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Jonathan Bernier Expected To Test Free Agency

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At times this past season, it looked like there was a possibility that goaltender Jonathan Bernier could extend his stay with the Red Wings.  However, it appears that won’t be the case as TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie reports (Twitter link) that the veteran has decided to test the open market when free agency begins next week.

The 32-year-old hasn’t exactly posted great numbers with Detroit but with the Red Wings bottoming out in the standings as GM Steve Yzerman rebuilds the roster, Bernier held his own most nights over the last three years.  In 2020-21, he played in 24 games while splitting time with Thomas Greiss, posting a 2.99 GAA along with a .914 SV% which was six points above the league average.  Being above the NHL average in that department is something that his agent Pat Brisson will undoubtedly bring up in contract discussions.

Bernier could very well be in line for a small raise on the $3MM cap hit he had on this most recent deal.  The backup market has continued to grow in recent years with an increase of teams wanting to lessen the workload of their starter or even head towards more of a platoon with some deals coming in closer to the $3.5MM mark.  Bernier has basically been in that same situation for the past several years even before his time in Detroit and that track record could help him when the floodgates open next week.

Nick Foligno Likely To Sign With Minnesota Wild

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When Nick Foligno left the Columbus Blue Jackets at the NHL Trade Deadline this season, traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs, many expected that he could return to the team this off-season. The Columbus captain since 2015, Foligno has strong ties to the organization and the city, enough that there was an expectation that the veteran forward would re-sign with the rebuilding club. While Foligno is technically the property of the Maple Leafs until July 28 and is now able to negotiate with the Seattle Kraken after being exposed in the Expansion Draft, this was the anticipated path of his off-season and the expectation remained that it would end back in Columbus.

Not so fast, says Bally Sports Andy Strickland. If there was any other team the could seduce Foligno from Columbus, it would be the Minnesota Wild, where his brother Marcus Foligno is a core player and signed long-term, not to mention protected from the Expansion Draft. That appears to be exactly what he is thinking. Strickland reports that there is a “strong possibility” that Foligno joins his brother in Minnesota when the free agent market opens next week.

Foligno, 33, is a gritty, hard-working forward who wins puck battles and creates offense in front of the net. Even as he has gotten older, Foligno’s offense has remained consistent throughout his career, scoring between 0.4 and 0.65 points per game in 12 of his 13 full NHL seasons (the one exception was a .92 PPG aberration in 2014-15). Foligno is also a smart, experienced leader, both in the locker room and on the ice. Foligno could help to make up for the recent departures of long-time Wild leaders Ryan Suter and Zach Parise, even replacing Parise’s middle-six winger role. The fit makes sense for a Minnesota team that is looking to take a step forward this coming season after a major turnaround in 2020-21.

New York Rangers Obtain Signing Rights To Barclay Goodrow

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Forward Barclay Goodrow is slated for unrestricted free agency on July 28 and in the meantime very well might be left exposed in the NHL Expansion Draft, leaving him free to negotiate with the Seattle Kraken. However, should he not sign with Seattle, Goodrow’s exclusive negotiating rights now belong to the New York Rangers. The team took the minor risk of getting a head start on contract talks with the two-way winger by sending a 2022 seventh-round pick to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for his expiring contract. That risk will be well worth it if Goodrow signs with New York, as he was expected to draw considerable interest on the open market. The Lightning were not able to extend Goodrow due to salary cap concerns, so they will happily settle for an extra draft pick.

While Goodrow was known as a good two-way forward during his time in San Jose, he blossomed over the past two seasons in Tampa. His offense has improved as has his physicality, creating a dangerous bottom-six combination. A hard-nosed player who excels at even strength and on the penalty kill, Goodrow could assist the Rangers in a number of ways. Namely, new GM Chris Drury wanted to make the team more difficult to play against and adding Goodrow would accomplish that.

