NHL Rumors: Tyson Barrie, 2020-21 Season, Escrow, Compliance Buyout, Exception Player, and the 2020 NHL Draft
Some teams that have the salary cap space and need for pending free agent defenseman Tyson Barrie
© Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Potential landing spots for Tyson Barrie

Luke Fox of Sportsnet: (mailbag) Toronto Maple Leafs pending unrestricted defenseman Tyson Barrie won’t be re-signing with the Leafs as they don’t have the salary cap space nor a spot as the No. 1 power play defenseman.

It is believed that Barrie might have interest in returning to his home province of British Columbia, there may not be a fit with the Vancouver Canucks.

Teams that have the salary cap space and the need for an offensive defenseman include the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, New Jersey Devils, and Los Angeles Kings, but all of them are basically rebuilding. The Winnipeg Jets may be the top option with Dustin Byfuglien‘s contract off the books.

Friedman on next season start date, escow, compliance buyouts, ‘exception player,’ and the 2020 NHL draft

Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet: The NHL and NBA starting their 2020-21 seasons in December is a real possibility. One executive whose team shares an arena with an NBA team thinks that the NBA could start on Christmas day and the NHL a few weeks before.

The players relize that they could be hit with a 35 percent escrow next season unless the NHL and NHLPA can come up with something to spread it out over time.

There are some owners who don’t want the extra costs of compliance buyouts. What about allowing teams that have the money to spend more?

Believe the players may have brought up having a lower salary cap ceiling, which got them a response about a salary rollback.

Friedman wonders about an ‘exception player’ who doesn’t count against the cap, with a luxury tax of an equal amount.

There is a battle between holding the 2020 NHL draft on June 5th or not.

No timeline to give dates

Pierre LeBrun: NHL/NHLPA release didn’t give any firm decision dates.

Would guess that if/when the season resumes with no fans in the building would be anytime between July and October.

  • Pierre LeBrun: “Which is why the 2020-21 season could be delayed until December as we reported earlier this week. But again, no firm decisions yet on that either. Still lots to play out in the coming weeks.”