Author: Dose

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Mitch Marner is considering a two-year contract (to sign for a higher price afterwards)

In less than 10 days, Mitch Marner will officially become a free agent. He’ll be the biggest name to hit the market in several years, and one wonders where he’ll continue his career.

A return to Toronto seems more than unlikely, after all.

For a while, we expected to see him sign a seven-year deal (the maximum) with his new team… but more and more, the idea of a shorter pact is circulating. Seeing him sign for four years, for example, has been one scenario mooted.

Now, in a piece for The Athletic, Pierre LeBrun talks about another scenario Marner is considering right now: signing a two-year deal at $12-13 million a year.

The reason? He would become a free agent again in two years’ time, when the salary cap will have risen considerably. This would give him a much better chance of hitting the jackpot.

In Toronto, Marner has often been criticized for being on the money. Let’s not forget that in 2019, it was very complicated to manage his contract… and that it was settled shortly before the start of the season.

The file had dragged on and on… and Marner hadn’t left a single penny on the table.

So, for two years, Marner could go and play somewhere he didn’t necessarily intend to settle down for the long term. His priority would then be the summer of 2027, when the cap would be around $113.5 million and he could break the bank.

Some teams will have a lot of money to spend.

The big risk, though, is a possible drop in production (he won’t necessarily be playing with an Auston Matthews, after all) or an injury, which could lower his value. That said, with a two-year pact, Marner gives himself some wiggle room in case he gets injured next season, for example.

And perhaps a two-year contract instead of seven would allow other teams to enter the fray for his services this summer… including teams that might be at the top of his list, for example.

In Overtime

– T.J. Brodie went unclaimed in the waivers. His contract will be bought out by the Blackhawks.

– Nick Perbix will become a free agent on July 1. He could be a target for the Habs.

– Today’s news from CF Montreal.

– Jonathan Toews is happy to be in Winnipeg.

– It’s still the talk of the town.

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Matthew Tkachuk: 50% chance of major surgery

As everyone knows, ice hockey is an extremely difficult sport, both in terms of technique and toughness.

Even more so at the professional level, hockey leaves its mark, and even more so in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

It’s not for nothing that hockey players are referred to as true warriors, because every year, when the playoffs come to an end, we learn of a thousand and one injuries of all kinds among quite a few players.

And this year is no exception, as once again, several players have continued to dress every night and perform despite many after-effects and injuries.

Just think of Matthew Tkachuk, who was injured at the Four Nations tournament, but still managed to play all 23 playoff games, after missing the rest of the regular season following the tournament.

And of course, at the end of those 23 playoff games, well, we learned that Tkachuk was never really 100%, as he played with a sports hernia and a torn adductor muscle.

Still, Tkachuk scored 23 points in 23 games.

But now that the Stanley Cup has been won, the Panthers’ forward must think about his recovery, and on that subject, there’s a 50% chance he’ll need major surgery.

Indeed, that’s what the Panthers’ star forward said himself yesterday, as he explained that a decision would be made soon as to whether he would need to undergo surgery in the coming weeks.

Of course, if Tkachuk does undergo surgery, he will have to recover for a significant period of time.

It remains to be seen whether Tkachuk will be ready in time for the next campaign, should he undergo surgery.

In short, this is further proof of the incredible endurance and toughness of hockey players.

They’re truly impressive, and it’s not for nothing that they’re among the best athletes in the world.

Overtime

– Logical.

– Really cool.

– To watch tonight.

– Wow.

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Jeremy Swayman file: the Oilers must go all out

The Edmonton Oilers absolutely need a goalkeeper.

The same observation is made every year, but now, with a second straight Stanley Cup Final loss, it’s no longer a priority, but an obligation to find a competent goaltender capable of taking the team to the next level.

This is THE issue the Oilers need to address this summer, because if they don’t, Connor McDavid could get fed up and ask to be traded.

Unfortunately for McDavid and the Oilers, there won’t be any good, easy options.

Other than Jake Allen, there won’t really be any compelling options available on the free agent market.

