Archives for September 2021

Montreal Canadiens Acquire Christian Dvorak

September 4, 2021 at 5:35 pm CDT | by Josh Erickson 41 Comments

The Montreal Canadiens announced today that they’ve acquired center Christian Dvorak from the Arizona Coyotes. The return is a conditional 2022 first-round draft pick as well as a 2024 second-round selection.

The conditions listed on the 2022 first-round pick are complex, to say the least. Arizona will receive the better of the two first-round picks that Montreal owns, both their own and Carolina’s (received today as compensation for Jesperi Kotkaniemi). The first-round pick is also semi-top-10 protected, meaning that if one of Montreal’s first-round selections is in the top 10 of the 2022 draft, Arizona will receive the worse of the two picks.

For Montreal, it’s a quick answer to the questions raised by how they’d fill the departure of both Phillip Danault and Kotkaniemi this offseason. There’s a lot to like about this Dvorak acquisition, including his cost certainty. The 25-year-old center is under contract for four more seasons at a cap hit of $4.45MM, with a modified no-trade clause that kicks in for the last two seasons of his deal.

Dvorak, who likely slots as the second-line center behind Nick Suzuki, is a capable two-way player who’s faced tough competition during his time in Arizona. Likely to receive a slight reduction on his 18:24 average time on ice from last season, his offensive numbers could improve from his career-high 18 goals and 38 points with a little less responsibility. From a hockey standpoint, Dvorak’s proven game at the NHL level makes him an immediate upgrade over Kotkaniemi for less money.

The Coyotes are in full teardown mode and not ashamed to show it. The team has now just three forwards on the active roster signed through next season – Clayton Keller, Nick Schmaltz, and Andrew Ladd. Only two of those players are expected to be contributors at the NHL level. The team is projected to have upwards of $47MM in space heading into next year’s offseason and their gutted roster lead many to believe they’ll be in the running for first overall in 2022. Now equipped with eight picks in the first two rounds of the draft, the full rebuild has begun in Arizona.

All salary cap figures courtesy of CapFriendly.com

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was first to report the deal.

Montreal Canadiens Decline To Match Jesperi Kotkaniemi Offer Sheet

September 4, 2021 at 4:45 pm CDT | by Josh Erickson 32 Comments

The Montreal Canadiens are saying goodbye to one of their most promising young players in Jesperi Kotkaniemi. The team announced today that they won’t be matching the one-year, $6.1MM offer sheet tendered by the Carolina Hurricanes last weekend.

In return, the Canadiens are receiving Carolina’s first and third-round draft selections in the 2022 NHL Draft.

Carolina’s acquisition of Kotkaniemi marks the first successful offer sheet in the NHL since 2007 when the Edmonton Oilers successfully acquired Dustin Penner from the Anaheim Ducks. The move to acquire the former third-overall pick at $6.1MM seems pricey for what he’s produced so far in his career, and when you look at Carolina’s salary cap situation, it appears even worse. Now finally with a full roster, the team sits at $1.52MM over the salary cap. Considering the team entered the offseason with a large amount of cap space and still lost Dougie Hamilton and Alex Nedeljkovic, questions have been rightfully raised over Carolina’s asset management strategy. But just because Kotkaniemi is making $6.1MM this season, and is consequently owed a $6.1MM qualifying offer at the end of the season, doesn’t mean he’ll cost that much down the line for Carolina. Multiple rumours have emerged that a longer-term extension for Kotkaniemi in Carolina may emerge at a lower average annual value as negotiations remain amicable.

For Montreal, their already stagnant roster now faces a massive hole at center. The team’s acquisition of Cedric Paquette won’t be nearly enough to replace the departures of Phillip Danault and Eric Staal as well as Kotkaniemi, and they need answers at the centre-ice position. Luckily for them, they’ll likely be able to find that answer with the compensation they received for Kotkaniemi. With an overpayment in real money from Carolina comes an overpayment in compensation as well. The draft picks Montreal received are much more valuable than what they would have received had they just traded Kotkaniemi anywhere else. Those picks can either be sent straight-up or packaged for a center, of which there are many on the trade market. While Christian Dvorak would appear to be the frontrunner, Tomas Hertl and Evgeny Kuznetsov remain available for trade and could soften the blow of Montreal’s lost centers.

