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Anton Burdasov Drawing NHL Interest

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Teams around the NHL are always looking to find a player for free. Maybe he was overlooked coming out of junior because of his height, or he wasn’t given an offensive opportunity at his smaller NCAA program, but anywhere they can find excess value—or even just a chance of it—teams are ready to pounce. The KHL is one of those locations and teams are continuously scouring the depth charts of Russian teams to find someone who could contribute at the NHL level. He doesn’t need to be the next Artemi Panarin, but if he can play at all there will be a team with interest.

That’s the case for Anton Burdasov, whose name was brought up today by Igor Eronko of Sport-Express and is apparently talking to three teams in the NHL. Eronko believes one of them is Edmonton, but doesn’t give any indication of the others. A report out of Russia earlier this year also linked him the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers. Burdasov indicated almost a year ago that he would be interested in heading to the NHL once his contract in Russia expired, and now that it has it seems as though he’s ready to follow through on his word.

Burdasov, 28, represents an interesting case. He’s played in the KHL for a decade now, but before last season had never scored more than 17 goals in a single season. In fact, his 89 goals and 176 points in 386 regular season games isn’t all that impressive when compared to some of the other Russian players who have tried and failed to make an impact at the NHL level. Burdasov is mostly known for his hard wrist shot—something Eronko points out would fit well with the Oilers’ playmakers—and has history playing with top players like Panarin, Ilya Kovalchuk and Nikita Gusev. He was even teammates with Vladimir Tarasenko for a season before the St. Louis Blues star came to the NHL.

If Burdasov does intend on coming to the NHL, he certainly put up an interesting season for scouts. Not only did he record the most goals of his career with 19, but he also led all KHL players with 114 penalty minutes. Just like with any player who hasn’t suited up in the NHL there’s no way of knowing if he’ll make an impact, but it seems as though someone is about to give him a shot.

Snapshots: Gardiner, Allen, Hart

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Jake Gardiner came into the offseason as our top unrestricted free agent defenseman and sixth-highest ranked player overall. We predicted a five-year contract worth $32MM for the talented puck-mover, but as the calendar gets ready to turn to September he remains unsigned. There’s been very little indication from Gardiner or his representatives to why that is, but many have speculated that he may be waiting for an opportunity to present itself in Toronto where he could return to the Maple Leafs. With Mitch Marner still unsigned and the Maple Leafs right up against the cap that seems unlikely, so Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet gave his thoughts on the situation:

Jake Gardiner loves Toronto, and I know the organization really likes him. They like him a lot. The thing that I wonder about for Gardiner is, if he is looking to increase his value is he going to do it in Toronto? He’s not going to get as much powerplay time, they’re going to have [Morgan] Rielly and [Tyson] Barrie. He’s probably going to be a third-pairing defenseman. If he’s staying in Toronto, it’s because he really wants to be there.

I’ve heard Arizona. I’ve heard both Montreal and Winnipeg. I’ve heard Buffalo if they move maybe [Rasmus] Ristolainen out. Somebody said they heard rumors of potentially Carolina depending on what the Hurricanes might still do. I think there is interest in him, I think he’s being picky.

Despite the fact that Gardiner has been known to turn the puck over at the most inopportune times for Toronto, he is still a quality player that many teams around the league could use. The 29-year old has averaged more than 20 minutes a night in every single year of his career and just posted his sixth 30+ point season. His possession numbers are excellent even when compared to his talented teammates, and he’s shown the ability to contribute even more offensively when given the chance. No, Gardiner certainly isn’t a perfect player, but it’s extremely surprising to see him last this long into the offseason without a contact.

  • The Washington Capitals have hired Scott Allen as an assistant coach for their AHL affiliate, adding some more experience to the Hershey Bears bench. Allen has serves as an NHL assistant for the last three years, most recently with the Arizona Coyotes. The former minor league forward actually started his coaching career with the Johnstown Chiefs of the ECHL more than two decades ago.
  • The Philadelphia Flyers may have an franchise-changing netminder on their hands in Carter Hart, but the team isn’t going to just hand him the starting job this season. As Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes, Hart will have to compete with Brian Elliott for that job in training camp and earn his spot at the top of the depth chart. While it seems unlikely that Elliott could really take the full-time starter role, it does suggest that perhaps he won’t be left completely out in the cold. If a healthy Elliott can regain any of the form that he had in St. Louis a few years ago the Flyers could have one of the best tandems in the league on their hands. The 21-year old Hart already showed how capable he was at this level with a .917 save percentage in 31 games as a rookie.

