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Alex Chiasson Signs PTO With Vancouver Canucks

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With Tyler Motte on the sideline recovering from surgery, the Vancouver Canucks have brought in a little more competition for the bottom-six. Alex Chiasson has signed a professional tryout with the team.

The 30-year-old Chiasson has played 564 regular season games in the NHL, including 183 over the last three years with the Edmonton Oilers. While he scored 22 goals during his first full year in Edmonton, that’s not the kind of offensive presence that Chiasson usually brings. Instead, he has averaged 13 goals per 82 games in the other seven seasons of his career, a number that still represents a useful bottom-six option.

The fact that he is an effective possession payer and has some special teams versatility makes him a worthwhile PTO candidate for a team that is looking to get back to the playoffs. In fact, this move represents the opposite of so much of the criticism Canucks GM Jim Benning has taken over the years. While in previous offseasons he has committed multi-year contracts to bottom-six players, this is a no-risk move for Vancouver that could result in a useful player.

Of course, that’s if Chiasson signs a deal with Vancouver at all. Tryouts are showcases for the entire league, meaning he could very well catch on somewhere else if an opportunity presents itself.

Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK TV broke the news earlier today, after originally reporting earlier this week that the team was talking to Chiasson. 

St. Louis Blues Name Peter Chiarelli VP Of Hockey Operations

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The St. Louis Blues have made a few front office changes, naming Peter Chiarelli vice president of hockey operations and Ken Hitchcock a coaching consultant. Dave Taylor, who was previously in the role that Chiarelli was given will assume the role of senior advisor to hockey operations.

Chiarelli, 57, had already been working for the Blues as a consultant but will now have an expanded role in the front office. The long-time executive last held a full-time position in 2019 with the Edmonton Oilers, but was fired early that year halfway through another disappointing season. There’s no lack of experience assuming the role for the blues, as Chiarelli was an NHL GM for 13 consecutive seasons between the Boston Bruins and Oilers. Before that, he held various positions with the Ottawa Senators including assistant GM.

Hitchcock will be well known to Blues fans, given he was head coach of the team for parts of six seasons. His last season in 2016-17 was supposed to be his swan song with the team with Mike Yeo was brought on as a coach-in-waiting, but after a 24-21-5 start, GM Doug Armstrong pulled the trigger early and fired Hitchcock. As Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic tweets, Armstrong never lost respect for Hitchcock, and the legendary coach was already considered a mentor for Blues boss Craig Berube.

Hitchcock is fourth all-time on the NHL wins list with 849 and won the Stanley Cup as head coach of the Dallas Stars in 1999.

Devon Toews To Miss Start Of Season Following Surgery

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The Colorado Avalanche won’t have Devon Toews in the lineup on opening night, as head coach Jared Bednar told reporters including Peter Baugh of The Athletic that the defenseman had shoulder surgery this offseason and has not yet been cleared for contact.

Toews, 27, had a brilliant first season in Colorado after the team acquired him from the New York Islanders last October. The trade, which cost the Avalanche two second-round picks, was followed quickly by a four-year, $16.4MM contract that showed just how much Toews’ new team believed in him. That belief paid off, as Toews became the regular partner of either Cale Makar or Samuel Girard and set new career-highs in goals and points despite playing just 53 games in the shortened season.

Locked in as a top-four option when healthy, Toews’ absence can only mean more minutes for young Bowen Byram and newcomer Ryan Murray as they piece together a group in the early part of the season. Bednar also explained that Kurtis MacDermid, acquired from the Seattle Kraken for a fourth-round pick, will start at defense but could end up playing some wing later on in the year.

The Avalanche still have a deep group on the back end, especially if Erik Johnson proves healthy again after playing in just four games during the 2020-21 campaign. The veteran is expected to be back, though it’s unclear what kind of role he’ll have now at age-33. The team also has Jack Johnson in training camp on a professional tryout, who could perhaps earn a spot if Colorado suffers any further injuries.

