Dallas Stars “Deep In Discussions” With Tyler Seguin
The Tyler Seguin speculation came to a head recently when the superstar center repeatedly used the word “disappointed” in reference to his contract situation. Seguin and the Dallas Stars got back together soon after that, and now according to Mark Stepneski of NHL.com the team believes they’re headed in the right direction. In fact, GM Jim Nill used exactly those words to explain how he feels about the negotiations:
We are deep in discussions. It’s moving in the right direction. We’ll go from there.
I’d like to get it done before the season starts, but with negotiations, you never know. But I think both parties would like to get it done before.
Getting Seguin under contract before the season starts would be a huge boost for a Dallas team looking to bounce back from a disappointing season in 2017-18. Though their top offensive players produced at an extremely high level, they weren’t able to find enough secondary scoring to have any real consistency. They’ve tried to address that problem by bringing in players like Valeri Nichushkin and Blake Comeau, while also signing Anton Khudobin to make sure they have a solid goaltending tandem once again. Seguin’s contract situation will be a daily distraction if it lingers into the season, especially given the recent example set by John Tavares.
Seguin would easily be one of the top free agents on the market next summer, and if the season progresses without a contract the Stars would be forced to consider a trade. Though they obviously want to keep their star first-line center for as long as possible, watching an asset of that level walk out of town with no return is a tough pill for an organization looking to compete. Regaining cap space is one thing, but the Stars want to be among the Stanley Cup contenders as soon as this season and would have no internal replacement for a player of Seguin’s quality.
Just six forwards are scheduled to carry a cap hit of at least $10MM in the 2018-19 season, but Seguin could easily find his way into that group. It will be interesting to see though if captain Jamie Benn‘s $9.5MM is a sort of internal threshold that the team isn’t willing to eclipse, and whether they can get Seguin under contract for a similar number. Currently carrying just a $5.75MM cap hit, Seguin is one of the best bargains in the NHL. Watch for his 15-team no-trade clause for this season to potentially be upgraded to a full no-movement clause if an extension is reached, guaranteeing his place in Dallas for a long time.
Tyler Seguin “Hopeful” After Renewed Contract Talks
The Dallas Stars were suddenly thrust into the spotlight recently when Tyler Seguin spoke about his current contract situation. Seguin described it as “disappointing” that there hadn’t been much in the way of extension talks this summer, but took a different tone today with Mike Zeisberger of NHL.com. According to Seguin, contract talks with the Stars have increased since his media appearance at the BioSteel Camp in Toronto, and he’s now “hopeful” that the two sides will come to an agreement before the season begins.
Seguin is one of the big fish in the 2019 unrestricted free agent class, and has expressed a desire in the past to stay in Dallas long-term. That kind of a contract would likely approach what John Tavares landed on the open market, something that Dallas has to make sure they can fit in before signing. The Stars already have Jamie Benn under contract for $9.5MM per season and have been linked to other star players like Erik Karlsson and Artemi Panarin, if only in passing. Inking what could be an extension that eclipses $80MM for Seguin is a huge commitment, though he certainly has deserved it through his on-ice performance.
The 26-year old Seguin is one of only a few players who can claim real 40-goal capability, and added even more defensive responsibility to his repertoire last season. In 2017-18 he recorded his fifth consecutive season of at least 72 points, and should considered among the very best centers in the NHL. In fact, he recently landed just outside the top-10 in our PHR community-voted rankings and would be arguably the best player available next summer if he reached free agency.
Morning Notes: Seguin, Bruins, Hurricanes
While the Winnipeg Jets have locked up one of the premiere 2019 UFA forwards by signing Blake Wheeler to a five-year extension, talks have started up in Dallas again regarding Tyler Seguin. John Shannon of Sportsnet reports that the Stars and Seguin’s camp spoke about an extension this past weekend and noted that “things will get interesting” when Seguin returns to Dallas on Wednesday.
Seguin’s public comments about being disappointed in his contract situation likely didn’t do Dallas any favors, but there was always an expectation something would be worked out between the two sides. If nothing is announced before training camp begins in a few weeks though, you can be sure that there will be daily rumors over whether Seguin is intending on testing the free agent waters. With Wheeler off the market, another big name is removed from what at one point looked like the most impressive free agent class ever. Seguin’s signing would only further that decline.
