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Minnesota, Pittsburgh In Trade Talks Regarding Phil Kessel

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2:40pm: Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic has actually heard that Kessel may not waive his clause for a deal to Minnesota. Other teams that are on his small trade list have contacted the Penguins, and LeBrun believes it is a matter of “when not if” for a trade at this point.

1:05pm: The Pittsburgh Penguins haven’t been secretive about their plans to shake up the roster this summer, and Phil Kessel’s name has been front and center in all of the trade speculation. That seems to be coming to a head, as Josh Yohe of The Atheltic (subscription required) reports that the Penguins are in talks with the Minnesota Wild on a trade revolving around Kessel. Yohe notes that Jason Zucker, who has also been available in recent months, would likely be going the other way if a deal can be reached, while Jack Johnson and Victor Rask have been discussed.

The trade has apparently been “on the table for days” with Kessel’s no-trade clause the only impediment at this point. That trade clause allows Kessel to submit a list of only eight teams he can be traded to, though he can obviously waive it to accept a deal anywhere else.

Kessel, 31, is coming off another point-per-game season that saw him register 27 goals and 82 points while continuing his near decade long iron man streak. The veteran winger is an incredible offensive player but has often been critiqued for his inconsistent defensive effort and prickly personality. While teammates will often speak extremely highly of the Wisconsin native, he has proven difficult to coach at times and has already been traded twice in his career.

Still, his offensive ability and Stanley Cup experience are exactly what the Wild are looking for after failing to make the playoffs this season. Owner Craig Leipold recently made it clear that he wants the team to get back to the postseason tournament next season, and GM Paul Fenton has already done quite a bit of work to break up the former veteran core. Charlie Coyle, Mikael Granlund and Nino Niederreiter have all been shipped out over the last few months, and Zucker could now be on his way out as well.

Yohe’s colleague Michael Russo detailed earlier this week how Zucker was being shopped around, and even listed Kessel first in his examination of potential returns. The fact that Kessel provides a right-handed shot for the Wild forward group, an attribute they are desperately in need of, makes him an even more attractive option.

Obviously if a deal is completed it will likely include more than just the two forwards, but in a vacuum they don’t represent very different financial commitments. Zucker has four years left on his contract that carries a $5.5MM cap hit while Kessel carries a $6.8MM hit over the next three. The Wild would actually end up paying less actual salary, give the front-loading of Kessel’s deal and the fact that the Toronto Maple Leafs are still retaining $1.2MM per season.

Chicago Blackhawks Hire Tomas Mitell

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The Chicago Blackhawks aren’t afraid to go overseas to find talent, and that isn’t just limited to players any more. The team has hired Tomas Mitell as an assistant coach to serve under head coach Jeremy Colliton for next season. Mitell is coming off a season as the head coach of AIK Hockey in Sweden’s Allsvenskan (second league), setting franchise records with 109 points and 35 wins.

This isn’t the first time that Mitell will be working with Colliton however, as he previously served under him when the Blackhawks bench boss was working in Sweden. Colliton took a rather unusual path to the NHL, which included transitioning from player to head coach for Mora IK in Sweden after dealing with concussion issues. It is there where he hired Mitell first, working together for the 2016-17 season and earning the team a promotion to the SHL.

Mitell will join Sheldon Brookbank on Colliton’s staff after the former NHL defenseman was promoted earlier this year from the AHL. It’s not clear how the duties will be broken up, but it certainly will be one of the youngest coaching staffs in the league. Colliton, 34, will be flanked by two 38-year old assistants as he tries to right the ship in Chicago and take the Blackhawks back to the playoffs.

Pittsburgh Penguins Extend Chad Ruhwedel

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The Pittsburgh Penguins may have a logjam on the blue line as it is, but that won’t stop GM Jim Rutherford from keeping one of his favorite players around. The Penguins have announced a new two-year, one-way deal with defenseman Chad Ruhwedel. The contract carries a minimum $700K AAV.

