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Devils Notes: Smith, Necas, Pesce

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James Nichols of NJ Hockey Now is reporting that New Jersey Devils defenseman Brendan Smith will likely become a free agent on July 1st. Nichols added that a different source of his told him that if Smith reaches free agency, it will be his choice and not the Devils. Smith was a trade candidate at the NHL trade deadline but ultimately stayed in New Jersey, however, when the season ended, Smith told the media that he hadn’t discussed a contract extension with the Devils.

The Devils have been busy as of late and are expected to make some major moves this summer, Smith has acknowledged that there is a pecking order to things, and it seems entirely possible that he is open to re-signing with the team. The 35-year-old has stated to the media that he loves New Jersey, but the most important thing to him is staying in the NHL.

In other Devils notes:

  • Frank Seravalli has linked the Devils to Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas saying that New Jersey may have offered their 10th overall picks in this year’s draft in an attempt to acquire the 25-year-old. At this point, it’s almost a foregone conclusion that Carolina is fielding a ton of offers for Necas, while simultaneously trying to sign pending unrestricted free agents such as Jake Guentzel. Necas had a solid, but unspectacular year with the Hurricanes, dressing in 77 games while posting 24 goals and 29 assists. He is a pending restricted free agent and is due a $3.5MM qualifying offer.
  • Rumors continue to fly about the Devils signing free-agent defenseman Brett Pesce. The chatter began when Elliotte Friedman of the 32 Thoughts podcast linked the two sides late last week. Devils’ general manager Tom Fitzgerald told The Jeff Marek Show that he was in the market for defensemen to add to his backend. Pesce is a defense-first rearguard who can play in a variety of roles, he posted a career-high 30 points in the 2022-23 season, but that dropped last year to just three goals and 10 assists in 70 games.

Rangers’ Glen Sather Announces Retirement

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The New York Rangers have announced that after six decades in hockey, senior advisor to the owner and alternate governor Glen Sather has announced his retirement from professional hockey. Sather joined the Rangers 24 years ago and held several positions in the organization including president and general manager when he was first hired by the Rangers in June of 2000. Sather ended his run as Rangers general manager in July 2015 and at the time he finished with an NHL record 2700 regular season games and career regular season wins with 1319. He remained Rangers president until 2019.

Sather’s run in New York never resulted in a Stanley Cup, but he is the winningest general manager in franchise history and was the architect of a very successful decade-long run that saw the Rangers make the playoffs in 11 of 12 seasons and win a playoff series in five of six seasons. The Rangers also won the President’s Trophy in Sather’s final season as general manager, finishing the year with 113 points and 53 wins.

Sather was a five-time Stanley Cup champion with the Edmonton Oilers and was also the head coach for four of those five title wins, joining Punch Imlach as one of only two people in hockey history to win at least four Stanley Cups as both a coach and general manager. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1997 but continued to work.

Along with his incredible NHL resume, Sather also led Team Canada to a pile of success internationally guiding teams to a Canada Cup Championship in 1994, as well as the World Hockey Championship in the same year.

Sather will long be remembered for the Oilers dynasty of the 1980s, however, the 1990s were a different time in which the Oilers didn’t have the financial means to compete with many of the NHL’s big spenders. Sather may have done some of his best work during this time, keeping Edmonton competitive as the team struggled to retain their top players in Edmonton due to financial constraints.

PHR wishes Sather and his family all the best in retirement and congratulations on having one of the most incredible careers in hockey history.

Buffalo Sabres Intend To Buy Out Jeff Skinner

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Chad DeDominicis of Expected Buffalo is reporting that the Buffalo Sabres intend to buy out forward Jeff Skinner. Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reported last week that the Sabres were considering a buyout of the final three years on Skinner’s deal, but with the buyout window opening today, all signs point to his time in Buffalo being finished.

Skinner is owed $22MM for the final three seasons of his eight-year $72MM contract and his buyout will be spread out over the next six seasons. The numbers broken down by year will look like this (as per CapFriendly):

  • Year 1 – $1.44MM
  • Year 2 – $4.44MM
  • Year 3 – $6.44MM
  • Year 4 – $2.44MM
  • Year 5 – $2.44MM
  • Year 6 – $2.44MM

Buffalo will save $7.555MM in the first year of the buyout which will give the Sabres $31MM in cap space to play with this summer as they look to get back to the playoffs for the first time in over a decade.

