Anaheim Ducks Sign Three To PTOs
The time of the tryout is upon us. Now that teams have pretty much filled out their rosters, players left without contracts will begin to accept professional tryouts with invitations to training camps. Just yesterday, Tyler Pitlick and James Neal were both added this way. CapFriendly has added a few more to that list, reporting that Brent Gates, Nikolas Brouillard, and Josh Healey have all signed PTOs with the Anaheim Ducks.
These are not players expected to challenge for NHL roster spots; instead, they will compete to try and secure two-way NHL deals, which would at least give them the chance of a call-up. None of the three have appeared at the highest level to this point, though all have varying degrees of success in the AHL.
Gates, 25, was a third-round pick of the Ducks in 2015 and has bounced back and forth between the AHL and ECHL ever since. This season, he saw 45 games with the San Diego Gulls and set a career-high with 12 goals and 23 points. Gates never did sign his entry-level contract, meaning his exclusive draft rights expired a number of years ago, but he has remained with the organization ever since.
Brouillard, 27, went undrafted out of the QMJHL and played one season in the ECHL before going to school, attending McGill University for three seasons. He has been with the Gulls since, and scored 39 points in 66 games last season–to go along with his 131 penalty minutes.
Healey, 28, was actually a pretty highly sought-after talent out of college a few years ago, and eventually signed with the Calgary Flames. His uber-physical game didn’t translate all that well to the professional ranks, however, and he never did make it to the NHL. The Flames left him unqualified, and after a one-year deal with the Nashville Predators, he played last season on an AHL deal. In 57 games for the Milwaukee Admirals, he scored eight points and racked up 89 penalty minutes.
Latest On Kirby Dach
With their acquisition of Sean Monahan from the Calgary Flames, the Montreal Canadiens looked to have concluded the main portion of their offseason business. Now, they just have a few smaller items of business to complete, namely agreeing on new contracts with their two restricted free agents: center Kirby Dach and Cayden Primeau.
Dach, 21, was acquired earlier in the offseason by the Canadiens as part of a stunning three-team deal that was announced on the draft floor. According to Eric Engels of Sportsnet, the Canadiens and Dach are in contract talks, and “one of the options being discussed” is a four-year pact carrying a $3.5MM AAV. As Engels notes, the deal would carry Dach to within one season of eligibility for unrestricted free agency.
If this is the deal that is ultimately signed between Dach and the Canadiens, a possibility Engels “wouldn’t be surprised” to see, it will certainly be an interesting one to unpack. At this current moment, the body of work Dach has put forth in the NHL is not of $3.5MM AAV quality. Last season Dach scored 26 points in 70 games, and he has not been able to stay consistently healthy in his NHL career.
That being said, though, in surrendering young defenseman Alexander Romanov to acquire Dach, the Canadiens are signaling that they believe there is still significant upside to be mined from the 2019 third-overall pick. There are those who believe Dach was “rushed” to the NHL, and that his playing in the NHL immediately after he was drafted, rather than him having another season to develop in the WHL, has derailed his development.
If the Canadiens are right in their assessment of Dach, and coach Martin St. Louis can help Dach find his footing in the NHL the way he did for Cole Caufield, a $3.5MM cap hit could quickly look like a steal.
But if the Canadiens cannot find a way to develop Dach, or Dach simply isn’t as good as many believe he can be, a $3.5MM hit for four seasons could age somewhat poorly. It’s obviously too early to say, and the Canadiens and Dach could still ultimately go in another direction with his next contract. Regardless, the Canadiens have an important decision to make as to how they want to proceed with Dach’s next contract.
Columbus Blue Jackets Sign James Neal To Professional Tryout
The Columbus Blue Jackets have added some big names to their roster this summer, and now they’re going to be giving another big-name player a chance to earn a spot on their team. Per CapFriendly, unrestricted free agent winger and former 40-goal scorer James Neal has signed a professional tryout (PTO) with the Blue Jackets.
Neal, 34, split time last season between the St. Louis Blues and their AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds. In 19 games for the Blues, Neal registered two goals and four points. At the AHL level, Neal fared better, scoring 14 goals and 26 points in 28 games to go along with 12 points in 17 games during the Thunderbirds’ run to the Calder Cup Final.
Neal’s game has declined since his prime, and he isn’t the goal-scoring offensive force he once was. But he has had time over the past two seasons to adjust his game in order to fit lower on a team’s lineup, and now he’ll have a chance to impress coach Brad Larsen and earn a spot on the Blue Jackets’ roster.
