Free Agent Focus: Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild made the playoffs, kicking and screaming. They lost 5 in a row to end the season before losing their first round series versus the Dallas Stars in 6 games. Head Coach Mike Yeo was fired in February, replaced by John Torchetti.
Cap space: $7.56MM, 15 players under contract
Key RFAs: Defenceman Matt Dumba – The 7th overall pick in 2012 broke out this season, scoring 10 goals and 16 assists in 81 games. He averaged just under 17 minutes per game. Dumba was also solid for Canada’s gold-medal-winning squad at the World Championships. The Wild should be able to get him under contract for a bridge deal and let him prove himself before committing to a longer term deal.
Other RFAs: G Darcy Kuemper, C Jordan Schroeder, W Jason Zucker, and C Zac Dalpe
Key UFAs: None
Other UFAs: RW David Jones, RW Justin Fontaine, C Jarret Stoll, LW Ryan Carter, LW Chris Porter
Outlook: Bruce Boudreau is taking over the head coaching job. The former Ducks and Capitals coach has had tremendous success in the regular season, but has been unable to translate that to a Stanley Cup. The former member of the WHA’s Minnesota Fighting Saints has lead his teams to 8 division titles in 10 seasons as a head coach.
The Wild may look to trade or buy out inconsistent winger Thomas Vanek this summer. Vanek is entering the last year of his contract, worth $6.5MM per season. A buyout would cost the Wild $1.5MM this season and $2.5MM next season. Vanek was a healthy scratch at times last season, but did score 41 points last season. The Wild may want to keep their powder dry and hope he bounces back.
Minnesota will look to add some more offence this off-season. Possible targets include big center David Backes or St. Paul-native Kyle Okposo.
The Wild have 4 selections in the 2016 draft, and two of them are 7th round picks. Besides the 15th overall pick, the Wild have their own fourth and seventh round picks and the Panthers seventh from the Sean Bergenheim trade.
Rugged winger Alex Tuch, the team’s 18th overall pick in 2014, is leaving Boston College and will begin playing pro. He’ll likely see time with the Iowa Wild in the AHL.
Saturday Snapshots: Arizona’s New AHL Squad, Boedker And Nielsen Staying Put?
- Arthur Staple of Newsday reports pending UFA C Frans Nielsen and the Islanders have discussed a long-term deal “in recent days”. Nielsen scored 20 goals and 52 points in 81 games last season, the second highest totals of his career. Nielsen’s last contract was a 4-year pact worth $2.75MM per season.
- Former Coyote Mikkel Boedker says he hasn’t decided against re-signing with Colorado. Boedker put up 12 points in 18 games after being acquired at the trade deadline by the Avalanche, who did not make the playoffs. His agent told ESPN that Boedker “liked everyone from the coaches and the players to the fans in Colorado. It’s definitely a place that’s up there on his list”. This comes just days after Avalanche GM Joe Sakic told media that Boedker would be allowed to test the open market.
- After the success of the AHL’s new Pacific Division last season, the Arizona Coyotes are also moving their farm team closer to home. The Coyotes unveiled the team’s name and logo Saturday: the Tucson Roadrunners.
“Huge Loss”: Red Wings GM Discusses Datsyuk’s Retirement
Red Wings GM Ken Holland spoke with the media Saturday, hours after Pavel Datsyuk announced his retirement from the NHL.
In an interview broadcast on Detroit’s 97.1 The Ticket, Holland revealed details about the two sides contract negotiations in 2013, when Datsyuk signed the current 3-year contract. According to Holland, Datsyuk’s camp asked for a 5-year extension, which would have kept him under contract until 2019. The Red Wings GM countered with a 3-year term, which was accepted.
“He’s our best player. If I countered with a 1-year deal, he’s playing with another team.”
Early in the first season of this contract, 2014-15 season, Holland says he was approached by Datsyuk in his office about returning to Russia after that season for “the reasons you heard today”. Datsyuk “didn’t know the rules” about how an early retirement would affect the Red Wings, according to Holland.
The Red Wings did “everything [they] could to keep him here this year”, including a meeting with the team’s owners, Mike and Marian Ilitch. After understanding how leaving would affect the organization, Datsyuk agreed to stay for at least the 2015-16 season. Holland hoped he would stay for 2016-17 as well, but accepted that he might have to deal with him leaving before then.
Holland “doesn’t feel burned” by Datsyuk’s decision, saying “Pav was concerned about the Detroit Red Wings” and calling him “real honourable”.
“His heart isn’t here anymore.”
Because Datsyuk will likely play in the KHL next season, he wanted the Red Wings’ blessing to leave.
Holland said he’s “not overly optimistic” about moving Datsyuk’s contract, based on what the small group of teams with interest are asking for in return. The team isn’t worried about the potential cost, however. Holland compared it to buying a car or house: “if you can’t afford it, you can’t afford it.”
