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Snapshots: Carlo, Nyquist, Dumba

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After winning their last two games against the San Jose Sharks and Vancouver Canucks, the Boston Bruins are undefeated since firing their long-time head coach Claude Julien. While they’re certain to lose another game this season, the strong play into their bye week (which starts after taking on the Montreal Canadiens at home tonight) has them still in the thick of the playoff race and potential buyers at the trade deadline.

That’s what has Sportsnet’s Ryan Dixon worried, as his latest column speaks to the dangers of trading young Brandon Carlo at the deadline for a short term boost. With Carlo’s emergence this season the Bruins might have a potential top pairing defenseman on their hands and should look no further than his defense partner for a reason not to deal him. Zdeno Chara was traded by the Islanders for immediate scoring help at the draft back in 2001, which looks like one of the worst trades in the team’s history. If the Bruins end up dealing him, they better be very sure that what they bring back can help the team for more than just the immediate future.

Trade Candidates: Mathieu Perreault

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With the trade deadline quickly approaching, we will be profiling several players in the weeks ahead that are likely to be dealt by March 1st.

Rarely do you see a player who just signed a long-term extension get traded before that extension even kicks in, but that very well could be the case with Mathieu Perreault and the Winnipeg Jets. Entering the final season of his three-year, $9MM deal, Perreault inked a big four-year extension this summer. However, the team may have erred in not first considering the possibility of an Expansion Draft this off-season, and is facing a very real possibility that if they don’t move the veteran center, they could lose him for nothing. The Jets appear poised to protect four defenseman – Dustin Byfuglien, Toby Enstrom, Jacob Trouba, and Tyler Myers – leaving just four forward spots available, which will almost definitely go to Blake Wheeler, Mark Scheifele, Bryan Little, and Adam Lowry. TSN was the first to report the high likelihood of a Perrault trade, and he remains on their “Trade Bait List“. But is there a market for his services in-season?

Contract

Perreault will enter the first year of a four-year, $16.5MM extension in 2017-18. Currently, he is in the final year of his previous three-year, $9MM deal. That annual $3MM cap hit will be pro-rated to under $900K at the Trade Deadline, but will then jump back up to $4.125MM for the next four seasons.

2016-17

Hurting Perreault’s “tradability” in 2016-17 is a noticeable drop-off in production. If the Jets had chosen to trade the play-making pivot last spring, they would have brought in quite the haul in draft capital. Perreault had back-to-back 41-point seasons to begin his tenure in Winnipeg and was in the midst of potentially the best season of his career with career highs in assists, power play points, and ice time. He also had a year remaining on his deal at an affordable cap hit. This season? Not so much. Perreault now carries a four years at $4.25MM and does not have the stats to back up the cost. In between missing time with injuries this season, Perreault has registered just 17 points in 40 games, which may as well be canceled out by his career-worst -17 rating. However, Perreault is still considered a high-end play-maker and a power play specialist, and his cap hit at his previous numbers is more than tolerable. If Perreault can pick up his play down the stretch and improve on a dismal performance so far, interest will heat up in no time.

Season Stats

40 GP, 4 goal, 13 assists, 17 points, -17 rating, 83 shots, 15:31 ATOI

Potential Suitors

Adding players with term on their contract is easier said than done this season. With the Expansion Draft weighing on everyone’s decisions this deadline season, no one is going to pay a lot for a player they then stand to lose for nothing if he doesn’t fit into their protection scheme. Perreault could prove to be a difficult addition for many teams.

The New York Islanders have really felt the loss of center Frans Nielsen this season and desperately need some depth at center. They also have some flexibility in the expansion process and have the salary cap space to accommodate his cap hit. Perrault down the middle behind John Tavares would be quite an upgrade over Casey Cizikas and Alan Quine this year and in the future.

If the Montreal Canadiens miss out on their rumored top target of Martin Hanzal and don’t want to pony up for Matt Duchene, they could come calling for Perreault. With Tomas Plekanec and David Desharnais showing clear signs of decline, the Habs are desperate for depth down the middle going forward. Montreal is reportedly “all in” at the Trade Deadline, so a move to bring in a big-time center would come with no surprise, though the salary cap implications would need to be closely monitored.

Another strong candidate, though a Western Conference foe, is the Los Angeles Kings. The Kings are perusing the center market as well, and could use depth behind Anze Kopitar and Jeff Carter. Cap space is not as big an issue for L.A. who could really solidify their top nine by adding Perreault to the mix.

