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Flames Sign Brandon Davidson, Byron Froese

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After adding goalie Cam Talbot earlier, the Calgary Flames have addressed their depth at the other two positions, signing defenseman Brandon Davidson and forward Byron Froese, per team releases. Both veteran players have signed one-year, two-way contracts with NHL AAV’s of $700K.

Both Davidson, 27, and Froese, 28, have bounced around the hockey world of late and are hoping to find more stability by landing in Calgary. Davidson, an Alberta native, has spent two stints with the Edmonton Oilers, as well as time with the Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders, and Chicago Blackhawks in the last four years alone. Davidson has struggled to score at the NHL level, but has shown that he can be a dominant physical force at times. Froese, from nearby Manitoba, did not see any NHL action last year, but was traded nonetheless from the Montreal Canadiens to the Philadelphia Flyers. It was the second time in three years he had been traded and Philly became his fourth team in that span, joining Montreal, Tampa Bay, and Toronto. Like Davidson, Froese has really never been more than a part-time player at the highest level due to concerns about his offensive ability. However, he has established himself as a solid two-way forward.

Given the depth that the Flames have on both the blue line and up front, the odds are the Davidson and Froese will spend much of next season with the AHL’s Stockton Heat. However, their NHL experience and reliable defensive ability should make them top call-up options for Calgary when injuries strike.

Edmonton Oilers Sign Jujhar Khaira, Tomas Jurco

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The Edmonton Oilers have signed power forward Jujhar Khaira to a two-year contract that will carry a $1.2MM cap hit. The 24-year old was a restricted free agent who was issued a qualifying offer by the Oilers last week. The team has also signed free agent forward Tomas Jurco to a one-year deal worth $750K.

Khaira, 24, was unable to take hold of the opportunity that presented itself last season on the Oilers, and recorded just three goals and 18 points in 60 games. On a team starved for production from the wing, the 6’4″ power forward was unable to give them any sort of offensive game and instead was limited to playing a physical, bottom-six role. There is still upside in the third-round pick, but Khaira will need to show he can be more than a fourth-line option this season under new head coach Dave Tippett or his opportunity at the NHL level may start to disappear.

If he wants to learn, Jurco knows all about opportunity disappearing. The 26-year old forward was selected 35th overall by the Detroit Red Wings in 2011 and for a time looked like a future staple in the NHL lineup. He was even traded for a third-round pick at the 2017 deadline because the Chicago Blackhawks believed he could deliver on his offensive potential. He didn’t, and before long Jurco would be accepting an AHL contract with the Charlotte Checkers just to stay in North America. After an outstanding playoff run with the Checkers though, the Oilers will give him another chance on an NHL contract in training camp to make an impact at the highest level.

Cam Talbot Signs With Calgary Flames

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As has been rumored for some time, the Calgary Flames have pegged former rival goaltender Cam Talbot as the newest addition to their goalie tandem. The team has announced a one-year deal worth $2.75MM for the former starter, who should compete for the same role in Calgary. With Mike Smith headed to the Edmonton Oilers, it only seems fitting that Talbot land with the Flames to share the net with David Rittich. 

Talbot, 31, isn’t necessarily coming in to steal the starting role for the Flames, but GM Brad Treliving has tried to have competition in the net for the last several years. Rittich will almost surely get the first crack at the job, though given he only has 58 NHL starts under his belt the team needed to bring in a little more experience just in case. Talbot will be that experience but he too has something to prove coming off a dreadful season with the Oilers and Philadelphia Flyers. In 35 appearances he recorded a .892 save percentage, easily the worst number of his career.

Even if Rittich is the starter heading into the season, the Flames would obviously love to see Talbot rediscover his game and become the goaltender that finished fourth in Vezina Trophy voting in 2017. That season he went 42-22-8 for the Oilers and posted a .919 save percentage, starting an incredible 73 games. With a reduced load and better defensive unit, perhaps he can get back to that level again and help the Flames as contenders in the West.

