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Colorado Avalanche Not Expected To Re-Sign Erik Johnson

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The longest-tenured player on the Colorado Avalanche roster is expected to enter free agency next week. Defenseman Erik Johnson isn’t likely to re-sign with the team, per ESPN’s Emily Kaplan, ending a 13-season run in Denver.

Given his age and injury history, it wouldn’t surprise many if the 35-year-old Minnesotan has played his last NHL game. While he didn’t live up to his first-overall billing after the St. Louis Blues made him the first player selected in the 2006 NHL Draft, he was one of the more capable two-way defenders in the league during his minute-munching prime early during his time in Colorado. He’s been a member of the Avalanche for more than 12 years, coming over via trade from the Blues in February 2011.

Coming back from multiple significant injuries throughout his career, Johnson’s excellence in a shutdown role in his latter years made him an underrated crucial piece in Colorado’s 2022 Stanley Cup victory. Averaging just over 17 minutes per game, he recorded five points and a +10 rating in 20 games en route to the championship.

His effectiveness looked diminished this season, though. He struggled to keep up at times and managed just eight assists in 63 games on the year. With the emergence of Bowen Byram as being able to play both left and right defense this year, it muddied Johnson’s role for the future.

He just completed a seven-year, $42MM extension that kicked in for the 2016-17 campaign. If he does opt to extend his NHL career and finds a home with a contender on the open market, it’s hard to imagine a deal worth much more than the league minimum of $775K.

Morning Notes: Hershey, Walsh, MacKenzie

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Many on the East Coast woke up this morning to the news that the AHL’s Hershey Bears emerged victorious as the champions of the 2023 Calder Cup, outlasting the expansion Coachella Valley Firebirds on the road in a Game 7 overtime win. The Washington Capitals affiliate captured their league-record 12th championship thanks to the efforts of alternate captain and AHL veteran Mike Vecchione, who did get one game with the Caps in 2021-22.

It was a strong postseason for a few of Capitals prospects – namely 2019 first-round pick Connor McMichael, who led the team with six goals in 20 games. It was the team’s depth that carried them through the many tribulations a postseason brings, though, with seven players recording 10 or more points. 27-year-old Hunter Shepard, who excelled in his first full AHL campaign after signing with Hershey in 2020, won MVP honors after posting a 2.27 goals-against average, .914 save percentage, three shutouts, and a 14-6-0 record in 20 playoff games.

More from the hockey news cycle this morning:

  • New Jersey Devils restricted free agent defenseman Reilly Walsh is set to lose his waiver-exempt status next season after three strong campaigns in the minors. In an interview with NJ.com’s Ryan Novozinsky, Devils assistant general manager Dan MacKinnon revealed the team is preparing to lose Walsh, either via trade early in the season or a possible waiver claim. A third-round pick of the team in 2017, Walsh has recorded back-to-back 40-plus point seasons with the AHL’s Utica Comets and notched an assist in his lone NHL appearance in 2021-22. With a logjam of elite defense prospects in the Devils organization that includes Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec, though, there isn’t a clear path to sustained NHL time for Walsh.
  • The Nashville Predators have hired Derek MacKenzie as an assistant coach, the team said this morning. MacKenzie had previously worked with new Predators head coach Andrew Brunette for a three-year period with the Florida Panthers, concluding with a President’s Trophy win in 2021-22 with Brunette as head coach. MacKenzie had spent the 2022-23 campaign as head coach of the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves after the Panthers revamped their coaching staff last offseason, where he guided prospects such as forward Quentin Musty (who could be available with Nashville’s first-round selections) to high-end seasons.

Dalibor Dvorsky Signs Two-Year Deal In SHL

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This morning, there’s a notable bit of transaction news involving one of the top prospects available in next week’s draft. Slovak talent Dalibor Dvorsky has signed a two-year contract with SHL club IK Oskarshamn, the team announced this morning.

