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Zachary Lauzon Announces Retirement

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Today a promising young career was cut short, as 20-year old defenseman Zachary Lauzon has announced his retirement through a piece by Mikael Lalancette of TVA Sports. The former Pittsburgh Penguins prospect was not offered a contract from the team this summer after dealing with post-concussion symptoms for two years, but did receive an invitation to their rookie camp. Unfortunately, Lauzon’s headaches and dizziness returned, leading to his decision to end his hockey career.

Selected 51st overall in 2017, Lauzon was a promising puck-moving defenseman from the QMJHL that had just put up 21 points in 63 games. Even when he was drafted though there were concerns, as he had just suffered another concussion in the playoffs with Rouyn-Noranda and would miss most of the Penguins development camp that summer. He played just 25 games for the Huskies the following year, and missed all of 2018-19 as he tried to get himself right.

At this point, it would have been a long road to even get to the level he was playing at in 2017. Instead Lauzon will hang up his skates and focus on his health, another example of how easily the dream of professional hockey can be taken away.

Snapshots: Malkin, Kase, Fiala

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Evgeni Malkin has been the target of trade rumors for years now, but after they perked up again following a disappointing 2018-19 season he’s hoping to put them behind him. In an incredible piece that delves into Malkin’s home life and the relationship he has had with teammates (including a spotlight on Phil Kessel) and coaches, Rob Rossi of The Athletic (subscription required) also got an idea of what the big Pittsburgh Penguins forward hopes his future holds:

It’s (a) huge next three years. I still want to play 100 percent — and sign (for) three more years with Pittsburgh.

Malkin’s current contract is set to expire in the summer of 2022, when he will be 35 (turning 36). That would mean another contract would be of the 35+ variety, adding some risk for the Penguins should Malkin decide to retire at any point during it. While that’s a long way away, you can bet GM Jim Rutherford has already contemplated his actions down the road in regards to the franchise icon.

  • With a Justin Faulk trade still being discussed between the Anaheim Ducks and Carolina Hurricanes, Sara Civian of The Athletic confirms previous reports that Ondrej Kase would be involved. That news has surprised some other teams around the league according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, who reports that Kase was unavailable in trade talks for a long time and suggests his new availability may be linked to health concerns. Kase has never played a full 82-game season in the NHL and actually has just 149 games to his name at this point in his career. Still, the 23-year old forward has shown an ability to score goals at a strong rate and could be a nice addition for the Hurricanes.
  • Kevin Fiala remains unsigned, but Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin hopes his talented young forward is in town for training camp when it starts in a few days. Guerin told The Athletic (subscription required) that the team has made a “fair offer” to Fiala and that the 23-year old is now deciding. Fiala came to the Wild from the Nashville Predators last season and put up seven points in 19 games down the stretch, but has shown flashes of top-line offensive potential in the past and could be a huge part of the turnaround in Minnesota.

Penguins Unlikely To Make Cap-Clearing Trade

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The Pittsburgh Penguins are currently over the salary cap limit, per CapFriendly, with $81.66MM committed to 23 players. That does not include restricted free agent defenseman Marcus Pettersson, who reportedly has been waiting for the Penguins to clear the necessary space to sign him to a long-term contract. GM Jim Rutherford even stated that he hoped to sign the 23-year-old blue liner to a long extension and would likely need to move out another roster player to do so. So, a trade is coming to Pittsburgh before the start of the season, right? Probably not, as it turns out. The Athletic’s Josh Yohe recently caught up with Rutherford who has changed his tune on making a deal. “It might turn out that we won’t be able to give Marcus the contract that we want to be able to give right now,” Rutherford said, “But if that’s the case, we’ll make everything work with the cap. And we can do that without trading anyone.”

Yohe speculates that the Penguins could fit Pettersson under the cap on a cheap one-year deal, even though that is not the preference of either side. By demoting one of the defensemen Pettersson would be replacing on the roster, Zach Trotman or Juuso Riikola, the salaries offset somewhat. Trotman in particular appears to be more of a placeholder on the roster if Pettersson is not signed by the beginning of the regular season, as the veteran did not see any NHL action last year. Yohe also adds that keeping Tristan Jarry at $675K as the backup goalie over Casey DeSmith at $1.25MM would also add much needed space, although would be a risky endeavor. DeSmith would be an attractive claim candidate for a number of teams as an affordable backup with term on his contract. The team could choose instead to trade DeSmith, but Rutherford clearly doesn’t see that as a possibility in the current market.