On paper, this signing seems to be a way for the Blue Jackets to add an experienced, veteran NHLer to compete with the young players Columbus would ideally like to see make their NHL team. As with any professional sports team, the Blue Jackets are a competitive outfit. They’re not going to hand roster spots to any young player, no matter how talented. Adding Neal on a PTO gives up-and-coming wingers such as Kent Johnson, Kirill Marchenko, Liam Foudy, and Yegor Chinakhov a big-name veteran to compete with for a lineup spot.
Additionally, Neal’s presence could also push players such as Mathieu Olivier or Justin Danforth to defend the NHL jobs they’re currently penciled into. While he might not make the team given the competition he’ll face, this PTO gives Neal an opportunity to show the Blue Jackets organization what he can do. If he performs well, he could potentially earn another two-way deal and serve as useful depth for a Blue Jackets club looking to make some noise next season.
St. Louis Blues Sign Tyler Pitlick To Professional Tryout
The St. Louis Blues have signed Tyler Pitlick to a professional tryout, inviting him to training camp with the team. The veteran forward spent last season with the Calgary Flames and Montreal Canadiens but hadn’t found a contract this summer so far.
Pitlick, 30, has suited up for 325 games in the NHL but hasn’t been able to find much consistency in recent years. after setting a career-high with 14 goals and 27 points in 2017-18, he’s bounced between five different teams, and scored just one goal in 39 appearances in 2021-22. That just isn’t enough to have teams chasing him, though the Blues do offer an interesting opportunity.
We’ve seen St. Louis sign players after training camp invitations before, and Pitlick’s size and physicality do lend themselves to Craig Berube‘s style. Still, it would likely take an injury (or two) for a spot to open, given how many forwards will already be fighting for roster spots. Perhaps Pitlick stands out enough to earn a deal but this may be as much a showcase for the rest of the league as anything else.
Remember, despite signing a PTO with the Blues, Pitlick is still an unrestricted free agent and can sign with any team that wants to offer him an NHL contract.
Dallas Stars Sign Jake Oettinger
The Dallas Stars have signed restricted free agent goaltender Jake Oettinger to a bridge deal, inking him for the next three years. The deal will come with an average annual value of $4MM, and leave him an arbitration-eligible RFA at expiry. General manager Jim Nill explained just how important Oettinger is to the team:
Jake’s performance spoke for itself last season. He has elite physical ability and presence in the net, while also exhibiting phenomenal mental strength in high-pressure situations. Jake’s poise and character off the ice have made him a leader in our locker room. He has shown that he has the skill, work ethic, and poise to excel at the NHL level. He was a key part of the team’s success last season, and we’re excited to see him continue to grow here in Dallas.
Oettinger, 23, was one of three players the Stars selected in 2017 that have gone on to become franchise cornerstones. He was picked between Miro Heiskanen and Jason Robertson that day, a draft that essentially changed the direction of the team thanks to some savvy scouting. The big netminder took a few years to develop but now sits as the Stars’ no-doubt starter for next season, after recording a .914 save percentage in 48 appearances last year.
It was the playoffs where he really showed what he could do, though, posting a .954 in seven games to almost steal the first round from the Calgary Flames. With a bright future ahead of him and Robertson still to sign, a bridge deal always made sense for the young netminder. A $4MM cap hit still pays him handsomely while setting Oettinger up for an even bigger deal a few years down the line.
For Dallas, kicking the can down the road a few years was integral, as Jamie Benn‘s $9.5MM will be coming off the books after the 2024-25 season. Esa Lindell, Ryan Suter, and Radek Faksa are also scheduled to be unrestricted free agents that summer, meaning Nill and the rest of the front office will finally get some flexibility back. A longer contract is expected for Robertson, who has already established himself as an elite offensive player in the league after scoring 41 goals and 79 points this season.
The Stars still have more than $6.3MM for that contract and could create more by waiving someone before the season begins (or sending one of their entry-level players back down). All of that space will likely be needed for Robertson’s contract, meaning this deal for Oettinger was never going to be able to get much bigger.
While there is no guarantee that he lives up to it, early returns on the big Minnesota native are promising. If Oettinger takes another step forward next season and starts putting up .920 save percentages, a $4MM cap hit will look like quite the bargain.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Poll: Who Will Win The Central Division?
A few days ago, we asked the PHR community to predict which team would end up winning the Pacific Division, and there ended up being two clear leaders. The Vancouver Canucks Los Angeles Kings, Vegas Golden Knights, Seattle Kraken, Anaheim Ducks, and San Jose Sharks combined for less than 19% of the vote, with the rest nearly split in half between the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames.
