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PHR Mailbag: Stars, Askarov, Swayman, Bruins, Blues, Pacioretty

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Topics in this edition of the mailbag include Jeremy Swayman’s situation in Boston, if Torey Krug’s injury will make St. Louis look for another defenseman, and much more.  If your question doesn’t appear here, watch for it in next weekend’s column.

bottlesup: It looks like Dallas’s roster is set, do you see Jim making possibly another trade some point in the season or any other moves?

The answer to this question is going to depend on what happens with Thomas Harley, their lone remaining restricted free agent.  They have a little over $6.2MM in cap space at the moment, per PuckPedia, but that’s with a 20-player roster.  Assuming they want to carry an extra forward at least (Harley’s eventual contract would give them seven defenders), they’re closer to $5.4MM to play with.

How much of that will Harley take up?  If the two sides work out a long-term agreement that covers his remaining RFA years and buys some extra years of team control, it’s going to be at a number that’s actually higher than their current cap space.  In that scenario, instead of adding to their roster, they’d have to subtract from it to get back into compliance.  From there, they’d probably wind up tight to the cap, limiting their in-season flexibility.

But if it’s a bridge deal, things change.  Using K’Andre Miller and Evan Bouchard as some recent comparables, a two-year bridge for Harley should check in around the $4MM per season mark.  If they did that and carried a 13th forward, they’d be around $1.4MM or so (depending on the exact cost of Harley’s deal and the cost of the 13th forward), giving them some flexibility to hedge against injuries.  I could see them maybe using a bit of that to top up from a minimum-salaried extra forward to more of an impactful one around the $1MM mark which would then put them closer to $1MM in wiggle room.

At that point, the question of any in-season activity would be dependent on injuries and how aggressively they paper Logan Stankoven and Mavrik Bourque to the minors on off days to bank extra cap space.  If there’s enough room left at the deadline, I could see them making a move to shore up their back end as they did with Chris Tanev back in March.

I’ll also mention the possibility of a three-year bridge, one that probably pushes the cost closer to $4.5MM.  At that point, they’d have to fill the 13th forward spot with a minimum-salary contract and hold on to their minimal flexibility after that.  In that case, they could look to a UFA or have a 13th forward come up from AHL Texas; after that, any movement would again be linked to their ability to bank cap space in-season depending on injuries.  Again, I think there’s a move to make on the back end but it’ll be closer to March than October.

FeeltheThunder: There have been some reports and chatter that Tampa should go after Nashville’s young goalie Yaroslav Askarov to backup Andrei Vasilevskiy. Many feel Vasy would be more open to not taking on so many games if he had a backup goalie that he felt comfortable sharing with.  Not that he doesn’t like Johansson or anything but the reality is Johansson is just an average goaltender at best. Furthermore, it wouldn’t hurt if that backup goaltender had the same cultural background either as Vasy.

What would Tampa have to give up to get Askarov from Nashville? One would assume the 2026 1st round pick would be the starting point. I’m sure a potential prospect would be added but I don’t think Tampa would give up Conor Geekie, Isaac Howard, or even Ethan Gauthier in the trade. Maybe they just bundle some draft picks.

First, while there has been chatter about Nashville dealing Askarov for more than a year now, I don’t recall seeing anything credible linking him to Tampa Bay specifically.  While he’d be an upgrade on Jonas Johansson, there’s not a path to prime playing time until Vasilevskiy’s deal ends in 2028.  If Askarov had a chance to pick his landing spot (he wouldn’t, I’m just making the point), I’d have to think the Lightning would be pretty low on his list.  Going and being a multi-year backup or platoon partner isn’t a path to a big-money contract.

As for what the cost would be, you’re really constraining them by taking Geekie, Howard, and Gauthier off the table.  If Nashville isn’t getting a high-end prospect in this trade, what’s their motivation to do it?  A future first-round pick (which might land in the 20s) isn’t exactly the ideal centerpiece of a swap; I have to think they turned down better than that at the last two drafts.  That pick with some lesser picks or lesser prospects is a package that I suspect quite a few teams would easily beat.

The hope is that Askarov is a future franchise goalie.  The cost has to be somewhat commensurate with that; a quantity over quality approach to a trade isn’t it.  I could see Nashville’s preference being a prospect-prospect swap where they’re getting an NHL-ready (or near-ready) impact player (top-six forward or a top-four defenseman) back for the netminder.  I don’t see Tampa Bay being the team to give that to them.

