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Coaching Notes: Kowalsky, Grier, Warsofsky

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The New Jersey Devils have hired Rick Kowalsky as an assistant coach, adding him to John Hynes’ staff for the upcoming season. Kowalsky had been the head coach of the Binghamton (and Albany) Devils, winning Coach of the Year in the AHL for the 2015-16 season. Hynes had this to say about the addition:

Rick will be a great addition to our team and this is well-deserved. He and I have had a strong relationship over the past three seasons and he’s done an excellent job in developing our young players. Rick is a high-energy, hard-working coach, great communicator and a tactician who has a great mind for the game.

The hiring leaves the AHL Devils without a head coach for the time being, but adds a knowledgeable voice to the NHL group and one with plenty of first-hand experience with some of their young players. New Jersey didn’t add much this offseason, which should give some of their minor league standouts a chance to crack the NHL roster in training camp. Kowalsky will be a big part of making that transition a smooth one, and helping New Jersey remain deep enough to compete in the Metropolitan Division.

  • It won’t just be Kowalsky though, as the Devils also announced that Mike Grier has been hired as an assistant coach with the NHL club. Grier, a long-time NHL player with over 1,000 regular season games under his belt, has been working as a pro scout for the Chicago Blackhawks but will now get his first professional coaching experience. The 43-year old was actually teammates with Hynes back at Boston University in the mid-’90s, which likely led to this opportunity with the Devils.
  • The Carolina Hurricanes have given an up-and-coming coaching prospect his next opportunity, hiring Ryan Warsofsky as an assistant coach for the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. Warsofsky is only 30 years old, but was the successful head coach of the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL the past two seasons. He took that team to the Kelly Cup Finals in 2017, and posted an 88-44-12 record during his time behind the bench. Expected to quickly climb the hockey coaching ladder, Warsofsky actually may have to coach against his brother David Warsofsky who is in the Colorado Avalanche organization and expected to spend the majority of the year in the AHL.

Jeff Skinner, Max Pacioretty In Trade Market “Holding Pattern”

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Over the last few months, two names have come up most often when you discuss scoring wingers that could be available for trade. Max Pacioretty and Jeff Skinner are both expected to be dealt by their respective clubs before the season begins, but after initial speculation on where they could end up things have dramatically quieted down. Perhaps that’s because of the existence of both, as teams are trying to make sure they get the best deal of the two options. Elliotte Friedman joined NHL Network today to talk about both players and indicated that some of the suitors for one may be the same as those for the other:

I think there’s another player that we haven’t mentioned yet who is similar to Pacioretty, and I think they’re kind of in the same holding pattern. That player is Jeff Skinner from Carolina. I think teams are kind of sitting there saying ’okay, Montreal’s got this asset they want to deal, Carolina’s got this asset they want to deal’ and I think teams are kind of saying ’okay, which one can we get a better fit.’

I think for example Pittsburgh is a team that has interest in Jeff Skinner, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve checked in hard on him. But I think those two players are kind of similar in a lot of ways and teams are trying to out wait Montreal and Carolina to see if they can get a better deal. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Penguins are taking a long look at Skinner, maybe more than Pacioretty.

Indeed Skinner and Pacioretty have both been excellent offensive producers throughout their careers, and each have just one year remaining on their current contracts. While Pacioretty is three and a half years older than Skinner and is coming off a worse offensive season, he has shown to have a higher playmaking upside with four seasons of 30 or more assists and 60 or more points. Skinner has just one season like that, and it came way back in his rookie season in 2010-11.

Still, both would bring instant offense to almost any team in the league and could fit into most team’s salary structure for the 2018-19 season. Pacioretty comes with just a $4.5MM cap hit on one of the better bargains in the NHL, while Skinner is at just $5.725MM this season. It’s important to note that Skinner also has a no-movement clause, but as we’ve seen many times in the past those can be worked around given enough time and the right situation.

