Kings To Bring In Shane Harper On PTO
Shane Harper is homeward bound. No, he’s not headed to San Francisco (that was the sequel anyway), but close. The Valencia, California native has agreed to a professional tryout with the Los Angeles Kings, based less than forty miles from his home town. Kings beat writer Jon Rosen reported the deal earlier this afternoon.
While Harper is not exactly a household name, the 28-year-old is officially an NHL veteran after debuting with the Florida Panthers last season. A high-flying scorer with the WHL’s Everett Silvertips back in 2009-10, Harper signed a three-year entry-level deal with the Philadelphia Flyers to kick off his pro career, but was never given a shot at the highest level in Philly, skating instead with their former affiliate, the Adirondack Phantoms, for parts of four seasons. Harper then had to spend two seasons on an AHL contract with the Chicago Wolves before getting another NHL deal, this time with the New York Islanders, after a career best 50-point season. While the Islanders also denied Harper his debut, he caught the eye of the Panthers, who signed him to a one-year deal last summer and called him up for 14 games in 2016-17. Harper potted two goals and added an assist in his brief stint, but also showed some grit and two-way ability. The Panthers traded Harper to the New Jersey Devils on trade deadline day, who did not use him down the stretch and did not show interest in re-signing him. Still, it was a major building block season for an older “prospect” making his NHL debut after logging 398 games and 183 points in the AHL to get there.
Harper joins a loaded list of Kings’ PTO roster candidates and has his work cut out for him facing Andrei Loktionov, a younger and arguably more talented player who has the added benefit of being a former King, and grizzly veterans Brooks Laich and Brandon Prust. However, Harper’s local ties and likely willingness to also play with the AHL’s Ontario Reign, which is only another thirty-odd miles from Valencia, could give him an edge on winning a roster spot. Unlike Loktionov and Prust, Harper has also stuck with the North American game and is comfortable with the role of being an AHL depth player. Harper also just got his first taste of NHL action and is likely eager to return, perhaps bringing more of an edge and work ethic than experienced veterans. For now, Harper is at least an interesting story line to follow this fall as a local boy trying to make his hometown team. However, with some luck, Harper could surely be more than that.
Minor Moves: Erixon, Strachan, Robidas
The New Jersey Devils have signed Tim Erixon to a professional tryout, bringing in the former NHL defenseman after two years spent entirely in the AHL with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Erixon is a former first-round pick of the Calgary Flames who has bounced around the NHL during his short career. Suiting up for 93 games split between the New York Rangers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Toronto Maple Leafs and Chicago Blackhawks, Erixon will try to prove that he deserves a permanent home. He’ll join Jimmy Hayes in Devils camp on a PTO.
More news from around the league…
- The Arizona Coyotes have added journeyman Tyson Strachan on a PTO of their own, bringing him in after a year with the Rochester Americans. The 32-year old Strachan has 186 NHL contests under his belt, but has never had much of an impact in the league.
- Toronto has officially hired Stephane Robidas as their Assistant Director of Player Development, where he’ll continue many of the duties he took on last year as an unofficial development coach. Robidas was technically still under a player contract last year, but effectively retired due to injury after the 2014-15 season. In 937 career NHL games, he recorded 258 points, but was a bust for the Maple Leafs, who signed him for three years but only saw him suit up in 52 games.
- Gabe Vilardi, the Los Angeles Kings’ first-round pick this year, will miss training camp with the team due to a back injury that flared up this offseason. Vilardi had an outside chance at cracking the Kings’ roster right away if he exceeded expectations at camp, but this likely confirms he’ll head back to the Windsor Spitfires for next year. Should he get through the year healthy he’s a near-lock for Canada’s World Junior team and could challenge for the OHL’s goal scoring title.
Jacob Middleton Signs Entry-Level Contract With San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks have decided that Jacob Middleton played well enough last season to deserve an NHL contract, signing him to a three-year entry-level deal today. Middleton played last season under an AHL contract after not signing with the Los Angeles Kings who drafted him in the seventh round.
