NHL Network: Elliotte Friedman on the Toronto Maple Leafs and what else they have to address this offseason.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Jame Hersch: “You mentioned (Ilya) Samsonov and his salary arbitration case coming up very soon. So what is the state of the Maple Leafs as a group right now.
Friedman: “Well I think there’s a few things here. With Samsonov first of all, I think the Maple Leafs have made it clear they did not want to go long-term with him. They were looking towards a shorter-term deal. Just maybe three years max. That kind of a thing.
He has an arbitration case on Friday. So that means the arbitration exchange if they don’t come to a settlement will be made by morning. So that’s kind of where that stands.
- Elliotte Friedman: The Maple Leafs filed for $2.4 million and Ilya Samsonov asked for $4.9 million.
The other question there is Matt Murray and what is his future going to be because the Maple Leafs are going to need cap room.
Now, there are some questions about Murray’s health. He’s had some concussion history, unfortunately. He’s had an ankle injury too. And I think the biggest question was going to be if the Maple Leafs were going to be able to able to buy him out if they wanted to.
So if the answer is no, they can’t do that because of his health, I think that is uncertain as we look at this right now, I think he’s either not going to play and they’re going to be able to use his long-term injury, or they might have to trade him somewhere with a sweetener.
But, I do think this one is going to get sorted out. The Maple Leafs don’t seem overly concerned about their cap situation, so I think either, I think they’re going to work out some kind of solution with Murray. Whether it’s long-term injury (reserve) or it’s something else that’s going to give them room to do something.
Now, the other thing with Toronto is, I do believe that they are still talking to (Auston) Matthews and (William) Nylander about contract extensions. There’s a big debate over who’s going to go first.
From what I understand, like, the Matthews thing is gonna happen. I think the question is, when is it gonna happen and what term is it going to happen for? I think it’s going to be somewhere between three and five years and I think it’s gonna happen I just don’t know exactly when.
The Nylander one, I think that’s kind of at a standstill. I just think that they aren’t close. I don’t think that, unless somebody really budges their position, that one’s going to stay at a standstill.
And I’ve said many times, I think the issue there for Nylander is, if other players aren’t going to take a little less to win there, then I don’t think he’s going to either. Like I said, I think Nylander’s at a standstill the last I checked very recently.