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Bryan Little Signs Six-Year Extension With Winnipeg Jets

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As training camp opens and some teams are still worried about signing their restricted free agents, the Jets have been working on extensions instead. The team today signed Bryan Little to a six-year extension worth $31.75MM ($5.29MM AAV). Little was heading into the final season of the five-year contract he signed in 2013, and will have a cap hit of $4.7MM this season.

Bryan LittleThe new deal will take Little through his age-36 season, and though that is definitely a bit longer than they probably hoped it’s paying off by keeping the cap hit fairly reasonable. Just this summer 30-year old T.J. Oshie, a player with only slightly better production over the years, signed an eight-year deal to stay in Washington that will pay him $5.5MM per season. Little hasn’t had a 30-goal season since he was a sophomore in Atlanta, but is still a consistent point producer on a team with its eye on the playoffs and is a capable two-way center that can drive a line.

Last year Little put up 21 goals and 47 points in just 59 games, missing the first part of the season after suffering an injury on opening night. That marked the fifth 20-goal season of his career, but also unfortunately was the second year in a row he played fewer than 60 games. That injury risk is a real one, but he obviously still has the skill to be a big part of the Jets team going forward.

The Jets now have their top two centers locked in long term, with Little slotting in behind Mark Scheifele who signed what has turned out to be a very team-friendly eight-year contract last summer. Scheifele exploded for 82 points this season, giving the Jets a pair down the middle easily capable of 150 points if everything breaks right. That’s an incredible feeling to have for a franchise that has made the playoffs just twice in their entire history, and have yet to even win a game when they get there. Inking Little to this extension proves that they have no interest in rebuilding anymore, and that this is the group they intend to contend with.

Next summer will still bring quite a bit of uncertainty. The Jets have 24 players who will hit free agency in one way or another, and though the vast majority are restricted free agents the team will still have to wisely plan out their salary structure. While new deals for Jacob Trouba, Nikolaj Ehlers and Josh Morrissey are important, they must retain the flexibility to pay Patrik Laine when his contract is up in two seasons. Locking Little in gives them some certainty in that regard, and will look just fine if the cap increases at all through the duration.

Jamie Thomas of Jets TV was first to report the contract, while Darren Dreger of TSN gave us the financial details.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

 

West Notes: Doughty, Foligno, Duchene, Virtanen

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Last weekend, Kings defenseman Drew Doughty had some intriguing comments about his future in an interview with Matt Larkin of The Hockey News where he suggested that he could be okay leaving the team in pursuit of a contender if the team struggles over these next couple of seasons.  Speaking with reporters, including Curtis Zupke of the LA Times, Doughty clarified the statement and stated his desire to remain with Los Angeles long-term:

“You just never know what can happen … but I want to be here and I’m pretty sure that the L.A. Kings and all [my] teammates want me to be here, too. I’m sure something will happen and we will get it done.”

Doughty has two years remaining on his current contract with a $7MM cap hit and will be eligible for unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2019.  The Kings already have more than $53MM committed to just 11 players for the 2019-20 season but undoubtedly will be prepared to make a significant offer to keep Doughty around well beyond then.

More from the West:

  • The Wild and RFA winger Marcus Foligno continued contract talks today, reports Michael Russo of The Athletic (Twitter link). While it appears that talks are progressing, the two sides have yet to agree on a contract.  Earlier this week, it was reported that a three-or-four-year deal is in the works which would buy out multiple years of UFA eligibility.
  • It’s no secret that Avalanche GM Joe Sakic is seeking a big return for center Matt Duchene. Speaking with WGR 550 in Buffalo (audio link), Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the Avalanche are seeking one of Nashville’s top-four defensemen plus another asset in order to ship Duchene to the Predators.  While Duchene would certainly give them a top-six replacement for James Neal, that would certainly be a steep price to pay, especially with Ryan Ellis out until early 2018.
  • After reporting to training camp well past Vancouver’s targeted weight for him, Canucks winger Jake Virtanen has come to camp in much better shape this time around, notes Ben Kuzma of the Vancouver Province. At 215 pounds, Virtanen is well below the 231 he checked in at this time last year and that might help give him a leg up on a possible fourth line spot despite not exactly lighting it up in the AHL last season (he had 19 points in 65 games).  Head coach Travis Green acknowledged that the Canucks plan to give their fourth line a big workload this season which may make that role a better one for him over more playing time back with AHL Utica.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Anaheim Ducks

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Navigating the Salary Cap is probably one of the more important tasks for any general manager to have. Teams that can avert total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2017-18 season. This will focus more on those players who are integral parts of the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.

