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Evan Rodrigues

Latest On Evan Rodrigues

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The free agent market is still filled with legitimate NHL talent, even as the calendar turns to September and players start arriving to begin group workouts. Training camp is starting soon, and some talent is still waiting to find out where they will be skating this season.

One of those players is Evan Rodrigues, who broke out by playing with Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins last season, scoring 19 goals and 43 points in 82 games. Those numbers would usually be more than enough for a player to land a healthy contract in the first few days of free agency but Rodrigues remains unsigned as August comes to a close.

While his name has been connected to several clubs over the last few weeks, including the Calgary Flames and the Vancouver Canucks, there are a number of teams in the mix. According to his agent Darren Ferris, who spoke with ESPN, “a good seven or eight” teams are having discussions with Rodrigues’ camp. Ferris went on to explain that while there appear to be a few good fits for his client, teams are dealing with difficult cap restraints and trying to move money out.

Greg Wyshynski of ESPN suggests a reunion with the Penguins could be one of those fits, but after re-signing the likes of Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, Bryan Rust, and Kasperi Kapanen (not to mention acquiring Jeff Petry) there isn’t much money left in Pittsburgh.

Rodrigues, 29, had never scored more than nine goals in a season previously, but still did show flashes of offensive upside in his early career with the Buffalo Sabres. The undrafted forward became a star at Boston University and is at least good enough to secure a deal somewhere in the NHL.

How expensive and for how long that deal will be remains to be seen but with dwindling cap space around the league, the forward may be better off taking a one-year deal in a good situation and trying again next summer.

Pacific Notes: Weegar, Flames, Stone

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The Calgary Flames quickly signed newcomer Jonathan Huberdeau to an extension after acquiring him from the Florida Panthers, and will now try to do the same with MacKenzie Weegar, according to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period.

Weegar met with Flames general manager Brad Treliving last week and both sides apparently have had good discussions about a long-term extension. Calgary, says Pagnotta, hopes to have something done by training camp or at the very latest, the start of the regular season.

  • On the same NHL Network appearance, Pagnotta also noted that the Flames are still looking to add another free agent forward, mentioning Evan Rodrigues and Sonny Milano in particular. Rodrigues had 19 goals and 43 points in 82 games last season, while Milano racked up 14 goals and 34 points in 66 games.
  • When Jackie Spiegel’s latest piece came out for NHL.com, examining the health of Vegas Golden Knights star Jack Eichel, one line caught the attention of many fans. It read that Mark Stone would miss training camp as he continues to recover from back surgery in May. Golden Knights insider Gary Lawless tried to clarify, noting that just because the team has indicated that Stone would be ready for the start of the regular season, it doesn’t necessarily mean he will be missing training camp. A return to full health for Stone would be a huge boost for Vegas, after he was limited to just 37 games last season.

Snapshots: Flames, Ryan, McKeown

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The Calgary Flames have had an offseason for the ages, going from the lows of losing both Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk to the highs of adding Jonathan Huberdeau (and extending him), Mackenzie Weegar, and Nazem Kadri. It’s been evident from these moves that despite his early summer predicament GM Brad Treliving had no plans on putting the brakes on the Flames’ Stanley Cup hopes, and it seems that the Flames are still attempting to improve their competitive chances, even this late into August.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports in his 32 Thoughts Podcast that he believes that the Flames are “going to add another forward,” and names free agent Evan Rodrigues as a specific name to watch. Rodrigues, whose free agency we profiled last month, is coming off of a strong platform season with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The versatile 29-year-old forward scored 19 goals and 43 points last season and could be a fit in Calgary on the team’s third line, especially if they don’t view top prospect Jakob Pelletier as being ready for immediate top-nine duty.

