Andrei Markov Will Play In KHL In 2017-18
Monday: Ak Bars Kazan has announced a two-year deal with Markov.
Thursday: Breaking his own news, Andrei Markov announced on a conference call with reporters that he will play in the KHL in 2017-18. He was willing to sign a one-year deal with the Montreal Canadiens but couldn’t come to an agreement, and had other offers from around the NHL before deciding to head back to Russia. In his own words:
I didn’t see myself with any other NHL team. I didn’t see myself wearing another jersey.
NHL.com correspondent Sergey Demidov reports that it will be Ak Bars Kazan that signs Markov, though he wouldn’t confirm it on the call. It’s likely that he’ll retire having only played for a single NHL team, something that’s hard to find in professional sports these days. He did say he could return to Montreal in a year, though that would be a surprising turn after the team clearly wasn’t ready to meet his asking price this summer. The 38-year old will be able to play in the Olympics next year, which would be his fourth such tournament for Russia.
Markov was clearly upset that he was leaving Montreal, but did say that it was a positive move for his family. Just recently Markov got married and has several children, who can now all move back to Russia together. Earlier this year he brought his young twin boys over from Russia after their mother passed away.
It’s a likely end to what was an outstanding NHL career, with 990 regular season games and 572 points. He obviously could have helped a large group of teams around the league still, but never wanted to play for a different team. Montreal had been the team that gave him his first shot in North America, and it was going to be where he finished his career.
Nino Niederreiter Re-Signs With Minnesota Wild
[Update 6:14pm]: Michael Russo reports that Niederreiter signs 5 year deal worth $5.25MM AAV
Michael Russo of the StarTribune reports that the Minnesota Wild and forward Nino Niederreiter are closing in on a new contract. Both player and team are currently scheduled for an arbitration hearing this Thursday.
The 24 year-old Swiss is due for a significant raise after scoring 25G and 32A in 82 games last season. It is Niederreiter’s third straight 20 goal season, and he has increased his point total every season since joining the Wild. Niederreiter’s previous contract paid him an average of $2.66MM a year for three years.
The contract amount will depend on how many UFA years the Wild lock up. Michael Russo believes that the Wild will settle on a 3–5 year contract. Given recent signings, expect this contract to be in the $5.5MM–6MM range. The Nashville Predators locked up Ryan Johansen for $8MM a year, and the center only scored 4 more points than Niederreiter this season. At the other end of the spectrum, the New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings signed RFAs Mika Zibanejad and Tomas Tatar to $5.35MM and 5.3MM contracts, respectively. Niederreiter playing on the wing will depress his value slightly, but he should receive at least what Tatar and Zibanejad received.
Ryan Johansen Signs Eight-Year Contract With Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators have signed Ryan Johansen to a new contract. The deal is for eight seasons, worth $64MM and interestingly does not contain any no-trade or no-movement clauses. Johansen was a restricted free agent for the second time, and coming off a three-year $12MM deal he signed before being traded to the Predators. He was eligible for salary arbitration but chose not to file, instead working out a long-term extension with the team. 
Johansen, 24, was acquired by the Predators from the Columbus Blue Jackets in early 2016 in exchange for defensemen Seth Jones. In a swap of fourth-overall picks, Johansen immediately filled a gaping hole on the Predators as a big number one center, while Jones joined one of the deepest defense corps in the league in Columbus.
Armed with a solid offensive group around him in Nashville, Johansen put up his fourth straight 60-point season and was a huge part in the Predators going all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals. Unfortunately he wasn’t able to see it to the end, as he was injured in the Western Conference Finals on what seemed to be a pretty innocuous play, and would require immediate surgery.
Already this summer the Predators have seen Viktor Arvidsson locked up for the next seven years, while Filip Forsberg signed a long-term deal just a year ago. Those three form the core of what is an impressive forward group, that will get Nick Bonino, Scott Hartnell and several young players added this year. While James Neal has gone to Vegas, and Mike Fisher hasn’t yet made a decision on a comeback, the present and future looks very bright in Smashville.
