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Marc Staal Re-Signs With Detroit Red Wings

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The Detroit Red Wings are bringing back an experienced veteran, re-signing Marc Staal to a one-year contract. Staal was scheduled for unrestricted free agency on Wednesday. Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reports that the deal is worth $2MM and includes a full no-movement clause.

Staal, 34, ended up in Detroit as part of a camp dump by the New York Rangers last fall, arriving along with a second-round pick for nothing more than future considerations. While the veteran defenseman wasn’t worth his full $5.7MM cap hit, he had a quietly strong season for the Red Wings. Now at 948 games played for his career, Staal should get over the 1,000-game mark next season, joining older brother Eric Staal and younger brother Jordan Staal. There have been a few more injuries along the way for the 6’4″ defenseman, and he may not get quite as many accolades as his brothers, but it’s still been a remarkable career.

Perhaps his most memorable moments came in New York during the 2012 and 2014 playoffs, when he reached the Conference and then Stanley Cup Finals with the Rangers. Part of an incredibly tough trio of defensemen with Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi, Staal was relied on for heavy minutes every night. Over his career, that’s been his calling card, as the offensive side never did really materialize. In 948 career games, Staal has recorded 198 points.

For the Red Wings, he can provide a steady hand to put in the lineup every night, insulating the young options that will still be developing. The team now has three veteran options in Staal, Nick Leddy and Danny DeKeyser, each signed only through the 2021-22 season. Should they want to, the Red Wings could likely find a contender for each of them at the deadline, and recoup even more future assets for the rebuild.

Bob McKenzie of TSN came out of retirement to break the news on Twitter.

Vancouver Canucks To Buy Out Jake Virtanen

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The Vancouver Canucks have placed Jake Virtanen on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a buyout. Because he is still just 24, the Canucks will be on the hook for just one-third of Virtanen’s remaining salary. That means the team will face a buyout penalty of $50K in 2021-22 and $500K in 2022-23. Tomorrow, when the buyout is executed, Virtanen will be an unrestricted free agent.

After scoring 18 goals in 69 games for the Canucks during the 2019-20 season, Virtanen completely fell off a cliff this year. He registered just five goals and zero assists in 38 games, essentially playing himself completely out of Vancouver’s plans. It wasn’t the first time he’d disappointed management, as Canucks GM Jim Benning was open about how he “expected more” from the young power forward in last year’s playoff bubble.

Importantly, Virtanen’s on-ice play warranted this buyout, but the Canucks are also washing their hands of a player embroiled in off-ice scandal. Earlier this summer, a civil lawsuit was filed in Kelowna, British Columbia, alleging Virtanen sexually assaulted a woman in 2017. On May 1, the Canucks placed Virtanen on leave from the team, releasing this statement:

We have become aware of the concerning allegations made about Jake Virtanen. Our organization does not accept sexual misconduct of any kind and the claims as reported are being treated very seriously by us. 

We have engaged external expertise to assist in an independent investigation and we have placed the player on leave as we await more information.

The results of that investigation have not been released. Virtanen has since responded to the civil court filing, denying the allegations.

After 317 games in the NHL, the sixth-overall pick from 2014 has scored 55 goals and 100 points. There have been flashes of brilliance, using his size and speed to create scoring opportunities seemingly at a whim. There have also been long stretches of inconsistency, during which Virtanen provides very little value to the team at either end of the rink. With the Canucks recently bringing in a cap hit like Oliver Ekman-Larsson and a top-six forward like Conor Garland, there was simply no room for Virtanen or his $2.55MM cap hit in Vancouver.

Free Agent Focus: Tampa Bay Lightning

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Free agency is now just a few days away and many teams are already looking ahead to when it opens up.  There will be several prominent players set to hit the open market in late July while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign as well. The Lightning have cleared a little bit of money through expansion, but still don’t have much to retain their pending free agents.

