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Calgary Flames Sign Oliver Kylington

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The Calgary Flames have reached an agreement with one of their many restricted free agents, signing Oliver Kylington to a one-year deal. The two-way contract will carry an NHL salary of $750K. Kylington, though eligible for salary arbitration this year, chose not to file.

Interestingly enough, that NHL salary is quite a bit lower than the $826,875 qualifying offer that Kylington would have received. The difference comes in the AHL salary, which Ryan Pike of Flames Nation reports is $300K, a healthy number for the minor leagues. That may suggest Kylington is expecting to see considerable time in the AHL, but also could actually help his case when trying to make the NHL club. A bottom-pairing or seventh defender at $750K is a valuable one for a team trying to fit everyone in under the cap.

Of course, Kylington won’t be surprised if he ends up on waivers once again, given he cleared at the beginning of this season even after playing 48 games for the Flames in 2019-20. He spent nearly the entire year on the taxi squad, suiting up for just eight games with the Flames and three with the Stockton Heat. Now 24, he’s transitioning out of the prospect phase of his career and is in trouble of being labeled a fringe NHL player.

This training camp will be key. If Kylington can establish himself as one of the Flames best six defenders and secure a full-time NHL role, there’s still a chance for him to fulfill his potential as a second-round pick. If he’s in the minor leagues once again, it’s hard to see him ever really becoming an impact player.

Calgary, Ottawa Announce ECHL Agreements

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The Ottawa Senators have announced a new partnership with the Atlanta Gladiators of the ECHL, who will serve as their affiliate for the 2021-22 season. The deal is only for one year, though the release calls that an “initial duration,” suggesting there could be an extension if things go smoothly.  Senators GM Pierre Dorion released a statement on the deal:

We’re pleased to partner with the Gladiators and to have Atlanta serve as our ECHL affiliate next season. Our prospects who spend time in the ECHL in 2021-22 will be well served under a coaching staff led by Jeff Pyle who we know will positively impact our players’ development.

The Senators needed a new affiliate after the Brampton Beast announced they were folding following a tough few years financially. Atlanta had previously been affiliated with the Boston Bruins, but they recently announced a new partnership with the Maine Mariners.

That wasn’t the only ECHL news today, as the Calgary Flames also announced an extension of their agreement with the Kansas City Mavericks. The one-year extension will make it five seasons the two have been together, initially partnering for the 2017-18 campaign. Flames AGM Brad Pascall released a statement explaining the move:

The Calgary Flames and the Stockton Heat are pleased to continue our affiliation agreement with the ECHL’s Kansas City Mavericks. Kansas City is a first-class franchise with quality ownership and management that shares the same winning culture and player development objectives as our organization.

The ECHL is a proving ground for prospects that still need development, especially goaltenders that can use the playing time a professional organization provides.

Boston Bruins Sign Fabian Lysell

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The Boston Bruins have signed their 2021 first-round pick, inking Fabian Lysell to a three-year, entry-level contract. The deal will carry an NHL cap hit of $925K, though it will slide forward should Lysell play outside the NHL this season. GM Don Sweeney released a short statement on his young prospect:

The Bruins are excited to have signed Fabian to his first NHL contract. Fabian is a talented young player, and we look forward to working with Fabian throughout the development process.

Lysell, 18, had three points in 26 games for Lulea HF in the SHL last season, but that vastly undersells his offensive upside. The young forward is an elite skater that should see more ice time and better scoring results if he stays in Sweden as expected this year. He’ll also could very well be heading to the World Juniors after participating for Sweden at the Summer Showcase, though he failed to record a single point in six games.

There’s a lot of development left to do for the first-round pick, but getting his NHL contract done is a step in the right direction. Even if he plays in Sweden this season, he could come over at the end of the year to suit up for a few games with the Providence Bruins, or even potentially be a black ace if Boston goes on another long playoff run. This contract doesn’t change the team’s outlook for 2021, but is certainly a name to keep your eye on moving forward.

Janne Kuokkanen Signs With New Jersey Devils

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The New Jersey Devils have signed Janne Kuokkanen to a two-year deal. The contract will carry an average annual value of $1.825MM, paying the young forward $1.6MM in 2021-22 and $2.05MM in 2022-23.

