Panthers Extend Vincent Trocheck
The Florida Panthers are nearing an extension with C Vincent Trocheck, reports Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Friedman adds in a separate tweet that the deal will be for six years and carry a cap hit of $4.75MM. This would mark the fourth big contract the Panthers have committed to in recent days, the others being Keith Yandle, Aaron Ekblad, and Jason Demers, who just signed earlier today.
2015-16 was a breakout campaign for Trocheck. In his first full season as an NHL regular, the 22 year old played in 76 games, scoring 25 goals while adding 28 assists while averaging 17:46 per game. His 53 points ranked 5th on the Panthers.
This deal ensures that Florida’s center situation is solidified for many years to come. Aleksander Barkov, their 20 year old top pivot, begins a new six year deal with a cap hit of $5.9MM in 2016-17 while Nick Bjugstad, who has 39 goals over the last two years, has another five years left on his deal at a cap charge of $4.1MM. At 23, Bjugstad is the oldest of Florida’s top three centers. Trocheck likely slots in as the second line pivot for the Panthers next season.
With the deal, Florida has just over $3.7MM in cap space according to Cap Friendly.
Free Agent Profile: Kris Russell
After Friday’s spending frenzy, D Kris Russell is the most prominent player left on the open market. Because of the contrasting interpretation of his skill set, his free agency case is certainly interesting to follow.
Russell, though quite undersized for his position at just 5’10, has carved out a niche for himself in recent years as one of the preeminent shot blockers in the entire league. He has recorded at least 201 blocked shots in each of the last three seasons with a career high of 283 in 2014-15, more than 70 blocks more than the next highest player. Last year, his total dipped to 210 but that was still good enough for second highest in the league behind Colorado’s Francois Beauchemin.
How that stat is interpreted is what makes his particular case so intriguing. On the one hand, teams value players who are willing to put their body on the line to keep shots from getting through to the net. Those players have been handsomely rewarded in the past. On the other hand, the fact that Russell is on the ice for so many shots against can be interpreted as an indictment of his defensive play; if he was better in that regard, he wouldn’t have so many shots to block. Any GM who looks at it that way will either offer him less money or stay away from offering him a deal altogether.
Further complicating his value is Russell’s step back offensively compared to 2014-15. That season, he collected 30 assists and 34 points but last year, he had just 15 and 19, respectively. At 34 points, he can be classified as a two-way defender but under 20, that’s no longer the case. Russell’s agent may try to sell him as a two-way player but it’s not likely that he’ll get much traction there.
Potential Suitors
Toronto and Montreal were both linked to Russell on Friday but neither of them has the cap space to sign him outright (before taking any projected LTIR-bound players into consideration). Vancouver also was believed to have some interest but may not have a roster spot for him. Boston has the cap space and roster vacancy to fit him in, as do the Stars, where Russell finished last season. If Russell’s asking price drops, that will open up a few other landing spots as well.
Projected Contract
Russell is ranked 12th on our Top 50 UFA list and is the highest of the unsigned players on there. We project a four year, $18MM contract for the 29 year old.
Minor Transactions: 7/2/16
Here is where we’ll keep track of today’s minor transactions:
- St. Louis announced a total of nine signings, mostly players who will play for their AHL affiliate in Chicago. Most prominently among them is D Chris Butler, who re-signed a one year contract; financial terms were not disclosed. Butler played in just five games with the Blues last season but has played a total of 387 NHL games in his career.
- Buffalo has signed C Derek Grant to a two-way contract, according to TSN’s Darren Dreger. Grant played in 15 games with Calgary last season, recording one assist while averaging 10:53 per game. He also recorded 26 goals in only 37 games with AHL Stockton last year.
- The Canadiens signed D Philip Samuelsson to a one year, two-way deal, according to a team release. Samuelsson spent most of last season with Arizona’s AHL affiliate in Springfield but suited up for four games with the Coyotes in 2015-16. Montreal also announced they have signed winger Chris Terry to a one year, two-way deal. Terry had eight goals and three assists in 68 games with Carolina last season.
- Winnipeg announced the re-signing of D Julien Melchiori and G Jamie Phillips to two year, two-way contracts. Melchiori would earn $625K at the NHL level while Phillips would get $675,000 in the NHL.
- The Predators announced that they have inked C Trevor Smith to a two year, two-way deal. The deal carries a cap hit of $612K at the NHL and guarantees him $475K over the two seasons according to General Fanager. He last played in the NHL with Toronto in 2014-15 and spent last year with Bern of the NLA.
- In a separate release, the Preds also have signed winger Harry Zolnierczyk to a one year, two-way contract. He’ll earn $575K in the NHL and $150K in the AHL. Zolnierczyk played in 24 games with Anaheim’s AHL affiliate last year as well as suiting up for one game with the Ducks.
- Edmonton’s has signed D Ethan Bear to a three year, entry level deal according to their Twitter account. Bear was the Oilers’ 5th round pick (124th overall) in 2015 and spent last season with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL.
- James Mirtle of TSN tells us that the Maple Leafs have signed D Justin Holl to a three-year entry level deal, following his strong season for their AHL affiliate last season. Holl put up 21 points in just 60 games on the AHL’s best regular season team.
