The Anaheim Ducks have lots of salary cap space, but their RFAs will take a big chunk of that
Eric Stephens of The Athletic: The Anaheim Ducks made the playoffs this past season for the first time in a while, and they’ll be looking to repeat that and get even further. GM Pat Verbeek will have some decisions to make with their own pending free agents, and then navigate free agency and the trade market. The Ducks have about $40 million in projected cap space.
RFAs – Forwards Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier are due for big raises, and Ducks management has a history of tough negotiating. Does it make sense to do so here with your No. 1 center and top goal scorer? Talks haven’t started, and both sides want it done before camp.
Defenseman Pavel Mintyukov and Olen Zellweger are also RFAs. They have a surplus of defensemen, and teams will be calling.
NHL Rumors: Michael McCarron, and a Golden Knights-Oilers Feud?
UFAs – Veterans on the blue line – Jacob Trouba, John Carlson and Radko Gudas. Trouba was partnered with Jackson LaCombe. The Ducks gave up a first for Carlson at the deadline, and no numbers have been exchanged. Gudas has been their captain.
Up front, they have Ross Johnston, Jansen Harkins and Jeffrey Viel, all brought some toughness. Viel became a regular
The Toronto Maple Leafs are telling teams they’ll talk about anyone but Auston Matthews
spdn: Chris Johnston on The Chris Johnston Show, on the Toronto Maple Leafs being willing to listen on anyone not named Auston Matthews.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
“I guess I’ll reiterate the report from earlier in the week that I had, though, too. What John Chayka is telling other GMs around the league is, I’ll, I’ll talk about anyone on my roster but Matthews.
NHL Rumors: Potential Landing Spots for Auston Matthews
So that’s also a pretty strong indication of where the Leafs stand here. I mean, they see him as the piece moving forward. It’s not to say they’re trading everyone else by any means, but I think they’re open to the idea of trading other players, even important ones, because they have to find creative ways to get better. So that’s basically where things stand.”
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