Metropolitan Notes: Capitals, Nelson, Zibanejad, Myers
If it ain’t broke. Don’t fix it. At least that seems to be what the Washington Capitals believe. After capturing the Stanley Cup last season, the team completed one of its final moves when it locked up forward Tom Wilson to a six-year, $31-year deal. And suddenly, the team miraculously has managed to bring back almost its entire roster for next season, according to J.J. Regan of Yahoo Sports.
While all teams are forced to shake up their roster and allow for the losses of free agents after each season, the Capitals are an unusual situation, considering the number of potential free agents as well as how tight their salary cap has been over the past two years. It wasn’t going to get any better, yet still, the team still was able to re-sign stud defenseman John Carlson (eight years, $64MM) as well as find a creative way to trade defenseman Brooks Orpik to Colorado and then bring him back after the Avalanche waived him. They also managed to hold onto trade deadline acquisition Michal Kempny (four years, $10MM).
Sure, the team did suffer a couple of losses, including the loss of fourth-line center Jay Beagle and backup goaltender Philipp Grubauer. However, the team has people ready to step into those positions, including prospect Travis Boyd, free agent acquisition Nic Dowd as well as place long-time minor leaguer Pheonix Copley to fill in for a year, while the team waits for superstar prospect Ilya Samsonov to develop in the AHL for a year.
- Andrew Gross of Newsday wonders whether the New York Islanders would consider moving center Brock Nelson for a defenseman, now that the 26-year-old has agreed to a one-year, $4.25MM deal with the team. With quite a bit of youth in the wings and the team in desperate need for blueline help and the fact that Nelson could walk away from the team as an unrestricted free agent next season, a trade might make a lot of sense. Nelson has been quite productive for New York, posting at least 19 goals in his last four seasons.
- The Athletic’s Rick Carpinello (subscription required) analyzes and grades the season of New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad, who took over the team’s No. 1 center position last season after the team traded away Derek Stepan. Many of the same questions about Stepan not being a No. 1 center now have fallen to Zibanejad. Yet, the 25-year-old definitely took his game up a notch, posting a career-high 27 goals in 72 games, but once again suffered an injury that interrupted his season. It marks the second straight year that Zibanejad has struggled with injuries, which is a concern and the center still must work on his consistency, including the fact that he posted no goals and one assist in the final seven games.
- Dave Isaac of the Cherry Hill Courier Post writes that if the Philadelphia Flyers are impressed by the play of 6-foot-5 prospect Philippe Myers in training camp this year, that could impact the role of defenseman Radko Gudas, who could then be on his way out as Myers physicality could replace Gudas role as well as the fact that Myers and Travis Sanheim were a great pair when they were together with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the AHL.
Flyers Have Had Internal Discussions About Extensions For Ivan Provorov And Travis Konecny
- The Flyers have had internal discussions about early extensions for defenseman Ivan Provorov and winger Travis Konecny, notes Dave Isaac of the Cherry Hill Courier-Post. Both players are entering the final year of their entry-level deals next season and will be restricted free agents (without arbitration eligibility) next summer. GM Ron Hextall acknowledged, however, that there’s no rush to get a deal done with either player.
Morning Notes: Miller, van Riemsdyk, Virtanen
K’Andre Miller will miss out on his next opportunity to impress the New York Rangers staff as he’s been forced off the USA Hockey World Junior Summer Showcase roster due to illness. Miller, selected 22nd-overall in June’s draft, will give up his spot to Max Gildon, a third-round pick of the Florida Panthers who attended the Showcase last summer as well.
Miller will play this season at the University of Wisconsin, and continue to develop as a defenseman after switching positions from forward just two years ago. Though he’ll need time to develop his defensive instincts further, there are already signs that Miller could grade out as a top-end option for the Rangers down the line. His length and skating ability should allow him to thrive in the NCAA right away, though the World Juniors may have to wait until next year.
