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Archives for August 2021

Carolina Hurricanes Announce ECHL Affiliation

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The Carolina Hurricanes have partnered with the Norfolk Admirals of the ECHL for the 2021-22 season, once again giving them a three-tiered development system. Hurricanes GM Don Waddell released a statement on the deal:

We’re excited to partner with the Norfolk Admirals and have some of our Hurricanes prospects playing just three hours down the road in Virginia. Owned and led by former Admirals player Patrick Cavanagh, the Admirals have a proud history and following in Hampton Roads.

The Hurricanes were previously partnered with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, but they followed the Charlotte Checkers to an agreement with the Florida Panthers last year. Carolina will now have the Admirals and Chicago Wolves as their two minor league teams, both independently owned and operated. Unfortunately, that means the team will no longer have the geographical advantages that came with having their affiliates so closely grouped.

Still, this is a big day for Norfolk, who will now have the support of an NHL franchise again, one that is relatively close by. The team will be able to house some of the Hurricanes’ more raw prospects, likely including at least one of the team’s signed goaltenders.

Jack Eichel Changes Agents

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The Jack Eichel saga has a new twist today, as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that the disgruntled Buffalo Sabres center will now be represented by Pat Brisson of CAA Sports. Eichel had previously been represented by Peter Fish and Peter Donatelli of Global Hockey Consultants.

The move comes less than a month after his previous representation released a statement to various media outlets, indicating that they expected Eichel to be traded prior to the start of NHL free agency. That didn’t seem to speed the process along at all, and as Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News wrote in a column earlier this month, it may well have made it more difficult for Sabres GM Kevyn Adams to complete a deal in the immediate aftermath.

Eichel is currently injured, and though both sides agree that surgery is required, the specific procedure is still a point of contention. It is not clear if there has been any movement on this front over the last few weeks, but a change in representation is significant nonetheless.

Brisson is not a small fish by any means, in fact, he is one of the leading power brokers among NHL agents. According to PuckPedia, he has negotiated more than $1 billion in active contracts and represents some of the most well-known stars in the game–Sidney Crosby, John Tavares, Jonathan Toews, Nathan MacKinnon, and Patrick Kane among them. Adding Eichel is obviously a win for the agency, but the player also now has even more power behind him.

Still, no matter how much juice his representation has, Eichel is still at the mercy of the Sabres at this point. Adams has been clear that the team will stay “in control of this process” and only trade their former franchise player when they receive an offer good enough. Fans of the team will be quite familiar with the concept of trading away disgruntled centers, and Adams is trying very hard not to have a repeat of the Ryan O’Reilly debacle of 2018.

That doesn’t mean it will be easy. It’s clear that while Eichel’s time in a Buffalo uniform is likely over, there is no simple resolution to be had.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Montreal Canadiens Sign Ryan Poehling

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The Montreal Canadiens have signed restricted free agent forward Ryan Poehling to a two-year contract. In 2021-22, Poehling will receive $750K at the NHL level and $225K at the AHL level. In 2022-23, he will receive $750K as the contract will be one-way.

It seems like a long time ago that Poehling burst onto the scene with a hat trick in his first NHL game. That was only at the end of the 2018-19 season after he signed out of St. Cloud State, but so much has changed in terms of the Montreal depth chart that it might as well be five years ago. Poehling now enters this season having spent the entire 2020-21 campaign at the minor league level and is certainly not a lock for NHL playing time out of the gate.

The fact that he is still waiver-exempt likely means he’s on his way back to the AHL to start the season, and given the young talent up the middle for the Canadiens it’s not clear when he’ll really get another chance. Nick Suzuki, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, and Jake Evans all have more experience at this point and figure to be on the opening day lineup, not leaving a ton of room for someone like Poehling.

That’s not to say his career in Montreal is over though. The 22-year-old forward is still exactly what they drafted him to be, a big-bodied center with some scoring upside. He had 25 points in 28 games last season for the Laval Rocket and should post strong results in that league again if he does end up in the AHL. A $750K cap hit will actually help him in his quest to earn NHL playing time as the Canadiens navigate a flat cap, but he’s still likely going to need some breaks to go his way.

Rangers Making Progress On Libor Hajek’s Contract

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The bulk of the heavy lifting has been done for the Rangers and new GM Chris Drury as they have made several changes to their roster, adding plenty of grit along the way.  They still have one RFA left to re-sign, however, in Libor Hajek but Mollie Walker of the New York Post reports that New York is closing in on a deal with the defenseman.

