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Las Vegas GM Rumored To Be George McPhee

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Numerous reports suggest that George McPhee will be the first ever GM for the expansion Las Vegas NHL team. The current Special Advisor to New York Islanders GM Garth Snow was the Washington Capitals GM for 17 years from ’97-’98 to ’13-’14.

As we reported earlier, McPhee represents the experienced choice. He was Vice President of Hockey Operations with the Vancouver Canucks from ’92-’94 before taking the Capitals GM job. He then led Washington to its first and only Stanley Cup Finals appearance, alongside seven top finishes in the team’s division. He’s helmed the Capitals through two successful eras punctuated by a rebuilding period in the early 2000’s. McPhee will have a lot on his plate in the coming weeks. Not only does he have to start building up a prospect pool from scratch, but he has to oversee the hiring of  scouts, assistants, coaches, and support staff.

The unnamed Las Vegas Team’s decision to choose the experienced candidate is wise. As Ken Campbell of the Hockey News writes, six out of the last nine expansion teams chose an experienced GM (Minnesota, Nashville, San Jose, Anaheim, Florida, and Tampa Bay), and the three that did not (Columbus, Atlanta, and Ottawa) fared significantly worse out of the gate. Most notably was Ottawa’s Mel Bridgeman, who chose ineligible players three consecutive times during the Senators’ expansion draft.

 

Stars Sign Jamie Oleksiak

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The Dallas Stars have signed defenseman Jamie Oleksiak to a one-year deal worth $918,750, reports Dallas Morning News writer Mike Heika. The deal is reportedly the club’s qualifying offer issued earlier this summer. By signing Oleksiak, the Stars have only RFA Valeri Nichushkin to re-sign from last season.

The Stars former 2011 first round draft pick played 19 games with the big club last season and put up only two assists. The big defensemen routinely sat in the press box as a healthy scratch because he would be waiver-eligible if sent down to the minors. The much-heralded prospect never blossomed into the defensemen scouts expected, but the Stars hope that Oleksiak is a late bloomer.

Oleksiak will be battling for the last two defensive slots next season but should have a shot at making the team simply because everyone else competing for those spots can be sent down without passing through waivers. This deal acts as a “prove yourself” contract and gives Oleksiak one last shot to develop into a steady NHL defenseman for the Dallas Stars.

Ducks Sign Korbinian Holzer

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The Anaheim Ducks have signed Korbinian Holzer to a one-year deal worth $700K, reports TVASports Renaud Lavouie.

The German defenseman scored 0G and 3A in 29 games for Anaheim last year. Holzer was traded to the Ducks from the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2015 for Defenseman Eric Brewer and a 2016 fifth round draft pick. The deal represents a slight pay cut from Holzer’s previous contract—down from $750K.

This move is most likely meant to stock the Ducks’ AHL affiliate San Diego Gulls as the NHL team doesn’t seem to have a spot open on defense come training camp—especially if they sign RFA Hampus Lindholm. Holzer could be used as a call-up for injury purposes, and has enough of a gritty game to eat minutes without posing too much of a liability. He averaged over 17 minutes a night with the Maple Leafs before being traded.

Las Vegas Narrows GM Search To Two Candidates

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The NHL’s newest expansion team has narrowed its GM search down to two candidates, says owner Bill Foley in an interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The unnamed Las Vegas team hopes to finalize their decision within a few days.

Whoever takes the GM position will face numerous unique challenges as a product of the expansion process. The new GM will have to run the expansion draft, build a prospect pool from scratch, and balance prudent long-reaching moves with a new fanbase’s desire to see a winning product. The ideal candidate would be experienced and able to quickly hire support and scouting staff.

Foley interviewed seven candidates in his search. Two people thought to have the inside track, however, were not even considered. Panthers President of Hockey Operations (and former Panthers and Blackhawks GM) Dale Tallon told reporters he wasn’t even interviewed. Same goes for Chicago Blackhawks Assistant GM Norm MacIvor.

