Notre Dame’s Alex Steeves Drawing NHL Interest
The NCAA free agent market is about to open up. College teams are wrapping up their regular seasons this weekend and conference tournaments will follow soon after. For those teams facing an uphill battle to win an automatic bid and unlikely to claim an at-large bid, seasons could be over in a week or two.
One player facing down that scenario is Notre Dame forward Alex Steeves. The Fighting Irish currently sit in fourth-place in the Big Ten Conference and would have to battle through 2020-21 powerhouses Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan to win their conference tournament. They are also not a top-20 nationally ranked team and sit well outside the 13/14 spot usually awarded to the final at-large team in the NCAA Tournament. Barring a miraculous turn, Steeves and Notre Dame will likely be done for the year in short order.
Except, Steeves likely won’t be done for the year. According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, Steeves is the hottest name among undrafted college free agents this year and could be scooped up quickly and signed to an NHL contract that begins this season. Steeves, 21, is only a junior at Notre Dame and has NCAA eligibility remaining, but will likely opt out in favor of the pros after a career year. The skilled forward has recorded 14 goals and 29 points in 27 games this season, one more point than he accrued in 36 games last year. Steeves is hardly the only player scoring at more than a point-per-game pace in the NCAA this season, but he is tied for sixth in goal scoring and is doing so for an Irish team that has not played up to expectations this year.
While Dreger does not mention any specific suitors for Steeves’ services, the New Hampshire native will be linked to the Boston Bruins – as are all New England natives seemingly – as well as the Chicago Blackhawks, located right across the lake from South Bend, Indiana and the owners of Steeves’ linemate, Landon Slaggert. Steeves also played alongside Notre Dame prospects belonging to the Ducks, Flames, Avalanche, Predators, Devils, and Islanders, all of whom have surely witnessed plenty of the forward’s ability this season. Many of the NHL’s rebuilding club are not among this list either but will offer the most immediate opportunity to the collegiate star. It’s understandable why Dreger describes there as being a robust market for Steeves given the vast number of potential landing spots.
Bruins Could Re-Sign Tuukka Rask And Jaroslav Halak
The Boston Bruins have one of the better goalie tandems in the NHL right now and have for several years in the veteran duo of Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak. The defending Jennings Trophy winners have shown no signs of slowing down either; Rask finished second in Vezina Trophy voting last season while leading the league in goals against average and Halak currently has a sub-2.40 GAA of his own for his third straight season in Boston. Yet, when the 2020-21 season comes to a close, the Bruins will no longer have either under contract as the tandem are slated for unrestricted free agency. That is unless they re-sign one or both during the season. Appearing on NBC Sports, Bob McKenzie reported that the Bruins are open to extending both Rask and Halak and would considering doing so in-season as well, “if they get the sense from the goaltenders that’s what they want to do.”
Breaking down McKenzie’s report into two pieces, it certainly makes sense that the Bruins would entertain re-signing Rask and/or Halak. Rask, 33, is the player McKenzie acknowledges as the “key” to the future in net in Boston. The Bruins starter is quietly on his way to a Hall of Fame career with a top-five all-time mark in save percentage and the leading save percentage and GAA among all active goalies. Yet, even more important to this conversation is that he is still among the best in the game. While Rask has received criticism throughout his career, he remains one of the more difficult goalies in the NHL to replace. Even with names like Jordan Binnington, Frederik Andersen, and Petr Mrazek potentially available on the open market this off-season, there is no sure thing that the Bruins could confidently replace the play of Rask. Fortunately, Rask is not much of a threat to follow the money to another club. Well-compensated throughout his career and having previously stated that he does not want to play anywhere but Boston, it seems that if Rask wants to keep playing the Bruins will re-sign him.
