Pacific Notes: Patrick, Bischoff, Larsson, Flames
Golden Knights center Nolan Patrick remains unsigned with training camps on the horizon. This is generally the time where talks start to pick up but Patrick’s agent, Rich Evans, told David Schoen of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, that there is no update on the status of contract discussions. Patrick was acquired by Vegas in the offseason as part of a three-team deal that saw Cody Glass join Nashville. The 2017 second-overall pick returned last season after missing all of 2019-20 with a migraine disorder but struggled, notching just nine points in 52 games which certainly limits his negotiating leverage for these discussions.
More from the Pacific Division:
- Still with the Golden Knights, Schoen adds in a separate report (Twitter link) that defenseman Jake Bischoff is injured and isn’t expected to participate in training camp. The 27-year-old played in just seven games last season, all with AHL Chicago but also spent more than a month on the taxi squad with Vegas.
- As part of their attempts to re-sign him, the Oilers offered defenseman Adam Larsson a fifth year, reports Postmedia’s Jim Matheson. However, the veteran opted for a fresh start, ultimately inking a four-year, $16MM contract with the Kraken during the expansion draft negotiation window. Matheson suggests Edmonton’s offer for Larsson likely exceeded the money he received from Seattle as well.
- While many expected the Flames to shake up their core this summer, that didn’t exactly happen aside from the departure of defenseman Mark Giordano to Seattle in expansion. Sportsnet’s Eric Francis spoke with GM Brad Treliving who commented that a lack of viable options is what played a role in no big moves being made: “I know everybody screams for change, and we talked about that, but we can only do things that are available to you. I can’t click my heels and make things happen. You have to have a trade partner. Nobody is ever done in this business — you’re always looking for ways to improve. But it has got to make sense.” Calgary did make some additions to get tougher this summer, adding Blake Coleman, Nikita Zadorov, and Erik Gudbranson, giving head coach Darryl Sutter a grittier roster to work with.
Golden Knights Re-Sign Dylan Coghlan
The Golden Knights have taken care of one of their remaining restricted free agents as they announced the re-signing of defenseman Dylan Coghlan to a two-year contract. The deal carries an AAV that’s just over the league minimum at $762.5K.
The 23-year-old made his NHL debut last season after spending the first two seasons of his professional career exclusively in the minors. He made frequent appearances in our Taxi Squad Shuffle posts as he was sent down on 23 separate occasions. Despite that, he still managed to get into 29 games with Vegas, recording three goals and three assists while logging a little more than 13 minutes per game. Memorably, all three of those goals came in the same contest back in March against Minnesota, making him the third blueliner in NHL history to score their first three goals in the same game.
Now waiver-eligible, it’s less likely that Coghlan will be sent down now which made it crucial for the Golden Knights to get him signed for as close to the minimum as possible. Vegas projects to be very tight to the cap this coming season when Alex Tuch comes off LTIR midseason so every dollar counts as they’ll be operating right near the Upper Limit once again. Vegas GM Kelly McCrimmon still has some work to do on the contract front as offseason acquisition Nolan Patrick remains a restricted free agent and he’ll now focus on getting the center signed before training camp gets underway next week.
Salary Cap Deep Dive: Pittsburgh Penguins
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 2021-22 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.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Current Cap Hit: $81,378,205 (under the $81.5MM Upper Limit)
Entry-Level Contracts
None projected to play a full-time role in the NHL this coming season.
One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level
F Zach Aston-Reese ($1.725MM, UFA)
F Jeff Carter ($2.636MM, UFA)*
G Casey DeSmith ($1.25MM, UFA)
D Mark Friedman ($725K, RFA)
F Danton Heinen ($1.1MM, UFA)
F Kasperi Kapanen ($3.2MM, RFA)
F Sam Lafferty ($750K, UFA)
D Kris Letang ($7.25MM, UFA)
F Evgeni Malkin ($9.5MM, UFA)
D Juuso Riikola ($1.15MM, UFA)
F Evan Rodrigues ($1MM, UFA)
D Chad Ruhwedel ($750K, UFA)
F Bryan Rust ($3.5MM, UFA)
*-Los Angeles is paying 50% of Carter’s cap hit.
