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Blackhawks Rumors

Chicago’s Impending Struggle To Be Cap Compliant

June 10, 2017 at 8:59 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 10 Comments

Chicago Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman has had the uncanny ability for years now to somehow find a way to squeeze his uber-talented rosters under the NHL salary cap. Bowman’s willingness to trade or let walk valued players with high-priced contracts only to replace them to the same effect with affordable veterans and young players has enabled the team to become the NHL’s dynasty franchise over the last decade. However, heading into 2017-18, has Bowman finally put himself in a position that he can’t get out of?

The NHL’s salary cap limit for next season has not yet been decided, but early indications are that it could remain flat or rise only a minimal amount. Based on 2016-17’s $73MM ceiling, the Chicago Blackhawks would be more than $4.5MM over the cap if the season started today (via CapFriendly). That total includes a total of 13 forwards, seven defenseman, and two goalies, ten of which will make under $1MM next season. What it doesn’t include is new contracts for restricted free agents Dennis Rasmussen and Tomas Jurco, the possibility of bringing back veteran defenseman Brian Campbell, or the Blackhawk’s major need for a backup goalie, which will only off-set the cap by Jeff Glass’ $600K contract.

Of course, Chicago does have some assistance this off-season in the form of the Expansion Draft, in which they will lose someone’s cap hit. The team certainly hopes that that cap hit is from Marcus Kruger. Kruger has played an important role for the Blackhawks as a two-way specialist and reliable third-line center, but at over $3MM annually, he’s just not affordable. Rumor has it that the team is willing to move picks and players if it means that the Vegas Golden Knights will select Kruger, but there is no guarantee that Vegas will take the bait. Defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk has been offered up as a companion to Kruger for the Knights, which at $825K for a top-four defenseman would be a major loss for Chicago. However, if the Blackhawks want to protect forwards like Ryan Hartman or Richard Panik in the Expansion Draft, they currently would have no choice but to expose van Riemsdyk. Thus, the team really lacks the leverage to command any deal where the Knights take Kruger to get van Riemsdyk and such a deal may not even come to fruition. Chicago will do all it can, expansion-wise or not, to move Kruger, but it’s far from a done deal.

Even if they are successful in moving Kruger, the Chicago Sun Times’ Mark Lazerus opines that this may not be enough if the cap doesn’t go up significantly; and he’s not alone. Lazerus states that there is rampant speculation that the team may be forced to move a bigger name than Kruger to become cap compliant. Kruger’s salary would (currently) still leave the Blackhawks in the red and even he and van Riemsdyk wouldn’t do it. Bowman could use roster management to get under, but it would leave the team with little to no flexibility in the free agent market and even for in-season call-ups and demotions. Instead, one of Chicago’s core players might need to move. Lazerus knows that neither Brent Seabrook or Artem Anisimov have been asked to waive their No-Movement clauses to be dealt elsewhere and it’s hard to imagine the team trading many of their other No-Movement players like Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, or Corey Crawford. Marian Hossa may as well be immovable as well, given that the 38-year-old has four years left on his contract at $5.275MM per. That leaves defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson, who Lazerus believes could very well end up on the move. Hjalmarsson is the only high-priced player on the roster without a true No-Movement clause, as he has a limited No-Trade in which he can submit a 10-team list of destinations. This gives the team some flexibility to make a move they couldn’t with the others barring a waiver. Hjalmarsson carries a $4.1MM cap hit, which alone is insufficient, but in addition to Kruger and possibly others would get the Blackhawks where they need to be.

If it potentially takes Hjalmarsson, Kruger, and van Riemsdyk – two of Chicago’s top-four defenseman and a key penalty killer – along with goalie Scott Darling, already a cap casualty this off-season, to get under the salary cap for next season, is Bowman’s system really still working? Perhaps more than any other team in the NHL, Chicago is hoping for an unexpected bump in the salary cap for 2017-18. If that doesn’t happen, the Expansion Draft could just be the beginning of the Blackhawk’s shedding of key players this summer.