SkidRowe: Two Bruins topics:

1) What’s going on with Swayman? How far apart do you think they are? Could Swayman’s camp be asking for more than the Bruins have remaining under the cap ($8.6m)? What’s he gonna do, sit out?

2) Apparently, the Bruins are counting on middle-six minutes and secondary scoring from a couple of youngsters; Poitras (20 yo, former 2nd-round pick, 15 points in 33 NHL games) and Lysell (21yo, former 1st-round pick, zero NHL games). If either of those guys fail, they can turn to Merkulov (23yo, former college free agent, zero points in four NHL games) or elevate Brazeau (26yo, undrafted junior player, seven points in 19 NHL games) from the 4th line. Is this strategy going to pay off?

1) With no arbitration option this time around (both sides passed on filing), there is no real pressure point on either side for a while yet so this probably will drag out for a while longer.  It’s hard to guess how far they’re apart as part of the issue here I suspect is that they’re still working on deals of varying lengths, meaning the gap will be different for each one.  My guess is that they’re not overly close and until we get closer to training camp where one side might move a little, I don’t expect to see much news on that front.

I don’t see Swayman’s camp asking for more than $8.6MM per season.  His career high in games played in a single NHL season is 44 so as of today, he’s not even truly proven as an undisputed number one.  He’s heading in that direction but hasn’t played enough to get there yet.  I think the end result on a long-term deal starts with a seven, maybe eight times eight at most.  If they wind up on more of a medium-term agreement, the cost probably begins with a six.

2) At this point, what other option do the Bruins have?  They couldn’t afford to make a commitment to a more impactful forward earlier in free agency as they need to get Swayman signed first to see what they have left to spend.  If they went and added a top-six piece, then they’re forcing themselves into probably taking Swayman to arbitration, getting a one-year settlement in the $5MM range, and going through the same thing next year.  The patient approach will limit their options to add short-term depth but should allow them to get their franchise goalie signed.

At some point, the Bruins need to start getting some contributions from their prospect pool.  Matthew Poitras was starting to slow down before his injury but he’s earned a chance to break camp and see if he can hold down a spot.  Fabian Lysell is one of their top prospects and flirted with a point per game in the minors last year so yes, he’s probably worth a look.  Frankly, those two have more pure upside than what’s left in free agency and they don’t have a lot of trade chips to use.  Having said that, I do see Boston being active on the PTO front to see if they can get a decent veteran or two in as a hedge against the youngsters struggling or Swayman signing a shorter-term deal (opening up more cap flexibility).

vincent k. mcmahon: If Krug’s playing career is hypothetically over (although it’s still up in the air on if he can or can’t resume playing) does this put pressure on the Blues of adding another d-man outside of the additions of Suter and Joseph?

It depends on what their intentions are for this season.  If they think they’re a playoff team, then yes, they need to go add another blueliner (although there’s not much left on the open market).  But looking at the Central Division and St. Louis’ roster in general, I don’t see the Blues being a playoff team this season.

If that’s the case, my thought is that they’d be better off not filling that spot, instead using it to learn more about their younger options.  They have four rearguards either 24 or 25, Matthew Kessel, Scott Perunovich, Tyler Tucker, and the recently-signed Pierre-Olivier Joseph.  How many of those are future building blocks?  At some point, they need to figure that out.  Using this season to do just that might be the better play in the long run.

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Snapshots: Jarry, Gagner, PHPA

