Garth Snow, Doug Weight Relieved Of Duties By New York Islanders
The hammer has dropped in New York, where Lou Lamoriello has announced that former GM Garth Snow and head coach Doug Weight have both been relieved of their duties. The press release indicates that both will “remain with the organization” though no word on any titles or responsibilities. Lamoriello will take over as GM, and begin the hiring process on a new coach.
Snow has been with the Islanders for more than a decade, hired in 2006 as GM immediately after his retirement from playing. That tenure hasn’t been filled with success, as the team has made the playoffs just four times and advanced through the first round once. That’s despite having an elite NHL center in John Tavares, someone who poses perhaps the most interesting question to come of the restructuring.
Tavares is notably close with Weight and Snow, and has previously given his vote of confidence to both. Some believe that he wanted the organization to stand behind Weight despite the team’s struggles this season, before re-signing this summer. Tavares of course is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st and is the prize of the market for any number of teams. Lamoriello has reportedly met with Tavares and his representation several times since taking the job, but there is still no clear decision from the 27-year old on whether he’ll test the free agent waters or not.
Weight was given just one year as the head coach, but saw the team take a substantial step backwards thanks to poor defensive play and inconsistent goaltending. The team could score—their top two pivots in Tavares and rookie Mathew Barzal both eclipsed 80 points—but not keep the puck out of their net on a regular basis. That’s not a style Lamoriello is familiar with (except perhaps from his recent days with Toronto) as his championship-winning New Jersey Devils teams of the past were some of the most defensively capable of any group in NHL history. Obviously it’s impossible to turn this Islanders team into that Scott Stevens-led trapping monster, but it would be a good bet to expect the team to make improvements in their own end.
Stevens in fact is an interesting candidate for the now vacant coaching position, as Lamoriello hired him in New Jersey as an assistant and then “co-coach” alongside Adam Oates. Stevens resigned his most recent post with the Minnesota Wild to be closer to his family that reside in New York, something he could obviously still do if employed by the Islanders.
There are other names that obviously come to mind, including Toronto’s Sheldon Keefe (head coach of the AHL Marlies) and D.J. Smith (assistant with the Maple Leafs) who should have a working relationship with Lamoriello, and Barry Trotz, who still doesn’t have a contract past this season and is one game away from winning a Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals.
Arthur Staple of The Athletic tweets that Weight’s entire coaching staff has likely been let go with him, meaning any of the above names (perhaps except for Trotz) could be in the running for assistant roles with whoever is given the head coaching position. It will be interesting to see who the legendary executive brings in to turn things around, and whether they’ll have the face of the franchise back in town—clean shaven, that is.
Evander Kane Re-Signs With San Jose Sharks
It’s official, Evander Kane has re-signed with the San Jose Sharks. The new deal is for seven years, and though the team would not officially release the financial details several reports have it totaling $49MM ($7MM AAV). CapFriendly has the specific year-by-year breakdown:
- 2018-19: $6.0MM salary, $3.0MM signing bonus
- 2019-20: $6.0MM salary, $2.0MM signing bonus
- 2020-21: $3.0MM salary, $3.0MM signing bonus
- 2021-22: $7.0MM salary
- 2022-23: $5.0MM salary, $2.0MM signing bonus
- 2023-24: $6.0MM salary
- 2024-25: $4.0MM salary, $2.0MM signing bonus
The deal also includes a modified no-trade clause, allowing Kane to submit a three-team list to where he can be traded. The deal isn’t as front-loaded as we’ve seen, but still gives Kane a lot of the money up front in signing bonuses, making it more difficult to buyout in the future should it come to that. Sharks’ GM Doug Wilson obviously doesn’t think it will, and released a glowing review of Kane in his accompanying statement:
At only 26 years old, Evander has established himself as one of hockey’s true power forwards and an impact player. We think his abilities mesh perfectly with our group of skilled, young players and veteran leaders. It’s extremely heartening to have Evander join a trend of elite players who have chosen to remain in San Jose. It speaks volumes as to how players view this organization and further illustrates the continued commitment to our fans by our owner Hasso Plattner.
