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Brendan Lemieux

West Notes: Wild, Parayko, Lemieux

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Minnesota has had a strong first half to their season and are sitting comfortably in a playoff spot in the West Division and remain within striking distance of the top two seeds in Colorado and Vegas.  However, Wild GM Bill Guerin suggested to Sarah McLellan of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune that the team may not be overly active between now and April 12:

I’m really happy with our team right now. I’m happy with the job our players have done, and obviously our coaches have done a great job. Chemistry-wise, I think our team’s good. Unless something really makes us better, I don’t really feel the need to disrupt this group. If something will make us better, then we’ll do it. But I do see the chemistry that our team has, and that’s very important. To mix that up could be dangerous, but we’ll see.

Like many teams, one element that will limit what they even try to do is the salary cap.  Per CapFriendly, the Wild can only add about $2MM on deadline day which is hardly enough to try to make a splash.  If Guerin does opt to make a move then, it will likely have to be one that simply shores up their depth.

More from the West:

  • The Blues won’t have Colton Parayko back this weekend but his return appears to be on the horizon. Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch notes that the defenseman is not with the team for their two-game set in Colorado but he has been skating for more than a week now as he works his way back from a back injury.  The team has not yet ruled him out for Monday’s matchup against Vegas and he would be a huge boost to a St. Louis squad that has struggled as of late, dropping four straight and nine of their last 11 games.
  • The acquisition of Brendan Lemieux by the Kings over the weekend came as a bit of a surprise but Larry Brooks of the New York Post reports that the 25-year-old had asked for a trade from the Rangers which accelerated the process. Lemieux was believed to be seeking a larger role after averaging just over 10 minutes per game with New York prior to the move.  While he’s still in quarantine, Lemieux should be able to get that with Los Angeles, especially if they wind up moving a forward or two out between now and the trade deadline.

COVID Protocol Related Absences: 04/02/21

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Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Here is the list for today:

Boston – Jake DeBrusk
Chicago – Brandon Hagel*
Los Angeles – Brendan Lemieux
Minnesota – Zach Parise
Montreal – Joel Armia, Eric Staal
Vancouver –Adam Gaudette, Travis Hamonic, Alexander Edler*, Braden Holtby*, Quinn Hughes*, Zack MacEwen*, Antoine Roussel*

As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:

(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol

Players removed today: Brett Howden, New York Rangers

It’s a terrible day for the Canucks, who have added five more players to the protocol. The team is currently shut down through April 6, but there are obviously questions about whether they will need to stay dark longer than that as the team recovers. For now, their game on April 8 is still scheduled, but the league will be monitoring the situation on a daily basis.

Hagel’s addition was already reported by the Blackhawks earlier, though it is not clear how long he will be in the protocol.

*denotes new addition

Trade Deadline Primer: New York Rangers

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We are now less than two weeks away from the NHL Trade Deadline and talks are heating up. Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make?  We continue our look around the league with the New York Rangers.

The New York Rangers are a rebuilding team with a large assortment of promising, young pieces to build around. The team has been competitive this season, but is still a few pieces away from rounding out into a contender.

This is the description of a seller. The problem this poses to the Rangers: who are they supposed to sell? The roster is completely devoid of valuable impending free agents. Not one of New York’s UFA’s-to-be is at the top or even the middle of any buyer’s wish list. In a cap-strapped, expansion-affected, in-season trade market, the Rangers are also not going to make any major moves right now to shake up their roster or look to add those missing core pieces. The Rangers should be sellers; they simply have nothing to sell at this moment.

Record

16-15-4, .514, 6th in East Division

Deadline Status

Stand Pat (By Default)

Deadline Cap Space

$4.01MM in full-season space ($17.87MM at the deadline), 0/3 retention slots used, 44/50 contracts used per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2021: NYR 1st, BUF 3rd, NYR 3rd, OTT 4th, LAK 4th, NYR 4th, NYR 5th, NYR 6th, NYR 7th
2022: NYR 1st, NYR 2nd, NYR 3rd, NYR 4th, NYR 5th, NYR 6th, NYR 7th

Trade Chips

A warning for the following: the word “chips” should be taken with a grain of salt – and nothing is worse than chips without enough salt. The Rangers’ trade chips are either under-seasoned or old and stale. New York could deal the whole bag for the trade capital equivalent of 99 cents. There is nothing to see here.

