Blues Acquire Radek Faksa, Mathieu Joseph
The Blues have acquired center Radek Faksa from the Stars for future considerations, the team announced. In a separate trade with the Senators, they’ve also picked up winger Mathieu Joseph and a 2025 third-round pick with future considerations heading to Ottawa in return.
With the deals, St. Louis essentially makes a pair of slightly overpriced free-agent signings and receives a third-round pick for their trouble. Faksa is signed for next season at a $3.25MM cap hit, while Joseph is signed for two more years at a $2.95MM cap hit. No salary was retained in the deals.
Both should slot into everyday bottom-six roles with the Blues, while Joseph could have some mobility up to the second line. He’s coming off a strong season in a depth role for Ottawa, recording 11 goals and 35 points in 72 games. He was more than serviceable for what he cost, but the Sens desperately needed to open up cap space with Shane Pinto in need of a new contract (although he does remain a trade candidate, per The Fourth Period’s Anthony Di Marco) and a handful of other forward spots still to fill.
The problem for Ottawa is that they’ll now need to replace Joseph’s production, not something they can confidently do for less than what he costs. After parting ways with him and picking up Michael Amadio and David Perron in free agency yesterday, they likely still need a top-nine forward in order to boast a playoff-caliber offense next season, something they may not be able to afford based on how much a new deal for Pinto costs them. They have $7.35MM in projected cap space remaining after the Joseph trade, per CapFriendly.
Dallas, too, needed to open up some cap space for an RFA in need of a new deal – defenseman Thomas Harley. The Stars rebuilt their blue line on the fly yesterday after losing Jani Hakanpää and Chris Tanev and buying out Ryan Suter, bringing in Mathew Dumba, Ilya Lyubushkin and Brendan Smith while also giving a new deal to Nils Lundkvist, who was briefly a UFA after not receiving a qualifying offer. They now have almost $8MM in space after the move, opening enough space to re-sign Harley and land a more economical replacement for Faksa on the open market among the few names that are left.
Faksa’s cap hit wasn’t an outright albatross for Dallas, and he remains a premier fourth-line center with a good defensive game, receiving Selke votes four times in his career. But over $3MM annually was a tad tough to swallow for a player who’s only had double-digit goals once in the past four years and is coming off a 19-point campaign in 74 games last season. His usage had slipped, averaging 12:31 per game last season – his lowest since his rookie year.
He’s a similarly-priced and more defensively-oriented replacement in St. Louis for Kevin Hayes, who they traded to the Penguins over the weekend. Over his first 638 NHL games, all in Dallas, Faksa had 89 goals and 200 points with a -11 rating.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli was first to report that Faksa was headed to the Blues.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was first to report the Blues were acquiring Joseph.
TSN’s Chris Johnston was first to report the Senators were sending a draft pick to the Blues in exchange for future considerations.
Rangers Sign Casey Fitzgerald, Benoit-Olivier Groulx
The Rangers have added some NHL-experienced depth on cheap deals. Defenseman Casey Fitzgerald is joining on a two-year contract, while forward Benoit-Olivier Groulx is heading to New York on a one-year pact after being non-tendered by the Ducks, per a team announcement. Fitzgerald’s is a two-way deal in 2024-25 before converting to a one-way deal in 2025-26, while Groulx’s is a two-way deal, Mollie Walker of the New York Post reports.
Fitzgerald, 27, is coming off a one-year, two-way deal with the Panthers that saw him buried in the minors for the entire season for the first time since 2020-21. He played in 69 games on assignment to the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers, notching four goals and 17 assists for 21 points with a +22 rating and 65 PIMs.
The son of Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald has played 148 career AHL games across five seasons in the Panthers and Sabres organizations, recording 55 points (13 goals, 42 assists). He has also skated in 63 NHL games in Buffalo and Florida in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 campaigns, collecting nine assists and a -21 rating. He’s still on the hunt for his first major league goal. He was originally a third-round pick of the Sabres in 2016.
