Arseni Gritsyuk Not Expected In NHL Until 2025
- New Jersey Devils winger prospect Arseni Gritsyuk won’t be heading to North America until 2025, his agent told NJ.com’s Ryan Novozinsky. Selected in the fifth round of the 2019 NHL Draft, Gritsyuk, now 22, broke out for 15 goals and 40 points in 66 KHL games this season with Avangard Omsk. The 5-foot-11, 192-pound Russian’s speed is his defining factor, and the Devils certainly hope that production transfers over in two seasons when Gritsyuk joins the team.
Devils Notes: Wood, Bahl, Boqvist
With two major restricted free agents to negotiate contract extensions with in Timo Meier and Jesper Bratt, it’s no surprise that the New Jersey Devils may be forced to say goodbye to some familiar faces. Damon Severson, a quality blueliner with over 600 games played as a Devil, was traded yesterday and, according to recent reporting, another veteran Devil could follow him out the door: Miles Wood.
The Hockey News’ Kristy Flannery relays word from Wood’s agent, Peter Fish, “that there has been no communication” with Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald on a possible Wood contract extension. While it’s likely that the Devils would ideally like to keep Wood, their salary cap situation and other existing needs are likely to force his exit in free agency. As a result, Fish and Wood are preparing to hit the open market on July 1st. Wood will hope to find the right contract in his first trip to unrestricted free agency, and after scoring 13 goals and 27 points this past season his rare combination of size and speed could be of interest to other teams.
Some other notes about the Devils:
- Flannery’s article also contained updates on the status of restricted free agent defenseman Kevin Bahl, whose $795k contract is set to expire. The soon-to-be 23-year-old emerged as a lineup regular for the Devils later in their season and is widely expected to be a part of the team’s blueline mix next season. Given that he has just 66 games of NHL experience, Bahl’s next contract shouldn’t break the bank, though the defensive upside the hulking six-foot-six Bahl possesses could be factored into the equation as well, potentially raising the price tag of any new deal. Bahl’s agent, David Gagner, confirmed to Flannery that he and Fitzgerald “are engaging in preliminary talks,” and it could be that the Devils would prefer to get some cost certainty on Bahl’s next deal before finalizing the Meier/Bratt contracts.
- 24-year-old forward Jesper Boqvist‘s agent Peter Wallen relayed to Flannery that “there has been no communication with Fitzgerald and the Devils” on any new contract as of five days ago. Boqvist emerged as a lineup regular this past season scoring 10 goals and 21 points in 70 games. The 2017 36th overall pick has scored well at lower levels and the Devils are likely hoping to retain him on an affordable deal so they can fill out some depth roles in their lineup with young, energetic homegrown players such as Boqvist on cheaper contracts.
Columbus Blue Jackets Acquire Damon Severson In Sign-And-Trade
The Columbus Blue Jackets are expected to acquire pending UFA defenseman Damon Severson from the New Jersey Devils in a sign-and-trade deal, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Severson’s extension will come in at eight years with a $6.25MM cap hit. Columbus would later make the deal official.
Columbus will send a third-round pick in this year’s draft, 80th overall (originally owned by Calgary), to New Jersey for facilitating the deal, says Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli. PuckPedia has the details of Severson’s max-term contract:
2023-24: $6MM salary, $2MM signing bonus, full no-trade clause
2024-25: $6MM salary, $2MM signing bonus, full no-trade clause
2025-26: $5.5MM salary, $2MM signing bonus, full no-trade clause
2026-27: $4.1MM salary, $2MM signing bonus, full no-trade clause
2027-28: $3.3MM salary, $1.8MM signing bonus, 20-team trade list
2028-29: $4.1MM salary, $1MM signing bonus, 12-team trade list
2029-30: $5.1MM salary, 12-team trade list
2030-31: $5.1MM salary, 12-team trade list
This is the second true sign-and-trade in NHL history. The Florida Panthers and Calgary Flames became the first to do it with last year’s Matthew Tkachuk blockbuster.
It’s also the Columbus Blue Jackets’ second major move on defense in the span of three days. After an injury-riddled season that saw Columbus boast the weakest ‘D’ corps in the league on some nights, the team has now added a pair of top-four caliber players in Severson and Ivan Provorov to compliment youngsters like Adam Boqvist, Nick Blankenburg, David Jiricek, and Andrew Peeke.
Severson, 28, was the longest-tenured member of the Devils, drafted just weeks after their run to the Stanley Cup Final – and last playoff series win before this year – in 2012. The veteran of nearly 650 NHL games has always been a capable point producer, recording a pair of 11-goal seasons and multiple 30-point campaigns, but has also put up some strong defensive metrics, especially this season.