Chicago Blackhawks| Expansion| Stan Bowman| Vegas Golden Knights Artem Anisimov| Brent Seabrook| Brian Campbell| Corey Crawford| Duncan Keith| Jonathan Toews| Marcus Kruger| Marian Hossa| Niklas Hjalmarsson| Patrick Kane| Salary Cap

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Expansion Primer: Chicago Blackhawks

June 10, 2017 at 12:38 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 5 Comments

Over the next few weeks we will be breaking down each team’s situation as it pertains to the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft. Which players are eligible, and which will likely warrant protection or may be on the block. Each team is required to submit their protection lists by 4pm CDT on June 17th. The full rules on eligibility can be found here, and CapFriendly has provided a handy expansion tool to make your own lists.

While the regular season was a strong one for Chicago, it failed to translate into postseason success as the Blackhawks were swept at the hands of the Predators.  GM Stan Bowman has promised change, some of which will come through expansion.  Here’s a closer look at their situation when it comes to the upcoming draft.

Eligible Players (Non-UFA)

Forwards:

Artem Anisimov (NMC), Ryan Hartman, Marian Hossa (NMC), Tomas Jurco, Patrick Kane (NMC), Marcus Kruger, Michael Latta, Richard Panik, Dennis Rasmussen, Jonathan Toews (NMC), Jordin Tootoo

Defense:

Niklas Hjalmarsson (NMC), Duncan Keith (NMC), Ville Pokka, Michal Rozsival, Brent Seabrook (NMC), Viktor Svedberg, Trevor van Riemsdyk

Goaltenders:

Corey Crawford (NMC), Jeff Glass

Notable Exemptions

D Gustav Forsling, F John Hayden, F Vinnie Hinostroza, D Michal Kempny, F Tanner Kero, F Artemi Panarin, D Jan Rutta, F Nick Schmaltz

Key Decisions

Based on earlier reports, their strategy seems to revolve around van Riemsdyk.  The belief is that if the Golden Knights are willing to take Kruger and his $3.083MM cap hit off their hands in a trade, they’ll leave the blueliner available to be selected in the draft.  With three rearguards carrying no-move clauses though, there isn’t much of a real protection threat to Vegas here.  Protecting van Riemsdyk would require a switch to protecting just eight skaters which would open up an intriguing option up front for the Golden Knights.

Jan 21, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk (57) works out prior to the game against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY SportsWith the recent re-signing of Kempny as well as the addition of Rutta, the Blackhawks are certainly hedging against losing van Riemsdyk.  With Brian Campbell and Johnny Oduya expected to depart, the 25 year old becomes a candidate for a bigger role next season which would make his departure tough to swallow.  That could be lessened by getting Kruger’s contract off the books but is leaving van Riemsdyk unprotected enough of a sweetener by itself?  On the surface it may seem like it but that may not be the case.

If the discussed deal falls through and Chicago opts to go with protecting eight skaters to keep van Riemsdyk away from Vegas, the Golden Knights would likely happily snap up Hartman and not have to take on Kruger’s contract.  That seems like an even worse outcome for the Blackhawks who would lose a promising young forward and still be in trouble when it comes to the salary cap.  Accordingly, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Blackhawks had to add something else to the rumored trade to get it done.

That presents Bowman with another option he’ll have to consider – trade van Riemsdyk before expansion.  While that would mean that their efforts to move Kruger will have fallen through, they would at least stand to get some value back for their blueliner while going with a 7/3/1 scheme would result in them not losing anyone of much consequence to Vegas.  There are a few ways this could go and van Riemsdyk is at the core of all of them.

Up front, there aren’t a lot of decisions to really be made thanks to the four no-move clauses.  Hartman and the recently-extended Panik would stand to snap up the fifth and sixth slots with a handful of players vying for the last one.

Considering their cap situation, it’s safe to suggest Kruger will be left unprotected no matter what.  Tootoo was in and out of the lineup this past season and there’s a good case to be made that his extension was in part to ensure that they had enough forwards to meet the 40/70 exposure requirements.

Mar 29, 2017; Pittsburgh, PA, USA;  Chicago Blackhawks left wing Tomas Jurco (13) caries the puck up ice against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the third period at the PPG PAINTS Arena. Chicago won 5-1. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY SportsThat leaves Jurco and Rasmussen for the last spot.  Jurco is coming off two straight disappointing seasons and failed to produce with Chicago after being acquired.  However, at 24 years of age, there’s still hope that he could turn it around.  Rasmussen played more of a regular role after getting into 68 games but did so almost exclusively in a fourth line depth role.  While he played more than Jurco, it’s conceivable that Bowman and Chicago would use their last spot on potential upside before a depth checker.

