Carolina Hurricanes Re-Sign Stefan Noesen
The Carolina Hurricanes announced Tuesday that the team has reached a new agreement with forward Stefan Noesen on a two-year, partial two-way deal to keep him in the Carolina organization. The contract has a cap hit of $762,500, with the breakdown as follows:
2022-23: $750,000 NHL salary, $500,000 minors salary, $550,000 guaranteed
2023-24: $775,000 NHL and minors salary
Noesen had a successful first year with the Hurricanes, guiding their AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, to the 2022 Calder Cup. Noesen led the AHL in goals with 48 and added on 37 assists for 85 points in 70 games. He had a strong Calder Cup Playoffs run as well, notching 25 points in 18 games. It marked a full-time return to the AHL for Noesen, who had spent the majority of his time in the NHL from 2016-17.
Now 29, Noesen is still a reliable call-up in case of an injury but doesn’t have much everyday NHL upside anymore. He hasn’t registered a point in the NHL since 2019-20 when he had seven goals and two assists in 40 games split between the Pittsburgh Penguins and San Jose Sharks.
Poised to reprise his role as an alternate captain in Chicago next year, Noesen will be charged with helping lead a group of young Carolina forward prospects that includes Jack Drury, Ryan Suzuki, Jamieson Rees, and Noel Gunler.
Snapshots: Kane, Bowman, Malkin
Forward Evander Kane is nothing if not the most polarizing and interesting free agent on the market this offseason. The 30-year-old power forward has had his fair share of off-ice controversies in his career, including a pending arbitration hearing that may award him back to the San Jose Sharks after the team terminated his contract during the 2021-22 season. Yet Kane was still spectacular on the ice after signing a one-year deal with the Edmonton Oilers for the remainder of the season, notching 39 points in 43 regular-season games and leading the NHL in scoring during the playoffs with 13 goals in just 15 games.
Yet, reports surfaced earlier this week that Kane and the Oilers weren’t close on an extension. Today, The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta adds that there haven’t been any conversations yet today between Kane’s camp and the Oilers, adding to the likelihood Kane hits the open market tomorrow. It doesn’t limit Edmonton’s ability to re-sign him, and quite frankly, it’s still the most likely destination for him. Kane’s risk factor is only increased by the pending arbitration decision, and other teams will be hesitant to commit term to Kane without either having a deal in place with San Jose to trade back for him or having clarity on his future.
- Legendary coach and executive Scott Bowman is moving on from the Chicago Blackhawks organization this summer, per the man himself. Now 88, Bowman had been a senior advisor for the Blackhawks since 2008. A winner of 12 Stanley Cups, Bowman will likely have any job he wants if he wants to continue his management career in the NHL.
- Pittsburgh Penguins president of hockey operations Brian Burke spoke today, denying rumors that the team didn’t offer Evgeni Malkin his desired term of four years. He did say that giving a six-year contract extension to Rickard Rakell yesterday didn’t rule out Malkin’s return, and said that “the window is still open” for Malkin. However, with all the varying reports of Malkin’s unhappiness with the situation, his moving on in free agency is likely still a done deal.
Los Angeles Kings Extend Alex Edler
The Los Angeles Kings are bringing back a valuable veteran defenseman. Alexander Edler has signed a one-year, league-minimum $750,000 extension to stay in Southern California, per the team. The 35+ contract also has the potential to earn Edler an additional $750,000 in games played bonuses. Per PuckPedia, the contract also includes a no-movement clause.
Edler, 36, spent his first NHL season outside of the Vancouver Canucks organization in 2021-22. His first season went well with the Kings in a reduced role, helping guide a youthful defense to strong play en route to the team’s first playoff appearance since 2018. He finished the season with three goals, 16 assists, 19 points, and a +18 rating in just 41 games due to injury. He did average just 18:28 per game, his first time averaging under 20 minutes per game as a full-time NHL player.
