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Marc Methot Considering Retirement

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Veteran defenseman Marc Methot had a tough go of it in Dallas, playing in a combined 45 games over the last two seasons with the team. Battling lingering injury issues in his left knee, Methot has been sidelined for most of the past two years and hit the free agent market this summer with next to no noise thanks to questions about his health moving forward. To make matters worse, Methot underwent a cartilage replacement surgery last month that will extend his on-ice absence even further.

With all of these prominent questions and concerns, it should come as little surprise that the 34-year-old is at least considering retirement. Marc Brassard of leDroit reports that Methot is continuing to rehab after his recent surgery, but is unsure if he will be able to play next season. That does not mean that the respected veteran couldn’t continue to work at getting in game shape and try his hand at next summer’s market. After all, Methot is just a few years removed from being one of the league’s top shutdown defenders, a title he held for the better part of this decade with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Ottawa Senators. However, Brasssard believes that he is strongly considering hanging it up instead.

Brassard also points out that Methot has a desire to work in sports media, which could also drive his decision to retire. Methot will get a try out on Thursday, when he joins TSN 1200 Radio in Ottawa as a guest host. The appearance could also act to further update his playing status, so stay tuned.

 

Snapshots: Panarin, McGinn, Greening

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It was hard to miss Artemi Panarin’s free agency decision on Monday, as an all-world player landed in the largest market in North America. However, what wasn’t clear right away was how Panarin’s new seven-year, $81.5MM contract with the New York Rangers was structured. CapFriendly has cleared that up, revealing the terms of the monster deal. To no surprise, the details continue to favor the star forward. While Panarin’s contract carries an $11.643MM cap hit, he will in fact make a salary of just $1MM each year. What this means is that Panarin’s deal includes nearly $75MM in signing bonuses, making the contract virtually buyout-proof. The bonuses role out in descending order, beginning with a $13MM bonus this season down to a $7MM bonus in 2025-26. Also unsurprisingly, Panarin’s deal includes a full No-Movement Clause. The investment in the 27-year-old Panarin, who has topped 70 points in each of his four NHL seasons, is pretty safe, which is lucky for the Rangers since is contract is all but immovable.

  • The deadline to file for salary arbitration is coming up, and the first name to file has been revealed. Speaking with media, including the Raleigh News & Observer’s Chip Alexander, Carolina Hurricanes GM Don Waddell noted that forward Brock McGinn has filed for arbitration. McGinn, 25, has emerged as a regular contributor for the ’Canes over the past two years, missing only two games and posting back-to-back seasons of 25+ points. He additionally contributed six points in 15 playoff games during the run to the Eastern Conference Final this year. McGinn is also one of Carolina’s most physical forwards and plays a role on the penalty kill. Yet, his ice time is still somewhat limited, particularly playing sheltered minutes to do some turnover tendencies. The Hurricanes will try to support their filing number by pointing out McGinn’s relatively minor role and lack of overall career results, while the player side will emphasize the recent climb in scoring and ice time and his platform year being arguably his best season to date and coinciding in a return to the postseason for Carolina. Waddell, who recently joked that the Sebastian Aho offer sheet had freed up his summer due to a lack of contract negotiations, is not out of the woods yet, with McGinn filing, Trevor Carrick, Anton Forsberg, and Saku Maenalanen eligible to file, and several other restricted free agents in need of extensions.
  • Veteran forward Colin Greening has called it a career reports Toronto Marlies reporter Jacob Stoller. Although Greening has played solely for the Marlies over the past three seasons, he logged close to 300 NHL games with the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs, including a 37-point season in 2011-12. Greening’s NHL production certainly declined as his career went on, but as he transitioned to a minor league leadership role, Greening ended up being both a reliable source of scoring and a key locker room presence. Greening will likely be remembered most for captaining the Marlies to the 2018 Calder Cup, as well as his dominant college career at Cornell University.

Poll: Which Top Free Agent Will Be Next To Sign?

