Tampa Bay Lightning Sign Calvin de Haan
The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed defenseman Calvin de Haan, as first reported by Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman adds that the deal is a one-year, $775k contract. The signing has also been officially announced.
It’s a slight pay cut for de Haan, 32, who played last season on an $850k cap hit with the Carolina Hurricanes. A defenseman with nearly 600 games of NHL experience, de Haan is a former top-four rearguard who a minutes-eating defenseman for playoff teams on both the Hurricanes and New York Islanders.
Some significant injury issues sapped away much of de Haan’s foot speed, and left him a less effective two-way defenseman compared to his prime. Last season he played in 53 games and averaged a career-low 13:32 time on ice per game, though just a year before he was averaging nearly 19 minutes per night.
For a cap-strapped team like the Lightning, there are far worse options a team could have for its seventh defenseman role than de Haan. He brings experience, stability, and reliability to the role, and despite no longer being the player he once was it’s not as though he’s in his late thirties. The Lightning clearly believe he still has something to give to an NHL team, and now this one-year deal will allow de Haan to do so.
He’s got no chance of displacing Victor Hedman or Mikhail Sergachev on one of Tampa’s top two pairings, but seeing as the Lightning got hit hard by blueline injuries later in the season he’s a valuable depth player to keep around and potentially have compete with Haydn Fleury for the number-six role on head coach Jon Cooper’s defense.
Tampa Bay Lightning Sign Conor Sheary, Four Others
The Tampa Bay Lightning are signing forwards Conor Sheary and Luke Glendening to bolster their bottom six, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports. The team announced a three-year, $2MM per season contract for Sheary. Glendening’s contract is two years at $800K per season, according to the Tampa Bay Times’ Eduardo A. Encina. They’ve also added netminder Jonas Johansson on a one-year, league-minimum deal.
They’ve also signed 2016 first-round pick Logan Brown to a one-year, two-way $775k contract, as well as forward Mitchell Chaffee to the same deal.
Heading into today’s free agency, and with the cap space situation at hand for the team, these are exactly the type of moves that Tampa was expected to make. Sheary and Glendening ultimately improve the bottom six lines, while Johansson gives the team a quality third-string backup option.
With Sheary, the Lightning should get tremendous value out of this signing. Over the last two seasons playing for the Washington Capitals, Sheary has scored 34 goals and 46 assists in just under 160 games. He became an exceptional middle-six option for the Capitals and should do the exact same in Tampa Bay.
In Glendening, the Lightning had a player that will undoubtedly help with the team’s possession numbers. Over the course of his 10-year career, Glendening has averaged a 55.7% faceoff percentage, while averaging a whopping 58.9% with the Dallas Stars alone. Already garnering a defensive unit that is one of the league’s best at moving the puck, the team will benefit greatly from having Glendening take important faceoffs.
Next, Johansson gives the team insurance if one of their regular goaltenders goes down with an injury. Spending last season primarily playing for the Colorado Avalanche’s AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles, Johansson sported a .920 SV% and a 2.33 GAA, helping lead his team to the 2023 Calder Cup playoffs. The Lightning are still expected to sign a more stable backup behind Andrei Vasilevskiy for the 2023-24 NHL season.
Finally, Brown adds an intriguing former top prospect for the Lightning’s development team to get their hands on. Injuries have laid waste to Brown’s development path so far but he’s been a difference-maker at the AHL level and perhaps Tampa Bay thinks they can unlock some of his upside at the NHL level.
Chicago Blackhawks Acquire, Extend Corey Perry
06/30/23, 9:30 AM: Chicago has now officially announced that they’ve signed Perry to a one-year, $4MM deal.
06/30/23, 7:30 AM: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the Blackhawks have reached an agreement on a one-year contract extension with the Blackhawks. The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun confirmed that the deal is a one-year, $4MM pact, an identical deal to what Nick Foligno received from Chicago just a few days ago.
While $4MM is likely quite a bit more than what most teams would bid on Perry’s services, the Blackhawks aren’t in a similar financial position to most teams. With Perry signed to this deal they’re still projected to have over $20MM in cap space by CapFriendly, meaning they’re in a perfect position to pay veteran players high sums of money in order to convince them to play for a team barely anyone expects to make the playoffs.
More than anything else, this type of cap space allows the Blackhawks to pay higher prices for free agents in order to secure them on one-year deals, thereby saving their financial flexibility in future years where the team might have plan on making a playoff run.
06/29/23: The Chicago Blackhawks have acquired the rights to pending UFA forward Corey Perry from the Tampa Bay Lightning, sending a 2024 seventh-round pick in return.
This deal seems to fit the Blackhawks’ recent strategy of targeting respected veterans to support their growing crop of impressive prospects. Perry, 38, is a veteran of nearly 1,300 NHL games and numerous long playoff runs. While his skating ability has largely evaporated, he still has soft hands and some offensive skill, along with the edge he plays with that has become his trademark. He can still provide some value as a net-front player on a power play, and just a year ago he scored 19 goals and 40 points.
