Snapshots: Bunting, Butler, 2024 Worlds
Carolina Hurricanes forward Michael Bunting was a guest on the JD Bunkis Podcast this week and revealed he didn’t have many extension discussions with the Toronto Maple Leafs after their second-round playoff elimination. After recording back-to-back 23-goal seasons in Toronto, Bunting signed a three-year, $13.5MM contract with the Hurricanes when free agency opened July 1. “Once the offseason came along, I didn’t really hear much [from Toronto]… you kind of just figured it wasn’t going to work out,” Bunting said.
Bunting had been a more-than-serviceable top-six piece for Toronto, especially at his previous bargain $950K cap hit. The physical side of his game evidently took too much of a stage when this year’s postseason began, though, earning him a multi-game suspension for a hit on Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak in the First Round. Even when in the lineup, Bunting lost his spot in the top-six to rookie Matthew Knies at times during the postseason, and he recorded just two points in seven playoff games.
Elsewhere in the hockey news cycle today:
- Former Ottawa Senators forward Bobby Butler has announced his retirement from pro hockey, according to an announcement from the ECHL’s Worcester Railers. That’s where the 36-year-old Butler had spent the last two seasons of his career, serving as team captain and recording 54 points in 83 games. An undrafted free agent, Butler appeared in 130 NHL games across five seasons with the Senators, New Jersey Devils, Nashville Predators, and Florida Panthers. He finished his NHL career with 20 goals and 49 points, including an impressive rookie campaign with Ottawa in 2010-11 when he recorded 21 points in 36 games. He won a Calder Cup with the AHL’s Binghamton Senators that same year.
- The IIHF has released the schedule for the 2024 Men’s World Championship, set to take place in Prague and Ostrava, Czechia. Next year’s edition of the tournament will include Great Britain and Poland after they earned promotion by winning the gold and silver medals in the Division 1A Worlds last year. Hungary and Slovenia finished last in their respective groups in 2023 and will need to work their way back up to the top level during the coming year. The Belarussian and Russian national teams remain suspended for the 2024 tournament.
Coyotes Prospect Jan Jeník Reportedly Seeking Trade Options
Arizona Coyotes 2018 draft pick Jan Jeník remains without a contract for next season and is reportedly seeking a trade to continue his career in North America, according to a report from PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan.
The Coyotes issued Jeník a qualifying offer before the June deadline and retained his exclusive signing rights as a restricted free agent, but Morgan says he doesn’t appear close to signing with Arizona. The 22-year-old winger was the Coyotes’ 65th overall pick in 2018 and has three years of pro experience under his belt, mainly with AHL Tucson.
He’s put up strong offensive totals on a weak Roadrunners team over the past two seasons, even finishing second on the team in scoring with 17 goals, 30 assists and 47 points in 51 games during the 2021-22 campaign. After more solid play with 23 points in 30 games for Tucson this season, though, he didn’t receive much of an NHL chance – only two games at the major-league level in 2022-23 and just 17 overall over the past three seasons.
Arizona drafted Jeník directly out of the 1. Liga, Czechia’s second-tier pro league behind the Extraliga and not at all a traditional stomping ground for draft-eligible prospects. It was after the 2018 draft that Jeník established some decent stock as a prospect, coming to North America and scoring 86 points in 54 games across two seasons with the OHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs. He looked well on his way to solidifying himself as a potential top-five prospect in the organization, but without much of any NHL experience to show for it and a crowded forward corps next season, it makes sense he’s looking for other opportunities.
He may not get the trade he desires anytime soon, though, as Morgan reports the Coyotes “seem content to let Jeník sit,” given he has very little leverage as an RFA. He’s got a few options moving forward if the Coyotes don’t move him – he can sit out and hope the team folds before December 1, the deadline by which he needs to sign to play in the NHL this season; he can sign in Europe; or he can hope another team signs him to an offer sheet which Arizona opts not to match. Teams do not need to send compensation for signing offer sheets worth less than $1.416MM per season.
It doesn’t seem likely a team would issue an offer sheet of any significance, though, as despite his wishes, few believe Jeník is ready for a full-time NHL role as things stand. Arizona will likely match any offer he realistically receives and send him back to Tucson to start next season.
