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Ottawa Senators Sign Tyler Motte

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The summer of Dorion continues. The Ottawa Senators are bringing in another free agent forward that should excite the fan base, though not in exactly the same way Claude Giroux does. Tyler Motte will be signing with the club according to Luke Fox of Sportsnet, who credits colleague Elliotte Friedman for the tip. James Mirtle of The Athletic reports that the deal is for one year and $1.35MM.

Motte, 27, found his way onto our top 50 free agent list this year despite his relatively low offensive ceiling, thanks to the work ethic and skating ability that made him a fan favorite for the Vancouver Canucks. The bottom-six forward scored 15 points in 49 games for the Canucks last season before a deadline deal took him to the New York Rangers, where he was held scoreless down the stretch before tallying two goals in 15 postseason matches.

While Motte has been in the league since 2016, he really emerged onto the national stage in the 2020 bubble playoffs, when he scored four goals for the Canucks and was a wrecking ball on the ice every shift. He had 61 hits in those 17 postseason games, despite playing just over 15 minutes a night, and earned a two-year contract as a reward. That deal carried a cap hit of $1.225MM, meaning he’s barely getting a raise to join the Senators after what seems like a misread free agent period.

Signing this late in the summer is never going to result in a huge contract and now Motte will have to try again next year if he wants the security of a multi-year deal.

Where he fits into the Ottawa lineup is another story, as the team already has a number of forwards set to compete for NHL spots. Even in a fourth-line role, though, Motte can be effective. He averaged more shorthanded ice time than any forward not named J.T. Miller for the Canucks last season and was once again a physical presence, racking up 90 hits in those 49 games. He may not provide much offense – nine goals and 16 points are his career highs – but he’ll add more depth to an Ottawa forward group that suddenly looks quite impressive.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Seattle Kraken Promote Alexandra Mandrycky

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The Seattle Kraken now have a new assistant general manager, and it is one that made her name in the field of analytics. According to Emily Kaplan of ESPN, Alexandra Mandrycky has been promoted to the AGM position, from her previous role as director of hockey administration. Mandrycky was one of the first hires the Kraken ever made, before Ron Francis had even been brought in as general manager.

Mandrycky is the sixth woman this offseason to be promoted to assistant general manager, after the Vancouver Canucks essentially broke the glass ceiling by hiring Emilie Castonguay and Cammi Granato. Francis directly addressed some of the comments that are sure to follow this announcement:

I’ve always been in the school of thought that you find the best person available for the job. Alex isn’t getting this promotion because she’s a female. It’s because she’s earned this promotion, there’s no doubt about it. She’s already been involved in all facets of our organization, from the pro side to amateur to management discussions.

Mandrycky, 31, worked as an analyst with the Minnesota Wild for four years before joining Seattle, where one colleague called her an “unassuming superstar” that was destined for bigger things. She landed that job by being one of the founders of war-on-ice.com, a statistical modeling site that attempted to find advantages through analytics.

Now, after more than seven years in NHL front offices, she has received a bigger role and taken another step forward in her career. If there was a betting line on who would be the first female general manager in the NHL, Mandrycky would certainly be among the favorites, even at her relatively young age.

2008 NHL Draft Take Two: Tenth Overall Pick

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Hindsight is an amazing thing, and allows us to look back and wonder “what could have been.”  Though perfection is attempted, scouting and draft selection is far from an exact science, and sometimes, it doesn’t work out the way teams – or players – intended. For every Patrick Kane, there is a Patrik Stefan.

We’re looking back at the 2008 NHL Entry Draft and asking how it would shake out knowing what we do now.  Will the first round remain the same, or will some late-round picks jump up to the top of the board?

The results of our redraft so far are as follows with their original draft position in parentheses:

1st Overall: Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning (1)

2nd Overall: Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings (2)

3rd Overall: Roman Josi, Atlanta Thrashers (38)

4th Overall: Alex Pietrangelo, St. Louis Blues (4)

5th Overall: Erik Karlsson, Toronto Maple Leafs (15)

6th Overall: John Carlson, Columbus Blue Jackets (27)

7th Overall: Jacob Markstrom, Nashville Predators (31)

8th Overall: Braden Holtby, Phoenix Coyotes (93)

9th Overall: Jordan Eberle, New York Islanders (22)

Voters opted to have the New York Islanders go with Eberle over their original selection, lifelong Islander Josh Bailey. Eberle may have had a stronger start to his career, and has likely had a bit more of an impact overall, but it’s hard to imagine the Islanders organization without Bailey’s leadership for the past decade-plus. The upgrade in play between Eberle and Bailey also likely wouldn’t have done much for the Islanders, who still weren’t close to competing for a number of seasons after drafting Bailey in 2008.

