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Alex Edler

Pacific Notes: Hall, Reaves, Edler

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It’s been three weeks since Arizona Coyotes general manager John Chayka told The Athletic that while no specifics on a contract with Taylor Hall had been discussed during the NHL suspension break, he and Hall’s agent, Darren Ferris, had been in discussion about a potential deal. The Coyotes traded for Hall in December with the hope that they would become the favorite to convince the star forward to sign with the team when he hit unrestricted free agency this offseason.

However, The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta reports that Ferris says that he has not been approached by Chayka regarding contract talks during the break, putting even more confusion on whether Hall will choose Arizona as his long-term home. Hall has fared well with 10 goals and 27 points in 35 games with the Coyotes, but those are hardly numbers of a star player, although there is some transition time expected of any player when traded to a new team. However, the team also didn’t show much improvement with Hall in the lineup with the team going 14-17-4 during that time, although the team did have some goaltending issues during that time.

Hall is looking for a long-term deal in the range of seven or eight years, potentially around $10MM per season. The Coyotes are already right up against the cap and have little coming off their books next season, which might require Chayka to shake up their roster a bit if they want to retain Hall.

  • The Athletic’s Jesse Granger (subscription required) analyzes some the chances that the Vegas Golden Knights will bring back each of their pending unrestricted free agents, noting that there is a strong likelihood that the team will retain forward Ryan Reaves, who was heavily recruited two years ago when he was a free agent. Reaves signed a two-year, $5.5MM deal to return to Vegas, but now at age 33, is likely going to be willing to take less to stay with the Golden Knights. He is rooted in Vegas as a fan favorite, who has his own beer company in the city and he holds more endorsements than any other Vegas player. He tallied eight goals and 15 points in 71 games this year to go with a league-leading 316 hits.
  • The Athletic’s Harman Dayal (subscription required) looks at the Vancouver Canucks’ possession statistics and how the play of rookie defenseman Quinn Hughes has made quite the difference. However, Dayal does note that one player who has seen a significant decline in play last year was Alexander Edler, who had the lowest possession exit percentage among team defensemen with just 25.8 percent (compared to Hughes’ 48.1 percent). With the league average at 34.6 percent, Edler’s numbers have been in decline for a couple of years now. He is currently in the middle of a two-year, $12MM contract.

Pacific Notes: Hall, Edler, Sutter, Sharks

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Taylor Hall hasn’t been with the Coyotes for long but already, there has been plenty of speculation as to whether or not the winger would be open to signing an extension with the team.  GM John Chayka indicated following the trade that they wouldn’t initiate discussions until after the season and Hall’s agent Darren Ferris confirmed to Craig Morgan of The Athletic (subscription required) that he and his client are of the same mindset when it comes to holding off on negotiations.  Ferris did indicate that a new deal in the desert is definitely an option and suggested that making the move gives the Coyotes an opportunity they likely wouldn’t have otherwise had; inferring they wouldn’t have garnered much consideration on the open market next summer.

Elsewhere in the Pacific Division:

  • The Canucks are getting closer to welcoming one veteran back while another is injured again. Postmedia’s Patrick Johnston reports that defenseman Alex Edler could return before the Christmas break, giving their back end one of their top players back.  He has been out since sustaining an upper-body injury back on November 30th.  However, after returning this week, center Brandon Sutter is banged up once again though head coach Travis Green stated that the issue is unrelated to the groin injury that had him on LTIR.
  • Sharks winger Kevin Labanc is dealing with an upper-body injury that could cause him to miss both games this weekend, notes Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News. The injury was sustained on Tuesday against Arizona and while he came back for a couple of shifts, he was eventually shut down for the rest of the game.  His absence should create an opportunity for the recently-claimed Stefan Noesen to enter the lineup.  Pashelka adds that defenseman Mario Ferraro is also listed as day-to-day with an upper-body issue.

