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Anaheim Ducks Sign Jacob Perreault

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The Anaheim Ducks have signed one of their 2020 draft picks, inking Jacob Perreault to his three-year entry-level contract. Perreault was selected 27th overall and plays for the Sarnia Sting of the OHL.

The son of longtime NHL forward Yanic Perreault, the 18-year-old winger is a completely different player than his father. Lining up almost exclusively at right wing, Jacob Perreault is a legitimate sniper who can score in a variety of different ways, including loading up his lethal wrist shot from the top of the circle. In his first two seasons of OHL hockey, he recorded 69 goals in 120 games.

He was the second first-round pick the Ducks had this season and will join an impressive group of forward prospects in the system. While the NHL team still includes quite a bit of veteran salary, there are better times ahead for Anaheim if even a handful of these high draft picks work out.

Of course, with any prospect these days, the question will be raised about where Perreault will play. The OHL is hoping for a February start but has had questions around the idea of playing without body checking, while Perreault is too young to play in the AHL. Under contract now, he could potentially be loaned overseas, though it would be much more difficult for the Ducks to have a say in his development.

Poll: Which Of The Eliminated Seven Will Return To The Postseason In 2021?

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When the NHL convinced the NHLPA to return in a bubble this summer, part of the agreement was for an expanded postseason. Just seven teams were actually eliminated, finishing their seasons in early March with no chance at the Stanley Cup.

For many of the players on the Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, New Jersey Devils, Ottawa Senators, Detroit Red Wings, and Buffalo Sabres, it has already been almost eight months since they last played a competitive hockey game. While those squads may receive some sort of extended training camp, it’s going to be a battle to get back into the postseason in 2021.

Even though it’s tough, that doesn’t mean they won’t give it a try. Many of the seven teams have made major additions this offseason, with some even completing sweeping changes to their roster.

The Ducks, who finished 29-33-9 in 2019-20, had almost no financial flexibility to do anything on the free agent market. Kevin Shattenkirk and Derek Grant were their UFA additions, both coming on three-year deals. They do however have a wave of young talent working its way up the depth chart, which could at any point propel them to success. The same could be said about the Kings, who spent even less in free agency. Los Angeles is just at the start of their rebuild and will hope that top pick Quinton Byfield can make an NHL impact quickly.

The Sharks were one of the most disappointing teams in the league this season, winning just 29 of their 70 games. This was a team that had just gone to the Western Conference Finals in 2019 and was still loaded with household names like Erik Karlsson, Brent Burns, and Logan Couture. Goaltending was a huge part of the problem for the Sharks, but bringing in Devan Dubnyk certainly doesn’t guarantee an improvement.

New Jersey had plenty of hype after landing the first-overall pick in 2019 and surrounding him with expensive players like Nikita Gusev and P.K. Subban. When Hughes didn’t immediately set the league on fire, the team couldn’t really compete in a tough Metropolitan Division. This offseason the Devils have landed a proven middle-six winger in Andreas Johnsson, a capable defenseman in Ryan Murray, and a Stanley Cup champion in Corey Crawford to help them get over the hump. Development from Hughes is likely the most important factor here.

The same could be said about the Senators, who have taken an extremely young roster and added veteran pieces all over the ice. Evgenii Dadonov and Matt Murray highlight the additions, though the draft was really where the Senators believe their offseason earned its stripes. It’ll be tough for Ottawa this year, but they’re obviously on the track towards postseason contention.

Detroit is only really a year into their full rebuild and has stripped their roster of any long-term contracts. Sure, they added veterans like Vladislav Namestnikov and Bobby Ryan in free agency, but those both seem more like trade chips than core pieces.

In Buffalo, it’s playoffs-or-bust at this point. The team signed free agent superstar Taylor Hall to a one-year deal, brought Eric Staal away from his home in Minnesota, and added depth up front with pieces like Cody Eakin. New GM Kevyn Adams isn’t focused on a rebuild, he’s focused on getting the Sabres back to for the first time in a decade.

But who actually has the best chance at making the postseason? Cast your vote below and make sure to leave your thoughts in the comments!

[Mobile users click here to vote!]

Korbinian Holzer Signs With Automobilist Yekaterinburg

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Defenseman Korbinian Holzer is done with waiting for the NHL free agent market to heat back up. In an in-depth interview with Eishockey News in his native Germany, Holzer reveals that he has signed a contract for the remainder of the 2020-21 season with Automobilist Yekaterunburg of the KHL. He also discusses training in Germany and what it would take to get him back to North America.

Holzer, 32, is a big, physical defenseman who has made a career in the NHL of being a reliable depth option. In fact, he actually set a career high in games played this past season, combining for 49 games between the Anaheim Ducks and Nashville Predators. His previous high was just 34 games, but he has played in at least 16 NHL games in seven of the past eight seasons. He has always been an effective plug-and-play option who can be relied on for decent minutes, a penalty kill role, and a lot of  hits.

