Sportsnet: Elliotte Friedman on The Jeff Marek Show on the New Jersey Devils, their pending RFAs in Timo Meier and Jesper Bratt, as well as Yegor Sharangovich.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Friedman: “… and you look at their D. They’re going to have to make some decisions on defense. But their D is pretty deep.
(Akira) Schmid showed me, there’s a future there. He got his taste. Now knows what’s all about. But the kid is really talented and he’s a real gamer.
NHL Rumors: Boston Bruins, and the Colorado Avalanche
They have some big decisions to make. They have Bratt. They have Meier. I think there’s room for one. but not, I don’t know if you have cap-wise you can do both, but I think there’s room for one at least. Bratt in particular, those haven’t been easy negotiations.
You have the baseline there for something that can be good for a very long time. I think there’s a lot of room to be excited about the Devils.”
Marek: “Is there room for, I know this might be a side piece here but at times he’s looked really good for the New Jersey Devils, is there room for Yegor Sharangovich?”
Friedman: “That’s a great question because I had actually heard around the deadline that it was a possibility he might get moved because his arb(itration) award is going to be high.”
Marek: “Yes”
Friedman: “His arb case is really good. Obviously, New Jersey didn’t do that, they kept him but I think, you know me, what I do is, I prioritize. What are your biggest decisions? Well you biggest decision is not Sharangovich. His future is going to be determined by a) what his next contract will be, and the puzzle pieces going in around him, Bratt and Meier.
NHL Rumors: The Vancouver Canucks, salary cap issues and trying to move out salary
So I think it’s a great question Jeff, but I think his future is likely determined by what else is happening.”
