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Vesey Updates: 8/16/2016

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4:00pm: Teams not considered major contenders for Jimmy Vesey will nonetheless reach out to the representatives of the college star. Even if there is only the slightest chance that Vesey will even meet with the team, it is still worth it to inquire about this unique situation. Two such teams in this position are the Carolina Hurricanes and Columbus Blue Jackets, though more will surely be calling.

12:32pm: The Boston Bruins are set up to make the final pitch to Vesey, according to Joe Haggerty of CSNNE.com. This may or may not give the Bruins an advantage over the competition but it can’t hurt Boston to have the final word as they work to recruit the hometown kid.

12:00pm: Even though they haven’t been linked previously as a contender for his services, we can nonetheless now count the Detroit Red Wings out of the Vesey sweepstakes. Ansar Kan of MLive reports that the Wings did indeed make a pitch to Vesey’s camp, focusing on the team’s depth and potential playing time, but according to assistant general manager Ryan Martin, the club was told that Vesey “preferred to play closer to home.” This news might potentially impact the Blackhawks odds of landing the coveted forward since Chicago also is not geographically close to Vesey’s hometown of Boston.

10:36am: Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News confirms the probability that Vesey will also meet with Chicago, Boston and the New York Rangers, “as soon as Wednesday,” before making his final decision by week’s end.

Jimmy Vesey, and speculation surrounding with whom the former Harvard star would sign his first pro contract, has dominated NHL headlines for weeks seemingly. With time having run out on Buffalo’s window of exclusivity to get the young forward under contract, any other club interested in bringing Vesey into the fold can officially begin negotiating with his representation as of 12:01am today. Even though it’s been reported Vesey will likely not sign until later this week, Pro Hockey Rumors will continue to monitor the latest news today using this post with updates appearing at the top of this post.

According to Mark Divver of The Providence Journal, Vesey is set to meet with the Isles, Penguins, Leafs and Devils today. While it was expected that essentially every NHL club would express at least some interest in adding Vesey to their ranks, the Penguins have rarely been listed among the top suitors up to this point. But the opportunity to play with two of the world’s best players – Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin – and for a team fresh off a Stanley Cup win has to be enticing so it shouldn’t be much of a surprise Vesey would at least meet with the Pittsburgh contingent as he weighs his options.

It’s likely that Vesey and his reps will also take meetings with other teams throughout the week before making his decision. Chicago has often been listed as a potential front-runner in the sweepstakes and Boston is Vesey’s hometown team so expect both of those clubs to also get a shot to woo him in person.

 

 

Avalanche Sign F Ben Smith

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Update (11:50am): General Fanager provides the contract details and it is indeed a two-way deal. Smith will earn $675K in the NHL – a figure $100K above the minimum – and $150K in the AHL. It’s a contract structure that is becoming more common for players like Smith; players who excel in the AHL but can’t find a regular NHL job. The NHL salary is just above the minimum but in order to lure Smith, Colorado had to guarantee him an AHL salary well above the average for a minor league player.

The Colorado Avalanche have announced the signing of veteran depth forward Ben Smith to a one-year deal, per the club’s website. Financial details were not made immediately available but it’s likely Smith’s 2016-17 salary won’t be much more than the league minimum. Additionally, there was no mention whether the arrangement is a one or two-way deal. Of course under terms of a two-way contract, Smith would earn a lesser salary while suiting up in the AHL.

Smith split this past season between Toronto and San Jose, tallying six points in 16 contests for the Leafs after going scoreless in six games with the Sharks. He also netted 12 goals and 16 points in 19 AHL games.

It’s likely Smith will split the upcoming campaign playing for the Avalanche’s AHL affiliate in San Antonio while also serving as experienced depth for the big league team should injuries arise. Colorado would already seem to have plenty of other options up front after signing UFA F Joe Colborne and trading for C Rocco Grimaldi this summer. But it’s never bad to stock a few veteran players like Smith in your organization, even if their biggest contribution is mentoring the team’s prospects in the minor leagues.

