Florida Panthers Avoid Arbitration With MacKenzie Weegar
Another arbitration hearing can be cancelled, after the Florida Panthers announced they’ve come to terms with MacKenzie Weegar on a one-year contract. Weegar was scheduled for a hearing on July 30th, but will instead re-sign on a one-way contract worth $900K.
Weegar, 24, ended up with basically a full-time role with the Panthers in 2017-18 after the team traded away Jason Demers last September. In 60 games, the young defenseman recorded eight points and actually ranked second among Florida defenders in hits. That’s despite playing just over 14 minutes a night, which included virtually no time on the powerplay or penalty kill. If the team can avoid injury this year it’s not guaranteed that Weegar plays that many games again, though he certainly provides them with a strong depth option should they decide to insert him into the lineup.
With good skating skills and a habit of making quick, low-risk plays Weegar ended up with solid possession statistics and one of the best +/- ratings on the team at +5. Only Aaron Ekblad and Keith Yandle had better ratings among Florida defenders, while some of his direct competition for playing time struggled to post their previous solid play. There is a group of defensemen in Florida that will all be fighting for playing time this season, and there’s no doubt that Weegar will be right in the mix. If he doesn’t get at least 17 games he would qualify as a Group VI unrestricted free agent next season, and be allowed to sign wherever he wants.
Weegar was the final RFA left to sign for the Panthers, meaning their $2MM in cap space is free to spend on another player if they so choose. That number also includes several forwards who are unlikely to make the team out of camp, giving the team plenty of cap room to make a move in-season if they so choose. Florida will be trying to compete in a tough Atlantic Division where the Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs are early favorites for the playoffs. Still, there are many things to be excited about when looking at a Panthers team that has just two regular skaters over the age of 30.
Poll: Where Will Max Pacioretty End Up?
The Montreal Canadiens are looking to move Max Pacioretty as soon as possible. The captain’s contract expires at the end of the coming season and there will not be an extension. The Habs are also unlikely to be contenders this year. As such, Pacioretty is on the trade block and probably on the move soon.
Where could he end up? The first thought is the San Jose Sharks. The Sharks were reportedly close to a deal for Pacioretty at the NHL Draft but couldn’t get it done. Since then, they missed out on John Tavares and are still in need of scoring with cap space to spare.
San Jose was not alone in losing out in the Tavares sweepstakes. Assuming the Boston Bruins are an unlikely destination given their status as Montreal’s biggest rivals, that still leaves teams like the Dallas Stars and New York Islanders as possibilities. The Islanders in particular are in major need of a boost up front and have the young assets to make a deal.
Teams that have previously shown interest in Pacioretty include the Florida Panthers and Nashville Predators. The Panthers already landed Mike Hoffman this off-season and are lacking cap space, but could still potentially make it work. The Predators have significantly more space and some intriguing young pieces to offer and would be a team that Pacioretty certainly wouldn’t mind ending up with long-term.
As always, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Chicago Blackhawks cannot be ruled out. Their respective GM’s are always in on the action and both teams are known to be looking for offensive depth. Would Pittsburgh consider swapping Derick Brassard in a deal for Pacioretty? Could Chicago use their newfound cap space from the Hossa trade to bring in a similar scorer? The answer to both of these questions is a definitive maybe.
Who do you think needs Pacioretty most or can put together the best offer?
Where Will Max Pacioretty End Up?
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Chicago 23% (817)
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NY Islanders 16% (593)
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San Jose 13% (461)
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Pittsburgh 12% (447)
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Other - comment below 12% (430)
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Dallas 10% (371)
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Florida 9% (327)
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Nashville 5% (169)
Total votes: 3,615
Dallas Stars Sign Adam Mascherin To Entry-Level Contract
Adam Mascherin was selected 38th-overall by the Florida Panthers in 2016, but never signed with the team and re-entered the draft this year. He had to wait a little bit longer this time, falling to the Dallas Stars in the fourth round. Dallas hasn’t wasted any time getting him into the organization though, and announced a three-year entry-level contract for Mascherin today. Already 20 years old, he’ll be able to go straight to the Texas Stars of the AHL should the team feel it’s best for his development.
Mascherin has been one of the biggest offensive producers in the OHL for several years, scoring 110 goals and 267 points in his last 197 regular season games. In his most recent playoffs with the Kitchener Rangers, he added 24 points in 19 games and was a threat every time he touched the ice. Stars fans need to remember though that two of those years have come after he was first eligible to be drafted, and that he was older than many of his competitors. Still, Dallas will bring him into their organization and give him every chance to succeed offensively. Texas was relying on veteran players to carry them to the Calder Cup Finals this season, but will be more youthful this season after players like Curtis McKenzie and Mike McKenna have moved on.
