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Michael Grabner

Michael Grabner To Wait Until Season Begins Before Deciding His Playing Future

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Veteran winger Michael Grabner is one of the more intriguing players that is still on the UFA market.  After being bought out back in October, his original plans were to wait until closer to training camp before deciding on what his plans were for the upcoming season as by then, there would be more concrete information on what the format would be.  However, it appears as if he has changed those plans again as Craig Morgan of AZ Coyotes Insider reports (Twitter link) that while Grabner has spoken with a few teams, he will now wait until the season begins before making a decision on where to sign (or whether to sign at all).

The 33-year-old is coming off a tough season in Arizona that saw him put up just eight goals and three assists in 46 games while spending considerable time as a healthy scratch.  When he was in the lineup, he saw sparing ice time as his 12:22 ATOI per game was a career-low.  However, Grabner was still productive in the bubble, scoring three goals in nine playoff games, finishing only behind Clayton Keller (four goals) in that category but it wasn’t enough for to avoid being bought out.

While Grabner is no longer the quality scoring threat he was just a few years ago (when he had 27 goals in each of the 2016-17 and 2017-18 campaigns), he’s still a strong skater and is one of the top shorthanded threats in the league.  If he does wind up signing at some point, it will likely be for close to the league minimum but it appears that he will wait and see what early-season opportunities present themselves first.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Arizona Coyotes

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Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM.  Teams that can avert total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful.  Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2020-21 season.  This will focus more on players who are regulars on the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL.  All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.

Arizona Coyotes

Current Cap Hit: $84,270,284 (over the $81.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

F Barrett Hayton (two years, $894K)

Potential Bonuses

Hayton: $1.75MM

Once considered a team full of young players, the Coyotes have changed their image over the last few years and have only one young player on their team under a cheap entry-level deal with only a handful of entry-level players that are even close to joining the team. Hayton, however, could be ready for a breakout season after spending the season with the team last year. Unfortunately for Hayton, he would have benefitted the most with one year in the AHL, but wasn’t eligible to play there, so instead of returning him to his junior team, the Coyotes kept him around. He only appeared in 20 games (although he did miss time with a shoulder injury at the World Juniors), but showed enough potential that he should be an everyday player next season. A big year from the 2019 fifth-overall pick would be a boost to the team’s center position.

One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level

F Derek Stepan ($6.5MM, UFA)
D Alex Goligoski ($5.48MM, UFA)
F Marian Hossa ($5.28MM, UFA)
D Niklas Hjalmarsson ($5MM, UFA)
G Antti Raanta ($4.25MM, UFA)
D Jason Demers ($3.94MM, UFA)
D Jordan Oesterle ($1.4MM, UFA)
D Ilya Lyubushkin ($1MM, UFA)
F Conor Garland ($775K, RFA)
F John Hayden ($750K, RFA)
F Dryden Hunt ($700K, RFA)

For a team that is looking to cut salary, the team has a lot of money coming off the books next year, suggesting the team could look drastically different in just one year. Some of those players could find themselves to be trade bait when the trade deadline comes around. The most interesting decision the team might have to make is what to do with Stepan, however. The 30-year-old was brought in from New York to stabilize their top line three years ago. He had four straight seasons of 50 or more points while with the Rangers and posted a 56-point season with the Coyotes in 2017-18. However, his production has taken a dive over the past two years as Stepan posted just 35 points (in 72 games) in 2018-19 and then dropped even further last year with just 28 points in 70 games. A team leader, the Coyotes have to hope that Stepan can return to form this season or the team could choose to move on from him.

The team’s defense is loaded with several high-priced veteran blueliners and almost all of their contracts come up next season, including Goligoski, Hjalmarsson and Demers. Goligoski is 35, but is still playing major minutes for Arizona and could be a candidate to return at a slightly lesser deal. Hjalmarsson is 33, but has seen his game break down a bit as he has dealt with numerous injuries the last couple of years, including a fractured fibula that cost him 43 games last year. The 32-year-old Demers also averaged more than 20 minutes of ATOI per game. The team may keep one or two of those players, but likely will not keep all three.

