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Cap Haven: Vegas Golden Knights’ Ability To Eat Bad Contracts

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The Vegas Golden Knights are in a better situation now than any of the last few NHL expansion franchises. Sure, some would look at their roster and see a team that could easily finish last in the entire league, devoid of high-end talent or superstar potential; but as we’ve already discussed they had a heck of a first entry draft and are set to improve themselves again at the deadline this year. It could be a quick build for the league’s 31st franchise. David Clarkson

Following Nate Schmidt’s arbitration decision this weekend, in which the Golden Knights locked up another trade deadline asset for a reasonable price, the team currently projects to have around $5.6MM in cap space for the upcoming season. That number may not look very large, but it is actually quite deceiving. The Golden Knights have two players—David Clarkson and Mikhail Grabovski—who will never suit up for another NHL game and are destined for long-term injured reserve should the team need it. Their combined cap hit of $10.25MM would be available to the Knights if they acquired more salary, and there is where the team will really bring in the most value.

Clarkson and Grabovski are already examples of how eating a bad contract can be beneficial for a team. The Columbus Blue Jackets and New York Islanders both sent a first-round pick this year and a second-round selection in 2019 to move the contracts off the books (and decide which player would be selected in the expansion draft), leading to Vegas’ huge draft haul. Those deals are just the tip of the iceberg for what Vegas could pull off in the next few years. In July, Vegas owner Bill Foley made it clear that there was “no budget” for the club, and that they’d use financial muscle to vault them into the NHL spotlight right away.

Vegas also has eleven defensemen at the moment, and whether or not that is reduced by trade prior to the year or burying certain contracts in the minors, there is more space coming off the salary cap for the NHL team. Even a conservative estimate of an additional $3MM in created room puts the team at around $19MM in in-season cap space, a huge number they could use to their advantage. Recently we’ve looked at some of the worst contracts in the league, both in a per-point capacity and looking forward on long-term deals. Vegas is a clear landing spot for any of these under-performers.

Cody GlassThe question then, becomes whether the team believes it can truly compete in the next five years. Acquiring bad contracts is fine if you’re committed to a long rebuild, one that will be starting to turn into a competitive window as the contracts expire. But if Vegas GM George McPhee believes that the trio of Cody Glass, Nick Suzuki and Erik Brannstrom will jump start the process enough to really compete before say, Dustin Brown’s five remaining years expire then they have to be hesitant to acquire such a bad deal.

Vegas has just $11.6MM committed to active players for the 2019-20 season. Whatever you say about their decisions in the expansion draft, they’ve put themselves in a position to act as a sort of cap haven for teams around the league and stockpile young assets because of it. They already have fourteen picks in rounds 1-3 of the next three drafts, including a whopping seven selections in 2019. They’ll easily have even more than that at the end of the year, and more still the summer after that. Draft picks are like lottery tickets, but if you’re the only one playing you stand quite a good chance of winning.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Which 2017 Draft Picks Will Make Their Teams?

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This year’s draft was notoriously thin in terms of elite talent, but that doesn’t mean that some of the top choices won’t make an impact. Of course, a lot will depend on training camp and whether players will return to Juniors, College, or overseas. Nico Hischier has already signed his entry-level contract with New Jersey, as has Nolan Patrick with Philadelphia. Both look primed to make their teams out of camp, even though Patrick will be recovering from an injury. It’s common for top picks to make their teams, and it would be shocking to see either fall short. Beyond these two, however, many of the top players till need seasoning.

The third pick, Miro Heiskanen, very well could return to the Finish Elite League for IFK, or theoretically be taken in the CHL import draft. Dallas doesn’t look like they’ll try to rush it with him, but anything is possible with this talented a player. Fourth overall was defenseman Cale Makar for Colorado, who is committed to play with the University of Massachussetts. Still, Colorado is hurting badly for skill and could benefit mightily from his dynamic presence on the blueline. Fifth overall was Elias Pettersson for Vancouver, who should return to Vaxjo of the SHL. He hasn’t signed an ELC and won’t attend training camp. Sixth overall Cody Glass looks primed to make a push for a spot in Vegas if he can show he belongs. The offense acquired via the expansion draft is very lean, and if Glass can round out his frame, the team may opt to toss him into the fire. He comes from a solid program with the Portland Winterhawks, and already surprised many with his ascension to first-round status in 2016-17.

