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Minor Transactions: 10/22/18

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Another week is underway in the NHL and the Nashville Predators find themselves alone in first place with 14 points. Their +12 goal differential also leads the league, as they look to repeat as Presidents Trophy winners this year. While all the other teams around the league try to catch them, we’ll keep track of the minor moves made to get them a little closer.

Overseas Notes: Tolvanen, Wolski, Phelps

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A decision is looming for the Nashville Predators. As TSN’s Bob McKenzie again noted in yesterday’s “Insider Trading” segment, forward Eeli Tolvanen has a European Assignment Clause that would allow him to leave North America after ten games in the AHL. When Tolvanen failed to break camp and was assigned to the Milwaukee Admirals, the countdown began. After last night, Tolvanen has skated in all six of the Admirals games and would hit ten by the end of a busy four-game stretch next week. The 2017 first-round pick came over from Jokerit of the KHL late last season and played in three regular season games for the Predators, but did not see the ice in the postseason. He was then expected to be an impact player in Nashville this year, but did not make enough of an impression in the preseason. While the Predators may be equally as disappointed in the situation as Tolvanen, it is the Finnish forward who holds all the leverage. If he opts to leave and return to the KHL, where he would make a much higher salary and play a more important role, he can’t return to the NHL this season. Nashville would lose a valued depth asset for nothing for the remainder of the year. Can and will they offer Tolvanen a full-time spot on the NHL roster? Or will the young forward see the developmental value in remaining in the AHL? If the answer to both of these questions is “no”, a budding star will soon depart from North America this season.

  • Could Wojtek Wolski be eyeing a return to North America? It seems unlikely for the former Colorado Avalanche star, who has played in the KHL for parts of the last six seasons. However, Wolski and his most recent club, Mettalurg Magnitogorsk, have come to a mutual agreement on the termination of his contract, the team announced. Wolski has been a valued hired gun in the KHL for some time now, but as he enters the twilight of his career – now 32 years old with a lot of tread on the tires – Wolski could try to land a gig in the AHL or even NHL in an attempt to get back to the top level of pro hockey before his playing days are done. He certainly put on a good show for NHL eyes on the international stage last season, leading Team Canada in goals at the Olympic Games. Wolski last played in the NHL in 2012-13 with the Washington Capitals and was far from the 50-point form he showed early in his career with the Avs, but was nevertheless a serviceable player. Don’t rule out the possibility that he tries his hand at a return. Even if he doesn’t, he won’t remain unemployed for very long.
  • Former Boston University forward Chase Phelps has made an interesting career move. A four-year starter for the Terriers, the undrafted Phelps was seemingly unable to land a job in North America this off-season, not showing up on any training camp rosters either. The checking forward was a reliable defensive asset for BU for four years, even if his offensive production never matched up with his USHL No. 21 overall pick tag. Yet, Phelps has found a team willing to give him a chance. French club Anglet has signed the two-way forward, the team announced. Located in the south of France, Anglet plays in the French premiere league, the “Synerglace Ligue Magnus”. Phelps was once a standout for Shattuck St. Mary’s; now moving on from the uber-competitive Hockey East Conference to the French pro ranks, perhaps he can re-discover that scoring touch.

Nashville Predators Place Pekka Rinne On Injured Reserve

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The Nashville Predators have placed goaltender Pekka Rinne on injured reserve after leaving Friday night’s game in Calgary, according to TSN’s Ryan Rishaug. The transaction means that Rinne will be out a minimum of three games and won’t be able to return until next Saturday against Edmonton.

Rinne exited the ice early in the third period soon after colliding with teammate Kevin Fiala as the two got tangled up on Sam Bennett’s goal 2:20 minutes into the period. Rinne stayed in for another 2:43 seconds before finally being replaced by Juuse Saros. According to the Tennessean’s Paul Skrbina, head coach Peter Laviolette said it wasn’t the team’s or Rinne’s decision to leave the game. He left due to the league’s concussion protocol.

“We didn’t pull him, so something was wrong,” Laviolette said.

Saros is expected to fill in for the Predators for tonight’s game against Edmonton. The team intends to recall Miroslav Svoboda from Atlanta of the ECHL for tonight’s game, adds Rishaug, but considering that he’s in Atlanta and the game in Edmonton, it might be a challenge to get him there by game time.

It’s a big loss for the Predators. Rinne, last year’s Vezina Trophy winner, is 3-1 through five starts this year, posting a 2.10 GAA and an impressive .929 save percentage. The team is lucky to have Saros, who is Rinne’s eventual successor, although Nashville has been discussing an extension with Rinne recently. Saros has won all three of his appearances this season and boasts a 2.23 GAA and a .919 save percentage. Svoboda, the team’s seventh-rounder in 2015, has been impressive in two appearances in the ECHL, posting a 1.50 GAA and a .946 save percentage.

