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Archives for July 2017

Predators To Carry Eight Defenseman In 2017-18

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When the Nashville Predators acquired former Montreal Canadiens defenseman Alexei Emelin at the NHL Draft from the Vegas Golden Knights, who had just selected him in the Expansion Draft days earlier, it was clear that the team would have a logjam on the blue line entering 2017-18. The roster already boasts a top four that can rival any in the league in Roman Josi, P.K. Subban, Ryan Ellis and Mattias Ekholm, and adding yet another prominent name to the mix meant another regular for the Western Conference champs could be pushed out.

Instead, GM David Poile told Adam Vignan of The Tennessean that the Predators will carry eight defenseman, at least to start the year. With Josi, Subban, Ellis, Ekholm, and Emelin locked into regular roles – and making up only a modest $22MM of cap space – the final spot in the starting six will belong to one of Yannick Weber, Matt Irwin, or Anthony Bitetto. Weber and Irwin were the team’s bottom pair for much of the 2016-17 season and each signed an extension during the year, while the younger Bitetto skated in 29 games and helped to make up for the loss of Subban while he was sidelined. There’s no clear choice between the three, but by carrying the entire trio, Poile and coach Peter Laviolette have the flexibility to mix and match until they find the best fit.

Making this decision easier are the cap hits for Weber, Irwin, and Bitetto. Despite being regular contributors to a team that nearly won the Stanley Cup, Weber and Irwin are both journeyman veterans who have had up-and-down careers and thus settled for one-year extensions worth the league minimum of $650K. Bitetto, who had only just completed his first real NHL season in 2016, signed a two-year, 1.225MM contract, which will pay him $612.5K in 2017-18, even less than Weber and Irwin. Thus, the entire trio will cost Nashville under $2MM, making the decision to keep a fourth pair all the more simple. How everything shakes out on the Predators’ blue line remains to be seen, but their eight-man group will surely be the envy of most teams in the NHL this season.

Minor Transactions: 7/25/17

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For a Tuesday in late July, it’s been an especially busy day for hockey transactions, including the NHL signings of Mika Zibanejad with the New York Rangers, Robin Lehner with the Buffalo Sabres, Mark Streit with the Montreal Canadiens, and several deals by the Colorado Avalanche and New Jersey Devils. Yet, there has been a flurry of notable activity in the AHL and overseas today too, including the following:

