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Archives for May 2018

Metropolitan Notes: Maroon, Sorokin, Burakovsky

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Following a strong stretch after being acquired at the trade deadline, the Devils are interested in re-signing pending unrestricted free agent winger Patrick Maroon, reports Jeff Gordon of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.  However, it’s already out there that New Jersey is also looking to make a bigger splash either in free agency or the trade market which could play a role in whether or not they can keep him around.

Maroon, a St. Louis native, was brought in from Edmonton just prior to the deadline and he certainly made an impact with the Devils, posting 13 points (3-10-13) in 17 regular season games while adding a goal in five postseason contests.  Add in his 30 points with the Oilers and he has positioned himself to be a highly sought after free agent and should land considerably more than the $1.5MM cap hit that he played under this season on his next contract.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • While Washington locked up their top goalie prospect earlier today, it doesn’t appear that the Islanders will be doing the same with their netminder of the future in Ilya Sorokin any time soon. Arthur Staple of The Athletic notes (Twitter link) notes that Sorokin does not want to be subject to the entry-level restrictions on his salary; he would be forced to sign a two-year, entry-level deal given that he’s 22 years old.  Igor Eronko of Sport-Express adds (via Twitter) that Sorokin is the highest-paid player with CSKA Moscow so he’d undoubtedly be taking a pay cut to sign at this time.  Because there is no player transfer agreement between the NHL and Russia, the Isles can continue to hold his rights indefinitely.
  • Capitals winger Andre Burakovsky skated for the first time on Friday since undergoing surgery to repair an upper-body injury back in the first round, notes Roman Stubbs of the Washington Post. However, he is not expected to play at all in the remainder of their series against the Penguins and the team is still listing him as out week-to-week.

Poll: Will Paul Stastny Re-Sign With The Winnipeg Jets?

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When the Winnipeg Jets decided to move a package that included a first-round pick and intriguing prospect Erik Foley at the deadline for 32-year old center Paul Stastny, some people raised an eyebrow in questioning the move. The Jets were good, no doubt, but after missing the playoffs the previous two seasons was this the right time to sacrifice future assets? After all, Stastny was a pending free agent who had just 12 goals on the season, a far cry from the 70-point player of his youth.

As the Jets—and Stastny—are proving now, sometimes you just have to go for it. Winnipeg would go 15-4-1 down the stretch, with Stastny contributing 13 points, and enter the playoffs as one of the hottest teams in the NHL. The performance of that pending free agent has continued through the first round and a half, registering 10 points in nine games and making quite the impact on his younger teammates. In a glowing examination of the trade by Luke Fox of Sportsnet, Jets captain Blake Wheeler is quoted:

[Stastny] is just incredibly consistent, professional, everything you’d want in a centreman, especially in tough series. There’s no ins and outs of his game. He plays extremely hard and does a lot of little things that go unnoticed and aren’t really taught to young players anymore.

Those little things have made him a perfect fit for the Jets, who look like they’ve opened a long window of contention this season, even if they don’t eventually get past the Nashville Predators—the series is tied 2-2 after a Predators win last night. Stastny has also solidified his place in the free agent market with his strong play down the stretch, to the point where he could end up the top center available. Mikael Backlund has already been re-signed, and the situation regarding John Tavares remains unclear. At worst Stastny will be second, and could command quite the contract.

The Jets have to be wondering if they can keep him, but it’s not as simple as offering him market value. Winnipeg has to worry about new contracts for a handful of players including top defensemen Jacob Trouba and Josh Morrissey this summer, and potentially Wheeler, Tyler Myers, Kyle Connor and Patrik Laine in 2019. It seems unlikely that Stastny would take a one-year deal, meaning they’ll have to carefully assess their finances going forward before making an offer.

Do you think Stastny will re-sign with the Jets? How much can he ask for on the open market? Who else will be after his services? Make sure to leave your thoughts in the comments.

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Submit Your Questions For The #PHRMailbag

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The draft lottery is over and we finally know who will be selecting first overall. The Buffalo Sabres have won the right to pick Rasmus Dahlin, and you could see GM Jason Botterill shaking with excitement when he was given the news. But will it be enough to turn the Buffalo franchise around?

Our Brian La Rose will answer all your questions—draft related or not—in this week’s mailbag. Submit your queries using the #PHRMailbag hashtag on Twitter, or by leaving a comment down below. The mailbag will run this weekend.

You can read our last mailbag right here, in which Brian examines draft day trades (or the lack thereof) and what might be in stock for two of the league’s top free agents.