The move doesn’t prevent Dvorsky from signing his entry-level contract with an NHL team after getting drafted or even heading to play in the NHL before the expiration of the contract, per the league’s transfer agreement with the SHL. Instead, the move ensures Dvorsky has a home to play top-flight professional hockey from his draft year onward.

Dvorsky did play in a pro league for most of this season, although it was in the second division of Swedish hockey, HockeyAllsvenskan. The consensus top-20 pick recorded six goals and 14 points in 38 games with the Solna-based club AIK, although he was held off the scoresheet in seven SHL qualification games. It’s a tough blow for AIK, who won’t have the 18-year-old back in the fold next season as they again try to gain promotion to the SHL.

He joins an Oskarshamn club that’s steadily improved since gaining promotion from the Allsvenskan in 2019, coming off back-to-back playoff appearances in 2021 and 2022. Whichever NHL team selects him next Wednesday will need to keep a careful watch on his usage there, ensuring he’s getting ample chances to develop and isn’t just sitting at the bottom of the lineup – a common occurrence for youngsters in European pro leagues. If he doesn’t succeed in his rookie SHL season, expect his future NHL team to sign him to an entry-level contract next summer and bring him to North America. He would be eligible for AHL designation, given he was a first-round selection.

Stars Unlikely To Bring Back Both Domi And Dadonov

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Saad Yousuf of The Athletic wrote today that the Dallas Stars will be hard pressed to bring back both Max Domi and Evgenii Dadonov. Both forwards are unrestricted free agents who came over to the Stars in trade deadline moves and they were able to fit in well in their new environment. Dadonov had three goals and 12 assists in 23 games after coming over in a trade from the Montreal Canadiens while Domi had two goals and five assists in 20 games after the trade from the Chicago Blackhawks.

Both players had a similar journey to end up in Dallas, albeit at much different points in their careers. The 34-year-old Dadonov spent six seasons in Florida where he was quite productive putting up 202 points in 280 games before he signed with the Ottawa Senators as a free agent. He was traded three times in the span of a year before ending up in Dallas where he played quite well down the stretch.

28-year-old Domi on the other hand spent three seasons with the Arizona Coyotes where he posted 135 points in 222 games before he was dealt to Montreal, then the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Carolina Hurricanes. He signed a one year contract this past offseason with the Chicago Blackhawks before he was traded to Dallas at the deadline.

Yousuf writes in the article that Dallas general manager Jim Nill would love to have both players back, but cap space will likely be an issue. Dallas has just $7.4MM available for next season and based on the projections of Evolving Hockey Domi figures to get a contract around $4.4MM per year while Dadonov is projected to get $2.7MM. Those numbers would leave Nill with $300K to fill out two roster sports, not something that would be possible.

Yousuf sums up his article by saying that he expects Dadonov to be the likelier or the two to return to the club but doesn’t dive too deep into his logic. While cost is always a factor, Dadonov has struggled to fit in with previous clubs and really thrived under head coach Pete DeBoer. Given that close relationship between player and coach it is possible that Dadonov will select comfort level over money on his next contract. Especially after he was dealt four times during his previous deal.

Evening Notes: Salary Cap, Bailey, Graovac

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Chris Johnston of NorthStar Bets is reporting that the NHL and NHLPA will not be negotiating a higher increase to the 2023-24 NHL salary cap meaning that it appears the cap will be set at $83.5MM. The $1MM increase will be a disappointment to a lot of teams that are pressed up against the cap, while teams with ample room under it will have an opportunity to weaponize their space and acquire assets for bad contracts.

Two weeks ago, Joe Smith of The Athletic laid out the case for a larger cap increase this offseason but it appears the NHL and the players association have opted for one more season with a modest increase. The players are expected to pay off the debt they incurred from the 2020-21 and with that there are a lot of people in the hockey community who believe that the cap could increase by more than $4MM for the 2024-25 season, which would be an absolute boon for players hitting free agency 12 months from now.

