Predators Sign Calle Jarnkrok To $12MM Deal
In an interesting move, the Nashville Predators have signed Calle Jarnkrok to a six-year, $12MM deal, according to a team release. Jarnkrok was set to head to arbitration on August 4th, but will now not only avoid it this summer but for his entire career; he’ll become an unrestricted free agent at the completion of this deal.
Not often (if ever) do you see a player commit to such a low salary for so long, but Jarnkrok must have appreciated the security of a long-term deal. He’ll earn just $2MM per season through 2021-22, making his offensive development almost irrelevant.
The Swedish centerman scored 16 goals and 30 points last season and saw his ice-time skyrocket to over 16 minutes a night. He was used in all situations, seeing time on both the powerplay and penalty kill, and is regarded as a building block for the Predators going forward.
His deal represents almost no risk to the Preds, as $2MM is a number given out regularly to third and fourth line players in today’s NHL – not to mention if the cap goes up over the next few seasons. If Jarnkrok can build on his performance from last season, and continue to put up 15-20 goals, he’ll be one of the best bargains in the league as he approaches his 30th birthday.
After signing Jarnkrok and Petter Granberg, Nashville has now avoided arbitration with both of their players, earning them an additional 48-hour buyout window that would start on Monday.
Just three players who filed for arbitration remain unsigned, with none actually taking part in a hearing thus far.
Petr Mrazek Signs Two-Year Deal
Just before his arbitration hearing took place Wednesday, Petr Mrazek and the Detroit Red Wings have come to a two-year agreement worth a total of $8MM. Elliotte Friedman tells us that the goaltender will earn $3.85MM in the first season, and $4.15MM in the second.
On Monday we profiled Mrazek’s arbitration case, projecting a two-year contract with an AAV of $4.125MM. This deal obviously comes in just below that, and looks like a win for the Red Wings, who still have to deal with the large contract that Jimmy Howard is still owed. Howard will earn $5.29MM for the next three years, making him an extremely expensive backup if Mrazek has truly taken over in net.
Again, player and team came to an agreement just before the deadline, as it seems no one truly wants to go to arbitration this summer. It can be a somewhat ugly experience for players, as the team needs to point out their flaws in order to get a lower price.
Mrazek will still be a restricted free agent when the deal expires, and at only 26 would be ready to earn top money. Look for the Red Wings to deal Howard and try to work towards a long-term extension with the Czech goaltender next summer.
Ottawa Signs Mike Hoffman To Four-Year Deal
After a long negotiation, the Ottawa Senators have come to an agreement with restricted free agent Mike Hoffman on a four-year deal worth $5.188MM per season. Elliotte Friedman was the first to report the deal, and also gave us the financial breakdown; Hoffman will earn $3.8MM next season, and $5.65MM for the three following years.
Hoffman was set to go to arbitration on August 4th, his second time through the process. Last summer, the two sides couldn’t come to an agreement before the hearing, which resulted in a $2MM decision from the arbitrator. This will obviously be a substantial raise for the 26-year old, one he has clearly earned.
2014-15 was the first full NHL season for Hoffman, and he responded in kind, with 27 goals and 48 points, helping the Senators to an unexpected playoff berth. Last year, arbitration seemed to light an even bigger fire under him, as he improved in almost every category. 29 goals and 59 points this time for Hoffman, and he’d established himself as a top-flight scoring forward deserved of a long-term deal.
If his development continues, it won’t be surprising to see Hoffman break the 30-goal plateau this season. His new deal is strikingly similar to the one another young RFA signed recently, when Brayden Schenn took four-years and $20.5MM from the Flyers, just $250K less than Hoffman’s deal. Schenn actually has a longer track record, is almost two years younger and is coming off a higher salary last season, making his deal look even more impressive for Philadelphia, but Hoffman’s goal totals give him the edge going forward.
