Columbus Notes: Harrington; Tynan; Broadhurst
Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch reports that the Columbus Blue Jackets are close to new deals with three RFAs: Scott Harrington, T.J. Tynan, and Alex Broadhurst. Those three are Columbus’s only remaining RFAs.
- Harrington remains the biggest name of the bunch. Columbus acquired the big defenseman from Toronto for Kerby Rychel on June 26, 2016. Toronto initially received Harrington in the Phil Kessel trade with Pittsburgh. He tallied only one assist in 15 games with the Leafs while scoring 1G and 2A with the AHL Toronto Marlies. Harrington is expected to battle for the 5/6 defensive slots in camp this fall as the Blue Jackets only have six experienced defensemen on the roster.
- Tynan racked up 6G and 40A last year with the AHL Lake Erie Monsters, and is looking to make the jump to the NHL. The small forward—listed at 5’8″—has to compensate for his lack of size, but the Blue Jackets are familiar with the potential skill set from smaller players. Top-line forward Cam Atkinson is also listed at 5’8″, and he’s scored at least 20 goals in the last three seasons.
- Alex Broadhurst came over from the Chicago Blackhawks in the deal for Brandon Saad. The center tallied 10G and 26A with the Lake Erie Monsters last season, and 3G and 9A in the Monsters’ Calder Cup-winning run.
We’ve previously reported that Columbus has been quiet this off-season, and these signings do little to quell the notion that they will be a lottery team come 2017. Fans can take solace in the fact that the Blue Jackets’ AHL affiliate are Calder Cup champions, something that bodes well for the future of the big league team.
[Columbus Blue Jackets Depth Chart]
The Columbus Blue Jackets Have Signed… No One
It’s 7:00pm on July 16th. NHL Free Agency is a whopping 368 hours old. Yet the Columbus Blue Jackets have not signed a single player this off-season with pro experience. In fact, other than trading for Scott Harrington and drafting Pierre-Luc Dubois with the 3rd overall pick, the Blue Jackets have not added anyone who could even have an impact on the 2016-17 season.
They’ve lost players, though. Rene Bourque is the only Columbus unrestricted free agent who has yet to sign elsewhere, as Fedor Tyutin, Jared Boll, Justin Falk and others have all found new homes. Don’t forget about promising winger Kerby Rychel too, who was the outgoing player in the Harrington trade. So what is the plan for a team that finished the 2015-16 season with 76 points, good enough for fourth worst in the league and 13 points behind their 2014-15 mark and has only made subtractions thus far? Columbus has shown that they are not a team that is afraid to make a big deal, trading for both Brandon Saad and Seth Jones in the past year or so, but the deafening silence thus far this summer means that GM Jarmo Kekalainen is either confident in what he has or no longer ready to be that “up and coming team” that the Blue Jackets have been pegged as since their unlikely 93 point season two years ago.
Roster Resource shows that the Blue Jackets are a team that is very young and not very deep. There is a solid young core formed by Saad, Jones, Ryan Murray, and Boone Jenner and joined by reliable mainstays like captain Nick Foligno, Brandon Dubinsky, Cam Atkinson, and Jack Johnson, but the rest of the roster isn’t exactly full of household names. The team has high hopes for the aforementioned Dubois, who many considered to be a reach at #3 though, as well as young roster players like Alexander Wennberg and Oliver Bjorkstrand and high-upside prospects like 2015 first rounder Zach Werenski and Sonny Milano. However, a Calder Cup championship for their AHL affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters, seems unlikely to be enough to get this team back to the NHL postseason.
Another factor contributing to the Blue Jackets quiet off-season is their inability to spend the money necessary to get the impact free agents. After re-signing Jones to a six-year deal worth $5.4MM per year, Columbus is projected to be between four and five million dollars short of the NHL salary cap limit. How is it possible that a team that certainly seems to be in a rebuild is also spending more than the Washington Capitals or Dallas Stars? David Clarkson and Scott Hartnell combining to take up $10MM in cap space doesn’t help, and the team seems almost eager to deal either one. Some also doubt that the $7.425M given to goalie Sergei Bobrovsky is quite worth it at this point, as his numbers have gotten progressively worse each year since his breakout campaign in 2012-13.