Pacific Notes: Seattle, Canucks, Puljujarvi, Palmu

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The 2021 NHL Expansion Draft is still two full seasons away, but the Seattle expansion team is not messing around in the meantime. If early indications hold true, Seattle will make their presence felt in the NHL long before they actually become an official club. On Thursday night, the second night of the new campaign, Seattle is already out scouting the competition – or more likely the 2021 free agent class and possible Expansion Draft offerings. The Athletic’s Sean Shapiro reports that, presumably for the first time, a Seattle scout is at a game in an official capacity. Former NHLer Stu Barnes is set to watch the Boston Bruins and Dallas Stars square off, two talent-laden teams who will likely have tough decisions to make come expansion time. However, this is likely just the beginning. Expect Barnes and company to be a fixture at games for the next two years.

  • With the Hurricanes’ Jordan Staal and Maple Leafs’ John Tavares recently joining the elite group that is NHL captains, the number of teams without a captain has shrunk even further. The Vegas Golden Knights have yet to name the first captain in franchise history, while the New York Rangers have also been without a captain since 2017-18. Meanwhile, the Detroit Red Wings, Ottawa Senators, and Vancouver Canucks have holdover vacancies from last season. However, this group is about lose yet another member. Canucks head coach Travis Green has stated that the team will formally announce their new captain ahead of their home opener on October 9. Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini confirmed as much today, stating that he, Green, and GM Jim Benning saw leadership begin to develop last season and feel they are ready to name a captain. Vancouver has already named four alternates – Alexander Edler, Bo Horvat, Brandon Sutter, and Chris Tanev – and the odds are that the new “C” will be one of the current “A”’s. If the team wants to reward loyalty and establish a veteran leader, Edler is the likely choice. If they want to anoint a young core player as the man to take the team into the future, Horvat will be the selection. Those two have a better chance than Sutter or Tanev, both of whom have seen their roles on the team questioned over the last year or so, but anything is possible.
  • Speaking with Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman writes in his latest “31 Thoughts” column that it is his impression that the team is simply waiting and hoping for a better return on disgruntled prospect Jesse Puljujarvi. Puljujarvi followed through on his threat and signed in Europe this off-season when the Oilers wouldn’t trade him. Since then, Edmonton has shifted their focus solely to moving out the young winger, but only at a fair price. Friedman writes that Holland can only hope that Puljujarvi’s trade stock gets a boost from his performance in Finland. Thus far, Puljujarvi has seven points in eight games for the Liiga’s Karpat, which puts him in the top-20 scorers early on, but not exactly at the top. Friedman does mention some actual names – for the first time – that came up in trade talks this summer but were seemingly dismissed by Edmonton: a trio of forwards including the Carolina Hurricanes’ Julien Gauthier, the St. Louis Blues’ Klim Kostin, and the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Alexander Volkov.
  • Another NHL prospect staying in Europe for a while longer is the Canucks’ Petrus Palmu. After news emerged on Wednesday that he was likely to be officially loaned to JYP of the Liiga, the Finnish club confirmed the transfer today. Palmu, a 2017 sixth-round pick who signed his entry-level contract in 2018 and played briefly in the AHL to begin last season, will continue to develop overseas for another year at least. Now officially signed with JYP, Palmu is set to make his season debut this weekend.

Alex Edler Re-Signs With Vancouver Canucks

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The Vancouver Canucks and Alexander Edler have finally agreed upon a new deal. The veteran defenseman has re-signed with the Canucks on a two-year contract worth a total of $12MM. GM Jim Benning released a statement on the signing:

Alex is important to our team and has played as the cornerstone of our defence throughout his career. He’s a leader with tremendous experience, plays important minutes and contributes to every part of our team game. We’re very pleased for Alex and his family that he’ll continue his career as a Vancouver Canuck.