Alex Chiasson Re-Signs With Edmonton Oilers

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After testing the market, forward Alex Chiasson has decided to stay put where he found so much success last season. Sportsnet’s Mark Spector reports that Chiasson will return to the Edmonton Oilers on a two-year deal worth $2.15MM per season.

The 28-year-old has been in the NHL for six full seasons, but has already played for five teams as a bottom-six depth option who has some size at 6-foot-4. He was with the Washington Capitals when they won the Stanley Cup, but the Capitals opted not to re-sign him and he was forced to ink a one-year, minimum contract deal with Edmonton in hopes of finding his offense.

Chiasson did just that as he found some significant playing time with the Oilers who were desperate for top-six wing producers. Getting a career-high 16:58 of ATOI this past year, Chiasson turned that into a 22-goal, 38-point season, both career highs. Despite many who felt that Chiasson might be too expensive to bring back, the team got him back at a reasonable price and have retained a winger in hopes of bouncing back this season and making a playoff run.

Dallas Stars Sign Andrej Sekera

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The Dallas Stars will add a pair of veteran forwards when free agency opens in just over an hour, and are now expected to bring in some experience on defense as well. Bob McKenzie of TSN reports that the Stars will sign Andrej Sekera to a one-year contract later today. Sekera was recently bought out by the Edmonton Oilers and will be earning $1.5MM from them in each of the next four seasons. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that the deal will be $1.5MM in salary with an additional $500K in potential performance bonuses. Though Sekera isn’t 35 yet, he spent enough time injured last season to be eligible for bonuses.

Sekera, 33, has played just 60 games for the Oilers over the last two seasons but looked like his game was starting to turn around at the end of the year. If he can recover any of the ability that made him a 44-point defenseman in 2013-14 for the Carolina Hurricanes the Stars will have a bargain on their hands, but that is far from certain. Dallas already has most of their defense corps set but were a little thin at the fringes.

The question now will be what happens to young Julius Honka, who needs a new contract but hasn’t been able to find a fit with the Stars since being selected 14th overall in 2014. Through 87 games in the NHL Honka has just 13 points, and may not have much of an opportunity in Dallas if Stephen Johns is able to return from injury this season.

Oilers Expected To Sign Markus Granlund

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The Oilers are poised to add some depth up front.  Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that Edmonton is set to sign forward Markus Granlund to a one-year contract.  Andy Strickland of Fox Sports Midwest reports (via Twitter) that the deal is worth $1.3MM.

Granlund was slated to become a restricted free agent this summer but Vancouver declined to tender him a $1.475MM qualifying offer.  The 26-year-old rebounded a bit offensively in 2018-19, collecting 12 goals and 10 assists in 78 games with the Canucks while averaging a little over 15 minutes per game of ice time.  However, he still came up short of his production from 2016-17 when he posted 32 points in 69 contests.

Granlund has spent time at all three forward positions and that type of versatility will certainly help Edmonton who has a variety of holes up front to fill and not a large amount of cap space to work with, even with yesterday’s buyout of Andrej Sekera.  It’s likely that Granlund will shuffle around the Oilers lineup in a variety of roles and a good showing with them could certainly bolster his market for next summer when he will once again be eligible for unrestricted free agency.

Mike Smith Signs With Edmonton Oilers

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The Edmonton Oilers have signed veteran goaltender Mike Smith on the first day of free agency. Smith will earn $2MM on a one-year contract

With Mikko Koskinen under contract as their 1A, the Oilers have been looking for a 1B option in goal, but with little money to spend and quite a few holes to fill, the team didn’t have the option of signing one of the high-priced goalies on the market. While Smith has been a solid goaltender in previous years and was even an all-star in the 2017-18 season, the 37-year-old has declined more recently. He appeared in 42 games last season, but saw his save percentage drop below .900 for the first time since the 2010-11 season as he finished the year with at .898. However, the team hopes that Smith can rebound while sharing the net with Koskinen.

Smith would replace Cam Talbot, who was reported earlier today as likely to sign with Calgary, who served as the backup in Edmonton last year until the team traded him to Philadelphia. The Oilers picked up Anthony Stolarz in the deal, but didn’t show much interest in bringing him back. Smith should provide some stability next to Koskinen, who the team locked up to a three-year, $13.5MM deal earlier this year.

