Injury Notes: Backstrom, Mitchell, Canadiens
The Washington Capitals were back in front of the cameras and reporters today, answering questions about the upcoming season. Many of those questions were directed at Nicklas Backstrom, who is coming off hip surgery and has an unclear timeline. While it’s not yet certain when he’ll resume skating, Backstrom told reporters including Tarik El-Bashir of The Athletic that he is “pain-free” for the first time in a long time. The veteran center first underwent hip surgery way back in 2015.
El-Bashir also spoke with T.J. Oshie, who had a core procedure this offseason and isn’t expected to miss any time, and Tom Wilson, who is ahead of schedule in his ACL rehab. With such a veteran core, injuries are always going to be something the Capitals have to monitor closely or risk their season being derailed quickly. Getting Wilson back ahead of time would be a big boost, and any games from Backstrom this year seem like a bonus.
- When the Chicago Blackhawks released their roster today, they also announced a few injuries for the start of camp. Among them was Ian Mitchell, who will miss the next six weeks with a wrist injury. It’s brutal timing for the young defenseman, as there was a real opportunity for him to jump into the lineup while Jake McCabe is out for the first several weeks of the season. Selected 57th overall in 2017, Mitchell played 39 games with the team in 2020-21 but only eight last year, instead spending most of his time with the Rockford IceHogs. It is not clear where the 23-year-old (24 in January) sits in the organizational depth chart but an injury to start the year won’t help.
- Speaking of tough starts, the Montreal Canadiens will be without new captain Nick Suzuki for the next two weeks after he suffered a lower-body injury. Josh Anderson and Jake Evans are also out day-to-day, while Joel Edmundson is still dealing with a lower-body injury and is out indefinitely. Sean Monahan, working his way back from surgery has not yet been cleared to participate, though he is skating. Eric Engels of Sportsnet is attempting to find out whether Edmundson’s lower-body issue is related to the back injury he dealt with last season, though there is no clarity to this point. The veteran defenseman played only 24 games last season.
Jake Gardiner Suffers Setback; Not At Hurricanes Camp
When Jake Gardiner declared himself healthy enough to resume his NHL career, eyebrows raised all around the league. The defenseman had only played in 26 games during the 2020-21 season and missed all of 2021-22 because of chronic injuries, including a back issue that went back several years. Many had assumed that his career was over after missing the full season, but things were progressing like he would return to the Carolina Hurricanes this season.
Unfortunately, Gardiner has experienced a setback according to head coach Rod Brind’Amour and is not in training camp. Team reporter Walt Ruff passes on the full comment from the head coach:
He had a setback and just is not healthy enough to do it. Unfortunately he has had a lot of surgeries and we know he’s been nicked up.
If this is it for the 32-year-old defenseman, it is a disappointing end to a career that was cut short right in his prime. During the 2017-18 season, the last time Gardiner played all 82 games, he racked up 52 points for the Toronto Maple Leafs, 16th among all NHL defensemen. He was a real difference-maker at even-strength, where he tied for sixth among defensemen with 37 points.
As back issues started to take their toll, he played just 62 games the following season. His first season in Carolina was relatively healthy but it was cut short by COVID, and then things deteriorated quickly. Gardiner’s contract with the Hurricanes is set to expire after this season.
If it’s the end, the 2008 first-round pick will finish with 645 regular season games and 277 points. The Hurricanes will be able to move his contract to long-term injured reserve if he is unable to play this season.
Edmonton Oilers Sign Ryan McLeod
As expected, the Edmonton Oilers have worked out a deal with restricted free agent Ryan McLeod, agreeing to a one-year, $798K contract. It should come as no surprise, given that McLeod was at the facility yesterday to do his medical testing and general manager Ken Holland explained that he would be on the ice today.
