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Panthers Sign Yandle To 7-Year, $44.45MM Deal

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The Florida Panthers gamble paid off. ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun tweeted that the Panthers and defenseman Keith Yandle have agreed to a 7-Year, $44.45MM deal. The cap hit, as reported by LeBrun, would be $6.35MM. Chris Johnston notes that the contract included a non movement clause for the first six years of the deal. Craig Custance tweeted that it’s a modified no trade clause in the seventh and final year of the contract. Sun Sentinel reporter Harvey Fialkov tweeted that both sides were keen on a getting a deal done.

The deal was first reported by LeBrun just after 11pm. The Rangers dealt Yandle’s rights away on Monday, snagging the Panthers’ 2016 6th round pick (174th overall) and 4th round pick in 2017.

Yandle is coming off his best season statistically since 2013-2014. Last season, the 29-year-old defenseman had 47 points (5-42) in 82 games. PHR ranked Yandle as the 4th best free agent on the market and pegged him to receive a 6-year, $41.4MM deal from the Panthers.

About Pro Hockey Rumors

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Pro Hockey Rumors delivers the latest news on NHL trades and free agency, with new material 365 days a year.  Run by a team of seven lifelong hockey fanatics, Pro Hockey Rumors is based on the model of our other successful sites: MLB Trade Rumors, Hoops Rumors, and Pro Football Rumors.  We aim to differentiate Pro Hockey Rumors from other hockey rumors sites by focusing equally on four factors:

  • Accuracy.  Despite the word “rumors” in our name, we do not throw everything at the wall to see what sticks.  We only post information we believe 100% to be true, based on the track record of the journalist.  If you don’t see something on Pro Hockey Rumors, it means we saw it but don’t have full confidence in its accuracy.
  • Timeliness.  We’re laser-focused on Twitter to ensure breaking news is posted as fast as humanly possible.
  • Relevance.  Our focus at Pro Hockey Rumors is NHL trades and free agency, as well as the draft.  We cut out the noise and avoid tabloid-type stories.
  • Adding value.  Anybody can aggregate NHL news.  Our goal is to add unique value to every post with our own analysis.  We have several cap experts on the staff.

Pro Hockey Rumors launched in June of 2016.

Top Draft Prospects: Mikhail Sergachev

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With the first round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft just two days away, we look at the top prospects available Friday night.  Previously we took a look at Auston Matthews,Patrik Laine, Jesse Puljujarvi, Matthew Tkachuk and Pierre-Luc Dubois; next we’ll examine our first defenceman, Mikhail Sergachev.

Bio

Position: Defence
Birthdate: June 25, 1998
Hometown: Nizhnekamsk, Russia
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 220 lbs

2015-16

After coming over from his native Russia to play in the OHL, Sergachev actually struggled in the first half, having trouble adjusting to his new surroundings. When he found that comfort level however, his play took off. Racking up 57 points in 67 games, Sergachev won the OHL’s award for top defenceman, only the second rookie in league history to do so (Bryan Berard in 1995).

The Spitfires ran into a strong Kitchener Rangers team in the playoffs and went down in five games, while Sergachev tallied five points. He was held scoreless in the Under-18s, as Russia went down to the eventual champion Finnish team in the first elimination round.

Statistics

Windsor Spitfires: 67 GP, 17 goals, 40 assists, 57 points, 56 PIM, +15 rating
OHL Playoffs: 5 GP, 2 goals, 3 assists, 5 points, 8 PIM, -4 rating
U-18 WJC: 5 GP, 0 goals, 0 assists, 0 points, 8 PIM, 0 rating

Scouting Report

A beautiful skater, Sergachev glides around the ice with ease and transitions well from the offensive and defensive zones. He doesn’t get rattled with the puck on his stick in his own end, calmly moving it out of the zone and avoiding danger. With a well developed body, he uses it to it’s full advantage leveraging players off the puck or pinning them against the boards.

While his even-strength game is effective, it’s his point play when a man up that leaves scouts drooling. Sergachev is the prototypical quarterback, with slick passing skills and a booming slapshot from the blue line. He seems unbelievably calm out there despite his young age.

Sergachev normally looks like one of the best players on the ice, however some scouts have found that every now and again he seems a bit disinterested in the game and has been known to take a shift off.  Now, this might be a problem going forward or it might just be that the OHL level isn’t providing a big enough challenge for him currently. If he’s to unlock what seems like endless potential in both ends of the ice, he has to improve his consistency and continue to play with his physical edge. As players get bigger, better and more experienced, he won’t be able to coast on his natural talent.