- James van Riemsdyk knew that he wouldn’t be back with the Toronto Maple Leafs this season long before he signed with the Philadelphia Flyers, as his former team was up front with him heading into free agency. van Riemsdyk told media including Adam Kimelman of NHL.com that the Maple Leafs informed him they would be going in a different direction a few weeks before July 1st, and that he was grateful to them for being so honest. Interestingly, if we’re to believe that John Tavares made up his mind to go to the Maple Leafs just the night before signing, the team was prepared to let van Riemsdyk walk regardless and would have had an immense amount of cap space to go after other free agents. Signing a five-year $35MM contract with the Flyers, van Riemsdyk was arguably the second-best free agent option on the market behind Tavares.
- Jake Virtanen has a lot of pressure on him to perform up to his high draft status this season, and he’s enlisted the help of a somewhat non-traditional source. Pavel Barber, the YouTube stickhandling sensation, has been working with Virtanen this summer according to Mike Johnston of Sportsnet. Barber runs coaching camps across North America and is known for his off-ice stickhandling routines, and Virtanen apparently can already feel an improvement in his game. After struggling to carve out a top-six role for himself despite a sixth-overall draft selection, any help is appreciated by Virtanen and the Vancouver Canucks. The 21-year old forward signed a two-year contract yesterday, and has a lot of pressure on him to perform in the next couple of seasons.
Flyers Okay With Wayne Simmonds Extension Talks Carrying Over Into The Season
The Flyers are hopeful that they can sign Wayne Simmonds but GM Ron Hextall indicated at a press conference today that they have no issue with talks for the winger leaking over into next season (quote via the Flyers’ team website):
Simmonds is entering the final year of what has become a very team-friendly deal with a cap hit of $3.975MM. The 29-year-old has scored at least 24 goals in each of the last five years and is one of the better pure power forwards in the league. As a result, he’ll undoubtedly garner plenty of interest from elsewhere if the Flyers can’t lock him up on a new deal.
Contract Talks Between Flyers And Robert Hagg Are Progressing
Contract talks with restricted free agent defenseman Robert Hagg are progressing, GM Ron Hextall told reporters, including Sam Donnellon of the Philadelphia News. The team is targeting a two-year bridge contract for the Swedish blueliner.
The 23-year-old completed his first full season at the NHL level in 2017-18 and acquitted himself fairly well. While his offensive numbers weren’t anything special (3-6-9 in 70 games), he was a strong physical presence on their back end, recording 238 hits which ranked as the seventh-most in the NHL. He also logged more than 18 minutes a night in the regular season.
It’s likely that Hagg will slot in on the third pairing once again next season, especially following the departure of Brandon Manning to Chicago in free agency. That will allow him to ease his way into a larger workload while still providing Philadelphia with plenty of salary cap flexibility heading into next summer when wingers Wayne Simmonds, Travis Konecny, and defenseman Ivan Provorov are all in need of new contracts.
Hextall was also asked if the Flyers plan to pursue any other free agents or trades this summer but he indicated that the team is probably done shopping and that they are comfortable with internal options for their remaining vacancies, such as third line center. That means that once Hagg (their last remaining RFA) is signed, we probably won’t be hearing much from then until training camp opens up in mid-September.
Philadelphia Flyers Officially Re-Sign Anthony Stolarz
Though it had been reported a few days ago by John Hoven, the Philadelphia Flyers have now officially announced that Anthony Stolarz has re-signed with the team. The deal will be a one-year two-way contract worth just over $761K at the NHL level.
Stolarz, 24, was once an up-and-coming goaltending prospect in the Flyers system with his sights set on the NHL. The huge 6’6″ netminder even played seven games for Philadelphia during the 2016-17 season, but since then has dealt with multiple knee surgeries and played just four minor league games last year. His role in the organization isn’t clear any longer, as the Flyers have Brian Elliott and Michal Neuvirth at the NHL level, Alex Lyon penciled in for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, and Carter Hart banging down the door to jump into the professional ranks. That’s not even including Felix Sandstrom who, while expected to play in Sweden this year, looks ready to contribute in North America in short order.
