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Arizona Coyotes Sign Hudson Fasching, Michael Carcone

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The Arizona Coyotes have signed a pair of familiar experienced AHLers to two-way contracts. The team announced that they have re-signed Hudson Fasching to a one-year deal and added Michael Carcone, on loan with the Tuscon Roadrunners this past season, on a two-year deal. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Fasching, 26, was a Group 6 unrestricted free agent, but chose to stay put in the desert. The big winger has spent the past three seasons in the Coyotes organization after coming over in a trade from the Buffalo Sabres, but prior to 2020-21 has played exclusively with the AHL’s Tuscon Roadrunners. However, after excellent production for their minor league team, Arizona kept Fasching close by on the practice squad for much of this season. Fasching played in five games with the Coyotes and just two with the Roadrunners. Now more familiar with the team, Fasching may have a chance to win a lineup spot this season on an ever-changing Coyotes roster.

In Fasching’s place in Tuscon this season, Carcone took over as a top scorer for the Roadrunners while on loan from the Nashville Predators. Carcone has always been a consistent contributor in the AHL, but reached new heights this year with 15 goals and 25 points in just 35 games. It was enough to convince the Coyotes to bring him in to the organization officially. Carcone, 25, still has yet to make his NHL debut, but could get a chance over the next two years with the rebuilding ’Yotes.

Boston Bruins Sign Four To Minimum Deals

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The Boston Bruins aren’t slowing down. The busiest team on this first day of free agency have added four more signings to the list to help fill out their AHL ranks. Goaltender Troy Grosenick, defenseman Tyler Lewington, and forward Steven Fogarty have each signed one-year, two-way contracts worth the minimum $750K NHL salary. Forward Samuel Asselin, who spent the past two seasons on an AHL deal with the Providence Bruins, has been rewarded with a two-year entry-level contract, also with a $750K AAV.

Grosenick, 31, will join a goaltending depth chart that added Linus Ullmark and lost Daniel Vladar today, likely making him the third option in the early part of the season, until Tuukka Rask conceivably returns. He’ll require waivers to go to the minor leagues, but with a handful of NHL appearances–including two in 2020-21–he’d be in line for any starts that come about because of injury.

Lewington and Fogarty are in a similar boat, signed for the AHL but with enough experience to chip in if Boston needs some injury insurance. The 26-year-old Lewington has played ten games in the NHL, recording three points and 33 penalty minutes. The 28-year-old Fogarty is a little more experienced with 28 NHL appareances, including one playoff game for the New York Rangers in 2020. The 6’3″ forward scores at a strong rate in the AHL, but has just three points at the highest level.

Asselin meanwhile is just 23 and coming off his first full season with Providence, after splitting time in the AHL and ECHL during 2019-20. The undrafted QMJHL free agent signing scored 16 points in 25 AHL games this season, showing that the offensive production that appeared at previous levels might travel with him to the high minors. He’ll have to prove it again this season, but an entry-level contract is a nice reward for the hard work he’s put in to this point.

Detroit Red Wings Sign Pius Suter

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After the surprise of not being extended a qualifying offer from the Chicago Blackhawks, Pius Suter has found a home with their historical arch-rivals. The Detroit Red Wings have announced a two-year contract for Suter, who recorded 27 points in 55 games as a rookie this season. Suter will earn $6.5MM total over the two years, his agent reveals on Twitter.

Suter, 25, made quite the impact as a rookie in Chicago, scoring 14 goals and 27 points in 55 games. He received a huge opportunity when Jonathan Toews missed the season due to illness and Kirby Dach was out with a broken wrist, playing way more than anyone ever expected. Those 14 points earned him some Calder Trophy votes and could have landed Suiter a substantial contract through arbitration. Instead, he’ll get a hefty deal from Detroit, where he could reunite with a couple of old junior teammates.

The Swiss forward went undrafted and spent five years in the NLA, but before that he played two seasons in the OHL with the Guelph Storm. The top line on that 2014 Storm team that won the OHL championship? Suter between Robby Fabbri and Tyler Bertuzzi, who both happen to be in the Red Wings organization and could even potentially be a line this season. Bertuzzi of course is a restricted free agent and has been involved in trade rumors over the summer, but GM Steve Yzerman did say recently that they hope to keep him if possible.

Suter will be an unrestricted free agent again when this contract expires, and there’s certainly plenty of minutes up for grabs in Detroit. He’ll have a chance to really establish himself as a premiere UFA option if he can improve on that rookie season and post three straight quality campaigns.

