Salary Cap Deep Dive: Carolina Hurricanes
Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM. Teams that can avoid total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.
PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation for the 2021-22 season and beyond. This will focus more on players who are regulars on the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.
Carolina Hurricanes
Current Cap Hit: $83,873,123 (over the $81.5MM Upper Limit)
Entry-Level Contracts
F Seth Jarvis (three years, $894K)
F Martin Necas (one year, $863K)
Potential Bonuses:
Jarvis: $500K
Necas: $537.5K
Total: $1.0375MM
Jarvis was in a bit of a tough spot to start the season – he couldn’t be sent to the minors but he wasn’t seeing regular action with Carolina either. However, he has worked his way into more of a regular role with the team happily going past the nine-game plateau to burn the first year of his deal. It’s hard to forecast his next deal with him just starting out and from a bonus perspective, it’s unlikely he reaches any of his incentives.
Necas has seen his production tick back a little this year although with 19 points in 31 games, he’s still doing well. He’s the type of player that Carolina may want to try to sign to a deal that buys out a couple of years of UFA eligibility but the quieter platform year may actually make that tougher as it should make Necas be more agreeable to a bridge deal, allowing him to boost his value before locking in a long-term pact. He has three ‘A’ bonuses in his deal and is on pace to hit one of those right now although a few others are within reach as well.
One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level
D Ethan Bear ($2MM, RFA)
D Ian Cole ($2.9MM, UFA)
D Anthony DeAngelo ($1MM, RFA)
F Jesperi Kotkaniemi ($6.1MM, RFA)
F Steven Lorentz ($725K, RFA)
F Nino Niederreiter ($5.25MM, UFA)
D/F Brendan Smith ($800K, UFA)
F Derek Stepan ($1.35MM, UFA)
F Vincent Trocheck ($4.75MM, UFA)
Kotkaniemi’s offer sheet was one of the headlines of the offseason as it’s rare that one is tendered and rarer that it isn’t matched. However, it was enough of an overpayment for Montreal to accept the draft pick compensation instead. The key word is overpayment though. The 21-year-old hasn’t produced at a level that would warrant a $6.1MM qualifying offer and while there is a window to take a player to arbitration at a lower rate (85%), that’s still a particularly high salary. Accordingly, it stands to reason that Carolina will try to sign Kotkaniemi to a long-term deal in the coming weeks and months, one that may come in a little lower than his current price tag with an argument that it would be better than running the risk of a non-tender in the summer.
Niederreiter has shown flashes of being a top offensive player over the past few years but hasn’t been able to sustain it. This season, he has been on the third line at times and that’s not going to help his market value. A small decrease on his current AAV is a likelier outcome than a small raise at this point. That shouldn’t be the case for Trocheck who stands to be one of the top centers to hit the open market if he’s still unsigned by July. There is always a premium paid for those players and it wouldn’t be too surprising to see him at $6.5MM or more on a long-term deal. Stepan is still a capable fourth liner but won’t be able to use his prior reputation to boost his value and it’s unlikely he’ll wind up with more money on his next deal although he should be able to come close. Lorentz will get a small raise on his AAV by default but this is a spot Carolina will need to keep close to the minimum – a one-way deal is doable but it should still be around the $750K mark.
Cole has been a quality veteran shutdown defender for several years although he’s starting to slow down. He’ll have no problems finding another contract but after taking a pay cut last summer, he may need to do so again this coming summer. Bear has been decent with his new team but hasn’t been able to move into the top four like they’d have hoped. He’s owed a $2.4MM qualifying offer and he should get it but he’ll have a hard time making a case that he’s worth substantially more. Smith has carved out a niche as a depth defender that can play up front as well and that will keep him in the league for a few years but they will be seasons where he’s near the league minimum as he is now.