- The Boston Bruins announced that it’s not just Patrice Bergeron who won’t be travelling to China for their upcoming preseason contests. Noel Acciari, Zdeno Chara, Danton Heinen, Torey Krug and Sean Kuraly all will not be there when the Bruins take on the Calgary Flames. Several Bruins are coming off late season injuries and will be trying to guarantee their presence on opening night, something far more important than the brand-building exercise in China. That’s all the better for many of the young players though, as Trent Frederic, Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson and Jack Studnicka will all be heading overseas.
- In Carolina, Hurricanes fans aren’t waiting on news of a contract extension or an injury update but instead will be given a new captain to cheer for. Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer reports that a captain will be named when the whole team arrives to begin training. The team had been using Jordan Staal and Justin Faulk as “co-captains” last season, but new head coach Rod Brind’Amour immediately told reporters that he would be naming just one after getting the job back in the spring. When we polled the PHR community, Staal was the leading candidate for the job though Justin Williams also received more than 30% of the vote.
Bruins Notes: Seguin, Heinen, Krejci, Leach, McQuaid
With Dallas Stars’ Tyler Seguin showing unhappiness recently that he hasn’t signed an extension yet, speculation is beginning to increase that Seguin may be considering taking the same course that John Tavares took this offseason before eventually signing a seven-year, $77MM deal. Seguin, who is coming off a 40-goal, 78-point season and at 26 years old, could garner as much as Tavares after his contract expires at the end of the year.
The Boston Herald’s Steve Conroy writes that while the team did make an offer to Tavares, he doesn’t think it would make sense to make a similar offer to the former Bruin. The scribe does admit that Peter Chiarelli made a big mistake when he and Boston’s brass traded away Seguin, who at 21, showed immaturity and a lack of professionalism. A more mature Seguin has shown over the last five years that the Bruins probably should have held onto him. Regardless, Conroy said Seguin wouldn’t be worth such a big, long-term deal, although a rental situation at the trade deadline might be a different story.
NBC Sports’ Joe Haggerty adds that he also wouldn’t recommend for Boston to attempt to bring Seguin back despite the fact that he still has several friends on the team, including Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron. While current GM Don Sweeney was just an assistant GM when Seguin was traded, there are still enough personnel remaining in the organization that probably wouldn’t want Seguin to return to the franchise. However, he added never say never.
- Joe McDonald of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that the Bruins are still considering whether they want to break up their top line after their super line of Bergeron, Marchand and David Pastrnak were shut down by the Tampa Bay Lightning, and no other line was able to step up. The idea has been suggested to move Pastrnak to the second line to create a more balanced attack. If that’s the case, McDonald feels that Danton Heinen might be ready to replace Pastrnak on the first line. Heinen had a solid rookie season, scoring 16 goals and 47 points last season.
- Haggerty also wonders how much longer center David Krejci can hold onto the No. 2 center position? The team made an obvious attempt to sign Tavares this offseason, suggesting that they are interested in eventually moving on from Krejci in that spot with the hopes of dropping him to their third line. However, at the moment, they lack a player who is ready to challenge him for that spot. The team’s third-line center position is going to be a battle among rookies, including Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson, Jack Studnicka and Trent Frederic.
- The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa (subscription required) writes that Providence Bruins’ coach Jay Leach continues to work to develop those three prospect centers. The coach has been sending Forsbacka Karlsson, Studnicka and Frederic videos of Bergeron, the young Bergeron, for the three to study in hopes of teaching them everything they need to know about adjusting to the NHL. “Honestly, if you’re looking for a centerman to show you how to do things,” Leach said of Bergeron, “this is the guy. Just little things of nuances this guy can do.”
- In another article, Haggerty questions whether defenseman Adam McQuaid will remain with the Boston Bruins. With eight viable blueliners on the roster, McQuaid, who has played nine seasons in Boston, could find himself elsewhere by the start of the season. The 6-foot-4 physical grinder only saw 38 games last season and with a plethora of right-shot defensemen, he could be the player to sit in the press box on most nights unless the team attempts to find him a better home. The team already has Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Carlo and Kevan Miller on the right side, which also was a reason why McQuaid saw his minutes drop from 18:15 to 15:42 last season. However, the 31-year-old still managed to get 80 hits and block 56 shots last season, which could make him an option for a team looking for defensive depth and a penalty killing option.
