Boston Bruins Extend Jaroslav Halak
The Boston Bruins will continue to have their veteran goaltending tandem for at least one more season. The team has signed Jaroslav Halak to a one-year extension, taking him through 2020-21. The new deal carries a $2.25MM salary, actually a slight pay cut from the $2.75MM cap hit he carried this year. Halak will join Tuukka Rask as an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2021, allowing the Bruins to reconsider their goaltending situation at that time.
Because the one-year deal is actually a 35+ contract (Halak turns 35 in less than two weeks) he is eligible for performance bonuses. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that the deal also includes $1.25MM in potential bonuses, given out if Halak plays in 10 games. That would mean his cap hit is very likely to be $3.5MM, as long as injury doesn’t keep him from contributing.
Even though Rask is still considered the starter in Boston, it’s hard to overstate just how important Halak has been to the team. In his two seasons with the Bruins he’s made 71 appearances, posting a 40-17-10 record. His .921 save percentage during that time is among the league leaders, ranking sixth among goaltenders with at least 40 starts. That kind of production—especially when combined with Rask, who is eighth on that list—is part of what makes Boston so dangerous. On any given night whoever is in net can steal the show, while their powerful top-six and strong defense corps hold onto the puck for two-thirds of the game.
Halak has seemingly been happy to live outside of the spotlight throughout his career, despite being an excellent NHL goaltender for more than a decade. Perhaps remembered best for the outstanding playoff run he made with the Montreal Canadiens in 2010, he has posted strong numbers in almost every single one of his 14 seasons in the league.
Nikolay Kulemin, Corban Knight Re-Sign In KHL
If you were wondering if former Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Islanders forward Nikolay Kulemin would ever entertain a return to the NHL, you may have received your answer today. Kulemin signed a new two-year contract with Magnitogorsk, which will take him through his age-35 season.
Last playing in the NHL during the 2017-18 season, Kulemin’s career in North America included a 30-goal season as a member of the Maple Leafs. The two-way forward was never a star but did pile up 274 points in 669 NHL games.
Back in Russia playing for his hometown team, Kulemin has rediscovered his goal-scoring touch, tallying 28 over the last two seasons.
He was one of many players who signed new contracts in the KHL today, in their first day of free agency. Another name that will be familiar to NHL fans is Corban Knight, who signed a two-year deal with Avangard. Knight scored 40 points in his first season in the KHL after bouncing between the AHL and NHL for years. The 29-year old played 23 games for the Philadelphia Flyers in 2018-19, but took his talents overseas where he has already found more success.
Calgary Flames Sign Dustin Wolf
The Calgary Flames have added another top goaltending prospect to their system, signing Dustin Wolf to a three-year entry-level contract. Wolf recently finished his third season in the WHL with the Everett Silvertips, where he dominated once again, posting a .935 save percentage in 46 games.
If you look at Wolf’s career to date in junior hockey, you might wonder why exactly he fell all the way to the seventh round before the Flames selected him with the 214th pick last year. There’s one simple answer for that—size. Despite being one of the most consistent and outstanding goaltenders in the WHL for three straight seasons, Wolf stands just 6’0″ 165-lbs, numbers that do not inspire confidence at the NHL level.
Still, there’s reason to be excited about Wolf’s future in the professional ranks. His positioning is exquisite and his ability to read the play in front of him and track the puck is nearly unmatched at the junior level. There will obviously be some real challenges in front of him, but at this point all he’s ever done is succeed.
Wolf’s contract will not kick in next season if he plays another year in the WHL, which is almost certain at this point. He is not eligible for the AHL.
Nashville Predators Extend Ben Harpur
Apparently seven minor league games were all Ben Harpur needed to make an impression on the Nashville Predators organization. Following his midseason trade, Harpur has signed a one-year contract extension with the Predators worth $700K at the NHL level. The hulking defenseman was scheduled to become a restricted free agent this summer.
Harpur, 25, started the season with the Toronto Maple Leafs organization after being part of the Nikita Zaitsev–Cody Ceci trade, but ended up down in the minor leagues. In 34 games with the Toronto Marlies he recorded 11 points before ending up on another plane to Milwaukee following a deadline deal that sent Miikka Salomaki to the Maple Leafs.
Standing 6’6″ and weighing in at 223 pounds, there are few more imposing players in the league, but Harpur has had a tough time securing a full-time role in the NHL. He has 103 games under his belt, all with the Ottawa Senators, and may well find himself in the AHL again next season.
Edmonton Oilers Sign Filip Berglund
The Edmonton Oilers have locked up another one of their draft picks, signing Filip Berglund to a two-year entry-level contract. Berlund recently completed his fourth full season in the SHL, playing for Skelleftea AIK. Just over a month ago, Berglund joined Linkoping HC on a two-year contract. It’s not clear if that’s where he’ll spend next season now that he’s under contract with the Oilers or if he’ll join the organization here in North America. Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal reports that he is expected to stay in Sweden until the 2021-22 season.
Berglund, 22, has been a steady two-way presence for years now in Sweden, showing flashes of an offensive ceiling that could help him reach the NHL one day. Though he’s not at all the small, skilled puck-mover that the NHL has been trending towards—Berglund stands 6’3″ and is not an elite skater—there is still enough promise in his game to believe that he could one day be suiting up for the Oilers.
