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Metropolitan Notes: Fletcher, Konecny, Engvall, Barzal, Domi

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Speaking with reporters today (video link), Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher discussed his plans for the upcoming trade deadline.  Unsurprisingly, the team plans to sell and he acknowledged that the bulk of the discussions so far have been regarding players on expiring contracts, particularly winger James van Riemsdyk.  However, he made a point to say that he doesn’t intend for the team to go into a scorched-earth rebuild which suggests that Philadelphia’s deadline activity could be somewhat limited if they primarily deal with moving players on expiring contracts.  Fletcher also mentioned that they don’t plan to add too many players from Lehigh Valley to allow them to continue to battle for a spot in the AHL playoffs.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • Also from Fletcher’s press conference, he indicated that winger Travis Konecny is going to miss at least a few more weeks due to his upper-body injury. With the Flyers not heading for the playoffs, the GM indicated that it’s possible that there isn’t enough time for him to return this season.  The 25-year-old is seven points shy of matching his career-high of 61 but at this point, it doesn’t seem likely that Konecny will be able to get there.
  • While the Islanders quickly signed Bo Horvat to a contract extension after acquiring him, don’t expect that to be the case for their latest acquisition in Pierre Engvall. GM Lou Lamoriello told Newsday’s Andrew Gross (Twitter link) that they’ll “take one thing at a time” with the winger but acknowledged that he’s someone that he’d like to keep beyond this season.  Engvall, who carries a $2.25MM AAV, is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer and has 21 points in 58 games so far.
  • In a separate tweet, Gross relays that center Jean-Gabriel Pageau has resumed skating as he works his way back from an upper-body injury that has kept him out for the last two and a half weeks. Pageau has 29 points in 58 games this season and plays more minutes than any Islanders forward on the penalty kill, a unit that’s one of the strongest in the league; getting him back would certainly be a boost to a New York squad that’s trying to hold onto a Wild Card spot.
  • A year ago, the Hurricanes acquired Max Domi as a rental player just before the trade deadline. In his latest column for The Athletic (subscription link), Pierre LeBrun reports that Domi is once again on Carolina’s radar heading into this week’s deadline.  The 27-year-old had seven points in 19 games with the Hurricanes last season and has been quite productive with the Blackhawks this year, notching 49 points in 59 games.  Accordingly, the price that it will take to get him this time around should be considerably higher than the mid-round prospect and a minor leaguer that it cost them in 2022.

Capitals Sign Nick Jensen To A Three-Year Extension

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While the Capitals have been selling some of their pending free agents, they won’t be doing so with Nick Jensen. Instead, the team announced that they’ve signed the blueliner to a three-year contract extension that carries an AAV of $4.05MM.  PuckPedia reports (Twitter link) that the deal does not include any trade protection and breaks down as follows:

2023-24: $3MM salary, $2MM signing bonus
2024-25: $2.15MM salary, $2MM signing bonus
2025-26: $1MM salary, $2MM signing bonus

When Washington acquired the 32-year-old back in 2019, he quickly inked a four-year, $10MM extension.  However, the contract didn’t look like it would age well as Jensen had somewhat of a limited role early on with the Caps.  That changed last season when he had a career year offensively with 21 points while logging over 19 minutes a night, pushing himself into a top-four spot on their depth chart in the process.

Jensen has continued that progression this season, picking up 24 points in 62 games, good for second among Washington blueliners behind John Carlson.  On top of that, he’s averaging close to 21 minutes a night while playing heavy minutes on their penalty kill.  Those characteristics would have made him a very intriguing rental option for several contenders but instead, he has decided to stay put with an organization that has seen him go from being a depth piece to a core player while GM Brian MacLellan felt that this route was better than taking a futures-based return.

