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Archives for July 2019

Five Key Stories: 7/1/19 – 7/7/19

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Not surprisingly, this past week was extremely busy around the NHL as there were many free agent signings around the league.  Several of those plus a notable trade are at the forefront of the top stories of the week.

Panarin To The Rangers: It didn’t come as much surprise that Artemi Panarin is on the move despite a late effort from the Blue Jackets to keep him in the fold.  The winger signed the richest contract for a winger in league history, inking a seven-year, $81.5MM contract with the Rangers that has a full no-move clause.  The 27-year-old has hovered near the point-per-game mark in his three seasons in the NHL and is coming off an 87-point campaign to lead all unrestricted free agents.  He’ll immediately step in on the top line in New York with heavy expectations as they have clearly put an end to their rebuild and are now looking to get back into contention quickly.

Bobrovsky Joins Florida: The Panthers were looking to make a big splash in free agency and they did just that as they inked goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky to a seven-year, $70MM contract, the biggest deal ever handed to a netminder that actually made it to the open market.  Bobrovsky is actually coming off of a bit of a down season with a .913 SV%, his lowest mark in three seasons but he was a lot better in the playoffs, posting a .925 SV%.  He still represents a significant upgrade on what Florida had between the pipes in recent years and for a team that was 28th in the league in goals allowed last season, his addition will go a long way towards vaulting them back into the postseason discussion.

Toronto-Colorado Trade: The biggest trade on July 1st came from the Maple Leafs and Avalanche.  After months of speculation, defenseman Tyson Barrie was indeed on the move as he was dealt to Toronto along with center Alexander Kerfoot and a 2020 sixth-round pick for center Nazem Kadri, defenseman Calle Rosen, and a 2020 third-round selection.  The Avs are also retaining half of Barrie’s $5.5MM contract.  The Maple Leafs add a much-needed upgrade on the back end at a very low price tag on the cap plus a capable young pivot in Kerfoot who quickly inked a four-year, $14MM contract.  Meanwhile, in Kadri, Colorado adds a two-time 30-goal center on a team-friendly contract for three more years, giving them a big improvement down the middle while Rosen should slot in nicely in a depth role on their back end.

Offer Sheet: The last offer sheet in the NHL was back in 2013 when Ryan O’Reilly, then of Colorado, signed with Calgary.  That is until Monday came along when Montreal signed Carolina center Sebastian Aho to a five-year, $42.27MM offer sheet.  In an effort to make it more difficult on the Hurricanes, the contract was heavily front-loaded with signing bonus money but less than 24 hours later, Carolina indicated their intention to match it but waited until Sunday to make it official.  With one team taking the plunge, will another follow suit with one of the other notable RFAs?

Duchene To Nashville: The pillaging of the Blue Jackets wasn’t limited to just Panarin and Bobrovsky as key deadline acquisition Matt Duchene is also on the move after signing a seven-year, $56MM contract with Nashville.  The Predators have made several attempts to shore up their center position in recent years with the acquisitions of Ryan Johansen and Kyle Turris plus the signing of Nick Bonino but it has continued to be an area of some concern.  Nashville is hoping that Duchene, who reached the 70-point mark for the second time in his career in 2018-19, can form a one-two punch with Johansen and give the team the stability they’ve been craving down the middle for several years to come.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Flames Trying To Free Up Cap Space

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Aside from changing veteran goaltenders, Calgary has been relatively quiet this offseason.  With several players still in need of new contracts, GM Brad Treliving’s focus has predominantly been on trying to get those deals done.  However, he acknowledged to reporters, including Postmedia’s Kristen Anderson, that they have been active in trying to free up cap room but haven’t found a deal that makes sense just yet.

As their roster currently stands, they have a little under $9.5MM in salary cap space, per CapFriendly.  While that may seem like a fair bit, they have several restricted free agents in need of new contracts.  Winger Sam Bennett and goaltender David Rittich are the notables among those that filed for salary arbitration while wingers Matthew Tkachuk and Andrew Mangiapane weren’t eligible for arbitration but also need new deals.  With the way the top end of the RFA market looks, Tkachuk alone will take up most of that remaining salary cap room.  Bennett ($1.95MM qualifying offer) and Rittich ($840K qualifying offer) figure to get a fair bit more as well.  Clearly, some movement will need to occur.