Kane came over from the Buffalo Sabres at the trade deadline for a package that included Daniel O’Regan, a conditional fourth-round pick and a conditional first-round pick. The condition on that first rounder has now been met, and the Sharks will have to send their selection in 2019 to the Sabres. If however the Sharks miss the playoffs next year, they can send their 2020 first-round selection instead.
The former Atlanta Thrashers draft pick has had an up-and-down career to say the least, but seemed to find his footing in San Jose after the deadline. With 14 points—including nine goals—in 17 games down the stretch, and another five points in nine playoff contests, Kane was a huge part of the Sharks’ offense and seemed to mesh instantly with their top-six. Kane entered the league only two months after turning 18, which has allowed him to hit free agency as one of the youngest players on the market. He won’t turn 27 until August, giving the Sharks plenty of prime years left on this contract.
Still, even with his relative youth and early success for the team this contract comes with its fair share of risk. Kane has only scored 30 goals once in the NHL, and still doesn’t have a 60-point season to his name. Some of that is due to the inconsistent play he showed for teams like Winnipeg and Buffalo, but also the injury concerns that have plagued him every year. There’s never been a season that Kane has played in more than 78 games, with that total coming just this year. Though there are no glaring chronic concerns in his injury history, there is a question of whether his physical style can be maintained long-term. The Sharks are obviously paying for more than just his offensive output, as $7MM per season is only given to the league’s elite. This season, only 25 forwards carried a cap hit of $7MM or greater.
Obviously the team felt that he was worth the contract, but this does add some more intrigue to the free agent class in 2018. This summer’s group is full of scoring wingers, with names like James van Riemsdyk, James Neal and David Perron all available for the right price. Though none of them compare exactly to the type of player Kane is, they all are successful scoring options that can bring a big-bodied presence to the front of the net. Each of their prices likely went up with this contract, and could change whether their respective teams are able to retain them.
For Kane, this is a perfect outcome after struggling to find much consistency throughout his career. The fourth-overall pick from 2009 will now have some long-term stability with the Sharks, and should be given every chance to become one of the league’s best goal scorers. He also becomes the only Sharks forward signed past the 2019-20 season, meaning he may be looked to as their key veteran weapon down the road. Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski and Logan Couture are all nearing free agency, while younger players like Tomas Hertl, Chris Tierney and Timo Meier look ready to take over as the next wave of core Sharks forwards.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
New York Rangers Officially Hire David Quinn As Head Coach
Though it had been expected for some time, the New York Rangers have officially announced David Quinn as their next head coach. The former Boston University coach will be the 35th head coach in Rangers history, and try to take the team in a new direction after a disappointing 2017-18.
New York has had a tumultuous few months, since finding themselves out of the playoff race relatively early. After telling their fans in an open letter that a rebuild was coming, the team traded away several key pieces including Ryan McDonagh, Rick Nash, J.T. Miller, and Michael Grabner, collecting draft picks and prospects for their future seasons. At the end of the year, Alain Vigneault was let go as head coach, with an expectation that a fresh new voice would be introduced as the next head coach. That could have been Jim Montgomery, who reportedly turned down a bigger offer from the Rangers to go and coach the Dallas Stars, but will instead be Quinn, fresh off another successful season with BU.
Quinn, 51, will jump right from the college ranks after five seasons as the head man for BU. He has just one season of NHL assistant coaching experience, and three years as the head coach of the Lake Erie Monsters of the AHL. The Monsters finished out of the playoffs in two of those years, and were knocked out in the first round in the third. Quinn never played in the NHL, despite being a first-round pick of the Minnesota North Stars. After starring at BU as a defenseman he was diagnosed with Haemophilia B and was forced to retire, though he returned to the game briefly a few years later, playing 19 games in the AHL.
Still, there are many who believe Quinn can find success in the NHL despite his relative lack of experience. Players like Jack Eichel, Clayton Keller and Charlie McAvoy all speak highly of their time playing under him in the NCAA, and believe he was an integral part of their development into NHL players. The Rangers will hope he can do similar things for some of their young players as they try to turn the franchise around quickly.
