Latest On Matt Duchene, Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators look like they may have the keys to the 2019 free agent market at the moment, with Erik Karlsson, Mark Stone and Matt Duchene all heading into their final seasons. Duchene, the 27-year old center that Ottawa put together a big package of assets for last season, has spoken about how he would like to stay with the Senators if possible in the past, but today denied that the two sides have had any talks. Frank Seravalli of TSN quotes Duchene, who also notes the appeal of unrestricted free agency.
It’s the first time you have that ultimate power as a player and you have to do what’s best for you.
Duchene, like any other pending free agent, just watch John Tavares reach free agency and finally decide to follow his heart back to his hometown. A seven-year, $77MM deal awaited Tavares in Toronto, and while Duchene may not command that kind of commitment he would certainly be a sought after asset next summer. Just today, Craig Custance of The Athletic (subscription required) released an article speaking with other star players who took notice of Tavares’ decision and respect how he took care of himself over any loyalty to his former team.
While none of this means that Duchene’s tenure in Ottawa is coming to an end, it has to be on the mind of the front office after spending so much last season to bring him in. The Senators’ season went downhill quickly after acquiring Duchene, but at the time there was already talk about extending him long-term if possible. GM Pierre Dorion had coveted Duchene for some time, and after a rocky start the star center fulfilled on some of his potential. With 49 points in 68 games for the Senators, Duchene showed that he can still be a very effective offensive player and could be a key member of a group that has been pushed into rebuild status without even trying.
Duchene was eligible for an extension on July 1st, but as he explained to Seravalli there have been more pressing matters to deal with in Ottawa this summer. With the Karlsson situation still hanging over the franchise and training camp opening in a few days, there may not be news on a contract extension for Duchene anytime soon. With every day that passes free agency becomes more and more enticing though, so the Senators have to make sure they make a decision on Duchene’s future before long.
Long Negotiation With Ryan Ellis Was Watched By Oilers, Maple Leafs
One of the biggest contracts signed this summer in the NHL was an eight-year $50MM extension handed out to Nashville Predators defenseman and associate captain Ryan Ellis. That contract was filed on August 14th, six weeks after Ellis originally became eligible to add some years on to his current situation. A deal for one of their most important players was obviously at the very top of the to-do list for GM David Poile and the rest of the Predators front office, but as Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription required) details there was a ton of work involved to come to the final agreement. Interestingly, LeBrun mentions the Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers specifically when speaking about teams that were keeping a close eye on the Ellis situation, hoping it would deteriorate and he would be put on the trade market.
For the Maple Leafs, it’s easy to see why they would be interested. The Ontario-born Ellis was a superstar in the OHL before heading to Nashville, and his two-way skill from the right side would be a perfect complement to the Maple Leafs left-heavy defense group. With Morgan Rielly, Jake Gardiner and Travis Dermott locked into the left, if the Maple Leafs are going to improve the blue line—as so many believe they desperately need to do in order to contend—there aren’t many fits better than Ellis available. They would have to try to convince him to sign long-term, but some of the sticking points in Nashville like signing bonuses and trade protection haven’t been off the table so far with young GM Kyle Dubas.
The Oilers might need Ellis even more desperately though, after a wasted season near the bottom of the standings despite Connor McDavid‘s outstanding play. When blue line members like Oscar Klefbom and Adam Larsson took a step backwards last season it was clear that McDavid couldn’t carry the load all by himself. Edmonton struggles at times to get the puck quickly out of their zone with any sort of control, something that Ellis excels at while also contributing offensively. They too have a need on the right side, and don’t have the cap space to acquire a very expensive asset. Ellis is earning just $2.5MM on the final year of his current contract, as one of the biggest bargains in the league.
That the Maple Leafs and Oilers were interested in Ellis—at least in passing—shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, though it does make the next few months even more interesting. With a player like Erik Karlsson still without an extension in Ottawa, and others like Tyler Myers and Nate Schmidt heading into their final years before free agency, the two teams will likely still be keeping an eye on various situations to see if they can improve.
Maple Leafs Will Not Name A Captain This Off-Season
The Toronto Maple Leafs did not have a captain last season and judging by the comments of new GM Kyle Dubas, they may not have one this season either. In an interview with TSN’s Bob McKenzie, Dubas stated for a fact that the team would not name a captain prior to the beginning of the season and would again go without one until Dubas, Brendan Shanahan, and the coaching staff can better evaluate their options.
I want to get into a day-to-day with these people and see who is best suited to handle [the captaincy]… if we do determine that we need somebody to handle that. If we feel we have a void in leadership because we don’t have a formal captain, then that is something that I think we can address… We need to evaluate it as the season evolves and as we go through the ups and downs of a season and see how the players each individually handle the daily process of a season.”