Columbus Blue Jackets Sign Jonathan Davidsson To Three-Year Deal

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Another young European forward has signed his entry-level contract. The Columbus Blue Jackets have inked prospect Jonathan Davidsson to a three-year deal, after a solid season in the SHL. GM Jarmo Kekalainen praised the newest member of the Blue Jackets organization in a press release:

Jonathan is a fast, skilled player who put up good numbers in the Swedish Hockey League this season. He is a smart player and mature young man and we believe he has a very bright future with our organization.

Davidsson was selected in the sixth-round last year, his third year of draft eligibility. Originally ranked 64th among European skaters in 2015, he has continued to develop in the SHL and broke out this season with 31 points in 52 games, adding 8 more in 11 playoff contests. His best attribute is a patient playmaking approach, waiting just long enough for lanes to open up which would be otherwise missed.

His younger brother Marcus Davidsson was selected in the second round last year by the Buffalo Sabres, but is still a long way off from the NHL. Jonathan, now 21, could make it there first if the development he showed this season continues. If he comes over to North America in 2018-19, he’ll play for a Cleveland Monsters team that struggled this season and lacked dynamic young talent. Players like Sonny Milano and Oliver Bjorkstrand have graduated from the program, leaving room for someone like Davidsson to try and pick up the offensive slack.

Latest On John Tavares & Free Agency

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While New York Islanders fans continue to watch the NHL playoffs and several of their players compete in the IIHF World Championships, there is something eating at the back of their mind. John Tavares remains unsigned, now into May. With less than two months remaining until the Islanders’ superstar captain can test free agency, chatter is beginning to increase once again even without much coming from the Tavares camp.

Recently, Craig Custance of The Athletic listed some teams who could potentially pursue the top free agent this summer. Today, another extremely well-respected hockey insider weighed in. During his latest “Bobcast” TSN’s Bob McKenzie responded to a listener question by explaining his thoughts on Tavares. Though he admits that it’s been quiet, McKenzie’s “gut” tells him that it’s more likely that the centerman ends up on the open market than re-sign with the Islanders.

That seems to be the prevailing idea lately, but one thing has to be made clear. Tavares himself has never wavered from the answer that he would love to stay in New York long-term. He has played it slow, and will review all options before making a decision. The interesting part of that decision is that the Islanders could make a huge splash elsewhere to try and keep their captain at home. With two first and two second round picks thanks to last summer’s Travis Hamonic trade, along with nearly $35MM in cap room for next season, the Islanders could potentially be the biggest spenders this offseason.

Even if Tavares leaves, there’s no reason to think the Islanders will throw in the towel. With another burgeoning superstar talent in Mathew Barzal just now showing how good he can really be, the team could build around him and compete next season. Even without Tavares the team should still have enough offensive talent, and an improved defense corps and goaltending situation could make them contenders in the Metropolitan Division.

Obviously, those chances would be strengthened with Tavares still in the fold. But though their decisions will be based on whether he comes back, don’t think the Islanders are undoubtedly heading for a rebuild should he decide to take his talents somewhere else.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Philadelphia Flyers Sign David Kase To Entry-Level Contract

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The Philadelphia Flyers have signed one of their 2015 draft picks, inking David Kase to a three-year entry-level contract. Kase spent this season playing in the SHL, but could come to North American in 2018-19. As part of the announcement, GM Ron Hextall included some thoughts on his new prospect.

He plays and competes. He’s just a dog out there, he hounds the puck. The skill level is there. He is a smart player. He stays on the right side of the puck… For where we got him in the draft and his upside, we’re very happy. He’s a great kid and he just loves to play the game.

Selected in the fifth round three years ago, Kase actually led his SHL club in scoring this season with 23 points in 44 games. Granted, that was on one of the worse teams in the league, but it still goes to show how much he’s grown over the last few seasons. Still undersized, the Flyers now list Kase at 5’11” 164-lbs, meaning he’ll have to continue to work extremely hard to make an impact at the next level. Though he plays a bigger game than his size indicates, the grind of an AHL schedule could pose a challenge.

If he does work out for the Flyers, he’d only add to a 2015 draft class that is looking like an outstanding haul for the team. First-round picks Ivan Provorov and Travis Konecny are already big parts of the NHL team, while goaltender Felix Sandstrom is developing nicely in Sweden and Mikhail Vorobyov is contributing in the AHL. Kase will see if he can add to the skilled Lehigh Valley team next season, where he’ll likely end up.

