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Alexei Emelin

Snapshots: Lafreniere, Chromiak, Omsk

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Alexis Lafreniere, the projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, has already improved (or rather confirmed) his draft stock at the ongoing World Junior Championship, but he may not have the opportunity to continue shining at the tournament. Lafreniere suffered a leg injury during Team Canada’s match-up with Russia on Saturday. He fell awkwardly while crashing the net and had to be helped off the ice (video). He did not return to the game and may not return to action at the WJC altogether. Lafreniere has already been ruled out for Canada’s next game against Germany, but TSN’s Frank Seravalli says that beyond that his status is up in the air. Seravalli reports that Lafreniere’s MRI results came back negative for any fracture or torn ligaments, which is good news long-term, but doesn’t necessarily mean that Lafreniere will be ready to go in time to suit up for Canada again at the WJC.

  • The OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs received a major boost yesterday by finally landing a commitment from forward Martin Chromiak. Chromiak, a 2020 NHL Draft prospect, was selected by Kingston with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 CHL Import Draft. The Slovakian winger has been playing in his native country’s top pro league this season, recording five goals and six points in 32 games with HK Dukla Trencin thus far, after putting up 46 points in 39 games in the U-20 league last year. The Frontenacs stated that while the process took longer than they had hoped, they are excited to have the skilled Chromiak as part of their team moving forward. Kingston has the second-worst record in the OHL this year and can use all the help they can get.
  • Two players that won’t be making the jump to North America are Alexei Emelin and Sergei Shirokov. The NHL veterans have each signed new two-year contract extensions with the KHL’s Avangard Omsk. Emelin, the more well-known of the two, played in six seasons with the Montreal Canadiens and one with the Nashville Predators before signing with Omsk in 2018. Avangard’s captain and top defenseman, Emelin has been injured for much of this season but is still a top two-way defender in the KHL when healthy, even at 33. Shirokov, who played two seasons in the Vancouver Canucks system from 2009 to 2011, has otherwise been a career KHLer, despite perennial rumors that he could jump back to the NHL. Now in his second stint with Omsk, Shirokov’s offense has actually improved over the past few years since entering his thirties and is back at it this year with 19 points through 25 games.

Sergei Shumakov Signs With KHL’s Avangard Omsk

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Sergei Shumakov was applauded for sticking with North American hockey when his contract with the Washington Capitals was terminated earlier this month. It turns out he wasn’t that committed to staying on the continent. Just eleven days after signing with the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds, Shumakov has jumped ship in favor of a return to the KHL. Avangard Omsk have announced that they have signed Shumakov to a three-year contract.

Shumakov, 26, made headlines when he signed with the Capitals this off-season. The talented forward had been playing for Sibir Novosibirsk of the KHL since he was a teenager, before moving to CSKA Moscow last year. Shumakov helped CSKA to a finals appearance behind a 40-point effort and +28 rating in 47 regular season games and another four points in eleven postseason games. Many felt that would be a good fit in Washington, a team that has had great success with Russian players. However, Shumakov was unable to earn a spot on the Capitals roster in training camp and was relegated to beginning his North American career with the AHL’s Hershey Bears. Shumakov recorded four points in ten games with the Bears before requesting his release from Washington. Shumakov then joined the Thunderbirds, perhaps hoping he might earn another shot at the NHL with their parent club, the Florida Panthers, or another team, and added one point in three games.

However, when Avangard came calling with a lucrative, long-term contract, Shumakov likely couldn’t resist a return to the league that he so recently excelled in. Omsk is currently a top five team in the KHL and leading the Chernyshev Division. They add Shumakov to a roster that already boasts a number of NHL alumni, including veteran defensemen Cody Franson, Alexei Emelin, and Evgeny Medvedev and experienced scorers Sergei Shirokov, David Desharnais, Maxime Talbot, and Viktor Stalberg. Shumakov should fit right in with this group and make Omsk and even more dangerous team this season and beyond in the KHL.