It was reported earlier this offseason that the Flames were looking to move one of defenseman T.J. Brodie ($4.65MM) or Travis Hamonic ($3.857MM).  They are each a season away from unrestricted free agency and with quality young depth behind them in Juuso Valimaki, Rasmus Andersson, and Oliver Kylington, they have the depth in place to replace from within which would free up a few million to spend on their RFAs.

Calgary would undoubtedly like to get out from under James Neal’s contract which has four years at a $5.75MM AAV remaining.  That would take a considerable sweetener which is something that Treliving likely isn’t going to want to do.  Winger Michael Frolik has also been in trade speculation dating back to last season and is entering the final year of his deal at $4.3MM.  He’s more of a realistic trade candidate of the two veterans.

The fact that four players filed for arbitration (the other two were defenseman Rinat Valiev and winger Ryan Lomberg) opens up a second buyout window for the Flames to use.  There is one possible candidate that could be bought out in blueliner Michael Stone.  He missed most of last season due to a blood clot but did return in April so he should be able to be deemed healthy enough for a buyout.  Doing so would cost them $1.167MM per year for the next two seasons which would free up a little more than $2.3MM for this summer.

Treliving has some options and with the second buyout window only opening up after all four players that filed for arbitration sign, he has some time to work with as well.  That said, the Flames will need to free up some salary cap space as the summer progresses and it may be easier to do so while there are still free agents in play over waiting until closer to training camp when most rosters are close to being set.

Minnesota Has Tried To Trade Greg Pateryn

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Earlier this week, Wild GM Paul Fenton acknowledged that he’s probably done making moves this summer but it appears there’s at least one player he’d still likely to try to move.  In a recent podcast with TalkNorth (audio link), Michael Russo of The Athletic noted that Minnesota has tried to move defenseman Greg Pateryn.

The 29-year-old played his first season with Minnesota in 2018-19 and took a bit of a step back from his performance with Dallas the year before.  After looking like a potential fourth defender towards the end of his tenure with the Stars, Pateryn was a near-permanent fixture on the third pairing last season.  His ice time dropped by 2:30 per night to an average of 17:07 per game though he was among the team leaders in hits and blocked shots.

Part of the idea of trying to move Pateryn likely stems from his contract which has two years remaining on it with a $2.25MM AAV.  That’s a little on the expensive end for a third-pairing option.  Nonetheless, with nearly 250 career NHL games under his belt between Montreal, Dallas, and Minnesota, he’s pretty much a known commodity at this point and as the UFA market for right-shot blueliners dries up, a team that doesn’t land one could certainly circle back to Fenton and the Wild down the road.

Snapshots: Puljujarvi, Broberg, Aho, Eriksson

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A return to the Edmonton Oilers for restricted free agent Jesse Puljujarvi is getting less and less likely. Despite hope that new general manager Ken Holland and head coach Dave Tippett might be able to give the 21-year-old a fresh start, Puljujarvi hasn’t shown much interest in returning to the team since he requested the team trade him to give him a new start elsewhere.

“Although the Oilers have a new well-respected GM and a new coach the team is still pretty much the same,” said Puljujarvi’s agent Markus Lehto (in a Finnish publication via Edmonton Journal’s Kurt Leavins. “Sometimes a player and a team are not a fit. This seems to be the case here. Nothing radical about it.”

While Leavins leaves the quote open to interpretation, especially the part where he said, “… the team is pretty much the same.” However, it’s clear that Puljujarvi has little interest in returning to Edmonton, leaving him with two options, waiting for Edmonton to find a trade partner or allowing him to leave and play overseas next season. Finding a trade partner has been challenging as the team wants good value back for a player who has just 17 goals over three full seasons.