The physical right-shot blue liner is expected to start the season on assignment to AHL Hartford but will be an outside candidate to land a spot on the NHL roster out of camp as an extra defenseman. His main competition for the role as it stands will be Connor Mackey. Either way, there’s an increased opportunity for the Rangers’ depth defenders to find NHL minutes next season with Erik Gustafsson and Chad Ruhwedel hitting free agency.
Groulx, 24, was a second-round pick of the Ducks back in 2018 but hit the open market early after a disappointing 2023-24 campaign, recording only two assists and a -9 rating in 45 games for Anaheim while averaging 12:11 per game. He’s scored only once in 65 NHL games dating back to his debut in 2021-22. He can play both left wing and center but has struggled in the faceoff dot at the NHL level, winning 44.4% of his draws.
His possession impacts in Anaheim have been quite poor, too, but he could carry some value as a cheap energy winger, especially for what’s likely a league-minimum cap hit. He finished seventh on the Ducks in hits (101) last season and has good size at 6’2″ and nearly 200 lbs. He’ll enter camp competing with UFA addition Sam Carrick and familiar faces Jonny Brodzinski, Adam Edstrom and Matt Rempe for a fourth-line/extra forward role.
Utah Signs Andrew Agozzino, Travis Barron To Two-Way Deals
Utah is bringing in some more minor-league reinforcements ahead of their first season. Journeyman forward Andrew Agozzino has inked a two-year, two-way deal, while ex-Coyotes minor league winger Travis Barron will remain with AHL Tucson next season on a one-year, two-way deal as they switch affiliations from Arizona to Utah. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Agozzino, 33, is a premier AHL scoring forward and often sits high on the list of potential recalls with whatever club he happens to be signed with. He’s bounced around plenty of times throughout his career, with Utah becoming the sixth different team he’s signed an NHL contract with and his fourth team in the past four years.
He spent last season with the Ducks but didn’t see NHL ice for the first time since 2017-18. He didn’t let it get him down, leading AHL San Diego in scoring with 26 goals and 64 points in 72 games. He won’t be much of a factor in the NHL for Utah in their inaugural campaign, but he’s an important reinforcement for Tucson and should be a first-line fixture for their minor league club.
Barron, 25, will stick around after spending the last three seasons on AHL and NHL contracts with the Roadrunners. A checking winger first and foremost, he’s contributed 29 goals and 62 points in 182 games for Tucson since signing with them in 2021. Utah becomes his third NHL team after previously signing deals with the Avalanche and Coyotes – he was a Colorado seventh-round pick back in 2016 and suited up for their AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles in parts of three seasons.
Utah now has 37 standard player contracts signed for 2024-25 after the moves, 13 short of the limit, per CapFriendly.
Capitals Sign Luke Philp, Spencer Smallman To Two-Way Deals
The Capitals have signed forwards Luke Philp and Spencer Smallman to two-way deals, according to a team release. They both carry $775K cap hits and NHL salaries. Philp will earn $375K while in the minors, and Smallman will earn $350K.
Now entering his sixth professional season, Philp, 28, will look to rebound after an injury-plagued 2023-24 campaign. An Achilles injury sustained in August limited him to 15 games of action last season, all with the Blackhawks’ AHL affiliate in Rockford. There, he had two goals and six points in 15 games. He’s one year removed from making his NHL debut with Chicago, recording an assist and an even rating in three games in 2022-23.
Philp is a top-six AHL forward when healthy and can play both center and right wing. After recording 53 points in 60 games with Rockford a season ago, he’ll presumably head to Washington’s affiliate, the Hershey Bears, who have won back-to-back Calder Cup championships.
Smallman will join Philp in Hershey. The 27-year-old has spent the last two seasons on a two-way deal with the Avalanche, which didn’t result in any NHL time. The 6’1″ right-winger is a decent minor-league depth scoring presence and had 12 goals and 21 points in 53 games last season.
Neither are likely candidates to receive NHL call-ups next season and will be far down the list of potential injury replacements in Hershey, although Philp could see some action if Washington needs immediate short-term help down the middle. Both will become UFAs upon expiry next summer.
Kraken Sign Ben Meyers To One-Way Deal
The Kraken have signed left winger/center Ben Meyers to a one-year, one-way, league minimum deal, the club announced last night. He became a UFA early, thanks to his Group VI status, and moves on to his third NHL club in the past few months.
