Snapshots: Offer Sheets, Wideman, Bergevin
The NHL has restricted free agency for a reason, but instead of it being a way for talent-deprived teams to sign away top young players, offers sheets are ignored and never used. The last offer sheet signed was five years ago when Ryan O’Reilly signed an offer sheet with the Calgary Flames in 2013 and there have only been eight offer sheets signed in the salary cap era.
After all, with a weak unrestricted free agent class this season, teams would benefit if they had an equally good chance at competing for restricted free agents. This year’s restricted free agent class is quite impressive. Led by Vegas’ William Karlsson, Ottawa’s Mark Stone, Winnipeg’s Jacob Trouba and Toronto’s William Nylander, teams should be making a move on some of these players.
Sportsnet’s Sean McIndoe writes the main reason for the lack of offer sheets comes down to the compensation that is returned if a team allows a team to leave. The scribe writes that the compensation is not good enough and forces teams to sign their restricted free agents regardless of their cap situation. He points out that the compensation looks impressive when dealing with a player that makes more that $10.15MM per year. A team that signs a restricted free agent in that bracket would receive four first-round picks. Unfortunately, few players are in that salary bracket unless your name is Connor McDavid. If he was a restricted free agent, any team would give up four first-rounders for McDavid.
If the NHL wants to improve on restricted free agency, then they must double the compensation so teams really need to think about whether they would rather have that player or let him go and take the compensation package. Unfortunately right now, no team wants the compensation package.
- Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun writes that unrestricted free agent Chris Wideman said that he wants to return to the Ottawa Senators next season, but isn’t sure he’s in the team’s plans for next season. The 28-year-old defenseman said he talked to general manager Pierre Dorion recently and was told that the organization had other matters to attend to before addressing whether they plan to bring him back. Wideman missed most of the season last year after having surgery in December to repair a torn hamstring after Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin fell on him on Nov. 16. Used as a depth defenseman for his three years in Ottawa, he averaged a career-low 11:33 of ATOI in 16 NHL contests, despite putting up eight points in that time period.
- Stu Cowan of The Montreal Gazette writes that general manager Marc Bergevin said today that the team is willing to trade the No. 3 pick in the NHL Entry Draft. “I’ll listen, I’m open,” Bergevin said. “I’ve told teams if they want to make me an offer, I’ll look at it. But again, sometimes teams don’t want to move up. As much as a team wants to move back or move up, if there’s no takers or buyers then you just sit where you’re at.”
Free Agent Focus: Anaheim Ducks
Free agency is now less than a month away from opening up and there are quite a few prominent players set to hit the open market while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign. Here is a breakdown of Anaheim’s free agent situation.
Key Restricted Free Agents: F Ondrej Kase — After just a 15-point season a year ago, Kase came on strong this year and proved to be invaluable for the Ducks in a season in which not much went right. The playmaking forward came out and put up 20 goals in his second season and that was despite playing in just 66 games. That’s not the best timing in terms of salary cap issues for the Ducks as Kase, who made $670K last season on the final year of his entry-level deal, could be due for a significant raise as he will likely fight for a spot on the team’s second line next season. The only real issue that Kase has is the injuries he’s dealt with over the years. He hasn’t played a full season yet for Anaheim as he just played 53 games the previous season and combined to play just 39 games over two seasons with the San Diego Gulls of the AHL between 2015-17.
D Brandon Montour — After a breakout season a year ago in which Montour came up to Anaheim to replace an injured Clayton Stoner, the young blueliner established himself quickly as a top young defenseman. The 24-year-old proved to management that they could part with Shea Theodore last season in an expansion draft deal and survive with Montour amongst their top four. The defenseman took that step and has been a reliable anchor to the Ducks’ defense, averaging 20:28 of ATOI this season. And now after making $925K last season in the final year of his entry-level deal, Montour should also get quite a pay raise and could walk away with a long-term deal.
Other RFA’s: G Kevin Boyle, F Nicolas Kerdiles, F Kalle Kossila, F Nick Ritchie, F Kevin Roy, D Andy Welinski.
