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Archives for July 2019

Vegas Golden Knights Trade David Clarkson, Sign Deryk Engelland

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have acquired the contract of retired forward David Clarkson from the Vegas Golden Knights. The deal will see Garret Sparks go to the Golden Knights while Toronto will also receive a 2020 fourth-round pick. Clarkson has one year remaining on his contract and carries a $5.25MM cap hit. He will spend the year on long-term injured reserve. With the extra space, the Golden Knights have re-signed Deryk Engelland to a one-year $700K contract that also includes up to $800K in performance bonuses.

A deal like this appears confusing on the surface, given Toronto’s cap crunch and the fact that they still need to sign Mitch Marner. The most likely reason for it though is that the team is already planning on going deep into LTIR with Nathan Horton’s contract (and perhaps Zach Hyman and Travis Dermott who are both on the shelf to start the year following various surgeries) and can use the Clarkson deal to go even further. This is not necessarily the case for the Golden Knights, who were well over the cap before moving Clarkson and needed to shed salary before the end of the offseason. Technically the Maple Leafs could wait until the first day of the season to sign Marner, avoiding offseason LTIR (which has a slightly different calculation for how much is added to the cap ceiling) in order to open enough room. Clarkson and Horton have a combined $10.55MM cap hit which, depending on how close the Maple Leafs can get their roster to the current $81.5MM salary cap ceiling, would be added on top to give them a new ceiling of ~$92MM.

Clarkson only has $1MM of actual salary remaining on his contract, but was making things much more difficult for the Golden Knights as they approach the season. If they can avoid it, it is almost always better for a team to not be using long-term injured reserve space as it can cause huge roster issues if you get into injury trouble and has the potential to cause cap overages from performance bonuses. By moving Clarkson, the Golden Knights are actually now projected to be a little more than $1MM under the cap ceiling, though they still have Nikita Gusev to sign (or trade).

Vegas also adds Sparks in the deal, giving the team a legitimate third (or perhaps second) option in net behind Marc-Andre Fleury and Malcolm Subban. The former AHL Goaltender of the Year has just a $750K one-way contract, making him more than affordable if the team decides Subban is not up to the task or someone suffers an injury. Sparks has played in 37 NHL games, recording an .898 save percentage. His numbers in the minor leagues though are spectacular, meaning he may have more to give at the highest level. The 26-year old goaltender will be an unrestricted free agent next summer and the Maple Leafs had seemingly moved on by re-signing Michael Hutchinson and bringing in Michal Neuvirth on a professional tryout.

Interestingly, a deal like this may not only open up enough room for Marner to sign. Depending on what the Maple Leafs do, they may be able to clear enough space to fit in Jake Gardiner, who remains unsigned despite coming into the offseason as arguably the best defenseman in unrestricted free agency. Gardiner has indicated his desire to stay if possible, though obviously nothing is official at this point.

Basically, the Maple Leafs admitted to themselves that they would need to use long-term injured reserve once again this season and have pushed even more chips to the middle. This kind of a move is only possible because Auston Matthews has now graduated out of his entry-level deal, which brought with it the opportunity for millions of dollars in performance bonuses. It’s important to note though that this is not just free cap space, but an intricate transaction that requires the team to be very careful with how they use their roster throughout the season. The Maple Leafs can afford to do things like this because of the organization’s financial might, an advantage some other teams do not have.

Arbitration Awards Andrew Copp Two-Year Deal

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Andrew Copp is the first player to earn an arbitration ruling this year, following his hearing on Sunday. The arbitrator has awarded a two-year contract carrying an average annual value of $2.28MM. The Winnipeg Jets decided on the length and were looking for a $1.5MM AAV, while Copp filed for $2.9MM. Read our breakdown of the case right here. Copp will still be a restricted free agent at the end of the deal.

While the deal is a reasonable amount for the 25-year old Copp, it takes just another chunk out of a Winnipeg payroll that has to find a way to fit in new contracts for Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor. They’re now sitting at just under $17.6MM in cap space for a roster of 17 players, which means long-term deals may not be possible depending on the asking price of their star RFAs. That cap crunch limited their ability to spend in free agency, meaning Jacob Trouba, Tyler Myers and Ben Chiarot have all departed their blue line without many replacements coming in. Neal Pionk, Sami Niku and others will have to fill those roles.

