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Jaromir Jagr

Snapshots: Jagr, Keenan, Team USA

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Jaromir Jagr remains unsigned now deep into August, and though the second all-time leading NHL scorer wants to play again this year there hasn’t been a ton of interest just yet. Elliotte Friedman joined NHL Network yesterday and said that a few teams have reached out, including the Calgary Flames. The Flames are led by a former Jagr coach in Glen Gulutzan, but nothing sounds imminent with any team so far.

Jagr has joked about playing for his own Czech club to start the year, and that would allow him to play in the Olympics. The Czech Republic have several players in this situation, but could see some late-summer signings rob them of Olympic talent.

  • Kunlun Red Star of the KHL have fired their General Manager just a few months after installing him in March, and have given the reins to Mike Keenan who will remain on as head coach as well. Keenan is a legendary NHL and KHL coach who made big waves after going to China, and will now have full control of the organization.
  • Andy Strickland of Fox Sports reports that USA Hockey is considering Troy Terry, Jordan Greenway, Ryan Donato and Adam Fox for their Olympic team, which comes as little surprise. The quartet of college players are all outstanding options that could likely find great success on the international circuit. Greenway already represented the US at the recent World Championships, while Donato, Fox and Terry were among the best college players in the country last season.

Snapshots: Hanifin, Jagr, Ferland

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While the Hurricanes have moved quickly to ink blueliners Brett Pesce (six years. $4.05MM AAV) and Jaccob Slavin (seven years, $5.3MM) to long-term extensions this summer, it doesn’t appear the same will be happening for defenseman Noah Hanifin in the near future.  Speaking with Chip Alexander of the News & Observer, GM Ron Francis noted that the team is open to working on an extension but there have yet to be any negotiations on a new deal with his agent.

Hanifin has spent the last two years in Carolina after they drafted him fifth overall in 2015.  While his offensive numbers went up slightly last season (from 22 to 29 points), his defensive game still needs improvement and head coach Bill Peters wasn’t comfortable handing him a higher workload in his sophomore campaign as he averaged 17:55 per night, one second more than his average in 2015-16.  Accordingly, it’s easy to understand why the Hurricanes would like to get something done but from Hanifin’s perspective, it may make more sense for him to wait it out in the hopes of a big year before he hits restricted free agency.

Elsewhere around the league:

  • The Kings are not interested in signing unrestricted free agent winger Jaromir Jagr, GM Rob Blake noted to reporters, including LA Kings Insider Jon Rosen, at a State of the Franchise meeting. Los Angeles has been fairly quiet with their offseason movement up front as Mike Cammalleri is the only addition of note among the forwards.  Jagr’s 30 assists and 46 points would have ranked third on the Kings in scoring last season but his lack of speed appears to have really hindered his market this summer.
  • Despite the fact that Flames winger Micheal Ferland averaged less than 12 minutes per game last season, head coach Glen Gulutzan envisions Ferland as Calgary’s top-line right winger heading into training camp, notes Wes Gilbertson of the Calgary Sun. [Related: Calgary’s Depth Chart]  The 25-year-old is coming off a career season offensively with 15 goals and 25 points and avoided arbitration with the team last month, agreeing to a two-year, $3.5MM contract.

Czech Republic Could Have Olympic Edge With Unsigned Players

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The NHL’s decision to not allow their players to attend the Olympics (even those playing in the minors) has changed the playing field for many countries heading into the 2018 Games. While normally Canada and the United States are powerful teams, loaded with superstar NHL talent they’ll now be looking for former NHL players and college-aged stars to try and put together a roster that can compete. Russia, Sweden and Finland will all lose many NHL stars but have their own professional leagues filled with experienced international players that should make them medal favorites.

One nation that is often overlooked is the Czech Republic, who’ve won just a single bronze medal since Dominik Hasek and company beat the US, Canada and Russia in three straight matches to take home the gold, allowing just two goals in the process. This year could see a potential return to glory should they use the opportunity now apparent in NHL free agency.

