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Oscar Lindberg Signs In Switzerland

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In the early days of the Vegas Golden Knights, one of the things that made the team so competitive is the strong number of depth players they had moving in and out of the bottom of the lineup. One of those names was Oscar Lindberg, a regular in the first year who was eventually pushed out as the group got more top-heavy.

After being part of the package that went to the Ottawa Senators for Mark Stone, Lindberg took his talents overseas in 2019. That’s where he will remain, as he has signed a new two-year contract with SC Bern in the Swiss NL.

Now 30, Lindberg was a very capable bottom-six option for the Golden Knights and Senators, but also for the New York Rangers before that. In fact, he was the pick from New York over names like Jesper Fast and Antti Raanta, as he had just played two full seasons for the Rangers, scoring relatively well in a limited checking role.

When he went to Europe, Lindberg had some immediate success. His spent last season with Dynamo Moscow in the KHL, scoring 25 points in 24 games. There’s a good chance he at least could have sniffed another NHL deal had the desire been there but the versatile forward will now play in Switzerland for the next two seasons.

The team also announced that the contract for Cory Conacher has been terminated. The 32-year-old is now a free agent.

Detroit Red Wings Sign Elmer Soderblom

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7:38 pm: CapFriendly has announced the terms of the deal, which carries a cap hit of $878,333:

2022-23: $750,000 base + $92,500 signing bonus + $82,500 performance bonus
2023-24: $775,000 base + $92,500 signing bonus + $57,500 performance bonus
2024-25: $832,500 base + $92,500 signing bonus

The contract carries a minor salary of $70,000 in all three seasons.

1:12 pm: The Detroit Red Wings have signed another interesting Swedish prospect, this time inking Elmer Soderblom to a three-year entry-level contract. The sixth-round pick is coming off a breakout season with Frolunda of the SHL.

It’s hard to focus on anything other than the size of Soderblom, given his 6’8″ frame. The massive forward is finally starting to find his way offensively though, leading to a very interesting package of size and skill. In 52 games this season he registered 21 goals, good enough to tie him for seventh in league scoring. If he can continue the same development trajectory, the Red Wings might have found a late-round steal that can actually contribute to their lineup down the road.

They certainly would have gotten a good look. Soderblom has played with top prospect Simon Edvinsson on Frolunda going back to their junior days, meaning the Red Wings have seen his progression first hand while watching their prized draft pick recently. Signing him now will get him into the organization, and since his contract has expired in Sweden, it could actually mean he’ll be joining the Grand Rapids Griffins next season.

Even if he goes back for another year, the 20-year-old Soderblom is a player to watch for Detroit fans and one that has a massive ceiling if he can continue to marry size and skill as he did this year. His entry-level deal will kick in no matter where he plays, making him an RFA in the summer of 2025.

New York Islanders Fire John Gruden, Jim Hiller

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The New York Islanders have continued to change their coaching staff, this time relieving assistants John Gruden and Jim Hiller of their duties. That leaves the full run of assistant roles open after Lane Lambert was promoted to head coach, taking the spot of the dismissed Barry Trotz. No replacements have been named at this point.

Gruden, 52, had been with the Islanders since 2018, following stints as the head coach of both the Flint Firebirds and Hamilton Bulldogs in the OHL. He was also part of the USNTDP for several years, and has plenty of experience developing young players. Notably, he’s also the father of Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Jonathan Gruden, who played had 27 points for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins this season and is heading into the final year of his entry-level contract.

Hiller, meanwhile, spent three seasons with the Islanders following stints with both the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs. He too was a CHL head coach before that, leading the Tri-City Americans for five seasons and the Chilliwack Bruins before that.

With these moves, the Islanders will have quite a few new voices behind the bench next season to support Lambert as he makes the transition from associate to head coach. The team did not list director of goaltending Mitch Korn–a long-time collaborator with Trotz–nor goaltending coach Piero Greco as part of the changes and still have them on the official website.

Ilya Konovalov Clears Unconditional Waivers

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June 9: Konovalov has cleared waivers according to CapFriendly and has had his contract terminated. He is now an unrestricted free agent.

June 8: The Edmonton Oilers still need to figure out their goaltending for next season but you can rule out at least one player. Ilya Konovalov has been placed on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a contract termination. He had one year left on his entry-level contract.

Mark Spector of Sportsnet tweets that Konovalov is headed back to the KHL.

Originally selected 85th overall in 2019, it’s sort of a surprising move for the young netminder after just one season in North America. A contract termination will make him an unrestricted free agent, whereas had the Oilers not signed him, they would have held his draft rights indefinitely.

