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Calgary Flames Re-Sign Ben Jones, Mathias Emilio Pettersen

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The Calgary Flames have retained the services of a pair of depth forwards, Ben Jones and Mathias Emilio Pettersen, by re-signing them to one-year, two-way contracts. Both contracts come with a cap hit of $775K. Jones and Pettersen were restricted free agents.

PuckPedia later reported Jones’ AHL salary as $120K, while Pettersen will earn $80K in the minors.

Jones, a center hailing from Waterloo, Ontario, wrapped up his first season with the Flames organization as a key contributor for the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers. In 71 games, Jones tallied 17 goals and 37 assists for a total of 54 points, placing him third in team scoring behind Matthew Phillips and 2020 first-round pick Connor Zary.

The 24-year-old has NHL size at 6 feet and 190 pounds, and he does have some upward mobility in the Flames’ organization as a potential call-up candidate. He was selected by the Vegas Golden Knights in the seventh round as part of their inaugural 2017 draft class before joining the Flames organization as a free agent in 2022.

Joining Jones in re-signing with Calgary is Pettersen, a center from Manglerud, Norway. Pettersen just completed his third season with the Flames organization, a teammate of Jones with the Wranglers. In 61 games, the 23-year-old also posted nice offensive totals, accumulating 44 points and ranking fifth in team scoring.

Standing at 5-foot-10 and weighing 170 pounds, Pettersen does have somewhat longer odds of cracking the NHL lineup but is one of the speedier and more creative players offensively in the Flames’ farm system. Drafted by the Flames in the sixth round of the 2018 NHL Draft, Pettersen has made international appearances for Norway, most recently at the 2021 IIHF World Championship, where he recorded a goal in six games.

Both are likely destined for AHL assignments again out of the gate in 2023-24.

Alain Vigneault Announces Retirement From Coaching

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After a 19-season head coaching career spanning four teams, seasoned NHL bench boss Alain Vigneault has declared his retirement from coaching in an interview with the Journal de Québec, according to a report from French-Canadian outlet RDS.

Vigneault, still under contract with the Flyers after being fired in December of 2021, made it clear that his last contract would be his final one and that he has no intention of returning to coaching. Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reported last summer that Philadelphia was likely Vigneault’s final stop as an NHL head coach.

The 62-year-old Canadian coach leaves behind a rather illustrious coaching career – Vigneault’s 1,363 games behind an NHL bench places him 15th in NHL history for most games coached. He accumulated over 700 wins throughout his coaching journey, a feat achieved by only nine other coaches in NHL history.

However, he didn’t quite reach hockey’s pinnacle, never getting his name engraved on the Stanley Cup. Although he made the playoffs in 12 of his 19 seasons, he advanced twice to the Stanley Cup Final, losing in both tries.

Vigneault’s coaching tenure in the NHL began in the 1997-98 season when he took the helm of the Montreal Canadiens. He then went on to coach the Vancouver Canucks, New York Rangers, and finally, the Philadelphia Flyers.

Vigneault’s primary piece of individual hardware came in 2006-07, winning the Jack Adams Award in his first season with the Canucks after guiding the team to a 49-26-7 record and Northwest Division title. Vancouver would bow out in the second round to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks, thanks to a relatively innocuous double-overtime winner in Game 5 from Ducks defender Scott Niedermayer (video link).

Vancouver was undoubtedly Vigneault’s most successful stop, as he would win back-to-back Presidents’ Trophies with the team in 2010-11 and 2011-12. The Canucks made their first Stanley Cup Final appearance in nearly two decades in 2011 but fell to the Boston Bruins in seven games after taking a 2-0 lead in the series.

Vigneault made it back to the Final three seasons later with the New York Rangers but lost all three overtime games in the series en route to a 4-1 defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Kings.

Before starting his coaching career, Vigneault had a brief playing stint as an NHLer. He played 42 games as a defenseman for the St. Louis Blues in the 1980s before transitioning to coaching at just 25 years old.

