Joe Thornton Signs With Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed Joe Thornton to a one-year contract worth the league minimum of $700K. The deal does not include any performance bonuses but Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic does confirm that it includes a no-movement clause.
It’s been a long courtship of Thornton in Toronto. The team made a real pitch to bring him to the Maple Leafs back in 2017 alongside former teammate Patrick Marleau, but the San Jose Sharks legend returned to California instead. Three years later and the team has landed their man, though he certainly won’t be a centerpiece of the roster this time around.
Now 41, there’s no question that Thornton isn’t the player that won the Hart Trophy in 2006 or even the one that scored 51 points in 2018-19. He had just seven goals and 31 points last season for the Sharks, his lowest total since a 1997-98 rookie campaign. But Toronto isn’t bringing in Thornton to be the focus of the offense, but a veteran leader to add another voice in the dressing room and a little more responsibility on the bench.
If there is anyone who can understand the pain of failing playoff expectations, it’s Thornton. After 1,636 regular season games and 179 more playoff contests, the future Hall of Famer forward has still not sipped from Lord Stanley’s Cup. Ninth all-time in games played, seventh in assists, and 14th in points, Thornton will be joining only the third NHL team of his long career.
Currently playing in Switzerland for the club team in his offseason home, Thornton’s fit in Toronto isn’t even exactly clear at this point. The team already re-signed Jason Spezza to serve on the fourth line and brought in names like Wayne Simmonds, Jimmy Vesey and Travis Boyd to battle for spots in the bottom-six. If Thornton is to be penciled into that group, it seems likely that there could be another body—perhaps Pierre Engvall, who is still waiver-exempt—headed back to the minor leagues.
The Maple Leafs also still need to sign arbitration-eligible Ilya Mikheyev, who has a hearing later this month, as well as restricted free agent defenseman, Travis Dermott. All that without any actual cap space, though every time they add a $700K forward they can theoretically add some cap space by sending someone else down or trading them to another team.
There’s likely still more maneuvering for GM Kyle Dubas, but the Maple Leafs have landed one of their targets. Whether that target has any game left is still to be seen.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Nolan Patrick Re-Signs With Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers forward Nolan Patrick has accepted his qualifying offer of $874,125 according to PuckPedia, meaning he will sign a one-year contract for the total. Patrick was a restricted free agent without arbitration rights and could not sign an offer sheet, essentially taking any leverage he had away.
That’s not to say Patrick really could have demanded much more, even though he did find some success as a young player. The 22-year-old missed the entire 2019-20 season with a migraine disorder, one that the Flyers supported him throughout. He’s been back skating for months and is hopeful to be ready for the start of the season, but until that actually happens it is impossible to tell how he will respond.
A one-year deal at the reduced salary was the obvious choice for the Flyers, who still don’t exactly know what they have in Patrick. Selected second overall in 2017 behind New Jersey’s Nico Hischier, the big WHL forward scored 13 goals in each of his first two NHL seasons. While that wasn’t an outstanding total for such a highly drafted prospect, it also proved he could handle himself at the NHL level and established himself as a core piece in Philadelphia.
Now, more than a year and a half removed from his last NHL game, Patrick will have to re-establish himself completely and prove he can still be that core piece that the team believed in. He’ll be a restricted free agent again next offseason.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Vancouver Canucks Re-Sign Jake Kielly
The Vancouver Canucks have re-signed Jake Kielly to a one-year, two-way contract. The undrafted goaltender was signed out of Clarkson University in 2019 and spent most of last season in the ECHL with the Kalamazoo Wings.
Ineligible for arbitration, Kielly was a restricted free agent after his one-year entry-level deal expired this offseason. The 24-year-old goaltender is fourth on the Canucks depth chart behind Thatcher Demko, newcomer Braden Holtby, and top prospect Michael DiPietro.
Where Kielly plays this season is still unclear, given the Wings won’t start until January 15 at the earliest. They are not among the 13 ECHL teams that are scheduled for a December 11 start. The AHL meanwhile last gave a December 4 start date, but that was a goal back in July and is certainly not likely at this point.
