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Archives for August 2020

Offseason Keys: Chicago Blackhawks

August 31, 2020 at 9:00 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 4 Comments

As teams are eliminated from the playoffs, it means that the offseason has arrived for several more squads.  Having covered the teams that weren’t a part of the NHL’s return and the ones ousted in the Qualifying Round, we shift our focus to the ones that were eliminated in the official first round.  Next up is a look at Chicago.

The regular season wasn’t kind to the Blackhawks as when the pandemic hit, they were well out of playoff contention and had already traded their starting goalie to Vegas.  However, they were among the teams invited back in the NHL’s Return to Play and they made their presence felt as they eliminated Edmonton before falling to the Golden Knights with Robin Lehner between the pipes.  While Chicago now has some momentum off what was shaping up to be a tough year, GM Stan Bowman has some work to do this offseason.

Free Up Cap Space

Over the last couple of years, Chicago was able to get out from under their perpetual salary cap concerns.  The flattening of next year’s Upper Limit will put them right back into that familiar refrain of cap difficulty, especially since they won’t have the LTIR of Brent Seabrook and Andrew Shaw to rely on as both plan to be ready to return next season.

With those two on the roster, the Blackhawks have more than $74MM in commitments for next season and a lingering bonus overage penalty of more than $877K which can either be taken in full in 2020-21 or split evenly over the next two years.  Out of that remaining cap space, they have three regular forwards in need of new deals including a Calder candidate while neither of the goalies they had to finish the year is under contract.  (More on those two situations shortly.)  Clearly, something has to give.

One of the speculated options would be to use a buyout or two.  Forward Zack Smith, a healthy scratch at times during the year, seems like a logical candidate with a $3.25MM price tag but a back issue at the end of the season could complicate things if he isn’t cleared by the offseason.

On the trade front, defenseman Olli Maatta had a quiet year (though he did better in the playoffs) and isn’t quite living up to his $4.083MM AAV.  Calvin de Haan ($4.55MM) is also pricey and is coming off an injury-plagued year which won’t help his trade value.  Connor Murphy ($3.85MM) is less likely to be moved but may have a bit more value.  With Seabrook and Duncan Keith ($5.538MM) on the books and not being moved, trimming from their veteran rearguards to save some cap space is a logical place to look but other options will have to be considered as well.

One way or another, the Blackhawks are back in familiar territory where they will have to trim from their roster to keep the rest of it intact.  Until that happens, they’ll be limited with what they can do this offseason.

Re-Sign Or Replace Crawford

When Chicago traded Lehner to Vegas, it opened up the starting role to once again be filled by Corey Crawford and he held his own down the stretch and in the playoffs.  However, the 35-year-old is set to become an unrestricted free agent in October and while he indicated last week that he’s leaning towards staying in Chicago, having the starting role will ultimately play a role in that decision.

What’s the right price tag to keep Crawford around?  His expiring deal carries a $6MM AAV which may be a bit on the high side but not by too much.  Platoon goalies have been exceeding $3MM over the last few years and Crawford, if he re-signs, is at least going to at least be lined up for playing time equivalent to someone on the strong side of a platoon.  With minimal cap space to bring in a quality backup, perhaps he’d be up for even more game action which would only bolster his negotiating leverage.  As a result, it’s out of the realm of possibility that Crawford’s next contract winds up close to the $5MM in salary he received this season.  If that happens, most of their cap space will be wiped out in the process.

It’s also worth that Malcolm Subban, acquired as part of the Lehner trade, is a restricted free agent.  It’s possible that he could return while Collin Delia and Kevin Lankinen could be in the mix as well.  If Crawford stays, they’ll have to go with a cheaper backup option which means one of those three would likely be his backup.

But if Crawford decides to go elsewhere, Bowman may have to change plans quickly.  There aren’t many proven starters available in free agency and the ones that are will likely command more than Crawford.  In that case, Chicago may have to pivot back to their strategy from this season with a platoon.  Out of their backup options, none are qualified for that role so the Blackhawks may then have to shop for a new tandem altogether despite not having much to spend.  If Crawford stays, things are pretty simple but if not, things get a lot more complicated quickly.

Kubalik Deal

Of the three regular forwards that are set to become restricted free agents, winger Dominik Kubalik is the most intriguing one.  Contract negotiations are based on comparable players and situations but when it comes to Kubalik, there are no real comparable circumstances.  There have been plenty of 30-goal scorers that hit restricted free agency but as a 24-year-old in his first season in North America?  That’s a new one.  Add in arbitration eligibility due to his age and you have the makings for a case to keep an eye on.

