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Free Agent Notes: Lucic, Halak, Domi/Glendening

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Veteran grinder Milan Lucic still has some hockey left in the tank and will be looking for a new home in 2023-24. While reports had connected him to playing for his hometown Vancouver Canucks, it now appears he’ll be joining another nostalgic franchise for him, per CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal – the Boston Bruins.

Coming off a monster seven-year, $42MM deal, Lucic won’t command much on the open market and isn’t suited for anything above a fourth-line role, especially for a team with playoff aspirations. Boston is in need of cheap forward depth, but it’s fair to question the use of precious cap space on a veteran who can provide little offense, especially with hard-nosed Trent Frederic already occupying the token bottom-six grinder role. It would be a nice career bookend for Lucic, though, who won a Stanley Cup in Boston in 2011 and had 342 points in 566 games there between 2007 and 2015.

More tidbits before the free agent market opens on Saturday:

  • One of the longest-tenured netminders in the league is looking to extend his career in 2023-24, but it could be with a new team. Player agent Allan Walsh said today his client, Jaroslav Halak, will hit the unrestricted free agent market on July 1 and won’t re-sign with the New York Rangers before then. Halak, 38, is now sorely planted in “serviceable backup” territory, but there are certainly worse options for the No. 2 spot on your depth chart. The veteran of 17 NHL seasons posted a 10-9-5 record, .903 save percentage, and one shutout in 24 starts (and one relief appearance) with the Rangers this season.
  • The Dallas Stars don’t have a lot of cap flexibility this offseason, and it was expected they’d only be able to re-sign one or two depth forwards hitting the open market. That’s holding true, as after the Stars signed Evgenii Dadonov to a two-year extension yesterday, The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta reports both Max Domi and Luke Glendening will hit the open market. The Stars have $5.1MM in projected cap space, per CapFriendly, and still need an extension for pending restricted free agent Ty Dellandrea.

Vegas Golden Knights Sign Brayden Pachal

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The Vegas Golden Knights have finished their celebration and are ready to work. Today, they’ve secured some of their minor league depth by signing Brayden Pachal to a two-year contract extension. Pachal was set to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.

Serving as the captain of the Henderson Silver Knights. the undrafted defenseman registered 15 points in 55 AHL games, and suited up ten times for the Golden Knights. Still just 23, the former Prince Albert Raiders star has steadily improved his game, and now finds himself on the fringe of making an NHL roster.

Pachal’s new contract will carry an average annual value of $775K, making him an inexpensive option should the Vegas front office and coaching staff believe he’s ready for more action.

At the very least, he’s set for another season leading Henderson, though he’ll have to clear waivers to be assigned to the minor leagues.

New Jersey Devils, Timo Meier Agree To Long-Term Extension

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The New Jersey Devils are having a very busy offseason. The team has already traded away Damon Severson, Mackenzie Blackwood, Yegor Sharangovich, and Reilly Walsh, while bringing in Tyler Toffoli and Shane Bowers.

Now, with just a few days before he hit restricted free agency,  Timo Meier has signed a massive extension.

The eight-year deal carries an average annual value of $8.8MM, making Meier the highest-paid forward on New Jersey. The full breakdown is as follows:

  • 2023-24: $12.0MM
  • 2024-25: $11.1MM
  • 2025-26: $10.75MM
  • 2026-27: $7.75MM
  • 2027-28: $7.2MM
  • 2028-29: $7.2MM
  • 2029-30: $7.2MM
  • 2030-31: $7.2MM

General manager Tom Fitzgerald released a statement on the deal:

We were excited to acquire Timo at the deadline, but it’s an even greater feeling knowing that he’ll be here for the next eight seasons. Timo’s unique blend of style of play, goal-scoring ability, and physical presence will prove valuable for us.

In talking with him, Timo realized, and I always believed, that this is the right place for him as a player and a person. We’ve locked up another piece of our young core that is looking to take that next step together for greater success.

