Evening Notes: Sabres, Bezeau, USHL
Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News reported today that the Buffalo Sabres are in contract discussions with a pair of former first overall picks. The Sabres are trying to work out extensions with franchise defenseman Rasmus Dahlin as well as Owen Power who was a workhorse in his rookie season. Both men are eligible for to sign contract extensions on July 1st and have expressed interest in inking long-term with the Sabres. Lysowski acknowledges that the Sabres don’t have any rush to sign either man to an extension as they both still have a year left on their current deals, but if they were to get the new contracts done on July 1st it would give the Sabres some cost certainty as they head into free agency at what is a critical point in their rebuild.
Dahlin will be looking for a long-term contract and could get something in the range of $9MM to $10MM on a long-term deal. The Swedish defender is coming off a season in which he put up 15 goals and 58 assists in 78 games while playing almost 26 minutes a night. For Power, he could sign long term but may elect to sign a bridge deal in the hopes of maximizing his earnings when he is more established and the salary cap has gone up. In his rookie season he played almost 24 minutes a night and had four goals and 31 assists in 79 games.
In other evening notes:
- The Charlotte Checkers have announced that they have re-signed right winger Riley Bezeau to a two-year AHL contract. Bezeau spent this past season in the Queen City putting up five goals and three assists in 51 AHL games and finishing second on the team with 84PIM. The 21-year-old was previously an assistant captain of the Saint John Sea Dogs team that captured the Memorial Cup in 2021-22 in a season that saw him post 11 goals and 16 assists in 56 games.
- The USHL announced today that Glenn Hefferan has been selected as the 11th president and commissioner in league history. Heffernan will take over on July 1st and is familiar with USA hockey having been a board and committee member for several years in various capacities as well as a member of the USA Hockey Executive Committee since June 2021. Back in 2012 Heffernan was awarded the Dr. John J. McMullen Award for service to New Jersey Amateur Hockey, an award he was given by the New Jersey Devils.
Devils Expected To File For Arbitration With Timo Meier
The New Jersey Devils have been busy today, fresh off signing Jesper Bratt to an eight-year extension Sportnet’s Elliotte Friedman is reporting that the club will likely take forward Timo Meier to team elected arbitration. This doesn’t prevent either side from continuing to negotiate a long-term deal, but it does give the Devils some leverage as they head into conversations with the 26-year-old. The team elected arbitration could result in a salary that is 85% of Meier’s 2022-23 salary which came in at $10MM.
Meier came over to the Devils in late February after a blockbuster trade with the San Jose Sharks. He took some time to settle in with New Jersey and put up nine goals and five assists in 21 games with the Devils to finish out the regular season. He would ultimately finish his season with 40 goals and 26 assists in 78 games split between the two teams. In the playoffs Meier struggled mightily posting just two goals and two assists in 11 games and was largely a non-factor in the team’s series win over the New York Rangers going pointless in seven games and suffering a huge hit from Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba. Meier was much stronger in the team’s second round series against Carolina putting up four points in four games.
The Devils decision to file for arbitration isn’t all that surprising given that they are largely negotiating from a position of weakness as Meier holds the hammer in their contract discussion sitting just a year away from unrestricted free agency. He could simply just go to arbitration and walk away next summer.
As mentioned earlier, with the team elected arbitration Meier could see his salary reduced by as much as 15% depending on how the arbitration process plays out. While that won’t do much on a long-term contract, it could lead to an acceleration in the contract discussions with Meier’s camp which would allow New Jersey some clarity as they head into the draft and free agency in the upcoming weeks. The Devils have a busy summer ahead as they try to build on their first series win in over a decade.
Winnipeg Jets Sign Fabian Wagner
The Winnipeg Jets announced today that they have signed forward Fabian Wagner to a three-year, entry-level contract. The deal runs through the 2025-26 season and carries a cap hit of $858,333. Wagner was Winnipeg’s sixth-round selection in the 2022 NHL entry draft and is currently scheduled to take part in the Jets development camp in early July.
The Nykoping, Sweden native spent this past season back home playing with Linkoping’s junior and SHL teams. In the SHL he was held pointless in 22 games, however for their under-20 squad he put up 11 goals and 22 assists in 33 games. He found less success in the playoffs putting up just a single assist in four games.
At 6’0” and 176 pounds, Wagner is a bit undersized, however he is regarded as an excellent passer and a bit of a playmaker. Scouts also consider him to be patient with the puck and not a player who will try and force a play that isn’t there. He does have some playmaking to his game evidenced by his production as he has averaged around a point a game in the J20 Nationell as well as the World Juniors where he had two goals in four assists in seven games while representing Sweden.