After trading McDonagh and others, the Rangers find themselves with three first-round picks this season and several high-profile prospects in the pipeline. That’s after already selecting twice in the first round last season, and seemingly hitting on both Lias Andersson and Filip Chytil. If the team can find some more talents in the first round, and develop the likes of Brett Howden, Libor Hajek and Ryan Lindgren, it might not take long for them to be back among those fighting for the playoffs. Quinn will be tasked with helping a roster that could lose even more veteran presence this summer compete in both the short and long-term.
Paul Fenton Hired As New GM Of Minnesota Wild
As had been reported in recent days, the Minnesota Wild have decided who will be their next General Manager. That’s Paul Fenton, who was officially announced as GM and Alternate Governor today with a press release from owner Craig Leipold:
It is my distinct pleasure to welcome Paul Fenton as the General Manager of the Minnesota Wild. Paul is uniquely suited for this job having played 10 years of professional hockey and holding 25 years of management experience in the NHL. His gift of evaluating talent is obvious in Nashville’s roster and recent success. My relationship with Paul goes back to my early days in Nashville and I know that Wild hockey fans are going to love Paul’s infectious passion for the game and unsurpassed work ethic. He’s the right person to deliver a Stanley Cup to the State of Hockey.
It was just one month ago that the Wild relieved Chuck Fletcher of his duties as GM, after the team’s sixth consecutive early exit from the playoffs. Minnesota was knocked out in the first round by the Winnipeg Jets, and are expected to make significant changes to the organization before next season. That starts with Fenton, who will be joining the team after two decades in Nashville where he first worked under Leipold, who owned the Predators from 1998-2008.
Fenton is regarded as an exceptional judge of talent and has been integral in the development and building of the Predators’ Presidents Trophy-winning club. He has been considered for various front office roles around the league seemingly every year, but will now take over an NHL team for the first time. It’s not clear yet who will replace him in Nashville as AGM and GM of the Milwaukee Admirals.
Minnesota has struggled for years with a level of mediocrity that has frustrated Leipold, and the owner even made comments last summer about regretting a certain trade deadline transaction. Obviously not content with just making the playoffs, the Wild will entrust Fenton to take them to the next level and really contend for the Stanley Cup.
How he’s going to do that is far from public knowledge, but in his first offseason he’ll have plenty of opportunity to effect change in the team’s roster construction. Several key players including Jason Zucker and Mathew Dumba are restricted free agents, and could demand big raises and long-term deals coming off career seasons. There are only one or two years remaining on key veteran contracts like Mikko Koivu, Mikael Granlund, Eric Staal, Charlie Coyle and Jared Spurgeon. Many of those players might not be back in the coming years, as the team tries to rebuild itself around some different stars.
Unfortunately, Fenton also inherits a team with two albatross contracts on the books. Though Zach Parise and Ryan Suter are still effective players, their contracts—identical 13-year $98MM deals signed in 2012—form a salary base that’s tough to work around. Both players are currently 33 years old, and have seven years remaining at a cap hit of $7.54MM. The deals also include full no-movement clauses, and would cause potential cap recapture penalties if either were to retire early.
If there is a silver lining the deals, front-loaded as they are, were (along with others like them) part of the reason for the last NHL work stoppage. With a salary of just $1MM in the final two seasons, there could be a way that Fenton and the Wild front office get out from under them while providing some help to teams struggling to reach the cap floor. We’re still a long way away from either one needing to be shipped out of town, but the new GM has to know what he’s getting into.
The Wild are a good team already, and they’ve now hired one of the best GM candidates around the league. If Fenton will try to turn them into a contender right away, this summer should be a very interesting on for Minnesota fans.
Toronto Maple Leafs Announce Kyle Dubas As Next GM
As many expected, the Toronto Maple Leafs have announced that Kyle Dubas will be the team’s next GM. Dubas will take over for Lou Lamoriello, who has been moved to a senior advisory role that might not last very long.