Possible candidates for the position include former Washington Capitals GM George McPhee, former Arizona Coyotes GM Don Maloney, and current Montreal Canadiens Assistant GM Scott Mellanby. McPhee helmed the Capitals for 17 years, making to the finals in his first season and remaining competitive for most of his tenure. Maloney was let go this off-season in a surprising move for the Coyotes, but knows the market well and kept things afloat during the almost-constant relocation rumors. Finally, Mellanby played with Foley’s hockey advisor Murray Craven during his career, and is rumored to be a leading candidate for the position.

Snapshots: Matthews; Tavares; Senators

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Number one draft pick Auston Matthews remains unsigned by the Toronto Maple Leafs, despite the rigidity of an entry level contract. As reported by Toronto Star writer Kevin McGran, and touched on by us earlier, the signing delay may stem from Leafs GM Lou Lamoriello’s aversion to contract bonuses. Entry level contracts are  fairly straightforward, with base salary capped at $925,000. The wiggle room comes in the form of performance bonuses.

The CBA allows for two types of ELC bonuses, creatively called Individual “A” and “B” bonuses. “A” Bonuses are capped at an aggregate total of $850K, and “B” bonuses are capped at an aggregate total of $2MM. Thus, a player could theoretically earn up to $3.77MM in base salary and bonuses.

For reference, the last two number one picks—Edmonton’s Connor McDavid and Florida’s Aaron Ekblad—received the max base salary and bonuses available. Patrik Laine, the number two pick this year, received a full base salary and $2.65MM in potential bonuses while the third pick Pierre-Luc Dubois received a full base salary and $2.5MM in potential bonuses.

Other notes around the league:

  • The New York Islanders hope to sign John Tavares to an extension next summer, according to GM Garth Snow. The Islanders captain has two more years left on his deal that pays him $5.5MM a year. GM Snow would want to avoid the controversy and uncertainty that surrounded Steven Stamkos and the Tampa Bay Lightning this summer. Unless Tavares’s play declines significantly, the centerman is in line for a hefty raise.
  • Ottawa Senators GM Pierre Dorion spoke to the media today regarding signing Chris Kelly and other future transactions. Dorion is confident that the Sens will get a deal done with RFAs Cody Ceci and Mike Hoffman. Hoffman elected for salary arbitration—his second time in two years—while Ceci is not yet eligible. Dorion also intimated that the Senators will not pursue any more free agents, which corroborates the popular conception that the team operates under a restrictive internal budget.

Panthers Extend Derek MacKenzie

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The Panthers have extended forward Derek MacKenzie for an additional two years, reports Sun Sentinel writer Harvey Fialkov. The deal represents a modest raise, paying Mackenzie $1.35MM a year. MacKenzie is currently entering the final year of his contract that pays him $1.30MM a year.

MacKenzie—the Panthers’ alternate captain—racked up 6G and 7A in 64 games. He is best known for his gritty defensive play, and has started the majority of his shifts in the defensive zone. The fourth-line center performed well in the face-off circle last season by winning just under 55% of his face-offs. While he doesn’t light the lamp often, the Panthers value MacKenzie’s energy and defensive responsibility.

Mackenzie is a league veteran at age 35, drafted by Atlanta in 1999 before signing with Columbus in 2007. The extension will probably be Mackenzie’s last. This is a good signing for the Panthers as it locks up a veteran piece to guide the team’s young core. With the team experiencing transaction-based turmoil this offseason, bringing MacKenzie back restores some stability.

 

NHL Players Not Electing Salary Arbitration

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24 players elected salary arbitration today, which means that 48 players eligible for salary arbitration elected not to go that route. While those remaining players might still be brought to arbitration by their team via club-elected salary arbitration, teams only have until tomorrow at 5pm to do so.

Most of the 48 players refraining from player-elected salary arbitration are AHL-dwellers, but a few have NHL experience. The following is a list of players with at least 10 NHL game experience who did not elect salary arbitration.

