A couple of comparables for Jake DeBrusk
Joe Haggerty of Boston Hockey Now: Boston Bruins restricted free agent winger Jake DeBrusk has averaged 20 goals over the past three seasons. The 23-year old had only an okay season (19 goals and 16 assists in 65 games) and may not get the $5 million range that was once thought.
Recent comparables are Jake Virtanen (two years, $2.55 million cap hit), Denis Gurianov (two years at $2.55 million) and Ryan Strome‘s (two-year, $4.5 million cap hit). Strome may not be the best comparable as he’s few years older and a centerman.
DeBrusk should come in between them, in the $3.5 to $4 million range on a two-year bridge deal.
Oilers could add center depth at the trade deadline … Kahun ended up taking less
Kurt Leavins of the Edmonton Journal: The Edmonton Oilers could be looking at Gaetan Haas, Alan Quine and Jujhar Khaira as fourth-line center options for next season. If none of them really work out, there should be plenty of cheap, veteran options available at the trade deadline.
Dominik Kahun ended up signing a one-year deal with the Oilers for $975,000. Sources say that at the start of free agency Kahun had offers for more than what he signed with the Oilers for. Maybe his agents thought he could end up getting more, and they likely weren’t the only ones who thought that. It has been a buyers market. The Oilers and Kahun may have started off talking about a multi-year deal, and they could re-visit during the season.
Canucks were working to move cap space before Toffoli left in free agency … Top-six options
Iain MacIntyre of Sportsnet: The biggest hole that the Vancouver Canucks incurred was when first-line winger Tyler Toffoli left and signed with the Montreal Canadiens. Canucks GM Jim Benning said last week that he had been working on a trade that would have opened up salary cap space to be able to re-sign Toffoli.
Their top-six will likely consist of Elias Pettersson, Bo Horvat, J.T. Miller, Brock Boeser, Tanner Pearson and Jake Virtanen. Virtanen will get another shot at being a top-six forward. Jayce Hawryluk could get a shot if Virtanen falters. Prospect Nils Hoglander could be the team out of camp and would be an option for the second line.
Micheal Ferland and his $3.5 million could end up on the LTIR.