The following is an excerpt taken from Rory Boylen's NHL Free Agency Live Blog. Throughout the day, all the latest news, rumours and analysis can be found there.
Patrik Laine, Columbus Blue Jackets
An RFA again, Laine could go to arbitration, accept a one-year deal, and then find himself eligible to become an unrestricted free agent a year from now. That scenario may push GM Jarmo Kekalainen into a difficult choice, and firmly put Laine in the trade rumour mill through next season. Speaking to reporters on Monday, though, the GM was optimistic that something a little longer term could get done with the player.
It’s a work in progress. I’m not worried about it at all. Both sides want to get a long-term contract done,” Kekalainen said. “They want a long-term contract, we want a long-term contract, now we just have to agree on it.”
Matthew Tkachuk, Calgary Flames
At the draft, Flames GM Brad Treliving poured cold water on the idea that he was considering any other option with either of Johnny Gaudreau or Matthew Tkachuk beyond re-signing both. Gaudreau is now gone, a free agent available to choose his next stop, and Tkachuk remains an RFA. Like Laine, he could accept a one-year extension and be a UFA next summer — right in the same spot Gaudreau was this year.
The Flames don’t have to quickly trade Tkachuk if that happens, but what if they also strike out in free agency? How would that change their near-term picture? Tkachuk’s incoming contract talks loom large.
Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
July 13 is also the first day that those on multi-year deals one year away from expiring can sign extensions. That means Nathan MacKinnon, who has one season left on a value deal paying just $6.3 million against the cap, can re-up with the Avalanche now. Whatever his number winds up at will have vast implications on the next steps for Colorado.
MacKinnon’s deal probably won’t quite be a market-setter in a relative flat cap scenario, but the majority of a long-term extension will include years when the cap will bump up significantly again. How close to Connor McDavid’s $12.5 million AAV will MacKinnon get to, or, does he do his team a solid, take a little less than his maximum value again, and allow flexibility going forward? Mikko Rantanen is the highest-paid Av currently, with a $9.25 million AAV.
Jonathan Huberdeau, Florida Panthers
Like MacKinnon, Huberdeau has another season left on a $5.9 million AAV deal and he can sign an extension starting July 13. Surely if he were to hit the open market next summer the 29-year-old — fresh off a career-best 115-point season — would be able to pull in the same sort of dollars as current UFA Johnny Gaudreau would, so does the next contract start at $10 million? Can they get him for less given Florida’s friendly state tax situation, and allow the Panthers to build around relatively cheap stars as the Lightning have? Aleksander Barkov already got his long-term extension and the centre’s AAV came in at $10 million on the nose.