Making a trade remains the simplest way for Pittsburgh to clear space for Pettersson, but Rutherford’s hands appear to be tied. “You can’t make a trade when you can’t find anyone to trade with” he stated to Yohe. The Penguins have been a fixture on the trade market over the last few years and may be running out of willing partners. Last year alone, Rutherford made nine trades during the regular season, only to keep going this off-season with trades shipping out Phil Kessel and Olli Maatta. It could also be the competitors aren’t buying what Rutherford is selling. Defenseman Jack Johnson remains the player that the team would most like to move, but he has little to no market value at his inflated salary. The team also has reportedly tried to flip former Florida Panthers forward Nick Bjugstad, whose value has declined somewhat. As for their more homegrown products, defenseman Justin Schultz and winger Bryan Rust have come up in trade rumors, but have been associated with high asking prices as well.

By saying that no one will make a trade, Rutherford likely just means that no team is currently willing to bite on the players he is open to moving at the price he is willing to take. If that continues, and Pettersson is willing to take a one-year deal with the hopes of driving the price up on an extension next summer, then Rutherford and the Penguins would be better served not to make a desperation trade and instead try to squeeze the young defender onto the roster. It may be difficult season for Pittsburgh when it comes to roster flexibility, but it may be their best solution to the current issue.

Snapshots: RFA Market, Schuldt, Pominville

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The restricted free agent market still hasn’t budged much since the beginning of the offseason, but that means Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic hasn’t missed much during his vacation. The insider returned today with a look at several of the biggest names (subscription required) still without contracts and explained that in many situations term is the big sticking point. In particular, LeBrun spoke with Toronto Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas who maintains that even though the team hasn’t been able to get a deal done with Mitch Marner, the idea of a trade is still almost unthinkable.

That’s the same sentiment that Dubas gave Bob McKenzie of TSN in their interview, explaining that Marner is still a huge part of the Maple Leafs program and they want him in a Toronto sweater for as long as possible. That’s the same company line that almost every GM has uttered over the last two months, but names like Marner, Mikko Rantanen, Matthew Tkachuk and Brayden Point are now just a few days away from missing the start of training camp.

  • One name not mentioned in LeBrun’s piece is Jimmy Schuldt, who continues to negotiate with the Vegas Golden Knights after signing and burning his one-year entry-level deal last season. Schuldt played one game down the stretch for the Golden Knights after finishing his four-year career at St. Cloud State and was expected to challenge for a full-time spot on the Vegas blueline this season. Jesse Granger of The Athletic tweets that nothing has changed in the negotiations of late and that the Vegas front office “believes it can wait Schuldt out to sign him for as cheap as possible.” The Golden Knights have very little cap space remaining even after trading away players like Erik Haula, Colin Miller and Nikita Gusev, obviously leaving them without much flexibility when it comes to Schuldt’s deal.
  • Even with all the focus on the RFA market there is still some talent left among the unrestricted free agent names. One of those is Jason Pominville, who according to Eric Engels of Sportsnet has at least had preliminary conversations with the Montreal Canadiens. The 36-year old has likely had some talks with several teams after registering 31 points in 73 games last season for the Buffalo Sabres. Pominville may not be the 70-80 point player he once was, but he can still contribute enough that he should find a landing spot somewhere before the season begins.

Metropolitan Notes: Schultz, Ho-Sang, Nedeljkovic

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have worked hard to develop their defense and have a number of blueliners under contract with RFA Marcus Pettersson still needing to be signed. However, next season could be a different story. The Penguins’ Justin Schultz is entering the final season of his three-year, $16.5MM deal he signed back in 2017 and is scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency next summer. With the team dealing with serious cap implications now and over the next few years, the team might have trouble retaining their top-four defenseman.

The Athletic’s Rob Rossi (subscription required) suggests that despite struggling the last few years with injuries (he’s only played 92 games over the past two seasons — having only played 56.1 percent of the time), the team might be forced to hold onto him and then allow him to walk for nothing. Schultz is finally healthy for the first time in years and could provide the team with a full season of play. The last time Schultz put together a full year was his first season in Pittsburgh when he posted 12 goals and 51 points in 2016-17 and has proven to be a solid top-four option with scoring ability. With the Penguins window for the Stanley Cup beginning to fade, this could be one of the last years the team can vie for a title and the team could use a healthy Schultz (as opposed to trading him).

