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Colorado Avalanche Acquire Lars Eller

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The Colorado Avalanche have added some more forward depth, as they try to go on another long playoff run. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that they have acquired Lars Eller from the Washington Capitals. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic adds that the Capitals will receive a 2025 second-round pick in return, and retain 31% of Eller’s contract.

Like they did last season, Colorado is focused on experienced, versatile forwards to help lengthen their lineup, and Eller fits that bill perfectly. The 33-year-old center was a key factor in Washington’s 2018 Stanley Cup run, leading the playoffs with three game-winning goals that spring, and collecting 18 points in 24 games.

That’s more than he has this entire season, though, as Eller’s best days are clearly behind him. With just seven goals and 16 points through 60 appearances in 2022-23, he comes to Colorado as a bottom-six option that shouldn’t be relied on for much offensive production.

Still, he is a very capable defensive center, who still logs significant time on the penalty kill and is good (if inconsistent) in the faceoff dot. That doesn’t really answer Colorado’s second-line center question mark, but does give the group some more stability down the middle.

Eller is in the last season of a five-year, $17.5MM contract extension he signed just before that Stanley Cup run, and carries a cap hit of $3.5MM. That means he’ll cost the Avalanche a pro-rated $2.415MM through the end of the season.

For Washington, landing a second-round pick seems like a big win, given the lack of real impact Eller would have on any future contending club. The Capitals are focused on surrounding Alex Ovechkin with another winner next season, and trying to pull off a “rebuild-on-the-fly” by selling off veterans in a season that obviously isn’t headed toward the Stanley Cup.

They showed their intentions yesterday by flipping the pick they received for Dmitry Orlov, landing Rasmus Sandin from the Toronto Maple Leafs. This second-round selection could suffer the same fate, traded before the Capitals ever actually take the podium to make a pick.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Washington Capitals Sign Ryan Hofer

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The rush on entry-level contracts continues, with the Washington Capitals signing Ryan Hofer to a three-year deal. It will carry an average annual value of just over $850K, and likely starts next season. Today is the first day to register entry-level contracts for 2023-24.

Hofer, 20, is currently playing for the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL, this year’s host of the Memorial Cup. He was selected in the sixth round last summer after being passed over in each of his first two years of eligibility.

The late bloomer didn’t even crack major junior until 2020-21, before exploding onto the scene last year with 25 goals and 58 points in his first full season in the WHL. This year, as an overage player, he has 36 goals and 56 points in just 53 games, split between Kamloops and the Everett Silvertips.

Hofer will get a chance to play deep into the spring with a Memorial Cup appearance as the host city gets an automatic bid. Next year, he’ll be sent to the minor leagues where he can start his pro career with the Hershey Bears.

Philadelphia Flyers Taking Calls On Ivan Provorov

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The market for defensemen has gotten spicy over the last few days, with Mattias Ekholm, Vladislav Gavrikov, Jake McCabe, Dmitry Orlov, and others all on the move. The Philadelphia Flyers might be the next to jump into the deadline dealing.

Darren Dreger of TSN reports that the Flyers are taking calls on Ivan Provorov, noting how it will still take a significant package to pry him out of Philadelphia.

It shouldn’t surprise anyone that Provorov is available. There have been rumors for quite some time that a split might be necessary between the Flyers and their top defenseman, as Provorov’s progression hasn’t gone according to plan.

Once considered among the best up-and-coming defensemen in the league, Provorov had 17 goals and 41 points in his sophomore season and even got some down-ballot Norris Trophy votes two years later. In 2019, he turned that production into a six-year, $40.5MM contract with the Flyers, jumping to a $6.75MM cap hit directly out of his entry-level contract.

Since then, though, things haven’t really improved. Philadelphia has slowly become a worse team, they have struggled to find a good match to play with Provorov, and his effectiveness has waned. Through 61 games this season, he has just four goals and 22 points, totals that would be career lows should they finish that way. He’s still playing more than any other Flyer, averaging more than 23 minutes a night, but the fit hasn’t seemed right for some time.

With the new leadership of John Tortorella clearly looking to put a stamp on the roster, changes are coming in Philadelphia. James van Riemsdyk will likely be traded before the deadline, and questions have been asked about every other veteran on the club.

With two years left on his current deal, Provorov would represent a huge swing by a contending team—one with high risk and high reward. If a fresh start rejuvenates the 26-year-old defenseman, they could add a true difference-maker to anchor a top pairing and play in all situations. If he takes another step backward, they would be giving up significant assets and cap space for underwhelming performance.

