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Evening Snapshots: Babcock, Matthews, Bridge Deals

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Toronto Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock praised the performance of Auston Matthews, but believes there’s always room for improvement writes NHL.com’s Adam Kimelman. Matthews, who registered 40 goals and 69 points en route to a playoff appearance and Calder Award, will be expected to build on his performance last season as the Leafs look to take the next step in their rebuild. Babcock says that he isn’t one to “measure by points” but instead looks at how they “play” and “compete.” The young Leafs took a huge step forward, pushing the “painful rebuild” that Babcock once called it into a quicker ascent. But in true Babcockian form, he sprinkles praise while expecting more:

Obviously we have good young players,” Babcock said. “We have a lot of them. It’s kind of a group that’s growing up together. But it’s one year and one year doesn’t make a career. You have to do it again and again and again. We’re excited about our opportunities.

  • Puck Daddy’s Ryan Lambert writes about how Ryan Johansen’s deal certainly challenges the old guard way of thinking when it comes to bridge contracts. Rewarding Johansen with an eight-year deal instead of a one-two year contract.  Lambert points out that going with the longer deal instead of a bridge and then the long deal seems like the better bet. The logic here would be getting the player through his prime instead of playing a “wait and see” game and then locking him up long after his prime has expired. There are a litany of examples of this in the NHL, but in an age of cost certainty and public outcry at what’s deemed a bad deal, general managers are often in a tight spot when it comes to choosing a bridge deal or a long-term contract.

Early Notes: Offer Sheets, Bridge Deals, Matthews

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One of the most exciting and simultaneously disappointing parts of the current offseason structure is the offer sheet. While fans and media alike speculate on who will get one each year, it’s almost never done. Interestingly, now we have a former management voice also speaking up about how he’d like offer sheets to play a bigger part in the NHL summer. Frank Provenzano, a former assistant general manager with the Washington Capitals and Dallas Stars, is now a writer for The Athletic, and penned an article today looking at why teams don’t give out many offer sheets. In it he talks about how he used to try and get his team to use them:

When I was in charge of negotiating NHL contracts, I pushed to find offer sheet candidates EVERY summer. And yet I never made a single one. I can tell you first hand it wasn’t because of some fear of pissing off another GM. It was because the offer sheet lever, as it’s currently constructed, simply doesn’t work.

It’s a fascinating look behind the curtain of NHL front offices, as Provenzano explains why the current compensation structure doesn’t allow offer sheets to be signed very often. The long-standing belief that teams just didn’t want to incite a run on their own restricted free agents is challenged, and from first hand knowledge. It’s definitely a worthwhile read, as is so much coming out of the Athletic these days.

  • On the theme of contract structures, Puck Daddy’s Ryan Lambert examines bridge deals and their effect on eventual player salaries. Citing Ryan Johansen as the latest example, Lambert wonders why team’s aren’t more willing to “pay up” coming out of an entry-level contract instead of spending big on post-prime years. Johansen will be earning $8MM per year through his age-32 season, something that wouldn’t have happened had he signed a long-term deal in 2014 instead of a bridge deal. Interestingly, this is the approach the Oilers have taken with Connor McDavid, instead of perhaps saving some money on a shorter term deal that doesn’t buy out as many UFA years. Could it end up costing them when McDavid hits the open market at age-29?
  • Adam Kimelman of NHL.com caught up with Mike Babcock at the World Junior Summer Showcase, where the Toronto Maple Leafs coach is presumably scratching his hockey itch by watching some of the best young players in the world. The conversation turned to Auston Matthews, who Babcock believes can be even better this season. After scoring 40 goals and 69 points as a rookie and almost unanimously taking home the Calder trophy, Babcock thinks the improvements to his defensive game and pace of play will allow him to have the puck even more and dominate play. Matthews turns 20 in September, and will be a big part of any return to the playoffs for the Maple Leafs in 2017-18.
  • NBC has announced its nationally televised schedule for the upcoming season, which includes three games each from the aforementioned Matthews and McDavid. The first Vegas Golden Knights’ home game will also be on national television, when they face off against the Arizona Coyotes on October 10th.