Columbus is not that far from being back to a playoff-caliber team. Goaltending is deep and talented for the Blue Jackets and there are young difference-makers on offense and defense. The team could choose to scoop up free agent stragglers like Kris Russell or Jiri Hudler and try their hand at a unlikely return to the postseason, or even take a chance on some young castoffs like Brandon Pirri, Sam Gagner, or Luke Schenn, but their inaction to this point seems like an indication that they are headed in another direction. Instead, the Blue Jackets seem poised to rebuild around a growing group of high-ceiling homegrown players, even if that means a couple more season of bottom five finishes. It’s not a wild off-season for Columbus, but it is a bright future, and if management thinks that no additions are needed this season or for their rebuilding plans, then Blue Jackets fans will just have to sit tight and wait for Opening Night.
Nolan Pratt Hired By Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche have added to their coaching staff today, hiring former Av Nolan Pratt as an assistant coach. Pratt had been coaching as an assistant with the Blue Jackets’ affiliate, and was part of the Calder Cup winning staff last season.
A former NHL defenseman, Pratt was part of the 2000-01 Stanley Cup Champion Avalanche, though he didn’t suit up in the playoffs. He also won a Cup in 2003-04 as a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Pratt played in 592 games in the NHL, logging just 65 points but spending 537 minutes in the penalty box. A hard-nosed player, he’ll return to the Avalanche organization looking to instill some toughness in their defense corps.
He’ll join a staff that includes former teammate Patrick Roy, along with fellow assistants Tim Army and Dave Farrish. Colorado had a disappointing year in 2015-16, finishing an even 39-39-4, five points out of a playoff spot.
Snapshots: Blackhawks, Islanders, Blue Jackets
The Chicago Sun Times’ Mark Lazerus writes about the new young talent in Chicago, one of which includes an un-signed and undrafted gem. Alexandre Fortin, the nephew of former NHL netminder Jean-Sebastien Giguere, has turned some heads in camp. Fortin leads all scorers with five goals in three scrimmages, and the 19-year-old forward could be another great find by the Hawks front office. Fortin had 19 goals last season with Rouyn-Noranda of the QMJHL. Lazerus reports that the center posted 43 points but struggled with confidence and injuries. Lazerus also writes about towering goalie Wouter Peeters, who stands at 6 foot 5. Peeters was a third round pick of the Hawks, and is only 17-years-old. He will play in Sweden during the 2016-17 season, but is a prospect Lazerus believes the Hawks will be watching closer than others as their goaltending depth is thin.
In other news:
- NBC’s Jason Brough reports that the New York Islanders ownership will spend every dollar they can in order to win a Stanley Cup. New owners Jon Ledecky and Scott Malkin assumed control of the team July 1 from Charles Wang and Ledecky started by telling Peter Motte of the Daily News that they would not only be a “cap-max” team if necessary, but that the Isles would be staying in Brooklyn for the time being. Ledecky also stated that the focus would be on the fan experience as the ownership team works to bring a consistent Cup contender in.
- The Bluc Jackets have hired Cameron Scholvin as a senior vice president and Chief Revenue Officer according to Aaron Portzline. Portzline adds that Scholvin served as the senior vice president of corporate development for the Jackets from 2008-12. Scholvin was working with IMG College as a Regional Vice President prior to his new position with Columbus.
Free Agent Profile: Brandon Pirri
Now that Shane Doan is officially off the market – although no one really expected the veteran winger to leave the desert – there are few options remaining for teams looking to add offense to their lineups. Yesterday we profiled five of the top forwards remaining in free agency that could conceivably fit the bill. One of those players, Brandon Pirri, noticably stuck out on that list due to his relative youth compared to his unemployed peers.
It’s not usually surprising that aging veterans whose best seasons are clearly in the rear view mirror might linger on the market well into the summer. In fact, many will either be forced to accept training camp invites or face the prospect of retirement. However, it’s exceedingly rare for one of the league’s most prolific goal scorers – based on rate stats – and who is still just 25-years-old, to be waiting for his next contract into the middle of July.
