Boston Bruins Sign Three Players
The Boston Bruins have signed three players, starting with Jack Ahcan, whose one-year, two-way contract was reported over the weekend. He’ll be joined by Matt Filipe, who has agreed to a one-year two-way contract with an NHL salary of $787.5K, and Ryan Mast, who has inked his three-year entry-level deal that comes with a cap hit of $850K.
Filipe, 24, was a third-round pick of the Carolina Hurricanes back in 2016 but never signed with the team, leading to an entry-level contract with his hometown Bruins after he finished his college career at Northeastern. This season, he scored seven goals and 17 points in 59 games for the Providence Bruins, not exactly the kind of numbers that inspire confidence in a future NHL career.
The 6’2″ forward did enough to earn a qualifying offer though, which is what he is signing today. The $787.5K may actually hurt his chances–if only slightly–of playing in the NHL next season, as he’ll take up more cap space than the average minor league call-up. Still, he’ll continue his development with Providence and improve on his numbers in year three of professional hockey.
Mast meanwhile was a sixth-round pick of the Bruins in 2021 and will be headed back to the OHL to continue his junior career with the Sarnia Sting. The 6’5″ defenseman has quite a few holes in his game but has shown enough–31 points in 59 games this season–that his size offers at least a bit of intrigue as a future professional.
New York Rangers Agree To Terms With Three Players
The New York Rangers have finished some offseason business, agreeing to terms with three players (two of them which were previously reported). Turner Elson, Andy Welinski, and Austin Rueschhoff have all agreed to one-year contracts.
While Elson and Welinski were reported in the early part of free agency, it is Rueschhoff that will draw some attention. The 24-year-old forward was a restricted free agent this summer after his entry-level contract expired and is coming off an impressive sophomore campaign with the Hartford Wolf Pack.
The winger had 14 goals and 24 points in 59 games, offensive totals that aren’t that impressive even for an undrafted college free agent. It’s his size–6’7″ 230-lbs–that makes Rueschhoff so intriguing as an NHL prospect. Quite frankly, he doesn’t need to score very much to make an impact on the ice, and the fact that he is providing some offensive touch only makes him a more interesting package.
With this new deal, the Rangers are showing that they believe so too. It will be interesting to see if he gets a chance to suit up for an NHL game this season, as the New York front office has put importance on size and physicality in the bottom six. While he may never end up being a regular, this contract gives him another chance to serve as a call-up in case of injury as soon as this year.
Ottawa Senators Sign Rourke Chartier
The Ottawa Senators have signed Rourke Chartier to a one-year two-way contract, confirming the terms first reported by CapFriendly a few days ago. The deal will pay the minor league forward $750K in the NHL and $165K in the AHL.
Chartier, 26, had been playing for the last few seasons on AHL contracts, after failing to receive a qualifying offer in 2019 from the San Jose Sharks. In 33 games for the Belleville Senators this year, he scored ten goals and 25 points, another one of the success stories from the upstart minor league club. Belleville went 40-28-4 this year and was loaded with talent from top to bottom, leading players like Chartier to resurgent years.
Originally selected 149th overall by the Sharks in 2014, Chartier eventually made his NHL debut during the 2018-19 season and scored one goal in 13 appearances. His career other than that has been generally unremarkable, though this new contract will give him another opportunity to at least compete for a call-up.
Nashville Predators Sign John Leonard
The Nashville Predators have found some common ground with newcomer John Leonard, signing the restricted free agent forward to a one-year, two-way contract. The deal will be worth $750K at the NHL level.
Leonard, 23, was recently acquired from the San Jose Sharks in a trade that saw Luke Kunin go the other way. He was eligible for arbitration this summer but did not file, likely due to the two sides being close on this new contract.
It will be interesting to see if the young forward can carve out a regular role with Nashville, or if he is destined to spend another year in the minor leagues. Through 58 NHL games to this point, he has scored four goals, recorded 15 points, and notably, taken just a single minor penalty. While that may not seem like a big deal, the Predators were far and away the most penalized team in the league last season, averaging more than 12.6 PIM a game. A good bit of that is due to their league-leading 59 fighting majors, but perhaps a player like Leonard could help offset that a bit given his history of staying out of the box (he has just six PIM in 47 minor league games as well).
The Predators’ lineup is by no means set at this point, with only nine forwards (including Kiefer Sherwood) signed to one-way contracts. There should be good competition for playing time in the bottom six, and Leonard is one of the players who could grab a regular role with a strong training camp. The fact that he is waiver-exempt probably doesn’t help his case, but costing just $750K against the cap will.
Detroit Red Wings Hire Jay Varady
A rising coaching prospect has found his way back to the NHL, as Jay Varady has been hired by the Detroit Red Wings as an assistant for the upcoming season. Varady has spent the last few seasons as head coach of the Tucson Roadrunners, with a short stop as an assistant for the Arizona Coyotes during the shortened 2020-21 season.
