Heed may have some value … Sharks may be putting Pavelski on hold
Kevin Kurz of The Athletic: (mailbag) Both defensemen Radim Simek and Tim Heed require waivers for the San Jose Sharks to send them to the minors.
Another option would be for Sharks to look to trade the 27-year old Heed rather than risk losing on waivers. Heed might hold some trade value.
Heed will be a free agent after the season, while Simek signed a two-year deal this offseason and is more likely to stay.
It sounds like Joe Pavelski would like to get a contract extension done, but the Sharks may be looking to wait. Pavelski will be 35 years old next season.
Nylander’s camp may not be moving far off their original asking price
Chris Nichols of Nichols on Hockey: Darren Dreger was on TSN 1050 yesterday and was talking about Toronto Maple Leafs restricted free agent forward William Nylander.
Dreger said he doesn’t get the sense that the Maple Leafs and Nylander’s camp have had much back and forth talks as originally thought and that Nylander may not be moving much from their original asking price.
“If, and this is just speculative here, if William Nylander is still looking for a number that is in the mid-high 7s, well, then this contract stalemate is going to take a lot longer. Because I just don’t see the Toronto Maple Leafs coming anywhere near that given what they’re seeing in camp and the fact that they have to be mindful moving forward of the cap hit that Nylander is going to take and the bite that he’s going to take out of some of the resources they’re going to have to invest in other areas in the very near future.”
Dreger was asked if a sign-and-trade would be possible, which he said it is but adds, how many teams would be interested in paying Nylander $7+ million a season? Dreger doesn’t think that Nylander is a $7 million player just yet.
“That’s why we’re seeing the bridge deals, right. The bridge deals work for both sides. The player is investing in himself and his belief that he is going to get the money in a couple of years because he’s going to earn it developmentally.”