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Archives for July 2021

Los Angeles Kings Sign Lias Andersson

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Lias Andersson has signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Los Angeles Kings at his qualifying offer value of $874,125K in the NHL. The young forward was a restricted free agent coming off his first season with the Kings organization.

Andersson, 22, was the seventh overall pick in 2017, a selection the New York Rangers received when they traded Antti Raanta and Derek Stepan to the Arizona Coyotes. Even at the time, the pick raised some eyebrows because scouts saw a relatively low ceiling on Andersson, but the young forward was expected to quickly compete for an NHL job thanks to his experience at the professional level in Sweden. In that first season with the Rangers, he ended up playing in seven games and suited up 42 in 2018-19.

Things quickly soured though as Andersson struggled in the NHL, and he returned to Sweden for part of the 2019-20 season. In October last year, with his future basically over with the Rangers, he was sent to the Kings for a second-round pick. Not exactly the return you want from a seventh-overall selection, but at least something for the Rangers to work with.

Motivated and getting a fresh start, Andersson split the 2020-21 season between Sweden, the AHL and the NHL, recording six points in 23 games for the Kings. His performance in the minor leagues was much better, and it looks as though he could have a role in the NHL this year. No longer waiver-exempt, his best chance at showing he can be an NHL player was to accept his qualifying offer and be a cheap, effective option for Los Angeles. Whether he’ll ever experience an offensive breakout at this level is unclear, but for now, he’ll get a chance to show he can be a regular contributor.

Colorado Avalanche Sign Tyson Jost

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The Colorado Avalanche have checked off one of the final entries on their to-do list, signing Tyson Jost to a two-year contract. Jost was the team’s last restricted free agent at the NHL level. Peter Baugh of The Athletic reports that the deal will carry an average annual value of $2MM. GM Joe Sakic released a statement:

Tyson took a big step last year and was a key contributor to our team. He has worked hard to improve his game and earn a spot in our lineup. Tyson is a guy with a lot of character who competes at a high level day in and day out. We are excited to have him under contract for another two seasons.

Jost, 23, was the tenth overall pick in 2016 and though he is still waiting on an offensive breakout, the Avalanche trust him as a full-time bottom-six option that can help them moving forward. In 2020-21, he scored seven goals and 17 points in 54 games playing mostly with Valeri Nichushkin and Joonas Donskoi, a trio that unfortunately won’t be able to return for Colorado next season. Donskoi was snatched up by the Seattle Kraken in expansion, and after losing Brandon Saad to free agency, the Avalanche lines should have a slightly different look in 2021-22.

The biggest question is whether Jost, whose career-high is 26 points, will ever be able to step into a top-six role and succeed offensively. He’s already good enough in his own end to hold down a checking role, but there simply needs to be more scoring if he’s to become the next core piece in Colorado.

An offensive breakout would also benefit the young forward, as he’ll be an arbitration-eligible free agent once again at the end of this contract. In fact, he’ll be just a year away from unrestricted free agency, something he’s on schedule to reach at the age of 26 thanks to his early start in the NHL. It means these next two seasons are crucial from a financial standpoint, as the Avalanche hope to squeeze some extra value out of a $2MM cap hit while Jost hopes to set himself up for a big extension.

Buffalo Sabres Sign Rasmus Asplund, Ryan MacInnis

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The Buffalo Sabres have tidied up some restricted free agent business, signing Rasmus Asplund to a two-year contract. The deal will carry an average annual value of $825K. The team has also announced a one-year $750K contract for free agent forward Ryan MacInnis. The 25-year-old qualified for Group VI unrestricted free agency this year.

Asplund, 23, was actually one of the forwards that the Sabres protected from the Seattle Kraken in the recent expansion draft despite having just 57 games under his belt at the NHL level. That number is likely to increase quite a bit this year as he competes for a full-time role, though it remains to be seen if the young forward can continue to produce at the highest level. Selected 33rd overall in 2016, he scored seven goals and 11 points in 28 games this season after spending time in Sweden at the start of the year.

