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Poll: Where Will Erik Karlsson Play In 2018-19?

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Since John Tavares decided on the Toronto Maple Leafs as his destination of choice in free agency, all eyes have turned to another Ontario-based superstar who might be changing locales in short order. Erik Karlsson has been given the opportunity to negotiate extensions with potential acquiring teams, and seems destined to be moved at some point in the next few days or weeks. The Ottawa Senators captain has one year left on his current contract, and was reportedly offered an eight-year, $80MM extension by the team. That number comes in slightly below the contract given to Drew Doughty (eight years, $88MM) which is seen by many as the measuring stick for Karlsson’s next deal.

Recently it was reported that the Dallas Stars had the inside track on any Karlsson trade, and as recently as a few hours ago Chris Stevenson of The Athletic tweeted that talks are ongoing between the two teams. The Stars have plenty of young talent, including Finnish defensemen Julis Honka and Miro Heiskanen, and are looking to compete while Jamie Benn, John Klingberg and Tyler Seguin are still in their prime. A Karlsson deal would make them immediate contenders, though it would obviously cost a ton in assets and salary.

The Tampa Bay Lightning, Vegas Golden Knights, New York Islanders and even Columbus Blue Jackets have been mentioned among other teams as potential destinations, and it is not clear at this point who will win out and land the two-time Norris Trophy winner. It’s not even guaranteed that Karlsson will move on from Ottawa, which he’s called his home for many years and could potentially still increase their offer to retain him should the offered packages not live up to their expectations.

Where do you think Karlsson will start the 2018-19 season? Vote below and make sure to leave your thoughts in the comment section.

Which team will Erik Karlsson play for at the start of the 2018-19 season?
Vegas Golden Knights 27.41% (773 votes)
Dallas Stars 22.84% (644 votes)
Other (leave in comments) 19.47% (549 votes)
Ottawa Senators 10.25% (289 votes)
New York Islanders 10.14% (286 votes)
Tampa Bay Lightning 9.89% (279 votes)
Total Votes: 2,820

[Mobile users click here to vote!]

Carolina Hurricanes Sign Calvin De Haan

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The Carolina Hurricanes, known for their depth and talent on defense, continue to surprisingly add top blue line names to the roster this off-season. After previously trading for right-handed scoring threat Dougie Hamilton, the team has reportedly agreed to a deal with arguably the top defender on the free agent market, left-landed shutdown defenseman Calvin de Haan. The Raleigh News & Observer’s Luck DeCock first reported that the team has signed de Haan to a four-year, $18.2MM contract – a $4.55MM AAV. The team confirmed the deal soon after.

De Haan, 27, was No. 9 on PHR’s Top 50 Free Agents List. Although he missed the majority of last season due to injury, de Haan has shown a high-end defensive ability in his pro career. The 12th overall pick in 2009 by the New York Islanders, de Haan has proven to be one of the best shot blockers in the NHL and an extremely reliable presence on the back end. Yet has has also improved his offensive production with each year, including a career-best scoring rate prior to his injury last season. While many may have balked at a $4.55MM value for de Haan in a vacuum, he is clearly superior to nearly every other defenseman in this free agent market.

Carolina is a surprise landing spot for the defensive standout though. De Haan’s arrival in Raleigh will only add to a formidable corps of rearguards that includes Hamilton, Justin Faulk, Jaccob Slavin, Brett Pesce, Trevor van Riemsdyk (an RFA), young pros Haydn Fleury and Roland McKeown, and elite prospects Jake Bean, Luke Martin, and Adam Fox. De Haan’s signing very well could be a sign of more changes coming in Carolina under new ownership and new GM Don Waddell. 

Robin Lehner Signs With New York Islanders

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The New York Islanders have made several additions since losing captain John Tavares in free agency, the most recent of which was re-acquiring Matt Martin from the Toronto Maple Leafs. Now, the team has brought in Robin Lehner to help their situation in net. Lehner was allowed to become an unrestricted free agent when the Buffalo Sabres decided not to extend him a qualifying offer, and has now signed a one-year contract with the Islanders worth $1.5MM.