Meier, who arrived in New Jersey at the deadline and scored 14 points in 21 games down the stretch, seems to be a perfect fit for the upstart Devils. The club wants to take another step toward Stanley Cup contention next season, has the cap space to retain him, and the support to keep him at the 40-goal mark he set this year.

Given that Meier is still just 26 years old, an eight-year extension also doesn’t pose all that much risk. Sure, he will likely start to decline before it expires, but the salary cap is also set to start increasing next summer. Getting him locked in now could mean Meier turns into a relative bargain down the road.

Of course, it was never going to be cheap. Meier’s last contract was structured so that a qualifying offer this summer would be worth $10MM, giving him a ton of leverage in extension talks. Seventy-five goals over the past two seasons also help.

With Jack Hughes already locked up at $8MM (a deal that looks like it might turn into one of the biggest steals in the NHL), Jesper Bratt recently extended through 2030-31, and captain Nico Hischier still signed through 2026-27, there is a real chance for the New Jersey forward group to pull off some special things in the next few years.

Meier’s powerful mix of skill and size should only complement that group, especially after adding another consistent middle-six winger in Toffoli, that can boost secondary scoring without requiring top-line minutes.

A long-term extension has always made sense—now Meier and the Devils need to take that difficult next step.

Toronto Maple Leafs Re-Sign David Kampf, Pontus Holmberg

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The Toronto Maple Leafs won’t be losing David Kampf after all. The pending free agent forward has signed a new four-year contract with an average annual value of $2.4MM, per the team. Toronto also announced a two-year extension for 24-year-old depth forward Pontus Holmberg, who’s now locked in through 2025 at an $800K cap hit.

Kampf, 28, is coming off a pair of career years with the Maple Leafs, scoring 26 and 27 points while operating as a penalty kill specialist and bottom-six pivot. He is asked to take almost all of the team’s defensive zone draws, and saw more shorthanded ice time than any other Maple Leafs forward in 2022-23.

That makes him a valuable piece for the team, but there is significant risk in a deal like this Generally, long-term pacts with fourth-line players do not age well, given how many replacements are readily available. While Kampf has shown the ability to play a bit higher in the lineup, his offensive upside is limited, and he will turn 29 next January.

He’s also receiving a raise on the two-year deal he first signed in Toronto, which carried a cap hit of just $1.5MM. It’s hard to see many ways for Kampf to outperform this new deal, even if he does provide some solid defensive metrics in limited ice time.

It’s a curious first move for general manager Brad Treliving, given how much panic was pouring out of Toronto after another disappointing loss in the playoffs. The team had several unrestricted free agents, meaning he could put his stamp on the roster by bringing in different depth players.

Instead, Treliving has inked Kampf to a four-year pact that keeps him in Toronto through the 2026-27 season—which the Czech center will complete at age-32.

Sportnet’s Elliotte Friedman was first to report that Kampf had signed a four-year contract, while NorthStar Bets’ Chris Johnston was first to report his $2.4MM cap hit.

NHL, NHLPA Officially Announce Cap Limits For 2023-24

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The NHL has officially released the payroll range for 2023-24, though it won’t come as much of a surprise. As expected, the salary cap ceiling has been set at $83.5MM for next season, $1MM more than 2022-23. A much larger increase is expected next offseason.

The lower limit, or salary cap floor, has been set at $61.7MM. According to CapFriendly, four teams currently project to be under that number. The Chicago Blackhawks, Arizona Coyotes, Detroit Red Wings, and Anaheim Ducks are all well under $60MM in commitments, meaning they have work to do in the coming weeks and months.

A cap ceiling of $83.5MM means that the maximum average annual value that a player can sign for is now $16.7MM, 20 percent of the upper limit. It also means that teams can have commitments up to $91.85MM in the offseason, as there is a cushion of 10 percent to work with before the season begins.