At just 23 years old, there’s still lots of upside for Konovalov, despite his struggles with the Bakersfield Condors this season. He posted an .893 save percentage in 17 appearances, winning just five times.

Even if he is heading back to Russia, this may not be the end of Konovalov’s story when it comes to North America. He is still young enough to continue his development overseas before attracting some attention down the road.

Colorado Hoping Kadri, Cogliano Will Return During Stanley Cup Final

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The Colorado Avalanche could have to wait nearly two weeks to resume their postseason run, after defeating the Edmonton Oilers on Monday. The Stanley Cup Final is expected to start on either June 15 or 18 and with the Tampa Bay Lightning pulling even with the New York Rangers, the latter seems more likely at this point.

Outside of the normal rest versus rust debate, you probably won’t hear the Avalanche complaining very much. The team is hoping that both Nazem Kadri and Andrew Cogliano will be able to return at some point during the Final, after both underwent a similar surgery. Head coach Jared Bednar told reporters including Mike Chambers of the Denver Post that Kadri was back in the gym today, doing “everything he can” to get back in time.

The 31-year-old Kadri was having a strong playoff run with 14 points in 13 games before suffering a broken thumb against the Oilers, on a play that resulted in a suspension for Evander Kane. The pending free agent Avalanche forward has been on a tear all season, setting a career-high with 87 points during the regular season and generally playing the best hockey of his life. It has set him up for a huge summer, where he could be looking at a massive raise on the $4.5MM cap hit he has carried since 2016.

A return just in time to play for the Stanley Cup would only help Kadri’s legacy in Colorado if he does end up leaving the team at the end of the year. Cogliano would also be a bonus, though the trade deadline addition doesn’t have quite the same impact as his teammate. The 34-year-old is averaging just over nine minutes a game in the playoffs, though both of his goals have been game-winners.

For the goaltending discussion, Bednar wouldn’t give anything up, saying it is a tough decision between Darcy Kuemper and Pavel Francouz.

Nashville Predators Sign Markus Nurmi

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The Nashville Predators have signed forward Markus Nurmi to an entry-level contract. PuckPedia reports that the deal will carry an NHL cap hit of $842.5K. Originally selected by the Ottawa Senators in 2016, Nurmi never signed with the team and became an unrestricted free agent when his draft rights expired in 2020. Because of his age, he will be limited to a one-year contract. CapFriendly notes that the contract has a base salary of $750,000, a $92,500 signing bonus, and $82,500 performance bonus with $70,000 in minor salary.

Drafted 163rd overall back then, Nurmi is a very interesting prospect six years later. The offense has finally emerged for the 6’4″ forward, and he scored 20 goals and 39 points in 56 games for TPS in the top Finnish league this season. Even that production was surpassed by his playoff output when he racked up 19 points in 18 games, leading the entire league.

Given that he is still just 23 (24 in June), and has a perfect blend of size, skill, and offensive production, it’s no surprise that he’s found an opportunity in North America. Whether he can keep up with the speed and physicality of the NHL game and become more than just a depth option is another story entirely, and a challenge that many players have failed at over the years.

At worst though, this is a waste of a contract slot for a year, and the Predators move on after it expires. At best, they’ve added an NHL option off the free agent market that will still be a restricted free agent and under team control next summer.

Latest On Chicago Rebuild

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The Chicago Blackhawks are committed to a full rebuild, now that Kyle Davidson has taken over as general manager. He has said so on several occasions and proved his intentions by trading 23-year-old forward Brandon Hagel for a haul of assets. Franchise icons like Jonathan Toews have openly wondered about what that means for their future with the organization, as a complete tear-down appears to be on the way.

You might think that a 24-year-old who just scored 41 goals for the second time in his career might be safe, but apparently, you’d be wrong. Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff writes that the question is now “when” Alex DeBrincat will be traded, not “if,” and lists him at the very top of his trade target board. Scott Powers and Shayna Goldman of The Athletic also examine this possibility, with one source telling them they “doubt DeBrincat is with the team through next season” and that the young sniper will either be traded this summer or at the 2023 deadline.

Notably, this is likely about money more than anything else. Because of the way DeBrincat’s current contract is structured, he is owed $9MM in salary this season, despite his cap hit being just $6.4MM. That means he’ll also be due a $9MM qualifying offer at the end of the 2022-23 season in order to retain his rights, and is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2024.

If the Blackhawks wanted to extend him then, it would be at an extremely high price, one that doesn’t really make sense for a rebuilding club. The team isn’t expected to be competitive for a few years at least, which would mean any long-term deal for DeBrincat would be paying top dollar without taking advantage of his best years.

