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Snapshots: Jets, Kings, Coyotes

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On November 17, the Winnipeg Jets will be honoring two of the greatest players in franchise history (or at least, Jets history, both this iteration and the previous one). Teemu Selanne and Teppo Numminen will be inducted into the Jets Hall of Fame, joining Bobby Hull, Ulf Nilsson, Anders Hedberg, Dale Hawerchuk, Ab McDonald, Lars-Erik Sjoberg, Randy Carlyle, and Thomas Steen.

It wouldn’t be right to do it against any other team than the Anaheim Ducks, where Selanne went from incredible youngster to NHL legend. In just 231 games for the Jets, Selanne scored 147 goals, including 76 in his rookie season, a record that has yet to be broken (and is 23 ahead of second place, Mike Bossy). Numminen meanwhile played 547 games for the Jets and continued on with the organization after it moved to Phoenix, playing a total of 1,098 with that franchise. The steady-as-she-goes defenseman was one of the most consistent two-way players in his era, racking up 637 points in 1,372 career games.

  • The Los Angeles Kings have added Andy Johnson to their scouting staff, according to Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald. He comes from the Sioux City Musketeers, where he served as general manager for the last three seasons. The Musketeers won the Clark Cup as champions of the USHL this season and have produced plenty of NHL talents including Jake Guentzel, and Max Pacioretty.
  • While there has been positive momentum toward a new arena in Tempe for the Arizona Coyotes, nothing is finalized to this point. Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports details the next step, which includes a presentation to the city council on Thursday that will detail progress made on outstanding issues. Morgan suggests this could be the “home stretch” for the negotiation, while examining those potential issues.

Submit Your Questions For The #PHRMailbag

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As most of the hockey world takes a vacation, the World Juniors in Edmonton are providing a nice change of pace for fans looking to get a glimpse of their future stars. Anaheim Ducks forward Mason McTavish leads the tournament with six goals and ten points, sometimes looking like he is six or seven years older than the rest of his competition, while Luke Hughes continues to dominate as the tournament’s best defenseman. With the tournament coming to a close in just a few days, we’ll soon have to turn our attention back to the coming season.

With that in mind, it’s time to run another edition of the PHR Mailbag.

Last time, the mailbag was broken into two parts. The first examined the risky situation in Toronto’s crease, Pierre-Luc Dubois’ future in Winnipeg, and P.K. Subban’s continued free agency. The second focused on some offer sheet candidates, the front office in Philadelphia, and some often-discussed trade targets.

You can submit a question by using #PHRMailbag on Twitter or by leaving a comment down below. The mailbag will run on the weekend.

Negotiations “Going Nowhere” Between Rasmus Sandin, Maple Leafs

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One of the interesting restricted free agents that remains unsigned is Rasmus Sandin of the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 2018 first-round pick does not have arbitration rights yet and reports have emerged over the last few months about him wondering where he stands on the team’s depth chart, after they brought back Mark Giordano on a two-year deal.

Now, new comments from Sandin’s camp have emerged, explaining how little movement there has been in contract talks To Sportsnet’s Luke Fox, agent Lewis Gross said “negotiations are going nowhere.” Maple Leafs’ general manager Kyle Dubas responded with some firm thoughts on negotiating through the media, including the fact that it “traditionally [does] not create resolutions to private matters.”

A player that is often linked to Sandin, Timothy Liljegren, signed a two-year, $2.8MM contract with the Maple Leafs in June, avoiding restricted free agency entirely. That contract is likely being used by Toronto as a direct comparable, given the similarity in production between the two young defensemen.

But even that $1.4MM average annual value might be an issue for the Maple Leafs right now, who are pushed right up against the cap once again. While their situation right now could be resolved by carrying a 20-man roster, it seems more likely that a trade is coming at some point – especially if they want to fit Sandin in.

The fact that no contract movement is happening will raise some eyebrows in that trade speculation, given the fact that Giordano, Morgan Rielly, and Jake Muzzin are locked in on the left side of Toronto’s blueline already. If Sandin was signed, then there would be no real reason to move him, as depth at defense is extremely important. But if contract talks have still not progressed, perhaps the team will have to move on at some point.

Like any of the other RFAs, Sandin will need a contract by December 1 if he wants to play in the NHL this season.

Arizona Coyotes Sign Maveric Lamoureux

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The Arizona Coyotes have inked prospect Maveric Lamoureux to a three-year, entry-level contract, getting the first-round pick into the system right away. The young defenseman was selected 29th overall in this offseason’s draft.

