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Archives for July 2021

Buffalo Sabres Re-Sign Drake Caggiula

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The Buffalo Sabres aren’t letting Drake Caggiula go that fast. The team has re-signed the depth forward to a one-year, $750K contract, keeping him from the free agent market.

Claimed off waivers from the Arizona Coyotes in early April, Caggiula played just 11 games for the Sabres down the stretch but obviously made an impact on the front office or coaching staff. The energetic winger scored two goals and three points during that 11-game stint, bringing his total to 10 points for the 2020-21 season. That’s certainly not production that will make you leap out of your chair, but for the league minimum, it doesn’t have to be.

Since entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2016, Caggiula has always had a high work ethic and no fear, routinely throwing his 5’10” frame into the corners against bigger defenders. That kind of scratch-and-claw attitude is exactly what the Sabres need more of at the bottom of their roster, and his speed can be a versatile fit on various lines. It may not feel like it, but Caggiula has already carved out a 260-game NHL career and only just turned 27. Not bad for a player who was passed over several times by every team in the league and spent four years at the University of North Dakota.

Montreal Canadiens Re-Sign Joel Armia

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The Montreal Canadiens have made a mark on free agency before it even gets started. Joel Armia has agreed to terms with the club on a new four-year contract extension that will keep him away from the open market. The deal carries an average annual value of $3.4MM and keeps Armia under contract through 2024-25. Chris Johnston of Sportsnet reports that the deal does not include any signing bonuses or trade protection.

Armia, 28, may not create a lot of offense, but he’s still a valuable contributor to the Canadiens that can be used in a variety of ways. One of the best penalty killers in the league, he scored two short-handed goals in Montreal’s 21-game playoff run while lining up against some impressive competition. His 6’4″ frame allows him to get a stick in passing lanes or easily strip players of the puck, all helping Montreal’s identity of a tight defensive group with a penchant for the counter-attack.

The Canadiens, who also have Corey Perry, Phillip Danault, Eric Staal and Tomas Tatar scheduled for unrestricted free agency, were going to need to add some forwards at some point this summer, so why not bring back a player you know and like. The risk involved in a four-year deal is mitigated somewhat by the fact that Armia is still just 28, though he did get a pretty substantial bump in pay. If his defensive ability declines at all, it’s hard to see how Montreal would get their value back from a player that has only hit 30 points once in his career.

Still, the team has cap space to burn, given Shea Weber’s likely placement on long-term injured reserve for at least this season. Even with Armia back in the fold, Montreal has close to $20MM in room to add in free agency and just a handful of spots left to fill on the roster.

Tampa Bay Lightning Sign Otto Somppi

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The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed Otto Somppi to a one-year, two-way contract, avoiding restricted free agency as his entry-level contract was set to expire. The young forward was one of the players who received a qualifying offer from the Lightning yesterday.

Somppi, 23, was originally selected in the seventh round by the Lightning back in 2016, but has been brought along by their development system to the point where he could contribute at the NHL level soon. In 32 games with the Syracuse Crunch last season, the 6’2″ forward scored 12 goals and 26 points. That minor league season came after he played a few games back in Finland, where he added three points for the Lahti Pelicans.

It’s not that Somppi is going to be an NHL star, but if the Lightning can squeeze even a handful of NHL games out of him it will be another win for their scouting and development program. When he was picked in 2016, just six spots from the end of the draft, he had only completed one season in the QMJHL, where he scored 13 goals and 46 points in 59 games. That point total didn’t even improve in his second year with the Halifax Mooseheads, but after a breakout 2017-18 he earned his entry-level deal and turned pro. Time in the ECHL and limited minutes in the AHL were first, but now he’ll return to Syracuse as a key member of their forward group, waiting for his first NHL opportunity.

Minnesota Wild Re-Sign Dakota Mermis

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The Minnesota Wild have signed unrestricted free agent defenseman Dakota Mermis to a new two-year, two-way contract, according to Michael Russo of The Athletic. The deal will carry an NHL average annual value of $750K, while giving Mermis a nice minor league guarantee. He’ll earn an AHL salary of $300K in 2021-22 and $325K in 2022-23, but has guarantees of $350K and $375K in the two seasons.

