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Panthers Rumors

Atlantic Notes: Honka, Juulsen, Chabot, Stralman, Nordstrom

September 14, 2019 at 3:32 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg 2 Comments

Despite rumors that the Dallas Stars were looking for a taker for once prized prospect Julius Honka, the 23-year-old finally requested a trade Friday with several teams immediately showing interest in the blueliner. Now Sportsnet’s Eric Engels reports that the Montreal Canadiens have expressed interest in the defenseman.

Engels writes that a couple of teams are in on Honka with Montreal being at the top of the list (Elliotte Friedman added that Carolina is interested as well) and Montreal has expressed interest in making a player-for-player swap rather than just send a draft pick for Honka. A former first-rounder in 2014, Honka has failed to earn a regular spot in Dallas lineup. Montreal could use some more depth on their blueline despite adding Ben Chiarot this offseason.

  • Sticking with the Canadiens, Engels also reports that a pair of defensemen remain day-to-day in Montreal. Karl Alzner is out with a groin injury, while Noah Juulsen has been dealing with a headache and the Canadiens are holding him out for precautionary reasons after having dealt with head injuries last season. Juulsen played just 21 games for Montreal last season and three for the AHL’s Laval Rocket due to those head injuries.
  • Asked if any Ottawa Senators players caught his eye on the first day of training camp, new head coach D.J. Smith had a quick answer, according to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun. “Chabot … he was really good and he could really skate. There’s good players out there and guys were working, but when you see up close, a guy like that, you see his skating and it really wows you a bit.” It looks like Smith has opted to pair Chabot with newly acquired Nikita Zaitsev and the belief is that those two may stay together. Chabot spent last season paired with Dylan DeMelo, but with several players coming over with Smith from Ottawa, the defense should be somewhat stronger this season.
  • The Athletic’s George Richards (subscription required) writes that Florida Panthers defenseman Anton Stralman says that he intends to be ready for the regular season after dealing with a sports hernia injury that has ended his season last year and one that required surgery again oer the summer, which he’s been rehabbing from all summer. Stralman says that he is done rehabbing, but now must get used to on-ice drills, which his body is only starting to adjust to. “I’m not 100 percent yet. We still have some more work to do, but I am getting there,” Stralman said. “I like the plan we have as a medical team, and it means working long hours to get where I need to be. But there is no rehab anymore. It’s about repetition, getting onto the ice.” Stralman looks to be paired with Mike Matheson on defense this season.
  • NBC Sports’ Joe Haggerty writes that despite all the injuries that the Boston Bruins are dealing with, the team got some good news as Joakim Nordstrom, who fractured his foot at the end of the Stanley Cup Finals, is back on the ice skating after spending the summer rehabbing the injury. While his 12 points in 70 games may not seem impressive, the 27-year-old uses his skills on the penalty kill and providing grit on the bottom line.

Boston Bruins| Dallas Stars| Florida Panthers| Montreal Canadiens| Ottawa Senators Anton Stralman| Julius Honka| Karl Alzner| Nikita Zaitsev| Noah Juulsen

2 comments

Vladislav Kolyachonok Signs Entry-Level Contract

September 13, 2019 at 1:59 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The Florida Panthers have signed Vladislav Kolyachonok to a three-year entry-level contract according to his agent Dan Milstein of Gold Star Hockey. The 18-year old spent last season in the OHL and was selected 52nd overall in June’s entry draft.

Not necessarily the biggest defenseman on the ice, you’ll nevertheless want to know exactly where Kolyachonok is when playing against him. Coming over from Belarus for his first taste of North American hockey, he made quite an impact with the Flint Firebirds by playing an aggressive, physical style in his own end and moving the puck quickly up to his forwards. Tallying 29 points while being one of the more responsible defenders on the team, he also captained his country’s team at the U18 World Juniors, the second time he’d been part of the tournament.

Kolyachonok is expected to return to Flint this season but he’s obviously already done enough to deserve an NHL deal with the Panthers. Florida has been slowly building up quite the prospect pool the last several seasons and will need players like this to fuel them as contenders in the Eastern Conference.

