Carolina Hurricanes Re-Sign Ethan Bear
July 28: The Hurricanes have officially announced the contract for Bear, confirming the details reported yesterday. General manager Don Waddell released a statement on the deal, though it will raise even more eyebrows:
Adjusting to a new team and system can be challenging for a young defenseman. We are confident Ethan will be able to take another step in his development this season.
July 27: PuckPedia reports that the Carolina Hurricanes re-signed restricted free agent defenseman Ethan Bear to a one-year, $2.2MM deal. The contract will make Bear a restricted free agent again next offseason with one more season remaining on his RFA eligibility.
Carolina acquired Bear last season in a one-for-one swap with the Edmonton Oilers for forward Warren Foegele. Bear’s first season in Carolina wasn’t too kind to him, though, as his defensive play took a serious step back while seeing a reduction in his role. His 16:05 per-game average is a far cry from his 21:58 mark in 2019-20 with the Oilers. On the scoresheet, he tied his career-high in goals with five and added nine assists for 14 points in 58 games.
If Bear is able to rebound back to his form from his first two full seasons in Edmonton, though, it’s a great deal for the ‘Canes. Bear will still be battling for ice time on the team’s third pairing along with new acquisition Dylan Coghlan and a healthy Jake Gardiner — if Carolina doesn’t opt to trade him. $2.2MM might be too steep a price to pay for someone the organization views as a seventh defenseman, but it’s a gamble to trade him away and watch him bounce back elsewhere.
After the signing, the Hurricanes are left with under $2MM in cap space.
New York Rangers Sign Kaapo Kakko
The New York Rangers have reached an agreement with Kaapo Kakko on a two-year contract. The deal will carry an average annual value of $2.1MM according to Arthur Staple of The Athletic. Kakko was a restricted free agent and did not have arbitration rights. CapFriendly reports that the deal will pay him $1.8MM in 2022-23 and $2.4MM in 2023-24.
It certainly hasn’t been the career many expected so far for the 2019 second-overall pick. Kakko stepped directly into the NHL as a teenager in 2019-20 and scored ten goals and 23 points in 66 games. While it wasn’t dominant, his powerplay production was at least relatively strong and it looked as though he could grow into a top-six role rather quickly.
Now two years later and things haven’t really grown at all. Kakko is coming off a season where he scored seven goals and 18 points in 43 games, bouncing back and forth between dominant puck protector and invisible perimeter player. The consistency just hasn’t been there for the young forward, who is now 21 and signing his second contract.
Still, there are moments and stretches where it seems to be coming together. Eight of his 18 points came in a seven-game stretch in November when he was given a bigger opportunity, and in the playoffs, he had effective games with the “Kid Line” of Alexis Lafreniere and Filip Chytil.
Some will point to his playing time as a reason why his production has been so limited but the fact is, Kakko’s most common even-strength linemates this season were Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider, two of the team’s most dominant offensive threats. In fact, Artemi Panarin comes third on that list among forwards, showing just how many chances Kakko received to play with top talent.
It’s not even like he’s been unlucky; Kakko’s career shooting percentage is 10.3%, and actually reached a highwater mark of 11.3% this season. It’s just that he only generated 62 shots on net in his 43 appearances, something that will have to change if he is to take the next step and be more than just a decent, two-way middle-six player. Those don’t usually get picked with the second-overall selection.
That’s what a bridge deal is for. Giving a player like Kakko a chance to prove he’s more than he is right now, before discussing a long-term deal down the road. The young forward will still be a restricted free agent at the end of this contract but he’ll have to take a serious step forward if he wants to live up to his draft billing.
Montreal Canadiens Hire Stephane Robidas
The Montreal Canadiens have added another coach without much experience, hiring Stephane Robidas as an assistant for Martin St. Louis‘ staff. General manager Kent Hughes explained the move:
We are very lucky to have someone of Stephane’s caliber join our coaching staff. His recent experience as an NHL player, and his outstanding hockey background, will be excellent assets for the development of our players. Stephane perfectly matches the profile we were looking for in a candidate. In addition to being an exceptional individual, he is a very good communicator, and I believe that players will relate to him because of that.
Notably, though he has no experience as an NHL coach, he did serve as director of player development for several years with the Toronto Maple Leafs. That experience with young players is going to come in handy with the rebuilding Canadiens, along with his familiarity with the organization. Robidas was a seventh-round pick of Montreal back in 1995 and made his NHL debut with the club before moving on to several other teams.
It’s something of a trend now for the Canadiens to hire a coach out of minor hockey, as Robidas spent last season behind the bench of the Magog Cantonniers, the same QMAAA team that he and his son Justin Robidas played for. Justin was a 2021 draft pick of the Carolina Hurricanes and spent last season captaining the Val-d’Or Foreurs.
While his son is just trying to start on his hockey journey, Stephane can look back at an NHL career that lasted more than 900 games. The right-shot defenseman was even invited to an All-Star Game and participated in the World Championship for Canada on three different occasions.
Colorado Avalanche Sign Mikhail Maltsev
8:34 pm: CapFriendly reports it’s a two-way deal for Maltsev, earning him $200K in the minors with $250K guaranteed.
