Evening Notes: Swayman, Dubois, Flames
The Boston Bruins could opt for a short-term, bridge deal with starting goaltender Jeremy Swayman, as contract talks drag into Labor Day weekend, shares Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe. Dupont mentioned that the $7.74MM cap hit on Juuse Saros’ recent eight-year extension could be a guiding light for the Bruins and Swayman, though there’s no definitive way to know what’s inspiring negotiations. A short-term deal would certainly be easier to price out, and give Boston the comfort of not committing much to a goaltender who hasn’t yet played a 50-game season.
But Swayman has commanded a lot of respect through just three full NHL seasons. He’s posted a .919 save percentage in 132 career games and has already won the William Jennings Trophy and earned top-10 Vezina Trophy consideration – all before his 26th birthday in November. That impressive precedent, Linus Ullmark’s move to Ottawa, and some well-timed studying of the CBA has Swayman inevitably positioned for a hefty contract. Boston could cut into the total salary with a short-term deal, but they’d run the risk of walking the still-young Swayman into long-term negotiations after the likes of Igor Shesterkin and Jake Oettinger set the bar for elite-goalie salaries. The Bruins currently have $8.64MM in available cap space, with no remaining free agents besides Swayman.
Other notes from around the league:
- The Washington Capitals are preparing for summer acquisition Pierre-Luc Dubois to play alongside hard-nosed winger Tom Wilson, head coach Spencer Carbery shared with NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti. Carbery added, “I think those two guys playing together – big bodies, guys that can hold onto the puck – could be a good duo.” That assignment likely means that Dubois is headed for Washington’s top line, one season after his top-line opportunity with the Los Angeles Kings turned into muddling third-line minutes and broken relationships. Dubois scored just 40 points last season, 20 fewer than his totals in the two prior years. Playing with Wilson should give Dubois the space to rediscover that scoring this season, though Washington will have to be careful with their usage – as the two players have combined for 562 penalty minutes over the last three seasons (Dubois – 253; Wilson – 309).
- The Calgary Flames are still open for business on the trade market, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period shared during an appearance on NHL Tonight. Pagnotta went on to mention a string of players that may be on the trade block, including lineup pillars Nazem Kadri and Rasmus Andersson, indicating that the Flames could be heading for a more true-to-form rebuild, as they look to build around top youngsters like Dustin Wolf, Zayne Parekh, and Samuel Honzek.
Jesper Fast To Miss 2024-25 Season After Neck Surgery
The Carolina Hurricanes have announced that forward Jesper Fast will miss the entirety of the 2024-25 season after undergoing neck surgery. Fast suffered the injury in Carolina’s final game of the regular season, and missed out on the entirety of the postseason as a result. The injury capped off his season at 19 points in 73 games – the lowest that Fast has scored in a full season since his rookie year in 2014-15.
Fast will now miss a full year after a career of consistency. He’s never missed more than 16 games in a season since becoming a full-time pro, playing in 634 of a possible 712 games since the 2015-16 season. His career kicked off with the New York Rangers, who selected him in the sixth round of the 2010 NHL Draft. Fast moved to the AHL full-time three seasons later, quickly working his way into the NHL with reliable two-way play on the wings. That style hasn’t elicited much scoring, with Fast boasting a career-high of just 33 points, but it’s been enough to earn him a concrete NHL role, and even Selke Trophy votes in the 2015-16 and 2021-22 campaigns.
Fast brought those talents to Carolina with a free-agent contract in 2021 – moving on from a seven-year tenure with the New York Rangers. He’s since become a glue piece in Carolina’s bottom six, serving as an energy piece around budding roster pieces like Jack Drury and Jesperi Kotkaniemi. That would have been the role awaiting him again next season, but Carolina will now have to pivot – and maybe even turn toward top prospects to pick up the slack. The Hurricanes have Bradly Nadeau, Jackson Blake, and Gleb Trikozov all signed to entry-level contracts. Each of the quartet holds a claim to the NHL lineup, but will have to fend off the pressure of veteran fourth-liners Eric Robinson and Tyson Jost and other quick-rising prospects like Felix Unger Sorum and Justin Robidas.
Predators’ Decision To Extend Juuse Saros Was An Easy One
The Nashville Predators were doomed for a goalie logjam the moment they selected Yaroslav Askarov in the first round of the 2020 NHL Draft. That’s since come to fruition, with Askarov outgrowing his box and demanding a trade to the San Jose Sharks, following Nashville’s long-term signing of starter Juuse Saros. Predators general manager Barry Trotz spoke intimately about the situation with The Athletic’s Michael Russo – sharing that, at the end of the day, Nashville couldn’t deny Saros’ winning precedent. Trotz said, “We went on a really incredible [16-0-2 run in March] and all of a sudden, everything came together and we were a good team… I saw that our older players — Saros, the Josis, Forsbergs and everybody — that they got themselves to a really high level. And I said, ‘If we’re going to have a little bit of a window, elite goalies don’t grow on trees.'”
That was the mindset that drove Nashville to sign Saros the day he became eligible for an extension. Trotz said that it was an easy decision for both sides, adding that Saros had always wanted to be a Predator, and carries the exact mindset the organization looks for. The two sides landed on an eight-year, $61.9MM extension with an annual cap hit of $7.74MM, a nod to Saros’ jersey number.