Unless the Penguins feel they can free up enough room for the oft-injured defenseman next summer, the team may just have to let him leave at the end of the season.

  • Sportsnet’s Luke Fox writes that this could be a make-or-break year for New York Islanders’ prospect Joshua Ho-Sang. The 23-year-old has got to prove to Islanders’ brass that he belongs in the NHL. Often criticized for his attitude issues, Ho-Sang has struggled to prove himself with the Islanders. After playing 21 games with New York in 2016-17 and 22 games in 2017-18, Ho-Sang only appeared in 10 games despite solid numbers in the AHL. No longer waiver-exempt, Ho-Sang will have to win a spot at training camp or be labeled as a bust and very likely would be claimed by another NHL team. Of course the Islanders need offense after finishing 22nd in the league in scoring, but with a load of veterans on the roster, many of which play bottom-six roles, Ho-Sang might have a tough time proving himself.
  • The Carolina Hurricanes continue to look like a playoff team as their young nucleus continues to mature and develop. The Athletic’s Sara Civian (subscription required) writes that the Hurricanes biggest question mark next season will be its goaltending situation. The team inked last year’s goaltender and fan favorite Petr Mrazek to a two-year, $6.25MM deal. However, despite a impressive season in which he had a 2.39 GAA and a .914 save percentage in 40 appearances. However, the 27-year-old is also well known for his inconsistent play and a year ago looked to be out of the league until Carolina signed him to a “prove it” deal. However, Civian writes the team has backup options just in case with AHL goalie of the year and Calder Cup champion Alex Nedeljkovic as the fallback option even before the team would turn to backup James Reimer or AHL veteran Anton Forsberg as starting goalie options. The 23-year-old Nedeljkovic posted a 2.26 GAA and a .914 save percentage in 51 games for the Charlotte Checkers last year and could be ready for a legitimate crack at a NHL job.

Minor Transactions: 09/01/19

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We’re now into September, but little has changed on the free agent front. Many prominent players, RFA’s and UFA’s alike, remain unsigned, but the NHL markets remain silent. However, minor league teams, foreign clubs, and college programs continue to make make moves in preparation for the coming season. With quite a few to report this morning, keep up with further moves throughout the day:

  • Teemu Pulkkinen won’t be making an NHL comeback attempt this year. And he won’t be playing in Switzerland either. The 27-year-old forward, a Detroit Red Wings draft pick who played in 83 NHL games over five seasons in North America, signed with Dinamo Minsk of the KHL last summer on a one-year deal. After leading the team in scoring, Pulkkinen shopped himself to all of the major league and ended up signing with Lausanne of the Swiss NLA. However, the Finnish winger has opted to stay in Russia instead. Dinamo Minsk have announced a one-year extension with their top forward, saving what little offense they had from last season after finishing 20th in scoring out of 25 teams. A very effective AHL player, as well as KHL player now, another year abroad does not rule out Pulkkinen eyeing a return to the NHL ranks in the future.
  • Patrick McGrath has played exclusively in the AHL over the past three seasons, but this fall he will have to earn his spot at that level. The 26-year-old undersized energy forward has made a living as a role player with his hometown Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in recent years, but failed to record a single point last season in 24 games. With a lacking market as a free agent this summer, McGrath has settled for an ECHL contract with the Utah Grizzlies, the team announced. However, McGrath will also get the chance to try out for their AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles. If the Eagles need a role player of McGrath’s ability, he would at least provide considerable experience to the team after six seasons of minor league hockey.
  • Goaltender Jake Paterson won’t be afforded the same opportunity. A third-round pick of the Detroit Red Wings in 2012, Paterson has struggled throughout his pro career. Through four seasons, the 25-year-old has player the majority of his games in the ECHL in each campaign. Now, it appears he may be at the “AA” level permanently. After his NHL entry-level contract expired two years ago, Paterson managed to find AHL contracts in each of the past two seasons, but now he has signed with the ECHL’s Allen Americans, the team announced. At least he won’t be alone though; Allen has also added fellow AHL vet Shawn O’Donnell. O’Donnell, 31, actually played in 53 games with the AHL’s Hartford Wolfpack last season, but age and inefficient scoring has him settling in the ECHL.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Pittsburgh Penguins

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Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM. Teams that can avert 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 heading into the 2019-20 season. This will focus more on those players who are integral parts of the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Current Cap Hit: $81,657,500 (over the $81.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

F Dominik Kahun (one year, $925K)

Potential Bonuses

Kahun: $2.85MM

Kahun drew enough interest last summer as a free agent that Chicago ultimately signed him to a contract that first-overall picks get.  While he didn’t come close to reaching that level, he fared pretty well as far as undrafted free agents go as he slotted into a top-six role with the Blackhawks before long.  That good showing helped attract some interest from Pittsburgh as the key piece coming the other way in the Olli Maatta trade.  Barring a big offensive breakout, a short-term deal is likely coming his way but it could be closer to the $2MM range next summer.