Florida Panthers

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Micheal Haley Joins New York Rangers On PTO

September 5, 2019 at 6:00 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 6 Comments

33-year-old Micheal Haley may only have 31 career points in parts of nine NHL seasons, including just six points last year, but the veteran forward still has value around the league. The Athletic’s Rick Carpiniello writes that Haley is expected to join the New York Rangers in training camp on a professional tryout offer, returning to the team he played in nine games for in 2012-13.

Haley is one of the last of his breed. A 5’11, 205-lb. forward, Haley plays a rugged, high-intensity style that makes him an effective fourth liner and often a match-up nightmare. Haley may not play many minutes – a career 8:07 ATOI – put he makes his presence felt regardless. In fact, the gritty pivot led the NHL in penalty minutes in 2017-18; in a career-high 75 games, he spent 212 minutes in the box and just 584 minutes on the ice. A physical force in a small package, Haley’s value is not in his offense, but in his checking ability and willingness to stand up for his teammates. That value was on display again last season, as the San Jose Sharks couldn’t help but claim Haley on waivers from the Florida Panthers, bringing him back to the team he had spent the most of his career with.

However, the Sharks are committed giving more ice time to young players this season and are even turning franchise great Patrick Marleau away, so San Jose wasn’t going to be an option this time. Instead, Haley will fight for a spot on the young, up-and-coming New York Rangers. He may actually stand a good chance of landing a contract too. The Rangers are right up against the salary cap ceiling with just over $1MM in space and still have to sign RFA’s Anthony DeAngelo and Brendan Lemieux. However, the team’s youth gives them some added flexibility with more than a few waiver-exempt players who can move freely between the NHL and AHL. The team could also look to bury the likes of Matt Beleskey and Brendan Smith in the minors, clearing both cap space and roster space. If there is room to sign an additional player when all is said and done, the Rangers would be smart to invest in some muscle. New York has spent considerable money and trade and draft capital to build a talented young core and now need to protect it, especially newcomers Artemi Panarin and Kaapo Kakko. Haley is an ideal player to play the retribution role; it doesn’t take him much time to teach the opposition not to mess with his teammates.

Florida Panthers| New York Rangers| RFA| San Jose Sharks Micheal Haley

6 comments

Florida Panthers Sign Troy Brouwer To PTO

September 4, 2019 at 9:39 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The Florida Panthers will be bringing Troy Brouwer back to camp this season, but it won’t be with a contract. The team has signed Brouwer to a professional tryout instead, giving him a chance to earn his spot on the team or at least showcase his abilities around the league. Brouwer played last season for the Panthers on a one-year, $850K contract after being bought out by the Calgary Flames. He’ll still earn $1.5MM in each of the next three seasons thanks to the buyout.

Brouwer, 34, played in 75 games for the Panthers last season and recorded 12 goals and 21 points, but that wasn’t enough to earn him a new contract just yet. The team has added even more depth to their already dangerous forward group with names like Brett Connolly and Noel Acciari coming in through free agency and have several other prospects pushing for NHL playing time. The capability of those prospects may be exactly what Brouwer is battling against, as if someone like Owen Tippett plays himself onto the opening day roster there might not be room for the veteran.

Still, Brouwer provides a nice bit of insurance for the club in training camp. If they suffer injuries or someone doesn’t live up to expectations, the Panthers could likely just come to a one-year agreement with the power forward to give them another option in the bottom-six. A Stanley Cup champion from 2010 with the Chicago Blackhawks, Brouwer’s presence and experience can only help the young forwards in Panthers camp trying to make their way in the NHL.

If he doesn’t land a deal with the Panthers, Brouwer could very well end up somewhere else just before the season begins. We’ve seen players on tryouts in the past end up signing elsewhere after proving they still have what it takes to play in the NHL.

