Boston Bruins Name Patrice Bergeron Captain
Since Zdeno Chara left to sign with the Washington Capitals, the Boston Bruins have been without a captain. It was clear who would be next, but today it has become official. Patrice Bergeron has been named the 20th captain in team history.
The 35-year-old center has spent his entire career in Boston, debuting in 2003 just a few months after being selected 45th overall. At just 18 he scored 16 goals and 39 points, quickly showing that there was greatness in him. Though the next season would be spent in the minor leagues thanks to an NHL lockout, Bergeron would never really look back, hitting the 30-goal and 70-point mark in his second season with Boston. In all, he’s totaled 1,089 games and 869 points, while tying the NHL record with four Selke Trophy wins as the league’s best defensive forward.
In 2011 he took home the ultimate prize, winning the Stanley Cup after scoring 20 points in 23 games. His overall playoff performance has always been outstanding, with 111 points in 149 career postseason games.
It’s more than just his on-ice performance though. Bruins president Cam Neely touched on the other qualities that make Bergeron a perfect choice for captain:
It’s a privilege to name Patrice the 20th Captain of the Boston Bruins. For 16 seasons we have all watched Patrice grow not only into an elite player but also a tremendous leader. Patrice represents the Bruins organization and our fans with integrity, determination and class. On and off the ice he embodies what it means to be a Bruin, and we couldn’t be prouder that he will lead our team as Captain.
Though Bergeron takes his rightful place among the greatest Bruins of all-time, there could potentially be another captain change not too far down the line. He’ll turn 36 in July and is only under contract through the 2021-22 season. While there is obviously plenty of game left in his boots, you never know when he’ll hang them up. Bruins fans should cherish this time with Bergeron donning the “C” before the sweater heads to the Hall of Fame.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Vancouver Canucks Sign Carson Focht
The Vancouver Canucks have signed Carson Focht to a three-year, entry-level contract. The fifth-round pick has played parts of the last two seasons with the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL and before that suited up for the Tri-City Americans.
Focht, 20, scored 56 points in 61 games for the Hitmen last season and was a sort of utility knife for the team, used in all situations. Though his offensive numbers aren’t as impressive as some other forward prospects, his versatility and polish suggest he may find success at the professional level. That should start this season with the Utica Comets, as he is of age to play in the AHL regardless of whether the WHL starts up or not.
The Canucks are up to 44 contracts for the year, meaning they still have some extra room to add should they feel more depth is required. Focht’s deal will kick in this season but he will be waiver-exempt.
Latest On Patrik Laine
When Patrik Laine took the podium to do his first media availability of training camp, one of the first questions was about the trade rumors that followed him all offseason. “I’m here, aren’t I?” said Laine, who wouldn’t really comment on the continued speculation and instead wanted to focus on the upcoming season. That didn’t slow down the rumors though, as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet wrote about it in his latest 31 Thoughts column and now David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports that the Carolina Hurricanes are still interested.
The Jets are apparently looking for Brett Pesce and Martin Necas in return for the enigmatic sniper, though obviously, trade talks can move in any direction at any time.
Laine, 22, may be inconsistent, but he is also one of the best pure goal scorers in the entire NHL. In 305 career games, he has 138 goals, including a 44-goal sophomore campaign. His current contract, a two-year bridge deal signed in 2019, is due to pay him $7.5MM this season and expires in the summer. He’ll still be a restricted free agent and in line for a huge raise on any sort of long-term deal, something that he appears not to want to sign with Winnipeg.
For what it’s worth, the Hurricanes do have a strong contingent of Finnish players, including their two top forwards Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen. Laine would seem a perfect fit with those two, who can generate offense at an elite level already. Whether the team would ever be willing to part with enough to make Winnipeg pull the trigger is unclear, given the early reports of what is being discussed.
Pesce, a 26-year-old rock-solid defender is one of the most valuable contracts on the team, given he’s signed through the 2023-24 season at a $4.025MM cap hit. The right-shot doesn’t provide a ton of offensive upside but can be thrown over the boards nearly every second shift to soak up tough defensive matchups on a nightly basis. Necas meanwhile is still waiting for his real breakout after being the 12th overall pick in 2017. The 21-year-old center had 16 goals and 36 points last season but appears to have even more to give as a top-six option. The Jets are obviously not going to take scraps for their star winger, nor should they.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Minor Transactions: 01/06/21
We’re a week away from NHL hockey. Final preparations are being made all over the league and with roster spots dwindling, players may have to start settling for AHL deals. The ECHL is underway and the AHL is set for next month, so we’re sure to see regular transactions hit the wire. As always, we’ll keep track of the notable minor moves right here.
- The Colorado Eagles have signed Alexandre Fortin to an AHL deal, bringing in the 23-year-old after several seasons in the Chicago Blackhawks organization. Despite playing in 24 NHL contests during his entry-level contract, Fortin wasn’t issued a qualifying offer by the Blackhawks this offseason and became an unrestricted free agent. The undrafted forward scored 17 points in 44 games with the Rockford IceHogs last season.
- Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson, who left North America after the 2018-19 season and returned to Sweden, has been traded from Vaxjo to Farjestad in the SHL. The 24-year-old is technically still on the Bruins reserve list and would have to sign with them if he wanted to return, but after struggling to produce any sort of offense overseas it’s hard to know where his future really lies. In 26 games this season with Vaxjo he recorded zero goals and four assists.
- Joe Morrow, who spent most of last season with Dinamo Minsk in the KHL, has signed a contract with Assat of the Finnish Liiga for the rest of this campaign. The 28-year-old defenseman actually has 162 games at the NHL level, but was something of a disappointment at each of his professional stops. Perhaps with a strong showing in Finland, he can get back on the NHL radar.
Zemgus Girgensons Undergoes Surgery
The Buffalo Sabres have already experienced some pain this season. Zemgus Girgensons, who was injured a few days ago after taking an awkward fall at practice, underwent successful hamstring surgery today and will be out for the next six months. That effectively ends Girgensons’ season before it even begins, and leaves the Sabres with a decision to make on who will fill his roster spot.
Just today, the Sabres added three players to their training camp roster and have other candidates like Riley Sheahan already competing for an NHL contract. With Girgensons out, an extra spot opened in the bottom-six, especially for someone that has experience on the penalty kill. Though Girgensons also hasn’t regularly played center the last few years, perhaps someone with the ability to play the middle of the ice would also have a leg up.
It’s brutal news for a player that just signed a new three-year deal in October, locking him in at a reasonable $2.2MM cap hit through 2022-23. Girgensons doesn’t offer much offensively—though he did score 12 goals in 69 games last season—but is a strong defensive presence and brings some more size and physicality to the Sabres lineup.
Sheahan seems a good bet for a deal now unless he has disappointed in camp. It also could potentially open a spot for younger players like Rasmus Asplund, though at today’s practice he was on a line with Casey Mittelstadt and Arttu Ruotsalainen, two other players who seem destined for the taxi squad to start the year given their waiver-exempt status.
Denis Malgin Clears Waivers
Jan 6: Malgin has cleared and can continue to play in Switzerland.
Jan 5: The Toronto Maple Leafs have placed another depth forward on waivers. Denis Malgin has hit the wire as he continues to play in Switzerland for Lausanne. Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas said he would not interrupt that season for a player who was not guaranteed a roster spot, so Malgin will finish the year in the NLA before returning to North America. To do that, he needed to be waived at some point.
Still, Malgin is an interesting candidate to be claimed if some team wants to throw a wrench in the Maple Leafs’ plans. The 23-year-old forward actually has 192 games of NHL experience and scored 22 points in 51 games with the Florida Panthers in 2017-18. Malgin signed a new one-year, one-way $700K contract with the Maple Leafs in October but was still pushed down the depth chart by several free agent additions.
For now, should he clear he will continue to play for Lausanne, where he has 22 points in 19 games. The undersized forward is a candidate to join the Maple Leafs later on after his season ends, giving them some additional depth down the stretch.
Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers To Share AHL Affiliate
When news broke that three AHL teams would be pulling out of the 2020-21 season, it left a question of what the NHL affiliates would do with their minor league players and prospects. Today, news has come that the Florida Panthers, who are partnered normally with the opting-out Charlotte Checkers, will be sharing the Syracuse Crunch with the Tampa Bay Lightning this season. As part of the agreement, the Panthers will have the ability to assign players directly to the Crunch, though the original coaching staff will stay in place.
Both NHL general managers—Julien BriseBois of the Lightning and Bill Zito of the Panthers—released statements explaining the move and the excitement it should generate for Crunch fans. This kind of collaborative program will only improve the roster for Syracuse, giving them an even better chance of competing this season.
Still, it is certainly not ideal for the Panthers. Though they have a place for their prospects and depth players to play, it’s still easy to see how the Crunch coaching staff could lean slightly towards the development of Lightning prospects over them. Either way, in this unusual and unique season, it’s nice to see two rivals come together on something.
Nashville Predators Sign Luke Kunin
The long negotiation between the Nashville Predators and restricted free agent Luke Kunin is about to come to an end. Andy Strickland of Fox Sports Midwest reports that Kunin will sign a two-year deal with the Predators shortly, while Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports it will be worth $2.3MM per season.
Kunin, 23, had been absent from the first few days of Predators camp as he waited for a new deal, a tough start to his time with his new team. The young forward arrived in an offseason trade with the Minnesota Wild that saw veteran center Nick Bonino head north. Selected 15th overall in 2016, Kunin was a star for the U.S. junior team and the University of Wisconsin, both places where he wore the “C,” but he struggled to really establish himself at the NHL level until 2019-20. Last season he finally played regularly and put up 31 points in 63 games for the team.