11:27 am: The Colorado Avalanche have re-signed restricted free agent Mikhail Maltsev to a one-year deal. The young forward was eligible for salary arbitration this summer but chose not to file. ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reports it’s an $800K cap hit on the one-year contract.
Maltsev, 24, arrived in Colorado by way of trade last summer, acquired from the New Jersey Devils (along with a second-round pick) in exchange for Ryan Graves. After playing in 33 games for the Devils, he spent nearly the entire 2021-22 season in the minor leagues. In 56 games with the Colorado Eagles, he scored 17 goals and 48 points, as one of the AHL club’s most reliable offensive players.
In 18 appearances with the Avalanche, however, Maltsev was unable to register even a single point, while averaging just eight minutes a night. While he did use his big frame to add some physicality to the fourth line, his fit for the Avalanche is unclear moving forward. In fact, signing a deal like this might even be considered a surprise, given how little NHL playing time he received this year.
With the presence of the KHL looming over the Russian forward, especially given his previous affiliation with his hometown SKA St. Petersburg club, one could wonder how much more time he will spend in the AHL before pursuing other opportunities. One thing that may impact that is the fact that Maltsev will be subject to waivers this year, meaning if the Avalanche want to send him to the Eagles, the rest of the league will have a chance to grab him.
St. Louis Blues Re-Sign Klim Kostin
The St. Louis Blues have re-signed winger Klim Kostin on a one-year deal worth $750K, per Bally Sports’ Andy Strickland.
Drafted 31st overall in 2017, Kostin hasn’t broken out offensively yet, but he hasn’t exactly been given the chance. In 40 games in 2021-22, Kostin had just four goals and nine points, but he was limited to playing just nine minutes a game. With David Perron departing the organization, though, Kostin has a shot to work his way into a top-nine role and therefore more ice time.
It’s a one-way contract for Kostin, the first of his NHL career. He’ll be a restricted free agent in 2023 once again.
Players like Kostin will be increasingly important for the Blues as extensions continue to get handed out to their young players. While the Blues have given out a lot of questionable cash this offseason, there’s absolutely no risk with this signing, a pleasant change of pace for Blues fans. With a full roster, per CapFriendly, the Blues are less than $1MM under the cap.
Pittsburgh Penguins Sign Danton Heinen
After choosing not to issue him a qualifying offer, the Pittsburgh Penguins have brought back forward Danton Heinen on a one-year, one-way deal worth $1MM.
Heinen takes a steep discount to stay in Pittsburgh, actually taking $100K less than his previous contract. It’s tough to believe that he wouldn’t have received many other offers after the 27-year-old had a strong 2021-22 campaign.
His career-high 18 goals ranked seventh on the team last season, adding 15 assists for 33 points in total in 76 games. While he averaged under 13 minutes a game, he posted stellar all-around offensive and defensive results.
It’s a solid bet that Heinen’s value on the ice will eclipse that of his cap hit next season, adding to Pittsburgh’s summer of value signings (at least in the short term). He’ll compete with other depth wingers such as Jason Zucker, Brock McGinn, and Kasperi Kapanen for ice time in the Penguins’ top nine.
Anaheim Ducks Sign Olli Juolevi
The Anaheim Ducks have signed defenseman Olli Juolevi to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2022-23 season, per the team. PuckPedia reports the contract has a $750K NHL salary and a $175K minors salary with $200K guaranteed. Juolevi will be a restricted free agent upon the contract’s expiration.
Since the Vancouver Canucks drafted Juolevi fifth overall in 2016, the Finnish defenseman simply hasn’t been able to make an NHL impact. His 2021-22 campaign may have been the most challenging and disappointing yet, registering no points in 18 games split between the Florida Panthers and Detroit Red Wings.
Now on his fourth NHL team at age 24, Juolevi was actually left unqualified by Detroit this offseason, choosing to move on from the former top prospect. Injuries bogged down Juolevi in the minors and slowed his development, but the Ducks are hoping there’s something left in the tank for the all-around defenseman.
Minor Transactions: 07/27/22
It’s been a long, slow grind since the craziness of free agency opening on July 13, with a good number of high-end free agents remaining unsigned. With many other leagues than just the NHL looking to get their rosters set for next season, though, that hasn’t been the case everywhere. Minor-league teams and overseas leagues are making moves and transactions to their squads every day, giving hockey fans something else to look at. We’ll keep track of today’s transactions right here.
- Over in Germany, Wolfsburg in the DEL could look to add a major name with some NHL experience, per the German-language publication Wolfsburger Nachrichten. 34-year-old Kaspars Daugavins is still floating around in the European leagues after a brief NHL career between 2009 and 2013, where he’s been an all-star caliber player in both the KHL and Swiss NL. It appears SC Bern, his NL club for 2021-22, however, has bought him out after he registered 25 points in 34 games.
