TSN: Chris Johnston says that NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is willing to meet with new NHLPA executive director, Marty Walsh, to negotiate to get the salary cap to rise more than $1 million next season, but don’t expect much because of escrow.
“But what I’ll tell you right now is, don’t wait too long for that negotiation to happen because I don’t expect there to be much grounds for it to happen because Marty Walsh didn’t really get into a lot of specifics in his first press conference, but he was pretty clear that he did not want to see any change to the escrow.
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That was a big win for the players in the last round of negotiations and that was what the league was seeking to see the cap go up by more than $1 million. I think the players at this point are comfortable just with that small bump for next year, with the knowledge that the year beyond that it’s going to go up a lot more once their debt to the owners is repaid from the pandemic.”
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet: There are a few sources (teams and agents) who believe that without changing escrow, there is a way to increase the cap by $2 million and not $1 million. Based on potential revenue estimates. Has this been mentioned to Walsh: “No, it hasn’t been presented to me, but it sounds good,” he said, laughing. “When the time is right, we’ll have those conversations.”
Arthur Staple of The Athletic: (mailbag) It feels like the New York Rangers may “have-to” trade one of their pending RFAs. Alexis Lafreniere has come on of late after a slow start, makes the most sense if they have to move someone. Filip Chytil just re-signed and trading K’Andre Miller would be crazy.
Guessing Miller would get a two-year bridge deal at around $4.5 million and Lafreniere two years at $3 million. If Miller wants to sign a long-term deal and it’s around $6 million, they could do that.
Re-signing soon-to-be 38-year-old goaltender Jaroslav Halak won’t be on the front burner for the Rangers this offseason. Maybe a bonus-laden 35+ low-salary deal. There may not be room for a Tyler Motte extension.
Trading forward Barclay Goodrow could be an option for the Rangers. Trading Jacob Trouba isn’t an option. Goodrow may hit the rumor mill when the Rangers get a better idea with their RFAs and backup goaltending.
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Hard to see how the Rangers would be able to re-sign one of Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko, never mind re-signing both. Kane taking a bit of discount is a possibility given that he may also need to have offseason hip surgery. Kane seems more focused on finding a fit and winning as opposed to Tarasenko.
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