Detroit Red Wings Sign Alexandre Doucet

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The Detroit Red Wings took a short break from their deadline preparation today to add a player to the organization, signing Alexandre Doucet to a three-year entry-level contract. The undrafted forward currently plays with the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL.

Doucet, 21, is playing as an overager in junior this year, but making good on his last chance to show what he can do at the amateur level. Through 58 games, split between Halifax and the Val d’Or Foreurs, he has 45 goals and 89 points.

The Red Wings likely believe they have found a late bloomer, as Doucet was never one of the top prospects in Quebec. Selected in the sixth round of the 2018 QMJHL draft, he would still play another year of midget before jumping to the Q and was a slow starter with just 17 goals over his first two years of junior combined.

Because of his age, Doucet can join the Grand Rapids Griffins next year (and this spring, if his junior season ends in time) to start his professional career.

Los Angeles Kings Trade Jonathan Quick

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Late last night, another franchise icon was sent packing. The Los Angeles Kings agreed to trade Jonathan Quick, along with a conditional 2023 first-round pick and 2024 third-round pick to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Vladislav Gavrikov and Joonas Korpisalo. The deal has now been officially announced, with the conditions revealed.

They’re very simple. If the Kings qualify for the playoffs this year, they will give Columbus a first-round pick. If they miss, they will owe second-round picks in 2023 and 2024.

The move must be bittersweet for Kings fans, who have cheered on Quick for more than a decade. On the one hand, the team is shipping out the most successful goaltender in franchise history, the backbone of its two Stanley Cup teams and winner of the 2012 Conn Smythe trophy. On the other, Quick’s performance had declined significantly this season, and the club is poised to make a serious playoff run if they can improve the goaltending.

Through 31 appearances this season, Quick has a save percentage of just .876, easily the worst of his career. The uber-athletic goaltender has seemed a step behind the play, and can’t seem to string together multiple good starts. In his last appearance as a King, he allowed three goals on seven shots before being pulled less than halfway through the game.

Still, this is a goaltender that has more than twice as many wins as the next-best in Kings history. Quick’s 370 career wins not only dwarves second-place Rogie Vachon’s 171, but put him 19th on the all-time NHL list. Despite never winning a Vezina Trophy (his closest came in 2012 when he finished second), Quick has a decent chance of reaching the Hall of Fame eventually as one of only 17 goaltenders to win the Conn Smythe. Add in an Olympic silver medal and two Jennings trophies, and it was a pretty productive career for the 2005 third-round pick.

The Kings are focused on this season, though, and bringing in two players to help them compete in the playoffs.

Gavrikov, 27, has been talked about for months, and was moved out of the lineup by Columbus for two weeks before they eventually moved him. The big, rangy defenseman can contribute in many ways, and could find even more success playing on a Kings blueline that can give him more support. With the Blue Jackets, he was likely asked to do too much, playing more than 22 minutes a night as their most reliable option, once Zach Werenski went down to injury.

Korpisalo is perhaps the more interesting addition, though, if only because he has caught fire of late. The 28-year-old goaltender has a .911 save percentage on the season, but that number rises to .916 if you look at his last ten, in which he has lost in regulation just three times. Those may not sound like earth-shattering numbers, but on a Columbus team that is one of the worst in the league, they are encouraging.

The Blue Jackets are getting not only two significant draft picks, but also an asset in Quick that might have some extra value. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic tweets that Columbus will check around to see if they can flip the veteran goaltender to a contending team.

At the very least they come away from another deadline with a first-round pick. Gavrikov was expected to test the free agent market, while Korpisalo was likely on his last legs with the team, as they prepare to turn over that roster spot to Daniil Tarasov.

New York Rangers Acquire Patrick Kane

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Though it has been evident for a while that Chicago Blackhawks legend Patrick Kane would be joining the New York Rangers, what wasn’t so clear is the price they would be forced to pay for him.  That price is now known as the trade has been finalized with Kane and defenseman Cooper Zech heading to the Rangers as part of a three-team trade that also involves Arizona.  Chicago receives a 2023 conditional second-round pick and a fourth-round pick along with defenseman Andy Welinski from New York along with the rights to blueliner Vili Saarijarvi from Arizona while the Coyotes receive a 2025 third-round pick from the Rangers for brokering the deal by retaining 25% of Kane’s contract after Chicago held back the maximum 50% of his $10.5MM AAV.

