Can the Maple Leafs fit in another big contract? Dermott and Mikheyev need new deals
James Mirtle of The Athletic: (mailbag) The flattening of the salary cap may lower the price of what it might take to sign pending free agent defenseman Alex Pietrangelo. It might take $8.5 million to sign him.
For the Toronto Maple Leafs to sign him to that number, moving Andreas Johnsson and Kasperi Kapanen, and going to with a 20 man roster still wouldn’t give them enough room. They could also move Alex Kerfoot or Frederik Andersen, but making all those moves would deplete their depth.
The Maple Leafs acquiring a player that they could put on the LTIR does not benefit them this season.
The Maple Leafs should look to re-sign defenseman Travis Dermott to a one- or two-year deal and move him to the right side next season.
Figuring out what Ilya Mikheyev‘s next contract could be isn’t easy. He only played in 39 games but looked good at times. If he has a really good playoff and stays in their top-six, it will raise his number. Given their cap space this offseason, the Maple Leafs will have to play hardball. He may get a bridge deal at around $2 million per.
Andersson’s days with the Rangers could be coming to end
Vincent Mercogliano of Lohud: The New York Rangers have granted 2017 first-round pick Lias Andersson permission to play in the SHL next season. He signed with the HV71 on Friday.
In 66 NHL games, he’s recorded 12 points. Back in December Andersson requested a trade after spending some time with Hartford of the AHL.
Andersson would become a free agent after next season and the Rangers would need to send him a qualifying offer to retain his rights. If he doesn’t want to play for the Rangers in 2020-21, will he want to in 2021-22?
The Rangers could expose him in the Seattle expansion draft, or they could look to trade him. The return they get for him may not be much.
His time with the Rangers will likely be coming to an end.