General manager Bill Armstrong released the following statement:

We are very pleased to sign Maveric to an entry-level contract. He is a big, strong, physical defenseman who is a very good skater and has a good shot. We look forward to watching his development this season.

When Armstrong says that Lamoureux is big, he is underselling it a bit. The 18-year-old already stands 6’7″ and towers over most of his competition in the QMJHL, where he had 24 points in 54 games for the Drummondville Voltigeurs this season.

While he’s still very much a work-in-progress, the upside for a player like this is immense because of the way he skates. Lamoureux can move around the ice with ease, allowing him to use his huge reach advantage effectively and angle offensive players away from the front of the net.

Lamoureux was the third first-round pick the Coyotes had this year, following Logan Cooley (3rd overall) and Conor Geekie (11th). The former will be going to the University of Minnesota, while the latter has already signed his entry-level deal.

Carolina Hurricanes Sign Anttoni Honka

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The Carolina Hurricanes have inked prospect Anttoni Honka to a three-year, entry-level contract. The young defenseman was selected in the third round of the 2019 draft and has spent the last several seasons playing at the highest level in Finland.

General manager Don Waddell released a short statement:

Anttoni is a puck-moving, right-shot defenseman. He has produced at a high level in Finland and we believe he will continue to grow in North America.

The statement suggests that Honka will be coming over to play for the Chicago Wolves this season after racking up an impressive 37 points in 57 games during the 2021-22 campaign.

While still not ready for NHL action, Honka – who is the younger brother of former Dallas Stars prospect Julius Honka – has electrifying offensive ability and could quickly grow into an important role for the AHL squad.

There are also some opportunities coming on the Carolina blueline, where Brady Skjei, Brett Pesce, and Jalen Chatfield are all scheduled for unrestricted free agency following the 2023-24 season. Jake Gardiner, who has deemed himself healthy to resume his career, is only signed through this year, while Jaccob Slavin and Brent Burns only have three years left on their respective deals.

For young defensemen like Honka, a little patience and practice in the minor leagues may quickly lead to a chance in the NHL, should their development continue.

Tucson Roadrunners Hire Zack Stortini

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Another familiar face to NHL fans will be joining the AHL coaching ranks, as the Tucson Roadrunners have hired Zack Stortini as an assistant. The former NHL tough guy has been with the Sudbury Wolves of the OHL the last two seasons but will join Steve Potvin for the upcoming season.

Arizona Coyotes assistant general manager John Ferguson released the following statement:

Zack’s extensive professional playing experience as a team-first competitor combined with his rise on the coaching side make him the ideal complement to John Slaney in supporting and executing Steve Potvin’s head coaching strategies while developing each player’s individual skills and capabilities.

Stortini, 36, played 257 games in the NHL, all but one of them with the Edmonton Oilers, and racked up 725 penalty minutes as one of the league’s top enforcers. The 6’4″ forward had a whopping 81 fighting majors in his time in the NHL, including consecutive years with at least 23. Those numbers were nothing compared to his minor league totals, which included 33 fights in the 2013-14 season alone.

Perhaps that influence can be seen in the Wolves, who led the OHL in penalty minutes this past season, racking up 91 more than any other team.

Given his close to 1,000 games of professional hockey Stortini should be able to relay some wisdom to the Roadrunners squad, which has become a crucial development stage in the Coyotes rebuild. The experience of winning a Calder Cup in 2007 should also come in handy as he transitions to behind a minor league bench.

Chicago Blackhawks To Sign Cole Guttman

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The Chicago Blackhawks front office certainly isn’t on vacation. After signing Jack Johnson late last night, the team is now expected to sign college free agent Cole Guttman according to Scott Powers of The Athletic.

Guttman, 23, was a draft pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning but failed to sign his entry-level contract by this week’s deadline, making him an unrestricted free agent. Because of his age, he’ll be limited to a two-year deal.

Serving as captain of the University of Denver, he led the Pioneers to a national championship earlier this year and was tied for second in team scoring with Edmonton Oilers prospect Carter Savoie (behind Bobby Brink of the Philadelphia Flyers). His 19 goals and 45 points were easily career highest, though the 2017 sixth-round pick has put up strong totals throughout his four years in college.

Relatively undersized, Guttman is the kind of no-risk lottery ticket that the Blackhawks can afford to take a chance on as they rebuild. If he’s unable to deliver NHL minutes there’s nothing wrong with him adding some skill to the Rockford IceHogs.

If he can get to the highest level, however, it becomes another young forward for general manager Kyle Davidson to build around, or even potentially a trade chip to sell over the next few years. As we’ve seen so far this offseason, 23-year-old players are not safe from the rebuild machine in Chicago, as they set their sights further down the road.