DeAngelo is going to be one of the more interesting RFA cases to watch for. As much as he had to sign for cheap on the open market in the summer, he’s two years removed from a 53-point campaign and is producing close to a point per game level this season. Those are numbers that will carry a lot of weight if he makes it to an arbitration hearing which is the probable outcome if Carolina tenders him a qualifying offer. Is that a risk they want to take knowing that there are several other core players that need to be re-signed or replaced? If not, they’ll have to make a big push to try to sign him before the tender deadline and with all of the off-ice factors to consider, there’s a very wide range of what he could sign for.
Two Years Remaining
G Frederik Andersen ($4.5MM, UFA)
F Jesper Fast ($2MM, UFA)
D Jake Gardiner ($4.05MM, UFA)
G Antti Raanta ($2MM, UFA)
F Jordan Staal ($6MM, UFA)
Staal has always been a quality two-way center and while he may not have always produced at a top-six level, he has done well living up to the price tag of this contract over time. Things haven’t gone too well this season, however, as he has slowed down and his production has tailed off. He won’t have any problems getting another contract two years from now but at that time, it’ll be more commensurate with third-line production which could result in his salary being nearly cut in half. Fast’s contract seemed cheap at the time and still is now for someone that’s a decent secondary scorer in the middle six. I’d predict that he could land a contract that’s higher than that two years from now but I’d have said that two years ago as well when he opted to take this deal.
Gardiner is out for the season with hip and back trouble and is on LTIR. At this point, it wouldn’t be surprising to see that be the case next year as well.
It took more than a decade for Andersen to play for the team that originally drafted him but he has been worth the wait as he has been one of the top goalies in the league so far this season. Carolina’s playing style is a goalie-friendly one but his level of play has been better than most starters at a lower cost. Two years of that could give him one more shot at a bigger payday somewhere. Raanta, though often injured, signed for less than what most top backups make which limits the risk involved in signing him. When he’s healthy, he’s a capable second-stringer but until he can stay in the lineup for an extended period of time, these are the types of contracts he’ll be limited to.
Three Years Remaining
F Sebastian Aho ($8.46MM, UFA)
F Jordan Martinook ($1.8MM, UFA)
F Teuvo Teravainen ($5.4MM, UFA)
D Brett Pesce ($4.025MM, UFA)
D Brady Skjei ($5.25MM, UFA)
Aho, as you may recall, had been the last player to receive an offer sheet before Kotkaniemi with Carolina ultimately matching. The deal has been a below-market one for a top center although the term of the contract allows Aho to reach the open market while still in the prime of his career. A jump past the $10MM mark appears to be a certainty if he continues at this level of play. Teravainen has turned into quite the prize for taking on Bryan Bickell’s contract back in 2016 (the Hurricanes dealt a pair of draft picks but neither were worth Teravainen) as he has worked his way into being a top-line winger who is making second line money on a team-friendly deal. He’s in line for another $2MM or so on his next contract. Martinook was once a third liner for Carolina but has dropped to the fourth line lately, making this deal a bit of an overpayment in terms of value. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him shopped at some point for someone a bit cheaper to get a bit of cap flexibility.
Skjei hasn’t been quite as impactful for Carolina compared to his time with the Rangers although he hadn’t exactly had the same role either. They’re deploying him as a steadying presence on the second pairing, a role that he’s a bit overpriced for but the fact he can move up when needed makes it a worthwhile luxury to have. Pesce, meanwhile, has blossomed from someone who was previously playing Skjei’s role into a top-pairing player while making considerably less than others in that spot on other teams. He’s looking at a nice raise three years from now whether it’s from Carolina or someone else.
Carolina Hurricanes Sign Jack LaFontaine
It’s not often that you see an NHL team sign a college prospect during the season, but with the Carolina Hurricanes desperately searching for goaltending depth that’s exactly what has happened. Jack LaFontaine, the reigning Mike Richter Award winner and current starting goaltender for the University of Minnesota, has signed his one-year entry-level contract, leaving the college level behind.