Predators Begin Extension Talks With Pekka Rinne

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The Predators have started preliminary discussions regarding a potential contract extension for starting goaltender Pekka Rinne, TSN’s Bob McKenzie reported in an appearance on NBCSN (video link).

Rinne is in the final season of a seven-year, $49MM contract and in that time, he has established himself in the upper echelon of goalies around the league while he is the reigning Vezina Trophy winner.  However, he turns 36 next month which means any new deal is going to carry a little bit of extra risk due to the 35-plus designation.

Nashville also has Juuse Saros in the fold, locked up on a three-year, $4.5MM contract.  He has long been viewed as their goalie of the future and some had wondered if they might be considering beginning that transition this season.  These talks would seemingly put that idea on hold though.

Looking ahead to next year, the Predators shouldn’t have too much difficulty fitting a new deal for Rinne.  They have a little over $64MM committed to 17 players for 2019-20 per CapFriendly and don’t have many other expiring contracts of note (wingers Kevin Fiala, Ryan Hartman, as well as center Colton Sissons are the other regulars in need of new deals).

While that would make a one-year extension feasible, their payroll situation gets a little more complicated in 2020-21 when defenseman Roman Josi and winger Craig Smith are eligible for unrestricted free agency.  Locking up those two will cost a fair bit more than the $8.25MM they’re currently receiving; new deals for them and a multi-year pact for Rinne could push Nashville near the $70MM mark for just 13 players (not including new deals for Fiala, Hartman, and Sissons) which will push them very close to the salary cap once they fill out the rest of their roster.

With that in mind, it wouldn’t be surprising if Nashville GM David Poile tried to get Rinne to go year-to-year to mitigate some risk and create an opportunity to do bonus-laden deals to help navigate the salary cap concerns.  However, at the same time, it’s hard to imagine that Rinne would forego a shot at the open market without some sort of multi-year commitment from the team.  With talks at the early stage, there’s still a long way to go but this should be an interesting negotiation to keep tabs on in the weeks and months ahead.

Austin Watson’s Suspension Reduced To 18 Games

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The arbitrator has made a decision in Nashville Predators forward Austin Watson’s appeal of his 27-game suspension, and has reduced it to cover the first 18 games of this season. Watson has already sat three games this year, and will now be eligible to return on November 15th against the Arizona Coyotes. The Predators have issued a statement following the decision:

Our organization was not involved in the appeal of Austin Watson’s 27-game suspension, but we are aware of its reduction to 18 games. As previously stated, our focus has and will continue to be the health and well-being of Austin and his family.

Watson was suspended earlier this offseason following his no-contest plea for domestic assault in July. The arbitrator in this case was Shyam Das, who came to some notoriety in sports circles after overturning Ryan Braun’s 50-game MLB suspension and then subsequently being fired by the league. The decision from the arbitrator in this case cannot be overturned by the league, however on Friday they did release this statement:

We have reviewed Arbitrator Shyam Das’ opinion in the NHLPA’s appeal of Austin Watson’s suspension for domestic assault which reduced the League-imposed suspension of 27 games to 18 games. We are disappointed with the Arbitrator’s decision. We firmly believe that the right of appeal to an arbitrator of League discipline was never intended to substitute the arbitrator’s judgment for that of the Commissioner, particularly on matters of important League policy and the articulation of acceptable standards of conduct for individuals involved in the National Hockey League.

The NHL remains committed to continuing to do what we believe is right. And, in this regard, we intend to continue our steadfast efforts to ensure everyone in our League is adequately educated and sensitized to the importance of this serious social issue. We will not hesitate to adhere to and enforce–through firm discipline as necessary–the standards of personal conduct we feel are appropriate for our League.

Though very different situations, this reduction may play into a potential neutral arbitration for suspended Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson. Wilson will first have Gary Bettman hear his appeal, but can then move to a neutral arbitrator to try and have it reduced. The Watson reduction does by no means mean a reduction for Wislon is guaranteed, but it could be used during the process.

Sabres Acquire Jack Dougherty From Predators For Nicholas Baptiste

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The Sabres and Predators have swapped minor leaguers.  Buffalo has acquired defenseman Jack Dougherty from Nashville in exchange for winger Nicholas Baptiste.  Both teams have announced the trade.

Dougherty was a second-round pick of the Predators back in 2014 (51st overall) but has yet to make it to the NHL level over his first two professional seasons.  Last year, he suited up in 63 games with their AHL affiliate in Milwaukee, collecting 13 points (1-12-13).  The 22-year-old is in the final year of his entry-level contract and carries a cap hit of $695K.  He is also waiver-exempt for the entire season so if Buffalo needs him during the season, they can bring him up and send him down without having to expose him to the wire.