After reports had surfaced yesterday that the two sides had finally found a solution on the biggest sticking point—Edler did not want to be exposed in the upcoming Seattle expansion draft—many expected the deal to be three or four years in length but not include a no-movement clause. Instead, the two sides have come to an agreement that will see the veteran defenseman hit the open market in 2021. While that technically leaves him open to being selected in the draft—expansion clubs are allowed to take a certain number of pending free agents—he would never have to actually play for Seattle if he didn’t want to.

By keeping the term short, Benning did need to offer a fair amount of money. Edler will actually get a raise on the $5MM cap hit he carried for the past six years, and once again becomes the most expensive defenseman on the Canucks roster. In fact, his $6MM cap hit matches Loui Eriksson as the highest on the team, though restricted free agent Brock Boeser may have something to say about that in the coming days.

Unlike Eriksson though, Edler is still an effective piece for the Canucks moving forward. While he has deal with injuries in almost every season of his career, he still is an excellent puck-moving option for the team that can log huge minutes in all situations. Through 56 games last season the 33-year old had 34 points, a pace that would have seen him set a new career high. If that same player returns to the team next season Edler will be perfect insulation as the young Quinn Hughes gets his feet wet in the NHL.

The deal does however once again weaken what is a razor thin free agent defense group. Beyond Tyler Myers and Jake Gardiner there are very few legitimate top-four options, with older players like Anton Stralman, Ron Hainsey and even Niklas Kronwall leading the way. That kind of shallow pool is another reason why the trade market has been so active and will likely continue to be, with players like Justin Braun, Olli Maatta, Radko Gudas, Matt Niskanen and Jacob Trouba already changing hands. Vancouver was expected to be involved in that trade market, but retaining Edler at least guarantees that one of their top spots will be filled by someone they can rely on next season.

Vancouver Canucks Closing In On Deal With Alex Edler

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The Vancouver Canucks have finally found some common ground with defenseman Alexander Edler. After months of negotiating and things coming close to a breaking point recently, the two sides are closing in on a three-year deal according to both David Pagnotta of the Fourth Period and Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Friedman also notes that the deal will not include a no-movement clause that would guarantee protection from the upcoming expansion draft, a sticking point in the negotiations that was resolved recently. Rick Dhaliwal of Sportsnet however notes that the deal isn’t quite done yet, and questions the accuracy of the three-year term. He does however note that he expects something to be completed eventually.

Edler, 33, was set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer but will remain with the only NHL organization he’s ever known. Selected in the third round of the 2004 draft, he became one of four players from that Vancouver draft class to have long NHL careers. Cory Schneider (26th overall), Mike Brown (159th) and Jannik Hansen (287th) also made it to the league, an impressive achievement from the Canucks scouting group at the time.

In Edler, they found more than just a fringe NHL player. The Swedish defenseman quickly made his presence felt in Vancouver, and by his first full year in the NHL he was already averaging more than 21 minutes a night. He’s maintained that level of responsibility throughout his entire career, even averaging more than 24 minutes in each of the last four seasons. Unfortunately those four seasons—and several before that—have been marred by injury, limiting him to just 246 games played since the start of the 2015-16 season. The puck-moving defenseman still recorded 109 points during that time, but has been unavailable for long stretches. If he’s to help the Canucks get back to the playoffs in the coming years, he’ll have to find a way to stay on the ice.

Even with Quinn Hughes ready to emerge as a top option for the Canucks, the team is looking for help on the blue line and would have faced an even bigger hole had Edler left this summer. The veteran is a leader on the team and will allow Hughes to face some more favorable matchups as he continues to get his feet wet in the NHL.

Canucks Notes: Free Agency Targets, Edler, Eriksson

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Vancouver GM Jim Benning continues to be honest and open with the media this off-season about the direction of the team and his plans moving forward. In a media session yesterday, the veteran executive spoke on a number of topics, including the positions he will try to fill in free agency. Per NHL.com’s Kevin Woodley, Benning was happy to reveal who he may target:

Going forward now, if we are going to add through free agency, we want to try to add top-four defensemen or top-six forwards, so I think our needs in that way have changed. I haven’t been shy about stating that we would like to improve our defense. There are different avenues to try to do that, so we’re looking at all those avenues.