NHL Formally Declines CBA Opt-Out Clause

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The NHL has notified the NHLPA that they will not be using their opt-out clause to reopen the current CBA early according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The agreement currently runs until September, 2022 but both sides had the ability to end it two years early. The NHL has decided not to do so, but the NHLPA has until September 15th to inform the league of their decision. Friedman does suggest however that the two sides could extend that deadline further depending on how talks go in the next few weeks. The NHLPA Executive Committee is scheduled to meet next week in Chicago. From commissioner Gary Bettman:

Based on the current state of the game and the business of the game, the NHL believes it is essential to continue building upon the momentum we have created with our Players and, therefore, will not exercise its option to reopen the CBA. Rather, we are prepared to have the current CBA remain in effect for its full term – three more seasons through the conclusion of the 2021-22 season.

It is our hope that a continues, sustained period of labor peace will enable us to further grow the game and benefit all constituent groups: NHL Players, Clubs, our business partners and, most important, our fans.

In any CBA, the parties can always identify issues they are unhappy with and would like to see changed. This is certainly true from the League’s standpoint. However, our analysis makes clear that the benefits of continuing to operate under the terms of the current CBA – while working with the Players’ Association to address our respective concerns – far outweigh the disruptive consequences of terminating it following the upcoming season.

Though this by no means certifies labor peace between the two sides, it could still be considered a positive development. At least one side is happy to continue with the current CBA, though that does not guarantee that the NHLPA will feel the same. Speculation has continued that the biggest sticking points between the two sides are rising escrow levels, international involvement and contract structuring.

If the players’ union decides not to re-open negotiations early and does not extend the deadline, it would mean that there would not be a work stoppage for at least the next three seasons. That would allow the two sides to move forward with plans on a potential World Cup of Hockey in 2021 and mean a smooth transition into the league for the Seattle expansion franchise.

Submit Your Questions For The #PHRMailbag

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The NHL offseason is almost over and preseason games are just a few weeks away. Even so, the restricted free agent market has yet to thaw and there are still unsigned free agent names out there like Jake Gardiner and Ben Hutton. It seems unlikely that these situations will continue through September, but neither show any signs of change in the coming days.

With the offseason moving at a snail’s pace it’s time to run another edition of our mailbag. You can submit your query by using #PHRMailbag on Twitter or by leaving a comment down below. Make sure you get your questions in early and we’ll try to get through as many as possible when the mailbag runs on the weekend.

If you missed our last edition it was split into two parts you can read here and here. In the first, Brian tackled questions regarding Kevin Shattenkirk’s fit in Tampa Bay, the early extension of Samuel Girard in Colorado and predicted what contracts the top restricted free agents would eventually get. The second part took a look at the possible next moves for the New York Rangers, David Backes’ future in Boston and speculated on some trade candidates that may be brought up in the future.

Washington Capitals Will “Probably” Make Trade Before Season Begins

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The Washington Capitals currently project to be only slightly over the $81.5MM salary cap with a 23-man roster, meaning they could place a couple of players on waivers before the start of the season to become compliant. The team has been right up against the cap ceiling for a few years and have been forced to carry fewer than the maximum 23 players for various stretches. That might not be the answer this time around though, as GM Brian MacLellan explained to Tom Gulitti of NHL.com:

I think we’ll probably have to move someone. Injuries and all the stuff that happens in training camp and exhibition season probably dictates it a little bit, but we’re going to be patient. We’re not in a rush. We’ll wait and let it play itself out.

When MacLellan says “move someone,” he means a trade that would open up some cap space for the Capitals, though it’s not clear who he is considering at this time. The team had to watch Brett Connolly leave as an unrestricted free agent this summer after he priced himself out of their market with a 22-goal season, but brought in names like Richard Panik, Brendan Leipsic and Garnet Hathaway to provide some more bottom-six depth. The team also traded away Andre Burakovsky since his $3MM qualifying offer was going to be too expensive for them, which leaves few obvious choices as players to trade after training camp.

After scoring just 13 goals last season some may point to Lars Eller and his $3.5MM cap hit for the next four years as a candidate to move, but the Capitals have relied heavily on the center to support the more offensive play styles of Nicklas Backstrom and Evgeny Kuznetsov. Depth down the middle has been a strength for the Capitals over the last several seasons, and moving Eller would open up quite a few questions heading into the season.