Likelihood Of A Trade

Winnipeg GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has shown a willingness to make big moves, especially when the pressure is on, and there is no greater pressure than potentially losing a key player for nothing in the Expansion Draft. However, that same draft makes moving a long-term player like Perreault much more difficult than moving an impending free agent. As the Jets sink further and further into the basement of the Western Conference, the more likely it will become that Cheveldayoff stops working on ways to keep Perreault and starts looking for ways to trade him. The difficulty in doing so makes this move far from a sure thing though.

Friedman’s Latest: Julien, Ducks, Bolts, Avalanche, Vrbata

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Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet published his latest “30 Thoughts” column and like always it’s worth a read in its entirety. However, here’s a brief roundup of some of the column’s highlights.

  • Friedman reiterates what many others in the industry have said on Claude Julien, suggesting he “will be unemployed as long as he wants to be unemployed.” Julien of course joined Ken Hitchcock as former Stanley Cup winning head coaches now on the unemployment line this week when Boston decided to pull the plug after a nearly 10-year run behind the Bruins bench. Ultimately, while Julien’s tenure was mostly successful, Friedman argues that the relationship between the coach and ownership was never strong. While the Blues had already established a succession plan in anticipation of Hitchcock’s retirement at the end of the season, there are still three jobs potentially available to Julien – Vegas, New York Islanders and Florida. All three should be expected to show interest in hiring Julien to run their respective clubs. Additionally, with Julien available, it’s at least plausible other teams who may not be 100% sold on their current bench boss might reach out to the veteran head coach to gauge his interest in leading their program.
  • Joe Sakic and Steve Yzerman, the GM’s of Colorado and Tampa Bay respectively, both attended a recent Anaheim game, leading the scribe to conclude they were there to scout some of the Ducks defenders. Anaheim is blessed with excellent blue line talent, both at the NHL and minor league levels, and it’s been suggested the team could flip a defender to add scoring help up front. Of course Colorado and Tampa Bay each need defensemen but as Friedman notes, the two GM’s may have different preferences. Friedman writes that the Avalanche are looking for young blue liners with term remaining on their contracts while the Lightning need a more established, top-four presence. Speculatively, Colorado may prefer either Brandon Montour or Shea Theodore, two rookies with loads of upside, while Cam Fowler could represent an ideal fit for the Lightning, assuming they can find a way to make the cap hit work. It’s not clear to Friedman who the Ducks might be interested in from either potential trade partner.
  • Good news for any team that might have designs on acquiring veteran winger Radim Vrbata from the Arizona Coyotes. Vrbata’s one-year deal with Arizona contains a $500K bonus if the winger reaches either 20 goals or 40 points. With 35 points in 51 games, Vrbata is closing in on that bonus. His deal also provides for up to $1.25MM based on his team’s playoff success. Friedman had originally reported that Arizona would not be able to retain any bonus money not already earned by the player, meaning any team looking to trade for him would be on the hook for a significant chunk of change potentially. With the salary cap likely to remain flat next season, any interested suitor for Vrbata might be unwilling to chance assuming the balance of his contract since any bonuses earned would apply to next season’s salary cap. However Friedman provides an update and based on his understanding, if, for example, the Coyotes agree to retain 50% of Vrbata’s contract, that would apply not only to his remaining salary but also to any unearned bonuses as well. This is welcome news for any team tight against the cap ceiling and looking for scoring help on the wing as Vrbata now remains an intriguing option.

 

McKenzie’s Latest: Coaching Vacancies, Coyotes Rentals

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In a series of tweets after appearing on NBCSN, Bob McKenzie of TSN reports that both the Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers will likely seek permission from the Boston Bruins to interview Claude Julien for their coaching vacancies. Though Julien is just couple of days removed from the job in Boston, many people feel like he’ll immediately bounce back and helm one of the open teams.

McKenzie adds that the New York Islanders, who fired Jack Capuano last month will not talk to Julien about their vacancy, instead happy with Doug Weight for the time being. Julien would be an interesting option for the Golden Knights, who have made it known that they want a big name for their first coach. Ken Hitchcock and Gerard Gallant are also available, though McKenzie reported this week that Hitchcock is currently just enjoying his time off.

