Latest On Bo Horvat’s Extension Negotiations
With J.T. Miller now signed long-term, questions in Vancouver have now turned to the future of Bo Horvat. General manager Patrik Allvin touched on negotiations with his captain at today’s media availability:
Bo is our captain. We respect and we like Bo. We’re communicating with his camp, and we’ll see if there is a deal to be made here.
There was no hint of frustration from Allvin – in fact, it seemed more as though Horvat’s talks had been pushed to the back burner while they dealt with Miller, and that they would now get into them. Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek discussed the situation on Sportsnet’s 32 Thoughts podcast, with the former explaining that the last he had heard was “not much going on there.” Both hosts believe that an extension will be done at some point.
Horvat, 27, has one year left on his current contract and carries a $5.5MM cap hit for the 2022-23 season, after which he will become an unrestricted free agent. The ninth overall pick in 2013 is coming off a career-best 31-goal season (in just 70 games) and has been the team’s most consistent offensive producer with five 20+ goal seasons in his eight-year career.
How the Canucks fit Horvat into the picture is another story. As we examined recently the Canucks cap situation isn’t excellent, with Tyler Myers‘ $6MM hit still on the books through 2023-24 and Oliver Ekman-Larsson‘s $7.26MM through 2026-27, but there should be enough flexibility to add in a raise for Horvat if the team decides to do that. If they do, the question will then become how can the Canucks surround that core with enough talent to really compete in the next few years, given they are likely going to face some pain at the end of these long-term deals.
Even though a late-season surge put them extremely close to a playoff spot, the team still lost 42 games (including overtime and shootout), not exactly the number a contender can point to as a reason to spend. If they do decide to keep Horvat long-term, there is plenty of risk to the way that Allvin and president Jim Rutherford are operating. Being “stuck in the middle” – meaning good enough to avoid the top few draft slots but not good enough to really challenge for the Stanley Cup – is something that teams try to avoid at all costs. The team already has six players signed through at least 2025-26, with only Hughes under the age of 26.
Jayden Halbgewachs Signs In SHL
Sep 6: Vaxjo has officially announced the contract, welcoming Halbgewachs to the SHL.
Sep 5: A few days ago, reports emerged linking former San Jose Sharks forward Jayden Halbgewachs to MODO, a team in the Swedish second league. Today, new information has come out linking him to the Vaxjo Lakers of the SHL, instead. It appears, according to Expressen, that both teams were interested but the free agent decided to go with the higher-level club.
Halbgewachs, 25, qualified for Group VI unrestricted free agency this summer after only playing three games with the Sharks through the early part of his career. An undrafted signing out of the WHL in 2017 (where he scored 70 goals in 72 games during the 2017-18 season), he has played four years in the minor leagues, recording solid (but not incredible) point totals with the San Jose Barracuda. In his three games with the Sharks, he did record an assist but failed to notch his first NHL goal.
Sometimes, players go overseas for a bigger opportunity and to show that they are more than just minor league talent. If he can dominate the Swedish league, perhaps another NHL team takes a chance on him down the road. For now, though, it appears as though Halbgewachs will be off the North American grid, meaning it’s just more development resources from San Jose that didn’t result in much value.
Latest On Jason Robertson
Among the remaining unsigned restricted free agents, a list that includes plenty of talent, there is one name that stands out above the rest. Jason Robertson, the young Dallas Stars phenom, is coming off a 41-goal, 79-point season that had him 13th in Hart Trophy voting in his sophomore season.
One look at the Stars’ Twitter account will show you how anxious fans are for his deal to be completed – even a picture of the right-handed Tyler Seguin sparked excitement, despite Robertson being a lefty.
After signing Jake Oettinger recently, the Stars now sit with about $6.3MM in available cap space, though that number is a bit misleading as it represents a 22-man roster and Anton Khudobin‘s entire hit; he or Scott Wedgewood can be put in the minors to open up some extra room.
