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Archives for September 2024

Rookie Notes: Clarke, Cristall, Barkey, Tuomaala

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The start of NHL rookie camps is bringing a boost of motivation out of the league’s next-up, felt most by top Los Angeles Kings prospect Brandt Clarke, who shared with Dennis Bernstein of The Fourth Period that he’s pushing for more than an NHL spot. Clarke told Bernstein, “[My own] expectations are higher than anyone could put on me. I expect the best of myself…..I want to be great. I want to be a key contributor on the team….. I told my dad this year, my goal isn’t just to make the NHL, it’s to excel in the NHL.”

Those are proud words from one of the top defensive prospects across the NHL. Clarke played through his first pro season last year, recording 46 points in 50 AHL appearances, and adding six points in his first 16 NHL games. He posted the highest production from a rookie AHL defender since Kings teammate Jordan Spence posted 42 points in 46 games in 2021. But Clarke’s ability to command the #1-lineup role in the midst of that scoring is what’s made him stand out. He should get a chance to work into a top-line and special-teams with L.A. this season, and seems ready to take the chance in stride.

Other notes from the prospect world:

  • Top Washington Capitals prospect Andrew Cristall has his eyes similarly set on the NHL roster, telling Sammi Silber of The Hockey News that his goal is, “obviously to make the team… I’m checking the boxes pretty well.” Cristall played through his final year of juniors hockey last year, finally breaking the century-scoring mark (111 points in 62 games, to be exact) after years of chasing it. He finishes his four-year WHL career with 280 points in 191 games, though many have criticized his chances of translating that scoring to the pro flight. He’ll stand a chance to prove his doubters wrong by earning a spot on the opening day lineup.
  • Philadelphia Flyers winger Denver Barkey is sitting out of camp activities to start this week, with Jordan Hall of NBCS Philly sharing the prospect is dealing with illness. Barkey – whose position was swapped from LW to RW this camp – skated through the early part of rookie camp, and isn’t expected to miss a large chunk of time. He’s coming off a premier year in the OHL, recording 35 goals and 102 points in 64 games with the OHL-champions London Knights. Barkey is a high-energy, undersized winger who’s shown the drive to jump to the next level. He’ll continue fighting to take that step when he’s healthy again, though Barkey does have one more year of OHL eligibility available.
  • Fellow Flyers wing prospect Samu Tuomaala is also out of action, described as “just a little banged up” by Jordan Hall. He’s also been an early standout of rookie camp, playing in both games so far and scoring the OT-winner in Philadelphia’s Saturday matchup. Hall adds that Tuomaala seemed fine in postgame interviews, suggesting that Philadelphia could be taking an abundance of caution with their up-and-comers. Tuomaala played through an impactful AHL rookie season last year, netting 43 points in 69 games. That should position him as one of the top minor-league options headed into the new year.

Flames’ Starting Role Up For Grabs In Training Camp

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The Calgary Flames traded former Vezina Trophy runner-up Jacob Markstrom to the New Jersey Devils this summer, leaving a glaring hole in one of the most important positions in the lineup. General manager Craig Conroy expects that to elicit the biggest competition of training camp, telling Sportsnet’s Eric Francis that all of the team’s goaltenders will have a chance at the starting role. Conroy laid it out clearly, saying, “With Marky gone, the job is wide open, and these guys know this is as good an opportunity as they’re ever going to have to show what they can do and become an NHL starter.”

The competition will be fought between de facto NHL backup Daniel Vladar, top AHL goalie Dustin Wolf, and emerging prospect Devin Cooley. It’s hard to determine a favorite among the three. Vladar boasts significantly more NHL experience than the rest, recording 70 games over the last three seasons while backing up Markstrom. But his performances haven’t proven very convincing – with Vladar managing 35 wins and a .894 save percentage with the Flames. To make matters worse, Vladar is coming off a hip surgery in March, leaving him as a shaky bet to suddenly improve his performances, even in the face of opportunity.

Wolf has already bested Vladar’s stat line on a per-game basis, with eight wins and a .896 save percentage in 18 career games. Those numbers certainly aren’t convincing, but suggest some upside – especially against Devin Cooley’s meager .870 save percentage in six games with the San Jose Sharks last year.