Seventh overall was 5’11 center Lias Anderssson, who will fight for a position on the New York Rangers. In May, he signed a two-year contract with SHL’s Frolunda, so he might be one of the least likely of the group to see playing time in the near future. Casey Mittelstadt went eighth overall to Buffalo, and his phenomenal performance in the 2016 U-18 World Juniors played a large role in that. He only has USHL experience under his belt, however, and is committed to the Minnesota Gophers for the 2017-18 season. Michael Rasmussen is a towering, 6’6 center from Tri City of the WHL, and his overall physical package propelled him into that 9th selection by Detroit. Detroit is in need of cheap roster players on ELCs, but rushing a player of his caliber, especially coming off an injury-marred 2016-17 season, seems unlikely. GM Ken Holland is known for his patience when it comes to prospects. Rounding out the list, we have one of the few wingers selected in the first round – Owen Tippett of the OHL’s Mississauga Steelheads. His 44 goals in 60 games caught the attention of Florida’s scouts, and he could make things interesting with a solid camp showing.

In the final evaluation, there are really only two sure-fire picks to make their teams in the 2017-18 season. Of course, there are players later in the order who could surprise and get a look as well. Gabriel Vilardi (11) would inject some much needed offense to a floundering Los Angeles squad, and already possesses NHL size. Nick Suzuki (13) could transcend Glass in Vegas as his flashy speed and exceptional passing are already pro-level. Future teammate Erik Brannstrom (15) proved again that he belongs in the conversation in the recent Summer Showcase. Timothy Liljegren (17) is already making Toronto fans salivate at his potential, and there is always someone unexpected who completely blows away the competition in camp. We shouldn’t see more than one or two surprises, but anything is possible once the players retake the ice in August for some internal competition.

In your mind, which 2017 draft picks make the NHL starting roster for their teams, excluding the obvious Hischier and Patrick? Will any of these names compete for a Calder, or will there only be one or two immediately successful rookies from this class? (For comparison’s sake, 4 players played regularly last season of all the players selected in 2016).

Please vote in our poll below!

Which 2017 Draft Picks Will Make Their Teams?
Cody Glass 15.83% (123 votes)
Owen Tippett 15.57% (121 votes)
Other 14.41% (112 votes)
Timothy Liljegren 13.64% (106 votes)
Miro Heiskanen 10.81% (84 votes)
Gabriel Vilardi 9.01% (70 votes)
Cale Makar 6.31% (49 votes)
Nick Suzuki 5.79% (45 votes)
Michael Rasmussen 5.53% (43 votes)
Erik Brannstrom 3.09% (24 votes)
Total Votes: 777

Mobile users can vote here.

A Quiet 2017 Off-Season

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By the time August rolls around each year, it seems like the off-season is dragging on. The July 1st free agent frenzy is long behind us and it’s been weeks since the last major signing. Fans are struggling to get their hockey fill and counting the days until the puck drops on preseason hockey. In 2017, fans have all the more reason to be sick of the off-season. When compared with the summer of 2016, this off-season has simply been boring. It was expected to be as such, but no one could have predicted just how quiet this summer could be.

As of today, August 6th, 2017, there have only been two unrestricted free agents signed to contracts worth more than $6MM per year: Kevin Shattenkirk to the New York Rangers (as predicted) and Alexander Radulov to the Dallas Stars. In contrast, there were four such deals signed on July 1st, 2016 alone. Drop that mark down to contracts worth more than $4MM annually, and you get uninspiring names this year like Evgeni Dadonov, Dmitry Kulikov, Nick Bonino, Karl Alzner, Martin Hanzal, and Steve Mason added to the list; hardly a superstar among them. 2016 saw high-profile players like Milan Lucic, David Backes, Loui Eriksson, Kyle Okposo, and Andrew Ladd all find new homes. Those signings came on the heels of the P.K. Subban – Shea Weber and Taylor Hall – Adam Larsson trades as well. The best swaps 2017 has to offer so far are Travis Hamonic or Marcus Johansson being dealt for draft picks. There have simply been a lack of franchise-altering moves made this summer.

