Philadelphia Re-Signs Brandon Manning
According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, the Philadelphia Flyers have reached an agreement with their final arbitration-eligible player Brandon Manning on a two-year, $1.95MM deal. Tim Wharnsby of CBC breaks it down: 2016-17 $950K, 2017-18 $1MM.
After the Flyers got Brayden Schenn to sign a long-term deal, Manning was next on the docket and was headed to an arbitration hearing on August 2nd.
Manning made an impact on the Flyers lineup this season, getting into 56 games at the NHL level. The 26-year old scored seven points and logged over 16 minutes a night in his first lengthy chance with the big club.
He’ll now head to camp looking to secure a bottom-pairing job and show that he’s advanced past the AHL level – where he has been spectacular, scoring 43 points in 60 games in 2014-15.
As with the Rangers, the Flyers will now receive a 48-hour buyout window after re-signing multiple arbitration cases. The team has under $500K left under the cap, but no one left to re-sign.
Flyers Re-Sign Brayden Schenn To A Four Year Deal
The Flyers announced Monday morning that they have avoided salary arbitration with RFA forward Brayden Schenn, signing him to a four year contract. TSN’s Bob McKenzie reports that the deal carries a cap hit of $5.125MM per season making the total worth $20.5MM over the life of the contract. General Fanager adds that deal does not contain any no-trade or no-move protection.
The contract makes Schenn the third highest paid forward on the Flyers behind Jakub Voracek and Claude Giroux, who both have cap hits over $8MM.
Schenn is coming off a career year with Philadelphia. Last season, he posted career bests in goals (26), assists (33), and points (59) while averaging 16:54 of ice time per game. He also picked up a pair of assists in six postseason contests while logging just shy of 19 minutes a night.
Schenn has spent most of his career with the Flyers after being a first round pick of the Kings (5th overall) back in 2009. He was acquired by Philly back in 2011 along with Wayne Simmonds as part of the Mike Richards trade. In 354 games between Philadelphia and Los Angeles, Schenn has 84 goals and 109 assists.
The Flyers have one remaining restricted free agent to re-sign this offseason, defenseman Brandon Manning. They currently have a little over $2.25MM in remaining cap space, per Cap Friendly.
CBC’s Tim Wharnsby reports that the structure of the deal is as follows:
2016-17: $3MM salary + $3MM signing bonus
2017-18: $2.5MM salary + $2.5MM signing bonus
2018-19: $2.5MM salary + $2.5MM signing bonus
2019-20: $2MM salary + $2.5MM signing bonus
[Related: Flyers’ Depth Chart]
More On The Blackhawks, Jimmy Vesey
Kristi Loucks of Today’s Slapshot writes today on the emerging speculation surrounding Buffalo Sabres’ prospect Jimmy Vesey, who can become an unrestricted free agent on August 15th, when his draft rights expire, and the Chicago Blackhawks. We’ve discussed before the talk surrounding Vesey and the Blackhawks, and the news that Stan Bowman has been going to Foxboro, Massachusetts to watch Vesey play summer games.
Loucks mentions the Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers, and Toronto Maple Leafs as other teams that will be in the running for Vesey’s services. In season-long speculation involving Vesey, his ties to Sabres’ forward Jack Eichel are often brought up, as are his having been raised in Boston, and the fact that his father Jim is a scout for the Leafs, and his brother Nolan is a Leafs prospect himself.
Loucks discusses the benefits available in Chicago for Vesey. Obviously they’re a legitimate contender, having won the Stanley Cup three times this decade, but they’re unique for a contender in that they offer a large amount of playing time immediately for a young player. The Blackhawks aren’t particularly deep at left wing, and assuming Calder Trophy winner Artemi Panarin stays on the second line with Artem Anisimov and Patrick Kane, Vesey could find the opportunity to play top minutes with future Hall of Fame linemates in Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa.
Salary Arbitration Updates: Schenn; Holland
Both Brayden Schenn and Peter Holland are scheduled for salary arbitration on Monday, and the offers from both the players and teams have been released.