Wolf has seemingly earned a true shot at the NHL starting role, having dominated the AHL for the last three seasons. His list of minor-league accomplishments runs on-and-on. He won the AHL’s Les Bastien ’Goaltender of the Year’ Award in both 2022 and 2023, becoming the first goalie to win in back-to-back years and just the third to win twice. He added even more hardware in the latter year, also winning the Les Cunningham ’MVP’ Award – becoming the youngest to win MVP since Jason Spezza in 2005. Those accolades have studded a career stat line of 97 wins and a .926 in 141 AHL games.

At his peak, Markstrom played a 63-game season with the Flames. That leaves a large chunk of games to be shelled out this season – and while Wolf’s precedent and Vladar’s injury seems to spell an easy decision. But with Conroy’s open-minded approach to the starting role, the duo could end up in a strict 50/50 time share, as Calgary attempts to develop a long-term starter out of one of the two.

Bruins Notes: Swayman, PTOs, Spicer

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The Boston Bruins are planning to enter training camp without a confirmed starter, with general manager Don Sweeney sharing that there are still no updates on a new deal – only telling Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe, “We’ll talk [with Swayman] next week.” Boston begins their training camp on September 18th and will be doing so with Joonas Korpisalo as their top netminder, pending a sudden change.

That’s certainly not what the team could have planned when they traded former Vezina Trophy-winner Linus Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators, clearing a path for Swayman to finally take on the starting role. The two have split time for the last three seasons, with Swayman managing a dazzling .919 save percentage in 132 games over the stretch. He played in a career-high 44 games last season but still sits without a legitimate test in a starting role. That’s likely one of, if not thee, biggest pieces holding up negotiations – though a rumored high asking price and lack of comparable contracts don’t make matters easier.

Other notes out of Boston:

  • Sweeney also shared with NHL.com’s Mark Divver that the team isn’t expecting to sign any more PTOs, though he didn’t rule them out entirely. That would leave former Stanley Cup-winner Tyler Johnson as the team’s only try-out this camp, potentially opening more opportunity for fringe players like Justin Brazeau, John Beecher, and John Farinacci to get noticed. The quartet will are a part of a crowded competition for ice-time in Boston’s bottom-six, after the team lost an endless list of depth pieces this summer.
  • Bruins prospect Cole Spicer took the ice with the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints on Saturday night, making his first appearance since stating that he’d be stepping away from the game indefinitely for personal reasons. Spicer was listed as the Saints’ top-line center in Dubuque’s final game of the pre-season. He’s spent the last two seasons with the University of Minnesota-Duluth, recording a measly 15 points in 49 appearances. A return to the USHL would make Spicer one of the league’s older players, though it could also mark a necessary change of scenery after two down years. The feisty centerman will be one to watch as the season rolls around, as he looks to gather his footing in the hockey world and begin fighting his way up the Bruins organization.

Summer Synopsis: Nashville Predators

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The Nashville Predators were one of, if not the busiest team in the NHL this summer. Most pundits believe that the Predators won the summer, which means precious little if the team doesn’t gel and deliver on the ice. It’s hard to argue with the assessment that Nashville won out the summer as the team added multiple Stanley Cup champions and locked up their franchise goaltender. However, with all the big-money deals, the Predators have assumed a great deal of risk, and it isn’t unheard of for teams to load up in the summer, only to have it not work out on the ice.

Draft

1-22: C Yegor Surin, Loko Yaroslavl (MHL)
2-55: F Teddy Stiga, USA U18 (NTDP)
3-77: D Viggo Gustafsson,  HV71 J20 (J20 Nationell)
3-87: F Miguel Marques, Lethbridge (WHL)
3-94: F Hiroki Gojsic, Kelowna (WHL)
4-99: G Jakub Milota, Cape Breton (QMJHL)
4-127: F Viktor Nörringer, Frölunda HC (SHL)
7-213: F Erik Påhlsson, Dubuque (USHL)

The Predators’ first-round selection Surin played most of last season in the MHL posting 22 goals and 30 assists in 42 games. He was also heavily penalized with 108 PIM during that time. He is a solid puck handler and is quick and agile, however, many scouts viewed him as a later first-round pick so Nashville might have reached when selecting him 22 overall.

In the second round, Nashville selected Stiga who was actually projected to go higher in the draft. He is slated to go to Boston College next year and has been described by scouts as being cerebral, as his playmaking and offensive instincts are highly acclaimed.