Key Restricted Free Agents

F Ross Colton – At the bottom of every Stanley Cup roster, there are always a few homegrown players that provide depth for a bargain bin cost. The Lightning have proven their development system can create NHL players out of almost anyone, and they did it again for fourth-round pick Ross Colton. The 24-year-old forward had 13 goals in 53 combined games, but none bigger than the one on July 7, tapping home a David Savard pass to put the Lightning ahead of the Montreal Canadiens. It would end up being the only goal they needed, meaning whatever happens from here, Colton has a Cup-winning goal on his resume. As an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent he may deserve a slight raise, but the Lightning simply don’t have the budget for one. It will be interesting to see if they can fit him in for really anything more than the $750K league minimum at this point.

D Cal Foote – Many were surprised last week when the Seattle Kraken decided to take Yanni Gourde in expansion instead of Foote. The 22-year-old defenseman was the 14th overall pick in 2017 and made his NHL debut this year, playing 35 games during the regular season. After some deadline additions, he failed to suit up for any playoff games, but will be in the running for the third pairing again next season. In fact, with Savard and Luke Schenn both pending free agents, the Lightning have only five defensemen under contract for the 2021-22 campaign. Foote’s opportunity is right in front of him, by accepting a short-term, low-salary deal (even potentially his qualifying offer) he stands the best chance of being in the NHL lineup every day.

Other RFAs: F Alex Barre-Boulet, F Taylor Raddysh, F Otto Somppi, F Boris Katchouk, F Ryan Lohin, D Sean Day

Key Unrestricted Free Agents:

F Blake Coleman – The value of a quality bottom-sixer is already in full view when linemate Barclay Goodrow signed a six-year, $21.85MM deal with the New York Rangers, and many would say Coleman is the better player. In fact, he might prove to be more than just a bottom-six free agent this summer, he might be the bottom-six free agent. A swiss army knife that can basically play any position on any line, Coleman has scored 13, 22, 21 and 14 goals in his four full NHL seasons, this year’s total coming in just 55 games. He can play in a scoring role, he’s one of the best penalty killers in the league, can create offense by himself thanks to blazing speed, and is physical enough to excel in the playoffs. It’s hard to not see Coleman getting a huge contract in the open market, given the term and money committed to Goodrow already. Zach Hyman–who may have some better offensive numbers thanks to his role in Toronto–is a relatively good comparison for Coleman and is on the verge of signing a seven-year deal in Edmonton.

D David Savard – Acquired at the deadline in a savvy salary cap move, Savard was exactly what the Lightning expected down the stretch and through the playoffs. Steady, quiet, play from the right side, Savard is the kind of second-pairing rock that every team could use. He doesn’t post incredible possession statistics, scored just six points this season and turns 31 in October, but you can bet there is a multi-year deal waiting for Savard that will price him out of Tampa Bay’s range. The four-year, $16MM contract that Adam Larsson signed in Seattle should be a good comparable, though the Kraken had the added benefit of negotiating against no one but Edmonton. It certainly wouldn’t be surprising to see Savard pass that number or even secure a longer deal after playing a key role en route to a Stanley Cup championship.

Other UFAs: F Luke Witkowski, F Boo Nieves, D Luke Schenn, D Brian Lashoff, D Ben Thomas, D Andreas Borgman, G Christopher Gibson, G Curtis McElhinney, G Anders Nilsson (retired),

Projected Cap Space

At least the Lightning are technically under the cap again after losing Gourde and seeing so many others scheduled for free agency. The team has over $80.7MM committed to just 17 players, meaning there will be more moves coming at some point. At least one and maybe two of the team’s expensive forwards will need to go, while the restricted free agents will have to sign for cheap or pack their bags. That’s the cost of putting together a two-time Stanley Cup roster, and there are drastic changes coming in Tampa Bay before the start of next season.

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

New Jersey Devils Showing Interest In Dougie Hamilton

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One of the biggest names to watch as we head toward free agency next week is Dougie Hamilton. The Carolina Hurricanes defenseman is set to hit the market just after Seth Jones and Cale Makar, two other right-handed defensemen, signed huge new contracts. Jones, who is a better comparable given his proximity to free agency, will carry a $9.5MM through the 2029-30 season on an eight-year deal. Hamilton’s camp must be licking their chops hoping for a contract similar to that, and they’ve already received permission from the Hurricanes to speak with other teams around the league.

