The Leafs are dying to find the keys to a deeper playoff path, and Toews would have been a wonderful addition from that perspective. It was a no-brainer for general manager Brad Treliving to poke his nose in there, but the Leafs got the sense early it was Winnipeg or Colorado for Toews.<\/p>\n
The young Habs could have used Toews\u2019 Stanley Cup-winning experience, too, to be sure.<\/p>\n
The Avs are trying to find their way back to another Stanley Cup, and adding Toews to that talented mix would have put him in a position where he didn\u2019t have to lead but could find a way to become impactful. Colorado was seriously interested, had a chance to talk with Toews and felt it had a good role for him \u2014 don\u2019t forget Charlie Coyle could have easily slid over to wing \u2014 but ultimately it was the runner-up.<\/p>\n
The fit is similar in Winnipeg, where there\u2019s also a deep, talented roster. Toews doesn\u2019t have to be Superman.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen it comes to fitting into the lineup, this is more about where he will finish than where he will start,\u201d Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff told The Athletic on Saturday. \u201cHis contributions will grow as he becomes more comfortable with his surroundings. Every year, a team has to find out who they are and what each player brings to the collective group. That\u2019s why each season brings a new challenge and what drives each individual player.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn today\u2019s game, it\u2019s not about jumping over the boards first, second or third. It\u2019s about how you influence the people around you when you are out there. JT could have chosen to just sit on the sidelines and watch time pass by, but he has chosen to embrace the new challenge of working with a group of guys to achieve something special.\u201d<\/p>\n
If all goes well, and Toews rediscovers some of his old form after not playing for two and a half years, he could be the second-line center on a team that has one of the very best third-line centers in the league in Adam Lowry (when he\u2019s healthy again).<\/p>\n
But what\u2019s clear from Cheveldayoff\u2019s comment is that Toews will have a chance to find his form. He won\u2019t be rushed into a role he might not be ready for.<\/p>\n
Here are more rumblings from around the league as we head into draft week.<\/p>\n
Stars listening on Robertson<\/p>\n
After making several calls around the league this past week, here\u2019s what I make of the Jason Robertson situation: The Stars aren\u2019t actively shopping him but are listening on him to educate themselves on the market and what teams might be willing to do at some point.<\/p>\n
Dallas correctly views his value as at its highest right now, given that he\u2019s still signed for another year at $7.75 million on the cap. At the same time, the Stars are also trying to gauge Robertson\u2019s camp, CAA and Brisson, to get a feel for what their ask would be on the next contract.<\/p>\n
Robertson is set to be a restricted free agent on July 1, 2026. He can be extended as early as this summer. If the contract is fair, Dallas will likely extend him and keep him. But if the ask is perceived as too high without much wiggle room, it might get interesting as far as circling back to teams that reached out.<\/p>\n
The market interest is already pretty robust for Robertson, as it should be. Either way, though, I don\u2019t see a quick resolution in the coming week or two. This is a slow-play situation where he\u2019s either extended by the end of the summer or traded in August.<\/p>\n
Jason Robertson would be a popular target if the Stars decide to move him. (Stephen Maturen \/ Getty Images)McDavid and the Oilers\u2019 vision<\/p>\n Connor McDavid spoke this week, and he was candid and clear: He\u2019s looking for reasons to stay with the Edmonton Oilers but also needs to have the team share its vision of what the next few years look like. Because winning is No. 1. All of which is why he\u2019s in no hurry to sign an extension right away when he\u2019s eligible July 1. How the Oilers front office handles the next few weeks will be important in communicating to No. 97 that they\u2019re still going to be an elite contender.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s my job to connect with Connor in that way and demonstrate that that\u2019s what we\u2019re all trying do do,\u201d Oilers GM Stan Bowman told Edmonton media members Friday. \u201cWe all have the same objective.