Marc-Andre Fleury Waives No-Movement Clause, Will Be Exposed In Expansion Draft
According to Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports, Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury has waived his no-movement clause and will be exposed in the upcoming expansion draft. Lavoie reports that the goaltender actually accepted a request waive it in February, before the trade deadline had passed in the NHL. It has long been expected that the Penguins had worked out an agreement with Fleury, since they otherwise risked losing Matt Murray to the Golden Knights. 
This news comes less than 24 hours after Fleury won his second straight Stanley Cup and third of his career with the Penguins. Though he did not play in the clinching game either of the past two seasons, his play in the first few rounds of this year’s run was outstanding and an integral part of the team’s Cup pursuit. After Murray was injured in warm up of the first game, Fleury stepped in and posted a .924 save percentage in 15 games, including two shutouts. His time in Pittsburgh looks likely to come to an end after 691 regular season and 115 playoff contests with a 437-266-68 combined record.
At 32, Fleury has two seasons remaining on his current contract at an annual salary of $5.75MM. Though he could easily play those two seasons out as the starting goaltender for the Golden Knights, some—including Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet—think that he may be flipped to another team after the draft. Fleury has previously been linked as a potential target for the Calgary Flames, who will be looking for a new goaltender this summer to improve their chances in the post season. It would be hard to imagine Vegas making the playoffs in the next two seasons, making Fleury’s impact in Sin City minimal.
Until the official selections are released, there is no guarantee that Vegas will even take Fleury. Though he does seem like a solid asset to add through the draft, the Penguins have several other interesting names who will be left unprotected. As our Seth Lawrence examined in the Penguins’ Expansion Primer, players like Ian Cole and Bryan Rust are at risk of being exposed and also provide solid value for the Golden Knights. It’s interesting to note that according to Lavoie, Fleury waived it only for purposes of the draft and Vegas, so he still holds the clause in respect to other teams around the league. That means he (as of now) still can’t be traded prior to the draft in order to extract some value for the Penguins.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Panthers Hire Bob Boughner As Head Coach
Monday: As McKenzie expected, the hiring was made official on Monday morning. Boughner will join the team on a four-year contract.
Saturday: The Florida Panthers are closing in on a deal to name Bob Boughner as their new head coach, reports TSN’s Bob McKenzie (Twitter link). In a separate tweet, McKenzie adds that the hiring should be made official on Monday. The team had requested permission to interview him back in early May.
The 46 year old Boughner has spent the last two seasons as an assistant in San Jose. His only other previous NHL coaching experience came as an assistant with Columbus back in 2010-11. He does, however, have experience as a head coach at the junior level as the bench boss for Windsor of the OHL for eight seasons (2006-07 to 2009-10 and 2011-12 to 2014-15).
Boughner was a long-time stay-at-home defenseman over parts of 12 NHL seasons, recording 15 goals and 57 assists along with 1,382 penalty minutes in 630 games with Buffalo, Calgary, Carolina, Colorado, Nashville, and Pittsburgh.
The coaching situation in Florida has been in flux since early this past season when Gerard Gallant was let go by then-GM Tom Rowe who put himself behind the bench. That didn’t work out as intended as the team posted a .475 points percentage under Rowe which was actually worse than the .548 they had under Gallant while they wound up sixth in the Atlantic Division. Accordingly, Rowe was reassigned following the season with team president Dale Tallon re-assuming managerial duties. Now it will fall on Boughner’s shoulders to get this team back to where they were two seasons ago when they surprised many with a first place finish in the Atlantic..
McKenzie adds (via Twitter) that the Panthers also had interest in Nashville assistant Phil Housley but that clearly isn’t the case now. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun tweets that Buffalo, who also is on the market for a head coach, had interviewed Boughner as well.
Philadelphia Flyers Sign Shayne Gostisbehere To Six-Year Extension
The Philadelphia Flyers have gotten in on the offseason action, signing defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere to a multi-year contract. The deal is for six seasons, at an average annual value of $4.5MM. Gostisbehere was a restricted free agent, but was not eligible for arbitration after just his second full season in the league. The contract is front loaded, structured as follows:
- 2017-18: $6MM
- 2018-19: $6MM
- 2019-20: $5.25MM
- 2020-21: $3.25MM
- 2021-22: $3.25MM
- 2022-23: $3.25MM
Though he actually made his debut at the end of the 2014-15 season, Gostisbehere made his mark in 2015-16 when he set a rookie defenseman record with a 15-game point streak. With 46 points in 64 games, he finished second in voting for the Calder trophy and looked to be one of the brightest young stars on defense around the league.
