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NHL Rookie Tournaments Set For Early September

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8/31: The Philadelphia Flyers and New York Islanders have joined to fray, as their rookie camps will clash in prospects game on September 12th at the Isles’ practice facility, the teams announced. This leaves only the Florida Panthers without a competition for their rookies in the coming weeks.

8/24: Before team training camps open up for veterans, the rookies get some work in each year with various rookie tournaments and exhibition games taking place around the continent. This is where you can catch your favorite team:

  • The most well-known preseason rookie tournament is obviously the Traverse City NHL Prospect Tournament. The annual tournament hosted by the Detroit Red Wings is in its 20th year of existence. The format consists of two four-team “divisions” who play a round-robin tournament with the winner of each group earning a berth in the championship game. Featured this year are the Red Wings, Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild, New York Rangers, and St. Louis Blues. The games run from September 7th to September 11th.
  • Buffalo is again set to host the Sabres’ Prospect Challenge Tournament. Running from September 7th to 10th, it is a single group round robin tournament with the Boston Bruins, New Jersey Devils, and Pittsburgh Penguins joining the Sabres on their home ice. This will be the first game action for top overall pick and preseason Calder Trophy favorite Rasmus Dahlin.
  • Across the border, the three eastern Canadian teams are set to square off in Laval, Quebec, the home of the Montreal Canadiens’ AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket. The Habs announced a set of three games featuring themselves, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Ottawa Senators on September 7th, 8th, and 9th.
  • On the other side of the country, a previous rookie tournament has been split in half. The NHL Young Stars Tournament, held in Penticton, British Columbia, will now contain only the Winnipeg Jets and Vancouver Canucks, as well as a pair of collegiate teams in a three-day series of games from September 7th to 9th. The Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames chose not to participate this year and will instead face-off in one singular game in Red Deer, Alberta on September 12th.
  • The Vegas Golden Knights are set to host the first of a revolving tournament among U.S.-based Western Conference teams. Nicknamed the Vegas Rookie Faceoff, Sin City will be the location of this year’s tournament which also features the Anaheim Ducks, Arizona Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche, Los Angeles Kings, and San Jose Sharks. It will be a three-day, nine-game series taking place on September 8th, 9th, and 11th. The tournament is expected to head to Anaheim next year.
  • Finally, the NHL’s southeastern squads will square off in Estero, Florida at the home of the ECHL’s Florida Everblades. The Prospect Showcase will be four days of games between the Nashville Predators, Tampa Bay Lightning, and defending Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals, taking place from September 8th to 11th.

For all updates on rookie tournament rosters, check in with Roster Resource and their running tracker of roster announcements.

Golden Knights To Name Fort Wayne Komets As ECHL Affiliate

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August 21: The Golden Knights have officially announced the affiliation.  It is a one-year agreement for the 2018-19 season.

August 8: Another day, another potential ECHL affiliate off the market for those NHL teams still searching. Justin Cohn of The Journal Gazette in Fort Wayne, Indiana reports that the hometown team is just “a signature away” from becoming affiliated with the league’s newest team, the Western Conference champion Vegas Golden Knights. As the organizational depth of the Knights grows even more in the team’s second year, it needs a location for those players who are not getting enough play time at the AHL level. Who better than the Komets, Vegas coach Gerard Gallant’s first head coaching gig, to solve that problem.

The nature of NHL-ECHL partnerships often varies team-by-team. Some NHL programs maintain strong, lasting relationships with their “AA” affiliate and devote multiple players to their ranks, while others use it solely in an emergency to stash a player or two and switch affiliations frequently. It is always to the benefit of an NHL squad to have an ECHL affiliate, but some teams simply cherish the option more than others. Last season, the Komets were affiliates of the Arizona Coyotes and, as Cohn writes, ’Yotes prospects Artur Tyanulin, Trevor Cheek, and Michael Houser were a key part of the team’s run to the Western Conference Finals. However, Arizona unexpectedly dropped Fort Wayne as their affiliate in favor of former AHL franchise the Norfolk Admirals. In search of a new feeder team, Cohn relays that the team had been talking to both Vegas and the Nashville Predators, but Nashville has instead chosen to share the nearby Atlanta Gladiators team with the Boston Bruins. With just one contender remaining, it is now all but official between the Golden Knights and Komets.