Dubas seems hesitant to make any sort of decision until he has a complete read of the locker room and until a time that he feels naming a captain is necessary. He calls the title for a historic club like the Maple Leafs “an honor” and wants to make sure that the correct person is named. Dubas feels that being patient with naming a captain will be the right move and eliminates the risk of any future drama surrounding the team’s leadership.
Dubas specifically mentions Patrick Marleau, Ron Hainsey, and free agency prize John Tavares as top candidates if and when a decision is made. The latter was the captain of the New York Islanders before signing in Toronto and some speculated that the commitment made by the team to Tavares could indicate that he would be in line for the same role. Meanwhile, Dubas singled out Marleau as a player who stepped up as a locker room leader for the team last year. While the team lost regular alternates in Tyler Bozak and Leo Komarov this off-season, Marleau, Hainsey, and Nazem Kadri also wore the “A” occasionally last season. As for the young core of the team, Dubas says that he hopes William Nylander, Morgan Rielly – a frequent alternate the past few years, Jake Gardiner, Auston Matthews, and Mitch Marner continue to grow in their leadership abilities, but stopped short of calling any of them a prime candidate at this point. With Nylander still unsigned and both Gardiner and Hainsey on expiring contracts, it would seem that either Marleau or Tavares would be the favorite for the role, with Rielly, Matthews, and Marner as possibilities. However, Dubas will not rush the decision and the Leafs may even go another whole season without a formal captain.
Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner Unlikely To Sign Extensions Before Season
While all eyes around the Toronto Maple Leafs right now are on William Nylander and his ongoing contract negotiations, there is also now the possibility of long-term extensions for Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. Both star forwards have been eligible for an extension since July 1st, but haven’t been in the spotlight much after the team signed John Tavares in free agency and still has not reached an agreement with Nylander for the upcoming season. Now, while sitting down with Bob McKenzie of TSN, Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas admitted that those extensions may not get done before the season.
I wouldn’t say it’s all too likely. We’ve had good discussions with all of them, with both Mitch and Auston and their people. These are the types of things that because there’s no real immediacy to it—they both know they have another year on their contract, everyone’s excited for the season—it’s been a very patient process on all parts. That’s more from the team that it is from the players. We believe that if a player is going to commit that long to a team on a long-term agreement, that we want them to be fully comfortable and aware of what they’re getting into.
Dubas went on to explain how his team would always be willing to negotiate in-season, but understands if the player doesn’t want that distraction as they’re trying to perform to the best of their abilities. That likely means that the two sides would have to come together next offseason and hammer something out, a tact that could end up costing the Maple Leafs even more.
There is little reason to believe that Matthews or Marner will take steps backwards this season given their individual talent and the expected improvement to the team. If they head into negotiations with new career highs, or even just a third season at the level they’ve been at their demands may increase. That said, both players would likely already be looking at huge contract extensions in any negotiations this summer, with players like Jack Eichel and Leon Draisaitl as potential comparables.
Dubas again seemed confident that all three of the Maple Leafs’ young stars will be with the club long-term, even going so far as to suggest the team try to keep them for their entire careers. While many have wondered how they’ll fit everyone in under the salary cap now that John Tavares is in town making $11MM per season, the young GM obviously has a plan in place. Nylander is the next step on that plan, and needs a contract in the next week or will be in danger of missing the start of training camp.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
No Extension Talks Between Jordan Eberle, New York Islanders
The New York Islanders experienced what it was like to lose a big name to free agency this summer when they were spurned by John Tavares and his decision to join the Toronto Maple Leafs. That doesn’t mean that new GM Lou Lamoriello is rushing into any other extension talks. Speaking with reporters including Brian Compton of NHL.com, Jordan Eberle indicated that he hadn’t yet spoken to the Islanders about a potential extension as he enters the final season of his current contract:
To be honest I haven’t had any conversations with anybody. Going into the summer I was trying to focus on me and being the best I can be, and come into the camp the best I can be. Once that happens you start trying to fill a role and try to make this team as good as it can be.
Eberle, 28, has been an extremely consistent offensive performer through his career and recorded 25 goals and 59 points last season for the Islanders. After coming over in a trade from the Edmonton Oilers, the talented winger posted his fifth consecutive 20+ goal season and earned his $6MM cap hit. Still, as he heads into the last year of his deal he has a lot to prove about whether he can be a part of a playoff contender. During his seven years in Edmonton, Eberle reached the postseason just once and was held goalless in 13 games. After missing the postseason tournament again last season with the Islanders, there will be some who doubt his worth as a top-six player in the league.