Fredrick Claesson – OTT
Nick Cousins – PHI
Stefan Elliot – NSH
Dennis Everberg – COL
Marcus Foligno – BUF
Derek Forbort – LA
Freddie Hamilton – CGY
Joey Hishon – COL
Sergey Kalinin – NJ
Petr Mrazek – DET
Jamie Oleksiak – DAL
Dmitry Orlov – WSH
Teemu Pulkkinen – DET
Max Reinhart – CGY
Jiri Sekac – ARI
Brody Sutter – CAR

The most interesting player not electing arbitration is Detroit goalie Petr Mrazek. The Czech goaltender took over the number one role in Detroit over Jimmy Howard last season, starting 49 games and going 27-16-6 with a .921 SV% and a 2.33 GAA. Mrazek is expected to compete for the starting job next season, and represents a cheaper option for Detroit between the pipes than the veteran Jimmy Howard.

Confused about the arbitration process? See our guide on the arbitration basics.

Capology 101: Arbitration (Part 1)

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Salary arbitration remains one of the more complex aspects of the NHL’s CBA. With the player-elected salary arbitration notice deadline passing this afternoon, ProHockeyRumors is here to give you a breakdown of the process.

At its heart, salary arbitration is simply asking a designated third-party arbitrator to determine a player’s salary. Both sides—the team and the player—present their case to the arbitrator. Like in court, the parties will use evidence such as graphs, statistics, and comparable players to make their case. Arbitration presents an independent and decisive way to determine a player’s salary in situations where both parties are at odds. The process, however, is inherently unpredictable, and is why most players and teams facing arbitration hearings settle before being heard.

Arbitration Basics

Two types of salary arbitration exist: (1) player-elected salary arbitration (PESA), and (2) club-elected salary arbitration (CESA). Definition-wise, they differ only in who elects the arbitration hearing. The difference lies in the procedure requirements.

Player Eligibility

A player’s arbitration eligibility is the same regardless of whether arbitration is player-elected or club-elected. A player is arbitration eligible if:

  1. He qualifies as a restricted free agent;
  2. He did not sign an offer sheet; and
  3. He meets the minimum professional experience guidelines.

The first two criteria are self-explanatory. The third, however, requires some additional explanation. The minimum professional experience (PE) required for salary arbitration eligibility depends on when a player signed his first Standard Player Contract (SPC):

  • If a player signs his first SPC at 18-20, he needs four years of PE;
  • If a player signs his first SPC at 21, he needs three years of PE;
  • If a player signs his first SPC at 22-23, he needs two years of PE;
  • If a player signs his first SPC at 24 or older, he needs one year of PE.

As with everything in the CBA, each key word entails specific definitions. Here, both age and professional experience are specifically defined.

Age is defined as the player’s age on September 15th of the calendar year he signed the SPC. That means that if a player born in July signs an SPC in June at 20 years old, his age for eligibility purposes is 21 because he is 21 on September 15th.

Professional experience is defined as a condition of age. An 18 or 19 year old player must play in 10 or more NHL games to accumulate a year of professional experience. Players 20+, however, accumulate a year of professional experience by playing in any professional league (AHL, KHL, etc).

Additional CESA eligibility requirements

In addition to a player being arbitration-eligible, the CBA requires more for club-elected salary arbitration. A club can only elect salary arbitration for a player who has not been subject to a previous club-elected salary (any team), and either:

  1. made more than $1.75MM (including bonuses) in the previous year and in lieu of a qualifying offer; or
  2. received but did not sign a qualifying offer.

Finally, a team may only elect salary arbitration twice per year.

Deadlines

The deadline for PESA is 5pm EST on July 5th. The deadline for CESA is either (a) the later of June 15th or 48 hours after the Stanley Cup Finals for arbitration in lieu of qualifying offers, or (b) 24 hours after the player-elected deadline passes.

Miscellaneous

Teams can trade players with pending arbitrations up until the hearing. Teams and players can also come to a contractual agreement. Because of the unpredictability mentioned above, players and teams rarely go to hearing—most cases settle.

Part Two will address the arbitration Process, and Part Three will address the arbitration decision.

Sabres Sign Casey Nelson To Two-Year Extension

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The Buffalo Sabres signed rookie defenseman Casey Nelson to a two-year extension today worth $650,000 a year. The Sabres initially signed Nelson to an entry-level deal in March after playing three seasons in the NCAA for Minnesota State University.