While those numbers don’t pop off the page, the Predators should have reason to believe he can continue to improve with time. Kunin only turned 23 a month ago and has always been a cerebral player, able to use his awareness and anticipation to create offensive chances for himself and his linemates. If there is a player that everything is going to “click” for, he could be the one. If the Predators decide to give him the ice time it could happen this season.
The two-year length is a classic bridge deal, which will leave Kunin a restricted free agent at its expiry. If he lives up to his potential and becomes a force for the Predators, he’ll be in for a big-money deal down the road.
Columbus Blue Jackets Extend Oliver Bjorkstrand
At least one player has committed to Columbus. The Blue Jackets have announced a five-year extension for budding star Oliver Bjorkstrand, signing him through the 2025-26 season. Bjorkstrand will earn $2.5MM this season on the final year of a three-year deal signed in 2018, but gets quite the bump in 2021-22. The new deal will carry an average annual value of $5.4MM. Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen released a statement on his young forward:
Oliver is a gifted player that has shown steady improvement throughout career to this point and we couldn’t be happier that he will be a Blue Jacket for a very long time. He is a dangerous offensive player, and we believe he will be an even more impactful player for us as he continues to develop and mature in this league.
The price goes up each year for Bjorkstrand, as Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports the full salary breakdown:
- 2021-22: $4.5MM
- 2022-23: $5.25MM
- 2023-24: $5.35MM
- 2024-25: $5.9MM
- 2025-26: $6.0MM
The deal buys out four years of unrestricted free agency for Bjorkstrand, who actually made his NHL debut back in the 2015-16 season. While it took him a little while to establish himself, last season was a real breakout with 21 goals and 36 points in just 49 games. It was Bjorkstrand’s second straight 20+ goal season and that increased offense is exactly what the Blue Jackets are buying into with this early extension.
It’s been such a struggle for the Blue Jackets to get players to commit long-term to the franchise, with Pierre-Luc Dubois the latest star player to hint that he wants out. In the wake of that news, the announcement that Bjorkstrand will be staying right through his prime years is nothing but a godsend for Columbus fans. While he may not have quite the same impact as Dubois, there’s a lot to love about the 25-year-old’s game.
Importantly, Columbus is also expected to be without Gustav Nyquist for the majority of the season, meaning Bjorkstrand will be even more important to the attack. He’s been lining up on the team’s first unit at training camp next to Dubois and Alexandre Texier, leading one to believe that the 18-minutes-a-night that he received in 2019-20 isn’t likely to decrease.
For the Blue Jackets financially, this deal is more than acceptable given the amount of money that is set to come off after this season. Brandon Dubinsky, Nick Foligno, Riley Nash, and David Savard are all scheduled to become unrestricted free agents, with depth additions like Mikko Koivu and Mikhail Grigorenko only on one-year deals to begin with. With Bjorkstrand now locked up for a reasonable amount, the team can focus on their other dwindling deals, which include Seth Jones and his 2022 UFA status.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Buffalo Sabres Add Three To Training Camp Roster
The World Junior Championship ended less than twelve hours ago, with Canada losing the gold medal game to Team USA in a perfect defensive performance. For at least two Canadian players, there was no time to mope around. Dylan Cozens and Jack Quinn have already been added to the Buffalo Sabres training camp roster, with John Vogl of The Athletic noting that a private jet left Edmonton in the middle of the night, arriving in Buffalo a few hours later. The team has also signed defenseman Ryan Jones to a professional tryout and will have him at practice today.
Jones, 24, is signed to an AHL contract with the Rochester Americans after four years at the University of Nebraska-Omaha but will get his chance to perform at Sabres camp as well. The 6’2″ defenseman was originally a fourth-round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 but became an unrestricted free agent after failing to reach an entry-level contract with them last summer. Jones isn’t an offensive player but could add another minor league depth option for the Sabres to develop.
It’s Cozens and Quinn that will steal the headlines today though, despite their international disappointment last night. The eighth overall pick in the 2020 draft, Quinn had a solid tournament, scoring five points in seven games but generally looking the part of a junior player. Like many players drafted just a few months ago, he appears to need more seasoning and development time.
Cozens meanwhile looks like he will step directly into the Sabres lineup this season and play a significant role. Serving as one of Team Canada’s rotating captains he was outstanding, scoring 16 points in the seven games and earning tournament All-Star honors. The seventh-overall pick from 2019 is a force coming down the wall, using his 6’3″ frame to shield the puck while speeding towards the net. His ferocious back-checking and defensive stick will make him a coach favorite quickly, even if he does start his NHL career on the wing.
Perhaps though there will be an opening down the middle for Cozens sooner than originally expected. After going down awkwardly in practice, Zemgus Girgensons is dealing with an injury from the first few days in camp. Former NHL defenseman Aaron Ward tweets that Girgensons could be facing a “lengthy absence” and a significant injury. In better news, Jack Eichel and Linus Ullmark were back at practice after missing the first few days.