Though he stands only 5’10” Mascherin doesn’t play like a small player and routinely wins board battles and loose pucks with his strength and balance, while carrying a huge offensive load for the Rangers. There’s not a lot he can’t do on the ice, and though there are still some concerns over his skating ability and overall ceiling, getting a legitimate NHL prospect in the fourth round is always a positive. Because he’s older, the Stars will be able to make a determination on him much quicker and get him into their development system right away.
Florida Panthers Agree To Terms With Julian Melchiori
The Florida Panthers have signed another free agent that spent last season with the Winnipeg Jets organization, agreeing to terms with Julian Melchiori on a one-year two-way contract. Melchiori will join Manitoba Moose teammate Michael Hutchinson with the Panthers (or more likely the Springfield Thunderbirds) for the 2018-19 season. No financial details have been released.
Melchiori reached free agency through Group VI status this summer after failing to secure a full-time role in the NHL once again. Stuck behind a huge number of talented defenders in Winnipeg, the 26-year old played the entire season in the minor leagues where he recorded 14 points in 49 games. Once a third-round pick of the Atlanta Thrashers and an up-and-coming defensive option, Melchiori has just 30 NHL games under his belt and hasn’t been able to consistently show his value as a reliable depth player with penalty killing abilities.
He’s headed from a stacked blue line in Winnipeg to one with a few more cracks in Florida, but there still isn’t a lot of room for Melchiori to wiggle his way into the NHL. The Panthers already have left-handed options like Ian McCoshen for their bottom pair and recently signed Bogdan Kiselevich out of the KHL. Instead, the Thunderbirds of the AHL will likely take Melchiori in and give him big minutes as a shutdown option in the minor leagues.
Panthers Aren't Expected To Trade Nick Bjugstad
Panthers forward Nick Bjugstad has long been in trade speculation but nothing has come to fruition. Even though his name has popped up in the rumor mill once again as of late, his agent Ben Hankinson told Michael Russo of The Athletic during an interview on KFAN (audio link) that it’s unlikely that his client winds up being dealt:
The 25-year-old adapted well to being shifted to the wing with Florida and posted a career year offensively with 49 points (19-30-49) in 82 games. However, given Bjugstad’s size and ability to play down the middle, the Panthers are assuredly going to continue to field interest in him but it doesn’t appear that they’re willing to deal him just yet.
Atlantic Notes: Bruins, Barkov, Canadiens
While the Boston Bruins added a couple of small, but important pieces to their team this offseason in goaltender Jaroslav Halak and defenseman John Moore, their two biggest Atlantic Division rivals seem to be working at a much bigger scale. The Toronto Maple Leafs have already successfully signed superstar center John Tavares to a long-term deal, while the Tampa Bay Lightning are trying hard to acquire superstar defenseman Erik Karlsson.
Those two moves (although nothing is definite about Karlsson going to Tampa) suggest that maybe Boston isn’t doing enough to improve their own team. The team looks like they lost veteran Rick Nash who is still trying to decide if he intends to return to the NHL and hasn’t added much to their forward core this season. No doubt Boston general manager Don Sweeney is trying to work the trade market in hopes of picking up a Jeff Skinner or Artemi Panarin. However, NBC Sports Joe Haggerty writes that there is nothing wrong if the team can acquire such a player, but the team needs to stay the course and not overreact to the whatever the Maple Leafs or Lightning do.
Haggerty writes the team had a plan at the end of the season and they need to stick to it, which means the team must hold onto their talented young players and not consider moving them for big-name players. The team already had a plan in place in hopes to upgrade its team, using prospects and pieces such as Torey Krug and Anders Bjork. However, the team also needs to keep their elite young players like Charlie McAvoy and Jake Debrusk, because they will need them to stay with the organization for the next decade. The team shouldn’t panic and attempt to grab a big-name player if it will cost them their long-term future.
- The Florida Panthers could be making major shakeups in their lineups next season, according to Matthew DeFranks of the SunSentinel. With the addition of more talent this season, including Mike Hoffman and a host of young talent, coach Bob Boughner has a lot of option for loading up his top line which features star Aleksander Barkov. The talented center has spent much of the last three years playing alongside Jonathan Huberdeau and Evgeni Dadonov, who arrived last season. However, with Hoffman and how well forward Nick Bjugstad played on the top line at times last season, it’s likely Barkov could get all new linemates next season, giving the team more depth on both their second and third lines.
- Brendan Kelly of the Montreal Gazette writes that the Montreal Canadiens have done nothing to get better this offseason. The scribe writes that when you finished the season as the 28th worst team in the league, you need to make big changes. Instead, the team’s biggest trade of Alex Galchenyuk for Max Domi didn’t make the team better, especially since most experts believe that Arizona won the deal, but at best it’s a wash. Then the team’s biggest free agent signing was bringing back Tomas Plekanec, who isn’t the same player he once was and since he spent the majority of the season with Montreal last season, also can’t be anything more than a wash as well. The scribe also points out that if the team was rebuilding then they wouldn’t have tried so hard to go after Tavares or Paul Stastny this offseason. It just looks like another down year in Montreal.
