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Archives for January 2020

Snapshots: Williams, Granlund, Cousins

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When Justin Williams decided to go back to the Carolina Hurricanes after his semi-retirement, it was on a minimum salary of $700K (prorated for the rest of the season). That deal comes with plenty of potential performance bonuses however, and Chris Johnston of Sportsnet broke them down today. Williams can earn:

  • $150K for 10 games played
  • $100K for 20 games played
  • $250K if team makes the playoffs
  • $100K for each round team wins in round 1-3
  • $250K if team wins the Stanley Cup
  • $250K if Williams wins the Conn Smythe

Those bonuses are cumulative, meaning Williams could earn an extra $1.3MM if things go (extremely) well. Not a bad payday for a player who hasn’t seen any action since last spring when the Hurricanes lost in the Eastern Conference Finals.

  • Though Mikael Granlund wasn’t included in Craig Custance’s trade board today for The Athletic, colleague Adam Vingan was quick to point out on Twitter that the forward has not had any contract negotiations with the Nashville Predators yet. Granlund is in the final season of a three-year, $17.25MM deal signed when he was still with the Minnesota Wild, and will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
  • While the Department of Player Safety considers the punishment for Ryan Lindgren, they’ve handed out a $2,688.17 fine (the maximum allowable amount) to Nick Cousins for his boarding incident last night. The Montreal Canadiens forward pushed Detroit Red Wings defenseman Mike Green from behind and sent him hard into the boards. Though he won’t be suspended for the incident, Cousins will see harsher punishments in the future thanks to the fine.

Minor Transactions: 01/08/20

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After an interesting night of NHL hockey, the league is back with three games this evening including the Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers in a Metropolitan battle. The Flyers are in fifth place in the division but still within striking distance of the top three. As they and the rest of the league prepare, we’ll keep track of the minor moves right here:

  • Joachim Blichfeld has been returned to the minor leagues by the San Jose Sharks after failing to get into a game during this call-up. Blichfeld has just two NHL games under his belt at this point, and needs to keep playing to continue his development.
  • The Philadelphia Flyers have decided to call up Mark Friedman, sending Andy Andreoff back to the minors in the process. Friedman, 24, made his NHL debut last season and has ten points in 28 games for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms this year.
  • Barrett Hayton has been officially added back to the Arizona Coyotes roster after winning gold at the World Juniors. Hayton suffered a shoulder injury during the tournament, but played through it and scored the tying goal for Canada in the final.
  • With Robin Lehner ready to return to action for the Chicago Blackhawks, Kevin Lankinen has been returned to the minor leagues. Lankinen didn’t get any NHL action in his recent call-up, but did get a little extra money and some experience from being up at the highest level.

Stephen Johns Sent On AHL Conditioning Stint

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After missing the entire 2018-19 season and everything so far in 2019-20, Stephen Johns is ready to get back on the ice. The Dallas Stars defenseman has been loaned to the AHL’s Texas Stars on a conditioning assignment. The last professional game Johns played was on March 29th, 2018. He has been out with post-traumatic headaches for the last year and a half.

Johns, 27, was the other piece that came to Dallas alongside Patrick Sharp in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2015, before he had ever played in the NHL. After being selected 60th overall by the Blackhawks in 2010, Johns had spent four years at Notre Dame and then a full season in the minor leagues. Though he had found success at both stops, there was no guarantee he would ever really become a regular at the NHL level. That quickly changed however, as Johns made his NHL debut the next season for Dallas and would work his way into the lineup on a nightly basis soon after that (even if injuries did help open some opportunities along the way). Between 2016-17 and 2017-18 he played in 136 games for the Stars, registering 25 points.

It wasn’t offense that stood out when watching Johns however. His 6’4″ frame could move well around the ice and he was absolutely fearless when engaging physically or blocking shots. In 2017-18 he easily led Dallas in hits and blocks, despite averaging just over 17 minutes a night. Add that to the fact that he is right-handed and has a little more skill with the puck than many give him credit for, and he becomes an intriguing package that any team could use on the back end.

