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Archives for June 2017

Ilya Kovalchuk Situation Remains “Murky”

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The ongoing battle over where Ilya Kovalchuk will play next year has taken another turn, and this time (like every other it seems) it’s not clear where he will end up. Chris Johnston of Sportsnet tweeted that there has been talk of a potential return to the KHL next season, and a report out of Russia has the head of SKA St. Petersburg set to meet with the star on Thursday to discuss a possible contract.

Kovalchuk has been clear that he wants to come to the NHL, but with the league perhaps not willing to give him the term or salary he’s after while an extra price is attached to him he may have to wait another year. Should he want to play in the NHL this year, a team would have to sign him to a contract and make a trade with New Jersey for his rights. While it’s not clear what asset the Devils would want in return, waiting to sign Kovalchuk next season comes with no dangling threads. He’ll be 35 then, but an unrestricted free agent able to sign with any team.

It may seem prudent to wait that long, but 35+ contracts do come with some intricacies that should be made clear. First, the team would be on the hook for the cap hit regardless of what happens to Kovalchuk. Though it’s unlikely he’d bolt a second time for the KHL, he is regarded as a national hockey hero in Russia and would be constantly wooed by the league to return. Another “retirement” from the North American ice would leave the team with a large dead cap hit on the books. The interesting option though could be an incentive-laden deal next summer.

After 35, players are allowed to take one-year deals with performance bonuses attached to certain season milestones. Any team unsure of how Kovalchuk could come over, could build in a relatively low salary with regular bonuses for games played, goals and points. Whether Kovalchuk would accept a one-year deal isn’t clear, but he could maximize his earning potential this way if he believes he can still be a star in the league. Either way, it’s unclear where the Russia star will land this season, and why we didn’t include him in our top free agent list (he’s not technically a UFA).

Detroit Red Wings Sign Brian Lashoff, Dylan McIlrath

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As CapFriendly reported yesterday, the Detroit Red Wings have signed two more AHL players, inking Brian Lashoff and Dylan McIlrath to two-year extensions. Both deals are two-way contracts worth the minimum of $650K at the NHL level. The pair are coming off a Calder Cup victory with the Grand Rapid Griffins, where they each logged big minutes.

McIlrath of course was an ill-fated 10th-overall pick of the New York Rangers, never able to amount to much more than his tough guy profile. This year saw him traded to the Florida Panthers and subsequently placed on waivers when he didn’t fit into their system either. He’d later be dealt to Detroit in the Thomas Vanek trade. The 25-year old has little upside and will likely be limited to AHL duty for the time being.

Lashoff on the other hand is an undrafted defenseman who had to grind his way through multiple minor-league seasons, including a stint in the ECHL before making his NHL debut in 2012-13. The 26-year old has settled back into an AHL role, but did see a few games in Detroit this season as a depth player. Lashoff has little offensive upside, but can relied upon in his own end and on the penalty kill. Both will be unrestricted free agents at the conclusion of the contracts.

Brendan Smith Signs With New York Rangers

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After hearing earlier today that Brendan Smith may have a bigger offer from New York than anyone else, the two sides have agreed to terms and will bring back the defender on a long-term contract. The deal is expected to be for four years with an average annual value of $4.35. It also includes some sort of no-trade clause for all four seasons. In our free agent rankings where Smith placed 12th, we had him signing a four-year deal worth $15MM, but he is clearly set to eclipse that number. Brendan Smith

Smith fit in quite well with the Rangers after being acquired at the trade deadline from the Detroit Red Wings, logging over 20 minutes a night for them down the stretch and being a big part of their playoff run. The left-handed defenseman has experience playing both sides, and could be asked to play his off-side now that Dan Girardi has been bought out. The Rangers have Ryan McDonagh and Brady Skjei locked in on the left side, and though newcomers Neal Pionk and Anthony DeAngelo are both right-handed, neither may be ready to start the year with the club.