The Red Wings won’t trade young prospects like Anthony Mantha in order to move the contract, according to Ansar Khan of MLive.com.
Whether or not they move Datsyuk’s contract, Holland said the Red Wings will look younger next year. That’s in no small part due to the inexpensive nature of entry-level contracts.
Holland’s intent would be to move the contract for a conditional draft pick before the opening of free agency July 1, saying it wouldn’t make sense to do anything after the free agent market is over.
Datsyuk Announces Retirement From NHL
As expected from yesterday’s news, Detroit Red Wings center Pavel Datsyuk officially announced his retirement from the NHL today at a press conference in suburban Detroit. During the brief press conference, Pierre LeBrun tweeted that Datsyuk made the decision because of his family. Yahoo’s Nick Cotsonika tweets that Datsyuk will play in the KHL next season. Red Wings beat writer Ansar Khan tweets that the Wings will be making a statement at 2pm EST at the Joe Louis Arena.
The 38-year-old has been rumored for some time to walk away from the NHL. In April, an interview with Detroit Free Press writer Mitch Albom shed light on Datsyuk wanting to spend more time with his daughter in Russia. As written about at length by many analysts, the $7.5MM cap hit remains for the Red Wings due to Datsyuk extending his contract at the age of 35. Though the AAV was $7.5MM, Datsyuk benefitted from a front loaded contract where he made $10.5MM in 2014-2015, $7MM in 2015-2016, and was slated to make $5.5MM in 2016-2017. Datsyuk’s agent Dan Milstein pointed out, however, that Datsyuk only made $15MM in the first two years of his contract because he declined a $2MM bonus this past February. Milstein also indicated that the Red Wings would have no problem trading the contract away.
Regardless, Datsyuk’s decision puts the Red Wings in a lurch heading into the 2016-2017 season. Even if the Red Wings successfully move the contract, it will most likely include a high draft pick or prospects. Forwards Tomas Jurco and Teemu Pulkkinen were two names floated as potential trade bait. Should the Red Wings opt to take the hit, it will most certainly restrict them from trying to land any potential free agents. The Wings have been linked with Alexander Radulov, and more recently, Steven Stamkos, should he hit the market.
Free Agent Focus: Detroit Red Wings
The 2015-2016 Detroit Red Wings were a team in transition. Jeff Blashill took over a team that on paper, looked ready to build on their performance from 2014-2015 where they nearly upset eventual Eastern Conference Champion Tampa Bay. Instead, the Red Wings were an inconsistent bunch, struggling mightily on the power play, especially in the playoffs, and searching for an identity between their storied past, and their dynamic future, which includes budding superstar Dylan Larkin. The Red Wings were bounced in five games by the Lightning in the first round, and general manager Ken Holland found himself facing a restless fanbase and crucial offseason.
Cap Space: $11,073,789 according to CapFriendly. This number will change if Pavel Datsyuk‘s contract is moved to another team. Additionally, the Red Wings are looking at a number of trades to free up room.
Key UFAs: Darren Helm. The 29-year-old center has been with the Red Wings for his entire career, first making an impact during the Wings 2008 Stanley Cup run. Helm has blazing speed and is a huge factor on the penalty kill. After having a career year in 2014-2015, Helm posted numbers a bit below with 26 points. (13-13). The Red Wings expected Helm to show a consistency in scoring, but the lack of a scoring touch has been missing from Helm’s game, especially on breakaways. Helm has already been offered a contract, but with the emergence of speedster Andreas Athanasiou and Larkin, Helm’s loss wouldn’t be devastating should they not come to terms.
Other UFAs Forwards Brad Richards, Drew Miller, and Joakim Andersson. Defenseman Kyle Quincey.
Key RFAs: D Danny DeKeyser, and G Petr Mrazek. DeKeyser was expected to be a top 4 defenseman in Detroit and might be paid as such. With Niklas Kronwall aging, and the core of Detroit’s defense disappointing, DeKeyser is seen as a steady presence who can log more minutes. Mrazek is a completely different case. With over $5.2MM invested in Jimmy Howard, Mrazek is widely seen as the #1 goalie in Detroit and will be compensated as such. The Red Wings have already started shopping Howard to free up money for Mrazek. The 23-year-old Czech was stellar between the pipes, and is seen as the caliber of a goalie who can steal games. In the regular season, Mrazek won 27 games and had a .921 save percentage.
Other RFAs: F Teemu Pulkkinen, D Alexey Marchenko.
