Contract Breakdown For Kapanen and Johnsson … Leafs Ability To Front-Load Contracts … NHL Should Move Up Free Agency
Break down the contracts for Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson.
Contract breakdown for officially signed Andreas Johnsson and Kasperi Kapanen

Chris Johnston: Contract breakdown for Andreas Johnsson’s four-year contract extension:

2019-20: $4.3M signing bonus – $700,000 salary
2020-21: $1M SB – $2.6M salary
2021-22: $1.75M SB – $750,000 salary
2022-23: $1.75M SB – $750,000 salary

Chris Johnston: Contract breakdown for Kasperi Kapanen’s three-year contract extension:

2019-20: $3.7M signing bonus – $700,000 salary
2020-21: $1M SB – $1.86M salary
2021-22: $1.54M SB – $800,000 salary

Front-loading contracts

Chris Johnston of Sportsnet: Toronto Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas won’t apologize for the Leafs being able to front-load contracts. Dubas sees it as no different that States that have less taxes.

“We’re pretty fortunate in terms of the revenue that we’re able to draw in,” he said. “So I think for us to sit back and have the taxation argument used against us, but then not to be able to use any advantages that we have would be foolish on our part. I hear people bicker about it and make comments about it, but other teams aren’t apologizing for using taxation or cost of living to aid their argument.

“So I don’t think we should apologize either. And we won’t.”

Leafs signed a goaltender on Thursday

Cap Friendly: The Maple Leafs signed goaltender Michael Hutchinson to a one-year, one-way deal at $700,000 on Wednesday. He would have been a UFA on Monday.

Change the dates…

Pierre LeBrun: “I’ve had more agents and teams complain to me this week about how this speaking period is too long and the opening of free agency should be moved up. I’ve advocated this with the league for over 10 years. Start of free agency should be 3-4 days after the draft ends.”

Pierre LeBrun: “And yes it’s self-serving for us media wise, not denying that, but I have always wondered about the logic in having some of the biggest signings happen on our national holiday and sometimes drag into the U.S. national holiday few days later. Terrible time PR wise. Move up FA!”