Nashville Predators Sign Adam Wilsby
The Nashville Predators have inked another one of their prospects, this time signing Adam Wilsby to a two-year entry-level contract. The deal will start in 2022-23. CapFriendly reports that the contract has a cap hit of $842,500, earning Wilsby a salary of $750,000 in year one and $775,000 in year two. Both seasons contain a signing bonus and minors salary of $80,000.
Wilsby, 21, recently finished his second full SHL season with Skelleftea AIK, where he recorded 17 points in 51 regular season games. The young defenseman was a fourth-round pick of the Predators in 2020, selected 101st overall. While he may not be the most exciting name in the Predators’ prospect pipeline, Wilsby can skate like the wind and at least represents some organizational depth on defense. His success in the SHL even early on suggests he could fit right in on an AHL blueline already, though it’s unclear at this point if that’s the plan for him next season.
Given that he’s unlikely to spend much time in the NHL, the team could still loan him back overseas for another year. In fact, since his SHL contract actually extends through 2022-23, that seems the likely scenario, despite this new entry-level deal with Nashville. It still might be some time until Predators fans see him in the NHL lineup, but the fact that his post-draft years have gone this well is always a positive.
Johnny Beecher Signs AHL Tryout Contract
Another Michigan Wolverine has decided to turn pro. Johnny Beecher has signed an amateur tryout agreement with the Providence Bruins of the AHL for the remainder of this season. Just like his former teammates Thomas Bordeleau and Brendan Brisson, this allows Beecher to play for Providence down the stretch, something that isn’t possible once he signs his entry-level contract with the Boston Bruins. That may not have to wait long though, as general manager Don Sweeney explained:
We are appreciative to Mel Pearson and the Michigan coaching staff as they did a great job with his overall development. The Bruins and Johnny are leaving all options open with regards to his availability for the remainder of this season and playoffs. We will continue to communicate with his agent, Cam Stewart, while Johnny starts to play games and as we work towards finalizing his ELC.
Boston and Beecher can sign an ELC at any point, which would make him eligible to play in the NHL regular season and in the playoffs. If he does sign for 2021-22, it would be a three-year deal and the first season would burn immediately, regardless of how many games he played.
It will be interesting to see if Beecher actually climbs the ranks quicker than Bordeleau and Brisson, given his role with the Michigan team. Despite also being a high draft pick and top prospect when he entered the program, he never really found his way offensively and recorded just 39 points in three seasons. The wonder now is whether his offense will actually improve at the next level, when time and space are compressed even further, or if he is going to top out as another Bruins depth player selected in the first round.
Picked 30th overall in 2019, Beecher was always more of a project, a mixture of raw tools that the Bruins hoped would form a dynamic two-way player. The 6’3″ forward can skate well, lean on opponents and finish around the net–but too often he isn’t the one to get it there. In the right situation, he may thrive, opening room for his linemates with at size and speed, but through three years at Michigan, it didn’t really happen.
You can bet that the Bruins have a plan for him though, and he enters an organization that does have some question marks coming down the middle. Patrice Bergeron will be 37 this summer and an unrestricted free agent, Erik Haula is signed for just one more year, and other young forwards like Trent Frederic and Jack Studnicka haven’t exactly established themselves as dynamic, must-see NHL options to this point. With room to grow in the system, Beecher will have to hope his game translates to the next level quickly.
AHL Shuffle: 04/13/22
Just three games grace the schedule tonight after the Seattle-Winnipeg game was postponed, meaning even more eyes will be on the Los Angeles Kings and Colorado Avalanche, doing battle as a pair of Stanley Cup hopefuls. The Kings righted the ship last night with a win over the Chicago Blackhawks, and combined with the Golden Knights’ loss, now have a three-point lead in the race for the third Pacific Division spot. Colorado meanwhile has still now slowed down, winning six in a row and eight of their last ten to extend their lead to 14 points in the Central. As they and others prepare for action, we’ll keep track of all the minor league shuffling.