There’s no clear timeline for his return to the NHL, but it is great to see Johns getting back into some game action. Hopefully he’ll be able to return to Dallas before long.

Morning Notes: Trade Bait, Lindgren, Frolik

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As we head into the middle of January, trade winds around the league are starting to blow. Teams are beginning to understand where exactly they fit into the league power structure and making decision on who to keep and who to sell. With that, Craig Custance of The Athletic (subscription required) broke down 27 players he believes could be on the market, including Chris Kreider who tops the list as the “top rental forward available.”

Custance suggests that Kreider could bring back a similar package to the one Kevin Hayes was traded for last season, which brought a first-round pick, Brendan Lemieux and a conditional fourth. The second name on his board, Tyler Toffoli, comes with a much more reasonable price tag. In all, the list includes several obvious names and many more that may come as a surprise.

  • Ryan Lindgren had to face the music after laying a huge hit on Colorado Avalanche forward Joonas Donskoi last night, as Nazem Kadri confronted him and decided to punch him in the face a few times. The New York Rangers defenseman left the game and will get some insult added to that injury, as he has a hearing with the Department of Player Safety today and is likely looking at a suspension.
  • Michael Frolik has joined the Buffalo Sabres after dealing with his immigration issues, and is expected to practice with the group today. The newly acquired forward will likely be asked to step into an important role right away given the team’s scoring struggles this season and Victor Olofsson’s recent injury. Jeff Skinner, who was signed to an eight-year, $72MM contract in June has just 11 goals and 19 points in 39 games.

Hurricanes Sign Justin Williams To A One-Year Contract

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There had been plenty of speculation in recent days that the Hurricanes and Justin Williams were closing in on a deal but it’s now official.  The team announced that they’ve signed the winger to a one-year contract.  He will receive a base salary of the league minimum $700K (pro-rated) plus up to $1.3MM in potential performance bonuses based on individual and team play both in the regular season and playoffs.

GM Don Waddell released the following statement on the signing:

We’ve been in frequent contact with Justin over the last few months regarding his status. We’re thrilled that he has decided to return to playing, and we’re confident that adding him to our group will help us both on and off the ice.

The 38-year-old served as Carolina’s captain last season before “taking a break” from the game back in early September before training camps open.  However, he continued to skate and was believed to have increased his training in recent days with talks intensifying towards a new contract.

Williams was rather productive for the Hurricanes a year ago when he collected 23 goals and 30 assists while playing in all 82 regular season games; his 53 points were good enough to rank third on the team in scoring.  While it would be unreasonable to expect him to come in and produce at a similar rate down the stretch this season, he should still be able to be a useful secondary scorer on a team that is already in the top ten in goals scored.

For his career, Williams has 312 goals and 474 assists in 1,244 games between four teams.  His 786 points have him in the top 200 in all-time NHL scoring.

The structure of the contract, though a little odd, isn’t much of a surprise.  As a result of the Patrick Marleau acquisition and buyout back in June, the Hurricanes are carrying his full $6.25MM deal on the books this season.  Add to that the summer signings of winger Ryan Dzingel and defenseman Jake Gardiner (who combine for a $7.425MM price tag) and Carolina is a team that’s relatively tight to the cap.  Structuring the deal to be bonus-laden minimizes the potential cap effects this season while also not taking too much away from their current cap room.  If the bonuses ultimately push them over the Upper Limit, the overage penalty would be applied in 2020-21 when Marleau’s deal is off the books and they have more flexibility to absorb it.

