© Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images

Here is the Aug. 21 edition of the weekly NHL.com mailbag, where we answer your questions asked on X. Send your questions to @drosennhl and @NHLdotcom, and tag it with #OvertheBoards.

Auston Matthews, over/under 65 goals? — @mfav2010

Under.

Last season, Matthews netted 69 goals, marking the 25th instance in NHL history that a player has scored 65 or more goals in one season. However, achieving this feat multiple times, or in consecutive seasons, is an even rarer occurrence.

Wayne Gretzky (four times), Mario Lemieux (four), Brett Hull (three), Phil Esposito (three), Jari Kurri (two) and Mike Bossy (two) are the only players with multiple 65-goal seasons. Gretzky, Hull, Lemieux, Esposito and Kurri are the five who have done it in back-to-back seasons.

This doesn’t mean Matthews isn’t capable. He’s presently the top goal scorer in the sport. Still, choosing under 65 for this season is merely playing the odds given its rarity. Matthews will also be adapting to a slightly new strategy under Coach Craig Berube. The Maple Leafs may reduce their offensive play from the 3.63 goals per game they achieved last season to decrease the 3.18 they conceded. If so, Matthews’ goal tally might be slightly reduced, providing another reason to favor the under.

Now watch him score 70 and prove me wrong.

I guess one thing I’m wondering is if the Rangers have had any contract talks regarding an extension with Alexis Lafreniere? — @mattpod02

As anticipated, everything is quiet with the Rangers and General Manager Chris Drury. The Rangers are typically leak-free, maintaining a tight-lipped approach.

But we know Lafreniere is important to the Rangers. He is entering the second season of a two-year, $4.65 million contract ($2.325 million average annual value) he signed Aug. 24, 2023. He had 57 points (28 goals, 29 assists) in 82 games last season playing regularly on a line with Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck. The Rangers expect the chemistry between them to return quickly this season. If it does, it should be another big season for all three. Lafreniere is only starting to touch his potential.

I have no doubt Lafreniere will sign a new contract with the Rangers at some point. They won’t lose him. He’s a huge part of their present and future. But New York’s cap structure for next season and several beyond will be determined by goalie Igor Shesterkin‘s next contract. Shesterkin also has one year left on his current contract. He needs to be the top priority, before Lafreniere and defenseman K'Andre Miller, who also has one year left on his contract, are taken care of.

Furthermore, Lafreniere should not hurry to sign. A strong start to the season will enhance his value.

Do you see more rogue offer sheets becoming mainstream any time soon? They are interesting and cause movements and excitement, also scary too. — @gregmaddensoc

Offer sheets provide entertainment for fans, lucrative opportunities for players, and stir up controversy among teams and general managers. They offer high-quality offseason entertainment. While they may not become mainstream, they are a tool that should be more frequently used in light of the increasing salary cap, particularly by teams seeking to avoid a full rebuild but needing a wider range of young, potential-laden, NHL-ready players. The St. Louis Blues are a prime example of such a team.

The Blues were in the perfect position with their cap situation to take advantage of the Edmonton Oilers and their cap position by signing defenseman Philip Broberg to a two-year, $9.16 million contract ($4.58 million AAV) and forward Dylan Holloway to a two-year, $4.58 million contract ($2.29 million AAV).

The Oilers, with future large contracts coming for forwards Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid, chose not to match, so they will receive the draft pick compensation as structured in the Collective Bargaining Agreement: a second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft for Broberg and a third-round pick in 2025 for Holloway. Essentially, the Blues traded two draft picks for two players they can put in their lineup this season. That’s a win for St. Louis and its hopes of getting back into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

There is a significant risk involved. To prevent the Oilers from matching, Broberg and Holloway were offered sizable contracts. Despite being 23 and 22 respectively, Broberg and Holloway haven’t yet justified the contracts they received from St. Louis. Nonetheless, both were first-round picks (Broberg 8th in the 2019 NHL Draft, Holloway 14th in the 2020 NHL Draft), leading the Blues to take the gamble that they will begin to show their potential this season, rendering their salaries more digestible. The Oilers, however, are not in a position to take this gamble. This is the crucial point. The Blues strategically targeted a team they knew was facing a difficult cap situation, and secured two restricted free agents they were prepared to place a hefty bet on. While these circumstances are uncommon, they do occur. More teams should exploit this system to bolster their playoff prospects.

