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Archives for July 2021

Washington Capitals Re-Acquire Vitek Vanecek

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Now that the Seattle Kraken have signed Philipp Grubauer in free agency, they are sending Vitek Vanecek back to the Washington Capitals. It was just a week-long vacation for the young netminder, who was claimed in the expansion draft and now sent back to Washington in exchange for a 2023 second-round pick.

This move will raise quite a few eyebrows, given the Kraken passed up the opportunity to select Brenden Dillon from Washington, only to see him flipped for two-second round picks on Monday. In fact, it’s one of those picks that Washington is using to reclaim Vanecek, sending Winnipeg’s 2023 selection.

At any rate, the Capitals have their tandem of Vanecek and Ilya Samsonov back intact and basically only lost a second-round pick in the expansion draft. The 25-year-old goaltender actually carries a cap hit of just $716K this season, less than the league minimum of $750K. That’s because of the three-year deal they signed him to back in 2019 before he’d ever even played at the NHL level. In 37 appearances this season, Vanecek posted a .908 save percentage, a 21-10-4 record and a 2.69 goals-against average. The Capitals would have been forced to look outside the organization if he hadn’t become available again, but they’ll now be able to go about an offseason as if nothing happened.

For Seattle, adding a second-round pick is important, even if it comes with some regrets. The big win here was signing Grubauer, who can anchor the franchise even if they go through a few growing pains in the early years. He and Chris Driedger will form the NHL tandem, while Joey Daccord is also still in the system.

Seattle Kraken Sign Philipp Grubauer, Jaden Schwartz

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July 28: The Seattle Kraken saved cap space at seemingly every turn through the expansion draft, passing on several high-profile candidates. They’ve now decided to use that cap space in free agency, signing Vezina finalist Philipp Grubauer. Kevin Weekes of NHL Network first heard a deal could happen between Seattle and Grubauer, while Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports it will be a six-year contract with an average annual value of $5.9MM. The team has also officially announced a five-year contract for free agent forward Jaden Schwartz, which will carry an average annual value of $5.5MM.

It’s a huge swing for the expansion franchise, inking number four and nine from our Top 50 UFA List. Add in Alexander Wennberg, who signed earlier today for three years and $13.5MM and the Kraken have quickly used their cap space to improve the roster. Still, the Grubauer move in particular brings up several questions.

Seattle now has three NHL goaltenders on the roster between Grubauer, Chris Driedger and Vitek Vanecek. That will lead to a crunch before the start of the season given all three are waiver-eligible, meaning there could be a trade coming in the next few weeks. Friedman tweets that the Washington Capitals would be interested in re-acquiring Vanecek if possible, though it’s unclear what it would cost them at this point. Remember, the Kraken passed on selecting Brenden Dillon from the Capitals in expansion, only to watch Washington flip him for two second-round picks. If the return on Vanecek is any less than that, it will certainly raise some voices in criticism of GM Ron Francis.

For Grubauer specifically, he leaves one of the best teams in the league for a complete question mark. Colorado recently re-signed both Cale Makar and Gabriel Landeskog for huge cap hits, not leaving a lot of room to fit in their starting goaltender. The 29-year-old Grubauer could very well become the face of the franchise in Seattle after his outstanding 2020-21 performance, but he won’t have quite the same team in front of him.

The Avalanche now are left scrambling for a starting option, with not many left on the free agent market. Trade targets like Darcy Kuemper stand out as top options, though that also comes at a cost. Losing Grubauer is painful, but the team was going to be in a very tough financial situation if they tried to outbid a $5.9MM cap hit.

Schwartz meanwhile joins the Kraken as the team’s first big forward addition (apologies to Wennberg), signing a long-term deal. He will likely slot into the team’s top line, though there are now several wingers that could be interchangeable pieces in Seattle. After a down year with the St. Louis Blues, Schwartz still landed a slight raise on the $5.35MM cap hit he has carried over the last five seasons.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Philadelphia Flyers Sign Five Players

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The Philadelphia Flyers have filled out the organizational depth chart with one swift motion, announcing new contracts for five players. Ryan Fitzgerald, Adam Clendening and Nick Seeler have all signed one-year, two-way contracts that will pay $750K at the NHL level. Gerald Mayhew has signed a one-year, two-way contract worth $800K at the NHL level. Cooper Zech has signed a one-year, two-way contract worth $875K at the NHL level.

