Western Conference Notes: Schmaltz, Subban, Larsson
Evidently the new Las Vegas expansion team is wasting little time getting up and running. As we mentioned yesterday, the newest entry in the Western Conference was closing in on naming the first GM in franchise history. Today we learned a press conference has indeed been scheduled for tomorrow at 1 pm PST where club owner Bill Foley is expected to announce his choice. Speculation, and that’s all it is at this point, is that George McPhee, formerly the longtime GM of the Washington Capitals and currently serving as an adviser with the Islanders under Garth Snow, will be named Las Vegas’ inaugural GM.
More from the wild, wild West:
- Chicago GM Stan Bowman deserves a lot of credit for maintaining the Hawks presence as a Stanley Cup contender despite annual salary dumps, including this summer’s trades of Teuvo Teravainen and Andrew Shaw. His ability to constantly juggle his roster while remaining cap compliant is due to the constant infusion of affordable young talent the organization continues to find and develop. Mark Lazarus of the Chicago Sun Times profiles several youngsters who aim to make the Hawks roster for the 2016-17 season.
- Addressing questions from the reader mailbag, Adam Vingan of the Tennessean speculates how the Predators will employ shiny new toy, P.K. Subban. Like many, I thought the Predators got the better end of the Subban-for-Shea Weber trade. Subban is an electrifying talent still in his prime at 27 while Weber would seem to be on the downside as he approaches his 31st birthday. Plus with another decade remaining on Weber’s contract with a cap hit in excess of $7.8MM per, the Canadiens took on a healthy amount of risk on the back end of his deal.
- From the same mailbag, Vingan also deals with the same tough choices every NHL GM will have to face between now and the expansion draft; namely which quality NHL player or players will they leave exposed. The league certainly went out of its way to ensure Las Vegas will be able to add legitimate talent and a lot of teams will be in the unenviable position of allowing a good player to leave for nothing.
- The Subban deal wasn’t the only blockbuster trade completed this summer and it may not even by the one most panned by critics. Nearly every pundit thought the Devils pilfered LW Taylor Hall from Edmonton with Adam Larsson the return going to the Oilers. But it may not be as bad as it seems. Bottom line is GM Peter Chiarelli absolutely needed to upgrade his defense corps and likely didn’t have a lot of palatable options with which to do so. Plenty of young, RFA defensemen have been rumored to possibly be available via trade but exactly none have been moved to date despite the abundant need for quality blueliners around the league. Plus, unlike those RFA’s who would need new contracts with salaries inflating, Larsson comes at the beginning of a freshly inked deal that pays him a shade over $4.1MM on average for the next five seasons. That cost control has value. Fact is, Chiarelli might have made the best deal possible at the time, even if it ends up being a net negative in the long run.
Canadiens Owner Confident Subban Trade Is Good For Team
The Montreal Canadiens will be better off for trading P.K. Subban, according to the team’s owner and president Geoff Molson. Molson spoke about the controversial trade at Monday’s press conference announcing the relocation of the Canadiens’ AHL affiliate from St. John’s to Laval.
The Canadian Press quoted Molson as saying he supports GM Marc Bergevin “100 per cent”, however he’s “not surprised how the fans reacted” because they “love him and still will love him”.
Subban has been a larger-than-life superstar for the Canadiens since his debut in 2009-10, amassing 63 goals and 278 points 434 regular season games. He’s added 38 points in 55 post-season games. The Toronto-native also donated $10MM to the Montreal Children’s Hospital last year, where he spends time visiting with patients.
Bergevin has been busy this summer, trading Subban, Lars Eller, and a pair of 2nd round picks picks for Shea Weber, Andrew Shaw, and two different 2nd round picks. He’s also signed highly-skilled, controversial-in-his-own-right Russian winger Alex Radulov to boost the offence, depth defenceman Zach Redmond, and Al Montoya to create competition in goal.
