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Archives for September 2020

Jets Loan Leon Gawanke To German League

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The Jets have been quite active so far in loaning some of their prospects overseas with goaltender Arvid Holm, defenseman Ville Heinola, and center David Gustafsson all heading across the pond to start next season.  That list has grown again as Eisbaren Berlin of the DEL announced that Winnipeg has loaned defenseman Leon Gawanke to them to start their upcoming season with the expectation that he’ll return once NHL training camps open.

The 21-year-old had a strong professional debut with AHL Manitoba this season, contributing four goals and 22 assists in 48 games before the pandemic hit.  His 26 points led all Moose defenders although it wasn’t enough to earn him a recall despite Winnipeg’s injuries.

Gawanke will be returning to a program that he already has some familiarity with.  Prior to transferring to the QMJHL via the CHL Import Draft, he spent four seasons in that program from 2012-13 through 2015-16 in their junior system.  Now, he’ll get a chance to try his hand at their top professional level even if it is only for a short while.

Free Agent Focus: Anaheim Ducks

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While the official start date of free agency remains in flux depending on when the playoffs end (the later of October 9th or a week after the completion of the Stanley Cup Final), many teams are already looking ahead to when it opens up.  There will be several prominent players set to hit the open market while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign.  Anaheim doesn’t have a ton of pressing contract negotiations but could use the period to add some more talent to the roster.

Key Restricted Free Agents

F Kiefer Sherwood – You’d be right if you don’t think Sherwood is a key for the Ducks moving forward, but his appearance here shows just how much work they’ve already done to lock up their young restricted free agents. The 25-year old forward doesn’t qualify for Group VI unrestricted free agency after just two years under a professional contract, meaning his future will be one of the decisions the Ducks have to make this summer.

Sherwood ended up playing in 50 games as a rookie in 2018-19 after signing as an undrafted free agent out of Miami University (Ohio), but was limited to mostly minor-league duty this season. A capable scorer and bottom-six option for the team, he could be brought back on an inexpensive deal to fill out the depth chart.

Other RFAs: F Alex Dostie, F Deven Sideroff, F Chase De Leo, D Joel Persson

Key Unrestricted Free Agents

G Ryan Miller – Now 40, it’s not clear exactly what the future holds for Miller, one of the league’s best goaltenders over almost two decades now. In May, when the season was still paused, he explained that he had hoped to catch another Buffalo legend, Dominik Hasek, on the all-time wins list. Miller currently sits just two wins behind, meaning one last NHL season would likely get him there. He’s coming off a $1.125MM deal and could likely be brought back for close to the league minimum if he decides he wants to continue the chase.

D Michael Del Zotto – Remember when Del Zotto was a Norris Trophy nominee in 2012 after scoring 41 points in 77 games with the New York Rangers? That seems like a completely different player than the one who has suited up for three different teams the past two seasons. Del Zotto played in 49 games for the Ducks this season and is still only 30, but hasn’t been able to recapture that early-career magic in years. If he shot right, he might have a bigger market, but it’s hard to see him earning much more than the one-year, $750K deal he played on this year.

Other UFAs: D Matt Irwin, F Blake Pietila, F Andrew Poturalski, F Kyle Criscuolo, F Justin Kloos, F Chris Mueller, D Chris Wideman, G Kevin Boyle

*Patrick Eaves is also scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after his three-year, $9.45MM deal expires, but is expected to officially retire due to health concerns.

Projected Cap Space

Amazingly, even though they were one of the league’s worst teams, the Ducks aren’t exactly flush with cap space as they head into next season. The team has over $78.5MM committed to next season for 18 players per CapFriendly, though that does include the $6.875MM hit of Ryan Kesler. Kesler is not expected to play again, meaning that number will be transferred to long-term injured reserve giving Anaheim a little more flexibility. With no huge names on expiring deals they won’t be forced to shed salary, but moving out some of their underperforming-but-aging names could give them an opportunity to add in free agency.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Vitaly Abramov Loaned To Jukurit

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The Ottawa Senators have sent another prospect overseas for the next few months, loaning Vitaly Abramov to Jukurit in Finland. Abramov will return to North America in time for NHL training camp but can get some playing time while he continues his development.

