Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Archives for June 2017

Luke Glendening Undergoes Ankle Surgery

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The hits keep coming on the injury front around the league. Today, the Detroit Red Wings announced that Luke Glendening underwent ankle surgery and would be out for three to four months, putting his training camp and start of the season in jeopardy. The surgery repaired a torn tendon that was suffered when the forward broke his ankle late in the season.

It’s a tough start to the four-year extension Glendening inked last summer, which will pay him $1.8MM per season through 2020-21. Never much of an offensive threat, the 28-year old is coming off a disappointing season all the same. With just three goals, 14 points and terrible possession numbers, the only positive impact he had on the team was felt in the faceoff dot—where he continued to excel, winning 54% of his draws—and the penalty kill.

While a solid fourth-line center isn’t something to sneeze at, locking him in for four years seemed like the Red Wings were betting on the fact that he could grow into something more. Now as they face cap troubles despite their poor finish, Glendening will have to spend the summer rehabbing and try again to push past his career-high of 21 points.

Though it was unlikely that they would buy him out anyway, this injury likely prevents the Red Wings from even considering it. You can’t buy out injured players, and since even the low end of his recovery time takes him right into training camp he’ll make it through the summer unscathed.

Carolina Hurricanes Ready To Trade Draft Picks

at CDT | by 2 Comments

It’s not often you get to take a behind-the-scenes look at NHL draft meetings, but yesterday the Carolina Hurricanes gave us a peek. In a candid video between GM Ron Francis and his scouting staff, the Hall of Famer explains that he is hoping to move some picks before or at the draft.

[the Scott Darling trade] left us with 10 picks. To be honest with you I’m hoping we don’t use all 10 when it comes to the draft. We have had contact with other teams, told them we are willing to give up some of the picks to get players.

Francis points out that they have six picks in the top-73 selections at the draft, and presses his scouts that they all need to work together to make sure any picks they do make are the right ones. Indeed, the Hurricanes have once again stocked up on draft picks after selling at the deadline, but are approaching a time where they need to start competing instead of rebuilding.

With a pipeline of young talent and core group coming into their prime, the Hurricanes should be expected to push for a playoff spot next season. They’re not perfectly positioned to make a move to bring in a dangerous scoring threat to help Jeff Skinner and friends up front. With a goaltender already in place thanks to the aforementioned Darling deal, 2017-18 could be a big year for Raleigh.

The biggest connection that will be made as the draft approaches is likely Matt Duchene, as the Colorado Avalanche seek assets to start their own rebuild. The Hurricanes match up perfectly with Joe Sakic and the Avalanche on paper, with a surplus of young defenders and picks to trade. While there is no guarantee the Hurricanes will be able to facilitate a deal for the former 30-goal man—especially with healthy competition from around the league—they will be on the lookout for a player of that impact.

Anaheim Ducks Re-Sign Sam Carrick

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Late last night, CapFriendly announced that Sam Carrick had signed a two-year, two-way deal with the Anaheim Ducks worth $650K each season in the NHL. Carrick’s agency, Uptown Hockey, confirmed the deal this morning.

Carrick was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks at the trade deadline and performed admirably for the San Diego Gulls of the AHL down the stretch. With 18 points in 25 games including two playoff rounds, the veteran minor league forward brought a level of leadership and experience.

Drafted by the Maple Leafs in the fifth round, Carrick has 19 games of NHL experience and isn’t expected to make an impact on the Ducks next season. He could see some playing time, but will be used more for his excellent minor league play to try and help the Gulls to another playoff appearance in 2017-18.

Evening Notes: Chayka, Boogaard, Oilers

at CDT | by 4 Comments

Coyotes GM John Chayka spoke with Craig Morgan of Arizona Sports and provided decent insight into the team’s strategy headed into the summer. Chayka is the youngest general manager in the league and has become infamous for his cap management strategies. Chayka seems highly interested in acquiring a player from a team worried about losing an asset for nothing. Although many other GMs will be seeking to accomplish similar deals, Chayka looks to be relatively aggressive on this front. He tempered Mike Smith trade speculation, saying “there’s a value to our team that Mike has, being an All-Star and our rock; his value is extremely high but if someone wants to pay an even higher value for him, that’s the industry.” There is also no news as to Shane Doan’s retirement decision. Chayka emphasized the increasing urgency among all GMs as the expansion draft seems to have every organization slightly on edge.