Snapshots: Doughty, Nylander, Altybarmakyan

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The Toronto Maple Leafs ended up landing the biggest fish of free agency in John Tavares, but long before the Tavares sweepstakes even began, the team was linked to Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty. Doughty, a Toronto area native, ended up signing an eight-year, $88MM extension early this off-season, ending any thoughts that he might be a free agent in the summer of 2019. So where did the homecoming rumors come from? Doughty has now admitted, via TSN, that he never seriously considered moving on from L.A. Instead, he floated the idea of departing the Kings for the Maple Leafs as a negotiation tactic. Doughty negotiated his latest deal without an agent and, in order to ensure he wasn’t taken advantage of, made sure he had some leverage on his side. The rumors that he might leave if able to test the free agent market surely encouraged the Kings to give him what he wanted on his latest extension, the largest contract for a defenseman in NHL history.

  • Another player who has no interest in signing with the Maple Leafs, at least not at their current offer, is restricted free agent forward William Nylander. Toronto and their young forward seem to be at an impasse in contract negotiations and the December 1st deadline, after which Nylander would be prohibited from playing in the NHL this season, is starting to look like a real possibility. Should that come to fruition, Nylander would likely turn to the KHL for his paycheck this season. Nylander’s rights are held by Avangard Omsk, currently led by former NHL head coach Bob Hartley, who recently spoke to TSN about his excitement about the possibility of having Nylander on the roster this season. Avangard already added Cody Franson, Alexei Emelin, David Desharnais, and Kris Versteeg this off-season and could really make waves in the KHL by adding Nylander to the mix. Nylander is currently skating in his native Sweden and could make the short trip over to Russia rather than the trip back across the Atlantic this season, if talks continue to go poorly with the Maple Leafs.
  • Staying in the KHL, Chicago Blackhawks prospect Andrei Altybarmakyan is on the move. The 20-year-old winger was traded today, swapped by SKA St. Petersburg to HK Sochi for fellow young forward Ivan Larichev, the league reports. Both Altybarmakyan and Larichev are fringe KHLers with limited experience at the highest level, but Sochi appears to be the long-term winner in this deal, acquiring the 2017 third-round pick. There has been no indication that Altybarmakyan is heading over to North America any time soon and could continue to develop into a bona fide starter for Sochi down the road.

Alexei Emelin Turned Down Offer From Washington Capitals

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Among the names that ended up without an NHL contract this summer, Alexei Emelin stood out given his full season of games with the Nashville Predators in 2017-18. Emelin ended up playing 76 games for the Predators, but found himself without a deal until accepting a three-year contract back in the KHL with Avangard Omsk. Now 14 games into the KHL season, Emelin has told Igor Eronko of Sport-Express that he did receive a contract offer from an NHL team after all. The Washington Capitals apparently offered the veteran defenseman a contract, but he rejected it because it was only for one season.

Emelin was once a feared defender for the Montreal Canadiens, who could lay an open ice hit as well as almost anyone else in the league. In his first season in the NHL after coming over from the KHL, he recorded 236 hits in just 67 games and quickly developed a reputation on the ice. That physical style eventually led to him becoming a top option for the Canadiens, playing more than 20 minutes per night, and earned him a four-year, $16.4MM contract extension. Montreal though decided that he wasn’t worth protecting at the expansion draft, and the Vegas Golden Knights picked and then quickly flipped the big defenseman to Nashville where he’d serve as insurance for Ryan Ellis’ injury.

Even though that season in Nashville wasn’t disastrous, it wasn’t clear what the market for Emelin would be this summer. He obviously wasn’t a good option for any contending team’s top four, he wasn’t right handed, and his brand of physical hockey was being shifted away from—especially among defensemen. The fact that he obviously was looking for a multi-year contract isn’t surprising either, given his age of 32 and likely realization that it was his last chance for that kind of a contract. Returning home to the KHL was always an option, and if the Washington offer was the best he received in North America it’s clear why he’s no longer in the NHL.