The Senators now find themselves down to just a single unsigned RFA in Cody Ceci, with plenty of room left under the cap (the team operates on an internal budget, and will not hit the cap ceiling). After dealing for Dion Phaneuf last season, and sending Mika Zibanejad to New York for Derick Brassard, it looks as though the Senators are trying extremely hard to make the playoffs again next year, and owner Eugene Melnyk said as much just a few months ago.
If they get off to a rough start in 2016-17, it could be a fire-sale in Ottawa, as the front office has been very critical of the players on the ice. With an all-world player in Erik Karlsson entering his prime (as if he wasn’t in it already), the team needs to focus on the next few years.
Bill Peters Signs Two-Year Extension With Carolina
After a season that saw the Carolina Hurricanes come closer to the playoffs than many thought possible, the team has rewarded head coach Bill Peters with a two-year contract extension, that will take him through the 2018-19 season.
Just 50-years old, Carolina represents Peters’ first NHL head coaching job after spending three seasons as an assistant in Detroit under Mike Babcock. Prior to that, he headed the Rockford Icehogs of the AHL and the Spokane Chiefs of the WHL. This past May at the World Championships, Peters headed a staff for Canada that included Dave Cameron and Mike Yeo. He’ll also be behind the bench alongside Babcock at this fall’s World Cup of Hockey.
Peters is very well respected among the league, and has been given credit for much of the play of the Carolina blueline last season, when he seemed to get the most out of each individual skater. After moving on from long-time captain and face of the franchise Eric Staal, Peters will now have to steer the ship without his leadership on the ice.
Lightning Re-Sign Vladislav Namestnikov
The Tampa Bay Lightning have come to terms with RFA centerman Vladislav Namestnikov, as reported by ESPN’s Craig Custance. It is a two-year deal worth $1.937MM a season. The signing avoids a July 29th salary arbitration hearing.
The Russian finished the last year of his ELC by scoring 14G and 21A in 80 games, which was good for seventh in team scoring. He slowed down in the playoffs, however, and only accumulated 1G and 2A in 17 games. The deal is slightly lower than market value, as fellow RFA Kevin Hayes agreed to $2.6MM, but then both Peter Holland and Mikhail Grigorenko signed for $1.3MM with slightly lower stats.
The Lightning have approximately $6.59MM in cap space after the signing—and will need every cent to sign remaining RFAs Nikita Nesterov and Nikita Kucherov. Kucherov especially, as he led the team in scoring and will be looking for a substantial raise. Moreover, next season Jonathan Drouin, Ondrej Palat, and Tyler Johnson all become RFAs, with the latter two arbitration-eligible. Tampa will be tight up against the cap this season, and will have to use creative cap-saving methods popularized by the Chicago Blackhawks.
Di Pauli To Test Free Agency
While everyone has been hyper focused on the impending free agency of Jimmy Vesey, it seems as though another impact college player is set to become a free agent as well on August 15th. Craig Custance reports today that 2012 Washington Capitals fourth rounder Thomas Di Pauli will not sign with the team before the deadline and will become an unrestricted free agent, capable of signing an entry-level contract with any team in the league.
Di Pauli, a small but sure-handed forward from the University of Notre Dame will try his luck at finding the best fit for his set of skills, and as Craig Custance reports, that could end up being the Capitals. Talks have been on-going, but they will likely not reach a timely conclusion. It is possible that the Capitals fast-paced, skilled style is not a fit for Di Pauli though, who is known more for his two-way ability and hard-working, high-energy approach. He did start to find his offensive game in his senior year though, scoring 32 points in 37 games playing alongside highly-touted Bruins prospect Anders Bjork. Di Pauli is also a talented face-off man, though he can play both center and wing.
