Minor Transactions: 08/18/19
It’s the dog days of summer, and while many prominent free agents, restricted and unrestricted, remain unsigned, major NHL signings are few and far between. Yet, minor league teams, foreign clubs, and college programs continue to make make moves in preparation for the coming season. Keep up with all of those minor transactions here:
- Northeastern University landed a pair of high-quality graduate transfers last week in University of New Hampshire forward Brendan van Riemsdyk and Merrimack College goalie Craig Pantano, both of whom are expected to be major contributors. However, they’ve also now suffered a loss. After two disappointing seasons to begin his collegiate career, center Bobby Hampton has opted to leave the program, reports USCHO. Hampton will enroll at Penn State University and will join the Nittany Lions for the 2020-21 season with two years of NCAA eligibility remaining. Hampton joined Northeastern in 2017 with high expectations after leading the USHL’s Cedar Rapids Rough Riders in scoring the season prior, but recorded just seven points combined in his first two college seasons.
- Trevor Yates had up and down between the AHL and ECHL last season and he’s already well on his way to a similar start to the 2019-20 campaign. After signing with the ECHL’s Reading Royals on Friday, Jason Guarente of the Reading Eagle already reports that Yates will be in camp with their AHL affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, trying to instead earn an AHL contract, with Lehigh or elsewhere. A former star for the Cornell University Big Red, Yates’ pro career got off to a slow start last year, but he finished strong with a point-per-game stretch in the ECHL. The 24-year-old forward has the size and intelligence to be a key two-way forward in the AHL or, as he slowed late last season, a top-line forward at the “AA” level.
- The AHL’s Manitoba Moose have re-signed defenseman Charles-David Beaudoin to a one-year extension, the team announced. Beaudoin has played a part-time role for the Moose in each of the past two seasons, recording 15 points combined over the past two seasons. The 25-year-old righty took an unorthodox route to the AHL, spending two years at the University of Quebec – Trois Rivieres after his QMJHL junior career before jumping from USports to the pros, and will look to take on a larger role in his third AHL season.
Salary Cap Deep Dive: Carolina Hurricanes
Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM. Teams that can avert 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 2019-20 season. This will focus more on those players who are integral parts of the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.
Carolina Hurricanes
Current Cap Hit: $79,004,791 (under the $81.5MM Upper Limit)
Entry-Level Contracts
F Andrei Svechnikov (two years, $925K)
F Martin Necas (three years, $863K)
D Jake Bean (two years, $863K)
F Warren Foegele (one year, $747K)
Potential Bonuses:
Svechnikov: $2.65MM
Necas: $538K
Bean: $500K
Foegele: $20K
With a system full of top prospects, the Hurricanes got an impressive rookie season from Svechnikov, drafted with the second-overall pick in 2018, last season and now will have a top-six option for another two years at an entry-level cost. At 18 years old, he tallied 20 goals and 37 points and should be in line for more playing time and bigger numbers this season as a 19-year-old and could eventually become the franchise winger the team needs long-term. The Hurricanes also have high hopes for Necas to step in and take big role next season at the center position. The 2017 first-rounder had an impressive season for the Calder Cup Champion Charlotte Checkers of the AHL and could provide Carolina with some cheap talent.
Bean, the team’s first-rounder in 2016, has only made two appearances for Carolina, but could get a chance to take a much bigger role after a strong season with Charlotte, which saw his skills take that next step. The 23-year-old Foegele began to show off his offensive skill over the course of the season in Carolina. He scored 10 goals and 15 points during the regular season, but was even more impressive in the playoffs with five goals and nine points in just 15 games. If he can take his game up a notch, the Hurricanes could have an even more impressive offense next season.