CBC’s Tim Wharnsby reports that Brayden Schenn is asking for a one-year deal worth $5.5MM. The Flyers are offering a two-year deal worth $4.25MM in year one and $4.37MM in year two. Any decision by an arbitrator would trigger the Flyers’ ‘walk-away’ rights—the option for the team to walk away from the decision and render the player an unrestricted free agent—because an award would be above the $3.9MM threshold. Because the Flyers elected a two-year decision, using the walk away right would reduce the decision to one year and then Schenn becomes an unrestricted free agent.
Schenn scored 26G and 33A in 80 games last year for the Flyers, finishing third in team scoring. Schenn’s numbers are higher than Chris Kreider’s, who the New York Rangers signed for $4.65MM AAV prior to arbitration. Schenn’s production is also higher than Alex Killorn’s—another RFA signed before arbitration— who agreed to a long-term deal worth $4.45MM AAV. The best comparable from Schenn’s point of view is St. Louis Blues forward Jaden Schwartz. Schwartz signed a five-year deal worth $5.5MM AAV ahead of arbitration. The young Blues forward scored 8G and 14A this year in only 33 games, but potted 26G and 35A in 75 games last season. Schwartz also netted 4G and 10A in 20 playoff games this year as the Blues made it to the Western Conference Finals.
Wharnsby also reports that Peter Holland—fresh off of being waived by the Maple Leafs in a move to prove the center’s value around the league—is asking for $2.1MM. The Leafs have offered $900K. The parties are apart by $1.2MM. The center scored 9G and 18A in 65 games for the Leafs last season while sporting only a 46.5% success rate in the face-off dot. The Leafs have been patient with Holland, but expectations from management that he will flourish into a power-forward are waning.
Holland’s perception as a bottom-six forward poses a problem for accurately pinning down his worth. On one hand, Lars Eller—a center with similar stats—is making $3.5MM annually. On the other hand, Mikhail Grigorenko—also with similar stats—just signed a one-year deal before arbitration worth only $1.3MM. So much of a bottom-six forward’s value relies on how the league perceives a player, regardless of whether that perception is valid. Gritty forwards get paid more than offensive busts despite similar stats.
Arbitration Tracker
Ten days ago, the NHLPA released the schedule for player and team-elected arbitration hearings. Since then, four hearing dates have come and gone with no hearings, with eight players agreeing to contracts to avoid the unpleasant process.
Here’s an updated list of all 24 players who were scheduled for an arbitration hearing:
Player Elected Filings:
Arizona Coyotes
Michael Stone – Stone and the tough-negotiating Coyotes have a hearing set for August 4.
Colorado Avalanche
Tyson Barrie – Hearing set for July 29. Barrie has been the subject of near-constant trade rumors this summer.
Mikhail Grigorenko – Agreed to a one-year, $1.3MM contract on July 20, just two days before the scheduled hearing.
Detroit Red Wings
Jared Coreau – Agreed to a two-year, $1.25MM contract on July 6, well before any hearings were scheduled.
Danny DeKeyser – Signed a six-year deal on July 26th, locking him up long-term for the Red Wings.
Minnesota Wild
Jordan Schroeder – The Wild signed Schroeder to a one-year, two-way deal on July 23rd worth $675K in the NHL and $275K in the AHL.
Nashville Predators
Petter Granberg – Signed a two-year, two-way deal worth $575K / $175K (300K guaranteed) in the first year, and $650K / $175K in the second.
Calle Jarnkrok – Signed a six-year, $12MM deal July 27th.
New York Rangers
Kevin Hayes – Signed a two-year, $5.2MM deal Friday afternoon, hours after Kreider.
Chris Kreider – The Rangers and Kreider agreed to a four-year, $18.5MM contract Friday morning, beating the scheduled 9am arbitration meeting.
Dylan McIlrath – The massive defender signed a one-year, $800k contract last week, beating his hearing by a week.
