West Notes: Poile, Kraken, Ehlers
Today’s game is a milestone one for Predators GM David Poile as NHL.com’s Nick Cotsonika notes that their contest against Philadelphia will be Poile’s 3,000th as an NHL general manager. He is the first to ever get to that milestone. The 72-year-old has been at the helm in Nashville since 1997, joining the team a year before their inaugural season in 1998-99. Poile acknowledged that he has been going year-to-year on contracts for more than a decade now and isn’t sure how much longer he’ll be staying in his current role. Whenever he does step aside, he’s going to be the record-holder in games managed for a very long time.
More from the West:
- While the Kraken parted ways with veteran defenseman Michal Kempny after he cleared unconditional waivers yesterday, GM Ron Francis told Geoff Baker of The Seattle Times that it’s not a priority to bring in another veteran defender to fill Kempny’s spot on the depth chart. Kempny played in two games this season with Coachella Valley of the AHL and was viewed as one of their first recall options if injuries arise. Seattle only has four non-NHL defensemen under contract at the moment so it wouldn’t be surprising to see someone added at some point even if it isn’t a top priority for Francis.
- Although the Jets placed Nikolaj Ehlers on IR yesterday, the news is pretty good when it comes to the winger. Head coach Rick Bowness (who has returned from COVID protocol) told reporters, including Scott Billeck of the Winnipeg Sun (Twitter link), that Ehlers is expected to miss somewhere between seven and ten days. An IR placement is a minimum of seven days and it appears the 26-year-old won’t miss much more time than that. He has three assists in two games so far this season.
Minnesota Places Jordan Greenway On IR, Activates Jon Merrill
It’s good news and bad news on the injury front for the Wild. The team announced (Twitter link) that they’ve activated defenseman Jon Merrill off injured reserve which is the good news. However, the bad news is that winger Jordan Greenway has been placed on IR to make room for Merrill’s return.
Merrill suffered an arm injury while playing for the United States at the World Championship, undergoing surgery soon after. He missed the entire preseason and while he was cleared for contact a little more than a week ago, Minnesota was cautious in bringing him back. The 30-year-old had a career year last season, notching 20 points in 69 games while logging over 17 minutes per night which helped him earn a three-year extension back in January.
As for Greenway, his return to the lineup was short-lived. He was activated off IR back on Thursday but lasted just six shifts before suffering an upper-body injury that evidently will keep him out for at least the next week. The 25-year-old is an important secondary scorer for the Wild that contributes plenty of hits as well but he’ll be waiting a little while before he gets a shot at his second game of the season; Michael Russo of The Athletic notes (Twitter link) that the team is still waiting to get an idea of how much time Greenway will miss.
Maple Leafs Recall Kyle Clifford
While there is some risk with only carrying six defensemen on a long road trip, that’s what the Maple Leafs have decided to do as they announced (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled winger Kyle Clifford from AHL Toronto and he will be in the lineup tonight against Winnipeg. To make room for him on the active roster, blueliner Filip Kral has been sent back to the Marlies.
Clifford is in his second stint with the Maple Leafs after being acquired from St. Louis last season. He signed a two-year, one-way deal worth the NHL minimum in both seasons but cleared waivers at the beginning of training camp and has played in two AHL contests so far this season. His addition to the active roster gives Toronto 15 forwards up with the big club.
As for Kral, his NHL debut will have to wait a little longer. He was recalled back on Wednesday to serve as the extra defenseman following Jake Muzzin‘s injury but didn’t see any game action. The 23-year-old had 18 points in 51 games with the Marlies last season.
Toronto begins a five-game Western road trip tonight with Muzzin, Timothy Liljegren, and Jordie Benn all on the injured list (the latter two on LTIR). With teams generally wanting to have some positional insurance when playing on the opposite coast, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Kral or another defender brought back up within the next game or two.