Ruhwedel, 29, arrived in Pittsburgh in 2016 as a free agent and took on a surprisingly large role for the Penguins as a primary depth option in the regular season and postseason en route to a Stanley Cup title. He played even more last year, skating in a career-high 44 games and starting in the playoffs. However, his career trend went in the opposite direction this season, as Ruhwedel spent almost the whole season in the press box, playing in just 18 games with Pittsburgh and five with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Even in a reduced role, Rutherford and head coach Mike Sullivan were consistent in their praise for Ruhwedel as a reliable depth player and positive locker room influence. In the team’s release detailing the new contract, Rutherford said the following of his extended defender:

Chad has exemplified what it means to be a team player the past two years. His work ethic and conditioning have allowed him to jump into the lineup at a moment’s notice, which is vital to a team’s success.

Ruhwedel was unlikely to land anything other than a minimum contract on the free agent market, so it makes sense that he chooses to return to Pittsburgh where he is comfortable and where he has found success. More likely than not, Ruhwedel will have to clear waivers at some point this season, as the Penguins are well-stocked on the back end. Barring a trade, Ruhwedel joins Kris Letang, Brian Dumoulin, Justin Schultz, Olli Maatta, Erik Gudbranson, and Jack Johnson on one-way contracts, with Marcus Pettersson and Juuso Riikola in need of a new contracts as restricted free agents. The renewal of Ruhwedal does improve the odds that a defenseman is dealt out of Pittsburgh, though.

Senators Notes: Groulx, Roy, Mann, Potential Targets

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According to TSN’s Bob McKenzie, new Senators head coach D.J. Smith is expected to hire his own staff in Ottawa. Although GM Pierre Dorion made the final decision on hiring Smith, the team is in the process of finding a President of Hockey Operations and, until that is completed, it appears Dorion will stick with player personnel decisions while Smith is given control of the remaining coaching hires. The one exception though is goaltending coach Pierre Groulx. McKenzie adds that Groulx has already been confirmed as returning to the team next season in the same capacity. Groulx has spent the past three seasons as the Senators’ goalie coach and has a close relationship with veteran starter Craig Anderson. He also had success with Anders Nilsson last season, whose play improved noticeably following a mid-season trade from the Vancouver Canucks. Even if the decision were up to him, it is unlikely that Smith would have opted to move on from Groulx, who was one of the few things that worked well in Ottawa last year.