\u201d<\/p>\n So, message received.<\/p>\n Leon Draisaitl didn\u2019t sign his extension until Sept. 3 last year, and people shouldn\u2019t freak out if McDavid still hasn\u2019t signed come training camp. It doesn\u2019t mean it will drag out that long. Perhaps something gets done swiftly by August, but the most important fact to remember is that there is no firm timeline that his camp has declared.<\/p>\n Echoing what colleague Chris Johnston wrote this past week<\/a>, I\u2019m in the camp of not believing McDavid will sign an eight-year max deal but rather a shorter one. Whether that\u2019s two years or three or five or six, time will tell.<\/p>\n McDavid\u2019s agent is Judd Moldaver, who did a four-year extension for superstar Auston Matthews with the Maple Leafs two years ago. He isn\u2019t focused on eight-year max deals in all situations. And McDavid is still only 28. So a three-year deal, for instance, would put him back in an unrestricted-free-agent leverage position at 31, when he\u2019s still in his prime.<\/p>\n Of course, there\u2019s always the small chance McDavid doesn\u2019t think the Oilers are set up to remain a contender and doesn\u2019t extend. I don\u2019t think that\u2019s the likeliest outcome, but it\u2019s not 100 percent off the table.<\/p>\n Teams like the Los Angeles Kings, with former Oilers GM Ken Holland, are keeping a close eye. If and when McDavid ever leaves, it\u2019s a short list of markets that I believe would be a fit for him: L.A., the New York Rangers, the Chicago Blackhawks, the Dallas Stars, etc. It would not be a free-for-all, with 25 teams getting a chance at it.<\/p>\n Marner options<\/p>\n The rumor du jour \u2014 and it is very much that, as I\u2019ve not confirmed it but have heard it now from two teams \u2014 is that one option Mitch Marner is considering is a two-year deal at around $12 million to $13 million per year, positioning him to hit the market again when the salary cap skyrockets to $113 million or higher in a couple of years.<\/p>\n The risk is injury, of course, but at 28 now, he would be 30 when he is a UFA again if he went that route.<\/p>\n The Vegas Golden Knights, the Stars and the Kings are among the teams that I believe are high on Marner\u2019s list. The Stars would be a long-shot fit given their financial commitment to Mikko Rantanen, but never say never.<\/p>\n Bennett\u2019s declaration<\/p>\n Sam Bennett\u2019s late-night declaration to fans at a bar Thursday went viral. (I love how the Panthers celebrate Stanley Cups, by the way.) Bennett also made it clear on the ice Tuesday night after winning it all that he considered his teammates brothers and couldn\u2019t imagine being anywhere else. So we know Bennett wants to stay, and we know Panthers GM Bill Zito wants to make it happen.<\/p>\n But there is still work to do to find a sweet spot on a deal. Somewhere between $7.5 million and just under $8 million on an eight-year deal seems like the spot, but will that be enough to get it done? Remember: Bennett was announcing his intention to stay late Thursday night, not an actual extension.<\/p>\n I find it hard to believe the sides won\u2019t get there before July 1, though. Same as with Sam Reinhart a year ago.<\/p>\n Flames ready to listen on Andersson<\/p>\n As colleague Frank Seravalli first reported, talks between the Calgary Flames and Rasmus Andersson\u2019s camp didn\u2019t go great recently regarding a possible extension that can be signed as early as July 1.<\/p>\n The Flames still have Andersson under contract for another year and are comfortable having him play for them next season, but at the same time, my understanding is that GM Craig Conroy is now ready to listen on trade offers for the veteran right-shot defenseman. Whether that\u2019s a trade that happens this summer or waits until the deadline, both are on the table.<\/p>\n There will be no shortage of interest in Andersson. Right-shot defensemen of his caliber are hard to acquire. He would be a great fit in Dallas, but how the Stars navigate that around their limited cap space is another matter.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/GettyImages-2208313332-scaled.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/GettyImages-2203720535-scaled.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n