Atlantic Notes: Robertson, Canadiens, Larkin
The injury to Matt Murray provided the Maple Leafs with enough cap space to recall winger Nick Robertson and he made an immediate impact, scoring twice in Toronto’s overtime win against Dallas on Thursday. On the surface, it would seem like this is at least a short-term opportunity for him to prove himself but Postmedia’s Michael Traikos posits that there hasn’t been a better time for them to trade the 21-year-old. The Maple Leafs don’t have the deepest of prospect pools but Robertson is someone who is NHL-ready or very close which would be appealing to many rebuilding teams. With the team in need of some help on the back end, a player like Robertson is someone they could potentially dangle to try to add that defensive help.
Elsewhere in the Atlantic:
- The Canadiens could soon be getting some help on the injury front as TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie relays (Twitter links) that defenseman Joel Edmundson and Joel Armia both took part in practice with a non-contact jersey. Both players have yet to play this season with Edmundson suffering a back injury in a collision with Nick Suzuki in a pre-camp practice while Armia suffered an upper-body late in the preseason. Montreal is carrying a full-sized roster at the moment so when these two are cleared to return, they will have to make some moves to open up roster spots for them.
- Still with Montreal, the team announced (Twitter link) that winger Juraj Slafkovsky is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. The first-overall pick is coming off his best game that saw him score his first NHL goal while logging over 14 minutes of ice time for the first time but it appears he’ll have to wait a few days to have a chance at his second tally. Rem Pitlick is expected to take Slafkovsky’s place on the fourth line tonight.
- Red Wings center Dylan Larkin left Friday’s game against Chicago briefly with an injury and while he returned, head coach Derek Lalonde told reporters including Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press postgame that Larkin was dealing with some upper-body pain postgame. He’s scheduled to be reevaluated today. The captain is off to a strong start to his contract year with five points in four games this season.
Snapshots: Ekblad, Broberg, Janmark, Dach
At the time that the Panthers placed Aaron Ekblad on LTIR, there was no timetable for his return beyond that it was expected that he’d be back this season. In the latest TSN Insider Trading segment, Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reported that the blueliner is likely to miss somewhere between four and seven weeks. At a minimum, he has to miss 10 games and 24 days and if he’s ready to be back at the shorter end of that timeline, Ekblad might not miss much more than the minimum time. Florida isn’t expected to go out and acquire a short-term replacement as they’ll need to have enough cap space to activate Ekblad when he’s ready to return but fortunately for them, they shouldn’t be without their star blueliner for too long.
Elsewhere around the hockey world:
- At the beginning of the season, the Oilers were shuffling defenseman Philip Broberg back and forth between Edmonton and AHL Bakersfield. They haven’t lately and Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic relays (Twitter link) why as the blueliner has been dealing with an upper-body injury for the last few days and is questionable to play this weekend. Accordingly, it’ll take a little longer before he gets his next chance with the big club. Meanwhile, Nugent-Bowman adds that the reason that veteran winger Mattias Janmark hasn’t played in Bakersfield yet despite being sent down nearly two weeks ago is that he has yet to receive his U.S. work permit.
- Blackhawks prospect Colton Dach has been placed in concussion protocol, notes Scott Powers of The Athletic (subscription link). It’s the second time in a month that he has been moved there after entering protocol in mid-September. The 19-year-old had gotten off to a good start with WHL Kelowna with three points in as many games but now, it’s likely he’ll be shut down for a little while. Dach has already signed his entry-level deal with Chicago and will likely turn pro next season.
Central Notes: Jones, Toews, Brown
While there has been plenty of speculation as to when Chicago will trade winger Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, there hasn’t been much trade chatter when it comes to Seth Jones. The Blackhawks are clearly in a rebuilding mode so having a $9.5MM defenseman on a long-term deal runs counter to that approach. However, as Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times reports, it’s unlikely that the team will even try to move the 28-year-old this season or even next year. With the salary cap situation for many contenders being tight, it’s unlikely they’d be able to accommodate such a contract and even if they were, being able to yield top value would be difficult. Instead, Jones will be counted on to be the top defender for Chicago and should average more than 25 minutes a night for the fifth straight season.