The most recognizable rentals on the New York roster are veteran defensemen Jack Johnson and Brandon Smith, two of the most maligned defenders in the NHL in recent years. Johnson has already cleared waivers without any takers, while Smith’s $4.35MM contract means he is unlikely to move.

Phil Di Giuseppe is the Ranger’s lone impending free agent forward on the NHL roster and their best available rental. The 27-year-old winger has eight points in 25 games, which isn’t anything special, but puts him on a 26-point full-season pace – a good value at just $700K. Di Giuseppe may not be a household name, but he has nearly 200 NHL games to his credit as well. Contenders could do worse for a cheap depth rental.

As for players with some term on their contracts, the Rangers could listen on forwards Colin Blackwell and Kevin Rooney, defenseman Anthony Bitetto, or veteran goaltender Keith Kinkaid. However, they have to be wary of the Expansion Draft exposure requirements and the repercussions that moving any of these players would have. Especially at forward, where the team already dealt away Brendan Lemieux, moving another term forward is a shaky proposition.

Of course, the big name on the block in New York is defenseman Anthony DeAngelo. With more than enough talent to command a nice trade return on ability alone, the fact is that if a DeAngelo trade was going to happen, it likely would have already. Some teams are wary of his character concerns, while others are not comfortable with adding his $4.8MM cap hit to their 2021-22 payroll. Either way, DeAngelo seems likely to stay put in New York through the season until he can be used as Expansion Draft fodder and then bought out. DeAngelo is too good not to play in the NHL again, but it won’t be this year.

Others to Watch For: F Jonny Brodzinski ($700K, UFA), F Anthony Greco ($737.5K, 2022 UFA), F Patrick Newell ($792.5K, RFA), D Darren Raddysh ($700K, Group 6 UFA), D Mason Geertsen ($725K, 2022 UFA)

Team Needs

1) Draft Picks and Prospects – Read: Mid-to-late-round draft picks and C- or D-level prospects. Sorry, Rangers fans. This is not going to be an exciting deadline. This is the best you can hope for. Hold tight until the off-season and wait for GM Jeff Gorton to try to swing a blockbuster for a top-six center.

COVID Protocol Related Absences: 04/01/21

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Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Here is the list for today:

Boston – Jake DeBrusk
Los Angeles – Brendan Lemieux
Minnesota – Zach Parise
Montreal – Joel Armia, Eric Staal
NY Rangers – Brett Howden 
Vancouver –Adam Gaudette, Travis Hamonic*

As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:

(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol

Players removed today: Alexander Volkov, Anaheim Ducks

Volkov has cleared the protocol for Anaheim and is expected to play in his first game since being traded from the Lightning last month.

The big question mark remains Vancouver, who had their game postponed last night after Gaudette’s confirmed positive result. A member of the team’s coaching staff was also put into the protocol and now Hamonic has joined them. The league has shut down the Canucks through April 6 in response.

*denotes new addition

COVID Protocol Related Absences: 03/31/21

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Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Here is the list for today:

Anaheim – Alexander Volkov
Boston – Jake DeBrusk
Los Angeles – Brendan Lemieux
Minnesota – Zach Parise
Montreal – Joel Armia, Eric Staal
NY Rangers – Brett Howden 
Vancouver – Adam Gaudette

As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:

(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol

Players removed today: Sean Kuraly, Boston Bruins

Kuraly coming off means it’s another good day for the NHL, even though Adam Gaudette’s positive test was confirmed today. The Vancouver forward will miss a minimum of ten days, but hopefully, no more positive results will show up among the Canucks roster.