Now, for some other notes from across the world of hockey:

  •  The Canadian National Women’s team won gold at the 2021 IIHF World Championships, and at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, and today Hockey Canada announced that they’re retaining the coach who helped that happen. Per the announcement, coach Troy Ryan has signed an extension to remain the team’s coach through the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. Ryan’s time as the team’s bench boss has been largely successful, making this decision an easy one for all parties involved.
  • Today the Philadelphia Flyers announced the hire of Ian McKeown to the newly created position of Vice President, Athlete Performance and Wellness. The Flyers state that in this new role, McKeown will “establish and oversee a comprehensive and coordinated health and wellness program for all players within the Flyers organization.” The health of Flyers players has been one of the numerous issues plaguing the team in recent years, so adding a new face in order to specifically address that issue is a good start for Philadelphia. The Flyers are desperate to return to contention after two difficult seasons, and a renewed focus on player health and wellness can do nothing but help them in that pursuit.

Canucks Have Shown Interest In Evan Rodrigues

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With training camps now less than a month away, teams will be calling around to the remaining unrestricted free agents to see if their asking price has dropped.  It appears that the Canucks are doing that with Evan Rodrigues as Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK and The Athletic reported in an appearance on Sekeres and Price (audio link) that Vancouver is “poking around” on the forward.

The 29-year-old is coming off a career season with Pittsburgh that saw him put up 19 goals and 24 assists while playing in all 82 games for the first time.  His ice time jumped up to nearly 16 minutes per game and he played down the middle and on the wing.  That type of versatility is always appealing to teams.

So, why hasn’t his market materialized this summer?  Rodrigues’ splits from last season are likely playing a role in that.  Of the 43 points he had, 30 came in the first half of the year and only 13 in the second half.  The latter is more in line with his career numbers where he has been more of a depth forward so it’s not surprising that teams aren’t coming in overly high with offers, especially with flexibility at a premium.

Rodrigues ranked 24th on our Top 50 UFA list earlier this summer with a projected contract of three years at $3MM per season.  At this point, it’s quite unlikely he’ll command that type of money or term so a one-year deal in an optimal situation with the hopes of generating a stronger market next summer might be the next best thing.

However, is Vancouver the most optimal spot for Rodrigues?  They’ve added some depth on the wings this summer with Ilya Mikheyev and Andrei Kuzmenko and while Rodrigues could plausibly slide in down the middle when injuries strike, it’s not a position he has played full-time since the 2018-19 campaign.  He could fit on the third line if they were comfortable deploying him as a center; otherwise, Rodrigues would likely be in a depth role with Vancouver which is what he should be trying to avoid.  There’s still time for Rodrigues to be selective as he looks to find a home for next season but if nothing else, Vancouver would represent a fallback plan if the more desirable situations don’t present themselves.

Free Agent Profile: Evan Rodrigues

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As he was enjoying a breakout season at the age of 28, many believed Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evan Rodrigues had put himself in perfect position to hit the open market this summer. A center who was good in his own end, Rodrigues finally found offensive success making him a true two-way forward and a perfect fit in almost any team’s middle-six. Given the Penguins cap situation and needing to re-sign Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Rickard Rakell, it appeared that Rodrigues would be too rich of an asset to remain with the club and could move on with a payday elsewhere. However, more than two weeks after the start of free agency, Rodrigues remains unsigned, with very little buzz around his name. After a season with 19 goals and 24 assists, shattering previous bests, it’s interesting to find Rodrigues still without any bites, at least that we are aware of.

Prior to this season, Rodrigues’ previous career best in points had been 25, which had come in 48 games with the Buffalo Sabres in 2017-18, a similar points-per-game pace to this season. That season was the forward’s first of a two-year contract that carried a $650K AAV. In 2018-19, Rodrigues took a step back, hitting what was then a career-high 29 points, but doing so in 74 games. An RFA, Rodrigues was awarded a $2MM salary via arbitration for the 2019-20 season. After that summer of 2019 arbitration award, Rodrigues struggled to rebound, recording just 24 points in 80 games between the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins over the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons. This year, however, Rodrigues was able to show he is capable of being the player he was in 2017-18 with his 43-point breakout performance.