Still, with Blake Wheeler signing an extension today the crop of talented 2019 UFA forwards got a little smaller. Artemi Panarin and Tyler Seguin are still the big headliners of the group of pending free agents, but Eberle could find himself near the top of the heap after a few more extensions this season. For one thing he’ll still be just 29 when he is scheduled to hit the open market, and has shown a 30-goal ability in the past. James van Riemsdyk, who has just 11 more career goals than Eberle in 21 more games, received a five-year $35MM deal from the Philadelphia Flyers when he reached free agency this summer at age-29. A contract like that is certainly possible, but the Islanders forward would do himself a world of help if he dragged New York to the playoffs this season.
The Islanders do have a few big decisions to make up front, given that Eberle, Brock Nelson and Anders Lee will all be unrestricted free agents next summer. With long-term deals handed out to Andrew Ladd, Josh Bailey, Cal Clutterbuck and Leo Komarov, the Islanders are already somewhat locked into this group being the one that has to take them to the next level. Handing out extensions may not be the most prudent thing to do at the moment even if Eberle and Lee are key parts of the offensive attack.
Jeff Glass Signs Professional Tryout With Calgary Flames
There are still several goaltenders available in free agency with NHL experience, but at least one of them is off the board. Jeff Glass announced on the first episode of the Bosco Podcast with Nick Godin that he has signed a professional tryout with the Calgary Flames. The Flames, who are expected to have either David Rittich or Jon Gillies as their NHL backup this season, will bring in Glass to see if he could be of help to their organization in one way or another. The team does have several games in China scheduled for the preseason, and could likely use an extra body to help take shots in camp.
Glass, 32, made his NHL debut last season after a long and traveled professional career that has taken him through the AHL, ECHL and KHL. Once selected in the third round by the Ottawa Senators, he waited more than a decade before getting his chance with the Chicago Blackhawks last season. In 15 games, Glass recorded an .898 save percentage but saw his contract expire on July 1st.
There’s no telling if the Flames have any real intent of signing Glass to an NHL contract, but he’ll at least have a place to show that he can still compete at the highest level this fall. At the very least, Glass should earn a look at the AHL level somewhere if he decides not to pursue overseas opportunities.
Salary Cap Deep Dive: Boston Bruins
Navigating the Salary Cap is probably one of the more important tasks for any general manager to have. Teams that can avert total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.
PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2018-19 season. This will focus more on those players who are integral parts of the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.
Boston Bruins
Current Projected Cap Hit: $76,540,667 (under the $79.5MM Upper Limit)
Entry Level Contracts
D Charlie McAvoy (one year, $917K)
D Brandon Carlo (one year, $789K)
F Jake DeBrusk (two years, $863K)
F Danton Heinen (one year, $873K)
F Ryan Donato (one year, $900K)
F Anders Bjork (two years, $925K)
Potential Bonuses:
McAvoy: $500K
DeBrusk: $425K
Heinen: $213K
Donato: $850K
Total: $1.99MM
Under $5.5MM in salary and under $2MM in potential bonuses for that group of players? It would be hard to find any team in the league who wouldn’t be excited about that scenario. Carlo has played a top four role for the Bruins for two seasons already and McAvoy asserted himself not only as the top defenseman on the team as a rookie last year, but one of the best defenders in the league; they’re both just beginning to show what they can be. The other four forwards will likely make up the bulk of the top nine in Boston this season. Heinen and DeBrusk finished fourth and sixth respectively among Bruins forwards in scoring last year, each with 40+ points, and noticeably improved as the season wore on. Bjork began the year in the top six and scored at a pace that would have put him at 30+ points on the year, if not for a roster crunch and later on an injury that kept him out of the lineup for much of the year. The latest addition is Donato, who joined the team down the stretch after leading both the NCAA and Winter Olympics in goals per game. If the Bruins’ top prospect finds chemistry with a scoring line and earns substantial ice time, he could be a legitimate Calder Trophy threat.
Of course, the caveat to all of this is that the Bruins can only enjoy most of these bargain deals for one more year. All but DeBrusk and Bjork will be due extensions by this time next year. McAvoy is in line for an expensive, long-term contract that could easily surpass the six-year, $29.7MM contract just recently signed by the Calgary Flames’ Noah Hanifin. Carlo will be due a much more modest raise, but a raise nonetheless. The real intrigue lies with Heinen and Donato. If Heinen is again the best non-first line forward on the Bruins this season, he will have cemented himself as a crucial piece of the core and will be able to command a hefty bump in salary. A regression and being overshadowed by other young forward could keep his next cap hit at a more comfortable level. The same goes for Donato, who could meet his lofty expectations as a rookie and significantly raise his asking price or could fail to stand out against Boston’s other young forwards and sign a more modest second contract. Perhaps even the Bruins don’t know which outcome they would prefer: their impending RFA’s playing incredibly well and boosting their value or instead playing secondary roles and staying reasonably priced? Either way, the team will at least be glad to have DeBrusk and other incoming prospects at ELC cap hits in 2019-20.
