The Ducks have plenty of space to re-sign Zegras and Drysdale
Eric Stephens of The Athletic: The Anaheim Ducks have over $16 million in salary cap space available with Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale unsigned.
Zegras and the Ducks are looking at a short-term deal – in the three-year range. The salary cap could go up $10 to $12 over the next three years and Zegras could look to cash in then.
Drysdale doesn’t have a lot of leverage as he missed almost all of last season with an injury. He did have 32 points during his rookie season and will play top-four minutes this season.
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet: Renaud Lavoie reported last week that the Ducks had offered Trevor Zegras between $3 and $4 million per season. It doesn’t sound like there’s been much movement and if they want three year, that number has to be higher.
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The Lightning and Steven Stamkos went close to the wire before. Could it happen again?
Sportsnet: Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek on 32 Thoughts: The Podcast – Andlauer Officially Owns the Senators, on Steven Stamkos comments.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Marek: “How do you see, just as an aside since you started us off here with Stamkos because when we talked about this on the (Friday) podcast, a lot of people, specifically I’m not sure what you’re either timeline or cell phone text messages looked like, but mine were a lot of, ‘Stamkos to Toronto. Does Toronto have a shot? Do you think Stamkos would go to Toronto?’ And I just kept saying ‘Pump the breaks. I can see Stamkos negotiating with Tampa all season long.’
Do you have a feeling or sense of maybe how this plays itself out with one of the top teams in the NHL and their captain?”
Friedman: “Look, I think, I’ve used this line before, the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. Last time Steven Stamkos and the Tampa Bay Lightning walked it down to days before July 1st. We were within a week. I think it was four days.
NHL Rumors: Could Steven Stamkos Actually Leave Tampa?
So that says to me that his first option is to stay, and I think by him coming public the way he did, it reminds you his first option is to stay and I think he will try to do that until that option is no longer there, That’s the way I look at it.”