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Snapshots: Chiarelli, Duda, Ponomarev, Sanheim

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Could long-time NHL executive Peter Chiarelli be on the move again?  Long-time Senators reporter Brent Wallace reported on his podcast recently (video link) that Chiarelli has moved to Ottawa and is likely to join the Sens in some capacity.  He actually started his career with Ottawa as their Director of Legal Relations before moving to Boston and later Edmonton as their GM.  Chiarelli has spent the last four seasons in St. Louis, the last two of which were as their Vice President of Hockey Operations.  Wallace notes that Chiarelli has ties to new owner Michael Andlauer whose purchase was formally approved on Thursday.  He has already made one front office hire in bringing back Cyril Leeder and it looks like more could soon be coming.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • The NCAA will be re-examining its original denial of Coyotes prospect Artyom Duda’s request to play at the University of Maine this season, relays PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan. The 19-year-old saw time at the KHL, VHL, and MHL levels last year and with some of those being pro leagues, it stands to reason that this was the reason his initial request was denied.  Duda, a 2022 second-round pick by Arizona, could also play with Youngstown of the USHL this season as it’s believed that the Coyotes would rather not see the blueliner return to play in Russia.
  • Hurricanes prospect Vasili Ponomarev will be out for a little while, notes Cory Lavalette of the North State Journal (Twitter link). The 21-year-old is coming off a strong first season in North America as he picked up 24 goals and 22 assists in 64 games last season with AHL Chicago.  The injury isn’t believed to be overly serious but as someone who might have had a shot at pushing for a spot with Carolina in training camp, missing any time will make that objective harder to accomplish.
  • Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim revealed to reporters including Jeff Neiburg of the Philadelphia Inquirer that he suffered a fractured foot while playing for Canada at the Worlds in 2022. While he was able to participate in training camp, he felt that the injury prevented him from a proper summer of training which may have played a role in his struggles last season.  It was his desire to have a full proper offseason that led him to decline Canada’s request to take part in the tournament back in the spring.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Detroit Red Wings

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Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM.  Teams that can avoid total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful.  Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2023-24 season.  This will focus more on players who are regulars on the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL.  All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.

Detroit Red Wings

Current Cap Hit: $78,343,473 (under the $83.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

F Jonatan Berggren (one year, $925K)
F Lucas Raymond (one year, $925K)
D Moritz Seider (one year, $863K)

Potential Bonuses
Raymond: $2.5MM
Seider: $850K
Total: $3.35MM

Raymond wasn’t able to match his rookie-season output that saw him finish fourth in Calder Trophy voting but he still did well, notching 45 points in 74 games.  Both sides certainly believe he has more in the tank than that which makes him a long-term extension candidate.  At this point, the magic number might have to start with a seven for that to happen.  A bridge agreement would be closer to the $4MM range.  Berggren had a solid rookie showing last season but with the extra depth the Red Wings added up front, he will be hard-pressed to command a higher spot on the depth chart.  Accordingly, he’s likely heading for the short-term second contract; if he can stay around the 30-point mark, that deal should check in around double his current price tag.

Seider also didn’t live up to the expectations of his rookie campaign in 2021-22, a performance that saw him win Rookie of the Year.  But as far as sophomore seasons go, his was still pretty good.  The sixth-overall pick in 2019 is their undisputed number one defenseman and there’s little reason to think that the best isn’t yet to come.  With that in mind, it would make sense for GM Steve Yzerman to zero in on a long-term second contract.  The eight-year, $64.4MM extension that Jake Sanderson signed with Ottawa recently figures to be the starting point in negotiations.  From the bonus perspective, Seider could reach all four of his ‘A’ bonuses (Raymond has four worth this amount as part of his deal as well) but Detroit has ample space to absorb that on their books this season.

Signed Through 2023-24, Non-Entry-Level

F Christian Fischer ($1.125MM, UFA)
D Shayne Gostisbehere ($4.125MM, UFA)
F David Perron ($4.75MM, UFA)
F Michael Rasmussen ($1.46MM, RFA)
G James Reimer ($1.5MM, UFA)
F Daniel Sprong ($2MM, UFA)
F Joe Veleno ($825K, RFA)

Perron typically hadn’t had much success outside of St. Louis but changed that last year, continuing his streak of recording at least 55 points in a season for the fourth year in a row.  Another season like that would seemingly boost his value but he’ll be 36 at that time and pricey multi-year deals are hard to come by at that age.  Sprong was non-tendered for the second straight summer to avoid salary arbitration despite a breakout performance that saw him pass 20 goals and 20 assists for the first time.  If he can repeat that this season, he could double this price tag a year from now.