One Year Remaining, Non-Entry Level
D Zdeno Chara ($5MM, UFA)
D Adam McQuaid ($2.75MM, UFA)
F Noel Acciari ($725K, UFA)
Not much is going to change on the Bruins roster between 2018-19 and 2019-20 if unrestricted free agency is any indicator. Given how few current players are impending unrestricted free agents and the number and value of the likely RFA contracts that they will need to hand out, it will probably be a quiet summer in Boston next year.
Of this group, the one departure that seems certain is McQuaid. As it stands now, McQuaid might not only be a bench player for the Bruins this season but could even be considered the team’s #8 defenseman and very well could land on the trade block or even waivers over the course of the campaign. The loyal veteran is one of the remaining holdovers from the team’s 2011 Stanley Cup title and has only ever played hard-nosed, competent hockey in Boston. However, frequent injuries paired with the development of Kevan Miller into a better version of McQuaid has all but made the original superfluous. Now, Boston may not carry eight defenseman all season long and if someone other than McQuaid is traded, that would open up some more opportunity for the physical veteran. However, it still seems that – given the players signed on the blue line as it is and the crop of prospects in Providence (AHL) pushing for play time – that McQuaid’s days in Boston are numbered one way or another.
Counting the days until Chara retires may be a pointless effort, though. The 41-year-old continues to defy nature in every regard. Chara led all Boston skaters in ice time with 23 minutes per night and has been the team’s average ice-time leader for a whopping twelve years straight. While his offense remains in decline, his defensive game made a major comeback last season and the league’s oldest defenseman even garnered Norris Trophy votes. In all likelihood, the Bruins will look to reduce Chara’s role this year in an effort to make him even more effective in limited minutes. If that proves successful, don’t be surprised to see Boston give Chara incentive-laden one-year contracts until he finally decides to hand up his skates. At this rate, it could be another year or two after this current contract expires.
Some may discount what spark plug Acciari brings to the Bruins and consider his impending free agency to not be much of a factor. Yet, Acciari is considered by many to be one of the more underrated defensive forwards in the league. A versatile player and punishing checker, Acciari is an ideal fourth-liner who frustrates the opposition without landing in penalty trouble or ending up on the wrong side of turnovers. Acciari logged 152 hits last season versus just four minor penalty minutes and recorded 20 takeaways to just nine giveaways. Few players in the league are so efficient with their defensive play. Acciari is a local product who fits the style and culture of the Bruins well and could certainly wind up with a multi-year extension. With that said, the Bruins’ addition of Chris Wagner this summer adds a lot of the same ability that Acciari brings to the table. If cap space or roster space becomes an issue, Acciari is not guaranteed a new contract.
Tanner Glass Signs In France
It took until October 3rd last year before Tanner Glass signed an NHL contract with the Calgary Flames, but there won’t be any last minute deals this time around. Glass has signed on to play in France this season with Bordeaux, which could mean an end to his NHL career.
Glass, 34, played 16 games for the Flames last season after his heroic playoff performance for the New York Rangers in 2017. The tough, physical forward recorded zero points for Calgary but racked up 19 penalty minutes including three fighting majors. In France, perhaps he’ll be able to rediscover some of the offensive touch he had at Dartmouth where he was nearly a point-per-game player in his junior and senior seasons.
Originally a ninth-round pick by the Florida Panthers back in 2003, Glass made good on his draft position by playing in 527 NHL regular season games and 67 more postseason contests. Though he was never much of an offensive threat, he can still proudly look back at a long professional career in North America that spanned a full decade. Teams looking for toughness on free agency will have to look elsewhere now, while other players in France will have to keep their heads up.
Montreal Holds Several Deadline Chips If Season Goes Poorly
The Montreal Canadiens have been in the news on a daily basis recently, given the situation surrounding captain Max Pacioretty. The 29-year old winger is heading into the final season of his current contract and apparently hasn’t been offered an extension by the Canadiens. Reports of a previous trade request have surfaced along with confirmation that the Canadiens had a deal worked out with the Los Angeles Kings at the draft, leading many to believe that there will be a split before the season begins.
