In today’s NHL rumors rundown, Brandon Montour commented on the fact he was seriously considering the Toronto Maple Leafs in free agency before signing with the Seattle Kraken. Meanwhile, the Carolina Hurricanes have officially announced that Evgeny Kuznetsov is on waivers for the purpose of a mutual contract termination. Is Travis Konecny looking to get as much as $10 million per season on an extension in Philadelphia? Finally, former Anaheim Ducks forward Max Comtois has reportedly signed in the KHL.
Montour Looked at the Maple Leafs in Free Agency
Stanley Cup-winning defenceman Brandon Montour joined TSN’s Mark Roe and Frankie Corrado on OverDrive and revealed that before signing a seven-year, $49.9 million contract with the Seattle Kraken this summer, he and his family considered joining the Toronto Maple Leafs. Noting that friends and family were hoping to see him sign there, he weighed several offers, ultimately choosing the Kraken.
“There were conversations,” Montour admitted. “You look at their roster, and you see how you can help. It was intriguing. We were excited and thought about it, but there’s a lot to consider with family needs and business decisions. Ultimately, we had many options, and we’re grateful for Seattle. We’re excited for the experience with a new organization.”
Related: 10 NHL Storylines to Watch for in 2024-25
Montour, 30, registered 33 points in 66 games last season and added another 11 points in 24 playoff games.
Hurricanes and Kuznetsov to Terminate Contract
The Carolina Hurricanes officially confirmed they have placed forward Evgeny Kuznetsov on unconditional waivers to terminate his contract. Effective immediately, this move allows both parties to part ways, freeing the team and Kuznetsov from his cap hit and contract obligations. Kuznetsov will forgo the remaining $6 million owed to him this season to return to Russia. His cap hit will be fully removed from both the Hurricanes and Washington Capitals (who retained salary in a trade) books this season, according to PuckPedia.
“Ultimately both sides agreed this was the best course of action for both the player and the team,” Canes General Manager Eric Tulsky said. “We thank Evgeny for his time with the team and wish him and his family the best.”
The Hurricanes also re-signed forward Jack Drury to a two-year contract. His deal will carry an AAV of $1.725 million.
Konecny Looking for $10M Per Season?
According to play-by-play announcer for the Philadelphia Flyers, Jim Jackson, Travis Konecny’s new deal with the Flyers might be in the range of $10 million per season. Jackson joined SportsRadio WIP and reported that the Flyers and Konecny’s camp are talking, but no deal is imminent. While Konecny is a top player on the Flyers’ roster, that’s a huge amount of money for a player who has posted a career-high 33 goals and 68 points this past season.
This kind of a payday would put him in the same range as players like Mikko Rantanen and Nikita Kucherov and it seems outrageous that the Flyers would be considering this given the fact they are undergoing a rebuild and setting this kind of precedence internally with their contracts could be disastrous.
Max Comtois Headed to the KHL
Former Anaheim Ducks forward Max Comtois has reportedly signed with Dynamo Moscow of the KHL. The 2017 second-round pick recorded 16 goals and 17 assists during the shortened 2020-21 season with Anaheim. After that, he was primarily a fourth-liner for the Ducks, never again getting back to those production levels. In 211 NHL games, Comtois scored 38 goals and 49 assists for 87 points.
The 25-year-old went unsigned last summer and initially joined the AHL’s Chicago Wolves before signing a prorated one-year, two-way deal with the Carolina Hurricanes this past March. He played in one regular season game for Carolina, logging an assist. He also appeared in one playoff game.
Sign up for our Daily NHL News & Rumors Substack newsletter