Last year wasn’t as rosy though, as he struggled at times in his own end and was scratched multiple times by Dave Hakstol even while healthy. He still contributed at an excellent pace offensively scoring 39 points in 76 games, but saw his ice time dramatically scaled back at times and usage limited. His plus-minus rating plummeted, but his analytical possession stats actually increased making him a lightning rod for the different methods of rating a defender.
Now 24, Gostisbehere has shown he can be an elite powerplay quarterback and has the ability to impact a game tremendously (some would say for both teams). Though he’s left-handed, he spent a lot of time on the right side this year and has talked in the past about how difficult it was. Perhaps that can explain some of his issues in his own end, but he’ll have to get used to it as the Flyers group is made up of almost exclusively lefties.
A three-year contract would have taken Gostisbehere to unrestricted free agency, meaning they’ve bought out three additional UFA years for a fairly reasonable price. GM Ron Hextall, tight-lipped as ever, refused to reveal the details personally, only telling reporters like Dave Isaac of the Courier-Post that the team received “great cost certainty” with the contract. $4.5MM is a solid number for the Flyers to work with, comparing favorably to other offensive defensemen around the league. The deal will also take Gostisbehere to age-30, usually an age when players start a more rapid decline in performance.
Tyson Barrie signed a four-year contract last summer which pays him $5.5MM per season, Torey Krug signed a deal worth $5.25MM per season, and Sami Vatanen is signed for four seasons at $4.88MM. While all three of those players had longer track records, were in a different stage of restricted free agency, and could be considered superior to Gostisbehere in some circles, they also gave up fewer years of free agency and will all need new contracts before their 30th birthdays.
Tim Panaccio of CSN provided the financial totals, while Stephen Whyno of AP broke down the year-by-year numbers.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Joonas Korpisalo Inks Two-Year Extension With Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed goaltender Joonas Korpisalo to a two-year extension that will pay him $700K this season and $1.1MM in 2018-19. That makes the average annual value and cap-hit just $900K. The deal is one-way. The 23-year old was set to become a restricted free agent this summer. 
Korpisalo made 13 starts for the Blue Jackets this year as he bounced back and forth along with Anton Forsberg between leagues. The young netminder went 7-5-1 with a .905 save percentage in the NHL, recording one shutout and showing that he may be ready for an increased role next season. A year prior he’d performed extremely when thrust into the starter’s net, posting a .920 save percentage in 30 starts. Because he is a solid young goaltending prospect, their has been speculation that the Vegas Golden Knights would select him in the expansion draft, and this deal doesn’t necessarily prevent that.
Assuming the Blue Jackets use their goaltending protection slot on Sergei Bobrovsky, the team needed to qualify or sign one of their three restricted free agent goaltenders prior to the draft in order to fulfill the exposure requirements. A deal was never in doubt between them and Korpisalo as he did not have arbitration rights or any real leverage, meaning this deal easily covers the requirements. The team also has several other key players who could be exposed, leaving many options for the Golden Knights.
To get him locked up under $1MM for the next couple years is a solid deal for the Blue Jackets, as they decide whether he’s destined for a starting role or will settle into the backup spot for the next part of his career. With Bobrovsky’s contract expiring in two seasons, the team will be able to make a long-term commitment to one of their young goaltenders at that point if they’re showing the promise that they’ve flashed at times. Bobrovsky, earning over $7.4MM each season doesn’t allow the Blue Jackets much cap-space to spend on a backup goaltender.
Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch provided the financial details.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Kings Sign Tyler Toffoli To A Three Year Deal
The Los Angeles Kings announced the signing of pending restricted free agent winger Tyler Toffoli to a three year contract. The deal is worth $13.8MM for a $4.6MM cap hit. He was due a $3.9MM qualifying offer from the team at the end of June.
Toffoli is coming off a bit of a down year, one that saw him miss 19 games due to a leg injury while also playing through a separate leg issue for part of the year as well. On the season, he played in 63 games, scoring 16 goals while adding 18 assists.
