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Report: Leafs Step Up Offer For Bernier |
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The Toronto Maple Leafs apparently have raised their offer to the Los Angeles Kings for restricted free agent goaltender Jonathan Bernier, according to Comcast’s
Tim Panaccio.
Panaccio reports that while the Philadelphia Flyers maintain interest in Bernier, sources indicate that Leafs GM Dave Nonis has significantly anted up the price to pry the 24 year old netminder from the Kings and that he may be willing to offer more than other interested teams, which include the New York Islanders, Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild and the New Jersey Devils.
The Flyers are still in the process of determining whether to use a compliance buyout on the seven remaining years of goalie Ilya Bryzgalov’s contract.
Bernier has been the backup to former Conn Smythe Trophy winner Jonathan Quick and has been the focus of trade rumors involving the Leafs over the last three seasons, but renewed interest in the goalie may be due to the influence MLSE President and CEO Tim Leiweke, who is the former boss of the Anschutz Entertainment Group(who owns the Kings).
While Bernier is well regarded as a premium goaltending prospect, serious interest from
Toronto is a sign that Nonis is not sold on James Reimer being the club’s number one goaltender. The price for Bernier would likely include the Leafs first round pick(21st overall in the upcoming draft) and a prospect, assets that might also be used to acquire a center or power forward.
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