The team will also want to evaluate the play of Raanta, who has showed flashes of dominance, but also has dealt with injuries and inconsistent play at times as well. Raanta did play well last season, posting a .921 save percentage in 33 games and gives the team several options in the net. Raanta could easily be re-signed to new deal or could be a trade candidate as well.

The team will also finally be free of Hossa’s $5.28MM contract the team took on years ago.

Two Years Remaining

F Phil Kessel ($6.8MM, UFA)
G Darcy Kuemper ($4.5MM, UFA)
F Tyler Pitlick ($1.75MM, UFA)
F Lawson Crouse ($1.53MM, RFA)
F Johan Larsson ($1.4MM, UFA)
F Christian Fischer ($1MM, RFA)

The team brought in Kessel to bring in the firepower that the team needed as goal scoring remains one of the team’s biggest weak points. Unfortunately, the first year with Kessel didn’t turn out to be the big acquisition that the team was hoping for. After an 28-goal, 82-point season in 2018-19, the 33-year-old saw quite a decline in his play with just 14 goals and 38 points in 70 games. That’s way below what they were hoping for and Arizona has to hope that Kessel can return to form this year in hopes of increasing his value if the team wants to move him at the trade deadline or next offseason when he has just one year left on his deal.

Kuemper has become the Coyotes’ top asset as the 30-year-old has been nothing short of dominant over the past two years and remains on a manageable contract. His name came up in trade speculation this offseason, but with so many free-agent goalies available, Arizona didn’t get the offers it was hoping for. That could change down the road. Yet at the same time, Kuemper might be worth keeping around down the road.

Three Years Remaining

None

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Arizona Coyotes To Buy Out Michael Grabner

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Sunday: Friedman reports that Grabner has cleared waivers and now is an unrestricted free agent.

Saturday: The desperate cost-cutting in the desert has begun. The Arizona Coyotes are in arguably the worst salary cap position of any NHL team heading into this off-season and had to make moves to be compliant ahead of next season. The first casualty is veteran winger Michael Grabner. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was the first to report that Grabner has been placed on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a buyout.

With just one year remaining on his current contract, the Coyotes will face penalties for just two years for buying out Grabner. Rather than deal with an AAV of $3.35MM this season, Grabner will count for just $833K against the cap in 2020-21 for a savings of over $2.5MM. This brings CapFriendly’s cap space projection to about $3.6MM (which still won’t go very far with seven roster spots to fill and a number of restricted free agents to sign). In 2021-22, the buyout will cost Arizona just over $1.25MM.

Unlike most buyouts, there is a small chance that Grabner does not clear waivers. Even at 32, Grabner still plays with tremendous speed and is a dangerous penalty killer. However, he has not played a full NHL season in two years and his offensive production, even if healthy, is likely limited to 20-30 points at most. Teams will likely take their chances at getting Grabner at a lower cost on the free agent market than claiming his $3.35MM contract. Grabner will surely draw attention if he does make it to market.

Pacific Notes: Turcotte, Grabner, Klefbom

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The Los Angeles Kings could have some talent headed their way later this season. The Kings top draft pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, Alex Turcotte, who is currently playing for the University of Wisconsin is expected to join the Kings once his season ends, according to an article about the Badgers by The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler (subscription required).

Taken fifth overall by Los Angeles, Turcotte has had a solid freshman campaign at Wisconsin after coming out of the U.S. National Team Development Program. The 19-year-old center has nine goals and 26 points in 28 games at Wisconsin and Wheeler writes that Turcotte would prefer to go pro as soon as possible, making it likely that he will leave the Badgers when their season ends.

Turcotte has been dealing with a knee injury of late, having missed five straight games, but the forward is close to returning for the team’s stretch run.