Hurricanes GM Don Waddell released a statement:
As the reigning Mike Richter Award recipient, Jack has proven he’s ready to take the next steps in his career. We love his athleticism and consistency and can’t wait for him to start his professional career.
LaFontaine is no longer eligible to play in the NCAA and will join the Hurricanes organization immediately. His entry-level deal comes with a prorated NHL salary of $750K, an AHL salary of $70K, and a signing bonus of $88.5K (the release originally indicated LaFontaine had received a $250K bonus, but entry-level signing bonuses are capped at $92.5K).
Already 24, it’s been nearly six years since LaFontaine was selected 75th overall by the Hurricanes in 2016. The 6’3″ netminder debuted for the University of Michigan the following season, but after two years in a rotating goaltending platoon, he left the Wolverines and played a year with the Penticton Vees of the BCHL, winning the league’s top goaltender award. He joined Minnesota in 2019-20 and posted a .919 save percentage in 25 starts, but it was 2020-21 when he really excelled.
Last season he posted a 22-7 record with a .934 save percentage, winning the NCAA top goaltender award and finishing as a finalist for the Hobey Baker. He was a first-team All-American, won the Big Ten tournament MVP, and looked poised to make the jump to professional hockey. Instead, he used the additional year of availability offered because of COVID to return to Minnesota for this season and was named a co-captain of the Golden Gophers.
His departure after 20 games is somewhat shocking, though things hadn’t been going quite as well this time around. LaFontaine has a .900 save percentage through 20 games with a 12-8 record. That’s where his college career will end, leaving Minnesota with Justen Close and Brennan Boynton in net. Of course, the Gophers would have had Jared Moe, a Winnipeg Jets sixth-round pick, but he transferred to Wisconsin (where he has a .922 in 17 games) when LaFontaine decided to return.
With Antti Raanta injured, the Hurricanes went with Alex Lyon in net last night against the Florida Panthers but have organizational depth issues into the low minors as well. Eetu Makiniemi and Beck Warm are both currently injured, leaving the Chicago Wolves scrambling to sign goaltenders to professional tryouts just to ice a roster. LaFontaine will help ease those issues, whether he ends up at the AHL or NHL level. He’ll also get to burn through his entry-level deal this season, making him a restricted free agent in the summer.
Los Angeles Kings Hire Marc Bergevin
The Los Angeles Kings have hired Marc Bergevin as senior advisor to the general manager, a role that will represent the next step for the former Montreal Canadiens executive. Rob Blake, general manager of the Kings, released this statement about the hire:
Marc brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our hockey operations staff and will be a valuable addition to our group. We look forward to his contributions.
Bergevin, 56, spent nearly a decade at the helm of the Canadiens but was let go in November after a brutal start to the season. He previously worked with the Chicago Blackhawks in various roles, including scout, director of player personnel, and assistant general manager. His playing career, which included nearly 1,200 regular season games, spanned basically the same period as Kings’ president Luc Robitaille and all three–Blake included–were teammates at the 1994 World Championship, where they earned a gold medal.
It’s his time in Montreal’s front office that will color this hire, however, as Bergevin’s tenure with the Canadiens was at best a rollercoaster of success and failure. The team did reach the Stanley Cup Final last year under his watch, but returned this season with a roster that has won just seven of 34 games, sits 31st in the NHL, and has long-term commitments to several underperforming players. Overall, the Canadiens reached the playoffs in six of the nine full seasons that Bergevin was in charge.
In an advisory role, Bergevin can help a Kings team loaded with youthful potential build into a contender while also keeping his eyes open for a new opportunity. Unemployed for just over a month, it’s obvious that his perceived public relations mistakes–which include selecting Logan Mailloux in the first round despite the young defenseman trying to renounce himself from the draft–will not keep him from landing another high profile job in an NHL front office.