However, in the flat cap market, a career depth player has no guarantees. Holzer states that there has been some interest from NHL teams, but nothing concrete. He says that teams are “very cautious” of using up cap space. Rather than wait and hope, Holzer has decided to move on. After a career high in NHL games, as well as over 16 minutes per game for a second straight season, Holzer’s priority at this point in his career is to have a core role and guaranteed ice time. It sounds as though he will require an NHL offer with those parameters in order to make a return.

Automobilist seems to have met those demands. The KHL club, who currently sits in fourth overall in the league standings and fourth in the Eastern Conference, is billed as a “top team” by Holzer. His soon-to-be teammates include former NHL great Pavel Datsyuk, former Toronto Maple Leafs teammate Peter Holland, and fellow countryman Brooks Macek. The team is also coached by an established NHL mind in Bill Peters. One thing that Yekaterinburg lacks is a top defenseman, with only former NHLer Nikita Tryamkin standing out. Holzer should indeed step into a major role with the club and could find himself as a top defenseman in Europe for several years if he chooses to stick with that path to continue his career.

Holzer is set to join Automobilist on November 12. In the meantime, he will finish fulfilling his obligations to Tolzer Lowen, his hometown team who plays in Germany’s tier two league, the DEL2. Holzer has been skating with the team and participating in exhibition games, but will now join the club officially for an upcoming preseason tournament. After that, he will make the trip to Yekaterinburg to begin the next stage of his career.

Ducks To Loan Jacob Larsson To Sweden

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The Ducks are nearing an agreement to loan defenseman Jacob Larsson to Kristianstads IK of the Allsvenskan in Sweden, per a report from Kristianstadsbladet.  SportExpressen’s Johan Svensson adds that the loan is agreed upon and the 23-year-old is expected to suit up on Saturday.  The agreement will last until NHL training camps begin.

Larsson spent the majority of last season in Anaheim as he got into 60 games with the Ducks, managing two goals and five assists in a third pairing role while averaging a little over 16 minutes a night.  It was the second straight year he spent more time in the NHL than in the minors as he suited up in 49 contests with Anaheim in 2018-19.

That helped earn Larsson a two-year, one-way deal in August that carries an AAV of $1.2MM and basically solidifies himself a full-time spot on the roster, especially since he’s waiver-eligible now.  In the meantime, this loan will give him a chance to get in some much-needed game action as Anaheim was one of the teams that didn’t return to action this summer and give him some momentum heading into training camp.

Ducks Sign Maxim Golod

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Oct 14: Anaheim has officially announced the contract for Golod.

Oct 11: The Ducks have dipped their toes into a different type of UFA waters as John Hoven of Mayors Manor reports (Twitter link) that they signed undrafted free agent Maxim Golod to a three-year, entry-level contract.  CapFriendly notes that the deal, which carries an AAV of just over $793K, does not contain any performance bonuses and carries an AHL salary of $55K each year.

The 20-year-old spent the last three seasons with Erie of the OHL and made a big jump offensively in 2019-20.  After combining for 68 points over his first two years with the Otters, he potted 25 goals and 53 assists in 63 games to lead the team in scoring.

Golod isn’t expected to contend for a roster spot with Anaheim in training camp as he’ll need to spend some time at the minor league level with AHL San Diego.  If he can show that his offensive boost last season was a sign of things to come, he could be an interesting project down the road for the Ducks.

Ducks Sign Three Players

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Overnight and early this morning, the Ducks have been busy adding some depth.  TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie reports (Twitter link) that they’ve signed defenseman Andy Welinski while PuckPedia adds (Twitter links) that they’ve also inked center Vinni Lettieri to a one-year pact and re-signed center Andrew Poturalski to a one-year pact.

Welinski returns to an organization that he has plenty of familiarity with having spent parts of four seasons with Anaheim in their system before signing with the Flyers as a free agent last summer.  However, he only played with their AHL affiliate in Lehigh Valley, recording 21 points (8-13-21) in 42 games.  The 27-year-old has 33 career games of NHL experience with Anaheim and will carry a cap hit of $750K.

As for Lettieri, he spent the last four years in the Rangers’ system and is coming off a strong performance with AHL Hartford last season where he had 25 goals and 22 assists in 61 games to lead the Wolf Pack in scoring.  Despite that, he didn’t receive a recall to New York although he has 46 games of NHL experience under his belt from previous years.  The 25-year-old will get $750K in the NHL and $425K in the minors.

Poturalski, meanwhile, had an injury-riddled first season in Anaheim’s system after coming over from Carolina last summer as he was limited to just 17 games with AHL San Diego where he had two goals and five assists.  He was a top-end producer at that level in 2018-19 when he finished fifth in AHL scoring.  The 26-year-old gets $700K in the NHL and $350K in the minors with a total guarantee on the deal of $425K.

