Anthony Duclair Signs With Columbus Blue Jackets
Friday: The team has officially announced the contract, putting Duclair on his fourth NHL team. GM Jarmo Kekalainen released a statement about the young forward:
Anthony is a skilled, young player with world-class speed, who has played in over 200 NHL games as a 22-year-old and was one of the league’s top rookies just two years ago. He is eager for an opportunity to improve as a player and we think he has a chance to be an impactful addition to our hockey club.
Thursday: After failing to receive a qualifying offer from the Chicago Blackhawks last week, Anthony Duclair became an unrestricted free agent and could sign anywhere he chose. That landing spot is apparently the Columbus Blue Jackets, as Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports reports that the young winger will sign a one-way contract worth a league minimum $650K for 2018-19. Duclair would have cost the Blackhawks nearly twice that much, as his qualifying offer would have had to be $1.2MM.
Duclair, 22, will be on his fourth NHL team when he joins the Blue Jackets organization. Originally drafted by the New York Rangers, he was originally part of the trade that brought Keith Yandle from Arizona in 2015. He proceeded to score 20 goals in his first season with the Coyotes, but hasn’t come close to replicating those numbers in the years since. After a midseason trade brought him to Chicago this year, he registered eight points in 23 games and didn’t have quite the impact the team had hoped. $1.2MM (or more, as Duclair was arbitration eligible) was deemed too high a price for the Blackhawks to pay.
In Columbus, the speedy winger joins a deep forward group that won’t be able to guarantee him a role in the top-nine. Though he has certainly shown the skills to perform at that level in the past, he’ll have to do it again before head coach John Tortorella—who was actually fired from the Rangers job just a month before they selected Duclair in the first place—gives him an increased role. For the Blue Jackets though this is a low-risk, high-reward move that could turn out to have huge benefits should Duclair find his game once again.
At the very least they likely have another trade chip, as there were other teams interested in Duclair when he hit the open market. Because he signed with the Blue Jackets while he is still so young, Duclair will actually be a restricted free agent when the contract expires next summer. This time around the qualifying offer will be just above league minimum, meaning Columbus or any acquiring team would be able to retain him for a reasonable amount.
No Contract Talks Yet Between Blue Jackets And Ryan Murray
- Blue Jackets defenseman Ryan Murray was one of the few arbitration-eligible players who opted not to file for salary arbitration. Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that there haven’t been any contract discussions with the 24-year-old. While his decision not to file leaves him open for an offer sheet, that’s still a very unlikely scenario given how few of those get handed out.
Snapshots: Chychrun, Lambert, Legace
The Arizona Coyotes were shocked by how quickly Jakob Chychrun recovered year, as the then-19 year old defenseman made his return to the lineup just three months after undergoing knee surgery in August. This time they won’t be so surprised. Chychrun, who suffered another brutal knee injury at the very end of the season, is expected to be ready for training camp in September with the Coyotes according to Craig Morgan of AZ Sports. His remarkable ability to rehab doesn’t faze GM John Chayka at this point, who said that Chychrun is “just one of those guys who just recovers on his own schedule.”
That’s big news for the Coyotes, who are looking to ride a late-season surge last season all the way to the playoffs in 2018-19. After acquiring several players including Derek Stepan, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Antti Raanta last summer, Chayka was busy again in bringing in Alex Galchenyuk, Michael Grabner and Marcus Kruger to round out the lineup. All eyes though will be on the young core of Chychrun, Clayton Keller and Dylan Strome, who are the key to getting the Coyotes back to long-term respectability.
- The New York Islanders have shocked no one by hiring Lane Lambert as an assistant coach, reuniting him with Barry Trotz behind the bench. Lambert has worked alongside Trotz for the last seven seasons, prior to which he worked as the head coach of the Milwaukee Admirals implementing the same system Trotz was using while with the Nashville Predators. The two are almost inseparable at this point, and now face the task of returning the Islanders to success in 2018-19.
- As many have expected, the Columbus Blue Jackets have named former NHL goaltender Manny Legace as their new goaltending coach, promoting him from a similar position with their minor league affiliates. Legace, known as an incredibly consistent backup goalie during his playing career, is now an extremely well-regarded coach that was destined for the NHL ranks. He’ll get to work with two-time Vezina winner Sergei Bobrovsky in his first season in Columbus, but will likely focus more on preparing Joonas Korpisalo for the starting role should the team not be able to reach a contract extension with the former. Bobrovsky is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next summer, and could command a deal like Carey Price‘s eight-year $84MM extension.
Boone Jenner Re-Signs With Columbus Blue Jackets
Thursday: The team has officially announced the contract, signing Jenner to a four-year deal worth $15MM. The $3.75MM average annual value is a raise on Jenner’s $2.9MM salary throughout his last contract.
Wednesday: The Columbus Blue Jackets are close to re-signing one of their three key restricted free agents according to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic and Bruce Bolton of NHL Network, inking Boone Jenner to a four-year contract. Jenner was issued a qualifying offer last week and had arbitration rights, but will now stay in Columbus until hitting unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2022 should the contract be finalized as expected.
