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L.A. Kings To Loan Jacob Moverare To Sweden

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Los Angeles Kings defensive prospect Jacob Moverare is on the move, again. A fourth-round pick in 2016, the Swedish prospect signed his entry-level contract almost immediately after being selected. After the deal slid for two seasons while Moverare was paying for the OHL’s Mississauga Steelheads, the Kings felt Moverare still was not prepared for North American hockey last season. Rather than send him to AHL Ontario, the team instead loaned the young defender to the Swedish Hockey League’s Frolunda HC in the first year of his contract.  Apparently, they still feel the same way. Swedish newspaper Goteborgs Posten reports that Frolunda has already received word that Moverare will re-join the team next season.

While it is not out of the ordinary to see a loan of this kind for a young foreign player, it is rare to see it done twice. Moverare will have burned two years off of his entry-level contract before ever playing in a professional game in North America, seemingly just because of L.A.’s depth in minor league defensemen. While a top-four NHL defender is one of the Kings’ most glaring needs this off-season, they do have considerable depth in fringe NHL talent. Sean Walker, Paul LaDue, and Kurtis MacDermid are all signed through next season while Matt Roy and Daniel Brickley are restricted free agents. All five of those young defensemen suited up for the Kings this season, but barring major roster changes, only two or three will win spots in L.A. to begin next season. Then there is an influx of talent from the college and junior ranks, as Mikey Anderson, Markus Phillips, and Sean Durzi will also be in play in Ontario. There simply isn’t room for Moverare to play meaningful minutes in the AHL next season, but when will there be?

Another loaned season should not be seen as an indictment of Moverare’s play. A highly productive player at the junior level, Moverare showed in the SHL last season that his pro game is likely to skew more toward the defensive strengths in his game rather than offensive. However, he could still be a very solid stay-at-home option. Moverare is a right-shot defenseman who plays a strong, competitive game and is known for his hockey IQ. At 6’3″ and 200 lbs., Moverare can hold his own defensively, but also skates well and compensates for some lacking skill with great vision and positioning. Just a victim of the numbers game for L.A., the Gotenborgs report indicates that the Kings simply feel that Moverare’s development would be better served remaining in Sweden, but another year abroad doesn’t mean that he won’t play for the Kings one day.

Ryan Callahan “On The Outside Looking In”

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Even with all the relative bargains they’ve signed over the last few seasons, the Tampa Bay Lightning will be facing a cap crunch again this summer. The team already has more than $74MM committed in 2019-20 contracts according to CapFriendly, and has a huge negotiation coming up with restricted free agent Brayden Point. Knowing that, GM Julien BriseBois will likely have to make some room by trading away at least one of their highly paid forwards, and Ryan Callahan is the obvious choice given his declining production. That’s no secret to the veteran forward, who told Joe Smith of The Athletic (subscription required) as much:

Obviously there’s a salary cap crunch, and it doesn’t take a scientist to figure out right now I’m on the outside looking in. Whatever happens, happens. But I was really happy with how I finished the year.

Callahan, 34, has been limited by injuries over the last three seasons and recorded just 17 points in 52 games this year. The former New York Rangers forward is still an effective defensive player and brings a ton of leadership, but his $5.8MM price tag is just too expensive for the kind of production he brings. Smith and his colleagues from The Athletic examine five teams that could be potential destinations for Callahan this summer, though it is not yet clear who will be on his 15-team trade list of places the team could send him without his consent.

A trade is not the only way the Lightning could get out from under Callahan’s deal, as a buyout would save them more than $3.1MM this season. The downside to a buyout would be the $1.57MM cap hit incurred for the 2020-21 season, but it would also mean the team doesn’t have to give up an asset to ship him somewhere. Theoretically the team could actually pull off a similar transaction as the one that Brooks Orpik went through last summer, when the Washington Capitals sent him to the Colorado Avalanche for a buyout before re-signing him at a lower price.

If it is the end for Callahan in Tampa Bay, his time there will likely still be seen positively despite the lack of production over the last few seasons. He was a big part of the team when they went to the Stanley Cup Final in 2015, and has never been accused of giving anything but his full effort when on the ice.