Key Unrestricted Free Agents: D Kevin Bieksa — At 37 years of age, Bieksa doesn’t have as much to offer the Ducks than he did in his prime. Now with his $4MM cap hit gone, however, there may still be quite a bit of interest for both parties to remain together as a depth option, albeit at a significantly lower cost. Bieksa did miss some time this season after undergoing hand surgery in March and while he did return by the end of the season, he wasn’t the same as he played in just one of the team’s four playoff games. Regardless, with some of the depth issues the team dealt with last year after trading away Theodore and Sami Vatanen, the team wouldn’t mind bringing the physical veteran back.
F Derek Grant — After years of bouncing around the NHL as a spare forward for many years, Grant has finally found a team that has brought the best out of him. The 28 year old managed to appear in a career-high 66 games where 40 was his previous best and put up 12 goals and 12 assists for Anaheim in a bottom-line role, averaging a career-high 11:06 in ATOI. After signing last year with the Ducks for $605K, he is in line to get a better deal. Throw in the possibility that top center Ryan Kesler might miss all of next season and the team may want Grant around even more.
Other UFA’s: F Jared Boll, F J.T. Brown, F Jason Chimera, F Chris Kelly, F Michael Liambas, F Scott Sabourin, F Corey Tropp, F Antoine Vermette.
Projected Cap Space: The Ducks don’t have as much wiggle room as they would like as they have just over $9MM of projected cap space available to them. While they don’t have any significant unrestricted free agents they need to sign, some of the cap space will have to be devoted to their restricted free agent group, including Kase, Montour and Ritchie, which leaves them with little room to go out and add a high-profile free agent to bolster their veteran roster. With much of their money going towards their veteran core, the team may have to try to find some players in the bargain bin to bolster their roster for next season.
Toronto Notes: Keefe, Dubas, Draft, Greening
While winning a Calder Cup championship historically bodes well for that AHL head coach, so far it doesn’t look like it will help Toronto Marlies head coach Sheldon Keefe with getting an NHL gig.
Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reports that no NHL team has requested permission from the Maple Leafs to speak with Keefe. The 37-year-old highly-touted coach was on many teams list earlier this offseason when there were many coaching lists. He was rumored to have been on the candidate list for job openings in Dallas and the New York Rangers. However, most of the NHL coaching vacancies were already filled before his team finished their playoff run.
Now there are only two current NHL head coaching positions remaining and the Washington Capitals are technically already set as the team is expected to either re-sign Barry Trotz, who is a free agent, or promote assistant coach Todd Reirden. That leaves the New York Islanders, which seems like a good fit with former Maple Leafs Lou Lamoriello now in charge in New York. However, Lamoriello is well-known for keeping things to himself.
Keefe posted a 150-63-15 record in three seasons with the Toronto Marlies with two all-star appearances and two 54-win seasons in that span. Nine NHL coaches currently sport AHL titles, so it’s likely Keefe will get that opportunity at some point, but whether it will be this year might be another question.
- Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas said the team has made no definitive decisions on their unrestricted free agents, which include James van Riemsdyk, Tyler Bozak and Leo Komarov amongst others, according to The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler. The scribe reports that Dubas is still in touch with their agents, but speculates that it sounds like nothing is in the works. Dubas also said that he expects that the success of the Marlies will have an effect on their outlook on free agency as many of those players will be in the mix for next year’s Maple Leafs’ roster.
- While the perception is that Dubas has a draft history of trading down, the GM said he is more than willing to consider moving up in this draft, especially with all the assets the team has, according to The Athletic’s Jonas Siegel. “I think if there is an opportunity for us to add players that can help our team, we have the capital in draft choices to be able to do so,” Dubas said.
- TSN’s Kristen Shilton reports that Colin Greening has chosen to re-sign with the Toronto Marlies as he has signed a one-year deal with the AHL franchise. The alternate captain of the Calder Cup champions opted to return to the team after posting 16 goals this season as a veteran presence for the team. After playing in 286 NHL games throughout his career, he has accepted his role as a veteran leader for the minor league franchise. He played a critical role in the Marlies’ playoff run, putting up four goals and nine points.