The $8MM average annual value of the deal puts Johansen tied for the 15th-highest paid player in the league next season, and eighth among centers right alongside Joe Thornton, who signed a one-year deal to return to San Jose. This deal’s biggest comparable may just be Evgeny Kuznetsov, who signed an eight-year deal of his own just a few weeks ago. Kuznetsov will get $7.8MM per season, but also has considerably less experience in the NHL (though they are just a few months apart in age).
The Predators’ top line of Johansen, Arvidsson and Forsberg is now under contract for a total of $18.25MM for the next five seasons, and are all still under the age of 25 currently. The trio is as dominant a group as you can find in the NHL, though as GM David Poile joked in his press conference, Johansen also has plenty of experience (and success) playing with Hartnell from their days in Columbus. It will be interesting to see the deployment next season, and if head coach Peter Laviolette breaks up his dynamic young line to spread out some of the offense.
For all the things Johansen does well, it’s important to note that he’s not without flaws. For all the offense he can create, he has been criticized in the past for a perceived lack of effort at times and has scored just 14 goals each of the last two seasons. While both those years came with relatively low shooting percentages, he doesn’t generate as many shots as some of the other premiere centers in the league and could stand to use his size to his advantage a bit more.
That said, when lined up with natural goal scorers his playmaking ability can mesh and be disastrous for opponents to handle. His defensive acumen and work in the faceoff dot is exemplary, and should only improve as he enters his prime. Like Thornton in San Jose and Ryan Getzlaf in Anaheim, those skills can be more than enough to make an outstanding career.
Adam Vingan of the Tennessean first had the deal.
Ryan Spooner Signs With Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins have avoided arbitration with Ryan Spooner after all, signing the restricted free agent forward to a one-year $2.825MM contract. Spooner was scheduled for a hearing today, and had asked for a $3.85MM contract. The team had countered with $2MM. 
Spooner was one of the more interesting RFAs to watch this summer, who has obvious offensive talent but has been criticized throughout his short career for both his defensive play and effort level. The Bruins release seems to echo that idea, with this statement from GM Don Sweeney:
We know Ryan has the offensive skills to be an impactful player, especially while on the power play. We expect Ryan to continue to take the necessary steps with his development to be an even more complete, two-way player.
One of the better powerplay forwards in the league, he had run-ins with both Claude Julien and Bruce Cassidy throughout the season, and was eventually benched in the playoffs to make room for Sean Kuraly. Spooner remains a top trade candidate, and this contract could even make it easier to facilitate a move somewhere else around the league.
While some obviously think he’ll never turn around his defensive liabilities, a 40-point forward for less than $3MM is still a valuable commodity. The fact that Spooner can play center ice adds to that, though it was clear Boston didn’t love using him in that role this past season. Next season the Bruins could move him to the wing full-time if they believe Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson is ready to take over at center ice, though that is far from decided at this point.
Since Spooner is 25, this contract leaves him as a restricted free agent again next summer and eligible for arbitration once again. If it is with Boston, another big offensive season would force their hand into either signing him long-term or moving him somewhere that would. It will be interesting to see if they continue to give him powerplay time, because without it much of his leverage is taken away in negotiations.
The Bruins retain more than $10MM in cap space with which to sign David Pastrnak, a deal that should extend long-term and carry a very substantial cap hit. With another big cap hit added up front, it will be a tight fit next summer to hand out term to Spooner unless he makes himself indispensable this season. The Bruins will have five forwards already making at least $6MM each, taking up nearly half of the entire salary cap.
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet was first to report the deal.
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Pittsburgh Penguins Sign Brian Dumoulin To Six-Year Contract
Even though Pittsburgh Penguins GM Jim Rutherford had be clear he expected to go to arbitration with Brian Dumoulin, the two sides have agreed to a six-year contract instead. The deal will pay Dumolin $4.1MM per season for a total of $24.6MM and keep him in Pittsburgh through the 2022-23 season. Dumoulin was set to have a hearing today, but like many other players before him has inked a deal in the final moments. 
Just 25, Dumoulin has slowly developed into a huge part of the Pittsburgh defense, cracking the 20 minutes/game mark for the first time this season. That 20:33 mark put him second on the team among those who played the majority of the season (Ron Hainsey‘s 16-game stint in the second half ranked slightly above) only behind Kris Letang. In 70 games, Dumoulin registered 15 points and was a rock for the club in the playoffs once again. With back-to-back Stanley Cup victories, the young defenseman has proven his worth on the biggest stage.