Anaheim Ducks

Current Cap Hit: $71,684,167 (under the $75MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

F Ondrej Kase (One year remaining, $670K)
D Brandon Montour (One year remaining, $925K)
F Nick Ritchie (One year remaining, $894K)

Ritchie had a nice first full season that saw him collect 28 points while playing 13 minutes per game.  If he maintains that, he’ll position himself for a decent raise but if he can push closer to 40 points and take on a bigger role, he could push closer towards $3MM on a bridge contract.  Kase took on a fourth line role and will probably battle for that spot in the lineup again.  He’ll be in line for a small raise but nothing too significant.

Montour spent most of last year in the minors but played an important role in the playoffs due to injuries.  With a pair of regulars slated to be out for a while to start the season, he should see action early on and could play himself into a full-time role.

One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level

D Francois Beauchemin ($1MM, UFA)
D Kevin Bieksa ($4MM, UFA)
F Jared Boll ($900K, UFA)
F Andrew Cogliano ($3MM, UFA)
D Josh Manson ($825K, RFA)
F Dennis Rasmussen ($725K, UFA)
F Logan Shaw ($650K, RFA)
F Antoine Vermette ($1.75MM, UFA)
F Chris Wagner ($638K, UFA)

Potential Bonuses

Beauchemin: $600K
Ritchie: $850K

Total: $1.45MM

Cogliano has quietly been an effective secondary scorer in past years and fits nicely into a middle-six role.  Those types of players have started to get squeezed out in free agency as teams look to sign top guys and round out the roster with cheap depth.  Some players still buck that trend though and if Cogliano can get around 30 points again, he should be able to as well.  Vermette has seen his production dip in recent years but remains one of the top faceoff players in the game which means there will always be some sort of market for him.  He’s also collecting $1.25MM from the Coyotes so between that and his current cap hit, he will likely have to take a pay cut next season.  The other four players on this list project to be depth pieces and won’t be expected to earn any sort of big raise on their next contracts.

On the back end, there are two different types of players.  The first are the aging veterans, highlighted by Bieksa.  He’s coming off of one of the quietest seasons of his career and has seen his role diminish quite a bit lately.  He might garner one more contract based on reputation but it shouldn’t be close to what he’s getting now.  Beauchemin has already stated that this is likely his final NHL season and will likely be more of a depth player when everyone’s healthy but value wise, this is still a pretty good contract.

Apr 19, 2017; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Anaheim Ducks defenseman Josh Manson (42) against the Calgary Flames during the second period in game four of the first round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY SportsThen there’s Manson on the opposite end of the spectrum.  He has been buried behind their other young blueliners but has still managed to establish himself as an up-and-coming top-four option.  He should get a chance to play a bigger role this coming season and with it, he’ll have an opportunity to show he’s worthy of a long-term contract like the others.  Manson will also have arbitration rights so he is well on his way towards landing a much bigger contract coming off of his bridge deal.  A lack of offense will limit the final number (he’ll come in below their top-three) but it will still be a major raise that GM Bob Murray will need to budget for.

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Minor Transactions: 9/13/17

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With training camps starting shortly, several players that were on NHL contracts last season have scrambled to land minor league deals today.

  • Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL affiliate of the Penguins, announced the signing of winger Christian Thomas to a one-year minor league deal.  The 25-year-old spent last season in Washington’s organization but wasn’t tendered a qualifying offer despite posting his best numbers in his career with 49 points in 65 games.  Thomas has played in 26 career NHL games over parts of four seasons with the Rangers and the Canadiens.
  • The Hartford Wolf Pack, an affiliate of the Rangers, have signed winger Scott Kosmachuk per a team release. He was previously with the Jets but they let him go in June after a 28 point season with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose.  Kosmachuk last played in the NHL in 2015-16 with Winnipeg.  He’ll be reunited with head coach Keith McCambridge who coached him back in Manitoba two seasons ago.  Kosmachuk has also received an invite to New York’s training camp on a PTO.
  • The Sharks have added some goalie depth to their system as their farm team, the Barracuda, announced the signing of netminder Stephon Williams to a one-year AHL deal. He had previously been with the Islanders, who had signed him out of college but like the others, wasn’t given a qualifying offer in June.  Williams split last season between the AHL and ECHL, suiting up in 32 games.

Penguins Sign Alex D’Orio

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The Penguins have added some goaltending depth to their system as they announced the signing of netminder Alex D’Orio to a three-year, entry-level contract.  Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

D’Orio made a strong first impression in the QMJHL last season, playing in 28 games for the Saint John Sea Dogs, who won the league championship, while posting a 2.40 GAA and a 19-2-2 record.  He was eligible to be selected in the draft back in June but went unpicked despite being ranked 13th among North American goaltenders by NHL’s Central Scouting.