West Notes: Kubalik, Heat, Predators

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If you’ve been watching the IIHF World Championship closely, you may have noticed a young winger lighting the lamp for the Czech Republic whose name has never been uttered in an NHL game. 23-year old Dominik Kubalik has nine points in six games for the Czechs, and is tied for the team lead in shots with 19. The young forward’s NHL rights were traded in January to the Chicago Blackhawks, who according to Igor Eronko of Sport-Express have now agreed to terms with Kubalik.

Kubalik played with Blackhawks forward Dominik Kahun in the OHL several years ago, but returned home after two seasons in junior. Selected in the seventh round by the Los Angeles Kings, the talented winger put up 57 points in 50 games in the Swiss NLA last season and could be a potential NHL option as soon as 2019-20 for the Blackhawks. The will of course need to get him under contract, but perhaps they are close to doing just that after his excellent tournament.

  • The Stockton Heat have signed Mason Morelli to an AHL contract for 2019-20, getting another impressive young player to agree to a minor league deal. Morelli recorded 34 points in 36 games as a senior with the University of Nebraska-Omaha, and then jumped right into the AHL with three goals and four points in nine games down the stretch. The 23-year old was undrafted but will try to take the next step in his development for the Heat and earn himself an NHL contract down the road.
  • The Nashville Predators are dealing with a disappointing exit from the playoffs this season and know they have work to do in order to get themselves back to legitimate Stanley Cup contenders. GM David Poile spoke with Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription required) about his priorities this offseason, and secondary scoring came up as a big need. Outside of the top line of Ryan Johansen, Filip Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson, the Predators didn’t have a single forward crack the 40-point threshold this season while deadline additions like Wayne Simmonds (3 points in 17 games) and Mikael Granlund (5 points in 16 games) never seemed to find their footing. Kyle Turris, who was extended immediately upon his arrival in Nashville during the 2017-18 season, also experienced one of his worst seasons as a professional, recording just 23 points in 55 games. Nashville will be a team to watch in the free agent and trade market over the next few months as they try to find an answer to those secondary scoring woes.

Brian Pinho Re-Signs With Washington Capitals

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After inking Shane Gersich earlier today, the Washington Capitals have now re-signed another restricted free agent. Brian Pinho has signed a one-year two-way contract for 2019-20, which will pay him $700K in the NHL and $100K in the AHL.

Pinho, 24, was originally selected in the sixth round in 2013 but wouldn’t join the Capitals organization for another five years. After playing one year in the USHL and four years at Providence College, Pinho signed his two-year entry-level contract with Washington last April and burned the first year without even suiting up. This season then was his first taste of professional hockey, and he found out it’s a little more difficult to produce at this level. In 81 total games for the Hershey Bears, Pinho recorded just 14 points.

Still, there was a reason why the Capitals allowed him to burn a year without actually playing. Pinho could have waited until August 2018 to become an unrestricted free agent, something the Capitals front office obviously wanted to avoid. Even as a late-round pick, Pinho had built himself into a legitimate NHL prospect after recording 72 points in 79 games over his last two college seasons.

Though his totals at the minor league were less than impressive, it’s not time to give up on Pinho just yet. He’ll be given another chance to adjust to the pace of the professional game, and hopefully find his footing in the AHL. Like with Gersich, the Capitals have to be hoping they can squeeze some inexpensive NHL contributions out of players like this as they navigate a tricky salary cap situation.

Snapshots: Free Agency, Nash, PWHPA

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Free agency is just around the corner and speculation has already begun regarding the landing spots of some top talent. Craig Custance of The Athletic (subscription required) released his early list of the top 20 unrestricted free agents, and Artemi Panarin’s name lands on top with little surprise. The Columbus Blue Jackets’ superstar is expected to have many suitors this offseason, but Custance and others have suggested there may be a deal coming earlier than July 1.

The scribe writes that “it would be a bit surprising” if Panarin makes it that far, instead examining a potential sign-and-trade scenario in order to secure an eight-year contract. That would get Columbus some assets back, though given the lack of historical precedent it is not clear how valuable a move like that would be. Once again Panarin is linked to former head coach Joel Quenneville, who is now with the Florida Panthers.