The “change” that Benning is referring to is in contrast to last off-season, when the Canucks spent on bottom-six depth in free agency, targeting Jay Beagle, Antoine Roussel, and Tim Schaller. This year, the names that the team will seek will be more high-profile. Up front, Vancouver has already been linked to Marcus Johansson, while British Columbia-native Brett Connolly will also likely be in consideration. On the back end, Jake Gardiner is known to be a free agent target, although Benning’s comments make it seem as though the Canucks could also scour the trade market for a top-four defenseman as well. One way or another, it seems this summer will be more exciting than the last for Vancouver.

  • That “top-four target” could also come internally, as Benning acknowledges that the team is still working through contract talks with long-time stalwart Alex Edler. Edler is an impending free agent and asked not to be traded at the trade deadline this past season in hopes of an extension with Vancouver. Months later, a deal has not yet been signed. It appears that term and trade protection appear to be the sticking points, especially as the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft looms. Edler would like protection from a possible Seattle selection, but Benning and the Canucks would rather use one of their limited slots on a key young piece. Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre relays some honest words from Benning on the subject:

I think it’s fair to say we don’t have the appetite to do that. We had to do that last time with Daniel and Henrik Sedin. But we’re going to have some good young players that we need to protect or we’ll lose them.

  • Edler could be gone if talks don’t improve, and so could another veteran, Loui Eriksson. Benning spoke to Eriksson’s comments to a Swedish newspaper earlier this off-season, when he stated that he did not trust or get along with head coach Travis Green. Benning said that he has plans to talk with Eriksson soon, but that those comments are a true cause for concern and a trade could be a real possibility. This isn’t the first we’ve heard of Eriksson trade rumors, with many linking him to the Edmonton Oilers and former head coach Dave Tippett in a possible swap for fellow expensive and under-performing forward Milan Lucic. However, Benning’s comments would imply that a trade could happen even if it isn’t with Edmonton. The team may have trouble finding a taker for the remaining three years and $6MM AAV on Eriksson’s contract, but if it’s a matter of team chemistry, the team may have to do whatever it takes to move the seasoned winger.

Canucks Notes: Edler, Boeser, Hughes

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While Canucks defenseman Alex Edler’s desire to remain in Vancouver is well-known, Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre suggests that there will likely be one significant hurdle that needs to be cleared for the pending UFA to remain with the team.  Unlike most contract talks, that hurdle won’t be salary or term either.  Instead, it could very well come down to GM Jim Benning’s willingness to include a no-move clause.

MacIntyre notes that Edler invoked his no-trade clause back at the trade deadline in late February to remain with the team.  If he did that this season, there’s a good chance that he’d likely continue to do so if approached about waiving a no-move clause down the road, especially with the Seattle expansion draft now two years away.  The expansion situation is what would likely push him to seek the no-move instead of a simple no-trade clause as the former would assure he’s protected for the draft.  Back at the deadline, the two sides agreed to table extension talks until the season came to an end so those discussions should pick up again in the coming weeks.

More from Vancouver:

  • Postmedia’s Ed Willes speculates that winger Brock Boeser’s asking price will start in the $6MM range per season. The pending restricted free agent has matched his point total from last season with 55 in 68 games but battled multiple groin issues throughout the season as well.  While that amount may seem low compared to some of the other notable young players that will also be up for new deals this summer, the fact that the 22-year-old only has two full seasons under his belt instead of three should keep his next AAV a little lower than some of the other comparables.
  • While the Canucks will see their season come to an end tonight, at least one player will be suiting up next month. The team announced (Twitter link) that defenseman Quinn Hughes will participate with Team USA at the upcoming World Championships.  The 19-year-old has made a quick impact with Vancouver since joining their lineup with three assists in four games and will continue his development at the international level.  Hughes suited up for them in the tournament last year, recording a pair of assists in ten games.