Lehner, 26, had a rough career in Buffalo after being acquired by the Sabres along with David Legwand in exchange for a first-round pick. With high expectations heaped upon him, he was asked to play behind one of the worst rosters in the league on a nightly basis and still performed admirably. In his first two seasons in Buffalo he registered a .921 save percentage through 80 games, and looked like he might be the long-term answer in net as the team rebuilt. Unfortunately, his play slipped last season and after several incidents of losing his cool on the ice over his time in Buffalo, the team decided to move on instead of giving him what would have been a $4MM qualifying offer. Linus Ullmark and Carter Hutton will take over for the Sabres, leaving Lehner out on free agency looking for a new home.

After goaltenders like Hutton, Cam Ward, Petr Mrazek and Jaroslav Halak all got snapped up quickly in free agency, it wasn’t clear where Lehner would find that new home. The only place left that seemed to need a starting goaltender was New York, but it’s clear from the contract that they’re not positive he’s the long-term answer. Lehner will be an unrestricted free agent again in a year’s time, and will have to prove that he can keep calm and put up those impressive numbers once again.

He’ll have to battle Thomas Greiss to do it, who will actually make more than twice as much as Lehner next season. The 32-year old Greiss is signed for another two seasons at $3.33MM, but struggled immensely last season and registered an .892 save percentage. Where new head coach Barry Trotz will go to start the year is unclear, but he’s navigated a goaltending tandem before, most recently in Washington with Braden Holtby and Philipp Grubauer. If he can get anything close to the same level of play out of even one of Lehner or Greiss, the Islanders will be a much improved team in 2018-19.

Matt Martin Traded To New York Islanders

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The New York Islanders have acquired Matt Martin from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for goaltending prospect Eamon McAdam. No salary was retained in the transaction, meaning the Islanders will have to carry the full $2.5MM cap hit for the next two seasons. Interestingly though, Martin was paid a $1.5MM signing bonus on July 1st for what was already a front-loaded contract, meaning New York will actually only pay $2.5MM in actual cash for Martin’s work through 2019-20.

Martin, 29, was pushed out of the Maple Leafs lineup this season due to the emergence of Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson, playing in only 50 games and watching through the entire first round of the playoffs. Though he was extremely well-liked in the dressing room, there was simply no spot for Martin on Toronto’s roster going forward, and the team desperately needed cap relief for next season when Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander will all be on their next contracts. $2.5MM in cap space isn’t insignificant, especially when the team didn’t have to give up a single asset to rid themselves of it.

In fact they acquired McAdam, who was originally picked in the third round by the Islanders but hasn’t been able to secure a job even at the AHL level. Coming to Toronto he may have a similar problem, as the team already has Garret Sparks, Calvin Pickard and Kasimir Kaskisuo under contract. One of the first two may be moved up to the NHL should the team believe they can help more than current backup Curtis McElhinney, but there isn’t a lot of room on the Toronto Marlies either way. Beyond this year, the team also owns the rights to NCAA goaltender Joseph Woll, who is headed back to Boston College but could be ready for professional action in 2019-20. It’s not clear where McAdam lands in that group, though he could be loaned to another AHL team like Kaskisuo was last season.

With this deal the Islanders will be able to reunite a line of Martin, Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck that was once considered the “best fourth line in the NHL” though that is certainly not guaranteed. Over the last few days the team has also signed bottom-six forwards Leo Komarov and Tom Kuhnhackl, while they still have Ross Johnston and others that could compete for spots. If that trio is put back together, it will be interesting to see if they can be as effective as they once were at pinning defenders in with physicality.

Martin struggled to find ice time in Toronto this season so the move makes sense, and opens up another roster spot for a young player or free agent acquisition. The Maple Leafs currently have some openings on their fourth line, though new faces like Josh Jooris or Par Lindholm could fill those roles. Either way, it does seem like fresh-faced GM Kyle Dubas has a clear plan for the Maple Leafs going forward—one that no longer included Martin.

Islanders Sign Mike Sislo And Matt Lorito

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On top of locking up winger Tom Kuhnhackl today, the Islanders also made several additions to their minor league team.  In addition to confirming previously-reported agreements for goalie Christopher Gibson and defenseman Seth Helgeson, they also announced that they have signed winger Mike Sislo to a one-year deal plus winger Matt Lorito on a two-year contract.