The 25 year old was a second round pick of the Kings (47th overall) back in 2010 and he has emerged into one of their top threats on the wing. He’s only one year removed from a 31 goal season and should be a top liner for Los Angeles heading into next season.
It’s worth noting that this new contract only covers one of Toffoli’s UFA years. While this played a big role in keeping the cap hit lower, it also will allow him to enter the open market in the prime of his career which should set him up for a big pay day in three years time.
The contract takes care of the biggest deal to be done on the to-do list for the Kings but it also takes a big chunk out of their limited cap space. The team now has over $67.5MM committed to 18 players for next season and with the salary cap not expected to jump by a significant amount, that doesn’t leave them a lot of wiggle room to work with. Los Angeles still has a trio of NHL players that are slated to become restricted free agents this summer in defenseman Kevin Gravel as well as forwards Andy Andreoff and Nick Shore.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Randy Carlyle Inks Extension In Anaheim
Head coach Randy Carlyle has been extended as head coach of the Anaheim Ducks, per the team’s twitter. The contract is good through 2018-19, with an option for 2019-20. Trent Yawney and Rich Preston will be returning for at least one season, with Todd Marchant returning as Head of Player Development.
The organization is opting to stay the course in what many anticipated could be a tumultuous summer. With Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry getting another playoff older, and Randy Carlyle in the midst of his second tour of duty in Orange County, those central figures all look to remain locked in place for the foreseeable future. Although familiarity is often a good thing, there was a subsection of the Anaheim fanbase hoping for greater change. All three were present when the Ducks won their first and only Stanley Cup 10 years ago. Carlyle had been let go in 2011 before returning this season. His stint in Toronto was the topic of great scrutiny league-wide, but his all-time coaching record remains a sterling 410-283-93.
It’s hard to argue with his relative success this year, however. If the Ducks had lost to the upstart Oilers in the second round, perhaps this extension wouldn’t sit quite as well with fans. These Ducks had a fantastic regular season performance with Carlyle at the reigns, finishing 46-23-13. Their resilience in the post-season (exemplified by a 3-goal comeback late to win Game 5 against Edmonton) was the marvel of the league. Captain Getzlaf looked totally rejuvenated and ready to lead his team back to Finals contention, while youngsters such as Rickard Rakell and Cam Fowler made great strides in their game. Carlyle’s hard-nosed brand of hockey was adopted by this team, which got them to Game 6 of a Conference Final. Whether or not his old school mentality will lead to success long-term remains to be seen. GM Bob Murray doesn’t seem concerned, and stated his unequivocal confidence in the bench boss.
Marchant has done quite well in his front office role since he retired as a skater to don a suit back in 2011. In those 6 years, Marchant has played a large part in the successful ascendance and development of young draftees Fowler (2010), Rakell (2011), John Gibson (2011), Josh Manson (2011), Hampus Lindholm (2012), Frederik Andersen (2012), Shea Theodore (2013), Nick Ritchie (2014), and Brandon Montour (2014). His familiarity with the last two years’ draft picks will be invaluable as well, as Jacob Larsson (27th OV 2015), Julius Nattinen (59th OA 2015), and Max Jones (24th OA 2016) try to build pro careers. Assistant Trent Yawney was promoted from the Norfolk Admirals 3 seasons ago, after his head coaching career in Chicago ended in disastrous results back in 2007. Rich Preston has served has an assistant coach for multiple teams dating back to the 1990s, with a successful return to coach his hometown Regina Pats that ended in 2013.
Florida Panthers Sign Henrik Haapala, Maxim Mamin To Two-Year Deals
The Florida Panthers have signed Henrik Haapala to a two-year entry-level contract. The deal is worth $925K, and also includes $425K in possible Schedule A performance bonuses. The team has also signed Maxim Mamin to a two-year entry-level contract, worth $758K each season. Both players will be restricted free agents following the 2018-19 season.
Haapala was the top scorer in Finland this season, finishing with 60 points in 51 games. The 23-year old is tiny—sometimes listed at just 5’8″ 156-lbs—but the Panthers should know what they’re getting. Aleksander Barkov played with Haapala when they were young, though the former second-overall pick had much earlier success. Haapala nevertheless has developed into the most dangerous scoring threat in the country, using his incredible edge work and elusiveness to create offense. Like other small players, Haapala will be challenged to find room in the quicker North American game. His talent is readily apparent though, and Florida was likely not the only team after him.