UFA Notes: Perry, Dzingel, Lee, Zuccarello, Talbot, Gilmour

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Perhaps one of the most interesting free agents out there seems to be Corey Perry. The veteran forward, recently bought out by the Anaheim Ducks has received interest from at least 10 teams, according to TSN’s Frank Seravalli. The 34-year-old winger is trying to narrow his choices to the best three to four today, but new teams keep jumping into the mix.

Sportsnet’s John Shannon reports that three or four teams are aggressively pursuing Perry as several teams are looking for a short-term option to help their team immediately. The Edmonton Oilers are considered one the four teams as they are trying to add as much help to the team’s top-six as possible, hoping that Perry might be able to help either Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl. Perry was limited to just 34 games last season, posting six goals and 10 points.

  • Ryan Dzingel’s name has heated up recently as Columbus Dispatch’s Brian Hedger reports that the scorer will not be returning to Columbus even with his Ohio ties. Reports that he clashed with head coach John Tortorella in his tenure with the Blue Jackets have made him look elsewhere. However, Sporting News Canada’s Murray Pam reports that two teams are vying for the 27 year old’s services, including the Chicago Blackhawks and the Colorado Avalanche. The Blackhawks could make the most sense for Dzingel as Chicago attempted to trade for him at the trade deadline, before he ended up with Columbus, and he also own a home in the Chicago area. Dzingel scored 26 goals and had 56 points between Ottawa and Columbus last season and could be a great second-line target for the right team.
  • With Anders Lee seemingly less and less likely to re-sign with the New York Islanders, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that he wouldn’t be surprised if the Montreal Canadiens go after the 28-year-old winger. Lee, who has tallied 68 goals over the past two seasons is looking for a long-term deal, which the Islanders have balked at so far. However, the Canadiens who are loaded with plenty of young forwards may be interested in adding a veteran leader who can help out both on the ice and in the locker room.
  • The Athletic’s Michael Russo (subscription required) reports that the Minnesota Wild are actively pursuing unrestricted free agent forward Mats Zuccarello and are prepared to offer him a long-term deal. The scribe adds that the Columbus Blue Jackets are also in the mix for the rights to the veteran forward. The 31-year-old was traded to Dallas at the trade deadline this year and he performed well in the playoffs (four goals and 11 points in 13 games), but the two opted to part ways when contract negotiations fell apart. The Wild have approximately $17.4MM in cap room to spend this offseason, although they still have to sign several of their restricted free agents, including Kevin Fiala, Ryan Donato and Joel Eriksson Ek. Russo adds the team is also looking at forward Ryan Hartman.
  • Flames radio host Pat Steinberg reports that all signs point to the Calgary Flames signing goaltender Cam Talbot Monday, likely to a one-year deal. Calgary looks like they intend to part ways with veteran Mike Smith, which could give Talbot, who has been playing for the rival Oilers for the past four years, minus the last few months when he was traded to Philadelphia. Talbot struggled last season with a 3.40 GAA and a .892 save percentage in 35 games between the two teams.
  • Fox Sports Midwest’s Andy Strickland reports that there is mutual interest between the Buffalo Sabres and unrestricted free agent defenseman John Gilmour, who became a Group 6 free agent this offseason. After appearing in 28 games in the 2017-18 season, Gilmour appeared in just five games this season and didn’t look to be in the team’s plans with so many young blueliners passing him. Regardless, the 26-year-old fared well in the AHL, putting up 20 goals and 54 points in 70 games for the Hartford Wolf Pack.

Andrej Sekera, David Schlemko To Be Bought Out

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Two players have been placed on unconditional waivers today as the Edmonton Oilers announced they have placed veteran defenseman Andrej Sekera on unconditional waivers for the purposes of a buyout, while the Philadelphia Flyers also reported the same about defenseman David Schlemko.