The 23-year-old was one of the pieces that went to the Rangers as part of the deal that saw Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller go to Tampa Bay back at the 2018 trade deadline.  At the time, Hajek was in the middle of wrapping up a strong junior career and it looked like he might be a prospect that could be a long-term piece for New York.

While he’s still young enough to change his fortunes, that hasn’t quite happened yet.  Hajek played in 44 games with the Rangers last season but in a limited role, averaging just over 15 minutes per game while predominantly being on their third pairing.  His waiver exemption allowed him to be shuffled to the taxi squad and after working his way back up to the big club in February, he was sent down another 13 times through the season for cap purposes.

With his limited role, it’s hard to see Hajek landing much more than the value of his qualifying offer last month, one that was worth just over $874K.  He isn’t waiver-exempt anymore which makes a proposal of a lower NHL salary than the qualifier in exchange for a higher AHL salary – a common contract we’ve seen with some restricted free agents this summer – less palatable but it’s a deal that should be fairly simple to hammer out.  With the bigger moves now complete, Drury can focus on getting Hajek re-signed, a move that appears to be coming sooner than later.

Free Agent Profile: Ryan Donato

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Early in his career, it looked like Ryan Donato was going to be a player who could be a capable secondary scorer for Boston.  However, his production has stagnated which has resulted in a couple of trades already with San Jose opting to non-tender him over issuing a $2.15MM qualifying offer earlier this summer, sending him to the open market.

While every player still unsigned has their flaws, it is a little surprising that Donato old remains unsigned.  His 20 points are the most of any remaining UFA that doesn’t already have ties to the Islanders as they look to see how long they can go without officially announcing any signings and at 25, he’s the youngest regular NHL player on the open market.

Last season was a tough one for Donato.  Joining the Sharks seemed like a good fit for him as he’d have a chance to play a bit of a bigger role than he did with Minnesota.  That did indeed happen but the playing time only increased marginally as he still found himself on the fourth line at times.  The end result was just six goals which is likely why they opted to try someone else in his spot instead.

Still, while there aren’t many players with upside still unsigned, there’s a case to be made that Donato is one of them.  He has reached at least 20 points in his three full professional seasons and is only a year removed from a 14-goal campaign with the Wild.  It’s a limited track record for sure but there’s definitely a case for someone to bring him in.

Stats

2020-21: 50 GP, 6-14-20, -10 rating, 10 PIMS, 104 shots, 47.6 CF%, 12:37 ATOI
Career: 180 GP, 35-42-77, -18 rating, 30 PIMS, 362 shots, 50.9 CF%, 12:24 ATOI

Potential Suitors

Unlike some veteran players who are better fits on playoff-bound teams, no such restriction exists for Donato.  He could serve as a depth piece for those teams or catch on with a weaker team that has a chance to give him a bigger role and allow him to restore some value.  Donato is still controllable through 2023 which puts him in a spot like Andreas Athanasiou and Anthony Duclair were a year ago, non-tenders that had another year of control remaining; both of them eventually signed a second deal with their teams.

In the East, a team like Buffalo or Detroit that is still rebuilding could be a fit in terms of hoping that he pans out into a potentially longer-term fit.  Among teams with playoff aspirations, Toronto could use him similar to what they wanted to do with Jimmy Vesey and Alex Galchenyuk last season as an offensive piece that they hope to get a bit of surplus value out of for a cost that’s close to the minimum.

Out West, Anaheim and Nashville are teams that haven’t exactly bolstered their offenses and while Donato isn’t going to make a big difference, any small upgrade would be helpful while both teams could benefit if he does well enough to earn a qualifying offer next summer.  Seattle’s forward group could use a bit more offensive upside in their bottom six while Edmonton could use Donato as a low-cost replacement for Dominik Kahun, a player who was brought in to try and improve their offensive depth last fall.

Projected Contract

Donato’s non-tender came after the voting for our Top 50 UFA list although he may very well have made it on there had his release come earlier.  It’s hard to see any viable multi-year offers coming his way so a one-year contract is likely all he’ll wind up with.  Something around the $1MM mark would make him fit on the cap for many teams although if he wants to land with a contender, Donato may have to take a little less than that even.  While there are questions regarding many of the remaining free agents as to whether or not they’ll make it on a roster for next season, that shouldn’t be the case with Donato.  His stock has certainly dropped but it’s only a matter of time before someone takes a chance on Donato.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Calgary Flames Sign Dillon Dube

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The Calgary Flames have signed restricted free agent forward Dillon Dube to a three-year contract. The deal will carry an average annual value of $2.3MM, leaving him an arbitration-eligible RFA in 2024. Pat Steinberg of Sportnet reports that Dube will earn $2.2MM in 2021-22, $2.3MM in 2022-23 and $2.4MM in 2023-24.