Florida Panthers Troy Brouwer

0 comments

Free Agent Profile: Scott Darling

August 28, 2019 at 7:52 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 13 Comments

Veteran goaltender Cam Ward called it a career today, signing a one-day contract with the Carolina Hurricanes, who he served for 13 seasons to begin his NHL career. The 35-year-old finally moved on from the Hurricanes last season, but struggled in a backup role with the Chicago Blackhawks. With his numbers slipping and age catching up with him, Ward decided now was the time to retire.

Interestingly enough, Ward’s failed replacement in Carolina, Scott Darling, also remains an unsigned free agent, waiting for a market to develop. Just two UFA goaltenders – Anthony Stolarz and Jared Coreau – have signed an NHL contract since July 2nd and no goalie has been inked in 50 days. The market is dead quiet, but Ward’s exit leaves Darling as the obvious top name if a team does come calling. Darling, 30, is just hoping at this point that he too doesn’t have to consider retirement.

It was not long ago that Darling was actually considered one of the best backup goaltenders in the NHL. A 2007 draft pick, Darling was a slow-developing prospect who played another year of juniors, two years in college, and four years bouncing around the minors before he ever saw NHL action. However, when he broke through in 2014-15 with the Chicago Blackhawks, he immediately impressed. Darling spent three seasons as the backup to Corey Crawford, with his role increasing each year, and in total posted 39 wins, a .923 save percentage, and a 2.37 GAA in 75 appearances.

The Hurricanes believed they were getting a bargain when they acquired Darling for a third-round pick in the summer of 2017 and signed him to a four-year, $16.6MM contract. However, it quickly became clear that the star backup was not cut out to be a starter. Darling was unable to overtake Ward despite ample opportunity, posting an .888 save percentage and 3.18 GAA in 43 appearances. Darling made 40 starts to Ward’s 42 and was outplayed by the aging veteran, which is not what either he nor Carolina had hoped for.

The ‘Canes essentially cleaned house last summer, letting Ward walk in free agency and burying Darling in the AHL, replacing them with the far more effective duo of Petr Mrazek and Curtis McElhinney. Darling did make eight spot starts for Carolina this past season, but somehow performed even worse than he did the year prior. In the minors, Darling sat behind lauded prospect Alex Nedeljkovic and when he did get a chance to play – he made just 14 appearances – the results were just as bad if not worse than his NHL performance. Not wanting to be weighed down by Darling’s $4.15MM cap hit any longer, the team traded him to the Florida Panthers this off-season along with a sixth-round draft pick for a new backup in James Reimer. The Panthers quickly bought out Darling, making him a free agent.

Potential Suitors

It has now been more than two years since anyone has been impressed by Darling’s efforts on the ice. With that said, the free agent market at goalie is slim pickings, with Darling easily headlining a group that includes Michal Neuvirth – who has signed a PTO with the Toronto Maple Leafs – Chad Johnson, Al Montoya, and Michael Leighton. Each of those players is both older than Darling and was last considered a legitimate NHL option far prior to Darling’s downfall. Darling is simply the best of a poor group, but is looking for redemption. Unlike Ward, Darling will have no expectations of any role or guaranteed play time. He will instead be looking for an opportunity to show that he can still be an effective NHL backup, likely by seeking a third-string role with the chance to battle for play time at the top level.

Accepting a role such as this could open some opportunities for Darling, especially once training camp begins. Injuries to starters or backups can shift the paradigm for an NHL team and leave them searching or an experienced option. The Vegas Golden Knights, Anaheim Ducks, and Philadelphia Flyers are examples of teams with shallow depth in net and injury concerns who could turn to Darling in the even of an incident.

It’s also very possible that several teams are already aware of their weaknesses in goal and simply waiting to see how their current keepers look in training camp and the preseason and potentially even early on the in the regular season. The Columbus Blue Jackets are the one team that everyone is focused on in net, as the team is set to have former backup Joonas Korpisalo and newly-signed European prospect Elvis Merzlikins begin the year as a young, unproven tandem. Early concerns could lead to Columbus looking for additional support, with Darling as the top option other than trade or waivers. The Colorado Avalanche are also in need of depth in net. Their top two of Philipp Grubauer and Pavel Francouz are likely to be fine this season, but the lack of any other experienced name behind them could be a cause for pause, especially given this will be Francouz’ first full NHL season.

