Seattle Kraken Sign Jagger Firkus
The Seattle Kraken have agreed to terms on a contract with one of their top prospects. Per a team release, Jagger Firkus has signed an entry-level contract with the club. The three-year agreement will begin next season and run through the 2025-26 season and comes with an annual cap hit of $950k.
The 18-year-old winger was a second-round pick of the Kraken in the 2022 NHL Draft. He scored 36 goals and 80 points in 66 games in 2021-22 for the Moose Jaw Warriors before being selected by the Kraken. This season, he bumped those numbers up to 40 goals and 88 points in 66 games and helped the Warriors push the Winnipeg Ice to six games in their second round series by scoring ten goals and 21 points in just ten WHL Playoff games.
Having only begun play in the NHL in 2021, the Kraken do not have a deep crop of prospects at their disposal, but Firkus is certainly among their best. He is a skilled offensive winger who can stickhandle in tight spaces, create offence for teammates with a creative pass and can also beat a goalie clean with a laser wrist shot. He looks to be a potential top six winger for the Kraken in the future.
That could take some time though, as Firkus is still eligible to return to Junior next season as a 19 year old. That is probably the case, which could slide this entry-level contract ahead another year and have it begin in the 2024-25 season which would be his first full pro season.
The Kraken are leading the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 in their first round series right now, and while the Warriors season is over and Firkus is eligible to join the team, that seems unlikely at this point and the timing of this contract is more about his Junior season ending and having time to focus on negotiating and not the Kraken looking for extra bodies in their current playoff run.
Injury Notes: Jeannot, Eyssimont, Lizotte
The Tampa Bay Lightning will look to avoid elimination in Game 5 against the Toronto Maple Leafs and will have to do so without their big trade deadline pickup. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that Tanner Jeannot was not on the ice when the team stepped out for warmup, and is dealing with an injury. The Lightning surprisingly traded first, second, third, fourth and fifth round draft picks as well as prospect Cal Foote for Jeannot in February.
Jeannot had one goal and four points in 20 regular season games for the Lightning after the trade, and has been held pointless in three postseason games. He was injured late in the regular season in what looked like a serious injury. Scott Mayfield of the New York Islanders fell on him and his right leg bent in such a way that a broken fibula seemed likely. Jeannot was back in the lineup shortly after, but is apparently dealing with something nagging as he will miss a potential elimination contest.
- While Jeannot is out of the lineup, the Lightning did get some good news as Michael Eyssimont will return to the ice according to Mark Masters of TSN. Eyssimont was also acquired at the trade deadline this season and scored one goal and two points in 15 regular season games with the Lightning. He was injured in Game 1 of the postseason when Jake McCabe hit him in open ice but made a little head contact.
- Out west, the Los Angeles Kings may get some reinforcements to their lineup during the three days off between Game 5 and 6 in their series with the Edmonton Oilers. Zach Dooley of LA Kings Insider reports Blake Lizotte has not played since Game 2 due to a lower-body injury. Lizotte practiced Thursday in a regular white jersey, signalling he is healthy and ready to return to the lineup. He is a key penalty killer on the Kings which is much needed against the dangerous power play of the Oilers, though there is no official confirmation that he will play in Game 6 just yet.
Red Wings Expected To Be Active In Goalie Market This Offseason
After a busy offseason ahead of the 2022-23 NHL season, there was a marketable increase in the Detroit Red Wings’ playoff hopes compared to years past. Unfortunately, even after the free agent acquisitions of Andrew Copp, David Perron, and Dominik Kubalik, and the trade to acquire goaltender Ville Husso, the Red Wings were only able to improve by three wins this year. Speaking with Kevin Allen of Detroit Hockey Now (Tweet Link), Detroit’s GM Steve Yzerman pinpoints the team’s need to improve their goaltending situation.
This season, all of Detroit’s three goalies, Husso as well as Alex Nedeljkovic and Magnus Hellberg, all held a Quality Start Percentage less than 50% and produced a Goals Saved Above Average of -13.5, -4.4, and -8.2, respectively. In more topical statistics, none of their goaltenders produced a GAA of 3.00 or less, and none were able to sport a SV% of .900 or more.
Much like Allen notes in his piece about the Red Wings’ goaltending situation, there are very sound arguments to be made that goaltending statistics can typically be a different expression of team statistics. However, there were a handful of goaltenders this season, on teams that held worse positions in the standings than Detroit, that actually produced much better numbers than the Red Wings’ goalies.
Carter Hart of the Philadelphia Flyers, and Alex Stalock of the Chicago Blackhawks, both produced fairly good numbers on poor-performing teams this season. In Philadelphia, Hart was able to produce a GSAA of 4.4, as well as a GAA of 2.94, with a SV% of .907. For the Blackhawks, Stalock held a GSAA of 3.0, also putting together a SV% of .908.
