Jake Guentzel might be the hottest commodity heading into NHL free agency on Monday. The TSN Hockey Insiders have the latest on Guentzel's future, Max Domi and Tyler Bertuzzi in Toronto and much more.
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What’s the latest on pending Toronto Maple Leafs free agents Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi?
Chris Johnston:
Two forwards I think, all things being equal, would like to remain in Toronto. In some ways, I’m a bit surprised that
Max Domi has ended up in this spot, on the doorstep of potential free agency without a new deal
because the Leafs and his camp have had a dialogue and it doesn’t seem like the gap is too massive. I think that they both see the value in each other. They’re hammering away right now with that July 1 deadline hanging over their heads.
It wouldn’t surprise me if they found a way to get that done but right now it’s a difficult stage of those talks.
Some have thought Tyler Bertuzzi is out the door in Toronto but that’s not so. It sounds like Bertuzzi is very willing to work with the Leafs when it comes to the length of the contract. Even the money, I don’t think that this is a case of ‘pay me this or I’m out the door’. I don’t think any hard lines are being drawn. All things being equal, Bertuzzi would like to remain in Toronto but both Bertuzzi and Domi are waiting to see if the money will be there and if they’re a priority for the Leafs as they look to shore up their blueline.
Dreger:
The money is going to the blueline for the most part. When you look at the list of right-shot defencemen that Brad Treliving is targeting, it’s a long one. It starts with
Chris Tanev, then
Brandon Montour. What about
Matt Roy if he leaves the Los Angeles Kings and hits the open market? You’ve got
Brett Pesce going to open market, leaving Carolina and
Alexandre Carrier would be another, along with
Sean Walker.
So there are a lot of options Treliving is kicking the tires on.