Another season for Edler puts him within striking distance of the 1,000 games played mark. Currently sitting at 966, the Swedish defenseman will need to suit up at least 34 times for the Kings in the regular season to hit the milestone. It’s a signifier of how impressive Edler’s career has been, and while it may be nearing its end, he’s a stellar model of leadership and consistency for the younger Kings to emulate.
With that quickly-improving young defense, though, the news likely means the Kings won’t be active on the free-agent defense market. With Michael Anderson, Sean Durzi, and Tobias Bjornfot earning NHL spots moving forward (just to name a few), and Sean Walker returning from a season-long injury absence, there aren’t any more spots available barring a trade.
The surging Kings are also beginning to push against the salary cap. With just over $3.5MM in projected space left according to CapFriendly, and Anderson and Durzi needing new contracts, don’t expect the team to make many more waves after Edler’s extension.
Arizona Coyotes Extend Christian Fischer, Cam Dineen
While seemingly going unqualified today, the Arizona Coyotes have extended right wing Christian Fischer on a one-year contract, according to the team. PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan reports the deal is worth the equivalent of his qualifying offer, coming in at $1,125,875 for the one year. That could suggest Fischer and Arizona agreed to terms before qualifying offers were due today. The team also extended defenseman Cam Dineen on a one-year, two-way deal with undisclosed financial terms.
Drafted in the second round in 2015, Fischer’s development has plateaued in the past few years. While he likely won’t be the high-end middle-six power forward Arizona thought they were drafting, he’s still a decent contributor and, most importantly for Arizona, an experienced NHL player under contract. It helps matters that Fischer’s physical and exciting brand of hockey has endeared him to Coyotes fans, making it certainly a wise business decision to keep him around.
Fischer will be just the eighth Coyotes forward on a one-way contract next season. With Arizona needing to hit the cap floor, they’ll likely throw some money around in free agency to get players some cash that they wouldn’t be able to find anywhere else, but it’s a risky bet on having enough players and enough money. Retaining players like Fischer is crucial for the franchise to survive the next few years on and off the ice.
In 53 games last season, Fischer had five goals in 10 points. He has 84 points in 318 games in the desert.
Dineen 24, registered seven assists in his first 34 NHL games last season. The team’s third-round pick in 2016 figures to be a contender for their seventh defense spot next season and could even lock down a bottom-pairing role.
Colorado Avalanche Sign Valeri Nichushkin To Eight-Year Extension
The Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche are retaining winger Valeri Nichushkin with an eight-year extension. Nichushkin was one of the most valuable two-way wingers hitting unrestricted free agency this offseason. The Athletic’s Peter Baugh reports the contract is worth $49MM in total, or $6.125MM per season through 2029-30.
PuckPedia has the details of the massive extension for Nichushkin:
2022-23: $6MM base, full NMC
2023-24: $7.5MM base, full NMC
2024-25: $8MM base, full NMC
2025-26: $7.3MM base, 12-team NTC
2026-27: $4.8MM base, $1MM SB, 12-team NTC
2027-28: $4.8MM base, 12-team NTC
2028-29: $2.8MM base, $2MM SB, 12-team NTC
2029-30: $2.8MM base, $2MM SB, 12-team NTC
Nichushkin, 27, has spent the last three seasons in Colorado growing into one of the game’s most underrated commodities. Bought out by the Dallas Stars after a goalless 2018-19 season, the 2013 10th overall pick saw his defensive game get recognition with the Avalanche before finally exploding offensively in 2021-22. Nichushkin scored 25 goals and 27 assists for 52 points in 62 games this season, with all of those offensive numbers being career highs.
He’s received Selke Trophy votes each of the past three seasons, a true compliment to just how good he’s been on both sides of the puck since joining Colorado. He really just got a top-six role in earnest for the first time this season, though, averaging 19:02 per game. Nichushkin had never averaged above 15 minutes per night in his career. It’s one of the best career turnaround stories in the league, making the eight-year extension one of the feel-good stories of the offseason.
It’s a monster raise for Nichushkin, who was coming off a two-year deal with just a $2.5MM cap hit. If his 15 points in 20 playoff games is a sign that this level of production from him is sustainable over the next few years, he’ll be well worth the money — especially when considering his defensive prowess.