2021 Year In Review: August
2021 was certainly another eventful year, both on and off the rink. Over the coming days, PHR will take a look back at the top stories from around the game on a month-by-month basis. Next up is a look at August, an extremely busy month on the NHL calendar last year.
Going Home: After announcing at the very end of July that he wouldn’t be returning to the Boston Bruins, David Krejci finalized a new contract with HC Olomouc in the Czech Extraliga, confirming his departure from the NHL. The veteran forward explained that he wanted his children to live in Czechia around his extended family, even if he still did have some hockey left in him. The 35-year-old left the NHL after 962 games, every single one of them with the Bruins. In 35 games overseas, he has 34 points.
Arbitration Season: More than two dozen players ended up filing for arbitration, creating deadlines for the ongoing negotiations. Every single one of them ended up settling with their respective teams before a hearing took place, with some like Neal Pionk and Juuse Saros even landing long-term deals. In a season without any salary cap growth, teams were obviously loath to leave final terms in the hands of an arbitrator.
Flat Cap Society: Speaking of the salary cap, in early August Daily Faceoff published a comprehensive report on the situation facing the league with regards to hockey-related revenue. That report accurately predicted that there would be a $1MM increase from 2021-22 to 2022-23, and suggested that substantial increases wouldn’t happen until 2026. With rebounding revenues in the early part of this season it appeared as though the escrow debt could be paid down a bit earlier, but recent attendance restrictions could very well move things back to the original timeline suggested in August.
Coots Is Rewarded: The Philadelphia Flyers weren’t going to wait around with Sean Couturier or get anywhere near unrestricted free agency. In late August the team locked up their two-way star by signing him to an eight-year extension that will keep him under contract until 2030. Things have gone downhill quickly in Philadelphia this season but Couturier remains a huge part of their future. It remains to be seen whether the same can be said about captain Claude Giroux, who has also been eligible for an extension since last summer and is now just a few months from unrestricted free agency.
Eichel Changes Reps: In a move that eventually did result in his departure from Buffalo, Jack Eichel changed representation by hiring superagent Pat Brisson of CAA Sports. The move immediately sparked talks between the two sides on how to get him off the Sabres roster, but it would still be several months before he was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights and allowed to have his preferred surgery.
The College Experience: Despite being the first overall selection in 2021, Owen Power officially announced that he would be returning to the University of Michigan to try and experience what he’d missed as a freshman. The Wolverines had been removed from the NCAA tournament because of COVID issues in 2021 and with Matty Beniers, Kent Johnson, Brendan Brisson, Thomas Bordeleau, and others all returning, Power certainly couldn’t pass up a chance to compete for the national championship. He’ll be a Sabre before long, but Power’s decision ultimately could have an added benefit–he’s now also eligible to play for Canada at the Olympics.
Offer Sheet Revenge: Two years after the Montreal Canadiens signed Sebastian Aho to an offer sheet, the Carolina Hurricanes finally got their revenge. They agreed to a deal with RFA Jesperi Kotkaniemi, one that would ultimately bring him to Carolina when the Canadiens decided not to match. Manufactured for social media or not, the Hurricanes made it quite obvious that the Kotkaniemi contract was a direct response to the Aho signing. While he started slow, the 21-year-old Kotkaneimi has begun to find his game in Carolina and now has 16 points through 33 games.
Tragedy, Again: After the hockey world mourned the loss of Matiss Kivlenieks in July, more tragedy struck in August as Jimmy Hayes passed away unexpectedly at the age of 31. The older brother of Philadelphia Flyers forward Kevin Hayes and a veteran of more than 300 NHL games himself, Jimmy Hayes was a beloved teammate that received an outpouring of heartfelt memories from legions of friends, family, and fans all across the hockey landscape. Months later, Hayes’ family told The Boston Globe that fentanyl had contributed to his sudden death and hoped by sharing his story others can avoid his fate.