Mermis, 27, played just three games with the Wild this season, spending most of the year on the taxi squad instead. After clearing waivers just as the season started, he was quickly sent to the taxi squad and ended up spending just five days on the NHL roster between January 12 and May 13. Still, a well-liked depth defenseman that can come in and out of the lineup whenever necessary is something that every team in the league needs, and that’s the role he can continue to serve in Minnesota.

Undrafted, Mermis has played in 23 NHL games over the last four seasons and could end up spending more time in Iowa than Minnesota over the next couple of years. In fact, he could be a big part of the leadership group for the AHL franchise, given his history as captain of the Tucson Roadrunners and alternate captain of the Binghamton Devils.

Seattle Kraken Trade Kurtis MacDermid To Colorado

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The Seattle Kraken have completed another trade, this time sending defenseman Kurtis MacDermid to the Colorado Avalanche. MacDermid was Seattle’s choice from the Los Angeles Kings, but instead of suiting up for the expansion team, he’ll net them a 2023 fourth-round pick.

MacDermid, 27, represents the second player the Kraken have flipped since the expansion draft, following Tyler Pitlick’s trade a few days ago. Seattle selected ten defensemen in the draft, so were always expected to trade a few of them before the start of the season. In Colorado, MacDermid joins a contending team that could use a bit of size and depth on the back end after trading away Ryan Graves earlier this offseason.

The 6’5″ defenseman is incredibly physical, but has also shown he can be a bit more than just a face-puncher over the last few years. In 118 career games he has six goals and 17 points, playing limited minutes—fewer than 13 a night—in Los Angeles. He likely won’t be asked to do much more than that in Colorado, where the team already has so many talented young options to eat up minutes. At just $875K though, MacDermid can be a reliable seventh defenseman on the NHL roster, moving in and out of the lineup whenever head coach Jared Bednar feels the need for a little more size.

The cost of a fourth-round pick isn’t much for Colorado to add an NHL player, but to the Kraken it’s another important piece as they look to build the pipeline. The team was unable (or perhaps unwilling) to leverage the expansion situation to collect many draft picks and now must try to sell off whatever pieces they can. Cap space was the biggest focus of GM Ron Francis and company, but it is interesting that now Pitlick and MacDermid, two NHL options that barely crack $2.5MM combined, are the first ones out the door. The Kraken now have an extra fourth-round selection in each of the next two drafts.

Kevin Weekes of NHL Network broke the news on Twitter. 

Taro Hirose Re-Signs With Detroit Red Wings

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The Detroit Red Wings have re-signed pending UFA Taro Hirose to a one-year deal, keeping him in the organization. Hirose qualified for Group VI unrestricted free agency after playing in only 42 games for the Red Wings over the last three seasons. PuckPedia reports that the two-way deal is worth $850K at the NHL level, $190K at the AHL level and includes a minor league guarantee of $220K.

Hirose, 25, was an undrafted college free agent signed out of Michigan State University in 2019, and wowed down the stretch in his first professional season. With seven points in his first ten games, it looked like the Red Wings had found a legitimate middle-six option for nothing more than an entry-level contract. As with so many players though, that early success quickly faded, and Hirose recorded just seven points in 26 games the following season. He played just six in a Red Wings uniform during 2020-21.

Still, keeping a player with 16 points in 42 NHL games around for depth purposes isn’t a bad thing, especially when he has been such a big part of the AHL attack. In 29 games for the Grand Rapids Griffins this season, Hirose racked up 28 points. While he may never turn into a full-time NHL option, a one-year deal comes with basically no risk for the Red Wings, who can move him in and out of the lineup whenever necessary.

Seth Jones Traded To Chicago Blackhawks

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July 27: The Jones extension has been officially announced. The full breakdown is as follows:

  • 2022-23: $750K salary + $9.25MM signing bonus
  • 2023-24: $7.5MM salary + $5.0MM signing bonus
  • 2024-25: $7.5MM salary + $5.0MM signing bonus
  • 2025-26: $5.5MM salary + $5.0MM signing bonus
  • 2026-27: $7.0MM salary + $1.0MM signing bonus
  • 2027-28: $2.5MM salary + $5.0MM signing bonus
  • 2028-29: $2.5MM salary + $5.0MM signing bonus
  • 2029-30: $2.5MM salary + $5.0MM signing bonus

The deal includes a full no-movement clause as well.