Nelson made his Sabres debut on March 26, 2016. He performed admirably in his short time with the club, potting 4P in 7G. In college he managed 60P in 99 games—winning the WCHA defensive player of the year in his final year.

Nelson will be competing for a bottom-pairing role with the Sabres, as most experts pencil in Kulikov, Franson, Bogosian, and Ristolainen in the top 4.  The Wisconsin native (though born in Minnesota) is waiver-exempt, however, so he can be shuttled back and forth from the AHL without risk. His opportunity to make the big club out of camp will also depend on if the Sabres sign any UFA defensemen.

Capology: Restricted Free Agents (Part I)

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Restricted Free Agents can sign with any team once their SPC expires, but the player’s prior club can either match the new contract—called an offer sheet—or receive compensatory draft picks from the RFA’s new team. It allows a young player the opportunity to experience free agency while giving teams a exclusive chance to match any offer their player may receive.

Who is Eligible to be an RFA?

A player generally becomes an RFA after his first contract expires. Essentially, RFA status is tied to a player’s age* when he signed his first SPC:

18-21 when signing ELC: RFA after 3 years of pro experience
22-23 when signing ELC: RFA after 2 years of pro experience
24+ when signing ELC: RFA after 1 year of pro experience

Age is defined as the players age on September 15th of the year he signed his first SPC. Professional experience however, depends on a player’s age. For players 18 and 19, professional experience is 10+ games in the NHL. For players 20+, professional experience is merely 10+ games in any professional league.

Just because a player is eligible to be an RFA, however, does not automatically bestow RFA status. As explained below, a team must either make the player a Qualifying Offer (QO) or elect to take the player to salary arbitration. If a team does neither, the player becomes a UFA.

Flowchart Illustraing NHL RFA Timeline

 

What is a Qualifying Offer?

A qualifying offer (QO) is an offer of a one year SPC by a player’s team. The CBA requires that the SPC meet certain terms and conditions:

Salary

An SPC’s minimum salary is determined by a player’s previous year’s NHL Salary

  • If a player’s previous year’s NHL salary was $660,000 or less, the SPC must offer a minimum of 110% of the player’s previous year’s salary;
  • If a player’s previous year’s NHL salary was greater than $660,000 but less than $1,000,000, the SPC salary must be at least 105% of the player’s previous salary but cannot exceed $1,000,000; or
  • If a player’s previous year’s NHL salary was equal to or greater than $1,000,000, then the SPC salary must be 100% of the player’s previous salary.

One-way and Two-way

Most QOs are two-way (meaning that the player receives a minor league salary if he is sent down). A QO must be one-way, however, if the player meets the following conditions:

  1. played at least 180 NHL games in the previous three NHL seasons;
  2. played at least 60 NHL games in the previous season; and
  3. did not clear waivers during the regular season waiver period.

Qualifying offers sheets are predominantly a formality. Teams are required to make an offer so they can retain a player’s RFA rights. Players can reject a team’s QO—something they usually do. Once the QO expires, both the team and the player will negotiate a more lucrative deal.

When Does a Team Make a Qualifying Offer?

A team seeking to retain its rights in RFA players (and not electing arbitration) must tender the QO by the later of June 25th or the first Monday after the NHL Entry Draft. That means that a player must receive the offer by that date. A late QO is insufficient, and the player immediately becomes a UFA.*

When Can a Player Accept a Qualifying Offer?

Even though a QO must be offered in June, a player cannot accept a QO until July 1st. The QO is open for two weeks until it expires on July 15th.

What if a Team does not Make a Qualifying Offer?

If a team does not make a Qualifying Offer by the CBA-imposed deadline, the RFA-eligible player immediately becomes an unrestricted free agent.

So an RFA either receives a QO, or becomes a free agent. If they receive a QO, they can still sign with another team, but their original team has right of first refusal. This process is called the offer sheet process. See our forthcoming post on offer sheet soon.

* in 2010, the Chicago Blackhawks tendered their QOs late, and their RFA-eligible players became UFAs

 

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