Meyers, 25, will be a familiar face for Minnesotans and avid national team followers. The 5’11”, defensively-sound pivot was a star for the University of Minnesota not all that long ago and represented the United States at the 2022 Olympics, where he had four points in four games. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been a smooth NHL ride for Meyers, who signed with the Avalanche as an undrafted free agent after wrapping up his collegiate career two years ago.
He couldn’t make a consistent NHL impact in Colorado, spending about half his time in the Avs organization in the minors. Even when in the NHL, he had a minimal impact, limited to six goals and no assists in 53 games across parts of three seasons in solely fourth-line minutes. A trade deadline deal sent him to the Ducks for a fifth-round pick a few months back, where nothing really changed. While he wasn’t demoted to their minor-league affiliate, he didn’t do much to elevate himself in the Anaheim lineup, recording two assists and a -2 rating in 14 games.
Meyers had good numbers with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles over the past two years, though, and now looks to parlay that into an NHL roster spot in Seattle. A one-way deal, while still completely buriable in the minors, suggests he has the inside track on one of the forward spots up for grabs out of training camp in the fall. He’ll be competing to replace depth forwards like Pierre-Édouard Bellemare and Kailer Yamamoto, who are unlikely to return to the Kraken after reaching UFA status yesterday.
If Meyers plays at least 13 games for Seattle next year, they’ll control his signing rights next summer as an RFA with arbitration rights. If not, he maintains his Group VI status and will be a UFA upon expiry.
Minor Free Agent Signings: Pacific Division
With over 180 deals signed during the first day of free agency yesterday, some smaller names may have gotten lost in the shuffle. Here’s a list of names that have inked two-way deals with Pacific Division clubs since the market opened yesterday, per CapFriendly. Some of these may have been included in our main coverage yesterday, while others went under the radar. All contracts carry the league-minimum $775K cap hit unless stated otherwise). Those listed here are likely to begin 2024-25 with each team’s AHL affiliate.
Anaheim Ducks
none
Calgary Flames
G Devin Cooley (two years)
F Martin Frk (one year)
Edmonton Oilers
D Connor Carrick (one year)
G Collin Delia (one year)
F James Hamblin (two years)
D Noel Hoefenmayer (one year)
F Noah Philp (one year)
Los Angeles Kings
F Glenn Gawdin (two years)
F Tyler Madden (one year)
F Jack Studnicka (one year)
D Reilly Walsh (one year)
San Jose Sharks
D Lucas Carlsson (two years, $800K cap hit)
D Jimmy Schuldt (one year)
Seattle Kraken
F Brandon Biro (one year)
D Nikolas Brouillard (one year)
D Maxime Lajoie (one year)
F Mitchell Stephens (two years)
Vancouver Canucks
G Jiří Patera (one year)
F Nathan Smith (one year)
Vegas Golden Knights
F Zach Aston-Reese (one year)
Minor Free Agent Signings: Central Division
With over 180 deals signed during the first day of free agency yesterday, some smaller names may have gotten lost in the shuffle. Here’s a list of names that have inked two-way deals with Central Division clubs since the market opened yesterday, per CapFriendly. Some of these may have been included in our main coverage yesterday, while others went under the radar. All contracts carry the league-minimum $775K cap hit unless stated otherwise). Those listed here are likely to begin 2024-25 with each team’s AHL affiliate.
Chicago Blackhawks
none
Colorado Avalanche
F Joel Kiviranta (one year)
Dallas Stars
D Kyle Capobianco (two years)
F Cameron Hughes (one year)
F Kole Lind (one year)
Minnesota Wild
F Travis Boyd (one year)
D Joseph Cecconi (one year)
D Cameron Crotty (one year)
F Brendan Gaunce (two years)
G Troy Grosenick (one year)
F Ben Jones (two years)
F Devin Shore (one year)
F Reese Johnson (one year)
Nashville Predators
D Nick Blankenburg (two years)
F Vinnie Hinostroza (two years)
F Jake Lucchini (two years)
G Matt Murray (one year)
St. Louis Blues
none
Utah Hockey Club
D Kevin Connauton (two years)
F Miko Matikka (three years, $870K entry-level cap hit)
Winnipeg Jets
none
Minor Free Agent Signings: Metropolitan Division
With over 180 deals signed during the first day of free agency yesterday, some smaller names may have gotten lost in the shuffle. Here’s a list of names that have inked two-way deals with Metropolitan Division clubs since the market opened yesterday, per CapFriendly. Some of these may have been included in our main coverage yesterday, while others went under the radar. All contracts carry the league-minimum $775K cap hit unless stated otherwise). Those listed here are likely to begin 2024-25 with each team’s AHL affiliate.
