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Brown contract impasse could be more about Leafs flexibility |
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The number of restricted free agents dwindled on Friday with Nashville signing center Ryan Johansen to an eight-year, $64 Millon contract extension.
A number of teams are dealing with getting players coming off their entry-level deals, such as the Boston Bruins and winger David Pastrnak, the Calgary Flames and center Sam Bennett and the Colorado Avalanche with defenseman Nikita Zadorov.
With those young players, the reason for their not being signed may be primarily connected to the term and salary of their new deal. In the case of winger Connor Brown, the reason for his not being signed may have more to do with the Toronto Maple Leafs current roster conundrum than years and dollars.
Brown did not seemed stressed about the lack of a deal being done when he spoke with the media a few weeks ago and Toronto GM Lou Lamoriello indicated he is confident that the restricted free agent will be signed by training camp.
“(The contract talks) are with my agent and (Leafs) management. I’m just going to take care of what I can take care of and just be patient put in on the backburner.” The 23-year-old Toronto native said at the MasterCard Centre in Etobicoke, ON earlier this month.
“I’m confident (that I will be around for the long term). Things will sort (themselves) out and I just have to be patient.”
Cap space is not the issue with Toronto currently $3.92 Million over the salary cap, since they are using LTIR during the summer and have over $3 Million in room to get a new deal done.
The issue may be that the Leafs have just one available space under the 50 professional contract limit and signing Brown now eliminates any options of adding another player with free agents still available weeks before the opening of training camp.
It is quite possible that the Leafs and Brown have an agreement in principle on a new contract, which would eliminate the minute possibility of another team making an offer sheet.
If Brown were signed, efforts on the part of Lamoriello to clear out space on the Leafs roster may be made more difficult since other teams would know Toronto is up against the limit.
The Leafs were in a similar situation at the start of training camp in September 2015. Toronto was at 49 players before the 5-for-1 deal with the New York Islanders for Michael Grabner.
Cap space did not matter that much at that point for the Leafs, who were entering the season they would finish 30th in the NHL, but the price Lamoriello had to pay to give him room to maneuver and sign/take on players was an underachieving veteran making $5 Million in the final year of a contract.
Moving depth players such as Eric Fehr ($2 Million), Alexei Marchenko ($1.45 Million) or Martin Marincin ($1.25 Million) might be made more difficult if the Leafs trade partner believes they have them over a barrel.
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Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • 
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