This decision is also the final arbitration case that the Jets had, meaning a short buyout window will open in three days. The team could potentially buyout a player that has a cap hit of more than $3.45MM and was on their reserve list at the most recent trade deadline. There aren’t any names that stand out as candidates, though the team may obviously have different plans. Other names like Mathieu Perreault have been bandied about in trade speculation, though Kevin Cheveldayoff is one of the league’s most infrequent traders, completing just 36 in the near eight years he has been on the job.

Alex Tanguay Takes Coaching Role With Iowa Wild

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The NHL Network won’t have Alex Tanguay back for their coverage during the 2019-20 season, as the former star forward has been hired by the Iowa Wild as an assistant coach. Tanguay joins Tim Army’s coaching staff just three years after his playing career ended.

A veteran of 1,186 NHL games, Tanguay retired following the 2015-16 season. He finished with 922 career points including 59 in 98 playoff games and won the Stanley Cup in 2001 as a member of the Colorado Avalanche. A strong offensive force, he suited up for the Avalanche, Calgary Flames, Montreal Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning, Calgary Flames and Arizona Coyotes over his 16-year playing career. Army happened to be an assistant coach during Tanguay’s final stint with the Avalanche, giving the two some obvious familiarity.

Iowa made it to the Calder Cup playoffs for the first time last season under Army and will try to orchestrate a return in 2020. The release did not specify what responsibilities he’ll have for the Wild, but his more than 250 career powerplay points would suggest he can be an asset on that side of the puck.

Colorado Avalanche Sign Anton Lindholm

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Anton Lindholm decided not to file for arbitration earlier this month and he didn’t need to. The young defenseman has re-signed for two years with the Colorado Avalanche. CapFriendly reports the contract is a two-way deal and worth an average annual value of $742,500 at the NHL level.

Now 24, Lindholm’s career to a slight step backwards last season when he spent nearly the entire year in the minor leagues. After a 2017-18 campaign where he played 48 games with the Avalanche, he suited up just twice in the NHL and instead played 57 games with the Colorado Eagles. Now with an incredibly crowded NHL blue line he’ll be in a tough spot once again.

The Avalanche do have both Erik Johnson and Ian Cole on the shelf to start the season, but with Kevin Connauton, Cale Makar, Calle Rosen and Bowen Byram all competing (or already taking) NHL roles there isn’t a ton of room for Lindholm. Instead, he’ll probably serve as some injury insurance and anchor the minor league group. That would require waivers however, making him a possible target for teams looking for defensive depth at the end of training camp.

Lindholm will actually be a Group VI unrestricted free agent at the end of the deal if he doesn’t play in another 18 games. Otherwise, he’ll still be a restricted free agent in 2021.

Jacob Moverare Loaned To Frolunda

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The Los Angeles Kings have already made a decision on where Jacob Moverare will play next season. The 20-year old defenseman will return to the SHL to play for Frolunda once again, meaning another year of his entry-level deal will be burned without him suiting up in the organization.

Drafted 112th overall in 2016, Moverare signed his entry-level deal just a few weeks later. The deal slid forward for two seasons as the young defenseman suited up in the OHL, but after turning 20 it kicked in for 2018-19. He spent last season in the SHL with Frolunda, scoring seven points in 42 games but being a bigger contributor in their ultimately successful playoff run for both the SHL title and Champions Hockey League championship. Spending this year overseas again will leave him with one season left (2020-21) on his entry-level deal, after which he will be a restricted free agent.

Even if the Kings do end up burning through his entry-level deal, they obviously feel as though his development is best served playing at home. Frolunda is considered one of the best organizations in Sweden and should provide another solid opportunity for the young defenseman to take his game to the next level. Not much of an offensive player, the 6’3″ Moverare could still develop into a legitimate defensive option at the NHL level with his long reach and solid awareness.

Despite being loaned, Moverare will still count towards the Kings’ 50-contract limit, a number which they are relatively close to reaching depending on what they do with some of their young prospects that might not count depending on where they spend 2019-20.