All five are pretty solid depth pieces for the team, with three having NHL experience. Seeler’s 105 games lead in that category, though none of them came in the 2020-21 season. The 28-year-old defenseman didn’t play anywhere this year after having his contract terminated with the Chicago Blackhawks in January. Clendening is next on the NHL games list with 90, but none of them have come since the 2018-19 season. This year he played just nine contests for the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL, spending most of the year on the taxi squad.

Mayhew has just 17 games at the NHL level, though he is the only one to have played there in 2020-21. The 28-year-old undrafted forward is an elite scoring threat at the minor league level, tallying 39 goals in 49 AHL games in 2019-20. Fitzgerald hasn’t yet made the NHL, but is also a strong offensive player who is coming off 21 points in 28 games with Lehigh Valley.

Perhaps most interesting is Zech though, who landed the biggest NHL salary of the bunch despite no games at that level. Just 22, the former Ferris State University star had seven points in 21 games for the Providence Bruins this season. He also played in Slovakia, racking u p ten points in 15 games, and has some interesting upside as a puck-moving defenseman. Though he certainly may not play in Philadelphia this year, he’ll now be a restricted free agent under team control even when this contract expires.

Panthers Sign Maxim Mamin

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The Panthers have brought forward Maxim Mamin back to North America as Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports (Twitter link) that Florida is close to signing the 26-year-old to a one-year contract with an AAV below $1MM. The team later made it official, announcing they’ve signed Mamin to a one-year deal worth $975,000.

Mamin was a sixth-round pick of Florida (175th overall) back in 2016 and signed his entry-level deal a year later, leaving CSKA Moscow of the KHL to do so.  He played in 33 NHL games with the Panthers during that stretch but opted to go back to CSKA once it was finished where he spent the last three seasons.

Mamin is coming off a strong season back home, one that saw him notch 15 goals and 20 assists in 55 games, both career highs while chipping in with a dozen points in 22 playoff contests.  That is enough for GM Bill Zito to want to bring him back to Florida to give him a chance at earning a regular spot in the lineup.  It’s a low-risk move for both sides as a contract at this price tag won’t have a significant effect on their cap situation while allowing Mamin to test unrestricted free agency a year from now.

Boston Bruins Sign Four To Minimum Deals

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The Boston Bruins aren’t slowing down. The busiest team on this first day of free agency have added four more signings to the list to help fill out their AHL ranks. Goaltender Troy Grosenick, defenseman Tyler Lewington, and forward Steven Fogarty have each signed one-year, two-way contracts worth the minimum $750K NHL salary. Forward Samuel Asselin, who spent the past two seasons on an AHL deal with the Providence Bruins, has been rewarded with a two-year entry-level contract, also with a $750K AAV.

Grosenick, 31, will join a goaltending depth chart that added Linus Ullmark and lost Daniel Vladar today, likely making him the third option in the early part of the season, until Tuukka Rask conceivably returns. He’ll require waivers to go to the minor leagues, but with a handful of NHL appearances–including two in 2020-21–he’d be in line for any starts that come about because of injury.

Lewington and Fogarty are in a similar boat, signed for the AHL but with enough experience to chip in if Boston needs some injury insurance. The 26-year-old Lewington has played ten games in the NHL, recording three points and 33 penalty minutes. The 28-year-old Fogarty is a little more experienced with 28 NHL appareances, including one playoff game for the New York Rangers in 2020. The 6’3″ forward scores at a strong rate in the AHL, but has just three points at the highest level.

Asselin meanwhile is just 23 and coming off his first full season with Providence, after splitting time in the AHL and ECHL during 2019-20. The undrafted QMJHL free agent signing scored 16 points in 25 AHL games this season, showing that the offensive production that appeared at previous levels might travel with him to the high minors. He’ll have to prove it again this season, but an entry-level contract is a nice reward for the hard work he’s put in to this point.

Calgary Flames Acquire Dan Vladar

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After the Boston Bruins signed Linus Ullmark to a long-term deal, it was clear that one of the team’s young duo of Jeremy Swayman and Dan Vladar would have to go. It didn’t take long to make a decision, as Vladar is on his way to the Calgary Flames in exchange for a 2022 third-round pick.

