Maple Leafs Shake-up Roster With Star Player`s Major Trade Deal. The Toronto Maple Leafs have initiated contract extension discussions with defenseman Jake McCabe, but progress has stalled.
NHL insider David Pagnotta from The Fourth Period reported that talks have not resulted in any developments. He stated, “They had some discussions during training camp that began in July, but nothing has come of it yet. There hasn’t been any progress regarding McCabe’s extension in Toronto. Of course, things could change with a single phone call, but it would need to be a significant call to start moving things forward.”
Pagnotta also noted that McCabe’s representatives are open to negotiations throughout the season.
Currently, McCabe is in the final year of his four-year, $16 million contract and will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
Jake McCabe Wants to Remain With Maple Leafs
Maple Leafs Shake-up Roster With Star Player`s Major Trade Deal. Jake McCabe was traded to the Maple Leafs from the Chicago Blackhawks on February 27, 2023. Since joining the team, he has played a crucial shutdown role and expressed his desire for a contract extension.
“Yeah, we’ve talked a couple times,” McCabe mentioned. “I love it here, and I think they appreciate my game too. We’ve been chatting, and we’ll see where things go.”
As Toronto’s second-pairing right-shot defenseman, McCabe has emerged as a leader on the blue line. He shared that his goal for the season is to enhance his leadership both on and off the ice.
“Continuing to improve has been my goal every year in this league. My body feels great,” McCabe said. “As you gain more experience and put together games, you become more comfortable, especially as a defenseman. I want to take another step as a leader and help push this team in the right direction.”
Insider Reveals What A McCabe Extension Could Look Like
If the Maple Leafs decide to extend McCabe, NHL insider James Mirtle from The Athletic suggests he could receive a multi-year deal worth around $5 million per season.
“As a basic starting point, the 86th-highest-paid defenseman in the NHL this season is earning approximately $4.1 million AAV,” Mirtle noted. “That figure is expected to rise quickly as the salary cap increases.”
Mirtle believes the low $5 million range is likely where McCabe’s contract could land, with a potential term of four or five years. He also thinks it would be wise for Toronto to front-load the deal in case McCabe’s performance declines later on.
“Toronto has the advantage of being comfortable with heavily front-loading contracts and finding ways to manage the cap later, similar to what they did with Jake Muzzin when injuries and age became factors,” Mirtle explained. “That seems to be the right approach for McCabe, especially if he’s signing for a No. 3 defenseman salary.”
Throughout his career, McCabe has played in 584 games, recording 33 goals and 122 assists for a total of 155 points.
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