Snapshots: Stone, Nilsson, Marleau
Even though the Calgary Flames acquired Travis Hamonic to round out their top four, Pierre LeBrun of TSN reports that they’re still trying hard to get Michael Stone under contract before he hits the open market tomorrow. Stone was acquired at the deadline and fit in rather well down the stretch, but was expected to be let go after the Hamonic move.
We ranked Stone #15 on our (rapidly diminishing) Top 50 Free Agent list, projecting a two-year deal worth $7.2MM for him should he hit free agency. Even with their buyouts of Lance Bouma and Ryan Murphy earlier today, it might be tough to fit Stone in at that price given they still owe contracts to Curtis Lazar, Sam Bennett and Micheal Ferland. The Flames have around $13.4MM in cap room, making it definitely possible, but it would mean going into the season with very little wiggle room.
- Andy Strickland of Fox Sports is pumping out the deal information, reporting that Steven Oleksy will likely sign a two-year deal with the Anaheim Ducks, while Anders Nilsson will sign with the Vancouver Canucks. Nilsson was among those hinted at by Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet yesterday, linking him to the Vancouver Canucks. If Nilsson does sign with Vancouver, it would mean that Ryan Miller is on the market again with a likely Southern California landing spot. With Anaheim looking for another veteran backup to help shepherd John Gibson along, Miller seems like an obvious candidate.
- Patrick Marleau has a two-year contract offer in hand from the San Jose Sharks according to Darren Dreger of TSN. Whatever Marleau decides to do will likely impact Joe Thornton, as the two remain close. That doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll head to another team together, but that Marleau re-upping in San Jose could persuade Thornton to do the same. The pair of veteran forwards are some of the biggest names on the market tomorrow, and could legitimately have the biggest impact on their new (or old) teams.
Columbus, Nashville Make Trade Offers For Matt Duchene
As the trade market heats up before free agency begins tomorrow, Darren Dreger of TSN reports that both the Columbus Blue Jackets and Nashville Predators have made offers for Matt Duchene, but Avalanche GM Joe Sakic has still not been convinced. We’ve heard of the Predators’ interest before, but this is the first real concrete connection that the Blue Jackets have made a play for the young forward.
Duchene has been on the market since partway through the 2016-17 season, but Sakic has been firm with his asking price and apparently it hasn’t been met just yet. With such a thin free agent market especially in terms of impact scoring, Duchene could be the prize of the next few weeks. Even in a down year he still scored 18 goals and 41 points, and can be reasonably expected to bounce back to his earlier level of play. At 26 he’s still young enough to help pretty much anyone, but with just two years left on his current deal it’s more likely that a contender adds him as one of the last pieces to their puzzle.
It was reported this week that the Islanders had made a play for Duchene before dealing Travis Hamonic to the Calgary Flames, and it’s doubtful that the interest has waned at all since then. The package of picks that New York received could easily be flipped in a potential deal with Colorado. That said, both Nashville and Columbus have the young defensive depth to perhaps pull it off and could each use a bit of a scoring punch. Nashville would like to replace James Neal after he was snatched in the expansion draft, and Columbus continues to try and add to their top-six even after acquiring Artemi Panarin from the Chicago Blackhawks.
Whether Duchene ends up in one of those three cities is still far from assured. There is interest from many places around the league, and could end up coming down after a few free agent dominoes fall in the first few days. If Sakic is to get the prospect, first-round pick and young defender he was rumored to be asking for at the trade deadline, it will have to include multiple teams bidding against each other.
Several Buyouts Before Deadline
The deadline to buy out players is today, and several teams have taken advantage of the option before free agency starts. The following players have been placed on waivers for the purposes of a buyout: Mike Cammalleri (NJD), Devante Smith-Pelly (NJD), Mark Stuart (WIN), Lance Bouma (CGY), Ryan Murphy (CGY), Jimmy Hayes (BOS), Jussi Jokinen (FLA). The new cap hits of each player will be as follows:
Cammalleri:
2017-18: $1.67MM
2018-19: $1.67MM
2019-20: $1.67MM
2020-21: $1.67MM
Smith-Pelly:
2017-18: $175K
2018-19: $225K
Stuart:
2017-18: $1.46MM
2018-19: $583K
Bouma:
2017-18: $667K
2018-19: $767K
Murphy:
2017-18: $100K
2018-19: $138K
Hayes:
2017-18: $567K
2018-19: $867K
Jokinen:
2017-18: $1.33MM
2018-19: $1.33MM
Keith Kinkaid Signs Two-Year Deal With New Jersey
The New Jersey Devils are bringing back their backup goaltender. Keith Kinkaid as agreed to a two-year deal that will take him off the market just a few days before hitting free agency. Kinkaid fell just outside our Top 50 Free Agent list, but would have definitely had interest around the league should he have made it to the open market. The deal will pay him an average salary of $1.25MM.
