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Metro Notes: Vesey, Lambert, Penguins, Flyers

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The Metropolitan Division seems like ground zero for the Jimmy Vesey sweepstakes. The free agent forward out of Harvard has reportedly received interest from the Devils, Penguins, Islanders, Rangers, Blue Jackets, Hurricanes, and Flyers. Reading through the links, you’ll see that the Flyers and Blue Jackets are not believed to be serious contenders for Vesey, while the Penguins in particular made a strong impression. The Devils have long been considered one of the favorites to sign him, while the Islanders brought along captain John Tavares for the recruitment.

Vesey is said to be holding out until at least Friday to make his final decision. Other teams reportedly pushing for Vesey include the Maple Leafs, Bruins, and Blackhawks. For all our coverage on Vesey’s decision, click here. For more notes from around the Metropolitan Division, keep reading here.

  • Sportsnet’s John Shannon reports that Capitals assistant coach Lane Lambert is among the candidates to take over the Colorado Avalanche head coaching job. Lambert has spent the last two years in Washington under head coach Barry Trotz, and was previously his assistant for four years in Nasvhille.
  • The Wheeling Nailers have signed on for two more years as the Penguins’ ECHL affiliate. The Nailers, based out of West Virginia, appeared in last year’s Kelly Cup Finals, before losing in six games to the Allen Americans. Strangely enough, the Americans are affiliated with the San Jose Sharks, who the Penguins beat in last year’s Stanley Cup Finals.
  • The Flyers have hired Dr. Ben Peterson as their Director of Sports Science. SB Nation’s Flyers site has a rundown of Peterson’s credentials, as obtained from his Linkedin page. It’s some pretty heavy stuff, and given his experience, he appears to go far beyond the data-based analysis that’s easily found online.

Scouting Notes: Speltz, Maloney, Conte

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The NHL season is just a few weeks away, and like coaching staffs and rosters, teams want to have their scouting staff in place soon. Scouts have less to do with the day to day operations of the team, so they’re not as urgently hired. It’s still good to be able to look at players throughout training camp and in the early days of leagues with earlier starts than the NHL. Here are a few notes on teams rounding out their scouting staffs.

  • Las Vegas have hired former New Jersey Devils scouting director David Conte. There had been speculation about Conte joining the Maple Leafs last summer, given his close relationship with GM Lou Lamoriello. The Devils won three Stanley Cups with teams largely drafted and developed by themselves during Conte’s run. As the Las Vegas Review-Journal notes, he’s credited in particular with the drafting of goaltender Martin Brodeur. Other players drafted during Conte’s run in New Jersey include stars like Scott Niedermayer, Zach Parise, Patrik Elias, Petr Sykora, Scott Gomez, and Brendan Shanahan. Las Vegas will have the same odds of winning the 2017 draft lottery as the 28th place team this season.
  • The Flames have added former Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney as a pro scout. Maloney spent nine years as the GM in Arizona, managing to make the playoffs in three consecutive years from 2010 to 2012. This despite the team’s precarious ownership and financial situations. In 2012, Maloney’s Coyotes reached the Western Conference final, before being eliminated in five games by the eventual champion Los Angeles Kings. Maloney was previously GM of the New York Islanders from 1992 to 1995, and for a decade held various positions with the New York Rangers.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs have added former Spokane Chiefs General Manager Tim Speltz as Director of Western Area Scouting. Speltz has spent the last 26 years as Chiefs GM, making the playoffs 23 times, and winning the Memorial Cup in 1991 and 2008. Speltz refers to it as a “special and bittersweet” day for him, given that he’ll leave a job after 26 years and enormous success. Speltz joins former junior GMs Kyle Dubas (Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds) and Mark Hunter (London Knights) currently with the organization.

A Closer Look At Jimmy Vesey’s Suitors

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We’re quickly approaching the last day before Harvard Crimson forward Jimmy Vesey can sign with any team of his choosing. The Buffalo Sabres hold his exclusive negotiating rights through Monday because of a June trade with the Nashville Predators. TSN’s Ryan Rishaug reports that there have been some last minute talks between the Sabres and Vesey. Still, both the player and his agent, Peter Fish, have maintained their desire to reach free agency.

