Chicago Blackhawks Extend Sam Lafferty
The Chicago Blackhawks have obviously enjoyed what they’ve seen from Sam Lafferty down the stretch, as the team has signed him to a two-year contract extension. The deal will carry a $1.15MM cap hit and keeps Lafferty from becoming an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Acquired in January from the Pittsburgh Penguins, Lafferty has found himself playing more in Chicago than he ever has before. Averaging nearly 15 minutes a night in 45 appearances, he has racked up five goals and 101 hits for the Blackhawks this season. That never-ending work ethic and willingness to forecheck has been a refreshing sight, especially given the player that Chicago traded for him.
There have been high hopes for Alexander Nylander since he was selected eighth overall in 2016, but he’s now on his third NHL organization without any real success. The Buffalo Sabres first selected him and saw an inconsistent effort through several seasons, before eventually flipping him to the Blackhawks for Henri Jokiharju (a trade that looks quite good for them now). In Chicago he was given a chance to play regularly, but a serious injury cost him any real career momentum and he’s now back in the minor leagues with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Of course, Lafferty isn’t being brought back to really change the look of the Blackhawks’ forward group. With general manager Kyle Davidson promising a rebuild, players like the 27-year-old can fill out the depth chart for a few years until some younger talent is ready to take over. Ultimately, his job is to stay competitive but kind of bridge the gap between the struggles and the success, all while potentially being a deadline chip down the road.
For the player, though, it’s easy to see why an extension would be appealing. Lafferty’s highest salary to this point in his career was the $800K he made this season, meaning a $1.15MM average annual value is a nice little upgrade. It also likely secures him some playing time at the NHL level, something that certainly wasn’t guaranteed elsewhere. In 139 career games, he has 32 points.
Mark Lazerus of The Athletic was first to report the deal.
AHL Shuffle: 04/29/22
Today would have normally been the end of the regular season, if it wasn’t for a rescheduled match between the Seattle Kraken and Winnipeg Jets still to come on Sunday. With 30 of 32 teams in action this evening, nearly the whole league will get in one more chance to show what they can do before either entering the postseason or the offseason. Some games still matter for seeding, as the Boston Bruins could potentially nab a first-round matchup with the Toronto Maple Leafs by beating them tonight, or the Nashville Predators could avoid the Colorado Avalanche with a win over the Arizona Coyotes. As those teams and others prepare for action, we’ll keep track of all the minor league shuffling.
Atlantic Division
- The Ottawa Senators have recalled Viktor Lodin and Scott Sabourin, with the former expected to make his NHL debut this evening. The 22-year-old Lodin was just recently brought over to North America, assigned to the AHL after his breakout season in the SHL. Through nine games with the Belleville Senators, he has shown exactly why the organization is so excited about him, scoring five goals and seven points.
- The Buffalo Sabres have recalled Michael Houser, while re-assigning Casey Fitzgerald and Aaron Dell to the AHL. With Craig Anderson still battling an injury, Houser may end up dressing tonight as the Sabres take on the Chicago Blackhawks in the final game of their season.
Metropolitan Division
Central Division
- The Arizona Coyotes have announced that forward Bokondji Imama has been called up from the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners. Imama, 25, made his NHL debut recently with the Coyotes, and even scored his first NHL goal. He has 12 points in 54 AHL games, to go with 178 penalty minutes.
Pacific Division
- The Edmonton Oilers have reassigned 2019 8th overall pick Philip Broberg to the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors. Broberg has split time this season between Bakersfield and Edmonton and has 23 points in 31 games at the AHL level to go along with 3 points in 23 games with the Oilers. The Condors are locked into a Calder Cup playoff spot, so perhaps Edmonton feels it would be better to get him experience there than as a Black Ace for the Oilers’ playoff run.
This page is updated throughout the day
Frederik Andersen, Antti Raanta Win William M. Jennings Trophy
With the conclusion of their final regular season game tonight, a 6-3 win over the New Jersey Devils at home, Carolina Hurricanes goaltenders Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta have officially clinched the William M. Jennings Trophy. The award, frequently known just as the “Jennings,” is “given to the goalies ‘having played a minimum of 25 games for the team with the fewest goals scored against it’ during the regular season” (link).
