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Snapshots: Mangiapane, DeAngelo, Sharks

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The Calgary Flames are still working towards a deal with Matthew Tkachuk, but he’s not the only unsigned restricted free agent they have. Andrew Mangiapane is now missing time at training camp as well, but Eric Francis of Sportsnet reports that’s not what he wants. Francis tweeted today that Mangiapane has made a $200K concession in negotiations, bringing his ask down to $850K in order to get into camp and prove himself. Unfortunately, that’s still more than his $715K qualifying offer that the team can wait for him to accept.

The Flames don’t have any excess cap space to be handing out, even though there is now such a small gap between the two sides. Tkachuk is going to get a huge raise and could very well become the highest paid player on the team—eclipsing Johnny Gaudreau and Mark Giordano at $6.75MM—meaning the team needs to save every penny in negotiations. Already with just 21 players on the roster, CapFriendly projects the Flames to have just barely over $7MM in cap space.

  • Anthony DeAngelo, another restricted free agent that isn’t getting many headlines, also remains without a contract with the New York Rangers. Larry Brooks of the New York Post reports that there is still a “wide gulf” between the two sides, and notes that the Rangers don’t want to go higher than the $925K they recently signed Brendan Lemieux for. DeAngelo broke out last season for the Rangers with 30 points in 61 games and was one of the team’s better defensemen by year’s end. The 23-year old doesn’t have a lot of leverage without arbitration eligibility however and will have to make a decision soon if he wants to take part in any of training camp.
  • The San Jose Sharks have already made some training camp cuts, sending six players back to junior. Mitchell Brewer, Zach Emond, Zach Gallant, Jake Gricius, Jake Lee and Hudson Wilson have all been returned, leaving 57 players for the NHL training camp.

Calgary Flames Sign Michael Stone

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In a downright shocking move, the Calgary Flames have announced one-year contract for Michael Stone. Stone of course saw the final year of his previous contract with the Flames bought out in August, meaning he’ll not only earn the $700K on this new deal but an additional $1.17MM for each of the next two seasons from the buyout. Stone had been set to earn $3.5MM on his previous deal, meaning the Flames are actually saving more than $1.6MM in cap space this season—room they desperately need to re-sign Matthew Tkachuk.

This move screams of cap circumvention, but actually may have an innocent enough explanation. When Stone was bought out, he was an expensive luxury as a depth option given the team was expecting both Rasmus Andersson and Juuso Valimaki to step into increased roles this season. Less than two weeks later, Valimaki tore his ACL during offseason training and was ruled out for a huge chunk of the season (if not the entire thing). Stone’s buyout then may have looked like a mistake given the team’s immediate need for another defenseman with NHL experience.

As it turns out, the Flames will still receive part of the benefit from the buyout and Stone will have another chance to prove he can stay healthy enough to contribute in the NHL. The 29-year old played just 14 games with the Flames last season thanks to various ailments (including a blood clot) and struggled even before that. After contributing at a high level for the Arizona Coyotes in 2015-16, Stone has just 21 points in 115 games for the Flames.

While the optics of this move may seem less than above board, it’s important to note that the Flames are giving up $700K of the cap room (and actual salary savings) they created by moving Stone off the books in the first place. It is also important to understand that Stone had to agree to the salary on the new contract and could have taken his services anywhere else.

To clear up any confusion, there is nothing in the CBA to prevent a move like this directly. Only compliance buyouts included a provision that made a player unable to re-sign with his team for one year. This could however be investigated by the league for cap circumvention if they believe it was intentional, as they did in the case of Brooks Orpik last summer. 

Early Notes: Mangiapane, Rantanen, Okhotyuk

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The Calgary Flames have had countless headlines written about their ongoing negotiation with Matthew Tkachuk, but they actually have another restricted free agent still unsigned as well. Andrew Mangiapane is in danger of missing the start of training camp if something can’t get done, which is likely more important for a player that has just 54 NHL games under his belt and is fighting for a full-time roster spot. Eric Francis of Sportsnet reports that the two sides are $200K apart on a one-year deal, with the Flames offering $800K and Mangiapane “looking for closer to $1MM.”

Calgary GM Brad Treliving told Francis that the team isn’t waiting on Tkachuk to sign Mangiapane, but with such a small difference in offers you can bet the team is trying to make sure they don’t overpay even the slightest, knowing they don’t have a lot of wiggle room under the cap ceiling. The Flames currently project to have just over $7.7MM in cap space, though there are a few ways to create some extra room, like placing defenseman Juuso Valimaki on long-term injured reserve.

