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Andrew Copp Signs With Detroit Red Wings

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12:07 pm: The Detroit Red Wings have officially announced the contract, bringing him to Hockeytown through 2027.

11:34 am: TSN’s Darren Dreger reports a five-year deal worth $5.625MM per season in Detroit for Copp.

07:33 am: The trend this year is going home, and Andrew Copp might be the latest to do so. Multiple reports including from Darren Dreger and Bob McKenzie of TSN suggest that Copp will sign with the Detroit Red Wings when things open up, bringing him back to the place where all of his NHL dreams began.

Born in Ann Arbor, Copp would eventually don the maize and blue by heading to the University of Michigan for three seasons, where he developed into one of the most versatile players in college hockey and quickly outpaced his projections as a fourth-round pick in the NHL. By the time he was ready to exit college, the Winnipeg Jets were ready to put him directly into the lineup and Copp skipped the minor leagues entirely (he would play eight games for Manitoba, but not until after his rookie season).

After more than 450 games with the Jets, Copp found himself on the brink of free agency and because of that, traded to the New York Rangers. He excelled with his new team, showing that he could be a perfect complementary piece near the top of a lineup, and racked up 18 points in 16 games down the stretch. Another 14 in 20 playoff games, along with full-time minutes as a center, and Copp was ready for the open market.

A player who can kill penalties, contribute to the powerplay and line up at any of the three forward spots, his value to the Red Wings would likely fall in the middle of the ice. It just so happens that one of his teammates with Michigan was Red Wings center Dylan Larkin, who is also on the verge of a contract extension to lock him into the Detroit future. Should Copp sign, he’ll be surrounded by a glut of talented wingers and the Red Wings’ forward group will quickly start to take shape.

St. Louis Blues Expected To Sign Thomas Greiss

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After not being able to retain Ville Husso or Charlie Lindgren, the St. Louis Blues have found a new backup. Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic reports that the Blues are expected to sign Thomas Greiss when free agency opens.

That essentially means the Blues and Detroit Red Wings swapped netminders, as Husso ended up joining Steve Yzerman’s club as their new potential starter. Greiss comes to St. Louis after two years in Detroit, the first of which was much better than this most recent season.

In 2021-22, the 36-year-old Greiss posted an .891 save percentage in 31 appearances, the lowest number of his entire career. For a .912 career netminder it was a huge fall, one that the Blues obviously hope won’t continue.

For St. Louis though, there wasn’t going to be enough money to keep Husso in place and a veteran backup was always the expected outcome.

More to come…

Evander Kane Signs Four-Year Extension

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Why sleep when you can sign contract extensions! The Edmonton Oilers and Evander Kane reached a late-night agreement on a new four-year contract, that will bring the winger back before he reaches unrestricted free agency. Kane himself announced the deal, which carries a cap hit of $5.125MM. PuckPedia has the full breakdown:

  • 2022-23: $750K salary + $5.5MM signing bonus
  • 2023-24: $1.5MM salary + $4.0MM signing bonus
  • 2024-25: $2.75MM salary + 2.0MM signing bonus
  • 2025-26: $4.0MM salary

It also includes a full no-movement clause until February 28, 2025, at which point it will change to a 16-team trade list. While the team hasn’t actually announced the deal, they did amplify Kane’s tweet about it, which included the following message.

A big part of my decision to stay in Edmonton was because of the opportunity given to me only 7 months ago but also the chance to be a part of a championship team. I want to win, and I believe after signing this deal we will be able to add the right pieces along with myself to accomplish that goal, a championship.

There’s no doubting Kane’s ability on the ice. He scored 35 goals in just 58 games between the regular season and playoffs, finding instant chemistry with Connor McDavid and finally offering the kind of high-impact scoring talent that the Oilers have been looking for. It is all the off-ice stuff that has limited his market, as seen by this new contract, which comes in well below what a player of his production level would have earned normally on the open market.

There is also still some uncertainty around his future because of a grievance with the San Jose Sharks over wrongful termination, though it should be noted that this new contract is worth almost exactly the same amount as what was left on his previous deal. Perhaps there is a path to settlement, which would clear up any potential issues with this new deal.