  • The case for wrongful death filed against the NHL on behalf of the late Derek Boogaard has been tossed out, according to the Star-Tribune. Boogaard died at the age of 28, after a long enforcer career with the Minnesota Wild and New York Rangers. He received multiple brain injuries and relied on opioid pain killers as treatment, which led to an addiction that eventually resulted in his demise. Fighting has declined substantially over recent years in the NHL, as both the NHL and NHLPA are looking to reduce incidents of traumatic brain injury. The debate over the role of violence in the sport remains a hot-button issue, but players still generally vote in favor of fisticuffs when surveyed. That the Boogaard case has been dismissed on technicalities is a setback for safety advocates, as there is a looming lawsuit in U.S. courts which seeks to prove that the league has been reckless in its regard for player safety in relation to concussions. Whether these off-ice lawsuits will impact the next Collective Bargaining Agreement, or the way penalties are called, remains to be seen.
  • The NHL released the results of a fan vote for the greatest team of all time in honor of the 100 year anniversary – with the 1984-85 Edmonton Oilers taking top honors. The 1991-92 Pittsburgh Penguins came in at number two, followed by the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens.

Finals Appearance Will Pay For Nashville Players

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Every year, there are players entering the final year of a contract will cash in on a solid playoff run. This year, Nashville has 11 players who are at the end of their deals – 6 to become unrestricted free-agents, and 5 restricted. Almost all will see a major jump in pay heading into next season.

Pontus Aberg has had a remarkable run for a relative unknown. The impending RFA has 5 points through 13 games, including two beautiful goals. He’s displayed top-six skill at times and is now on the national stage. Viktor Arvidsson was already looking for a major payday after scoring 31 goals and 61 points during the regular season. But his dominant speed and creativity, to accompany  12 playoff points, only solidifies the probability of an expensive deal. RFA Ryan Johansen is considered by most to be a number one center in this league, and it’s a solid bet Nashville will be looking to lock him into the distant future. After trading Seth Jones for his services a couple seasons back, it’s clear that GM David Poile has complete confidence in the player’s potential, honorary mayorship aside. Frederick Gaudreau emerged out of absolutely nowhere to become a shifty top-nine element, and although he’s far from a sure thing with 14 games under his belt, it’s likely the team will want to retain his services. Thankfully, the RFA negotiation process often benefits the team’s position, keeping prices from getting astronomical.

If the team wants to bring back captain Mike Fisher for another year, or add a big free agent, it is made all the more difficult by these outbursts of productivity. National exposure does go a long way to bring prices up, and depending on the team’s vision for the future, these new contracts could cause headaches down the line. Thankfully, most of Nashville’s core is locked up to reasonable deals in the longer term. Only sniper James Neal has his contract set to expire the following year, 2018-19. Without re-signing anyone, the team has 18 players under contract with somewhere around $17 MM in space.

What Market Will Markov Attract?

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The market for Andrei Markov could be lukewarm or quite heated, and no one really seems to know which. Canadiens’ GM Marc Bergevin has been tight-lipped about his impending free agents, but it’s fair to assume he’ll have some interest in re-signing the Russian defender. That said, the cap situation for Montreal is not simple, and re-signing the dynamic unrestricted free-agent Alexander Radulov will likely take priority. The Habs also need to negotiate a contract with RFA Alex Galchenyuk, attempt to dump Tomas Plekanec’s salary, survive the expansion draft, and round out their forward corps. With Jordie Benn and Jeff Petry already looking to assume larger roles next season, Markov could easily slip through the cracks.

The 38 year-old earned a hefty $5.75 MM last season, but had reasonable production with 6 goals and 30 assists. His advanced possession numbers tell a tale, however, as he took a massive leap forward from the previous season, hitting a solid 54.0% Corsi For. His ice-time saw a slight drop (2:00 less per game), but he’s still seeing top-four minutes. Markov moves the puck well and is a power-play guru with a hard, accurate shot. He’s been the assistant captain on the Canadiens for many years and has never played in a different NHL city, but he could command a sizable final contract in this year’s complete drought of top-end players. If there ever were a time to cash in, this off-season could be it.

On the free-agent market, only Kevin Shattenkirk clearly outclasses Markov in terms of raw offensive ability from the blueline. A team might want to take a risk on a struggling but younger Michael Del Zotto or Dimitry Kulikov, but ultimately, Markov is the proven commodity. Considering that Markov has never won a championship, one would assume that if he were to leave the province of Quebec, it would be for a contender. There is no shortage of teams that could show interest. He could go to a perennial competitor on the cheap, such as the Blackhawks, or could opt for a squad like the Blue Jackets who are on the cusp of true contention. Where he lands is anyone’s guess at the moment,  but it’s fair to expect he will make a positive impact wherever he does.