Julien has been the coach of the Bruins since 2007-08, and won the Stanley Cup with the club in 2011. After back to back seasons out of the playoffs, and an up and down 2016-17 the team decided to move on. He’s been to the playoffs in 9 of his 14 seasons (though some have been partial) and is generally regarded as one of the best coaches in the league.

McKenzie also responded to a report that three Arizona Coyotes officials (including GM John Chayka) are in attendance at tonight’s Chicago Blackhawks-Minnesota Wild game saying that the Coyotes are trying to market their rentals. A matchup between two Western Conference contenders would be a great place to do that, though Chicago GM Stan Bowman has said multiple times that they will likely be very quiet at the deadline do to cap issues.

The Coyotes have a number of expiring contracts, including Shane Doan, Radim Vrbata, Martin Hanzal and Michael Stone. Several of those if not all, are likely to move before the deadline. Stone is an interesting case though, as his relative youth (26) could still fit in with the rebuild of the Coyotes. His health is a concern, as is the inconsistent play this season but he should still command a hefty price on the free agent market and would be a solid addition for many teams around the league at deadline time.

Maple Leafs Notes: Rielly, Marchenko, Maturity

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Morgan Rielly gave Toronto Maple Leafs fans a scare today as he was absent for practice, but it shouldn’t be too concerning. Head coach Mike Babcock told reporters including David Alter of The Athletic afterwards that Rielly will be skating tomorrow and that it was just a maintenance day coming off injury. Rielly missed a few games for the Leafs with a knee injury recently, and looked a bit tentative in last night’s win against the Boston Bruins. The Maple Leafs will need him if they’re to make it back to the playoffs for the first time since the lockout-shortened season.

  • Alexey Marchenko hit the ice for the first time with his new team today, skating as the extra defenseman at practice. While Mike Babcock admitted to Alter that Marchenko won’t play Monday versus the New York Islanders, the coach will be getting him into the lineup sooner or later. We looked at what the acquisition of Marchenko means for Roman Polak and the other right-handed defenseman yesterday, but it doesn’t look like it will happen right away in Toronto. Polak remained firmly in the third pairing role alongside Matt Hunwick, who will likely figure back into the lineup after Martin Marincin took three minor penalties against Boston.
  • Frank Corrado has indeed been sent to the minors where he will assume big minutes on the Toronto Marlies. With Rinat Valiev out with a lower-body injury, expect Corrado to join the top pairing and have something of a showcase as we get closer to the trade deadline.
  • In winning the see-saw battle last night against the Bruins, and with it slaying any lingering demons from the Maple Leafs collapse in game 7 of their last playoff appearance, Amalie Benjamin of NHL.com considers this group well ahead of schedule. In her latest column, she writes that the team is maturing much faster than was expected and should be considered a completely different entity than the lackluster teams of the last decade (or longer, depending on who you ask).

Hartford Trying To Lure Isles to Connecticut

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In an interesting twist involving the future of the New York Islanders, the city of Hartford, formerly the home of the NHL’s Whalers, has offered the team the use of the XL Center as an “interim” home, according to local news station WFSB. Hartford has been without the NHL since 1997 when the Whalers left town and became the Carolina Hurricanes.

Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy and Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin sent a letter to Jonathan Ledecky, Scott Malkin and Charles Wang, the Islanders ownership group, and made a compelling pitch to lure the Isles to the state. As part of their argument, Malloy and Bronin mention in the letter that Connecticut is home to more Fortune 500 companies than several existing NHL markets, including: Columbus, Raleigh, Buffalo and Nashville. Additionally, Malloy and Bronin discuss the ongoing renovations to the XL Center, including the installation of a new ice surface and dasher boards. A copy of the letter can be found here.

It’s believed the Islanders are already exploring their options as it appears the team may exercise an opt-out in their Barclay’s Center lease following the 2017-18 campaign. Even if the Islanders choose to remain, the Barclay’s Center is expected to exercise their end of the opt-out after the 2018-19 season.

While Connecticut is amenable to providing a short-term home for the Islanders, the letter also states a willingness to work with the team to become a long-term option.

Ultimately, the Islanders are unlikely to take Connecticut up on their offer. The team’s owners have indicated their desire to remain in the New York market and a move to Hartford would probably not get the backing of Gary Bettman and the league’s other owners. But, with renovations to XL Center underway, Hartford could join Quebec City as a potential expansion or relocation candidate in the future.