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The Penguins weren’t believed to be opposed to moving on from Tristan Jarry back at the draft, suggests Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.  Last season was a rough one for the 29-year-old as he posted a 2.91 GAA and a .903 SV% in 51 games, the worst full-season numbers of his career.  In the process, he lost the starting job down the stretch to Alex Nedeljkovic, who Pittsburgh wound up re-signing.  Jarry still has four years remaining on his contract with a $5.375MM cap charge, a price tag that is certainly on the high side for the type of performance he had last season.  While there was some speculation that we could see some underachieving starters trade places this summer, most of those moves didn’t materialize so Jarry will go into Pittsburgh’s camp next month looking to reclaim the starting job.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • Unrestricted free agent forward Sam Gagner has yet to sign somewhere for the upcoming season but it isn’t from a lack of interest in continuing on. Postmedia’s Kurt Leavins relays that the 35-year-old is hoping to suit up somewhere in 2024-25.  Gagner had to go the PTO route last season with Edmonton, eventually landing a two-way deal that saw him spend 15 games with AHL Bakersfield and 28 more with the Oilers.  He did record ten points with the big club despite barely averaging ten minutes a night.  At this point, a guaranteed deal seems unlikely but another PTO could come his way in the coming weeks.
  • The PHPA recently announced the hiring of Brian Ramsey as its new Executive Director. He replaces Larry Landon who retired from the role last month.  Ramsey spent the previous nine years as the Executive Director of the Canadian Football League Players’ Association.  He will be busy in the coming months as the CBA for the ECHL expires on June 30th while the CBA for the AHL ends two months later on August 31st, 2025.

Frank Nazar Could Be An X-Factor In Chicago’s New Top-Six

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The Chicago Blackhawks have had the wind behind their sails since drafting Connor Bedard. They’ve continued to announce exciting upgrades to the roster, the staff, and even the United Center; pulling out plenty of storylines ahead of next season. But that excitement has cast a bit of a shadow over the genuine rookie challenge awaiting top prospect Frank Nazar, and the X-factor role he could earn as a result.

Nazar signed his entry-level contract following the end of the University of Michigan season in April. He was soon granted the first three NHL games of his career, as part of a cohort of Hawks prospects receiving their debuts. But Chicago used Nazar the most, awarding him an average of 16 minutes of ice time and coupling him with Bedard for a quarter of his ice time. He only managed one goal in the appearances but looked ready to play at NHL pace, and next to NHL stars.

The hefty ice time he received in his debuts was an early sign of the role that Chicago thinks Nazar could fill. They didn’t waste his ice time, and gave him a chance to earn roles alongside their best players – sentiment that’d now be much more valuable following the many upgrades to the Blackhawks offense this summer. Chicago now sits with significantly improved top lines, thanks to the additions of Teuvo Teravainen and Tyler Bertuzzi, as well as the return of Taylor Hall. That trio will join Bedard and, likely, Andreas Athanasiou or Philipp Kurashev to form an excitingly high-tempo and high-skilled Blackhawks top-six. But that leaves one spot open – and while hardened veterans like Jason Dickinson, Nick Foligno, or Ilya Mikheyev are likely safer bets for the role, Nazar could be much better fit for the high-skill calling card.

That’s certainly the moniker he built for himself at the U.S. NTDP, where Nazar fought with Logan Cooley and Cutter Gauthier for top-line minutes. He scored above a point-per-game pace in the role, and built up a knack for elevating talented wingers like Rutger McGroarty and Jimmy Snuggerud. He became a bit easy to forget during his absentee 2022-23 season – but rebounded with purpose last season, showing that he still had the ability to sway games with his flashy offense. He worked with McGroarty to carry Michigan to the Big Ten championship game and Frozen Four semi-finals – and carried the high-energy into his first taste with Chicago.

Hawks general manager Kyle Davidson has said that all players stand an “equal chance” at making the Blackhawks lineup out of training camp, perhaps casting some doubt on Nazar’s undisputed role. But with a healthy summer and a sense of what he’s preparing for, it’s hard to imagine Nazar not taking a step up next season. He sits amid tough competition with Chicago’s hardened veterans and other top youngsters, like Lukas Reichel and Landon Slaggert. With one collegiate season to his name, Nazar also has the least experience of the bunch. But the Blackhawks will need a special offensive talent to round out their newly-constructed top-six – and Nazar’s skill seems like an early best fit. He may need to first prove himself in the minor leagues, or wait for others to struggle, but the sky will be the limit when Nazar earns a spot among Chicago’s now-high-scoring top-end.

Summer Synopsis: Anaheim Ducks

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The Anaheim Ducks are stuck in the middle of the pond. Their playoff drought has now extended to six seasons, on the back of continuingly disappointing play from the team’s veterans. The Ducks now seems fully focused on building a new identity – one built around hard-hitting defensemen, shoot-first forwards, and new head coach Greg Cronin. Their moves this summer reflected that personality-building – though a quiet summer elsewhere will keep their expectations for low for the 2024-25 season.