Projected Future Role

Top-pairing defenceman/Powerplay threat.

NHL Timeline

Sergachev is another young draftee, not turning 18 until Saturday, and isn’t eligible for the AHL next season (or the one after that). With the choice of the NHL or OHL, he’ll probably be headed back to the Spitfires next year, however there is a possibility with the right team and a strong summer he could break camp as an 18-year old rookie in 2016-17.  Some clubs may fear he’ll take a step back even in just his second OHL season, if they believe he was already throwing away shifts because of disinterest this year.

NHL Award Recipients

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The NHL Awards were given out tonight in Las Vegas, with a little bit extra fanfare due to the upcoming expansion team. Here is the full list of winners, with the top two runners-up in each category:

Calder Trophy (top rookie)

  1. Artemi Panarin
  2. Shayne Gostisbehere
  3. Connor McDavid

Ted Lindsay Award (most outstanding player as voted by the players)

  1. Patrick Kane
  2. Jamie Benn
  3. Braden Holtby

General Manager of the Year

  1. Jim Rutherford
  2. Brian McClellen
  3. Jim Nill

Masterton Trophy (perseverance and dedication to hockey)

  1. Jaromir Jagr
  2. Mats Zucarello
  3. Pascal Dupuis

Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award

  1. Shea Weber
  2. Alex Ovechkin
  3. John Tavares

Norris Trophy (top defenceman)

  1. Drew Doughty
  2. Erik Karlsson
  3. Brent Burns

Selke Trophy (forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game)

  1. Anze Kopitar
  2. Patrice Bergeron
  3. Ryan Kesler

Jack Adams Award (top head coach)

  1. Barry Trotz
  2. Gerard Gallant
  3. Lindy Ruff

Lady Byng Trophy (player best combining sportsmanship and ability)

  1. Anze Kopitar
  2. Aleksander Barkov
  3. Loui Eriksson

Vezina Trophy (top goaltender)

  1. Braden Holtby
  2. Ben Bishop
  3. Jonathan Quick

Hart Trophy (most valuable player to his team)

  1. Patrick Kane
  2. Sidney Crosby
  3. Jamie Benn

Congratulations to all the winners, and the teams who employ them.

Rumors Swirl About Hawks’ Kruger, Shaw

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After trading Teuvo Teravainen and Bryan Bickell earlier this month to free up cap space, Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune reports that the Chicago Blackhawks are shopping center Marcus Kruger and initiating conversations about restricted free agent Andrew Shaw.

Kruger, 26, was given a three-year extension in March that will see him earn just over $3MM per season. The former fifth round pick has been a big part of the bottom-six and penalty kill for the Blackhawks in recent years but was limited to just 41 contests in 2015-16 after dislocating his left wrist. Never a big scoring threat Kruger has chipped in 88 points in career 328 contests.

The biggest news is that Shaw might be on the move, as most expected him to be re-signed after sending Bickell out. GM Stan Bowman was less than forthcoming on the topic however: “I realize everyone wants an answer to that question, but it’s just too hard to make guesses at this point…Signing Shaw is on the list of things we will look at once we figure out what the salary cap number is.” 

Perhaps, with the news that the cap will increase just $1.6MM to a total of $73MM for the upcoming season, Bowman has decided that Shaw will be too expensive to keep around. The 24-year old is coming off a year that saw him post 34 points and be one of the Hawks’ best players in the post-season despite their early exit. He’ll likely be looking for close to $4MM per season, something that Chicago might not be able to stomach with only $6MM left under the cap this year and Artemi Panerin (the reigning rookie of the year) due for an extension next summer.

Top Draft Prospects: Pierre-Luc Dubois

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With the first round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft just two days away, we look at the top prospects available Friday night.  Previously we took a look at Auston Matthews, Patrik Laine, Jesse Puljujarvi and Matthew Tkachuk; today we’ll look a little closer at Cape Breton Screaming Eagle Pierre-Luc Dubois.

Bio

Position: Center
Birthdate: June 24, 1998
Hometown: Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, Quebec
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 205 lbs

2015-16

After scoring 45 points in 56 games as a 16-year old in his first season in the QMJHL, Dubois turned up the offense this year as he continued to grow into his large frame.  His 99 points in 2015-16 placed him third in the league, trailing only 20-year old over-agers in Conor Garland and Francis Perron (128 and 108 points respectively) and easily topped Red Wings’ first-round pick Evgeny Svechnikov and the rest of the Screaming Eagles.

The Eagles would go down in the second round of the playoffs, but it wasn’t because of Dubois, as the big center put up 12 points in 12 games despite being suspended for the first round opener after a illegal check late in the season.

