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Archives for August 2019

Poll: Which Team Has Improved The Most This Offseason?

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In two consecutive years a superstar offensive talent in his prime has changed teams in unrestricted free agency. Something that was previously almost unheard of went down in 2018 when John Tavares ditched the New York Islanders in favor of his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs, and this summer featured a sequel. Artemi Panarin took the money and ran to the New York Rangers for a whopping seven-year, $81.5MM deal, leaving the Columbus Blue Jackets searching for an answer up front. That wasn’t the only thing the Rangers did. Jacob Trouba and Adam Fox have reshaped the right side of their defense, while they also just so happened to nab Kaapo Kakko with the second overall pick.

Does that make them the early winners of the offseason? New York wasn’t the only team making sweeping changes.

Just down the highway the New Jersey Devils weren’t going to be left behind. Adding Jack Hughes and P.K. Subban in a matter of days completely changed the face of the franchise, while Wayne Simmonds and Nikita Gusev came a little later to the party. If the big task for GM Ray Shero this summer was showing Taylor Hall the team was heading in a competitive direction, mission successful.

The Colorado Avalanche, Carolina Hurricanes and Buffalo Sabres have all made meaningful additions through trade as well, acquiring names like Nazem Kadri, Andre Burakovsky, Erik Haula, Jimmy Vesey, Colin Miller and Henri Jokiharju. The latter came to Buffalo in a deal from the Chicago Blackhawks, who have certainly shaken things up over the last couple of months.

You can’t forget the Arizona Coyotes who finally have that star forward to build their offense around in Phil Kessel. The team has plenty of young talent and will happily welcome in the two-time Stanley Cup Champion, while also accepting a new owner into the fold.

Several teams around the league have taken drastic steps forward in their pursuit of playoff glory, but who had the best offseason of them all? Cast your vote below and make sure to explain yourself in the comments!

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Free Agent Profile: Dion Phaneuf

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For years, most people have associated defenseman Dion Phaneuf with the seven-year, $49MM contract he signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs back in 2013 when he was considered a top-pair defender. However, that contract didn’t even kick in until the 2014-15 season and suddenly by that point, Toronto was keen to move on from him, eventually moving his contract to Ottawa after just a year and a half. He was then sent to Los Angeles a few years later. Finally after struggling immensely last season, the Kings finally ended it this summer, buying out the now-34-year-old blueliner and putting him on the open market.

Looking at his numbers from a season ago, it’s no wonder why the Kings chose to move on from him. He played 67 games last season, but was made a healthy scratch for the first time in his career and saw his ATOI go from averaging more than 20 minutes a game down to 15:00, a career-low. Offensively, he potted just one goal and six points, while struggling with a minus-21 rating.

However, despite those issues, the blueliner has said he has more to give and would be willing to take on a mentor role with teams that are rebuilding, hoping that teams might be interested in bringing him back to guide their younger players. While retirement is also an option for the veteran, he’s made it clear he wants another opportunity.

Potential Suitors

One team loaded with young defensemen is the Vancouver Canucks. The team has a number of young players, including Quinn Hughes, Troy Stecher and Olli Juolevi, but the team already added a pair of veterans in Tyler Myers and Jordie Benn in free agency, while re-signing Alexander Edler as well. Is there still a need for another veteran now in Vancouver?

Another team that was highly considered early on in free agency was the Dallas Stars, who might want a player like Phaneuf filling in a third-pairing role as the team is loaded with young defensive talent. However, the team opted instead for grabbing fellow buyout victim Andrej Sekera. It now would seem like an unlikely destination for a more crowded blueline.

The Winnipeg Jets, short on defenders after losing Myers, Jacob Trouba and Ben Chiarot on defense, could bring in someone like Phaneuf to fill in the holes until some of their younger defenseman are ready for a full-time NHL role. However, Phaneuf may also just wait until training camp approaches and keep an eye on teams that suffer some injuries.

Projected Contract

Phaneuf is still being paid by Los Angeles thanks to the buyout, so money is likely not that important to the 34-year-old. A minimum salaried deal is a likely outcome and likely the only option at this point in his career.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Red Wings Notes: Zadina, Green, Blashill

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After lucking out in the 2018 draft when star prospect Filip Zadina slid a few picks right into the hands of the Detroit Red Wings at No. 6, expectations have been high for the highly-touted winger. After a respectable season in the AHL, those expectations have only increased as many fans hope to see Zadina in the top-six as quick as possible. However, NHL.com’s Nicholas Cotsonika writes that the 19-year-old is likely going to find himself back in Grand Rapids to start the season.

