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Ryan Spooner

Free Agent Focus: Boston Bruins

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The free agent period is now less than one month away from opening up and there are several prominent players set to hit the open market while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign.  Here is a breakdown of Boston’s free agent situation.

Key Restricted Free Agents: F David Pastrnak – Pastrnak is coming off a breakout season that saw him finish second in team scoring while setting career highs across the board.  The Bruins will be penciling him in as a top line winger for the foreseeable future but they’ll have to reach an agreement on a new deal first.  Both sides are believed to be interested in skipping a short-term deal in the hopes of reaching a long-term contract.   That could delay things a little bit (and Pastrnak is not arbitration eligible) but all indications are that talks are going well so far.

F Ryan Spooner – It wasn’t a great year for Spooner who saw his role diminish towards the end of the season, hardly the way to head into restricted free agency.  His name is out there in trade talks while he is eligible for arbitration.  Despite ending his season on a sour note, Spooner is still poised to land a sizable raise from the $1.1MM in salary he earned in 2016-17 (which also represents his qualifying offer).  At this stage, the question is whether or not Boston will be the one signing him to that next contract.

Other RFAs: F Noel Acciari, F Austin Czarnik, F Colton Hargrove, G Zane McIntyre, D Joe Morrow, F Tim Schaller, G Malcolm Subban

Mar 16, 2017; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Boston Bruins right winger Drew Stafford (19) is seen out on the ice as they took on the Edmonton Oilers during the second period at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Walter Tychnowicz-USA TODAY SportsKey Unrestricted Free Agents: F Drew Stafford – After a tough season in Winnipeg, Stafford looks reenergized as a member of the Bruins, providing some key secondary scoring after joining the team as he collected eight points in just 18 games.  He’s going to be faced with taking a pay cut from the $4.35MM he earned in each of the last two seasons but if Stafford decides to look for a short-term deal to restore some value, re-upping with Boston would make some sense.  While the team has several youngsters on the cusp of making an NHL impact, bringing Stafford back shouldn’t affect things too much and would provide them with some extra scoring depth on the wing.

F Dominic Moore – The veteran center has been a hockey nomad in recent years (since 2007-08, he has played for nine different teams) but brought some stability to Boston’s fourth line while chipping in some unexpected offense.  A shift towards speedier bottom six players has worked in his favor and Moore will be in line to reprise that role next season whether it’s with the Bruins or elsewhere.

Other UFAs: D Chris Casto, D Tommy Cross, F Brian Ferlin, D Alex Grant, D John-Michael Liles, F Tyler Randell, F Zac Rinaldo

Projected Cap Space: The Bruins currently have $62.5MM committed to 18 players for next season per CapFriendly which would slot them about $10.5MM below the 2016-17 upper limit.  A significant chunk of that will be eaten up with new deals for Pastrnak (and if he’s still around, Spooner) which makes it unlikely that GM Don Sweeney will be active on the open market aside from adding or re-signing some depth players.  There will be several teams to watch for in free agency but as things stand, Boston won’t be one of them.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Snapshots: Spooner, Islanders, Berube, Russell

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Bruins forward Ryan Spooner is coming off a bit of a down season but despite that, “the interest is out there” for his services around the league, reports CSN New England’s Joe Haggerty.  Two years ago, he tallied a career high 49 points but that dipped down to 39 this season while his role diminished a bit as the season went on, a trend that continued in the playoffs where he was a healthy scratch at one point.

The 25 year old is set to become a restricted free agent in July and is due a qualifying offer of $1.1MM, one he will undoubtedly receive whether it’s from Boston or another organization.  Haggerty adds that the Bruins gave prospect Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson some indications that he is in their immediate plans for next season and the youngster would likely fit in nicely in Spooner’s spot on the depth chart.  There’s no guarantee Spooner will be dealt between now and the expansion draft but it appears that he’s certainly in play as GM Don Sweeney looks to shake up his roster.