For Skinner, the buyout ends a run in Buffalo that was mired by inconsistent offensive production and poor defensive play. Skinner was acquired by the Sabres back in August 2018 for a package that included a 2019 second-round draft pick, a third-round draft pick in 2020, as well as a sixth-round draft pick in 2020 and Cliff Pu. The trade initially looked like a big win for Buffalo as Skinner posted 40 goals and 23 assists in 82 games. He then signed his massive extension in June 2019 and that’s when the relationship began to sour.

Skinner wasn’t able to maintain his 14.9% shooting percentage from the 2018-19 season and fell on hard times the next two seasons, posting just 21 goals and 16 assists in 112 games. He bounced back in 2022-23, tallying 35 goals and 47 assists for a career-high 82 points in 79 games, however this past season the 32-year-old’s numbers cratered once again as he fell to 24 goals and 22 assists.

Skinner will find work this summer, as there is no shortage of teams looking for scoring and not a ton of it to be found in free agency. Skinner’s defensive work remains an issue and he isn’t much of a puck carrier, but he should be able to latch on with a team on a short-term deal and possibly offer secondary scoring at a reduced price point.

East Notes: Jarry, Chychrun, Provorov

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Elliotte Friedman noted on the 32 Thoughts podcast that Pittsburgh Penguins netminder Tristan Jarry is likely available via trade this summer. The 29-year-old signed a five-year $26.875MM contract last summer with the Penguins and put up pedestrian numbers in another inconsistent season and eventually lost the starter role to recently re-signed Alex Nedeljkovic.

Jarry’s contract might have looked unmovable just a few months ago, but given the goalie market and the fact that he is a two-time All-Star, a move seems very possible. Whether the Penguins want to make that move or not is another story, but the fact that they didn’t start him in the final 13 games of the regular season is certainly not a vote of confidence. Jarry went 19-25-5 last season with a .903 save percentage and a 2.91 goals-against average. His underlying numbers were a tick better as he posted 2.6 goals saved above expected (as per MoneyPuck).

In other Eastern Conference notes:

  • Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia is reporting that the Ottawa Senators are gauging what the trade market looks like for defenceman Jakob Chychrun. The 26-year-old has one year left on his contract at $4.6MM and will be a prime trade target for many teams looking to improve their backend. Ottawa is reportedly looking for a first-round pick, as well as a second-round pick or a high-end prospect in exchange for Chychrun, a steep price for what could be a one-year rental. Chychrun had a good offensive season last year with 14 goals and 27 assists in 82 games; however, he was -30. Chychrun turned the puck over with alarming frequency last season, committing 73 turnovers, however, his possession numbers were very good with a CF% of 51.2% at even-strength.
  • Aaron Portzline of The Athletic lists Ivan Provorov as a potential trade chip for the Columbus Blue Jackets this summer as newly hired general manager Don Waddell tries to improve the struggling team. The 27-year-old Provorov has one season left on his contract with a cap hit of $4.75MM ($2MM retained by Los Angeles) and should receive interest if Columbus decides to move him. Portzline says he would be surprised if Provorov spends the year with the Blue Jackets, given his contractual status and the fact that the Blue Jackets have defenseman Denton Mateychuk turning pro. Mateychuk could be ready to tackle the top four minutes very shortly which could facilitate Provorov’s trade, however, it is important to note that Waddell has a history of being patient with young players and might opt to keep Mateychuk in the AHL for extra seasoning.

Alexis Lafrenière Not Likely To Negotiate Extension This Summer

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Vincent Z. Mercogliano of USA Today writes that he doesn’t expect the New York Rangers and young forward Alexis Lafrenière will engage in contract extension talks this summer when the 22-year-old becomes eligible. Lafrenière is entering the second and final year of an extension that will pay him just $2.325MM next season and is reportedly content with playing out the deal and negotiating an extension next summer when he will have arbitration rights. The Rangers are facing a major cap crunch this summer and could be in more trouble next July when a potential Igor Shesterkin extension will kick in.

