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Adin Hill

2021 Arbitration Tracker

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Originally published on August 5

The dates for the upcoming arbitration hearings have been set, with the first three scheduled for August 11. Hearings will continue through August 26 in this condensed offseason. It is important to note that the CBA agreement last year changed the rules for arbitration, so that once a hearing begins, teams are no longer allowed to negotiate with the player in question.

The full schedule is:

August 11
Adam Pelech (New York Islanders) – Settled, 8 years, $5.75MM AAV
Michael McNiven (Montreal Canadiens) – Settled, 1 year, $750K/$100K AAV (two-way)
Jakub Vrana (Detroit Red Wings) – Player filing: $5.7MM – Team filing: $3.65MM – Settled, 3 years, $5.25MM AAV

August 12
Victor Mete (Ottawa Senators) – Settled, 1 year, $1.2MM AAV

August 13
Neal Pionk (Winnipeg Jets) – Settled, 4 years, $5.875MM AAV

August 14
Vince Dunn (Seattle Kraken) – Settled, 2 years, $4.0MM AAV
Zach Sanford (St. Louis Blues) – Settled, 1 year, $2.0MM AAV

August 16
Adin Hill (San Jose Sharks) – Settled, 2 years, $2.175MM AAV
Ross Colton (Tampa Bay Lightning) – Settled, 2 years, $1.125MM AAV

August 17
Kevin Fiala (Minnesota Wild) – Player filing: $6.25MM – Team filing: $4.0MM – Settled, 1 year, $5.1MM AAV

August 18
Juuse Saros (Nashville Predators) – Settled, 4 years, $5.0MM AAV

August 20
Dante Fabbro (Nashville Predators) – Settled, 2 years, $2.4MM AAV
Jason Dickinson (Vancouver Canucks) – Settled, 3 years, $2.65MM AAV

August 21
Adam Erne (Detroit Red Wings) – Settled, 2 years, $2.1MM AAV
Dennis Gilbert (Colorado Avalanche) – Settled, 1 year, $750K/$160K AAV (two-way)

August 23
Zach Aston-Reese (Pittsburgh Penguins) – Settled, 1 year, $1.725MM AAV

August 26
Andrew Copp (Winnipeg Jets) – Settled, 1 year, $3.64MM AAV
Nikita Zadorov (Calgary Flames) – Settled, 1 year, $3.75MM AAV
Travis Sanheim (Philadelphia Flyers)

San Jose Sharks Sign Adin Hill

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Though an unsigned restricted free agent when acquired from the Arizona Coyotes, there was no question that young goaltender Adin Hill was a big part of the San Jose Sharks’ future. That became even more clear when incumbent starter Martin Jones was bought out. The Sharks have now taken their first official step toward a new status quo in net, signing Hill to a new deal. The team announced that the 25-year-old has inked a two-year deal. Kevin Kurz of The Athletic reports that it will carry a $2.175MM cap hit, paying Hill $1.675MM in 2021-22 and $2.675MM in 2022-23.

Hill arrives in San Jose with his eye on the starting job after gradually increasing his role with the Coyotes over the past three seasons. From four NHL games and an .891 save percentage in 2017-18, Hill improved to 13 games apiece in the next two years with a combined .910 save percentage and finally to a career-best 19 games, including 17 starts, and a .913 save percentage in 2020-21. Hill’s numbers are remarkably similar to his AHL play, he has a career 2.79 GAA and .909 save percentage in the NHL and a 2.69 GAA and .909 save percentage in 138 AHL games. Often the mark of a good goaltender, Hill shows little discrepancy in his play regardless of the caliber of competition or defense in front of him.

At 6’6″, Hill is a big, positional goaltender who learned how to use his size from one of the best in the game right now, new Colorado Avalanche addition Darcy Kuemper. The Sharks hope that Hill has a ceiling like Kuemper, but will settle for any upgrade to Jones’ abysmal numbers over the past few years. With the term of his new deal coming in shorter than that of veteran free agent signing James Reimer, San Jose will not be completely left hanging if Hill does not pan over the next two years, but they would much rather be signing him to a long-term extension in 2023 than searching for a replacement.

17 Players File For Salary Arbitration

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At 4pm CT today, the deadline for players to file for salary arbitration passed. Once it did, the NHLPA released the full list of 17 players who have filed. That list:

Nikita Zadorov (CGY)
Dennis Gilbert (COL)
Adam Erne (DET)
Jakub Vrana (DET)
Michael McNiven (MTL)
Juuse Saros (NSH)
Dante Fabbro (NSH)
Adam Pelech (NYI)
Victor Mete (OTT)
Zach Aston-Reese (PIT)
Adin Hill (SJS)
Vince Dunn (SEA)
Zach Sanford (STL)
Ross Colton (TBL)
Jason Dickinson (VAN)
Andrew Copp (WPG)
Neal Pionk (WPG)

Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet notes that the Boston Bruins also filed for team-elected arbitration with Brandon Carlo in the first window, but the two sides reached a six-year extension on last month. Other restricted free agents that are arbitration-eligible but did not file can still be taken to arbitration by their clubs. The second deadline for club-elected arbitration filing is August 2 at 4pm CT. Salary arbitration hearings will be held between August 11-26, but the two sides can continue to negotiate a contract up until the time of their hearing.