Sislo receives a two-way pact and is coming off another strong season at the AHL level.  The 30-year-old spent last season with Arizona’s AHL affiliate and tied for the team lead in goals with 23 while adding 24 assists in 68 games.  He last saw NHL action in 2015-16 and projects to be a key AHL contributor more than a regular for the Isles next season.

Lorito’s deal is structured a little differently.  He also will play on a two-way contract in 2018-19 but it converts to a one-way pact in 2019-20.  The 27-year-old has very limited NHL experience under his belt (two games with Detroit in 2016-17) but has been a consistent producer in the AHL for the last three seasons.  Last season, he picked up 23 goals and 26 assists in 59 games with the Red Wings’ minor league affiliate in Grand Rapids.

The signings bring the Islanders up to 37 committed contracts for next season out of the limit of 50 with five restricted free agents still to re-sign, headlined by center Brock Nelson.

Islanders Sign Tom Kuhnhackl To One-Year Deal

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The New York Islanders announced they have added another depth player today, signing forward Tom Kuhnhackl to a one-year deal.  Terms have not been announced yet.

The 26-year-old spent the past three seasons with Pittsburgh in a fourth line role.  Last season, he played in a career-high 69 games but his production dropped to a career-low eight points.  He was also held off the scoresheet in a dozen postseason contests.  Despite that, the Penguins had offered him a two-year contract extension prior to the qualifying offer deadline last Monday but after they weren’t able to come to terms, the team opted to non-tender him instead of running the risk of him filing for salary arbitration.

With the Islanders, Kuhnhackl will likely reprise the role he had with Pittsburgh and serve in a penalty killing/checking role.  New York has been active in trying to fill out their roster since receiving the news that John Tavares wouldn’t be returning and since they’ve added some depth now, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them try to take a running at adding another top-six forward in the days to come.

New York Islanders Sign Valtteri Filppula

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The New York Islanders have to look elsewhere for their center depth now that John Tavares is gone and they missed out on Ryan O’Reilly, and they’re looking at Valtteri Filppula. The team has signed the veteran center to a one-year, $2.75MM contract that will also include a full no-move clause.

Filppula, 34, is a calculated risk by GM Lou Lamoriello and the Islanders after missing out on some of the other top names. Though he’s certainly not as flashy of a signing, he still did record 33 points for the Philadelphia Flyers last season and has a long history of production in the NHL. The decision to bring him in isn’t to replace Tavares, but to give the team some more depth behind Mathew Barzal as they still try to stay competitive next season. The no-movement clause is definitely an impediment to any potential trade should the team struggle and look to move out assets at the deadline, but it could be waived should Filppula want to go to a team who is trying to win the Stanley Cup.

It may be underwhelming for Islanders fans, but there isn’t a ton of risk in a one-year deal for a veteran forward. At worst Filppula is a fine fourth-line option that will still help offensively, and at best he can be a contributing middle-six center that has experience on both the powerplay and penalty kill. The team has plenty of cap space—among the most in the league in fact—and can afford to pay out a few million to a veteran of 876 NHL games.

Calgary Flames Sign Alan Quine, Tyler Graovac

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The Calgary Flames continue to add to their forward depth, following up acquisitions of Derek Ryan and Austin Czarnik earlier with yet another pair intriguing signings. The team has inked Tyler Graovac and Alan Quine to one-year, two-way contracts that will carry cap hits of $650K and $700K respectively in the NHL.

John Tavares Signs With Toronto Maple Leafs

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After a long, and incredibly difficult negotiation with the New York Islanders, John Tavares has decided to leave the only NHL franchise he’s ever known. The 27-year old superstar has signed a seven-year, $77MM contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs, his childhood and offseason home. Tavares confirmed his decision on Twitter:

I’ve been so fortunate to be an Islander not only because of the love and support of the fan base, but because of how lucky I was to be around so many great people. From ownership through management, staff and of course all my teammates, they helped me mature and grow into who I am today. I will always be thankful for how they molded and guided me to be a better person and hockey player. Memories and friendships that I will forever hold close to my heart.

Thank you everyone for your impact on me, I will always be grateful. My words will never be able to fully show the impact my time on the Island had on me.

