Teams “Lining Up” For Sami Vatanen
Amid several pieces of information in the latest edition of Insider Trading on TSN, Pierre LeBrun reported that teams are “lining up” with interest for Sami Vatanen hoping Anaheim Ducks are indeed going to trade him to solve some of their expansion problems. LeBrun mentions the Toronto Maple Leafs, New Jersey Devils and the Tampa Bay Lightning in particular.
The Ducks have a real crunch on defense that has been examined multiple times this season. Interestingly, they have several young players—Brandon Montour, Shea Theodore and Jacob Larsson in particular—who could step into any holes created by a trade of Vatanen or another defenseman. The team will need to find a trade somewhere, as Vegas would be hard to convince to take someone other than whichever defenseman ends up exposed. Watching Vatanen or Josh Manson be shipped off to Sin City for nothing would be painful for a team who fancies themselves a real contender for the Stanley Cup. 
All of that is to say that Vatanen remains a real trade candidate this month, and it comes as no surprise that he has suitors all over the league. After another season with solid point totals and an average ice time number above 21 minutes, Vatanen projects as a solid addition to nearly every top-4 in the league. The fact that he is right-handed and comes with a sub-$5MM salary for multiple years makes him palatable to dozens of teams.
The three teams that LeBrun mentions are all coming off very different seasons, and demonstrate how widespread the appetite for Vatanen could be. The Maple Leafs, building on a surprisingly good season by their young stars could jump-start their contention window with a few defensive additions. With Nikita Zaitsev and Connor Carrick penciled in as the top two options on the right side, Vatanen could take on a substantial amount of responsibility.
In New Jersey, the team is still in a window when it needs to try and make the playoffs. With a core group in their prime right now, they’re not quite in a rebuild and with a few tweaks could be right back in the postseason picture. The ironic part is that they dealt a right-handed defenseman last summer for Taylor Hall, but obviously could use an upgrade to the blueline for next season.
Tampa Bay was devastated by injury last season but is expected to be a contender not only for the playoffs but the Stanley Cup again next year. With a healthy Steven Stamkos and an improved blueline, they would be among the early favorites for the Atlantic division crown once again. While Victor Hedman has turned into one of the best all-around defensemen in the league, and Anton Stralman is still an underrated possession darling, the rest of the defense has not been as good.
Even though the Ducks are in a tough spot for the expansion draft, they remain in a great spot after drafting or developing a ton of good defenders. With Cam Fowler in extension talks after an outstanding year, they can now pick and choose which other players they keep for their current window. Should they make a trade, they’ll be able to either restock a prospect cupboard that is anything but bare, or add to their NHL squad for another shot at the Stanley Cup next year.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Anaheim Ducks Re-Sign Sam Carrick
Late last night, CapFriendly announced that Sam Carrick had signed a two-year, two-way deal with the Anaheim Ducks worth $650K each season in the NHL. Carrick’s agency, Uptown Hockey, confirmed the deal this morning.
Carrick was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks at the trade deadline and performed admirably for the San Diego Gulls of the AHL down the stretch. With 18 points in 25 games including two playoff rounds, the veteran minor league forward brought a level of leadership and experience.
Drafted by the Maple Leafs in the fifth round, Carrick has 19 games of NHL experience and isn’t expected to make an impact on the Ducks next season. He could see some playing time, but will be used more for his excellent minor league play to try and help the Gulls to another playoff appearance in 2017-18.
Free Agent Focus: Anaheim Ducks
The free agent period is now less than one month away from opening up and there are several prominent players set to hit the open market while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign. Here is a breakdown of Anaheim’s free agent situation.
Key Restricted Free Agent: F Nicolas Kerdiles – While most teams have several RFAs to re-sign, the Ducks are one of the exceptions. Kerdiles was the lone pending RFA to see NHL action this season so he gets the spot by default. The former second round pick (36th overall in 2012) made his NHL debut in the regular season, getting into a single game. He made a strong impression though as they also used him in four postseason contests where he recorded his first career point. Kerdiles is coming off his entry-level deal and is not arbitration eligible. His cap hit in Anaheim this season was $925K on a two-way deal and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him take a lower NHL payday in exchange for a higher guarantee in the minors than the $70K he received.