The 6’2″ goaltender did post a .923 save percentage in his two appearances at the AHL level last year, but is just organizational depth at this point.
Quinton Byfield Signs Entry-Level Contract
The second pick of the 2020 NHL Draft has his first professional contract. Quinton Byfield has inked his three-year, entry-level contract with the Los Angeles Kings and will wear No. 55 for the team.
Byfield, a 6’4″ center that has received comparisons to Anze Kopitar and Evgeni Malkin because of his powerful frame paired with top offensive talent, trailed only Alexis Lafreniere in the draft. Having only turned 18 in August he is ten months younger than the first overall pick, but similarly dominated the CHL this season.
In 45 games for the Sudbury Wolves of the OHL, Byfield recorded 32 goals and 82 points. It was his World Junior performance that led to some doubt (if you can even call it that) about his prospect status, as he looked overmatched at times in the U20 tournament. Tim Stuetzle, the German forward with incredible skating ability, ended up pushing him for the second spot but ultimately the Kings went for the true center that could anchor their forward group for the next decade-plus.
By signing, Byfield joins one of the best prospect groups in the NHL. The team finally got Gabe Vilardi—the 11th overall pick in 2017—on the ice last season and he’ll soon be joined by names like Alex Turcotte (5th in 2019), Rasmus Kupari (20th in 2018) and Tobias Bjornfot (22nd in 2019) among many others. Both the high-end ability and depth of the Kings system is outstanding, with Byfield taking his spot right at the top of the prospect chart.
The next question will be whether Byfield steps directly into the NHL, one that is complicated by the status of the CHL this season. The OHL hasn’t yet started their year, while the QMJHL has already had to pause much of their action thanks to COVID-19 concerns. Byfield is not allowed to play in the AHL, though perhaps special circumstances would be made this year if the major junior leagues aren’t able to make a season work. (For that matter, the AHL’s schedule is still uncertain.)
Depending on when NHL training camps begin, Byfield could potentially suit up for Canada again at this year’s World Juniors. The tournament will be held in an Edmonton bubble similar to the one the NHL used to complete their playoffs and could host an incredible group of talented youngsters depending on the status of other leagues. Byfield, a year older and stronger, would be expected to make a much greater impact this time around.
New York Rangers Agree To Terms With Fontaine, Raddysh
The New York Rangers have agreed to terms with two more of their restricted free agents, Gabriel Fontaine and Darren Raddysh. Contract details were not included for either player.
Fontaine, 23, was a sixth-round pick of the Rangers in 2016 and has spent the last three seasons with the Hartford Wolf Pack in the AHL. Unfortunately, his 2019-20 campaign came to an early end when he underwent shoulder surgery in November. In the 13 games he did play, Fontaine scored just three points.
Raddysh meanwhile was once a relatively sought after undrafted free agent, following his OHL Defenseman of the Year award in 2017. An elite offensive defenseman in junior, Raddysh has carried some of that to the AHL level, racking up 80 points in 204 games. Even on this NHL contract, he’s an unlikely candidate to spend much time with the Rangers, though obviously they believe he can be valuable depth.
Columbus Blue Jackets Re-Sign Gabriel Carlsson
The Columbus Blue Jackets have re-signed Gabriel Carlsson to a two-year contract, bringing back the restricted free agent. Carlsson will be on a two-way deal in 2020-21 and a one-way contract in 2021-22, and Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports it will carry a $725K average annual value. The 23-year-old defenseman was not eligible for arbitration.
Carlsson, the team’s second first-round pick in 2015 (after Zach Werenski), hasn’t established himself at the NHL level just yet. Over parts of four seasons in the organization he has just 23 games with the Blue Jackets, instead spending most of his time in North America with the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL. While that’s not a huge issue, the 6’5″ defenseman still hasn’t developed much of an offensive game even at the minor league level, something he’ll still need to improve if he ever wants to reach the top-four in Columbus.
When this contract expires Carlsson could potentially be eligible for Group VI unrestricted free agency, should he fail to reach the 80-game mark in the NHL. That’s certainly no guarantee at this point, though the team has moved out some of the depth that was blocking his path when they traded Ryan Murray and Markus Nutivaara. If he does hit that threshold, he’ll still be a restricted free agent at the end of the deal.