A former first-overall pick in 2020, Lafrenière looked like a potential bust early in his career, producing modest offensive success in New York. However, his offensive production has improved in each season of his career, producing career highs last year in goals (28), assists (29), points (57), and games (82) played.

It’s unclear if the Rangers want to lock up Lafrenière long-term but it would make sense if they did, given that another improvement in his offensive production will surely push the AAV on his next contract up dramatically. Lafrenière is not just an offensive player but is willing to get involved physically and has no issues with getting to the high-danger areas and being difficult to play against.

If he takes another big step next season, there is no way to tell what a long-term extension could look like for St-Eustache, Quebec native, or what kind of salary cap gymnastics the Rangers would need to play to fit him under the salary cap.

Free Agent Focus: Dallas Stars

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Free agency is now just a month away and teams are looking ahead to when it opens.  There will be several impact players set to hit the open market in July while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign as well.  We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Stars.

Key Restricted Free Agents

D Thomas Harley – Harley broke out in a big way last season, and it couldn’t have come at a better time for the 22-year-old as he could be in line for a big payday this summer. Harley had played just 40 NHL games before last season, but dressed in 79 games last year averaging over 21 minutes a game and posting 15 goals and 32 assists. The Syracuse, New York native is mobile for his size and keeps things simple with the puck but does have an offensive pulse. He has played mostly even-strength minutes in Dallas, and likely has more to offer on special teams should he be given an opportunity. Harley could be in line for a long-term extension with an AAV in the range of $5.5MM to $6MM, however, given the Stars’ cap crunch, he might need to settle for a bridge deal.

D Nils Lundkvist – Lundkvist is another two-way defenseman on the Stars’ backend and like many of the others he is mobile and plays a simple offensive game. Lundkvist won’t light up the scoresheet but his a good in the offensive zone keeping plays alive and getting pucks to the net. He is also a solid passer and plays a relatively safe style, taking care of his duties with and without the puck. Depending on the status of Tanev, Lundkvist could see a promotion next season and will likely receive a bridge deal this summer given the Stars’ cap crunch.

F Sam Steel – Steel was expected to be an offensive player in the NHL when he was drafted in the first round back in 2016. However, he’s never been able to find much scoring success, topping out at 28 points in 65 games last season. He’s bounced around to three organizations in the past few seasons but is still just 26 years old and has carved out an NHL role as a bottom-six forward who can provide energy and plays a fast game. Steel signed last summer for one year and $850K, however, this summer he should be able to find a multi-year deal and double his salary.

Other RFAs:  F Oskar Back, G Matt Murray

Key Unrestricted Free Agents

F Matt Duchene – Duchene bounced back to form in 2023-24 and delivered everything that Dallas was hoping for when they signed him to a one-year $3MM deal last summer. Duchene can still skate, and remains a threat on the power play, off the rush and in tight areas. He posted 25 goals and 40 assists in 80 games last year and has expressed an interest in returning to the Stars. The interest is mutual according to reports and it seems very likely that both sides can reach a multi-year deal in the range of $4MM – $5MM per season.

D Jani Hakanpää – Hakanpää had the unfortunate luck of having a career-worst season as he approached unrestricted free agency. The 32-year-old Finnish defenseman has been a solid contributor on the Stars’ blueline since the 2021-22 season but dressed in just 64 games in the regular season and wasn’t available in the playoffs due to injury. When he was healthy, he remained a solid third-pair defenseman and an excellent penalty killer as his big body can disrupt passing and block shots. Hakanpää isn’t a great skater and isn’t particularly good with the puck, but for a team looking for a safe, stay-at-home defenseman, he could be a good option.

D Chris Tanev – Tanev fit in seamlessly with the Stars after he came over to the team on February 28. He played predominantly at even strength and on the penalty kill and remained one of the best shot blockers in the NHL. Tanev can still skate and remains a good option to take on the other team’s best players, he leads by example and isn’t afraid to get physical. Any team that signs Tanev to a multi-year deal may have to contend with the backend of his contract becoming an albatross as players that play the same style as Tanev typically don’t age that well. That being said, Tanev will still fetch a few years on his next deal, likely north of $3MM per season.