Boston Bruins Sign John Farinacci To Entry-Level Deal
The Boston Bruins have signed free agent forward John Farinacci to a two-year entry-level contract with a $910K cap hit, per a team release. Farinacci, a 2019 third-round pick of the Arizona Coyotes, became a free agent yesterday when the Coyotes let his exclusive signing rights lapse by not signing him to an ELC. Steve Conroy of The Boston Herald first reported the Bruins were closing in on Farinacci.
Farinacci heads to Beantown after completing three productive collegiate seasons at Harvard. He lost his sophomore year when Harvard suspended play due to the COVID pandemic. Last season, the natural center was limited to 19 games due to injury but was one of four players on the team to produce above a point-per-game pace, recording five goals and 15 assists while serving as captain. He finishes his stint at Harvard with 25 goals, 36 assists and 61 points in 79 games.
Still just 22, Farinacci immediately becomes one of the best center prospects in the Bruins’ paper-thin pipeline. He’s shown smart two-way acumen throughout his time at Harvard and possesses an above-average shot. He may have some top-six upside, but his sample size over the past few seasons has been limited thanks to injuries and COVID – increasing the variability in his projection.
While Boston will give him a long look in camp, he’s nearly a lock to start 2023-24 with AHL Providence, so the organization can see how his 200-foot game adapts to the professional level. He will become a restricted free agent with possible arbitration rights in 2025.
It’s worth noting this is a family affair for Farinacci in Boston, as his uncle is former Bruins forward Ted Donato (and is cousin is former Bruin and current Blackhawks forward Ryan Donato).
Minor Transactions: 08/16/23
Notable NHL moves are few and far between this late in the summer. There was some significant news in the Atlantic Division yesterday, with the Detroit Red Wings acquiring defenseman Jeff Petry from the Montreal Canadiens. However, there isn’t anything else major slated to happen anytime soon until training camps begin next month. The European schedule is a few weeks ahead of the NHL’s, though, and most leagues overseas have already begun their preseason and start the 2023-24 campaign in earnest in just a few weeks. That means there are a fair bit of last-minute moves trickling in. We’re keeping track of today’s notable minor moves here.
- Former Edmonton Oilers prospect Ostap Safin has converted on an overseas PTO and will suit up for the KHL’s Lada Togliatti in 2023-24, according to a team release. Edmonton selected the Czech winger in the fourth round of the 2017 NHL Draft and signed him to an entry-level contract less than a year later. The deal ran until the 2021-22 campaign, and with Safin failing to establish a full-time AHL role for himself over the course of three pro seasons, Edmonton opted not to issue him a qualifying offer and let him become an unrestricted free agent. He returned home last season, finally solidifying a pro role in Czechia with eight goals, five assists and 13 points in 41 games for Extraliga club HC Sparta Praha. Now 24 years old, he heads to Togliatti, joining a roster that includes former Winnipeg Jets forward Scott Kosmachuk.
- In a confirmed transaction with the Ontario Reign, forward Jacob Doty will suit up for the team for the fifth straight season. Before his time with the Reign starting in the 2019-20 AHL season, Doty had been split fairly evenly between the AHL and ECHL. The Denver, CO native has suited up in 151 games over the last eight seasons in the AHL, scoring nine goals and 14 assists in total. At the ECHL level, Doty is a veteran of 159 games in only four years, scoring 13 goals and 23 assists.
- In a press release this afternoon, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have announced a one-year contract extension for center Samuel Houde. After an impressive stint with the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL during the 2021-22 season, scoring 13 goals and 30 assists in only 31 games, Houde earned a full-time spot for the baby Penguins last year. His goal-scoring ability remained above average, but his playmaking abilities took a hit, scoring 12 goals and eight assists in 65 games last year. Although not appearing like much on paper, on a basement-dwelling Penguins team last year, those numbers were good for 10th on the team in total scoring, and fifth on the team in goals scored.
This page will be updated throughout the day.
Update On This Year’s August 15 Free Agents
Most NHL free agent business is dealt with in the early summer months. There is one important date later each year, however. August 15 marks the date when NHL teams lose their exclusive signing rights to most college-drafted players if they’ve graduated (or completed without graduating) college and are not yet signed to an entry-level contract.