Friedman also notes Chicago as a possible destination for Pacioretty, though in a completely speculative nature given their recent trade of Marian Hossa’s contract. Chicago had been previously rumored to be interested in defenseman Justin Faulk from the Hurricanes, but don’t look to have any imminent trades pending. Skinner or Pacioretty could certainly help the Blackhawks as they try to compete again in 2018-19, but whether they would be interested in a long-term extension for either is unclear.

So we wait for the “holding pattern” to end at some point, and perhaps that will be decided by the deadline that another scoring winger has placed upon his own team. Artemi Panarin told the Columbus Blue Jackets that he wants all business finished by September 13th, the start of training camp, giving the team incentive to move him now if they’ve decided to cash in their asset. Any team acquiring Panarin would want some time to work out an extension, something that would certainly be true of Skinner or Pacioretty as well.

Hurricanes Name Dean Chynoweth Assistant Coach

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  • The Hurricanes announced that they have hired Dean Chynoweth as an assistant coach. He replaces Steve Smith, who resigned to join Buffalo’s coaching staff last week.  Chynoweth spent last season as an associate coach with Vancouver of the WHL but has three seasons of NHL experience behind the bench with the Islanders from 2009-10 to 2011-12.  He rounds out a new-look coaching staff with Rod Brind’Amour taking over for Bill Peters as head coach and Jeff Daniels, who was hired as their other assistant earlier this summer.

Elias Lindholm Signs Six-Year Contract With Calgary Flames

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The Calgary Flames wanted to get Elias Lindholm under a long-term contract as soon as they acquired him from the Carolina Hurricanes, and today they’ve accomplished their goal. The team has signed Lindholm to a six-year deal worth $29.1MM ($4.85MM AAV). The deal will not include any trade or movement protection. Lindholm was scheduled for an arbitration hearing on August 1st, but will obviously no longer need to negotiate for a settlement.

Immediately after the Flames acquired Lindholm, speculation exploded about a potential fit for him next to star forwards Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan. Micheal Ferland, who was part of the package sent to Carolina in exchange for Lindholm and defenseman Noah Hanifin, had found success playing on the team’s first line but doesn’t possess the same level of skill as the former Hurricanes forward. This long-term deal only strengthens the idea that Lindholm will be inserted as a key part of the offensive group, and relied upon as a big contributor for the next several seasons. He immediately becomes the team’s fifth highest-paid forward, only behind Gaudreau, Monahan, Mikael Backlund and the recently signed James Neal.

Only 23, the Flames are expecting big things from Lindholm. Selected fifth overall in 2013, he jumped almost immediately to the NHL and has already played 374 games in his young career. With four consecutive seasons of at least 39 points, it’s not hard to expect him to fit in nicely alongside the forwards already in Calgary and develop into the kind of dominant two-way player many believe he can be. Lindholm has plenty of experience at center and could also be used in that role at times given his handedness—Monahan and Backlund are both left-handed centers, while Lindholm and newly signed Derek Ryan give the team a pair of right-handed options in the circle.

Though he does seem to be a perfect fit for the Calgary offense, it’s not like they’re signing a risk-free deal. After playing five seasons already, Lindholm was on track to hit free agency as a 25-year old, meaning that four of the years covered by the new deal are based on what he could earn as a unrestricted free agent. Unfortunately that has pushed the average annual value up to a point where should Lindholm struggle to improve on his career numbers he actually could be fairly overpaid. 40-point centers are extremely valuable in the NHL, but wingers with the same level of production are much less so. If Lindholm is moved out of the middle and can’t improve, the Flames may find themselves with a relatively overpriced asset.

That’s obviously a risk they’re willing to take though, and one that seems prudent given their competitive window. The Flames want to compete for the Stanley Cup right now and for the next several years, using the prime years of Gaudreau and Monahan to their full effectiveness. Both players are signed to team-friendly contracts at the moment, but will be looking for huge raises in a few seasons. The team also has an aging group on defense with Mark Giordano (34) the only one under contract for more than two seasons. Hanifin represents a big part the future on the Calgary blue line, but there’s no guarantee the other young prospects can handle the same load as players like Giordano Travis Hamonic and Troy Bodie do right now. The Flames are going for it, and need to bounce back from an extremely disappointing 2017-18.