Other UFAs: D Gavin Bayreuther, F Nicholas Caamano, C Fredrik Karlstrom, RW Joe Pavelski, D Alex Petrovic, D Derrick Pouliot, C Scott Reedy, D Jerad Rosburg, RW Craig Smith, G Scott Wedgewood

Projected Cap Space

Dallas has been a great team for a long time, but this summer might be the one in which they take a step back. The Stars have just over $16MM available under the salary cap and will have multiple holes to fill. If they are to sign a few of their pending free agents, that will leave them with very little space to plug holes in the lineup. However, the Stars are fortunate to have players like Mavrik Bourque in the AHL who are ready to step into an NHL lineup. This summer will be crucial for Stars general manager Jim Nill to maximize the window in which Dallas can continue to be a Stanley Cup contender.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.  Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.

Morning Notes: Golden Knights, Red Wings, Drouin

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The Vegas Golden Knights have reportedly been in talks with the Boston Bruins about acquiring goaltender Linus Ullmark (as per Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia). The news is a bit surprising given the Golden Knights’ depth at the position, however, Vegas has received interest in their own goaltenders and might see Ullmark as a way to improve their netminding in the short term.

Boston has reportedly been looking at a center in exchange for Ullmark, and Vegas could potentially make that happen although it would create a hole in their forward group. The Golden Knights currently have Adin Hill and Logan Thompson under contract for next season, however, neither goalie was able to grab the net last season and both men posted save percentages below .910. It’s always interesting to see Vegas pop up in trade negotiations as they have a recent history of getting the players that they target, and Ullmark would certainly solidify the position for the team for the next couple of seasons.

In other morning notes:

  • Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia is reporting that the Detroit Red Wings have had talks with the Boston Bruins regarding goaltender Linus Ullmark. Garrioch didn’t specify when the trade talks took place, but it is possible they happened before Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman said that he wasn’t interested in a veteran goalie who wouldn’t be with Detroit in 2-3 years (as per Sean Shapiro). Yzerman also told the media he wasn’t opposed to improving Detroit’s goaltending if something made sense, and Ullmark would be a dramatic improvement over any of the other netminders in Detroit’s depth chart. Detroit gave up 274 goals last season, finishing 24 out of 32 teams.
  • Colorado Avalanche writer Adrian Dater tweeted that he believes the Avalanche will re-sign forward Jonathan Drouin. Dater called his speculation “an educated guess” but added that there are still conversations between the team and the 29-year-old pending unrestricted free agent. Drouin came over to the Avalanche last summer as a free agent, signing a bargain one-year contract for $825K. That deal was an absolute steal for Colorado as Drouin regained his offensive form and tallied 19 goals and 37 assists. Any long-term deal with Drouin will carry a certain degree of risk given his play in previous years, however, he should be able to fetch a short-term commitment this summer with a healthy AAV.

Senators Notes: Hamonic, Brannstrom, Bernard-Docker

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Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia is reporting that the Ottawa Senators are likely to buy out veteran defenseman Travis Hamonic when the buyout window opens after the Stanley Cup is awarded. The 33-year-old was brought back last summer by former Senators general manager Pierre Dorion and was largely a disaster registering just six points in 48 games.

On top of his poor offensive output, Hamonic was a liability on the ice, posting dreadful possession numbers with a CF% of 43.2% and an xGF% of 41.5%. The Senators don’t have many effective right-shot defensemen but can ill-afford to roll Hamonic back out next season for nearly 15 minutes per game. Hamonic is owed $1.1MM next year meaning a buyout would cost Ottawa $366,667 in each of the next two seasons. Ottawa would save $733,333 next year which would certainly help as they look to address their goaltending.

In other Ottawa Senators notes:

  • Garrioch also reported that Ottawa is trying to move Erik Brannstrom prior to the deadline for issuing a qualifying offer. The 24-year-old was a central piece of the Mark Stone trade and has never lived up to the billing of being a 15th overall pick. Brannstrom is owed a $2MM qualifying offer if the Senators want to retain his rights, otherwise, he will become an unrestricted free agent. The Eksjö, Sweden native posted three goals and 17 assists in 76 games last year, which were all career-highs, however, despite the improved numbers it’s hard to imagine that teams are lining up to give up an asset to take on that cap hit.
  • The Senators are also reportedly trying to trade right-shot defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker (as per Bruce Garrioch).  The Canmore, Alberta native is also a former first-round pick who has failed to live up to expectations. The 23-year-old is no analytics darling as he struggled to an even strength CF% of 47.5% last season but did find career highs in goals with four and assists with 10 as he played in 72 NHL games. Bernard-Docker will carry a cap hit of $805K next season and could be moved for a late-round pick or a lower-end prospect.

