Today brought a flurry of teams re-signing players before July 1st. In total, 12 players have signed NHL contracts—and one signing in the KHL—and this is just day one. Below are all of today’s signings in one place for your convenience:
Oilers Rumors
Zach Kassian Re-Signs With Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers have locked up a key forward, signing Zack Kassian to a three-year deal worth a total of $5.85MM. Paying him $1.95MM per season, the deal buys out two of Kassian’s unrestricted free agent years, but gives him some stability as he continues to get his career back on track. He will be a UFA in the summer of 2020.
Kassian, 26, has had a long difficult road through the professional ranks since being selected 13th-overall in 2009. Stung by inconsistency and addiction—Kassian has been open about his battle with alcohol following a stint in the NHL’s substance abuse facility—the big winger finally found a home in Edmonton this year, scoring 24 points and generally being an impossible pest on the ice. His play (and facial hair) drew rave reviews in the playoffs, even if it did result in only three goals.
With the Oilers focused on re-signing Leon Draisaitl and extending Connor McDavid for the next eight years, getting Kassian under contract for such a reasonable price will help fill in the bottom six with a known commodity. If he can repeat or even improve on his scoring numbers from last season, he’ll be one of the better depth scoring options in the league relative to his contract. The fact that Edmonton took a chance on him and helped him get his life back on track likely played a part in keeping him there, and he’ll now try to take the next step and help the team get back into the playoffs.
Bob McKenzie of TSN broke the signing and provided details on the financials of the deal.
Free Agent Focus: Edmonton Oilers
The free agent period is now less than one week away from opening up and there are several prominent players set to hit the open market while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign. Here is a breakdown of the Edmonton Oilers’ free agent situation.
Key Restricted Free Agents: F Leon Draisaitl. At 21 years old and coming off a 29-goal season (along with 77 total points), Draisaitl would likely be the most important restricted free agent in the entire NHL. The Oilers have already come out and stated they will match any offer, no matter how high to retain one of the franchise’s cornerstone pieces on their team and it will prove costly. The third overall pick in the 2014 draft has been unstoppable in just three short years and he’s nowhere close to his prime. Extending the young German forward is critical for the team and a big reason the team just traded Jordan Eberle to the Islanders to free as much cap space as it can to lock up Draisaitl and Connor McDavid, who they hope to extend this year as well.
Other RFA’s: F Zack Kassian, D Joey Laleggia, D David Musil, F Zachary Pochiro, F Henrik Samuelsson, D Dillon Simpson.
Key Unrestricted Free Agents: F Tyler Pitlick. A few days ago, veteran defender Kris Russell would have been in this spot, but the defender signed a four-year, $4MM per year deal to stay with the Oilers. That leaves very little to worry about on the unrestricted free agent front. However, if you really look, Pitlick still has a lot of potential. The only problem is the 25-year-old center is quite injury prone. In the last three years, he has not played in more than 37 games a season due to various injuries with the most recent being a torn ACL back in December. Although, he was having a strong season before that, scoring eight goals in those first 31 games. However, considering the Oilers may be looking for cheap players with potential, they might consider giving Pitlick one more chance.
Other UFA’s: F David Desharnais, F Justin Fontaine, D Mark Fraser, F Matt Hendricks, D Eric Gryba, D Jordan Oesterle.
Projected Cap Space: With the Eberle contract now off the books and Russell signed long-term, that allows Edmonton almost $20MM in cap space to work with and they will likely need a lot of that to give extensions to Draisaitl and McDavid. While McDavid is not a restricted free agent until next year, the team can lock him up starting this summer and would be smart to do so. With what’s left, the team may look to add a few veterans to fill out the lineup and help guide this young team even further next year.
Offseason Keys: Edmonton Oilers
While expansion was the early headline in what will be a busy NHL offseason, there are still several other storylines for each team in the months to come. Here is a closer look at what lies ahead for the Edmonton Oilers.
After years of continued struggles, everything came together rather nicely for the Oilers in 2016-17. Connor McDavid built on a strong rookie season with a Hart Trophy campaign while Cam Talbot provided the strong goaltending they had been seeking for a while. As a result, they made it to the second round, providing plenty of reason for optimism in Edmonton.
GM Peter Chiarelli has been busy already this offseason with the recent trade of winger Jordan Eberle to the Islanders for center Ryan Strome plus the re-signing of Kris Russell. Even with those off the board, there is still work to be done. Here are three remaining offseason keys for the Oilers.