Draft

1-3: F Beckett Sennecke, Oshawa (OHL)
1-23: D Stian Solberg, Vålerenga (Norway)
2-35: F Lucas Pettersson MoDo Hockey (Sweden)
3-66: F Maxim Massé, Chicoutimi (QMJHL)
3-68: F Ethan Procyszyn, North Bay (OHL)
3-79: D Tarin Smith, Everett (WHL)
4-100: Alexandre Blais, Rimouski (QMJHL)
6-182: F Austin Burnevik, Madison (USHL)
7-214: D Darels Uljanskis, AIK (Sweden)

The Ducks took their turn in the spotlight in June, vindicating their rebuilding with yet another fantastic draft class. They started their haul with one of the draft’s biggest surprises, taking Sennecke – this year’s late-riser – at third-overall. While the pick shocked many – including Sennecke himself – general manager Pat Verbeek insisted it fit the personality-building Anaheim is striving for. He shared post-draft that, “[Sennecke] is going to be a guy who can play any type of game, a physical game, a skill game or a speed game.” That same sentiment can be applied to hard-hitting defenseman Stian Solberg, another late-riser after multiple strong performances as the top defender on Norway’s international teams. While both Sennecke and Solberg may have capped ceiling compared to the players drafted around them, they’re both easy to project into an NHL role.

Anaheim balanced out their gritty first-rounders with a pair of more skill-based forwards next. Both Pettersson and Massé shined as stout playmakers this season, capable of facilitating transition and creating space in the offensive end – though Pettersson much more of a pass-first centerman, while Massé is a power-forward with a heavy shot. Some public draft rankings had both Pettersson and Massé slated as first-round talents – giving the Ducks promising value through the middle rounds, even if both players will face an uphill battle adjusting to pro pace.

The strong value continued through Anaheim’s third round – with hard-nosed forechecker Procyszyn and high-upside defender Smith. Anaheim rounded out their class with a trio of stylized late-round picks – again finding a mix of skill and finesse, hard-nosed forechecking, and heavy hitting with the respective picks. While Anaheim hasn’t inspired much in the standings, their choices in this year’s draft reaffirms that they’re a team with a vision in mind.

Trade Acquisitions

Brian Dumoulin (Seattle)
Robby Fabbri (Detroit)

With a strong draft out of the way and not many contracts needing negotiated, Anaheim resigned to a fairly low-event summer – made evident by their general lack of involvement on the trade market. The Ducks’ only moves were the cheap acquisitions of veterans Dumoulin and Fabbri, which only cost the team the collective price of Gage Alexander – with the 2026 fourth-round pick traded for Dumoulin cancelled out by a 2025 fourth-rounder alongside Fabbri.

It doesn’t seem likely that either veteran will earn a high-impact role in Anaheim, even despite both boasting Stanley Cup wins. But Fabbri has dwindled to a third-line goal-scoring role, and 30-point consistency, while Dumoulin continues to serve as one of the league’s truest defensive-defensemen. They’ll both battle for roles among the Ducks’ bottom lines, with Dumoulin at an added disadvantage amid the pressure of so many top defensive prospects. He’ll likely face the more inconsistent role of the two as a result, while Fabbri joins the cycle of wingers in Anaheim’s bottom-six.

UFA Signings

F Jansen Harkins (two-year, $1.6MM)
F Carson Meyer (one-year, $775K)*
F Brett Leason (one-year, $1MM)
D Urho Vaakanainen (one-year, $1.1MM)

* denotes a two-way contract

Anaheim’s quiet moves continued into the free agent market, where half of their action was re-signing restricted free agencies who became UFAs after not receiving qualifying offers. That duo – Leason and Vaakanainen – both managed six-figure contracts despite making it to the open market, and should rejoin the battles for ice time on Anaheim’s bottom lines that they each fought last year.

Leason will face added pressure from Anaheim’s other UFA signings – heavy-frame center Jansen Harkins and high-energy winger Carson Meyer. Harkins has played in 199 NHL games over the last five seasons, totaling a meager 31 points but offering a noticeable physical presence from the fourth line. He’ll stand as a fill-in when Anaheim is looking for harder hitting, while Meyer will likely start in the AHL. That’s where he’s spent the bulk of his career so far, and while he’s managed an impressive 110 points in 172 minor-league games, the production hasn’t translated to the top flight, where Meyer’s scored just six points in 41 games. None of the UFA additions seem poised to make a big splash next season, though each of the four will likely slot into at least a handful of NHL games next season.