One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level
D Justin Faulk ($4.83MM, UFA)
F Erik Haula ($2.75MM, UFA)
D Trevor van Riemsdyk ($2.3MM, UFA)
D Gustav Forsling ($874K, RFA)
D Haydn Fleury ($850K, RFA)
F Brian Gibbons ($725K, UFA)
F Clark Bishop ($700K, RFA)
F Lucas Wallmark ($675K, RFA)
There were rumors that suggested that talks between Carolina and Faulk were no where close on a potential extension and others that said negotiations were promising, however, Faulk could be a legitimate trade candidate if the team can’t eventually work out an extension. The 27-year-old Faulk had a solid season both defensively as he was finally in the positive on his plus/minus for the first time in his career, while also adding 11 goals and 35 points. However, with a number of young defensemen who are waiting for a chance to get an opportunity in Carolina, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Carolina unload him at the trade deadline.
Haula is an interesting acquisition. The 28-year-old was coming off a 29-goal season in Vegas’ inaugural season, but then suffered a gruesome knee injury and never returned. In the end, he played just 15 games, although he was close to returning late in the season with many believing that he would have been available had the Golden Knights had gotten deeper into the playoffs. If he can prove to be healthy, Haula might prove to be one of the best acquisitions of the year. Whether the Hurricanes will re-sign him will obviously depend on how he fares next season.
The team might be ready to move on from van Riemsdyk, who has served as a bottom pairing defenseman, but probably makes too much at $2.3MM to keep around long term, especially since Fleury hasn’t really had a true chance to prove himself and could be a better option at his price.
Two Years Remaining
D Dougie Hamilton ($5.75MM, UFA)
G James Reimer ($3.4MM, UFA)
F Ryan Dzingel ($3.38MM, UFA)
G Petr Mrazek ($3.13MM, UFA)
F Brock McGinn ($2.1MM, UFA)
F Jordan Martinook ($2MM, UFA)
G Alex Nedeljkovic ($738K, RFA)
The team has a number of interesting contracts with two years left, including their entire goaltending situation. The team has Mrazek, who put together a stellar season after years of inconsistency, and new backup Reimer as the new tandem with their top prospect in Nedeljkovic close to ready to step into the lineup. All three will likely stay this season as Nedeljkovic is waiver exempt and likely will just stay in the AHL. However, if he can prove in training camp that he’s ready for the back-up role, few would be surprised if the team found a way to unload Reimer, who had a terrible season last year in Florida.
Despite hearing constant rumors that Carolina was shopping Hamilton around this offseason, it looks like the Hurricanes will have the veteran defenseman for another season. He put up solid numbers, scoring 18 goals an 39 points and is solid defensively, but he could eventually be a trade candidate, perhaps as early as the trade deadline if the team struggles and can’t reproduce the same success it had a season ago. The team also hopes that they can get Dzingel to provide the same type of offense he was producing in Ottawa, rather than his struggles in Columbus. However, he should provide solid value at his pricetag and fit in nicely as a middle-six option.
Three Years Remaining
F Nino Niederreiter ($5.25MM, UFA)
It might have been the trade of the year when the Hurricanes acquired Niederreiter from Minnesota for Victor Rask. While Rask struggled in Minnesota, Niederreiter’s season took off when he arrived, scoring 14 goals and 30 points in 36 games and he slotted in nicely on the first line. If he can produce anything close to that, the team has a steal of a deal for the next three years. If his production drops back to what it was in Minnesota earlier in the year (nine goals and 23 points in 46 games) then the team has a contract that could be a burden for some time.
Four Or More Years Remaining
F Sebastian Aho ($8.45MM through 2023-24)
F Jordan Staal ($6MM through 2022-23)
F Teuvo Teravainen ($5.4MM through 2023-24)
D Jaccob Slavin ($5.3MM through 2024-25)
D Brett Pesce ($4.03MM through 2023-24)
The Montreal Canadiens did Carolina a favor when they shocked the NHL by signing Aho to an offer sheet that didn’t look difficult to match. While five years likely isn’t ideal, the Hurricanes still now have their top franchise player signed until 2024 and can figure out its plans after that, but now are one of the few teams that have locked up their franchise restricted free agent already, with the rest still waiting to sign a contract. That should provide Aho, who had another breakout season with 30 goals and 83 points, with plenty of time to be ready for training camp and see if he can take his game to another level once again.