On the surface, it’s hard to say Nashville made the wrong choice. Saros has emerged as a premier NHL starter after honing his skills through four seasons as the backup to franchise legend Pekka Rinne. The gradual climb paid off when Saros took on the starting role in the 2020-21 season and posted a .927 save percentage in 36 games – good for fourth-highest in the league. He’s stayed at that level ever since, appearing in a league-high 64 games this past season and maintaining a .906 save percentage. That statline brings Saros’ totals since 2020 up to 231 appearances and a cumulative .916 save percentage – good for second and seventh in the league respectively.
But while Saros has settled into Nashville’s starting role, Askarov has emerged as potentially the best goalie prospect in the league. That’s certainly the torch he was handed when Nashville selected him 11th-overall, making him the highest-drafted goalie since Jack Campbell in 2010, and Jonathan Bernier in 2007 before him. Askarov earned that acclaim with a dazzling start to his pro career, posting a .920 save percentage in 18 VHL games during his draft season. He carried that strong play through the next two seasons, but opted to move to America in 2022-23 after struggling to earn a spot on the KHL roster. He immediately earned the AHL starting role and posted a .911 through 48 games as a rookie – stout numbers for a goaltender adjusting to a smaller rink. Askarov matched that save percentage in 44 games this past season, and even managed 64 saves on 70 shots (a .914 save percentage) through his first three NHL games.
Trotz acknowledged that Askarov has developed into a special talent, telling Russo, “Asky is going to be an excellent goaltender because he’s got unbelievable athletic skills and he’s got a very confident personality — all that.” He continued by acknowledging the steep mental fortitude needed to succeed at the NHL level, stating that Askarov – still just 22 years old – isn’t there just yet. Trotz cited his partnership with goalie coach Mitch Korn – formed over their 15 years coaching together in Nashville – as a key piece of his decision-making. Korn was reportedly prepared to work intimately with Askarov this season, should he have made the NHL out of camp, with an emphasis on building him into a starting goalie.
But the star Russian instead opted to find opportunity where it lay, and is now a favorite to take the reins of a Sharks team that bombarded their goaltenders last season. And as difficult of a decision as it was to let Askarov go, Trotz isn’t worried about Nashville’s long-term success. He shared that expectations are high after the additions of Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei this summer – but refrained from jinxing the team too much, adding, “It’s fantasy hockey until we become a good team… right now we’re just excited that Saros will be here for a long time to come.”
The Predators will move forward with Saros maintaining his lion’s share of the team’s starts, while Scott Wedgewood, Magnus Chrona, and Matthew Murray all compete in a now-open competition to be the team’s backup.
Prospect Notes: Skinner, Morello, Armstrong
Former pro Brett Skinner has stepped into the role of general manager for the USHL’s Fargo Force, succeeding Cary Eades, who has held the position since 2015. Eades will stay as Fargo’s assistant general manager, while Skinner will continue his duties as Fargo’s head coach.
Eades has a storied career through USA Hockey, serving in various coaching and managerial roles across Minnesota high school, college, and the USHL. He’s spent 15 years with the University of North Dakota, 11 years at Warroad High School, and now nine years with Fargo. He’ll pass the torch to Skinner, who’s found his groove as a coach after a pro career that took him through 12 different pro leagues and spanned 410 career AHL games and one Calder Cup Championship. His championship tendencies followed into his coaching career, with Skinner winning the 2018 USHL championship as an assistant coach with Sioux Falls, then winning the 2023 NAHL championship and 2024 USHL championship as a head coach. He’s proven successful thus far and will now take on even more responsibilities for a Fargo team coming off a 50-10-2 performance last season.
Other notes from around the prospect world:
- Boston Bruins prospect Jonathan Morello has de-committed from Clarkson University just ahead of the start of the school year and will instead join the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints for the 2024-25 season, the team’s training camp roster confirms. Morello spent the last two seasons with the St. Michael’s Buzzers of the OJHL, posting 97 points in 101 games. That was enough to earn him the 154th-overall selection in the 2024 Draft – and Morello will now look to climb the ranks of Boston’s depth chart with a step up in the juniors hockey world.
- The Nashville Predators have signed left-winger Easton Armstrong to an amateur try-out and included him on their rookie showcase roster. Armstrong is one of six right-handed wingers on the roster. He’s coming off a long career in the WHL, spanning five seasons and 210 games. He scored 60 goals and 99 points across those appearances, finding a promising edge as a power forward thanks to his six-foot-three, 205-pound frame. Armstrong is an unrestricted free agent after going undrafted through the 2022, 2023, and 2024 draft classes.
Leafs’ Nicholas Robertson Still Hoping To Be Moved
Toronto Maple Leafs winger Nicholas Robertson is still pushing for a move before the season starts, even despite the chance at a growing role in the lineup, The Athletic’s Chris Johnston shared on the latest ‘First Up’ podcast with Aaron Korolnek and Carlo Colaiacovo. Robertson has been in trade talks since early February, though it doesn’t seem any discussions have made it far down the line.
Robertson will be entering his fifth professional season in the upcoming year; impressive experience for someone still a few weeks away from age 23. He’s garnered 87 games of NHL experience in that span – and while his performances haven’t been very inspiring, his 14 goals and 27 points in 56 games last season suggested Robertson’s goal-scoring days weren’t all behind him.
