The Flyers are still swinging for the fences, and Darren Dreger says the target is the kind of player who changes the look of a lineup.
Philadelphia, according to Dreger on TSN, is “big game hunting” and trying to land a star. As he put it, “They’re looking for a star forward or a star defenceman, which shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone.”
That pursuit doesn’t appear to be tied to Matvei Michkov. Kevin Kurz reported that Flyers general manager Danny Briere said the team had “some talks” with Michkov’s agents about a contract extension before Tuesday’s deadline, but Briere didn’t have much more to offer on the subject.
The New York Rangers, meanwhile, didn’t sound especially rattled by Tuesday’s CBA deadline. When asked whether he had spoken with Gabriel Perreault or any other extension-eligible young players about a long-term deal before the agreement expired, GM Chris Drury kept it close to the vest.
“As you all know, I’m not going to get into contract negotiations publicly. All or any conversations I have with players or agents, keep that private.
We’re happy with where we’re at. We’re happy with where our roster is at.
We’re happy with our cap projections going into this year and in the future. We’re excited to see Gabe and other young players continue to grow, take on more responsibility, earn more responsibility here and have good productive years for us.”
Peter Baugh also noted that he was told on Monday there hadn’t been any extension talks with Gabe Perreault.
In Winnipeg, Josh Morrissey said he found out about Connor Hellebuyck’s trade request the same way everybody else did. He made clear he doesn’t know what comes next, but he’s still holding out hope Hellebuyck returns to the Jets’ lineup.
“But I don’t know what that’s going to look like. Nobody knows if he’s going to be here or not or what a trade would look like, so I can’t say it makes us worse or whatever.
That’s speculation. Obviously, we hope he’s back at some point and playing for us for a long time.”
Morrissey, who has two years left on his contract with a $6.25 million cap hit, also said his feelings about Winnipeg haven’t changed.
“At the end of the day, I love being here. I love being a Jet,” he said. “That’s how I’ve always felt, and so that doesn’t change because of somebody else’s decision.”
In Other News...
Jets Face An Early Crease Test As Roster Chances Open
A shortened preseason has already pushed the Jets into a more revealing kind of evaluation, with roster spots up for grabs and the first games arriving before the picture has fully settled. Winnipeg has trimmed away some junior-eligible players and is lining up more cuts as it moves toward exhibition meetings with Colorado and Edmonton, giving the coaching staff a better look at the young names trying to make noise early.
In goal, the opening look came from Thomas Milic, who was in the net for the preseason opener as Winnipeg works through the early absence of its established starter. Up front, the competition is just as active, with Cole Perfetti and Brayden Yager among the young forwards trying to position themselves for top-six roles while the Jets keep sorting out which players fit best in the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Preseason Opener Raised Early Camp Questions Fans Wont Ignore
The first look at preseason hockey in Edmonton gave Winnipeg plenty to sort through, and it did not take long for the conversation to shift from roster polishing to early questions. The Oilers handled the Jets 5-2 at Rogers Place in a game that included goals from Colton Dach, Leon Draisaitl, Alex Formenton, Connor McDavid and Ryan Shea, while the crease work was shared between Tristan Jarry and Matt Tomkins.
For Winnipeg, the result is less about the final score than the messages tucked inside it. Edmontons new faces made an immediate impression, and the Jets own goaltending picture came into focus as the game unfolded, leaving camp with some useful clues and a few things still to settle before the preseason gets any more serious. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Hit Serious Hellebuyck Trade Roadblock Over One Roster Concern
Buffalos pursuit of Connor Hellebuyck apparently ran into a serious snag before it could get anywhere, and for Winnipeg, the wrinkle centered on a roster concern the Sabres were not eager to paper over. The talks had been part of the broader offseason speculation around the Jets cornerstone goalie, but reports now suggest the discussion never advanced cleanly because of questions about a centers health, with Josh Norris viewed as the most likely source of the concern.
For the Jets, that matters because it changes the shape of any possible future conversation with Buffalo. The original offseason framework is no longer in play, and if the Sabres circle back, the structure would have to look very different to get Winnipegs attention. It leaves Hellebuyck squarely where he has been, while the door to a Sabres deal looks much less open than it did when the idea first surfaced. [Read more 🡒]