Alexei Emelin Signs Three-Year Pact With KHL’s Avangard Omsk

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Long-time Montreal Canadiens defenseman Alexei Emelin agreed to terms this morning with Avangard Omsk, one day after the KHL team signed Kris Versteeg. The 32-year-old Emelin, who played six years in Montreal and then finished out his contract last year with the Nashville Predators, was having trouble finding work in the NHL, but opted to return to the KHL where he played parts of eight seasons.

Emelin arrived in the NHL at age 25, but almost immediately stepped into the Canadiens’ top-four and averaged close to 20 minutes a night throughout most of his NHL career. However, Montreal opted to expose Emelin and his $4.1MM contract in the expansion draft last year and Vegas took the bait, selecting him and then flipping him to Nashville for a third-round pick in the 2019 draft. The Predators brought the veteran defenseman on board to provide top-four depth while Ryan Ellis sat out for the first three months of the season after undergoing knee surgery. Emelin did that, but saw his minutes decrease significantly once Ellis returned as he was forced into the team’s third-line pairing.

Once a free agent, the 32-year-old struggled finding work as his lack of speed worked against him in a league where teams are looking to get faster. Emelin, however, showed he still has value as he managed to register 181 hits as well as blocking 109 shots last season, suggesting he should continue to fare well in the KHL. While Emelin will join Versteeg, he will also join up with two former Habs as well, including Alexander Perezhogin and David Desharnais.

Options For The Oilers To Replace Andrej Sekera

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Normally, it takes training camp before any teams begin scrambling for an unanticipated injury replacement among the leftovers of the market. It is unclear how long the Edmonton Oilers knew about the injury to defenseman Andrej Sekera – they announced the surgery today indicating they knew of the injury prior – but what is clear is that the team will need to add another body to the mix in Sekera’s stead. Out indefinitely with a torn Achilles tendon, Sekera is likely to miss a substantial amount of time and extremely unlikely to be back at 100% at any point in the 2018-19 season. It is no coincidence that with Sekera missing most of last season due to a knee injury, the Oilers defense struggled on all fronts. Sekera had easily been the team’s top defender over the two years prior and this will now be the second straight season where he cannot be relied upon. The team must do something to avoid another frustrating campaign on the blue line, but what?

In replacing Sekera, Edmonton will likely target a right-handed defenseman. Although Sekera is a lefty himself, the team is set on the left side regardless with Oscar Klefbom, Darnell Nurse, and Kris Russell. There is also free agent addition Kevin Gravel, also a left-handed defenseman, though he is best suited for his current extra man slot. The right side however poses questions behind Adam Larsson, with Matt Benning likely slated for the second pair and now a hole on the third pair. It is unlikely that the Oilers want to press Benning into a top-four role this season, nor do they want a left-handed depth option like Gravel, Ryan Stanton, or Keegan Lowe as a regular on the right side. As such, they are likely looking for a second-pair caliber righty.

The easy answer is the free agent market. In a relatively stagnant summer, there remains ample talent available in unrestricted free agent defensemen. However, the Oilers are not in the most flexible of positions. The team currently has all but approximately $5MM in cap space committed to their roster which doesn’t include restricted free agent defenseman Nurse, still in need of a new contract. If and when Nurse re-signs, the team will be left with little to no cap space. Fortunately, at this point in the summer they face little competition on the free agent market and could negotiate several tryout deals with available defenders, signing one or more after the start of the season once Sekera’s $5.5MM cap hit can be buried on injured reserve. Yet, the pickings are slim on the right side. Cody Franson could be the team’s best bet with Paul Postma potentially as the next-best option. Ryan Sproul or Frank Corrado could be younger dark horse candidates, while the team could possibly look at veteran Kevin Bieksa. However, if the Oilers consider overloading on lefties as they would have anyway with Sekera, then Toby Enstrom, Luca Sbisa, Alexei Emelin, Johnny Oduya, or even old friend Brandon Davidson jump out as attractive options.

If the team is set on adding a right-hander and not sold on the available free agents, they could also wait for training camp cuts. While there is no guarantee that the right player would wind up on waivers, it’s also well within the realm of possibility. Robert Bortuzzo, Nate Prosser, Jake Dotchin, Steven Kampfer, Brad Hunt, Alex Biega, and Adam McQuaid – a former favorite of Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli in Boston – are just some of the names who could wind up on the waiver wire and fit in on the right side of the Edmonton blue line. It would not be a surprise to see the team sign multiple defenders to PTO’s and also keep an close eye on who gets cut from training camps.