Amazingly for those two seasons Dumoulin was earning just $800K each year, his second deal after a relatively fruitless entry-level contract. Selected in the second round, he first went off to Boston College to star in the NCAA before needing several years of minor league seasoning with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. For a defensive stalwart who can skate against the other team’s top players, refining his positioning and zone exits were the biggest hurdle. Dumoulin turned himself from a risk-taking offensive threat to more of a stay at home presence, a nice compliment to some of the Penguins other puck movers. With a 6’4″ frame that he can move up and down the ice at an impressive pace, he can be useful in all situations and should only be given more responsibility in the mold of a Marc-Eduoard Vlasic going forward.
Interestingly, the $4.1MM salary comes in just below what Dumoulin was asking ($4.35MM) through arbitration for just a one-year deal. The Penguins had countered with a curiously low $1.95MM figure, one that he obviously will surpass next year by giving away four UFA seasons. He comes in just ahead of Olli Maatta among Penguins’ defensemen, and completes what should be an effective group again this season. The team now has $6.3MM remaining in cap space, though Conor Sheary remains unsigned and heading to an arbitration hearing on August 4th.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Viktor Arvidsson Signs 7-Year Extension With Nashville
First reported byElliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, and then confirmed by Adam Vingan of the Tenessean, Nashville has secured a long-term deal to lock up their restricted free agent Viktor Arvidsson, forgoing the need for an arbitrator’s ruling. The crafty forward’s contract is good for 7 seasons, at an AAV of only $4.25 MM.
Arvidsson’s arbitration hearing took place earlier today, and the figures that were being thrown out earlier nearly assured that Nashville was bound to get a solid deal. Arvidsson asked for only one year at $4.5 MM whereas the team opted for two years at a mere $2.75 MM. Arvidsson was the team’s leading goal scorer, and one of the biggest surprises of the season. His offensive explosion helped carry the team to the Stanley Cup Final, and at only 24 should be a huge part of the team’s future for a long time. His advanced statistics, in addition to his 30+ goal season, really make the player attractive league-wide. His 55 % Corsi For puts him in elite company among top-six wingers facing similar level of competition.
Getting a 61-point winger on a cost-controlled contract for the next 7 years is truly impressive work for GM David Poile. It should be kept in mind that there is a small element of risk here, as this was a total breakout season after a mediocre first pro year which saw him score only 16 points through 56 games. if Arvidsson can maintain anywhere near last season’s level of productivity, though, he will be incredibly cost-effective. His remarkable progression basically made James Neal expendable in the expansion draft, and now it seems that Poile is confident enough to lock the player down for the foreseeable future. At only 5’9, the player has faced doubters who question his long-term value, but he is now unquestionably a core piece in Tennessee.
When taken in reference another of this year’s RFAs, Tomas Tatar was awarded earlier today with a deal worth $5.3 MM AAV. Granted, Tatar had three consecutive 50+ point seasons which led to that figure. Arvidsson may only continue to progress, securing himself as a truly elite winger. By extending Arvidsson for such a long period, Nashville managed to bring a potentially more productive player than Tatar in at a figure far less cumbersome.
Tomas Tatar Signs Four-Year Deal With Detroit Red Wings
Even after the arbitration hearing went down yesterday, the Detroit Red Wings and Tomas Tatar have come to an agreement on a long-term contract. The four-year deal will pay Tatar $21.2MM, for an average of $5.3MM per season. With less than 24 hours left before an arbitrator made a decision on a one-year contract, the two sides found common ground that will keep Tatar in Detroit for a few years more. The breakdown is as follows: 
- 2017-18: $4.875MM salary + $1.125MM signing bonus
- 2018-19: $5.5MM salary
- 2019-20: $5.5MM salary
- 2020-21: $3.2MM salary + $1MM signing bonus
Craig Custance of the Athletic pointed out this morning that the two sides could still reach an agreement in time, and we’ve seen this before in cases like P.K. Subban who signed an eight-year deal after his arbitration hearing in 2014. Tatar was set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer, and would have been one of the most interesting names at the trade deadline if Detroit hadn’t been in playoff contention this year.