Mamin on the other hand was drafted by the Panthers in the sixth-round last season, only to suit up for his hometown CSKA Moscow once again this year. In an increased role Mamin performed well scoring 25 points in 42 games, good for fourth on the club. The 22-year old had been passed over in several previous drafts, but is apparently ready to come to North America and will be under contract for the next two seasons. He’s grown quite a bit since he was first eligible to be drafted, and now stands at 6’2″ 200-lbs.
Finnish newspaper Aamulehti was first to report that Haapala had signed, while CapFriendly provided the financial details on the two deals.
Chicago Blackhawks Sign Michal Kempny To One Year Extension
The Chicago Blackhawks have signed defenseman Michal Kempny to a one-year extension, the team announced this morning. The Czech defenseman scored 2G and 6A in 50 games for the Blackhawks last season. According to CapFriendly the deal is a one-year, one-way extension for $900K.
The Blackhawks signed Kempny from the KHL last season, but relegated him to the press box after acquiring Johnny Oduya at the NHL Trade Deadline. The Blackhawks are no stranger to defensive depth, and this signing should shore up a blue line that could lose the aforementioned Oduya and pending UFA Brian Campbell.
The 26 year-old defenseman is known for his speed and puck-possession skills. His 56.3 CF% led the team and furthers the Blackhawks focus on controlling the play. With Chicago ever-struggling with the salary cap, it needs to hit on some of these depth signings with potential high upside to compensate.
Mike Kelly To Join Golden Knights’ Coaching Staff
Former Florida Panthers Assistant Coach Mike Kelly will be joining Gerard Gallant behind the bench in Las Vegas this fall.
This news comes from TSN insider Darren Dreger, who says an official announcement regarding Kelly and other assistant coaches is a few weeks away.
Read more: Gerard Gallant Named Vegas’ Head Coach
Kelly has previously served alongside Gallant when the pair were in Florida from 2014 to 2016. Both men were fired last November after the Panthers won 11 of their first 22 games.
Prior to his time in Florida, Kelly spent four years with the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs, spending two years as the Director of Hockey Operations and Associate Head Coach before being promoted to Head Coach and General Manager. The Sea Dogs won the Memorial Cup in 2011. Kelly has also been a head coach or assistant in the AHL, OHL, WHL, Canadian University hockey, and both the U-18 and U-20 Team Canada teams.
Ryan Johansen Out 2-3 Months With Left Thigh Injury
The Nashville Predators not only lost their Western Conference game last night in crushing fashion, but have lost one of their key forwards in the process. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that Ryan Johansen required surgery to repair a left thigh injury, the result of which will be a 2-3 month recovery period. The emergency surgery was completed at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Johansen played more than 27 minutes in the overtime game, leading all forwards of either team.
The 24-year old center has developed into the #1 option the Predators were after when they traded Seth Jones for him last year, scoring 61 points during the regular season. His play in the postseason for Nashville has been close to Conn Smythe-worthy, with 13 points in 14 games an an excellent defensive effort every night. Matched against some of the toughest defensive centers in the league, Johansen has found success and helped the Predators become a real potential Cup-winning team. Now, they’ll have to find a way to fill the huge hole in the middle of the ice with someone else.
Mike Fisher is the obvious candidate to take on an even bigger role, but he left game 4 in the third period with an apparent head injury after Josh Manson‘s knee collided with it. He didn’t play any of the overtime, registering less than 13 minutes on the night. Calle Jarnkrok has played well this season but has little experience going up against the top checking units of other teams, while Colton Sissons and Vernon Fiddler don’t have the offensive chops to play on the top line. Mike Ribeiro, an option because of his history of offensive production, was the center of a Yahoo! Sports report yesterday speaking about his latest relapse with alcoholism and his current status of rest and rehabilitation. Ribeiro was waived earlier this year after a trade request and finished the season with the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL.
This is a disappointing end to a playoff run for a burgeoning young forward, especially after the war of words he’s maintained with Ryan Kesler throughout the series. The Predators will need to find a way to fill his minutes with productive play, and perhaps this is a chance for another young player to step up and make a difference in the playoffs. Especially after also losing Kevin Fiala earlier in these playoffs, the spotlight will brighten on Filip Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson even more now to carry the offensive load, while hoping that Colin Wilson and James Neal can step up even further.