(Team depth charts courtesy of Roster Resource)

The Jimmy Vesey Sweepstakes Begin

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After months of speculation, Hobey Baker winner Jimmy Vesey finally has his wish and is now an unrestricted free agent. The Nashville Predators’ 66th 0verall pick in 2012 is now an unrestricted free agent as of 12:01 AM EST. However, Vesey isn’t expected to sign anywhere until later this week.

Vesey is not the only pending free agent coming out of college, but he’s definitely the biggest name on the list. He’s expected to be able to step right in to an NHL team’s top nine forwards and produce. The Hockey News’ 2016-17 Pool Guide predicted his output at 18 goals and 20 assists in 80 games. Thirty-eight points as a rookie would put him in the same neighbourhood as Sam Bennett, Joonas Donskoi, Robby Fabbri, and Nikolaj Ehlers in 2015-16.

Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, New Jersey, New York Rangers, and Toronto have all been talked about as potential landing spots. Each has certain charms that would entice Vesey. You can read Pro Hockey Rumors’ breakdown of each of those teams here.

Wherever he signs, Vesey will get the maximum allowable rookie salary $925K plus $2.85MM in bonuses for a potential total of $3.775MM per season for two seasons. This means his decision will be made based on the situation of the team, and not money.

Of course, signing college free agents hasn’t always turned out for NHL teams. When Justin Schultz signed with the Edmonton Oilers in 2012, he was expected to be the Paul Coffey of the modern Oilers. Instead, his game stagnated and he was ultimately booed out of town; he was traded to Pittsburgh where he was slotted as a bottom pairing/ depth defenseman. TSN radio host Jason Gregor penned a piece on college free agents at Oilers Nation on Monday, where he quoted an NHL scout as saying “NCAA free agents have become the most overrated and over-hyped asset in hockey”.

It’s not that they’re not good players, the scout told Gregor. It’s that “teams treat them like they are going to be stars. They get into bidding wars and pay them like they are top-three draft picks. It’s crazy,” according to the scout.

Recent college signing Kevin Hayes represents a decent comparable. His two NHL seasons of 36 and 45 points would represent a solid start for Vesey as a future top six winger. That’s an impressive total for a rookie, but not in the first-overall-pick range. Adjusting for the lockout-shortened season and Connor McDavid’s injury-shortened campaign, the last five forwards selected first overall have scored an average of 59 points in their rookie season. Taylor Hall’s 42 points represents the low end, while McDavid’s 87-point-pace is the high mark.

More to come…

Potential Landing Spots For Jimmy Vesey

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Hobey Baker winner Jimmy Vesey is one of the better college free agents to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) in recent years. Let’s break down the main contenders for his services, and why he would choose each of them.

Boston Bruins –
Why he’ll sign: Vesey played at Harvard, which is just outside Boston. He told Joe Haggerty of CSN that he’s been a Bruins fan his whole life; he wears number 19 for former Bruins captain Joe Thornton and is friends with Bruins forward Jimmy Hayes and defenseman Torey Krug. Despite signing David Backes, the Bruins still need help up front and could offer Vesey playing time with one of their top two centers in Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci.

Why he won’t sign: The Bruins have missed the playoffs for two straight seasons, and appear to be spinning their wheels as neither a bottom feeder nor a legit Stanley Cup contender. Read more

Off-Season To Date: Pacific Division

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The NHL has entered its seasonal lull where teams are done signing free agents and will wait until training camp to make major roster moves. We have already documented the off-season moves of the Atlantic Division, Metropolitan Division, and Central Division teams. Now we take a quick look at the Pacific Division.

Anaheim Ducks

Key Additions: Jared Boll, Antoine Vermette, Jonathan Bernier, Mason Raymond
Key Departures: Jamie McGinn, David Perron, Brandon Pirri, Frederik Andersen, Mike Santorelli, Chris Stewart, Anton Khudobin
Unsigned RFAs: Rickard Rakell, Hampus Lindholm
Cap Space: $6,657,500
Projected Roster Size: 21
Notes: The Ducks traded Frederik Andersen away and are going with John Gibson as their number one starter. They have yet to sign Lindholm but have ample cap space to do so. The team experienced some decent turnover from last season, including firing Coach Bruce Boudreau and hiring former Ducks and Leafs coach Randy Carlyle.

