Sabres Sign Jason Zucker
Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reports the Buffalo Sabres have agreed to a one-year, $5MM contract with free agent forward Jason Zucker.
Zucker, 32, projects to be a cheaper veteran replacement for Jeff Skinner, who had the final three seasons of his $9MM AAV contract bought out on Saturday. Unfortunately, he’s also a lower-ceiling option. Zucker had just 14 goals in 69 games split between the Coyotes and Predators last season, his lowest offensive output in a healthy season since 2015-16.
He’s still a viable depth scoring option, just likely not in a top-six role for a team intent on making the playoffs. Buffalo likely believes there’s some rebound potential they can unlock by sticking him with some faster, younger linemates – potentially in the top six alongside Dylan Cozens and Jack Quinn. However, Zucker is seven years removed from his career-best 33-goal, 64-point season in Minnesota – is it fair to expect him to sniff rediscovering that?
Zucker does play a physical game for his smallish frame (5’11”, 192 lbs), though, an area Skinner’s game notably lacked. It’s a facet of Buffalo’s team game they’re likely looking to improve under head coach Lindy Ruff next season. Unlike Skinner, Zucker also has a strong history of recent possession numbers and plays a much more well-rounded game. Still, for a $5MM price tag, they’re likely hoping for at least 20 goals and 45 points out of him this year.
Oilers To Sign Viktor Arvidsson
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports the Edmonton Oilers have agreed on a contract with forward Viktor Arvidsson. According to Pierre LeBrun of TSN, it will be a two-year, $8MM agreement between Arvidsson and the Oilers.
It’s a nice value signing for acting GM Jeff Jackson, who gets a more experienced and dependable linemate for Leon Draisaitl. The 31-year-old Arvidsson didn’t have a ton of market value this summer after being limited to just 18 games with injuries last season, but he still managed six goals and nine assists for 15 points for the Kings when in the lineup. He scored at least 20 goals in each of his two seasons in L.A. and had 59 points, the second-highest tally of his career, in 2022-23.
Now, Arvidsson jumps to the other side of a burgeoning Edmonton-Los Angeles rivalry after losing to the Oilers in the first round of the playoffs for three years in a row. He’s scored 30 goals twice in his career, although they both came during his time with the Predators in the 2010s.
If he stays healthy, he should easily outperform his $4MM cap hit in an advantageous situation alongside either Draisaitl or Connor McDavid, but likely the former. He’ll be a UFA upon expiry in 2026.
Blackhawks To Sign Alec Martinez, Laurent Brossoit, Three Others
Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reports the Chicago Blackhawks have signed defenseman Alec Martinez to a one-year, $4MM contract. Additionally — the team has also agreed to terms with goaltender Laurent Brossoit on a two-year, $6.6MM contract, forward Craig Smith on a one-year, $1MM contract, and forward Pat Maroon on a one-year, $1.3MM contract. And while they didn’t qualify him yesterday, winger Joey Anderson is sticking around in Chicago. He’s inking a two-year deal with an $800K cap hit, The Athletic’s Scott Powers reports.
The Blackhawks had quite a few dollars to throw around today and this grouping of players doesn’t even represent all of the organization’s signings today. Chicago has taken a major step forward in their rebuild with these moves, as they’ve grabbed arguably the best goaltender available on the market in addition to two veteran talents with Stanley Cup pedigree. Martinez and Maroon have combined for six Stanley Cup rings throughout their careers and will bring a wealth of experience and leadership to Chicago’s lineup.
Martinez recently wrapped up a four-and-a-half season run with the Vegas Golden Knights while he saw his spot on the depth chart slowly deteriorate. After scoring 32 points in 53 games during the 2020-21 season, Martinez fell to 17 points in 59 games this past year while seeing his ice time drop by nearly three minutes on average. Due to the moves Vegas made on their blue line, Martinez’s time with the organization unceremoniously ended.
In terms of production, Maroon and Smith bring similar power to the roster. Both individuals play with a physical edge while Smith can be counted on for more goals. Factoring in the retention of Anderson on a two-year deal, the Blackhawks bottom-six will be significantly harder to play against than just a season ago.
