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Brian Gionta

Atlantic Notes: Green, Helm, Lightning, Dzingel

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Red Wings defenseman Mike Green is willing to waive his no-trade clause if the team can strike a deal to trade him to Tampa Bay, reports MLive’s Ansar Khan.  Detroit is seeking a first-round pick from Tampa Bay, one that is expected to fall in the last few spots based on the current standings.  If Lightning GM Steve Yzerman isn’t willing to pay that price, Khan notes that the Wings will be seeking a young roster player that can step into their lineup next season in addition to a second-round selection.  Green, who is currently day-to-day with a neck injury, carries a $6MM cap hit this season and will be eligible for unrestricted free agency in July.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic:

  • The Bruins inquired about the availability of Red Wings center Darren Helm, reports Craig Custance of The Athletic (subscription required). However, talks appear to have not gone far as Boston was looking to send a bad contract to Detroit as part of the return.  Helm is in the second season of a five-year deal that carries a fairly steep cap hit of $3.85MM while he also holds a full no-trade clause through next season.
  • While unrestricted free agent winger Brian Gionta is optimistic about securing a contract before the trade deadline, Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times notes that the Lightning will not be one of the teams interested in his services. Gionta is currently suiting up for Team USA at the Olympics and his playoff pedigree and experience should result in him receiving some offers.  In order for him to be eligible to play in the postseason, the 39-year-old would need to sign by next Monday.
  • Senators winger Ryan Dzingel is expected to rejoin the team on Tuesday, notes Postmedia’s Ken Warren. He has missed the last two games due to a family matter.  The 25-year-old is in the midst of a career year as he is on pace to hit the 20-goal mark for the first time in his career.

Brian Gionta “Optimistic” About NHL Contract Following Olympics

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39-year old Brian Gionta didn’t want to uproot his family and chase a contract somewhere around the NHL last offseason, and instead pursued another Olympic medal as captain of Team USA. Now, as Gionta tries to bounce back after an early upset in the tournament, his agent is still working the phones for his next opportunity. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription required) spoke with agent Steve Bartlett about Gionta’s future, and it seems promising.

…I think he’ll have a landing spot when all is said and done. We’re optimistic. I’ll continue to have discussions with interested teams, but right now our list is getting pretty short as far as what we think is a good fit for him and vice-versa.

While LeBrun can’t pry out who the interested teams may be, it’s no surprise that there will be a landing spot for Gionta. Despite his age, Gionta is coming off a solid season in Buffalo in which he scored 15 goals and 35 points. That level of production has never escaped the undersized winger, and it could come in handy down the stretch for a playoff-bound team. Gionta is revered as an excellent leader around the league, and comes with 112 games of playoff experience.

Though he likely won’t play a top-six role wherever he goes, what better player to add to your fourth-line mix than a proven leader that can play in all different situations. LeBrun speculates on a fit in Tampa Bay (which is not one of the teams that has reached out, according to Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times) and Boston, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see any playoff hopeful add Gionta. He’ll have to sign before the February 26th trade deadline to be eligible for the postseason, but the gold medal game is luckily just a day before that.

Gionta, Wisniewski Drawing NHL Attention

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Team USA won’t kick off their Olympic tournament until Wednesday, but that hasn’t stopped NHL teams from already reaching out to the agents of veteran Americans Brian Gionta and James Wisniewski. Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press writes that the unemployed former NHLers may not stay that way for long after the Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea wrap up. Teams have already begun to inquire into the availability of both long-time pros for contracts through the end of the regular season. At this time of year, the concept of bringing in game-ready, experienced assets without paying inflated prices is sure to entice many squads.