Red Wings Notes: Tatar, Athanasiou, DeKeyser, Nelson

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With Tomas Tatar and Andreas Athanasiou still waiting on contracts, the Athletic’s Craig Custance projects what they could earn once they sign on the dotted line. Tatar has been one of the few Red Wings scoring at a regular clip and his deal should be around $4.3MM per year. Term and dollars will be important to both parties, and Custance calls this the “tricky” notion of Tatar’s deal. Tatar potted 25 goals last season and is deserving of a significant raise. Meanwhile, Athanasiou is still relatively young, though many can already see how his devastating speed and scoring prowess could quickly translate into multiple 20 goal seasons, and possibly, 30. The Wings, according to Custance, could get him around a $1.9MM AAV because of his lesser time in the NHL. But if the trends continue, Athanasiou will come at a bridge bargain now, while getting a significant pay raise later.

  • Defenseman Danny DeKeyser has become somewhat of a pariah for some Red Wings fans, but The Athletic’s Jack Han takes a closer look at the somewhat predictable decline in DeKeyser’s play and numbers. Signed by Detroit as an unrestricted free agent in 2013, DeKeyser flourished in the top six under Mike Babcock and earned the nickname “the human eraser” for his staunch commitment to his end of the ice while keeping opposing scorers in check. All of this changed, according to Han, when new coach Jeff Blashill took over and the defensive corps weakened.Apr 15, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Detroit Red Wings defenseman Danny DeKeyser (65) during the first period of the game two of the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Detroit Red Wings at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY SportsDeKeyser was given top pair minutes, which exposed him against the better players on opposing squads. Worse, the generous contract from general manager Ken Holland only increased the scrutiny on his play, especially after a disastrous season in 2016-17. Is DeKeyser truly as bad as some think? Han doesn’t think so. He takes a look at Corsi and Scoring Chances to quantify DeKeyser’s value and after a thorough job, notes that DeKeyser certainly isn’t deserving of high end minutes. Regardless of where he does end up, it’s destined to be a rough road with a Red Wings blue line that isn’t exactly top tier.
  • With the hiring of Rick Tocchet in Arizona, Calder Cup Champion and current Grand Rapids bench boss Todd Nelson will remain with the Griffins. Nelson, hired back in 2015, has guided the Griffins to a second round showing in 2015-16, and a championship in 2016-17. The Red Wings are looking at infusing more youth into the lineup and Nelson steered much of that young talent with a steady hand. Having Nelson in Grand Rapids gives the organization peace of mind knowing that the development of several critical players, notably Evgeny Svechnikov, will be overseen by one of the best in the AHL.

Leafs Re-Sign Zach Hyman

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed forward Zach Hyman to a four-year contract extension, thereby avoiding arbitration. The cap value is $2.25 AAV, but breaks down in real dollars as $2 MM annually for the next two seasons, and $2.5 MM annually for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons. Hyman applied for arbitration today, but the parties were able to come to a deal without needed to fully exercise that option.

Hyman is an intriguing piece of Toronto’s impressive young roster. This deal could be a real bargain for Toronto as they try to squeeze other youngsters’ new contracts under the cap in coming off-seasons. Hyman looks to be a consistent 40 point player and for the other assets he brings, this is more than fair value. The 25-year-old is a bit of a late bloomer, just playing his first full NHL season this year, racking up 10 goals and 18 assists through 82 games. Under Mike Babcock, the nuts-and-bolts forward has really developed his overall game. He’s a sparkplug on the ice and is agile on his feet. He also plays bigger than his 6’0 frame, getting in on the forecheck and generally being an annoyance to opposing defensemen.