Snapshots: Ottawa, Edler, Zucker

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The Ottawa Senators have been in the headlines continuously for their roster transactions this season, but there are more big picture issues facing the team off the ice. The group that includes Senators owner Eugene Melnyk that is trying to develop the LeBreton Flats area in Ottawa for a new arena is embroiled in a legal dispute that is putting the development contract in jeopardy. The National Capital Commission which controls LeBreton had placed a deadline of this Thursday, February 28th to resolve the dispute and today told Canadian Press reporters that there will be no extension.

If the dispute is not resolved by the deadline the NCC has made it clear it will move on to other proposals regarding the land, meaning the Senators may lose their chance at the prime arena location. The area is much closer to downtown Ottawa and would be a huge boost for the team that currently plays in Kanata, some distance outside the city center.

  • Alex Edler has been working with the Vancouver Canucks on an extension, and according to GM Jim Benning did not want to waive his no-trade clause to go anywhere else. Edler has made it clear over the last few weeks and months that he would like to finish his career in Vancouver if possible, and with his relatively strong play this year there’s no reason to think that won’t happen at this point. The 32-year old defenseman has 20 points in 38 games this season and is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after this season.
  • The Calgary Flames were apparently interested in acquiring Mark Stone at one point before the deadline, and they also showed interest in Minnesota Wild forward Jason Zucker. Ryan Leslie of Sportsnet even tweeted the team was “in” on Zucker just as the deadline was about to pass, but a deal didn’t materialize. Darren Dreger was on TSN radio today speaking about the situation and said that Flames GM Brad Treliving was “white hot” that the deal didn’t go through for whatever reason. The Flames ended up adding only Oscar Fantenberg on deadline day and will now have to go through the rest of the season without any real forward upgrade.

Trade Rumors: Hart, Elliott, Tolvanen, Rangers, Senators

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Some bad news on one player could turn out to be a blessing in disguise in regards to another. The Philadelphia Flyers have announced that rookie sensation Carter Hart will be out at least ten days with a lower-body injury. Hart has been playing phenomenally this season and his absence could end what little hope the Flyers had of reaching the postseason this year. However, it will force the team to start Brian Elliott tonight in their Stadium Series game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Philly’s final game before the deadline. Recent acquisition Cam Talbot is still new to the team and unable to jump in net just yet. However, Talbot’s presence makes Elliott expendable and the Flyers are known to be shopping him. The team tried to move Elliott to the Edmonton Oilers as part of the Talbot return, but ended up trading away the younger Anthony Stolarz. However, with playoff-bound teams like the San Jose Sharks and Vegas Golden Knights in need of reinforcements in net, Elliott is very much still in play. A strong performance on a grand stage tonight could be enough to convince those kicking the tires to take a shot on Elliott. Moreso, the injury news on Hart could be the final straw for new GM Chuck Fletcher, as he is still allegedly unsure of whether to sell or not at the deadline. With Elliott, Wayne Simmonds, Michael Raffl, and several others drawing interest, Fletcher should be more encouraged to part with those pieces now that his stud goaltender is out for what could be weeks.