Finishing up with Brossoit, Chicago brings in some help behind Petr Mrazek. Seeking a larger opportunity outside of a backup role, Brossoit should be set to share the net with Mrazek instead of operating behind a more talented netminder. After winning a Stanley Cup Championship with the Vegas Golden Knights, Brossoit returned to the Winnipeg Jets on a one-year deal in which he would produce a 15-5-2 record in 22 games while posting a .927 SV% and 2.00 GAA.
Sabres Sign Sam Lafferty, Josh Dunne, Felix Sandström
Making a solid addition to the team’s bottom six — Chris Johnston of TSN reports the Buffalo Sabres are expected to sign forward Sam Lafferty. Per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the contract will be a two-year, $4MM contract between Lafferty and Buffalo.
Buffalo has also signed forward Joshua Dunne to a two-year contract, per Andy Strickland (Twitter link). Strickland adds that the deal will be one-way in the second year. They’ve also added goalie Felix Sandström on a two-way deal, per TSN’s Darren Dreger.
Heading into the offseason, the Sabres were looking to upgrade the team’s bottom-six and the signing of Lafferty does just that. Lafferty followed up a 2022-23 season split between the Chicago Blackhawks and Toronto Maple Leafs which saw him score 12 goals and 27 points in 70 games with 13 goals and 24 points in 79 games with the Vancouver Canucks this past season. On the defensive side of the puck, Lafferty has put up 92.9% and 91.3% on-ice save percentages in the last two years, respectively. The only criticism of Lafferty’s game may be his work in the dot as he only mustered 150 faceoff wins in 356 attempts for the Canucks last year.
Aside from Lafferty, Dunne and Sandstrom will likely start the year for the Sabres AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans. Dunne is coming off a disappointing regular season with the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL as he scored two goals and seven points in 25 games. While finding consistency after an injury is always difficult, Dunne performed well for the Monsters in the 2024 Calder Cup playoffs scoring seven goals and 11 points in 14 postseason contests.
Sandstrom represents a solid addition to organizational depth at the goaltender position. Although Buffalo will hope Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Devon Levi will receive the majority of starts next season, Sandstrom has plenty of experience as a backup at the NHL level. Two years ago, Sandstrom spent the year as a backup for the Philadelphia Flyers as he posted a 3-12-3 record in 18 starts while earning a .880 save percentage and 3.72 goals against average.
Sharks Sign Tyler Toffoli To Four-Year Contract
Kevin Weekes of ESPN reports that forward Tyler Toffoli will sign with the San Jose Sharks once free agency opens up at the top of the hour. According to Pierre LeBrun of TSN, the Sharks will pay Toffoli a total of $6MM per season.
Since the start of the 2021-22 NHL season, Toffoli has played for four different teams on a tour across Canada and the Atlantic coast of the United States. David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports the contract will be a four-year agreement between the Sharks and Toffoli, giving the scoring winger a sense of stability for the time being.
Regardless of the constant change of scenery, Toffoli has kept pace as one of the better-scoring wingers around the league. In 156 games over the last three years split between the Montreal Canadiens, Calgary Flames, New Jersey Devils, and Winnipeg Jets, Toffoli has put up 54 goals and 122 points. Achieving back-to-back 30-goal campaigns over the past two years, Toffoli may be a good bet to reach the 40-goal total for the first time in his career as he should be expected to log heavy minutes for the Sharks.
Not only does Toffoli bring valuable offensive prowess to a young San Jose lineup, but the veteran forward has appeared in four postseason runs over the last five years. In those four trips through the Stanley Cup playoffs, Toffoli has racked up 11 goals and 25 points over 46 games while also winning the Stanley Cup as a member of the Los Angeles Kings back in 2014.
All that compiled into one player is what makes this such a dynamic signing for the Sharks. The organization was desperate to improve upon a 2.20 GF/G and 20.19% powerplay percentage from a season ago. In Toffoli, the team adds that in addition to a veteran with plenty of playoff experience.
St. Louis Blues Re-Sign Kasperi Kapanen
TSN’s Chris Johnston reports the St. Louis Blues will be re-signing forward Kasperi Kapanen. The new contract will be for one year and it will pay the Finnish a total of $1MM, according to PuckPedia.