Minor Transactions: 07/23/19

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As July marches on and we get into arbitration hearings and contract holdouts, teams continue to fill our their organizational depth charts. Here are some minor moves from around the league. We’ll keep updating as more come in:

  • The Binghamton Devils have signed Julian Melchiori to a one-year AHL contract. The 27-year old defenseman was part of the very last draft class of the Atlanta Thrashers in 2010, but has just 30 games of NHL experience under his belt. Melchiori played for the Springfield Thunderbirds last season, putting up 12 points in 54 games.
  • Trent Bourque will return to the Belleville Senators for the 2019-20 season, signing a one-year two-way AHL contract. Bourque actually joined Belleville after his junior career ended earlier this year but didn’t play in a game down the stretch. The 21-year old was drafted by the St. Louis Blues in 2017 but became an unrestricted free agent when they chose not to sign him last month.
  • The Utica Comets signed Tanner Sorenson, Dyson Stevenson, Matt Petgrave and Aaron Thow to AHL contracts, giving the team some more depth for the 2018-19 season. Petgrave, Stevenson and Thow all appeared in a handful of games with the Comets on tryout contracts last season, while Sorenson played in the ECHL and Switzerland.
  • Julian Nantel is back with the Colorado Eagles on an AHL contract after his entry-level deal expired and the Colorado Avalanche decided not to qualify him. The seventh-round pick won two Kelly Cups before the Eagles left the ECHL and suited up 45 times with them last season.
  • Adam Carlson has signed a one-year AHL contract with the Manitoba Moose, sending the goaltender to yet another organization. In just three seasons, Carlson has suited up for the South Carolina Stingrays, Indy Fuel, Kansas City Mavericks, Rapid City Rush and Hershey Bears.

Edmonton Oilers Hire Brian Wiseman

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After rumors broke yesterday that it was coming, the Edmonton Oilers have officially rounded out their coaching staff with the hire of Brian Wiseman as an assistant. Wiseman has spent the last several years as an assistant at the University of Michigan, and will be getting his first NHL coaching experience on Dave Tippett’s staff. Tippett released a statement on his new assistant:

I am very excited to add Brian to our coaching staff. Brian is a forward-thinking coach with whom I have history as both a player and a coach. He works very well with young players and has a passion for skill development.

Tippett was the head coach of the Houston Aeros of the IHL when Wiseman scored 109 points in 1998-99, winning the league championship. The 48-year old former Wolverines coach will join associate coach Jim Playfair and assistant Glen Gulutzan on the staff as they try to turn around the Oilers. An undersized forward during his playing days, he only got a chance to suit up three times in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs but is a legend at Michigan and in the IHL.

Edmonton is desperately trying to re-establish themselves as a contender in the Western Conference and took an obvious step towards a new team identity with the trade of Milan Lucic recently. Wiseman may be another step towards a more skilled game given his history, though the release did not indicate exactly what his responsibilities will be other than “skill development.”

Bruins Sign Pavel Shen To Entry-Level Contract

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Tuesday: The Bruins have officially announced the contract.

Monday: From seventh-round flier to an NHL contract sooner than anyone might have expected, CapFriendly reports that the Boston Bruins have signed forward prospect Pavel Shen to a three-year entry-level contract. The deal will carry the maximum $925K AAV, $809K of which is salary and the remainder in bonuses. Shen will join the Bruins immediately for the 2019-20 season.

It was evident early on that the Bruins had found a diamond in the rough in 2018 with Shen, the 212th overall pick. The Russian center fell into the seventh round even after playing 29 games in the KHL as a 17-year-old in his draft year and the Bruins jumped at the opportunity to snag him late, despite limited production at the top level. He immediately showed that there was more to his game with a standout World Junior Championship performance. Shen recorded four points in seven games and was easily Russia’s most effective defensive forward. His regular season was less eventful, as he bounced back and forth between the KHL’s Salavat Yulaev Ufa and the MHL’s Tolpar Ufa and failed to produce on the score sheet.

