In today’s NHL rumor rundown there is news out of Colorado that the specifics of Mikko Rantanen’s next deal are becoming clearer, Mitch Marner turned down two different offer sheets and Brian Boyle is waiting for the smoke to clear so he can sign with one of the many teams interested.
Avs Will Have to Pay For Rantanen
Adrian Dater of Colorado Hockey New writes that he’s been told the Colorado Avalanche won’t be “reacting” based on Mitch Marner‘s new contract. This despite the fact that Marner’s deal likely gives a better indication of the value of Rantanen’s next deal.
Dater adds that Marner’s deal in Toronto is not great news for Colorado considering it will now cost significantly more money to extend Rantanen and Mike Chambers of the Denver Post writes Marner’s deal puts Rantanen around $10.5 million per season.
Chambers writes:
Rantanen doesn’t want the attention. But for himself, his family, his future family and his peers, he needs to get what he’s worth. The NHL Players Association and his agents don’t want him to take a “nice-guy” discount. His teammates are probably rooting for Rantanen among themselves.
source – ‘Chambers: Mikko Rantanen’s agents might have him locked up and gagged during contract negotiations’ – Denver Post – Mike Chambers – 09/15/2019
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Marner Given Offer Sheets to Consider
Mitch Marner’s agent Darren Ferris told Sportsnet radio that two offer sheets were presented to his client during the offseason. Marner declined both of them, instead wanting to get a deal done with Toronto.
Marner himself confirmed the accurate of the report, explaining his decision not to accept any deal to Kristen Shilton of TSN:
As soon as Darren mentioned [offer sheets], I told him right away I don’t want to explore that option. But I didn’t want to miss training camp…or any games this season, so that’s why I really forced the issue with Kyle [Dubas] to get something done and get me here.
Marner and Ferris wouldn’t confirm which two teams made the offers but speculation is that the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild were the two teams.
Related: 7 Biggest NHL Players in Today’s Game
Brian Boyle Has Teams Interested
Scott Burnside of The Athletic notes that Brian Boyle is skating in Foxboro while he waits for the NHL marketplace to open up a spot for him to sign somewhere. The logjam of contracts and restricted free agents with teams trying to figure out their salary structures have made it hard for him to find a home.
Burnside writes:
It’s believed as many as five teams, including Nashville, Florida and the New York Rangers, are interested in Boyle’s services if the right circumstances presented themselves.
source – ‘RFA logjam preventing Brian Boyle from getting a contract’ – Scott Burnside- The Athletic – 09/12/2019
Update on Brandon Carlo
The Boston Herald’s Steve Conroy reports there is no update as to when Brandon Carlo will return to the Boston Bruins. GM Don Sweeney offered no timetable for his return to training camp as the defenseman is the last big piece of the Bruins’ restricted free agent puzzle that needs to be put in place.
Speculation is that Sweeney feels he can get Carlo under contract despite only having $3.2 million in cap space remaining to sign him. If so, that would be a pretty big win for the Bruins.
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