None of that is to discredit Eberle’s career, which rightfully earns him top-ten honors in this redraft. His 595 career points in 858 games have him third overall in the class in that regard and second among forwards, trailing only Stamkos and Karlsson in total. While he hasn’t repeated the 60-plus point seasons from his early career with the Edmonton Oilers, who originally drafted him 22nd overall, he’s maintained a solid pace for a top-six forward over the years and now figures to be an important leader for the second-year Seattle Kraken.

Up next at the podium for the tenth overall pick was the Vancouver Canucks, finishing with only 88 points despite having a top-ten defense and goaltending combo in the league with Roberto Luongo, Mattias Öhlund, Sami Salo, and a young Alexander Edler. The team was anemic offensively, with only three 40-point players on the roster (Henrik Sedin, Daniel Sedin, Markus Naslund). They hoped that their original 10th overall choice in 2008, Cody Hodgson, a center from the OHL’s Brampton Battalion, would become an important piece in revitalizing the Canucks offense.

But it was not to be. Hodgson did well in the remainder of his OHL career but failed to make the impact in the Vancouver lineup as quickly as Canucks fans hoped. Hodgson didn’t make his NHL debut until 2010-11 and appeared in 12 playoff games during Vancouver’s 2011 run to the Stanley Cup Final. But during his first full season in the NHL, 2011-12, Hodgson was traded to the Buffalo Sabres at the trade deadline in exchange for Zack Kassian. He had 33 points in 63 games at the time – not awful totals from a rookie, no doubt, especially when playing under 13 minutes per game.

To date, it remains a bit of a puzzling trade, as Hodgson went on to have a few successful seasons in Buffalo. His best season came the following year, during the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season. Playing the full 48 games, Hodgson finished second on the Sabres in scoring with a 15-goal, 34-point season while also playing top-line minutes.

Unfortunately for Sabres fans, it was not a sign of things to come. Hodgson set a career-high 20 goals and 44 points the following season in 2013-14, but his per game pace dropped dramatically as he played in 72 games. However, it was the 2014-15 campaign that sent Hodgson’s NHL career off the rails. An abysmal year for the team (which led to them landing Jack Eichel) was also an abysmal year for Hodgson, whose point total dropped to just 13 in 78 games, his worst offensive pace in any league he’d ever played in. Bought out by the Sabres, he tried to resurrect his career the following season with the Nashville Predators, where he posted just eight points in 39 games. It was the last season of Hodgson’s professional career, playing his last game of pro hockey just eight years after going 10th overall.

Undoubtedly, there were better choices for Vancouver at that spot. Having Jared Spurgeon in their lineup right now alongside Quinn Hughes would be the difference between a playoff bubble team and a Stanley Cup contender, fixing a glaring hole at a position of need. T.J. Brodie would also be a solid option on defense while drafting Cam Atkinson or Josh Bailey would have given them a much more consistent scoring winger.

So PHR readers, who would you have told the Canucks to pick at 10th overall out of the players still available on our board? Vote in the poll below and discuss in the comments.

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote!

Three Players Sign PTOs

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As reported by CapFriendly on Tuesday afternoon, three players have signed PTOs today: goaltender Christopher Gibson with the Arizona Coyotes, center Nate Thompson with the Los Angeles Kings, and winger Daniel Sprong with the Seattle Kraken.

Given the tumultuous goaltending situation in Arizona, the 29-year-old Gibson could vie for a spot as a full-time backup for the first time in his long professional career. Originally a second-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Kings in 2011, he’s played professionally for the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Islanders, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Florida Panthers organizations. He had a 7-5-3 record, .907 save percentage, and one shutout in just 14 games with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers last season. While those totals may be low, he was a part of an uncomfortably crowded crease last season in Charlotte as they played home to both Panthers and Seattle Kraken prospects. He has a long history of strong minor-league play that may give him the inside track over the team’s other two backup options, Ivan Prosvetov and Jon Gillies.

Thompson, far and away one of the most seasoned players to sign a PTO this offseason, brings 844 games of NHL experience to Kings camp. While he did have just three points in 33 games with the Philadelphia Flyers last season and is a 13th forward at best at this point in his career, the 37-year-old Thompson could be a veteran anchor to help guide a youthful Kings’ bottom six, even if it is mainly from the press box. It could also be an inside track on a front office job for Thompson if he doesn’t make the team and opts for retirement instead.