These past six days have been nothing I could have ever expected. Making the toughest decision of my life: to stay where I have been my entire career or take a calculated leap of faith into an opportunity that I believe will be special to me and my family. The Island has been home, It’s what I know, it’s part of me–it always will be. I can’t thank you all enough for the dedication you have all shown. I’m sorry if this decision pains you, as you can tell it wasn’t easy, but have trust in the future because it is bright. The Islanders are in great hands. I am thankful that I had the opportunity to be an Islander for as long as I did. The Island, the fans, the organization, my teammates will always be special to me and my family but it’s time to live my childhood dream here in Toronto.

The Maple Leafs were one of six teams, including the Islanders, that were granted an in-person meeting with Tavares last week. The team was rumored to be presenting some “creative” contract options, and now Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports on what that may have referred to. The contract is nearly entirely made up of signing bonuses, meaning the deal is lockout-proof, and will give him the maximum amount available the first two seasons. It also includes full a no-movement/no-trade clause. The breakdown is as follows:

  • 2018-19: $650K salary + $15.25MM signing bonus
  • 2019-20: $650K salary + $15.25MM signing bonus
  • 2020-21: $910K salary + $11.09MM signing bonus
  • 2021-22: $910K salary + $8.44MM signing bonus
  • 2022-23: $910K salary + $7.04MM signing bonus
  • 2023-24: $910K salary + $7.04MM signing bonus
  • 2024-25: $910K salary + $7.04MM signing bonus

Tavares was the belle of the ball in this year’s free agency, and is arguably the best player to ever reach the open market in the salary cap era. At 27 he is still well within what is considered a player’s prime, and has been a Hart Trophy finalist twice already. In his most recent season, Tavares recorded 37 goals and 84 points while still being a reliable defensive center and good faceoff option. His biggest flaw coming into the league, skating, has been addressed throughout the years to the point where it no longer is an issue, and will now be put on the ice with some of the best linemates of his career. The early suspicion is that Tavares will play with fellow Greater Toronto Area-born forward and former London Knight Mitch Marner, while Auston Matthews will remain alongside William Nylander. That gives Toronto two of the best pairs in the Atlantic Division, and a real threat to compete for the division title.

It’s that division that is the focus today, as the Boston Bruins miss out on Tavares and the Buffalo Sabres continue to be rumored in trade talks for Ryan O’Reilly. Toronto now has a good claim to the best 1-2-3 punch down the middle in the Atlantic, with Nazem Kadri—coming off consecutive 32-goal seasons—penciled into the third line. It’s going to make the Maple Leafs increasingly difficult to match up against, as they spread their skill across all four lines.

How they’ll be able to retain all that skill is a different question altogether. With Tavares now taking up a huge chunk of the salary cap as one of the highest-paid players in the league, the Maple Leafs will have some tough decisions on their hands going forward. William Nylander is a restricted free agent this summer and needs a new contract that could push above $6MM per season depending on the term, while Matthews and Marner are both a year away from being in a similar situation. The team also has Jake Gardiner entering the last season of his current deal, while the rest of the defense still needs an upgrade.

It’s on defense that many were expecting the Maple Leafs to make their next move, but instead they’ll try to load up at the center ice position. Tavares, Matthews and Kadri could easily be taking up more than $25MM in cap space a year from now, almost a third of the available salary for the whole team. They’re not complaining today, but it certainly isn’t an easy situation going forward.

Still, for young GM Kyle Dubas this is a win. Less than two months into his career as the Maple Leafs boss he went head-to-head with his former mentor in Lou Lamoriello and ended up securing one of the best players in the league. The team will have to decide how to pay everyone going forward and could end up losing a young player due to cap contraints, but that’s a chance that Dubas had to take to bring in a player who very well could be the next Toronto captain. Tavares tweeted out pictures of himself covered in Maple Leafs attire as a youth, while the team sent out a picture of a 14-year old Tavares in Marlies garb at the introductory press conference for the AHL team. The team is currently without a captain, and though there was much speculation that Matthews would eventually wear the “C” nothing is certain now.

What is clear, is that the Maple Leafs have taken a big step forward towards Stanley Cup contention today. Just two years after finishing dead last in the NHL, the team is working on back-to-back playoff appearances and now features some of the very best forwards in the entire league. Though no success is guaranteed in the NHL, Dubas and the team continue to work towards ending a championship drought that has now lasted more than a half-century.

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