Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Arbitration

Winnipeg Jets, Jacob Trouba Submit Arbitration Figures

at CDT | by 5 Comments

After Chris Tierney re-signed with the San Jose Sharks, the only arbitration hearing on the books for Friday July 20th is now Jacob Trouba of the Winnipeg Jets. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that the two sides have submitted quite different salary figures, with the Jets filing for $4MM and Trouba’s camp asking for $7MM. If an agreement isn’t reached before the hearing, the two sides will actually have a bit more time before the arbitrator rewards a contract. Several players in the past have settled after the hearing, but before a decision was reached. Unlike MLB arbitration, an awarded salary does not need to be one figure or the other and can land somewhere in the middle.

The discrepancy between the two figures is large, but also not unexpected for a player of Trouba’s skill. The 24-year old defenseman already has five NHL seasons under his belt, including a shortened 2016-17 due to a holdout that lasted into November of that year. The two sides couldn’t come to an agreement on his contract at that point, and Trouba had reportedly asked for a trade given his role on the team. Winnipeg already has two excellent right-handed defensemen in Dustin Byfuglien and Tyler Myers, and Trouba felt as though he could handle a bigger role even as a young player.

He got his wish that season as Myers dealt with injury and Trouba would end up logging nearly 25 minutes a night playing in all situations. That number dropped back down in 2017-18, but it’s not like Trouba isn’t utilized. He still averaged the second-most minutes on the team behind Byfuglien and scored at a good pace while healthy. That health was a concern though, as the young defenseman only suited up for 55 games and has now failed to play all 82 in any of his five seasons. In fact, he’s averaging just 65 games per season thanks to previous injuries and his contract issues, which certainly won’t help his arbitration case.

Still, Trouba is obviously an extremely talented player and deserves to be paid well. If an arbitration settlement is need he’ll likely come in somewhere between the two figures, but it will almost certainly be a one-year contract. Because Trouba filed for player-elected arbitration, the Jets get to make the decision on whether the awarded contract will be for one or two seasons. If they pick two, it would carry him to unrestricted free agency in 2020 and allow him to test the market. A one-year deal would give them another chance to sign him to a long-term deal and buy out some of those UFA seasons.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Chris Tierney Re-Signs With San Jose Sharks

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The San Jose Sharks were just 48 hours away from going to an arbitration hearing with Chris Tierney, but have found some common ground and a new contract. According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, the two sides have settled on a two-year contract that carries an average annual value of $2,937,500.

Tierney, 24, is coming off his best season as a professional after scoring 17 goals and 40 points with the Sharks last season. Originally selected in the second round six years ago, he’s developed into an effective all-situations center for San Jose and saw his ice time increase to 16 minutes a night this season. With Joe Thornton coming back on a one-year deal, Tierney will likely be asked once again to center the third line for the Sharks and continue to give them excellent penalty killing and secondary scoring.

Interestingly, the two-year contract will leave Tierney as a restricted free agent at its conclusion in the summer of 2020. That leaves the Sharks with some time to decide whether he’s a long-term fit for the club, and gives him a chance to prove that he’s more than just a bottom-six player. If Tierney continues to trend upwards offensively, his next contract could be quite lucrative as it would be buying out almost exclusively unrestricted free agent years. Even if he sits at around 40 points for the next two seasons, that will be enough to land him an impressive contract given his position and relative youth.

For now, his sub-$3MM deal will fit nicely in for a team that missed out on some of the summer’s big names. After failing to convince John Tavares to come to the west coast, the team brought back Thornton on a $5MM deal and signed Logan Couture to a long-term extension. With Tierney—their final restricted free agent—now signed, the team still has almost $4.4MM in cap space to make an addition through trade if they choose. Whether that comes this summer or during the season isn’t clear, but the team has set themselves up to be players in almost any trade talks that may arise.

Remaining 2018 Arbitration Dates

at CDT | by 3 Comments

As usual, arbitration hearings scheduled for later this month have been getting cancelled every day as teams lock up their restricted free agents. Hearings are scheduled each year between July 20th and August 4th, but we’ve already seen 18 players that filed for player-elected salary arbitration reach a settlement with their respective teams. Those players are listed below, with their contract details:

Elias Lindholm (CGY) – 6 years, $4.85MM AAV
Trevor van Riemsdyk (CAR) – 2 years, $2.3MM AAV
Matthew Nieto (COL) – 2 years, $1.98MM AAV
Devin Shore (DAL) – 2 years, $2.3MM AAV
Joel Armia (MTL) – 1 year, $1.85MM AAV
Phillip Danault (MTL) – 3 years, $3.08MM AAV
Blake Coleman (NJD) – 3 years, $1.8MM AAV
Stefan Noesen (NJD) – 1 year, $1.73MM AAV
Jimmy Vesey (NYR) – 2 years, $2.28MM AAV
Taylor Leier (PHI) – 1 year, $720K AAV
Alex Lyon (PHI) – 2 years, $750K AAV
Jamie Oleksiak (PIT) – 3 years, $2.14MM AAV
Dmitrij Jaskin (STL) – 1 year, $1.1MM AAV
Oskar Sundqvist (STL) – 1 year, $700K AAV
Colin Miller (VGK) – 4 years, $3.88MM AAV
Liam O’Brien (WSH) – 1 year, $650K AAV
Connor Hellebuyck (WPG) – 6 years, $6.17MM AAV
Tomas Nosek (VGK) – 1 year, $962.5K AAV

The remaining arbitration schedule looks like this:

July 20

Chris Tierney (SJS)
Jacob Trouba (WPG)

July 22

Adam Lowry (WPG)

July 23

Brett Kulak (CGY)
Mathew Dumba (MIN)

July 24

Brandon Montour (ANA)

July 25

Joel Edmundson (STL)
Brandon Tanev (WPG)

July 27

Mark Jankowski (CGY)

July 28

David Rittich (CGY)
Jason Zucker (MIN)

July 29

Troy Stecher (VAN)

July 30

Garnet Hathaway (CGY)
MacKenzie Weegar (FLA)
Marko Dano (WPG)

July 31

Brady Skjei (NYR)

August 1

Cody Ceci (OTT)
Gemel Smith (DAL)

August 2

Miikka Salomaki (NSH)
Kevin Hayes (NYR)

August 3

Mattias Janmark (DAL)
Mark Stone (OTT)
Brock Nelson (NYI)

August 4

Ryan Spooner (NYR)
Patrik Nemeth (DAL)
William Karlsson (VGK)

Jimmy Vesey Re-Signs With New York Rangers

at CDT | by 3 Comments

The New York Rangers have avoided arbitration with one of their restricted free agents, signing Jimmy Vesey to a two-year contract worth a total of $4.55MM. Vesey was scheduled for an arbitration hearing on July 30th, which will no longer be necessary.

Vesey, 25, probably has more name recognition than most middle-six wingers in the league that are coming off back-to-back seasons with fewer than 30 points. That’s because of the saga that unfolded in the summer of 2016, when Vesey told the Nashville Predators he wouldn’t sign with them coming out of college. Even after trading a third-round pick for his rights the Buffalo Sabres couldn’t convince him to sign, and Vesey eventually became an unrestricted free agent. Despite connections to the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs, a then 23-year old Vesey decided to sign with the New York Rangers and was immediately inserted into their lineup.

In the two years since exiting Harvard following his Hobey Baker-winning season, Vesey has scored 33 goals and 55 points in 159 games. While that is fine production for a player that cost the Rangers nothing but an entry-level contract, it’s not quite what people were expecting when he was one of the most talked about stories of the 2016 offseason. There’s an obvious knack for goal scoring in Vesey, but there hasn’t been a consistent enough offensive or defensive presence to really consider him a key member in the Rangers’ quick rebuild. Instead he presents as a secondary scoring threat that is valuable and now reasonably priced at an average annual value of $2.275MM.

If Vesey is to really live up to the hype that surrounded him two summers ago, he’ll have to do it quickly before several younger prospects really make their mark and start demanding minutes with their on-ice play. Filip Chytil and Lias Andersson both received a taste of NHL action last year but could be full-time options for the team this season, while others like Brett Howden and Vitali Kravtsov aren’t far behind. Vesey will be an unrestricted free agent once again at the end of this two-year deal, meaning if he doesn’t show enough to justify a long-term contract this season he could find himself on the trade block at some point.

Flames Re-Sign Goaltender Jon Gillies

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Tuesday: The Flames have officially announced the contract, confirming the financial details reported by Lavoie.

Monday: The Calgary Flames may have hinted at who they feel their goalie of the future is with a contract inked this evening. TVA’s Renaud Lavoie reports that the Flames have signed 24-year-old Jon Gillies to a two-year contract extension worth $750K against the cap in each season. The first year of contract is of a two-way nature, while the second is a one-way deal, according to Lavoie.

Gillies made a career-high 11 NHL appearances last year in his third pro season, but his .896 save percentage, 2.88 GAA, and five losses were not overly impressive. However, Gillies enjoyed a second straight strong season with the AHL’s Stockton Heat, posting a .917 save percentage and 2.53 GAA in 39 games. Yet, fellow up-and-coming keeper David Rittich outplayed Gillies in the NHL and saw more action, even though he struggled in the AHL. Based on last season alone, many would have assumed that Rittich had the upper hand heading into training camp this fall, where the two are expected to battle for the backup spot behind Mike Smith. 