It is important to note that these players who have elected salary arbitration are no longer eligible to sign an offer sheet.

San Jose Sharks Sign James Reimer

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The San Jose Sharks have brought back a familiar face to their goalie situation. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that they’ve inked former netminder James Reimer to serve with new acquisition Adin Hill. It’s a three-year deal paying him $2.25MM per season.

Just like that, it’s a new day in net for the Sharks. Gone are the days of struggling starter Martin Jones and a series of backups unable to push him. The goal now belongs to young Hill and reliable veteran backup Reimer. Reimer will push for starts against the former Coyote, who himself has only even been a backup. The competition, which has been missing in San Jose of later, could spur both keepers to play at the top of their games.

For those who have forgotten, Reimer was nothing short of amazing in his first stint with the Sharks, recording a .938 save percentage and 1.62 GAA in 2015-16 after coming over from the Toronto Maple Leafs at the trade deadline. Considerable time has passed since then, but Reimer has been a very solid backup for the Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes in the years since, playing far more than a typical backup as well, and should continue to provide reliable play in San Jose.

San Jose Still Looking For Veteran Goaltending

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The San Jose Sharks acquired young goaltender Adin Hill a few days ago, giving them a potential answer in net for the 2021-22 season. Hill has shown plenty of promise in his limited experience, including a .913 save percentage in 19 appearances this year. It’s hard to turn the keys over to a 25-year-old netminder with just 49 games under his belt though, so the Sharks are still looking for a veteran netminder for next season, according to Kevin Kurz of The Athletic.

What does that mean for Martin Jones, a veteran who is already under contract? It seems likely, as Kurz suggests, that Jones has played his last game for the Sharks. The 31-year-old goaltender is still signed for three more seasons and carries a $5.75MM cap hit, but has played so poorly that he is a prime candidate for a buyout. In 137 appearances since the start of the 2018-19 season, Jones has posted a .896 save percentage, still somehow going 68-53-11 in the process. The fact that he had a winning record last season even on the struggling Sharks team suggests that perhaps if they improve the goaltending situation there are better days ahead for this San Jose roster.

Still, a buyout would be expensive, costing the Sharks at least $1.67MM in cap space over each of the next six years. Add that to a veteran replacement and things might end up being pretty similar in terms of salary cap costs for the Sharks, meaning they’ll need to make sure whoever they bring in is a clear upgrade (though, at this point, that’s not difficult to accomplish). Hill of course is also not proven at the starting level, meaning someone that can take the reins in a pinch should be appealing to the Sharks.

There are plenty of veteran names on the market this year, including many that have been starters or tandem goaltenders in recent years. Frederik Andersen, Jaroslav Halak, James Reimer, Petr Mrazek, Jonathan Bernier, and others would all likely fit the role at various costs, but the Sharks could also pursue a trade if those free agent prices get out of hand. At any rate, it appears GM Doug Wilson’s work isn’t complete when it comes to goaltending.

San Jose Sharks Acquire Adin Hill

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The San Jose Sharks were believed to be closing in on a goaltender ahead of the Expansion Draft roster freeze and now a deal is done. The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz reports that the Sharks have acquired goaltender Adin Hill from their now-former division rival Arizona Coyotes. San Jose will send young goalie Josef Korenar back to Arizona to satisfy exposure requirements for the Coyotes. The ’Yotes will also receive a 2022 second-round pick, while sending their own 2022 seventh-round pick to the Sharks alongside Hill, adds Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

This trade was – obviously – all about the Expansion Draft. The Sharks did not have a goaltender that they felt was worthy of protection from the Seattle Kraken and the Coyotes had two. Arizona had reportedly been listening to offers for both starter Darcy Kuemper and backup Hill, expecting that Seattle would select Hill if he could not be protected. They end up losing the promising young netminder regardless, but get something back from San Jose – a goalie prospect and a high-value draft pick. Meanwhile, the Sharks will expose starter Martin Jones, who has failed to live up to his lofty contract, in favor of Hill. Jones is very unlikely to be selected, although such a decision would be well received by the Sharks anyhow. Kuemper and Hill had been the Coyotes’ only goaltenders eligible for the Expansion Draft, necessitating the return of Korenar to fill the exposure quota of one goaltender under contract or team control.