McDavid Extension
There has been talk of McDavid’s second contract since the time he signed his first one. He has more than delivered in his first two seasons with Edmonton and Chiarelli has already indicated that this will be his top priority this summer.
There are two questions in play here – how much will it cost and how long will the contract be? Regardless of the term, it’s going to be among the highest cap hits in the league and I don’t think anyone on either side would expect otherwise.
The term presents the more intriguing question. He’s eligible to sign for as many as eight years and he sits four years away from unrestricted free agency eligibility. While many have expected he’ll take the eight years, it was suggested last month that a five year term would be more preferable to McDavid. While that would result in a lower pay day now, it would allow him to sign his next contract with all years being UFA ones and likely a higher salary cap at that time. Whichever way they go, there’s little reason to think this won’t get done around July 1st, the first day he’s eligible to sign.
New Deal For Draisaitl
Edmonton has the highest scoring restricted free agent this summer in center Leon Draisaitl. The German forward is coming off a breakout season where he tallied 29 goals and 48 assists and has shown himself to be a number one center.
Offer sheets are extremely rare now but given the massive contract McDavid will get on his next deal, some have wondered if Draisaitl could be targeted. Chiarelli has already stated he’ll match any offer but that might not stop a team from trying. If an opposing squad wanted to make life difficult for Edmonton cap-wise, they could offer as much $9.8MM for five years with the offer sheet compensation being two first rounders, a second, and a third.
The expectation is that the two sides should be able to work out a deal shortly after the McDavid one is finalized (and it’s that contract that will likely lay the foundation for this one) but if that isn’t the case, there may be a team that decides to try to roll the dice on an offer sheet (assuming Draisaitl is willing to sign it, of course). Assuming there is no offer sheet, a new deal for the 21 year old should come in around the $7MM per season range.
Add Defensive Depth
The Oilers will be without blueliner Andrej Sekera for a notable period to start next season. He suffered a torn ACL against the Ducks in the second round and will be out anywhere from six to nine months. On the shorter end, he’d miss roughly the first six weeks of the season but at the longer end of the scale, that could be half the season.
The team is in much better shape defensively than they were a couple of years ago with both Darnell Nurse and Matt Benning faring well as youngsters but behind them, there isn’t much that’s ready right away. Griffin Reinhart would have helped in that regard but he was picked by the Golden Knights in expansion.
Veteran Eric Gryba is set to become an unrestricted free agent and while bringing him back would help in terms of depth, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them set their heights a little higher in free agency. It’s not likely that they will go after the big names – especially with their big two forwards set to receive huge raises – but finding someone capable of playing a fourth or fifth defender role would help ease the pain of missing Sekera early on while giving them strong third pairing options when everyone is healthy.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
2017 NHL Draft Results
Pro Hockey Rumors will be following and updating every selection of the 2017 NHL Draft. Stay here for every pick made in the draft this weekend:
Round One
- New Jersey Devils: Nico Hischier (C) – Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
- Philadelphia Flyers: Nolan Patrick (C) – Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
- Dallas Stars: Miro Heiskanen (D) – HIFK (Finland)
- Colorado Avalanche: Cale Makar (D) – Brooks Bandits (AJHL)
- Vancouver Canucks: Elias Pettersson (C) – Timra (Sweden)
- Vegas Golden Knights: Cody Glass (C) – Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
- New York Rangers (from AZ): Lias Andersson (C) – HV71 (Sweden)
- Buffalo Sabres: Casey Mittelstadt (C) – Eden Prairie High School
- Detroit Red Wings: Michael Rasmussen (C) – Tri-City Americans (WHL)
- Florida Panthers: Owen Tippett (RW) – Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)
- Los Angeles Kings: Gabe Vilardi (C) – Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
- Carolina Hurricanes: Martin Necas (C) – Brno (Czech)