*denotes new addition

COVID Protocol Related Absences: 03/30/21

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Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Here is the updated list released today:

Anaheim – Alexander Volkov
Boston – Jake DeBrusk, Sean Kuraly
Los Angeles – Brendan Lemieux
Minnesota – Zach Parise
Montreal – Joel Armia, Eric Staal
NY Rangers – Brett Howden 
Vancouver – Adam Gaudette*

As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:

(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol

Players removed today: Brad Marchand, Boston Bruins; Travis Boyd, Vancouver Canucks

As reported earlier, Vancouver’s Gaudette has tested positive for Coronavirus. Whether or not it was an actual positive or a false positive will be determined by additional tests over the coming days, but for now he lands on the CPRA list and some uncertainty surrounds the Canucks.

Of course, with Boyd switching places with Gaudette and Marchand dropping off Boston’s list, this was actually a net positive day in the league’s battle with COVID. Especially when considering that Volkov, Lemieux, and Staal are only on the list due to protocols involving travel, related to their recent trades, there are only six players whose health status is actually unknown. Of those, Parise and Howden have been on the list for some time and could find themselves activated sooner rather than later.

*denotes new addition

COVID Protocol Related Absences: 03/29/21

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Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Here is the list so far:

Anaheim – Alexander Volkov
Boston – Jake DeBrusk, Sean Kuraly, Brad Marchand
Los Angeles – Brendan Lemieux*
Minnesota – Zach Parise
Montreal – Joel Armia, Eric Staal
NY Rangers – Brett Howden 
Ottawa – TBA
Vancouver – Travis Boyd

As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:

(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol

Players removed today: Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Montreal Canadiens

Kotkaniemi coming off is great news for the Canadiens as they come out of their postponement, and Lemieux is only a travel-related addition after being traded from the Rangers. Overall, it’s a good day for the NHL as they continue to battle through this unique season.

*denotes new addition

Los Angeles Kings Acquire Brendan Lemieux

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In a trade that few likely saw coming, the Los Angeles Kings have established themselves as buyers at this trade deadline with the acquisition of New York Rangers forward Brendan Lemieux. The Rangers announced that they have dealt the 25-year-old grinder to L.A. in exchange for a 2021 fourth-round draft pick. Lemieux’s contact carries a $1.55MM AAV and expires after the 2021-22 season, at which time he will be a restricted free agent.

From the Rangers’ perspective, maybe this trade should not have been a surprise. As Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman notes, New York is dealing with a difficult roster crunch right now and he believes that they have been looking to swap a contract for a draft pick for some time. Lemieux has also seemingly hit a wall in his offensive development as well, appearing to be no more than a 25-point player at best, and as such has been relegated to a fourth-line role with the Rangers where his physicality and energy can be best implemented. Lemieux serves the role well, but he is more valuable to a contender than to a team like the Rangers that needs to focus on evaluating their young talent and putting together a playoff-caliber core. With that said, New York is not the most aggressive team and will need to look elsewhere for that spark with Lemieux now gone.

The more intriguing aspect of this deal is the team on the other side. The Kings have been one of the NHL’s positive surprises thus far, still very much in the conversation for a playoff spot in the West Division albeit more so before their current cold streak. It’s not so much L.A.’s impressive pipeline turning the team around either as it is their veterans leading the charge. Bringing in a relatively older player who is seemingly locked into a fourth-line role, especially one with term remaining on his contract, would have been a very strange move for the rebuilding Kings prior to this season, but given their recent success it could help them both get into the postseason and handle the increased pace and physicality of playoff hockey. Lemieux also adds the aggression element that L.A. too often lacks; the team averages about 18 hits per game (7th-worst in the NHL) and has just six fighting majors on the year (tied for 9th-fewest).

One repercussion of this move that may not immediately jump to mind but could become important down the road is the Expansion Draft impact. For the Kings, Lemieux is an additional term forward that the team will need to decide whether or not to protect, although his addition does guarantee that they should meet exposure requirements at forward one way or another. The Rangers are not in as lucky a situation following Lemieux’s departure. Although New York needed to move a player to create roster space, moving a regular starter signed beyond this season could put them in a difficult spot. As of right now, the team only has two players who meet the requirements for the two-forward exposure quota – Ryan Strome and Kevin Rooney – and Strome is likely to be protected. The only other player who can meet the requirements this season is Colin Blackwell, who needs to play in five more games. If Blackwell does not reach the games played requirement due to injury or trade or if the Rangers instead choose to protect the current top-six scoring forward, they will be one body short of the quota – a spot that Lemieux was expected to fill – and will have to make an addition before the draft.

