EYES ON MCDAVID, KAPRIZOV & OTHERS AS SEPTEMBER ARRIVES

TORONTO, ON — With Labour Day now in the rearview mirror, players, coaches and staff across the NHL are flocking to their respective cities in preparation for training camps that begin in a couple of weeks.

As the Florida Panthers look to defend their back-to-back titles, just about every other NHL club will try to dethrone them as Stanley Cup Champions come June 2026.

With a lot of hype in a number of markets, plenty of focus will also be on some of the game’s top stars now in the final year of their respective contracts.

Connor McDavid, Kirill Kaprizov, Jack Eichel, Kyle Connor, Adrian Kempe, Martin Necas, Artemi Panarin, Alex Tuch, Filip Gustavsson and Alex Ovechkin lead the list of stars needing new deals, and they’ll be stealing much of the headlines once camps get underway.

With the salary cap going up to at least $104 million next season and at least $13.5 million after that, the League’s in a good spot and the players are waiting to cash in. Many of them are also waiting on McDavid to set the market.

Last week at the Hockey Canada Orientation Camp, McDavid reiterated he has “every intention to win in Edmonton,” and added “I’m going to take my time” to evaluate his position before committing to a new contract.

“All options are on the table. We’re going through it,” he said. “I don’t have a preference either way (on timing). I want to the (Oilers) to be as focused and dialed in and ready to roll from Day 1 as much as possible, and we don’t need any distractions.”

McDavid didn’t rule out a max-term contract, but the belief is he may end up in the three-to-five-year range once the dust settles on an expected extension. Naturally, the longer it takes to come to terms on a new deal, the greater the spotlight on the topic becomes. I have every indication that McDavid will re-up with Edmonton on some type of extension, but when it up to him.

And as McDavid’s camp begin their negotiations with the Oilers, players like Eichel and Kaprizov may choose to wait until that situation is settled before finalizing their deals.

The Minnesota Wild are prepared to pitch Kaprizov a significant contract and those conversations are expected as early as this week. Word out there suggests an eight-year deal worth in between $120 million and $130 million, which would put his AAV north of $15 million and potentially around or over $16 million.

With Mitch Marner locked into an eight-year deal in Vegas at an AAV of $12 million, the Golden Knights know the floor for Eichel. Just how much more, though, is the question.

Eichel tallied 94 points last season, the first time he has cracked 90+ points in his career. Yes, Vegas benefits from being in an income tax free state, and that will lessen the cap blow, but the Knights will need to step up with a significant offer. Between his offensive capabilities and his two-way style at the pivot, Eichel’s next deal may sit around $13 million in that market.

Talks between the Winnipeg Jets and Connor’s camp are also expected to pick up as early as this week, and his next deal will start with a $1 followed by at least seven zeroes, while over there summer there seemed to be a financial gap between Kempe and the Los Angeles Kings – and I’m not sure that has closed much, so far.

Kempe is looking for a deal in the $10 million AAV range over eight years, while the Kings started talks under the $9 million mark. With Anze Kopitar likely playing in his last NHL season, the Kings want to compete this season and getting Kempe locked into a new deal is important.

Circling back to McDavid, it would surprise no one if his deal hovered around the $17 million AAV mark on a mid-term deal, but does a shorter term result in an even higher AAV? Those discussions start soon.

IF THE PRICE IS RIGHT...

The Montreal Canadiens are open to trading the contract of goaltender Carey Price to free up salary cap space and accrue LTIR cap relief as opposed to placing Price on LTIR and maxing out on potential extra space as the season progresses.

Price, who stopped playing after the 2021-22 season due to knee problems, is in the final year of his contract and comes with a $10.5 million cap hit. He also owns a full no-movement clause, but that isn’t expected to get in the way of the Habs moving him.

Various reports over Labour Day long weekend suggested a move might occur immediately after the Habs paid Price a $5.5 million bonus on Sept. 1, but a deal has not yet happened. Talks are expected to get going this week, though.

The Canadiens are around $5 million over the current $95.5 million cap – a fluid number depending on how their final roster shapes up once the season begins – and moving Price would get them under the cap and allow them to accrue more space throughout the season.

Habs GM Kent Hughes has also been exploring the market for a second-line centre, a search that goes back to last season.

Moving Price’s contract gives the team more flexibility in maneuvering their roster now and closer to the trade deadline if the club is back in playoff contention.

If a deal is not palatable for Hughes and the Canadiens, the team will hold on the Price and use LTIR to be cap compliant for the start of the season.

HERE AND THERE

• Chatting with Flames captain Mikael Backlund in Milan 10 days ago, it is clear he is confident he will be sticking around Calgary after his current contract expires. There’s work to be done, but an extension, at some point, seems expected.

• Also on the Flames, I’m told contract talks with restricted free agent youngster Connor Zary are “getting closer” on a three-year deal, but there is still work to be done.

• The Dallas Stars and Jason Robertson’s camp are expected to pick up contract talks now that the calendar has flipped to September. He’s eligible to become an RFA next July.

• In Toronto, after going the summer without negotiating, sources tell me the Maple Leafs have now started contract extension discussions with goaltender Anthony Stolarz.

• Also on the Leafs, forwards David Kampf and Calle Jarnkrok remain available for trade.

• As our pal Anthony Di Marco reported, the New York Islanders have added Ian Laperriere to their scouting department.

• There are several teams, including the Philadelphia Flyers, interested in goaltender Carter Hart, but they continue to wait on the NHL’s decision to determine when he is eligible to play.

• Expect to hear Mario Ferraro’s name out there again this season, likely in the second half, as teams will look to add to their blueline for their playoff runs.