- Vegas Golden Knights (from WPG): Nick Suzuki (C/RW) – Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
- Tampa Bay Lightning: Cal Foote (D) – Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
- Vegas Golden Knights (from NYI): Erik Brannstrom (D) – HV71 (Sweden)
- Calgary Flames: Juuso Valimaki (D) – Tri-City Americans (WHL)
- Toronto Maple Leafs: Timothy Liljegren (D) – Rogle (Sweden)
- Boston Bruins: Urho Vaakanainen (D) – JYP (Finland)
- San Jose Sharks: Josh Norris (C) – USA U-18 National Development Program
- St. Louis Blues: Robert Thomas (C/RW) – London Knights (OHL)
- New York Rangers: Filip Chytil (C/LW) – Zlin (Czech)
- Edmonton Oilers: Kailer Yamamoto (RW) – Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
- Arizona Coyotes (from MIN): Pierre-Olivier Joseph (D) – Charlottetown Islanders (QMJHL)
- Winnipeg Jets (from CLB via VGK): Kristian Vesalainen (LW) – Frolunda (Sweden)
- Montreal Canadiens: Ryan Poehling (C) – St. Cloud State (NCAA)
- Dallas Stars (from CHI): Jake Oettinger (G) – Boston University (NCAA)
- Philadelphia Flyers (from STL): Morgan Frost (C) – Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
- Ottawa Senators: Shane Bowers (C) – Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL)
- Chicago Blackhawks (from DAL via ANA): Henri Jokiharju (D) – Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
- Nashville Predators: Eeli Tolvanen (LW/RW) – Sioux City Musketeers (USHL)
- St. Louis (from PIT): Klim Kostin (LW/RW) – Dynamo Moscow (KHL)
Round 2
32. Colorado Avalanche: Conor Timmins (D) – Saulte Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
33. Vancouver Canucks: Kole Lind (RW) – Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
34. Vegas Golden Knights: Nicolas Hague (D) – Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)
35. Philadelphia Flyers (from AZ): Isaac Ratcliffe (LW) – Guelph Storm (OHL)
36. New Jersey Devils: Jesper Boqvist (C) – Brynas (Sweden)
37. Buffalo Sabres: Marcus Davidsson (C) – Djurgardens (Sweden)
38. Detroit Red Wings: Gustav Lindstrom (D) – Altuma (Sweden)
39. Dallas Stars: Jason Robertson (LW/RW) – Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
40. Florida Panthers: Aleksi Heponiemi (C) – Swift Current Broncos (WHL)
41. Los Angeles Kings: Jaret Anderson-Dolan (C) – Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
42. Carolina Hurricanes: Eetu Luostarinen (C) – KalPa (Finland)
43. Winnipeg Jets: Dylan Samberg (D) – Team North (USHS)
44. Arizona Coyotes (from PHI): Filip Westerlund (D) – Frolunda (Sweden)
45. Columbus Blue Jackets (from TB via VGK): Alexandre Texier (C) – Grenoble (France)
46. New York Islanders: Robin Salo (D) – Sport (Finland)
47. Ottawa Senators (from CGY): Alex Formenton (LW) – London Knights (OHL)
48. Tampa Bay Lightning (from TOR): Alexander Volkov (LW) – SKA St. Petersburg (Russia)
49. San Jose Sharks (from BOS via NJD): Mario Ferraro (D) – Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL)
50. Anaheim Ducks (from SJS via TOR): Maxime Comtois (LW) – Victoriaville Tigres (QMHL)
51. Pittsburgh Penguins (from STL): Zachary Lauzon (D) – Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (QMJHL)
52. Carolina Hurricanes (from NYR): Luke Martin (D) – Michigan (NCAA)
53. Boston Bruins (from EDM): Jack Studnicka (C) – Oshawa Generals (OHL)
54. Buffalo Sabres (from MIN): Ukko-Pekka Luukonen (G) – HPK (Finland)
55. Vancouver Canucks (from CLB): Jonah Gadjovich (LW) – Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
56. Montreal Canadiens: Josh Brook (D) – Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)
57. Chicago Blackhawks: Ian Mitchell (D) – Spruce Grove Saints (AJHL)
58. Montreal Canadiens (from WAS): Joni Ikonen (C) – Frolunda (Sweden)
59. Toronto Maple Leafs (from OTT): Eemeli Rasanen (D) – Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
60. Anaheim Ducks: Antoine Morand (C) – Acadie-Bathurst Titan (QMJHL)
61. Nashville Predators: Grant Mismash (C) – U.S. U-18 National Development Program
62. Vegas Golden Knights (from PIT via CAR): Jake Leschyshyn – Regina Pats (WHL)
Round 3
63. New Jersey Devils (from COL): Fabian Zetterlund (RW) – Farjestad (Sweden)
64. Vancouver Canucks: Michael DiPietro (G) – Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
65. Vegas Golden Knights: Jonas Rondbjerg (RW) – Vaxjo (Sweden)
66. Florida Panthers (from AZ): Max Gildon (D) – U.S. U-18 National Development Program
67. Carolina Hurricanes (from NJD): Morgan Geekie (C/RW) – Tri-City Americans (WHL)
68. Montreal Canadiens (from BUF): Scott Walford (D) – Victoria Royals (WHL)
69. Arizona Coyotes (from DET via SJS): MacKenzie Entwistle (RW) – Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL)