For Lindholm, this is an excellent contract and one that will allow him to still hit the open market before his 30th birthday if he so chooses. He’ll be reunited with head coach Bill Peters who has also moved from Carolina to Calgary, and could get a chance with some of the most talented players he’s ever played with. It’s been an exciting summer for him already, but now he’ll have to prove he’s worth nearly $5MM per season going forward.

Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet broke the news on Twitter, including both length and AAV.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Minor Transactions: 7/13/18

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It’s been a busy day of signings and re-signings across the league, but not everyone has been so lucky has to find NHL employment. Many free agents are still holding out for the right deal, but others have begun to move on and accept alternative offers:

  • Harry Zolnierczyk is one such player. The veteran forward has bounced between the NHL and AHL for years, but had been able to land a one-year, two-way contract in each of his seven pro seasons. That streak is now over, as the market apparently did not develop for Zolnierczyk despite a strong season with the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals in 2017-18. Instead, Zolnierczyk has opted to remain in North America with a minor league contract. The Springfield Thunderbirds announced that they have signed the capable winger to a one-way AHL deal for the coming season.
  • Dennis Robertson is in a similar situation, albeit making an easier transition. The 27-year-old defenseman is entering his fifth pro season and has yet to make an NHL appearance, but has played on a two-way contract throughout. Other than a brief stint with the Chicago Blackhawks organization, Robertson has been a member of the Carolina Hurricanes for his entire career but has exclusively played with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. Robertson has now made that placement permanent, at least through next season, as the Checkers have announced a one-year AHL contract for the blue line mainstay.
  • One player moving on from the AHL is Christian Thomas. The former top prospect was unable to find a two-way contract last summer, following five pro seasons and 27 NHL games, and signed an AHL deal with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. He was seemingly unwilling to take another minor league deal this off-season, opting instead to move overseas. Swedish club Rogle BK confirmed that they have signed Thomas to a one-year deal. Thomas impressed Rogle management with his efforts for Team Canada at the Winter Olympics and will now get to further show off his skills on the international stage. A high-scoring season in the SHL could afford the 26-year-old winger another shot at the NHL next summer.

Lucas Wallmark Re-Signs With Carolina

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The Carolina Hurricanes have locked up one of their top forward prospects, announcing a two-year deal for restricted free agent Lucas Wallmark. Wallmark’s contract is two-way next season before transitioning to a one-way deal in 2019-20. He is set to make the minimum $650K this year at the NHL level, with $100K guaranteed, and $700K the year after for a cap hit of $675K across both seasons.

Wallmark, 22, impressed with both Carolina and Charlotte last season. In the AHL, the young center registered 55 points in 45 games, leading the Checkers in both points and assists despite far fewer games played than many of his teammates. In fact, Wallmark had the highest points-per-game mark in the league among players with 10+ games played. He even managed to finish 13th in the AHL in assists with every player ahead of him having skated in at least 15 more games. Wallmark didn’t have the same success producing with the Hurricanes, managing only one point in 11 games, but displayed a strong two-way game and puck-handling skills. He plays a complete game that, if he can translate it to the top level, could make him a dangerous and affordable asset for the Hurricanes.

With Elias Lindholm and Derek Ryan both departing from Carolina this off-season, the time is now for Wallmark to win a full-time job down the middle for the Hurricanes. Victor Rask and Jordan Martinook are also options for the ’Canes, but are likely better suited for bottom-six roles. A strong camp could earn Wallmark that second-line role behind Jordan Staal. The wild card will be highly-touted 2017 first-round pick Martin Necas and how he looks early on. Armed with two full pro seasons, including 19 NHL games and terrific AHL numbers, Wallmark could have an edge but still needs to outperform Necas and overshadow the Czech pivot’s immense potential if the job comes down to the two of them.