His junior career – three years with the Peterborough Petes from 2017 to 2020 – was defined by a dazzling shooting ability. Robertson posted 27 goals and 55 points in 54 games during his draft year, good enough to land 53rd overall in the 2019 NHL Draft, even amid concerns about his skating and drive. Robertson quieted critics quickly with an outstanding 55 goals and 86 points in just 46 games in the following season. He’s shown flashes of that scoring ability at the top level, most notably scoring 16 goals and 28 points in 28 games during the 2021-22 AHL season, but the production has been far from consistent.
Part of that can be chalked up to Robertson’s minimal role in the lineup. The 2023-24 campaign was the first time that Robertson averaged over 11 minutes of ice time and the first time that he managed a point on special teams. The Leafs have had the privilege of icing wingers like Michael Bunting and Matthew Knies ahead of Robertson but still haven’t provided their young prospect any favors in his competition for bottom-six minutes. That could be attributed to former head coach Sheldon Keefe, who moved on to the New Jersey Devils. His successor, Craig Berube, could prove a more supportive option after leading the initial success of shoot-first winger Jake Neighbours‘ last season – but only if Robertson can hold his own.
Should he return to Toronto, Robertson will step back into competition with players like Knies, Max Domi, and Pontus Holmberg for space on the team’s left wing. That position battle could lead to promising minutes next to Auston Matthews or John Tavares, though Domi and Knies had the advantage of building chemistry with their centers last season. Should Robertson instead be on the move, he’ll be one of the trade market’s only active names entering September and could offer tantalizing upside for teams unhappy with their scoring depth.
17 goals and 34 points in 87 career games should be enough to sway interested teams, especially with the Leafs not in a position to ask for much for a former second-rounder who’s yet to pay off. With Patrik Laine recently traded, it seems Robertson will become the market’s next shoot-first winger looking for greener pastures.
Evening Notes: Jagr, Baertschi, Necas
Hockey legend Jaromir Jagr has hit a lull in his off-season prep, announcing in an Instagram post that he’s suffered a torn hamstring. He’ll now be out for three-to-six weeks, adding that the injury was likely a result of overtraining, which team physio Pavel Kolar warned him against. In a quote translated from Czech by Derek O’Brien of The Hockey News, Jagr said, “When I talked to the physiotherapist Pavel Kolář about the fact that I would like to properly train, he warned me not to do anything that my body is not used to. Of course, I didn’t listen to him… I went for a run. Not the sprints I used to do uphill, but normally straight. But I put weights on my ankles and tore my hamstring.”
Jagr, a partial owner of Kladno, will now miss the team’s remaining four pre-season games and could be out for the start of the Czech Extraliga season on Sep. 18. Kladno has a game roughly every other day from there on out, eating into Jagr’s goal to play in every Extraliga game this season. The inevitable Hall-of-Fame winger has stayed productive into his 50s, scoring 18 points across his last 31 Extraliga games, dating back to 2022. He’s never shown any reason for doubt, and even through a hamstring injury, he hopes to continue a productive playing career in Kladno as soon as possible.
Other quick notes from around the NHL:
- Former Vancouver Canucks winger Sven Baertschi has joined the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks as an assistant coach, shares Ryan Pike of Flames Nation. Baertschi spent two years with the Winterhawks in 2010 and 2011, ultimately scoring a dazzling 240 points in 156 games with the club. That was enough to motivate the Calgary Flames to select Baertschi with the 13th overall selection in the 2011 NHL Draft, though he never managed to live up to that precedent. His career year came with Vancouver in 2016-17, when he posted 18 goals and 35 points in 68 games. Baertschi finished his NHL career with 138 points in 292 games, playing in parts of 10 seasons. That’s a hockey career to be proud of – meager scoring or not – and Baertschi will now look to carry his experience back to the juniors team that helmed his early career.
- Plenty of teams expressed interest in former top trade piece and recent Hurricanes re-signee Martin Necas, shares Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman in the latest written 32 Thoughts. Among the interested parties were the Winnipeg Jets and Columbus Blue Jackets, though Necas was ultimately swayed to stay in Carolina thanks to the support of his teammates off the ice. Necas will now look to make the most of his two-year contract after posting 71 and 53 points in the last two seasons, respectively. That’s strong production, and Necas should earn an impressive contract when he becomes an unrestricted free agent, pending any collapse over the next two years.
Summer Synopsis: Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars didn’t have much to worry about this summer. They went to the Western Conference Finals last season, and while they were trumped by the Oilers in six games, all signs point towards Dallas only improving more as young stars like Wyatt Johnston, Logan Stankoven, and Thomas Harley get another summer of training under their belt. That’s permitted a quiet off-season, though the Stars were still clearly intentional with every step they took – leading to notable additions through the draft, free agency, and re-signings. That should set Dallas up for yet another year of full-season success – and potentially a last hoorah, with 11 pending free agents next summer, including long-time star Jamie Benn and starting goaltender Jake Oettinger.