Capitals Have Not Made Contract Offer To Barry Trotz
The Washington Capitals, defending Stanley Cup champions, would like to bring back the man who led them to the promised land, head coach Barry Trotz. Trotz was in the final year of his contract and will be a free agent along with the players when the new league year begins. It is common sense for Washington to want him back, but has nonetheless been reported by several sources as well. Yet, the Caps have a funny way of showing their loyalty to Trotz; Sportsnet’s John Shannon reports that the team has yet to extend a contract offer to their coach.
Trotz, 55, has long been expected to be a free agent this summer. Despite a immensely successful career by a wins standard, Trotz had often been criticized for not being able to get the job done in the postseason. That excuse is out the door now, after the Capitals secured their first Cup title in franchise history last week. As a result, rumors of Trotz’ free agency were also supposed to be thrown away. It seemed like a sure thing that GM Brian MacLellan and the Caps would want to retain his services. However, an offer has yet to be made and Shannon adds that the two sides do not have any meetings schedule to negotiate an extension.
This could simply be the pre-occupied champions dragging their feet or focusing all of their attention to catching up on draft and free agency preparations. Of course, it could be something else entirely. It’s possible that Trotz, now a championship coach, is intrigued with the possibility of other positions. Lou Lamoriello and the New York Islanders are known to be eyeing Trotz for their current vacancy, while it has also been rumored that at least one team with a head coach has considered hiring Trotz regardless if he was to become available. Trotz has reportedly had some preliminary contract talks with the Capitals already and it could be that the recent title and his improved free agent status has raised the price tag beyond what Washington is comfortable paying. This very real possibility is only supported further by the idea that the team had been grooming assistant Todd Reirden to take over. Anticipating the expiration of Trotz’ contract and, after years of letdowns, not expecting their miraculous Stanley Cup run, the Capitals were reportedly comfortable with handing the job off to Reirden. Of course, the situation has changed greatly, but if the price is too high to retain Trotz, Washington would not panic, but could simply stick with their original plan.
The odds still favor an extension for Trotz. He is fresh off of a title with the Capitals, knows and trusts his players and staff, and understands that his best chance at another Cup is likely to stay in Washington. However, Shannon’s report that – with days remaining on his contract – Trotz does not have an extension offer nor any scheduled meetings to discuss a new deal, raises questions. The lure of more money and a new challenge could be enticing Trotz and his asking price could be scaring off the Capitals. Only time will tell, but suddenly the idea of one of the winningest coaches in NHL history hitting the free agent market is back in the realm of possibility.
Boston Bruins Getting Interest In David Krejci
The Boston Bruins have reportedly set up a meeting with Ilya Kovalchuk and is looking for a way to help his team get over the hump next season. One way that might happen is through trade, and today on WGR 550 in Buffalo, Darren Dreger of TSN spoke about how Bruins’ GM Don Sweeney has gotten several calls about center David Krejci:
I know that there are teams calling on David Krejci as well. The Bruins would like to move [David] Backes. I think they’re again a little reluctant to consider trading David Krejci, but every player has a price tag. I think we need to look at Don Sweeney, the GM of the Bruins, as being perhaps a team and a GM that could be very active in the days ahead.
Reluctance to the idea of trading Krejci shouldn’t come as a surprise, given his continued production and stabilizing presence down the middle for the Bruins. Though the team certainly has some young forwards ready to take on bigger roles, the duo of Krejci and Patrice Bergeron at center allows the team to match up well against nearly anyone in the Eastern Conference. Krejci is coming off a season in which he recorded 44 points in just 64 games, and was excellent for the Bruins in the playoffs once again.
His contract though does cause some concern, and likely keeps Sweeney on the phone a little longer than he would normally stay. Though Krejci is an excellent player for the team still, he’s now 32 years old and is still under contract for three more seasons at a $7.25MM cap hit. While the actual salary drops a bit next season, he would be an extremely expensive asset if his play were to decline at all over the next few seasons. Trading him now, if teams are offering legitimate packages, may actually be a good idea.