Now, the Red Wings have more work to do. With Tatar signed, the team is now more than $3MM over the salary cap for next season with Andreas Athanasiou still to sign. The team does have Johan Franzen still under contract and heading for long-term injured reserve, but like in Toronto and Chicago the team may not want to use “summer LTIR” because of the restrictions it comes with. Instead, they could look to move out some of the hefty contracts for their declining veterans through trade or a buyout.
Like Ottawa earlier today when they signed Ryan Dzingel, this move will open a second 48-hour buyout window for the Red Wings on Monday that they could use to clear cap space. Buying out Niklas Kronwall or Jonathan Ericsson would give them around $2.6MM in savings each next season, though both seem unlikely candidates to be cast aside from the only teams they’ve ever known. Mike Green, effective but expensive leads the list of trade candidates, as he is on the final year of his current contract and likely doesn’t fit into the Red Wings timeline going forward. Moving his $6.0MM cap hit would provide quite the cap relief, if they could ever find a buyer to give them some real value in return.
Salary cap issues aside, this contract actually comes in with less total money than the five-year $25MM contract that Tatar reportedly turned down. Though it is a slightly higher cap hit, it seems as though holding firm worked out for Ken Holland in the end as he got the player for a reasonable contract. Tatar signs at the same cap hit as Ondrej Palat in Tampa Bay, a player with similar production throughout his career. Even if Detroit does decide to throw in the towel and try a real rebuild, this deal is still palatable enough to move for a solid return.
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet was first to break the deal, while Craig Morgan of AZ Sports provided the financial breakdown.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Colton Parayko Signs Five-Year Deal With St. Louis
With the arbitration hearing for Colton Parayko about to start, the two sides have agreed upon a five-year, $27.5MM contract. The deal will keep Parayko in St. Louis until he is 29, at which point he will be an unrestricted free agent. While the average annual value will be $5.5MM, the contract breaks down as follows:
- 2017-18: $6.5MM
- 2018-19: $6.5MM
- 2019-20: $5.525MM
- 2020-21: $3.35MM
- 2021-22: $5.625MM
This is quite the contract for both sides, as the Blues will buy out two UFA years from Parayko in exchange for a strong cap number next season. There are 32 other defensemen who will be paid at least $5.5MM next season, meaning Parayko will need to continue to perform at quite a high level in order to justify the contract. That doesn’t seem to be a problem for the young defenseman, as his first two years have been excellent and he looks ready to take another step forward.
If you were to look at Parayko without knowing anything about him, he might seem to you to be a hulking defender that could be useful on the penalty kill but probably lacks skating ability or offensive upside. His 6’5″ frame and incredibly long reach brings more visions of Hal Gill than Paul Coffey. Nothing could be further from the truth though, as Parayko combines incredible stick handling with a sharp first pass and above average elusiveness to create offensive chances on the regular.
Blues fans will be incredibly pleased with the deal, as it brings in a budding superstar behind captain Alex Pietrangelo in terms of salary, and allows them the flexibility next season to worry about Robby Fabbri‘s next deal and finding a replacement for Paul Stastny (unless Brayden Schenn is that already). The team now has six defensemen under contract for next season, a group that would rank among the best in the league in many categories. Parayko came in third among defensemen in ice time last year behind Pietrangelo and veteran Jay Bouwmeester, but without Kevin Shattenkirk in town for the whole year will likely be asked to do even more this season.
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet was first to break the deal, giving us the length and total. Craig Morgan of AZ Sports gave us the year-by-year breakdown.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Vegas Signs Glass, Suzuki, and Brannstrom To ELCs
Already busy earlier in the day, the Vegas Golden Knights announced that they have come to terms with Cody Glass, Nick Suzuki, and Erik Brannstrom, signing all three to entry-level contracts. The three were all 2017 first round draft choices, with Glass being the sixth overall pick, Suzuki 13th overall, and Brannstrom coming in at 15th overall.
Whether they will crack the Golden Knights’ roster remains to be seen, but from the write up, it sounds like each can absolutely make a case for staying with the big club during the 2017-18 season. Though general manager George McPhee is known to prefer patience with his prospects, a good camp and roster full of players exposed by their former teams makes for an interesting opportunity for incoming rookies.