Today, Larry Brooks of the New York Post writes that the New Jersey Devils are emerging as a contender for Hamilton’s services, and that there is “mutual interest.” Brooks suggests a seven-year deal with an average annual value of $9MM could be the number for the Devils, who will soon watch the same amount of money come off the books. P.K. Subban’s $9MM cap hit will expire after the 2021-22 season, meaning New Jersey has plenty of cap space if they want to commit to Hamilton long-term.

The Devils of course just added Luke Hughes to the program with the fourth-overall pick, adding the little brother of star center Jack Hughes. The younger of the two is expected to head to the University of Michigan for next season, but will quickly rise through the ranks and could be on the Devils lineup in a few years. The idea of a blueline including Hamilton, Hughes and 21-year-old Ty Smith is certainly an intriguing one, not to mention players like Damon Severson and Ryan Graves, both only 26.

Hamilton, 28, finished fourth in the Norris Trophy voting this season after another outstanding offensive year, recording 10 goals and 42 points in 55 games. That’s the seventh-straight season where he has recorded at least 10 goals and 39 points, and the fifth-straight year he has received votes for the Norris. There’s no doubt that Hamilton can lift a team with his puck-moving ability, but signing any contract of the suggested value is always a risk.

In just a few days, the markets will open and any team will be able to sign Hamilton to that seven-year deal. The Devils certainly won’t be the only team with interest.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Florida Panthers Acquire Sam Reinhart

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July 24: The deal is now official. The Sabres will receive Levi and a 2022 first-round pick in exchange for Reinhart. Panthers GM Bill Zito released a short statement on his newest forward:

Sam has established himself as one of the best playmaking scorers in the league, and we are thrilled to be able to add him to our Panthers lineup. His competitiveness and hunger to succeed will fit seamlessly with the culture we are building here in South Florida.

LeBrun adds that the first-round pick is top-10 protected. Should it end up that high, the Sabres will receive Florida’s 2023 pick instead.

July 23: The Buffalo Sabres and Florida Panthers are working hard on a Sam Reinhart trade, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The Sabres already moved long-time defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen earlier today have been rumored to be ready to move on from both Reinhart and captain Jack Eichel this summer. The trade call is pending, but Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic confirms that Reinhart will be heading to Florida. Friedman notes that goaltending prospect Devon Levi will be going back to Buffalo as part of the return.

Reinhart, 25, has been one of the only beacons of consistency in a brutally inconsistent franchise over the past six seasons, posting somewhere between 17-25 goals and 40-65 points each season. Those numbers are even more impressive when you consider he played just 54 games this season, but still managed a 25-goal campaign.

Unlike Ristolainen, who is often blamed for a lot of the losing in Buffalo because of his negative possession statistics, Reinhart is seen as someone who could break out if given the chance in a better situation. He has been, however, the focus of some fan’s ire because of a lack of effort at times, though that has been a common refrain for many of the Sabres that have been in Buffalo for several years, repeatedly missing the playoffs. He has also been given relatively prime opportunities for the Sabres, hardly ever being given much defensive responsibility despite playing nearly 20 minutes a night. Reinhart only really moved back to the center ice position this season, lining up more as a winger through his first several years in the league.

Still, for the Panthers, this will represent another win-now move for a team that was already among the best in the league in 2020-21. Florida went 37-14-5, but ran into the eventual Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the playoffs. They fell in six games, failing to score a single goal in the deciding match. Reinhart represents a boost to that offense, and one that can be moved around the lineup depending on the rest of the moves the Panthers make this summer.

Like Sam Bennett though, a fellow 2014 draftee, Reinhart is a restricted free agent this offseason, and will be looking for a hefty contract. He is arbitration-eligible and just one year away from UFA status, meaning any multi-year contract will be expensive. If the Panthers believe he can be a core piece for them moving forward, that might make sense, but even a short-term deal could work for the team given how close they appear to contention.

Tony DeAngelo, Lean Bergmann Placed On Unconditional Waivers

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July 24: Both players have cleared, meaning they will become unrestricted free agents. Bergmann’s deal will be terminated and not carry a cap hit for the Sharks, while DeAngelo will be bought out.

