The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan filed a notebook article which discusses several disparate topics, including this headliner:
[Anthony] Mantha, Dylan Larkin and Andreas Athanasiou are three restricted free agents that Holland will have to deal with this summer. [Ken] Holland said each deal is unique, and he’ll look for an agreement that benefits both the individual player and the team.
Each player was optimistic a deal can be worked out before training camp
“One year, or eight years, I’m happy to be a Red Wing and I appreciate everything the Ilitches do for us,” Larkin said. “We haven’t really talked numbers, and there’s no rush. It has to make sense for the team as well. I don’t want to be a burden on the cap.”
Mantha said he’d likely be more agreeable to a shortert-term contract, believing there’s more to his game, and the potential for even a more profitable contract down the line.
Athanasiou, who held out until into late October because of no contract, was hopeful negotiations aren’t going to be as rocky this time around.
“It’s part of the game, so however it long it takes, it’ll run its course,” Athanasiou said.