Vegas managed to snag two forwards who saw their stock rise throughout all of last season.
Glass spent the 2016-17 season with the Portland Winterhawks, registering 94 points (32-62) in 69 games and being nearly a point-per-game in the WHL playoffs, potting four goals in 11 games. (4-5-9). The 18-year-old forward also has the unique distinction of being the first draft pick in franchise history, and with that comes some added pressure, though Glass is just “happy” to be a part of the history. McPhee moved to grab the two-way forward who came in graded as one of the better centers in what was considered a weaker draft. Blessed with excellent vision and what The Hockey News’ Ryan Kennedy described as a meteoric rise through junior hockey. Kennedy noted that Glass is the type of player who feeds off of being taken lightly, and believes that the kid will be putting up points in the NHL at high rates.
Similarly, Suzuki turned into one of the darlings of the draft. Another late bloomer, Suzuki is still only 17, and saw his stock skyrocket as the months, weeks, and days drew closer to the draft. Just days before the draft, Kennedy reported that Suzuki was easily the best possession forward in the draft, putting top picks Nolan Patrick and Nico Hischier in his rear view mirror according to the advanced stats.
Great at avoiding penalties, Suzuki tallied 45 goals for Owen Sound in 2016-17, and bested his new teammate by two points (45-51-96) in just 65 games. If the two truly pan out as many expect, Vegas could have a potent one-two punch at center, which is what dominant teams build foundations upon.
Brannstrom has drawn comparisons to Ryan Ellis, and McPhee noted how getting two elite centers and a mobile defenseman with three top fifteen picks is certainly a road to success. Unlike his teammates drafted before him, Brannstrom would have to return to his Swedish club HV71 should he not be added to the Vegas roster–though it seems a long shot due to his younger age and smaller stature.
Regardless of whether or not the three make the opening roster, Vegas seems to have a great jump on their future with the picks of all three. Whether they earn a few years of extra seasoning, or jump into the NHL fray immediately, Glass, Suzuki, and Brannstrom all bring a dose of optimism to the league’s newest organization.
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Hischier Signs 3-Year Entry-Level Contract With New Jersey
The 2017 Draft’s 1st-overall pick, Nico Hischier, has signed a 3-year entry level contract with the New Jersey Devils, per AP’s Stephen Whyno. The contract is worth $950,000 and includes signing bonuses. It was also announced that he will wear #13 in New Jersey, after his hockey idol Pavel Datsyuk.
Hischier is a dynamic forward, with amazing playmaking abilities. Playing for Halifax last season, he put up 38 goals and 86 points through 57 games. His phenomenal play in the World Junior Championship captured the attention of the hockey world and likely propelled him over the edge in consideration for top prospect of the class. As the highest ranked Swiss player ever drafted, expectations will be high for Hischier from the start. New Jersey had an exceptionally anemic offense last season, and will need to slot him as a top-six center immediately. Hischier already has the hockey IQ and the natural skill to be a force in the league, and will be an early favorite among Calder predictions. That said, he is less physically well-rounded than the #2 pick of the draft, Philadelphia’s Nolan Patrick. He will need to fill out his 6’1 frame and train properly in order to get a solid beginning in October.
It should be an interesting camp for Hischier, as he will also need to find linemates with whom he can gel. Taylor Hall is a solid bet, as he can blitz defenses with his speed and tenacity, and is a former #1 overall pick himself. Marcus Johansson or Kyle Palmieri could slot in on his right wing, and it’s unclear as to where Adam Henrique will fit. Hischier would likely thrive best beside a pure finisher, but the Devils don’t really have that. Chemistry in the absence of that sniper will be important to his success. Still, Hischier will almost certainly put up respectable numbers and grow as his rookie season comes along. He can score quite easily with the hard, heavy shot he possesses – and Hischier never showed a reluctance to fire the biscuit either. He averaged over 4 shots a game for Halifax.
At $950,000, Hischier’s cap hit is the highest allowable for an entry-level contract. Consequently, his bonuses will be a key component in determining his actual pay. The Devils are no where near a cap or contract crunch, as this contract only puts them at a puny 34 in the entire organization.