Atlantic Division
- After bringing him up under emergency conditions, Taro Hirose has been returned to the AHL by the Detroit Red Wings today. The 25-year-old didn’t actually get into a game, and is still stuck on 12 appearances this season for the Red Wings. Hirose is set to become a Group VI unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, given how few NHL games he has played to this point.
Metropolitan Division
- The Philadelphia Flyers have recalled Egor Zamula, Tanner Laczynski, and Felix Sandstrom under emergency conditions, as Carter Hart, Rasmus Ristolainen, Cam Atkinson, and Patrick Brown are all out for tonight’s game. Sandstrom will start, just his second NHL appearance.
Central Division
Pacific Division
This page is updated throughout the day
Looking At John Klingberg’s Impending Free Agency
Now that the free agency situations of Josh Manson, Darcy Kuemper, and Ryan Strome have been examined, it’s time to move on to another big name set to headline this offseason’s free agent market: John Klingberg. This is Klingberg’s seventh and final season on the deal worth nearly $30MM that he signed after he finished his entry-level contract. The only NHL club Klingberg has known, the Dallas Stars, have given out major contracts to both Esa Lindell and Miro Heiskanen on their blueline. Additionally, the Stars’ cap situation is further complicated by the fact that Tyler Seguin has a $9.85MM cap hit through 2026-2027 and Jamie Benn costs $9.5MM through 2024-25. The point of mentioning those names is to show that the Stars already have major money committed to their team going into the future, which makes Klingberg’s situation an interesting one.
It is made even more interesting by the contracts still yet to come. Jason Robertson is a restricted free agent this offseason, and Roope Hintz becomes one after next season. Given how those two players are going to be major pillars of the Stars’ future, it’s likely the team would prefer to pursue long-term extensions with each. Therefore, a Klingberg extension in Dallas seems highly unlikely.
That unlikeliness is made even more extreme by the kind of contract Klingberg is reportedly set to look for this offseason. According to Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek, Klingberg is seeking a maximum-term deal worth around $8MM per year. With all of those factors in play, it is highly unlikely that Klingberg can receive that deal from the Stars. So, he will hit likely free agency and be among the top defensemen on the market.
In an offseason market, a player like Klingberg can be rare. Players traditionally signed in free agency are older, declining, and lacking in dynamic talent. While Klingberg, 29, isn’t young anymore, he isn’t nearing the end of his playing days either. Klingberg is a highly productive offensive defenseman and has posted 43 points in 65 games this season, which is a 54-point pace. He isn’t known for his defensive game and shouldn’t be an all-situations minute-eater like many coaches covet, but as a defenseman for the modern NHL, there are few more dangerous than Klingberg.
So, with all that in mind, the main question surrounding Klingberg will likely end up being about how much NHL clubs value offense-first defensemen nearing the age of 30. Dougie Hamilton got $9MM AAV from the Devils this past offseason but did it as a 28-year-old free agent. Klingberg will be 30 when next season starts and has not had as strong of a season as Hamilton had in his platform year. Will a team see enough value in Klingberg for him to get the contract he desires? Or will Klingberg’s foray into free agency prove to be a disappointment? Like with many major free agents, it could come down to not necessarily what he signs for, but where he signs his contract. Regardless, his time on the free agent market will be one of the marquee storylines during this offseason.
Montreal Canadiens Place Jonathan Drouin On LTIR
If the Vegas Golden Knights’ flurry of moves wasn’t enough to satisfy those yearning for more long-term injured reserve (LTIR) machinations, the Montreal Canadiens have probably helped them out. The Canadiens have placed Jonathan Drouin on LTIR, according to PuckPedia. Drouin has been out since a late March contest against the Boston Bruins, and his season was ended by wrist surgery.
Drouin, 27, was the third-overall pick in the 2013 draft and has been known for his dazzling skills and somewhat enigmatic inability to parlay those skills into consistent production. He finishes this season with six goals and 20 points in 34 games, which is a 48-point pace. With next season being Drouin’s last before his $5.5MM AAV contract expires, it will be important for Drouin to put this injury-plagued year behind him and try to have as strong of a season as possible to set himself up for a valuable next contract.
