Doughty, Kings Progressing On An Extension
As is always the case, a much-anticipated free agent market loses many top names before it actually opens. As it currently stands, the talent level and depth of the potential 2019 class makes it one of the best the NHL has ever (hypothetically) seen. However, each player in that class can sign an extension beginning on July 1st of this year and has an entire calendar year before they become available. In that time, this epic free agent group could shrink considerably.
One of the top names already seems destined to be removed from the market. For a time, it was believed that Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty may test the open waters of free agency and could even be the final piece of the championship puzzle for his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs. However, Doughty has made it clear in recent months that his preference is to remain in L.A. Now, Sportsnet insider Nick Kypreos reports that the two sides are already closing in on an agreement to make that happen. Given that an extension offer cannot even officially be made for another month, this early progress seems to indicate that this deal will get done.
According to Kypreos, the 28-year-old Norris Trophy-winning defender will get a significant raise in his next contract over what is already a considerable cap hit at $7MM. Doughty has gone on the record as saying that he would like to be paid more than Nashville Predators blue liner P.K. Subban, who is currently the highest-paid defenseman in the league at $9MM AAV. Kypreos estimates that Doughty will land somewhere in the $10.5-11MM per year range on a long-term deal, which would make him the new top dog among defenseman – until Erik Karlsson hits the market. While it may seem overwhelming that the Kings would have two players, captain Anze Kopitar being the other, making $10MM+, a rising salary cap would make it much less of a burden than it has been on the only other team in that scenario, the Chicago Blackhawks. L.A. would have two of the league’s best players locked up long-term and would not be as strapped for space to build around them in pursuit of more championships for one the best teams in this century.
Exclusive Negotiating Rights Of 33 Draft Picks Expire
The deadline for signing draft picks has come and gone, and unless more deals come in after the fact, 33 players—the same total as last year—will see their exclusive negotiating rights expire. With it they will either re-enter the 2018 draft for the final time or become free agents, depending on their age. Adam Mascherin is the highest picked player among those who will be headed back into the draft, selected 38th overall by the Florida Panthers two years ago. Below is the full list of players:
Anaheim Ducks:
F Tyler Soy (7th round, 2016)
Arizona Coyotes:
F Anton Karlsson (3rd round, 2014)
D David Westlund (6th round, 2014)
Buffalo Sabres:
D Vojtech Budik (5th round, 2016)
F Brandon Hagel (6th round, 2016)
D Austin Osmanski (7th round, 2016)
Calgary Flames:
D Adam Ollas Mattsson (6th round, 2014)
Carolina Hurricanes:
C Hudson Elynuik (3rd round, 2016)
D Noah Carroll (6th round, 2016)
Chicago Blackhawks:
D Andreas Soderberg (5th round, 2014)
Colorado Avalanche:
G Maximilian Pajpach (6th round, 2014)
Dallas Stars:
D Miro Karjalainen (5th round, 2014)
Detroit Red Wings:
D Jordan Sambrook (5th round, 2016)
F Julius Vahatalo (6th round, 2014)
Florida Panthers:
G Hugo Fagerblom (7th round, 2014)
C Adam Mascherin (2nd round, 2016)
Los Angeles Kings:
D Jacob Friend (7th round, 2016)
Minnesota Wild:
D Pontus Sjalin (6th round, 2014)
D Brayden Chizen (7th round, 2016)
New Jersey Devils:
G Evan Cormier (4th round, 2016)
Philadelphia Flyers:
C Anthony Salinitri (6th round, 2016)
Pittsburgh Penguins:
D Connor Hall (3rd round, 2016)
San Jose Sharks:
D Mark Shoemaker (6th round, 2016)
Tampa Bay Lightning:
C Christopher Paquette (5th round, 2016)
Toronto Maple Leafs:
D Keaton Middleton (4th rond, 2016)
F J.J. Piccinich (4th round, 2014)
D Nicolas Mattinen (6th round, 2016)
Vancouver Canucks:
D Cole Candella (5th round, 2016)
F Jakob Stukel (6th round, 2016)
C Brett McKenzie (7th round, 2016)
Washington Capitals:
F Kevin Elgestal (7th round, 2014)
D Dmitri Zaitsev (7th round, 2016)
Winnipeg Jets:
C Jordan Stallard (5th round, 2016)
Poll: Impact Of The Estimated Cap Increase
Earlier this week, Commissioner Gary Bettman and Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly spoke with the media about many different league topics. Perhaps the biggest news to come out of the press conference was Daly’s estimation of the salary cap for next season. Daly believes that the salary cap will fall somewhere between $78MM and $82MM, meaning that there will be a significant increase in the salary cap. The cap limit has increased by $2MM or less in each of the past three seasons, but the low point of the estimated range would already be a $3MM increase over the 2017-18 cap number. If it ends up near the top of the range, it will likely be the largest jump in the salary cap in league history.