His linemate in Teravainen is another key piece of Carolina’s future who keeps producing better and better numbers. The 24-year-old produced 21 goals and a career-high 76 points and is locked up for another five years as well, giving Aho a solid winger to work with. The team, however, may not be as thrilled with the four years it still has in Staal, who produced one of his worst seasons although injuries did play apart. The 30-year-old still has four years at $6MM from a 10-year, $60MM deal he signed back in 2012. After posting just 11 goals and 28 points in 50 games, the team hopes he can bounce back.
One thing the Hurricanes did was locking up its young defenders. The team has seen Slavin develop into a top-line defenseman in the last year and to have him locked up at just $5.3MM for six more years will likely be one of the team’s biggest bargain for a long time. He has been averaging more than 22 minutes per game for three of his four seasons in the league. Pesce has also seen his game increase and is also a steal with the rising cost of young defensemen lately. Pesce saw his minutes break 20 minutes for a second straight season, while his offense increased by 10 points.
Buyouts
F Patrick Marleau ($6.25MM in 2019-20)
F Alexander Semin ($2.33MM through 2020-21)
Retained Salary Transactions
None
Salary Cap Recapture
None
Still To Sign
F Justin Williams (UFA)
F Saku Maenalanen (RFA)
D Roland McKeown (RFA)
One question that is still up for grabs is whether Williams will return to the team. The 37-year-old winger has been told he can take as much time as he wants to determine whether he wants to return to hockey. He’s made it clear it’s either Carolina or retirement, but after putting up a solid campaign last year of 23 goals and 53 points, it’s hard to believe that the veteran leader is ready to hang it up if he still is capable of producing as a top-six forward. While he may eventually have to slide down to the third line, the veteran was critical to the team’s deep playoff run and Carolina hopes he will come back.
While McKeown might have a hard time finding playing time in Carolina’s stacked defense, the team will need to get Maenalanen signed at some point. The 6-foot-4 bottom-six winger stepped into the lineup late in the season and was a solid contributor, posting four goals and eight points in 34 games, while skating for just 9:26 of ATOI. He provided some physical play and if he can steal a spot on the fourth line, could be valuable.
Best Value: Slavin
Worst Value: Staal
Looking Ahead
The Carolina Hurricanes have done an impressive job of drafting well, developing their talent and adding veteran talent at reasonable prices. With most of their core already locked up long-term and plenty of talent still on entry-level contracts, the Hurricanes should be able to keep their team competitive for years and keep getting better as the team continues to develop.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Salary Cap Deep Dive: Vegas Golden Knights
Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM. Teams that can avert 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 2019-20 season. This will focus more on those players who are integral parts of the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.
Vegas Golden Knights
Current Cap Hit: $80,474,999 (under the $81.5MM Upper Limit)
Entry-Level Contracts
D Zach Whitecloud (one year, $925K)
F Cody Glass (three years, $863K)
D Nicolas Hague (three years, $791K)
Potential Bonuses:
Whitecloud: $850K
Glass: $850K
Hague: $133K
While there is no guarantee that any of these three will be on the roster when the season begins, all three are expected to see time with the Golden Knights this season and could find themselves with significant roles depending on how things shake out. Glass, the team’s biggest prospect, is finally turning pro and while the organization has said in the past that Glass needs a full year of AHL work, he may have proved himself after his junior season ended last year. The sixth-overall pick from the 2017 draft, tallied five points in six AHL regualar season games, but was also one of the team’s top players throughout the AHL playoffs as he helped lead the team to the Calder Cup Finals. He tallied seven goals and 15 points in 22 playoff games. That play suggests that he might be ready and will compete for an immediate chance on the team’s third line.
Hague and Whitecloud are expected to challenge for a spot on one of the open spots in Vegas’ defense. Both players had impressive seasons with the Chicago Wolves last season and might be ready to make an impact. The 20-year-old Hague scored 13 goals in his rookie campaign, while the defensive Whitecloud showed off some offensive potential in his first full season in the AHL.