Then you have the timeline of when deals got done. By August last year, the best unsigned free agents were Antoine Vermette, Jiri Hudler, and Jhonas Enroth. The year before, Cody Franson and David Schlemko highlighted the August market. In both cases, NHL teams got their deals done in July, filling the month with exciting signing news. This year? Not so much. Legendary players like Jaromir Jagr, Jarome Iginla, and Shane Doan remain available, alongside other able-bodied contributors like Thomas Vanek, Drew Stafford, and Daniel Winnik. That’s in addition to Franson and Hudler as well. Teams are simply waiting around on this market for reasons unknown. Could it end up as an exciting run of signing in August? Maybe, but don’t count on it.

The weak 2017 free agent market coupled with the challenge of preparing for June’s Expansion Draft has simply resulted in one of quietest off-seasons in recent memory. Several teams still have needs and spots to fill and signings and trades remain possible, but at this point the summer is a lost cause. Time to look forward to next season and even next summer when we *hope* to see the likes of John Tavares, Rick Nash, Evander Kane, James Neal, James van Riemsdyk, Paul Stastny, Mikko Koivu, Cam Atkinson, Jonathan Marchessault, Daniel and Henrik Sedin, Mike Green, Jack Johnson, Calvin de Haan, and Antti Raanta all hit the open market. Hopefully that list is enough excitement to get you through the rest of this one.

Is Houston A Viable NHL Hockey Market?

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When the NHL began discussing expansion a few years ago, the plan was never to add one team. No owner or league executive stood up and said “31 is the perfect number!” The idea has always been to bring in two more teams to bring the total to 32, the same number that the National Football League has managed since 2002. So whether you are of the opinion that the Arizona Coyotes, Carolina Hurricanes, or New York Islanders need to re-locate or not, the fact of the matter is that the NHL will welcome a new city regardless in the near future.

The overwhelming opinion seems to be that Seattle, Washington is next in line to follow Las Vegas. The city is full of die-hard sports fans who cheer vehemently for the Seahawks, Mariners, and Sounders and have been clamoring for a basketball team since the SuperSonics left. They also show up to watch junior hockey, as the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds finished in the top half of attendance in 2016-17. Millionaire Chris Hansen has been pushing hard for support to build a new arena with plans to bring back the NBA and bring in the NHL, while Seattle mayor Ed Murray has been negotiating with the NHL on the city’s behalf as well.

Seattle could very well be the 32nd NHL team. However, some hockey purists would like to see the league go back to the small market of Quebec City and revive the Nordiques. Others don’t mind the Seattle plans, but would rather a team go about 150 miles south to Portland, Oregon, where the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks outdraw the Seattle Thunderbirds. Some stand up for places like Kansas City, Missouri, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Hartford, Connecticut. You may even hear a few in favor of going back to Atlanta already. What you don’t hear much of though is talk about Houston, Texas. That is until now.

Last month, Leslie Alexander, the owner of the NBA’s Houston Rockets and the Toyota Center, announced that he would be selling the team. While this may simply seem like the NBA’s business on its face, it could have big implications for the NHL. Alexander had attempted to purchase the Edmonton Oilers back in 1998 with a plan to move them to Houston. However, the league turned the offer down, opting instead to keep one of it’s most well-known franchises in Canada where it belonged. Alexander held a grudge not only against the NHL, but against hockey. He all but forced the AHL’s Houston Aeros, beloved by the local fan base, out of the city by charging unreasonable rent at the Toyota Center. The Minnesota Wild had to move their part-owned affiliate to Iowa, where they remain today. With the Aeros gone, the city’s interest in hockey seemingly disappeared and with Alexander remaining in charge of the Rockets and Toyota Center, there was little hope of the NHL or AHL ever returning.

With Alexander selling the Rockets, and likely his stake in the Toyota Center as well, those hopes are alive once again. But is Houston interested in having an NHL team? Is the NHL interested in going to Houston? It certainly makes some sense on paper. Houston is the fifth largest city in the United States – behind only New York, L.A., Chicago, and nearby Dallas – and has only seen its population grow in recent years. It is also a major three-sport city. The Rockets have always been very successful, recently the MLB’s Astros have righted the ship and boast a strong team, and the NFL’s Texans, still the league’s newest team dating back to 2002, are wildly popular. With that success comes both a strong fan base and a industry that is comfortable with throwing lots of money into athletic sponsorship. Financially, Houston would seem to be as good a fit as any. They also have a suitable arena, which Seattle does not, and a much greater population and pro sports history than any of Quebec City, Portland, Milwaukee, or Hartford.