In the long-term goaltending vision of the Red Wings, all eyes should be on the 15th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, Sebastian Cossa. Unable to crack the roster of Detroit’s AHL affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins at the beginning of the season, Cossa played very well for the Toledo Walleye of the ECHL. In 46 starts for the Walleye this season, Cossa went 26-16-1, carrying a GAA of 2.56 and a SV% of .913.
In the short term, although there is a lack of elite goaltenders in the upcoming free agency season, there are still a handful of veteran goaltenders that would notably improve the Red Wings’ performance between the pipes. Antti Raanta of the Carolina Hurricanes, Joonas Korpisalo of the Los Angeles Kings, Semyon Varlamov of the New York Islanders, and Adin Hill of the Vegas Golden Knights all come to mind as a fit for Detroit next season.
As Detroit fans have become accustomed to since Yzerman’s takeover in 2019, the team’s general manager has always remained prudent in his attempt at cultivating the next great Red Wings team. This offseason, expect much of the same, as this franchise has its eyes locked on the future.
Jake Guentzel To Miss World Championships
Earlier this afternoon, Seth Rorabaugh of Tribune-Review Sports reported that Pittsburgh Penguins all-star forward, Jake Guentzel, will miss the upcoming IIHF World Championships due to an undisclosed injury. It was also noted that Guentzel is not necessarily physically unable to play, but this move is mostly precautionary.
Initially, during the Penguins’ exit interviews on April 15th at the conclusion of the season, Guentzel did note that he expected to play for Team USA during this year’s World Championships. As recently as Tuesday, during a podcast with Craig Custance of The Athletic, the head coach of the USA team, David Quinn, also expected Guentzel to be a part of the team as well (Tweet Link).
Fortunately for Pittsburgh, Guentzel’s agent, Ben Hankinson, mentions that the injury is not very serious, and Guentzel will be ready to start the 2023-24 season with the Penguins. Being one of the few bright spots on Pittsburgh’s roster this year, Guentzel is not a forward that the Penguins could afford to miss.
For the fifth year in a row, Guentzel once again hovered close to a point-per-game, scoring 36 goals and 37 assists in 78 games played. This season, Pittsburgh finished 16th in the NHL in Goals For with a total of 261 as a team on the year. Scoring 13.8% of all Penguins goals this season, Guentzel is leaned on in a huge way as a big part of Pittsburgh’s offense.
Los Angeles Kings Recall Six Players
The Los Angeles Kings have made several transactions as they prepare for Saturday’s do-or-die game six against the Edmonton Oilers. The club has announced the recall of Lias Andersson, Samuel Helenius, Andre Lee, Jacob Moverare, Jordan Spence, and Francesco Pinelli.
The group will likely serve as “Black Aces,” players who practice with the club and experience playoff preparations but don’t actually enter the lineup.
Pinelli, 20, is perhaps the most interesting addition, given he’s coming directly from the OHL. The 2021 second-round pick spent the year with the Kitchener Rangers, scoring 41 goals and 90 points in just 60 regular season games.
His playoff performance, though strong offensively, left something to be desired. Pinelli was given a three-game suspension for a blindside hit in the first round, leading to his absence in the first two games against the London Knights, longtime rivals that ended up winning both. Kitchener couldn’t recover (despite Pinelli’s first-star performance in game three) and was eliminated last week.
Several of the other names have already made appearances for the Kings this season, though the massive 6’6″ Helenius is still waiting for his NHL debut.
Los Angeles will try to stay alive at home and force a game seven on Monday.
Joe Pavelski Practices; Will Travel With Club
The Dallas Stars have a chance to close out their first-round series tomorrow night against the Minnesota Wild, and could have some added firepower in the lineup.
Joe Pavelski participated in practice today and will travel with the team. Head coach Pete DeBoer told Saad Yousuf of The Athletic that the team would “see tomorrow morning” if he’s a full-go.
Pavelski hasn’t played since taking a hard hit from Matt Dumba in game one, though the team has done rather well in his absence. Even without one of their most dangerous offensive players, Dallas has outscored Minnesota 17-13 in the series. Still, there’s little doubt they would have the veteran leader in the lineup if they could.
Set to turn 39 this summer, Pavelski is still playing at an incredibly high level. With 28 goals and 77 points in the regular season, he trailed only Jason Robertson and Jamie Benn for the team lead. His continued excellence is a big reason why the Stars were seen by many as a legitimate Stanley Cup contender when the playoffs began. His return should help them as they try to hold off any Minnesota comeback over the next few nights.
Washington Capitals Sign Hardy Häman Aktell
Another European free agent will test the North American waters in 2023-24, as Hardy Häman Aktell has signed a one-year entry-level contract with the Washington Capitals.
Häman Aktell, 24, was originally a fourth-round draft choice of the Nashville Predators in 2016, but never signed and became a free agent several years ago. A late bloomer, he entered the SHL in 2020 and has played for Vaxjo HC ever since.
