It appears the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins are getting closer to extending a pair of franchise pillars and a couple of the league’s top goal-scorers. Both Cole Caufield and David Pastrnak are getting closer on potential deals and those extensions could be announced in the near future.
Canadiens Open Preliminary Talks With Cole Caufield
TSN’s Darren Dreger has reported that preliminary contract extension talks between the Habs and sniper Cole Caufield began about a month ago.
“My understanding is that the preliminary talks of an extension between Cole Caufield’s agent, Pat Brisson, and the Montreal Canadiens started roughly a month ago,” Dreger said on Tuesday. “Again, preliminary talks, but you have to believe that Caufield given how he’s played this year on his torrid scoring pace is a big part of the future of the Montreal Canadiens.”
After scuffling to begin his first full NHL season in 2021-22, Caufield took off upon the hiring of head coach Martin St. Louis. Through his first 82 games under St. Louis, Caufield has registered a hefty 48 goals. He finished last season with 23 goals and 43 points across 67 games but has already surpassed that goal total with 26 tallies and 36 points across 44 contests this season.
Caufield is in the final year of his three-year entry-level contract and is scheduled to be a restricted free agent at season’s end.
Bruins, Pastrnak ‘Inching’ Toward Extension
In the same Insider Trading report on Tuesday, Dreger also commented on the contract extension talks between superstar David Pastrnak and the Boston Bruins. Dreger reported the sides are ‘inching’ toward an extension to keep the Czech sniper in Boston for the long haul. When asked if the Bruins are getting any closer to extending Pastrnak, Dreger had this to say:
“Yes, they are, closer than they were even a couple weeks ago. I know that progress was made last week in the discussions between (general manager) Don Sweeney of the Boston Bruins and Pastrnak’s agent J.P. Barry,” Dreger said. “But they still have work to do. They are going to continue to grind at the details. So, obviously, that always comes down to the annual average salary — a.k.a. money — the term seems less contentious if it’s at all contentious at an eight-year maximum.”
Pastrnak ranks second in the league with 35 goals and tied for third with 62 points through 43 contests for the NHL-leading Bruins. The 26-year-old is in the final year of a six-year deal that carries a $6.67 million cap hit.
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