Colorado Avalanche Sign Josh Jacobs, Spencer Smallman
As the reigning Stanley Cup Champions worked on bringing back two key players in Valeri Nichushkin and Josh Manson, they also brought in two depth pieces in that of forward Spencer Smallman and defenseman Joshua Jacobs, the team announced. Smallman’s contract runs for two years, while Jacobs’ is just for one. The Jacobs contract is a two-way deal, worth $750K at the NHL level and $265K in the minors, says PuckPedia. Smallman’s contract is worth $750K in the NHL this season, rising to $775K next season, according to PuckPedia. In the minors, the contract will pay Smallman $350K this season and $400K next season, but does guarantee him $400K this season regardless.
A fifth-round pick of the Carolina Hurricanes in 2015, Smallman has spent his professional career between the ECHL and AHL levels in the Hurricanes’ system. This season, the 25-year-old had 27 points, 10 goals and 17 assists, in 65 games for the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. Prior to his pro career, Smallman spent five years as a member of the Saint John Sea Dogs of the QMJHL, his best and final season coming in 2016-17, where he notched 30 goals and 49 assists in 60 games.
Once a top prospect in the New Jersey Devils organization, Jacobs hasn’t lived up to the expectations set for him after he was drafted 41st overall in 2014. Quite the opposite of Smallman, Jacobs made his way through three leagues before turning professional, starting with two seasons in the USHL as a member of the Indiana Ice before heading to college at Michigan State University for a season, finishing his amateur career with a season in the OHL as a member of the Sarnia Sting. Since then, Jacobs has spent most of his career playing in the AHL with the Devils, making a couple of appearances in the NHL with New Jersey. 2021-22 was Jacobs’ first season outside of the Devils organization, as he played for the Chicago Wolves, an affiliate of the Hurricanes.
Anaheim Ducks Sign Ryan Strome
The Anaheim Ducks announced that they have signed center Ryan Strome to a five-year contract. Financial terms of the deal were not immediately available from the Ducks, but Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports the contract carries a $5MM AAV. With plenty of cap to spend and a few weapons needed to compliment a young and talented core, the Ducks have begun to make their moves, Strome representing a key veteran to add to their rebuild. Sportsnet’s Nick Alberga had previously mentioned Anaheim as. a team to watch in the Strome bidding.
With the New York Rangers signing of Vincent Trocheck earlier today, it became apparent Strome was on his way out of New York after an incredibly successful tenure which saw him completely rebuild his career. Before coming to the Rangers, the former fifth-overall pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft had struggled after a strong showing in a 50-point sophomore season with the New York Islanders, the team that had drafted him. Following a couple of disappointing seasons on Long Island, he was dealt to the Edmonton Oilers one-for-one for Jordan Eberle, but after struggles in Edmonton, he was then sent back to New York, this time to the Rangers, now one-for-one for Ryan Spooner.
The Rangers had been hoping to keep Strome in the fold, given not only his success with the team, but especially his chemistry with superstar Artemi Panarin, whom Strome teamed up with on the second line to create a formidable offensive weapon. Anaheim will hope to recreate some of that magic, bringing Strome and former Rangers teammate Frank Vatrano in to compliment a talented group of young players including Troy Terry, Trevor Zegras, Jamie Drysdale, and electric young prospect Mason McTavish.
Strome isn’t the kind of superstar that Johnny Gaudreau is, and Anaheim likely won’t be competing for a Stanley Cup just yet like the Rangers were this season, but the match seems to be perfect for both sides. For Anaheim, they will get a veteran, talented top-six forward who has shown that he can make the players around him better. Additionally, Anaheim does have a crop of young players like Max Comtois, Max Jones, and Isac Lundestrom who were all once highly-touted prospects that Strome could influence when it comes to reaching their potential, even if a bit later than expected. For Strome, he will have an opportunity to play alongside another superstar, one who is only approaching his peak in that of Zegras, as well as other dynamic names like McTavish and Terry, just as he had the opportunity to do so with the Rangers.
Nikita Zadorov Re-Signs With Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are bringing back Nikita Zadorov on a two-year deal, according to his agent Dan Milstein. PuckPedia reports that the deal will carry an average annual value of $3.75MM. Calgary has confirmed the deal as well with a release welcoming Zadorov back to the squad.
Today has been a rough one for the Flames organization, not only losing franchise cornerstone Johnny Gaudreau, but also lockdown defenseman Erik Gudbranson, both heading to the Columbus Blue Jackets, but a bright spot has been welcoming back a key piece of their blueline this past season in that of Zadorov. The massive defenseman, listed at 6’6″ and 235 pounds played important minutes on Calgary’s third pair, recording 22 points and a plus-11 rating along with 181 hits in 74 games averaging 16:55 of time on ice. Zadorov will likely be expected to play much of the same role as he did this season for the Flames, but with the departure of Gudbranson, should be expected to elevate his physical play, enough for both of them.