Mason McTavish Traded In OHL
He’s already played professional hockey for the Anaheim Ducks, San Diego Gulls, and Olten EHC, but now Mason McTavish is heading to Hamilton. The Peterborough Petes have traded the Ducks’ top prospect to the Hamilton Bulldogs of the OHL, where he will spend the rest of the season and likely close out his junior career. Jeff Marek of Sportsnet was among the first to report a deal was likely for McTavish, with Scott Wheeler of The Athletic confirming it. The Petes will receive:
- Jonathan Melee
- Alex Pharand
- 2nd round pick 2022 (North Bay)
- 2nd round pick 2022 (Sarnia)
- 3rd round pick 2023 (Kitchener)
- 3rd round pick 2023 (Sarnia)
- 3rd round pick 2024 (Hamilton
- conditional 4th round pick 2025 (Hamilton)
McTavish, 18, technically could return to the OHL again next season, but after showing well at every level it seems unlikely he’ll be anywhere but on the Anaheim roster at the start of 2022-23. If this is his last kick of the can in the OHL, he’s going to certainly get a lot of playing time on a Hamilton team built to contend in the Eastern Conference. McTavish will join undrafted center Logan Morrison and Montreal Canadiens prospect Jan Mysak to create a trio of elite offensive options down the middle of the ice, though obviously one of them could shift to the wing to accommodate their new star.
Selected third overall in 2021, McTavish scored three points in nine games with the Ducks at the beginning of the season and another two in three games with the San Diego Gulls on a short conditioning stint. He had five points in two games for Canada at the World Juniors before the tournament was shut down, and has dominated since returning to Peterborough. In five games he has scored six times, using his strong frame and ability around the net to consistently drive pucks into the back of the net.
Notably, McTavish’s entry-level contract won’t kick in this season unless he plays in another NHL game, but that’s not actually out of the question at this point. He would be eligible to return to the Ducks after Hamilton’s season ends, and with Anaheim looking at a potential playoff run there could be a decision to be made whether to insert him into the lineup to help that Stanley Cup chase.
There is also the upcoming Olympics to think about, as McTavish’s name has been linked to Team Canada in recent days given the NHL’s withdrawal. It appears as though despite technically being signed to an NHL contract, McTavish could participate because he was assigned back to junior. What a year it could be for the young forward if he fails to get a World Junior medal but instead gets an Olympic one.
San Jose Sharks Terminate Evander Kane’s Contract
Jan 9: Kane has cleared waivers according to Chris Johnston of TSN. His contract will be terminated, though the NHLPA intends on filing a grievance on his behalf.
Jan 8: The Sharks are parting ways with Evander Kane as the winger is on unconditional waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract. The team has released the following statement:
The San Jose Sharks have informed Evander Kane that he has been placed on unconditional waivers with intent to terminate his contract for breach of his NHL Standard Player Contract and for violation of the AHL COVID-19 protocols.
By taking this approach, the Sharks believe that they can get out of the rest of Kane’s contract without any further money owed or cap hit charged. But with $19MM in salary and signing bonuses owed over the next three seasons plus the remainder of a pro-rated $7MM salary this season, Kane will almost certainly be grieving this in the coming days once he goes unclaimed on Sunday. In fact, the NHLPA has already officially responded to the situation:
We are aware of the San Jose Sharks’ stated intent to terminate Evander Kane’s contract. The NHLPA intends to challenge any such action by filing a grievance.
The 30-year-old had been the subject of multiple investigations in recent months, stemming from gambling and abuse allegations which were ruled to be unsubstantiated. However, he received a 21-game suspension at the start of the season for using a fake vaccination card and after being cleared to return, was immediately waived and sent to AHL San Jose. Kane was actually quite productive with the Barracuda, notching eight points in five games before testing positive for COVID in late December. As Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports, the reason for the release stems from a flight that Kane took during his isolation period as well as his return date to the team.