While the award is a tremendous accomplishment for the goaltenders who are fortunate enough to win it, many will say this is a team award. Teams who win the Jennings not only have great goaltending, but have a great defense to go along with it, limiting the number of dangerous chances their goaltenders have to see, and thus the number of goals they give up. Recent winners of this award include Marc-Andre Fleury and Robin Lehner of the Vegas Golden Knights in 2020-21, Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak of the Boston Bruins in 2019-20, and Lehner and Thomas Greiss of the New York Islanders in 2018-19. Though Raanta has not won the award before, Andersen has as a member of the Anaheim Ducks in 2015-16, sharing it with John Gibson.
This year, the Hurricanes have given up just 202 goals over their 82 games, an average of 2.46 goals per game. Interestingly, this was both Raanta and Andersen’s first season in Carolina, both having impressive years after being allowed to walk from their previous teams. Raanta posted a .913 save percentage and 2.43 goals-against average in 27 games this season, while Andersen carried a bulk of the playing time, tallying a .922 save percentage and 2.17 goals-against average in 52 games. Not credited with the award, but also factoring in, is 22-year-old Pyotr Kochetkov, who played in three games for Carolina, starting two. Perhaps best of all for Carolina, is that they will have both goaltenders under contract next season at just $6.5MM combined, Andersen making $4.5MM and Raanta $2MM.
Snapshots: Toronto Maple Leafs, Pulock, Johnsson
Auston Matthews‘ hunt for a 60-goal season ended Tuesday night against the Detroit Red Wings, scoring numbers 59 and 60 in a 3 – 0 win. Unfortunately for those hoping to see the Hart Trophy candidate exceed 60 goals, the Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to sit Matthews, along with forward Mitch Marner and goaltender Jack Campbell when they take on the Boston Bruins tomorrow night, reports Jonas Siegel of The Athletic, Toronto’s final game of the season. Sitting the three shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone, with the Maple Leafs place in the standings, second in the Atlantic Division, completely secured, giving no reason to risk the health of these three incredibly important players.
In addition to Matthews and his 60 goals, Mitch Marner had himself another season to remember, putting up 35 goals and 62 assists for 97 points in 72 games this season. Campbell on the other hand, has had his struggles. An All-Star this season, Campbell was discussed as a potential Vezina Trophy candidate as recently as January, but struggles in net and injury made for a tough second half of the season for the veteran netminder. On the season, Campbell has a .914 save percentage and 2.64 goals-against average in 49 games, but after the All-Star break, Campbell sported just an .894 save percentage and 3.28 goals-against average in 17 games. As concerning as that shift is for Toronto, there is a reason for optimism, as Campbell has a .915 save percentage and 2.59 goals-against average in nine games in the month of April.
- The New York Islanders will be without defenseman Ryan Pulock tonight as they take on the Washington Capitals (link). Pulock is out with a non-COVID illness, the same illness that has made its rounds through the Islanders’ locker room the past couple of weeks, forcing several players to sit out in that time. With just one game left in their season after tonight, the Islanders will hope to get Pulock back and keep the rest of the lineup intact for their final game against the Tampa Bay Lightning tomorrow night. Pulock has enjoyed another strong season on the Islanders blue line, but has dealt with injury, missing time in November and December. In 55 games this season, the defenseman has five goals and 15 assists, averaging just over 21 minutes per game.
- The New Jersey Devils also announced that forward Andreas Johnsson would miss tonight’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes with a non-COVID illness (link). It’s unclear what illness Johnsson has come down with, but for tonight at least, the Devils will have to proceed without him. New Jersey has just one game after tonight, coming tomorrow night against the Detroit Red Wings. Johnsson has enjoyed a solid season thus far, tallying 13 goals and 22 assists over 71 games and will hope to build on it next year, his final with the Devils before becoming a UFA next offseason.
