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Archives for July 2021

New Jersey Devils Showing Interest In Dougie Hamilton

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One of the biggest names to watch as we head toward free agency next week is Dougie Hamilton. The Carolina Hurricanes defenseman is set to hit the market just after Seth Jones and Cale Makar, two other right-handed defensemen, signed huge new contracts. Jones, who is a better comparable given his proximity to free agency, will carry a $9.5MM through the 2029-30 season on an eight-year deal. Hamilton’s camp must be licking their chops hoping for a contract similar to that, and they’ve already received permission from the Hurricanes to speak with other teams around the league.

Today, Larry Brooks of the New York Post writes that the New Jersey Devils are emerging as a contender for Hamilton’s services, and that there is “mutual interest.” Brooks suggests a seven-year deal with an average annual value of $9MM could be the number for the Devils, who will soon watch the same amount of money come off the books. P.K. Subban’s $9MM cap hit will expire after the 2021-22 season, meaning New Jersey has plenty of cap space if they want to commit to Hamilton long-term.

The Devils of course just added Luke Hughes to the program with the fourth-overall pick, adding the little brother of star center Jack Hughes. The younger of the two is expected to head to the University of Michigan for next season, but will quickly rise through the ranks and could be on the Devils lineup in a few years. The idea of a blueline including Hamilton, Hughes and 21-year-old Ty Smith is certainly an intriguing one, not to mention players like Damon Severson and Ryan Graves, both only 26.

Hamilton, 28, finished fourth in the Norris Trophy voting this season after another outstanding offensive year, recording 10 goals and 42 points in 55 games. That’s the seventh-straight season where he has recorded at least 10 goals and 39 points, and the fifth-straight year he has received votes for the Norris. There’s no doubt that Hamilton can lift a team with his puck-moving ability, but signing any contract of the suggested value is always a risk.

In just a few days, the markets will open and any team will be able to sign Hamilton to that seven-year deal. The Devils certainly won’t be the only team with interest.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Florida Panthers Acquire Sam Reinhart

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July 24: The deal is now official. The Sabres will receive Levi and a 2022 first-round pick in exchange for Reinhart. Panthers GM Bill Zito released a short statement on his newest forward:

Sam has established himself as one of the best playmaking scorers in the league, and we are thrilled to be able to add him to our Panthers lineup. His competitiveness and hunger to succeed will fit seamlessly with the culture we are building here in South Florida.

LeBrun adds that the first-round pick is top-10 protected. Should it end up that high, the Sabres will receive Florida’s 2023 pick instead.

July 23: The Buffalo Sabres and Florida Panthers are working hard on a Sam Reinhart trade, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The Sabres already moved long-time defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen earlier today have been rumored to be ready to move on from both Reinhart and captain Jack Eichel this summer. The trade call is pending, but Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic confirms that Reinhart will be heading to Florida. Friedman notes that goaltending prospect Devon Levi will be going back to Buffalo as part of the return.

Reinhart, 25, has been one of the only beacons of consistency in a brutally inconsistent franchise over the past six seasons, posting somewhere between 17-25 goals and 40-65 points each season. Those numbers are even more impressive when you consider he played just 54 games this season, but still managed a 25-goal campaign.

Unlike Ristolainen, who is often blamed for a lot of the losing in Buffalo because of his negative possession statistics, Reinhart is seen as someone who could break out if given the chance in a better situation. He has been, however, the focus of some fan’s ire because of a lack of effort at times, though that has been a common refrain for many of the Sabres that have been in Buffalo for several years, repeatedly missing the playoffs. He has also been given relatively prime opportunities for the Sabres, hardly ever being given much defensive responsibility despite playing nearly 20 minutes a night. Reinhart only really moved back to the center ice position this season, lining up more as a winger through his first several years in the league.

Still, for the Panthers, this will represent another win-now move for a team that was already among the best in the league in 2020-21. Florida went 37-14-5, but ran into the eventual Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the playoffs. They fell in six games, failing to score a single goal in the deciding match. Reinhart represents a boost to that offense, and one that can be moved around the lineup depending on the rest of the moves the Panthers make this summer.

Like Sam Bennett though, a fellow 2014 draftee, Reinhart is a restricted free agent this offseason, and will be looking for a hefty contract. He is arbitration-eligible and just one year away from UFA status, meaning any multi-year contract will be expensive. If the Panthers believe he can be a core piece for them moving forward, that might make sense, but even a short-term deal could work for the team given how close they appear to contention.

Tony DeAngelo, Lean Bergmann Placed On Unconditional Waivers

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July 24: Both players have cleared, meaning they will become unrestricted free agents. Bergmann’s deal will be terminated and not carry a cap hit for the Sharks, while DeAngelo will be bought out.