Di Pauli’s case will definitely not get the attention of Vesey’s, who is expected to jump in and be an impact player right away at the NHL level. However, Di Pauli does have the potential to draw similar attention to defenseman Mike Reilly, who last summer spurned the Columbus Blue Jackets for free agency, drew plenty of attention before signing with the Minnesota Wild, but then only played in 29 games and scored only seven points. Reilly was recruited not for his immediate ability, but for his potential. He is expected to have a greater role for the Wild in 2016-17. Similarly, Di Pauli may not be ready to adjust from the NCAA to the NHL right away, but his solid two-way game, hockey sense, and hard-working attitude will be attractive to many teams lacking energy line depth or face-off ability down the middle. If his offensive game continues to develop at the AHL level, he could see the NHL this season and could turn into a reliable bottom-nine player.
Current Trade Candidates (Part Two)
Now almost a month into free agency, the NHL off-season is nearing a point where the flow of transactions, once a raging river of signings during the first few days of July, will slow down to only a trickle. A few notable unrestricted free agents remain unsigned, a handful of young restricted free agents are set to still be extended, and arbitration cases continue to be settled prior to their hearings, though perhaps one of two will come to fruition. However, the days of big signings are over; all remaining deals handed out will either be expected, in the case of RFA’s, or underwhelming, for the UFA’s lucky enough to even find a new home. So what off-season excitement is left for hockey fans to follow? The trade market. August often brings a change of mindset for many NHL front office executives, from adding free agents before someone else scoops them up, to instead subtracting from the current roster as the season nears and cap space, depth, and even character concerns become more clear and focused as opening night approaches. We’ve already touched on the talented and troubled Evander Kane, the inevitable move of Marc-Andre Fleury, and the cap-strapped Red Wings. The following players are a few more who have had their names floated around the trade market all summer, and the next few weeks could bring a change of scenery to one or more:
Valterri Filppula, Tampa Bay Lightning
Given the salary cap crunch of the Lightning, as well as their talent and depth up front, and in particular down the middle, Filppula seems like a very “tradeable” player. With nearly $8.5MM in cap space still available, it seems like the Bolts shouldn’t be too panicked about their situation, right? Wrong. Still to be signed by Tampa are young forwards Nikita Kucherov and Vladislav Namestnikov, as well as arbitration-bound defenseman Nikita Nesterov. One side effect of having a great young core of players is the struggle to re-sign them, and this off-season, sacrifices must be made. Kucherov alone should command between $5-$6MM or more per season (depending on the length of the deal) and Namestnikov and Nesterov easily combine to go way over the remaining few million in cap space. Unless the Lightning make the bold choice to move one of these restricted free agents, a veteran will have to be moved off the team, and it will be someone that carries a decent cap hit. Enter Filppula, who at 32 can still produce and plays a solid two-way game. A contender with ample space or a young team in need of some veteran leadership and defensive stability up front could both use his services, unless the $5MM price tag is too much for them. He presents the Lightning’s best chance at relieving their cap troubles without significantly effecting the team, but they must first convince someone that the price for Filppula is worth it, as trading him and holding on to contract dollars makes no sense. Filppula will continue to hear his name batted around the rumor mill, and if a team falls in love with him like Tampa Bay did, he could be on his way elsewhere for 2016-17.
Braydon Coburn, Tampa Bay Lightning
If the Lightning are unable to move Filppula and unwilling to move any other forwards, they would turn next to the defense, where Coburn is the prime trade candidate. Although Jason Garrison represents the least value for production on defense, with only 11 points last season despite being pegged as an offensive defenseman, other teams can see that as well. Garrison and his $4.6MM cap hit are essentially untradeable. Coburn on the other hand, is a reliable stay-at-home defenseman, who may not be a perfect fit in Tampa but has great value on the market. The Bolts would risk losing arguably their strongest defensive player if they choose to move Coburn, but they would also get plenty in return and his departure would allow younger defenseman like Nesterov, Andrej Sustr, and Slater Koekkoek to have guaranteed playing time all season long. The goal for any team that is up against the cap is to gain the space and flexibilty necessary while reducing the negative impact on the team. While Filpulla and Garrison would hurt the Lightning less, Tampa Bay may be forced to move Coburn and suffer the consequences because he is easier to trade than the other two and would give the team $3.7MM in space that they desperately need.
