Players

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Chicago Blackhawks

September 19, 2017 at 9:03 pm CDT | by Nate Brown Leave a Comment

Navigating the Salary Cap is probably one of the more important tasks for any general manager to have. 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 2017-18 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.

Chicago Blackhawks

Current Cap Hit: $75,034,795 (over the $75MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

RW Ryan Hartman (one-year remaining, $863K)
C Nick Schmaltz (two-years remaining, $925K)
C Vinnie Hinostroza (one-year remaining, $718K)
D Gustav Forsling (two-years remaining, $872.5K)
D Ville Pokka (one-year remaining, $650K)

Schmaltz is a lock for the roster along with Hartman but Hinostroza depending, on the play of a number of players, could find himself in Rockford to start the season. A strong training camp could give him a chance to usurp a few veterans on a PTO while also grabbing a spot away from the likes of a Tomas Jurco, Jordin Tootoo or Lance Bouma. Forsling will most likely spend the bulk of the season in Rockford, barring major injury or a lack of production from one of the veterans. Pokka will vie with Forsling for a spot, but many expect Cody Franson to have the upper hand when it comes to defensemen making the team, leaving the two youngsters as either a healthy scratch, or starting in Rockford.

One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level

F Lance Bouma ($1M, UFA)
RW Patrick Sharp ($800K, UFA)
LW/RW Tomas Jurco (800K, RFA)
RW/LW Tommy Wingels ($750K, UFA)
RW Jordin Tootoo ($700K, UFA)
D Michal Kempny ($900K, UFA)
D Michal Rozsival ($650K, UFA)

It’s an interesting list of players with one-year deals, but Sharp, who is back for a second go-around with the Hawks, could find himself shuffled between the top and bottom six on any given day. Expect Sharp to be the player who takes a similar approach to the now retired Brian Campbell: a reunion in Chicago that could be extended yearly based on his body holding out and production remaining consistent. Sharp spent the last two seasons playing in pain, but after hip surgery, he now feels better. If this rejuvinates him, he could be a bargain deal.

This is dependent on a number of factors, namely, which young kids could see rotation within the lines. Jurco is an acclamation project, a castoff from the Red Wings who could play a big role should he live up to the once-upon-a-time expectations he promised. Wingels, Rozsival and Tootoo are most likely playing out a contract in Chicago while Kempny is playing for a longer term deal. Bouma is most likely a one-and-done in Chicago, but if he can recapture the scoring touch he had two seasons ago in Calgary, he could be a Panik-like revelation and earn some extra years in the Windy City.

Two Years Remaining

RW Richard Panik ($2.8M, UFA)
C Tanner Kero ($750K, RFA)
G Anton Forsberg ($750K, RFA)
G Jean-Francois Berube ($700K, UFA)

Panik received a very cap-friendly hit for a player who found a niche in Chicago, netting 44 points (22-22) in a career year. Kero filled in nicely during a slew of injuries, planting himself as a dependable third line center on a very economically friendly deal. Forsberg and Berube will both have chances to rotate in as backups.

Three Years Remaining

G Corey Crawford ($6M, UFA)

Crawford may be over 30 but he continues to be a dependable and often game-stealing force in the net for Chicago. Though the Hawks blue line is older, Crawford hasn’t shown signs of true regression, as his numbers held steady during a season when Chicago wasn’t nearly as defensively dominant.

Four Or More Years Remaining

Patrick Kane ($10.4M, Runs through 2022-23)
Jonathan Toews ($10.4M, Runs through 2022-23)
Brandon Saad ($6M, Runs through 2020-21)
Artem Anisimov ($4.5M Runs through 2020-21)
Duncan Keith ($5.5M Runs through 2022-23)
Brent Seabrook ($6.85M Runs through 2023-24)
Connor Murphy ($3.85M Runs through 2021-22)
Marian Hossa ($5.28M Runs through 2020-21)

