The Maple Leafs are interested in bringing Ryan O’Reilly back
TSN: Pierre LeBrun said that though Ryan O’Reilly talked about his time in Toronto like he was just a rental, but Brad Treliving has spoken with O’Reilly’s agents to say that they are interested in extending him.
“O’Reilly has not closed the door on Toronto, but I would say in general is O’Reilly has really left all the options on the table as he approaches the unrestricted free agency market. So yes, the Leafs are an option, but he would also be arguably the No. 1 centre on an otherwise weak UFA centre market.”
NHL Rumors: It’s a push and pull between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Auston Matthews
The Florida Panthers will be looking for reasonably priced blue line help
Daily Faceoff: Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour could miss the start of the season due to offseason surgery, and Frank Seravalli reports they could be looking to buy-low on a big-named defenseman.
They’ll try to be aggressive and they have some cap space coming off the books. Given that Ekblad and Montour are coming back, they can’t be too aggressive in the free agent and trade market.
“And on top of that, I think they’re going to try and convince a couple defensemen. I don’t know if they’re going to be successful or not, but maybe coming off that run to the Stanley Cup Final, and some of the players that they have up front including Matthew Tkachuk and someone like Alexander Barkov, is to take one of these defensemen that has fallen on some hard times in the NHL, whether it’s Oliver Ekman-Larsson coming off of the buyout, or it’s Matt Dumba after his tough season in Minnesota, or John Klingberg after a tough year that ended in Minnesota.”
Would they be able to convince one of those guys to take a shorter-term, less money deal?
NHL Rumors: Philadelphia Flyers, Florida Panthers, and the San Jose Sharks
Draft prospect Matvei Michkov is a draft mystery
TSN: Chris Johnston notes that 2023 NHL draft prospect Matvei Michkov didn’t attend the NHL draft combine and that he’s only spoken to a limited number of NHL teams. One-on-one meetings in Nashville are going to be really important. Sources have him being selected in the five to eight range.
“That starts with the Montreal Canadiens with the fifth pick, Arizona at six, Philadelphia at seven and Washington at eight. So, it will be up to those teams, starting with the Canadiens of course, to decide what they’re going to do with Michkov, whether they take maybe a safer prospect or go for the talent.”