If there isn’t though, and Pacioretty laces up his skates at training camp and to begin the season—something he is expected to do with or without a contract extension—he’ll still be considered one of the biggest names on the trade market during the year. As the deadline next February approaches, Pacioretty’s name would be brought up again and again due to his relatively low cap hit and still capable offensive game. But there is more in Montreal than just Pacioretty when it comes to trade chips.
By all accounts, the Canadiens front office is hoping—even expecting—a rebound from their disappointing 2017-18 campaign. A healthy Carey Price would go a long way to that goal, especially given Shea Weber‘s ongoing struggles. Weber underwent surgery in June to repair the meniscus in his knee, and is expected to be out until December. The team got a taste of what their defensive group was capable of without Weber last season, and could struggle once again this year. If they do, and Price can’t return to his Vezina form to bail them out of it, the season could be lost once again.
If the deadline approaches and Montreal is out of it, they stand ready another incredible asset. Paul Byron, who is also coming back from surgery this offseason, is another player heading into the final season of his current contract and scheduled for unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2019. The different between Byron and many of the other assets that could be on the market though is his ridiculously low cap hit. At just $1.167MM, Byron has been one of the leagues biggest bargains the last two seasons and will likely get a chance to perform once again in 2017-18. The fact that his actual salary is even lower—just $1MM this season—makes him one of the most attractive assets that could be available.
To many, Byron may not seem like as notable an addition as someone like Pacioretty. But looking at the potential names available at the deadline, few can match Byron in terms of even strength goal scoring. Over the last two seasons Byron has tallied 38 goals at even strength, more than incredible talents like Phil Kessel, Jack Eichel, Leon Draisaitl, Johnny Gaudreau, Anze Kopitar, and yes, even Pacioretty. He’s done that scoring despite averaging fewer than 13 minutes of even strength time per night and playing several different positions and with different linemates.
In fact, there may be a case to be made that Byron is a better asset than Pacioretty at the deadline given his versatility. Byron averaged almost two minutes of short handed time last season, and was arguably the Canadiens best penalty killer. A team looking for help during a Stanley Cup run will strongly consider the Montreal forward if made available. That’s not guaranteed though, as Montreal could still offer Byron an extension in the coming months instead.
There are others too, including Tomas Plekanec, Jordie Benn and David Schlemko that could all bring back a potential return at the deadline. Schlemko is signed for two seasons, but the former two are both inked for just one year and could be worthwhile depth additions at the deadline.
If the Canadiens find themselves out of the picture partway through the season, there’s no reason to hang onto their expiring assets. Luckily, they still carry enough value to allow a team that should be considering a real rebuild to cash in on their final days. It’s newsworthy times in Montreal right now, but could be again a few months down the line.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Columbus Blue Jackets Have Received Offers Of Prospects, Picks For Artemi Panarin
The Columbus Blue Jackets have been one of the most intriguing teams to keep an eye on this offseason, after reports surfaced months ago regarding Artemi Panarin and his reluctance to negotiate a long-term extension. That pushed the star forward—at least speculatively—onto the trade market, and made him one of the biggest stories of the summer. In his State of the Franchise column for The Athletic (subscription required), Blue Jackets insider Aaron Portzline reports that Columbus has received trade offers for Panarin but that they’ve been for prospects and “high-round draft picks.” The Blue Jackets obviously haven’t accepted these packages, and Portzline notes that they wouldn’t help “ease the absence” of the star winger for the upcoming season.
Columbus is still expected to compete for the Metropolitan Division title this season with the roster as currently constructed, but losing Panarin (and possibly Sergei Bobrovsky) to free agency in the summer of 2019 is a tough pill to swallow at this point. With no Stanley Cup success guaranteed in 2018-19, it would be tough for GM Jarmo Kekalainen to just allow the season to progress without a deal in place. Portzline reports that a list of “preferred destinations” for Panarin—which is headlined by the New York Rangers and also includes New York Islanders, Los Angeles Kings, Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers and Dallas Stars—is still applicable, though agent Dan Milstein has downplayed the accurary of any list and said that nothing had been provided (at that point) to the Blue Jackets.
Training camp starts in just two weeks for Columbus, and the Panarin situation was supposed to be resolved by then one way or another. If that’s a true deadline from Panarin’s perspective on negotiating an extension, the team may have to settle for one of the packages offered and hope the rest of the roster can take them to the playoffs on their own. After all, the team does have a good young core of players in Seth Jones, Zach Werenski, Pierre-Luc Dubois and others and could likely secure a big package of future assets for Panarin’s services. That could set the team up for even more long-term success, despite it coming with a decline in performance for the 2018-19 season.