It sounds like the Stars might be using all of that space to get a deal done with Robertson, as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet expects the eventual contract to come in around where Mathew Barzal (3 x $7.0MM) and Elias Pettersson (3 x $7.35MM) ended up on their own bridge deals.
While some may expect a long-term deal, Friedman doesn’t believe that’s what will happen:
I just don’t think they have the ability to do this deal for term. If they couldn’t do Oettinger for term, then they certainly can’t do Robertson for term I don’t think, unless there is another move coming there that I don’t see right now. I wouldn’t expect Robertson right now for term.
Selected 39th overall in 2017, Robertson has been a monster for the Stars through two years, scoring 58 goals and 125 points in 128 career games. His 11 game-winning tallies in 2021-22 led the entire league, and the majority of his production was at even-strength. In fact, with just 14 powerplay assists to this point (compared to 53 at 5v5) there is likely even more offensive potential to unlock in the young forward.
Still, as the Canucks experienced with Pettersson and the Islanders with Barzal, continued point-per-game production is no sure thing in the NHL. Whether because of injury or inconsistency, even young players can be risky bets when you are discussing long-term big-money deals. Bridge contracts offer a team the ability to re-evaluate in a few years, while making sure they have the financial flexibility to stay competitive once the next contract kicks in.
A three-year term would like up Robertson with some expiring deals in Dallas, including captain Jamie Benn‘s $9.5MM AAV, Esa Lindell‘s $5.8MM, and Ryan Suter‘s $3.65MM. At that point, when he and Oettinger need long-term extensions, there will be a few more dollars available.
That’s not to say a long-term deal at this point is impossible, even if Friedman doesn’t believe it will happen. One relatively small trade could open up the room to go bigger and longer for Robertson, if the Stars decide that they are willing to go down that route. Either way, they’ll want their young star in training camp, which is now just a few weeks away.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
San Jose Sharks Sign Evgeny Svechnikov
Sep 6: The Sharks have officially announced the contract, confirming only the term.
Sep 3: One of the better remaining available free agents has come off the board, the San Jose Sharks signing forward Evgeny Svechnikov to a one-year, two-way deal. Svechnikov’s agent, Dan Milstein, announced the signing. Per CapFriendly, the deal is worth $750K at the NHL level, which is the league-minimum for the 2022-23 season, and $350K at the AHL level. While Svechnikov was a UFA after the Winnipeg Jets failed to extend him a qualifying offer this offseason, the winger will once again be an RFA with arbitration rights this offseason.
The 19th overall selection in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, Svechnikov quickly became one of the more exciting prospects in the Detroit Red Wings farm system as the team began its rebuild. A smooth skating winger with size and an NHL ready shot, Svechnikov was to be one of Detroit’s foundational pieces moving forward. Though he’s made it to the NHL, things have not panned out as hoped. A dominant junior career lead Svechnikov to an AHL debut a year after being drafted, where the winger impressed with 51 points in 74 games as a member of the Grand Rapids Griffins. Unfortunately, that success didn’t translate to the NHL level, and Svechnikov would record just 12 points in 41 games with the Red Wings over four seasons. Svechnikov would also spend significant parts of two seasons with the Griffins, but failed to repeat on his 2016-17 breakout.
After the 2020-21 season, Detroit declined to qualify Svechnikov and he became a UFA. Much like this offseason, the former top prospect was unable to gather much interest and eventually took a PTO with the Winnipeg Jets, which he was able to turn into an NHL deal. The Jets gave Svechnikov his most consistent NHL look in 2021-22, getting him into 72 games. Now 25, the winger still was unable to take the step forward he and his teams had been looking for, as he scored just seven goals to go with 12 assists.