After the Blues claimed Kapanen on waivers from the Pittsburgh Penguins during the 2022-23 NHL season, he appeared to look like a promising middle-six option within the organization. Appearing in 23 games down the stretch, Kapanen put up eight goals and 14 points while averaging nearly 17 minutes of ice time per night.
Unfortunately, Kapanen could not keep up that pace over a full regular season in St. Louis as he was only able to muster six goals and 22 points over 73 games this past year. Kapanen also saw his average ice time drop by nearly two minutes as he was primarily relegated to a bottom-six role with the organization. Despite his poor showing on the offensive side of the puck, there were some positive developments in his defensive game which may have led to this contract by the Blues.
Kapanen helped St. Louis with 37 takeaways over the 2023-24 season while only giving the puck away a total of 16 times. Furthermore, Kapanen held a 90.3% on-ice save percentage in all situations while making a majority of his starts in the team’s defensive zone. If the Blues can turn Kapanen into a defensive first forward that can generate 25-30 points a year, he will be a serviceable option towards the bottom of the team’s forward core.
Oilers Re-Sign James Hamblin, Noah Philp, Noel Hoefenmayer
The Edmonton Oilers will bring back a bit of organizational depth as the team announced they have signed forward James Hamblin to a two-year, two-way contract. The deal will pay Hamblin the league minimum of $775K at the NHL over both years of the contract. Additionally, the team has also signed forward Noah Philp to a one-year, two-way contract that will pay him $775K at the NHL level.
Hamblin split the 2023-24 season between the Oilers and the team’s AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors. In 31 games at the top level, the former undrafted free agent scored two goals and three points in total while averaging just under eight minutes of ice time per game. As a much more productive AHL forward, Hamblin skated in 13 games for the Condors as he collected four goals and eight points in total.
Depending on how much depth the Oilers retain over the next 48 hours, Hamblin may be a good bet to rise up the depth chart and even crack a spot in Edmonton’s bottom six. Hamblin is no stranger to the Oilers’ defensive structure and is not afraid to use his body to block shots in the defensive zone. However, the most likely circumstance is that Hamblin starts next year in AHL Bakersfield to serve as a potential injury replacement for the Oilers throughout the regular season.
Philp, on the other hand, will be back with AHL Bakersfield after missing the entire season due to personal reasons. In his last full year during the 2022-23 AHL season, Philp scored 19 goals and 37 points in 70 games while being one of the team’s better power forward options.
Later in the day, PuckPedia reported the Oilers also brought back 25-year-old left-shot defenseman Noel Hoefenmayer on a one-year, two-way deal worth $775K NHL/$100K AHL. He was a restricted free agent and had 18 points in 47 games with Bakersfield last year.
Flyers Re-Sign Erik Johnson
TSN’s Chris Johnston reports the Philadelphia Flyers are expected to re-sign defenseman Erik Johnson to a one-year contract. Johnson was originally acquired by the Flyers from the Buffalo Sabres at the 2024 trade deadline and is expected to play in his 1,000th regular season game this year. The deal will pay Johnson a total of $1MM according to PuckPedia.
After appearing in 50 games with the Sabres during the 2023-24 NHL season, Johnson was moved into a much larger role in the Flyers organization. Johnson went from averaging just under 14 minutes a night in Buffalo to 16:26 minutes a game in 17 games for Philadelphia. Poised for a bottom-pairing role in the City of Brotherly Love — Johnson still packs a punch physically and is a solid veteran presence for any team’s blue line.
If Philadelphia can’t improve or repeat the team’s performance from last season, Johnson should be a tradeable asset come the trade deadline season. Whether it be filling in for injury or rounding out a contending team’s defensive core, Johnson is only two years removed from winning a Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche. Nevertheless, Johnson still holds tremendous value for the Flyers as young defensemen such as Cam York, Yegor Zamula, and Jamie Drysdale could all benefit from playing alongside the former first-overall pick.
Winnipeg Jets Expected To Sign Eric Comrie
The revolving door of backup goaltenders will continue in the Winnipeg Jets organization as Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reports the team will be signing netminder Eric Comrie. Comrie was originally drafted by the Jets in the 2013 NHL Draft and this will mark his third stint with the organization.