Vancouver Canucks Ink Nic Petan

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The Vancouver Canucks have added a nice depth piece up front in forward Nic Petan. Petan has signed a one-year, two-way contract with the minimum $750K NHL salary and a substantial $450K AHL salary, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. The slippery winger has not been a regular player in the NHL for a few years, but has 136 games of experience, stellar AHL numbers, and at 26 still has room to improve.

Petan, a 2013 second-round pick of the Winnipeg Jets, always seemed like a talented prospect who was on the verge of a breakthrough, but it never came. Petan showed flashes of ability, even recording 13 points in 54 games for the Jets in his best NHL season, but could never hold down an NHL job. When he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2018, the hopes was that his style of play and the Leafs’ need for affordable help would be an ideal match, but it resulted only in less opportunity and fewer results.

Will Vancouver finally be the right fit for Petan? It still seems like the skilled forward has more to offer than has been seen in the NHL thus far. His AHL production is incredibly strong and he plays a slick, play-making style that should create offense no matter what level he is at. With a number of talented shooters and net front disruptors on the Canucks, perhaps Petan will be able to put his strengths to work in his new home and surprise everyone as an impact player. If not, he’s a nice depth piece all the same at a minimum salary.

Colorado Avalanche Sign Roland McKeown

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Some defensive depth is heading to Denver. After a season spent overseas on loan in Sweden, former Carolina Hurricane Roland McKeown has signed with the Colorado Avalanche. Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reports that it is a one-year, two-way deal for the two-way blue liner at the minimum $750K NHL salary and a $225K AHL salary.

A 2014 second-round pick, McKeown has yet to really pan out in the NHL. Seemingly always on the cusp of a job with the Hurricanes, the 25-year-old only actually has ten NHL games to his credit, all coming back in 2017-18. A plus player at every level with good AHL scoring numbers, as well as now a decent season in the SHL, plus a valued right-handed shot, McKeown seems like a player that would have earned more NHL opportunity, but it has not occured.

While the easy excuse is to cite Carolina’s impressive defensive depth of late, that isn’t going to change in Colorado. The Avalanche are well-stocked on the blue line as well, in both the NHL and AHL. It would seem that he would be no better than ninth on the depth chart to begin the year. However, that is not considering the fact that he is one of only three right-handed defenders with NHL experience in the organization. If McKeown can get off to a strong start and injury befalls a righty, such as injury-prone veteran Erik Johnson, perhaps McKeown will finally get his shot.

New York Rangers Bring Back Greg McKegg

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After one year away in Boston, the New York Rangers have signed forward Greg McKegg for a second stint in the Big Apple. The contract is a one-year, two-way deal with the NHL minimum $750K salary and a $350K AHL salary, reports Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston. McKegg will return to his role as a dependable extra man on the roster or next man up in the minors.

McKegg, 29, seems like he has been around far longer than he actually has. The veteran forward has only played 190 NHL games over 10 seasons, but having spent time with seven different teams and played 40+ games with four of them, it seems like McKegg has been a key depth piece for a long time. In reality, he still has plenty of gas left in the tank and this will be far from his last NHL contract if he continues to bring value to his teams.

For the first time in his career, he is beginning a second stint with a team by returning to New York after suiting up for 53 games with the Rangers in 2019-20. Though used sparingly by the Boston Bruins this season, McKegg played well in his five games with a noticeable physical presence and a dominant face-off record. The Rangers will be looking for the same this year, as the team has a very young, skilled forward group and could look to McKegg to provide veteran presence and grit, either as an extra man or possibly even the anchor of the fourth line.

Vegas Golden Knights Sign Sven Baertschi

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After spending almost all of the past two season buried in the AHL by the Vancouver Canucks, Sven Baertschi is looking for a fresh start and a shot at an NHL lineup spot. He has found a taker in a Canucks division rival, the Vegas Golden Knights. The team has announced a one-year, two-way contract worth the minimum $750K. While unassuming at first glance, Baertschi’s natural skill combined with Vegas’ limited cap space makes this a fascinating reclamation project to follow.

Once an up-and-coming NHL scorer with 92 points in 190 games over a three-year span with the Canucks, Baertschi’s play began to slip two years ago and Vancouver did not hesitate to bury his contract in the minors. However, there is still a chance that he can re-discover his scoring touch on a talented Golden Knights team and hold on to a roster spot. At a minimum salary, the could make him a dangerous discount player for the team.

If not, Baertschi will at least be a veteran leader in the AHL for Vegas and a call-up option. Simply staying in North America despite interest back overseas is a testament to Baertschi’s commitment to continue playing at the highest level, even if an NHL role is not guaranteed.

Minnesota Wild Sign Alex Goligoski

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Veteran defenseman Alex Goligoski is going home – and being well-compensated to do so. The Grand Rapids, Minnesota native, who turns 36 on Friday, has signed a one-year, $5MM contract with the Minnesota Wild. Goligoski will replace the experience, leadership, and stable presence of Ryan Suter on the left side of the Wild blue line.