The bulk of Chicago’s salaries are long-term and while some appeared to be wise deals (Kane and Toews) others threaten to be an albatross for many years to come (Seabrook). Hossa’s contract is another one that remains to be seen, as his allergy-related retirement could push the Slovak’s contract onto the LTIR, giving the Hawks some needed breathing room. This hardly solves matters, as it will still limit them from adding any major players since they’ll still be butted up to the Cap limit. The Saad-Panarin deal back in June flipped players with identical dollar amounts but Saad is inked to a longer term. Murphy is a solid defenseman who should only get better with time, especially being surrounded by leaders and talents like Keith, and Seabrook. Finally, the acquisition of Saad will give the front office and fans a litmus test on the Captain. Dogged for “disappearing” in the playoffs and not posting better numbers in the regular season, Saad will be another two-way presence that will ease some of the stress off of Toews’ on-ice assignments. An uptick in production should quiet those who believe Toews is regressing with a very expensive contract.

Still to Sign

None

Looking Ahead

Some say the Blackhawks window is closing, but much of the same was said about the Penguins, who are now coming off consecutive Stanley Cup victories. The key for the Hawks will be health as they certainly don’t have the flexibility to add much in the way of salary.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Red Wings Notes: Rebuilding, LCA, Parenteau, Athanasiou

September 19, 2017 at 7:24 pm CDT | by Nate Brown Leave a Comment

After 25 years of sustained success where the team didn’t miss the playoffs, the Detroit Red Wings are entering a new phase of reality—and it will be painful writes the Athletic’s Corey Pronman. There is an entire generation of Detroit fans who didn’t know the playoffs without the Red Wings in them, but that will become a harsh truth as Detroit attempts to restock a steady–but hardly elite cupboard of talent. Pronman identifies Dylan Larkin, Anthony Mantha, and Andreas Athanasiou as the pillars of hope for Detroit, but they are hardly the likes of Steve Yzerman, Sergei Fedorov or Nicklas Lidstrom, players the Red Wings rode into Stanley Cup glory two decades ago. Pronman continues, writing that it’s not a knock on the players but instead, shows just how hard it is to win consistently in the NHL. Additionally, he reminds Wings fans looking for a full teardown that there is only a 25% chance that tanking will garner a #1 pick–which may not even pan out. Regardless of the path they take, Detroit is surely in for bumpy times ahead.

The Detroit Free Press’ Helene St. James quotes Wings coach Jeff Blashill calling the new Little Caesars Arena the “Ritz Carlton” of hockey arenas. After years of playing at the hastily constructed and outdated Joe Louis Arena, the Red Wings step into a state of the art facility that houses a practice rink and mammoth 25,000 square foot locker room.
St. James also writes that P.A. Parenteau, who signed a PTO with the Red Wings has the best chance of getting a permanent spot by boosting the Red Wings powerplay. Last season, Detroit was dreadful with the man advantage and Parenteau has made a career of potting powerplay goals and it may be a perfect match for both the Wings and the nine-year veteran.
The Red Wings are “standing firm” on their contract offer to forward Andreas Athanasiou, putting a two-year, $3.8M deal on the table. TSN’s Bob McKenzie cited progress between the camps and TSN reported that general manager Ken Holland expects to make a move in order to get cap compliant.

2017-18 Primer: New York Rangers

September 19, 2017 at 6:06 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

With the NHL season now less than a month away, it’s time to look at what each team has done this summer and what to watch for in the year to come. Today, we focus on the New York Rangers.

Last Season: 48-28-6 record (102 points), fourth in Metropolitan Division (lost to Ottawa in second round)

Remaining Cap Space: $3.05MM per CapFriendly

Key Newcomers: D Kevin Shattenkirk (free agency, Washington), F David Desharnais (free agency, Edmonton), D Anthony DeAngelo (trade, Arizona), G Ondrej Pavelec (free agency, Winnipeg), D Alexei Bereglazov (free agency, KHL)

Key Departures: D Dan Girardi (buyout), D Kevin Klein (retirement/Europe), F Derek Stepan (trade, Arizona), G Antti Raanta (trade, Arizona), F Oscar Lindberg (expansion, Vegas), F Brandon Pirri (PTO, Florida),

Player To Watch: D Kevin Shattenkirk – As much as rookies Lias Andersson and Filip Chytil are drawing a lot of the press this preseason, the biggest key to the Rangers offseason remains Shattenkirk. The former St. Louis Blues powerplay specialist was extremely sought after before going to Washington, where some of the weaker spots of his game were exposed. Shattenkirk remains a near-elite offensive defenseman, but will need to be more than just a second-pair guy in New York.