Rasmussen battled injuries last year but still hit a new benchmark in points.  His development has been slower but steady as they look to turn him into a second-liner.  That might not happen this season but he’s still setting himself up for an AAV past the $2MM mark if he can repeat last year’s output.  Fischer came over in unrestricted free agency after being non-tendered by Arizona and will need to show that last season’s offensive improvement (27 points) is repeatable to avoid being typecast into a fourth-line role.  Veleno opted for a one-year lower-cost bridge agreement in the hopes of locking down a bigger role which would set him up for a better pay day next summer.  Either way, he’ll be arbitration-eligible which will help his cause.

Gostisbehere’s case is an interesting one.  Offensively, he produces at a rate that’s well above average but he gives a good chunk of it back at the defensive end.  His situation reminds me of Tyson Barrie, a proven offensive producer but someone who struggles to generate long-term contracts on the open market.  Playing time will be harder to come by in Detroit which should lower his output (and value) next summer.  A multi-year deal starting with a three might be his best option next summer.

Reimer comes over in free agency from San Jose coming off by far the worst season of his career.  On what should be a better team, a rebound is expected but if it’s not a significant one, his market value might take another tumble at the age of 36 next summer.

Signed Through 2024-25

F Robby Fabbri ($4MM, UFA)
G Ville Husso ($4.75MM, UFA)
F Klim Kostin ($2MM, RFA)
D Olli Maatta ($3MM, UFA)
D Jeff Petry ($2.344MM, UFA)*

*-Montreal is retaining $2.344MM per season; Pittsburgh is retaining $1.563MM per season.

Fabbri’s contract seemed like a reach when he signed it in 2021.  When healthy, he plays like a $4MM player but he just can’t stay healthy.  He will need to shed that label to have any chance of a deal near this price point in 2025.  Kostin came over in an odd trade with Edmonton as one player was bought out and Kostin himself was non-tendered to avoid arbitration.  They got this deal done soon after, a nice improvement for someone who cleared waivers in training camp last season.  Detroit is clearly banking on Kostin having an ability to improve upon last season’s production and if he can, they’ll have an intriguing power forward on their hands.  With those, the price tag usually only goes up from there.

Maatta’s decision to sign with Detroit last summer proved wise as he earned himself this in-season extension to keep him around longer.  He’s not at the level he was in his rookie year but can still play in the top four when needed and kill penalties.  This seems a bit above market but not by much.  Petry is coming off a down year in Pittsburgh but still should serve as a capable replacement for Filip Hronek behind Seider on the right side of the depth chart.  He’ll be turning 38 soon into his next deal and it’s fair to say that it will be a lot lower than his base $6.25MM AAV.

Husso was an interesting pickup by Yzerman last summer.  Detroit traded for his negotiation rights which is something we don’t see a lot of nowadays.  Husso then received a pretty sizable contract for someone with just 53 career NHL starts under his belt.  The results in his first season were mixed.  There were flashes where Husso looked like a capable starter (or at least a strong-side platoon option) and others where he struggled mightily.  Now with a full season under his belt, it will be interesting to see if he can improve and help lead Detroit into a push for the playoffs.  If that happens, he could set himself up for a small raise in 2025 but if not, he’ll drop more into the category of a true platoon goalie whose market value is about a million less than his current price tag.

Signed Through 2025-26

D Ben Chiarot ($4.75MM, UFA)
D Justin Holl ($3.4MM, UFA)
D Jake Walman ($3.4MM, UFA)

Chiarot received one of the bigger deals for a blueliner last summer but he struggled in his first season despite playing a similar role to the one he had some success with in Montreal.  With a deeper back end now, it’s possible that a lesser role might make Chiarot a better fit this season.  Walman is still relatively unproven as last season was his first where he played more than 51 games.  But he showed enough to give the Red Wings some enthusiasm to think there’s more still to come.  If that’s the case, this could be a bargain.  If not, it might wind up a bit above market value as well.  Holl’s contract looks above market value already after he struggled in Toronto last season to the point where he was scratched at times in the playoffs.  A right-shot defender (which always carries extra value), he can hold down a lesser role on this back end but this is a high price for a third-pairing player.

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Metropolitan Notes: Carter, Teravainen, Stillman

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After struggling for most of last season in Pittsburgh, many have speculated that retirement could soon be on the horizon for Penguins forward Jeff Carter.  He told reporters including Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he has not yet given any thought as to whether this season – his 20th in the NHL – will be his last.  The 38-year-old played in 79 games last season, his highest total since 2016-17 but managed just 13 goals and 16 assists while seeing his playing time drop under 14 minutes per game.  Early indications in training camp are that it might be dropping again as he has lined up as a fourth line winger so far which wouldn’t be a great return on a deal that carries a $3.125MM cap hit for the upcoming season.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • Hurricanes winger Teuvo Teravainen dealt with a thumb injury last season that caused him to miss part of the playoffs as well. While he was able to return for the final game of the postseason and is a full participant in training camp, the winger told reporters including Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer, that while his thumb feels pretty good, he doesn’t believe it will truly get back to ‘normal’.  The 29-year-old is entering the final year of his contract and will be looking for a big year whether it’s with Carolina or elsewhere; significant talks on an extension have yet to begin.
  • Devils prospect Chase Stillman will be out for multiple weeks after being injured in New Jersey’s prospect tournament, relays Ryan Novozinsky of the Newark Star-Ledger. The 20-year-old was a first-round pick back in 2021 (29th overall) and will be making his professional debut this season after spending last year with OHL Peterborough where he had 48 points in 59 games in 2022-23.

