On the Maple Leafs …
- Darren Dreger of TSN: Joffrey Lupul is focusing on the now, but realizes that trade talk is inevitable. Belief is that Leafs GM Lou Lamoriello will gut the team at the trade deadline regardless of where they are in the standings. This doesn’t make a lot of sense to Lupul.
“If the deadline comes and we’re in the mix, it’s hard to believe they would move out assets,” Lupul told The Dreger Report. “I’m sure it will become a very popular topic.”
The Leafs envision the core of their rebuild to include players 22 years old and under. Time could be running short for Joffrey Lupul (32), Tyler Bozak (29), Leo Komarov (28), PA Parenteau (32), Shawn Matthias (27) and Daniel Winnik (30).
The goal for the Maple Leafs continues to be to acquire as many draft picks as possible.
Morgan Rielly is their one true untouchable. When Rielly’s contract is up, he could be looking at Tyler Myers, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Dougie Hamilton as comparables – five or six years in the $5.5 to $6 million range.
On the Hurricanes …
- Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer: Eric Staal is fine with the scrutiny and all the questions that will continue until a contract extension he’s signed/not signed/traded.
“We’re going to have to make some decisions on what they want to do and then we’ll go from there,” Staal said.
The Hurricanes would likely listen to offers for the 31-year old pending unrestricted free agent if an extension isn’t in place by the trade deadline. Staal has a no-trade clause and continues to say that he doesn’t want to leave.
“I like the direction Ron has taken this team, the things he’s been able to do,” Staal said. “We’ll try to hammer something out. Hopefully they want me to stay here, and if they want to go in a different direction and do different things, then, hey, that’s life. I’ll move on and go from there.
“But I said from Day One I’ve been in this organization my whole (career) and like to continue the way it’s going. I like the steps we’re taking. But those are decisions that will be made when we get there.”
The agent for Staal and Cam Ward, Rick Curran, said on Wednesday that contract talks involving both players and the Hurricanes could start in the first few weeks of December.
“Ron and I have had good conversations and he asked why not wait until after American Thanksgiving, to get a sense of how good a team they had,” Curran said. “I said that was fine. Neither of us has given each other a deadline.”
GM Ron Francis said he hopes to re-sign both, but only if the price and term is right.