If the Blackhawks wanted to protect both, they could conceivably ask Hossa to waive his no-move clause.  His contract and age would make him a safe bet to pass through.  However, teams appear to be very hesitant to approach their veterans about doing so; as a result, this is a very unlikely scenario.

Chicago doesn’t have many unrestricted free agents and among them, none would likely be appealing to Vegas GM George McPhee.  Campbell and Oduya are the best ones available and neither of them should interest an expansion team, especially since plenty of younger blueliners will be made available to them from other teams.

Projected Protection List

F Artem Anisimov (NMC)
F Ryan Hartman
F Marian Hossa (NMC)
F Tomas Jurco
F Patrick Kane (NMC)
F Richard Panik
F Jonathan Toews (NMC)

D Niklas Hjalmarsson (NMC)
D Duncan Keith (NMC)
D Brent Seabrook (NMC)

G Corey Crawford (NMC)

Assuming that Bowman and McPhee agree on the rumored deal that would send Kruger to the Golden Knights with van Riemsdyk left unprotected, this could be one of the less-intriguing teams to watch when it comes to expansion.  If it doesn’t happen though, then they’ll be worth keeping an eye on.  Do they protect van Riemsdyk anyways and switch to the eight skater scheme?  Do they leave him unprotected outright?  Do they trade him beforehand?  Considering how much Chicago’s situation seems to revolve around him, their expansion situation could more or less be termed ‘van Riemsdyk watch’.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Chicago Blackhawks| Expansion| Vegas Golden Knights Expansion Primer| Marcus Kruger| Trevor Van Riemsdyk

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Dillon Fournier Retires Due To Injury

June 8, 2017 at 8:37 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

In another example of a career gone awry, Dillon Fournier has decided to hang up his skates. Scott Powers of The Athletic has the exclusive with the Chicago Blackhawks prospect, who has played sparingly the last few seasons thanks to multiple shoulder surgeries. Set to become a restricted free agent this summer, the Blackhawks will no longer have to decide whether to offer him a new contract.

It was just five years ago that Chicago made Fournier the 48th-overall pick in the NHL Entry Draft, bringing in this big impressive defenseman from the QMJHL to add to their prospect pool. He was taken two picks ahead of Colton Sissons, who is now starring for the Nashville Predators in the Stanley Cup Final. Still just 22, Fournier has played 13 games the past two seasons combined. Powers talks to Norm Maciver, Blackhawks assistant general manager:

Unfortunately, he had so many shoulder injuries. Any time it seemed like he was on the right track, it would be another setback. It’s just unfortunate, real nice kid. Sometimes in pro sports injuries can derail a lot of careers. Unfortunately for Dillon, it just didn’t work out.

It is unfortunate, because Fournier looked at one point like he had a good chance to make the NHL. The 6’2″ defenseman was an excellent skater who could compete at both ends of the rink. He scored 32 points in 36 games in his final year of junior. According to his agent, he’ll likely go back to school and perhaps play some college hockey in Canada.

Chicago Blackhawks| Injury

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Chicago Blackhawks Sign Czech Defenseman Jan Rutta

June 7, 2017 at 8:57 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The Chicago Blackhawks have won the recruiting war over Jan Rutta, signing him to an entry-level contract. The 26-year old was only eligible to sign a one-year contract and will be an unrestricted free agent at its conclusion. Rutta had been pursued by several NHL teams after a solid performance at the World Championships and a big season in the Czech Republic. Last month his agent Allen Walsh of Octagon Hockey said that he would sign with an NHL club this year, and both Edmonton and Calgary had been reported to have interest.

Chicago had already signed teammate and fellow Czech free agent David Kampf this spring, as the Blackhawks attempt to fill their fringe roster spots with cheap contracts. The team looks like it will lose another impressive young player because of cap troubles, making European and college free agents the best choice to back-fill their roster with cheap but experienced talent. Though Kampf is only 22 and will likely spend some time in the AHL, Rutta is already 26 and has years of professional experience under his belt. He’ll be in competition for an NHL roster spot right away.