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Call it a frenzy, call it a feast, but don’t call it finished. Free agency got off to a flying start on Monday (or perhaps, on Sunday evening) when names like Artemi Panarin, Sergei Bobrovsky and Matt Duchene all inked expensive, long-term deals. A plethora of other signings soon followed and many teams used up all the cap space they had. But then, as the evening rolled around on July 1, everything slowed. The Toronto Maple Leafs and Colorado Avalanche were busy introducing their newest players after a substantial trade, but the second tier of free agents were unheard from.

Now, two days later, we still haven’t seen much movement on the remaining names. Eight of our top 25 names are still out there waiting to find out where they’ll play in 2019-20, with few rumors giving any indication. Perhaps there is a wave of signings coming, or perhaps many of these names will have to wait until some of the top restricted free agents finalize their deals. After all, many teams around the league are stuck wondering how much the likes of Mitch Marner, Brayden Point, Matthew Tkachuk, Charlie McAvoy and (and, and, and) others will make coming out of their entry-level deals.

So who will be next off the board? Jake Gardiner is our top ranked free agent left, and the best defenseman available even with his injury concerns from last season. Micheal Ferland, Ryan Dzingel and Marcus Johansson all provide some offensive punch at forward, while veterans like Justin Williams and Joe Thornton are still unsigned by their former clubs. Who will be the next to go, and when will it finally happen?

Cast your vote below and let us know where you think they’re going in the comments:

[Mobile users click here to vote]

Snapshots: Oilers, Penguins, Williams

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The Edmonton Oilers added a little bit of depth after free agency opened, signing forwards Markus Granlund and Tomas Jurco while also bringing back Alex Chiasson on a two-year deal. That doesn’t mean they’re finished though, as GM Ken Holland told David Staples of the Edmonton Journal. The Oilers would still like to find some more scoring for the wing and a legitimate third-line center, but whether that will come through free agency or trade isn’t clear.

It’s not like Edmonton has a ton of room to go after a free agent, even following the recent buyout of defenseman Andrej Sekera. The Oilers currently project to have over $77.5MM in cap hits committed to next season—including more than $4.1MM in various buyouts—though that is already for a 22-man roster. There is still plenty of talent left on the market, but as Holland told Staples he’s “been a manager for 22 years. [He knows] when it’s time to pay and when it’s time not to pay.”

  • The Pittsburgh Penguins might be another team looking to clear some cap room with a trade, as Josh Yohe of The Athletic (subscription required) examines in his latest piece. Yohe believes at least one more trade is coming before the end of the summer given the current salary situation the Penguins are facing, sitting with just under $1.6MM in cap space with restricted free agents Teddy Blueger, Zach Aston-Reese and Marcus Pettersson still to be signed. In his breakdown of the roster and the likelihood of each player being traded, he lists three “favorites” which includes relative newcomer Nick Bjugstad. The 26-year old has two years at a $4.1MM cap hit remaining on his current deal but scored just 36 points last year in a down season.
  • Justin Williams is still deciding whether to play or not next season, but the Carolina Hurricanes are optimistic that he’ll come back for at least one more year. Carolina GM Don Waddell told NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti that if Williams does come back, he’s confident the veteran winger will sign with the Hurricanes. Williams shared the same sentiment, explaining that he’d rather not move his family again. Even though he will turn 38 at the beginning of the season, Williams is still a capable offensive piece that put up 23 goals and 53 points last season.

Anaheim Signs Anthony Stolarz

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After standing pat on day one of free agency, the Anaheim Ducks have come alive today with their third signing. Goaltender Anthony Stolarz, a Group 6 unrestricted free agent, has signed with the team, reports TVA’s Renaud Lavoie. It is expected to be a two-year, one-way contract for Stolarz worth $750K.

After parts of five seasons in the Philadelphia Flyers organization to begin his pro career, Stolarz finally got a change of scenery when he was dealt to the Edmonton Oilers in February for Cam Talbot. Stolarz was immediately considered a likely backup candidate for Edmonton moving forward, but failed to impress in six appearances with the team down the stretch and by all reports the Oilers made no attempt to keep him.

Stolarz now joins yet another team in Anaheim and hopes he can get his career back on track. Stolarz was a second-round pick in 2012 and injuries have prevented him from playing up to the expectations of his high draft price. Still just 25 though, Stolarz still has upside and his underlying numbers, in both the NHL and AHL, have been good when healthy.