In other evening news:

  • Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports tweeted today that there is no truth to the rumors that the Arizona Coyotes have interest in New York Islanders forward Josh Bailey. While a cap dump to Arizona does make sense for the Islanders given Bailey’s recent play, they might have to cough up significant assets in order to facilitate a trade to move on from Bailey. The once productive forward struggled last season posting just eight goals and 17 assists in 64 games and has become a regular on most pundits lists of players who will be bought out. Bailey’s contract was frontloaded so while his cap hit will be $5MM next season, his actual salary owed is just $3.5MM.
  • The KHL’s Admiral Vladivostok announced today that they have signed Canadian forward Tyler Graovac to a one-year contract. The Brampton native was drafted in the seventh round of the 2011 NHL entry draft by the Minnesota Wild and spent four seasons in their system split between the AHL and NHL putting up 12 goals and three assists in 84 NHL games. He will be entering his third season in the KHL after spending last year with Podolsk Vityaz where he put up nine goals and 11 assists in 49 games.

New York Rangers Hire Phil Housley

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Earlier today, there were reports indicating that Peter Laviolette and the New York Rangers had an interest in bringing in Phil Housley as an assistant coach for the team’s upcoming season, and that’s exactly what they did. Arthur Staple of The Athletic reports that Housley will indeed be joining Laviolette’s staff as an assistant coach for the Rangers.

Before the Nashville Predators brought in Laviolette prior to the 2014-15 season, Housley had actually already spent a season on Nashville’s bench. The two would go on to coach the next three years with each other, helping the Predators to the 2017 Stanley Cup Final against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Because of his success in Nashville, the Buffalo Sabres were the first team to give Housley a shot at head coaching, beginning before the 2017-18 season. In 164 games spent manning the bench in Buffalo, Housley would produce a record of 58-84-22, well outside the playoff picture in both years.

After being fired from the Sabres after the 2018-19 season, the Arizona Coyotes, along with then-head coach Rick Tocchet signed Housley to a multi-year deal. During his time with the Coyotes, which ended after the 2021-22 season, Housley was primarily used as the team’s defensive and power play coach.

Aside from Laviolette bringing in some familiar faces to his coaching staff, this is quite the shrewd move for Housley as well. Since the run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2017, Housley has failed to be on the bench of a competitive team. During those separate times with the Sabres and Coyotes, Housley did not manage to find any success at all. Joining a Rangers team that is expected to contend for the Cup next year, this will be an opportunity for Housley to gain back confidence and strengthen his resume.

Coyotes Sign Michael Carcone To Extension

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In a press release, the Arizona Coyotes have announced that they have signed forward Michael Carcone to a two-year, $1.55MM contract extension. It will be a one-way deal for Carcone, who was scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency in a few weeks.

Without many games under his belt at the NHL level, Carcone could still see some ice time for the Coyotes this upcoming season in case of injury to the typical roster. Signed out of juniors by the Vancouver Canucks back in 2016, Carcone has played 30 games in the NHL, all in Arizona, scoring six goals and three assists.

Even though Carcone hasn’t been much of a factor for the Coyotes, it is quite easy to tell why Arizona felt the need to extend him before the offseason even started. Not only was he one of the best scorers in the AHL this season, he was statistically the best. In 65 games for the Tuscon Roadrunners, Carcone scored 31 goals and 54 assists, earning him the John B. Sollengerger Trophy.

As well as earning top-scorer honors in the AHL this year, Carcone was also one of three forwards on the 2022-23 AHL First All-Star Team at the season’s end. Eliminated by the eventual Western Conference champion Coachella Valley Firebirds in the first round of this year’s Calder Cup playoffs, Tuscon should still be in good shape with Carcone on the roster.

Canucks Notes: Pettersson, Draft, Pearson

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During a press availability earlier today, the general manager of the Vancouver Canucks, Patrik Allvin, spoke with the media about a wide range of topics, including injury reports, extensions, the draft, etc. Although the Canucks have plenty of roster reconstruction to take care of this offseason, keeping their most important player is another vital issue at hand.

