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Andrew Ladd Unsure About Playing Next Season

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It has been a tough last few seasons for Coyotes winger Andrew Ladd who has struggled to stay healthy and struggled to produce when he has been in the lineup.  While he still has one year left on his contract, Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports reports that the veteran is unsure if he wants to play out that final season; his agent J.P. Barry indicated that a decision will be made later this summer when the time comes to start ramping up training in preparation for the season.

The 36-year-old was moved from the Islanders to the Coyotes last summer as New York was looking to free up some much-needed cap space.  From an on-ice perspective, the move worked out reasonably well for Ladd who stayed in the NHL all season and got into 51 games after seeing action in just four the year before.  Of course, his production (seven goals and five assists) is hardly worthy of the $6.5MM AAV he carried.

Ladd is owed a $3MM signing bonus this summer (which may have already been paid as a lot of bonuses are due at the start of the league year) plus a $1MM base salary which are the numbers that matter most to Arizona, a team that is looking to limit their spending as they go through an extended rebuild.  If that money comes off the books, it’s quite possible that they’d turn around and make another trade to take on another undesirable contract as GM Bill Armstrong has done on several occasions already.

The Islanders will also be keeping tabs on this situation.  As part of the trade that sent Ladd and two second-round picks (used on defensemen Janis Moser and Mattias Havelid), New York also put in a conditional third-round selection in 2023.  Per CapFriendly, that pick will go to the Coyotes if Ladd does not play in any professional games in 2022-23 while under his current contract, or does not retire prior to the conclusion of the 2022-23 regular season.  As a result, this situation will be one to keep an eye on in the coming weeks.

Minnesota Signs Liam Ohgren

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Minnesota has signed their top draft pick from this month’s draft as the team announced that they’ve signed winger Liam Ohgren to a three-year, entry-level contract.  Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The 18-year-old was the 19th-overall selection last week following a strong season in Djurgarden’s system.  Ohgren spent part of the year with their junior team and was quite productive offensively, picking up 33 goals and 25 assists in 30 games, earning him the award for the Best Forward in that league in the process.  That earned him a lengthy stint with their SHL squad where production and playing time was a lot harder to come by which is quite normal for draft-eligible players.  The fact that Ohgren played well enough to stick with the top team for 25 games is impressive in itself.

Ohgren has another year left on his contract with Djurgarden although the fact that he was a first-round pick allows the Wild to control where he plays next season and since he wasn’t drafted out of the CHL, he could go to AHL Iowa right away.  However, allowing him to stay at home and play in Djurgarden for one more year wouldn’t be bad for his development as Ohgren would likely spend most of the season at the SHL level this time around.  If he doesn’t play in ten games with Minnesota in 2022-23, his contract will slide and still have three years remaining on it a year from now.

Devils Acquire John Marino

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The Devils and Penguins have swapped defensemen as New Jersey has acquired defenseman John Marino from Pittsburgh in exchange for blueliner Ty Smith and a 2023 third-round pick.  Both teams have announced the swap.  Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald released the following statement:

John is a competitive, highly mobile defenseman who strengthens our back end. He takes pride in his game away from the puck and his puck management and ability to transition play will fit in nicely with our style and the strengths of our forward group. This is another move focused on improving our club today, while also providing certainty and stability for roster flexibility as we continue to build.

The 25-year-old Marino made an immediate impact in his rookie season back in 2019-20, recording 26 points in 56 games.  Pittsburgh had acquired his rights from Edmonton in the 2019 offseason for a sixth-round pick and that type of immediate return was quite impressive.  So much so, in fact, that then-GM Jim Rutherford handed Marino a six-year, $26.4MM contract back in January of 2021, a deal that still has five years remaining.

However, things didn’t go as well for Marino and the Penguins since then.  He struggled in the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 campaign before rebounding a little bit last season, recording a goal and 24 assists in 81 games while still logging over 20 minutes a night, a number that jumped to over 23 minutes per contest in their first-round playoff loss to the Rangers.