Arizona Coyotes

Key Additions: Jamie McGinn, Ryan White, Alex Goligoski, Luke Schenn, Anthony DeAngelo
Key Departures: Antoine Vermette, Alex Tanguay, Boyd Gordon, Sergei Plotnikov, Anders Lindback, Joe Vitale
Unsigned RFAs: Tobias Rieder
Cap Space: $8,847,875
Projected Roster Size: 22
Notes: The Coyotes picked up a trio of forwards to surround their young prospects, and signed Goligoski to beef up their defense. Arizona also took on Pavel Datysuk’s contract to move up in the first round of the NHL Draft.  All that remains is to sign RFA Tobias Rieder, but recent reports says that both camps are far apart. New GM John Chayka is an analytics proponent, so his moves will garner extra scrutiny as the season progresses. Finally, at time of writing Vrbata is close to signing a one-year deal with Arizona, but nothing has been finalized yet.

Calgary Flames

Key Additions: Troy Brouwer, Alex Chiasson, Linden Vey, Brian Elliott, Chad Johnson
Key Departures: Karri Ramo, Joni Ortio, Jonas Hiller, Niklas Backstrom, Kevin Poulin, Joe Colborne, Josh Jooris, Mason Raymond
Unsigned RFAs: Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan
Cap Space: $14,969,600
Projected Roster Size: 20
Notes: The Flames’ offseason is noteworthy for two reasons. One, they completely switched out their goaltending, bringing in St. Louis starter Brian Elliot and Buffalo semi-starter Chad Johnson, and letting Ramo, Ortio, Hiller, and Backstrom walk. Elliot represents a significant upgrade over last year’s goaltending-by-committee. The second noteworthy event—or non-event—is that Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan are still unsigned. The top two Flames scorers last year are playing on Team North America in the World Cup of Hockey, and impressive performances could raise the RFAs’ asking prices.

Edmonton Oilers

Key Additions: Milan Lucic, Adam Larsson, Jonas Gustavsson
Key Departures: Taylor Hall, Rob Klinkhammer, Adam Cracknell, Lauri Korpikoski
Unsigned RFAs: None
Cap Space: $9,238,833
Projected Roster Size: 23
Notes: The Oilers made two big splashes this offseason. First, they traded away Taylor Hall to New Jersey for defenseman Adam Larsson. Hall was one of the Oilers’ best players since he was drafted, but the Oilers desperately needed a top-notch defenseman. Whether Larsson is or becomes that defenseman, however, is up in the air. They then signed top free agent Milan Lucic to a seven-year deal worth $6MM a year. Lucic will add both grit and offense to a team mired in a perpetual rebuild.

Los Angeles Kings

Key Additions: Teddy Purcell, Tom Gilbert, Jeff Zatkoff, Jack Campbell
Key Departures: Milan Lucic, Kris Versteeg, Luke Schenn, Jhonas Enroth
Unsigned RFAs: None
Cap Space: $1,154,773
Projected Roster Size: 25
Notes: The Kings stayed relatively pat this offseason, swapping backup goaltenders and letting Milan Lucic walk. The team was constrained by their cap, which at just over $1M gave them little wiggle room. The team is banking on their core to step up and improve over last season’s first-round exit.

San Jose Sharks

Key Additions: Mikkel Boedker, David Schlemko
Key Departures: Nick Spaling, Dainius Zubrus, Roman Polak, James Reimer
Unsigned RFAs: None
Cap Space: $995,832
Projected Roster Size: 22
Notes: After the Sharks finally made the Stanley Cup Finals, their offseason was uneventful. They took a flyer on Boedker, and will most likely find a backup goalie within the organization. The Sharks are tight against the cap this season, but face an onslaught of UFAs and the end of the year. Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, and Brett Burns are all UFAs next summer, and the Sharks need to evaluate who they want to keep.

