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Archives for August 2022

Minor Transactions: 08/20/22

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Weekends in August don’t typically yield too much activity on the transaction front, at least in the NHL.  However, with international seasons starting up soon, there continues to be regular player movement overseas.  Here’s a rundown of some recent moves there.

  • Canadiens prospect Dmitri Kostenko has been loaned out for the upcoming season as Spartak of Russia’s MHL announced that they’ve loaned the 19-year-old to Kunlun of the KHL. Kostenko was a third-round pick of Montreal in 2021 (87th overall) and spent most of last season in Russia’s second-tier league, the VHL, picking up 14 points in 40 games.  Kostenko also suited up in seven games with Spartak at the junior level, recording nine assists.
  • Josh Dickinson, the younger brother of Canucks forward Jason Dickinson, has decided to try his hand at playing overseas as MoDo of the Swedish Allsvenskan announced they’ve signed the 24-year-old to a one-year deal. Dickinson spent three years in Colorado’s system on an entry-level deal before joining Detroit on a minor league pact last season where he had 13 points in 48 AHL games plus 28 more in 21 games at the ECHL level.

This post will be updated throughout the day.

Central Notes: Stastny, Lambert, Khudobin

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With Nazem Kadri now off the market, Paul Stastny is the top center of note that’s still available.  Sportsnet’s Ken Wiebe reports that while a reunion with the Jets hasn’t been ruled out yet, it’s unlikely he returns to Winnipeg next season.  The 36-year-old is coming off a bit of a bounce-back year in 2021-22 where he scored 21 goals along with recording 24 assists in 71 games while winning over 56% of his faceoffs.  The Jets certainly have the cap space to bring him back but Wiebe believes he’ll ultimately take less than his market value with an eye on going to a contender in the hopes of competing for a Stanley Cup title.  Speculatively, he fits as a short-term replacement for Kadri in Colorado, a team where Stastny spent the first eight years of his career so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him linked to them over the coming days.

More from the Central:

  • Still with the Jets, prospect Brad Lambert’s absence from Friday’s World Junior semifinal against Sweden raised some eyebrows. Head coach Antti Pennanen confirmed to reporters including Scott Wheeler of The Athletic (Twitter link) postgame that the 18-year-old first-rounder isn’t injured but was rather a healthy scratch.  Lambert, the 31st pick last month, has been a bit of a polarizing prospect over the last year and has somewhat surprisingly had a limited role in this tournament so far, averaging only 12:24 per game.
  • After undergoing hip surgery back in March, goaltender Anton Khudobin is expected to be ready to participate in training camp, Mike Heika notes on the Stars’ team website. Last year was a tough one for the 36-year-old as he posted a 3.63 GAA and a .879 SV% in nine appearances with Dallas, eventually resulting in him clearing waivers.  He has one year left on his contract at $3.33MM and while they would prefer to move that deal out, he’ll also serve as insurance with the team still needing to re-sign RFA goaltender Jake Oettinger.

Penguins Sign Jack St. Ivany

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After being linked to him earlier this week, the Penguins have indeed added to their prospect pool, announcing the signing of defenseman Jack St. Ivany to a two-year, entry-level contract.  The deal will carry a cap hit of $950K in the NHL.

The 23-year-old was a fourth-round pick of the Flyers back in 2018 (112th overall) but didn’t sign with Philadelphia by Monday’s deadline, paving the way for him to become an unrestricted free agent.  Pittsburgh GM Ron Hextall was in charge of the Flyers back in 2018 so he certainly had some familiarity with his newest prospect which undoubtedly played a role in their decision to pursue St. Ivany.

St. Ivany split his college career between two schools.  He spent the first two years with Yale before transferring to Boston College during the pandemic where he struggled in his junior year.  However, last season, he fared much better, recording four goals and 20 assists with the Eagles, setting new career-bests in both goals and points.

With Pittsburgh already having a fair bit of defensive depth, it’s safe to say that St. Ivany will be heading to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton next season where he’ll hope to work his way up their depth chart and perhaps into an injury recall situation at some point over the next two seasons.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Anaheim Ducks

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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 2022-23 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.