Ben Bishop, Tampa Bay Lightning
Bishop, of course, is the crown jewel of Tampa’s trade candidates. As one of, if not the best goalie in the NHL, it would be hard to find a team that wouldn’t be at least somewhat interested in acquiring him. He will be an unrestricted free agent after this season, but could be appealing as both a relatively cheap one-year rental at $5.9MM or a steal for a team willing and able to give him a long-term extension worth somewhere in the arena of eight years and $64M before they have to battle it out in free agency. Either scenario will likely draw interest from the Dallas Stars, who we’ve already connected to both Jimmy Howard and Marc-Andre Fleury, but who have shown special interest in Bishop. While the Lightning don’t necessarily have to get rid of the likes of Filppula or Coburn, they do have to eventually say goodbye to Bishop, as they can’t keep both he and the recently-extended Andrei Vasilevskiy through next summer’s expansion draft. The only question that remains is whether Tampa Bay wants to hold on to Bishop for one last run at the Cup with him in net and then let him walk in free agency, or trade him away and get a very impressive haul in exchange from Dallas or another interested team. The Bishop trade winds will not be dying down any time soon.
Nail Yakupov, Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers have already traded one past first overall pick this off-season, but don’t be shocked if another moves on. Yakupov has not come anywhere close to reaching the playing level of former teammate Taylor Hall, but still holds some trade value despite his “bust” label. Still just 22 years old, the former Sarnia Sting star who was taken #1 in 2012 has seemingly gotten worse and worse every year since his rookie season. That year he had 31 points in 48 games, not to shabby for a rookie, but has since followed it with two mid-twenties point totals in sixty-odd game seasons in 2013-14 and 2015-16, sandwiched around only 33 points and a -35 rating in 81 games in 2014-15. A change of scenery seems imperative for Yakupov at this point, as he has not found a fit in Edmonton, and the Oilers would be smart to trade him while he still has any value left and not fall victim to a sunk cost. Yakupov trade rumors have been non-stop for years, but expect this season to finally be the one where the former Russian prodigy moves on to hopefully greener pastures.
Tyson Barrie, Colorado Avalanche
D-needy teams across the NHL are waiting for this trade rumor to become a reality. Barrie, who has developed into an elite puck-moving defenseman with great offensive ability, has been a bargain for the Avs over the past two seasons at just $2.6MM. Now that it has become time to pay the man, he has instead been met with incessant trade chatter. There are questions as to whether coach Patrick Roy sees him as a top-pairing caliber defenseman worth the $5-$5.5MM per year that he is worth on the open market, not to mention that Colorado has only about $7MM dollars in cap space and a deal of that size would leave their cap flexibility greatly restricted. However, the Avalanche are also not very deep on defense, having already traded away solid contributor Nick Holden, and especially on the right side have no one other than Barrie and Erik Johnson who can play major NHL minutes. Of every trade rumor listed today, Colorado would likely be the most ill-advised to trade the rumored player. $5MM is the going rate for a defenseman like Barrie right now, and the Avs would be smart to just lock him up. If they instead choose to trade him, it will make another team very happy and the impact of the loss will be felt in Denver.