He does boast an all-time playoff record of 78-77, a rare mark above .500 for a coach without a Cup victory. With his longevity placing him in the upper echelon of all-time NHL coaches, as well as a Jack Adams and two conference championships, it wouldn’t surprise many to see a call from the Hockey Hall of Fame in his future.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Snapshots: Pettersson, Blackhawks, Draper, Rangers

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In an appearance on CHEK’s Donnie and Dhali (video link), J.P. Barry, the agent for center Elias Pettersson, indicated that he doesn’t expect to have any discussions about a possible contract extension for his client until the end of the summer.  It’s not a matter of early discussions not going well but rather a decision to just take a break for the summer and reassess closer to training camp.  The 24-year-old is eligible to put pen to paper on a new deal now and is certainly coming off a great showing in 2022-23, notching 39 goals and 63 assists (both career highs) while finishing tenth in league scoring.  The Canucks owe him a qualifying offer of $8.82MM next summer and his performance last year coupled with an anticipated jump in the salary cap could have his camp looking to surpass $10MM on his next agreement.  That’s a deal that is going to take some time to put together.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • Speaking with reporters today including Charlie Roumeliotis of NBC Sports Chicago, Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson indicated he feels that the bulk of the heavy lifting this summer is done although they will need to finalize a deal with RFA Philipp Kurashev who filed for arbitration today. Chicago has been active this summer, adding veterans Taylor Hall, Nick Foligno, Corey Perry, and Ryan Donato up front to augment an offense that has also added top pick Connor Bedard (who also needs to sign his entry-level deal).  They still have ample cap space so if the opportunity presents itself to utilize it over the coming weeks, it wouldn’t be shocking to see the Blackhawks make another move at some point.
  • After spending the last four seasons as Detroit’s Director of Amateur Scouting, the team announced that Kris Draper has been named as the Red Wings’ new Assistant GM; Draper will retain his old position as well. As a player, Draper spent 17 seasons with the Red Wings as a key checking center, helping them win four Stanley Cup titles.  He retired in 2011 and immediately joined Detroit’s front office, working his way up from Special Assistant to the GM.
  • The Rangers have a new affiliate team as the ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones announced that they have affiliated with the organization. Previously, the Cyclones had been with Buffalo for the past six seasons while New York had been with Jacksonville since 2021.

Patric Hornqvist Announces His Retirement

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It’s a move that has been widely expected and hinted at but long-time NHL winger Patric Hornqvist made it official today, telling Aftonbladet’s Per Bjurman that he has retired at the age of 36.

Hornqvist spent last season with Florida, getting into 22 games before being shut down in early December with another concussion although he was skating with the team through their playoff run.  Fortunately, this announcement isn’t related to lingering issues from that injury as the veteran confirmed that he’s feeling fine now.

He spent 15 seasons in the NHL between Nashville, Pittsburgh, and Florida and is certainly one of the most successful late-round picks in recent memory as he was picked with the final selection in 2005, going 230th overall.  Hornqvist hangs up his skates with the 14th-most games played from that draft class while sitting ninth in scoring with 543 points.  His 264 goals are tied for the tenth-most by a Sweden-born player.

Hornqvist also won a pair of Stanley Cup titles with Pittsburgh in 2016 and 2017 plus a World Championship gold medal in 2018.  He was Florida Bill Zito’s first acquisition after Zito took over as general manager, wanting to give the Panthers some grit and an improved net-front presence.

Florida is hoping that Hornqvist will remain in the organization in some capacity, something Zito alluded to back at the draft.  For the time being, nothing is set in place at this time although Hornqvist acknowledged there was mutual interest in making something happen.  However, for the time being, at least, he has moved his family back to Sweden so if he is to remain with the Panthers organization, it’s likely to be in a scouting or part-time development role in the short term.

Kraken Sign Tucker Robertson To Entry-Level Deal

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The Kraken have agreed to terms with one of their prospects as CapFriendly reports (Twitter link) that they have signed Tucker Robertson to a three-year, entry-level contract.  The deal carries a cap hit of $870K and an AAV of $950K and breaks down as follows:

2023-24: $775K salary, $95K signing bonus, $80K GP bonus, $80K AHL salary
2024-25: $775K salary, $95K signing bonus, $80K GP bonus, $80K AHL salary
2025-26: $775K salary, $95K signing bonus, $80K GP bonus, $82.5K AHL salary

The 20-year-old was a fourth-round selection by Seattle back in 2022 (123rd overall) after going undrafted in his first year of eligibility.  That came on the hands of an impressive 2021-22 campaign.  After having a limited role in his rookie season, Robertson broke out with 41 goals and 40 assists that year, cracking the top 20 in scoring.

That was followed up by an even better showing in 2022-23 as Robertson picked up 36 goals and 54 assists in 68 games, good for a tie for 11th in league scoring.   He then finished second on the Petes in scoring in the playoffs, helping lead them to a league title and a spot in the Memorial Cup.

Robertson technically could return to the OHL next season for his overage year but after the two years he just had, that seems extremely unlikely.  Instead, he’ll get his feet wet in the pros and will likely suit up with AHL Coachella Valley in the fall.

