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Snapshots: Granlund, Wheeler, Canadiens

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Taylor Haase of DKPittsburghSports is reporting that the Pittsburgh Penguins are not going to buyout Mikael Granlund before the 5pm buyout window later today. Granlund has had his name thrown around for weeks as a player that was likely to bought out, but it appears he will remain with the Penguins barring a trade, or a buyout in the second buyout window should one open for Pittsburgh.

Granlund was acquired on trade deadline day by previous Penguins general manager Ron Hextall and did not fit in well with the club. After posting 36 points in 58 games with the Nashville Predators, Granlund was traded to Pittsburgh for a second-round pick and put up just a goal and four assists in 21 games as the Penguins failed to qualify for the playoffs. If he does remain with the Penguins, it’ll be interesting to see how head coach Mike Sullivan deploys the 31-year-old as he was not a fit in the Penguins bottom-6 and the recently acquired Reilly Smith is expected to take their vacant left-wing spot on the second line.

Some more snapshots from around the league:

  • Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet tweeted that recent buyout recipient Blake Wheeler would prefer to play for an Eastern Conference team to have a new experience and less travel. The news comes from Wheeler’s agent Matt Keator and it makes sense given Wheeler’s age and his family considerations. The former Winnipeg Jets captain is a free agent for the first time and should have several teams to consider given that is coming off a season in which he posted 16 goals and 39 assists in 72 games.
  • Eric Engels of Sportsnet is reporting that he expects the Montreal Canadiens to be quiet in free agency as the team has a lot of players that they would like to move to open roster spots for their younger prospects. While Engels jokes about Canadiens’ general manager Kent Hughes putting his phone on silent, he does concede that the Canadiens could add a player if they fit into both the short-term and long-term parts of their rebuild plan. He mentions Mike Hoffman, Joel Edmundson, and Christian Dvorak as players Montreal would like to move on from and given that all three are veterans on expensive cap hits it does seem unlikely for the Canadiens to acquire more of that through free agency.

Mike Reilly To Be Bought Out By Bruins

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The Boston Bruins have been trying to create cap space all week long and according to TSN it looks as though they’ll make a little bit of room after placing defenseman Mike Reilly on waivers for the purposes of a buyout. Reilly has one year remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $3MM, the buyout will leave the Bruins with a cap charge of $1.33MM in each of the next two seasons, but will save Boston $1.66MM this year.

Reilly signed a three-year contract with the Bruins back in July 2021 and it seemed ill-fated even at the time. Reilly had never been able to produce much in the way of offence, and he seemed like an odd fit for Bruce Cassidy’s style of play. He managed to produce four goals and 13 assists in 70 games during his first season in Boston, but last year dressed in just 10 games and produced a single assist. Reilly became a cap casualty midway through last season and was sent to Boston’s AHL affiliate Providence where he played in 36 games posting seven goals and 19 assists. He didn’t dress in any playoff games for the Bruins.

While the buyout will hurt Reilly’s pocketbook it does seem likely that an NHL team will give him another look, although it will probably come at a very reduced salary. The free agent market is thin, but Reilly can offer a team veteran experience at a low cost. He does have his shortcomings though, as mentioned earlier he is very limited offensively and he struggles with his gap control as well as defending the rush. Should he find himself in an NHL lineup he would be best suited for a sheltered role on a third pairing.

Kraken Defenseman Carson Soucy Likely Headed To Free Agency

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Another player that is likely headed to the free agency market is defenseman Carson Soucy. Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff is reporting that the Seattle Kraken and the hulking defenseman had discussions about an extension, but it appears that at this point he is going to unrestricted free agency and will be in a new uniform next season.

This past season Soucy finished last in Kraken defensemen for points and ice time, however, he will still be a significant loss on the backend for Seattle. Together with offensive defenseman Justin Schultz, they formed one of the top third-defensive pairings in the NHL last season, which is what will ultimately price Soucy out of Seattle.

Soucy had three goals and 13 assists in 78 games last season and while he will never an offensive defenseman, he may be paid like one given that he’ll be entering a very weak free-agent market for defensemen. Soucy can bring a lot to a new team, he can play on both sides of the ice, has a bomb from the point, and is a good penalty killer. The one caveat to Soucy’s recent success is that he’s played sheltered minutes for the past two seasons. If a team pays him like a second-pairing defenseman, they might be very disappointed with the results.

Given what is known about Soucy’s game it seems unlikely that a team will dramatically overpay him. Daily Faceoff is projecting a three-year contract for him with an average annual value of $2.5MM, while The Athletic is projecting a $2.6MM annual value also on a three-year deal. Those numbers are more in line with a third pairing defensemen and that is a role the Soucy can flourish in as demonstrated by the past two seasons.

Devils Unlikely To Sign Miles Wood

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Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman is reporting that the New Jersey Devils have granted Miles Wood permission to speak with other teams around the league about trading for his rights prior to July 1st. This likely signals the end for Wood in New Jersey as he will be an unrestricted free agent in a few days, and it doesn’t appear as though the Devils see him in their future.