Comrie is looking to rebound after a few poor showings with the Buffalo Sabres organization over the last two seasons. Since the start of the 2022-23 NHL season, Comrie has managed 29 starts and has put together a record of 11-16-1 while posting a dismal .882 save percentage and 3.68 goals against average. One silver lining in his return to Manitoba is that much of Comrie’s previous success as he has already posted a career record of 12-8-1 with the Jets while carrying a .909 SV% and 2.94 GAA.
It will be interesting to see if this signing is the end of the day for Winnipeg regarding their backup goaltending situation. The team is one of the few that does not need much depth in the department given that Connor Hellebuyck is coming off the second Vezina Trophy win of his career. Nevertheless, Comrie will have a much better defensive structure in front of him which should help turn his career in a positive direction.
Free Agent Focus: Chicago Blackhawks
Free agency is now less than a week 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 Blackhawks.
Key Restricted Free Agents
F Taylor Raddysh – In his first full season with the Blackhawks during the 2022-23 NHL season, Raddysh led the pack after Chicago parted ways with Patrick Kane at the trade deadline. In 78 games, Raddysh scored 20 goals and 37 points and appeared to be locking down a position in the Blackhawks’ top six. Unfortunately, his production dropped precipitously this past season as Raddysh only mustered five goals and 14 points in 73 contests. Because of the roster flexibility, Chicago will likely give Raddysh one more chance on a one-year contract to determine his staying power with the organization.
D Isaak Phillips – As a strong performer for the team’s AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs over the last several years, Phillips was beginning to look like a rising prospect in the Blackhawks’ farm system. Those same talents have been able to transfer to the NHL level, however, as Phillips has struggled to one goal and 11 points in 53 games over the last three seasons. Similarly to Raddysh, Chicago may give Phillips one more chance at the NHL level on a one-year pact to determine if they want to keep Phillips for the long haul. If he is unable to make the cut, the Blackhawks will have several prospects to pick from to graduate to the NHL.
Other RFAs: F Mackenzie Entwistle, F Joey Anderson, F Reese Johnson, F Michal Teply, D Louis Crevier, D Filip Roos, G Jaxson Stauber
Key Unrestricted Free Agents
F Tyler Johnson – It has been quite some time since Johnson has been worthy of a $5MM salary at the NHL level. Before the 2017-18 season, the Tampa Bay Lightning signed Johnson to a seven-year, $35MM contract and he only managed two quality seasons under that extension. Once his play completely came off the rails during the 2020-21 NHL season, the Lightning dealt Johnson and his contract to Chicago for the contract of defenseman Brent Seabrook. Outside of an injury-riddled 2021-22 season, Johnson has combined for 29 goals and 63 points over the last two years. Johnson could garner some interest as a bottom-six option on the free-agent market this summer but all signs indicate it will not be with the Blackhawks.
F Colin Blackwell – If Blackwell had it his way, he would already be under contract with the Blackhawks next season as he has already publicized his desire to stay with the organization. However, with the amount of prospects in Chicago, the forward core may become too saturated to defend re-signing Blackwell. Even though he is a defensively-minded forward and can help prevent pucks from going in Chicago’s net, the Blackhawks will likely look for a younger option internally to replace Blackwell’s minutes.
Other UFAs: F Rem Pitlick, F Mike Hardman, F Luke Philp, F David Gust, D Nikita Zaitsev, D Jarred Tinordi, D Jaycob Megna
Projected Cap Space
The Blackhawks could go in a lot of different directions this summer as they own the fourth-most cap space of any team in the league. Heading into tomorrow’s action, Chicago has approximately $28.9MM to work with. With the team making notable noise in the past two drafts, the Blackhawks should have a clear vision of their short and long-term plans.
It will be important to stay mindful though as Chicago will not want to put itself into a bloated future. The team is only two years away from being able to offer rookie phenom Connor Bedard an extension and it will be important for the team to build their cap structure around him. Whatever direction they ultimately take this summer, the Blackhawks have a superb amount of freedom to operate compared to other teams around the league.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. Cap information courtesy of CapFriendly.