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Archives for December 2020

Adam Johnson Signs With Malmo Redhawks

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After becoming a Group VI unrestricted free agent, Adam Johnson is headed to Sweden. The 26-year-old forward has signed with the Malmo Redhawks of the SHL for the rest of the season.

Not every undrafted college free agent can turn into a star. The Pittsburgh Penguins signed Johnson in 2018 after his outstanding sophomore season at the University of Minnesota-Duluth and he quickly worked his way up the ranks to make his NHL debut in 2019. He played 13 games with the Penguins over two seasons, recording four points. His real contribution was at the AHL level, however, where he racked up 108 points in 185 games.

Johnson has dealt with nagging injuries throughout his time with the Penguins organization and will now have to try and get his game to another level overseas. There’s no doubt he can help an AHL team, but without much NHL experience, it’s hard to justify even a two-way contract. That doesn’t mean he can’t get back though, especially if he dominates the competition overseas.

Melker Karlsson Signs In Sweden

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There won’t be an NHL contract coming this year for Melker Karlsson. The former San Jose Sharks forward has decided to return to Sweden, signing with Skelleftea AIK in the SHL for the rest of the 2020-21 campaign. Karlsson had spent the last six seasons in San Jose but became an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

Now 30, Karlsson is one of the European free agent success stories in the NHL, able to make the transition from SHL to NHL in 2014. Signed away from Skelleftea by the Sharks, he managed 13 goals and 24 points in his rookie season and never really looked back. In his second year in North America, he went all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals with San Jose, scoring five goals in their long playoff run. He would be on the ice in their next three postseason appearances as well, providing reliable play in the bottom-six and some secondary scoring.

With the job market shrinking for bottom-six veteran players though, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that Karlsson is going to stay in Sweden for the year. His return certainly doesn’t mean that the NHL is a thing of the past for his career, but it does mean another free agent is off the market. Karlsson’s name will surely be brought up again next offseason as a potential piece to bring back, once things have started to get back to normal.

Snapshots: Dubois, Granlund, Ducks, Lee

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With progress finally being made toward starting the 2020-21 season, the pressure is mounting back up on those teams who still have players to sign and payrolls to manage. One of those teams is the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Jackets have plenty of salary cap space with nearly $9.25MM of remaining room for a 22-man roster, but they have yet to sign perhaps their most important forward, restricted free agent center Pierre-Luc Dubois. Coming off his three-year entry-level contract, in which he recorded 18+ goals and 48+ points each season, culminating in a point-per-game showing in the 2020 postseason, Dubois has established himself as a centerpiece for Columbus and the team hopes he will serve in that role for many years still to come. Whether Dubois signs that lucrative long-term extension this off-season or instead opts for a shorter bridge deal remains to be seen. Either way, the team needs to get the talented young pivot under contract soon before the new season begins. Fortunately, NBC Sports’ Adam Gretz reports that the Blue Jackets are not concerned about coming to terms on a new deal with Dubois. GM Jarmo Kekalainen stated that he is “confident” that Dubois will have a new contract not only before the puck drops on the new season, but even before the first day of training camp. This would likely mean that a deal is expected before the end of the month, with training camps projected to open shortly after the calendar flips to January. Kekalainen compared the situation to that of star defenseman Zach Werenski last season; Werenski went much of the off-season with seemingly little progress on a contract extension, but signed a new deal just days before training camp. Gretz notes that the Blue Jackets have shown that they are not afraid to play hardball with their restricted free agents, but will have to be careful with Dubois. The young center is a pivotal piece of the team moving forward. Columbus has the cap space to lock Dubois up long-term at a higher cap hit now, but if the two sides do agree to a shorter term deal the hope is that there is a mutual goal to sign that long-term deal down the road.