Dubois didn’t see any international competition this season, as he was cut from World Junior Championship roster along with fellow top prospect Jakob Chychrun.  Perhaps he used it as motivation for the massive season he put up thereafter.

Statistics

Cape Breton: 62 GP, 42 goals, 57 assists, 99 points, 112 PIM, +40 rating
Playoffs: 12 GP, 7 goals, 5 assists, 12 points, 14 PIM, +3 rating

Scouting Report

Seen by many as the second best center available this year (behind Matthews), Dubois provides an excellent power option down the middle. With a combination of strength and skill, he’s an exceptional scoring threat with the puck on his stick as he heads into the zone, or along the boards down low. While his shot isn’t as highly regarded as Laine’s, he gets it off very quickly and with a lot of accuracy, especially in tight.

His skating, while not as developed as Matthews’, is actually a strength as he uses his long stride and powerful lower half to move quickly around the ice. He often catches defenders off-guard with his top gear, despite lacking an elite first few steps.

In the defensive end, Dubois isn’t afraid to use his size to remove attackers from the puck, laying thunderous checks that sometimes toe the line of legality. After the whistle, he’s often involved in scrums because of his style of play, though he has recognized his value to the team and learned to keep his cool. A smart player, he’s usually in a good position defensively, and should be able to handle that part of the game at the next level.

While his offense is driven by a power game similar to Stars’ forward Jamie Benn (who, incidentally, he models his play after), he lacks elite-level creativity and may be limited by it at the NHL level. If he can continue to grow into his frame, and improve his acceleration and defensive game he may eventually become a number 1 center in the NHL, but there is some doubt he’ll stay in the middle long-term. At the very worst, he becomes a big winger with some finishing ability and a lot of nastiness.

Projected Future Role

Top-six power center/front line power winger.

NHL Timeline

Dubois isn’t set to turn 18 until the day of the draft, and because of it isn’t eligible for the AHL until 2018-19. Even with his advanced size and strength, he’s almost a lock to head back to the Screaming Eagles for at least one more season. Look for him to challenge for the CHL scoring title before entering the NHL as a 19-year old in 2017-18.

 

Snapshots: Lucic, Campbell, Rasmussen, Red Wings

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ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that the Kings and forward Milan Lucic have broken off negotiations which means the 28-year-old winger is headed to free agency. LeBrun states that the Kings’ lack of salary cap room, and Lucic’s financial expectations were too far apart. Though he wanted to remain in Los Angeles, Lucic now will become a coveted free agent. PHR listed him as the #3 ranked UFA on our Top 50 Free Agent list. Ian McLaren listed his top three spots where Lucic would likely land with Vancouver topping the list.

In other NHL news:

  • The Chicago Tribune’s Chris Kuc indicates that former Chicago Blackhawk defenseman Brian Campbell is interested in coming back to the Windy City. The longtime Florida Panther is an unrestricted free agent, and has not re-signed with the Panthers. PHR listed him as the 14th best free agent out of the Top 50 UFAs.  Campbell would take a significant pay cut, however, as the Blackhawks still have a number of players to bring back into the fold with Andrew Shaw leading the pack.
  • The Blackhawks re-signed forward Dennis Rasmussen tweets CSN Chicago’s Tracey Myers. The deal is for one-year and approximately $600,000 according to CapFriendly. The 25-year-old forward had 9 points (4-5) for the Blackhawks in 44 regular season games.
  • Pierre LeBrun writes that the Red Wings and Hurricanes have had conversations about Pavel Datsyuk’s contract. Detroit has been looking for a suitor to take the heavy $7.5MM cap hit off its books after Datsyuk bolted for the KHL. LeBrun indicates that the Wings have been reluctant to move the contract because of the high asking price.  LeBrun also states that holding onto the contract doesn’t necessarily eliminate the Wings from going after unrestricted free agent Steven Stamkos should he hit the market. Conversely, he points out that dealing the contract away with high draft picks or prospects without knowing if Stamkos hits the market is very risky. Finally, he adds the Red Wings to a list of teams interested in the services of Lucic.
  • The Grand Rapids Griffins have signed forward Jack Barre to an AHL contract, according to the team site.  The 6’2″ 215 pound winger enjoyed a breakout senior season for the Dartmouth Big Green of the ECAC, tallying 26 points in 29 games – more than he had scored in his first three years combined.  Not thought of as an offensive force, perhaps the Connecticut native has found something to build upon in the coming years.

