Brad Treliving Not Allowed At Maple Leafs Draft Table
Brad Treliving was recently announced as the 18th general manager in Toronto Maple Leafs history. Treliving was officially introduced today and stated that his first priority is to meet with superstar Auston Matthews. While getting Matthews signed long-term is the focus, another focus is the upcoming NHL entry draft, which Treliving will not be allowed to take part in. Chris Johnston of NorthStar Bets is reporting that this condition was put in place by the Calgary Flames when granting Toronto permission to talk to him. Treliving is under contract with Calgary until July 1st.
Maple Leafs president of hockey operations Brendan Shanahan was asked about this stipulation at the press conference this morning and praised the teams scouting staff and said they are still preparing to pick late in the first round of the draft as well as the fifth and sixth round. One would have to presume that either Shanahan or head scout Wes Clark will be making Toronto’s picks this year in the absence of Treliving.
It’s not surprising to see the Flames attach a condition like this to Treliving as they were originally apprehensive about even allowing their long-time general manager to interview for other jobs before his contract expired. Three weeks ago, it was reported by The Hockey News that Calgary wasn’t allowing him to speak with teams, however they had a change of heart and let the 53-year-old pursue other employment. One would have to guess that the draft condition was a compromise Treliving, and the Maple Leafs had to make to move forward with the interview process.
It’s not unheard of for a team to block a former employee from participating in the entry draft, although it doesn’t happen often. In fact, it happened to the Flames back in 2000 when general manager Craig Button came over from the Dallas Stars and was blocked from taking part in draft day.
Full 2023 List Of Expiring Draft Rights
June 1: As of 5 p.m. ET on June 1, none of the below players were signed and all are either free to re-enter the draft or become free agents.
May 26: When drafting a player out of North America or any European country with a transfer agreement, a team acquires exclusive negotiating rights for a set amount of time. Each year on June 1, a long list of players see those rights expire and become unrestricted free agents (or choose to re-enter the draft, depending on specific circumstances).
CapFriendly has compiled a complete list for the deadline in just a few days. Some players listed below have already signed overseas; others will have agreements announced soon after their current rights expire.
Anaheim Ducks
Sean Tschigeri (130th overall, 2021)
Arizona Coyotes
Axel Bergkvist (200th overall, 2019)
Manix Landry (139th overall, 2021)
Emil Martinsen Lilleberg (107th overall, 2021)
Valentin Nussbaumer (207th overall, 2019)
Boston Bruins
Matias Mantykivi (185th overall, 2019)
Calgary Flames
Jack Beck (168th overall, 2021)
Lucas Feuk (116th overall, 2019)
Cole Huckins (77th overall, 2021)
Cole Jordan (141st overall, 2021)
Cameron Whynot (89th overall, 2021)
Carolina Hurricanes
Bryce Montgomery (170th overall, 2021)
Robert Orr (136th overall, 2021)
Columbus Blue Jackets
Eric Hjorth (104th overall, 2019)
Dallas Stars
Jacob Holmes (143rd overall, 2021)
Conner Roulette (111th overall, 2021)
Samuel Sjölund (111th overall, 2019)
Detroit Red Wings
Gustav Berglund (177th overall, 2019)
Albert Grewe (66th overall, 2019)
Oscar Plandowski (155th overall, 2021)
Pasquale Zito (166th overall, 2021)
Edmonton Oilers
Patrik Puistola (73rd overall, 2019)
Florida Panthers
Braden Hache (210th overall, 2021)
Los Angeles Kings
Lukas Parik (87th overall, 2019)
Montreal Canadiens
Frederik Nissen Dichow (138th overall, 2019)
Joe Vrbetic (214th overall, 2021)
New Jersey Devils
Nikola Pasic (189th overall, 2019)
New York Rangers
Leevi Aaltonen (130th overall, 2019)
Ottawa Senators
Carson Latimer (123rd overall, 2021)
Ben Roger (49th overall, 2021)
Chandler Romeo (202nd overall, 2021)
Pittsburgh Penguins
Santeri Airola (211th overall, 2019)
Ryan McCleary (194th overall, 2021)
San Jose Sharks
Benjamin Gaudreau (81st overall, 2021)
Liam Gilmartin (167th overall, 2021)
Max McCue (156th overall, 2021)
St. Louis Blues
Tyson Galloway (145th overall, 2021)
Tampa Bay Lightning
Cameron MacDonald (160th overall, 2021)
Toronto Maple Leafs
Kalle Loponen (204th overall, 2019)
Josh Pillar (127th overall, 2019)
Vancouver Canucks
Arvid Costmar (215th overall, 2019)
Connor Lockhart (178th overall, 2021)
Washington Capitals
Martin Hugo Has (153rd overall, 2019)
Dru Krebs (176th overall, 2021)
Vegas Golden Knights Sign Carl Lindbom
The Vegas Golden Knights have inked goalie Carl Lindbom to a three-year, entry-level contract, says the Las Vegas Sun’s Danny Webster. PuckPedia reports the deal carries an $840,000 cap hit.