More from the Central:
- While Devon Toews isn’t in tonight’s lineup, he won’t be out much longer than that as Peter Baugh of The Athletic relays (Twitter link) it’s a short-term injury for the blueliner; Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar hasn’t officially ruled the 28-year-old out for Saturday’s contest yet. Toews is off to another good start to his season with three assists in four games while logging over 21 minutes per game, a number that’s artificially low after being injured early in Wednesday’s overtime loss to Winnipeg.
- The Blues should get some help on the injury front soon as Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch notes (Twitter link) that center Logan Brown is close to returning to the lineup. He has been out with an upper-body injury for a little under three weeks so he has yet to play this season. The 24-year-old picked up 11 points in 39 games for St. Louis last season in limited action while giving them some size at the bottom of the lineup. Brown remains on the active roster despite being out this long and accordingly, they won’t have to clear a roster spot once he’s cleared to return.
Salary Cap Deep Dive: Chicago Blackhawks
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 for the 2022-23 season and beyond. 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.
Chicago Blackhawks
Current Cap Hit: $76,467,143 (under the $82.5MM Upper Limit)
Entry-Level Contracts
D Alec Regula (one year, $867K)
D Filip Roos (two years, $925K)
Roos signed as an undrafted free agent after spending last season in the SHL but not many were expecting him to make the team right away. That’s what he did, however, as he is logging over 16 minutes a night in the early season thus far. It’s still too early to forecast his next deal as a lot will depend on whether he keeps his lineup spot throughout the season or if they decide time in Rockford is required. Regula spent most of his first two professional years in the minors and has had a limited role when he has been in Chicago. That’s the type of player that will likely receive a short-term bridge deal, perhaps a two-year pact that checks in a little lower than this but with more guaranteed money on a two-way contract with possibly one of those seasons being a one-way deal.
Signed Through 2022-23, Non-Entry-Level
F Andreas Athanasiou ($3MM, UFA)
F Max Domi ($3MM, UFA)
D Jack Johnson ($950K, UFA)
D Caleb Jones ($1.35MM, RFA)
F Patrick Kane ($10.5MM, UFA)
F Jujhar Khaira ($975K, UFA)
F Philipp Kurashev ($750K, RFA)
G Alex Stalock ($750K, UFA)
D Jarred Tinordi ($900K, UFA)
F Jonathan Toews ($10.5MM, UFA)
Kane and Toews have been on identical contracts for 13 straight years now but that will come to an end after this season. Kane remains one of the top offensive threats in the NHL and while it’s fair to expect that he’s going to slow down, he still should be an impact player for a few more years. His next deal probably won’t be $10.5MM but something around the $9MM mark should be achievable on a four-year deal or longer. Toews, on the other hand, has only had one high-end offensive season in recent years. While he remains a strong player at the faceoff dot and can kill penalties, his days of being a top-liner are over. Accordingly, his market value might be closer to half of his current price tag.
Domi and Athanasiou both came on identical deals this summer but at a much lower cost. They’re both looking for bounce-back seasons to build back some value. However, Athanasiou has had some good years lately and still didn’t have a particularly robust market in his previous trips through unrestricted free agency. Unless he gets closer to the 50-point mark this season, it’s hard to see his price tag going higher. As a center, Domi has a bit more potential when it comes to a bigger contract. He has had some down years since his 72-point campaign in 2018-19 but in a bigger role with Chicago, he at least has an opportunity to try to re-establish himself as a second liner which could give him a chance at a small raise.
Khaira has dealt with some injury issues the last couple of years and has been more of a fourth liner in that time. Accordingly, his next contract will come in close to this one. As for Kurashev, he’s on his prove-it deal, one that saw him take less than his qualifying offer to get a one-way guarantee. He has shown some flashes of promise early in his career and if he’s able to even get to 25-30 points this season, he’ll do enough to warrant a raise past the $1MM mark, especially with arbitration eligibility.