An interesting part of the deal is that the AAV, $3.75MM, is the exact same AAV of the expiring contract. After hitting the open market last offseason, Zadorov signed a one-year, $3.75MM deal with Calgary and after a strong performance, didn’t necessarily earn a raise on a yearly basis, but did guarantee himself a the second year on the deal.
Haydn Fleury Signs With Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed an interesting depth defenseman, inking Haydn Fleury to a two-year contract. The deal will carry an average annual value of $762.5K, meaning he’ll earn the league minimum in both seasons. Fleury was recently left unqualified by the Seattle Kraken this week, making him an unrestricted free agent.
Not the most high-profile signing of the day in the league, or for Tampa with their three massive extensions handed out, Fleury’s signing is still rather intriguing given Fleury’s history and Tampa’s ability to get the most out of players. The defenseman was drafted seventh-overall by the Carolina Hurricanes back in 2014, long being seen as one of the game’s top prospects. He would debut in 2017-18, playing in 67 games, tallying eight points, all assists. Fleury would spend the next few seasons playing in limited action for Carolina, delivering solid defense with very little offense. He appeared to turn a corner in the 2019-20 season, putting up four goals and 10 assists in 45 games, but after failing to repeat on that success the following year, he was dealt to the Anaheim Ducks.
Eventually selected by the Seattle Kraken in the 2021 Expansion Draft, Fleury played just 36 games in Seattle this season, winding up non-tendered. Given the potential and promise that made Fleury such an attractive prospect for so many years, and the glimpse of a breakout seen in 2019-20, Fleury getting a shot with Tampa Bay, who has time and again been able to take players to a new level, is intriguing, and surely encouraging for the 26-year-old defenseman. It’s unclear what role Fleury might be presented with in Tampa, but with the trade of Ryan McDonagh, a new hole has opened up on their left-side defense.
Vegas Golden Knights Re-Sign Reilly Smith
July 13: After clearing enough cap space with the Max Pacioretty trade, the Golden Knights have officially re-signed Smith to a three-year, $15MM contract.
June 23: The Vegas Golden Knights are keeping one of the original misfits around. Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reports that the team has reached an agreement with Reilly Smith on a contract extension, though notes it may not be immediately announced due to cap considerations. The deal is expected to be “in the neighborhood” of three years and $15MM. David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period tweets that the two sides actually agreed before the trade deadline. Smith is currently scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
The Golden Knights recently opened some cap room by trading away Evgenii Dadonov‘s contract, though they still are in a tight situation when heading into next season. Signing Smith would only complicate that further, and potentially force them to make another substantial cost-cutting trade at some point.
Still, retaining the 31-year-old will keep a fan favorite and solid contributor in town for a while longer, as the Golden Knights continue to try to push for a Stanley Cup. Smith has been a reliable offensive piece for the team since arriving in Vegas, racking up 230 points in 321 games. While his numbers have dropped since that magical 2017-18 season when almost every player on the roster set career-highs, he still had 16 goals and 38 points in 56 games this season, while also being a key penalty killer that logs more short-handed ice time than any other forward on the team.
That makes up for a valuable player, and one that was certainly living up to his $5MM cap hit the last few years. Smith’s name was usually bandied about in trade speculation only because of his expiring deal, and not the impact he made on the ice. With Dadonov out of the picture, letting Smith walk would have left the team without a ton of top-six options on the wing, outside of Mark Stone, Max Pacioretty, and Jonathan Marchessault.
Pacioretty, in fact, is on an expiring deal of his own, only under contract through 2022-23. If the team is looking to clear additional cap space after agreeing to bring Smith back, that is a potential option. Of course, that would present the same issue, taking away one of the team’s reliable scoring options when it is no sure thing that they can replace it internally.
It will be a tricky needle to thread for general manager Kelly McCrimmon this summer.
Arizona Coyotes Sign Jon Gillies
The Arizona Coyotes have added some goaltending depth, signing goaltender Jon Gillies to a one-year, two-way contract, the club announced this evening. The club did not immediately release the financial terms of the deal, however, CapFriendly reports the contract is worth $750K in the NHL and $150K at the minor league level, with $200K guaranteed (link).
Gillies, 28, actually got into 19 games this season for the New Jersey Devils and another one for the St. Louis Blues, easily the most action he’s seen at the NHL level in his career. Originally a third-round pick of the Calgary Flames from 2012, he has just 32 appearances overall at that level and has been mostly limited to AHL action.
That may not necessarily be the plan for 2022-23 though, as Gillies joins a goaltending group that is by no means settled. Karel Vejmelka will be getting the lion’s share of the work in the NHL but beyond that, it is anything but certain. Ivan Prosvetov is the real competition for the backup role, but at 23 without any real success in the minors yet, it’s hard to think the Coyotes would want him sitting for long stretches in the NHL. There’s also David Tendeck, but he barely has any experience above the ECHL.
In reality, Gillies may be the closest thing the team has to a backup goaltender at this point, though that could always change before the season starts.
Pittsburgh Penguins To Sign Drake Caggiula
The Pittsburgh Penguins have added more depth to their roster, signing free agent forward Drake Caggiula to a one-year, two-way contract (link). The deal will pay Caggiula $750K at the NHL level and $400K at the AHL level.