Anaheim Ducks

Current Cap Hit: $63,657,667 (under the $82.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

D Jamie Drysdale (one year, $925K)
F Mason McTavish (three years, $894K)
F Trevor Zegras (one year, $925K)

Potential Bonuses:
Drysdale: $850K
McTavish: $2.5MM
Zegras: $850K
Total: $4.2MM

Simply put, these three are the centerpieces of Anaheim’s rebuild.  Zegras played his first full NHL season in 2021-22 and finished second on the team in scoring, establishing himself as their top center in the process.  An early extension is always possible but with only 99 career games under his belt, GM Pat Verbeek might want to wait on that.  His next contract seems likely to check in around the $8MM range on a long-term deal, similar to the ones that Nick Suzuki and Josh Norris have signed recently.  Worth noting, he will still have five years of team control after next season.  As for McTavish, he didn’t look out of place in his limited NHL stint last year and his showing at the World Juniors shows that he’s ready for a full-time role in 2022-23.  It’s obviously too early to forecast his next deal but they’re hoping he does well enough to be in that $8MM range as well.

Drysdale had some struggles in his own end last season but that’s hardly uncommon for a 19-year-old and overall, he had a solid first full NHL campaign.  While it might seem that he should get a bigger role this season, that’s far from a guarantee with the veterans that will be ahead of him.  That makes his next contract a bit tricky.  Anaheim will certainly want to extend him on a max-term deal but it might be in Drysdale’s best interest to look for a two or three-year bridge deal; he also will have five years of team control remaining.  He’d get more of a chance to play top minutes in 2023-24 so locking in long-term before getting that opportunity would carry some risk from an earnings standpoint.

Signed Through 2022-23, Non-Entry-Level

D Simon Benoit ($750K, RFA)
F Max Comtois ($2.037MM, RFA)
F Derek Grant ($1.5MM, UFA)
D John Klingberg ($7MM, UFA)
D Josh Mahura ($750K, RFA)
D John Moore ($2.75MM, UFA)
D Kevin Shattenkirk ($3.9MM, UFA)
G Anthony Stolarz ($950K, UFA)
F Troy Terry ($1.45MM, RFA)

Bridge contracts are often overlooked as they’re often by-products of a salary cap situation.  That isn’t the case in Anaheim as the ones they signed were simply decisions to see how a player continues to perform before needing a big commitment.  They’ll certainly be needing that big commitment for Terry as he had a breakout showing in 2021-22, scoring 37 goals and 67 points.  For context, he had 15 goals in 128 contests heading into the season.  A repeat performance would push Terry well past the $6MM mark on a long-term deal which is basically four times what his qualifying offer would be next summer.  Anaheim will enjoy another season at a bargain price tag and will be paying up soon after.

At the opposite end of the spectrum is Comtois.  He received a bridge deal even after leading the Ducks in scoring in 2020-21 and the first year of it didn’t go well.  He struggled with his production and consistency which resulted in him dropping down the depth chart and even being scratched at times.  Still just 23, they’re certainly not giving up on him but his contract is back-loaded which results in a $2.55MM qualifier next summer.  A repeat showing next season will make the decision regarding his future a little trickier.  As for Grant, he’s coming off a career year with 29 points and played like a capable third center.  That’s a good return for that price point and if Anaheim is out of the playoff picture in February, he’ll be a strong candidate to move as a rental at the trade deadline.

The addition of Klingberg this summer certainly raised some eyebrows.  His presence on the roster will make it a little harder for Drysdale to play an elevated role in the lineup but at the same time, the veteran is in a good spot to be productive and show that he’s worthy of the long-term commitment he was seeking this summer.  Even so, that long-term contract will likely check in at a lower price tag than this one unless he really has a standout performance.  It certainly wouldn’t be surprising to see him move at the trade deadline either.  The same can be said for Shattenkirk who has re-established himself as a top-three defender with the Ducks but might be in tough to put up the type of offensive numbers that he’s accustomed to with Klingberg now in the fold which could hurt his market in free agency next summer.  Moore was a cap casualty they had to take on in the Hampus Lindholm trade last season and he’ll be looking at a deal at or near the minimum next season while Benoit and Mahura will need to become full-time regulars if they want to make more than the minimum in 2023-24 as well.