Trade Candidates: Teddy Purcell

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When Teddy Purcell was putting up 51 points in Tampa Bay in 2010-11 and leading the team with 17 points in 18 playoff games, many though that the Lightning had found a hidden gem. When he backed it up with 65 points in 2011-12 and then scored at the same pace in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign, they believed he was a star-in-the-making. The past three years, Purcell has put up back-to-back-to-back solid seasons despite moving from Tampa to the Edmonton Oilers to the Florida Panthers. Yet, in 2016-17 Purcell has played in just 12 NHL games with the Los Angeles Kings. Something doesn’t add up, and both Purcell and the Kings would like to end their disastrous partnership as soon as possible.

Contract

Purcell was smart to quickly accept the Kings’ one-year, $1.6MM deal on July 1st of last year, as many similar players waited and became victims of a stagnant market, waiting until much later in the summer to sign even cheaper deals. However, the hit proved to be too much for the rest of the league, as Purcell cleared waivers in December. At the deadline, Purcell will be an impending free agent rental with an accumulated cap hit of under $200K.

2016-17

After signing Purcell, who they had originally signed out of the University of Maine back in 2007, to a reasonable deal to add some depth to their forward corps, L.A. quickly fell out of love with their free agent acquisition. The 31-year-old right winger had just two assists through 12 games and had been outplayed by tryout signee Devin Setoguchi and depth players like Trevor Lewis and Nic Dowd. He had dropped down to a spot on the third line, but even there the Kings had options they preferred more. The L.A. homecoming ended as quickly as it had started, as Purcell was placed on waivers in early December, and with many teams across the league tight against the salary cap ceiling, the former 41-assist play-maker extraordinaire cleared and was sent to the AHL. Yet, after the same amount of time with the Ontario Reign as he had played with the Kings, Reign coach Mike Stothers came out and said that Purcell was simply “too good for this league.” At the time,  Purcell had 14 points in his first 12 games. As of now, he has maintained a point-per-game pace with 22 in 22 and has boosted the Reign to the top of the Pacific Division. Still a valuable NHL asset, Purcell does not belong in the AHL and should be back in the big leagues by the end of the season.

Season Stats

12 NHL games: 0 goals, 2 assists, 2 points, even, 10 shots, 12:54 ATOI.

22 AHL games: 7 goals, 15 assists, 22 points, +6, 50 shots, 19:38 ATOI.

Potential Suitors

Purcell is attractive to two types of teams as the Trade Deadline creeps closer: those who are only fringe playoff teams and those who are contenders, but just need depth and not a high-end contributor. Purcell is affordable and very low-risk/high-reward. The last thing the Kings would want is to send Purcell down to the AHL all year only to trade him to a Pacific rival and have it come back to bite them, so a divisional move seems unlikely. However, several other teams could be in the mix.

The Boston Bruins are not in any position to go wasting assets on big playoff rentals this season, as they currently are fighting just to qualify. The team has been playing better of late though, partly due to finally finding some good balance in their forward lines. One hole that remains is the need for an offensive weapon on the third line to help out Ryan Spooner and Matt Beleskey. While the team (second in shots per game, 23rd in goals per game) could use a finisher more than a passer like Purcell, the cost of a Thomas Vanek or Radim Vrbata may be too high. Purcell could help the team out and at a cheap price. The Bruins have enough cap space to add he and a more goal-prone player if they so choose. Count the New York Islanders as another team who could use Purcell to balance out their forward lines. The team has just recently slipped into the playoff conversation, but could definitely use some depth, particularly on the right side where Ryan Strome presents the only righty option in the top-nine. The Toronto Maple Leafs are another teams that could have interest in Purcell. Many have opined that the Leafs should not sell off any young assets this year, but trading for Purcell to help out would likely cost very little and would add a veteran presence, playoff experience, and a great play-maker for their young scorers.

The other team to (always) look out for is the Chicago Blackhawks. As they do seemingly ever year, the GM Stan Bowman and the ’Hawks bring in some washed-up veteran or young no-name who then performs exceedingly well with the likes of Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. Purcell fits the bill as a player who has always performed his best when surrounded by great talent. Chicago has little cap room and is running out of trade chips, which makes the affordable Purcell a great fit. It also helps that they have struck deals with the King for two years in a row, swapping Michael Latta and Cameron Schilling last month and Rob Scuderi and Christian Ehrhoff around this time last year. If the Blackhawks land Purcell and he is a point-per-game player down the stretch or in the playoffs, would anyone really be surprised?

