What Are Teams Willing to Give Jonathan Toews on a Contract?
On the weekend edition of the TFP (The Fourth Period) Hotstove on Sirius XM NHL Network Radio, Ryan Paton, Dennis Bernstein, and Dave Pagnotta discuss where Jonathan Toews will land and how much he could get on a contract.
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
NHL Rumors: New York Rangers and Jonathan Toews Landing Spots
Ryan Paton: “Very quickly before we hit the break. Jonathan Toews. Look, if you’re not pulling for this guy, then there’s something wrong with you in my mind. He’s been out of the league. He had to step away a couple of seasons ago with Chicago for health reasons. Hasn’t played since the 22-23 campaign, but he said he’s fully ready to try to make a comeback, Dennis, this season in the NHL, told his agent, let’s go, let’s go, let’s go.
So again, this is somebody who has had a ton of talent over his career. Big question, of course, is, how is he now, and is it going to be a factor going into next season? Hopefully, he’ll be with a team. I think he should. Because I do think he’s got a lot still to prove, at least for himself, that he can get back to being whoever and what type of player he is, but I think there’s going to be some suitors, and there’s going to be some teams to kick the tires on.”
Dennis Bernstein: “Well, look we can romanticize him playing Winnipeg, right? That’s where he’s from. They needed a 2C, because (Vladislav) Namestnikov, as I said, since he’s been the 2C, is they needed a 2C. And they had won two seasons ago with (Sean) Monahan, and he left through free agency. So, I think it’s great.
The only other teams I would think would need a 2c that close, because, you know, JT is not going to come back and play for Nashville, like Nashville could use him in the middle, right? But he’s not going to Nashville because they were the 30th. They were 30th best team. The only other team would be, let’s say, Colorado, but as Dave reported a couple of days ago, that, and you can expand on this, that Brock Nelson is talking about a return to Colorado after being traded there, right?”
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Dave Pagnotta: “I think the initial thought process was going to be definitively just walk to free agency after Colorado season ended? I can tell you that’s not necessarily the case. He will, and he’s definitely open to signing a deal with the Avs, and I think they’re going to have those conversations in the not-too-distant future.
Is it going to be this coming week? Is it the following week? I’m not sure, but there’s mutual interest on both sides to try to make something happen here. And I believe every indication that I’ve been given from multiple people is that, yeah, he will consider Colorado as an option, and he is not against skipping out on free agency if there’s a deal to be had.”
Paton: “Toews, Nelson, the list goes on and on, and it’s going to be a very interesting off season. Already started for certainly 30 teams out of the 32 in the NHL. Two left to go here, by the way, the Jets, if you’re thinking about that with Toews, nice storybook ending. Good bookend. They have about $26.5 million in cap space. So that wouldn’t be an issue I wonder what type of contract you think teams would, teams would offer Toews Dave? Do you think this would be like is it a year-by-year thing? Is it a three? Is it two? I don’t see much.”
Pagnotta: “I mean, I got to think that’s a year-by-year kind of thing.”
Bernstein: “One year, $5 million?”
Pagnotta: “Oh, okay, all right. I mean, maybe is it, do you structure it? Bonus, bonus it out differently. I mean, he’s plus-35, he’s over 35. We’ll see like everybody’s pointing to Winnipeg and him going home literally, and being there.”
Bernstein: “And don’t forget the other center just had hip surgery. Adam Lowry just had hip surgery. So he’s not going to start the regular season. So there’s more of a sense of urgency to get another center this guy would fit.”
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Pagnotta: “Yeah, and Lowry, it’s four to six months of recovery, then he’s got to hit the ice. So, yeah, we may not see and there’s a chance, Jets fans might not see Lowry until 2026, by the time he’s fully ready. I mean, full recovery speeds up. All right, he’s good to go in like November. But we’ll see.
But I think Winnipeg will be there. I agree with everybody on that, but I don’t think they’re going to be the only ones. I think Colorado, we just talked about them. I think that’s a team that kick the tires on him. I think Toronto will, at the very least to inquire. I think they’re going to be a lot of teams, especially contending teams, that want to shore up that center position if he’s good to go. The mindset for me is he’s your 3C, and if he can be better than that, you move him up in the lineup, and all of a sudden you’ve got an extra 2C.”
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