In the third round, Nashville selected defensive defenseman Gustafsson who doesn’t put up much offense but has a good reach and is a stabilizing presence in the defensive zone. Some scouts felt that Gustafsson was a reach in the third round due to his limited offensive abilities.

Many scouts view Marques as a steal in the third round as he is considered a well-rounded offensive player with a high skill level and very good offensive instincts. Last season, he posted 28 goals and 46 assists in 67 WHL games and should see a bump in those numbers this upcoming season.

Trade Acquisitions

G Magnus Chrona (San Jose)
C David Edstrom (San Jose)
F Jordan Frasca (Pittsburgh)
D Andrew Gibson (Detroit)
F Ozzy Wiesblatt (San Jose)

Edstrom was acquired in the Askarov trade with the San Jose Sharks and has been traded twice since being drafted by Vegas in the first round back in 2023.  The 19-year-old spent last season in Sweden posting seven goals and 12 assists in 44 games with Frölunda HC of the Swedish Hockey League. While those numbers look pedestrian, the young center tied for first among skaters under the age of 20 in assists and tied for fourth in points amongst players his age or younger.

23-year-old Chrona played up and down the Sharks organization last season seeing action in the ECHL, AHL, and NHL. Most of his playing time was in the AHL where his numbers weren’t pretty. Chrona posted a 3.49 goals-against average with an .894 save percentage and a 6-17-6 record. While his numbers weren’t great in the AHL, it was his first season as a pro, and he has great size at 6’4” and 209 pounds.

Gibson is probably the most intriguing of all of Nashville’s trade acquisitions this summer. The 19-year-old is a big, mobile defenseman who can take care of his own end and get around the ice with relative ease. He likely will project as a bottom-pairing defenseman, however, if he can develop better offensive instincts and puck skills, he could slide into a top-four role in the future.

UFA Signings

F Kieffer Bellows (one-year, $775K)*
D Nick Blankenburg (two-year, $1.55MM)*
F Vinnie Hinostroza (two-year, $1.55MM)*
C Jake Lucchini (two-year, $1.55MM)*
F Jonathan Marchessault (five-year, $27.5MM)
G Matthew Murray (one-year, $775K)*
D Brady Skjei (seven-year, $49MM)
C Steven Stamkos (four-year, $32MM)
D Spencer Stastney (two-year, $1.65MM)*
G Scott Wedgewood (two-year, $3MM)

* denotes a two-way contract

There were no bigger winners than Nashville in this year’s free agency window. Brand new general manager Barry Trotz put the team on an entirely new course with the signing of future Hall Of Famer Steven Stamkos, bolstered by the additions of solid #2’s Brady Skjei and Jonathan Marchessault. Nashville will host the first change of scenery of Stamkos’ evergreen career. He continues to score at a top rate, recording the seventh 40-goal season of his career last season and breaking the 100-point mark as recent as two seasons ago. His supporting cast in Nashville’s top-six are all coming off defining years of their own, with both Marchessault (42) and Filip Forsberg (48) recording career-high goals, and Ryan O’Reilly once again reaching 69 points for the first time since the 2018-19 season.

That may be one of the few top-sixes better than what Stamkos was working with in Tampa Bay, and Nashville continues the excitement into the bottom-six. Every single role, save for Tomas Novak’s spot as third-line center, seems up for grabs – which could make for good training camp competition between veterans like Hinostroza and Cole Smith, and promising youngsters like Luke Evangelista and Juuso Parssinen.

Meanwhile Skjei should bring relief to Roman Josi, finally bringing another elite talent to a Predators blue-line in need. The pair will work with fellow UFA signee Stastney to man the left-side, while Dante Fabbro, Alexandre Carrier, and Luke Schenn will fight out for ice time on the right-side. They’ll look to protect franchise goaltender Juuse Saros and one of Murray or Wedgewood at backup.