The younger Jones is still trying to get himself established as a full-time NHL player and has been on the third line when he has played for most of his career. He’ll be arbitration-eligible again this summer with a $1.35MM qualifying offer and a small raise could come his way if he’s able to stay healthy and on the third pairing. Johnson signed as a free agent this summer after being a depth player in Colorado. He could legitimately sign a similar type of contract in July around this price tag as it’s unlikely he’ll garner a multi-year deal now as he’ll turn 36 in January. Tinordi was somewhat surprisingly claimed off waivers after spending most of last season in the minors. It’s hard to see him getting much of a raise this summer but if he stays up for the full year with Chicago, another one-way deal could be doable.
The last two years have been tough for Stalock who was unable to play for most of that time due to myocarditis and he struggled in limited AHL action last season which limited his market this past summer. At his age (35), he’s probably going year-to-year moving forward but if he stays healthy and has a decent season, he should command more interest in July which would likely push his price tag past the $1MM mark.
Signed Through 2023-24
F Colin Blackwell ($1.2MM, UFA)
F Mackenzie Entwistle ($800K, RFA)
F Jason Dickinson ($2.65MM, UFA)
F Tyler Johnson ($5MM, UFA)
F Boris Katchouk ($758K, RFA)
F Sam Lafferty ($1.15MM, UFA)
G Petr Mrazek ($3.8MM, UFA)
F Taylor Raddysh ($758K, RFA)
Johnson was a cap dump by Tampa Bay and hasn’t produced at a top-six level with consistency for a few seasons now. On top of that, he is more of a winger than a center now which doesn’t help his value. He’ll be in his age-34 season on his next contract and it’s one that should be 50% lower at a minimum as things stand. Dickinson was a cap dump by Vancouver recently and isn’t too far removed from showing some third-line potential. If he can play at that level in Chicago, he could have a chance at a similar contract two years from now. But if he plays at the same level as last season with the Blackhawks, he’ll be closer to the level of a PTO candidate.
Blackwell came over in free agency after being a late-bloomer, only securing a regular NHL roster spot at 27. He has shown some offensive upside in that stretch and a contract like this for a fourth liner that could have a little upside is certainly reasonable. A similar showing to his last two seasons could give him a small bump in pay in 2024. Lafferty hasn’t produced much in his career but showed that he was capable of logging third-line ice time with Chicago last season. Maintaining that role would help his market value two years from now but he’ll need to produce more than single-digit goals to have a chance of really pushing his AAV up.
Entwistle is in a similar situation as Lafferty, just with a shorter track record. He provides Chicago with some physicality but the offense will need to come around if he wants a chance at a seven-figure contract. Raddysh didn’t produce much with Tampa Bay last season but impressed down the stretch with the Blackhawks, producing at close to a top-six level. Similar production coupled with arbitration rights could push him past the $2.5MM mark two years from now. Katchouk also came over from Tampa Bay and once he’s able to return, his priority will be simply securing a spot in the lineup on a regular basis which doesn’t bode well for the chances of a sizable increase in 2024.
Mrazek was a cap dump from Toronto back at the draft in a move that saw Chicago elevate a second-round pick into a first-rounder. He has shown flashes of playing at a number one level in the past but has struggled with consistency and staying healthy. He’ll need to provide at least some stability if he wants to land a contract around this price tag two years from now; at this point, a dip seems quite likely.
Five Key Stories: 10/10/22 – 10/16/22
The regular season is underway and while it will be fairly quiet on the trade front in the early going, there was still plenty of news around the NHL which is highlighted in our key stories.