Jenner, 25, hasn’t been able to replicate the 30-goal campaign he enjoyed in 2015-16, but is still a valuable piece in the Blue Jackets puzzle. A true power forward with over 200 hits in each of his four full seasons, Jenner filled in at center when required and recorded 32 points in 75 games. Though that isn’t the offensive performance the Blue Jackets are expecting, at least some of it can be attributed to his career-low shooting percentage that should rebound at some point in the future. Still, he isn’t as crucial to the offense as in previous years and will only become less so as players like Oliver Bjorkstrand and Sonny Milano become more comfortable.
What he can do and why the Blue Jackets locked him up, is give the Blue Jackets an identity as a punishing, difficult team to play against. As Brandon Dubinsky sees his role diminish and Nick Foligno enters his thirties, much of the responsibility for physical play will fall to Jenner and other young forwards like Josh Anderson. Coach John Tortorella likes to have his teams grind down opponents with heavy forechecks, and the Blue Jackets will once again be one of the bigger teams in the league next season with Jenner and company in the fold.
The question now becomes what Jenner will set himself up for on the open market as a 29-year old in 2022. Will he add another 30-goal campaign to his resume and be able to market himself as a premiere power forward, or will he simply be another David Clarkson with one outstanding year under his belt and relatively little success otherwise. He now has four years to prove himself one way or the other, and Columbus will certainly hope he leans towards the former.
Morning Notes: Boll, Olczyk, Cohen
It’s the end of a career for Jared Boll, who Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports has hung up his skates for the last time. Boll retires after a career as one of the league’s most prolific fighters, dropping the mitts 171 times in the NHL over a 579 game career. Boll put up 226 penalty minutes as a rookie in 2007-08, after being selected in the fourth round of the 2005 draft by the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Ending his career with the Anaheim Ducks, Boll will retire with 66 NHL points, 1,298 penalty minutes and more than a few bruises. As the league moves further and further away from fighting, and reduces the number of true enforcers playing in the NHL, there just wasn’t a place for the 32-year old any longer. It’s safe to say the fans in Columbus will look back fondly on his tenure, even if the game has moved on.
- Rick Olczyk has moved on from the Carolina Hurricanes according to Aaron Ward, who reports the long-time executive will be joining the Toronto Maple Leafs in some capacity. Olczyk has been the Hurricanes’ assistant GM for several years, but with the firing of Ron Francis and takeover by Don Waddell, there may have been a mutual parting. It’s not clear what role the former Edmonton Oilers executive would take on in Toronto, as the team already has two assistant general managers in Brandon Pridham and Laurence Gilman. There had been plenty of rumors around a potential fit for Francis in Toronto due to his Sault Ste. Marie connections with GM Kyle Dubas, and perhaps he recommended Olczyk for certain responsibilities.
- The Arizona Coyotes have promoted Ahron Cohen to President and CEO according to Craig Morgan of AZ Sports, replacing Steve Patterson who had been named CEO just last year. Cohen at that time was named COO after serving as general counsel, but will now take over the business operations of the team. Cohen was clear that he’ll do everything he can to turn around the Coyotes franchise and bring sustained success to the city when he told Morgan “I’m married to this job. This is my passion. I love this team and I love the opportunity we have to build something special in Arizona.”
Riley Nash Signs With Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets have added some center depth, signing Riley Nash to a three-year contract worth $8.25MM according to Darren Dreger of TSN. Nash came in at #15 on our Top 50 UFA List, where we had predicted exactly that term and salary—though with his former team the Boston Bruins. Instead, Nash will head to the Metropolitan Division and help replace outgoing forwards like Mark Letestu and Matt Calvert.
Nash, 29, is a useful center that can play in various situations and find success all throughout the lineup. Coming off his best season as a pro, in which he recorded 41 points for the Bruins, a three-year deal at less than $3MM is more than reasonable for the Blue Jackets. In fact, if he can find that same level of offensive success in Columbus it would be regarded as one of the better deals of free agency, though it seems unlikely given the circumstances he’s walking into. Nash was given a chance to play at times with David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand while Patrice Bergeron was injured, while Pierre-Luc Dubois will likely be anchored to the Blue Jackets’ top line as long as he stays healthy.
Instead, Nash will be asked to provide some jump among a bottom-six that struggled to keep up offensively at times last season. The Blue Jackets had just four forwards register 40 or more points on the season, with Alexander Wennberg being an incredible disappointment with only eight goals and 27 assists in 66 games. If Wennberg struggles again next season you can bet Nash will be ready and waiting to take some of his top-six and powerplay minutes.
Blue Jackets Ink Defenseman Dillon Simpson
Columbus continues to bolster their numbers on the blue line, adding a third free agent defenseman so far in Dillon Simpson. The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline reports that it is a two-year, two-way deal for Simpson, which will carry an average annual value of $675K in the NHL.