Ryan McDonagh will obviously still be the rock on the Rangers’ blueline, but with several question marks behind him—even though the front office and head coach Alain Vigneault seems determined to add some more mobility and youth there, getting rid of Girardi and forcing Marc Staal to compete for a roster spot—Shattenkirk was paid $6.65MM per season to be their #2. He’ll have to skate against some of the opponent’s best players, and do more than he showed in the playoffs with Washington.

Key Storyline: The Rangers had one of the best records in the NHL last season, but still finished just fourth in the Metropolitan division. Even if Washington takes a step backwards like many are predicting, the Metro is still a meat grinder. Pittsburgh and Columbus may be the class of the Eastern Conference, while the Hurricanes, Devils and Islanders could easily all take big steps forward.

The Rangers have been competitive for some time now, making the playoffs in 12 out of the last 13 seasons but a certain era may be coming close to an end. Henrik Lundqvist will turn 36 this season, and saw his play take a slight step backwards last year. With Raanta no longer in town, there isn’t a clear succession plan should Lundqvist falter. Pavelec has shown the ability to start in short spurts before, but shouldn’t be relied upon for Stanley Cup contention.

Even if their window is closing slightly, this is still an extremely talented team. With a group of core forwards and a relatively overhauled defense, no one would be surprised if they made it deep in the playoffs once again.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Brian Boyle Diagnosed With Leukemia

September 19, 2017 at 4:22 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 5 Comments

The New Jersey Devils announced on a conference call that free agent signing Brian Boyle has been diagnosed with a form of bone cancer (Chronic Myeloid Leukemia). The disease was caught early enough that Boyle will be able to treat it with medication, but more tests will be performed. Boyle is “looking forward to getting back on the ice” and his focus is still on October 7th when the season begins.

Boyle was signed to a two-year contract this summer after splitting time between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs last season, and is generally considered one of the strongest leaders around the NHL. Beloved by his teammates and coaching staffs, there will no doubt be an outpouring of support for him from all around the league. It’s wonderful to hear that he feels largely healthy, and is still committed to starting the season on time.

The 32-year old is expected to play a big role on a team that is looking to make it back to the playoffs this year, solidifying a position that will have several young names vying for spots. The Devils currently figure to have Nico Hischier start the year down the middle, with youngsters Pavel Zacha and John Quenneville potential options. Boyle will likely be used in a bottom-six and penalty killing role, one he has excelled at throughout his career.

Amazingly, Boyle previously wrote a piece profiling his father’s own battle with cancer, and how he has been free of the disease for more than 15 years. Boyle has been involved in the NHL’s Hockey Fights Cancer initiative ever since. As he wrote then:

When it comes to cancer, people don’t always want to talk about it. Unfortunately, it’s often a sad story. But it can also be an inspiring story about people who are fearless in times of adversity, people who have battled and people who are not afraid to put up a fight. Sometimes, it can be a happy story.

Everyone at PHR and around the hockey world is with you Brian. This will be another happy story.

Latest On Matt Duchene Trade Front

September 19, 2017 at 3:04 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 1 Comment

While Matt Duchene continues to practice with the Colorado Avalanche and take it “one day at a time” several other teams are pursuing the 26-year old forward. Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reports that the Senators are one of those teams after Duchene, writing that GM Pierre Dorion “has been aggressive in his pursuit.” The Senators lost Colin White for several weeks last night, who could have been an option in their top-six to start the season; perhaps that will increase their offer ever more, though Garrioch is quick to point out that nothing is close at present.