Zadina hasn’t had as much time to train this offseason as he strained a hamstring while training and was limited during Red Wings development camp earlier this summer. However, the youngster also must prove that he can play a two-way game, something that he has struggled with. He finished last season in the AHL with 16 goals and 35 points, but also had a minus-17 in that span as well as a minus-five in nine games with the Red Wings. The team would like to see Zadina improve on those numbers before bringing him in a top-six role.

Of course, a dominant performance in training camp could change the minds of the Detroit coaching staff, but for the moment, it looks like Zadina might have to start his season in Grand Rapids.

  • MLive’s Ansar Khan writes that after missing 39 games last season, Detroit Red Wings defenseman Mike Green finally looks healthy and should be able to contribute big minutes in Detroit. Nothing went right for Green who missed all of training camp and several games to start the season with a virus. He then lost another 13 games with a foot injury during December and January and never found any rhythm because of that. Despite that, he still finished second among defenseman in scoring, who had five goals and 26 points in just 43 games. Now healthy, Green could become a serious threat again for the team, especially on the power play.
  • NBC Sports Scott Billeck looks into how long new general manager Steve Yzerman might stick with head coach Jeff Blashill. Usually, new GMs like to choose their own head coaches, but Yzerman did not get that opportunity as former GM Ken Holland handed Blashill a two-year extension just before Yzerman joined the organization. Despite the lack of wins, Blashill has proven to be an excellent coach who is adept at developing young players as he has gotten the most out of Dylan Larkin, Andreas Athanasiou and Anthony Mantha so far in their young careers. The team hopes he can continue to develop some of their other prospects as well. However, Yzerman who is adept at building a winner as well, will be who decides how long Blashill stays with the organization.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Los Angeles Kings

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Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM. Teams that can avert total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2019-20 season. This will focus more on those players who are integral parts of the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.

Los Angeles Kings

Current Cap Hit: $72,759,394 (under the $81.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

F Nikolai Prokhorkin (one year, $925K)
F Blake Lizotte (two years, $925K)
F Carl Grundstrom (one year, $925K)
F Rasmus Kupari (three years, $894K)
F Gabriel Vilardi (three years, $894K)
D Kale Clague (two years, $762K)
F Austin Wagner (one year, $759K)
D Sean Walker (one year, $745K)

Potential Bonuses

Prokhorkin: $850K
Lizotte: $850K
Vilardi: $500K
Wagner: $133K
Clague: $133K

With the Kings rebuild in full swing, Los Angeles will be giving plenty of opportunities to their younger players to break out. The team finally was able to convince Prokhorkin to come over from the KHL this offseason. The fourth round pick from 2012 has scored 16 or more goals in four of the past six seasons, including career highs in goals (20) and points (41). The question is whether the 25-year-old can contribute at the NHL level, although the Kings will give him every chance to prove himself. Los Angeles also has high hopes for the 5-foot-9 Lizotte, who the team signed as an undrafted free agent in April out of St. Cloud State where he was one of college’s most offensively skilled players scoring 42 points in 37 games last season. The Kings also have high hopes for Grunstrom, who the team acquired from Toronto in the Jake Muzzin deal. In a brief audition of 15 games with the Kings, the 21-year-old tallied five goals and could prove to be a valuable addition.

The team might also get some help from some of their most recent top picks as Kupari, the team’s 2018 first-round pick, is expected to attend training camp in hopes of earning a spot on the Kings’ opening night roster. The 19-year-old had a breakout season in the Liiga last year, posting 12 goals and 33 points in 43 games. The team still has high hopes for Vilardi, the team’s top pick in 2017, who has missed most of two season with a back injury. With no updates on his status, there are many concerns whether he will ever be healthy enough to be a star in the league. However, if he can prove himself healthy, he could immediately vault himself into a top-six role.

With few veteran options on defense, the team has openings for a couple of their young prospects, including Clague, who spent last season in the AHL and could challenge for a spot this year. Walker had some limited success in 39 games last year, but will have to hold off a number of defensemen to retain his spot.

One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level

F Tyler Toffoli ($4.6MM, UFA)
D Derek Forbort ($2.53MM, UFA)
F Trevor Lewis ($2MM, UFA)
F Kyle Clifford ($1.6MM, UFA)
F Sheldon Rempal ($874K, RFA)
D Paul Ladue ($825K, UFA)
D Joakim Ryan ($725K, UFA)
F Mario Kempe ($700K, UFA)
G Jack Campbell ($675K, UFA)
D Kurtis MacDermid ($675K, RFA)

Toffoli looked to be on a course to have a big career after a 31-goal season back in 2015-16. However, he hasn’t come that close to equaling that mark since then. He followed that season up with 16 goals, followed by 24 in 2017-18 and then plummeted to just 13 goals last season, his lowest total since his rookie campaign. With one year remaining, the team may be looking to trade off the 27-year-old at the trade deadline as he might be better off with a change of scenery. However, the Kings hope to get him off on the right foot in 2019-20 to increase his trade value. Lewis could also be a trade candidate. The 32-year-old dealt with injuries and appeared in just 44 games last season, but if the veteran could bounce back, he could be a solid trade candidate for depth.