Regardless, it’s an exciting story at a time where not much news tends to cross the NHL wire. Kotkaniemi’s performance in a new system under a new coach will be a large storyline this season, as the prospect with a high pedigree aims to live up to his third-overall potential.

All salary cap figures per CapFriendly.com.

Snapshots: Tkachuk, Stars, Garland

September 4, 2021 at 2:59 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 1 Comment

With Drake Batherson now signed, the Senators can squarely turn their focus to getting a new deal done with RFA winger Brady Tkachuk. Speaking with reporters, including Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch, GM Pierre Dorion declined to comment on the status of negotiations, only stating that “We’ve had productive, positive discussions with Brady’s camp” which would contrast a recent report from TSN1200’s Shawn Simpson who relayed (Twitter link) that there is some frustration setting in with Tkachuk’s camp.

The 21-year-old could be eyeing Andrei Svechnikov’s eight-year, $62MM deal with Carolina as a legitimate comparable contract which would make him Ottawa’s highest-paid forward but would still keep him below Thomas Chabot’s $8MM AAV for the highest-paid player on the team. As some of Ottawa’s top youngsters come up for new deals, trying to keep all of those below Chabot’s price tag would seem like a viable strategy for the Senators in an effort to keep their window for contention open as long as possible.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

Stars head coach Rick Bowness told Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas Morning News that forwards Tyler Seguin (hip and knee), Roope Hintz (groin), Alexander Radulov (core), and defenseman Joel Hanley (core) have all recovered from their respective injuries and surgeries and will be ready for training camp. Seguin, in particular, will be a welcome return as he was only able to suit up in three games last season, managing a pair of goals in those contests. They’re still not fully healthy, however, as there is plenty of uncertainty surrounding goalie Ben Bishop’s future which is why Braden Holtby was surprisingly signed in free agency this summer.
While winger Conor Garland believed the Bruins might show interest in him, he told Matt Porter of the Boston Globe that his camp never heard from Boston when Arizona was shopping him around the league. The 25-year-old Scituate native had identified Boston, Toronto, and Los Angeles as potential fits but he wound up being moved to Vancouver instead where he quickly signed a five-year, $24.75MM contract. Garland wouldn’t rule out the idea of playing for his hometown team down the road but it won’t be happening anytime soon.

PHR Mailbag: Hughes Brothers, Lundqvist, Domi, Caufield, Kings, Predictions

September 4, 2021 at 1:54 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 4 Comments

Topics in this edition of the PHR Mailbag include reuniting the Hughes brothers, Henrik Lundqvist, Max Domi, Cole Caufield’s production, the Kings’ offseason, plus playoff and crystal ball predictions. If your question doesn’t appear here, check back in last weekend’s mailbag.

SpeakOfTheDevil: Do you see the Hughes brothers all playing together on the same team someday? What would it take for that to happen via trade?

I don’t see it happening and it comes down to money. Quinn Hughes is going to get very expensive very quickly. If Jack Hughes pans out as expected, he’ll be expensive a year from now. By the time Quinn becomes a free agent, Luke will be on his second contract which, you guessed it, could get expensive quickly if he puts up the points many think he will. Dougie Hamilton might still be on the books at $9MM by then (depending on how long Quinn’s second contract is – is it a bridge or does it walk him to UFA right away?).

That likely takes the easiest scenario off the table. Could Vancouver one day trade Quinn? Sure, anything is possible. But does New Jersey need a third puck-moving defender with Hamilton and Luke and again, can they even afford that on the cap? Probably not and even if they could afford it, would they be willing to pay an extremely high price tag (multiple top picks and players) to make a strong spot (puck-moving defender) even stronger? That’s probably not the best use of organizational resources even if it makes for a nice story.

I don’t see New Jersey moving Jack and Luke to Vancouver, not with the cap challenges the Canucks are heading towards. And all three winding up on an entirely different team is even harder to see happening.

Could it happen later in their careers when they’re not all on big-money contracts? That’s certainly a little more realistic but even then, the safe bet is to say it doesn’t happen outside of them playing some summer scrimmages in the offseason on the same team.

