The New York Islanders continue to be the center of attention when it comes to 2018 free agency. As we creep closer to training camp and the start of the regular season, many are questioning why superstar center John Tavares hasn’t signed an extension yet. Tavares is set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer but doesn’t seem worried about the lack of a deal. He told Arthur Staple of Newsday that “there’s really no rush” and that he’d take as much time as he needs.
He did admit that he’s keeping an eye on the Islanders’ search for a new home, but that those things are out of his hands. It’s interesting that Tavares so publicly stated his attachment to the arena search, and will drum up a new round of speculation over whether he’ll leave if a permanent home isn’t found within the next 10 months. There’s obviously much more going into his decision, but the Islanders need to soon find some stability on and off the ice.
- Rick Westhead of TSN reports on the financial take from last fall’s World Cup of Hockey, announcing that the NHL and NHLPA split a $44MM profit. Though that may sound like a big number, players who participated earned just $86K while others got $10K. Both of those numbers are pre-tax, meaning many of the players earned even less. $86K may seem like a lot to some, but for the top players who gave up much of their training camp and put themselves at risk of injury it doesn’t seem like enough. While both sides want this event to continue, it’ll likely take a bigger paycheck to have it run long-term.
- Alex Krushelnyski is back in the AHL, after signing with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms today. The 26-year old played 43 games for the Binghamton Senators last year, recording just seven points. Krushelnyski has been an outstanding scoring threat in the ECHL but has had trouble finding his footing in the upper minor league. He’ll join the Philadelphia Flyers’ affiliate as they look to repeat their 48-23-5 season from a year ago.