Players being on unconditional waivers during the season isn’t anything new – it happens fairly routinely with players in the minors and teams agreeing to go their separate ways. It’s also used in the summer during buyout windows; there is no buyout window during the regular season. But for a team to unilaterally use it to try to get out of a deal is much less common. Tampa Bay did it with Jake Dotchin back in 2018 but he caught on elsewhere soon after and his grievance was settled ten months later.
The most notable time it was used was when the Kings did it with Mike Richards back in 2015 with the team saying he had committed a material breach of his contract, similar language to what San Jose used in their statement. That one was also grieved and the two sides eventually settled on a payout of $11MM between 2015 and 2032 with Richards remaining on the Kings’ books through that time at varying rates but well below the original $5.75MM AAV. On the surface, it would appear that the Sharks could be trying to go a similar route here with any possible settlement being amortized over a long enough period of time to make the cap situation much more desirable than it had would have been if they continued to keep him on the books. Worth noting, back in 2015, Friedman noted that the NHLPA received assurances that Richards’ situation wouldn’t be considered as a precedent which is something Kane and his camp will certainly be pointing out.
While they will proceed with the termination on Sunday, this situation is almost certainly far from fully being settled. In the meantime, Kane will technically become an unrestricted free agent upon his release. If he signs before the March 21st trade deadline, he will be eligible to play in the playoffs while if he doesn’t find a new team right away, he would be eligible to play in the Olympics next month.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was the first to report Kane was on unconditional waivers.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Arizona Coyotes’ Arena Proposal Not Currently Expected To Pass
Another day, another facilities challenge facing the Arizona Coyotes. PHNX’s Craig Morgan has heard from multiple sources that the Coyotes’ current arena construction proposal in the city of Tempe does not currently have the votes from city council needed for approval. The next Tempe city council meeting is set for this Thursday, though no date for an official vote on the arena proposal has been set, providing some hope that the deal is not yet dead.
Morgan writes that as of now there are three city councilmen firmly voting yes versus two firmly voting no, but that the two undecided votes are now leaning no as well. This change in opinion allegedly stems from the Coyotes’ recent failure to make payments to their current home in the city of Glendale, combined with a lack of information on the financing of the Coyotes’ $1.7 billion construction proposal. One source claimed that the club’s public image has been damaged to the point that even one more “negative news story” would surely kill the proposal.
This kind of opposition was not expected for the Coyotes’ Tempe plans. The team was the only group to submit a bid to develop this particular parcel of land in Tempe and had a vision not only for an arena but also an accompanying entertainment district. With no competing proposal, a plan that would drive traffic and revenue to Tempe and create jobs, as well as earn the city good will for keeping the ‘Yotes in Arizona, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that the plan would pass. However, it seems the diminished trust in owner Alex Meruelo and his group could surprisingly crush those hopes.
If there is one factor that the ultimate decision could hinge on, it is the Coyotes’ relationship with the Salt River Pima–Maricopa Indian Community. Should the Tempe proposal fail, many feel that the team will next look to the nearby native group as an option to build an arena. As Morgan puts it, this border location would see Tempe experience all of the vehicle traffic and associated negative issues while seeing none of the profit. If it seems as though a Salt River Pima plan is locked in as the Coyotes’ Plan B, Tempe may have to rethink voting against their Plan A.
Taxi Squad Shuffle: 01/09/22
After a busy Saturday slate, it’s a quiet day across the NHL. Just two games are on the schedule, though the results could be impactful nonetheless. Two teams currently in playoff position and two teams just outside the postseason picture square off as the St. Louis Blues and Dallas Stars meet this afternoon in a Central Division clash and the Anaheim Ducks host the Detroit Red Wings later tonight. For the other 28 teams, today will be used to plan for the week ahead, which could produce a busy day for roster moves even without much action on the ice. Keep up with these transactions here:
Atlantic Division
- While many of the Montreal Canadiens’ COVID Protocol placements were back on the ice for practice today, several more remain out leaving the club shorthanded for a while longer. As a result, forward Jean-Sebastien Dea has been recalled from the AHL’s Laval Rocket, the Habs announced. The Laval native has eight goals in 24 AHL games so far this season, but has not yet had an opportunity to make his mark in Montreal. Later on, the team announced that Michael McNiven has gone to Laval, while Cayden Primeau will be assigned to the taxi squad.