70. Chicago Blackhawks (from DAL): Andrei Altybarmakyan (C) – SKA St. Petersburg (Russia)
71. Detroit Red Wings (from FLA): Kasper Kotkansalo (D) – Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)
72. Los Angeles Kings: Matt Villalta (G) – Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
73. Carolina Hurricanes: Stelio Mattheos (RW/C) – Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
74. Winnipeg Jets: Johnny Kovacevic (D) – Merrimack (NCAA)
75. Arizona Coyotes: Nate Schnarr (C) – Guelph Storm (OHL)
76. Tampa Bay Lightning: Alexei Lipanov (C) – Dynamo Balashik (Russia)
77. New York Islanders: Ben Mirageas (D) – Chicago Steel (USHL)
78. Edmonton Oilers (from CGY via AZ): Stuart Skinner (G) – Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL)
79. Detroit Red Wings (from TOR): Lane Zablocki (C) – Red Deer Rebels (WHL)
80. Philadelphia Flyers (from BOS): Kirill Ustimenko (G) – MHK Dynamo (Russia)
81. New Jersey (from SJS): Reilly Walsh (D) – Chicago Steel (USHL)
82. Arizona Coyotes (from STL via EDM): Cameron Crotty (D) – Brockville Braves (CCHL)
83. Detroit Red Wings (from NYR): Zach Gallant (C) – Peterborough Petes (OHL)
84. Edmonton Oilers: Dmitri Samorukov (D) – Guelph Storm (OHL)
85. Minnesota Wild: Ivan Lodnia (RW) – Erie Otters (OHL)
86. Columbus Blue Jackets: Daniil Tarasov (G) – Russia
87. Montreal Canadiens: Cale Fleury (D) – Kootenay Ice (WHL)
88. Detroit Red Wings (from CHI via CAR): Keith Petruzelli (G) – Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
89. Buffalo Sabres (from WAS): Oskari Laaksonen (D) – Ilves (Sweden)
90. Chicago Blackhawks (from OTT via CAR): Evan Baratt (C) – U.S. U-18 National Development Program
91. Anaheim Ducks: Jack Badini (LW) – Chicago Steel (USHL)
92. Nashville Predators: David Farrance (D) – U.S. U-18 National Development Program
93. Pittsburgh Penguins: Clayton Phillips (D) – Fargo Force (USHL)
Round 4
94. Colorado Avalanche: Nicholas Henry (RW) – Regina Pats (WHL)
95. Vancouver Canucks: Jack Rathbone (D) – Dexter (USHS)
96. Vegas Golden Knights: Maxim Zhukov (G) – Green Bay Gamblers (USHL)
97. Minnesota Wild (from AZ): Mason Shaw (C) – Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
98. New Jersey Devils: Nikita Popugaev (RW) – Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)
99. Buffalo Sabres: Jacob Bryson (D) – Providence (NCAA)
100. Detroit Red Wings: Malte Setkov (D) – Malmo (Sweden)
101. Dallas Stars: Liam Hawel (C) – Guelph Storm (OHL)
102. San Jose Sharks (from FLA via NYR): Scott Reedy (RW/C) – U.S. U-18 National Development Program
103. Los Angeles Kings: Mikey Anderson (D) – Waterloo Blackhawks (USHL)
104. Carolina Hurricanes: Eetu Makiniemi (G) – Jokerit (Finland)
105. Winnipeg Jets: Santeri Virtanen (C) – TPS (Finland)
106. Philadelphia Flyers: Matthew Strome (LW) – Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL)
107. Philadelphia Flyers (from TB): Maxim Shushko (RW) – Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
108. Arizona Coyotes (from NYI via PHI): Noel Hoefenmayer (D) – Ottawa 67’s (OHL)
109. Calgary Flames: Adam Ruzicka (C) – Sarnia Sting (OHL)
110. Toronto Maple Leafs: Ian Scott (G) – Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)
111. Boston Bruins: Jeremy Swayman (G) – Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)
112. Chicago Blackhawks (from SJS via VAN): Tim Soderlund (LW/C) – Skelleftea (Sweden)
113. St. Louis Blues: Alexei Toropchenko (LW): HK MVD (Russia)
114. Colorado Avalanche (from NYR): Petr Kvaca (G) – HC Ceske (Czech Rep.)
115. Edmonton Oilers: Ostap Safin (RW) – HC Sparta (Czech Rep.)
116. Minnesota Wild: Bryce Misley (C) – Oakville Blades (OJHL)
117. Columbus Blue Jackets: Emil Bemstrom (C/RW) – Leksands (Sweden)
118. Los Angeles Kings (from MTL via DAL): Markus Phillips (D) – Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
119. Chicago Blackhawks: Roope Laavainen (D) – Jokerit (Finland)
120. Washington Capitals: Tobias Geisser (D) – EVZ Academy (Switzerland)
121. Ottawa Senators: Drake Batherson (C) – Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (QMJHL)
122. Anaheim Ducks: Kyle Olsen (C/RW) – Tri-City Americans (WHL)