However, New York needs to be careful not to negotiate against themselves in this situation. While there has already been rampant speculation that Goodrow could command a long-term contract or considerable salary this off-season, that is with the presumption that he reaches the open market. The Rangers have too many promising young players that will need expensive extensions down the road, not to mention a major hole at top-six center, to get roped into overpaying for a bottom-six forward. Their only competition for Goodrow right now is the Seattle Kraken, otherwise they would be wise to negotiate as if they have exclusive rights and try to keep Goodrow’s value from being artificially inflated before free agency begins.

Latest On Ryan Suter’s Free Agency

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When the Minnesota Wild initiated a buyout earlier this week, not many were surprised to see Zach Parise on his way out. Ryan Suter’s inclusion however came as a shock, and could very well have changed the offseason plans for several teams around the league. The 36-year-old defenseman is still capable of top-four minutes in the NHL and is suddenly looking for a new home.

According to Michael Russo of The Athletic, there’s already interest from across the league. Russo spoke to Suter’s agent Neil Sheehy, who called it a “new sweepstake” and explained that “not a single team in the league…ever thought that Ryan Suter would be available.” Russo examines several of the expected contenders for Suter’s services, though the list is already long and likely not even exhaustive at this early stage.

From the 2009-10 season to the 2018-19 season, Suter received votes for the Norris Trophy as one of the league’s best. He was a finalist in 2013, finishing as the runner-up to P.K. Subban in the shortened season. For several years he averaged closed to 30 minutes a night for the Wild, hopping over the board every other shift. Though his Norris-contending days may be over, Suter still averaged more than 22 minutes a night for the Wild this season and once again posted strong possession numbers.

There was, however, a striking decline in his offensive production, as Suter managed just 19 points in 56 games. He hadn’t posted fewer than 31 points since his sophomore season in 2006-07, with his best per-game rate actually coming as recently as 2019-20. He had 48 points in 69 games that season, including 18 on the powerplay. That suggests Suter could even experience an offensive bounce-back if given the right role, though the contenders that will be vying for his services likely already have their powerplay quarterbacks in place.

Even if the level he showed this season is the new norm for Suter, there’s still plenty of hockey left in the veteran defenseman. After 656 regular season games with the Wild, he’ll be looking for a new home–and he won’t have to look long.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Nashville Predators Discussing Contract With Erik Haula

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When it came time for Erik Haula to test free agency last year, he entered the market as an interesting test case for the flat cap world. A 29-goal scorer in 2017-18, he had experienced two down years but was still arguably one of the top centers available. Like so many others, he felt the squeeze of an uncertain hockey landscape and ended up taking a one-year, $1.75MM deal with the Nashville Predators, a significant pay cut from the $2.75MM he had earned each of the three previous seasons.

Now, as free agency approaches once again, Haula may not even test the market at all. Adam Vingan of The Athletic reports that the 30-year-old center is discussing a new contract with the Predators.

In 2020-21, Haula settled into a depth role, averaging just over 12 minutes of even-strength ice time but contributing on both special teams. He scored nine goals and 21 points in 51 games, but did win 55% of his faceoffs and was a versatile enough middle-six option for the Predators. Re-signing with the team at a reasonable price would provide him with some security heading into another uncertain offseason, though the deal would likely have to wait a few days.

Tomorrow, a transaction freeze will be put in place after teams submit their protection lists for the upcoming expansion draft. Even with the Predators moving out Viktor Arvidsson, it still seems unlikely that they would want to protect Haula after signing him to a new deal, given they will currently have to go the eight-skater route in order to protect their top-four defensemen. There are always ways around those protection issues, but signing Haula early would only complicate things.

The veteran center knows all about expansion draft dealings. He was Vegas’ choice from the Minnesota Wild in 2017, signing a three-year deal with the Golden Knights on expansion day. The Wild lost not only Haula but also Alex Tuch to make sure the Golden Knights didn’t select Matt Dumba, a deal that certainly worked out for Vegas. Haula scored 29 goals and 55 points in that inaugural expansion season, numbers that he hasn’t approached before or after. Though that production may never come again, it does add to his value knowing that he could step into a more offensive role in a pinch.