  • A Swedish website, Hockey Svervige (translation required) reports that Edmonton Oilers first-round pick Philip Broberg, who recently signed his entry-level deal, will play for Sweden’s Skelleftea in the SHL this year alongside fellow Oilers’ prospect Filip Berglund, rather than come over to North America immediately. The Edmonton Journal’s David Staples adds that Holland’s main objective was to put him in a position to get the most minutes possible, which was the main reason for wanting him to come to North America and play in the OHL with the Hamilton Bulldogs. However, while there is no guarantee of playing time with Skelleftea, the team could always send him down to the Allsvenskan and have him return to his old team, AIK Stockholm.
  • In a tweet sent out by Carolina Hurricanes newly signed forward Sebastian Aho, the 21-year-old makes it clear that he only hoped to settle his restricted free agency as quickly as possible and had no interest in leaving Carolina. “I am grateful for the offer from the Montreal Canadiens, but it was always my hope to return to the Hurricanes,” Aho said. “As a restricted free agent, I had limited options for moving along the process to get a deal done. It was always important to me to be on the ice for the first day of training camp. This entire situation has been difficult for me and my family, and I am happy it is at an end.”
  • Patrick Johnston of The Province writes that it is becoming less and less likely that the Vancouver Canucks will be unloading the contract of veteran Loui Eriksson this offseason. The scribe writes that general manager Jim Benning has not been able to reach Eriksson to talk to him about the situation, it is clear he doesn’t intend to request a trade and isn’t planning on retiring. There are fewer and fewer options to find a team with the salary cap needed to take on his three years and $6MM AAV and with a full no-trade clause, he doesn’t have to accept a deal anywhere either. So unless, Benning can make an impressive maneuver, it looks like the Canucks are stuck with him.

Toronto’s Barrie Expected To Demand $8MM Next Year

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Although the Toronto Maple Leafs have plenty of obstacles still to deal with this offseason still, including working out a contract with restricted free agent Mitch Marner, the team may have even more problems approaching them a year from now.

While the Maple Leafs forwards should be in good shape next season as the team will have few to no free agents to worry about, the newly reconstructed defense will be an entirely different story as only one of their defenseman, Morgan Rielly, is signed beyond the 2019-20 season. The team has five unrestricted free agents blueliners and another two restricted free agents defenders, which could create quite a bit of unrest next summer.

However, to make matters worse, the Toronto Sun’s Steve Simmons writes that newly acquired Tyson Barrie is expecting to cash in on his next contract next summer and could be looking to demand an eight-year deal at $8MM per season next year. The 27-year-old has been incredibly consistent over the last few years, putting up 14 goals and a career-high 59 points last season and has averaged 49 points over the past six seasons. He is finishing up a four-year, $22MM contract at $5.5MM, but because Colorado retained half his salary, the team is only on the hook for a $2.75MM AAV this season. However, an $8MM contract could force the Maple Leafs to allow the blueliner to walk away for nothing.

The team will likely have to make some tough decisions as Jake Muzzin and Cody Ceci will also be unrestricted free agents. Much of those decisions will likely depend on how well they play next season and how their salaries can fit into their tight salary cap situation. The team has a few other lesser free agents, including Justin Holl and Martin Marincin, but they also may have to give significant raises to restricted free agents Travis Dermott and Ben Harpur. The team will get a small break next season when the contract of Nathan Horton and his $5.3MM finally expires, which should help, but that isn’t likely to solve all those problems either. There will be little money available to help the team out without more cost-cutting moves.

Aho’s New Contract Via Offer Sheet Could Benefit Thomas Chabot

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The recent Montreal Canadiens’ offer sheet to Sebastian Aho that the Carolina Hurricanes matched Saturday was the hope of a team to take advantage of its owner. No one was quite sure what to make of billionaire owner Tom Dundon and whether he would be willing to pay up for his franchise. His early reputation made many wonder if he would be willing to pay a significant amount of money up front and Aho’s offer sheet was frontloaded with $21MM being paid out in the first 12 months of the deal. However, Dundon proved that he is willing to pay for his team as he matched the offer sheet, but it could start a precedent.

While an offer sheet to another player this year remains possible as there are a number of restricted free agents out there looking for a big contract, but the chances of a second offer sheet this offseason seems unlikely. However, many teams may look at Montreal’s plan to target an owner who may not want to pay up and that opportunity could present itself next season in Ottawa and owner Eugene Melnyk.