Whatever the result, the cap increase will undoubtedly affect this off-season. Prior to Daly’s projection, teams like the Los Angeles Kings, Pittsburgh Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks, and Tampa Bay Lightning were going to face an immense cap crunch this summer and likely would have been forced to shed salary. Those teams can now breathe easier. However, teams on the lower end of the salary spectrum who don’t spend to the cap, such as the Carolina Hurricanes and Arizona Coyotes, will find it even harder to catch up in a market that that has lessened its grip on the stronger, higher payroll teams. With a higher cap comes salary inflation, which is another struggle for small market teams. The cap increase may also allow for some of the bigger talked-about trades and free agent movement – John Tavares, Erik Karlsson, Phil Kessel, ect. – to happen. However, the flip side is that a salary cap increase gives teams incentive to add, but not subtract and could lessen the amount of total trades we see this summer.
What do you think? Is this potentially historic increase in the salary cap ceiling a good thing for the league?
How Do You Feel About The Estimated NHL Salary Cap Increase?
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It is good for the league - it allows strong teams to stay together and allows big names to move freely 63% (430)
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No opinion - the cap increases every year and the estimated limit will not have a major impact 24% (164)
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It is bad for the league - it hurts small market teams and competitive balance and may hinder the trade market 13% (90)
Total votes: 684
Vegas Re-Signs Tomas Hyka And Zac Leslie
The Vegas Golden Knights are keeping busy. The Western Conference champs used today’s break in the Stanley Cup Final to take care of business off the ice. The team announced that they have re-signed impending restricted free agents Tomas Hyka and Zac Leslie to one-year extensions. Hyka’s contract carries the minimum $650K NHL salary, but an elevated $250K AHL salary, while Leslie agreed to a $675K NHL value with a more common $75K AHL salary. While neither player had a major role for the team this season, the Knights have high hopes for both.
Hyka, 25, was one of Vegas’ first signings as a franchise. The former Czech pro made the jump to North America to sign with the Knights on June 1st of last year and was one of only three players to join the team prior to the Expansion Draft. Hyka showed a lot of promise in his first NHL season, despite only playing in ten games with the Knights. The skilled forward posted outstanding numbers in the AHL, recording 48 points in 50 games, and added another three points in the NHL. Hyka had previously been drafted by the Los Angeles Kings out of the QMJHL in 2012, but was never signed and became free to join Vegas. It’s clear now that the Kings erred in their decision, as Hyka has the makings of a legitimate NHL forward who will likely make the Knights’ roster out of camp next season.
Leslie, another Kings draft pick, did sign with the team after being selected in the sixth round the year after Hyka. However, his offensive tendencies from his junior days in the OHL had failed to translate to the pro level in three seasons in the AHL, so L.A. dealt him to Vegas in early February for nothing more than future considerations. Leslie’s performance improved greatly when he joined the AHL’s Chicago Wolves, as he registered 17 points in his final 27 regular season games – and was a positive player for the first time in his pro career – before kicking in another three points in three postseason games. The 24-year-old rearguard has always been considered a system fit, but may have found the perfect landing spot as a depth option for Vegas.
Offseason Keys: Los Angeles Kings
With just two teams still playing, the rest have already started their offseason planning. What storylines lie ahead around the league? Our Offseason Keys series continues with a look at the Los Angeles Kings.
