Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Archives for August 2021

Snapshots: Krejci, Lundqvist, Chabot

at CDT | by 1 Comment

When David Krejci announced he was leaving the NHL to play at home in the Czech Republic this season, he left the door open to an NHL return.  However, that return won’t come this season after the Extraliga season comes to an end.  In an interview with iROZHLAS earlier this week, the veteran indicated that he would not return to the NHL to join Boston for the stretch run but wouldn’t rule out playing back in the NHL in 2022-23.  Krejci would have to clear waivers in order to sign that late in the season anyway and it’s unlike that Boston or any other team would have been able to get him through unclaimed.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • How close was Henrik Lundqvist to attempting to return to Washington last season? In an interview with Goteborgs-Posten (translated by the NHL’s website) the veteran netminder was only three days away from flying out to rejoin the Caps before being diagnosed with pericarditis, ending those comeback hopes in the process.  Lundqvist opted to retire earlier this summer and mentioned that he will need another surgery on his heart at some point in the future.
  • After finishing behind only Drew Doughty in average ice time per game, it appears that Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot will have a slightly lighter workload next season. Head coach D.J. Smith told Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch that his intention is to have the 24-year-old carry a lighter workload; the scribe pegs that target around 23 minutes per game.  That would be a sizable drop from the 26:17 he logged last season; in fact, the only time that he has averaged below 23 minutes a game was his rookie season in 2017-18.

Free Agent Profile: Jason Demers

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

In his prime, Jason Demers was a capable second pairing defenseman that was reliable in his own end and could contribute a little bit offensively.  Those days have come and gone but the veteran can still make a case to be brought in as a serviceable option on the third pairing.

Unfortunately, the 33-year-old will be relying on his track record over his career to make that claim, not his performance last season.  There’s no sugar coating it – 2020-21 wasn’t pretty.  Demers slipped down the depth chart to the third pairing, averaged his lowest ice time in nearly a decade, and eventually found himself scratched with some frequency down the stretch with Arizona well out of playoff contention.

But while it’s certainly reasonable to consider that this is a sign of things to come, Demers was in a top-four role as recently as 2019-20 where he was a fixture on Arizona’s penalty kill and logging more than 20 minutes per game.  It’s unlikely he’ll get back to that form but players don’t often drop from being a top-four blueliner to borderline unplayable quite that quickly.  A small bounce-back season is certainly doable.

What also helps Demers is that he’s a right-shot defender which is a position of some scarcity around the league and certainly among the remaining rearguards on the open market.  While handedness isn’t as big of a factor for some coaches as it is for others, being a righty should open up some extra opportunities.

Stats

2020-21: 41 GP, 0-4-4, -4 rating, 26 PIMS, 44 shots, 49.6 CF%, 17:14 ATOI
Career: 699 GP, 45-169-214, +31 rating, 407 PIMS, 884 shots, 51.7 CF%, 19:10 ATOI

Potential Suitors

Who needs low-cost roster depth?  Plenty of teams will be searching for an extra low-cost defender in the weeks to come to give them some extra insurance heading into training camp while those with weaker depth on the right side could have more interest in someone like Demers.

In the East, Demers would serve as an upgrade in Pittsburgh on Chad Ruhwedel or Mark Friedman, veterans who have primarily been AHL or reserve options in recent years.  Montreal’s third right-shot blueliner is Chris Wideman, a veteran who hasn’t seen NHL action the last two seasons so Demers would at least serve as some insurance on that front.  Demers would also be an upgrade in Columbus who could view Demers as someone that could play early on to allow a younger player like Andrew Peeke or Gabriel Carlsson to spend a bit more time in the minors before flipping Demers midseason.

Out West, the Blues could stand to add some veteran depth with the departures of Vince Dunn and Carl Gunnarsson while Robert Bortuzzo, a righty like Demers, has typically been used in a platoon role over playing in every game.  Calgary’s right side is thin behind Rasmus Andersson and Christopher Tanev while Chicago could use someone like Demers if they feel Ian Mitchell is better served playing top minutes in Rockford over the third pairing with the Blackhawks.