The Senators have seen their young defenseman Thomas Chabot develop into a star in his second season in the NHL last year. The 22-year-old broke out with a 14-goal, 55-point season and made fans quickly forget about the loss of Erik Karlsson. Now in the final year of his entry-level deal, he will become a restricted free agent next offseason. The Athletic’s Chris Stevenson (subscription required) reported last week that Ottawa general manager Pierre Dorion didn’t seem worried about signing Chabot to an extension.

“I think we get too much caught up with contract talks in this city,” said Dorion. “We know what we have to do. We’ll get it done. It’s not like he’s a UFA. He’s an RFA. We have a plan in place along with all our RFAs that are up this year, we’ve had a plan and we’re going to meet it sometime over the course of the summer.”

Chabot could have signed an extension on July 1 and the fact that Ottawa hasn’t already done so could present a problem, according to Stevenson. Chabot is likely to be a prime target by other teams in one year to target for an offer sheet as many know of Melnyk’s penny-pinching ways. A front-loaded offer sheet is a very realistic possibility and it’s likely that Chabot and his representation knows this and may be very willing to take advantage of Ottawa, which has made it clear that they intend to lock up their young talent this time around as they are in the middle of their five-year rebuilding plan. It was Melnyk’s lack of willingness to pay up that led Ottawa to lose most of their top talent, including Karlsson, Mark Stone and Mike Hoffman in the past year.

If Ottawa can’t lock up Chabot soon, the Senators could easily lose control of the situation as many teams wouldn’t mind adding a franchise-changing defenseman with a high-priced up-front offer sheet next season.

Arizona Coyotes Sign Victor Soderstrom To Entry-Level Contract

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The Arizona Coyotes announced they have signed defenseman Victor Soderstrom, the team’s 2019 first-round pick, to a three-year, entry-level contract. Terms have not been disclosed.

“Victor is a highly skilled player and an elite prospect,” said Arizona general manager John Chayka. “We are very pleased to get him signed and look forward to having him come to training camp and compete for a spot on our roster.”

Soderstrom, the 11th-overall pick in the draft, was highly coveted by the Coyotes, so much so that Arizona traded their second-round pick to Philadelphia to move up three places in the first round to select him. The 6-foot, 187-pound blueliner already played a full season in the SHL last season with Brynas, posting four goals and seven points. He is known to be a two-way defenseman, who is an excellent skater with great awareness.

While many expect Soderstrom to return to Sweden next season, the signing of the entry-level deal could change that. He is eligible to play in the AHL and after a season in which he played with men in Sweden, the Coyotes might want him to come over to North America sooner and adjust to the smaller rink size in hopes he could be ready to play for Arizona as soon as possible. Of course, the Coyotes could still decide to loan him to his former team in Sweden as well, but Arizona gets to make that decision now.

Eastern Notes: Belmont Project, Krug, Botterill

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Despite numerous recent delays in the groundbreaking of construction of the New York Islanders future 19,000-seat arena in the Belmont Park area, the Islanders got some good news today. Empire State Development hopes to approve the final environmental impact statement next week, according to David Winzelberg of the Long Island Business News.

The project has been held up due to the environmental report, but Empire State Development has scheduled a meeting of its board of directors and seek “authorization to accept and approve” it. The approval of the final environmental impact statement should be the final step to beginning the construction of the $1.18 billion plan to build the Islanders new arena, a 250-room hotel and a 435,000 square-foot retail village onto the Belmont property.

On a separate note, however, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo was also scheduled to be on Long Island Monday to announce a new railroad station at the Belmont project, but has postponed that appearance.