However, the Bruins and others had already seen enough to identify what Shen might bring to the table down the road with his two-way intelligence and raw skill. He entered the team’s recent development camp with high expectations and performed up to par. It was no surprise that he then returned to Russia and negotiated a termination of his contract, allowing him to begin his Bruins career right away. Shen is likely still years away from pushing for any action in Boston, but the AHL’s Providence Bruins look to be a Calder Cup contender this year and Shen should have both the talent and veteran guidance around him to learn the North American game quickly and begin to make an impact. The likeness is not fair just yet, but Bruins fans will hope to soon compare Shen to another well-known late-round Pavel out of Russia.

Colton Sissons Signs Seven-Year Deal

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The Nashville Predators and Colton Sissons have avoided arbitration, and will be together for a long time. The two sides have agreed on a seven-year, $20MM contract. That means Sissons’ cap hit is just under $2.86MM moving forward, and the hearing scheduled for July 26 is no longer necessary. CapFriendly has the full breakdown:

  • 2019-20: $3.45MM
  • 2020-21: $2.5MM
  • 2021-22: $3.65MM
  • 2022-23: $2.775MM
  • 2023-24: $3.5MM
  • 2024-25: $2.3MM
  • 2025-26: $1.825MM

While a contract of this length is still surprising to see, it’s not like Predators GM David Poile hasn’t done it before. In 2016 he signed a 24-year old Calle Jarnkrok to a six-year, $12MM deal to secure one of his bottom-six forwards for a reasonable price and hope for a breakout. Jarnkrok had just completed a 16-goal, 30-point season for the Predators, both easily career highs. Those totals line up well with the 15 goals and 30 points that Sissons just had, also career highs. Knowing that he will likely provide at least that, Poile is betting on a potential breakout while mitigating his risk with a relatively low cap hit.

That’s not to say that Sissons is guaranteed to score 15 goals in every year of the deal. The 25-year old needed a 13.6% shooting percentage to do it in 2018-19, though there are many other factors to take into account. One of them is how often he starts his shifts in the defensive zone, almost never given the chance to take a faceoff in the opponent’s end. Even if that production does dip a bit, he’s a valuable penalty killer and defensive center that has proven he can step into a larger role if forced. With Ryan Johansen, Matt Duchene, Kyle Turris and Nick Bonino still on the roster though, it seems unlikely that will be necessary.

The other thing to consider when it comes to Sissons is his off-ice influence on the Predators. The young forward has been known as a pure leader for quite some time, first serving as captain for the Kelowna Rockets before being named the youngest captain in Milwaukee Admirals history when he was just 21. That kind of presence is exactly what the Predators are hoping to lock up.

Like usual for the Predators, the deal includes no signing bonuses or trade protection. It will buy out five years of unrestricted free agency, taking Sissons to the age of 32.

Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet broke news of the signing on Twitter.

Calgary Flames Reach Tentative Agreement On New Arena

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July 22nd: While it remains a tentative deal, the Flames, the annual Calgary Stampede festival, and the city of Calgary have agreed to terms on a new “public sports and entertainment event center”, the team has announced. The estimated $550MM complex will be split evenly between the team and the city with additional support from the Stampede. It will also serve as the home to the WHL’s Hitmen and the Roughnecks box lacrosse team, and will serve to attract a variety of other concerts and shows. The new complex will be owned entirely by the city of Calgary and the Flames will bear all operating costs. However, the team will take what they can get when it comes to a much-needed new arena at only 50% of the construction costs. This agreement is subject to a week-long public comment period before it is again brought before city council for a final vote on July 29th.

July 19th: Though there is still a lot of work to be done, the Calgary Flames and the city of Calgary have reached a tentative deal for a new arena according to Meghan Potkins of Postmedia. The deal will be brought to city council on Monday.

The Flames have long been fighting for a new arena in Calgary as the Scotiabank Saddledome is now more than 35 years old making it one of the oldest rinks in the NHL. In September 2017 after a charged battle with mayor Naheed Nenshi, Flames president Ken King announced that the team was “no longer pursuing a new facility” complicating the future of the team. It was clear the team couldn’t continue to play indefinitely in the Saddledome, but it looked like any arena talks were dead for a long time.

In May 2018 the city voted to open the discussion again and now it seems as though they have taken another step in the right direction. More information will obviously come next week, but Potkins reports that the new arena is projected to cost between $550MM and $600MM. Getting a new arena is crucial to the Flames moving forward and staying in Calgary, something that the NHL is obviously supportive of.

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