So, the question remains: what is holding Rodrigues’ market back? Of course, he’s not exactly teammate Sidney Crosby, but he has shown he has plenty to offer. One concern would be that, over six seasons with regular NHL games played, the veteran has only ever matched his 2021-22 production once, back in that 2017-18 season. Another concern is consistency. Looking closer at this season, Rodrigues was a borderline All-Star-caliber player, recording 32 of his 43 points in just 46 games prior to the All Star break. A dominant first-half indeed, he regressed to only 11 points in 36 games after the break.

Rodrigues’ pros and cons provide a basis for a negotiation, but still don’t get to the answer of why he’s still on the market? The answer may lie in the fact that Rodrigues recently turned 29 years of age and is coming off of his best season to date. He could very well view this as his best chance to secure a contract with very attractive term and salary, and is not willing to settle on either front. From a front office perspective, Rodrigues has shown flashes of being a 40-point, or maybe even 50-point player, but absent certain stellar stretches, he’s mostly been a 25-30 point player. Given the cap crunch all 32 teams are facing and having potentially found more statistically consistent players on the free agent and trade markets already, teams are weary of giving Rodrigues what he’d want (term and salary) without knowing which kind of player he really is.

Stats:

2021-22: 82 GP, 19-24-43, +3 rating, 14 PIMs, 243 shots, 59.8 CF%, 15:50 ATOI

Career: 316 GP, 53-76-159, -30 rating, 77 PIMs, 701 shots, 53.7 CF%, 14:24 ATOI

Potential Suitors:

Even if the market is slow and he doesn’t wind up with the contract he was hoping for, Rodrigues shouldn’t have an issue actually finding a suitor when he and teams are ready. The player Rodrigues was in the first half of this year was intriguing, but the player he has been for a majority of his career, that of a reliable two-way, bottom-six center that could give flashes of offense is always in demand, from Cup contenders to middle of the pack teams to rebuilders.

What exactly the veteran’s contract expectations are and how much, if at all, he is willing to compromise, will dictate what teams are able to be in the market for him. His poise and ability to play for a perennial contender like the Penguins, alongside the likes of Crosby, Malkin, and Letang stands to show that Rodrigues can handle the bright lights and the pressure that playoff and playoff-implicating games bring. Competitive teams who could use another forward for their middle or bottom-six, such as the Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers, or even a reunion with the Penguins, make sense, but these teams are all close to, if not over, the salary cap.

Teams that are trying to get over or away from the salary cap floor, like the Anaheim Ducks, Arizona Coyotes, and Chicago Blackhawks, could be options for Rodrigues, all of whom not only can pay, but may want to pay for their own reasons. Maybe not some of the most attractive options, they could give Rodrigues an expanded role, valuing his leadership and providing more opportunities to repeat his offensive production. The Minnesota Wild, New York Islanders, and Calgary Flames, who could use another secondary-scoring option and have the cap space to make a solid offer along with an opportunity to be competitive may also be very strong options for Rodrigues, who could have the best of both worlds in terms of contract and competitiveness in those destinations.

Projected Contract:

Rodrigues came in 24th on our Top 50 UFAs list in early July. There, we projected a three-year, $3MM AAV contract with the Minnesota Wild. The Wild could very well be in the mix for Rodrigues, but at this point, it’s unlikely the forward will find the contract we had projected for him with a competitive team like the Wild, Islanders, Flames, Oilers, Rangers, or Penguins, all of whom are mentioned above. But, if a contract along those lines is a sticking point, it might not be out of the realm of possibility that a team like the Ducks, Coyotes, or Blackhawks could make the offer, betting on Rodrigues’ production and his value as an asset down the road. Ultimately, given his career track record, it’s still unlikely at this point in time that the 29-year-old is headed towards a PTO in training camp, even if it does mean taking what might be seen as an underwhelming offer.

