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New York Teams Leaning Away From Ilya Kovalchuk

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As Ilya Kovalchuk continues to try and find a landing spot in the NHL, new reports from Igor Eronko of Sport-Express and Arthur Staple of Newsday have both the New York Islanders and Rangers out of the running. Staple goes so far as to say that both teams had little interest in the first place, as we touched on in the live chat yesterday.

Kovalchuk’s suitors seem to be dwindling by the day, as teams struggle to find room for his expected contract. If the 34-year old is to land somewhere, it would also cost the team an asset to acquire him from the Devils as he’s not allowed to sign directly with anyone else. Giving up an asset and somewhere around $5MM in cap space for a player who is four years removed from playing in the NHL. Ilya Kovalchuk

It’s unclear so far what the Devils would be asking for in trade, but with Ray Shero seemingly washing his hands of the situation until Kovalchuk comes with a real interested party it may drag on much deeper into the summer. No deal can be officially announced until July anyway, when Kovalchuk becomes eligible to sign a new contract with the Devils and then traded to a destination.

The other option that exists for Kovalchuk is waiting until next summer when he will be an unrestricted free agent and able to sign anywhere in the NHL. While that deal would come with restrictions due to his age—contracts signed after the age of 35 count towards the cap regardless of any actions (retirement, buyout, injury) taken—it might be easier to convince a team to take a short-term deal with him without the attached asset. That would also allow him to play in the Olympics, though the relationship between the Russian Hockey Federation and Kovalchuk has been strained for years.

The Rangers are clearly trying to get younger up front, and with Rick Nash already filling the overpriced aging left winger role, have always seemed like a long shot in the Kovalchuk sweepstakes. The Islanders on the other hand could pair Kovalchuk with John Tavares up front, but likely have a better option in Anders Lee already in house. His 34 goals are more than you could expect from Kovalchuk, and they’re already paying Andrew Ladd more than enough to provide some secondary scoring.

Despite reports that Kovalchuk wanted to stay in New York (or Florida), neither team looks like much of a fit for the Russian sniper. These reports shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, though they do take a bit of the fun out of the speculation.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

New York Islanders Sign Steve Bernier To Two-Way Contract

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Former top-prospect Steve Bernier has re-upped with the New York Islanders, signing a two-year two-way deal with the team. The financials have not been released yet, but it’s unlikely that the deal would be worth much more than the minimum of $650K at the NHL level. Bernier would have become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st. Steve Bernier

Bernier, now 32, scored 26 points in 33 games for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the AHL last season and ranked third on their team in goals despite playing less than half the year. The incredible talent that made him a 16th-overall pick in 2003 is still there, but at this point the chance of an NHL comeback is slim. Bernier once was one of the top prospects in all of hockey, and made an immediate impact with the San Jose Sharks in his rookie season after the team had traded up to get him at the draft. Scoring 27 points in 39 games for the Sharks, he was deemed the next star power forward but conditioning issues that had followed him since junior crept up again and he could never duplicate that 2005-06 run.

After 633 NHL games spread between the Sharks, Sabres, Canucks, Panthers, Devils and Islanders, the 6’3″ 220-lbs Bernier has collected just 230 points. He does though provide some depth for the Islanders should they get into injury trouble, but more likely will play out the year at the AHL level and try to help Bridgeport win a Calder Cup.

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Calgary Flames Announce Kansas City Mavericks As New ECHL Affiliate

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New York Islanders Interested In Jordan Eberle

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In the latest edition of Insider Trading on TSN, Darren Dreger reported that the New York Islanders are among several teams have interest in Edmonton Oilers forward Jordan Eberle. Dreger makes it very clear that there is “no guarantee” that Eberle even gets dealt.

Eberle has been in the news lately as a possible trade candidate as the Oilers start to figure out how their salary structure is going to shake out with extensions for Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. GM Peter Chiarelli recently admitted that they would likely have to move a player out at some point, and Eberle is one of the most expensive players on the roster currently (tied with Milan Lucic and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins). Jordan Eberle

Chiarelli has shown he’s willing to move out big-name players recently, with the trades of Taylor Hall and Nail Yakupov last year. While Eberle may not have quite the same value that Hall did when he recouped Adam Larsson, the 27-year old winger is one of the most consistent goal scorers in the league. He’s scored at least 20 goals in all but one of his full seasons, and still has two years left on his contract before becoming a free agent.

The Islanders have been starved for top-line wingers for years, though their forward group did show improvement as the most recent season went on. Eberle would give them another right-handed option up front in what has been a very lefty-heavy group.