Washington entered the day with just one defender signed for next season – Carlson, who makes $8MM.  However, they now have three under contract with this deal plus the earlier acquisition of Rasmus Sandin from Toronto.  Those three, plus pending restricted free agent Martin Fehervary, appear to be the new top four for the Capitals as things stand.  It has been suggested that the Capitals don’t plan to undertake a sizable rebuild so it wouldn’t be surprising to see MacLellan continue to remodel his back end between now and the start of next season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Pacific Notes: Kings, Kraken, Reimer

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The Kings have been shopping around for help on the back end and could stand to add some goaltending depth for the playoff run.  It could be a one-stop shop for Los Angeles as TSN’s Darren Dreger reports (Twitter link) that they’re showing interest in a package deal with Columbus that would see them add blueliner Vladislav Gavrikov and goaltender Joonas Korpisalo, both pending unrestricted free agents.  Gavrikov is logging a career-high 22:20 per night this season for the Blue Jackets and would fit in nicely into their top four while Korpisalo, who was also scratched tonight for trade-related purposes, has put up a .911 SV% on a rebuilding Columbus squad.  The two carry a combined cap hit of $4.1MM which is more than Los Angeles can currently afford although it’s worth noting that the Blue Jackets have two remaining retained salary slots remaining.

Elsewhere in the Pacific:

  • Seattle’s second season has gone quite well as the Kraken find themselves holding down the second and final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference heading into tonight’s action. However, in an appearance on 93.3KJR today (audio link), GM Ron Francis indicated that he isn’t planning any major changes and that if anything happens, it would probably be “tweaking around the edges”.  Seattle is projected to have the ability to add someone making nearly $4MM on deadline day, per CapFriendly, so it’s possible that they look to add a rental or two to give themselves some more depth for the stretch run without making any changes to their core.
  • It’s quite possible that the Sharks moving pending UFA goaltender James Reimer before Friday’s trade deadline. If that happens, the veteran told Curtis Pashelka of the Bay Area News Group that he would “seriously consider” returning for what would be a third stint with the organization.  Reimer has a 3.25 GAA with a .895 SV% in 30 starts this season and with a cap hit of $2.25MM, he could be viewed as capable veteran insurance for a playoff-bound squad.

Coyotes Scratch Nick Bjugstad, Recall Laurent Dauphin

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The Coyotes announced (Twitter link) that they’ve scratched center Nick Bjugstad tonight for trade-related reasons, joining defenseman Jakob Chychrun on that front.  Taking Bjugstad’s place on the roster will be center Laurent Dauphin who has been recalled from AHL Tucson.

Bjugstad opted to sign a one-year, $900K contract with Arizona last summer in the hopes of playing a regular role and rebuilding some value after three straight quiet, injury-riddled seasons.  The move has turned out to be a good one for the 30-year-old who has posted 13 goals and 10 assists so far in 59 games while winning just over 47% of his faceoffs.  He also is averaging two hits per game.  With a low price tag, Bjugstad is the type of fourth liner that teams will certainly be looking to add to shore up their depth between now and Friday’s trade deadline and the Coyotes are making sure he’ll be available to be traded over risking him getting injured in tonight’s game against Chicago.

That decision gives Dauphin his third opportunity with the Coyotes this season.  The 27-year-old signed a one-year, two-way deal with Arizona in the summer but has only gotten into three NHL contests so far after suiting up in 38 with Montreal in 2021-22.  However, Dauphin has been productive in the minors with the Roadrunners, tallying 16 goals along with 25 assists in 48 games so far.

New York Rangers Acquire Patrick Kane

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Though it has been evident for a while that Chicago Blackhawks legend Patrick Kane would be joining the New York Rangers, what wasn’t so clear is the price they would be forced to pay for him.  That price is now known as the trade has been finalized with Kane and defenseman Cooper Zech heading to the Rangers as part of a three-team trade that also involves Arizona.  Chicago receives a 2023 conditional second-round pick and a fourth-round pick along with defenseman Andy Welinski from New York along with the rights to blueliner Vili Saarijarvi from Arizona while the Coyotes receive a 2025 third-round pick from the Rangers for brokering the deal by retaining 25% of Kane’s contract after Chicago held back the maximum 50% of his $10.5MM AAV.

The 2023 second-rounder can become a first-round selection if the Rangers make it to the Conference Finals. It would then be conveyed in either 2024 (top-10 protected) or 2025.  The third-rounder going to Arizona will either be the Rangers’ own pick or the better of theirs and Dallas’ if defenseman Nils Lundkvist has 55 points combined this season and next which would transfer the Stars’ 2025 selection to New York.

