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Grigorenko, Avalanche Settle On Terms

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According to Tim Wharnsby of CBC, the Colorado Avalanche and RFA forward Mikhail Grigorenko have agreed to terms on a contract for 2016-17. Grigorenko, who had an arbitration hearing scheduled for Friday and who just exchanged numbers with the club this morning, will receive $1.3MM for the upcoming campaign. The Avalanche had offered $950K with Grigorenko’s camp countering at $1.65MM. The settlement comes in at exactly the midpoint.

Grigorenko finished with six goals and 27 points in his first season with the Avalanche after coming over from Buffalo as part of the return in the blockbuster Ryan O’Reilly trade. The 22-year-old natural center has 12 goals and 41 points in 142 NHL contests.

The Sabres selected Grigorenko in the first-round, 12th overall, of the 2012 entry draft. Grigerenko played his junior hockey for Quebec in the QMJHL under current Avalanche head coach Patrick Roy. That likely played a role in his inclusion in the trad package for O’Reilly.

The signing leaves Tyson Barrie as the club’s lone remaining RFA. With more than $6MM in space left according to General Fanager, the Avalanche should have the necessary room to get a deal done with the defenseman, even if negotiations have reportedly not gone smoothly.

Arbitration Breakdown: Chris Kreider

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With the clock ticking down, the New York Rangers and the camp for Chris Kreider have filed their respective briefs in advance of Friday’s scheduled arbitration hearing, as we earlier reported on Pro Hockey Rumors. The Rangers offered a figure of $3.2MM while Kreider has requested $4.75MM in salary for the 2016-17 campaign.

The apparently wide gulf is indicative of a typical negotiating ploy being utilized by both parties. Kreider’s side comes in on the high end while the club submits a lower number, each with the knowledge that arbitrators typically award a number comfortably between the two positions. Should this actually go to a hearing, and there is every reason to believe negotiations on a long-term deal are being conducted as we speak, the arbitrator likely would award a one-year salary of around $4MM, roughly near the midpoint of the figures exchanged.

If we operate under the supposition both sides are willing to do a long term deal, what would Kreider then be worth?

Kreider’s is an interesting case. Still just 25, the former Boston College standout and former first-round pick possesses a rare blend of size, speed and skill. The six-foot-three, 226-pound winger is among the fastest straight line skaters in the game today and creates numerous scoring chances due solely to his physical skills. When fully engaged, Kreider has the ability to dominate entire games with his speed and physicality.

Following a 21-goal performance during the 2014-15 campaign, it was believed Kreider might finally be realizing his vast potential and a 30-goal season was considered the logical next step in his development. But Kreider struggled with consistency in 2015-16, an all-too-frequent experience during his burgeoning career (and frankly one shared by many young players), and needed five tallies in his final eight games to match his 2014-15 output.

Still, 20-goal scorers in their prime and with additional offensive upside are not cheap. Fortunately, a couple of recent RFA signings can be used for comparative purposes to help determine just how much Kreider may be worth.

Kyle Palmieri recently inked a five-year deal with New Jersey that comes with an AAV of $4.65MM per season. Palmieri is coming off a better platform campaign than Kreider, tallying career highs in both goals with 30 and points with 57.

Meanwhile, Washington Capitals forward Marcus Johansson, avoided arbitration by agreeing to a three-year, $13.75MM contract which averages out to just under $4.6MM annually. Johansson finished the 2015-16 season with 17 goals and 46 points.

On the surface both would seem to serve as obvious comparables. And while their contracts certainly help us hone in on Kreider’s potential value, the big winger has some advantages over his peers that could boost his value.

First, even though Kreider’s 43-point 2015-16 output falls short of Palmieri (57) and Johansson (46), his 1.85 points/60 at five-on-five (5v5) scoring rate over the last two seasons is superior. Johansson has recorded a 1.68 points/60 at 5v5 and Palmieri comes in at 1.55 over that same time frame.

Second, Kreider already has extensive postseason experience and has excelled when it matters most. He’s potted 20 goals in 65 playoff contests since debuting during the 2011-12 postseason, scoring his first playoff goal a week before his 21st birthday. Palmieri has tallied seven goals in 33 postseason games. Johansson also has seven playoff goals, albeit in 56 contests.

The New York Rangers relatively quiet foray into free agency, and the recent trade of Derick Brassard to Ottawa for Mika Zibanejad, has left the Rangers with $10.65MM in cap space according to General Fanager. With only Kevin Hayes and Marek Hrivik remaining unsigned as RFAs, it seems reasonable to conclude the Rangers have the financial wherewithal to offer a deal in the range of $5MM annually for five years. This would allow the club to buy three unrestricted free agent seasons and lock up one of their top young players through his prime years at what could be a very affordable price should he ever meet his 30-goal potential. Even as a 20-goal scorer, the cost wouldn’t be too out of line with what is paid on the open market.

 

 

Brad Richards Retires

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According the NHLPA website, veteran pivot Brad Richards has retired from the NHL following a distinguished 15-year career.

Richards, who spent the 2015-16 season with the Detroit Red Wings, ends his career with 932 points in 1,126 regular season games. He’s also been part of two Stanley Cup championship squads, winning a Conn Smythe award as playoff MVP in 2003-04 while a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Drafted originally in the third-round (64th overall) of the 1998 entry draft (the same draft that saw Vincent Lecavalier go #1 overall to Tampa), Richards formed a deadly tandem down the middle with Lecavalier, and helped to elevate the team into the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference. He would spend the first six-plus campaigns of his career with the Lightning before being shipped to Dallas at the 2008 trade deadline. With Lecavalier in the midst of an 11-year, $85MM deal and Richards under contract at $7.8MM annually, the Lightning decided they could no longer afford both centers and executed the trade with Dallas.

Richards spent parts of four seasons with Dallas, averaging better than a point-per-game and helping the Stars to a berth in the 2007-08 Western Conference Finals, where the club lost to eventual Stanley Cup champion Detroit in six games. Unfortunately that would be the highlight for Richards during his tenure with the team as the Stars failed to again make the postseason.

Richards would leave the Lone Star State following the 2010-11 season and as one of the marquee free agents that summer, would go on to sign a lucrative, nine-year contract worth $60MM with the New York Rangers. As was typical with big money free agent contracts of the day, Richards’ deal was heavily back-loaded in an effort to drive down the AAV and subsequently the salary cap hit. Richards was to collect $57MM of the money in the first six seasons, with each of the final three years coming with salaries of just $1M each.

While perhaps not quite living up to that price tag with the Rangers, Richards did help the club make it to the Eastern Conference Finals his first year with the team. He was also part of the squad that lost to the Los Angeles Kings in the 2013-14 Stanley Cup Finals.

After three years with the club and in desperate need of cap space as they continued their pursuit of a championship, the Rangers exercised a compliance buyout on Richards following the 2014-15 season. Under terms of the new CBA, the Blueshirts would have faced stiff cap recapture penalties had they not gone that route and Richards retired prior to the end of his contract.

Richards would move on as a free agent, signing with Chicago and winning another Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks. But the writing may have already been on the wall as Richards tallied just 37 points that season, the lowest full-season total of his career to that point.

Following his one year in Chicago, Richards signed with Detroit where his offensive production continued to wane. In 68 contests with the Red Wings, Richards scored just 10 goals and 28 points.

The announcement comes just weeks after former Lightning teammate Vincent Lecavalier also stepped away from the game.  It’s also quite possible Dan Boyle joins in to make it a trio of former Lightning players walking away from the NHL this summer. One year ago, Martin St. Louis, who played with Richards, Boyle and Lecavalier in Tampa and again with Richards and Boyle as members of the Rangers, announced his retirement.

Richards was a free agent, profiled recently on Pro Hockey Rumors here, but after apparently not finding the right fit, has elected to hang up his skates and move on to the next phase of his life. Those of us here at Pro Hockey Rumors would like to congratulate Richards on his wonderful career and wish him the best in his future.

Minor NHL Transactions: 7/20/2016

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Here is where we will keep track of the day’s minor moves:

  • The Florida Panthers, via their team website, have announced the re-signing of forward Logan Shaw to a one-year, two-way contract. The six-foot-three, 202-pound Shaw saw action in 53 games with the Panthers in 2015-16, netting 5 goals and 7 points. He also appeared in 19 contests with the Portland Pirates (AHL) where he tallied 11 goals and 14 points. With the Panthers among the more active teams this summer, adding talent via both free agency and the trade market, it would seem the roster is pretty set meaning Shaw is likely to serve as a depth piece in 2016-17, much as he did this past season.
  • Veteran center T.J. Hensick is set to join the Ontario Reign, the AHL affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings, according to the L.A Kings Insider website. Hensick last appeared in the NHL back during the 2010-11 campaign while a member of the St. Louis Blues. He split the past campaign with Utica and Charlotte of the AHL, scoring 40 points in 65 games. Hensick played with Kings prospect Adrian Kempe for MODO in the Swedish Hockey League in 2013-14, suggesting his familiarity with one of the club’s top prospects played a role in this signing.
  • Arizona has hired former NHL goalie Doug Soetaert to be the General Manager of their AHL affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners. Most recently, Soetaert was a professional scout in the Arizona organization covering the western region. Prior to that, Soetaert plied his trade in Europe, scouting all professional leagues on the continent as well as the AHL. Soetaert also has extensive experience in the North American junior leagues, serving as Vice President and General Manager of the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League from 2002 – 2012. During his playing days, Soetaert appeared in 284 games as a member of the New York Rangers (two stints), Winnipeg Jets and Montreal Canadiens.

Western Conference Notes: Schmaltz, Subban, Larsson

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Evidently the new Las Vegas expansion team is wasting little time getting up and running. As we mentioned yesterday, the newest entry in the Western Conference was closing in on naming the first GM in franchise history. Today we learned a press conference has indeed been scheduled for tomorrow at 1 pm PST where club owner Bill Foley is expected to announce his choice. Speculation, and that’s all it is at this point, is that George McPhee, formerly the longtime GM of the Washington Capitals and currently serving as an adviser with the Islanders under Garth Snow, will be named Las Vegas’ inaugural GM.

More from the wild, wild West:

  • Chicago GM Stan Bowman deserves a lot of credit for maintaining the Hawks presence as a Stanley Cup contender despite annual salary dumps, including this summer’s trades of Teuvo Teravainen and Andrew Shaw. His ability to constantly juggle his roster while remaining cap compliant is due to the constant infusion of affordable young talent the organization continues to find and develop. Mark Lazarus of the Chicago Sun Times profiles several youngsters who aim to make the Hawks roster for the 2016-17 season.
  • Addressing questions from the reader mailbag, Adam Vingan of the Tennessean speculates how the Predators will employ shiny new toy, P.K. Subban. Like many, I thought the Predators got the better end of the Subban-for-Shea Weber trade. Subban is an electrifying talent still in his prime at 27 while Weber would seem to be on the downside as he approaches his 31st birthday. Plus with another decade remaining on Weber’s contract with a cap hit in excess of $7.8MM per, the Canadiens took on a healthy amount of risk on the back end of his deal.
  • From the same mailbag, Vingan also deals with the same tough choices every NHL GM will have to face between now and the expansion draft; namely which quality NHL player or players will they leave exposed. The league certainly went out of its way to ensure Las Vegas will be able to add legitimate talent and a lot of teams will be in the unenviable position of allowing a good player to leave for nothing.
  • The Subban deal wasn’t the only blockbuster trade completed this summer and it may not even by the one most panned by critics. Nearly every pundit thought the Devils pilfered LW Taylor Hall from Edmonton with Adam Larsson the return going to the Oilers. But it may not be as bad as it seems. Bottom line is GM Peter Chiarelli absolutely needed to upgrade his defense corps and likely didn’t have a lot of palatable options with which to do so. Plenty of young, RFA defensemen have been rumored to possibly be available via trade but exactly none have been moved to date despite the abundant need for quality blueliners around the league. Plus, unlike those RFA’s who would need new contracts with salaries inflating, Larsson comes at the beginning of a freshly inked deal that pays him a shade over $4.1MM on average for the next five seasons. That cost control has value. Fact is, Chiarelli might have made the best deal possible at the time, even if it ends up being a net negative in the long run.

Ryane Clowe To Join Devils Coaching Staff

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According to a release from the New Jersey Devils, Ryane Clowe has been named an assistant under head coach John Hynes. Clowe, a rugged power forward in his playing days, hasn’t suited up for the Devils since November 6th, 2014 due to complications stemming from the several concussions he sustained during his playing career.

Clowe spent the first seven-plus seasons of his NHL career as a member of the San Jose Sharks and tallied 101 goals along with 170 assists. He also found time to rack up 567 PIMs while with the Sharks.

The New York Rangers acquired Clowe ahead of the 2013 trade deadline in exchange for multiple draft picks. He would see action in 12 regular season contests and another two in the playoffs before leaving the team in the summer as a free agent to sign with the Devils.

Because Clowe has not officially retired, his $4.85MM cap hit will remain on the books for salary cap purposes, helping the club reach the salary floor. The team can clear that cap hit by placing the player on LTIR prior to the season starting. It seems strange a player’s cap hit can remain on the books while he’s working in a non-playing capacity for the organization but the current NHL CBA allows it. In fact, while still a member of the Flyers prior to his cap hit being dealt to Arizona, Chris Pronger held a position in Philadelphia’s front office.

Isles Re-Sign Scott Mayfield To Two-Year Contract

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According to this tweet from Arthur Staple of Newsday, the New York Islanders have re-signed RFA defenseman Scott Mayfield to a two-year, one-way deal. The contract comes with a guaranteed AAV of $650K per season.

With Mayfield on board, the Isles would now seem to have a bit of a logjam at the defense position as according to their depth chart on Roster Resource, the club has eight blueliners on their roster. Although it’s likely Mayfield will be used as a depth piece, available to be called up from the AHL in the event of injury to a regular defenseman.

Mayfield saw action in just six NHL games this past season but did notch his first career goal on April 29th against Buffalo. For his career he has appeared in just 11 contests, netting only the one point and adding 18 PIMs, further suggesting the Islanders intend to utilize Mayfield in a depth role and experienced hand for their farm team in Bridgeport.

Securing a one-way, guaranteed deal is a nice piece of work by Mayfield’s representation. It’s also a smart move by the Islanders to add to their organizational depth. Clearly the club is comfortable with Mayfield and as they say, you can never have too many NHL-quality defensemen.

 

 

Free Agent Profile: Brandon Pirri

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Now that Shane Doan is officially off the market – although no one really expected the veteran winger to leave the desert – there are few options remaining for teams looking to add offense to their lineups. Yesterday we profiled five of the top forwards remaining in free agency that could conceivably fit the bill. One of those players, Brandon Pirri, noticably stuck out on that list due to his relative youth compared to his unemployed peers.

It’s not usually surprising that aging veterans whose best seasons are clearly in the rear view mirror might linger on the market well into the summer. In fact, many will either be forced to accept training camp invites or face the prospect of retirement. However, it’s exceedingly rare for one of the league’s most prolific goal scorers – based on rate stats – and who is still just 25-years-old, to be waiting for his next contract into the middle of July.

Pirri tallied 14 goals and 29 points last year in 61 games, splitting the season between Florida and Anaheim. The Ducks had acquired the 6-foot, 183-pound forward from the Panthers at the trade deadline in exchange for a sixth-round draft choice. The year prior, Pirri netted 22 goals in 61 contests, albeit with an amazingly low 2 assists, for the Panthers.

Over the last three seasons, Pirri has averaged 0.95 goals for every 60 minutes of ice time he sees at five-on-five play. That rate places him 30th in the NHL among all forwards who have suited up for a minimum of 120 games during that span. In terms of even-strength goal scoring prowess, Pirri is certainly among the best in the game.

Based on overall point-production, however, Pirri ranks just 203rd over the past three seasons in points-per-hour, due in large part to his 2014-15 tally of just two helpers. That ranking would seem to place him outside of a top-six role when it comes to offensive contributions.

Goal scoring is typically sought after and usually rewarded in free agency. Pirri’s continued presence on the open market is a bit of a mystery. It’s possible teams are scared off due to his low assists total from two seasons ago. Though it should be noted, if we remove that outlier from his career numbers, Pirri actually has two more assists than goals scored in his career and typically teams don’t pay as much attention to extreme statistical outliers.

Whatever the reason, it seems clear teams are hesitant about employing Pirri. He’s suited up for three NHL clubs over the last three campaigns and despite quality offensive numbers at the time of the trade, the Ducks obtained him from Florida for the lowly cost of a sixth-round draft pick. After the season, Anaheim elected not to qualify Pirri, a move that may have struck some as a bit surprising. He was eligible for arbitration and goals tend to be given extra weight when arbitrators decide on a player’s salary. It’s possible the Ducks wanted to avoid that process altogether. Nonetheless Pirri is free to sign with any team willing to give him a chance to show off his goal scoring acumen.

Potential Fits

New Jersey – The Devils finished last in the NHL in scoring this past season but have already added top-line LW Taylor Hall to the mix and expect their best returning offensive player, Mike Cammalleri, to be healthy at the outset of the upcoming campaign. A look at the club’s depth chart, courtesy of our partner site, Roster Resource, indicates the Devils have plenty of forward options so their interest in Pirri would likely be tepid at best.

Edmonton – Even though the Oilers have filled the hole they created when shipping the aforementioned Hall to Jersey by signing Milan Lucic, they could still use an upgrade over Mark Letestu at the third-line pivot position. Edmonton finished 25th in scoring and didn’t necessarily improve in that department by swapping out Hall for Lucic.

Columbus – If the Blue Jackets are ever able to offload winger Scott Hartnell they could be in the market for another goal scorer. But it’s possible the team would rather reinvest any savings from a Hartnell move into their defense as they have a number of quality forward prospects ready to make the jump to Columbus.

Los Angeles – Currently the Kings list Dwight King, Kyle Clifford and Dustin Brown as top-nine wingers. King’s career best in the goal socring department is 15 while Clifford has never tallied more than seven in any single season. Meanwhile, Brown’s days as a productive player capable of adequately manning a top-nine role may well be over. On a cheap contract the Kings could make sense for Pirri.

Expected Contract

Considering Anaheim passed on qualifying Pirri at just more than $1MM annually and given how late in the free agent season it is now, it’s not likely Pirri is going to find a deal representing much of a raise over the $925K he earned this past season. As such, a team like the Kings might be a terrific fit for Pirri on a one-year, make good deal at right around $1MM.

 

Atlantic Notes: Nylander, Ceci, Bruins Prospects

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As we head deeper into the summer and with many of the bigger name free agents off the board, teams now are focused primarily on locking up any unsigned RFAs they may have. Additionally, many clubs are kicking off their annual prospect development camps which gives us a look at the next wave of NHL talent and a sneak peek at a handful of youngsters who may have a chance to impact their parent club’s fortunes as soon as this season. Along those lines, here’s the latest out of the Eastern Conference’s Atlantic Division.

  • Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News describes the show Sabres’ 2016 first-round pick Alexander Nylander is putting on at the club’s development camp. Nylander, the brother of Toronto Maple Leaf forward William Nylander, was chosen 8th overall in the 2016 entry draft out of Mississauga of the OHL. However, as Harrington notes, unlike most players selected out of the CHL, Nylander is eligible to join the Sabres AHL affiliate in Rochester as opposed to returning to his junior team should he not crack the Buffalo roster out of training camp. This is due to the fact he was not selected in the CHL import draft and was loaned by his Swedish club to Mississauga.
  • Harrington’s colleague at The Buffalo News, Jack Goods, writes about Nylander’s World Junior’s linemate, Rasmus Asplund, who was Buffalo’s second-round choice in the 2016 entry draft. Asplund’s development was accelerated by playing against men in the SHL the last couple of years. Like Nylander, Buffalo will have the option of playing him down in Rochester but Asplund himself has said another year in Sweden may be best for his development.
  • In a piece for the Ottawa Citizen, Ken Warren looks at the RFA case for D Cody Ceci and opines that recent deals suggest the 22-year-old blueliner is in line for a big payday; particularly if the Senators want him around long term. Teams have been paying big for quality defensemen, both on the UFA market and when retaining their own players, and Ceci certainly should land a sizable deal this summer.
  • CSNNE.com’s Joe Haggerty lists a few of the prospects at development camp who are expected to challenge for regular roles for the Boston Bruins in 2016-2017. Specifically, with the team in need of blueline depth, Brandon Carlo and Matt Grzelcyk, will be given a chance to make the team out of training camp. Up front, Jake DeBrusk and Danton Heinen, are mentioned as “dark horses,” in the push for a roster spot.
  • Writing for Bleacher Report, Lyle Richardson lists the 10 worst contracts for the upcoming season. The Atlantic Division placed four players on the list, the largest representation of any of the NHL’s four divisions. F Matt Moulson of the Sabres ranks 10th on Richardson’s list, with G Jimmy Howard (6th) of Detroit and F Ryan Callahan (4th) of Tampa Bay also making the cut. While I think his inclusion on this list might be a tad unfair as he’s still a quality goaltender, the emergence of Petr Mrazek between the Motown pipes has turned Howard into an expensive back-up and the Wings could look to move him ahead of next year’s expansion draft. Topping the list is Senators defenseman Dion Phaneuf, who has five years remaining on a deal that comes with an AAV of $7MM.

Hurricanes, Rask Agree To Six-Year Deal

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Carolina Hurricanes Executive Vice President and General Manager Ron Francis has announced the club has signed RFA Victor Rask to a six-year, $24MM contract, according to the team’s website. Rask, the club’s second-round selection, 42nd overall, in the 2011 entry draft, finished second on the Hurricanes in scoring with 48 points.

The $4MM AAV represents a nice bump in pay for the two-year veteran pivot who is coming off his ELC and pocketed $832.5K in 2015-16, including performance bonuses.

Rask ranked third on the club in goals scored (21) and led in power-play points, netting 18. Rask will likely slot in as one of Carolina’s top two centers with Jordan Staal filling the other spot.

The Canes boast a quality young defense core led by Justin Faulk and 19-year-old Noah Hanifin, and could have designs on a playoff spot this year. Carolina hung in the wildcard race longer than most pundits expected this past season and with the improvements expected from the young talent on the roster, it’s not inconceivable they could crash the playoff party in 2016-17. To do so, however, the team will have to improve upon their 27th overall ranking in goals scored and Rask will be one of the players expected to help in that regard.

Rask’s signing now leaves D Ryan Murphy as the only significant RFA remaining for Francis and the Hurricanes to come to terms with.

 

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