J.T. Miller – World Cup-bound Miller and the Rangers settled on a two-year, $2.75MM contract on July 13.
Ottawa Senators
Mike Hoffman – After a long negotiation, the Senators and Hoffman agreed to a four-year, $20.75MM deal on July 27th.
Philadelphia Flyers
Brandon Manning – Manning got an unexpected second year in his two-year, $1.95MM deal he signed on July 26th.
Brayden Schenn – Schenn and the Flyers agreed to a four-year deal worth $5.125MM AAV.
Jordan Weal – Acquired by the Flyers in the Vincent Lecavalier trade, Weal signed a one-year, two-way, $650K contract the day the arbitration schedule was released.
St. Louis Blues
Jaden Schwartz – The Blues signed their young star to a five-year, $5.5MM contract last week.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Alex Killorn – The clutch playoff performer signed a long-term extension over the weekend, agreeing to $4.45MM per year for seven seasons.
Vladislav Namestnikov – World Cup-bound forward signed a two-year deal worth $1.9375MM on July 26th, three days before arbitration hearing.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Frank Corrado – Toronto signed Corrado to a one-year, one-way deal worth $600K on July 25.
Peter Holland – Holland signed a one-year deal worth $1.3MM on July 25.
Martin Marincin – The promising young shut-down defenseman is scheduled for arbitration on August 2.
Washington Capitals
Marcus Johansson – Johansson agreed to a three-year, $4.58MM contract just minutes before his hearing was set to begin.
CLUB ELECTED FILINGS:
Detroit Red Wings
Petr Mrazek – Just before his hearing on July 27th, Mrazek and the Red Wings inked a two-year, $8MM deal. With Jimmy Howard still earning $5.3MM for next season, the duo is one of the more expensive in the league.
We’ve previously explained the arbitration process as part of our Capology 101 series. Check out our Mike Furlano’s articles on eligibility and the arbitration process.
Snapshots: Brayden Schenn, O’Byrne, Giroux, Shattenkirk, The Players’ Tribune
Greg Paone of CSNPhilly writes today that a shorter term deal could be beneficial to both the Philadelphia Flyers and forward Brayden Schenn, as they look to avoid an arbitration battle. Paone argues that Schenn’s first five years as a Flyer have been marked by inconsistency, and the Flyers may not be ready to bet on him just yet. On the other hand, Schenn, coming off the best year of his career, could get a bigger deal later on, by betting on himself and going out and producing the same kind of totals he did this year. It may be worth noting that Brayden Schenn’s career points and goals per game numbers are just shy of those put up by Leafs’ forward Nazem Kadri, taken two pick after him in the 2009 entry draft, and who signed a six-year contract jut after the season, with a $4.5MM average annual value.
More news and links from around the NHL:
- Former Canadiens, Avalanche, and Maple Leafs’ defenseman Ryan O’Byrne has announced his retirement from professional hockey. O’Byrne, who is perhaps most famous for an odd arrest involving a woman’s purse, last played in the NHL in 2013, during the Maple Leafs’ infamous series with the Boston Bruins. O’Byrne played this past season for HV71 of the Swedish league.
- Joey Alfieri of NBC Pro Hockey Talk reports good news for Flyers fans. Claude Giroux skated today, a week sooner than he was expected to. Giroux, who had been expected to miss 10-12 weeks following hip surgery, scored 22 goals, 67 points in 78 games of what is actually a bit of a down year, given his normal production. That said, he was likely playing hurt for a portion of that, and was still selected to represent Canada at the World Cup of Hockey.
- Andy Graziano, an Islanders columnist for SNY in New York, notes NHL.com’s Brian Compton’s assertion that the Rangers aren’t done, and reports that talks for Blues’ defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk are “heating back up.” Shattenkirk has been tied to the Rangers repeatedly this summer, and the recent Derick Brassard trade managed to clear some cap room.
