Kings Hire Trent Yawney As Assistant Coach
New Los Angeles Kings head coach Todd McLellan has put the finishing touches on his coaching staff. After opting to retain veteran goalie coach Bill Ranford and up-and-coming coach Marco Sturm, McLellan still needed to add a defensive mind and found one in former colleague Trent Yawney. The Kings have announced that Yawney will join McLellan’s staff as the final assistant coach.
Yawney, 53, just wrapped up a stint as an assistant with the Edmonton Oilers, a hire made by McLellan before he was fired. Prior to that, Yawney served as an assistant with the Anaheim Ducks for four years. He also worked as an assistant for the San Jose Sharks from 2008 to 2011, again under McLellan. Yawney has also spent several years as an AHL head coach. However, what many may recognize Yawney for his playing career, spent mostly with the Chicago Blackhawks, and his brief stint as the head coach of the team from 2005 to 2007, when he was replaced mid-season by Denis Savard.
As the Kings’ release points out, Yawney has worked closely with a number of top defenses and elite defensemen, including Norris Trophy winners Chris Chelios, Doug Wilson, Phil Housley, Rob Blake, and Duncan Keith. In L.A., Yawney will have the opportunity to work with another elite talent in Drew Doughty, but also a deep group of young defensemen who are ready to break out with the right system and proper guidance. Yawney could prove to be a key figure in what the Kings’ hope is a return to relevance sooner rather than later.
Anaheim Ducks Make Several Front Office Moves
The Anaheim Ducks have announced several moves in their front office, following their recent hiring of head coach Dallas Eakins. David McNab has signed a two-year contract extension to stay in his position of senior vice president of hockey operations, while Dave Nonis has been promoted to assistant general manager. In addition, Dr. Jeremy Bettle has been named director of high performance.
McNab has been with the Ducks since their inception nearly three decades ago, and in the league for more than 40 years all told. The long-time executive has been with the organization through all of their ups and downs and will be there for at least another couple of years.
Nonis meanwhile had been serving as a consultant for general manager Bob Murray since his dismissal from the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2015. The GM in Toronto, Nonis has also been an executive for many years in the NHL and is often brought up as a candidate for vacancies around the league. He will continue to assist Murray as the Ducks try to get back to contender status, but with a slightly increased title.
Bettle also comes to the Ducks from the Maple Leafs organization, this time much more recently. Serving the last four seasons in Toronto as director of sports science, he was tasked with maximizing the performance and rehabilitation of the team’s players. Bettle had previously worked with the Brooklyn Nets of the NBA.
Anaheim Ducks Name Dallas Eakins Their Next Head Coach
Monday: As expected, the Ducks have now officially announced Eakins as head coach. Despite a more drawn-out selection process than anticipated, Murray spoke glowingly of his new hire in the team’s release, stating “Dallas is an outstanding head coach who has worked well with our players since joining the organization four years ago. He is a tremendous leader and strategist, and deserves this opportunity.” The challenge now for Eakins is in trying to replicate his success with the Gulls with a Ducks team that seemed unmotivated for much of last season. The team has an aging, injury-ridden core, but are not without talent. If Eakins can find ways to re-energize the lineup with strong play from the younger players, it’s not out of the question that Anaheim could turn things around as early as next season.
Sunday, 4:00pm: The Athletic’s Eric Stephens and Josh Cooper confirmed that Eakins will be the next coach and he will be formally announced as the Ducks’ tenth coach in franchise history on Monday.
Sunday, 2:00pm: The Anaheim Ducks look like they have finally made a decision on their head coaching job as Dallas Eakins looks to be the “last man standing” and, according to TSN’s Frank Seravalli, the Ducks intend to formally announce him as head coach some time next week. The Orange County Register’s Elliott Teaford adds that he expects the announcement to be made Monday or Tuesday.