The Kraken know what they’re getting in Sprong, who had six goals in 16 games for them last season after arriving at the Trade Deadline from the Washington Capitals. Seattle’s roster is more crowded this time around with multiple free agent and trade additions, especially on the wing, but he could bump some players like John Hayden and Karson Kuhlman onto the waiver wire and down to the AHL expansion Coachella Valley Firebirds if he makes the team and pushes for a spot at the bottom of the lineup with some power-play minutes.

Scott Mayfield, Cal Clutterbuck Healthy For Training Camp

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Speaking with the media today, New York Islanders rookie head coach Lane Lambert said that defenseman Scott Mayfield and right wing Cal Clutterbuck are healthy and ready for training camp after missing the end of last season with injuries. Lambert mentioned that overall, he doesn’t expect any health-related absences at the beginning of camp.

Mayfield missed the last 21 games of the 2021-22 season with a lower-body injury, last playing in a March 22nd win against the Ottawa Senators. It was his fourth two-point game of the 2021-22 campaign. Clutterbuck, on the other hand, missed the last 23 games, last taking the ice in a March 19th win against Dallas. Both players otherwise remained healthy throughout the entire season, playing in 61 and 59 games respectively.

Both players are expected to reprise their roles as cornerstones at the bottom of the lineup. Mayfield will anchor the third pairing, slotting behind Ryan Pulock and Noah Dobson on the Isles’ depth chart for right-shot defensemen. The veteran defensive stalwart will partner with either the 26-year-old Sebastian Aho or youngster Robin Salo. Clutterbuck, meanwhile, is expected to once again be a part of the longest-running fourth line in the league with Matt Martin and Casey Cizikas. He had six goals, nine assists, and 15 points in 59 games last year, his highest point total in the last three seasons.

The Islanders open their preseason schedule on September 26 against the New York Rangers.

Coachella Valley Hires Stu Bickel

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The Coachella Valley Firebirds, AHL affiliate of the Seattle Kraken, have added to their coaching and hockey operations department ahead of their inaugural season. Among the names announced today is former NHL defenseman (and sometimes forward) Stu Bickel, who has been brought in as an assistant coach under Dan Bylsma.

Bickel, 35, is an interesting coaching prospect. After the end of a long playing career that included 94 games at the NHL level, he joined his alma mater at the University of Minnesota as an assistant. In 2020-21, he took over as head coach of the Minnesota Magicians of the NAHL, and took them to the third round of the playoffs. Last season he was an assistant with the Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL, who went to the Calder Cup Final – ultimately losing to the Chicago Wolves.

It’s a quick rise for a long-time AHL tough guy, the kind that will likely soon get the attention of NHL benches. Bickel played 310 regular season games in the AHL, racking up 919 penalty minutes in the process. Given that he also served as an assistant general manager with the Magicians during his short stint, he’ll be a coaching name to follow as he progresses through the AHL this season.

Snapshots: Robertson, Wilson, Johnston

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The Dallas Stars have worked out an extension for general manager Jim Nill but still have work to do when it comes to their on-ice talent. Jason Robertson is without a contract less than two weeks before training camp opens, but Nill doesn’t seem worried.

The executive told Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas Morning News that there is “very open dialogue” between the two sides, and suggested that the deadline of training camp could speed up negotiations. Robertson is coming off a 41-goal sophomore season.

  • Tom Wilson is “believed to be ahead of schedule” in his return from a torn ACL, according to Tarik El-Bashir of The Athletic. The Washington Capitals forward was given a six to eight-month recovery timeline when he went under the knife in late May, and it is still unclear when he will be ready to return to the lineup. It’s somewhat positive news on Nicklas Backstrom too, who is expected to at least be on the ice with the team at their photo shoot later this week. Backstrom is coming back from hip surgery in June.
  • The Calgary Flames have hired Team Canada standout Rebecca Johnston in a full-time role, where she will work with the player development team. Johnston, 32, had ten points in seven games at the Olympics earlier this year, taking home her third gold medal (fourth total) at the Games.

Dallas Stars Extend Jim Nill

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The Dallas Stars will have a continued presence at the top of their front office organizational chart for the time being, as Jim Nill has been given a one-year contract extension that runs through 2023-24. Stars owner Tom Gaglardi released the following statement:

Jim has done tremendous work in his nine years since joining the Stars, having developed a culture of excellence within our organization that has translated to success on the ice. He’s re-shaped our club to put us in a position to compete with the League’s best each and every season. Jim’s diligence and commitment to the Stars has reverberated throughout our entire organization and we’re excited for him to continue his work building a championship-caliber team.

