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.
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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.
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Snapshots: Hunwick, Pitlick, Stars
Matt Hunwick‘s first season in Pittsburgh did not go according to plan. After signing a three-year, $6.75MM contract with the Penguins at the opening of free agency, the expectations were that Hunwick would be a capable everyday defenseman. Yet, by the trade deadline Hunwick had missed 18 games due to injury and a few more due to healthy scratches and had just five points on the year to show for the games he did play in. Less than a year in to a three-year pact, GM Jim Rutherford was searching for a way to move his contract. When he couldn’t, Hunwick ended up watching 26 of the Penguins final 29 regular season games and each game of the postseason from the press box. These disappointing results are not lost on Hunwick though; the veteran defenseman was honest in his self-criticism when speaking to the gathered media yesterday, reports The Athletic’s Seth Rorabaugh. Hunwick did attribute some of the blame for his poor play to injury and a Penguins system that was difficult to adjust to, but largely took responsibility for the campaign by admitting his lack of a mental edge. “I don’t think I played with enough confidence throughout the season…Maybe (confidence was) part of the reason (for struggling)”, Hunwick said, adding ““I’d hope to play a lot better (next season). I’d like to be more assertive and be more confident right out of the gate. Now knowing the system and the guys, I think that should happen.” Maybe that will happen for Hunwick, but that is assuming he remains in Pittsburgh to begin next season. Rutherford still faces the pressure of the salary cap crunch and an overpaid depth defenseman is an ideal target to move out, if possible. Hunwick has proven to be a capable player over his career and he very likely would improve in year two with the Penguins, but he may not be afforded the opportunity after a rough start this year.
- On the other end of the spectrum is Dallas Stars forward Tyler Pitlick. In grading out the roster after a frustrating end to the season – a late-season collapse that cost the team a playoff spot – Sportsday’s Joshua Friemel calls Pitlick a highlight of an otherwise disappointing season. In fact, Friemel states that Pitlick may have even been a better off-season addition than big-name acquisitions Ben Bishop, Marc Methot, or Martin Hanzal. The Stars spent right up to the cap in 2017-18, but paid Pitlick only $1MM and got 80 games and 27 points back in return. Friemel points out that his 14 goals were good enough for sixth on the team and they were also more than Jason Spezza and Antoine Roussel combined, who together made $9.5MM. Pitlick also contributed on the penalty kill and was one of the Stars’ more physical and effective two-way players. Better yet, Pitlick still has two years remaining on his deal at that same bargain rate. The underutilized Edmonton Oilers prospect may have been little more than a waiver when he signed in Dallas and may have flown under the radar this season, but going forward his value will no longer go unnoticed.
- Staying in Dallas, Stars owner Tom Gaglardi made the rare cross-organization reassignment today. The Kamloops Blazers, the WHL team that Gaglardi shares ownership in, today announced several front office changes, including the assignment of GM Stu MacGregor to the Stars organization, as Gaglardi also owns both Dallas and AHL Texas. The Athletic’s Sean Shapiro clarifies that MacGregor has been transferred to the Stars’ amateur scouting department, where his experience with junior hockey can be put toward a different purpose. With the Blazers finishing with the fifth-worst record in the league this season, changes were expected, but it’s a shrewd move by Gaglardi to replace his GM for one team without losing an asset by instead strengthening his other team.
Latest On Toronto Maple Leafs’ Pursuit Of Igor Ozhiganov
For several months, the Toronto Maple Leafs have been the expected landing spot of KHL defenseman Igor Ozhiganov. That feeling has stemmed from the visit that Lou Lamoriello and Mike Babcock took in August of 2017, to meet with Ozhiganov and attempt to recruit him to Toronto. It’s the same playbook they used to land Nikita Zaitsev in the summer of 2016, a player they quickly extended after a solid first season.
Ozhiganov’s agent Dan Milstein had recently said that no decision has been made on where the defenseman will play next season, and now he’s clarified things even further. Darren Dreger of TSN passes along that it is either the Maple Leafs or KHL for Ozhiganov in 2018-19, with no other NHL teams being options for the 25-year old.
