The Edmonton Oilers and forward Jesse Puljujarvi agreed on a three-year contract on Wednesday, making the 18-year-old Finn the fourth of the top six selections from last month’s 2016 NHL Draft to agree to an entry-level deal.
Second overall selection Patrik Laine, third pick Pierre-Luc Dubois and sixth pick Matthew Tkachuk have signed on the dotted line with Winnipeg, Columbus and Calgary, while Toronto Maple Leafs and Vancouver Canucks have not agreed to terms with center Auston Matthews and defenseman Olli Juolevi.
There is no reason for concern according to Leafs Team President Brendan Shanahan, as the club and Matthews will likely reach an accord in the near future.
“(Fans) should not be worried at all(about Matthews not being signed). We haven't been here a long time, but I can promise our fans that our management group didn't get stupid in two weeks.” Shanahan said on
TSN Radio last week. “It will get taken care of. We're not a group that likes to give a heads up as to what we're doing and what we’re thinking.”
What will be interesting is how lucrative the performance bonuses will be for the Scottsdale, AZ native’s first contract. Leafs GM Lou Lamoriello does not have a history of signing draft picks to bonus-laden deals. Defenseman Adam Larsson(recently traded by New Jersey to Edmonton for Taylor Hall) was selected fourth overall(same pick as Puljujarvi) by the Devils in 2011.
Larsson agreed to the standard entry-level deal of $925,000 but received no bonuses, while Florida’s Jonathan Huberdeau (selected 3rd in 2011) received a bonus package of $2.3 Million and the Islanders Ryan Strome (selected 5th) was given $850,000.
According to General Fanager, the Oilers gave Puljujarvi the “Schedule A” maximum bonus of $850,000 and $1.65 Million of the maximum $2 Million “Schedule B” bonus which is negotiated between the player’s agent and the club.
Laine received a total of $2.65 Million($850,000 A/$1.8 Million B) on his contract, Dubois $2.5 Million($850,000 A/$1.65 Million B) and Tkachuk $850,000(A). If the Leafs fall in line on their deal with Matthews, the 18-year-old should get the maximum of both bonuses, which would total $2.85 Million, or at least the equivalent of Laine’s deal.
That would be a departure from Lamoriello’s modus operandi, but the veteran GM has operated slightly differently away from the fiscal restrictions in New Jersey.
“(When)Lou, Mike(Babcock) and myself, we all met (when Lamoriello was hired last July) and he said ‘this is not New Jersey, it’s also not Detroit, this is Toronto.’ So it’ll get done, I’m fully confident that Lou will have that done and people don’t have to worry.”
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Former player agent Brian Lawton believes the Maple Leafs may have come close to circumventing the Collective Bargaining Agreement in their bid to bring Steven Stamkos to Toronto.
The former first overall pick and Tampa Bay GM said on TSN’s
Naylor and Landsberg Morning Show on Wednesday that the presence of Canadian Tire CEO Michael Medline when the club met with Stamkos and representatives from Newport Sports may have been the Leafs attempt to use other entities to give them a competitive advantage over other NHL clubs, something that is prohibited in the current CBA.
One aspect that was perceived as an advantage for Toronto in pursuit of Stamkos was the 26-year-old superstar’s ability to make secondary income in advertising on top of his NHL salary.
Lawton believes that since there was no deal reached with Stamkos, it is unlikely that the NHL will pursue an investigation against the Leafs.
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