Ottawa Senators Sign Colin White
The restricted free agent market might finally be showing some cracks. The Ottawa Senators have signed RFA forward Colin White to a six-year contract. The contract will carry an average annual value of $4.75MM and breaks down as follows:
- 2019-20: $4.0MM
- 2020-21: $4.0MM
- 2021-22: $4.75MM
- 2022-23: $4.75MM
- 2023-24: $4.75MM
- 2024-25: $6.25MM
White, 22, was one of the players ineligible for an offer sheet this summer and will lose just a single year of unrestricted free agency with this deal. At $28.5MM it will however take the title of the largest contract Senators GM Pierre Dorion has ever given out, eclipsing the four-year, $20.75MM deal he signed Mike Hoffman to in 2016 (the Senators would pay out just $9.45MM before trading Hoffman).
The team’s trade history when it comes to expensive players will be the first thing coming to mind for many Senators fans, but there is no doubt that this contract is a step in the right direction for the franchise. White, selected 21st overall in 2015, broke out last season with 14 goals and 41 points in 71 games during his first full NHL season. That production will only likely increase in the coming years as White takes on more and more responsibility for the Senators as their presumptive first-line center.
A $4.75MM cap hit ties White as the second highest paid player on the Ottawa roster, behind only Bobby Ryan and right alongside goaltender Craig Anderson—as long as you don’t count the injured Ryan Callahan and Marian Gaborik contracts. It means there will be plenty of pressure on the young forward to continue his development as a top-line player and puts a good chunk of the offensive burden squarely upon his shoulders.
With White signed, the team can start to look towards their next big name inching closer to free agency—Thomas Chabot. The 22-year old is heading into the final year of his entry-level contract and is already one of the premier defensemen in the league. If Ottawa is truly committed to retaining their stars and building a competitive roster in the next few years, signing Chabot to a long-term deal is key.
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet was first to report the two sides were close.
New York Rangers Hire Tanner Glass, Tuomo Ruutu
The New York Rangers have made quite a few additions to their hockey operations department today, with several familiar faces among the group. Tuomo Ruutu and Tanner Glass have been hired as assistant directors of player development, Chris Morehouse will become the director of North American scouting, Marshall Davidson and Derek Ginnell have been added as amateur scouts. Steve Konowalchuk will move from the amateur to pro scouting department, while David Cunniff has officially been named assistant coach of the Hartford Wolf Pack.
Glass, 35, played three seasons in the Rangers organization just a few years ago and became something of a folk hero for some fans. The fourth-line winger 69 regular season points over parts of 11 NHL seasons, but ended up playing in 30 postseason contests with the Rangers and scored a game-winning tally in 2017. The hard-nosed forward was never asked to do much more than protect his teammates and set a physical tone, but carved out a pretty impressive professional career.
Ruutu, 36, had a very different role in the NHL. While his brother Jarkko Ruutu was known as one of the league’s most effective pests, the younger Tuomo brought plenty of skill to the table. Selected ninth overall in 2001, Ruutu scored 148 goals in his 735-game NHL career and broke the 40-point mark three times. That’s not to say he didn’t have his own agitating edge, routinely being among the league leading forwards in hits.
Player development is extremely important all across the league, but perhaps even more so in New York right now as they try to transition from a rebuild back to contention. Their hopes rely on several young players taking positive steps towards becoming the best NHL versions of themselves, something that Glass and Ruutu will assist with.
Latest On Zach Werenski
It is now just over three weeks until the Columbus Blue Jackets will gather for their 2019 training camp, meaning Zach Werenski is running out of time if he still wants to have a deal done before it begins. Werenski is one of three restricted free agent defensemen being grouped in a tier above the rest alongside Charlie McAvoy of the Boston Bruins and Ivan Provorov of the Philadelphia Flyers. Today, Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch tweets that the market is stalled waiting on either Werenski or Provorov to sign and adds in what the Blue Jackets’ defenseman is looking for.
Werenski is apparently working towards a three-year deal with a cap hit that will “begin with a five” according to Hedger, though he doesn’t know when something will actually be made official.