Draft
1-29: F Emil Hemming, TPS (Finland)
5-158: D Niilopekka Muhonen, KalPa (Finland)
7-222: F William Samuelsson, Södertälje SK (Sweden)
Dallas’ quiet summer kicked off with a quiet draft. They made just three selections, including a return to the first round after no day-one action last year. They made the most of their top pick, reeling in impressive power forward Emil Hemming. Hemming graduated to TPS’ Liiga roster this season, playing in their first 40 games and scoring the first 11 points of his professional career. He looked confident while doing so, doing well to match pro-level physicality and pace and still finding space to unleash a booming shot. A quiet World Juniors – two points in seven games – kept Hemming low on many scouting lists, but he made up for it with four goals and six points in five games at the World U-18 Challenge. He showed that his heft, positioning, and shooting were clearly above many peers, but he needs to improve his ability to create plays for himself before he’s ready for a starring role.
Still, it’s hard to doubt Hemming’s upside if the smart-drafting Stars were willing to bet on him. The same can be said for Muhonen and Samuelsson, who both sat outside the public view thanks to low-scoring U20 seasons. That meant just 11 points in 27 games for Muhonen, though his daunting 6’4″, 194-lb frame gave him physicality and reach that was hard to beat. He’s smart on loose pucks and knows how to spark a breakout, though Muhonen will need to continue getting faster if he wants to match pro pace. Samuelsson was a bit more productive as his team’s top center, netting 44 points in 50 games while showing proficiency in every role. He’s well-built and not scared of physical play but is subject to getting a bit sucked into play. That holdup, and a lack of any breathtaking traits, pushed Samuelsson into the draft’s final few picks – but his hockey IQ and two-way ability will keep him a name to watch in Dallas’ system.
UFA Signings
F Cameron Hughes (one year, $775K)*
F Kole Lind (one year, $775K)*
F Matt Duchene (one year, $3MM)
F Sam Steel (one year, $1.2MM)
F Colin Blackwell (one year, $775K)
D Brendan Smith (one year, $1MM)
D Ilya Lyubushkin (three years, $9.75MM)
D Kyle Capobianco (two year, $1.6MM)*
D Nils Lundkvist (one year, $1.2MM)
D Alexander Petrovic (two years, $775K)*
D Matt Dumba (two years, $7.5MM)
G Casey DeSmith (three years, $3MM)
G Magnus Hellberg (one year, $775K)*
* denotes two-way contract
Dallas was plenty busy during free agency, though their string of moves didn’t culminate in too much of an NHL impact. The re-signing of Matt Duchene headlines
their moves, giving Dallas another year of their second-line center at a major discount. Duchene scored 25 goals and 65 points in 80 games last season but will now spend his age-34 season on the cheapest salary since his entry-level contract ended in 2012. That’s likely a show of Duchene’s confidence in the Stars’ lineup next season and an acknowledgment of how much he wants to play there. Duchene’s career has seen a resurgence since he returned from a 2021 injury – kicked off by a dazzling 46 goals and 86 points in 78 games with the Nashville Predators in 2021-22. He hasn’t reached that scoring since but has tallied two 20-goal seasons and continued to hold a strong second-line role. His discounted salary should lock him into that role again next year, though he’ll face more and more competition from starring youngsters like Wyatt Johnston and Mavrik Bourque.
Dallas’ other moves mostly served to overturn their blue line, bringing in players like Ilya Lyubushkin, Brendan Smith, and Matt Dumba to help replace Jani Hakanpaa and Christopher Tanev. The trio will join Nils Lundkvist, Alexander Petrovic, and Esa Lindell to help fill the numerous holes on Dallas’ blue line. The right side is entirely open, offering great opportunity for Dumba, Lundkvist, and Lyubushkin – though none of the three seem poised to match Heiskanen’s energy on the top pair. How Dallas’ newly-constructed blue-line clicks will underline what their Achilles’ heel is this season or how active they need to be on the trade market.
The remaining free agent signings will shuffle into their respective lineup roles – with DeSmith preparing for 20 to 30 games behind star starter Jake Oettinger, Sam Steel and Colin Blackwell holding up the fourth-line, and the list of two-way deals all seemingly set for the minors. Training camp can turn premature planning onto its head, though Dallas’ lineup seems fairly easy to project.
RFA Re-Signings
F Mathias Emilio Pettersen (one year, $775K)*
F Matej Blumel (one year, $775K)*
F Oskar Back (one year, $775K)*
The Stars’ management had to find a vacation somewhere, and their time off showed in their RFA signings, which stayed limited to the minor leagues. Matej Blumel stands as the most notable of the three after posting an impressive 31 goals and 62 points in 72 AHL games this season. He was the final piece of Texas’ red-hot top line, alongside AHL MVP Mavrik Bourque and NHL call-up Logan Stankoven. It was a promising follow-up to Blumel’s AHL rookie year last season when he managed 44 points in 58 games and earned the first six games of his NHL career. He isn’t often listed as one of Dallas’ top prospects, but he could be a dark horse for making the jump to the Dallas lineup if the team runs into injuries or struggles.
Emilio Pettersen is another notable re-signing after posting eight points in 12 games with the Texas Stars following a mid-season trade from the Calgary Wranglers. He continued that momentum into the postseason, netting five points in seven games and bringing his season totals up to 43 points in 73 games. That’s a promising step in Pettersen’s young career, and he’ll now be positioned to challenge Oskar Back as the Texas’ second-line center. Back managed 36 points in 59 games last season, continuing the modest AHL scoring he’s seen for the last three years. He and Pettersen face a golden opportunity to earn major minor-league ice time this season but don’t seem likely to jump off the page much more than that.
