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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.

Hurricanes Expect To Have Alexander Nikishin Play For Them Late In 2024-25

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Hurricanes prospect Alexander Nikishin has widely been viewed as one of the top blueliners outside the NHL for a couple of years now.  While he still has one year left on his KHL contract with SKA St. Petersburg, Carolina expects to have the youngster available to them at some point late in the season.

Speaking earlier this week with NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti, GM Eric Tulsky indicated that they plan to sign him as soon as his deal in Russia expires and put him into their lineup right away.  KHL playoffs run through April and SKA is generally one of the better teams in that league so it’s quite possible that Nikishin won’t be able to make his Carolina debut until the end of April (if he’s let out of his contract early once the KHL playoffs end) or early May, meaning they’d have to have some playoff success of their own for this to happen.

The 22-year-old was the 69th selection back in 2020 and has squarely outperformed where he was picked.  He became a full-time player at the KHL level the following season with Spartak before being acquired by SKA in 2022 where things took off.

In his first season with them, Nikishin picked up 55 points in 65 regular season games which made him the highest-scoring KHL blueliner while also logging nearly 23 minutes a game.  Last season, he produced at basically the same clip, notching 17 goals and 39 assists in 67 contests, once again leading all rearguards in points while logging over 24 minutes a night.  While Carolina is surely intrigued by Nikishin’s offensive upside, Gulitti notes that they view him as a potential all-around fit.

With Nikishin turning 23 in October, his entry-level deal will have to be a two-year agreement, the first of which will be burned this coming season if he’s able to sign with and suit up for Carolina.  That would put him on pace for what many expect will be a pricey second contract in the 2026 offseason.

Carolina has had some turnover on the back end this summer with Brady Skjei (Nashville), Brett Pesce (New Jersey), and Tony DeAngelo (unsigned) all leaving via free agency.  Their replacements haven’t been as notable on paper with Sean Walker and Shayne Gostisbehere signing on with the other spot going unfilled.  It appears they could be eyeing Nikishin for that position which could give their back end a boost in the playoffs, as long as they’re still playing when their top prospect becomes available to be signed.

Free Agent Profile: Tyson Barrie

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It wasn’t too long ago that free agent defenseman Tyson Barrie was one of the better power play threats from the back end in the NHL and while his defensive game was a weak spot, he still was counted on to play a notable role.  However, after a rough showing last season, the veteran still finds himself unsigned more than a month into unrestricted free agency.

Back in his prime with Colorado, Barrie was one of the top-end offensive blueliners but with them wanting a second center, they moved him to Toronto, the first stop where he struggled.  Expected to anchor a top power play, he instead struggled; while he still managed to put up 37 points, that was one of his lower full-season totals.

The Maple Leafs opted not to retain him the following year and Barrie found his way to Edmonton as a free agent where, once again, he was expected to anchor a top power play.  This time, he was more successful in that role for nearly three years before being salary-matching ballast in a move that brought the Oilers Mattias Ekholm, a much better fit for them with Evan Bouchard ready to take on the top offensive minutes.

While Barrie finished up the 2022-23 season relatively well after joining the Predators at that trade deadline, things went off the rails entirely last year.  The team gave him permission to talk to other teams in early December to try to facilitate a move but one never materialized.  At that point, Nashville simply decided to make him their seventh defender and once the calendar flipped to 2024, he played in just 12 games the rest of the way, including playoffs, meaning he hit the open market at the age of 33 coming off the worst season of his career.

Stats

2023-24: 41 GP, 1 G, 14 A, 15 PTS, -10, 16 PIMS, 65 shots, 18:19 ATOI, 46.0 CF%
Career: 809 GP, 109 G, 396 A, 505 PTS, -75, 259 PIMS, 1,755 shots, 21:07 ATOI, 49.6 CF%

Potential Suitors

At this point, there aren’t going to be too many options on the table for Barrie.  If he wants a top-six spot, he might have to go into camp on a PTO with a weaker team but if he’s open to having a similar role as he did last year as a seventh option, he could be an intriguing pickup for a team looking for a secondary power play threat.

In the East, the Rangers lost one of their power play threats when Erik Gustafsson went to Detroit in free agency.  Barrie would likely be in a battle for the sixth spot so while he wouldn’t be a regular, he’d give Peter Laviolette another option for games he’d be in the lineup for.  The Bruins can’t do much roster-wise at the moment until Jeremy Swayman signs but if they have room to add an extra rearguard, they don’t have a lot of natural power play fits on the back end so Barrie could fit in a limited role.  The Senators and Blue Jackets also feel like longer-shot landing spots depending on what happens between now and training camp.

Out West, if the Blues opt to look outside the organization for a Torey Krug replacement, Barrie fits that spot well as an offense-first player.  Meanwhile, the Wild don’t have many offensive threats on their back end beyond Brock Faber so adding Barrie would give them some more options on that front, though they would need to massage the salary cap to fit him in.

