Flyers Sign Bobby Brink
The Philadelphia Flyers have signed forward Bobby Brink to a two-year, $3MM contract. The deal will carry an annual average value of $1.5MM.
This marks Brink’s first true pro contract, earning a salary north of $1MM after spending the three years of his entry-level contract clawing his way up to the NHL lineup. Philadelphia selected Brink in the second round of the 2019 NHL Draft, after a smash year with the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers. He moved to the University of Denver following his draft year, netting 24 points in 28 games as a freshman. That scoring earned him a spot among Philadelphia’s top prospects, though a torn labrum would limit his sophomore year to just 15 games and 11 points.
But Brink made an emphatic return in 2021-22, recording 57 points across 41 games as the Denver Pioneers chased a National Championship. He signed his entry-level contract and made his NHL debut after the end of his collegiate year, totaling four assists across the first 10 games of his career to end the 2021-22 campaign.
Despite the quick start in the NHL, Brink was moved to the minors for all of last season, recording 28 points in 41 games along the way. That’s where he began this season as well, though he was called up after scoring 13 points in 13 games to start the AHL season. Brink moved into Philadelphia’s extra forward role, appearing in 57 games and recording 23 points while rotating in to the team’s bottom-six. His new two-year deal should give him a bit of cushion to get comfortable in his newfound NHL role, though Philadelphia’s recent signing of Matvei Michkov could give Brink some competition in the lineup.
Ducks Sign Carson Meyer To Two-Way Contract
The Anaheim Ducks have signed forward Carson Meyer to a one-year, two-way contract, shares Aaron Portzline of The Athletic.
This will be the first move of Meyer’s career, having played in Ohio through youth hockey, college, and the pros – though he did have a one-year stint with the USHL’s Tri-City Storm in 2015-16. The Columbus native was drafted by his hometown Blue Jackets in the sixth round of the 2017 NHL Draft. He mad ehis professional debut in 2020-21, posting 20 points in his first 26 AHL games with the Cleveland Monsters. That scoring earned him an NHL debut in 2021-22, though Meyer couldn’t match the high scoring of his inaugural year. He scored just three points in the 13 NHL games of his career, warranting a move back to the minors, where Meyer added 27 points in 57 games.
That measly scoring continued through last season, though Meyer showed signs of improvement with 37 points in 55 AHL games this year – while serving as one of Cleveland’s alternate captains. But he’s yet to find the same spark at the top level, with just six points in 41 NHL games to this point in his career.
Meyer will now move to the West coast, where he figures to be a top option for the Anaheim’s AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls, and take a bit better advantage of his NHL opportunities.
Panthers Sign Nate Schmidt
July 3: The Panthers confirmed a one-year deal for Schmidt on Wednesday.
July 2: The Florida Panthers are reportedly nearing a contract with defenseman Nate Schmidt, per Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press (Twitter link). The deal was confirmed by Frank Seravalli of the Daily Faceoff, who added that it will be a one-year, $800K contract (Twitter link).
This signing notably comes after Schmidt was bought out of the final season of his contract with the Winnipeg Jets. He was slated to count as $5.95MM against the salary cap – and was due $4.85MM in salary. He’ll take a substantial cut from that to join the reigning Stanley Cup champions.
The 32-year-old struggled badly last season, registering just two goals and 12 assists in 63 games in what was his worst offensive season since a one-year stay in Vancouver during the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season. Schmidt spent three seasons with the Jets, with the last two being some of the most difficult seasons of his 11-year NHL career. While his stay in Winnipeg was largely unsuccessful, he will be reunited with former head coach Paul Maurice in Florida which factored heavily in his decision.
While Schmidt’s offensive numbers have fallen off in recent years, his underlying numbers remained strong last year. Schmidt continued to post strong possession numbers with a CF% of 52.9% at even strength and a FF% of 54.1% (as per Hockey Reference). As good as those underlying numbers were, Schmidt struggled badly in the playoffs posting a -5 in just three games.
Blues Sign Pierre-Olivier Joseph
July 3: Joseph’s deal with the Blues is now official.
July 2: The St. Louis Blues are expected to sign defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph to a one-year contract, per Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports (Twitter link). The deal was confirmed by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, who shared that it is a one-year deal with a $950K cap hit (Twitter link).
This reported signing comes on the same day that St. Louis traded for Mathieu Joseph, Pierre-Olivier’s brother. The siblings will reunite in St. Louis, after not playing together since the 2012-13 season, well before either of their QMJHL careers.
Pierre-Olivier Joseph fought his way into first-round precedent through his juniors career, getting selected 23rd-overall in the 2017 NHL Draft by the Arizona Coyotes. Arizona traded Joseph’s rights before the end of his juniors career, dealing him to the Pittsburgh Penguins alongside Alex Galchenyuk, in return for Phil Kessel, Dane Birks, and a fourth-round pick.
Joseph turned pro just a few months later, recording 17 points in 52 games with the 2019-20 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The low-scoring rookie year has stood out as an oddity for Joseph, who earned a call-up to the NHL with 13 points in 23 AHL games the following year. He recorded five points through 20 NHL games in 2020 and 2021, though he wouldn’t establish a full time role until the 2022-23 season.
Finally playing through his NHL rookie season, Joseph managed five goals and 21 points in 75 games, becoming a solid member of Pittsburgh’s blue-line. That role slipped a bit this year, though, after a lower-body injury forced Joseph to miss a month of action in November/December. His spot on the team’s bottom pairing didn’t seem as secure upon his return, likely not helped along by Joseph’s 11 points in 52 games.
Joseph, who turned 25 on Monday, will now pursue a more concrete role on a St. Louis blue-line no longer featuring Marco Scandella. That should slot Joseph in behind Torey Krug and Scott Perunovich on the Blues’ depth chart, though he might face heavy competition for minutes from veteran Nick Leddy. Joseph’s ability to earn a strong role despite that competition will like be what the Blues look for, as they plan for him to become a restricted free agent next summer.
Blues Sign Adam Jiricek To Entry-Level Contract
The St. Louis Blues have signed 2024 first-round pick Adam Jiricek to his entry-level contract (Twitter link). Jiricek becomes the first prospect from his draft class to sign an entry-level deal, even beating out unanimous first-overall pick Macklin Celebrini.
To see Jiricek become the first of his class to sign is a bit of a surprise after a lower-body injury ended his season in December. He played in just 22 league games this year – split between three outings in Czechia’s U20 league and 19 in the Czechia Extraliga. Jiricek scored just one assist in those appearances. His low scoring continued through international play, with Jiricek failing to score in 10 games with Czechia’s U20 team but recording four points in nine games with their U18 squad.
The allure of Jiricek – aside from the precedent set by his brother David Jiricek – is undoubtedly his performance in his age-17 season. He was among Czechia’s best prospects that year, posting 29 points in 41 U20 games and two assists in 12 Extraliga games. That scoring still doesn’t illicit much – but it was a promising start when combined with just how smooth and strong Jiricek’s ability to shut down opponents looked. He thrived at stopping opponents at the blue-line, keeping them from ever setting up too much in his own zone. When he won the puck back, Jiricek was quick to get his head up and find the right play – all boosted by strong edges and open hips giving Jiricek seamless skating.
But it’s never easy to bet on injury, especially with a top-20 pick, like the Blues have with Jiricek. With his entry-level contract in place, the Blues could be gearing up to either bring Jiricek over to their farm system, where the team could ensure he bounces back from a long stint off, or they could be preparing to send him to the CHL, where his rights are owned by the Brantford Bulldogs. That will be the next stop for Blues fans to watch for, as they wait with baited breath to see how their latest first-round pick will pan out.
Leafs Sign Dakota Mermis, Philippe Myers, Cédric Paré
The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed defenseman Dakota Mermis to a one-year, league-minimum contract, per CapFriendly (Twitter link). The deal was first reported by Jonas Siegel of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Toronto followed up this deal by signing defenseman Philippe Myers and forward Cédric Paré, shares Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun (Twitter link). All three deals will expire next summer, with Pare’s deal a two-way contract.
Mermis clawed his way into an everyday role with the Minnesota Wild this season, after starting the year as their de facto call-up for injuries. He pulled into a bottom-line role following an injury to Alex Goligoski, proceeding to post eight points and 33 penalty minutes across 47 games. It was Mermis’ first year in the NHL, having spent the last seven years in the AHL, where he’s totaled 139 points across 431 games. Mermis will serve as a stout, defense-first depth option for Toronto.