Should The Rangers Buyout Girardi Or Staal?

at CDT | by 4 Comments

The New York Rangers are a team that is likely to make a buyout this off-season on the blueline. With $22.025 MM spent on the back-end, the team has expected far better results. Long past are the days where the Rangers were among the best defensive squads in the league. Both Dan Girardi and Marc Staal have drastically underperformed, as both have been burned consistently to the net. With the team potentially looking to re-sign defenseman Brendan Smith and certainly hoping to add some offensive punch to their top-nine, it seems inevitable that one of the two will find their way out of town. The trade value for both is minimal, and GM Jeff Gorton would need to execute some serious magic to unload either without a mass of sweeteners in a deal.

The biggest argument against buying out Staal is that his contract runs for a year longer. Buyouts count as cap penalties (the amount varying depending on a multitude of factors), but always for twice the amount of years of the original contract.  Staal has 4 years remaining on his contract, while Girardi only has 3 – consequently, the Rangers would take a hit in “dead space” for 8 years for the former but only 6 for the latter. That may not seem like a hugely important factor, but neither of these players is performing at an AHL level quite yet – they merely are nowhere near worth their contracts. According to CapFriendly, a Girardi buyout would be structured as $2.6 – $3.6 – $3.6 – $1.1 – $1.1 – $1.1  (in MM), whereas a Staal buyout would be structured as $2.1 – $2.1  – $3.1 – $3.9 – $1.4 – $1.4 -$1.4 – $1.4 (in MM). Many teams opt to ride out a final year with a struggling veteran than eat cap dollars for 2 whole seasons. Cap dollars truly matter, and every year you pay for a mistake is a potential lost opportunity at a deadline. Playing a player to not play whatsoever until 2025 is nothing short of drastic.

The biggest argument for buying out Girardi is, simply put, his play. His possession numbers were far worse – 44.0% vs Staal’s 46.6% Corsi For. They both had a similar number of giveaways, 47 versus 46, but Girardi had far fewer takeaways. Girardi also didn’t have what could be categorized as an anomalous season – he’s hasn’t been a positive possession player since he broke into the league. His lowest totals are also far worse than Staal’s, which implies his floor is far lower. Girardi seems slightly slower, although neither is a speedster, but he seems to take more of a physical beating on a nightly basis – which, to be fair, has a great deal to due with quality of competition. It could also easily be argued that Staal had an abysmal playoffs, which should always be a determinant factor.

Ultimately, both players are in the unenviable position of earning too much on the backend of their careers. Girardi, 33, and Staal, 30, simply aren’t in their primes as defensive defensemen. The game takes a toll on shot-blocking, physical players. There is the distinct possibility that either could rebound in a new environment, and have simply worn out their welcome in the Big Apple. But the Rangers would be unwise to gamble on both struggling players to return to their former selves. If only for cap-related reasons, Girardi would be the wiser choice to buyout.

San Jose Sharks Re-Sign Goaltender Troy Grosenick

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The San Jose Sharks have locked up their AHL goaltender for the next two seasons, inking Troy Grosenick to a two-year extension today. The goaltender was set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Financial details have not yet been released, but it can be expected to be a two-way deal for the 27-year old.

Grosenick was signed out of Union College after an outstanding NCAA career, and put up a .926 save percentage this season for the San Jose Barracuda of the AHL. That ranked him among the league leaders and earned him Goaltender of the Year honors for his work. For an organization that puts emphasis on success for their minor league affiliates, bringing him back is a big move for the Sharks.

With Martin Jones and Aaron Dell firmly entrenched in the NHL net for at least another season, Grosenick will likely have to wait to see if an injury occurs for him to get another chance at the highest level. In 2014-15 he played two games for the Sharks, actually recording a shutout and stopping 55 of 58 shots. His continued presence is a safety net for a team looking to contend again next season, as he would likely be a more than capable NHL backup should he be given the chance.

Competition Committee Recommends Two Rule Changes

at CDT | by 4 Comments

The NHL’s Competition Committee met this weekend to discuss possible rule changes for the upcoming season, among them cracking down on slashes and off-side reviews. With a release today (h/t Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet) they’ve made recommendations on two different rules:

Rule 87 Time-outs: The Committee recommends a change so that no time-out shall be granted following an icing for the team that committed the icing infraction.

Rule 80.4: The Committee recommends a change so that when a team has a power-play and a player on the team at full strength causes a stoppage of play as the result of striking the puck with a high stick in the offensive zone, the resulting face-off shall be made in the neutral zone on the nearest face-off spot. This makes the rule consistent with how the face-off is addressed when there is a stoppage under the same circumstances when both teams are at full strength.

The Committee reviewed and discussed many aspects of the rules and how the game is played and was satisfied that no additional changes would be necessary or appropriate at this time.