Stolarz did well in his first full NHL season as a backup, posting an impressive .917 SV% in 28 appearances.  With the way that backups have seen their price tags go up in recent years, if he’s able to play at a similar level next season, he could push for upwards of three times his current deal.  Even if he takes a step back, double his current price could still be doable.

Signed Through 2023-24

F Sam Carrick ($850K, UFA)
F Adam Henrique ($5.825MM, UFA)
F Max Jones ($1.295MM, RFA)
F Isac Lundestrom ($1.8MM, RFA)
F Jakob Silfverberg ($5.25MM, UFA)
D Urho Vaakanainen ($850K, RFA)

Henrique had a rough 2020-21 season to the point where he cleared waivers but he was much better last season with 42 points in 58 games while winning over 55% of his faceoffs.  That’s not a great return on his price tag but those are second-line numbers which is a better outcome than seemed possible just a season ago.  He won’t be able to command that type of money two years from now though.  The same can be said for Silfverberg, who’s coming off an injury-riddled year that saw him score just five times in 53 games.  While he was a top-six winger at the time his deal was signed, he isn’t now.  Carrick very quietly put up decent numbers in a depth role last season with 11 goals in 69 games after having just four in parts of five seasons before that.  His contract is cheap enough to give Anaheim good value if he’s on the fourth line while if young players push their way into his spot, it can be buried in the minors.

As for the younger forwards in this group, Lundestrom did well in his first full NHL season, picking up 29 points and playing a big role shorthanded.  Still just 22, he’s more of an unheralded part of their future plans and should be more of a bottom-six player moving forward but this was still a promising season.  The bridge deal makes sense and if he can produce at a similar rate these next two years, his AAV could jump into the $3MM range.  It’s safe to call the first year of Jones’ bridge contract a write-off as a pectoral injury limited him to just two appearances last season.  If he can return as a capable bottom-six winger, there’s room for his price tag to go up a couple of years from now.

Vaakanainen was part of the Lindholm trade as well and while he hasn’t played up to the level of a first-round pick as he was in 2017, he showed some signs of progressing into a regular NHL defender.  This contract has a chance to be a bit of a bargain as a result but with limited offensive upside, he’s not going to be someone to command big money down the road.  Doubling his current AAV could be achievable if he can hold down a regular spot.

Signed Through 2024-25

F Frank Vatrano ($3.65MM, UFA)

Vatrano has largely gone under the radar but he very quietly has scored at least 16 goals in each of the last four seasons and is coming off his second straight 18-goal campaign which wasn’t bad considering he played just over 13 minutes a night.  That type of money for someone whose role is that limited is a bit on the high side but he has been able to produce with some consistency with less ice time than players that hover around 20 goals typically get.  That made for a pretty strong market for him last month which yielded this contract.

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Canucks Have Shown Interest In Evan Rodrigues

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With training camps now less than a month away, teams will be calling around to the remaining unrestricted free agents to see if their asking price has dropped.  It appears that the Canucks are doing that with Evan Rodrigues as Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK and The Athletic reported in an appearance on Sekeres and Price (audio link) that Vancouver is “poking around” on the forward.

The 29-year-old is coming off a career season with Pittsburgh that saw him put up 19 goals and 24 assists while playing in all 82 games for the first time.  His ice time jumped up to nearly 16 minutes per game and he played down the middle and on the wing.  That type of versatility is always appealing to teams.

So, why hasn’t his market materialized this summer?  Rodrigues’ splits from last season are likely playing a role in that.  Of the 43 points he had, 30 came in the first half of the year and only 13 in the second half.  The latter is more in line with his career numbers where he has been more of a depth forward so it’s not surprising that teams aren’t coming in overly high with offers, especially with flexibility at a premium.