One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level
F Cody Eakin ($3.85MM, UFA)
F Ryan Reaves ($2.78MM, UFA)
D Nick Holden ($2.2MM, UFA)
D Jonathon Merrill ($1.38MM, UFA)
F Tomas Nosek ($1MM, UFA)
G Malcolm Subban ($850K, RFA)
G Garret Sparks ($750K, RFA)
F Curtis McKenzie ($750K, UFA)
F William Carrier ($725K, RFA)
D Deryk Engelland ($700K, UFA)
F Valentin Zykov ($675K, RFA)
With their cap room extremely tight, there remains a legitimate possibility that the team may still make a trade and if that does happen, the player is likely to come from this list of players. Eakin, Reaves and Holden are not likely to return in a year and could be trade bait. Eakin is coming off a career-best season with 22 goals and 41 points, but assuming the team is healthier this year, will likely settle into a third-line center role this year unless Glass beats him out. However, with Eakin’s value at its highest, the team might be able to get the best return if they move him and his $3.85MM contract.
Reaves has become a fan favorite in Vegas, giving the team highlight reel hits and become a popular locker room presence. He also posted 305 hits for the Golden Knights. However, Reaves makes quite a bit of money for a player who produced nine goals and 20 points last season. With some young fourth-line players closing in on potentially replacing him, the team could find a taker in Reaves and his $2.78MM deal.
The team has been impressed with the development with Merrill, who was initially only looked at as an emergency defenseman, but really took that next step last season and has earned himself a full-time role with the possibility of even earning top-four minutes next season. Holden would be another option for the team free up cap room as the team signed him last summer to a two-year deal, but the veteran struggled to get consistent playing time and is on the outside looking in. The team might hope it can send Holden to a defense-needy team, but may be forced to bury him in the AHL if he can’t prove he belongs on the Golden Knights roster and with Engelland likely taking a lesser role at the bottom of the defense next season, it might be hard to win a spot.
The Golden Knights also have an interesting battle in net for the backup goalie spot after acquiring Sparks during the offseason from Toronto. While Subban is the likely candidate to keep the position, Sparks could provide some much needed depth in goal for the future if the Golden Knights managed to hold onto him. Sparks was a top prospect goaltender just a season ago, but struggled in his first full season in Toronto. However, the Golden Knights hope he can bounce back quickly.
Two Years Remaining
F Paul Stastny ($6.5MM, UFA)
F Brandon Pirri ($775K, UFA)
The team has been set up to provide a number of short-term deals at higher cost and Stastny is one of those who signed a three-year deal at a high AAV. Injuries limited the veteran to just 50 games last season, but when he played, he provided excellent playmaking on the team’s second line, scoring 13 goals and 42 points. If the 33-year-old can stay healthy this season, he could center one of the strongest lines in the league as he is one of the best playmakers who historically makes his line mates even better.
Pirri is an interesting addition. The 28-year-old showed off his scoring touch after being called up midway through the season. In just 31 games, he tallied 12 goals and 18 points, including a string of goals. Most expected the UFA to find a team that could offer him more playing time this summer. Instead he opted to remain and may get that playing time after the team decided to move KHL star Nikita Gusev to New Jersey this summer. Gusev had been penciled into the third line which now could fall to Pirri, who the team hopes can continue his scoring ways.
Three Years Remaining
G Marc-Andre Fleury ($7MM, UFA)
F Reilly Smith ($5MM, UFA)
D Brayden McNabb ($2.5MM, UFA)
While Fleury has been a stud since arriving from Pittsburgh in the expansion draft, the veteran goaltender is now 34 years old and has three years remaining on his deal. The Golden Knights have to hope that Fleury can continue playing at a high level for that time as they do not have a suitable replacement in the system at all yet and could find themselves in trouble in a few years if they can’t find a suitable player to step in and help take the burden from the netminder. With little faith early in the season in Subban, Fleury played in 61 regular-season games last season, his highest total since 2014-15. Subban did improve somewhat and played better in the second half, but it’s likely that Fleury will take on another significant load this season as well.
While 53 points may not be the type of numbers the team was hoping for from Smith, the Golden Knights know that Smith has proven to be a valuable commodity who is a key on the team’s penalty kill and is an excellent playmaker, especially when playing with the top line. McNabb has also been a key player under a cap-friendly deal who is playing solid minutes in the top-four, while providing excellent defense along with 200 hits last year.
