On the Toronto Maple Leafs interest in Erik Karlsson and Mattias Ekholm
Sportsnet: Elliotte Friedman on 32 Thoughts: The Podcast – Here’s what didn’t happen episode on the Toronto Maple Leafs.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Friedman: “And then Toronto was another team. The (Erik) Karlsson thing, I think happened before they made the (Ryan) O’Reilly deal.
NHL Rumors: Timo Meier and the Edmonton Oilers, and a little Zach McEwan
But I absolutely think the (Mattias) Ekholm questions were after they made the O’Reilly deal.
And I think in those two cases, what the Sharks were willing to retain and the fact that the Predators weren’t really willing to retain much, they only kept four percent on the deal with Edmonton. I think with both price they would have had to pay and ability to make it all work around the salary cap, I think it would have been impossible for Toronto.
But both of those players were people that the Leafs looked at and had conversations about, it just didn’t work. I think they felt that the (Jake) McCabe – (Sam) Lafferty move in terms of getting guys who had more time left on their contracts, the acquisition cost, the salary cap situation. I think they just felt it was better to make those moves than really trying to do something with Karlsson or Ekholm, which would fundamentally their salary cap situation.
The agent for Vancouver Canucks pending RFAs Ethan Bear and Noah Juulsen
Donnie & Dhali: Vancouver Canucks pending RFA defenseman Ethan Bear’s agent Jason Davidson on his contract situation.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Don Taylor: “He’s a restricted free agent in the offseason, how would you describe your state of negotiations with the Canucks, as we speak.”
Davidson: “I think we can agree that both sides want to get something done. We haven’t spoke here, probably since prior to the All-Star break. And everybody knows it’s kind of negotiations work once in a while.
Two sides are engaged and somebody’s not happy with the way it’s going and you just shut them down for a bit but I’m sure we’ll visit again shortly.”
NHL Rumors: Vancouver Canucks, Toronto Maple Leafs, and the San Jose Sharks
Rick Dhaliwal: Davidson on the term for Bear: “It will be a one or three-year deal, Ethan is ok with a one-year deal.”
Rick Dhaliwal: Agent Davidson on Canucks RFA Noah Juulsen: “The Canucks really like Noah, he is a blue collar type guy, good for culture. We might get something done sooner than later.”