  • Back in July of 2018, the Arizona Coyotes were thrilled when they signed forward Michael Grabner in free agency to a three-year, $10.05MM contract. However, with the team continually adding talent over the last season and a half, Grabner has become a casualty of the team’s depth. The 32-year-old has been scratched for 16 straight games and seems to have found himself outside the team’s starting lineup. “I think it’s more a function of Taylor Hall coming in — a piece that I didn’t necessarily foresee us adding — and Barrett (Hayton) has come in and done a nice job,” general manager John Chayka said (via The Athletic’s Craig Morgan). “We’ve got a lot of depth. We’ve got a lot of good players. Look, we’re not built off the backs of one or two stars. We have depth and that’s a big part of our strategy in what we’re doing here, and Michael is a part of that depth.” Grabner has appeared in just 45 games this season with just eight goals. He scored nine goals last season in 45 games, although he was injured last season. That’s a far cry from the 27 goals he potted in the two previous years before signing with Arizona.
  • The Athletic’s Allan Mitchell (subscription required) wonders what role Edmonton Oilers defenseman Oscar Klefbom will have next season. The scribe notes that Klefbom has spent much of the season being paired with young defensemen, including Joel Persson, Caleb Jones and Ethan Bear and wonders if that may continue next year with Evan Bouchard, who most expect will join Edmonton full-time next season. However, Mitchell also notes that he has played his best hockey next to Bear, but how head coach Dave Tippett uses Klefbom will have a big impact to the success of Edmonton’s defense.

Patrick Marleau, Toronto Maple Leafs Ready To Part Ways

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A rumor several days ago suggested that the Toronto Maple Leafs would like to move on from 39-year-old winger Patrick Marleau, who is coming off a disappointing season this past season. With Toronto’s general manager Kyle Dubas trying to balance multiple players and their contracts into the team’s already full salary cap, the team was expecting more out of Marleau, who posted his worst goal totals (16) since his rookie campaign back in the 1997-98 season.

While many have squashed the rumors that Toronto was trying to send him to the Los Angeles Kings Friday, Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos reported late last night during a Headlines segment on Hockey Night in Canada that Marleau would like to leave Toronto and would prefer to be moved to a west coast team:

It sounds like Marleau and the Maple Leafs are set to part ways. The family is going to move back to San Jose. Patrick Marleau has made it clear to the Toronto Maple Leafs that he’d like to get closer to his family once again, which means moving to the west coast area.

That could make Los Angeles a legitimate candidate, despite reports to the contrary. Kypreos also mentioned the Colorado Avalanche and Arizona Coyotes as other options for Marleau, while can you never totally rule out a return to San Jose. The original belief is that with a no-movement clause, the Maple Leafs might have had a challenging time finding a trade partner considering he could reject any offer, but it now looks like Marleau will be much more willing to move on from Toronto. Marleau, who will be wrapping up the final year of the three-year, $18.75MM deal he signed back in 2017, will make only make $4.25MM next season, but does carry a $6.25MM AAV. The Maple Leafs would likely have to attach a pick or prospect to any deal to unload Marleau’s contract and might even have to retain salary to make a deal work.

The Avalanche might be one of the best options for Toronto as Colorado should have more than $37MM in available cap space, although the team has a number of important restricted free agents they must re-sign, including winger Mikko Rantanen. However, Marleau could be a veteran presence the Avalanche wouldn’t mind adding for one season. The other teams would require sending another significant contract back to Toronto, perhaps one with a lower AAV, but longer term. The Kings would have to send back a contract and while they might be willing to move on from some players such as forwards Ilya Kovalchuk (two more years at $6.25MM), Dustin Brown (three more years at $5.875MM) or defenseman Dion Phaneuf (two more years at $5.25MM), none of whom would fulfill Dubas’ desire to free up salary cap space. Arizona, which is another team that must deal with salary cap issues starting this off-season, has a few cheaper options and could be an interesting option, including forward Michael Grabner (two more years at $3.35MM) or defenseman Jason Demers (two more years at $3.94MM).