Dubas, 32, will become one of the youngest GMs in the league with his appointment, but he comes with more experience than many his age. At just 25 he was named the GM of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the OHL, where he turned around the program and hired Sheldon Keefe—now head coach of the Marlies and potential NHL candidate—to lead the junior team. After just a few seasons in the OHL, Maple Leafs President Brendan Shanahan brought him in as an assistant GM and tasked him with reorganizing the team’s player development model.
With Toronto, Dubas has created a baseball-like system with several tiers of development. Players like Martins Dzierkals, Jeremy Bracco and Mason Marchment haven’t just been pushed into AHL games right away, but left to develop away from game action or even in the ECHL. That system—along with a relentless search for new talent—has led the Marlies, under the management of Dubas, to become an AHL powerhouse in recent years. The team is heading to their second Eastern Conference final in three years, after sweeping the Syracuse Crunch recently.
While it may be easy to point to Dubas and think of him as an analytics-based manager that will throw conventional hockey knowledge out the window, many of his peers believe something much different. Justin Bourne, a former video coach with the Marlies, wrote for The Athletic recently how Dubas is far from just a number-cruncher and thoroughly understands systems and traditional scouting techniques.
Still, many have questioned whether Mark Hunter will remain in his current position now that Dubas has been given the keys to the castle. Hunter, another assistant GM with the Maple Leafs, is famous for his scouting propensity and was another candidate to take over as the GM when Lamoriello stepped down. Whether he’s willing to stay and work under Dubas has been the topic of much debate recently, but nothing is clear at this point.
So the Maple Leafs head into a new era of management while the on-ice product is at its best in over a decade. Dubas will be tasked with making the necessary adjustments to push them from playoff to Stanley Cup contender, all while navigating contract negotiations for some of their best young players. If Lamoriello or Hunter (or both) depart, he may have to do it without the help of experience by his side.
Carolina Hires Rod Brind’Amour, Removes Interim Tag From Don Waddell
No longer are the Carolina Hurricanes without a coach or GM. The team has announced the hiring of Rod Brind’Amour as their next head coach, a decision that won’t come as a surprise to anyone. Brind’Amour will come in as Bill Peters‘ replacement, after Peters exercised an out clause last month to join the Calgary Flames. The team has also announced that Don Waddell, who had been operating as interim GM, will now be the team’s official President and GM. Waddell had this to say about his newest head coach:
Rod is the greatest leader in the history of this franchise, and has earned the opportunity to take charge of our locker room. We spoke to a number of candidates for this position, but our conversations with staff and players consistently returned to the same person. Rod’s fresh ideas, ability to motivate and understanding of what it takes to bring a championship to Raleigh will help our young team take the next step toward competing to bring the Cup back to North Carolina.
Brind’Amour, who received a three-year contract, is a legendary playing figure for the Hurricanes, suiting up in 694 games for the franchise over 10 years, and lifting their first Stanley Cup as captain in 2006. Just a year after retirement he joined the club as an assistant coach, a role he has held since 2011. Now transitioning to head coach will be a daunting task, especially as he has been critiqued in the past for a middling powerplay unit and lackluster forward group.
If Brind’Amour is going to find success in Carolina, he’ll need an improved offensive attack and for Waddell to finally find the team a reliable goaltender. Scott Darling is under contract for three more seasons, but will need a huge bounce back to even get to average goaltending. His .888 save percentage was unacceptable, and one of the main reasons the Hurricanes failed to reach the playoffs for the ninth consecutive season.
Waddell had already been serving as interim GM, but will now take over fully in the role moving forward. That comes as somewhat of a surprise, as Luke DeCock of the Raleigh News & Observer notes that Waddell had already said he did not want to be considered for the role. Perhaps he had a change of heart, or perhaps the search is taking too long and the team wanted some stability throughout the draft and free agency. Any new GM coming in would be hard pressed to set up an entire offseason strategy over the next month. Waddell, who had already been with the team (though not in this capacity), is familiar with the organization’s strengths and weaknesses.