Still, Krejci has a full no-movement clause for this season and a partial no-trade clause moving forward. He generally holds his future in his own hands, and has never made any indication that he would want to be moved out of Boston. With the Bruins not extremely interested in moving him, it seems like a very small chance that he’ll be playing on another team come the start of the 2018-19 season.
The fact that they want to trade Backes also doesn’t come as much of a surprise. The physical forward fought through injury this season but was relatively effective when he played, registering 33 points in 57 games. Still, he struggled in the playoffs and is now a 34-year old injury risk that doesn’t have a clear spot in the lineup. He currently carries a $6MM cap hit with three years remaining on his current contract, and it seems unlikely that he’ll ever return to the 30-goal, 60-point player he was in St. Louis. A trade may have to wait a year though, as Backes also holds a no-movement clause for the next year before seeing it drop to an eight-team trade list in the summer of 2019. At that point the salary also drops, and after paying him a signing bonus on July 1st, 2019 Backes will be owed just $5MM total over the last two seasons of his contract. If you were to acquire him right now, that number is $14MM for the last three years.
The Bruins find themselves without a first-round pick in this year’s draft thanks to the trade to acquire Rick Nash, one that Sweeney likely wishes he could take back given the power forward’s disappearance down the stretch and in the playoffs. Instead, the team would have to use other assets to acquire the talent that they want for next season, be that through trade or free agency.
Snapshots: Islanders, Gudlevskis, Lucic, Canadiens
The New York Islanders have made a coaching move, but not the anticipated one. Still lacking a head coach for his team, Lou Lamoriello has nevertheless made another change to the coaching staff, firing assistant Greg Cronin. The Athletic’s Arthur Staple confirmed the move, but added that no other coaching decisions have been made yet at the NHL or AHL level. Staple also had nothing to say about any of the motivations behind Cronin’s departure. Ironically, if Lamoriello was to tab Boston Bruins’ assistant Jay Pandolfo as his head coach, the Boston native Cronin would be an easy fix to replace him.
- The Islanders have struggled in net for too long and need to make a change at goalie. That all but rules out recycling any of their unrestricted free agent goaltenders. Jaroslav Halak, Christopher Gibson, and Kristers Gudlevskis are all set to hit the open market and of the three, Gudlevskis faces the lowest chances of finding employment again in the NHL. Once a highly-regarded prospect for the Tampa Bay Lightning, Gudlevskis play in the AHL simply never reached an elite level that would have warranted an extended look at the highest level. This past season, he performed poorly and was handily outplayed by Gibson. As such, he may not have many opportunities in North America next season. It is no surprise then that Latvian news outlet OlyBet reports that Gudlevksis has had preliminary talks with Dinamo Riga, the KHL team in his native country. Gudlevskis was brought up in the Riga junior ranks and even appeared in two games with the big league team before coming overseas. Gudlevskis has never returned to Europe since and his preference would likely be to stay in the NHL, but it would be a natural fit with Dinamo if the offers don’t come from NHL teams this summer.
- In today’s edition of TSN’s “Insider Trading”, Pierre LeBrun and Darren Dreger have set the record straight about the trade market for Edmonton Oilers forward Milan Lucic. It was previously believed that the Oilers were shopping Lucic in hopes of ridding themselves of his contract, but in speaking with several team executives, LeBrun and Dreger feel that is not the case. Instead, they have heard that Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli is seeking hockey trades rather than cap dump trades for Lucic. This would indicate that it is Lucic who has requested the trade and Edmonton is simply trying to oblige him.
- One team rumored to be in on Lucic is actually out, according to LeBrun. The Montreal Canadiens, who pursued the power forward and former Bruins enforcer vigorously when he initially hit free agency, were speculated to again be interested in acquiring Lucic. The Habs could use some size up front and Lucic shared a strong rapport with coach Claude Julien when the pair were in Boston. However, LeBrun states that they are definitively “out” on Lucic.
