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Wild Close To Naming Paul Fenton Their New General Manager

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The Minnesota Wild are close to landing their next general manager.  Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that they are nearing a deal with Nashville Assistant GM Paul Fenton but that there is no timetable for an announcement.  Michael Russo of The Athletic adds (subscription required) that owner Craig Leipold offered the position to Fenton early on Saturday with negotiations ongoing since then.  He also notes that Fenton’s agent, Neil Glasberg, was at the World Championships in Denmark which could be delaying things a little bit.

Fenton has been on the radar to be a GM for several years now and actually interviewed for the Minnesota position when it was last available back in 2009 but Chuck Fletcher got the nod back then.  He has been with the Predators since 1998 in a variety of different roles including Director of Player Personnel, Assistant GM, and GM of their AHL affiliate in Milwaukee while also serving as Director of Player Personnel for Team North America at the 2017 World Cup.  Worth noting is that Leipold also has some familiarity with Fenton from his time with the Preds as he was with the team as its owner from 1998 through 2007.

Minnesota had interviewed several other candidates for the position, including Julien BriseBois (Tampa Bay), John Ferguson Jr. (Boston), Tom Fitzgerald (New Jersey), Bill Guerin (Pittsburgh), Dave Nonis (Anaheim), and Bill Zito (Columbus).  Fitzgerald was the other finalist for the position having gone for a second interview earlier in the week.

Assuming a contract is agreed upon, Fenton will be tasked with making some changes to a Minnesota roster that has largely underachieved in recent years.  Most of the core of the team is already locked up for next season (aside from pending RFA winger Jason Zucker) so most of those moves will likely need to be made via the trade route in the weeks and months to come.

Toronto Maple Leafs Lead Bonus Overages List

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It looks like the Toronto Maple Leafs are at the top of at least one list. CapFriendly released a list of teams with Bonus Overages for this year, which result from players on their entry-level contracts hitting their standard bonuses. Nine teams’ performance bonuses went over the salary cap with the Maple Leafs leading with $2.55MM, which will now count against their 2018-19 cap. The bonus overages range from Toronto’s $2.55MM to the Minnesota Wild’s $25K.

The Maple Leafs’ bonuses came from just three players from the entry-level contracts of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander which totaled the $2.55MM. Since the team had no remaining cap room in 2017-18, it pushes over to the following year. Most of the nine teams were at the cap threshold, while others like the Vancouver Canucks, St. Louis Blues and the Tampa Bay Lightning had some cap room to take a part of the bonus hits.

Two teams bonuses could still go up as Boston’s Jake Debrusk and Tampa Bay’s Mikhail Sergachev could each receive bonus if they are named to the All-Rookie Team.

Here is the nine-team list:

Toronto Maple Leafs: $2,550,000
Chicago Blackhawks: $1,232,500
Vancouver Canucks: $852,847
Boston Bruins: $774,000
Detroit Red Wings: $755,000
St. Louis Blues: $150,988
Tampa Bay Lightning: $142,947
Washington Capitals: $82,500
Minnesota Wild: $25,000

Minnesota Wild Sign Kaapo Kahkonen To Entry-Level Contract

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The Minnesota Wild have persuaded another European prospect to join their organization, signing Kaapo Kahkonen to a two-year entry-level contract. Kahkonen has played the last three seasons in Finland’s Liiga, the highest level of professional hockey in the country.

Kahkonen, 21, was selected by the Wild in the fourth round of the 2014 draft but has yet to play in North America. He might be best remembered as one of the goaltenders for Finland’s gold medal winning 2016 World Junior team, but many in the Finnish leagues know him for scoring a pair of empty net goals in the same year (though playing for different rosters).

This year, Kahkonen recorded a 20-23-12 record while putting up a .920 save percentage as the lone starter for Lukko Rauma. Suiting up for 56 games was easily the heaviest load of his career, but one he’ll have to get used to if he’s to join the North American ranks.

Where he fits into the Minnesota organization isn’t clear yet as the team already has some veteran AHL goaltenders in the system, but he’ll still add some more skill to a pipeline that will eventually need to replace Devan Dubnyk at the NHL level.

Minnesota Notes: GM, Free Agents, Whitecaps

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The Minnesota Wild are closing in on their next GM, as Michael Russo of The Athletic (subscription required) reports that team owner Craig Leipold will sit down with Paul Fenton today and Tom Fitzgerald on Thursday before making a final decision. Fenton, the Nashville Predators assistant GM, has been a candidate for countless jobs over the past decade but stayed with his current organization as the right hand of David Poile. Fitzgerald, a rising star in the New Jersey Devils front office, apparently “thoroughly impressed Leipold” in his first interview and is now a legitimate finalist for the job.

Minnesota let long-time GM Chuck Fletcher go after a disappointing first-round exit at the hands of the Winnipeg Jets, and are looking for something of a new direction under their next executive. The team has routinely made the playoffs in recent years, only to quickly bow out and try again the following season.