Hart could technically stay in the WHL for another season, but there’s little chance of that after he has posted one of the greatest CHL goaltending careers in history. Hart has been named the best goaltender in the WHL for three consecutive seasons, while also taking home CHL Goalie of the Year honors twice during that time. He has little left to accomplish in junior, and should make an impact at the minor league level immediately. Where that leaves Stolarz’ future is unclear.
The Flyers will see both Elliott and Neuvirth reach unrestricted free agency next summer, at which point they could turn over the reins to one of their young goaltending prospects and work with them through any inconsistencies or struggles they may endure. They also could bring back one of their veterans or sign someone else, but either way it looks to be a tough road to the NHL for Stolarz with the Flyers. If he can get healthy again and show he is still a legitimate NHL prospect perhaps the team would retain him, otherwise he’s looking at Group VI unrestricted free agency next summer and a chance to start fresh with a new organization.
Former NHL Goalie Ray Emery Passes Away At Age 35
Former NHL goaltender Ray Emery was found dead this morning at the age of 35, according to Hamilton Police. The long-time goaltender drowned in his hometown of Hamilton, Ontario. Hamilton police said Emery was reported missing early this morning and was identified as a victim of a swimming accident.
Emery played parts of 11 seasons with the Ottawa Senators, Philadelphia Flyers, Chicago Blackhawks and the Anaheim Ducks between 2003 and 2015. He played five season for the Senators and even helped take them to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2007. He eventually won a Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks in 2013 as a backup.
“On behalf of the Ottawa Senators, I wish to express my sincere condolences on the passing of Ray Emery,” owner Eugene Melnyk said in a statement. “Ray was instrumental in our run to the 2007 Stanley Cup Final, and at his best he brought a competitive edge and combative mentality to the game. On behalf of our entire organization, I wish to extend my deepest sympathies to Ray’s family, friends and loved ones.”
A fourth-round pick back in 2001, Emery played in 287 NHL games, posting career numbers of a 2.70 GAA and a .906 save percentage. His best season was the year he took the Senators to the finals as he played in a career-high 58 games that season, putting up a 2.47 GAA and a .918 save percentage. He and Corey Crawford also won the William M. Jennings Trophy in 2013 while with the Blackhawks, given to the goaltender or goaltenders who allowed the fewest goals in one season.
Pro Hockey Rumors joins in with the rest of the hockey world with thoughts for the Emery family during this difficult time.
Minor Transactions: 7/15/18
As the off-season wears on, players are feeling the pressure to make a decision. Restricted free agents have until 4pm CT tonight to accept their qualifying offers, while veterans are also beginning to feel like they should take the best offer on the table. Keep up with all of the action here:
- CapFriendly reports that New Jersey Devils defenseman Michael Kapla has accepted his qualifying offer of a one-year, two-way deal worth $874,125 at the NHL level and $70K at the AHL level. Kapla originally signed a two-year deal with the Devils back in 2017 at the end of the NCAA season. The UMass-Lowell captain even suited up for five games with New Jersey down the stretch. However, Kapla did not make an NHL appearance last season, playing the entire campaign with the Binghamton Devils. Even in the AHL, he was overshadowed by the likes of Steven Santini and Jacob MacDonald. With MacDonald signing elsewhere and Santini likely to be full-time in New Jersey – once he signs his own contract – Kapla could be the top minor league option on the blue line for the Devils, but newcomers Eric Gryba and John Ramage may have other plans.
- One defenseman who won’t be in the mix for any NHL teams is Evgeny Medvedev. The Russian rearguard has re-signed with the KHL’s Avangard Omsk, per a team release. Medvedev is coming off the best season of his KHL career; the Avangard captain led the team in average time on ice and recorded a career-high 30 points in 54 games. There was some speculation that, at 35 years old, this performance might spike some interest from Medvedev in taking one last shot at the NHL. He previously played for the Philadelphia Flyers in 2015-16, but underwhelmed with just 12 points in 45 games. Whether the interest was lacking from Medvedev or the NHL market, it seems he opted to just return to Omsk and – assuming he can’t top last season as he enters the twilight of his career – is likely done with the NHL for good.