The Oilers, who are also expected to make a big splash in the goaltending market today, get better by bringing Kane back. The team has said goodbye to some of its older players, including Duncan Keith and Zack Kassian, and appears poised to take another run at the Pacific Division crown in 2022-23. For Kane in particular, the risk was always in a long-term deal. Keeping it to four years at least someone protects the Oilers from that risk.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Free Agency Notes: Hague, Marchment, Kulak

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We haven’t heard a whole lot of offer sheet talk yet this offseason, but there is one young defenseman who could come into play. The Athletic’s Jesse Granger notes that he believes Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Nicolas Hague is “a real possibility” as an offer sheet candidate from general managers league-wide. Hague is an important defenseman on the rise in the Golden Knights organization, and while he doesn’t have a lot of leverage on his next contract as he’s not arbitration-eligible, another team could indeed force Vegas’ hand. A second-round pick from their first 2017 draft class, Hague’s notched a solid 42 points in 142 NHL games over the past three years. While he’s been limited to third-pairing minutes on a deep Vegas team, he’s shown really solid play-driving ability as an up-and-coming two-way defenseman. With the Golden Knights’ tight salary cap situation, it’s a reasonable bet that they couldn’t match a healthy offer for Hague.

  • TSN’s Pierre LeBrun expects the Montreal Canadiens to make an offer to bring back defenseman Brett Kulak when free agency opens tomorrow. They won’t be alone, though, as LeBrun notes that six other teams could be interested as well. Dealt to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for a package that included William Lagesson and a second-round pick at the trade deadline, Kulak is an underrated defensive commodity who’s extremely valuable in a bottom-four role. He’d spent the last three seasons prior to this year in a Habs uniform, and he was a steadying presence in 2021-22 on a struggling team.
  • If the Tampa Bay Lightning can’t come to terms with pending UFA Ondrej Palat, The Athletic’s Joe Smith lists Mason Marchment as someone the team could make an offer to in free agency. He’d certainly add a strong checking element to the team’s middle six, and while he likely wouldn’t replace Palat’s value entirely, he’d be a strong value option with a breakout year last season and great underlying metrics. Marchment finished 2021-22 with 47 points in just 54 games.

Johnny Gaudreau To Test Free Agency

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As first reported by TSN’s Pierre LeBrun, the Calgary Flames aren’t expected to reach an agreement with top free-agent forward Johnny Gaudreau prior to the market opening tomorrow at noon Eastern time. He’ll test free agency and hit the open market as a result.

Gaudreau and Calgary haven’t come to an agreement despite steadily increasing offers from general manager Brad Treliving to get him to stay. It was reported earlier today that Calgary had offered Gaudreau an eight-year deal worth more than $10MM per season. Gaudreau either believes he can get more on the open market tomorrow, or he simply wants a change of scenery out of Alberta.

After his electric 115-point season, he’ll have a certain handful of teams willing to pony up eight figures to get his services. While the Philadelphia Flyers have been linked to him constantly for years, they’ve failed to clear enough cap space in order to make signing him a realistic possibility. One team with loads of cap space that’s a logical fit is the New Jersey Devils, who could launch themselves into playoff contention with a Gaudreau/Jack Hughes connection up front.

No matter what, Gaudreau is slated to join the more-than-$10MM cap hit club tomorrow. He’d be the 15th player in the league currently on an eight-figure deal and the only left wing aside from the Rangers’ Artemi Panarin.

Snapshots: Kane, Bowman, Malkin

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Forward Evander Kane is nothing if not the most polarizing and interesting free agent on the market this offseason. The 30-year-old power forward has had his fair share of off-ice controversies in his career, including a pending arbitration hearing that may award him back to the San Jose Sharks after the team terminated his contract during the 2021-22 season. Yet Kane was still spectacular on the ice after signing a one-year deal with the Edmonton Oilers for the remainder of the season, notching 39 points in 43 regular-season games and leading the NHL in scoring during the playoffs with 13 goals in just 15 games.

Yet, reports surfaced earlier this week that Kane and the Oilers weren’t close on an extension. Today, The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta adds that there haven’t been any conversations yet today between Kane’s camp and the Oilers, adding to the likelihood Kane hits the open market tomorrow. It doesn’t limit Edmonton’s ability to re-sign him, and quite frankly, it’s still the most likely destination for him. Kane’s risk factor is only increased by the pending arbitration decision, and other teams will be hesitant to commit term to Kane without either having a deal in place with San Jose to trade back for him or having clarity on his future.

  • Legendary coach and executive Scott Bowman is moving on from the Chicago Blackhawks organization this summer, per the man himself. Now 88, Bowman had been a senior advisor for the Blackhawks since 2008. A winner of 12 Stanley Cups, Bowman will likely have any job he wants if he wants to continue his management career in the NHL.
  • Pittsburgh Penguins president of hockey operations Brian Burke spoke today, denying rumors that the team didn’t offer Evgeni Malkin his desired term of four years. He did say that giving a six-year contract extension to Rickard Rakell yesterday didn’t rule out Malkin’s return, and said that “the window is still open” for Malkin. However, with all the varying reports of Malkin’s unhappiness with the situation, his moving on in free agency is likely still a done deal.