Alexander Petrovic Signs One-Year Deal With Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers have re-signed one of their restricted free agents, inking Alexander Petrovic to a one-year $1.95MM contract. GM Dale Tallon had this to say about his defenseman:
Alexander is a dependable young defenseman who adds size and physicality to our lineup. He plays the game with an edge and has grown into a strong shutdown defender. We look forward to Alexander taking the next step in his development with the Panthers and are pleased to have agreed to terms with him.
You could have guessed that Petrovic was close to a deal with the Panthers when he failed to file for arbitration yesterday. The 26-year old defenseman is betting on himself with a one-year deal, as he’ll now be an unrestricted free agent next summer and can’t sign an extension with the Panthers until January 1st, 2019. Whether the Panthers would even want to entertain a multi-year deal isn’t clear, especially after they dramatically cut Petrovic’s minutes this season. Averaging just under 15 per game, the 6’4″ Petrovic was sheltered from many tough defensive matchups and yet still only recorded 13 points on the season. Head coach Bob Boughner instead gave a huge number of the defensive starts to Mike Matheson and Mark Pysyk, while handing Petrovic the lightest zone-start load among any of his defenders.
That middling success for Petrovic always sparks debate and frustration for Panthers fans, given that they chose to protect him in the expansion draft while handing Jon Marchessault and Reilly Smith over to the Vegas Golden Knights. That’s not Petrovic’s fault in any way, but it still will hang over his head while playing in Florida. This could be his last chance to impress the team and bring about a multi-year offer, and he’ll have to perform better than in 2017-18 to do it.
Florida Panthers Sign Jacob MacDonald, Paul Thompson
The Florida Panthers have signed another pair of minor league players, inking Jacob MacDonald and Paul Thompson to two-year, two-way contracts. Both should add some much-needed depth to the Springfield Thunderbirds lineup, and even add some injury replacements for the Panthers if necessary.
Thompson, 29, is coming back to the Panthers after one year with the Vegas Golden Knights organization. He played 76 games for the Chicago Wolves, scoring 38 points and wearing an “A” as an alternate captain. The former standout University of New Hampshire player and Hobey Baker finalist, Thompson has been a solid professional minor league player for many years.
MacDonald, 25, represents a little more upside after scoring 20 goals and 55 points from the blue line last season. He’s come out of nowhere on the professional scene, after never really finding much offensive success in college or the low minor leagues. Now, as one the AHL’s most dangerous defensemen he should earn a call-up at some point to see if he can do it at the highest level. It may not be this season, but if he continues to produce for the Thunderbirds there’s no reason to not give him a shot. For a late-bloomer like MacDonald, getting a two-year NHL contract is quite an accomplishment.
Washington Capitals Sign Michael Sgarbossa, Jayson Megna
The Washington Capitals have added some depth to the Hershey Bears, signing minor league veterans Michael Sgarbossa and Jayson Megna to one-year, two-way contracts.
Sgarbossa gives Washington a center to likely replace Travis Boyd who was one of Hershey’s top centers there a season ago. Sgarbossa spent last year with the Winnipeg’s Jets AHL affiliate and put up solid numbers, including 16 goals and 40 points. The 25-year-old was not promoted. Regardless, however, Sgarbossa has 48 games of NHL experience and also provides the Capitals depth options in case of injuries. Sgarbossa did get 29 NHL games in the 2016-17 season with the Florida Panthers, posting two goals and seven points.
The 28-year-old Megna also provides much needed center depth and has even more experience than Sgarbossa. Megna has played in 113 NHL games, but spent much of the season with the Utica Comets, the Vancouver Canucks AHL affiliate. In 25 games there, he scored four goals and 13 points and played in one game for Vancouver.
Panthers To Sign Michael Hutchinson
- The Red Wings have agreed to terms with Harri Sateri, reports Fox Sports Midwest’s Andy Strickland (Twitter link). The 28-year-old spent most of last season with Florida’s AHL affiliate in Springfield, posting a stellar .927 SV% with a 2.30 GAA in 29 games. He got into nine games with the Panthers down the stretch, going 4-4-0 with a 2.92 GAA and a .911 SV%.
- Replacing Sateri with Florida will be Michael Hutchinson, once again per Strickland on Twitter. He lost the number two spot in Winnipeg last year after they brought in Steve Mason although Mason’s frequent time on IR allowed Hutchinson to get into a handful of games with the Jets. He played in 26 games with AHL Manitoba, posting a sterling .935 SV% along with a 2.08 GAA. With 103 NHL games under his belt, the Panthers should be comfortable using him should one of Roberto Luongo or James Reimer get hurt.