Winnipeg has a lot of veteran forwards in front of Wagner on the depth charts, however depending on how their summer shakes out they could be entering a rebuild which would leave a lot of opportunities for him to make his mark in both the AHL and NHL. Wagner is likely a longshot to make it to the NHL, but if he can continue to develop his game in the Jets system, he may be able to breakthrough and play a role in Winnipeg’s bottom six. This contract indicates that the Jets are encouraged by the development of one of their late picks from last year’s draft and should give the 19-year-old some confidence when he comes over to North America to begin his professional career.
Dallas Stars Re-Sign Matt Murray
The Dallas Stars have secured goaltender Matt Murray on a one-year, two-way contract for the 2023-24 campaign, the team announced today. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Not to be confused with the Stanley Cup-winning netminder of the same name, the younger 25-year-old Murray made three appearances for the Dallas Stars in 2022-23. During his call-ups, Murray posted a record of 1-2-0 with a 3.39 goals-against average and a .844 save percentage.
Murray’s NHL debut came this season as well, successfully stopping 19 out of 21 shots in a March 2 win against the Chicago Blackhawks. His debut win on the road made him the first rookie goaltender for the Stars to achieve such a feat since Mike Smith in the 2006-06 campaign.
An undrafted free agent signing last summer out of the University of Massachusetts, Murray recorded an 18-10-5 record and three shutouts in 34 games for the AHL’s Texas Stars this year in his first full professional campaign. His 2.37 goals-against average ranked first among AHL rookie netminders, and he ranked second with a .911 save percentage and shared fourth place with 18 victories. During the Calder Cup Playoffs, the Alberta-born goalie tallied a 5-3-0 record in eight appearances, with a solid 2.79 GAA and .909 SV%.
With Scott Wedgewood still under contract to backup starter Jake Oettinger, Murray is likely again destined for a starting role in Texas for the 2023-24 campaign. While Wedgewood is a capable backup, he’s entering his 30s and could end up going elsewhere on the free agent market in 2024. Murray could very well take over the backup role in Dallas at that time.
Murray joins 21-year-old Remi Poirier as goalies under NHL contract with Dallas destined for the minors next season.
Calgary Flames Name Jarome Iginla Special Advisor To GM
One of the most hotly-anticipated front-office moves of the summer, at least in Alberta, has come in across the wire. The Calgary Flames have named Hall of Famer and former captain Jarome Iginla a special advisor to new general manager Craig Conroy, the team confirmed in a release.
Iginla has joined Conroy to offer assistance across all aspects of hockey operations, the Flames said. He, Conroy, and assistant general manager Dave Nonis now make up the nucleus of Calgary’s hockey operations department.
It’s a heartwarming front-office reunion for the two former linemates, who are now charged with leading this generation of Flames players to sustained playoff success. Conroy offered the following statement:
Dating as far back as our playing days with the Flames, Jarome and I have always talked about one day working together in the NHL. That day has finally come and I’m happy to welcome him back to Calgary. Jarome provides a creative approach and smart hockey mind to our team blended with a passion for the game, and a desire to win the Stanley Cup. Our relationship goes back 20 years and includes being opponents and teammates combined with a long-standing friendship. While our views on the game are similar, we often challenged each other on systems and playing style, always pushing each other to be better. I look forward to our team benefiting from his fierce competitiveness, career experiences and love of hockey.
Iginla currently serves as a coach for the RINK junior hockey academy in Kelowna, British Columbia. Per the Flames, he’ll continue in this role during 2023-24 and support Calgary in a shared capacity.
This is the Flames legend’s first executive experience, and it comes at a crucial time in Calgary’s history as they have a multitude of long-term deals and close-to-expiring core pieces. However, no one knows what it means to be a Flame more than the 45-year-old Iginla, who recorded 1,095 points across 1,219 games in a Flames jersey.
Ethan Bear Undergoes Shoulder Surgery, Out 6 Months
After a few weeks of mulling, the Vancouver Canucks and defenseman Ethan Bear have made a decision on how to move forward from a shoulder injury sustained while playing at the 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championships. Bear underwent successful surgery and is expected to miss six months, the Canucks said today.
Bear is now on track to make his 2023-24 season debut before the Christmas break in the NHL schedule and could miss around the first 30 games of the season based on a six-month timeline from today. The 25-year-old right-shot defender is a pending restricted free agent and remains without a contract for next year.