Don’t look at Middleton’s draft pedigree to evaluate his game, as he’s taken several huge steps forward since 2014. A 6’3″ defenseman who is exceptionally mobile for his size, Middleton has grown into an excellent positional defender. Even when he was drafted his hockey IQ was considered excellent, and that understanding of the game has finally translated to his big frame. He scored just nine points last season in the AHL, but turned into one of the key members of a San Jose blueline that went deep into the playoffs. He’s a legitimate prospect who could eventually make the jump to the NHL as a depth piece.
Brooks Laich Expected To Attend Los Angeles Kings Camp
According to Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider, Brooks Laich can be added to the lengthening list of professional tryouts set to attend Kings’ camp this fall. Laich will join Chris Lee, Andrei Loktionov and Brandon Prust on PTOs in Los Angeles.
Laich is coming off a season in which he was buried for the entire year in the AHL due to a combination of his large cap hit, and the glut of young wingers ready to take the next step in Toronto. The veteran forward played 27 games for the Toronto Marlies, scoring nine points while dealing with injuries and an inconsistent role. At 34 he’ll be looking for a last chance in the NHL, but it does seem unlikely that he’ll lock down an NHL contract.
A veteran of 764 NHL games, Laich is a three-time 20-goal scorer who at one point was a key component of the Washington Capitals. Scoring 331 points in his career, he is coming off a six-year, $27MM extension he signed in 2011 right after completing his third straight season of 48 or more points. The deal almost immediately looked like an overpay, as Laich would take a substantial step backwards after the 2012-13 lockout, and scored just 14 points in his last full season (2015-16). He’ll try to prove that he has something left and can add a veteran presence to the bottom-six in Los Angeles.
Snapshots: Gudbranson, Cammalleri, Jagr
Once you get past the obvious, such as Colorado’s Matt Duchene and the entire Vegas Golden Knights’ roster, The Hockey News’ Matt Larkin has several interesting players who he lists as Top 10 trade candidates for the upcoming season, including Vancouver’s Erik Gudbranson, Los Angeles’ Mike Cammalleri and New Jersey’s Drew Stafford to name a few.
Gudbranson is a perfect trade candidate for the Canucks at the trade deadline. With young defensemen like Ben Hutton and Troy Stecher already on board to go with veteran Chris Tanev, he is not as critical of a keeper for a team looking to rebuild over the next few years. Add in the influx of young defensive prospects in their system, including Olli Juolevi (fifth overall pick in 2016), Guillaume Brisebois (third-rounder in 2015), Jordan Subban (fourth-rounder in 2013) and Jalen Chatfield, the team won’t miss Gudbranson too badly.
Cammalleri is a solid candidate. Larkin does not believe the Kings are going to succeed at making a playoff run and the 35-year-old wing could be that veteran “glue guy” for a team needing one piece for a Stanley Cup run, if Cammalleri can stay healthy, which is not something he has done often lately. Stafford would also make sense as a rental player at the deadline. After being traded at the deadline from Winnipeg to Boston last March and just signing a one-year deal with New Jersey this year, it’s very likely he’ll be on the move again if he can put up some points as a Devil.
To see the full list of 10 candidates, go here.
- The Athletic’s Scott Powers tweets that Chicago Blackhawks prospect Andrei Altybarmakyan made his KHL debut today with St. Petersburg SKA. At just 19 years old, Powers writes, that’s a big deal and should develop into a promising prospect. The wing was a third-round pick in the 2017 draft two months ago.
- San Francisco Examiner’s Paul Ladewski writes that the San Jose Sharks really need to sign a veteran to help out general manager Doug Wilson. Citing Wilson’s non-interest in being patient with young players, he points to 45-year-old Jaromir Jagr as an excellent player who could fill the void of Patrick Marleau. He cites Jagr’s work ethic, which could help light a fire under an aging team that’s running out of time. Jagr had 16 goals and 30 assists last year for Florida. The scribe suggests a one-year, $4MM deal would be perfect. NBC Sports Kevin Kurz tweets that he wouldn’t be surprised if the Sharks sign one veteran before camp starts, but doesn’t name Jagr.