Projected Contract

Demers’ tough season put him on the outside looking in for our Top 50 UFA list and his value has certainly dropped as well.  At this point, it wouldn’t be surprising if he had some PTO offers on the table but he still has some time to try to land a guaranteed deal.  A one-year deal at or near the league minimum of $750K may be all he can land at this point and if last season was just an aberration and not a sign of a quick decline, whoever gets him could wind up with a bit of a bargain.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

West Notes: Canucks, Thomas, Skinner

at CDT | by 2 Comments

There’s an expectation that one of Canucks RFAs Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes will have to take a short-term contract this summer in order for Vancouver to be cap-compliant for next season.  Speaking with Vancouver Hockey Now’s Rob Simpson, Pat Brisson, the agent for both youngsters, indicated that there’s no indication yet as to which player could wind up with which type of contract.  Simpson suggests that Pettersson, who has offer sheet eligibility, could be the likelier player to sign first since Hughes doesn’t have that right although the odds of the center receiving an offer sheet worth signing at this stage is highly unlikely.  No discussions are expected over the coming days with GM Jim Benning taking a quick summer break before training camp, something many general managers around the league are likely doing.

More from the Western Conference:

  • Blues RFA forward Robert Thomas is believed to be seeking a higher AAV than the $2.8MM that Jordan Kyrou received earlier this season, reports Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic (subscription link). The 22-year-old is coming off a tough injury-riddled season that saw him post just a dozen points in 33 games but with 75 points in 136 contests over his first two seasons, he has enough of a track record to try to get that on a bridge deal.  Louis doesn’t have that much cap space but with Oskar Sundqvist headed for LTIR to start the season, that would give them enough of a buffer to get Thomas under contract although they’d need to get cap-compliant by the time Sundqvist returns.
  • Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner has been Edmonton’s top goalie prospect basically since they drafted him back in the third round in 2017. However, as Postmedia’s David Staples notes, they’ve never really shown much confidence in him, evidenced by the acquisition of veterans in recent years including Alex Stalock who presently sits ahead of him for the third spot on the depth chart.  With some of their other prospects now in the minor pros (Ilya Konovalov and Olivier Rodrigue), time is running out for Skinner to establish himself as a viable option for Edmonton.  If that doesn’t happen soon, it’s possible that he’ll become a trade candidate if one of those other prospects is ready for a bigger role in Bakersfield.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Winnipeg Jets

at CDT | by 5 Comments

Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM.  Teams that can avoid total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful.  Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2021-22 season.  This will focus more on players who are regulars on the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL.  All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.

Winnipeg Jets

Current Cap Hit: $87,297,979 (over the $81.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

F David Gustafsson (one year, $818K)
D Ville Heinola (three years, $863K)
F Kristian Vesalainen (one year, $894K)

Potential Bonuses:
Gustafsson: $57.5K
Vesalainen: $850K
Total: $907.5K

Vesalainen has yet to live up to his first-round draft billing but he spent most of last year up with Winnipeg either on the active roster or the taxi squad while also getting into four playoff contests.  Unless they need to fill his roster spot with a minimum-salaried player, he should have an opportunity at a full-time roster spot, albeit on the fourth line which won’t help his odds of reaching any of his incentives.  Gustafsson hardly played with Winnipeg last season but with the departure of many of their depth players, they’ll need to fill some of those spots from within which gives him an opportunity for a regular spot in the lineup.  Heinola is likely on the outside looking in to start the year but he has impressed in the minors and could push his way into a regular role as the season progresses.

One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level

D Nathan Beaulieu ($1.25MM, UFA)
G Eric Comrie ($750K, RFA)
F Andrew Copp ($3.64MM, UFA)
F Pierre-Luc Dubois ($5MM, RFA)
F Jansen Harkins ($725K, RFA)
F Riley Nash ($750K, UFA)
D Sami Niku ($725K, RFA)
F Paul Stastny ($3.75MM, UFA)

Last season was one to forget for Dubois.  After settling for a two-year bridge deal, he very quickly played his way out of Columbus with the Jets parting with both Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic to bring him in, shoring up their center depth in the process.  However, he struggled relative to expectations with Winnipeg, notching just 20 points in 41 games and was quiet in the playoffs with just three assists in seven contests.  A year ago, it seemed like his 2022 contract was going to be the big one that pushed him comfortably past the $7MM AAV mark, especially with his qualifying offer being $6.65MM.  But if he doesn’t have a much-improved 2021-22 season, that qualifying offer may be his best-case scenario.