Dallas Is On Artemi Panarin's Shortlist Of Preferred Destinations
Although the Rangers and Blackhawks have linked as potential landing spots for Blue Jackets winger Artemi Panarin, Sean Shapiro of The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that the Stars are also on Panarin’s shortlist of preferred destinations. Shapiro adds that the team believes that they could have the cap room long-term to have both Panarin and fellow pending UFA Tyler Seguin on long-term contracts but that there would likely need to be roster casualties to do so. Columbus has been fielding trade interest in the Russian winger but they have been receiving futures-based packages, something they don’t seem interested in doing at this time.
NHL Rookie Tournaments Set For Early September
8/31: The Philadelphia Flyers and New York Islanders have joined to fray, as their rookie camps will clash in prospects game on September 12th at the Isles’ practice facility, the teams announced. This leaves only the Florida Panthers without a competition for their rookies in the coming weeks.
8/24: Before team training camps open up for veterans, the rookies get some work in each year with various rookie tournaments and exhibition games taking place around the continent. This is where you can catch your favorite team:
- The most well-known preseason rookie tournament is obviously the Traverse City NHL Prospect Tournament. The annual tournament hosted by the Detroit Red Wings is in its 20th year of existence. The format consists of two four-team “divisions” who play a round-robin tournament with the winner of each group earning a berth in the championship game. Featured this year are the Red Wings, Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild, New York Rangers, and St. Louis Blues. The games run from September 7th to September 11th.
- Buffalo is again set to host the Sabres’ Prospect Challenge Tournament. Running from September 7th to 10th, it is a single group round robin tournament with the Boston Bruins, New Jersey Devils, and Pittsburgh Penguins joining the Sabres on their home ice. This will be the first game action for top overall pick and preseason Calder Trophy favorite Rasmus Dahlin.
- Across the border, the three eastern Canadian teams are set to square off in Laval, Quebec, the home of the Montreal Canadiens’ AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket. The Habs announced a set of three games featuring themselves, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Ottawa Senators on September 7th, 8th, and 9th.
- On the other side of the country, a previous rookie tournament has been split in half. The NHL Young Stars Tournament, held in Penticton, British Columbia, will now contain only the Winnipeg Jets and Vancouver Canucks, as well as a pair of collegiate teams in a three-day series of games from September 7th to 9th. The Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames chose not to participate this year and will instead face-off in one singular game in Red Deer, Alberta on September 12th.
- The Vegas Golden Knights are set to host the first of a revolving tournament among U.S.-based Western Conference teams. Nicknamed the Vegas Rookie Faceoff, Sin City will be the location of this year’s tournament which also features the Anaheim Ducks, Arizona Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche, Los Angeles Kings, and San Jose Sharks. It will be a three-day, nine-game series taking place on September 8th, 9th, and 11th. The tournament is expected to head to Anaheim next year.
- Finally, the NHL’s southeastern squads will square off in Estero, Florida at the home of the ECHL’s Florida Everblades. The Prospect Showcase will be four days of games between the Nashville Predators, Tampa Bay Lightning, and defending Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals, taking place from September 8th to 11th.
For all updates on rookie tournament rosters, check in with Roster Resource and their running tracker of roster announcements.
Tyler Seguin “Disappointed” In Contract Situation
After Tyler Seguin contract speculation hit the news again recently with a report the two sides hadn’t discussed an extension in some time, he addressed media today about the situation. Speaking to reporters including The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler, Seguin expressed his disappointment that he hasn’t already signed a long-term deal with the Dallas Stars and indicated the two sides haven’t spoken about an extension since the draft. Seguin is in Toronto at the BioSteel camp with many other top NHL stars, and will be heading into the final season of his current contract when he reports to Stars training camp in a few weeks.
There is bound to be almost daily updates on the Seguin situation if the team doesn’t get him under contract before the season begins, and like John Tavares last year there will be a real pressure to trade him if nothing can get done. The team can’t watch a superstar center walk into free agency without getting something in return, but the Stars are hoping to compete for the playoffs this season and Seguin is a huge part of their success. One of the most consistent offensive players in the league, Seguin is coming off his fifth consecutive season with at least 70 points and his first with 40 goals. Improving defensive play has turned him into a legitimate top tier center in the NHL, and one that would demand upwards of $10MM per season on any extension.