Michael Stone Retires, Joins Flames In Front Office Role

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After a distinguished 12-year career in the NHL, Calgary Flames defenseman Michael Stone has officially announced his retirement. However, his departure from the ice does not mark the end of his involvement in the NHL – he immediately joined the Flames as the newest member of their player development team.

The older brother of Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone, Michael finishes his career with 552 regular-season games under his belt. The 33-year-old had this to say about his career and future:

I feel very happy to be able to leave the game the way I have and directly into this role with the Flames organization. I believe it would have been a lot more difficult had this opportunity not been available. I’m excited to learn and gain some new experiences in a different capacity in the NHL. I’m looking forward to working with the young defencemen and help them achieve their ultimate goal of playing with the Calgary Flames.

The Flames’ director of player development, Ray Edwards, also expressed his satisfaction with Stone joining the team:

The combination of Michael just finishing his NHL playing career and that his specialty is defensemen specific was exactly the role that we have been trying to fill. After drafting Etienne (Morin) and Axel (Hurtig), that’s a good area for Mike to jump into immediately and assisting with our Wranglers defensemen prospects. It’s a perfect fit.

Stone had played the last six-and-a-half years of his NHL carer in Calgary, only the second NHL organization he played with. His final NHL game came on April 12, a 3-1 win against the San Jose Sharks in which he registered four shots on goal. He recorded 11 points in 48 games in 2022-23, his highest offensive total since joining the Flames.

Injuries largely plagued Stone’s tenure in Alberta, but he was at one point a true top-four threat during his time with the Arizona Coyotes. Drafted 69th overall in 2008, Stone had a breakout season for Arizona in 2015-16, recording a career-high 36 points in 75 games while playing over 22 minutes a night.

Prior to his professional career, the Winnipeg-born Stone enjoyed a successful junior career with the Calgary Hitmen, culminating in a WHL championship in 2010. He then made the leap to the Coyotes’ AHL affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage, to start his professional career.

In total, he wraps up his NHL career with 41 goals and 104 assists for 145 points.

Winnipeg Jets Re-Sign Dylan Samberg

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The Winnipeg Jets have reached an agreement with left-shot RFA defenseman Dylan Samberg on a two-year contract, as announced today. The deal carries an average annual value of $1.4MM, a healthy raise coming off his entry-level contract.

At the age of 24, Samberg earned his first full-time NHL roster spot in 2022-23, skating in 63 contests for the Jets. He contributed two goals and eight points, but his main value came without the puck on his stick – he was one of Winnipeg’s best shutdown defenders at even strength. The team’s 43rd overall pick in 2017, Samberg’s now accumulated 13 points (two goals and 11 assists) and 29 penalty minutes across his 78 career NHL games, all coming within the last two seasons.

Before joining the professional ranks, Samberg played three seasons for the University of Minnesota-Duluth from 2017 to 2020, winning two NCAA championships in the process. This season, he appeared in his first top-level men’s tournament for the United States at the 2023 World Championships, contributing four points (one goal and three assists) in 10 games en route to a fourth-place finish.

Samberg played just 14:55 per game last season, a number that’s sure to increase as he eats into the minutes of veteran Brenden Dillon on the left side. Samberg was also extremely useful on the penalty kill, and his pairings with either Dylan DeMelo and Nate Schmidt were often Winnipeg’s best at limiting chances against on any given night.

He’ll be a restricted free agent again in 2025, although he’ll be just one year out from UFA status at that time.

San Jose Sharks Sign Leon Gawanke

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The San Jose Sharks have signed defenseman Leon Gawanke to a one-year, two-way contract, according to a team announcement, bringing him back to North America after an expected European departure. CapFriendly reports he’ll earn $775K in the NHL, $325K in the minors, and a guaranteed salary of $375K. He’ll be due a qualifying offer of $813,750 next summer.

Gawanke had signed a four-year contract in his home country of Germany just a few months ago, but that obviously won’t be honored. The move was made after failing to get much of an opportunity with the Winnipeg Jets, but after the team qualified him and then dealt his rights to the San Jose Sharks for Artemi Kniazev, he ended up in a thinner Sharks defense pipeline with more upward mobility.

A 24-year-old right-shot defender, Gawanke has shone brightly in the minors over the past two seasons. He led all Manitoba Moose defensemen last season in goals and points, recording a career-high 20 goals and 45 points. He also led the entire AHL in power-play goals among defensemen.

He went on a true offensive tear near the end of the season, notching 20 points in an 18-game span over March and April before ending the regular season on a four-game point streak. Throughout his four seasons in the Winnipeg organization with the Manitoba Moose, Gawanke played 207 AHL games, accumulating 114 points, including 35 goals and 79 assists.