123. New York Rangers (from NSH via NJD & SJS): Brandon Crawley (D) – London Knights (OHL)
124. Toronto Maple Leafs (from PIT): Vladislav Cara (C) – Irbis Kazan (Russia)
Round 5
125. Colorado Avalanche: Igor Shvyryov (C) – Stalnye (Russia)
126. Arizona Coyotes (from VAN via EDM): Michael Karow (D) – Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
127. Vegas Golden Knights: Lucas Elvenes (RW) – Rogle (Sweden)
128. Arizona Coyotes: Tyler Steenbergen (C) – Swift Current Broncos (WHL)
129. New Jersey Devils: Gilles Senn (G) – Davos (Switzerland)
130. St. Louis Blues (from BUF): David Noel (D) – Val-d’Or Foreur (QMJHL)
131. Detroit Red Wings: Cole Fraser (D) – Peterborough Petes (OHL)
132. Dallas Stars: Jacob Peterson (C) – Sweden
133. Florida Panthers: Tyler Inamoto (D) – U.S. U-18 National Development Program
134. Los Angeles Kings: Cole Hults (D) – Madison Capitol (USHL)
135. Vancouver Canucks (from CAR via CHI): Kristoffer Gunnarsson (D) – Ik Oskarshamn (Sweden)
136. Winnipeg Jets: Leon Gawanke (D) – Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (QMJHL)
137. Philadelphia Flyers: Noah Cates (LW) – Stillwater (USHS)
138. Los Angeles Kings (from TB): Drake Rymsha (C) – Sarnia Sting (OHL)
139. New York Islanders: Sebastian Aho (D) – Skelleftea (Sweden)
140. Calgary Flames: Zach Fischer (RW) – Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
141. Toronto Maple Leafs: Fedor Gordeev (D) – Flint Firebirds (OHL)
142. Vegas Golden Knights (from BOS via CAR): Jonathan Dugan (C) – Northwood (USHS)
143. New Jersey Devils (from SJS): Marian Studenic (RW) – Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL)
144. Chicago Blackhawks (from STL): Parker Foo (C) – Brooks Bandits (AJHL)
145. New York Rangers: Calle Sjalin (D) – Ostersunds (Sweden)
146. Edmonton Oilers: Kirill Maximov (LW) – Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
147. Minnesota Wild: Jacob Golden (D) – London Knights (OHL)
148. Columbus Blue Jackets: Kale Howarth (C) – Trail Smoke Eaters (BCHL)
149. Montreal Canadiens: Jarret Tyszka (D) – Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)
150. Chicago Blackhawks: Jacob Galvas (D) – HC Olomouc (Czech Rep.)
151. Washington Capitals: Sebastian Walfridsson (D) – MODO (Sweden)
152. Pittsburgh Penguins (from OTT): Jan Drozg (RW/LW) – Leksands (Sweden)
153. Anaheim Ducks: Olle Eriksson Ek (G) – Farjestad (Sweden)
154. Nashville Predators: Tomas Vomacka (G) – Corpus Christi (NAHL)
155. Pittsburgh Penguins: Linus Ohlund (C) – Byrnas (Sweden)
Round 6
156. Colorado Avalanche: Denis Smirnov (LW) – Penn State (NCAA)
157. New York Rangers (from VAN): Dominick Lakatos (C/LW) – Billi Tygri (Czech Rep.)
158. Vegas Golden Knights: Nicholas Campoli (C) – North York Rangers (OJHL)
159. San Jose Sharks (from AZ): Jacob McGrew (RW) – Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
160. New Jersey Devils: Aarne Talvitie (C) – Espoo (Finland)
161. Vegas Golden Knights (from BUF): Jiri Patera (G) – Ceske (Czech Rep.)
162. Detroit Red Wings: Jack Adams (RW) – Fargo Force (USHL)
163. Dallas Stars: Brett Davis (C) – Kootenay Ice (WHL)
164. Detroit Red Wings (from FLA): Reilly Webb (D) – Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL)
165. New York Islanders (from LA): Arnaud Durandeau (LW) – Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
166. Carolina Hurricanes: Brandon De Jong (D) – Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
167. Winnipeg Jets: Arvid Holm (G) – Karlskrona (Sweden)
168. Philadlephia Flyers: Olle Lycksell (C) – Linkoping (Sweden)
169. Tampa Bay Lightning: Nick Perbix (D) – Elk River (USHS)
170. Columbus Blue Jackets (from NYI via CHI): Jonathan Davidsson (RW) – Djurgardens (Sweden)
171. Calgary Flames: D’Artagnan Joly (RW) – Baie-Comeau Drakkar
172. Toronto Maple Leafs: Ryan McGregor (C/LW) – Sarnia Sting (OHL)
173. Boston Bruins: Cedric Pare (LW) – Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL)
174. New York Rangers (from SJS): Morgan Barron (C) – St. Andrew’s (CISAA)
175. St. Louis Blues: Trenton Bourque (D) – Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
