Nikita Kucherov Not Likely To Get Extension Immediately
The Tampa Bay Lightning’s season is over and now the team must shift its focus for next season. And while the Lightning have a t0-do list for the upcoming season, don’t expect Nikita Kucherov‘s extension to be among the top priorities for the team, writes The Athletic’s Joe Smith (subscription required).
Kucherov is in the last year of the bridge deal he signed in 2016 as a restricted free agent and will receive $4.77MM next year before reaching restricted free agency once again. The difference in the next negotiations is that the 24-year-old forward will have arbitration rights, giving him the leverage to potentially double his salary. An arbitrator could very likely side with a player who just put up 39 goals and tallied 100 points this season and reached the all-star game for the second time in his career.
However, Kucherov’s agent Dan Milstein says there haven’t been any talks of a new extension and he doesn’t expect any to start until after the 2018-19 season starts. After all, Kucherov isn’t going anywhere. Even with arbitration rights, Kucherov will be staying in Tampa Bay, but the Lightning will spend as much time as it can evaluating the play of Kucherov.
“He wants to stay in Tampa — he doesn’t want to go anywhere,” Milstein told The Athletic. “Worst-case, it’s arbitration, they’re not going to lose him. Both sides want him to be in Tampa.”
One possible reason is the way Kucherov struggled in the playoffs, especially in the final series before the Lightning were eliminated by the Washington Capitals in the Eastern Conference Finals. The lack of scoring from Kucherov and linemate Steven Stamkos were a major issue. While he put up solid 2018 playoff numbers (17 points in 17 games), most of those offensive numbers came in their first-round series against the New Jersey Devils as he scored five goals and five assists in five games. However, from that point on Kucherov struggled, managing just two goals in the next 12 games. He also admitted that he was not dealing with an injury in the playoffs.
“Definitely you want to score goals,” Kucherov said. “Sometimes, it just doesn’t happen, doesn’t go your way.”
Perhaps the lack of an extension will be a motivating factor for Kucherov. He is expected to take a 10-day trip to Russia (half the length of last year) before returning to Tampa Bay to begin training for next season.
Poll: Should The Sharks Have Re-Signed Evander Kane?
Yesterday the San Jose Sharks made a seven-year, $49MM contract extension for Evander Kane official. With that news, the team will be forced to surrender their first-round pick in one of the next two seasons. Had they let Kane walk after acquiring him from the Buffalo Sabres mid-season, it would have been just a second-round selection. The team had plenty of cap room with only a few players signed long-term, and were expected to be heavily involved in the free agent market this summer. It’s not clear if Kane’s contract takes them out of discussions for a player like John Tavares, as they also have potential extensions for Logan Couture, Joe Pavelski and others to hand out this summer.
It’s a lot to give Kane, who has only hit the 30-goal plateau once and never recorded 60-points in a single season. That said, he has always been considered an elite power forward waiting for the right opportunity, as his skating and puck skills are both excellent. His production after coming to San Jose showed what he is capable of when healthy and performing up to his ceiling, with 13 goals and 19 points in 26 games down the stretch and into the playoffs. If he can continue that production he’ll be more than worthy of the contract, and he won’t turn 27 until later this summer.
There has been quite a bit of discussion over whether the Sharks should have re-signed him, or used that money elsewhere on their roster and in free agency. James van Riemsdyk for instance could likely give you similar offensive numbers, though his all-around game isn’t quite as impactful. James Neal, David Perron, Paul Stastny or even Thomas Vanek are also available this summer, and have long histories of offensive production. None of them are quite as young, but also likely wouldn’t cost as much.
So what do you think? If we assume that Kane wouldn’t have signed for any less than he did, would you have put pen to paper? Would you have agreed to a seven-year deal, knowing that there are other options likely hitting free agency? Is his upside and early production too hard to pass up? What of the draft pick compensation? Vote below, and make sure to explain your reasoning in the comment section.
Should the Sharks have re-signed Evander Kane?
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No, there were better options to spend the money on. 51% (361)
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Yes, his upside and youth make it worth every penny. 49% (343)
Total votes: 704
[Mobile users click here to vote!]
Roman Cervenka, Kevin Klein Staying In Switzerland
Two former NHLers won’t be testing the North American market this summer. The ZSC Lions, the defending champions of the Swiss NLA, announced today that veteran defenseman Kevin Klein has signed an extension with the team and talented free agent forward Roman Cervenka has agreed to join the club. Both players are coming off strong seasons and further strengthen a championship roster that will also return top scorer Fredrik Pettersson and other former NHLers Drew Shore, Robert Nilsson, and Roman Wick next season.