It’s been a busy week for Flames GM Brad Treliving, working his way through a long list of restricted free agents in Calgary. He has now signed Juuso Valimaki, Nikita Zadorov, Justin Kirkland, Glenn Gawdin, and Dube in the last few days, leaving just Connor Mackey to negotiate with. While Kirkland and Gawdin are still depth options, the same can’t really be said about Dube, who has worked his way into a full-time role with the Flames over the last two seasons. The 23-year-old recorded 11 goals and 22 points in 51 games for the team this season, averaging 13:38 of ice time.

That’s not a huge role, but this new contract secures him as a fixture in the lineup for the next several years. Originally selected 556th overall in 2016 as a center, he never really has been given an opportunity to play in the middle for Calgary. It will be interesting to follow Flames training camp to see how the lineup shakes out under head coach Darryl Sutter given the influx of gritty, physical presences. The team added Blake Coleman, Tyler Pitlick, and Trevor Lewis to the mix, all three of whom are likely better suited in the bottom six. If Dube, who has built up his two-way game, can find a home on one of the top two lines, there’s a good chance he produces a lot more offense than a $2.3MM contract usually warrants.

Even if he doesn’t take another significant step forward offensively, a $2.3MM cap hit doesn’t pose much risk for the Flames. As long as Dube can keep himself in the lineup, providing solid defensive play, there shouldn’t be many complaints from the Calgary faithful. There’s room for upside in a deal like this, which is key for a team like the Flames that are trying to find their way in the Pacific Division.

Snapshots: Giroux, Price, Turcotte

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The Philadelphia Flyers locked up Sean Couturier today a year before he reached free agency, but they won’t be doing the same for captain Claude Giroux. When GM Chuck Fletcher spoke with the media about the contract, he indicated that he would be waiting until after the season to speak about a new deal with Giroux. He didn’t mince words when explaining why the Couturier deal happened so early:

Sean’s our best hockey player right now, and he’s the key guy. If Sean had left, that would’ve changed the direction of the franchise. To lock him up was incredibly important for the short and long term. 

Fletcher did suggest that the relationship between the Flyers and Giroux could continue beyond this season, but both sides are happy to wait and see how the year plays out before making any decisions. The 33-year-old Giroux has played his entire career to this point in Philadelphia and had 43 points in 54 games this season. His eight-year, $66.2MM contract that was signed in 2013 will expire at the end of 2021-22, making him an unrestricted free agent.

  • There was a ton of speculation about the health of Carey Price this offseason, but head coach Dominique Ducharme told the media today including Marc Antoine Godin of The Athletic that the veteran goaltender will be there when the Montreal Canadiens kick off training camp next month (or at worst join just a few days into it). Price’s health was a huge topic of conversation when he was left exposed to the Seattle Kraken in the expansion process, but more important is his impact on the Canadiens lineup. When healthy and playing his best, Price is still among the top goaltenders in the world. But injury issues have been a problem in recent years and he just turned 34. Price has five seasons remaining on the eight-year, $84MM deal he signed in 2017 and will earn a total of $13MM this season through signing bonuses and salary.
  • Alex Turcotte, who is hoping to make his NHL debut this season with the Los Angeles Kings, underwent successful surgery for acute appendicitis. The young forward is still expected to be recovered in time for the start of rookie camp in a few weeks. Turcotte, 20, was the fifth-overall pick in 2019 and scored 21 points in 32 games for the Ontario Reign last season in his first taste of professional hockey.

Minor Transactions: 08/26/21

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Two huge contracts were signed today in the NHL, but there are always plenty of other minor moves that go on in European, junior, and minor leagues that are just as important to those involved. Just like always, we’ll keep track of all the notable minor moves around the hockey world right here.