The Canadiens finished missed the playoffs last year, due in large part to Carey Price‘s injury which limited him to just 12 games. Price is healthy and is expected start for Canada at the World Cup this September.
Molson said he and Subban have spoken since the trade, and Subban will continue his work with the Montreal Children’s Hospital. The Predators’ only visit to Montreal next season is March 2, a date Molson said he’s looking forward to.
Full Salary Arbitration Hearing Schedule
The NHLPA released the full schedule of arbitration hearings today, which will not include Jordan Weal, after he re-signed with the Philadelphia Flyers earlier today. Teams and players can still negotiate up until the hearing, and many will reach agreements before going to arbitration. For more information on the arbitration process, check out part one of our full guide. Here is the full schedule:
PLAYER ELECTED FILINGS
Arizona Coyotes
Michael Stone – August 4, 2016
Colorado Avalanche
Tyson Barrie – July 29, 2016
Mikhail Grigorenko – July 22, 2016
Detroit Red Wings
Danny DeKeyser – July 28, 2016
Minnesota Wild
Jordan Schroeder – July 27, 2016
Nashville Predators
Calle Jarnkrok – August 4, 2016
Petter Granberg – August 3, 2016
New York Rangers
Kevin Hayes – July 27, 2016
Chris Kreider – July 22, 2016
Dylan McIlrath – July 21, 2016
J.T. Miller – August 2, 2016
Ottawa Senators
Mike Hoffman – August 4, 2016
Philadelphia Flyers
Brandon Manning – August 2, 2016
Brayden Schenn – July 25, 2016
St. Louis Blues
Jaden Schwartz – July 20, 2016
Tampa Bay Lightning
Alex Killorn – July 20, 2016
Vladislav Namestnikov – July 29, 2016
Toronto Maple Leafs
Frank Corrado – July 26, 2016
Peter Holland – July 25, 2016
Martin Marincin – August 2, 2016
Washington Capitals
Marcus Johansson – July 20, 2016
CLUB ELECTED FILINGS
Detroit Red Wings
Petr Mrazek – July 27, 2016
Snapshots: Stamkos And Subban
The Steven Stamkos bidding war was ended very quickly by the player re-signing with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Stamkos was pitched by just three teams (Montreal, Buffalo, Toronto) before ending the process. That may be because of the Maple Leafs’ pitch, according to Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun.
While teams bringing in big names to woo players isn’t uncommon (Oilers legends Paul Coffey and Wayne Gretzky were famously involved in the Oilers acquiring Justin Schultz), the Maple Leafs may have gone overboard. Back in June, Simmons reported team president Brendan Shanahan, GM Lou Lamoriello, Toronto mayor John Tory, and Canadian Tire CEO Michael B. Medine all met with Stamkos to sell the Maple Leafs, Toronto, and potential endorsement opportunities. Simmons reported Sunday that after the meeting, Stamkos told his agent that he didn’t want any more meetings and he wanted to speak with Lightning GM Steve Yzerman. He was officially re-signed two days after his meeting in Toronto.
Other notes from around the league:
- It was reported shortly after the P.K. Subban/ Shea Weber trade on June 29 that Nashville Predators would not honor Subban’s no-trade clause (NTC). Vice Sports columnist Sean McIndoe explored the bizarre rule that allowed the Predators to nix the clause one day before it was supposed to come into effect. Essentially, the CBA rules state that those clauses are binding to the acquiring team, unless the clause hasn’t come into effect yet. An NTC is often a hard-fought-for part of a contract, with players sometimes taking concessions on salary or term in order to get it. However, its doubtful that Subban made any concessions to get one, considering he will make $9MM per year until 2022. And while its also unlikely that the Predators will trade their new superstar, Subban would have no say if they decided to move him out before the end of his contract. Our Mike Furlano has previously explained no-trade and no-move clauses in more depth.
- Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin told NHL.com that he has stayed away from reading media reports about the Subban trade, saying fans and media are guessing at what goes on behind the scenes. The Canadiens GM says he wants to “unplug” after a tough season. Bergevin also spoke about comparisons between the Patrick Roy trade and the Subban one, saying Roy won “two Stanley Cups … I’ve always believed that winning a Stanley Cup changes everything”.
Snapshots: Hedman, McRae, Predators
Even with the recent decision in the NBA of Kevin Durant heading to the Golden State Warriors to create a ‘super-team’, it’s still not very often that you see superstars take less money to stay in a place they feel comfortable. That’s what happened the past two weeks, as both Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman re-signed for eight years (and considerably less money than expected) with the Tampa Bay Lightning, in part because of their personal bond. When talking to Pierre LeBrun of ESPN, Stamkos said just as much:
“Victor and I are extremely close friends. We came up in this organization as 18-year-old kids. To say that we’re going to be together for the long run, and on one team, that’s something special. A big reason why both of us stuck around is because of the relationship that we have as teammates and as friends as well.”
To see two superstars leave some money on the table and not even hit free agency is a rare one indeed in today’s sporting world, but we may be about to catch it again in Calgary. Pending RFAs Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan have expressed a similar sentiment, and hope to be together for ‘the next ten years’. Here’s more from around the league:
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have brought in former London Knight general manager Basil McRae to become their director of player personnel, according to a team release. After capturing the 2016 Memorial Cup, McRae will return to the club he worked for in 2013-14 this time in a more advanced role. With the signing, the Blue Jackets have also announced two promotions, Ville Siren moves from pro scout to director of amateur scouting, and Josef Boumedienne moves from pro scout to director of European scouting.
- After being knocked out in the second round by the San Jose Sharks, the Nashville Predators came into the offseason with the plan to get faster on the back end. Buying out Barret Jackman after just his first year with the club was the first move towards that end, and bringing in Yannick Weber to replace him was the next. For what it’s worth, Weber seems to have turned down more money in Europe to stay in the NHL, according to Adam Vignan of the Tennessean. Weber took a minimum deal of $575K to secure an NHL job with Nashville.
- Flyers prospect Philippe Myers underwent hip surgery on Wednesday, and will not be participating in the Philadelphia development camp, according to GM Ron Hextall. Myers went undrafted out of Rouyn-Noranda in 2014-15, but exploded onto the scene last season with 45 points from the back end. He’ll now try and work his way back from surgery to return to the Flyers’ future plans.
Central Notes: Blues, Jets, Predators
Jake Allen is the undisputed #1 goalie in St. Louis writes Jeremy Rutherford as the Blues are no longer looking to platoon the position. After being a tandem with Brian Elliott, who was dealt to Calgary, Allen is now the top goaltender in the organization. General manager Doug Armstrong, goalie coach Jim Corsi, and assistant manager Martin Brodeur believe that it’s Allen’s turn, and like many other clubs around the league, are willing to hand the reins to a younger netminder.
- While the Winnipeg Jets recently signed 2016 second overall pick Patrik Laine to an entry level deal, it’s the organization’s 2015 draft pick who is looking to make a stride within the organization. The Winnipeg Sun’s Ken Wiebe writes that Kyle Connor, a Hobey Baker finalist, is ready to take the next step as an NHL player. Connor spent last season with the University of Michigan and scored 35 goals in just 38 games. He also notched 71 points. Though the ice is crowded with forwards for the Jets, Connor is confident that if he does the right things, the impact he made at Michigan will be similar in Winnipeg.
- The Tennessean’s Adam Vingan writes about the impact of newly acquired P.K. Subban and how the larger than life defenseman will have no problem fitting into his new surroundings. While many speculated that Montreal bench boss Michel Therrien and Subban were at odds because of a personality clash, Vingan reports that Nashville coach Peter Laviolette is of a similar no-nonsense mentality. The difference, Vingan writes, is that the Preds stand to benefit from Subban’s “on the edge” and also takes chances, something he feels benefits the Predators style of play. Vingan goes further by quoting NHL Network analyst Kevin Weekes, who stated that Subban wanted to be with an organization that values him. Weekes added that he thought “there are so many similarities between a place like Nashville and P.K.”
