![NHL – Rumblings on the Oilers, Panthers, Mitch Marner, Jake Guentzel and more from the NHL combine NHL – Rumblings on the Oilers, Panthers, Mitch Marner, Jake Guentzel and more from the NHL combine](https://i0.wp.com/cdn.theathletic.com/app/uploads/2024/06/03192523/GettyImages-1940923764-scaled.jpg?w=1200&resize=1200,0&ssl=1)
BUFFALO, NY – The NHL scouting combine isn’t just about the prospects. It’s also about the CEOs and agents, gathered here this week to do business.
Many potential trades and free agent signings have their seeds planted in the conversations at this event, with much of the hockey world in the same place ahead of the Draft and free agency.
That being said, we start with someone who won’t be in Buffalo this week, Jeff Jackson. The Edmonton Oilers‘ executive director of hockey operations is a little busy preparing for the Stanley Cup Final.
But the reason I reached out to Jackson was to ask how the Oilers were dealing with this reality: If the Cup Final goes seven games, Edmonton will wake up the next day, June 25, three days before the NBA Draft. the NHL on June 28 and 29 and five days before the opening of free agency on July 1.
Phew.
There’s a lot on Jackson’s plate, one of which is that Ken Holland’s contract as general manager expires on June 30, so people are naturally wondering what the Oilers’ possible succession plan is.
“We’re not going to deal with any of that until we’re done with the playoffs,” Jackson told The Athletic on Monday. “There cannot be any type of speculation or discussion that could distract the team. We are operating day by day. The hockey operations group is very synchronized and united all the time. We’re on the road having dinner and doing what we do. And be with the coaches. We’re not going to change any of that, because it’s working.
“Everyone’s timing is unfortunate simply because everything is stuck the way it played out this year. But I’ll deal with that. And it’s a good problem to have.”
Bill Zito, president of hockey operations and general manager of the back-to-back Eastern Conference champion Florida Panthers, echoed the sentiment.
“If someone had asked me before the playoffs how I would have felt having a short window to prepare (for the draft and free agency), I would do anything to be in a position to have that short window,” Zito said. The Athletic on Monday. “Are you kidding me? If that’s the biggest problem we have this month, I’ll be the luckiest guy in the world.”
Yes, I can think of 30 other teams that would like to be caught in the same way.
The Panthers will hold pro scouting meetings in Florida at the same time as Games 1 and 2 of the Cup Final. Zito said they have stayed on top of that work all season, so they have a good understanding of the things.
The big deal ahead for Florida, of course, is trying to re-sign pending unrestricted free agent Sam Reinhart (among other free agents on its roster) in such a short period of time after the Cup Final. Zito He declined to comment on that situation, but from the beginning, the party line from both the organization and Reinhart has been that there is a strong mutual desire to find a way to achieve an extension. Still, they will only have a few days to do it.
The Oilers, meanwhile, will hold professional meetings next week when the Cup final moves to Edmonton for Games 3 and 4. They’ll talk about free agency and players they need to re-sign and all that.
“We’re working in parallel with the playoffs, plus the things we have to do and the preparation we have to do for the draft,” Jackson said. “But yes, I’m comfortable with the fact that it’s a ‘problem’, but it’s a good thing as we’re still playing and trying to win the Cup. Once the season is over, hopefully with a win, we’ll take care of the rest.” ”.
Other rumors from Monday in Buffalo:
The Carolina Hurricanes, as previously reported, have shown strong interest in attempting to re-sign pending UFA winger Jake Guentzel. And those conversations with agent Ben Hankinson continue.
But all things being equal, it seems like the most likely outcome at this stage is for Guentzel to hit the July 1 market while still keeping Carolina as an option.
The only carrot the Hurricanes have is having an eight-year contract. Guentzel can only get seven on the open market. But whatever salary figures have been exchanged so far, the feeling right now is that Hankinson will most likely want to hear from other teams on July 1 as well. Again, without ruling out Carolina.
Mitch Marner
Despite the immense interest in Mitch Marner’s future from Toronto Maple Leaf fans, there’s really nothing new at the moment.
As I wrote a few weeks ago, Marner’s group, led by agent Darren Ferris, is not putting together a list of teams for a potential trade. The goal for Marner, who has a full no-move clause, is to play out the remaining year of his contract and see where things go from there.
That also means that I don’t think there will be any desire to talk about an extension on July 1. The Marner camp’s preference is to start the season and see where things go from there. Maybe there will eventually be talks about an extension, but I don’t think there will be a huge desire to address them this summer.
There was no meeting scheduled between Ferris and Leafs general manager Brad Treliving here this week, although they are supposed to meet. It’s a fishbowl atmosphere here with NHL people in the same place.
Ferris is also the agent for pending UFA defenseman Joel Edmundson, and I understand there is mutual interest between the team and the player in pursuing an extension. Edmundson enjoyed playing for new Leafs coach Craig Berube with the St. Louis Blues, winning a Cup together in 2019, and that’s certainly a factor.
But the Leafs are doing a lot of roster juggling. So it’s not easy to reach an agreement with Edmundson.
Speaking of the Leafs, there has been no conversation between them and John Tavares’ team, led by agent Pat Brisson. But either way, if the Leafs ever asked, Tavares, a 2025 UFA with a full no-movement clause, doesn’t want to give up on going anywhere.
Perron, Drouin and Kane
Veteran agent Allan Walsh represents pending UFA wingers David Perron and Jonathan Drouin and indicated Monday that he hopes to meet with Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman on Perron and the Colorado Avalanche general manager , Chris MacFarland, in Drouin, here sometime this week.
There is a mutual interest in staying away from the team and the player in each case, but of course that doesn’t mean that will happen.
Obviously, Nathan MacKinnon wants his friend Drouin to stay put. The complication in Colorado is how the Avs handle the Valeri Nichushkin situation, not to mention the uncertainty with captain Gabriel Landeskog. But all things being equal, I think the Avs sign Drouin.
The Red Wings have RFAs to sign, and I suspect Yzerman wants to get a good idea about the entire picture before deciding where Perron might fit back into that puzzle.
Meanwhile, agent Pat Brisson, who represents pending UFA Patrick Kane, said Monday that he hopes to meet with Yzerman this week here. Brisson’s CAA Hockey group also represents Lucas Raymond through agent JP Barry, and Yzerman is also expected to meet with Barry about the restricted free agent.
(Mitch Marner Photo: Derek Cain//Keynote USA/Getty Images)
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