Kevin Shattenkirk Signs With Anaheim Ducks

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The Anaheim Ducks were interested in Kevin Shattenkirk last summer when he was originally bought out by the New York Rangers. Shattenkirk instead opted to join a contender to repair his image and did that and more with the Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning. A year later, the Ducks now get their man. Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reports that the two sides have agreed on a three-year deal with a $3.9MM AAV.

Shattenkirk, 31, did well for himself to turn an ugly exit from New York and a major pay decrease to join Tampa Bay into a new lucrative contract. With 34 points in 70 games, plus 13 points in the playoffs, Shattenkirk looked like his old self. Once considered one of the best puck-moving defensemen in the NHL, Shattenkirk may be inching back toward that label, even as he traverses his thirties.

Unlike when he joined New York, Shattenkirk is not heading to a situation in Anaheim where he is expected to be the No. 1 defenseman on a shallow blue line. He should be able to continue thriving  as he did in Tampa when he joins Cam Fowler, Hampus Lindholm, Josh Manson, and company. The Ducks’ defense corps has lost some considerable talent over the past few years, but are working their way back to becoming an elite unit.

Derek Grant Expected To Sign With Anaheim Ducks

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It’s 2020, remember that when you read the next sentence. Derek Grant will sign a contract with the Anaheim Ducks according to Rick Dhaliwal of TSN. This will be the third stint for Grant in Anaheim after signing one-year contracts in 2017 and 2019. This time, Dhaliwal tweets that Grant will get a three-year pact with an average annual value of $1.5MM.

146 of Grant’s 264 career NHL games have been spent in Anaheim, though he seemingly finds himself on the move every year. In 2019-20 he ended up on the Philadelphia Flyers by the end of the season and actually fit in quite well, showing his versatility and adding a little bit of scoring punch to the bottom-six.

A $1.5MM salary doesn’t mean he has to provide more than he has in the past, but Grant has secured a three-year contract for the first time since 2011. That stability will hopefully let him play a full season for one team, though obvious Anaheim hasn’t had a problem trading him in the past.

Anaheim Ducks To Extend Chase De Leo

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The Anaheim Ducks have reportedly come to terms on a new contract with forward Chase De Leo. CapFriendly reports that De Leo will sign a one-year, two-way deal with the Ducks at the minimum $700K AV. De Leo is expected to make $140K at the AHL level. A restricted free agent with arbitration rights, De Leo returns to the Ducks for another year without issue.

De Leo, 24, does not look like a threat to take an NHL roster spot at this point in his career. For the second straight season, De Leo played in just one game with the Ducks and failed to record a point. After appearing in two scoreless games with the Winnipeg Jets in his first pro season, De Leo has yet to record his first NHL point in four games.

At the AHL level, De Leo saw a significant drop-off in production this past season. After recording 20 goals and 55 points in 66 games in the minors in 2018-19, De Leo sunk to just ten goals and 25 points this year. Fortunately for him, the Ducks see something in De Leo to keep him around for another season.

Ottawa Senators Acquire Erik Gudbranson

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The Ottawa Senators have found one of their cap-floor targets, acquiring Erik Gudbranson from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for a 2021 fifth-round pick. The veteran defenseman comes with a $4MM cap hit, though is only actually owed $3MM in salary this season, the last on his current contract. Senators GM Pierre Dorion has released a statement on his newest defenseman:

Erik Gudbranson provides another sizable presence to our defence corps. He’s a reliable veteran who plays an intimidating style of game and someone who will add a combination of grit, energy and, most importantly, leadership to our lineup.

The Senators have obviously made a decision that they want to get more physical on defense this season as they continue to push young players into the lineup. After losing Mark Borowiecki to free agency, the team has now added Josh Brown and Gudbranson in the span of a week, giving them two behemoths on the back end. With the team not expected to compete for the playoffs this season, instead using it as a development year for their young core, bringing in an experienced leader like Gudbranson (who also happens to be very willing to stand up for his teammates) makes sense.

It also helps Ottawa get towards the salary cap floor without taking on any long-term money. Gudbranson will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year and would likely not even cost much to retain at that point. Once one of the most hyped defensive prospects in the world, Gudbranson was picked third behind Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin in the 2010 draft. He was a monstrous player in junior who could skate well and was expected to take a step forward offensively, but never did once he reached the NHL. Now 28, Gudbranson has just 73 career points in 518 games.

Still, this is a nice moment for Gudbranson, who is from Ottawa and will get a chance to embrace his hometown team for the first time in his career. In a year where the scoreboard outcomes don’t matter as much as the on-ice development, he’ll be an easy player for Senators fans to cheer for with his rough style. If he can somehow find the level of play that he flashed during a short period with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2019, he could even become a core piece.

For Anaheim, they get out from a bad contract and free up some space to play with in free agency. The team has no restricted free agents left to sign and had previously been right up against the cap. Now, with $4MM out the door, they could potentially get in on someone they believe can make a difference.

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