Yet, Gillies’ extension may prove otherwise. A one-way contract in 2019-20 could indicate that the Flames fully expect Gillies to be a full-time NHLer in two years. If he isn’t, then Calgary risks losing him on waivers at that time. Flames beat writer Ryan Pike also points out that Gillies needs 16 appearances – five more than last year – or he will otherwise become a Group 6 free agent at the end of the contract. If the Flames want to protect Gillies long-term, they need to get him into some games. Of course, this whole status quo all change with the arbitration decision in Rittich’s case, but it certainly seems as if the organization may be leaning toward Gillies as their goalie of the future.

Jason Zucker Hoping To Stay In Minnesota

at CDT | by 8 Comments

Of all the players scheduled for salary arbitration in the coming weeks, perhaps no case is likely to go all the way through the hearing and the decision than that of Jason Zucker. The Minnesota Wild forward is coming off of an incredible year, scoring a career-high 33 goals and 64 points, both of which were top-three for Minnesota. However, he is also coming off of a $2MM salary and is due a substantial raise. The problem with this scenario is that the Wild are lacking in cap flexibility, facing less than $11MM in space with both Zucker and young stalwart defender  Matt Dumba yet to sign. A lack of cap space cannot be used as an argument in an arbitration hearing, but Minnesota will use whatever else they can to drive down the price on Zucker. If they are unsuccessful, Zucker is likely to land in the $5MM+ range that could make things difficult on the Wild and possibly force a trade.

For what it’s worth, Zucker hopes that it won’t come to that. Speaking with Dane Mizutani of TwinCities.com, Zucker confirms that he and agent Eustace King are still busy negotiating with the Wild in hopes of coming to a resolution. Zucker states:

“I want to be in Minnesota; I love Minnesota. My family roots are now here. This is a second home to us and I want to be here. We have a great team. We have a lot of really good things going for us. … If it was my choice, I’d be here playing for the Wild next season.”

The 26-year-old met his wife in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area and the couple now have two kids. Mizutani writes that Zucker is also very involved with the community, including leading a campaign to support a local children’s hospital. He clearly has strong ties to the area and a passion for the organization and would like to stay put.

With that said, Zucker also understands the reality of the situation. He adds that “it’s part of the business. If I get traded, it is what it is and I’ll look forward to a fresh start.” Zucker is confident in his ability, even stating that he feels he has room to get better and would likely expect to be compensated as such. Zucker sounds like he is honestly hoping to remain with Minnesota, but also doesn’t sound like a player about to take a hometown discount. Only time, and possibly an arbitrator, will tell what happens next with Zucker and the Wild.

New York Rangers Sign Five Players

at CDT | by 3 Comments

The New York Rangers have officially announced that Chris Bigras, Steven Fogarty, Boo Nieves and Rob O’Gara accepted their qualifying offers and have re-signed with the team for next season. John Gilmour, who was eligible for arbitration but decided not to file, has also agreed to a one-year two-way deal. Brett Cyrgalis of the New York Post gives us each player’s NHL salary next season:

  • Bigras: $832,500
  • Fogarty: $708,750
  • O’Gara: $874,125
  • Nieves: $709,750
  • Gilmour: $650,000

Perhaps the player with the greatest chance at making an NHL impact among this group is Gilmour, who performed admirably in a 28-game sample last season. The Providence College standout signed with the Rangers in 2016 after failing to come to a contract with the Calgary Flames who had drafted him in the sixth round, and promptly found success at the AHL level. In 120 minor league games the last two seasons Gilmour registered 51 points despite the Hartford Wolf Pack really struggling to contend. In his brief NHL taste with the Rangers he recorded five points but registered positive possession statistics and showed off his strong skating ability.

That skating and relative youth—Gilmour turned 25 in May—are exactly what the Rangers are trying to bring to their defense corps as they navigate a rebuild, giving Gilmour an inside chance to play in the NHL this season. He is still waiver-exempt, but could potentially be a full-time player if he performs well enough in camp to impress new coach David Quinn who should be very familiar with Gilmour from his time in Hockey East with Boston University.

Ottawa Senators Re-Sign Nick Paul

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Ottawa Senators have signed one of their restricted free agents, inking Nick Paul to a one-year two-way contract worth $650K at the NHL level. Paul was not eligible to file for salary arbitration, and will be an RFA at the conclusion of the deal.