There have been several changes in allegiance this off-season, but once this affiliation becomes official – as well as Nashville and Atlanta – there will only be a handful of NHL and ECHL teams left un-aligned. According to the league, the Anaheim Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Florida Panthers, Ottawa Senators, San Jose Sharks, and Tampa Bay Lightning remain without an ECHL affiliate, while the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, Orlando Solar Bears, and Rapid City Rush do not have NHL affiliates. There is still some time for some of those teams to figure out a deal before the puck drops on the 2018-19 season.

Influx Of Foreign Talent A Trend In 2018 Off-Season

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While the NHL free agent market remains flush with talented veteran players, some now beginning to depart for Europe without any leads around the league, NHL teams have quietly imported a fair amount of foreign talent this off-season. While few of these players are stars or even surefire regulars at the NHL level, the fact remains that those on two-way deals slated for depth roles are nevertheless taking those jobs from the current remnants of the market, who at this point would gladly take an AHL assignment with upside. Teams clearly have felt this off-season that taking a chance on a promising foreign player was a better use of a contract than recycling aging domestic veterans. A total of 36 players who played in Europe last season are now headed to North America, where they will suit up for 24 different organizations – showing the popularity of importing talent this off-season. Here are the foreign free agent signings this summer:

D Ilya Lyubushkin (Arizona Coyotes)
F David Ullstrom (Arizona Coyotes)
F Martin Bakos (Boston Bruins)
D Lawrence Pilut (Buffalo Sabres)
F Yasin Ehliz (Calgary Flames)
D Marcus Hogstrom (Calgary Flames)
F Saku Maenalanen (Carolina Hurricanes)
F Dominik Kahun (Chicago Blackhawks)
G Kevin Lankinen (Chicago Blackhawks)
F Jacob Nilsson (Chicago Blackhawks)
G Pavel Francouz (Colorado Avalanche)
F Valeri Nichushkin (Dallas Stars)*
G Patrik Rybar (Detroit Red Wings)
G Mikko Koskinen (Edmonton Oilers)
D Joel Persson (Edmonton Oilers)
D Bogdan Kiselevich (Florida Panthers)
F Ilya Kovalchuk (Los Angeles Kings)
D Eric Martinsson (Minnesota Wild)
D Michal Moravcik (Montreal Canadiens)
D David Sklenicka (Montreal Canadiens)
F Carl Persson (Nashville Predators)
D Filip Pyrochta (Nashville Predators)
G Miroslav Svoboda (Nashville Predators)
D Egor Yakovlev (New Jersey Devils)
F Jan Kovar (New York Islanders)
D Yannick Rathgeb (New York Islanders)
F Michael Lindqvist (New York Rangers)
F Ville Meskanen (New York Rangers)
D Juuso Riikola (Pittsburgh Penguins)
F Lukas Radil (San Jose Sharks)
F Antti Suomela (San Jose Sharks)
F Par Lindholm (Toronto Maple Leafs)
D Igor Ozhiganov (Toronto Maple Leafs)
F Brooks Macek (Vegas Golden Knights)
F Juuso Ikonen (Washington Capitals)
F Maximilian Kammerer (Washington Capitals)
F Dennis Everberg (Winnipeg Jets)

While the obvious highlight of this list is the return of Kovalchuk, inking a substantial deal with the L.A. Kings, the rest are far more than just AHL placeholders. Nichushkin, albeit not a true free agent signing since his rights never left the Stars, is back in Dallas and looking to make an impact. Koskinen is set to be the primary backup to Cam Talbot in Edmonton and, while his role was muddied somewhat by the acquisition of Philipp Grubauer, Francouz is sure to see some action in net with Colorado. Kovar was brought in to be a starter in New York, while Ullstrom – a former Islander – will push for a roster spot with Arizona. After a couple of years abroad, Everberg is back in the league and hoping to find a role in Winnipeg. If Simon Despres, on a PTO with the Montreal Canadiens, earns a contract, he could make a difference as well.