RFA Re-Signings

F Isac Lundestrom (one-year, $1.5MM)
F Pavol Regenda (one-year, $775K)*
F Nikita Nesterenko (one-year, $874.1K)*
D Jackson LaCombe (two-years, $1.8MM)

* denotes a two-way contract

Isac Lundestrom leads the pack of restricted free-agents continuing on with Anaheim, though he wasn’t able to earn much of a commanding salary, after posting just 25 points in 107 games on his last contract. Lundestrom has yet to vindicate his 16-goal, 29-point performance in the 2021-22 season, and while Anaheim has opted to give him one more chance, he’ll need to take full advantage of his opportunities if he wants to stick in the NHL.

Much more optimism can be afforded to defender Jackson LaCombe, who managed 17 points in 71 games as a rookie this season. Never much of a scorer, LaCombe still managed his way to over 19 minutes of ice time on average, and a role on the team’s penalty kill, thanks to his stalwart defense. Anaheim has proven a fairly bleak testing grounds for young defenders, just two seasons removed from averaging the most shots-against in NHL history. But LaCombe weathered the storm and looks the part of, at least, a stout defensive-defenseman for years to come.

Backing Lundestrom and LaCombe is Regenda and Nesterenko, who are each coming off of strong seasons in the minor league. The two rotated around the San Diego Gulls’ middle-six, with Nesterenko totaling 37 points in 70 games and Regenda posting 34 points in 54 games. The pair will be more focused on gaining more minutes in San Diego than in Anaheim next season, though they could be go-to fill-ins for injuries or scratches.

Departures

F Jakob Silfverberg (retirement)
F Ben King (unsigned UFA)
F Connor Hvidston (unsigned UFA)
F Benoit-Olivier Groulx (New York Rangers, one-year, $775K)*
F Brayden Tracey (unsigned UFA)
F Max Jones (Boston, one-year, $1MM)
F Andrew Agozzino (Utah, two-years, $775K)*
F Ben Meyers (Seattle, one-year, $775K)*
F Glenn Gawdin (Los Angeles, two-years, $775K)*
D Albin Sundsvik (unsigned UFA)
D Gustav Lindstrom (unsigned UFA)
D Colton White (New Jersey, two-years, $775K)*
D Robert Hagg (Vegas, one-year, $775K)
D William Lagesson (Detroit, one-year, $775K)
G Gage Alexander (trade with Detroit)

* denotes a two-way contract

Anaheim’s emphasis on adding depth this summer is made clear by their list of departures. They’re overturning a large chunk of their bottom-end depth this season, though nobody on the list had much of an NHL role. The most notable departure is winger Max Jones, who’s appeared in 258 games with the Ducks over the last six seasons. Formerly a first-round pick in 2016, Jones’ career to this point has been marked by hot-and-cold performances and low-scoring. He’s brought noted grit and physicality to his appearances in the bottom-six, helping him earn some additional playing time on special teams and in crunch time, though he’s only managed a single-season high of 19 points. That came in 69 games last season, and he followed it with an improved scoring pace of 15 points in 52 games this year. That modest scoring, combined with his hefty six-foot-three frame, was enough to earn Jones a one-way contract with the Bruins – where he could stand as the fill-in for Danton Heinen’s utility role.

Jones’ departure won’t keep Anaheim up at night – nor will the absences of Groulx, Lindstrom, Meyers, Lagesson, Hagg, or Gawdin. All six players appeared in a handful of NHL games this season – led by Groulx’ 45 appearances – though not a single one of them scored a goal, and Lindstrom was the only one to exceed five assists. It’s hefty but well-timed turnover for Anaheim’s depth – and should open the door for top prospects to show their worth. The same can be said of the minor league departures, including unsigned draft picks Sundsvik, King, and Hvidston. While roles will need filled, Anaheim should have the depth to alleviate worry – especially after signing Dillon Heatherington, Roland McKeown, and Ryan Carpenter to minor-league contracts.