Malkin had a quiet year by his standards last season as he notched 28 points in 33 games and isn’t expected to be ready to start the upcoming campaign due to knee surgery. Now 35, Malkin’s days of being an elite producer may have come to an end which means a pay cut should be on the horizon. Rust didn’t put up a point per game last season but still produced at a top-line level. Showing that over a full season would have him very well-positioned for a sizable raise on his next deal. Kapanen’s second go-round in Pittsburgh was better than his first as he established himself as a strong second-liner. He’ll be a year away from UFA eligibility at the end of this contract so a long-term, pricier contract is heading his way. If not, he’d be wise to just file for arbitration and head to the open market in 2023.
Carter made an immediate impact after coming over from Los Angeles, notching 13 goals in 20 games (regular season and playoffs combined). If he even comes close to that pace this coming season, they’ll get good value on the contract and Carter, who seemed to be a candidate to retire when this deal was up, could wind up sticking around the league a little longer. Aston-Reese couldn’t work out a long-term contract (the cap situation played a role in that) which sends him to the open market next summer. The market for bottom-six players improved considerably this offseason which bodes quite well for his future earnings. Heinen was non-tendered by Anaheim following a tough run with them and lands in a favorable situation where he’ll be in a better offensive environment to try to rebuild his value. He can be controlled through a qualifying offer although salary arbitration could be a factor. Rodrigues was a serviceable role player and got a small raise this summer but unless his offensive numbers take a step forward, he won’t get much of one next year. Lafferty brings grit but not a lot of production which will keep his price tag close to the minimum moving forward.
While Malkin is probably heading for a smaller salary, the same can’t necessarily be said for Letang, another long-time core piece that’s set to hit the open market. The top-end production is still there as he very quietly finished tied for third in the league for points by a defenseman last season. With the way the cost for top-pairing blueliners has gone up, Letang could have a decent case for a small raise. If he’s willing to take a discount to stay in Pittsburgh – a reasonable possibility – the discount may simply be signing for something close to what he’s making now. He’ll be subject to 35-plus provisions (unless a multi-year deal has equal compensation throughout) on his next contract but Letang still should still land a multi-year commitment. Ruhwedel and Friedman are depth defenders whose biggest value comes from their low cap hits and those will need to be low-cost slots beyond this season.
DeSmith returned to the NHL last season after being the third-stringer in 2019-20 and the results were mixed as Pittsburgh’s goaltending ran hot and cold at times but overall, he provided slightly above average numbers at a price tag well below many recent backup signings. A repeat showing could put him in a spot to double his current AAV next summer.
Two Years Remaining
F Teddy Blueger ($2.2MM, UFA)
D Brian Dumoulin ($4.1MM, UFA)
G Tristan Jarry ($3.5MM, UFA)
F Radim Zohorna ($750K, UFA)
F Jason Zucker ($5.5MM, UFA)
At the time that Pittsburgh acquired Zucker, his contract looked more than reasonable. He was a quality top-six winger with the expectation that joining the Penguins would help improve his production. That hasn’t happened and he wound up being unclaimed in expansion. All of a sudden, his deal is an overpayment relative to the production he has provided which won’t help his market value two years from now. Blueger has become an important bottom-six piece and should have an opportunity to play a bit of a bigger role this season. Even capable bottom-six centers can land notable contracts so he should be looking at a raise in 2023. Zohorna held his own in his NHL debut last season but is waiver-exempt for one more year. He’s likely to be shuffled back and forth as a result to save some money on the cap.
Dumoulin doesn’t generate a lot of buzz around the league but he has been a key cog on their back end for several years. His limited offensive production won’t help his chances of landing top dollar in free agency but as a reliable defensive defender that can log top-pairing minutes, he’s still looking at a fairly hefty raise on his next deal.
Jarry’s first season as the undisputed number one goalie didn’t exactly go as planned. He struggled with consistency throughout the year with a propensity for allowing untimely weak goals. Even so, he’s still only making what a top backup does so while he was overpaid for what he did last season, it wasn’t by as much as it might seem. Needless to say, he’ll have to be a lot better to get a contract for number one money two years from now.
Three Years Remaining
F Jake Guentzel ($6MM, UFA)
Guentzel was once again slightly above the point per game mark last season and has basically been a point per game player over the last three seasons. Not many can say that and even fewer have an AAV that is closer to a second-liner than a top-line forward. He’s still young enough to land close to a max-term contract in his next negotiation and it could be a pricey one if this keeps up.