New Jersey drafted Wood in the fourth round of the 2013 NHL entry draft and after a season in the NCAA and a cup of coffee in the AHL, Wood found himself as a regular in the Devils lineup. Expectations were high for the Buffalo native after he finished his second full season in the NHL with 19 goals and 13 assists.

It looked as though Wood was well on his way to becoming a solid middle-six forward who could contribute 20 goals a season. However, Wood was never able to duplicate those offensive numbers failing to reach the 30-point mark in each of the next five seasons. He also struggled to elevate his linemates and was frequently guilty of turning the puck over at inopportune times.

Last year Wood posted 13 goals and 14 assists in 76 games and did a much better job driving play and was much more engaged physically, however, he continued to turn the puck over regularly.

Wood will generate some interest on the open market, but it would be surprising to see a team give up an asset to acquire his rights given that free agency is just a few days away and there are plenty of available options that can offer a similar skill set to him. That being said, the market for free agents is weak and teams looking for bottom-six help could do worse than Wood.

Blue Jackets Sign Trey Fix-Wolansky To Extension

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The Columbus Blue Jackets announced that they’ve re-signed winger Trey Fix-Wolansky to a two-year two-way contract extension that will carry him through the 2024-25 season. The former seventh-round pick would have been eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2024-25 but has elected the security of his two-year deal. Fix-Wolansky will count $775K while in the NHL but will make $350K in 2023-24 and $375K in 2024-25 in the AHL. He gets a minimum guaranteed salary of $425K and $450K in the respective years of his extension.

The 24-year-old had an offensive breakout last season while in the AHL. In 61 games he set career highs with the Cleveland Monsters as he put up 29 goals and 42 assists. These numbers eclipsed his combined career numbers from his previous three seasons in the AHL. Fix-Wolansky was also honored by being named to the second AHL All-star team for the first time in his career.

At the NHL level the Edmonton native has dressed in 15 games for Columbus in parts of two seasons posting two goals and a single assist while averaging just over 10 minutes a night. The undersized forward stands just 5’7” and weighs 178 pounds but has learned to play with an edge as his career has gone on. Last season he dressed in just nine games in the NHL but managed to put up 11 hits.

The signing is very low risk for the Blue Jackets as they try to build up some depth in their forward ranks. Most of general manager Jarmo Kekalainen’s moves this offseason have been made to address their defense, but their forward group certainly needs work as well. Fix-Wolansky won’t be an improvement to the group, but he does offer them a talented, albeit undersized 13th forward who can shuffle back and forth between the AHL and the NHL.

Nashville Predators Sign Jake Livingstone To Extension

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The Nashville Predators announced this morning that they have re-signed defenseman Jake Livingstone to a two-year two-way contract extension. The 24-year-old made his NHL debut this past season dressing in five games for the Predators, posting a single assist. Livingstone struggled for the most part as he was caved in while on the ice at even strength. The two-way extension makes sense as it appears the young defender needs time in the AHL to develop.

Livingstone signed a one-year ELC this past spring to join the Predators for the remainder of the season after spending three years in the NCAA with Minnesota State where he had 21 goals and 59 assists in 91 career games. The native of Creston, BC finished off his college career by being named to the All-CCHA First Team and also won the conference’s Defenseman of the Year award for the second straight season.

Before enrolling at Minnesota State, Livingstone spent four years in the BCHL with the Langley Rivermen. In 185 career BCHL games, he posted 22 goals and 82 assists and was named to the BCHL’s Second All-Star Team in his final season.

With his two-year extension, Livingstone will count $775K against the salary cap while in the NHL and will make $82,500 while in the AHL. For a player who was never drafted and never played major junior hockey it’s a pretty good outcome. He isn’t the best skater in the world, but he has good size standing 6’3” tall and weighing in at 205 pounds. If he can improve his puck handling and skating, he could become a valuable bottom-pairing defenseman for the Predators as they navigate their first rebuild in a long time.

Blackhawks Sign Nick Foligno To One-Year Contract

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Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff is reporting that the Chicago Blackhawks have wasted little time in moving to sign forward Nick Foligno as he has accepted a one-year contract for $4MM. Foligno was traded yesterday by the Boston Bruins in what amounts to a salary dump as the Bruins scramble to gain cap space before free agency opens on July 1st. He was traded along with Taylor Hall for the rights to RFAs Ian Mitchell and Alec Regula. Foligno will be joining the fifth organization in his 16-year career having also spent time with the Ottawa Senators, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Toronto Maple Leafs.

The 35-year-old spent two years with the Bruins after signing with the club as an unrestricted free agent in July 2021. His first year in Boston was largely forgettable as he put up career lows with two goals and 11 assists in 64 games. However, last season he was able to double his output with 10 goals and 16 assists in 60 games while finding more of a role in Boston’s dominant forward group.

At this point in his career, Foligno is more of a third-liner but he will likely be asked to take some top-6 minutes in Chicago’s weak forward group unless they make significant upgrades over the summer. It should be interesting to see how he acclimates himself as he moves from the President’s Trophy winner to a team that could very well find itself near the bottom of the league standings.