A three-year bridge deal would be an interesting outcome for both Werenski and the other two high-profile defensemen. The 22-year old has already completed three full seasons in the NHL meaning that contract would take him just a year away from unrestricted free agency and give him full arbitration rights. That could potentially put Columbus in a tricky situation with Werenski able to file for arbitration and walk himself right into the UFA market.
The team also has to worry about Werenski’s running mate Seth Jones, who has three years left on his deal and will need a massive contract extension at some point. Jones is already a perennial Norris Trophy contender, meaning buying him out of unrestricted free agency will likely make him one of the richest defensemen in the league. Having Werenski’s deal end the same summer might not be the most desirable outcome.
Still, keeping it to just three years and a ~$5MM cap hit would give the Blue Jackets a good window to try and contend for a Stanley Cup. Having that duo under contract for something around $11MM—Jones currently makes $5.4MM per season—gives them a leg up on almost any other team in the league.
A bridge deal would also affect McAvoy and Provorov, who may be looking for long-term deals with substantially higher salaries. Indeed, Hedger has heard of a $10MM average annual value ask from Provorov’s camp, though immediately downplayed the likelihood of it actually happening. A bridge deal for Werenski might not set the market in the way that the other two are hoping for.
In any case, the Blue Jackets are running out of time to get their young stud defenseman under contract if he’s not going to miss any of training camp. Something will have to change soon if these restricted free agents are going to be there on day one.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Snapshots: Puljujarvi, Cassidy, Marner
Another day, another controversial translation regarding Jesse Puljujarvi and his future with the Edmonton Oilers. This time the unhappy restricted free agent spoke to Finnish television station Lamari, saying (through a translation of a Sporten article) that he wants a chance at playing a top-six role in the NHL with another team where he could get 15 minutes of ice time every game.
Despite the Oilers changing both their front office and coaching staff this offseason, it seems as though Puljujarvi and agent Markus Lehto have dug in and won’t return to the club regardless of potential contract offers. The 21-year old has played in 139 NHL games since being drafted fourth overall in 2016 but has just 37 points and failed to secure a top-six role in Edmonton even with their lack of talent on the wing. He will likely play in Finland if he can’t find a new club in the NHL or reach some agreement with the Oilers.
- Bruce Cassidy has done an excellent job since taking over as head coach of the Boston Bruins, leading the team to a 117-52-22 record. Now Joe McDonald of The Athletic (subscription required) reports that the team has started negotiating a contract extension that would keep him in Boston past the end of his current deal. Cassidy’s contract is set to expire after the 2019-20 season. While the team failed to secure the Stanley Cup this year after reaching the finals against the St. Louis Blues, there’s no doubting Cassidy’s influence and success so far. It seems almost inevitable that a deal will get completed to keep him with the Bruins at some point.
- Though today’s news that Mitch Marner has spoken to the Zurich Lions of the NLA came with plenty of suspicion that the representatives for the Toronto Maple Leafs forward are simply trying to move things along, Igor Eronko of Sport-Express rightly points out that the winger’s rights were never drafted in the KHL meaning he could potentially sign with any team there. That could potentially mean a bigger payday than the Lions could ever offer if Marner was really set on playing overseas, though obviously he has not been linked to the KHL at this point. James Mirtle of The Athletic was on TSN radio to discuss the restricted free agent situation, and still maintained that the Zurich news is likely “posturing.”
2007 NHL Draft Take Two: Eighth Overall Pick
Hindsight is an amazing thing, and allows us to look back and wonder “what could have been.” Though perfection is attempted, scouting and draft selection is far from an exact science and sometimes, it doesn’t work out the way teams – or players – intended. For every Patrick Kane, there is a Patrik Stefan.
We’re looking back at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft and asking how it would shake out knowing what we do now. Will the first round remain the same, or will some late-round picks jump up to the top of the board?