As for Halak, 35, he may be more valuable to Boston than any other team in the NHL. There is a strong correlation between proper rest and elite performance in Rask’s career and having a dependable backup behind him in Halak these past few years has been an incredible asset for the Bruins. The team’s trust in the aging but productive net minder may just lead to another contract. With plenty of cap space, Boston can afford to pay for a top-dollar backup for another year or two. Of course, the counter-argument to a Halak return is that it would be easier for the Bruins to find another reliable backup in free agency than and they could potentially save money in looking elsewhere. Bringing back such a proven commodity in Halak will also once again block top goalie prospects Dan Vladar and Jeremy Swayman, who each rank in the top ten in the AHL in save percentage so far this season. As the Bruins continue to inject youth into their lineup, the question becomes whether they can give opportunity to the prospects and still provide sound play from the backup position or if the safer route is to simply stick with the tandem that has worked so well.
As for McKenzie’s statement that the Bruins could re-sign Rask or Halak during the season, there is more reason to be more skeptical of that assertion. With Rask and Halak both on expiring contracts, there is no need to protect either in the impending NHL Expansion Draft. Especially given the number of attractive options on the Boston roster available to the Seattle Kraken, the team would not select a UFA goalie. In their current contract state, the Bruins can instead protect Vladar from Seattle while exposing impending RFA fifth-string Callum Booth. Vladar, 23, would otherwise become a potential selection risk if Rask or Halak are re-signed and thus require protection. The young goaltender is enjoying another elite season in the AHL and could very well be the Bruins’ goalie of the future if he can outplay Swayman. Why would the Bruins leave Vladar exposed when they don’t need to?
Well, as McKenzie points out, if there is pressure from Rask or Halak to sign a new deal before the end of the season then that could change the status quo. Additionally, Vladar will drop his waiver exemption next season, meaning that the Bruins could lose him anyway if he is not ready for the NHL. (This is exactly what happened with Malcolm Subban and the Vegas Golden Knights following the last Expansion Draft.) The Bruins may also look at Vladar as worthwhile bait for Seattle to take over one of their many established roster players at forward and defense who will also be exposed. In that case, there is no reason to hold off on an extension for Rask or Halak if the plan would be to protect them as a UFA anyhow in order to expose Vladar.
It remains to be seen what exactly will happen to Boston’s situation in goal, but timing aside it is a safe bet that Rask will be back between the pipes for the Bruins next season and beyond and Halak could be right there with him. If one or both don’t return, it will make for an intriguing off-season in Boston.
Extension Talks Stall Between Hurricanes And Dougie Hamilton
Last week, word came out that contract extension talks had cooled between the Hurricanes and RFA winger Andrei Svechnikov. Now, it appears that this isn’t the only stalled contract negotiation Carolina has with a pending free agent as Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports (subscription link) that this is also the case with defenseman Dougie Hamilton with talks basically being nonexistent for the past month.
The 27-year-old is off to a bit of a quieter start to his season compared to 2019-20 but has still made an impact offensively with 14 points in 22 games. Of course, he also contributes in his own end and is once again logging heavy minutes, averaging over 22 minutes per game. These are top-pairing numbers, something that his agent J.P. Barry has surely communicated to Carolina GM Don Waddell.
LeBrun suggests that Hamilton’s camp is likely going to want to use Alex Pietrangelo’s deal signed in the fall ($8.8MM AAV) as a valid comparable with an asking price coming in a bit below that. Meanwhile, the Hurricanes may view Pietrangelo’s replacement in Torey Krug ($6.5MM AAV) as a better starting point.
That’s a considerable gap to try to bridge if those are indeed the numbers being suggested which is why LeBrun wonders if this could be a situation that doesn’t get resolved until closer to the July 28th opening of unrestricted free agency. While that strategy has worked before, it also didn’t with St. Louis and Pietrangelo just last year and Hamilton will be in a similar situation as the top blueliner available on the open market. As we saw last year, even in this environment, the top free agents have still been able to command a significant contract and there’s no reason to think that this won’t be the case here.
With more than four months between now and the market opening up, there’s still plenty of time to get something done and with expansion pending, delaying things isn’t necessarily the worst idea. Given his status, Hamilton is a strong candidate to land a no-move clause on his next deal and if it was to be signed before Seattle’s team is selected, he’d become a mandatory protected player while if they wait, it’s easier to leave a pending unrestricted free agent unprotected, allowing them to keep an extra player. It’s not without its risks though as the Kraken would get an exclusive negotiating period and the closer someone gets to free agency, the temptation to test the market likely grows. That’s one of the decisions that will be weighing on Waddell in the weeks and months ahead.