Meanwhile, Baptiste split last season between the Sabres and AHL Rochester.  In 33 games with Buffalo, he picked up four goals and two assists while averaging 9:58 per night of ice time in largely a fourth line role.  He was a bit more productive at the minor league level, tallying 18 points (7-11-18) in 36 contests with the Americans.

The 23-year-old has a total of 47 career NHL games under his belt, all with the Sabres.  Unlike Daugherty, he is eligible for waivers but passed through unclaimed on Sunday and will likely report to Milwaukee.  Baptiste is on a one-year deal that pays just under $788K in the NHL and will be a restricted free agent next summer.

Training Camp Cuts: 10/01/18

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The regular season is just around the corner, and teams are making the very final cuts to their opening night roster. Almost two dozen players have also been placed on waivers today, though they can’t actually be assigned until they clear tomorrow. We’ll keep track of all the final moves right here:

Boston Bruins (per team release)

F Peter Cehlarik (to Providence, AHL)
F Trent Frederic (to Providence, AHL)

Buffalo Sabres (per team release)

F Alexander Nylander (to Rochester, AHL)
D Brendan Guhle (to Rochester, AHL)
D Brandon Hickey (to Rochester, AHL)

Columbus Blue Jackets (per team release)

F Kevin Stenlund (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Jonathan Davidsson (to Djurgardens, Sweden)

Dallas Stars (per Mark Stepneski, NHL.com)

G Landon Bow (to Texas, AHL)
G Colton Point (to Texas, AHL)

Detroit Red Wings (per team Twitter)

D Dylan McIlrath (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
F Matt Puempel (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
F Lane Zablocki (to Kelowna, WHL)

Florida Panthers (per George Richards, The Athletic)

F Henrik Borgstrom (to Springfield, AHL)
F Juho Lammikko (to Springfield, AHL)
F Dryden Hunt (to Springfield, AHL)
D Ian McCoshen (to Springfield, AHL)

Los Angeles Kings (per team release)

F Matt Luff (to Ontario, AHL)
D Daniel Brickley (to Ontario, AHL)
D Kale Clague (to Ontario, AHL)
D Kurtis MacDermid (to Ontario, AHL)
G Cal Petersen (to Ontario, AHL)

Minnesota Wild (per team release)

F Mike Liambas (to Iowa, AHL)
F Kyle Rau (to Iowa, AHL)
F Matt Read (to Iowa, AHL)
D Matt Bartkowski (to Iowa, AHL)
D Josh Thrower (to Iowa, AHL)
G Andrew Hammond (to Iowa, AHL)

Montreal Canadiens (per team release)

F Kenny Agostino (to Laval, AHL)
F Michael Chaput (to Laval, AHL)

Nashville Predators (per team release)

F Colin Blackwell (to Milwaukee, AHL)

Pittsburgh Penguins (per team release)

F Zach Aston-Reese (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
D Zach Trotman (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)

Winnipeg Jets (per team release)

F Michael Spacek (to Manitoba, AHL)

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Nashville Predators

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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.

Nashville Predators

Current Cap Hit: $69,880,000 (under the $79.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

F Kevin Fiala (one year, $863K)
F Eeli Tolvanen (three years, $894K)

Potential Bonuses:

Fiala: $500K
Tolvanen: $963K

Total: $1.463MM

Fiala’s first full NHL season was a strong one as he wound up finishing fourth on the team in goals despite averaging just over 15 minutes per game.  A repeat performance would bolster his potential for a long-term deal and the Preds certainly haven’t been hesitant to lock their players up quickly. Tolvanen came over from the KHL late in the year but didn’t see much action.  He’s starting in the minors but his European Assignment Clause could force a recall fairly quickly.  Worth noting is that his potential bonuses jump to the maximum of $2.85MM in each of the final two years of his deal.

One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level

D Anthony Bitetto ($650K, UFA)
F Ryan Hartman ($875K, RFA)
F Colton Sissons ($625K, RFA)
G Pekka Rinne ($7MM, UFA)

The Predators paid a high price to acquire Hartman who proceeded to play a very limited role for them down the stretch and into the postseason.  That made this current bridge deal a bit of a no-brainer and if he’s buried inside their bottom six again in 2018-19, another one-year pact is a very realistic possibility.  Sissons went from a relative unknown to someone who has carved out a regular role and has been surprisingly productive in the postseason.  That will undoubtedly result in a nice raise, especially since he will have arbitration eligibility.  Bitetto has been a depth defender for the last few years and will continue to do so as long as he’s willing to sign for the league minimum (or close to it).

Rinne’s case is certainly going to be interesting to monitor.  He’s coming off of a very strong regular season with a .927 SV% which was near the top of the league among full-time starters.  However, he also struggled considerably in the postseason and the team has a promising young goalie playing behind him.  Rinne will also be 36 at the start of his next contract.  He’s still a capable starter but can’t be viewed as more than a short-term stopgap which will likely limit the number of suitors he’ll get if he makes it to the open market.  He could conceivably re-sign for a year or two as well but at either rate, there’s a good chance he’ll be looking at a pay cut on his next contract.

