The New Jersey Devils took care of a big piece of business on Wednesday, re-signing RFA defenseman Luke Hughes to a seven-year, $63-million contract.
Their focus now shifts to goaltender Jacob Markstrom. He is entering the final season of his six-year contract with an annual average value of $6 million.
Markstrom could become one of the few notable goaltenders in next summer's NHL UFA market. However, the Devils intend to keep him.
ESPN's Kevin Weekes reported Sunday that sources claimed the Devils have made a contract extension offer with an average annual value of $5 million.
New Jersey Hockey Now's James Nichols reported it is unknown how many years the Devils had offered Markstrom. It's also unknown if the netminder rejected the proposal or not.
Markstrom was the subject of trade speculation two years ago before the Devils acquired him from the Calgary Flames. Having re-signed backup Jake Allen this summer to a five-year deal with a $1.8 million average annual value, Devils management seems happy enough with their current tandem to keep it intact beyond this season.
Now 35, Markstrom is entering the point in his career when a decline in performance is inevitable. It's unlikely they'll offer him a five-year deal when the proposed cap hit is much more expensive than Allen's.
Given Markstrom's age, they could offer a one-year, 35-plus contract with a lower base salary and bonuses, taking him to $5 million. More likely, they'll avoid that headache and opt for a two- or three-year deal.
Turning to the Columbus Blue Jackets, Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reported Yegor Chinakhov recently skated on their fourth line during recent practices. He also wasn't part of their power-play drills.
The 24-year-old winger raised eyebrows in July when he requested a trade due to “misunderstandings” with coach Dean Evason. It was recently reported that the two sides seemed to have resolved their differences, but he hadn't waived his request.
Portzline got the impression that Chinakhov wasn't happy with his recent role. However, he cited Evason saying they were still evaluating their lines, adding he was pleased with Chinakhov's efforts during his three previous pre-season contests.
It remains to be seen where Chinakhov ends up in the Blue Jackets' lineup when the regular season begins. The fact that he hasn't withdrawn his trade request adds intrigue to his situation.
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