Jaromir JagrNow heading into the middle of August, many experience NHL veterans remain unsigned. While all of the national teams will likely be contacting their aging stars for help, the Czechs have an excellent group to go after. Jaromir Jagr leads it, as he’s shown that he can still play at the very highest level in the world. He’d likely be one of the best players in the tournament should he start the season playing for his own Czech team. But it goes beyond the second all-time scoring leader in NHL history.

Milan Michalek, a former 30-goal man is now a free agent after being buried in the minors by the Maple Leafs and dealing with injury last season. Michalek never did fit in Toronto after being part of the Dion Phaneuf trade from the Ottawa Senators, but has experience at two Olympic Games and plenty of other international tournaments. At just 32, he likely still has enough left in the tank to be an effective option.

Even Milan’s older brother Zbynek Michalek could be an option after playing last season almost entirely in the AHL. The 34-year old defenseman has seen his career deteriorate quickly due to concussions, but has plenty of international experience including two World Championship medals.

Jiri HudlerJakub Kindl has never lived up to his billing as a first-round pick, but has been a positive possession defender for most of his career, and spent 39 games with the Florida Panthers last season. If he can’t find a role somewhere as a depth option around the league, the 30-year old will surely be on the short list for the Czechs.

Jiri Hudler doesn’t have a job yet, even though he’s just two seasons removed from a 76-point effort with the Calgary Flames. The 33-year old forward has 428 NHL points and has always been a fine two-way player capable of moving up and down a lineup. Though he dealt with both illness and injury this season, it’s still clear he has some fuel left in the tank and could help the Czech team. He scored 11 points in 32 games for the Dallas Stars this year, but logged fewer than 12 minutes a night.

Last, Roman Polak is still working his way back from a horrendous injury suffered in the playoffs last season for the Toronto Maple Leafs, but could potentially be ready to play again by the February tournament. Should he remain unsigned, he could even showcase his gritty physical play style in the Olympics for a future role. He’s coming off a reasonably successful season with the Maple Leafs, in which he was a key to their penalty kill and played 75 games.

While there are many free agents still unsigned, the Czech Republic may have the most talent among any nation still on the open market. Should these players find themselves still without a job come September, signing a one-year deal in a European league may be more enticing, seeing as it may come with another chance to represent their country in the Winter Games.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Morning Notes: Jagr, Morin, Samsonov

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Jaromir Jagr didn’t think he’d be left out in the cold this summer, waiting for an NHL contract long into the offseason. The 45-year old spoke with NHL.com correspondent Micheal Langr and discussed the challenges he’s faced so far and what he wants to do going forward. Joking that he could play for Kladno in the Czech Republic, a team that he owns, he still has his sights set on 2,000 points in the NHL.

Jagr is actually coming off another fine season even though his goal total dropped to 16. His possession play is still elite, and despite his lack of foot speed and reputation doesn’t hurt you defensively. He could still be an extremely effective option for teams looking to round out their top six and get some help on the powerplay.

  • According to our friends at Roster Resource, Jeremy Morin has signed in the KHL for this season, leaving the North American system after several unsuccessful years. Morin was drafted 45th overall by the Atlanta Thrashers in 2009, but has found little success in the professional ranks. Heading to the KHL will allow him to re-invent his game and potentially compete for a chance on the US Olympic team if he gets off to a fast start.
  • Ilya Samsonov is one of the best goaltending prospects in the world, and Washington Capitals fans will be happy to hear that he’s willing to play in the AHL if he comes across to North America next year. In a new interview with Daria Tuboltseva of Championat, Samsonov speaks about the constant communication he has with the Washington front office, and how it would be a dream to eventually play with Russian superstars like Alex Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Dmitry Orlov. Samsonov is still only 20, but has an outside chance at going to the Olympics with Team Russia because of his outstanding first two seasons in the KHL. Last year he posted a .936 save percentage and was nearly unbeatable.