What’s your take on Yaroslav Askarov? Who’s your favorite team to land him? –@Jagr10190

The Nashville Predators’ 22-year-old goalie, Askarov, has reportedly asked for a trade, as per Kevin Weekes from the NHL Network. On Monday, the Predators released a statement from their general manager, Barry Trotz, stating that the expectation is for Askarov to attend training camp in September and fight for a position. All of this is reasonable. Here’s why:

The Predators made their choice when they signed goalie Juuse Saros to an eight-year, $61.92 million contract ($7.74 million AAV) on July 1. He still has one year remaining on his current contract before the new deal kicks in, which means they’re banking on Saros to be their No. 1 goalie for the foreseeable future. Scott Wedgewood signed a two-year, $3 million contract ($1.5 million AAV) on July 1 to be Saros’ backup. It’s up to Askarov to beat out Wedgewood for that spot, but the Predators clearly are thinking that’s at least one season away, or why else would they sign Wedgewood to a two-year deal. Askarov is coming off a sensational season with Milwaukee of the American Hockey League, going 30-13-1 with a 2.39 goals-against average, .911 save percentage and six shutouts in 44 games. And in two games with the Predators he had a 1.47 GAA and .943 save percentage.

Askarov evidently believes he’s prepared for the NHL. However, should he remain with Nashville, he could potentially be slated for another season in the AHL, with no certainty as to when he would have the opportunity to be a No. 1 in the NHL. This likely led to the reported trade request.

Ultimately, I anticipate that the Predators will trade Askarov, probably before training camp concludes. They must hope it’s not akin to the New York Islanders trading Roberto Luongo, yet they should be capable of receiving high value for him. Interest should be abundant, ranging from Western Conference teams like the Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks, San Jose Sharks, Utah Hockey Club and Vegas Golden Knights, to Eastern Conference teams like the Philadelphia Flyers and Columbus Blue Jackets.

What’s taking so darn long on the Sidney Crosby extension? — @TopesWriter

The Pittsburgh Penguins and Crosby are on the clock before this becomes a problem they’d rather avoid. What’s the hold-up? Unclear. Crosby is committed to playing solely for the Penguins. The Penguins, on the other hand, don’t want to upset Crosby. They certainly don’t want to risk losing him. There’s absolutely no justification for the Penguins to play hardball with Crosby, who has never indicated in his 19 seasons in Pittsburgh that he wants to engage in such tactics. My guess is that the Penguins will start their training camp by announcing Crosby’s new contract. This will set their camp off to a great start, creating a positive atmosphere and generating positive publicity. They could use that. However, if he arrives at camp without a new contract, the ticking clock will stop, and a problem will arise.

Trevor Zegras. Trade chatter EVERYWHERE. No substantial evidence of anything actually coming together. What are you hearing? — @JonROTTKOA

There isn’t a lot to report. The Ducks may be considering a trade involving Zegras, possibly even before the season starts, though this is only speculation currently. Ducks’ general manager, Pat Verbeek, should be actively assessing market interest in Zegras behind the scenes. The 23-year-old center has two more years on his contract before he is eligible to become a restricted free agent again.

However, accurately determining Zegras’ market value after the previous season is a difficult task. He didn’t sign until October 2, which meant he missed training camp. His performance was also hindered by injuries, including a broken ankle on January 9 that sidelined him for 31 games. In the 31 games he did play, he scored 15 points, with six goals and nine assists. In the 2022-23 season, Zegras had a better run with 65 points from 23 goals and 42 assists in 81 games, and 61 points (23 goals, 38 assists) in 75 games during the 2021-22 season.

Currently, his value isn’t at its peak, and it’s unclear what his exact role in the NHL is yet. There’s a possibility he could be the dynamic, point-per-game, playmaking center the Ducks foresee him as. He might also turn out to be a 60-point player. But the most concerning outcome is that he could end up being prone to injuries.

The Ducks are in a difficult position, but regardless of whether Zegras stays with Anaheim or goes elsewhere, it’s a significant season for him. He needs to demonstrate that there’s more than just obvious talent behind his NHL performances; he also has staying power and substance.

If you had to name eight teams most likely to be the 2025 Stanley Cup champion, which eight teams would that be? No order necessary. I’d say: Edmonton, Florida, Rangers, Dallas, Winnipeg, New Jersey, Colorado, Toronto. I have Nashville, Tampa Bay, Boston, Vegas missing the cut. — @Yamothasmit

1. Edmonton Oilers
2. Florida Panthers
3. New York Rangers
4. Boston Bruins
5. Dallas Stars
6. Nashville Predators
7. Colorado Avalanche 
8. New Jersey Devils