While it wasn’t the hope, and truthfully his performance may have simply been the original expectation, it was still clearly enough to allow San Jose to take a chance on him. He’ll be 26 at the end of October and though the production has never truly been there since his 2016-17 AHL performance, the rebuilding Sharks may hope to find a spark within Svechnikov, who did once upon a time have star talent within. For the player, on top of giving him a chance to impress and a fresh start, it’s also worth noting the deal carries a particularly large AHL salary of $350K and the San Jose Barracuda, the Sharks’ AHL affiliate share a city, meaning there should be increased stability regardless of which level he winds up in.
IIHF Releases 2023 World Junior Schedule
Despite just holding a World Junior tournament a few weeks ago, things are already ramping up toward the next one. The IIHF and Hockey Canada have released the schedule for the 2023 event, which will be held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Moncton, New Brunswick. The tournament begins with Finland and Switzerland doing battle on December 26, while the U.S. and Canada open their tournaments against Latvia and Czechia respectively later that evening.
The two North American squads will not have a New Year’s Day matchup this time around as they are in different groups, with Russia not included this year. The gold medal game will be held on January 5. The full schedule is as follows:
Jake Sanderson Fully Recovered, Ready For Training Camp
When the college season ends and top prospects start signing, there is usually a bit of time for NHL clubs to get them into the lineup. Owen Power, Kent Johnson, and Matty Beniers, for instance, all played in a handful of games down the stretch and now enter training camp knowing what it takes to compete at the next level.
That would have been the case for Ottawa Senators prospect Jake Sanderson but unfortunately, a hand injury kept him on the sidelines even after signing his entry-level deal. It also likely kept him off the U.S. World Championship team, given he had already been selected for the Olympics earlier in the year.
Injury no more, Sanderson explained to reporters including Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press today, as he met with media during the NHLPA rookie showcase. The hand has now healed and the young defenseman expects to be 100% healthy for training camp later this month.
It is an interesting place the Senators find themselves in, with regards to the 20-year-old. The team already has six other defensemen signed to one-way contracts after Erik Brannstrom inked his deal yesterday, and older prospects like Jacob Bernard-Docker and Lassi Thomson pushing for spots. How Sanderson slots into the lineup is still undetermined, and there is still the possibility (however remote) that he spends a substantial amount of time in the minor leagues.
The thing is, Ottawa is now clearly trying to turn the corner on their rebuild, after acquiring the likes of Claude Giroux and Alex DeBrincat, meaning the best six should be in the lineup on any given night. Sanderson will have to fight for those minutes, even if he does come with a tremendous resume from his time with the University of North Dakota. In 45 college games, the 2020 fifth-overall pick had 41 points, including 10 goals.
Minor Transactions: 09/06/22
We are less than three weeks away from preseason action around the league and just over a month away from the 2022-23 regular season. NHL teams have a few things left to do before getting started and minor league clubs a few more still. As always, we’ll keep track of all the notable minor transactions around the hockey world.
- After disappearing completely for the Milwaukee Admirals in the playoffs, Graham Knott has decided to try his luck overseas. The 25-year-old has signed in the Austrian ICEHL for the upcoming season, leaving his North American career behind for the time being. Selected 54th overall in 2015, Knott had 26 points in 61 regular season games but was then held completely scoreless (and registered a -10 rating) in nine postseason appearances.
- Antoine Morand will not be continuing with the Augsburger Panthers, as his tryout contract has come to an end without extension. The 60th overall pick from 2017 became an unrestricted free agent when the San Jose Sharks failed to extend him a qualifying offer this summer, meaning he can pursue any new opportunities that come his way.
- Jeremy Brodeur, who played mostly with the Maine Mariners last season, has signed a new contract with the Norfolk Admirals. The son of legendary NHL goaltender Martin Brodeur, the 25-year-old Jeremy has played just a handful of games above the ECHL level and none in the NHL to this point.
This page will be updated throughout the day
Salary Cap Deep Dive: Vancouver Canucks
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.