Perhaps a move from defense could be made, if the team believes that Christian Djoos and Jonas Siegenthaler can both play full-time roles on the blueline this season and contribute more than they have. Radko Gudas was acquired in a previous trade but has just one year remaining on his current deal. That deal costs the Capitals just $2.345MM against the cap however after the Philadelphia Flyers agreed to retain a portion of it, making Gudas very reasonably priced for the impact he can make.

That may be why MacLellan is preaching patience when it comes to the trade, not sure himself who he would move if he was forced into it. We’ll have to wait and see what happens in training camp for the Capitals, and whether or not it does “play itself out.”

Minor Transactions: 08/30/19

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Many prominent free agents restricted and unrestricted, remain unsigned, but the NHL markets largely remain relatively quiet. However, minor league teams, foreign clubs, and college programs continue to make make moves in preparation for the coming season. Keep up with all of those minor transactions here:

  • The San Diego Gulls are bringing back Scott Moldenhauer on another AHL contract for the 2019-20 season. The 25-year old made his professional debut last season after four years at Western Michigan University, where he served as captain during his senior season. The 6’4″ defenseman had one point in 14 games with the Gulls but was a much more effective presence in the ECHL with the Tulsa Oilers.
  • Former NHL goaltender Barry Brust is still plying his trade overseas, and this year has signed back with Slovakian club HC Slovan Bratislava who are no longer part of the KHL. The 36-year old Brust was originally selected in the third round by Minnesota back in 2002 and played 11 games with the Los Angeles Kings. Brust has played in the DEL, KHL and NLA over the last several years,

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Philadelphia Flyers

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Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM. Teams that can avert total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2019-20 season. This will focus more on those players who are integral parts of the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.

Philadelphia Flyers

Current Cap Hit: $68,082,579 (under the $81.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

G Carter Hart (two years, $731K)
F Oskar Lindblom (one year, $925K)
D Philippe Myers (one year, $679K)
F Nolan Patrick (one year, $925K)

Potential Bonuses:

Hart: $132.5K
Lindblom: $212.5K
Patrick: $2.65MM

Patrick was considered the top prospect of the 2017 draft class for most of that season before ultimately going second overall.  His sophomore year largely mirrored his rookie campaign which was okay but not quite up to the expectations of someone going that high.  He’s likely going to spend a lot of time on the third line again in 2019-20 which makes him a good candidate for a short-term second contract instead of the long-term pact many top picks get.  Lindblom quietly put up 17 goals last season despite not averaging 14 minutes per night with most of those coming at even strength.  If he can get to the 20-goal mark, he could jump into the $2.5MM or more range on a short-term pact next summer.

Myers has been a nice find as an undrafted free agent and got his first NHL action last season.  He has the skill set to be a regular which is why he’s mentioned here but it’s also possible that his waiver exemption will work against him and he’ll find himself in Lehigh Valley again.  On the surface, a bridge deal is probably on the horizon for him.

Hart could be the legitimate starting goaltender that the Flyers have been coveting for a long time.  He didn’t look out of place in his first NHL action last season and the starting job is his to run with.  If he plays 50 or more games in each of the next two years, he could increase his salary tenfold with a long-term deal.  There is a lot of pressure on his shoulders already.

One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level

D Justin Braun ($3.8MM, UFA)
G Brian Elliott ($2MM, UFA)
D Robert Hagg ($1.15MM, RFA)

Braun was brought in to help stabilize the back end and eat some minutes which is something he should be able to do.  While he hasn’t been a big point producer over the years, he has logged at least 20 minutes a night in six straight seasons.  That will garner some interest on the open market but because of the limited offensive upside and age (32), his next contract shouldn’t cost much more than this one.  Hagg was a regular last season, providing plenty of physicality from the third pairing.  However, with their moves this summer, he’s someone that probably won’t be seeing his role increase much.  He’s already on his bridge deal but it’d be tough to see either side want to commit to a long-term pact next summer if this winds up happening.

Elliott isn’t the number one netminder anymore but he’s a good fit for the veteran mentor role that can take a bigger workload if needed.  For him, simply staying healthy is the biggest challenge.  That will ultimately determine if he can get a multi-year deal and a raise as a 35-plus player next summer or if he’ll be going year-to-year from here on out.