This season, his Corsi For percentage at even strength was 56.5%, although it came with a small reduction in his role from over 23 minutes per game in 2021-22 to just under 20 minutes in 2022-23. While he may not have the upside of his fellow new teammates, Provorov, he’s got a much more solidified track record of two-way success and can play anywhere incoming head coach Mike Babcock chooses.
To put it simply – Severson is a capable, well-rounded, minute-munching defender who plays the right side. While the last few years of the contract carry some significant risk, given he’ll be in his mid-30s, $6.25MM is a very fair price to pay for his services right now.
The move takes one of the top pending UFAs off the market, and along with Vladislav Gavrikov‘s extension in Los Angeles this week, the market for defenders on July 1 is looking a lot thinner. Dmitry Orlov, Erik Gustafsson, Shayne Gostisbehere, John Klingberg, and Matt Dumba now make up the remainder of the top UFAs available at the position.
One thing is abundantly clear – Columbus isn’t willing to wait any longer for a return to postseason play. With the Severson extension in play, the team should have a little under $6MM in cap space remaining this offseason, per CapFriendly, assuming a $1MM increase is finalized. That will undoubtedly go to upgrading their group of forwards.
New Jersey Hockey Now’s James Nichols reported earlier in the week that Columbus had an interest in Severson.
Devils Notes: Severson, Graves, Haula
The New Jersey Devils won their first playoff series in over a decade this past spring and now face the prospect of losing several key free agents in just under a month’s time. James Nichols of The Fourth Period reported today that Damon Severson’s camp isn’t sure whether the Devils want him to return or not. While it certainly doesn’t sound like the two sides are close to an agreement or even talking now, these types of agreements can be reached in a matter of days. Devils’ general manager Tom Fitzgerald has a lot of work to be done this summer and appears to have prioritized the Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier contract negotiations at this time.
Nichols reported yesterday that the Columbus Blue Jackets were interested in Severson’s services as well, and it isn’t a surprise given the players track record. Severson is sure to be in demand as he is a right defenseman coming off a season in which he put up 7 goals and 26 assists in 81 games. The veteran has spent his entire nine-year career with the Devils and could very well find himself in a different uniform come the fall.
In other Devils news:
- Nichols also reported that defenseman Ryan Graves sounds like a player that is on his way out of New Jersey. Nichols spoke with Graves agent Allain Roy who said that New Jersey needs to figure out if they have room for his client and that a lot will have to happen before they do. Graves is another defenseman that is sure to be in demand, the 28-year-old posted eight goals and 18 assists in 78 games this past season and was a big part of a Devils penalty kill that finished fifth in the league with a success rate of 82.5%.
- In positive news for New Jersey, Nichols reports that the Devils have engage in extension talks with Erik Haula. The left winger has stated his interest in returning to the Devils and Fitzgerald has said the Devils would like him back. While they are early in their discussions, Nichols says it would be hard to imagine them not working out a deal to bring the 32-year-old back into the fray. Haula came over from the Boston Bruins in a trade last summer and put up 14 goals and 27 assists in 80 games in his first year with the Devils.
Devils And Jesper Bratt Negotiations Remain Status Quo
- Pagnotta also writes that talks between the New Jersey Devils and pending RFA Timo Meier have picked up this week, but he describes the situation with Jesper Bratt as status quo. Bratt and the Devils have a bit of a contentious relationship when it comes to negotiations as they have come up against each other in the past when it comes to money. This happened most notably last summer when they nearly went to arbitration but settled on a one-year deal just hours before they were set to square off. Bratt posted a career high 32 goals last season while posting his second consecutive 73-point season. He has bet on himself in the past and with just a year left until he is an unrestricted free agent, this could be the Devils toughest negotiation yet.
Mackenzie Blackwood Not Expected To Receive Qualifying Offer
It wasn’t so long ago that Mackenzie Blackwood was considered an up-and-coming star goaltender for the New Jersey Devils. He was in the conversation for the Canadian Olympic team (before the NHL pulled out), finished sixth in a loaded Calder Trophy race, and earned himself a tidy three-year, $8.4MM extension following his first full season at the highest level.
Now, just a few years later, it appears the Devils will cut him loose.
Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff writes that Blackwood, a pending RFA, is “far and away the most likely player to not be issued a qualifying offer this spring.” He explains that while there’s a chance the Devils trade his rights to a team that wants to take a chance at rebuilding him, “every team knows [Blackwood] is set to become a UFA otherwise.”
