Columbus Blue Jackets Sign David Jiricek, Denton Mateychuk
The Columbus Blue Jackets have locked up two huge parts of their future, signing David Jiricek and Denton Mateychuk to three-year entry-level contracts. The young defensemen were picked sixth and 12th respectively in this month’s draft.
The earlier pick, Jiricek, is an extremely accomplished defenseman for his age, having played for Plzen of the Czech Extraliga for parts of the past three seasons. Jiricek had 11 points in 29 games and one point in Czechia’s one-game run during the short-lived 2022 IIHF World Junior Championships. Jiricek is known for his size, all-around game, and booming point shot. He’s coming off a major knee injury, but it’s not expected to have any long-term impact on his career. With this signing, the Blue Jackets have the option to bring Jiricek to training camp and see if the polished defenseman can make their team.
Mateychuk, on the other hand, may take a bit more time than Jiricek. The Canadian defenseman plays a dynamic game that’s a bit less pro-ready. Mateychuk had 64 points in 65 games for the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors and had 10 points in their 10-game playoff run. Mateychuk is a tad undersized, standing at five-foot-eleven, but even with that in mind, he plays the sort of game that is becoming increasingly valued in today’s NHL. He’ll likely return to Moose Jaw for another season before possibly contending for an NHL job in 2022-23 at the earliest.
St. Louis Blues Extend Nick Leddy
According to Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli, the St. Louis Blues are closing in on a four-year extension with defenseman Nick Leddy. The team confirmed a four-year deal worth $4MM per season. Leddy was originally acquired by the Blues from the Detroit Red Wings in a mid-season trade.
In St. Louis, Leddy provided what he’s provided at pretty much every stop of his 851-game NHL career. He’s a defenseman who’s at his best with the puck on his stick, moving the play up the ice in order to get his team into the offensive zone. Leddy is among the smoothest-skating veteran defensemen in hockey, and although his offensive production hasn’t been where one might assume it would be for a defenseman of that profile, he’s no slouch there either. Leddy had a healthy eight points in 20 games in St. Louis and five in the team’s playoff run. Leddy could be routinely counted on for 40-plus points in his days as a New York Islander, although those days are likely over.
At 31 years old, the Blues are likely getting a defenseman who can help ease some of Justin Faulk‘s transition-game load. A point total of around 30 would be a reasonable expectation for Leddy, and the hope has to be that he doesn’t age too poorly, as this deal will take him until he’s 35 years old. The Blues will need to shelter Leddy a bit, as he’s far from an effective defensive defenseman, but if coach Craig Berube can deploy him effectively he’ll be a strong addition to a Blues club intent on competing for a Stanley Cup in the near future.
One note is the structure of the deal: the contract is mostly front-loaded, with the salary declining by around $500k per year, per reports. With that in mind, the Blues could be structuring the deal so it can be easily traded in a cap-dumping move similar to the ones we have seen already this offseason.
Justin Schultz Expected To Sign With Seattle Kraken
Former Washington Capitals defenseman Justin Schultz is expected to head to the Seattle Kraken on a two-year deal worth roughly $3MM per season, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
It had been long rumored that the Kraken would be after an offensive defenseman who could help them on their powerplay and help them in transition. Schultz is exactly that, having made his career around his offensive abilities since breaking into the league in 2012-13. Schultz’s offensive production isn’t what it once was, with his 23 points in 74 games representing a sharp decline from his 27 points in 46 games last season.
But even with that in mind, one has to remember that the kind of profile Schultz brings isn’t exactly easily found on the market. Defense-first, crease-clearing defensemen are more common on the open market than ones with fifty-point seasons on their resumes, so Schultz is perhaps the most suitable option for the Kraken if they did not want to dip into the deep end of the market and acquire a player like John Klingberg.
The biggest risk with this signing, though, is in Schultz’s health. Schultz has struggled to play consistently in recent years, and has not been able to cross even the 70 games played mark since 2016-17. At a $3MM price tag, the Kraken will not only need Schultz to be productive, they’ll also need him to be healthy. That’s a major risk to take for a player who just turned 32 years old. Kraken GM Ron Francis entered this offseason with a clear mandate: improve the Kraken offensively. Schultz is his first choice in that quest, and it’s a big swing. Time will tell if it works out.