Ironically, the Florida Panthers are one final team that could be in the goalie market and would have been a good fit for Darling. The team understandably bought out Darling’s hefty contract, but could’ve actually used a player of his experience. The Panthers spent big on Sergei Bobrovsky’s this summer and will likely ask him to start 65+ games this season, but young Samuel Montembeault is currently slated to be his backup with other untested prospects behind him. Montembeault’s performance in the backup role, as well as the effect on his development of sitting so often, could lead the Panthers to search for a veteran option. Darling won’t be the answer now, but one has to wonder if the two sides connected at all prior to what was clearly an orchestrated trade-and-dump.

Projected Contract

It’s nearly September and teams are getting ready for training camp, yet Darling still sits without a contract. At this point, he will receive a PTO or nothing. Even if he proves himself in camp, it will likely only result in a minimum $700K NHL cap hit on a one-year, two-way deal. If that’s what it takes to climb his back way into the NHL though, Darling will surely take it. After all, he’s receiving a nice pay check from the Panthers for four more years anyway.

AHL| Anaheim Ducks| Carolina Hurricanes| Chicago Blackhawks| Colorado Avalanche| Columbus Blue Jackets| Florida Panthers| Free Agency| Philadelphia Flyers| Prospects| Retirement| Vegas Golden Knights Al Montoya| Alex Nedeljkovic| Anthony Stolarz| Cam Ward| Chad Johnson| Corey Crawford| Curtis McElhinney| Elvis Merzlikins| James Reimer| Jared Coreau| Joonas Korpisalo| Michael Leighton| Michal Neuvirth| Petr Mrazek| Philipp Grubauer

13 comments

Florida Panthers Agree To Terms With Denis Malgin

August 26, 2019 at 2:22 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The restricted free agent market is still frozen, but for the Florida Panthers things have thawed just a bit. Denis Malgin has agreed to terms with the Panthers on a new one-year, one-way contract. He will still be a restricted free agent at the end of the deal, but will be eligible for salary arbitration.

Malgin, 22, has played at least 47 games for the Panthers in each of his three seasons in the NHL including 50 in 2018-19. The 5’9″ forward registered seven goals and 16 points during those contests, playing just under 13 minutes a night. The question now becomes whether he can take a step forward and become a more valuable part of the Panthers’ offense, even with the loaded top-six the team will ice this season.

Originally selected in the fourth round of the 2015 draft, Malgin seemed like a long-shot to even make the NHL at all. His small stature and lack of any real dominance in the Swiss leagues made it hard to know exactly what he could bring, but the Panthers gave him the chance in 2016 after some very strong international appearances and he ran with it. With a one-way deal you can bet he’s penciled into the opening day roster, though where exactly he fits in now that Brett Connolly and Noel Acciari have been added isn’t clear. The Florida training camp will be extremely interesting to watch this season as young players like Malgin, Henrik Borgstrom, Jayce Hawryluk and Owen Tippett battle for playing time.

Malgin was the Panthers final restricted free agent left to sign.

Arbitration| Florida Panthers Denis Malgin

0 comments

2007 NHL Draft Take Two: Tenth Overall Pick

August 24, 2019 at 1:57 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 1 Comment

Hindsight is an amazing thing, and allows us to look back and wonder “what could have been.”  Though perfection is attempted, scouting and draft selection is far from an exact science and sometimes, it doesn’t work out the way teams – or players – intended.  For every Patrick Kane, there is a Patrik Stefan.

We’re looking back at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft and asking how it would shake out knowing what we do now.  Will the first round remain the same, or will some late-round picks jump up to the top of the board?

