The hockey world has been on pause for nearly three months, but things looking up after the NHL announced plans for a 24-team Stanley Cup Playoffs last month and Phase 2 of the Return to Play Plan began on Monday. The league shutdown has not stopped clubs from doing whatever business they can (including signing prospects to entry-level contracts and free agents from the KHL) and potentially formulating plans after the season with the financial losses affecting the salary cap over the next couple seasons.
Leafs winger Andreas Johnsson is considered a developmental success, as the 2013 seventh-round pick was a rookie of the year winner in the SHL, scored 20+ goals in his first two seasons with the Toronto Marlies, won a Calder Cup in 2018 and reached the 20-goal mark in his rookie campaign in the NHL, playing mostly on the left side with Auston Matthews and William Nylander.
The 25-year-old signed a four-year, $13.6 Million contract extension last June, but his point totals dropped to 23 points (8 goals, 15 assists) in 43 games. Johnsson could not avoid the injury, missing 15 games midway through the season with a leg injury and suffering a season-ending knee injury after colliding with linemate Kasperi Kapanen in mid-February.
Toronto may need to make a move for cap relief after the season with the salary cap likely remaining at $81.5 Million and restricted free agents like Ilya Mikheyev and Travis Dermott needing new deals and Zach Hyman and Frederik Andersen scheduled to become unrestricted free agents in 2021. Johnsson’s $3.4 Million cap hit would clear some room and GM Kyle Dubas appears to have enough depth on the left side with Hyman, Mikheyev, rookie Pierre Engvall, KHL signing Alexander Barabanov and 2019 second-rounder Nick Robertson waiting in the wings.
Dubas might be challenged to get an equal value return for Johnsson in October in a trade because of cap issues throughout the league, but the delay of the start date to December or January might allow the injured winger to be fully recovered for next season.
We discuss the nuts & bolts of Phase 2, which Hub Cities we see as most likely, how NHL roster size might be handled, Isles’ Ilya Sorokin dilemma, & much more.
— 🎙🏒Off The Post Radio 🥅 🚨 (@OffThePostRadio) June 7, 2020
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