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Matthews getting more exposure; Canes-Leafs destined to be trade partners? |
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The Toronto Maple Leafs are appointment television in Canada and occupy the 7pm slot on Saturday’s Hockey Night in Canada broadcasts most weekends during the regular season, but with 2017 Calder Trophy winner Auston Matthews being one of the league’s brightest stars, the Leafs are will be getting more attention and appearances on US television.
On Monday, NBC and NBCSN released their broadcast schedule for the 2017-18 season and Toronto will appear in three games. In all three instances, the Leafs will be the road team.
On January 24, the Chicago Blackhawks (who appear 17 times on national broadcasts) host Toronto at the United Center.
The Leafs and Washington Capitals will play at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland on Saturday, March 3, 2018, which will be simulcast on NBC and CBC and two days later, Toronto will play the Sabres at the Key Bank Center in Buffalo.
With NBC holding the broadcast rights for the Olympic Games, you can expect that the frequency of Matthews appearances will increase, even though the NHL will not being heading to South Korea in 2018.
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The Carolina Hurricanes are continuing to lock up their young defensemen. After signing Jaccob Slavin to a seven-year extension last month, GM Ron Francis locked up 22-year-old Brett Pesce to a six-year, $24.15 Million contract extension on Tuesday.
Pesce scored 20 points (2 goals, 18 assists) in his sophomore season with the Canes.
Francis has put together a young and promising club along with former Mike Babcock assistant Bill Peters as head coach, and may be in a position to add the significant offensive piece they need to contend for an Eastern Conference playoff spot.
The Hurricanes have Pesce and Slavin signed long-term and have All-Star blueliner Justin Faulk signed through 2020 at $4.83 Million per season. 2015 fifth overall pick Noah Hanifin and Cup winner Trevor van Riemsdyk are both restricted free agents next July with the expiration of their entry-level contracts and Francis has two first round picks in Haydn Fleury and Jake Bean in the pipeline.
Carolina now has three defenseman making over $4 Million AAV and likely will want to spend their available cap space towards scoring rather than another defenseman like Hanifin, who could require over $5 Million per season on a long-term deal.
The Canes may find it necessary to move either Hanifin or Faulk in the near future and with Carolina just as stacked on defense as the Leafs are at forward, it is logical to look at both teams and say they might be perfect trading partners in the near future.
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Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • 
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