Klein, 33, will return for a second season with the Lions after leaving North America last off-season with 12 NHL seasons under his belt between the Nashville Predators and New York Rangers. Known more for his conservative defensive play in the NHL, Klein impressed in his first season in the NLA with 22 points in 45 games to go along with his typical shutdown game in his own end. Klein was a force on the ice in the regular season, leading the team in penalty minutes and holding down the defensive zone on the team’s first pair. However, it was the postseason that really exemplified Klein’s ability, as he led the team with a +12 rating and trailed only Pettersson with 12 points on the team’s run to the title. Given that exclamation point on the year, it is no surprise that ZSC wanted to re-sign Klein this off-season. It is possible he would have gotten some looks in the NHL after a rebound year in Switzerland.
The rich get even richer though with the Lions’ addition of Cervenka. The 32-year-old has had a legendary hockey career overseas, even if his NHL experiment with the Calgary Flames in 2012-13 didn’t go so well. Cervenka finished his third straight season and the sixth of his career with a better than point-per-game pace in 2017-18. Although injuries limited him to just 32 regular season games with HC Fribourg-Gotteron, Cervenka nevertheless led the team with 37 points and added another team-best five points in the playoffs. In fact, Cervenka led the NLA in points per game among players with at least 25 games played. When healthy, the Czech center is a proven winner who has produced similar results in the NLA, KHL, and Czech League and on the international stage. A smart, two-way pivot who is an excellent play-maker, Cervenka likely would have drawn at least some interest among NHL teams if he had wanted to test the waters of free agency. Instead, he makes ZSC a formidable opponent in the NLA next season as they look to defend their title.
Snapshots: Heiskanen, Bachman, Belov
It has been quite a year for Miro Heiskanen, the third overall pick last year by the Dallas Stars. The young defenseman put up 23 points in 30 games in the Finnish Liiga, played well at the World Juniors and the Olympics, and most recently has starred in the World Championships. As reported by the Associated Press, the only logical next step is the NHL. “I want to play there as soon as possible, that’s my goal”, Heiskanen said about joining the league’s best in the NHL next season. Heiskanen knows that he could still get stronger and smarter, but his skill is very clearly pro-ready. Heiskanen is likely to step in and immediately play a key two-way role on the Dallas blue line. Expect the announcement sooner rather than later that arguably the best defensive prospect in hockey will be a full-time Star next season.
- Former Stars goalie Richard Bachman has struggled to ever be more in the NHL than he was as Dallas’ primary backup in 2011-12. He has spent almost all of the past five years toiling in the AHL for the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks. Heading into free agency, it seems Bachman has decided to move on from the NHL. Swedish news site Hockey Sverige reports that Bachman is expected to sign with Timra of the SHL. Instead of sitting behind Swedes – Jacob Markstrom and Anders Nilsson – in the NHL, the 30-year-old Bachman is expected to be given the starter’s job initially with Timra as he begins a new chapter in his career.
- Former NHL defenseman Anton Belov won’t be making the jump across the Atlantic this summer. The Russian rearguard has re-signed with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL, the team he has played with since leaving the Edmonton Oilers in 2013-14, for three more years per a team release. This extension likely rules out a future return to the NHL for the 31-year-old, though he will remain a visible name on the international stage as a top defender for a perennial KHL contender and as a frequent member of Russian national teams.
Winnipeg Unlikely To Buyout Steve Mason
It was about as bad a first season in Winnipeg as it could have been for goaltender Steve Mason. After signing a two-year deal with the Jets last summer that carried the presumption that he would at least share the starting job, injuries and poor play plagued the veteran net minder all season. The lone bright spot for Mason – he still made his $4.1MM. Many have speculated – now that Vezina Trophy candidate Connor Hellebuyck has more than solidified his position as the starter moving forward – that Mason could be cut by the Jets this off-season to avoid another hefty cap hit next year. However, speaking with the media today, Winnipeg GM Kevin Cheveldayoff stated that he did not anticipate going the buyout route with his experienced albeit overpaid backup (video). Instead, Cheveldayoff spoke to Mason’s ability and integrity and his desire to have a capable backup next season.