McLeod, 23, had little leverage in negotiations as an RFA without arbitration rights, and will end up accepting a deal lower than his qualifying offer. That was always the risk of pushing talks this late into the summer with a team that has very little cap room, but it appears as though McLeod has decided missing training camp or the first part of the season isn’t worth it in this case.
It’s probably a good move in the long run, given the opportunity that McLeod has in front of him. As the most obvious candidate for the third-line center role, he should be able to carve out a place for himself this season and become indispensable to head coach Jay Woodcroft. If he can play solid defense while improving on the nine goals and 21 points his scored as a rookie, there will be plenty of time to work out a more lucrative contract down the road.
By keeping his cap hit low, he can guarantee his spot on the roster as an everyday player and provide some surplus value to a team that has its eye on the Stanley Cup. When more money is available down the road, the young forward (who only turned 23 yesterday), should be able to capitalize.
Ryan Ellis Not Expected To Play This Season
There is a chance we never see Ryan Ellis on the ice at an NHL hockey game again. Philadelphia Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher met with the media today and explained to reporters including Charlie O’Connor of The Athletic that there is no timetable for Ellis’ return and that it would be a “bonus” if he played at all this season. Though he can’t say now, Fletcher explained that there is a possibility Ellis’ career is threatened by this injury, which he described as “multi-layered.”
Clarity on what Ellis’ injury actually is has been hard to come by, but Fletcher indicated today that it includes a torn psoas and issues with his hip and adductor muscle. He missed all but four games last season – the first four he had ever played outside of the Nashville Predators organization.
Acquired for Nolan Patrick (who also may not play this season) and Philippe Myers, Ellis was supposed to reshape the Flyers’ defense and give Ivan Provorov or Travis Sanheim a long-term partner. The 31-year-old is signed through the 2026-27 season and carries a $6.25MM cap hit, making him the second highest-paid defenseman on the Flyers roster.
It appears that contract will live on long-term injured reserve for a while.
Sean Couturier, meanwhile, hasn’t been ruled out for the entire season so far, though he is getting a second opinion this morning and has not been cleared to play at this point. Fletcher called it premature to speculate about his season-long outlook or even his career, despite this being his second back injury in 12 months.
Hurricanes Shopping Ethan Bear
Earlier this summer, Carolina gave Ethan Bear permission to speak to other teams heading into restricted free agency. At the time, it seemed like he was a candidate to be non-tendered but in the end, the Hurricanes qualified him and signed the 25-year-old to a one-year, $2.2MM deal. However, Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch reports that even with the new contract, Carolina is still trying to move the young defender.
Last season was a tough one for Bear. After being a regular in a top-four role for Edmonton back in 2019-20, he battled some injury issues the following season and dropped down the depth chart which helped contribute to him being traded to Carolina a few days after the draft in 2021. The hope was that he’d rebound but instead, history repeated itself. Bear was banged up at times last season and when he was in the lineup, he struggled. Overall, he had five goals and nine assists in 58 games with a career-low 16:05 ATOI. While he underwent a minor procedure after the playoffs, Bear was available to play if needed but was scratched for every contest.
In a recent appearance on CHEK (video link), Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that the Canucks are among the teams that have shown interest in Bear. There is a definite opening on the right side of their back end but making the money work could be tricky. They’re less than a million below their LTIR ceiling (with Micheal Ferland not playing again this season) which is considerably less space than Bear’s contract. Tucker Poolman’s availability for the start of the year is in question but he’s expected back at some point which takes the option of adding Bear to slide into Poolman’s vacated spot off the table as well.
Meanwhile, Carolina has no such cap concerns. With Max Pacioretty and Jake Gardiner LTIR-bound to start the season, they have the ability to find him in without an issue. However, Dylan Coghlan is also in the fold and could push for a spot on the third pairing which could have Bear on the fringes of the lineup once again; Brett Pesce and Brent Burns are clearly locked into the right-side spots on the top two pairings already. By qualifying him, the Hurricanes determined that there was still some value but if he sits a lot early on, that will change in a hurry.
