In today’s NHL rumor rundown there is news out of Calgary as it pertains to T.J. Brodie, there are questions as to what Ivan Provorov is worth what Travis Konecny might get and what’s all the fuss in Toronto about when it comes to Auston Matthews and Mike Babcock? Finally, what is Ottawa Senators GM Pierre Dorion thinking when it comes to getting his young players locked up long-term?
Flames Trying to Move Brodie, Tkachuk Extension
Eric Francis said on Sportsnet 960 that a source from the Calgary Flames organization had told him that the Flames were having a tough time trying to find a team that would trade for T.J. Brodie.
Saying that the Flames need to do something because the cap issues in Calgary require a move, he wonders if Mark Jankowski might be included in a package along with Brodie to sweeten the pot?
Francis also said that he expects the Flames are looking at a two-year bridge deal for Matthew Tkachuk even though reports are that two, five and seven-year options are on the table. Pat Steinberg said he didn’t believe the Flames and Tkachuk were even talking at this point and the likelihood was he’d miss part of training camp.
Related: Sam Bennett’s Bridge Contract Means High Expectations
What Provorov’s and Konecny’s Next Contracts Look Like
Jordan Hall and Brooke Destra of NBC Sports Philadelphia recently wrote about what Ivan Provorov’s next contract would look like coming out of Philadelphia and the trouble in making comparables on the player.
Suggesting he’s being deployed as a No. 1 defenseman but might not be one, they don’t believe he’s worth Jacob Trouba money but that he might be better than a long-term deal at $6 million or less.
They suggest Provorov’s agent might be working towards getting a slightly lower bridge deal done in the neighborhood of a $5 million per season. This would allow both sides to see how Provorov matures and sets up for some of those unrestricted years.
Still with the Flyers, Hall and Brooke believe Travis Konecny will likely get a bridge deal in the neighborhood of $3 -$4 million per season for around three seasons.
Related: Stars get Hartman from Flyers
Will Matthews Demand More Time in Toronto?
There was drama this week in Toronto where Matt Larkin of The Hockey News quoted comments from Mike Babcock about ice time for players like Auston Matthews (who Babcock sees as most effective at around 19 minutes per game). The Old Prof has gone into more detail on the story here.
There are many wondering how Babcock could get away with not playing Matthews more, especially considering the team no longer has Nazem Kadri to deepen the center position on the team? More than that, the hosts from OverDrive on TSN asked if Matthews was ready and willing to demand more responsibility from his coach in tight games and when the best players needed to be on the ice? There has been a history with Babcock out of Detroit that players didn’t tend to do that.
There are many who believe Babcock deserves criticism for his player deployment and that if Babcock is being truthful about no more than 19 minutes per game, this issue could be the hill Babcock chooses to die on. That said, when does the player need to step up and demand more?
Obviously, the results in terms of wins and losses for the Maple Leafs will be the ultimate decision-maker on Babcock’s status but everyone will be watching Matthews’ ice time as the wins or losses pile up.
Related: NHL Rumors: Rangers, Oilers, Sabres, More
Senators and Colin White
When asked about the status of talks between the Ottawa Senators and Colin White, GM Pierre Dorion said he wouldn’t discuss specifics on the negotiations with White but that he wanted fans in Ottawa to know how much the organization realizes keeping the young core of the team intact is a priority.
Dorion included White in the same group as Thomas Chabot and Brady Tkachuk when he spoke about the young core of the team. This is why Dorion doesn’t see the need to spend to the cap now because he wants the flexibility to easily afford these players later.