Ryan Donato Signs With Seattle
Sep 13: The Kraken have officially announced the contract, confirming the $750K salary. GM Ron Francis released a short statement on Donato:
Ryan’s hockey sense and ability to contribute on the scoresheet are two ingredients we are excited to add to our forward group. We like his offensive potential and believe he can add scoring depth.
Sep 12: Seattle has added to their forward depth heading into their inaugural training camp as CapFriendly reports (Twitter link) that they’ve inked forward Ryan Donato to a one-year deal. The one-way contract pays the league minimum salary of $750K.
The 25-year-old is coming off a disappointing season with San Jose. He managed just six goals along with 14 assists in 50 games with the Sharks while rarely being able to make it into the top six. That led them to not tender a $2.15MM qualifying offer earlier this summer, making him an unrestricted free agent.
Considering that Donato has shown the ability to be a serviceable depth scorer in the past, this is a nice low-risk move for the Kraken. He’ll give them some extra depth on the wing and actually becomes one of their younger players. With a decent showing this season, he could also be controlled through restricted free agency although he’ll once again have salary arbitration rights.
Seattle GM Ron Francis has been active in adding forwards through free agency this summer. Donato becomes the fifth NHL roster forward to join the Kraken via the open market, joining Jaden Schwartz, Alexander Wennberg, Marcus Johansson, and Riley Sheahan. With nearly $7MM in cap space per CapFriendly, they have the cap room to continue to add although roster spots will be hard to come by given their depth, particularly on the back end.
Five Key Stories: 9/6/21 – 9/12/21
There weren’t anywhere near as many big stories as there were a week ago around the NHL but there were still some notable ones which are highlighted in our top stories of the week.
Dorion Extension: While Senators GM hasn’t been able to work out a new contract yet for top RFA winger Brady Tkachuk, he did get one contract done this past week – his own. Set to enter the final year of his deal, Dorion and the Sens agreed on a three-year contract extension with a club option for 2025-26. (Those options aren’t legal in player contracts but are still allowable for non-playing personnel.) Dorion has been with Ottawa since 2007 when he joined them as their Director of Amateur Scouting, eventually moving up the ranks before becoming GM for the 2016-17 season.
Mikheyev Requests Trade: Maple Leafs winger Ilya Mikheyev reportedly requested a trade earlier this offseason although the team clearly hasn’t granted that request. The 26-year-old has spent his two NHL seasons in Toronto but is coming off somewhat of a disappointing year that saw him post just seven goals and ten assists in 54 games. Mikheyev is entering the final year of his contract and has a $1.645MM AAV. Considering he’s likely to play either on their second or third line, the Maple Leafs would be hard-pressed to find a suitable replacement at that price tag which likely has played a role in them not moving him elsewhere yet.
Surgery For Crosby: The Penguins likely won’t have their captain available for the start of the regular season as Sidney Crosby underwent wrist surgery. The expected recovery timeline is six weeks which would run through to the third week of October where Pittsburgh would have played a handful of games on their regular season schedule. GM Ron Hextall indicated that Crosby has played through the injury for several seasons now and that after trying less invasive options, they opted to have the surgery done. Crosby is entering his 17th NHL season and has averaged more than a point per game in every one of them, even with the recent wrist issues.
Calgary Adds Defensive Depth: There is typically one common element on teams coached by Darryl Sutter – grit. The Flames have already added plenty of it this offseason and added even more with the signing of veteran Erik Gudbranson to a one-year, $1.95MM contract. The 29-year-old split last season between the Senators and Predators, who added him at the trade deadline. Gudbranson, whose AAV was cut by just over half of his previous deal, had four points in 41 games along with 64 blocks and 111 hits and should be on the third pairing in Calgary. The Flames also brought back Michael Stone on a one-year, one-way contract for the league minimum.
Backes Signs And Retires: Veteran winger David Backes received one final contract as he inked a one-day deal with the Blues and immediately announced his retirement. The 37-year-old played in 965 career NHL contests, 727 with St. Louis before stints in Boston and Anaheim. In his prime, he was one of the more productive power forwards in the game, recording six seasons of more than 20 goals and 200 hits while finishing in the top five in Selke Trophy voting from 2011-12 through 2014-15. Overall, his career comes to an end with 561 points along with over 2,600 hits and 1,148 penalty minutes.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Salary Cap Deep Dive: San Jose Sharks
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 2021-22 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.