Morning Notes: Evans, Bruins, Hamilton

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Jake Evans was a seventh round pick by the Montreal Canadiens in 2014, but after four outstanding seasons at Notre Dame he’ll head into 2018-19 with some high hopes. Unfortunately, he’ll have to deal with a lengthy rehab before he gets to next season, after undergoing sports hernia surgery on Wednesday.

Evans faces a 12-week recovery period, but hernia surgery is notorious for having lasting effects for several months. Though he’ll likely be cleared in time to participate in the Canadiens’ training camp, they’ll have to closely monitor his effectiveness before making a decision on where he’ll start the season. Some believe the 21-year old could make an impact at the NHL level right away, but it seems more likely that he’ll start with the Laval Rocket and try to prove his worth on the professional circuit.

  • The Boston Bruins will insert Ryan Donato into the lineup tonight, but it could come at a heavy cost. Both Brad Marchand and Jake Debrusk are game-time decisions, and either would be a huge loss if they can’t got. Marchand has been his usual infuriating-and-outstanding self during the playoffs, riling up opponents while registering 15 points in 10 games. DeBrusk on the other hand is having a coming out party in his first postseason, scoring six goals in 10 games and dominating the Toronto Maple Leafs in the opening round.
  • Dougie Hamilton was mentioned by Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet as a potential trade target on the latest 31 Thoughts podcast, noting that there are plenty of teams with interest in the Calgary Flames defenseman. Hamilton has three years left on his current contract, and had another big offensive season for the Flames in 2017-18. If the Flames decide something has to change on the back end after a disappointing season, there would be a huge market for the right-handed Hamilton, but it still seems unlikely.

Jim Montgomery Named Head Coach Of The Dallas Stars

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Friday: The Stars have announced Montgomery as their next head coach, the eighth since moving to Dallas.

Wednesday: In a surprise turn of events, Francois Gagnon of RDS is reporting that Jim Montgomery will be named head coach of the Dallas Stars by the end of the week. Montgomery, born in Montreal, has been the head coach of the University of Denver since 2013 and had been connected recently with both the Stars and New York Rangers head coaching vacancies. Sean Shapiro of The Athletic also believes the move is likely, though can’t confirm anything just yet.

A highly touted coaching prospect, Montgomery leaves DU just a year after interviewing for several NHL jobs last spring. A veteran of 122 games in the NHL, he has found incredible success in the coaching ranks including multiple USHL titles and a National Championship with Denver in 2017. He’ll be taking over for a legendary coach in Ken Hitchcock, and walking into a situation filled with talented—if underperforming—players.

The Stars missed the playoffs again this season, despite great individual offensive seasons from their best players. Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin and Alexander Radulov all broke the 70-point mark, while John Klingberg recorded 67 points as one of the most dangerous offensive defensemen in the league. Still, they didn’t get enough contributions from the rest of the roster and had trouble finding any consistency in their play. Going on wild streaks in both directions, the team needs to find a way to improve for next year or risk wasting some of their prime inexpensive years with Seguin, who is an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Montgomery will also be tasked with developing some of the team’s younger players, including the prize of last year’s draft, Miro Heiskanen. Heiskanen, along with Klingberg, Julius Honka and Esa Lindell should form the core of a very good group of defenders for the next several years and will come at a relatively inexpensive price. If Montgomery can bring the best out of them, perhaps a return to the postseason in 2018-19 isn’t just a dream.

Many people, including Gagnon, believed that Alain Vigneault would be the next choice for the Stars head coaching position. Now, with the hiring of Montgomery instead, it’s not clear which direction the Rangers will go for their vacancy or where Vigneault will eventually land. Regardless, the Stars apparently feel strong enough about Montgomery’s future in the league to install him in a very important season, and hope he can orchestrate a quick turnaround for the organization.

Washington Capitals Sign Ilya Samsonov

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The Washington Capitals have finally signed their 2015 first-round pick, inking goaltender Ilya Samsonov to a three-year entry-level contract. The deal carries the maximum entry-level salary of $925K, while also including at least $500K of potential performance bonuses in each season. Samsonov had been expected to sign after his KHL deal expired recently, but is the last first-rounder from 2015 to do so.

You can’t get a much better goaltending prospect than Samsonov, who at the age of 21 has already won a Gagarin Cup in the KHL, two World Junior medals and is one of the best netminders not playing in the NHL. His .926 save percentage this season for Magnitogorsk actually lowered his career mark, which included a .936 year in 2016-17. He’s big, standing 6’3″ 205-lbs, mobile and reactive, and already has a good read on rebound control and puck tracking.