Avalanche Notes: Toews, Cogliano, Manson, Wagner, Maenalanen

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Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews told reporters including Bennett Durando of The Denver Post that the two sides had some discussions about a possible contract extension.  The 29-year-old has dominated over the past two seasons, reaching the 50-point mark both times while logging over 25 minutes a night.  That’s the type of stat line for a number one defenseman but Toews is being paid nowhere near there with the AAV on his expiring deal checking in at $4.1MM; it wouldn’t be surprising to see him double that on a long-term contract.  Toews also made it known that his desire is to remain with Colorado but with the big-ticket deals they have on the books and Mikko Rantanen being UFA-eligible in 2025, it remains to be seen if they’ll be able to accommodate Toews’ preference.

More from Colorado:

  • Forward Andrew Cogliano will take part in training camp but is unlikely to suit up in the preseason, relays NHL.com’s Ryan Boulding (Twitter thread). He suffered a fractured vertebra in the playoffs against Seattle and it stands to reason that the Avs will opt to be careful with the 36-year-old who signed a one-year, $825K deal with them earlier this offseason.
  • Over the weekend, head coach Jared Bednar indicated that the expectation for defenseman Josh Manson would be that he’d be ready for the start of camp. While he’ll be able to meet that timeline, Bednar told Boulding that Manson is dealing with a lower-body injury and won’t be 100% recovered.  The 31-year-old battled injuries last season and was limited to just 27 games where he had 10 points but was limited to just 17:41 per game, a career low.
  • Offseason signing Chris Wagner won’t be able to push for a roster spot after all as Bednar told Boulding that the forward ruptured his Achilles tendon and will be out until sometime in 2024. The 32-year-old has 360 career NHL games under his belt and could have fit in on a new-look fourth line but instead, he’ll miss at least the first half of the season.
  • Saku Maenalanen was supposed to push for a roster spot while playing on a PTO but Peter Baugh of The Athletic relays (Twitter link) that the winger failed his physical and has been released from his deal. The 29-year-old had 10 points in 64 games with Winnipeg last season and will now look to catch on elsewhere.  Peter Holland and Joel Kiviranta are the remaining PTO forwards that will be aiming to secure a contract with the Avalanche.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Buffalo Sabres

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Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM.  Teams that can avoid total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful.  Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2023-24 season.  This will focus more on players who are regulars on the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL.  All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.

Buffalo Sabres

Current Cap Hit: $74,723,570 (under the $83.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

F Peyton Krebs (one year, $863K)
G Devon Levi (two years, $925K)
F John-Jason Peterka (two years, $856K)
D Owen Power (one year, $916K)
F Jack Quinn (two years, $863K)

Potential Bonuses
Krebs: $412.5K
Levi: $925K
Peterka: $32.5K
Power: $1.85MM
Quinn: $850K
Total: $4.07MM

Krebs locked down a regular spot in Buffalo’s lineup last season but saw his per-game production drop along the way, failing to crack the double-digit goal mark in the process.  He’s still an important part of their future but unless he can jump into an impact role this year, a bridge deal around the $2MM mark looks like his likely outcome while he’s unlikely to hit his ‘A’ bonuses.  Quinn, on the other hand, already saw some top-six time last season and should get back to that role once he recovers from surgery.  If he gets into the 25-30-goal range, he’s a candidate to go for a long-term contract right away.  The injury will make it difficult for him to max on his four ‘A’ bonuses.

Peterka’s first full NHL campaign was a strong one given what was a bit of a limited role.  He doesn’t necessarily profile as the type of player who the Sabres would want to bypass a bridge deal with but again, if he can lock down a full-time top-six spot over the next two years, it’s possible he plays himself into that core role.  Peterka’s bonuses are of the games-played variety and as long as he stays healthy, he’ll hit them.

Power made his presence felt in his first full NHL season in 2022-23.  He logged nearly 24 minutes a night, seeing tough minutes in all situations.  He only scored four goals but added 31 assists, demonstrating that there is plenty of upside at that end of the rink.  The 2021 first-overall selection is extension-eligible now and GM Kevyn Adams has indicated a desire to get an early extension done.  Those contracts are rarely bridge agreements so a long-term pact will be coming his way.  The eight-year, $64.4MM extension given to Ottawa’s Jake Sanderson stands as the likely starting point for those discussions.  Notably, Power will have five years of club control next summer so a max-term deal will only give Buffalo three more years to work with.  He has four ‘A’ bonuses and $1MM in ‘B’ bonuses; the A’s are likely to be hit while the B ones are quite difficult to hit.