Inactive Blues Hoping For Different Results

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The St. Louis Blues were one of the most inactive teams this summer, right alongside the Edmonton Oilers and San Jose Sharks. With their relative success in a difficult Central division, it’s easy to understand why they didn’t make too many seismic transactions. Still, they had a moderate backslide in points last season despite making it to the second round. With only 99 points, they easily could have found themselves on the outside of the playoff picture looking in. The team’s only major move this off-season was trading Jori Lehtera for Brayden Schenn, by most accounts a trade they came out on top. Still, did the Blues need to be more aggressive?

The team has one of the most consistently underrated defensemen in Alex Pietrangelo, and Colton Parayko behind him is no slouch. After that, however, the pickings on defense are rather uninspiring. Jay Bouwmeester still logs substantial time on ice, with a 22:24 average, but there are signs his play is starting to slip. His last four seasons have been negative possession seasons (relative Corsi), and his offensive game has completely dried up. He only scored one goal to accompany his 14 assists last season. Furthermore, age is starting to catch up to him in terms of footspeed. He’ll be 35 this season, and that issue isn’t going to get any better in the years to come. Carl Gunnarsson only saw sheltered time last year, with just over 13 minutes a night against weaker competition. Robert Bortuzzo is a 6th defenseman at best and Joel Edmundson has work to round out his game if he wants to solidify himself as a top-four defender. Ultimately, the team needs defensive help, especially when the team will be up against the likes of the Blackhawks and Stars on a regular basis.

The offense is deep but undeniably overly reliant on Vladimir Tarasenko. Paul Stastny is looking nowhere near worth his contract, and Alex Steen has to slow down at some point in the near future. Jaden Schwartz is primed to have another solid 50+ point season, but if the bodies around him again struggle with consistency it could be an uphill endeavor. Robby Fabbri is another player to watch, as the former first-rounder looks to put together a solid, healthy campaign. The aforementioned addition of Schenn is valuable, but the team could arguably have done more to bring fresh blood in. The team is really banking on Vladimir Sobotka to prove his worth, but there is still the risk of him not producing. He’s never topped 10 goals in an NHL season, after all. Ivan Barbashev looks very promising, but he’s still somewhat of an unknown entity at this point. Ultimately, the team lacks a proven, go-to offensive threat behind Tarasenko Whereas other teams in the division have exceptional one-two punches, the Blues are still hoping to develop theirs fully.

There were available names this offseason to be had if GM Doug Armstrong was willing to make the moves. An Alexander Radulov, for example, would have done wonders to ease some of the pressure from Tarasenko. There are still names available, though, such as Thomas Vanek and Jaromir Jagr up front. On defense, not much remains at this late date. A trade would really be the only sensible option. The team is still relatively undersized up front and overtaxes the top defenders. Cap space was undoubtedly an issue, as at $72.57 MM currently there was little room to maneuver. Still, moving out a larger contract like Stastny’s or Bouwmeester’s might have cleared room to add an important piece or two. The Blues lost Kevin Shattenkirk at the deadline, and it remains to be seen how his absence will affect the team over the course of a full year. The coaching staff behind Mike Yeo did phenomenal work to bring the team back into contention, but stagnation can often cost teams who are on the bubble. It will be interesting to see if Armstrong remains quiet this off-season, or opts for an additional move before the season’s start.

A Quiet 2017 Off-Season

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By the time August rolls around each year, it seems like the off-season is dragging on. The July 1st free agent frenzy is long behind us and it’s been weeks since the last major signing. Fans are struggling to get their hockey fill and counting the days until the puck drops on preseason hockey. In 2017, fans have all the more reason to be sick of the off-season. When compared with the summer of 2016, this off-season has simply been boring. It was expected to be as such, but no one could have predicted just how quiet this summer could be.

As of today, August 6th, 2017, there have only been two unrestricted free agents signed to contracts worth more than $6MM per year: Kevin Shattenkirk to the New York Rangers (as predicted) and Alexander Radulov to the Dallas Stars. In contrast, there were four such deals signed on July 1st, 2016 alone. Drop that mark down to contracts worth more than $4MM annually, and you get uninspiring names this year like Evgeni Dadonov, Dmitry Kulikov, Nick Bonino, Karl Alzner, Martin Hanzal, and Steve Mason added to the list; hardly a superstar among them. 2016 saw high-profile players like Milan Lucic, David Backes, Loui Eriksson, Kyle Okposo, and Andrew Ladd all find new homes. Those signings came on the heels of the P.K. Subban – Shea Weber and Taylor Hall – Adam Larsson trades as well. The best swaps 2017 has to offer so far are Travis Hamonic or Marcus Johansson being dealt for draft picks. There have simply been a lack of franchise-altering moves made this summer.