July 23: Tony DeAngelo is expected to be placed on unconditional waivers today for the purpose of a contract buyout by the New York Rangers, according to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff and Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. Unlike players with no-movement clauses like Zach Parise, Ryan Suter and Keith Yandle, DeAngelo will have to wait a day for his buyout to become official. Chris Johnston of Sportsnet reports that Lean Bergmann from the San Jose Sharks is also on waivers. A Bergman buyout would cost the Sharks just $142,917 in 2021-22 and $138,750 in 2022-23, but actually doesn’t make much sense. He could also be on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a mutual termination of the final year of his entry-level contract, which would result in no cap penalty for the Sharks. Either way, Bergmann will also become an unrestricted free agent tomorrow.

Because he is still just 25 years old, the Rangers will be on the hook for just one-third of his remaining salary. That means the team will incur a cap penalty of $383,334 for the 2021-22 season and $883,334 for 2022-23.

It’s a rather small price to pay for the Rangers, though obviously it would have been much better if this situation never happened in the first place. The young defenseman scored 53 points in 68 games during the 2019-20 season, establishing himself as one of the best offensive defensemen in the league. A series of run-ins with teammates eventually broke the trust between player and organization, leading to his dismissal from the club for the majority of 2020-21.

A buyout was always the eventual outcome, though the Rangers took the time they had to make sure it was the only conclusion worth pursuing. Other teams could have had DeAngelo for a fraction of his on-ice worth, but obviously no one wanted the public relations headache that came along with it—or at least not while he still carried a $4.8MM cap hit.

Once bought out, DeAngelo will become an unrestricted free agent allowed to sign with any team.

Flyers, Blue Jackets Swap Jakub Voracek, Cam Atkinson

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The Philadelphia Flyers have acquired another big-ticket player acquiring  Cam Atkinson from the Columbus Blue Jackets. In return, the Flyers will send Jakub Voracek back to the Blue Jackets. Atkinson joins Ryan Ellis and Rasmus Ristolainen as the other big names coming into Philadelphia this offseason, really changing the landscape of the Flyers roster. Neither team has retained any salary in the deal.

Atkinson, 32, has four years left on his current contract and carries a $5.875MM cap hit. After scoring 41 goals in the 2018-19 season, Atkinson’s numbers have come down significantly over the last two seasons, but is still one of the most dynamic players on the Blue Jackets roster. After trading Seth Jones, this next move perhaps signals that the Blue Jackets are going to tear out all of the older players on the team and start a rebuild.

Of course, Voracek doesn’t fit into that narrative, as he is 31 and actually comes with an even higher cap hit. The Flyers were clear that Voracek was on the table when they left him exposed to the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft, as his $8.25MM cap hit limits what they can do with the rest of the roster. Voracek’s deal will expire at the end of the 2023-24 season, and could perhaps even be flipped by the Blue Jackets to make his contract more palatable. Despite his big cap number, the veteran forward doesn’t have any trade protection.

Voracek actually started his NHL career in Columbus, playing three years for the club before going to the Flyers in 2011. He has been a consistent offensive performer through the years, but has never been a big goal-scoring threat. This season, he registered just nine goals, but still had 43 points in 53 games. For the Flyers, it’s mostly just about shaking up a core that had hit a plateau and no longer looked like true contenders. Adding Atkinson gives the team a different look, while also saving the team a little bit of cap space.

In fact, Philadelphia now has a little over $12.4MM in cap space for this summer, with new contracts for RFAs Carter Hart and Travis Sanheim to come. The team actually could still be in the market for some free agent additions, though they’ll have to be careful with how they spend their money. Both captain Claude Giroux and top forward Sean Couturier are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents next summer. If they intend to re-sign them—which certainly doesn’t seem guaranteed after the huge changes recently—handing out any other big-money deals will be tough to work around.

Los Angeles Kings, Arizona Coyotes Complete Minor Trade

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The Los Angeles Kings and Arizona Coyotes have completed a minor trade, swapping a pair of minor league players. The Kings will receive Brayden Burke and Tyler Steenbergen, while the Coyotes are getting Boko Imama and Cole Hults.

None of the four players have spent any time in the NHL to this point, and Hults is the only one under contract for the 2021-22 season. This deal will really just change the minor league mix for both clubs, giving young players a fresh start.