The team also recently brought in Rick Dudley to be Waddell’s right-hand man, a duo that had previously been together with the Atlanta Thrashers. The new front office will have plenty of work to do over the next few months, as they try to bring the team back to the playoffs. Jeff Skinner is set to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2019, while Noah Hanifin needs a new contract before next season as he comes off his entry-level deal.
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet and Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer both reported the hiring would be announced soon. Alexander also reported the term of the contract.
Lou Lamoriello Will Not Return As GM Of Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs today announced that legendary executive Lou Lamoriello will not return as General Manager next season. President Brendan Shanahan released a statement explaining the decision:
Three years ago, Lou and I agreed on a contract that would see him serve as General Manager of the Maple Leafs for three years and then transition to Senior Advisor for the following four years. This morning I informed Lou that I was not going to deviate from that course of action. I will now focus all of my attention towards making a decision regarding our next GM.
Lamoriello oversaw a tear down and rebuild of the Maple Leafs that has resulted in two straight playoff appearances and a young core that can rival anyone in the league. With both Kyle Dubas and Mark Hunter waiting in the wings though as potential GM candidates, the original succession plan can still be put into place. It’s not clear which one—or who from outside the organization—will be given the title, but the Maple Leafs shouldn’t be leaderless for very long.
Dubas, the whiz kid GM from the OHL who has ascended the front office ranks incredibly quickly, was targeted by the Colorado Avalanche last summer as a potential replacement to Joe Sakic. The Maple Leafs didn’t allow Dubas to interview for the job, which was considered by many as a sign that he would eventually be promoted within the Toronto organization. He serves as GM of the Toronto Marlies, who are a powerhouse in the AHL and are on to the second round of the playoffs currently. His unique approach to player development and analytic implementation is a perfect example of how front offices are leaning in various cities around the league.
Hunter on the other hand is more of an old school hockey mind, who has been the backbone of the Maple Leafs’ scouting department for several years. The former NHL player and London Knights GM, Hunter is an outstanding judge of talent among young players and has unearthed several mid and late round picks for the Maple Leafs.
There is always potential for someone else to come in and fill the role for Shanahan and the Maple Leafs, and Lamoriello’s move to advisor may come with some skepticism from those who cover him regularly. Many believe he’s not ready to give up being a GM in the NHL, and as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet noted in his recent 31 Thoughts column, he has ties to the New York Islanders organization. Should Garth Snow move up to a higher role in the organization, Lamoriello could be a potential replacement as GM at least in the short-term.
For the Maple Leafs, this isn’t exactly a firing after a disappointing first-round exit. Instead, Shanahan has maintained a plan from day one and is continuing to move the team further down the line towards perennial Stanley Cup contention. Though Lamoriello is one of the league’s most well-known front office executives, there was a split coming eventually given that he is 75 years old and closing in on retirement.
Buffalo Wins The 2018 Draft Lottery; Will Select First Overall
The Buffalo Sabres have won the Rasmus Dahlin sweepstakes. Buffalo has one of the most hockey-rabid fan bases in the entire league and their faith has been rewarded with the chance to plant a franchise player on the blue line. After years of suffering with bottom of the standings finishes and placing second in the Connor McDavid race, the Sabres finally have the top choice.
Buffalo’s draw was revealed during the second period intermission of Game Two of the Vegas Golden Knights-San Jose Sharks series, after picks #4-#15 had been revealed earlier in the night. Vaulting their way into the top three was Carolina, who had a 70% chance of picking 12th overall. Instead, the Hurricanes now sit with the second overall pick to add to their collection of young talent, which has implications in terms of getting a chance at selecting a lethal goal scorer in Andrei Svechnikov, Filip Zadina, or Brady Tkachuk.
Montreal’s suffering through the 2017-18 season was eased a bit by getting the third overall pick and a shot at a talent who should be on NHL ice come fall, giving them the goal scorer they so desperately need. They could also go back to addressing the blue line with several high-end options available at the top of the draft, but scoring is a need and Zadina, Svechnikov, or Tkachuk would help with that need.
