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Archives for June 2017

Minnesota Issues Qualifying Offers To Restricted Free Agents

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According to Michael Russo of the Star Tribune, the Minnesota Wild have tendered qualifying offers to (amounts pulled from CapFriendly’s QO calculator):

The team has also decided not to qualify Guillaume Gelinas, Alex Gudbranson, and Brady Brassart, and is still deciding on Jordan Schroeder. It is likely that the team also qualified Christian Folin, but it is still unclear if the team has made a decision on Steve Michalek, Kurtis Gabriel, Zack Mitchell and Zach Palmquist, all of whom are also restricted free agents this summer.

Those free agents not issued an offer will become unrestricted free agents, while the Wild will retain the exclusive negotiating rights on the others even if they should turn down the offer. Both Reilly and Olofsson are still eligible for two-way offers, which they may accept. The other more established RFAs will in all likelihood turn them down and enter negotiations or the arbitration process.

The reason the team is still undecided when it comes to Schroeder, despite his 13 points in 37 games and pedigree as a first-round pick, is likely because he is eligible for arbitration. With Minnesota set to be very tight to the cap next season, they may not be able to afford the arbitration settlement for the 26-year old and could instead cut him lose or trade him in the coming days.

All teams must submit qualifying offers by 4pm on June 26th, or else lose their exclusive negotiating rights to that player. Last year, many players including Brandon Pirri and Beau Bennett did not receive offers by the deadline and became UFAs able to sign anywhere in the league.

Erik Karlsson Undergoes Surgery, Given Four Month Timeline

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As expected, the Ottawa Senators announced today that captain Erik Karlsson underwent surgery to repair torn tendons in his left foot, and will now face a recovery period of four months. While the team states they are “hopeful that Erik will be fully recovered and healthy to start the 2017-18 regular season,” his training camp and season opener are seriously in doubt. A full four months would put his return in the middle of October, likely a few days after the start of the season.

Luckily, the superstar defenseman should be healed for Ottawa’s journey to Sweden during next season. The team will face off against the Colorado Avalanche in mid-November, games which Karlsson was extremely excited about when announced. More importantly maybe for the Senators, is that he won’t miss a bigger chunk of the season. He’s clearly their top player, and his absence is extremely noticeable when he’s not in the lineup.

The 27-year old Karlsson is a finalist for the Norris trophy once again as the league’s top defenseman, an award he has already won twice in his relatively short career. The runner-up last season, he is up against Victor Hedman and Brent Burns this year, both of whom eclipsed him in total points. Karlsson also amazingly got a third place vote for the Conn Smythe trophy as playoff MVP, despite his team being eliminated in the Conference Finals and playing with the torn tendons.

With just two years remaining on his current contract, Karlsson’s name will highlight next offseason as the Senators attempt to keep him for his entire career. A record-setting extension among defensemen isn’t out of the question, as he’ll be just 29 when he’s due for free agency and likely still one of the best players in the league.

Snapshots: Drouin, Moscow, Fleury

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Tampa Bay Lightning forward Jonathan Drouin is one of the most interesting names to follow this summer, as he has continued to be linked in trade speculation all around the league. The latest example comes from Conor McKenna of TSN who while admitting he isn’t a trade-breaker, relayed that he’s heard rumblings of a possible Alex Galchenyuk (plus a first-round pick) for Drouin swap. That would certainly be a substantial kickoff to the trade season, as both players are incredible talents who haven’t quite hit the highs predicted of them.

Drouin especially holds high value after breaking out this season with 21 goals and 53 points, while both former third-overall picks (2012 for Galchenyuk, 2013 for Drouin) are restricted free agents this summer and are candidates for long-term deals. Bob McKenzie chimed in earlier with some thoughts on the Montreal forward, saying that “it’s become clear Montreal doesn’t view [Galchenyuk] as a center.” Keep your eyes peeled for movement on both fronts, as even if they’re not traded for each other they could be moved to other teams around the league.

  • The KHL club Dynamo Moscow has been taken over by new ownership, but with it the players have gone on strike due to unpaid salary. The new owners, according to KHL reporter Slava Malamud are standing firm and saying they are not responsible for the debts. There were previous reports that players haven’t been paid in up to six months, and Jason Brough of NBC adds that the team was raided by anti-fraud police earlier this month. Among the players on Moscow last season was Klim Kostin, a top prospect for the upcoming expansion draft who has already said he plans on coming to North America immediately. After seeing first hand what happened to the more veteran players last season, it’s hard to blame him.
  • Marc-Andre Fleury waived his no-movement clause because it was the “right thing [to do] to help the team, to stay with the team, ” telling Dave Molinari of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that it gave the team more flexibility. Always considered one of the very best teammates in the league, Fleury’s waiving of his NMC allowed the Penguins to keep him on the roster for their playoff run, something that certainly came in handy when Matt Murray went down in the warm up of the first game. Fleury would lead the team through the first few rounds putting up an incredible performance and allowing Murray to heal fully before returning. If he is now ticketed for Vegas as many have speculated, his final act in Pittsburgh is one for the ages.
  • The Chicago Blackhawks have hired Sheldon Brookbank as an assistant coach for their AHL affiliate, bringing the former defenseman back to an organization where he won a Stanley Cup in 2013. Brookbank was one of the defensemen that Joel Quenneville has played at forward over the years, but didn’t have a huge role on the team in any capacity. He’ll join new Rockford IceHogs head coach Jeremy Colliton behind the bench next season on what is shaping up to be a very young coaching staff.