Calgary Flames Sign Yegor Sharangovich

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After arriving in a trade yesterday, Yegor Sharangovich has quickly agreed to a new two-year contract with the Calgary Flames. The contract will extend through 2024-25 and carries an average annual value of $3.1MM.

Sharangovich, 25, was a pending restricted free agent with arbitration rights. With this new deal in place, he’ll be an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2025.

The young forward saw his numbers drop significantly this season, scoring just 13 goals and 30 points in 75 games after a breakout 24-goal campaign in 2021-22. That was due to several factors, perhaps most importantly Timo Meier essentially taking his job down the stretch.

With the New Jersey Devils ready to commit long-term to Meier, Sharangovich was a player without a spot, meaning this swap to Calgary should benefit him. He’ll likely get a chance to play big minutes, and head into UFA status with significant offensive numbers.

That’s what both sides are hoping for and what this cap number represents. The Flames can’t be giving out $3.1MM deals to just anyone, given how tight they are to the ceiling. They now project to be slightly over the cap for the start of the season, though there is still plenty of time to work that out.

The guard is changing in Calgary, with rumors swirling about several high-profile players. Sharangovich will likely not be the last newcomer this summer, as new GM Craig Conroy puts his stamp on the roster.

Colorado Avalanche Acquire Ross Colton

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The Colorado Avalanche are making another significant addition to their forward group. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that Ross Colton will be moved from the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Avalanche. The Lightning will receive the 37th overall pick in the draft in return.

Colton, 26, is a pending RFA that will be eligible for arbitration and is just one year away from potential unrestricted free agency. The fourth-round pick from 2016 is another shining success story from the Tampa Bay development pipeline, arriving late but making an immediate impact at the NHL level.

In his rookie season, Colton scored nine goals in 30 regular season games before a playoff performance to remember. He was a downright nuisance in the 2021 postseason and eventually scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal. In 2021-22, his first full season in the NHL, Colton scored 22 goals and once again was a significant contributor in the playoffs, scoring five goals (including two game-winners) during the Lightning’s run to the Finals.

While his offensive performance took a slight step back this season, Colton still provided 16 goals and 32 points in 81 games, adding 188 hits and 50 penalty minutes. A versatile, in-your-face player that can fit on a powerplay or the fourth line, he’ll help replace some of the depth the Avalanche have lost over the last few season.

The fact that Colton has some experience at center (but is not always lined up in the middle) could suggest that J.T. Compher will be headed elsewhere in free agency. After the acquisition of Ryan Johansen, Colton fits the bottom six much better than Alex Newhook, which Colorado moved to the Montreal Canadiens recently.

For Tampa Bay, there is only so much money to go around, and Colton is the latest cap casualty. His arbitration number was likely going to be too high for them to accommodate, meaning general manager Julien BriseBois will have to find another way to replace his presence in the lineup. Tanner Jeannot, acquired from the Nashville Predators for a huge haul of assets this year, may be part of that solution, given he plays a similar mix of physical hockey with offensive upside.

Jeannot is also an arbitration-eligible RFA, but coming off a much worse offensive season that will keep his number lower.

Still, the depth that was so critical to Tampa Bay’s back-to-back Stanley Cup championships is starting to be chipped away, with key pieces moving out every year. Alex Killorn, who has spent his entire career with the Lightning, is set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer after an impressive 27-goal campaign.

With that in mind, getting a relatively high pick back is an interesting result. The Lightning could use the selection to add to their prospect pool or potentially turn it around and try to acquire another inexpensive player to help keep the window open. BriseBois and company have never been shy about trading draft selections.

Getting Colton without giving up one of their two first-round picks is an impressive play by Colorado and means they could still be involved in other trades ahead of tonight’s event.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Zach Parise Undecided On Playing Future

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A lot of people thought Zach Parise’s career was over a few years ago. In 2020-21, he scored just seven goals in 45 games for the Minnesota Wild, found himself on the fourth line or in the press box, and was bought out at the end of the season. He was turning 37 and would earn a paycheck from the Wild through 2028-29—what better situation to sail off into the sunset.