The 23-year-old Vladar made his regular season debut this year, playing in five games for the Bruins. He posted an .886 save percentage during those appearances, but still looked like he might have an NHL future with the Bruins before long. Tuukka Rask is getting older and was facing a long rehab from hip surgery, while veteran backup Jaroslav Halak was moving on from the team. The third-round pick had plenty of AHL success to show for his time in the organization, including a league-best .936 save percentage in 2019-20.

The moment that Boston signed Ullmark though, everything changed, and Vladar will now have to prove his worth all over again to a new team. Still, that may be a blessing for the young netminder, who moves into a Calgary depth chart as the potential NHL backup. The team has prospect Dustin Wolf that looks to have a bright future, but he’s at least a few years away from pushing for NHL playing time. Vladar can instead slide in right behind starter Jacob Markstrom and attempt to establish himself as a backup at the highest level.

Landing a third-round pick for a promising young goaltender might not be ideal, but at least the Bruins got something of value back from a tight situation. Vladar is not waiver-exempt any longer, meaning they potentially could have lost him for nothing at the start of the season. While they won’t get back all the hours and money spent developing him, at least they recoup the pick they used to select him in 2015.

Derek Ryan Signs With Edmonton Oilers

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The Edmonton Oilers have added some center depth, signing Derek Ryan to a two-year contract. The deal will carry an average annual value of $1.25MM.

Ryan, 34, is just taking a quick trip up Highway 2, leaving one side of the Battle of Alberta for the other. He spent the last three seasons with the Calgary Flames, providing strong defensive play from the bottom-six and even chipping in some offense now and again. In 43 games this season he scored just two goals and 13 points, but is still a valuable enough player because of the position he fills.

For Edmonton, he’ll essentially be replacing Jujhar Khaira, who signed a similar two-year deal with the Chicago Blackhawks today. The team has some elite center options at the top of the lineup, but has struggled to find consistent play out of the bottom two spots. Leon Draisaitl was also the only strong player in the faceoff circle for the Oilers, something Ryan has excelled at his entire career. He has won 55.4% of his ~3,500 NHL draws, with a huge chunk of them coming in the defensive zone or on the penalty kill.

GM Ken Holland has always targeted role players like that to fill the bottom-six, and Ryan fits right into that mold as someone who might not play a ton but can do specific things well. The fact that he also had a career-high 38 points in 2018-19 doesn’t hurt.

Buffalo Sabres Acquire Will Butcher

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After signing Dougie Hamilton to a massive contract, the New Jersey Devils have cleared out some cap space from the defensive unit. The Devils have traded Will Butcher and a 2022 fifth-round pick to the Buffalo Sabres. The Devils will receive future considerations.

Butcher, 26, is signed through only the 2021-22 season but carries a $3.7MM cap hit that had become cumbersome for the Devils. The former University of Denver star is a great playmaker and can rack up points on the powerplay, but just isn’t a strong enough skater or physical enough to make up for it. His defensive game has always been a struggle, but it was only magnified as the Devils lost some of their other responsible options. With Hamilton signing and Ryan Graves acquired from the Colorado Avalanche, there was simply no more room for Butcher in New Jersey.

For Buffalo though, acquiring Butcher is a brilliant move. The team can let him run the second powerplay unit to accumulate points through the first half of the season, then flip him at the deadline for a future asset. Even just taking on his contract now landed them a draft pick, and it seems likely that they’ll be able to acquire another one down the road. The Sabres aren’t ready to compete for the playoffs and could stand to do more moves like this, eating some money for future picks.

In New Jersey, this is another indication that the Devils aren’t going to be happy missing the playoffs again this season. The team solidified their goaltending position by bringing in Jonathan Bernier and added the best free agent available in Hamilton. While the team is still extremely young, there’s lots of cap room and plenty of prospects ready to take the next step. Butcher was in the way, and it only cost them a fifth-round pick to move him out.

Detroit Red Wings Sign Pius Suter

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After the surprise of not being extended a qualifying offer from the Chicago Blackhawks, Pius Suter has found a home with their historical arch-rivals. The Detroit Red Wings have announced a two-year contract for Suter, who recorded 27 points in 55 games as a rookie this season. Suter will earn $6.5MM total over the two years, his agent reveals on Twitter.