Some will certainly take issue with the idea that the Stars can “compete with the league’s best” every season, given they have missed the playoffs in four of the nine seasons and only finished higher than third in the division once since he has been general manager, but there have also been some master strokes by the veteran executive.

The 2017 draft, in particular, has become a franchise-altering moment for the Stars, as they selected Miro Heiskanen, Jake Oettinger, and Jason Robertson with their first three picks. Even Jacob Peterson, who made his debut with the club and scored 12 goals in 65 games last season, was selected that day, 132nd overall.

It has been the big-ticket contracts that Nill has given out that could have potentially been his downfall. Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin make a combined $19.35MM against the cap and have been anything but the superstar talents they showed in their youth. Even smaller deals like the six-year, $34.8MM that Esa Lindell received in 2019 have been criticized, despite the defenseman’s relatively consistent play.

With a one-year extension in place, Nill can negotiate with players from a position of stability, knowing that he will be around for a little while longer. Perhaps that will come into play with his last big RFA contract in Robertson, who remains unsigned to this point after a brilliant season.

Jordan Kyrou Signs Eight-Year Extension

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A few days ago it was reported that Jordan Kyrou and the St. Louis Blues were working on an extension. It appears those talks were positive, as Kyrou has signed an eight-year, $65MM extension. The deal is the same as the one that Robert Thomas signed earlier this summer, carrying an $8.125MM cap hit through the 2030-31 season.

Kyrou released a statement on the deal:

I’m so thankful to the Blues organization for putting their trust in me and giving me the opportunity to wear the Blue Note for the forseeable future. Being able to call St. Louis my home is amazing. I can’t say enough about how much I love the city. And to the best fans in the League, I can’t thank you enough for always showing me love and support.

Kyrou, 24, had a brilliant season in 2021-22, registering 27 goals and 75 points in 74 regular season games and then another seven goals in 12 playoff matches. The young winger attacks with incredible speed and finesse, registering those points despite averaging fewer than 17 minutes a night.

In fact, among players with at least 40 games played this season, Kyrou ranked 15th in the entire league in 5v5 points/60 at 2.93. That put him just behind Jonathan Huberdeau and Thomas, the latter actually tied with him. His 1.29 5v5 goals/60 tied him with Johnny Gaudreau, and Jake Guentzel for 21st in the league, showing just how dominant he was in his opportunity.

An extension like this suggests that the opportunity for Kyrou will only grow in the years to come, with more minutes being funneled to him and Thomas as the new core pieces of the offense. Notably, both Vladimir Tarasenko and Ryan O’Reilly, veteran talents who have led the Blues for years, are scheduled for unrestricted free agency next summer. While these massive long-term deals certainly don’t rule out extensions for the older forwards, the Blues are obviously focused on their emerging stars and wanted to get them locked up as soon as possible.

Remember, the salary cap ceiling will start raising again in the years to come, meaning long-term contracts signed now may look like bargains down the road. With this extension not kicking in until Kyrou is 25, the Blues have essentially bought his entire prime.

The two young players will continue to be linked not only because of their team but also their financials so far. Kyrou and Thomas are both in the final year of identical two-year, $5.6MM bridge deals they signed in 2021, meaning their contract status will basically be identical for the better portion of their careers.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

New Jersey Devils Sign Thomas Hickey To PTO

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There was a time a few years ago when Thomas Hickey was an extremely consistent two-way defenseman, capable of filling out any defense corps. That led to him signing a four-year, $10MM contract with the New York Islanders in 2018. Unfortunately, as he dealt with injury and his play declined, Hickey has been mostly limited to minor league duty the last several seasons.

Now a free agent, he has signed a professional tryout contract with the New Jersey Devils and will report to training camp later this month. The 33-year-old played two games for the Islanders last season, splitting the rest of his time between the Bridgeport Islanders and Ontario Reign. He hasn’t played more than five NHL games in a single season since 2018-19.

Given where the New Jersey defense sits right now, there is certainly no guarantee that Hickey will land an NHL contract with the Devils. Dougie Hamilton, John Marino, Damon Severson, Ryan Graves, Jonas Siegenthaler, and Brendan Smith are all signed to one-way contracts of at least $1.1MM, while prospects Simon Nemec, Reilly Walsh, and Kevin Bahl will all be pressing for NHL playing time at camp. That doesn’t leave a lot of room on the roster for Hickey, though he could land a two-way deal and be valuable veteran depth in the minor leagues in case of a call-up.

The fourth overall pick from 2007, Hickey has 456 regular season games under his belt, all with the Islanders.

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