While not an offensive defenseman, Forbort has suddenly become a veteran on a young blueline. The 27-year-old has averaged more than 20 minutes of ice time in three straight seasons and is considered to be an important part of the team’s top four. However, the team will have to decide whether he is worthy of a long-term deal as he will be hitting unrestricted free agency for the first time next summer. Perhaps the bargain of the group is goaltender Jack Campbell, who had a breakout season last year when he had to fill in because of injuries. Campbell, who was once the 11th-overall pick back in 2010, looks to have finally figured things out in net, finishing the season with a 2.30 GAA and a .928 save percentage in 31 appearances and could be interesting to watch as the trade deadline nears.

Two Years Remaining

F Ilya Kovalchuk ($6.25MM, UFA)
D Alec Martinez ($4MM, UFA)
F Alex Iafallo ($2.43MM, UFA)
D Daniel Brickley ($700K, RFA)
D Matt Roy ($700K, RFA)

The team was the highest bidder on Kovalchuk during last year’s offseason as they offered the veteran scorer a three-year deal. Unfortunatley, that deal doesn’t look to have worked out as the veteran struggled early and then dealt with injuries. He finished the season with 16 goals and 32 points, but that was way below the production that the Kings had hoped for when they opted to give him a $6.25MM per year deal. The veteran clashed with coaches and often found himself on the bottom-six. Kovalchuk is hoping to rebound as the Kings failed to find a taker this offseason and can only hope that the 36-year-old still has some gas left in the tank.

The team has one of the most reliable defensemen in Martinez, who could be a prime trade candidate and was often brought up in trade talks a year ago until the team moved out Muzzin. While his offense has slipped, he has been a solid top-four defenseman with the Kings for years, finishing with just a minus-two rating, despite the team’s dismal year.

Three Years Remaining

F Dustin Brown ($5.88MM, UFA)
F Jeff Carter ($5.27MM, UFA)
G Calvin Petersen ($858K, RFA)

The team still has a pair of difficult contracts that it is still paying for. Brown, who signed an eight-year, $47MM contract back in 2013, looked like a bust early on in the deal as the veteran struggled to score for a number of years, four of which where he tallied 15 goals or less. However, the 34-year-old found some of those offensive skills again with a 28-goal campaign in 2017-18 and then 22 more last season. If he can keep that up, the team might not complain as much that they are paying a 34-year-old close to $6MM per season.

After dealing with injuries for most of 2017-18, the Kings were hoping to see Carter, one of the team’s leaders, return to form. However, that wasn’t the case as the 34-year-old, who signed an 11-year, $58MM contract back in 2010, posted just 13 goals and 33 points. The team needs the veteran to find his game as his contract has become challenging to move. There were rumors that the Kings were working on a deal to send Carter to Arizona during the offseason, but those talks ended after the Coyotes acquired Phil Kessel instead.

Four Or More Years Remaining

D Drew Doughty ($11MM through 2026-27)
F Anze Kopitar ($10MM through 2023-24)
G Jonathan Quick ($5.8MM through 2022-23)

One contract that received quite a bit of criticism was the deal that the Kings handed to Doughty in 2018. However, that deal just kicked in now and after a disappointing campaign last season, that deal is already looking even worse. Despite averaging 26:36 of ice time, the No. 1 defender saw his offensive numbers drop and saw his defensive numbers plummet as he finished in the minus for just the third time in his career at a whopping minus-34. Now 29, the Kings will be forced to pay him until he’s 37 years old, and if the veteran can’t rebound this season, could be a long eight years to be paying a player who makes $11MM per year.

While it was a disastrous year throughout the lineup, Kopitar’s numbers were also a disappointment after he posted a 35-goal season in 2017-18 and was among the NHL leaders in points with 92. He saw those numbers drop to just 22 goals and 60 points and the team will need to see their leader bounce back as they still have five more years of their star under contract. Quick was another player who saw his numbers drop off. The veteran, who has been the fixture to the team’s defense, struggled with injuries, but even when on the ice, the 33-year-old put up a 3.38 GAA and a .888 save percentage in 46 games and didn’t look anything like the superstar goaltender of the past. The team might consider moving him with some quality goalies in the system, but with those numbers the team isn’t likely to give him away at the moment.