  • Patrick Roy won’t be the next head coach of the Senators obviously, despite so much evidence pointing in that direction. But he won’t be the team’s President of Hockey Operations, either. TSN reports that Roy will return to his post as head coach and general manager of the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts. Roy purchased the Remparts in 1997 and served as GM and later head coach from 2004 to 2014 before being hired as head coach of the Colorado Avalanche. Roy resumed his role with the Remparts this past season and has decided to stay on with the team rather than continue to pursue other NHL opportunities.
  • One interesting decision for Smith will be what to do with current AHL head coach Troy Mann. Mann was also in consideration for the Senators’ head coaching gig alongside Smith, but did not make the cut. Another relatively young coach like Smith, Mann has spent more than a decade now in the minor leagues with a number of different teams and varying degrees of success. However, he garnered some extra attention last year due to his strong work with the young members of the AHL’s Belleville Senators in his first season as the head coach. Mann remains under contract with the Senators it is up to Smith to decide how best to use a valued asset. With many of those top young players expected to play regular roles in Ottawa next season, he could make Mann an assistant on his staff to help with that transition. However, if he feels that Mann is better suited for the minor league level – or wants to avoid a challenge of authority from a fellow candidate – he may instead opt to leave Mann where he is in Belleville.
  • One of the more exciting aspects of adding a new head coach, especially at this time of year, is the possibility of their former players being interested in playing for them once again. The Senators’ whopping $37.7MM in projected cap space means they are more or less a blank slate this off-season when it comes to exploring the free agent and trade markets. So who has ties to Smith, a long-time coach for the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires and Oshawa Generals? Well, one of Smith’s stars in his early days as an assistant in Windsor just so happens to be a known fixture on the trade block as well. The Anaheim Ducks’ Adam Henrique played three seasons under Smith and could very likely be on the move this summer as the Ducks seeks to shed salary. Smith could definitely push to acquire Henrique, who would immediately step into a top scoring role with Ottawa. Another name on the rumor mill who played for Smith briefly in Windsor is Zack Kassian of the Edmonton Oilers. Signed for one more year, Kassian would be an affordable, low-risk acquisition to bring some depth, experience, and toughness to the Ottawa lineup. A player who is not being forced out for salary reasons, but has nevertheless outstayed his welcome is the New York Islanders’ Michael Dal Colle. Dal Colle was one of Smith’s best players and leaders with the Generals and was selected No. 5 overall in 2014 due to his production in Oshawa. Yet, five years later, Dal Colle has seven points in 32 NHL games and is no longer considered part of the Islanders’ future core. They may be willing to sell low to the Senators, where the 22-year-old may have better luck under his old coach. On the free agent market, the defensive-minded Tom Kuhnhackl is a former Smith student who fit well under his old coach, but the intrigue here really lies with Smith’s Toronto connections. The man who ran the defense and penalty kill for the Maple Leafs could take a run at two high profile free agent defensemen – Jake Gardiner and Ron Hainsey – as well as two-way forward Par Lindholm, who Smith entrusted with ample shorthanded time in his first NHL season. Smith and the Senators may also flirt with the idea of an offer sheet for Toronto RFA Kasperi Kapanen, who Smith valued as a PK option but also brings a dynamic offensive game. The Leafs may have trouble matching an offer sheet for Kapanen against their tight cap crunch. Two other Toronto players with close ties to Smith are Nikita Zaitsev and Connor Brown, also potential trade casualties of the impending Toronto cap dilemma.

Anton Wedin Signs With Chicago Blackhawks

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May 23rd: It may have taken more than a week, but the Blackhawks have finally confirmed their signing of Wedin. The import forward has signed a one-year entry-level contract worth the maximum $925K. Wedin is believed to have chosen Chicago over the Arizona Coyotes and Toronto Maple Leafs.

 

May 12th: The Chicago Blackhawks will be adding some extra forward depth for next season after the team was informed that Swedish free agent Anton Wedin has chosen Chicago over two other teams and will sign a one-year entry-level contract, according to The Athletic’s Scott Powers (subscription required). Wedin’s agent, Michael Deutsch, commented on the signing:

Anton was faced with a very difficult decision. He had multiple offers, all of which were excellent opportunities. Ultimately, he felt that the Blackhawks were a good fit for his style of play and felt comfortable knowing that the coach already knew him from his time in Sweden.”

The 26-year-old left-shot winger had a breakout year in his first year in the Swedish Hockey League after spending most of his career in the Allsvenskan, posting 14 goals and 27 points for Timra IK. However, with his team heading back to the second-tier Allsvenskan next season, Wedin was ready to jump to North America. He chose the Blackhawks over the Toronto Maple Leafs and Arizona Coyotes, although he was received significant interest from across the league. One potential reason could be his familiarity with Blackhawks’ head coach Jeremy Colliton, who previously coached for a rival team in the Allsvenskan, Mora IK.

While the Blackhawks have improved their top-six, the team continues to add to their depth to put together the best team possible. General manager Stan Bowman has shown interest in adding talent from overseas, as the team has signed Artemi Panarin, Erik Gustafsson, David Kampf and Michal Kempny in recent years. The team had success a year ago as well when they signed German forward Dominik Kahun to a two-year entry-level contact, who proved to be a key depth piece after putting up 13 goals and 37 points. In Wedin, a 5-foot-11, 194-pound forward is known for his speed and all-around game, but he’ll have to fight for a roster space and may start the season in the AHL.