Pittsburgh invited him to their development camp back in July plus their recently-completed rookie tournament, where he had a .902 SV% in three games.

As D’Orio is only 18 and is signing out of the CHL, he is ineligible to play at the AHL level for the upcoming season.  Instead, he’ll return to Saint John where he will likely serve as their starter moving forward with starter Callum Booth (Carolina’s fourth rounder in 2015) set to turn pro in 2017-18.

Snapshots: Gaborik, Olsen, Top Prospects

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The Los Angeles Kings will be heading to China to play two preseason games in just over a week, but Marian Gaborik won’t be going with them. Head coach John Stevens confirmed as much to Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider, saying that Gaborik would remain in Los Angeles to continue working on his knee rehab. Gaborik underwent a “non-surgical” procedure on his knee in August, and will try to return at some point in camp.

Stevens did say that Gaborik had been skating already, and that he’s working extremely hard to get back to the point where he can return to practice. The 35-year old has put up just 43 points over the last two seasons combined, but some of that could have to do with the chronic knee injury. If it’s fixed, perhaps some of his noticable decline in speed will be mitigated and he can reclaim some of his goal-scoring prowess. If not, it could be a long four years—the time left on his current contract—for the Kings.

  • Darren Dreger of TSN is reporting that the Calgary Flames have invited Dylan Olsen to training camp on a professional tryout, bringing him back to the NHL for at least a short while. After being selected in the first round and playing 124 NHL contests, Olsen spent last year in a Senior A circuit away from professional hockey. The left-handed defenseman is now 26, and could potentially earn a minor league deal if shows any semblance of his former self. It’s hard to imagine he’ll ever see the NHL, but stranger things have happened in the past.
  • Bob McKenzie of TSN released his annual preseason draft prospect rankings, and like most lists Rasmus Dahlin is at the very top. The Swedish defender has a game that brings both incredible offensive upside and enough strength and size to make him a potential franchise player. Though he’ll have top forwards like Andrei Svechnikov and Brady Tkachuk to fend off—McKenzie’s number two and three prospects—Dahlin could become the first Swedish-born player to go first overall since Mats Sundin in 1989. He’ll play for Frolunda this year in the SHL.

Sakic Speaks On Nikita Zadorov, Matt Duchene

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Before the Colorado Avalanche report to training camp tomorrow, GM Joe Sakic met with the media to discuss various things including Milan Hejduk’s sweater retirement ceremony planned for this season. Inevitably, the conversation turned to the pressing issues of Matt Duchene and Nikita Zadorov, both of whom could miss part of camp with various holdouts. According to Mike Chambers of the Denver Post though, Sakic expects both to be present early on.

Matt DucheneOn Duchene, nothing has changed yet and Sakic expects everyone under contract to report to camp. The 26-year old center has been the topic of continuous trade speculation since before last year’s deadline, and several reports have come out saying that there is a possibility of a holdout. Duchene didn’t report to an optional “captain’s skate” earlier this month, and was one of the only ones not present for the club’s annual charity golf tournament.

Zadorov on the other hand is still negotiating his contract for next season, with the latest reports still having the two sides around $500K apart. For his part, Sakic says that they’re close enough together to expect him to be in camp, though whether that means he’ll be there on day one is still to be seen. While there has been a lot of speculation that Zadorov could return to the KHL this season if a contract can’t be done, it has seemed for a while like the two sides would eventually get something done.

Even though the Avalanche aren’t projected to be Stanley Cup or even playoff contenders this season, having players away from training camp is never a good thing. Having Duchene not report would only weaken Sakic’s position in trade talks, while Zadorov needs as much development time with the team as possible. Both players are already skating on their own, but showing up with teammates tomorrow is an important next step.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Latest On David Pastrnak’s Contract Talks

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David Pastrnak is one of the five remaining unsigned restricted free agents, and easily the most important one to his team. As training camp is set to open tomorrow the Boston Bruins have yet to come to some sort of an agreement with the young sniper, and as agent J.P. Barry told Joe Haggerty of CSNNE there’s “no breakthrough yet.” Pastrnak is still in the Czech Republic, and has decided not to attend camp with the Bruins until a deal is done. Darren Dreger of TSN gets the feeling that something is coming later tonight, but there are definitely still obstacles to overcome.

One such obstacle is the KHL, which has reportedly already given offers to Pastrnak to play in Russia next season. It remains extremely unlikely that he would go there, as he’s maintained all along that he loves Boston and wants to play for the Bruins long-term, but it is still a negotiating tactic his camp can use. The added proposition of playing in the Olympics is just another factor on the KHL’s side, given that Pastrnak would likely be the Czech Republic’s top forward (sorry, Jaromir).