Successful Tryouts: Several players were able to land contracts off their professional tryout agreements. Ottawa inked veteran center Derick Brassard to a one-year deal at the league minimum, giving them some extra depth down the middle. Carolina did the same with veteran Derek Stepan, giving him the same contract for what will be his second season with the Hurricanes. Michael Stone is staying with Calgary as the Flames signed him to a two-way deal worth the minimum in the NHL. Lastly, Anton Stralman’s tryout was successful as he agreed to a one-year, $1MM contract although that deal has yet to be registered with the league. Couple that with the handful of veterans that signed earlier and this was one of the more successful PTO groups in recent history when it comes to landing guaranteed contracts.
Down To One: The list of remaining restricted free agents was cut in half when the Golden Knights agreed to terms with defenseman Nicolas Hague on a three-year deal worth just under $2.3MM per season. The 23-year-old was one of the first group of Vegas draft picks and he worked his way into a regular role fairly quickly while averaging 18:40 per night. The AAV of the contract lined up well in terms of allowing Vegas to maximize their LTIR pool as the Golden Knights will be deep into that once again this season. Hague will have one year of RFA eligibility remaining after this deal and will be owed a $2.7MM qualifying offer. Senators winger Alex Formenton is the last restricted free agent in the NHL.
Staying In Philadelphia: Travis Sanheim won’t be leaving the Flyers anytime soon as the two sides worked out a maximum-term eight-year contract extension that carries a $6.25MM AAV. The deal also contains a full no-trade clause for the first four years and a 12-team no-trade clause for the final four seasons. The 26-year-old is one of Philadelphia’s top defensemen and is coming off one of his best offensive years that saw him put up 31 points in 80 games while averaging just under 23 minutes a night. If Sanheim is able to produce at a similar level during this contract and continue to log the second-most minutes on the team, the Flyers should get a good return on this deal.
Sabres Signings: While the Sabres already had Don Granato signed through the end of next season, they decided to give him an early extension, signing him to a two-year deal that keeps him signed through 2025-26. The Sabres have played to a .438 points percentage since he took over late in the 2020-21 campaign and while that might not seem great at first glance, Buffalo has been rebuilding during that stretch and the team has been considerably more competitive with him behind the bench so this move was a vote of approval of how he has the team playing.
Meanwhile, later that day, the team announced another extension as they signed defenseman Mattias Samuelsson to a seven-year, $30MM deal that begins next season. The 22-year-old was an early second-round pick in 2018 and got into 42 games in 2021-22 where he averaged 20 minutes a game. Buffalo clearly believes this is only the beginning for Samuelsson who has yet to score in his young career. However, a $4.29MM AAV for a top-four defender is certainly reasonable and it’s likely that those will be his prime years as well. The contract might seem odd on the surface but it’s a logical move for them to make since they’re convinced that he’s a part of the long-term plans in Buffalo.
Key Injuries: Montreal has a pretty thin back end when the team is fully healthy. They were already missing Joel Edmundson due to a back issue sustained in a pre-camp scrimmage and now they’ll be without another key veteran as Mike Matheson will miss eight weeks with an abdominal injury. The end result is that the Canadiens are dressing four rookie defensemen at the moment. Meanwhile, the Maple Leafs will be without their presumptive starter Matt Murray for at least a month after he suffered an adductor injury in practice on Saturday. The fact he’ll be out that long (10 games and 24 days minimum) enabled them to place him on LTIR which opened up some short-term cap space to recall some extra skaters. Those moves were made Sunday with the recalls of wingers Nicholas Robertson and Wayne Simmonds plus defenseman Victor Mete.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Salary Cap Deep Dive: Arizona Coyotes
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 for the 2022-23 season and beyond. 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.