Still No Talks Between Oilers, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
The Edmonton Oilers really only have three forwards they can count on to produce offense right now. Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Those three have combined for 24 of the team’s 60 goals this season, with the rest of the forward group only accounting for 23 (the defense has totaled 13, led by Darnell Nurse‘s six).
The first two of that trio are locked up long-term, earning huge salaries and winning plenty of individual awards. But Nugent-Hopkins, he’s on the final year of his current contract and will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. That contract was actually a seven-year extension worth $42MM, signed in the fall of 2013 before his entry-level deal had even expired. Since it kicked in, the 2011 first-overall pick has recorded 324 points in 439 games, making the playoffs just once.
Still, Nugent-Hopkins is a huge part of this Oilers team. His transition to wing and budding chemistry with Connor McDavid makes him a valuable piece, but as Ryan Rishaug of TSN reports there have still not been any contract talks between Edmonton and the Nugent-Hopkins camp since before the season began. Rishaug does note that both player and organization have expressed a desire to stay together long-term, but so far, nothing has been worked out.
As much as it seems like the Oilers are a high-powered offense that just can’t defend enough, it’s not really the case. In both 2017-18 and 2018-19, they finished 20th in goals for. In the shortened season last year, they were 15th on a per-game rate. This season they’re off to a better start, though the North Division defense might have something to do with that jump. Instead of a high-powered offense, it’s really just a few outstanding players.
The question the Oilers will have to face is whether re-signing Nugent-Hopkins helps or hurts in the quest to change that. He certainly is a strong third option, but tying even more money up at the top of the roster could be difficult for a team that needs to improve throughout. Even in a depressed market, Nugent-Hopkins will likely secure more than $6MM per season, given he has 74 points in his last 82 games and will reach free agency at the age of 28.
Rishaug notes that “this is not an asset the organization would want to lose for nothing,” implying that Nugent-Hopkins could be a trade candidate in the coming months if there’s not a path to a new contract. It’s certainly premature at this point to think he’s on the way out, but it’s a situation to keep an eye on as the April 12 trade deadline approaches.
League Notes: Hurricanes, 2021-22 Schedule, Canadian Rivalries
On Monday night, the Carolina Hurricanes answered a common question from many fans: what happens if you can’t fit under the salary cap? With four players injured (all unrelated to COVID), including late scratch Vincent Trocheck, but none who they were willing to lose for 24 days by shifting to Long-Term Injured Reserve, the ‘Canes found themselves in a conundrum. The team had fewer than 18 healthy skaters to ice a full lineup, but also had less cap space available than even a minimum salary contract whom they could recall. As a result, Carolina took the ice against the Columbus Blue Jackets – in front of rookie goalie Alex Nedeljkovic in the second game of a back-to-back no less – with just eleven forwards and six defensemen.
By playing this game short-handed, the Hurricanes have now established that they are in an “emergency” state. Following Monday’s match-up, the team will now be eligible for an emergency roster exception in accordance with the CBA. This will allow them to go over the salary cap moving forward, if need be, to recall a player making less than $1MM AAV. This roster exception can be used until such time that they can get one of the four players healthy or opt to give themselves more flexibility by transferring one or more of the injured players to LTIR.
- In putting together the delayed and shortened 2020-21 season, one of the main objectives of the NHL was to make sure that the 2021-22 season would not be impacted in any way. They formulated the length and scheduling of the current campaign to ensure that next season started on time and ran normally. Well, that plan seems to be somewhat on track. Sportsnet’s Nick Alberga reports that the league is anticipating a start date of Wednesday, October 13 for the 2021-22 regular season. Opening day is typically the first Wednesday in October, but the current plan is to open on the second Wednesday, extending the off-season by one week. All things considered, this is still an ideal result however as the off-season will still be shorter than usual. The postseason is expected to extend into July and free agency is scheduled to open nearly a month late on July 28. One extra week will hopefully allow for off-season transactions to be given a fair amount of latitude, especially as teams deal with the repercussions of the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft, and will not rush training camp and the preseason either.