Dahlin has been pegged as the #1 overall choice for a while now and is projected to dramatically change the fortunes of whichever team won the rights to draft him. Buffalo won that right, tonight.
The top fifteen picks in the 2018 NHL Draft are as follows:
#1- Buffalo Sabres
#2- Carolina Hurricanes
#3- Montreal Canadiens
#4- Ottawa Senators
#5- Arizona Coyotes
#6- Detroit Red Wings
#7- Vancouver Canucks
#8- Chicago Blackhawks
#9- N.Y. Rangers
#10-Edmonton Oilers
#11- N.Y. Islanders
#12- N.Y. Islanders (from Calgary)
#13- Dallas Stars
#14- Philadelphia Flyers (from St. Louis)
#15- Florida Panthers
Buffalo, Montreal, Carolina Early Winners In Draft Lottery
The Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens and Carolina Hurricanes each have won spots in the top three of the 2018 NHL draft at Saturday night’s NHL Draft Lottery. Any of the three can win the first overall pick and consensus first-overall pick defenseman Rasmus Dahlin in upcoming draft. The three teams will have to wait until the second intermission in tonight’s game between the San Jose Sharks and the Vegas Golden Knights to find out which of them won the lottery.
Buffalo, which has had the best chance to win the lottery in three of the last five years are still in it as the Sabres hope to add a franchise changing defenseman to their core of young players including Jack Eichel. The Sabres drafted eighth each of the last two years. They picked second in 2015 when they took Jack Eichel.
Montreal, who had the fourth best chance to get the top pick also won the lottery and will move up. The addition of Dahlin to their defense could help rebuild their blueline after an injury-plagued season by their top defenseman Shea Weber.
Carolina is the biggest surprise as they had the 11th best chance to fall into the top three. The franchise, flooded with quality young defensemen, would only get richer if they end up with the first overall pick.
Regardless of the top pick, there are several other top players that will round out the top three, including forwards Andrei Svechnikov, Filip Zadina and Brady Tkachuk.
Bill Peters Exercises Out Clause, Leaves Hurricanes
Bill Peters will in fact exercise his opt-out clause and leave the Carolina Hurricanes. The head coach had until today to decide whether he’d leave the final season and $1.6MM of his contract on the table to pursue other opportunities. There had been speculation that both Peters and Hurricanes’ owner Thomas Dundon wanted to part ways, but were in a standoff to see whether he would exercise the option or have to be “reassigned.” In a statement, Peters thanked the organization for his time there:
I want to thank Tom Dundon, Peter Karmanos and Ron Francis for the trust they put in me to lead the team. I feel the incoming general manager should have the ability to hire his own head coach. I also want to thank Don Waddell and the entire front office and PNC Arena staff. This business requires hard work and long hours, and I greatly appreciate the efforts of the many people I have worked alongside during the past four years.
Peters has been the head coach of the Hurricanes for four years, missing the playoffs each season. After working as an assistant coach under Mike Babcock in Detroit, he was seen as one of the best coaching prospects in the league and a rising star in terms of head coaching positions. That expectation didn’t come to fruition in Carolina, where he ended with a 137-138-53 record. With the search for a new GM still underway, a departure was easy to predict one way or another. He’ll now be free to sign with another team.
The Calgary Flames sit as the favorite to hire Peters, as there has long been speculation that he would like to return to Alberta. The Flames recently fired Glen Gulutzan after just two seasons, and have made it clear they want a tougher voice in the room. Peters certainly wouldn’t be called a players coach, having previously called out publicly those who have underpeformed for him. That’s not to say that he is destined for Calgary though, as McKenzie reports that multiple clubs have expressed interest already.
As for Carolina, there has been some speculation that Hurricanes great Rod Brind’Amour would be considered for the now vacant position. Brind’Amour has served as an assistant coach for seven seasons, starting just a year after retiring as a player. It seems unlikely that they would name a new coach until the GM position is filled, but nothing Dundon has done to this point has been conventional, and he could decide to jump on one of the other free agents right away.
Bob McKenzie of TSN first reported that Peters would exercise the option.