These rules would have to be approved by the Board of Governors in order to be instituted, but since neither pose a drastic change to the game it would be unlikely for them to be turned down. This doesn’t mean that other rule changes will not go into effect for the 2017-18 season, but that the committee themselves felt nothing else was necessary at this time.

The icing rule in particular is an interesting one, as timeouts are used frequently in this situation at the moment. After a prolonged shift in their own zone that ends with a defender firing the puck down the ice, a coach will take his timeout to give them a brief period of respite since they cannot be substituted. The high-stick rule is one that will come into effect rarely, and is one that most fans and players likely didn’t even know was the case in the first place.

Expansion Primer: Winnipeg Jets

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Over the next few weeks we will be breaking down each team’s situation as it pertains to the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft. Which players are eligible, and which will likely warrant protection or may be on the block. Each team is required to submit their protection lists by 4pm CDT on June 17th. The full rules on eligibility can be found here, and CapFriendly has provided a handy expansion tool to make your own lists.

Eligible Players (Non-UFA)

Forwards:

Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler, Bryan Little, Mathieu Perreault, Shawn Matthias, Adam Lowry, Joel Armia, Ivan Telegin, Quinton Howden, Marko Dano, Scott Kosmachuk, Andrew Copp, Ryan Olsen, J.C. Lipon

Defensemen:

Dustin Byfuglien (NMC), Toby Enstrom (NMC), Tyler Myers, Jacob Trouba, Mark Stuart, Julian Melchiori, Ben Chiarot

Goaltenders:

Michael Hutchinson, Connor Hellebuyck

Notable Exemptions

Patrik Laine, Nikolaj Ehlers, Kyle Connor, Jack Roslovic, Tucker Poolman, Logan Stanley, Josh Morrissey, Michael Spacek, Jansen Harkins

Key Decisions

Adam LowryThe biggest factor in the Jets expansion protection is something we’ve written about before; whether or not Enstrom will waive his no-movement clause. If he does, it gives the team several options while if he doesn’t, the Jets will be almost forced to protect eight skaters instead of the 7-3-1 method.

Up front Scheifele, Wheeler and Little are locks as the core of the forward group, but after that it gets a little tricky. Perreault, Lowry, Armia, Dano and Copp all have their own strengths and weaknesses, and could deserve protection depending on how the team decides on their future. Perreault had another solid season with 45 points in 65 games but has had trouble staying healthy and is on the books until he’s 33.

The other four are all 24 or under and have shown flashes of big potential. Armia and Dano are former first-round picks, while Lowry and Copp are both capable young centers, something Vegas will be hard-pressed to find in the draft. Even if the team protects seven forwards, there will be an interesting option or two available up front. Toby Enstrom

Defense is where the problems originate, since Enstrom’s NMC puts several players at risk. Even if Myers’ health issues are starting to wear on Winnipeg fans, watching him walk out the door for nothing after trading Evander Kane and Zach Bogosian to acquire him (and the rest of the package) would be painful. Trouba obviously deserves protection, leaving Melchiori and Chiarot as outside options for the Golden Knights.

In net Hellebuyck is clearly the future in Winnipeg, even if he is supplanted in the short-term by a free agent acquisition. Hutchinson has shown he has some ability as an NHL backup, but would be way down the menu for Vegas and unlikely to be selected anyway.

The Golden Knights will get a window in which to negotiate with free agents, and for the Jets that doesn’t seem to be an issue. Other than possibly bringing Pavelec on board, there aren’t any UFAs that are worth forfeiting what should be a good selection from Winnipeg.

Projected Protection List

F Mark Scheifele
F Blake Wheeler
F Bryan Little
F Adam Lowry

D Dustin Byfuglien (NMC)
D Toby Enstrom (NMC)
D Tyler Myers
D Jacob Trouba

G Connor Hellebuyck

If the Jets can’t get Enstrom to waive it, the protection list should look something like this. It would make their group one of the most talented options Vegas has in the draft, and a tough but rewarding selection for them. Because of that, watch closely for the team to figure out a deal with the Golden Knights to pick a certain player.

Of note, Ivan Telegin appears on the eligible list despite him never playing an NHL game and only 34 AHL contests. He’s played in the KHL for the past three seasons, but since those were after he had already signed an Standard Player Contract (SPC) in the NHL—his entry-level deal in 2011—he’s considered to have several years of professional service and is therefore eligible.

The Jets are in one of the worst situations in the league at the moment for the draft, though it is mostly because of the solid depth they’ve built at every position. For a team vying for the playoffs next season, losing one of the above listed players wouldn’t be crippling especially as they have youngsters like Roslovic and Poolman set to fight for spots.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

scroll to top