Vancouver Canucks
Current Cap Hit: $85,261,667 (over the $82.5MM Upper Limit)
Entry-Level Contracts
F Nils Hoglander (one year, $891.7K)
F Andrei Kuzmenko (one year, $950K, UFA)
F Vasily Podkolzin (two years, $925K)
Potential Bonuses
Hoglander: $300K
Kuzmenko: $850K
Podkolzin: $850K
Total: $2MM
Kuzmenko had several suitors in the spring following a strong season in the KHL that saw him put up 53 points in 45 games. If he’s able to lock down a spot in the top nine, the Canucks will get a good return on this deal and he’ll have a chance to hit some of his ‘A’ bonuses. Notably, Kuzmenko will be an unrestricted free agent next summer again and obviously, his showing this coming season will dictate the level of interest he gets next time around.
Podkolzin’s first NHL season was a solid one as he was a capable secondary scorer with 26 points in 79 games while mostly playing only at even strength. He should have a similar role in 2022-23 which wouldn’t have him on the trajectory for a pricey second deal; a bridge contract would be the likelier route for him. A similar role will make it tough to reach his ‘A’ bonuses as well. Hoglander took a step back in his sophomore year and dropped down the depth chart. With the extra depth that they’ve brought in, his production will likely be limited, pointing him in the direction of a bridge deal as well that might check in around double his current price tag. He probably won’t hit his ‘A’ bonus but the $87.5K in games played is achievable.
Signed Through 2022-23, Non-Entry-Level
D Kyle Burroughs ($750K, UFA)
D Travis Dermott ($1.5MM, RFA)
F Justin Dowling ($750K, UFA)
F Micheal Ferland ($3.5MM, UFA)
F Bo Horvat ($5.5MM, UFA)
D Brady Keeper ($762.5K, UFA)
D Luke Schenn ($850K, UFA)
Horvat has been a reliable two-way pivot for most of his career and has been playing on a below-market contract for the last few years. That’s likely to change next summer when he’ll be one of the top centers on the open market. Adding a couple million to his current price tag is doable. Ferland missed all of the last two seasons with concussion issues and won’t play this year either. He’ll be on LTIR which will help get Vancouver back into cap compliance. Dowling split last season between the NHL and AHL and is the type of depth player that could stick around for another couple of years at the minimum.
Dermott has had a quiet couple of seasons now and this feels like a make-or-break situation for him. If he can establish himself as a capable secondary producer from the back end and stabilize the third pairing, he could land a small raise next summer beyond his $1.75MM qualifying offer. If not, he’s a non-tender candidate. Schenn showed himself to be capable of being a regular on the back end last season after being more of a reserve player and that could generate a stronger market next summer and push him past the $1MM mark. Keeper and Burroughs will be battling for a spot at the end of the roster but both are players that will be unlikely to land much beyond the minimum on their next contracts.
Signed Through 2023-24
F Jason Dickinson ($2.65MM, UFA)
G Spencer Martin ($762.5K, UFA)
D Tyler Myers ($6MM, UFA)
F Tanner Pearson ($3.25MM, UFA)
F Elias Pettersson ($7.35MM, UFA)
D Jack Rathbone ($825K, RFA)
Pettersson opted for a bridge contract last summer which helped Vancouver to stay cap-compliant and give them a little more flexibility in the short term. However, the contract is significantly backloaded and carries a qualifying offer of $8.82MM next summer (the lower of 120% of the AAV or the final year’s salary of $10.25MM). At this point, the 23-year-old is well on his way to being worth that qualifying amount but the Canucks will likely need to come in above that to get him to commit to a long-term agreement. Otherwise, he could simply opt to take the minimum offer and test the open market in 2025. Horvat’s deal is the priority right now but Pettersson’s situation looms large from a planning perspective.
