Ryan Strome Signs With New York Rangers
The New York Rangers have reached an agreement with restricted free agent forward Ryan Strome ahead of his arbitration hearing, signing him to a two-year contract worth a total of $9MM according to Larry Brooks of the New York Post. Strome’s hearing had been scheduled for later today, with his camp filing for $5.7MM and the Rangers filing for $3.6MM. This deal’s AAV comes down in the middle of those two numbers, but also importantly buys out an extra year of unrestricted free agency.
Strome, 27, could only have received a one-year contract from the arbitration process as he was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after this season. The fifth-overall pick from 2011, he has already played in 491 NHL games in his career. Those haven’t all been successful outings, but Strome did seem to find his footing again after landing in New York in 2018. With 59 points in 70 games last season he was the team’s best offensive weapon behind the super-pair of Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad, though that isn’t expected to continue. The Rangers have a number of blue-chip prospects ready to make an impact including 2020 first-overall pick Alexis Lafreniere.
What Strome does still represent is a solid middle-six center for a team that suddenly looks like they will compete for a playoff spot. Their offense is young, skilled, and deep, while the crease is safe in the hands of two young netminders. Tony DeAngelo was re-signed to a two-year deal, and Adam Fox looks like a future star.
Even if they decide that Strome isn’t the player they want to sign a long-term UFA deal with, the Rangers will have two cracks at it with him on this new deal, one that certainly doesn’t impede their ability to add even more. Only Brendan Lemieux remains unsigned and the team has more than $6.3MM in cap space.
Buffalo Sabres Sign Dustin Tokarski
The Buffalo Sabres have added a bit of goaltending depth to the organization, signing Dustin Tokarski to a two-year contract. The deal will carry an average annual value of $725K. Tokarski spent last season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on an AHL contract.
Now 31, Tokarski has bounced around the minor leagues for more than a decade, suiting up for the Norfolk Admirals, Syracuse Crunch, Hamilton Bulldogs, St. John’s IceCaps, San Diego Gulls, Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Hartford Wolf Pack, Charlotte Checkers in addition to the baby Penguins. He’ll be able to fill a role on the Rochester Americans this season and give the Sabres a goalie with some NHL experience in a pinch.
Just like many of the goaltending signings this time of year, one important note is with regards to the expansion draft. The Sabres previously did not have a goaltender that filled the exposure requirements, with both Carter Hutton and Linus Ullmark scheduled to become unrestricted free agents after this season. With a two-year deal, Tokarski will fill that requirement and poses very little risk of being selected by the Seattle Kraken.
Gustav Nyquist Undergoes Shoulder Surgery
The Columbus Blue Jackets will be without one of their consistent offensive pieces for the first part of the 2020-21 season. Gustav Nyquist has undergone surgery to repair a labral tear in his left should and has been given a recovery timeline of five to six months. GM Jarmo Kekalainen explained why the surgery was required at this point:
This was a chronic issue that Gus has been dealing with for a number of seasons. He has been able to perform at a high level, but a cyst in the area developed over time that has inhibited his ability to continue to do so. As a result, surgery was the best course of action and we look forward to having him back at full strength this season.
Nyquist, 31, signed a four-year deal with the Blue Jackets in the 2019 offseason and ended up scoring 42 points in 70 games this season. That put him behind only Pierre-Luc Dubois for the team lead, and continued what has been an incredibly consistent pattern throughout his career. Nyquist has played in at least 57 games in each of the last seven seasons, recording at least 40 points in each of them.
Given he’ll be out until at least April, the Blue Jackets will have to find a way to replace some of that offensive. As Aaron Portzline of The Athletic points out on Twitter, there are still several top-six options available on the free agent market, including Mike Hoffman, Erik Haula, Andreas Athanasiou, and Mikael Granlund. Perhaps this injury will push Kekalainen and the Columbus front office toward a deal with one of those names, or perhaps it will only open an opportunity for one of the team’s young players to receive more minutes.
Columbus does have plenty of cap space remaining, though both Dubois and Vladislav Gavrikov remain unsigned.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Snapshots: Barzal, Timashov, Davidsson
The New York Islanders locked up one of their key restricted free agents today when they agreed on a new two-year contract with Ryan Pulock, but still have one big item on their offseason to-do list. That’s a new contract for Mathew Barzal, who is a restricted free agent without arbitration rights and is in line for a huge raise.
Perhaps not as big as one might expect though. Pulock, speaking to reporters today including Andrew Gross of Newsday, explained that he and Barzal have spoken throughout the offseason and are trying to take deals that work for them and the Islanders, in the hopes that their current core can stay together. Still, it’s not like Pulock took a huge discount on his deal, which walks him straight to free agency at age-27 and carries a $5MM AAV. Barzal, who led the Islanders with 60 points during the regular season, is arguably the most important skater on the team and should command quite the salary.
