The recent signings of
Connor McDavid, Kirill Kaprizov, Jack Eichel and Kyle Connor thinned
out the top talent in next summer’s NHL free-agent market.
That could push up the
value of Los Angeles Kings right winger Adrian Kempe, Buffalo Sabres right winger
Alex Tuch and Colorado Avalanche right winger Martin Necas.
Contract talks have
reportedly taken place between the Kings and Kempe and the Sabres and
Alex Tuch. It’s believed the Kings don’t want to risk losing their
leading goal-scorer, especially with Anze Kopitar retiring at the end
of this season. Meanwhile, Tuch has signalled his interest in
re-signing with the Sabres, but those discussions have reportedly
stalled.
As for Necas, Sportsnet’s
Michael Amato raised the possibility that he could price himself out
of Colorado.
The 26-year-old had
a career-high 83 points last season split between the Avalanche and
Carolina Hurricanes. Amato believes he could reach 90 points with a
full season alongside superstar Nathan MacKinnon, which could push
his asking price to over $10 million annually.
Complicating things is
that the Avalanche must ensure they have long-term cap room to
re-sign superstar defenseman Cale Makar, who is UFA-eligible in 2027.
It could cost them over $17 million annually to re-sign him.
If the Avalanche sign
Necas for between $10 million and $11 million annually, Amato
speculates they might have to move a core player, such as Devon Toews,
Brock Nelson, Valeri Nichushkin or Mackenzie Blackwood to free up
sufficient space for Makar.
That could explain why
some observers doubt the Avalanche can keep Necas in the fold.
Turning to the Canadiens,
contract extension negotiations with Lane Hutson have dominated
headlines in Montreal. Sportsnet’s
Elliotte Friedman reported the two sides have agreed to keep those
discussions out of the public eye.
Hutson’s contract
negotiations are overshadowing Mike Matheson’s UFA eligibility next
summer. The 31-year-old Canadiens blueliner is in the final season of
an eight-year contract with a cap hit of $4.875 million.
Matheson has at times
incurred the wrath of Canadiens fans for his occasional defensive
mistakes. However, he has also garnered praise from the team for his
all-around play and ability to log big minutes.
Since pairing up with
off-season acquisition Noah Dobson on the Canadiens’ top pair,
Matheson’s play has improved. TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie pointed this
out following the Habs’ 5-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings.
Lavoie believes the
Canadiens must do all they can to re-sign Matheson. The improved
depth on their blueline will lighten his workload but still ensure
his effectiveness as a top-four defenseman.
With over $36.7 million in projected cap space for 2026-27, and with 15 active roster players
under contract for next season, the Canadiens have the room to
re-sign Matheson, depending on how much he’ll seek. However, they
must ensure they have sufficient long-term cap room for Hutson and
rookie right winger Ivan Demidov, who’ll need a new contract in 2027.
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