Philadelphia Flyers Sign JR Avon

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Sometimes it pays off to take an amateur tryout. Jon-Randall (JR) Avon has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Philadelphia Flyers. He is currently in Flyers camp on an ATO and participated in the recent rookie camp for the team.

The 18-year-old Avon went undrafted this year after missing what was supposed to be his sophomore season in the OHL due to COVID restrictions. After registering just 11 points in 56 games for the Peterborough Petes as a rookie, there certainly wasn’t much to go on, but that was when he was just 16 and buried on the depth chart of a loaded forward group that included the likes Nick Robertson, Mason McTavish, and Akil Thomas.

He has obviously impressed the Flyers brass enough to earn an entry-level deal, which will add him to the organization, though obviously not guarantee him a spot with the team. Instead, Avon will return to the OHL this season where he can continue his development while the contract will slide forward and not burn its first year.

Injury Notes: Kessel, Kinnvall, Crookshank

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The Arizona Coyotes will be without top scorer Phil Kessel for the next few weeks after he suffered a foot injury in his offseason training. Kessel’s current timeline is two to three weeks, as GM Bill Armstrong explained to reporters including Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports. Three weeks from today would mean a return on the eve of the Coyotes’ regular season opener against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Missing a few weeks of training camp isn’t a big deal for most players, but remember that Kessel is currently on a streak of 900 consecutive games played. The veteran forward has played every single game in each of the last 11 seasons, starting his streak way back in November of 2009. That’s the fifth-longest streak in NHL history and could be in jeopardy if he doesn’t return in the expected timeline.

  • Johannes Kinnvall of the Calgary Flames suffered a lower-body injury during the team’s prospect camp, and GM Brad Treliving described it as “significant” today at his opening press conference. The 24-year-old defenseman will not be able to participate in the main training camp, obviously a big blow to his chances of making the team to start the year. It was always a long shot, but Kinnvall has played extremely well over the last two seasons in the SHL, racking up 62 points in 83 games.
  • Angus Crookshank suffered a major knee injury at the Ottawa Senators prospect camp and will require surgery. The young forward will miss the next four to six months according to GM Pierre Dorion, ending any bid he had of making the club. The 21-year-old Crookshank was a fifth-round pick in 2018, partly because of the competition he faced in the BCHL, but started climbing prospect charts with a strong three-year career at the University of New Hampshire. By the time he was joining the Belleville Senators earlier this year he was on a roll and instantly became a top offensive option for the team. In 19 AHL games, Crookshank registered 16 points, a level of production he’ll have to try to get back to after this long rehab.

Tyler Bertuzzi Declines Vaccine, Won’t Travel To Canada With Red Wings

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The Detroit Red Wings expect to be shorthanded when they travel to Montreal to battle the Canadiens on October 23. GM Steve Yzerman explained that Tyler Bertuzzi, the Red Wings’ third-highest paid forward, has declined the COVID-19 vaccine and the team anticipates that he will not travel with the club to Canada this season.

Tyler will follow the protocols for non-vaccinated players. Most significant, and not really a part of the protocol, is that as of now and for the forseeable future, you can’t enter Canada unless you are vaccinated. So that obviously will be an issue when we go to play Canadian teams. 

As of now, under the Canadian laws, he won’t be able to cross the border so he wouldn’t be able to play in any games in Canada. 

Because unvaccinated players are not expected to be paid for games/days missed due to COVID-related absences, including those caused by government restrictions and quarantines, Bertuzzi would be forfeiting $191K just for the nine gamedays the Red Wings have scheduled against Canadian teams. With travel days added (along with days in between games on their Western Canada trip from March 12-17) he could be forfeiting quite a bit more.

That said, the Red Wings didn’t actually confirm that Bertuzzi will be suspended during those trips, meaning there is still a chance he could receive his full salary. The benefit of a short suspension, other than saving money for the organization, is that teams will receive corresponding cap relief for those days away from the roster. The Red Wings, who currently sit $15MM under the salary cap ceiling, wouldn’t benefit much from that added space.

