It’s time for another edition of NHL rumours for your weekend. We’re nearing the start of September and the NHL rumours are picking up. Some big extensions have already been signed. However, there is plenty of fallout to sort out. Other teams are trying to make a deal to give players a fresh start. Today’s NHL rumours focus on the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Washington Capitals.
All NHL rumours come from the original source and are subject to change.
NHL Rumours
Toronto Maple Leafs
Rumour: Elliotte Friedman appeared on NHL Network to discuss the knock-on effect of the Auston Matthews extension.
The Toronto Maple Leafs made Auston Matthews a priority and got a deal done.
How does his contract extension impact William Nylander and Mitch Marner? #LeafsForever@JamieHersch | @MikeKellyNHL | @FriedgeHNIC | #NHLTonight pic.twitter.com/4LFOi77MGr
— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) August 24, 2023
Analysis: The Leafs and general manager Jim Treliving will have a lot to sort out this off-season. There are a number of players that are going to need new contracts at the end of the campaign. The elephant in the room is William Nylander, but there are other players that Treliving needs to decide the future on. Max Domi and Tyler Bertuzzi each signed one-year deals to bolster the Toronto offence.
Goalie Ilya Samsonov is going to need a new contract after going to arbitration in the off-season. Matthews’ deal costs the Leafs $13.25 million per year for the next four seasons. There’s hope the salary cap will go up more than the $1 million it has gone up in the last few seasons. However, that cap number is still kind of murky.
Friedman said the Leafs are going to worry about the contracts after all the dust has settled this season. It may be an odd strategy considering the large Nylander question. However, that may be the way the Leafs play it this season.
Washington Capitals
Rumour: Sammi Silber of the Hockey News takes a peek at the fates of Evgeny Kuznetsov and Anthony Mantha with the club.
Analysis: General manger Todd MacLellan was testing out the trade market for both players to give them a fresh start. However, the return for both players may not be what he wants. Both forwards are coming off down years with Washington. However, some of that may have been to both players not seeing eye-to-eye with former coach Peter Laviolette.
There’s a new sheriff in town as Spencer Carbery is the new head coach. Sibler speculated that the duo may get another chance with there being a new bench boss. Both players have shown flashes of scoring in their respective careers. A new coach could give the pair a new lease on life.
It seems like the Capitals are going to try and get Alex Ovechkin the goal-scoring record and sort out the future later. A hot start by Kuznetsov and/or Mantha could give MacLellan options at the deadline if the Caps fall out of contention.
Main photo by: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
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