Leafs Hit with an RFA Reality Check in the Middle of Offseason Moves

I really can’t see a world in which Ducks GM Pat Verbeek moves off of Mason McTavish.

Verbeek, who learned under Steve Yzerman, is a notorious tough negotiator, so this may just be common practice for him.

But given McTavish’s (projected) long-term role with the Ducks, it may be a situation where Verbeek is flying too close to the sun.

I don’t think the Ducks will move McTavish, especially considering the fact that they moved on from Zegras in large part to the former’s long-term role with the club.

My best guess is that a bridge deal ultimately gets done, but Verbeek would be best served to make sure things don’t go sideways to the point where the player’s long term future with the club could come into question.