Earlier this month, we published a list of players slated to hit the UFA market yesterday if not signed to an ELC within the coming days. However, the guidelines the NHL uses to determine a college graduate are some of the most complex sets of rules relating to contractual obligations in pro sports. That means it’s often impossible to glean a full list of players whose rights have expired (or not expired) until after the August 15 deadline has passed.
This year was no different, as CapFriendly issued multiple updates today on their X account regarding the list of August 15 free agents they’d made public earlier in the month. Three players who were slated to expire actually remained on their team’s reserve list: Calgary Flames 2018 fourth-round pick F Demetrios Koumontzis, Ottawa Senators 2018 seventh-round pick F Jakov Novak, and Senators 2018 second-round pick D Jonny Tychonick.
On the flip side, 12 players they expected to remain on teams’ reserve lists hit the free-agent market yesterday. With that in mind, we have a revised, accurate list of players who became unrestricted free agents yesterday. Asterisked players were not originally expected to come off their team’s reserve list.
Anaheim Ducks
*F Trevor Janicke (2019 fifth round, 132nd overall)
Arizona Coyotes
F John Farinacci (2019 third round, 76th overall)
*F Anthony Romano (2019 sixth round, 176th overall)
Boston Bruins
*D Dustyn McFaul (2018 sixth round, 181st overall)
Calgary Flames
*F Joshua Nodler (2019 fifth round, 150th overall)
Carolina Hurricanes
F Kevin Wall (2019 sixth round, 181st overall)
Chicago Blackhawks
F Jake Wise (2018 third round, 69th overall)
Colorado Avalanche
*F Matt Stienburg (2019 third round, 63rd overall)
Columbus Blue Jackets
D Robbie Stucker (2017 seventh round, 210th overall)
Detroit Red Wings
F Robert Mastrosimone (2019 second round, 54th overall)
*F Ethan Phillips (2019 fourth round, 97th overall)
Edmonton Oilers
F Skyler Brind’Amour (2017 sixth round, 177th overall)
Minnesota Wild
*D Marshall Warren (2019 sixth round, 166th overall)
New Jersey Devils
*D Case McCarthy (2019 fourth round, 118th overall)
*F Patrick Moynihan (2019 sixth round, 158th overall)
New York Islanders
D Christian Krygier (2018 seventh round, 196th overall)
F Jacob Pivonka (2018 fourth round, 103rd overall)
New York Rangers
*F Eric Ciccolini (2019 seventh round, 205th overall)
*F Riley Hughes (2018 seventh round, 216th overall)
Ottawa Senators
*F Luke Loheit (2018 seventh round, 194th overall)
Philadelphia Flyers
F Jay O’Brien (2018 first round, 19th overall)
San Jose Sharks
D Arvid Henrikson (2016 seventh round, 187th overall) Originally drafted by the Montreal Canadiens
Toronto Maple Leafs
D Ryan O’Connell (2017 seventh round, 203rd overall)
Winnipeg Jets
G Jared Moe (2018 sixth round, 184th overall)
Of the list above, Krygier and Pivonka are remaining in the Islanders organization on confirmed AHL contracts for 2023-24, although they remain eligible to sign with another NHL team should one come calling. All others are either returning to school for 2023-24, have contracts signed in other leagues, or are not signed for next season.
Notably, this is the official confirmation that the Flyers’ exclusive signing rights of O’Brien have lapsed. As compensation for not signing a first-round pick to their entry-level contract, the Flyers will receive a compensatory second-round pick from the league in the 2024 NHL Draft.
August Free Agency Update: Metropolitan Division
As even most mid-tier free agents are now off the market, it’s a good time to look at how each team has fared on the free agent market this offseason. We’re publishing a list of one-way signings (i.e., likelier to start the season on the NHL roster) by team, per division, to keep you updated on NHL player movement since the new league year began on July 1.
Asterisked players denote a restricted free agent. Double-asterisked players denote the contract starts in the 2024-25 season. Next up is the Metropolitan Division. You can check out the list of Atlantic Division signings here.