Four Or More Years Remaining
F Mark Stone ($9.5MM through 2026-27)
F Max Pacioretty ($7MM through 2022-23)
D Nate Schmidt ($5.95MM through 2025-26)
F William Karlsson ($5.9MM through 2026-27)
D Shea Theodore ($5.2MM through 2025-26)
F Jon Marchessault ($5MM through 2023-24)
F Alex Tuch ($4.75MM through 2025-26)
It’s hard to believe, but after just two years, the team has its core in tact and locked up for a long time and should be Stanley Cup contenders for the next few years. Stone’s value has only increased in the last year as he completed the team’s quest to have two dominant lines. While the Golden Knights could alter their lines this season, Stone is expected to be a big piece and eventually the face of the franchise in Vegas after being acquired from Ottawa at the trade deadline and then signing a eight-year extension immediately after the trade and at $9.5MM, he may prove a bargain as the 28-year-old posted 33 goals and 73 points during the regular season, but really took off in the playoffs, putting up six goals and 12 points in seven playoff games.
While all the long-term deals look solid, if there is one to scrutinize even closer, it’s the four-year extension that Vegas signed Pacioretty to a year ago. That extension is kicking in this year, but the 30-year-old didn’t bounce back to his 30-goal ways that he had in Montreal in previous seasons. Pacioretty, who scored 30 goals five times in six straight years in Montreal, scored just 22 goals and 40 points in his first year in Vegas, but the team hopes they can get more out of him this year. He did show off more offense in the playoffs as well as he tallied five goals and 11 points in seven games.
The Golden Knights finally locked up Karlsson to a long-term deal, something both sides were hoping for and getting the forward to sign for under $6MM is impressive for the franchise. While the 24-year-old Karlsson saw his goal totals drop from 43 to 24 last season, a drop off was expected and the team believes that with two impressive lines, Karlsson should get more chances to score with less pressure from just top-line defenders.
Schmidt and Theodore should continue to develop and provide top-four defense for many years to come. Theodore in particular is only 24 years old and could break out and develop into a dominant defenseman in the next few years. Tuch took a solid step in his development, scoring 20 goals and 52 points in his second year and if the 23-year-old keeps improving, could be quite the bargain under $5MM in the future.
Buyouts
None
Retained Salary Transactions
F Tomas Tatar ($500K through 2020-21)
Salary Cap Recapture
None
Still To Sign
D Jimmy Schuldt (RFA)
The team might have to free up just a little extra to finally get Schuldt locked up for a number of years, but the top collegiate free-agent this offseason opted to sign with Vegas and could begin his career immediately. With attention from 29 of the 31 teams, many believe that Schuldt will get every opportunity to win a spot on the Golden Knights’ defense and could make his impact right away. After four years at St. Cloud State, he still will have to prove that he can beat out Whitecloud and Hague, but once the RFA signs, he could end up being a big piece to the team’s defensive outlook.
Best Value: Karlsson
Worst Value: Pacioretty
Looking Ahead
The Golden Knights general manager combo of George McPhee and Brad McCrimmon have done an amazing job of putting a team together quickly that is ready to compete immediately and have a chance to compete for many years. At the moment, the team has done a good job of locking up its core and while the team is right up against the cap, it does have a number of players making quite a bit of money while on short-term deals, which could allow the team to continue to upgrade to the team after those deals expire. Throw in a number of younger players who are getting closer and closer to being able to contribute, the team should be in solid shape for quite a while.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Minor Transactions: 08/16/19
As August continues and we get further into contract negotiations, teams continue to fill our their organizational depth charts. Here are some minor moves from around the league. We’ll keep updating as more come in:
- After spending the last several seasons in the ECHL, Dominic Alberga has decided to take his talents overseas. The 27-year old will play for HC Bolzano in the Italian league this season after scoring 46 points in 41 games with the Norfolk Admirals last year. Alberga actually got his first extended chance in the AHL, suiting up 16 times for the Tucson Roadrunners as well.
- Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Jack Johnson‘s younger brother Kenny Johnson has committed to Penn State University for the upcoming season after spending the last few years in the BCHL. Also a defenseman, the younger Johnson went undrafted but recorded 20 points in 51 games last season split between the Penticton Vees and Victoria Grizzlies.
- Former Cornell standout Trevor Yates has signed on with the Reading Royals of the ECHL, giving them another weapon up front for the 2019-20 season. Yates bounced around the minor leagues last year and split time between the Grand Rapids Griffins, Toledo Walleye, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Wheeling Nailers.
Minor Transactions: 08/15/19
As August continues and we get further into contract negotiations, teams continue to fill our their organizational depth charts. Here are some minor moves from around the league. We’ll keep updating as more come in:
- The Toronto Marlies have re-signed Nicholas Baptiste to an AHL contract, giving them some firepower for next season. Baptiste was originally a third-round pick of the Buffalo Sabres but after 47 games in the NHL has been traded twice in the last ten months. The Toronto Maple Leafs decided not to offer Baptiste a qualifying offer this offseason which made him an unrestricted free agent, but he’ll stay with the Marlies for the time being.
- The Brandon Wheat Kings have convinced Vegas Golden Knights prospect Marcus Kallionkieli to sign in the CHL, something we suggested when the NHL club signed him to an entry-level contract earlier this summer. The Wheat Kings are owned by Vegas executive Kelly McCrimmon, who picked Kallionkieli in both the NHL draft and CHL Import Draft within just a few days in June.
Snapshots: Rantanen, Grebeshkov, Sodergran
Reporters including Michael Chambers of the Denver Post caught up with Colorado Avalanche GM Joe Sakic today at his celebrity golf tournament, and asked him about the ongoing contract negotiations with Mikko Rantanen. There were recently reports that things had barely started between the two sides, but Sakic confirmed he had personally agreed with Rantanen that a long-term deal is the way to go.
With both sides on the same page regarding term, there is one less thing to worry about in negotiations. Obviously salary is now the biggest question and you have to wonder if Rantanen’s side (and maybe the Avalanche too) want to wait and see where some of the other high-priced restricted free agents come in. At the very least, the fact that Rantanen wants to sign long-term in Colorado is a positive sign and one that should excite Avalanche fans.
- Former NHL defenseman Denis Grebeshkov will join his old coach behind the bench in the KHL this season. He has been hired as an assistant to Craig MacTavish, who was the head coach of the Edmonton Oilers when the Russian experienced the most NHL success. Originally selected 18th overall by the Los Angeles Kings in 2002, the left-handed defenseman played several seasons for Edmonton and recorded 39 points in 2008-09. MacTavish left the Oilers this offseason to pursue an opportunity coaching Yaroslavl in the KHL.
- The Kings have confirmed to Jon Rosen that prospect Johan Sodergran will play in North America for the 2019-20 season, coming over from the SHL. Sodergran signed his entry-level contract in June after the Kings selected him in the sixth round in 2018 and comes with a fair amount of buzz after a successful season with Linkoping HC. Though he finished the year with just 13 points in 42 games, competing at all in that league at such a young age is an impressive feat. Sodergran also suited up for Sweden at the World Juniors last year and is expected to play for the Ontario Reign of the AHL despite not turning 20 until November.
Minor Transactions: 08/14/19
As August continues and we get further into contract negotiations, teams continue to fill our their organizational depth charts. Here are some minor moves from around the league. We’ll keep updating as more come in:
- The San Diego Gulls have signed six players to one-year AHL contracts. Alex Broadhurst, Brent Gates, Luke Gazdic, Hunter Drew, Steven Ruggiero and Roman Durny will all join (or rejoin) the organization and provide plenty of experience and depth to the minor league club. Notably the group includes two players, Gates and Ruggiero who are set to become unrestricted free agents at the end of the week now that their college careers are over. Signing them to AHL contracts keeps them in the organization, though technically does not maintain their exclusive draft rights.