Rodrigues ranked 24th on our Top 50 UFA list earlier this summer with a projected contract of three years at $3MM per season.  At this point, it’s quite unlikely he’ll command that type of money or term so a one-year deal in an optimal situation with the hopes of generating a stronger market next summer might be the next best thing.

However, is Vancouver the most optimal spot for Rodrigues?  They’ve added some depth on the wings this summer with Ilya Mikheyev and Andrei Kuzmenko and while Rodrigues could plausibly slide in down the middle when injuries strike, it’s not a position he has played full-time since the 2018-19 campaign.  He could fit on the third line if they were comfortable deploying him as a center; otherwise, Rodrigues would likely be in a depth role with Vancouver which is what he should be trying to avoid.  There’s still time for Rodrigues to be selective as he looks to find a home for next season but if nothing else, Vancouver would represent a fallback plan if the more desirable situations don’t present themselves.

Latest On New York Islanders Offseason

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It was no secret that in order to get better after last season’s disappointment, the New York Islanders needed to find a way to add scoring and get younger on the blueline. They managed to do one of those things, acquiring 22-year-old defenseman Alexander Romanov from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for their 2022 first-round pick. However, the team was unable to, at least so far, address its lackluster offense. The Islanders had been connected to star free agents Johnny Gaudreau, who ultimately signed with the division-rival Columbus Blue Jackets, and Nazem Kadri who recently signed with the Calgary Flames.

Today on NHL Network, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman discussed the Islanders with Bill Pidto, saying that while he believes they were interested in Kadri, they were never able to create the cap space to make it work. Interestingly, the Islanders actually have the fourth most salary cap space available according to CapFriendly, with just under $11.2MM available. However, the team does need to re-sign the recently-acquired Romanov, forward Kieffer Bellows, and breakout defenseman Noah Dobson. Between those three, it could command a large portion of their space. Though it may not take all of it, it would most likely bring them below the $7MM needed to, at the very least, match the offer Kadri accepted in Calgary.

To create that space, Lou Lamoriello could have opted to try to move one, or both of, wingers Josh Bailey and Anthony Beauvillier. Though both are solid contributors on Long Island, moving their $5MM or $4.15MM cap hits, respectively, could have created the space necessary to sign a dynamic player like Kadri. Given the cost for Calgary to trade away Sean Monahan, who had just one year left at $6.375MM, the price for the Islanders to move one of their forwards may have been too steep to make it worthwhile. Another option could have been to move goaltender Semyon Varlamov, who carries a $5MM AAV, but is playing behind star netminder Ilya Sorokin. However, Lamoriello made clear his intention to keep the veteran netminder.

Also of note, Friedman added that he does believe deals with Romanov and Dobson are already done, saying he believes Dobson’s deal “is a big number.” Friedman also believes Romanov’s contract could come somewhere in the $3MM AAV range. Having the deals done, but not announced, is in keeping with Lamoriello’s previous dealings, including last summer’s rather late announcements, most notably of a Kyle Palmieri contract. Although Friedman didn’t mention Bellows as having an agreed-upon deal, it is worth noting the winger was arbitration-eligible, but neither him nor the Islanders filed. This surely doesn’t mean a deal is done, but would be a curious choice if nothing had been agreed upon (or could simply indicate very amicable talks between the two).

Free Agent Profile: Alex Chiasson

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A veteran of 631 NHL games spread over parts of 10 seasons, free agent forward Alex Chiasson once again finds himself in familiar territory: approaching training camp without a contract, after another solid NHL season. The veteran has signed three PTO’s thus far in his career, each of them resulting in an NHL contract, and all signs point to this offseason not being much of a change of pace. Chiasson spent last season as a member of the Vancouver Canucks, his first with the team, where he scored 13 goals to go with nine assists over 67 games, The winger’s 2021-22 doesn’t exactly match him up alongside the games greats, but it did represent another season of solid bottom-six play for a physical, two-way player, something he has brought to every team in his career thus far.

