2018 has been quite a busy year in the hockey world. There have been several big trades and free agent signings, plenty of changes behind the bench, and much more. Over the coming days, PHR will take a look back at the top stories from around the game on a month-by-month basis. Next up is a look back at June, a month that yielded some notable trades and re-signings among other things.
Hoffman Traded Twice: The Senators had been looking to move winger Mike Hoffman for a little while and found a willing taker in San Jose. While there were other picks and prospects in the swap, the primaries involved were Hoffman and winger Mikkel Boedker who headed to Ottawa. However, his time with the Sharks was short-lived as two hours later, he was moved back into the Atlantic Division as the Panthers acquired him for a series of draft picks. The deal looks pretty good for both Florida and San Jose – the Panthers added a top-six winger without losing anyone off their roster while San Jose got rid of a contract they were looking to move and added some picks as a bonus. Meanwhile, Ottawa’s self-imposed restriction of trading within the division arguably yielded them a weaker return and ultimately wound up yielding one of the stranger trade conditions in recent memory in another move with the Sharks later on in the offseason.
Coaching Changes: Lou Lamoriello wasted little time making changes to the Islanders, relieving head coach Doug Weight (and GM Garth Snow) of their respective duties. Meanwhile, despite winning the Stanley Cup, the Capitals and Barry Trotz were unable to come to terms on a new contract so Trotz resigned. (The Cup victory triggered a two-year extension but the two sides couldn’t agree on a renegotiated salary.) Lamoriello was quick to act once again, hiring Trotz as New York’s new bench boss. In turn, Washington turned to assistant coach Todd Reirden, promoting him to their head coaching position.
Flames-Hurricanes Swap: There weren’t many trades of note at the draft but Calgary and Carolina made a significant one on the second day. The Hurricanes moved pending restricted free agent defenseman Noah Hanifin and center Elias Lindholm to the Flames in exchange for blueliner Dougie Hamilton, winger Micheal Ferland, and prospect rearguard Adam Fox. The deal has worked out quite well for Calgary so far as Hanifin is on pace for a career year while Lindholm has averaged over a point per game this season; he’ll pass his previous career high in points within the next week or two. It hasn’t gone as well for Carolina. While Ferland already has 11 goals, Hamilton has not made anywhere near the type of impact he was expected to. After scoring 17 times last season, he has just three tallies in 2018-19. Right now, this move looks like a big win for the Flames. (In terms of other draft day moves, the Avs brought in goalie Phillip Grubauer for a second-round pick and defenseman Brooks Orpik who was bought out and eventually returned to Washington.)
Extensions For Defensemen: Washington was able to get blueliner John Carlson locked up without him testing free agency as they inked him to a front-loaded eight-year, $64MM extension. While there were some questions about the sustainability of his 68-point offensive outburst last season, he has actually out-performed that pace this year with 37 points in 36 games while logging a career high in ice time. Meanwhile, although they weren’t able to make it official until July 1st, the Coyotes reached a deal in principle to keep their captain around, giving him an eight-year, $66MM extension that will begin next summer. The 27-year-old has his usual self in the desert this season but Arizona is once again near the bottom of the standings.
Galchenyuk For Domi: The Ekman-Larsson contract wasn’t Arizona’s only big move of the month as they dealt Max Domi to Montreal in exchange for Alex Galchenyuk. (The Canadiens then quickly gave Domi a two-year, $6.3MM bridge deal.) Neither team felt their former player could play down the middle but hoped their new one could. Domi has rebounded quite well after a couple of quiet seasons and is currently leading Montreal in scoring while playing as a full-time center. The move hasn’t worked quite as well for Galchenyuk. He missed time with a lower-body injury and has just five goals in 28 games this season and while he started at center, he has since been moved back to the wing.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.