Buyouts

D Dion Phaneuf ($2.19MM in 2019-20; $4.06MM in 2020-21; $1.06MM in 2021-22 & 2022-23)

Recapture Penalty

F Mike Richards ($1.32MM in 2019-20)

Still To Sign

F Adrian Kempe

The team must sign Kempe, who has showed flashes of potential as a top-six player, but still finished with just 12 goals, down from the 16 he scored in 2017-18. The team brought in his brother, Mario, in hopes of adding a family element, which they hope will help impact his game on a positive level, but the team believes that Kempe could break out at some point, preferably sooner than later. With no arbitration, however, the two sides are still looking for a suitable contract between the two sides.

Best Value: Martinez
Worst Value: Doughty

Looking Ahead

This is an important year in the team’s rebuilding project, but more than almost any team in the league, the Kings are just hoping to see multiple players rebound and bounce back. A good performance by any player could make it easier for the team to trade off assets at the trade deadline and move that rebuilding stage forward even quicker. However, another season of poor play could send the rebuild back a bit. The especially need to see their core players return to form as players like Kopitar and Doughty must prove that their expensive deals aren’t going to be nightmares this quickly.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Rasmus Ristolainen Implies He’s Asked To Be Traded

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Rasmus Ristolainen’s name has been bandied about NHL trade rumors all summer, but so far nothing has materialized. However, the Buffalo News reports that Ristolainen implied in an interview with MTV Uutiset (translation required) that he asked to be traded.

“I cannot say anything other than the fact that on the 12th of September, I will be at one of the NHL team’s training camps,” he said.

Ristolainen said he wants to keep the discussions between him and the Sabres’ front office private.

That could explain why Ristolainen has been on the block this offseason. The 24-year-old blueliner has been oft criticized by media and fans as he hasn’t developed into the No. 1 shutdown defender that the team had hoped for when they drafted him with the eighth overall pick in 2013. However, he still remains a solid top-four option on defense and many feel that he still has the potential to have that breakout season that people have expected from him. Many have thought a change of scenery might be the answer for Ristolainen, but the Sabres have been hesitant to deal him only to see him develop into a star elsewhere.

With a heavy need for top-six scoring and the emergence of last year’s top pick Rasmus Dahlin, there was plenty of talk this summer that the Sabres were considering moving Ristolainen for offensive help. However, Ristolainen’s name has continued to pop up, especially after the Sabres have added a number of defensemen this offseason after the team acquired Colin Miller from Vegas and top defensive prospect Henri Jokiharju from Chicago. Those moves have made Ristolainen even more expendable.

Ristolainen has three years remaining on his contract with Buffalo at $5.4MM per season, however, and could just as easily be forced to stay where he is if the team cannot get the asking price it is looking for. Ristolainen was also rumored to be a trade candidate at the trade deadline last season, which included rumors that the Tampa Bay Lightning had checked in on him. However, with the team’s salary cap situation and with their recent signing of Kevin Shattenkirk, it’s unlikely that Tampa Bay would revisit those conversations.

Free Agent Profile: Thomas Vanek

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If you look at the resume of goal scorer Thomas Vanek, he’s been a man without a team for many years. After a long stint at the start of his career with the Buffalo Sabres, the winger has been on seven different teams over the last six seasons, and while he has proven to be a player that can put the puck into the net, he remains unsigned with plenty of questions on whether his career will continue.

Vanek, who has tallied 373 goals over the course of his career, was moved around so often that he would only sign with the Detroit Red Wings last season on the condition that he had a no-trade clause after being a trade-deadline victim three times over the course of his career. Regardless, he was useful in Detroit where he scored 16 goals as a middle-six option for the franchise after a 24-goal campaign in 2017-18 between Vancouver and Columbus. However, the 35-year-old continues to show he can score, but at his age, the veteran is less and less sought after.

Vanek said at the end of the season that he would need time to decide on whether to return next season for a 15th season. He played 64 games last season, dealing with both knee and finger injuries, but he might be ready to retire depending on what offers might come his way.

Potential Suitors

A return to Detroit might make quite a bit of sense as his 16 goals and 36 points was solid play for a third-line winger. However, with a number of youngsters coming up into the system, including Filip Zadina, Michael Rasmussen and Taro Hirose looking NHL ready, as well as a number of veterans who are starting to get pushed down the lineup, there may not be much playing time left to give Vanek.

The Buffalo Sabres might also be an interesting destination as he could return to the team that drafted him and the team he played with for eight-plus seasons. However, while the Sabres might be able to use the depth that Vanek could provide on the bottom lines, the team is already capped out and would have to make a roster move to be able to bring Vanek back to the team.