Gionta, 39, and Wisniewski, 33, will only have about a day and a half following the end of the Olympics to sign in the NHL and remain eligible for the postseason, Whyno writes. This means that the agents for both players will be busy working the phones while the players are hard at work in pursuit of a gold medal. The case for each is simple. Gionta is less than a year removed from NHL action and played in all 82 games with the Buffalo Sabres last season, recording 35 points, which was good enough for sixth among Buffalo forwards. He has both the experience and ability to be a depth asset up front for a contender. Wisniewski, on the other hand, last played a full NHL season in 2014-15. A season-ending injury in the first and only game of his 2015-16 season and Carolina Hurricanes tenure derailed Wisniewski’s NHL career, but after bouncing around Russia, Switzerland, Germany, and the AHL over the past two seasons, looking especially impressive with the Deutsche Eishockey Liga’s Kassel Huskies this fall, Wisniewski has proven to still be a capable player. A strong outing at the Olympics for the offensive-minded, right-shot defenseman would make him all the more attractive addition.

While the agents do their jobs of selling their players, Gionta and Wisniewski will do theirs, leading the American team through their Olympic schedule. Both need a strong individual performance to boost their value to interested NHL teams, but will surely be more invested in the performance of the team. Despite several promising young players like Ryan Donato, Jordan Greenway, and Troy Terry and two of the best players in the Swiss NLA, Garrett Roe and Mark Arcobello, Team USA will undoubtedly look to their only two established stars to be the leaders on the ice and in the locker room.

Atlantic Notes: Shaw, Zaitsev, Gionta

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The Montreal Canadiens announced today that three players had not accompanied the team on their road trip to St. Louis for tomorrow night’s game. Shea Weber is away recuperating from his foot injury, Phillip Danault is still dealing with concussion-like symptoms, and Andrew Shaw is out four to six weeks with a lower-body injury.

We’d previously heard that both Shaw and Weber could be back soon after the All-Star break, which now doesn’t appear to be the case. This is just further trouble for the Canadiens, who are now 15 points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs for third in the Atlantic Division. Shaw’s injury also adds another factor to any interest in his services from around the league, as he likely won’t be healthy when the trade deadline passes on February 26th.

  • Those Maple Leafs on the other hand received some good news today when Nikita Zaitsev and Nikita Soshnikov returned to practice. The team was still without Morgan Rielly as he continues to come back from an upper-body injury, but could get Zaitsev back for Wednesday’s game. The fact that the team only recalled Kasperi Kapanen today from the minors seems to support that idea, as the team only has six healthy defensemen.
  • The Rochester Americans have signed Brian Gionta to a professional tryout, and he’ll suit up for them tomorrow night as he continues his preparation for the upcoming Olympic Games. Gionta is set to captain Team USA in Pyeongchang, with a squad of several former NHL players. Remember, that the Olympics do end just in time for any players to sign NHL contracts that would make them eligible for the playoffs. Any exceptional performances could earn a depth spot for a playoff stretch run.

USA Hockey Announces National Select Team

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As they prepare for the 2018 Winter Olympics without the benefit of NHL players, USA Hockey has announced their National Select team that will suit up in the Deutschland Cup from November 10-12. The team represents a good look at who will be considered for the Olympic team, minus several college-aged players that will stay with their NCAA teams for now. Jordan Greenway, Troy Terry and others will likely be on the roster in Pyeongchang, but will not suit up in Germany with this squad.

Among the names are several that will be immediately recognized by NHL fans, with Ryan Malone, Brian Gionta and Mark Stuart among the most notable. Each player is barely removed from the NHL, with Malone having made a comeback in Minnesota camp after a few years away (he signed an AHL contract with the Iowa Wild to maintain Olympic eligibility) and Stuart and Gionta both playing full seasons in 2016-17. Impressively, 21 of the 29 players have NHL experience making this squad better than some have expected to ice.

Below is the full roster:

Read more

Brian Gionta To Practice With Rochester, Prepare For Olympics

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Veteran forward Brian Gionta wasn’t able to secure an NHL deal this summer, but he won’t be hanging up his skates just yet. According to Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News, the 38-year old Gionta will practice with the Rochester Americans for an “extended period of time in preparation for international play.” Gionta is a good bet to make Team USA in the upcoming Olympics, perhaps even as captain of the squad.