One of the big pieces that came back to Ottawa in the Matt Duchene deal, Abramov was originally a third-round pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Picked in 2016 after his outstanding rookie-of-the-year season in the QMJHL, Abramov has done nothing but score throughout his hockey career. His time in the CHL ended in 2018 after 301 points in 185 regular season games and the professional ranks haven’t proven too difficult either. Abramov is coming off a season with the Belleville Senators in which he scored 41 points in 51 games as part of a high-powered offense with Joshua Norris, Drake Batherson, and Alex Formenton (among others).

With three NHL games under his belt and exceptional talent, Abramov is a candidate for full-time minutes with the Senators in 2020-21. The 22-year-old will be entering the final season of his entry-level contract and looking to put up some stats before hitting restricted free agency. Getting a chance to kick things off in Europe will do nothing but help his chances of making the Ottawa roster, especially on a team like Jukurit. Since 2016 when they moved up into the highest division, Jukurit has gone 66-85-29 and missed the playoffs four times. With the kind of offensive skill that Abramov brings, he could very well find himself getting prime minutes with the team’s best players.

Latest On Taylor Hall’s Pending Free Agency

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One of the most interesting storylines to follow this offseason will be the future of Arizona Coyotes forward Taylor Hall. The 28-year old forward took home a Hart Trophy in 2018 after carrying the New Jersey Devils to the playoffs, but has been rather disappointing since. After what looked like a breakout season where he turned into a legitimate superstar, Hall came back with an injury-riddled 2018-19 and found himself traded midway through the 2019-20 season. The Devils received what many saw as an underwhelming return for the former MVP and Arizona didn’t get enough out of Hall to help them push deep into the playoffs.

Now, he’s just a month away from becoming an unrestricted free agent in an offseason that may see salaries squeezed because of the revenue shortage. The NHL has locked in a flat salary cap for the next few years, making mistakes even more dangerous for clubs looking to improve through free agency. In Hall’s case, the forward has expressed a desire to get some stability and head to an organization that has a chance to compete. The Coyotes, after their first playoff appearance in nearly a decade, will try to make him believe that they represent that chance as Darren Dreger of TSN reports Arizona will make another pitch to Hall today to try and re-sign him.

Of course, Arizona doesn’t seem like the most stable organization at the moment. Earlier this summer they had to deal with GM John Chayka’s departure, an ugly public affair that included his resignation just a few days before they were set to start their qualification round. Steve Sullivan took over in the meantime, but just last week the team was hammered by the NHL with a penalty for breaking draft rules. The team was stripped of a first and second-round pick, meaning they currently have just a single pick in the first three rounds of this year and next. In fact, the 2021 third-round pick that they gave up for Hall could even be increased to a second should he decide to re-sign in Arizona.

Losing draft picks is one thing, but according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, the Coyotes are also potentially going to “test the marketplace” on captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who has seven years remaining on his expensive contract. Friedman also mentioned star goaltender Darcy Kuemper as a “very attractive piece” in potential trade talks, though it’s not clear if the Coyotes want to move him. If the team is simultaneously shedding their highest-paid, but best players, it’s hard to imagine the pitch that the Coyotes are giving to Hall to stick around.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Montreal Canadiens Acquire Jake Allen

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The Montreal Canadiens have acquired another goaltender, nabbing Jake Allen from the St. Louis Blues. Allen comes to Montreal along with a 2022 seventh-round pick, while the Blues will receive a 2020 third-round selection (WSH) and a 2020 seventh-round pick (CHI). The Blues will not retain any of Allen’s $4.35MM cap hit for next season.

For the Blues, a deal like this immediately brings up speculation that the team is trying to clear cap space in order to re-sign Alex Pietrangelo. St. Louis carried nearly $9MM in cap hits from goaltenders this season after signing Jordan Binnington, a number that wasn’t tenable if they wanted to bring their superstar captain back. Pietrangelo is a pending UFA, but the team had already handed much of his $6.5MM salary off in extensions to Justin Faulk and Brayden Schenn.

Alternatively, the Canadiens will now have close to $15MM in cap hits from their goaltending tandem given Carey Price’s $10.5MM price tag. That is an incredibly high amount, though getting an experienced backup for Price seemed like a top priority this offseason. The Canadiens have relied so heavily on the star netminder for the last few years that some believe his play was being hindered by overuse—Price led all goaltenders with 58 appearances in the shortened 2019-20 season. A fully rested Price showed in the playoffs exactly why he is still considered one of the best in the game; in ten appearances he recorded a .936 save percentage and helped carry Montreal through the qualification round.