Kuokkanen, 23, has found a home in New Jersey after beginning his career with the Carolina Hurricanes. The second-round pick became a full-time contributor in the NHL this year, posting 25 points in 50 games while lining up most often next to Jack Hughes and Yegor Sharangovich. The trio of youngsters could very well be a line again next season, though the addition of Tomas Tatar obviously gives the Devils another top-six option to work with.

No matter where he fits into the lineup, the key is that Kuokkanen has made it, finally escaping the rollercoaster between the AHL and NHL. Before arriving in New Jersey through a 2020 deadline trade he had played just 11 games with the Hurricanes and had failed to score a single point. He was a strong contributor at the minor league level, but could never land a spot on the NHL roster.

With his emergence, that deadline deal looks like a masterstroke by GM Tom Fitzgerald. The Devils retained half of Sami Vatanen’s salary, but ended up receiving Kuokkanen, Fredrik Claesson, and a third-round pick. Vatanen, who was injured at the time, didn’t play a single game in the regular season for the Hurricanes, suiting up for just seven postseason contests in the bubble before re-signing with the Devils in free agency.

A two-year contract for Kuokkanen leaves him as a restricted free agent in 2023, but he will have arbitration rights at that point. He’ll also be in line for a $2.05MM qualifying offer, meaning he’ll have to continue to bring positive value over the next two seasons to be worth retaining at that price point.

New York Rangers Agree To Terms With Igor Shesterkin

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The New York Rangers have agreed to terms with starting goaltender Igor Shesterkin to a four-year contract. According to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff, the deal will carry an average annual value of $5.65MM. Shesterkin had been eligible to file for arbitration but decided not to this offseason.  CapFriendly reports that the deal breaks down as follows:

2021-22: $2MM, $1MM signing bonus
2022-23: $6MM
2023-24: $5MM, $2MM signing bonus, 10-team NTC
2024-25: $6.667MM base, 10-team NTC

As Seravalli notes, this is the largest second contract for a goaltender in league history. Shesterkin is signing away two UFA years with the deal given he is already 25, meaning it was never going to come cheap. The Rangers goaltender finished fifth in Calder Trophy voting this year after posting a .916 save percentage in 35 games, dropping his overall number to .921 in 47 career NHL appearances. That career number is an outstanding one for a young goaltender, and one that if it continues, will have him in the race for other awards in the future.

Success in the NHL shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, given Shesterkin’s history at the professional level. In his 117 KHL games before coming to North America, which included three full seasons, he posted an 88-19-15 record, 1.68 goals-against average and .935 save percentage. In his short stint with the Hartford Wolf Pack during the 2019-20 season, he posted a .934 in 25 appearances, going 17-4-3. It’s hard to see anything but stardom in the future for Shesterkin, and the Rangers are betting on it with this huge early contract.

Of course, a commitment like this will raise questions about the other young netminder in New York, as Alexandar Georgiev approaches the end of his own contract. The 25-year-old will be an RFA for the final time next summer, coming off his two-year deal signed in 2020. There have been flashes of brilliance from Georgiev too, and with the starting role now blocked for the Rangers, it will be interesting to see if he even entertains a long-term deal, tries to reach free agency as quickly as possible, or if GM Chris Drury trades him before the decision needs to be made.

The Rangers have exited their rebuild and are now intending on competing for the playoffs and the Stanley Cup. Shesterkin was obviously their best chance at that, and he’ll now be locked up through 2024-25. That doesn’t represent the biggest window, given he could potentially leave as a UFA after that, but at least gives the team a goaltender they can feel confident in at a workable (though not inexpensive) price.

Washington Capitals Sign Ilya Samsonov

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The Washington Capitals have decided to go with a one-year deal for young goaltender Ilya Samsonov, signing him to a $2MM contract for 2021-22. The young goaltender had decided not to file for arbitration earlier this offseason, despite being eligible.

Samsonov, 24, has just 45 regular season games under his belt at the NHL level and is coming off a campaign that saw several interruptions. He ended up on the COVID list twice and was even benched along with teammate Evgeny Kuznetsov for disciplinary reasons. In 19 games, he posted a .902 save percentage, far from what was expected from him after his strong rookie season.