Nashville does have a good amount of cap space this summer, but with new deals owed to restricted free agents like Juuse Saros, Dante Fabbro, and Eeli Tolvanen, it could disappear quickly. If they’re bringing back Haula, it’s because they believe he represents a better value than some of the other options that will become free agents later this month.

Alexander Edler Expected To Test Free Agency

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The Vancouver Canucks could soon part ways with one of their franchise icons. Alexander Edler will test the free agent market, his agent Mark Stowe told Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK TV. Edler has played his entire 925-game career in Vancouver.

While this could just be a negotiating tactic from Edler’s representatives, the two sides may also just be ready to move on. Now 35, Edler’s role with the Canucks this season was diminished, receiving almost no powerplay work as Quinn Hughes and Nate Schmidt quarterbacked the two units. His even-strength ice time ranked fifth among Canucks defensemen, though his short-handed role was still necessary.

Stowe explained that this is likely the last time Edler really has the chance to test the market given his age, hinting that he perhaps is looking for a multi-year deal to finish his career. There may still be a spot for him around the league, but with age has come a drastic decline in effectiveness for Edler as well.

At one point, the smooth-skating defenseman could glide around the ice effortlessly, shutting down rushes and jumping into the offense whenever needed. He formed quite a dynamic triangle with Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin whenever on the ice together, leading to 13 straight seasons of at least 20 points. That skating stride has slowed, however, and Edler was exposed at times this season to some of the speed and skill in the league. While perhaps not as bad as his tough defensive deployment made him look this year, there’s certainly no guarantee he can handle top-four minutes at this point in his career.

For the Canucks, it was never likely that they could bring Edler back on anything close to the $6MM he has earned in each of the last two seasons. The team needs that cap space for Elias Pettersson and Hughes extensions as both young stars reach restricted free agency. If Edler wants one last payday, it likely wasn’t going to come in Vancouver.

Latest On Zach Hyman

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The Toronto Maple Leafs and Zach Hyman appear to be parting ways this summer, but it could potentially even happen before free agency opens later this month. Darren Dreger of TSN reports that the Maple Leafs have granted Hyman’s agent permission to speak with other clubs, opening the door for a trade of his rights before the open market. Dreger adds that there is “considerable interest” league-wide, but some would have to wait until the expansion draft passes to actually sign the pending UFA forward.

Last night, Pierre LeBrun explained on TSN that there was a “pretty sizable gap” in negotiations between Hyman and the Maple Leafs front office, noting that he believes on the open market Hyman could receive between $5.5-6MM (AAV) on the open market. That’s just isn’t possible for Toronto to hand out, especially on a long-term deal to a player that recently turned 29 and has dealt with major knee injuries over the past few seasons. There’s no doubt that Hyman could help the team, but with so much cap tied up in the team’s top forwards, paying him what he’ll receive elsewhere doesn’t make much sense.

Andy Strickland of Bally Sports Midwest believes that no team will get Hyman to sign a contract of fewer than seven years, and lists the St. Louis Blues, Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames and even the Seattle Kraken as potential teams of interest. The Maple Leafs are the only team that can currently offer him an eight-year deal, but could potentially work out a sign-and-trade with one of the other clubs. The Kraken would get a chance to speak with him ahead of the expansion draft as well and could offer an eight-year deal, though that would mean forfeiting their pick from the Maple Leafs roster.

Hyman has been an excellent player for the Maple Leafs the last several years, scoring at a high rate in shortened seasons. After returning from ACL surgery in 2019-20, he scored 21 goals and 37 points in 51 games before the season was shut down. This year, he had 15 goals and 33 points in 43 games, but again fell victim to a knee injury that kept him out for part of the season. He did return in time for the playoffs, but registered just a single goal in seven games against the Montreal Canadiens, despite averaging nearly 23 minutes of ice time.