Dreger mentioned Travis Hamonic as a possibility, and as we examined yesterday moving him or another defender would clear up some of the expansion problems for the Islanders. The Islanders will have plenty of competition if Eberle really does hit the trading block, but have all the assets to acquire him if they want to.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Expansion Primer: New York Islanders

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Over the next few weeks we will be breaking down each team’s situation as it pertains to the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft. Which players are eligible, and which will likely warrant protection or may be on the block. Each team is required to submit their protection lists by 4pm CDT on June 17th. The full rules on eligibility can be found here, and CapFriendly has provided a handy expansion tool to make your own lists.

When the New York Islanders went out last summer and signed Andrew Ladd, they expected him to be an integral piece of their top six and a veteran who could show the rest of the team what it meant to be Stanley Cup contenders. After all, Ladd had won Cups with both Carolina and Chicago, and the Islanders were coming off two straight 100+ point seasons and a round 1 victory over the Florida Panthers. His season very much mirrored the year for the rest of the team, who started off ice cold and found themselves in last place in the Eastern Conference as the calendar turned to December.

The Islanders would eventually catch fire much like Ladd, who after scoring just two goals in his first 24 games would finish the season with 23. New York, riding a six game win streak to finish the season would push the Maple Leafs to the brink but ultimately fall just a point short of the eighth and final playoff spot. Now, having missed the playoffs and still struggling to find a permanent home, they’ll go into the offseason with much on their minds. Outside of re-signing John Tavares to a long-term deal (which is clearly their focus), they’ll select 15th at the entry draft and navigate the troubled waters of the Vegas expansion draft.

Eligible Players (Non-UFA)

Forwards:

John Tavares (NMC), Andrew Ladd (NMC), Nikolai Kulemin, Anders Lee, Cal Clutterbuck, Casey Cizikas, Josh Bailey, Brock Nelson, Ryan Strome, Jason Chimera, Shane Prince, Alan Quine

Defensemen:

Johnny Boychuk (NMC), Nick Leddy, Travis Hamonic, Thomas Hickey, Dennis Seidenberg, Ryan Pulock, Scott Mayfield, Adam Pelech, Loic Leduc, Matthew Finn, Calvin de Haan, Jesse Graham

Goaltenders: 

Jaroslav Halak, Thomas Greiss, Christopher Gibson

Notable Exemptions

Mikhail Grabovski, Anthony Beauvillier, Michael Dal Colle, Joshua Ho-Sang, Mathew Barzal, Jake Bischoff

Key Decisions

The expansion draft for the Islanders hinges on two key decisions: 1) Will Boychuk waive his no-movement clause and accept exposure knowing that Vegas is unlikely to select his long and expensive contract? 2) Knowing the answer on Boychuk, which of the two protection schemes (seven forwards, three defensemen or eight skaters) will they decide to employ? Johnny Boychuk

At forward, the second decision looms large as at least nine players have various cases for protection. It would be tough to expose any of the Tavares-Ladd-Lee-Bailey-Nelson group, as they are the core of the forwards and are all young enough (save for perhaps Ladd) to grow and contribute together over the next several years. Outside of those five Cizikas, Strome, Prince and Quine all carry some mixture of potential and performance. Strome carries the investment of a fifth-overall draft selection despite his recent disappointments, making him a tough name to leave off your list at just 23 years old.

Those final few spots up front will be dependent on how the Islanders feel about their defense core though, as they’re at risk of having to expose a good young defender like de Haan or Hamonic. Even if Boychuk decides to waive his NMC, the eight-skater protection scheme would still likely leave Pulock, a 22-year old former 15th-overall pick exposed along with other options like Hickey or Pelech. It also would leave several interesting players available up front.

In net, Greiss will be the obvious protection choice after he took the net this season and was given a three-year extension. It’s not clear that Greiss is a better goaltender at this point than Halak, but he does come cheaper and will be able to hold the fort until some of the Islanders’ outstanding goalie prospects make it to the NHL. The Islanders could swing a deal with Vegas in order for them to take Halak off their hands, but with the amount of goaltending options the Golden Knights are sure to have, it would cost New York a legitimate asset.

Mikhail GrabovskiThe Islanders don’t have any unrestricted free agents that would interest Vegas in their negotiating window, but one has to wonder whether de Haan would be a perfect candidate for a long-term deal with the Golden Knights if he is left unprotected. As a restricted free agent this summer, the 26-year old de Haan will be allowed to speak with Vegas during the window and after his very good season and impressive performance at the World Championships, he could be a big part of a surprisingly good Golden Knights defense corps from day 1.

It’s important to note that Mikhail Grabovski is ineligible for the draft because of his long-term injury, one which he may never return from. Grabovski last played on March 15th of 2016, when he returned from a concussion suffered a month earlier. After experiencing symptoms again, he wouldn’t for the remainder of that year and spent this entire season on long-term injured reserve. He was listed among the other exemptions like David Clarkson and Nathan Horton earlier this year.

