In today’s NHL rumors rundown, Elias Pettersson shared that he’s not in a hurry to sign an extension with the Vancouver Canucks, wanting to make sure he signs the right deal. Meanwhile, William Nylander says he’s got no desire to play anywhere but in Toronto. Finally, Evan Bouchard’s deal is rumored to be done with the Edmonton Oilers.
Pettersson Says Deal with Canucks Isn’t Close
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman recently interviewed Elias Pettersson, the pending RFA center of the Vancouver Canucks, and Pettersson shared his cautious stance on a contract extension. During a boat ride in Stockholm, Pettersson noted that he’s not in a hurry to get a new deal done as he enters this season playing the last year of his current deal.
Related: Vancouver Canucks: 3 Bold Predictions for 2023-24
As he closes off a $22.05 million, three-year contract, Pettersson expressed no urgency in negotiating a new deal. Emphasizing his dedication to training and nutrition for the upcoming 2023-24 season, he chose to delay extension discussions. “I’m not in a rush to sign,” Pettersson conveyed to Friedman. He asserted the significance of beginning the season with the right mindset and energy.
Part of the delay is that he’s not sure what form the extension will take. Whether a short-term or long-term agreement, he emphasized the decision’s pivotal role in his career and noted this would likely be the biggest deal of his career to date. He intends to meticulously consider the options before committing, recognizing the magnitude of this potential contract.
Nylander Wants to Remain a Maple Leaf
Friedman also conducted an interview with Toronto Maple Leafs’ forward William Nylander as part of the 32 Thoughts podcast and tweeted a note from that interview. He wrote, “The most relaxed man in hockey. “Lots of time” to sort out his contract, says there’s nowhere else he wants to be than Toronto. Doesn’t see why everyone is spending so much time discussing it.”
Nylander rumors are everywhere, with reports ranging from Toronto letting him play out his final season and then negotiating a new deal, to the Maple Leafs trading him before the season starts and not risking losing the player for nothing. Reports are that he’s asking for upwards of $10 million per season, which is one of the reasons analysts and insiders are so keen to talk about his situation. He may want to remain a Leaf, but if he’s asking for that kind of money, it’s hard to see how the team can afford to keep everyone.
Oilers Have Reportedly Signed Evan Bouchard
While not officially announced by the team, a number of reports have surfaced that the Edmonton Oilers have come to terms on a two-year bridge deal with Evan Bouchard. The deal is worth $3.9 million per season, according to Friedman. This tweet came after news from Frank Seravalli that a deal was imminent, although not official.
While this could be problematic down the line for the Oilers, as Puck Pedia points out, if the Oilers “maintained the $382K cap space from the start of the season through the trade deadline, this could fit $1.7M annual cap hit at the trade deadline.” That’s an important bit of news that could come in handy later this season. As per CapFriendly, the Oilers arer now roughly $390K over the cap. This is based on a roster of 22 players, meaning that they could become cap-compliant by starting the season with 21 players.
Getting Bouchard in at this number means they’ve got a top-pairing defenseman signed and part of this window to win. Many are anticipating over 60 points from him in the coming year.