Eakins, who has been coaching the San Diego Gulls, the Ducks’ AHL affiliate, for the last four years, has always been considered the lead candidate for the job. However, Anaheim general manager Bob Murray chose to undergo an extensive search to evaluate other possibilities. The process had been delayed, as Eakins led the Gulls to the AHL Western Conference Final, before eventually being eliminated by the Chicago Wolves. He finished with a 154-95-15 record over those four years with San Diego and worked with many of the team’s young players, making him a solid candidate to lead the team’s rebuilding project. He does have some NHL experience as the 52-year-old coached the Edmonton Oilers, but didn’t last long as he was fired after 18 months and a 36-63-14 record.
The team interviewed a number of candidates including New York Islanders assistant Lane Lambert, Dallas Stars assistants Todd Nelson and Rick Bowness, Manitoba Moose head coach Pascal Vincent, and University of Minnesota-Duluth coach Scott Sandelin. However, one by one, the candidates were told they were out of the running, with Eakins and Sandelin the last two coaching candidates standing. Sandelin recently signed an extension with Duluth, possibly taking him out of the running.
Anaheim is coming off a disappointing season that saw them not make the playoffs, finish 35-37-10, and force Randy Carlyle out of a job mid-season with many pointing the team’s lack of effort throughout the year. Murray took over the reins himself for the rest of the year in hopes of getting a better understanding of what the team would need this off-season.
Atlantic Notes: Zaitsev, Johansson, Condon, Luongo
The Toronto Maple Leafs don’t have to, but if the team wants to move on from defenseman Nikita Zaitsev, it might be beneficial to trade him before July 1 when his 10-team no-trade clause kicks in. While Zaitsev has requested a trade as well, making it easier for Toronto to unload the five years remaining on his contract at $4.5MM, there are likely to be several teams interested in acquiring the 27-year-old.
In fact, The Athletic’s James Mirtle (subscription required) looks into what teams would be the most likely to acquire the blueliner and the Edmonton Oilers find themselves at the top of the list. Zaitsev could be paired with one of Toronto’s forwards, either Connor Brown, Kasperi Kapanen or Andreas Johnsson to acquire either Matt Benning or even Adam Larsson in the right deal.
The Vancouver Canucks and Anaheim Ducks round out the top three teams who would make the best bets, but there are quiet a few other candidates as well.
- Boston Globe’s Nick Kelly writes that Boston Bruins forward Marcus Johansson was non-committal Friday when asked about whether he wanted to return to Boston next season. An unrestricted free agent and a key contributor throughout the playoffs (four goals and 11 points in 22 games), the 28-year-old may have priced his way out of Boston. However, Johansson said he did enjoy his time with the Bruins and will speak to them first before looking at his other options.
- Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun writes that even though the Ottawa Sentators locked up backup goaltender Anders Nilsson to a tw0-year, $5.2MM extension which many thought would be the end for Mike Condon. The 29-year-old, who lost the backup job early last season, still has one year remaining on his contract at $2.4MM and seemed like a prime buyout candidate. However, general manager Pierre Dorion said the team will not buy him out and intend to bring him in to camp in the fall before determining what to do with him. Condon made just two appearances, allowing eight goals and had a .800 save percentage. He was sent to Belleville of the AHL for one game before he opted to sit out the rest of the year with hip inflammation. He hopes to be healthy for training camp.
- Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman notes that he spoke recently to Florida Panthers general manager Dale Tallon, who told him that he expects goaltender Roberto Luongo to make a decision about his future soon, in fact, before the draft next Friday. The team needs an idea on whether Luongo intends to come back next year. Florida is expected to sign one of the top goaltenders on the market with Sergei Bobrovsky on the top of their list. However, if Luongo opt to return (he still has three years remaining at $4.53MM AAV), the team will have to find a way to move out James Reimer.
Pacific Notes: Donskoi, Eakins, Phaneuf, McDavid
The San Jose Sharks and general manager Doug Wilson have a lot on their plate this offseason as they have a number of key free agents they must deal with, including Erik Karlsson, Joe Pavelski and Joe Thornton. One name that is often forgotten is free agent forward Joonas Donskoi, who has been a solid contributor as a middle-six forward the last few years.
