NHL Rumor Mill – January 15, 2024
Check out the latest on Leon Draisaitl, Jeremy Swayman, and Jacob Markstrom in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
SPORTSNET: Following the Toronto Maple Leafs’ of re-signing William Nylander, Mark Spector believed Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl will be the next big Canadian contract to watch.
Draisaitl, 28, will be entering the final season of his eight-year, $68 million contract on July 1, which is the earliest that the Oilers can open contract extension talks with him. His current deal became the most team-friendly among the Oilers given his rise as an NHL superstar.
Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).
Entering that final season, Draisaitl will have to choose between another eight seasons with the Oilers or perhaps moving on to a bigger market such as Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Boston or New York as an unrestricted free agent once his current deal is done.
Draisaitl could sign a short-term deal with the Oilers but Spector considered that to be unlikely.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This isn’t a rumor but it is worth noting Draisaitl’s contract situation.
Speculation about Maple Leafs forwards Mitch Marner and John Tavares has already started but there’s been very little regarding Draisaitl, who is a much bigger star. Where he plays following this contract and how much he’ll earn on his next deal will become hot topics for media conjecture later this year.
BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy wondered if Jeremy Swayman was sending a shot across the bow of Bruins management regarding his comments about being selected for the 2024 All-Star Game by NHL fans.
Swayman first praised his teammates for putting him in this position. However, he also revealed that his arbitration process last summer was not a pleasant experience, talking about having to deal with what he went through and “hearing things that a player should never hear.”
Murphy noted that Swayman got a one-year, $3.47 million contract award via arbitration. He also pointed out that the process is an uncomfortable one for players and teams. The 25-year-old netminder and his agent have declined to talk with the media this season about his contract negotiations with the Bruins.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman recently speculated that Swayman could re-sign with the Bruins in January. Murphy wonders if the goalie’s comments suggest things haven’t gone as Friedman expected.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Arbitration is bruising to a player’s ego and can sometimes cause irreparable damage to his relationship with management, greasing the skids for his departure to another club via trade or free agency.
Swayman is slated to once again become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights on July 1. It’ll be worthwhile to monitor his situation if he hasn’t re-signed by then.
NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols believes Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom is an unlikely trade target for the Devils. He reached that decision after hearing Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman’s report on Saturday indicating it will take a lot for the Flames to consider parting with their starting netminder.
Friedman noted Markstrom carries a full no-movement clause and the Flames have no intention of asking him to waive it unless it’s to a destination he wants to go to. Nichols thinks there could be more desirable locations than New Jersey for Markstrom.
The Flames’ asking price is also a sticking point. Nichols speculates they could ask for promising defenseman Simon Nemec or forward Dawson Mercer as part of the return.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils can free up $9 million in cap space by placing sidelined defenseman Dougie Hamilton on long-term injury reserve. They could afford Markstrom’s $6 million average annual value but not what would be a significant asking price from the Flames. If they go goalie shopping they could consider more affordable short-term options.
Draisaitl to would be awesome on any team! He would garner 5 quality pieces coming back!
That all depends on when he’d hit the market.
If he goes through the full season , no chance Edmonton gets a 5 piece return for rights they won’t own by UFA day.
My guess is if they can’t figure out a new deal in season next year, he’ll be walking for nothing or next to nothing.
I’m hearing the Canucks are making a play for Boone Jenner
Jenner is a beaut. You guys should go for it this year.
I’d be OK with Vancouver or Winnipeg winning the Cup.
Re; Boone Jenner
He would be a Great Addition to the Ottawa Team❓
CBJ look like a team that has 3-4+ years of
re-building there and will pick in the Top 5
again this year.
The Leaf’s and Dallas Cowboys are two in the same keep running it back with same players great regular seasons and horrible in the playoffs. When will they learn throwing the same crap against the wall and expecting it to stick this time isn’t happening.
Obe
But for some reason i luv seeing it happen to them both 😎
Draisital will resign on 3 year extension then at 32 will sign 8 years with whoever he wants. Easier to sign 7-8 years at 32 then 3 or 4 at 37… controls max money.. and GM would line up
Graverobber,
I can’t think of a single player in their prime of that caliber signing a 3 year deal coming out of rfa.
Pasternak, Nylander, Scheifele, Panarin, Mackinnon etc.
Why would Draisaitl take that path? That seems a bit risky no? Much easier to sign a 7-8 year deal at 28 than 32.
Yeah. You take the guaranteed money now and worry about your sunset years if and when they arrive
Both are my teams. Today would be a great day if both coaches were let go.
Kings blew their wad on PLD. Now they’re going to suffer until 2031. Kopitar has maybe 2 more good years left in him. Danault has chemistry with Moore, but they are no top line. They have good wingers.
I imagine Drais will stay with the Oilers but he would have been a nice snag for the Kings (if they waited and not made the PLD trade). Hind sight is always 50/50. LOL
I was just reading on another hockey blog site about a potential extension for Sam Reinhart, and of course, the zero income tax in Florida advantage was mentioned.