  • The once-promising NHL career of Matt Fraser has taken another odd turn away from its original path. Fraser, still just 27 years old, has signed with Dornbirner EC of the EBEL, a lower tier European league based mostly out of Austria. The team has announced the deal, though terms have not been released. Fraser moves to the EBEL after a season in Sweden, where injuries limited him to only four games with Rogle BK. Before that, many will remember Fraser as a star in the AHL for the Texas Stars and, after the Tyler Seguin trade, the Providence Bruins. Fraser even played in 60 NHL games with the Boston Bruins and Edmonton Oilers in 2014-15 and looked to be on his way to becoming an NHL regular. However, after signing a one-year deal with the Winnipeg Jets in 2015 and failing to make the team, Fraser had the worst AHL season of his career and decided to head overseas. So far, it has not worked out, but Fraser will now try his hand at EBEL action, where he could easily be the best player for Dornbirner, who currently count another former Bruin, Jamie Arniel, as their top scorer.
  • Another player who failed to meet expectatiosn in North America and will now head to a lesser European league is Dane Fox. The former Erie Otters superstar, who scored 107 points in 67 games in his final OHL season, has not found anywhere near the same success at the pro level. A high-profile signing by the Vancouver Canucks in 2014, the undrafted forward has made his last junior season look very much like a fluke with his play since then. Fox has skated almost exclusively in the ECHL over the past three seasons, playing in only two AHL games and not even in consideration for an NHL look with the Canucks and Carolina Hurricanes. Now, Fox will head to Germany to play with the Nurnberg Ice Tigers of the DEL. Nurnberg is the likely favorite in the DEL next season and roster many players with NHL experience, including 2016-17 top scorer Steve Reinprecht and recent signee Tom Gilbert. Fox’s pro hockey career is very much up in the air right now, but if he can shine through on an experience Ice Tigers roster, perhaps he’ll get another shot in North America .
  • The AHL’s San Diego Gulls, the Anaheim Ducks’ affiliate, has re-signed forward Jordan Samuels-Thomas to a two-year minor league deal, the league announced. The 27-year-old recorded a pro career-high 24 points and +13 rating for the Gulls last year and is a fan favorite and active member of the San Diego community. The former NCAA standout was a seventh-round pick of the Atlanta Thrashers in 2009, but was never signed to an entry-level deal after spending five years in college.
  • The Chicago Wolves, now the new affiliate of the Vegas Golden Knights, have signed one of their own, inking Scooter Vaughan to a one-year deal, according to a team release. The hard-nosed defenseman worked his way up through hockey’s ranks, spending four years at the University of Michigan, three years in the ECHL, and going on four years in the AHL, with the last two spent in Chicago. The next stop could be the NHL, now that the Wolves are associated with the Knights, who obviously have the least organizational depth of any team in the league. A career-best performance in 2017-18 could earn Vaughan his first NHL contract next year.
  • A pair of AHL defenseman will change teams for the upcoming season as Paul Geiger, recently of the Rochester Americans, has signed with the Hershey Bears, the Washington Capitals’ affiliate, while the Carolina Hurricanes’ minor league partners, the Charlotte Checkers, have signed former St. John’s Ice Caps defender Josiah Didier. Both Geiger and Didier are still just 24 years old and were solid college players, at Clarkson and Denver respectively, but need big seasons with their new teams after pedestrian starts to their pro careers, that is if they want to reach the NHL someday.
  • The 2016-17 captain at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) has found his new home, and he’s in a good spot. Riley Bourbonnais, a 23-year-old center who was nearly a point per game player for RPI last year, has inked his first AHL deal with the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins, the feeder team of the two-time Stanley Cup champs. The team announced their newest addition and have high hopes that he can bring the same well-rounded game he showed in college to the pros.

Poll: Where Will Andrei Markov End Up?

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With the signing of Mark Streit in Montreal today, it seems as though Andrei Markov’s long tenure may be coming to an end. Even with reports of a big gap in expectations between the two sides, it still seemed as though the Canadiens would be the eventual landing spot for the 38-year old. They needed some depth on the left side, and an offensive piece to go with their less dynamic group.

With Streit in the mix those needs could be filled, though the recent Stanley Cup champion is no guarantee to provide much of anything, and is being paid according to that risk. But still, Markov seems a long shot for Montreal at this point who now have eight defensemen on one-way deals. So where could he end up?

There is no shortage of teams who could use defensive help, but if Markov’s reported ask of $12MM over two years is accurate it would be tough to fit him into a lot of rosters. Markov is representing himself in negotiations, and seems to be very confident in his ability going forward. That confidence is warranted, after putting up 36 points in just 62 games and generally being effective in a certain deployment. Though he’s not the all-situations defender he once was, he can still prey on weak opposition and create chances for his team through his slick passing and creativity.

Vote below on where you think Markov will end up, and make sure to leave a comment on how effective he’ll be next season. Is he worth $6MM? How much would you be willing to offer him? What’s the best fit for what’s left of his ability?

[Mobile users click here to vote!]

Drew Stafford Could Be This Year’s Kris Versteeg

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Last summer, Kris Versteeg didn’t get much action on the free agent market. He was 30, coming off a 38 point season in which he was traded at the deadline—basically a tradition in the NHL at this point—and ended up signing in Switzerland because he couldn’t find a contract around the league. A one-year deal with SC Bern of the NLA and Versteeg could try to rebuild his value while enjoying the sights of Europe. It was surely a bit disappointing, but it was at least a contract with a professional team. Only the disappointment wouldn’t end there. "<strong

Much later in the summer, Versteeg and Bern would end up terminating his contract because of some mixture of a failed medical and inability to gain insurance due to his previous hip injury, putting him back on the market after some NHL training camps had already begun. Again he was without a contract, and now without the ability to play in Europe (or at least for Bern) would have to slightly alter his plans. So Versteeg, the four-time 20-goal scorer and veteran of 550 NHL games, would sign a professional tryout with the (at that time) lowly Edmonton Oilers. With it came no guarantee of an NHL contract, but why not try out for a team close to home that has an up-and-coming core.

