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Erik Foley

Erik Foley Fails Physical

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The St. Louis Blues will be down at least one young forward prospect in training camp this year. GM Doug Armstrong told reporters including Lou Korac of NHL.com today that Erik Foley failed his physical as he tries to return from his concussion symptoms and isn’t close to getting back on the ice. In a a depressing quote, Armstrong told Korac there is “no light at the end of the tunnel” for Foley right now.

The 22-year old winger was acquired from the Winnipeg Jets in February 2018 as part of the return for Paul Stastny, and ended up signing his three-year entry-level contract a month later. The plan was for him to leave Providence College and jump into the professional system, but after suffering a concussion at the team’s rookie tournament last summer was unable to play in a single game during the 2018-19 season. The fact that he hasn’t even gotten back on the ice is an extremely disappointing outcome at this point.

Selected in the third round four years ago, Foley developed nicely with the Friars and was a gold medalist with Team USA at the World Juniors. A talented offensive player that can bring some physicality and agitation, he seemed perfectly suited to the style that head coach Craig Berube has brought to the Blues. Hopefully at one point down the road he can get back onto his development track and help the team, though it obviously won’t be anytime soon.

Erik Foley To Miss Rest Of Season With Concussion Symptoms

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The St. Louis Blues received a first-round pick when they decided to trade Paul Stastny last season, but also obtained the rights to prospect Erik Foley. Foley left college and signed with the Blues in March, but unfortunately still hasn’t played a single game for the organization. The young forward is now expected to miss the entire season with issues resulting from a concussion he suffered during the team’s rookie tournament, according to Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic. Rutherford explains there is no timeline for his recovery at this point.

Foley, 21, is coming off three successful seasons at Providence College and looked like a good bet to quickly rise up the ranks in the Blues organization. Originally selected in the third round in 2015, he has impressed on the international stage and even won a gold medal with the 2017 US World Junior team. His mix of skill and grit is perfectly suited for a bottom-six role in the new NHL, but he’ll not have to overcome a huge obstacle to get that career back on track.

Brain injuries have such a wide variance in recovery times that there is no way to know when Foley will get back on the ice, but hopefully his youth can help him make a return at some point. He will remain under contract with the Blues until the end of the 2020-21 season, at which point he is scheduled to become a restricted free agent.

Jake Allen, Others To Miss Start Of St. Louis Training Camp

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The St. Louis Blues have some lofty expectations this season after a strong summer spending spree, but much of those hopes come down to goaltender Jake Allen. The team lost backup Carter Hutton to Buffalo in free agency and signed Chad Johnson in his wake, leaving Allen as the clear starter for this year. Bad news has already come out regarding the team’s starter though, as today they announced that Allen will miss the first 10-14 days of training camp with back spasms. Prospect Erik Foley and goaltender Luke Opilka will also be out indefinitely following a recent concussion and hip surgery respectively.

The team also announced cuts to six players from the training camp roster, including first-round pick Dominik Bokk. As we wrote recently, Bokk is expected to play in Sweden for all of 2018-19.

Allen, 28, took a fairly substantial step backwards last season and was part of the reason the Blues missed the playoffs entirely, registering a .906 save percentage in 59 games. That was good enough for just a 27-25-3 record, and though some of that had to do with the play in front of him the Blues need more from the goaltending position this year. In the 2016 offseason Allen was given a four-year contract extension a year before he reached free agency and already in the 2016-17 season you could tell that it may have been a bit premature. The goaltender wasn’t even included on a road trip with the team, but after changing goaltending coaches an incredible run during the second half of that season and into the playoffs turned around his numbers. Those changes didn’t last, but the Blues have made it clear that they will live and die with Allen in net.

Johnson, the other option, was one of the worst backup goaltenders in the league last season with the Buffalo Sabres, recording an .891 save percentage and a 3.55 goals against average. Though he does have some solid seasons in his past, there is little reason to believe that he could take over the Blues net for an extended period of time and get them to the playoffs. That leaves just young prospect Ville Husso if Allen struggles or deals with injury, and though he’s coming off a good season in the AHL it’s hard to expect a ton at the NHL level for the 23-year old goaltender.

Trevor Smith Signs AHL Contract With San Antonio

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Journeyman forward Trevor Smith will be back in the AHL next season, but for the first time in his career it won’t be on an NHL contract. The long-time pro has played on a one- or two-year two-way contract since his first full season in 2007-08, but that streak has come to an end. Smith has signed a one-way minor league contract with the San Antonio Rampage, the AHL announced today.