From the standpoint of making the playoffs versus not making them, 2017-18 was a success for Los Angeles. They picked up their play down the stretch and landed the top Wild Card spot in the West. However, the success ended there as they wound up being swept by Vegas in the opening round which has sent them back to the drawing board. With most of their team already signed, it’s shaping up to be a relatively quiet summer but here are some keys to make it a successful one.
Decision On Rieder
Prior to the trade deadline, the Kings picked up speedy winger Tobias Rieder from Arizona as part of a deal that saw netminder Darcy Kuemper sent to the desert. They were hoping that he would bolster their bottom six and that his struggles with the Coyotes weren’t a sign of things to come. That wasn’t exactly the case as he wound up with just six points in 24 games (regular season and playoffs).
At the time the trade was made, it seemed like there was a good chance that Rieder would get a qualifying offer in June but that’s not as much of a guarantee now. The back-loaded nature of his contract means that he is owed a $2.45MM qualifier and while that’s not bad value for a player who put up 25 points on the year between the two teams, there is probably better value to be had on the open market.
Further complicating things is his arbitration eligibility. While he’s not going to have a case for a big raise, his award won’t be high enough for Los Angeles to receive walkaway rights.
On the flip side, Rieder is just 25 years old, has hit double digits in goals in each of his four NHL seasons, and can play both wings. He’s not the type of player that a team builds around but he can certainly be part of a supporting cast on a good team so he’s not someone that they should necessarily want to let go for free either. Of the players on the bubble for qualifying offers, Rieder’s situation is one of the more intriguing ones.
Free Up Payroll
There aren’t many teams that are eagerly awaiting the announcement of the salary cap for next season than the Kings. They already have roughly $70MM committed per CapFriendly and while their list of free agents is rather small, by the time they fill out the rest of their roster, they may not have enough left to have another impact player and still leave enough to hedge against injuries or to save for a late-season acquisition.
Considering their move to acquire defenseman Dion Phaneuf last season, it may seem a little odd to think that they may want to deal from their back end to free up some extra flexibility. However, their top five blueliners cost just shy of $23MM and with the free agent market being relatively weak at that position, they’d be dealing from a position of strength and having rookie Daniel Brickley in the system gives them a youngster with upside to step in.
Add Top-Six Help
The other reason they may want to do something with their back end is to give them the flexibility to add to their top-six. Youngster Alex Iafallo had a nice rookie season but is miscast in a top-line role and while Dustin Brown had a significant bounce-back campaign, it would be tough to count on a repeat of his 61 points after he failed to average half of that over his previous four seasons. Rieder (if qualified) doesn’t really fit in a top-six spot either.
Fortunately for Los Angeles, they’re set down the middle with Anze Kopitar and Jeff Carter so they can set their sights on the wing where the free agent market is much stronger. It’s also the easier position to try to acquire in a trade.
If they can free up a little more payroll room (or the salary cap increase is higher than anticipated), the Kings should be able to go after most of the top wingers on the open market. Adding one of them would force Iafallo to drop into a more optimal spot in the lineup while also providing a shot in the arm to a middle-of-the-pack attack. Quietly, Los Angeles was the top defensive team in the league in 2017-18 (in terms of goals allowed) so adding one more quality scorer would go a long way towards getting them closer to contention.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Bryce Brodzinski Commits To The University Of Minnesota
The youngest of the Brodzinski brothers has decided to follow in the footsteps of his one brother rather than his father, uncle, and other brothers. Bryce Brodzinski, 17, had previously committed to St. Cloud State University, where his oldest brother, Los Angeles Kings forward Jonny Brodzinski, played his college hockey, where another brother, Easton Brodzinski, still plays, and where father Mike Brodzinski and uncle Steve Brodzinski played in the 80’s. However, Bryce has changed course, instead committing to the University of Minnesota, where brother Michael Brodzinski, now of the San Jose Sharks, played. Ironically, this is somewhat the inverse of what his father did, who transferred from Minnesota to St. Cloud after one season of his collegiate career.