The Oilers came out a few percentage points ahead after adding netminder Jack Campbell and bringing back Evander Kane. Calgary’s remade roster with Jonathan Huberdeau, MacKenzie Weegar, and Nazem Kadri still holds plenty of confidence, a stark change from the days after Jonny Gaudreau’s departure.
While that division is apparently a two-horse race, we now move to the Central, where the vote might not be as close (though maybe it should).
Last year, the Colorado Avalanche would end up taking it after going 56-19-7 in the regular season. They would ride that success all the way to a Stanley Cup championship, and return as the presumptive favorites to take the division once again.
However, there are some changes in Colorado. Kadri, who was an incredibly important play driver for the team last season, has departed to Calgary, while Darcy Kuemper was replaced with Alexandar Georgiev. Andre Burakovsky‘s depth scoring has disappeared, and while the team still looks like a very strong contender–having a defense corps led by Cale Makar and Devon Toews will do that–there may be a few chinks in the armor after the dream season.
The Minnesota Wild were second last year, but don’t think they weren’t a powerhouse in their own right. The team finished with a record of 53-22-7, which would have put them first in the Pacific, and went into the playoffs on an 8-1-1 streak. While Kevin Fiala has been sent packing after an outstanding year, the development of Matt Boldy and Marco Rossi means there is still plenty of excitement in Minnesota.
Next was the St. Louis Blues, with their own 109-point campaign, but there is a big question mark in net for next season. Ville Husso, who had emerged as the more reliable option during the year, is gone, leaving Jordan Binnington with Thomas Greiss as his backup. With Ryan O’Reilly and Vladimir Tarasenko both headed into their final year under contract, it will be interesting to see what direction the Blues go in this year.
It’s not often you can say a team with Joe Pavelski, Tyler Seguin, and Jamie Benn on it is driven by youth, but that’s exactly the case for the Dallas Stars, who will are ready to hand the keys over to the dynamic trio of Jason Robertson, Miro Heiskanen, and Jake Oettinger. All three were selected in 2017 and all three look like stars in the league at this point. The question for Dallas, of course, is that Robertson and Oettinger remain unsigned to this point.
The Nashville Predators were able to land Nino Niederreiter and Ryan McDonagh, adding some depth and Stanley Cup experience to the roster as they try to take another run at the division crown. The emergence of Tanner Jeannot has given them another weapon, while Yakov Trenin has also looked like he could be a difference-maker if given the opportunity.
Then there are the Winnipeg Jets, who many picked as contenders last year and far fewer are dubbing them that this time around. While there are still some outstanding pieces there, it’s getting harder and harder to see how they will keep up without Connor Hellebuyck getting back to Vezina-level goaltending.
The Chicago Blackhawks and Arizona Coyotes, meanwhile, are both trying to lose–at least enough to secure a high draft position. The rebuilding clubs shouldn’t pose much of a threat in the division, especially after the deadline when they sell off any pieces that are performing at a high level.
So now we ask you, PHR readers, to make your pick for who will win the Central Division in 2022-23! Vote in the poll below and explain your thoughts in the comment section.
Who will win the Central Division in 2022-23
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Colorado Avalanche 62% (676)
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St. Louis Blues 12% (131)
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Minnesota Wild 10% (107)
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Nashville Predators 4% (44)
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Dallas Stars 4% (42)
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Chicago Blackhawks 4% (42)
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Winnipeg Jets 2% (27)
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Arizona Coyotes 2% (18)
Total votes: 1,087
[Mobile users click here to vote]
Minor Transactions: 09/01/22
We are into September and preseason hockey is right around the corner. The summer has flown by and now teams must put the finishing touches on their rosters ahead of training camp. Like always, we’ll be keeping track of any notable minor moves right here, keeping you up to date on the entire hockey world.
- Tyler Irvine has signed a one-year minor league contract with the Cleveland Monsters, after splitting last season with the Utica Comets and Adirondack Thunder. The 26-year-old forward had 42 points in 49 games with the Thunder but just five in 20 matches with Utica. Given it is a two-way AHL/ECHL contract he is signing, there’s no guarantee he stays at the higher level.
- Gordie Green, who had been with the Toronto Marlies and Newfoundland Growlers last season, has signed a new deal with the Toledo Walleye. Green had 47 points in 57 games for the Growlers last year and was a huge part of their run to the Kelly Cup Eastern Conference Finals.