For several seasons now, Ken Holland has swung and missed with trades and free agency. The Red Wings are no longer the dominant team they once were, and are clearly in transition with young players like Athanasiou, Larkin, and Anthony Mantha looking to take over. Holland vowed to make changes. His first order of business will be determining what to do with Datsyuk’s contract. After that, the pressure is on Holland to reshape the roster into one that will bring the Red Wings back to dominance.
Capology: NTCs and NMCs
As the free agency period approaches, Pro Hockey Rumors takes a look at No-Movement Clauses and No-Trade Clauses.
A no-trade clause (NTC) prevents a team from trading a player, but does not apply to loans or waivers. Players can negotiate limited NTCs that give the player the option to veto trades to certain teams. Players usually provide their current team with a list of teams for they would accept a trade. NTCs can be waived by players at any time, both temporarily or permanently. A no-movement clause (NMC), on the other hand, prevents a team from trading or waiving/loaning a player. Neither clause, however, prevents a team from buying out a player. If a team wants to buy out a player with an NMC, they must first give that player the option of being placed on waivers.
Other Notes
- Only Group 3 UFAs are eligible for these clauses;
- RFAs can negotiate for these clauses only if they become effective once the player would be group 3 UFA eligible; and
- Teams that trade for players with NTCs or NMCs are bound by these clauses unless the clause has not yet come into effect.
As we explained in our post on the NHL expansion draft, NMCs will potentially handcuff GMs in the upcoming expansion draft. All players with NMCs effective past 2017-18 are automatically protected and count against the number of players a team can protect.
Free Agent Focus: Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers surprised everyone this season with an unlikely playoff appearance during an expected rebuilding year. And while they bowed out in the first round, the Flyers took the President’s Trophy-winning Washington Capitals to six games. They enter the offseason with a decision as to whether to continue with the planned rebuild or to double down on their unexpected success.
Cap Space: $10,503,334MM (According to CapFriendly). Cap space is marred by two buyouts on the books: F Vincent Lecavalier and recently bought-out R.J. Umberger.
Key UFAs: F Sam Gagner. Sam Gagner is looking to bounce back after a career-worst 8G and 16P in 53 Games. Gagner held promise when drafted, but he has struggled to realize his potential and is now entering his tenth year as a pro. Any offer Gagner accepts would likely be a short-term “prove yourself” contract.
Other UFAs: F Ryan White, D Evgeny Medvedev, and G Ray Emery.
Key RFAs: F Brayden Schenn. Re-signing Schenn is Philadelphia’s biggest priority. The young forward was third in team scoring with 26G and 59P in 80 Games. More importantly, Schenn has increased his point total every season—showing definite improvement and an upward trajectory. He represents an integral piece of the Flyers’ youthful core going forward, and the team would be wise to secure him to a long-term contract.
Other RFAs: F Jordan Weal, F Nick Cousins, D Radko Gudas, D Brandon Manning.
The Flyers face the age-old dilemma of following their success or sticking to a rebuild. No team wants to be mired in standings purgatory where they are too good for a high draft pick, but never good enough for an extended playoff push. Draft day and July 1st will indicate which way the Flyers go.
Free Agent Focus: New York Rangers
The New York Rangers again amassed over 100 points and made the playoffs for the sixth consecutive year in 2015-16, going 46-27-9 and just edging out the Islanders for third in the Metropolitan division. What that won them was a matchup with the eventual Stanley Cup winning Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round. As they head into the summer, they have some big questions to answer all over their club, with only 14 players under contract at the moment.
Key Restricted Free Agents: There isn’t just a single RFA that the Rangers need to worry about, there is a trio of them. LW Chris Kreider, C Kevin Hayes and RW J.T. Miller are all arbitration eligible and due for substantial raises this summer, after scoring 57 goals between them. Miller led the pack with 22 including five game winners, and racked up 43 points (tied with Kreider).
The Rangers may have some trouble with the expansion draft next year, as these three will all need protection along with Derek Stepan, Derick Brassard and Mats Zuccarello which will put at risk some of their other young players like Jesper Fast or Oscar Lindberg, even if they leave Rick Nash unprotected. It will be even more strained if they decide to sign any big name free agent forward, most of which would demand a NMC to come to New York.
Other RFAs: Dylan McIlrath
Key Unrestricted Free Agent: D Keith Yandle – The top blueliner on the UFA market this summer, Yandle is going to command a huge salary and will have teams lining up to offer it. After coming over in a trade from the Arizona Coyotes in 2014-15, Yandle has been one of the better defencemen in the league, putting up 58 points in a Rangers uniform.
The 29-year old will head into free agency after completing a five-year $26.25MM dollar contract he signed with the Coyotes in 2011. That cap-hit of $5.25MM is sure to go up this summer when teams bang down his door looking for a #1 defenceman. Over the last five seasons, Yandle has the 5th most points of any defenceman in the league, only trailing Erik Karlsson, P.K. Subban, Dustin Byfuglien, and Shea Weber – all of whom are earning at least $7MM next year.