Several more of these players could wind up winning spots in training camp battles, while even more will earn call-ups throughout the year. It is an extensive list and each and every name bears watching as they begin or continue their North American pro careers. Both the risk and upside of bringing over fresh, foreign talent versus sticking with experienced yet stagnant veterans is apparent. For some teams these gambles will fail, while others may find a diamond in the rough.

 

Ryan Ellis Doing “His Part” To Keep Nashville Predators Together

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When the Nashville Predators announced an eight-year, $50MM contract extension for Ryan Ellis earlier this week, the initial reaction by many was surprise at the relatively low cap hit. Ellis’s deal will carry an average annual value of just $6.25MM starting in 2019-20, putting him 21st in the league among defenders already signed through that season. He’s sure to drop at least a few more spots as contracts are signed by players like Erik Karlsson, Tyler Myers, Jacob Trouba and Jake Gardiner depending on what they eventually negotiate, and even more if youngsters like Zach Werenski or Charlie McAvoy get huge contracts coming out of their entry-level deals.

While Ellis isn’t among the absolute elite, he should likely be considered in the group just below that and could have earned more than $6.25MM in free agency next summer. We’d already seen offensive defensemen like John Carlson and Oliver Ekman-Larsson get upwards of $8MM per season, and even if he didn’t get to those heights a $7MM cap hit could’ve been expected. It seems like he knows that, but was more than willing to take a little less to stay in Nashville and compete for the Stanley Cup for a long time. Ellis spoke with Robby Stanley of NHL.com and explained his thought process in negotiating the reasonable cap hit.

I’m getting paid more than enough to play hockey, and I’m very excited to be able to do that for a long time. It was just about coming across a fair deal and what worked for both sides. We have other guys that need to be re-upped and need to be signed in the future, and I had to do my part to keep this thing going in the right direction. If we can keep everyone here and keep the core together, I think we can compete for a Stanley Cup for the next ten years at least.

Ellis has long been considered one of the key leaders in the Nashville locker room, and from comments like these you can easily see why. Though he certainly won’t be worried about money any time soon, taking even a little less in order for the team to stay competitive is not a common practice among professional athletes. As well it shouldn’t be, some would argue, given that every time someone gets the best deal he can it helps the entire group of players drive salaries upwards. Comparable contracts are used extensively in negotiations, and someone like Ellis settling for a little bit less actually could hurt the earning potential of another player. We’ve seen a similar thing happen with Connor McDavid settling for just $12.5MM per season instead of the $15MM maximum he likely could have demanded, making it basically impossible for any other player coming out of an entry-level deal to ask for that much. Auston Matthews, who could get a six figure salary on his next contract, potentially can’t ask for $12.5MM if he isn’t making the same contribution as McDavid, even though he likely could have if the Edmonton Oilers superstar had taken a bit more.

Still for Nashville, having a player take a little less is extremely important. We’ve seen the Predators work out team-friendly contracts in the past which has made their current salary structure more than manageable, but there are still big names to sign in the coming years. Captain Roman Josi is scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency in 2020, and they’ll have to make a decision on Pekka Rinne’s future at some point in the next 10 months. Though they have Juuse Saros on one of those team-friendly contracts, it’s hard to just walk away from a perennial Vezina contender.

For Ellis, there is still plenty of money to go around in the contract and having the security of an eight-year extension makes it possible that he spends his entire career with one organization. Though GM David Poile doesn’t give out no-trade clauses, Ellis at least has the chance to play parts of 16 seasons with the Predators before needing a new contract. That’s a heck of a career for any player, especially one who many people doubted in the 2009 Entry Draft for being too small to handle defense in the NHL. Ellis rewarded the Predators with incredible play for a bargain basement price on his first multi-year extension, and now has taken at least a little bit less to stick around another eight years.