RFA Re-Signings

D Marc Del Gaizo (one-year, $775K)*
C Juuso Parssinen (one-year, $775K)

* denotes a two-way contract

Nashville wasn’t as exciting in handling their RFAs, so far only inking Del Gaizo and Parssinen to league-minimum contracts. Both players will join the long list of depth players fighting for a roster spot out of training camp, though their chances of earning ice time vary. Del Gaizo earned the first nine NHL games of his career last season, after posting routine scoring and strong defense in the minor leagues. He recorded three assists with the Predators, though ultimately closed the year in the minors once Nashville’s blue-line got healthy. Parssinen has carved out a much more consistent role, splitting his time nearly perfectly between the NHL and AHL lineups over the last two seasons. He’s managed a commendable 14 goals and 37 points in 89 career games with the Predators, and could be a favorite to sneak his way into a minor role to start the year.

Parssinen’s chances could hinge on when Nashville’s only remaining RFA, Philip Tomasino, decides to sign. Tomasino’s role in the lineup has been debated since he made his debut in 2021, and while his 70 points in 148 career games isn’t anything to scoff at, it also fails to vindicate his first-round selection in 2019. Next season will need to come with an improved role for Tomasino, though whether it will be a chance to become an everday lineup piece, or a final chance before the team moves on, could be dictated by his next contract.

Departures

F Wade Allison (signed in Europe)
F Jaret Anderson-Dolan (Winnipeg, two-year, $1.55MM)*
G Yaroslav Askarov (traded to San Jose)
D Tyson Barrie (Edmonton, PTO)
F Anthony Beauvillier (Pittsburgh, one-year, $1.25MM)
F Nolan Burke (traded to San Jose)
C Liam Foudy (New York Islanders, one-year, $775K)*
F Cody Glass (traded to Pittsburgh)
G Troy Grosenick (Minnesota, one-year, $775K)*
D Jordan Gross (signed in KHL)
G Kevin Lankinen (unsigned free agent)
D Ryan McDonagh (traded to Tampa Bay)
D Roland McKeown (signed AHL contract)
F Kiefer Sherwood (Vancouver, two-year, $3MM)
F Jason Zucker (Buffalo, one-year, $5MM)

* denotes a two-way contract

Nashville managed a franchise-defining summer surprisingly unscathed. Their biggest loss only came recently, when premier goaltending prospect Yaroslav Askarov requested a move to a bigger role. He’s now landed in San Jose, while Matthew Murray will take on his role as third-string. The trio of Beauvillier, Barrie, and Glass each stand as more impactful lineup changes, though none of the three were able to win out much of a role last season. In fact, Sherwood may stand as a more notable loss than any of the three – after potting a career-high 27 points last season, most of anyone on this list.

The list of departees will certainly change things up at the bottom of the NHL, and top of the AHL, lineup. But the turnover offers more opportunity than hesitation, and could end up a great proving ground for Nashville’s quickly-improving prospect pool.

Salary Cap Outlook

Nashville is entering training camp with a projected $1.496MM in cap space, per PuckPedia. That should be just enough to sign Tomasino to a reasonable, short-term deal – though it may take some strategic cap logistics for Nashville to carry enough of a buffer into the new year. Nashville might need to get used to cap gymnastics, though, with four years of paying $20.5MM for their trio of Stamkos, Marchessult, and Skjei ahead.

Key Questions

How High Can Nashville Go? The impact of Nashville’s off-season additions can’t be understated. The Predators ranked 10th in the league in goals-per-game last season, and have now added one of the main faces in the fifth-ranked Lightning. It seems the wind is behind each of Stamkos, Forsberg, Marchessault, and O’Reilly – seemingly setting Nashville up with one of the best forward groups across the NHL. But questions swarm the bunch – with even simple things like Stamkos’ role on the wing versus center standing relatively unclear. The Predators will also have to balance between keeping effective linemates together – such as O’Reilly and Gustav Nyquist – while injecting enough change to take the next step. That could be a lot to handle for fresh-faced head coach Andrew Brunette, though the reward for putting the pieces together correctly could be staggering.

Which Prospects Will Get A Chance? Nashville has quickly reeled in a heap of promising prospects – with Parssinen and Tomasino flashing at the NHL level, while each of Zachary L’Heureux, Joakim Kemell, and Fyodor Svechkov plant their feet in the minors. All five are worthwhile pros capable of filling NHL ice time, likely bringing the decisions between them down to semantics – such as L’Heureux’s discipline or Tomasino’s scoring consistency. Nashville may not need to worry as much about their third-line during the regular season, thanks – frankly – to the additon of Stamkos. But they’ll need sharp depth to make a long playoff run, and have 82 games to properly bring any of their selected youngsters up to NHL speed. How ice time is disseminated among the bunch of top prospects will stand as another difficult task ahead of Brunette’s staff.