Finally, Edmonton could simply stand pat and attempt to replace Sekera internally. On paper, it doesn’t seem like the Oilers have the pieces to do so effectively, but some of their defensive prospects have not yet been given the opportunity to show what they can do at the NHL level. Many will clamor for recent first-round pick Evan Bouchard to get a shot at sticking with the team. Although very talented – and a right shot – it would be asking a lot for the 18-year-old to step into the top pro game and succeed. It’s not unprecedented, but it is unlikely. Recent Swedish import Joel Persson, currently on loan to his SHL club, is a 24-year-old righty who could be an intriguing experiment and has more experience with the pro game. William Lagesson, on loan in Sweden last season but now back in North America, is a left-shot defenseman but played on the right side frequently during his college days at UMass and is a very safe defensive player who could be a stopgap. Elsewhere in the system, small puck-mover Ethan Bear and hulking Ryan Mantha are both righties who could provide some different style options alongside Lagesson in the AHL. Between these young possibilities and some veteran depth, the Oilers could opt to just let camp battles decide who steps into Sekera’s shoes.

The only thing that is for sure is that Sekera is not going to be suiting up for Edmonton any time soon. Whether the team finds a way to add a capable free agent, gets lucky on the waiver wire, or trusts their young depth, the Oilers will need someone to step up in his stead. An injury to a top defenseman is not how they wanted to begin the season, but the Oilers now have some time to figure it out before the puck drops on the new campaign.

Poll: How Many Remaining Veteran Free Agents Will Sign?

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With just one day left in July, free agents have had a month to find employment in the NHL. Last summer, there were less than 20 unrestricted free agents signed after the end of July through the beginning of the regular season. This off-season, there are a plethora of notable names left on the market, but at this point is is unlikely that they all find a new home in the league. The question now is how many of these top names get lucky.

Rick Nash could find a landing spot if he wanted to. The six-time All-Star is currently evaluating his future in hockey versus his health after suffering yet another concussion this season. Should he decide to return, he would likely have more than a few teams interested in a short-term deal.

If Nash opts not to return, the top-scoring forward from last season left on the market is actually Mike Cammalleri. Cammalleri, 36, quietly put up 29 points last season after a hot start with the Los Angeles Kings and then a trade to the Edmonton Oilers. The former point-per-game player is not quite that kind of scorer any more, but could still contribute to a number of teams.

Benoit Pouliot was a perennial 30-point player until he turned 30 and has struggled the past two years. In the right situation, he could still make an impact. The same goes for Mark Letestu, Drew Stafford and Jannik Hansen. Ales Hemsky was highly productive before injuries derailed his career, but remains a possible high-ceiling gamble if back at 100%.

Other available forwards bring more of a two-way game such as Daniel Winnik, Scott Hartnell, Scottie Upshall, Chris Stewart, Antoine Vermette, Jussi Jokinen, Tommy Wingels, Jason Chimera, Joel Ward, Dominic Moore, Matt Stajan, and Lee Stempniak. There are also some younger options like Alex Chiasson, Nick Shore, Logan Shaw, Tomas Jurco, and Freddie Hamilton.

On the blue line, Luca Sbisa is reportedly drawing interest from several teams across the league. Although he suited up for just 30 games with the Vegas Golden Knights, he managed to register 14 points and plays a strong checking game. It would seem that Sbisa is in line for a contract at some point.

But what about Toby Enstrom? A free agent for the first time in his long career, the well-respected veteran was expected to land a contract early on but still remains unemployed. Enstrom has always been a reliable presence on the back end, but at 33 years old, he has shown signs of slowing down.