Salary Cap Outlook

The Ducks are entering August with $21.72MM in projected cap space – the most in the NHL per PuckPedia. That’s a staggering number considering the team has no remaining RFAs and boasts the structure for a serviceable, albeit not very competitive, NHL roster. Anaheim will enjoy the luxury of a cheap payroll this season, knowing that they’ll have to pay a premium to Mason McTavish and Lukas Dostal next summer, and Trevor Zegras, Cutter Gauthier, and Leo Carlsson in 2026.

Key Questions

Can The Youth Fill In? This Ducks seasons will be defined by their star prospects. Each of Gauthier, Olen Zellweger and Tristan Luneau poised for at least a taste at NHL ice time. They’ll join a long list of young Ducks fighting for a role – headlined by the returns of a healthy Trevor Zegras and Leo Carlsson. An ideal world would have Anaheim’s top lines comprised nearly entirely of U24 players, and they might have the talent to pull that off. Zegras has shown point-per-game upside, while both McTavish and Carlsson could push for at least 50 points. If young defenders Zellweger and Luneau can bring their gifted offense to the top flight, Anaheim could be positioned for the offensive explosion they’ve needed for years.

Who Is The Starter? While Anaheim’s young skaters are looking to climb into starring roles this season, top goalie prospect Lukas Dostal has seemingly already won his battle. Dostal outplayed long-running starter John Gibson in the second-half of last season, posting serviceable performances while Gibson struggled to find any sort of consistency. Gibson still carries a $6.4MM through the next three seasons, likely affording him the first chance at the starting role. But Dostal will be entering the season red-hot after championing Team Czechia to a World Championship gold medal in June. That momentum could be enough to quickly overthrow Gibson, which could send Anaheim frantically looking for a trade for their former star goalie, who’s been on the trade block since before last season. It’s a high stakes position battle and will be among the most impactful storylines of Anaheim’s next season.

Should Zegras Stay Or Should He Go? Trevor Zegras has had plenty of media following his early years in the NHL, as hype around his flashy offense turned into rumors about his availability in trades. The skepticism began with Zegras’ contract holdout ahead of last season, which forced the star forward to miss the bulk of pre-season training before signing a three-year, $17.2MM bridge contract. Maybe because of the lack of warmup, Zegras was quickly and routinely injured this season, ultimately being held to just 31 games and 15 points on the year. He’s maybe the most promising player in Anaheim, with 139 points in 180 games prior to this year’s butchered campaign. But he’s been vocal about his feelings with the organization throughout his struggles, and seems misaligned from the bruiser style Anaheim has built through the draft. Those factors make him a sensible trade option, though any move for the productive 23-year-old and former top-10 pick would have to pay Anaheim handsomely. The potential for a jaw-dropping return will keep fans glued to Zegras trade rumors all season long, especially if he rediscovers his scoring groove.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

2024 NHL Restricted Free Agents

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The following players are currently restricted free agents. The team that holds the player’s signing rights, as well as each player’s age as of the date of free agency opening, is in parentheses.

Those who play multiple positions are listed by their primary position played in 2023-24. Only those with previous NHL experience are listed. Players are not eligible for salary arbitration unless otherwise indicated.

Updated 9/24/24, 8:12 a.m.

^ – indicates 10.2(c) free agent, ineligible to sign or receive offer sheets

Centers

Nikita Alexandrov (Blues, 23)

Left Wingers

none

Right Wingers

none

Left Defensemen

none

Right Defensemen

none

Goaltenders

Jeremy Swayman (Bruins, 25)

Penguins Delaying Marcus Pettersson Extension

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The biggest storyline from the Pittsburgh Penguins organization over the last couple of weeks has been the ongoing extension negotiations with captain Sidney Crosby. However, the Penguins have another extension candidate in defenseman Marcus Pettersson who has been a consistently steady defenseman since they acquired him in 2018.

In an article from Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now, he asserts that the organization has delayed extension negotiations with Pettersson until Crosby has signed his new contract. There has been no indication that Pittsburgh is uninterested in extending Pettersson but the delayed negotiations could cause some unfortunate consequences for the team moving forward.