July 23: The Columbus Blue Jackets have dealt Seth Jones to the Chicago Blackhawks. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman is reporting that defenseman Adam Boqvist is part of the return to Columbus. TSN’s Darren Dreger is reporting that the Blackhawks are also signing Jones to an eight-year extension worth $9.5MM per season. Elliotte Friedman reports that the full deal is Jones heading to Chicago along with the 32nd overall tonight and a 2022 sixth-round pick, with Boqvist, 11th overall, a second-round pick, and a 2022 first-round pick coming in return.

It’s a new beginning for Jones, who’s coming off one of the worst seasons in his career. Scoring 28 points in 56 games, Jones was unusually suspect defensively, and his regression was a decently large reason that Columbus suffered the way they did this season. It remains to be seen how Jones will fit in Columbus, but if he can get back to his former performance, he could help solidify an evolving defense core in Chicago. After Chicago acquired Seth’s brother, Caleb Jones, from the Edmonton Oilers in the Duncan Keith trade, it’s possible that the two brothers could form a pairing in Chicago’s top four along with Calvin de Haan and Connor Murphy.

Columbus is getting a decent haul of assets here too. They’ll now be selecting twice in the top 15 picks of tonight’s 2021 NHL Entry Draft, and they’ll be selecting three times in the first round overall. Boqvist is also an extremely important young addition to the Columbus blueline. It’s likely that Boqvist, who’s seen his advanced metrics skyrocket since his rookie season, will be ready for more responsibility with Columbus next season. He put up nice offensive numbers with 16 points in 35 games this season, and could replace Jones as Zach Werenski’s partner on Columbus’ top pairing.

ESPN’s Emily Kaplan was the first to report the trade.

Alex Ovechkin Re-Signs With Washington Capitals

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It was never really in doubt, but Alex Ovechkin is returning to the Washington Capitals. The legendary forward announced his own extension, which will total $47.5MM over five years ($9.5MM AAV). Ovechkin was a pending unrestricted free agent but has spent his entire career in Washington and was not expected to sign anywhere else.

Capitals CEO Ted Leonsis released a statement:

Alex is a world-class athlete who will forever be regarded not only for leading the team to achieve our ultimate goal of winning the Stanley Cup, but also for inspiring the next generation of fans and youth players. The impact Alex has had on hockey in D.C. extends well beyond Capital One Arena. His performance on the ice has undoubtedly sparked countless new fans of the game and inspired more youth players to lace up skates of their own. Off the ice, Alex’s impact is equally unmatched. Not only is he committed to the franchise, but also to the community, and we look forward to seeing him in the Capitals uniform for years to come.

Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports the full structure of the deal:

  • 2021-22: $1.0MM salary + $4.0MM signing bonus
  • 2022-23: $1.0MM salary + $9.0MM signing bonus
  • 2023-24: $1.0MM salary + $11.5MM signing bonus
  • 2024-25: $5.0MM salary + $6.0MM signing bonus
  • 2025-26: $5.0MM salary + $4.0MM signing bonus

CapFriendly adds that the contract contains a full no-move clause and a 10-team no-trade clause in each season.

Getting a good chunk of salary on the last two years would have been important to the Capitals, as an early retirement would not remove the cap hit from the books, given the age at which Ovechkin is signing. There’s obviously now a financial incentive for him to play out the full deal, though his loyalty to the Capitals organization has never been in doubt.

Now 35, Ovechkin will almost continue to carry the exact same cap hit he has for the past 13 years. In 2008 he signed a 13-year, $124MM contract with the Capitals, which carried a cap hit of $9, 538,462. That was nearly 19% of the salary cap at that point, but it was certainly worth it for a player that will go down as arguably the greatest goal-scorer of all time. In fact, Ovechkin needs to average just 33 goals a season over this five-year deal to pass Wayne Gretzky’s record 894 goals.