Eaton Harass: Is Lundqvist the best goalie to never win a Cup?

He’s definitely in that mix. He’s a sure-fire Hall of Famer but there are others that are in the Hall of Fame that have to be considered.

Tony Esposito played in a much different era so it’s hard to directly compare the numbers but he played on some very good Chicago teams that just couldn’t get over the hump, much like the Rangers. Roberto Luongo didn’t always have good teams in front of him but was one of the premier goalies of his generation, the same as Lundqvist. I’d put Lundqvist ahead of Curtis Joseph and Ron Hextall who should also get at least some consideration here as well.

I’d say Esposito and his slightly more decorated track record would get the edge here but it’s not really a competition to be the best of that group. Lundqvist was a high-end goalie that never won a Stanley Cup that will one day be in the Hall of Fame. I know lots of people like ‘Best of’ lists but I don’t think being ranked first, second, third, or tenth matters all that much.

@MarkPaleo: Is Max Domi a possible solution for the Bruins’ 2nd line center question?

In the short term, no. He’s going to miss at least the first six weeks or so of the season if not longer after undergoing shoulder surgery in early June. There’s also the $5.3MM AAV which is one they can’t really afford. Yes, he’s eligible for LTIR but there would be a cap crunch as soon as he was able to return.

But at the trade deadline? That could be a really interesting option. At that point, Domi will have come back and shown if he’s capable of still being a top-six piece (particularly at center, after spending time the last two years on the wing) and the money will be easier to fit in with how much time will have passed and Columbus likely being more willing to retain at that time. Boston has looked at reclamation rental projects in the past at the deadline in the hopes that a change of scenery gets them going and Domi would certainly fit that particular strategy. If they haven’t filled that spot by the deadline, he’d make some sense for them.

wu tang killa beez: What do you expect from Cole Caufield in Montreal in a full NHL season? Can he score 30 goals?

In a single season at some point in his career? 30 is more than doable; it’d be a bit surprising if he didn’t get to that milestone a few times at least. He’s undersized but it’s hard to teach the scoring touch that Caufield has and he certainly didn’t look out of place during Montreal’s playoff run.

Now, if you’re asking about next season, that’s a little less certain. Don’t get me wrong, he could get 30 in 2021-22 but I don’t know if I’d necessarily predict that. The Canadiens are a score-by-committee type of team and outside of a hot start last year, they don’t typically score a lot. They have some decent weapons on the wing with him, Brendan Gallagher, Mike Hoffman, and Tyler Toffoli and that might result in some flatter scoring numbers. All of those players could (and if healthy, probably should) pass the 20-goal mark but because of that depth, none might reach 30 next season.

Winter in Colorado: Do you think the veteran additions and developing prospects will be enough for the LA Kings to make the playoffs this season? Is 3rd in the relatively weak Pacific Division possible?

bigalval: Can the Kings make the playoffs this year the team looks a lot better and the kids are coming up.

There’s no denying that the Kings are much-improved after the additions of Phillip Danault, Viktor Arvidsson, and Alexander Edler. The depth is a lot better and some players who were in spots higher than they should have been will be pushed back down which, from a development standpoint, isn’t a bad thing either. There’s also no denying that the Pacific Division isn’t all that strong and it is definitely possible that these additions plus some internal improvement from their youngsters could be enough to get them over the hump and into that third seed. I wouldn’t be shocked if it happened.

That said, I’m not going to predict it’ll happen. Last month, I made my very quick predictions for the playoffs and the Kings weren’t in that group. I think Edler will help their back end but it’s still not a particularly strong group. I don’t have a lot of confidence that Calvin Petersen and Jonathan Quick can be a playoff-caliber goaltending tandem, especially with that back end not being an impactful one. They’ll score more but after being 27th in that department last season, that’s a low bar to clear. I could see the Kings being fourth or fifth in the division but if five teams from the Central make it (a definite possibility), that would have Los Angeles just on the outside looking in. Bright days are soon coming but I think that jump ahead is another year away.

Joe422: 3 in and 3 out…. What 3-teams made the playoffs last season will not make it this season and who replaces them?

