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Archives for June 2017

Flames Perspective On Expansion Draft

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Calgary Flames GM Brad Treviling spoke to Sportsnet 960 radio yesterday and opined about how the team is addressing the expansion draft. At the outset, Treviling acknowledges that the Flames—alongside 20 or so teams—do not have any major expansion issues, and only those teams with potential significant losses are the focus of the Vegas Golden Knights right now.

Treviling also thinks that Vegas will approach the expansion draft to accumulate assets rather than try to build the perfect team. He predicts that Vegas will have strong goaltending and good defenseman. It will be harder, Treviling intimates, to find quality forwards at a good price, and will be very difficult to find good centers.

And because Vegas takes 30 players, those extra players may be flipped to other teams for draft picks. Unlike other teams, Vegas does not have a farm system in place yet. That means it might be more valuable to take a player and then trade him for numerous lower round draft picks. Vegas may value quantity over quality in the short term.

The Flames have run at least three mock drafts so far, and update monthly its lists of who they think teams will protect. Treliving points out that it is a difficult process given the positional restrictions and many moving parts.

Calgary Closer To Arena Deal

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Despite Calgary Flames president of hockey operations Brian Burke’s comments earlier this week, the city of Calgary and the Calgary Flames are close to a deal for a new arena. First reported by the Calgary Sun’s Eva Ferguson, Calgary city councillors told the Sun that a deal will be revealed soon.

Councillor Diana Colley-Urquhart stated that a deal will be made public in the “next few weeks,” and said while she loved Burke, he could be a “hothead and a blowhard.” The negotiations between the team and city revolved around two competing arena locations, and the amount the city would pay. Councillor Ward Sutherland said that both sides are “close to settling on a compromise.”

The city councillors are on a potential deadline to get a deal done before Calgary’s October municipal elections. Some councillors may lose their seat, and new councillors will have to be brought up to speed. Moreover, Flames president and CEO Ken King told the Sun that if both sides reach a deal before the fall, a new arena can be built within four years.

Snapshots: Foo, Gavrikov, Panthers

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Spencer Foo joined Bob Stauffer on 630 CHED today and the college free agent confirmed that he has whittled down the interest from “over 20” to “under five” teams on where to sign his first NHL contract. The Oilers remain in that group, the childhood team of Foo growing up in Edmonton. Foo also revealed that he would have been named captain of the Union College team, and his younger brother would be have been joining him this season had he stayed.

The Hobey Baker finalist scored 62 points in 38 games during his junior team before deciding to turn pro this summer, and was one of the most dynamic players in the country. He has delayed his decision so far to finish his school year, instead of signing and playing this season like other NCAA players. At 23, he should compete for a spot in the NHL right away wherever he signs.

  • The Columbus Blue Jackets have been trying to convince Vladislav Gavrikov to come over to the NHL for some time, and according to Igor Eronko of Sport-Express the young defenseman is trying to get a visa in order to come over for a medical. According to Eronko Columbus has offered him a deal with an AHL “out clause” meaning that he would be allowed to return to the KHL should they try to send him down. The report also indicates that the contract would include “full bonuses”, though it’s unclear if that means signing, performance or both. Gavrikov played quite well this season for Yaroslavl, suiting up for 54 games. He also played for Team Russia at the World Championships, logging time against top competition.
  • The Florida Panthers have signed six players to AHL contracts, inking Francois Beauchemin (not the one who plays for Colorado), Matt Buckles, Ryan Horvat, Anthony Greco, Matt MacKenzie and Evan Cowley. All six will report to the Springfield Thunderbirds next season. The biggest name may be Cowley, who finished his NCAA career with an incredible .955 save percentage as the backup at DU. The former fourth-round pick is an interesting goaltending prospect for the Panthers down the line, perhaps capable of developing into at least an NHL backup.