Other aging options on defense include Alexei Emelin, Johnny Oduya, Kevin Bieksa, Dennis Seidenberg, Kyle Quincey, Paul Martin, Josh Gorges, and Jason Garrison. However, experience may not be able to outweigh ability with many younger defenseman still out there. Brandon Davidson, Cody Franson, and Paul Postma seem like players who should be signed, while Justin Falk, Frank Corrado, Ryan Sproul, and Duncan Siemens are all intriguing targets as well.

In net, the options are pretty straightforward. One would think that Kari Lehtonen, Steve Mason, and Ondrej Pavelec had all done enough in their careers to earn a continued stay in the NHL, especially when there are no other legitimate goaltenders available at this point. Yet, its hard to pinpoint three teams that need another option in goal. These three keepers may need to wait until injuries strike to find work.

So, how many of these remaining free agents will sign before the season starts?

Free Agent Profile: Alexei Emelin

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While he isn’t a big name defenseman, Alexei Emelin has quietly logged just shy of 20 minutes per game over the last six years.  There are always teams looking for players that can log big minutes on the back end but more than three weeks into free agency, he remains on the open market.

Last season was Emelin’s first outside of Montreal and his role was considerably reduced with the Predators, who acquired him from Vegas shortly after the expansion draft.  After spending time on the top pairing with the Canadiens the year before, the 32-year-old was reduced to third pairing duties when Nashville’s top four were all healthy.

While his playing time was lowered, Emelin still provided the physicality that he has been known for while also blocking at least 100 shots for the fifth straight season.  On top of that, he took a regular turn on the penalty kill.  As far as a stay-at-home player goes on a third pairing, he brings some value.

However, his possession numbers are typically below average and as the league trends more and more towards speed, Emelin’s lack of foot speed and puck-moving skills certainly will work against him.  That will wind up limiting the number of teams that might show interest in him.

Potential Suitors

Unlike some of the other veteran defenders on the market, Emelin isn’t going to be able to limit himself to potential contenders.  He may actually be better off signing with a lesser team where he might be able to get regular playing time and then potentially be flipped towards the trade deadline.

Among Eastern Conference teams, the Senators (who haven’t been remotely active in free agency) feel like a fit.  They are very weak in terms of established options on the left side so there is certainly an opening that could be filled.  However, they already have a similar player in Mark Borowiecki and having two players like that on the back end could be an issue.  New Jersey could use more depth but he may be more of a seventh defender than a sixth which may not be a palatable option for him.

The options aren’t more plentiful in the West either.  He’d still make some sense in Nashville but that was ruled out shortly after the playoffs.  Chicago has some roster spots to fill and Emelin could conceivably surpass Erik Gustafsson on the depth chart but they likely have their sights set higher for now.  Most of the other teams in the Western Conference either lack the cap space to add another player or are already set on the left side defensively.

If those options don’t pan out, there is always the KHL.  Emelin is no stranger to that league having played parts of eight seasons there already and would likely command a nice contract to go back home.

Projected Contract

Emelin was slotted 42nd in our Top 50 UFA Rankings with a projected one-year, $2MM deal to the Rangers.  (New York instead chose to add Fredrik Claesson in free agency and since they’re leaving spots for youngsters, they’re probably not a great option now either.)  With there only being a handful of teams where he’d fit and other veterans still available, he’s going to have to take an even bigger pay cut from the $4.4MM in salary he received last season.  A one-year deal around $1MM may be close to his ceiling for this next contract now and Emelin will have to decide if that’s a better option than going back to Russia.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Value Still Available Among UFA Defensemen

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The free agent market is almost tapped, with Patrick Maroon and his on-again-off-again deal with the St. Louis Blues the last of the real impact players available. That is other than Rick Nash, who still hasn’t announced a decision one way or another on whether he’ll play next season. But beyond the big names there are still a few options for teams who want to add reliable NHL defensemen, and at this point in the summer they should come at a relatively inexpensive price.

Dan Hamhuis is the belle of the ball among those names, and would still represent an upgrade for many teams around the league. Though the Dallas Stars’ defensive work in 2017-18 isn’t something to hold up an example of championship caliber play, Hamhuis is still an effective option at age 35. Logging more than 20 minutes a night last season, Hamhuis and teammate Greg Pateryn were tasked with shutting down the opponent’s best players, while also seeing huge penalty kill time each and every night. The veteran defenseman excelled in the role, and even posted 24 points on the season—almost all of which came at even strength.