176. Nashville Predators (from NYR): Pavel Kolygin (LW/C) – Drummondville Voltiguers (QMJHL)
177. Edmonton Oilers: Skyler Brind’Amour (C) – Selects (USPHL)
178. Minnesota Wild: Andrei Svetlakov (C) – CSKA Moscow (Russia)
179. Columbus Blue Jackets: Carson Meyer (RW) – Miami (OH) (NCAA)
180. Tampa Bay Lightning (from MTL): Cole Guttman (C) – Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL)
181. Vancouver Canucks (from CHI via CLB): Petrus Palmu (RW/LW) – Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
182. Washington Capitals: Benton Maass (D) – Elk River (USHS)
183. Ottawa Senators: Jordan Hollett (G) – Regina Pats (WHL)
184. Florida Panthers (from ANA): Sebastian Repo (RW) – Tappara (Finland)
185. San Jose Sharks (from NSH via NJ): Alexander Chmelevski (C) – Ottawa 67’s
186. Pittsburgh Penguins: Antti Palojarvi (D) – Lukko (Finland)
Round 7
187. Colorado Avalanche: Nick Leivermann (D) – Eden Prairie (USHS)
188. Vancouver Canucks: Matthew Brassard (D) – Oshawa Generals (OHL)
189. Vegas Golden Knights: Ben Jones (C) – Niagara Ice Dogs (OHL)
190. Arizona Coyotes: Erik Walli Walterholm(RW) – Djurgardens (Sweden)
191. New Jersey Devils: Jocktan Chainey (D) – Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
192. Buffalo Sabres: Linus Weissbach (LW/RW) – Tri-City Storm (USHL)
193. Detroit Red Wings: Brady Gilmour (C) – Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
194. Dallas Star: Dylan Ferguson (G) – Kamloops Blazers (WHL)
195. Boston Bruins (from FLA): Victor Berglund (D) – MODO (Sweden)
196. Philadelphia Flyers (from LA via TB): Wyatt Kalynuk (D) – Bloomington Thunder (USHL)
197. Carolina Hurricanes: Ville Rasanen (D) -Jokipojat (Finland)
198. Winnipeg Jets: Skyler McKenzie (C) – Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
199. Montreal Canadiens (from PHI): Cayden Primeau (G) – Lincoln Stars (USHL)
200. Tampa Bay Lightning: Samuel Walker (C) – Edina (USHS)
201. New York Islanders: Logan Cockerill (RW) – U.S. U-18 National Development Program
202. Calgary Flames: Filip Sveningsson (LW) – HV71 (Sweden)
203. Toronto Maple Leafs: Ryan O’Connell (D) – St. Andrew’s (CISAA)
204. Boston Bruins: Daniel Bukac (D) – Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
205. New Jersey Devils (from SJS): Yegor Zaitsev (D) – Dynamo Moskva (Russia)
206. St. Louis Blues: Anton Andersson (D) – Lulea (Sweden)
207. New York Rangers: Patrik Virta (C/RW) – TPS (Finland)
208. Edmonton Oilers: Phillip Kemp (D) – U.S. U-18 National Development Program
209. Minnesota Wild: Nick Swaney (C) – Waterloo Blackhawks (USHL)
210. Columbus Blue Jackets: Robbie Stucker (D) – St. Thomas (USHS)
211. Winnipeg Jets (from MTL): Croix Evingson (D) – Shreveport Mudbugs (NAHL)
212. San Jose Sharks (from CHI): Ivan Chekhovich (LW) – Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL)
213. Washington Capitals: Kristian Roykas Marthinsen (LW) – Almtuna (Sweden)
214. New Jersey Devils (from OTT via SJS): Matthew Hellickson (D) – Sioux City Musketeers (USHL)
215. Chicago Blackhawks (from ANA): Josh Ess (D) – Lakeville (USHS)
216. Nashville Predators: Jacob Paquette (D) – Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
217. Pittsburgh Penguins: Will Reilly (D) – RPI (NCAA)
Zach Leach contributed to this post (Day Two)
Edmonton Oilers To Re-Sign Kris Russell
The Edmonton Oilers have found a use for some of their recently acquired cap space, signing Kris Russell to a four-year, $16MM contract extension. Russell was due to become an unrestricted free agent again this summer after playing on a one-year deal in 2016-17. The deal also includes a modified no-trade clause and will be structured as follows:
- 2017-18: $5MM
- 2018-19: $4.5MM
- 2019-20: $4MM
- 2020-21: $2.5MM
Long expected to be brought back by the Oilers, the need for Russell was furthered when Andrej Sekera was ruled out for the first part of the season. Russell will be asked to again carry some of that load, likely manning the left side along with Oscar Klefbom and Darnell Nurse. The deal will take Russell to age-34, something that should give pause to even his most staunch defenders. 