- After extending their new number one goaltender, the Lightning have re-signed AHL netminder Kristers Gudlevskis to a two-way deal. The 23-year old made his NHL debut last season, starting one game for Tampa Bay where he allowed one goal on 32 shots.
Central Notes: Blackhawks, Blues, Stars, Wild
The Chicago Blackhawks welcomed Brian Campbell back into the fold with a one-year, $2MM deal on Friday. Hawks beat writer Chris Kuc writes that not only does the decision strengthen the Blackhawks top four defensemen, but that it brings back a player who always wanted to return. The signing was lauded by Blackhawk superstars Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, and was a move that general manager Stan Bowman made for a defenseman he feels has an “underrated” game. In 2015-16, Campbell was a +31 and registered 31 points (6-25).
- The St. Louis Blues are grappling with the loss of two major leaders in their locker room writes Jeremy Rutherford. When David Backes signed with Boston and Troy Brouwer headed to Calgary, Rutherford reports that the roster is a far cry from the one that propelled the Blues to a Western Conference Final trip in 2016. The Blues will also have to name a new captain for the first time since 2011, and general manager Doug Armstrong said that the term Backes was looking for served as a pause for his re-signing. On Brouwer, Rutherford writes that Armstrong countered with what he thought was a strong deal, but at the end of the day, the winger decided on Calgary’s offer instead.
- Yahoo’s Greg Wyshynski writes that Dallas’ signing of defenseman Dan Hamhuis was “genius.” Wyshynski notes that the term and amount (two-year, $3.75MM) is a bargain for a defenseman the Stars wanted to acquire at the trade deadline. Mike Heika reports that the Stars got the man that is the best fit for their team, and also at a price and term that is very flexible. Heika sees Hamhuis as a natural pairing with Stars youngster John Klingberg for bench boss Lindy Ruff.
- The Star Tribune’s Michael Russo reports on what the Wild could look like on the ice next season. Russo pencils newly acquired Eric Staal in the middle with Zach Parise at left wing and also indicates that the Wild are talking with free agent Matt Cullen, who is fresh off a Stanley Cup win with the Penguins. Russo adds that Cullen’s intrigue with the Wild would be that close friend Staal signed yesterday.
Florida Signs Jason Demers To Five-Year Deal
Chris Johnston writes that the Florida Panthers and Jason Demers have agreed to a five-year, $22.5MM deal. CapFriendly also posted the deal, indicating that the deal would be a cap hit of $4.5MM.
Johnston writes that the contract, “includes a $1-million signing bonus payable right away and a limited eight-team no-trade clause over the first four seasons.” Additionally, Johnson adds that Demers took a little less to sign with Florida.
Demers was considered one of the best free agent targets remaining on the market, and the value of his deal reveals as such. Last season with Dallas, Demers had 23 points (7-16) during the regular season. In the playoffs, Demers had three assists in 13 playoff games.
Free Agency Snapshots: Best Remaining Players
As of 11:30pm, Jason Demers signed a five-year deal with Florida. This article was written prior to that contract being signed.
A variety of analysts weighed in on who they thought the best remaining free agents were on the unrestricted free agent market. USA Today’s Kevin Allen writes that defensemen Jason Demers, Kyle Quincey, Kris Russell, James Wisniewski and Justin Schultz are all names that should find a new (or possibly the same) home. Allen still believes that Demers was the best free agent defenseman on the market, but that his reported $5MM pricetag may be scaring teams away. Allen also lists forwards Jiri Hudler, Sam Gagner, P.A. Parenteau, and Matt Cullen as other intriguing options. Allen believes that although Hudler has shown a goal scoring knack, his age (32) may be a factor in his inability to land a deal.
- NHL.com listed their best of the rest, with many mirroring Allen’s list. However, they listed Patrik Elias, Tomas Fleischmann, Roman Polak, Brad Richards, Luke Schenn, Alex Tanguay, and Radim Vrbata as other options. Most intriguing was the inclusion of Elias, who at 40 years of age, is still looking to play. Though they listed Coyotes captain Shane Doan, it was speculated yesterday that he would be returning to the desert, and that a contract was close.
- Sportsnet’s Luke Fox also had a similar list to the aforementioned, though he added Brandon Pirri, and Dennis Seidenberg as two additional options. On Pirri, Fox believes that his 29 points along with his young age (25) makes him a smart addition. Fox calls Seidenberg a dependable stay at home defenseman, but one that won’t “wow” any potential suitors.
- Finally, Greg Wyshynski writes that any team who signs Russell is making a puzzling acquisition. Wyshynski wonders if Russell could get $5MM for blocking shots–and not much more. Last season, Russell had 19 points (4-15) in 62 games with Calgary and Dallas.
Atlantic Notes: Bruins, Lightning, Maple Leafs, Red Wings
Though Puck Daddy’s Greg Wyshynski was initially surprised by David Backes signing in Boston, further review made it understandable. Backes adds another physical, goal scoring center to a team that already includes David Krejci and Patrice Bergeron. Wyshynski does warn that Backes arrives with a lot of miles and although he’s only missed 16 games since 2008, his style of play makes the five-year deal somewhat risky near the end of the contract. Regardless, the Bruins beefed up down the middle and have a more favorable look against the best teams in the division–and conference.