Was Saros The Right Choice? 2024-25 will be a defining year for Nashville not only because of their UFA signings, but also their firm selection of Saros over prospect Askarov. It’s hard to knock that decision – after all, Saros boasts a .917 save percentage in 350 career games, standing as one of the league’s best starter where Askarov is all potential. But Saros will now fully embrace the role of franchise starter in an organization known for their goaltending, taking the torch from mentor and Predators legend Pekka Rinne. Saros is as ironclad as they come, playing in the most games of any NHL goalie since 2021 and recording a save percentage north of .910 in every season save for last year (.906). That’s precedent worth staking your faith in – but years of heavy usage and now no contingency plan both contribute to the narrow spotlight that Saros will draw this season.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Blue Jackets Looking To Add Forwards In Free Agency

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The Blue Jackets’ forward group has been thinned out in recent weeks.  The team moved Patrik Laine to Montreal while Johnny Gaudreau tragically passed away late last month.  Meanwhile, GM Don Waddell told reporters today including Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch (Twitter link) that forward Justin Danforth won’t be available for the start of training camp due to a hand/wrist injury.

Danforth sustained the injury late last season and underwent offseason surgery.  However, it appears that the recovery isn’t going as well as possible and he’s set to be re-evaluated on Monday.  The 31-year-old posted a career-best 10 goals and 16 assists in 71 games last season while spending time on the wing and down the middle, making him a capable role player.  But now, his availability for the start of the season is in question.

By his count, Waddell states that the team is down to just 10 healthy regular forwards heading into training camp.  While players like Trey Fix-Wolansky, Gavin Brindley, James Malatesta, or free agent signing Dylan Gambrell could play their way into the mix, it stands to reason that they’ll be looking to make some additions up front.

While some might expect those moves to come on the trade front given that they’re nearly $3MM below the $65MM cap floor per PuckPedia, it doesn’t appear that will be the case.  Instead, Waddell indicated that their intention is to sign one or two forwards before training camp, relays Aaron Portzline of The Athletic (Twitter link).  These would be players on full contracts, not tryouts.

However, the list of remaining unrestricted free agents isn’t exactly the deepest, especially among those who aren’t tied to a team via a PTO.  Among the remaining options that haven’t secured a tryout are wingers James van Riemsdyk, Mike Hoffman, Kyle Okposo, Blake Wheeler, and Phil Kessel, who hasn’t given up hope on playing after not suiting up last season.

While signing a couple of those players would help, it wouldn’t get them to the cap floor, barring an overpayment on those contracts.  However, Hedger relays (Twitter link) that he has been in talks with the league and the NHLPA about that and isn’t concerned at this time about being penalized if they stay under that number this season.  While that’s something for them to worry about later on, in the meantime, it looks like Columbus will be making a signing or two in the coming days.

Snapshots: Red Wings, Broberg, Islanders

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As the Red Wings work through the process of signing their two top remaining RFAs in defenseman Moritz Seider and winger Lucas Raymond, Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press suggests that their preference is to keep the cap hit for both players below Dylan Larkin’s $8.7MM price tag.  With the price tag for top blueliners coming off their entry-level deals going up relatively quickly, Seider has some comparables past the $8MM mark (Ottawa’s Jake Sanderson and Buffalo’s Owen Power) so it wouldn’t be surprising to see his cost come in relatively close to Larkin’s.  Raymond, meanwhile, might be using Ottawa’s Tim Stutzle ($8.35MM) as a possible comparable which could result in his cost coming close to the captain’s as well.

Elsewhere around the NHL:

  • While the Blues handed a pricey contract to get Philip Broberg from Edmonton via an offer sheet this summer, Matthew DeFranks of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch relays that the blueliner probably won’t see power play action right away, even without Torey Krug who is out for the season. Broberg had 39 points in 47 games with AHL Bakersfield last season but head coach Drew Bannister has indicated that their plan for the 23-year-old at this point is to have him killing penalties and that they don’t want to load up on his workload too fast after having a limited role with the Oilers.
  • In his media availability yesterday (video link), Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello indicated that there probably won’t be much of a battle for roster spots on the back end in training camp. Their top six is healthy after an injury-riddled year and their preference is to not have prospects Calle Odelius and Isaiah George in a reserve role to start the season.  Accordingly, the battle for the seventh and final defensive spot in camp could be between returnees Simon Bolduc and Dennis Cholowski.  Bolduc is now waiver-eligible which could help give him a leg up in that battle since Cholowski has cleared successfully in the past.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Utah Hockey Club

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Navigating the salary cap is one of the most important tasks for a front office.  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 often 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 2024-25 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 PuckPedia.  We begin with a look at the Central Division; next up is Utah.