Elsewhere around the league:

  • The Islanders do not plan to ask either winger Andrew Ladd or defenseman Johnny Boychuk to waive their no-move clauses in advance of the Expansion Draft at this time, GM Garth Snow told Newsday’s Arthur Staple. The challenges that they face are well-documented and if either veteran were to consider waiving it, it would free New York up to protect some other core players from the Golden Knights.
  • Although Craig Berube has interviewed for both the head coaching vacancies in Florida and Buffalo, CSN Philly’s Tim Panaccio reports (Twitter link) that will not land either job. Berube was the head coach for AHL Chicago this season but with the Golden Knights taking over as primary affiliate for that team next year in place of St. Louis, they have brought in their own head coach with today’s hiring of Rocky Thompson.  TSN’s Darren Dreger suggests via Twitter that Berube could wind up as an associate coach with the Blues.
  • The Oilers opened up brief contract talks with the agent for defenseman Kris Russell on Tuesday, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports (Twitter link). Both sides have been vocal about their desire for a reunion but Edmonton is expected to deal with a new contract for center Leon Draisaitl and an extension for center Connor McDavid before really getting into more substantive discussions with Russell (or any other free agents).  The 30 year old is coming off a one year, $3.1MM pact that he got just before the start of the season and will likely be looking for more on the open market.

Boston Bruins Taking Offers On Ryan Spooner

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According to Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News, the Boston Bruins are listening to offers on Ryan Spooner. Kennedy tweets that he’s heard New Jersey, Vancouver and Vegas already linked to the 25-year old center. Spooner has been considered a trade candidate for much of the season, after first clashing with head coach Claude Julien and generally underperforming expectations.

Spooner will be a restricted free agent this summer and eligible for arbitration, forcing the Bruins to make a decision on his future with the organization. While last year he showed the offensive potential of a second-line center, scoring 49 points in 80 games, this year he took a step backwards and at times looked lost in the defensive zone. The Bruins committed long-term to David Backes last summer and have an extension kicking in for Brad Marchand next year, meaning much of their forward capital is already tied up. Add in a new deal for pending RFA David Pastrnak who is coming off a 34-goal season, and the Bruins will likely need to clear out some cap space in the coming months.

After being eliminated by the Ottawa Senators this postseason, the Bruins lie at somewhat of a crossroads. Do they hope that Spooner can rebound and become the offensive dynamo that he has looked at times, or do they use him as a trade chip to bring in another defenseman to take some of the pressure off 19-year old Charlie McAvoy next year.

For all three potential landing spots, adding offense that isn’t on the wrong side of 30 is imperative this summer. Vegas will likely be in dire need of skill in their forward group after taking the overpaid or underperforming veterans from several squads in the expansion draft, and Spooner could likely slot into their top line immediately, and be a key part of their powerplay. In Vancouver, the team is looking for a quick rebuild and could use some center depth once Henrik Sedin finally leaves. New Jersey, likely the closest of the three to competing—especially after adding the top pick in the draft this year—have needed scoring for years and could use another dynamic player on the powerplay.

In all, Spooner’s availability should come as no surprise to teams around the league. His market though may be limited, as teams will not want to give up an established defenseman for him, not expect the Bruins to just give him away. It will be interesting to see if he is part of a bigger deal, or if the two sides can find some sort of one-for-one match.

Iginla Eyeing A Return To Bruins?

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File this one under extreme speculation if you like, but future Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla, at the very least, is moving to Boston. Whether or not he’s playing for the Bruins in 2017-18 is another matter altogether, but the 39-year-old icon will be spending time in Boston one way or another, as he just purchased a $4.5MM home in the city. The six-bedroom house is located in Chestnut Hill, the home of the Boston College Eagles.

Now, this could simply mean that Iginla, an unrestricted free agent, enjoyed his time in Boston during the 2013-14 season and, facing a very real possibility that his career may be over, is investing a new place to spend his retirement years. Iginla did really like playing with the Bruins and would have liked to re-sign in Boston in 2014, but the Bruins did not have the cap space to meet his salary demands, due in part to the bonus overages from his incentive-laden $1.8MM contract from the year before.