It’s hard to know if that’s a possibility for a player at his age, but it’s not like Ovechkin has really slowed down in recent years. He has won the Rocket Richard trophy as the league’s top goal-scorer seven out of the past nine seasons and even in a year interrupted by COVID, he had 24 goals in 45 games during 2020-21. Nearly a point-per-game player still, his place at the top of the Capitals lineup or on the left side of the first powerplay unit will never be in doubt, even as he moves into his late-thirties.

It’s a race for the record now, but Ovechkin and the Capitals also have their sights set on a second championship. The team finally lifted the Stanley Cup in 2018, 14 years into his marvelous career. With a core locked up for the next several years—Nicklas Backstrom, John Carlsson, Evgeny Kuznetsov and T.J. Oshie are all signed through at least 2024-25—they’ll keep trying to climb that mountain again as their captain nears the end of his career.

Pavel Buchnevich Signs With St. Louis Blues

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The St. Louis Blues quickly got to work with newcomer Pavel Buchnevich, agreeing to terms on a four-year, $23.2MM deal with the restricted free agent forward. The contract will carry an average annual value of $5.8MM, giving him quite the raise after an exceptional season.

This kind of cap hit is exactly why the New York Rangers traded Buchnevich recently, as they were never going to be able to afford a raise of that magnitude–at least not with the way they want to fill out the roster. The 26-year-old was eligible for salary arbitration and is coming off an outstanding offensive campaign that included 20 goals and 48 points in 54 games.

Over the last three seasons, in fact, Buchnevich has scored at an 82-game pace of 25 goals and 58 points, while also carrying a heavy load on the penalty kill. That kind of versatility, adding defensive value as well as offensive upside, is exactly what the Blues are looking for as they say goodbye to several of their other key forwards. Vladimir Tarasenko is expected to be traded, while Jaden Schwartz, Tyler Bozak, and Mike Hoffman are all pending unrestricted free agents. Buchnevich can slide into one of the top two lines to replace some of that outgoing talent while potentially even improving over the next few seasons.

This deal buys out four years of unrestricted free agency and takes Buchnevich through his age-30 season, a perfect window for the Blues to purchase as they look to contend for the Stanley Cup. If he works out and continues his high level of play they can extend him down the road, without ever really risking the decline phase on this contract. That was never really going to be the case in New York, where younger wingers were going to need playing time and extensions before long.

Conor Garland Signs With Vancouver Canucks

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The Vancouver Canucks have inked newcomer Conor Garland to a five-year deal that will carry an average annual value of $4.95MM. The young forward was recently acquired from the Arizona Coyotes and was an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent. Canucks GM Jim Benning released a short statement on the deal:

We’re pleased to have reached a long-term deal with Conor today. He’s a skilled young player, who plays hard, produces offensively and will complement our top-six forward group.

PuckPedia provides the full contract breakdown, which does not include any trade protection:

  • 2021-22: $3.75MM
  • 2022-23: $4.0MM
  • 2023-24: $6.0MM
  • 2024-25: $6.0MM
  • 2025-26: $5.0MM

It’s hard to imagine the Coyotes couldn’t have afforded this contract for Garland, which buys out three UFA seasons at a pretty reasonable price. Instead, they used Garland’s upside as a way to get out of Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s contract, all for the benefit of the Canucks. The 25-year-old has been the most important forward in Arizona for the last two years, registering 39 points in just 49 games this season. Shifty, creative and skilled, the 5’10” Garland should step directly into the Canucks’ top-six and make an impact offensively.

For just under $5MM, the Canucks can’t afford him to take a step backward, given how much other money they’ll have to commit elsewhere. This is the player they’ve decided to invest in, as a good chunk of their remaining camp space will be owed to Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes, both restricted free agents waiting on new contracts. If the team can get a deal done to send Nate Schmidt packing they’ll have a little more to spend, but there are legitimate depth issues all over the roster that need to be filled as well.

So Garland is the play, and he’s certainly a good one to bet on right now. He not only excelled with increased responsibility in Arizona, but then went and dominated at the recent World Championships as part of Team USA. In ten games, he scored six goals and 13 points, trailing only Connor Brown in tournament scoring.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

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