Hill will be given every opportunity to take the starting job from Jones this season. The 25-year-old’s role in the desert has been increasing in each of the past three years, capped off with a career-high 19 appearances and 17 starts in 2020-21. Hill is a big, positional goaltender who has translated his ability well from the AHL to the NHL. Over the past two seasons, Hill has recorded a .915 save percentage and 2.70 GAA in 32 games. Playing behind a deeper and more talented defense corps in San Jose, those numbers have a chance to improve, which would certainly be an upgrade to Jones’ recent efforts.

With that said, given the desperate position of the Coyotes in this situation, it is fair to wonder if San Jose overpaid. What will very likely be an early second-round pick next year alongside a promising rookie keeper in Korenar is a steep price. Arizona risked losing Hill for nothing and instead added quality building blocks.

Arizona Coyotes Executive Brian Daccord Resigns

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The Arizona Coyotes and GM Bill Armstrong sure have their work cut out for them this summer. With just a dozen 2020-21 regulars under contract beyond this season – eight forwards, three defenseman, and a goalie, no first-round pick due to forfeiture, and the impending NHL Expansion Draft, there was already more than enough for the team to handle as they look to improve ahead of next season. Now, there will be one less mind to help out. As confirmed by Coyotes beat writer Craig Morgan, Special Assistant to the GM and Director of Goaltending Personnel Brian Daccord has resigned from his position. He follows Assistant GM’s Lindsay Hofford and Steve Sullivan out the door, all in the past nine months, leaving behind a desolate front office.

Daccord was in fact Armstrong’s first hire after he landed the Arizona GM job in September. Morgan describes Daccord as Armstrong’s “right-hand man” and someone who held many different responsibilities. Many of those duties involved goaltending, which was a bright spot this season in the desert with Darcy Kuemper’s continued strong play and Adin Hill taking a step forward. However, it could quickly become an area of concern with Kuemper a fixture in the trade rumor mill, Hill potentially exposed to expansion, and veteran Antti Raanta heading for free agency, without much in the way of high-end talent in the pipeline. Perhaps even more important though is that Morgan notes that Daccord was also heavily involved in recommending front office hires to Armstrong. Not only must the GM replace his two departed assistants, but he now must replace the man who was supposed to help him with the selection process. Entering his first full off-season, this could already be a do-or-die summer for Armstrong with so many major decisions on his plate and not much support.

As for Daccord, the respected hockey mind is sure to find work elsewhere, if he hasn’t already. A professional goalie in Switzerland during his playing career, Daccord has worked his way up the coaching ranks from assistant coach at his alma mater, Merrimack College, to goalie coach positions with the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, and in Germany, and finally to a front office position overseeing goaltending personnel, among other things. One possible landing spot could be with the Ottawa Senators, where son Joey Daccord is himself a goaltender.

Hockey Canada Announces 2021 World Championship Roster

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The IIHF World Championship roster is always a little different. Because the tournament takes place during the NHL playoffs, many players are unable to attend. Many others choose not to participate because of injuries they sustained during the season, meaning there are often some interesting choices that compete for their country.

Like the U.S. roster that was officially released just a few days ago, the Canadian contingent looks even more odd than normal. Not only does the management team have injuries and the postseason to deal with, but many players haven’t seen their families for months and just want to spend some quality time at home.

Though the initial paperwork had been reported on recently, the full official roster is as follows:

G Adin Hill
G Darcy Kuemper
G Michael Dipietro

D Braden Schneider
D Colin Miller
D Owen Power
D Sean Walker
D Mario Ferraro
D Troy Stecher
D Nicolas Beaudin
D Jacob Bernard-Docker*

F Liam Foudy
F Dillon Dube
F Jaret Anderson-Dolan
F Gabriel Vilardi
F Adam Henrique
F Justin Danforth
F Nick Paul
F Brandon Hagel
F Michael Bunting
F Connor Brown
F Max Comtois
F Brandon Pirri
F Andrew Mangiapane
F Cole Perfetti

Like the U.S. squad, which includes draft-eligible Matthew Beniers, the Canadians have decided to take along his University of Michigan teammate Power. The 18-year-old Power is expected to challenge for the first overall selection this season and will get a chance to showcase his talents on the international stage, after being denied his opportunity to compete at the World Juniors.

*added after the initial roster was announced

Pacific Notes: Vlasic, Kuemper, Hill, Vegas

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With the Sharks missing the playoffs the last couple of years, it’s fair to wonder if some of the veterans may be hoping for a change of scenery.  Defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic was among those asked about that today and he told reporters, including Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now, that he has no intention of going anywhere:

I’m here to the end.  I’ve signed here for 20 years; I’m going to be here for 20 years. I would’ve signed somewhere else if I didn’t want to be here. I want to win in San Jose.