Lindbom, 20, slipped all the way to 222nd overall in the 2021 Draft after he was limited to just eight junior games in the Swedish J20 Nationell season, posting a subpar .890 save percentage in the process. It’s been a sharp rise for Lindbom since then, and his numbers suggest a budding goalie with a potential NHL future.
In fact, Lindbom, who had his birthday just days ago, has gone from draft blip to professional world-beater in Sweden’s second-tier league, the Allsvenskan. Along with posting two shutouts in seven appearances for Sweden at the 2023 Men’s World Juniors, Lindbom took home Rookie of the Year and Goalie of the Year honors with the Allsvenksan’s Djurgårdens IF.
He posted a staggering .930 save percentage, seven shutouts, a 1.86 goals-against average, and a 25-11-0 record in 36 games, adding a .941 save percentage in five SHL qualification matches. Unfortunately, an injury in his fifth game knocked him out for the rest of the postseason, and Djurgården would lose to MoDo in the Allsvenskan championship series, keeping them in the second-tier league for 2023-24.
Lindbom is likely destined for the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights next season, where he’ll gun for a starting role with 24-year-old Jiri Patera, who made his NHL debut for the Golden Knights in 2022-23.
Patrick Kane Undergoes Hip Surgery, Out 4-6 Months
Pending unrestricted free agent forward Patrick Kane underwent a hip resurfacing procedure today, according to his agent, Pat Brisson. The expected recovery time is four to six months, which will keep Kane out for most of training camp at a minimum.
Per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, doctors are optimistic this won’t impact Kane’s career trajectory. This is the same procedure that Washington Capitals center Nicklas Bäckström underwent last offseason; he had 21 points in 39 games in 2022-23 after returning to play in January.
Kane has been dealing with hip issues for the past few seasons, but their severity evidently increased this season. Surgery was on the table as an option before his trade from the Chicago Blackhawks to the New York Rangers, and he recorded just 57 points, a career-low for him in a full season.
Hip resurfacing is similar to a hip replacement procedure but less invasive. Instead of entire parts of the hip being replaced with artificial components, only the damaged parts of the hip are trimmed away and replaced with a metal shell.
Given Kane’s age and the Rangers’ need to elevate their younger players in the lineup, it seemed rather unlikely the two parties would meet on an extension even without the recovery time from the surgery in the picture. The procedure now throws into question when (or if) a team will sign Kane – it’s not outlandish to predict he’ll still be looking for a home when the puck drops on the 2023-24 regular season.
The 34-year-old admitted early last month that he wasn’t fully healthy during the Rangers’ postseason run and would prioritize his healthy this offseason.
Drafted first overall in 2007, Kane has (assumedly) wrapped up his half-decade-plus-long career in Chicago with 446 goals and 1,225 points in 1,161 games. He had five goals and 12 points in 19 games down the stretch of the 2022-23 season with the Rangers.
Again, this doesn’t seem to be a career-ending procedure for Kane, but with the Rangers looking to maximize their competitiveness next season and Chicago focused on rebuilding, he’ll likely need to complete his recovery before donning a new uniform.
Penguins Notes: Lawrence, GM Search, Jarry
With one-half of their next front office duo settled, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ organizational focus now turns toward hiring a new general manager. Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli notes the field of candidates could expand if Dubas is given input into the hiring process, naming current Columbus analytical consultant Cam Lawrence as a possibility.