Levi had quite a run down the stretch after his college season ended as he quickly took over the number one role, helping the Sabres to stay in the playoff race.  Buffalo opted to not get another veteran to help ease him in so it’s fair to say he’s likely to get a big workload this year, giving him a chance to hit at least some of his four ‘A’ bonuses.  Assuming he can hold it down, he could be eyeing a bridge deal around the $4.5MM mark, similar to the ones that Jake Oettinger and Spencer Knight signed.  A long-term agreement would probably push past the $6MM mark.

Signed Through 2023-24, Non-Entry-Level

D Jacob Bryson ($1.85MM, RFA)
G Eric Comrie ($1.8MM, UFA)
D Rasmus Dahlin ($6MM, RFA)
F Zemgus Girgensons ($2.5MM, UFA)
D Erik Johnson ($3.25MM, UFA)
D Henri Jokiharju ($2.5MM, RFA)
F Tyson Jost ($2MM, UFA)
G Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen ($837.5K, RFA)
F Casey Mittelstadt ($2.5MM, RFA)
F Kyle Okposo ($2.5MM, UFA)
F Victor Olofsson ($4.75MM, UFA)
D Riley Stillman ($1.35MM, RFA)

Potential Bonuses
Okposo: $500K

It feels like Olofsson has been a speculative trade candidate for a few years now but yet, here he is still with Buffalo…for now at least.  He impressed with 28 goals last season but still found himself on the fourth line and even out of the lineup at times.  Buffalo has opted to keep giving him raises but if his ice time is limited again this season, the chances of another team seeing fit to do so next summer appear to be low.  Okposo opted not to test free agency this summer, instead accepting this deal, a considerable cut from his $6MM AAV last season.  He would have been hard-pressed to beat this the way the open market went and since he’ll be 36 in April, he’s likely going year-to-year from here on out.  His bonus is payable with a Stanley Cup victory.

Girgensons also elected not to test free agency, inking this deal to stay with the team that drafted him in the first round in 2012.  The market for bottom-six forwards wasn’t great so this looks like a wise move in hindsight.  If he’s back on the fourth line routinely next season, free agency might not be as kind to him a year from now.  Mittelstadt had a breakout campaign in 2022-23, setting new career bests across the board despite seeing a small dip in playing time.  Given how his first few years went, this is a case where both sides will want to wait and see what comes next.  A repeat showing could push his AAV toward the $6MM mark while if he takes a step back, it could land closer to $4MM.  Jost chose to take less than his qualifying offer to stick around in Buffalo.  He held his own after being claimed off waivers from Minnesota but will need to push for a regular top-nine spot if he wants to get another look as eventually, the Sabres will need to cut costs in their bottom six.

Dahlin’s situation has generated a lot of attention in recent weeks.  Some had suggested it was likely that an early extension was coming early in the summer.  Clearly, that hasn’t happened.  Then the target appeared to be the start of training camp but that hasn’t happened yet either.  A max-term agreement should push his AAV into the $10.5MM territory, give or take a couple hundred thousand either way.  At this point, it’s possible that the term of the deal is the hold up more than the cap hit.  If Dahlin opted for a medium-term pact, Buffalo would still gain several years of team control but he’d also be positioned to test the market while still being in his prime where a max-term pact could be more lucrative.  The AAV on a shorter-term pact should check in at or just below $10MM.

Johnson’s signing was a puzzling one on paper after his role and playing time dipped sharply in Colorado the last couple of years.  However, he adds some experience and leadership to a back end that didn’t have a ton of it before and it seems like Adams was willing to overpay for it.  If he stays around the 17-minute mark, his market value might be closer to half things next summer.  Jokiharju has struggled to stay healthy in the first two years of his bridge deal but has also logged more than 21 minutes a night in the 60 games per season he has played.  If that continues this year, he’ll be positioned to at least get past the $3MM mark with arbitration rights even without much in the way of offensive production.

Both Bryson and Stillman find themselves in a similar situation, trying to secure a full-time spot in the lineup.  Bryson looked like a future regular just a year ago but saw his playing time drop to under 15 minutes a game last season.  Stillman, meanwhile, is with his third team in less than a year and has yet to solidify himself as a regular yet.  Bryson needs to be qualified at $1.9MM and Stillman at $1.35MM.  If they can’t lock down a bigger role in the lineup, both could be non-tender candidates.

Luukkonen had a rough year with Buffalo last season, posting a 3.61 GAA and a .891 SV% but it was his first taste of extended NHL action.  He’s not ready to be a starter yet but he still is likely part of their future plans.  At the moment, his next deal might be in the $1.5MM territory but a good year could send that upward quickly.