Mason, who will be 30 next season, joined the Jets last summer after parts of five seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers during which he struggled to transcend to that elite, true #1 goaltender level. Nevertheless, Winnipeg handed the 2009 Calder Trophy winner an $8.2MM contract that was immediately panned. Unfortunately for the Jets, the critics proved to be right. Admittedly, Mason struggled with several injuries – including multiple concussions – during the year, however when he did play the results were underwhelming. Mason finished the season with a .906 save percentage and 3.24 GAA in a career-low 13 appearances. It was easily his worst performance since his later seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets and paved the way for Hellebuyck to take over full control of the starter’s job, as he dominated starts even when Mason was healthy.
Yet, a buyout of Mason’s final season – while understandable on a results basis – would not make much of a difference to Winnipeg. Yes, the team would save over $2.7MM next year, but would incur a penalty of around $1.4MM the following year. For a team that doesn’t struggle with salary cap compliance, those savings mean relatively little. Without Mason and with Michael Hutchinson headed for unrestricted free agency, the Jets would then be forced to find an experienced backup this off-season anyway. While it may not be popular among fans who were disappointed by his first season, if Cheveldayoff does retain Mason this off-season, there are plenty of reasons why it makes sense for the Jets.
Busy Offseason Now Looms For Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets have been eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs, knocked out by the expansion Vegas Golden Knights in just five games. That ends what was an outstanding season for the Jets, who not only climbed into the playoff picture but showed they could be a long-term contender. Their young core has all reached new heights, and should be able to put pressure on the best teams in the Western Conference for some time.
With those young pieces though come several big decisions. The offseason, not even 24 hours old for the Jets, already must seem too short for GM Kevin Cheveldayoff and the rest of the front office staff. Not only do they have to prepare for the draft in a month’s time, but the roster has just 14 players under contract for next season.
The biggest negotiations will come with Winnipeg’s pending restricted free agents. The list is a who’s who of talent on their club, and will chew up a big part of their salary structure if signed this summer. The Jets’ restricted free agents include:
Jacob Trouba
Josh Morrissey
Tucker Poolman
Joseph Morrow
Jan Kostalek
Brandon Tanev
Joel Armia
Marko Dano
Adam Lowry
Chase De Leo
Jimmy Lodge
Nic Petan
J.C. Lipon
Connor Hellebuyck
Eric Comrie
Jamie Phillips
Especially on defense and in goal, these are key players who could demand long-term contracts with substantial cap hits. Trouba, who once wanted out of Winnipeg to play a bigger role somewhere else, has recently indicated that he would like to stay with the Jets long-term. The team would obviously want that too, but have to carefully manage their finances as they approach restricted free agency next summer with Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor. Success is eventually paid for.
With so many restricted free agents, it’s sometimes easy to forget that Paul Stastny, Toby Enstrom, Matt Hendricks, Shawn Matthias and Michael Hutchinson are also headed for the unrestricted waters this summer. Several of these players will generate extensive interest should they hit the open market, and it’s not clear if Winnipeg intends on re-signing any of them. If they do, July 1st is coming quicker than you may think, and work needs to be done to secure their future contracts.
Either way, Winnipeg has a busy few months ahead of them as they try to piece the roster back together and take another shot at the Stanley Cup in 2019. Though there needs to be a few days of decompression from their shocking defeat, there’s plenty of work to be done.
Arizona Coyotes Discussing Eight-Year Extension With Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Many have speculated on the future of Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2019. Many pointed to the struggles of the Arizona Coyotes as a reason why the superstar defenseman would want to leave in free agency, though he has maintained all along that he loves the city and would stay if possible. Today, that possibility became a little more clear.
Craig Morgan of AZ Sports is reporting that the Coyotes are discussing an eight-year extension with Ekman-Larsson, a deal that he would be eligible to sign as early as July 1st. The contract would carry an average annual value of “slightly above $8MM,” which would be a raise on his current $5.5MM cap hit (though he is set to earn $7MM in salary next season).
One of the things that makes Ekman-Larsson such an attractive potential free agent is his youth, given that he will only turn 27 this summer. That means an eight-year deal only takes him to his mid-thirties, an age where he’ll hopefully still be effective. The fact that other teams could only offer him seven years is likely what has the defenseman interested, along with maintaining his role as the face of the franchise and helping the next wave of Coyotes prospects reach new heights.
Last summer, the team brought in several pieces that were seen as attempts to retain Ekman-Larsson. Niklas Hjalmarsson, his good friend and Swedish national team partner was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks, while Ekman-Larsson’s younger brother Kevin was added to the Tucson Roadrunners organization.