While he couldn’t break through a large amount of depth defenders stashed in the Jets organization, he has a real shot at making San Jose out of camp – especially if they clear a spot on defense by trading Erik Karlsson (although they may fill that spot in the trade return). He’ll be battling with players like Matt Benning and Radim Simek for bottom-four pairing roles and could surpass the latter on the depth chart after he’s dealt with injuries and declining offense in the past few seasons – although he remains one of the few adept penalty killers on the Sharks.

Twenty Two Players File For Salary Arbitration

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The NHLPA has announced the full list of players who’ve elected salary arbitration this offseason:

F Morgan Barron (WPG)
D William Borgen (SEA)
F Noah Cates (PHI)
F Ross Colton (COL)
F Brandon Duhaime (MIN)
D Vince Dunn (SEA)
D Cale Fleury (SEA)
F Trent Frederic (BOS)
G Filip Gustavsson (MIN)
F Brett Howden (VGK)
F Tanner Jeannot (TBL)
F Philipp Kurashev (CHI)
F Jack McBain (ARI)
F Ryan McLeod (EDM)
D Ian Mitchell (BOS)
F Drew O’Connor (PIT)
G Ilya Samsonov (TOR)
D Brandon Scanlin (NYR)
G Jeremy Swayman (BOS)
F Troy Terry (ANA)
F Alexey Toropchenko (STL)
F Gabriel Vilardi (WPG)

This is not the full list of players destined for arbitration hearings – NHL teams have another 24 hours to file for team-elected arbitration with certain players not listed above.

As a reminder, just because a player files for arbitration doesn’t mean they can’t sign a new deal with their team prior to the hearing. If they do reach the hearing stage, however, the arbitrator will provide a contract award within 48 hours.

The length of arbitration awards can only be one or two years, and the party that did not elect for arbitration gets to decide on the duration. If a player is in their final year of restricted free agency, they are entitled to only a one-year term.

If a player elects for arbitration and receives a settlement of one year with a salary exceeding $4.54MM, the team has the option to walk away from the awarded salary, which would make the player an unrestricted free agent. Similarly, if the player elects for a two-year arbitration settlement with a salary exceeding $4.54MM, the team can walk away from the second year of the awarded salary, allowing the player to become a free agent at the end of the first year.

Teams cannot walk away from an award reached via club-elected arbitration.

For teams involved in arbitration cases, a second buyout window becomes available. This window opens three days after the final arbitration case is settled, either through a new contract or an arbitration award. However, this opportunity is limited to players who meet two criteria: they must have a salary cap hit of $4MM or more, and they must have been with the team at last year’s trade deadline.

Per the NHLPA, this year’s slate of arbitration hearings will take place between July 20 and August 4.

Carolina Hurricanes Re-Sign Dylan Coghlan

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The Carolina Hurricanes are retaining restricted free agent defenseman Dylan Coghlan, the team tweeted today. Per the North State Journal’s Cory Lavalette, it’s a one-year deal worth $850K.

Coghlan, 25, contributed three assists in 17 games during 2022-23 with the Hurricanes. It was a trying season for the defender, who spent most of it in the press box after coming over as a sweetener for Carolina to take the final season of Max Pacioretty’s contract off the hands of the Vegas Golden Knights. Still, Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell believes he’s a valuable piece of the team’s defensive depth:

Dylan is an important part of our blue line depth. He comes to the rink with a good attitude every day, and we’re glad to have him back.

In his NHL career, which began with Vegas in 2020-21, Coghlan has accumulated six goals and 16 assists for 22 points in 105 games. An undrafted free agent signing by the Knights out of juniors, the 6-foot-3, 207-pound defender got some extended NHL looks after strong play in the minors, namely in his first pro season.

2018-19 saw Coghlan lead all Chicago Wolves (then the AHL partner of the Knights) defensemen in points, scoring 15 goals and 40 points in 66 games. With Chicago spending the 2022-23 campaign as Carolina’s affiliate, Coghlan returned there on a short conditioning stint in December, where he scored twice and added an assist in five games.

Prior to his professional journey, the defenseman from Duncan, British Columbia, spent four seasons in the WHL, recording 38 goals and 107 assists for 145 points in 265 games with the Tri-City Americans from 2014 to 2018. With Carolina extending a massive short-term deal to Dmitry Orlov in free agency and likely acquiring Tony DeAngelo next weekend, Coghlan appears relegated to a seventh defenseman/press-box role once again, although it’s not for lack of trying. He put up solid two-way metrics during his limited action with Carolina last year, although he did play just under 13 minutes a game and wasn’t tested against any tough competition.

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