Las Vegas Officially Awarded NHL Team

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Just hours before the NHL Awards held in Las Vegas, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced that Las Vegas would indeed be the recipient of an NHL team for the start of the 2017-2018 season. Bettman indicated that the Board of Governors unanimously approved the league’s expansion. Bill Foley was named the principal owner of the new franchise. Foley indicated that the team has not settled on a nickname but speculation is that the Black Knights will be the chosen name.

Bettman confirmed many details as well. Namely, all teams will lose one player in the NHL Expansion Draft.  Las Vegas will be a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and this will give the conference 15 teams while the Eastern Conference boasts 16 teams. Yahoo Sports linked the official press release from the NHL while James Mirtle linked the NHL’s official rules regarding expansion teams.

The other interesting tidbit of information was the board deferring a decision on Quebec City and their chances at acquiring an NHL franchise. Pierre Dion, Quebecor President and CEO, spoke as well regarding the opportunity for future expansion. Dion, during the press conference, indicated that the priority is to bring the Nordiques back to Quebec City, and that the passion remains for hockey.

LeBrun: Canadiens Fielding Calls For Subban

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ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun tweeted that the Canadiens are receiving a number of calls for defenseman P.K. Subban. The reasoning, LeBrun writes, is twofold. First, most teams are desperate for a top defenseman and the high motor Subban fits the bill. Second, Subban has a no-movement clause in his contract that kicks in on July 1. LeBrun also strongly indicated that the Canadiens are not actively shopping Subban at all. The volume of calls they have increased significantly in the last 48 hours.

LeBrun isn’t the only one reporting this, either. SportsNet’s Chris Johnston wrote this morning about how rumors are swirling but they don’t affect Subban at all.  In the article, Subban talked about how much he loves playing in Montreal and how his job is not to worry about rumors and instead, “prepare for the season.” Johnston adds that the 27-year-old defenseman posted his third consecutive 50+ point season and is a fan favorite in hockey mad Montreal. However, following a season where the Habs capitulated after losing all-world goalie Carey Price, Johnston cautions that anything is possible. He also adds that it would take a “mammoth offer” to pry Subban out of Montreal.

LeBrun’s ESPN colleague Craig Custance also indicated that the rumor mill has been “churning” with Subban’s name.

While the no-movement clause marries the Canadiens and Subban for another six seasons, it would be a mighty risk to move him to another team. Subban has yet to reach his prime years as a defenseman, and is considered one of the best defensemen in the league. Aside from costing a significant amount from a willing trading partner, it would take a top scoring forward and something else on the blue line to truly pique their interest. Losing Subban would weaken the Habs blue line, and while their lack of scoring would improve, the back end of the ice would take a hit.

Subban is owed $9MM through the 2021-2022 season after a bridge deal of $2.875MM was signed for the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 seasons.

Snapshots: Blues, Trade Targets, Radulov

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St. Louis Blues beat writer Norm Sanders analyzed the situation the Blues find themselves in as the draft and free agency approaches. After signing both Scottie Upshall and Dmitrij Jaskin, the Blues still have a number of decisions facing them. Sanders writes that Jaden Schwartz will be signed first as he’s been dubbed a “priority signing” by general manager Doug Armstrong. He also names defensive Kevin Shattenkirk as a candidate to be traded since he’s approaching the final year of his contract. Sanders also makes note that his name has constantly been floated as being moved to another team. As for captain David Backes, Sanders writes that unless an agreement is had, Backes would be a much sought after free agent.

  • Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury must feel like he’s either back in high school or in a hockey soap opera. Fleury has been the subject of trade rumors ever since the emergence of Matt Murray during the 2016 Stanley Cup playoff run.  Interesting then that his name only comes up as #14 on Frank Seravalli’s TSN Top Trade Bait mentions. Fleury’s name was all over the hockey world as being moved to Calgary until Pittsburgh general manager Jim Rutherford announced that he wasn’t aggresively shopping the former #1 overall pick. Seravalli put the aforementioned Shattenkirk as his #1 target to be dealt while Pavel Datsyuk’s contract sits at #2. The Edmonton Oilers stand as having the most targets likely to be moved with Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Nail Yakupov, Jordan Eberle, and their 4th overall pick in this year’s draft being tagged.
  • NBC Sports Pro Hockey Talk’s Ryan Dadoun scouted free agent Alexander Radulov and what it would take to land him. Dadoun writes that Radulov is purportedly looking for a 2-year/$15MM deal but that might not happen for a player who left the NHL for the KHL and was reported to be a locker room liability. Most teams are comfortable with a 1-year deal to see if Radulov’s KHL successes transfer across the ocean. PHR ranked Radulov as the 11th best free agent on the market and predicted that he would land with Capitals for just over $5MM.

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