Here are the results of the redraft so far, with their original draft position in parentheses:
1st Overall: Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks (1)
2nd Overall: Jamie Benn, Philadelphia Flyers (129)
3rd Overall: P.K. Subban, Phoenix Coyotes (43)
4th Overall: Logan Couture, Los Angeles Kings (9)
5th Overall: Max Pacioretty, Washington Capitals (22)
6th Overall: Jakub Voracek, Edmonton Oilers (7)
7th Overall: Ryan McDonagh, Columbus Blue Jackets (12)
Three different Montreal Canadiens draft picks have now moved up into our top-ten, with McDonagh joining Subban and Pacioretty. Amazingly none of the three are still with the team, and McDonagh didn’t even really get a chance. After his selection as the fourth defenseman off the board in 2007, McDonagh followed through on his commitment to attend the University of Wisconsin and immediately became a full-time player for the school as a defensive stalwart. After his sophomore season ended however his draft rights were included in a trade to acquire Scott Gomez from the New York Rangers, as the Canadiens were desperately looking for help at the center position. Gomez had just recorded 138 points over two years with the Rangers but was still owed quite a hefty salary. He would fall off the proverbial cliff in Montreal, scoring just 20 goals and 108 points in three seasons and ending up with a buyout in 2013.
McDonagh meanwhile quickly became a household name in New York, eventually ascending to the captaincy in 2014 after participating in the Olympics with Team USA. His presence as one of the premier two-way defensemen in the league was rarely questioned through the years with the Rangers, especially in the postseason where he suited up 96 times. In 2018 with McDonagh getting closer to unrestricted free agency and the Rangers starting the process of a rebuild he was flipped to the Tampa Bay Lightning where he set a new career-high with 46 points in 2018-19.
The 30-year old defenseman’s 287 regular season points put him behind only Subban among 2007 drafted defensemen (and 14th overall), while his leadership qualities and solid presence in the defensive zone continue to make him an extremely valuable player. His place at No. 7 comes as no surprise and the Blue Jackets certainly would have welcomed him to the organization if given the chance.
In hindsight, the team selecting after Columbus likely should have taken McDonagh instead. The Boston Bruins came up to the podium in 2007 with the eighth overall pick, and with it decided to select star WHL center Zach Hamill. Ranked ninth among all North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, Hamill was coming off a 93-point season with the Everett Silvertips, breaking several franchise records and leading the entire WHL. Unfortunately, that’s really where his playing career peaked.
He returned to Everett the next season and didn’t have quite the same offensive production, before failing to really establish himself as a star in the AHL the following two years. Over three seasons from 2009-12, Hamill suited up 20 times with Boston but recorded just four points. He hasn’t played an NHL game since, instead finding himself in the German second league in 2018-19. Unless something incredible happens in the next few year Hamill will never score a single goal in the NHL, making him the first real draft bust of the 2007 group. The Bruins would obviously like a do-over, but who comes next in our draft?
With the eighth pick of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, who should the Boston Bruins select? Cast your vote below!
[Mobile users click here to vote]
*Tragically, 17th overall pick Alexei Cherepanov died at the age of 19 and would never get a chance to suit up in the NHL. He has not been included in this vote.
Mitch Marner Camp Contacts Swiss Team
3:25pm: The Lions have confirmed the request from Marner’s camp to practice with the team, though it has not been decided if it will happen.
12:20pm: As we’ve seen in the past with unsigned restricted free agents deep into unflinching contract negotiations, at some point in the summer they start to consider their non-NHL options. Skating with teams in Europe or using the KHL as a potential negotiating tactic are often the way things play out and it looks like this offseason will be no different. Rick Dhaliwal of Sportsnet has spoken with a source in Europe that tells him Mitch Marner‘s camp has already reached out to the Zurich Lions of the Swiss NLA in case a deal can’t get done with the Toronto Maple Leafs in time for the season. Something like this does not by any means indicate that a contract won’t be signed between Marner and the Maple Leafs, but it would give him a potential place to keep his game sharp on a temporary basis.