Signed Through 2024-25

F Jordan Greenway ($3MM, UFA)
F Lukas Rousek ($775K, RFA)

Greenway came over in a midseason trade with Minnesota and didn’t exactly light it up.  Overall, he had just 11 points in 67 last season, numbers that are more in line with a fourth liner.  Power forwards get plenty of runway to develop though and he’ll have a chance to rebuild some value over the next couple of years.  Rousek is a contender to land a spot in training camp after a strong showing last season with Rochester.  If he’s able to do so, a seven-figure deal should be achievable in 2025.

Signed Through 2025-26

D Connor Clifton ($3.33MM, UFA)
F Alex Tuch ($4.75MM, UFA)

Tuch had shown flashes of top-six upside with Vegas and in his first stint with the Sabres but couldn’t sustain it consistently.  That changed last season as he became a bona fide top liner, shattering his previous benchmarks while passing the point-per-game mark for the first time.  Given the premium placed on big forwards, this contract is currently well below market value.

Clifton’s first taste of free agency was a good one, landing a deal whose AAV is almost as high as his career earnings to date.  He adds some sandpaper to Buffalo’s back end and should fill the spot of Ilya Lyubushkin who was traded to Anaheim earlier this summer.  This deal seemed a bit on the high side when it was signed although his market was relatively strong by all accounts.

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Kings Sign 13 Players To Camp Tryout Agreements

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The Kings have released their training camp roster, one that features plenty of players on tryout agreements.  A total of 13 unaffiliated players will be taking part in camp with Los Angeles as they fill out an extended roster with the majority of their NHL roster in Australia for a pair of games against Arizona later this week.

Up front, Ryan Francis, Nathan Burke, Isaac Johnson, Sean Tschigerl, Ty Thorpe, Easton Armstrong, and Sam Alfaro will all be taking part.  They’ll be joined by defensemen Max Coyle, Jacob Modry, Chase Pauls, Samuel Mayer, and Hunter Mayo, along with goaltender Jacob Oster.

Francis, Burke, and Johnson all topped last season at the AHL level with Laval, San Jose, and Manitoba, respectively.  As for Tschigerl, Thorpe, and Alfano, they played at the CHL level with Calgary, Vancouver, and Erie.  The first two are eligible to turn pro now while Alfano, being 19 until January, is ineligible to play in the minors this season.  Armstrong, meanwhile, also was in major junior last year but has already committed to play with Fargo of the USHL in 2023-24.

As for the blueliners, Coyle and Modry played collegiately with Bowling Green State and SUNY-Plattsburgh.  Modry is the son of long-time NHL blueliner Jaroslav Modry who spent parts of ten seasons with Los Angeles.  Pauls, Mayer, and Mayo all played in the CHL with Lethbridge, Peterborough, and Red Deer.  Pauls and Mayer are AHL-eligible but Mayo is not.  Oster is also ineligible to play in the minors and is likely ticketed to return to OHL Oshawa.

For the majority of these players, they’ll be looking to land a contract with AHL Ontario, the Kings’ affiliate at that level or at least get an invite to their training camp.  For the junior-only players, they’ll be hoping for an entry-level contract or to at least get on an NHL radar moving forward.  It’s not often that a team brings in this many players on training camp tryouts but odds being odds, at least one or two of them will get an extended look beyond the next few weeks.

Five Key Stories: 9/11/23 – 9/17/23

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With training camps now less than a week away, there was a bit of an uptick in activity around the NHL.  As always, we recap the biggest news in our key stories.

Third Time’s A Charm? Things didn’t go particularly well the first two times the NHL set up shop in Atlanta.  Despite that, the league appears to be open to the idea of giving that market another opportunity should they decide to expand beyond 32 teams.  Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly feels that the demographics in Atlanta have changed enough since the Thrashers left in 2011 and that a better-placed arena could give that market an opportunity to succeed the next time around.  Despite this, expansion isn’t believed to be at the top of the priority list for the league right now but when the time comes, it might be a familiar city that gets another chance.

Latest Round Of PTOs: As expected, there was another sizable batch of veteran players accepting training camp tryout offers in the hopes of eventually landing a guaranteed contract for the upcoming season.  Adam Erne will look to catch on with Edmonton while Zach Aston-Reese is one of many tryouts in Carolina.  The Ritchie brothers inked tryout agreements on the same day; Nick Ritchie is heading to St. Louis while Brett Ritchie will look to crack Florida’s roster.  Josh Bailey was linked to Ottawa earlier this summer and is indeed now taking part in their camp while defenseman Olli Juolevi is one of many players getting an opportunity with Arizona.  Dozens of PTOs have been signed around the league and there are still more to come.