In short, there’s a good chance that Samsonov is ready to take the next step in his career. Whether that is the NHL right away will be determined by what the Capitals do this summer with their current tandem of Braden Holtby and Philipp Grubauer. Holtby has retaken his crease in the playoffs and been spectacular, reassuring many Capitals fans that the two years remaining on his current contract aren’t going to be spent sitting on the bench collecting a $6.1MM payday. Grubauer, for all his strengths, may be the one to go.

The 26-year old Grubauer is a restricted free agent again this summer, and will be looking for a substantial raise on the $1.5MM he earned this season. With the Capitals already struggling to fit everyone in under the cap—especially with a potential John Carlson extension breaking the bank—there might not be any room for a Grubauer extension. The fact that any deal would be buying out all but one unrestricted free agent years would prove pricey, something Washington might just not be able to swallow.

If they do send Grubauer elsewhere to become a starter, there’s a chance that Samsonov could still start his North American career in the minor leagues to prove he’s ready. Pheonix Copely is under contract for next season and though he struggled this season has shown in the past that he could potentially handle a backup role. It’s not clear if the Capitals would want Samsonov sitting on the bench behind Holtby, as he still has developing to do if he’s to become the franchise starting goaltender many believe him capable of being.

CapFriendly broke the news on Twitter, revealing the exact financial details of the contract.

Snapshots: Koskinen, Francouz, Kruger, Martinook

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The excitement of the Edmonton Oilers’ signing of KHL goaltender Mikko Koskinen wore off quickly. As The Athletic’s Jonathan Willis points out, Koskinen’s $2.5MM cap hit on his one-year deal now looks like a major over-payment compared to a more recent deal for an import goalie. When the Colorado Avalanche signed Pavel Francouz yesterday, they got a better goalie for considerably less. Francouz’s deal with the Avs is also for one year, but for just $690K. Yet, Francouz was the best keeper in the KHL this year with a .946 save percentage and 1.80 GAA in 35 appearances for Traktor Chelyabinsk. With no disrespect to Koskinen, who was very good as well, the new Oiler had a .937 save percentage and split time with young Igor Shestyorkin, playing in just 29 games, yet will make more than triple what Francouz does next season. In fairness, Koskinen did have superior GAA this year (1.57) and has a small amount of NHL experience, but that does not totally make up for the $1.81MM difference between the two contracts. To add another layer, Francouz is also a younger and more athletic goalie than Koskinen and likely has a brighter long-term future in the NHL. Admittedly, the Oilers signed Koskinen first, so this could me more of a case of Colorado GM Joe Sakic getting his man for below-market value, but it seems more likely that it goes along with the trend of Edmonton GM Peter Chiarelli setting his sights on a player and not considering fair value or alternative options. Past results of these decisions have not worked out well for the Oilers, but we will have to wait for next season to see how the Koskinen signing pans out.

  • In digging deeper into another recent transaction, today’s Marcus Kruger–Jordan Martinook trade has some scratching their heads. Given the team is currently operating without a GM, it is truly impressive that the Carolina Hurricanes seemingly came out on top in this deal in all aspects. Not only was Kruger available to the Arizona Coyotes for free earlier this year, but they gave up Martinook to get Kruger, who is much like a younger, better version of Kruger. The two forwards are both known for their two-way ability, but Martinook has 64 points in 239 games over the last three seasons compared to Kruger’s 44 points in 247 games over the past four years combined. At nearly 28 years old, Kruger’s career high in points is 28 with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2013-14 and he has never recorded double-digit goals, while the 25-year-old Martinook reached his career best of 25 points just last year, including 11 goals. Martinook has just as many 20+ point seasons as Kruger in only three full NHL seasons exclusively playing for the lowly Coyotes, while Kruger has spent almost his entire career with the dynastic Blackhawks. Defensively, Kruger does have the advantage of being a natural center who does well at the dot most years and is a positive possession player, but Martinook is far more physical and great along the boards, not to mention he has been the Coyotes’ best takeaways man since entering the league. Unlike past deals where the Coyotes took on a bad contract from another team in exchange for draft capital or prospects, Martinook will actually make less in salary than Kruger next season and even with the Hurricanes’ retention of a tenth of Kruger’s deal, the money essentially cancels out. So why make this deal? Arizona GM John Chayka must have a good reason, but on its face the only benefit to the Coyotes is a jump of 20-odd draft slots this June from the top of the fourth round to the middle of the third round.

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