July 23: Tony DeAngelo is expected to be placed on unconditional waivers today for the purpose of a contract buyout by the New York Rangers, according to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff and Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. Unlike players with no-movement clauses like Zach Parise, Ryan Suter and Keith Yandle, DeAngelo will have to wait a day for his buyout to become official. Chris Johnston of Sportsnet reports that Lean Bergmann from the San Jose Sharks is also on waivers. A Bergman buyout would cost the Sharks just $142,917 in 2021-22 and $138,750 in 2022-23, but actually doesn’t make much sense. He could also be on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a mutual termination of the final year of his entry-level contract, which would result in no cap penalty for the Sharks. Either way, Bergmann will also become an unrestricted free agent tomorrow.

Because he is still just 25 years old, the Rangers will be on the hook for just one-third of his remaining salary. That means the team will incur a cap penalty of $383,334 for the 2021-22 season and $883,334 for 2022-23.

It’s a rather small price to pay for the Rangers, though obviously it would have been much better if this situation never happened in the first place. The young defenseman scored 53 points in 68 games during the 2019-20 season, establishing himself as one of the best offensive defensemen in the league. A series of run-ins with teammates eventually broke the trust between player and organization, leading to his dismissal from the club for the majority of 2020-21.

A buyout was always the eventual outcome, though the Rangers took the time they had to make sure it was the only conclusion worth pursuing. Other teams could have had DeAngelo for a fraction of his on-ice worth, but obviously no one wanted the public relations headache that came along with it—or at least not while he still carried a $4.8MM cap hit.

Once bought out, DeAngelo will become an unrestricted free agent allowed to sign with any team.

Flyers, Blue Jackets Swap Jakub Voracek, Cam Atkinson

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The Philadelphia Flyers have acquired another big-ticket player acquiring  Cam Atkinson from the Columbus Blue Jackets. In return, the Flyers will send Jakub Voracek back to the Blue Jackets. Atkinson joins Ryan Ellis and Rasmus Ristolainen as the other big names coming into Philadelphia this offseason, really changing the landscape of the Flyers roster. Neither team has retained any salary in the deal.

Atkinson, 32, has four years left on his current contract and carries a $5.875MM cap hit. After scoring 41 goals in the 2018-19 season, Atkinson’s numbers have come down significantly over the last two seasons, but is still one of the most dynamic players on the Blue Jackets roster. After trading Seth Jones, this next move perhaps signals that the Blue Jackets are going to tear out all of the older players on the team and start a rebuild.

Of course, Voracek doesn’t fit into that narrative, as he is 31 and actually comes with an even higher cap hit. The Flyers were clear that Voracek was on the table when they left him exposed to the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft, as his $8.25MM cap hit limits what they can do with the rest of the roster. Voracek’s deal will expire at the end of the 2023-24 season, and could perhaps even be flipped by the Blue Jackets to make his contract more palatable. Despite his big cap number, the veteran forward doesn’t have any trade protection.

Voracek actually started his NHL career in Columbus, playing three years for the club before going to the Flyers in 2011. He has been a consistent offensive performer through the years, but has never been a big goal-scoring threat. This season, he registered just nine goals, but still had 43 points in 53 games. For the Flyers, it’s mostly just about shaking up a core that had hit a plateau and no longer looked like true contenders. Adding Atkinson gives the team a different look, while also saving the team a little bit of cap space.

In fact, Philadelphia now has a little over $12.4MM in cap space for this summer, with new contracts for RFAs Carter Hart and Travis Sanheim to come. The team actually could still be in the market for some free agent additions, though they’ll have to be careful with how they spend their money. Both captain Claude Giroux and top forward Sean Couturier are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents next summer. If they intend to re-sign them—which certainly doesn’t seem guaranteed after the huge changes recently—handing out any other big-money deals will be tough to work around.

Los Angeles Kings, Arizona Coyotes Complete Minor Trade

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The Los Angeles Kings and Arizona Coyotes have completed a minor trade, swapping a pair of minor league players. The Kings will receive Brayden Burke and Tyler Steenbergen, while the Coyotes are getting Boko Imama and Cole Hults.

None of the four players have spent any time in the NHL to this point, and Hults is the only one under contract for the 2021-22 season. This deal will really just change the minor league mix for both clubs, giving young players a fresh start.

Burke, 24, scored just one goal in 28 games for the Tucson Roadrunners this season but was a 20-goal man in the past. A huge offensive piece in junior, Burke was undrafted out of the WHL because of his size and a lack of explosive skating ability. He’s proven he can be a top producer at the minor league level, but is unlikely to really receive much of an opportunity in Los Angeles.