Though he won’t be suiting up in the NHL this year, Gionta is still an excellent hockey player. Last year, on a Buffalo team struck by several injuries, Gionta recorded a solid 35 points and played in all 82 games. His defensive work ethic has always been one of the strongest parts of his game, and he can be relied upon in almost any situation. While he might not be the most exciting player on the Olympic squad—that could go to one of the younger college-aged players—he’ll provide plenty of professional and international experience.

Gionta took part in the 2006 Olympics, and has represented the United States in five other major international tournaments. In the 42 international contests he’s suited up for, he’s registered 31 points. The former captain of the Sabres, Gionta will bring plenty of leadership should he make the club. One should remember that he hasn’t officially been named yet.

Snapshots: Thornton, Gionta, Gelinas, Red Wings

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While the Maple Leafs landed one long-time San Jose Shark in winger Patrick Marleau over the summer, Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports that Toronto was among the teams that were pursuing center Joe Thornton and at one time were looking to bring the veteran duo in as a package deal.  Thornton’s preference was to remain in San Jose and he wound up agreeing on a one-year, $8MM deal while Marleau wound up receiving both more money and term from Toronto than what the Sharks were offering him.  Given where Toronto is with regards to the salary cap, it’s hard to imagine how the duo would have fit in money-wise but the fact that they pursued both of them together suggests GM Lou Lamoriello had something ready if both would have signed.

Other notes from around the league:

  • Unrestricted free agent winger Brian Gionta is considering signing an AHL-only deal with Rochester, the minor league affiliate of the Sabres, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports. While it’s believed he has NHL offers on the table, he’d like to stay close to his family which this would allow him to do while also maintaining his eligibility to suit up in the upcoming Olympics.
  • The Canadiens have yet to initiate any sort of contracts with PTO defenseman Eric Gelinas, notes TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie. Gelinas is looking to land a spot on Montreal’s back end after turning down multiple offers overseas during the summer.  He split last season between Colorado and their AHL affiliate in San Antonio.
  • The Red Wings are expecting a trio of veterans to return from injuries, notes MLive’s Ansar Khan. Niklas Kronwall is expected to make his preseason debut on Thursday after missing time with back spasms while Justin Abdelkader is hopeful to play then as well; he has missed the last ten days with a groin issue.  Meanwhile, captain Henrik Zetterberg is slated to play on Friday for the first time as his neck soreness is improving.

Free Agent Notes: Gionta, Athanasiou, Da Costa

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Winger Brian Gionta is the second highest scoring player from last season that remains an unrestricted free agent as training camps get underway.  However, his agent Brian Bartlett told Leo Roth of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle that the fact he remains unsigned is Gionta’s choice and that it may stay that way for a little while longer:

“It’s not for lack of opportunities, teams want to sign him, but he has to decide if it fits into his family situation.  I think we’ll play it out awhile, see if anything changes in Buffalo, and then decide to go elsewhere or not. But it’s not like I don’t have opportunities for him to play, I do.’’

The 38-year-old played in all 82 games last season and collected 35 points (15-20-35) which marked the fourth straight year that he has surpassed the 30 point plateau.  As is the case with any remaining free agent at this time, staying unsigned to potentially play in the Olympics in February is also a possibility.

Other notes from free agency:

  • Talks continue between the Red Wings and RFA winger Andreas Athanasiou with agent Darren Ferris telling Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press that they “are having productive discussions”. However, Ferris was quick to note that those discussions don’t mean that they are getting close to putting pen to paper on a new contract.  It’s believed that Athanasiou has a one-year KHL offer on the table worth around $3MM while Detroit has come in well below that AAV in their offers.  James added on Twitter that GM Ken Holland flew to Toronto today to continue negotiations in person.
  • Center Stephane Da Costa was expected to garner NHL interest over the offseason after a strong showing at the World Championships. However, he has been dealing with a health concern since August that will keep him off the ice for several months according to a report from L’Équipe in France which explains why he isn’t currently at an NHL training camp.  As a result, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him sign back in the KHL when he’s able to return and then make a run at an NHL roster spot next summer.