Managing their depth in net could be tricky for the Ducks, however. Anaheim re-signed Ryan Miller to a one-year deal and may see Stolarz as the future backup to John Gibson after that deal expires, but in 2019-20 the team will either have to carry all three goalies or risk losing Stolarz on waivers. How it all plays out will be interesting to watch.

Notable AHL Signings: 7/1 & 7/2

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It’s not uncommon to see many players coming off NHL contracts, including those who have found success in the AHL, opt to sign minor league contracts early in July. As the new league year begins, many unrestricted free agents find that the market for their services at the top level does not develop. Rather than hold out hope for a two-way NHL contract further into the off-season, many are content to accept AHL contracts, which don’t rule out the possibility of signing in the NHL but provide some certainty about the coming season. Through the first two days of free agency, more than a few familiar names have settled for minor league pacts:

  • Tyler Sikura has signed a one-year deal with the AHL’s Rockford Ice Hogs, remaining in the Chicago Blackhawks organization. Sikura has been a key contributor for Rockford the past two years, even earning a one-year contract with Chicago this past season, but did not make an NHL appearance. He was likely content to stay with organization anyway, as he can continue to play with younger brother Dylan Sikura.
  • After playing a key shutdown role for the Charlotte Checkers en route to a Calder Cup championship, defenseman Josiah Didier has signed a one-year deal with the Providence Bruins. Providence has several top prospects on their blue line, but are lacking depth and Didier should again play an important role for his team next season.
  • The San Antonio Rampage have signed former Detroit Red Wings prospect and second-round pick Zach Nastisiuk to an AHL contract, as well as fellow forwards Cameron Darcy and J.J. Piccinich. The trio will have to fight for ice time in the minors, as the St. Louis Blues have signed quite a few depth players already over these past two days.
  • The Lehigh Valley Phantoms went big game hunting among AHL veterans yesterday, signing five-time AHL All-Star Cal O’Reilly to a two-year deal and bringing back their own All-Star, Greg Carey. O’Reilly, 32, has been on an NHL contract in each of the past five seasons, but had to settle for a step down this year despite another strong campaign. The center was a point-per-game scorer for the Iowa Wild, notching 67 points in 67 games to finish in the top ten in the AHL in scoring. It was his sixth AHL season with 60+ points. Carey, 29, saw his contract with the Philadelphia Flyers expire, but remains in the organization, where he has recorded three straight 50+ points seasons. The Phantoms also signed another Iowa forward, Gerry Fitzgerald, and defenseman Eric Knodel to one-year contracts.
  • A trio of familiar names have joined the Hartford Wolfpack: goalie Thomas McCollum, forward Harry Zolnierczyk, and defenseman Vincent LoVerde. All three players are coming off of NHL contracts but will have to work their way back into relevance at the top level. McCollum and Zolnierczyk both have played in the NHL, albeit not in several years, and LoVerde is a two-time AHL All-Star and Calder Cup champ. It’s quite a haul for Hartford.
  • Sam Vigneault left Clarkson University early to join the Columbus Blue Jackets, but his play in the minors tailed off over the past two years and his entry-level contract expired without an NHL experience. However, he’s content to stay in the organization, as Vigneault has signed a one-year deal with the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters.
  • Former top goalie prospect Zach Fucale has had a tough go of it in the pros. A second-round pick of the Montreal Canadiens in 2013, Fucale has been relegated to the ECHL for much of the past three seasons. He managed to find an AHL contract with the Syracuse Crunch, but considering the depth in net for the Tampa Bay Lightning after signing three goalies yesterday, Fucale is likely headed back to the ECHL.
  • Cole Schneider has been a force in the AHL for years, recently wrapping up his sixth straight season of 50+ points. However, the 28-year-old has been unable to translate that offense to the NHL. Although he still had enough value to warrant a trade to the Nashville Predators this season, Schneider never made an appearance for the team. That hasn’t stopped him from sticking with the organization though. The Milwaukee Admirals have brought back the talented forward on a one-year deal.