Next, Colorado and brand-new general manager Chris MacFarland will have to navigate what to do with Nazem Kadri and Andre Burakovsky. While Burakovsky is expected to hit the open market on Wednesday, the certainty of Nichushkin’s cap hit now allows Colorado to try and grind out an extension with Kadri. CapFriendly has Colorado with just under $15MM in projected cap space after the Nichushkin extension.
Dallas Stars Extend Marian Studenic
A waiver claim from this past season is sticking with his new team. The Dallas Stars announced Monday afternoon that the team has signed forward Marian Studenic to a one-year, two-way contract extension. Financial terms are currently unavailable.
The Slovak forward was a fifth-round pick of the New Jersey Devils just five years ago, but he’s already got a handful of NHL experience under his belt at 23. That experience caused him to lose his waiver exemption this season, and after just one goal in 17 games in New Jersey (but 10 points in 13 games with the AHL’s Utica Comets), the Devils lost him on waivers to Dallas when attempting to return him to Utica in February.
Studenic fared better in Texas, scoring a goal and two assists in 16 regular-season games and six points in four games spent in AHL Texas on a conditioning stint. He played in four of Dallas’ seven first-round playoff games as well without registering a point.
Whether Studenic actually plays for Dallas on this contract remains to be seen. The two-way nature of the deal shows a lack of confidence for him to play consistently in an NHL role. If Studenic fails to lock down a spot in training camp or disappoints early in the season, he’ll find himself right back on waivers where another team could pick him up.
Snapshots: Kane, Talbot, Kase
As the league begins to decompress from a busy NHL Draft with some blockbuster news, the Chicago Blackhawks are sure to be in the forefront of many discussions after being one of the most active teams on the market this week. One question that remains to be answered is how their Hall of Fame talent feels about the club’s direction. The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta confirms today that the team will reach out to winger Patrick Kane “in the very near future” to have a conversation about his future with the team.
Both Kane and Jonathan Toews each have just one year remaining on their matching contracts, both carrying a cap hit of $10.5MM. They also both have full say in what the future holds for them in the form of full no-movement clauses. If one or both do end up wanting a trade out of Chicago in order to make another championship run, it makes sense that the Blackhawks would want to know now. The highest value for them will likely be this offseason, as the risk of declining performance could lower their trade value by next year’s deadline.
- There’s some good old-fashioned drama in the State of Hockey. Many believed the Minnesota Wild had reinforced their goaltending situation by re-signing Marc-Andre Fleury to a two-year contract yesterday, but as quotes from general manager Bill Guerin and Cam Talbot‘s agent George Bazos reveal, Talbot may not be entirely happy with the team’s choice to keep Fleury around. Bazos gave a cryptic quote after meeting with Guerin during the third round of today’s draft, saying that Guerin “had a lot to think about.” Guerin countered later, reminding media that Talbot is still under contract, and said that “George can say whatever the hell he wants.” If the relationship turns sour quickly between Talbot and the Wild, it could leave them in an interesting position next season in the crease.
- The deadline for issuing qualifying offers to restricted free agents is July 11, and the Toronto Maple Leafs haven’t made a decision on whether or not to qualify winger Ondrej Kase. Kase is eligible for arbitration, and after producing 27 points in 50 games, the award might be too rich for Toronto’s blood if Kase elects for it. Not issuing a qualifying offer to Kase wouldn’t prevent him from returning to Toronto, but it would make him an unrestricted free agent, and could sign anywhere in the league.
Latest On Filip Forsberg
July 7: The two sides met again this morning, according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, who suggests that the stalemate could end if the Predators were willing to go to $8.5MM per season.
July 6: Filip Forsberg is one of the best potential free agents available in what’s a highly saturated market of star forwards this offseason. He may not hit the open market after all, though, as Nashville Predators general manager David Poile confirmed today that the two sides are getting closer on a deal, calling it the team’s “number one goal” to sign him.