Then you have the timeline of when deals got done. By August last year, the best unsigned free agents were Antoine Vermette, Jiri Hudler, and Jhonas Enroth. The year before, Cody Franson and David Schlemko highlighted the August market. In both cases, NHL teams got their deals done in July, filling the month with exciting signing news. This year? Not so much. Legendary players like Jaromir Jagr, Jarome Iginla, and Shane Doan remain available, alongside other able-bodied contributors like Thomas Vanek, Drew Stafford, and Daniel Winnik. That’s in addition to Franson and Hudler as well. Teams are simply waiting around on this market for reasons unknown. Could it end up as an exciting run of signing in August? Maybe, but don’t count on it.

The weak 2017 free agent market coupled with the challenge of preparing for June’s Expansion Draft has simply resulted in one of quietest off-seasons in recent memory. Several teams still have needs and spots to fill and signings and trades remain possible, but at this point the summer is a lost cause. Time to look forward to next season and even next summer when we *hope* to see the likes of John Tavares, Rick Nash, Evander Kane, James Neal, James van Riemsdyk, Paul Stastny, Mikko Koivu, Cam Atkinson, Jonathan Marchessault, Daniel and Henrik Sedin, Mike Green, Jack Johnson, Calvin de Haan, and Antti Raanta all hit the open market. Hopefully that list is enough excitement to get you through the rest of this one.

All Quiet On The Veteran Front

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The NHL offseason has been an interesting one. With plenty of intrigue around the Vegas Golden Knights expansion draft, and speculation that they’d flip half the team immediately after, the returns were relatively unspectacular. A fifth-round pick here, a second-rounder there. For all the excitement it has seemed like the market is somewhat saturated with middling players at the moment. No one is going to pay a premium for an average player, when the new NHL is so skewed to the talents of the youth each team has already in their system.

The same can be said for the free agent market. After coming out blazing on day one, the market quickly cooled and has left some veteran players on the outside looking in. Several players whose age starts with a three (and some with a four) are still sitting on the sidelines, waiting for an opportunity to open up. There is plenty of talent still to be had, if they would agree for the right price.

Jaromir Jagr

The ageless one is obviously the first that anyone notices when looking at a list of free agents. Jagr put up 46 points last season and is still an excellent possession player, shielding the puck down low like he has a trademark on it. A career-low shooting percentage kept his goal total down at 16, but he easily could have had another 20-goal season had it been anywhere near his normal rate. Some of that may come from a loss of power, accuracy or even of the ability to get to the prime scoring areas but he still generates positive chances when he’s on the ice.

Kevin Kurz of NBC did a Q&A on Twitter today and was asked about Jagr’s fit in San Jose, responding that if he is looking for just $2-3MM he could be a fit. That may not be that far-fetched, as Jagr has signed for as little as $2MM in base salary in the past. A contract filled with performance bonuses is clearly the way to go here.

Thomas Vanek

Why is the league so afraid of Vanek? After being bought out by the Wild last year, Vanek had to settle for just $2.6MM from the Detroit Red Wings on a sort of prove-it deal. Well, what didn’t he prove? In 68 games split between the Red Wings and Panthers, Vanek registered 48 points and showed he can still work on the powerplay and in limited minutes. His defensive deficiencies are readily apparent, but can easily be explained away by the offense he creates in a sheltered role. Both contenders and rebuilders could use him, if even as a trade chip for next year.

Daniel Winnik

No one is ever going to mistake Winnik for an offensive dynamo, but he’s proven to be an excellent defensive forward for years and could still help many teams. If you have a fourth-line winger spot that’s being filled by an unproven rookie who may need some more seasoning, Winnik is the guy for you. He’s effective in limited minutes, can penalty kill, and for some reason is worth a second-round pick at the deadline. 25 points from a guy who plays less than 12 minutes of even strength ice time is pretty darn effective.