For the Canadiens, placing Drouin on LTIR adds an interesting wrinkle to their season, which has largely been one to forget, save for the events following the hiring of interim coach Martin St. Louis. Because Drouin has been placed on LTIR, enough cap space has been “cleared” for the Canadiens to activate Carey Price, as noted by CapFriendly. Price has been practicing and seems to be recovered from the knee troubles that have cost him most of this season. He even traveled with the Canadiens for their road game in New Jersey. The Canadiens are a team in need of a lift, and Price’s return would undoubtedly represent a major one for their fanbase. With Drouin’s placement on LTIR, it seems that lift could arrive before this season comes to a close.
Mark Stone Set To Return; Carrier, Patrick, Brossoit Moved To LTIR
Mark Stone is officially playing tonight, and cap gymnastics have ensued for the Vegas Golden Knights. Forwards William Carrier, Nolan Patrick and goalie Laurent Brossoit, who have all missed significant time with injuries, have been moved to long-term injured reserve to permit Vegas to remove Stone’s $9.5MM cap hit from LTIR.
All three players must miss at least 10 games AND 24 days in order to be eligible for LTIR, starting from the retroactive date of placement. Their eligibility dates are as follows:
Carrier is out with a leg injury, and his LTIR placement is retroactive to March 26, 2022. He is eligible to return on April 24 against the San Jose Sharks.
Patrick is out with an undisclosed injury, and his LTIR placement is retroactive to March 24, 2022. He is eligible to return on April 20 against the Washington Capitals.
Brossoit it out with an undisclosed injury, and his LTIR placement is also retroactive to March 24, 2022, so he is also eligible to return on April 20.
Now, whether these players can actually return is uncertain. The most likely to return during the regular season is Carrier, who was classified as day-to-day. The others had an unknown timeline on their injury. Even if they can return, though, it will require yet another round of cap gymnastics to activate them prior to the playoffs. With only a week left in the regular season after April 20th, however, it’s likely all three are done for the regular season.
With Stone back in the lineup, though, the Knights finally have a chance to showcase what could end up as the best line in hockey with him, Jack Eichel, and Max Pacioretty. It’s a giant boost to an already surging team who looks poised to dethrone the Los Angeles Kings for the third playoff spot in the Pacific Division.
Torey Krug Expected To Return For St. Louis
The St. Louis Blues are expected to get defenseman Torey Krug back into the lineup tonight, somewhat ironically against the Boston Bruins.
It’s Krug’s first game against Boston since he departed for St. Louis in free agency. While it’s his second season in St. Louis, the Blues didn’t meet the Bruins last year due to the COVID-restricted 2020-21 schedule. Krug last played on March 22nd, leaving the team’s game against Washington with an upper-body injury.
When in the lineup this season, he and Justin Faulk have exceeded expectations as a high-end first pairing in the NHL. Krug was extremely productive prior to his injury with 35 points in 57 games, and his +24 rating is second on the team behind Faulk’s +36.
With that, Nick Leddy, who had been playing with Faulk since his acquisition, will likely slide onto a pairing with Colton Parayko, giving the Blues a much more solidified top-four defense going into a likely playoff series against Minnesota.
Snapshots: Kadri, Brown, Michigan State
The injury situation for the Colorado Avalanche’s top six forwards went from bad to worse over a week ago when Nazem Kadri went down with an upper-body injury. While the team did expect Kadri to be healthy before the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Colorado Hockey Now’s Adrian Dater reports that he could be back well before then, potentially returning to the lineup within the next week. Kadri actually still leads the Avalanche with 83 points, a mark he’s held as Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog have both missed significant time with injuries this year. The team’s actually only played three games without Kadri, as a sparse schedule over the past week and a half has done them favors. J.T. Compher has filled in Kadri’s spot, registering two points in three games (both came against Pittsburgh on April 5th). With Colorado having a stranglehold on the Western Conference regular-season title, the Avalanche hope to get Kadri back in order to continue building chemistry among their new acquisitions as the playoffs near.