Allen himself experienced a resurgence in 2019-20 after two down years in St. Louis. Playing second fiddle to Binnington, he recorded a .927 save percentage in 24 appearances, the best performance of his career. By the time the playoffs rolled around, he ended up taking over in net and posted a .935 in five appearances.

The Canadiens also have cap space to spare as they rely more and more on their young talent to carry the roster. Max Domi and Victor Mete are the only pending restricted free agents that are set to get substantial raises and at least the former has had some trade speculation surrounding him lately anyway. There will be some bigger deals to be made with names like Brendan Gallagher and Phillip Danault to start the 2021-22 season, but by then Allen’s current cap hit will be off the books.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the deal is that one of the goaltenders expected to be on the market is now gone, meaning teams that are scrambling for a starter this summer will have one fewer to choose from. Allen could have been a replacement in places like Dallas or Edmonton who could see one half of their tandem leave in free agency. The Blues also add a third-round pick as they shed salary, a nice little prize even though it was unlikely Allen could stay.

The Blues will likely hand the crease back to Binnington for next season with Ville Husso a candidate to serve as backup, but it doesn’t come without risk. The 27-year old Binnington could not recapture the magic that helped lead St. Louis to a Stanley Cup in 2019 and recorded just a .912 save percentage in the regular season. His playoff performance was brutal, going 0-5 with an .851 before Allen took over. If he can’t find his game, the Blues may be in trouble next season. With that in mind, St. Louis could be a contender to bring in a more experienced backup this offseason, but they would have to come considerably cheaper than Allen’s current cap hit.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Detroit Red Wings Loan Filip Larsson To Almtuna

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Filip Larsson is the latest Detroit Red Wings prospect to head overseas, loaned today to Almtuna of the Swedish second league. He follows names like Mathias Brome, Moritz Seider, Gustav Lindstrom, Filip Hronek, and Filip Zadina as they prepare for the 2020-21 season with a few months in Europe.

Larsson, 22, has had quite an interesting path so far in his hockey career. Born and raised in Sweden, he decided to come to North America for the 2017-18 season and play in the USHL with the Tri-City Storm. A league-leading .941 save percentage and 1.65 goals-against average landed him Goaltender of the Year honors with the Storm, while also helping Sweden’s World Junior team take home a silver medal at the World Juniors. Following that outstanding North American debut, Larsson took his talents to the NCAA and played for the University of Denver. A .932 save percentage for the Pioneers earned him All-Rookie honors in the NCHC and obviously opened Detroit’s eyes even more.

The Red Wings signed Larsson soon after his freshman season came to an end and put him into the minor league system. Unfortunately, things didn’t go quite as well in professional hockey. Larsson struggled with injury and inconsistency, leading to just an .843 save percentage at the AHL level. That was in just seven games however as he played more often in the ECHL.

Even though 2019-20 didn’t go according to plan, Larsson remains a top goaltending prospect for the Red Wings and one to watch closely as the year progresses. He’ll need playing time and it’s not clear when the AHL season will actually get underway. For now, he’ll have to try and secure the crease in Sweden before getting a chance back in North America.

Pittsburgh Penguins Hire Todd Reirden, Mike Vellucci

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have found a pair of names to replace the outgoing assistant coaches and both come with considerable experience. Todd Reirden and Mike Vellucci will be the new assistants for head coach Mike Sullivan, while goaltending coach Mike Buckley has also received a two-year extension. Penguins GM Jim Rutherford, who recently fired Jacques Martin, Sergei Gonchar and Mark Recchi, released the following statement on the move:

I am pleased to add Todd and Mike to our coaching staff, and believe they will compliment Mike Sullivan’s coaching style. Todd is a Stanley Cup winning coach with a decade of NHL experience as both an assistant and head coach. Mike brings championship experience at both the AHL and OHL level, and is very familiar with how we function as an organization.

Reirden will be responsible for the team’s defensive group and power play unit, while Vellucci will oversee the forwards and penalty kill.

Both men come with considerable experience with the other members of the organization. Reirden, who was recently removed as head coach of the Washington Captials, spent four seasons as an assistant with the Penguins between 2010-2014. Those years followed a stint as head coach of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Pittsburgh’s AHL affiliate.