For Bruins fans still wringing their hands with anxiety, remember that holdouts for big name RFAs happen often. Last year, Johnny Gaudreau, Rasmus Ristolainen and Nikita Kucherov all signed just before the season began, with no ill-will between the two sides. Though Hampus Lindholm, Rickard Rakell and Jacob Trouba ended up holding out into the season, there is no reason to think Pastrnak would do the same. Instead, he’s more likely to just miss a few days of training camp before a long-term contract is announced. Dreger reports that they’ve been looking at 5-8 years, though it’s still unclear where they will land.

2017-18 Primer: San Jose Sharks

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With the NHL season now just a month away, it’s time to look at what each team has done this summer and what to watch for in the year to come.  Today, we focus on the San Jose Sharks.

Last Season: 46-29-7 record (99 points), third in Pacific Division (lost in the first round to Edmonton)

Remaining Cap Space: $8.71MM per CapFriendly

Key Newcomers: None.

Key Departures: F Patrick Marleau (free agency, Toronto), D David Schlemko (expansion draft, Vegas), D Mirco Mueller (trade, New Jersey)

[Related: San Jose Depth Chart From Roster Resource]

Timo MeierPlayer To Watch: F Timo Meier – The San Jose Sharks didn’t get involved in the free agent sweepstakes this year, instead deciding to focus internally and extend their own key players. Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Martin Jones received huge extensions, and Joe Thornton was brought back on a one-year deal. Because of their lack of newcomers, some of their young players will have to step up and Meier is first on the list.

San Jose’s first-round selection from 2015, Meier made his debut last season but was extremely inconsistent. Armed with the size, strength and shot to be a successful top line winger, he registered just six points in 34 games and was held off the scoresheet entirely in the playoffs. The most important thing to remember about Meier is that he won’t turn 21 until October, and could easily turn the corner into an elite-level player at a moment’s notice.

With Marleau gone to Toronto and Tomas Hertl the leading candidate to slide into the third-line center role, Meier could get an early opportunity to play up in the lineup. It’s not clear how the lines will shake out, but if he’s given more than the 12:28 he averaged last season there could be some early offensive results. If the Sharks are to get back to the playoffs and take another step, players like Meier, Hertl and Chris Tierney will need to start to take some of the load off of the older Sharks core. Thornton, Joe Pavelski and Joel Ward are all at the age where a precipitous drop off could happen at any time, meaning the young depth is more important than ever.

Key Storyline: A few years ago the question of a rebuild was thrown around in San Jose, after the team missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade. Instead, they doubled down with their aging core and made it to the Stanley Cup Finals the next season. Now it seems they’ve done nearly the same thing, though Marleau has moved on to greener (or perhaps bluer) pastures. Brent Burns will turn 33 during this first year of his eight-year extension, while Vlasic will turn 32 during the first season of his (2018-19). Though they clearly have enough talent to compete right now, it could get ugly a few years down the road.

So, when watching the Sharks this season one must understand that their window is happening right now and they’ll need to use the cap room available to them to add at the deadline. The unfortunate thing is that they have already moved their second and third round picks from the 2018 draft, one thought to be exceptionally deep. If they really think they can compete right now, a first-rounder would carry a lot of weight.

It’s not all worry though, as the team has no long-term contracts on the books up front, and could deal with some expensive veteran options on the blueline for the next while. They might not be perfectly positioned for Stanley Cup contention in 2022, but there is still a lot of hockey to play before then. For now, Burns, Vlasic and the rest of the old guard will try to show they still have enough in the tank to play the elite-level hockey they’re known for.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Columbus Still Expects Josh Anderson To Sign Before Camp

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Speaking with the media today, Columbus Blue Jackets’ GM Jarmo Kekalainen reiterated that he thinks Josh Anderson will be signed before training camp starts at the end of the week. Anderson is one of five unsigned restricted free agents around the league, and just this week there was a report from Aaron Portzline of The Athletic that he wouldn’t attend training camp without a contract.

Anderson broke out last year in his first chance at full-time action, scoring 17 goals and contributing in almost every aspect of the game. His physical presence and ability to work up and down the lineup can be very useful for a team like Columbus, who will feature some undersized forwards up front this season. There’s not a clear spot for him at this point, but since Kekalainen also revealed that Boone Jenner is working through a “middle-body injury” and will miss part of camp, there is potential for him to move up a bit.

Columbus has a lineup that could roll four lines every night as long as they get everyone signed and healthy, and Anderson is a big part of that. Though he was just a fourth-round pick in 2012, he showed last year that there might be a bit more upside than first expected. The team could look to Toronto for some comparables, as Anderson’s game falls somewhere in between that of Zach Hyman and Connor Brown—albeit with more size and physicality than either one—who each received multi-year contracts this summer after their first full seasons.

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