No Progress In Talks Between Jordan Weal, Philadelphia Flyers

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On the heels of announcing an extension for Shayne Gostisbehere, Philadelphia Flyers GM Ron Hextall also told reporters including Sam Carchidi of the Inquirer that he had not talked to Jordan Weal’s camp since the combine and he doesn’t know if they are any closer to a deal. Despite the fact that he’s just 25, Weal is set to become a Group VI unrestricted free agent on July 1st.

Weal spent most of this season in the AHL once again, scoring 47 points in 43 games and showing that he deserved a chance at the NHL level. In four previous professional seasons, he’d only seen NHL ice 14 times but proved he belonged with 8 goals and 12 points in 23 games down the stretch. He was given a real role in the Flyers forward group, averaging more than 14 minutes a night and often being one of the better players on the ice. The former third-round pick was a big part of the deal that sent Luke Schenn and Vincent Lecavalier to Los Angeles, and watching him walk away for nothing would be a disappointing end to his Philadelphia tenure.

That said, 25-year old point-per-game players in the AHL don’t hit free agency very often and many teams would be interested in him. If the Flyers can’t offer him a role in the NHL, he’ll likely try his luck on a rebuilding franchise or even perhaps an expansion one. His skill and scoring prowess would be a welcome addition to the Golden Knights who will have to build a forward group from the scrap heap this summer. Whichever team does get him will likely have to offer him a one-way deal and an established role in the NHL.

Philadelphia Flyers Sign Shayne Gostisbehere To Six-Year Extension

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The Philadelphia Flyers have gotten in on the offseason action, signing defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere to a multi-year contract. The deal is for six seasons, at an average annual value of $4.5MM. Gostisbehere was a restricted free agent, but was not eligible for arbitration after just his second full season in the league. The contract is front loaded, structured as follows:

  • 2017-18: $6MM
  • 2018-19: $6MM
  • 2019-20: $5.25MM
  • 2020-21: $3.25MM
  • 2021-22: $3.25MM
  • 2022-23: $3.25MM

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Though he actually made his debut at the end of the 2014-15 season, Gostisbehere made his mark in 2015-16 when he set a rookie defenseman record with a 15-game point streak. With 46 points in 64 games, he finished second in voting for the Calder trophy and looked to be one of the brightest young stars on defense around the league.

Last year wasn’t as rosy though, as he struggled at times in his own end and was scratched multiple times by Dave Hakstol even while healthy. He still contributed at an excellent pace offensively scoring 39 points in 76 games, but saw his ice time dramatically scaled back at times and usage limited. His plus-minus rating plummeted, but his analytical possession stats actually increased making him a lightning rod for the different methods of rating a defender.

Now 24, Gostisbehere has shown he can be an elite powerplay quarterback and has the ability to impact a game tremendously (some would say for both teams). Though he’s left-handed, he spent a lot of time on the right side this year and has talked in the past about how difficult it was. Perhaps that can explain some of his issues in his own end, but he’ll have to get used to it as the Flyers group is made up of almost exclusively lefties.

A three-year contract would have taken Gostisbehere to unrestricted free agency, meaning they’ve bought out three additional UFA years for a fairly reasonable price. GM Ron Hextall, tight-lipped as ever, refused to reveal the details personally, only telling reporters like Dave Isaac of the Courier-Post that the team received “great cost certainty” with the contract. $4.5MM is a solid number for the Flyers to work with, comparing favorably to other offensive defensemen around the league. The deal will also take Gostisbehere to age-30, usually an age when players start a more rapid decline in performance.

Tyson Barrie signed a four-year contract last summer which pays him $5.5MM per season, Torey Krug signed a deal worth $5.25MM per season, and Sami Vatanen is signed for four seasons at $4.88MM. While all three of those players had longer track records, were in a different stage of restricted free agency, and could be considered superior to Gostisbehere in some circles, they also gave up fewer years of free agency and will all need new contracts before their 30th birthdays.

Tim Panaccio of CSN provided the financial totals, while Stephen Whyno of AP broke down the year-by-year numbers. 