Burke, 24, scored just one goal in 28 games for the Tucson Roadrunners this season but was a 20-goal man in the past. A huge offensive piece in junior, Burke was undrafted out of the WHL because of his size and a lack of explosive skating ability. He’s proven he can be a top producer at the minor league level, but is unlikely to really receive much of an opportunity in Los Angeles.

Steenbergen, 23, was drafted, but is likely just as far away from the NHL. Remembered for his gold medal-winning goal for Team Canada in 2018, Steenbergen had just 13 points in 36 games for the Roadrunners this season. Another player who had huge junior totals but doesn’t really have the size for the NHL level, if signed he’ll likely spend next season in the AHL.

Imama, 24, had one of the more interesting QMJHL careers in recent memory. After having a career-high of 28 points through his first four seasons of junior hockey, he ended up scoring 41 goals in 2016-17, helping the Saint John Sea Dogs win a league title. He was a dominant physical presence that season, using the size and strength that had previously helped him as a fighter to bully his way to the net. Imama still had 105 penalty minutes that season, and has continued to fight in the minor leagues. He scored nine goals and 14 points this season, racking up 56 penalty minutes in 31 games.

Hults, 23, only has one year of professional experience after coming out of Penn State. His 19 games this season resulted in just five points, but he is perhaps the closest to the NHL given his position. The young defenseman could potentially see some time for Arizona next season, though just like the other three, will likely spend most of the year in the AHL.

Pittsburgh Penguins Re-Sign Kasper Bjorkqvist

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have re-signed one of their young restricted free agents, inking Kasper Bjorkqvist to a one-year contract. The two-way deal will carry an NHL salary of $750K. Penguins assistant GM Patrik Allvin released a short statement on the deal:

Kasper is an honest, responsible two-way player who is very coachable and understands the game well. We felt that it was important for Kasper to play in Finland last year after his injuries, and he found a lot of success there, which was good for his development. He has all of the intangibles to develop into an NHL player.

Bjorkqvist, 24, spent the majority of the 2020-21 season in Finland, scoring 26 points in 44 games for KooKoo. Originally selected 61st overall in 2016, he’s played just 11 games at the AHL level to this point thanks to a knee injury and the pandemic, but is still obviously valued enough by the Penguins to sign to a new deal.

Even though he’s already 24 now, Bjorkqvist won’t actually qualify for Group VI UFA status next summer. That means the Penguins will control his rights for at least one more year after this season. If he isn’t playing regularly and contributing at the AHL level a year from now though, he’s an obvious non-tender candidate.

Buffalo Sabres Select Owen Power First Overall

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For the second time in four drafts, the Buffalo Sabres have selected a defenseman with the first-overall pick. Owen Power joins Rasmus Dahlin in the Buffalo organization after being the consensus top draft choice.

After an outstanding freshman season at the University of Michigan, Power went and joined Team Canada at the World Championship. Starting the tournament as an extra defenseman, he was logging first-pairing minutes by the end of the tournament under head coach Gerard Gallant, proving he could immediately step into the NHL should he decide to sign with the Sabres right away.

That’s the big question about Power though, as the 6’6″ defenseman has been clear that he’s currently leaning towards a return to Michigan. With the COVID restrictions this year, he and fellow top picks Matty Beniers and Kent Johnson were unable to really receive the whole college hockey experience. A return could very well lead to a national title bid with that kind of talent on the roster (not to mention fourth-overall pick Luke Hughes, who is also committed to the program), though the allure of an NHL contract is obviously a tough thing to turn down.

A strong skater with a wingspan that seems to stretch across the entire ice surface, Power projects as a rock-solid first-line player in the NHL. Whether his offensive upside ever truly materializes is the big question, but even if he settles in as more of a Jay Bouwmeester than a Victor Hedman, the Sabres are getting a heck of a player. In fact, he could represent a perfect partner for the more offensively-oriented Dahlin, who will now be elevated even further with Rasmus Ristolainen on his way out of Buffalo.

With another pick in the first round and two more big chips to trade in Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart, the Sabres are kickstarting a rebuild under GM Kevyn Adams. Power is a huge addition to that process and should be logging huge minutes in the NHL before long.

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