On the Edmonton Oilers …
David Staples of the Edmonton Journal: Bob Stauffer on the rumor from Joshua Marshall that the Oilers and Jarome Iginla have had some talks about a possible PTO or one-year deal:
“I don’t believe it makes sense and I’m not getting any indications it’s going to happen at this time.”
Stauffer isn’t sure if Iginla would accept a PTO. The Oilers also don’t have a lot of contract spaces left – they are at 51 with three eligible to be sent to junior. On the right side, the Oilers already have Zack Kassian, Anton Slepyshev, Jesse Puljujarvi, and one of Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Strome or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
On the Buffalo Sabres …
Chris Nichols of FanRag Sports: Darren Dreger was on WGR 550 talking about the Buffalo Sabres and Jack Eichel. Dreger says that Sabres and Eichel are still hopeful an extension can be in place before the start of the season but doesn’t get the sense that Eichel is that worried about it.
“My sense a week or even two weeks ago was that they were still very hopeful that they would get a settlement done here, they would reach an agreement prior to the start of the season. There’s still that possibility, but I’m now getting the sense that – certainly from the player’s perspective – he’s okay starting the season without this contract extension in place. I know that that’s not best case for a lot of guys because who wants to talk about it through training camp and obviously a good part of the regular season. And it’s not just the questions that you face in Buffalo. I mean, you face that in pretty much every city that you visit. Every reported wants to hear the same thing: ‘Is the contract negotiation a distraction?’”
Dreger adds that Eichel will get less than Connor McDavid‘s $12.5 million and will be looking to get more than Leon Draisaitl’s $8.5 million.