Maple Leafs and Gardiner’s camp continue to talk
TSN: Updating on Jake Gardiner‘s injury and his pending free agent status.
Pierre LeBrun: Gardiner was able to avoid surgery and an MRI came back clean. He’s feeling 100 percent.
“Certainly, I expect that even if he stays in Toronto, it can only happen after Mitch Marner‘s re-signing and that’s holding up the Jake Gardiner process. Because they need a decision and a solution on Mitch Marner first.”
Darren Dreger: Gardiner’s agent Pat Brisson and the Maple Leafs will continue to talk to see if there is a potential fit or not.
Islanders will have their big three UFAs unsigned
Arthur Staple of The Athletic: The New York Islanders still have free agents Anders Lee, Robin Lehner and Jordan Eberle.
Contract talks with Lee continue and it’s a bit surprising a deal hasn’t been reached yet. Lee is looking for a seven or eight-year deal while the Islanders prefer five or six years. Cap hit in the $6.5 and $7 million range. Though not the same as the John Tavares situation, another captain leaving wouldn’t be good.
Most thought a Lehner deal would be done by now. Lehner would be happy to stay but at the right price and term. Ilya Sorokin won’t be coming over until the end of his KHL season next year at the earliest. There is also pending UFA Sergei Bobrovsky. A one-year stop-gap goalie is an option – Mike Smith, Brian Elliott or Cam Talbot.
Eberle and the Islanders are still talking. He’s likely to hit free agency unless he’s willing to take a shorter termed deal. There are not many scoring wingers available in free agency so he’s not going to settle on a short deal.
The Islanders will qualify restricted free agent Josh Ho-Sang.
The Edmonton Oilers or Carolina Hurricanes could be interested in Lehner if he gets to free agency.
The Islanders will be looking at the trade market for top-six wingers – mainly right-wingers. They have defenseman Nick Leddy they could use as trade bait.