- Although he was drafted as a center, the Devils feel John Quenneville is best suited as a winger moving forward, AHL bench boss Rick Kowalsky told NJ Advance Media’s Chris Ryan. Kowalsky added that the 21-year-old is comfortable on both wings which could help get him to the NHL quicker. New Jersey has a lot of talent down the middle and added number one pick Nico Hischier as well as bottom six center Brian Boyle to the mix this offseason so a position change for their top pick in 2014 was already looking like a likely outcome.
- Still with the Devils, GM Ray Shero noted to The Record’s Andrew Gross that there’s no rush to lock up RFA blueliner Damon Severson. The 22-year-old is coming off his entry-level contract and didn’t have arbitration rights this offseason. Shero added that there are several different options when it comes to Severson which suggests they will be exploring short-term and long-term offers in the weeks ahead.
Devils Rumors
Devils Expect Nico Hischier To Debut As A Center
When the New Jersey Devils strode to the podium at the NHL Entry Draft this year, there was one name on their minds: Nico Hischier. The Swiss-born forward playing in Eastern Canada had flown up draft boards with a big season, and would become the first-overall pick ahead of long-expected Nolan Patrick. Immediately Devils fans started speculating on where Hischier fit in both long and short term on the team, hoping maybe he could even crack the roster as an 18-year old.
Mike Morreale of NHL.com now reports that Devils’ coach John Hynes expects Hischier to play center right from the beginning, and doesn’t need the protection of starting on the wing. That would push someone else aside, and as Morreale projects that would be Adam Henrique moving to the wing. Remember, the Devils also brought in Brian Boyle and Marcus Johansson to the forward group, giving them half a dozen players capable of lining up in the middle.
Shero May Not Be Done Dealing
The New Jersey Devils have had a phenomenal off-season by every measure. They lucked into the 1st overall pick and locked up Nico Hischier. They acquired Marcus Johansson for pennies on the dollar. They’ve shed salaries and ditched older, under-performing players. They bought out Mike Cammalleri and Devante Smith-Pelly for measly penalties and are embracing a full rebuild. About the only thing that could have gone better is if Ilya Kovalchuk’s rights were dealt for a king’s ransom.
According to Fluto Shinzawa of the Boston Globe, GM Ray Shero may not be done in trying to improve his team. Obviously, he needs to round out his depth, as there are only 34 contracts locked up, and the bottom lines and AHL need filling out. He also needs to re-sign RFAs Damon Severson, Stefan Noesen, Joseph Blandisi, and 6 others. Still, his team will find itself in the bottom 5 teams in cap expenditure, with $19.42 MM in space before any of these lesser signings. That leaves the management plenty of room to manuever.
Shinzawa suggests that Shero may utilize his relationship with Nashville GM David Poile to secure some extra scoring, considering the hefty sums they will need to hand out to RFAs Viktor Arvidsson and Ryan Johansen. While this is a possibility, it’s hard to see which contract Nashville would be willing to move. It’s perhaps more likely that Shero pursues a young defenseman. Anaheim still has a wealth of talent, and if they wanted to go the more aged route, Detroit is in a financial bind on the backend. Another name which might confuse some but who has a long relationship with Shero is Penguins’ D Olli Maatta. Maatta has vastly underperformed since signing his contract extension in Pittsburgh, and for the right price could be available. Vegas is still very willing to negotiate hockey deals, and their promising defenseman include the likes of Colin Miller and Shea Theodore.
Shero’s best ally right now is the cap crunch other teams are feeling. A productive forward could be sniped from Toronto on the cheap, and Chicago still needs to shed money somewhere along the line if the Marian Hossa LTIR situation goes south. He’s known primarily for his trade prowess which helped solidify the 2009 championship team in Pittsburgh, and it wouldn’t be out of character for him to again heavily work the phones. Hischier will need some sort of support, as the roster as it stands, while better than last year, is still incredibly lean.
Hischier Signs 3-Year Entry-Level Contract With New Jersey
The 2017 Draft’s 1st-overall pick, Nico Hischier, has signed a 3-year entry level contract with the New Jersey Devils, per AP’s Stephen Whyno. The contract is worth $950,000 and includes signing bonuses. It was also announced that he will wear #13 in New Jersey, after his hockey idol Pavel Datsyuk.