Lawrence, also the Chief Financial Officer at nutritional retail company GNC, was also previously involved with the Florida Panthers’ analytics and scouting department from 2015 to 2021. In that time, his input helped Florida acquire undervalued players such as Jonathan Marchessault, Carter Verhaeghe, and Reilly Smith. If hired, it would make Pittsburgh one of the most analytically proficient front offices in the league. Seravalli notes Pittsburgh did interview Lawrence earlier in their search process.
- In his introductory press conference today, new president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas offered some insight into an updated timeline for their general manager search. Dubas said he plans to handle the beginning of this offseason, including the draft and free agency, as the interim general manager, meaning a new hire for the position is no longer imminent. Any move will likely come later in the offseason after the team’s roster situation for 2023-24 is settled.
- No choice is bigger for Pittsburgh this offseason than what to do in the crease. Capable but injury-prone starter Tristan Jarry is slated for unrestricted free agency on July 1, and Dubas says he plans on meeting with Jarry and Penguins goalie coach Andy Chiodo before making a decision on whether to retain him. It doesn’t seem the team is willing to pay above market value to have him back, with Dubas saying the team “will be doing a very thorough evaluation of Tristan and review where he stands in the marketplace.”
Capitals Notes: Draft Rights, Fehervary, Dowd, Sandin
Many NHL-drafted but unsigned players are set to become free agents today if they don’t sign within the next four hours. Today, The Athletic’s Tarik El-Bashir confirmed two Capitals prospects will hit the open market: Czech defenseman Martin Has and Canadian defender Dru Krebs.
Krebs, the brother of Buffalo Sabres forward Peyton Krebs, was selected in the sixth round of the 2021 NHL Draft. While he had a strong year in 2020-21 in limited action due to COVID, the 2021-22 campaign was nightmarish for him, finishing with just 19 points in 66 games with the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers and a staggering -58 rating. He rebounded nicely this season, but the 20-year-old’s flaws displayed after his draft year likely signal an NHL future isn’t in the cards.
Has, 22, was a member of Washington’s 2019 draft class. The fifth-round pick played unsigned in the Capitals organization this year, registering 12 points in 50 games as a member of the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays.
- Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan told reporters today that the team hasn’t begun speaking to pending restricted free agent defenseman Martin Fehervary about an extension yet, but “expects discussions to pick up soon.” Fehervary, Washington’s second-round pick in 2018, is coming off his entry-level deal. In his sophomore season with the Caps, the 23-year-old consistently played a top-four role and posted 16 points in 67 games.
- MacLellan also said center Nic Dowd underwent core surgery recently, aiming to fix an ailment that was bugging him near the end of the season. Dowd is expected to recover in time for training camp in September. The 33-year-old bottom-six center has two seasons remaining at a cap hit of $1.3MM and is coming off a career-high 13 goals.
- Lastly, in more positive news for Washington, MacLellan revealed the injury Swedish defenseman Rasmus Sandin sustained near the end of this year’s Men’s World Championship isn’t serious and carries no long-term concern. Sandin was electric for Washington after coming over from Toronto near the end of the season, posting 15 points in 19 games and averaging nearly 23 minutes per game. The 23-year-old former first-round pick will look to step into a consistent top-four role with the Caps next season, potentially alongside John Carlson.
Hilary Knight Named IIHF Female Player Of The Year
United States hockey superstar Hilary Knight has made history as the inaugural recipient of the IIHF’s Female Player of the Year award, the international body announced Thursday morning.
Knight, 33, is an absolute stalwart in the sport, trailing perhaps only Canada’s Marie-Philip Poulin as the best active women’s hockey player on this side of the Atlantic. Per the IIHF, she received an overwhelming 40.9% of the total votes for the award.
Knight expressed her gratitude for being named the award’s initial recipient:
I am honored to be the first recipient of such a prestigious award. There are many talented women at this level, and it is a privilege to be recognized as the IIHF Female Player of the Year. Reflecting on this year it’s hard to pinpoint one highlight, rather a collection of memories shared with my teammates. I am grateful to be a part of such an incredible group and share these special moments with my friends. The sport and the women who play it deserve the largest stage and biggest spotlight. My hope is that the sport continues to grow and reach greater heights. Although hockey is a team sport, having awards and accolades that acknowledge accomplishments help drive more visibility. Thank you, IIHF, for creating this award, as it is important to recognize outstanding athletic performances.