Current Trade Candidates (Part One)
Now almost a month into free agency, the NHL off-season is nearing a point where the flow of transactions, once a raging river of signings during the first few days of July, will slow down to only a trickle. A few notable unrestricted free agents remain unsigned, a handful of young restricted free agents are set to still be extended, and arbitration cases continue to be settled prior to their hearings, though perhaps one of two will come to fruition. However, the days of big signings are over; all remaining deals handed out will either be expected, in the case of RFA’s, or underwhelming, for the UFA’s lucky enough to even find a new home. So what off-season excitement is left for hockey fans to follow? The trade market. August often brings a change of mindset for many NHL front office executives, from adding free agents before someone else scoops them up, to instead subtracting from the current roster as the season nears and cap space, depth, and even character concerns become more clear and focused as opening night approaches. The following players have had their names floated around the trade market all summer, and the next few weeks could bring a change of scenery to one or more:
The case of Evander Kane is different than many others on this list. If he is moved by the Sabres, it is not out of necessity due to cap constraints or a glut of depth at left wing, it is because they simply want him gone. The young power forward was recently charged with criminal trespass and harassment stemming from his role in an altercation at a local Buffalo nightclub. This is now his second run-in with the law during his short tenure in Buffalo, as he was just recently cleared of charges involving accusations of sexual misconduct by a young woman back in December. With his 0ff-ice behavior becoming a consistent and growing concern for the Sabres organization, trade speculation has run rampant. Buffalo would certainly like to have Kane’s on-ice production over the next two seasons, but they also have to weigh the risk of his troublesome actions becoming a distraction or interfering with his play during that time as well. If they wait to pull the trigger on a trade, and more incidents occur, this newest allegation grows more serious, or his production is impacted by his extracurricular issues, than the return for Buffalo will also be negatively effected. Also, if the Sabres decide to stick with him throughout his legal issues, potential suspensions and all, they still run the risk that their investment will not pay out, as Kane can still leave as a free agent in 2018. While nearly half of the league could probably find the space to add a great talent like Kane to their top six forward group, they all have to weigh these same risks. Expect the trade talk to continue, especially if teams feel that Kane simply needs a change of scenery, and don’t be surprised to see Kane wearing a different jersey in the next year. Any jersey would be better than an orange jumpsuit, as the hockey world can all join in hoping that a great young talent like Kane can sort out his off-ice issues and get back to focusing on his NHL career.
Jimmy Howard, Detroit Red Wings
Howard is the first of several goalies on this list, and realistically only one of them is likely to be moved before the season begins, if any at all. Detroit is in trouble with the salary cap, having just awarded Danny DeKeyser with a new contract that carries a $5MM cap hit and still working out a new contract with Howard’s heir, Petr Mrazek, who is also looking for $5MM a season. Even if the two sides are able to agree to a deal that keeps Mrazek at about $3MM or so for next season, the signing will effectively put Detroit over the salary cap limit of $73MM. Johan Franzen will be put on Long-Term Injured Reserve as soon as possible, erasing his nearly $4MM cap hit, but the Red Wings must be cap compliant before then. If GM Ken Holland can find away to squeeze his roster in under the cap using his two-way contracts and other roster management magic, then maybe Howard or other could be spared. However, if that is not possible, expect Howard to be the main focus of a trade. The 32-year-old Howard and his 2.80 GAA and .906 save percentage were soundly supplanted by the 34-year-old Mrazek, who posted a 2.33 GAA and .921 save percentage in 13 more games during the regular season. Howard now is just an expensive backup at over $5MM. While there is value in keeping the former starter on board, both for depth and for expansion draft purposes, when push comes to shove for cap compliance, an expensive backup is an easy trade chip. However, there may only be one real suitor for Howard, as well as any starting-caliber goalie on the market, and that is the Dallas Stars, whose tandem of Kari Lehtonen and Antti Niemi didn’t quite get the job done last year, despite having a combined cap hit of $10.4MM. The problem this presents to a cap-strapped team like Detroit, is that they would have to take one of the two back in return, and even if Dallas held on to a portion of either contract, it might not provide the Red Wings with the space they need. Howard’s name will continue to come up, but he seems more likely to be traded during season when new suitors start to arrive, or perhaps not dealt at all.