From Chicago’s perspective, there is little downside to this move. While it is certainly a dramatic overpay for an aging forward, they must reach the cap floor and Foligno should provide some good veteran leadership throughout the season. Chicago will likely have to overpay any other free agent acquisitions as well since the season ahead will be a bumpy one in the windy city.

2023 NHL Awards Winners

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2023 The NHL Awards were given out tonight in Nashville. The ceremony kicks off what should be a busy week as teams continue to prepare for the NHL Entry Draft and free agency, which begins on July 1st.

Here is the full list of winners, with the top two runners-up in each category:

Calder Trophy – Top Rookie

Winner: Matthew Beniers (Kraken)

Runners-Up: Owen Power (Sabres), Stuart Skinner (Oilers)

Voting Results

Norris Trophy – Top Defenseman

Winner: Erik Karlsson (Sharks)

Runners-Up: Adam Fox (Rangers), Cale Makar (Avalanche)

Voting Results

Ted Lindsay Award – Most Outstanding Player (as voted by the players)

Winner: Connor McDavid (Oilers)

Runners-Up: Erik Karlsson (Sharks), David Pastrnak (Bruins)

Lady Byng Trophy – Most Gentlemanly Player

Winner: Anze Kopitar (Kings)

Runners-Up: Jack Hughes (Devils), Brayden Point (Lightning)

Voting Results

Hart Trophy – Most Valuable Player

Winner: Connor McDavid (Oilers)

Runners-Up: David Pastrnak (Bruins), Matthew Tkachuk (Panthers)

Voting Results

Vezina Trophy – Goaltender Of The Year

Winner: Linus Ullmark (Bruins)

Runner-Ups: Connor Hellebuyck (Jets), Ilya Sorokin (Islanders)

Voting Results

Selke Trophy – Best Defensive Forward

Winner: Patrice Bergeron (Bruins)

Runners-Up: Mitchell Marner (Maple Leafs), Nico Hischier (Devils)

Voting Results

Jack Adams Award – Coach Of The Year

Winner: Jim Montgomery (Bruins)

Runners-Up: Dave Hakstol (Kraken), Lindy Ruff (Devils)

Voting Results

Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy – Perseverance, Sportsmanship, and Dedication

Winner: Kris Letang (Penguins)

Runners-Up: Clayton Keller (Coyotes), Alex Stalock (Blackhawks)

King Clancy Memorial Trophy – Humanitarian

Winner: Mikael Backlund (Flames)

Runners-Up: Anders Lee (Islanders), Darnell Nurse (Oilers)

Mark Messier Leadership Award

Winner: Steven Stamkos (Lightning)

E.J. McGuire Award – Prospect Commitment to Excellence

Winner: Connor Bedard (Regina Pats, WHL)

 

Congratulations to all the winners and the nominees.

Linus Ullmark Wins The Vezina Trophy

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Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark is the 2022-23 Vezina Trophy for the league’s top goaltender after he posted a .938 save percentage and a 1.89 goals-against average to go along with a 40-6-1 record. It is the first Vezina Trophy win for the 29-year-old and is his second bit of hardware as he also collected the Jennings award for being the goalie with the fewest goals scored against.

Ullmark’s 40 wins tied him for the most wins in the NHL this season and his .938 save percentage was the fifth-highest mark all-time amongst goalies that played at least 25 games. He led the Bruins to the President’s Trophy this season and was a big reason the club was as dominant as it was. Ullmark even tickled the twine this year scoring the first goalie goal in three seasons.

Despite the incredible season, there is no guarantee that Ullmark will be back next season for the Bruins. Boston is facing a very difficult cap crunch and have goaltender Jeremy Swayman lying in wait ready to take over the starting role. The Bruins may be forced to decide between the two of them depending on how their cap situation unfolds.

Patrice Bergeron Wins His Sixth Selke Trophy

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Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron has won his NHL record sixth Selke Trophy including his second straight. The Selke Trophy is awarded to the forward that best excels in the defensive aspect of the game as voted by the Professional Hockey Writer’s Association. Bergeron edged out Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner and New Jersey Devils center Nico Hischier.

Bergeron had another terrific season as he led the Bruins to the President’s Trophy as the best regular season team. He was terrific in all three zones of the ice putting up 27 goals and 31 assists in 78 games while dominating the face-off circle with a winning percentage of 61.1%. Away from the puck, Bergeron remained elite posting 38 takeaways on the season as well as blocking 54 shots. He continued to kill penalties, man the powerplay and post dominant possession numbers at 5v5. Bergeron also hit a big milestone this year as he recorded the 1000th point of his career.

A surefire first-ballot hall of famer, Bergeron has stated that he plans to take some time away this summer to decide whether he wants to return for a 20th NHL season in Boston. Bergeron considered retirement last summer but elected to sign a one-year deal with the Bruins to continue playing. Should he opt to return next year he will likely sign a similar one-year deal and go year-to-year going forward.

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