The NHL sought expansion bids three years ago and accepted just one: Bill Foley’s Las Vegas bid. Many were surprised that Seattle and Quebec City among other could not place a suitable bid. If that process was to occur again, after the Rockets deal is done, would the new owner or another interested Texan place a bid? Or would a perceived lack of interest in the NHL prevent it from happening, yet another surprise in the NHL bidding process? There is still plenty of uncertainty surrounding the situation, but NHL Expansion is not over yet and now, for the first time in years, Houston is at least back in the conversation.

What Do You Think? Is Houston A Viable Hockey Market?
Yes. Houston would be great for the NHL 53.87% (605 votes)
It doesn't matter, they're going to Seattle 25.73% (289 votes)
No. Houston would not work out for the NHL 20.39% (229 votes)
Total Votes: 1,123

Blue Jackets Look To Fill Center Hole

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When center William Karlsson was sacrificed to the Vegas Golden Knights, the Blue Jackets lost a potent two-way tool up the middle. For a team who scores as much by committee as Columbus did last season, the team was bound to lose a valuable roster player. Although he only scored 6 goals and 25 points, he logged tough minutes against tough competition. It should be noted that, for all his defensive starts (62%), his advanced stats have been persistently sub-par. While Karlsson easily passed the eye test, his Corsi For was a lousy 43% in 2016-17, and that isn’t far from his career average. It may be a situation where analytics don’t tell the entire story, but Karlsson was actually trending backwards last season when looking at relative possession. Regardless, someone will need to step up internally to fill that roster void at the the 3rd line center position, as noted in an article by Mark Scheig of the Hockey Writers.

Scheig of course notes the work of rookie Lukas Sedlak, who performed admirably in his fourth-line duties. Sedlak could be ready to step up, but a lot will depend on how he performs in camp. He showed a bit of offensive touch, with 7 goals in 62 NHL contests, and marginal point totals in his Junior days. However, Sedlak was injured down the stretch and will need to re-assert himself into the lineup. He won’t be nearly as sheltered as he was last season, either. Notably, he’ll be competing against Pierre-Luc Dubois, the #3 pick from last year’s draft. Dubois finished out his last year in the QJMHL with the Blanville-Boisbriand Armada after being traded min-season. In an injury shortened campaign, he only posted 55 points in 48 games, a sharp step down from his 99-point performance in 62 games during his draft year. Dubois arguably regressed more than any other 2016 top-10 pick, and it might be unreasonable to expect him to dominate in camp. Dubois still has a heavy shot, solid hockey IQ and uses his size effectively, but consistency at the NHL level may be a difficult ask from a 19 year old returning from a down year.

Internally, other players can slot to the position. Scheig mentions that Boone Jenner can fill in when needed, but it’s no permanent solution. Going the free agency route at this late stage seems rather unlikely, as well. That really leaves coach John Tortorella in a tough position if Dubois fails to make an impact and Sedlak remains what he is. The team does have a glut of defensive prospects, but considering that they went out of their way to protect them from Vegas’ expansion sights, they may not be willing to part with a major piece just yet. The Blue Jackets may simply need to ride out some of the season with a hole in their top-nine if training camp doesn’t crown a clear replacement for Karlsson. Unlike many of the Vegas selections, this one could impact a team’s makeup noticeably. In an incredibly competitive Metropolitan division, a solitary step back could mean the difference between eyeing a division title or fighting for a wild card berth. Still, after adding the dynamic Artemi Panarin this off-season and watching a talented young defense gain valuable playoff experience, Jackets’ fans will likely not be overly concerned just yet.

Upcoming RFA Arbitrations

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Next week is the last week for scheduled RFA arbitrations. So far no team or player has managed to actually make it to arbitration. Rather, parties have settled in every arbitration case prior to the arbitration hearing date. The same fate may await the following six players who make up the final set of arbitration dates.

August 2nd: Calvin de Haan – New York Islanders
The New York Islanders defenseman had a $1.97MM cap hit last season, and put up 5G and 20A in 82 games.