- One of the highlights of the makeshift 2020-21 season structure has been the all-Canadian North Division. The realigned division is only a temporary fix, but the constant battling between Canada’s seven teams, which has been accompanied frequently by high-scoring affairs, has been not only by fans but also by the teams themselves. Players, coaches, executives, and owners of the Canadian clubs are all feeling the increased excitement surrounding their games, even without fans in the building. This begs the question: how can the NHL keep this up? An all-Canadian division does not seem feasible beyond this season, but The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun posits that scheduling could be better implemented to encourage rivalries, like those seen in the North Division this year. Rivalry is the key too; LeBrun notes that the North Division is not the strongest, nor does it contain any of the teams that he sees as the top candidates to win the Stanley Cup this year. Instead, there is simply an excitement about teams from Eastern and Western Canada getting to play each other far more frequently than in a standard campaign. Perhaps the residual effect of the current temporary divisions will be a focus on more regional match-ups moving forward. There will always be an emphasis in the NHL on divisional play as well as on every team facing every other team at least once each year. However, more Canadian clashes, Bible Belt battles, and Northeast fixtures could help to use those extra games in the schedule to maintain some of newfound emphasis on regional rivalries.
Poll: How Should New Jersey Replace Corey Crawford?
There has been no shortage of praise for young New Jersey Devils netminder Mackenzie Blackwood over the past two years. The 24-year-old goalie has already posted back-to-back seasons with a save percentage of .915 or better over a combined 70 appearances. Last year, he got the results to boot, recording a 2214-8 record – a .591 points percentage versus the Devils’ .493 points percentage on the year. Yet, New Jersey still went out and signed veteran keeper Corey Crawford to a substantial two-year deal this off-season. The move signaled that the Devils do not believe that Blackwood is ready to be a workhorse solo act just yet. So, now that Crawford has taken an indefinite leave of absence from the team, what comes next for the Devils in net? New Jersey trusts Blackwood to carry the load in an emergency, but the club does not want to start off a fresh season already short-handed.
How should the Devils replace Crawford?
Internally
Although Crawford is currently gone, there is still no word as to the reasoning nor any projected timeline for his return. Rather than make a move, the Devils could simply look at their internal options to pair with Blackwood for the time being and hope that Crawford’s absence is not too lengthy. Veteran Scott Wedgewood made his return to New Jersey as a free agent this off-season and could be the top option to back up Blackwood as things currently stand. Wedgewood, 28, has 24 games of NHL experience with middling results. He also has considerable AHL experience, but after years as a top workhorse in the league, his numbers have tailed off of late. Wedgewood would be a safe choice given his familiarity with the NHL game, but lacks upside. On the flip side, there is Gilles Senn. Senn, 24, is only in his second season in North America, but already played two games with New Jersey last season. The Swiss wunderkind has been playing games at a top pro level as a teen as well. While he is not yet a polished product and is still adjusting to the competition level of the NHL and AHL, Senn is certainly not afraid of the pressure and is arguably the superior talent to Wedgewood. Evan Cormier, 23, struggled in the AHL and ECHL last year and is not a realistic candidate for an NHL job. So are Wedgewood and/or Senn enough? Or do the Devils need to look elsewhere?
Free Agency
The simplest way to add a goaltender to the mix would simply be to sign one. However, there are not many options to choose from. The top possibility maybe long-time Detroit Red Wing Jimmy Howard, simply because he is an established NHL goaltender and is not currently tied up in a PTO. Yet, there is a genuine question as to whether the sun has set on Howard’s career. Of the 57 NHL goalies who made at least 20 appearances last year, Howard finished dead last in both save percentage and goals against average. At 35, he may be done and not worth another look. However, 2019-20 did mark a steep drop-off in performance for Howard, who had remained a sold starter prior and was an elite keeper for Detroit as recently as 2016-17. So perhaps there is hope for another go-round for Howard.