Even though deputy commissioner Bill Daly projected just 10-15 players would be unvaccinated when the season begins, that will still pose an issue for some teams as they resume traveling around North America. Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland admitted today that one of his team’s players has also declined the vaccination, though he did not identify the player. While Bertuzzi may only miss eight games, Holland explained that his player could miss up to 30 given the quarantine that would be required for cross-border travel.

Los Angeles Kings Extend Cal Petersen

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After reports emerged earlier today that the Los Angeles Kings were getting close to a deal with goaltender Cal Petersen, PuckPedia reports that the three-year contract extension has been completed. Petersen will carry a cap hit of $5MM starting in the 2022-23 season, signaling that the Kings are ready to start a transition to him as the team’s next starting goaltender. PuckPedia adds the full breakdown:

  • 2022-23: $1.0MM salary + $3.0MM signing bonus
  • 2023-24: $1.0MM salary + $4.0MM signing bonus
  • 2024-25: $6.0MM salary

Petersen, 26, may not be widely known across the NHL just yet, but he will be soon after taking over the Kings’ crease last season. Originally selected by the Buffalo Sabres in 2013, he actually left the University of Notre Dame a year early and became a free agent, deciding to sign with Los Angeles instead of Buffalo. It proved to be a good career move so far, as he quickly climbed the organizational depth chart, made his debut in 2018-19 and played in 35 of the team’s 56 games last season.

All Petersen has ever done is post strong numbers, and he now sits with a .916 through his first 54 NHL appearances. Though that certainly isn’t a lot of experience, the Kings are betting that his price would have gone even higher after the upcoming season where he is projected to take the lion’s share of the work. Jonathan Quick, who appeared to be on the verge of a bounce-back season at the beginning of the year, struggled to maintain his play and finished with a .898 save percentage in 22 appearances, the third season in a row he has posted a number below .905. Given that he’ll turn 36 partway through the upcoming season, the time is right for the team to transition toward Petersen and the future.

Of course, that doesn’t mean Quick is out of the picture. The veteran netminder will still carry a cap hit of $5.8MM this season and next, meaning as it currently stands the Kings have more than $10MM committed to goaltending in 2022-23.

This new contract for Petersen is buying out all unrestricted free agent years but does come in quite pricey. He’s now tied for the 13th-highest cap hit for a goaltender in 2022-23, meaning there will be plenty of pressure to prove his early success can continue.

Alex Stalock Not Expected To Play This Season

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The Edmonton Oilers announced some bad news today, as GM Ken Holland told reporters that goaltender Alex Stalock is not expected to play this season. Stalock is being evaluated for a possible heart condition and though Holland explained that things could change down the road, he’s not counting on the depth goaltender.

Stalock, 34, is on the final season of a three-year deal signed with the Minnesota Wild in 2019 and carries a cap hit of $785K. He was expected to be the team’s third goaltender this season after he was claimed off waivers last season. Holland is not currently looking to add another veteran option to fill the role Stalock would have, meaning Stuart Skinner is likely once again penciled in as the team’s third option.

While losing a third-string goaltender is certainly not a doomsday scenario for the Oilers, it actually may be worse for them than most teams. Edmonton is currently heading into the season with 39-year-old Mike Smith as the presumptive starter and 33-year-old Mikko Koskinen behind him. The former was excellent last season and has been relatively healthy throughout his long career, but will be counted on to carry the load again without much of a depth chart behind him. Koskinen posted an .899 save percentage in 26 games and has struggled when handed the starting job for any significant stretch.

Skinner, meanwhile, made his NHL debut in 2020-21 and posted strong numbers at the AHL level. His development is coming along nicely, but as a 22-year-old goaltender with only one successful professional season under his belt, he’s still not ready to take on a big role with the Oilers. He may not need to, but losing Stalock puts him one step closer.