- Speaking of the Rangers, former Ranger Brian Leetch and current Ranger Dominic Moore took the The Players’ Tribune today. Moore wrote in advance of his annual charity ping pong tournament to benefit research for concussions, brain injuries, and ran cancers, and Leetch discussed the assortment of legends he got to play with in his time in New York.
Free Agent Profile: Matt Carle
In June, partially as a response to the re-signing of captain Steven Stamkos, the Tampa Bay Lightning bought out the remaining two years of defenseman Matt Carle‘s six-year contract. Carle never found his footing in Tampa Bay, his possession numbers declined continuously, along with his ice time, and after putting up impressive seasons of 35, 41, and 38 points in his last three years with the Flyers, his 31 point year in 2013-14 is the only year with the Lightning where he finished with more than 22. This was all a particular disappointment, since Carle came with a hefty $5.5MM cap hit.
Carle made his name in San Jose as a puck moving defenseman, and was originally dealt to the Lightning in 2008, as part of the trade for Dan Boyle. This was a short-lived arrangement, as 12 games into his first term with the Lightning, he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers for a package centered around forward Steve Downie.
Carle blossomed in Philadelphia, and was a consistent offensive presence for the Flyers, helping them reach the Stanley Cup finals in 2010, before losing to the Blackhawks. In that run, Carle scored 13 points in 23 games, playing primarily with future Hall of Fame defense partner Chris Pronger. He also appeared with teammates James van Riemsdyk, Ian Laperriere, and Scott Hartnell in the 2012 comedy This Is 40. By the time the movie was released, only Hartnell was still with the Flyers, in part because in July of 2012, Carle had signed his six year contract with the Lightning, worth a total of $33MM.
Potential Suitors
When it comes to players who’ve seen their careers hit the skids, it’s not uncommon for coaches and general managers who’ve worked with them before to look to give them a second chance. Former Flyers’ GM Paul Holmgren is still the team president, and may be willing to offer him a chance, and it’s possible to envision former Flyers’ coach Peter Laviolette pushing to get him to camp in Nashville, considering how much he’s relied on him before, though the Predators have a very deep defense core, so he may be difficult to fit in. Ottawa Senators’ coach Guy Boucher also has experience with Carle, though he was fired two months into said experience.
Then there are the San Jose Sharks, with GM Doug Wilson having drafted him in 2003. Granted, Wilson was only weeks onto the job in San Jose when he did so, and traded him fairly early into his career. After those teams, the list is fairly non-specific, open to anyone who could use cheap defensive depth. His salary and term won’t be restrictive.
Expected Contract
Carle’s age and recent history make him a gamble, and considering he lacks spectacular upside, at this point, that’s a gamble a lot of teams won’t be looking to make. Should he choose to continue his career, which just about every player wants to do as long as they can, and he isn’t old enough to assume he’d happily walk away, it will likely be by trying to stick through a training camp invitation. Should he make a team out of camp, he’ll probably cost in the range of $750k to $1MM, which is roughly what room a team has left to pay a depth defenseman at the end of camp.
Free Agent Profile: Dan Boyle
Free agent defenseman Dan Boyle, who spent last year with the New York Rangers, is still searching for a contract. Boyle, 40, was ranked #42 on our list of the top 50 NHL unrestricted free agents this year. It seems unlikely he’ll return to the New York Rangers next year, despite the cap space they’ve cleared, given that they already have eight defensemen under contract, and four of them are right hand shots.
Still, Boyle has been a useful contributor his entire career, and remains so, despite going undrafted. Last year he put up 10 goal, and added 14 assists. His possession numbers were strong relative to a brutal possession team. Boyle won an Olympic gold medal playing for Canada in 2o10, and a Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004. He’s on the smaller side, especially for defensemen, at 5’11”, but he’s always moved the puck well.