San Jose Sharks
Current Cap Hit: $78,138,334 (under the $81.5MM Upper Limit)
Entry-Level Contracts
D Mario Ferraro ($925K in 2021-22)
D Nikolai Knyzhov ($797K in 2021-22)
F John Leonard ($925K in 2021-22)
Leonard managed to hold down a regular spot in the lineup in his rookie season, albeit in a limited role. Barring a jump forward offensively, he’s unlikely to land much more than his current price tag on his second contract which would almost certainly be a short-term one.
Ferraro’s sophomore season didn’t see him upping his production all that much but his role certainly changed. Instead of being on the third pairing in sheltered minutes, the 22-year-old was a regular on the top pairing, playing in all situations. There’s little reason to think that will change this coming season and while limited production will limit his earnings upside, Ferraro could triple his current AAV on a bridge deal. Knyzhov had the role that Ferraro had in his rookie season, seeing some sheltered minutes on the third pairing but played in every game. Even if he stays in that role in 2021-22, he’ll be able to pass the $1MM mark on his second contract.
One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level
F Alexander Barabanov ($1MM, UFA)
F Andrew Cogliano ($1MM, UFA)
F Jonathan Dahlen ($750K, RFA)
D Dylan Gambrell ($1.1MM, RFA)
F Tomas Hertl ($5.625MM, UFA)
D Nicolas Meloche ($750K, RFA)
F Nick Merkley ($750K, RFA)
Hertl’s name has been in trade speculation over the last couple of weeks following some comments earlier this month that suggested he may not be with the Sharks beyond the upcoming season. He has become their top-producing center, successfully making the transition from playing the wing at the start of his career. In doing so, his market value has increased considerably. While he may not be able to market himself as a true number one center, quality middlemen are always in high demand and low supply on the open market. Accordingly, a $2MM jump in AAV seems realistic and if it’s not coming from the Sharks, will whoever acquires him closer to the trade deadline hand him an extension as part of the swap?
Gambrell had a big jump in playing time last season but the production was still middling. He’s serviceable in a limited role and can kill penalties but that’s not a spot where they can afford to pay much more than what they’re currently paying and his arbitration eligibility could work against him. Cogliano is a capable placeholding veteran that could be a trade candidate if they’re out of contention at the trade deadline. He’ll be subject to the 35-plus designation next year so he’ll probably be going year-to-year from here on out. Barabanov did well in a very limited stretch after coming over from Toronto and should get a shot at a bigger role. A good showing could have him in line for a considerable raise but if that doesn’t happen, he’ll be a candidate to go back to the KHL. Dahlen managed to land a one-way deal which is impressive for someone who played in Sweden’s second division last season. He’ll get a shot at earning a regular spot in camp and if that doesn’t happen, his time in North America could be short-lived. Merkley came over in an offseason trade from New Jersey and will push for a spot on the fourth line; that roster spot will likely continue to be filled by someone making the minimum or close to it moving forward.
Meloche split last season between the Sharks and the taxi squad and at this point, they’re likely to carry a seventh defender that can clear waivers and go back and forth when needed. He’ll battle Jacob Middleton ($725K) for that role unless someone else is brought in between now and then.
Two Years Remaining
F Rudolfs Balcers ($1.55MM, RFA)
F Nick Bonino ($2.05MM, UFA)
D Adin Hill ($2.175MM, UFA)
F Timo Meier ($6MM, RFA)
F Matt Nieto ($850K, UFA)
F Lane Pederson ($750K, RFA)
G James Reimer ($2.25MM, UFA)
Meier hasn’t been able to get back to the per-game production he had before signing this contract, one that carries the poison pill of a $10MM qualifying offer at its expiry. It’d be hard to justify paying him that much while that qualifier also hurts his trade value unless an early extension can be worked out in 2022-23. Bonino came over in free agency, signing a deal that was below our projection for him. As far as third centers go, he’s a decent one on a below-market contract. Balcers has been one of the better recent waiver claims around the league and is in a spot where he can play a regular middle-six role. As long as he stays there, they’ll get a good return on this deal. Nieto and Pederson will be cheap depth players and will be retained around that price point or replaced by someone else making that money.
