Boston Bruins president Cam Neely set off a wave of excitement among fans today when he told reporters including Fluto Shinzawa of The Athletic that the team hopes to “see something here in short order” regarding a Charlie McAvoy contract extension, but don’t assume the deal is done just yet. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic tweets that talks are ongoing but there is work to be done, and general manager Don Sweeney clarified by saying nothing is imminent.
If the Bruins do extend McAvoy in the coming months, you can bet the six-year, $57.5MM deal that Zach Werenski signed earlier this offseason will have been used as a comparable. The two took very similar paths to the league, playing two years of college hockey before jumping directly into the NHL, have registered points at a similar rate, and even signed almost identical three-year bridge deals ($15MM for Werenski, $14.7MM for McAvoy). Werenski is currently set to carry the third-highest cap hit among defensemen–$9.58MM–for the 2022-23 season when his extension kicks in.
- Vitali Kravtsov and his representatives were given permission to seek a trade after he was sent to the AHL again, but it’s not like the New York Rangers are just going to give him away for free. Darren Dreger of TSN reports that while Kravtsov is willing to play in the AHL for another organization, the Rangers are expecting “the potential of a top-six talent” in return for the young forward. Now 21, Kravtsov was the ninth overall pick in 2018 and has four points in 20 career NHL games.
- The Dallas Stars have placed Blake Comeau on injured reserve retroactive to October 7, according to Matthew DeFranks of The Dallas Morning News. The 35-year-old scored just four goals and 14 points in 51 games last season but was still likely to have a spot on the Stars opening night roster if healthy, as a bottom-six defensive option. The team will have to fill that spot and the one belonging to Jason Robertson, who also isn’t currently traveling with the team as they visit the New York Rangers tomorrow night. Both Comeau and Robertson could join the group later on the road trip according to DeFranks. The Stars aren’t set to play their first home game until October 22, the fifth game of the season.
kravtsov to Carolina for Ryan Suzuki or to San Jose for Gambrell…
Canes aren’t giving up Suzuki for him lol.
Kravtsov to the Sharks for the Merkley Brothers lol.
Kravstov to the KHL and the Rangers get nothing but guilt for overvaluing their player.
Wrong Robertson.
@deadthings – You have to admit, while it is true that brother Nick isn’t travelling with the Stars, but @Gavin may have been distracted by Ben Raby’s interview with Conor Sheary on Caps Radio 24/7 from a nearby bombing range. That would’ve discombobulated anybody…
Errata! Shouldn’t have added “while”, while I was still recovering from that interview…
Comeau on Defense? Nick Robertson? Whoever wrote this has no business in this industry. Do your homework.
Thanks for the note, I put the wrong Robertson brother. It’s fixed now.
Also, Comeau doesn’t play defense. Apologies for the snarkyness earlier.
Never wrote that he did, but the apology is certainly accepted.
Bottom 6 Defensive Option? I have heard of the term ‘offensive-defenseman’, are you coining the term ‘defensive-forward’?