Potential Suitors
The Edmonton Oilers have been searching for help on the right side of their defense all summer, with just Mark Fayne and Adam Larsson there currently. The Toronto Maple Leafs bid for his services when he was last a free agent in 2014, and also look to need depth on defense, but the return of Roman Polak on the right side probably rules then out. His hometown Ottawa Senators could use right-side depth after Erik Karlsson, but it’s worth noting that they’ll likely give Cody Ceci every opportunity to fill the second pairing role. None of these teams seem especially appealing to Boyle, given their recent struggles. At his age, he’s likely to want to play for a serious contender.
That said, the Dallas Stars, winners of the Central division title, only have John Klingberg among right handed defensemen with significant NHL experience, though Stephen Johns, with 14 games played in the NHL, is under contract. The Philadelphia Flyers, who’ve been carrying many puck moving defensemen of late, may have a use for him. They have seven defensemen under contract, with Brandon Manning still to sign, but none outside of Radko Gudas play right handed, and several don’t appear to be locks for playing time.
Projected Contract
Boyle should be looking at a one-year contract at around $2MM, given that he’s still productive, but comes with a certain amount of risk as a 40 year-old defenseman. Still, he’s got enough rare qualities, his ability to carry the puck, his ability from the right hand side, that teams looking to balance their defense should seriously consider picking him up a a stop-gap option.
Snapshots: Rieder, Prust, LaBarbera
News and notes from around the NHL:
- Tobias Rieder and the Arizona Coyotes are still far apart on a deal, reports Craig Morgan of Arizona Sports. The German winger scored 14G and 23A in 82 games for the Coyotes, and his 37 points is a 16 point improvement over his rookie year. Rieder was an integral part of the Coyotes team last year, playing over seventeen minutes a game. He is also one of three Coyotes RFAs yet to be signed—Michael Stone and Connor Murphy are still unsigned, with Stone electing salary arbitration. It is possible that Arizona is waiting to see what happens with Stone’s arbitration that is scheduled for August, 4, 2016. The defenseman put up similar numbers to Rieder last season.
- Free agent forward Brandon Prust tells TVA Sports (link in French) that he is willing to take a job anywhere. The former Vancouver Canuck tallied only 1G and 6A in 35 games last year before being sent down to the AHL Utica Comets. He says he was hampered by an ankle injury, and is looking for a chance to prove that he still belongs. Prust will most sign a training camp invite to get a shot at the NHL next season.
- Former NHL goaltender Jason LaBarbera hangs up the skates for a goaltending coach position with the WHL Calgary Hitmen. Originally drafted by the New York Rangers, LaBarbera also played for Los Angeles, Vancouver, Phoenix, Edmonton, and Anaheim. The Philadelphia Flyers signed LaBarbera to a one-year deal last year but relegated him to the minors. The 36 year old finished the AHL season with a 7-14 record with a 3.02 GAA and an .899 SV%.
News And Notes: Kings, Flyers, Scrivens, Penguins
The Los Angeles Kings announced today that they’ve signed 24-year-old center undrafted Patrick Bjorstrand to a one year contract. Bjorkstrand, the son of the Danish league’s Herning Blue Fox’s head coach Todd Bjorstraand, and brother of Columbus Blue Jackets’ prospect Oliver Bjorkstrand, scored nine goals, and 13 assists for the KHL’s Medveščak Zagreb last year.
Further links from around the NHL:
- The Philadelphia Flyers announced via their website that forward Nick Cousins has accepted his qualifying offer. Cousins will earn $937k on a one year contract.
- Former Maple Leafs, Oilers, and Canadiens goalie Ben Scrivens has signed with the KHL’s Dinamo Minsk, according to The Hockey Writers’ Alvis Kalnins. Scrivens played 15 games with the Canadiens this year, posting a .906 save percentage, and split the rest of the season with the Bakersfield Condors and the St. John’s Ice Caps.
- The Pittsburgh Tribune’s Bill West speculates on Twitter that after re-signing Justin Schultz, the Penguins may be loading up on skating defensemen hoping that at least one becomes a significant contributor, and that if several pan out, they may be able to deal one later on.