Blue Jackets UFAs, and a Long List of Toronto Maple Leafs Priorities

Remaining Columbus Blue Jackets UFAs

Aaron Portzline of The Athletic: The Columbus Blue Jackets may be hoping to re-sign defenseman Erik Gudbranson, but it’s not known for sure if it will or won’t happen. There had been a report that he wouldn’t be back, but both agent Pat Morris and Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell, said that those talks didn’t take place.

The Blue Jackets have pending UFAs in Mason Marchment, Boone Jenner and Gudbranson. (Charlie Coyle re-signed on Tuesday for six years)

It wouldn’t be a surprise if pending UFA goaltender Ivan Fedotov isn’t back next season. He’s not that interested in playing in the AHL, and if he can’t land an NHL contract somewhere, he could return to the KHL.

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A long list of offseason priorities for the Toronto Maple Leafs

Jonas Siegel of The Athletic: The biggest priorities for the Toronto Maple Leafs this offseason, in no order.

1. Win over Auston Matthews – They need to convince him they can turn it around and that he should stay. If he’s not interested, they need to trade him. Scrap the retool and go into rebuild.

2. They’ll do well with the first overall pick, but they need to hit on some of their other picks.

3. Acquire a second-line center – May have to look at the trade route. The highest upside and most risk would be Vancouver Canucks Elias Pettersson. He’s 27-years old but hasn’t produced at a pace after he signed his long-term deal. Has six years left at $11.6 million. What would the cost be?

New York Rangers Vincent Trocheck has three years left at $5.6 million but they may not have the assets. They could try to re-acquire Ryan O’Reilly, who has a year left at $4.5 million. Maybe they could seriously try William Nylander at center.

NHL Rumors: Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets, and the Toronto Maple Leafs

4. Trade some defensemen – The Leafs want to remake their blue line, and most are under contract. Troy Stecher is a UFA. Likeliest to go Brandon Carlo, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Simon Benoit and Morgan Rielly. Carlo has a $3.48 million cap hit and an eight-team no-trade. OEL has two years left at $3.5 million. Rielly has four years at $7.5 million and a no-movement clause. Would they press Rielly, and would he be willing to leave?

5. Add some defensemen – Not easy to find a No. 1. Would Roman Josi want to move on? He has two years left at $9 million and will be 36 next month. Is he too old, and how high is the cost? Would the Blue Jackets consider moving Zach Werenski, and would the Leafs have the pieces? Dougie Hamilton has two years at $9 million, is not a No. 1, but might be worth it if the cost is low.

Rasmus Andersson and Darren Raddysh are the top free agents. Both are turning 30, will likely be overpaid, and aren’t really No. 1’s but would be on Toronto. They need at least one puck mover and/or ‘a chippy veteran’ for the bottom half.

6. More speed and defensive abilities into their forward mix – Chayka needs to find two or three fast middle-six forwards who can play both sides of the puck. Would they bring back UFA Ilya Mikheyev? They should look to move Dakota Joshua and Max Domi, but could Chayka really move Domi?

7. Pick a lane in net – They have three goalies under contract and one will need to be moved – Anthony Stolarz, Joseph Woll and Dennis Hildeby.

NHL News: Toronto Maple Leafs Move on from Craig Berube

8. Determine the future of RFAs – Matias Maccelli and Nick Robertson are similar players and age. Chayka did draft Maccelli. Both could also be let walk, with some of that depending on if Berube returns.

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