Smith, 33, has been a constant presence in the AHL for a long time, with at least one game played in eleven of the past twelve years, for a total of 593 games. During that time, he has also skated in 107 NHL games, including a career-high 54 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2014-15. The University of New Hampshire alum signed with the New York Islanders to begin his pro career and has since signed contracts with the Anaheim Ducks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Pittsburgh Penguins, Toronto Maple Leafs, and most recently a two-year deal with the Nashville Predators. Smith has always had incredible production in the AHL – 438 total points and .75 points per game – but transitioning that offense has been a constant struggle; Smith has only 20 career NHL points and has never cracked double-digits in a single season.

As such, it is no surprise that the aging Smith is no longer considered a valued NHL asset. Although just last season he scored 43 points in 66 games in the AHL, he has only one scoreless NHL game on his resume over the past three years and has a history of being a non-factor at the top level. Nevertheless, he will still be a major boost for the Rampage in 2018-19. The former captain of both the Toronto Marlies and Milwaukee Admirals will play an important leadership role in San Antonio and his offensive experience and ability will help the team succeed as well as assist in the development of top young St. Louis Blues forward prospects like Jordan Kyrou, Klim Kostin, Erik Foley, and Nolan Stevens. Smith’s NHL days may be over, but he can still be a difference-maker in the AHL, where he has thrived for more than a decade.

Paul Stastny Interested In Returning To St. Louis

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Despite being shipped off at the trade deadline after four years with St. Louis, veteran center Paul Stastny said he would be open to returning to the St. Louis Blues during a radio interview on 590 The Fan in St. Louis.

Known to have loved his time in St. Louis, the 32-year-old supposedly thought long and hard before agreeing to waive his no-trade clause to go to the playoff-bound Winnipeg Jets. With the Blues struggling and unlikely to reach the playoffs, the team sent Stastny to the Jets for a 2018 first-round pick (the 29th overall pick), collegiate prospect Erik Foley, and a conditional fourth-round pick in 2020.

“Absolutely,” Stastny told Hockey Sense host Andy Strickland during the interview. “I don’t think I’ve closed the door on anything. I know it’s a business, getting older, you see it. I always keep everything open because you never know what’s going to happen.”

Stastny put up solid numbers with the Blues, posting 12 goals and 40 points in 63 games for the Blues before being dealt on Feb. 26. However, once with the Jets, he added another 13 points to his totals in 19 regular season games playing alongside Patrik Laine and Nikolaj Ehlers. Then in the playoffs, he took off, tallying six goals and 15 points in 17 games, leading the team to the Western Conference Finals.

While he enjoyed his time in Winnipeg and said it was worth it, Stastny also admitted it wasn’t easy to leave St. Louis.

“Trades are tough,” Stastny told Strickland. “I think when you’re so emotionally invested in a team and you think your an important part or your battling with the guys all year, you don’t expect that.”

While Winnipeg wouldn’t mind bringing Stastny back on a short-term deal, the Jets are going to be dealing with plenty of cap issues now they have to re-sign goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, defenseman Jacob Trouba and a number of other restricted free agents. St. Louis, however, who remains in need of help down the middle, could be a possible destination as well.

Of course with the need of centers throughout the league and Stastny likely being the second-best unrestricted free agent on the market (behind John Tavares), the veteran has quite a bit of leverage to score another big contract. While the Jets have indicated they would like to bring him back on a one or two-year deal to compete for a Stanley Cup, other teams would likely offer more years and more money. Would the Blues want to pay a big price to bring Stastny back? He just completed a four-year, $28MM deal. Desperate teams like the Montreal Canadiens might be willing to go quite high as they have the need and enough cap space to make it happen.

Poll: Should The Winnipeg Jets Re-Sign Paul Stastny?

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There is much to be proud of if you’re a Winnipeg Jets’ fan, but while most fans are paying attention to their play in the Western Conference Finals. And while the Jets find themselves down 3-1 against the Vegas Golden Knights, Winnipeg will need to find a way to win three in a row. To do that, they will need success from multiple lines, including the success of the team’s second line, including Patrik Laine, Nikolaj Ehlers and trade deadline acquisition Paul Stastny.

When the team traded for Stastny for prospect Erik Foley, a 2018 first-round pick and a conditional 2020 fourth-round pick, they got a steal. Stastny has stabilized a powerful young line next to Laine and Ehlers as the line has helped guide them through the playoffs. Just against the Nashville Predators alone in the playoffs’ second round, Stastny practically beat the team on his own, putting up five goals and five assists in seven games. He has been effectively shut down by Vegas in four games as he’s only managed one assist, yet the veteran has been key to their playoff future.

The Hockey News’ Matt Larkin recently wrote a story wondering what the chances Stastny has of returning to Winnipeg next year. The unrestricted free agent is 32 years old, a point where long-term deals start to look questionable as many players in their 30’s begin to decline, especially with speed being emphasized by many teams. Unfortunately for Winnipeg, the free agent options at center will be very limited this year after the Islanders’ John Tavares, making Stastny the likely second-best free agent on the market. With many teams in need of a center, he could easily get a big deal and while maybe not as high as the $7MM a year he’s been making recently, but he should easily fetch $5MM per year with his next deal and if the team has to overpay to keep him, it could go as high as $6MM per year.