Snapshots: Zadorov, Rodrigues, Laine, Canucks

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On top of Johnny Gaudreau opting to get the open market, defenseman Nikita Zadorov will also be doing so, reports Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic (Twitter link).  The 27-year-old had a career-high 22 points last season but also averaged a career-low in ice time at 16:55 per game.  A veteran of over NHL games 500 games between the regular season and playoffs, Zadorov is a well-known commodity around the league and will have interest from teams looking to shore up the left side of their back end in free agency.

Elsewhere around the NHL:

  • Pending UFA forward Evan Rodrigues has changed representation to Darren Ferris of Quartexx, PuckPedia reports (Twitter link). After bouncing around the previous two seasons, the 28-year-old had a breakout year in 2021-22, collecting 43 points in 82 games with Pittsburgh while spending plenty of time in their top six.  After being on one-year deals the past three years, Rodrigues should be able to secure a multi-year commitment this time around.
  • While Patrik Laine is a year away from being eligible to test unrestricted free agency, Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen told reporters including Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch that there is mutual interest in getting a long-term extension done with the winger. Laine is coming off his first career point per game season, notching 26 goals and 30 assists in 56 games and received his $7.5MM qualifying offer.  He’s eligible to file for arbitration if an agreement can’t be worked out in the coming days.
  • Canucks president Jim Rutherford told CHEK TV’s Rick Dhaliwal (Twitter link) that the team will not be looking to re-sign pending UFA forwards Alex Chiasson, Brad Richardson, and Brandon Sutter right away but could circle back at some point this summer. Chiasson had 13 goals in 67 games last season, a decent return on a league minimum deal while Richardson won over 58% of his faceoffs in 2021-22.  Sutter, meanwhile, missed all of last season with long COVID symptoms and there’s no word yet on whether or not he’ll be able to play in 2022-23.

Metropolitan Notes: Penguins, Georgiev, Hofmann, Kotkaniemi

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The Penguins received some good and bad news on the COVID front today.  The team announced (Twitter link) that winger Evan Rodrigues has been removed from protocols but center Jeff Carter has been placed in COVID protocol.  Rodrigues is in the middle of a career year for Pittsburgh with 23 points in 30 games while seeing regular minutes on the top line so he’ll be a welcome return.  Meanwhile, it’s the second time this season that Carter has been placed in COVID protocol.  The veteran is having a nice year in a top-six role, notching 17 points in 27 games so far.  Pittsburgh currently has eight players in COVID protocol.

More from the Metropolitan Division:

  • While Rangers goaltender Alexandar Georgiev isn’t thrilled about his current lack of playing time, Arthur Staple of The Athletic suggests (subscription link) that the team is unlikely to trade the netminder in advance of the March 21st trade deadline. With Igor Shesterkin’s injury history and the fact that Keith Kinkaid is their next best option, Georgiev may very well be more valuable to New York as an insurance policy than as a trade chip.  Accordingly, a move in the offseason when their cap situation gets trickier and more replacements are available seems like a better time for the netminder to be moved.
  • Blue Jackets winger Gregory Hofmann has taken a leave of absence for personal reasons, notes Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch (Twitter link). The 29-year-old has seven points in 24 games in his first NHL season after his rights were acquired from Carolina last season.  His wife is expecting the birth of their first child soon so there is no firm date yet for his return.
  • While there was plenty of speculation at the time that Jesperi Kotkaniemi signed his one-year, $6.1MM offer sheet with Carolina that the framework of a longer-term extension was also discussed, GM Don Waddell told Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription link) that there have been no discussions on that front as of yet. The 21-year-old is eligible to sign an extension as of Saturday but is off to a quieter start than he and the Hurricanes were hoping for as he has 14 points in 30 games this season while playing just 12:15 per game.  As a result, finding a price tag that both sides are comfortable with for a long-term contract may be difficult at this point.  Carolina will need to tender a $6.1MM qualifying offer this summer if no extension is reached by then.