  • The New York Rangers are one of the most talked-about teams as the deadline approaches, as rentals Kevin Hayes, Mats Zuccarello, and Adam McQuaid and even term players like Chris Kreider and Vladislav Namestnikov are drawing considerable interest. The New York Post’s Larry Brooks writes that the Nashville Predators are one of the teams in talks with the Rangers, but it appears that one of their best assets may be off the table. Brooks reports that the Predators will not trade 2017 first-round pick Eeli Tolvanen for a rental this season. Nashville does not have interest in Hayes, but has looked into Zuccarello, however they won’t offer up Tolvanen to land him. Brooks believes Tolvanen would only be available to the Rangers in a deal for Kreider. The talented Finnish forward has only seen limited NHL action thus far, but is still coveted by sellers – not only the Rangers – for his potential. In this scenario, it’s the sellers who may have to ante up with a signed player to get the prized prospect. As for the Rangers, they may have better luck getting a top return for Zuccarello elsewhere. Brooks states that the Calgary Flames and Pittsburgh Penguins are among the teams pursuing the veteran winger, while a report yesterday stated some contenders are willing to pay the price to package Zucarello and Hayes together.
  • Meanwhile, the price for McQuaid has gone up significantly today following the trade of Ben Lovejoy to the Dallas Stars. McQuaid is arguably the top rental defenseman left on the market, currently ranked No. 21 overall on TSN’s Trade Bait List. With the trade statuses of Alex Edler, Niklas Kronwall, Cody Ceci, and others still unclear, McQuaid looks like the top target for defense-needy teams versus the likes of Michael Del Zotto and Bogdan Kiselevich. McQuaid is by no means a star or season-changing acquisition, but he is likely the best available defenseman even as just a physical, stay-at-home defender. If the New Jersey Devils can draw a third-round pick and young roster player for Lovejoy, the Rangers are suddenly looking at second-round territory with McQuaid. To protect their top trade assets, New York will not play McQuaid, Zuccarello, or Hayes today, reports Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
  • Many have felt that the allure of the free agent market for Matt Duchene and Mark Stone and the caliber of return the Ottawa Senators could get for trading them left Ryan Dzingel as the most likely of the trio to re-sign with the team. That certainly isn’t going to be the case. The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reports that Dzingel recently turned down a five-year extension offer worth more than $20MM, a significant pay raise over his current $1.8MM cap hit. After that, the team made the definitive decision to trade him before the deadline. Garrioch adds that Stone also rejected the Senators’ last offer, and eight-year pact of unknown value, but the team has not yet completely closed the door on a new deal. They continue to take offers on the star winger though, as Garrioch writes that the Winnipeg Jets, Calgary Flames, Boston Bruins, and Tampa Bay Lightning are the team’s most involved in Stone talks. He believes the Bruins are also interested in Dzingel. It remains to be seen who ends up with Stone or Dzingel and how the returns compare to that of Duchene, but one way or another the Senators are walking away from the deadline with a complete lack of star power on the roster, but a massive influx of picks and prospects to show for it.

Snapshots: Edler, Rangers, Kinkaid

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The Vancouver Canucks have maintained all along that they would like to work out an extension with Alex Edler, and today GM Jim Benning said just that once again. Edler is on an expiring deal and could potentially provide some veteran defense for a contending team, but is so valuable to the Canucks as a legacy player and mentor for young Swedish star Elias Pettersson.

Edler, 32, has been effective when in the lineup this season but has had trouble staying healthy once again. The veteran of 796 NHL games has only played all 82 in a season once during his long career, and no more than 74 in a season since 2011-12. He is currently on injured reserve and carries a cap hit of $5MM.

  • With Matt Duchene and potentially Artemi Panarin off the market after today’s trade, teams looking for offense will have to look elsewhere. The New York Rangers are one of the clubs with expiring assets that could be difference makers, and Darren Dreger of TSN tweets that several teams have expressed interest in acquiring both Kevin Hayes and Mats Zuccarello together. A package like that would certainly cost a lot, but bringing in two legitimate top-six options with familiarity and playoff experience could be seen as quite the answer to Duchene’s arrival in Columbus today.
  • Andy Strickland of Fox Sports Midwest reports that the New Jersey Devils “would like to move” goaltender Keith Kinkaid, but there isn’t much of a market at this point.  It wasn’t so long ago that Kinkaid looked to be stealing the starting job from Corey Schneider and setting himself up for a potential long-term contract, but the 29-year old has struggled immensely this season and provides little upside. With the emergence of MacKenzie Blackwood as a potential NHL goaltender next season, Kinkaid’s expiring contract will likely not be renewed by the Devils.

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