Hischier is a dynamic forward, with amazing playmaking abilities. Playing for Halifax last season, he put up 38 goals and 86 points through 57 games. His phenomenal play in the World Junior Championship captured the attention of the hockey world and likely propelled him over the edge in consideration for top prospect of the class. As the highest ranked Swiss player ever drafted, expectations will be high for Hischier from the start. New Jersey had an exceptionally anemic offense last season, and will need to slot him as a top-six center immediately. Hischier already has the hockey IQ and the natural skill to be a force in the league, and will be an early favorite among Calder predictions. That said, he is less physically well-rounded than the #2 pick of the draft, Philadelphia’s Nolan Patrick. He will need to fill out his 6’1 frame and train properly in order to get a solid beginning in October.
It should be an interesting camp for Hischier, as he will also need to find linemates with whom he can gel. Taylor Hall is a solid bet, as he can blitz defenses with his speed and tenacity, and is a former #1 overall pick himself. Marcus Johansson or Kyle Palmieri could slot in on his right wing, and it’s unclear as to where Adam Henrique will fit. Hischier would likely thrive best beside a pure finisher, but the Devils don’t really have that. Chemistry in the absence of that sniper will be important to his success. Still, Hischier will almost certainly put up respectable numbers and grow as his rookie season comes along. He can score quite easily with the hard, heavy shot he possesses – and Hischier never showed a reluctance to fire the biscuit either. He averaged over 4 shots a game for Halifax.
At $950,000, Hischier’s cap hit is the highest allowable for an entry-level contract. Consequently, his bonuses will be a key component in determining his actual pay. The Devils are no where near a cap or contract crunch, as this contract only puts them at a puny 34 in the entire organization.
Oilers Sign Defenseman Yohann Auvitu
The Edmonton Oilers have agreed to terms with former New Jersey Devils defenseman Yohann Auvitu. The team announced that it will be a one-year deal, but all other details are unknown as of now. The Frenchman made his North American debut in 2016-17, scoring four points in 25 games with New Jersey, and adding another 13 points in 29 games with AHL Albany.
Regardless of the value of the contract or the one-way/two-way nature, this could be a shrewd signing by GM Peter Chiarelli. The 27-year-old Auvituu had years of success as a two-way defenseman in his native France and in the Finnish Liiga before making the jump last year. A smooth skater with excellent puck possession ability and great hockey intelligence, Auvituu played competently for the Devils right off the bat.
However, the Oilers have quite a few defenseman under contract already and Auvitu has his work cut out for him to make the Opening Night roster. Oscar Klefbom, Adam Larsson, Kris Russell, and Darnell Nurse are locks to begin the year as starters, with Eric Gryba and Matt Benning likely to join them, and Andrej Sekera coming back from injury at some point early in the season to take back his top-four spot. Thus, Auvitu will have to battle with Mark Fayne, Ryan Stanton, and well-regarded prospect William Lagesson for the number seven spot to begin the season and then hope to hold on to it after Sekera’s return. However, worst case scenario, Auvitu will provide solid depth for the Oilers in the AHL and make several spot starts throughout the 2017-18 season.
Free Agent Profile: Jaromir Jagr
Not many believed that Jagr would be left without a contract over a full week into July. While many Florida fans believed GM Dale Tallon was looking to impress his vision on the franchise in an aggressive way, a return at a reduced cost seemed possible. Barring that, Jagr was sure to draw interest from offense-starved squads. He was listed as our 13th best available UFA for a reason, and yet, there’s been little to no chatter on the Czech star.
Jagr has seen a dip in his value, undeniably. He scored 11 less goals than the previous season; that said, he’s still a lock for 40 points. He’s slowed down quite noticeably, and one can only imagine that is the crux of his issue in attracting suitors. His vision and hands are still world-class, but his speed is an encumbrance to whichever line he’s on. That said, he’s a positive impact player in terms of analytics and fancy possession stats. If you look at his HERO chart (a handy bar-graph representation of advanced stats such as shots suppressed and generated), he performs well above the “prototypical” second-liner. No one in the analytics community seems to understand how such a consistent performer can be left unclaimed at this date. People constantly criticize players like Jagr for poor defensive qualities. There is an element of truth to these claims, as he is certainly hustling harder going north than south. But results, and actual goals against for his lines over the years, show that perhaps he knows something we don’t.
The game is changing, and with faster teams heading deeper into the playoffs, Jagr’s ability to fend off attackers and maintain a cycle is less valuable than it was previously. More rush play, more dump and chase, and less east-west movement through the neutral zone is the way many teams are hoping to push the pac and tilt the ice in their favor. Signing Jagr doesn’t fit that trendy ideology, and that’s the main holdup at this juncture. The amount of teams who are willing to slow the game down, even just on special teams, are becoming fewer and fewer. Ultimately, he will find a home, but it could be a drastic reduction in pay and icetime. Jagr was already getting acclimated to a sheltered role with short shifts, but he may be even more of a utility skater in his new home.