Russell of course has been the focus of many battles between “old” and “new school” player evaluation. While he continues to devour minutes and block shots, those more analytically inclined point to his devastatingly-poor possession numbers as a reason to not trust him. That said, the coaching staff and front office in Edmonton clearly appreciated his game, giving him over 21 minutes a night and a brand new long-term contract.
Even if Russell falls somewhere in the middle of the two sides, handing out four-year contracts to 30-year old defensemen is a risky move. If his play falls off even a little bit, $4MM can be a tough pill to swallow for a bottom pair defensemen, especially with the expected astronomical contracts being handed out to Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid. Remember that the team also owes new deals to Nurse, Matt Benning and now Ryan Strome next summer, with Cam Talbot not far behind.
For an example of what could happen, look no further than the Oilers division rival Anaheim. They recently had to part with young defensive prospect Shea Theodore in part to protect their other defensemen from expansion but also to rid themselves of Clayton Stoner’s contract. Stoner was signed to a four-year $13MM deal at the age of 29, and was a huge burden on the Ducks cap just a few years later. While it’s not certain Russell would decline as rapidly, there is at least that possibility.
The Oilers though will bring him back and hope that his shot-blocking skills and general defensive acumen helps them return to the playoffs once again in 2017-18. He logged over 22 minutes a night in the postseason, and will be relied upon once again to provide leadership and consistency to a fairly young defense group.
Ryan Rishaug and Pierre LeBrun of TSN first reported the deal, while Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports also heard it would be announced.
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Snapshots: Coach’s Challenge Penalty, Russell
The NHL is looking at a rule change that would certainly add a new wrinkle to things. TSN’s Elliotte Friedman tweets that the NHL is kicking around the idea to assess two minute minor penalties to coaches who lose a challenge. Colleague Frank Saravelli tweets that it would be for challenges on offside calls, replace the loss of a timeout, and according to Vice President and Director of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell, makes coaches “careful” about when they challenge. The Scores’s Josh Wegman writes that the league is looking for a way to cut down on the number of challenges, as it would make coaches more timid in using that challenge. However, before any rules are changed, both the board of governors and competition committee would have to agree.
- TSN’s Bob McKenzie reports that a deal between defenseman Kris Russell and the Edmonton Oilers could be finalized as soon as tomorrow. He adds that Russell could get close to $4MM AAV for four years. This confirms what was reported earlier in the day, but now includes a duration and dollar amount. Russell played in 68 games for Edmonton and notched a goal and 13 points for them. The 30-year-old defenseman is known less for his statistical contribution and more for his shot blocking abilities.
Edmonton Oilers Will Match Any Offer Sheet For Leon Draisaitl
Though it may not have needed to be said, Edmonton Oilers GM today clarified his position in regards to a potential offer sheet targeting Leon Draisaitl. As Chris Johnston of Sportsnet reports, Chiarelli and the Oilers will match “any offer.” Whether it is a bluff or not, it’s hard to see anyone actually signing Draisaitl to an offer sheet. They are so rare these days that they almost never happen, and Chiarelli can honestly say he’ll match after moving out salary in today’s earlier Jordan Eberle deal.