- Dmytro Timashov is the final unsigned restricted free agent for the Detroit Red Wings and still isn’t sure where he’s going to spend next season. Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press reports that Timashov is still considering his options but a return to Detroit is possible. The 24-year-old forward was claimed off waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs at the end of February and played in five games for Detroit down the stretch.
- As expected, both Marcus Davidsson and Jonathan Davidsson have joined Vasterviks IK after some recent transactions made them available for a reunion. Jonathan Davidsson required a loan from the Ottawa Senators given he is under contract, while Marcus Davidsson recently terminated his contract with Vaxjo in the SHL.
Pittsburgh Penguins Promote Patrik Allvin
The Pittsburgh Penguins were short on assistant general managers for the upcoming season, but have decided to promote from within to fill the post. Patrik Allvin, who had previously served as director of amateur scouting for the club, has been promoted to assistant GM. GM Jim Rutherford explained the choice:
Patrik has made a lot of contributions during his 14 years with Pittsburgh, and has proven to be a valuable asset for us. We’ve been impressed with his hockey knowledge and work ethic, and I look forward to working more closely with him.
Allvin has been with the Penguins in various roles since 2006, coming over from the Montreal Canadiens under then-GM Ray Shero. He will continue to oversee the Penguins amateur scouting efforts, while also taking on new responsibilities assisting Rutherford in the hockey operations department.
Just recently, the Penguins decided to fire AGM Jason Karmanos. At that time, many speculated that former AGM Jason Botterill, recently fired by the Buffalo Sabres, could be on his way back to the Pittsburgh front office. As of now, that hasn’t happened, with Allvin taking up residence as an AGM instead. It still seems likely that another addition is to come however, given Karmanos was set to serve as GM of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, a responsibility that is not listed in the Allvin press release.
In another move, the team has announced that Sam Ventura will assume the role of director of hockey operations and hockey research, while Erik Heasley will continue his role as manager of hockey operations and AGM of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Minnesota Wild Extend ECHL Affiliation
The Minnesota Wild have extended their affiliation with the Allen Americans of the ECHL for the 2020-21 season. The two teams have been partnered since 2018-19, with the Americans serving as a proving ground for raw or unheralded prospects. Tom Kurvers, GM of the Iowa Wild, the AHL affiliate that will be part of the three-tiered system, had this to say about the new agreement:
We are excited to extend our ECHL affiliation agreement with the Allen Americans. Allen had a tremendous season last year and we look forward to the Americans serving as a development affiliate for our players again this season.
Allen is one of the 13 ECHL teams that is scheduled to begin their 72-game season in early December, playing their first game on December 12 against the Tulsa Oilers. The league is hoping to have a season despite the financial struggles that the COVID-19 situation has incurred on some of the organizations.
The ECHL is used to secure playing time for lottery-ticket prospects, especially goaltenders, but does regularly produce future NHL talent. The Americans specifically have had two such players grace their locker rooms. Jordie Benn, who currently plays for the Vancouver Canucks, spent an entire season with the Americans in 2009-10 when he was still trying to get noticed as an undrafted player.
Aaron Dell, who was recently signed by the Toronto Maple Leafs, has a similar story. He spent his first year of professional hockey in Allen, though at that time they were part of the Central Hockey league. He would return to the Americans for 12 games in 2014-15 after they had joined the ECHL.
Brendan Lemieux, New York Rangers Exchange Arbitration Figures
The New York Rangers have a pair of arbitration cases set to go down over the next few days, including tomorrow’s hearing for Ryan Strome. On Friday, Brendan Lemieux will have his, and today the two sides exchanged figures. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that the Rangers have filed for a two-year contract that would pay the young forward $950K in 2020-21 and $1.075MM in 2021-22, while Lemieux filed for a $2MM AAV.
It is important to remember that in the NHL, the arbitrator does not need to choose one filing or the other and usually instead awards a contract somewhere in the middle. The two sides can also come to an agreement in the coming days, though this year once the hearing begins they must wait for the reward and cannot settle while the arbitrator deliberates. The Rangers are able to choose the term of the deal (one or two years) because it was Lemieux who filed for arbitration.
In this case, the player’s ask is not above the $4,538,938 “walk away” threshold, meaning that the Rangers will have to sign Lemieux to whatever the arbitrator awards should the hearing begin.
Lemieux, 24, scored 18 points in 59 games for the Rangers last season while racking up a whopping 111 penalty minutes. That actually put him second in the league in that category behind only Evander Kane‘s 122. The feisty, much-like-his-dad forward is a super pest for the Rangers but has also shown the ability to chip in offensively now and again. His deal will likely come in somewhere around $1.5MM per season, a reasonable amount for a player that is unlikely to advance past the bottom-six.