Carolina Hurricanes
**F Sebastian Aho (eight years, $9.75MM cap hit)
D Dmitry Orlov (two years, $7.75MM cap hit)
F Michael Bunting (three years, $4.5MM cap hit)
G Frederik Andersen (two years, $3.4MM cap hit)
F Jesper Fast (two years, $2.4MM cap hit)
D Anthony DeAngelo (one year, $1.675MM cap hit)
G Antti Raanta (one year, $1.5MM cap hit)
*D Dylan Coghlan (one year, $850K cap hit)
F Brendan Lemieux (one year, $800K cap hit)
D Caleb Jones (one year, $775K cap hit)
Columbus Blue Jackets
none
New Jersey Devils
F Michael McLeod (one year, $1.4MM cap hit)
F Nathan Bastian (two years, $1.35MM cap hit)
*D Kevin Bahl (two years, $1.05MM cap hit)
F Tomas Nosek (one year, $1MM cap hit)
New York Islanders
**G Ilya Sorokin (eight years, $8.25MM cap hit)
D Scott Mayfield (seven years, $3.5MM cap hit)
F Pierre Engvall (seven years, $3MM cap hit)
G Semyon Varlamov (four years, 35+ contract, $2.75MM cap hit)
*F Oliver Wahlstrom (one year, $874.1K cap hit)
F Julien Gauthier (two years, $787.5K cap hit)
New York Rangers
*D K’Andre Miller (two years, $3.872MM cap hit)
D Erik Gustafsson (one year, $825K cap hit)
G Jonathan Quick (one year, 35+ contract, $825K cap hit)
F Blake Wheeler (one year, 35+ contract, $800K cap hit)
F Nick Bonino (one year, 35+ contract, $800K cap hit)
F Tyler Pitlick (one year, $787.5K cap hit)
F Riley Nash (two years, $775K cap hit)
Philadelphia Flyers
*F Noah Cates (two years, $2.625MM cap hit)
F Garnet Hathaway (two years, $2.375MM cap hit)
*D Cameron York (two years, $1.6MM cap hit)
**G Samuel Ersson (two years, $1.45MM cap hit)
F Ryan Poehling (one year, $1.4MM cap hit)
D Marc Staal (one year, 35+ contract, $1.1MM cap hit)
Pittsburgh Penguins
G Tristan Jarry (five years, $5.375MM cap hit)
D Ryan Graves (six years, $4.5MM cap hit)
F Lars Eller (two years, $2.45MM cap hit)
F Noel Acciari (three years, $2MM cap hit)
G Alex Nedeljkovic (one year, $1.5MM cap hit)
*F Drew O’Connor (two years, $925K cap hit)
F Matthew Nieto (two years, $900K cap hit)
F Andreas Johnsson (one year, $800K cap hit)
G Magnus Hellberg (one year, $785K cap hit)
D Ryan Shea (one year, $775K cap hit)
F Vinnie Hinostroza (one year, $775K cap hit)
*D Ty Smith (one year, $775K cap hit)
Washington Capitals
**F Tom Wilson (seven years, $6.5MM cap hit)
*D Martin Fehervary (three years, $2.675MM cap hit)
F Max Pacioretty (one year, $2MM cap hit)
F Matthew Phillips (one year, $775K cap hit)
Mark Stone Played Through Fractured Wrist In Cup-Clinching Game
The fifth and final game of the Stanley Cup Final was certainly a productive one for Golden Knights winger Mark Stone as he notched a hat trick, becoming the first player to score three in a game in the final series since 1996. It turns out he accomplished that despite being injured earlier in the contest. In an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show (video link), the veteran indicated that he suffered a fractured wrist in the first period of that contest and played through it the rest of the way.
The 31-year-old is no stranger when it comes to having to battle through back trouble over the last two seasons, undergoing two surgeries in the span of nine months, the second of which came back in February. However, he was able to return for the playoff opener and had a very productive postseason, notching 11 goals and 13 assists in Vegas’ 22 games.
This particular injury shouldn’t be an issue when it comes to Stone’s availability for training camp next month. At the moment, there aren’t believed to be any carryover injuries from their appearance in the Final as goaltender Logan Thompson will be ready for camp. Robin Lehner is expected to be back on LTIR next season but missed all of the 2022-23 campaign after undergoing double hip surgery last August.
Metropolitan Notes: Hurricanes, Farabee, Haman Aktell
Carolina finds itself without an AHL affiliate for the upcoming season after Chicago opted to become an independent franchise. Speaking with reporters today including Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News and Observer, GM Don Waddell indicated that he is in discussions with a handful of teams about loaning out some of their prospects. The Hurricanes opted to loan several European players overseas for 2023-24, a move that Waddell acknowledged wasn’t ideal but was workable for 2023-24. Waddell hopes that Carolina will once again have its own affiliate for 2024-25 and are looking into potential options but with 32 AHL franchises and Chicago’s desire to be an independent one, one NHL team will be in this situation each season moving forward.
