Laine contract talks to get going in the upcoming weeks
Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun: David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported on the weekend that Patrik Laine could explore all options if he doesn’t like numbers the Winnipeg Jets are thinking.
This could just be posturing by Laine’s camp. Pagnotta suggests Laine could be looking for upwards of $10 million a season.
Contract negotiations between the Jets and Laine are expected to pick up in the upcoming weeks.
If agent Mike Luit doesn’t like what he hears from the Jets, he could explore an offer sheet.
It is still way too early in the process to suggest how far they could go. Negotiations take time.
Laine has 110 goals and 184 points in 237 games.
The Jets could look at a five- or six-year in hope of keeping the AAV down.
Dubas learning and talking with Marner’s camp more frequently than he did with Nylander
Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun: Getting draft pick(s) or prospect(s) for Nikita Zaitsev would be ideal for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
There likely won’t be many other teams lining up to help out the Maple Leafs but there will be some. The Senators could be one team as they need assets and possibly some help to reach the salary floor.
Leafs GM Kyle Dubas has met with Mitch Marner‘s agent Darren Ferris several times last week.
“We’ve had a lot more discussion with Darren already than we had with Lewis Gross (Nylander’s agent),” Dubas said. “This time last year, Lewis and I had not even had discussions, didn’t actually sit down until the draft in Dallas.
“The discussions with Mitch, Darren and I, they’ve been going back to last year. But with that in mind and learning from that, it is continuing to stay on it and not let it slip and not let anyone think we’re not wanting to get an agreement done.”
Dubas said they can’t allow their three restricted free agents – Marner, Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson – to hold up everything.