The youngest Brodzinski is coming off a strong season with Blaine High School in Minnesota, a program that has greatly benefited from the family for almost a decade now. Bryce had a better than per-game pace in both goals and assists this season as he accumulated 53 points in 25 games. The 6’1” right winger led Blaine in scoring by almost 20 points and finished in the top 30 in the league in both points and points per game. He’ll likely improve even more next season whether he returns to Blaine or enlists in the USHL before joining the Gophers for the 2019-20 season.
As for Bryce Brodzinski’s NHL potential, history would indicate that he is likely to be a fifth-round draft pick or so next year when he first becomes eligible. Both Jonny and Michael were fifth round picks of their current NHL organizations and Bryce and Jonny have similar high school statistics and nearly identical sizes and styles. A rookie in 2017-18, Jonny posted six points in 35 games for the Kings and posted strong numbers in the AHL for a second straight season, leading many to believe he will take on a more regular role in L.A. next year. This should provide some expectations for Bryce as a pro, though he may develop an even higher ceiling while playing at a historically superior program at Michigan and, again ironically, under former St. Cloud head coach Bob Motzko.
Los Angeles Kings Sign Oscar Fantenberg To One-Year Extension
The Los Angeles Kings have decided that Oscar Fantenberg has done enough to remain with the organization for another year, announcing a one-year extension today. The deal carries a $650K cap hit at the NHL level, though it’s not clear yet if it is a two-way contract. Fantenberg was scheduled to become a restricted free agent this summer after his one-year entry-level contract expired.
Fantenberg surprised many by making the Kings out of camp last season, and though he played just 27 games in the NHL during the regular season, was called upon in the postseason for the club. The 26-year old two-way defenseman looks like he’ll be an able contributor for the Kings next season, and comes in at an just the league minimum in salary. Though Los Angeles has several options on defense, adding Fantenberg on such a reasonable contract only strengthens their depth.
The fact that the deal is only for one year will make Fantenberg an unrestricted free agent in 2019, at which point he could go after a multi-year contract that comes with a full-time role. That would need some playing time this season, which he’ll hope for behind other left-handed options like Dion Phaneuf, Derek Forbort and Jake Muzzin. Los Angeles has long been rumored to be considering moving one of their more expensive defensemen, and after acquiring Phaneuf from the Ottawa Senators last season there might not be room for everyone.
Will Jeff Skinner Be The First Big Move Of The New Hurricanes Administration?
After a league-worst ninth straight season without making the playoffs, changes were always going to be coming to the Carolina Hurricanes this off-season. Already, big moves have been made by new owner Tom Dundon, as he replaced Ron Francis as GM with Don Waddell and Bill Peters as head coach with Rod Brind’Amour. The team also brought in Rick Dudley as Sr. VP of Hockey Operations. Now, this realigned front office must decide how to proceed with structuring the roster in a way that can end their postseason drought.
Early on, the one name that has been floated around is homegrown winger Jeff Skinner. Skinner, 25, is one of the longest tenured and most consistently productive players on the Hurricanes. A supremely skilled forward, the former Calder Trophy winner has a knack for finding the back of the net and is a lethal weapon on the power play. Skinner has cracked 50 points four times in his career and has been improving in his defensive play and possession ability as his career has progressed. The fact that Skinner has been so successful on a team that has not once made the playoffs in his eight-year career tends to show that he could be even better surrounded by superior talent as well. The Los Angeles Kings were rumored to be looking into Skinner earlier this month, but now it appears that he has quite a few more suitors. In his latest “31 Thoughts” column, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman says that the number of teams making calls on Skinner is growing. There seems to be ample interest in the skilled scorer and the Hurricanes will certainly entertain offers for the impending 2019 free agent.
