As always, the first week after the regular season was a busy one around the NHL, including the final odds for the Draft Lottery in two weeks’ time. Here are the top stories from the past seven days.
Blues, Hutton To Start Contract Talks: Following a stellar season that saw him lead the league in GAA (2.09) and SV% (.931), Blues goaltender Carter Hutton is set to cash in nicely as a pending unrestricted free agent. Although St. Louis still has Jake Allen locked up for three more years at $4.25MM, the team has reached out to Hutton’s camp in an effort to get contract discussions underway. Finding the right fit on a new deal may be tricky as the 32-year-old has never had a number one workload in terms of games played and teams aren’t generally willing to break the bank for what might only amount to an above average insurance policy.
Four Surgeries For Monahan: It’s not uncommon for players on teams that aren’t playoff bound to be shut down early to undergo surgery to make sure they’re ready for next season. It’s a lot less common for that player to have four separate surgeries in a short span but that’s what happened with Calgary center Sean Monahan. He was shut down back on March 21st and since then, he had procedures done on his wrist, both hips, and his groin. Despite playing through so many injuries, Monahan had a strong season overall, tallying a career-best 64 points (33-31-64) despite playing in his fewest games in any of his five NHL seasons (74).
Hitchcock Retires: Ken Hitchcock’s second stint behind the bench in Dallas was a short one as the 66-year-old announced his retirement from coaching after just returning there for this season. He will, however, remain with the Stars in a consulting role. Hitchcock sits third all-time in NHL wins as a head coach with 823 behind only Scotty Bowman and Joel Quenneville. Now, for the second straight offseason, Dallas GM Jim Nill will be looking for a new head coach. While some will suggest Alain Vigneault for the role, the team could also look to bring in a fresh face after having a pair of long-term coaching veterans previously in Hitchcock and Lindy Ruff.
Senators Could Use Buyouts This Summer: In his press conference following the conclusion of the regular season, Ottawa GM Pierre Dorion acknowledged that they had discussed the possibility of contract buyouts with several players during their exit interviews. The Sens aren’t exactly known as a high-spending team so the revelation that it’s something that is being considered for multiple players is certainly intriguing. While high-priced veterans Bobby Ryan and the recently-acquired Marian Gaborik are speculative candidates, winger Alexandre Burrows, who cleared waivers back at the trade deadline, may be another option and would be one that wouldn’t have as significant of a financial impact.
Chiarelli To Return: Despite a dreadful season that saw the Oilers fall well short of expectations, the Oilers have decided to bring back GM Peter Chiarelli for another year. His tenure with Edmonton has had its ups and downs with some questionable moves such as the Milan Lucic signing and the Taylor Hall trade in recent years but the team still has a strong core to work with as well. No decision has been made on the fate of their coaching staff just yet with CEO Bob Nicholson stating that Chiarelli will be evaluating them and making a decision at a later date.
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