While he may not have much experience yet, Asplund is obviously well-liked by the Sabres front office and a two-year deal gives them the potential of plenty of excess value. If he is given a full-time role and breaks out, they have him locked up at a low-cost next year instead of dealing with arbitration. Even if he struggles, the entire cap hit can be buried in the minor leagues (though he would have to clear waivers for that to happen).

For MacInnis, Buffalo represents a fresh start and a chance at NHL minutes. In 16 games this season for the Blue Jackets, he failed to register a point, and now is still looking for his first NHL goal after 26 games. Son of legendary defenseman Al MacInnis, 6’4″ forward has never lived up to his second-round draft pedigree, struggling to even make much of an impact at the minor league level. Still, his size and defensive polish have given him a handful of NHL contests and could result in even more time on a rebuilding Buffalo squad.

Florida Panthers Agree To Terms With Zac Dalpe

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Florida Panthers GM Bill Zito is bringing in another player that he is very familiar with, signing Zac Dalpe to a two-year, two-way contract. The 31-year-old forward was an unrestricted free agent.

When Zito was with the Columbus Blue Jackets, severing as GM of the AHL affiliate, Dalpe was his star. The minor league forward recorded 55 points in 55 games during the 2018-19 season with Cleveland, earning a place at the AHL All-Star Game. The next season, he returned as captain of the team under Zito’s management and added another 11 points in 18 games.

This season, after Zito moved on to Florida, Dalpe was still captain of the Monsters, but bounced back and forth between the AHL, NHL and taxi squad all season. He ended up playing more for Columbus than Cleveland, suiting up 12 times in the NHL and recording three points. Joining the Panthers organization now, Dalpe will likely serve as that same injury replacement at the NHL level but help the Charlotte Checkers tremendously as a leader and veteran forward. The two-year deal gives him some career stability, something that minor league veterans rarely find.

St. Louis Blues Sign Calle Rosen

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The St. Louis Blues have shored up their defensive depth a bit more, signing Calle Rosen to a one-year, two-way contract. The deal is expected to pay Rosen $750K in the NHL and $300K in the AHL.

Rosen, 27, came over from Sweden in 2017 as a highly-touted defenseman, but has struggled to find his way in the NHL. With just 20 games at that level to this point, a deal here for the Blues is more about minor league depth than anything else. In 2020-21, Rosen spent the entire season with the Toronto Marlies, scoring 13 points in 20 games.

He’s proven himself to be an excellent AHL option, even able to play the top-pair at times. While there may be a handful of NHL games in his future should the Blues experience several injuries, the depth chart is looking pretty long already. St. Louis has seven defensemen under one-way contracts, plus names like Steven Santini and Scott Perunovich waiting for an opportunity. Rosen is likely ticketed for the Springfield Thunderbirds after training camp, as long as he clears waivers.

Tampa Bay Lightning Sign Alex Barre-Boulet

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The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed Alex Barre-Boulet to a three-year contract. The first year is a two-way deal that will carry a salary of $750K at the NHL level, the second year is one-way and comes with a salary of $750K and the third year is one-way with a salary of $775K. The contract’s average annual value at the NHL level will be $758,333. Barre-Boulet was a restricted free agent coming off his entry-level contract.

The 24-year-old forward is another one of Tampa’s undrafted development projects and appears ready to take on a full-time role in the NHL. After dominating the AHL with 124 points in his first two seasons, he made his debut with Tampa Bay this season, playing in 15 games. Though he had just three goals during that span, he was an excellent possession player and should be a fixture in the lineup this season.

Signing for three years at the league minimum is obviously a big win for the Lightning, even if he’s just a part-time player moving forward. Barre-Boulet obviously was willing to give up a bit of potential salary for the security of a multi-year contract and by doing so actually made it easier for the team to keep him in the NHL. Tampa Bay, who have lost several players this summer because of the salary cap, will need players on cheap contracts as they continue pay their more productive forwards at the top of the lineup. Just this week, Brayden Point signed a massive eight-year extension that will make him one of the highest-paid forwards in the league. That deal won’t kick in until next season, but Barre-Boulet is now locked in at a very reasonable price for that stage too.