- The Belleville Senators are bringing Francois Beauchemin back on a one-year two-way AHL contract. Not to be confused with the former NHL defender, Beauchemin is a 23-year old forward that played 40 games for the club last season. The undrafted winger also scored 16 points in 27 games for the ECHL’s Brampton Beast, a team he may find himself playing for again this year.
- The San Antonio Rampage have signed Josh Wesley to a one-year AHL contract. The son of former NHL defenseman Glen Wesley was drafted in the fourth round in 2014 but has yet to make his way to the NHL. In fact, the 23-year old spent most of last season in the ECHL.
Tobias Lindberg Signs In Sweden
At the end of the 2018-19 season Tobias Lindberg was not given a qualifying offer by the Vegas Golden Knights, making him an unrestricted free agent. Instead of pursuing another chance in the NHL, the 24-year old forward is heading back to Sweden to play in the SHL with IK Oskarschamn. The club is joining the SHL for the first time after being promoted from the second league.
Linberg was originally selected in the fourth round of the 2013 draft, but has bounced around the league in his short career. In fact, 2018-19 saw him play for three different organizations after two trades. Amazingly that brings his trade count to five, including two stints each with the Vegas Golden Knights and Ottawa Senators. During that time Lindberg has only been given six games of NHL opportunity and is still waiting on that elusive first goal. In the AHL he has 89 points in 225 games, and admitted to SollentunaDirekt that this season was difficult because of all the transactions.
A Memorial Cup winner with the Oshawa Generals in 2015, Lindberg is a capable player at both ends of the rink but hasn’t been able to put it all together in professional hockey. He’ll try to get his career back on track in Sweden and may be a name you hear again down the road.
Morning Notes: Werenski, Versteeg, Boycott
The Columbus Blue Jackets are confident they will get a deal done with restricted free agent Zach Werenski before training camp, and so are his representatives. Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch quotes agent Pat Brisson who says it is their “intention” to have a deal in place before camp opens next month, something that will come as a sigh of relief to Blue Jackets fans.
Werenski has been one of the most productive defensemen in the league through his first three seasons in the NHL, recording 128 points in 237 games. He is also part of one of the very best pairings around when lining up beside Seth Jones, creating a dynamic young duo for the team to build around. Like most other restricted free agents, the 22-year old Werenski is likely looking for a substantial raise but might not have to wait for players like Mitch Marner and Brayden Point to set the market given he plays a different position. In fact, Charlie McAvoy and Ivan Provorov are the only other real star defensemen that remain unsigned to this point. That trio will be interesting to compare when everything is settled.
- Kris Versteeg signed a one-year AHL contract a few months ago to rejoin the Chicago Blackhawks organization, but may have his sights set on the NHL again down the line. The 33-year old forward told Charlie Roumeliotis of NBC Sports Chicago that he isn’t playing hockey for the money anymore but still feels as though he can contribute at a high level. If Versteeg were to impress in the AHL and the Blackhawks wanted to add him to the roster he would have to sign an NHL deal in-season. He played last season in the KHL and Sweden, recording 22 points in 30 games across the two leagues.
- The fight for more equitable conditions and resources in women’s hockey continues overseas, as the Swedish women’s national team has announced their own boycott. The top 43 women will not participate in the upcoming Five Nations tournament, citing the lack of financial compensation for the players when they take time off from their non-hockey jobs according to Expressen. There was a previous deal that would help players cover the costs of the training camps and time away from their other employment, but it expired at the end of April and has not been renegotiated. The national team was relegated in World Cup competition recently after the Swedish Olympic Committee pulled funding following the 2018 Games. This comes at a time when women’s hockey is in a state of upheaval in North America as well, with the top players sitting out this season as they try to fight for increased resources.
Examining 2018-19 Professional Tryout Results
When the NHL starts running out of cap space as it is now, many unsigned unrestricted free agents have to resort to a different tactic than a normal negotiation. Instead of pursuing opportunities overseas or in the minor leagues, these veterans sign professional tryouts to try and make an impact in training camp. Already we’ve seen a few of these, with the Toronto Maple Leafs signing Michal Neuvirth and Matt Read while the Philadelphia Flyers took a chance on Chris Stewart. For the last few weeks there have been reports linking the Boston Bruins and Alexander Petrovic in a similar capacity, something that Alex Thomas of Boston Hockey Now has heard again today.