Islanders Re-Sign Brock Nelson To Six-Year Extension

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The New York Islanders had four key players approaching unrestricted free agency this off-season, but they have cut that number down to three. The Islanders have announced that they have signed center Brock Nelson to a long-term contract extension. The new deal is six years at $6MM per season for Nelson, who becomes both the highest-paid and longest-signed player on New York’s roster (for now). The full deal breaks down as follows:

  • 2019-20: $8.0MM + full no-trade
  • 2020-21: $5.2MM + full no-trade
  • 2021-22: $8.0MM + partial no-trade
  • 2022-23: $5.2MM + partial no-trade
  • 2023-24: $5.6MM + partial no-trade
  • 2024-25: $4.0MM + partial no-trade

Nelson, 27, bet on himself last summer by signing a one-year, $4.25MM extension with the Islanders in hopes that a breakout season would earn him the long-term, high-paying deal he was seeking. That gamble worked out perfectly, as Nelson enjoyed the best season of his career and had been set to hit the market as likely the third-best center and a top-15 or so free agent. The Islanders knew they had to pay, perhaps even slightly over market value, to keep Nelson and did just that. The six-year term is less of a concern, as Nelson will be just 33 when the contract expires.

New head coach Barry Trotz took an immediate liking to Nelson this season, giving him more than three minutes of extra ice time per night compared to last year, as well as an increased role on special teams. Nelson responded with a career-high 53 points this season and finished third on the Islanders in scoring. He was also New York’s best five-on-five forward, leading the team in even strength goals and points. The team clearly trusts Nelson to continue playing a well-rounded game and growing his offensive ability.

As the first major UFA forward to sign a long-term extension this off-season, Nelson sets the bar for not only his fellow Islanders teammates but for the market as a whole. After signing Nelson, the Islanders still have over $29.2MM in cap space per CapFriendly. The team still hopes to sign forwards Anders Lee and Jordan Eberle, as well as goaltender Robin Lehner. Although Nelson outscored Lee and Eberle this season, the unsigned duo are around the same age as Nelson but have more experience, more scoring history, and simply more talent. The 6×6 deal agreed to by Nelson is unlikely to do the trick for either Lee or Eberle, meaning signing both would chew up more than $12MM of the Islanders’ remaining cap space. It’s still very possible for them to sign all of their key free agents, but not as easy now that Nelson’s deal is in place. Elsewhere on the market, Nelson’s $6MM AAV will likely raise the price tag for the likes of Kevin Hayes, Ryan Dzingel, Gustav Nyquist, and Brett Connolly among others, as each are close in age and platform production to Nelson, albeit Hayes is the only center in the group. This is just the first of what are likely to be several big-name extensions prior to July 1st, but Nelson’s deal will certainly have ramifications in the current marketplace.

Maple Leafs Hire Paul McFarland As Assistant Coach

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One assistant out, one assistant in for Mike Babcock and his staff. Sources including both Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and TSN’s Bob McKenzie reported earlier that the Toronto Maple Leafs were expected to announce that Paul McFarland has been hired by team, and the team did just that not long after. This news comes soon after the official announcement that D.J. Smith has been hired away from the team to become the new head coach of the Ottawa Senators.

While these two hires come in close proximity, they may not actually be connected at all. Smith worked with defensemen and the penalty kill units for Toronto, while McFarland ran the power play for the Florida Panthers last season. In fact, McFarland played for the Windsor Spitfires when Smith was an assistant and later served as an assistant himself under Smith with the Oshawa Generals to begin his coaching career. McFarland was likely set to re-join his mentor with the Maple Leafs before Smith made the decision to depart for Ottawa. The real driving force behind McFarland’s hire is the anticipated departure of Jim Hiller, who ran Toronto’s power play this season. Hiller was given permission to seek other opportunities and as of earlier this month was linked to the Nashville Predators. Regardless of where he ends up, he was not expected back in Toronto and certainly won’t be now that McFarland is in the fold.