Elias Pettersson, who just finished the best season of his young career with 39 goals and 63 assists, will be eligible for a contract extension in a few short days. At his age and the talent he brings to the Canucks organization, it is reasonable to assume that Pettersson’s next contract may be $80MM over eight years if not more.

Surprisingly, during the media availability, Allvin appeared very calm about a possible extension for Petterson, saying, “We’re going to sit down when the time is right. There is no rush” (Tweet Link). With plenty of roster turnover expected this summer, the extension for Petterson should be top of mind for the Canucks. Along with Quinn Hughes, Pettersson is a main building block that Vancouver is expected to build around. Without a long-term extension in place with him, it will be difficult for Vancouver to cultivate a long-term plan around him this offseason, if they do acquire outside talent.

Other notes:

  • Already sitting with the 11th pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, it does not sound like Allvin is satisfied with their current positioning. In the same meeting with the press, Allvin said, “I’m looking at options to trade up, if that’s an option” (Tweet Link). Unfortunately, it is unlikely that any teams in the top seven of this year’s draft would be willing to trade down. With reasonable expectations, the Washington Capitals (eighth), Detroit Red Wings (ninth), and St.Louis Blues (10th) seem the most likely group above Vancouver to make a trade, but even that should be considered a low probability.
  • Lastly, on the injury front, Allvin did say that forward Tanner Pearson should be fully healed from wrist surgery by the end of summer, and be fully expected to join the team for training camp (Tweet Link). On long-term injured reserve for much of last season, his activation would mean his $3.25MM would go back on the books, tightening the Canucks’ cap space even further.

East Notes: Muse, Housley, Sanderson

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The new head coach of the New York Rangers, Peter Laviolette, is working diligently on getting the rest of his bench filled out for the upcoming season. In the last 36 hours, one name has already been inked, as former player Michael Peca will be brought on to serve as an assistant coach.

Adding to that list, Mollie Walker of the New York Post reports that Dan Muse will also be brought on to serve as an assistant coach on the Rangers’ bench. This will not be Muse’s first shot in the NHL, as he served under Laviolette with the Nashville Predators from 2017-20.

Since then, Muse has been serving as head coach of the United States U18 team, coaching the team to a gold medal finish last April in Switzerland. Adding to his winning pedigree before his time in Nashville, Muse was also an assistant coach for Yale University from 2009-2015, helping his team win the 2013 Men’s Ice Hockey National Championship against Quinnipiac University.

Other notes:

  • Like Muse, there may be another former Nashville coach joining Laviolette in the Big Apple, as Lance Lysowski of the Buffalo News reports that Laviolette has interest in bringing in Phil Housley. After his time in Nashville came to end in 2017, Housley signed on with the Buffalo Sabres as head coach, only to be fired after his second year. Currently employed as an assistant coach for the Arizona Coyotes, Housley is most well known for his 21-year career in the NHL, scoring a total of 1,232 points in 1,495 career games.
  • Ottawa Senators defenseman, Jake Sanderson, has switched agents, now being represented by mega-agent Pat Brisson of CAA Hockey (Tweet Link). Although under contract already with the Senators, the change could mean a lot for Sanderson this summer. Entering the last season of his entry-level contract signed back in 2022, Sanderson could sign a long-term extension with Ottawa this offseason.