- Belarusian defenseman Artyom Levshunov has been approved to play in the USHL this season, according to Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News. The 16-year-old won’t be eligible for the NHL draft until 2024 and now will have a chance to get in front of more scouts in North America.
This page will be updated throughout the day
Matt Tennyson Signs AHL Contract
Veteran defenseman Matt Tennyson has settled for an AHL contract this year, though he’ll at least get to play somewhere warm. Tennyson has signed a one-year deal with the Coachella Valley Firebirds, the new Seattle Kraken affiliate that will begin play this season.
In fact, it is something of a homecoming for Tennyson, who grew up and played minor hockey in California long before his professional career started. In the release, he explained how he feels about returning to the state:
It’s awesome to be back in the Coachella Valley. My grandparents lived in Palm Springs and my parents live in Rancho Mirage, so the opportunity to be closer to family made the decision to sign here extremely easy for me. I grew up playing hockey in California and the youth hockey scene here has come quite a long way since then. I am looking forward to being able to give back to and play in front of this great fan base and community.
What a career it has been for the undrafted defenseman who turned 32 earlier this year. After developing for three years at Western Michigan, Tennyson has played in 173 NHL and 358 AHL games, constantly bouncing back and forth between the two leagues as a capable depth option.
This year that won’t be the case (unless he signs an NHL deal at some point), as he has agreed to a minor league contract that will keep him with the Firebirds. He will likely take on a leadership role on the new team, helping Kraken prospects navigate their way into pro hockey and establishing a culture for the organization.
Latest On Danny DeKeyser
When there are relatively young offensive players like Evan Rodrigues and Sonny Milano struggling to land contracts in unrestricted free agency, the landscape for some more veteran names may be even worse. Not so for Danny DeKeyser, apparently, whose agent Matt Federico told ESPN that they are confident the defenseman will be signed before training camp.
DeKeyser, 32, may have to take a “lower money deal” but Federico points to the success that Jack Johnson had with the Colorado Avalanche this year as an example of what the long-time Detroit Red Wing could offer.
Over a ten-year career, DeKeyser has 547 games played, all of them with the Red Wings. In the most recent season, he recorded 11 points in 59 appearances, while averaging over 18 minutes a night. Pummeled with defensive-zone starts and penalty-killing duties his overall possession stats don’t look strong, but as a veteran depth option there are certainly worse directions a team could go.
Johnson, for example, signed a one-year, $750K deal with the Avalanche last fall, and logged just under 17 minutes a night for the Stanley Cup champions in the regular season. That performance took him to another one-year deal this year (at $950K this time) giving him the chance to continue his career even at age 35.
Now as the calendar turns to September and teams prepare for training camp, there may be some added pressure on any negotiations that are currently happening.
Snapshots: Wild, Kraken Captaincy, Halbgewachs
While Minnesota freed up $2.25MM in cap space today with the trade of defenseman Dmitry Kulikov to Anaheim, don’t expect that money to be spent right away. GM Bill Guerin told Michael Russo of The Athletic (subscription link) that while he wouldn’t rule out using it on a free agent, it’s unlikely that he’ll opt to do so. Guerin felt that the Wild needed more cap space and while they’re shown as having a little over $5.7MM in room right now per CapFriendly, that figure has them with a minimum-sized roster which is likely to change. But even with adding a couple of players to that current projection, Minnesota will be well-positioned from a cap perspective to make additions to their roster in-season and will have some room to work with if injuries arise. It may not seem like much but that’s a cap situation that many teams would like to have right about now.
Elsewhere around the hockey world:
- Last season, the Kraken had Mark Giordano as their inaugural captain but that post has been vacant since the veteran was moved to Toronto at the trade deadline. GM Ron Francis told Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times that he’ll sit down with head coach Dave Hakstol to decide if they even want to name a captain this season and that if they do, they’ll likely wait to see how training camp goes before making a decision. Veterans Yanni Gourde, Jordan Eberle, and Adam Larsson would be candidates for the captaincy if they do decide to name one for 2022-23.
- Free agent winger Jayden Halbgewachs has drawn interest from MoDo in Sweden, sports director Henrik Gradin acknowledged to Ornskoldsviks Allehanda. The 25-year-old is coming off a productive year with AHL San Jose where he had 41 points in 59 games while also getting into three games with the Sharks, picking up his first career point. While he’s the type of player that would typically generate a fair bit of interest on a two-way deal, heading overseas to play in a top league there might ultimately help his value in the long run if he was to get back to being a top scorer as he was back in junior.