal with an AAV of $9.5 million.
If the Maple Leafs were to bring Jake Gardiner back on a one-year deal somehow, they would likely need to move one of the defensemen they acquired this offseason – Tyson Barrie, Cody Ceci, Ben Harpur and Jordan Schmaltz.
Bruins – McAvoy to resume contract talks
Jimmy Murphy of Boston Hockey Now: The Boston Bruins and restricted free agent defenseman Charlie McAvoy are set to resume contract talks “in earnest” according to sources.
“Both sides have been hammering away but a point was reached where you just need to step back and regroup,” the source told Boston Hockey Now Sunday morning. “Like it has been with most of the unsigned RFA’s for the last week or two, it was the same with him and the Bruins. Everyone wants to hammer this out and get a deal done.”
There were reports last February that McAvoy had rejected an offer from the Bruins as he was looking for something similar to Aaron Ekblad‘s eight years with a $7.5 million salary cap hit. It’s believed the Bruins were offering in the $5 to $5.5 million range.
A bridge deal has been discussed given the Bruins salary cap situation and the need to also re-sign Brandon Carlo.