The fact that it is Zurich may come as no surprise, given Auston Matthews‘ connection with the organization and friendship with Marner. Matthews decided to play his draft year in Switzerland instead of North America, challenging himself against professionals before his eventual leap into the NHL. Zurich is known as an extremely stable organization and this season will have Rikard Gronborg behind the bench as head coach.
It is also important to note that these discussions with European or KHL teams rarely actually end up in a player spending time away from the NHL. In fact, other clients of Darren Ferris (Marner’s agent) have been known to use the Russian league as a leverage point over the years to try and get a deal done in North America. Both Sam Bennett and Andreas Athanasiou, clients of Ferris, were linked to the KHL in the summer of 2017 when they were at contract impasses with their respective clubs.
That doesn’t necessarily mean that Marner isn’t looking for a place to suit up and get on the ice however, similar to how William Nylander kept in shape with Swedish and Austrian clubs during his situation last year. If anything, this will hopefully put some pressure on both sides to get something done in the next few weeks as we are now less than a month away from training camp.
Minor Transactions: 08/20/19
Even while the biggest news of the day revolves around unsigned restricted free agents like Matthew Tkachuk and Mitch Marner, teams are still working to fill out their organizational depth charts. As we keep track of all the minor moves around the world of hockey, we’ll fill you in right here. Keep checking back as this page will be updated throughout the day:
- The Hartford Wolf Pack have officially signed Jeff Taylor to an AHL contract, bringing in the 25-year old defenseman after he spent last season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Taylor didn’t receive a qualifying offer from the Penguins organization this summer, making him an unrestricted free agent. He recorded eight points and 33 penalty minutes last season.
- 17-year old forward Michael Posma has announced his commitment to Boston College for the 2020-21 season. After being selected three times in the USHL draft he is expected to play for the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders this year before joining BC. In 27 games last season at the high school level, Posma recorded 46 points. He is eligible for selection in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.
- Ryan Verbeek is back from a one-year stint overseas playing in France and will join the Toledo Walleye of the ECHL. The nephew of former NHL forward Pat Verbeek, Ryan hasn’t had quite the same smooth path in his hockey career. Nevertheless he’ll start his North American professional journey this season, coincidentally (or not) with the ECHL affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings where his uncle serves as assistant GM.
Vancouver Canucks Extend Jim Benning
Aug 20: The team has officially announced the three-year contract extension through the 2022-23 season. Owner Francesco Aquilini released a short statement on his GM:
It’s great that Jim has agreed to continue his work as General Manager. His experience, relationships, and hockey knowledge are invaluable. We’re committed to building a winning team and getting back among the NHL elite for the long term. There are no shortcuts, but we’ve embarked on a path to get there, and I have confidence in Jim’s ability to see it through.
Aug 16: The Vancouver Canucks have signed GM Jim Benning to an extension according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Benning has been in the position since 2014 and had just one season left on his current deal.
We examined the work that Benning has done to create his roster recently, diving into the Canucks’ salary cap situation and finding them pretty close to the ceiling with Brock Boeser and Nikolay Goldobin left to sign. The biggest cause of concern is Loui Eriksson who still carries three seasons left on his unfortunate free agent deal at a $6MM cap hit, but many have critiqued other recent signings like Tyler Myers and moves to acquire talent like J.T. Miller. While both are useful players, the Canucks don’t seem to be at a level to compete at this moment unless their young core takes a big step forward.
It’s that young core that is probably Benning’s biggest accomplishment. Though he inherited Bo Horvat, Benning has been able to add several other potential star players in the draft including Quinn Hughes, Elias Pettersson and Boeser. The drafts haven’t been all roses as 2016 fifth overall pick Olli Juolevi has still yet to make his NHL debut and 2014 sixth overall pick Jake Virtanen is still trying to put it all together, but there is at least some hope that the team will compete down the road. The question now is just when will that success happen?
After making the playoffs in his first year as GM, the Canucks have failed to qualify for the postseason tournament in each of the last four seasons and have compiled an overall 175-186-49 record under Benning. Travis Green is the second head coach hired and has shown some promise, but needs to get the team to that next level and really compete for a spot in the Pacific Division.