Here are the results of the redraft so far, with their original draft position in parentheses:

1st Overall: Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks (1)
2nd Overall: Jamie Benn, Philadelphia Flyers (129)
3rd Overall: P.K. Subban, Phoenix Coyotes (43)
4th Overall: Logan Couture, Los Angeles Kings (9)
5th Overall: Max Pacioretty, Washington Capitals (22)
6th Overall: Jakub Voracek, Edmonton Oilers (7)
7th Overall: Ryan McDonagh, Columbus Blue Jackets (12)
8th Overall: James van Riemsdyk, Boston Bruins (2)
9th Overall: Wayne Simmonds, San Jose Sharks (61)

Simmonds represents the second-biggest jump in our redraft so far and is already the third selection that didn’t come from the first round.  Interestingly enough, Simmonds was a pick of the Kings who took Couture (the actual pick of the Sharks in 2007) with the fourth spot in our redraft.

While it’s fair to suggest that San Jose is happy with Couture, Simmonds wouldn’t have been a bad consolation prize by any stretch.  He wasn’t a big point producer in junior which is part of the reason he slipped to the back of the second round but it was clear that at the very least, he could hold his own as a bottom-six winger which would still be decent value at this stage of the draft.

The Kings wasted little time putting him in their lineup as he was a full-time player for them just one year after being picked and he didn’t look out of place.  His sophomore year is what really got him on the radar though as he picked up 40 points and 116 penalty minutes, showing that his offensive game could play up at the NHL level.

That got the attention of many teams, including Philadelphia who traded for him (along with Brayden Schenn) in 2011 as part of the Mike Richards trade, a move that worked out a whole lot better for the Flyers than it did for the Kings as Los Angeles will be carrying salary cap recapture on their books for terminating Richards’ deal until 2032.

Simmonds had a career year in his first season with Philadelphia and earned himself a six-year, $23.85MM extension that wound up becoming one of the top bargains in the league.  He continued his upward ascension, scoring at least 28 goals and picking up at least 50 points over a four-season stretch between 2013-14 and 2016-17.  At that time, he was one of the premier power forwards in the league.

However, as is often the case with players who play his style of game, it starts to take its toll.  He struggled at times with the Flyers last season and was ultimately dealt to Nashville at the trade deadline where he had a marginal impact at best.  Nonetheless, the Devils saw fit to give him a one-year, $5MM deal last month in the hopes that he can give them a boost on the wing.

That takes us to the number ten pick which was held by Florida.  With stay-at-home physical defenders still in vogue, the Panthers opted for hulking blueliner Keaton Ellerby who had established himself as a physical force in the WHL.  Unfortunately, the rest of his game was lacking and that was an issue as he turned pro.

Ellerby spent parts of five seasons with Florida split between the Panthers and AHL Rochester before flipping him to Los Angeles for a fifth-round pick.  He didn’t last too long with them as less than a year later, he was claimed off waivers by Winnipeg in 2013-14.  He spent two seasons in their organization before embarking on an intriguing international journey that saw him play in five countries in four years: Kazakhstan and Switzerland in 2015-16, Finland in 2016-17, Sweden in 2017-18, and Germany last year.  He is currently unsigned for the upcoming season.

Clearly, Florida will get better value with this selection than they did with Ellerby.

With the tenth pick of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, who should the Florida Panthers select?  Cast your vote below!

2007 Redraft: Tenth Overall
Kevin Shattenkirk 26.98% (211 votes)
Jake Muzzin 19.31% (151 votes)
Kyle Turris 13.04% (102 votes)
David Perron 8.18% (64 votes)
Evgenii Dadonov 7.80% (61 votes)
Mikael Backlund 3.45% (27 votes)
Alec Martinez 2.56% (20 votes)
Carl Hagelin 2.43% (19 votes)
Patrick Maroon 2.05% (16 votes)
Alex Killorn 1.92% (15 votes)
Lars Eller 1.79% (14 votes)
Sam Gagner 1.79% (14 votes)
Justin Braun 1.41% (11 votes)
Karl Alzner 1.41% (11 votes)
Brandon Sutter 1.41% (11 votes)
Nick Bonino 1.28% (10 votes)
Riley Nash 1.15% (9 votes)
Robert Bortuzzo 0.64% (5 votes)
Ian Cole 0.51% (4 votes)
Thomas Hickey 0.38% (3 votes)
Paul Byron 0.38% (3 votes)
Brendan Smith 0.13% (1 votes)
Carl Gunnarsson 0.00% (0 votes)
Colton Sceviour 0.00% (0 votes)
Total Votes: 782

Mobile users, click here to vote.