There’s still plenty of reason to believe in Samsonov’s upside, but the fact that Vitek Vanecek is back after an odd select-and-trade situation played out with the Seattle Kraken means that he may not be in line for the starting role. In fact, Vanecek outplayed Samsonov for most of this season, posting a .908 save percentage in 37 appearances. He was also the game 1 starter for the Capitals when the playoffs began, despite Samsonov technically coming off the COVID list in time.

After a Vanecek injury in game one and a heroic effort from veteran Craig Anderson in game two, Samsonov would take the net and lose three straight against the Boston Bruins to see the Capitals eliminated. There’s no doubt he has the talent to compete at the NHL level, but a short-term deal seemed prudent in this case to give him a chance to prove he can be a valuable (and reliable) piece for the Capitals.

There’s also the fact that Washington is operating on a tight budget, given how close they were to the cap before this signing. Buying out any additional years likely would have forced the cap hit higher, something they couldn’t really accommodate right now without making a different move. For $2MM, he can combine with Vanecek once again as one of the cheapest tandems in the league. He’ll also still be a restricted free agent at the deal’s expiry.

Anaheim Ducks Sign Max Comtois, Max Jones, Josh Mahura

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The Anaheim Ducks have signed all three of their remaining restricted free agents. Eric Stephens of The Athletic reports that Max Comtois has signed a two-year deal for a total of $4.075MM, Max Jones has signed a three-year pact for a total of $3.885MM and Josh Mahura has signed a two-year deal worth $1.5MM total. Mahura’s contract will be two-way in 2021-22.

Selected in back-to-back drafts with the Ducks’ highest picks, Jones and Comtois represent two of the key players the team is hoping can lead them back to success.

The former was first, picked 24th overall in 2016, but hasn’t quite been able to reach his potential at the NHL level. Jones has just 28 points in 135 career games, mostly filling a depth role on the team. Now 23, he still isn’t used regularly on the powerplay or penalty kill, but did get a chance to skate next to captain Ryan Getzlaf for a good chunk of the season. While he has embraced a physical role on the team, getting more offense out of the former London Knight would be a huge boost for a Ducks team desperately looking for scoring threats.

In fact, Comtois actually led the team in scoring this season with 16 goals and 33 points, even if he was far from a dominant offensive player. The 22-year-old was picked 50th overall in 2017 but has proven himself already at the NHL level, scoring 51 points in 94 games. The 6’2″ winger saw some powerplay time this year but still wasn’t among the team leaders in ice time with the man-advantage, something that will likely change in the coming seasons. His $2.04MM cap hit will actually make him the fifth-highest paid forward on the team, checking in just ahead of Sonny Milano’s $1.7MM deal.

Even though Ducks fans might already be looking to Trevor Zegras to be the offensive leader on the team, Comtois and Jones are still important pieces that need to be developed carefully.

Mahura on the other hand seems to be stuck on the outside looking in once again. The 23-year-old was a third-round pick in 2016 and has experienced plenty of success in the minor leagues, but sits behind a long defensive depth chart in Anaheim. He has played 41 games in the NHL, recorded 13 points, but still probably isn’t ticketed for full-time action in 2021-22. His league-minimum contract suggests that as well, though there is something working in Mahura’s favor.

For the first time in his career, he’ll be eligible for waivers this season, meaning the Ducks would have to risk him to the rest of the league in order to send him to the minor leagues. That very well may keep him in the NHL as a seventh defender to start the year even if there are no injuries during training camp.

Columbus Blue Jackets Sign Andrew Peeke

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have reached a contract with their final restricted free agent, signing Andrew Peeke to a two-year deal. The contract will be worth a total of $1.575MM. Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports that Peeke will earn $750K in 2021-22 and $825K in 2022-23. Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen released a short statement:

Andrew is a smart, mobile defenseman, who has the ability to join the rush and make plays in all three zones. He is still a young player, but we are excited to see his continued growth within our organization as he continues to work and earn more playing time.

Peeke, 23, was the 34th overall pick in 2016 and quickly found success at Notre Dame. After three years in college, he decided to turn pro and actually played 22 games for the Blue Jackets in his first professional season. That number decreased to just 11 appearances this season, but he will be in the mix for regular ice time in 2021-22.

There will be a battle for spots in Columbus after the team moved on from Seth Jones, Ryan Murray and David Savard. Jake Bean and Adam Boqvist have both joined the fray through trade, while Mikko Lehtonen was brought back on a one-year deal. The fact that Peeke is still waiver-exempt will probably hurt him in this case, as he can go to the minor leagues at the start of the year, but that should also make him one of the first call-ups in the case of injury.