He’d stay with the Oilers for the next month, before abruptly signing with the rival Calgary Flames just a day before the two teams were set to kick off their seasons against each other. Versteeg’s deal would be for just $950K, and he’d pull on a Flames sweater on October 12th to open the year, playing 13:47 against the team he’d been practicing with for most of training camp. That $950K would go on to be quite a bargain, as Versteeg would put up 37 points in just 69 games and do enough to earn another contract—this time worth $1.75MM—with the Flames this spring.

"<strongThis summer, there seems to be a similar player left out in the cold after all the free agent shopping has been done. Drew Stafford has had very little written about him since the free agent period began, other than some thought that Boston had quickly moved on from the idea of bringing him back. Like Versteeg, Stafford had been traded mid-season, where he found some success with the Bruins down the stretch by registering eight points in 18 games. Though not a top-line player anymore, he still can provide some secondary scoring in the right situation.

Stafford, less than a year older than Versteeg will turn 32 this October and could still help an NHL team even if he’s not the 30-goal scorer of his youth. He’s just a year removed from registering 21 goals, but looks like he may have to take a PTO of his own in order to showcase that he still has some game left in him. He can still be an effective penalty killer, and won’t hurt you defensively if deployed in a bottom-six role, but has the offensive chops to move up on a short-term basis to fill in for injury. He’s a worthwhile experiment on a no-risk PTO, especially with the upside of an almost-free 20-goal man.

If he can’t find work this year in the NHL, there is also the opportunity that the Olympics present as he could easily make a US squad that will be made up of mostly college-aged players. Stafford would instantly provide some international experience, as he won World Junior gold back in 2004 and has suited up for Team USA in the World Championships three times. And, iff not the Olympics, there’s always Bern* (*pending medical evaluation).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Snapshots: Fisher, Team Canada, Larkin

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Mike Fisher is still considering a return to Nashville next season, and GM David Poile told Adam Vignan of the Tennessean that they’ll know more next week. Fisher has been open about his pending decision between playing one more season for Nashville or retiring, and it seems the team would be happy to have him. After scoring 18 goals and 42 points he would likely be returning in a lesser role now that the club has brought in Nick Bonino to solidify their center depth.

With Ryan Johansen and Calle Jarnkrok returning, the position could quickly turn from a weakness into a considerable strength for the Stanley Cup finalists, with Fisher grading out as one of the best fourth line players in the league. He should come back at a reasonable price, but the Predators still have to get Johansen under contract and make sure they don’t put themselves in too tight a position heading into the season.

  • Team Canada has announced their management and coaching staff for the upcoming Olympic preparation, naming Sean Burke and Martin Brodeur as general manager and “management group member” respectively. The coaching staff will be led by former Vancouver Canucks’ head coach Willie Desjardins along with Dave King, Scott Walker and Craig Woodcroft. Interestingly, the team will play in at least seven tournaments prior to the Olympics, in a sort of season that national programs used to do before NHL participation in the Winter Games. Players on AHL contracts will be considered for the team, along with those playing overseas or in the college and junior ranks.
  • There was a new Larkin in town for the Detroit Red Wings’ development camp, and as Dana Wakiji of NHL.com writes he’ll try to make a return visit in the future. Adam Larkin, the cousin of Red Wings’ star Dylan Larkin, will be a senior at Yale this season and has steadily improved his game since going undrafted out of the USHL. He’ll work even harder this year to try and impress Red Wings scouts and those from other organizations that he’s deserved of a professional contract next spring when he becomes a free agent. Detroit would surely have the inside track, but Larkin will need a big senior season to show that he is ready for the next level.