Follow The NFL Draft At Pro Football Rumors
The 87th NFL draft begins tonight from Las Vegas. Our sister site, Pro Football Rumors (@pfrumors on Twitter), has all the top stories covered. Although this draft differs from the past several, as it appears to lack a top-end quarterback, the event features a host of teams with high-stakes decisions. This promises to be the most enigmatic NFL draft in at least nine years.
Picking first for the second straight year, the Jaguars have their quarterback (2021 top pick Trevor Lawrence) and are focusing on their lines. Georgia defensive end Travon Walker has become the odds-on favorite to be the No. 1 pick, despite fellow D-end standout Aidan Hutchinson (Michigan) producing far better college numbers. But Jags owner Shad Khan was believed to disagree with GM Trent Baalke‘s Walker preference, adding intrigue to tonight’s top pick. The Jaguars are also interested in trading down, though a lack of interested suitors may force them to stay at No. 1.
The Panthers look to represent the draft’s first quarterback domino, having needed an answer here since Cam Newton‘s injury run began years ago. Rather than the NFC South team gambling on one of this class’ polarizing QBs, waiting for a mid- or post-draft trade for the Browns’ Baker Mayfield is in play. That said, Panthers head coach Matt Rhule recruited one of this class’ top QBs (Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett) when he was Temple’s coach years ago; a belated partnership remains a possibility. The Falcons (No. 8), Seahawks (No. 9), Saints (No. 15) and Steelers (No. 20) also loom as quarterback suitors. Liberty’s Malik Willis and Ole Miss’ Matt Corral join Pickett as this class’ top signal-caller prospects; the group could be in for an Aaron Rodgers-esque green-room wait.
This draft’s most interesting subplot: the 49ers’ Deebo Samuel decision. The All-Pro wide receiver requested a trade last week. Reports of Samuel disenchantment with the 49ers’ first extension offer, his unconventional role as a part-time running back, and a desire not to live in California have come up as reasons for the request. The Jets are viewed as Samuel’s most likely landing spot, and the 49ers’ future with the fourth-year playmaker could come down to the wire tonight — with a loose deadline being the Jets’ No. 10 overall pick.
For the latest updates throughout tonight’s first round, and the final six rounds this weekend, stay with Pro Football Rumors and follow us on Facebook and Twitter — @pfrumors.
Looking At Phil Kessel’s Impending Free Agency
Earlier in the week, PHR’s own Ethan Hetu covered the situation surrounding the pending free agency of Carolina Hurricanes forwards Vincent Trocheck and Max Domi. Now, however, we pivot to the Western Conference, turning the magnifying glass on Arizona Coyotes veteran (and two-time Stanley Cup champion) Phil Kessel. Arizona opting to not move Kessel for a return at this year’s Trade Deadline surprised many. The NHL’s now-resident iron man has a respectable 52 points in 81 games this year on a Coyotes team that’s put up just 202 goals on the season, the worst such number in the NHL, and that wasn’t due to a crazy post-deadline bump in production. Now, after the eight-year contract extension he signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2013 expires this offseason, the 34-year-old could hit the open market for the first time in his NHL career.
The bottom line remains that the Coyotes need NHL forwards next season. While their situation for 2022-23 has improved slightly after the acquisitions of young forwards Jack McBain and Nathan Smith, it’s unlikely that both of them (especially McBain) are ready for full-time NHL roles as soon as this fall. With the team surely a no-go destination for most of the NHL’s free-agent pool due to their arena situation, it’s not too far out of left field to assume Arizona’s choice not to move Kessel was influenced by the team’s desire to extend the veteran before he hits the open market.
If Kessel decides though, as he very well could, to join a team with more hype for 2022-23, the market for him should and will likely be there. While Kessel does just have eight goals on the year, his disastrous 4.7 shooting percentage (the lowest figure of his career) offers a compelling explanation for that. He’s not a factor defensively and hasn’t been for a few seasons now, but he remains a skilled and intelligent play-driver as evidenced by his 44 assists on the year. The fact that he’s having his best offensive season in Arizona in the year where he’s had the least talent surrounding him is sure to convince multiple general managers that Kessel still has it in him as a middle-six winger.