Departures
F Ty Dellandrea (traded to San Jose)
F Radek Faksa (traded to St. Louis)
F Max Ellis (unqualified, unrestricted free agent)
F Craig Smith (Chicago, one-year, $1MM)
F Fredrik Karlstrom (Islanders, one-year, $775K)*
F Scott Reedy (unrestricted free agent)
D Chris Tanev (traded to Toronto)
D Derrick Pouliot (Tampa Bay, one-year, $775K)*
D Gavin Bayreuther (signed with Lausanne, NL)
D Jani Hakanpaa (Toronto, two-years, $3MM)
G Cole Brady (unsigned, unrestricted free agent)
G Scott Wedgewood (two-years, $3MM)
Dallas traded a second-round pick and defense prospect Artem Grushnikov to the Calgary Flames for 38 games of Tanev but had to say goodbye when it became clear that the stud defensive-defenseman wouldn’t re-sign with the team. Where he’d go next became a bit of a saga, ending with Tanev’s rights being traded to Toronto for a future sixth-round pick. That kind of turnaround is never ideal, especially when the rental doesn’t end in a Stanley Cup win. But Dallas quickly reigned in control of their off-season, only parting with a handful of fringe-lineup pieces – and being the ones to make the call on trading Faksa and Dellandrea, allowing both to find better opportunities elsewhere. Their departures have opened a few menial holes in Dallas’ lineup, which could prove a good opportunity for some of Dallas’ many top prospects, though likely won’t result in much of a change to the 2024 roster. The same can be said about the string of depth defenders departing Dallas – Hakanpaa, Pouliot, and Bayreuther – who were easily replaced by new signees and top prospects. How Dallas chooses to deploy those prospects will be among the most important questions facing their next campaign, but the list of departures helps give Dallas plenty of options.
Salary Cap Outlook
The Dallas Stars have an impressive $6.244MM in open cap space entering late-August, but that number will soon be zapped up by the inevitable extension to RFA Thomas Harley. Harley is Dallas’ final RFA headed into the new season and should command nearly all of the Stars’ remaining budget. That could push Dallas into a tight cap squeeze when the season rolls around – but with full control over Harley’s negotiations, it’s unlikely that the Stars back themselves into too much of a corner.
Key Questions
Where Will the Prospects Fit In? It’s no secret that next year’s Stars lineup will prominently feature top prospects. Each of Wyatt Johnston, Logan Stankoven, and Thomas Harley should earn confident roles on Dallas’ top lines – but there’s plenty of talent pushing for top ice time behind them. Mavrik Bourque is the reigning AHL MVP after posting 26 goals and a league-leading 77 points in just 71 games. He formed an incredible tandem with Stankoven through the first half of the year and could be poised to reprise the role next season. Lian Bichsel also seems poised to push for NHL ice after serving as a top option on Rogle BK’s deep run into the SHL playoffs. Bichsel already has seven points and 16 games of AHL experience under his belt and could fast-track his climb into Dallas’ lineup with a hot return to North America. Even recent draftee Emil Hemming seems capable of making a late-season push. Hemming is expected to join the OHL’s Barrie Colts next season but isn’t limited by the NHL/CHL Agreement and could find his way into the pro heights after Barrie’s season. The trio of Bourque, Bichsel, and Hemming are just three of the numerous Stars prospects that look poised for a breakout next season, but they’ll have to break through a thick ceiling to work into a Dallas roster largely dedicated to veterans.
When Will Harley Sign? It may be a bit premature to count Harley on
the Stars roster. After all, he’s still without a contract for next season – standing as Dallas’ last remaining RFA before the new year can really begin. There’s no question that Harley deserves a new deal. He broke out in a big way last season, netting 47 points through 79 games in what was the first full NHL season of his career. He was a proud member of the Dallas top-four, averaging over 21 minutes of ice tie through the regular season and nearly 24 minutes in the playoffs. It’s clear Dallas trusts him, but to what extent will his next deal indicate this? Will Harley lock himself to Dallas with a deal akin to Mattias Samuelsson and Kaiden Guhle, or will he ink a short-term bridge deal and look for a raise after a few more strong seasons? Those questions might not influence Dallas’ 2024-25 campaign too much – but they’ll have major implications as the Stars look to turn a dazzling prospect pool into a legacy.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Snapshots: Ullmark, Tuomaala, Penguins
The newest Ottawa Senators starter Linus Ullmark is reportedly getting comfortable in Ottawa. TSN’s Shawn Simpson shares that the former Vezina Trophy winner has purchased a home in the area and could begin discussing a contract extension soon. Ullmark is entering the final year of a four-year, $20MM contract signed with the Boston Bruins. He spent the deal emerging as one of the NHL’s premier goalies, posting a dazzling 88 wins and .924 save percentage across 130 games in Boston. But the emergence of Jeremy Swayman made Ullmark’s role expendable and the Bruins decided to sell high – sending him to Ottawa in exchange for a first-round pick, Joonas Korpisalo, and Mark Kastelic.
Ullmark now stands as the most promising Senators goalie in at least a few years. Korpisalo served as the team’s most recent starter and performed dismally, posting just 21 wins and an .890 save percentage in 55 games played. The performance was the peak of a string of struggling years for the Senators goaltending room, which has featured a different starter in every season since 2019-20. Ullmark will look to buck that trend this year by upholding his strong play under the scrutiny of the Canadian market.