Projected Protection List

F John Tavares (NMC)
F Andrew Ladd (NMC)
F Anders Lee
F Josh Bailey
F Brock Nelson
F Ryan Strome
F Casey Cizikas

D Johnny Boychuk
D Nick Leddy
D Travis Hamonic

G Thomas Greiss

Protecting Hamonic over de Haan would be debatable for years to come, which forces the us back to the first question; will Boychuk waive his NMC? It’s not even that Boychuk is a bad player, quite the opposite. Just that at $6MM per season for the next five years, his contract is likely protection enough to keep him out of Vegas for the time being. The Golden Knights want to acquire bad contracts in exchange for assets, not just take them off team’s hands for free.

The other thing the team might think about is the good young forwards that are almost ready to be added to the group up front, and if that means they could afford to lose one of their current players. Ho-Sang and Dal Colle should make an impact this season, while Barzal is one of the best prospects in the entire league after another outstanding season in the WHL. Room will have to be made for these young players eventually, and perhaps now is as good a time as any. Either way, the Islanders have some big decisions to make over the coming few days as protection lists are due on June 17th. We’ll find out what choices they made the next day.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Will Hamonic Stay In Brooklyn?

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In an off-season where the Islanders’ primary concerns will be extending John Tavares to quell rumors of his departure at the end of the season, and developing prospects into NHL ready contributors, focus on the blueline should not be overlooked.

Travis Hamonic’s stats aren’t particularly glamorous, with 3 goals and 11 assists through 49 games this past year. His Corsi For % was a career worst at a very unfortunate 43.0%, but many players struggled mightily this season in Brooklyn. He is the assistant captain of the team and his leadership with young players has been particularly important in the wake of losing both Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen a year ago. While Nick Leddy and Johnny Boychuk have been brilliant in their roles, Hamonic rounds the defense out with a shutdown type. Calvin de Haan has developed well and will contribute after the RFA negotiates his own contract with New York ownership. The potential error going forward is that the Islanders will see Hamonic as relatively expendable, and that could prove a costly mistake. For a franchise trying yet again to find a way back into the playoffs in a brutally competitive Metropolitan Division, losing top-4 defensemen at their lowest value is not acceptable asset management. If Hamonic were indeed dealt, it would presumably be for far less than Taylor Hall, which according to Arthur Staple and Lighthouse Hockey was an offer rejected by GM Garth Snow last off-season.

Hamonic is listed as the #5 prize in this years trade bait list by TSN which is slightly surprising for a relatively unassuming player. The Wild will almost assuredly trade one of Jonas Brodin (#2) or Mathew Dumba (#3) – leaving the Islanders with an enticing stalwart in a league with lots of struggling defensive squads. That said, it’s difficult to imagine a top line talent being the piece coming back. The Islanders’ stockpile of young players is already quite impressive, so established production is imperative. The player would also likely need to be a winger who could play with John Tavares, but he has had difficulty gelling with players in the past. Although Hamonic had a down year, management should view his overall performance with the franchise  rather than drawing conclusions from a tough final season under former coach Jack Capuano. Perhaps the wisest option is to allow Hamonic’s stock to rise again before considering a move.

Exclusive Negotiating Rights Of 33 Players Expire

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The deadline for signing draft picks has come and gone, and unless more deals come in after the fact, 33 players will see their exclusive negotiating rights expire. With it they will either re-enter the 2017 draft for the final time or become free agents, depending on their age. None of the selections were made any higher than the fourth round, though even that is an unfortunate loss for a team hoping to hit a late-round stud. Below is the full list of players:

Buffalo Sabres

Giorgio Estephan (6th round, 2015)
Gustav Possler (5th round, 2013)

Calgary Flames

Riley Bruce (7th round, 2015)

Chicago Blackhawks

Roy Radke (6th round, 2015)

Colorado Avalanche

Wilhelm Westlund (7th round, 2013)

Read more

New York Islanders Extend Offer To David Quenneville

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  • The New York Islanders have extended a “bona fide offer” to draft pick David Quenneville, in order to retain his rights for another year. This information almost never comes out officially, but in order to keep his exclusive negotiating rights until next June the offer needed to be submitted today. Quenneville, the brother of New Jersey forward John Quenneville and second cousin to Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville, was drafted in the seventh round last summer and enjoyed a successful season for the Medicine Hat Tigers.

New York Islanders Hire Scott Gomez As Assistant Coach

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The New York Islanders have continued to add to their coaching staff, hiring former NHL forward Scott Gomez to work with Doug Weight as an assistant coach this season. The team had previously hired Luke Richardson this spring to work behind the bench, and is still rumored to be interested in bringing Kelly Buchberger on board.

