Dylan Guenther Signs Entry-Level Contract
The Arizona Coyotes have signed Dylan Guenther to his three-year, entry-level contract. Guenther was selected ninth overall earlier this summer. Coyotes GM Bill Armstrong released a short statement on the signing:
We are very pleased to welcome Dylan to the Coyotes organization. Dylan is an extremely skilled and smart player with a great work ethic. We are confident that he will become a very good NHL player and look forward to watching his development this season.
CapFriendly reports that the deal will carry an AAV of $925K plus an additional $850K in Class ‘A’ performance bonuses each season.
Guenther, 18, played just 12 games for the Edmonton Oil Kings this season, but actually led the league in points-per-game. His 24 points were an impressive total for a player that had just 59 in 58 games in 2019-20, and led to his continued rise up draft boards.
Of course, the Coyotes didn’t have a first-round pick in this year’s draft when the season ended. The team had been stripped of that selection thanks to scouting violations by the previous management team, a brutal punishment for a team that was struggling to find much success on the ice. The pick that Guenther was picked with came from the Vancouver Canucks in the Oliver Ekman-Larsson deal, and represents a very important selection for the Coyotes.
The young Guenther is likely headed back to the WHL for this season, meaning the first year of his entry-level deal will not be burned. The contract will instead slide forward–unless he manages to make the NHL team–meaning he’s locked up at least through 2024-25.
Nashville Predators Sign Eeli Tolvanen
The Nashville Predators have signed Eeli Tolvanen to a three-year contract worth $4.35MM. The deal will carry an average annual value of $1.45MM. Tolvanen was a restricted free agent and not eligible for arbitration.
Now 22, Tolvanen finally established himself as a full-time NHL player this season, playing in 40 games for the Predators. The 2017 first-round pick scored 11 goals and 22 points, but was held scoreless in the team’s short playoff run. He’ll have a good chance to increase those totals this season as he steps into a bigger role after the Predators said farewell to names like Viktor Arvidsson, Calle Jarnkrok, and Erik Haula.
These kinds of deals are the other edge of the David Poile sword. Though there have been several times his long-term contract extensions for veterans have been mistakes, he also has routinely locked up young players for a reasonable amount before a potential breakout. That’s exactly what could happen with Tolvanen, who has the potential to be a big offensive producer. If that happens in either of the next two seasons, there’s still time for this contract to be a big win.
For Tolvanen though, this is also a contract that likely guarantees him a roster spot. With just 47 regular season games to this point, he didn’t have a lot of leverage in contract talks and wouldn’t have been eligible for arbitration until next offseason.
With him signed, the Predators have now locked up all of their restricted free agents for the offseason.
Griffin Reinhart Signs In EIHL
The Belfast Giants have landed quite a free agent, signing Griffin Reinhart for the upcoming season. The team has also signed J.J. Piccinich, making it quite the day for the EIHL team.
Reinhart, 27, was the fourth overall pick in 2012, selected by the New York Islanders just ahead of Morgan Rielly. While his professional career certainly didn’t go as planned, he still played 37 games at the NHL level and more than 300 in the AHL. The last two years have seen him lace up his skates in China with Kunlun Red Star of the KHL and then the Iserlohn Roosters of the DEL.
It’s quite the get for Belfast, who are actually the reigning league champions, though that came back in 2019. The last two seasons haven’t been played in full, with a four-team “Elite Series” taking place earlier this year instead.
Piccinich, 25, is also an NHL draft pick, selected in the fourth round by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2014. He spent last season with the Orlando Solar Bears of the ECHL, scoring 29 points in 65 games.
Bruins Add Matt Thomas To AHL Coaching Staff
The Boston Bruins have added an interesting coaching prospect to the organization, hiring Matt Thomas as an assistant for the Providence Bruins of the AHL. Thomas will join the staff of new head coach Ryan Mougenel, who released the following statement:
We are all thrilled to have Matt joining our staff in Providence. Matt possesses a unique combination of high energy, innovation, and a proven eye for the game. He understands today’s athlete and his focus on communication, teaching, and forming positive relationships speaks volumes about his values as a coach. Matt is a tremendous fit for our group and understands the Bruins’ philosophy and vision that Trent and I are growing. We are eager to work together and look forward to a seamless transition as we plan our collective approach for the upcoming season.
Thomas, 45, has been a head coach since 2004, when he took over the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies of the ECHL. He has also coached the Fresno Falcons, Stockton Thunder, and most recently the Cincinnati Cyclones in that league, winning the ECHL Coach of the Year award in 2019. He holds the league record for most playoff games ever coached with 108. For five seasons between 2013 and 2018, he was the head coach of the University of Alaska-Anchorage program.
A move to an assistant job with Providence is the next step toward the NHL, but this isn’t a fast track. Thomas began his coaching career in 1998 at the age of 22, just after finishing his senior season at R.I.T where he captained the team. This first AHL opportunity has been a long time coming, even though he’s still relatively young for the coaching world.