- The Florida Panthers have added Chase Priskie and Matt Kiersted to the taxi squad, two depth defenders that have filled in when necessary this season. Priskie, 25, has played his first two NHL games, while the 23-year-old Kiersted has suited up in five.
Metropolitan Division
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have assigned goaltender Jean-Francois Berube to the taxi squad. Berube had been up with the NHL group on an emergency recall with Elvis Merzlikins dealing with a minor lower-body ailment, but will now resume his No. 3 role. While the veteran keeper is seemingly on an NHL depth chart every year, Berube has in fact not played in an NHL game since 2017-18.
- Veteran defenseman Colin White and rookie forward Nolan Foote are on their way to the taxi squad in New Jersey. The Devils announced that the duo has been assigned to their reserve group. The pair have only played in nine combined games this season, but could have more opportunities while on the taxi squad.
Central Division
- The Winnipeg Jets were busy this morning, announcing the movement of six talented young players. Forwards Cole Perfetti, Kristian Reichel, and C.J. Suess have been reassigned from the NHL roster to the taxi squad. In a corresponding reshuffling, goaltender Mikhail Berdin and defensemen Ville Heinola and Dylan Samberg have been reassigned from the taxi squad to the AHL’s Manitoba Moose.
- The Dallas Stars have recalled Riley Damiani from the taxi squad and will have him in the lineup this afternoon against the St. Louis Blues. Damiani, 21, scored in his NHL debut earlier this season and has 18 points in 23 games for the Texas Stars this year.
- The Nashville Predators have reassigned Matt Luff to the taxi squad once again while moving Matt Tennyson and Tomas Vomacka to the AHL. Luff continues to be bounced up and down between the taxi squad and active roster on a near-daily basis.
Pacific Division
- Justin Bailey has lost his spot on the Vancouver Canucks’ taxi squad, at least for now. The team announced that the forward has been reassigned to AHL Abbotsford, where he has 13 points in 18 games this season. However, it’s Bailey’s zero points in ten NHL games that has him back in the minors.
- The Los Angeles Kings have completed their usual daily transactions, loaning Martin Frk to the taxi squad, activating Alex Turcotte from the COVID protocol, and Austin Wagner was loaned to the AHL.
- The Anaheim Ducks have recalled Brayden Tracey from San Diego of the AHL while removing Ryan Getzlaf from COVID protocol. To make room for them on the roster, Benoit-Olivier Groulx and Jacob Perreault were assigned to the taxi squad. Tracey, a 2019 first-round pick, will make his NHL debut tonight.
This page will be updated throughout the day.
Asking Price Clear On Jakob Chychrun
The Arizona Coyotes were always going to be at the middle of the trade deadline hot stove as they continue their scorched earth rebuild, but it was originally assumed that Jakob Chychrun wouldn’t be included in that teardown. The 23-year-old defenseman is signed to a long-term, reasonable contract and is still obviously young enough to help the club when they’re ready to compete for the playoffs again.
It turned heads when Chychrun’s name hit the rumor mill last month, but the ask was called “massive” by multiple reports. There’s now some clarity on what massive means, as Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek explained on Hockey Night In Canada:
What the Coyotes are looking for is a young player, a high-end prospect plus a first-round pick. Teams we believe that have the assets who could do that and might be interested, include the Los Angeles Kings, perhaps the St. Louis Blues and certainly the Anaheim Ducks–who might be losing Hampus Lindholm to unrestricted free agency at the end of the year.