Ryan Ellis Signs Eight-Year Extension With Nashville Predators

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One of the biggest extensions expected this summer has finally dropped, as the Nashville Predators today announced an eight-year, $50MM ($6.25MM AAV) contract extension for Ryan Ellis. The deal will kick in for the 2019-20 season, and keep Ellis in Nashville through the 2026-27 season. Ellis is currently carrying just a $2.5MM cap hit on the final year of his contract. The deal does not include any trade protection, meaning Pekka Rinne remains the only Predators player with a contract that includes a no-move or no-trade clause. GM David Poile released a statement explaining the contract:

Ryan is a huge part of our team on and off the ice and we are happy to have his leadership remain in our locker room for the foreseeable future. We have talked about wanting to keep the core of our team together, and this is another opportunity to help us do so while continuing to compete for a Stanley Cup. Ryan is entering his prime and is one of the reasons why we feel this team has a chance to win every time we step on the ice.

Ellis, 27, was scheduled to be one of the biggest unrestricted free agents on the market next offseason, though there was little doubt something would be worked out with Nashville at some point. The two sides had been open with their mutual interest, and this deal gives both what they were after. For Ellis, it potentially gives him the opportunity to play his entire career in Nashville after the team took a chance on him with the 11th-overall selection in 2009. At the time, undersized defensemen were not as accepted as they are today and it was obvious by some of the names taken ahead of him. Luke Schenn and Jared Cowen both ended up as top-10 picks, mostly for their size and defensive capabilities. Even Victor Hedman (2nd overall) and Oliver Ekman-Larsson (6th overall) are big enough to fulfill the height restrictions, though the offensive upside of both made them such attractive commodities. Ellis, who stands just 5’10”, was seen as a risk even despite his obvious offensive gifts and defensive potential.

That potential has paid off, and though Ellis is still regarded as an excellent offensive player it is his all-around ability that makes him so valuable. Equally capable on the powerplay and penalty kill, the former Windsor Spitfire recorded 32 points in just 44 games in 2017-18 after returning from injury and logged huge minutes for the Predators in the playoffs once again. Though he won’t begin the extension until well after his 28th birthday, he secures the Predators’ blue line as one of the best in the league for years to come.

There was more money to be made, at least on a per-year basis on the open market to be sure. A similarly aged John Carlson just received an eight-year $64MM contract from the Washington Capitals given his proximity to unrestricted free agency, and some would argue that Ellis is an even more effective player. At the very worst he’s in the same range and could have demanded at least $7MM per season, but decided to stick with the Predators long-term and keep contending for the Stanley Cup. Ryan McDonagh too recently received an extension that carries a higher cap hit, in fact according to CapFriendly the closest comparables to the Ellis contract are Cam Fowler, Erik Johnson and Johnny Boychuk. While all three are effective players, Nashville will be happy to keep one of their leaders in the room for a respectable number.

The fact that there is no trade protection shouldn’t come as a surprise, and it also shouldn’t signal that the Predators will look to move Ellis down the road. Poile is staunchly against including no-movement clauses, and has avoided giving them out in other huge extensions for players like Ryan Johansen and Kyle Turris. Ellis will earn a $7MM signing bonus on July 1st, 2019, giving him a good portion of money up front.

The Predators now have their elite four defensemen locked up for the next two years at least, with Roman Josi next on the block for an extension. His contract expires in the summer of 2020, at which point he’ll be 30 years old. Amazingly, Nashville is set up to have more than enough room to give him a heft raise from the $4MM he currently earns, meaning this group could stay together for some time. Mattias Ekholm, now the extremely underpaid member of the group, carries a $3.75MM hit for four more seasons.

This deal does carry some risk, as Ellis could deteriorate or decline in the latter portion of the contract. By then though the salary cap will have inflated and the Predators will likely have already received plenty of excess value. If he struggles to maintain his current play this season though, handing out an extension at this point could look like a huge mistake. There is pressure on the 27-year old defenseman to perform, but he’s never seemed to back away from the spotlight in the past.