This year, the 6’3″ defenseman took a huge step forward offensively, recording 36 points in 51 games. He also helped the club win another SHL Championship—his second in three seasons—by adding three goals and seven points in 18 playoff games.
There was some buzz about Häman Aktell coming into the 2016 draft, as a potential steal thanks to his exciting blend of size and skill. He couldn’t put it together in time for the Predators to sign him, but perhaps he’ll be a story of perseverance and dedication.
The Capitals, looking to find value wherever they can, have nothing to lose by offering an entry-level deal. He’ll be an interesting case to watch in training camp, where it should be apparent quickly if he’ll be able to handle himself at the NHL level.
Vasily Ponomarev Will Travel With Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes could not seal the deal on home ice in game five and will have to travel to face the New York Islanders tomorrow night. Unfortunately, one player won’t be making the trip.
Jack Drury will not travel with the Hurricanes after suffering an injury in game four. Instead, team reporter Walt Ruff tweets that Vasily Ponomarev will be traveling as the extra forward.
Ponomarev, 21, was a second-round pick of the Hurricanes in 2020 and has yet to make his NHL debut. In his first full season of AHL action, he put up 24 goals and 46 points in 64 games for the Chicago Wolves.
While he isn’t expected to enter the lineup, just being the next man up shows how much the Hurricanes’ depth has been tested. Teuvo Teravainan, Andrei Svechnikov, Max Pacioretty, and Ondrej Kase would likely be in the lineup if healthy, but the group must find a way to win without them.
Ruff adds that Frederik Andersen is a possibility for tomorrow’s game, after missing the first several with injury. The veteran netminder hasn’t played since April 13.
Minnesota Wild Recall Nine Players
The Iowa Wild were eliminated from Calder Cup contention a few days ago, but it isn’t summer vacation for all their players yet. Nine members of Iowa’s roster are on their way to join the Minnesota Wild as a set of “Black Aces,” players who will practice with the club and serve as injury insurance in the playoffs.
Adam Beckman, Steven Fogarty, Nic Petan, Marco Rossi, Nick Swaney, Samuel Walker, Daemon Hunt, Dakota Mermis, and Zane McIntyre have all been recalled.
Of course, after dropping game five on Tuesday the Wild are on the brink of elimination themselves. They’ll take on the Dallas Stars in a do-or-die matchup tomorrow night, trying to force a game seven in the first-round series.
All but Hunt have appeared in the NHL previously. The 20-year-old defenseman is in his first professional season after being selected 65th overall in 2020, and posted 11 points in 59 regular season games for Iowa.
The others are a mix of minor league veterans and top prospects. Rossi falls into the latter category, though his time in the NHL this year didn’t go well. The 2020 ninth-overall pick registered just a single assist (and no goals) in 19 games with Minnesota. While his development has been interrupted by health issues, Rossi’s inability to grab a roster spot was one of the season’s low points for the Wild.
There is at least a possibility that someone from this group does enter the lineup. According to Michael Russo of The Athletic, Mats Zuccarello and Ryan Hartman are both not practicing today, though their status for tomorrow’s game is unclear.
2023 Offer Sheet Compensation
In 2019, the offer sheet made its comeback after six years away, with Sebastian Aho signing a five-year, $42.3MM contract with the Montreal Canadiens. That was quickly matched by the Carolina Hurricanes, only to see them take some retribution and nab Jesperi Kotkaniemi two years later.
As we wait for the next offer sheet target, compensation thresholds have been set.
Offer sheet compensation is based on the league’s average salary, and as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports, this year’s thresholds have increased a little more than two percent. Below is the full breakdown, with the contract’s average annual value placing it in one of seven tiers:
| $1,415,740 or less | No compensation |
| $1,415,741 to $2,145,061 | Third-round pick |
| $2,145,062 to $4,290,125 | Second-round pick |
| $4,290,126 to $6,435,186 | First and third-round picks |
| $6,435,187 to $8,580,250 | First, second and third-round picks |
| $8,580,251 to $10,725,314 | Two firsts, a second and third-round picks |
| Over $10,725,314 | Four first-round picks |
It is important to note that any team trying to sign a player to an applicable offer sheet must use their own draft picks for compensation, not ones that have been acquired.
That rules several teams out already from signing high-profile RFAs unless they were to work to reacquire their picks before submitting the contract. An offer sheet’s average annual value is also calculated slightly differently than a standard contract; if the contract is of a length greater than five years, the total salary is still divided by five to determine the AAV.
That would mean a seven-year contract worth $8MM per season would carry an AAV of $11.2MM for the purposes of offer sheet compensation.
Some restricted free agents, like Ottawa’s Shane Pinto, have not accumulated enough time in the NHL to be eligible for an offer sheet. For more information about the details of offer sheets, check out CapFriendly’s FAQ.