Two Years Remaining

D Dan Hamhuis ($1.25MM, UFA)
D Matt Irwin ($675K, UFA)
D Roman Josi ($4MM, UFA)
F Miikka Salomaki ($750K, UFA)
F Craig Smith ($4.25MM, UFA)
F Austin Watson ($1.1MM, UFA)
D Yannick Weber ($675K, UFA)

Smith is coming off of arguably his best season after having one of his worst in 2016-17.  He’s best utilized on the second line and is a capable secondary scorer, albeit an inconsistent one.  That will hurt his market two years from now but if he can stay around the 45-point mark, he still should be able to land a small raise in free agency.  Watson’s on-ice performance would warrant a small raise on his next deal but he is dealing with a lengthy suspension from a no contest plea to a domestic violence charge which won’t help his case.  Salomaki is more of a depth player and they will either look to bring him back at a similar cost or try someone else at a comparable price tag.

Josi is one of the most underpaid defensemen in the league today.  He’s a legitimate top pairing player that’s making the type of money that fourth defenders get.  That will change on his next deal where he could conceivably double his current AAV, especially if he was to go elsewhere to a team that doesn’t have the allure of no state income tax.  Hamhuis should give their third pairing some much-needed stability and his deal is one of the bargains of the summer.  Like Bitetto, Irwin and Weber represent cheap depth that will be in and out of the lineup for the duration of their deals and they will either re-sign at a similar rate two years from now or be replaced by someone willing to play at or near the minimum.

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Eeli Tolvanen Can Force Assignment To KHL After Ten AHL Games

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Predators prospect Eeli Tolvanen’s European Assignment Clause allows him to decide to leave AHL Milwaukee after ten games with the team, reports Paul Skrbina of The Tennessean.  The scribe adds that if the winger opted to go back to the KHL (it’s not an automatically-triggered clause), he could not return for the rest of the season.  Given that Tolvanen was projecting to be a depth player as their roster currently stands, they opted to send him down to maximize his playing time but if he wants to force their hand, Nashville will have a decision to make about his playing future within the next few weeks.

Snapshots: Canucks, Watson, Olson

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The Vancouver Canucks will not have free agent addition Antoine Roussel in the lineup when the regular season begins. Roussel has been sidelined since the start of training camp due to a concussion, but the hope was that without preseason action, he would have the time and rest to be ready for the real thing. However, in speaking to head coach Travis Green, Ben Kuzma of the Province has confirmed that Roussel will not be ready for the start of the season. Green gave no timeline for his return, only stating that a comeback in time for opening night had been ruled out. Green did add that young goaltender Thatcher Demko has also been dealing with concussion symptoms. He has entered the league’s concussion protocol and there is no word on when he will be ready to play or whether he will begin the season on the injured reserve or in the AHL. Kuzma writes that Demko collided with the Calgary Flames’ Mikael Backlund during last Saturday’s preseason match, but his condition deteriorated to the point of being diagnosed ahead of the Canucks’ next game on Monday night. Considering bottom-six forward Roussel and current third-string goalie Demko have been the only training camp casualties in Vancouver, the team has had relatively good luck. They hope it stays that was as the team needs a healthy and positive start to the season given their struggles over the past few years.

  • Another player missing to star the 2018-19 season in Nashville Predators forward Austin Watson. Watson was suspended for the first 27 games of the campaign for his role in a domestic abuse incident this off-season. Watson pled no contest to the assault charges an the NHL felt that a third of the season was fitting supplemental punishment. However, Watson did appeal his suspension and that hearing with a neutral arbitrator took place yesterday, according to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun.  LeBrun suggests that, unlike in salary arbitration, this decision could take up to a couple weeks. If Watson is successful in his appeal, an unlikely outcome, the arbitrator will choose a new, shortened length that he sees fit. If not, Watson will be eligible to return to the Predators on December 3rd.
  • Quinn Olson, the younger brother of Anaheim Ducks prospect Kyle Olson, has made a decision on where he wants to start his next season. The younger Olson will pass up the major junior route that his brother, a forward for the WHL’s Tri-City Americans, took and will instead opt to go the college route. Olson has committed to the University of Minnesota-Duluth, the NCAA’s reigning champion, reports College Hockey Inc. The undersized but effective 17-year-old forward is playing this season for the Okotoks Oilers of the junior-A Alberta Junior Hockey League and could possibly play one more season with the team, but if he continues to score at a point-per-game pace, as he has for much of the last season plus, the Bulldogs will probably try to bring him in next year instead. Olson is a draft-eligible prospect for the upcoming 2019 NHL Draft and is likely to join his brother in an NHL pipeline shortly.

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