Let’s revisit those predictions linked above. I actually have four teams from the 2020-21 playoffs missing as things stand this season – two from the East and two from the West being replaced by one from the East and three from the West thanks to the one-time divisional alignment from a year ago.

Out of the teams missing, let’s start with the Stanley Cup finalists in Montreal. They’ll score more this season but they’re going to struggle defensively without Danault and Shea Weber. Their depth down the middle is already shaky – we’ll see later today if it gets even weaker – and it’s hard to see them making it back in. Pittsburgh is a team that has a narrow gap between contending and declining. I don’t think they’ve tangibly improved and their goaltending is still a giant question mark. Unless Tristan Jarry picks up his play, I think they just miss. From the West, Nashville has certainly started to rebuild while Minnesota’s roster isn’t as strong as it was a year ago. I also don’t see them staying in the top ten in goals scored and the end result is them taking a small step back.

As for who gets in, I expect Philadelphia to rebound. More specifically, I expect Carter Hart to rebound and if that happens, they basically become a playoff team right then and there. A largely healthy Dallas team (Ben Bishop is still out) should rebound, getting them into the mix in the Central. Chicago has added enough that they should be able to at least grab a Wild Card spot, especially if both go to Central Division teams. I’m going to put Vancouver in as well. As much as I really don’t like the acquisition of Oliver Ekman-Larsson with the likely long-term cap consequences, their defense will be better this season and the addition of Conor Garland gives them another scoring threat. Add that to a quietly good goalie tandem and there’s a recipe for a playoff appearance this season.

I still don’t think the big moves are done just yet and I don’t just mean the offer sheet answer so things could certainly change before the puck drops on the regular season next month.

The Duke: Old & New Crystal Ball, total points moving forward: Wennberg vs Bennett; Saad vs Zucker; Podkolzin vs Lucas Raymond; Owen Power vs Luke Hughes – and GAA: Vladar vs Skinner; Wallstedt vs Cossa.

1) I’m not going to predict Sam Bennett will stay over a point per game with Florida but I could see some 50-plus-point years from him. I don’t see that from Alexander Wennberg who is more of a 30-point player. Bennett’s a year younger but plays a more physical style that will wear down over time which creates some injury concerns so let’s say 350 for him and 250 for Wennberg.

2) Brandon Saad is a year younger than Jason Zucker and has five years left on his contract versus two for Zucker. I think Zucker is the more talented player when both are on their games but if he doesn’t rebound soon with Pittsburgh, he won’t get the top-six opportunities that Saad will. Let’s go with 250 for Saad, 200 for Zucker.

3) I think Vasili Podkolzin’s offensive upside is a bit overstated although he’s going to be a key piece soon for Vancouver. As for Raymond, I feel he has the potential for more points so let’s say 620-525? Guessing production 15 years down the road is a little challenging for the crystal ball.

4) If Luke is like his brother Quinn offensively as some think he can be, I think he beats Power on the points front. Of course, that’s a big if. Of course, it’s Power’s all-around game and the potential to be an every-situation number one blueliner that made him the number one pick. I’ll say 625-585 for Hughes; Power plays a little longer to bring the totals closer.

5) I’m honestly not sold that Stuart Skinner is going to have any sort of viable NHL career so his GAA could wind up somewhere in the low threes in limited action. Daniel Vladar is going to have a chance to play behind a decent back end in Calgary on a Darryl Sutter-coached team that will be defense-first. That will help his career average in the long run which could be in the mid-to-high twos.

6) This is a fun one. Like many, I was surprised when Sebastian Cossa went ahead of Jesper Wallstedt on draft day but both should be starters for a long time in this league. That means their GAAs are likely to be at least somewhat similar in the mid-twos. I had Wallstedt ahead of Cossa so give him the nod by a few hundredths if you’re looking for me to break the virtual tie.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Central Notes: Predators, Francouz, Rossi

September 4, 2021 at 12:45 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 4 Comments

After three straight early playoff exits, the Predators have embarked on somewhat of a reset this summer that saw long-term pieces Viktor Arvidsson and Ryan Ellis head elsewhere. Speaking with Gentry Estes of The Tennessean, GM David Poile indicated that he wants to avoid the dreaded middle and is okay with taking a step back to move out of that spot in the standings:

We’ve made the playoffs, which is a good thing, but we haven’t been able to win a playoff round. I’m proud of the fact that we’ve made the playoffs, but if that’s all we were being judged by, then all these moves that I made, I probably would not have made. Because we don’t want to be in this middle. We want to be better. When I say better or worse, I want to be better, but I understand the consequences of these trades.