That might be too rich for the Stars, but it would mean letting one of the faces of the franchise get away in his prime. Though Seguin has only been in Dallas for five of his eight NHL seasons, he’s one of the most popular players in the market and an obvious choice to give a long-term contract to. He does come with some controversy from his days with the Boston Bruins, but hasn’t found himself in the news very often since heading to the Stars other than for his incredible on-ice performance.
The Stars were recently linked once again to Ottawa Senators captain Erik Karlsson, who would also be looking for a massive extension if he was acquired at any point this season. Paying both Karlsson and Seguin might be impossible for the Stars, even with the relative bargain of John Klingberg‘s current deal. While it’s not clear what exactly is holding up any contract extension talks between the Stars and Seguin, they’ll have to make a decision before long and work out a deal with him before the allure of free agency becomes even more attractive.
Contract Talks “At A Standstill” Between Tyler Seguin, Dallas Stars
Just over a month ago here on PHR we ran an article detailing the speculation and rumor that was bound to start surrounding Tyler Seguin as the year approached. The superstar center is heading into the final season of his current contract with the Dallas Stars and is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2019. Like John Tavares last year, Seguin is a franchise-changing talent that could completely alter the free agent market if he decides to see what is available, and will be a story closely followed by the hockey world all season long. That interest crept to the surface today, when Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet tweeted that contract talks between the Stars and Seguin are “at a standstill and have been for quite some time.”
Kypreos compared the situation directly to the Tavares one, and that Seguin wants to sign a long-term deal, but speculation will surely follow the tweet. Even if the two sides haven’t spoken about an extension in some time, there is no reason to believe that means they won’t circle back in the near future and try to work something out. The team does have plenty of cap space moving forward as only Jamie Benn ($9.5MM) and Alexander Radulov ($6.25MM) carry real bank-breaking cap hits. John Klingberg, the team’s Norris-caliber defenseman is signed for four more seasons at just a $4.25MM cap hit while most of the rest of the roster are on short-term deals.
Interestingly though Kypreos also brought up the ongoing Erik Karlsson situation, and intimated that the team is still trying to acquire the Ottawa Senators captain. Dallas has been connected to Karlsson in the past, but were hesitant to include top prospect Miro Heiskanen in any trade. It seems likely that Karlsson will be traded to a team that has plans for a contract extension of his own, something that would certainly make fitting in Seguin more difficult. The Senators star is expected to be looking for similar terms to Drew Doughty‘s eight-year, $88MM extension.
Whether the Stars are involved with Karlsson talks or not, this sort of report is sure to become a near-daily occurrence until a decision is made on Seguin. If the team believes he might walk in free agency they could decide to trade him at some point, given the recent example of Tavares signing in Toronto without any compensation for the Islanders. That is months away from even being an option though, given that there hasn’t been any hint of unhappiness from the Seguin camp.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Central Notes: Heiskanen, Kane, Thomas, Kyrou, Gurianov
While many people are talking about the impact that rookie defenseman Rasmus Dahlin will make on the Buffalo Sabres, many are forgetting that the Dallas Stars have an impact defenseman of their own entering the league this year in Miro Heiskanen. The third-overall pick from the 2017 draft is expected to make an immediate impact to aid the Stars’ defense, but he is expected to be brought along slowly to start the season, according to SportsDay’s Matthew DeFranks.
In a personal profile of the 19-year-old, the scribe writes that the team will likely ease him into the lineup as he will likely either be paired with shutdown defenseman Stephen Johns or fellow countryman Julius Honka on the second or third line, depending on how quickly he can adjust to the North American style of game. He has spent the last two seasons in Finland, playing against men in Liiga for HIFK, where he was named the league’s top defenseman last season.
- Tracey Myers of NHL.com writes that Chicago Blackhawks’ star Patrick Kane is ready to wipe the slate clean from last year’s disappointing season and the goal is to get the team back into the playoffs. Kane had a down season compared to the previous two years as he tallied 27 goals and 79 points. Normally a solid season, it still paled in comparison to the 106 points he posted in 2015-16 or the 89 points in 2016-17. “We all have that feeling within us where it’s like, we did some good things, but you’re restarting now and you have to prove yourself again,” Kane said. “It’s a long season, and I think maybe we got ahead of ourselves a little bit last year.”