For Guttman specifically, there’s probably no better place in the league to try and land regular NHL minutes. Signing with Chicago will give him an open path to playing time if he can show he deserves it, allowing his professional career to start on the right foot.

Lukas Parik Signs AHL Contract

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In an interesting move, Lukas Parik has signed a one-year AHL contract with the Colorado Eagles. A young European netminder signing in the minor leagues wouldn’t normally raise any eyebrows but in Parik’s case, his exclusive NHL draft rights are still owned by the Los Angeles Kings.

It was in the Kings system that he played last season, but since he has still not signed an entry-level deal, he can technically sign wherever he wants in the minor leagues. Perhaps because of the full cupboard of minor league goaltenders in Los Angeles, Parik will try his hand with the Eagles as he continues his development.

Now 21, Parik was the 87th overall pick in 2019 and played 32 games for the Rapid City Rush of the ECHL last season, posting a .915 save percentage. He added five appearances for the Ontario Reign of the AHL but things didn’t go as well, with an .881.

It is important to note that this does not give the Colorado Avalanche any of Parik’s rights, however, he will become an unrestricted free agent in June 2023. The Kings will have to sign him to an entry-level contract by that point or lose his draft rights.

Minor Transactions: 08/17/22

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All eyes are on the World Juniors today, where four quarter-final games will be played. Finland, Germany, Sweden, Latvia, Canada, Switzerland, Czechia, and the U.S. are all trying to punch their ticket to the next round, and a chance at international glory. As the next wave of NHL talent continues to battle, minor league and European teams continue to fill out rosters for the upcoming season.

  • Kyle Wood, a third-round pick of the Colorado Avalanche in 2014, has signed on with Kunlun Red Star of the KHL for 2022-23. The 6’7″ behemoth never did play in the NHL but was a strong contributor at the AHL level for several years. He left for Germany in 2020 and played in Czechia last season.
  • Similarly, Tomas Schemitsch has gone to Sweden to join the Malmo Redhawks, after playing in the AHL the last several seasons. The Florida Panthers’ third-round pick had 23 points in 71 games for the Cleveland Monsters last year.
  • The Lehigh Valley Phantoms have re-signed Alex Kile to a one-year AHL contract, after he impressed down the stretch. The undrafted forward was mostly an ECHL contributor the last few seasons but now seems to have found a spot with the Phantoms.

This page will be updated throughout the day.

Chicago Blackhawks Sign Jack Johnson

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Aug 17: The Blackhawks have made it official, announcing Johnson’s one-year deal.

Aug 16: According to several reports including Peter Baugh and Scott Powers at The Athletic, the Chicago Blackhawks are signing Stanley Cup champion Jack Johnson to a one-year, $950K contract for the upcoming season.

This follows the Blackhawks’ offseason plan so far of accumulating talent that could be worthwhile trade chips at the deadline, while also not filling the NHL roster with enough to push them out of the bottom of the standings.

While Johnson did play a role in the recent Colorado Avalanche championship run, it was a limited one as a support piece for one of the best defensive corps in the NHL. That won’t be the case in Chicago, where the team is quite clearly looking to finish with a high lottery chance while accumulating more future assets.

Notably, an addition like Johnson also points to another strategy for the Blackhawks new front office. It appears, at least, as if the team is not going to carry as many young players as most rebuilding teams do. Instead, they have loaded up their minor league depth with talented veterans and could be trying to give their top prospects a chance to “experience winning” with a top AHL club instead of thrusting them into the NHL spotlight on a losing roster.

With deals for players like Johnson, Colin Blackwell, Max Domi, Andreas Athanasiou, and Alex Stalock, the team has acquired quite a few veteran names that will fill out the roster but not move the needle very much.

A good example of this may present itself with Alex Vlasic, who played 15 games at the end of last season with the team after signing out of Boston University. The Blackhawks now have six defensemen on one-way contracts (with Johnson being the cheapest), and a player in Nicolas Beaudin who is no longer waiver-exempt. Vlasic then might be on his way to the minor leagues for a good portion of the season, if not all of it, as he starts his true rookie campaign.

It is a good opportunity for Johnson to continue his career at age 35, especially after finally winning it all this year. The third overall pick from 2005 has 1,024 regular season games to his name but just 30 playoff appearances before his stint in Colorado. You can bet his name will be thrown around at the deadline as a potential depth addition for another playoff team, though what he can bring to the table is obviously limited at this point.

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