Vancouver Canucks

Key Additions: Loui Eriksson, Erik Gudbranson
Key Departures: Radim Vrbata, Linden Vey, Chris Higgins, Brandon Prust, Dan Hamhuis, Matt Bartkowski, Yannick Weber
Unsigned RFAs: None
Cap Space: $2,771,250
Projected Roster Size: 24
Notes: The Canucks had an odd offseason, signing Eriksson and trading for Gudbranson. More trades were expected—but of a rebuilding variety. The Canucks have one more year of Ryan Miller and two more years of the Sedins, so its possible that they want to try to rebuild on the fly while they still have elite talent. Their defense took a hit by losing Hamhuis, and while Gudbranson was a highly touted prospect, he hasn’t evolved into the player scouts predicted.

Snapshots: Tavares; Goalie Equipment; Cowen

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News and notes from around the NHL

  • New York Islanders captain John Tavares spoke to Newsday’s Arthur Staple on Monday, stating that he has no reason to leave Long Island when his contract expires. Tavares is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2017-18 season, and rumors are already swirling that he may leave. The comments Tavares made are an attempt to quell the media attention Tampa Bay Lighting Steven Stamkos endured this offseason on whether he would re-sign with the Lightning. Many media members speculated that he would join his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs, and the same media attention looks to descend upon Toronto-native Tavares as well. Proving further speculation was this offseason’s UFA exodus. Kyle Okposo, Frans Nielsen, and Matt Martin all signed elsewhere within the first day of free agency.
  • TSN’s Jason Gregor tweeted that goaltender equipment may not be streamlined this season, a move widely expected by the NHL. The new equipment standards would shrink the chest protector, upper pads, and pants, making everything more streamlined and less bulky. Gregor noted that he trained with five NHL goaltenders who said that no new equipment has been ordered yet. The NHL wants to decrease goaltender bulk in an effort to increase scoring, but the league may have to wait another year to implement.
  • Toronto Maple Leafs forward Jared Cowen will have a grievance hearing sometime in the future regarding his buyout. The Maple Leafs waived Cowen this offseason with the intention of buying him out, but Cowen states that he was injured. A team cannot buy out an injured player, and the Leafs say that he is not injured—hence the grievance proceeding. A date has not been set yet, but the Leafs ideally want this situation resolved before the season starts as they are currently have only $500K in cap space. Buying Cowen out would not only free up his $3.1MM salary, but will actually create an additional cap credit of $650K for the upcoming season. Next year Cowen’s buyout cap hit would be $750K. So by buying out Cowen, the Leafs instantly go from sub-$500K in cap space to over $4MM.

U.S. Senator Speaks Out Against NHL’s “Ongoing Indifference” To Brain Injury

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In an unsettling piece by TSN’s Rick Westhead today, startling correspondence between U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman pertaining to the ongoing brain injury discussion is examined at length. Today, Blumenthal wrote his latest letter to the league offices, asking about chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain disease linked to Alzheimer’s:

Why does the NHL so readily and quickly discount or dismiss warning signs of a link between hockey and CTE? Even a cursory analysis of several medical journals should sound an alarm.

This is not the first time that Blumenthal has written Bettman. In June, he wrote a letter looking for answers on the NHL’s position on brain injuries, using the examples of six former NHL players (Derek Boogaard, Reggie Fleming, Bob Probert, Rick Martin, Steve Montador and Larry Zeidel) who were diagnosed posthumously with CTE. Westhead writes that Bettman responded in July, denying that there is any proven causation between hockey and long-term brain injury.

Read more

Vesey Not Expected To Make Decision Before Friday

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After all the waiting, speculating and trades that have been part of the Jimmy Vesey saga up until now, it seems as though it will stretch at least a few more days. The Associated Press (via TSN) is reporting that Peter Fish, Vesey’s agent, has told them he doesn’t intend to make a decision until Friday at the earliest. Fish expects a handful of teams to make contact once the midnight deadline passes, making Vesey an unrestricted free agent.