Sekera had two years remaining on his six-year, $33MM deal ($5.5MM AAV) he signed in 2015 when he was the team’s No. 1 defenseman. However, major injuries have derailed his career since then as the 33-year-0ld has played just 60 games combined over the past two seasons. He played 24 games last season, putting up just four assists. While the team was hoping that Sekera might work his way back into his old form, the team decided they would rather move forward. The team is loaded with a number of young defenseman who the team wants to give a chance to on the ice, including Evan Bouchard, Ethan Bear, William Lagesson, Caleb Jones, Joel Persson, Dmitri Samorukov as well as their unsigned 2019 first-round pick, Philip Broberg. The team had been trying to find a trade partner to take Sekera off their hands, but failed even though the Oilers were willing to retain half his salary. Thus, with no trade partner available, Edmonton opted to buy him out.

The buyout will last four years with the following cap hit (according to CapFriendly):

2019-20: $2.5M
2020-21: $2.5M
2021-22: $1.5M
2022-23: $1.5M

With Sekera’s contract cleared, the Oilers should have an extra $3MM to spend as they now should have $11.3MM in projected cap space this summer with a roster of 17, including nine forwards and seven defensemen.

Schlmeko, on the other hand, has bounced around over the last few years and the 32-year-old never took the ice for Philadelphia. He was acquired along with Byron Froese in February of this year in a trade with Montreal for Christian Folin and Dale Weise. Schlemko spent the rest of his season playing for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in the AHL, where he played 18 games, tallying four assists in the process.

The veteran was going into the final year of a four-year, $8.4MM deal ($2.1MM AAV) he signed with the San Jose Sharks. The Sharks, however, chose to expose Schlemko to the expansion draft in 2017 and the Golden Knights selected him and then flipped him to Montreal for a fifth-round pick in this year’s draft. Although he’s dealt with numerous injuries, he spent most of his time in Montreal as the seventh defenseman, playing just 55 games over those two years.

The buyout will last just two years with the following cap hit (according to CapFriendly):

2019-20: $900K
2020-21: $600K

The team will now have $16.3MM in projected salary cap space for the offseason with 18 players on their roster, including nine forwards, six defensemen and three goaltenders.

 

Free Agent Notes: Boyle, Hainsey, Acciari

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Five to six teams have reached out to free agent forward Brian Boyle according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, who lists the Edmonton Oilers and Buffalo Sabres as two interested parties. Boyle is coming off a two-year $5.1MM contract that he signed with the New Jersey Devils but finished with the Nashville Predators, and could still be an interesting bottom-six addition for many teams.

Now 34, the gigantic forward has always had a knack for scoring big goals and tallied 18 last season despite averaging just over 13 minutes a night. The 6’6″ Boyle has played center for much of his career but can also line up at left wing and provide a net-front presence on the powerplay. The 2018 Masterton Trophy winner after a battle with cancer, he obviously still believes he has some hockey left in him even as he heads into his mid-thirties.

  • Ron Hainsey believes the same, as agent Matt Keator told reporters including LeBrun today that the 38-year old won’t be retiring as long as his phone is ringing. The free agent defenseman played the last two seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs and routinely lined up on the top pairing with Morgan Rielly, averaging more than 20 minutes a night. With 23 points in each of those years and a career-high +30 rating in 2018-19, it’s easy to understand why there might be interest. Even Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas admitted to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet that the team would love to bring Hainsey back, but admits they might get priced out given their cap concerns.
  • The Boston Bruins have extended a contract offer to Noel Acciari according to team reporter Joe Haggerty, but they know the hard working forward will draw interest from other teams. Acciari, 27, is coming off a season in which he recorded just 15 points in 72 games but was a physical force recording 221 hits and logging a good amount of time on the penalty kill.
  • Columbus Dispatch reporter Brian Hedger tweets that the Blue Jackets have spoken with the representatives of free agent forward Marcus Johansson, who is a free agent after his Stanley Cup run with the Boston Bruins. Johansson is coming off a three-year, $13.75MM deal originally signed with the Washington Capitals but has dealt with injury over the last two seasons. He recorded 30 points in 58 games in 2018-19, but was an excellent piece for the Bruins in the postseason adding some secondary scoring down the lineup. Johansson is a versatile player capable of lining up at any forward position, and should have plenty of interest around the league.

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