Darren Dreger Teases Major NHL Moves in Coming Weeks
Photo credit: TSN
NHL Insider Darren Dreger revealed the next few weeks of the NHL offseason is going to be crazy, so everyone needs to start preparing for the dominoes to fall.
As the Stanley Cup Finals starts winding down, with only three potential games left to play, all the other NHL teams are looking at what they need to do in order to get the ball rolling for their offseason ventures.
Free agency is in two and a half weeks, we've already seen stars traded, and with each new rumor comes ten more. It's going to be one of the most anxiety riddled times in both fans and executives' season; and teams need to be prepped for anything.
Get ready for a wild and crazy two weeks: Darren Dreger
According to NHL Insider Darren Dreger, who was on TSN 1050's FirstUp, explained that once the Stanley Cup Finals concludes, the gap between then and free agency is going to be pretty frantic:
The period between the Cup being handed out and July 1st is going to be a "wild ride." - Darren Dreger
There's only 11 days from when the Cup is handed out to free agency's opening (that also means it has to go to Game 7) otherwise it's about two weeks of space that teams are going to be making trades, buying out contracts, and getting things set for July 1.
So what does that mean for the Maple Leafs?
Toronto's offseason plans: There are many changes coming
Well, let's start with the obvious change: No more Mitch Marner. The star forward is headed out of town and won't be coming back, so it's time for the team to buck up and prepare for life without him.
That means the team needs to focus their attention on re-signing key names, and adding some more.
Matthew Knies' extension needs to be addressed ASAP before any team gets a chance to put in an offer sheet, and John Tavares still needs to get his money; whether it be on a reduced and modified deal or not.
Once those are figured out then we have some other contracts to tend to. Does Toronto bring back names like Max Pacioretty, and Steven Lorentz? Will names like Nick Robertson and Pontus Holmberg be given new deals or potentially signed/traded away?
What of the contracts they could trade too? Max Domi, David Kampf, Calle Jarnkrok, and even Morgan Rielly are all potential candidates to be moved this summer, and those will yield either some extra draft surplus or perhaps an NHL-ready player.
Plus, the NHL Draft itself is a wild card, and you never know what kinds of deals will be made that alter the offseason even further.
Then there's the entirety of free agency. Aaron Ekblad, Brad Marchand, Nikolaj Ehlers, and several others are all going to be fielded offers, and that's just the bigger names.
Jonathan Toews has been rumoured to come back with Toronto as a potential destination. That in turn may bring Patrick Kane as well, and the team might be willing to make a big name deal for a puck-moving defender.
The lineup is going to undergo a severe facelift next year, with a lot of cheaper and grittier options for Craig Berube to utilize. They need to start somewhere, and getting Knies and Tavares locked down is a good start.
But as that first domino falls, be prepared for a rapid flurry of moves to follow.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 14 | 403 ANSWERS Darren Dreger Teases Major NHL Moves in Coming Weeks What do you think the first major move of the NHL offseason is going to be? | ||
| Mitch Marner Signs Somewhere | 168 | 41.7 % |
| Sam Bennett Re-signs with Florida | 153 | 38 % |
| New York Trades #1 Overall Pick | 22 | 5.5 % |
| Gary Bettman Retires | 60 | 14.9 % |
| List of polls | ||
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