  • The Boston Herald’s Marisa Ingemi wonders if this might be the right time for the Boston Bruins to seriously consider moving defenseman Torey Krug. With a number of restricted free agents they must deal with, including an incredibly pricey one for Charlie McAvoy as well as contracts for Brandon Carlo and Danton Heinen, the team might want to free up some money. Throw in some of their holes on offense and their depth on defense, moving Krug might make some sense. The 28-year-old is on the final year of his contract and will likely get a significant raise from his $5.25MM current salary. Will Boston want to commit to a 29-year-old long-term?
  • The Athletic’s Joe Yerdon (subscription required) writes that while the hiring of Jason Botterill two years ago hasn’t resulted in immediate success for the Buffalo Sabres, the same can’t be said for the team’s AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans. Since Botterill and Randy Sexton took over in May of 2017, the two have put quite a bit of effort into rebuilding their AHL affiliate, which has now made the playoffs two years in a row after missing the playoffs for three straight years before that. That has been evident once again this week when the team added a number of top AHL talent, including forwards Jean-Sebastian Dea, Curtis Lazar and C.J. Smith, defenseman John Gilmour and goaltender Andrew Hammond. The belief is that Botterill believes that AHL success should only add that needed depth that can eventually help the NHL squad as well.

Carolina Hurricanes To Match Sebastian Aho Offer Sheet

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July 7: The Carolina Hurricanes have officially announced that they have matched the Montreal Canadiens offer sheet, as expected. This will free up the cap room that Montreal had tied up in the offer sheet for the last five days.

July 2: It may come as little surprise but the Carolina Hurricanes are set to match the Montreal Canadiens offer sheet signed yesterday by Sebastian Aho. Aho will remain part of the Hurricanes organization and will now be on a five-year, $42.27MM contract that takes him to unrestricted free agency in 2024. The Hurricanes will not be allowed to trade Aho for one year. The important part of the release for Montreal fans is that the Hurricanes will likely take the entire week allowed to formally submit the paperwork. Carolina GM Don Waddell explained the decision:

This was an easy decision. Sebastian is one of the best players in the league and the centerpiece of what we’re building here. We’ve spoken to him throughout this process and he’s made it clear that he wants to be in Raleigh and be a part of this organization.

It’s our job to manage our cap space as our players develop and hit free agency. There was no concern at any point that we would not be able to match this contract. Once again, the Carolina Hurricanes should not be underestimated. We have a plan and all the resources to win a Stanley Cup.

Aho, 21, has developed into a premiere offensive talent in the NHL through his three seasons and will now be paid like one. The deal will carry an $8.454MM cap hit throughout, but also includes more than $38MM in signing bonuses. Aho will earn the minimum NHL salary in each season, earning the rest of his money in a lump sum every July. That structure is what was included by the Canadiens in a hope to steal Aho away from Carolina, or at least what was negotiated in by his agent in order to facilitate a deal. The Hurricanes and their star center will now not have to go through a summer of contract talks, instead having things resolved by a third party.

The deal actually doesn’t represent a real over-payment by the Hurricanes, in fact some have dubbed it a bargain after some of the numbers that had been floating around attached to this year’s restricted free agent crop. Aho will slot in as the 25th-highest cap hit in the league for the time being, right between Steven Stamkos and Claude Giroux. After his 83-point season in 2018-19 he deserves to be considered among that group, especially after moving to center full-time.

A downside to the deal for the Hurricanes though is the length. It will buy out just a single season of unrestricted free agency and could have him poised to start a bidding war for his services if the team can’t work out an extension down the line. While that is years away from consideration, having a contract thrust upon you in this manner is not an optimal situation.

Poll: How Many Top 50 Free Agents Will Opt For Retirement?

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A week into free agency, the vast majority of PHR’s Top 50 Unrestricted Free Agents are under contract. Unsurprisingly, many of those left unsigned are on the wrong side of 30 or even at or approaching 40. Veterans tend to be later additions in free agency, as teams aren’t rushing to sign them to long-term deals to be core pieces, but rather seek to use them to plug holes in the lineup after the fact. As of now, there are nine names in the Top 50 that are legitimate candidates for retirement. Some have offers on the table and are taking their time to make a decision, while other may not have much of a market and could have to choose between a PTO or calling it a career. How many will choose retirement this summer?