Other teams like the New York Islanders and the Winnipeg Jets could potentially be other options for the veteran. Lou Lamoriello likes to have a number of veterans on his teams, while the Jets might want some veterans (likely on minimum contracts) to help fill out their depth once the team signs both Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor.

Projected Contract

Over the past three years, Vanek has played for anywhere between $2-3MM on one-year deals. If Vanek signs with a team, it almost assuredly will be a one-year deal like the three previous contracts before that. However, with many teams already near the salary cap and few interested parties at the moment, Vanek might have to be willing to accept a pay cut, perhaps even playing for the minimum if he wants to keep playing.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Edmonton Oilers

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Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM. Teams that can avert total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2019-20 season. This will focus more on those players who are integral parts of the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.

Edmonton Oilers

Current Cap Hit: $79,066,999 (under the $81.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

F Joakim Nygard (one year, $925K)
F Cooper Marody (two years, $925K)
F Kailer Yamamoto (two years, $894K)
D Evan Bouchard (three years, $894K)
F Tyler Benson (two years, $808K)
D Caleb Jones (one year, $720K)
D Ethan Bear (one year, $720K)

Potential Bonuses

Bouchard: $850K
Yamamoto: $230K
Marody: $75K
Jones: $70K
Bear: $20K

The team have a number of young players on entry-level deals, but so far while there is a ton of potential here, not one player has stepped up and established themselves as a full-time player on the Oilers roster. Yamamoto, the team’s 2017 first-rounder, was expected to provide the speed that the team needed to develop a fast-paced offense, but after 26 NHL games, he’s provided just one goal and four assists. Marody has appeared in six games with no points, while Benson, despite quite a bit of success in the AHL, hasn’t gotten a chance at the NHL level, although that’s likely to change this season. The team also has high hopes in Nygard, who is a speedy winger, who is coming off a 21-goal campaign in the SHL, but remains a mystery.

On defense, the team might get their 2018 first-round pick, Evan Bouchard, to make the team and contribute quickly, but he also must prove to the team that he’s ready for that opportunity. However, Bouchard already has seven games of experience with the Oilers (scoring one goal), while posting three goals and eight points for the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL in eight playoff games. Other defenseman might also be ready, including Bear and Jones. Bear has played two seasons now in the AHL, while Jones got 17 games with the Oilers last season and might be the most NHL-ready.

One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level

D Darnell Nurse ($3.2MM, RFA)
F Sam Gagner ($3.15MM, UFA)
D Brandon Manning ($2.25MM, UFA)
G Mike Smith ($1MM, UFA)
F Zack Kassian ($1.95MM, UFA)
D Matt Benning (1.9MM, RFA)
F Markus Granlund ($1.3MM, UFA)
F Kyle Brodziak ($1.15MM, UFA)
F Josh Archibald ($1MM, UFA)
D Joel Persson ($1MM, RFA)
F Tomas Jurco ($750K, UFA)
F Colby Cave ($675K, RFA)

The bulk of the Oilers contracts seem to be one-year deals, which means that many players will have to prove to the Edmonton front office that they deserve a new contract. The team will likely unload the contracts of both Gagner and Manning after this season, which should free up $5.4MM of cap space. The Oilers traded for the veteran Gagner near the trade deadline and he contributed five goals and 10 points in 25 games for Edmonton, but he likely will take a bottom-line role with Oilers this season, while Manning has never been a good fit after being acquired from the Blackhawks in December last season. Smith is another veteran the Oilers have high hopes for, but the team will reassess its goaltending situation at the end of the year and whether to bring the then 38-year-old back for another season. The same can be said for players like Archibald, Granlund and Jurco.

The team will have pay up next season for Nurse, a restricted free agent, who put up career-high numbers last season with the Oilers. The 24-year-old put up 10 goals and 41 points and averaged 23:49 of time on the ice. He also blocked 146 shots, while adding 162 hits as well, making him a solid all-around player despite seeing his plus-minus drop from a plus-15 in 2017-18 to a minus-five last year. The team must decide whether to keep Benning, who will also be a restricted free agent. Benning saw his playing time drop by almost three minutes since the previous year and might lose his job to some of the team’s young defensive prospects.

The team also have a number of veteran players, who will hit unrestricted free agency, including Kassian, who saw career highs in ATOI (14:48) and goals (15) and also put up 191 hits as a bottom-line forward for the team. At 28, he could be considered an important keeper for the Oilers. Unfortunately, Brodziak’s success in Edmonton wasn’t as impressive as the veteran center averaged just 11:42 of ATOI, while scoring career low six goals and nine points.