A second-round pick of the Dallas Stars in 2009, Chiasson was a highly-regarded prospect when he spent three years at Boston University prior to turning pro at the end of 2011-12. The younger Chiasson wouldn’t wait too long to make his NHL debut either, dressing in seven games for Dallas during the 2012-13 season, registering an impressive six goals in the short sample. Since debuting with the Stars, Chiasson has played for six different franchises, including Dallas, the Ottawa Senators, Calgary Flames, Washington Capitals, Edmonton Oilers and most recently Vancouver.

Despite the transition from team to team, Chiasson has made a name for himself as a reliable role-player everywhere he has gone, bringing a physical element while also chipping in on the penalty kill, and even contributing somewhere between 10 and 15 goals per season. Perhaps his most impressive season came not too long ago, when he scored a career-high 22 goals along with 16 assists for 38 points over 73 games as a member of the Edmonton Oilers in 2018-19. Turning 32 years of age just prior to opening night, it’s unlikely to expect Chiasson to take any step further with his game or even repeat the success he saw back in Edmonton, but he has been a model of consistency and hard work, two valuable assets to just about any team in the league. He’s likely headed for yet another PTO, but the chances of seeing him back in the NHL for the 2022-23 season still seem high given his track record.

Stats:

2021-22: 67 GP, 13-9-22, +4 rating, 24 PIMs, 98 shots, 56.3 CF%, 11:37 ATOI

Career: 631 GP, 114-110-224, -36 rating, 353 PIMs, 896 shots 52.6 CF%, 13:37 ATOI

Potential Suitors:

For his career, Chiasson seems to have a habit of latching on with relatively good teams, perhaps due to luck, but perhaps not. This past season saw the veteran’s Vancouver team struggle early, but make a tremendous push for a playoff position, just barely missing out. In the two seasons prior, his Edmonton Oilers made the playoffs, missing with 79 points in 2018-19, his career-year. Arguably the highlight of his career though was a Stanley Cup championship with the Washington Capitals in 2017-18. One would think, whether it’s a happy trend, Chiasson’s personal choice and analysis, or something in particular that he himself brings to the table, that whatever team he winds up with will at least be a strong contender for a playoff position.

But, over a month into free agency and not a star talent, at 32 years of age, what contender is in a position to sign Chiasson? The overwhelming majority of competitive teams not only have their rosters in place, but are so close, if not over the salary cap ceiling that even a league-minimum one-way contract would be impossible to fit in.

Two plausible options that come to mind would be the New York Islanders and Minnesota Wild. Although all the winger slots seem to be filled on Long Island, the team that has struggled to score goals could stand to add a dozen or so more as a depth option, and Chiasson’s style of play is in keeping with the preferences of Islanders’ GM Lou Lamoriello. Minnesota on the other hand is known to be looking to add another forward and while Chiasson of course doesn’t replace star winger Kevin Fiala, adding some punch to Minnesota’s bottom-six, especially after the departure of Nicolas Deslauriers, would make sense.

Another option for the Quebec native could be to head overseas. He had been connected to opportunities over in Switzerland back in late May, however his agent, Pat Morris, was sure to clarify that his client was looking for NHL opportunities, and was especially hoping for an opportunity to stay in Vancouver. But, Canucks GM Jim Rutherford indicated that they would not be making a decision on Chiasson until after their free agency wrapped up. Now that things are mostly quiet on the free agency front, especially with Vancouver, a return for Chiasson doesn’t look too good. However, not many PTO’s have been signed, and if that is indeed the route for the forward, then one might see his opportunities still upcoming.