Tatar To Colorado: It was a busy summer for Avalanche GM Chris MacFarland as he had already brought in five new forwards to his group.  Make that six now as Colorado signed winger Tomas Tatar to a one-year, $1.5MM deal.  It’s a considerable pay cut for the 32-year-old who made $4.5MM in each of the last two years and $5.3MM for the four before that.  Tatar is actually coming off a pretty good season in New Jersey, one that saw him record 20 goals and 28 assists although he struggled considerably in the playoffs, managing just a single point in 12 games.  Tatar adds to what should be an interesting battle on the left side in training camp with Gabriel Landeskog out for the regular season (but returning for the playoffs is a possibility).

Wright AHL-Eligible: It was looking like Kraken center Shane Wright was going to be facing another year of either playing in the NHL or returning to major junior.  However, that’s no longer the case as the NHL and OHL has granted Wright an exemption that allows him to suit up with AHL Coachella Valley this season if Seattle elects to send him down.  CHL players are typically ineligible to play in the minors unless they are 20 years old on or before December 31st and Wright doesn’t turn 20 until January 5th.  The other way to get out of that situation is to play four CHL seasons.  Wright wasn’t able to do so as the OHL didn’t play at all in the 2020-21 campaign.  However, they’ve basically decided that since he would have done so had the league taken to the ice, they’ll grant him the year of service time, enabling him to become AHL-eligible this season.  That’s an ideal outcome for one of Seattle’s top prospects.

Coaching Change In Columbus: Mike Babcock’s tenure as head coach in Columbus is already over before he stepped behind the bench for a single game.  Following a joint NHL/NHLPA investigation spurred by allegations that Babcock asked to view phones and/or photographs of several Blue Jackets players, it was mutually decided that Babcock would resign.  Babcock had been out of the league since 2019 and after what transpired here, it would be surprising to see him back behind an NHL bench.  Meanwhile, Columbus has looked to an internal candidate to take over, promoting associate coach Pascal Vincent to the top job while giving him a new two-year deal.  Vincent has seven years of NHL coaching experience between Columbus and Winnipeg but this will be his first time as the head coach at the top level.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

West Notes: Fabbro, Sutter, Canucks

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The Predators are believed to have looked into the possibility of moving defenseman Dante Fabbro this summer, reports David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period.  The 25-year-old’s future with the team has seemed murky at times over the past couple of years and the fact that he took a step back last season offensively (going from 24 points to just 11) won’t help his value.  Nevertheless, Fabbro has shown himself to be capable of holding down a fourth or fifth spot on a defensive depth chart and at a $2.5MM AAV, it’s not a particularly pricey gamble for a team to bring him in.  The fact he still has another year of club control after this one doesn’t hurt either.  Clearly, Nashville didn’t find a trade offer to their liking but Fabbro could be one to keep an eye on as new GM Barry Trotz puts his stamp on this team.

More from the West:

  • Last season, Jason Demers attended Edmonton’s camp on a PTO and agreed to an AHL tryout agreement after that before being converted to an NHL contract midseason. Bruce McCurdy of the Edmonton Journal wonders if the Oilers might try the same approach with Brandon Sutter.  Being out of hockey for two years altogether, going this route would allow both sides more time to assess his overall readiness to play at the top level rather than forcing Edmonton to make a decision on his fate over the next few weeks.
  • While the Canucks checked in on free agent winger Phil Kessel earlier in the summer, they’re not believed to be one of the teams pursuing him at the moment, reports CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal (video link). As things stand, Vancouver is going to need to trim its payroll if Tanner Pearson is indeed cleared to play at the start of the season so getting another player at the NHL minimum salary of $775K to replace someone making a bit more than that would help in that.  However, the Canucks also have a fair bit of forward depth so it’s not entirely surprising that they’re not in on Kessel for now.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Boston Bruins

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Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM.  Teams that can avoid total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful.  Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2023-24 season.  This will focus more on players who are regulars on the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL.  All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.

Boston Bruins

Current Cap Hit: $83,070,834 (under the $83.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

None that are likely to be full-timers on the roster.

Signed Through 2023-24, Non-Entry-Level

F Jesper Boqvist ($775K, RFA)
F Jake DeBrusk ($4MM, UFA)
D Derek Forbort ($3MM, UFA)
F A.J. Greer ($762.5K, UFA)
D Matt Grzelcyk ($3.688MM, UFA)
F Milan Lucic ($1MM, UFA)
D Ian Mitchell ($775K, RFA)
D Kevin Shattenkirk ($1.05MM, UFA)
G Jeremy Swayman ($3.475MM, RFA)
F James van Riemsdyk ($1MM, UFA)
D Jakub Zboril ($1.138MM, UFA)

Potential Bonuses
Lucic: $500K

DeBrusk’s future with Boston has been murky for a few years now.  First, it was a trade request that wasn’t granted and was later rescinded.  Since then, he has become an important part of their attack, notching at least 25 goals in each of the last two seasons.  Now, they need to decide if he’s part of their future plans on a contract that’s likely to cost closer to $6MM or if he could be a possible part of an offer to try to get some center help.  Lucic returns after a long stretch out West and is no longer the top-six forward he once was.  However, he has been a serviceable bottom-six piece in a limited role and this contract fits in with the role he’s likely to provide.