Hyman has also showed chemistry with standout rookie and probable franchise player Auston Matthews, playing a good portion of the season on his left wing. Hyman tends to do the dirty work in front of the net and in the corners while Matthews finds soft spots in coverage. He is versatile, however, and can slot up and down the lineup as needed. He can play both wings with relative proficiency, as well as center in a pinch. As a third wheel for any of the high-flying offensive threats the team has, he’s a wonderfully useful player. Toronto is likely most happy about the ability to buy out some of his unrestricted years while Hyman is likely grateful for the security. There’s not much to complain about for fans of the team, as Toronto was able to avoid the single or two year deal that would have resulted from the arbitration process.

Of note, this deal currently puts the Toronto Maple Leafs at $3.93 MM over the cap ceiling. Teams are allowed to exceed the cap ceiling in the off-season by 10 percent in the off-season, but must be compliant by the start of the year. The team still also is expected to re-sign RFA Connor Brown, but they will have both Joffrey Lupul and Nathan Horton headed to LTIR once the season begins.

NHL Awards Preview

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Caught up in the excitement of the Expansion Draft, it’s easy to forget that there is also an awards show tonight. Yes, the best trophy in all of sports, the Stanley Cup, has already been presented to the Pittsburgh Penguins, as has the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP to their captain, Sidney Crosby. Crosby also already locked up the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy for the most regular season goals. Edmonton Oilers wunderkind Connor McDavid captured the Art Ross Trophy for the most regular season points as well. Braden Holtby locked up the William M. Jennings Trophy already too, as the Washington Capitals allowed the least amount of goals against in the regular season. Yet, all three of these players and many more still have a lot on the line tonight. Here are the nominees for tonight’s NHL Awards:

Hart Trophy – Most Valuable Player

Sergei Bobrovsky, Columbus Blue Jackets

  • Star goalie helped to lead the Blue Jackets to their best record in franchise history, all while topping the league in save percentage (.931) and goals against average (2.06)

Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins

  • The NHL’s leading goal-scorer and back-to-back winner of the Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe Trophy

Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers

  • 20-year-old phenom led the league in points and assists and took his team from the draft lottery to the second round of the playoffs

Norris Trophy – Best Defenseman

Brent Burns, San Jose Sharks

  • Not only led all defenseman in scoring with 76 points, but finished ninth overall among some of the league’s most dynamic forwards. Can check with the best of them as well.

Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning

  • A down year for the Bolts was a career year for Hedman, who finished just four points behind Burns with 72, and led all blue liners with 56 assists

Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators

  • If this award had been voted on after the playoffs, it might have been a different result. The NHL’s best puck-mover may still pull it off behind a 71-point campaign and an improved defensive game

Read more

Morning Notes: Babcock, Maple Leafs, Borowiecki

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The Toronto Maple Leafs fan base has been abuzz over the last few days after seeing pictures of Mike Babcock at games 3 and 4 between Nashville and Anaheim, even being joined by GM Lou Lamoriello for the latter. His appearance immediately made many think that he was scouting Ducks defensemen eligible for the expansion draft, though Sportsnet’s Luke Fox has an additional theory.

Predators captain Mike Fisher will be a free agent this summer, and though he’s obviously tied strongly to the Nashville community—he’s married to country music star Carrie Underwood after all—the numbers might just not leave enough room for him. Nashville has a busy offseason ahead of them, with both Ryan Johansen and Viktor Arvidsson hitting restricted free agency. If Fisher were to hit the open market, Toronto would likely be interested after the comments Babcock made earlier this year about him.