Arizona Coyotes
Current Cap Hit: $65,578,566 (under the $82.5MM Upper Limit)
Entry-Level Contracts
F Dylan Guenther (three years, $894K)
F Matias Maccelli (one year, $853K)
F Jack McBain (one year, $884K)
D J.J. Moser (two years, $887K)
Potential Bonuses
Guenther: $850K
McBain: $850K
Moser: $32.5K
Total: $1.7325MM
Guenther is coming off a dominant season in the WHL but is in the situation that many NHL teams don’t like for their top prospects – they might not yet be good enough to be in the NHL on a full-time basis but are too good to play in junior. Unfortunately, there aren’t other options. Expect Arizona to drag out the time to get him to nine games so they can best assess whether he’s going to stay for the season. McBain signed quickly after being acquired last season and has held his own. So far, he has had somewhat of a limited role which will likely have him heading for a bridge deal. Unless both he and Guenther get big roles, they’re unlikely to hit their bonuses. Maccelli was quite productive in the minors last season although that wasn’t the case in his NHL action. Unless that changes this year, a bridge deal – perhaps even a one-year contract – will be on its way.
Moser came up midseason last year and didn’t look back, quickly playing his way into a regular role. His usage has been quite high early on (injuries are playing a role in that) but he looks like a long-term piece of the puzzle on the second pairing. He could be a player that Arizona views as somewhat comparable to Mattias Samuelsson in Buffalo (seven years, $30MM) where they might overpay at the beginning in the hopes of having a bargain at the end when they’re emerging from their rebuild.
Signed Through 2022-23, Non-Entry-Level
F Nick Bjugstad ($900K, UFA)
F Christian Fischer ($1.126MM, RFA)
D Shayne Gostisbehere ($4.5MM, UFA)
G Connor Ingram ($733K, RFA)
F Andrew Ladd ($5.5MM, UFA)
F Nick Ritchie ($2.5MM, UFA)
D Troy Stecher ($1.2MM, UFA)
D Conor Timmins ($850K, RFA)
D Juuso Valimaki ($1.55MM, RFA)
Let’s get Ladd out of the way first. He’s expected to miss all of the season and is LTIR-eligible although Arizona has no need to put him there since they have so much cap space. Ritchie was productive after Toronto unloaded his contract, scoring 10 goals in 24 games. That’s a small sample size but if he produces at a similar level, he could actually get a raise next summer. Halfway through last season, that would have sounded crazy. Fischer is getting to the point where he’s going to become a non-tender candidate unless he can start to produce more than a handful of goals per year. He plays a physical game but players that are known mostly for hitting are strict fourth liners and it’d be difficult to see them wanting to pay much more for someone in that role. Bjugstad has been on cheap deals the last couple of years and barring a big change, he’ll stay around that price tag moving forward.
Gostisbehere struggled at the end of his time with Philadelphia to the point where they sent multiple draft picks to the Coyotes to take on his contract. He responded with one of the best seasons of his career. A similar performance will give him a chance to get more on his next deal which would be a striking turnaround for someone who cleared waivers not long ago. Valimaki was a recent waiver claim from Calgary and will get a chance to turn things around in the desert. If he doesn’t, he’s a strong non-tender candidate as he’s owed a $1.86MM qualifying offer. Stecher came over in free agency this summer as a third-pairing option and while he might have a bigger role than that at times in Arizona, his price tag next summer should check in close to this one. Timmins, if healthy, has a chance to establish himself as a key part of their back end but he will probably land a one-year deal to give both sides more time to see what he can do.
Ingram recently joined the Coyotes after being claimed off waivers from Nashville. He’ll have a chance to be a full-time backup and a decent showing could give him a chance to double his qualifying offer which could push him into the $1.6MM range next season. On the other hand, if he struggles, his next deal might be a two-way one.
Signed Through 2023-24
F Travis Boyd ($1.75MM, UFA)
D Josh Brown ($1.275MM, UFA)
F Barrett Hayton ($1.775MM, RFA)
F Zack Kassian ($3.2MM, UFA)
F Bryan Little ($5.292MM, UFA)
F Liam O’Brien ($775K, UFA)
D Patrik Nemeth ($2.5MM, UFA)
Once again, let’s get the injured forward out of the way first. Arizona absorbed Little’s contract as part of the move to land McBain but he hasn’t played since November 2019 and won’t play again. His deal is also LTIR-eligible but they won’t need the extra cap space.