Pearson improved upon his performance from the year before but it was still a notch below how he did in his first full season with the Canucks. On its own, the contract isn’t an overpayment but the market has been tight for middle-six wingers lately so there’s no guarantee he’ll be able to get that two years from now. Dickinson’s first season with Vancouver was a disaster. Brought in to be the third-line center, he instead struggled mightily, putting up the worst full-season numbers of his career. At this point, he’s a candidate to be waived in training camp (which would still leave a lingering $1.525MM cap charge).
Myers hasn’t lived up to his contract from a value standpoint but he has logged some heavy minutes in a top-three role since joining the Canucks three years ago. His offensive game has tailed off which won’t help his market two years from now but he should still be able to land a multi-year deal in the $4MM range in 2024. Rathbone is another player that will be in the mix for a roster spot with Vancouver in training camp and notably received a one-way deal for both years despite having limited NHL experience. He has the offensive ability to put up some numbers that could quickly escalate his salary two years from now if he’s able to lock down a regular role in the lineup.
Martin has very limited NHL experience with just nine appearances under his belt, six of which came last season where he did well enough to earn the backup nod. If the 27-year-old can establish himself as a capable full-time backup based on performance and not his contract, there will be an opportunity to add a couple of million or more on his next deal.
Signed Through 2024-25
F Brock Boeser ($6.65MM, UFA)
F Curtis Lazar ($1MM, UFA)
D Tucker Poolman ($2.5MM, UFA)
Boeser’s case was one that had some pressure on it earlier this summer when the qualifying offer deadline was getting close. In the end, he took less than that number ($7.5MM) in exchange for a three-year commitment. Boeser produced closer to the level of a second-liner last season and if that continues, this could wind up being an above-market contract. Lazar comes over after spending last season with Boston on their fourth line and he’ll likely have the same role with Vancouver. There really isn’t much risk with this deal; $1MM for a capable fourth liner is a fair price.
Poolman is someone whose availability is certainly in question as he continues to try to work his way back from a concussion. When healthy, he is an option for the third pairing but if he’s unable to start the season, he could go on LTIR and simplify Vancouver’s short-term salary cap situation.
Snapshots: Penguins, Vikman, Jenner
With nine defensemen on their roster, it would appear at first glance that the Penguins might be a team to watch for on the trade front. Team president Brian Burke acknowledged to Dave Molinari of Pittsburgh Hockey Now that there are some teams calling to inquire about their blueliners although, for the time being, there aren’t any active trade discussions. Prospect Pierre-Olivier Joseph is now waiver-eligible and likely wouldn’t sneak through and while Ty Smith is exempt from hitting the waiver wire, they didn’t acquire him from New Jersey for John Marino simply to play him in the minors. While there’s nothing on the front-burner now, there’s a good reason to think that Pittsburgh could be moving a defenseman at some point over the next month.
Elsewhere around the NHL:
- While Golden Knights prospect Jesper Vikman is eligible to turn pro and play in their minor league system this season, it’s expected that he’ll be returned to WHL Vancouver, notes Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province. The 20-year-old was a fifth-round pick by Vegas back in 2020 and had a decent start to his major junior career with a 3.05 GAA and a .903 SV% in 35 games with the Giants. While the Golden Knights might benefit from a bit of extra depth in their farm system with some of the uncertainty that they have between the pipes, sending him back would likely be best for his development.
- Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner told Aaron Portzline of The Athletic (subscription link) that he has fully recovered from the back injury that cost him the final 23 games of last season. Jenner has missed time with back trouble in three different seasons now but all three have been in different areas. The 29-year-old had 44 points in 59 games last season while logging over 20 minutes per night for the first time in his career and he will undoubtedly be a welcome return for a Columbus team that is looking to turn their fortunes around quickly following the addition of Johnny Gaudreau this summer.
Poll: Who Will Win The Atlantic Division?
After asking our readers to pick the winners of the Central and Pacific Divisions next season, it’s time to turn toward the Eastern Conference. While the Pacific Division vote was split nearly evenly between the Edmonton Oilers (who held the edge) and the Calgary Flames, the Colorado Avalanche dominated the vote counter for the Central, garnering over 62% of the votes. No other team had more than 15%.