McFarland, 33, is more than just the beneficiary of opportunity in this situation, though. The former head coach of the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs is considered a rising star in the coaching ranks and his dismissal from the Panthers was tied more to his connection to former head coach Bob Boughner than his performance. Actually, Florida ranked second in the NHL this season on the power play at 26.8% and received a greater proportion of their goals man-up than any other team in the league. McFarland did an excellent job, but seemingly didn’t fit into the plans of new head coach Joel Quenneville. Florida’s loss is Toronto’s gain, as the Ontario native returns home and brings his power play expertise with him to a roster chock full of potent offensive talent.

Even with McFarland’s addition, there will still be speculation that the departures of Smith and Hiller will leave the Maple Leafs in need of another coach. The most obvious option would be current AHL head coach Sheldon Keefe, a popular name in coaching circles who is currently guiding the Toronto Marlies through another deep playoff run. Toronto does not want to let Keefe leave the organization, which could mean they choose to promote him to Babcock’s staff, where he can take over some of the duties left behind in Smith’s absence.

Winnipeg Jets Sign Leon Gawanke To Entry-Level Contract

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UPDATE: The Jets have confirmed the contract with Gawanke. It is a three-year entry-level deal worth $810K against the cap at the NHL level.

 

Following a breakout season with the QMJHL’s Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, defenseman Leon Gawanke has earned his first NHL contract. TVA’s Renaud Lavoie reports that the German blue liner has signed his entry-level contract with the Winnipeg Jets. While the term will be set to three years for the junior-age player, financial terms have not yet been disclosed.

Gawanke, 19, was a fifth-round pick of the Jets in 2017 after his first season in Cape Breton. The puck-moving defenseman had played exclusively in Germany beforehand, but did not look out of place as a QMJHL rookie, recording 32 points in 54 games. However, the 2017-18 season was somewhat problematic, as Gawanke’s offense stalled at 32 points despite playing a larger role and skating in eight more games. His defense also suffered as he was exposed against more difficult assignments. He appeared to be trending in the wrong direction and needed a strong campaign this year to reverse course. He provided just that, registering 57 points in 62 games and another seven points in the playoffs to tie for third on the team in scoring, both regular season and postseason. His defense also bounced back considerably – a difference of +34 between this season and last.

The Jets had until the June 1st deadline to sign Gawanke to his ELC, otherwise the young defenseman would have been eligible to re-enter the NHL Draft. Winnipeg has avoided that possibility and can look forward to the further development of the promising rearguard. However, a contract for Gawanke should not be confused for any immediate role with the Jets. Gawanke will almost certainly return to the Screaming Eagles next season and is likely a few years away at least from any NHL consideration.

Ottawa Senators Name D.J. Smith As Head Coach

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So much for those rumors linking Patrick Roy to the Ottawa Senators’ head coaching vacancy. The Senators announced this morning that former Toronto Maple Leafs assistant D.J. Smith has been named the team’s new head coach. Smith has agreed to a three-year contract to lead Ottawa, his first head coaching position in the NHL.

Smith, 42, may be a surprise pick to be the next bench boss of the Senators, but he is certainly as qualified as any first-time NHL head coach. Smith played eight seasons of pro hockey, suiting up for 45 NHL games but more memorably manning the blue line for the former St. John Maple Leafs of the AHL for parts of seven season. Smith retired from playing hockey in 2004 and immediately stepped into a role as an assistant coach for the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires, his hometown team with whom he had played his own junior hockey. Smith spent eight years in Windsor, two of which ended in Memorial Cup championships, before taking the head coach job for the rival Oshawa Generals in 2012. Smith’s time in Oshawa was short, but definitely effective. He compiled a record of 135-53-3-13 over three seasons with the Generals, won a Memorial Cup, and was named the OHL’s Coach of the Year. In 2015, Smith joined Toronto to begin his NHL coaching career as an assistant to Mike Babcock. Babcock made it known early on that he saw the potential in Smith and was grooming him to be a head coach and would not stand in the way of any move. Smith surely learned a lot from Babcock, but also contributed much to the team himself on the defensive side of the game.