It’s that versatility that made Smith so valuable on the open market, and has provided what may seem like a slightly overpriced contract. He had been playing on a $2.75MM cap hit, but at 28 was looking for a solid long-term deal. With the new cap hit, the Rangers will be left with between $15-16MM for now, though many things could still be done to impact that. The team still needs to sign restricted free agents Mika Zibanejad and Jesper Fast to new contract, while replacing Derek Stepan and Antti Raanta who they traded to the Arizona Coyotes.

This contract is not without risk, as Smith scored just nine points last season and isn’t very offensively gifted. He’ll never be a big point producer even if he plays with McDonagh, but what he can do is defend and do it well. He’s reliable in his own end and is willing to engage physically when the time is right (though that isn’t a huge part of his game). Mostly, he can do a little bit of everything and not hurt you with any bad mistakes. That’s valuable to any team, and apparently worth a hefty sum on the open market.

Bob McKenzie of TSN was first to report the deal.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Dave Semenko Passes At Age 59

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The hockey world mourns today, as Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal passes along some tragic news. Dave Semenko, long-time Oiler and running mate of Wayne Gretzky, has died after a battle with cancer. Semenko was just 59 years old. The Oilers released a statement: Dave Semenko

It is with great sadness we announce the passing of Oilers legend Dave Semenko after a short, but courageous battle with cancer. Dave will be remembered as a fierce competitor, loyal teammate, fan favorite and dear friend to so many. His legendary toughness on the ice is surpassed only by his kindness and caring for others, and his equally legendary wit and sense of humor.

Our hearts go out to Dave’s family and many friends.

Once an Oiler, Always an Oiler

Semenko was a force for the Oilers in the 1980s, riding shotgun with Gretzky to make sure no opponent took any cheap shots. His role was clear, but it didn’t stop him from enjoying when he did score. In fact, he tallied the final goal in WHA history before Edmonton was absorbed into the NHL, a tap-in at the side of the goal with just 12 seconds left in the final Championship game. The Winnipeg Jets would win that game and the title, but Semenko would get his revenge a few years later when he and the Oilers hoisted back-to-back Stanley Cups in 1984 and 1985.

Our former colleague Brett Barrett, who now works for Global News in Edmonton, grew up an Oilers fan and put it simply when asked.

“He was an absolute legend.”

It’s true, Semenko was spoken highly of by nearly every single person in the hockey community, mostly mentioning his genuine sense of humor and good nature, despite the angry monster he was on the ice. Semenko had worked in radio, as an assistant coach and in a scouting capacity since retirement and even played in the recent alumni game between the Oilers and Jets. He’ll by missed by everyone who cheered in awe of him both for and against, and everyone here at PHR wishes his family the best through this tough time.

Stephane Da Costa Plans On NHL Return

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How much would you pay for a KHL star returning to the NHL in his prime to try and make an impact on a winner? No, not Ilya Kovalchuk but Stephane Da Costa who according to Darren Dreger of TSN “100% intends on playing in the NHL next season.” Da Costa has played the last three seasons in the KHL, but now has interest from multiple teams around the league.

Now 27, Da Costa left the NHL after spending another year toiling in the AHL for Ottawa and made an immediate impact in the Russian league. Scoring 62 points in 46 games as a KHL rookie, Da Costa had found a place to ply his trade and has rebuilt his value. The undersized forward is equipped with a lethal shot, but always showed a lack of straight-line speed and the ability to keep up strength-wise with the rest of the league. Whether that’s changed now will be a key factor in whether he can come back to any success.

Any deal he comes back to will likely be short, as he hasn’t done enough to deserve any real security. He’s still young enough to take a “prove-me” deal and earn a long-term offer next summer, but he’ll have to show that he can be a consistent offensive producer, something he never did in his short NHL career. In 47 career games, he scored just 11 points.