Gustav Nyquist, Detroit Red Wings
If the Red Wings cannot move Howard and are getting desperate as the deadline approaches for cap compliance and there’s no tricks up Ken Holland’s sleeve, it seems like Nyquist could be the next man up on the chopping block. The college hockey star from the University of Maine was once considered untouchable in Detroit, after he lit the hockey world on fire in 2013-14 when he scored 48 points in 57 games in his first full NHL campaign. However, relative to his recent production of nearly a point per game in 2013-14 at the age of 24, and even his 54 points in a full 82 games in 2014-15, Nyquist layed an egg this past season with just 43 points and only about half of the goals of each of his prior two seasons. The worst part was that he did so in the first year of a new four-year, $19MM contract. Now Nyquist, who will turn 27 in September, is far from untouchable and is likely the leading trade candidate among a deep forward group in Detroit due to his financial burden relative to his production. The Red Wings would surely prefer not to trade him if they don’t have to, but they can rest assured that if he is truly put on the market, teams will line up for his services and the return will be more than satisfactory.
Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh Penguins
Another goalie who could be on the move is Marc-Andre Fleury. After being surprisingly overtaken by the young playoff hero, Matt Murray, everyone and their grandmother seems to know that Fleury’s time is up in Pittsburgh. With an expansion draft looming, there is no way that the Penguins allow Murray to be left unprotected, which means that Fleury (whose No-Movement Clause makes him automatically protected, and teams can only protect one goalie) must go. GM Jim Rutherford has already said that he is happy with the two goalie situation and plans on having both when the season starts. However, the true intentions of the veteran executive are transparent, and the words are simply a farce that are likely meant to simply keep the morale of the former-All-Star starter up. Whether Rutherford truly plans to keep Fleury for the start of the season or not does not hide the fact that he does not plan to keep Fleury until the end of the season. Some way, somehow, it seems as close to a sure thing as a trade can be that Marc-Andre Fleury will be traded. Again, Dallas appears to be the lone suitor for a starter right now and the Penguins are no better off with the salary cap than the Red Wings, which causes confusion in making any potential deal regarding Niemi or Lehtonen. However, even if the Penguins are able to re-sign Matt Cullen, their roster has the flexibility to allow them to be cap compliant before putting Pascal Dupuis‘ $3.75MM cap hit on LTIR. So, the Penguins both don’t have to trade Fleury before the season and also are able to trade Fleury before the season. One thing is certain, he will be traded soon enough.
Juolevi Will Head Back To London In 2016-17
According to team president Trevor Linden (via Ben Kuzma of TSN 1040) , the Vancouver Canucks’ fifth-overall pick Olli Juolevi will be headed back to the London Knights for another year:
“His ability to process the game and make the right play is impressive. Our plan for him is London.”
Though many expected Juolevi to head back to London after an exceptional rookie season with the club in which he scored 42 points and was a big part of their Memorial Cup victory, it’s a bit surprising to have the team say it this early in the summer.
Juolevi still hasn’t signed his entry-level contract, and perhaps this is why, since the team clearly doesn’t think there is even a possibility of him cracking the NHL roster out of camp. Instead, he’ll go back to London and look to continue his impressive development on the North American ice. The Finnish defender still has work to do in his own end to become the top-pairing player that the Canucks envisioned when they took him as the first defenseman in this year’s draft.
Though it’s still at least a year away, Canuck fans should be counting the days until Juolevi makes his debut on the back end for the big club, as his 6’3″ frame and excellent skating ability will translate beautifully to a league that is going more and more towards possession and transitional play from it’s defenders.
Maple Leafs Sign Trevor Moore To ELC
According to a team release, the Toronto Maple Leafs have signed NCAA prospect Trevor Moore to a three-year entry-level contract. Moore played last season at the University of Denver, where he scored 11 goals and 44 points in just 40 games.
Moore had been skating at the Maple Leafs development camp earlier this month and must have impressed the coaching staff enough to deserve this deal. He went undrafted before heading to college in 2013, but immediately made his mark by leading the Pioneers in scoring as a freshman. In 121 games at the UofD, Moore scored 120 points, and led the team to the semi-finals in the most recent Frozen Four.
Moore will add another body to the Maple Leafs stocked prospect cupboard, joining the likes of Kerby Rychel, Andreas Johnson and Tobias Lindberg on the left side. He’ll surely be headed for the AHL Marlies to season his game somewhat before getting a chance at the NHL level.