Two Years Remaining

F Ryan Nugent-Hopkins ($6MM, UFA)
D Adam Larsson ($4.17MM, UFA)
D Kris Russell ($4MM, UFA)
F Alex Chiasson ($2.15MM, UFA)
F Jujhar Khaira ($1.2MM, RFA)

This could be an interesting year for Nugent-Hopkins, who has always been an excellent defensive player, but now has established himself as a solid offensive player as well with a career-high 28 goals and 69 points. However with his contract coming up in two years, the Oilers might want to decide whether he is worth handing a long-term, expensive deal to. If they aren’t ready to lock him up, the Oilers might get the most value for Nugent-Hopkins at the trade deadlines. After all, top-six centers rarely come available and considering that any team that trades for him automatically gets another full season out of him, he might become quite a valuable trade chip.

The Oilers must also decide what they want to do with two of their highly-paid defensemen in Larsson and Russell. Both blueliners receive more than 20 minutes a night, but neither provides much offensive talent and haven’t been that helpful lately on defense either and between the two of them, the Oilers are giving them $8.17MM. Larsson put up comparable offensive numbers last year, but saw his defensive numbers drop as his minus-28 plus-minus was his lowest in his career by far. Russell also had comparable numbers from the last couple of years and kept his plus-minus in the positive, but the team may look to find a taker for either of them at the trade deadline.

Chiasson earned his two-year deal after posting a career-high 22 goals last season after winning a job in training camp on a PTO. The team hopes that the 28-year-old can duplicate that season. Khaira scored just three goals last season and will have to prove that he belongs on the roster next season.

Three Years Remaining

G Mikko Koskinen ($4.5MM, UFA)

Edmonton surprised many when former general manager Peter Chiarelli signed Koskinen to a three-year, $13.5MM extension last season despite a small sample size as an NHL goaltender. Koskinen didn’t fare that well in the second half of the season after signing the extension, putting up a 3.07 GAA and a .902 save percentage, which could make this a rocky relationship if Koskinen can’t prove to Edmonton that he is a No. 1 goaltender. The 31-year-old goaltender has spent most of his career in the KHL and may not be the answer that the Oilers were hoping for.

Four Or More Years Remaining

F Connor McDavid ($12.5MM through 2025-26)
F Leon Draisaitl ($8.5MM through 2024-25)
F James Neal ($5.75MM through 2022-23)
D Oscar Klefbom ($4.17MM through 2022-23)

The team has a couple of stud players in McDavid and Draisaitl and most would suggest that they are worth their contracts and they might even be bargains considering how well they were playing. Both have proven to be top-line players and they both broke the 100-point barrier last season and combining for 91 goals. The fact that both are locked up for at least another six years (seven for McDavid) shows that Edmonton already has a base of two franchise players and just need to fill out the rest of their roster with solid players who can fill out the rest of the team.

Neal is an interesting gamble by new general manager Ken Holland. The team was looking for a way to unload the untradeable contract of Milan Lucic, but managed to get the long-term deal of Neal, who is coming off 10 straight seasons of 20 goals or more, before his seven-goal performance last year in Calgary. The team hopes that the 31-year-old can prove that last year’s egg was just a fluke and the veteran can bounce back and provide some scoring on the wing for a team that really needs it.

Klefbom is another interesting defenseman, who the team hopes can improve, especially offensively. The 26-year-old managed 38 points back in the 2016-17 season, but has hasn’t been able to break 30 points since then. While his minutes are impressive, Edmonton needs to get more from one of their defensemen, who they signed assuming he would develop into a top-line defender.

Buyouts

D Andrej Sekera ($2.5MM in 2019-20 & 2020-21; $1.5MM in 2021-22 and 2022-23)
F Benoit Pouliot ($1.33MM per year through 2020-21)
D Eric Gryba ($300K in 2019-20)

Retained Salary Transactions

F Milan Lucic ($750K per year through 2022-23)

Still To Sign

F Jesse Puljujarvi

Much has already been written about the impasse between the Oilers and Puljujarvi, who has demanded to be traded because he believes he can’t become a top forward in Edmonton. Holland has received no viable offers from other NHL teams and it looks likely that Puljujarvi might have to stay overseas for a season and hope that he can develop his game overseas with Karpat of the Finnish League and come back in a year with a new sense of purpose. However, nothing has happened yet and there’s always a possibility that he opts to come back to Edmonton and tries it again. The only problem: he’s not waiver exempt anymore, meaning he must stay on Edmonton’s roster or be placed on waivers and undoubtedly would be claimed by another team.