In Marino, New Jersey gets a defender that is capable of playing top-four minutes now as evidenced by the fact that he has averaged over 20 minutes per contest over each of his three NHL seasons.  A right-shot rearguard, Marino also gives them some insurance on the right side with Damon Severson a year away from unrestricted free agency.  If he departs next summer, Marino could simply take Severson’s spot behind Dougie Hamilton on their depth chart which is likely the stability for roster flexibility that Fitzgerald spoke of in his statement.

As for Smith, the 22-year-old was a first-round pick of the Devils back in 2018 (17th overall) and made a very strong first impression in his rookie year in 2020-21 when he picked up 23 points in 48 games while averaging over 20 minutes a game himself.  However, things certainly did not go well last season as his production dropped to 20 points in 66 contests while his defensive metrics took a tumble.  Nevertheless, he’s certainly young enough to rebound not unlike Marino did last season.

While Smith is an intriguing addition, the key to the trade for Pittsburgh might very well be the financial flexibility gained.  Smith still has a year to go on his entry-level deal, one that carries a cap hit of just $863K plus an additional $400K in performance bonuses.  Compared to Marino’s $4.4MM cap charge, Pittsburgh has freed up over $3.5MM in cap space for next season (not including the bonuses).  That money is basically all of the cap space they have left which they will need in order to re-sign RFA winger Kasperi Kapanen this summer.

It’s also worth noting that Pittsburgh now has a bit of a logjam on the left side of their back end with Smith joining lefties Brian Dumoulin, Michael Matheson, and Marcus Pettersson.  The Penguins have been known to be shopping Pettersson in the past and this type of move could very well intensify the desire to get a trade done, especially if they can free up a little more cap flexibility in the process.

As for New Jersey’s offseason, there is still a lot of work to be done.  Per CapFriendly, the Devils have just under $13MM in cap space left following this trade with a big chunk of that set to go to RFA winger Jesper Bratt.  Forwards Miles Wood and Jesper Boqvist also need new deals as does recent acquisition Vitek Vanecek; the netminder is in his final year of RFA eligibility and will be looking at a significant raise after making the league minimum the last three years.  As a result, their heavy lifting in terms of adding to their roster may be finished with the focus now turning to re-signing their RFAs.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Metropolitan Notes: Jarry, Rangers, Morrow

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While Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry is eligible to sign a contract extension at any point now, Tim Benz of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review argues that the window to do so is much narrower with GM Ron Hextall’s general hesitance to work on in-season extensions.  The 27-year-old has one year left on his deal that carries a $3.5MM cap hit and coming off a season that saw him post a 2.42 GAA with a .919 SV% in 58 games, he has a strong case to add a couple million to his next AAV based on the contracts handed out to the top goalies in free agency earlier this week.  With that in mind, Benz suggests that Pittsburgh’s best strategy might be to wait as with so much of their roster locked up long-term already, if the team wants to have any sort of roster flexibility at all, it might have to come from the goaltending position and locking up Jarry now would take away that option.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • While the Rangers have nearly $5MM in cap space left per CapFriendly, they still have to re-sign RFA winger Kaapo Kakko and add a depth defender or two. Beyond that, Larry Brooks of the New York Post suggests that GM Chris Drury should be sitting on his remaining cap space rather than trying to find a way to add another piece this summer.  New York didn’t need to rely on banking in-season cap space a year ago since they were well under the Upper Limit but that won’t be the case anymore.  Accordingly, if they think they’re going to want to add a piece or two in-season, the only way to have a chance of doing that is to bank as much cap space as possible early on to create enough room for those additions closer to the trade deadline.
  • Hurricanes GM Don Waddell told Luke DeCock of the Raleigh News & Observer that he expects prospect defenseman Scott Morrow to turn pro after next season. The 19-year-old was a second-round selection (40th overall) back in 2021 but played quite well at UMass in his freshman year, notching 13 goals and 20 assists in just 38 games.  If he’s able to build on that performance in 2022-23, Waddell feels that Morrow would be reaching a point where there will be nothing left to work on in college even though he’d still have two years of eligibility left at that point.