10 Teams Checking In On Nick Bonino, Justin Williams

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Free agent meetings are coming fast and furious these days, and Darren Dreger of TSN is reporting that at least ten teams have checked in with both Nick Bonino and Justin Williams. Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch adds that the Blue Jackets are definitely one of those teams looking at the former Pittsburgh pivot. According to Arthur Staple the Islanders have reached out to Williams, who recently told the Washington Post that he wanted to “go to a team that has a chance to win.”

Williams and Bonino ranked 7th and 11th respectively on our free agent rankings, projecting a two-year $6.5MM deal for Williams, and a four-year $14MM deal for Bonino. Though Williams obviously has some more scoring upside, Bonino is more than six years younger and plays center ice. Whoever gets Williams won’t be upset with his production though, as the three-time Stanley Cup champion is one of the more durable and consistent wingers in the league.

It’s not surprising that each of these two have a big market, and it could very well result in one of the biggest contracts of the offseason for Bonino. One of the few players available under the age of 30 without any glaring flaws, he will stand out as a safe option for teams looking to make an impact on July 1st.

Williams on the other hand is a mercenary at this point, going to the bidder with the best chance at the Stanley Cup. While some may point out that team is the one he’s leaving—the Capitals have won the President’s Trophy as the best regular season team in both seasons with Williams—he likely feels frustrated with their inability to finish in the playoffs. That, and the fact that Washington has almost no cap flexibility for him should have him going somewhere else.

Free Agent Focus: Los Angeles Kings

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The free agent period is now just days away from opening up and there are several prominent players set to hit the open market while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign.  Here is a breakdown of the free agent situation in Los Angeles.

Key Restricted Free Agents: F Nick Shore – Most of the heavy lifting was done already with the three and four year deals to wingers Tyler Toffoli and Tanner Pearson respectively which leaves Shore as the lone forward to deal with.  He’s coming off his second full NHL season and set a new career high in points with 17 in 68 games while averaging just shy of 13 minutes per game.  He should earn a bit of a raise from the $600K he received the last two years on his bridge deal but despite having arbitration eligibility, he’s not in a spot to command any sort of substantial salary.

D Kevin Gravel – After being predominantly a minor league defenseman in 2015-16, Gravel played his way into more of a 6/7 role with the Kings after being recalled back in November and earned increasing minutes as the season progressed.  With Los Angeles losing Brayden McNabb to Vegas in the Expansion Draft while buying out Matt Greene, Gravel is in line for more of a regular role next season.  He’s due a qualifying offer of the league minimum $650K but should be able to land a bit more than that on this next contract.

Other RFAs: W Justin Auger, F Jonny Brodzinski, F Andrew Crescenzi, D Paul LaDue, D Zach Leslie, D Kurtis MacDermid, F Michael Mersch

Mar 20, 2017; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Los Angeles Kings right winger Jarome Iginla (88) is seen out on the ice during the pre game warm-up as they get set to play against the Edmonton Oilers before the first period at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Walter Tychnowicz-USA TODAY SportsKey Unrestricted Free Agent: F Jarome Iginla – After a rough first three quarters of the season with Colorado, Iginla accepted a trade to the Kings to try to help their playoff push.  While that ultimately fell short, the soon-to-be 40 year old may have restored some of his own value after he put up nine points in 19 games with LA while logging over 16 minutes a night.  If he does decide to play another season, he should have interest from several teams, particularly those who are looking for a veteran who has seen it all.  He will have to take a significant pay cut from the $5.33MM cap hit ($5MM salary) he had this past season.  Iginla is eligible for an incentive-laden one year contract which could be of interest to some cap-strapped teams as well.

