Toronto Maple Leafs Sign Ceci, Kerfoot
After making some changes on July 1 in the form of trades, the Toronto Maple Leafs found themselves with another pair of restricted free agents to sign. It didn’t take long to work out new contracts though, as today the Maple Leafs announced new deals for both Alexander Kerfoot and Cody Ceci. Kerfoot’s four-year contract will be for a total of $14MM, while Ceci’s should come in at just one-year, $4.5MM. Both will be unrestricted free agents when the deals expire.
Kerfoot, 24, was acquired in a deal along with Tyson Barrie that saw long-time Maple Leafs center Nazem Kadri head to the Colorado Avalanche. The young forward is coming off consecutive seasons with at least 42 points after signing as a free agent out of Harvard in 2017. Kerfoot decided not to sign with the team that drafted him 15oth overall in 2012, turning down any offer the New Jersey Devils made.
A great skater, Kerfoot does most of his damage from in tight after getting behind the defense or finding loose pucks around the net. Though he isn’t the bruising, physical winger that many have pined for in Toronto, he does bring more skill to a lineup designed by GM Kyle Dubas to rely on it. He also brings some much needed versatility, able to play both center and left wing when called upon. The Maple Leafs did sign Jason Spezza and Nick Shore on the first day of free agency, but it’s tough to see either of them in a full-time third-line center role at this point in their careers. At a $3.5MM cap hit, Kerfoot could be a reasonable option in the middle behind Auston Matthews and John Tavares.
Ceci, 26, will get a chance to prove that he can excel in reduced minutes in Toronto. The right-handed defenseman was often asked to take on the opponents best when he was with the Ottawa Senators, usually to disappointing results. Though armed with all the physical skills needed to be an elite player in the NHL, Ceci still hasn’t been able to put everything together and become that true top-pairing defenseman. He is however coming off a 26-point season with the Senators and is some much-needed depth on the right side for Toronto after they let Ron Hainsey leave and traded Nikita Zaitsev.
The question now though is how the Maple Leafs will afford to fit their other restricted free agent into the fold. Mitch Marner is still unsigned and Toronto’s cap situation is getting crowded once again. They currently project to have just $3.76MM in cap space for next season, though they will be able to move Nathan Horton‘s $5.3MM hit onto long-term injured reserve. They could also potentially do that with both Zach Hyman and Travis Dermott at the beginning of the season, though both players are expected back before long. The Maple Leafs do have an advantage with the proximity of their minor league club, allowing them to play home games with a reduced roster in order to bank cap space, but either way it is going to be quite the dance to get everyone in this season. In fact, there very well might be some additional moves required before the start of the year depending on where Marner’s final number ends up.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Poll: Which Top Free Agent Will Be Next To Sign?
Call it a frenzy, call it a feast, but don’t call it finished. Free agency got off to a flying start on Monday (or perhaps, on Sunday evening) when names like Artemi Panarin, Sergei Bobrovsky and Matt Duchene all inked expensive, long-term deals. A plethora of other signings soon followed and many teams used up all the cap space they had. But then, as the evening rolled around on July 1, everything slowed. The Toronto Maple Leafs and Colorado Avalanche were busy introducing their newest players after a substantial trade, but the second tier of free agents were unheard from.
Now, two days later, we still haven’t seen much movement on the remaining names. Eight of our top 25 names are still out there waiting to find out where they’ll play in 2019-20, with few rumors giving any indication. Perhaps there is a wave of signings coming, or perhaps many of these names will have to wait until some of the top restricted free agents finalize their deals. After all, many teams around the league are stuck wondering how much the likes of Mitch Marner, Brayden Point, Matthew Tkachuk, Charlie McAvoy and (and, and, and) others will make coming out of their entry-level deals.
So who will be next off the board? Jake Gardiner is our top ranked free agent left, and the best defenseman available even with his injury concerns from last season. Micheal Ferland, Ryan Dzingel and Marcus Johansson all provide some offensive punch at forward, while veterans like Justin Williams and Joe Thornton are still unsigned by their former clubs. Who will be the next to go, and when will it finally happen?
Cast your vote below and let us know where you think they’re going in the comments:
Who will be the next top free agent to sign?
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Ryan Dzingel 24% (386)
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Jake Gardiner 23% (365)
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Marcus Johansson 17% (267)
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Micheal Ferland 11% (174)
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Pat Maroon 10% (161)
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Joe Thornton 8% (121)
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Justin Williams 5% (75)
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Derick Brassard 2% (36)
Total votes: 1,585
[Mobile users click here to vote]
Snapshots: Oilers, Penguins, Williams
The Edmonton Oilers added a little bit of depth after free agency opened, signing forwards Markus Granlund and Tomas Jurco while also bringing back Alex Chiasson on a two-year deal. That doesn’t mean they’re finished though, as GM Ken Holland told David Staples of the Edmonton Journal. The Oilers would still like to find some more scoring for the wing and a legitimate third-line center, but whether that will come through free agency or trade isn’t clear.