That said, let’s take a look at which teams are said to be in the running, and what kind of fit they can provide.

  • Boston Bruins: The Bruins have been named as a potential suitor for a long time now. While more recent reports suggest they may not be serious contenders, there’s reason to think they’d be of interest to Vesey. Vesey is a Massachusetts native, and his father Jim was briefly a Bruin. Despite missing the playoffs in consecutive years, few think the Bruins are a bad team. They could reasonably provide a strong shot at contention if other prospects contribute right away. One impediment is in his position. With Brad Marchand, Ryan Spooner, and Matt Beleskey at left wing, Vesey wouldn’t necessarily have to disappoint to end up on the fourth line quickly.
  • Buffalo Sabres: The Sabres hold his rights for at least the next several hours, and as mentioned above, they’re still negotiating. They also have a group that’s fairly young, and their best players will peak with Vesey. Sabres forward Jack Eichel has been playing with and recruiting Vesey all summer. There’s a lot to like about the situation in Buffalo. The problem is that it raises questions about why he has not yet signed. It’s not unfair to wonder if he already has a location in mind. If the Sabres haven’t convinced him yet, it’s hard to imagine the ability to hear out rivals will help their cause.
  • Chicago Blackhawks: Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman has reportedly been watching Vesey much of the summer. The team is perhaps the most intriguing suitor for Vesey. They’re constant contenders, with three Stanley Cups this decade, and have a hole at left wing on their top line. Assuming Artemi Panarin will stay on the second line with Patrick Kane, consider the sales pitch.  If you win a left wing spot fought over mostly by rookies, you could start the season on a line with Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa. Not a bad way to start your career. It’s not every day a team can offer both an easier path to ice time and a more serious chance to win.
  • New Jersey Devils: A recent addition to the Vesey discussion, the Devils stand out among the suitors. They’re not a recent contender, a huge market, in any way connected to him, or in particular need of a left wing. But maybe that’s why it makes sense. Fish told PuckDaddy’s Josh Cooper that Vesey likes to be under the radar.  New Jersey is a calmer market, having less media. With Taylor Hall and Mike Cammalleri at left wing, nothing will be handed to him. If he underachieves in New Jersey, he goes and learns what he needs to in the minors. If he underachieves in Chicago, he’s dragging down a Cup contender in one of America’s largest cities.
  • New York Rangers: Giving us a reason to take what agents say with a grain of salt, Fish also wondered aloud about the New York Rangers. Speaking to Larry Brooks of the New York Post, Fish said “it’s special playing in the Big Apple.” Agents want every team to think they have a chance, or fans to, out of hopes it will drive the bidding war. Sometimes they’ll contradict themselves to achieve this. That said, the Rangers have never had a problem recruiting free agents. They do, however, run into the same problems other listed teams do. With Rick Nash and Chris Kreider both at left wing, there’s not an obvious open spot. This likely won’t stop them from bidding, because at Nash’s age, you can’t take anything for granted.
  • Toronto Maple Leafs: The original suitor for Vesey, many NHL fans originally heard of him through rumors surrounding the Leafs. Mentioned as a potential favorite in almost every report, the Maple Leafs drafted his brother Nolan in 2014, and employ his father as a scout. As a rebuilding team, they offer many of the same age-related advantages as the Sabres do. The problem as of right now is that he’d have no idea what he’s getting into. While the only real lock to play on the left wing is James van Riemsdyk, the Leafs gave solid looks to all of Nikita Soshnikov, Brendan Leipsic, and Josh Leivo last year. They also acquired left winger Kerby Rychel from the Blue Jackets at the draft. Even if you write off the Maple Leaf careers of Milan Michalek, Brooks Laich, and Colin Greening, the organization is stacked with players with potential. Not even have would have to pan out to cost Vesey ice time. It’s not every day players with other options sign on for a tough fight to make a last place team.