On Buffalo, the current owner of his negotiating rights, Fish told AP that he has a “clear understanding” of the Sabres position, and that his camp is “pleased” with the things team officials have done and said since trading for him earlier this summer.

The Maple Leafs, for their part, are expected to send a group of players to Boston this week to try and woo Vesey, according to Mike Grinnell of Channel 7 News in Boston. The team also employs his father, and drafted his brother into their system in 2014.

While the decision may not come down until Friday, there are sure to be many rumors throughout the week as teams meet with Vesey. The Hobey Baker award winner still has much to prove once the season begins, as he’ll enter the league at an advanced prospect age and without any professional experience.

Snapshots: Alzner, Vermette, Girgensons

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After undergoing surgery to repair a sports hernia in June, Karl Alzner reports (via Tarik El-Bashir of NBC) that everything is going according to plan and he should be ready when training camp opens. Because the hernia came alongside a groin injury, Alzner is not quite ready to write himself a clean bill of health:

I was working out after the first week [following the procedure], which was fast. The hernia is going to be fine. The only thing is the groin; I’m still waiting for that to be 100-percent.

Alzner is currently the active NHL leader in consecutive regular season games played, with 458 (also a Captials’ record) after only missing playoff games last season. He’ll look to continue that streak as a big part of the Captials defense.

  • The Anaheim Ducks added a veteran forward today when they signed Antoine Vermette to a two-year contract, bringing in the recently bought-out center for $1.75MM per season. The Ducks released some of his thoughts on the matter today in a series of tweets, with Vermette discussing their rough play-style: “You play the Ducks, you know you’re in for a tough game. They’re skilled and big. I’m glad to be on their side.”  Another tweet from Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register had Vermette saying that he didn’t expect the buyout, and that “at no point” did Arizona bring it up with him.
  •  It seems as though almost half the teams in the NHL have now been linked to Jimmy Vesey prior to him becoming a free agent at midnight tonight. While once again reporting that Buffalo is still in the hunt, Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News gives us an interesting tidbit at the end of his latest column.  Harrington thinks it’s possible that the team would move Zemgus Girgensons if they were to be able to sign Vesey. Girgensons is currently a restricted free agent, and is coming off a down year in which he only scored 18 points. The former 14th-overall pick had a much better year in 2014-15 though, when he scored 15 goals and 30 points in just 61 games, leading some to believe he could be a key piece going forward for any rebuilding club.

Calgary Flames Sign Tyler Wotherspoon

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Mar 9, 2016; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Calgary Flames defenseman Tyler Wotherspoon (26) during the face off against the Nashville Predators during the second period at Scotiabank Saddledome. Calgary Flames won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY SportsWhile Calgary Flames fans wait with bated breath for word on their star restricted free agents Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan, they’ve come to an agreement with a lesser known player. Tyler Wotherspoon has been signed by the club to a one-year, two-way deal. General Fanager reports that the deal is worth $625K at the NHL level.

Wotherspoon, 23, was the Flames’ second-round pick in the 2011 draft, 57th overall. While spending most of the past three seasons in the AHL with the ever-changing Flames affiliate (Abbotsford, Adirondack and now Stockton), Wotherspoon has been called up to the NHL on multiple occasions, suiting up in 26 career games.

Not expected to be much more than a seventh defenseman this season, Wotherspoon is no longer waiver-exempt, meaning that he won’t be able to be shuffled up and down without clearing waivers each time.  While he’s not a huge risk to be stolen, it’s probably something the Flames would still rather avoid.

[Related: Calgary Flames Depth Chart]

After re-starting their hearts (“Flames sign” is a good way to get attention at the moment), Calgary fans will now continue to wait for the inevitable contracts given to Gaudreau and Monahan. Both have expressed the desire to remain in Calgary long-term, but with each passing day the fanbase becomes more frantic. With just under $15MM in current cap space, the team should be able to fit both players in without making any subsequent moves.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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