There might not be a more natural fit in free agency than Goligoski heading to his hometown team to take over as a veteran leader in place of Suter. Even at his age, Goligoski continued to play massive minutes, provide stout defense, and contribute about 30 points a year over the last few years with the Arizona Coyotes. He has showed no signs of slowing down and there is no reason to believe that he won’t keep producing, especially joining a deeper and more talented roster in Minnesota.

The contract is a bit strange, but not unreasonable. Goligoski had a $5.475MM AAV on his contract in Arizona, making the value of his one-year pact very similar. However, Goligoski was eligible for performance bonuses, which could have helped the club keep his cap hit lower.  Goligoski also could have negotiated another year or two of term give his consistency, which also may have resulted in a lower AAV, but opted for just the one year. Goligoski is still more affordable than what what Suter was scheduled to make, but it does no favors for the Wild’s salary cap situation.

Carolina Hurricanes Sign Frederik Andersen

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The Carolina Hurricanes entered the off-season with three free agent goaltenders: UFA’s Petr Mrazek and James Reimer and RFA Alex Nedeljkovic. They dealt Nedeljkovic to the Detroit Red Wings in a deal that landed them another free agent, UFA Jonathan Bernier. As of right now, it does not appear that any of these netminders will be with the team this season. Instead, the team has reportedly agreed to a two-year deal with former Toronto Maple Leafs starter Frederik Andersen. The Hurricanes seemingly believe in a bounce-back from Andersen, whose new contract will carry a $4.5MM AAV.

Prior to last season, no one would have batted an eye at the terms of Andersen’s new deal, though they likely would have expected it to come with the Maple Leafs. However, Andersen imploded in 2020-21, struggling to stay on the ice with a nagging injury and performing poorly when he did play. Andersen’s .895 save percentage was well below his own career average and below average league-wide as well. Andersen lost his job to Jack Campbell and all signs pointed to Toronto moving on. They did just that, ironically signing former Carolina starter Petr Mrazek. 

It would be one thing for Carolina to replace Mrazek with Andersen if savings were involved or even at the same price. However, they ended up paying $700K more in AAV for Andersen, despite Mrazek being younger and having far better numbers over the past few years. Granted, Mrazek also missed considerable time this year due to injury and has not played more than 40 games in a season in the past four years. Carolina is looking for a legitimate starter and clearly feel that Andersen can be that. The 31-year-old has played 60+ games three times, all in the past five years, and the ’Canes hope he can do it once again. They payed up for that potential; hopefully Andersen can follow through.

St. Louis Blues Extend Nathan Walker

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July 26: The Blues have officially announced the contract, confirming the details previously reported.

July 25: Forward Nathan Walker and the St. Louis Blues have reportedly reached an agreement on a new multi-year contract. CapFriendly reports that Walker, an impending unrestricted free agent, will sign a two-year, two-way contract to remain with the Blues. The deal will carry the minimum $750K NHL salary with a $300K AHL salary in 2021-22 and a $310K AHL salary in 2022-23, but with $350K total guaranteed in each season.

Walker, 27, could have tested the open market, but has already had a taste of free agency in 2019 as a Group 6 UFA. He agreed to a two-year deal with St. Louis then and this time around has decided to do the same without waiting until the market opened. Walker’s new contract closely resembles his previous two contracts with the Washington Capitals and Blues in terms of structure – a two-year pact with the minimum NHL salary and a guaranteed total higher than his AHL salary – but he has earned a significant raise. Not only is the NHL minimum salary now $100K higher than it was four years ago and $50K higher than two years ago, but his guaranteed money has increased from $150K to $175K to $300K and now $350K over his career.

The only Australian-born player in the NHL, Walker has established himself as more than just a trivia fact. The 2014 third-round pick has seen NHL action in each of the past four years, capped off by a 2020-21 campaign in which he played in only four AHL games because he spent the rest of the season on the St. Louis roster or taxi squad. Walker has been more of a bottom-six role player in his experience at the top level, but has strong scoring numbers in the AHL and could succeed in a scoring role if the opportunity presented itself. The Blues are a deep team, but could be losing some top scorers this off-season which could in turn lead to a more regular role for Walker moving forward and perhaps even some time in the top-nine.

Getting an impending UFA re-signed is a nice surprise for St. Louis, but does little to alleviate their full plate this off-season. The Blues have just seven forwards currently signed to one-way contracts with five critical RFA’s in need of new contracts and other UFA’s to consider or perhaps replace as well. GM Doug Armstrong and company have their work cut out for them this summer.

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