Poll: Which Western Wildcard Team Has Best Chance To Reach Playoffs

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The Minnesota Wild pulled off a big victory Saturday when they defeated the Western Conference’s top team in the Calgary Flames. Not only was it a big win, but with five straight victories, it has propelled Minnesota into the final wild card spot for the upcoming Stanley Cup playoffs, something that seemed unlikely just a week ago. Suddenly what looked to already be a contentious race for the final playoff spot, it has become even more muddled as four teams are vying for the final two wild card spots.

The Dallas Stars currently hold the first wildcard spot in the Western Conference with 71 points, while Minnesota owns that second spot with 70 points. However, two other teams are right there, including the Arizona Coyotes who have 69 points, while the Colorado Avalanche have 68 points.

Dallas is the most interesting team as they were buyers at the trade deadline, picking up defenseman Ben Lovejoy and Mats Zuccarello. However, while Zuccarello looked to be a good fit who energized the Stars’ struggling second line after posting a goal and an assist in his first game, he broke his arm late in that first game after blocking a shot and will now miss at least three more weeks. That hasn’t stopped the Stars, however, who have won two in a row and three of their last four.

The Coyotes have also been red hot, having gone from a team that had almost no chance at a playoff spot earlier this year to a team that has won six straight and nine of their last 11 games and actually could catch the Vegas Golden Knights as they are only four points behind them in the Pacific Division. All of this is with a gluttony of injuries to Coyotes’ players. The team is expected to get Jason Demers back from injury on Tuesday and could get Michael Grabner back within the week. Throw in the impressive play of Darcy Kuemper in goal and the team has been hard to beat.

Colorado is the forgotten team, who early on seemed to be the obvious candidate to seize the third seed in the Central Division, but the team bottomed out, struggling immensely throughout December, January and part of February. However, the Avalanche have won six of their last nine and look to be fighting their way back into the playoffs. Armed with some of the best players in the NHL in Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen, the Avalanche have every chance to force their way back into the playoffs.

So, which team has the best chance to claim a spot in the Western Conference playoffs?

Pro Hockey Rumor app users, click here to vote.

Pacific Notes: Edler, Burns, Grabner, Veronneau, Hathaway

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A week ago, longtime Vancouver Canucks defenseman Alexander Edler refused to waive his no-trade clause and accommodate a team that was considering moving their veteran defenseman. Edler, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, has made it clear that he wants to remain in Vancouver for the rest of his career. The 32-year-old will be tested as the team will likely expect Edler to take less money after signing a six-year, $30MM contract ($5MM AAV) in 2013, according to Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre.

“I’ve been fortunate to have very good contracts with money,” he said. “But there are other things, too. It’s different when you have a family. There are a lot of factors you have to take into consideration. Those things are important.”

With plenty of cap room and the need for a solid veteran defensemen who could continue aiding the play of young future defenseman like Quinn Hughes and Olli Juolevi, the Canucks might want to bring him back too, but with an upcoming expansion draft, the team doesn’t want to be placed in a situation where they will have to protect Edler and lose a more talented young player, which likely could be the key to negotiations.

  • Despite rumors that he might miss a game, the Mercury News’ Paul Gackle reports that San Jose Sharks defenseman Brent Burns will play Sunday against Chicago. Burns was rumored to be questionable as he had been suffering from the flu and missed a practice. That means that he won’t jeopardize his iron man status of 454 straight games played.
  • The Athletic’s Craig Morgan (subscription required) writes that the Arizona Coyotes may get another player back soon as winger Michael Grabner could be back within the week. Grabner hasn’t played in a game since suffering a serious eye injury on Dec. 1. He has been fitted with a new contact lens, which is helping him eliminate his remaining vision issues, although the scribe adds that his return date could still be altered.
  • Mark Divver of the Providence Journal writes that the Los Angeles Kings are considered the frontrunners to sign Princeton University forward Max Veronneau, who will be an unrestricted free agent once his college team is done playing next weekend. Veronneau, a four-year player, has 13 goals and 36 points this season and has tallied 52 goals in his four-year career. Los Angeles has a history of dipping into the college free agent market, grabbing defenseman Daniel Brickley and forward Sheldon Rempal last year, while signing goaltender Calvin Petersen two seasons ago.
  • The Athletic’s Michael Russ reports that Calgary Flames forward Garnet Hathaway will not receive any supplementary discipline from the Department of Player Safety for driving Minnesota Wild’s Luke Kunin into the boards Saturday in the second period. Hathaway was given a match penalty and a game misconduct, but the league obviously didn’t feel the hit was intentional.