Considering that he hasn’t played all season, it will be interesting to see if Williams jumps in right away for their next game on Friday against Arizona or if he will need some more time to get into playing shape.  Either way, what has already been a pretty deep attack this season just got deeper.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Injury Notes: Klingberg, Kupari, Ducks

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The Dallas Stars buried the lede on Tuesday night, announcing that they had recalled defenseman Joel Hanley from AHL Texas. The reason behind the move was far more important, as the team has placed top defenseman John Klingberg on injured reserve. Klingberg has not played since the Winter Classic, considered day-to-day with a nagging lower-body injury. His IR placement is in fact retroactive to January 1, meaning he could return to action as early as Friday. However, there is no time frame for Klingberg’s return and Hanley’s promotion ahead of a four-game road trip for the Stars suggests that the valuable defender could remain sidelined for a while still to come.

  • Los Angeles Kings prospect Rasmus Kupari had not made his NHL debut prior to being loaned to Team Finlnd for the recent World Junior Championship tournament and now it is certain that he will not make that debut at all this year, his first in North America. Kupari was knocked out of the WJC with an injury and the Kings announced today that he suffered a torn ACL in his right knee. The 2018 first-round pick will undergo surgery later this month and will miss the remainder of the season. The greater concern now is ensuring that Kupari is as close to full strength as possible before next season so as not to slow the development of a player that has already had his issues adjusting to the pro game.
  • The Anaheim Ducks are one of the more banged-up teams in the NHL, but things are looking up. The team issued an update on multiple injured players, including announcing a return to the lineup for core contributor Rickard Rakell, who has been out for two weeks. Perhaps the biggest news though is that young forward Troy Terry, expected to miss ten weeks with a broken bone in his knee suffered in mid-December, has instead been cleared to play after just four weeks and is considered day-to-day. Defenseman Korbinian Holzer has also been cleared to return, although not in Tuesday night’s lineup, while forwards Derek Grant and Nick Ritchie have been cleared to skate and are expected to return after the All-Star break. Perhaps a Ducks team at full health can turn around the team’s 14th-ranked record in the Western Conference.

Latest On Justin Williams

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8:00pm: Williams was in attendance at PNC Arena on Tuesday night and it seems he was doing more than just taking in the Hurricanes-Flyers game. LeBrun reports that Williams has tentatively agreed on a contract with Carolina, with an official signing and announcement likely to arrive on Wednesday.

4:20pm: Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic tweets that the Toronto Maple Leafs also “made a pitch” to Williams this week, while confirming Boston’s interest.

1:35pm: Last night, while the the hockey world was focused on Connor McDavid’s wizardry and Peter Laviolette’s unemployment, John Shannon of Sportsnet provided an update on the situation involving Justin Williams and Carolina Hurricanes. There have been various reports over the last few weeks that suggested Williams’ semi-retirement could be coming to an end, but nothing has yet been finalized with the league.

Shannon tweets that the Hurricanes made a final offer to Williams yesterday to return to the team for the rest of the season, but also notes that if the veteran forward doesn’t sign in Carolina, the Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals and Tampa Bay Lightning will “try and sign” him.

Luke DeCock of the Raleigh News & Observer however reported this afternoon that negotiations between the Hurricanes and Williams are ongoing, with the team “pushing for resolution in next 24 hours.”

Whatever that resolution is, there’s no guarantee that Williams will even be much help to an NHL team this season. The 38-year old forward has always come up big in important games, earning him the nickname “Mr. Game 7” but now hasn’t played any meaningful hockey in nearly eight months. Who knows how long it would take him to get up to speed, even if he was an effective option for the club last season.

In 82 contests during the 2018-19 campaign, the eighth consecutive season he has missed two or fewer games, Williams recorded 23 goals and 53 points. That included five game-winners to take his career total to 42 in the regular season (50 overall).