One near-perfect past comparable to Kessel’s situation is that of Corey Perry. Bought out a few years ago by the Anaheim Ducks, Perry signed a one-year, $1.5MM contract in Dallas after a career-worst season in Anaheim. He’s managed to continue performing as an extremely valuable depth piece on successful teams, helping provide secondary scoring. Kessel likely fits right into this mold, and could see a similar one- or two-year deal signed this offseason, albeit likely with a higher price tag. Perry had just 10 points the prior season, with Kessel outproducing that by about five times.
While there are multiple younger, flashier options on the market this offseason, they’re also a lot more expensive than Kessel would be. A short-term deal limits the negative implications of the contract if Kessel does enter a steep decline, and his Stanley Cup pedigree is obviously attractive around the league. A cap hit in the $4MM neighborhood seems likely for Kessel on a one- or two-year deal, though it could of course be lower if he opts to take a discount to join a cap-strapped contender. Arizona would likely need to offer more than that number to retain his services if they wish.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Dustin Brown To Retire After 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs
The Los Angeles Kings announced today that two-time Stanley Cup champion forward and former captain Dustin Brown will retire from the NHL at the conclusion of Los Angeles’ time in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The team will hold a press conference tomorrow with Brown, team president Luc Robitaille, general manager Rob Blake, and head coach Todd McLellan at 1:30 p.m. Central time.
Now 37 years of age, Brown played all of his 18 seasons and (as it stands) 1,295 regular-season games in a Kings uniform, remaining a gigantic voice in the room and one of the team’s most well-respected players. The Kings named Brown the 13th captain in team history after Blake left the team for the second time as a player before being replaced in the role by Anze Kopitar after a mid-career dip in production. With Brown currently slated to miss the 10-goal mark for the first time since his rookie season, and the team’s solid drafting prompting youth to challenge for lineup spots at all positions, it’s a natural end to his time in Los Angeles and the league.
While he did have ups and downs in his career, Brown, a member of the star-studded 2003 NHL Draft class (13th overall), will remain one of the most impactful and universally loved players in Los Angeles history. Those 1,295 games are the most by any player in a Kings uniform, though it’s a record that may not stand for long with Kopitar close behind. Even despite those mid-career struggles, Brown has still scored 325 goals and 387 assists for 712 points during his time in L.A., ranking seventh in franchise history behind Bernie Nicholls‘ 758. His 47 points in 85 playoff games are eighth in franchise history.
Brown, a native of Ithaca, New York, medalled twice internationally with the United States, winning bronze at the 2004 World Championships and taking home silver at the 2010 Winter Olympics. He was an alternate captain on both the U.S.’s 2010 and 2014 Olympic teams, further showcasing his stellar leadership. He’s the second member of the 2003 draft class to announce his retirement this month, joining longtime rival Ryan Getzlaf.
He’s still put up some decent production this season in a greatly reduced role, notching 28 points in 63 games while averaging under 15 minutes per game for the first time since 2005-06, his first full NHL season. He also had 28 points that season, offering a somewhat poetic bookend to his career.
Brown was the recipient of the 2014 Mark Messier Leadership Award, given “to the player who exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team, on and off the ice during the regular season.” It’s fitting that Brown’s only individual NHL accolade honors his contributions to his team.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Injury Notes: Ovechkin, Rossi, Maple Leafs
The Washington Capitals will not have Alex Ovechkin in the lineup again this evening, as he continues to deal with an upper-body injury. The superstar winger did participate in today’s skate, however, and head coach Peter Laviolette told reporters including Samantha Pell of the Washington Post that it is too early to tell whether Ovechkin will play in the season finale tomorrow.
Just the fact that he’s back on the ice is obviously a good sign, as it at least appears as though Ovechkin will be ready to start the playoffs. Who he and the rest of the Capitals will face in the first round is still a mystery, as they continue to battle with the Pittsburgh Penguins for the final Metropolitan Division playoff spot, but having the 50-goal scorer in the lineup is obviously the biggest priority at this point.