- With all the talent the St. Louis brought in this season, including Ryan O’Reilly, David Perron, Tyler Bozak and Patrick Maroon, it might seem unlikely that the team’s two top prospects, Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou, might be shoved out of the way next season. In a mailbag story, St. Louis Post Dispatch’s Jim Thomas said that is very unlikely when it comes to Robert Thomas, saying that he can’t picture a scenario where the team doesn’t keep Thomas, who is likely to center the team’s fourth line next season. Thomas, who dominated the OHL last season, would either have to make the club or be returned to juniors for another year and the scribe believes sending him back to Hamilton isn’t going to help him. So he’s best off learning on the fly in the NHL. Kyrou, on the other hand, very likely will end up with the AHL San Antonio Rampage. Now that Kyrou is finished with juniors, he can learn in the AHL for a season before coming over. Thomas doesn’t have the AHL option open to him.
- In a mailbag article, The Athletic’s Sean Shapiro (subscription required) writes that it seems less and less likely that Dallas Stars prospect Denis Gurianov will be success in the NHL. The 12th-overall pick in the 2015 NHL draft struggled in the AHL at times this season. He finished the season with 19 goals in 74 games, but also was scratched during the Texas Stars’ playoff run. Shapiro writes that he doesn’t believe that Gurianov has the hockey IQ to be successful in the league. He is a hard worker, but doesn’t understand the game. When he was scratched, it was an organizational decision, according to Shapiro, not a coaching decision.
Central Notes: Seguin, Jets’ Second-Line, Boqvist
While negotiations continue between Tyler Seguin and the Dallas Stars, there has been no progress when it comes to locking up the Stars’ star forward to a long-term deal. In fact, in a mailbag edition in The Athletic (subscription required), Sean Shapiro writes that it is unlikely the team and Seguin will be able to reach an agreement on an extension before the season starts, which could put a tremendous amount of pressure on Dallas management, especially if the team struggles in Jim Montgomery‘s first season as head coach.
With three coaches in the past three years and a slow start out of the gate, many might feel that Dallas could be forced to consider trading Seguin rather than eventually losing him for nothing like the New York Islanders did with John Tavares this past offseason. However, Shapiro writes that the only way general manager Jim Nill trades Seguin is if he’s on the way out as it would signify that he has failed in his bid to assemble a great team. So, it’s likely Nill and the team will do everything it can, which could include an eventual trade for another top-six player, to help convince Seguin to stay in Dallas long-term.
- Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun writes that the Winnipeg Jets will have a battle for their No. 2 center position in training camp this year. While the position was manned at the end of the year by trade acquisition Paul Stastny at the end of the season, the veteran has moved on to Vegas, opening up a competition between Bryan Little, Jack Roslovic and Adam Lowry. Roslovic might have the upper hand as the 21-year-old is an emerging talent after posting impressive numbers in the AHL last year after he posted more than a point a game with the Manitoba Moose, where he scored 15 goals and 35 points in just 32 games, while adding another five goals with the Jets in a limited role in 31 games. The 30-year-old little had a disappointing season that saw him score 16 goals and 43 points, some of the worst numbers of his career. Lowry managed to appear in just 45 games last season after dealing with multiple shoulder injuries, but may also have found his niche as a checking line center.
- Scott Powers of The Athletic (subscription required) examines why the Chicago Blackhawks intend to allow the OHL London Knights to develop Adam Boqvist, their top pick in the 2018 NHL draft. The eighth-overall pick is expected to breathe both talent and youth in a depleted blue line within the next year or two. While he’s not expected to be ready yet to make those contributions, the franchise had multiple options in where they could send him, including sending him back to Sweden, sending him to the Rockford IceHogs in the AHL or back to Sweden for another season. Powers said that returning him to Sweden wasn’t the best option as he only received 7:27 of ATOI with his SHL team, Brynas, last season and while that likely would increase, he would never average 20 minutes a game there. That left two options. They felt that the five-foot-nine, 157-pound blueliner wasn’t ready for the AHL, so that left sending him to juniors. London is a team they have familiarity with as Patrick Kane played there for one season as well as the fact that the Knights have a top coach in Dale Hunter and Blackhawks’ scout Jim McKellar spent 13 years with the London organization as well, which makes them feel that Boqvist should get plenty of playing time and a chance to further develop his skills.