Marek also indicated that as many as ten teams have already reached out on Chychrun and likened the potential return to the one that the Minnesota Wild received for Brent Burns in 2011. That deal saw Devin Setoguchi (then a 24-year-old coming off his third straight 20+ goal season), Charlie Coyle (the 28th overall pick a year earlier), and a 2011 first-round pick go to Minnesota from the San Jose Sharks.
Chychrun is averaging nearly 25 minutes a night for the last-place Coyotes this season, and though he is obviously not having a good year there is a lot to like about the left-shot defenseman. Selected 16th overall in 2016 he has already racked up 128 points in 316 career games and possesses the kind of size-skating combination that teams fall in love with.
Even with the defense market potentially getting a name like John Klingberg added in the coming months, Chychrun is a prize that almost every team in the league could be interested in, even those out of this year’s playoff race. Signed through the 2024-25 season he carries a cap hit of just $4.6MM and would step into almost any top-four with ease.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
What Your Team Is Thankful For: Seattle Kraken
In the spirit of the holiday season, PHR will take a look at what teams are thankful for as the season approaches the midway mark. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Seattle Kraken.
What are the Kraken thankful for?
NHL expansion.
This certainly hasn’t been a very successful inaugural season for the Kraken on the ice, but getting a team at all wasn’t always a guarantee. The city of Seattle had lots of momentum toward expansion many times in the past, including serious bids in 1974 and 1990 that failed to come to fruition.
The immediate success that the Vegas Golden Knights experienced by going straight to the Stanley Cup Finals was abnormal, and perhaps set the expectations a little higher for Seattle than they should have been. Getting into the club–especially as further expansion seems unlikely, at least for a while–was the important part here.
Who are the Kraken thankful for?
It’s been a bit of a frustrating season for Beniers, who missed his chance for a second World Junior gold medal when the tournament was canceled early on. But make no mistake, the second overall pick from 2021 is going to be a core piece for the Kraken before long.
In 21 games for Michigan, the do-it-all centerman has 24 points (including two tonight in a big win against UMass) and could soon suit up at the Olympics for Team USA. If he decides to turn pro and sign after his college season ends, there’s little doubt that he’ll be one of the most exciting players in the lineup for Seattle most nights. Having that presence down the middle is a good start.
What would the Kraken be even more thankful for?
A few saves.
It’s not that the only problem with the Kraken this season has been the goaltending, but it’s certainly been the biggest. The duo of Philipp Grubauer and Chris Driedger–one that combines for a $9.4MM cap hit–has been dreadful, leading to a league-worst .883 team save percentage on the season. If you are more analytically inclined, Grubauer’s -17.8 goals saved above average leads all netminders by a wide margin. The next worst, if you can call it that, is Joonas Korpisalo at -8.65.
The worry here is that Grubauer signed a six-year, $35.4MM deal with Seattle in the offseason, one that already seemed odd at the time but now appears downright dangerous. If the 30-year-old netminder can’t find his game, it could be a boat anchor for the Kraken to deal with through the first part of their history.
What should be on the Kraken wish list?
Draft picks.
This team isn’t as bad as their 10-19-4 record suggests, but they also aren’t anywhere near a playoff contender at this point. The draft picks that everyone though they would acquire through the expansion process should be the target at the deadline, with basically no roster players off the table, even ones with term left on their contracts.
If someone wants to pay up to add Yanni Gourde, the Kraken should consider moving the 30-year-old center. Adam Larsson a relatively inexpensive defense target for a contender? Why not entertain the offer?
The issue for Seattle is that they also handed out several no-trade clauses in their first round of free agency, for whatever reason. Larsson, Grubauer, Jaden Schwartz, and Jamie Oleksiak, were all given full trade protection in their new deals. That kind of early spending is only going to make it more difficult to strip the roster back if that investment proves to be a premature one and the Kraken continue to struggle in the years to come.
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