Myers spent the past two seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning, shuttling back and forth between the NHL and AHL. Last year, the 27-year-old dressed in five NHL games and went scoreless, while he played 61 AHL games with the Syracuse Crunch, registering four goals and 19 assists in 61 games. Myers was a highly coveted defenseman just a few years ago and was traded for Ryan Ellis in 2021 and Ryan McDonagh in 2022.
Paré will serve as AHL depth for the Toronto Marlies in 2024-25. The 25-year-old is a former sixth-round pick of the Boston Bruins and hasn’t dressed in an NHL game in four professional seasons. The Levis, Quebec native played for two different organizations last season and was relegated to the ECHL at one point. This past year, Paré tallied 14 goals and 21 assists in 61 AHL games.
Senators Sign Shane Pinto To Two-Year Deal
The Ottawa Senators have signed center Shane Pinto to a two-year, $7.5MM contract. The deal will carry an annual average value of $3.75MM. Pinto went through a tumultuous season last year, missing the first 41 games of the regular season for violating the league’s gambling policy. He eventually signed a contract for the league minimum of $775K on January 19th.
Once he was back in the lineup, the 23-year-old had a strong season, dressing in 41 games and posting nine goals and 18 assists while registering a +9. His underlying numbers were excellent, particularly his possession numbers as he posted a CF% of 53.8% at even-strength.
The Franklin Square, New York native was probably hoping for more stability this offseason but settled on a two-year term which could effectively come with a third year at $5MM as the second year of his deal is reportedly for $5MM (as per CapFriendly).
A former second-round pick (32nd overall) in the 2019 NHL entry draft, Pinto went through a tough contract negotiation with Ottawa last summer before his suspension and is sure to be happy to have a deal done early in July. Ottawa was able to facilitate the deal with Pinto after they sent Mathieu Joseph to the St. Louis Blues (along with a third-round pick), effectively clearing out his $2.95MM cap hit for the next two years.
Pinto has been mainly a third-line center in Ottawa, however, with Joshua Norris injured last season Pinto was elevated in the lineup and played solid minutes as the Senators’ second-line center. Pinto averaged over 18 minutes of ice time per game which was an increase of more than two minutes a night. With the uncertainty of Norris going forward, the Senators have a terrific backup option with Pinto as he has already demonstrated he can be a second-line center in the NHL.
Lightning Sign Cam Atkinson
The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed veteran forward Cam Atkinson to a one-year, $900K contract. Atkinson was bought out of the final year of his deal with the Philadelphia Flyers ahead of free agency, leaving him open to sign with any club.
Tampa Bay continues their streak of eye-raising signings by inking one of the market’s oldest names. Atkinson, 35, struggled to hold onto his groove with the Flyers last season, managing just 28 points in 70 games and earning multiple healthy scratches in the second half of the year. It was a far fall for the acclaimed NHL veteran, especially considering he posted 23 goals and 50 points in 73 games in 2022-23.
But despite recent struggles, Atkinson will be remembered for his years of success with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Atkinson served a prominent top-line role for the Blue Jackets throughout much of the 2010s, routinely challenging the 50 or 60-point mark, on the back of consistent 20-goal scoring. He had a career year in 2016-17, when he managed 35 goals and 62 points in 82 games, only to follow it up with 41 goals and 69 points in 80 games two years later.
Atkinson’s career seems to be on the downswing after a rough year with the Flyers – but his deal in Tampa Bay is certainly low-risk, high-reward. For less than $1MM, the Lightning have added a veteran forward and tremendous goal-scorer. Atkinson could be set for a prime role in the team’s middle-six, where linemates like Brandon Hagel or Anthony Cirelli could help bring his game to the heights it was sat at. That will certainly be what Tampa Bay hopes for, as they look to make up for the absence of franchise legend Steven Stamkos with the additions of Jake Guentzel and Atkinson.
Ducks Sign Jansen Harkins
The Anaheim Ducks have signed centerman Jansen Harkins to a two-year contract. No contract details have been released.
Harkins spent most of last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, recording four points, 21 penalty minutes, and a -4 across 45 games. He curbed his low-scoring through a handful of minor league appearances, netting 12 points in 14 games.
This season was Harkins’ first year away from the Winnipeg Jets, who originally selected him in the second round of the 2015 NHL Draft. He made his pro debut in the season following his draft, recording three points in his first six AHL games but ultimately opting to return to juniors for the 2016-17 season. That delayed Harkins’ first full pro season to 2017-18, when he managed 13 points in 46 AHL games and six points in six ECHL games.
Harkins found his scoring groove in the years after his rookie season, managing 31 points in 70 AHL games in 2018-19, then matching that scoring in 30 games in 2019-20. That latter scoring earned Harkins the first 29 games, and seven points, of his NHL career.
Harkins has since been in-and-out of Winnipeg’s lineup, with his 13 points in 77 games in 2021-22 marking his only full year in the NHL. He brings a heavy, physical presence to the lineup, even amidst meager scoring. Harkins should find a role on Anaheim’s bottom line, where he could get a chance to play with the similar style of Brett Lesaon.
Two-Way Signings: Schueneman, Aspirot, Gaudette, Gambrell, Poolman, Richard, Entwistle
The first day of NHL free agency saw over $1B spent for the first time in league history. Much of that went to stars across the league, though general managers are also having to focus on building up their farm programs. Here are five smaller names signed on Tuesday. Each of these deals carry a $775K cap hit at the NHL level, unless otherwise specified.
- The St. Louis Blues have signed defenseman Corey Schueneman to a one-year contract. Schueneman, 28, appeared in 64 games with the Colorado Eagles this season, netting four goals, 22 points, 24 penalty minutes, and a +2. He’s a quick-paced, hard-shooting defender who carries a lot of heft in his frame, even at 5-foot-11. He’s already made his NHL debut, appearing in 31 games with Montreal between 2021 and 2023 and scoring two goals and seven points. Schueneman is likely set for a role on the Springfield Thunderbirds lineup, where he’ll compete for ice time with Blues prospects like Marc-Andre Gaudet and Hunter Skinner.
- The Calgary Flames have re-signed defender Jonathan Aspirot to a one-year contract. Aspirot, 25, spent 66 games with the Calgary Wranglers last season, scoring a career-high 33 points and adding 80 penalty minutes and a -6. It was Aspirot’s first year in Calgary, after spending four years with the Belleville Senators. He totaled 63 points in 161 games with Belleville, and will now be set to reassume his top-end role with the Wranglers next season.
- Belleville is due for their own reinforcements, with the Ottawa Senators signing Adam Gaudette to a one-year deal (Twitter link). Gaudette, 27, led the AHL with 44 goals last season, in his pursuit of 71 points across 67 games with the Springfield Thunderbirds. It was a breakout year for Gaudette, after totaling 27 goals and 51 points in 65 games between the Toronto Marlies and Thunderbirds in 2022-23. Gaudette was formerly a top prospect in the NHL, appearing in 220 games across six seasons in the NHL. He’s only managed 27 goals and 70 points in those appearances, though his recent scoring could suggest upside still untapped. The Senators will hope that’s the case, as they position Gaudette for a premier role in the AHL next year.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed forward Dylan Gambrell to a one-year deal. Gambrell spent all of this seaosn in the minor leagues, playing in 66 games with the Marlies. He managed 14 goals and 36 points – his highest AHL scoring since the 2018-19 season. Gambrell has been based much more in the NHL over the last six seasons, totaling 233 games and 40 points. He’ll be set for a top line role with the Cleveland Monsters, and push for a spot near the bottom of Columbus’ NHL lineup.
- The Buffalo Sabres have signed defenseman Colton Poolman to a one-year deal (Twitter link). Poolman, 28, has spent the entirety of his four-year pro career in the Flames organization to date. The younger brother of Canucks defenseman Tucker Poolman had three goals and three assists in 66 games for the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers last season.
- The Philadelphia Flyers have signed forward Anthony Richard to a two-year deal (Twitter link). Richard spent 59 games with the Providence Bruins last year, netting 25 goals and 55 points. It was a small step down for Richard, after netting 30 goals and 67 points last year. He’s also totaled 24 NHL games since 2018, scoring eight points. Richard should be set for a starring role with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, with a chance to push for the NHL roster.
- The Florida Panthers signed MacKenzie Entwistle to a one-year deal. Entwistle, 24, has spent most of the last three seasons on the Chicago Blackhawks lineup, though he’s managed just 33 points in 188 games. He’ll now join the reigning Stanley Cup champions, though his two-way deal suggests he’ll have to work his way up to the NHL from an AHL start.