While the Preds did re-sign Mikael Granlund, their other moves have certainly been made with an eye on getting younger and giving opportunities to some of their younger players, a strategy that will likely hurt them in the short term but help in the long run.

Nathan Gerbe Out Four To Six Months After Hip Surgery

September 4, 2021 at 11:02 am CDT | by Brian La Rose Leave a Comment

The Blue Jackets will be without one of their depth forwards as they head into training camp later this month as the team announced (Twitter link) that winger Nathan Gerbe has undergone successful hip surgery and will miss the next four to six months.

The 34-year-old has spent the last four seasons with Columbus, seeing NHL action in three of those years. Last season, Gerbe got into 13 games with Cleveland of the AHL, notching four goals and six assists. He also suited up nine times with the Blue Jackets, picking up a goal and two assists while also spending some time on the taxi squad. Over an 11-year career that also includes stints with Buffalo and Carolina, Gerbe has 151 career NHL points in 435 contests.

Gerbe was expected to battle for a spot at the end of the roster in training camp or serve as a veteran that could be recalled when injuries strike but that clearly isn’t in the cards now. Instead, he’ll be focusing on a midseason return and at that point, it’s likely he would be waived and returned to the Monsters. He will carry a partial salary cap charge while on season-opening injured reserve (a proration of his NHL time last season multiplied by his $750K NHL AAV) but with the Blue Jackets well under the Upper Limit, that won’t be a concern for them at all.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Vegas Golden Knights

September 4, 2021 at 10:53 am CDT | by Brian La Rose 2 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.

Vegas Golden Knights

Current Cap Hit: $81,537,439 (over the $81.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

F Peyton Krebs ($863K through 2023-24)

Potential Bonuses: $412.5K

Krebs, a 2019 first-rounder, got a brief NHL look late last season and held his own. He may have to wait to get a look this coming season – there will be roster limitations again when everyone is healthy – but if their summer acquisitions to bolster their center depth don’t pan out as hoped, Krebs should get a legitimate opportunity soon after.

One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level

F Sven Baertschi ($750K, UFA)
D Jake Bischoff ($717K, UFA)
D Nicolas Hague ($792K, RFA)
F Brett Howden ($885K, RFA)
F Mattias Janmark ($2MM, UFA)
F Keegan Kolesar ($725K, RFA)
D Brayden McNabb ($2.5MM, UFA)
F Nicolas Roy ($750K, RFA)
F Reilly Smith ($5MM, UFA)
D Zach Whitecloud ($725K, RFA)

Smith has been a fixture in Vegas’ top six for the past four seasons but saw his production drop off considerably last season. His first three years provided good value for the Golden Knights but a similar showing in 2021-22 could result in his market value taking a dip. As it stands, they may have a hard time being able to retain Smith beyond this contract. Janmark was a surprise re-signing in that he was expected to get more elsewhere but instead, he opted to take a below-market deal to stay with Vegas. If Smith does leave, Janmark could be one of the beneficiaries with some of that money going to him for 2022-23 and beyond. Roy stepped into a bigger role last season and could double his current AAV next summer with a similar showing due to his arbitration rights while Howden, another center in that mix, will need to play closer to his first two seasons if he wants any kind of sizable raise. Kolesar and Baertschi are both low-cost roster pieces and Vegas will need to have a few of those beyond this season whether it’s them or someone else.