The 2023 second-rounder can become a first-round selection if the Rangers make it to the Conference Finals. It would then be conveyed in either 2024 (top-10 protected) or 2025.  The third-rounder going to Arizona will either be the Rangers’ own pick or the better of theirs and Dallas’ if defenseman Nils Lundkvist has 55 points combined this season and next which would transfer the Stars’ 2025 selection to New York.

Just as it played out with Claude Giroux last season, a franchise icon with full no-movement protection essentially dictated his destination, resulting in an underwhelming return. The Blackhawks were not able to land a guaranteed first-round pick in the deal, but will send Kane to his preferred team and still recoup some value.

When it became clear that the Blackhawks were tearing it down to rebuild through the draft, it made little sense for them to re-sign Kane in the offseason. If he was going to leave anyway, getting a second (or first) before he walked out the door only helps the efforts of general manager Kyle Davidson. Kane wasn’t forced out the door, but will now get another chance at the Stanley Cup this season with a loaded Rangers club.

After New York acquired Vladimir Tarasenko earlier this month, it appeared they were out of the running for Kane. They had a tight cap situation and had made their significant acquisition. Even Kane seemed to know he wouldn’t be headed to New York, telling reporters that it seemed like they had “filled their void” with the deal.

But now, with the help of some creative cap gymnastics, the Rangers have made enough room to land both star wingers, giving them a forward group that looks like an All-Star roster.

He also leaves Chicago with a legacy that will be hard to beat. While Kane sits second on the all-time Blackhawks scoring list, many will remember him as the most talented player in franchise history. His 1,225 regular season points came in just 1,161 games, numbers that will have him in the Hall of Fame one day.

Now 34, Kane will be an unrestricted free agent this summer unless he signs an extension with the Rangers. That certainly seems possible, though it will be difficult for New York to fit everyone in, giving some raises they own to some other players. For now, the focus will be on winning the Stanley Cup after loading up as much as they can.

Should they reach the third round, and fork over a first-rounder to Chicago, the Blackhawks would then own seven first-round selections over the next three years. After picking three players at the top of the 2022 draft, their system will quickly be loaded with talent that can mature together. Perhaps they’ll find the next star in that bunch, but simple probability suggests they won’t find another Kane.

Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli was the first to report the draft picks while ESPN’s Emily Kaplan was the first to report the conditional element on the second-rounder.  PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan was the first with the return for Arizona’s involvement.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Snapshots: Brossoit, Fines, Annunen

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The Vegas Golden Knights have placed Laurent Brossoit on injured reserve, meaning he is out for at least the next week. The 29-year-old goaltender only just returned a week ago, and flashed one of the best saves of the year on Saturday against the Dallas Stars.

An injury to Brossoit is certainly not what the Golden Knights need right now, but they at least don’t have a back-to-back situation for the next little while. Logan Thompson can carry the load, with Michael Hutchinson up serving as his backup.

  • The Department of Player Safety handed out a pair of fines from the Vancouver-Dallas game last night. First is a $5,000 penalty to Colin Miller for elbowing, and second is a $2,027.03 fine to Christian Wolanin for slashing. The fines are based on player salary, and are each the maximum allowable under the CBA.
  • The Colorado Avalanche have recalled Justus Annunen again, as they prepare for a back-to-back this weekend against Dallas and Seattle. The 22-year-old netminder has appeared just once this season, stopping 19 of 20 shots to secure a victory over the St. Louis Blues earlier this month.

Washington Capitals Acquire Rasmus Sandin

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The Toronto Maple Leafs said this week that there were ways to recoup some of their recently traded draft capital, and it didn’t take long. The Washington Capitals have acquired Rasmus Sandin from the Maple Leafs in exchange for Erik Gustafsson and Boston’s 2023 first-round pick, as confirmed by Toronto.

The move comes just after the Maple Leafs landed Jake McCabe to shore up their defensive group, ultimately pushing Sandin out of the regular lineup. The 22-year-old defenseman has been unable to keep a grip on that full-time role, even with outstanding underlying metrics through his first few NHL seasons.

In 140 career games, Sandin has ten goals and 48 points, averaging just under 17 minutes a night. It seemed as though he was turning a corner with Toronto this season, but instead will have to find his way with a new organization.

Signed to a two-year contract last summer, Sandin carries a very reasonable $1.4MM cap hit and can contribute in several ways for the Capitals. After they moved Dmitry Orlov, he should find playing time next season and could run the team’s second powerplay unit. There’s plenty of upside still left in the first-round pick, though his size and foot speed will always likely limit him to a middle-pairing ceiling in the NHL.