The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz reports that it looks like Donskoi is leaning towards going onto the open market to see what offers he might receive and could wait to see if a team comes calling when the interview period opens on June 23. Donskoi could receive quite a bit of attention as he has scored 14 goals in each of his last two seasons and had 37 points this year. While that’s hardly amazing numbers, the speedy wing is a good defender and could provide value for a lesser price tag, considering he only made $1.9MM last year.
- While it looks like the Anaheim Ducks are moving rather slowly in naming their head coach, it looks like there are only two candidates remaining in the race in Dallas Eakins and University of Minnesota-Duluth coach Scott Sandelin, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Eakins remains the favorite, but the team is doing quite a bit of research on him, including interviewing some of the veterans on his AHL squad.
- Jordan Samuels-Thomas of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that with Dion Phaneuf being bought out, the most likely destination for the veteran blueliner would be a young team that’s several years away from truly competing. The scribe writes that the decline in the 34-year-old’s play would likely have playoff teams looking elsewhere for veteran depth, but Phaneuf’s leadership and his ability to mentor young players would make him more valuable to a lottery team. On top of that Phaneuf could help team’s penalty killing and can provide a physical presence a young team might lack.
- At a gathering for 500 season ticket holders, Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland said he has already met with star center Connor McDavid twice in the last 10 days, including visiting him as he was working out, according to Terry Jones of the Edmonton Journal. He reports that McDavid is doing well and is expected to ready for the start of training camp. The 22-year-old suffered a small PCL tear in his knee on the final game of the regular season, but the injury didn’t require surgery.
Coaching Notes: Nelson, Snowden, Bales
The Anaheim Ducks are still without a head coach for the 2019-20 season, but we now know a little bit more about the search. Scott Sandelin interviewed for the job last week but instead took a long-term extension with his Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, and now The Athletic’s Eric Stephens (subscription required) is reporting that Todd Nelson will also be staying in his current job. Nelson is no longer in the running for the Ducks’ role, though Stephens actually includes a note about Sandelin not necessarily being completely out of the picture, even though it looks that way.
The final candidates now seem to be New York Islanders assistant Lane Lambert (UPDATE: Stephens is now reporting that Lambert is also no longer a candidate) and San Diego Gulls head coach Dallas Eakins, though Rick Bowness also may remain in the running. Eakins, the presumptive favorite after the Ducks fired Randy Carlyle, last coached in the NHL with the Edmonton Oilers in 2015 but has compiled an impressive 154-95-23 record through four years with San Diego.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs minor league system has found a ton of success over the last few years, including a Kelly Cup championship this season for the Newfoundland Growlers. The Growlers only entered the ECHL this season, but went all the way and took home the title in their inaugural season. Why not then reward the man who led them there? The Maple Leafs today announced a two-year extension for head coach John Snowden, who took over for Ryane Clowe during the season when he was forced to resign due to medical issues.
- The Carolina Hurricanes will start a search for a new goaltending coach after Mike Bales resigned his position with the team. Bales had been with the organization for two seasons, but is now being linked to the Buffalo Sabres by Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. That would make sense, given that Bales served as goalie coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins while Buffalo GM Jason Botterill was still working there. The 47-year old Bales had a long professional playing career, including 23 appearances in the NHL.
West Notes: Canucks, Wheat Kings, Perry
The Vancouver Canucks will not be signing Linus Karlsson or Toni Utunen this summer, according to Rick Dhaliwal of Sportsnet. Both prospects will stay in Europe for at least one more season to continue their development. Karlsson, acquired from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Jonathan Dahlen, was a third-round pick last June and spent this season in the Swedish second league, where he put up 18 points in 52 games. Utunen meanwhile played the season in Finland’s top league after being a fifth-round selection by the Canucks last year. Vancouver will retain both their exclusive draft rights.
Dhaliwal also notes that the team may re-sign restricted free agent Reid Boucher, but no decision has been made at this point. Boucher played just a single game with the Canucks last season, but was a force at the minor league level with 62 points in 56 games. The 25-year old is arbitration eligible however, meaning that if the team issues him a qualifying offer he could file and force a potential one-way deal. Boucher has 42 points through 133 NHL games.
