The Montreal Canadiens may be watching Ottawa’s contract talks with real interest, because Drake Batherson could quickly become a name to know if the Senators can’t get him signed.
Batherson is coming off his biggest offensive season yet, finishing with 71 points last year after increasing his point total in every season of his career. He’s established himself as a productive top-six winger who brings both offense and physical play, and that kind of profile is going to come at a steep price.
He’s currently on a deal worth under $5 million per season, but his camp is reportedly pushing for something in the neighborhood of Adrian Kempe’s eight-year, $10.625 million salary. According to Marco D’Amico, if Ottawa can’t lock Batherson down, Montreal will be among the teams ready to pursue him.
That interest fits with how aggressive the Canadiens have already been in the rumor mill, with the club previously tied to Kirill Marchenko and Matthew Knies. Batherson would give them another major swing at adding a high-end winger if he becomes available.
There was also a notable twist in Florida’s goaltending picture. Daria Tuboltseva reported that Sergei Bobrovsky was prepared to leave $8 million in total value on the table in order to stay with the Panthers.
The agreement in principle was a two-year deal at $6 million per season, but the sticking point came down to trade protection. Panthers general manager Bill Zito was not willing to hand out a full no-trade clause, and Bobrovsky wasn’t interested in taking the discount without stronger protection.
Instead, Bobrovsky ended up with the Maple Leafs, where his new contract pays $7 million annually over three years and includes a full no-trade clause. Florida, meanwhile, is moving ahead with Jacob Markstrom and Akira Schmid in net.
That’s a very different look, and while it may not carry the same comfort level Bobrovsky brought, the Panthers clearly were willing to treat last season as a down year in the middle of a broader injury mess. Bobrovsky, for his part, posted the worst numbers of his career.
The Maple Leafs are betting they can get a better version of him, and they clearly weren’t scared off by last season’s stat line. As a free-agent addition, it’s a bold move aimed at helping push the club back toward winning form.
In Minnesota, the next contract on the docket may not be the one everyone is talking about, but it looks like it’s coming soon. Joe Smith of The Athletic reported that John Hynes is likely to receive an extension before the season begins.
Hynes has posted a .601 points percentage since arriving with the Wild, which is better than what he managed with the New Jersey Devils and the Nashville Predators. Under him, Minnesota has become one of the league’s toughest teams to face, built on strong defense and the ability to score in bunches.
Even with below-average center depth, the Wild have found a way to make it work with Joel Eriksson-Ek, Ryan Hartman, Michael McCarron, and Danila Yurov. Those are useful pieces, but not a true elite center, and Minnesota has still thrived.
The expectation is that Hynes’ new deal will be around three years. The bigger-picture outlook around the Wild remains positive, and the sense is that they are positioned to keep moving forward, with more room to improve as they go.
In Other News...
Brad Marchand Puts Panthers Opening Plans In Serious Doubt
Brad Marchands first months in Florida have already taken a detour. The Panthers forward said in an Instagram video that he will miss former teammate Zdeno Charas charity game because he recently underwent surgery for lingering lower-body issues, a setback that comes after he had tried to get by without the procedure. Its the kind of update that immediately changes the conversation around a player expected to be part of the mix when camp opens in about a month.
For Florida, the timing is the part that stings most. The Panthers are preparing to start training camp soon, but Marchands recovery puts his early-season availability in serious doubt and leaves open the possibility that his return comes much later. Even with the team still holding out hope for a later-season comeback, this is now less about fitting him into opening-night plans and more about waiting to see how long the recovery takes. [Read more 🡒]
Bobrovskys Choice Left The Panthers Facing An Uncomfortable Goalie Reality
Sergei Bobrovskys decision to leave Florida for Toronto reshaped the goalie picture in a way the Panthers could not avoid. He had been a central part of their crease, but when free agency opened, the Maple Leafs gave him the kind of security that Florida did not fully match, and Bobrovsky moved on after choosing the more comfortable landing spot.
The deal gives Toronto a longer commitment and stronger protection, while Florida is left to confront the uncomfortable reality of what it lost and what it did not retain. In a summer where Jack Roslovic also landed with the Maple Leafs after his stop in Edmonton and Jeff Skinner took his career overseas, Bobrovskys choice stood out because it was about more than money - it was about control, and the Panthers came up short in that part of the negotiation. [Read more 🡒]