Even if Chicago gets production more in line with what Perry did this past season (12 goals, 25 points) that’s still a decent player to have on any team. The Blackhawks still need to sign Perry, of course, and Perry could always prefer to sign with a contender.
But the Blackhawks have a stockpile of cap space and the ability to offer Perry a deal he can’t refuse, meaning he’s likely to end up in Chicago, one would assume. For Tampa Bay, getting a pick (even a very late one) for a player they were not planning on extending is impossible to argue with.
Lightning Focus On Re-Signing Alex Killorn After Ross Colton Trade
Following yesterday’s trade of forward Ross Colton, the Tampa Bay Lightning have again turned their attention towards securing a contract extension for pending unrestricted free agent winger Alex Killorn, Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic said last night. Things will likely go down to the wire, but this will be one of the tougher negotiations in recent Lightning history. Killorn has reportedly turned down a longer-term extension offer at a low average annual value.
Colorado Avalanche Acquire Ross Colton
The Colorado Avalanche are making another significant addition to their forward group. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that Ross Colton will be moved from the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Avalanche. The Lightning will receive the 37th overall pick in the draft in return.
Colton, 26, is a pending RFA that will be eligible for arbitration and is just one year away from potential unrestricted free agency. The fourth-round pick from 2016 is another shining success story from the Tampa Bay development pipeline, arriving late but making an immediate impact at the NHL level.
In his rookie season, Colton scored nine goals in 30 regular season games before a playoff performance to remember. He was a downright nuisance in the 2021 postseason and eventually scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal. In 2021-22, his first full season in the NHL, Colton scored 22 goals and once again was a significant contributor in the playoffs, scoring five goals (including two game-winners) during the Lightning’s run to the Finals.
While his offensive performance took a slight step back this season, Colton still provided 16 goals and 32 points in 81 games, adding 188 hits and 50 penalty minutes. A versatile, in-your-face player that can fit on a powerplay or the fourth line, he’ll help replace some of the depth the Avalanche have lost over the last few season.
The fact that Colton has some experience at center (but is not always lined up in the middle) could suggest that J.T. Compher will be headed elsewhere in free agency. After the acquisition of Ryan Johansen, Colton fits the bottom six much better than Alex Newhook, which Colorado moved to the Montreal Canadiens recently.
For Tampa Bay, there is only so much money to go around, and Colton is the latest cap casualty. His arbitration number was likely going to be too high for them to accommodate, meaning general manager Julien BriseBois will have to find another way to replace his presence in the lineup. Tanner Jeannot, acquired from the Nashville Predators for a huge haul of assets this year, may be part of that solution, given he plays a similar mix of physical hockey with offensive upside.
Jeannot is also an arbitration-eligible RFA, but coming off a much worse offensive season that will keep his number lower.
Still, the depth that was so critical to Tampa Bay’s back-to-back Stanley Cup championships is starting to be chipped away, with key pieces moving out every year. Alex Killorn, who has spent his entire career with the Lightning, is set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer after an impressive 27-goal campaign.
With that in mind, getting a relatively high pick back is an interesting result. The Lightning could use the selection to add to their prospect pool or potentially turn it around and try to acquire another inexpensive player to help keep the window open. BriseBois and company have never been shy about trading draft selections.
Getting Colton without giving up one of their two first-round picks is an impressive play by Colorado and means they could still be involved in other trades ahead of tonight’s event.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Syracuse Crunch Hire Joel Bouchard
The Tampa Bay Lightning have found their new AHL bench boss, hiring Joel Bouchard to be the next head coach of the Syracuse Crunch. The team has also brought in Daniel Jacob as assistant coach.
General manager Julien BriseBois released the following statement:
The head coach position for our AHL affiliate is one of paramount importance with regards to our player development program. Joel brings a contagious enthusiasm to everything he undertakes. He is a strong leader with a proven track record in helping players and teams reach their full potential.
With him overseeing the pipeline of future Lightning players on a day-to-day basis, we expect Joel to be an important contributor to the overall mission of the Tampa Bay Lightning for years to come.
Bouchard replaces the outgoing Benoit Groulx, though his time with the organization does not appear to be up. The announcement explains that Groulx will be offered another coaching position within the Lightning, though there are no further details. Former assistants Gilles Bouchard and Eric Veilleux will not return.
The Tampa Bay development model is one to emulate, with huge emphasis put on their minor league programs. The Crunch have been one of the most consistent teams in the AHL for years now, churning out NHL-ready talents like Yanni Gourde (undrafted), Carter Verhaeghe (3rd round), Mathieu Joseph (4th round), Anthony Cirelli (3rd round), Ross Colton (4th round), and many others during Groulx’s tenure.
Bouchard will now be tasked with continuing that development and continuing to grow talent to backfill the Tampa Bay roster.