Likelihood Of A Trade

The Los Angeles Kings still stand a good chance of making the playoffs this year, but if they had any interest in bringing Purcell back up to help them get there, they would have done so already. The only good that Purcell can do for them now is in a trade return. Similarly, Purcell will go just about anywhere to get back into an NHL game and show what he can do before he hits the free agent market again this summer. With both sides in agreement that Purcell should be moved, the only other factor is the market.

If there are teams who still believe that Purcell can play at a high level, and his career numbers up until his limited showing in L.A. this year do little to dissuade that notion, then there is a very high likelihood that he will be moved. The Kings cannot possibly ask for much, having already placed him on waivers this season, nor would anyone be willing to pay much for a guy who hasn’t skated in an NHL game since early December. However, Purcell is hardly even an asset to L.A. as an impending free agent who is playing for their farm team, and it seems likely that they will take whatever they can get for him.

On the other hand, if teams are disillusioned by Purcell’s slow start this season and inability to earn a call-up to the Kings all season long, a market may never form for his services. That is the only way that Purcell doesn’t get traded by March 1st.

Trade Candidates: Jaroslav Halak

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Update 11:58am: this post is updated to reflect that Jean-Francois Berube could become a Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agent if he fails to play in at least 19 more games this season

With the trade deadline quickly approaching, we will be profiling several players in the weeks ahead that are likely to be dealt by March 1st.

Jaroslav Halak is the odd man out in the New York Islanders organization, and the likelihood of the goaltender being an Islander come opening puck drop next season is slim. The Islanders indicated who they want starting in net going forward by signing Thomas Greiss to a three-year contract extension worth $3.33MM a year. Halak’s $4.5MM contract has little place in the Islanders’ plans.

Contract

Halak has one more left on a $4.5MM a year contract. Signed in 2014, Halak’s actual salary increases each year—from $3.5MM in 2014 to $5.0MM next season. The Isles are still on the hook for a $3.55MM cap hit after burying Halak in the AHL. NHL teams only receive up to a $925K cap reprieve for players sent to the AHL.

2016-17

Halak’s stats this year are the worst of his career. In 21 games for the Islanders he sports a .904 SV% and a 3.23 GAA. That’s a far cry from last year’s .919 SV% and 2.30 GAA. Since being sent down to the AHL, however, Halak has posted a .927 SV% and a 2.03 GAA—good for 2nd among goalies with at least seven starts.

It did not help when the Islanders decided to carry three goalies this season. Along with Halak, the Islanders had the aforementioned Thomas Greiss and Jean-Francois Berube. The situation got so tenuous that Allan Walsh, agent for both Halak and Berube, tweeted his displeasure.

Season Stats

21 games: 6-8-5, .905 SV%, 3.23 GAA, 1 SO

Potential Suitors

The market for expensive veteran goaltenders decreases every year as teams realize young replacement level goaltenders provide more upside than goaltenders on a downward trend. That being said, GMs still value proven commodities as insurance in case a starter goes down during a post-season run. The question is whether Halak’s cap hit is too rich for interested teams.

The other option open to the Islanders is a team requiring a goaltender to expose in the NHL expansion draft this summer. Unfortunately for the Islanders, every team but one has already addressed that need. The lone remaining team—the Minnesota Wild—are unlikely to add a $4.5MM goaltender with almost $6MM on the books with two capable goaltenders. Should Devan Dubnyk go down, the Wild have confidence that Darcy Kuemper is up to the task. The Wild will most likely sign Alex Stalock to a contract prior to the draft so the team can meet the exposure requirements.

One option is trading Halak and a draft pick for the cap space. Teams like the Buffalo Sabres and the Calgary Flames could stash Halak on their roster if they received reasonable draft pick compensation for the additional salary obligation. Both teams have no goaltending contracts past this season.

Likelihood Of A Trade

A victim of circumstances, Halak’s stats show a goalie who may provide solid—if not incredible—goaltending for a team willing to take the risk that this season’s performance is an aberration rather than indicative of Halak’s current ability. A trade for any usable returns is unlikely, but a trade could be had if the Islanders want to shed salary and gain cap space.