Jimmy Vesey “Zeroed In” On Devils, Blackhawks

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ESPN New Hampshire’s Jimmy Murphy tweets today that pending UFA Jimmy Vesey has “zeroed in” on the Chicago Blackhawks and the New Jersey Devils as potential landing spots. This comes after previous reports suggested Vesey had interest in the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Vesey, 23, was drafted in the third round of the 2011 draft by the Nashville Predators. After refusing to sign with the Predators this year, his rights were traded to the Buffalo Sabres for a third round pick in this year’s draft. While Vesey has refused to rule out signing with the Sabres, his agent has expressed his preference to reach free agency. He has also spent much of his off-season skating with Sabres forward Jack Eichel. We also know that Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman has spent time in Massachusetts watching Vesey play.

Vesey has spent the last four years playing left wing for Harvard University. Last year he scored 24 goals, 46 points, in just 33 games. Perhaps more impressively, he previously scored 32 goals, 58 points in 37 games for the Crimson in 2015. Vesey is free to sign with the Sabres, who hold his rights, at any point. He may begin to negotiate or sign with other teams on Monday, August 15th.

Off-Season To Date: Atlantic Division

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While there’s still business to be done, most of the major moves are over with by now. Today we’ll be providing a run down of where teams stand, along with notes on what they have left to do. We’ll start with the Atlantic division. For our purposes, lists of arrivals, departures, re-signings, and remaining restricted free agents will include players without NHL rookie eligibility. Cap numbers and roster sizes are per CapFriendly.

Boston Bruins

Buffalo Sabres

Detroit Red Wings

Florida Panthers

Montreal Canadiens

Ottawa Senators

Tampa Bay Lightning

Toronto Maple Leafs

Potential Avalanche Coaching Options

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While the news of Patrick Roy’s resignation as head coach of the Colorado Avalanche is shocking, it also means there’s more news to come. The Avalanche have about a month until training camp, and will want a new coach in place beforehand. The timing of Roy’s resignation leaves very little time for GM Joe Sakic to do a thorough search. That said, there are a few available candidates that immediately spring to mind.

  • Bob Hartley – Hartley coached the Avalanche from 1998 to 2002, winning four division titles, appearing in four Western Conference Finals, and winning the 2001 Stanley Cup. Players on that team included current Avalanche GM Joe Sakic, executive Adam Foote, and assistant coach Nolan Pratt. He also coached new Avalanche forward Joe Colborne during his time in Calgary, and briefly coached Jarome Iginla there as well. There have already been several suggestions from media members that Hartley would or should be a contender for the job.
  • Marc Crawford – This is a less likely possibility. Crawford is another former Avalanche coach, winning a Stanley Cup with Joe Sakic in 1996. He’s also very recently employed. This off-season, Crawford returned from a four year stint in Switzerland to work on Guy Boucher’s staff with the Ottawa Senators. Still, if anyone is going to quit a job so soon, it would probably be for a promotion, to work with familiar faces. After resigning from the Avalanche in 1998, Crawford had stints with the Canucks, Kings, and Stars.
  • Sheldon Keefe – The Toronto Marlies head coach and former Lightning forward is just 35 years old, but already a popular pick to fill future openings. In his first season in the AHL, Keefe led the Marlies to 54 wins in 76 games, and a trip to the Eastern Conference Final. This after three straight playoff appearances as head coach of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in the OHL. He’s very young to coach, but the Avalanche are a young team. What experience he does have is mostly with player development.
  • Dallas Eakins – Most of the paragraph on Keefe could have been said of Eakins before he joined the Edmonton Oilers in 2013. Once regarded as a great coaching prospect, Eakins won just 36 of 113 games before the Oilers fired him. He is presently coach of the San Diego Gulls in the AHL, farm team of the Anaheim Ducks. It went poorly in Edmonton, to be sure, but it never got any better after he left. It’s hard to get a second chance in the NHL, but Eakins has done well enough outside of it to be worth another look.
  • Ron Wilson – Wilson has worked with players who take advantage of their speed and skill for his entire coaching career, and a young Avalanche team fits that mold. While he’s been criticized for his handling of young players before, he’s also never really had ones this good. He’s prone to hostility towards the media, and is quick to bench a veteran when the player is underachieving, or when Wilson is just mad. Still, it’s hard to write off a guy who’s won over 600 games.