Originally signed by the Edmonton Oilers as an undrafted free agent out of the University of North Dakota, Cagguila has had a very odd career to this point. Despite playing for four different teams in six seasons, and recording just 91 points in 278 games, he has never suited up for a single minor league match. Instead, he just spends as much time in the press box as on the ice, bouncing around the league to provide fourth-line minutes wherever needed.
In Pittsburgh, that streak might break, unless he’s able to beat out some of the younger options that he’ll be competing against for playing time. There is a chance he makes the NHL roster and plays all season, but the two-way nature of the deal suggests that is not a lock, and the fact that he had just two goals and five points in 18 games this season doesn’t help his case.
The 28-year-old represents someone who could potentially be claimed off waivers at the end of camp, but if he clears, could bounce up and down throughout the year to fill in whenever other Penguins forwards suffer injuries.
Vegas Golden Knights Sign Brett Howden
July 13: As expected, the Golden Knights have found a deal for Howden, signing him to a one-year, $1.5MM contract according to PuckPedia.
July 11: Even though he went unqualified today, forward Brett Howden is still expected to stay a Vegas Golden Knight instead of hitting the open market. TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that he expects the two sides to finalize an agreement to keep him in Nevada.
As with most similar situations, the rationale for not qualifying Howden likely has to do with the qualifying offer he was owed. Per CapFriendly’s Qualifying Offer Calculator, Howden was due a one-year deal with a $929,250 cap hit. It doesn’t seem like that much money, but for the cap-strapped Vegas, every cent counts to stay under the limit. The team and player should likely agree to a one-way deal closer to the league minimum ($750,000).
Howden was really productive in a depth role last season, notching 20 points in 47 games. While injuries limited his lineup appearances, the 2016 first-round pick took a demonstrable step forward for the first time in the NHL. After a decent 23-point rookie campaign with the New York Rangers, Howden’s point production and the all-around game dropped off dramatically over the next few seasons. He seems to have found a better home in Vegas.
The Knights hope he can stay healthy and keep up that rate of production. With the team losing depth in order to fit under the cap, they’ll need production out of affordable players like Howden.
Seattle Kraken Sign Four Players
The Seattle Kraken have inked a pair of draft picks, signing Jacob Melanson and Ryan Winterton to three-year, entry-level contracts. Both players were selected in the 2021 draft and are still eligible to return to their junior teams this season, allowing these entry-level deals to slide forward.
Melanson, selected 131st overall in 2021, broke out this season with the Acadie-Bathurst Titan of the QMJHL, scoring 35 goals in just 54 regular season games. That was enough to earn the fifth-round pick this entry-level deal, though before he has any thought of professional hockey, he’ll have to go back and prove he can take his game to an even higher level in 2022-23.
Winterton meanwhile was picked much higher, 67th in 2021, and had an even better season for the Hamilton Bulldogs. The OHL champion posted 20 goals and 46 points in 37 games, while adding another 19 in 18 playoff games en route to the Memorial Cup finals. The young forward won’t turn 19 until September 4, a birthday that made him one of the very youngest players in the entire 2021 draft class. His future looks bright at the moment and the reward of an entry-level contract is a nice piece of motivation for his next OHL season.
The team has also announced contracts for Austin Poganski and Cameron Hughes, as they continue to load up their minor league system in preparation for the first season for the Coachella Valley Firebirds. Poganski has signed for one year, while Hughes is getting a two-year deal.
Filling an entire minor league roster is no joke, so Poganski and Hughes should both get lots of ice time with the Firebirds. Neither one should really be challenging for an NHL roster spot though, with very limited experience at that level. Poganski played 16 games for the Winnipeg Jets this year but failed to record a since point (he now has zero through 22 career matches), while Hughes has played just two games at the NHL level (and also has zero points).
Washington Capitals Re-Sign Marcus Johansson
The Washington Capitals are keeping Marcus Johansson around, re-signing the free agent forward to a one-year, $1.1MM contract.
Johansson, 31, has a long, history with the Capitals, having played the first seven seasons of his career with the organization. A first-round pick in 2009, he was a big part of their offense for years, before eventually getting dealt to the New Jersey Devils for a pair of draft picks. The Capitals would go on to win the Stanley Cup the following year, while Johansson dealt with an injury-riddled campaign in New Jersey.
It’s been a very inconsistent ride since then, with the Swedish forward playing for the Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Minnesota Wild, and Seattle Kraken following his time with the Devils, before a deadline trade this year brought him back to Washington. While he’s not in quite the same role as he once was, Johansson is still a great possession player that can bounce around a lineup, filling in wherever necessary.
For $1.1MM, he poses no risk to the Capitals, as his entire contract can be buried in the minor leagues if necessary. For at least the first part of the season that likely won’t be necessary, while the team deals with injuries to several key forwards, but it is not out of the question for Johansson to be scratched at some point near the end of the year, if he’s not providing better performance than Washington’s younger options.