Two Years Remaining

F Scott Laughton ($2.3MM, UFA)
D Samuel Morin ($700K, RFA)
D Matt Niskanen ($5.75MM, UFA)
F Michael Raffl ($1.6MM, UFA)
D Travis Sanheim ($3.25MM, RFA)

Laughton made the most of his extra ice time last season to reach a new career-high in points (32).  However, there may not be a lot of offensive progression left (especially with their depth down the middle) which will limit his earning upside.  Third line pivots that can win draws at an above-average rate like he does will still be coveted two years from now but a big raise probably isn’t in his future.  Instead, he’ll probably have to settle for a small increase.  Raffl wasn’t able to get even that as he took more than a 30% pay cut to stay with the Flyers.  He’s pegged to be a depth winger once again which means he’s probably looking at another cut two years from now.

Sanheim’s first full NHL season was a strong one as he established himself as a core piece for the long-term.  However, GM Chuck Fletcher opted to go for a bridge contract back in June, presumably to free up some funds for their other acquisitions as well as the players that still need new deals.  It will cost a lot more to sign him two summers from now though, especially with arbitration rights.  Niskanen’s acquisition was a little puzzling given that his offensive output has dipped in recent years which makes his deal a bit expensive.  (And they retained salary on the player going the other way.)  However, the Flyers believe he can rebound and, like Braun, log some heavy minutes.  That said, his next deal won’t come close to this one.  Morin missed most of last season with a knee injury, one that the team knew about when they gave him this contract.  However, the 24-year-old gets to benefit from some extra security, albeit at a league-minimum rate.  He’ll push to hold down a full-time spot on the roster and is waiver-eligible; how he fares in accomplishing that role will go a long way towards determining his next contract.

Three Years Remaining

F Sean Couturier ($4.33MM, UFA)
F Claude Giroux ($8.275MM, UFA)

Two years ago, Giroux was struggling and his deal looked like a big overpayment.  However, a simple position change to the wing proved to be the remedy as he put up 102 points in 2017-18 and followed that up with 85 last season.  That’s a pretty good return on their biggest contract and if he can maintain that level of production, he could still have one sizable payday left.  Couturier has also gone from an underachiever two years ago to a top-line center that’s making what some third line pivots make.  He could be looking at doubling his current AAV three years from now as things stand.

Four Or More Years Remaining

D Shayne Gostisbehere ($4.5MM through 2023-24)
F Kevin Hayes ($7.143MM through 2025-26)
F James van Riemsdyk ($7MM through 2023-24)
F Jakub Voracek ($8.25MM through 2024-25)

While Voracek has had one big season, it’s safe to say that Philadelphia hasn’t got quite the bang for their buck when they signed him back in 2015.  Since then, he has surpassed the 70-point mark only once and has averaged 61 points per season in the other three years.  That’s not a terrible output by any stretch but for someone that was made one of the higher-paid wingers in the league at the time, it’s fair to say he has underachieved a little bit.  With five years left and a deal that is a little bit buyout-prohibitive given the signing bonus structure, this is one that could sting in a few years.

Hayes is coming off a career year offensively but it was also the first time that he had at least 50 points in a season which makes this deal carry some risk.  He’s a good fit between Couturier on the top line and Patrick on the third for now but when Patrick eventually moves up, he’ll either become an expensive winger or a high-priced bottom six option.  The acquisition will certainly help them a lot in the near future but there should be concerns about the long-term with this one as well.  Van Riemsdyk’s deal was considered to be a bit of an overpay last summer but at the same time, it came with less term than many expected so the trade-off is reasonable.  Injuries prevented him from getting back to the 30-goal mark, a target he’ll need to reach for this one to not be considered a bad contract as well.

Gostisbehere is coming off a tough year offensively, relatively speaking.  37 points is still pretty good but it’s well off the 65 he had the year before.  As a result, he has been in trade speculation this offseason but they’d be selling low if they moved him now.  His deal is also still one of the better bargains on the roster as a top-four defender that’s capable of putting up points would cost a lot more on the open market.

Buyouts

G Ilya Bryzgalov ($1.643MM through 2026-27, cap-exempt as a post-CBA compliance buyout)
D Andrew MacDonald ($1.167MM in 2019-20, $1.917MM in 2020-21)
D David Schlemko ($900K in 2019-20, $600K in 2020-21)

Retained Salary Transactions

D Radko Gudas ($1.005MM in 2019-20)

Still To Sign

F Travis Konecny
D Ivan Provorov

Konecny didn’t have a big jump in production last season but hit 24 goals for the second straight year which certainly helps his case.  Recent speculation has his price tag in the $4MM range but that would likely be for a shorter-term pact.