Projected Contract

Going into the start of free agency, it looked like Barrie could have a case for a deal around $1.5MM.  That still would have been a big drop-off from the $4.5MM he made in each of the last three seasons but it still would have been an improvement on what he’s likely to get now which is a contract around the minimum salary.  Depending on where he lands, he might have to go the PTO route to get a deal as well.  That’s quite the fall from grace for a player who is in the top ten among points by a defenseman over the past decade.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Nicolas Meloche Signs Two-Year KHL Deal

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After not getting much traction on a contract in North America last season, defenseman Nicolas Meloche opted to try his hand overseas in the KHL.  Things went well enough over there that he has elected to sign a two-year deal with Dinamo Minsk, per an announcement on their Telegram page.

The 27-year-old was somewhat of a late bloomer, not becoming an NHL regular until 24 with San Jose.  He did well enough that year to land a one-way agreement with Calgary in the 2022 offseason but after a tough showing in training camp, he wound up spending the entire year in the minors before heading to Russia.

Last season, Meloche played in 40 games with Salavat Yulaev where he was relatively productive, collecting five goals and 13 assists before chipping in with two assists in six playoff contests.  Salavat traded Meloche’s rights to Minsk last week, paving the way for this contract.

With 57 career NHL games and 257 AHL appearances under his belt, it’s certainly possible that Meloche could look to return to North America when this contract is up.  After being more of a limited point producer before going overseas, a continued good showing on that front could certainly get him back on the radar in 2026.

Poll: Who Is The Early Favorite For The 2025 Calder Trophy?

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The hockey world is in for a treat with the 2024-25 rookie class. A long list of top prospects seem destined for NHL roles, including former high-end draft picks and controversial prospects. Their pursuit of meaningful NHL ice time will be undercut by what’s sure to be an exciting race for the 2025 Calder Trophy. The NHL’s ’Rookie of the Year’ award stands as perhaps the most coveted and exclusive award in the league, having previously gone to franchise-defining talents like Connor Bedard this year, Kirill Kaprizov in 2021, and Cale Makar in 2020. With such a star-studded cast of contenders this year, the winner may have to reach the heights of that trio to win over voters.

That could prove an easy feat for the pair of Macklin Celebrini and Matvei Michkov – likely the leading favorites as things currently stand. Celebrini was the first overall selection in the 2024 NHL Draft and is coming off a dazzling junior hockey career. After winning both the USHL’s ’Rookie of the Year’ and ’Most Valuable Player’ awards as a 16-year-old in 2022-23, Celebrini became the youngest player to ever win the Hobey Baker Award as college hockey’s top player this season. His prowess is undeniable. He’s a defiantly special playmaker, with all of the tools needed to match top speeds. Celebrini is set for a top-line role with the San Jose Sharks, while Michkov will fight for the same recognition from the Philadelphia Flyers.

Michkov is making the jump to the NHL a year earlier than expected, after being released from his contract with the KHL’s SKA St. Petersburg this summer. He makes the move to North America after proudly leading HK Sochi. Despite playing on a farm club to SKA, Michkov has still managed 61 points in 77 KHL games over the last two seasons. His 41 points in 47 games this year marked the most of any U20 KHL skater since Kaprizov, the record holder, potted 42 points in 49 games in 2017. Where Celebrini is a quick-thinking and quicker-moving playmaker, Michkov is an all-skill scorer, capable of using a mix of incredibly agile skating, great stickhandling, and a knockout shot to embarrass opponents in the offensive end. The sky is the limit for the Russian phenom, who should finally receive proper support after spending the last two seasons on muddling rosters.

Celebrini and Michkov will be challenged for their spot by a long list of high-end forwards, including Will Smith – who could find himself playing second-fiddle to Celebrini in San Jose. Anaheim Ducks center Cutter Gauthier could also break into the conversation – undermining yet another boost to the Flyers’ prospect pool. But of the many contenders, it’s the dynamic duo of Logan Stankoven and Mavrik Bourque who seem most overlooked in early Calder talks.

Stankoven was a lightning bolt in his first taste of the NHL. The first-year pro fought his way to an NHL call-up with a then-league-leading 57 points in his first 47 AHL games. The scoring didn’t stop in Dallas, as Stankoven proceeded to score 14 points in 24 games – the highest scoring pace (0.58) of any first-year Star since Jason Robertson in 2021 (0.88) and John Klingberg in 2015 (0.58). Stankoven was just one game shy of losing rookie eligibility when Dallas’ season ended, though he was quickly slotted back into the lineup during the playoffs – which don’t count against Calder Trophy eligibility. He continued to hone his game in the race for the Stanley Cup, netting eight points in 19 games and earning a routine role in Dallas’ middle-six.