- If you thought your job was complicated, imagine what it must be like for Kelly McCrimmon. The newly promoted Vegas Golden Knights GM is also still the owner of the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings, and today announced that the team will not be bringing back head coach David Anning. This comes after McCrimmon also relieved Wheat Kings’ GM Grant Armstrong of his duties last month, leaving huge gaps in management for next season. While his junior club is searching for a coach and GM, McCrimmon also has to navigate the upcoming NHL draft in which the Golden Knights hold five picks in the first three rounds.
- Darren Dreger was on TSN radio today discussing potential buyout candidates, and noted that Corey Perry will have a market around the league if he finds himself an unrestricted free agent suddenly later this month. Perry looks like he will be leaving the Anaheim Ducks one way or another this offseason, and Dreger suggests the Edmonton Oilers as a team that may kick the tires on him as a veteran leader to help Connor McDavid turn things around. Perry currently has two years remaining on his current contract that carries a $8.625MM cap hit, but could be an attractive option at a much lower number if he happens to be bought out.
Opportunity Coming For Ducks Prospects
The Anaheim Ducks still don’t have a head coach for the 2019-20 season, but we now know whoever it is will be leading a much different group. The Ducks are on the edge of a huge roster overhaul, one which might bring plenty of opportunity with it for their young prospect core.
Ryan Kesler won’t be back on the ice for the Ducks this season, if ever again, after undergoing a major hip surgery in May. The procedure was completed in part to restore some sort of normalcy to Kesler’s daily life and reduce his pain. He had fought through that pain to reach 1,000 games played for his career but was a shell of his former self on the ice and finished 2018-19 with just eight points in 60 games. Despite the three years remaining on his contract, no one should be expecting a contribution from the 34-year old.
Patrick Eaves too is a question mark for the Ducks after playing just nine games over the last two years. The veteran forward was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome in 2017—a diagnosis that has subsequently been changed to post-viral syndrome—and doesn’t appear to be expected to play at all this season. Even if he was to somehow come back, it’s hard to expect much from a 35-year old who hasn’t played a meaningful stretch of games in more than two years. Eaves has just one year remaining on his contract, but like Kesler is likely headed for long-term injured reserve if the Ducks need some cap space.
That brings us to Corey Perry, who the team is apparently ready to move on from after 14 seasons with the organization. Perry was the 28th-overall pick in 2003 and became a superstar in Anaheim, recording a 50-goal season in 2010-11 to win the Hart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player. He and partner in crime Ryan Getzlaf were the faces of Ducks hockey for more than a decade, something that appears to be coming to an end. If Perry’s contract was traded or bought out, it would not only open up cap space and salary for the front office to work with, but also another roster spot to use on the talent they have coming up through the system—that’s where there’s a glimmering silver lining for fans hoping to get back to the playoffs quickly.
All is not lost if the Ducks manage to open up some roster spots. If everyone was healthy and retained, they would have 12 one-way contracts already signed and not much to look forward to next season. But with the above trio potentially out of the mix, opportunity is coming for some of the prospects just outside of the NHL.
For some of those prospects, they’ve already shown a glimpse of what might be possible.
In 32 games last season Troy Terry recorded 13 points, including back-to-back three-point efforts in early March. The late round draft pick developed into a powerhouse offensive player at the University of Denver and proved he can hang in professional hockey with a point-per-game effort in the minor leagues this year. While the NHL is a different beast, Terry showed enough flashes during his short stint with the Ducks to think he can be a regular contributor as soon as this season.
Sam Steel, another highly touted forward that comes with a considerably higher draft pedigree also proved that his junior scoring totals weren’t a mirage. He put up 11 points in 22 games for the Ducks and was a legitimate scoring threat in the minor leagues. His 13 points in 16 playoff games were good enough for third in team scoring, and he should push for a roster spot in camp.
It doesn’t end there however. The team also has the trio of Isac Lundestrom, Max Jones and Max Comtois ready to push for full-time jobs in the NHL. All three received a taste of the action this season and impressed, strengthening their cases for a spot this fall. There is plenty of time to wait for each of them, but any of the three could be on the roster to start the season, especially if the Ducks make moves to remove some of their other veteran options.