In his first year with the Canucks, Bear totaled 16 points in 61 games and posted excellent possession numbers while seeing his ice time increase to its highest level in three seasons. He’s expected to challenge for a top-four role next season, with his competitor, Tyler Myers, potentially on his way out of town if Vancouver can find a taker for the last season of his $6MM average annual value contract.
Bear was one of Vancouver’s highest upside options at right defense before the team unexpectedly acquired Filip Hronek from the Detroit Red Wings near the trade deadline. While a healthy Hronek next year will add some much-needed top-four caliber depth to the Canucks blueline, Bear is still an important defensive cog for a team that struggles to keep the puck out of their own net. He’ll be missed to start the 2023-24 campaign.
Colorado Avalanche Acquire, Extend Fredrik Olofsson
The Dallas Stars have dealt the rights to pending unrestricted free agent forward Fredrik Olofsson to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for future considerations, the team announced today. The Avalanche then immediately announced a one-year extension for Olofsson, with CapFriendly reporting a two-way deal worth $775,000 in the NHL and $300,000 in the AHL with $350,000 guaranteed.
Olofsson’s 2022-23 campaign was his first in North America after he signed with Dallas as a free agent. He wasn’t undrafted, though – the Chicago Blackhawks selected him with the 98th overall pick in 2014 but never signed him to an entry-level contract.
He showed flashes of solid fundamentals at points with the Stars but never made much of an impact at the scoresheet, even at the AHL level, where he recorded 14 points in 37 games with the Texas Stars. That low production was likely influenced by an extreme lack of stability, however. Olofsson was one of Dallas’ top call-up options throughout the year and was sent up and down more than 20 times, given he didn’t need to clear waivers to head up and down between leagues. After one season under contract, though, he will now require waivers if Colorado wants to send him to the AHL Eagles.
Olofsson, 27, is a marginal but much-needed depth add for the Avalanche, whose bottom six looks absolutely barren right now with many veterans on expiring deals. Depth scoring was easily the team’s biggest weakness last season, and they’ll likely need a by-committee approach to fix it in 2023-24. Olofsson will likely come in as a cost-effective option with more NHL (and professional experience) than others looking for NHL time in the organization.
New Jersey Devils Extend Jesper Bratt
The New Jersey Devils and pending restricted free agent winger Jesper Bratt have agreed to terms on a massive eight-year deal worth $7.875MM per season, the team announced Thursday afternoon. The contract, which will see Bratt stay in New Jersey until 2031 and carries a total value of $63MM, breaks down as follows:
2023-24: $10MM salary
2024-25: $9MM salary
2025-26: $9MM salary
2026-27: $8MM salary
2027-28: $7.2MM salary
2028-29: $7.2MM salary
2029-30: $6.6MM salary
2030-31: $6MM salary
ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski also reports the contract carries some form of trade protection. The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta reports half of the above breakdown is paid out in signing bonuses.
The deal opens up what will be a pivotal offseason in New Jersey. After winning their first playoff series in 11 years, the Devils ended their season without extensions for both Bratt and trade deadline acquisition Timo Meier, who were both RFAs eligible for arbitration. With many more players to re-sign, especially at the bottom of their forward lineup, CapFriendly projects the Devils still have $26.4MM in cap space for next season.
General manager Tom Fitzgerald offered a statement on the monumental deal for both Bratt and the team:
It was always a priority to keep Jesper Bratt here long term and both parties are thrilled that a deal was completed. I value and commend the commitment Jesper made to this organization. We believe that he is a special player and a key member of our core group of talent who will contribute towards the team’s long-term success, and organizational goal of bringing the Stanley Cup back to New Jersey.
Most didn’t expect negotiations between Bratt and the Devils to be smooth sailing. Last offseason, Bratt was also an RFA and nearly required an arbitration hearing to get a new deal signed. The two parties eventually settled on a one-year, $5.45MM deal days before the hearing.
That being said, a deal of this magnitude has been a long time coming. The Devils reportedly started negotiations with Bratt as far back as last November, and after a second consecutive 70-point campaign from the Swedish winger in 2022-23, the team was comfortable committing the maximum term.
Bratt’s deal carries the same average annual value and just one less year of term than Los Angeles Kings winger Kevin Fiala, who signed an extension after being traded from the Minnesota Wild last June. Fiala had recorded 85 points in 82 games that season after a pair of seasons that came in close to the point-per-game mark.