Utah Hockey Club

Current Cap Hit: $78,079,643 (under the $88MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

F Logan Cooley (two years, $950K)
F Josh Doan (two years, $925K)
F Dylan Guenther (one year, $894K)

Potential Bonuses
Cooley: $3.5MM
Guenther: $850K
Total: $4.35MM

Cooley’s first NHL season was a solid one.  They kept him in the top six for most of the year while not frequently exposing him to top checking.  While he struggled mightily at the faceoff dot (many rookies do), Utah still views Cooley as their top center of the future.  If he can take a step forward offensively this season, he could be a candidate for a long-term extension next summer.  If that happens, his camp will likely use Juraj Slafkovsky’s contract (eight years, $60.8MM) as a comparable.

Doan impressed in his first taste of NHL action down the stretch, giving him a shot at earning a full-time spot in camp.  But even if that happens, he’ll likely have too small of a track record for an early extension next summer.  Guenther, meanwhile, was able to play in the minors last season but played his way into a promotion relatively quickly where he picked up 35 points in 45 games.  With just 78 games under his belt, an extension in the coming weeks is unlikely but if he puts up a full season at that level of production, he could push for a long-term deal starting with a seven next summer.

Signed Through 2024-25, Non-Entry-Level

F Nick Bjugstad ($2.1MM, UFA)
F Michael Carcone ($775K, UFA)
D Ian Cole ($3.1MM, UFA)
F Alexander Kerfoot ($3.5MM, UFA)
F Jack McBain ($1.599MM, RFA)
G Karel Vejmelka ($2.725MM, UFA)

Kerfoot was a nice addition by Arizona last summer, giving them a capable two-way pivot who is capable of playing high in the lineup, allowing them to ease Cooley in.  If he can have a similar offensive showing this season (45 points), he could push for upwards of $5MM on a multi-year agreement next summer given the consistently high demand for centers.  Bjugstad made the decision to return to the Coyotes last summer and it was a good one as he had his best season offensively since 2017-18.  While they’re certainly pleased with the performance, his track record is as a player with limited offense.  Accordingly, an early extension would be hard to come by as both sides would be better off seeing if his production can be repeatable.  If it is, he could come in closer to $4MM next time out.

McBain has become a capable checking center who has chipped in a bit offensively while throwing his body around.  That’s a solid profile for a player at this price point.  If the upcoming season is similar to these last two, he could double this price tag with arbitration eligibility.  Carcone reached 20 goals last season, his first full NHL campaign at the age of 27.  Obviously, getting a 20-goal scorer for the league minimum is excellent value but how close he comes to repeating that will dictate if he’s going to stay close to this price tag or easily reach seven figures in 2025-26.

This is the fourth year in a row that Cole has taken a one-year deal with a price point between $2.9MM and $3.1MM.  Barring a significant change in his performance, it seems fair to infer that he could be in line for something close to that range next summer as well.

Vejmelka is an interesting case in terms of his free agent value.  On the surface, his numbers are rather pedestrian; he has yet to record a save percentage of .900 or better while the lowest GAA of his three-year career is 3.35, set last season.  And yet, the general perception around him has been that perhaps on a better team, he’s someone who might be more impactful.  With the overhaul Utah has had on the back end this summer, this could be a good test of that theory.  If that happens, Vejmelka could conceivably push for a contract in the higher tier of backup or platoon goalies with a price tag approaching $4MM.  If that doesn’t happen, however, a small pay cut might be coming his way.