The Maple Leafs are likely saying goodbye to several pending free agents this summer, but getting back an asset out of a Hyman trade would certainly lessen the blow. The team has one of the lowest values in the league in terms of 2021 draft capital, with just three picks to make this year. With a healthy free agent market and rumors swirling about Tyler Bertuzzi, Hyman could be replaced, though it remains to be seen how taking one of the league’s best forecheckers out of the lineup will affect the rest of their highly-paid forwards.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Pittsburgh Penguins Re-Sign Teddy Blueger

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The Pittsburgh Penguins aren’t waiting around for restricted free agency. The team has re-signed Teddy Blueger to a two-year contract that carries him through the 2022-23 season. The deal comes with an average annual value of $2.2MM, locking the centerman in at a reasonable price. GM Ron Hextall released a short statement on the deal:

Teddy has proven to be a versatile, two-way center, as well as a fixture on the penalty kill. He is a valuable player for our team.

Blueger, 26, was a year away from unrestricted free agency, meaning the Penguins have bought out one of his open market years with this contract. Originally a second-round pick way back in 2012, he finally made his NHL debut during the 2018-19 season and has been a fixture in the Penguins lineup ever since. During the 2019-20 season he even received Selke Trophy votes as one of the best defensive forwards in the NHL, but it was really this season when he added 22 points in just 43 games that his true value as a two-way option came out.

There are few forwards in the league that receive tougher deployment than Blueger, who starts nearly three times as many shifts in the defensive zone as the offensive. The idea is that if he can be a positive with such defensive responsibility, the other centers on the Penguins—of which they have some good ones—will be free to contribute more at the offensive end of the rink. While some of his possession statistics are punished heavily because of that deployment, the Penguins still generally come out on the winning end of the goals scored battle with him on the ice.

With this new contract, his role in Pittsburgh likely won’t change, with heavy penalty killing and defensive minutes baked right into his role. Of course, with a Penguins team facing some real decisions in terms of who to protect at the expansion draft, Blueger may actually end up exposed to the Seattle Kraken. If he does, a $2.2MM contract might actually be pretty enticing to a team that could give him a bigger offensive opportunity. It’s not like Blueger doesn’t have the ability to contribute at that end, as he showed in college and the minor leagues. While there will be other interesting options available, this is exactly the kind of player that an expansion team may target now that he’s on a reasonable two-year deal.

Latest On Gabriel Landeskog’s Pending Free Agency

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The Colorado Avalanche are getting closer and closer to unrestricted free agency without any resolution to their two biggest UFA negotiations. While most assumed captain Gabriel Landeskog would be re-signed without issue, things haven’t progressed as quickly as the veteran forward was hoping. In fact, Landeskog expressed some frustration when speaking with Peter Baugh of The Athletic:

I can’t help but be honest with you that I’m a little bit disappointed that it’s gotten this far and it’s had to come to this point.

We’ll see what happens. I’m still hopeful that we can agree on something and come to terms, but if it was up to me, I would have liked it to be done eight months ago, 10 months ago.

It’s difficult to imagine Landeskog in any sweater other than Colorado’s, given he has been a fixture there for so long. Selected second overall in 2011, the Swedish forward immediately jumped into the NHL to win the Calder Trophy with 52 points in 82 games. By the start of year two, he was made the then-youngest captain in NHL history. It’s been his team ever since, even as other supremely talented players have come and gone, even as Nathan MacKinnon assumed the mantle as the best player on the team; it was still Landeskog who wore the “C”.

Last night, Darren Dreger of TSN reported that Landeskog and the Avalanche are “not even close” in their negotiations, which raises some eyebrows given how close free agency is. In just two weeks teams will be able to call up Landeskog and offer him a huge long-term contract. The market for his services will be large, as it’s not often a player that combines first-line offensive production with physicality and leadership hits the market at the age of 28.  With 52 points in 54 games this season, he recorded his eighth season of at least 20 goals.

There is still time for the Avalanche to work things out with their captain, but given the fact that they also need to sign Vezina finalist Philipp Grubauer and restricted free agent Cale Makar, there might not be enough money to go around. The team currently has more than $25MM in cap space, but that will shrink considerably after a deal is completed with Makar and the Avalanche still have MacKinnon’s free agency to think about. The 25-year-old center will hit the open market after the 2022-23 season, likely deserving to be paid among the highest earners in the entire NHL. Signing Landeskog and Grubauer to long-term deals would certainly complicate things going forward, but watching your captain walk out the door in the prime of his career is certainly not an optimal scenario.