  • Rick Nash may not be playing professional hockey anymore, but that doesn’t mean he’s completely given up the game. Aaron Portzline of The Athletic (subscription required) details how Nash has been shadowing Blue Jackets’ GM Jarmo Kekalainen for some time, including attending the current IIHF World Championship. Nash will also attend the NHL Entry Draft with the Columbus contingent, though there is no official word on what his role with the organization will be moving forward. The former star forward was forced to retire due to health concerns stemming from several concussions over his long career.
  • Kendall Coyne Schofield, Hilary Knight, Marie-Philip Poulin and many other players have announced the formation of the Professional Women’s Hockey Players’ Association. The organization “will serve as a vehicle dedicated to promoting and supporting the creation of a single, viable women’s professional league in North America.” Earlier this year more than 200 top players announced a boycott of the NWHL and other leagues for this season, as they seek a more financially sustainable league that can provide the resources required for them to play at a high level.

Shane Gersich Re-Signs With Washington Capitals

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The Washington Capitals have inked one of their restricted free agents, re-signing Shane Gersich to a one-year, two-way contract. Gersich will earn $700K at the NHL level and $115K in the AHL.

The 22-year old forward was a fifth-round selection of the Capitals in 2014, and signed his entry-level deal last spring after three years at the University of North Dakota. He made his NHL debut down the stretch for the Capitals and even got into two playoff contests during their Stanley Cup run. This season Gersich spent the entire year in the minor leagues with the Hershey Bears, but struggled at times to find much consistency. He finished with 24 points in 66 games, but still has a bright future.

Washington has a dozen other restricted free agents to deal with this offseason, including some high profile names like Jakub Vrana and Andre Burakovsky. Getting deals done for minor league players like Gersich relieves some of the work load, but certainly doesn’t make things easier on GM Brian MacLellan and his team. The salary cap has made life difficult for the Capitals front office in recent years, and they may need to start getting some NHL contributions from young players like Gersich in the near future.

Gersich will be a restricted free agent once again next summer.

Ivan Barbashev Will Not Receive Supplementary Discipline

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In a bit of insult added to injury, the San Jose Sharks will have to accept that Ivan Barbashev will be in the lineup again tomorrow night. The St. Louis Blues forward will not receive any supplementary discipline for his hit on Tomas Hertl. Greg Wyshynski of ESPN tweets that the Department of Player Safety could not determine if the head was a main point of contract, or whether the force of the hit was enough to warrant suspension. Barbashev came across the middle and made contact with Hertl, who ended up missing the third period after being removed from the game.

The Sharks were embarrassed on home ice last night in a 5-0 loss that saw Hertl, Erik Karlsson, Joe Pavelski and Joonas Donskoi all leave due to injury for large chunks of the game. Micheal Haley and Evander Kane both also received misconduct penalties, leaving the Sharks’ bench extremely short to end the game. The team now faces a do-or-die situation in St. Louis tomorrow night and could be without several top players.

Still, the Sharks have shown in these playoffs that they’re not easy to defeat even when things look dire. The team scored four times on a five minute major against the Vegas Golden Knights in game seven of the first round and managed to hold on to an early lead in game seven of the second round against the Colorado Avalanche. Those long series may be taking their toll on the group physically, but also may have prepared them for this elimination game tomorrow night.

New York Rangers Agree To Terms With Yegor Rykov

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Monday: New York has officially announced the deal.

Saturday: The Rangers have agreed to terms on a two-year, entry-level contract with defenseman Yegor Rykov, reports TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie (Twitter link).  Financial details were not disclosed but the deal contains a European Assignment Clause.

Rykov was a fifth-round pick (132nd overall) of the Devils back in 2016 but was dealt to New York as part of the Michael Grabner trade leading up to the 2018 trade deadline.  The 22-year-old has spent the last three seasons as a regular in the KHL and just wrapped up his first season with HK Sochi where he had three goals and six assists in 47 regular season games while averaging 19:24 per night of ice time, a number that jumped by more than two minutes a game in the postseason.

Considering the group of youngsters that the Rangers now have on their back end – a group bolstered by the acquisition of Adam Fox earlier this offseason – Rykov will be in tough to contend for a roster spot right away.  They may prefer him to spend some time with AHL Hartford but he will have the final say over whether or not that happens with the assignment clause in his contract.

Andre Burakovsky Hopes To Stay In Washington

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Over the last several seasons the Washington Capitals have been navigating a tricky cap situation, regularly sitting right at the upper limit with very little flexibility. As the 2019 offseason gets underway they have some tough decisions about how to keep their group competitive without overspending. Players like Brett Connolly may end up as cap casualties after earning raises, while others may find themselves on the trade block to free up some room. One of the examples of the latter is Andre Burakovsky, whose restricted free agent situation was examined today by Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post.