If Toronto does sign him, it may complicate things somewhat for their roster next season. Currently the team has only Zaitsev under contract as a right-handed defenseman, while Connor Carrick (RFA) and Roman Polak (UFA) head to free agency. Toronto used Ron Hainsey almost exclusively on the right side this season, but need to upgrade the position if they’re to take another step forward next year. While it’s hard to imagine Ozhiganov being given the same opportunity that Zaitsev was when he first came to Toronto, it seems unlikely that he’d be leaving Russia to play in the AHL. That means he’d have to take up the third spot on the right side, which is a risky proposition for a team looking to contend for the Stanley Cup.
Still, there is a long way to go before the ice is set for the 2018-19 season, and getting Ozhiganov under contract gives you another talented defenseman to work with. Whether through trade, free agency or something else, the Maple Leafs need to strengthen their defense corps and solidify their biggest weakness.
One has to wonder if part of the hold up for Ozhiganov is the potential departure of Lamoriello, who was moved out of the GM spot recently and has rumors circling around him. If Lamoriello was who sold the Maple Leafs organization to Ozhiganov in the first place, perhaps his absence would push the young defenseman back to the KHL.
Morning Notes: Bruins, Wild, Kane
The Boston Bruins will have several players head to unrestricted free agency this summer, and today GM Don Sweeney spoke about the chance of re-signing them. Though Anton Khudobin has already made it clear he wants to re-sign, and Rick Nash is open to the possibility, Sweeney doesn’t sound confident everyone will be back.
Haven’t definitively ruled anybody out…we would like to bring everyone back, but that’s not realistic in cap environment.
The Bruins currently project to have between $12-15MM in space next season depending on where the cap ceiling lands, but have to make sure they don’t get into any undesirable long-term commitments. With five forwards taking up over $32MM combined for the next three seasons, and new contracts due before long for Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Carlo, Ryan Donato and Jake Debrusk, bringing back Nash—or even Riley Nash, who is also set to become a UFA on July 1st—may be out of the question.
- The Minnesota Wild have not made their final decision on who will become GM, as Michael Russo of The Athletic reports they have a round of interviews scheduled for next week. Paul Fenton of the Nashville Predators and Tom Fitzgerald of the New Jersey Devils will both be involved in those interviews, while Bill Zito (Columbus), John Ferguson Jr. (Boston) and Dave Nonis (Anaheim) have all sat down with Wild owner Craig Leipold at one point or another. The Wild are not rushing a decision, and Brent Flahr is currently overseeing day-to-day operations for the club.
- The San Jose Sharks have made it clear they intend to try and re-sign Evander Kane, and he made it clear today what his three priorities are. Kane told Sportsnet that money, lifestyle and a chance to win are the “common sense” priorities for any free agent, but wouldn’t go into how he personally ranks them. The 26-year old winger found immediate success with the Sharks, but will cost the team an extra asset to re-sign. San Jose would be forced to upgrade the pick sent to Buffalo to a first-round selection should Kane re-sign this summer.
Early Notes: Offer Sheets, Kane, Yakupov
After another two teams were eliminated from playoff contention yesterday, more and more focus is shifting to the offseason and how free agency will shake out. As always, there will be speculation about the potential of an offer sheet being signed with one of the many high profile restricted free agents, and Rory Boylen of Sportsnet is here to break down how it all works.
Boylen also lists several players that could be signed to a sheet, including Mark Stone, Jacob Trouba, Mathew Dumba, William Nylander and others. One of the most interesting names listed, and one to keep an eye on all summer is William Karlsson of the Vegas Golden Knights. After a 43-goal breakout season, there is no one who can definitively say what he’s worth or what he’ll be asking for in negotiations this summer.
- Evander Kane was playing with a separated shoulder during the playoffs, according to Kevin Kurz of The Athletic, which could at least partially explain why he struggled in the San Jose Sharks’ final series against the Vegas Golden Knights. The Sharks have a decision to make now on Kane, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st. Should they sign him to a contract extension, they’ll be forced to upgrade the second-round pick sent to Buffalo at the trade deadline to a first rounder.