That shouldn’t be a surprise, given the string of injuries and poor performances over the last few seasons. Combine that inconsistency with the fact that qualifying him would require a $3.36MM price tag, and you can see why the Devils would decide to move in a different direction.
It’s not like New Jersey has much room for him, anyway. Not only did they trade for and sign Vitek Vanecek, but Akira Schmid has also emerged as a potential star, and Nico Daws remains in the system as another highly-touted prospect. Even if Blackwood played well, there would be a goalie crunch for the Devils that likely ends with him playing somewhere else.
Still, if Seravalli is right and Blackwood hits the unrestricted free agent market this summer, he will be an interesting target for some teams. Just 26, there is a world where he bounces back and can become a legitimate NHL starter again. Given how cheap he’ll likely come in free agency, it may be a worthwhile gamble for clubs trying to find an answer in net.
AHL Announces Inaugural Top Prospects Team
Ahead of the 2023 Calder Cup Finals, which starts tonight between the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Hershey Bears, the AHL has released a new award that will intrigue hockey fans across the country. The AHL Top Prospects Team is a group of players that may not be in the minor leagues for much longer.
This year’s group includes:
Tyson Foerster, Lehigh Valley Phantoms
The 21-year-old Foerster was selected 23rd overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in 2020 and is one of the OHL players forced into the AHL during the 2020-21 season. Even as a teenager, he showed great scoring ability and returned this year to put up 20 goals and 48 points in 66 games.
Foerster made his NHL debut as well, suiting up eight times with the Flyers and putting up seven points—a taste of what will come next for the young forward.
Jiri Kulich, Rochester Americans
The Rochester club has seen several talented forwards come through in recent years, and Kulich is just the latest after being selected 28th overall in 2022 by the Buffalo Sabres. Coming over from the Czech Republic at just 18, he proved he was ready for North American professional hockey by scoring 24 goals and 46 points in 62 games.
Kulich was even better postseason, where he potted seven goals in 12 games. Only turning 19 in April, he was among the league’s youngest players this season.
Lukas Reichel, Rockford IceHogs
Anyone who has watched Reichel this season can see his time in the minor leagues should be over. The 17th overall selection in 2020 made his NHL debut for the Chicago Blackhawks last season and looked overwhelmed. Not so a year later, when he scored seven goals and 15 points in 23 games in the NHL.
The 21-year-old forward has been a dynamic offensive threat since the moment he joined Rockford, with career totals of 108 points in 111 games to this point.
David Jiricek, Cleveland Monsters
If it were a more important season for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Jiricek might not have played a full season in the minor leagues. The 19-year-old defenseman was a menace at the AHL level, scoring six goals and 38 points in 55 games.
Known more for his size and blistering shot during his draft year, the 2022 sixth-overall pick showed improved poise and vision, leading to some lofty expectations in Columbus. Before long, he’ll be a full-time anchor on the Blue Jackets’ blue line.
Simon Nemec, Utica Comets
The other top defenseman from the 2022 draft class was Nemec, who didn’t disappoint in his rookie season. Selected second overall by the New Jersey Devils, the 19-year-old defenseman put up 12 goals and 34 points in 65 games.
Nemec has a wildly entertaining style that sees him fly all over the ice, making unpredictable plays regularly. While he may still take some unreasonable risks, he has a higher ceiling than almost any defensive prospect in the league, and should add that excitement to the Devils group soon enough.
Jesper Wallstedt, Iowa Wild
It was a pretty solid North American debut for Wallstedt, who posted a .908 save percentage in 38 AHL games. The big Swede was the 20th overall pick in 2021 and could buck the trend of goaltenders taking years to develop.
There was obvious growth in Wallstedt’s game during his first season in the AHL, and despite being just 20, he should already be factoring into the Minnesota Wild’s decision-making in net. They already have a young starter in Filip Gustavsson but may not need a backup for long.
Devils To Begin Contract Talks With Timo Meier This Week
When the Devils picked up winger Timo Meier from San Jose prior to the trade deadline, GM Tom Fitzgerald noted that they didn’t want to get into extension talks right away, instead preferring him to get fully integrated with the team. However, Fitzgerald told NHL.com’s Mike Zeisberger that those discussions will now begin this week.
Back in 2019, the 26-year-old signed a four-year, $24MM deal that was heavily backloaded. Doing so gave the Sharks some cap flexibility while on the back end, it set up a $10MM qualifying offer. That sparked some similar contracts being signed around the league and eventually, a change to the rules when the CBA was extended back in 2020 was made to eliminate the ballooning qualifying offer. Now, instead of the qualifier being set at what the salary in the preceding season was, it’s the lower of that number or 120% of the AAV of the previous contract.