Other RFAs: G Kevin Boyle, F Emerson Etem, G Ryan Faragher, D Jaycob Megna
Key Unrestricted Free Agents: F Patrick Eaves – The Ducks wound up giving up a first round pick to Dallas to secure Eaves just before the trade deadline and he made quite a strong impression, scoring 11 goals in just 20 games. He was off to a solid start to his postseason as well, tallying two goals and two assists in his first seven contests before suffering a high ankle sprain that kept him out for the rest of the playoffs.
Eaves is coming off a bargain contract worth just $1MM and will greatly surpass that in free agency. Between Dallas and Anaheim, he scored 32 goals, only the second time that he had 15 or more in a single season. That will likely prevent him from commanding top money as a 30 goal player often does but he has shown himself to be capable of playing a top six role and many teams around the league will have taken notice.
G Jonathan Bernier – Anaheim added Bernier from the Maple Leafs to replace Frederik Andersen (after nearly half his salary was paid by Toronto via a signing bonus) and he put up his best numbers since 2013-14. His finish wasn’t as strong as he was pressed into action in the third round and took the loss in the final two games to Nashville. He won’t be able to get the $4.15MM he earned on his last contract but Bernier projects to be one of the better backup goalies available on the open market.
Other UFAs: F Spencer Abbott, F Sam Carrick, G Jhonas Enroth, D Nate Guenin, G Matt Hackett, D Korbinian Holzer, D Jeff Schultz, F Nate Thompson
Projected Cap Space: With 22 players already under contract, most of Anaheim’s payroll is already committed for next season to the tune of just shy of $70.7MM per CapFriendly. As a result, they’ll be hard-pressed to keep Eaves in the fold unless they shed some salary either via trade or through the expansion draft. It’s likely to be a fairly quiet offseason for the Ducks.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Randy Carlyle Inks Extension In Anaheim
Head coach Randy Carlyle has been extended as head coach of the Anaheim Ducks, per the team’s twitter. The contract is good through 2018-19, with an option for 2019-20. Trent Yawney and Rich Preston will be returning for at least one season, with Todd Marchant returning as Head of Player Development.
The organization is opting to stay the course in what many anticipated could be a tumultuous summer. With Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry getting another playoff older, and Randy Carlyle in the midst of his second tour of duty in Orange County, those central figures all look to remain locked in place for the foreseeable future. Although familiarity is often a good thing, there was a subsection of the Anaheim fanbase hoping for greater change. All three were present when the Ducks won their first and only Stanley Cup 10 years ago. Carlyle had been let go in 2011 before returning this season. His stint in Toronto was the topic of great scrutiny league-wide, but his all-time coaching record remains a sterling 410-283-93.
It’s hard to argue with his relative success this year, however. If the Ducks had lost to the upstart Oilers in the second round, perhaps this extension wouldn’t sit quite as well with fans. These Ducks had a fantastic regular season performance with Carlyle at the reigns, finishing 46-23-13. Their resilience in the post-season (exemplified by a 3-goal comeback late to win Game 5 against Edmonton) was the marvel of the league. Captain Getzlaf looked totally rejuvenated and ready to lead his team back to Finals contention, while youngsters such as Rickard Rakell and Cam Fowler made great strides in their game. Carlyle’s hard-nosed brand of hockey was adopted by this team, which got them to Game 6 of a Conference Final. Whether or not his old school mentality will lead to success long-term remains to be seen. GM Bob Murray doesn’t seem concerned, and stated his unequivocal confidence in the bench boss.
