The Ottawa Senators are working to sign newly acquired goaltender Samuel Ersson after electing not to issue him a qualifying offer, Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia reports.
According to Michael Russo of The Athletic, the Minnesota Wild are in the same situation with forward Bobby Brink.
The Senators acquired the rights to Ersson in a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs last week, sending a fifth-round pick back the other way. Garrioch adds that he would be surprised if a deal between the Senators and Ersson doesn’t get done, though it would appear Ottawa wants his cap number below the $1.6 million qualifying offer he was due. Ersson was also eligible for arbitration had he been qualified.
Ersson, 26, was acquired by the Maple Leafs, along with defenceman Emil Andrae and a draft pick, from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for goalie Joseph Woll and defenceman Simon Benoit on June 16.
If signed by Ottawa, Ersson figures to compete for the role of Linus Ullmark’s backup moving forward after Leevi Merilainen and James Reimer split the role for the majority of last season. Reimer is a pending unrestricted free agent and his future is unclear at age 38. Merilainen was qualified as a restricted free agent.
The 6-foot-3 Ersson went 14-11-5 last season as a member of the Flyers with a 3.12 goals-against average and an .860 save percentage.
He is coming off a two-year, $2.9 million contract that carried a cap hit of $1.45 million.
Can the Wild keep Brink?
Brink was due a $1.5 million qualifying offer, but Russo reports the move to not qualify him was based on the potential $4 million salary he could have been awarded in arbitration.
Russo adds that negotiations continue between the Wild and Brink’s agent, Ben Hankinson, continue on a new deal but the open market awaits if a new deal is not reached before Wednesday.
Minnesota is tight on cap space with $9.4 million available with four roster spots still to fill, meaning Brink could wind up being a cap casualty.
Brink, 24, was only acquired by the Wild at the trade deadline from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for prospect David Jiricek. He posted two goals and four points in 13 games with the Wild for a combined 15 goals and 30 points in 68 games on the season. He had one assist in four playoff games
Brink, who was selected by the Flyers in the second round of the 2019 draft, has 38 goals and 98 points in 214 career games.