  • The Iserlohn Roosters of the German DEL have signed Nick Schilkey, who spent last season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL. While the 27-year-old’s departure from North America is a notable one, the team’s press release also included an interesting note on Griffin Reinhart. The 2012 fourth-overall pick spent last season with the Roosters, but the team suggests that he is now pursuing a different career path, one focused on his academic development. It’s not clear exactly what that means at this point.
  • Mario Kempe, who last played in the NHL during the 2018-19 season, is staying in the KHL, this time signing with Dinamo Minsk. Kempe scored 22 points in 34 games for CSKA Moscow last season and suited up for Sweden at the World Championship. The 32-year-old has 70 NHL games in his career, but recorded just 13 points.
  • The Milwaukee Admirals have signed Bobo Carpenter to a one-year AHL contract after he failed to receive a qualifying offer from the New York Islanders. Carpenter had four goals and seven points in 19 games for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers last season, his second professional campaign after signing out of Boston University. The 25-year-old hasn’t been able to replicate the success he had in college to this point.
  • After splitting last season between Europe and North America, Jakob Stukel is on his way back overseas. The 24-year-old forward has signed with HC Pustertal of the ICEHL. Stukel played 35 games for the Bakersfield Condors in 2020-21, scoring seven points.

This page will be updated throughout the day

Philadelphia Flyers Extend Sean Couturier

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The Philadelphia Flyers have signed star center Sean Couturier to an eight-year contract extension that will start in the 2022-23 season. Couturier has one more season on his current deal and would have been an unrestricted free agent next summer. The new extension will carry an average annual value of $7.75MM and runs through 2029-30. Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press reports that it will include a full no-movement clause in the first seven years, and a Couturier will be required to submit a 10-team trade list in the final season. Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher released a statement on the deal:

We are excited to announce Sean’s long term extension with the Flyers today. As one of the premier two-way centers in the NHL, Sean has the rare talent to shut down opposing team’s top players while also contributing at a high offensive level. Throughout his 10 year career with the Flyers, he has proven to be the ultimate teammate. He carries an enormous presence inside our dressing room due to his preparation, determination and drive to win.

CapFriendly provides the full contract breakdown:

  • 2022-23: $1.75MM salary + $6.0MM signing bonus
  • 2023-24: $4.0MM salary + $5.0MM signing bonus
  • 2024-25: $4.0MM salary + $5.0MM signing bonus
  • 2025-26: $4.0MM salary + $5.0MM signing bonus
  • 2026-27: $1.75MM salary + $6.0MM signing bonus
  • 2027-28: $1.5MM salary + $5.0MM signing bonus
  • 2028-29: $1.5MM salary + $5.0MM signing bonus
  • 2029-30: $1.5MM salary + $5.0MM signing bonus

There’s absolutely no doubt that Couturier is one of the Flyers’ most important (if not the most important) players, and every day that passed was getting him closer to unrestricted free agency. Still, this is a huge commitment for the Philadelphia front office, given that he’ll turn 30 just a few months into the first year of the extension.

Currently 28, Couturier is one of the most effective two-way centers in the entire league and took home the Selke Trophy as the league’s best defensive player in 2020. He has received votes for the award in nine of ten seasons and has been a finalist in the past. When his offense took a huge step forward in 2017 it turned him from a strong checking forward to a true top-line center, capable of near point-per-game production. He has hit the 30+ goal mark twice, posted a career-high of 76 points in two seasons, and registered 41 points in 45 games this year. There are only a handful of players in the league who can impact the game as much as Couturier, given how effective he is in all three zones.

Still, while this deal may be a bargain in the next few years, it’s hard to expect Couturier to keep up his level of play throughout. He’s now signed for the entire decade and already has more than 700 NHL games under his belt playing a relatively physical style of hockey. There’s no telling what his decline phase will look like, but a deal of this length could become an issue if his offensive production falters even a little bit.

That’s a problem for the future though, as the Flyers try to capitalize on this core and compete for the Stanley Cup. The team went out and revamped the defensive group, bringing in Ryan Ellis, Rasmus Ristolainen and Keith Yandle this offseason, and swapped a pair of veteran forwards by sending Jakub Voracek to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Cam Atkinson. With Claude Giroux signed for just one more season, James Van Riemsdyk under contract for just two, the time is now for the Flyers to strike.

The $7.75MM cap hit ties him with young Andrei Svechnikov, who signed a deal with the Carolina Hurricanes earlier today, for the 49th highest in the league for 2022-23. He will likely be knocked a few spots down by other extensions and contracts, but that’s likely a number that Couturier could have eclipsed on the open market, had he waited. That obviously wouldn’t have come with the eight-year term though, something that likely gives him security through the end of his career.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

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