In today’s NHL rumors rundown, the Philadelphia Flyers are already talking about an extension with goaltender Ivan Fedotov. Meanwhile, what are the odds that the Toronto Maple Leafs consider a Mitch Marner trade this offseason? Are the Boston Bruins interested in college free agent Collin Graf? Finally, an interesting story involving the Edmonton Oilers comes from Jason Demers, who tried to sign with the team in 2016, only to have another player step in the way.
Flyers and Fedotov Talking Contract Extension
As per Chris Johnston of TSN, the Philadelphia Flyers and goaltender Ivan Fedotov are already talking about a contract extension. 27 years old and a pending UFA after the season, the team doesn’t want him to get to free agency.
Johnson explained:
“It sounds like considerable progress has been made towards an extension and it might not be something we see announced in-season here, might come a little bit after the year. But, certainly, from both sides of the equation for Fedotov and the Flyers, I think that they want this to be a longer-term stint together and I do expect him to be signed long before free agency.”
What Would It Take for the Maple Leafs to Trade Mitch Marner?
In response to a mailbag question on NHL.com, Dan Rosen weighed in on the theory that the Toronto Maple Leafs might potentially part ways with Mitch Marner if they fail to reach the Eastern Conference Final this season. Marner has a year remaining on his contract, while his teammates Auston Matthews and William Nylander have secured long-term extensions. Rosen believes the Leafs would prefer to retain Marner due to his immense value. That said, there is a possibility of a trade if things go south and the Leafs can acquire an elite No. 1 defenseman of similar age.
Still, the most likely outcome is an extension and Rosen anticipates a salary cap exceeding $90 million. He recommends the Leafs secure Marner to a long-term extension before next season, projecting their future cap space with Marner, Matthews, and Nylander accounting for a significant portion of their payroll.
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In other Maple Leafs news, after sitting out four games due to an upper-body injury, Morgan Rielly is set to make his return. However, Mark Giordano is expected to be absent from the lineup. Although Joel Edmundson took part in the morning skate, he won’t be available to play on Saturday.
Are the Bruins in on Collin Graf?
Collin Graf, a highly acclaimed and sought-after college free agent, continues to sift through a variety of NHL options. According to multiple sources, including Michael Russo of the Athletic, a decision could come as soon as Wednesday. On Tuesday, the talented right-shot center/wing from Quinnipiac met with his six final contenders.
Related: Can Connor McDavid Reach 1,000-Point Plateau This Season?
Johnston reports that as many as 20 teams were interested in Graf, but it’s not clear if the Boston Bruins are among them. Mark Divver said his source claims the Bruins are not in Graf and that they haven’t been all season. Meanwhile, Jimmy Murphy of Boston Hockey Now reports that the Bruins had been the front-runners for Graf for some time. He notes: “I don’t know where people are getting this information. It just seems like they’re making it up.”
Demers Said Lucic Blocked His Path to the Oilers
Back in 2016, when the Edmonton Oilers signed Milan Lucic to a huge free-agent contract, they were also looking at right-shot defenseman Jason Demers. Both players were brought into town to see the building of the new arena and be wined and dined by then-GM Peter Chiarelli. Demers wasn’t signed, but Lucic was.
Demers told a story about how in 2016, they were all out to dinner and Lucic kept getting up and leaving the table, with Chiarelli never too far behind. They kept coming back and Demers said the numbers for Lucic to sign there kept getting higher and higher. Pretty soon, even though Demers really wanted to sign in Edmonton, it was clear all of the available money was going to Lucic. He noted on the car ride back to the airport, Chiarelli just apologized and said, “I guess you heard…”