Suter, 25, made quite the impact as a rookie in Chicago, scoring 14 goals and 27 points in 55 games. He received a huge opportunity when Jonathan Toews missed the season due to illness and Kirby Dach was out with a broken wrist, playing way more than anyone ever expected. Those 14 points earned him some Calder Trophy votes and could have landed Suiter a substantial contract through arbitration. Instead, he’ll get a hefty deal from Detroit, where he could reunite with a couple of old junior teammates.

The Swiss forward went undrafted and spent five years in the NLA, but before that he played two seasons in the OHL with the Guelph Storm. The top line on that 2014 Storm team that won the OHL championship? Suter between Robby Fabbri and Tyler Bertuzzi, who both happen to be in the Red Wings organization and could even potentially be a line this season. Bertuzzi of course is a restricted free agent and has been involved in trade rumors over the summer, but GM Steve Yzerman did say recently that they hope to keep him if possible.

Suter will be an unrestricted free agent again when this contract expires, and there’s certainly plenty of minutes up for grabs in Detroit. He’ll have a chance to really establish himself as a premiere UFA option if he can improve on that rookie season and post three straight quality campaigns.

Dougie Hamilton Signs With New Jersey Devils

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The New Jersey Devils have landed today’s biggest prize, signing Dougie Hamilton. It’s a seven-year deal paying a total of $63MM, meaning an average annual value of $9MM for the free agent defenseman. Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald released a lengthy statement about how excited the front office is to land a player of Hamilton’s caliber:

We are thrilled to welcome Dougie and his family to the New Jersey Devils organization. As a player and person, he has consistently shown a commitment to excellence and will play a leading role in our franchise’s return to an elite level in the League. We believe that the magnitude of his contributions on the ice will be equal to his impact on our culture as we continue to position ourselves for long-term success. I am proud of the work our entire staff did to promote the amazing attributes of this organization and to bring aboard one of the most sought-after free agents this year.

There’s no doubt about it, this is a huge win for a Devils team that has struggled to attract key free agents in the past. In fact, before today, only a single player on the active roster was acquired via free agency. That was Scott Wedgewood, who also just so happened to be drafted by the Devils back in 2010 and returned years later. Otherwise, the entire team was built through the draft or trade, something that Hamilton and new goaltender Jonathan Bernier change with their hefty deals today.

Hamilton, 28, will now be tied with teammate P.K. Subban and Colorado superstar Cale Makar for the fourth-highest cap hit among NHL defensemen next season, only behind Erik Karlsson, Drew Doughty and Roman Josi. Seth Jones will join that group when his $9.5MM extension kicks in for 2022-23, but Subban’s contract will fall off the list as it expires. For that much money, Hamilton will have to perform at an elite level for the Devils if this contract is to be worth the risk.

So far in his career, that hasn’t been a problem. Norris Trophy finishes the last five years: 9th, 14th, 14th, 7th, 4th. The right-shot Hamilton has been one of the most consistent offensive defensemen in the league for seven seasons now, scoring at least ten goals and 39 points in each year since 2014-15. That includes 40+ point performances even in the last two shortened seasons. Equally effective on the powerplay or at even-strength, Hamilton’s puck-moving and playmaking ability far outweigh the defensive deficiencies he may have. Even those are sometimes overblown given how much he has the puck, though he won’t have quite the same quality of teammate in New Jersey.

Still, it’s hard to imagine he doesn’t continue to put up elite offensive numbers for the next few seasons, if not the whole contract. There’s no one to challenge him for the top powerplay spot and Hamilton’s potential partners should only improve moving forward. Ty Smith or Ryan Graves figure to line up next to him in 2021-22, but either one could be keeping the spot warm for top prospect Luke Hughes, selected fourth overall over the weekend. Hughes is off to the University of Michigan for the time being, but projects as a top-pairing defenseman with elite skating ability.

Even if that young talent is coming, the Devils will still be battling just to make for the playoffs next season. Hamilton is taking a significant step back from the Stanley Cup contender in Carolina and could potentially have some lean years. The entire Devils forward group is 26 or under, and only he, Subban, Bernier and Wedgewood are older than that. It’s a reason for excitement in New Jersey, but success may not come right away.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

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