It’s not clear if the Duchene saga is moving towards an end, but Mike Chambers of the Denver Post was on radio again today saying how players are getting frustrated with the situation. Duchene has been trying to avoid the media as much as possible since reporting to Avalanche camp, issuing only short statements and even changing in a different room. Chambers told Mike Halford and Jason Brough of TSN 1040 that players have expressed some disdain for that decision:

I think his teammates understand that he’s got issues with management and wants a trade. I think his teammates are okay with that, as it is. But I think his teammates cannot handle the fact that Duchene is undressing in another part of the building, so he won’t undress in the locker room where the media has access. I’ve spoken to a couple players—I’m not going to name names—but they think that’s a little off and that’s drawing too much attention to this saga.

While his teammates might not like exactly how he’s dealing with this, that certainly won’t force the hand of Avalanche GM Joe Sakic anymore than it already is. He’s clearly waiting for a deal that satisfies what he believes Duchene is worth, and won’t make a move before he absolutely has to. Garrioch notes that the Avalanche have shown interest in Cody Ceci before, but that the Senators are wary of moving what they believe is a building-block defenseman.

Snapshots: Josi, Faceoffs, White

September 19, 2017 at 2:41 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 3 Comments

The Nashville Predators have named their on-ice leadership group for the 2017-18 season, starting with Roman Josi as the newest team captain. Josi will replace the recently retired Mike Fisher in that role, after wearing an alternate captain’s “A” for the last two years. Josi will be joined by “associate captain” Ryan Ellis and alternates Ryan Johansen, Mattias Ekholm and Filip Forsberg.

Josi will become the leagues second Swiss-born captain following Mark Streit, who wore the “C” for the New York Islanders between 2011-2013. The Predators’ players had a big part in selecting him, but head coach Peter Laviolette had great things to say about his all-star defenseman.

Roman has led by example every day of his life. He is respected by all of his teammates and his peers. His work ethic, communication skills and accountability to his team make him the perfect choice to lead this group moving forward.

Other notes from around the league…

As anyone who watched the first few preseason games will have noticed, the NHL is cracking down on slashes to try to stop incidents like the Marc Methot–Sidney Crosby injury last season. Almost everyone is on board with trying to reduce hand injuries, but it’s not so clear cut on the other rule they’ve chosen to enforce. Faceoff violations drew 10 different penalties on Monday night, and the league says they’ll continue to enforce where a player can put his feet—signified by the in-circle hashes—and where they must start their stick. Neither the slashing rule nor the faceoff rule are actually new, they’re just being cracked down upon to try and quicken pace of play and reduce injuries.
The Vancouver Canucks have announced that Ryan White likely suffered a concussion and is in the league’s protocol, which doesn’t bode well for his chance to earn a contract in camp. White is on a professional tryout, trying to prove that he’s worth an NHL deal after splitting last year between Arizona and Minnesota. An effective fourth-line player, he could have potentially seen a regular shift for the Canucks who are in full rebuild mode.

KHL Team “Very Interested” In Jaromir Jagr

September 19, 2017 at 12:30 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 1 Comment

12:30pm: Eronko spoke with Jagr about the potential KHL contract, who was very forthcoming in why he would consider the league.

KHL is possible ’cause if I’m not in NHL then I want to go to the Olympics. I want to try to make the team. If I want the Olympics, I have to play in the best possbile league; that’s what the KHL is.

11:20am: Though it’s not clear if there is any interest on his part, Jaromir Jagr is very much on the mind of Rail Yakupov, the head of HC Neftekhimik in the KHL. He was quoted today by the league’s Twitter account, saying that he’s “very interested” in the legendary Czech winger. Igor Eronko of Sport-Express confirms that the team is in talks with Jagr.