Given his limited NHL track record and their salary cap situation, a short-term contract is all but a certainty.  After making $925K in base salary plus signing bonuses this season (he also hit half of his ‘A’ bonuses for $425K), he’s looking at a sizable raise and could conceivably surpass $3MM, even on a one-year deal.  Kubalik finished in the top-20 in goals this season with that low price tag.  Of the others in that group, the next cheapest player was Florida’s Mike Hoffman at just under $5.2MM.  The majority of the players in that group can’t be used as comparables in an arbitration filing as they were UFA-aged deals but it just goes to show how impressive his rookie performance was.

The futures of their other two forward RFAs (Dylan Strome and Drake Caggiula) are in question.  The former has been in trade speculation dating back to the regular season while the latter could be a non-tender candidate to save some money.  There is no such question with Kubalik.  Instead, it’s just a matter of when he signs and for how much.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Chicago Blackhawks| Offseason Keys 2020 Pro Hockey Rumors Originals

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Kings Loan Samuel Fagemo To Sodertalje In Sweden

August 31, 2020 at 8:00 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose Leave a Comment

It turns out that Samuel Fagemo’s time in Sweden hasn’t come to an end yet.  Sodertalje of the Allsvenskan announced that they’ve reached an agreement with the Kings to have the winger join them to start the season on a loan agreement.

The 20-year-old was passed up in his first trip through the NHL draft but a strong season with Frolunda of the SHL in 2018-19 was enough to convince Los Angeles to draft him in the second round (50th overall) in 2019 and signed his entry-level contract just two weeks later.  He followed that up with another good showing with Frolunda this season, picking up 13 goals and nine assists in 42 games.  Fagemo also was dominant for Sweden at the 2020 World Juniors, leading the tournament in scoring with eight goals and five assists in just seven games, showing that he’s more than capable of producing against others in his age group.

While simply staying there would have made the most sense, the SHL is not accepting players on short-term loan agreements as this one is as Fagemo will return to the Kings for training camp.  As a result, he will have to play down a level to stay in game shape for next season although he should benefit from a more offensive-oriented role while he’s there.  It won’t be long before he gets into game action as he’s expected to suit up for Sodertalje this coming Saturday.

Loan| Los Angeles Kings Samuel Fagemo

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Hurricanes Interested In Frederik Andersen

August 31, 2020 at 6:59 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 6 Comments

The Hurricanes have shown interest in Maple Leafs goaltender Frederik Andersen, reports Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman in his latest 31 Thoughts column.  It was reported last week that Andersen was among the Toronto players that were being dangled around the league as they look to reshape their roster for next season following an exit at the hands of Columbus in the Qualifying Round.

Carolina was one of the stingier defensive teams in the league this season, allowing the sixth-fewest goals in the league before the pandemic hit.  However, Petr Mrazek’s numbers took a step back from his first year with the Hurricanes as his save percentage dropped from .914 to .905 while his goals against average increased 30 points from 2.39 to 2.69.  James Reimer’s numbers were slightly better, checking in at .914 and 2.66, respectively.

By comparison, Andersen’s numbers were quite similar this season at a .909 SV% with a 2.85 GAA.  However, over his four-year tenure with Toronto, he has a .916 SV% and was able to do so without playing behind one of the top defenses in the league like Carolina has.  Accordingly, he’d represent an upgrade on Mrazek and Reimer while his contract ends following the 2020-21 season, the same time that Carolina’s netminders see their deals expire.  While Andersen’s $5MM price tag would be difficult to fit in under their current structure, it stands to reason that they’d move out one of their current goalies at some point in the offseason if this was to come to fruition.  Both carry cap hits of over $3MM ($3.125MM for Mrazek, $3.4MM for Reimer) so the net increase to their payroll wouldn’t be too large.

But while there is a fit for the Hurricanes, there isn’t as clear of one for the Maple Leafs.  Friedman notes that Toronto would only move Andersen if they could secure a goaltending upgrade and neither Mrazek nor Reimer (who was part of a goaltending carousel in Toronto not long ago) would represent one.  As a result, a deal like this could only be completed if they could either find another starter to trade for or agree to terms with one on the free agent market and there aren’t many legitimate number ones that are set to become available.

As we’ve seen once already this offseason with the trade of winger Kasperi Kapanen to Pittsburgh, Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas isn’t hesitant to pull the trigger when he gets the deal he likes even though the eight remaining teams in the playoffs aren’t eligible to make trades at the moment.  However, this would be a move that would almost certainly have to wait until later in the offseason to have a chance at materializing.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Carolina Hurricanes| Toronto Maple Leafs Frederik Andersen

6 comments

Snapshots: Overages, Bowness, Sodergran

August 31, 2020 at 5:00 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The suspension of the last part of the 2019-20 season will cause financial ramifications for years to come, most notably the flat salary cap ceiling. Several teams dealing with that cap crunch will also have to deal with some bonus overages, as Frank Seravalli of TSN outlines in his latest piece. These are performance bonuses that have been awarded, but that would push teams over the salary cap ceiling. Normally these are put against the next season’s cap, but in this unique season they can now be split over the next two years.