Detroit Red Wings Acquire Mitchell Stephens

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The Tampa Bay Lightning have traded away one of their young depth players, sending Mitchell Stephens to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for a 2022 sixth-round pick.

With the signing of Alex Barre-Boulet, the Lightning were inching closer to the 50-contract limit with a few more restricted free agents left to deal with. Given that Stephens wasn’t likely to get much playing time now that Barre-Boulet and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare are under contract, a trade to his old manager in Detroit makes sense. It was Yzerman controlling the Lightning when Stephens was selected 33rd overall in 2015.

Now 24, Stephens was a semi-regular presence in the Lightning lineup in 2019-20, playing 38 games during the regular season. He also suited up for seven postseason games, coming in and out of the lineup whenever necessary. He even played 24 minutes in the epic five-overtime game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, a career-high that will likely go unbroken for a while.

The benefit here for Stephens is obvious. He goes from an organization that is loaded with players like him, fighting for ice time, to one that needs all the NHL talent it can get. The young forward will have a chance to really establish himself in Detroit as they slowly rebuild through the draft. A player like Stephens is worth that sixth-round pick for Yzerman, even if all he gets is a couple of seasons while the rebuild continues. The Red Wings have plenty of picks to spare, and Stephens already has several years of minor league development invested in him.

Free Agent Frenzy 2021: Day Two Signings By Team

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After a whirlwind day one of free agency that saw over 160 new contracts, it would not have been a surprise to see a quiet day two. However, the market kept on moving today as another 40 players signed deals. Here are all of the latest signings, broken down by team. All dollar amounts represent the average annual value at the NHL level.

Anaheim Ducks:

F Danny O’Regan – Two years, $750K
D Greg Pateryn – One year, $750K
F Buddy Robinson – One year, $750K

Arizona Coyotes: 

F Michael Carcone – Two years, $750K
F Hudson Fasching – One year, $750K

Boston Bruins: 

(none)

Buffalo Sabres:

F John Hayden – One year, $750K
D Ethan Prow – One year, $750K

Calgary Flames:

D Andy Welinski – One year, $750K

Carolina Hurricanes: 

D Brendan Smith – One year, $800K
D Jalen Chatfield – One year, $750K

Chicago Blackhawks:

(none)

Colorado Avalanche: 

F Darren Helm – One year, $1MM
F Stefan Matteau – One year, $750K
F Dylan Sikura – One year, $800K

Columbus Blue Jackets:

D Jake Bean – Three years, $2.33MM
D Zach Werenski – Six years, $9.583MM*

Dallas Stars: 

D Jani Hakanpaa – Three years, $1.5MM
F Michael Raffl – One year, $1.1MM

Detroit Red Wings:

D Ryan Murray – One year, $800K
D Daniel Renouf – One year, $850K
D Luke Witkowksi – Two years, $750K

Edmonton Oilers:

(none)

Florida Panthers: 

(none)

Los Angeles Kings: 

(none)

Minnesota Wild: 

D Jon Merrill – One year, $850K
D Kevin Czuczman – One year, $750K
F Brandon Duhaime – Two years, $750K

Montreal Canadiens:

F Mathieu Perreault – One year, $950K

Nashville Predators: 

F Mathieu Olivier – Two years, $750K

New Jersey Devils:

F Joseph Gambardella – Two years, $750K
D Robbie Russo – Two years, $750K

New York Islanders:

(none)

New York Rangers: 

F Filip Chytil- Two years, $2.3MM

Ottawa Senators: 

F Pontus Aberg – One year, $750K
D Dillon Heatherington – One year, $750K
F Kole Sherwood – One year, $750K

Philadelphia Flyers: 

(none)

Pittsburgh Penguins: 

F Danton Heinen – One year, $1.1MM
F Michael Chaput – One year, $750K

San Jose Sharks: 

(none)

Seattle Kraken:

(none)

St. Louis Blues: 

F Brandon Saad – Four years, $4.5MM
G Charlie Lindgren – One year, $750K
F Matthew Peca – One year, $750K
F Nathan Todd – One year, $750K

Tampa Bay Lightning:

D Cal Foote – Two years, $850K
F Corey Perry – Two years, $1MM

Toronto Maple Leafs:

F Pavel Gogolev – Three years, $834K**
F Brett Seney – One year, $750K

Vancouver Canucks:

(none)

Vegas Golden Knights:

(none)

Washington Capitals:

(none)

Winnipeg Jets:

(none)

*Extension starting in 2022-23
**Entry-level contract
Indicates two-way deal

Zach Werenski Signs Long-Term Extension With Blue Jackets

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After several difficult years of asset management, capped off by the recent forced departure of Seth Jones, the Columbus Blue Jackets are stepping up do whatever it takes to keep their stars. In the wake of the Jones trade, no player is more important than fellow star defenseman Zach Werenski – and the team just made that clear. The Blue Jackets have signed Werenski to a six-year, $57.5MM contract extension, as first reported by Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston and confirmed by the team. That contract, which begins in the 2022-23 season, will make Werenski the third-highest paid defenseman in the NHL at a $9.583MM AAV, even higher than Jones’ recent deal. The breakdown is as follows:

  • 2022-23: $2MM SB, $8MM salary
  • 2023-24: $2MM SB, $10MM salary
  • 2024-25: $2MM SB, $9.5MM salary
  • 2025-26: $2MM SB, $7.5MM salary
  • 2026-27: $6.25MM SB, $1MM salary
  • 2027-28: $6.25MM SB, $1MM salary

The structure of this deal makes the contract buyout-proof, but that shouldn’t be an issue for the Blue Jackets. Werenski has committed to the team, publicly stating his excitement to remain in Columbus, and that is exactly what the team is hoping for. The team and city have developed a reputation for not being able to retain top talent in recent years, but they are hoping to change that perception. Rewarding players with loyalty (and a lot of money) is a great first step.

While this is certainly a large sum to award Werenski, it isn’t a massive overpay. Perhaps in the shadow of Jones, Werenski has quietly been one of the best offensive defensemen in the NHL since breaking in with an All-Rookie debut season in 2016-17. At 24, Werenski already has 335 games under his belt, in which he has recorded 65 goals and 189 points, among the top blue line scorers in that time. Consistency has been the most impressive part of his offense as well; Werenski recorded double-digit goals and 37-47 points in each of his first four full NHL seasons, including a 2019-20 campaign in which he played only 63 games. This year, he again played at a full-season pace of 16 goals and 47 points.

On top of his elite shot, puck possession, and offensive instincts, Werenski has also developed into a solid defensive player who has been using his 6’2″ frame more effectively of late. This more mature, well-rounded game has allowed Columbus to use Werenski in all situations, leading to a career-high 24:22 time on ice per game this year. That role is only going to increase with Jones gone and Werenski will also be asked to help develop the likes of new additions Jake Bean, Adam Boqvist, and eventually Corson Ceulemans and Stanislav Svozil. Werenski seems ready for the challenge.

Mathieu Perreault Signs With Montreal Canadiens

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The Montreal Canadiens have landed an experienced veteran at a tremendous discount. Coming off of a four-year, $16.5MM contract with the Winnipeg Jets, forward Mathieu Perreault has settled for a one-year, $950K deal with the Habs, reports TVA’s Renaud Lavoie. The 33-year-old Quebec native and former QMJHL star returns home after a dozen years away with three different NHL teams.

Lavoie notes that Perreault has always wanted to play for the Canadiens and his new contract says the same thing. Perreault is an incredibly effective defensive forward who often doesn’t get enough credit for excelling at the little things. That value alone exceeds his low-money deal, but Perreault’s willingness to play physical and his offensive contribution make the deal a steal. Perreault is no longer a perennial 40+ point player, but he has quietly kept up a .34 points per game pace over the past three seasons which would put him back in 30-point contention with a full season.

How Montreal decides to utilize Perreault will be the interesting part of this deal. The Stanley Cup finalists appear set in their top nine with most of their roster returning and Mike Hoffman joining the fold and Perreault is able to play a fourth line role, but could certainly push his fellow forwards for ice time and responsibility. At the very least, he is high-end replacement option in case of injury in the top nine while anchoring the fourth line.

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