Insider reveals intriguing update on the Maple Leafs and Jake McCabe
Photo credit: Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports
The Maple Leafs have a busy summer ahead, but according to one insider, it's not all about subtraction. Their list of priorities is likely to include an extension for Jake McCabe.
Locker cleanout day is always interesting for NHL teams. The season is over, and you never know for sure who is going to be back next season, and who may be on their way to somewhere new. The good news for the Leafs is that reaching an agreement on an extension with Jake McCabe appears to be high on the Leafs' list.
The Leafs see Jake McCabe as a valuable piece, both in the locker room and on the ice.
According to Elliotte Friedman on 32 Thoughts, the Leafs absolutely loved McCabe both on and off the ice.
"It's going to be interesting, are they going to try to extend McCabe? I heard in addition to how he played, the organization loves him behind the scenes, especially when they went down three games to one. A lot of the attitude came from him, the pride within the team, the pride in his teammates, the 'us against the world' mentality that would make Pat Quinn proud. Quinn was the king of 'us against the world' I wouldn't be surprised if they look at him and decide, 'what can we do here?'". - Elliotte Friedman on Jake McCabe
One thing Leafs fans love is a hard-nosed defenseman. Retaining his services may be tricky without the benefit of having half his salary be paid by the Chicago Blackhawks. McCabe has one season remaining on his current deal, and the Leafs are only on the hook for $2M of that contract. His next deal, however, they'll be on the hook for the full pop.
For some reason, the Jake Muzzin contract keeps coming to mind for me. $5.625M for a guy who plays like McCabe could be a bargain. It would only be $625K more than the team paid T.J. Brodie this season, and with Brodie coming off the books this summer, they can actually afford such a deal moving forward beyond next season. The increased cap hit on McCabe also becomes a lot easier to manage with John Tavares' contract expiring next summer and another salary cap increase expected from the league.
It's nice to know that the Leafs have made McCabe a priority, because he plays the right way and has the right attitude.
| POLL | ||
MAI 7 | 737 ANSWERS Insider reveals intriguing update on the Maple Leafs and Jake McCabe How much should the leafs be willing to pay Jake McCabe to stay in Toronto? | ||
| $3-4M | 287 | 38.9 % |
| $4-5M | 316 | 42.9 % |
| $5-6M | 70 | 9.5 % |
| Let him walk as a UFA | 64 | 8.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
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