Vellucci has that same connection, having served as head coach (and GM) of the baby-Penguins in 2019-20. That’s not where his experience with Rutherford ends, however. In fact, if you go back through Vellucci’s career in hockey, Rutherford is almost everywhere. Before he joined WBS, the 54-year old Vellucci was with the Carolina Hurricanes organization, where he served as assistant GM, head coach of the AHL affiliate and director of hockey operations. He was hired for that job just after Rutherford departed, but it was because of the long connection he had with him and then-Hurricanes owner Peter Karmanos. Karmanos also owned the Plymouth Whalers of the OHL, which Rutherford oversaw and Vellucci served as head coach and GM. Even before that the two were intertwined, meaning Vellucci comes as no surprise on the bench for Pittsburgh this season.

Because of the promotion for Vellucci, the Penguins have begun a search for the next head coach of their AHL affiliate.

Florida Panthers Hire Blue Jackets’ Bill Zito As GM

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Wednesday: The Panthers have officially announced the hire, introducing Zito as the team’s next general manager. In the release, owner Vincent Viola included an explanation for the move:

We are thrilled to welcome Bill Zito as General Manager of the Florida Panthers. Bill is an excellent mind in our game today who proved during his time with the Columbus Blue Jackets that he possesses great prowess for evaluating talent and building success. He brings great experience to our club and possesses a strong business acumen.

Chris Johnston of Sportsnet reports that Zito received a five-year contract from the Panthers, quite a commitment as the team tries to figure out the roster and return to the playoffs.

Tuesday: After all the hype in recent weeks over Florida’s ongoing search for their next general manager – a list of candidates that included executives and scouts from a number of teams as well as several television analysts – it seems the team will in fact go with a name that had not been publicly mentioned. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the Panthers are closing in on a deal to make Columbus Blue Jackets Associate GM Bill Zito their next GM. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun adds that a formal announcement is expected on Wednesday.

Zito, 55, has served as an executive for the Blue Jackets since 2013. Initially an assistant GM, Zito eventually took on the role of GM of the club’s AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters, and this season was elevated to Associate GM and Sr. VP of Hockey Operations. Prior to his time with Columbus, Zito was a player agent and one of the founders of Acme World Sports.

Now joining the Panthers, replacing Dale Tallon as GM, Zito has his work cut out for him. Fortunately, his familiarity with goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky could help the veteran to settle in during year two after a disastrous first season with the Panthers. More reliable results in net would be a major step for Florida. The team also needs to improve its defense while finding a way to re-sign or replace top forwards Mike Hoffman and Evgenii Dadonov. The Florida Panthers have not won a playoff series since 1996, the worst drought in the NHL, and Zito’s task will be to put together a contender and end that sorry streak as soon as possible.

Carl Grundstrom Signs With Los Angeles Kings

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After inking Austin Wagner to an extension earlier today, the Los Angeles Kings have reached an agreement with another one of their pending restricted free agents. Carl Grundstrom has a new two-year contract that carries a $725K cap hit. The contract is two-way next season and one-way in 2021-22.

Grundstrom, 22, is on the cusp of becoming a full-time member of the Kings, after arriving in Los Angeles by trade in 2019. A second-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs, he was a key part of the return for Jake Muzzin and has played 28 games over the last two seasons with the Kings. In that time he’s scored ten points, mixing in a penchant for goal scoring with a strong physical presence.

With a new two-year, minimum-salary contract, Grundstrom becomes an attractive option for the Kings should they decide to spend cap space elsewhere. He could be a fourth-line player for the team as soon as the 2020-21 season, or serve as important depth as an extra forward.

It will be interesting to see if the team decides to try and sneak him through waivers, as Grundstrom will be eligible for the first time in 2020-21. That could secure him an NHL roster spot immediately, especially with this inexpensive contract.

Tim Soderlund Loaned To Almtuna

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The Chicago Blackhawks have loaned another young player overseas, sending Tim Soderlund to Almtuna IS of the Swedish second league. Soderlund is coming off his first year in North America after signing his entry-level contract in 2019.

Now 22, Soderlund was a fourth-round pick from 2017 that has always been an interesting prospect because of his blazing speed. Before coming to the Rockford IceHogs for this season, he played two full years at the SHL level, also suiting up twice for Sweden at the World Juniors (winning silver in 2018).

The 5’9″ forward scored just three points in 29 games for Rockford, but could be back for his sophomore season if the Blackhawks feel it necessary. Of course, it’s not exactly clear when the AHL season will begin, meaning Soderlund will have to focus on his game overseas for now.

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