The Eastern Conference, like last season, carries a far bit more intrigue, though. With a tumultuous offseason, there’s poised to be a shuffling of the deck, with former titans falling and upstart teams emerging.
No team may exemplify that better than last season’s Presidents’ Trophy winners — the Florida Panthers. Last season’s 58-18-6 record was by far the best in team history, but they bowed out quietly in the Second Round, being swept by the eventual Eastern Conference champion Tampa Bay Lightning.
That playoff disappointment beckoned a host of changes, beginning behind the bench. Interim head coach and Jack Adams Award finalist Andrew Brunette was dismissed in favor of veteran coach Paul Maurice, who aims to gel the team’s defensive holes that ultimately doomed them. That will be a tough challenge with a defense core that’s already missing Mackenzie Weegar via trade and whose most notable additions were depth veterans Marc Staal and Michael Del Zotto. A refresh on offense also hit the team’s scoring depth, with breakout star Mason Marchment departing in free agency and franchise cornerstone Jonathan Huberdeau replaced with Matthew Tkachuk. The team will also have to manage the first few months of the season without Anthony Duclair, who’s rehabbing an Achilles tendon injury.
The Toronto Maple Leafs roared to a 115-point season last year for second place in the division, but they too have taken hits to the roster. A new goaltending tandem of Matt Murray and Ilya Samsonov begs more questions than it gives answers, and the team will miss Ilya Mikheyev and Ondrej Kase as important depth scoring. They did get some of that depth back in the form of Calle Jarnkrok signing in free agency, but the team will largely be forced to run it back with question marks in net.
2021-22 was a season of threes for the Tampa Bay Lightning, who finished third in the Atlantic en route to their third straight Stanley Cup Final appearance. After losing in the Final, though, they’ll need to figure out how to replace the losses of Ondrej Palat and Ryan McDonagh largely internally. They’ll bet on a big breakout season from forward Brandon Hagel, who they paid a steep price at the Trade Deadline to acquire just for that reason. They’ll also have to get through the start of the year without Selke-caliber center Anthony Cirelli, who’s likely out until December with a shoulder injury.
The Boston Bruins are bringing Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci back for one last ride, but they’ll have to do it without Brad Marchand, Charlie McAvoy, Matt Grzelcyk, and Mike Reilly to start the season. With that level of firepower out of the lineup, it could spell trouble in such a competitive division. An apparent downgrade behind the bench as well means the team could struggle to reach the 50-win, 100-point mark again this season.
The Ottawa Senators and Detroit Red Wings both made incredible splashes in free agency, and figure to make it a six-team race for three to five playoff spots in the Atlantic. Ottawa’s additions of Alex DeBrincat and Claude Giroux give them one of the highest-powered top-sixes in the conference, while Detroit’s additions of David Perron, Andrew Copp, and Ben Chiarot give them high-quality depth to support their growing stars.
The Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens, while likely to be at the bottom of the division again, will both look to take steps forward with significant improvement expected from their young franchise cornerstone. Owen Power‘s rookie performance will be the storyline all season in Buffalo, while Cole Caufield will look to transform his elite skill into the consistency required to be an All-Star.
So, PHR readers, we ask you again — who do you think will win the Atlantic Division next season? Make sure to vote in the poll below and leave a comment below to contribute to the discussion.
Who Wins The Atlantic Division In 2022-23?
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Toronto Maple Leafs 31% (507)
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Tampa Bay Lightning 27% (442)
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Florida Panthers 20% (329)
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Boston Bruins 6% (95)
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Ottawa Senators 6% (95)
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Detroit Red Wings 4% (58)
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Buffalo Sabres 3% (50)
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Montreal Canadiens 2% (35)
Total votes: 1,611
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