Khurshudyan breaks down how the Capitals in the past have decided not to issue qualifying offers only to continue negotiations anyway, even using Connolly himself as an example from a few years ago. That’s the tactic she expects the team to use in Burakovsky’s case, given the expensive $3.25MM offer the team would need to extend. Still, it’s not like the young forward wants to go anywhere else:

I love Washington, I love my teammates, I love everyone around — everything, the organization. My goal is to stay, and hopefully I will be able to.

Burakovsky, 24, recorded just 25 points in 76 games this season, the worst scoring rate of his career so far. Originally selected 23rd overall in 2013, he has never seemed to find the offensive production that he experienced in junior. In fact, with a career high of just 38 points through five seasons there is reason to doubt he’ll ever really fully reach his potential.

The Capitals are still in a window of Stanley Cup contention while the core is in tact, but need to find a way to surround Alex Ovechkin and company with a better supporting cast. Connolly, Carl Hagelin, Devante Smith-Pelly and Brooks Orpik are all scheduled to become unrestricted free agents, leaving some relatively substantial holes on the depth chart. With a new contract for Jakub Vrana the biggest priority of the offseason—except perhaps extensions for Nicklas Backstrom and Braden Holtby—the team has plenty of work to do over the next few weeks.

Still, if Burakovsky could be retained on a more inexpensive contract he would be a very valuable asset. Leaving him without a qualifying offer is obviously a risk, given that it would make him an unrestricted free agent, but if he is committed to the organization it may be the savvy move by GM Brian MacLellan. Teams have until June 25th to submit qualifying offers.

Buffalo Sabres, Jeff Skinner Extension Talks “Extremely Positive”

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The Buffalo Sabres needed to find a coach before doing anything else this offseason. Their new bench boss would be a huge influence on the direction of the team this summer, and now that they have Ralph Krueger locked up as their man, they can move onto other important decisions. One of those is regarding the pending unrestricted free agency of sniper Jeff Skinner, but things seem headed towards an extension if you ask GM Jason Botterill. He was on WGR 550 in Buffalo earlier this week and explained where things stand:

A contract is never done until you get it signed, but our discussions with Jeff have been extremely positive. I think it’s been a relationship that has worked out very well for the Buffalo Sabres, and I think it’s a relationship that has worked out very well for Jeff.

We went through the coaching search here, sometimes people get a little impatient, but we wanted to make sure we went through the process correctly. I think what’s going on with Jeff and ourselves now is there was never going to be an extension announced before a coach was hired. A coach is now hired, we’ll continue our discussions there and get the chance to sit down with Jeff and go over things with how we see him fitting in, and how Ralph is going to coach this team and how he will interact with his players and his structure moving forward. Then we’ll hopefully find a way to get a deal done. From our standpoint, our discussions with both Jeff and Newport Sports have been extremely positive.

Skinner, 27, was listed fourth on our Midseason UFA Power Rankings, behind only Erik Karlsson, Artemi Panarin and Mark Stone, who has since signed an extension with the Vegas Golden Knights. Even with the emergence of Matt Duchene into a postseason force for the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Sabres forward may be the second best offensive weapon available on the open market if he doesn’t reach a new deal in the next six weeks. After struggling to maintain his high pace last season in Carolina, a fresh start in Buffalo rejuvenated Skinner’s career and his instant chemistry with Jack Eichel led to a career-high 40 goals and 63 points. Easily pacing the Sabres in goals means his departure would be a devastating hit to their offense for 2019-20, but handing out a blank check is always risky.

Luckily, the Sabres have put themselves in an extremely flexible financial situation even with their $80MM commitment to Eichel. The team has just four one-way contracts that extend through the 2020-21 season—Eichel, Kyle Okposo, Carter Hutton and Rasmus Ristolainen—and plenty of money coming off the books if they want it to. A deal for Skinner that could reach as many as eight years with a healthy raise from his $5.75MM cap hit would come with a lot of expectations, but also not cripple the Sabres finances if he takes a slight step backwards. As one of the youngest players on the free agent market—Skinner turned 27 just three days ago—and with an outstanding 244 goals in 661 career games, there may be no better bet available.

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