Other UFAs: Dan Boyle, Eric Staal, Viktor Stalberg, Dominic Moore
Projected Cap Space: $15.33MM, 14 players under contract.
Losing Yandle and Boyle from their blueline doesn’t look good for the Rangers, who won’t have much room for free agents after the deals for their RFAs. With Dan Girardi and Marc Staal both taking a lot of heat for their poor possession numbers, the team might be in trouble defensively next season. The Penguins exploited it in the playoffs, and with Henrik Lundqvist another year older he may not be able to bail them out as much in 2015-16.
The deal for Eric Staal ended up not working out very well for the club, as he scored just six points for the club down the stretch before being held scoreless in the playoffs. Carolina has already made good use of one of the picks, dealing it to Chicago as the main piece in the Teuvo Teravainen deal two days ago.
If the team is to get back to the playoffs they’ll have to rely on their speed and skill up front, unless they make a move to shore up that back end. Look for teams to start kicking the tires on those young forwards, trying to entice one or two of them out of the Big Apple, and into their system.
Rumor Roundup: Bogosian, Kulikov, Trouba
Rumor season is alive and well as we head towards the NHL Entry Draft and free agency. While fans salivate at the possibilities, and reporters fight for any scrap of information, here are some of the rumors that are floating around the league right now:
- In an offseason that will be spent trying to find a number one (not to mention two, three, and four) defenceman, David Staples of the Edmonton Journal hears that the Oilers are interested, at least somewhat, in Buffalo Sabres blueliner Zach Bogosian and have been since last season. While it doesn’t seem likely that the former third overall pick would be on the move to Edmonton due to his no-movement clause, Buffalo may try to get him to waive it in order to move his contract.
- Joe Haggerty of CSNNE.com hears that the Boston Bruins have interest in Florida defenceman Dmitry Kulikov and have at least been kicking the tires on a possible trade. The 25-year old has just one year remaining on his contract at $4.3MM before he would become a (much sought after) UFA. The Panthers have a lot of young players that they need to get signed over the next year and a half, with Aaron Ekblad, Jonathan Huberdeau, Reilly Smith and Alex Petrovic all restricted free agents after next season.
- After rumors swirled this week about the Colorado Avalanche’s interest in Jets’ defenceman Jacob Trouba, Mike Chambers of the Denver Post asked GM Joe Sakic about it: “There’s a lot of speculation out there. All I can tell you is we’ve had conversations with different teams and we want to try to improve our crop.”. Trouba is sure to be sought after by many teams if the Jets do indeed make him available this summer. The 22-year old is a former ninth overall pick, is an RFA for the first time this summer and has performed well in his three NHL seasons.
Minor Transactions: 6/17/16
Here is where we’ll keep track of today’s minor transactions, updating as they happen.
- Maxim Lamarche, a former undrafted free agent signed in 2013, has re-upped on an AHL deal with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The 23-year old defenceman has yet to make his debut in the NHL and isn’t expected to do so anytime soon.
- The first captain of the Stockton Heat, Aaron Johnson has decided to take his talents to Europe. He has signed a contract to play with Adler Mannheim of Germany’s DEL. Johnson was once a staple of the Columbus Blue Jackets’ blueline, playing in 172 games for them over two different stints (4 total seasons). He hasn’t played in the NHL since 2o12-13, when he suited up for 10 games with the Boston Bruins
- Daniel Sprong, one of Pittsburgh’s top prospects underwent shoulder surgery Friday and will be out 7-8 months. Sprong made his NHL debut this season before joining the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins for their playoff run and showed his scoring ability, putting up 7 points in 10 games in his first taste of professional playoff hockey.
- The Edmonton Oilers have re-signed center Tyler Pitlick to a one-year deal, according to the team twitter. Pitlick, a former second round pick, didn’t play for the Oilers this season after fighting injury again. He did put up 21 points in the 37 games he suited up in for the AHL Bakersfield Condors.
- According to ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun, Lightning center Jonathan Drouin has withdrawn the trade request he issued last season during a battle with GM Steve Yzerman over playing time. After making his return to the team and performing well in the playoffs, Drouin now wants to stay in Tampa for the long haul. The quickly approaching free agency of first-line center Steven Stamkos may have something to do with it, as Drouin can feature heavily in the future of the Lightning if Stamkos were to sign elsewhere.
- Recent Calder-cup winning goaltender Anton Forsberg has been re-signed by the Columbus Blue Jackets, according to the team. He’ll receive a one-year, two-way deal that will keep him on the AHL roster unless something changes on the big club. Forsberg has played in seven games for the Blue Jackets’ over the last two seasons, but backstopped their AHL affiliate to 43 wins over that time.