Penguins Sign Owen Pickering

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The Penguins have signed their top selection from the draft earlier this month, announcing that they’ve signed blueliner Owen Pickering to a three-year, entry-level contract.  Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The 18-year-old was the 21st pick by Pittsburgh earlier this month following a strong season with Swift Current of the WHL where he had 33 points in 62 games in his first full major junior season.  Now standing 6’4, Pickering had a late growth spurt and will need some time to fill out his frame before he’s ready to even consider playing in the pros.  He’s the first first-round pick from the Broncos since Boston took Jake DeBrusk 14th overall back in 2015.

Pickering’s contract is eligible to slide a year if he doesn’t play in ten NHL games next season (and it’s doubtful he will see any NHL action).  As a result, he’ll still have three years left on his deal after this one, likely at a slightly lower cap hit assuming his contract has signing bonuses which is quite normal for first-round selections.

Harri Sateri Signs In Switzerland

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While the Coyotes are among the teams that still have a vacancy to fill between the pipes, their backup down the stretch last season is moving on.  Todd Diamond, the agent for goaltender Harri Sateri, told Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports (Twitter link) that his client has signed a one-year deal with EHC Biel-Bienne of the Swiss NLA.

The 32-year-old had a strong showing with Novosibirsk of the KHL last season, posting a 2.02 GAA along with a .926 SV% in 38 games.  He also played extremely well in five appearances in the Olympics, helping to get him on the NHL radar.  Just before the trade deadline, Toronto signed Sateri to be their backup goalie for the rest of the season but he had to pass through waivers first to get there.  That didn’t happen as the Coyotes scooped him up off the wire to make him their backup for the final few weeks.

It was Sateri’s first NHL action since the 2017-18 campaign with Florida and suffice it to say, it didn’t go particularly well.  Sateri had a 4.22 GAA with a .866 SV% in six appearances which certainly didn’t help his chances of securing a one-way deal to stay in North America so he’ll instead try his hand in the Swiss league instead.  Meanwhile, Arizona’s current backup battle would be between Ivan Prosvetov and Jon Gillies with neither of them proving that they’re ready for full-time duty behind Karel Vejmelka just yet so GM Bill Armstrong likely still has some work to do on that front this summer.

Edmonton Oilers Sign Reid Schaefer

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Another first-rounder has signed his entry-level deal. The Edmonton Oilers have announced that their top 2022 draft pick, Reid Schaefer, has signed a three-year entry-level contract.

Shaefer, 18, was the 32nd overall pick at the 2022 entry draft. The Oilers selected him at that slot after a small trade-down with the Arizona Coyotes, a deal that allowed them to get Zack Kassian’s unwanted cap hit off their books.

Schaefer played his way into the first-round conversation thanks to a breakout season with the Seattle Thunderbirds. Schaefer’s WHL track record before this year was unimpressive, to say the least. He had played in 18 games in the WHL’s COVID-shortened 2020-21 season and scored just two assists.

This season, Schaefer’s role on the Thunderbirds grew and his production grew with it. Schaefer scored 32 goals and 58 points in 66 games and added six goals and 21 points in the Thunderbirds’ 25-game playoff run to the WHL final. Schaefer’s big six-foot-three frame is what intrigues scouts most about his game. Schaefer’s hard-nosed, physical style is becoming rarer and rarer as more and more emphasis gets placed on speed and skill, and that’s something the Oilers’ front office clearly values.

That’s not to say Schaefer isn’t skilled – you’re not going in the first round without some real offensive upside – but his game is more has more layers to it than the traditional high-scoring junior prospect. Schaefer was an important all-situations forward for the Thunderbirds, helping with significant minutes on both special teams units.

Schaefer signing this deal gives him a chance to show what he can do at Oilers training camp before likely being sent to the WHL for another season on the Thunderbirds. One thing to note is Schaefer was one of the oldest first-year prospects in the 2022 draft class, meaning he could have a shorter path to the professional ranks than his peers.

Carolina Hurricanes Sign Mackenzie MacEachern

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The Carolina Hurricanes have made another free agent signing this evening, inking experienced forward Mackenzie MacEachern to a one-year, two-way contract, per a team announcement. The deal carries a $750k cap hit, $225,000 AHL salary, and $275,000 total guarantee. Hurricanes GM Don Waddell had the following to say about his newest addition:

Mackenzie is a big power forward who is willing to go to the dirty areas of the ice to score, he’s got NHL experience and is capable of contributing at this level.