Free Agent Focus: Ottawa Senators

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Free agency is now just under a month away and many teams are already looking ahead to when it opens up.  There will be several prominent players set to hit the open market in late July while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign as well. The Senators have some juicy extensions lined up this offseason with a couple of important restricted free agents to sign to deals.

Key Restricted Free Agents

F Brady Tkachuk – Three seasons into his NHL career, the younger Tkachuk has found his way into the hearts of Sens fans with his gritty, power-forward-esque style of play. He’s been on pace for at least 20 goals and 40 points in every full season, establishing a remarkable amount of consistency throughout his young career. Don’t let his not-necessarily elite point production fool you, though. Tkachuk’s finishing ability leaves a lot to be desired, but that only means that his offensive chance generation is more than his point totals would suggest. Considering Tkachuk’s impact on the rebuilding team in such a short amount of time, it makes sense that Ottawa will want to extend him long-term. That’ll likely happen, as Tkachuk’s a player who’ll likely be affordable over the course of a long-term extension.

F Drake Batherson – A former fourth-round pick of the Sens, Batherson was a huge breakout star this season in Ottawa. 17 goals and 34 points in 56 games as a 22-year-old with not too much help stands out as someone who has quite a bit of potential. Playing legitimate top-six minutes against tougher competition, Batherson was also a great power-play threat. He looked like one of the players who fit in the most on this Ottawa team, and he’s likely to be around for a very long time. However, with only one true season showing what he can do under his belt, a cheap bridge deal is the likely outcome for Batherson. He still has multiple seasons left of RFA eligibility, so Ottawa should easily be able to lock him down long-term once his next deal is complete.

Other RFAs: F Michael Amadio, F Logan Brown, F Vitaly Abramov, F J.C. Beaudin, F Jack Kopacka, F Jonathan Davidsson, F Zachary Magwood, D Victor Mete, D Brandon Fortunato, D Olle Alsing, G Marcus Hogberg, G Filip Gustavsson

Key Unrestricted Free Agents

F Ryan Dzingel – After being in and out of the Senators organization, Dzingel had his worst season as an NHLer in 2020-21. His 13 points in 40 games between Ottawa and Carolina this season were a far cry from the potential he showed with his 26-goal, 56-point season in 2018-19. Dzingel saw a heavy reduction in minutes this season as well, playing just 12:42 a night. Dzingel likely has huge bounce-back potential if given more opportunity, but he shouldn’t and won’t get that with Ottawa. Now 29, a Dzingel re-signing would make little sense for Ottawa given the youth movement they’ve built up, with its success showing this season. Dzingel could find success elsewhere, but Ottawa shouldn’t beat themselves up too much if they let him go.

F Artem Anisimov – Brought in via trade to be an experienced veteran at their paper-thin center position, Anisimov’s done his job as a Senator. He’s actually produced at a fairly decent pace, especially considering his age and declining health. His 29 points over 68 games are definitely acceptable, especially for a player who was largely utilized in a fourth-line role. He showed he still had more left in the tank with 15 goals in 2019-20, but struggled more on the scoresheet this year. Anisimov likely has a bit more NHL hockey left in him, but he could also return home to Russia to finish out his career with a potential chance at a Gagarin Cup in the KHL.

Other UFAs: F Derek Stepan, F Micheal Haley, F Matthew Peca, D Cody Goloubef

Projected Cap Space

The Senators, predictably, have a large amount of cap space entering the offseason. Even with $28.5MM in room and a small list of players to re-sign, the Senators will likely stay true to their youth movement and corresponding rebuild this offseason. It’s unlikely that the team will be huge players on the free-agent market, but could still potentially use that cap space to acquire some assets by relieving cap-strapped teams of hefty contracts.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.

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