Ottawa Senators Will Not Re-Sign Chris Neil

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After nearly two decades with the Ottawa Senators organization, Chris Neil has been told he will not be returning to the team next year according to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen. He does want to play another season, meaning he’ll have to find work on the open market when he becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1st. It was clear that there is no frustration between the two sides, mutually agreeing to part ways. Chris Neil

Neil, 37, was drafted by the Senators 161st-overall in 1998 as a tough kid with some scoring chops out of the OHL, and quickly made a name for himself in the IHL after turning pro. With more than 300 penalty minutes in both of his minor league seasons, Neil also showed he could chip in on the score sheet and proved it in the NHL with 10 goals as a rookie in 2001-02. Over his career he turned into the prototypical enforcer for the new NHL, able to skate and play well enough to contribute more than just a 30-second bout and five minute major each night. In 1,026 career regular season games, Neil registered 250 points and 2,522 penalty minutes.

When he becomes an unrestricted free agent, it will be interesting to see how many teams would be willing to bring him aboard. He suited up for 53 games for the Senators this season, registering four points and seeing the fewest minutes of ice time in his whole career. He can still get under the skin of an opponent with the best of them, but didn’t fit into Guy Boucher’s stifling defensive trap well enough to deserve any real role on the team. Somewhere else, he may find a spot adding some veteran leadership and experience while “protecting” a young lineup. Steve Ott’s one-year deal with the Red Wings could be a good place to start as a comparison, which earned the aging pest $800K last season.

If he can’t find a role, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Neil move into some sort of coaching role eventually as many “tough guys” do. Garrioch writes that there has even been talk between Neil and the Senators about a role in the past, though it’s unclear if there would still be interest. Neil and his family have made a big impact on the Ottawa community, including taking over as co-chairs of Roger’s House, a children’s palliative care center, after Mike Fisher was traded to Nashville. Whether or not he’s ever connected to the Senators organization again, his impact on the people there will last much longer than his playing career.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

New York Rangers Agree To Terms With Matt Puempel

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The New York Rangers have come to terms with one of their pending restricted free agents, signing Matt Puempel to to a one-year contract. The deal is worth $725K for next season. The extension will now allow the Rangers to expose Puempel and one other forward to fill their exposure requirements for the expansion draft.

Puempel was claimed off waivers by the Rangers mid-season from the Ottawa Senators and ended up playing 27 games for the club down the stretch, registering nine points. The former first round pick hasn’t impressed since being selected 24th overall, but still has time to grow into the offensive potential that he showed in the OHL. A natural goal-scorer, his shot is definitely ready for an increased role, but the rest of his game has lacked consistency to get him there. He’s clearly shown an ability at the AHL level, but has averaged only 10 minutes per night in his various NHL stints.

The Rangers will have to expose another forward who fills the 40/70 games played requirement, but this gives them several options now. Michael Grabner and Kevin Hayes both represent possibilities, and the team could also give an extension to one of several other players including Tanner Glass and Jesper Fast. It will be interesting to see if the Rangers try and push Puempel into an increased role next season, or if he is destined to play the role of 13th forward once again. Vegas could also find some use for him, as scoring ability will be hard to come by in the expansion draft. If they believe his upside is that of a 20-goal man in the NHL one day (even with his defensive deficiencies) they might take a chance to try and acquire him one way or another.

Chris Johnston of Sportsnet reported the financial details of the contract. 

Latest On Salary Cap Limits For 2017-18

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There has been much speculation over the past few months over where exactly the upper limit of the NHL salary cap will land for the 2017-18 season. Some have claimed it will remain flat, but a new report from James Mirtle of The Athletic (subscription required) refutes that. Because of the revenue that the league has generated over the past year, Mirtle writes:

It’s important to note here that there’s actually no scenario where the cap goes down or stays flat at $73-million.