Other notes from around the league:
- Philadelphia Flyers prospect Samu Tuomaala shared in an interview with Jackie Spiegel of the Philadelphia Inquirer that he almost retired from hockey two years ago – one year after his second-round selection in the 2021 NHL Draft. He had worked his way up to the Liiga, Finland’s top league, but struggled to find much of a role, or much scoring. Those woes continued into the 2022-23 season and through moves across four Finnish teams – but Tuomaala ultimately managed just three points in 40 Liiga games. His struggles continued into the Mestis, Finland’s second-tier league, until Tuomaala was finally moved to Kettera, where he resurged with 46 points in 29 games. He rode that momentum into a rookie AHL season this past year, tallying an impressive 43 points in 69 games – good for third on the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in scoring. The wind is clearly back behind Tuomaala’s sails and, at just 21, there’s still plenty of time for him to become a true top prospect. He’ll have a chance to prove that worth, and maybe even fight for an NHL debut, next season.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins haven’t been shy about trades this offseason but they may still sit a few moves away from a compliant roster. Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now points out that the current lineup would force the Penguins to send multiple six-figure contracts down to the minor leagues. That’s a hefty investment – and is likely a prevalent thought as the team considers moving players like Lars Eller and Noel Acciari. Pittsburgh currently carries $874K in cap space, per PuckPedia.
Summer Synopsis: Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche have continued to thrive as one of the NHL’s premier teams. Their stars are simply too good, and have proven capable of lifting up a lineup that’s otherwise lackluster. That’s proven a beneficial silver lining this summer, as Colorado’s been forced to focus on rebuilding their minor league following a long list of departures. That holdup, a prevailing cap crunch, and looming extensions have left staff hires as Colorado’s most impactful NHL additions, though a few high-upside signings could provide a kick as Colorado gears up for yet another run to the playoffs
Draft
2-38: G Ilya Nabokov, Metallurg (KHL)
3-76: F William Zellers, Shattuck (High School Prep)
5-132: G Louka Cloutier, Chicago (USHL)
5-137: G Ivan Yunin, Omskie (MHL)
5-161: F Maxmilian Curran, Tri-City (WHL)
6-185: D Tory Pitner, Youngstown (USHL)
7-215: F Christian Humphreys, USA U18 (NTDP)
The Colorado Avalanche entered the 2024 Draft with just three picks – but managed to add four more with a pair of nifty trades. Colorado first traded their first-round pick to Utah for a second and third-round pick this year – as well as a second-rounder next year – and then flipped the latter pick to the Buffalo Sabres for a later third and fifth-rounder. That gave them much more draft action, though all coming on the second day.
Still, the Avs looked to be putting their picks to good work when they made standout Russian goalie Ilya Nabokov the top goalie in this year’s class. Nabokov, 21, was overlooked in each of the last two drafts, but commanded respect this year with a standout performance as the starter for Magnitogorsk Metallurg of the KHL. He posted 23 wins and a .930 save percentage in 43 games – the seventh-best save percentage in the league and tied for the highest from a U21 goalie since Ilya Samsonov in 2017. Nabokov has one year left as Metallurg’s starter before his contract expires next summer – and could quickly find a role in Colorado’s goaltending ranks with another strong year.
But after Nabokov, the Avalanche draft got flipped a bit upside-down. They nabbed speedy and undersized winger William Zellers with their next pick, taking him much higher than expected, even after his 111 points in 54 games with Shattuck St. Mary’s. Zellers is expected to spend next season with the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers, which should provide a great proving ground to see where his value truly sits. But even with promising setting ahead, Zellers seemed like the lesser pick to Colorado’s seventh-round steal of Christian Humphreys, who stood tall as this year’s iteration of shoot-first NTDP forward. He managed 58 points in 52 games on the season, including 23 points, while showing a strong ability to make and finish plays around the slot. Defenseman Tory Pitner was similarly ranked above Zellers by many public outlets, on the back of strong neutral zone defending; albeit with a bit of an awkward skating stance.
But perhaps the upside-down class speaks to how well Colorado drafted – shooting for the stars with high-upside Zellers early, without missing out on clear-fallers later on. Either way, the Avalanche made sure to balance things out in the fifth round, when they selected Louka Cloutier – one of the draft’s youngest goalies – and Ivan Yunin – who could quickly challenge KHL ice time in a goalie-poor Omsk system. The duo were joined by Maxmilian Curran, a hard-nosed forward who’s still finding his defining traits. Each of the trio have road-blocks between them and the pros, but could quickly prove capable with a bit more development.
Even with questions around all seven prospects, the Avalanche are emerging from the Draft plenty happy. They reinforced their goaltending room – to the best of their ability, at least – and added a quartet of very different, but very distinct, North American prospects. It’s a class that won’t change the face of the franchise, but should properly support Colorado’s all-or-nothing approach.
Trade Acquisitions
G Kevin Mandolese (from Ottawa)
Colorado’s only trade acquisition was the lowly acquisition of goaltender Kevin Mandolese, who Colorado acquired from Ottawa alongside a 2026 seventh-round pick in exchange for a 2026 sixth-rounder. Mandolese was a sixth-round draft pick in 2018 and made his move to the pros in 2021, joining a long rotation of Belleville Senators goaltenders. The crowded room has pushed Mandolese to the ECHL for parts of the three seasons since, though he’s slowly fighting into a more prominent AHL role, and even played in three NHL games in the 2022-23 campaign. Mandolese posted one win and a .916 in those outings, otherwise carrying 28 wins and an .896 through 66 career AHL games. He’s likely set for the Colorado Eagles backup role while Nabokov wraps up his time overseas, though his addition could be a sign that prospect Justus Annunen may final win out the NHL backup role.