Not many players saw their stock fall last season as much as van Riemsdyk.  After being a top power play threat in previous years, he struggled with the man advantage last year which resulted in his lowest goal total since 2011-12.  In doing so, the Flyers weren’t able to find a taker for him at the trade deadline.  He’ll look to rebuild his stock in Boston and if he can have success in a top-six role, his market should be considerably stronger next summer.  Boqvist was non-tendered by New Jersey this summer to avoid arbitration.  He’s a capable fourth-line checker and this should prove to be a team-friendly deal before too long.  Arbitration rights will be in play next summer as well.  Greer held down a regular spot on the roster last season, getting into a career-best 61 games.  Another year like that should increase his chances of another one-way pact but he’s the type of player that teams will be looking to sign for the minimum.

With Boston’s cap situation, Grzelcyk’s future has come into some question as well.  He was basically relegated to an even strength-only player last season and while that type of player still has some value – he’s still a capable offensive player – it’s one that’s hard to afford given their current roster structure.  Next summer, if he has another season like this one, he might be looking at a small dip in pay but should still land a multi-year deal.  Forbort is another speculative cap casualty if GM Don Sweeney makes a move to create some flexibility or needs to match money in a trade.  More of a prototypical third-pairing/penalty killing piece at this point of his career, his market value is probably closer to $2MM unless he can stake a regular claim to a top-four spot this season.

Shattenkirk was one of many bargain signings by Boston this summer, coming over after three years in Anaheim.  He’s starting to slow down but is still capable of logging upwards of 20 minutes per game and certainly left money on the table to join the Bruins.  A good season with them could push him back over the $3MM mark next summer if he wants to maximize his next contract.  Zboril has seen very little NHL action over four years due to injuries, demotions, and being scratched at times; his career GP total is less than a full year.  When he played last season, he was sparingly used.  If that’s the role he has again, his next offers are going to be closer to the minimum salary.  That’s where Mitchell finds himself after taking less than his qualifying offer, presumably in the hopes of trying to secure a spot on Boston’s roster.  Once viewed as a key prospect in Chicago, his stock has dipped but he has had enough success in the minors to warrant another look.

Swayman’s contract was one of the more interesting ones signed this summer.  He had a very strong year, posting a 2.27 GAA along with a .920 SV% but in just 37 games.  For his career, he has just 87 career appearances which isn’t a large sample size to work off of.  A multi-year deal would likely have cost upwards of $4.5MM per year, a sum they simply couldn’t have afforded with their current roster.  Instead, the sides went to arbitration to get this deal.  Another year somewhat similar to this one could push his single-year value into the $4.5MM range – even as a platoon goalie – while a longer-term agreement could push closer to the $6MM mark.

Signed Through 2024-25

F Patrick Brown ($800K, UFA)
F Trent Frederic ($2.3MM, UFA)
F Morgan Geekie ($2MM, RFA)
F Brad Marchand ($6.125MM, UFA)
G Linus Ullmark ($5MM, UFA)

Marchand’s production isn’t where it was at his peak anymore but he was still close to a point per game last season.  Without his long-time linemate Patrice Bergeron, it will be interesting to see how that affects his output but Marchand should still provide positive value on the final two years of his deal.  He’ll be 37 when his next contract begins and it wouldn’t be surprising if he takes another team-friendly pact again.  Frederic took a step forward last season, providing Boston with some good secondary production despite having a limited role, allowing him to more than double the AAV of his previous contract.  He’ll need to maintain that at a minimum while moving up the lineup to push up his price tag again in two years.

Geekie came over after being somewhat surprisingly non-tendered by Seattle.  He’ll have a chance to play a bit higher in the lineup with Boston’s turnover down the middle and if he can hold down the third-line center role, this should be a good pickup for them.  Notably, he’ll still have another year of control through arbitration if things go well.  Brown came over in free agency after splitting last season between Philadelphia and Ottawa.  He’s a serviceable checker on the fourth line without providing much offense so future deals for him should come in close to the minimum as well.

Ullmark had an incredible season last year.  He blew past his full-season career bests in GAA (2.45) and SV% (.917) by putting up 1.89 and .938 respectively in those categories.  Wins and losses certainly aren’t everything for a goalie but he had 40 victories in 48 starts, a win rate that is quite difficult to come by.  That made him a well-deserving recipient of the Vezina Trophy while making mid-tier starter money.  Few are expecting a performance like this in 2023-24 but even if he goes back to his career averages, they’ll get good value here.

