Nazem Kadri’s vow of silence regarding the state of negotiations with the Maple Leafs lasted a whole five days, as the restricted free agent again expressed frustration at the lack of progress made at the club’s annual charity golf outing in Milton, ON.
According to the Toronto Sun’s Rob Longley , the young center is ready for the club’s training camp on September 11th, but that the two sides do not appear to be getting any closer to a new deal.
“It just seems that everybody who doesn’t know the situation seems to know what’s best for me,” Kadri said. “Hopefully we can come to an agreement soon. I”m just kind of waiting on them so I can get to training camp and get the whole process going, I”m just doing whatever I can to get ready for camp.”
Kadri had openly discussed his dissatisfaction over the lack of progress with the Leafs throughout the month of August, but opted not to comment late last week at the club’s practice facility in Etobicoke, ON, indicating that he would not have any further comment on negotiations until the deal was reached.
The 22 year old forward is reportedly looking for a long term contract after posting a career best 44 point season in the last year of his entry level deal, but with the Leafs having less than $5 Million in available cap space and both Kadri and defenseman Cody Franson unsigned, the club is trying to get both players to take shorter term “bridge” deals to squeeze under the cap and get more proof of their worth as players before paying them big bucks.
Doesn't sound like TOR and RFAs Nazem Kadri and Cody Franson are even in the same ballpark on negotiations at this point.
TSN’s Bob McKenzie reports that Kadri is looking for a long term deal similar to the Islanders John Tavares(who was selected six picks ahead of him in the 2009 Draft), for six years at around $5.5 Million per season, whereas the Leafs are looking for a two year deal for slightly less than $3 Million per year.
“Nazem has a very fair offer and it’s not salary cap related, there is plenty of money there for both of them(Kadri and Franson). Leafs Assistant GM Dave Poulin said on Tuesday “It’s representative of the body of work that he has done in his time here and were in a good situation moving forward from an overall money standpoint.”
McKenzie reports that the Leafs and Franson are at a similar impasse, with the 26 year old defenseman looking for a four-year deal at more than $4 Million per season, while Toronto is looking for a one or two year deal at close to $3 Million per season.
“If they are not signed by the start of camp, obviously they won’t be at camp and from that point on we won’t talk about it.” Poulin said
There is a distinct possibility that both situations could encroach into training camp, as the Luke Schenn negotiations did two years ago, but with the remote likelihood of another NHL team issuing an offer sheet, both Franson and Kadri camps are likely to use what little leverage they have to get the best deal available for the clients in the next couple weeks, before a prolonged holdout threatens their place on the roster or adversely effects their performance for the 2013-14 season.
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