UFA Signings
F Jere Innala (one-year, $870K)*
F Chase Bradley (two-years, $872.5K)*
F Joel Kiviranta (one-year, $775K)*
F Jonathan Drouin (one-year, $2.5MM)
F Parker Kelly (two-year, $1.6MM)
F T.J. Tynan (one-year, $775K)*
F Matthew Phillips (one-year, $775K)*
D Calle Rosen (one-year, $775K)*
D Calvin de Haan (one-year, $800K)
D Jacob MacDonald (two-year, $1.6MM)*
D Erik Brannstrom (one-year, $900K)
D Wyatt Aamodt (one-year, $775K)*
D Oliver Kylington (one-year, $1MM)
* denotes two-way contract
The bulk of Colorado’s action this summer reinforced their minor league depth. After all, eight of their 12 free agent signees inked two-way deals. The few one-way additions could bring major lineup ramifications, though. They’re led by Jonathan Drouin, who finally looked comfortable in an NHL role in his first year with the Avalanche last season. He posted a career-high 56 points while averaging a career-high 18 minutes of ice time through 79 games – showing that he can still reach new heights even 10 years into his career. There was never much question about whether Drouin would re-sign or not and his new deal gives him a near-$1.75MM raise to repeat his strong play next year.
While Drouin digs his feet into Colorado’s top-end, new veteran additions Calvin de Haan, Erik
Brannstrom, and Oliver Kylington will battle for the blue-line spots vacated by Bowen Byram and Sean Walker. Brannstrom carries the initial advantage, if for no other reason than the fact that he was the only one of the three to play all of last season. He managed a career-high 20 points but continued to fall behind where his 15th-overall draft precedent places his expectations. De Haan also played big minutes last year, stepping into 59 games for Tampa Bay, but his measly 10 points weren’t enough to dodge routine healthy scratches. Still, he’s done more than Kylington – who stepped away from hockey for one-and-a-half seasons for personal matters, before returning in the second half of this year. He played 33 NHL games upon his return, though managing just eight points and third-pair minutes. Each of the three defenders offers their own upside – Brannstrom a boom-or-bust signing, de Haan a reliable depth veteran, and Kylington motivated after absence. But they’ll have to hit the ground running if they want to land a roster spot.
The NHL storylines run a bit dry after the trio of defense additions – though Parker Kelly’s one-way deal seems to indicate he’s a lock for the NHL. That’s great news for Kelly, who spent the last three seasons growing into a bigger and bigger role in Ottawa’s bottom six. That culminated in 18 points across 80 games this season – Kelly’s first full year in the NHL. A one-way deal pushes Kelly into competition for minutes with players like Logan O’Connor, Nikolai Kovalenko, and Artturi Lehkonen – while depth signees Joel Kiviranta and Matthew Phillips try to use the AHL as a platform to jump over them all.
RFA Re-Signings
F Casey Mittelstadt (three-years, $17.2MM)
F Jason Polin (one-year, $775K)*
G Kevin Mandolese (one-year, $775K)*
* denotes two-way contract
Colorado’s biggest chore this summer was re-signing new second-line center Casey Mittelstadt – the return in the deal that sent Byram to the Sabres. Mittelstadt was everything that Colorado could have hoped for in his 29 games with the team, between the regular and post season. He scored 19 points and held strongly as the team’s second-line center, even through daunting playoff deployment. He held onto the momentum from a career-year in 2022-23, when Mittelstadt posted 59 points in 82 games with Buffalo, and seems poised to understudy Nathan MacKinnon for the foreseeable future. It’s not often that a team gets to sign that level of upside at the age of 25 – and the Avalanche opted for the bridge route, buying Mittelstadt’s first year of UFA eligibility with a deal that walks him to his prime. He’ll get a chance for a raise before entering his 30s, while Colorado will save a much-needed dime ahead of re-signing Mikko Rantanen, Cale Makar, and MacKinnon over the next three summers.