The question now becomes how the Edmonton blueline shakes out over the next several years. Ken Holland has been hoarding defensemen ever since taking over the GM role, but very few of them are signed long-term. It’s obvious that he is trying to build a young core on the back end, but who rises to the top is still to be determined.
Arsen Khisamutdinov Agrees To Terms With Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens have convinced one of their draft picks to join the organization, agreeing to terms with Arsen Khisamutdinov on a two-year entry-level contract. Khisamutdinov had been playing in Russia, splitting the 2019-20 season between the KHL and VHL.
Despite being selected in 2019, Khisamutdinov is already 22 years old and was only eligible for a two-year contract. The 6’3″ forward had just three points in his 31 KHL contests after being selected in the sixth round last year.
There’s still a long way to go for the 22-year old Russian, who is still more of a lottery ticket or “project” for the Canadiens development system. While he was a dominant offensive player in junior, it’s difficult to know if that skill will translate to the professional ranks. Montreal obviously believes they can work with him and make him into an asset for the organization, but it may be some time before you hear Khisamutdinov in the NHL lineup.
Colorado Avalanche Sign Justus Annunen
The Colorado Avalanche have signed goaltender Justus Annunen to a three-year, entry-level contract, adding another interesting prospect to the organization. Annunen played this season at the highest level in Finland, where he is expected to stay for another year according to Ryan S. Clark of The Athletic.
Annunen, 20, was picked 64th by the Avalanche in 2018 and has quickly become one of the top goaltending prospects in the league. A legitimate “goalie-of-the-future” candidate for the Avalanche, the third-round pick recorded a .929 save percentage as a rookie in Finland’s top league while also posting a .921 mark at the World Juniors.
Standing an imposing 6-foot-4, Annunen also has the quick reflexes and sound positioning to make a name for himself in professional hockey. While he may still be a few years away from making an impact for the Avalanche, getting him under contract was an important first step.
It will be interesting to see what the Avalanche do with regards to goaltending over the next few years, as Philipp Grubauer will be an unrestricted free agent in 2021, Pavel Francouz will join him as a UFA in 2022, and Annunen is joining an interesting trio alongside Hunter Miska and Adam Werner as potential options down the road.
Snapshots: Phase 2, Melnichuk, Franco
Yesterday, the NHL and NHLPA released a joint statement on the status of the regular season and the encouraging signs that have started to make engaging “Phase 2” look like a realistic possibility. That would mean a return to their team cities for players spread out around the globe and the resuming of team workouts. On the latest Insider Trading for TSN however, Darren Dreger explains that it won’t be mandatory:
The goal is to initiate Phase 2 at some point around the middle of May, perhaps the third week of May. But it is a recommendation, it’s not mandatory. What is mandatory, assuming there is a go-ahead, is that NHL players report to their NHL cities for the start of training camp—potentially that could be around June 1.
But there are others who say that Phase 2 may not be initiated, there is certainly no guarantee of that and that’s all health-related. Important to note though, there will be no agreement on an NHL resumption unless players have an allowance to visit with their families.
The topic of family access has been brought up by several players in recent days, including Phillip Danault of the Montreal Canadiens and John Tavares of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Even with the hopeful nature of some of the recent reports, there is still plenty of work to do in order to make anything possible this summer.
- The San Jose Sharks may be landing a KHL free agent, as a report out of Russia has Alexei Melnichuk set to sign with the team. Kevin Kurz of The Athletic, however, hears that though the Sharks are a finalist for Melnichuk’s services, there is another team “in the mix” and that nothing is final just yet. Melnichuk, 21, is an up-and-coming goaltender in the KHL who posted a .930 save percentage in 16 games this season.
- The Rochester Americans have signed Dominic Franco to an AHL contract, following his senior season at West Point. The 24-year old winger scored 23 points in 33 games while serving as an alternate captain, leading the team in scoring for the third season.
Markus Niemelainen Signs With Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers have finally convinced one of their 2016 draft picks to come back to North America, signing Markus Niemelainen to a two-year entry-level contract. The hulking defenseman has spent the last three seasons in Finland’s top league after playing two years of junior hockey in the OHL. Had the Oilers not been able to get him under contract, Niemelainen would have become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
There’s a lot to like about the 6’6″ Niemelainen, who is actually an incredibly good skater for his size. While there still isn’t a ton of offensive upside in his game, the Oilers would likely be happy with a rock-solid stay-at-home option after taking him in the third round.
Whether he can translate that strong defensive play to the NHL level is another question entirely, but Niemelainen has all the tools to be an effective bottom-pairing presence that logs heavy minutes on the penalty kill.
Samuel Bolduc Agrees To Terms With New York Islanders
The New York Islanders will soon be signing one of their top draft picks after agreeing to terms with Samuel Bolduc today on a three-year entry-level contract. Bolduc recently finished his third season in the QMJHL, suiting up for both the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada and Sherbrooke Phoenix.
Bolduc, 19, was selected 57th overall last year and had another strong junior season. The 6’4″ defenseman recorded 43 points combined over his time with the two organizations, including a very strong 27-in-29 following the trade to Sherbrooke.
While there’s still a long way to go before Bolduc is challenging for an NHL roster spot, his mixture of size and puck-moving ability should translate well to the next level.