Given Bratt’s similar scoring pace over the past pair of seasons, it’s hard to argue the deal is above market value. He’ll be in his early 30s when the deal expires, so the past few seasons shouldn’t age poorly if he continues his progression.
Bratt drew some ire from Devils fans after a disappointing playoff performance, registering a single goal and just six points in 12 games. He’s posted numbers reflective of a true top-line winger over the past two campaigns, though, and it should be a fair bet that the 5-foot-10 Swede can maintain that level of production. Advanced offensive metrics have been kind to him since his breakout 26-goal, 73-point campaign in 2021-22.
The Devils have already gotten way more value than initially expected out of Bratt, who fell to the sixth round of the 2016 NHL Draft. He was in the NHL just two seasons after his draft year, scoring 35 points in 74 games during his rookie season in 2017-18. In 389 games as a Devil overall, Bratt’s totaled 102 goals and 174 assists for 276 points.
He’s now the team’s third-highest-paid player and second-highest-paid forward. His cap hit comes in at $625,000 more than that of captain Nico Hischier, who’s locked in at a $7.25MM price tag through 2026-27. Only Jack Hughes ($8MM) and Dougie Hamilton ($9MM) make more per season on the team.
Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic was the first to report the deal.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
East Notes: Maple Leafs, Lightning, Sabres
While the Toronto Maple Leafs did finally win a playoff series this season, a five-game loss at the hands of the Florida Panthers in the second round erased most of the team’s forward momentum and goodwill with the fanbase. Team president Brendan Shanahan and new general manager Brad Treliving seem content to keep the team’s core intact, so any answers from outside the organization are likely going to come through free agency.
The Athletic’s Jonas Siegel today speculated defenseman Dmitry Orlov should be the team’s top target on the unrestricted free agent market, citing a need for a more puck-moving inclined defender to replace Jake Muzzin and Rasmus Sandin. He’ll likely cost more than $6MM per season on a multi-year deal, one that may not age particularly well given he’s already 31, but he showed with both Washington and Boston this season that he can still handle big minutes and big competition with strong results on both sides of the puck.
Among forwards, Siegel listed Connor Brown, Evan Rodrigues, Tyler Bertuzzi, and Lars Eller as potential adds on the open market.
Also in the Eastern Conference news cycle today:
- Stealing the Ottawa Senators’ thunder from earlier this week, Sportico reports the Tampa Bay Lightning are selling a minority stake in the club to Arctos Sports Partners at a massive $1.4 billion valuation. It’s over a ten-fold rise in franchise valuation in 13 years – majority owner Jeff Vinik purchased the team in 2010 for just $170MM. He’ll retain his majority stake in the team, so this won’t lead to any notable changes at the top of the franchise’s organizational pyramid.
- The Buffalo Sabres have mutually agreed not to extend their affiliation with the ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones, Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News reported Thursday. Per Lysowski, the team is close to an agreement with a new affiliate at that level. Since 2017, two netminders with playing time in Cincinnati had advanced to Buffalo’s NHL lineup: Michael Houser and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.
Ottawa Senators Sign Oskar Pettersson
The Ottawa Senators have signed forward Oskar Pettersson to a three-year, entry-level contract, the team announced today. Financial details were not disclosed.
The 19-year-old Swedish prospect had a strong season in his home country. A cerebral and speedy winger, Pettersson tallied two points and 33 penalty minutes in 29 regular-season games with Rogle BK of the SHL, his first pro experience. In Sweden’s U20 league with Rogle’s top junior team, Pettersson led his team in points per game among players with at least 10 games, recording 23 goals and 10 assists in 24 games.
Senators general manager Pierre Dorion gave a statement on Pettersson’s signing:
Oskar has quickly become one of the organization’s top prospects. He had a strong first pro season and showcases a similar maturity level to players who are much older than he. A north/south winger who has demonstrated that he’s capable of playing in all situations, he routinely utilizes his speed to effectively cycle the puck. He’s a smart player with good habits; his work ethic alone is certain to be of considerable value to him as he strives to take the next step.
Selected by the Senators with the 72nd overall pick in the third round of the 2022 NHL Draft, Pettersson joins two other players from the team’s draft class who Ottawa has already signed: defensemen Tomas Hamara (87th overall) and Jorian Donovan. Pettersson is expected to attend the Senators’ upcoming annual development camp before returning to Rogle for the next season, the team said.
Given his age, Pettersson is eligible for a one-year slide on this deal if he plays less than 10 NHL games. With Pettersson not expected to see NHL ice in 2023-24, his three-year contract will likely kick in for the 2024-25 campaign.