It’s been an interesting path for the 44-year-old Varady, who made the transition to coaching soon after his playing days ended for Union College in 2000. After winning an NAHL championship after taking over the Pittsburgh Forge midseason, he went to the WHL where he joined the Everett Silvertips for seven seasons. Two years as a head coach in France followed before a return to North America to lead the Sioux City Musketeers, where he really established himself as a top coaching prospect.
One year with the Kingston Frontenacs was enough to lead to an AHL gig, and now the NHL, where he’ll serve under rookie head coach Derek Lalonde. In the next few years, it won’t be surprising when Varady’s name comes up in coaching searches around the league.
In a statement, the Coyotes announced that they will begin the search for a new AHL coach immediately, wishing Varady well with his new appointment in Detroit.
Adam Clendening Signs AHL Contract
The Rockford IceHogs are bringing back one of the best players in the minor leagues, signing an AHL contract with Adam Clendening for the 2022-23 season.
Clendening, 29, has played nearly 450 games in the AHL over parts of nine seasons, while also adding 90 NHL appearances over the years. One of the most consistent offensive defensemen in the league, he’s racked up nearly 285 points in his minor league career, been named a First and Second Team All-Star, and even won a bronze medal at the World Championship for the U.S. in 2021.
Coming off a contract with the Philadelphia Flyers, Clendening taking an AHL deal shouldn’t be much of a surprise. His last NHL appearance came in 2018-19 with the Columbus Blue Jackets, and though he is an excellent minor league option, his offensive playstyle doesn’t fit the mold of NHL depth defenseman very well. Instead, he is best used as a difference-maker in the minor leagues, and a return to Rockford will certainly give him that opportunity.
The Blackhawks have been very clearly hoping to load up their AHL team this summer while doing the opposite for their NHL club. Clendening’s return–he last played for the IceHogs in 2018 but has several stints in his career–should only help the success in Rockford. He is already the club’s all-time leader in points from a defenseman, a record he will add to this year.
Buffalo Sabres Sign Brett Murray
The Buffalo Sabres have signed restricted free agent forward Brett Murray to a one-year contract worth $750K for the 2022-23 season. He was eligible for arbitration but did not file by yesterday’s deadline, suggesting that a deal was close.
Murray, 23, was a fourth-round pick of the Sabres in 2016, an interesting blend of size and skill that hadn’t played above the CCHL level. His development was a slow process, going through the USHL, two unsuccessful years at Penn State, back to the USHL, and then two years in the minor leagues, before becoming a semi-regular with the Sabres last season.
In 19 NHL games, he scored two goals and six points while racking up 23 penalty minutes, using that 6’5″ frame to his advantage. With a strong performance in the minor leagues as well, there’s a real chance that Murray could secure a roster spot this season with the Sabres, at least as a bottom-six option for head coach Don Granato.
One thing that will hurt that chase is the fact that despite being arbitration-eligible, Murray is still waiver-exempt. He can be sent to the minor leagues without issue, meaning he may end up with Rochester to start the year as the Sabres figure out their optimal lineup. Still, with the focus on players like Dylan Cozens, Peyton Krebs, and Jack Quinn (not to mention Matthew Savoie, Jiri Kulich, and Noah Ostlund) as the future up front in Buffalo, a player like Murray could quickly become a valuable piece to fit lower in the lineup.
Snapshots: Tkachuk, Alberta Hockey Hall Of Fame, DiPietro
With Johnny Gaudreau‘s departure from the Calgary Flames organization, all eyes have turned to superstar Matthew Tkachuk and his future with the team. Currently, Tkachuk sits on the RFA market after unsurprisingly receiving a $9MM qualifying-offer from the Flames last week. Not much update has come since then on the 24-year-old’s situation until now, when it was revealed that Tkachuk declined to file for player-elected arbitration ahead of today’s deadline.
In light of the decision not to file, Flames Nation’s Ryan Pike believes the Flames will not elect arbitration on their end before tomorrow’s 5:00 pm ET deadline for teams to elect. Pike cites the fact that by doing so, the Flames would have to offer in arbitration, at the very least, the $9MM qualifying offer. Even still, the arbitrator in Tkachuk’s case could award a number higher than $9MM, perhaps the number Tkachuk were to file at, making arbitration all the more unpredictable at this point for Calgary. Not filing for arbitration will also keep the offer-sheet avenue open, which could pave the way to a long-term resolution for both player and team.
- Two familiar names are set to be inducted into the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame this evening. Former NHL Head Coach Ken Hitchcock and former NHL goaltender and current Columbus Blue Jackets President of Hockey Operations John Davidson will join alongside Cassie Campbell-Pascall, Bill Bucyk, Bob Clark, Dr. Randy Gregg, Jamie Macoun and the 1974-75 Lethbridge Native Sons.