Minor Transactions: 08/30/21
As the hockey world prepares to flip the calendar to September and ramp up training camps, minor league talents are still finding jobs wherever they can. As always, we’ll keep track of all the notable minor moves right here.
- Tyler Gaudet, who played 20 games in the NHL for the Arizona Coyotes, has signed with Grizzlys Wolfsburg of the German DEL. Gaudet spent the last two seasons with the Toronto Marlies, scoring 23 points in 34 games this year.
- The Iowa Wild have signed Bryce Gervais to a one-year, AHL contract. The 29-year old last played in the AHL during the 2017-18 season with the Chicago Wolves, before spending three seasons overseas. In 47 games with the Heilbronn Falcons of the German second tier, he had 22 goals and 46 points.
This page will be updated throughout the day
Ottawa Senators Sign Filip Gustavsson
6:00 PM: The Senators have officially announced the signing. GM Pierre Dorion released the following statement about his young netminder:
We were very pleased with Filip’s performance last season. After spending the early part of the year playing in Sweden, it was evident to us that he is committed to continually improve his overall game. He’s someone we regard as a high-end talent and we’re looking forward to seeing his progress in 2021-22.
4:59 PM: The Ottawa Senators have inked young goaltender Filip Gustavsson to a two-year contract according to CapFriendly. The deal will be two-way in 2021-22, paying him $750K at the NHL level and $125K in the AHL before turning to a one-way, $825K contract in 2022-22. That means Gustavsson’s new average annual value and cap hit are set at $787,500 moving forward.
Acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins as part of a three-way deadline deal in 2018, Gustavsson represents the future of the Senators’ crease. Though the team has Matt Murray locked up at a high price for the next three years, it was Gustavsson who was most impressive this season and subsequently protected in the recent Seattle Kraken expansion draft.
Though he played just nine games, the 23-year-old netminder posted a 5-1-2 record and a .933 save percentage for the Senators, showing that he’s already ready for an NHL role of some sort. Whether that comes this season is actually not clear though, as the team obviously has Murray installed and signed Anton Forsberg to a one-year deal in May.
One of the biggest things in Gustavsson’s favor is actually the fact that the Kraken selected Joey Daccord through expansion, taking one of the organization’s other young goaltenders out of the picture. It’s still a crowded depth chart though, with three other young netminders signed to their entry-level deals. Daccord was the only one anywhere near the NHL level though, meaning with him gone it’s just Gustavsson if the team wants to make a switch at some point.
The fact that Senators GM Pierre Dorion got him to agree to a second year seems like a big win, as there’s no doubt he’ll be ready to at least serve as a backup in 2022-23. That means the team has already secured a cheap complementary piece to Murray, or even potentially a new starting option if the veteran continues to struggle. Murray has posted a save percentage under .900 in each of the last two seasons, including a dreadful .893 mark in 2020-21 with Ottawa. If that number doesn’t improve, there’s no way the Senators can realistically take a step forward in their rebuild without handing the crease to someone else. The waiver-exempt Gustavsson will certainly be waiting for his next opportunity and he may not give it back if he’s given the chance.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Minor Transactions: 08/29/21
The NHL world is focused on an offer sheet, but other leagues around the world are still making roster tweaks to get ready for the season. As always, we’ll have all the notable minor transactions right here:
- Mikhail Vorobyev, whose NHL rights are still owned by the Philadelphia Flyers, was involved in a KHL trade that saw him join SKA St. Petersburg. The 24-year-old forward received a qualifying offer from the Flyers last offseason when he bolted for Russia, meaning they will hold his exclusive NHL rights until his 27th birthday. In 35 games for the Flyers, he posted just five points.
- Salavat Yulaev Ufa, Vorobyov’s former team, has added their own NHL forward, signing Nikolai Kulemin to a one-year contract. Kulemin has played the last three seasons with Metallurg Magnitogorsk after a long NHL career that spanned more than 650 games. The 35-year-old had just seven points in 22 games last season.
- Former Philadelphia Flyer Roman Lyubimov is looking for work after leaving KHL club Ak Bars Kazan. The team announced that Lyubimov’s contract was mutually terminated, though did not offer any insight as to why. The 29-year-old stay-at-home defenseman only played in nine games with Ak Bars last season after coming over from Spartak Moscow, who he only just signed with as well. Lyubimov has bounced around since initially leaving CSKA Moscow back in 2016, spending one season in the NHL, one season back with CSKA, two seasons with Metallurg Magnitogorsk, and then last year’s disjointed campaign. Who know where he may wind up next.
This page will be updated throughout the day
Morning Notes: Kotkaniemi, Tkachuk, Brown
The Carolina Hurricanes shot back at the Montreal Canadiens yesterday by submitting an offer sheet for Jesperi Kotkaniemi, but even if they hadn’t there was some concern over the young center’s future in Montreal. Darren Dreger of TSN tweets that earlier this summer, some close to Kotkaniemi predicted that he had already played his last game with the Canadiens. The interesting part, however, is that now he has signed an offer sheet, Montreal can’t trade him for a year even if they decide to match it.
