McKenzie examines Campbell’s free agent market value

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Bob McKenzie was on Toronto’s TSN 1050 on Monday afternoon.

As part of a larger discussion on the Florida Panthers’ front office changes, and on what type of market he sees for Brian Campbell headed into free agency:

“I think there’s always a market for a mobile, puck-handling defenseman who drives play, even if they are getting on in age, and I don’t think Brian Campbell has shown any signs of – he’s a good skater. Doesn’t look to me like he’s slowed up tremendously.

“That said, he’s obviously making big money – $7 million-plus – in Florida. He doesn’t expect to get that on the open market.

“I think we’re going to continue down the road this summer of seeing a major correction. With the relative flat cap and things pretty tight on the dollar front, I think any defensemen out there in free agency that looking for really big paydays – I think the notion of a guy getting $6-7 million-plus with six or seven-year deals, that’s not likely to happen as much anymore.

“I would think a guy like Campbell would look at his situation in Florida and say, ‘You know what? I really like it here. This is home. The team’s on the rise. I’m a significant part of that team. As long as they still want me…’

“That’s, for me, a clear case of you’ve got to know where your bread is buttered. I would imagine he’d be willing to some degree to take a pretty good hometown discount to continue right down the road that he’s been going, fully recognizing he’s not getting what he’s got in the past.“

Source: TSN 1050/ Transcript: Nichols