Montreal Canadiens Sign Mark Streit

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Looking for a left-handed puck moving defensemen, the Montreal Canadiens have signed Mark Streit to a one-year contract worth $700K. The deal also contains $300K of performance bonuses, making it a potential $1MM total. Streit returns to the team who drafted him and gave him his first NHL opportunity, this time just months removed from winning the Stanley Cup for the first time.

The Canadiens needed help on the left side following the apparent parting of ways with Andrei Markov—the two sides could still come to an agreement, though this signing complicates things further—and Streit has been an effective option on the powerplay for many years. If the team were acquiring the Streit they last saw, who scored 62 points in 2007-08 it would be one thing, but this time he comes in at age-39 and a shell of what he once was. Still able to drive possession and contribute with the man advantage, Streit needs sheltering from tough minutes and isn’t the workhorse he once was.

That may fit in perfectly with the Canadiens’ defense group, as Karl Alzner and Shea Weber are widely expected to take on the tough minutes against the team’s best forwards while players like Jordie Benn and David Schlemko can be effective in a defensive role as well. It’s not clear exactly where Streit will fit in on a regular basis, but it does give the Canadiens some much needed depth for a group that has shipped out several young players in recent deals. This group does pose quite the risk though, as if Weber or Alzner took a step backwards they could be in for a real tough time trying to shut down an elite forward line like many Atlantic division teams have.

New Jersey Devils Sign Three Restricted Free Agents

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The New Jersey Devils did some house cleaning today, signing Scott Wedgewood, Joseph Blandisi and Mirco Mueller. Mueller will be on a two-year one-way deal that pays $850K per season, Blandisi will earn $680K per season on a two-year two-way deal, and Wedgewood will get the minimum $650K on a one-year two-way contract.

Mueller, the only one of the group who will play next season on a one-way deal was acquired by the Devils last month for a second-round pick from the San Jose Sharks, where he’d not been able to crack the lineup with any sort of consistency. A running gag last season was the incredible amount of times Mueller was moved between the Sharks and the San Jose Barracuda in the AHL, usually not playing a game during his NHL stints. In New Jersey, he’ll be afforded a much bigger role and given the chance to grow into the potential that made him a first-round pick a few years ago.

Blandisi has been a sort of 13th forward for the Devils the past two seasons, getting into 68 contests and registering 26 points. The Devils have hoped to coax out some of his offensive talent without giving him too big a role, considering that he scored 52 goals and 112 points as an over-aged player in his final year of junior hockey. There’s clearly talent there, but he’ll likely have to adjust his play style to be able to fit into a bottom-six on a full-time basis.

Wedgewood lost nearly the entire 2016-17 season when he underwent shoulder surgery in November, in what should have been a key development year. After putting up an outstanding 2015-16 campaign that resulted in his NHL debut, he was considered a possible successor to Cory Schneider down the line and at least had a future as an NHL backup. While this wasn’t the end of his career by any means, he’ll have to get back on the ice and prove that he’s still the same goaltender who put up a .933 save percentage in the AHL.

New York Rangers Sign Mika Zibanejad To Five-Year Contract

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Just before the two sides headed into an arbitration hearing, the New York Rangers and Mika Zibanejad agreed to a five-year, $26.75MM contract. The deal will pay Zibanejad an average of $5.35MM per season. Craig Morgan of AZ Sports has the yearly breakdown:

  • 2017-18: $5MM salary + $1MM signing bonus
  • 2018-19: $5.5MM salary
  • 2019-20: $5.35MM salary
  • 2020-21: $2.65MM salary + $2.5MM signing bonus
  • 2021-22: $4.75MM salary

Zibanejad, 24, will be given the reins as the top center option in New York this year just a year after being acquired from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Derick Brassard. The Rangers shipped Derek Stepan out of town a few weeks ago, leaving Zibanejad and Kevin Hayes as the de facto top two options (unless the team decides to move J.T. Miller back to the middle at some point). With that comes some risk, but the Rangers feel as though the young center can step into the top role and run with it for the next several years.