Pirri tallied 14 goals and 29 points last year in 61 games, splitting the season between Florida and Anaheim. The Ducks had acquired the 6-foot, 183-pound forward from the Panthers at the trade deadline in exchange for a sixth-round draft choice. The year prior, Pirri netted 22 goals in 61 contests, albeit with an amazingly low 2 assists, for the Panthers.
Over the last three seasons, Pirri has averaged 0.95 goals for every 60 minutes of ice time he sees at five-on-five play. That rate places him 30th in the NHL among all forwards who have suited up for a minimum of 120 games during that span. In terms of even-strength goal scoring prowess, Pirri is certainly among the best in the game.
Based on overall point-production, however, Pirri ranks just 203rd over the past three seasons in points-per-hour, due in large part to his 2014-15 tally of just two helpers. That ranking would seem to place him outside of a top-six role when it comes to offensive contributions.
Goal scoring is typically sought after and usually rewarded in free agency. Pirri’s continued presence on the open market is a bit of a mystery. It’s possible teams are scared off due to his low assists total from two seasons ago. Though it should be noted, if we remove that outlier from his career numbers, Pirri actually has two more assists than goals scored in his career and typically teams don’t pay as much attention to extreme statistical outliers.
Whatever the reason, it seems clear teams are hesitant about employing Pirri. He’s suited up for three NHL clubs over the last three campaigns and despite quality offensive numbers at the time of the trade, the Ducks obtained him from Florida for the lowly cost of a sixth-round draft pick. After the season, Anaheim elected not to qualify Pirri, a move that may have struck some as a bit surprising. He was eligible for arbitration and goals tend to be given extra weight when arbitrators decide on a player’s salary. It’s possible the Ducks wanted to avoid that process altogether. Nonetheless Pirri is free to sign with any team willing to give him a chance to show off his goal scoring acumen.
Potential Fits
New Jersey – The Devils finished last in the NHL in scoring this past season but have already added top-line LW Taylor Hall to the mix and expect their best returning offensive player, Mike Cammalleri, to be healthy at the outset of the upcoming campaign. A look at the club’s depth chart, courtesy of our partner site, Roster Resource, indicates the Devils have plenty of forward options so their interest in Pirri would likely be tepid at best.
Edmonton – Even though the Oilers have filled the hole they created when shipping the aforementioned Hall to Jersey by signing Milan Lucic, they could still use an upgrade over Mark Letestu at the third-line pivot position. Edmonton finished 25th in scoring and didn’t necessarily improve in that department by swapping out Hall for Lucic.
Columbus – If the Blue Jackets are ever able to offload winger Scott Hartnell they could be in the market for another goal scorer. But it’s possible the team would rather reinvest any savings from a Hartnell move into their defense as they have a number of quality forward prospects ready to make the jump to Columbus.
Los Angeles – Currently the Kings list Dwight King, Kyle Clifford and Dustin Brown as top-nine wingers. King’s career best in the goal socring department is 15 while Clifford has never tallied more than seven in any single season. Meanwhile, Brown’s days as a productive player capable of adequately manning a top-nine role may well be over. On a cheap contract the Kings could make sense for Pirri.
Expected Contract
Considering Anaheim passed on qualifying Pirri at just more than $1MM annually and given how late in the free agent season it is now, it’s not likely Pirri is going to find a deal representing much of a raise over the $925K he earned this past season. As such, a team like the Kings might be a terrific fit for Pirri on a one-year, make good deal at right around $1MM.
Snapshots: Burrows, Francis, Arbitration
When the 2015-16 season came to a close, it seemed a sure bet that the Vancouver Canucks were going to buy out the final year of Alex Burrows‘ four-year, $18MM contract. He’d seen his play dwindle, and GM Jim Benning was clear that he wanted to move in a younger direction, all but pointing the finger at the 35-year old. But, as the first buyout window came and went, it was Chris Higgins and not Burrows that found his contract voided.
Now, Burrows says that he’s ready for the new season and is challenging himself to be better. In talking to Ben Kuzma of The Province, Burrows provided great insight into his preparation and mindset heading into this season, including making it clear that he will relish a leadership and mentor opportunity with the younger players this season.