Much of that will rely on whether or not the team gets Boeser signed before the start of the season, though there doesn’t seem to be any animosity between the two sides. Just like with a dozen other front offices around the league, restricted free agent negotiations have crawled to a snail’s pace this summer. Now that Benning has a little job security under his belt, perhaps things will pick up.
Latest On Matthew Tkachuk, Calgary Flames
Among the unsigned restricted free agents, Matthew Tkachuk of the Calgary Flames may not be getting enough headlines. While many are focused on Mitch Marner, Brayden Point and Mikko Rantanen as the premier names still without contracts, Flames fans are holding their breath hoping that something can be finalized with their pesky star forward. After stepping right into the league after the 2016 draft and showing he perhaps should have gone higher than sixth overall, Tkachuk broke out last season and scored 34 goals and 77 points in 80 games. Those totals are made even more incredible when you realize that he did it without the benefit of playing alongside Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan.
The Flames have worked all summer to try and get themselves in a position where they can afford to sign Tkachuk, and it sounds like his side has simply waited for them to clear that room. Speaking with media including TSN at a charity golf tournament, Tkachuk’s agent Don Meehan of Newport Sports explained that they “set a position” quite some time ago and have stuck to it:
We took an approach where by we would be very proactive and progressive with Calgary. We started early, and we set a position. We didn’t really have to wait. We formulated a position that we thought would be fair and we gave that to Calgary probably in the early part of June.
So we’re involved in negotiations right now, but as far as I’m concerned it’s not a waiting game. We made a decision in terms of what we think is fair and relevant for the player and we’re working with Calgary now.
Even with his outstanding offensive production it might be hard to find a direct comparable for Tkachuk. There is so much more to the 21-year old forward’s game than just his scoring, including the innate ability to get under an opponent’s skin and get them to take bad penalties. In fact, Tkachuk has been involved in several altercations throughout his career that have ended in suspensions for the other team. Players like Marner and Rantanen don’t have that same impact, though they do affect the game in other ways.
For Calgary, getting Tkachuk signed and in training camp is obviously the best case scenario. But with just over $73.7MM committed to just 20 players and razor thin depth on defense since Juuso Valimaki suffered a long-term injury, the team has to be careful how much money they offer the young forward. A long-term deal could easily see him become the highest paid player on the team—an honor currently bestowed upon Gaudreau and captain Mark Giordano who carry $6.75MM cap hits—and put the Flames in an even tighter financial situation for the next few years. Still, while a bridge deal might make more sense for the Flames right now there’s no way to know if Tkachuk would even contemplate such a short contract. His camp obviously has a number and length in mind and the two sides will have to try and work out something close to that in the next few weeks.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Columbus Blue Jackets Extend AHL Affiliation
The Columbus Blue Jackets have announced a multi-year extension with the Cleveland Monsters, keeping them as their AHL affiliate for the foreseeable future. Blue Jackets’ assistant GM Bill Zito explained why they made the decision to extend:
The partnership has been very successful for both organizations and markets over the past four years and we look forward to having our top prospects continue their development in Cleveland.
When Cleveland started their affiliation with Columbus in 2015-16, they immediately experienced the most success the franchise had ever seen. Going 43-22-11 under head coach Jared Bednar, the team won the Calder Cup championship after an impressive playoff run. That group—still known as the Lake Erie Monsters at the time—was led by some incredible postseason performances by a trio of youngsters including Lukas Sedlak, Oliver Bjorkstrand and 18-year old Zach Werenski. The team also included current Blue Jackets’ like Josh Anderson, Sonny Milano and Markus Hannikainen.
It’s that development success that makes this extension so important for the Blue Jackets, especially given the geographical proximity of the Monsters. Teams all across the NHL are trying to bring their AHL affiliates closer to home in order to take advantage of cap savings and emergency recalls, as well as giving their young players a chance to practice with the veterans at various times throughout the year. There are countless benefits from having a strong partnership with your primary minor league club, and this one has been quite fruitful for the Blue Jackets.