More from the Metropolitan:
- This time last summer, Flyers winger Joel Farabee was recovering from undergoing artificial disk replacement surgery in his neck and wasn’t able to get in a full summer of training. Speaking with NHL.com’s Adam Kimelman, the 23-year-old indicated that there are no lingering issues from the procedure which has allowed him to have a more traditional offseason in terms of preparation. Farabee is coming off a 15-goal, 24-assist season, an output that was lower than expected but with a full summer under his belt, he could be a bounce-back candidate for Philadelphia this coming season.
- Allan Mitchell of The Athletic recently examined (subscription link) some of the top NHL-affiliated players that didn’t suit up at the top level last season. Atop his list was Capitals free agent signing Hardy Haman Aktell who inked an entry-level agreement back in April. The 25-year-old had a breakout year last season with Vaxjo of the SHL with Mitchell honing in on his even-strength goal differential as an element that could get him an opportunity with Washington sooner than later.
Oilers Prospect Shane Lachance Commits To Boston University
Boston University has added another NHL-drafted prospect to the mix as they announced (Twitter link) that Oilers prospect Shane Lachance will be suiting up for them next season.
The 19-year-old was drafted by Edmonton back in the sixth round in 2021, going 186th overall. He spent that season with the Boston Jr. Bruins of the NCDC before moving to Youngstown of the USHL in 2021-22.
Lachance is coming off a strong season with the Phantoms where he helped lead them to a Clark Cup title. In 62 games last season, Lachance, the son of former NHL blueliner Scott Lachance, picked up 33 goals and 21 assists while also chipping in with three goals and three helpers in nine playoff contests.
With this commitment, Edmonton is set to hold Lachance’s NHL rights through the 2026-27 season, giving the Oilers plenty of time to evaluate his development. He becomes the third NHL-drafted forward to join the Terriers for the upcoming season, joining Jack Hughes (Los Angeles) and Jack Harvey (Tampa Bay).
East Notes: Hurricanes, Sabres, DeSmith
The Carolina Hurricanes aren’t going anywhere – they’ve signed a 20-year lease extension agreement with the Centennial Authority and Gale Force Sports and Entertainment, according to a team release, keeping them at PNC Arena through the 2043-44 season. As part of the agreement, PNC Arena is poised for a substantial facelift, with plans to create a sports and entertainment district encircling the arena, which is rather secluded from downtown Raleigh as things stand. “This development will transform PNC Arena into a year-round destination for residents while also improving the event day experience for Hurricanes fans, NC State fans, and concertgoers alike,” said Hurricanes majority owner Tom Dundon.
It’s a significant investment coming from the local government, with a combined $300MM million from the City of Raleigh and Wake County. There’s also a fair amount of private money funneled into developing the land around the arena, which will include office space, living space, a hotel, and a concert venue – a minimum of $200MM investment within five years, $400MM within ten years, and $800MM within 20 years.
Elsewhere from the Eastern Conference today:
- Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News tabs Jacob Bryson as the likeliest odd man out when it comes to their crowded defense during camp. Noting that his $1.85MM cap hit isn’t fully buriable in the minors, a trade is more likely for the 25-year-old than placing him on waivers and assigning him to AHL Rochester. Bryson signed a two-year, $3.7MM extension with Buffalo before last season after he played in a career-high 73 games, posting some solid two-way numbers in a bottom-pairing role. His momentum evaporated this season, however, and he was a defensive liability when given any increase in minutes, posting a career-low relative Corsi for at even strength of -2.3%.
- After flipping one asset acquired in the Erik Karlsson trade earlier today, the Montreal Canadiens are still faced with a goalie crunch caused by taking on netminder Casey DeSmith from the Pittsburgh Penguins. Speaking with reporters today, GM Kent Hughes said he’s talked to DeSmith and asked him “to be patient.” Hughes is undecided on whether to keep DeSmith or trade someone else (Jake Allen or Samuel Montembeault) off the roster to make room for the 32-year-old, who started a career-high 33 games for the Penguins last season.