NHL Network: Elliotte Friedman on four players who are now eligible for contract extensions – Steven Stamkos, Auston Matthews, Sebastian Aho and Rasmus Dahlin.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Stu Grimson: “Elliotte, there’s a handful of players who are extension eligible at his point. Take your pick, I’ll give you some of those names – (Steven) Stamkos, (Auston) Matthews, (Sebastian) Aho, and (Rasmus) Dahlin. What are you hearing about any of these individuals, who are again, extension eligible this year?
Friedman: “Stamkos, I saw his agent Don Meehan and Julien BriseBois talking at the draft and I said, you know, does this mean a Stamkos is coming and everybody just said, just tone that one down. Not happening immediately.
I’ve always believed that one will get worked out. Like, to me Stamkos is a Lightning. I don’t see him wanting to be anywhere else based on the last time it’ll happen. So I’m always optimistic that one’s gonna work out.
Matthews, I think that one’s going to work out. I wouldn’t be surprised if it happens at some point this summer. I think it’s going to be somewhere between three and five years. I think on average annual salary it will make him the highest-paid player in the NHL.
I don’t know the exact timeline on it, Stu, but I do think that’s going to get done. I don’t think we’re going to have to wait an absurdly long time for that one to happen.
Aho. I believe the Hurricanes and Aho, I think Carolina’s in a bit of a holding pattern right now. I think they’re one of the teams that’s still in on Karlsson. I think that they’re one of the teams that’s still in on Tarasenko.
I think they’ve got a lot of business going on. There’s this Tony DeAngelo trade, which we all think is going to happen. But I think Carolina’s got a lot of balls in the air.
I think Aho gets done around eight times $9.5 (million). Around that number. I’m just not sure on the timeline.
And the last one you asked me was Dahlin. I think that one gets done too. The Sabres and Dahlin and his agents at Newport, they met at the combine, they met at the draft. People seem very optimistic about that one. Dahlin has indicated he wants to stay long-term and I think that one gets done eventually.
I think all of these players, I think will end up extending with their teams. I don’t have any reason to believe it won’t happen, although I can’t give you, I can’t give you exact timelines.