Comparables for Blueger
Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The Pittsburgh Penguins will be limited with their cap space this offseason. They have pending restricted free agents – Teddy Blueger, Zach Aston-Reese, Mark Jankowski, Kasper Bjorkqvist, Radim Zohorna, Emil Larmi – and not all will be back next season.
Jankowski may not receive a qualifying offer but they could try to re-sign him at the league minimum.
Blueger could become an option for the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft. If not, it may take something around $2 million to re-sign him.
Comparables could be Radek Faksa (five years, $3.25 million per), Luke Kunin (two years, $2.3 million per), Jack Roslovic (two years $1.9 million per) and Tyson Josh (one-year, $874,125).
Project that Blueger will get $2.5 million per season.
On the Bruins and Jets
Luke Fox of Sportsnet: Boston Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron will be 35-years old during the final year of his contract next season. Brad Marchand is 33, and pending UFAs Tuukka Rask and David Krejci are on the other side of 30 and the two may not be back.
Brandon Carlo will be looking for a new deal. Sean Kuraly will be looking for a raise from his current $1.275 million.
$14.25 million will be off the books – Rask and Krejci – and they could take a look at Dougie Hamilton or Jack Eichel.
The Winnipeg Jets may let Paul Stastny hit free agency. They may be better off using his savings to help fix their blueline.
What it might cost the Avs to trade for Jones
Adrian Dater of Colorado Hockey Now: Elliotte Friedman said over the weekend that Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Seth Jones would “love” to play for the Colorado Avalanche or Dallas Stars. Jones has already told the Blue Jackets he won’t be signing an extension with them.
For the Avs to acquire Jones, it would likely cost them one of Nazem Kadri, Tyson Jost or J.T. Compher, along with a first-round pick and a prospect like Conor Timmins or Justin Barron.
The Blue Jackets would likely ask for Bowen Byram, but wouldn’t move him for Jones in that package. might be talked into a Jones for Bowen deal. Jones is a proven defenseman while Byram isn’t.