Hill hasn’t had much of an NHL opportunity but he’ll get one now as he goes from being Arizona’s backup to the starter with the Sharks. We’ve seen the type of money even top backups get let alone starters; both are price points well beyond what he’s making now so the opportunity for a big jump in salary will soon be there. Reimer returns for his second stint with the Sharks and after effectively being relegated to third-string duty in Carolina by the end of the year, he still landed a decent contract. He’ll be 35 for next trip to free agency and likely will have to go year-to-year at that point.
Three Years Remaining
F Kevin Labanc ($4.725MM, UFA)
D Radim Simek ($2.25MM, UFA)
Labanc’s contract was a pricey one for the year he was coming off of but it was also a reward for taking a very team-friendly deal the year before. Unfortunately for him and the Sharks, last season wasn’t much of an improvement. If he gets even close to his 2018-19 numbers, they will get a reasonable return on his deal but right now, this one is a bit of an overpayment.
Simek’s deal also falls under that category. He was their sixth defender some nights and that type of term and money for someone in that role is not good value.
Snapshots: Hertl, Penguins, Forsberg
Tomas Hertl’s comments earlier this month which expressed some uncertainty about his long-term future with the team have thrust him into trade speculation. For the time being, it seems likely he’ll start the season and he and the Sharks will re-assess things from there. However, if San Jose opted to trade him, Kevin Kurz of The Athletic examined (subscription link) what the framework of a potential deal might look like. He suggests that San Jose’s preference likely wouldn’t just be draft picks but that adding a top prospect that’s a little closer to being NHL-ready – one that fits the timeline of their recent top selections – would likely be a goal for GM Doug Wilson. Hertl carries a $5.625MM AAV for this coming season and stands to earn considerably more on his next contract and if they opt to set that high of a price point whenever the decision is made to move on, an extension may need to be part of the trade in order to justify the higher acquisition cost for the other team.
More from around the NHL:
- While the Penguins haven’t had much playoff success as of late, team president Brian Burke told Sportsnet’s Eric Francis that he doesn’t feel the time is right to rebuild yet. Pittsburgh wasn’t able to add much to their roster this summer – Brock McGinn was their biggest acquisition – but he feels the core is still good enough to contend. With both Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang set to become unrestricted free agents next summer, that will be the key time for a decision to be made on whether this core can still contend or it’s time to change things up.
- Matt Porter of The Boston Globe posits that the Predators should consider trading winger Filip Forsberg. The 27-year-old is entering the final year of his contract and with Nashville heading into what appears to be some form of a rebuild, extending him would go against that direction and take away some potential assets to add to their future core. Forsberg carries a $6MM AAV without any form of trade protection which would give the Preds some extra flexibility to find him a new home if they decide to go that route at some point during the season.
Rangers Begin Extension Talks With Mika Zibanejad
The Rangers have started discussions on a contract extension with center Mika Zibanejad with a mutual objective of getting an agreement in place, reports Larry Brooks of the New York Post (subscription link). The 28-year-old has played on what has become a very team-friendly deal for New York over the past four seasons and that contract, which carries a $5.35MM AAV, is now in its final year, setting him up to hit unrestricted free agency next summer.
Zibanejad has seen his offensive production increase sharply over the past three seasons. He notched 74 points in 82 games in 2018-19, then managed to beat that total by one in 25 fewer games in 2019-20. While his output dipped last season, he still managed to put up 50 points in 56 contests. While it took him a while to get there, Zibanejad has produced like a legitimate number one center over the past three years.
Accordingly, Brooks pegs his asking price of being upwards of $10MM per season on a long-term pact of either seven or eight years. Interestingly enough, that price tag is what Buffalo’s Jack Eichel costs and New York has been linked to him in trade speculation all summer long and adding his contract would all but eliminate the possibility of being able to afford an extension for Zibanejad.
One comparable that GM Chris Drury will likely want to point to is Philadelphia’s Sean Couturier, who inked an eight-year extension with a $7.75MM AAV earlier this summer. He also recently had a two-year spike in offensive production before settling down a bit last season. Something at or slightly above that price point is where they’d likely want to go.
While the idea of signing Zibanejad to a max-term contract may not necessarily be desirable as he’ll be 37 at the end of such a deal, if the inclusion of that extra season helps bring the cap hit down, it may be worth doing. Right now, cap space isn’t an issue but that will change fairly quickly.