However, that rule change only applied to contracts signed after that stretch. As a result, Meier is still subject to the old rule, meaning that New Jersey will have to tender him a $10MM qualifying offer later this month if they can’t agree on a new contract by then.
Meier notched a career-high 40 goals this season between the Sharks and Devils although he was a bit quieter than expected in the playoffs, scoring just twice in 11 contests. He has yet to reach the point-per-game mark in his career but he came close to doing so back in 2021-22. Accordingly, while Meier is an accomplished scorer, it’s fair to question if he’s worth a $10MM contract for next season.
The Devils do have one way to bring that amount down, although it comes with some risk. If they opt for club-elected arbitration, they can come in with an offer that’s 85% of the required tender, or $8.5MM. However, in return, Meier could simply go through the hearing, play for whatever is awarded, and then head straight to unrestricted free agency in 2024. That’s certainly not the outcome Fitzgerald would want after moving a first-round pick and another recent first-rounder (Shakir Mukhamadullin) plus a conditional pick that could become a first as part of the return to get Meier.
With that in mind, it’s not surprising to see Fitzgerald planning to engage Meier’s agent Claude Lemieux in discussions now with the hopes of getting something done before the calendar flips to July and the qualifying offer comes into play. That contract, if finalized, is likely to come in lower than the $10MM qualifier but not necessarily by much, especially with the expectation that the salary cap will start to go up quicker starting in 2024.
Fitzgerald made it clear to Zeisberger that his goal is getting the winger locked up on a long-term agreement; we’ll find out over the next few weeks if he’s able to succeed on that front.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Teams Calling About Damon Severson’s Negotiating Rights
The Devils have a long list of free agents to contend with this summer. Highlighting the restricted ones are wingers Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier while among the UFAs, center Erik Haula plus defensemen Ryan Graves and Damon Severson stand out. New Jersey isn’t in a spot where they’ll be able to keep all of them around.
Other teams around the NHL are clearly aware of this and according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman (video link), New Jersey is receiving calls with inquiries about Severson’s negotiating rights. At this point, the Devils are still believed to be trying to re-sign him but if those talks fall through, there might be enough interest to at least secure a late-round pick over losing him for nothing entirely.
Severson projects to be one of the top defensemen available on the open market next month. The 28-year-old had a career year in 2021-22 with 11 goals and 35 assists in 80 games and while he wasn’t able to repeat those numbers this season, he still managed 33 points in 81 contests despite having his playing time cut by nearly four minutes per night.
Severson had averaged at least 22 minutes per game in each of the last four seasons before this one which will certainly bolster his value in a market that doesn’t have a lot of players capable of playing top-pairing minutes. He’s also a right-shot player, the side that is always in high demand. As there continues to be a greater emphasis placed on mobility and puck movement from the back end, Severson fits in well with those requirements.
Of course, New Jersey would like to keep Severson around although it’s fair to question if they should. That isn’t an indictment on his abilities by any stretch but rather a question of how they’re allocating their money. Their other two right-shot defenders are Dougie Hamilton and John Marino who are each signed through the 2026-27 season with a combined cap hit of $13.4MM. As a player likely to be in high demand, Severson should be expecting a sizable raise from the $4.166MM on his previous deal; something in the $6MM range could be achievable. Is it, then, wise for them to spend upward of $20MM on the right side of their back end when you factor in the other players they need to re-sign? Based on the calls other teams are making about his negotiating rights, they’re doing the same math as well.
It’s important to note that a trade couldn’t be arranged with a conditional draft pick contingent on Severson signing with the acquiring team. Those used to be legal but that’s no longer the case. Instead, should a trade happen, it will be an unconditional pick going the other way. In recent years, there haven’t been many of those but one possible comparable would be Carolina moving Joel Edmundson’s rights to Montreal for a fifth-rounder in 2020. Severson’s market for his negotiating rights is likely to come in somewhere around there as well.
Typically, there are at least a few days between the end of the draft and the start of free agency, allowing a team on draft day to flip the pick and have a bit of time to try to hammer out a new deal. That isn’t really the case this year as the draft will be ending less than 48 hours before free agency opens up. Accordingly, if New Jersey can’t get a contract done with Severson in the next few weeks, they may have to move those rights before the draft if they want a shot at getting some sort of value in return.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Free Agent Focus: New Jersey Devils
Free agency is now a little less than a month away and teams are looking ahead to when it opens up. There will be several impact players set to hit the open market in July while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign as well. We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the New Jersey Devils.