Pettersson is far and away the best left-shot defenseman on the Penguins’ roster entering the 2024-25 NHL season as Ryan Graves and newcomer Matt Grzelcyk will handle the other left-side positions in the defensive core. If Pittsburgh is out of playoff contention by next year’s deadline, they could look to move Pettersson for a quality haul but it would create a massive vacancy in their lineup.

The Penguins’ current roster construction does not allow wiggle room on the left side of the defense. The team could move Erik Karlsson or Kris Letang to the left side on the top pairing but that would significantly weaken the other two defensive lines. Pettersson has never been a top point producer from the blue line but his possession and defensive metrics show him to be a valuable presence in their lineup.

Pittsburgh did not significantly improve this offseason to the point of being considered a surefire playoff contender. Although the team would like to have Pettersson around for the long haul; the situation could become complicated if a defensive needy team is looking to pay a big price at next year’s deadline. Much like the Jake Guentzel situation from last year, the Penguins may be better served by letting Pettersson’s extension candidacy play out and ascertaining his trade market next spring.

Analyzing San Jose’s Options For Third String Goalie

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In the most recent episode of the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast, Sheng Peng was joined by the assistant general manager of the San Jose Sharks, Joe Will. One of the topics of conversation was the Sharks’ current pursuit of a third-strong netminder and the qualifications desired for that role.

In the interview, Will said, “That No. 3 goaltender, somebody that we would be looking at, would have more of a prospect flavor to them. Probably a little bit younger and you could grow with for a little while, as opposed to somebody maybe for one year“.

There are limited options available to San Jose in free agency as the top netminder left available appears to be Kevin Lankinen. Lankinen, 29, just put together two solid seasons of backup work with the Nashville Predators and likely won’t be thrilled with a third-string role. Lankinen is no longer considered a prospect at his age and does not fit the qualifications for what San Jose is looking for.

The Sharks will likely need to attack the trade market to find what they seek. The Columbus Blue Jackets and Florida Panthers could be intriguing trade partners for San Jose.

Unless a buyout is on the horizon in Columbus, the team is likely stuck with Elvis Merzlikins as one of their goaltenders while Daniil Tarasov eventually assumes the starting role. The Sharks could target netminder Jet Greaves who has primarily played with their AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters.

Over the last four years with the Monsters, Greaves has appeared in 118 games while posting a 61-40-12 record with a .905 save percentage and 2.96 goals against average. Greaves could be part of a bigger trade package including winger Patrik Laine, especially if the Sharks are willing to take on his full $8.7MM over the next two years.

In a similar situation, the Sharks could help Florida by taking back a bloated salary. Spencer Knight, the former 13th overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, spent all of last season with the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL while posting a .905 SV% in 45 games. Knight is poised to play a backup role for the defending Stanley Cup Champions this year but has a salary of $4.5MM for the next two years.

Florida should be able to procure a cheaper option for their backup netminder which grants them plenty of cap flexibility for in-season additions. Knight could then comfortably grow in the Sharks organization with his eyes set on the starting role.

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare Intends To Play In 2024-25

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Last season was a particularly quiet one for UFA center Pierre-Edouard Bellemare with his usage being by far the lowest of his ten-year NHL career.  Despite that, the 39-year-old told Norran’s Mille Dybro that he intends to play in the NHL for at least one more year.

Bellemare took a long time to come to North America, not making his NHL debut until his age-29 season.  Before that, he spent time in both France and Sweden with a strong showing at the 2014 World Championship helping to secure him a contract with Philadelphia.

Since then, Bellemare has played in 700 games at the top level between five organizations, almost exclusively being deployed in a fourth-line checking role.  He has 64 goals and 74 assists to his name while winning 51.5% of his faceoffs over that time.  Just seven of those points came in 2023-24, however, as he was limited to just 40 games, missing time with a leg injury while also being a somewhat frequent healthy scratch.

Accordingly, it’s not a big surprise that Bellemare remains unsigned at this point in free agency.  A player in his situation is likelier to have to go the PTO route in September over landing a guaranteed contract in August.  Fortunately for him, his type of profile is one that quite a few teams will often look at PTOs to potentially fill so he shouldn’t have much difficulty securing one.

Bellemare is expected to play in the upcoming Olympic Qualifying Tournament at the end of the month so it wouldn’t be surprising for any sort of contractual agreement to come until after that point in time; if he signed early, his new team might prefer he not play.