Then the question is whether Winnipeg can afford him. While the team has ample cap space at the moment, the Jets also have 14 players on their current roster who will either be restricted or unrestricted free agents. Many of their restricted free agents like Adam Lowry, Brandon Tanev, Joel Armia and Josh Morrissey should get solid raises, while others like Jacob Trouba and Connor Hellebuyck should get major contract extensions, likely taking up a large chunk of their available cap space, leaving little or no room for Stastny. Add to the fact that Laine, Kyle Connor and Tyler Myers all will need new contracts in one year, that leaves little wiggle room unless general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff can pull of a clever balancing act to keep everyone happy.

So, should Winnipeg try to keep Stastny around next year or just let him go?

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

Poll: Which Conference Finals Team Benefitted The Most At Trade Deadline?

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With a lot of attention that has gone towards the success of trade acquisition Paul Stastny in the playoffs this season, the Winnipeg Jets and general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff look to have scored at the trade deadline this offseason. The GM was able to pick up Stastny’s expiring contract (50 percent of which was retained) as the team traded away Providence College prospect Erik Foley as well as their 2018 first-rounder and a conditional 2020 fourth-rounder (if Foley doesn’t sign with the Blues before he can become an unrestricted free agent in 2019). While losing a prospect and a first-rounder, the Jets have defintely benefitted by Stastny’s play, especially in the playoffs. The 32-year-old center, alongside youngsters Nikolaj Ehlers and Patrik Laine has put up six goals and nine assists in 13 games during the playoffs and has helped vault Winnipeg into a one-game lead in the Western Conference finals.

Of the other three teams that remain in the playoffs, the trade deadline also seems to have benefitted the Tampa Bay Lightning. Their acquisition of defenseman Ryan McDonagh and forward J.T. Miller from the New York Rangers at the deadline also brought some stability to the Lightning from both players. McDonagh added a stable presence on the defense’s second line, while Miller has excelled playing next to Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov. McDonagh has aided the team’s offense with five assists in 11 games, while Miller has had two goals and five asissts in 11 games as well. In exchange for those two, the Lightning were able to avoid trading off any elite prospects to the Rangers, but still gave up a lot of pieces, including Vladislav Namestnikov, prospects Brett Howden and Libor Hajek, their 2018 first-rounder and another potential first-round pick in 2019 if Tampa Bay wins the Stanley Cup in either of the next two years.

The Washington Capitals, with little cap room to work with at the trade deadline, still were able to pull off a couple of small trades, although the addition of Michal Kempny has had a major affect on the Capitals’ defense. With a number of young, inexperienced blueliners and little money to add a high-profile player, the team traded the Toronto Maple Leafs’ third-round pick in 2018 for Kempny. While the former Blackhawks’ defenseman had never played a full season in the NHL, he is 27 and had quite a bit of experience in the KHL and Czech Republic.

Finally, the Golden Knights did make one big trade at the deadline, sending a 2018 first-round pick, a 2019 second-round pick and a 2021 third-round pick to acquire Tomas Tatar. While the addition of Tatar is not a rental like many of the others (he has three years left at $5.3MM AAV after this year), the team gave up a lot for a player who has made little impact in Vegas. The 27-year-old has been a healthy scratch for much of the playoffs, having only played in four games with no points.

So, which team has benefiited the most from this year’s trade deadline?

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

Erik Foley Signs Three-Year Entry-Level Contract With St. Louis Blues

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As expected, the St. Louis Blues have signed Erik Foley to a three-year entry-level contract that will begin in the 2018-19 season. Foley will sign an amateur tryout with the San Antonio Rampage to get into some minor league action before the end of the season. The Providence College standout was acquired earlier this year as part of the package for Paul Stastny.

Getting Foley under contract means that the Jets will not have to give the Blues a 2020 fourth-round pick, which was one of the conditions of the trade. Instead, the talented winger will jump right into the Blues system and give them another interesting forward prospect.

With players like Tage Thompson, Klim Kostin, Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas already in the system, the Blues are stocked with forward talent even before bringing Foley in, meaning he will have to fight for his opportunities in the organization. With 35 points in 38 games for Providence this season, he certainly looks ready to do just that.

Selected in the third round in 2015, Foley is an interesting blend of skill and physicality. Though he isn’t very big, he plays a power game and loves to get in on the forecheck and punish defenders who underestimate him. That bang-and-crash game is supported by some nice hands around the net and an ability to score in different ways, though his projection at the NHL level is not as a top-line player.

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