  • When CapFriendly released their offer sheet compensation yesterday, one couldn’t fault a Minnesota fan from feeling fearful when reading the list of restricted free agents. Two of the very best—Jason Zucker and Mathew Dumba—belong to the Wild, and could potentially draw offer sheet interest. Zucker is coming off a breakout 64-point season and is already 26, while Dumba lived up to his seventh-overall draft position with a 50-point season from the blue line. Both players are integral parts of the Minnesota team, and key negotiations for whoever becomes the next GM. If someone were to sign either to a big-money offer sheet, it may be hard to turn down what would be an expansive compensation package.
  • The NWHL has expanded to the state of hockey for the 2018-19 season, as the Minnesota Whitecaps will become the league’s fifth team. Joining the Boston Pride, Buffalo Beauts, Connecticut Whale and Metropolitan Riveters, Minnesota will be the league’s first foray outside of the north east. The Whitecaps have operated independently for several years, playing exhibition games against NWHL teams but never being an official part of the league. The organization will initially be owned by the league.

Wild Narrow GM Search To Three Candidates

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The Wild have narrowed their search for a new general manager down to three candidates, reports Sarah McLellan of the Star-Tribune.  Paul Fenton (Nashville), Tom Fitzgerald (New Jersey), and Bill Zito (Columbus) are believed to be the ones still in the hunt for the job which takes John Ferguson Jr. and Dave Nonis, who had previously interviewed for the position, out of contention.  With Toronto promoting Kyle Dubas to their GM position on Friday, Minnesota is now the only team without one.  However, it appears that this won’t be the case for much longer as McLellan adds that the new GM should be in place by the end of the month.

Morning Notes: Bruins, Wild, Kane

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The Boston Bruins will have several players head to unrestricted free agency this summer, and today GM Don Sweeney spoke about the chance of re-signing them. Though Anton Khudobin has already made it clear he wants to re-sign, and Rick Nash is open to the possibility, Sweeney doesn’t sound confident everyone will be back.

Haven’t definitively ruled anybody out…we would like to bring everyone back, but that’s not realistic in cap environment.

The Bruins currently project to have between $12-15MM in space next season depending on where the cap ceiling lands, but have to make sure they don’t get into any undesirable long-term commitments. With five forwards taking up over $32MM combined for the next three seasons, and new contracts due before long for Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Carlo, Ryan Donato and Jake Debrusk, bringing back Nash—or even Riley Nash, who is also set to become a UFA on July 1st—may be out of the question.

  • The Minnesota Wild have not made their final decision on who will become GM, as Michael Russo of The Athletic reports they have a round of interviews scheduled for next week. Paul Fenton of the Nashville Predators and Tom Fitzgerald of the New Jersey Devils will both be involved in those interviews, while Bill Zito (Columbus), John Ferguson Jr. (Boston) and Dave Nonis (Anaheim) have all sat down with Wild owner Craig Leipold at one point or another. The Wild are not rushing a decision, and Brent Flahr is currently overseeing day-to-day operations for the club.
  • The San Jose Sharks have made it clear they intend to try and re-sign Evander Kane, and he made it clear today what his three priorities are. Kane told Sportsnet that money, lifestyle and a chance to win are the “common sense” priorities for any free agent, but wouldn’t go into how he personally ranks them. The 26-year old winger found immediate success with the Sharks, but will cost the team an extra asset to re-sign. San Jose would be forced to upgrade the pick sent to Buffalo to a first-round selection should Kane re-sign this summer.

KHL Notes: Tolchinsky, Shalunov, Kaprizov

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The Carolina Hurricanes signed Sergey Tolchinsky in 2013 after his first season in the CHL. An entry-level contract was a small risk to sign a player who showed such impressive skill as a rookie in the OHL, scoring 26 goals and 51 points in 2012-13. He’d follow it up with two 90+ point seasons for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, leading many to believe that even though he was undersized he may have an NHL future.

Well, after three seasons in the AHL and just a handle of NHL appearances, it appears the relationship is over. In today’s article for the Charlotte Checkers’ website, Nicholas Niedzielski reports that Tolchinsky has left the team and returned home to Russia. “He didn’t want to be a part of the team, so we granted his wish,” said head coach Mike Vellucci. Tolchinsky was scheduled to become a restricted free agent this summer, and the Hurricanes will retain his NHL rights by issuing a qualifying offer if they so choose.

  • Another player who feels different about his NHL club is Maxim Shalunov, who still expects to join the Chicago Blackhawks at some point down the road. As Scott Powers of The Athletic (subscription required) writes, Shalunov himself has admitted he wants to head to the NHL after his current contract with CSKA Moscow expires. That’s not for another two years, but the Blackhawks don’t mind waiting for the talented winger. Standing 6’4″ 215-lbs, the 25-year old has a big shot and recorded 20 goals in 46 games for CSKA this season. Scoring two more points today at the IIHF World Championships, he could inject some serious offensive power into the Blackhawks lineup whenever he does come over.
  • Speaking of success at the Worlds, Minnesota Wild draft pick Kirill Kaprizov continues to show why he’s regarded as one of the top offensive talents outside of the NHL. He scored his tournament-leading (tied with Sebastian Aho) fourth goal today, giving him six points through three games to tie him with Pavel Datsyuk for the lead on Team Russia. After a frosty start to their relationship, Kaprizov and Minnesota seem to be heading towards a contract of some sort down the line—though it still might have to wait a few more years. The 21-year old forward scored 40 points in 46 games for CSKA this season.