He’s even open to being a healthy scratch on occasion: “There are so many worse things in life than being a healthy scratch or they put a young guy in the lineup ahead of you. My wife is healthy and my kids are healthy and it puts things in perspective.” Here’s some more from around the league:
- After years of floundering without a clear direction, Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News opines that the Carolina Hurricanes are finally doing a re-build the right way. With a full stable of young defensemen they’ve built through the draft, the team now has the option of dealing from a position of depth – one that is scarce throughout the league. Kennedy mentions the recent rumors of David Krejci from Boston as a possible target for one of their young blueliners.
- In hiring Brad Shaw as an assistant coach last month, the Columbus Blue Jackets added an experienced name that can help build and develop their defense like he did in St. Louis. When asked by Rob Mixer of NHL.com why he chose Columbus, Shaw made it clear that players like the recently extended Seth Jones, and second overall pick Ryan Murray were a key factor: “The young defensemen here played a big part in my decision, no doubt about it. The biggest challenge in working with young players is trying to pin down and have a clear picture of what the final product will look like when they’re at their best in the NHL. Every guy is different.”
- After Philadelphia signed Jordan Weal earlier today, three of the twenty-five players who are headed to arbitration (through their own filing or the team’s) have now come to terms before their hearings, as General Fanager tweets. You can follow all the arbitration cases on their tracker, as well as up-to-date depth charts at Roster Resource.
Snapshots: Hedman, McRae, Predators
Even with the recent decision in the NBA of Kevin Durant heading to the Golden State Warriors to create a ‘super-team’, it’s still not very often that you see superstars take less money to stay in a place they feel comfortable. That’s what happened the past two weeks, as both Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman re-signed for eight years (and considerably less money than expected) with the Tampa Bay Lightning, in part because of their personal bond. When talking to Pierre LeBrun of ESPN, Stamkos said just as much:
“Victor and I are extremely close friends. We came up in this organization as 18-year-old kids. To say that we’re going to be together for the long run, and on one team, that’s something special. A big reason why both of us stuck around is because of the relationship that we have as teammates and as friends as well.”
To see two superstars leave some money on the table and not even hit free agency is a rare one indeed in today’s sporting world, but we may be about to catch it again in Calgary. Pending RFAs Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan have expressed a similar sentiment, and hope to be together for ‘the next ten years’. Here’s more from around the league:
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have brought in former London Knight general manager Basil McRae to become their director of player personnel, according to a team release. After capturing the 2016 Memorial Cup, McRae will return to the club he worked for in 2013-14 this time in a more advanced role. With the signing, the Blue Jackets have also announced two promotions, Ville Siren moves from pro scout to director of amateur scouting, and Josef Boumedienne moves from pro scout to director of European scouting.
- After being knocked out in the second round by the San Jose Sharks, the Nashville Predators came into the offseason with the plan to get faster on the back end. Buying out Barret Jackman after just his first year with the club was the first move towards that end, and bringing in Yannick Weber to replace him was the next. For what it’s worth, Weber seems to have turned down more money in Europe to stay in the NHL, according to Adam Vignan of the Tennessean. Weber took a minimum deal of $575K to secure an NHL job with Nashville.
- Flyers prospect Philippe Myers underwent hip surgery on Wednesday, and will not be participating in the Philadelphia development camp, according to GM Ron Hextall. Myers went undrafted out of Rouyn-Noranda in 2014-15, but exploded onto the scene last season with 45 points from the back end. He’ll now try and work his way back from surgery to return to the Flyers’ future plans.
Avalanche Sign Fedor Tyutin To One-Year Deal
Bob McKenzie tweets that defenseman Fedor Tyutin has signed a one-year, $2MM with the Colorado Avalanche. Mike Chambers confirmed the deal on Twitter.
Tyutin was recently bought out by the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 32-year-old was acquired by the Jackets from the Rangers in 2008 and is second all time in career games played with Columbus. In 2015-16, Tyutin had 3 points (1-2), a significant fall off from the 15 points (3-12) he registered a season prior. Until 2014-15, Tyutin was a solid contributor, registering 20+ points per season dating back to 2007-08.
While Tyutin was once considered a top-four defensemen, he’s seen his ability decline in recent years as he was passed over by younger blueliners in Columbus. With the possibility still remaining that Tyson Barrie will be moved out of town, Tyutin might be relied on heavily next season. Francois Beauchemin, one of the team’s best performers from last season, will be 36 when the season begins and cannot continue his strong play forever.