Greg McKegg Re-Signs With Carolina Hurricanes

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Greg McKegg didn’t file for arbitration before the deadline last week, but he’ll be playing for the Carolina Hurricanes organization anyway in 2018-19. The team has reached a one-year, two-way deal with the restricted free agent forward worth $715K at the NHL level according to Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports.

McKegg, 26, played 26 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins last season before eventually being shipped to the Hurricanes for Josh Jooris. Adding McKegg made an immediate impact for the Hurricanes’ AHL affiliate, scoring 23 points in 19 games for the Charlotte Checkers, a level of offensive production never really seen before in his career. They’ll hope that he can bring that same scoring touch next season if he doesn’t make the NHL squad.

Making that squad will be tough even after the team traded away some of their center depth in Elias Lindholm and Marcus Kruger, as the team will likely be adding Martin Necas, Andrei Svechnikov and Janne Kuokkanen to the forward group on a full-time basis. Even if that doesn’t happen for all three, McKegg will be at best a depth option for the team next season and should see time with the Checkers. He is waiver eligible, but after clearing last season for Pittsburgh it’s unlikely he would be claimed.

Buffalo Sabres Hire Steve Smith As Assistant Coach

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It didn’t take long for Steve Smith to land on his feet after resigning from the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday. The Buffalo Sabres have announced they’ve hired the veteran assistant coach to join Phil Housley’s group, where he will take over defensive and penalty kill responsibilities.

There are few opportunities like this one for Smith, who will get to work directly with phenom defenseman Rasmus Dahlin as he begins his NHL career. Smith and Housley will be tasted with developing Dahlin into the perennial Norris candidate that many are projecting him to be, and they have quite a bit of experience between the two of them for the job. Housley of course is a Hall of Fame defenseman with 1,200 career points, but Smith was no slouch in his playing days and brings the knowledge of three Stanley Cups to the table. He was a key member of the Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier-led Edmonton Oilers championship teams, and finished his career with over 800 games played (and 2,100 penalty minutes).

Dahlin isn’t the only young defenseman that will be taken under Smith’s wing, as the team also boasts Brendan Guhle, Mattias Samuelsson and others coming through the system. Even Rasmus Ristolainen is still only 23, despite already having five seasons under his belt. The Sabres have struggled to put anything close to a championship-caliber blue line together for years, but can take a huge step towards that goal this season.

Carolina Hurricanes Announce More Front Office Changes

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The Carolina Hurricanes are in the middle of a busy offseason, but are still trying to work out the designations and roles for their front office after a quick dismissal of Ron Francis earlier in the year. Today the team announced that Darren Yorke has been promoted to director of player personnel, while Eric Tulsky has been promoted to vice president of hockey management and strategy. GM Don Waddell released a short statement about the two men:

Darren and Eric have earned these promotions through hard work and dedication to the Hurricanes. Their knowledge and expertise in their respective areas are assets to this organization.

Yorke has worked his way up through the NHL ranks over the past decade, starting with the Buffalo Sabres before joining the Hurricanes in 2009 as a video scout. He’ll be part of the internal brain trust for Carolina alongside Waddell, and according to the press release will be “involved in all player personnel decisions” among other responsibilities. Under new owner Tom Dundon, the Hurricanes are trying to rebuild their organizational structure to provide every advantage possible for their on-ice product.

Tulsky, a well-known name in the online hockey community, has turned a statistics-based blog on SBNation into a promising career in the NHL. Noted for his incredible work to further hockey analytics, he’ll move up in the Hurricanes organization once again and try to lend his expertise to the decisions made going forward.

Poll: Who Will Be The Centerpiece Of The Next Big Trade?

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Given the players remaining on the free agent market, any further fireworks this summer will likely come via a blockbuster trade. It certainly seems possible too, with more than a few major names being floated around. Who will be the first to go?