  • Maple Leafs fans will also be happy to see the success of their two young stars at the World Championships. Mitch Marner and William Nylander have been some of the best forwards in the tournament thus far, with Nylander especially finding incredible chemistry with playoff-foe Nicklas Backstrom. Nylander and Backstrom have a long history, going back to the latter’s rookie season in Washington when he was welcomed into the home of then-teammate Michael Nylander, William’s father. The two, almost 10 years apart, spent a lot of time together during those first two seasons playing ping-pong in the basement or mini-sticks in the hallway. It seems all that time spent so many years ago has created a sort of familiarity on the ice, that has blossomed into some incredible goals since Backstrom joined the tournament.
  • The Ottawa Senators won’t get Mark Borowiecki back tonight, though he took the morning skate with the team. According to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia, the bruising defenseman suffered a setback pushing too hard to try and get back on the ice. He still hopes to return in this series, which would stretch to next Thursday should it go all seven games. The Senators will try to take a commanding 3-1 series lead tonight as they take on the Penguins at home.

 

Toronto Maple Leafs Eyeing Swedish Help On Defense

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For all the success the Toronto Maple Leafs rookie forward group had this season, with Auston Matthews immediately becoming #1 center, Mitch Marner proving his size doesn’t change the fact that he’s a wizard with the puck, and William Nylander coming into his own as a possession-driving forward, their was still (at least) one thing wrong with the team. Their defense, even with the addition of 25-year old rookie Nikita Zaitsev, were often criticized for giving up leads and looking lost in their own end.

So they entered this season with a clear direction: add depth on defense. Morgan Rielly, Jake Gardiner and Zaitsev gave them three reliable options—ones that are now all locked up for next season—but they needed to fix the bottom pair if nothing else. Matt Hunwick and Roman Polak are both free agents, and though at times held their own were generally a weakness on the team.

When Mike Babcock finished the season, he immediately said he’d be heading to the World Championships to watch a few players, and this week told Darren Dreger that the team would soon be announcing a few European signings. It seems like those will include at least two Swedish defenders, namely Calle Rosen and Philip Holm. Rosen was linked to the Maple Leafs last month, while yesterday a report surfaced from a Swedish source that said Holm was also committed to the Maple Leafs.

Rosen and Holm both played this season for Vaxjo of the SHL, and are even usual partners there. Both shoot from the left-side, and have a common ability to skate the puck out of traffic and move it with crisp passes. During the year Holm, the elder of the two at 25, recorded 21 points while Rosen notched 19 in 11 fewer games.

With Holm getting into his first two matches at the World Championships for Sweden, Babcock likely has seen him up close. His three point effort against the Italians today would certainly impress, as he keeps up with the other outstanding defenders on Sweden.

Though nothing has been officially announced just yet, Rosen and Holm would definitely add a new wrinkle to the Maple Leafs defense group next season, and perhaps even get another chance to play together under the bright lights of professional hockey. While Maple Leafs GM Lou Lamoriello said recently that there is one player in particular in the minors that they’d like to take a look at, these Swedish defenders may block any prospect from making the jump just yet.

Toronto Maple Leafs To Announce European Signings Soon

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While he didn’t give Darren Dreger of TSN much in an interview featured on “Dreger’s Cafe”, Mike Babcock did let it slip that the team will soon announce some signings that will “add to [their] group”. Dreger confirmed that Babcock didn’t mean any restricted free agents, but European players that have been scouted by the Leafs’ staff all season.

Recently Toronto was linked to Calle Rosen, and has also been rumored to be involved in the Evgeni Dadonov sweepstakes. Babcock himself is attending the World Championships to scout some players of interest, where the Russian winger is currently playing. It’s unclear who else the Maple Leafs coach would be referring to as obviously there are hundreds of eligible players throughout Europe.

Babcock also talked about his team’s needs for next season, joking that if he could pluck a right-handed defenseman able to log 25 minutes a night off a tree in the backyard he would. The coach mentioned that they could use help up front and on defense, and it’s clear that they will be busy this offseason exploring any avenue to make their team better. That said, Babcock again made it clear that the team will stick to their plan of building a “program” that looks for consistent success instead of short windows and even with their success this season will not stray.

On Auston Matthews, Babcock heaped praise upon the character of his young superstar saying that he knew he would be a good man the second he met his parents. He won’t commit to the idea that Matthews will be captain next year, though does think of him as a future leader. The Maple Leafs haven’t had a captain since they traded Dion Phaneuf to the Ottawa Senators in 2016, and have had a combination of Morgan Rielly, Matt Hunwick, Leo Komarov and Tyler Bozak in the alternate captain role over the past year.

