A pair of playoff-bound teams are hoping to keep their highly successful midseason acquisitions beyond 2021-22.
The Edmonton Oilers and New York Rangers will make concerted efforts to re-sign Evander Kane and Andrew Copp, respectively, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.
"I'm told the New York Rangers are going to push hard, hard to extend Andrew Copp; we can understand why," Dreger reported on Thursday's "Insider Trading" segment. "Likewise for Evander Kane and the Oilers."
Edmonton signed Kane to a one-year, $1.375-million deal in January after the San Jose Sharks terminated his previous contract. The 30-year-old power forward has recorded 22 goals and 17 assists in 41 games this season while riding shotgun with Connor McDavid.
Dreger speculated that contract length could potentially be problematic in negotiations.
"You wonder about the term between Kane and the Oilers," he said. "Is three years too much? We have to find out."
Edmonton projects to have roughly $12 million in cap space this summer with a roster of 14 skaters and one goalie, per CapFriendly. Jesse Puljujarvi and Kailer Yamamoto are its most prominent pending restricted free agents.
The Rangers acquired Copp and a sixth-round pick from the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for a pair of conditional second-rounders, a fifth-round pick, and prospect Morgan Barron.
The versatile forward has found a home at right wing on the team's second line alongside Artemi Panarin and Ryan Strome. He's tallied eight goals and 10 assists in 16 games with New York.
The Rangers project to have nearly $11 million in cap space with a roster of 16 skaters and one goalie. Strome is their biggest pending UFA, while Kaapo Kakko and Alexandar Georgiev are their most notable pending RFAs.
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