The biggest fish available for a lucky team to catch is obviously all-world defenseman Erik Karlsson. With one year remaining on his contract and on a sinking ship in Ottawa, the Senators have little choice but to trade the Norris Trophy winner. However, finding the right deal to get a fair return on a player of Karlsson’s caliber is proving difficult and talks between Ottawa GM Pierre Dorion and both the Tampa Bay Lightning and Dallas Stars have reportedly broken down. The noise surrounding a potential Karlsson trade has died down significantly over the past few days.

Another trade target whose apparent availability is being downplayed in Edmonton Oilers winger Milan Lucic. Early in the off-season, there was rampant speculation that a Lucic trade was inevitable. Some said that the team wanted to move on from the remaining five years and $30MM of the underachieving forward’s contract, while others said that it was Lucic who was unhappy in Edmonton and was seeking a trade. Both sides have denied claims that they are seeking a separation, but as most trade rumors go – where there’s smoke, there’s fire.

There’s also Max Pacioretty, who was close to being traded during draft weekend but ended up remaining with the Montreal Canadiens. The Habs captain is coming off of a down year and is in the final year of his contract, making his trade value the lowest that it has been in years. Yet, it has continually been reported that the Canadiens are listening on offers. Those reports have grown quiet over the last week or so and it could be that Montreal has simply opted to retain one of the faces of their franchise, but don’t rule out the possibility of a deal just yet.

As potential Karlsson, Lucic, and Pacioretty deals have lost some steam, Columbus Blue Jackets’ star Artemi Panarin has emerged as a popular trade target. Panarin, to his credit, was honest with the organization that he remains unsure if he will be willing to sign a long-term extension to stay in Columbus before his contract expires after next season. As a result, GM Jarmo Kekalainen and company have begun to explore any possible trade scenarios should they choose to mitigate the risk of losing Panarin for nothing as a free agent by dealing him away. However, Panarin is still a young and highly productive player who hasn’t flat out said he won’t resign with the Blue Jackets and the team may be understandably cautious in making a decision on what to do with him.

Another situation playing out between a team who would rather hold on to their asset is the Minnesota Wild and winger Jason Zucker. Zucker filed for salary arbitration this off-season and, after a career season, is due a major bump on his previous $2MM salary. However, the Wild have a surplus of NHL-caliber forwards and a likely shortage of cap space needed to sign both Zucker and young defenseman Matt Dumba. Dumba and the blue line are the priority, potentially making Zucker expendable. Minnesota will do what they can to keep him, but may not have a choice but to get what they can for the 26-year-old scorer.

Finally, there are the Carolina Hurricanes. Last month, there was not hotter name on the rumor mill than forward Jeff Skinner. Approaching the NHL Draft, several insider went so far as to guarantee that he would be traded in the coming days. More than two weeks later, Skinner remains a Hurricane. There is surely a market for Skinner, but the team and new GM Don Waddell have stated that they simply haven’t received an offer yet that they were comfortable with. Carolina clearly values what Skinner brings offensive and the Hurricanes need to be better at scoring next season. Where they have strength and depth is the blue line, yet they have managed to add both Dougie Hamilton and Calvin de Haan this off-season. The team is now overloaded with talented defensemen, especially on the right side, and there is an expectation that veteran leader Justin Faulk is likely going to be odd man out and interest is high in the All-Star.

There are many trade possibilities available, including deals that include more than one of these players, but assuming otherwise: Who is most likely to be the next big name traded this off-season?

Poll: Who Will Be The Centerpiece Of The Next Big Trade?
Erik Karlsson 41.30% (871 votes)
Artemi Panarin 16.12% (340 votes)
Max Pacioretty 14.56% (307 votes)
Justin Faulk 13.80% (291 votes)
Jeff Skinner 8.11% (171 votes)
Jason Zucker 3.75% (79 votes)
Milan Lucic 2.37% (50 votes)
Total Votes: 2,109

Mobile users, click here to vote.

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