Detroit Red Wings Sign Marco Kasper
While most teams are focused on free agents, the Detroit Red Wings are also busy locking up their future. Marco Kasper has signed his three-year, entry-level contract after being selected eighth overall in this year’s draft. The young forward is expected to spend the year in the SHL.
More to come…
New Jersey Devils Expected To Sign Brendan Smith
Per Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli, the New Jersey Devils have agreed to terms with defenseman Brendan Smith on a two-year deal carrying a $1.1MM cap hit. This signing represents Smith’s return to the tri-state area, having spent parts of five seasons on the New York Rangers. Smith, 33, is an inexpensive signing for the Devils and one that will help them shore up their bottom pairing.
At this point in his career, Smith isn’t an earth-shattering addition. He’s a bottom-pairing defenseman who averaged just under 14 minutes of ice time last season. He brings a stay-at-home, physical style that got him on the Hurricanes’ penalty kill, where he averaged 1:04 of short-handed ice time per game. A well-respected locker room voice, Smith has shown versatility and a team-first mentality in the past, having even played sporadically as a forward late in his tenure with the Rangers because he lost his spot on their blueline.
This signing won’t be the major win of GM Tom Fitzgerald’s offseason. But for one of the NHL’s youngest teams, adding a safe, veteran defenseman at an affordable price is the sort of under-the-radar move that can make a big impact. Smith won’t be the reason the Devils get back to the playoffs, but if they do end up competing in a cutthroat Metropolitan division, Smith will help steady the ship.
Tampa Bay Lightning Sign Ian Cole
The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed veteran defenseman Ian Cole, according to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff, who reports that the deal is worth $3MM. Cole, 33, signs in Tampa Bay as the likely replacement for Jan Rutta, who is reportedly moving on after winning two Stanley Cups as Victor Hedman‘s main partner. Cole’s $3MM deal is a $100k raise from the $2.9MM he made last season on the Carolina Hurricanes.
In Cole, the Lightning are acquiring a defender with significant playoff experience and an accomplished overall resume. A veteran of 670 NHL games, Cole won two Stanley Cups on the Pittsburgh Penguins. For years, Cole has been a reliable, defense-first fourth or fifth defenseman. Last season he ranked fifth on the Hurricanes in ice time and third on the team in short-handed ice time. He handled those minutes with some success, helping the Hurricanes have one of the top penalty kills in the NHL and one of the better overall defensive games.
With Rutta on the way out, Cole is the Lightning’s way of making sure his departure doesn’t impact their team too strongly. On a one-year term, Cole is a low-risk investment. Although he’s 33 years old, the odds are that Cole will be able to handle a similar role in Tampa Bay and a $3MM price tag is the market rate for players who can do that. He won’t wow fans or be the sort of flashy signing many want to see, but it’s a tidy bit of business by Julien Brisebois.
Jack Campbell Signs With Edmonton Oilers
As expected, the Edmonton Oilers have signed goaltender Jack Campbell to a long-term contract. The deal, according to Darren Dreger of TSN, will be for five years and a total of $25MM. Campbell’s signing in Edmonton had long been rumored, and it has now been confirmed by the league’s insiders just seconds into the new league year. Campbell has spent the past two seasons as the number-one goalie for the Toronto Maple Leafs, where he experienced a career breakout.
In Toronto, Campbell played like a true starting goalie. In parts of three seasons there, Campbell has a .916 save percentage in 75 starts. Campbell began 2021-22 on a tear, before struggling down the stretch as he battled injuries and inconsistency.
At only 30 years old, Campbell represents a long-term investment for the Oilers, who previously relied on Mike Smith, who is 40, to be their starting goalie. After an encouraging run to the Western Conference final, Oilers GM Ken Holland has a clear mandate: turn the Oilers into a Stanley Cup contender while Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are both under contract and in their primes. The team locked up Evander Kane in the early hours of this morning, and have now confirmed who will be their starting goalie for possibly the next half-decade.