Vancouver Canucks, Markus Granlund Discussing Short-Term Deal
When the Vancouver Canucks traded Hunter Shinkaruk in 2016 in exchange for Markus Granlund, most saw it as an immediate win for the Calgary Flames. Shinkaruk was a recent first-round pick and was in the midst of an excellent season for the Utica Comets, with 21 goals in 45 games. A year later, things weren’t as rosy. Granlund went on to score 19 goals and 32 points for the Canucks in 2016-17, and looked like a key piece for the team going forward. Shinkaruk played in seven games for the Flames recording a single point. Now, another year later, things aren’t so lopsided.
Granlund recorded just 12 points in 53 games this season, battling injury and putting up wildly inconsistent performances. His possession statistics fell off a cliff thanks to new head coach Travis Green giving him tough defensive assignments, while his powerplay time saw a huge decline and penalty kill time a huge increase. He had been forced into a new role, one that didn’t afford him much success offensively. Meanwhile, Shinkaruk played the entire season at the AHL level and posted his worst offensive season since his rookie year.
Still, the Canucks have the player contributing in the NHL and now are faced with a decision this summer. Granlund is scheduled to become a restricted free agent, and at age-25 is getting closer and closer to UFA status. Rick Dhaliwal of Sportsnet spoke with agent Todd Diamond, who claims the team has spoken to him about a short-term deal for his client. A two-year contract would take Granlund to unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2020, but also might be all the Canucks are willing to commit to a player that doesn’t have a role that suits his game at the moment.
Any deal will likely be a raise on the $900K cap hit Granlund has carried the last two seasons, but it might not be that substantial of one. With the team building around other pieces like Brock Boeser, Adam Gaudette and Elias Pettersson, there’s no clear future for Granlund unless he can turn things around next season. To do that, he’ll have to prove that he can either be an effective checking-line player, or contribute more offensively with the opportunity he’s given.
Free Agent Focus: Philadelphia Flyers
Free agency opens less than three weeks from today and teams are well on their way to evaluating both their own impending free agents and those likely to reach the open market. There are quite a few prominent players expected to be available as unrestricted free agents, while many key restricted free agents will be looking to sign new contracts with their current squads. Here is a breakdown of the Philadelphia Flyers’ free agent situation.
Key Restricted Free Agents: G Petr Mrazek – As soon as the Flyers acquired Mrazek from the Detroit Red Wings at the NHL Trade Deadline, it was anticipated that there could be some confusion this off-season. The 26-year-old goalie needs a new contract, but the team holding his exclusive negotiating rights doesn’t have a place for him right now. Philadelphia still has their 2017-18 tandem of Brian Elliott and Michal Neuvirth under contract for another season and that won’t change unless they find a trade partner for one or the other. They also have to deal with the restricted free agency of Alex Lyon and Anthony Stolarz, both of whom are younger than Mrazek and have gotten more than a taste of the NHL level over the past two seasons. There is also Carter Hart to worry about. The CHL Goaltender of the Year and arguably the best goalie prospect in hockey is already under contract and seems to have proven he is beyond the major junior level already. Hart is likely to turn pro next season and needs starts. That’s five other goalies to consider already, so where does Mrazek fit in to the Flyers’ plans?
Not only does he seemingly not have a place in the organization right now, but Mrazek’s performance over the last two seasons also raises serious questions about his ceiling and long-term role in the NHL. After a hot start to his pro career that included two seasons of AHL domination and strong NHL spot starts, followed by two more seasons of impressive play sharing the net in Detroit with Jimmy Howard, things were looking up for Mrazek. He had essentially won the starting job heading into the 2016-17 despite being just 24 years old and seemed to be the Red Wings’ long-term answer in net. That idea fell apart quickly as Mrazek’s play became sporadic and the more consistent Howard took his job back. Mrazek has now posted two straight seasons of 3.00+ goals against averages and save percentages just narrowly in the .900’s. The 17 appearances that Mrazek made in Philadelphia after the trade were even worse than his games played in Detroit early last season, including one singular, disastrous playoff appearance, negating the thought that he needed a change of scenery.