Carolina Hurricanes
none
Columbus Blue Jackets
D Cole Clayton (one year, $950K entry-level cap hit)
F Owen Sillinger (one year)
New Jersey Devils
F Mike Hardman (two years)
D Colton White (two years)
New York Islanders
none
New York Rangers
none
Philadelphia Flyers
none
Pittsburgh Penguins
D Nathan Clurman (one year)
D Mac Hollowell (one year)
F Jimmy Huntington (one year)
F Bokondji Imama (one year)
D Ryan Shea (one year)
Washington Capitals
G Mitchell Gibson (one year)
D Chase Priskie (one year)
Minor Free Agent Signings: Atlantic Division
With over 180 deals signed during the first day of free agency yesterday, some smaller names may have gotten lost in the shuffle. Here’s a list of names that have inked two-way deals with Atlantic Division clubs since the market opened yesterday, per CapFriendly. Some of these may have been included in our main coverage yesterday, while others went under the radar. All contracts carry the league-minimum $775K cap hit unless stated otherwise). Those listed here are likely to begin 2024-25 with each team’s AHL affiliate.
Boston Bruins
F Cole Koepke (one year)
D Jordan Oesterle (two years)
D Billy Sweezey (two years)
F Riley Tufte (one year)
F Jeffrey Viel (one year)
Buffalo Sabres
F Joshua Dunne (two years)
F Mason Jobst (one year)
F Brett Murray (one year)
D Jack Rathbone (one year)
G Felix Sandström (one year)
Detroit Red Wings
F Sheldon Dries (two years)
F Joe Snively (one year)
Florida Panthers
F Rasmus Asplund (one year)
Montreal Canadiens
none
Ottawa Senators
D Jeremy Davies (one year)
F Hayden Hodgson (one year)
F Garrett Pilon (two years)
D Filip Roos (one year)
Tampa Bay Lightning
D Derrick Pouliot (one year)
D Steven Santini (one year)
F Jesse Ylönen (one year)
Toronto Maple Leafs
none
Sabres Sign James Reimer
Goaltender James Reimer has signed a one-year, one-way deal with the Sabres, per a team release. Initially announced as a two-way deal but quickly changed, the contract will pay him $1MM this season.
Reimer, 36, is coming off a middling 2023-24 campaign. He opened the season as part of a three-goalie rotation with the Red Wings alongside Ville Husso and Alex Lyon, but an injury to Husso early on upgraded him to a full-time backup role. The veteran netminder finished the season with decent numbers overall, posting a .904 SV% and 3.11 GAA with two shutouts in 25 games for the Wings with an 11-8-2 record. He was in no danger of ever stealing the starting role from the breakout journeyman Lyon, but he was serviceable and much-improved from a difficult 2022-23 season with the Sharks (.890 SV%, 3.48 GAA in 43 GP).
A league-average netminder over the course of his 14-year, 501-game career, it’s a bit surprising Reimer couldn’t find a home with more guaranteed playing opportunities next season. Instead, he’ll likely serve as veteran insurance for Buffalo’s young goalie duo of Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Devon Levi, the latter of whom projects to be ready for full-time NHL action this season after recording a .927 SV% in 26 games with AHL Rochester last year.
Reimer’s $1MM cap hit will make it easier to sneak him through waivers if he doesn’t crack the roster out of camp compared to a league-minimum deal. If he ends up as third on their depth chart and is assigned to Rochester, it would be his first time in the minors since 2010-11 with the Maple Leafs.