In today’s NHL news and rumors rundown, what is the latest on the Toronto Maple Leafs and their negotiations with Auston Matthews and William Nylander? Meanwhile, are the San Jose Sharks waiting out the Pittsburgh Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes? Speaking of the Hurricanes, they are set to sign Brendan Lemieux and are in on Vladimir Tarasenko, who may elect to sign a one-year deal.
Where are Matthews and Nylander At?
When asked where the Maple Leafs are at with the Nylander and Matthews’ extensions, it was said that things are still not close with Nylander, but that a Matthews deal looks more promising by the day.
According to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period and NHL Network:
I’ll tell you one thing, talking to a bunch of people around this situation, first of all, William Nylander is not close to an extension. He’s looking for upwards of $10 million a season on a full eight-year term and the Leafs are sitting around that $8.5 million mark. They’ve got some work to do to kind of bridge that gap. The other thing I can tell you, I would not be surprised, I would be surprised, excuse me, if Auston Matthews puts pen to paper before Nylander does, at least for the time being.
It sounds like the Leafs may prioritize negotiating a contract extension with Nylander before finalizing a deal with Matthews. Knowing they are expected to sign Matthews to a multi-year contract, likely spanning three, four, or five years, they want to nail down the unknown first. Matthews’ deal will not exceed five years. The specific terms of the deal are projected to be in the range of $13 to just over $14 million in average annual value (AAV).
Related: What the Alex DeBrincat Trade Tells Us About Nylander’s Value
All the while, the Maple Leafs are working towards creating additional salary cap space to ensure the cohesiveness of their roster. There are discussions surrounding potential actions such as buying out Matt Murray or exploring trade options involving T.J. Brodie.
Sharks Not Folding Their Hand with Penguins and Hurricanes
During an appearance on the NHL Network, Elliotte Friedman provided an update on the ongoing trade discussions involving Erik Karlsson. According to Friedman, the negotiations have reached an impasse as both the Pittsburgh Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes remain in contention for Karlsson’s services. The situation is currently in a holding pattern, with both teams awaiting movement from the San Jose Sharks, while the Sharks anticipate improved offers from the interested parties.
The trade process has hit a temporary standstill as the teams involved assess their strategies and await further developments from the Sharks. Friedman said:
“Look, I think it’s this, I think it’s a bit of a poker game. I think that San Jose knows what Carolina is willing to do and I think they know what Pittsburgh’s willing to do. I think both those two teams know what San Jose’s willing to do. I think right now it’s kind of a poker game to see, does anyone move or does anyone change, or does anyone’s position change?” Friedman went on to say that he believes the trade likely will get done to one of those two teams. But, because no parties are 100% happy, they’re all just waiting and the trade is not quite there.”
Tarasenko Looking at a One-Year Deal?
Also according to Friedman, there is a growing possibility that Vladimir Tarasenko will opt for a one-year contract, placing his faith in his own performance and anticipating a more favorable market when the salary cap increases next summer. Friedman also mentioned that the Ottawa Senators and Hurricanes have emerged as potential destinations for Tarasenko, highlighting their interest in the skilled forward. Additionally, the San Jose Sharks, Florida Panthers, and Nashville Predators have shown varying degrees of interest in acquiring the services of the experienced sniper.
Hurricanes Expected to Sign Brendan Lemieux
The Hurricanes look like they’ll be adding some feistiness to their lineup as it sounds like Brendan Lemieux is going to sign with the team for one year at a salary of $800K. He is a physical fourth-line winger who takes a lot of penalties but under the guidance of Rod Brind’Amour, it will be interesting to see if he can channel his energy in the right way.