Minor Transactions: 10/16/20
While NHL teams continue to fill out their rosters and prepare for the 2020-21 season, minor and European leagues also are working on new contracts. We’ll keep track of some of the newsworthy minor transactions right here:
- After bringing back fan-favorite Rich Clune on a one-year AHL contract yesterday, the Toronto Marlies have made two more contracts official today. Tyler Gaudet has re-signed with the team on a one-year deal, while Scott Sabourin has also joined the organization on a one-year AHL contract.
This page will be updated throughout the day
Charles Hudon Signs In Switzerland
The Montreal Canadiens tendered a qualifying offer to restricted free agent Charles Hudon this offseason, but despite being eligible for arbitration the 26-year-old forward declined to file. Instead, Hudon has signed a one-year contract with Lausanne of the Swiss NLA where he will play this season.
In 125 games at the NHL level, Hudon has scored 14 goals and 41 points, underwhelming totals for a player who has dominated the minor leagues. Even in the shortened 2019-20 AHL season, Hudon tallied 27 goals in 46 games, though that came with just eight assists. He had just two points in 17 games with Montreal, including two during the postseason bubble.
Montreal will retain his rights temporarily, but given Hudon turns 27 in June he likely will become an unrestricted free agent next offseason. With the uncertain schedules of every professional league in the world that may still afford a bit of time for the team to bring him back, but it appears as though his time in Montreal could be over.
If it is, while he may seem like a disappointment after those big AHL totals, more than 100 NHL games out of a fifth-round pick is still pretty good value for the Canadiens.
Calgary Flames Sign Andrew Mangiapane
The Calgary Flames have reached an agreement with restricted free agent forward Andrew Mangiapane, avoiding arbitration that was scheduled for just a few days from now. The two-year contract will carry an average annual value of $2.425MM. Mangiapane was set to be the first hearing of the arbitration schedule on October 20.
The 24-year-old Mangiapane broke out in 2019-20, finally finding his footing as a full-time NHL player and scoring 17 goals in the process. He was a difference-maker all over the ice and managed to record his 32 points almost entirely at even-strength, in fewer than 14 minutes a night no less.
That kind of production is the stuff that makes you believe a player can take another step if given a bigger chance, and with the new contract Mangiapane will certainly be in the mix for more minutes. Playing in the minor leagues as recently as 2018-19, the sixth-round pick will be a core piece for Calgary this season.
Settling that arbitration case means that the Flames now have just Oliver Kylington left to sign as a restricted free agent, though he wasn’t eligible to file this time around. Calgary has a little more than $77.5MM committed to just 17 players, meaning the rest of the roster will either have to be filled out on cheap deals or someone will be moved out.
San Jose Sharks Sign Ozzy Wiesblatt
One of the best moments of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft was when the San Jose Sharks announced the first-round selection of Ozzy Wiesblatt, signing his name on the broadcast. Wiesblatt’s mother is deaf, making it an emotional moment for all involved. The young forward was doing a different kind of signing today, inking his three-year entry-level contract with the Sharks. San Jose GM Doug Wilson explained just why they picked him 31st overall:
Ozzy brings speed, playmaking, and offense to the lineup, which makes it difficult to play against a talented skater like him. His tenacity for the puck paired with his ability to retain possession and drive the offensive side of the game, along with his character on and off the ice, makes him a valuable player for our organization.
Wiesblatt, 18, has spent the last two seasons with the Prince Albert Raiders of the WHL and scored 70 points in 2019-20. The powerful skater was actually ranked 19th among North American players by NHL Central Scouting but barely made it into the first round when the Sharks took him with the pick they received from the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Barclay Goodrow deal.
One of four hockey-playing brothers (Ocean, Orca and Oasiz), and five children total, Wiesblatt’s story is an incredible one. With the prices of high-level hockey ever-increasing, his family was helped along the way by the community. That work has paid off in a big way with a first-round NHL selection and now an entry-level contract.