20 years isn’t an exaggeration either.  The 34-year-old just wrapped up his 15th NHL season and still has five years left on his deal with a $7MM AAV.  Between that and a no-move clause that Vlasic acknowledged today he didn’t even know he had until recently, it’s safe to say he’ll be in a Sharks uniform for a while yet.

More from the Pacific Division:

  • Coyotes goaltenders Darcy Kuemper and Adin Hill will be Canada’s tandem for the upcoming World Championships, TSN’s Darren Dreger reports (Twitter link). This will be Kuemper’s second time at the Worlds after playing in the 2018 event while Hill will be playing at the international level for the first time.  It’s worth noting that Hill is a pending restricted free agent and several players have declined offers from their respective countries as a result of the nearing expiration of their contract.
  • While meeting with the media to discuss the purchase of his expansion Indoor Football League franchise, Golden Knights owner Bill Foley told the media, including SinBin.Vegas (Twitter link) that a pair of veterans have concerning injuries. Defenseman Alec Martinez has been dealing with a lingering lower-body issue that he was finally unable to play through while winger Max Pacioretty’s upper-body injury is worse than the team initially thought.  Martinez missed Monday’s game while Pacioretty has been out for a week with Vegas having to dress just 15 skaters on Monday due to salary cap constraints.
  • Having played that game shorthanded, the Golden Knights have now been granted cap-exempt recalls. Their farm team in Henderson announced (Twitter link) that forward Dylan Sikura and defenseman Brayden Pachal have been recalled, suggesting they’ll be in the lineup for Vegas on Wednesday in San Jose.  Sikura has been held off the scoresheet in five games this season while if Pachal plays, it will be his NHL debut.

Overseas Notes: Skelleftea, Khokhlachev, Langhamer

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After falling in the SHL semifinals, Swedish powerhouse Skelleftea AIK is already moving forward with their plans for next season. The team has announced a list of players who will not be returning in 2021-22 and it includes some notable NHL names. Edmonton Oilers’ defenseman Philip Broberg, Detroit Red Wings’ forward Jonatan Berggren, and Carolina Hurricanes’ defenseman Roland McKeown are all among those who will not return to Skelleftea next year and all are expected to instead be in the NHL. Broberg, 19, has in fact already made the jump, as he was recalled by the Oilers earlier this week. The 2019 No. 8 overall pick has been in Skelleftea on loan for two years since being drafted, but the big two-way defenseman is ready for the next step in his career. Berggren appears to be prepared to make that leap as well. Detroit’s 2018 second-round pick was Skelleftea’s leading scorer this season, recording 45 points in 49 games. The 20-year-old skilled play-maker is one of a number of promising Red Wings prospects, but Berggren’s dominance at the pro level this year should give him a leg up in training camp battles. McKeown is the outlier of the group; the 25-year-old blue liner made his European debut this season on loan from the Hurricanes. The former top prospect out of the OHL had faded from relevance among the Hurricanes’ deep defensive group and wished to stay in Sweden this year rather than play yet again in the AHL. While McKeown may join Carolina as a depth option in the playoffs now that his SHL season is over, his days with the organization are numbered. Slated for Group 6 unrestricted free agency this summer, McKeown may not be back with Skelleftea but he certainly won’t be staying in Raleigh either. He will have other options on the open market to find a more clear path to NHL opportunity.

  • Another prominent name in Europe who won’t be returning to his current team is Boston Bruins center Alexander Khokhlachev. The 27-year-old center was a key cog for Gagarin Cup champions Avangard Omsk this season, recording 34 points in 59 games as a top-six forward, but the team has nonetheless announced that Khokhlachev has decided to leave the club. This could very well mean that Khokhlachev is finally eyeing a return to North America after five years away, and the timing of the move is key. The Bruins’ rights to Khokhlachev finally expire on June 30th. While it’s not impossible that Khokhlachev could give the Bruins another shot under his old AHL head coach Bruce Cassidy, there are certainly better opportunities for an NHL role elsewhere if he instead waits to become a free agent this summer.
  • One player who isn’t rushing back to his NHL rights holder is goaltender Marek Langhamer. Despite the possibility that the Arizona Coyotes could have some more opportunity in net next season with Antti Raanta headed for free agency, Adin Hill expected to be exposed in the Expansion Draft, and Darcy Kuemper still a hot name on the rumor mill, Langhamer won’t be involved. Even after two strong seasons in the KHL, Langhamer has decided to stay in Europe, signing a one-year-deal with the Liiga’s Illves. It’s unclear if Langhamer is averse to re-joining the ’Yotes or just the NHL overall, but regardless he will see his rights expire on June 30th of next season and can then return to North America as a free agent if he chooses.

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