Preliminary talks for Adam Fox and Jack Hughes
Pierre LeBrun from The Athletic: The New York Rangers have had very preliminary talks with pending RFA defense attorney Adam Fox’s agent Matt Keator. Fox has arbitration rights and is suitable for the offer sheet. Fox wants to become a ranger, so it would be unlikely to approve an offer sheet.
Cale Makar is comparable and has signed a six-year deal for $ 54 million this off-season. The Rangers need to be careful as they already have some big deals on the books and Kaapo Kakko, Alexis Lafreniere and K’Andre Miller also need new deals over the next two seasons.
Fox will likely look for a $ 9 million deal. They may be a lower number on a bridge deal, but that could cost them more in the next few years.
Sources say New Jersey Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald and Jack Hughes agent Pat Brisson held preliminary talks about a contract extension. Receiving a contract offer for Hughes in the next few months would not be a surprise.
Do the Devils want a long-term deal or a bridge deal? Believe the devils will try to find a long term deal.
Nick Suzuki’s most recent contracts (eight years at $ 7.875 million each) and Brady Tkachuk (seven years at $ 8.2 million each) will come up in talks.
Acorn ran out of options
Emily Kaplan from ESPN: Sources say Jack Eichel’s agents are making a final push for disc replacement surgery on the Buffalo Sabers. Eichel had hoped that he would have been traded in the meantime.
Sources said up to five teams have spoken to the Sabers in the past week. The Sabers are sticking to the asking price. This, combined with the medical uncertainty, has cooled the conversation.
Eichel continues to collect medical reports and submit them to the Sabers this week. A last resort for Eichel would be to file a complaint.
