NHL Tonight: Elliotte Friedman on what else the Toronto Maple Leafs could be working on this offseason.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Jamison Coyle: “We talked about the Leafs and all their additions recently to their already jammed up roster. We know what the salary cap hit. We know they’re over it right now.
So what do you expect from them moving forward here?”
Friedman: “Well first of all, I think the one thing is if they don’t make any other changes, it depends, I think they will, it depends on Matt Murray‘s health. Like, if Matt Murray and Jake Muzzin go on Long-Term Injured Reserve during the season they do have the ability to get their roster under the cap.
However, I think a lot of depends on what Murray’s health is. Is he healthy enough to play or not. If he’s healthy enough to play and they get Samsonov signed, then I expect they’re going to do something with Murray in order to make that cap room.
But I think the biggest thing on the ice Jamison, Bruce, is I think they’re going to address their defense. I don’t think they’re done there yet. I think they’re going to try, I don’t it’ll be a Ryan Reaves type on defense. I don’t know if those players exist anymore but I do think they’re going to try to get longer, meaner and nastier on the blue line.
And I think what could happen there, is the thing were all watching for between now and the start of the season.
Bruce Boudreau: “Well, ya, if they want to nastier, they’re going to have a tough team, but one of the greatest things I think Elliotte about the Leafs, is their speed and scoring acumen.
If they change more to the Calgary style were Brad was, I mean, it’ll be a lower scoring team but probably play a little more defensively don’t you think.
Friedman: “Well I think you’re right Bruce and I think there’s a couple of things here that are going to control all that is, and the top things among them are the contract situations for both Auston Matthews and William Nylander, who as it stands, they’re not signed after next season.
Now Matthews I believe this summer will sign a contract extension. Probably maximum five years. I think somewhere between three and five years, Matthews will sign for. I think the Maple Leafs are very confident that’s going to happen. I think it’s going to happen at some point this summer.
As yet what we don’t have is certainty with Nylander and what his future is going to be. I think they’ve engaged him a little bit in contract talks. I don’t think we’re anywhere close to them getting finalized. I think one of the big factors here with Nylander is, and Bruce you’ve been in those rooms, you know, is that this is an alpha male world, the National Hockey League. They compete on the ice and they compete off it too.
And I think if Nylander’s being asked to take a little bit less money, he wants to know if others are going to take less money too. And I don’t know if he wants to sign until he’s convinced of that. And then I think it’s the Leafs decision, how do feel with an unsigned Nylander and what’s that going to mean.
So I think that as much as anything else could determine the future of their roster.
Boudreau: “You know, I had Michael Nylander and he was a pretty stubborn guy. Nylander’s last contract, he went right to December 1 or something, and so don’t think it’s going to be an easy job. And he didn’t take a players valued contract there. He went for the money in the last one and I think the Leafs succumbed to him a little bit to it. But, so it’s going to be an interesting summer with those two guys going back and forth.
Friedman: “Ya, no question about it. Look, I have no problem with anybody, look, a contract negotiation we all know how it works. I say I’m worth eleventy-billion dollars and my employer says I’m worth nothing. And the whole thing is to get yourself in the middle or find yourself a sweet spot. And just, like I said, I think the biggest question with Nylander is right now is, as you said Bruce, it’s not a team where a lot of people have “taken less.” And some people feel you should and some people feel you shouldn’t. Everybody out there’s probably got a different opinion.
I just think Nylander’s going to be careful about not taking his full market value if other players on the team do the same thing.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