The voting process involved members of the media from 16 IIHF member countries. Knight’s outstanding performances throughout the year, including her display at the 2023 Women’s World Championship in Brampton, earned her the award. She led all players at the tournament with eight goals in seven games, the tournament-record fifth time she’s achieved the feat.
Three of those eight goals came in the gold medal game against Canada. Her second goal in that game was the game-winner and marked her third game-winning goal in an IIHF Women’s World Championship gold medal game, another tournament record.
Across her career, Knight is a nine-time gold medallist at the Women’s Worlds, a one-time gold medallist and three-time silver medallist at the Olympics, and an Isobel Cup champion with the Boston Pride in 2016.
Boston Bruins’ Kai Wissmann Returning To Germany
After a one-year attempt at making a pro hockey career in North America, Boston Bruins depth defenseman Kai Wissmann is returning to the DEL’s Eisbären Berlin for 2023-24, according to the team.
During his one-year stay in the Bruins organization, Wissmann, 26, never got an NHL look. However, a solid showing with Germany at the recently-concluded Men’s World Championship could have garnered Wissmann some NHL interest for next season, as it did after the 2022 edition of the tournament.
In his lone season with the Bruins, spent entirely with AHL Providence, Wissmann registered a goal and eight assists (nine points) in 31 games. He didn’t appear in any Calder Cup Playoff contests for Providence, failing to earn much of any responsibility at the AHL level.
Berlin announced that Wissmann signed a long-term deal but didn’t clarify its length. It’s safe to assume he’ll play the rest of his career overseas after being unable to secure an everyday AHL role in his mid-20s.
Before joining the Bruins in 2022, Wissmann had been a part of the Eisbären organization dating back to junior hockey in 2012. The only team he’s ever played for in the top German league, Wissmann has logged six goals, 62 assists, 68 points, and a +67 rating over nine seasons and 285 games with Berlin.
Wissmann had a career-high four goals and 20 points with Berlin in 2021-22, spearheading the NHL contract offer from Boston. He’s still technically a pending restricted free agent so the team can retain his NHL rights with a qualifying offer. Given the long-term commitment in Germany, that’s an improbable scenario.
Wissmann said the following on his return to his home country:
During my time in the AHL, I noticed more and more how much I missed the atmosphere in the different DEL arenas. Especially at our home games in the Mercedes-Benz Arena. I’m really looking forward to hearing the whole arena sing our polar bear song again before we enter through the polar bear’s head. When I think about it, I’m already motivated again for the coming season. It feels like coming home to me. Berlin is a great city.
Pittsburgh Penguins Name Kyle Dubas President Of Hockey Operations
The Pittsburgh Penguins have hired former Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas as their next president of hockey operations, the team said Thursday morning. The search will continue for a new GM after firing Ron Hextall at the end of the season.
Dubas succeeds the outgoing Brian Burke, the first person Pittsburgh had named to a president of hockey ops position in their front office in franchise history. According to the team, Dubas’ role will be to “oversee all aspects of the Penguins hockey operations department, including establishing the strategic vision and philosophy for the franchise.”
Pittsburgh fired both Hextall and Burke after one of the more dysfunctional seasons in recent memory for Pittsburgh, which ended a league-high 16-season playoff streak.
After nine seasons as GM and assistant GM in Toronto, Dubas will no longer be tasked with making player personnel decisions. He’ll essentially oversee whoever Pittsburgh hires for the GM role, guiding/mentoring them to construct a roster aligning with Dubas’ team vision.
To put it simply: Dubas will decide how to get the Penguins out of their aging, mediocre state. Pittsburgh’s pending GM hire’s performance will determine how effectively it happens.
Speculation continues about who that hire might be. Current reporting indicates a two-person race between Seattle Kraken assistant GM Jason Botterill and Tampa Bay Lightning assistant GM Mathieu Darche.
Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic also said Thursday morning that Pittsburgh had informed Dallas Stars front office member Stephen Greeley he was out of the running for the still-vacant GM role.
While playoff success didn’t follow Dubas much in Toronto, he did create and fine-tune a roster capable of contending for a championship. He oversaw three of the five best regular seasons in franchise history by points percentage (2019, 2022, 2023) and was at the helm when Toronto won their first playoff series in nearly two decades, defeating the defending Eastern Conference champion Tampa Bay Lightning.