McNabb is the only defenseman remaining in Vegas that was directly selected in expansion (not a related side deal). He doesn’t put up the offensive numbers to command top dollar but solid stay-at-home blueliners have checked in over $3.5MM in recent years. That’s certainly achievable if he makes it to the open market. Hague had a nice first full NHL season on the third pairing but with their depth and cap situation, he’s probably in a similar role this coming season and looking at a cheap one-year deal next summer to preserve short-term flexibility. Whitecloud isn’t as established but unlike Hague, will at least have arbitration rights in the offseason to help him in negotiations where he could push to double his AAV. Bischoff is tied for the lowest AAV in the entire league which will have him in the mix at times as well.

Two Years Remaining

G Laurent Brossoit ($2.325MM, UFA)
F Evgenii Dadonov ($5MM, UFA)
F Max Pacioretty ($7MM, UFA)

Pacioretty eclipsed the point per game mark for the first time in his career last season while leading the Golden Knights in goals for the second straight season. As long as that’s happening, they’ll be happy with his contract. Dadonov was one of the more puzzling trades of the summer. Yes, he has helped on the power play in the past which is an area of concern but them using a big chunk of their cap space from the Marc-Andre Fleury trade on a winger who struggled last season is certainly a bit of a risk.

Brossoit has had two strong seasons out of the last three but in the middle was a particularly tough showing. In all three, playing time was limited; his career-high in games played in a single season is only 21. That led to him landing a cheaper deal than more proven backups which was necessary for cap reasons but this is going to put a lot more pressure on their starter in the process. If Brossoit picks up where he left off in Winnipeg and can play a few more games though, he’s still young enough (28) to land a bigger deal two years from now.

Three Years Remaining

F William Carrier ($1.4MM, UFA)
F Jonathan Marchessault ($5MM, UFA)
D Alec Martinez ($5.35MM, UFA)
F Chandler Stephenson ($2.75MM, UFA)

Marchessault has more than proven that his breakout year in Florida was no fluke as he has been a key piece of their attack for all four seasons. That price tag for someone playing at greater than a 50-point pace is a pretty good return. It’s not quite as good of one as having a top-six center making third line money which is what they have in Stephenson. Leaving Washington has allowed him to become a reliable two-way second liner and a core player for them in the process whose absence in the Stanley Cup Semifinal was felt. Carrier doesn’t produce a lot but is an effective role player with plenty of sandpaper and those are the fourth liners that often get paid in free agency. They could fill that spot with someone cheaper if they had to but Carrier brings an element few others up front do for Vegas.

Had he made it to the open market, Martinez would have been arguably the most sought after blueliner (knowing that Dougie Hamilton’s price inherently limited his legitimate suitors) but he opted to pass on the opportunity to command a bigger deal in both price and term to stick around with Vegas. He’s not a number one defender but slides nicely into a second or third role depending on his pairing and in either slot, he’s likely to provide strong value. Considering his next contract will come in his age-37 season, a dip in pay will be coming at that time.

Four Or More Years Remaining

F William Karlsson ($5.9MM through 2026-27)
G Robin Lehner ($5MM through 2024-25)
D Alex Pietrangelo ($8.8MM through 2026-27)
F Mark Stone ($9.5MM through 2026-27)
D Shea Theodore ($5.2MM through 2024-25)
F Alex Tuch ($4.75MM through 2025-26)

Stone has shown more of an offensive touch the last few seasons which, coupled with his elite defensive game, makes him one of the premier two-way forwards in the league. It’s hard to call a $9.5MM contract a bargain but for what he’s able to do, it’s certainly not an overpayment either. Karlsson hasn’t come close to matching his production from his first year with the Golden Knights but has been a quality top-six center since then and as contracts for that position continue to escalate quickly, having him locked in is a good thing. Tuch’s inconsistency has limited him to more of a secondary role throughout his career but the skill and size are there to make him a consistent impact player and if that happens, his deal will quickly become a bargain.

Pietrangelo came as advertised as a legitimate number one blueliner and now finds himself on a cheaper contract than others in that role have signed in recent months. It’s hard to find value in many high-priced deals but if the escalating salaries continue, that could very well happen. There is definitely value in Theodore’s contract as he has continually improved to the point where it could be argued that he is a number one in his own right (though Pietrangelo logs the most minutes). Having him signed for four more years making the type of money that some number three defenders get is a significant bargain.