New York Islanders Sign Ryan Pulock
The New York Islanders have signed restricted free agent defenseman Ryan Pulock to a new two-year contract. The deal, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, will carry an average annual value of $5MM. Pulock had a salary arbitration hearing scheduled for later this week, which will no longer be necessary. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic provides the full breakdown:
- 2020-21: $2.26MM salary + $740K signing bonus
- 2021-22: $5.16MM salary + $1.5MM signing bonus
Because he is an unassuming piece of the Islanders defensive puzzle, you may not realize just how good Pulock has been over the last several years. Over the last three seasons, Pulock ranks 33rd in scoring among NHL defensemen with 104 points in 218 games, 21st in goals with 23. That already puts him in the upper-echelon of offensive blueliners, but given he also brings a steady defensive stick and physical presence it’s hard not to wonder why he gets so little league-wide praise.
With a $5MM price tag, perhaps he’ll start getting his due as one of the better defensemen in the league and a leader on the Islanders back end. The concerning part for New York fans, is how long he’ll stay a part of that Islanders back end.
A two-year contract means that Pulock will reach unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2022 when he is just 27 years old. If he’s not re-signed by then, he’ll be one of the youngest free agents on the market and likely able to command a huge, long-term offer. Should his offensive production continue, there’s a chance he even would be one of the very best free agents available at any position.
Still, for now he can provide strong play for a reasonable price and fits into an Islanders financial situation that will have a chance to reset itself in a few years. Pulock, Johnny Boychuk, Nick Leddy and Thomas Hickey are now all on contracts that expire following the 2021-22 season, meaning the team will have the option to build their defense around a different—and likely younger—core.
Because Pulock was the Islanders final arbitration case, they will now receive a 24-hour buyout window that will open on Friday. They can only buy out players that have a cap hit of at least $4MM.
Dallas Stars Update Status Of Tyler Seguin, Ben Bishop
The Dallas Stars will be without two of their top players for the first part of the season, if not longer. Today the team announced that Ben Bishop underwent successful right knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus on October 21 and has been given a five-month recovery timeline. Tyler Seguin meanwhile underwent a right hip arthroscopy and labral repair yesterday and has been given a five-month recovery timeline.
Bishop, who will turn 34 later this month, had knee surgery in May that limited him to just three appearances in the postseason for Dallas. He’ll now be out until at least the end of March, another reason why the Stars re-signing of Anton Khudobin made so much sense.
There’s no question that Bishop is one of the best in the game when healthy and he showed it again this season with a .920 save percentage in 44 regular season appearances. The veteran goaltender has been a Vezina finalist three times and has one of the league’s best all-time save percentages at .921 (Dominik Hasek leads the way at .922). This knee injury is certainly troublesome though, especially given that Bishop has three years remaining on his current contract. His age is creeping up and this isn’t the first major injury of his career, so his recovery is not something to take for granted.
Seguin meanwhile represents a whole other issue for the Stars, given he’ll be out until April at this point. The team’s highest-paid player at $9.85MM per season, he can be a dynamic game-changing force when healthy and playing his best. Seguin recorded 50 points in 69 games this season for the Stars, his worst totals since he arrived in Dallas seven years ago.
With Seguin out of the lineup, the team will need a strong performance from captain Jamie Benn as well as big steps forward for youngsters Denis Gurianov and Roope Hintz. The Stars didn’t make any real additions to their forward group in free agency, meaning they’ll have to work around the injury with the group that got them to the Cup Final.
Marcus Davidsson Terminates Contract In SHL
Marcus Davidsson, a Buffalo Sabres draft pick from 2017, has terminated his contract with the Vaxjo Lakers of the SHL. Davidsson wasn’t seeing much ice time with the team and will instead look for an opportunity elsewhere. According to a report out of Sweden, that’s expected to be alongside his brother Jonathan Davidsson with Vasterviks IK. That Davidsson, originally a Columbus Blue Jackets draft pick, is under contract with the Ottawa Senators but is expected to be loaned to the Allsvenskan team.
The Sabres’ Davidsson was the 37th pick in the 2017 draft, and though still just 21, has a lot of work to do if he wants to one day play in the NHL. The forward had just 13 points in 31 games for Vaxjo last season, and a single assist in 12 matches this year. With dwindling ice time he’ll try to get things turned around in the lower league, as he approaches an important threshold in his career.
On June 1, 2021, Davidsson’s draft rights with the Sabres will expire, making him an unrestricted free agent if he does not have an entry-level contract by then. It’s very rare to see players selected so high go unsigned, but it is a possibility in this case if Davidsson wants to stay overseas to continue his development. Of course, the two sides could reach an agreement to sign his ELC and then be loaned back to Sweden, should they agree that he’s not ready (or willing) to play in the AHL.
There was a time where Davidsson looked like a sure thing for NHL duty down the road. In 2017-18 he recorded 21 points in just 39 games with Djurgardens IF of the SHL, an outstanding total for someone so young. He followed it up with another good season for the team in 2018-19, before a move to Vaxjo seemed to derail his performance. Perhaps a reunion with his brother, who was on those Djurgardens teams himself, will spark a resurgence from the Buffalo draft pick.