2020 Arbitration Tracker

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Originally published on Oct 13

The dates for the upcoming arbitration hearings have been set, with the first three being held on October 20. Hearings will continue through November 8. It is important to remember that this offseason, once a hearing begins, teams are no longer allowed to negotiate with the player in question while the arbitrator deliberates.

The full schedule is:

October 20

Andrew Mangiapane – Settled, 2 years $2.43MM AAV
Anthony DeAngelo – Settled, 2 years $4.8MM AAV
Matt Grzelcyk – Settled, 4 years, $3.69MM AAV

October 21

Ilya Mikheyev – Settled, 2 years $1.65MM AAV

October 22

Connor Brown – Settled, 3 years, $3.6MM AAV

October 25

Tyler Bertuzzi – Player filing: $4.25MM – Team filing: $3.15MM – Awarded: $3.5MM

October 26

Linus Ullmark – Settled, 1 year, $2.6MM AAV

October 27

Sam Reinhart – Settled, 1 year, $5.2MM AAV

October 28

Jake Virtanen* – Settled, 2 years, $2.55MM AAV

October 30

Joshua Ho-Sang – Settled, 1 year, $700K AAV (two-way)

October 31

Devon Toews – Settled, 4 years, $4.1MM AAV
Alexandar Georgiev – Settled, 2 years, $2.43MM AAV

November 1

Nick Paul – Settled, 2 years, $1.35MM AAV

November 2

Gustav Forsling  – Settled, 1 year, $700K AAV (two-way)

November 4

Victor Olofsson – Settled, 2 years, $3.05MM AAV
Warren Foegele – Settled, 1 year, $2.14MM AAV

November 5

Ryan Strome – Player filing: $5.7MM, Team Filing: 3.6MM – Settled: 2 years, $4.5MM AAV

November 6

Brendan Lemieux – Player filing: $2MM, Team Filing: 2 years, $1.0125MM AAV – Settled: 2 years, $1.55MM AAV
Ryan Pulock – Settled, 2 years, $5.0MM AAV

November 7

Christian Jaros – Settled, 1 year, $750K (two-way)

November 8

Chris Tierney – Settled, 2 years, $3.5MM AAV
MacKenzie Weegar – Settled, 3 years $3.25MM AAV
Haydn Fleury – Settled, 2 years, $1.3MM AAV

*Virtanen was not included in the NHLPA’s announcement, but Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports he will have a hearing on the 28th. 

Brendan Lemieux Avoids Arbitration

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The New York Rangers won’t need their arbitration hearing for Brendan Lemieux, as the two sides have come to a new agreement. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that the Rangers have signed Lemieux to a two-year contract that carries an average annual value of $1.55MM. The young forward’s hearing had been scheduled for today, with Lemieux filing for $2MM and the Rangers looking for a two-year contract with an AAV just over 1.01MM. This falls almost right in the middle, where arbitration likely would have landed anyway.

Lemieux, 24, scored 18 points in 59 games last season but was among the league leaders in penalty minutes, racking up 111 of them as an in-your-face pest every night. He won’t play a scoring role with the Rangers but doesn’t kill you at even strength and provides some bite to the bottom of the lineup.

With the new contract signed, the Rangers now have about $4.8MM in cap space and all of their players locked up. If they want to spend a little on free agency they have that ability, though with some big extensions coming up in the next few years it may be wise to only take on short-term money.

Speaking of money, the Rangers will now receive a second buyout window on Sunday where they could potentially free up even more cash. Brendan Smith is really the only candidate left, though at this point it doesn’t really make a lot of sense. A buyout would only save them a little more than $1.5MM in cap space this season, not a lot more than they would get by burying Smith in the minor leagues again. Taking on the buyout penalty in 2021-22 that would come along doesn’t make a lot of sense.

Instead, the Rangers may just look ahead with their roster set and next season representing a new chance. Loaded with young talent all over the roster, New York should be considered a playoff contender.

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