Other notes from the Atlantic:
- Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman continues his mastery of signing the team’s high end talent and Tampa Times writer Joe Smith reports that Nikita Kucherov should be the next name for Yzerman to cross off his list. Smith writes that Yzerman is optimistic a deal will get done and predicts that Kucherov could expect Filip Forsberg numbers in the range of a six-year, $36MM deal. But if there’s anything to be seen with Yzerman, it’s that he’s become a master of negotiations. Between Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman taking what was considered significantly less money to stay in Tampa, it should be expected that Kucherov will possibly take less to stay with a team that Yzerman continues to build into an Eastern Conference force.
- The Maple Leafs were very quiet with the exception of signing Matt Martin to a four-year, $10MM deal Friday. TSN’s Kristen Shilton writes that Leafs general manager Lou Lamoriello felt that Martin filled a need for the rebuilding organization. The move was also precipitated by bench boss Mike Babcock wanting more toughness on the roster. The Toronto Sun’s Lance Hornsby writes that while the team didn’t come out and say it, Martin’s role will be that of a bodyguard for #1 overall pick Auston Matthews, and other Leaf youngsters. Lamoriello did admit that the signing was one to make his younger players feel “freer” on the ice.
- While the Red Wings inked Frans Nielsen, Thomas Vanek and Steve Ott, their moves weren’t applauded by everyone. The Detroit News’ Gregg Krupa wonders if general manager Ken Holland’s magic touch is beginning to wear off, and writes that the Wings’ top man shouldn’t be finished with his offseason moves quite yet. Colleague Bob Wojnowski agrees, adding that the Wings are a team “scrambling to find their way” and along with Krupa, opines that that the fanbase is growing restless with Holland’s loyalty to players like Darren Helm, who notched a five-year, $19.5MM deal before free agency opened. Craig Hagerman goes even further, writing that the Wings were one of three teams that actually got worse following Friday’s free agent frenzy. While he lauds the Nielsen signing, he questions the re-signing of Helm (registering a 30 point season twice in his career), Ott (no goals last season), and Vanek (bought out for underachieving).
Free Agent Frenzy: Day 1 Signings By Team
Here are all of the signings of day one of the free agent frenzy, broken down by team, with a link to the individual stories:
Anaheim Ducks:
None
Arizona Coyotes:
C Chris Mueller – One year, $600K (link)
LW Garret Ross – One year, $575K (link)
D Jamie McBain – One year, $600K (link)
LW Jamie McGinn – Three years, $10MM (link)
D Jarred Tinordi – One year, $700K (link)
G Justin Peters – One year, $600K (link)
D Kevin Connauton – Two years, $2MM (link)
D Klas Dahlbeck – One year, $750K (link)
C Ryan White – One year, $1MM (link)
Boston Bruins:
G Anton Khudobin – Two years, $2.4MM (link)
C David Backes – Five years, $30MM (link)
D John-Michael Liles – One year, $2MM (link)
C Riley Nash – Two years, $1.8MM (link)
C Tim Schaller – One year, $600K (link)
D Tommy Cross – One year, $600K (link)
RW Tyler Randell – One year, $600K (link)
Shane Doan Close To Re-Signing With Arizona
According to Sportsnet’s John Shannon, Shane Doan will not be testing free agency this season and is close to a new deal with the Arizona Coyotes. The only franchise Doan has ever played for, he’ll be entering his 21st season with the club.
Even at 39, Doan still ranked 20th on our list of the top 50 free agents after he put up another great season in 2015-16. Scoring 28 goals, the former 7th overall pick (of the 1995 Entry Draft!) now has 396 for his career, putting him in the top 100 of all-time (92nd).
Doan is a testament to loyalty, staying with his original club all these years despite only playing in 55 career contests and none since 2012. While he probably would get multiple offers from teams around the league who think he can still contribute as a top-6 scorer, going back to Arizona always seemed like the natural thing to do, and if Shannon is correct he should be able to play out the end of his career, never having left the Winnipeg/Phoenix/Arizona franchise.
Minor UFA Signings: 07/01/16
Along with all of the huge names that went early in today’s free agency period, teams made quite a few smaller moves to shore up the fringes of their NHL lineup. Here are the minor signings:
- Stuart Percy (PIT): One year, $525K (two-way)
- Mike Kostka (OTT): One year, $800K (two-way)
- Anton Khudobin (BOS): Two years, $2.4MM
- Jon Marchessault (FLA): Two years, $1.5MM/yr
- Colton Sceviour (FLA): Two years, $1.9MM
- Michael Bournival (TB): One year, $575K (two-way)
- Casey Bailey (OTT): One year, $874K (two-way)
- Sam Carrick (CHI): One year, $575K (two-way)
- Pierre-Cedric Labrie (CHI): One year, $575K (two-way)
- Adam Clendening (NYR): One year, $600K (two-way)
- David Warsofsky (PIT): One year, $575K (two-way)
- Klas Dahlbeck (ARZ): One year, $750K