So, the Oilers will probably have no choice but to turn to a trade to find a very good option in front of the net.

And with that in mind, it’s clear that the Oilers must do everything in their power to try and uproot Jeremy Swayman from Boston.

Indeed, if there’s one starting goaltender in his prime who could possibly leave his current team, it’s Swayman.

Of course, the Boston Bruins aren’t looking to part with him, especially not after finally getting him under contract after tough negotiations.

However, those same negotiations left their mark and clearly eroded the relationship between the goalie and the Bruins.

What’s more, after a difficult season in the first year of his new eight-year contract at $8.25 million a year, Swayman may well be tempted to leave the Bruins, who finished in the bottom half of the NHL.

In short, there’s clearly a connection to be made between the Edmonton Oilers and Jeremy Swayman’s name, especially considering that the Oilers had already put the feelers out, only to be told no.

In short, it’s clear that when you take all this information into account, if there’s even a small chance that the Bruins will part with Swayman, the Oilers have to be all-in.

Swayman is only 26, and he’s a proven NHL goaltender, which would do the Oilers a world of good, as they’re seriously only one good goaltender away from winning the Stanley Cup.

Let’s see how the situation develops, but it’s clear that the Oilers need to be extremely aggressive and ready for anything if they really want to solve their huge problem in front of the net.

Overtime

– They want to keep all their players, but it’s going to be very difficult.

– Too bad.

– To be continued for those interested.

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New contract: John Tavares and the Leafs are still a long way off

As everyone knows, Mitch Marner will not be returning to the Toronto Maple Leafs for the upcoming National Hockey League campaign.

He will officially become free as a bird on July 1ᵉʳ, and will subsequently sign with his new team.

It’s a huge chapter that’s closing on the Toronto side, when Marner was one of the team’s poster boys.

It must have been a tough pill to swallow for many Leafs fans, even if many were fed up with the number 16, so the Leafs shouldn’t let another big piece of the team go.

And by another big piece, I’m referring to John Tavares.

The former Leafs captain is out of contract for next season, and could become a free agent as early as July 1.

We know that Tavares wants to stay in Toronto, but at the moment, at last count, the Leafs and their #91 are still far from an agreement.

Indeed, as Pierre LeBrun reports in his latest article, the two sides have had some negotiations so far, but they really can’t agree on the amount.

Of course, there’s still a little over a week to go before the free agent market opens, but time could be running out for the Leafs.

Toronto simply can’t afford to lose Mitch Marner AND John Tavares for free in the same summer.

The Leafs can’t afford to lose Tavares as their second center, especially after a 38-goal, 74-point season.

Even at 34, the Leafs’ number 91 is still very well capable of producing at the highest level.

In short, Pat Brisson and his client are still a long way from staying in Toronto, while it’s clear that Tavares won’t accept a contract worth five million dollars a year.

With $25 million available under the cap, it would be a mistake for the Leafs not to keep Tavares by giving him the contract he wants.

Overtime

– Incredible.

– Read more.

– It all comes down to tonight.

– To be continued.

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JJ Peterka file: a trade could take place between now and the draft

Only five sleeps remain before the first round of the National Hockey League draft.

It’s getting more and more exciting, and above all, it’s making the 32 NHL teams more and more active on the transaction market.

Each team wants to improve, but also to settle the various issues it has on its table, either with contracts to be signed, or players who wish to leave.

And like every year, well, it looks like the Buffalo Sabres will have to trade and let go one of their good players, because once again, nobody wants to stay in Buffalo, considering the club’s repeated failures.

After Dylan Cozens earlier this year, the player most likely to leave the Sabres this summer is young German forward JJ Peterka.

This has been a hot topic in the NHL for several months now, and with the draft approaching, interest in the young German is VERY strong.

So strong, in fact, that according to Frank Seravalli, a trade could take place within the next five days.

Indeed, that’s what the reputed informant said during his appearance on the latest episode of the “DFO Rundown” podcast.

Seravalli believes it will happen by the draft, and if not, well, he’d be extremely surprised to see Peterka in a Sabres uniform come October.