The team with the biggest overage is the Dallas Stars, who have already racked up a $2.95MM penalty. That number could increase considerably—by another $1.65MM—should Miro Heiskanen earn the Conn Smythe trophy this season.

  • Speaking of the Stars, head coach Rick Bowness spoke today about his future with the organization. Dan Rosen of NHL.com reports that Bowness has agreed to wait until after the playoffs to speak with GM Jim Nill about a contract extension, however long that may take for the surging Stars. Bowness is still working under an interim tag after taking over from Jim Montgomery midseason.
  • The Los Angeles Kings have loaned Johan Sodergran to Almtuna in Sweden’s second league for the next few months, with an expectation that he will return in time for the 2020-21 season. Sodergran, a sixth-round pick in 2018, recorded seven points in 48 games for the Ontario Reign.

Dallas Stars| Loan| Los Angeles Kings| Snapshots Salary Cap

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San Jose Sharks Announce Several Loans

August 31, 2020 at 3:40 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The San Jose Sharks have announced several loans for young players that will be headed to Europe for the next few months. Josef Korenar, Fredrik Handemark, Timur Ibragimov, Jonathan Dahlen, Evan Weinger and Krystof Hrabik have all been loaned overseas.

Several of these loans had been reported previously, including Korenar who will join HC Ocelari Trinec of the Czech professional league. The 22-year-old goaltender had an .891 save percentage for the San Jose Barracuda this season, but is an interesting prospect to keep an eye on.

Handemark, 27, only signed with the Sharks in May and is on a one-year deal for the 2020-21 season. The veteran SHL forward had 38 points in 52 games last season for Malmo and will return there until training camp opens in North America.

The 19-year-old Ibragimov was a sixth-round pick of the Sharks in 2019 and is headed to TPS in Finland, possibly for the whole season. The young forward has spent the last few seasons in the MHL but will test his skills in the Liiga instead.

Dahlen perhaps is the most well-known of the bunch, as he’s already been involved in a few trades through his short career. A second-round pick of the Ottawa Senators in 2016, Dahlen was part of the Alexandre Burrows trade in 2017 and then another deal to send him to San Jose in 2019. The 22-year old is actually scheduled to be a restricted free agent, but he’ll be staying with Timra of the Swedish second league for the time being, where he dominated this year. In 51 games, Dahlen scored 77 points and earned the Allsvenskan MVP.

Weinger and Hrabik are both signed to AHL deals with the Barracuda, but will head to TPS (Finland) and Bili Tygri Liberec (Czech) respectively.

AHL| Loan| San Jose Sharks Jonathan Dahlen

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Sharks Re-Sign Joel Kellman To Two-Year Deal

August 31, 2020 at 2:35 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose Leave a Comment

Aug 31: The Sharks have made the deal official, announcing a two-year contract for Kellman. GM Doug Wilson released a short statement:

Joel has proven himself at the NHL level with his intelligence and responsibility on both ends of the ice. He took a big step last year in his development and growth as a player inside our organization and made an immediate impact after his promotion from the San Jose Barracuda.

Aug 28: The Sharks have agreed to terms with center Joel Kellman on a two-year contract, reports Kevin Kurz of The Athletic (Twitter link).  Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now reports that the deal carries an AAV of $750K and breaks down as follows:

2020-21: $700K NHL salary, $300K AHL salary
2021-22: $800K NHL salary, one-way deal

Those terms means that he’s signing for less than his required qualifying offer which would have checked in at just under $875K.  However, he gets some extra security for his trouble with a reasonable guaranteed salary in the first season before converting to the one-way deal.  Kellman will be eligible for unrestricted free agency when the contract expires.

The 26-year-old played his first season in North America in 2019-20 after signing with San Jose as an undrafted free agent out of Brynas of the SHL in April of 2019.  He spent most of the first half in the minors with the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda where he posted decent numbers offensively with 16 points (4-12-16) in 25 games.

Things didn’t go as well with the Sharks, however.  While Kellman got into 31 games and logged over 11 minutes per night, he was only able to muster up three goals and four assists along the way and that production helped keep the price tag on this new deal low.

Kellman will be eligible for waivers next season and if they’re worried about trying to send him down, the two-way portion of his salary for 2020-21 may not even come into play.  At the very least, it appears that San Jose believes he can be a useful player in their bottom six for the next couple of years.  He logged just shy of a minute per game shorthanded with the Sharks this season and if he can show himself to be capable of taking on a bigger role in that area, it would go a long way towards securing a regular spot in their lineup.