When you watch the 6’3″ right-handed shot, Rutta makes you wonder how he hasn’t already been given a chance in the NHL as he has both the skill and size to make it there. While he won’t wow you with any one tool, he controls his gaps and recovers pucks well enough in his own end and features solid skating ability to get it out of traffic. He does have some flair on the powerplay, where he was used as a quarterback in the Czech Republic. It’s not clear if that would be part of his role in Chicago, but he does have the ability to find open lanes with his shot and get penalty killers moving back and forth.

Pierre LeBrun of TSN was first to break the deal. 

Chicago Blackhawks Jan Rutta

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Chicago Blackhawks To Hire Ulf Samuelsson

June 7, 2017 at 8:08 am CDT | by Gavin Lee 2 Comments

According to Craig Morgan of AZ Sports, the Chicago Blackhawks are set to name Ulf Samuelsson as their new assistant coach. The Hawks had been rumored to be after Samuelsson for a few weeks to replace the fired Mike Kitchen. Kitchen had been let go earlier this spring after the Hawks were swept out of the first round, causing many conflicting reports about whether or not Joel Quenneville had been part of the decisions. The head coach and Kitchen are long-time friends who go back to their playing days in the earlier 80s.

Samuelsson on the other hand has been coaching the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL recently, taking the team to a 39-29-8 record this season. It was his first head coaching gig, but he has nearly a decade worth of experience behind an NHL bench, first for the Coyotes and most recently with the New York Rangers. His 1,080 games as a mean-spirited defenseman give him even more insight into the game, and a fiery reputation. Samuelsson recorded 2,453 penalty minutes in his NHL career, and at one point was among the most feared players in the game.

Morgan has also heard that the team is attempting to bring Don Granato aboard in “some capacity.” Granato is currently working at the University of Wisconsin as an assistant coach with his brother, Tony and has previously been a head coach with the US Development Program and two teams in the AHL. His development of young players has been praised many times, perhaps leading to a similar role with the Blackhawks in the future.

Chicago Blackhawks

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What Market Will Markov Attract?

June 5, 2017 at 7:06 pm CDT | by Seth Lawrence 1 Comment

The market for Andrei Markov could be lukewarm or quite heated, and no one really seems to know which. Canadiens’ GM Marc Bergevin has been tight-lipped about his impending free agents, but it’s fair to assume he’ll have some interest in re-signing the Russian defender. That said, the cap situation for Montreal is not simple, and re-signing the dynamic unrestricted free-agent Alexander Radulov will likely take priority. The Habs also need to negotiate a contract with RFA Alex Galchenyuk, attempt to dump Tomas Plekanec’s salary, survive the expansion draft, and round out their forward corps. With Jordie Benn and Jeff Petry already looking to assume larger roles next season, Markov could easily slip through the cracks.

The 38 year-old earned a hefty $5.75 MM last season, but had reasonable production with 6 goals and 30 assists. His advanced possession numbers tell a tale, however, as he took a massive leap forward from the previous season, hitting a solid 54.0% Corsi For. His ice-time saw a slight drop (2:00 less per game), but he’s still seeing top-four minutes. Markov moves the puck well and is a power-play guru with a hard, accurate shot. He’s been the assistant captain on the Canadiens for many years and has never played in a different NHL city, but he could command a sizable final contract in this year’s complete drought of top-end players. If there ever were a time to cash in, this off-season could be it.

On the free-agent market, only Kevin Shattenkirk clearly outclasses Markov in terms of raw offensive ability from the blueline. A team might want to take a risk on a struggling but younger Michael Del Zotto or Dimitry Kulikov, but ultimately, Markov is the proven commodity. Considering that Markov has never won a championship, one would assume that if he were to leave the province of Quebec, it would be for a contender. There is no shortage of teams that could show interest. He could go to a perennial competitor on the cheap, such as the Blackhawks, or could opt for a squad like the Blue Jackets who are on the cusp of true contention. Where he lands is anyone’s guess at the moment,  but it’s fair to expect he will make a positive impact wherever he does.