Signed Through 2025-26

F Charlie Coyle ($5.25MM, UFA)

Coyle has been a secondary producer for the majority of his career, even coming back to his time with Minnesota.  That made this contract a bit on the high side when it was signed back in 2019.  However, he’s coming off back-to-back years with more than 40 points and has moved back to primarily playing at center after splitting the previous few seasons between center and the wing.  The full-time position switch helps the value.  So do the departures of Bergeron and David Krejci as it will push Coyle into a more prominent role offensively.  As long as that results in an uptick in production – a reasonable expectation – the return on the second half of this contract should be a bit better than the first half.

Signed Through 2026-27 Or Longer

D Brandon Carlo ($4.1MM through 2026-27)
D Hampus Lindholm ($6.5MM through 2029-30)
D Charlie McAvoy ($9.5MM through 2029-30)
F David Pastrnak ($11.25MM through 2030-31)
F Pavel Zacha ($4.75MM through 2026-27)

Pastrnak had a dominant performance last season, scoring 61 goals while averaging at least a point per game for the fifth straight season.  That put him in the driver’s seat when it came to negotiating an early extension in-season, one that immediately became the richest deal in franchise history.  It’s hard for a player making that much to live up to the contract but he’ll be the go-to player in Boston for a long time.  Zacha’s contract is on the pricey side based on his career numbers but he had a breakout performance in 2022-23, notching 57 points.  Like Coyle, he’ll be asked to play a bigger role this year and if there’s an uptick offensively as a result, this will become a team-friendly deal.

McAvoy has emerged as a legitimate top-pairing defenseman who is above-average at the offensive end.  Those players get paid quickly and he was no exception as he now sits tied for fourth in the NHL in AAV among blueliners.  That’s a hard contract to live up to but the Bruins are banking that he has another gear to get to yet.  Lindholm found a gear offensively that he never could reach with Anaheim, becoming an ideal top-pairing fit in the process.  There’s some concern about how the deal might age as he’ll be out of his prime by then but that’s a problem for down the road, not now.  Carlo is a capable defensive defenseman but his ideal role is a fourth or fifth defender who can kill penalties.  With minimal offensive contributions, it’s a deal that’s above market value at this point.

Buyouts

D Mike Reilly ($333K in 2023-24, $1.33MM in 2024-25)

Retained Salary Transactions

None

Still To Sign

None

Best Value: Shattenkirk
Worst Value: Carlo

Looking Ahead

The bonus carryover penalties from Bergeron and Krejci’s deals cut into Boston’s cap space by $4.5MM.  They’re unlikely to afford a full-sized roster to start the season but if they want to get creative, they might be able to waive someone like Forbort and shuffle him back and forth, freeing up a pro-rated $1.15MM for each day he’s off the roster.  That could give them some extra space to hedge against injuries but if they want to add to their group this season, it’s going to be a money-in, money-out situation barring LTIR for someone coming into play.

Fortunately for the Bruins, the cap challenges could be short-lived.  With over $20MM coming off the books next summer plus the carryover charge being cleared (aside from potentially Lucic’s half-million), Sweeney should have ample flexibility to re-sign his core pieces and then try to add one either via trade or in free agency.  Meanwhile, at the moment, there are just six players signed for the 2025-26 campaign, giving Boston a relatively clean canvas to work with for the future.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Minnesota Wild Sign Jujhar Khaira

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09/17/23: The Wild have now officially announced a one-year, two-way contract for Khaira. The deal carries a $775k NHL salary and a $300k salary in the AHL, according to CapFriendly.

09/16/23: It appears that the Wild will be bringing in some extra forward depth, at least for training camp.  Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that they’re in discussions with Jujhar Khaira about a contract.  Whether that’s a PTO agreement or a full-fledged contract remains to be seen.

The 29-year-old spent last season with Chicago, playing out the final year of a two-year deal that carried an AAV of $975K.  Khaira got into 51 games with the Blackhawks but also missed more than two months with a back issue.  That, of course, came on the heels of him missing 43 games with back trouble the year before.  Khaira’s production was actually his best since the 2018-19 campaign as he pitched in with six goals and eight assists while logging just shy of 14 minutes per game.

Khaira’s career thus far spans parts of eight NHL seasons, the majority of which were spent with Edmonton who drafted him in the third round (63rd overall) back in 2012.  He has 336 appearances at the top level under his belt, tallying 33 goals, 47 assists, and 783 hits while averaging 12:37 per contest of ice time.

With Minnesota being one of many teams that are tight to the salary cap, it’s likely that Khaira will be signing for the minimum if he does wind up with a guaranteed deal.  His ability to play all three forward positions and kill penalties would certainly give the Wild some desired flexibility on the fourth line, a trio that figures to be particularly physical as it currently stands.

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