Ottawa Senators Re-Sign Nick Paul

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The Ottawa Senators have signed restricted free agent Nick Paul to a one-year two-way contract, keeping him in the organization for another season. The deal carries a $750K salary at the NHL level, and could take Paul to Group VI unrestricted free agency if he fails to play in at least 24 NHL games next season.

Paul, 24, has been used as an emergency call-up for the Senators many times over the last several years, playing in 56 contests across four seasons. Mostly he has spent that time in a fourth-line role to give the team a big body, but at the minor league level he’s much more than that. Scoring 39 points in 43 games for the Belleville Senators last season he helped the young group including Drake Batherson, Logan Brown and Filip Chlapik compete every night. That’s likely the role he’ll have again in 2019-20, though he will fight for a roster spot in the NHL during a wide open training camp.

The Senators have just eight forwards on one-way contracts for next season, and there will certainly be competition for the final few spots. The team is set on building towards the future, and with players like Mikkel Boedker, Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Tyler Ennis all on one-year deals that lead to unrestricted free agency, more spots could potentially open up throughout the year.

Vegas Golden Knights Considering Nikita Gusev Trade

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It was a huge acquisition when the Vegas Golden Knights convinced Russian superstar Nikita Gusev to come to North America and sign his entry-level contract last season, even if it did mean he would be a restricted free agent again without ever playing an NHL game. Gusev’s one year deal expired after the 2018-19 season regardless of whether the Golden Knights gave him any playing time down the stretch—which they did not—and now he’s in a contract negotiation with them as an RFA. Unfortunately, that negotiation does not seem to be going smoothly as Jesse Granger of The Athletic (subscription required) reports the gap in salary is still $2MM per season. Igor Eronko of Sport-Express explains on Twitter that Gusev is looking for a two-year, $8MM deal while the Golden Knights want to sign him for half of that total.

Vegas president George McPhee admitted that if they can’t work something out they will look at all the options, and noted that there is interest in him around the league. That’s not a surprise given Gusev’s incredible record in the KHL. The 26-year old forward scored 82 points last season in just 62 games for SKA St. Petersburg, his third consecutive season recording more than a point-per-game. Those kind of totals don’t happen often in that league, leading some to believe that he could have a similar impact as some other Russian imports over the years—Artemi Panarin, who just signed a seven-year, $81.5MM in free agency, is the most common comparison.

NHL success though is not guaranteed. For every success story from the KHL over the years there have been equal numbers of failures, including one that Vegas fans should be quite familiar with. Vadim Shipachyov, who has also been a better than point-per-game player in the KHL several times, failed to find any opportunity with the Golden Knights for one reason or another and ended up terminating his contract in order to return to Russia. Shipachyov recorded 68 points in 61 games for Dynamo Moscow last season in the KHL.

Gusev may be a dynamic offensive player in the NHL, but the Golden Knights simply can’t afford to pay him $4MM as their salary structure is currently constructed. The team already has had to dump good players this offseason to make room for what they already have, and adding another player like Gusev without knowing exactly what his impact will be could be risky. That said, there are plenty of other teams who would be able to take that risk and likely will be lining up to hear what it would cost to acquire him.

Free Agent Frenzy 2019: Day 1 Signings By Team

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Here are all of the signings of day one of the free agent frenzy, broken down by team, with a link to the individual stories:

Anaheim Ducks:

(none)

Arizona Coyotes:

F Beau Bennett – One year, $700K (link)
F Andy Miele – Two years, $1.4MM (link)
D Aaron Ness – Two years, $1.4MM (link)
G Ivan Posvetov – Three years, $2.775MM (link)*

Boston Bruins: 

F Ryan Fitzgerald – One year, $700K (link)
F Brendan Gaunce – One year, $700K (link)
G Maxime Lagace – One year, $700K (link)
F Brett Ritchie – One year, $1MM (link)
F Par Lindholm – Two years, $1.7MM (link)
D Connor Clifton – Three years, $3MM (link)

Buffalo Sabres:

F Curtis Lazar – One year, $700K (link)
D John Gilmour – One year, $700K (link)
G Andrew Hammond – One year, $700K (link)
F Jean-Sebastien Dea – Two years, $1.4MM (link)

Calgary Flames:

F Byron Froese – One year, $700K (link)
D Brandon Davidson – One year, $700K (link)
G Cam Talbot – One year, $2.75MM (link)

Carolina Hurricanes:

G Petr Mrazek – Two years, $6.25MM (link)

Chicago Blackhawks:

F David Kampf – Two years, $2MM (link)
F Ryan Carpenter – Three years, $3MM (link)
G Robin Lehner – One year, $5MM (link)

Colorado Avalanche: 

F Jayson Megna – One year, $700K (link)
F Colin Wilson – One year, $2.6MM (link)
F Pierre-Edouard Bellemare – Two years, $3.6MM (link)
F Joonas Donskoi – Four years, $15.6MM (link)

Columbus Blue Jackets:

G Joonas Korpisalo – One year, $1.15MM (link)
D Ryan Muray – Two years, $9.2MM (link)
F Gustav Nyquist – Four years, $22MM (link)

Dallas Stars: 

D Reece Scarlett – One year, $700K (link)
G Landon Bow – One year, $700K (link)
F Tanner Kero – Two years, $1.4MM (link)
D Andrej Sekera – One year, $1.5MM + $500K performance bonuses (link)
F Corey Perry – One year, $1.5MM + $1.75MM performance bonuses (link)
F Joe Pavelski – Three years, $21MM (link)

Detroit Red Wings:

G Calvin Pickard – Two years, $1.5MM (link)
D Patrik Nemeth – Two years, $6MM (link)
F Valtteri Filppula – Two years, $6MM (link)

Edmonton Oilers:

F Gaetan Haas – One year, $925K* (link)
F Tomas Jurco – One year, $750K (link)
F Markus Granlund – One year, $1.3MM (link)
G Mike Smith – One year, $2MM (link)
F Jujhar Khaira – Two years, $2.4MM (link)
F Alex Chiasson – Two years, $4.3MM (link)

Florida Panthers:

D Ethan Prow – Two years, $1.4MM (link)
D Tommy Cross – Two years, $1.45MM (link)
F Noel Acciari – Three years, $5MM (link)
F Brett Connolly – Four years, $13MM (link)
D Anton Stralman – Three years, $16.5MM (link)
G Sergei Bobrovsky – Seven years, $70MM (link)

Los Angeles Kings:

F Martin Frk – One year, $700K (link)
D Joakim Ryan – One year, $725K (link)

Minnesota Wild: 

F Luke Johnson – Two years, $1.4MM (link)
F Gabriel Dumont – Two years, $1.4MM (link)
F Ryan Hartman – Two years, $3.9MM (link)
F Mats Zuccarello – Five years, $30MM (link)

Montreal Canadiens:

F Riley Barber – One year, $700K (link)
G Keith Kinkaid – One year, $1.75MM (link)
F Sebastian Aho – Five years, $42.27MM -OFFER SHEET- (link)

Nashville Predators:

F Daniel Carr – One year, $700K (link)
F Matt Duchene – Seven years, $56MM (link)

New Jersey Devils: 

D Dakota Mermis – One year, $700K (link)
F Ben Street – One year, $750K (link)
D Matt Tennyson – Two years, $1.4MM (link)
F Wayne Simmonds – One year, $5MM (link)

New York Islanders:

G Semyon Varlamov – Four years, $20MM (link)
F Anders Lee – Seven years, $49MM (link)

New York Rangers:

F Greg McKegg – Terms not disclosed (link)
F Daniel O’Regan – Terms not disclosed (link)
F Artemi Panarin – Seven years, $81.5MM (link)

Ottawa Senators:

F Jordan Szwarz – One year, $800K (link)
F Tyler Ennis – One year, $800K (link)
D Ron Hainsey – One year, $3.5MM (link)

Philadelphia Flyers:

F Kurtis Gabriel – One year, $700K (link)
F Kyle Criscuolo – One year, $700K (link)
G Jean-Francois Berube – One year, $700K (link)
D Tyler Wotherspoon – Two years, $1.4MM (link)
D Chris Bigras – Two years, $1.4MM (link)
D Nate Prosser – Two years, $1.4MM (link)
D Andy Welinski – One year, $750K (link)
F Andy Andreoff – Two years, $1.5MM (link)