Best Value: Draisaitl
Worst Value: Koskinen

Looking Ahead

The team has its franchise players and with plenty of cap space freeing up next season, the team might have a way to add even more talent. However, what Edmonton needs more than anything is to see some of their young talent take that next step and begin making some major improvements. The Oilers have a dearth of talent on defense that should slowly be trickling in over the next few years, but more than anything Edmonton needs scoring. While McDavid and Draisaitl cost the franchise a great deal, the team must find the wingers that can get the team back into the playoffs.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Stars Notes: Khudobin, Pavelski, Heiskanen, Dellandrea

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In two seasons with the Dallas Stars, goaltender Ben Bishop has already appeared in 112 games if you include the playoffs. And while the goaltender put up Vezina-caliber numbers last year after posting a 1.98 GAA and a .934 save percentage in 46 regular season games. However, how long can the 32-year-old keep that pace up?

The Athletic’s Sean Shapiro (subscription required) writes that the team needs to turn backup goaltender Anton Khudobin into a tandem 1B goaltender. Despite appearing in 41 games with Dallas last season, his role has obviously been as a backup as he made just one playoff appearance in 13 games, and the 33-year-old played just 11:05 in that one game. Regardless, he has put up solid 2.57 GAA and a .923 save percentage.

With Bishop getting older, Shapiro writes that the team needs to include Khudobin more and give him an even bigger role, which would include making the goalie situation more of a tandem. Khudobin has never thrived when sitting on the bench cold and has proven to be stronger when he gets streaks of starts. That might make a tandem combination work better for Dallas.

  • SportsDay’s Matthew DeFranks writes that while the 38 goals that new Dallas Stars’ Joe Pavelski scored with San Jose last season were nice, what the team is really hoping for is that the veteran forward can turn Dallas’ power play into an elite one. What the Stars are hoping for is that Pavelski can provide the power play with versatility and movement in the offensive zone, something that San Jose has always been great at. The Stars want the same mobility on their power play.  “When the bodies are moving, the puck’s moving, it gets hard for penalty killers to keep track of everybody,” Dallas coach Jim Montgomery said. “That’s where you find the open lanes, seams for tips and one-timers.”
  • NHL.com’s Rob Reese writes that while Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen had an impressive season, it’s even more impressive when you look at the numbers that the rookie put up. The blueliner was first among rookies, averaging 23:07 of ATOI, almost two minutes more than Buffalo’s Rasmus Dahlin. His 12 goals was ranked 17th among all NHL defensemen and his 10 even-strength were tied for eighth in the league. With more playing time expected next season, Heiskanen should continue to evolve into one of the elite defensemen.
  • NHL.com’s Brett Amadon writes that Montgomery has made it clear that he is open to giving top prospect Ty Dellandrea a legitimate shot to make the team during training camp this season. The 13th-overall pick in the 2018 draft has been impressive in juniors and looked pretty good in a short stint with the AHL’s Texas Stars last season, but would have to make Dallas’ roster next year or be returned to his junior club, the Flint Firebirds in the OHL. “I’ve got to work extremely hard and take the stuff I learned from a bit of pro experience,” Dellandrea said at Stars development camp in June. “I’ve got to come in, do everything I can and give myself the best shot to make the team.”

 

 

Pacific Notes: Coyotes’ Arena, Labanc, Flames’ Goaltending

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While the Arizona Coyotes new owner Alex Meruelo has made it clear that he’s committed to keeping the Coyotes in Arizona, he also didn’t go as far as to say that he wants to keep the team in Glendale, Arizona. The Coyotes have struggled financially at Gila River Arena and Merulo may be interested in moving the team elsewhere, calling Glendale, “a difficult situation.”

The owner made it clear that there are several reasons why Glendale may not be an ideal location in Arizona, including the team keeps losing money, most fans don’t live in Glendale, sponsorship there has been difficult and the team does not have a long-term lease there. However, AZ Central’s Jen Fifield reports that the leaders of the city of Glendale hope to have a meeting with Meruelo “to see how we can help him achieve his goals of success.”

However, Meruelo has made it clear for quite a while that he’s looking to find a new arena in Arizona. The team is currently on a year-to-year arena lease and the owner has made it clear that Glendale “is not viable long-term.”

