Can the new Capitals coach get Mantha and Kuznetsov going if they can’t trade them?
Sammi Silber of The Hockey News: The Washington Capitals have been testing the trade waters with Anthony Mantha and Evgeny Kuznetsov all offseason. Both remain with the Capitals after not generating much interest.
Moving either Mantha and/or Kuznetsov and not getting a return isn’t worth it to the Capitals. Both players have the potential to bounce back after a poor season. They didn’t see eye-to-eye with Peter Laviolette and now it’s Spencer Carbery’s turn to see if he can get them going.
Iain MacIntyre of Sportsnet: Success or failure this season could go a long way in determining Elias Pettersson’s short or long-term future with the Vancouver Canucks.
Pettersson told Elliotte Friedman in an interview this week that he’s focused on the start of the season and is in no rush to sign a contract extension.
Pettersson’s agent Pat Brisson.
“There’s a lot more media attention in Canada, right? And you don’t want it to become a distraction. The main focus will be for him to perform, and hopefully him and the team will be in a better place this year. It’s more that than anything else. And to evaluate … both sides can evaluate, (and) let’s all sit down at the end of the year and explore where we’re at.”
Brisson reminds us that Pettersson will be an RFA at the end of the season and not a UFA.
Jimmy Murphy of Boston Hockey Now: The Boston Bruins have been linked to centers Elias Lindholm and Mark Scheifele this offseason, but what about Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson. They are all entering the final year of their contracts but Lindholm and Scheifele will be UFAs and Pettersson will be an RFA. Pettersson is four years younger and than Lindholm and six years younger than Scheifele.
Who knows what the any potential asking price for Pettersson would be but Bruins GM Don Sweeney should at least check it out.
The Bruins will have over $28 million in projected salary cap space after this season.