A similar option to Howard, an aging vet whose play fell off considerably last season but has a long track record of success is Craig Anderson. The former Ottawa Senators starter is currently on a PTO with the Washington Capitals, though. Are the Devils willing to wait for the Capitals’ decision? And if so, is Anderson really much better than Howard, especially given his greater age and injury history?
Another option on a PTO, though expected to be released, is Scott Darling. Darling spent last season overseas, but is back in North America looking for an opportunity. When last he played in the NHL, Darling struggled greatly in two seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes. However, he was playing in the starter’s role at that time. Prior to Carolina, Darling was an incredibly effective backup – arguably the league’s best – in three seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks. Could the possibility that he returns to form in a fallback role behind Blackwood combined with his familiarity with Crawford make him the top candidate?
Ex-Devil Cory Schneider is also awaiting the results of a PTO with the New York Islanders, but either way a reunion seems unlikely. Mike Condon is another option and while he has shown promise in the past, two straight horrendous seasons make it difficult to trust him. Zane McIntyre and Richard Bachman round out the list of uninspiring free agent options.
Trade/Waivers
Of course, the Devils have the best chance to find a more suitable backup in the much deeper pool of already-signed players. While they could go the direct route and pursue a trade, there are also going to be numerous strong options available on waivers in the coming days, including the Anaheim Ducks’ Anthony Stolarz who already hit the wire today. Here are some other trade and waivers possibilities:
Adin Hill, Arizona Coyotes
Dustin Tokarski, Buffalo Sabres
Louis Domingue, Calgary Flames
Alex Nedeljkovic, Carolina Hurricanes
Calvin Pickard, Detroit Red Wings
Anton Forsberg, Edmonton Oilers
Andrew Hammond, Minnesota Wild
Charlie Lindgren, Montreal Canadiens
Keith Kinkaid, New York Rangers
Alex Lyon, Philadelphia Flyers
Jon Gillies, St. Louis Blues
Aaron Dell, Toronto Maple Leafs
Michael Hutchinson, Toronto Maple Leafs
Oscar Dansk, Vegas Golden Knights
Pheonix Copley, Washington Capitals
Eric Comrie, Winnipeg Jets
With some established NHL backups, plenty of intriguing young options, and even soma familiar faces like Kinkaid and Domingue, the Devils certainly have plenty to choose from. Do they feel the need to make a trade and give up assets? Or can they hold out for waivers? Or is all the uncertainty just too much for a situation that needs an immediate and clear solution?
Stand pat, scour the remnants of the open market, or make a move for a signed player? What do you think the Devils should do in light of the news of Crawford’s indefinite leave?
How Should New Jersey Replace Corey Crawford?
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Trade/Waivers 48% (302)
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Free Agency 27% (170)
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Internally 26% (162)
Total votes: 634
Free Agency Notes: Krejci, Andersen, Jensen
While some attention has been on the future of teammate Tuukka Rask of late, the Boston Bruins have another major impending free agent in center David Krejci. Like Rask, Krejci is reaching the end of a long-term, big-money contract and while he won’t get another at 35 years old by next season, Krejci does not appear to be done. The career Bruin matched a career-high 73 points in 2018-19 and last season was a top-five scorer for Boston and trailed only David Pastrnak in shooting efficiency. He capped off the campaign by reminding everyone of his career-long knack for playoff success with a team-best 12 points in 13 games. Krejci looks poised to extend his career beyond this season, likely in Boston, but there has been little public talk of an extension thus far. The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta provides an explanation, reporting that Krejci’s camp opted not to open talks this off-season. Krejci’s preference was to hold off on negotiations through the brief off-season as well as through training camp. However, the two sides are expected to begin talks once the season begins. If and when a resolution is reached, the extension could also remain as a handshake agreement, as many might this season given the Expansion Draft ramifications of signing would-be UFA’s. With that in mind, Boston fans should not be discouraged that Krejci is entering his fifteenth Bruins season without a new contract, nor should they worry if a deal is not done during the season; talks will be ongoing and the likelihood of an extension is strong.