Copp is coming off a career year but basically was forced into taking the one-year deal earlier this month to keep Winnipeg as close to cap-compliant as possible.  A repeat performance should push his AAV over the $4MM mark.  Stastny stayed in the top six for most of last season with Dubois often lining up on the wing and his price tag is a little below market value for a top-six center, especially compared to some of the other deals out there.  He’ll be going year to year from here on out and the Jets may need to use his money to re-sign Copp next summer.  Nash and Harkins will be role players and with their cap structure, the spots they occupy will need to be filled by minimum-salary players down the road whether it’s those two or other options.

The two defensemen in this category appear to be the possible cap casualties to free up the little bit of extra space to get cap compliant once LTIR is factored in (more on that later).  Beaulieu can hold his own on the third pairing but his spot could be filled by someone cheaper.  Niku, on the other hand, has been in trade speculation for a couple of years now.  They don’t want to lose him on waivers but with such limited recent action (he played just six games last season), they may have to settle for that if something doesn’t materialize over the next couple of months.

Comrie has bounced around on waivers the last couple of years but has hardly seen any NHL action.  That will change next season as their cap situation necessitated a minimum-salaried backup and he will get the first shot at being that player.  A good showing would certainly bolster his case heading into his final arbitration-eligible year but at the same time, he could potentially price his way out of Winnipeg if he did well enough to earn a sizable jump.

Two Years Remaining

D Logan Stanley ($900K, RFA)
F Dominic Toninato ($750K, UFA)

You could basically put any minimum-salaried forward into Toninato’s slot and perhaps there’s a signing or waiver claim to come that pushes him out.  In the meantime, the fact he received a two-year deal last month that includes a one-way second year suggests Winnipeg believes he can lock down a regular spot on the roster.

Stanley really improved his stock last season, going from someone who looked like he’d be on the outside looking in at a spot in the lineup to a player who was in more often than not, albeit in a limited role.  The small track record allowed the Jets to get him on a cheap bridge deal, one that won’t be very hard to out-perform.

Three Years Remaining

D Dylan DeMelo ($3MM, UFA)
D Brenden Dillon ($3.9MM, UFA)
G Connor Hellebuyck ($6.166MM, UFA)
F Bryan Little ($5.292MM, UFA)
F Mark Scheifele ($6.125MM, UFA)
F Blake Wheeler ($8.25MM, UFA)

Let’s get Little out of the way first.  He hasn’t played since early November 2019 and is still trying to recover from a perforated eardrum.  GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has suggested the expectation is that Little won’t be able to return.  He’ll head for LTIR, allowing Winnipeg to exceed the cap by up to his full cap hit (the cost of their active roster at the time of placement will determine exactly how much they can go over).

Very quietly, Scheifele has performed at a point-per-game average or better for each of the last five seasons, becoming a legitimate star in the process.  Considering centers with similar production have been getting considerably more, this is a contract that is well below market value.  The same can’t be said for Wheeler.  He still has been productive but his per-game output has declined the last couple of years and as he’s about to turn 35, there probably isn’t another 91-point season in his future.

Dillon was brought in just before free agency to shore up a back end that had yet to really recover from the 2019 exodus.  As long as he can log 20 minutes a game on the second pairing and provide his usual physicality and strong defensive presence, he’ll provide good value on his deal.  DeMelo is someone that they hoped could play on the second pairing last year when they signed him to that contract but he is better off on the third pairing with more sheltered minutes.  That makes the deal an overpayment which is why he was made available to Seattle in expansion.

Hellebuyck has been the NHL’s workhorse goaltender over the last four years.  He has faced the most shots in each of the last three seasons and led the league in minutes played four years ago.  He makes a bit more than most starters but the small premium is certainly justified and it allowed the Jets to go with a low-cost backup in Comrie knowing that he will once again handle a significantly higher workload than most starters will.

Read more

Central Notes: Tarasenko, Klingberg, Predators

at CDT | by 9 Comments

There has been an expectation of a trade involving Vladimir Tarasenko for several months now with both sides admitting that a change of scenery would be beneficial.  However, between his $7.5MM AAV and his injury history, the interest hasn’t been strong and the veteran remains with the Blues.  Benjamin Hochman of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch suggests that at this point, St. Louis may be better off just holding onto the 29-year-old in the hopes that a good start to next season would boost his value around the league and remove some of the question marks surrounding his health.  That would be an outcome that is better than moving him with retention and/or taking a minimal return just to grant Tarasenko his wish to play elsewhere even though there could be some awkward moments given how public his trade request is.