If for nothing else, Jagr is a magician on the powerplay and can pass the puck with ease. He would be a wonderful asset merely as a leader, whose experience and off-ice attributes would benefit the growth of younger players.
Potential Suitors
We originally projected that Jagr would return to the Florida Panthers, as we also believed would be the case for Thomas Vanek. We were wrong on both fronts, as Dale Tallon has opted instead for a massive roster shakeup. Jagr quipped on Twitter that he had no calls this July 1st, although that claim may merely be an attempt to garner greater interest.
A New Jersey reunion might be in the cards. They finished 29th in goals for and Jagr could be relegated to 3rd-line duty with a healthy roster after all of GM Ray Shero’s shuffling. He’s certainly not going to lead the team in scoring, but in the tough Metro division it’s difficult to see them making the playoffs anyway. In what should be a year to build upon, and with multiple youngsters (Nico Hischier, Pavel Zacha) looking to cement themselves in the league, what better role model than Jagr to provide leadership and calm? The team could also do to add NHL proven forwards – they have the second fewest organizational contracts at 33, and many are not ready for prime-time.
Although they’re not the ideal landing spot, the New York Islanders seemingly always need a little extra fire power. They too have the disadvantage of trying to survive in the high-flying Metro, and Tavares could use another piece on the powerplay to bring it back to respectability (they finished with a 15% conversion rate in 2016-17). Again, his leadership abilities on a relatively young squad would provide a good example. He can also still manufacture chances on his own, and outside of Tavares, the team still struggles with that for long stretches. Pair him with one of their many two-way forwards, such as Josh Bailey, and his minimal defensive shortcomings won’t be as impactful. Cap room on an internal basis is an issue, but Jagr is getting cheaper by the day.
Many teams could take a flier on a one year deal. At 45 years-old, it would be highly unlikely to make a significant commitment to him. Arizona and Colorado could both certainly use the offensive help, but they both moved on from their own free agent old-timers in Shane Doan in Jarome Iginla, so both seem unlikely. Carolina already added a greybeard in Justin Williams, but scoring depth couldn’t hurt there. Vancouver is already incredibly old, so why not double down at this point and help out your special teams? And there’s always the possibility that Jagr finally decides to take a paycut to chase after a final championship. It has been since 1992 for him.
Expected Contract
Jagr will continue to wait away in free agency limbo for some time. This may be his final contract, but it’s difficult to determine how important competitiveness of the team will be to him. I think he stays in the East, namely New Jersey, for one year at a measly $1.75 MM. It won’t delay the rebuild, which is necessary in Newark, but it will keep the team just above water in the division. I’m not certain Shero wants to gamble on a total tank, as we saw how well that worked for Colorado in the recent draft. They ultimately need proven forwards to round out the roster, and the price is right to buy low.
KHL Confirms Kovalchuk Will Stay In Russia
The KHL tweeted today that Ilya Kovalchuk officially will stay in Russia for one more season and play for his current team, SKA St. Petersburg. As reported last week by PHR, Larry Brooks of the New York Post and Andrew Gross of The Record both reported that Kovalchuk had decided to stay one more year in Russia and come back to the United States next year when he can become an unrestricted free agent and negotiate with anyone.
Kovalchuk was still property of the New Jersey Devils and any way of playing in the NHL this season would have been reliant on the Devils trading him to another team. However, it doesn’t necessarily get easier for Kovalchuk now that he will be a free agent at age 35. Any contract he signs stays on a team’s cap regardless if he retires or is bought out. Therefore, a long-term deal is unlikely, although Kovalchuk’s asking price for this year was a three-year, $6.5MM per year deal.
The 34-year-old former first-overall pick in 2001 has played in the KHL for the past four years, putting up his best-ever season in the KHL last year when he scored 32 goals and 46 assists for 78 points. Several teams had expressed interest in the veteran, including the New York Rangers, the Florida Panthers and the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Devils Hire Roland Melanson As New Goaltending Coach
- The Devils announced the hiring of Roland Melanson as their new goaltending coach, replacing Chris Terreri. Melanson has previously served in that role with Montreal and Vancouver and will be reunited with one of his former netminders with the Canucks in Cory Schneider; he was Schneider’s coach for three seasons. The team also noted that Terreri will remain with the organization in a yet-to-be-determined capacity.