Vesey Remains Committed To Free Agency
Jimmy Vesey will wait a little longer before deciding his future.
The Harvard grad says he’s committed to becoming an unrestricted free agent, but that won’t happen until August 15. The end-of-summer signing period won’t prevent him from being heavily sought-after. While Vesey has never publicly revealed his shortlist, Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe reports Toronto, Boston, Buffalo, both New York teams, New Jersey, and “potentially” St. Louis and Philadelphia having potentially having major interest.
Vesey was drafted 66th overall in 2012 by the Nashville Predators. He played 4 seasons post-draft at Harvard, posting 144 points in 128 games. But when it came time to sign his entry-level contract with the Predators, Vesey declined to put pen to paper, despite allegedly saying he would. Not wanting to lose a good prospect for nothing, the Predators traded Vesey to Buffalo for the 70th pick in this year’s entry draft, recouping the draft pick they spent on Vesey but not the four years of development.
According to Frank Seravalli of TSN, the Sabres plan on making their pitch to Vesey sometime this week, with hopes of convincing him to sign and play with his good friend, Jack Eichel. Vesey and Eichel have been playing together on a summer league team for years now, and Eichel has already given Vesey the talk about Buffalo. However, Vesey’s agent confirmed that free agency is still the plan.
Despite being done school, Vesey will spend his summer doing homework on where he wants to sign. He has family connections in Toronto, with his dad working with the Maple Leafs and his brother being drafted by them. He’s spent four seasons playing in Massachusetts. His good friend plays with Buffalo.
All of the above-listed teams have room for Vesey in their top 6 forwards, and will be getting a highly-motivated player.
Flames Sign Chad Johnson
The Calgary Flames have their new goalie duo, as they have signed Chad Johnson to be a reliable backup for the newly acquired Brian Elliott. Sportsnet’s John Shannon reports that it is a one-year deal.
Johnson had one of the best years of his career with the Sabres in 2015-16. He suited up in a career high 45 games (thanks to an injury to Robin Lehner), posting a 22-16-4 record with a 2.36 GAA and a .920 SV%, both impressive numbers for a non-playoff team.
Johnson is becoming a bit of a hockey nomad as this will be his fifth different team in as many seasons.
He has played in parts of six NHL seasons (101 games) with the Rangers, Coyotes, Bruins, Islanders, and Sabres, collecting a 50-30-11 record with a 2.39 GAA and a .917 SV%.
Blues Sign Carter Hutton
Elliotte Friedman reports that the St. Louis Blues have signed former Nashville Predators backup Carter Hutton to a two-year deal with a cap hit of $1.125MM. He will replace the recently-traded Brian Elliott in their goalie tandem, joining Jake Allen, who signed an extension earlier today.
Hutton suited up as the backup for the Preds last season behind incumbent Pekka Rinne. He posted a 7-5-4 record with a 2.33 GAA and a .918 SV%, both career bests. He also picked up two shutouts. Hutton also got into three postseason contests in relief, posting a 3.00 GAA and a .667 SV%.
In his four year NHL career split between Chicago and Nashville, he has played in 76 games, collecting a 33-24-12 record with a 2.56 GAA and a .910 SV% with four shutouts.
Bruins Re-Sign Liles
The Boston Bruins will bring back trade deadline acquisition John-Michael Liles on a one year, $2MM deal, reports Elliotte Friedman. A spot on their back end moving forward was opened up yesterday with the buyout of Dennis Seidenberg.
The right-shot defenseman had six points in 17 games with the Bruins after coming over from the Carolina Hurricanes last season. He also added 15 points (6-9-15) in 64 games with the ‘Canes prior to the deal.
The 35 year old has played in 12 NHL campaigns with Colorado, Carolina, Toronto, and Boston. He has 800 games under his belt, scoring 87 goals and 278 assists.