Just as it played out with Claude Giroux last season, a franchise icon with full no-movement protection essentially dictated his destination, resulting in an underwhelming return. The Blackhawks were not able to land a guaranteed first-round pick in the deal, but will send Kane to his preferred team and still recoup some value.

When it became clear that the Blackhawks were tearing it down to rebuild through the draft, it made little sense for them to re-sign Kane in the offseason. If he was going to leave anyway, getting a second (or first) before he walked out the door only helps the efforts of general manager Kyle Davidson. Kane wasn’t forced out the door, but will now get another chance at the Stanley Cup this season with a loaded Rangers club.

After New York acquired Vladimir Tarasenko earlier this month, it appeared they were out of the running for Kane. They had a tight cap situation and had made their significant acquisition. Even Kane seemed to know he wouldn’t be headed to New York, telling reporters that it seemed like they had “filled their void” with the deal.

But now, with the help of some creative cap gymnastics, the Rangers have made enough room to land both star wingers, giving them a forward group that looks like an All-Star roster.

He also leaves Chicago with a legacy that will be hard to beat. While Kane sits second on the all-time Blackhawks scoring list, many will remember him as the most talented player in franchise history. His 1,225 regular season points came in just 1,161 games, numbers that will have him in the Hall of Fame one day.

Now 34, Kane will be an unrestricted free agent this summer unless he signs an extension with the Rangers. That certainly seems possible, though it will be difficult for New York to fit everyone in, giving some raises they own to some other players. For now, the focus will be on winning the Stanley Cup after loading up as much as they can.

Should they reach the third round, and fork over a first-rounder to Chicago, the Blackhawks would then own seven first-round selections over the next three years. After picking three players at the top of the 2022 draft, their system will quickly be loaded with talent that can mature together. Perhaps they’ll find the next star in that bunch, but simple probability suggests they won’t find another Kane.

Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli was the first to report the draft picks while ESPN’s Emily Kaplan was the first to report the conditional element on the second-rounder.  PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan was the first with the return for Arizona’s involvement.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Devils Recall Graeme Clarke

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Graeme Clarke has played his way into becoming one of New Jersey’s more intriguing prospects and he was rewarded for his efforts as the team announced (Twitter link) that he has been recalled from Utica of the AHL.

The 21-year-old was a third-round pick by the Devils back in 2019 (80th overall) but has outperformed his draft stock since then.  He’s actually in his third season of professional hockey already – a rarity for a major junior-drafted player – and has shown steady improvement.  After putting up 24 points in 52 games last season, Clarke has been considerably more productive this year with 20 goals and 24 assists in 51 contests; his 44 points place him first on the Comets in scoring.

This will be Clarke’s first opportunity at the NHL level and it’s possible that it will be a short-lived one.  Recently acquired winger Timo Meier isn’t yet ready to play as he continues to battle an upper-body injury and Clarke may simply be up until Meier is ready to make his debut.  New Jersey had an open spot on their roster thanks to them losing Scott Harrington on waivers to Anaheim earlier today so no further moves needed to be made to bring Clarke up.

Snapshots: Brossoit, Fines, Annunen

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The Vegas Golden Knights have placed Laurent Brossoit on injured reserve, meaning he is out for at least the next week. The 29-year-old goaltender only just returned a week ago, and flashed one of the best saves of the year on Saturday against the Dallas Stars.

An injury to Brossoit is certainly not what the Golden Knights need right now, but they at least don’t have a back-to-back situation for the next little while. Logan Thompson can carry the load, with Michael Hutchinson up serving as his backup.

  • The Department of Player Safety handed out a pair of fines from the Vancouver-Dallas game last night. First is a $5,000 penalty to Colin Miller for elbowing, and second is a $2,027.03 fine to Christian Wolanin for slashing. The fines are based on player salary, and are each the maximum allowable under the CBA.
  • The Colorado Avalanche have recalled Justus Annunen again, as they prepare for a back-to-back this weekend against Dallas and Seattle. The 22-year-old netminder has appeared just once this season, stopping 19 of 20 shots to secure a victory over the St. Louis Blues earlier this month.

Minnesota Wild Acquire Gustav Nyquist

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The Minnesota Wild are acquiring forward Gustav Nyquist from the Columbus Blue Jackets, according to Chris Johnston of NorthStar Bets. The Blue Jackets later announced they would be acquiring a 2023 fifth-round pick from Minnesota in return, originally belonging to the Boston Bruins.