Kris Letang, Tristan Jarry Named To Metropolitan All-Star Team

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The NHL’s 2020 All-Star roster announcement on December 30th was poor timing when it came to the Metropolitan Division squad. The following day, it was announced that Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Joonas Korpisalo had undergone surgery on his right knee following an injury in his previous game and would require a four-to-six week recovery period, all but ruling him out for All-Star festivities. Within hours, it was reported that his would be All-Star teammate, Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jake Guentzel, would require surgery on his shoulder for an injury that he too had just suffered in his last game would miss four-to-six months. Neither player would be available in St. Louis and the Metropolitan team would need replacements.

With Guentzel out, the Pittsburgh Penguins – who have missed more man-games than any team in the NHL this season – were without an All-Star representative. The NHL has now rectified that situation. The league has announced that breakout goaltender Tristan Jarry and veteran defenseman Kris Letang have been named the substitutes for Guentzel and Korpisalo at the All-Star Game and Skills Competition.

Jarry, who made just two NHL appearances last year and has less than 50 games to his credit through five pro seasons, is nevertheless worthy of an All-Star nod in recognition of his play this season. Jarry has been dominant by any measure through 20 games with the Penguins, to the point that he has supplanted incumbent Matt Murray as the team’s starter. At this point in time, Jarry holds the league’s best numbers across the board with a .935 save percentage, a stunning 1.99 GAA, and three shutouts to boot. Jarry looks to be developing into the real deal and this may end up being the first of many All-Star appearances for the young netminder.

Letang, a five-time All-Star, is a good choice for recognition any year, but has really stepped up offensively in the wake of many injuries for the Penguins, including long absences for both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Letang is on pace for a career-high 22 goals to go along with 57 points, despite the fact that he too missed eight games due to injury. Letang is as dynamic a talent on the back end as any defenseman in the league and will be a major asset for the Metropolitan squad in both skills contests and 3-on-3.

Montreal Canadiens, Nashville Predators Make Minor Swap

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Laurent Dauphin is on the move again, but this time it is much closer to home. The Nashville Predators forward has been traded to the Montreal Canadiens, the fourth trade of his young career. Dauphin is on a one-year two-way contract, signed last February with the Predators after they acquired him from the Arizona Coyotes. The Predators will receive Michael McCarron in return.

Originally selected by the Coyotes in the second round in 2013, Dauphin was first dealt to the Chicago Blackhawks as part of the Niklas Hjalmarsson trade. Then, just seven months later, he was sent back to Arizona as part of a swap that saw Richard Panik and Anthony Duclair switch teams. Through all of that he has only ever played in the NHL for the Coyotes, suiting up for 35 total games over parts of four seasons.

That lack of experience, plus the fact that Dauphin will turn 25 in March, likely means he’s ticketed for assignment to the Laval Rocket. He cleared waivers before the season began and can be sent directly to the AHL, where he’ll give the team another option at forward.

They’ll need it as the Canadiens organization finally moves on from McCarron after several years of frustration. The 25th overall pick in 2013, McCarron never did grow into an NHL talent even though his 6’6″ frame suggested he would be able to hold down a fourth line role at least. In 69 NHL contests he’s recorded just eight points but 110 penalty minutes, not exactly an ideal mix in today’s league.

Both players will see their contracts expire at the end of the year, and will actually become Group VI unrestricted free agents (unless McCarron finds a regular role in Nashville’s lineup). At this point, a deal of this nature is just a fresh start and a new fit.

Vancouver Canucks Promote Chris Gear

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The Vancouver Canucks have decided to promote Chris Gear to assistant general manager and chief legal officer. The 47-year old executive has spent the last four seasons serving in their hockey operations department, after five years as the Canucks Sports & Entertainment general counsel.

GM Jim Benning released a short statement:

We’re fortunate to have a very talented and experienced Hockey Operations staff. Chris Gear has made a significant contribution to our Hockey Operations executive over four years and we’re pleased to recognize his efforts and have him continue to provide his experience and support.

Gear will work closely with the rest of the hockey operations staff in the day to day management of the team, as well as the AHL’s Utica Comets. John Weisbrod is the other assistant general manager under Benning.

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