Other UFAs: F Patrick Bjorkstrand, D Vincent LoVerde, F Joel Lowry, F Teddy Purcell, D Cameron Schilling, D Rob Scuderi, D Zach Trotman

Projected Cap Space: As things stand, the Kings have just over $10MM in cap space per CapFriendly but only have 17 signed players projected to be on the opening roster.  Once they re-sign Shore and Mersch, they’ll have a better sense of what they have left.  New GM Rob Blake likely won’t be able to make a big splash on the open market but they should have enough flexibility to add a second tier player or two if they’re willing to spend close to the Upper Limit right away.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Snapshots: Fabbri, Williams, Girardi, Ducks, Red Wings

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The Blues will look to give Robby Fabbri a shot at playing center in training camp, NHL.com’s Lou Korac notes via Twitter.  The 21 year old played down the middle in junior but has exclusively played on the wing through the first two years of his NHL career.

Earlier today, it was revealed that center Patrik Berglund has been lost to shoulder surgery until December so there is a short-term opening down the middle.  Newcomer Brayden Schenn has spent time at that spot with the Flyers and the team has several other options but if Fabbri can make the switch, he would provide them another top six center option while also giving them some insurance behind veteran Paul Stastny who has one year left on his current contract.

Other news around the league:

  • Pending unrestricted free agent winger Justin Williams spoke with CSN Mid-Atlantic’s Jill Sorenson about his chances of re-signing with Washington. The veteran acknowledged that talks haven’t gone very far, saying “We haven’t had very in-depth discussions with Washington so far, so we’ll see”.  Williams put up 100 points over his two seasons with the Capitals and is slated to be one of the top scoring wingers to hit the open market on Saturday.
  • Tampa Bay has shown interest in soon-to-be UFA defenseman Dan Girardi, notes Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times. Girardi was recently bought out by the Rangers but has had several teams express an interest in talking to him during the current interview period.  Smith adds that the team has yet to reach out to blueliners Karl Alzner and Cody Franson at this time.
  • The Ducks have re-signed goalie Kevin Boyle to a one year, two-way contract, TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie reports (Twitter link). The deal will carry an NHL salary of $675K.  Boyle split the season between Anaheim’s AHL and ECHL affiliates but put up an impressive .924 SV% in 19 AHL appearances in 2016-17.
  • Anaheim also re-upped defenseman Jaycob Megna to a two year, two-way deal per CapFriendly on Twitter. The 24 year old made his NHL debut with the Ducks this season but spent most of the season with AHL San Diego, collecting 27 points (5-22-27) in 62 games.
  • The Red Wings have re-signed defensemen Brian Lashoff and Dylan McIlrath to two year, two-way contracts, also per CapFriendly. Lashoff played in five games with Detroit – his first NHL action since 2014-15 – but spent the bulk of the year with AHL Grand Rapids, suiting up in 62 games.  McIlrath was acquired at the trade deadline from Florida as part of the Thomas Vanek trade.  The former first rounder has played in just 43 career NHL games and spent time in three different organizations last season.  He’ll likely reprise his role as a depth defender with Grand Rapids to start 2017-18.  Both contracts are worth the league minimum $650K at the NHL level and $275K at the minor league level.

Jets Showing Interest In Steve Mason

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With Connor Hellebuyck not quite ready to assume the starting goalie role in Winnipeg, the Jets are on the lookout for help between the pipes.  Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun reports that the team has checked in with soon-to-be unrestricted free agent Steve Mason; TSN’s Bob McKenzie adds (Twitter link) that their level of interest is significant.

Mason’s agent Anton Thun had the following to say to Mike Sawatzky of the Winnipeg Free Press about the Jets:

“Yes we are considering the Jets, but we are considering every open No. 1 goaltending spot as we should be until those spots get filled.”

The 29 year old is coming off a down season with the Flyers, one where he posted a 2.66 GAA and a .908 SV% in 58 appearances.  That said, those numbers would still represent upgrades on what Winnipeg’s goaltenders compiled in 2016-17, a 2.97 GAA and a .904 SV%.  However, Mason has made at least 50 appearances in seven of his nine NHL seasons (one of the ones he didn’t was the lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign) which would certainly be appealing to GM Kevin Cheveldayoff as a bridge until Hellebuyck is ready to take on the number one role on a more full-time basis.

