On the Toronto Maple Leafs and Vegas Golden Knights …
Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun: Think that Maple Leafs should try to get William Nylander signed to a six-year, $36 million extension – a RFA after next season. thinks Nylander should be looking at a short-term deal at less money and they go for a bigger deal afterwards.
The Vegas Golden Knights may have to move at least four NHL defensemen before the start of the season.
Howard Berger of Between the Posts: Don’t see how the Maple Leafs can keep both William Nylander and Mitch Marner long-term to have a properly balance team. Marner is a more complete player then Nylander and should be kept. Nylander may become a more prolific scorer than Marner, but Marner is ahead in other areas of the game.
Tyler Bozak has a year on his deal and won’t easily be replaced.
The Marner-Nylander debate could still be a few years off unless a Norris Trophy type player becomes available. Coming off the books next year at a combined cap hit of $20.3 are Joffrey Lupul, James van Riemsdyk, Bozak, Leo Komarov, Eric Fehr, Dominic Moore and Ben Smith.
Nylander’s contract is up after next year, with Auston Matthews, Marner and Jake Gardiner needing new deals in 2019.
Hard to see the Maple Leafs having Matthews, Marner and Nylander on long-term deals taking up around $25 million in cap space. Now they all could take ‘home-town’ discounts, but that seems unlikely.
On the Ottawa Senators …
Chris Nichols of FanRag Sports: Elliotte Friedman on 630 CHED late last week after Connor McDavid signed his eight-year, $12.5 million per season deal. Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson’s name came up in the conversation. Karlsson has two years left on his contract and is eligible to sign an extension after July 1st next year.
“You want to know something? I’ll tell you something right now. I would not be surprised, if he wants it – and that’s the big question, if he wants it – I would not be surprised if Karlsson makes more than McDavid does.”