However, it does seem strange that the Canadian winger, an Edmonton native who spent much of his career in his home province of Alberta with the Calgary Flames and the past three years in Colorado, would suddenly decide he wants to invest in real estate on the east coast. Could Iginla and the Bruins have a handshake agreement on giving the veteran scorer another shot at the Stanley Cup? It would seem to be a strange fit. After re-signing restricted free agents David Pastrnak and Ryan Spooner this off-season, the Bruins will already have eight “top nine” forward under contract: Pastrnak, Spooner, Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, David Krejci, David Backes, Frank Vatrano, and Matt Beleskey. That’s not even including many forwards who made their NHL debuts in 2016-17 and will be looking for regular roles next season, including Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson, Peter Cehlarik, Austin Czarnik, Danton Heinen, and Sean Kuraly, up-and-coming prospects Jake DeBrusk, Zach Senyshyn, Jesse Gabrielle, Ryan Fitzgerald, and (potentially) Anders Bjork, or fourth-line contributors with some top-nine upside in Riley Nash and Noel Acciari. Do they really need another forward, especially another big, slow body who fills a similar role to Backes and Beleskey? Probably not, but if Iginla is at the point in his career where he is willing to play for the veteran minimum just on the off chance that he can finally win that elusive Cup, the Bruins are a team that values veteran leadership and would be happy to help Iginla out.

Iginla scored just 14 goals this season and ended the year with only 27 points. However, just three years ago Iginla was a 30-goal scorer in Boston on his way to a 61-point campaign. Iginla and Krejci enjoyed playing together, as Krejci too had an excellent season with 69 points and a league-best +39 rating. The two would not necessarily play together again next season, but the possibility should not be ruled out. Iginla going back to Boston would be strange, and assuming it is happening based on a property transaction is certainly a reach, but stranger things have happened. Everyone in hockey wants Iginla to win a Cup. Why not return to the team he most recently found success with and city he really enjoyed playing in?

Snapshots: Bruins, Chayka, Canadiens

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The Boston Bruins’ GM Don Sweeney met with the media today, and Fluto Shinzawa of the Boston Globe reported on many of his answers. The executive put the pressure on himself to improve the Bruins after their first-round exit, saying that their middle-six needs the most work.

Sweeney also said that he’ll likely go with the 7-3-1 expansion draft option and that he won’t reveal what’s next for Ryan Spooner, the latter of which is especially interesting. Spooner didn’t play in the elimination game for the Bruins, and is a restricted free agent this summer. Many teams would have interest in the 25-year old should Boston feel his time is up as a Bruin.

  • Though John Chayka has been linked to the Buffalo Sabres GM search, Craig Morgan of AZ Sports is here to quash any thoughts of him leaving the desert. Morgan reports that the Coyotes would deny any request of permission to talk to Chayka about a job, though he makes it clear that that doesn’t mean Buffalo has yet. It would have been shocking for the Coyotes to allow Chayka to leave so soon after giving him the reins, even if it was to an Eastern Conference team near his hometown. Chayka has a lot of work still left to do in Arizona if he’s to turn that team around and establish them in the city.
  • Count the Montreal Canadiens as the latest suitor for John Tavares, despite his repeated intention to stay with the New York Islanders. Eric Engels of Sportsnet writes that the Canadiens should do whatever it takes to acquire the superstar center should he become available. Though the Tavares-sweepstakes aren’t real just yet, the bigger point of the Engels piece is that the Canadiens still need that #1 center they’ve been after for so long. With the clear message that Alex Galchenyuk isn’t considered the future of that position any longer, the Canadiens will be on the hunt all summer.

Bruins Sign Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson To ELC

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With Boston University teammate Charlie McAvoy already committed to going pro, fellow Terrier sophomore Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson has decided to follow suit. However, while McAvoy made his pro debut with the AHL’s Providence Bruins last night, on an amateur tryout contract, it appears that “JFK” will head straight to the big-league club, as Boston announced that they have inked the young Swedish center to a three-year entry level contract and are prepared to burn a year by adding him to the NHL roster right away.

Unlike McAvoy, a right-shot defenseman who would be buried on an NHL team that has four NHL-caliber righties on the blue line, including one rookie already, Forsbacka-Karlsson can fill an immediate need for the Bruins. With Frank Vatrano, Jimmy Hayes, and Tim Schaller currently sidelined with injuries, Boston has been plugging holes up front, most recently with Sean Kuraly in today’s 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. However, Forsbacka-Karlsson presents an upgrade to Kuraly, as well as several other options currently waiting for the call in Providence, and will thus make the jump right from the NCAA to the NHL.