- Unlike Krejci, Toronto Maple Leafs starting goaltender Frederik Andersen does not appear likely to negotiate an extension during this season. The impending free agent, likely to be one of the best names available in the 2021 goalie market, did not have any extension talks with Toronto this off-season, reports TSN’s Pierre LeBrun. And now that the season is about to begin, LeBrun does not expect those talks to finally occur until next off-season. LeBrun notes that Andersen’s agent, Claude Lemieux, prefers not to discuss contracts in-season due to the distraction it may cause his clients. Obviously, any number of factors could shift the status quo and force the two sides to come together during the year, but it is unlikely. As such, Andersen is expected to head into the summer without a new contract and the Maple Leafs will have a small window of time to review the season and work out an extension before their starter becomes a free agent.
- Andersen’s fellow countryman and former NHLer Nicklas Jensen was set to be a free agent this off-season but no more. The skilled Danish forward has signed a two-year extension with the KHL’s Jokerit, the club announced. The move comes as a bit of a surprise, as Jensen has re-signed with his current club in-season for the second year in a row, never allowing for NHL teams to make an offer during the off-season. Jensen has shown that he is worthy of a second chance in North America, too. The 27-year-old power forward, a 2011 first-round pick of the Vancouver Canucks, may not have found much success in the NHL last time around, but now a more mature player, Jensen has been a prolific scorer in the KHL. Jensen led Jokerit and finished fourth in the league in points per game in an injury-shortened 2019-20 with 25 points in 27 games and has never scored below .69 points per game through four KHL seasons, including his current campaign. A capable scorer with size and speed who has established himself in the KHL and previously flashed immense potential in the AHL, Jensen would seemingly be an intriguing target for an NHL team. A two-year extension taking him into his thirties does not completely eliminate the chance of an NHL comeback for Jensen, but makes it all the more unlikely.
Rangers Among Teams That Have Checked In On Brian Boyle
At this stage of free agency, there isn’t a lot left, especially when it comes to UFA centers. In terms of proven options that aren’t at camp somewhere, the list basically starts and ends with veteran Brian Boyle. But don’t mistake the fact that he’s unsigned as a suggestion that no one has any interest in him. Larry Brooks of the New York Post reports that multiple teams, including the Rangers, have reached out to the veteran but for now, the intention for those squads to see what they have first in training camp and will circle back if they feel they need more depth down the middle.
The 36-year-old spent last season with Florida, picking up six goals and nine assists in 36 games and has been consistent in his points-per-game output over the past four seasons, ranging from 0.33 the previous three seasons to 0.38 last year. Of course, Boyle is more known for his play in his own end as a capable defensive pivot who can kill penalties, play with some physicality, and win some key faceoffs; he has been below the 50% mark just once since the 2011-12 campaign.
Considering the fact Boyle is still without a contract, it shouldn’t cost much more than the league minimum to get him signed at this point and while he is more of a fourth-line option now after being able to log a bigger workload earlier in his career. But in a season where depth is going to be crucial, it wouldn’t be surprising for at least one of the teams – be it New York or someone else – to decide to bring Boyle into the fold.
RFA Deadline Approaching Quickly
In a normal season, even restricted free agents that miss all of training camp have plenty of time to sign. To be eligible to play, they must have a contract signed and filed with the league by December 1, nearly two months after a normal NHL season begins. Two years ago we saw a negotiation go down to the witching hour between the Toronto Maple Leafs and William Nylander, with the young forward eventually signing a six-year, $45MM deal just before the deadline. Nylander was in the lineup by December 6, though he never seemed to get comfortable and ended up having arguably his worst season as a professional.
With a few notable restricted free agents still unsigned, now less than a week before the season begins, it’s important to note that they don’t have that two-month in-season window anymore. In fact, it’s less than a month between the start of the regular season and the RFA signing deadline of February 11 in this unique, shortened campaign.
That means for Jack Roslovic, Jesper Bratt, and, most importantly, Mathew Barzal, the clock is ticking. If they are not signed by that date, they cannot play this season at all.