Poile also informed reporters that Forsberg desires a no-movement clause in his contract. That’s likely a big sticking point of the deal, as Poile is notoriously stingy with handing out any form of trade protection. Only one Nashville player, captain Roman Josi, has a no-movement clause.
If Forsberg is off the market, all focus will be on Johnny Gaudreau for teams looking to add an All-Star-caliber winger to their lineup. While Calgary is pushing hard to reach an extension with the winger before July 13, it doesn’t seem nearly as close to being done as Forsberg’s deal is.
Forsberg is Nashville’s all-time leader in goals with 202. Multiple reports over the past few weeks have suggested the deal is likely to fall in the $8MM range, a fair value for the three-time 30-goal scorer who’s now consistently floating around a point per game. After signing him and acquiring Ryan McDonagh from Tampa Bay, the team would still have roughly $10MM in cap space to work with and no other big contracts to re-sign, making them a dark horse candidate to be active in free agency if Poile so chooses.
West Notes: Kaprizov, Keith, Jets Prospects
Concerns continue to rise about the availability of Russian players to NHL teams next season. One player who’s come into focus today due to a variety of conflicting reports is Kirill Kaprizov, who Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin confirmed today is still in Russia despite rumors stating he had returned to the United States. In response to reports this morning that Kaprizov is currently wanted in Russia for buying a false military ID card five years ago, Guerin said the following:
We’re not going to push the panic button or anything like that. We’re just trying to gather information right now and find out if this is even credible.
Kaprizov is one of the multiple players whose situations are in limbo, exacerbated by the fact their KHL rights are held by CSKA Moscow, a Russian army-owned team. Russo notes that in the past, CSKA players have been exempt from military service, but this is an informal and non-codified rule. In addition, Kaprizov’s exemption from mandatory military service via a studentship in a Russian organization expired at the end of June. Very little is confirmed about the situation, but it’s a significant development that bears watching over the course of the offseason as it pertains to Kaprizov’s availability to the Wild next season.
- The Edmonton Oilers will get some clarity soon on the playing future of defenseman Duncan Keith, who could potentially decide to retire with one season remaining on his contract carrying a $5.54MM cap hit. General manager Ken Holland noted that he’d spoken to Keith twice in the past few weeks and that he’s requested an answer by this Saturday. That gives the Oilers a brief window of time ahead of free agency to work out replacement plans for Keith if he retires. The 38-year-old defenseman would not inflict a cap penalty on the Oilers if he opts to call it a career.
- Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff gave injury updates today on a pair of important Jets prospects. Cole Perfetti, who suffered an upper-body injury in mid-February, has just started skating again and is not cleared to participate in the 2022 World Junior Championship for Team Canada. Additionally, 2021 first-rounder Chaz Lucius, who underwent ankle surgery after suffering a late-season injury with the University of Minnesota, won’t participate for the United States.
Minnesota Wild Extend Jacob Middleton
The Minnesota Wild and defenseman Jacob Middleton have come to terms on a three-year contract extension, per the team. The contract carries a cap hit of $2.45MM, a hefty raise for the now-signed restricted free agent.
Middleton played in his first full NHL season this past year at 26 years old. A seventh-round pick of the Los Angeles Kings in 2014, the 6′ 3″, 219-lb defenseman forced his way into the San Jose Sharks lineup this past season with a needed brand of physicality and impressive defensive results. It allowed the Sharks to net some solid value in return when they dealt him the Wild at this year’s Trade Deadline. Down the stretch, Middleton had five points in 21 regular-season games, averaging 17:55 per game. He added an assist in six playoff games.
Overall, Middleton’s netted four goals, 13 assists, and 17 points in 80 NHL games so far, with 14 of those points and 66 of those games coming this season.
Minnesota acquired him with the main intent of being tougher to play against, and the acquisition achieved that goal. His defensive play is a really nice byproduct too, and while his ceiling likely isn’t much higher than his current production, that $2.4MM cap hit is a decent value if his defensive game continues at its current level.