San Jose Sharks| Transactions Joel Kellman

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Henderson Silver Knights Hire Manny Viveiros

August 31, 2020 at 1:38 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 1 Comment

The Henderson Silver Knights have decided on who will be the team’s first coach, hiring Manny Viveiros today. The former NHL defenseman has played and coached all over the world, but last served as head coach of the Spokane Chiefs of the WHL in 2019-20. Vegas Golden Knights GM Kelly McCrimmon released a statement on the hiring:

Whether it’s been on the ice, behind the bench or in the front office, Manny Viveiros has been a part of the game at every level. In our search for the Silver Knights Head Coach, we were looking for someone who could not only lead a winning team to the Calder Cup Championship but could set a positive example for our prospects. We’re confident Manny is up for the task and are excited to see his impact on our organization.

Viveiros, 54, was an NHL assistant with the Edmonton Oilers in 2018-19, but otherwise has spent most of his career overseas in Austria and Germany. In fact, Viveiros was the Austrian head coach at the Olympics in 2014 after spending more than a decade playing in the country.

The Silver Knights will be heading into their very first season after relocation from San Antonio, but when exactly that campaign begins isn’t clear. Whenever it does, it’ll be Viveiros behind the bench when they drop the puck for hockey in the desert.

AHL| Kelly McCrimmon| Vegas Golden Knights

1 comment

NHL Issues Update On COVID-19 Testing

August 31, 2020 at 1:02 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 17 Comments

In what has become routine, the NHL has issued another update on its COVID-19 testing within the bubble cities of Edmonton and Toronto. Just like the last several weeks, there were zero positive results among the 2,814 tests administered. All members of the remaining team’s 52-member traveling parties were tested daily between August 23-29.

The league has now administered over 27,500 tests inside the bubble with zero positives.

With more and more teams being eliminated from postseason contention, securing the bubble should be even easier moving forward. So far the league has done an exceptional job keeping its players and staff safe and separated, though there is obviously still more work to be done.

Coronavirus

17 comments

New York Rangers Hire Jacques Martin

August 31, 2020 at 12:11 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 3 Comments

When Lindy Ruff was hired to be the next head coach of the New Jersey Devils, it left a vacancy on the bench for the New York Rangers. Ruff had been coaching in New York for three seasons, lending his wealth of experience to rookie head coach David Quinn. Now Quinn will have a different veteran voice as the Rangers have announced the hiring of Jacques Martin as an assistant for the upcoming season.

Martin, 67, has been an NHL coach since 1986, serving in various positions on eight different teams. Most recently he had served as an assistant with the Pittsburgh Penguins, spending the last seven years with the organization. When the Penguins were knocked out unceremoniously this summer, all of the assistants were chopped, leaving Martin a high profile free agent.

The Rangers snapped him up quickly and will add him to a group that has a bright future ahead of them. New York made waves this season with their strong play despite committing to a rebuild just a few years ago and now have a chance to compete for the playoffs in 2020-21. Martin’s defensive structure will likely be implemented with a young blueline group that has plenty of upside, including a pair of 22-year-olds in Ryan Lindgren and Adam Fox.

Martin brings decades of experience and was with the Penguins for their latest two Stanley Cups. He has been a head coach for 1,294 regular season games, good enough for 14th all-time. Though it’ll be Quinn’s team, you can bet he’ll lean on the experience and success that Martin brings.

New York Rangers

3 comments

Patrick Russell Re-Signs With Edmonton Oilers

August 31, 2020 at 10:38 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The Edmonton Oilers will bring back Patrick Russell for another season, signing the pending free agent Patrick Russell to a one-year contract. The team has not released financial specifics, but Mark Spector of Sportsnet reports that Russell will earn just $750K next season (Elliotte Friedman has it at $700K).

Now 27, Russell is an example of hard work and determination. The undrafted forward out of Denmark played a season in the USHL, two in the NCAA and three in the AHL before really getting a chance at the NHL level, where he spent 45 games this season in Edmonton. A strong goal-scorer at every level, that ability disappeared on Russell when he joined the Oilers. In 45 games he recorded just five assists, failing to score a single time.

Still, bringing him back on an inexpensive deal made sense for the Oilers as they look to retool for next season. Russell can play a depth role for the team, moving in and out of the lineup whenever necessary. Though it’s hard to imagine him providing a ton of offense in the NHL, he has improved tremendously in the second year at every level and could potentially take another step forward with some more experience, even in his late-twenties.

AHL| Edmonton Oilers Patrick Russell

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