NHL Rumors: Jets and Morrissey … Wild, Olofsson, Staal and Kaprizov
It might be in the Winnipeg Jets best interest to sign Josh Morrissey to a long-term deal.
The best option for Jets could be to lock up Morrissey long-term

Jared Clinton of The Hockey News: Winnipeg Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has had a busy offseason re-signing their RFAs, but he’s not done yet as defenseman Josh Morrissey needs a new deal.

Morrissey doesn’t have a lot of leverage aside from a holdout.

If the Jets were to sign Morrissey to a two- or three-year bridge deal, he would have arbitration rights when that deal is done, and potentially a lot more money on a new deal.

The best option for the Jets might be to sign Morrissey to a long-term deal, especially if they can get him at a cost-effective number.

A six-year contract in the $5.5 to $6 million range could look like a really good deal in two or three years.

Wild mailbag involving Olofsson, Staal, Kaprizov and Winnik

Michael Russo of The Athletic: (mailbag) The Minnesota Wild will have at least eight defenseman on an NHL contract in camp. The Wild have already tried trading Gustav Olofsson. Olofsson requires waivers and believes they’d be able to get him through if they place him on waivers during camp.

Russo has been told that Wild GM Paul Fenton and Eric Staal‘s camp will wait until the season is going before they start any contract extension talks. Guessing that Fenton wants to see if Staal or the team regress this season. They could consider moving him at the trade deadline if they are out of it.

If the Wild look to sign Staal to an extension, something around $5 million per season seems to be fair.

Wild prospect Kirill Kaprizov has two years left on his KHL contract. Kaprizov’s agent, Dan Milstein, has said numerous times that Kaprizov wants to play in the NHL and is planning on signing with the Wild. GM Fenton met with Milstein at the draft about Kaprizov and that he plans on visiting him in Russia to start building a relationship with him.

Daniel Winnik‘s agent said there has been some interest in his client. would be surprised if the Wild were interested.