Off-Season Countdown: Will Malkin hit the market?

Ahead of the opening round of the NHL Draft tonight and free agency on July 13, TSN.ca keeps you up to date with all the latest rumours and speculation from around the NHL beat.

Sticking Point?

While the Pittsburgh Penguins locked up one franchise icon Thursday in defenceman Kris Letang, Evgeni Malkin remains slated to hit the open market next week.

TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reports the Penguins are not ready to go past a three-year term with the veteran centre, though that could still change.

The Penguins agreed to terms with Letang on a six-year, $36.6 million contract extension on Thursday. The move leaves Pittsburgh with $15.3 million in cap space with 18 players now under contract for next season with Kasperi Kapanen and Danton Heinen still scheduled for restricted free agency.

Malkin, a three-time Stanley Cup winner with the team, posted 20 goals and 42 points in 41 games this season after undergoing knee surgery last summer. He added three goals and six points in seven playoff games.

The 35-year-old centre, who was selected second overall in 2004, has 444 goals and 1,146 points in 981 games with the Penguins. He is coming off an eight-year, $76 million contract which carried a cap hit of $9.5 million. 

Meeting Point?

While the Nashville Predators have yet to reach a deal to keep pending unrestricted free agent Filip Forsberg, TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun believes a meeting point may exist.

LeBrun reports that Forsberg is looking for an AAV in the high $8 million range, while the Predators' offer is in the low $8 million area. He wonders if the two sides will get a deal done if Nashville moves up to around $8.5 million.

Predators general manager David Poile confirmed last month the team had offered Filip Forsberg an eight-year contract extension, but added the two sides appear to be at an impasse when it comes to the financials of the deal. 

'We're taking a position where we feel that we're offering the right thing," Poile said. "They're taking a position where they think it should be more than that. ... They're not wrong, and with all due respect, I'm not wrong.

"Something has got to give in the next couple of weeks for Filip to sign."

The 27-year-old winger had a career season in 2021-22, scoring 42 goals and 84 points in 69 games with the Predators. He had one goal in four playoff games as the Predators were swept in the first round by the Colorado Avalanche.

Drafted 11th overall by the Washington Capitals in 2012, Forsberg has spent his entire playing career in Nashville after being traded by Washington in April 2013 in exchange for Martin Erat and Michael Latta. He has 220 goals and 469 points in 566 career games.

Offer Sheet Coming?

TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reports he's heard some teams are "internally debating the merits of offer sheeting Jake Oettinger."

LeBrun notes that the Stars would likely match any offer made to the goaltender, but some teams are still debating the attempt.

The 23-year-old appeared in 48 games last season, with a 30-15-1 record and a 2.53 goals against average for the Stars. He had a .954 save percentage in the playoffs as the Stars pushed the Calgary Flames to seven games in the first round of the playoffs.

Drafted 26th overall by the Stars in the 2017 NHL Entry draft, Oettinger is coming off his entry-level contract with the team.

The Lakeville, Minnesota native has a record of 41-23-8 in 77 career NHL games played.

Fleury Watch

There will be no shortage of suitors for Marc-Andre Fleury should he not re-sign with the Minnesota Wild before July 13.

TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun points to the Wild, Toronto Maple Leafs, Washington Capitals and perhaps Pittsburgh Penguins as potential landing spots for the 37-year-old. He adds the Colorado Avalanche could also emerge as a possibility if they do not re-sign Darcy Kuemper.

Despite a report to the contrary, TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reports Fleury does not have a deal in place with the Wild as of Thursday.

Dreger adds that the Maple Leafs, who are scouring the goalie market, have "poked around" on Ottawa Senators goaltender Matt Murray.

Fleury recorded a .908 save percentage and 2.90 goals-against average in 56 appearances last season split between the Blackhawks and Wild. In the playoffs, he had a .906 save percentage and 3.04 goals-against average as the Wild were eliminated in the first round in six games by the St. Louis Blues.

Fleury is coming off a three-year, $21 million contract with an average annual value of $7 million and is just a year removed from winning the Vezina Trophy with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2020-21.

Murray has been limited to just 47 starts over his first two seasons in Ottawa since signing a four-year, $25 million contract with an average annual value of $6.25 million.

The 28-year-old recorded a .906 save percentage and 3.05 goals-against average in 20 games this past season while missing significant time with an upper-body injury.

Coming Home?

It appears veteran forward Claude Giroux could return to Ontario on July 13.

TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reports that while a lot can change over the coming days, the Ottawa Senators have emerged as a legitimate option - among other teams - for Giroux, should he hit the open market next week.

The Senators could face competition within Canada for Giroux, as LeBrun wrote in the Athletic earlier this week that the Edmonton Oilers "have internally discussed the merits of trying to sign Giroux," if they can't re-sign Evander Kane. LeBrun said at the time that Giroux will be looking for a multi-year deal this summer, but adds that the 34-year-old will also be looking to join a winning roster.