More from the Central:

  • With Miro Heiskanen’s deal now done, Dallas has shifted their focus towards an extension for fellow blueliner John Klingberg. Mike Heika of the Stars’ team website notes that the negotiations could be tricky with Klingberg’s offensive production (only eight blueliners have more total points than Klingberg over his seven-year career) potentially allowing him to command a sizable raise on his current $4.25MM AAV.  He’ll be 30 when his next deal kicks in which makes it difficult to command a max-term contract and the team already has nearly $18MM tied up in their other three top-four defenders for next season and beyond; adding another big-ticket contract could put them among the highest-spending teams on the back end.
  • The Predators recently announced an affiliation extension with the ECHL’s Florida Everblades. Nashville has been with them since 2019-20 with Tanner Jeannot and Cole Smith being the players who suited up for the Everblades that have since seen NHL action.  The duration of the extension was not announced.

Minor Transactions: 08/27/21

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The NHL offseason grinds toward September training camps, as other leagues around the world continue to fill out their rosters. As always, we’ll keep track of all the notable minor moves right here.

  • The San Jose Barracuda have re-signed Evan Weinger to a one-year AHL contract, bringing the forward back for his fourth season with the team. The 24-year-old was an undrafted free agent signing out of the WHL and had eight points in 28 games for the Barracuda last season.
  • The Texas Stars have signed Spenser Young to a one-year AHL contract, giving him a chance to make the leap to professional hockey. The 24-year-old defenseman played four seasons with Providence College, but actually didn’t suit up anywhere in 2020-21. The last time he was on the ice during the 2019-20 season his offense had dried up completely, as Young recorded just three points in 32 games.
  • Rob Klinkhammer, who has been a staple in the KHL for years now, has signed a one-year deal with Dynamo Moscow for this season. Klinkhammer captained Dinamo Minsk in 2020-21, scoring 26 points in 31 games. The 35-year-old has had quite the hockey career, playing nearly 200 games in the NHL, scoring a Gagarin Cup-winning goal, and suiting up for Canada at the 2018 Olympics.
  • The Athletic’s Darren Hynes reports that the Stockton Heat have signed a goalie duo to two-way AHL contracts. Andrew Shortridge and Matt Greenfield will be joining the organization for 2021-22. Shortridge, a 26-year-old Alaska native, actually spent last year in the Heat organization, mostly at the ECHL level. He still put up a .952 save percentage in three appearances with Stockton, though, and could be a legitimate option at that level. Greenfield spent the entirety of last year with Kansas City in the ECHL, posting an 11-9-4 record and .916 save percentage.

This page will be updated throughout the day

John Tavares Expected To Be Ready For Training Camp

at CDT | by 3 Comments

In an interview today with NHL.com, Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares says that he expects to be healthy and cleared to play for the team’s training camp, which starts in mid-September. Tavares missed the remainder of the season after being stretchered off the ice during Game 1 of the team’s First Round series against the Montreal Canadiens.

Tavares has been working out during the summer and steadily improving after he was cleared to return to on-ice participation last month. The team’s captain had this to say on his recent participation:

For me, it was nice to just kind of get back out and work on some things I wanted to work on, come off the injury and be on the ice a lot, get a good feel for my game and build from there with a good group of guys.

It’s reassuring to see a stable recovery path from Tavares, especially considering the apparent severity of the play on which he was injured. His leadership and performance will be perhaps more crucial than ever to Toronto’s success this season after a retooled roster leaves the team’s offense with some question marks. Add in the health concerns surrounding Auston Matthews, who’ll miss the start of camp but is expected to be ready for the season opener on October 13th, and Tavares’ position on the team this season is of high importance to the team’s record.

Tavares likely enters the 2021-22 campaign working with some new linemates. While he’ll still likely be flanked by William Nylander on the right side, there’s a long list of names that’ll battle for the second line left-wing spot including Nick Ritchie, Michael Bunting, Alexander Kerfoot, and Ilya Mikheyev. Tavares and Nylander will be relied upon heavily to provide secondary scoring behind the duo of Matthews and Mitch Marner up front, and the team hopes they can catch lightning in a bottle with a new linemate.