Predators Having "Consistent And Continual Negotiations" With Ryan Ellis

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  • The Predators are having “consistent and continual negotiations” with defenseman Ryan Ellis regarding a contract extension, GM David Poile told ESPN 102.5 (audio link). The 27-year-old is entering the final year of a very team-friendly deal that carries a cap hit of just $2.5MM and is eligible for unrestricted free agency in July.  Considering how important he has been to Nashville’s back end in recent years, he should easily more than double that amount on his next contract.  Meanwhile, it was a memorable day for Poile as he was among the Class of 2018 named to the United States Hockey Hall of Fame as announced by USA Hockey.

Central Notes: Fabbro, O’Reilly, Polak, Seguin

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While Predators prospect Dante Fabbro is set to return to Boston University next season, he is not planning on pushing his way into free agency in 2020, notes NHL.com’s Robby Stanley. The team tried to convince the defenseman to turn pro this summer, but the 20-year-old wanted to stick around for his junior campaign.

“I’ve always said that I want to play in Nashville and I want to be a Predator,” Fabbro said during Predators development camp in June. “I honestly don’t think it’ll come to that, but a lot of things can happen. Nashville was my favorite team. So I have no reason to want to go somewhere else. With their record of developing defensemen in the League, I think it would definitely be a perfect fit for me. I’m excited to play here. I want to play here. It’s definitely going to be a dream come true if I can.”

He would be eligible to suit up in Nashville late in the year once his NCAA season wraps up which is a route a few teams have taken with their top prospects in recent years (including the Preds last year with winger Eeli Tolvanen) so that could certainly be an option come March or April.

  • Evan Sporer of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that one side benefit from the St. Louis Blues trade to acquire center Ryan O’Reilly is his special teams skills. Those skills will be critical for the Blues, who finished 30th in the league in power play as they converted goals on just 15.4 percent of the time. One problem, according to Sporer, is that the team had trouble getting to star forward Vladimir Tarasenko. O’Reilly has the passing skills to make Tarasenko the focal point on offense. Most important, his ability to win face-offs will be critical to the team’s chances of making major improvements on their power play.
  • The Athletic’s Sean Shapiro (subscription required) breaks down the play of veteran defenseman Roman Polak, who signed with the Dallas Stars this offseason. The 32-year-old blueliner has always been loved by coaches for his old-school style and excellent locker room demeanor, but his statistical breakdown always looks questionable and he outlives his usefulness. Regardless, Shapiro writes that he is a perfect fit in Dallas, who have two young defensemen in Miro Heiskanen and Julius Honka, who look NHL-ready, but if one of them isn’t, Polak is the perfect fill-in. Regardless, the veteran should provide much-needed mentoring to the young players.
  • SportsDay’s Joshua Friemel breaks down the Tyler Seguin trade from five years ago and how the Dallas Stars stole away a franchise player for next to nothing from the Boston Bruins.

Trevor Smith Signs AHL Contract With San Antonio

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Journeyman forward Trevor Smith will be back in the AHL next season, but for the first time in his career it won’t be on an NHL contract. The long-time pro has played on a one- or two-year two-way contract since his first full season in 2007-08, but that streak has come to an end. Smith has signed a one-way minor league contract with the San Antonio Rampage, the AHL announced today.

Smith, 33, has been a constant presence in the AHL for a long time, with at least one game played in eleven of the past twelve years, for a total of 593 games. During that time, he has also skated in 107 NHL games, including a career-high 54 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2014-15. The University of New Hampshire alum signed with the New York Islanders to begin his pro career and has since signed contracts with the Anaheim Ducks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Pittsburgh Penguins, Toronto Maple Leafs, and most recently a two-year deal with the Nashville Predators. Smith has always had incredible production in the AHL – 438 total points and .75 points per game – but transitioning that offense has been a constant struggle; Smith has only 20 career NHL points and has never cracked double-digits in a single season.

As such, it is no surprise that the aging Smith is no longer considered a valued NHL asset. Although just last season he scored 43 points in 66 games in the AHL, he has only one scoreless NHL game on his resume over the past three years and has a history of being a non-factor at the top level. Nevertheless, he will still be a major boost for the Rampage in 2018-19. The former captain of both the Toronto Marlies and Milwaukee Admirals will play an important leadership role in San Antonio and his offensive experience and ability will help the team succeed as well as assist in the development of top young St. Louis Blues forward prospects like Jordan Kyrou, Klim Kostin, Erik Foley, and Nolan Stevens. Smith’s NHL days may be over, but he can still be a difference-maker in the AHL, where he has thrived for more than a decade.