This deal is somewhat of a risk for the Oilers, as Campbell doesn’t offer the extensive resume a goalie like Darcy Kuemper could provide, nor does he offer much in the way of proven playoff success. But what he does provide is starting-caliber goaltending with the potential for elite performance, at a price tag lower than what other accomplished goalies have cost in the past. If Campbell can perform anything like the player the Oilers poached from Toronto last summer, Zach Hyman, this deal will be a home run for Edmonton.
Vancouver Canucks Sign Andrei Kuzmenko
July 13th: Kuzmenko’s agency, Gold Star Hockey, has now officially announced the signing.
June 20 3:50 pm: The deal is now official, the Vancouver Canucks announcing it via press release.
June 20 12:30 pm: The chase for the latest Russian free agent has ended, and the Vancouver Canucks have won. According to his agent Dan Milstein, Andrei Kuzmenko has agreed to sign with the Canucks to begin his career in North America. The free agent forward had interviewed with several teams after his eye-popping 2021-22 campaign for SKA St. Petersburg. Milstein notes that contract details are still being worked out. Because of his age and playing status, Kuzmenko will be limited to a one-year entry-level contract.
Kuzmenko, 26, had 20 goals and 53 points in just 45 regular season games, before then adding another 14 points in 16 postseason contests. He was named to the First All-Star Team at the end of the year and had teams falling over themselves trying to land his services for next year. Importantly, it will for now be only that one year, as Kuzmenko was limited to a one-year deal and will be an unrestricted free agent at the expiry of the contract.
That will limit the risk for the Canucks but also give him complete control over the direction of his NHL career, should it last longer than some of the other highly-touted Russian forwards in recent history.
A very skilled forward that has been a strong contributor for years, Kuzmenko’s game improved dramatically this season, to the point where he was one of the most dominant offensive forces in the league. Just five of his goals came on the powerplay, and he did all of his damage while averaging fewer than 17 minutes a night. It will be interesting to see what kind of opportunity he is given in Vancouver and whether or not he can bring that kind of production overseas.
The Canucks, led by president Jim Rutherford and general manager Patrik Allvin, have put an emphasis on adding talent to the organization from non-traditional avenues such as undrafted international and college players. This is a major win for that direction, though it still remains to be seen how much of an impact Kuzmenko can really make at the NHL level.
St. Louis Blues Expected To Sign Thomas Greiss
After not being able to retain Ville Husso or Charlie Lindgren, the St. Louis Blues have found a new backup. Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic reports that the Blues are expected to sign Thomas Greiss when free agency opens.
That essentially means the Blues and Detroit Red Wings swapped netminders, as Husso ended up joining Steve Yzerman’s club as their new potential starter. Greiss comes to St. Louis after two years in Detroit, the first of which was much better than this most recent season.
In 2021-22, the 36-year-old Greiss posted an .891 save percentage in 31 appearances, the lowest number of his entire career. For a .912 career netminder it was a huge fall, one that the Blues obviously hope won’t continue.
For St. Louis though, there wasn’t going to be enough money to keep Husso in place and a veteran backup was always the expected outcome.
More to come…
Buffalo Sabres Re-Sign Victor Olofsson
The Buffalo Sabres have locked up their big restricted free agent. Winger Victor Olofsson has agreed to terms on a two-year contract worth $4.75MM per season, according to the team.
In 2021-22, Olofsson notched the second 20-goal season of his young NHL career. Entering his fourth full NHL season, he’s amassed a total of 55 goals, 72 assists, and 127 points through 188 games.
It’s hard to argue that $4.75MM isn’t a good cap hit for a dependable middle-six scorer, even if his defensive game and even-strength reliability leave something to be desired. With just two years of term, the risk is low for the Sabres. They also won’t be shy about handing out money on short-term deals this offseason, as the team still needs to ensure they hit the salary cap floor.
Olofsson will join what’s quickly becoming a deep, diverse group of younger, skilled wingers in Western New York. With Buffalo still far away from the $82.5MM salary cap Upper Limit, expect them to make a few more additions of the next few days.