On the Columbus Blue Jackets …
Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Blue Jackets: The Blue Jackets offseason challenge will be to re-sign pending RFA defenseman Seth Jones.
“I don’t anticipate any problems,” general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said Monday. “We’ll find a deal that works for us and a deal that works for Seth Jones.”
The Blue Jackets have dealt with some messy contract negotiations in the past with Sergei Bobrovsky and Ryan Johansen, but didn’t really have issues with Ryan Murray and Boone Jenner on their bridge deals.
Some GMs and agents think Morgan Rielly would be a comparable for Jones. Rielly signed a six-year, $30 million extension recently.
The Blue Jackets are about $7.5 million under next year’s projected cap ceiling of $74 million. William Karlsson is the only other established NHL that is a pending RFA.
Rob Mixer of BlueJackets.NHL: (mailbag) The Blue Jackets would like to improve down the middle. On the free agent market, Frans Nielsen and David Backes are two name that jump out. They may be out of the Blue Jackets price range and they may too old for their liking – both will be 32-years old soon.
Adding a No. 3 to No. 6 defenseman might be a good idea. Dan Boyle or John-Michael Liles are two players who might be willing to sign a one-year deal. Boyle could retire, or may not fit what they are looking for.
On the Toronto Maple Leafs …
James Mirtle: Maple Leafs assistant GM Kyle Dubas: “The major thing I’ve realized is I have a lot to learn. This has been a great experience here this year focusing on the Marlies.”
Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star: The 29-year old Kyle Dubas will one day become a GM, and is flattered when his name is mentioned as a potential candidate somewhere – as it did in Arizona after Don Maloney was fired. Dubas plans to remain with the Maple Leafs for now though.
“Very bluntly put, I don’t believe I’m ready to be an NHL general manager,” Dubas said while the Leafs’ farm team, the Toronto Marlies, practised at Ricoh Coliseum ahead of Saturday’s playoff opener against the Sound Tigers in Bridgeport, Conn. “I believe I have a lot to learn, and I believe Toronto is the best place for me to learn that.”
Dubas has been running the Toronto Marlies of the AHL.