It’s clear why they would be interested in Jagr after missing the playoffs last season, but why exactly the 45-year old would want to sign there isn’t apparent. Perhaps they’re offering the most money, or he just wants the challenge of the KHL, but if he wants to play in the Olympics there are easier ways. Jagr owns a Czech team that he could join until the tournament begins, and since the NHL trade deadline is a day after the gold medal match, could sign and play the stretch run with a contender. Signing with Neftekhimik likely takes that option away (though there could be an out clause inserted into the contract), while not giving him a great chance at winning a Gagarin Cup.

It would be surprising if it were the only KHL team after him, but the offseason has been a wild ride of silence already in terms of his playing future. Why he hasn’t been signed to an NHL team remains a mystery to many, as it’s obvious he can still contribute in some ways.

Zach Sanford, Jay Bouwmeester Out Long-Term

September 19, 2017 at 11:45 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The St. Louis Blues announced today that Zach Sanford’s shoulder injury is much worse than originally expected, and the young forward will be out five to six months. Jay Bouwmeester has also suffered an ankle fracture, and will be re-evaluated in three weeks. Sanford was only expected to miss a few weeks, but will require surgery to fix his dislocated shoulder.

It’s a crushing blow for the Blues, who were expecting Sanford to compete for a full-time spot on the team to start the year. Acquired by St. Louis as part of the Kevin Shattenkirk deal, the 22-year old forward scored five points down the stretch and looked to be a big part of what the Blues were building. While his future isn’t in doubt, it’s certainly a terrible way to start what could have been his first full season in the NHL. Six months would put him returning in mid-March, which could feel almost like a trade deadline acquisition for the club.

Bouwmeester is an even bigger blow if he misses significant time. The Blues are much deeper on the right side with Alex Pietrangelo and Colton Parayko, but will now could have to turn to youngsters like Jake Walman or Vince Dunn to play some NHL minutes. There is always the chance the team could go out and get a defenseman from free agency or trade, but St. Louis does have some depth in their prospect pool at defense. Still, none of those young players should be expected to fill the role Bouwmeester played alongside Pietrangelo, logging more than 22 minutes a night for the 13th-straight year of his career.

Colin White Suffers Broken Wrist

September 19, 2017 at 11:07 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The Ottawa Senators announced a crushing blow today, revealing that young forward Colin White suffered a broken wrist last night in a preseason game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, and will be out six to eight weeks. Just yesterday we profiled White as one of the players to watch for the Senators this season, as he made the transition from top prospect to NHL player. That plan will have to wait for now, as eight weeks would cause him to miss 16 games.

It’s extremely disappointing for White, who left Boston College this spring to sign with the Senators and start his professional career. He even made it into three games for Ottawa down the stretch, including one playoff matchup. As we examined in their 2017-18 Primer yesterday, the Senators could have trouble scoring enough goals this season but White was a wildcard in that department. If he continued the offensive dominance he showed at the college ranks, he was ready for a full-time role right away with the Senators. With Derick Brassard still working his way back from labrum surgery this summer, there was an opportunity for White to start the year in the top-six.

Now, with Brassard uncertain for the season opener, White guaranteed to miss it and question marks still surrounding Erik Karlsson’s recovery, the Senators will already be limping when the games get under way. They’ll need players like Mike Hoffman and Mark Stone to make even more of an impact this year, and hope Bobby Ryan can recapture some of his previous skill.

Minnesota Wild Sign Mikko Koivu To Two-Year Extension

September 18, 2017 at 7:08 pm CDT | by Mike Furlano 1 Comment

The Minnesota Wild have signed captain Mikko Koivu to a two-year extension worth $11MM in total, reports the Athletic’s Michael Russo. The deal breaks down to $6MM in 2018-19 and $5MM in 2019-20. Koivu was sent to become an unrestricted free agent at this season’s end.

Last season Koivu put up 18G and 40A in 80 games, good for third overall in team scoring. He has been the model of consistency for the team over his career. Koivu is not a flashy player, but he gets the job done game after game.

It is not that far off to say that Koivu is the face of the franchise. The Finnish forward—Wild captain since 2009—leads the Wild in all-time games played, assists, points, shots on goal, power-play points, and short-handed goals. He is also second in goals scored and third in penalty minutes earned.

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