Poll: Which Team Will Have Jack Eichel When The Season Starts?

at CDT | by 30 Comments

They’re open to a move. That’s all the Buffalo Sabres have really said about the Jack Eichel situation, as GM Kevyn Adams tries to maintain control. In fact, control is exactly the word he used when free agency began and he was asked about the future of Eichel:

I think what’s critically important to make sure is clear is that we’re in control of this process, we have a player under contract, we don’t feel any pressure. If there’s a deal out there that we feel is the right thing for the Buffalo Sabres, that we feel is going to help us improve, whether that’s improve right away or improve down the road – those are all the things we weigh – we’d be open to it.

A few days later, Eichel’s representatives released a statement to the media that made clear the talented forward wanted and expected a trade out of Buffalo. Today, those agents were dismissed by Eichel as he moved to Pat Brisson and CAA. That change immediately sparked more speculation about a trade, with fans and media alike scrolling through Brisson’s client list to see any connections around the league.

The fact is, there are connections to be made wherever you want to find them, as Brisson is arguably the most powerful agent in the hockey world and has clients all over the NHL. His personal friendship with Montreal Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin is well known, for instance, which could lead to one avenue of speculation, but so is Eichel’s friendship with Brisson client Noah Hanifin of the Calgary Flames. The agent change doesn’t necessarily mean anything in regards to a trade timeline, other than it will now be new representation working with the Sabres.

But what are your thoughts on the situation? Which team will Eichel be under contract with when the season begins? Due to a neck injury that will require surgery, he’s not expected to be ready in time for opening day in October, but will a trade have been completed by then? Or will he still be with the Sabres, sitting in limbo with an uncertain future. We’re now just a month away from preseason hockey and it’s not at all clear where Eichel will play his next game.

So cast your vote and leave a comment down below on how you think it plays out!

[Mobile users click here to vote!]

Submit Your Questions For The #PHRMailbag

at CDT | by 29 Comments

With August coming to a close and the NHL offseason moving like a slug on a hot sidewalk, fans (and writers) are looking forward to next month and the start of training camp. The preseason kicks off in a month and like usual there are still some big restricted free agents without contracts. As camp approaches, the heat will be put on both sides to get deals done, which could lead to some very interesting situations.

With that in mind, it’s time to run another edition of the PHR Mailbag. If you missed the last one, it was broken into two pieces. In the first half, Brian examined the situations regarding Vladimir Tarasenko and Jack Eichel, while also giving his thoughts on the New York Islanders’ tight-lipped strategy. In the second, he discussed the New Jersey Devils’ new acquisitions, the Seattle Kraken roster, and David Krejci’s departure from the Boston Bruins.

You can submit a question by using #PHRMailbag on Twitter or by leaving a comment down below. The mailbag will run on the weekend and answer as many questions as possible.

Minnesota Wild Sign Jordie Benn

at CDT | by 4 Comments

The Minnesota Wild have signed free agent defenseman Jordie Benn to a one-year contract. The deal will carry an average annual value of $900K.

Benn, 34, split last season between the Vancouver Canucks and Winnipeg Jets, recording ten points in 39 games. The veteran defenseman has now played in 556 regular season contests, not bad for an undrafted talent out of the BCHL. Benn got his first taste of professional hockey with the Victoria Salmon Kings of the ECHL in 2008 and is a success story to show every overlooked prospect that is committed to the minor league grind. He spent two full seasons in the ECHL and nearly three more in the AHL before finally breaking through with the Dallas Stars. Though he may have originally been brought into that organization because of his younger brother’s emergence as a star, Benn has certainly proven that he is a capable NHL player in his own right.

Now for Minnesota, he joins a defensive group that looks a little different than recent years. Gone are Ryan Suter and Carson Soucy, meaning there will be plenty of minutes to go around. The team brought in Alex Goligoski, Dmitry Kulikov, and Jon Merrill to fill out the depth chart, the former being a teammate of Benn’s during his time in Dallas. That group, plus prospect Calen Addison, will likely be moved around through training camp to find the right mix for opening day.

Cheap fringe players like Benn are all the Wild can really do until they have some certainty regarding Kirill Kaprizov. The team has plenty of cap space, but Kaprizov’s hit could vary wildly depending on how many years he signs for. This contract doesn’t really change things, given it could be entirely buried in the minor leagues if necessary and represents just $150K over the league minimum. It’s just a valuable depth piece for a team that is hoping to go further than the first round this year.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

scroll to top