*Tragically, 17th overall pick Alexei Cherepanov died at the age of 19 and would never get a chance to suit up in the NHL. He has not been included in this vote.

Florida Panthers| Polls NHL Entry Draft| Pro Hockey Rumors Originals

1 comment

Florida Panthers Acquire Gustav Bouramman

August 23, 2019 at 4:03 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The Florida Panthers have acquired minor league defenseman Gustav Bouramman from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for future considerations, marking another move by new Wild GM Bill Guerin. The 22-year old has one-year remaining on his entry-level contract and played last season for the Iowa Wild.

Bouramman was selected 201st overall back in 2015 after an excellent OHL debut and continued to move the puck and contribute offensively for the Soo Greyhounds through the end of the 2016-17 season. In his first season of professional hockey, the Swedish defenseman recorded 28 points in 54 games for the Rapid City Rush of the ECHL and impressed enough to be included as part of the Iowa blueline. He’ll now join the Florida organization and likely get a chance to play again in the AHL this season.

Trading a player for future considerations is normally to either clear a contract slot or is followed closely by a deal including a player on an AHL contract. For Minnesota this is likely about the former. The team was at 47/50 contracts before the move (though Alexander Khovanov will come off that total), but still have Kevin Fiala and Louis Belpedio sitting as restricted free agents. A move like this clears some space for additional signings or adds some flexibility for waiver pickups at the end of training camp. With Guerin taking control of the team and wanting to make his own stamp, it makes a lot of sense to give himself wiggle room to operate.

Bill Guerin| Florida Panthers| Minnesota Wild

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Alex Petrovic Signs PTO With Boston Bruins

August 18, 2019 at 12:59 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg Leave a Comment

While there has been talk for days that former Edmonton Oilers defenseman Alexander Petrovic has signed a professional tryout with the Boston Bruins, there hadn’t been any official confirmation. However, in his Sunday column, Edmonton Journal’s Kurt Leavins confirmed that Petrovic has signed the PTO with Boston. He was supposedly deciding between offers from several other teams, including Carolina and Calgary.

The signing of Petrovic should be a great addition for Boston, who have plenty of issues with their defense. The team dealt with numerous injuries last season that at times forced several players from the Providence Bruins to fill in. With recent news that veteran defenseman Kevan Miller still hasn’t started skating yet after fracturing his kneecap twice last season, and the fact that two of their blueliners, Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo, remain restricted free agents and theoretically may not be at training camp, signing Petrovic makes sense.

Petrovic was a solid defenseman with the Florida Panthers, but was never thrilled with his playing time there as the most playing time he ever received was in his rookie season back in 2012-13 when he averaged 18:47 of ATOI. Unfortunately, his game never truly improved and he saw his time on the ice drop, eventually forcing him to demand a trade. That trade came in December last year when the Oilers acquired him to fill their void on defense. However, Petrovic never really got a fair trial with the Oilers, only playing nine games and dealing with a concussion issue. Of course, Petrovic will have to prove his value in Boston to get a contract, but he could be the perfect insurance for a defense that has plenty of questions.

Boston Bruins| Edmonton Oilers| Florida Panthers Alexander Petrovic| Brandon Carlo| Charlie McAvoy

0 comments

Poll: Which GM Will Be Fired Next?

August 16, 2019 at 7:53 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 11 Comments

Despite missing the playoffs in each of the last four seasons, the Vancouver Canucks decided to extend GM Jim Benning today. The reasons for that are complicated—and obviously do not hinge entirely on his postseason record—just as they were when the Minnesota Wild made the decision to fire Paul Fenton just 14 months into his tenure with the team. The inner workings of an NHL front office are almost never made public (unless there is an intrepid reporter like Michael Russo of The Athletic who gets the incredible story), and it is hard to see why some decisions are made.