Projected Contract:

Considering his track record both with on-ice production and previous deals, as well as where the offseason currently stands, Chiasson is almost certainly headed for another PTO. This option may be concerning for some players, and it may not be the most enjoyable position for Chiasson either, but he’s been here before and earned his keep when he has. Chiasson managed to sign an NHL contract after all three of those PTO’s, and what’s more is after the first, he went on to win a Stanley Cup, after his second, he was rewarded with a two-year, $4.3MM deal, and after his most recent, he found a place he appeared to feel very good about returning to in that of Vancouver

Whether he signs a PTO, then a contract, or receives a contract outright, it wouldn’t appear Chiasson will make any more than the league-minimum $750K salary for 2022-23 either. Not a perfect scenario, and far from the career-high $2.15MM salary he had with Edmonton from 2019-2021, an NHL contract would give Chiasson another year in the league and another chance at an early-in-free-agency deal like he signed with the Oilers in 2019.

 

Submit Your Questions For The #PHRMailbag

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As most of the hockey world takes a vacation, the World Juniors in Edmonton are providing a nice change of pace for fans looking to get a glimpse of their future stars. Anaheim Ducks forward Mason McTavish leads the tournament with six goals and ten points, sometimes looking like he is six or seven years older than the rest of his competition, while Luke Hughes continues to dominate as the tournament’s best defenseman. With the tournament coming to a close in just a few days, we’ll soon have to turn our attention back to the coming season.

With that in mind, it’s time to run another edition of the PHR Mailbag.

Last time, the mailbag was broken into two parts. The first examined the risky situation in Toronto’s crease, Pierre-Luc Dubois’ future in Winnipeg, and P.K. Subban’s continued free agency. The second focused on some offer sheet candidates, the front office in Philadelphia, and some often-discussed trade targets.

You can submit a question by using #PHRMailbag on Twitter or by leaving a comment down below. The mailbag will run on the weekend.

New York Rangers Hire Ari Vuori

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As announced on Friday, the New York Rangers have added Ari Vuori to their front office as Director of European Scouting.

Vuori, 60, is an esteemed name in NHL circles with plenty of relevant and successful experience. Getting his start as a European Scout with the Los Angeles Kings in 1996-97, he stayed with the team all the way until 2007, partially responsible for drafting star Europeans such as Olli Jokinen (1997), Lubomir Visnovsky (2000), and most notably Anze Kopitar (2005).

That success continued during a stint with the Detroit Red Wings from 2008-2015, but Vuori has most recently served as the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Director of European Scouting since then. Over the past few seasons, the Maple Leafs have consistently been one of the most active teams in bringing over European free agents and sometimes making solid impacts, most notably Ilya Mikheyev.

With Vuori in the fold, the Rangers immediately have an upgraded front office. He’ll undoubtedly steer the teams’ assessments of European talent in the right direction and provide a valuable liaison with incoming European free agents.

Buffalo Sabres Sign Tyson Kozak

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The Buffalo Sabres have signed forward prospect Tyson Kozak to a three-year, entry-level contract, per a team release Friday. Per CapFriendly, the contract carries a cap hit of $850K with a rather unique signing bonus structure.

The Sabres drafted Kozak in the seventh round of the 2021 NHL Draft with the 193rd overall pick. The 19-year-old center had 32 goals, 37 assists, and 69 points in 66 games last season with the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks. Barring a massive unforeseen development in which Kozak makes the Sabres out of camp, he’ll return there next season as well.

Buffalo director of player development, Adam Mair, called 2021-22 “an excellent year” for Kozak, while Rochester Americans assistant coach Michael Peca also spoke highly of the player during development camp in July:

Watching him out there, you’d think he went in the top three rounds, to be honest with you. The kid’s impressive. He’s quiet, he’s unassuming, but he’s a real hockey player. He does everything right on the ice.

Kozak is a solid member of what seems to be a promising 2021 draft class for the Sabres. He’ll join his peers in Josh Bloom (Saginaw, OHL) and Olivier Nadeau (Gatineau, QMJHL) as 2021 Sabres draftees returning to the CHL next season.

His strengths rely on his two-way game, as alluded to by Peca. He’s a smart offensive player who shows good instincts away from the puck and has a surprisingly physical play style given his 5′ 11″, 165 lb frame.

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