A couple of other hockey-related notes:
- With Logan Brown expected to draw into the St. Louis Blues lineup again tonight, the Blues will no longer receive the conditional fourth-round pick sent to them by the Ottawa Senators in the trade in which they acquired him. The pick, slated to be Ottawa’s 2022 fourth-round selection, is retained by Ottawa if Brown plays in 30 regular-season games this season, which is the mark he’ll hit tonight. The trade will rest as a one-for-one swap for Brown and Zach Sanford, who the Senators flipped to the Winnipeg Jets at this year’s Trade Deadline for a 2022 fifth-round pick. The Blues remain with their own 2022 fourth-round pick.
- There’s coaching news regarding a Big Ten school, but maybe not the one some have been bracing for. Michigan State University announced today that the team has parted ways with head coach Danton Cole, who’d been behind the bench for five seasons with a record of 58-101-12. The team failed to make the NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament under his tenure, and they haven’t been there since 2012. They’ve only made the tournament twice after winning the national championship in 2007, led by future NHLers Justin Abdelkader, Tim Kennedy, and Chris Mueller.
Colorado Avalanche Sign Wyatt Aamodt
The Colorado Avalanche have landed a top college free agent, signing Wyatt Aamodt to a one-year entry-level contract. The deal will start in 2022-23, and Aamodt will join the Colorado Eagles on an amateur tryout for the rest of this season. Aamodt recently completed his senior season with Minnesota State, leading them all the way to the National Championship game.
If you already have a bounty of elite puck-moving defensemen, what do you target? A free agent that does just about everything else. Aamodt, 24, is certainly not much of an offensive threat but uses his physicality to shut down an opponent’s best players. In 41 games this season he recorded six goals and 12 points, both easily the highest totals of his four-year college career, but as captain of the Mavericks had much more impact at the defensive end of the rink.
As an undrafted free agent, there won’t be huge expectations put on the young defenseman, but Aamodt should add some more depth to the Avalanche system for the risk-free proposition of a one-year entry-level deal. Getting his feet wet at the AHL level will give the Colorado management a chance to see how he transitions to professional hockey and some insight into whether he’ll be able to handle himself in the NHL.
That’s certainly not a guarantee, as the left-shot defenseman doesn’t actually have a ton of size behind that physical playstyle. While the NHL continues to lean toward adding length and mobility on the blueline, it will be interesting to see if his play results in a chance with the Avalanche next season.
Snapshots: Seattle-Winnipeg, McGinn, Brown, Stone
The NHL has postponed tomorrow’s game between the Seattle Kraken and Winnipeg Jets due to inclement weather heading toward the Manitoba area, rescheduling the match for May 1. That is the day before the playoffs are set to begin, another sign of just how difficult it would be for the Jets to make the postseason at this point. The team is currently only five points behind the Dallas Stars for the final wild card position, but have played two more games (leaving just eight remaining in their season) and are still dealing with the Vegas Golden Knights in between.
For Seattle, there hasn’t been any hope of the playoffs for a while now, but there are certainly things to get excited about. Matty Beniers will make his NHL debut tonight after signing his entry-level contract, giving fans the chance to see the first draft pick in franchise history.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins have activated Brock McGinn off injured reserve, bringing him back after more than a month on the shelf. McGinn, 28, has 11 goals and 18 points this season through 56 games for the Penguins, but adds another level of depth for a roster that is still trying to improve their playoff position. The Penguins sit six points behind the New York Rangers in the Metropolitan, with just eight games left to play.
- Dustin Brown has also been activated, this time by the Los Angeles Kings, giving the team a huge boost after yesterday’s announcement that Drew Doughty would miss the rest of the season. While the 37-year-old isn’t the player he once was, Brown can still contribute and has 25 points in 57 games this season. More importantly, he’s a two-time Stanley Cup champion and extremely important member of the leadership group in Los Angeles, who are headed to the playoffs should they be able to hold onto that Pacific Division spot.
- Mark Stone is a game-time decision for the Golden Knights, though it means they will have to make several other roster transactions if they want to activate him from long-term injured reserve. As CapFriendly points out, even loaning every eligible player to the minor leagues wouldn’t clear enough space, meaning someone else would have to be transferred to long-term injured reserve (or, technically they could make a trade, though that brings other complications) for Stone to be activated.