In Roslovic’s case, the negotiations have led to a formal trade request. That doesn’t mean the only way he plays this season is with another team, but it certainly should inspire confidence that he’ll be inking a deal with the Winnipeg Jets anytime soon. The 23-year-old forward hasn’t gotten a ton of playing time in Winnipeg’s deep forward group but did generate 12 goals and 29 points last season in 71 games. Selected 25th overall in 2015 he obviously believes a change of scenery would be beneficial to his career, and it’s hard to argue that at this point given where he’ll still slot in on the Jets depth chart. If Winnipeg doesn’t give in or doesn’t receive an acceptable offer though, that signing deadline will put a lot of pressure on Roslovic to take whatever deal he can get just so he doesn’t spend an entire year away from NHL ice.
For Bratt, it doesn’t seem as contentious, but Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reported recently that the New Jersey Devils forward is still in Sweden and there is a “bit of a gap” between the two sides. New Jersey just spent another $2MM on Sami Vatanen in free agency and, like in all of these situations, every day that passes gives another player a chance to show what they can do at camp. Perhaps playing in the SHL would be an option for the 22-year-old Bratt, but after a 32-point season in 2019-20 you would think he’d want to be part of what they’re building in New Jersey. He has just over a month to get something done if he wants to be there this season.
There are technically some other restricted free agents, including names like Henrik Borgstrom and Aleksi Saarela of the Florida Panthers, but they are already playing overseas and don’t have the kind of track record of the three mentioned.
That brings us to Barzal, who is one of the most fascinating stories of training camp so far. He was listed on the New York Islanders camp roster, but hasn’t appeared on the ice as the negotiations continue. Like any other situation that includes GM Lou Lamoriello, there is little information coming out, but Friedman discussed it today on the radio, explaining that this situation is not like some of the other high profile RFAs that have been in the news lately:
I don’t look at this situation here and see—like we know obviously there is a issue with [Pierre-Luc] Dubois in Columbus and we know there is an issue with [Patrik] Laine in Winnipeg, I don’t get any sense there is an issue with Barzal and the Islanders.
That doesn’t mean they have forever though, as not only has Barzal now missed a chunk of the already-shortened training camp, he’ll need a new deal before that February 11 deadline if he wants to play at all. For the Islanders, who have their eyes fixed squarely on a playoff spot in the tough East Division, missing Barzal even for a single game would have grave repercussions. The heartbeat of their offensive attack, the 23-year-old has 207 points through his first 234 NHL games and is expecting quite the salary bump on any contract.
The deadline isn’t two months into the season anymore. It’s just about a dozen games.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Latest On Ben Hutton’s Free Agent Market
With just over a week before the start of the regular season, there are still a few free agent names waiting for a new contract. Among the defensemen still unsigned is Ben Hutton, who is only 27, has averaged 20 minutes a night through his nearly 350-game NHL career, and has experience on both the penalty kill and powerplay. After not receiving a qualifying offer in 2019, Hutton earned just $1.5MM last season on a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Kings and now finds himself searching for a job once again.
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that the search may not last much longer, with the Boston Bruins and New Jersey Devils both showing interest.
There’s no one claiming that Hutton can slide in on the top pairing of a real contender, but there’s also no reason he should be out of work after five full-time seasons. The 6’2″ defenseman can do a little bit of everything and would still be a valuable depth piece, especially in a condensed season. Injuries and illnesses have the power to decimate NHL rosters this year, leaving teams scrambling for fill-ins with any real experience. A player like Hutton on a bargain deal should be an easy contract to sign, though he still sits without any drying ink.
The Bruins specifically have been criticized lately for their defensive depth, especially the left-handed variety after allowing Torey Krug and Zdeno Chara to leave in free agency. Though there is a ton of young potential on that side, everyone will be taking on more responsibility and more pressure to perform. The Devils meanwhile have a lot more experience on that side after acquiring names like Ryan Murray and Dmitry Kulikov, but neither player is what you would call durable. Added depth could make sense for them too.
There figures to be more than just those two teams, however, and perhaps Hutton’s camp is waiting for an injury or two to spring up around the league before making a decision. Of course, the presence of Sami Vatanen on the open market could also be complicating things, as he likely is still drawing much of the attention as an option to play higher in the lineup.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images