  • Many eyes went wise earlier this summer, when highly talented restricted free agent Kevin Labanc signed just a one-year, $1MM deal when he could have gotten quite a bit more. NHL.com’s Adam Kimmelman reports that Labanc admits that he put the team first when he signed that deal. “I didn’t want to wait,” he said following a Checking For Charity game at Flyers Skate Zone on Friday. “I wanted to sign the contract, get myself ready for the upcoming year and have nothing hanging over my shoulder.” Labanc, who will be a restricted agent once again next summer, could be in line for an even bigger payday as his role on the ice with the Sharks is likely to increase with the losses of Joe Pavelski, Joonas Donskoi and Gustav Nyquist during the offseason. Labanc put together a solid year last season, posting career highs in goals (17) and points (56) and saw his ATOI improve as the season went on, averaging 15:26 in April despite averaging just 13:34 before the all-star break.
  • With a recent bias over the last few years in the NHL over the importance of height in goaltenders, The Athletic’s Darren Haynes (subscription required) writes that the Calgary Flames seem to be heading towards an anti-establishment policy towards them. In fact, most of Calgary’s goalie draft picks in recent years have been towards smaller goaltenders, including Tyler Parsons, who at 6-foot-1, is not considered to be ranked at the 15th percentile in height. In comparison, he would have been considered in the 89th percentile in 1984-85. The Flames seem to be opting to go against those trends as the team is also loaded with shorter goaltenders, including 2019 seventh-rounder Dustin Wolf at 5-foot-11 and Nick Schneider, who is one of their tallest prospects at 6-foot-2.

2007 NHL Draft Take Two: Fifth Overall Pick

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Hindsight is an amazing thing, and allows us to look back and wonder “what could have been.” Though perfection is attempted, scouting and draft selection is far from an exact science and sometimes, it doesn’t work out the way teams – or players – intended.  For every Patrick Kane, there is a Patrik Stefan.

We’re looking back at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft and asking how it would shake out knowing what we do now.  Will the first round remain the same, or will some late-round picks jump up to the top of the board?

Here are the results of the redraft so far, with their original draft position in parentheses:

1st Overall: Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks (1)
2nd Overall: Jamie Benn, Philadelphia Flyers (129)
3rd Overall: P.K. Subban, Phoenix Coyotes (43)
4th Overall: Logan Couture, Los Angeles Kings (9)

After seeing the second and third picks going to players that weren’t even picked in the first round, Couture’s bump is only a small one from the ninth slot but it’s certainly a well-deserved one as he has emerged from one of the top scorers from this draft class.

Interestingly enough, Couture didn’t exactly get off to a great start.  His post-draft year was underwhelming as his production dipped by 20 points while he failed to show much progression in his development.  That took him off the radar of making the big club for the following year and it turned out that one more year in junior was great for him.  His production jumped back to a level where it should be for a top prospect in his second post-draft year and with his team being ousted from the playoffs early, he was able to get a head start on his pro career, joining AHL Worcester for their postseason.

That experience certainly made a difference as in 2009-10, his first full pro campaign, he averaged well over a point-per-game with the Baby Sharks and earned two stints with the big club.  The second came about a month before the playoffs and Couture was there to stay.

While his offensive numbers weren’t eye-popping in that first year, Couture made a big leap in his first full NHL season with 32 goals and 24 assists in 79 games.  Since then, he has been the model of consistency, ranging between 0.69 and 0.86 points per game in the eight seasons since then on his way to becoming the fourth-leading point-getter in this draft class.  The high mark actually came in 2018-19.  Even more impressive is that Couture has been more productive in the playoffs over the years relative to his regular season production which is something that can’t be said for a lot of players.  He’s entrenched as a core piece in San Jose and it’s hard to imagine they’re not anything but thrilled with how his selection turned out.

Let’s shift our attention to the next pick now which was held by the Washington Capitals.  A decade ago, stay-at-home defensemen were still in demand and Washington opted to go in that direction with the selection of Karl Alzner from Kelowna.  While he had shown some offensive upside in his draft year, his ceiling was viewed as a shutdown defender.

For the most part, he has lived up to that reputation as he logged an average of over 20 minutes a night over parts of nine seasons with the Capitals which isn’t necessarily a bad outcome from a first-round selection.

Things haven’t gone quite as well since he left to go to Montreal, however.  He has not adapted well to the requirements for a defender in the current NHL which prioritize mobility and puck-moving skills.  While the Canadiens played him in every game in 2017-18, he saw just nine games of NHL action last season and cleared waivers twice.  With three years left on his contract with a $4.625MM AAV, his contract is going to be an anchor on Montreal’s books for a while.  Needless to say, Alzner worked out a whole lot better for the Capitals than he has for the Canadiens and he currently sits tenth in games played from this draft class.

With the fifth pick of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, who should the Washington Capitals select?  Cast your vote below!

[Mobile users, click here to vote]

*Tragically, 17th overall pick Alexei Cherepanov died at the age of 19 and would never get a chance to suit up in the NHL. He has not been included in this vote.

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