Whether it’s Vancouver or another team, it looks like Bear is a candidate to be on the move over the coming weeks and with the situation he’ll likely be in with Carolina where he’ll be battling for a spot in the lineup, it might be a move that the Hurricanes will want to make sooner than later.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Salary Cap Deep Dive: New York Islanders
Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM. Teams that can avoid total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.
PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2022-23 season. This will focus more on players who are regulars on the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.
New York Islanders
Current Cap Hit: $80,139,963 (under the $82.5MM Upper Limit)
Entry-Level Contracts
F Oliver Wahlstrom (one year, $894K)
Potential Bonuses
Wahlstrom: $537.5K
Wahlstrom was able to hold down a regular role in the lineup last season but he hasn’t been able to show the offensive upside he had which helped him become the 11th-overall pick in 2018. While a more offensive-oriented system from Lane Lambert should help him and give him a chance to hit one of his ‘A’ bonuses, it’s unlikely that he’ll take a big enough step to completely skip a bridge contract altogether. A two-year deal in the $1.5MM range is where his next deal currently would fall.
Signed Through 2022-23, Non-Entry-Level
F Mathew Barzal ($7MM, RFA)
F Kieffer Bellows ($1.2MM, RFA)
D Scott Mayfield ($1.45MM, UFA)
F Richard Panik ($1.375MM, UFA)*
F Zach Parise ($750K, UFA)
G Semyon Varlamov ($5MM, UFA)
*-Detroit is retaining an additional $1.375MM of Panik’s deal.
Potential Bonuses
Parise: $750K
Barzal took a long time to sign this deal two years ago and wound up with the ability to hold the hammer in negotiations this summer. The three-year term puts him in a spot where he’s one year away from unrestricted free agency if he simply accepts his qualifying offer (which checks in at $8.4MM). He’ll also have salary arbitration rights at that time. Statistically speaking, he has produced closer to the level of a $7MM player than a true top center so he’ll be someone that will be banking on having a big season under Lambert to show that he’s worthy of being the focal point of New York’s attack for years to come. If that happens, an extension might put them somewhere in the $9MM or more range.
Panik spent most of last season in the minors and it’s possible that he could be headed back that way as well although, with one year left on his contract instead of a multi-year commitment, that could bolster his value a little bit. At this point, he’s likely to be closer to the minimum on his next contract, however. Bellows was in and out of the lineup at times last season but showed a bit of offensive improvement while continuing to play with some physicality. He took a one-year deal with the hopes of having a more consistent role next season which would give him a decent-sized boost on his contract. Parise had a really slow start last year but was much better from January on. The bonuses are pretty easy to hit (he’ll max out at 20 games played) and after being on these types of deals the last two years, that may be what happens next year if he wants a 19th season.
Mayfield has been a reliable defensive defenseman for several seasons now while making what a typical depth player gets. He’ll be 30 on his next contract and as a right-shot player, he plays the side that is generally in the highest demand. At a minimum, he’ll be able to double his current AAV and might be able to get something in the $3.5MM range on a longer-term deal on the open market.
Varlamov has basically become a high-priced insurance policy which isn’t the role he expected when he signed with them three years ago. It’s unlikely that he’ll be able to command this much in free agency next summer unless he gets back to being a starter. Barring injury or a trade, that’s unlikely to happen.
Signed Through 2023-24
D Sebastian Aho ($825K, UFA)
F Josh Bailey ($5MM, UFA)
F Anthony Beauvillier ($4.15MM, UFA)
F Cal Clutterbuck ($1.75MM, UFA)
F Matt Martin ($1.5MM, UFA)
G Ilya Sorokin ($4MM, UFA)
Bailey has been with the Islanders for 14 seasons now and still is looking for his first 20-goal campaign. While he was a higher-end playmaker a few years ago, his production has dipped a bit since then. By the time the 2024-25 campaign starts, he’ll be 35 and Bailey will be looking at having to take a bit less at that time. Beauvillier has shown some offensive upside in the past but is coming off a particularly quiet year. He’s a top-six winger for now and if he can hold down that spot and produce a bit more, he might be able to get this much in 2024 on his next deal. Clutterbuck and Martin’s contracts are largely for their longevity with the organization. Both are capable fourth liners still but are certainly on above-market deals for what they can provide.