- Just like last summer, the idea that Nail Yakupov could return to Russia and the KHL is already starting to percolate. After another disappointing season that saw the 2012 first-overall pick register just 16 points in 58 games for the Colorado Avalanche, he’s scheduled to become a restricted free agent once again. Adrian Dater of BSN Denver asked Yakupov’s agent directly about a potential return to Russia, who answered simply “he’s a grown man, and he will decide what’s best for him.” Last spring we examined the opportunity that the KHL could offer, before he eventually decided to give the NHL another shot.
Poll: Where Will Rick Nash Play In 2018-19?
The Boston Bruins have been eliminated from Stanley Cup contention, losing in five games at the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning. After destroying the Lightning in game 1, the Bruins lost the next four and were eventually done in by a lack of secondary scoring and the depth of the Tampa Bay squad.
One player who seemed to embody the Bruins play all series was Rick Nash, who scored two goals in the first game and then was held to just a single assist in the following four. Nash, who was acquired at the trade deadline for a hefty sum, is now looking at unrestricted free agency later this summer, provided he doesn’t re-sign in Boston.
That price that the Bruins were forced to pay, a first-round pick, Ryan Lindgren and Ryan Spooner, looks even more expensive now that Boston has been knocked out in the second round. Re-signing Nash could dull the sting of losing out on those young assets, especially if it came at a reasonable price. After all, the soon to be 34-year old did record 21 goals this season and is still a positive possession player at both ends of the rink.
The question is will the Bruins even try to bring him back after a disappointing playoff run? Nash seemed open to the idea soon after the trade, but as Ty Anderson of 985 The Sports Hub tweets, it seems more likely that most of Boston’s pending unrestricted free agents will not return. With more young players ready to make an impact, the team could instead try to use some of their remaining cap space on a bigger fish, and fill in the rest of the spots internally.
Still, there is no doubt that Nash will have suitors on the open market. Just as several teams showed interest at the trade deadline, there will be some who point to his solid defensive play and still respectable offensive totals and see a useful player who could be acquired on a reasonable contract. There’s no way the veteran forward will be able to demand the kind of salary he’s been earning in recent years, but a multi-year contract is not out of the question.
Where do you think Nash will end up? Could Boston re-sign him for a smaller salary and try to recoup some of the value they sent to New York at the deadline? Could another team swoop in and make him a multi-year offer to join their playoff hopes? Will he return to one of his old stomping grounds in New York or Columbus to try and find a spark of past glory? Make sure to leave your reasoning in the comments below.
Where will Rick Nash play in 2018-19?
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New York Rangers 21% (366)
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Boston Bruins 15% (267)
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Columbus Blue Jackets 9% (160)
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Toronto Maple Leafs 5% (87)
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New Jersey Devils 3% (58)
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Pittsburgh Penguins 3% (56)
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Buffalo Sabres 3% (51)
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Vegas Golden Knights 3% (51)
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Chicago Blackhawks 3% (50)
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Edmonton Oilers 3% (47)
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Montreal Canadiens 2% (44)
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Philadelphia Flyers 2% (44)
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Los Angeles Kings 2% (40)
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Vancouver Canucks 2% (40)
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Dallas Stars 2% (39)
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New York Islanders 2% (38)
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San Jose Sharks 2% (37)
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St. Louis Blues 2% (35)
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Detroit Red Wings 2% (31)
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Minnesota Wild 2% (27)
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Arizona Coyotes 1% (23)
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Carolina Hurricanes 1% (23)
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Florida Panthers 1% (23)
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Nashville Predators 1% (22)
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Anaheim Ducks 1% (21)
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Calgary Flames 1% (19)
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Washington Capitals 1% (18)
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Winnipeg Jets 1% (15)
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Colorado Avalanche 1% (13)
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Tampa Bay Lightning 1% (12)
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Ottawa Senators 1% (11)
Total votes: 1,768
[Mobile users click here to vote!]
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