Still, even the most casual fan can see the seat of specific executives and coaches heating up. When the Edmonton Oilers decided to move on from Peter Chiarelli during another disappointing season, it didn’t come as much of a surprise. On the other hand, it was easy to see why the Carolina Hurricanes recently locked up Don Waddell after he interviewed for another job.

Looking around the league, who is next? Which GM will be let go, either this year or next summer?

It might be easy to look at the teams that have struggled recently, but many of them have replaced their top hockey operations executive over the last few seasons. The Oilers brought in Ken Holland to change the culture in Edmonton, while Steve Yzerman returned to the Detroit Red Wings to bring a new voice to a stagnant team. Florida has gone through quite a bit of turmoil in the front office since their ownership changed but Dale Tallon now seems to be entrenched as a veteran leader.

There are others though that may not be so lucky. The Ottawa Senators are heading in a new direction after shedding their previous core, but if the young talent doesn’t develop as hoped Pierre Dorion could be held responsible. John Chayka was the youngest GM in history when he took over the Arizona Coyotes in 2016, but they still haven’t made the playoffs under his watch and now have new ownership of their own. Jason Botterill was expected to have success in Buffalo after finding so much of it in Pittsburgh, but the Sabres haven’t been able to build a full roster around Jack Eichel despite some outstanding individual players.

Nothing is certain when it comes to front offices however. Cast your vote below and explain just why you think they’ll be the first to go!

Which GM will be fired next?
Pierre Dorion, Ottawa Senators 9.00% (256 votes)
Marc Bergevin, Montreal Canadiens 8.54% (243 votes)
Stan Bowman, Chicago Blackhawks 8.50% (242 votes)
Kevin Cheveldayoff, Winnipeg Jets 7.94% (226 votes)
Bob Murray, Anaheim Ducks 7.73% (220 votes)
Jason Botterill, Buffalo Sabres 6.54% (186 votes)
Rob Blake, Los Angeles Kings 6.36% (181 votes)
Jarmo Kekalainen, Columbus Blue Jackets 5.59% (159 votes)
Kyle Dubas, Toronto Maple Leafs 5.20% (148 votes)
Jim Rutherford, Pittsburgh Penguins 5.13% (146 votes)
John Chayka, Arizona Coyotes 4.88% (139 votes)
Brad Treliving, Calgary Flames 3.27% (93 votes)
Jim Benning, Vancouver Canucks 3.02% (86 votes)
Jim Nill, Dallas Stars 2.60% (74 votes)
Chuck Fletcher, Philadelphia Flyers 2.39% (68 votes)
Ken Holland, Edmonton Oilers 1.93% (55 votes)
Doug Wilson, San Jose Sharks 1.72% (49 votes)
Jeff Gorton, New York Rangers 1.62% (46 votes)
Don Sweeney, Boston Bruins 1.23% (35 votes)
Dale Tallon, Florida Panthers 1.02% (29 votes)
David Poile, Nashville Predators 0.84% (24 votes)
Julien BriseBois, Tampa Bay Lightning 0.84% (24 votes)
Doug Armstrong, St. Louis Blues 0.67% (19 votes)
Steve Yzerman, Detroit Red Wings 0.63% (18 votes)
Lou Lamoriello, New York Islanders 0.56% (16 votes)
Don Waddell, Carolina Hurricanes 0.53% (15 votes)
Kelly McCrimmon, Vegas Golden Knights 0.53% (15 votes)
Brian MacLellan, Washington Capitals 0.53% (15 votes)
Joe Sakic, Colorado Avalanche 0.39% (11 votes)
Ray Shero, New Jersey Devils 0.28% (8 votes)
Total Votes: 2,846

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*We’ve used Kelly McCrimmon as the Vegas GM, though he won’t officially take that title from George McPhee until September

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