Aho was in and out of the lineup last season but should have a chance to lock down a spot on the third pairing this time around. If he can become a regular, even with somewhat limited minutes, that should be enough to push him past the $1MM mark on his next contract.
Sorokin has quickly established himself as the starter for the Isles and is basically playing on his bridge deal, one that takes him to free agency. We’ve seen starters sign in the $5.5MM to $6MM range the last couple of seasons and Sorokin’s deal should come in close to that, perhaps a bit higher if the jump in the salary cap comes by then.
Signed Through 2024-25
D Noah Dobson ($4MM, RFA)
F Brock Nelson ($6MM, UFA)
F Kyle Palmieri ($5MM, UFA)
D Alexander Romanov ($2.5MM, RFA)
Nelson is coming off a career season that saw him score 37 goals. That’s well above average for a second center and as long as he can stay around the 50-point range (even with a dip in goals closer to his career average in the mid-20s), they’ll get a decent return on this deal. That said, he’ll be hard-pressed to beat this contract on the open market. Palmieri’s first full season with the Isles was a rough one. He is getting paid like a second-line winger but his production hasn’t been at that level the last couple of years which will likely have his contract considerably lower than this one.
Dobson had a breakout season last year, establishing himself as an impact defender while somewhat quietly becoming their top offensive rearguard as well. While that seemingly positioned him for a long-term contract, he had to settle for a bridge, but again, it takes him to a year away from UFA eligibility which gives him a lot more leverage that time around. If he stays at this level, that next deal could double this one. Romanov was their one notable offseason acquisition from Montreal but also got a three-year bridge contract. His limited production will limit his future earnings upside unless he can unlock that part of his game with his new team.
East Notes: Samsonov, Dubas, Fedotov
When the Maple Leafs signed goaltender Ilya Samsonov to a one-year deal in free agency, both the team, the term, and the money raised some eyebrows. However, GM Kyle Dubas told Postmedia’s Steve Simmons that the 25-year-old insisted on signing a one-year deal, likely with the hopes of rebuilding his value. Samsonov was non-tendered by Washington earlier this offseason instead of offering him $2MM with arbitration rights on the heels of a season that saw him post a 3.02 GAA and a .896 SV% in 43 games. Getting less than that in free agency was a bit of a surprise given the market for backup goaltenders but clearly, he feels Toronto was the right fit to have a bounce-back year. He will once again be eligible for restricted free agency next summer.
Elsewhere around the East:
- Still with Toronto, GM Kyle Dubas told reporters including Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic (Twitter link) that he was informed that no offer of a contract extension would be coming his way at this time. Dubas is entering the final year of his deal, his fifth at the helm of the Maple Leafs and at first glance, it seems fair to wonder if how they perform in the playoffs will go a long way to determining if he’ll be around for a sixth season.
- Flyers goalie Ivan Fedotov has dropped his appeal on charges of evading his Russian military obligations, notes team reporter Bill Meltzer (Twitter link). The decision means that the 25-year-old will not be permitted to join Philadelphia this season. The team will have the ability to toll the contract, meaning that they can roll over the one-year, $925K agreement to the 2023-24 season.
Snapshots: Hague, Pastrnak, Jets
When Vegas Golden Knights training camp opens tomorrow morning, defenseman Nicolas Hague won’t be there as he awaits a new contract. The Athletic’s Jesse Granger reports that he isn’t expected to be on the ice with his teammates Thursday morning at City National Arena, the team’s practice facility.