Kassian came over from Edmonton this summer in a draft-day move that allowed the Oilers to clear salary. When he’s on, he’s a capable power forward but his consistency and discipline have been issues. It’s unlikely he’ll come close to this on his next deal unless those elements improve over the next two years. Hayton eventually settled for a bridge contract that ensures a higher qualifying offer ($2.13MM) while giving him time to show that he can be a top-six player. If so, he could more than double that qualifier but if not, he’ll settle in closer to the $2.5MM range. Boyd was one of the feel-good stories last season. After being more of a depth player for most of his career, he did well in a top-six role, earning him some stability and a nice raise. If he stays around the 30-point mark for the next couple of years, there’s some room for that price tag to go up a bit more. Otherwise, he should settle in closer to the $1.25MM mark.
The Rangers compensated the Coyotes for taking on Nemeth’s deal, one that looked puzzling when it was signed a year ago. He’s a serviceable player on the third pairing but is making roughly twice what someone should in that role. At this point, he could be a PTO candidate in 2024 unless he establishes himself as a regular in their lineup. Brown is a blueliner that’s on the fringes of being a regular and unless he can become one, this is about as high of a contract as he can realistically expect to get.
Signed Through 2024-25
D Jakob Chychrun ($4.6MM, UFA)
D Dysin Mayo ($950K, UFA)
G Karel Vejmelka ($2.75MM, UFA)
Chychrun has only been featured in trade speculation for about a year and a half now. Not because he’s a bad player but because he’s an impact defenseman whom the Coyotes can command a high asking price for. If he can get to a contending team and play a big role there, he should easily pass the $6.5MM mark on his next deal. If his production gets near his 2020-21 level, then the $8MM range is where his next contract should fall. Mayo had a nice rookie season that saw him log more than 20 minutes a game but it came at the age of 25 which limited his leverage. This deal gives him a bit of security but carries very little risk for the Coyotes as even if he slips to being a seventh defender, it’s still not a bad contract for them. And if he stays in that top-four role, it becomes an extremely team-friendly deal.
Vejmelka wasn’t expected to be the starter for Arizona last season. He was in his first season in North America after playing at home in the Czech Extraliga and expectations were low. He quickly played well enough to earn a longer look and not long after that, the number one job was his. This deal was signed just before the trade deadline and it’s one that gives them at least one netminder that they’re comfortable with in the remainder of their building years while he gets a lot more money than he could have expected when he signed with them. However, he’ll be hard-pressed to put up strong numbers during that time which won’t help his marketability for potential suitors in 2025.
Injury Updates: Barabanov, Blueger, Texier
The Sharks could get some help on the wing on Tuesday as Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News reports that winger Alexander Barabanov could be activated from injured reserve for their game against the Islanders. The 28-year-old didn’t play at all in the preseason due to a lower-body injury and while they were hopeful he’d be good to go for their international games, that clearly wasn’t the case. Barabanov had 39 points in 70 games last season and head coach David Quinn acknowledged that the winger could find himself on the top line in short order. San Jose has scored just six goals in four games so far this season so any help up front will certainly be welcomed.
Other injury news from around the NHL:
- Although Penguins forward Teddy Blueger has made some gradual progress as he works his way back from an undisclosed injury, he did not accompany the team to Montreal in advance of their game on Monday, notes Seth Rorabaugh of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. The injury was originally suffered nearly three weeks ago and originally had a day-to-day designation but clearly, the recovery has been slower than anticipated. Fortunately for Pittsburgh, Blueger was cleared for contact in practice so his season debut should be coming in the near future.
- While Blue Jackets forward Alexandre Texier is playing in Switzerland this season, his year got off to a slow start when he broke his wrist in the first game of the year. However, Aaron Portzline of The Athletic notes (subscription link) that the 23-year-old was able to return to the lineup on Saturday which was slightly ahead of schedule while he scored in the shootout.