In 26 games for the Devils last season, Kinkaid registered a .916 save percentage and actually looked better in net than incumbent Cory Schneider at times. There’s no doubt that Schneider—who posted just a .908 mark—will return as the full-time starter, but Kinkaid offers an experienced backup for a team who wants to get back to the playoffs sooner than later. At 27-years old, Kinkaid has only ever played for the Devils organization. Signing out of Union College, Kinkaid worked for several years as the starter in Albany before making a mark at the NHL level.
Interestingly, the Devils still have Scott Wedgewood in the system as a restricted free agent, and did issue him a qualifying offer. The young goaltender had shoulder surgery that robbed him of most of 2016-17, but does seem to deserve a chance at the NHL before long. His numbers in the minor leagues have steadily increased, and he’s at risk of becoming a Group VI free agent next summer if he still doesn’t have a good amount of NHL experience. That doesn’t seem likely now with Kinkaid in the fold, meaning they may lose him without ever giving him a fair shake. That said, they already exposed Wedgewood to waives at the beginning of last year and he went unclaimed, so perhaps any risk is overblown.
For now, the Devils have set themselves up with problem to worry about heading into an important free agency. Though they didn’t issue qualifying offers to Beau Bennett or Jacob Josefson, it’s expected they are at least trying to retain them. Damon Severson needs a new contract, and as arguably the Devils best defenseman his cap hit will greatly influence how they go after free agents. The team has tons of space, but still needs to stick to a salary structure and can’t go handing out big term and cap hits for just anyone.
According to Andy Strickland of Fox Sports was first to break the deal.
Trevor Daley, Dan Girardi Close To New Deals
According to the venerable Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, two deals that seem close as we head into free agency are Trevor Daley heading to the Detroit Red Wings and Dan Girardi heading the Tampa Bay Lightning. While Friedman mentions other potential connections, these are the two he seems surest of, even indicating they could potentially already be done. While Daley can’t sign until July 1st, Girardi is technically already a free agent after being bought out by the New York Rangers.
The pair ranked 23rd and 37th on our top 50 free agent list, expecting Daley to receive an extra year on the open market. Whether the deals are done or not, it shows that there has been fierce interest for both depth defensemen. Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette chimes in, saying that Daley isn’t done but has narrowed his field to two or three teams (with Pittsburgh not one of them). Despite not being allowed to talk contract details in their pre-July 1st meetings, it’s assumed that basic structures are agreed upon since deals come fast and furious as soon as free agency period commences.
Daley and Girardi may not be the most exciting additions, but they could both provide a nice value for what should be relatively little money. Both players are heading into the twilight of their careers, and as we saw with Girardi’s buyout are too risky to commit big money or term to. It will be interesting to see if either one can lock down a third season, or will have to settle for one or two year deals at age 33.
Steve Mason Will Not Re-Sign In Philadelphia
According to Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer, goaltender Steve Mason will not return to the Philadelphia Flyers, and intends to sign elsewhere once free agency opens on July 1st. We already know the Winnipeg Jets have shown interest in the former rookie of the year, and there will likely be several other teams knocking on his door when the signing period opens.
It always seemed unlikely that Mason would return after the Flyers handed Michal Neuvirth a new contract. For Philadelphia to head into next season with the same duo would be an odd move, given the relatively weak performance they got from the pair. Instead Mason will look to try and find work somewhere else, perhaps as a backup or tandem goaltender. We ranked him #25 on our top 50 free agent list, predicting a one-year deal worth $2.5MM.
Just 29, despite seeming to have been in the league for a few decades, Mason is still an interesting option for teams looking for a veteran option in net. He’s shown at times throughout his career that he can put together brilliance, but has settled into a move average role more than not. A .911 career save percentage is about what you can expect from him, which puts him behind other options like Jonathan Bernier or Chad Johnson who are of a similar age. The one thing Mason has going for him is that he’s logged at least 45 starts in eight of nine seasons, and can be expected to carry the load should your starter or other option go down.
Chad Johnson Could Return To Buffalo Sabres
With Anders Nilsson set to hit free agency, the Buffalo Sabres have a potential job open behind Robin Lehner for the NHL team. While Linus Ullmark was expected by many to make the jump and fill that role, Michael Russo of the Star Tribune has heard that Chad Johnson is “very likely” to return instead. Johnson of course played for the Sabres in 2015-16 before heading to Calgary, and put up a very strong season in 45 games.
Starting in 40 games that season (the most of his career) Johnson registered a .920 save percentage and was considered a potential tandem starter on the open market. That’s what he found in Calgary with Brian Elliott, and many would say he saved their season while Elliott was going through a bad stretch of inconsistent performance. Though he’d only start 36 games, Johnson would register an acceptable if uninspiring .910 saver percentage. Now, with a career mark of .915 he would be among the top names to backup nearly every starter in the league but knows that in Buffalo he has the chance to steal some playing time once again.
Though Lehner is clearly the starter for now in Buffalo and should be after the team used a first-round pick to acquire him from Ottawa, there have been inconsistencies in his game as well. The 25-year old at times clashed with Dan Bylsma and has been criticized for his poor performance in the shootout this year, but is also one of the most purely talented goaltenders in the league and registered a very solid season this year. Bringing Johnson in would be more about protecting Lehner with a quality backup and allowing Ullmark to continue developing in the minor leagues.