Steenbergen, 23, was drafted, but is likely just as far away from the NHL. Remembered for his gold medal-winning goal for Team Canada in 2018, Steenbergen had just 13 points in 36 games for the Roadrunners this season. Another player who had huge junior totals but doesn’t really have the size for the NHL level, if signed he’ll likely spend next season in the AHL.

Imama, 24, had one of the more interesting QMJHL careers in recent memory. After having a career-high of 28 points through his first four seasons of junior hockey, he ended up scoring 41 goals in 2016-17, helping the Saint John Sea Dogs win a league title. He was a dominant physical presence that season, using the size and strength that had previously helped him as a fighter to bully his way to the net. Imama still had 105 penalty minutes that season, and has continued to fight in the minor leagues. He scored nine goals and 14 points this season, racking up 56 penalty minutes in 31 games.

Hults, 23, only has one year of professional experience after coming out of Penn State. His 19 games this season resulted in just five points, but he is perhaps the closest to the NHL given his position. The young defenseman could potentially see some time for Arizona next season, though just like the other three, will likely spend most of the year in the AHL.

Pittsburgh Penguins Re-Sign Kasper Bjorkqvist

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have re-signed one of their young restricted free agents, inking Kasper Bjorkqvist to a one-year contract. The two-way deal will carry an NHL salary of $750K. Penguins assistant GM Patrik Allvin released a short statement on the deal:

Kasper is an honest, responsible two-way player who is very coachable and understands the game well. We felt that it was important for Kasper to play in Finland last year after his injuries, and he found a lot of success there, which was good for his development. He has all of the intangibles to develop into an NHL player.

Bjorkqvist, 24, spent the majority of the 2020-21 season in Finland, scoring 26 points in 44 games for KooKoo. Originally selected 61st overall in 2016, he’s played just 11 games at the AHL level to this point thanks to a knee injury and the pandemic, but is still obviously valued enough by the Penguins to sign to a new deal.

Even though he’s already 24 now, Bjorkqvist won’t actually qualify for Group VI UFA status next summer. That means the Penguins will control his rights for at least one more year after this season. If he isn’t playing regularly and contributing at the AHL level a year from now though, he’s an obvious non-tender candidate.

Colorado Avalanche Extend Cale Makar

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One of the most exciting young players in hockey has a new contract. The Colorado Avalanche have announced a six-year, $54MM extension with Norris Trophy finalist Cale Makar. The 22-year-old defenseman chimed in himself to confirm the deal as well. Makar joins Alex Pietrangelo and P.K. Subban as the fifth-highest paid defenseman in the NHL at his $9MM AAV.

A Hobey Baker-winning superstar for the UMass Minutemen not long ago, Makar has proved in just two shortened regular seasons and three postseasons that his ability not only translated to the NHL, but is amplified even further. Makar has been among the elite in the league over the past two seasons, recording 94 points in 101 games with 22:27 average time on ice (and climbing). Makar already has a Calder Trophy, All-Rookie Team selection, and First Team All-Star selection under his belt at 22 and finished just shy of adding the Norris Trophy to the list this year as well. The Avalanche hope that Makar’s growing trophy collection will soon include a Stanley Cup too.

The ceiling for Makar at his age and with his dynamic ability is limitless and the Avalanche knew they needed to lock him up long-term, no matter how much money it took. Amazingly, Makar will still be in the prime of his career at 28 when this current contract expires, likely leading to another long-term deal down the road at an inconceivable financial total if his play keeps up. Despite a small frame and offensive focus, Makar is not afraid to play a physical game and has the defensive tools and IQ to hold his own in all three zones. Even if Makar’s offense starts to tail off from his current torrid point-per-game pace, he should easily maintain his value through this contract and beyond and his defensive play and puck moving continue to develop to be among the best in the league.

While adding a $9MM cap hit to the payroll is not easy, the Avs are actually fortunate that the number was not higher. Surely influenced by the six-year term rather than the maximum eight years but also likely impacted by the current flat cap and Colorado trying to keep their contending roster together, Makar settled for $9MM when he probably had a case to match Erik Karlsson for the top number in the NHL among blue liners at $11.5MM. The deal affords the Avalanche some more flexibility as they try to additionally re-sign Gabriel Landeskog and Philipp Grubauer this off-season. With Makar signed, CapFriendly projects Colorado to have over $20MM in cap space but with only 14 players on that projected roster. Things will be tight this summer and beyond in Denver, but the most important piece is now locked up.

Seattle Kraken Take Matthew Beniers Second Overall

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Fresh off of the NHL Expansion Draft just two days ago, the Seattle Kraken were back in action early in the NHL Draft on Friday night. The winners of the second overall pick in the draft lottery, the Kraken had their pick of every prospect but first overall pick Owen Power of the Buffalo Sabres. They opted to take his University of Michigan teammate Matthew Beniers as the first draft pick in franchise history.