To be clear, actually getting an NHL contract out of a professional tryout is rare. Most of the players brought into camps are there to fill veteran quotas in road preseason games and are cut before the start of the regular season. But every once in a while, someone impresses enough to land a spot on the roster. Here are several examples from last season:
Alex Chiasson, Edmonton Oilers – 73 GP, 22 goals, 38 points
The poster boy for the PTO last season was Chiasson, who not only made the Oilers out of camp but experienced the best offensive season of his career. In fact, Chiasson was the fourth-highest scoring forward on Edmonton and set himself to not have to deal with another tryout for a while. The Oilers re-signed the 28-year old forward to a two-year, $4.3MM deal last month to keep him in the fold.
Jason Garrison, Edmonton Oilers – 17 GP, 1 goal, 1 point
Things didn’t go quite so smoothly for the other Oilers PTO that earned a contract. Garrison outplayed Jakub Jerabek in camp and earned a deal, but ended up on the move just a few months later. After 17 games with Edmonton, Garrison was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks as part of the Drake Caggiula–Brandon Manning deal where his contract was promptly terminated. Garrison ended up playing the rest of the year in Sweden, where he helped Djurgardens to the SHL Final.
Drew Stafford, New Jersey Devils – 57 GP, 5 goals, 13 points
Stafford came back to the Devils on a PTO after playing 59 games for them in 2017-18, and earned a spot after Jesper Bratt suffered a broken jaw in the preseason. The veteran forward would end up playing in a good chunk of the season but was still unable to contribute much offensively. Still, extending your career by another full NHL season and earning a cool $810K isn’t a bad outcome.
Stephen Gionta, New York Islanders – 5 GP, 0 goals, 0 points
Gionta didn’t actually get a contract at the end of camp, but decided to stick around and see if something happened in the first few weeks of the season. That decision paid off as Casey Cizikas suffered an injury leading to a two-way deal for Gionta in mid-October. A few days later he was clearing waivers and going down to join the Bridgeport Sound Tigers for the third consecutive season where he spent the majority of the year. Gionta has recently taken a scouting position with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Luca Sbisa, New York Islanders – 9 GP, 0 goals, 1 point
When Sbisa earned a $1.5MM deal in Islanders training camp it looked like he had fully recovered from the injury that had limited him to just 30 games with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017-18 and was ready to be a key contributor once again. Instead he served as a press box regular and ended up actually playing in just a handful of games all season. Sbisa is still unsigned this summer and may have to use the tryout method again if he wants to continue his NHL career. At just 29, it is unfortunate just how quickly things have fallen apart for the 2008 first round pick.
Michal Cajkovsky, Carolina Hurricanes – 0 GP, 0 goals, 0 points
The KHL veteran ended up earning a contract in camp with the Hurricanes, but given he was still waiver-exempt he ended up in the minors before the season began. After 23 games with the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL, Cajkovsky decided it was time to leave North America once again and saw his contract mutually terminated. He ended up back in the KHL for the rest of the year.
Brandon Davidson, Chicago Blackhawks – 10 GP, 0 goals, 1 point
For the second consecutive season the Blackhawks decided to sign a veteran defenseman at the end of camp. Following Cody Franson in 2017, Davidson inked a $650K deal with the Blackhawks and was on the roster at the start of the season. He’d end up injured and scratched most of the time before clearing waivers and ending up back in the minor leagues. Amazingly, Davidson didn’t have to wait around this time and has already signed with the Calgary Flames for 2019-20.
Lee Stempniak, Boston Bruins – 2 GP, 0 goals, 0 points
Stempniak actually stuck around with the Bruins and their AHL affiliate for most of the season without a contract, only officially signing on February 24th. He was used a lot more by the Providence Bruins instead of Boston, but did get into a pair of NHL games to keep his career alive.