  • Gretz also reports that one of the top remaining unsigned free agents, forward Mikael Granlund, is expected to make a decision on his next team sooner rather than later. In fact, a contract could be signed in the coming days. Gretz writes that Granlund would like to get his family settled before the season, possibly even before the Christmas holiday, which could lead to an impending resolution to his free agency. Depending on the asking price, Granlund should have no shortage of suitors. The Blue Jackets have actually been cited by many as a top option for Granlund. If they do sign a more affordable, short-term deal with Dubois as many expect, Columbus could use their remaining cap space to add Granlund. The team had hoped to add at least one if not two top-six forwards this off-season which they have failed to do so far, only swapping out Josh Anderson for Max Domi. 
  • The Anaheim Ducks are another team with moves to make before the season begins. The Ducks are currently over the salary cap upper limit according to CapFriendly and that is with a roster that currently excludes a backup goalie. Anthony Stolarz is the favorite for the job behind starter John Gibson, but the team is likely to make an addition given their lack of depth behind that duo and their need for a goaltender with term on his contract beyond this season to expose in the upcoming 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. If the Ducks do not add another goaltender, the pressure will fall on Roman Durny, who Anaheim assigned to the ECHL’s Tulsa Oilers today, and Olle Eriksson Ek, who started in Tulsa’s season opener this weekend. Eriksson Ek and Durny shared the net in the ECHL last season, but would be slated to do so this year in the AHL if no further moves are made and would battle to be the next man up to the NHL behind Gibson and Stolarz. Durny, 22, Eriksson Ek, 21, and Lukas Dostal, 20, are all talented prospects but their lack of experience does not inspire much confidence in Anaheim’s net depth if an addition is not made. The Ducks should be scouring the free agent and trade markets for help, even as they work to cut salary from the NHL roster.
  • Even as the NHL and NHLPA close in on an agreement to begin the new season, there hasn’t been much concrete information in the media on the actual start dates of training camp and the safety procedures leading into those camps. Perhaps the teams of those players on loan are hearing more than everyone else though. HC Slovan Bratislava of the Slovakian Extraliga has announced that Pittsburgh Penguins defensive prospect Cam Lee has been returned from his loan. In doing so, the club stated that Lee will begin his quarantine later this week and that training camp physicals will take place before the end of the month. At the very least, that makes it sound as though camps will be up and running in early January as hoped, if not sooner.

Latest On Travis Hamonic

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It’s been a long time since Travis Hamonic’s name was in the news, partly because of his own decision and partly because of the complete standstill of the free agent market. The veteran defenseman opted out of the NHL’s return to play this summer citing family reasons but was also injured before the original pause, meaning his last competitive game was way back on February 8 of this year. It’ll be almost a full year before he hits the ice again but at just 30 years old could still be an effective part of any team’s blueline.

While there hasn’t been much to speculate on, Hamonic’s name did come up in conversation today on TSN radio in Vancouver, when Bob Marjanovich explained he had heard that both the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames were interested. Both teams are currently dealing with cap crunches, so would need to move money out before signing Hamonic to a one-year deal, according to Marjanovich.

The idea of a one-year deal for Hamonic seems likely at this point, given how cash-strapped so many teams around the league are, but it does seem difficult for either Vancouver or Calgary to fit him in. The interesting part of the Canucks connection is that he would essentially be there to replace the outgoing Chris Tanev, who took his job as a defensively-minded right-handed defenseman in Calgary this free agency. But Vancouver is already over the cap ceiling and though they may be able to get some relief if Micheal Ferland can be moved to long-term injured reserve, it’s not like they have much money to throw around at free agents.

In Calgary, bringing Hamonic back could make some sense given the familiarity there after three seasons together, but he struggled at times in 2019-20 and again, was replaced by Tanev on the open market. The Flames also have Rasmus Andersson signed and ready to take on more responsibility, not leaving very much chance for Hamonic to really boost his value for a bigger contract next season.

There likely would be better fits for Hamonic elsewhere, including with the Winnipeg Jets, where the Manitoba native played his minor hockey. If any of those family concerns remain, perhaps a Canadian team would be the only place he would consider for the shortened season, given the division realignment and border protocols. The Toronto Maple Leafs were linked to him several years ago but added former teammate T.J. Brodie in free agency and don’t have much money, while the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators don’t really have obvious openings either.

Like the other high profile free agents remaining, Hamonic’s career is at something of a crossroads thanks to the COVID-affected market. He should be a sought-after commodity given his experience—Hamonic has averaged more than 20 minutes a night in each of his ten NHL seasons—but not faces a difficult search for playing time that he can use in the next offseason negotiations.

John Gilmour Signs In KHL

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Another former NHL player is headed to the KHL as John Gilmour has signed a contract with CSKA Moscow for the rest of the season. Gilmour became an unrestricted free agent after his one-year deal with the Buffalo Sabres expired this summer and will be forced to take his talents overseas for the time being.

Now 27, Gilmour was originally a seventh-round pick of the Calgary Flames in 2013 but never did sign with that organization. Instead, he inked an entry-level deal with the New York Rangers in 2016 after a four-year career at Providence College which included a National Championship. The smooth-skating defenseman made 33 appearances with the Rangers over two seasons but spent most of his time in the minor leagues.

In 2019, after becoming a Group VI unrestricted free agent, he decided to move on from the Rangers and signed a one-year deal with Buffalo. That resulted in another four NHL games, but his time was once again spent mostly in the AHL, this time with the Rochester Americans.