The two-year deal could potentially take Peeke to Group VI unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2025 if he fails to secure a regular spot in the lineup. Otherwise, he will be a restricted free agent eligible for arbitration.

Jon Cooper Named Head Coach Of Team Canada

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If the NHL goes to the Olympics next year, it will be Jon Cooper behind the bench as Team Canada’s head coach. Hockey Canada announced the full staff today, naming Cooper head coach along with Barry Trotz, Bruce Cassidy and Peter DeBoer serving as assistants. The Tampa Bay Lightning coach released a statement:

It is an honour to be entrusted with leading Canada’s Men’s Olympic Team next year in Beijing, and to be able to carry on the rich tradition of hockey excellence that is associated with Hockey Canada. The opportunity to work with an excellent management group and an elite-level coaching staff of Barry, Bruce and Peter is a great privilege. I have many fond memories of the Olympics, from watching games as a young kid to thrilling gold medal victories, and I look forward to helping create lasting memories for Canadians across the country while our team competes for a gold medal.

Cooper, has been a head coach of Canada just once previously, leading the 2017 World Championship team to a silver medal. He was never part of the Hockey Canada Program of Excellence, which not only helps develop players but coaches as well. In fact, back in 2008 he served as an assistant with the U.S. squad at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, as he was serving as the GM and head coach of the St. Louis Bandits of the NAHL at the time. Cooper’s path to the NHL is certainly not the one taken by most Canadian head coaches, but it’s hard to argue with the results. He’s won the Stanley Cup two years in a row with the Tampa Bay Lightning and holds an all-time winning percentage of .647 in the regular season.

The staff Cooper will have is incredible and has its own Stanley Cup ring to boast. Trotz won it all in 2018 with the Washington Capitals, and has twice taken home the Jack Adams Award as NHL Coach of the Year. Cassidy has his own Jack Adams, along with a .677 winning percentage since taking over the Bruins, and DeBoer has been absolutely dominant since joining the Vegas Golden Knights. All four coaches have at least made it to the Stanley Cup Final, and will now try to take Canada to Olympic gold.

It is important to note that this does not mean the league is going for certain. The hope is still that the NHL, IIHF and IOC can reach an agreement, but things are not official yet. If the NHL does not participate, the coaching staff will have to be reworked.

Philadelphia Flyers Sign Carter Hart

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The Philadelphia Flyers have locked up their young goaltender, signing Carter Hart to a three-year contract. The deal carries an average annual value of $3.979MM. Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff provides the full breakdown:

  • 2021-22: $3.2MM salary + $279K signing bonus
  • 2022-23: $3.6MM salary + $379K signing bonus
  • 2023-24: $4.479MM

Hart, 22, was absolutely brutal this season, recording an .877 save percentage in 27 appearances for the Flyers. That was a huge reason why Philadelphia fell out of contention early, though the rest of the roster also seemed to have down years. At any rate, the team obviously still believes in their young netminder, giving him one of the biggest second contracts ever for a goaltender his age.

There are lots of reasons to believe that Hart can turn things around. Not only was he one of the most successful netminders in CHL history, winning the Del Wilson Trophy as the WHL’s Goaltender of the Year in three straight seasons, but his early NHL career was also outstanding. In his first two seasons, Hart posted a .915 save percentage in 74 appearances, going 40-26-4 for the Flyers. It was easy to crown him as one of the league’s best up-and-coming goaltenders, a calming presence in the Philadelphia net.

Now, as the team commits a rather hefty sum to the young netminder, Hart will need to get back to that previous performance. The team won’t be able to go anywhere without a return to form, especially given who they brought in as a backup this year. Martin Jones, who was once a strong starter in the league, has posted an .896 save percentage in each of the last three seasons. Unless he experiences a career turnaround, the team won’t be able to rely on him to carry the load should Hart struggle.

This deal also means that Hart will be left with an expensive qualifying offer in 2024. That $4.479MM offer will be a high price if he fails to return to previous form, especially as he will also be arbitration-eligible at that point. Because he started his career so early, Hart will actually be on track for unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2025, after he completes seven seasons in the NHL.

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