Nyquist is still out long-term as he remains week-to-week after recovering from shoulder surgery. However, per Michael Russo, Nyquist expects to be back before the end of the regular season.

That’s especially important considering this morning’s news that the NHL will closely scrutinize any trade deadline transaction involving players on long-term injured reserve for the remainder of the season. Additionally, as PuckPedia notes, the Wild have enough cap space to avoid placing Nyquist on LTIR, making this a legally sound move under NHL rules.

Nyquist, 33, is in the final season of a four-year contract with a $5.5MM cap hit signed with Columbus in 2019. His tenure there didn’t work out as hoped, with him missing significant time, including the entire 2020-21 season, due to injuries. He had 10 goals and 22 points in 48 games this season before sustaining his latest injury.

Minnesota receives, if healthy, a capable middle-six winger to add to the acquisition of Marcus Johansson earlier today. It’s an added offensive boost over players in top-nine roles like Jordan Greenway and Brandon Duhaime, who haven’t produced at a top-nine pace this season.

The Athletic’s Michael Russo was first to report Minnesota’s interest in Nyquist.

New York Rangers Make Multiple Roster Moves

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The New York Rangers have announced a few moves today ahead of their anticipation acquisition of Patrick Kane. They’ve recalled defenseman Braden Schneider from the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack, re-assigning forward Ryan Carpenter in his place. In addition, the Rangers have traded forward Austin Rueschhoff to the Nashville Predators in exchange for future considerations, per the team.

PuckPedia notes these transactions won’t be registered until tomorrow for cap reasons related to the Kane trade.

Schneider, New York’s first-round pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, has solidified his role full-time in the NHL this season after splitting last year between the Rangers and Wolf Pack. He was sent down yesterday in a brief cap-related move. Still just 21, the right-shot D-man has five goals and 15 points in 59 games this year, along with solid defensive play.

Carpenter, on the other hand, has seen about equal time with the Rangers and Wolf Pack this year after multiple consecutive seasons as a full-time NHLer. The 32-year-old forward has a goal and two assists in 22 games with the Rangers this season, but he’s been in Hartford since the middle of January. Like Schneider, he was moved between leagues yesterday for cap-related reasons.

With the Rueschhoff trade, the Rangers move out a contract as they prepare to make a big add. In the midst of his third season with the Wolf Pack, the 25-year-old undrafted free agent will likely report to the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals. The former Western Michigan University standout had 20 goals, 23 assists, and 43 points in 113 games with Hartford across three seasons and has yet to make his NHL debut.

Columbus Blue Jackets To Scratch Joonas Korpisalo

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Much like their protection of Vladislav Gavrikov, the Columbus Blue Jackets announce that goaltender Joonas Korpisalo will be scratched for trade-related protections. In a corresponding move, recent call-up Billy Sweezey will be returned to their AHL affiliate Cleveland Monsters, and goaltender Jet Greaves will be recalled for tonight’s matchup against the Buffalo Sabres.

Easily becoming the number one option in net this season for the Blue Jackets, Korpisalo is set to hit the open market this summer after his current 1-year, $1.3MM contract comes to end. After signing Elvis Merzlikins to a 5-year, $27MM contract before the start of this season, many wouldn’t have expected Korpisalo to be the clear starter in the net. However, Merzlikins has produced a dismal .876 SV% coupled with a -22.0 GSAA, so Columbus had no choice but to turn to their backup netminder. Although not earth-shattering numbers, Korpisalo has put up a .911 SV% and a 5.7 GSAA.

At the beginning of the year, the Blue Jackets may not have envisioned themselves being in this position at the deadline. Signing the top free agent on the market Johnny Gaudreau this past summer, the feelings surrounding Columbus were that of excitement. In a stacked division, it would have been an extremely difficult road ahead to be in the playoff picture, however; expectations were much higher than being in last place in the NHL coming into the trade deadline. As they look to move out expiring contracts, Korpisalo will be another player on the chopping block. As he is not a bonafide number-one option on a contending team, a steady backup goalie will have value for teams as they look to make the playoffs.

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