Chris Lee To Attend Training Camp With Los Angeles
Defenseman Chris Lee tore up the KHL last season and will now get his first crack at making the NHL at the age of 36. John Hoven of Mayors Manor reports (Twitter link) that Lee will attend training camp with the Kings on a PTO deal.
Last season, Lee led all KHL blueliners in scoring with 65 points (14-51-65) in 60 games with Metallurg Magnitogorsk. He followed that up with another 21 points (1-20-21) in 18 postseason contests as his team reached the Gagarin Cup Finals before being beaten by SKA Saint Petersburg.
His performance earned him a spot on Canada’s entry into the World Championships where he fared relatively well. He suited up in seven games, collecting two assists while averaging 11:02 per game although that average is skewed from some games where he was listed as the seventh defenseman.
Lee will look to crack a Los Angeles blueline that hasn’t had a whole lot of turnover this offseason. Matt Greene was bought out and Brayden McNabb was lost in expansion while Christian Folin was added from Minnesota. Accordingly, Lee should have a real chance to make their roster.
[Related: Updated Kings Depth Chart]
Last month, his agent noted that he was only interested in a one-way contract if Lee was to return to North America. If he doesn’t receive one from the Kings or any other team at the end of camp, he’s expected to return overseas and likely suit up for Canada’s entry into the Olympics.
Will Butcher To Meet With More Teams Today
Butcher-watch is alive and well, with Mike Chambers of the Denver Post reporting that Will Butcher is heading to New Jersey today to meet with the Devils, and will also have a meeting with the Los Angeles Kings at some point before making his decision this Sunday. Butcher has been linked to the Buffalo Sabres and Vegas Golden Knights as well, though there still doesn’t seem to be a favorite to land him at this point.
The 22-year old defenseman is looking for long-term success, but nearly every place he’s visiting also offers a quick path to the NHL. The Devils have had a big offseason, starting with the drafting of Nico Hischier and continuing through their signing of Drew Stafford today. Adding Butcher to their defense would be the cherry on top, even if there are doubts of his next-level ability.
A powerplay quarterback and puck-mover, Butcher would offer something for the Devils that they currently don’t have outside of Damon Severson. They did add Mirco Mueller this summer, but still lack depth on the back end. Similarly, the Kings have seen Brayden McNabb selected by Vegas and could use some depth on defense. With rumors already starting to surround Drew Doughty, their group could take an even bigger hit at some point in the near future.
West Notes: Flames, Doughty, Sharks
Marek Hrivik spent six years in the Rangers organization but only made 21 appearances with the NHL club, compiling no goals and three assists. However, he was much more productive in the AHL, where he played in 270 games and scored 53 goals for the Hartford Wolf Pack. Predictably, the 2012 undrafted free agent wanted an opportunity to play on the biggest stage, and he said that was a big reason why he signed with the Flames this offseason.
“It’s never been a dream of mine to play only in the AHL,” Hrivik told NHL.com’s George Johnson. “So I’ve been looking for a different opportunity. I’ve been with New York for five years and it just wasn’t going to work there. I had a bunch of teams interested but I thought I had the best chance in Calgary and that’s why I signed there. Obviously the interest I felt from the organization was also important. That was probably the No. 1 thing. You always want to feel wanted.”
The 25-year-old left the Rangers organization earlier this offseason and quickly signed a one-year, two-way deal with Calgary. Of course, he understands that it’s still an uphill battle to make the team’s final roster.
“There are bunch of guys in a similar position as I am, I’d say, for a fourth-line spot,” Hrivik said. “Money-wise, age-wise. So I think it’s going to be a decent battle.”