Lehner was limited due to injury last season plus Fleury’s strong season but now he comes in as the undisputed starter and will be counted on to play a considerably heavier workload than he’s accustomed to. He has shown flashes of being a higher-end starter and if he can provide that for the Golden Knights, he’ll be another high-value contract on their books.

Buyouts

None

Retained Salary Transactions

None

Still To Sign

D Dylan Coghlan
F Nolan Patrick

Patrick was acquired in a swap of young underachieving centers with Cody Glass going the other way. He was able to return last season after missing all of 2019-20 due to the pandemic but struggled. That’s going to limit his earnings upside here and he’s likely only looking at a one-year deal once again. As for Coghlan, he held his own in a reserve role last season while getting into 29 games. That’s not enough for him to command much of a raise and the delay to this point may be more of trying to sort out the two-way portion of his next deal than haggling over NHL money.

Best Value: Theodore
Worst Value: Dadonov

Looking Ahead

Tuch’s LTIR placement to start the season will actually allow Vegas to afford to carry a full roster, meaning that they won’t need to be playing games below the maximum player lineup as they did on multiple occasions last season. But when Tuch comes back (and assuming no one else is on LTIR by then), the cap crunch will return where they will be basically limited to carrying a minimum-sized roster and be susceptible to day-to-day injuries that force them below 18 skaters on game day. GM Kelly McCrimmon is clearly comfortable with this situation as he opted to go this tight to the Upper Limit after seeing what happened last season and while that carries some risk, he has a pretty strong roster once again.

Beyond next season, it’s going to be more of the same for 2022-23. Yes, they have about $14MM coming off the books next summer but have half of a defense corps to re-sign plus a forward or two so that money will be spent quickly. Depending on what happens with Pacioretty and Dadonov, that could be an opportunity for Vegas to reshape their roster a little bit but even if they did that, they’d still be tight to the cap. Get used to that being the case for the Golden Knights as it’s not about to change anytime soon.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Oilers Notes: Yamamoto, Goaltending, Chaulk

September 4, 2021 at 9:32 am CDT | by Brian La Rose 3 Comments

While young wingers Joel Farabee and Drake Batherson inked six-year deals earlier this week, don’t expect a similar deal to be coming for Oilers winger Kailer Yamamoto. Postmedia’s Jim Matheson notes that even with that market shifting towards longer-term deals, a bridge contract is still all but a certainty for the 22-year-old who is coming off a quiet year with 21 points in 52 games after putting up just 26 in 27 contests the year before. Matheson suggests Nashville’s Luke Kunin (two years, $2.3MM AAV) as the type of comparable deal that Yamamoto’s camp could realistically try to work off of while the Oilers may be closer to Jesse Puljujarvi’s deal (two years, $1.175MM AAV) knowing that Yamamoto has limited leverage for this deal.

Tomas Hertl Uncertain About Future With Sharks

September 3, 2021 at 9:05 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 6 Comments

Often the top impending free agents heading into a season are no longer available by the time that season comes to a close. With many of the biggest names in the 2022 UFA class being in their mid-to-late thirties and many others having already begun extension talks with their current teams, next year may be no different. However, the San Jose Sharks’ Tomas Hertl could be one of those rare wire-to-wire top impending free agents. Recent reports indicate that the skilled center is unsure about his relationship with the San Jose Sharks and whether he wants to remain with the team. The two sides are not expected to begin contract talks until later in the coming season and by then it could be too late.

As Alex Didion notes for NBC Sports, Hertl recently stated in an interview at home in the Czech Republic that he wonders if San Jose wants him and if he wants to stay. There is clearly a disconnect between the two sides, despite Hertl’s place as one of the team’s best players. Over the past six seasons, Hertl has scored at a pace of .32 goals per game and .7 points per game. While health hasn’t always been on his side, he makes up for it with immense impact when he is on the ice. In five of those six seasons, Hertl either scored 20+ goals or would have in a full season. In the past three years, he did the same with the 60-point benchmark. While his injury absences are not inconsequential, it is still clear that Hertl is an elite player – and yet the Sharks are seemingly not pushing him to re-sign.