Latest On Johnny Gaudreau

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With less than 12 hours remaining before they lose the ability to offer an extra year, the Calgary Flames are putting forward their best offer for Johnny Gaudreau. Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff tweets that Calgary has offered an eight-year contract worth more than $10MM per season, which would make the pending free agent winger one of the highest-paid players in the NHL. He notes that if Gaudreau leaves Calgary tomorrow “it likely won’t be because of money.”

Unlike free agency itself, which doesn’t open until midway through Wednesday, a team’s right to sign one of its own players to an eight-year deal expires at midnight (EST). That means if there’s no deal by tomorrow and Gaudreau is to land more than this $80MM+ on the table from Calgary, he would need to sign a seven-year deal worth at least $11.43MM per season. That number would put him fifth in the entire league, behind only Connor McDavid, Artemi Panarin, Auston Matthews, and Erik Karlsson in terms of cap hit.

Total money isn’t always the deciding factor though, especially not for NHL players (or at least their agents) who can see the salary cap rising significantly in a few years. That extra year for Gaudreau might not be as important as seeing what kind of teams are interested, and what is the best fit for his career moving forward.

The Flames, of course, will have a huge hole in their lineup if Gaudreau decides to leave–and a bunch of cap space to fill it with. The team currently sits with more than $26MM in room, though that doesn’t factor in extensions for Matthew Tkachuk, Andrew Mangiapane, and Oliver Kylington, who are all restricted free agents.

Gaudreau was the unanimous top selection in our UFA list, following his outstanding 115-point season.

Snapshots: Burns, Gaudreau, Lemieux, PHF, Struble

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As the San Jose Sharks look to turn a corner with the franchise, not necessarily declaring a rebuild, rumors surrounding superstar defensemen Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson have turned up in recent months, with some speculating the Sharks could try to deal one of them. That speculation didn’t seem too off-base, but with the Sharks without a GM for the first time in nearly 20 years and still searching, it was unclear if the team would want to make that sort of franchise-altering trade before making the hire, and if the new hire would want to do such a thing as well.

Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News had a chance to speak to the new man in charge in that of Sharks GM Mike Grier, who touched on Burns’ future in San Jose. Grier said that he would speak with Burns soon and let him lead the way on whether or not he wanted to be dealt, understanding if the former Norris winner wanted to win now, but adding that he had been a “great Shark.” Burns, who has a modified no-trade clause, does in effect lead the way already in this situation, but Grier’s comments show that San Jose is ready to proceed in either direction with the 37-year-old, depending on how their conversation turns out. The defenseman has three more years at $8MM per season left on his contract.

  • If and when superstar free agent Johnny Gaudreau hits the free agent market on Wednesday, he will be one of the most sought-after players to ever go to free agency, with no shortage of suitors. One of those suitors, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports, will be the New York Islanders, who he believes will “competitively” pursue the winger. It’s no secret that the Islanders have been looking for offense and a dynamic winger to play with Mathew Barzal, especially after missing the playoffs following back-to-back trips to the Conference Finals. Bringing in a player like Gaudreau would solve many of those problems of course, but having just under $11.2MM in salary cap space while needing to sign RFA defensemen Noah Dobson and Alexander Romanov, a Gaudreau signing would necessitate another move to shed salary on the Island.
  • Although he was non-tendered by the Los Angeles Kings, forward Brendan Lemieux may still re-sign with the team after all is said and done, reports TSN’s Chris Johnston, with contract talks still ongoing. This news isn’t too shocking, as the gritty winger has played well for the Kings since being acquired from the New York Rangers during the 2020-21 season, but coming with a qualifying offer of $1.65MM, Los Angeles may have opted to try and re-sign Lemieux at a lower rate, not taking the chance of him accepting a salary they may view as too high.
  • Erin Brown of The Hockey News reports that the PHF will announce its 2022-23 expansion plans on Tuesday morning. One of the premier women’s hockey leagues in North America, the PHF currently consists of five teams, including the Buffalo Beauts, Boston Pride, Metropolitan Riveters, Connecticut Whale, and Minnesota Whitecaps.
  • The Montreal Canadiens announced that defense prospect Jayden Struble suffered a lower-body injury today and would miss the remainder of development camp. The Canadiens’ second-round pick, 46th overall, in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, just finished his third season at Northeastern University, where he put up three goals and 11 assists in 34 games from the backend. The defenseman has just one more year before he will become a UFA if he does not sign with Montreal.

Latest On David Perron

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Several veterans in this year’s UFA class appeared as though they wouldn’t be going anywhere, and one of those names was that of St. Louis Blues winger David Perron. Back in late May, Perron had expressed his interest in returning to the Blues, who are not the only team he has ever played for, but they are the only team he has ever signed a contract with. Conversely, around the same time, Blues’ GM Doug Armstrong made it clear that he wanted to bring Perron back. A reunion between the two sides made perfect sense, Perron being a perennial offensive weapon for the Blues since the start of his career, though mixing in stints with the Edmonton Oilers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Anaheim Ducks, and Vegas Golden Knights.