August 3rd: Nate Schmidt – Vegas Golden Knights
The former Washington Capitals defenseman—selected by the Vegas Golden Knights in the NHL expansion draft—put up 3G and 14A in 60 games last season. His previous cap hit was $812K.

August 3rd: Nino Niederreiter – Minnesota Wild
The 24 year-old Wild forward had a previous cap hit of $2.66MM and scored 25G and 32A in 82 games last season. Expect a significant raise.

August 4th: Mikael Granlund – Minnesota Wild
The 25 year-old Wild forward put up even better numbers than Neiderreiter with 26G and 43A in 81 games. Expect a significant raise over his previous $3MM cap hit.

August 4th: Conor Sheary – Pittsburgh Penguins
Fresh off a career season and a Stanley Cup victory, Sheary looks for a significant raise over his $667K contract. Sheary put up 23G and 30A in 61 games last season.

August 4th: Nathan Beaulieu – Buffalo Sabres
The 24 year-old defenseman scored 4G and 24A in 74 games last season. His previous cap hit was an even $1MM.

Avalanche Re-Sign Rocco Grimaldi, Add Jesse Graham

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Wednesday: The team has officially announced the contracts for both players. Grimaldi will earn $750K in the NHL, while just $170K during his time in the minor leagues.

Tuesday: The Colorado Avalanche are closing in on having all of their restricted free agents re-signed. Only big defenseman Nikita Zadorov will be left without a deal once the Avs finalize a new extension with young center Rocco Grimaldi. BSN Denver’s Adrian Dater reports that the one-year, two-way agreement should be made official soon.

Grimaldi, 24, is an extremely talented forward who has found much success at the NCAA and AHL levels, but has yet to put it together in the NHL. A second-round selection of the Florida Panthers in 2011 out of the U.S. National Development Program, Grimaldi went on to star at the University of North Dakota before turning pro in 2014. In his first AHL season with the Panthers’ then-affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage, Grimaldi recorded an impressive 42 points in 64 games. Yet, when called up to Florida, his scoring dropped off to just one point in seven games. Given a longer big league look in 2015-16, the results were the same: Grimaldi netted just five points in 20 games, whereas in the AHL he recorded 33 in 52. Fortunate enough to have ample young, talented center depth, the Panthers did not have to wait for Grimaldi to develop an NHL edge, choosing instead to trade him to the Avalanche last summer for goaltender Reto Berra. Grimaldi returned to San Antonio in 2016-17, now affiliated with Colorado, and was again a force to reckon with in the AHL, finishing third in the league in goal scoring with 31 tallies to go along with 24 assists in 72 games. However, when the Avs recalled Grimaldi for four games at the end of the season, desperately looking for a glimmer of hope after a dreadful year, he could only manage one assist.

Grimaldi may have NHL-caliber offensive talent, but he lacks the one trait you can’t teach: size. At just 5’6″, 180 lbs., Grimaldi is one of the smallest players in the league. He does not have much of two-game, essentially due to a lack of leverage in puck battles and at the face-off dot, and simply can’t skate around the competition in the NHL like he has elsewhere. Yet, the Avalanche have not lost hope. Grimaldi is not the first undersized player to try his hand at the NHL, and he won’t be the last. Similar in size to prolific players like Theo Fleury and Brian Gionta, Grimaldi may be able to make his lack of size work, especially given his considerable offensive ability. GM Joe Sakic must think so too, as he protected Grimaldi in June’s Expansion Draft, showing his commitment to the young scorer. A two-way deal is reasonable, given his lack of success in the NHL thus far, but look for Grimaldi to get a much longer look in Colorado in 2017-18.