One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level

F Alex Galchenyuk ($4.9MM, UFA)
F Jared McCann ($1.25MM, RFA)
G Matt Murray ($3.75MM, RFA)
D Juuso Riikola ($850K, RFA)
D Justin Schultz ($5.5MM, UFA)
F Dominik Simon ($750K, RFA)

It has not been a good couple of years for Galchenyuk.  After taking what basically amounted to a second bridge deal, he fell out of favor in Montreal a year later and they sent him to Arizona.  His production dipped with the Coyotes last season and they too parted ways with him, making him the centerpiece of the Phil Kessel trade.  There’s certainly cause for optimism that the 25-year-old can rebound in Pittsburgh’s top six and he’ll need to do so if he wants to cash in with a richer deal next summer.  McCann fared well after a midseason trade and he looks like he could be part of the long-term plans.  He’ll be arbitration-eligible next summer and should easily double his current price tag at the very least.  Simon has moved up and down the lineup but figures to be more of a depth piece this season.  His price tag should remain somewhat low although a small raise should be in order.

When healthy, Schultz has been a big part of Pittsburgh’s back end.  However, he has missed 72 games over the last two seasons which is certainly going to affect his value.  While he may not get back to the 50-point mark, he’s a capable offensive defender so there will be some interest but unless he plays a full season, his next contract may wind up coming in a little bit cheaper than this one.  Riikola held his own in a depth role last year and should once again in that type of situation in 2019-20.  That’s a spot that they’ll be looking to fill on the cheap so either he’ll take a similar contract a year from now or he’ll be replaced with someone who will.

Murray is Pittsburgh’s biggest priority to get re-signed.  While he isn’t necessarily a true franchise player between the pipes, he’s still a quality netminder and despite the fact he already has over 200 career NHL appearances under his belt (regular season and playoffs), he’s only 25 so there’s still room for further improvement.  Accordingly, he’s going to be commanding a sizable raise, especially with his arbitration eligibility.  He’s not going to find himself among the top-paid goalies in the league but it’s quite possible that he gets into that next tier in the $6MM or more range.  That’s something GM Jim Rutherford will be factoring in when it comes to any other movement they look to make.

Two Years Remaining

F Zach Aston-Reese ($1MM, RFA)
F Nick Bjugstad ($4.1MM, UFA)
F Teddy Blueger ($750K, RFA)
D Erik Gudbranson ($4MM, UFA)
D Chad Ruhwedel ($700K, UFA)

Bjugstad was the bigger name coming Pittsburgh’s way in their midseason swap with Florida but he didn’t make the type of impact they were hoping for.  His size is an asset as is his ability to play center and the right wing but he has battled injury issues of his own in recent years while his production hasn’t quite lived up to his salary.  Continuing down that path will result in a pay cut down the road.  Aston-Reese provided the Penguins with some nice production from the bottom six in his half-season worth of games which earned him a small raise this summer.  This is another roster spot they’ll need to fill with a low-salaried player two years from now so Aston-Reese will need to move up the depth chart or risk being deemed too pricey.  Bleuger has been productive in the minors but never got an NHL look before last season.  He should be able to lock down a regular spot on the roster now but once again, this is a roster spot they’ll need to fill at a similar price tag down the road.

Gudbranson was brought in as some injury insurance last season and while he has taken some criticism for his play relative to his contract, he did stabilize their third pairing.  That’s a high price tag for someone in that role but it’s reasonable to suggest that they feel better about this contract than what the numbers might suggest.  Ruhwedel is a capable depth piece and his willingness to play for the league minimum helped secure him a multi-year deal.  He won’t get much more than that the next time he’s eligible for free agency though.