Pittsburgh Penguins:

F Andrew Agozzino – Two years, $1.4MM (link)
D David Warsofsky – Two years, $1.4MM (link)
F Brandon Tanev – Six years, $21MM (link)

San Jose Sharks: 

D Tim Heed – One year, $960K (link)
F Timo Meier – Four years, $24MM (link)

St. Louis Blues:

F Evan Polei – Two years, $1.85MM (link)*
F Michael Vecchione – One year, $700K (link)
F Nick Lappin – One year, $700K (link)
D Jake Dotchin – One year, $700K (link)
D Derrick Pouliot – One year, $700K (link)
F Nathan Walker – Two years, $1.4MM (link)
F Sammy Blais – One year, $850K (link)

Tampa Bay Lightning:

F Chris Mueller – One year, $700K (link)
G Spencer Martin – One year, $700K (link)
G Scott Wedgewood – On year, $700K (link)
D/F Luke Witkowski – Two years, $1.4MM (link)
D Luke Schenn – One year, $700K (link)
G Curtis McElhinney – Two years, $2.6MM (link)

Toronto Maple Leafs:

F Jason Spezza – One year, $700K (link)
D Kevin Gravel – One year, $700K (link)
F Nick Shore – One year, $750K (link)
F Kenny Agostino – Two years, $1.4MM (link)

Vancouver Canucks:

F Tyler Graovac – One year, $700K (link)
G Zane McIntyre – One year, $700K (link)
D Oscar Fantenberg – One year, $850K (link)
D Jordie Benn – Two years, $4MM (link)
D Tyler Myers – Five years, $30MM (link)

Vegas Golden Knights:

D Jaycob Megna – One year, $700K (link)
D Brett Lernout – One year, $700K (link)
F Tyrell Goulbourne – Two years, $1.4MM (link)
F Patrick Brown – Two years, $1.4MM (link)
F Tomas Nosek – One year, $1MM (link)
F Brandon Pirri – Two years, $1.55MM (link)

Washington Capitals: 

F Philippe Maillet – Two years, $1.4MM (link)
G Vitek Vanecek – Three years, $2.15MM (link)
F Brendan Leipsic – One year, $700K (link)
F Garnet Hathaway – Four years, $6MM (link)
F Richard Panik – Four years, $11MM (link)

Winnipeg Jets:

D Cameron Schilling – One year, $700K (link)
D Nathan Beaulieu – One year, $1MM (link)

*Indicates entry-level contract
Indicates two-way contract

New Jersey Adds Tennyson, Mermis, Street

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The New Jersey Devils have made some major additions this summer in the likes of No. 1 overall pick Jack Hughes, superstar defenseman P.K. Subban, and today’s big free agency addition, forward Wayne Simmonds. It’s now time to fill out the organizational depth chart, and the team has done just that. The Devils have announced the signings of three veteran fringe players, defensemen Matt Tennyson and Dakota Mermis and forward Ben Street. The trio all signed two-way deals, with Tennyson signing on for two years while Mermis and Street will be under contract for just one.

Tennyson, 29, may be best known for his constant dance between the minor leagues and NHL the last several seasons. He was involved in 15 separate transactions last season for the Buffalo Sabres, popping back and forth from the Rochester Americans but only actually suiting up four times in the NHL. He may not get a lot more opportunity than that in New Jersey, but at least he’ll get some stability with a two-year contract.

Mermis meanwhile would likely kill for even that opportunity in the NHL. The 25-year old has played just ten games with the Arizona Coyotes and instead spent the rest of his professional career in the minor leagues. In 62 games for the Tucson Roadrunners last season the defenseman recorded 24 points, but ended up a Group VI unrestricted free agent looking for work this summer. He too will likely report to the Binghamton Devils to start the year.

Street, 32, had the most NHL experience last year out of the group, suiting up for 21 contests with the Anaheim Ducks when they found themselves lacking any semblance of center depth. The veteran minor league forward has been a top scoring threat for years in the AHL but has just eight points in 56 career NHL games. That likely won’t change much next season with the Devils, but he will be there in case they face any injury troubles throughout the year.

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