If anyone were to try it, the penalties were outlined by Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet some time ago. They’re as follows:
| $1,295,571 or less | No compensation |
| $1,295,571 to $1,962,968 | Third-round pick |
| $1,962,968 to $3,925,975 | Second-round pick |
| $3,925,975 to $5,888,960 | First and third-round picks |
| $5,888,960 to $7,851,948 | First, second and third-round picks |
| $7,851,948 to $9,814,935 | Two firsts, a second and third-round picks |
| Over $9,814,935 | Four first-round picks |
You can see why Chiarelli would be comfortable saying it. Unless a team is willing to sign Draisaitl for almost $10MM a year—which is still unlikely regardless of his unbelievable potential and performance this season—the compensation would be nowhere near the value he’ll bring to the franchise for the next several years. There’s no guarantee that Draisaitl stays with the Oilers long term (or even to his 26th birthday given how young he broke into the league) but two firsts a second and third pale in comparison to what he’s worth.
Interestingly, Oilers fans will remember the time they signed Thomas Vanek, then a young sniper for the Buffalo Sabres to an offer sheet, only to have it matched. Had the Sabres let Vanek go, they would have been owed four first-round picks, which ended up as the 12th, 10th, 1st and 1st overall selections in their respective drafts. Vanek was coming off a better season (albeit in a higher scoring environment) than Draisaitl’s 2016-17, giving just a tiny bit of pause to the idea that the Oilers should actually match any offer.
Kris Russell Expected To Re-Sign In Edmonton
After the Edmonton Oilers cleared some cap space earlier today by moving Jordan Eberle for Ryan Strome, the team is close to bringing back one of their pending free agents. E.J. Hradek of NHL Network is hearing that Kris Russell will re-sign with the team.
Russell was one of the more interesting cases in free agency last summer, expected to lock down a long-term deal but eventually having to settle for just a one-year pact. Edmonton ended up giving him $3.1MM for last season, something that he’s sure to improve upon this time around. The 30-year old played over 21 minutes a night for the Oilers, registering 13 points in 68 games while blocking his regular 200+ shots.
One of the battlegrounds between “old” and “new school” player evaluation, Russell seems to be an effective defender but records extremely poor possession statistics. Despite that, coaches seem to rely heavily on him in many different situations and have put him on the ice more than 21 minutes a night for four straight seasons. Especially with the loss of Andrej Sekera to injury for the first part of the season, the Oilers needed to bring in a left-handed shot at some point this summer.
Whether Russell should be that defenseman is up for debate, as Edmonton fans are just as split as anyone when it comes to his performance. Though he once put up 34 points in a season for Calgary, he’s far from an offensive contributor and shouldn’t be expected to get back to that total going forward. The reason for moving Eberle, cap space, is also at risk should the Oilers decide to lock him up long-term. With Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid needing new contracts, locking in close to $4MM per season for a past-30 Russell is a risky proposition.
New York Islanders Acquire Jordan Eberle From Edmonton Oilers
The New York Islanders have acquired Jordan Eberle from the Edmonton Oilers. In return, the Oilers will receive Ryan Strome. The deal is just one-for-one, with no additional salary or assets changing hands. 
Eberle is coming off a terrible playoffs with the Oilers, scoring just two points (and no goals) during their entire run. Falling out of favor with the coaching staff and playing less than 13 minutes in three of the final four games (with the other going to overtime) it was easy to see why his name immediately popped up in trade speculation around the league. The 27-year old is still one of the most consistent offensive wingers in the game, recording 20 goals for the fifth time in his career and registering 51 points this season.
The biggest negative for Eberle, and perhaps a bigger reason why he’ll no longer play in Edmonton, is that he was signed for $6MM through the end of 2019. With the Oilers needing money and cap space for long-term extensions for Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid, his contract was the most likely to go. The Islanders, who cleared room with a Vegas deal yesterday, needed to give John Tavares some help on the first line to try and keep him around long-term.
In theory, Eberle seems like the perfect fit. The pair were magic together at the World Juniors nearly ten years ago, and would seem to be natural compliments to each other in New York. Should Doug Weight put Eberle with Tavares and 34-goal man Anders Lee, the Islanders could have one of the most dynamic offensive lines in the league.
While the Oilers get some much needed salary relief, they also add Strome, the fifth-overall pick from 2011 and middle brother in a hockey playing family. Strome played just 69 games last season registering 30 points, but did seem to find some success after the Islanders’ mid-season coaching change. Even though he might not have the goal-scoring ability of Eberle, he is considerably younger and substantially cheaper. His ability to play center, at least part-time, is also interesting and he could easily return to the 50-point season he had as a 21-year old.
Strome, 23, costs just $2.5MM this season and will be a restricted free agent next summer. If he does break out, the Oilers could be in a similar situation without the money to pay him a long-term deal, but would rather take their chances at this point and make sure their big two are locked up.
Darren Dreger of TSN was first to report the deal.
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