- The AHL’s Ontario Reign today announced a one-year extension for defenseman Cameron Gaunce. A second-round pick back in 2008, the 32-year-old is a veteran of 731 AHL games but has seen just 37 games of NHL action in that timeframe. This will be his third straight season in the Los Angeles Kings organization, helping mentor their pack of young defenders that come up through Ontario. Gaunce had seven goals, 20 assists, and 27 points in 61 AHL games last season.
- The Colorado Eagles have signed forwards Tarun Fizer and Cameron Wright to one-year, two-way AHL contracts. Fizer, 21, was the captain of the WHL’s Victoria Royals in 2021-22, scoring 17 goals, 34 assists, and 51 points in just 35 games. He had an impressive transition to pro hockey, suiting up for the ECHL’s Utah Grizzlies after the conclusion of his junior campaign, and had 15 points in 18 games during their Kelly Cup Playoffs run. Wright, 23, joins the Eagles after a five-year NCAA career, the last season of which was spent with the University of Denver. A member of this year’s national championship team, Wright had 23 goals and 34 points in 41 games.
- The Milwaukee Admirals have signed right wing Todd Burgess to an AHL deal for the 2022-23 season, per a team tweet. Burgess was drafted in the fourth round in 2016 by the Ottawa Senators, but the team let his rights expire after a disappointing college career and he’s yet to land an NHL contract. In 2021-22, his first professional season, Burgess had seven goals and six assists for 13 points in 35 games with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose.
- Per The Athletic’s Jesse Granger, the Henderson Silver Knights have signed 25-year-old defenseman Darian Skeoch to an AHL contract for the 2022-23 season. Skeoch, a rare breed of enforcer, had a whopping 135 penalty minutes in 52 games with the ECHL’s Allen Americans last season, registering just eight points in the process. He can play both defense and right wing, but the 6’4″, 220-pound defenseman’s main focus is on physical play.
This page will be updated throughout the day.
John Klingberg Changes Representation
August is just around the corner and the top defenseman on the free agent market still hasn’t signed. John Klingberg was ranked fifth on our Top 50 UFA list two weeks ago but he sits without a contract or a team for 2022-23. Now, likely due to frustration from how things have played out, Klingberg is changing representation. Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reports that Klingberg has parted ways with agent Peter Wallen and will now be represented by Newport Sports Management. PuckPedia adds that Craig Oster, one of the sport’s most influential agents, will take the lead for the free agent defenseman.
Oster has recently been responsible for several long-term extensions, including Matthew Tkachuk, Robert Thomas, Joshua Norris, and Kevin Fiala, and has other high-priced clients like Brady Tkachuk, Erik Karlsson, Mark Stone, and Tomas Hertl. In fact, his roster compares favorably to just about every other agent in the business and is a logical step for someone looking to score a big free agent contract.
Klingberg, 29, has been reportedly looking for a massive extension for months now, leading to frustration and trade speculation throughout the season. Renaud Lavoie of TVA sports tweets that at the start of free agency, the former Dallas Stars defenseman was looking for a seven-year deal with an average annual value of around $6MM. Landing something like that at this point in the summer might be tough but not impossible, as several teams still have the capacity to add that kind of salary.
Still, with Klingberg set to turn 30 in a few weeks and his game still carrying some of the defensive warts it always has, committing that kind of money to him would be a tough decision for any team. While his offensive production is still excellent–he registered 47 points in 74 games this season–a commitment of that length would carry substantial risk for teams looking to contend.
It remains to be seen whether this change will lead to a quick resolution, or if Klingberg will need to wait even longer to find out where he’s playing next season. At any rate, he has one of the biggest agencies in the business behind him now.
Seattle Kraken Re-Sign Ryan Donato
After not being given a qualifying offer this summer, making him an unrestricted free agent, Ryan Donato is heading back to Seattle anyway. The Kraken have signed Donato to a one-year, $1.2MM contract. General manager Ron Francis released a statement:
Ryan elevated his game last season and we’re happy to have him return to the Kraken. He completed a career year and will hopefully eclipse that in 2022-23.
While Donato’s qualifying offer would have been less than this, it would have opened up the possibility of arbitration which would have almost certainly resulted in a higher cap hit than $1.2MM. The 26-year-old forward reached new career-highs with 16 goals and 31 points in 74 games this season, after signing a one-year, $750K deal with the team in 2021.
It’s been a rollercoaster career for Donato since turning pro in 2018. He registered three points in his first game for the Boston Bruins and looked like he might be a key member of the team in the years to come. Before the end of his first full NHL season, he would be traded to the Minnesota Wild as part of the package for Charlie Coyle, and less than two years later would be sent to the San Jose Sharks for a third-round pick.
At the end of the 2020-21 season, he was left unqualified by the Sharks after scoring just six goals, leaving him without a clear path forward. With the Kraken, he has put his career back on track and now looks to take advantage of his second contract with the expansion franchise.
The Kraken, despite only entering the league a year ago, now have more than $80MM committed for 2022-23, leaving them with just over $2.2MM in cap space. Donato will try to continue carving out ice time in a forward group that has added Andre Burakovsky, Oliver Bjorkstrand, and potentially Shane Wright this summer, depending on what the team does with the latter.