Three Years Remaining

G Casey DeSmith ($1.25MM, UFA)
D Kris Letang ($7.25MM, UFA)
F Evgeni Malkin ($9.5MM, UFA)
F Bryan Rust ($3.5MM, UFA)

Malkin has averaged more than a point per game in eight straight years.  Very few players can say that.  Unfortunately for him and the Penguins though, he’s good for a significant injury almost annually; he has managed to play in 70 games just once over the past six years.  That is limiting the return on what would be a reasonable contract for someone whose output extrapolates to around the 90-point range with regularity.  He’ll be 36 for his next contract which makes it hard to believe he’ll get this type of money again.  Rust has had some success in the last couple of years but has also had some quiet stretches as well.  Between that and a lack of cap flexibility, he has been a speculative trade candidate for a while and isn’t likely to get that type of contract again unless he can produce with more consistency.

Letang is a legitimate top-pairing defender and while his defensive play can provide some opportunities for opponents, he makes more than enough plays at the other end to make up for it.  Like quite a few others on this list already though, staying healthy is a major concern.  He’ll be 35 at his next contract and while he should be able to get a multi-year pact despite the injury issues, it probably will be at a cheaper rate.

DeSmith’s first full NHL season was a successful one.  He pushed Murray for playing time and didn’t look out of place when called upon to take over when Murray was injured.  That helped him earn some job security in what could be classified as a below-market deal for backups relative to what others have got in recent years.  If he does get to free agency three years from now, doubling his current AAV is certainly a possibility at the very least.

Four Or More Years Remaining

F Sidney Crosby ($8.7MM through 2024-25)
D Brian Dumoulin ($4.1MM through 2022-23)
F Jake Guentzel ($6MM through 2023-24)
D Jack Johnson ($3.25MM through 2022-23)
F Patric Hornqvist ($5.3MM through 2022-23)
F Brandon Tanev ($3.5MM through 2024-25)

Crosby continues to be one of the elite players in the league.  The potential is there for the end of his contract to sting a little bit as he’s now 32 but they’ve received plenty of surplus value on it already.  If he decides to play beyond his current deal though, he may not be able to get his number as a cap hit for a third straight contract.  Guentzel’s contract looks like a bargain already following a 40-goal season.  Lots can change between now and the end of his deal but he’s looking like a candidate for a big raise down the road.  Hornqvist’s contract could be a problem before too long.  His style of play is starting to catch up with him and his production dipped last year.  At this point, he could be considered a possible buyout candidate a couple of years from now.  Tanev had a great season in Winnipeg and managed to draw enough interest to get a shocking six-year deal in July.  Clearly, Rutherford thinks he’ll fit in quite well but there’s definitely some risk here.

Dumoulin has largely flown under the radar but has emerged as a reliable top-four blueliner.  His contract seemed pricey at the beginning but is now pretty good value.  Johnson somehow managed to get five years on his deal last summer which drew the ire of many.  The cap hit isn’t massive which helps a little bit but given his role, it’s still a little expensive.

Buyouts

None

Retained Salary Transactions

None

Still To Sign

D Marcus Pettersson

Pettersson fared quite well after being acquired from Anaheim and figures to be a part of their plans for a while.  Both sides want to get a multi-year deal done but his agent has stated they won’t agree to a deal until the Penguins make a trade to free up some cap space for him.

Best Value: Guentzel
Worst Value: Hornqvist

Looking Ahead

A trade likely needs to be made to fit Pettersson in and even with that, they’ll still be up against the cap this season.  Murray’s raise will add another big-ticket deal to their books while they’ll probably want to keep Galchenyuk and Schultz as well.  Further down the road, there are some expensive contracts that aren’t particularly team-friendly.  The Penguins have navigated being tight to the cap for a while now and that’s not going to change anytime soon.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Mike Vellucci Named Wilkes-Barre/Scranton GM

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After Bill Guerin decided to take a job with the Minnesota Wild earlier this month, the Pittsburgh Penguins were not only left without an assistant GM but the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL were without a GM at all. No longer, as the organization has named Mike Vellucci GM of the AHL club in addition to his head coaching role. Vellucci performed the same double-duty with the Charlotte Checkers previously.

Last season in Charlotte, Vellucci and the Checkers took home the Calder Cup as league champions after slowly building to become one of the most stable and successful franchises in the league. The affiliate for the Carolina Hurricanes has produced near countless NHL players over the last several years, thanks at least in part to Vellucci’s work on the development side as well as behind the bench.