Don’t let the Bruins’ needs imply that the 20-year-old pivot isn’t making his NHL debut right away based on talent; Forsbacka-Karlsson certainly has the skill to be in Boston. A second-round selection of the Bruins in 2015 out of the USHL’s Omaha Lancers, JFK was considered a high-upside project player for Boston as he readied himself for the college game. Instead, Forsbacka-Karlsson has shown nothing but skill, consistency, and a mature, well-rounded game in two seasons at BU. JFK posted 63 points over 78 games in college career, playing a major role in back-to-back strong seasons for the Terriers. He possess both a strong offensive game and the instincts and intelligence to play a defensive game that is unmatched by many his age. For this reason, Forsbacka-Karlsson has often drawn comparisons to a young Patrice Bergeron, while playing right down the street from the man himself. Now, much like Zdeno Chara and Brandon Carlo, the Bruins can have Bergeron mentor JFK and hope for the same quick development and production like they have seen from Carlo. Expect the kid forward to step in right away, likely alongside Ryan Spooner on the team’s third line, and contribute immediately as the Bruins look to extend their five-game winning streak and lock up a playoff spot.

Evening Snapshots: Spooner, Gibson, Enroth

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News and notes from around the NHL this evening:

  • The Boston Bruins announced that forward Ryan Spooner will not play tomorrow night against the Vancouver Canucks. Spooner suffered a concussion last Monday in a tilt with the Ottawa Senators. Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy stated that Spooner is progressing well through the concussion protocol. Spooner has 11G and 23A in 65 games for the Bruins, and the Bruins hope to get his offense back as soon as possible. The team holds down the third playoff spot in the Atlantic Division by only two points, and a bad stretch could have the Bruins on the outside looking in.
  • The Anaheim Ducks announced that goaltender John Gibson will not play tonight against the Washington Capitals. Gibson is day-to-day with a lower body injury. Gibson missed time with a lower body injury before returning on Friday against the St. Louis Blues, but heappears to have aggravated something and will take more time off. So far this season Gibson has earned a  .921 SV% and a 2.28 GAA in 49 games. Expect back up goaltender Jonathan Bernier to make the start tonight.
  • To deal with Gibson’s injury, the Anaheim Ducks have recalled goaltender Jhonas Enroth from the San Diego Gulls, the team announced this evening. Enroth was sent down on March 10th to make room for Gibson, but Gibson’s injury necessitated that Enroth return and back up goaltender Jonathan Bernier. With only 13 games remaining after tonight’s match, the Ducks are comfortably in a playoff spot, but are on the brink of becoming a wild card team and playing a much tougher opponent.

Devils-Bruins Notes: Lappin, Prout, Stafford, McPhee

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Ahead of tonight’s road match-up with the Boston Bruins, the New Jersey Devils have recalled rookie winger Nick Lappin on an emergency basis from the AHL’s Albany Devils. Lappin is expected to get the call tonight, as the 24-year-old forward has worked his way back into the lineup. Lappin has four goals and three assists in 35 games with New Jersey this season, but was sent down to the minors on January 12th and had yet to return to the lineup. While in Albany, Lappin was nearly a point-per-game player, with nine goals and eleven assists in 24 contests. Lappin is in just his second pro season since leaving Brown University, and no matter how many games he plays for the Devils down the stretch, he will not be eligible for exposure in the Expansion Draft. GM Ray Shero will have to look elsewhere on the roster for the solution to his coverage problem.