So what to expect for negotiations with a young goalie, formerly considered a rising star, who has struggled for two years, even more so with his current team, and has no role carved out for him moving forward? In all likelihood, the answer is a trade. The Flyers gave away two conditional mid-round picks to get Mrazek when they were desperate for a goalie down the stretch. They would be lucky to get that back for his RFA rights in an off-season deal. Mrazek may also end up simply not receiving a qualifying offer. If, against the odds, Philadelphia decides they want to extend Mrazek, expect just a cheap, one-year deal- nowhere near his expired $4MM cap hit – and another move or two by the organization to make some space for yet another goalie.
D Robert Hagg – One of a number of young, up-and-coming Flyers defenseman, Hagg skated in 70 games and averaged over 18 minutes a night in his rookie season. While Hagg only registered nine points on the year, he showed good two-way ability and a solid checking game. He was one of only three Philadelphia defensemen with a positive rating and played a clean game despite leading the team in hits by a wide margin with 238. There is a lot to like about the young defender.
However, there is also a lot to take into account when quantifying his next contract. The Flyers already have overpaid bruisers Andrew MacDonald and Radko Gudas signed for two more years as well as Shayne Gostisbehere on a long-term deal. Ivan Provorov will surely land an expensive, long-term deal next summer and Travis Sanheim will need an extension as well. Additionally, the gifted but unproven Samuel Morin is an RFA alongside Hagg this summer. The Flyers need to be careful with how they handle this crowded blue line. As solid as Hagg looked in his rookie year, don’t be surprised to see him sign a shorter bridge deal for only a marginal pay increase while the team waits out some of its veteran contracts.
Other RFAs: F Taylor Leier, F Danick Martel, F Tyrell Goulbourne, D Samuel Morin, D Reece Willcox, G Alex Lyon, G Anthony Stolarz
Key Unrestricted Free Agents: F Valtteri Filppula – The 34-year-old Filppula is seeking a multi-year deal. There are many who doubt that the Flyers will be the team to give it to him. The veteran center has had a long and successful career as a complementary top-nine player, but the price tag for that support-level production on his last contract was $5MM. Since coming over from the Tampa Bay Lightning two years ago, Filppula’s offense has been in decline. He has still played an important role in Philadelphia, including that of a penalty kill specialist, but with 41 points in 101 regular season games in orange and black, Filppula hasn’t earned the right to command that kind of money again. If he is willing to give up salary in exchange for term, he could still play a key bottom-six role for the Flyers. However, the open market could pull him towards a team in greater need who would be willing to better compensate him.
D Brandon Manning – Like Mrazek, Philadelphia needs to first find a place for Manning before committing to re-signing him. A career Flyer, Manning hit career highs on offense in his sixth season with the team. He also bounced back from a down 2016-17 season mentally with a safer game and more well-thought out approach. Yet, Manning’s numbers on both sides of the puck are still very pedestrian. Although there could be concerns that letting Manning walk and replacing him internally would add more inexperience to a young blue line, there is no doubt that Manning’s minutes could be easily replicated. The 28-year-old only made $975K in each of the last two years, but if he looks for a substantial raise he will likely price himself out of Philadephia’s consideration. Manning will return on a short-term, low money deal or – more likely – he will sign a similar deal for only marginally more elsewhere.
Other UFAs: F Matt Read, F Colin McDonald, D Johnny Oduya, D Will O’Neill, G Dustin Tokarski, G John Muse
Projected Cap Space: The Flyers are not in any cap trouble right now, but things can change quickly. Currently, they have over $17MM in cap space based on this year’s cap limit of $75MM. That is expected to increase to somewhere between $78-82MM, likely giving Philly somewhere closer to $22MM in space. First things first, they need to figure out their free agency situation this year, which includes new deals for many on the long list of pro-ready RFA’s above and perhaps another one or two of their own UFA’s. This is where GM Ron Hextall will need to be careful. He doesn’t want to use up too much of his space on luxuries like unnecessary extra goalies and defenseman or overpaying an aging forward. He also doesn’t need to give a player like Hagg an expensive extension right now, especially when he is the type of player with a limited ceiling who will likely command a similar amount after a few years on a bridge deal. Next, the team needs to keep in mind that next season they will have to hand pricey extensions to Wayne Simmonds and Provorov and could very likely be on the hunt again for a starting-caliber goalie to pair with Hart moving forward. None of those transactions will come cheap and the team can’t expect another major cap jump. Instead, they will have to account for those moves this off-season. At the end of the day, $22MM or so can only get you so far when you have a complete roster and many long-term contracts. Expect the Flyers to hit the free agent market with a pretty limited budget of no more than $7-8MM, likely in search of an upgrade to Filppula and/or Manning.