Except, he wasn’t done. Parise would join his old general manager Lou Lamoriello with the New York Islanders and experience something of a renaissance. This past season he scored 21 goals, the 11th time in his career he scored at least that many.  Now, instead of assuming his career is over, people are asking whether he’s returning to the Islanders for another go.

A month before his 39th birthday, Parise still isn’t sure. Andrew Gross of Newsday reports that the veteran forward is undecided on his playing future, meaning the Islanders must wait before any negotiations can happen.

After his one-year, bonus-laden deal expires, Parise is about to become an unrestricted free agent again. He had an initial $750K cap hit last season but earned another $750K in bonus money for staying healthy. That kind of a deal would be expected again if he decides to return, and likely only with the Islanders.

If it is the end, Parise’s two seasons with New York are a nice capstone on a fantastic career. Selected 17th overall by Lamoriello and the New Jersey Devils in 2003, he has played 1,224 regular season games, scored 429 goals, and recorded 879 points.

Anaheim Ducks Hire Ryan Getzlaf

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It’s been the week of retired players receiving front office roles, with names like Pekka Rinne and Alexander Steen joining their former clubs. Late last night, Ryan Getzlaf was added to the group, accepting a role as player development coordinator with the Anaheim Ducks.

Getzlaf will work under director of player development Jim Johnson to “prepare and educate” the team’s prospects. General manager Pat Verbeek released the following:

We are thrilled to have a player of Ryan’s stature stay with the club into his post-playing career. His experience and knowledge from his NHL and international career will be invaluable for our young prospects. He can help prospects reach their full potential on and off the ice based on his 17 years as an NHL player and valuable insight of the necessary steps from junior or college hockey to the NHL.

The 38-year-old Getzlaf needs no introduction. Selected 19th overall in 2003, he quickly became a key part of the Ducks’ organization, winning a Stanley Cup in his sophomore year. The dynamic duo of Getzlaf and Corey Perry would lead the Ducks to annual regular season success, and several long playoff runs over the years.

In 1,157 regular season games, all with Anaheim, Getzlaf scored 282 goals and 1,019 points, reaching a career-high of 91 in 2008-09. He served as captain for more than 12 years, the longest stretch in franchise history.

Now, after retiring in 2022, he’ll transition to the other side of hockey and start a front office career. While his specific duties are not clear, bringing his leadership and experience back into the room should only serve the Ducks positively.

Kraken Defenseman Carson Soucy Likely Headed To Free Agency

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Another player that is likely headed to the free agency market is defenseman Carson Soucy. Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff is reporting that the Seattle Kraken and the hulking defenseman had discussions about an extension, but it appears that at this point he is going to unrestricted free agency and will be in a new uniform next season.

This past season Soucy finished last in Kraken defensemen for points and ice time, however, he will still be a significant loss on the backend for Seattle. Together with offensive defenseman Justin Schultz, they formed one of the top third-defensive pairings in the NHL last season, which is what will ultimately price Soucy out of Seattle.

Soucy had three goals and 13 assists in 78 games last season and while he will never an offensive defenseman, he may be paid like one given that he’ll be entering a very weak free-agent market for defensemen. Soucy can bring a lot to a new team, he can play on both sides of the ice, has a bomb from the point, and is a good penalty killer. The one caveat to Soucy’s recent success is that he’s played sheltered minutes for the past two seasons. If a team pays him like a second-pairing defenseman, they might be very disappointed with the results.

Given what is known about Soucy’s game it seems unlikely that a team will dramatically overpay him. Daily Faceoff is projecting a three-year contract for him with an average annual value of $2.5MM, while The Athletic is projecting a $2.6MM annual value also on a three-year deal. Those numbers are more in line with a third pairing defensemen and that is a role the Soucy can flourish in as demonstrated by the past two seasons.

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