  • A pair of deadline day acquisitions will make their debuts tonight. With Andy Greene out of the lineup for personal reasons, Dalton Prout will get a chance to show the Devils what he brings to the table. The 26-year-old tough guy had only played in 15 games for the Columbus Blue Jackets this season before being traded for Kyle Quincey at the deadline, but brings a physical game and hard-nosed presence to any game that he is a part of. With another year left on his contract, Prout is looking to impress his new team and carve out a role for himself in the future. In the short-term, he is likely trying to play well enough tonight to get into the Devils’ lineup tomorrow, against his former Blue Jackets team.
  • On the other side of the ice, Drew Stafford will get into his first game with the Bruins since being acquired on Wednesday. It has been a tough season for Stafford with the Winnipeg Jets, as injuries have limited him to just 40 games, and he has managed to score just 13 points in that sample size. However, Boston knows all too well how dangerous Stafford can be when he’s on his game. As a member of the Buffalo Sabres, Stafford was a consistent goal-scoring threat and tended to have some of his best games against the Bruins. Coach Bruce Cassidy hopes that Stafford can get back to his productive ways skating on a line with Ryan Spooner and Frank Vatrano, who have both been on fire since the coaching change.
  • With the trade deadline over with, Vegas Golden Knights GM George McPhee is out scouting with a clearer picture of who might be available to his team on June 21st when the new expansion team will be picked. Tonight, he’ll be taking in the Devils vs. Bruins in Boston, likely with an eye on defenseman. Although Boston and New Jersey are not exactly known for their blue line depth, neither team looks to have many attractive options up front to be exposed in the Expansion Draft. Instead, the Devils will have to pick four of Greene, Prout, Damon Severson, John Moore, Ben Lovejoy, and Jon Merrill to expose, while the Bruins can only protect one of Adam McQuaid, Colin Miller, and Kevan Miller to go along with Zdeno Chara and Torey Krug.  

Snapshots: Maple Leafs, Sobotka, Spooner

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The Toronto Maple Leafs made their intentions clear this season as they added playoff-tested Brian Boyle to the mix for their playoff push. Not expected to compete for the Atlantic crown this year they find themselves just seven points back of Montreal with two games in hand. Kristen Shilton of TSN spoke to Mike Babcock about the addition, and he said the team deserves this. “We’re excited. Lou thought our group had earned the right for us to help them,” Babcock said, before indicating that Boyle will play tonight on the fourth line and help out both special teams.

TSN’s Bob McKenzie thinks that it’s not just Boyle that the Maple Leafs are after, and that they may use their LTIR space to facilitate other deals. The Leafs have a lot of cap space because of the dead contracts they’ve taken on over the past few years, and could use it to gather assets from teams looking to add at the deadline. They have to be careful though, as the bonuses that Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander (among others) are owed on their entry-level contracts cannot be covered by the LTIR space and would count as penalties next season should they put them over the cap.

  • McKenzie also detailed the possibility of Vladimir Sobotka turning heads at some point tomorrow, as the Omsk Avangard winger is nearing the end of his KHL contract. It’s not clear if Sobotka would consider coming over after his season ends, but would be playoff eligible. Lou Korac of NHL.com asked Blues GM Doug Armstrong about the possibility, who responded: “Once he gets on our soil, then I’ll talk about him.” The 29-year old Sobotka has been a pain in Armstrong’s side for a long time.
  • In a new column from Joe Haggerty of CSNNE, Ryan Spooner spoke out against his former coach Claude Julien and the tense relationship the two shared. Spooner claims that Julien “just didn’t really trust [him]”, and that the two never saw eye to eye on his play style. Spooner has 33 points in 61 games and is well on his way to another 40+ point season before he’s 26. If he’s not dealt in the next few months, he’ll be looking for a big upgrade in the summer on the $950K he’s currently earning.

Trade Candidates: Ryan Spooner

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With the trade deadline quickly approaching, we will be profiling several players in the weeks ahead that are likely to be dealt by March 1st.

Throughout the Claude Julien reign in Boston, one which has been wildly successful overall, but has had more than a few bumps in the road over the past three seasons, there has been a stigma that Julien does not work well with young players. Often the reasoning behind confusing trades, like those of Tyler Seguin and Dougie Hamilton, has been that they “don’t fit the system”. It has been apparent that many young players have spent time in Julien’s “dog house” and if you don’t play the way he wants, it’s often your ticket out of town.