Miikka Salomaki Signs Two-Year Contract With Nashville Predators

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Teams aren’t waiting around for their arbitration hearings, as the Nashville Predators have joined Calgary this morning in signing one of their restricted free agents. Miikka Salomaki, who was scheduled for a hearing on August 2nd, has signed a two-year contract worth a total of $1.5MM.

Salomaki, 25, is one of several forwards who will be battling for playing time at the bottom of the Nashville roster. The Predators signed several veterans like Zac Rinaldo, Connor Brickley and Rocco Grimaldi, while still having plenty of youth in players like Eeli Tolvanen and Ryan Hartman. While his playing time isn’t guaranteed, Salomaki does give the team another inexpensive option to soak up fourth-line minutes while the Predators dish out big money to other parts of their roster. Amazingly, the team still has around $7.6MM in cap space for this season even after inking their final restricted free agent. The team looks ready to compete for the Stanley Cup again in 2018-19, and has plenty of room to make an in-season addition if necessariy.

Through 58 games with the team last season Salomaki recorded just eight points, but was used for his high energy and physical play. Ready to go into the corners against any defender, he won’t hurt you on the scoreboard despite not contributing much offensively either. That’s enough for a team like the Predators, who have plenty of offensive weapons to carry them through the game. That responsible defensive presence actually still may bring about a role for Salomaki on the team this season, especially given Tolvanen’s inexperience. At the very least he’ll be a reliable 13th forward on the club for almost league minimum.

Free Agent Profile: Tommy Wingels

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Depth center options are always in need, so it’s a bit of a surprise to see a fourth-line forward like Tommy Wingels remain unemployed at this point in the offseason. Teams are especially now starting to look for depth to add to their system and Wingels could find himself near the top of a list of quality veterans that teams can pick from.

Wingels, who was a solid contributor for years with the San Jose Sharks as a bottom-six forward, signed with the Chicago Blackhawks last offseason who were in desperate need of depth. Wingels performed well, but as Chicago’s season began to go south, the team instead opted to trade him, sending him to the Boston Bruins for a conditional 2019 fifth-round pick.

Wingels provides teams with that gritty edge and experience that many teams covet for their fourth line. On top of that, he has the ability to produce some offense despite his limited minutes. He posted two goals and five points in 18 games when he arrived in Boston, but failed to produce in four playoff games as he missed time after taking a hit to the head from Toronto’s Nazem Kadri. Wingels is also only four years from two 30-point seasons. In all, he totaled nine goals, 17 points, 179 hits and 45 penalty minutes in 75 games, while averaging 11:29 of ATOI.

Potential Suitors

The most obvious match would be for the Bruins to bring back Wingels. While the veteran helped fill in for an injury-plagued team in their stretch run, Wingels hardly dominated and with the plethora of young talent waiting in the wings, it’s hard to tell whether Boston would want to bring Wingels back. On top of that, the 2019 fifth-rounder they gave to Chicago would turn into a 2019 fourth-rounder if they brought Wingels back, although that may not be that significant if they wanted him.

While there are a number of teams that may look to add some grit to their depth, there are a few teams known to hoard depth, especially at the center position. The Nashville Predators are already deep, but there are some who believe the team might continue to look at a player like Wingels if they think they can pass him eventually through waivers.

A potential return to Chicago would also make sense as the Blackhawks, with their salary cap issues, are always in need for depth and are already familiar with Wingels. The team even has some cap room to afford a relatively cheap contract that Wingels would require.

Projected Contract

Wingels days of making big numbers are gone as he had to settle for $750K last year in Chicago and likely will sign a deal with similar numbers this offseason, which will make him a solid bargain. However, if he can’t get an official contract, the veteran may have to settle for a PTO.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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