Chicago Blackhawks| Columbus Blue Jackets| Marc Bergevin| Montreal Canadiens| NHL| Players| RFA Alex Galchenyuk| Alexander Radulov| Andrei Markov| Jeff Petry| Jordie Benn| Kevin Shattenkirk| Michael Del Zotto

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Offseason Keys: Chicago Blackhawks

June 3, 2017 at 2:57 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 1 Comment

While the expansion draft is set to headline a busy NHL offseason, there are still several other storylines for each team in the months ahead. Here is a closer look at what lies ahead for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Despite more roster turnover last offseason, most of the core of the Blackhawks remained intact and expectations were still high.  Chicago played well during the season and earned the top seed in the Western Conference but things unraveled quickly from there as they were swept by Nashville in the first round of the playoffs.  GM Stan Bowman has promised more changes to the roster which makes them a team to keep an eye on this summer.  Here are a few keys to their offseason success.

Get Under The Salary Cap

30 of the 31 teams head into the offseason projected to be under the salary cap.  The one team that isn’t is Chicago and not by an insignificant margin either.  They have over $77.5MM already committed per next season per CapFriendly and the cap isn’t expected to jump all that much higher from the $73MM it was this season.  A major factor in their situation was more than $3.5MM in bonuses being reached this year by several players, most prominently winger Artemi Panarin.  As they finished the season at the cap ceiling, the charge for those bonuses being reached will be applied in 2017-18.

Nov 5, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Chicago Blackhawks center Marcus Kruger (16) skates against the Dallas Stars during the game at the American Airlines Center. The Blackhawks defeat the Stars 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY SportsAs a result, Bowman needs to find a way to trim a fair bit of payroll.  What may prove challenging is that nine different players have some form of no-move or no-trade protection and most of those are their higher paid players.

Among the options to move is center Marcus Kruger.  Earlier this week, it was reported that a deal was being worked on that would move Kruger to Vegas in an agreement that would also see the Golden Knights land young defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk.  Kruger’s cap hit on its own isn’t particularly onerous ($3.083MM) but he’s a bottom six forward and it would make sense to try to free up space there over moving a top six option.  Center Artem Anisimov has also been suggested as a player who could move but that would have a much bigger impact in their top six.  One way or another, they need to free up a fair bit of payroll room.

New Backup Goaltender

With the offseason trade of Scott Darling to Carolina, the Blackhawks need a new backup goaltender.  Their internal options are limited with Jeff Glass being the only other goalie under contract while their two full-time AHL goalies from last season are unrestricted free agents.  As a result, they’ll likely be turning elsewhere to find the right fit.

The trade market is expected to be more robust than usual for netminders over the next few weeks but most of the players changing hands have bigger contracts which will keep Chicago away.  Instead, free agency will be the place to look.

While there are a few bigger names that will hit the open market next month, there are several quality backups to choose from and there should be fewer vacancies than there are goalies available which should bode well for Chicago.  With Corey Crawford entrenched as the starter plus their cap troubles, they aren’t expected to be in the market for the top backups but they should have no difficulty adding an NHL-quality option at a cheap price if they wait out the market.

Add Defensive Help

The back end has been a concern in Chicago for a little while now and it’s projecting to be that way next season as things currently stand.  Unless Brian Campbell wants to take another pay cut, he probably won’t be able to stick around while trade deadline addition Johnny Oduya will also price himself out of what they can afford unless he wants to take a deal that’s well below market value.  Plus, if the Vegas deal happens, they’ll find themselves without another option in van Riemsdyk as well.

The Blackhawks have a strong veteran core in Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, and Niklas Hjalmarsson but there are plenty of question marks after that.  Gustav Forsling has good potential but only has half a season under his belt while 2016 offseason acquisition Michal Kempny had an up-and-down rookie campaign.  Michal Rozsival remains on the roster but isn’t an option to play a regular role at this stage of his career.