Still, it’s hard to wrap your head around a trade that includes such a young, star player. Make no mistake, DeBrincat is one of the most dangerous and consistent goal scorers in the entire league, even if his production has been overshadowed by the struggles in Chicago. Since he entered the league in 2017, only seven players have scored more than his 160 goals. He only turned 24 in December, meaning he’ll play a good chunk of next season at that age, and he has rarely missed games due to injury, suiting up for all 82 in three of his five years.

This is a player that every single team in the league could use, though the price tag attached to an extension would rule several out. Still, that might be what would intrigue Davidson and the Blackhawks so much, knowing the absolute haul they could bring back for a player like DeBrincat.

Christian Jaros Signs In KHL

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June 9: Jaros has now officially signed a one-year contract with the KHL club.

May 30: A few months ago, Christian Jaros cleared unconditional waivers and saw his NHL contract with the New Jersey Devils terminated. That made him an unrestricted free agent, but one that had limited options as the trade deadline had already passed. The 26-year-old didn’t join another league but now may be on his way overseas.

Reporting out of Russia has Jaros linked to Avangard Omsk of the KHL for next season, which would be a notable foreign addition to the league. Many players from other countries have signed contracts elsewhere, not wanting to be involved with Russia while the invasion of Ukraine was ongoing. If Jaros does sign, it would be his first experience in the KHL, having previously played in the SHL, AHL, and NHL as a professional.

For years, Jaros has been a key part of the Slovakian national team, participating in three World Championships and helping the country qualify for this year’s Olympic Games. That’s where they won their first ever hockey medal, finishing third and taking home the bronze. Notably, Jaros wasn’t included in the World Championship roster this year.

If he does end up in the KHL, it could very well be the end of Jaros’ time in the NHL. The young defenseman has 94 games under his belt including 11 this season with the Devils but hasn’t been a regular season the 2018-19 season.

Brayden Point Remains Out For Game Five

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June 9: A few days later and the story remains the same. Cooper has ruled Point out for game five, despite him once again taking morning skate with his teammates.

June 6: Though he was on the ice again today, Brayden Point still won’t be able to make his return to the lineup for game four. The Tampa Bay Lightning forward was ruled out immediately by head coach Jon Cooper, who spoke to reporters including Joe Smith of The Athletic.

It’s not that anyone really expected Point to be back in the lineup, given how Cooper has discussed the situation so far, but with the Lightning winning game three there is at least hope now that he’ll be able to make an appearance. The New York Rangers still have a lead in the series but after being thoroughly outplayed yesterday afternoon–the Lightning recorded 52 shots against Igor Shesterkin–there is now some momentum for the defending champs.

Perhaps more notably, should it get to that point, is a report from David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period that the Stanley Cup Final will start on either June 15 or June 18. That could potentially give someone like Point plenty of time to get back to health before the series starts, should they be able to get past the young, upstart Rangers squad.

Given that the Conference Finals could potentially be over by June 9, that would be nearly a week before the final kicked off, long enough to mend many of the bumps and bruises that players are dealing with these days, or at least give them a brief period of relief.

Bruce Cassidy Hopes To Coach In 2022-23

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Former Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy met with the media today including Amalie Benjamin of NHL.com to discuss his recent firing, and after explaining how much he cared about the organization, indicated that he does want to coach again next season. “This is what I do,” Cassidy said when asked if he would coach in the NHL next season should an opportunity present itself.

The 57-year-old coach is still under contract with the Bruins for next season, meaning other teams would need to cover part or all of the $3MM he is owed on the final year of an extension he signed in 2019. That came just a few months after the Cassidy-led Bruins lost in the Stanley Cup Final against the St. Louis Blues, a loss he referenced today as something that still bothers him.

Interestingly enough, Cassidy wasn’t really high on most lists of coaching candidates when he first took over in Boston. When he was announced as the replacement for Claude Julien partway through the 2016-17 season, he was regarded as a good AHL coach who had failed in his previous stint behind an NHL bench. Cassidy’s first go-round as a head coach at that level was with the Washington Capitals, where he lost in the first round in year one and then was fired partway through his second season after an 8-16-1 start.

He hadn’t even had much playoff success in the minor leagues, though his AHL teams were regularly near the top of the standings in the regular season. In the NHL, he took the Bruins to at least the second round in four of his five full seasons, and reached the postseason in all six years he was behind the bench. Overall, his record improved from 47-47-9-7 with the Capitals to 245-108-46 with the Bruins, though his overall playoff winning percentage is still below .500.

Confirming today that he has talked to “a number of teams” already, it appears as though he’ll get his wish to be behind an NHL bench again next season. He was linked to the Philadelphia Flyers this morning, though, with so many openings around the league, Cassidy will likely have several interested teams.

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