Western Notes: Tarasenko, Horvat, Kaprisov

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Many people had high hopes that St. Louis Blues winger Vladimir Tarasenko would take that next step this year and become that franchise player that everyone has been waiting for. However, despite those hopes, Tarasenko had a down year. After averaging close to 39 goals per season over the past three years, the 26-year old’s goal totals dropped to 33, while his point totals went from 75 to 66.

The Athletic’s Jeremy Rutherford (subscription required) writes that one possibility of Tarasenko’s struggles is the fact that the team traded away his three closest friends in Jori Lehtera, Ryan Reaves and Kevin Shattenkirk. Not having them around did have an effect on how Tarasenko handled himself around the team and the scribe said that both Shattenkirk and Reaves had a way of keeping the star level-headed and in check.

While the team would have little interest in bringing back Lehtera and unrealistic to bring back Shattenkirk, the team may consider bringing back Reaves, who will be an unrestricted free agent. The question there is whether the Blues could find playing time for the power forward. Reaves struggled with the Pittsburgh Penguins and has not played for the Vegas Golden Knights in the playoffs yet, which suggests he may not be the same player he once was. Regardless, Rutherford adds that if they do attempt to bring back Reaves, that would spell the end of Chris Thorburn, who essentially plays that same role.

  • Vancouver Canucks Bo Horvat is playing for Team Canada in the World Championships with one thing in mind. The Vancouver Sun’s Ben Kuzma writes that the team captain was told by the team during exit interviews at the end of the season to keep working on his two-way game. Horvat, who had a career-high in goals scored with 22, has emphasized working on his skating while in Denmark. “For me, it’s to work on my skating — you can never be too fast,” said Horvat, who also said working on his defensive awareness is another skill he’s been working on.
  • The Minnesota Wild have had no luck changing the mind of prospect Kirill Kaprisov, according to The Athletic’s Craig Custance (subscription required). The 21-year-old Russian prospect has been playing alongside long-time Detroit Red Wings star Pavel Datsyuk at the IIHF World Championships and the two have been a great combination. However, despite the youngster’s success and the Wild’s desperate need for a young scorer, his agent Dan Milstein reiterated that he will not come to the U.S. until his contract in the KHL expires. He still has two years remaining with CSKA Moscow. “Kirill has two years left on his KHL contract which he intends to fulfill. Long-term plan is to play in the NHL,” Milstein wrote via e-mail.

Minnesota Wild Sign Eric Martinsson To One-Year Contract

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The Minnesota Wild, fresh off a prospect signing, have dipped their toes into the European free agent market. The team announced today a one-year, two-way contract for Eric Martinsson, a 25-year old defenseman out of the SHL.

Martinsson has played four full seasons for Vaxjo already, and recorded a career-high 17 points this season while playing a bigger role. The undrafted defenseman added his second SHL Championship to the mantle, and was a big reason why—he scored 11 points in 13 playoff games to lead all defensemen. His puck-moving ability and speed to join rushes allows him to take chances, something encouraged more and more in professional hockey these days.

Minnesota will be an extremely interesting team to watch this summer, as they figure out who will make up their defense corps in 2018-19. The team has a group of eight or nine players who could all find themselves in regular roles, and Martinsson is another name that could battle for playing time. Though he’ll likely start in the minor leagues, there’s no telling how quickly he could adjust to the North American game. He does have experience with it, going back to 2012-13 when he played a single season in the USHL and recorded 33 points in 59 games.

Dmitry Sokolov Signs Three-Year Deal With Minnesota Wild

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The Minnesota Wild have added another incredibly skilled prospect to the fold, signing Dmitry Sokolov to a three-year entry-level contract. Sokolov was recently eliminated from the OHL playoffs, likely ending what was a very interesting junior career.

Selected in the seventh round of the 2016 draft, Sokolov was a Russian import from the Sudbury Wolves who had several red flags in his profile. Though he showed incredible goal scoring ability, registering 30 in his first season in the OHL, there were questions about his conditioning and whether he’d return to the KHL in the coming years. One of those questions seems to have been answered by the signing of this contract, but the other is still something to keep an eye on.

This season was an outstanding one for Sokolov, who was off to a fine start for Sudbury before a midseason trade took him to the Barrie Colts. There, playing with some of the most talented forwards in the OHL, he exploded for 30 goals and 58 points in just 29 games down the stretch. His 50 goal season tied him for first in the entire league with teammate (also acquired midseason) Aaron Luchuk, and his 96 points put him fifth in league scoring.

Despite that, there are still some that believe he will struggle at the next level. The 6’0″ 210-lbs winger is still plagued by conditioning questions, and sometimes lacks consistency in the defensive end. His scoring talent comes about as naturally as anyone in his age class though, and if he’s committed to improving there’s no reason to think he can’t produce at the AHL level.

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