MacEachern spent most of 2021-22 with the St. Louis Blues’ AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds. In Springfield, MacEachern had 12 goals and 25 points, helping lead the Thunderbirds to the Calder Cup Final. MacEachern also got into 14 NHL games with the Blues, recording two assists. The 28-year-old MacEachern has 115 NHL games to his name and 11 career NHL goals.

As Waddell mentioned, MacEachern is a big power forward who can make an impact on both ends of the ice. He was a penalty killer for the Thunderbirds and should be a capable middle-six forward at the AHL level. This deal will allow MacEachern to compete for a spot on the Hurricanes’ roster during training camp before in all likelihood being sent to their AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves.

If MacEachern doesn’t make the Hurricanes’ roster and is sent to Chicago, it will actually be his second tour of duty with the Wolves. MacEachern made his professional debut there in 2016-17, signing with the Wolves after a successful career with the Michigan State Spartans in the NCAA.

MacEachern is useful depth for the Hurricanes and should help the Wolves in their attempt to defend their Calder Cup title.

Carolina Hurricanes Sign Malte Stromwall

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The Carolina Hurricanes have added an intriguing KHL player, signing Swedish forward Malte Stromwall to a one-year, two-way contract with a $750K cap hit and a $175K total guarantee. Hurricanes GM Don Waddell had the following to say about his newest free agent addition:

“This is a player we’ve been tracking for a while, Malte is a tremendous skater with high-end skill coming off a very productive season in the KHL.”

Waddell is certainly right about Stromwall, as he enjoyed a breakout 2021-22 campaign in the KHL. Stromwall, coming off of a disappointing 21-game run with SKA St. Petersburg to end 2020-21, came to Dynamo Minsk and made an immediate impact. He finished second on the team in scoring with 19 goals and 32 points in just 38 games, doing so on a flawed Minsk team that finished second-to-last in the KHL’s Tarasov Division. Stromwall saw significant time on Minsk’s power play as their most reliable goal-scoring option.

Stromwall doesn’t have extensive experience in North America, and his last stint on this side of the pond was several years ago, when he played in the New York Rangers organization. Stromwall looked out of place on North American ice and had only six points in 44 AHL games. The Hurricanes are adding Stromwall with the hope that he can be more productive this time around.

He’ll head to their training camp with an outside chance to make their team if he plays extremely well. In all likelihood, though, Stromwall will head to the defending Calder Cup Champion Chicago Wolves and look to prove that he can be an offensive difference maker on smaller North American ice surfaces.

Nashville Predators Sign Joakim Kemell

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And we have another entry-level deal announced tonight, this time for Nashville Predators first-rounder Joakim Kemell.

Kemell, 18, was the 17th overall pick at the 2022 draft and the first pick of the Predators’ six-player 2022 draft class. A product of Finnish club JYP Jyvaskyla, Kemell made headlines this season for his blazingly fast start to the Liiga season. Kemell was scoring at an unheard-of rate but eventually slowed down as the season wore on. Kemell finished with 15 goals and 23 points in 39 points, a very impressive total for a draft-eligible prospect who was just 17 years old for most of the season.

Kemell’s best weapon in his offensive toolbox is his shot. He can pick apart goaltenders who dare to leave areas of the net open for him to target and is aggressive in using his shot as often as possible. There are some worries about his shot selection and tendency to stay on the perimeter of play, but those issues should improve as he matures and gains more experience in professional hockey.

By signing this entry-level deal, the Predators have unlocked a host of options for Kemell’s development path next season. They could let him compete for a spot on the team in training camp, and potentially even let him stay in the Predators’ organization in North America if they deem that the best option for his development. They’d also have the option of loaning him back to Liiga where he would in all likelihood take on a bigger role on one of Liiga’s youngest teams.

Whatever path they choose, bringing Kemell into the fold in Nashville has provided the team with an immediate boost to the quality of their prospect pool, which had declined in recent years. Kemell has the chance to be an impact top-six winger and now that he’s signed with the team it’ll be up to the Predators’ development staff as well as Kemell himself to determine if he lives up to the hype.

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