Hockey Hall Of Fame Announces 2023 Inductees

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Today is the day many hockey lifers have been waiting for, as a few esteemed individuals will get their call from the Hall today. The 2023 class will be as follows:

Ken Hitchcock – builder
Pierre Lacroix – builder (posthumously)
G Tom Barrasso – player
G Henrik Lundqvist – player
F Caroline Ouellette – player
F Pierre Turgeon – player
G Mike Vernon – player

Hitchcock’s induction as a builder comes as no surprise. He’s been a staple in the NHL coaching fraternity for decades, known for his tactical brilliance and ability to transform teams into contenders. With a career spanning over 1,500 games coached, Hitchcock boasts an impressive coaching resume that includes a Stanley Cup victory with the Dallas Stars in 1999 and a Jack Adams Award with the St. Louis Blues in 2012. Known for his meticulous attention to detail and emphasis on defensive play, he’s left an indelible mark on the sport. After stints with the Stars (twice), Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets, St. Louis Blues, and Edmonton Oilers, Hitchcock last coached in 2018-19.

Lacroix’s posthumous induction is obviously a bit of a bittersweet moment. As the former general manager of the Colorado Avalanche, Lacroix was instrumental in building one of the most dominant teams of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Under his guidance, the Avalanche won two Stanley Cups in 1996 and 2001. Best known for pulling off one of the most impactful trades in NHL history by acquiring netminder Patrick Roy from the Montreal Canadiens, Lacroix was Colorado’s general manager dating back to the team’s final season in Quebec, 1994-95, before transitioning to a president role in 2006. Lacroix passed in December 2020 at the age of 72.

To the surprise of many, this year’s class includes a trio of goalies – although a notable absence remains in Curtis Joseph, who sits seventh in league history in wins and games played. Barrasso was a name many had wondered about for a while in regards to his Hall of Fame likelihood, known for his fierce competitiveness and exceptional athleticism. He backstopped the Pittsburgh Penguins to consecutive Stanley Cup victories in 1991 and 1992, and although his career numbers of a .892 save percentage and 3.24 save percentage are far from impressive (even for his era), he was known as one of the more clutch goalies in the league over his 19-season career. The five-time Vezina nominee totaled 777 NHL games, mostly with the Penguins and Buffalo Sabres. 51 of those 777 games were spent in short stints with the Carolina Hurricanes, Ottawa Senators, St. Louis Blues, and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Now, for the only first-time eligible player on this list, Lundqvist (or “The King” to most in New York) captured many hearts during a long and admirable career with the Rangers. One of the best to ever play the position without winning a Stanley Cup, Lundqvist’s consistency allowed him to be the nucleus of Rangers teams that routinely made it deep into the playoffs throughout the 2010s. He was a perennial Vezina Trophy finalist and became the Rangers’ all-time leader in wins, clearing second-place Mike Richter by over 150. He technically retired as a member of the Washington Capitals, although a career-ending heart issue kept him out of the lineup during his only season there.

Vernon is the true wild card on this list, although he made a name for himself as the backbone of the Calgary Flames, leading them to their first and only Stanley Cup victory in 1989. His fiery demeanor and unwavering determination made him a fan favorite in the city, and he’s among the top 25 netminders in NHL history in terms of longevity. One Vezina nomination and play that wavered wildly throughout his career may have made his election to the Hall a surprise for some, but he is one of the more hallowed names in Flames history.

On the offensive side, Ouellette’s induction solidifies her as one of the most prolific scorers of the 21st century. A longtime member of the Canadian women’s national team, Ouellett has an unparalleled list of achievements in women’s hockey. She captured four Olympic gold medals while recording 1.3 points per game, six World Championship gold medals, and four CWHL championships. She was also appointed as an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2019 and named to the IIHF Hall of Fame earlier this year.

Last but not least is Turgeon, whose offensive prowess and playmaking ability made him a natural choice for induction. Over his 19-year NHL career, Turgeon amassed over 1,300 points and showcased his scoring touch with five seasons of 40-plus goals. Known for his smooth skating and exceptional vision on the ice, Turgeon was a force to be reckoned with, leaving a lasting impression with the Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders, and St. Louis Blues – also spending chunks of time with the Montreal Canadiens, Dallas Stars, and Colorado Avalanche.

It’ll have to wait another year for notably snubbed stars like Alexander Mogilny and Sergei Gonchar, both of whom should be statistical locks based on some comparable players who’ve already been inducted.

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