Departures
F DJ Busdeker (signed with Augsburger, DEL)
F Alex Beaucage (unqualified, signed with Laval, AHL)
F Gianni Fairbrother (unqualified, unrestricted free agent)
F Brandon Duhaime (Washington, two-years, $3.7MM)
F Fredrik Olofsson (signed with Zug, NL)
F Riley Tufte (Boston, one-year, $775K)*
F Vladislav Kamenev (unrestricted free agent)
F Yakov Trenin (Minnesota, four-year, $14MM)
F Zach Parise (retirement)
D Brad Hunt (signed with Hershey, AHL)
D Caleb Jones (Los Angeles, one-year, $775K)*
D Corey Schueneman (St. Louis, one-year, $775K)*
D Jack Johnson (Columbus, one-year, $775K)
D Nate Clurman (Pittsburgh, one-year, $775K)*
D Sean Walker (Carolina, five-year, $18MM)
D Spencer Smallman (Washington, one-year, $775K)*
G Ivan Zhigalov (unsigned draft pick, signed with Orsk, VHL)
G Arvid Holm (unrestricted free agent)
G Ivan Prosvetov (unsigned, signed three-years with CSKA, KHL)
G Pavel Francouz (retirement)
Colorado’s list of departures makes their minor-league focus this summer much clearer. They overturned the majority of their AHL blue line, adding to it departures of depth forward and goaltenders. They’ve managed to fill most of those holes with either prospects or recent signees, but the holes left by Walker, Trenin, and Duhaime will each be much tougher to fill. The trio were all midseason trade acquisitions, with clear lineup roles planned out for them. Duhaime settled in as a strong fourth-line bruiser – the same role Trenin came to earn after not finding much of a scoring touch. Walker’s spot was a bit more meaningful, as he stepped into the second-pair hole left by Byram. Walker posted seven points across 18 regular season games in Colorado, but fell apart in the postseason, going without any scoring through Colorado’s 11 games. It’s his spot that one of Brannstrom, de Haan, or Kylington will look to improve upon – with the others battling for Colorado’s seventh-defender role.
The departures otherwise don’t leave too lasting of an impact on the NHL lineup. Parise and Prosvetov’s retirements forced the team to fill menial NHL roles, but the emergence of Drouin and Annunen should prove plenty of filler.
Salary Cap Outlook
The Avalanche are approaching training camp with just over $2MM in cap space. That keeps them from making any more hefty additions, but it could be just enough to add one more veteran deal. The Avalanche will be favorites to sign professional try-outs as a result? And could end up the beneficiary of a veteran free agent like James van Riemsdyk. Fans shouldn’t hope for much more, though, as the Avs look to keep plenty of buffer built into their cap space.
Key Questions
When Will Landeskog Return? There is perhaps no bigger question in the NHL than when, and how, Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog will return to
the lineup. He’s expected to be ready early into the 2024-25 campaign, after missing the last two seasons with a knee injury. He’s as premier of a player as a team could ask for, scoring at a point-per-game pace all the way up to his injury – which cut his 2021-22 campaign after 30 goals and 59 points in 51 games. That level of offense will be hard to maintain through two missed years, but Landeskog’s spot on an improved top-six could be enough to spark a quick return. Even that presents issues, though, as Drouin ressurected Colorado’s role of second-line scorer last season, and may not perform the same in a cut role. It seems the answer will come down to how Landeskog bounces back when he’s finally back on the ice.
What Will The Defense Look Like? Colorado made an intentional push to improve their defense depth with their Deadline acquisition of Walker. But now, five months later, the Avalanche are back to questioning their bottom pair. We’ve touched on the battle between Brannstrom, de Haan, and Kylington – but the issue comes from each of the three being left-handed. In fact, minor-leaguer Sam Malinski is Colorado’s only righty behind Makar and Josh Manson. That’s a major annoyance, if nothing else, and will undercut how important the looming battle for blue-line minutes is. Each of the three new additions have played off-handed at one point or another but never commanded much of a right-sided role. Will that change in training camp, or will Colorado need to pursue another right-shot defender as the Deadline approaches?
Images courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Snapshots: Swayman, Brodzinski, Yager
Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman is at risk of entering September without a contract for the season. But team president and NHL Hall of Famer Cam Neely isn’t bothered by negotiations dragging on. In an appearance on The Rich Shertenlieb Show, Neely said, “Something will get done. There’s no question. I mean, not every negotiation is as smooth as you’d like it. I know our fan base would certainly love to have something done by now. But I’m fully confident that both sides will come to an agreement before too long here.”
Swayman has expressed confidence of his own that a deal will get done – making the ongoing holdout a bit surprising. The Bruins carry $8.64MM in projected cap space, per PuckPedia, and a full roster signed otherwise. That should be plenty of budget to sign Swayman to, at least, a short-term deal – perhaps an indication that contract details like signing bonuses are the impeding factor. Swayman has had a stellar NHL career through three seasons, posting a .919 save percentage in 132 games, but he’s yet to exceed 45 starts in a single season. That’s set to change in a big way with Linus Ullmark now in Ottawa – and if Swayman can withstand the barrage is yet to be seen.
Other notes from around the league:
- College free agent Bryce Brodzinski has signed a one-year deal with the AHL’s Ontario Reign. The Philadelphia Flyers drafted Brodzinski in the seventh round of the 2019 NHL Draft, but didn’t sign before August 1, 2024 deadline – pushing him into free agency after a five-year career at the University of Minnesota. Brodzisnki scored more-and-more in every season, ultimately posting a career-high 36 points in 39 games this year. He’ll look to continue growing next year, stepping into a competitive Ontario lineup where he’ll battle Los Angeles Kings prospects Martin Chromiak, Koehn Ziemmer, and Kaleb Lawrence for ice time on the wings.
- The newest top Winnipeg Jets prospect, Brayden Yager, will either play in the NHL or CHL this season Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff shares with The Athletic’s Murat Ates. Yager remains eligible for the NHL-CHL agreement by just four days – keeping him eligible to return to the Moose Jaw Warriors, where he won a WHL championship last season. Yager played a pivotal role in the ring-winning year, scoring a career-high 35 goals and 95 points in 57 regular-season games and 27 points in 20 playoff games. He’s lived up to his 14th-overall standing thus far, and will have now receive a chance to break into the next step as part of a new team.