So the 23-year-old winger really is on his way out of Buffalo, and we can understand the monster interest in him.

Why would that be?

Well, because at 23, Peterka is still developing, and he already has good NHL seasons under his belt: 50 points in 23-24 and, more recently, 68 points, including 27 goals, in 24-25.

The German has been making steady progress since his arrival in the NHL, and now that his entry-level contract has expired, he becomes all the more interesting for other teams, as they will be able to sign him to the contract of their choice by negotiating with him, given that he will be a restricted free agent.

A talented 23-year-old winger who scored 68 points with the horrible Buffalo Sabres is worth his weight in gold, because it’s not every day that a young player who’s just had his best season finds himself on the market.

It’s not for nothing that Peterka is a very attractive option for the Habs.

Of course, even if the Habs are in the running, there’s no guarantee that they’ll get their hands on him, and especially that Kent Hughes will be willing to pay the price and outbid them, because with all the teams interested, Peterka will go for a big price.

Seravalli named the New York Islanders, the Chicago Blackhawks, the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Vancouver Canucks and the New York Rangers among the teams interested and well placed in the file.

What could hurt the Habs is that the Sabres are reportedly asking for a right-handed defenseman in return for Peterka.

David Reinbacher won’t be traded, and I don’t think Logan Mailloux is what the Sabres are looking for, because they want something concrete right now.

In short, it would be a VERY nice acquisition if Kent Hughes ever manages to pull a rabbit out of his hat, because Peterka would fit right in on a second line with Ivan Demidov.

– Read on.

– Coming up.

– Great options for the Habs.

– Charlotte Checkers stay alive. The Abbotsford Canucks now lead the series 3-2.

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Second center: the Mammoth could help the Habs by drafting Caleb Desnoyers

With the NHL Draft fast approaching, speculation is rife as to which team will draft which prospect.

What’s more, we could well see a Québécois, Caleb Desnoyers, drafted in the top five of the upcoming auction, a first since Alexis Lafrenière in 2020.

The Utah Mammoth, with the fourth overall pick, could well set its sights on the Moncton Wildcats center.

However, according to Marco D’Amico on The Shaun Starr show podcast, the Salt Lake City club could find itself with a surplus of left-handed centers in the organization.

The Mammoth already have Logan Cooley and Barrett Hayton as left-handed centers in addition to the potential arrival of Desnoyers, who would add a third center who throws from the left.

That’s a lot of people on the same side.

In fact, Utah has seven center fielders who played at least 66 games with the team last season.

You’d think a player like Barrett Hayton would be available for a trade.

Without breaking anything so far, the 25-year-old has made interesting progress in the NHL for someone who scored 46 points, including 20 goals, in 82 games last season.

Unfortunately, injuries caused him to miss most of the 2023-24 season, when he played just 33 games.

However, he seems to have recovered well and it’s possible that he hasn’t yet reached his full potential.

For their part, the Canadiens have a surplus of right-handed centers with the organization.

The only left-handed center currently under contract with the team is Alex Newhook.

Many coaches, including Martin St-Louis, like to choose their line leader’s laterality according to the face-off position on the ice.

Could the Mammoth be interested in acquiring a right-hander like Kirby Dach with a pick or prospect from their center?

Hayton may not be the Habs’ solution at second center, but he’s definitely an interesting option at third and an intriguing gamble for the team.

And while I’m at it, I’d take him before Newhook or Dach on the second line.

In Overtime

– Far from a deal?

– Checkers open the scoring.

– Former Rangers goalkeepers look forward to the Olympics.

– Don’t forget the ultimate game tomorrow with two Québécois.

– Solid three-point slam.

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Sidney Crosby: Juraj Slafkovsky would be on the table if François Gagnon were GM

With less than a week to go until the next NHL draft, many expect to see the Canadiens move to acquire a second center soon.

And among those expecting a trade, many would like to see the Habs attempt to acquire Sidney Crosby.

