The Steve Dangle Podcast: Chris Johnston on the CJ Special episode of the Dangle podcast, when asked about teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs having a plan on the chance that Connor McDavid becomes an unrestricted free agent.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Adam Wylde: “So on that point, we’ve talked about on this show that the Leafs would be stupid. Would, it would be managerially, like suicidal, to not have a plan for if Connor McDavid becomes available? You have to have that plan. Yeah, you have that conversation.”
Johnston: “I’m sure it’s occurred to the Los Angeles Kings. I’m sure it’s occurred to the New York Rangers.”
Wylde: “Yeah.”
Johnston: “You know, you don’t think Julian BriseBois down in Tampa might be looking at his long-term roster. I mean, he’s always, he’s a master of keeping his roster in a certain way. I mean, I think that there’s …”
NHL Rumors: Colorado Avalanche and the Calgary Flames
Steve Dangle: “The Panthers, they’re short-handed. ”
Johnston: “I mean, obviously there’s 31 teams that would like to have him, but there’s probably 10 teams that would think that they would be in the running if they’re ever got a chance.”
Wylde: “So if he doesn’t sign this rumored two-year, three-year pact with the Oilers this summer, that, that has been thrown out there a little bit. Now, I’m not hearing so much about it. If that doesn’t happen and he does go to free agency next July, how does one, whatever city they’re in, position themselves to be a team that you would want to join?”
Johnston: “It’s simple. It’s well, okay, sorry. It’s simple for me to sit here and say it’s hard to execute. You need to have the cap space to sign him and be able to prove to him demonstrably that you have a chance to win once you sign him to that contract. If you can line it up like that, I think you’re in the, I think you’re in the ball game.”
Wylde: “So if you’re the Raptors minus Kawhi, like the season after Kawhi. Remember where everybody was like, man, if Kawhi was here, they would have won again, and they made it, what, Where they go to seven, seven games in the second round was it?”
Jesse Blake: “Yeah, they lost Boston and …”
Wylde: “Boston and it was in that bubble playoff. But that was still an amazing team. They were a Kawhi Leonard away. Do the Toronto Maple Leafs need to be that? Like, you need to be forcing teams to the absolute max, even if you can’t quite get over the hump. Let’s get you know…”
NHL Rumors: Jack Eichel and Kirill Kaprizov
Johnston: “You need to have a plan. Because, more than anything, like we all know the contract wherever, if Connor extends in Edmonton, or if he ends up signing a free agent contract in 2026, we all know there’s no negotiation. It’s literally, he’s going to pick his terms, more or less, right?
So it’s not about, it’s so, it’s about everything else around that. We can accommodate. Make you the highest-paid player in the game, which you should be, and this is why we’re going to win, and this is what we have, and this is our plan, and this is how we’re going to attack the summer.
I mean, I don’t know what’s going to happen here, quite honestly. I mean, we’re getting a little ahead of ourselves, but look at it’s been two weeks that he could have extended Edmonton. And to my knowledge, there’s been no discussions about an extension yet.
That being said, I think it’s a five-minute phone call if his agent, Judd Moldaver, wants to do a contract with the Oilers. It’s just a matter of getting the other side on the, you know what, we’re preparing right now. Fill in the numbers.
So, but if he becomes a free agent, of course, the Leafs they’d be nuts, but again, I think it’s any of the original six teams are probably feeling like they could be in that mix, if they’re good enough. Obviously, some of them aren’t at this point in time.
NHL Rumors: Los Angeles Kings, Anze Kopitar, and Adrian Kempe
I think it’s, really any, like Vegas, probably has to think about it, I don’t know how they do it. I’m imagining they’ve already signed Marner. I’m imagining they’re going to extend Eichel, who’s a year out for.”
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? Rumor roundups and hot topics from around the league. We’re also posting some stuff on Instagram.