  • Though Mitch Marner and Mikko Rantanen have raised eyebrows during their negotiations by being linked to clubs overseas, the latter decided to put that idea to rest in an interview with Russian outlet Business Online. Rantanen was very clear that the NHL is “the only option” for him this season and he won’t be discussing contracts with the KHL or other leagues. The Colorado Avalanche forward is coming off his second consecutive season scoring more than a point-per-game and has found a home on the top line beside Nathan MacKinnon. Still just 22, he could potentially become Colorado’s highest-paid player on his next contract.
  • The New Jersey Devils won’t be able to get a closer look at prospect Nikita Okhotyuk at the Prospect Challenge this weekend, as the team announced he is out six to eight weeks following surgery on a broken finger. Okhotyuk was selected in the second round in June and will miss regular training camp as well. The 18-year old defenseman is expected to return to the Ottawa 67’s for the 2019-20 season.

Calgary Flames Sign Four Players To Professional Tryouts

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The Calgary Flames will have several experienced NHL players battling for a contract in training camp, as the team announced today that Devante Smith-Pelly, Tobias Rieder, Zac Rinaldo and Alexandre Grenier have all signed professional tryouts. The team had previously announced that Andrew MacDonald would be in training camp on a PTO as well.

Smith-Pelly may inspire the most interest from Flames fans given his playoff heroics for the Washington Capitals in 2018, but after recording just eight points in 54 games last season and clearing waivers in February it’s hard to expect him to have much of an impact on the roster. The 27-year old spent a good chunk of the 2018-19 season in the minor leagues and is likely just trying to hold onto his place in the NHL.

Rieder meanwhile played 67 games for the Edmonton Oilers and was expected to provide a little offensive punch after scoring double-digit goals in each of the previous four seasons. Unfortunately things went horribly wrong for the 26-year old forward and he was held without a single goal all season. Rieder was infamously the target of some pointed criticism from Oilers CEO Bob Nicholson after his disappointing season, and will have to try to convince someone in the NHL to give him another chance to perform.

It’s important to remember that the Flames are cap-strapped already thanks to the impending contracts of Matthew Tkachuk and Andrew Mangiapane, meaning they don’t have a lot of money to go spending on these players if they do earn a contract. Any of the four could only really expect a league-minimum salary (or close to it) if they prove to be worthwhile investments.

Lance Bouma Signs PTO With L.A. Kings

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A familiar name is back in the NHL, at least temporarily. Sportsnet’s Rick Dhaliwal reports that veteran forward Lance Bouma has signed a professional tryout offer with the Los Angeles Kings. Bouma missed almost all of last season due to a knee injury, but did suit up for three games with Geneve-Servette of the Swiss NLA. He’s hoping to break back into the NHL via PTO with a team that could use the depth up front.

Bouma, 29, last played in the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2017-18. It was his first pro season outside of the Calgary Flames organization and it didn’t go as expected. Bouma played in 53 games with the Blackhawks, but also in 20 games with the AHL’s Rockford Ice Hogs, his first minor league action since 2012-13. Bouma recorded just nine points with Chicago, but that actually put him on a full-season pace that was better than all but two of his prior NHL campaigns. Bouma is largely considered a bottom-six defensive forward, as evidence by his career numbers, but served the role well in Calgary. He also teased his offensive ability in 2014-15 with a career-high 34 points in 78 games.

It may be difficult to know exactly what you’re getting in Bouma, especially coming after a missed season. That makes him an ideal PTO candidate and a player that could surprise in L.A. training camp. The Kings can see whether Bouma’s surgically repaired knee is a cause for concern or, alternatively, if the year off has given him some extra zip to his skating. Still on the right side of 30 and an experienced two-way forward who has flashed some offensive ability, Bouma could be an intriguing fit for the Kings if healthy. The team has just nine forwards signed to one-way deals at this point and there is expected to be ample competition in camp. Bouma picked the right place to throw his hat in the ring.

Minor Transactions: 09/02/19

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We’re now into September, but little has changed on the free agent front. Many prominent players, RFA’s and UFA’s alike, remain unsigned, but the NHL markets remain silent. However, minor league teams, foreign clubs, and college programs continue to make make moves in preparation for the coming season. Keep up with further moves right here throughout the day:

  • Ty Nash, son of former NHLer and current Arizona Coyotes TV analyst Tyson Nash, is following in his father’s footsteps and playing in the WHL. Although Nash is American, born and raised in Arizona, he will take the Canadian junior development route, as his Edmonton-native dad did. The 16-year-old forward was selected by the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft and has been participating in training camp this week. The team announced today that he had officially signed on for the coming season. The small, but aggressive forward has been improving offensively in recent years while maintaining a gritty, high-energy style which could serve him well against much more talented competition in the WHL than what he is used to in the American Southwest. The 2021 NHL Draft-eligible forward still has a lot of work ahead of him to be considered a pro prospect, but now has two full WHL seasons to do just that.
  • It’s a homecoming of sorts for 22-year-old forward Logan Coomes, who will play for the University of Alaska-Fairbanks this season after three years at Merrimack College. Coomes initially committed to Merrimack as a member of the Fairbanks Ice Dogs of the NAHL and now returns to the city where his collegiate path first began. Of course, Fairbanks is quite far from his actual hometown of Nashville. After transferring this summer, Coomes was announced as immediately eligible for this season, his fourth and final NCAA campaign. In 79 games with Merrimack, Coomes recorded 26 points in a bottom-six role. He should be handed more responsibility in his senior year and he surely hopes to get back to his better than point-per-game production from the last time he played in Fairbanks. Other members of Fairbanks’ recruiting class include Latvian junior standouts Eriks Zohovs and Roberts Kalkis.
  • Flames prospect Ilya Nikolayev has been loaned to Yarolslavl’s junior team, notes Ryan Pike of the Sporting News.  The 2019 third-round pick spent all of last season at the Russian junior level (the MHL) but was hoping to spend some time in the KHL this year.  He may still get that opportunity at some point but for now, he’ll repeat the level where he collected 25 points in 41 games in 2018-19.