Buffalo Sabres Sign Rasmus Dahlin

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The Buffalo Sabres have agreed to terms with star defenseman Rasmus Dahlin on a three-year contract that will carry an average annual value of $6MM. The young defenseman was a restricted free agent but was listed on the Sabres’ training camp roster yesterday, suggesting a deal was coming soon. CapFriendly has the full breakdown:

  • 2021-22: $3.0MM salary + $2.0MM signing bonus
  • 2022-23: $5.8MM salary
  • 2023-24: $7.2MM salary

Dahlin, 21, certainly hasn’t been a disappointment since being selected first overall in 2018, but he also hasn’t been the franchise-changing savior that many Sabres fans were hoping for. The young defenseman stepped directly into the NHL and showed his offensive chops, recording 44 points in his rookie season and finishing third in the Calder Race, but has been dragged down–whether by his teammates or his own inconsistent defensive play–in his own end.

There’s no doubt that Dahlin is one of the most dynamic puck-movers in the NHL, but even that offensive output dropped this season as the Sabres collapsed into a league bottom-feeder once again. A contract like this, which ties Dahlin for the 30th highest cap hit among defensemen this season, certainly doesn’t leave room for a ton of surplus value unless he really gets back to the player he showed early on.

With no Rasmus Ristolainen in the fold now, Dahlin should take on even more responsibility for the Sabres. He heads into this season leading a defense corps that is made up almost entirely of pieces acquired through trade, some of them just cap dumps, and may have another difficult season as he waits for the help of Owen Power, the team’s latest top pick. When he gets him, which by all accounts should be at the end of the upcoming season, Dahlin and the 2021 first-overall pick should form a dynamic duo for the Sabres to build around, each logging big minutes on the left side.

Even though this contract may actually be a bit on the expensive side–Zach Werenski, with comparable if not better numbers, signed a similar bridge deal that was worth just $15MM over three years in 2019–it’s not really an issue for the Sabres who are fighting just to get to the cap floor. The team can certainly afford to pay Dahlin a little bit more to keep him in the fold while they go through another rebuild.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Robert Thomas Signs With St. Louis Blues

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Late last night, the St. Louis Blues announced that they have agreed to terms with restricted free agent Robert Thomas, signing him to a two-year contract. The bridge deal will carry an average annual value of $2.8MM, and allows Thomas to join his teammates on Thursday when Blues training camp opens.

The 22-year-old forward took a pretty drastic step backward this season when he posted just three goals and 12 points in 33 games while seeing his playing time decrease to just over 13 and a half minutes a night. Once seen as a future second-line center, it’s difficult to know exactly where Thomas will top out now after failing to really take that next step in the early part of his career.

Still, this two-year bridge deal gives him a chance to show that 2020-21 was the fluke and he can get back to (and exceed) the 42-point player he was the year before. A smart defensive player, he has struggled at times to generate offense for himself–incredibly registering just 22 shots in 33 games last season–and his linemates. In 169 career games, he has 22 goals and 87 points.

For the Blues, even if they believe in Thomas’ long-term outlook, there was no way they could make this deal stretch further into the future. Every additional year would likely make the cap hit creep up, and the team is capped out at the moment while they continue to carry Vladimir Tarasenko on the roster. In two years, when this bridge deal is up, there will be a ton of money coming off the books for the Blues, as Tarasenko, Ryan O’Reilly, Oskar Sundqvist and Ivan Barbashev are all scheduled for unrestricted free agency. The same summer, Jordan Kyrou–who signed his own two-year, $5.6MM deal last month–will also be up for a new contract.

While there are other promising prospects in the Blues system, it really is on Thomas and Kyrou as the two young options to bridge the gap from the veteran core to that next wave. Until Klim Kostin or others prove they’re ready for the NHL full-time, Thomas and Kyrou will remain the only two forward on the team under the age of 25. By getting them both signed to reasonable bridge deals, the Blues have given themselves the opportunity to take advantage of any breakouts that result in surplus value.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

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