East Notes: Senators, Flyers, Capitals

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Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia wrote today that the Ottawa Senators have been linked to Anaheim Ducks netminder John Gibson. He didn’t go into much detail about the link, but it’s not the first time there has been mention of a link between Gibson and the Senators. Ottawa has been pushing hard to improve their netminding and has held talks on Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark since before the NHL trade deadline.

The Senators are desperate to improve their goaltending which has been a disaster since Craig Anderson left town in 2020. The 30-year-old Gibson hasn’t been a strong netminder for years but has been paid like one and still has three years left on his deal at an AAV of $6.4MM. It seems unlikely Ottawa will pursue Gibson at his current price point; however, they could entertain him if they can’t make a deal with the Bruins for Ullmark or if Anaheim is willing to retain some of Gibson’s cap hit.

In other Eastern Conference notes:

  • Anthony Di Marco of The Fourth Period tweeted that he believes that forward Matvei Michkov’s arrival to the Philadelphia Flyers will give the team a bit of leverage in their contract negotiations with right winger Travis Konecny. The Flyers have a difficult decision looming with Konecny, as the 27-year-old is just a year out from unrestricted free agency and there have been rumblings that he is seeking $10MM annually on his next deal. With Michkov likely on his way to Philadelphia, the Flyers could see him as a Konecny replacement, and possibly pivot to an exploration of the trade market for Konecny.
  • The Washington Capitals recently swapped goaltender Darcy Kuemper for forward Pierre-Luc Dubois but are apparently not close to done re-shaping their roster (per Elliotte Friedman on 32 Thoughts). The Capitals have some in-house free agents to take care of but will be able to bring everyone back if they want to. The team badly needs to address their offense, and while Dubois should help in that regard, he can’t be the only piece they add if they hope to improve upfront. Washington scored just 220 goals last season, good enough for 28 out of 32 teams and can no longer rely on their power play to carry them.

East Notes: Lightning, DeBrusk, Ullmark

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Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times expects the Tampa Bay Lightning to make a trade in the near future to cut costs as they try to find room to sign pending free agent captain Steven Stamkos to a contract extension. The Lightning are up against the cap with just $5.335MM in cap space and have just 18 active roster players signed for next season.

Encina looks at the contracts of Tanner Jeannot and Erik Cernak as possibilities to move on from. Jeannot has struggled since coming over from Nashville for five draft picks and Callan Foote and is slated to make $2.665MM next year, while Cernak is owed $5.2MM. Jeannot seems like the likelier of the two to be moved as he has just a year left on his contract at half the cost and has already been linked to multiple teams.

In other Eastern Conference notes:

  • Nick Kypreos speculates in the Toronto Star that the Toronto Maple Leafs have interest in pending free agent forward Jake DeBrusk. The 27-year-old has haunted the Maple Leafs in the playoffs could slide into the team’s top six if they don’t bring back Max Domi or Tyler Bertuzzi. DeBrusk is coming off a disappointing season with the Boston Bruins, tallying just 19 goals and 21 assists in 80 games. However, the Edmonton, Alberta native is just a year removed from a 27-goal season and has surpassed 25 goals on three separate occasions.
  • Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported on 32 Thoughts that he believes that a big holdup on the Linus Ullmark trade is a potential contract extension being worked out. Friedman points out that a lot of teams aren’t interested in paying the Bruins high asking price for a goaltender that would only be a rental and would like an extension in place before making the deal. Friedman also notes that in the case of a team like the Ottawa Senators, he would have to waive his no-trade clause and likely work out an extension with the team to make the trade happen. Boston has held firm on their asking price in recent weeks but might have to adjust it as some teams that were in on Ullmark have already addressed their goaltending situation, and there are other potential available options on the market.

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