Now, just about a day-and-a-half from the opening of free agency, The Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports that Perron is expected to hit the open market on Wednesday, making it unlikely he will return to the Blues. Seravalli adds that cordial talks have been ongoing between team and player, but the team simply does not have the necessary salary cap space to make an appropriate offer to Perron. The news is tough for the Blues, and presumably Perron, who were hoping to continue the relationship, but the realities of a flat salary cap have taken hold. The Blues currently have $9MM in available salary cap space, but do have to re-sign several RFAs and may look to retain pending UFA Nick Leddy. Even if this offseason was no problem, chances are Perron will command a multi-year contract, and St. Louis also has four star forwards with expiring contracts next offseason: UFAs Vladimir Tarasenko and Ryan O’Reilly and RFAs Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou, amongst others.

One positive to take from the update on Perron is the amicable nature of ongoing discussions, with the impasse being St. Louis’ cap situation rendering them unable to make what would constitute a reasonable offer. In other words, the desire for a new contract is apparently still there between both sides. It would be highly unlikely that the Blues can shed the necessary cap to make that offer to Perron by Wednesday afternoon, however Perron does have the option to take a wait-and-see approach on his free agency. While that option could be risky for Perron, if he does do so and the Blues cannot do what’s needed to offer him a contract, the veteran could serve as an option for a team who sought to spend on another top-notch option like a Johnny Gaudreau, Evgeni Malkin, or Claude Giroux, but missed out.

Some may wonder, with Perron coming off of a four-year, $16MM pact, and the Blues having $9MM in salary cap space, what would, absent Tarasenko, O’Reilly, Thomas, and Kyrou’s contracts next year, stop St. Louis from bringing Perron back, especially on a one-year deal? Although it is technically possible, Perron is coming off a rather team-friendly deal that allowed him to return to St. Louis, signing at the $4MM AAV after posting 66 points in 70 games for Vegas the season before. Since then, Perron has continued his performance, even stepping up his game, scoring 94 goals to go along with 127 assists in 251 games over the life of the contract, including a 2020-21 that featured 58 points in 56 games. At 34 years of age, producing as well as he ever has, Perron could be due a fairly long-term deal and would be unlikely to settle at such a team-friendly rate once again.

Colorado Avalanche Sign Valeri Nichushkin To Eight-Year Extension

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The Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche are retaining winger Valeri Nichushkin with an eight-year extension. Nichushkin was one of the most valuable two-way wingers hitting unrestricted free agency this offseason. The Athletic’s Peter Baugh reports the contract is worth $49MM in total, or $6.125MM per season through 2029-30.

PuckPedia has the details of the massive extension for Nichushkin:

2022-23: $6MM base, full NMC
2023-24: $7.5MM base, full NMC
2024-25: $8MM base, full NMC
2025-26: $7.3MM base, 12-team NTC
2026-27: $4.8MM base, $1MM SB, 12-team NTC
2027-28: $4.8MM base, 12-team NTC
2028-29: $2.8MM base, $2MM SB, 12-team NTC
2029-30: $2.8MM base, $2MM SB, 12-team NTC

Nichushkin, 27, has spent the last three seasons in Colorado growing into one of the game’s most underrated commodities. Bought out by the Dallas Stars after a goalless 2018-19 season, the 2013 10th overall pick saw his defensive game get recognition with the Avalanche before finally exploding offensively in 2021-22. Nichushkin scored 25 goals and 27 assists for 52 points in 62 games this season, with all of those offensive numbers being career highs.

He’s received Selke Trophy votes each of the past three seasons, a true compliment to just how good he’s been on both sides of the puck since joining Colorado. He really just got a top-six role in earnest for the first time this season, though, averaging 19:02 per game. Nichushkin had never averaged above 15 minutes per night in his career. It’s one of the best career turnaround stories in the league, making the eight-year extension one of the feel-good stories of the offseason.

It’s a monster raise for Nichushkin, who was coming off a two-year deal with just a $2.5MM cap hit. If his 15 points in 20 playoff games is a sign that this level of production from him is sustainable over the next few years, he’ll be well worth the money — especially when considering his defensive prowess.

Next, Colorado and brand-new general manager Chris MacFarland will have to navigate what to do with Nazem Kadri and Andre Burakovsky. While Burakovsky is expected to hit the open market on Wednesday, the certainty of Nichushkin’s cap hit now allows Colorado to try and grind out an extension with Kadri. CapFriendly has Colorado with just under $15MM in projected cap space after the Nichushkin extension.

TSN’s Pierre LeBrun was first to report the extension.

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