In a perfect world, Bowman would find a way to add another top four option without taking away much from his roster.  That’s probably too optimistic at this point but it wouldn’t be surprising to see them go after a couple of veteran bottom pairing options in free agency to at least try to help the bottom pairing and add some depth.  It’s not the perfect solution but that’s about the only improvement that they can likely afford as things currently stand.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Chicago Blackhawks| Stan Bowman Marcus Kruger| Offseason Keys| Trevor Van Riemsdyk

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Finals Notes: Rinne, Hagelin, Fisher

June 2, 2017 at 8:01 pm CDT | by Seth Lawrence 3 Comments

Pekka Rinne has been quite poor through two contests in Pittsburgh with a horrid save percentage of .778. Headed home, the expectation is that he will get the nod to start Game 3 with a raucous home crowd behind him. But the 21 year-old backup Juuse Saros shouldn’t get his baseball hat fitted quite so securely. Predators coach Peter Laviolette has been known to take massive gambles with his goaltenders come playoffs, and he’s found success while doing it. Back in 2007, Martin Gerber was rightfully scratched in favor of Cam Ward, who had a phenomenal playoff resulting in a Stanley Cup Victory. In 2010, Laviolette benched veteran Brian Boucher to tap AHL journeyman Michael Leighton, who miraculously led the 8th-seeded Flyers to a Game 6 overtime against the Chicago Blackhawks in a Stanley Cup Final. Saros is young, to be sure, and he only has 22 NHL contests under his belt, not counting his minimal relief effort in Pittsburgh. Rinne is a former Vezina winner and by all standards has “earned” the right to start Game 3 in his home barn. That said, Ward only had 28 contests under his belt when Laviolette made him the starter. If Rinne were to somehow find the bench tomorrow, it could complicate his future in Smashville. Rinne only has two years remaining at $7 MM per season, but he has been absolutely central to GM David Poile’s strategy thus far.

  • Carl Hagelin isn’t happy to sit on the sidelines in Pittsburgh, as he was stated in an interview with the Tribune-Review. He’s frustrated with himself and his own performance, after only scoring one goal the entire playoffs and sitting out numerous contests. By all accounts, he has been a team player about the entire situation. He has never fully recovered from a lower-body injury, and the drop off in skating has been noticeable. Hagelin is having quite a different post-season than last, but his struggles didn’t begin in April. He potted only 6 goals and 22 points this season, with a shooting percentage of 4.7%. He looked out of sync with both Nick Bonino and Phil Kessel, and struggled to find his place following his demotion. The speed of Hagelin is still a deadly asset, but his play hasn’t warranted his $4 MM pricetag. When it comes time to protect players, Hagelin could theoretically find himself as a sacrificial lamb for Vegas to claim, with the dual purpose of saving cap dollars.
  • Nashville captain Mike Fisher could be considering retirement following this post-season, according to NBC Sports. He is entering the final year of his contract and will become an unrestricted free agent at the age of 37. He had a solid season in Tennessee, posting 18 goals and 24 assists, an improvement over his prior two outings. He had a rough statistical start to the playoffs, going pointless through three rounds of play although he provided amazing defensive play and special teams expertise. Fisher would most likely take a moderate paycut from his current $4.4 MM to remain in Nashville for at least one more season, but his decision could be impacted by the hectic life of his wife Carrie Underwood. If he opted to retire, it would leave Nashville in a difficult situation of replacing both their leader as well as a #2 center. It seems likely that a deal can be worked out by management, especially in light of Nashville’s lengthy, successful campaign.

AHL| Chicago Blackhawks| David Poile| NHL| Nashville Predators| Peter Laviolette| Philadelphia Flyers| Players Cam Ward| Carl Hagelin| Juuse Saros| Mike Fisher| Pekka Rinne| Phil Kessel

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League-Wide Interest In Darren Raddysh

June 2, 2017 at 9:38 am CDT | by Gavin Lee 5 Comments

Sometimes, the NHL Entry Draft gets it wrong. Not just the order of the picks, influenced by former biases or cultural stereotypes, letting players like Nicklas Lidstrom fall to the third round because of his heritage, or Jamie Benn to the fifth because of his competition. No, sometimes it’s even worse than that. Sometimes it misses players completely.

That’s the case for Darren Raddysh, the likely winner of OHL Defenseman of the Year and 21-year old brother of a Tampa Bay Lightning prospect drafted in the second round—Taylor Raddysh, who also had an incredible year. The elder Raddysh went undrafted through each year of eligibility and is now a free agent able to sign with any NHL team he wants, after each one passed on him dozens of times. As Scott Powers of The Athletic notes in his latest piece, the Chicago Blackhawks have considered Raddysh but you could say that for many teams. As his source tells him:

I think you might have 30 teams who would tell you the same thing. He had a very, very impressive year.