Signed Through 2025-26

F Barrett Hayton ($2.65MM, RFA)
G Connor Ingram ($1.985MM, UFA)
D Michael Kesselring ($1.4MM, RFA)
F Matias Maccelli ($3.425MM, RFA)
F Nick Schmaltz ($5.85MM, UFA)
F Kevin Stenlund ($2MM, UFA)
D Juuso Valimaki ($2MM, UFA)
D Shea Weber ($7.857MM, UFA)

Schmaltz has very quietly been one of the steadier Coyotes in recent seasons, ranging between 58 and 61 points in the last three seasons, two of which saw him over a point per game while dealing with injury trouble.  While he’s not a full-time center anymore, he can still play down the middle which will help from a value perspective.  Assuming this production keeps up, he should push past the $7MM mark on his next deal.  Maccelli, meanwhile, wasn’t quite able to produce at the same level as 2022-23 but he came close, giving Arizona solid value on the first year of his bridge deal.  Staying around this level of offensive numbers could put him around the $6MM range on his next contract.

Hayton followed up a career year with arguably his worst one, resulting in what amounts to a second bridge contract.  He’ll only have one season of club control left after this contract expires and both sides will be hoping that he can become much more impactful by then.  Stenlund had a solid season with Florida, chipping in 11 goals in a limited role which allowed him to double his price tag from a year ago and tack on a second season.  This is more on the upper tier for someone who projects as a fourth liner but if he can hang around the double-digit goal mark, he could beat this price tag.

Weber has been on LTIR for the past three years and will continue to be there for the rest of the deal.  With Utah having ample cap space, he won’t be a burden on their cap.  Valimaki has become a reliable second-pairing defender at a price point well below market value.  While the additions could push down his playing time, he could still conceivably double this in 2026.  Kesselring spent most of last season in Arizona for his first consistent taste of NHL action.  He fared pretty well all things considered but with his limited track record, a bridge deal was the way to go.  He’ll have arbitration rights next time out and could double this if he holds onto a regular spot on the third pair.

Ingram has turned into one of the better waiver claims in recent years, going from a third-string option with Nashville to a starter as he played in 50 games last season while leading the league in shutouts.  If he continues on that trajectory and becomes a consistent starter, he could push past $5MM two years from now.

Signed Through 2026-27

F Lawson Crouse ($4.3MM, UFA)
D John Marino ($4.4MM, UFA)
F Liam O’Brien ($1MM, UFA)

It took some time but Crouse has emerged as a consistent top-six power forward, hitting the 20-goal mark in three straight years while averaging 183 hits per season in that span.  Given the high demand for players like this, Crouse appears to be well on his way to passing the $6MM mark on his next deal.  If the cap goes up quickly before 2027, $7MM could be possible if he stays at that level of production.  O’Brien had a career year offensively last season while leading the league in penalty minutes.  That helped earn him this three-year contract, something that a lot of enforcers don’t typically get.  Even if O’Brien struggles, the deal can come off the cap entirely if he’s in the minors, making it a low-risk signing.

Marino was acquired at the draft from New Jersey to help bolster the back end.  While he hasn’t been able to get back to the level of production from his rookie year (which largely helped him earn this agreement), he has been a consistent minutes-eater, logging over 20 minutes a night in each of his five NHL seasons while recording 25 points in two of the last three years.  For a second-pairing player, that’s solid value.

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West Notes: Vladar, Perfetti, Molendyk

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With Jacob Markstrom now in New Jersey, the starting job in Calgary is up for grabs.  While top prospect Dustin Wolf is garnering most of the attention, Postmedia’s Wes Gilbertson relays that Flames netminder Daniel Vladar is now pain-free and fully recovered from his hip injury.  The 27-year-old struggled mightily last season in limited action, putting up a 3.62 GAA with a .882 SV% in 20 appearances before undergoing surgery in March but he noted that he had been dealing with discomfort for at least the last two seasons.  It’s a contract year for Vladar who carries a $2.2MM price tag.  A pending unrestricted free agent, he could push for double that if he’s able to secure the starting role in 2024-25.

More from out West:

  • While there appears to be a gap to still bridge in discussions between the Jets and RFA forward Cole Perfetti, the 22-year-old told Sportsnet’s Luke Fox that he has given no consideration to the thought of trying to land an offer sheet over concern of creating tension with the organization. Perfetti had a career-best 19 goals and 38 points in 71 games last season but is most likely heading for a short-term bridge deal, allowing Winnipeg to stay cap-compliant while giving Perfetti a chance at a fair-sized increase with arbitration rights in the near future.
  • Predators prospect Tanner Molendyk could be hindered in his push to make the team by the NHL-CHL agreement that will prevent him from being assigned to the AHL this season, suggests Alex Daugherty of The Tennessean. The 19-year-old had 56 points in 50 games with WHL Saskatoon last season, putting him in a spot where he could legitimately make a push for a roster spot in training camp.  However, without an ability to recall him once returned to junior, Molendyk will have to show that he’s worthy of keeping around by his play over the next few weeks.  Otherwise, his NHL debut will have to wait another year.