This leads me to bring up a question that has been briefly mentioned here recently.
One of the hosts on the NHL network radio – either Scott Laughlin or Dave McCarthy – mentioned that a player in Canada pays up to 50% of his salary in taxes. And one of the bloggers here – I can’t remember who – brought up the fact that all NHL players are paid is USD. Since the current exchange rate is $1 USD = $1.34 CDN, that, on the surface, sounds like the advantage is to the players in Canada, since the top federal tax rate in the US is 37%.
So, a player in the US making $10M nets $6.3M after taxes (37%). And a player in Canada making the same $10M is paid $13.4M CDN, and nets $6.7M CDN after tax (50%).
But that is a high level comparison. The question I get to is about the relative cost of living in the USA vs. Canada. Is the cost of living in Canada higher, making the exchange rate advantage a moot point ?
I know that housing in Toronto is among the most expensive in North America, but what about other places ? And how about costs other than housing ?
Maybe some of the Canadians her can lend some insight.
Thanks.
Iago, housing rates and tax rates vary in Canada just like they do in the US. Canada has a lower federal “max” tax rate for income then the US at 33%. But they get ya elsewhere.
Toronto and Vancouver are among the highest in the world for housing. Up there with NY, LA, SJ etc.
Housing in Alberta is middle of the road, all depends what area you want to live in. Ottawa is higher than average, I think Montreal is pretty similar to Alberta. Winnipeg is very reasonable.
Alberta is the lowest in Canada for provincial income taxes, plus no sales tax when you buy stuff, as we have oil revenues. Both Alberta teams are middle of the road for taxes amongst NHL teams.
Most product costs are higher in Canada Iago, and that is due to the exchange rate. If we had the same currency, would likely be pretty similar. Some less, some more expensive.
These guys are also contractors vs employees, so different laws apply on what they can expense etc. I would think they can find ways to lower the tax burden wherever they live.
Here is a great tool. https://gavingroup.ca/nhl-tax-calculator/
The highest taxes are in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Winnipeg, NYC, and the California cities.
Edmonton and Calgary are marginally higher than a few US cities.
The cost of living would be substantially lower in Edmonton and Calgary compared to Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and NY. The other cities I’m not sure about.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_tax_rates
One thing I read, might not be true, is that the bonus money is paid out where the player has his residence not where he plays. If true, that would mean that a player that lives in a non tax state but plays in Canada isnt burdened so much by taxes. So a guy like Matthews that gets most of his money in bonuses and lives in Arizona pays very little tax in reality
I understand that Nylander will be paying 53% of his salary to the tax man and that the tax difference with Florida is either 14% or 14.5%
I think perhaps a better question might be, when will the NHL level the playing field for Canadian teams who must absorb the exchange rate and pay their players in US dollars.
Something along the lines of making the salary cap per team, based on their players net incomes instead of their before tax, gross income?
Re; Jeremy Swayman
was he sending a shot across the bow of Bruins management…❓
Bruins ownership are knowen to be cheap
Swayman is a RFA after his 1 yr contract on July 1st 2024
A UFA in 2 years time July 1st 2026….. I wonder if he tests out the market as a UFA July 2026…?
Maybe thats why Boston has Not traded there other Goaltender Linus Ullmark….🔥⁉️
note to players in arbitration… you aren’t the player your agent says you are. No need to be greedy. You got an offer, quite often very close to what market is for you. You play a game for a living and the offer is more maney than your parents made the whole time they paid for you tonlearn and play the sport… combined. Sign it and be thankful
There was no diss towards the Bruins from sway lol he loves it here and said he’s going to prove to management that he’s an everyday goalie. It’s no secret that the Bruins are cap strapped this year. As for the Bruins being cheap that’s an old old old take lol they spend close to the cap for 13-14 yrs now lol
The salary tax is where you play the game. 41 at home and the rest all over the place at the different rates
Oilers should trade Leon for a legit goalie that can steal a playoff game plus a first line winger and at least another top prospect++?
Saros+Tomasino+?+?
Gibson+Zegras+?
Not sure which keepers have NTC…hard to get anyone to accept a trade to Edmonton we know
Hey DS,
The Oilers have a Great young starter…..👌
Stu Skinner Numbers since December 1st 2023
🔥
SV%~ 9.45
GA~~ 1.75
……………….❓❓
I know that NYLANDER got a nmc clause in his contract extension but does he have one in his current contract ?
The NMC kicked in immediately for Nylander
Believe the Bruins will try to trade Ullmark at some point between now and offseason and sign Sway to a long term contract, give Sway the Ullmark $$$ & that will add around $4 million to their bank $$$
I believe the NHL should adopt an average tax rate for the league- so it could fair for every team.
The low end in the US is 31.7 % and the high end is Montreal at 49.7
Let the league take an average – let’s say 35%
The teams in cities where
they pay a higher tax rate would be able to go over the cap by – that % – I.e Montreal would be able to go over by +14 % and so on.