It’s not like Edmonton has a ton of room to go after a free agent, even following the recent buyout of defenseman Andrej Sekera. The Oilers currently project to have over $77.5MM in cap hits committed to next season—including more than $4.1MM in various buyouts—though that is already for a 22-man roster. There is still plenty of talent left on the market, but as Holland told Staples he’s “been a manager for 22 years. [He knows] when it’s time to pay and when it’s time not to pay.”
- The Pittsburgh Penguins might be another team looking to clear some cap room with a trade, as Josh Yohe of The Athletic (subscription required) examines in his latest piece. Yohe believes at least one more trade is coming before the end of the summer given the current salary situation the Penguins are facing, sitting with just under $1.6MM in cap space with restricted free agents Teddy Blueger, Zach Aston-Reese and Marcus Pettersson still to be signed. In his breakdown of the roster and the likelihood of each player being traded, he lists three “favorites” which includes relative newcomer Nick Bjugstad. The 26-year old has two years at a $4.1MM cap hit remaining on his current deal but scored just 36 points last year in a down season.
- Justin Williams is still deciding whether to play or not next season, but the Carolina Hurricanes are optimistic that he’ll come back for at least one more year. Carolina GM Don Waddell told NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti that if Williams does come back, he’s confident the veteran winger will sign with the Hurricanes. Williams shared the same sentiment, explaining that he’d rather not move his family again. Even though he will turn 38 at the beginning of the season, Williams is still a capable offensive piece that put up 23 goals and 53 points last season.
Anaheim Ducks Sign Jani Hakanpaa
The Anaheim Ducks officially announced their contract with Anthony Stolarz today, but also had some more news for their fans. Jani Hakanpaa has signed a one-year contract with the team marking his return to North America after four years with Karpat of the Finnish Liiga. Eric Stephens of The Athletic reports the deal is for $850K and is a one-way contract.
Originally a draft pick of the St. Louis Blues, Hakanpaa played three years in the minor leagues between 2012-15 but failed to catch on in the NHL. After returning to Finland though, the 27-year old continued his development and last season recorded 11 goals and 23 points in 52 games. Most notably, he was part of the gold medal-winning team at the most recent World Championship, showing that he could defend well against NHL players from around the league.
The 6’5″ defenseman has led Liiga in plus/minus for two consecutive seasons, and was a huge part of Karpat going to back-to-back league championships (winning once). While he doesn’t provide a ton of upside, the Ducks needed to add some depth for this season as they had just nine defensemen under contract in the whole organization. Only two of those names were right-handed, meaning Hakanpaa actually might have a good shot at cracking the roster out of camp if no further NHL additions are made.
Tyler Wong Signs In KHL
The Chicago Wolves won’t be bringing back Tyler Wong for another season, as the former WHL superstar has signed a two-year deal with Kunlun Red Star in the KHL. Wong had played the last two seasons under an AHL in the Vegas Golden Knights system, but will take his talents overseas.
Wong, 23, scored 198 points over his final two years of junior hockey for the Lethbridge Hurricanes, but was never drafted and failed to earn an NHL entry-level contract. One of the standouts of the first Golden Knights’ training camp, he actually scored a hat trick in the franchise’s first ever preseason game. Unfortunately, that offensive prowess never translated to the professional level where Wong has scored just 21 points in 125 AHL games.
Undersized, Wong may actually be better suited for the KHL where he can continue to develop and try to earn another contract one day in North America. His brother, Austin Wong, was selected by the Winnipeg Jets 215th overall in 2018 and will play for Harvard this season.
Chris Butler Announces Retirement
What’s better than going out in style? After a long professional career, Chris Butler has decided to retire after finally lifting the Stanley Cup above his head. Though he didn’t play in the postseason for the Blues, he was on the ice to celebrate their win after appearing in 13 games during the regular season. The 32-year old released a letter to fans about his journey and hopes to inspire the next generation of players from the St. Louis area.
Butler served as captain of the San Antonio Rampage this season, playing 51 games in the AHL to close out his career. A fourth-round pick from 2005, he went to the University of Denver and developed into a reliable two-way presence who quickly made the transition to the professional level. Suiting up for the Buffalo Sabres, Calgary Flames and Blues over parts of 11 NHL seasons, he totaled 407 games played and recorded 86 points. On three different occasions he averaged more than 20 minutes a night for an entire season, but was never the lead offensive weapon from the blue line.
In his letter, he explains that lifting the Stanley Cup was never even his dream, he never got that far:
I could say the last five years being a member of the Blues organization was a dream come true but that would be a lie. It was a dream that never existed for me. Growing up in St Louis, as a hockey player, my dream was to someday be able to get a college scholarship and help my parents by paying for my education, that was it.