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

New York Teams Leaning Away From Ilya Kovalchuk

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As Ilya Kovalchuk continues to try and find a landing spot in the NHL, new reports from Igor Eronko of Sport-Express and Arthur Staple of Newsday have both the New York Islanders and Rangers out of the running. Staple goes so far as to say that both teams had little interest in the first place, as we touched on in the live chat yesterday.

Kovalchuk’s suitors seem to be dwindling by the day, as teams struggle to find room for his expected contract. If the 34-year old is to land somewhere, it would also cost the team an asset to acquire him from the Devils as he’s not allowed to sign directly with anyone else. Giving up an asset and somewhere around $5MM in cap space for a player who is four years removed from playing in the NHL. Ilya Kovalchuk

It’s unclear so far what the Devils would be asking for in trade, but with Ray Shero seemingly washing his hands of the situation until Kovalchuk comes with a real interested party it may drag on much deeper into the summer. No deal can be officially announced until July anyway, when Kovalchuk becomes eligible to sign a new contract with the Devils and then traded to a destination.

The other option that exists for Kovalchuk is waiting until next summer when he will be an unrestricted free agent and able to sign anywhere in the NHL. While that deal would come with restrictions due to his age—contracts signed after the age of 35 count towards the cap regardless of any actions (retirement, buyout, injury) taken—it might be easier to convince a team to take a short-term deal with him without the attached asset. That would also allow him to play in the Olympics, though the relationship between the Russian Hockey Federation and Kovalchuk has been strained for years.

The Rangers are clearly trying to get younger up front, and with Rick Nash already filling the overpriced aging left winger role, have always seemed like a long shot in the Kovalchuk sweepstakes. The Islanders on the other hand could pair Kovalchuk with John Tavares up front, but likely have a better option in Anders Lee already in house. His 34 goals are more than you could expect from Kovalchuk, and they’re already paying Andrew Ladd more than enough to provide some secondary scoring.

Despite reports that Kovalchuk wanted to stay in New York (or Florida), neither team looks like much of a fit for the Russian sniper. These reports shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, though they do take a bit of the fun out of the speculation.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

New York Islanders Sign Steve Bernier To Two-Way Contract

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Former top-prospect Steve Bernier has re-upped with the New York Islanders, signing a two-year two-way deal with the team. The financials have not been released yet, but it’s unlikely that the deal would be worth much more than the minimum of $650K at the NHL level. Bernier would have become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st. Steve Bernier

Bernier, now 32, scored 26 points in 33 games for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the AHL last season and ranked third on their team in goals despite playing less than half the year. The incredible talent that made him a 16th-overall pick in 2003 is still there, but at this point the chance of an NHL comeback is slim. Bernier once was one of the top prospects in all of hockey, and made an immediate impact with the San Jose Sharks in his rookie season after the team had traded up to get him at the draft. Scoring 27 points in 39 games for the Sharks, he was deemed the next star power forward but conditioning issues that had followed him since junior crept up again and he could never duplicate that 2005-06 run.

After 633 NHL games spread between the Sharks, Sabres, Canucks, Panthers, Devils and Islanders, the 6’3″ 220-lbs Bernier has collected just 230 points. He does though provide some depth for the Islanders should they get into injury trouble, but more likely will play out the year at the AHL level and try to help Bridgeport win a Calder Cup.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Columbus Signs Zac Dalpe, Dean Kukan To Two-Way Deals

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Moments after announcing a two-year extension for Joonas Korpisalo, the Blue Jackets also revealed that they have signed Zac Dalpe to a two-year, two-way contract, and Dean Kukan to a one-year, two-way deal. No financials have been released so far. Dalpe would have been an unrestricted free agent on July 1st, while Kukan was eligible for arbitration for the first time in his career.