Dubas gave the following statement on joining the Penguins:
On behalf of my family, we are thrilled to join the Pittsburgh Penguins organization and all of the incredible people across Fenway Sports Group. I am deeply appreciative of the opportunity that lies ahead of me. The ownership group, FSG leadership and the Penguins staff on the ground in Pittsburgh have been absolutely outstanding. Everyone has demonstrated a clear commitment to building a best-in-class hockey operation. The rich history of winning and the competitiveness of the coaching staff and players were evident in each conversation I had about this position. The opportunity to work with such passionate and committed people, as well as the established character and leadership of the long-standing core group of talented players, gives me great enthusiasm for the challenge at hand. Our family has been made to feel extremely comfortable throughout this process and we are excited to now call Pittsburgh our home.
The outgoing Toronto GM said last month he would likely stay in Toronto or not work in the league next year, taking time to be with his family. That changed when Toronto president Brendan Shanahan made Dubas’ decision for him, letting him go with his contract with Toronto expiring this offseason.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
June 2023 Critical Dates Calendar
There are a maximum of seven games left in the 2022-23 playoffs with the Golden Knights and Panthers kicking off the Stanley Cup Final on Saturday and the offseason activity is soon to begin. When it does, it will come quickly as June is a particularly busy month on the calendar. CapFriendly recently provided (Twitter link) an overview of the key dates ahead. Here’s a rundown of those dates and their importance.
June 1:
4 PM CT: Deadline to sign certain draft picks. If these players don’t sign by this time, the team who drafted or acquired the player will lose the rights. If they remain draft-eligible, they’ll go back into the draft. Otherwise, they’ll become unrestricted free agents.
4 PM CT: Deadline to tender a Bona Fide offer to 2022 draftees. This one falls under the radar but teams actually have to extend an offer to each player they picked in order to retain their rights. It only has to be a minimum salary agreement and can be done as a formality quickly after the draft. Periodically, teams opt not to tender an offer and if that happens, they lose the rights to the player.
June 15:
4 PM CT: Deadline for teams to sign international players under contract for next season. For example, a team has a European prospect that is signed through 2023-24. In order to register a valid NHL contract for next season through the transfer agreement, the player must be signed by this time. This also applies to players that are presently free agents in the NHL.
Later of June 15 or 48 hours after Stanley Cup Final ends:
Opening of the first buyout window. This could come as late as June 21st if the Cup Final goes the distance. Teams can execute regular buyouts, paying two-thirds of the remaining salary of the player over two times the remaining length of the contract. That rate drops to one-third if the player is younger than 26 at the time of the buyout.
Deadline for first club-elected arbitration. Teams can elect to take a player to arbitration instead of waiting to see if that player opts to file later in the summer. It would be a way to ensure that a contract is in place instead of running the risk of a holdout. Players can only be taken to arbitration once in their career and must be arbitration-eligible to do so; they can’t do so with unrestricted free agents. It’s rare that a team goes this route and even rarer that it’s done at this point. There is a second window that briefly opens in early July and that’s when the odd club-elected arbitration is announced.
June 28/29
NHL Entry Draft
June 30
4 PM CT – Closure of regular buyout window. Teams could have a second window open up later in July if they have arbitration filings.
4 PM CT – Qualifying offer deadline. Any player who doesn’t receive one will become an unrestricted free agent the next day.
6 PM CT – RFA Contact Period. Players who have been tendered a qualifying offer are eligible to discuss offer sheets with other teams. No formal offer can be made until free agency officially opens on July 1st at 11 AM CT.
If you’re wondering about a UFA Contact Period, there isn’t one of those anymore. Officially, teams aren’t allowed to speak to unrestricted free agents until July 1st at 11 AM CT. Unofficially, we know that rule isn’t exactly being enforced based on the high number of contracts officially announced mere minutes after the market officially opens up.
With more than 200 players joining teams in the draft, quite a few players being non-tendered, and, as things stand at least, more than 300 players set to hit the open market barring them re-signing, the final few days of June and the beginning of July figure to be quite the frenzy. Between those and the usual increase in trade activity around that time, we’ll be in for a very busy stretch of transactions in the not-too-distant future.