Mirtle’s sources tell him that the most likely number for the cap will be $75MM, a relatively low bump but one that could be crucial to teams already pressed to the limit. The Chicago Blackhawks for example are already projected to be over the cap by more than $4MM for next season, while others like the Ducks, Red Wings and Kings could all desperately use a few extra million to work with. It also means that the cap floor is likely to increase at least slightly, meaning teams like Carolina and Arizona, currently projected for less than the 2016-17 floor, will need to do some work to increase their payroll for next season.

The decision on the upper limit comes down to whether the NHLPA exercises its full 5% escalator as it has traditionally done. This year, as Mirtle writes, the players’ union is considering not pushing it up as far as possible because of the escrow issue that has been brought up several times. Not only is the amount of escrow players are losing off each paycheck determining this specific decision, but negotiations on a whole between the two sides when it comes to the next CBA. It has been widely speculated that the players may use their 2019 termination deadline to opt-out of the current agreement in 2020, which could potentially cause another work stoppage for the league should a new deal not be ironed out.

Either way, the expected increase in the salary cap for next season will come as a breath of fresh air for several teams hoping to make an impact in free agency this summer, and for those with several high-priced restricted free agents to sign this summer (see: Tampa Bay, Nashville). For other clubs, like Toronto and Edmonton who will have to pay their young talent over the next few seasons, any increase above $75MM would also be welcome. According to Mirtle, should the NHLPA use the entire 5% the cap would sit somewhere around $77.5MM, a large increase from last season.

Snapshots: Petersen, Kovalchuk, Neal

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The Buffalo Sabres are still patiently waiting on a decision from goaltender Cal Petersen on whether or not he’ll start his professional career with the team, or wait for free agency next month. After Petersen declared he would not be returning to school, the Sabres had a 30-day window in which to sign him. John Vogl of the Buffalo News writes that Petersen’s camp is still quiet on his upcoming decision.

The goaltender will become a free agent on July 1st with everyone else through coincidence, and would be highly sought after as a potential future starting goalie. He would be signing a two-year entry-level contract, but after three outstanding years at Notre Dame is considered more polished than many other goaltending prospects. There is a chance he could be in the NHL before that ELC expires, making him extremely valuable to any team that signs him.

  • New Jersey Devils GM Ray Shero joined TSN 1050 today and was asked a series of questions about Ilya Kovalchuk’s potential return. Shero told Pierre LeBrun and the other hosts plainly once again that it’s Jay Grossman (Kovalchuk’s agent) that is guiding the ship right now in terms of which teams are in contact with the Russian sniper. He’ll wait until they have a deal worked out before reaching out and seeing if there is a trade to be made with the interested team. Shero did confirm that Kovalchuk still does intend on returning, despite any rumors out of the KHL that he’s re-considering his position.
  • The Florida Panthers and New York Rangers have both given promotions to their player development staff. Florida has upgraded former captain Bryan McCabe from Director of Player Development to Director of Player Personnel, while New York has installed Jed Ortmeyer as Director of Player Development. The Rangers have also hired Steve Eminger as a Pro Scout after last playing in the AHL in 2015-16. Eminger spent three seasons for the Rangers during his playing career.
  • James Neal played most of the playoffs with a broken hand, according to Nashville Predators GM David Poile at the final team press conference (via Thomas Willis of the team site). The power forward broke it in game one of the Western Conference final, and came back to score the overtime winner that game. Neal has just one year left on his contract and could potentially be exposed by the Predators in the upcoming expansion draft, something Poile is trying his hardest to avoid.
  • Karl Stollery has decided to take his talents to the KHL, as the free agent defender has signed on with Dinamo Riga. Stollery played 11 games with the New Jersey Devils last season, registering just three points. The former Merrimack College standout has just 23 NHL games under his belt but will now try to take the next step in the Russian league.

New York Rangers To Buy Out Dan Girardi

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In a bold but perhaps unsurprising move,the New York Rangers will buy out the contract of defenseman Dan Girardi when the window opens tomorrow. For all the fans clamoring to find out why the team would not ask him to waive his no-movement clause before the expansion draft, this is an answer. Team President Glen Sather released a statement on Girardi’s time with the team:

Dan’s contributions to the New York Rangers organization have been immeasurable. He has been a role model through his relentless determination, giving everything he had to this organization both on and off the ice. He, Pam, Landon and Shaye will always be a part of the Rangers family.