The biggest question may be why Hertl would want to stay anyway. As noted, the 27-year-old could be one of the prime options on the open market. Not only is his scoring ability apparent but he excels at the center position, playing with size and grit and getting the job done at the face-off dot. Analytics also support Hertl’s status as perhaps one of the more underrated stars in the NHL. He has a chance to cash in and find a new team that is more likely to contend and where he can truly shine. Why would he pass that up? The grass is likely greener outside of San Jose, who Didion’s colleague Adam Gretz points out is still likely several years away from getting back to postseason contention. Yet, Gretz also notes that the Sharks’ salary cap situation is not ideal either, meaning Hertl is not likely to make any more by sticking with the rebuilding team versus testing the market for a better fit financial and competitively. As the cherry on top, Gretz writes that Hertl is also believed to be one of the Sharks who is upset about the presence of Evander Kane in the San Jose locker room. While Kane’s hockey future is still very much up in the air, if he does keep playing it will likely be for the Sharks, who made a long-term commitment – a commitment they seem hesitant to make to Hertl.

As of right now, Hertl merely seems uncertain about his future with the Sharks and wants to see how the season plays out. However, all signs point to a departure from San Jose at some point in time and a distinct possibility that Hertl could be one of if not the most sought after name on the 2022 free agent market.

Bruins Notes: Rask, Clifton, Bychkov

September 3, 2021 at 7:39 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 4 Comments

The NHL is officially going to the Olympics. So what does that mean for the NHL’s top unsigned free agent? Tuukka Rask has made it clear that he will only play for the Boston Bruins (and his teammates expect just that later this season), but the star goalie has said nothing about the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. The Olympic break will take place from February 3-22 and Rask must sign with Boston by the trade deadline, expected to be March 21, in order to be eligible for the postseason. Will he use the Winter Games as a warmup? As noted by The Athletic staff in their Olympics roster projections, if Rask wants a spot on Team Finland, it is his. For one, the team not as deep as they have been in the past, with the goaltenders projected to be Nashville’s Juuse Saros, Carolina’s Antti Raanta, and Chicago’s Kevin Lankinen. More of a factor though is that Rask’s numbers on the international stage are nothing short of stunning, with a .938 save percentage and 1.73 GAA in the 2014 Olympics and a .920 save percentage and 2.02 GAA in the 2016 World Cup. Add in his elite career NHL numbers and even at 34 and returning from injury he would be at worst the No. 2 for Finland. There is obviously some risk to Rask and the Bruins that he could re-injure himself while playing in the Olympics. However, the upside is that it will get him back into game shape without costing Boston. Once Rask is signed, there won’t be much time for him to get back up to speed unless the team opts to carry three goalies for a while. It will be interesting to see how the situation plays out and if the aging veteran is as determined to represent his country once more as he is to return to Boston for another run.

Better now than in-season, but Bruins defenseman Connor Clifton received the difficult news that he has tested positive for COVID-19, reports The Boston Globe’s Matt Dougherty. To make matters worse, the young blue liner is currently on his honeymoon. The Bruins have not commented on the situation and Clifton himself has not issued any follow-up. It is unclear if Clifton is vaccinated or not or if he is symptomatic at this time. The Bruins have not yet announced the start date for training camp, but with their preseason debut scheduled for September 26, it can’t be too far away. If Clifton has indeed contract the virus, he has a matter of weeks to recover and clear the NHL’s COVID Protocol or he will at least miss the start of camp. That could be critical for a player who is expected to compete for a starting role this fall.
Prospect defenseman Roman Bychkov has proven that he can produce at the junior level in Russia with 43 points and a +47 rating over the past three seasons in the MHL. However, his KHL club Lokomotiv Yaroslavl has yet to give him a chance in the big leagues. That will change this season. The KHL’s Amur Khabarovsk has announced that they have acquired Bychkov on loan for 2021-22. A perennial bottom dweller in the KHL, there is no reason to believe that Khabarovsk will not give the 20-year-old an opportunity to show what he can do against elite competition. The Bruins will be paying attention as well. Since he was selected in the fifth round in 2019, Bychkov has already outshined his draft slot with his play in Russia and at the World Junior Championship. Boston would like to see him take that next step as they evaluate whether to bring him over to North America.

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