Marchant has done quite well in his front office role since he retired as a skater to don a suit back in 2011. In those 6 years, Marchant has played a large part in the successful ascendance and development of young draftees Fowler (2010), Rakell (2011), John Gibson (2011), Josh Manson (2011), Hampus Lindholm (2012), Frederik Andersen (2012), Shea Theodore (2013), Nick Ritchie (2014), and Brandon Montour (2014). His familiarity with the last two years’ draft picks will be invaluable as well, as Jacob Larsson (27th OV 2015), Julius Nattinen (59th OA 2015), and Max Jones (24th OA 2016) try to build pro careers. Assistant Trent Yawney was promoted from the Norfolk Admirals 3 seasons ago, after his head coaching career in Chicago ended in disastrous results back in 2007. Rich Preston has served has an assistant coach for multiple teams dating back to the 1990s, with a successful return to coach his hometown Regina Pats that ended in 2013.
Anaheim Ducks, Paul MacLean Part Ways
Fresh off a playoff elimination at the hands of the Nashville Predators in the Western Conference Final, the Anaheim Ducks don’t seem content to stand pat this off-season. Changes are expected to come this summer, and the first news has come out already. Assistant coach Paul MacLean, whose current contract had come to an end, will not be retained. According to the team, it was a mutual parting of ways.
MacLean, 59, is a former NHL head coach and Jack Adams Award-winner, serving as the bench boss for the Ottawa Senators from 2011 to 2014, leading the team to the postseason twice in three (and a half) seasons. MacLean was fired by Ottawa midway through the 2014-15 campaign. MacLean joined the Ducks that off-season, working under Bruce Boudreau, whom he beat out for the Jack Adams in 2013. After Boundreau was fired and replaced by Randy Carlyle last year, MacLean was retained. However, the team has promised to shake things up and it appears that they felt the best move for the team was to move on from the veteran coach.
MacLean will certainly land on his feet. Beyond Ottawa and Anaheim, MacLean has an extensive coaching resume to lean on. MacLean had previously served as an assistant in Anaheim before, under Mike Babcock with the Mighty Ducks in the early 2000’s, and followed Babcock to Detroit as well. MacLean also has a long, successful history in the minor leagues where, if no NHL opportunities arise, he would surely be welcomed back. MacLean’s son, A.J., is also an assistant coach with the OHL’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, so don’t rule out a move to Canadian major junior either. MacLean will be fine; the Ducks on the other hand are just beginning their re-tool and more news is sure to come this off-season.
Anaheim Ducks Interested In Sam Bennett, Trade Unlikely
One of the interesting nuggets from Elliotte Friedman’s latest “30 Thoughts” column for Sportsnet was that the Anaheim Ducks may have some interest in Calgary Flames’ underperforming Sam Bennett. While he didn’t go into detail on it in the column, he was asked about it today on Sportsnet 960 in Calgary.
I’ve heard that the Ducks like Sam Bennett. I’ve heard there’s people in that organization who like him. So I could see the possibility of something being there. But if you look at [Ducks GM] Bob Murray’s history, he’s done two deals with Vancouver. [Ryan] Kesler and [Kevin] Bieksa. He did one with Edmonton. Patrick Maroon. The rest of his deals are all East: Bobby Ryan to Ottawa. Frederik Andersen to Toronto. James Wisniewski to Carolina. Kyle Palmieri to New Jersey. He prefers to send guys out East.
Friedman does admit again that the Ducks would be interested in Bennett, but throws cold water on the whole idea saying that Murray wouldn’t want his defenseman “torturing him” for the next few seasons. It is interesting though that the Ducks would have interest in Bennett, who has had trouble at the center ice position and struggled to contribute offensively this year. Perhaps they would convert him to a winger, something that Calgary will need to consider once again going into next season.
Evening Notes: Navy Outdoor Game, #3 Pick, Blue Jackets
Prior to Gary Bettman’s official league announcement on the news sure to come Monday, it has been revealed by AP’s Steve Whyno that Washington will host Toronto at an outdoor game next season. The affair will take place on March 3, 2018 at the Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. The contest will be the first outdoor affair held at a venue utilized by a branch of the armed forces. Considering the large amount of folks in the greater D.C. area with government employment ties, and the dear respect for veterans around the country, such an arrangement makes a great deal of sense for the National Hockey League. Whether outdoor games are becoming a novelty or not, opportunities such as these are almost certain bets to make money for the league. The Capitals and Maple Leafs are certainly not historic rivals, but both undoubtedly draw revenue.
- Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman believes the Stars’ Jim Nill is serious about moving the #3 pick. If they decide to do so, he says their focus will assuredly be on acquiring a dynamic defender. The Ducks’ dire injury situation likely takes them out of such discussions temporarily, which leaves Columbus and Minnesota as the most likely trade partners. 30 year-old Jack Johnson is entering the final year of his contract, and 23 year-old Ryan Murray will need to re-negotiate after 2017-18. Murray is obviously more enticing, and the fit is certainly there for a deal’s foundation. However, if neither intrigues the Stars, David Savard could be a target – if GM Jarmo Kekalainen is willing to add. His $4.25 MM salary is reasonable and he is still a young defender with room to improve. It’s difficult to see the Jackets moving on from either Zach Werenski or Seth Jones (so recently acquired). The Wild would likely need to move the dynamic Mathew Dumba or stalwart Jonas Brodin, neither of which seems particularly likely. Marco Scandella simply isn’t going to get the job done, and something substantial would need to be added to Jared Spurgeon for Dallas to accept. Of course, it’s always possible a dark horse team enters the discussions if they really like a player at that drafting position.
- Speaking of Kekalainen, Friedman also secured some interesting soundbytes from Columbus’ astute manager. He confidently stated that he “expect(s) zero problems (with the cap) next year.” Considering how close the team is to the ceiling, and RFA center Alex Wennberg needing a new contract, there isn’t a ton of room to maneuver. It does seem like a trade could be on the horizon. Offensive flair is their most glaring need at the moment, and they will not be the only team on the hunt for a marquee scorer. There is help on the way from Grade A prospects Pierre-Luc Dubois and Oliver Bjorkstrand, both of whom look physically ready to successfully enter the league next season. Bjorkstrand in particular will be under additional pressure to perform, as this will be the final year as his Entry-Level Contract. The ability of Columbus to draft and develop consistently well has placed them in the enviable position of all-around depth as they look towards future transactions.
Pacific Notes: Ducks, Robinson, Schmalz
The Anaheim Ducks face one of the tougher challenges when it comes to navigating through the upcoming expansion draft and that fact isn’t lost on GM Bob Murray. He noted to Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register that he has already had discussions and made offers to Golden Knights GM George McPhee about what type of sweetener it may take for him to not take the top player they leave exposed:
“There may be ways to do things with George where I can not affect too much. Giving him something he may need. George is a very intelligent man, and I have a pretty good idea what he is going to try to do there. I can obviously help him with that a little bit. “There’s certain players here there’s just no way I can afford to lose them.”
The Ducks have several high quality defenders that are worthy of protection that would undoubtedly draw interest from Vegas if left unprotected. If they want to protect more than the standard three, that would force them to only protect a maximum of four forwards which would likely leave Jakob Silfverberg exposed and he too would surely be of interest to McPhee. Murray certainly realizes the situation he’s in and now, it’s just a matter of trying to figure out what type of side deal it’s going to take to keep their core players intact beyond the expansion draft.
Elsewhere around the Pacific:
- The Sharks have parted ways with director of player development Larry Robinson, reports Stu Cowan of the Montreal Gazette. The Hall of Fame blueliner had been with San Jose for the past five seasons in a couple of different roles, including associate coach. Though he’s 66, he isn’t looking to retire just yet but wants a job that will allow him to be closer to his home in Florida on a more regular basis. It’s unlikely that he’d return behind the bench but a role similar to the one he had in San Jose where he worked primarily with defensemen would certainly be a possibility.
- The Kings have yet to decide if they will offer a contract to 2015 fifth rounder Matt Schmalz, notes Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider. They have until June 1st to sign the 21 year old winger or they lose his rights. Schmalz doesn’t project to be a big scorer at the professional level but he stands 6’6 and has a nose for the net which could make him an intriguing bottom six forward. Los Angeles has plenty of room on their 50 contract limit to get him signed as they have just 30 players signed so far for next season.
Snapshots: Price, Johansen, Cincinnati
Beginning on July 1, several notable players will be eligible to sign contract extensions ahead of the final year of their contracts. Connor McDavid is the biggest name, but Carey Price is in a similar stratosphere.