Ryan Spooner deserves all the credit in the world for lasting this long. The 24-year-old center has had to work extra hard to be an impact player in Boston, as it is clear that he is not one of Julien’s preferred players. Spooner struggled to carve out a role for himself in 2013-14 and 2014-15, despite playing well when called up. Last season, he finally broke through with a 49-point campaign and had seemingly cemented himself as the Bruins’ third-line center of the future. Julien had other plans though. The head coach has had more success with young players this year than ever before, with Brandon Carlo, Frank Vatrano, and Austin Czarnik all playing big roles. Even a former “dog house” tenant in Colin Miller has earned the coach’s respect. However, it’s been a rough year for Spooner. Julien has moved him all around the lineup, often avoiding playing him at his natural center position, and Spooner’s numbers have felt the impact of this mismanagement. A cerebral play-maker with great vision, Spooner has a lot of skill and many teams would be interested in his services. GM Don Sweeney and the Bruins won’t give him away for nothing, but if the right deal for top four defenseman comes around, they won’t hesitate to offer up Spooner.

Contract

Spooner is in the final year of a two-year, $1.9MM contract, a “show me” deal signed with the Bruins back in 2015, and will be a restricted free agent this summer. With a cap hit of just $950K, the deal paid off when Spooner was one of the best value players in hockey last season. At the deadline, the young offensive weapon would count less than $500K against the salary cap and would be under team control going forward as a restricted free agent. Spooner does have salary arbitration rights this summer, however, and could likely seek a contract similar to the Carolina Hurricanes’ Victor Rask, who got six years, $24MM.

2016-17

Spooner is a natural when it comes to reading the ice and making plays and performs his best when he is able to hold the puck and find open line mates. Spooner is a true center. However, he has spent far more time playing left wing on the Bruins second, third, and even fourth lines this season than he has as their third line center. His statistics show the impact. His assists are down and he’s taking more shots, which is not his strong suit. With the return of Matt Beleskey from injury, Julien and the Bruins finally have a completely healthy forward group, and it has led to Spooner finally getting back to his spot as the third-line center. As long as he stays there, expect his numbers to improve. Additionally, Spooner continues to show this season, after scoring half of his goals with a man-up last year, that he is a power play ace. However, the reasons that he hasn’t earned Julien’s full trust are also clear. Spooner struggles to play a solid two-way game, though he has become tougher along the boards, and is very bad at the face-off dot.

Season Stats

51 games: 7 goals, 17 assists, 24 points, -5, 38.5 FO%, 11 powerplay points, 14:29 ATOI

Potential Suitors

The Bruins can benefit more long-term from retaining Spooner, especially with Julien’s future in doubt, than they can from trading him. That is, unless someone is willing to deal a top-four defenseman to get him. The Bruins do have a very deep prospect system, especially down the middle, and could replace Spooner if they needed to. However, someone will have to make it worth their while.

The West-leading Minnesota Wild are an intriguing possibility. Staring down an almost certainty that, without making a move, they will lose a great defenseman in the upcoming NHL Expansion Draft, the Wild need to be open to moves, even as they fight for a Stanley Cup this season. Though free agent acquisition Eric Staal has worked out immensely and captain Mikko Koivu isn’t going anywhere, the Wild have made it know that they would like to add another top-nine forward and a skilled, young center like Spooner fits the bill. If Minnesota asks Sweeney for Spooner as part of a deal for Jonas Brodin, Marco Scandella, or Matt Dumba, it seems likely that the former NHL defenseman would say yes. The same situation could apply to the Anaheim Ducks, who had talks with the Bruins this summer concerning Cam Fowler, but their salary cap situation and Expansion Draft situation make it more unlikely that they could find a sensible way to trade for and extend Spooner.

Outside of Bo Horvat, the Vancouver Canucks have almost no promising young centers or center prospects. Henrik Sedin is 36 years old and Brandon Sutter is better suited for a bottom-six role. Spooner would look good as the team’s future #2 pivot, but is GM Jim Benning willing to move Chris Tanev to make it happen, or would the Bruins settle for Alexander Edler or Ben Hutton?

Likelihood Of A Trade

It’s unfair to say that the Bruins would need to be blown away to trade Spooner, but someone will have to make them a very good offer. If the season continues to be short ups followed by long lows for the B’s, they’ll be outside the playoff picture come Trade Deadline day and more willing to shake the team up with a deal. However, Spooner’s skill is undeniable and he is still under team control at the end of the season as a restricted free agent. They won’t trade him just for a trade’s sake.

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