Pittsburgh Penguins Add Six To COVID Protocol

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have announced that Teddy Blueger, Tristan Jarry, John Marino, Mike Matheson, Evan Rodrigues, and Dominik Simon have all been added to the COVID protocol and are currently unavailable. Jake Guentzel will also miss practice with a non-COVID illness.

Losing those six is obviously a huge blow, but it wasn’t all doom and gloom at Penguins practice today. Bryan Rust and Evgeni Malkin both took the ice in regular black sweaters, indicating they’ve been cleared for full contact and are approaching a return to action.

Pittsburgh is on a seven-game win stream and has climbed their way back into the Metropolitan playoff mix, sitting now just four points out of first place. While they will now have to patchwork a lineup together, the rest of the NHL is in a similar boat. Malkin hasn’t played yet this season after undergoing offseason surgery and should offer a significant boost when he does return to the lineup. Rust, meanwhile, missed all of December and has played in just 12 games so far.

East Notes: Rodrigues, Coyle, Marner, Blue Jackets

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The Penguins have placed winger Evan Rodrigues in COVID protocol, a team spokesperson confirmed to Seth Rorabaugh of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.  The 28-year-old has been one of the biggest surprises around the league this season, going from someone who had previously been non-tendered to a regular spot on their top line and he has rewarded them with an impressive showing offensively, sitting second in team scoring with 10 goals and 13 assists in 30 games.  He will now be out for at least the next ten days.

Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference:

  • The Bruins have lost a player to COVID protocol as the team announced that forward Charlie Coyle has been placed in protocols. The 29-year-old sits fifth in team scoring with seven goals and seven assists in 26 games.  Coyle has been trying to fill David Krejci’s spot on Boston’s second line after the long-time Boston veteran decided to play back at home in the Czech Extraliga this season.
  • Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner returned to practice today for the first time since suffering an upper-body injury earlier this month, relays David Alter of The Hockey News (Twitter link). Worth noting is that while Marner is currently on LTIR (which has allowed Toronto to stay cap-compliant among other players being brought up) is that postponed games count towards the 10 games a player must miss while on there so Toronto’s postponements won’t automatically delay Marner’s return.
  • The Blue Jackets welcomed a trio of players back to practice today as Aaron Portzline of The Athletic notes (Twitter link) that winger Patrik Laine plus defensemen Adam Boqvist and Dean Kukan have all resumed skating. Laine has been out with an oblique injury since early November after getting off to a good start to his final season of RFA eligibility with ten points in nine games.  As for the blueliners, Boqvist suffered an upper-body injury two weeks ago while Kukan fractured his wrist in late October.

Alex Goligoski, Evan Rodrigues Receive Maximum Fines

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The NHL Department of Player Safety is keeping busy today. After announcing a suspension hearing for Nashville Predators defenseman Mark Borowiecki earlier, the league has now issued a pair of fines. Minnesota Wild defenseman Alex Goligoski and Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evan Rodrigues have been dinged for infractions in their respective Saturday night contests.

Goligoski has received a maximum $5,000 fine for high-sticking Seattle Kraken forward Jordan Eberle. While high-sticking is usually an incidental penalty, incurred due to negligence rather than maliciousness, sometimes a dangerous high stick can rise to the level of supplemental discipline. This is the case for Goligoski, whose high stick actually went unnoticed and uncalled as well, which likely added to the fine decision.

Rodrigues has received a maximum $2,500 fine for tripping Ottawa Senators forward Zach Sanford. Called a “trip”, Rodrigues actually used his stick to buckle Sanford’s knee in a net-front scrum, which is a dangerous play. Like Goligoski, Rodrigues’ penalty also went uncalled but was reviewed by Player Safety after the fact to the effect of a fine. In a nine-goal game, in which Rodrigues and Sanford combined for three tallies, there was enough going on that the the referees missed the call.

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