Gomez, though he will be remembered for the relatively weak end of his career, was an outstanding player during his prime. The 2000 Rookie of the Year, Gomez broke out with 70 points in his first season and would go on to score 756 over his career. Winning Stanley Cups in both 2000 and 2003, he was one of the elite playmakers in the league for nearly a decade.

His career ended in 2015-16 after bouncing around from team to team, suiting up for the Devils, Rangers, Canadiens, Sharks, Panthers, Blues and Senators throughout his career. He’ll be remembered most as a Devil, but will now join the Islanders for the next chapter in his hockey career. Though his Players’ Tribune piece “Not Done” near the end of the 2014-15 season turned out to be a bit ironic in its timing—though Gomez was finishing up something of a renaissance in New Jersey, he would play just 34 NHL games the next season, his last, scoring nine points—it does outline the incredible work ethic that was instilled in him as a Devil, one that he will likely bring to New York next season.

Offseason Keys: New York Islanders

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While the expansion draft is set to headline a busy NHL offseason, there are still several other storylines for each team in the months ahead. Here is a closer look at what lies ahead for the New York Islanders.

Midseason coaching changes can often spark teams and that’s what happened this season for the Islanders.  The team went 17-17-4 under Jack Capuano but after he was let go, they responded under Doug Weight, going 24-12-4 down the stretch.  It wasn’t enough to make the playoffs but it certainly allowed them to go into the offseason with more optimism.  One key decision was already made by removing the interim tag for Weight; here are three other things that will draw GM Garth Snow’s attention in the coming months.

Extension Talks For Tavares

Let’s get the obvious one out of the way first.  Captain John Tavares is one year away from unrestricted free agency and is eligible to sign an extension as early as July 1st.  We saw in the past with Steven Stamkos the potential distraction that can arise when a deal doesn’t get done prior to the start of a season.  Even this past year, Tavares was facing questions about his potential willingness to sign an extension before he’s even eligible to do so.

Dec 29, 2016; Saint Paul, MN, USA; New York Islanders forward John Tavares (91) against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center. The Wild defeated the Islanders 6-4. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY SportsEach time that came up, the 26 year old reaffirmed his commitment to staying with the franchise that drafted him first overall back in 2009.  Accordingly, if they can find common ground on a new deal, this is one of those situations where the sooner it gets done, the better so that there is no potential for any distractions entering the season.

Finding the right fit financially becomes the challenge.  It’s a certainty that Tavares is set to get a significant raise from the $6MM he’s set to earn in salary in 2017-18 ($5.5MM cap hit).  There’s a case to be made that he’s worthy of a similar deal to Anze Kopitar of the Kings, eight years and $80MM.  Will Tavares look to maximize his pay day though or will he take a bit less as a ‘hometown discount’ and leave management a bit more room to work with?  Either way, his situation has to be priority number one for Snow this summer.

Determine If The Goalie Situation Is Feasible

Last season was a rocky one for Jaroslav Halak.  He struggled at the outset and was frustrated by the three goalie system that the team was employing and eventually asked for a trade.  Instead, he went on waivers and passed through unclaimed.  He was very good at AHL Bridgeport and wound up being recalled late in the year and played a role in their late push for the playoffs.  Does that mean his trade request is no longer in place though?

The three goalie issue isn’t likely to recur as Jean-Francois Berube is heading towards Group VI unrestricted free agency and isn’t expected to return.  However, Thomas Greiss, who took over the starting role for most of the season, is still with the team and is starting a new three year, $10MM deal.  Accordingly, he figures to enter 2017-18 as the expected starter once again.

Halak is heading into the final year of his contract with a $4.5MM cap hit and a $5MM salary.  It seems likely that he’ll be hoping for more playing time so he could become someone to join what’s expected to be a large goalie market in the hopes of finding him a better fit.  While there wasn’t much interest midseason, his second half should get him back on the radar if the Isles think it’s worthwhile looking at going in another direction.

Free Up Cap Space

While they don’t have many contract spots to fill next season, the Isles are also pretty tight to the salary cap with just shy of $71MM committed already per CapFriendly.  They have ten forwards with a cap hit of $2.5MM or greater (though that includes Mikhail Grabovski who is a candidate to return to LTIR after his concussion symptoms cost him all of this season).  They have some players making more money than the role would call for.

They still also have defenseman Calvin de Haan to re-sign and he is due a qualifying offer of $2.9MM.  With the cap not expected to go up by a significant amount this offseason, that doesn’t leave New York a whole lot of room to work with, even if Grabovski is LTIR-bound.  As a result, Snow will likely be working the phones to see if he can save a bit of payroll, especially if he has any plans of being involved in free agency in July.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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