If there’s something to be said about experience, Hamhuis would deliver on that front as well. With over 1,000 games in the NHL, he’s quietly been one of the most consistent two-way defensemen in the league for the past decade and a half. He moves the puck quickly and effectively, can be hard-matched against superstars, and could likely be had on a short-term deal at this point. If Hamhuis still wants to play—which he apparently does, according to his Sportsnet radio appearance recently—several teams around the league should be in touch.

It doesn’t just stop with Hamhuis though, as there are several other defensemen who could still add some value around the league. Luca Sbisa dealt with injury for much of last season and was pushed down the depth chart in Vegas, but can still skate and is still young enough—he’ll still be 28 at the start of the season—to have a bounce-back campaign. Toby Enstrom has had a career similar to Hamhuis in that he’s been a consistent two-way defenseman, but is coming off his worst season in the NHL and has injury concerns. He’s 33 now but still wants to play, and could be a good pickup for a bottom pairing somewhere.

One of the more interesting names is Alexei Emelin, who hits free agency after disappearing from the spotlight by playing down in the lineup in Nashville. The 32-year old was once a highly touted defensive option who was feared for his open ice hitting, but filled a depth role for the Predators as they waited for Ryan Ellis’ return midseason. Emelin ended up playing in 76 games for Nashville, but saw his usage decline sharply in the playoffs. Still, there’s obvious upside for any team looking at Emelin in a bottom pairing role, as he’s shown the ability to log big minutes at times without hurting his team. No one is going out of their way to sign him to an expensive multi-year deal, but if he decides to forego returning to Russia for a short-term NHL contract there should still be plenty of interest.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Free Agent Market Quiet For Veteran Defensemen

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Over one hundred free agents have signed a contract with a new team already this off-season. Of that group, just three of those signings are defenseman over the age of 30: the Pittsburgh Penguins’ Jack Johnson, the Vegas Golden Knights’ Nick Holden, and the Dallas Stars’ Roman Polak. While veteran goaltenders and forwards continue to garner major interest on the open market and land substantial contracts, it seems defenders of the same age and experience are not being valued similarly across the league. With the NHL trending more toward a speed and finesse game, older blue liners who depend on positional awareness and seasoned checking ability may no longer be able to compete for jobs with younger players at the position with fresh legs and an open mind.

Of PHR’s Top 50 NHL Unrestricted Free Agents, only nine remain unsigned. Two of those nine players – Rick Nash and Kris Versteeg – may not return to playing pro hockey. Of the seven remaining players, three are defenseman over the age of 30: Dan Hamhuis (#24), Toby Enstrom (#37), and Alexei Emelin (#42).  Good veteran defensemen are out there and make up some of the best available players, but are simply not drawing the interest that was expected. Other unsigned names include Brooks Orpik, Johnny Oduya, Kevin Bieksa, Dennis Seidenberg, Kyle Quincey, Paul Martin, Josh Gorges, and Jason Garrison, none of whom have made considerable noise on the rumor mill. 32-year-old Taylor Chorney even moved on to Switzerland due to a stagnant market for older defensemen.

Will several of these names sign an NHL contract prior to next season? Yes, however it’s unlikely that the majority will find meaningful employment if they haven’t already at this point in the summer. Of the remaining names, the most likely to land jobs are those closer to 30 without as much wear and tear on their bodies. The three players who have already found jobs – Johnson, Holden, and Polak – are all 32 or under. Emelin and Quincey at 32 have good odds, as do Enstrom and Gorges at 33. It would also be a major surprise if 35-year-old Hamhuis went unsigned. However, it would not be a shock to see only those five land a deal. This is a free agent market saturated in experienced, capable veteran defensemen, but few who can keep up with the NHL’s current pace of play. As a result, the supply greatly outweighs the demand and the free agent market for older blue liners could continue to remain quiet.

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