Justin Williams, 37, enjoyed a tremendous 53-point season with the Carolina Hurricanes this past season and looked far from done. GM Don Waddell hinted that the captain will return next season, but until pen meets paper it remains a question mark. Williams was a key piece of the Hurricanes’ run to the Eastern Conference Final last season and would be a major loss for the team. However, he could opt to go out on top as a player who has seen very little drop-off in production through his 30’s and hit his highest point total since 2011-12 last season. Williams can still play, but the question is whether he wants to.

Joe Thornton, 40, not only wants to play next season, but wants to play several more years. The future Hall of Famer has already had an illustrious career, but has yet to win that elusive Stanley Cup. Thornton would like to return to the San Jose Sharks, one of only two teams he’s played for in his 21-year career, and the Sharks should be able to find the space to bring him back after moving out salary via trade and free agency departures. However, Thornton’s asking price will play a part – he did top 50 points again last season – as will the Sharks’ interest in bringing back another retirement threat. Patrick Marleau, 39, left San Jose two years ago to join the Toronto Maple Leafs, but has since been bought out and all signs point to a desire to return to the Sharks. These two legendary Sharks are both capable of continuing their NHL careers, but can San Jose fit them both and are either willing to sign elsewhere at this point in their careers?

Brian Boyle, 34, enjoyed one of his best seasons in 2018-19 and netted a second-round pick at the trade deadline. He clearly still has value as a big, smart two-way forward, but the lack of attention he has garnered thus far in free agency is curious. Boyle did not make as much of an impact in Nashville post-trade as he did in New Jersey and teams may be skeptical of his production moving forward. Between a cold market and recent health concerns, Boyle may be considering calling it a career while he’s still considered an elite defensive forward. However, it would be a surprise if there isn’t a team in the NHL who could still use Boyle’s ability.

Dion Phaneuf, 34, is fresh off of a buyout and should be available at a bargain rate as he continues to cash paychecks from the Los Angeles Kings. Phaneuf stated earlier this off-season that he would be happy to land with a contender, but is also open to taking on a mentor role with a young team. That would seemingly make him a candidate to join a number of D-needy teams. Yet, a week into free agency there has been almost no noise surrounding Phaneuf. The veteran still plays a strong checking game, but his offense and mobility fell off a cliff last season, resulting in drastic career lows in production and ice time. Teams may be hesitant to invest at his current asking price. Phaneuf may be looking at a decision between a short-term, minimum deal or walking away.

Ben Lovejoy, 35, is also coming off an uninspiring season. The Dallas Stars still felt he was worth a deadline gamble, but Lovejoy failed to make much of an impact offensively with either the Stars or Devils pre-trade. An experienced journeyman defenseman, Lovejoy still plays a strong defensive game and has great awareness in his own zone. However, when it comes to moving the puck he can be prone to turnovers and when asked to contribute offensively, he offers little. At this point in his career, Lovejoy is an ideal No. 7 or 8 defenseman. However, does he want to continue his playing career only to be used sparingly as a depth player? That’s the question.

Thomas Vanek, 35, is a tricky case. While his 36 points this season marked a career low, it also came in just 64 games and was one of the top marks for the Detroit Red Wings. Vanek has been a tough player to get a read on in recent years because he has moved around so much and played in a variety of roles. The eye test, combined with a plethora of rumors so far this summer, suggest that he can keep playing. But does a decorated veteran really want to continue being a hired gun and deadline deal year after year? If Vanek can find some security in a short-term contract, he will stick around in the NHL and likely continue to be a great value as a player capable of 50 points. However, the respected veteran may also be ready to call it a career if the right fit doesn’t exist.

Niklas Kronwall, 38, and Deryk Engelland, 37, are both in the same boat. They will either return to their current teams – the Red Wings and Golden Knights respectively – or they’ll retire. Neither is looking to move at this point in their careers, nor can they command salaries that their teams cannot pay. Instead, the duo are both valued for their leadership and loyalty and can still play well enough in a regular role or, more likely, thrive in a depth role. The question for both is simply how much they have left in the tank and whether it’s time to quit while they’re ahead.

So what do you think? Nine players, all with good reason to retire but also to keep playing, with various market factors at work. How many suit up in the NHL next season and how many make a final announcement in the coming weeks?

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