Giroux netted 21 goals and 44 assists over 75 games split between the Philadelphia Flyers and Panthers in 2021-22, scoring three goals and adding 20 assists in 18 games after being traded to Florida. He added three goals and five assists over 10 playoff games as the President Trophy-winning Panthers were swept in the second-round by the Tampa Bay Lightning.  

The Hearst, Ont. native stated last month that he was interested in staying in south Florida, though cap space remains an issue for the Panthers. According to CapFriendly, the team has just over $3 million in space with only 17 players under contract for next season.

Leafs Sticking with Mrazek?

While speculation has placed Petr Mrazek as a possible trade or buyout candidate, the Toronto Maple Leafs appear ready to give the goaltender a second chance.

Mrazek was limited to 20 games last season due to various injuries. He posted an .888 save percentage and 3.34 goals-against average in the first season of a three-year $11.4 million contract with an average annual value of $3.8 million.

Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas said Wednesday he's prepared to bank on Mrazek bouncing back to career averages next season.

“I’ve been very happy with Petr in just how he’s been in the off season,” Dubas said. “He’s been very responsive, very communicative with our staff throughout. If I’m forecasting and betting on him, do I bet that he was the goalie he was last year in the 20 games or do I bet he was the goalie was for the 270 before, which was a .910 save-percentage guy that gave his team a chance to win? I’d probably bet on the larger sample. That’s where Petr fits into it at this time.”

With Jack Campbell appearing headed for the open market, the Maple Leafs currently have Mrazek and Erik Kallgren atop the projected depth chart for next season. 

If the Maple Leafs, who have a projected $6.44 million in cap space, were to buy out Mrazek, it would give them an additional $2.76 million in cap space this off-season and close to $3 million the following year. However, the team would then be left with a cap charge of $1.43 million in each of the next two years.

Already tight on cap space, the Maple Leafs have three restricted free agents still to sign in Rasmus Sandin, Pierre Engvall and Ondrej Kase. When asked if he's concerned about an offer sheet for Sandin, Dubas said if there is one, he hopes it comes soon rather than later so the team can adjust their off-season plans.

“If there is going to be an offer sheet, the sooner the better, so we can make our decision and move on,” Dubas said.

Making Moves?

Trade rumours have surrounded the Chicago Blackhawks throughout the offseason and it appears there’s no shortage of eyes on the team at draft day.

Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia reports Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson is willing to discuss every name on the team’s roster as he prepares for a rebuild in the Windy City.

Garrioch notes that trade talk continues to surround Alex DeBrincat, who scored a career-high 41 goals and 78 points in 78 games this past season. The 24-year-old carries a $6.4 million cap hit through next season and is set for restricted free agency again in 2023 before potentially reaching unrestricted free agency in 2024.

Additionally, though, Garrioch reports Seth Jones is a name to keep an eye on, despite the Blackhawks acquiring the defenceman and signing him to an eight-year, $76 million extension just one year ago.

The Blackhawks moved their first-round pick this year – No. 6 overall – as part of their deal to land Jones from the Columbus Blue Jackets last July.

Jones’ extension starts next season, when the 27-year-old will carry a cap hit of $9.5 million through 2029-30. He had five goals and 51 points in 78 games in his first season in Chicago and was a career-worst minus-37.

Finally, Garrioch reports the Blackhawks are looking to move centre Dylan Strome, though there’s “talk” he won’t receive a qualifying offer from the team if no trade materializes.

Strome, 25, had a career-best 22 goals and posted 48 points in 69 games this season while carrying a cap hit of $3 million. 
 

Campbell to the Oilers?

Potentially looking for two new goaltenders this summer with Mike Smith likely to land on LTIR, it appears the Edmonton Oilers have set their eyes on Jack Campbell.

TSN's Ryan Rishaug believes the Oilers have made the Toronto Maple Leafs netminder their No. 1 target when the free agent market opens next week.

TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun also lists the New Jersey Devils, Washington Capitals and Detroit Red Wings as potential land spots for Campbell.

The 30-year-old posted a 31-9-6 record with a .914 save percentage and a 2.64 goals-against average this season - his first playing in more than 31 games.

Campbell also started all seven playoff games for the team against the Tampa Bay Lightning, posting an .897 save percentage and a 3.15 GAA. He is coming off a two-year, $3.3 million contract signed with the Los Angeles Kings in 2019, prior to being traded to Toronto.

While general manager Ken Holland has expressed the team's interest in bringing back Evander Kane, Rishaug expects the winger to test the open market next week. 

Also 30, Kane had 22 goals and 39 points in 43 games with the Oilers this season. He added 13 goals and 17 points in 15 games as Edmonton reached the Western Conference Final. 

He first joined the Oilers in January on a pro-rated one-year, $2.1 million contract after his seven-year deal with the San Jose Sharks was terminated by the team.

Watch Rishaug's full breakdown here: