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Summer Synopsis: Carolina Hurricanes

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The Carolina Hurricanes have been a good hockey team for a very long time now. Despite all kinds of regular season success, the current group of Hurricanes haven’t been able to sustain a long playoff run which has resulted in spring disappointment becoming a bit of an annual tradition in Carolina. Last year, through two rounds, the Hurricanes looked poised to be on their way to the Stanley Cup Finals, however, they ran into the white-hot Florida Panthers and were swept in the Eastern Conference Finals. Even the best teams stumble when faced with a hot goaltender, but for the Hurricanes scoring became an issue in the playoffs, as has been the case several times now. Carolina went into this summer with question marks in the crease, as well as on their blue line. They addressed both, however scoring could remain an issue once again for the Hurricanes as they head into another cup or bust season.

Draft

1-30: F Bradly Nadeau, Penticton (BCHL)
2-62: F Felix Unger Sorum, Leksands (Sweden U20)
3-94: F Jayden Perron, Chicago (USHL)
4-100: F Alexander Rykov,  Chelmet Chelyabinksk (VHL)
4-126: F Stanislov Yaravoy, Vityaz (KHL)
5-139: D Charles-Alexis Legault, Quinnipiac (NCAA)
5-158: G Ruslan Khazheyev, Chelyabinsk (MHL)
6-163: F Timur Mukhanov, Omskie Krylia (MHL)
6-190: F Michael Emerson, Chicago (USHL)

7-222: G Yegor Velmakin, Proton Novovoronezh (NMHL)

Carolina opted to hang onto their first round pick this past year rather than moving it for trade deadline help or in a potential Erik Karlsson trade. It was an interesting move given the timeline that they are currently on. Nadeau was one of the analytical darlings of the 2023 NHL entry draft and is a pure scorer. He is slightly undersized; however, he will have time to pack on size as he is committed to the University of Maine. Nadeau played Junior A in British Columbia last season, leaving some scouts wishing they could have seen him play in U-18s to assess him against the other top competition in his age bracket.

In the second round of the draft Carolina continued to demonstrate that they wanted to take swings at offensively talented players as they took Felix Unger Sorum. The 18-year-old Norwegian-born winger spent last season in Sweden playing for Leksands and had 10 goals and 46 points in 42 games. Sorum possess incredible hockey sense and projects to be a terrific puck distributor in the future. Carolina’s draft strategy of taking offensively gifted players has paid off in previous drafts and in 2023 they employed much of the same strategy. 

Trade Acquisitions

F David Kase (Philadelphia)

Kase was acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers in early August in exchange for C Massimo Rizzo and a 2025 fifth-round draft pick.  The 26-year-old hasn’t been overly productive in very limited NHL action thus far as he has just a single goal in seven career games. Kase hasn’t dressed in an NHL game since 2020-21 and has spent the past two seasons in Czechia where he has been somewhat productive posting 10 goals and 27 assists in 68 games.  Kase is still under contract with HC Litvinov for this upcoming season, making Carolina’s acquisition of him a bit curious given their logjam at forward and his lack of offensive punch.

UFA Signings

D Nathan Beaulieu (PTO)

F Michael Bunting (three years, $13.5MM)

D Tony DeAngelo (one year, $1.675MM)
D Caleb Jones (one years, $775K)

F Brendan Lemieux (one year, $800K)
D Dmitry Orlov (two years, $15.5MM)

Orlov was the prized defenseman of free agency and wound up opting for a short-term lucrative deal with the Hurricanes that leaves the possibility of cashing in once again in two seasons when the cap is expected to rise significantly. Orlov also gave himself an opportunity to take two runs at the Stanley Cup with a team that is sure to remain a contender through the duration of his two-year deal. The downside for the 32-year-old is the risk of injury or a drop-in play that could substantially impact his earning ability once his current pact with Carolina expires. From Carolina’s perspective, they get a terrific defenseman that can plug in on either of their top two pairings on the backend. Carolina already boasted one of the best defensive groups in the league and Orlov is sure to add to that distinction.

Bunting bolstered his free agent stock after a pair of terrific offensive seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, however he was likely hoping to cash in on a longer-term deal but may not have found the kind of money he was looking for. He settled on a three-year deal and will have every opportunity to continue to play with skilled players in Carolina. Something he has done a very good job of in Toronto. A suspension in the playoffs for a hit on Erik Cernak likely hurt his free agent stock a little bit as it further added to a reputation that was starting to develop around the league. Bunting had a few questionable plays last season including run-ins with the referees, taking bad penalties and some embellished falls. This may have hurt his market as some people in the media have speculated that Bunting has run out of runway with the NHL head office.

Tony DeAngelo resurrected his career last year with the Hurricanes before they dealt him to the Flyers for three draft picks. He was a model citizen in Carolina and fit in well with their offensive and defensive schemes. Never known to be defensively adept, DeAngelo managed to avoid a lot of his defensive shortcomings while a member of Carolina. However, once he was moved to Philadelphia, a lot of his defensive miscues began to re-emerge, and the 27-year-old once again found himself drowning in his own defensive zone. Now, he is back in Carolina and there is no reason to think he won’t be able to settle back in as a solid option for the Hurricanes. Carolina can shelter the Sewell, New Jersey native and allow him to focus more on his offensive side of the game. Something he excels in.

RFA Re-Signings

D Dylan Coghlan (one year, $850K)

A year ago, Coghlan was a sweetener when the Vegas Golden Knights traded, he and Max Pacioretty to the Carolina Hurricanes for future considerations. It was a cap dump and it allowed Vegas to make room for other signings, and Carolina received two players for what essentially amounted to nothing. Pacioretty has since moved on to Washington, but Coghlan remains in Carolina. After going undrafted out of the WHL, Coghlan wound up in the AHL where he posted two solid offensive seasons with the Chicago Wolves before joining the Golden Knights. While he has never been able to carry his offensive production from the minors into the NHL, he has shown some glimpses while with Vegas and will now be given another look by Carolina.

Coghlan struggled in his first season with the Hurricanes as he posted just three assists in 17 NHL games, however, he continued to put up good offensive numbers in the AHL, albeit in limited action. At just 25 years of age, it is quite possible that Coghlan has more to give, but with the depth that Carolina has at the position, it’s possible that he may find himself on the outside looking in when the season begins.

Key Departures

F Max Pacioretty (Washington, one year, $2MM)
G Zach Sawchenko (Vancouver)*
D William Lagesson (Toronto)*
D Max Lajoie (Toronto)*
D Shayne Gostisbehere (Detroit, one year, $4.125MM)
F Mackenzie MacEachern (St. Louis)
D Calvin de Haan (Tampa Bay, one year, $775K)
F Ondrej Kase (HC Litvinov)
D Cavan Fitzgerald (Chicago Wolves, AHL)
F Malte Strömwall (Frolunda)

Up front, Pacioretty is the most notable loss, however, given how often he was injured last season, he is more of a never was. The Hurricanes obtained Pacioretty for a song, and unfortunately, he was never able to stay in the lineup for a sustained period of time. Pacioretty had three goals in five games with Carolina including two goals in his second game, but a series of unfortunate injuries led to a lost season for the 34-year-old.  A reunion seemed possible, but both the Hurricanes and Pacioretty opted to move in different directions.

Kase is another loss to the Hurricanes offense but much like Pacioretty he too was injured for almost the entire season. Kase was coming off a decent season in Toronto after posting 14 goals and 13 assists in 50 games and seemed like a good bet to provide middle six minutes for the Hurricanes. But injuries kept him from getting into the lineup and Kase has now elected to return home to play.

Carolina had equally as much turnover on the back end as they lost two regulars in Gostisbehere and de Haan.  Gostisbehere was a trade deadline acquisition from Arizona and was a good pickup at the time as he added some offensive punch to their backend in a sheltered role. However, given that the club signed Orlov, Gostisbehere was effectively replaced by a much better player, albeit at a much high cap number.

Calvin de Haan looked like a blueliner on the rise back in his New York Islanders days as he posted several solid seasons as a stay-at-home defenceman that could chip in on offense occasionally. As his career has gone on, he has seen his offense dry up and he has struggled at times to keep up with the pace of the NHL. He is still an NHL defenseman, but at this point in his career, he is best served as a seventh defenseman. He did find NHL work with Tampa Bay and will likely be counted on to serve as a 6-7 defenseman.

Lagesson and Lajoie both left Carolina for two-way deals with Toronto and both will most likely find themselves in the AHL playing for the Marlies. The story is the same for goaltender Sawchenko who departed Carolina for Vancouver and will most likely see time as a third or fourth option in the crease.

Salary Cap Outlook

Few teams have the ability to lose players in free agency and immediately replace them internally. Carolina has been able to do it over the past few years and may need to do it again next summer as they may face a cap crunch with Brett Pesce, Brady Skjei, Seth Jarvis and Teuvo Teravainen due new contracts. Carolina has almost $56MM committed to 10 players next season, and although they have over $30MM in cap space for next year, that money will dry up quickly when Carolina is locking up gifted free agents.

Key Questions

Can Carolina Score: The Hurricanes have a lot of offensively gifted players, but can they score when it matters the most? Carolina couldn’t solve Sergei Bobrovsky in last year’s playoffs, and it wasn’t the first time they’ve had that issue. Carolina has done little this offseason to bring in more offense, despite this being a fatal flaw. Can they address this in season, or do they even see this as a problem? DeAngelo and Orlov will provide more offense from the backend, and maybe it will be enough. Time will tell.

Will Pesce Re-sign? The Hurricanes have several high profiles pending free agents and none bigger than Pesce, who is a homegrown, beloved, rock-solid defender for the Canes. Defensemen are always in demand, particularly those who shoot right and provide a rare combination of size, skill, grit, and playmaking. There has been no shortage of trade speculation involving Pesce and it reached a point where a trade seemed inevitable, but it never materialized. It could still happen in season as Carolina can opt to move Pesce to shore up other parts of their lineup, or maybe they wait for a different kind of trade. The Hurricanes have options and have nearly eight months to decide what they want to do with the pending free agents on the backend.

Who Will Emerge In Net? Carolina opted to bring back the same goalie trio that they employed last season. The team re-signed pending free agents Antti Raanta and Frederik Andersen and are now committed to run it back again with the same goalie pairing. This isn’t a knock on either goalie as they’ve both had terrific careers, but it has felt for quite a while like the Hurricanes were just a goalie away from being a true Stanley Cup contender. But given the low cost of the tandem and their track records of regular season success, it’s hard to argue with rolling in back rather than opting to roll the dice in the trade market or unrestricted free agency.  The Canes do have Pyotr Kochetkov waiting in the wings should either veteran netminder falter, and given the youngster’s track record he could very well be the goalie of the future in Carolina.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Detroit Red Wings Sign Cameron Hillis To PTO

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CapFriendly has announced that the Detroit Red Wings have reportedly signed center Cameron Hillis to a PTO. The Oshawa, Ontario native was non-tendered by the Chicago Blackhawks back in June and was unable to find a contract for the upcoming season. The 23-year-old was a Montreal Canadiens third-round pick in the 2018 NHL draft and looked poised to take the next step after he captained the Guelph Storm in his final season of OHL eligibility. Hillis posted 24 goals and 59 assists in 62 games during that final OHL run and appeared to be every bit the playmaker the Canadiens hoped he’d be.

However, once Hillis made the jump to professional hockey his undersized frame started to hinder his offensive ability. In Hillis’ first professional season in the AHL, he produced just a single goal in 18 games. The next year, 2021-22, Hillis made his NHL debut with the Canadiens but spent the lion’s share of his season in the AHL and ECHL. While Hillis posted nine points in 14 ECHL games, he continued to struggle to score at the AHL level as he posted just five goals and four assists with the Laval Rocket in 24 AHL games.

This past October Hillis was dealt by the Canadiens to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for another struggling prospect Nicolas Beaudin. The change of scenery did little to ignite Hillis’ game, and in fact, his offensive struggles became worse as he posted just two assists in 18 AHL games with the Rockford IceHogs. Hillis did find an offensive pulse in the ECHL with the Indy Fuel where he posted 14 goals and 36 assists in 45 games. Given his lack of AHL success, Chicago opted to cut ties and allow Hillis to walk this offseason.

The Detroit Red Wings have made significant additions to their forward group this offseason and have a bit of a logjam going into the season. Given that, and Hillis’ struggles at both the NHL and AHL level it is hard to see him obtaining an NHL contract with the Red Wings. However, he could find an AHL deal or even an ECHL contract that would allow him to try and re-capture some of the offensive flair he showed in the OHL.

Joel Kiviranta Signs PTO With Colorado Avalanche

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Peter Baugh of The Athletic is reporting that the Colorado Avalanche have dipped their toes into the PTO waters once again as they have signed forward Joel Kiviranta to a professional tryout. The 27-year-old spent last season with the Dallas Stars where he registered eight goals and one assist in 70 games while playing 12:09 a night. Kiviranta joins Peter Holland who also signed a PTO with the Avalanche last week and will be looking to crack the team’s bottom six forward group and earn an NHL contract.

The native of Vantaa, Finland was signed by the Stars as an undrafted free agent back in May 2019 after he helped Finland earn a gold medal at the 2019 World Championship. He dressed in 11 NHL games the following season scoring just a single goal before dressing in 26 games in 2020-21 where he scored a career high 11 points.

The next two seasons would see Kiviranta become an NHL regular, albeit one who couldn’t regularly crack the score sheet. In 126 games over the past two seasons, Kiviranta has posted a total of nine goals and seven assists while going -15. Obviously, his offensive numbers leave a lot to be desired but on the defensive side of the puck Kiviranta has posted 214 hits over the past two years, and last season posted terrific takeaway numbers with 29 takeaways and just 13 giveaways.

Kiviranta is unlikely to develop into much more than a 13th forward at this point in his career, but for a team starving for some sandpaper and depth, it makes sense for the Avalanche to take a free look at Kiviranta and see if he can help them out.

Projecting Sidney Crosby’s Next Contract

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With Auston Matthews’ recent signing to a record-breaking contract, speculation has already started to ramp up as far as other soon-to-be elite free agents. While it is far too early for a lot of the chatter, it’s fair to wonder what kind of money these elite free agents will command when they come up for new deals. Connor McDavid was asked recently about it, and it is exactly what Dan Kingerski writes about in Pittsburgh Hockey Now. Kingerski wonders what type of contract Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby will get when his contract ends in two years. The comparison isn’t a great one given that Matthews and Crosby are in wildly different places in their respective careers, however, it is a fair question to ask given that Crosby is still playing at an elite level despite being 36 years old, and he will be eligible for an extension in less than a year.

Crosby is entering the 11th season of a 12-year deal he signed back in 2013. At the time, the Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia native’s $8.7MM cap hit was a considerable discount to give the Penguins. It allowed the team to have the cap space to surround him with elite talent. It was also a huge risk from the Penguins’ perspective given that Crosby was coming off multiple concussions, including one that put him out of action for nearly a year. But the Penguins made the move, which paid off in spades as the team captured Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017.

Crosby has given the Penguins a discount on every extension he has signed thus far in his career with both of his extensions coming with that $8.7MM cap hit. It has set the tone for Pittsburgh and allowed the Penguins to keep many of their stars under below-market contracts. For Crosby, he was always a team player but was also able to make nearly as much money off the ice as he did on it.

Pittsburgh fans and media have speculated about Crosby’s future since well before Matthews signed his extension and will likely continue to do so right up until he signs his next contract. But what might that look like?

It’s tough to project where Crosby’s game will be in two seasons, Crosby will be 38 years old by the time his next contract begins, however, NHL.com is projecting that Crosby will increase his point totals next season. Sid the Kid had 33 goals and 60 assists last season in 82 games and it’s hard to imagine him topping that at 36-years-old. But that is exactly what NHL.com is projecting he will do as they are predicting he will put up 102 points next season.

Whether or not Crosby hits that number is likely inconsequential when it comes to contract talks with the face of the Penguins franchise. Crosby has remained loyal to Pittsburgh and the Fenway Sports Group has remained steadfast in their desire to have Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang retire as Pittsburgh Penguins as evidenced by the long-term deals they gave Malkin and Letang.

Josh Yohe of The Athletic has said in the past that he believes Crosby wants to play until he’s around 40, which could make a two-year extension make sense. Under normal circumstances, a rising cap would lead a superstar like Crosby to ask for north of $10MM annually on an extension. However, given the past two extensions Sid has signed with Pittsburgh, Kingerski throws out an interesting number, $8.7MM per year.

Free Agent Profile: Zack Kassian

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Zack Kassian had one of the lowest-scoring seasons we’ve seen in quite some time as he put up just two goals last season in 51 games with the Arizona Coyotes. This prompted Arizona to buy out the 32-year-old forward prior to free agency in a move that made sense, given the lack of production from the former 13th overall pick. Kassian lasted just a single season in the desert and never really seemed comfortable playing on a very bad Coyotes team.

This is Kassian’s first crack at free agency and unfortunately for him he is coming off a season in which he posted career lows in many statistical categories. As mentioned earlier, he had just two points on the season, and posted a -18. His hitting was way down, which is one of the facets of the game he typically excels in. Kassian threw just 32 hits in 51 games last season, a dramatic drop from the 158 he threw the year prior with the Edmonton Oilers in 58 games. It’s not uncommon for physical players to see a decline in their 30’s, but the decline generally isn’t that steep.

Kassian deserves a ton of credit for battling several off-ice issues and resurrecting his career when it looked like it could be in trouble. At one point in 2015 Kassian bounced from Vancouver to Montreal to Edmonton in less than six months and looked like he could be out of the league. But, to his credit, he turned it around and even managed to post career highs in 2019-20 when he potted 15 goals to go along with 19 assists in 59 games. This run of good play prompted the Oilers to sign Kassian to a four-year contract extension in January 2020 worth $3.2MM annually. Unfortunately for the club and the player, Kassian struggled through the pandemic shortened 2020-21 season and hasn’t regained his footing ever since. Over the past three seasons combined Kassian has posted just 10 goals and 16 assists in 136 games, a drastic decline from his 2019-2020 numbers. The other issue that will work against Kassian is that he is strictly a 5 on 5 player. He has never been a regular contributor on the power play and hasn’t been a regular part of a penalty kill since 2018-19.

In a normal cap world, Kassian would have played out the final season of his contract with a salary that is well below his cap hit but given how poor his play was Arizona opted to move on and spread out that cost over two seasons.

Despite his struggles last season, it is still likely that Kassian will get an opportunity when training camps open in a few weeks. Teams are always looking for physical players, especially ones who can take a regular shift and will play under a reduced cap hit. Kassian checks all those boxes, which is a good indication that someone will give the Windsor, Ontario native a look to see if he still has anything to offer.

Stats

2022-23: 51 GP, 2-0-0, -18 rating, 50 PIMS, 25 shots, 37.5% faceoffs, 38.4% CF, 9:09 ATOI
Career: 661 GP, 92-111-203, -55 rating, 913 PIMS, 798 shots, 31.0% faceoffs, 48.2% CF, 12:37 ATOI

Potential Suitors

Kassian is still chasing hockey’s ultimate prize, the Stanley Cup. And after spending a dozen years in the league, he would probably prefer to spend his time chasing a championship with a Stanley Cup contender. However, given his status as a fringe NHLer at the moment, he likely won’t have the opportunity to be choosey. That doesn’t mean he won’t have a suitor, but it could mean that he would be playing on a weaker team, or a team that has a borderline chance of making the playoffs. But anything can happen, and even players that are past their best before date can catch on with good teams when it is least expected.

Let’s start out West in Edmonton. Kassian found his game almost eight years ago when it looked like his career was hanging on by a thread. It was there that he turned his intensity and physicality into effective NHL minutes on a team that was competitive for most of his run there. Kassian brought an edge that the Oilers severely lacked and gave them an option that they could plug almost anywhere in their lineup. But that was then, and this is now, and Kassian isn’t that player anymore. His body has broken down, as per normal with physical players when they hit the wrong side of 30. But Kassian could still help Edmonton, and it feels like the Oilers are always looking for bodies up front. Kassian couldn’t play in Edmonton’s top-9, but he could be a could fill-in for their fourth line if they aren’t able to find help between now and the start of the regular season.

Sticking with the West, the Colorado Avalanche were riddled with injuries last season. So much so that it looked like they might miss the playoffs entirely, however, a late-season rally secured their spot in the round of 16. But it was there that they were physically dominated by the Seattle Kraken and ousted in an exhilarating seventh game. The Avalanche were one of the lightest-hitting teams in the NHL last season, which on the surface isn’t the big of a deal given how skilled they are. However, the regular season and the playoffs are two different things and Colorado didn’t have an answer for Seattle in the postseason and really missed some of the grit they lost when Nazim Kadri departed last summer. Now, Zack Kassian is far from the answer to that problem, but he can offer Colorado something that is in short supply in their group, and it wouldn’t cost them more than a contract slot and a league minimum contract.

Finally, in the East, one team that could use a depth physical forward is the Buffalo Sabres. Coincidently, the team that took Kassian in the first round of the NHL entry draft some 14 years ago. The Sabres have a competent fourth line at the moment with Tyson Jost centering Kyle Okposo and Zemgus Girgensons, but injuries happen (see Jack Quinn), and Kassian could provide insurance to their Sabres if they were to lose any additional depth up front. The Sabres were also a team that didn’t throw the body around all that often-last year and with the talent that they have up front, they could likely place Kassian into a role that wouldn’t overextend him and could allow him to perhaps resurrect his career once again.

Projected Contract

Kassian enters free agency at a time when his free agent stock is very damaged. And while he has his shortcomings, he still offers a rare combination of physicality mixed with a bit of skill and could find success when he is sheltered in the right situation.

At this point in his career Kassian would be lucky to get a one-way contract for the league minimum of $775K. The most likely outcome for him will be a PTO with a team that is looking to add a 13th forward that offers some sandpaper and can chip in on the fourth line when a regular falls out of the lineup. A role like that would allow Kassian to play to his strengths and would offer longer windows of recovery for an aging player who has been banged up from years of throwing his body around with reckless abandon.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Arizona Coyotes Extend André Tourigny

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August 23: Arizona has confirmed Tourigny’s extension, which lasts for three years.

August 22: Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports is reporting that the Arizona Coyotes have officially signed head coach André Tourigny to a contract extension. It was reported earlier this month that the two sides were involved in negotiations and that a deal was close, but sources now tell Morgan it is completed.

At the time of the negotiations, Morgan reported that the holdup was Tourigny’s desire to get extensions in place for his coaching staff as well as himself – something that has reportedly been accomplished as the Coyotes have also locked up John Madden, Mario Duhamel and goalie coach Corey Schwab to extensions.

A native of Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Tourigny is about to embark on his third season at the helm of the Coyotes. And while his 53-90-21 record with Arizona is ugly on the surface, he has been guiding a roster that largely consists of prospects and castoffs. But record aside, Tourigny has done a good job keeping the group competitive on most nights and fostering a culture that must be positive given that several players who have been traded away previously have elected to return when they hit free agency.

No terms of the new contract have been released, but it should make the upcoming season more comfortable for Tourigny and his staff as they start a season where there will be expectations on the club to win some games. Arizona has been one of the busier teams in the off-season, swinging a trade for Sean Durzi and signing Jason Zucker, Alexander Kerfoot, Matt Dumba, and Nick Bjugstad.

Tourigny hasn’t had pressure to win thus far in his reign as the head coach of the Coyotes, but with a new contract in hand, and some serious depth added to the lineup, the pressure will begin to mount for Tourigny and Arizona to win some games.

Peter Holland Signs PTO With Colorado Avalanche

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Peter Baugh of The Athletic is reporting that former Toronto Maple Leafs forward Peter Holland is attempting to make a comeback with the Colorado Avalanche. Baugh reports that Holland will be trying to return to the NHL after not playing hockey anywhere last season.

Holland last played professionally in the Swedish Hockey League for Djurgardens IF. He struggled offensively, posting just six assists as he cut his season short and played in just 15 games.

Holland hasn’t dressed in an NHL game since 2017-18 when he was a member of the New York Rangers. He struggled mightily that season as he posted just a goal and three assists in 23 games while playing in a bottom-six role. He then spent time in the AHL and Sweden before eventually landing in the KHL where he played for two seasons as a member of Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg.

Holland will be a long shot to make a very talented Avalanche team. He will be fighting an uphill battle after sitting out for a season and spending a half-decade outside of the NHL. But he is a talented player, while he never reached the level scouts thought he would when he was selected 15th overall by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2009 NHL entry draft, he did put up several solid seasons as a member of the Maple Leafs.

Holland will join the likes of Nathan Beaulieu (Hurricanes), Alex Chiasson (Bruins), and Brandon Sutter (Oilers) who are all hoping to convert PTOs into NHL contracts for next season.

Detroit Red Wings Re-Sign Joe Veleno

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The Detroit Red Wings have announced that they’ve re-signed forward Joe Veleno to a one-year contract for the 2023-24 season with a cap hit of $825,000. The 23-year-old just completed his third season with the Wings and tallied nine goals and 11 assists in 81 games.

Veleno served Detroit’s fourth line well as he posted 152 hits on the season and was a disruptive force against opposing offences. While he did post 20 points on the campaign, he endured some long stretches where the offence dried up, including a 20-game drought where he was held pointless.

Veleno did not qualify for arbitration, which significantly hindered his negotiating power. He will once again be a restricted free agent next summer and could be looking to cash in if he can find more offence in the upcoming season. He will be due a qualifying offer of $866,000 next summer for Detroit to retain his rights.

The Montreal, Quebec native has a good combination of size and speed. He does good work on the forecheck, but it does feel like he has a lot more to give as he enters his prime. Although he hasn’t typically been penalized a lot in the NHL, he did face a major suspension this past spring when he was suspended at the 2023 IIHF World Championship for stomping on the leg of Winnipeg Jets forward Nino Niederreiter during a preliminary round game between Switzerland and Canada.

Veleno was coming off his entry-level contract with Detroit after dressing in 152 games over the past three years. To this point in his career, he has collected 18 goals and 18 assists while posting 13:03 of ice time per game.

Logan Mailloux Cleared To Play For Canadiens

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Renaud Lavoie of The NHL Network is reporting that Montreal Canadiens defensive prospect Logan Mailloux has been cleared by the NHL to play for the team next season. Lavoie tweeted, “Logan Mailloux has received a green light to play in the NHL when he earns a job with the Montreal Canadiens, putting an end to the speculation.”

The native of Belle River, Ontario, just wrapped up his final season of OHL eligibility with the London Knights, a season in which he posted 25 goals and 28 assists in 59 games.

The 20-year-old Mailloux was charged in Sweden with defamation and offensive photography after he shared an explicit picture of a woman with his teammates in Sweden without her consent. Mailloux was 17 years old at the time, and amid the controversy, he was selected by the Canadiens in the entry draft that followed after he had asked teams not to draft him. The NHL elected to review the situation before agreeing to allow Mailloux to play in the league.

Mailloux met with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman this past summer in what was presumably a meeting to discuss his being cleared by the league as he looked to turn pro for the first time after signing his NHL entry-level contract last year. He would have required clearance to play in the AHL or the NHL if he wanted to play professional hockey in North America.

Mailloux and the Montreal Canadiens have taken steps to try and make amends. Mailloux has participated in multiple educational events led by the community manager for the Montreal Canadiens Foundation, Geneviève Paquette. The Canadiens franchise has also put $1MM into a ‘Respect and Consent Action Plan‘.

With Mailloux now reportedly cleared to play, he will need to play catchup as he has missed significant time due to his suspensions as well as multiple injuries that he has dealt with. He is unlikely to land a job with the Canadiens as they have a good stockpile of skilled, young defensemen who will also be looking to crack the lineup. Given that, he will likely start the season with the Laval Rocket, which would be a good fit for him to better understand what it takes to become a professional before being thrust under the bright lights in Montreal.

Edmonton Oilers Make Changes To Scouting Staff

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The Edmonton Oilers announced today that they have made several changes to their scouting staff as the team gears up for training camp. The club has named Rick Pracey as Director of Amateur Scouting while mutually parting ways with Tyler Wright.

The 52-year-old Pracey has been an amateur scout with the Philadelphia Flyers since 2014 and brings over 20 years of scouting experience to Edmonton. He has previously worked as a Director of Amateur Scouting with the Colorado Avalanche, a role he served in from 2008-14 during which time the team selected Tyson Barrie, Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog, Ryan O’Reilly, and Matt Duchene.

A native of Hamilton, Ontario, Pracey’s professional playing career was short-lived as he played college hockey in Canada for both the University of Windsor and Wilfrid Laurier University, as well as a one-year stint in the UHL. After his playing career was over, Pracey joined the Avalanche in 2001 in an amateur scouting role and built his career from there.

For Tyler Wright, he moves on after just over four years with the Oilers. The 50-year-old came over to Edmonton in July 2019 along with Ken Holland after working alongside Holland with the Detroit Red Wings for six seasons. He served as Director of Amateur Scouting for all four years and was in the same role with the Red Wings for over six years.

It will be interesting to see where he lands given that the move was a mutual one for Wright and the Oilers. Wright’s work likely went by the wayside this year as the Oilers drafted just three players in June’s NHL entry draft after trading away picks in the Mattias Ekholm and Kailer Yamamoto trades.

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