Next summer, they have nearly $53MM in commitments to 14 players, per CapFriendly, but that amount would dwindle quickly with a deal for Zibanejad and defenseman Adam Fox who is undoubtedly heading for a substantial raise of his own. Youngsters Kaapo Kakko and Vitali Kravtsov will also be restricted free agents of their own while a year later, 2020 top pick Alexis Lafreniere will need a new deal as well. As their cheap entry-level contracts expire, the price tag of this roster will go up quite quickly.
Even with those extensions, there is still room for one pricey middleman. If they eventually wind up with Eichel, it won’t be Zibanejad sticking around barring one of their other high-paid players being moved elsewhere. But if those talks continue to prove unfruitful, a long-term agreement with Zibanejad – who has made it clear that he wants to stay with the Rangers – may very well be the next best thing. Brooks adds that talks have been productive so far so that process at least appears to be off to a decent start.
Oilers Re-Sign Cooper Marody
The Oilers have taken care of one of their remaining restricted free agents, announcing the re-signing of winger Cooper Marody to a one-year, two-way contract. The deal pays the league minimum of $750K at the NHL level, meaning he accepted less than what his qualifying offer was for. 630 CHED’s Bob Stauffer reports (Twitter link) the AHL portion of the contract is worth $150K. Marody was eligible for salary arbitration earlier this summer but opted not to file.
The 24-year-old tied for the team lead in scoring last season with AHL Bakersfield, recording 21 goals and 15 assists in 39 games. Over parts of four seasons, Marody has produced at close to a point per game clip, recording 120 points in 130 contests. Despite that, his NHL opportunities have been limited to just six games with Edmonton back in the 2018-19 season.
Marody will be waiver-eligible for the first time in training camp and that type of production at the minor league level could get him on the radar of teams if he was to be placed on the wire to send back to Bakersfield. Before it comes to that, however, he’ll have a chance to battle for an end-of-roster spot with the Oilers in training camp.
Edmonton GM Ken Holland still has some work to do on the RFA front as winger Kailer Yamamoto remains unsigned with the start of camps less than two weeks away. With limited cap space, the expectation is that he will ultimately have to take a short-term contract in order to keep the cap hit down.
Atlantic Notes: Toronto’s Core, Ryfors, Denisenko
While the Maple Leafs opted to keep their core intact this summer, GM Kyle Dubas acknowledged on a recent edition of the Bob McCown Podcast (audio link) that he did give some consideration to shaking things up but that none of the moves would have made them tangibly better, only different. Instead, he opted to change up some of the depth players instead while bringing in a handful of wingers to battle for Zach Hyman’s spot in the top six while believing that Toronto will be able to get over the playoff hump following another early elimination last season. There will be more decisions to be made next summer when it comes to their core with defenseman Morgan Rielly and goalie Jack Campbell slated to become unrestricted free agents and not a lot of cap flexibility to work with at that time.
Elsewhere in the Atlantic:
- Still with the Maple Leafs, Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun suggests that Toronto may look to bring someone in on a PTO in the coming days. With most of their roster spots spoken for and a need to carry a group that’s below the maximum roster size, there don’t appear to be a lot of spots for someone on a PTO to fill but more depth for training camp battles rarely is a bad thing. The Leafs already have one tryout deal on the books in winger Joshua Ho-Sang but that is most likely for a spot with their AHL squad.
- Tampa Bay’s signing of Simon Ryfors back in May largely went under the radar but Joe Smith of The Athletic notes (subscription link) that a total of five teams offered the undrafted forward an entry-level contract for 2021-22. The 24-year-old ultimately chose to sign with the Lightning and with the departures they had up front this summer, Ryfors could have a chance to break camp with the big club or be one of the first recalls from AHL Syracuse. He had 25 goals and 20 assists in 51 games last season with Rogle of the SHL.
- George Richards of Florida Hockey Now pegs winger Grigori Denisenko as a likely candidate from development camp to make a push for a full-time role with the Panthers this season. The 21-year-old, a 2018 first-rounder, got into seven games with Florida in 2020-21 but wouldn’t be a good fit in a depth role as he’s waiver-exempt and more of an offensive-minded player. But if he can show that he’s ready for a spot on the top three lines, he’d likely leapfrog many of the depth additions that Florida brought in this summer.