Let’s check out some more notes from around the Western Conference…
- While former Norris Trophy winner Drew Doughty has been a mainstay for the Kings for nearly a decade, James O’Brien of Pro Hockey Talk believes the team should consider trading the 27-year-old. The writer notes that the organization would receive immediate salary relief, and he believes the Kings could convince another team to inherit a bad contract (like Dustin Brown and Marian Gaborik) in any trade for Doughty. A trade would also give the team a chance to get a head start on their rebuild, as they’d surely receive young players and/or draft picks.
- Veteran Patrick Marleau signed a three-year contract with the Maple Leafs earlier this offseason, and some of his former Sharks teammates were surprised that he left San Jose. “That was crazy,” former Sharks (and current Panthers) defenseman Jason Demers told NHL.com’s Dave McCarthy. “For him to make that decision, I know him well personally and I know that was probably the biggest decision of his career. I don’t think anybody understands on the outside how big of a decision that was for him. … In my head, after talking to him a little bit, I thought he was going to stay, but I think him and his family discussed it and I think it’s going to be a great thing for him.” Marleau, who had spent 19 seasons with the Sharks, compiled 27 goals and 19 assists in 82 games last season.
- Earlier today, Jaromir Jagr‘s agent gave a “no comment” when asked about the rumors regarding the Flames.
The Oldest NHL Rosters, Looking Forward
The average age of a team is a stat which gets thrown around rarely, but it can be quite telling when it comes to salary cap planning and drafting. The youngest teams tend to have exceptionally talented stars under the age of 25 (Oilers, Blue Jackets), or find themselves out of contention entirely, banking on the rebuilding process (Arizona, Colorado). At the opposite end of the spectrum are the most aged teams, some past their windows of contention and almost all struggling with an identity crisis. However, there are outliers in the group – for instance, Florida is the 5th oldest team at present, while most of the top talent is still in their primes. Still, the Ottawa Senators, Detroit Red Wings, and Los Angeles Kings all have Father Time looming ominously above their franchises. All of these teams could re-structure themselves and find themselves back on the right track, if their drafting improves and their general managers cut loose harmful contracts while able.
Ottawa Senators
The most recently successful of the three, Ottawa fans likely aren’t expecting another Conference Finals finish. The team lost Marc Methot in expansion, and their largest move in the off-season was the signing of 35-year-old Johnny Oduya. With an average age of 29.73, they should be see the effects of age start to impact their performance. Although 36 year-old Craig Anderson was pivotal in their 2016-17 success, he has one year remaining on his contract and Marcus Hogberg will be looking for an opening in the mid-term future. If Anderson’s workload drastically increases, he could find difficulty in maintaining his above average numbers, and that could spell trouble. By re-signing the steady Mike Condon, however, they at least alleviated that concern.
The team had a chance to unload 30 year-old Bobby Ryan to Vegas, but opted against it. They’ll now have his contract on the books until he’s 35. 36 year-old Alex Burrows has two years remaining on his deal, while 32 year-old Clarke MacArthur has three. 32 year-old defenseman Dion Phaneuf has hard mileage on him with his physical style of play, and has four years remaining on his deal. Outside of Colin White, Cody Ceci, and Fredrik Claesson, everyone on the roster is over the age of 25. If Logan Brown pans out, he should go a long way in rejuvenating the forward corps. Filip Chlapik of Charlottestown is certainly no slouch either. On the defensive side, Thomas Chabot has the talent to make a significant impact, but there’s a logjam of older veterans in his way. While Ottawa obviously doesn’t need to entertain a full rebuild, they need to allow their prospects a chance to make the NHL squad and embrace a youth infusion. Signing the Oduyas of the world only prolongs that necessity.
Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings have paid out far too much money to mediocre talent, and it has been death by a thousand papercuts for Ken Holland. The team now finds itself $3.9 MM over the salary ceiling, desperately trying to find a way to shed salary and slip under before year’s start while still signing RFA Andreas Athanasiou. This is another franchise who opted to go with an established veteran on the backend this summer, Trevor Daley (33), when the team was in desperate need of younger legs. The team finds itself second oldest league-wide, with an average age of 29.27. Part of the reason Detroit consistently finds itself among the oldest franchises in the league is that the organization places extreme value on fully maturing its prospects, usually in the AHL, before regularly dressing for the big club. This is a fine ideal, but it usually results in more expensive contracts for RFAs, as the totals posted by well-groomed players are usually superior to those of untested rookies. In the Salary Cap era, having productive players on ELCs is a huge contributor to success.
Henrik Zetterberg, 36, has four more years on his deal, and logs exceptionally taxing minutes. Johan Franzen, 37, is already burning cap space, as his LTIR will be on the books for another 3 seasons. Once the year begins, its not a great issue, but it complicates matters in the off-season. Frans Nielsen, 33, is no spring chicken himself and also takes on greater responsibility in Detroit than he ever did in Long Island. With 5 years remaining on his deal, it begs the question of whether he will be performing at a Selke-caliber when he’s turning 38. Only Xavier Ouellet and Danny DeKeyser are under the age of 30 on defense, with Daley, Mike Green, Niklas Kronwall, and Jonathan Ericsson all having no-trade clauses. The Wings have some enticing prospects on the horizon, but with so many immovable and long-term contracts, it will be difficult for them to find places on the team in the short-term. Dylan Larkin and Anthony Mantha are both ready for larger roles, but true talents like Michael Rasmussen should get the opportunity to shine in a top-six role. Detroit is in no position to seriously compete, and perhaps it’s time to embrace the necessary partial rebuild. Trading some of the dead-weight contracts would be a solid start.
Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles is only a few years removed from a Stanley Cup win, but it seems like ages past. They have the third-oldest roster on paper at the moment, with an average age of 29.14. The Kings don’t actually have any players over the age of 35, so in that sense, they’ve avoided serious headaches. Marian Gaborik (35) and Mike Cammalleri (35) are the team’s greybeards, and while both had down seasons, they could each realistically rebound under new leadership. The problem for Los Angeles is that they don’t have any bonafide prospects pushing the issue. Adrian Kempe is the surest best to make the roster this year, as he could slot into a bottom-six role quite easily. Defenseman Paul LaDue should see his fair share of work this year as well. Beyond that, they’ll have no players playing on entry-level contracts. It’s simply unsustainable to draft in such a poor manner for so long, and Los Angeles is seeing the hurt now. If Jonny Brodzinski, a former 5th-rounder, could make the leap permanent, it would be a great help.
The Kings are over $6.8 MM under the cap ceiling, so unlike the Wings and Senators the franchise isn’t overly concerned about money. Dustin Brown‘s contract is particularly egregious, but there’s not much to be done about it. Los Angeles can still turn things around, but they’ll need more recent draft picks to find a way to contribute going forward. Gabriel Viladri will head back to Windsor for the season, but he could inject a serious shot of youthful speed and creativity into the roster in 2018-19. There’s just not a ton of excitement when it comes to Kings prospects, and considering that Vilardi was the first first-round pick since 2014 (Kempe), it’s easy to see why. Still, Tanner Pearson (25) and Tyler Toffoli (25) should have more prominent offensive roles this year, while some older defensemen were abandoned, so management seems to be righting the ship.
Kings Not Interested In Signing Jaromir Jagr
- The Kings are not interested in signing unrestricted free agent winger Jaromir Jagr, GM Rob Blake noted to reporters, including LA Kings Insider Jon Rosen, at a State of the Franchise meeting. Los Angeles has been fairly quiet with their offseason movement up front as Mike Cammalleri is the only addition of note among the forwards. Jagr’s 30 assists and 46 points would have ranked third on the Kings in scoring last season but his lack of speed appears to have really hindered his market this summer.