Scouting the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers
David Pagnotta: Scouts listed to attend last night’s Maple Leafs – Panthers game: Colorado Avalanche (3), Winnipeg Jets (2), Columbus Blue Jackets (2), St. Louis Blues, Boston Bruins, San Jose Sharks, Dallas Stars, Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders, Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks, Vegas Golden Knights, Los Angeles Kings, Nashville Predators, Detroit Red Wings, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Seattle.
The Avalanche are playing in Buffalo tonight, so likely GM Joe Sakic and scouts likely getting in an extra game.
Mike McIntyre: The Winnipeg Jets have been scouting the Maple Leafs a lot lately.
The Jets and Byfuglien working towards a mutual termination … Jets would the flexibility, Byfuglien would be a UFA
TSN: Multiple sources are saying that the Winnipeg Jets and defenseman Dustin Byfuglien are working towards mutually terminating his contract over the next couple of days. Byfuglien is suspended by the Jets and back in November, he filed a grievance.
Terminating his contract would give the Jets some salary cap flexibility to get out from Byfuglien’s $7.6 million, and would make Byfuglien an unrestricted free agent.
The 34-year old Byfuglien had ankle surgery in late October and he hasn’t resumed skating.
Jets coach Paul Maurice said they wouldn’t be in the market for a rental player.
“Paying a high price for a rental, I don’t know that that makes a whole lot of sense for us,” Maurice told reporters on Friday. “If we can get a guy that can come in and play maybe more than the rest of the season, you’d think about doing that.”
Cap Friendly: With a mutual termination, Dustin Byfuglien would be forfeiting his $8 million salary this year and $6 million next year. He would have to be put on unconditional waivers and clearing before becoming a UFA.
Ken Wiebe of The Athletic: Dustin Byfuglien’s agent Ben Hankinson and Winnipeg Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff declined to comment on Seravalli’s report that the sides are working toward a mutual termination.
Byfuglien hasn’t started skating and very little is known what he’s been thinking. He’ll be walking away from $14 million, and could still decide to retire.
The Jets would gain the salary cap space to go after a top-four defenseman.