Maple Leafs Notes: Babcock, Boyle, Nylander

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The Maple Leafs met with the media today after cleaning out their lockers, and Mike Babcock spoke about several things including his immediate future. The head coach will be heading to the World Championships not behind the bench, but in the stands to scout players of interest according to James Mirtle of The Athletic. While he obviously didn’t clarify which players those would be, there are several names that would be of interest to teams around the league.

Daniel Brickley will be suiting up for Team USA before heading back for another season with Minnesota State. The 22-year old defenseman will be a free agent next spring should he decide to turn pro, and would likely be on Toronto’s radar. Vadim Shipchyov and Evgeny Dadonov, both rumored to be heading to the NHL this summer will also be suiting up for the Russian team, likely who you’ll find Babcock watcing most often.

  • Brian Boyle told reporters that he’d be open to returning to the Maple Leafs, emphasizing how much fun he had since coming over from Tampa Bay at the deadline. Boyle is an unrestricted free agent this summer, and will be a sought after free agent for his leadership and success in a bottom-six role. He earned $2MM this season, but might even see a slight raise on a short-term deal.
  • Surprisingly, Babcock relayed that William Nylander will not be moved to center next year despite earlier reports that he would. Nylander found a ton of success with Auston Matthews throughout the season but was expected to move back to his natural position next year. It will be interesting to see what that means for the rest of the Maple Leaf forwards, as they already had a backlog of wingers before this decision. It also means that Tyler Bozak perhaps is safe for another season, after setting a career-high in points. Bozak will be entering the final season of his current contract, and will be a UFA in the summer of 2018.

Atlantic Notes: Detroit’s Prospects, Babcock, Canadiens

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With the Detroit Red Wings still deciding on how to proceed after a disappointing season, it’s the playoff run for AHL affiliate Grand Rapids that stands as a great development tool for future prospects writes the Detroit News’ Ted Kulfan. The Griffins lead the AHL in most playoff games played (59) since 2013, and look to build upon this with a slew of young talent destined to fill the NHL roster. Yesterday’s Calder Cup playoff opener saw the Griffins drop Milwaukee 4-3, thanks to the efforts of several young players, namely Tomas Nosek and Evgeny Svechnikov. Nosek potted the overtime game winner while Svechnikov added one of his own. While it’s not the NHL, Kulfan adds that the playoff atmosphere is the perfect way to expose the younger players to the pressures that wait. Both Nosek and Svechnikov had a cup of coffee with the Wings this season, and a longer playoff run will help those two, along with the others, grow in ability as they approach a regular gig in the NHL.

  • The Toronto Sun’s Steve Simmons writes that in the midst of Buffalo’s turmoil, it was Mike Babcock’s wife who ultimately won the battle between Buffalo and Toronto for getting his services. It turns out, according to Simmons, that Mrs. Babcock’s decision was certainly a good one as Babcock has guided a young and talented Toronto roster to the playoffs (currently down 3-2 to Washington) while Tim Murray and Dan Bylsma find themselves on the unemployment line. This of course, is all interesting to look at in light of the recent developments. Simmons adds that Babcock initially preferred the Sabres’ roster to the Leafs–but ultimately chose the Leafs.
  • The New York Post’s Brett Cyrgalis reports that the Rangers plan on pushing back at the Canadiens crease crashing as they try to close out the Atlantic Division champs tonight. The Habs have put intense pressure on Rangers’ netminder Henrik Lundqvist in the paint, and the efforts should only intensify as Montreal faces elimination. The Rangers have elevated their physical play, namely defenseman Brendan Smith who fought Andrew Shaw Thursday night. But the Canadiens, for their part, are “excited” at the pressure facing them, and plan on focusing first on game six before looking too far ahead.

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