Snapshots: Sakic, Roy, Subban, Puempel

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After an unusual delay, the Colorado Avalanche have released a statement on the resignation of former head coach Patrick Roy. GM Joe Sakic wished Roy luck, and said the team will begin searching for their new coach immediately.

Here’s some more to think about as you process this surprising day:

  • Staying with the Roy news, Sportsnet’s John Shannon tweeted today, further fueling talk of a rift between Avalanche GM Joe Sakic and his former coach. Shannon reports that the two weren’t even speaking during the free agency period.
  • Elliott Friedman appeared on the NHL Network a few weeks ago. As transcribed by Chris Nichols for Today’s Slapshot, Friedman believes that the Canadiens made a conscious decision to trade P.K. Subban before his no-trade clause kicked in on July 1st of this year. Friedman also quotes a Canadiens player saying that the management and coaching staff believe the team is mentally and physically “soft.”
  • Bob Duff at the Ottawa Citizen spoke to Senators forward Matt Puempel today. Puempel stressed his desire to play regularly in the NHL. He also discussed the organizational changes, and how that may affect his chances of making the team. Puempel, 23, was a first round pick of the Senators in 2011. He has scored four goals, six points in 39 NHL games over the last two seasons.

Snapshots: Price, Boucher, Elias, Sharks, Flyers

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Guillaume Lefrançois, writing in Montreal’s La Presse, wrote today about the recovery of Canadiens goaltender Carey Price, who missed all but 12 games last year with an injury to a right knee ligament. The article is in French, but reading through Google translate, there were several points of interest.

Price, who turns 29 next week, missed all but 12 games last year due to a strained ligament in his right knee. Price has now ended three of his last four seasons with injury, meaning the Canadiens will exercise some level of caution. Still, goaltending coach Stephane Waite tells Lefrançois that the team expects Price to play between 60 and 65 games this season. Before his most recent injury, Price’s two most recent seasons saw him play 59 and 66 games.

Some have expressed concern over Price being named to play for Team Canada in September’s World Cup of Hockey. Waite, who will also be working with Team Canada, dismissed these concerns, pointing out that if not for the World Cup, he’d be risking injury playing in the NHL’s pre-season games.

Continuing throughout the NHL:

  • NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti reports that the New Jersey Devils have re-signed restricted free agent forward Reid Boucher to a one-year contract. Boucher, who turns 23 in September, was originally a fourth round pick of the Devils in 2011. In 73 games over the last three seasons in New Jersey, Boucher has 11 goals, and 27 points. He’ll receive $715K in the NHL and $70K at the AHL level.
  • Gulitti also responded to a Twitter question about the status of free agent forward Patrik Elias. Gulitti suggests that the Devils will wait to see how their former captain’s injury rehab goes before committing to re-signing him. Elias turned 40 in April.
  • The San Jose Sharks unveiled new uniforms and a new logo today. Included was a third jersey, that says “Los Tiburones.” This is the Spanish translation for “Sharks,” and has served as a local nickname for the club.
  • The Philadelphia Flyers announced today that Chris Pryor has been promoted to assistant general manager and director of player personnel. Pryor has been with the Flyers the last sixteen seasons, and most recently worked as director of scouting. Before working with the Flyers, he played 82 games over six NHL seasons with the Islanders and North Stars.

Snapshots: Las Vegas, Perron, Bertuzzi,

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Steve Carp of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports today on the process of naming the city’s new NHL expansion team, with owner Bill Foley saying that they’ve narrowed the list down to four possibilities. Foley originally submitted 18 names to the league for approval. The team is now in the process of discussing logos with Adidas, and their fit with any potential name. That said, you may be able to rule out the Las Vegas Knights playing in the NHL in 2017. That’s because the rights to the name “Knights” are owned by the OHL’s London Knights in Canada.