Tampa Bay Lightning Re-Sign Gabriel Fortier
The Tampa Bay Lightning have re-signed prospect Gabriel Fortier to a one-year, two-way contract, as announced by the team. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Fortier was a bit of an outside candidate to make the team out of camp last season but ended up losing out on a more permanent roster spot to Cole Koepke. He did get into one game, an October 15 showdown against the Pittsburgh Penguins, bringing his NHL total to 11.
Tampa selected the 23-year-old with the 59th overall pick of the 2018 NHL Draft. His offense hasn’t come alive in the minors with the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch as much as the organization would have liked, though, recording 64 points in 139 games there over the past two seasons.
The 5-foot-10 forward is now entering his fifth campaign with the Lightning organization, signing his entry-level deal in 2019 before heading back to juniors for two seasons with the QMJHL’s Baie-Comeau Drakkar and Moncton Wildcats. He does have one NHL goal under his belt, which came during a 10-game stint with the Lightning in 2021-22.
A Hlinka Gretzky Cup champion with Canada in 2017, Fortier likely finds himself back in Syracuse this season with players like Koepke and Alex Barre-Boulet ahead of him on the depth chart. He’ll be a restricted free agent again in 2024.
East Notes: Sharangovich, Red Wings, Brodie
The trade market this season should be unusually hot, with most teams needing to make lateral money-in, money-out moves if they want to improve their teams (as well as a middling free-agent class). One player on the block is New Jersey Devils forward and pending RFA Yegor Sharangovich, somewhat of a cap casualty after a disappointing 2022-23 campaign. Today, New Jersey Hockey Now’s James Nichols named the Colorado Avalanche, Nashville Predators, San Jose Sharks, Seattle Kraken, and Washington Capitals as reasonable trade destinations for the Belarusian forward.
The 25-year-old saw his production dip to 13 goals and 30 points this year after scoring 24 goals and 46 points in 2021-22 and is coming off a two-year, $2MM per season deal. He’s still in a position to earn a small raise on that cap hit, and all the above destinations should provide more opportunity (and, therefore, breakout potential) for Sharangovich to provide good value on his next contract. It shouldn’t cost too much to pry his services away from the Garden State, either.
More out of the Eastern Conference today:
- Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman told reporters today he doesn’t envision moving either of Detroit’s first-round picks in this year’s draft (ninth and 17th overall). Yzerman did infer he’d be willing to trade one or more of his three second-round picks, which could easily see themselves on the move with Detroit looking to make a run at the postseason in 2024. This may be some sobering news to Ottawa Senators fans, considering Detroit is gaining steam as a top trade destination for winger Alex DeBrincat. If it does turn out that way, they may have to settle for a 2024 first-round selection or multiple later-round picks.
- There were some spotty rumors popping up over the past few days about a potential buyout for the Toronto Maple Leafs – namely, defenseman T.J. Brodie. The Toronto Sun’s Terry Koshan relayed a report from a source today, though, that said there’s “no truth” Toronto and new general manager Brad Treliving are considering anything of the sort. Brodie, under contract at $5MM through next season, has been the team’s most consistent defensive specialist over the life of his deal but seemed a step out of place at times during the team’s playoff run this season.
Tampa Bay Lightning Selling Minority Stake At $1.4B Valuation
- Stealing the Ottawa Senators’ thunder from earlier this week, Sportico reports the Tampa Bay Lightning are selling a minority stake in the club to Arctos Sports Partners at a massive $1.4 billion valuation. It’s over a ten-fold rise in franchise valuation in 13 years – majority owner Jeff Vinik purchased the team in 2010 for just $170MM. He’ll retain his majority stake in the team, so this won’t lead to any notable changes at the top of the franchise’s organizational pyramid.
Maxime Lagace Signs In Sweden
Veteran goaltender Maxime Lagace has had no trouble getting contracts in recent summers, locking in one-year, two-way deals fairly early in free agency in each of the last five seasons. However, he has opted to go a different route this time around as Farjestad of the SHL announced that they’ve signed Lagace to contract for the 2023-24 season.
The 30-year-old has spent the last two seasons with Tampa Bay, primarily with their AHL affiliate. After being one of the stronger goalies at the minor league level in previous years, Lagace struggled this past season, notching a 3.34 GAA with a .888 SV%, his poorest numbers since the 2016-17 campaign. This was also just the second time in the last six seasons that Lagace didn’t see any NHL action; the bulk of his playing time at the top level came back with Vegas in their inaugural year.
Lagace’s signing amounts to a trade of sorts. Earlier this offseason, Tampa Bay lured away Matt Tomkins from his contract with Farjestad, inking him to a two-year, two-way contract. That move effectively pushed Lagace out of a job in Syracuse as Tomkins will work with prospect Hugo Alnefelt next season. In the end, it’s Lagace who winds up with Tomkins’ old job. If things go well for him in Sweden in 2023-24, it’s quite possible that Lagace could look to return to North America and resume his familiar third-string role if he wants to try to get another taste of NHL action.