There are big changes coming in Anaheim, and for fans of the team it may be hard to watch familiar faces like Perry and Kesler limp out of town. But make no mistake, their struggles are another player’s opportunity and in this case there is more than enough talent ready to seize the chance and continue their development at the highest level. So many in fact that the team could potentially consider other moves to free up space and embrace the youth movement that is coming in California.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Buyout Watch: Most Likely Candidates As Buyout Window Nears
At this time next week, there could already be a few notable additions to the impending unrestricted free agent class. The NHL’s buyout window is set to open on Saturday, June 15th, after which teams will have 15 days to buy out unwanted contracts before the month ends and free agency begins on July 1st. This year in particular, there seem to be a surplus of teams upset with their current salary cap position and itching to remove a contract from their books that has not yielded the expected results. Yet, at a cost of two-thirds of the remaining salary and double the remaining term (in most cases), as well as the side effects of pay and bonus structure, it may not always be the best route. The following are some of the top names that could be bought out later this month and the cost to do so:
Corey Perry, Anaheim Ducks
Contract Remaining: Two years, $8.625MM cap hit
Buyout Cost (each year): $2.625MM/$6.625MM/$2MM/$2MM
The most recent name to hit the buyout rumor mill, Perry’s contract is undoubtedly an albatross and it is difficult to see him getting back to the pace and production that initially warranted his high cap hit. A buyout would give the Ducks immediate relief this year and $2MM in years three and four is not bad. However, the 2020-21 cost is not ideal. However, it’s hard to see anyone trading for Perry’s contract with so many unknowns about his game, so this could be the only choice for Anaheim.
Dion Phaneuf, Los Angeles Kings
Contract Remaining: Two years, $7MM cap hit
Buyout Cost (each year): $2.917MM/$5.417MM/$1.417MM/$1.417MM
The Kings want to get younger and faster and want some cap space to improve. Moving Phaneuf accomplishes all of that, and L.A. has good blue line depth to fall back on in the short-term. Like Perry, this buyout hurts in year two, but is otherwise tolerable. The Kings will try to trade Phaneuf and may succeed, otherwise this is a likely buyout scenario.
Scott Darling, Carolina Hurricanes
Contract Remaining: Two years, $4.15MM cap hit
Buyout Cost (each year): $1.233MM/$2.333MM/$1.183MM/$1.183MM
One of the earliest reported buyout rumors was that of Darling, and for good reason. The former star backup has not panned out as a starter for Carolina, a team that made it to the Eastern Conference Final with a tandem of a UFA flier and a veteran waiver claim. The Hurricanes may not have any experienced goalies under contract for next season yet besides Darling, but that won’t stop them from moving on and going back to the free agent market or their talented pipeline for answers, especially with this very palatable buyout and few cap concerns.
Ryan Callahan, Tampa Bay Lightning
Contract Remaining: One year, $5.8MM cap hit
Buyout Cost (each year): $2.667MM/$1.567MM
Callahan won’t be in Tampa one way or another next season. The team is facing a difficult cap crunch and there’s no room for the veteran, who has played little role in recent years. A buyout doesn’t give the Bolts the full savings they’d hope for this upcoming season and a trade likely remains preferable, but Callahan’s stock is not high and a buyout remains the more likely resolution.
Valeri Nichushkin, Dallas Stars
Contract Remaining: One year, $2.95MM cap hit
Buyout Cost (each year): $700K/$450K
Nichushkin’s age makes his buyout fall under the second category of buyout wherein only one-third of the remaining salary is accounted for. As such, his buyout would mean almost nothing for Dallas’ cap calculations. The young winger failed to score a goal last season as a regular player and both sides would seemingly benefit from a split. It’s not certain that the Stars will move on, but should they choose to, a buyout is a painless option.