Though there has been a lot of disappointment during his time in Arizona, there are signs that might be coming to an end. Clayton Keller broke out as a rookie and recorded 65 points, while other young players like Max Domi and Christian Dvorak put up respectable campaigns. Jakob Chychrun showed off his work ethic returning from injury and should be a big part of the defense corps for many years, while Dylan Strome is ready to explode onto the scene.
The Coyotes also hold the fifth-overall pick and will get to add another blue chip prospect to the mix this season, perhaps even one that will make an impact alongside Ekman-Larsson on the blue line in the years to come. All told, it doesn’t look as bleak in the desert as it may have a year ago.
Interestingly, there’s something to the idea that Ekman-Larsson could secure a substantially higher salary should he wait for the summer of 2019. Though teams can only offer him a seven-year deal, it’s not out of the question to think he might be able to secure an average annual value closer to $10MM. While that seems expensive given that there are only two defensemen—P.K. Subban and Brent Burns—who currently carry $8MM+ cap hits, that number will likely increase substantially in the next few years as the salary cap continues to increase. Drew Doughty and Erik Karlsson are both almost certainly going to receive more than $8MM per season when they hit free agency in 2019, and it’s not out of the question to think Ryan Ellis or Ryan McDonagh could join them depending on how the market lands and the next year plays out.
For now though it seems like Ekman-Larsson is happy to stay with the only organization he’s ever known. We won’t be able to hear about the deal officially until the summer months, but it now looks as positive as ever for the Coyotes.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Blue Jackets Unlikely To Add At Center This Summer
It was another strong regular season for the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2017-18. The team had its second-best finish with 97 points behind the strong efforts of all-world goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, blossoming young defensemen like Seth Jones and Zach Werenski, rookie forward Pierre-Luc Dubois and game-changing acquisition Artemi Panarin. Yet, the Jackets were again ousted in the first round and still have yet to advance past that stage of the postseason in their 17-year history. In evaluating what area Columbus needs to improve in next season, some will point to poor special teams or a lack of shots on net. However, the major issue this season was the center position, where everyone not named Dubois had a disappointing campaign. The scoring depth, defensive ability, and face-off success of the group was all lacking this year. Entering the off-season with more than $13MM in salary cap space, many think the Blue Jackets should make a competitive offer to John Tavares or even Paul Stastny or Tyler Bozak in an effort to solve their problems down the middle. As The Columbus Dispatch’s Steve Gorten describes, that is unlikely to be the case.
While on surface level Columbus seems to be in fine shape regarding the salary cap, Gorten feels that GM Jarmo Kekalainen needs to tread carefully when contemplating adding salary to the current roster. In the short term, the team already faces several free agency dilemmas. Restricted free agents Boone Jenner, Oliver Bjorkstrand, and Ryan Murray are in need of new contracts and the team is surely to be interested in retaining several impending unrestricted free agents such as Ian Cole, Matt Calvert, and possibly Thomas Vanek. The team’s long-term considerations are more pressing though; Columbus will need to pay Panarin, Werenski, and Bobrovsky after next season, all of whom will command significant contracts in both term and salary.
Given these spending limitations, both this year and in the future, signing a top free agent center is unlikely to be the right move for the Blue Jackets. Instead, Gorten suggests that Columbus stand pat and wait for their current centers to rebound from down seasons. 23-year-old Alexander Wennberg showed 60+ point potential last season, but injuries and long stretches of poor play kept him to just 35 points in 66 games this year, the first season of a six-year, $29.4MM deal. Health may be all it takes to get Wennberg back into that true #1 center range and the 2013 first-rounder may still make his contract look like a bargain and could even end up being a superior player to Dubois. For his part, Kekalainen has trust in the young forward, telling Gorten “I’m 100 percent confident with Wennberg that he’s going to have a great year next year.” What Kekalainen may be more focused on is improvement in the bottom-six, where the Jackets need a return to form from veteran Brandon Dubinsky. The 32-year-old is midway through a six-year, $35.MM deal but did not play to that level this season. Dubinsky was held to just 16 points in what was easily the worst season of his career. A buyout at this point in the contract would be very costly to Columbus, who are left to hope that he can bounce back. Gorten also suggests that the depth down the middle could be substantially bolstered by a prospects like Lukas Sedlak, Alexandre Texier, or Jonathan Davisson taking a step forward in their development, while there is also the off chance that the Jackets could land a potentially pro-ready pivot like Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Isac Lundestrom, or Barrett Hayton at pick #18 in the first round.