Flyers Sign RFA’s Taylor Leier And Tyrell Goulbourne
The Philadelphia Flyers have had a busy morning, announcing new one-year contracts for both Taylor Leier and Tyrell Goulbourne and confirming the signing of Danick Martel, also to a one-year deal which had been previously reported. While Martel simply accepted his qualifying offer, the other two contracts were negotiated. No salary terms were revealed by the team, but CapFriendly reports that Leier will make $720K on a one-way deal, while Goulbourne will likely play on a two-way deal similar to Martel’s.
Leier’s contract is interesting for many reasons. The first, and most pressing, is that it negates an August 3rd arbitration hearing date. Leier had filed for salary arbitration after spending the entire 2017-18 season in Philadelphia. While Leier only played in 39 games, it is easy to see why he might not be agreeable to a two-way deal after avoiding the AHL for an entire campaign. However, Leier’s qualifying offer was of a two-way nature. Rather than agree to that deal, the two sides worked out a contract that actually comes in below the qualifying offer value, but with a one-way status. Leier, 24, collected five points last season and will be looking to improve his production in the coming season.
Goulbourne finally cracked the NHL last season after his first two pro years were spent entirely in the minors, including half a season in the ECHL. The 24-year-old managed to get into nine games with the Flyers, though he was held scoreless and saw under six minutes of ice time per night in a fill-in role. Goulbourne wasn’t super productive with the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms either, recording just 19 points in 63 games. Although Goulbourne is a more defensive-minded forward, he’ll need to show a more well-rounded offensive game if he wants to earn another long stay in Philadelphia.
With these three forwards locked up, Philadelphia has just two more restricted free agents to deal with. Defenseman Robert Hagg, who was very reliable in 70 games as a rookie on the Flyers’ blue line, is a interesting case to follow, as the team needs to be careful about the length and value of the contracts they hand out to their many promising young defenseman, as setting a bad precedent could bury them. The situation with goaltender Anthony Stolarz is also curious, as the young keeper missed most of last season due to injury after previously looking like a future star in seven starts with Philly in 2016-17. He now has to compete with Alex Lyon and Carter Hart for the honor of “heir apparent” and the Flyers might be wondering if that is one goalie too many to compete or at least how much they are willing to pay to keep another young backstop around.
Philadelphia Extends Forward Danick Martel
7/15: The team has confirmed the deal, revealing that Martel simply accepted his qualifying offer.
7/12: The Philadelphia Flyers have reached an agreement on a new contract for depth forward Danick Martel. TVA’s Renaud Lavoie reports that it is a one-year, two-way deal for the restricted free agent. Martel will reportedly make $715K at the NHL level.
This deal could prove to be a great value for the Flyers. Martel, 23. was a top-20 goal scorer in the AHL last season with 25 tallies in 59 games. He was one of the top contributors for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, especially in the postseason when he was second on the team in scoring with eight points in 13 games. Martel also cracked 100 points in his final junior season with the QMJHL’s Blainville-Boisbriand Armanda prior to signing with the Flyers. Despite his very small stature – he stands just 5’8″ and weighs in at 161 pounds – Martel has also proven to be a gritty, irritating presence that bothers the opposition, forces turnovers, and draws penalties. In addition to being an offensive force, Martel has been one of the better plus/minus players for the Phantoms in recent years.
While Martel went scoreless in four games up with the Flyers last season, he now enters the 2018-19 season with that experience and hopes to replicate his results in the minors if given another chance at the NHL. Martel will likely get that chance from Philadelphia and maybe even a longer look this time around. Although primarily a left winger, Martel can line up at all three forward positions. He can also play both a scoring or energy role. This versatility should afford Martel the chance to prove himself sooner rather than later and an injury up front for Philly could land him a long-term role.