Through 227 AHL games, Gilmour has recorded 38 goals and 118 points including an impressive 20-goal campaign in 2018-19 that earned him an AHL First All-Star Team nomination. In Russia, he’ll bring that same offensive ability and could be an effective weapon for CSKA. Whether he ever returns to the NHL is unclear, but with so few opportunities in this shortened season, perhaps this was the only chance he really had to play meaningful minutes at a high level.

Morning Notes: Return To Play, Wahlstrom, Miller

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The NHL and NHLPA continue to work towards finalizing an agreement on the upcoming season, though it doesn’t appear as though any announcement will come today. Chris Johnston of Sportsnet tweets that there is “hope” that something will be done in the “coming days.” We’re getting a lot closer to that January 13th start date that has been reported and players from all around the world are starting to make their way back to North America.

  • Oliver Wahlstrom is one of those players, recalled from his loan in Sweden by the New York Islanders. The 20-year-old Wahlstrom had eight points in ten games for AIK of the second tier but returns to North America with his eyes set on an NHL roster spot. Selected 11th overall in 2018, Wahlstrom made his NHL debut last year with nine appearances but failed to record a single point. With the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the AHL he had 22 points in 45 games.
  • The St. Louis Blues have found a replacement for former AGM Bill Armstrong, who left this offseason to take over the Arizona Coyotes. Ryan Miller (no, not that Ryan Miller) has been promoted to assistant general manager from his position as director of hockey operations. Miller had already been intimately involved with almost every move the Blues have made over the last several years but now, as the press release puts it, “he’s getting the title to go with it.”

Shawn Boudrias Signs AHL Contract

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Though he failed to sign an NHL contract with the Minnesota Wild earlier this year, making him an unrestricted free agent, Shawn Boudrias will stay with the organization that drafted him. The 21-year-old forward has signed an AHL contract with the Iowa Wild and will start his professional career there after an impressive finish to his junior years.

Boudrias, selected 179th overall by the Wild in 2018, scored 35 goals and 79 points in 59 games with the Cape Breton Eagles last season, trailing only Ottawa Senators second-round pick Yegor Sokolov for the team lead in both categories. That was the cherry on top of a pretty effective QMJHL career which included more than 100 goals and 200 points over parts of five seasons.

In Iowa, the 6’5″ forward can continue to develop his game and attempt to prove that he was worth an entry-level deal after all. What that first AHL season will look like is still unclear, but whenever it starts and whatever it looks like, Boudrias will be there.

Joe Thornton Returning To Toronto

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Veteran forward Joe Thornton won’t get to spend the holiday season in Switzerland after all. The 41-year-old has been recalled by the Toronto Maple Leafs and is on his way back to North America to begin his pre-training camp quarantine.

Thornton was signed to a one-year, $700K contract with the Maple Leafs this offseason but had been playing in Switzerland for HC Davos, where his family usually spends the summer. In 12 games for the club, he scored 11 points, a short return for one of the most legendary players in Davos history (despite his relatively low games played totals). Thornton had previously spent the 2004-05 lockout with Davos and had returned for the first half of 2012-13 when the NHL was on hold once again.

The former San Jose Sharks captain will start a new chapter of his hockey career in Toronto, the club that his father cheered for and one just a few hours up the road from his St. Thomas childhood home. While some may snicker at the idea that Thornton would chase a Stanley Cup in Toronto—a team that hasn’t won in more than 50 years—there’s no doubting the team is loaded with talent. Whether the addition of a grizzled veteran will take them over the top is still to be determined, though detractors will point out that Thornton himself has never sipped from the Cup.

Another thing that isn’t quite so certain yet is whether Thornton even has any game left. His point totals dropped off a cliff last season for the Sharks and though he has told the media he feels refreshed after the long break, 41 is 41.

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 2020-21 season.  This will focus more on players who are regulars on 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: $79,238,852 (under the $81.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

F Joel Farabee (two years, $925K)
F German Rubtsov (one year, $894K)
F Morgan Frost (two years, $863K)
G Carter Hart (one year, $731K)

Potential Bonuses
Farabee: $500K
Rubtsov: $425K
Hart: 83K
Total: $1.1MM

One thing the Philadelphia Flyers have a lot of is balance, which includes quite a few impressive young players on entry-level deals. While he may not be paid the most of the entry-level players, the guy that is likely next to cash in is goaltender Carter Hart. Just 22, the young netminder has been impressive in two seasons. Perhaps the statistic that stands out the most is his numbers when at home. Hart posted a dominant 20-3-2 record at home with a 1.63 GAA and a .943 GAA. Unfortunately his road record wasn’t as good with a 3.04 GAA and a .896 save percentage — something he must work on. Regardless, he will likely command quite a bit when the Flyers try to lock him up to an extension.

