NHL Rumors: Does the Math Make Sense
Are Players Looking To Take Shorter Term Deals To Hit It Big Again?
The new NHL season is here after the lull of the offseason, and there is a lot to talk about, not only coming out of the NHL North American Player Tour in Vegas, but as training camp opens, surrounding players entering the final years of their deals and as teams look to improve moving forward.
We know what Connor McDavid continues to say about his contract. Could Kirill Kaprizov be the first player to take 20 percent of the cap on his next deal? Does the math make sense for the Hughes brothers to play together? And where does the youngest brother fit in?
And what about Carter Hart? Where does he fit in the mix with teams? And of course, the remaining restricted free agents are Luke Evangelista and Mason McTavish?
There is so much to talk about. Let’s dive into the NHL Rumors.
NHL Rumors: Who Will Get the Bag of Money?
New Jersey Devils and Luke Hughes Working on a Long-Term Deal
Defenseman Luke Hughes, who was called a “top priority” by New Jersey Devils President and General Manager, remains unsigned as training camp continues and the team just played their first preseason game against the New York Rangers.
As Full Press Media has been reporting and confirmed now by multiple “NHL Insiders,” the Devils and Luke Hughes continue to work on a long-term deal. However, the trick is getting the money to work for both the team and the player.
Remember, the Devils are operating with an internal cap, even as the actual salary cap increases. Things remain the same, checking in with sources, New Jersey wants to keep that number $8 million or under, while the Hughes camp is looking at the Brock Faber of the Minnesota Wild number of $8.5 million per season.
Both parties are disappointed that it has reached this point, but they are working toward a long-term deal. But the longer this goes on, the more it affects how the team and player perform in the regular season. The Devils are entering their window of opportunity to win, so they want to resolve this matter as quickly as possible.
The next big date on the calendar is the start of the regular season, but for the Devils sake, they need to get it resolved sooner.
Kirill Kaprizov Looking Short-Term and For All the Money in Minnesota
Is it all about the Money for Kirill Kaprizov in Minnesota? It appears that he is seeking 20 percent of the cap, which would make him the highest-paid player in NHL history. He rejected the eight-year $128 million contract with an AAV of $16 million. But is there a breaking point for the Wild that they won’t go over?
It doesn’t seem like it from the comments of owner Craig Leipold and GM Bill Guerin. They are willing to pay Kaprizov whatever he wants. That is not how you negotiate. But it may not be the dollars. It may be the fact that he doesn’t believe the Wild are truly a Stanley Cup contender. Like all players, Kaprizov wants to win.
But taking 20 percent of the salary cap doesn’t help your team win. Remember, if it’s about winning, taking less for the betterment of the team is a good thing. Maybe he just wants a short-term deal somewhere between three and five years to see if the Wild can be Cup contenders.
At some point, the Wild has to say they will say Kaprizov’s price is too much, and everyone doesn’t have a price. But for now, they see him as a blank check guy. And Kaprizov is right, there is time to negotiate, but at some point, trading him does become an option. Can’t let him walk for nothing.
Around Full Press Hockey
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New Jersey Devils: Tom Fitzgerald Remains Confident a Luke Hughes Deal Gets Done
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Where Do Things Stand with Mason McTavish and the Ducks?
Speaking of the other restricted free agents, Mason McTavish of the Anaheim Ducks is holding out of training camp until he gets a deal. He has left the club and gone back to Canada to train with the Ottawa 67s.
For Anaheim, this is a familiar story with McTavish. It happened with Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale. Both held out until the end of training camp. Neither team nor the players were the same.
Ducks GM Pat Verbeek is a grinder. He says he wants to keep McTavish long-term. It is more of a mid-range deal than a long-term one. However, the player isn’t sure what his role will be with Joel Quenneville.
McTavish wants to be paid similar to what Nick Suzuki is getting in Montreal, but the Ducks are willing to go to the Trevor Zegras deal of $5.75 million. Reports indicate that the Ducks are willing to offer $5.5 million over a five-year contract, while the player is seeking a seven-year deal.
It is clear, though, that the Ducks don’t want to trade him and like the player. But questions will be raised if Mason McTavish is a Pat Verbeek guy? Will an offer sheet come, and will teams be willing to give up 2026 first-round picks knowing Gavin McKenna is the top prize?
This could be a lengthy one, but it can all change with one phone call.
Will Carter Hart Find a Job?
The five players from the Team Canada trial were acquitted on charges brought against them. Recently, the NHL, along with the NHLPA, announced that players are eligible to sign contracts as of October 15th and return to action on December 1st. One of the more coveted players has been goaltender Carter Hart.
Teams could use his services, but how many teams want to sign and deal with the PR backlash is another story. It is clear Hart doesn’t want to play in Philadelphia or Edmonton. His representatives advised those clubs to go in another direction. Neither the Flyers nor the Oilers were going to bring him in anyway.
He also isn’t going to the Vegas Golden Knights, given that the owner, Bill Foley, went to the United States Military Academy at West Point. Hart’s signing would violate the honor code Foley swore to uphold. Similar to the Florida Panthers. There are conflicting reports about the Utah Mammoth, but the prevailing belief is that Vitek Vanecek and Karel Vejmelka are already there, so Hart isn’t going there.
There aren’t many teams out there that are contenders, and he could get playing time. Not to mention how many teams want to sign a goalie who hasn’t played in two years. He will get a one-year contract at most, not a multi-year one. He continues to be linked to Carolina and Nashville. But we will see if teams come calling.
Other Nuggets
Another restricted free agent who remains unsigned is Luke Evangelista of the Nashville Predators. Like McTavish, he left his team to return to Canada for further training. There is a sizeable gap between the two parties, and Evangelista wants certainty on his role before he signs a two-year bridge. He has seen what has happened to the young players recently in Nashville and how they thrive elsewhere. Barry Trotz doesn’t want to trade him, but may have to.
Don’t expect Michael McLeod, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube, or Cal Foote to play for a Canadian team.
As for McLeod, he isn’t coming back to New Jersey. It will be interesting to see if the deal with the Carolina Hurricanes goes through. There is interest, but again, do the Canes want to deal with the PR backlash?
There is a chance none of them will play again in the NHL, similar to what happened to Slava Voynov after his domestic assault charges were dropped.
The Toronto Maple Leafs and Anthony Stolarz continue to work on a contract extension. Stolarz is seeking fair compensation, given that Spencer Knight just received $5.83 per season in a recent three-year contract extension. Stolarz wants to get this done as soon as possible.
Speaking of the Devils, they continue to look to sign Jacob Markstrom to an extension.
Contract extension talks remain ongoing between Kyle Connor and the Winnipeg Jets and Adrian Kempe and the Los Angeles Kings. Both players could be making over $10 million on their next deals.
That does it for this edition of NHL Rumors. Stay tuned for another edition as things begin to ramp up.
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Where is there any evidence to show that the devils are operating under an internal cap? Fitz has never said that, only said that teams around the league will start doing that as the cap goes up. Nothing specific to the devils. Wanting to get Luke on a long term deal under $8M is a negotiating position to maintain cap flexibility, not an internal cap.