Already with two 20-goal seasons under his belt by 23, Zibanejad was limited to just 56 games last season but still recorded 37 points and looked like the Rangers most dangerous forward on many nights. His improving faceoff skills and defensive play were on display during the shortened year, as was his fit on the Rangers’ powerplay. He’ll look to be a big part of what should be an improved group after the offseason addition of Kevin Shattenkirk, noted powerplay monster. With increased PP time, and a bigger role 5-on-5 you could see Zibanejad finally crack the 60-point mark if not higher this season. The ability is apparent, and now the opportunity is there to match it.

Interestingly though, Zibanejad comes in ahead of Tyler Johnson’s average salary of $5MM. Though Zibanejad is a couple of years younger than the Tampa Bay pivot, he’s still giving up three years of unrestricted free agency as he’s been playing in the league so long already. Though some would argue that Zibanejad’s future looks stronger as a true #1 center, Johnson has the higher peak season so far and has received Selke votes for his defensive prowess. Johnson also gave up six years of free agency in a deal that is looking better by the day.

The Rangers though will be happy to plug a $5.35MM number into their salary structure for the next five seasons, a number that will leave them with just over $3MM in cap room for the upcoming year. They have no more restricted free agents to sign, so it is possible they could dip their toes back into the UFA market if there is a player sitting out there that interests them. With Shattenkirk added and a more mobile defense corps they are definitely contenders to post a 100-point season or even win the Metropolitan division.

Matt Nieto Signs With Colorado Avalanche

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Another player has avoided arbitration, as according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet Matt Nieto has signed a one-year deal with the Colorado Avalanche for $1MM next season. Neito had an arbitration hearing scheduled for July 31st, but won’t need it any longer after reaching an agreement.

Nieto, 24, came to the Avalanche via waivers this season when they selected him from the San Jose Sharks in early January. Thrust into an increased role in Colorado, Nieto responded with 11 points in 43 games but was a rather effective penalty killer and depth winger. Though he hasn’t been able to replicate his 27-point 2014-15 season, he’s still a positive possession player and young enough to improve next season for the Avalanche.

Playing last year for just $735K, Nieto will get a nice raise before looking longer-term next summer. At that point he will be 25, arbitration eligible for the second time and just two years away from unrestricted free agency. Though he’s not a player you’d want to commit to for more than a few seasons at a time, he does still have that potential that made him a second-round pick and allowed him to dominate the college ranks for Boston University. Nieto recorded 102 points in his three-year career with BU, even though he debuted as a 17-year old playing against men much older than him.

KHL, IIHF Hand Out Three Doping Suspensions

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The KHL has suspended three players for violating their doping policy, after working with the IIHF to test 377 samples from the league. Derek Smith has been suspended until September 2nd, 2018, Andrei Konev until November 19th of this year, and Danis Zaripov until May 22nd, 2019 for use of a prohibited substance. Zaripov’s suspension carries a longer penalty for also testing positive for a prohibited masking substance.

Zaripov is easily the most recognizable name of the group, known as one of the best non-NHL players in the world. The 36-year old suited up for Russia at the 2010 Olympics, and holds five World Championship medals. He also has won the Gagarin Cup—the KHL championship—four times and has scored over 450 career points for Ak Bars Kazan since the KHL began in 2008.

Smith had a cup of coffee in the NHL, playing 94 games over five seasons before heading overseas to continue his career. He played 44 games in the KHL this season, registering nine points. The 32-year old defenseman was undrafted, but signed with the Ottawa Senators out of Lake Superior State in 2007.

Konev is the youngest of the bunch at 28, but has had trouble finding regular work in the KHL over the years. Playing in just 24 games this past year, he registered two points. The defenseman hasn’t played more than 24 games in a single season since 2009-10, often finding himself on the fringes of the roster.

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