While noting that the name would be fine for use in the United States, Foley said that there would be trouble in Canada. Carp quotes Foley saying that “to acquire the name from London is not economically feasible.” The Review-Journal attempted to contact Knights owner and former NHL forward Dale Hunter, but were unable to.

Here are some more links from around the league:

  • St. Louis Blues forward David Perron was interviewed for RDS today. The interview is in French, but according to a translation from Habs Eyes on the Prize, the Canadiens were the final team in the running for his services before he chose to return to the Blues. While mentioning the allure of playing in Montreal, Perron says he ultimately couldn’t leave the money offered by the Blues on the table. Perron was originally drafted by the Blues in 2007, before being traded to the Oilers in 2013.
  • Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press profiled Red Wings prospect Tyler Bertuzzi today. Full of quotes from his uncle, former Red Wings winger Todd Bertuzzi, St. James reports that Tyler is living in the elder Bertuzzi’s Michigan home as he prepares for the season. While there may be some bias in play, Todd sees potential, saying “I think there’s a good possibility that if he has a very good camp and keeps his head small, goes in there and works hard, there’s a good chance he shows them something.”

Restricted Free Agent Contract Projections: Kucherov, Gaudreau, Lindholm, Trouba

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Late in restricted free agency, there are still a number of highly skilled players who remain unsigned. These players generally lack leverage, because other teams behave cautiously given the compensation rules. Then consider that this late in the summer, most teams have their budgets set. If a restricted free agent is paid, it’s often to buy years of unrestricted free agency.

Even into August, there are still candidates to have those years controlled. Here’s a look at what kind of deals four of them may be pursuing.

  • Nikita Kucherov – Having just turned 23, Kucherov is coming off a 30 goal, 36 assist season, leading the Lightning with 66 points. In 2015, his season was nearly identical, with one fewer goal, and the same number of assists. Filip Forsberg is a year younger, but put up very similar offensive numbers for Nashville this year. Forsberg just signed a six year contract worth $6MM per year. Look for Kucherov to get a similar deal. Projection: 6 years, $36MM
  • Johnny Gaudreau – Just shy of 23, Gaudreau has 55 goals, 143 points, in 160 NHL games. This year, Gaudreau hit career highs of 30 goals and 48 points in 79 games. There has been talk of the Flames and Gaudreau pushing for a deal since February, with nothing to show for it. As Eric Francis notes in that link, the closest comparable is Vladimir Tarasenko, who is signed to an eight-year, $60MM contract. Still, there’s a case Gaudreau has actually shown more in the NHL than Tarasenko had before signing. The Flames are also more dependent on him, at least until someone like Sam Bennett breaks out. Projection: 8 years, $64MM
  • Hampus Lindholm – At 22, Lindholm led defensemen in Corsi Relative. That is, he increased his team’s share of the game’s shot attempts more than any defenseman to play 750 minutes. Lindholm’s problem is that NHL teams are often skeptical of these numbers. This leaves defensemen of similar ages and with similar scoring numbers as the most likely comparisons. Calgary’s Dougie Hamilton got $5.75MM per season last year, but he also plays the much scarcer right side, and Calgary traded assets for him. It would have been fairly embarrassing had he not been signed quickly. The Ducks will play hardball, but if they get Lindholm at under that price, it’ll be well worth it. Projection: 5 years, $25MM
  • Jacob Trouba – Trouba is 22 and well regarded around the league, but the reported debate over role will hurt him. As mentioned before, restricted free agents are paid usually when teams want to buy years of unrestricted free agency. If the Jets don’t believe that Trouba is ready for an increased role, it’s unlikely they’re in a rush to pay him for it. This has the looks of something bitter developing, but it’s most likely  he’ll get some sort of bridge deal. Projection: 2 years, $8MM

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