Surgery For Juuso Valimaki Still Weeks Away

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  • While it was announced nearly three weeks ago that Flames defenseman Juuso Valimaki tore his ACL in offseason training and needed surgery, Postmedia’s Kristen Anderson notes that the procedure has yet to happen. Instead, it appears as if it’s still a few weeks away from happening.  Considering the swelling that can often accompany this type of injury, the delay is certainly understandable but at the same time, knowing the recovery period is usually at least six months, it’s increasing the likelihood that the 20-year-old will miss the entire season.  Calgary has brought Andrew MacDonald in on a PTO for camp but it wouldn’t be surprising if they look to make another move to bring in a replacement.

Morning Notes: Seattle, Matthews, Tkachuk

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The Seattle expansion franchise have announced few new employees including GM Ron Francis, but fans across the hockey world are waiting for another kind of announcement–the team’s name. That might be coming sooner than you think, as CEO Tod Leiweke explained on a Facebook Live broadcast yesterday (via NHL.com):

We’re working on it every day. I think it’ll be the first quarter of next year, perhaps around the All-Star Game (Jan. 24-26 in St. Louis) when there’s a reveal.

I had names a year ago that if pressed into launching in 2020, we would have been ready. But we’re so much better positioned because we’re now learning not just what we are, but what we’re not, and that’s really going to inform the name.

The team’s nickname has been a constant question from readers here at PHR, with suggestions like Kraken, Metropolitans and Sockeyes all thrown around. We’ll have to wait just a little longer to find out who will be hitting the ice in 2021 alongside the league’s other 31 teams.

  • Auston Matthews is ready to take over as captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs if the team decides to offer it to him, but he’s happy if someone else is the choice. The Maple Leafs center spoke with Craig Morgan of The Athletic (subscription required) while practicing at home in Arizona and noted that there are several excellent options to be the next Toronto captain. The team has operated without one since trading away Dion Phaneuf in 2016, but now that their young core has a little more experience in the NHL it may be time to sew on the “C.” Among other things, Matthews also explains that his biggest goal for this season is staying healthy and playing in all 82 games, something he has failed to do the last two years.
  • Speaking with TSN at the Hockey Night In Brampton event this week, Calgary Flames forward Sean Monahan gave his thoughts on the ongoing Matthew Tkachuk negotiations. Monahan says he’s “not too concerned” about the fact that Tkachuk is unsigned and believes that the young forward won’t want to miss any of training camp. The 21-year old Tkachuk exploded offensively last season, racking up 77 points in 80 games while still being the irritating physical presence he has become known for.

Calgary Flames Sign Andrew MacDonald To PTO

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Professional tryout season is here and the Calgary Flames are willing to give it a shot. The team announced today that veteran defenseman Andrew MacDonald will attend their training camp on a PTO, giving them a potential depth option to sign closer to the season. Calgary of course recently lost Juuso Valimaki to a major knee injury, forcing them to look externally for another defensive option. A professional tryout does not guarantee MacDonald a contract, or keep him from signing a deal with another NHL team.

MacDonald, 32, was once a reliable defenseman for the New York Islanders, so good that he earned himself a six-year, $30MM deal in 2014 from the Philadelphia Flyers. Unfortunately things quickly went downhill in Phialdelphia, to the point of a buyout of the last year of the deal in June. MacDonald will earn nearly $2MM in each of the next two seasons meaning he might be willing to take a minimum salary if the Flames decide he’s good enough to add some depth to the roster.

Whether he is still effective enough is still not decided however. In 47 games with the Flyers last season MacDonald recorded just nine points and posted poor possession numbers once again. He was used sparingly even when he did get into the lineup, not something that inspires confidence that he’ll be able to help the Flames this season. Of course, Calgary might not be looking for someone to play every day. The team still has a solid six names penciled into the starting roster even with Valimaki out, though T.J. Brodie’s name has been in trade speculation for some time. The team still needs to sign Matthew Tkachuk and Andrew Mangiapane and could need some extra cap space if looking at a long-term deal for the former.

Latest On Matthew Tkachuk, Calgary Flames

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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

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