Beniers is the top center prospect in the draft class and an elite two-way talent. The consensus No. 2 pick, Beniers is a high-IQ, well-rounded forward. A talented skater who plays a 200-foot game, Beniers has excelled at every level in both the offensive and defensive aspects of the game. The dynamic center draws comparisons to Patrice Bergeron and Jonathan Toews, not to mention Seattle GM Ron Francis. Beniers has been a point-per-game player in each of the past three years, including in the NCAA with Michigan this season.

One of four 2021 Wolverines selected in the top five picks, Beniers is expected to join his teammates back in Ann Arbor this season as Michigan chases a National Championship. After one more year though, he should be able to jump into the lineup for the Kraken. Due to his two-way focus, Beniers will be a versatile roster option right away for Seattle and could earn a major role quickly in a forward corps that, as of right now, is not especially deep.

Buffalo Sabres Select Owen Power First Overall

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For the second time in four drafts, the Buffalo Sabres have selected a defenseman with the first-overall pick. Owen Power joins Rasmus Dahlin in the Buffalo organization after being the consensus top draft choice.

After an outstanding freshman season at the University of Michigan, Power went and joined Team Canada at the World Championship. Starting the tournament as an extra defenseman, he was logging first-pairing minutes by the end of the tournament under head coach Gerard Gallant, proving he could immediately step into the NHL should he decide to sign with the Sabres right away.

That’s the big question about Power though, as the 6’6″ defenseman has been clear that he’s currently leaning towards a return to Michigan. With the COVID restrictions this year, he and fellow top picks Matty Beniers and Kent Johnson were unable to really receive the whole college hockey experience. A return could very well lead to a national title bid with that kind of talent on the roster (not to mention fourth-overall pick Luke Hughes, who is also committed to the program), though the allure of an NHL contract is obviously a tough thing to turn down.

A strong skater with a wingspan that seems to stretch across the entire ice surface, Power projects as a rock-solid first-line player in the NHL. Whether his offensive upside ever truly materializes is the big question, but even if he settles in as more of a Jay Bouwmeester than a Victor Hedman, the Sabres are getting a heck of a player. In fact, he could represent a perfect partner for the more offensively-oriented Dahlin, who will now be elevated even further with Rasmus Ristolainen on his way out of Buffalo.

With another pick in the first round and two more big chips to trade in Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart, the Sabres are kickstarting a rebuild under GM Kevyn Adams. Power is a huge addition to that process and should be logging huge minutes in the NHL before long.

Columbus Blue Jackets Acquire Jake Bean

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The Columbus Blue Jackets may have traded Seth Jones, but they’re adding quite a bit of young talent to the blue line. After acquiring Adam Boqvist from the Chicago Blackhawks, the Blue Jackets have also nabbed Jake Bean from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a second-round pick. The 44th overall selection, it was one of the picks that they received for Jones.

Bean, 23, was left unprotected by the Hurricanes in the recent expansion draft, but seemed to avoid a move when the Seattle Kraken decided to take Morgan Geekie instead. Instead, it only kept him in the Carolina organization for a few more days. He’s off to Columbus to negotiate his next contract as a restricted free agent, where there is suddenly plenty of playing time available.

That’s not something Bean is used to. The young defenseman was selected 13th overall in 2016 and has been stuck behind a deep defensive group in Carolina for years, despite dominating at the minor league level. In 2018-19 he recorded 44 points in 70 games as an AHL rookie, winning the Calder Cup in the process with the Charlotte Checkers. The following year he was given the Eddie Shore Award as the AHL’s best defenseman, scoring 48 points in 59 games to lead all players at the position. Despite that success, Bean received just two games of NHL experience before the 2020-21 season.

This year he stepped into a full-time role in Carolina but was still given limited minutes, averaging just 14:32 through his 42 appearances. He scored 12 points, including five on the powerplay, but rarely saw the ice at even-strength as the Hurricanes relied on Jaccob Slavin, Brett Pesce, Dougie Hamilton and Brady Skjei to soak up the 5v5 minutes. In Columbus, he’ll likely be given a much bigger chance to show what he can do as they look to build a new identity in the post-Jones world.

For Carolina, the move will raise some eyebrows, given the fact that Hamilton is a pending UFA. It’s not that Bean could directly replace him if he decides to sign elsewhere, but he at least is capable of providing some of the offensive upside that the group will be lacking. Of course, there would have been the issue of his RFA contract, and perhaps Bean was asking for more than the Hurricanes were willing to give. At any rate, they’ll now have to fill out the depth chart with other names but at least have an extra second-round pick to show for it.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

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