Key Restricted Free Agents
F Timo Meier – The biggest trade of the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline, Meier seemed to have a difficult transition early on in joining the Devils. In 21 games down the stretch, Meier scored nine goals and five assists, not quite what New Jersey was expecting after giving up so much to acquire him. In the playoffs, it was much of the same for Meier, only scoring two goals and two assists in 11 games.
This summer, Meier is due a $10MM qualifying offer, which may have precluded contending teams from acquiring him this year. If Meier is not open to signing a long-term deal, $10MM for one year would make him one of the highest-paid players in the NHL. Down the stretch for New Jersey, Meier was clearly not worth a total of $10MM a season, so the Devils will have a lot on their plate trying to get Meier to accept a lower AAV.
F Jesper Bratt – Once again, Bratt had another terrific season with the Devils. In 82 games, Bratt was able to score 32 goals and 41 assists, finishing fourth in New Jersey in scoring. Drafted 162nd overall in the 2016 NHL Draft, Bratt is quickly becoming one of the biggest draft steals in the league today.
Having already signed a 2-year, $5.5MM contract back in 2021, and then accepting a 1-year, $5.45MM contract this season, Bratt will surely be looking for a long-term extension much like Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier have already received from the Devils. In mid-May, it was reported that although pausing extension negotiations for the playoffs, it is not expected that New Jersey and Bratt will hit many snags in their negotiation.
G Mackenzie Blackwood – Once again dealing with injuries throughout the season, this year may have become the end of the line for Blackwood in New Jersey. Only able to appear in 22 games, Blackwood held a 10-6-2 record, posting a .893 SV% and a 3.20 GAA. Already having Vitek Vanecek for the next two seasons, and the up-and-coming play from Akira Schmid, there may not be any room left on the depth chart for Blackwood.
Other RFAs: F Nathan Bastian, F Jesper Boqvist, F Michael McLeod, F Yegor Sharangovich, D Kevin Bahl, F Timur Ibragimov, F Aarne Talvitie, D Jeremy Groleau, D Zackary Hayes, D Reilly Walsh, G Zacharie Emond
Key Unrestricted Free Agents
D Damon Severson – Having a little bit of a down year compared to last season, Severson still provided steady play to the Devils’ back end, much like he has done throughout the entirety of his career. This season, in 81 games played, Severson scored seven goals and 26 assists, averaging just under 20 minutes a game. On the defensive side of the puck, Severson blocked 115 shots for New Jersey this year and improved quite a bit on his career average in terms of puck possession.
On the right-hand side of their defensive core, the Devils already have All-Star defenseman, Dougie Hamilton, with top prospect Simon Nemec waiting in the wings. If Severson still values himself in the top four of a contending team’s defensive unit, it will likely not come in New Jersey moving forward.
D Ryan Graves – Acquired from the Colorado Avalanche before the 2021-22 season due to the Seattle Kraken expansion draft, Graves has become one of, if not the best shutdown defenseman in hockey. In 78 games played this year, Graves scored eight goals and 18 assists, carrying an impressive +34 rating. Providing New Jersey with 152 blocked shots, and also playing just under 20 minutes a night, Graves has shown the ability to play with the opposing team’s top talent.
F Erik Haula – Playing on his fifth team in the last four years, Haula will surely be hoping for a multi-year deal, giving himself some security on his next contract. Coming over in the offseason from the Boston Bruins, Haula became a great depth scorer for New Jersey this year. In 80 games, Haula scored 14 goals and 27 assists, playing almost 17 minutes a night. Haula also played quite well for the Devils in the playoffs, scoring four goals and two assists in 12 games. Based on his previous contracts, Haula shouldn’t be expected to make north of $3MM a year, which may entice the Devils to extend their relationship.
Other UFAs: F Tomas Tatar, F Miles Wood, G Jonathan Bernier, F Mason Geertsen, F Jayce Hawryluk, F Brian Pinho
Projected Cap Space
Although the Devils are expected to have around $34.3MM available to them in cap space this summer, expect contract extensions to eat into most of that. Based on their market, Meier and Bratt should be expected to both receive contracts of at least $8MM a year, which would cut into the Devils’ cap space considerably. Aside from that, New Jersey does have some unrestricted free agents entering this summer that will be expecting decent paydays as well.
Luckily for the Devils, if they are looking to improve this team in any considerable way, it will likely be in the form of Luke Hughes and Nemec getting more ice time next year. In a thin free-agent market this year, New Jersey may be better off extending most of their free agents and injecting even more youth into this exciting lineup.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.