The Toronto Maple Leafs have one more hurdle to jump in signing their own free agents this summer, as goaltender Jonathan Bernier is scheduled for an arbitration hearing on July 31.
The 26-year-old goalie went 21-28-7 in 58 games, with a 2.87 GAA and .912 save % in the final year of a two-year, $5.8 Million bridge deal with the Leafs last season, but the club’s struggles and change in management ended any possibility of Bernier getting a long-term contract extension this summer.
Bernier is two years away from qualifying for unrestricted free agency, which could mean that the two sides may be amenable to a one-year compromise prior to the hearing date. It would give the Leafs another year to evaluate if he the guy they want to keep through the rebuild, while allowing Bernier a chance to put up better numbers with a Mike Babcock-led club.
The one-year route is the direction that Toronto chose with Nazem Kadri, in hopes that the 2009 first rounder will seize his opportunity to be the club’s first line center and earn a big money deal next July.
“If he reaches his potential, we’ll be happy to pay him.” Assistant GM Kyle Dubas said to
Sportsnet FAN 590 Radio last week. “I know with Mike [Babcock], he’s put it to Naz and he expects him to be an elite player, he expects him to reach his potential, and if he does that he’s going to play a ton and he’s going to score a lot … he’ll have the chance to take us to the bank.”
Holding Bernier and Kadri’s feet to the fire provides motivation to get their best performance at an important juncture in their career and gives the club the option to keep them for the future or increase their value throughout the league for trades during the organization’s transition.
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Former Toronto head coach Ron Wilson was critical of Phil Kessel back in January after the firing of Randy Carlyle, saying the winger was streaky and unreliable during his tenure with the Leafs, but now believes that he will achieve career high goal totals in Pittsburgh.
"Pittsburgh is building a team that wants to win the Stanley Cup now, and I think Phil is only going to add to their success, so I expect him to score at least 40 goals this year and be a dominant player again," Wilson said to
NHL.com."Phil will do just fine [in Pittsburgh] whether he plays with Malkin or Sid, he's got a center iceman who can get him the puck and do things on his own. In Toronto he didn't quite have that."
Wilson’s comments can be interpreted as a criticism of center Tyler Bozak, but also of former Leafs GM Brian Burke, who failed to obtain a top line center in almost four years with Wilson behind the bench.
Kessel could (and probably will) score 40 to 50 goals with either Crosby or Malkin feeding him the puck, but the winger has been streaky going back to his days in Boston and excuses for being inconsistent will not be available in Pittsburgh.
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The Maple Leafs did not waste any time in getting Taylor Beck signed to a new deal. The 24-year-old winger was acquired on Sunday for minor leaguer Jamie Devane and avoided a July 24th arbitration hearing by agreeing to a one-year contract for $875,000.
The St. Catharines, ON native played all of last season in Nashville and could be a fit as a fourth liner with the Leafs or to provide some experience to the young AHL Marlies. Beck is not waiver exempt but his one-way contract may provide the Leafs some protection from him being claimed if they choose to shuttle him between the NHL and their AHL affiliate.
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