On the Toronto Maple Leafs …
Howard Berger: An agent said that the Maple Leafs and Auston Matthews are at a stalemate on an entry-level deal with the bonus package being an issue. Both sides are still talking.
On the Chicago Blackhawks …
Scott Powers: Source saying the Blackhawks and free agent Mark McNeill continue to work on a new contract.
On the Vancouver Canucks …
Ben Kuzma of the Vancouver Province: The Canucks have around $4 million in salary cap space and still need to re-sign RFAs Andrey Pedan and Alex Grenier. The Canucks could use a scoring winger with size.
To fit someone in, the Canucks may have to go the trade route. The Canucks biggest need is a second-line left winger. Sven Baertschi may be better served on the third line.
“We’d like to add a proven scorer who brings some grit to take the pressure off Sven, so he can keep developing at his own pace,” said Benning. “He took a big step last year and wants to prove to people that he has more to give. But I don’t know where he’s going to end up (next season). At some point, that (second line) is where he’s going to be, but maybe he plays on the third line with the capability of playing on the power play and potentially scoring 15 to 20 goals for us.”
The Canucks could look to trade Jannik Hansen, who has two years left on his deal with a $2.5 million cap hit, but GM Jim Benning doesn’t see that happening.
“We’re not moving Jannik,” he stressed. “I thought he was excellent for us last year and with the way the game is going with speed and skill, he fits that description perfectly. And we have him under a good (cap) number the next couple of years, so we’re not looking to do anything.”
Benning said they’ve been talking to some teams about a “hockey trade.”