Paul, 23, only played 11 games for Ottawa last season, instead spending most of the year with the Belleville Senators of the AHL. The 6’4″ forward is an excellent offensive contributor at the minor league level, but can’t seem to carve out a full-time role in the NHL. There may be more opportunity this season with players like Mike Hoffman and Alexandre Burrows not around, but Paul will have to show that he can contribute in various ways to really make an impact.

Originally selected in the fourth round by the Dallas Stars, Paul has just 36 NHL games under his career to this point. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him add to that total this year, but he doesn’t look like a key part of the turnaround in Ottawa. The Senators are expected to struggle on the ice even if they keep captain Erik Karlsson around, and are looking to add more young talent into the pipeline. Even with his relative youth, Paul doesn’t possess the type of high-end skill that is needed for Ottawa to really get back to contending.

Montreal Canadiens Sign Phillip Danault To Three-Year Deal

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The Montreal Canadiens announced that they have avoided arbitration and signed restricted free agent center Phillip Danault to a three-year, $9.2MM contract with an AAV of $3.08MM.

Danault, who was in his second full season with the Canadiens, was having another solid season when he was hospitalized and was forced to miss more than a month after being hit in the head by Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara’s 124-kilometer-per-hour slapshot. He was released the next day, but suffered from both concussion-like symptoms as well as vertigo. When the center returned to the lineup, he struggled upon return, tallying just one goal and one assist in his final nine games of the season

With the Canadiens short on solid center options last season, Danault and Jonathan Drouin served as a top-six center for the team. Danault is likely to serve in the same capacity with some suggestions that he could be penciled in ahead of Drouin as the No. 1 center next season since the team failed to acquire any more established centers. Regardless of what line he ends up on, the 25-year-old defensive center did have a career-high on faceoff percentage at 52.8 percent and has had a career percentage of 50.9 percent and ranked third on the team in ATOI with 16:35 behind just Max Pacioretty and Drouin.

There was some surprise it took so long for Danault to get a contract as he represents one of general manager Marc Bergevin’s biggest successes when he was acquired via trade from the Chicago Blackhawks for Dale Weiss and Thomas Fleischmann back in 2016. His best season was in 2016-17 when he played in all 82 games, putting up 13 goals and 40 points. The center just completed a bridge deal where he made just $913K, so this is a significant raise for him.

Flyers Sign RFA’s Taylor Leier And Tyrell Goulbourne

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Philadelphia Flyers have had a busy morning, announcing new one-year contracts for both Taylor Leier and Tyrell Goulbourne and confirming the signing of Danick Martel, also to a one-year deal which had been previously reported. While Martel simply accepted his qualifying offer, the other two contracts were negotiated. No salary terms were revealed by the team, but CapFriendly reports that Leier will make $720K on a one-way deal, while Goulbourne will likely play on a two-way deal similar to Martel’s.

Leier’s contract is interesting for many reasons. The first, and most pressing, is that it negates an August 3rd arbitration hearing date. Leier had filed for salary arbitration after spending the entire 2017-18 season in Philadelphia. While Leier only played in 39 games, it is easy to see why he might not be agreeable to a two-way deal after avoiding the AHL for an entire campaign. However, Leier’s qualifying offer was of a two-way nature. Rather than agree to that deal, the two sides worked out a contract that actually comes in below the qualifying offer value, but with a one-way status. Leier, 24, collected five points last season and will be looking to improve his production in the coming season.

Goulbourne finally cracked the NHL last season after his first two pro years were spent entirely in the minors, including half a season in the ECHL. The 24-year-old managed to get into nine games with the Flyers, though he was held scoreless and saw under six minutes of ice time per night in a fill-in role. Goulbourne wasn’t super productive with the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms either, recording just 19 points in 63 games. Although Goulbourne is a more defensive-minded forward, he’ll need to show a more well-rounded offensive game if he wants to earn another long stay in Philadelphia.

With these three forwards locked up, Philadelphia has just two more restricted free agents to deal with. Defenseman Robert Hagg, who was very reliable in 70 games as a rookie on the Flyers’ blue line, is a interesting case to follow, as the team needs to be careful about the length and value of the contracts they hand out to their many promising young defenseman, as setting a bad precedent could bury them. The situation with goaltender Anthony Stolarz is also curious, as the young keeper missed most of last season due to injury after previously looking like a future star in seven starts with Philly in 2016-17. He now has to compete with Alex Lyon and Carter Hart for the honor of “heir apparent” and the Flyers might be wondering if that is one goalie too many to compete or at least how much they are willing to pay to keep another young backstop around.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

scroll to top