- Marco Rossi is headed back to Minnesota to be evaluated for an injury according to Michael Russo of The Athletic, who notes that several players from the Iowa Wild will be recalled as “Black Aces” in the near future. Iowa failed to make the playoffs this season meaning Rossi and others–which, according to Russo will include Zane McIntyre and Calen Addison–can come up to practice with the team and be ready for any injuries that may present themselves in the first round.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs will rest some of their important players in the regular season finale tomorrow night, as Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner are both not expected to be in the lineup, according to Mark Masters of TSN. The team will also rest goaltender Jack Campbell and a decision on John Tavares–who missed practice today due to “maintenance”–will be made tomorrow. That means Matthews will finish the year at 60 goals and Marner will miss a chance at hitting 100 points as the Maple Leafs focus on the daunting task of a first-round victory, something that will likely have to come at the hands of the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions. Head coach Sheldon Keefe announced that the first game of that series will be Monday, meaning they won’t have to sit with their thoughts very long.
Chicago Blackhawks Hire Jeff Greenberg
The Chicago Blackhawks interviewed several candidates for their general manager position before eventually handing the keys to the incumbent. Kyle Davidson, who had taken over on an interim basis when Stan Bowman left the organization, was named the full-time general manager at the beginning of March. One of the candidates they interviewed, however, is still joining the organization as Jeff Greenberg has been hired as associate general manager.
Greenberg, notably, isn’t part of the hockey world. He most recently worked as an assistant general manager with the Chicago Cubs, an organization he has been with since 2012. Davidson released a statement explaining the hire:
Our journey is just beginning as we build a next-generation foundation for this team, and that starts with a focus on modernizing and improving the Hockey Operations infrastructure in our front office. We will only get back to being best-in-class on the ice if we are working with best-in-class information and ideas behind the scenes. Together, this executive leadership team is looking forward to developing great talent throughout all levels of our organization and adding the tools we need across scouting, analytics, player development, coaching and more to return to competitive hockey.
The team had interviewed several prominent candidates during their general manager search, including Eric Tulsky, Scott Mellanby, and Peter Chiarelli. Soon after deciding on Davidson, whispers started to surface that some of the others that interviewed could be considered for other positions with the organization. That has now come true, as Greenberg joins Davidson and fellow associate general manager Norm Maciver at the top of the Blackhawks’ front office.
Since day one when he took over–something that only happened because of a massive scandal–Davidson has indicated that the Blackhawks needed a complete overhaul on and off the ice. He demonstrated that by moving Brandon Hagel, a young, core piece of the roster, at the trade deadline and has made clear that there will be more drastic moves coming. The team is entering a rebuilding phase, one that can be used to get Greenberg up to speed in the hockey world.
Of course, this isn’t the first time the Greenberg family has been linked to the NHL. Greenberg’s father, Chuck Greenberg, a good friend of Mario Lemieux, attempted to purchase the Carolina Hurricanes in 2017 before that franchise was eventually sold to Tom Dundon.
Emily Kaplan of ESPN broke news of the hire.
Minnesota Wild Sign Simon Johansson
The Minnesota Wild have landed a prospect that was running out of time, signing Simon Johansson to a two-year entry-level contract. The 22-year-old defenseman could have become an unrestricted free agent if not signed by June. Instead, he’ll start his contract in 2022-23 with Minnesota, though he may end up overseas once again.
Selected 148th overall in 2018, Johansson spent this season playing for Ilves in Liiga, where he is still contracted through next year. If he fails to break camp with Minnesota, it is a possibility that he’ll be loaned back to Finland.
If that does happen, it would be a huge boost for his club team there, as Johansson was a standout this season. With 32 points in 58 games he was among the highest-scoring defensemen in the league, and he added another seven in ten playoff contests. A natural powerplay quarterback, he is an interesting option for the Wild in the future if he can continue to develop his defensive game.
Obviously, Minnesota will need some inexpensive roster options in the coming years as they deal with massive buyout penalties from Ryan Suter and Zach Parise. While Johansson may not be ready for that just yet, getting him under contract was the only way to know for sure.