The Boston Bruins could be prepared to pursue RFA forward Mason McTavish via an offer sheet this summer. The Ducks’ player has garnered significant attention around the league as Anaheim has been unable to extend him thus far. That’s why speculation has been rampant about trades and offer sheets.
McTavish, 22, ended his entry-level contract this season. So, the Ducks are keen on re-signing him. But McTavish’s reluctance to ink a new deal has led to all sorts of speculation. Some analysts believe the Ducks are looking to trade McTavish. Others claim it will just be a matter of time before Anaheim signs him.
In the meantime, McTavish is a prime offer sheet candidate. While just about every team would like to be in on McTavish, only a handful of teams have the assets to make an offer sheet work. The Bruins are one of them, as noted in a July 15 piece in The Athletic.
Some estimates place McTavish’s new contract in the $7 million AAV range. If that’s the case, the compensation for signing McTavish would be a first, second, and third-round pick. The Bruins have the picks and could swing the deal.
It’s worth pointing out that this deal would make sense if the Bruins are looking to retool rather than rebuild. McTavish could quickly step in a fill a major void in Boston’s lineup. But if the plan is to rebuild, adding McTavish now may not be the best choice.
Bruins Might Want to Hold onto their First-Rounder Instead
Offer sheet compensation rules dictate that teams must offer their own picks as compensation. The situation puts the Bruins in a conundrum. The team has two first-round picks this season. Its own and the Toronto Maple Leafs’.
So, the Bruins cannot use the Leafs’ pick as compensation for an offer sheet. The Bruins must utilize their own. That means that if the Bruins have a bad season, they could gift the Anaheim Ducks a shot at a top-five or even top-three pick.
With the way the NHL Draft Lottery works, it could even turn out to be the top pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. If that’s the case, the Bruins could miss out on the chance to draft Gavin McKenna.
Unless the Bruins are certain they won’t be a lottery pick team this upcoming season, the team may want to hold on to their pick. Having a shot at Gavin McKenna may be too much to pass up this season.
Ducks Likely to Match an Offer Sheet on McTavish
The Anaheim Ducks have cap space to burn this summer. So, the team could easily match any offer sheet thrown McTavish’s way.
That prospect could make teams question the purpose of acquiring McTavish via the offer sheet route. Pursuing the Ducks’ forward could ultimately be a waste of time if the Ducks could just go ahead and match any offer.
Perhaps the offer sheet could be so high that the Ducks would be unwilling to spend that much money on McTavish. But then again, would he be worth a cap hit north of $9 million?
That reality could make pursuing Mason MacTavish somewhat unrealistic via the offer sheet this summer. Ultimately, it might be better for teams to wait for McTavish to hit UFA status and pursue him then.
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