Sabres’ Jake McCabe To Test The Market
Injury could not have come at a worse time for Jake McCabe. The Buffalo Sabres defenseman had been nothing but dependable in his first five full NHL seasons, establishing himself as a solid two-way defenseman capable of shut-down defense with his checking and shot-blocking as well as transitioning the puck up the ice and contributing modest offense. Entering a contract year at just 27 years old, McCabe looked primed to play a critical role again for the Sabres and then was likely to be a highly sought-after trade deadline target. That all was supposed to conclude with a considerable raise and long-term contract in free agency, from Buffalo or elsewhere.
Instead, McCabe suffered a torn ACL, MCL, and meniscus in his right knee in February, just 13 games into the season. In that small sample size, McCabe posted a Corsi For rating that held as the best possession mark on the Sabres this season. He was also on pace for a career high in hits per game. Everything was going according to plan and just like that his season was over. Not only that, but the timeline for recovery was considered six-to-eight months and history has shown that ACL injuries can take even longer to heal for hockey players. McCabe’s season was over and now the following season was in doubt. At best, McCabe will not be healthy until a month after the free agent market opens. At worst, he may not be ready to play through the first month of the season or longer.
This has completely changed the outlook of McCabe’s impending free agency. The hopes of a long-term deal are likely shattered and it will be far harder to make a case for a pay raise. In fact, many had speculated that perhaps McCabe would simply re-sign in Buffalo, the team that knows the most about his current recovery and whose lineup it would be the easiest to transition into post-injury. However, it doesn’t seem like that will be the case. Buffalo Hockey Beat’s Bill Hoppe reports that McCabe will in fact test the market when free agency opens on July 28. Hoppe writes that the Sabres have been in contact with McCabe, but haven’t prioritized an extension with the career Sabre, despite his leadership role in the locker room as well as the recent losses of Rasmus Ristolainen and William Borgen from the back end. GM Kevyn Adams stated that McCabe will enter the market on his own accord though. He noted that the Sabres would welcome McCabe back if he wants to return at a fair price, but that the defenseman is “going to see what’s out there”.
McCabe’s market will certainly be an interesting one. While there are many good defensemen available, there are few great options. McCabe may have to settle for a one-year “show me” deal given his injury, but if a team believes in his ability and instead sees the injury as a way to sign the blue liner at a bargain price, perhaps he could still wind up with a multi-year deal. The Boston Bruins are one club that have been previously linked to McCabe, but there will be no shortage of teams that kick the tires on the defenseman now that it is confirmed that he is interested in testing the waters.
Marc Staal Re-Signs With Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are bringing back an experienced veteran, re-signing Marc Staal to a one-year contract. Staal was scheduled for unrestricted free agency on Wednesday. Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reports that the deal is worth $2MM and includes a full no-movement clause.
Staal, 34, ended up in Detroit as part of a camp dump by the New York Rangers last fall, arriving along with a second-round pick for nothing more than future considerations. While the veteran defenseman wasn’t worth his full $5.7MM cap hit, he had a quietly strong season for the Red Wings. Now at 948 games played for his career, Staal should get over the 1,000-game mark next season, joining older brother Eric Staal and younger brother Jordan Staal. There have been a few more injuries along the way for the 6’4″ defenseman, and he may not get quite as many accolades as his brothers, but it’s still been a remarkable career.
Perhaps his most memorable moments came in New York during the 2012 and 2014 playoffs, when he reached the Conference and then Stanley Cup Finals with the Rangers. Part of an incredibly tough trio of defensemen with Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi, Staal was relied on for heavy minutes every night. Over his career, that’s been his calling card, as the offensive side never did really materialize. In 948 career games, Staal has recorded 198 points.
For the Red Wings, he can provide a steady hand to put in the lineup every night, insulating the young options that will still be developing. The team now has three veteran options in Staal, Nick Leddy and Danny DeKeyser, each signed only through the 2021-22 season. Should they want to, the Red Wings could likely find a contender for each of them at the deadline, and recoup even more future assets for the rebuild.
Bob McKenzie of TSN came out of retirement to break the news on Twitter.
New Jersey Devils Showing Interest In Dougie Hamilton
One of the biggest names to watch as we head toward free agency next week is Dougie Hamilton. The Carolina Hurricanes defenseman is set to hit the market just after Seth Jones and Cale Makar, two other right-handed defensemen, signed huge new contracts. Jones, who is a better comparable given his proximity to free agency, will carry a $9.5MM through the 2029-30 season on an eight-year deal. Hamilton’s camp must be licking their chops hoping for a contract similar to that, and they’ve already received permission from the Hurricanes to speak with other teams around the league.
Today, Larry Brooks of the New York Post writes that the New Jersey Devils are emerging as a contender for Hamilton’s services, and that there is “mutual interest.” Brooks suggests a seven-year deal with an average annual value of $9MM could be the number for the Devils, who will soon watch the same amount of money come off the books. P.K. Subban‘s $9MM cap hit will expire after the 2021-22 season, meaning New Jersey has plenty of cap space if they want to commit to Hamilton long-term.
The Devils of course just added Luke Hughes to the program with the fourth-overall pick, adding the little brother of star center Jack Hughes. The younger of the two is expected to head to the University of Michigan for next season, but will quickly rise through the ranks and could be on the Devils lineup in a few years. The idea of a blueline including Hamilton, Hughes and 21-year-old Ty Smith is certainly an intriguing one, not to mention players like Damon Severson and Ryan Graves, both only 26.
Hamilton, 28, finished fourth in the Norris Trophy voting this season after another outstanding offensive year, recording 10 goals and 42 points in 55 games. That’s the seventh-straight season where he has recorded at least 10 goals and 39 points, and the fifth-straight year he has received votes for the Norris. There’s no doubt that Hamilton can lift a team with his puck-moving ability, but signing any contract of the suggested value is always a risk.
In just a few days, the markets will open and any team will be able to sign Hamilton to that seven-year deal. The Devils certainly won’t be the only team with interest.
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Jonathan Bernier Expected To Test Free Agency
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
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
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
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.
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Nashville Predators Discussing Contract With Erik Haula
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
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
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.
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