While some restricted free agents such as Calgary’s Noah Hanifin and Winnipeg’s Josh Morrissey appear to be getting closer to inking new deals, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman noted in a segment on Sportsnet 960 (audio link) that there is still a considerable gap to bridge between the Maple Leafs and winger William Nylander. Toronto is hopeful to find a way to lock up Nylander and extension-eligible forwards Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner to long-term deals and still leave themselves some financial wiggle room even after the addition of John Tavares earlier this summer. Inking Nylander to a bridge contract would buy them a bit of extra space beyond 2018-19 when the new deals for Matthews and Marner kick in but it will cost Toronto considerably more on his third deal. There are a lot of variables for GM Kyle Dubas to work through here so it’s not shocking to see that there is still some work to do here.
Elsewhere around the East:
- Given that the Bruins will be basically playing split-squad games to start the preseason with games in China and at home, Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe suggests that the team could wind up adding a veteran or two on a PTO to start training camp. Although most of the top players will be in China, Boston will still have to meet the veteran minimum rule for their North America-based games as well. Accordingly, even though they’re fairly deep up front and on the back end, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them active in the tryout market over the next couple of weeks.
- The injury to Flyers center Sean Couturier provides an opportunity for 2017 first-round pick Morgan Frost to make a run at a roster spot, Jordan Hall of NBC Sports Philadelphia believes. While Couturier isn’t expected to miss any regular season action, he’ll be held out of the early preseason games which should give Frost an opportunity to play a big role in some of those contests. The 19-year-old finished second in OHL scoring last season with 112 points in just 67 games but is ineligible to go to the AHL. Without much left to prove at the junior ranks, a good showing in Couturier’s absence would go a long way towards helping Frost push to make the opening night lineup.