When he left the Hurricanes organization earlier this year it came as no surprise that Vellucci returned to an organization led by Jim Rutherford, given the two have history going back decades. Vellucci will now attempt to get the WBS Penguins back to the playoffs after the franchise missed the postseason for the first time in more than 15 years.

Snapshots: Marleau, Puljujarvi, Sheahan, Gardiner

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The Edmonton Oilers are still in need of depth on the wing and remain in the hunt for players that could help fill a need. Edmonton Journal’s Kurt Leavins, in his Sunday column, writes that one option that he’s hearing is that veteran winger Patrick Marleau has shown some interest in potentially signing with the Oilers.

The 39-year-old Marleau was traded to Carolina in a salary dump and the veteran asked the Hurricanes to buy him out with the intention of returning to San Jose and signing with his old team. While that still seems the likely outcome for Marleau, the Sharks have not signed the veteran to a contract yet and the veteran may be looking at other West Coast options. Edmonton could be attractive to him as the team needs help to fill out its top three lines, something the veteran could help with. While his skills have eroded some, Marleau still posted 16 goals and 37 points last season in a crowded Maple Leafs forward group.

  • Leavins, in the same article, adds that with little trade interest brewing for disgruntled Oilers forward Jesse Puljujarvi, the most likely scenario right now if he doesn’t want to return to Edmonton, which he has said numerous times, will be to accept at $200K contract in Finland this season and try to prove himself as a star in the Liiga and then can generate more trade interest next summer. In fact, the Boston Globe’s Kevin Paul Dupont writes that with nothing even close to being lined up in Finland, the 21-year-old winger may have no choice but to return to Edmonton despite all of his agents’ demands.
  • The Athletic’s Allan Mitchell (subscription required) writes that the Edmonton Oilers remain in search for a third-line center and he believes that unrestricted free agent center Riley Sheahan might be a good fit with the team. PHR’s Brian La Rose looked at Sheahan’s free-agent status Saturday and noted that Edmonton could be a suitor for the UFA. It’s unlikely that the team will split their top three players at center in Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, but at the moment, their next best option would be Swiss center Gaeton Haas, which makes most people uncomfortable. With five full seasons under his belt at just 27 years old, the Oilers might be willing to take a chance on him.
  • The Toronto Sun’s Steve Simmons writes that he believes that general manager Kyle Dubas is hoping to work out a way to sign Mitch Marner and unrestricted free agent Jake Gardiner. While that scenario would seem to be unlikely considering the state of Toronto’s cap situation, Simmons writes that the team could decide to sign Marner to a bridge deal, which could give the team some extra room to retain Gardiner who has been sitting unsigned on the free-agent market. The hope is that Gardiner would slot in as a third-line defenseman. However, that scenario remains unlikely as locking up Marner to a long-term deal is the team’s top priority this summer.

Minnesota Wild Hire Bill Guerin

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The search is over for the next Minnesota Wild GM. Michael Russo of The Athletic (subscription required) reports that the team has hired Bill Guerin, taking him away from the Pittsburgh Penguins where he served as assistant GM. The Wild fired Paul Fenton from the position in July after just 14 months on the job.

This will mark the second assistant GM that the Penguins have seen take over their own team in the last two years, after Jason Botterill was hired by the Buffalo Sabres in 2017. When Botterill departed, Guerin was given even more responsibility in the Penguins organization, most notably taking over as GM of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL.

Though he will not come with any experience as a GM of an NHL franchise, there was little doubt that Guerin was on the path towards running his own front office somewhere around the league. The 48-year old had a long and productive playing career that ended with the Penguins in 2010 and quickly transitioned into a front office role with the team, first as a development coach. His ascension up the ranks in Pittsburgh showed just how capable he was in his new career.

In Minnesota however, Guerin will be given a very different task than in Pittsburgh. He must try to rescue a ship that has taken on water over the last two years and start sailing it back in the right direction. The team still has some good young players and veteran talent but have seemed to waver between rebuilding and contending without accomplishing either. Fenton for instance was allowed to sign Mats Zuccarello to a five-year, $30MM deal just before being relieved of his duties, a deal that comes with quite a bit of risk for a club that found itself out of the playoff race last season.

The fact that the new GM is coming in just a few weeks from training camp makes it an even more difficult task, and one that is rarely seen around the NHL. What this means for head coach Bruce Boudreau and the rest of the front office is unclear, though Russo notes that Tom Kurvers who had been working as the interim GM is expected to stay on in some capacity.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

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