Canucks Have Offered Kevin Lankinen A Contract

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In recent weeks, the Canucks have been offering PTO deals to some veteran goalies as some insurance with Thatcher Demko’s health still in some question.  After being unable to get either Kevin Lankinen or Antti Raanta to agree to a tryout, they’ve now gone a step further.  Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK and The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that Vancouver has made a one-year full contract offer to Lankinen.  However, the offer was believed to be for less than $1MM, a price tag he doesn’t appear to be willing to accept at this time.

The 29-year-old made $2MM last season in Nashville so Vancouver’s offer would certainly represent a sizable pay cut.  However, the Canucks have less than $200K in cap space per PuckPedia and have made it known that they don’t want to go into using LTIR.  Accordingly, even to make that offer work, they’d have to drop a skater off their roster to be able to afford Lankinen, effectively having to carry three goalies heading into the season if Demko isn’t able to play.

Lankinen spent the last two years with the Predators and put up solid numbers overall, posting a 2.79 GAA and a .912 SV% in 43 games over that span.  Those are certainly above-average for a second-string option which is likely why his camp has been holding out in the hopes of landing a more substantial offer.  However, barring an injury of some significance, most teams have their goaltending set so that better offer might not materialize for a while yet if at all if he continues to wait.

The fact that the Canucks have opted to make a full offer to Lankinen would imply that they remain concerned about Demko’s recovery from a knee injury sustained early in the playoffs last spring.  If they felt he was on track to return on time or even a few games into the season, Vancouver could simply run with Arturs Silovs and new third-stringer Jiri Patera for a couple of weeks and get by that way.  Silovs had a good run in the playoffs and could easily handle the starting role for a handful of games early on.

But if they feel their best option now is to get someone on a full-season deal, it would seem as if there is at least the potential for Demko’s recovery period to drag out even longer.  That type of uncertainty is hardly ideal with training camps now less than a week away.  Whether that will push them to up their offer or if they’ll hold out hope that Lankinen will have a change of heart and accept their most recent offer remains to be seen.

Golden Knights Notes: Marchessault, Theodore, Hagg

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The departure of Jonathan Marchessault to Nashville in free agency was one of the bigger surprises with many expecting that he’d have re-signed with the Golden Knights.  Team reporter Gary Lawless transcribed a part of a Sirius XM interview with Vegas GM Kelly McCrimmon where he indicated that while they eventually went to four years on their offer for the 33-year-old, they weren’t comfortable going to five which is how many he received from the Predators.  Marchessault spent seven seasons with Vegas, recording 192 goals and 225 assists in 514 games, making him the franchise leader in every category.

More from Vegas:

  • One player who will beat at least one of those club records this season is defenseman Shea Theodore who sits just two assists behind Marchessault (while also being 70 games behind that mark). The 29-year-old is entering the final year of his contract and Vegas’ Jason Pothier highlights how it won’t be easy to retain him.  Theodore held out for a pricey post-entry-level contract after being acquired (one that sees him making $5.2MM) and has been one of the more productive blueliners since then, ranking 13th in points by a defender since 2018.  He’ll begin his next deal at 30 and could add $3MM or more to his current price tag.  With Alex Pietrangelo and Noah Hanifin already on the books at more than $16MM combined, it might be tough for the Golden Knights to afford a third big-ticket rearguard on their books.
  • Veteran free agent blueliner Robert Hagg inked a one-year, one-way deal worth $775K with Vegas this summer. The 29-year-old told Expressen’s Gunnar Nordstrom that he had an offer from Modo in Sweden this summer which would have been a return to the program he played in before making the move to North America.  However, after a rough 2023-24 season that saw him play in just five NHL games with Anaheim, Hagg wanted an opportunity to show that he can be more of a contributor at the top level and isn’t ready to return to play at home just yet.

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