Johnson ranked 35th on our list of free agents, where we projected him to receive a two-year contract worth a total of $3MM. The goaltender is actually currently under contract with the Arizona Coyotes, after being included in the Mike Smith trade in order to give the Coyotes a goaltender to protect in the expansion draft.
Flames To Sign Spencer Foo
One of the biggest college free agent prizes has decided on his NHL destination, according to TSN’s Bob McKenzie. Union forward Spencer Foo will sign with the Calgary Flames. The 6’0″, 180 pound right winger scored 26 goals and added 36 assists in his Junior season with the Union Dutchmen. He was known in NCAA circles for being the motor behind the highest scoring line in college hockey, alongside Mike Vecchione, who ended up in Philadelphia.
Foo was previously linked to other teams, most seriously those same Flyers. However, Foo decided to change course, as he and his agent were pursued by other teams with more glaring holes at the winger position. Although details are scarce as to the rationale, one has to imagine that he was looking to have a serious opportunity on the right side. Calgary is weak on the right side, and only two players are under contract that naturally slot there: Troy Brouwer and Michael Frolik. The Flyers, by comparison, have multiple flexible core players who can slot on that side, including mainstays Claude Giroux, Wayne Simmonds, and Jakub Voracek, with Matt Read and Dale Weise also getting looks. In Calgary, he is almost certain to have a crack at the top-9 on the roster, with the ability to play with creative talents Johnny Gaudreau and Sam Bennett.
Foo is tough for his size and has good skating ability. He has been lauded for his exceptional work ethic and conditioning, which at 23 will provide a decent opportunity to smoothly transition. The odds are against him to make an immediate offensive impact, as many college signings still take time to develop. For the re-building Flames, however, the signing is a perfect fit. Foo will be allowed to blossom alongside the young core that is already present, without worrying too heavily about internal competition for ice time on the wing.
Terms will not be revealed until that July 1st date, when the Unrestricted Free Agency signing period starts. Flames Nation’s Ryan Pike expects the deal to be a two-year entry level contract, at somewhere near the maximum $925,000 per year.
PHR’s 2017 Top 50 NHL Unrestricted Free Agents
With free agency less than a week away it’s time to unveil our Top 50 Unrestricted Free Agent List. The rankings were voted on by the PHR writing team and were based on talent and projected demand, not what we forecast for their new contracts.
This year with the expansion draft muddying the waters and filling June with more excitement and speculation about who will be headed to the Golden Knights instead of who will be re-signing with their teams, less attention has been paid to this UFA class. It doesn’t help that it’s one of the most uninspiring groups in several years, with most of the big names having substantial flaws in their games or being too old to deserve a long-term deal.
All predictions are independent of each other and do not project a team signing all attached free agents. Each player is presumed to sign in the NHL for a one-way deal though retirement, Europe, and PTOs are a real possibility for many of them. The voting was done before the qualifying offer deadline, and thus no unqualified restricted free agents were included.
1. Kevin Shattenkirk — New Jersey Devils — 7 years, $42MM Despite a disappointing playoff run with the Washington Capitals, Shattenkirk remains the best option of an ugly free agent class. He’s made it clear that he wants to be “the guy” wherever he goes, and though New York and Boston remain options he clearly wouldn’t be the #1 defenseman on either team. Some would argue whether he’d even be that in New Jersey, Buffalo or anywhere else that would be interested but he could certainly feel that way. He probably played himself out of a 7 x 7 deal, but should still find a long-term home on July 1st. (Signed with Rangers, 4 years, $26.6MM)
Carolina Hurricanes Sign Patrick Brown, Jake Chelios
The Carolina Hurricanes have gotten things started on the next day of pre-free agency signing, inking Patrick Brown to a one-year, two-way contract that will see him earn $650K at the NHL level. Brown was set to become a Group VI unrestricted free agent, which was explained yesterday by our own Mike Furlano. The team also signed restricted free agent Jake Chelios to a one-year two-way deal, worth $650K at the NHL level.
The 25-year old Brown split time between Charlotte and Carolina for the third straight season in 2016-17, but was held scoreless in 14 NHL games. He has just two points in 28 career games, but has been given very little chance during his call-ups. The former Boston College star signed with the Hurricanes out of school, but has still yet to make much of an impact even at the minor league level.
Brown will likely once again see time bouncing up and down, but this time he is no longer waiver exempt. That means he’ll have to pass through it every time and though he doesn’t seem like a strong candidate to be claimed, it does lessen his usefulness in that role.
Chelios on the other hand is a 26-year old defenseman and has yet to make his NHL debut. The former Michigan State grad has found pretty substantial success the last couple of years in the AHL, and could potentially be a depth call-up at some point. With 32 points in 76 games for Charlotte last season, he’ll return trying to help them get back to the playoffs and compete for a Calder Cup. Chelios is of course the son of former Montreal, Chicago and Detroit great Chris Chelios, who played 1,651 NHL contests in his Hall of Fame career.