The Blue Jackets are doing some spring cleaning in terms of contract decisions, bringing back key members of their AHL squad. Dalpe, acquired off waivers in February from the Minnesota Wild, showed his dominance at the minor league level down the stretch with 15 points in 20 games for the Monsters. The former second-round pick has only played in 128 NHL games, registering 24 points. Though he has a bunch of offensive upside, he just hasn’t been able to crack an NHL lineup with any sort of consistency and at 27 is running out of time. He’s solid depth for the club should injuries strike, but is more likely to spend the year with Cleveland.

Kukan on the other hand is an undrafted defenseman out of Swizterland who impressed this season at the AHL. Since showing his ability in the SHL as a teenager, Kukan has developed into a solid two-way defender that could find his way onto an NHL roster at some point. Just 23-years old (soon to turn 24), he led the defense in scoring for the Monsters with 29 points in 72 games and logged a ton of ice time. He’s competed at the World Championships several times for Switzerland, including the most recent one when he anchored the team’s second pair.

Ryan Craig Hired By Vegas Golden Knights As Assistant Coach

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The Vegas Golden Knights have added another assistant coach to the mix, hiring Ryan Craig today. The 35-year old Craig played in the AHL last season with the Cleveland Monsters and served as their captain, but will retire and join an NHL coaching staff immediately. Joining Mike Kelly, Craig will assist Gerard Gallant behind the bench next season. Gallant made it clear why he was hired:

I am proud to add Ryan as an assistant coach. He is well-respected in the hockey community and has been a tremendous leader throughout his playing career, both on and off the ice. I am confident that the leadership characteristics he exuded as a player will translate well behind the bench in his new role as an assistant coach.

The veteran forward is another connection to the Brandon Wheat Kings and Assistant General Manager Kelly McCrimmon, who drafted Craig into the WHL and developed him as owner and GM of the team. Craig served as captain of the team for his final two seasons of junior hockey, and would quickly move into leadership roles on his professional teams as well. Suiting up for 198 NHL games across his playing career, the bruising center registered 63 points mostly in two successful seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning early on.

Clearly the Golden Knights feel as though Craig can step in and make an impact right away, as he’ll jump right from on the bench to behind it. Giving a young coach an opportunity and allowing him to learn the ropes with a team that has little pressure on it to win should go over well in the coaching fraternity, as they continue to try and brand themselves as a destination for players, coaches and executives around the league.

Joonas Korpisalo Inks Two-Year Extension With Columbus Blue Jackets

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed goaltender Joonas Korpisalo to a two-year extension that will pay him $700K this season and $1.1MM in 2018-19. That makes the average annual value and cap-hit just $900K. The deal is one-way. The 23-year old was set to become a restricted free agent this summer. Joonas Korpisalo

Korpisalo made 13 starts for the Blue Jackets this year as he bounced back and forth along with Anton Forsberg between leagues. The young netminder went 7-5-1 with a .905 save percentage in the NHL, recording one shutout and showing that he may be ready for an increased role next season. A year prior he’d performed extremely when thrust into the starter’s net, posting a .920 save percentage in 30 starts. Because he is a solid young goaltending prospect, their has been speculation that the Vegas Golden Knights would select him in the expansion draft, and this deal doesn’t necessarily prevent that.

Assuming the Blue Jackets use their goaltending protection slot on Sergei Bobrovsky, the team needed to qualify or sign one of their three restricted free agent goaltenders prior to the draft in order to fulfill the exposure requirements. A deal was never in doubt between them and Korpisalo as he did not have arbitration rights or any real leverage, meaning this deal easily covers the requirements. The team also has several other key players who could be exposed, leaving many options for the Golden Knights.

To get him locked up under $1MM for the next couple years is a solid deal for the Blue Jackets, as they decide whether he’s destined for a starting role or will settle into the backup spot for the next part of his career. With Bobrovsky’s contract expiring in two seasons, the team will be able to make a long-term commitment to one of their young goaltenders at that point if they’re showing the promise that they’ve flashed at times. Bobrovsky, earning over $7.4MM each season doesn’t allow the Blue Jackets much cap-space to spend on a backup goaltender.

Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch provided the financial details. 

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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