Coyotes Assign Jason Demers To Conditioning Stint

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Sunday: The Arizona Coyotes announced they have already recalled Demers from his conditioning stint after one game with the Roadrunners. He tallied one assist, three shots and had a minus-1 plus/minus. He should be ready to go for the team’s three-game homestand, starting Tuesday against Anaheim.

Saturday: In a season plagued by injuries, the Arizona Coyotes were dealt another cruel blow yesterday with the news that top center Derek Stepan would miss four to six weeks with a lower-body injury. Fortunately, they have been greeted with some good news on the injury front instead today. Veteran defenseman Jason Demers has been cleared for game action and has been reassigned to the AHL’s Tuscon Roadrunners for a conditioning stint, the team announced.

Demers, 30, has missed almost the entire 2018-19 season thus far with a lower-body injury. Injured in mid-November, Demers had only played 18 games for the Coyotes before a suspected knee injury has cost him the next 46 games and counting. If that was the only serious injury that Arizona was dealt, the absence of the capable defender still would have hurt, but to a much lesser extent. However, Demers injury was followed not long after by that of starting goaltender Antti Raanta, who is expected to be out for the season, and forward Michael Grabner, who remains sidelined. Additionally, Nick Schmaltz and Kyle Capobianco have since suffered season-ending injuries, while Stepan’s year may be over. The Coyotes have had a rough go of it this season in the injury department, with more than 300 man-games lost.

Yet, the team is still very much in the wild card race in the Western Conference, down just one point on the Minnesota Wild for the final playoff spot. With Christian Dvorak and Brad Richardson finally back to full health up front, Demers’ return would add much-needed support on the back end as the ’Yotes can take some solace in the fact that they are getting healthy at multiple positions. Demers could return to the Arizona lineup as early as Tuesday per The Athletic’s Craig Morgan, after a couple games in Tuscon. When he does, Demers brings nearly 600 NHL games worth of experience back to the locker room, as well as his strong two-way possession game. Even in the midst of numerous injuries, the veteran could be the player who puts the Coyotes over the top in their pursuit of a return to the postseason.

Arizona’s Christian Dvorak Assigned To AHL On Conditioning Stint

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The Arizona Coyotes may be getting back a familiar face soon as general manager John Chayka announced that forward Christian Dvorak was assigned to the Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL for a conditioning stint, according to The Athletic’s Craig Morgan (subscription required). Dvorak, who tore his pectoral muscle in training camp while rehabbing a separate injury, has missed the entire season, but is expected to be in the Roadrunners’ lineup on Wednesday.

“We were thinking about having him play (Saturday) but it got pushed back,” Chayka said. “He could do down there play one game or he might play two, three or four. It really is just kind of a feel thing at this point. If you (watched Saturday’s game against Toronto), it’s moving pretty quick out there so without a training camp or any games, he’s got to get back up and running. He is fully healthy. He really is day-to-day now.”

The 23-year-old Dvorak had put up 15 goals in each of his last two seasons in Arizona and many felt that the forward would take that next step this season. He finished the season last year with 15 goals and 37 points. The team believed he would be a significant part of the team’s offense this season and rewarded him with a six-year, $26.7MM extension in August before he got hurt. His return would be well appreciated by the team as they have a number of players on injured reserve, including starting goaltender Antti Raanta, forwards Michael Grabner, Nick Schmaltz and defenseman Jason Demers among many.

The Arizona Republic’s Richard Morin writes that the team will be on the road for the next three games and won’t play at home until Feb. 24 against Winnipeg, which might be the perfect time for Dvorak to make his debut, assuming all goes well on his conditioning stint.