If not Stankoven, then it’ll be his electric centerman Bourque who wins the title for Dallas. The two forwards were unstoppable with the AHL’s Texas Stars last season, playing with a pace and chemistry that opponents simply couldn’t keep up with. Bourque stayed red-hot even after Stankoven’s call-up, ultimately leading the AHL in scoring with 77 points in 71 games and earning the Les Cunningham Award as the league’s MVP. That was despite last season being just the second pro year of Bourque’s career. He was impressive, and found a way to score consistently despite his oft-criticized frame.

Even with all of the acclaim of the aforementioned forwards, the award could still find its way to other hands. Shakir Mukhamadullin in San Jose, Lane Hutson in Montreal, and Olen Zellweger in Anaheim are all prime candidates from the blue-line, while Dustin Wolf in Calgary and Yaroslav Askarov in Nashville stand as favorites in net – though the latter will have to fight his way above Juuse Saros. It seems the Calder Trophy debate could go in one of countless directions when the first puck is finally dropped – but who do you think will win out? Will it be dazzling star prospects Celebrini or Michkov? Will defensive supports overtake the top scorers? Or will a player like Brad Lambert subvert everyone’s expectations? Let us know by voting in the poll below and discussing in the comments!

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Stars Confident Thomas Harley Will Re-Sign Soon

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The Dallas Stars are still mulling over contract details with defenseman Thomas Harley, the team’s final restricted free agent. Stars general manager Jim Nill isn’t fazed by negotiations carrying into August, sharing with Lia Assimakopoulos of The Dallas Morning News that he’s confident talks will ramp up soon and Harley will re-sign. Nill added, “We’re having healthy communication. We’re having talks… We’re going to get him signed. I’m not too concerned.”

Harley will be signing the first real contract of his NHL career, after doing more than enough to earn an NHL role on his three-year entry-level contract. Dallas selected Harley 18th overall in the 2019 NHL Draft and signed him to his first pro deal just three months later. He returned to the Mississauga Steelheads following the draft but found his way into an unexpected NHL debut during the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs, after joining Dallas’ taxi squad following the end of Mississauga’s season. Harley went without a point in the debut but impressively kept up with a high-tempo Colorado Avalanche offense. He spent the next three seasons finding his footing, and then a top-line role, with the AHL’s Texas Stars – though a pair of extended recalls in 2022 allowed him to play out his rookie NHL season, marked by one goal and four points in 34 games.

The Stars were patient with Harley’s development, keeping him in the minor leagues through 131 games despite promising production to the tune of 70 points. But the long wait paid off, and Harley exploded in his first full NHL season this year. The 22-year-old defenseman managed 47 points in 79 games – just seven points back from Miro Heiskanen, who led the Stars defense in scoring. What’s more, Harley’s 15 goals were the most from a Stars defender since Trevor Daley in 2015. Harley managed the impressive scoring while averaging 21 minutes of ice time every night, serving as the haymaker behind Heiskanen in Dallas’ lineup.

That breakout performance is likely what makes Harley difficult to extend. He entered this season with just 40 NHL games, and six points, under his belt – then joined the heights of players like Noah Dobson, Zach Werenski, and Justin Faulk with his U23 scoring. Both Dobson and Faulk continued on bridge deals, with cap hits around $5MM, after their breakout years, though they both had longer stints in the NHL than Harley’s been afforded. The lack of NHL games played could hold Harley back from the $5MM mark, though a bridge deal would give him a chance to prove his worth next season.

It’s hard to deny that Harley is set for a long and fruitful career – especially granted his cushy role behind Heiskanen. Dallas will have to put a figure to their confidence in the young defender in the next few weeks. If, and presumably when, he finally re-signs – Harley will return to a Stars lineup that looks like it could be dangerous for years to come, on the back of incredibly talented young stars like himself.

Michael Vukojevic Signs In Finland

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After being non-tendered by the Devils earlier this summer, defenseman Michael Vukojevic has landed a one-year deal in Finland with Pelicans, per a team announcement. The contract comes with a second-year option.

Vukojevic was a third-round pick of the Devils in 2019 and turned pro early, beginning his career with the Devils’ AHL affiliate (then in Binghamton) in 2020-21 with the Ontario Hockey League pausing operations due to COVID-19. His pro career began in earnest when he signed his entry-level contract in March 2021, and he’s spent most of the past three seasons suiting up with New Jersey’s new affiliate in Utica. He never got an NHL call-up and didn’t establish himself as an AHL mainstay either, posting 10 points, 32 PIMs, and a -10 rating in 49 games last season.

The 6’3″, 216-lb left-shot defenseman now heads overseas, but at 23 years old, there’s still enough runway left in his development to attempt an NHL return somewhere down the line. He’s the second defender that Pelicans have plucked out of the AHL in the last two days, joining former Blackhawk Wyatt Kalynuk.

In 166 with the Devils’ affiliates in Binghamton and Utica over the last four seasons, Vukojevic totaled nine goals, 32 assists, 41 points, 116 PIMs, and a -10 rating. He also appeared in four games for the ECHL’s Adirondack Thunder, New Jersey’s low-level affiliate, in 2021-22.

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