If the Islanders do trade Halak, they will have to qualify AHL goaltender Christopher Gibson to meet the NHL Expansion Draft goaltender exposure requirements. The requirements state that a team must expose one goalie who is either 1) signed for 2017-18, or 2) an RFA at the end of this season that received a Qualifying Offer.

At first glance, the Isles seem to meet this requirement with Jean-Francois Berube, but an eagle-eyed reader caught that Berube may be eligible for Group 6 unrestricted free agency. Any goaltender 25 or older becomes a UFA if they have three or more years of professional experience but less than 28 NHL games played. And because the CBA only counts NHL games as starts 30 minutes or longer, Berube only has 9 NHL games played in his career. That means Berube will be a UFA if he plays 18 games or less from here on out.

Thomas Greiss Signs Three Year Extension

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Update 6:38pm: Newsday Sports’ Arther Staple reports that the deal is a three-year contract worth $10MM.

The New York Islanders signed goaltender Thomas Greiss to a three-year contract extension today. Islanders beat writer Arthur Staple of Newsday Sports first reported the deal on Twitter. The Islanders have not released any contractual details besides term as of yet.

Greiss was on the final year of his two-year, $1.5MM a year contract. Mired in a goaltender controversy caused by the Islanders holding three goaltenders at the NHL level, Greiss is currently posting a career best .928 SV% and a 2.28 GAA in 25 games. With Jaroslav Halak in the AHL, Greiss looks to be the Islanders’ starting goaltender going forward. Greiss’s numbers dwarf both Halak’s and prospect-goalie Jean-Francois Berube’s.

The extension, however, does not solve the Islanders goaltending conundrum. Halak has another year left on his contract worth $4.5MM a year, and Berube is an RFA after this season. The organization will have to figure out what to do with Halak before the club maintains goaltending stability.

The signing comes as a welcome reprieve to the organization after word leaked today that the Barclays Center—where the Islanders play—may not house the hockey team after 2018-19. Either party may terminate the lease, and it seems that the Barclays Center wants to proceed without the New York Islanders as tenants going forward.

5 Key Stories: 1/23/17 – 1/29/17

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Congratulations to the members of the Metro Division All-Star team, who capped off an entertaining three-on-three tournament by defeating the Pacific Division 4 – 3. It’s time for PHR’s weekly roundup of the five key stories from the week of 1/23/17 through 1/29/17.

Colorado center Matt Duchene, the subject of trade rumors for much of the season, expressed a willingness to being dealt to another club in comments made to The Denver Post this week. The talented pivot has two years remaining on a contract that comes with an AAV of $6MM and is sure to attract plenty of trade interest. The team is reportedly hoping to land at least a young, top-four defenseman and a high draft pick in return.

The Ottawa Senators added some bottom-six depth by acquiring veteran winger Tommy Wingels from the San Jose Sharks for minor leaguers Zack Stortini and Buddy Robinson along with a seventh-round draft pick. Still just 28, Wingels could prove to be a solid pickup for the Senators. During the 2012-13 and 2013-14 campaigns, the seven-year veteran combined for 31 goals and that’s the kind of production the Senators are hoping for. From the Sharks perspective, the trade cleared needed cap space with Tomas Hertl poised to come off of IR.

Looking for additional defensive depth, the Montreal Canadiens picked up Nikita Nesterov from Tampa Bay in exchange for minor league prospect Jonathan Racine and a sixth-round draft choice. Nesterov has tallied 12 points in 35 games this season and could provide solid value for the Habs as a long-term fit on their blue line. He carries a cap hit of $725K and will be a RFA this summer.

As he draws nearer unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2018, New York Islanders franchise center John Tavares indicated he is open to inking a long-term extension to remain on Long Island despite the team’s struggles this season. It’s not a surprising position for the #1 overall selection in the 2009 draft to take. There’s no point in limiting any option this far from free agency and a lot can change between now and July 1, 2018. Any way you look at it, Tavares is going to land a lucrative long-term deal, whether it’s with the Islanders or another franchise.

Semyon Varlamov, Colorado’s starting goaltender, will miss the rest of the season following surgery to repair a groin injury. Like many of his teammates, the 2016-17 campaign has not been a good one for the Russian netminder and now his season is going to be cut short. Varlamov will have two years remaining on a deal that comes with a $5.9MM cap hit and it will be interesting to see what the Avalanche, already rumored to be considering significant roster changes, do with their goaltending situation.

 

 

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