As CapFriendly explains, it would basically mean that the young forward would get a no-trade clause for a year, meaning he’d be earning that entire $6.1MM contract in Montreal. The Hurricanes apparently tried to trade for Kotkaniemi before tendering the offer sheet, but have now tied the Canadiens’ hands in more ways than one.
- The Ottawa Senators have a restricted free agent of their own still to sign, as Brady Tkachuk still doesn’t have a deal for this season. Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia writes that though things are quiet on that front, it is believed that the Senators are trying for an eight-year contract for their young winger. There’s a brand new comparable to bring up in those talks after Andrei Svechnikov signed his eight-year, $62MM extension in Carolina. Svechnikov was selected just two picks ahead of Tkachuk in 2018 and the two forwards have very similar career stats to this point. Garrioch suggests that if Tkachuk does sign an eight-year deal, it very well may come with the captain’s “C.”
- At the very end of his piece on Tkachuk, Garrioch includes another short note about RFA forward Logan Brown. The scribe suggests that Brown “could be dealt before camp” and remains unsigned at the moment. Now 23, the 11th overall pick from 2016 has just 30 games of NHL experience under his belt, something he and his agents have expressed frustration about in the past. The 6’6″ forward has played very well at the AHL level, racking up 79 points in 94 games, but has never received a lengthy chance in the NHL. It’s hard to see exactly where he fits in now that the Senators have so many other young forwards and Brown is now eligible for waivers. A fresh start makes sense, though obviously, it remains to be seen if GM Pierre Dorion feels the same.
Minor Transactions: 08/27/21
The NHL offseason grinds toward September training camps, as other leagues around the world continue to fill out their rosters. As always, we’ll keep track of all the notable minor moves right here.
- The San Jose Barracuda have re-signed Evan Weinger to a one-year AHL contract, bringing the forward back for his fourth season with the team. The 24-year-old was an undrafted free agent signing out of the WHL and had eight points in 28 games for the Barracuda last season.
- The Texas Stars have signed Spenser Young to a one-year AHL contract, giving him a chance to make the leap to professional hockey. The 24-year-old defenseman played four seasons with Providence College, but actually didn’t suit up anywhere in 2020-21. The last time he was on the ice during the 2019-20 season his offense had dried up completely, as Young recorded just three points in 32 games.
- Rob Klinkhammer, who has been a staple in the KHL for years now, has signed a one-year deal with Dynamo Moscow for this season. Klinkhammer captained Dinamo Minsk in 2020-21, scoring 26 points in 31 games. The 35-year-old has had quite the hockey career, playing nearly 200 games in the NHL, scoring a Gagarin Cup-winning goal, and suiting up for Canada at the 2018 Olympics.
- The Athletic’s Darren Hynes reports that the Stockton Heat have signed a goalie duo to two-way AHL contracts. Andrew Shortridge and Matt Greenfield will be joining the organization for 2021-22. Shortridge, a 26-year-old Alaska native, actually spent last year in the Heat organization, mostly at the ECHL level. He still put up a .952 save percentage in three appearances with Stockton, though, and could be a legitimate option at that level. Greenfield spent the entirety of last year with Kansas City in the ECHL, posting an 11-9-4 record and .916 save percentage.
This page will be updated throughout the day
Poll: Which Team Will Have Jack Eichel When The Season Starts?
They’re open to a move. That’s all the Buffalo Sabres have really said about the Jack Eichel situation, as GM Kevyn Adams tries to maintain control. In fact, control is exactly the word he used when free agency began and he was asked about the future of Eichel:
I think what’s critically important to make sure is clear is that we’re in control of this process, we have a player under contract, we don’t feel any pressure. If there’s a deal out there that we feel is the right thing for the Buffalo Sabres, that we feel is going to help us improve, whether that’s improve right away or improve down the road – those are all the things we weigh – we’d be open to it.
A few days later, Eichel’s representatives released a statement to the media that made clear the talented forward wanted and expected a trade out of Buffalo. Today, those agents were dismissed by Eichel as he moved to Pat Brisson and CAA. That change immediately sparked more speculation about a trade, with fans and media alike scrolling through Brisson’s client list to see any connections around the league.
The fact is, there are connections to be made wherever you want to find them, as Brisson is arguably the most powerful agent in the hockey world and has clients all over the NHL. His personal friendship with Montreal Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin is well known, for instance, which could lead to one avenue of speculation, but so is Eichel’s friendship with Brisson client Noah Hanifin of the Calgary Flames. The agent change doesn’t necessarily mean anything in regards to a trade timeline, other than it will now be new representation working with the Sabres.
But what are your thoughts on the situation? Which team will Eichel be under contract with when the season begins? Due to a neck injury that will require surgery, he’s not expected to be ready in time for opening day in October, but will a trade have been completed by then? Or will he still be with the Sabres, sitting in limbo with an uncertain future. We’re now just a month away from preseason hockey and it’s not at all clear where Eichel will play his next game.
So cast your vote and leave a comment down below on how you think it plays out!
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