Now, as he takes his talents to Ottawa, the Senators feel he can continue his upward trajectory. Smith’s history of winning, experience with young players, and focus on competent defense will all serve to benefit Ottawa greatly as they continue through a difficult rebuilding process. In the team’s release, GM Pierre Dorion states the following:

D.J. Smith is a winner. We believe he is the best person to drive the development and success of the Ottawa Senators. D.J is a great communicator and an exceptional strategist. His passionate approach, coupled with his ability to teach the game, is exactly what we were looking for throughout the process. We’re thrilled to welcome D.J. and his family to Ottawa.

Circling back to those Roy rumors, don’t close the door on the Hall of Fame goaltender joining the Senators just yet. The team is still in the hunt for a President of Hockey Operations and Roy would fit that description as well. One of the main reasons he left his last NHL post with the Colorado Avalanche was due to a lack of input in player personnel decisions, so he very well may be intrigued by a front office position. There’s also the slim but possible chance that the Senators would like to bring Roy in as an assistant to Smith, to help guide him through his start as a head coach. There is sure to be more movement in Ottawa this off-season, but their biggest move is completed with the hiring of a rival assistant to be their new head coach.

Overseas Notes: Coyotes, Hoff, Klingberg

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The Arizona Coyotes are hoping to add scoring help this off-season, but have limited room to work with. The ’Yotes currently have $74.4MM committed to 20 players for next season, leaving them with an estimated $8.6MM in cap space. That number will increase once Marian Hossa can be placed on long-term injured reserve, but most of their  space will be used to re-sign RFA’s Nick Cousins, Lawson Crouse, and Josh Archibald and possibly UFA Richard Panik. So how can they bring in some additional scoring help on the cheap? TSN reports that GM John Chayka is very interested in the European free agent market right now. Chayka has been in Slovakia scouting the World Championships and appears to have his eye on a few of the participants. One player he did miss out on is Anton Wedin, who instead chose to sign with the Chicago Blackhawks last week. Yet, Chayka claims there are still options out there. If the Coyotes can secure a talented import forward with an entry-level contract, that may be the best way to add affordable scoring help this summer.

  • A promising player leaving North America for Europe is collegiate forward Ludvig Hoff. With one year of NCAA eligibility still remaining, the University of North Dakota winger has nevertheless decided to turn pro. Hoff is headed home to Norway, as the Stavanger Oilers announced a two-year contract with the 22-year-old. Stavenger is already a perennial contender in the Get Ligaen, the top league in Norway, but were still very excited to be adding Hoff. The team’s GM, Pal Higson, called Hoff “undoubtedly one of the most exciting younger players in Norwegian hockey” in the team’s release. Hoff recorded 36 points over three seasons at North Dakota as a bottom-six forward but has the potential to be more effective in an increased role with the Oilers.
  • A player staying in Europe is former Atlanta Thrasher and Winnipeg Jet Carl Klingberg. A second-round pick in 2009 who starred for Sweden at two World Junior Championships, Klingberg entered the NHL with big expectations. However, in five seasons with the Thrashers/Jets, he failed to truly crack the lineup, playing in just 12 NHL games total and recording one lone point. Klingberg returned to Europe in 2015 and has been playing for EV Zug of the Swiss NLA since 2016. This season, though limited by injury, was the best per-game production of Klingberg’s career, fueling some speculation that the 28-year-old forward might take another whack at the NHL. Instead, Zug announced a new two-year deal to retain Klingberg, which likely implies that he has little intention of making a return to North America.

 

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