In addition to re-upping Grimaldi, the Avalanche also made an outside hire today, signing defenseman Jesse Graham. TVA’s Renaud Lavoie reports that it is a one-year, two-way deal between Graham and Colorado, one which will pay him the league minimum of $650K at the NHL level. A sixth-round pick of the Islanders in 2012 from the Niagara Ice Dogs of the OHL, Graham has struggled to make his junior scoring ability translate to the pro game over his first three season. New York declined to tender a qualifying offer to Graham, making the 23-year-old an unrestricted free agent this off-season. Graham has yet to make his NHL debut and has spent almost as much time in the ECHL over the past few years as he has in the AHL. However, Colorado is the land of opportunity for young defenseman; the team has just three blue liners signed to one-way contracts for 2017-18: Erik Johnson, Tyson Barrie, and Mark Barberio. The aforementioned Zadorov is likely to join that group soon, but (if the roster remains the same) that still leaves at least three spots up for grabs in camp and a good shot at seeing ice time over the course of the season. With 2017 top pick Cale Makar committed to UMass for at least the next season, Graham faces competition only from the likes of Chris Bigras, Andrei Mironov, Anton Lindholm, Duncan Siemens, David Warsofsky, and (if the Avs are lucky) maybe Will Butcher. It’s not the most inspiring list of options for the NHL’s worst team last season, but it could be the perfect scenario for a player like Graham in need of career boost.

Evening Notes: Hurricanes’ Ownership, Oduya, Dumoulin

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For anyone trying to pay attention the Hurricanes’ ownership struggles, another chapter has been added to the ongoing saga. The team, currently owned by a group headed by Peter Karmanos, Jr., has been rumored to be up for sale for some time. The financial situation of the team is difficult, as attendance issues over the past few years have brought monetary losses and concern from other owners around the league. Still, it seems that Carolina is nowhere near the dire situation of the Arizona Coyotes, whose decade-plus-long fiasco has bewildered onlookers and hockey fans for quite some time.

Not long ago, a potential buyer for the Hurricanes, one Chuck Greenberg, supposedly offered $500 MM to acquire the franchise. This was reported by Scott Soshnick of Bloomberg and The Denver Post, and confirmed by others. Afterwards, the Karmanos group responded by saying the reports were essentially misleading, and then were called “fake news” in an article published by Forbes. Technically, it was a non-binding letter of intent and not an official offer, but that shouldn’t discount the strong possibility of an impending team sale.

Today we learned that Greenberg showed up at the team’s practice facility, thanks to some wonderful reporting by The News & Observer’s Chip Alexander. Greenberg stopped by the Raleigh Center Ice location, and essentially conducted a “fact-finding trip”. The whole situation is confusing largely because the franchise’s estimated value has plummeted and the offer is exceptionally fair. Additionally, the Karmanos group has been looking to sell the Canes for years to a team that will keep them local. This was reported yet again this January by NBC’s Adam Gretz, and it’s no secret there is desire from the fanbase for a change in direction. Greenberg seems to be a perfect solution to the situation, as he has local investors involved and stated no plans for relocation. As of now, there seems to be a lot going on behind the scenes, and many moving parts. Still, a change in ownership seems more likely today than it did yesterday.

  • After today’s earlier announcement of the Brian Dumoulin 6-year, $4.1 MM AAV signing, it has been revealed that the Penguins’ shutdown force played with a broken hand. The Post-Gazette’s Jason Mackey reported that Dumoulin kept re-breaking the fracture before it could heal, during the course of normal play. He broke it after blocking a slapshot in the fifth game of the first round against Columbus, The dependable stay-at-home defender played incredibly well, often matching up against top opponents and maintaining solid body position boxing out attackers in front of his goaltenders. He even tallied two goals throughout the Stanley Cup run, so the nature of the injury does come as a little surprising. He and the Penguins medical staff considered the possibility of Dumoulin undergoing surgery this off-season to repair the damage, but it no longer seems necessary. Dumoulin believes the injury has healed well enough on its own and that he should be ready for action come season opener.
  • Johnny Oduya shocked many by signing a deal so soon for $1 MM and bonuses, as Ottawa had apparently been courting him since “July 2nd”. As I reported yesterday, interest for the player never really openly surfaced among the insiders of the league. Oduya comes at great value for the Senators, and GM Pierre Dorion expressed his glee at a press conference you can find partially transcribed by Craig Megdalia here. Essentially, Dorion felt the move was absolutely necessary considering the loss of veteran Marc Methot to expansion (before being shipped to Dallas), and although he has confidence in his younger players, he couldn’t miss the opportunity to bring in “a true pro”. By the sound of it, Dorion expects coach Guy Boucher to likely place Oduya in a prominent role, which could push out a younger player such as Thomas Chabot.