Brendan Smith, New York Rangers
Contract Remaining: Two years, $4.35MM cap hit
Buyout Cost (each year): $971K/$3.146MM/$1.146MM/$1.146MM
Smith has been a disaster in New York and certainly not the player that the Rangers saw perform well in the postseason as a deadline addition in 2016-17. It’s hard to see a fit for Smith moving forward, even more so than other unfriendly defense contracts like Marc Staal and Kevin Shattenkirk. It’s even more difficult to see him having any trade value, so the team would have to go the buyout route. It’s not a terrible option, but as frequently happens, the year one savings come back to bite with a hefty year two increase.
Karl Alzner, Montreal Canadiens
Contract Remaining: Three years, $4.625MM cap hit
Buyout Cost (each year): $1.069MM/$4.194MM/$2.194MM/$1.069MM/$1.069MM/$1.069MM
Alzner had one point in nine games with Montreal last season, which is enough to say he’s not in the Canadiens’ long-term plans. He could be on their books for a long time to come with a potential six-year buyout structure, but at a relatively low cost most years. Alzner needs a fresh start and it’s fair to assume that Montreal will give him one.
Milan Lucic, Edmonton Oilers
Contract Remaining: Four years, $6MM cap hit
Buyout Cost (each year): $3.625MM/$5.625MM/$4.125MM/$5.625MM/$625K/$625K/$625K/$625K
Loui Eriksson, Vancouver Canucks
Contract Remaining: Three years, $6MM cap hit
Buyout Cost (each year): $5.556MM/$5.556MM/$3.556MM/$556K/$556K/$556K
Lucic and Eriksson have been tied together by rumors all off-season and one more thing they share: poor buyout possibilities. As bad as Lucic’s contract is, based on his drop-off in performance, his buyout is still very expensive for four more years and then extends another four years beyond that. The Oilers would be better off continuing to search for some way to trade him, no matter how slim the chances. As for Eriksson, his front-loaded contract makes a buyout pointless. The Canucks would pay almost the same amount in each of the next two years as if he was still on the team, then would have the cap penalty for another four years after that. Vancouver and Edmonton are likely stuck with these players, unless of course they swap them for each other.
Anaheim Ducks Ready To Move On From Corey Perry
The Anaheim Ducks have been rumored to be considering finding a way to rid themselves of the contract of Corey Perry this offseason. Some argue that the 34-year-old star just needs to get healthy and work hard this summer in hopes he can have a bounce-back season next year. Others feel it would be better for the team to trade him or even buy out the remaining two years and $17.25MM.
It looks as if Anaheim come to a decision, however, as Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that the team has decided that they intend to move on from the long-time Duck and will begin looking for a trade partner. If they cannot find one, they intend to buy him out. General manager Bob Murray has stayed in touch with Perry’s agent, as Anaheim intends to treat Perry, who has played 988 games with the Ducks, with as much respect as possible during the process.
After a disappointing 35-37-10 season, which saw them far outside a playoff berth this year, the Ducks are looking forward to a rebuild of the franchise. The team is still searching for its next head coach, but intends to find someone who can help develop the massive amount of young forward prospects that are coming up through the system, including Sam Steel, Troy Terry, Daniel Sprong, Kiefer Sherwood, Max Comtois, Max Jones, Isac Lundestrom and Antoine Morand. With that much talent close to being ready for NHL duty, the team will have no choice but to open up roster space.
Perry signed an eight-year, $69MM extension back in 2013 when he was in his prime. He followed that up with a 43-goal season, followed by two 30-goal seasons, but hasn’t been able to produce as well since then. He tallied 19 goals in 2016-17, then a 17-goal performance in 2017-18, then just six goals and 10 points in 31 games last year after missing the first 51 games with a knee injury.
A trade would be challenging for Anaheim, considering the size of Perry’s contract and the likelihood the team would likely have to part with a top prospect or pick to find a team who would be willing to take on his cap hit. Throw in the fact that Perry has a full No-Movement Clause and the team may be forced to buy out the fan favorite. With the first buyout window starting in a week, Perry could conceivably be a unrestricted free agent at the start of free agency on July 1 and could give him an opportunity to join a veteran playoff team.