Farabee and Frost are two young prospects who could make their impact known as soon as next season. Farabee played in 52 games last year for Philadelphia, scoring eight goals and 21 points, but he could be primed for a breakout season. Frost is the next prospect up. He appeared in 20 games last year, scoring two goals and seven points, but should see more regular time in Philadelphia’s lineup this season and could be a significant contributor down the road.

One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level

D Travis Sanheim ($3.25MM, RFA)
D Erik Gustafsson ($3MM, UFA)
F Scott Laughton ($2.3MM, UFA)
F Michael Raffl ($1.6MM, UFA)
G Brian Elliott ($1.5MM, UFA)
F Nolan Patrick ($874K, RFA)
D Samuel Morin ($700K, RFA)

Sanheim has established himself as a top-four defender on a very young defense and should continue to get better. With the loss of defenseman Matt Niskanen to retirement, Sanheim will be expected to take that next step and become a dominant defeneman for the Flyers. He scored eight goals and 25 points last season, but could be primed for a bigger year. Gustafsson was brought in to fill in the holes on the team’s defense. The 28-year-old was coming off a 60-point season in 2018-19, but failed to duplicate that with either with the Blackhawks or the Flames after he was traded at the deadline.

Laughton has been a useful bottom-six player over the last few years. The 26-year-old provides the team a combination of some offense and some physicality, something the team needs. Laughton finished last season with 13 goals and 27 points in 49 games last season as well as 109 hits, but more importantly stepped up in the playoffs, putting up five goals and nine points in 15 games. The 32-year-old Raffl is much the same, putting up eight goals and 20 points in 58 games with 96 hits.

The most interesting name might be Patrick, who missed the entire 2019-20 season with a migraine disorder. The Flyers hope that the No. 2 overall pick in 2017 can pick up where he left off and eventually become the dominant player he once was despite struggling through a myriad of injuries in the past. When healthy, Patrick can be a dominating, playmaking center. The team hopes to insert him into the lineup as the team’s third-line center to start and see where he goes from there.

Elliott, who has been mentoring Hart ever since Hart arrived, struggled last year and the team hopes the 35-year-old can find his game this season. If not, the team will likely move on from him in a year.

Two Years Remaining

F Claude Giroux ($8.25MM, UFA)
F Sean Couturier ($4.33MM, UFA)
D Justin Braun ($1.8MM, UFA)
D Robert Hagg ($1.6MM, UFA)
F Nicolas Aube-Kubel ($1.08MM, RFA)

Giroux has been one of the most dominant Flyers players in their history with 257 goals and 810 points over his career. He put up 21 goals last year in just 69 games, but did see a decline in his overall points as his point totals went from 85 to 53. At 32 years of age, it’s likely that we’ll see the start of a decline in the next few years, but with two years remaining on his contract, the team does have some relief coming down the road. If Giroux can bounce back this year, he’ll remain a viable player for a few more years and can eventually be signed to a cheaper deal as he reaches his mid-30’s.

Couturier, on the other hand, is also coming off a disappointing season. After two straight 30-goal seasons, he struggled with just 22 goals in 69 games. Of course, had he played the entire 82 games, he may have come close to those goal-scoring numbers, but the 28-year-old should continue to post good numbers for the next few years and his contract looks like a value deal if he can get back to 30 goals once again.

Braun provides some much-needed veteran depth on the blueline after the Flyers traded a second and third-round pick to acquire him last offseason. They still get two more years out of him. Hagg also provides key depth despite an injury plagued 2019-20.

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Vancouver Canucks Sign Tyler Graovac To One-Year Deal

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The Vancouver Canucks announced they have brought back unrestricted free agent Tyler Graovac and signed the veteran to a one-year, two-way deal. The 27-year-old bounced between Vancouver and the Utica Comets of the AHL last season and likely will do the same again this year.

Graovac spent most of the season injured last year after suffering a lower-body injury. He did appear in eight games with the Canucks, scoring two goals, while also appearing in 11 games for Utica, posting two goals and three points. He was with the Canucks in the playoff bubble, but did not appear in a game.

The 6-foot-5 forward has appeared in just 70 NHL games over his career with most of those coming in 2016-17 when he played 52 games for the Minnesota Wild. However, he struggled to gain a full-time role after that and was traded to Washington where he spent most of that next season with the Capitals’ AHL team. He signed with the Calgary Flames in the 2018 offseason, but never played a game for them, scoring a career-high 24 goals with the Stockton Heat instead. Graovac signed last offseason with the Canucks then.

 

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