Although the Pittsburgh Penguins have not indicated that they are willing to part with the center, the team will have to start rebuilding, and the Montreal club has options and prospects to offer that could help speed up the process.

The Pens probably won’t be competitive for a few years, and it’s possible that Crosby will have hung up his skates by then, so if Kent Hughes makes an interesting offer to his counterpart Kyle Dubas, who knows what might happen.

However, François Gagnon, who appeared on The Basu & Godin podcast, wouldn’t hesitate to include an established young player like Juraj Slafkovsky to get his hands on Crosby.

That’s interesting, because Gagnon was discussing the habs’ untouchables, whose list includes only Nick Suzuki, Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov (and almost Kaiden Guhle).

The rest of the players, including Slaf and Cole Caufield, could potentially be used as trade chips if the price is worth it.

I understand that you have to give to get in the trade, but barring a totally ridiculous offer, in my opinion, Slafkovsky and Caufield are also part of the core of the Canadiens’ untouchables.

In Slaf’s case, his status as the Habs’ only first-round pick in over 40 years could make the organization reluctant to trade him, only to see him reach his full potential with another team.

It wouldn’t look good.

In Caufield’s case, it’s his chemistry with Suzuki that makes him untouchable in my eyes.

Both players have taken several years to find their feet on the ice, and their level of chemistry is a big help to each other’s production.

Above all, the Habs are one second away from having two well-balanced forward lines for next season.

If we sacrifice a winger from our top 6 to go get a center, we’re left with a hole elsewhere in the top two trios.

Yes, a solid center line is possibly more advantageous and more important than the winger position, but if it’s possible to have both, why not do it?

And even if it means overpaying a little, I hope that the acquisition of a second center will involve draft picks and prospects, two commodities the Canadiens have in abundance.

Overtime

– What do you think?

– A possibility for Marner?

– Jays win.

– Mets open the scoring.

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New contract: “The Habs will meet with Patrik Laine’s camp after the draft”

Patrik Laine has had quite a rock ‘n’ roll year in Montreal. Acquired last summer in a trade with the Blue Jackets, his arrival was intended as a gamble to try and bring some offensive punch to the top-6.

That said, a serious knee injury sustained during practice kept him sidelined for some time. He came back in December, however… and smashed it (on the powerplay). Then he was criticized for his inconsistency and even-strength play, and another injury meant he didn’t finish the series against the Capitals.

Never has a season of 20 goals and 33 points in 52 games been so talked about.

The Finn’s disappointing end to the season led many to hope that the Habs would trade him this summer. However, it appears that the club may have other plans for Laine.

According to David Pagnotta (The Fourth Period), the Habs will meet with Laine’s camp after the draft to discuss a possible contract extension.

It’s worth remembering that Laine’s current contract, which pays him $8.7 million a year, expires in a year’s time. This means he’s eligible to sign a contract extension as early as July 1, and the Habs obviously want to test the waters in this regard, much as they did with Mike Matheson at the NHL Combine.

This will give them a better idea of the player’s demands and where they stand.

Obviously, at the moment, Montreal’s priority is the draft, which takes place in less than a week. We can also assume that the club will then focus on the free agent market on July 1… but during the summer, taking the time to meet with Laine about his future is part of the Habs’ shopping list.

It’s safe to assume that Laine will take a pay cut on his next contract, especially if he signs this summer. A big season next year (which he ideally wouldn’t start late) could help him rebuild his value to get more money a year from now… which is why I have a feeling he won’t be particularly interested in signing this summer.

And for the Habs, being patient also has its advantages: giving Laine a new contract right now is a big gamble for a guy who’s been hard to value this season.

I have the impression that this meeting will serve above all to see if Laine wants to stay in Montreal at the end of next season. He seems to like it here, after all, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him want to stay.

But right now, both the player and the club have little interest in initialing a deal. I have a feeling that the club will be doing its homework… but you never know, after all.

Overtime

– The Habs aren’t the only team looking to move up to the next level this summer.

– Nice read.

– That’s a good one, hehe.

– Who do you think?

– Big story in MLB.