The superstar goaltender is entering the final year of his six-year, $39MM contract ($6.5MM AAV), signed back in 2012. Price has a no-move clause (NMC) which allows him to submit a list of 15-team trade list.
According to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun, Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin and Price’s agent Gerry Johansson will meet next week to begin discussions. The two have had some preliminary discussions at the World Championships earlier this month, but have not had any “real negotiations” yet. The two sides are reportedly aiming to have something ready for Price to sign on July 1.
The Price contract will have a big impact on the Canadiens’ plans going forward. While he could command in the neighborhood of $10MM, that would negatively impact Bergevin’s ability to bring in offensive help, something the Canadiens desperately need.
- Nashville center Ryan Johansen appeared on TSN 1040 in Vancouver, and opened up about his season-ending injury and comments about Ducks shut-down center Ryan Kesler. Johansen took a hit from Josh Manson, and was going to pull himself out of the game when the game ended in overtime. By the time Johansen hit the showers, he was unable to walk and had emergency surgery just hours later. He’s expected to make a full recovery, which is good news considering the serious risks related to acute compartment syndrome. Regarding Kesler, Johansen said his only regret was not being able to shake the Ducks’ hands at the end of the series.
- The Buffalo Sabres have found a new AA affiliate, signing an agreement with the Cincinnati Cyclones. The Sabres’ previous ECHL affiliate, the Elmira Jackals, folded earlier this year. The Cyclones were previously affiliated with the Nashville Predators organization. This isn’t the first time there has been an agreement between Buffalo and Cincinnati; back in the 1970s, the Sabres had the Cincinnati Swords as their AHL affiliate. With the AHL above them, the ECHL is generally low on NHL prospects; just four Sabres prospects played in Elmira last season.
Hampus Lindholm, Sami Vatanen Require Shoulder Surgery, Out At Least Four Months
According to Ducks GM Bob Murray, both Hampus Lindholm and Sami Vatanen have torn labrums and require shoulder surgery. Lindholm’s recovery period is deemed four to five months, while Vatanen will need even longer. The GM also noted that Nate Thompson was playing with a hairline fracture in his ankle, while Jared Boll had a back injury during the playoffs. Kevin Bieksa told reporters earlier today that he played with a torn MCL.
Obviously, the repercussions for the Ducks are immense when it comes to Lindholm and Vatanen, two of their top three defenders. A minimum of four months puts them ready at the end of September after much of training camp, while anything longer will delay the start of their season. As Anaheim goes into the summer—and especially the expansion draft—looking to sort out their overflow at defense, injuries of this magnitude could easily change the appetite for them around the league. Vatanen in particular has been rumored to be available, as the Ducks prepare a contract extension for Cam Fowler. At 25 and locked into a reasonable deal for the next three seasons, Vatanen may have been the one dangled in front of potential trade partners.
The Ducks will have an issue with protection, as Bieksa still currently holds a no-movement clause and the team can’t really afford to go the eight skaters route. Even if Bieksa waived his clause, and the Ducks were able to protect all four of their young defensemen (including Josh Manson, who currently projects to be left exposed) it would mean exposing Jakob Silfverberg and Andrew Cogliano up front, both players the team would rather not lose for nothing. Moving a defenseman has been expected, but with the start of the season now in doubt for two of them it gets even harder.
While every team comes out of the playoffs with terrible injuries—just ask Nashville, the Ducks’ opponent who lost Ryan Johansen to an emergency surgery right after a game—these two are particularly troublesome for the franchise. We’ll have to wait and see how the team deals with the situation, and whether they progress in their rehab quick enough to start the season.
If Bieksa needs surgery, it does complicate the idea some have of a buyout to protect the Ducks in the expansion draft. You can’t buyout injured players, and surely a torn MCL will not be healed by June 15th when the window opens. The buyout would have been a last-ditch solution anyway, as Bieksa is on a 35+ contract and would cause his full $4MM cap-hit regardless. It’s hard to imagine the Ducks eating that just to help them out in the expansion draft.