Hague is one of the few remaining restricted free agents in the NHL, alongside Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Rasmus Sandin and Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson as the marquee names. Granger expertly notes that Hague missing camp is more detrimental than in previous seasons, as new head coach Bruce Cassidy will be installing a completely foreign defensive system from what the Knights have been used to in past seasons. Hague, the 34th overall pick in 2017, had 14 points in 52 games last season.
- Speaking today during preseason media availability, Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney says it’s a priority for him to get pending free agent winger David Pastrnak signed as soon as possible. Pastrnak, while he’s expressed a strong desire to stay in Boston, hasn’t shared the same urgency in negotiations in previous reporting. Pastrnak, who’s notched 40 or more goals in his last two full seasons, will be in line for a substantial raise, and it may behoove Sweeney to get a deal done before his value rises even further.
- The Winnipeg Jets have made three scouting hires, including the first woman scout in team history, Sydney Daniels. Daniels joins the team as an NCAA scout, having previously served as the assistant coach for the women’s team at Harvard. The team also brought on Jari Kekalainen, brother of Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen, as a European scout, and former Toronto Maple Leafs scout Tony Martino as a USHL scout.
Anaheim Ducks Issue Injury Updates On Sam Carrick, John Moore
With the team releasing their training camp roster today, the Anaheim Ducks released injury updates on forward Sam Carrick and defenseman John Moore. Carrick underwent previously unreported left hip surgery to repair a torn labrum back in May, and he won’t be expected to rejoin the team until November. The Ducks also confirmed that Moore remains injured following his acquisition from the Boston Bruins in February when Moore was on injured reserve dealing with a concussion.
Carrick signed a multi-year extension this offseason after the minor-league veteran put up a solid, impressive performance in a fourth-line role for Anaheim this season. He had 11 goals and 19 points last season in 64 games, marking his first time eclipsing the ten-goal mark at the NHL level. In his absence, the Ducks will likely try out younger players in NHL roles such as Benoit-Olivier Groulx and Jacob Perreault.
Moore, 31, is in the final year of a five-year, $2.75MM cap hit contract that’s spent a solid amount of time buried in the AHL over the past few seasons. In fact, he’s played just 36 NHL games over the last three seasons combined, largely due to a combination of injuries and poor play. With Anaheim having strong organizational depth at defense and acquiring players like Colton White and Olli Juolevi (and Nathan Beaulieu on a PTO), there isn’t much of a spot for Moore within the organization when healthy anyways.
Calgary Flames Sign Brett Ritchie
Sep 21, 3:59 pm: The Flames have made Ritchie’s signing official, bringing him back to Calgary for his third season with the team. The contract is a one-year, one-way deal with a cap hit of $750,000.
Sep 21, 10:00 am: Ritchie appears on the Flames training camp roster, though the team has not officially announced the deal yet.
Sep 19: Sportsnet’s Eric Francis reports that the Calgary Flames are close to bringing back winger Brett Ritchie on a one-year deal.
Ritchie will return to the Flames for a third straight season. This time, though, he won’t have to work his way in on a PTO as he did last season.
Since the 2020-21 season, Ritchie’s had seven goals, five assists, and 12 points in 73 games in a Flames uniform. The 29-year-old forward has a total of 72 points in 341 career games since debuting in 2014-15 as a member of the Dallas Stars.
He’s played sparingly in Calgary, but he’s the type of fourth-line energy forward that head coach Darryl Sutter loves. While he likely won’t be playing for more than 45 games per season, that’s fine given his very limited ice time. He’ll be competing for a bottom-six role shared by Trevor Lewis and PTO invite Cody Eakin.
For the Flames, it continues to show they’re not quite ready to have young players make the next step. They also brought Sonny Milano into camp on a PTO today, who should earn a spot in their top-nine forward group to add to their excellent depth. For players like Jakob Pelletier and Matthew Phillips, though, it’s likely another season of conditioning in the AHL.