Simpson, 25, was eligible for Group VI unrestricted free agency this season and will leave the Edmonton Oilers after another season spent entirely in the minor leagues. The former University of North Dakota standout played 61 games for the Bakersfield Condors in 2017-18 and recorded 18 points. Obviously not in the Oilers plans, he’ll try to catch on with the Cleveland Monsters and show the Blue Jackets that he’s capable of excelling in professional hockey.
Columbus saw Jack Johnson and Ian Cole head to new teams in free agency and have responded by signing several minor league defensemen to rebuild their depth. The team is also hoping for a bounce back by the Monsters, who struggled this season after seeing several key graduations over the last few years.
Columbus Signs Defenseman Adam Clendening
The Blue Jackets continue to add to their defensive depth, now adding journeyman blue liner Adam Clendening to their ranks. The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline reports that it is a one-year, two-way deal for Clendening and adds that he will be paid $700K at the NHL level and $300K at the AHL level, with a $400K final salary guaranteed. Clendening is expected to compete for a job in Columbus with fellow new addition Tommy Cross and returning prospects Dean Kukan and Gabriel Carlsson.
Clendening, 25, is on his seventh NHL organization already and has never been able to secure a full-time role. Selected 36th overall in 2011, the former Boston University standout has just 86 NHL games under his belt and was allowed to walk into free agency when he went unqualified by the Chicago Blackhawks. Even if he doesn’t make an impact at the highest level for the Blue Jackets, Clendening is an excellent minor league defender that can put up big point totals and log huge minutes.
The Cleveland Monsters, Columbus’ AHL affiliate, have fallen on tough times recently and need help turning things around. After winning the Calder Cup in 2016, the team finished second-last in the entire league with just 25 wins. That included ranking in the bottom three in both goals for and goals against, something that Clendening will try to change next year.
Blue Jackets Sign Defenseman Tommy Cross
The Columbus Blue Jackets are bringing in a familiar face in former USHL Junior Blue Jackets player Tommy Cross. The 28-year-old defenseman, a long-time Boston Bruins depth player, is also a good friend of Cam Atkinson from the pair’s time at Boston College. TSN’s Frank Servalli reports that it is a two-way deal for Cross, paying him the minimum $650K at the NHL level.
The 28-year-old has shown off his offensive game over the past couple of years with the Bruins’ AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins. In two seasons, he’s combined for 20 goals and 71 points. However, the blueliner has not had any success cracking the Bruins lineup, even with the team’s rash of injuries in the last couple of years. He hasn’t appeared in a regular season game in two years, although he did make an appearance in a Bruins’ playoff game in the 2016-17 season.
The two-way deal should allow Cross to play a major role for the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters and would have to challenge both Dean Kukan and Markus Nutivaara for playing time at the NHL level.
Snapshots: Van Riemsdyk, Komorov, Lehner, Mrazek, Brodziak
While the free agent market is escalating fast as the window opens tomorrow, the bidding war that surrounds unrestricted free agent center James van Riemsdyk has increased in the last few hours. The Toronto Maple Leafs winger, who tallied a career-high 36 goals last year, is being heavily courted by several teams. TSN’s Frank Seravalli reports (Tweet link) that nothing is close yet and the free agent is still deliberating and hasn’t narrowed down his list beyond a handful of teams.
Regardless, optimism is abound as Arizona Sports 98.7 Sports host John Gambadoro (Tweet link) writes that the Arizona Coyotes are aggressively in the mix for van Riemsdyk and could get an answer as soon as tonight as to where the free agent will sign. AZ Sports Craig Morgan (Tweet link) adds that there is optimism that the Coyotes are a serious contender. The Athletic’s James Mirtle writes (Tweet link) that the Buffalo Sabres are also pushing hard for van Riemsdyk and it looks like the veteran sniper could break the bank with his deal.
- The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline (Tweet link) writes the Columbus Blue Jackets and the New York Rangers are both interested in unrestricted free agent Leo Komarov. The former Toronto Maple Leafs’ center had a down year as the 31-year-old scored just seven goals and 19 points in 74 games. The veteran instigator is coming off a four-year, $11.8MM deal that he signed back in 2014.
- With the goaltending market already spinning at high speeds, the Carolina Hurricanes must sort out their goaltending situation quickly, according to Chip Alexander of the News & Observer. With backup Cam Ward expected to sign with the Chicago Blackhawks and the struggles that surrounded starter Scott Darling last year, the team must find someone who can share duties with Darling, especially if he struggles for a second-straight year. Alexander writes the team has shown interest in former starters Robin Lehner and Petr Mrazek, both goalies who were not given qualifying offers earlier this week.
- Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes that while there are reports that Blues’ unrestricted free agent Kyle Brodziak is close to signing a deal with the Edmonton Oilers, the Blues are still in the mix to re-sign their veteran center. The 34-year-old center played three years in St. Louis and posted his best numbers yet, tallying 10 goals and 33 points.