There are a number of unresolved contract situations in the NHL after nearly five weeks of free agency, most involving young defenseman coming off entry-level contracts.
RFA’s Jacob Trouba, Cody Ceci, Hampus Lindholm and Rasmus Ristolainen are looking for long-term deals similar to the six-year, $30 Million contract that Morgan Rielly signed last April, while Kevin Shattenkirk(a free agent next summer) and Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler(with two years left at $4 Million) may still be available on the trade market and UFA’s Kris Russell and James Wisniewski remained unsigned.
According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, Russell is waiting for teams to clear money to sign the 30-year-old blueliner, but it is unlikely that the Maple Leafs are one of those clubs.
Toronto brought back veteran Roman Polak on a one-year deal, added KHLer Nikita Zaitsev and re-signed RFA’s Martin Marincin, Frank Corrado and Connor Carrick, giving the Leafs eight defensemen on one-way contracts entering training camp next month.
Reports last month indicated that Russell and Toronto were talking and that the former Calgary and Dallas defenseman rejected a four-year offer,
but Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun said that report was completely false and that the Leafs had no interest in him.
Currently Toronto has 47 players signed on pro contracts (which includes the final year of defenseman Jared Cowen) and the odds are long that GM Lou Lamoriello would add a veteran defenseman on even a short-term deal when the plans appears to be for head coach Mike Babcock to find out whether youngsters Corrado, Carrick, Zaitsev and Marincin can handle consistent and significant ice time.
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Mixed results for Maple Leafs prospects at the US World Junior Evaluation Camp in Plymouth, MI on Thursday.
2015 second rounder Jeremy Bracco had an assist in a 4-3 comeback victory over Sweden, but 2016 third round pick Joseph Woll allowed three first period goals on seven shots before settling down and making 26 saves in the game.
Carl Grundstrom (Leafs second round pick in 2016) suffered an unspecified injury in the first period and did not return.
After not making Team USA for the 2016 World Junior in Helsinki last December, the 19-year-old Bracco appears well positioned to make the club that will play in Toronto and Montreal this winter.
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