Cody Franson

We seem to get a question every week about Franson in our live chats, and he continues to be one of the most pondered players in the league. What is he exactly? Can he legitimately be the possession-driving borderline top-4 player he once was, or is he an extreme defensive liability that can only work on average teams? If you go by analytics Franson had another solid season for Buffalo, and recorded 19 points in 68 games. His market still seems to be invisible, though with the recent injury to Jakob Chychrun in Arizona, Sarah McLellan of AZ Central suggests that the Coyotes might look at him as a veteran replacement to help lengthen out their back end.

Other unsigned veterans include Drew Stafford, Brian Gionta, Francois Beauchemin, Ryan White, Jiri Hudler, and P.A. Parenteau all who could still have an impact in the right situation.

Panthers Notes: Tippett, Tallon

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Breathe easy, Panthers fans. Tenth overall pick Owen Tippett was hit hard (gif via Twitter) during today’s game against the United States during the World Junior Summer Showcase. NHL.com’s Mike Morreale tweeted that it didn’t look good after the hit, but Tippett was able to leave the ice under his own power. Morreale tweeted later that he observed Tippett with his teammates, going through exercises and appearing just fine.  An injury scare for the high scoring winger would have been a difficult blow for Florida. Tippett has a chance to make the roster right out of training camp, and if the skills transfer over, can be a major contributor in the scoring column. The Sun-Sentinel’s Harvey Fialkov wrote about how general manager Dale Tallon believes Tippett to have the makeup of a player who is mature beyond his years. Today’s hit appears to be just a minor incident, and one that shouldn’t stunt Tippett’s chance at making the NHL roster.

  • Tallon was featured in an Athletic article by Scott Powers, who wrote how Tallon holds a special place in his heart for Chicago. Tallon was responsible for the bulk of the drafting and free agent signings that turned the Blackhawks into a model franchise after being a league doormat for nearly a decade. Powers asked Tallon about his thoughts on the Panthers offseason, and he responded as such:

    We had to rework it a little bit. We’re going younger, we’re going faster. We like what we’ve done. We’ve gotten quicker and faster, a little more depth. We added some grit, we added some speed and we added some skill. We got a lot of good young players that we still have coming in our organization that we really like, and we have a real strong core of young players that were injured last year. I think our team is going to be faster and younger and play with a little more energy than we did last year. The new coaches to our coaching staff are really good. I’m excited to work with them and get rolling here.

Tallon admitted that he wasn’t happy about last season and that it was a difficult decision not bringing Jaromir Jagr back, noting that he was great for leadership and exemplifying a strong work ethic. But like many executives in the NHL, Tallon felt it was time to get younger and faster.

 

 

Snapshots: Malgin, Sheary, Walker

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The Florida Panthers are a team looking for a reboot after a disappointing campaign. GM Dale Tallon seems to have adopted a total shift in philosophy after buying out Jussi Jokinen and passing on re-signing Jaromir Jagr. The team is opting for a more total youth movement, particularly on offense. In an article with NHL.com’s Alain Poupart, the undersized Denis Malgin spoke about his hopes for the 2017-18 campaign.

Malgin only scored 6 goals and 4 assists in his 47 contest in the NHL last season, but undoubtedly has skill. The former Zurich SC (Swiss A) prospect is known for his craftiness with the puck and his vision for making plays. As any 5’9 player will attest, physicality will be a huge hurdle for him going forward. Still, he only needs to look to recently-ex Panther Jonathan Marchessault to realize that solid offensive instincts can trump a small stature. Malgin, a center, will look to make a more permanent home in Florida this season, although training camp will determine where he begins the year. At only 20 years old, he has plenty of time to improve and bulk up physically.