The Rangers made it clear that they want to get younger on defense, and Girardi’s hefty cap hit and declining play seemed the obvious choice for a buyout or trade. Because he held a full no-move clause, the team’s hands were somewhat tied prior to the expansion draft, though it did drop to a limited no-trade clause this summer. While his $5.5MM cap-hit will no longer be on the books, the Rangers will incur a buyout cap-hit of the following:

  • 2017-18: $2.61MM
  • 2018-19: $3.61MM
  • 2019-20: $3.61MM
  • 2020-21: $1.11MM
  • 2021-22: $1.11MM
  • 2022-23: $1.11MM

Even though his play has dramatically declined over the past few years, Girardi has had an immense impact on the Rangers over his career. In parts of 11 seasons, he’s played 788 games and recorded 230 points. Until this season, he had averaged over 20 minutes a night in every year since his rookie season even getting to a high of 26:15 in the 2011-12 season. That year he finished sixth in Norris trophy voting as the league’s best defenseman. His Rangers have made it to the playoffs in 10 of 11 seasons, where he has logged huge minutes through his 122 contests. Even this year, perhaps knowing that it may be his last in New York, Girardi played with cracked ribs throughout part of the playoffs. Dan Girardi

For the Rangers, this gives them more flexibility in the expansion draft and free agency, two upcoming concerns for the club as it looks to improve and get back to the playoffs next season. With several restricted free agents looking for new contracts including Mika Zibanejad, the team was going to be pressed right up against the cap should it stay relatively flat. Now, with the almost $3MM of savings this season they could go after another player on the open market. With younger players like Alexei Bereglazov and Neal Pionk already signed this spring, the team could go for a youth movement on defense and rely on Ryan McDonagh and Brady Skeij to anchor their top two pairs. Marc Staal, another possible candidate to be moved this summer, also has a no-movement clause and impeding cap-hit.

Girardi will now look to land on his feet somewhere else, and it’s not inconceivable that he could sign a multi-year contract at a much lower salary. The soon-to-be free agent is right handed and does still provide some intangibles that are sought after on the open market, even if his performance has been critiqued for some time. Teams that want a veteran option on the bottom pair or as a depth defenseman could see him as a perfect option even at the age of 33. It will be interesting to see if he finds a home before free agency starts on July 1st, as he’ll be a free agent for weeks before that date.

Realistically, he’ll likely have to settle for a one-year contract to try and prove that he can still contribute 15-17 minutes a night in a more sheltered role. Though he’s no longer an offensive contributor, he still does provide penalty killing experience and a penchant for shot-blocking. He also comes with plenty of leadership and playoff experience, something that young teams sometimes covet on the open market.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Red Wings Will Not Give Up Futures To Protect Extra Players In Expansion

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Detroit Red Wings GM Ken Holland was on Sportsnet 960 radio this morning and revealed that his team would be going with the 7-3-1 protection scheme and would not give up any prospects or draft picks in order to make a deal with Vegas to protect any extra players. While other teams have been discussing deals with Vegas to give them some assurance of who they will lose, Holland admitted that after missing the playoffs for the first time in more than two decades, he can’t afford to give up any future assets.

A 7-3-1 protection scheme is interesting for the Red Wings, as there was at least some speculation that they would need to protect four defensemen. Instead, they’ll likely focus on protecting any and all young assets in their system, and try to rebuild for the future. That future looked pretty good last night when the Grand Rapids Griffins took home the Calder Cup, though AHL success doesn’t always translate to the big club.

With the Golden Knights already expected to have deals in the works with clubs like Anaheim, Chicago and Columbus, the Red Wings won’t fall into any trap of spending their future to protect a player now. Even if it means leaving a player like Justin Abdelkader—who was considered a key piece of the team just a year ago—available, Holland is firmly focused on the rebuild in Detroit. That said, he also touched on the idea that he’d like to get back into the playoffs as soon as next season. He truly believes that getting into the tournament gives you a chance at the Stanley Cup, as Nashville showed this year going from the last seed to the Stanley Cup Finals. After a year in which Detroit registered just 79 points, it would take a big bounce-back for them to fight their way into the postseason next year.

Boston Bruins Sign Tommy Cross To One-Year Contract

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The Boston Bruins have re-signed a depth option, signing Tommy Cross to a one-year, two-way contract worth the league minimum of $650K in the NHL. Cross was set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, but the Providence Bruins captain will be back for at least one more season.

Cross has developed into a defensive rock for the P-Bruins, providing excellent play at both ends of the rink in the AHL. He also jumped into the Boston lineup for a playoff game this spring when the Bruins’ defensive group was devastated by injury. The 27-year old registered 35 points this season in the minors, his second as the captain of the team. The former second-round pick hasn’t quite lived up to the hype coming out of Boston College, but still has a chance to make an impact at some point at least in a part-time NHL role.

For the Bruins, players like Cross are extremely important given the uncertainty on their blueline for next season. With young players, injury risks and aging veterans, they could easily be put into a position like they were in the playoffs. A similar decision will have to be made on Joe Morrow, who is a restricted free agent this summer but hasn’t developed into the defenseman he was projected as when the Pittsburgh Penguins selected him in the first round. Morrow played just 17 games for the Bruins this season, but could be a valuable depth option if they can get him under contract.

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