Kings Looking To Shift Course
After missing the playoffs two seasons in a row, the L.A. Kings have fallen pretty hard from grace. After winning the cup twice in three years, it’s been one bad story after another for the team from Hollywood. Dustin Brown was stripped of the captaincy and relegated to bottom-six duties, not long after former key contributor Mike Richards found himself terminated due to a combination of on-ice, off-ice, and salary issues. Matt Greene had to be bought out entirely. Marian Gaborik is 35, signed for four more seasons, and just put together two underwhelming performances back-t0-back. The defense has gotten more top-heavy, and after losing Brayden McNabb to Vegas in the expansion draft, is set to lose another valuable piece. The head coach who earned the franchise its two rings was fired and a re-tread coach from Philadelphia will get his opportunity in 2017-18.
In an article with the L.A. Times written by Helene Elliotts, GM Rob Blake details the change in philosophy the Kings will need to adopt if they are going to find success in the near future. Ultimately, he wants to predicate the team’s identity more on speed, while staying true to their defensive style. Los Angeles has played a heavy, physical, stifling game to get their championships, and it appears that Blake is shifting away from that mantra next season. He isolated the “core” of the team as Anze Kopitar, Tanner Pearson, Jeff Carter, Tyler Toffoli, Drew Doughty, Jake Muzzin, and Jonathan Quick. It might be drawn from his sentiment thatt other, more expendable pieces that may be available if the Kings continue to merely tread water.
Los Angeles did make a decent bargain-bin signing in Mike Cammalleri, who was sunk by a capsized New Jersey Devils squad last season. The potential for him to rebound and be productive is quite high, but it may not be nearly enough. The Kings beat out only Philadelphia, Colorado, New Jersey and Vancouver in terms of fewest goals scored. Carter and Pearson were the only twenty-goal scorers on the team. Guaranteed offense is an absolute need, and although former coach Darryl Sutter’s systems were a component of the struggles, the team needs more reliable production. Their defense is still the team’s greatest organizational strength, but it does strike some as odd that a player like McNabb wasn’t shuffled elsewhere for scoring help rather than being sacrificed for nothing to expansion.
If the Kings decide at this late stage to go the free agency route, their options are solid if a bit older. If speed is the determinant factor, that may seem to rule out the likes of Jaromir Jagr and Jarome Iginla, while leaving the possibility of a Thomas Vanek signing open. More likely, however, the Blake and the Kings will need to probe the trade market. From there, the team will likely need to surrender future assets if they hope to receive solid scoring in a returning package. The team could take a lot of offensive pressure off of Kopitar (who himself is more of a two-way player) if they could swing a trade for a solid center. Matt Duchene is likely out of their price range, and Alex Galchenyuk’s value just skyrocketed. The bottom-six wingers are dreadfully lacking in experience, so an upgrade to the third line couldn’t hurt. Cap space is tight, however, as the team will only have over $5.5 MM after re-signing RFAs Nick Shore and Kevin Gravel. It may take outside-the-box thinking to bring the Kings back into contender status, but Blake seems primed to make moves, albeit on his own timeline.
Washington Capitals Sign Devante Smith-Pelly
After trading one of their key forwards to the New Jersey Devils yesterday, the Washington Capitals have brought in a potential roster replacement. The team has signed Devante Smith-Pelly to a one-year, two-way contract worth the league minimum. The team also announced a one-year, two-way contract for forward John Albert.
Smith-Pelly, 25, was bought out by the Devils last week after failing to provide much value on his $1.3MM cap hit. In 53 games last season, he registered just nine points and had a -18 rating.
Selected in the second round by the Anaheim Ducks, it was hoped that Smith-Pelly could carry over some of his goal scoring talent from junior into the NHL. Entering the league almost right away, he found a role as a bottom-six energy player instead, something he’ll try to fill on the Capitals next season.
While obviously not an offensive replacement for Marcus Johansson, Smith-Pelly could provide some depth to the Washington group while costing very little. The Caps, struggling to re-sign all of their current restricted free agents after giving out huge contracts to T.J. Oshie and Evgeny Kuznetsov, need players on minimum contracts to contribute next season.
Albert, a 28-year old forward who spent last season in Finland, hasn’t played in the NHL since 2013-14 when he suited up for nine games with the Winnipeg Jets. Unless he’s found another gear in his time overseas, he’ll be used mostly as a minor-league addition next year.