  • The Conor Sheary contract announced earlier today could turn out to be quite the bargain for the Penguins. The miniature winger’s chemistry with captain Sidney Crosby is undeniable, and he exploded with offensive production alongside him. With 53 points in only 61 games, if Sheary can maintain that sort of productive pace, he will be one of the more cost-effective wingers over the course of his contract. Speaking with the Post-Gazette’s Jason Mackey, Sheary said he hoped to prove that this past season wasn’t merely a “one-time thing”. If he can put 3 more campaigns anywhere near as successful as 2016-17, he’s assured to be paid quite a bit more on his next contract. Durability is a concern, but he did appear to absorb harder impacts less regularly as the year progressed.
  • Nathan Walker of the Washington Capitals re-signed with the organization at the beginning of the month, after playing the past two seasons in Hershey. As the Capitals are in a bit of a cap crunch, they will be relying on younger, cheaper players like Walker to fill holes, especially on the third and fourth lines. Walker, like the other two players in these snapshots, needs to prove that he can overcome his short height. At only 5’8, Walker plays a game well above his size. He can handle physicality and his energy can jump-start a shift in a pinch. He also has some level of offensive capability – he’s netted 64 points through 131 AHL contests in the last two seasons. Walker is particularly interesting to trivia buffs, because were he to make an NHL appearance (as seems likely), he would be the first Australian-born player to do so, as noted by Adam Gretz of NBC Sports. Walker’s competition in camp, as of now, isn’t too intimidating. Assuming Jakub Vrana makes the lineup, Walker will only need to beat out the likes of Travis Boyd, Wayne Simpson, Riley Barber and a host of AHL journeymen and minor prospects to cement his playing time.

Vegas Notes: Marchessault, Neal, Perron, Sbisa

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While it’s almost impossible to guess what the Vegas Golden Knight’s roster may look like from year-to-year for the forseeable future as general manager George McPhee has made it clear that trading for draft picks is his first and foremost goal, there are some who see trends already and, according to Sportsnet’s Luke Fox, don’t be surprised at all if forward Jon Marchessault is re-signed to a long-term deal next year.

Fox did a podcast with Las Vegas Review-Journal hockey writer Steve Carp  (podcast on website), who says that Marchessault’s familiarity with former Florida Panthers’ head coach Gerard Gallant will make him want to stay in Vegas. The 26-year-old center will be joining his fourth team and has had his ups and downs after going undrafted early in his career. Before his 30-goal breakout season last year, he had only played in 49 career NHL games. He credits some of his success to Gallant, who was his head coach before being dismissed during the season. However, now that they are reunited in Las Vegas, he may look to stay where he is wanted.

  • Carp also says that the two most valuable trade chips at next year’s trade deadline will be James Neal and David Perron. While Neal’s name comes as no surprise after putting up 54 goals in the past two years, Perron’s value is unknown. The 29-year-old wing is far from his 28-goal season back in 2013-14, but did manage to play a full season last year in St. Louis and put up 18 goals. The belief is that McPhee is hoping to get second-round picks for each player, although Carp says he probably would be willing to accept a third-rounder, if needed. The Golden Knights whose emphasis is on receiving picks between the first and third round need help for next year’s draft. After having six picks in this year’s draft (including three first-rounders), Vegas has just two for 2018, yet seven in 2019 and five picks in the first three rounds in 2020. They hope the trade deadline will net them those 2018 picks.
  • Carp adds that one other issue with having 11 defenders currently on their roster is that nine of them are left-handed. Of all the defensemen on the roster, Carp says that McPhee wants to move Luca Sbisa, who has one year left on his deal, but at $3.6MM. “He’s 27 but he’s got a lot of money [owed to him],” Carp said. “I’m not sure if George didn’t overplay his hand a little bit in taking all these defencemen thinking he could flip ’em quickly for picks.”
  • Neal is also the likely candidate to become team captain, according to Carp. While Vegas has played up Marc-Andre Fleury as the face of the franchise, goaltenders are not permitted to be “on ice” captains.
  • Don’t expect the Golden Knights to sign one of the many veteran free agent forwards, according to Carp. A veteran does not fit in with the Golden Knight’s plans of developing youth or using veterans to trade for picks since no one seems to want players like Shane Doan or Jaromir Jagr now when they are available.

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