It’s true, Raddysh did have an impressive year. After two very successful seasons for the Erie Otters that saw him score 48 and 40 points, he exploded this season as an overager. While many players dominate the junior leagues after their 20th birthday, Raddysh performed on another level scoring 81 points in 62 games and another 22 in the playoffs. Even at his advanced age and on a team loaded with talent, the defenseman turned heads all over the league.

Now, there is no guarantee—or even really a likelihood—that Raddysh goes on to great things in the NHL. But you can be sure that he’ll be signing an entry-level contract somewhere, and will be given a chance to develop as a talented, puck-rushing defenseman. The fact that he’s right-handed helps his case, and though he’s not a bruising presence, he’s not small either. Standing at 6’1″, 200-lbs Raddysh can take care of himself in his own end and has enough offense to make up for it. Whether he can learn the systems of professional hockey and be sound enough positionally to make an impact is still to be seen, but people have underestimated him for too long. Now, instead of being chosen by an organization, it’s Raddysh that will get to make a selection.

Chicago Blackhawks| Erie Otters| OHL NHL Entry Draft

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Exclusive Negotiating Rights Of 33 Players Expire

June 1, 2017 at 4:33 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 1 Comment

The deadline for signing draft picks has come and gone, and unless more deals come in after the fact, 33 players will see their exclusive negotiating rights expire. With it they will either re-enter the 2017 draft for the final time or become free agents, depending on their age. None of the selections were made any higher than the fourth round, though even that is an unfortunate loss for a team hoping to hit a late-round stud. Below is the full list of players:

Buffalo Sabres

Giorgio Estephan (6th round, 2015)
Gustav Possler (5th round, 2013)

Calgary Flames

Riley Bruce (7th round, 2015)

Chicago Blackhawks

Roy Radke (6th round, 2015)

Colorado Avalanche

Wilhelm Westlund (7th round, 2013)

Read more

Columbus Blue Jackets

Sam Ruopp (5th round, 2015)
Markus Soberg (6th round, 2013)

Dallas Stars

Aleksi Makela (7th round, 2013)
Matej Paulovic (5th round, 2013)

Detroit Red Wings

Hampus Melen (7th round, 2013)
Adam Marsh (7th round, 2015)

Edmonton Oilers

Miroslav Svoboda (7th round, 2015)

Los Angeles Kings

Matt Schmalz (5th round, 2015)

Montreal Canadiens

Matt Bradley (5th round, 2015)

Nashville Predators

Janne Juvonen (7th round, 2013)
Evan Smith (7th round, 2015)
Saku Maenalanen (5th round, 2013)

New York Islanders

Ryan Pilon (5th round, 2015)
Victor Crus-Rydberg (5th round, 2013)

New York Rangers

Brad Morrison (4th round, 2015)

Philadelphia Flyers

Samuel Dove-McFalls (4th round, 2015)

San Jose Sharks

Fredreik Bergvik (4th round, 2013)

St. Louis Blues

Santeri Saari (6th round, 2013)
Glenn Gawdin (4th round, 2015)
Liam Dunda (6th round, 2015)

Tampa Bay Lightning

Saku Salminen (7th round, 2013)

Toronto Maple Leafs

Stephen Desrocher (6th round, 2015)
Fabrice Herzog (5th round, 2013)
Nikita Korostelev (7th round, 2015)

Vancouver Canucks

Carl Neill (5th round, 2015)
Tate Olson (7th round, 2015)

Winnipeg Jets

Marcus Karlstrom (7th round, 2013)
Matteo Gennaro (7th round, 2015)

Buffalo Sabres| Calgary Flames| Chicago Blackhawks| Colorado Avalanche| Columbus Blue Jackets| Dallas Stars| Detroit Red Wings| Edmonton Oilers| Los Angeles Kings| Montreal Canadiens| Nashville Predators| New York Islanders| New York Rangers| Philadelphia Flyers| San Jose Sharks| St. Louis Blues| Tampa Bay Lightning| Toronto Maple Leafs| Vancouver Canucks| Winnipeg Jets Matt Schmalz

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