Viktor Arvidsson Signs 7-Year Extension With Nashville

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First reported byElliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, and then confirmed by Adam Vingan of the Tenessean, Nashville has secured a long-term deal to lock up their restricted free agent Viktor Arvidsson, forgoing the need for an arbitrator’s ruling. The crafty forward’s contract is good for 7 seasons, at an AAV of only $4.25 MM.

Arvidsson’s arbitration hearing took place earlier today, and the figures that were being thrown out earlier nearly assured that Nashville was bound to get a solid deal. Arvidsson asked for only one year at $4.5 MM whereas the team opted for two years at a mere $2.75 MM. Arvidsson was the team’s leading goal scorer, and one of the biggest surprises of the season. His offensive explosion helped carry the team to the Stanley Cup Final, and at only 24 should be a huge part of the team’s future for a long time. His advanced statistics, in addition to his 30+ goal season, really make the player attractive league-wide. His 55 % Corsi For puts him in elite company among  top-six wingers facing similar level of competition.

Getting a 61-point winger on a cost-controlled contract for the next 7 years is truly impressive work for GM David Poile. It should be kept in mind that there is a small element of risk here, as this was a total breakout season after a mediocre first pro year which saw him score only 16 points through 56 games. if Arvidsson can maintain anywhere near last season’s level of productivity, though, he will be incredibly cost-effective. His remarkable progression basically made James Neal expendable in the expansion draft, and now it seems that Poile is confident enough to lock the player down for the foreseeable future. At only 5’9, the player has faced doubters who question his long-term value, but he is now unquestionably a core piece in Tennessee.

When taken in reference another of this year’s RFAs, Tomas Tatar was awarded earlier today with a deal worth $5.3 MM AAV. Granted, Tatar had three consecutive 50+ point seasons which led to that figure. Arvidsson may only continue to progress, securing himself as a truly elite winger. By extending Arvidsson for such a long period, Nashville managed to bring a potentially more productive player than Tatar in at a figure far less cumbersome.

Vegas Golden Knights & Trade Deadline Capital

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As we look back at the recent NHL Expansion Draft, it seems as though the Vegas Golden Knights had a very clear plan. Three tenets seem to influence most if not all of their selections. Vegas Golden Knights

  1. Leverage your opportunity to gain draft picks and young players in exchange for taking a bad contract.
  2. If unwilling to deal, take players with some value and only one or two years remaining on their contract.
  3. If no players like that exist, take a pending free agent to avoid burdening your cap.

Though some may look at this and see an obvious strategy, it is amazing how closely the Golden Knights followed it. A quick look at their CapFriendly page and you can immediately see that they avoided players who were under contract long-term in the draft, as they currently have 16 players that will be unrestricted free agents either next summer or the year after that. Their only long-term contracts are Reilly Smith, David Clarkson and Erik Haula—players they acquired in trade (the Wild gave them the chance to sign Haula)—and Cody Eakin, who is under contract for a third season.

That cap flexibility is paramount to the Golden Knights, as it was never about building through the expansion draft. Almost none of the assets gained through a direct selection should play much of an impact on the team long term, and because of it GM George McPhee will be holding court on another transaction season next year. The trade deadline should be hugely influenced by the Golden Knights, with a large number of assets on the market.

James Neal, David Perron and Jon Marchessault, arguably the three most prolific offensive weapons the Golden Knights selected in the draft are all UFAs next summer, and would each command a hefty price on the open market. Established goal scorers are moved each spring for big packages, and each of these three are no different.

Brayden McNabb and Luca Sbisa headline the pending UFAs on defense and could each fetch a solid return at the deadline, especially if given increased roles for Vegas. Even Jason Garrison could be of some interest if the team is willing to retain a portion of his already (at that point) prorated salary. Garrison will probably get some powerplay time with the Golden Knights to boost his value come the deadline.

Past the UFAs, the team also has several pending RFAs already in their mid-twenties. Colin Miller for example will turn 25 just after the season begins, and is three years away from unrestricted free agency. It’s unlikely that the team competes for a Stanley Cup while Miller remains a cheap option, meaning moving him in the next year could fetch the biggest return. As a puck-moving defensemen he should get plenty of opportunity to show off his offensive upside.

Though some players will be moved out before the season starts because of the simple fact they currently have too many, it’s not unlikely that the Golden Knights will be holding all the cards come February once again. They could easily have half a dozen players on any trade bait list, and add to the impressive number of draft picks they already own.

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