As for Provorov, his 2018-19 campaign was one to forget.  While he logged over 25 minutes a night, his effectiveness dropped as did his output.  As a result, instead of being a lock for a long-term contract, a bridge deal is looking like the likeliest outcome with something in the $5MM range being floated as a potential price point.

Best Value: Couturier
Worst Value: Hayes

Looking Ahead

While the Flyers have lots of cap space now, that will change once Konecny and Provorov sign although they should still have some wiggle room for in-season moves.  That’s not likely to be the case for long though.  Their young core players are all on shorter-term deals (or soon will be) and while that gives them flexibility now, it will hurt them later.  That will be happening at the time where some of the players on long-term contracts will likely start to decline as well.  Rough times will be on the horizon but that’s just par for the course for a team that not that long ago was basically right against the Upper Limit on a seemingly annual basis.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Snapshots: Canadiens, Valimaki, Fiala

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While Montreal’s attempt to sign Carolina center Sebastian Aho through an offer sheet drew some headlines, they have largely been quiet beyond that.  However, head coach Claude Julien suggested that the Canadiens may not yet have their roster for the upcoming season settled.  Speaking with reporters including Sportsnet’s Eric Engels (Twitter link), Julien indicated that there are still some things being discussed and accordingly, he didn’t want to assess the state of the roster at this time.  Montreal is likely to have $6MM or more in cap room once they get down to a 23-man roster in training camp which gives them lots of flexibility to work with in that regard although, with 48 contracts on the books already out of the max of 50, they may want to clear a contract out at the same time they try to bring someone in.

Elsewhere around the league:

  • While it was announced nearly three weeks ago that Flames defenseman Juuso Valimaki tore his ACL in offseason training and needed surgery, Postmedia’s Kristen Anderson notes that the procedure has yet to happen. Instead, it appears as if it’s still a few weeks away from happening.  Considering the swelling that can often accompany this type of injury, the delay is certainly understandable but at the same time, knowing the recovery period is usually at least six months, it’s increasing the likelihood that the 20-year-old will miss the entire season.  Calgary has brought Andrew MacDonald in on a PTO for camp but it wouldn’t be surprising if they look to make another move to bring in a replacement.
  • While new Minnesota GM Bill Guerin wasted little time getting a restricted free agent officially signed with center Joel Eriksson Ek, don’t expect a quick resolution on their other NHL RFA. Guerin told Michael Russo of The Athletic (Twitter link) that it’s merely status quo on talks regarding winger Kevin Fiala.  Former Wild GM Paul Fenton paid a high price tag in forward Mikael Granlund to bring him in at the trade deadline with the hopes that he’d break out but it didn’t happen.  Instead, he finished with 39 points in 83 games, a drop of nine points from the prior year.  On the surface, he makes sense as a potential bridge deal candidate, especially as training camp gets closer.

2007 NHL Draft Take Two: Twelfth Overall Pick

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Hindsight is an amazing thing, and allows us to look back and wonder “what could have been.”  Though perfection is attempted, scouting and draft selection is far from an exact science and sometimes, it doesn’t work out the way teams – or players – intended.  For every Patrick Kane, there is a Patrik Stefan.

We’re looking back at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft and asking how it would shake out knowing what we do now.  Will the first round remain the same, or will some late-round picks jump up to the top of the board?

Here are the results of the redraft so far, with their original draft position in parentheses:

1st Overall: Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks (1)
2nd Overall: Jamie Benn, Philadelphia Flyers (129)
3rd Overall: P.K. Subban, Phoenix Coyotes (43)
4th Overall: Logan Couture, Los Angeles Kings (9)
5th Overall: Max Pacioretty, Washington Capitals (22)
6th Overall: Jakub Voracek, Edmonton Oilers (7)
7th Overall: Ryan McDonagh, Columbus Blue Jackets (12)
8th Overall: James van Riemsdyk, Boston Bruins (2)
9th Overall: Wayne Simmonds, San Jose Sharks (61)
10th Overall: Kevin Shattenkirk, Florida Panthers (14)
11th Overall: Jake Muzzin, Carolina Hurricanes (141)

It’s hard to eclipse Benn’s 127-spot jump in our redraft series, but Muzzin has done just that. Rising an amazing 130 selections, the Woodstock, Ontario defenseman has certainly put together quite the career for himself so far. Every team passed on Muzzin before the Pittsburgh Penguins eventually snapped him up in the fifth round, and it’s easy to see why. In 2007 Muzzin was coming off just one half-season of play in the Ontario Hockey League after suffering a herniated disc as a 16-year old and missing an entire year of hockey thanks to surgery. Scoring just eight points in 50 games that season for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, he wasn’t even listed on the NHL Central Scouting’s list of top draft eligible players from North America—a list that includes 200 names.