Jay Beagle Hopes To Return To Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals are fresh off the first Stanley Cup victory in franchise history, but before long they’ll need to start dealing with pressing offseason issues. Though John Carlson is at the top of that chart, there are several other key players headed for unrestricted free agency. One of those players is Jay Beagle, who while not an offensive force was a huge faceoff man and defensive presence for the Capitals throughout the playoffs. Beagle made his intentions clear today to media including Tarik El-Bashir of NBC Sports, saying that he wanted to return and calling Washington “home.”
Beagle, 32, registered 22 points in 79 games this season but won a career-high 58.5% of his faceoffs and logged more than two and a half minutes of short-handed ice time on a nightly basis. Those numbers easily led all Capitals forwards, and he improved to better than 60% on the draw in his 23 playoff contests. With the firepower that the team has up front in players like Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Kuznetsov, they could afford to have a defensive specialist like Beagle further down in the lineup.
Whether they can afford him going forward though is another question. Beagle is coming off the final season of a three-year deal that paid him $1.75MM annually, and with the Capitals trying to squeeze every last dollar out of the roster in order to retain John Carlson this summer, Beagle may have to take a pay cut to stay with the club. Paying a fourth-line center more than $2MM seems out of the question for the Capitals going forward, a total he could likely secure on the open market after his successful playoff run.
Washington heads into the offseason with somewhere around $16MM in cap space depending on where the upper-limit lands, but with new contracts needed for Tom Wilson, Philipp Grubauer, Devante Smith-Pelly and other restricted free agents, as well as a likely $7-8MM price tag on Carlson there isn’t much left in the vault. Even if Grubauer is moved to another team as GM Brian MacLellan hinted at today, the team still has a cap crunch coming and hard decisions to make. Beagle may want to stick around, but there might not be enough money to go around.
Mike Green Has Two Offers From Detroit Red Wings
Free agency is now less than three weeks away, and all eyes are focused on John Tavares and John Carlson as the top prizes. Behind them though is another tier of quality players, including Detroit Red Wings defenseman Mike Green. Green, a former 30-goal, 70-point player from his days in Washington, is still an effective puck-moving option even as he heads into his mid-thirties. According to Craig Custance of The Athletic (subscription required) Green has been given two offers by the Red Wings to re-sign, of both the one- and two-year variety. That might not be enough to keep him around though, as there will be plenty of interest in the free agent when the negotiation period opens a few days after the draft.
Green is coming off of a little bit of a quieter season by his standards but still a productive one as he recorded 33 points in 66 games. However, he wasn’t fully healthy heading into the trade deadline which scared off potential suitors. While he wound up returning briefly after the deadline, he was eventually shut down for the season and underwent cervical spine surgery back in April, one that carried a recovery time of two months.
Those health issues may scare off some teams in free agency, as will his reputation in the defensive zone. While Green has made considerable strides since he was a young player, to get the most out of him still requires some sheltering. Teams that are looking to plug in a top-four defenseman that can do a little bit of everything might be a bit disappointed, though anyone in need of some offense from the blue line should be lining up to bring him aboard.
The Red Wings need both of those things, but aren’t willing to commit to Green long-term as they enter a rebuild. It just doesn’t make much sense to sign an aging defender to a multi-year contract when the team is likely going to—if not outright aiming for a—finish near the bottom of the league and a reset on their salary structure and core players. If Green wants the security of a few seasons, he’ll have to find it elsewhere.
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