However, is this really the right move for the new Carolina administration to make to begin their reconstruction? Skinner undoubtedly is one of their most valuable players, but one has to question the purpose of trading him at this point in time. The Hurricanes have one of the best young defensive corps in all of hockey are are almost overflowing with talented blue liners. Meanwhile, their offense is composed of mostly complementary players, many of whom are playing higher up in the lineup than they would on most other NHL teams. What the ‘Canes need more than anything is a star forward, preferably a center, to lead the offense and bring the forward group together in a cohesive unit. A top center like this is almost certainly not going to be the return on a deal for Skinner’s expiring contract. Where they may land such a player is in dealing away one of their top defenseman. Skinner may be more valuable to the Hurricanes this season, and may even consider an extension, if the Hurricanes are able to add that top player that the team is greatly in need of. They could always trade Skinner in-season if they are unable to make a deal this off-season. If instead they choose to move Skinner right now for what would most likely be picks and prospects, it could only further impair their offense and would likely lead to a tenth-straight season without playoff hockey. For the Hurricanes’ sake, let’s hope Waddell and company carefully consider any deal related to Skinner this summer.
William Carrier’s Return For Vegas Is Uncertain
When William Carrier was first ruled out of the final game of the second round for the Golden Knights, a Game Six win over the San Jose Sharks, head coach Gerard Gallant simply said that he was “day-to-day” and did not disclose the nature of the injury. Carrier had left Game Five with just four minutes of ice time to show for his participation, but there was no specific incident in the game to cite for his exit. Instead, it seemed that perhaps this was just a minor nagging injury. Carrier then traveled with Vegas to Winnipeg for the start of the Western Conference Finals only to be ruled out of Game One. Now, beat writer Steve Carp reports that Carrier did not skate today at Knights practice and feels that the energy forward is unlikely to suit up in the series at all. If the Jets’ Game One domination continues, Carrier’s season may already be over.
Although no details have emerged about Carrier’s condition this time around, the physical winger has dealt with upper-body issues all year long. Carrier spent two separate stints on the injured reserve this season and was sidelined for 43 regular season games total. Yet, prior to each stint his injuries were downplayed and never considered serious, much like his latest problem. It could be that this is one injury that has been nagging Carrier all year or it could be bad luck and Carrier has suffered multiple injuries, but is too tough of a player for Gallant and company to realized just how serious his condition is initially.
When healthy this year, Carrier has been a physical force on the Knights’ fourth line. While his offense has been meager at best – three points in 37 regular games and scoreless so far in nine playoff games – look no further than Vegas’ first round series against the Los Angeles Kings to see Carrier’s true impact. The young forward racked up 25 hits in a four-game sweep during which time he saw just over 36 minutes of total ice time. That is checking efficiency at it’s finest, as Carrier was noticeably bothersome against the frustrated Kings, especially early in the series. In a match-up against the Jets where the Knights are clearly outmatched defensively, Carrier is much more of a loss than it may seem on paper. His hard-nosed style will be missed if Carp is right and he really cannot return during the Western Conference Final.
Kings Interested In Jeff Skinner
The Kings were a team on the lookout for scoring help throughout the season, something that isn’t likely to change this summer. With that in mind, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman noted in his latest podcast (audio link) that he has heard that Carolina winger Jeff Skinner is someone that Los Angeles has interest in.
Skinner has spent his entire career with the Hurricanes after they drafted him seventh overall back in 2010. He has been one of their more consistent scorers since then, reaching the 20-goal mark in six out of eight seasons; one of the years he didn’t was the lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign. This past season, he tallied 24 times while adding 25 assists in 82 games which ranked him fourth in team scoring.
While he is still a key player for the Hurricanes, it will be interesting to see if this is the offseason where they shake things up. Former GM Ron Francis was let go in part because he was content to go with a slow, consistent approach whereas new owner Thomas Dundon is believed to be wanting someone a bit more aggressive in terms of making moves. With Carolina having missed the playoffs for nine straight seasons, Skinner could very well be part of any changes being made, especially with his contractual situation.
The 25-year-old will be entering the final year of his contract next season, one that carries a cap hit of $5.725MM (with a $6MM salary) so this may be the right time to move him so that the acquiring team gets him for a full year instead of being a midseason rental.
Meanwhile, the Kings have over $70MM committed for next season per CapFriendly but have very few players to re-sign; with the expected increase to the salary cap, they should be able to fit him in under their existing salary structure. The fact Skinner has one year left may also be of interest to Los Angeles as they have quite a few long-term deals on the books already and may not want to add another at the price that Skinner is likely to command next summer on the open market.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.