Red Wings and Larkin progressing to an extension …
Craig Custance of The Athletic: The Detroit Red Wings and Dylan Larkin are making some progress on a long-term contract extension according to Larkin, and a deal should be done before September.
“It’s coming together. Maybe something pretty soon,” Larkin told The Athletic. “It goes back and forth. I’ve learned the business part of it. Between free agency and the draft and everything, it’s tough to get time to talk for my agent and Kenny. That’s part of summer and part of how it goes.”
A deal will likely be in five or six years according to Custance.
Justin Abdelkader carries a $3.975 million salary cap hit through 2021-22. He has a no-trade clause but if he’s not in their top-nine in forward ice-time, he can be traded to anyone.
In the next couple of years, the Red Wings should gain some cap space and could go after top-four defensemen in free agency.
The Flyers have some free agents that could be locked up long-term …
NBC Sports Philadelphia: Looking at any future free agent signings in the next year for the Flyers …
John Boruk – Can’t see the Flyers being in on any 2019 free agents at this point. Signed James van Riemsdyk this offseason, with Travis Konecny and Ivan Provorov needing new deals after next this season. Wayne Simmonds has a year left and not sure he makes sense on a $6-7 million deal for four or five years. Could Provorov get an eight-year, $56 million deal like Drew Doughty did coming out of his entry-level?
Tom Dougherty – Robert Hagg is the Flyers lone remaining RFA. Provorov or Simmonds could sign an extension this offseason.
Jordan Hall – Think that GM Ron Hextall‘s next big signing will be extending Simmonds before the start of the season. After the Flyers signed JvR on July 1st, Hextall said it wouldn’t change Simmonds future status.
“We like Wayne Simmonds,” Hextall said July 1. “This doesn’t change anything for Wayne. This is a left winger; this is a different player than Simmer. We’re excited to have James, and certainly, we would like to have Simmer for a long time, too.”