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Best forwards in the last three drafts: Ivan Demidov ignored by Corey Pronman

Last year, Ivan Demidov was the Canadiens’ 5th overall draft pick. To say that fans were happy at the time is an understatement: it was crazy in town.

It had been a long time since such a talented and promising forward had come to town, after all.

And what made it even more spectacular was that the young Russian was not expected to still be available in the Habs line-up. Macklin Celebrini was seen as the best prospect of the crop, but Demidov wasn’t far behind.

As a result, in Montreal today, the Habs seem to have managed to steal one of the best prospects of recent years. Corey Pronman, however, doesn’t necessarily agree.

In a piece for The Athletic, Pronman was asked to rank the top forward prospects in the last three drafts, and he put together his top-5 to answer all that.

And no, Ivan Demidov isn’t one of them.

What we notice is that Celebrini comes first. Behind him, the 2023 crop shines: Connor Bedard, Leo Carlsson, Adam Fantilli and Will Smith Matvei Michkov complete the top-5.

Note that Pronman compares them as prospects at the time of their selection. Demidov’s big post-draft season is therefore not considered in all this.

We do know, however, that last year Pronman had reservations about Demidov, whom he saw as “a top lineup player who may be an All-Star”, but nothing more. That was behind guys like Berkly Catton and Beckett Sennecke.

And let’s not forget that he recently ranked Demidov as the 3rd best prospect in a hypothetical draft combining the 2024 and 2025 drafts, behind Macklin Celebrini and Matthew Schaefer.

All of which goes to show one thing: the 2023 draft was a very high-quality one, especially when it came to forwards. To see four from that year in a top-5 of the last three years is quite something.

Overtime

– They’ve been doing this for two years, after all. Alex Newhook in 2023 and the trade for the pick that became Michael Hage last year.

– This is cute.

– A name to watch.

– Nice read.

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Jonathan Toews: the Canadiens were in on it

Yesterday morning, we learned that Jonathan Toews had reached an agreement with the Winnipeg Jets to return to the NHL next year. He can’t officially sign a contract until July 1, but everything is already set.

He will earn a minimum of $2 million, but could earn up to $7 million if he gets his full bonus.

For Toews, signing in Winnipeg makes sense. He’s a local guy, after all, and he’s joining a team that’s competitive year after year. That said, there are other teams who had him in their sights.

And on that subject, Pierre LeBrun wrote a piece for The Athletic in which he notes that no fewer than 15 teams have chatted to Pat Brisson about Toews.

Among them, of course, were the Jets, but also the Avalanche, the Maple Leafs and… the Canadiens.

LeBrun notes that the Canadiens were seriously interested in the experience Toews would bring to their young squad. He has won the Stanley Cup three times, after all, and would have been an excellent mentor for the young players in town.

The fact that he’s left-handed and able to win face-offs and handle defensive assignments were probably other factors that interested the Habs, but Toews’ track record was obviously at the heart of it all.

That said, the fact that the Habs are not yet fully mature (and therefore not necessarily very competitive next year) may have worked against the club in this case. At 37, Toews doesn’t have a ton of years left in his body: joining a team that isn’t even guaranteed to make the playoffs next year must have cooled him down a bit.

Maybe the Canadiens could have tried to convince him by promising to trade him at the deadline if the club wasn’t in the mix… but maybe he just wanted to be tied down somewhere for the whole year.

One also wonders if the Habs didn’t make as tempting an offer as the Jets. We know that in Montreal, the team is already counting on several excellent young players on their entry-level contracts (Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov, among others) who can earn a lot of money in bonuses.

If the Habs have to put this off until next year, adding such bonuses to Toews could seriously cripple the 2026-27 payroll.

Still, it’s interesting to see that Montreal was in this race. The French fact could have worked in the Habs’ favor, but in the end, it’s Winnipeg that Toews will return to the NHL.

And you have to wonder if the Habs’ interest in a player like Toews means that Christian Dvorak, who has a similar profile (minus the experience), is likely to return next year.

Overtime

– Of note.

– A classic.

– Well done.