Hurricanes Sign Ty Smith To Two-Way Extension
The Carolina Hurricanes have signed defenseman Ty Smith to a one-year, two-way contract extension (Twitter link). The Hurricanes acquired Smith as a minor addition to the Jake Guentzel trade this Deadline.
Smith was originally drafted 17th-overall in what’s become a relatively lackluster 2018 NHL Draft class. He made his NHL debut three seasons later, recording 24 points in 48 games as a rookie and seemingly earning a daily role in the lineup. He wasn’t able to hang onto the role in his sophomore year, though, with just 20 points in 66 games and a floundering -26. That performance would spark a trade to the Pittsburgh Penguins, with New Jersey receiving top-four standout John Marino in return. But Smith couldn’t rekindle his touch with the Penguins, ultimately spending much of the last two years with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Smith has totaled 67 points in 102 games with the Baby Penguins, including 43 points in 63 games this season.
That could be enough of a returned offensive touch to earn Smith NHL attention next year, though he’ll enter a crowded Hurricanes defensive corps. Not including their four pending free agents, Carolina has six defensemen already signed to NHL contracts this season, including rookie Scott Morrow and the recently extended Jalen Chatfield. That pair will represents Smith’s toughest competition for minutes, and likely doom him to fighting his way up from the minor leagues.
Afternoon Notes: Clune, Devils, Kane, Holloway
The Anaheim Ducks have hired former player Rich Clune as an assistant coach, shares Chris Johnston of The Athletic (Twitter link). Clune has spent the last two seasons as a development coach with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, joining the team he once captained immediately following his 2022 retirement. Clune added a role behind the bench last season, and will now get a chance to do the same at the NHL level.
Clune was a career minor-league bruiser, who played in just two full NHL seasons as part of his 15-year career in North American pros. He scored a career-high nine points in 47 games during the 2012-13 season, swapping record stats in the following year with seven points and a career-high 166 penalty minutes in 58 games. Clune would go on to play just one more NHL game in his career, though he did total an impressive 593 career games in the AHL – recording 151 points and 1,607 penalty minutes.
Other notes from around the league:
- The New Jersey Devils have signed a two-year extension with ECHL affiliate the Adirondack Thunder. The two teams have been partnered since 2017-18, following a brief connection between Adirondack and the Calgary Flames. The Thunder have only missed the playoffs once in their six-year connection with New Jersey, though they’ve failed to make it past Divisional finals.
- The Edmonton Oilers could welcome winger Evander Kane back to the lineup on Friday, with head coach Kris Knoblauch designating him a game-time decision to Dan Rosen of NHL.com (Twitter link). Kane hasn’t played since Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals, and hasn’t scored since Game 5 against the Dallas Stars. In total he has just eight points in 20 games this postseason, though his aggression and grit will be a welcome boost over Dylan Holloway, who’d stand to lose his role should Kane step back in, shares Renauld Lavoie of TVA Sports (Twitter link).
Evening Notes: Maple Leafs Defense, Goligoski, Mikheyev
The Toronto Maple Leafs will be prioritizing size as they gauge potential additions to their defense, shares David Pagnotta and The Fourth Period.
That news comes as no surprise from a Toronto team that acquired 6’4” Joel Edmundson and 6’2” Ilya Lyubushkin at the Trade Deadline, sending a third-round pick for each defender. Neither seemed to make much of a splash in the year’s second half, with Lyubushkin potting just four assists in 19 regular-season games, while Edmundson went pointless through nine games while battling injury. The duo were two of many vying for ice time on Toronto’s bottom pairing, competing with the likes of Simon Benoit, William Lagesson, Conor Timmins, and Maxim Lajoie. Nobody on the list was able to push into routine top-four minutes, though the Leafs found reasons for optimism, with Pagnotta adding that the team is interested in re-signing Edmundson – at least ahead of other pending free agents Lyubushkin and Lajoie. That deal would return Edmundson to a crowded Toronto depth chart, though his stout defense on both sides of the ice could provide nice flexibility for a Leafs team that always seems to face nagging injuries.
In that way, Edmundson’s role would mirror former St. Louis Blues teammate Robert Bortuzzo, who’s stood strong in spot starts with the Blues and New York Islanders. In fact, Toronto may be drawing a lot of interest from the Blues defense, also showing renewed interest in trading for veteran big-man Colton Parayko, shares Pagnotta. Toronto has been tied to Parayko for many years, though he becomes a more palatable trade chip with the more time he spends on his pricey eight-year, $52MM contract. That deal is set to carry Parayko through the 2029-30 season – posing a major hurdle to any interested buyers. Parayko scored 10 goals and 26 points in 82 games this season – with strong goal-scoring lifting up an otherwise slowed season. Now 31 and on a very pricey deal, Parayko certainly isn’t an ideal trade target – though his veteran presence and Stanley Cup precedent could make him a strong acquisition with salary retention.
Other notes from around the league:
- The Minnesota Wild aren’t expecting aging defenseman Alex Goligoski to return next season, shares Anthony Di Marco of The Fourth Period (Twitter link). Goligoski became a routine healthy scratch in the second half of the season, ceding ice time to Dakota Mermis and Declan Chisholm. The 38-year-old veteran ultimately appeared in just 36 games, recording 10 points, all assists. Now set for the free market, he’ll face the question of if now is the right time to retire, having accumulated 1,078 games, 475 points, and one Stanley Cup across 17 seasons in the NHL. Meanwhile, Di Marco adds that Minnesota could look externally for a new depth defenseman.
- The Vancouver Canucks have granted player agent Dan Milstein permission to find a trade for client Ilya Mikheyev, shares Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK News (Twitter link). Mikheyev has muddled through the last two seasons with the Canucks, with untimely injuries making it hard to find a comfortable role. He ultimately totaled 59 points in 124 games with the club, and will now look to find a spark with a change of scenery. Mikheyev has two seasons left on a contract carrying a $4.75MM cap hit.
Utah Signs Patrik Koch To One-Year Extension
The Utah Hockey Club has signed defenseman Patrik Koch to a one-year, two-way contract extension (Twitter link). The details of the contract haven’t been released, following Utah club policy, though it’s expected to carry a league-minimum $775K cap hit, per CapFriendly.
Koch signed a one-year, $847.5K contract with the Arizona Coyotes last summer, making a move to North America after an eight-year career split between the Czechia and Slovakia Extraligas. Koch totaled 15 points and 97 penalty minutes in 63 games as an AHL rookie, continuing his trend of high-event stat lines – having surpassed 85 penalty minutes in four of his last five seasons in Europe. Koch also made his NHL debut on March 7th and, true to form, received a game misconduct for joining in on a small line brawl after just nine minutes of ice time. Koch added four hits and one block to his NHL stat line, flexing imposing physicality at the bottom of the lineup.
This extension makes Koch just the fourth defenseman signed by Utah, with the club still facing eight pending free agents at the position. That leaves a lot of uncertainty in Utah’s depth chart, though it’s unlikely that Koch will rival a daily NHL role as next season roles around. The European veteran will instead return to a young Tuscon blue-line, looking to bring the physicality needed to protect young and inexperienced players like Julian Lutz, Sam Lipkin, and Maveric Lamoureux.
Canucks Sign Linus Karlsson, Cole McWard To One-Year Extensions
The Vancouver Canucks have signed forward Linus Karlsson and defenseman Cole McWard to matching one-year, two-way contracts. The details of the contracts, including cap hit and potential bonuses, haven’t yet been revealed.
Vancouver traded away the rights to Jonathan Dahlen to acquire Karlsson in 2019. He’s since spent two full seasons with the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks, totaling 24 goals and 49 points in 72 games last season and a team-leading 60 points in 60 games this season. The performances have cemented Karlsson as one of Vancouver’s top prospects, even if he’s yet to record a point in the four NHL games he’s played. He’ll be one of many top prospects vying for a spot on the opening night roster, competing with players like Aatu Raty, Jonathan Lekkerimaki, and Arshdeep Bains. Karlsson’s new short-term, easily-movable deal suggests he could be on the backend of this group – though another strong season in the minors would certainly force Vancouver’s hand.
Meanwhile, McWard vindicates his first pro contract with this extension – after signing as an undrafted free agent in 2023 and playing through his first year of pro hockey this season. The right-shot managed 17 points in 57 games while operating down Abbotsford’s lineup, looking well-adjusted to the professional scene. He’ll return to a rife competition for ice time on Abbotsford’s blue line, fighting for a spot above Jett Woo and Filip Johansson. McWard could warrant NHL ice time should he perform well, having already scored one goal in six NHL games over the last two seasons.
Penguins Sign Alex Nedeljkovic To Two-Year Extension
The Pittsburgh Penguins have officially signed goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic to a two-year, $5.0MM contract extension. The deal was first reported by Frank Seravalli of the Daily Faceoff (Twitter link). The deal carries an annual cap hit of $2.5MM, committing Pittsburgh to a total of $7.875MM between starter Tristan Jarry and backup Nedeljkovic.
Nedeljkovic was set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st, after playing through a one-year, $1.5MM contract signed last summer. He appeared in 38 NHL games this season – just the second-most he’s played in one season – and managed good results, posting 18 wins and a .902 save percentage. He stood as a reliable backup option for the Penguins, clawing his way back to an everyday role in the NHL after spending much of the 2022-23 season in the minor leagues. It was a hard fall for Nedeljkovic, who had a career year in 2021-22, serving as the Detroit Red Wings’ starter, managing 20 wins and a .901 save percentage across 59 appearances. That season remains the only year that Nedeljkovic has filled a starter role at the NHL level, though he’s made spot starts as far back as the 2016-17 season. Now 28, Nedeljkovic has totaled 141 games across seven years in the NHL, managing 60 wins and a .906 save percentage even amongst tough deployment.
The Penguins seem pleased with Nedeljkovic’s inaugural year with the club, and will now bring him back with a slight pay raise and a bit more term to once again fill the backup role behind Jarry, whose signed through the 2027-28 season. Strong performances could earn Nedeljkovic the role through the end of Jarry’s deal, though top goalie prospect Joel Blomqvist could soon pose tough competition.
Snapshots: Pinto, Gomez, Demidov
The Ottawa Senators and forward Shane Pinto are discussing the possibilities of a two-year bridge contract, shares Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen. Garrioch adds that Ottawa still prefers to sign Pinto to a deal closer to five or six years in length, though they’re off-put by Pinto’s request for $5MM-a-year on a long-term deal. Pinto is coming off the end of a year he’ll want to forget quickly, having been suspended for half the season for violating the league’s gambling policy and only scoring 27 points in the games he did play in.
Pinto scored 20 goals and 35 points as a rookie last season, appearing in all 82 games. The performance stamped him as one of Ottawa’s most promising young players, though his extended absence this year kept him from truly breaking out. The Senators will be hoping for that breakout on the first year of his new deal – and get the dreaded task of putting a number to their faith this summer.
Other notes from around the league:
- Legendary New Jersey Devils forward Scott Gomez has taken to hockey management, assuming the general manager role and head coach for the BCHL’s Surrey Eagles (Twitter link). Gomez played in one season with the Eagles in 1996-97, posting 124 in 56 games as part of a championship-winning Eagles offense. He spent his next two seasons with the WHL’s Tri-City Americans, before beginning an iconic NHL career, including two years as the assistant coach of the New York Islanders from 2017 to 2019. Gomez took a break from the game after that tenure, returning with an assistant coaching role with Surry this season. He’ll now kick off his managerial career in the same place he started his playing career, certainly looking to achieve the same results.
- Top 2024 NHL Draft prospect Ivan Demidov was dismissive when asked when he expects to move to North America in an interview with Scott Powers of The Athletic, saying only, “We’ll see what happens.” Demidov has been entrenched in rumors early in his hockey career, with many speculating that he and defenseman Artyom Levshunov are the top options for second overall. One of the few knocks against Demidov’s game has been his limited exposure to the KHL – instead playing nearly all of his hockey in the MHL, Russia’s U21 league. He similarly played off the question of whether he expects more KHL ice time next season, saying he wasn’t sure and likely wouldn’t know until after the draft. While neither answer was an outright no, Demidov’s uncertainty certainly doesn’t elicit excitement. He’ll remain an incredibly skilled player, surrounded by a litany of questions, as June 28th’s First Round draws closer.
West Notes: Markstrom, Jets, Oilers
The Calgary Flames aren’t facing much pressure to move top goaltender Jacob Markstrom, with general manager Craig Conroy sharing with Sportsnet’s Eric Francis that the player hasn’t formally requested a trade. Markstrom was wrapped up in trade rumors throughout the season, even continuing into this summer as one of the top options on the New Jersey Devils’ trade radar. Markstrom expressed frustrations with the rumors around the Trade Deadline, bluntly stating that he thought the situation could have been handled differently.
Markstrom’s value as a top goaltender is readily apparent, even through his highs and lows. He posted a stout 23 wins and .905 save percentage in 48 games this year, both improvements from his tallies last year despite playing in 11 fewer games. Last year’s .892 save percentage marked Markstrom’s first time recording a save percentage under .900 across his seven years as an NHL starter. He rebounded admirably this season, bringing his career totals up to 196 wins and a .909 save percentage across 483 games. Markstrom has two years remaining on a six-year, $36MM contract signed with the Flames in 2020 – pricing him in the middle of the goalie trade market, costlier than Linus Ullmark’s $5MM cap hit but cheaper than John Gibson’s $6.4MM cap hit.
Other notes from around the league:
- The Winnipeg Jets have extended their ECHL affiliation with the Norfolk Admirals. The Admirals are coming off their first year partnered with the Jets, seeing historic success as they made the league’s postseason for the first time in their eight-year history. The Admirals were bounced in the second round but still enjoyed a year built around strong goaltending, featuring Carolina Hurricanes prospect Yaniv Perets, on loan, and Jets prospect Thomas Milic.
- The Edmonton Oilers will, unsurprisingly, be sticking with the same lineup that dominated in Game 4, shares Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic (Twitter link). Edmonton came back from the brink of elimination with a resounding 8-1 win over the Florida Panthers. The team’s depth bolstered the performance, with Mattias Janmark, Adam Henrique, Dylan Holloway, and Ryan McLeod each contributing to the record-rivaling win. The Oilers will hope they can catch lightning twice, and avoid gifting the Panthers a Stanley Cup on home ice.
Canucks Sign Filip Hronek To Eight-Year Extension
The Vancouver Canucks have signed defenseman Filip Hronek to a maximum eight-year contract extension, shares the team (Twitter link). The deal will carry an annual cap hit of $7.25MM, for a total value of $58MM. This deal will carry Hronek, 26, through his age-34 season in 2031-32. The deal featured signing bonuses in all but one year, costing the Canucks as much as $4MM annually, per Frank Seravalli of the Daily Faceoff (Twitter link). Seravalli also shares that Hronek will carry a full no-move clause from 2025 to 2028 – suggesting the first year of the deal will be clause-free – and a partial no-move clause from 2028 to 2032.
The Canucks take care of a major piece of business with this extension, locking up the first defenseman capable of keeping up with Quinn Hughes. The pair spent nearly every second of their even-strength ice time together – and to good effect, with Hronek posting 48 points in 81 games, both career-highs. It was an incredibly successful start to Hronek’s career in Vancouver, building nicely on his pair of 38-point seasons to end his time with the Detroit Red Wings.
Hronek’s strong scoring slowed down substantially in the postseason – the first appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs of his six-year career. He totaled just two points across 13 games, though he did his best to curb the low-scoring with a lofty 25 hits and 15 blocks, respectively ranking second and fourth among Vancouver’s blue-line. The Canucks don’t seem bothered by Hronek’s meager postseason, now solidifying his spot next to Hughes for the foreseeable future.
With this extension, the Canucks are down to $16.83MM in projected cap space with 10 pending free agents. Headlining the list is now forward Elias Lindholm, who Vancouver acquired in exchange for top prospect Hunter Brzustewicz, depth forward Joni Jurmo, and two draft picks earlier this season. Lindholm posted just 12 points in 26 games with the Canucks, never finding a perfect fit in the team’s lineup. He’s been rumored to be asking for a hefty extension for quite some time – something that may be difficult for Vancouver to stomach with less than $17MM to spend.
Lindholm is joined atop Vancouver’s list of pending free agents by defenseman Nikita Zadorov – Vancouver’s other trade acquisition from the Flames this year. Zadorov came into his own with the Canucks, recording 14 points and 102 penalty minutes across 54 games with the team – matching his scoring pace from his 21-point season last year. Zadorov has expressed a very strong interest in returning to Vancouver, though limited cap space could make that a challenge. Of course, Vancouver will be helped along by the ceiling Hronek’s deal sets, giving them a better gauge of what price they could hand out to Zadorov.
Still, the Canucks will likely focus their spending much more on solidifying depth pieces, with late-season breakouts Dakota Joshua and Arturs Silovs both up for new deals as well. Joshua became a core piece of Vancouver’s lineup late into the year, totaling eight points and a team-leading 75 hits in 13 postseason games. His claim as Vancouver’s playoff workhorse is only challenged by Silovs, who recorded five wins and a .898 save percentage in 10 playoff appearances – filling in for Thatcher Demko following an untimely injury.
After weeks of speculation, the Canucks have now made their first big step of the off-season – placing their priority on rounding out their defense rather than their top-six forwards or goaltending duo. With a stake now planted, the Canucks can begin to turn their free agent attention towards the open market, where they’ve already been connected to star winger Jake Guentzel. Guentzel posted 77 points across 67 games this season, adding nine points in 11 postseason games. He could be a fantastic replacement for Lindholm should the Canucks get priced out of the latter’s negotiations.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Utah Signs Noel Nordh To Entry-Level Contract
June 17: The Utah Hockey Club is officially in business, making Nordh’s signing official as the first in franchise history (via Chris Johnston of The Athletic and TSN).
May 5: The loom of a summertime move hasn’t stopped the day-to-day affairs of the former Arizona Coyotes front office. Now representing Utah, they’ve signed 2023 third-round pick Noel Nordh to a three-year, entry-level contract, per CapFriendly (Twitter link). The contract carries a $865K cap hit and both signing and performance bonuses. Nordh becomes the 11th player from 2023’s third-round to sign his first NHL contract.
Nordh is coming off his first full season of pro hockey, earning a role in Sweden’s second-tier league, the HockeyAllsvenskan, after starting the season in the country’s U20 league. He was limited to just six goals and 15 points in his 50 appearances with Brynas IF, averaging 9:41 in ice time. While he certainly posted an anti-climactic stat line, Nordh improved significantly in his ability to make plays and work with teammates at high speeds this season.
He’s still a bit of an awkward skater who doesn’t inspire many flashy plays – both complaints levied against him in his draft year – but Nordh fit nicely into Brynas’ systems and showed a clear ability to use his size and long reach to shut down defenders. He seems to have all of the tools needed to develop into a reliable bottom-six forward. Utah now seems ready to test that, signing Nordh to a deal that strongly suggests he’ll be moving to North America next season.
The Coyotes iced 19 different forwards over the 2023-24 season, showing no fear in rewarding minor-league standouts with their NHL debut. That could bode well for Nordh, who will now enter a race with players like Aku Raty, Jan Jenik, and Milos Kelemen for some of the last spots on Utah’s lineup.