- According to CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal, the Vancouver Canucks have given goaltender Michael DiPietro and his agent, Darren Ferris, permission to talk with other teams to help facilitate a trade for the goaltender (link). Once a heralded goaltending prospect out of the OHL, DiPietro has yet to live up to the expectations set for him when Vancouver drafted him in the third-round in 2017. The goaltender had a strong 2019-20, his first full pro season, but dealt with injuries and limited playing time in 2020-21. He would rebound in 2021-22, but still hasn’t been able to pull himself back to the blue-chip status he once had. Even if DiPietro could make a full turnaround, he’ll find the net in Vancouver considerably blocked by that of 26-year-old star netminder Thatcher Demko, who is signed through 2025-26. A key distinction with this permission to talk to other teams is not to negotiate a contract, much like Anthony DeAngelo was allowed to do earlier this offseason, but to help find a trade to a destination that will work for DiPietro, with the goaltender having already accepted his qualifying offer yesterday.
24 Players Elect Salary Arbitration
The National Hockey League Players Association (NHLPA) announced that 24 players have filed for player-elected salary arbitration, the deadline for which came this afternoon. This list is not necessarily the final and complete list of players headed for arbitration, with clubs now eligible to elect salary arbitration until tomorrow, July 18th at 5:00 pm ET.
Mason Appleton (WPG)
Ethan Bear (CAR)
Jesper Bratt (NJD)
Lawson Crouse (ARI)
Morgan Geekie (SEA)
Mathieu Joseph (OTT)
Kaapo Kahkonen (SJS)
Kasperi Kapanen (PIT)
Keegan Kolesar (VGK)
Oliver Kylington (CGY)
Maxime Lajoie (CAR)
Steven Lorentz (SJS)
Isac Lundestrom (ANA)
Zack MacEwen (PHI)
Niko Mikkola (STL)
Andrew Mangiapane (CGY)
Matthew Phillips (CGY)
Jesse Puljujarvi (EDM)
Tyce Thompson (NJD)
Yakov Trenin (NSH)
Vitek Vanecek (NJD)
Jake Walman (DET)
Kailer Yamamoto (EDM)
Pavel Zacha (BOS)
Notably out of this list, Mikkola had previously filed for arbitration, but the two sides were able to settle on a one-year, $1.9MM contract that will leave the defenseman an UFA after next season.
A key distinction to add is that any player who has filed for arbitration is no longer eligible to sign an offer sheet, effectively taking the players on this list off the market. Three notable names that did not file for arbitration are Winnipeg Jets forward Pierre-Luc Dubois, Calgary Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk and Columbus Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine. Though contract talks have been quiet on Dubois and Tkachuck, word of amicable discussions between Laine’s camp and Columbus has been made known. Once tomorrow’s club-elected salary arbitration deadline passes, teams and players will have time to prepare their cases before hearings begin, running from July 27th through August 11th.
Toronto Maple Leafs Re-Sign Pierre Engvall
A familiar face will be sticking around with the Toronto Maple Leafs, with the club announcing forward and current RFA Pierre Engvall has been re-signed on a one-year deal. The team did not announce the financial terms of the contract, however The Athletic’s James Mirtle reports the contract is worth $2.25MM for this season. Engvall’s extension gives him a $1MM raise on the two-year, $2.5MM contract that had just expired, which carried an AAV of $1.25MM. The contract also means that both sides avoid arbitration, with the deadline for player-elected salary arbitration coming today and the club-elected deadline coming tomorrow. The contract leaves Engvall an UFA after this season.
The Swedish forward earned his raise this past season, setting career-highs in games played (78), goals (15), assists (20), and points (35), all marking substantial improvements on his previous bests. Not an overly physical player, Engvall’s size, listed at 6’5″ and 214 pounds, does allow him to use his body to create space for himself and get in position to help develop plays. Now established as a legitimate secondary-scoring threat for Toronto, Engvall can use this upcoming season to repeat and build on his 2021-22 to vault him into a longer-term contract in the free agent market next offseason as a 27-year-old.
The addition of this contract projects to put Toronto nearly $1.5MM over the salary cap ceiling (a 10% overage permissible in the offseason), but still represents a positive outcome for the organization. After Engvall’s breakout season, it was certainly possible that an arbitration could award the forward $3MM or perhaps as much as even $3.5MM for his efforts. Though that outcome was not guaranteed, it is a risk teams take when they head to arbitration, and likely the reason the team chose not to qualify forward Ondrej Kase, who is now a member of the Carolina Hurricanes. Unfortunately for the Maple Leafs, they are still not done with their RFA contracts, young defenseman Rasmus Sandin needing a new deal, although not eligible for arbitration himself.