Sharks Not Pursuing Jaromir Jagr

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With the answer to just one little question, San Jose Sharks GM Doug Wilson eliminated the last hope that Sharks fans had of a major free agent addition this off-season. It’s now mid-September, training camps are opening, and San Jose still has yet to make a notable move. They added aging grinder Brandon Bollig, who played exclusively in the AHL last year, Antoine Bibeau, most recently the fifth-string goalie in Toronto, and just a few days ago AHL veteran Brandon Mashinter. Meanwhile, they watched career Shark and franchise leader in just about every category, Patrick Marleau, leave for the Maple Leafs and failed to take advantage of late-summer, affordable replacement options like Drew Stafford (New Jersey) and Thomas Vanek (Vancouver). The Sharks don’t even have an intriguing PTO player in camp.

The last hope of a big-name free agent who could actually help the team in 2017-18 was none other than the legendary Jaromir Jagr. The highest-ranked member of PHR’s Top 50 Free Agents yet to sign at #13 overall, Jagr’s continued availability had been an ongoing story all summer. The 45-year-old future Hall of Famer may seem washed up by age alone, but played in all 82 games with the Florida Panthers last year, registering 46 points. The year before that, Jagr was nearly a 30-goal scorer, racking up 66 points in 79 games for Florida. Somehow, one of the greatest players in NHL history continues to have gas in the tank. In need of replacement scoring and even some veteran guidance for a plethora of young up-and-coming forwards, Jagr seemed like a good fit for San Jose and has continued to be attached to the team in rumors. That ended today. The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz asked Doug Wilson about the possibility of Jagr going to San Jose, to which the GM replied definitively that he did not see the Czech phenom as a fit.

So, the search continues for both sides. Jagr has heard all off-season about teams that “seem like a fit”, but has not had any concrete offers all summer. Last anyone checked in, Jagr was still considering simply playing for HC Kladno of the Czech Liga, a team that he is a part owner of, and then suiting up for the Czech Republic at the 2018 Olympics. After that, perhaps Jagr would draw some interest as a stretch run addition for an NHL team. For now, that seems to be the only option for the aging superstar. As for the Sharks, Wilson nor any of his colleagues have expressed any concern over the team’s lack of off-season additions or potential scoring difficulties. While it is possible that they could still make a trade before the season or early on in the new campaign, the fact that they have no interest in Jagr seemingly means that they are done with free agent additions for the 2017 off-season. The only other notable names left that could be of any interest to San Jose are veterans like Jarome Iginla, Brian Gionta, or Jiri Hudler, all of whom would seem to provide even less upside than Jagr. The Sharks seem content to head into the season with their current group. Maybe a rough start could make them rethink their position on one of the greatest scorers of all time.

Brian Gionta Has Several Interested Teams

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Brian Gionta has been clear that he’d like to go back to the Buffalo Sabres if possible, but he certainly has other options. John Vogl of the Buffalo News reached out to agent Steve Bartlett, who told him Gionta has had a “number of teams” interested in signing him already. Gionta continues to mull over his options, but is preparing as if he’ll play professional hockey again this season.

Gionta scored 35 points once again for the Sabres last year, serving as their captain for the third straight season. Even at 38-years old he’s been an effective middle-six player, capable of chipping in offensively and providing a solid defensive presence. The new Sabres’ brass may want to go in a younger direction, but Gionta will easily find a job around the league if he wants one. Bartlett said that he’s still weighing his options, which likely include a starring role on the USA Olympic roster.

The veteran forward could potentially sign in Europe or the AHL in order to maintain eligibility for the tournament, one that he has played in once before with USA Hockey. In 2006 Gionta played in the Olympics and actually led his country in goal scoring with four in just six games. With a roster made up of several college-aged players and international professionals, Gionta could bring some NHL experience to Pyeongchang.

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