Off-Season Watch: A Maple Leafs-Flames connection?
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While the Stanley Cup Final continues, the NHL's off-season is rapidly approaching with the NHL Draft starting on June 28 and Free Agent Frenzy on July 1. TSN.ca keeps you up to date with all the latest rumours and speculation from around the NHL beat.
Maple Leafs-Flames connection?
Jonas Siegel of The Athletic believes Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving should look at his former team's roster as he pursues upgrades on defence this off-season.
Siegel believes that if the Calgary Flames are committed to a retool this summer with Jacob Markstrom potentially on the way out, then the Maple Leafs should inquire on MacKenzie Weegar and Rasmus Andersson.
Weegar, 30, is coming off a career season in which he posted 20 goals and 52 points in 82 games. Acquired by the Flames as part of their return for Matthew Tkachuk in 2022, he is signed through the 2030-31 season at a cap hit of $6.25 million on a contract handed out by Treliving. While the deal is expensive, Siegel argues that free-agent options Brady Skjei, Brandon Montour and Matt Roy will all command similar, if not higher cap hits, only July 1.
Andersson, 27, had nine goals and 39 points in 78 games this season, his sixth full season with the team. He is signed through 2025-26 at a cap hit of $4.55 million and Siegel notes it may prove tough for the Flames to be convinced to move the blueliner two years ahead unrestricted free agency.
Changes appear to be in store for the Maple Leafs' blueline this summer with TJ Brodie, Mark Giordano, Joel Edmundson and Ilya Lyubushkin all slated for unrestricted free agency. Morgan Rielly, Jake McCabe, Simon Benoit, Conor Timmins and rookie Cade Weber are under contract for next season, with Timothy Liljegren eligible for arbitration as a restricted free agent.
Goodrow a candidate to be dealt?
Barclay Goodrow was a star in the playoffs for the New York Rangers, posting six goals and eight points in 16 games.
Larry Brooks of the New York Post argues, though, that those should be his final games with the team as the Rangers look to open up cap and roster space this summer.
Brooks believes the Rangers should to deal Goodrow, but should settle for a buyout if it would take a sweetener to do so. The 31-year-old forward broke out in the playoffs after posting just four goals and 12 points in 80 games during the regular season. He remains signed for three more years at a cap hit of $3.64 million.
Brooks points to the Chicago Blackhawks, Utah Hockey Club, Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks as potential trade fits. With the Rangers already low of draft capital, Brooks notes the Rangers can't afford to pay a team to take on Goodrow. After picking 30th overall in this month's draft, the Rangers will wait until the fourth round before making their next selection and also have a total of just five picks in the first four rounds over the next three years. The team does own their first-round pick in each of the next three drafts, though.
Buying out Goodrow would not only clear his cap hit from the books for next season, but give the Rangers an additional cap credit of $247,222, freeing a total of nearly $3.89 million to spend. However, it would also leave the Rangers burdened with a cap penalty of $1 million the following season, 3.5 million in 2026-27 and $1.11 million in each of the next three years.
A two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Goodrow has 60 goals and 169 points over 572 career NHL games.
Sokolov on the block?
Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia reports "the expectation is" that forward Egor Sokolov will be moved by the Ottawa Senators this summer.
Sokolov is a pending restricted free agent and Garrioch reports that he will likely receive a qualifying offer before the Senators look to flip him elsewhere.
The 24-year-old winger appeared in five games with the Senators this season, posting one goal and an assist. He had 21 goals and 46 points in 71 games with the AHL's Belleville Senators.
Sokolov was selected by the Senators in the second round of the 2020 draft.