At the end of the season, Mason voiced his criticism of the goalie platoon that was utilized between himself and Michal Neuvirth with the Flyers.  That would make it at least somewhat interesting that he’d consider joining the Jets who would likely operate in a similar manner with him and Hellebuyck (and that doesn’t even factor in incumbent backup Michael Hutchinson who has another year left on his deal).

Mason, who ranks 25th on our Top-50 UFA List, earned $4.1MM in each of the last three seasons and will almost assuredly be taking a pay cut wherever he signs.

Offseason Keys: Anaheim Ducks

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While expansion was the early headline in what will be a busy NHL offseason, there are still several other storylines for each team in the months to come. Here is a closer look at what lies ahead for the Anaheim Ducks.

Going with the theme of what’s old is new again in bringing back Randy Carlyle paid early dividends for the Ducks who won the Pacific Division and made it to the Western Conference Final this past season before being eliminated by Nashville.  Now, GM Bob Murray is tasked with tinkering with a roster to try to take that next step forward.  After re-signing Patrick Eaves, here are a few other keys to their offseason success.

Extension Talks For Fowler

Defenseman Cam Fowler had a very strong season in 2016-17, setting a career high in goals while putting up his highest point total since his rookie campaign.  He also shouldered a much bigger workload, logging just under 25 minutes per game during the regular season, a number that jumped to 26:30 per night in the playoffs.  This came on the heels of being in trade speculation for most of the previous season and summer.

Feb 9, 2017; Buffalo, NY, USA; Anaheim Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler (4) against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. Anaheim beats Buffalo 5 to 2. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY SportsFowler is now entering the final year of his contract but instead of there being trade talks, the focus will be shifting towards getting a long-term extension done.  He will assuredly receive a significant raise from the $4MM cap hit he’s carrying on his current deal as he will be looking to be paid as a top pairing defender.

Not only would getting a deal done take away any possibility for a distraction during the season but it would also give them a sense of whether or not they’ll be able to afford to keep the rest of their core defenders intact for the long-term.  If not, that may thrust fellow blueliner Sami Vatanen back to the forefront of trade speculation once again.

Find A Backup Goaltender

Last summer, Murray brought in Jonathan Bernier to push incumbent John Gibson for playing time and he had a pretty solid season (though that will be overshadowed in part by his poor postseason play).  Bernier is set to become an unrestricted free agent on Saturday and will be looking for more money and playing time than the Ducks will be willing to give him.

Veteran Jhonas Enroth is also set to become unrestricted and he was basically brought in as injury depth so it’s not likely that he will be back either.  Dustin Tokarski has some NHL experience but he’s best served as a third string option that can play a few games as needed than a full-time backup.  Accordingly, they’ll be looking outside the organization to find a second netminder.

There are veteran trade options out there but they’re all likely carrying too high of a cap hit to realistically be considered.  Accordingly, it seems likely that Anaheim will turn to the free agent market where there will be several veteran backups to choose from.  Given that Gibson will only turn 24 next month and has just 140 games of NHL experience, they will likely want someone who can handle a bit more of a workload than a typical backup and may have to pay a little bit more to get that insurance.

Add Left Side Offense

Of Anaheim’s top five point producers up front (six if you count Eaves’ full-season totals), precisely zero of them are left handed.  Veteran Andrew Cogliano was their top point getter from the left side and he’s more of a middle six player than a top threat.

While the Ducks won’t complain about goal scoring as long as they get it, they would have a much more well-rounded attack if they could find a left handed forward that could play a regular top line role.  Youngster Nick Ritchie has the potential to fill a spot like that down the road but he’s not ready to take on that spot just yet.

As a result, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Murray pursue a trade or free agent to give them some more balance in their attack.  Typically, it’s harder to find righties than lefties so if they do have to go the trade route, they’ll at least be dealing from a position of strength that a lot of other teams will be coveting.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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