The Penguins saw something though in order to draft him, but it would never actually pay off for them. Muzzin would never sign with the Penguins and instead returned for three more full seasons with the Greyhounds. That’s where he learned to become an ultra-efficient puck-moving defenseman even without any real standout skills. His decision making and size allowed him to play in basically every situation however and he eventually would earn the OHL Most Outstanding Defenseman award in 2010. That 2009-10 season was enough to catch the eye of the Los Angeles Kings organization who signed him in January 2010 to an entry-level contract.

It still wasn’t a totally smooth road for Muzzin with the Kings, but within three years he had established himself as a full-time NHL player. His second full season in the NHL the Kings would win the Stanley Cup and Muzzin would lead all defensemen in playoff goals with six. Muzzin would remain a rock solid option for the Kings for several more seasons and represent Canada by winning gold at both the World Championships and World Cup—his first two international competitions.

At the deadline last season the Toronto Maple Leafs paid a hefty price to acquire the now-veteran defenseman, and he’ll suit up again for them this season on the final year of his contract. Muzzin ranks fourth among defensemen from the 2007 draft with 229 points and certainly deserves his place in the first half of the first round.

You can bet that Montreal would have been happy picking Muzzin 12th the way his career turned out, but back in 2007 they made an even better pick. Ryan McDonagh, who came in at pick number seven in our redraft originally went to the Canadiens, in one of the best draft classes we’ve seen in some time. McDonagh would never actually pull on the bleu blanc et rouge, but went on to have an excellent career with the New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning so far.

Unfortunately for Montreal, McDonagh isn’t available this time around. There’s still plenty of talent on the board, but who should they pick?

With the twelfth pick of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, who should the Montreal Canadiens select?  Cast your vote below!

[Mobile users click here to vote]

*Tragically, 17th overall pick Alexei Cherepanov died at the age of 19 and would never get a chance to suit up in the NHL. He has not been included in this vote.

Latest On Jesse Puljujarvi’s NHL Future

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When Jesse Puljujarvi recently signed a one-year deal in Finland, Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland was quick to clarify that it didn’t change the young forward’s situation much. The Oilers still would not be forced into a trade that didn’t bring back substantial value, and reports surfaced that the team was looking for a draft pick and prospect in exchange for the 2016 fourth overall pick. Last night Elliotte Friedman joined the NHL Network to give his thoughts on the situation, including a couple of teams that may be interested in acquiring Puljujarvi:

I think two of the teams that [the Oilers] have had a lot of conversations with are Tampa Bay and Carolina. I think Carolina is willing to give them one of their prospects, maybe a guy like [Julian] Gauthier, but they’re not so interested in doing the pick. I think Tampa Bay they have kind of flirted with back and forth. I think they kind of know which Tampa prospects they might be able to get, but I think again it’s a combination of finding the exact group of two things they want–a pick plus the prospect.

Friedman goes on to explain that he believes there has been interest from other Canadian teams but that Puljujarvi would rather go somewhere “a little quieter” in the USA. Tampa Bay and Carolina both represent smaller markets than some of the big Canadian cities, but there’s certainly no guarantee he would be out of the spotlight given that both teams are expecting to contend for the Stanley Cup this season after their performances in 2018-19.

Carolina does have a huge number of young prospects that they could dangle in front of Holland and have several Finnish connections on the roster already. The team has also been looking for offensive contributors for some time and may believe they can turn Puljujarvi’s career around and turn him into the dominant power forward he was expected to become. Still, with more than enough forwards to round out the roster already after the acquisitions of Ryan Dzingel and Erik Haula this summer, there may not be enough room to give Puljujarvi that top-six opportunity he is looking for.

In Tampa Bay, that kind of opportunity is even less likely. The Lightning have one of the deepest forward groups in the NHL and enjoy a rock solid top-six that would leave little room for Puljujarvi on the powerplay. The team recently added Patrick Maroon to the mix up front and also have salary concerns given Brayden Point’s continuing negotiations. Puljujarvi is still a restricted free agent and will need a new contract wherever he ends up, if in fact he returns to the NHL this season.

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