Chayka also provided an update on three other players, including Demers who is trying to return from knee surgery in November. Demers has been skating with the team in a non-contact jersey, but remains week-to-week. He hasn’t been medically cleared yet. Grabner is also close to returning after suffering a gruesome eye injury on Dec. 1. He is also skating in a non-contact jersey, but no word on when he might be ready for game action. Chayka admitted that Raanta is believed to be out for the season. While his rehab is going well, it’s unlikely there are enough games on the schedule for him to be ready in time before the season ends, unless the team made a playoff run.

 

Pacific Notes: Canucks, Silfverberg, Ferguson, Coyotes

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After trading for New York Rangers third-string keeper Marek Mazanec yesterday, the Vancouver Canucks are returning to some semblance of a normal situation in net. The team announced that starter Jacob Markstrom has been cleared to play and will get the start tonight against the Anaheim Ducks. Mazanec will be the backup, and if Markstrom can’t hold up, could make his first NHL appearance since 2016-17 after exclusively playing in the AHL the past two years. As for Michael DiPietro, the young prospect is on his way back to the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s, as his emergency loan has come to an end. DiPietro allowed seven goals on 24 shots in his NHL debut on Monday, a forgettable performance that he’s unlikely to forget. Meanwhile, the team did not issue an update on backup Thatcher Demko, Vancouver’s other top young goalie, who is currently on the injured reserve with a knee injury. If the Canucks hope to sneak into the playoffs, they’ll likely need both Markstrom and Demko to get healthy for the stretch run.

  • As usual, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman provided plenty of insider information in his latest edition of “31 Thoughts”. An encouraging note for Ducks fans, especially during a stretch without much good news in Anaheim, is that Friedman claims term is the only thing separating the team and winger Jakob Silfverberg from agreeing to a contract extension. While that means the two sides are still apart, it was cap hit that was the major roadblock to a new deal. Due to Anaheim’s overall lack of cap space and the restrictions of “tagging”, many speculated that Silfverberg’s desired salary would be too difficult for the Ducks to manage. The fact that term remains “the final hurdle”, as Friedman puts it, would seem to indicate that the dollars have been agreed upon and a the odds of a new contract getting done are better than not.
  • Friedman adds a new name to the list of Edmonton Oilers GM candidates. While he maintains that Vegas Golden Knights AGM Kelly McCrimmon and former Toronto Maple Leafs executive Mark Hunter remain popular options, he also adds Boston Bruins AGM John Ferguson Jr. to the mix. Friedman notes that interim GM Keith Gretzky, who appears to have some job insurance moving forward even if it isn’t at his current position, has experience working with Ferguson from his own time with the Bruins. Ferguson is a well-respected NHL executive who previously served as the Toronto Maple Leafs GM from 2003 to 2008 and has been with the Bruins for the better part of this decade. This also isn’t the first time that his name has come up in regards to an opening; Ferguson was considered a candidate to run the Vegas Golden Knights and has already been considered a candidate to do the same with the Seattle expansion team. However, GM jobs don’t come around very often and, like McCrimmon, if Ferguson is offered the Edmonton job, is unlikely to pass in favor of waiting on Seattle.
  • One last interesting note comes in regards to the Arizona Coyotes. Friedman points out that the Coyotes are struggling with so many injuries that their AHL affiliate, the Tuscon Roadrunners, could only ice a lineup of 17 skaters last night, playing a man down. CapFriendly’s depth chart shows that only 15 skaters under contract with the ’Yotes, including just nine forwards, are currently in Tuscon, as Arizona needs all the help they can get at the NHL level. Fortunately, Mario Kempe, Brad Richardson, and Christian Dvorak are all getting close to a return, while Michael Grabner and Jason Demers returned to practice today writes The Athletic’s Catherine Silverman. The closer the Coyotes get to full health this season, the better their chances are to push for a playoff spot in the tight Western Conference race.

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