Still, you can see that the Capitals aren’t content with a full rebuild while their core is still in place. Flipping a first-round pick (despite how late it will be in the first round) for a young defenseman gives them a chance to quickly rebound and try to compete again in the 2023-24 season.

For Toronto, that pick might not be in their pocket for very long. The team still has to make another move to clear enough cap space to activate Matt Murray, and they now have another chip to waive in any trade discussions.

Not to be forgotten in this deal is Gustafsson, who has 38 points in 61 games this season as an all-offense defenseman. The curious thing is where he fits into the lineup right now, as like Sandin, he currently projects outside of their top group. The Maple Leafs essentially kept their defensive depth intact with this move, though with Gustafsson being a UFA, they are sacrificing it in future seasons.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was first to break the trade.

Minnesota Wild Acquire Marcus Johansson

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Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin has been clear that he thinks his group deserves an addition at the deadline, and now he’s made one. The Wild have acquired Marcus Johansson from the Washington Capitals in exchange for a 2024 third-round pick.

This is Johansson’s second stint with Minnesota, though he may still have nightmares about his first go-round. After being acquired from the Buffalo Sabres in 2020, the versatile forward would play 36 games for the Wild during the regular season before breaking his arm in a game three playoff loss to the Vegas Golden Knights.

Surgery and a seven-game elimination followed, ending his time with Minnesota prematurely. Johansson will get to rewrite history this time, joining the Wild ahead of another playoff run.

With a bit of a rebound after some disappointing seasons, Johansson has 13 goals and 28 points in 60 games for the Capitals this season. The left-shot forward can play center in a pinch, and adds another capable NHL option to the Minnesota lineup—one that currently leans heavily on one line to do most of the heavy lifting. Johansson’s goal and point totals would put him fifth on the Wild, who have gotten little production from players like Marcus Foligno and Jordan Greenway.

For Washington, expiring contracts are must-trades unless an extension is possible. The club has already thrown in the towel on this season by trading long-time defender Dmitry Orlov, and might as well sell off anything else that’s not tied down.

Getting a third-round pick for Johansson is a nice return, though it should be pointed out that they invested more than just the one-year, $1.1MM contract he is currently playing on. Last year at this time, it was Washington trading for him at the deadline, sending Daniel Sprong and two draft picks (a fourth and a sixth) to the Seattle Kraken. This is the fifth time he has been traded in his career, and the third at the deadline.

Kevin Weekes of ESPN broke news of the deal on Twitter.

San Jose Sharks Acquire Henry Thrun

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The San Jose Sharks said they would be going after prospects and young players instead of draft picks, and today they proved it. The Sharks have acquired the rights to Henry Thrun from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for a 2024 third-round pick. Thrun currently plays for Harvard and would need to sign an entry-level contract this summer, or become an unrestricted free agent.

The 21-year-old defenseman wasn’t going to sign with Anaheim. Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek explained:

While we are disappointed Henry chose to not sign with our club, we appreciate being notified of his intentions in advance of him becoming a Unrestricted Free Agent. We wish him the best of luck in his career.

For a player they weren’t going to sign, Anaheim has done rather well to recoup a third-round selection. Thrun was picked 101st overall in 2019, meaning they’re moving up quite a few spots, regardless of where San Jose finishes in 2024.

Still, with how well the 6’2″ defenseman has developed in college, it is disappointing for the Ducks to lose him. Thrun has always been an excellent puck-mover for Harvard, and has 26 points in 28 games this season. While there’s no guarantee that production will carry over to the NHL level, Anaheim is still looking for all the talented prospects they can as they move through a rebuild.

For San Jose, nothing is guaranteed, either. Thrun could still decide to wait until August to become a free agent, able to choose which team to land with as he starts his professional career. We’ve seen that scenario play out in the past, like when the Buffalo Sabers acquired Jimmy Vesey’s rights, only to have him sign with the New York Rangers instead.

Still, the Sharks are excited about Thrun as a prospect. General manager Mike Grier released the following:

Henry is a very good two-way defenseman with high character and leadership skills. He was named captain for Harvard this year and has a solid pedigree as a player, earning All-American honors last season after helping guide Harvard to an ECAC Championship.

It is a reasonable risk for the Sharks, and one that hints at their plans moving forward. The team is not satisfied tearing things down and collecting draft picks—they want players that can make an impact much quicker than that.

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