Even if all of that doesn’t work out, Columbus will also have options like Jenner and captain Nick Foligno, who they have hesitated to leave at center full-time, but are more than capable of playing the position if necessary. Rather than handcuff themselves with a free agent contract that could cause problems down the road, Gorten seems right in his take that hoping for the in-house options to step up their game seems to better suit the Blue Jackets this off-season.
Carolina Hurricanes Open For Business As Offseason Nears
The Carolina Hurricanes have already undergone massive changes to their front office and coaching staff since new owner Tom Dundon took over. Ron Francis and Bill Peters have been moved out, while Don Waddell and Rod Brind’Amour have taken over. Now it sounds like the playing roster might be next. On TSN 1050 yesterday, Bob McKenzie opined about the Hurricanes and how they will approach this offseason, explaining that there could be big changes coming for several players.
There’s one guy on the team that they’re not prepared to trade—Sebastian Aho. Everybody else, everybody else is available. [Jeff] Skinner, you name it. Skinner’s getting moved, I would think.
Everybody except for Aho. I think [Justin] Faulk’s very much in play, I think Skinner’s very much in play. Hey listen, there’s some guys who whenever they say there’s only one untouchable, obviously there’s a sliding scale of value where the price coming back the other way has to be off the charts.
It’s not the first we’ve heard of Skinner being available, as several different reports have indicated that teams are expressing interest in the three-time 30-goal man. Headed for unrestricted free agency in 2019, Skinner could be a target this summer for a team looking to improve their goal scoring. The 25-year old had a down year in 2018-19 with only 24 goals, but has proven he’s one of the best in the league at putting the puck in the net.
Faulk on the other hand is an interesting option, as he carries two years on his contract with a reasonable cap hit. The Hurricanes have been expected for years to move one of their surplus defensemen, with Noah Hanifin, Jaccob Slavin, Brett Pesce and others already able to carry the load. If Faulk was to be traded, he’d fetch quite a price from a team looking to upgrade their right side, though he does come with his share of inconsistencies. The 26-year old scored just eight goals this season after racking up at least 15 in three consecutive seasons, but is still a capable offensive puck-mover that could thrive in the right situation.
Ryan Ellis Open To Contract Extension With Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators already made it clear this morning that they likely wouldn’t be bringing back Alexei Emelin, and that Scott Hartnell‘s tenure with the team was essentially over. GM David Poile also touched on an upcoming negotiation with defenseman Ryan Ellis, which Adam Vingan examines in a piece for the Tennessean. Ellis has one year left on his current contract, and would be eligible for an extension this summer. He’s very open to signing a new deal with Nashville, as he told Vingan:
I love it here. My fiancée loves it here. If it was my wish, I’d finish my career here. So we’ll see what happens.
Ellis has been one of the most underpaid players in the league the last few seasons, carrying a cap hit of just $2.5MM during his five-year, $12.5MM contract signed in 2014. The 27-year old has developed into one of the best two-way defensemen in the league, and raised to new heights this season when he recorded 32 points in just 44 games. His season was limited by the knee surgery he underwent last summer, but after returning he produced at an incredible rate for the Predators and was back to driving possession while logging more than 23 minutes a night.
Oddly, Ellis’ name hasn’t been mentioned as much as some of the other defensemen scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2019. While Erik Karlsson, Drew Doughty and Oliver Ekman-Larsson have taken all the headlines, Ellis has flown somewhat under the radar as a potential top pairing defenseman that could be available. That’s likely due to his role on one of the best defensive groups in the NHL, sometimes overshadowed by the flamboyance of P.K. Subban or steady play of Roman Josi and Mattias Ekholm. Make no mistake though, if Ellis was to hit the open market he would have dozens of teams knocking down his door to try and sign him.
That should lead to quite the raise if he does re-sign with the Predators, and one that isn’t necessarily a given. The team already has quite a bit of salary tied up in those other defensemen, and with Kyle Turris‘ $36MM extension kicking in next year there is a cap crunch coming in Nashville. While right now Ellis’ low cap hit is one of the reasons that the team can have so much depth, a substantial raise—which could potentially push him into the $6-7MM range—would leave the team with some tough decisions elsewhere on the roster. Josi is scheduled to become a UFA in 2020, while there are already decisions to be made with pending RFA Juuse Saros and incumbent starter Pekka Rinne, who has just one year left on his current contract.
Either way, Predators fans should be pleased that Ellis is already so open about a potential extension. The 11th-overall pick in 2009 has proven any doubters wrong by showing that a relatively undersized defenseman can be successful in his own end, and should be a big part of the team for years to come.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images