The small $2MM hit is a clear salary cut from Tyutin’s last contract (six years, $27MM), but he’ll be payed just over $1.45MM per season by Columbus until 2020. Not a bad combination for a player who was drafted 15 years ago.
Thursday Buyout Waivers: Boll, Korpikoski, Carle, Seidenberg, Greene, Jackman
Today is the last day to place players on waivers for the purposes of buying out their contract in advance of Friday’s free agency period. Here are the players that are on the waiver wire.
Jared Boll (Columbus) – The Blue Jackets announced that they will buy out the final year of his deal. The enforcer played in just 30 games last year, picking up a goal and two assists with 61 PIMS. The buyout will carry a cap charge of $567K in each of the next two seasons.
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that Lauri Korpikoski, Matt Carle, Dennis Seidenberg, Matt Greene, and Barret Jackman are also all on buyout waivers.
Korpikoski (Edmonton) played in 71 games with the Oilers last season – his first with the team – collecting 10 goals and 12 assists. The 29 year old has 181 career points in 540 NHL games, split between the Rangers, Coyotes, and Oilers. Edmonton will carry a cap hit of $500K in 2016-17 and $1MM in 2017-18 as a result of the buyout.
Carle (Tampa Bay) is by far the biggest of the buyouts. He collected just 9 points in 64 games last year despite collecting a $5.5MM salary. He has 45 goals and 237 assists in 724 career games between San Jose, Philadelphia, and Tampa. The Lightning will be charged with a cap hit of $1.833M for the next four years.
Seidenberg (Boston) has spent the last four years with the Bruins. In 2015-16, he played in 61 games, picking up a goal and 11 helpers. In 758 games split between the Flyers, Coyotes, Hurricanes, Panthers, and Bruins, he has 224 career points. Boston will carry a cap hit of $1.167M in 2016-17, 2018-19, and 2019-20 as well as a $2.167MM cap charge in 2017-18.
Greene (Los Angeles) played in just three games with the Kings and missed the rest of the year with shoulder problems. He has played in 589 career games with Edmonton and LA, picking up 78 points and 644 PIMS. The Kings will have a cap charge of $833K for each of the next 4 years.
Update: Pierre LeBrun of TSN/ESPN reports that Greene’s waiving may not result in a buyout after all.
Jackman (Nashville) played his first season with the Preds last year after spending parts of 13 seasons with St. Louis. Last year, he had a goal and four assists in 73 games while playing a smaller role as the season progressed. In his career, he has 186 points and 1,102 PIMS in 876 games. The Predators will be charged with a cap hit of $667K for each of the next two seasons.
Players that have a no-move clause in their contracts do not have to go through the waiver process to be bought out. The deadline for those moves to happen is 4:00 PM CST.
Minor Transactions: 06/29/16
Here is where we’ll keep track of the day’s minor transactions:
- The St. Louis Blues have come to an agreement with AHL winger Jordan Caron, reports the team site. The former Boston Bruin had 36 points in 70 games with the Chicago Wolves last season. He has 157 NHL games in his career, tallying 28 points.
- Former NHLer Evgeny Artyukhin signed on to remain with his Russian club Sibir Novosibirsk, says KHL insider Aivis Kalnins. The 33-year old once was a promising youngster in the NHL, but could never catch on. He played in 199 career NHL games, scoring 19 goals and 30 assists.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets, fresh off inking Seth Jones to a long-term deal, have also come to terms with third overall pick Pierre-Luc Dubois on an entry-level contract, per Darren Dreger of TSN. Dubois was a surprise choice at #3, with many expecting the team to draft Finnish winger Jesse Puljujarvi (who eventually went to Edmonton with the next pick).
- The Panthers have reached an agreement with recently non-qualified free agent Greg McKegg per General Fanager. It’s a two-way deal worth $700K at the NHL level, and $115K if he’s in the AHL. McKegg played 15 games for the Panthers last season, putting up two points.
- The Sabres have re-signed RFA Casey Nelson to a two-year deal, the team released. The NCAA standout made his NHL debut last season, adding four assists in seven games down the stretch. He went undrafted and originally signed in March after Minnesota State University’s season ended.