Butler did a lot more than that, earning close to $8MM in his career according to CapFriendly. Happy retirement, Chris.
Minor Transactions: 07/03/19
Even as several top NHL free agents remain unsigned, some teams have moved on to filling out their minor league depth charts for the upcoming season. We’ll keep track of some of the notable minor moves right here:
- The ECHL Kelly Cup champion Newfoundland Growlers will get several players back next season, as the Toronto Marlies have re-signed Matt Bradley, Brady Ferguson, Zach O’Brien, Scott Pooley and Kristians Rubins to minor league deals. All five were part of the Growlers title run in their inaugural season in the ECHL. O’Brien, 27, was named playoff MVP after scoring 29 points in 23 postseason games.
- The Colorado Eagles are loading up this offseason and now have another goaltender to add to the mix. Ryan S. Clark of The Athletic is reporting that former Arizona Coyotes prospect Hunter Miska will sign an AHL contract with Colorado. Miska, a former standout at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, made his NHL debut last season for the Coyotes but spent the majority of the season in the AHL with the Tucson Roadrunners, recording an .895 save percentage in 25 appearances.
- Mark Divver reports that the Providence Bruins will bring back Christopher Breen for another season. The mammoth defenseman is an effective penalty killer and imposing physical presence, but hasn’t played an NHL game since the 2013-14 season.
- The Manitoba Moose have agreed to terms with Alexis D’Aoust, Bobby Lynch, Cole Maier, Kristian Reichel, Graeme Craig, Jimmy Oligny and Hayden Shaw for the 2019-20 season, bringing back a good chunk of their organizational depth.
- Former Arizona Coyotes and Edmonton Oilers prospect Kale Kessey has signed with the AHL’s Hershey Bears, the team announced. Kessey has largely played in the ECHL over the past three years, but the 2011 fourth-rounder will push for a regular role with Hershey. His penalty minutes are a thing to behold.
Montreal Canadiens Sign Phil Varone
The Montreal Canadiens have agreed to terms with free agent forward Phil Varone on a one-year, two-way contract. The deal is worth $700K in the NHL level but will pay the minor league veteran $450K in the AHL.
Varone, 28, actually got the biggest NHL opportunity of his career last season, playing 47 games with the Philadelphia Flyers. He recorded just seven points during that time in extremely limited minutes, but has been a top minor league scorer for years. In fact in 2017-18 with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Varone recorded 70 points in 74 games to rank second in the entire league—one point behind Laval Rocket forward Chris Terry, who has since moved on. Varone won the AHL MVP that season.
In Montreal, he’ll likely have to fight tooth and nail to secure a roster spot. The Canadiens already have ten forwards on more expensive one-way contracts, plus three restricted free agents and two entry-level players penciled in. That means he’s most likely ticketed for the minor leagues once again, where he will try to help the Rocket and serve as injury insurance for the Canadiens.
Vancouver Canucks Re-Sign Tyler Motte
The Vancouver Canucks have signed restricted free agent Tyler Motte to a one-year, $975K contract. The deal will leave Motte a RFA again next summer, though he will have arbitration rights. GM Jim Benning explained the move:
Tyler plays a physical, two-way game that complements our forward group. He’s strong on the forecheck, helps our penalty kill and showed he can contribute offensively last year. We’re pleased to have Tyler continue his career as a member of the Vancouver Canucks.
Motte, 24, ended up playing in 74 games last season for the Canucks, scoring nine goals and 16 points in a limited role. He did however lead the team in hits by a good margin, sacrificing his own body countless times to hunt down pucks in the offensive zone. The problem with logging that many hits—200 in his 74 contests—is it usually means that you don’t have the puck much. Motte registered terrible possession numbers for the third straight season in his young career, something that will have to improve if he’s ever to make a big impact on the team.
He becomes the 11th forward on the Canucks roster with a one-way contract, and with three more restricted free agents to go—Brock Boeser, Josh Leivo and Nikolay Goldobin—the team will have to make some tough decisions on who stays and who goes down to the minor leagues. The only waiver-exempt forwards on the roster are Boeser, Elias Pettersson and Adam Gaudette, meaning Vancouver will be in quite the roster crunch when the season rolls around if they don’t make any trades this summer.
Mark Letestu Signs With Winnipeg Jets
Veteran forward Mark Letestu has signed a one-year two-way contract with the Winnipeg Jets, joining the organization as a depth piece for next season. The deal will pay him $700K at the NHL level.
Now 34, Letestu suited up 72 times for the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL last season and was their best player on many nights. The veteran center ended up with 50 points in the regular season and another five in the playoffs, showing that he certainly isn’t finished just yet. There was a time not too long ago that Letestu was a solid depth option for the Columbus Blue Jackets and Edmonton Oilers, routinely scoring double-digit goals and somewhere around 30 points. His transition to the minor leagues would only help the Manitoba Moose and provide some injury insurance for the Jets throughout the year.