Alternatively, if he isn’t able to get an NHL contract in the fall, Bellemare indicated that he wouldn’t rule out a return to SHL Skelleftea.  He is currently training there and spent his last five international seasons with them before coming to the NHL.  Returning to finish his playing career there would be somewhat of a full-circle moment for Bellemare but for now, landing another deal at the top level is the priority.

Islanders Unlikely To Bring Back Matt Martin Or Cal Clutterbuck

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A pair of long-time Islanders remain unsigned more than five weeks into free agency with wingers Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck still on the open market.  That has led some to wonder if New York might be able to find a way to bring them back into the fold at a lower price tag.

Speaking with Ethan Sears of the New York Post, GM Lou Lamoriello tried to pour cold water on that idea.  While he didn’t entirely rule the idea out, he indicated that it’s something he’s not considering at this time:

We’ll probably be moving on. That isn’t saying things can’t change. We’re talking about two veterans, two quality individuals. Two team leaders and two real good hockey players, so we’ll have to see how things come about.

Martin is a veteran of 15 NHL seasons, all but two of which have come with the Isles.  The 35-year-old has yet to reach 20 points in a single season but in his prime, he was a key cog of a strong and physical fourth line group that could play bigger minutes than a fourth line generally does.  Last season, Martin was limited to just 57 games between injuries and a few healthy scratches, collecting four goals and four assists along with 151 hits.

Clutterbuck, meanwhile, has a 17-year NHL career with the last 11 of those seasons being played in New York.  While his peak offensive years were better than Martin’s, a lot of his per-season numbers wound up being pretty close as another member of that vaunted fourth line.  Last season, Clutterbuck managed to stay healthy, playing the first 82-game campaign of his career where he picked up seven goals, 12 assists, and 273 hits.

Lamoriello elected to bring in a pair of more offensive-minded forwards to take their spots on the roster this summer.  Anthony Duclair was brought in on a four-year, $14MM contract while they beat out many suitors to land Russian winger Maxim Tsyplakov on a one-year, entry-level pact.  With the Isles failing to crack the top 20 in goals scored for the past three seasons, looking for more firepower and speed certainly made sense although it comes at the expense of a pair of fan favorites who will have to look elsewhere if they want to continue their respective careers.

West Notes: Ehlers, Portillo, Lerby

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With Olympic Qualifying Tournaments beginning at the end of the month, several teams will have decisions to make about allowing their players to participate in the event just before training camps get underway.  Jets head coach Scott Arniel told Scott Billeck of the Winnipeg Sun that Nikolaj Ehlers will indeed suit up for Denmark in their tournament, noting their hope is that this will serve as a jumpstart heading into camp.  Ehlers has been frequently speculated as a possible trade candidate in recent months and he’s coming into the final season of his seven-year, $42MM contract signed back in 2017.  After putting up the second-highest point total of his career last season with 61, Ehlers will be looking for another big performance to bolster his value ahead of his first crack at unrestricted free agency.

More from the Western Conference:

  • The Kings have two remaining restricted free agents in winger Arthur Kaliyev and goaltender Erik Portillo. Kaliyev is believed to be available on the trade market which could affect the timing of his next deal but Portillo is still in Los Angeles’ plans.  John Hoven of Mayors Manor recently examined some comparable netminders, suggesting that Portillo will likely ink a two-year deal around a $1MM AAV with the second season of that being a one-way agreement, similar to recent contracts given to Dustin Wolf (Calgary), Nico Daws (New Jersey), and Jet Greaves (Columbus) earlier this summer.  David Rittich and Pheonix Copley are on one-year deals so a good showing from Portillo with AHL Ontario in 2024-25 could put him in a good position to be Darcy Kuemper’s backup in 2025-26.
  • Flames RFA defenseman Carl-Johan Lerby is on the move in Sweden as Kalmar of the second-tier Allsvenskan announced that they’ve signed him to a one-year contract. The 27-year-old signed with Calgary as an undrafted free agent in 2019 but he spent limited time in North America, suiting up just 22 times with AHL Stockton before heading back overseas in 2021.  The Flames retained his rights by tendering a qualifying offer at that time.  Lerby split last season between the Finnish Liiga and the Allsvenskan, compiling 15 points in 45 regular season games between the two levels.

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