Benoit Pouliot Signs With Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres have signed recently bought-out Benoit Pouliot to a one-year, $1.15MM deal according to Bob McKenzie of TSN.
Pouliot was the fourth-overall selection in the 2005 draft, behind Sidney Crosby, Bobby Ryan and Jack Johnson (and ahead of Carey Price at #5) and has never quite found the success that preceded him. In 551 games, he’s registered 244 points and hit a low point last season with just 14 in 67 games for the Edmonton Oilers.
Buffalo will bring him in on an extremely cheap deal however, and considering the extremely low risk he could be one of the better signings of the offseason. Even if the 30-year old reverts to his 30-point self, he’ll be a steal for just over $1MM. A strong possession player, it was clearly time for him to move on in Edmonton and he’ll try to rebuild his value in the Eastern Conference.
Brian Boyle Signs With New Jersey Devils
Bob McKenzie of TSN reports that the New Jersey Devils will likely sign Brian Boyle, and that it will be a two-year contract. The deal is worth $2.55MM per season. Pierre LeBrun of TSN adds that the Toronto Maple Leafs, Boyle’s former team, did not make an offer.
The 32-year-old center had been a bottom-6 center for the Tampa Bay Lightning for several years before they traded him at the deadline for Byron Froese and a second round pick in the 2017 draft. He was having one of his better season for the Lightning at the time, scoring 13 goals and nine assists in the first 54 games of the season, which almost equals his totals for the previous two. However, partially dealing with an injury, he struggled fitting into the Maple Leafs lineup and only tallied three assists in 21 games.
At 6-foot-6 and 245 pounds, the physical forward could be of major use to a young Devils’ squad. The big center even scored 21 goals for the New York Rangers in 2010-11. His specialties—defense, faceoffs and penalty killing—will be a big boost to the Devils as they look to return to relevancy. Hoping to compete for the playoffs this year, Boyle brings ample experience in the postseason with multiple teams.
Rangers Expected To Sign Ondrej Pavelec To One-Year Deal
TSN’s Bob McKenzie reported earlier this morning that Ondrej Pavelec was on his way to New York. The Winnipeg Sun’s Ken Wiebe tweets that the deal is a one-year, $1.3MM agreement. The deal was anticipated, as it was reported yesterday that the Rangers were in discussions with the netminder.
Pavelec will now be the backup to Henrik Lundqvist, following the departure of Antti Raanta. Last season, Pavelec only saw eight games with Winnipeg and posted a 4-4 record with a .888 save percentage.
Panthers Notes: Werier, Haley, Jagr, Demers
The Florida Panthers made official this morning the firing of Assistant GM Stever Werier, as Dale Tallon continues to undo moves made by the previous administration, now including the hiring of Werier. TSN’s Bob McKenzie, who first reported the front office change, states that the order may have come down even prior to last week’s Expansion Draft, but is just now being made public. The move corresponds with Tallon’s recent hiring of Chris Pronger and Bryan McCabe to front office positions, as the old guard is being moved out and Tallon is taking the team in a new direction.
- Part of that new direction is adding more toughness to the lineup, which Tallon plans to do today with the expected signing of enforcer Micheal Haley. TSN’s Bob McKenzie confirmed that the Panthers plan to sign Haley, 31, when free agency opens. The veteran forward has only played in 130 NHL games, but skated in a career-high 58 contests with the San Jose Sharks last season, recording 12 points and 128 penalty minutes.
- Another new movement in Florida is a desire to get quicker. According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, that means that 45-year-old legend Jaromir Jagr will have to move on to yet another destination if he wishes to continue his career. Dreger’s TSN colleague Pierre LeBrun has stated that Jagr has cut ties with the Panthers and is on the hunt for a new team to give him a chance at extending his hockey playing days.
- One player sticking with the Panthers (for now) is defenseman Jason Demers. The veteran righty, a major 2016 free agency acquisition, has been on the trade block this past week, but Pierre LeBrun reports that he used his No-Trade Clause to nix a deal with the Vancouver Canucks earlier this week. Florida seems intent on moving Demers, but he seems reluctant to move. The impending impasse could prove to be an intriguing story this off-season.
- Two players the Panthers do want around are prospects Reece Scarlett and Chase Balisy. TVA’s Renaud Lavoie revealed that the young defenseman and forward have inked new deals with Florida as of this morning. Both one-year and two-way, Scarlett will make $650K at the NHL level, while Balisy will make $675K.
Free Agency Rumor Round-Up
Free agency is set to open in mere hours, but there are already plenty of rumors out there about deals that will become official at noon ET. Here are all of the deals expected to be made official this afternoon with the link to the original PHR article or recent report:
Anaheim Ducks expected to sign G Ryan Miller (per TSN’s Bob McKenzie)
Boston Bruins expected to sign LW Kenny Agostino
Buffalo Sabres expected to sign G Chad Johnson
Chicago Blackhawks expected to sign RW Patrick Sharp
Colorado Avalanche expected to sign G Jonathan Bernier
Dallas Stars expected to sign C Martin Hanzal (per TSN’s Bob McKenzie)
Detroit Red Wings expected to sign D Trevor Daley
Florida Panthers expected to sign RW Evgeni Dadonov
Florida Panthers expected to sign C Micheal Haley
Montreal Canadiens expected to sign D Karl Alzner
New York Rangers expected to sign G Ondrej Pavelec
Philadelphia Flyers expected to sign G Brian Elliott
Tampa Bay Lightning expected to sign D Dan Girardi
Vancouver Canucks expected to sign D Michael Del Zotto
Vancouver Canucks expected to sign G Anders Nilsson
Vancouver Canucks expected to sign C Sam Gagner (per TSN’s Bob McKenzie)
Winnipeg Jets expected to sign G Steve Mason (per TSN’s Bob McKenzie)
Buffalo Sabres Acquire Marco Scandella, Jason Pominville From Minnesota
Seconds after publishing the note about Marco Scandella and the Buffalo Sabres, the two consummated the deal. Scandella will be heading to the Sabres along with Jason Pominville and a 2018 fourth-round pick, in exchange for Tyler Ennis and Marcus Foligno and a 2018 third-round draft pick. There is no salary retained on either side. Scandella has been rumored to be on the block for some time, with the Montreal Canadiens being the first club linked. 
At first glance, this deal offers clear benefits for both sides. For Buffalo, Scandella represents a clear upgrade on their blueline and won’t cost as much as Kevin Shattenkirk on the open market. Scandella has three years left on his current contract at $4MM per season, and is a solid two-way option. At 27, he’s not much of an offensive threat buck can consistently retrieve and move the puck out of his own end. He joins newcomer Nathan Beaulieu to improve the defensive group, and could pair with top defender Rasmus Ristolainen in Buffalo.
Pominville isn’t much of an asset at this point because of his big contract, but he did still record 47 points last year and is returning to a team where he found his greatest success. Before spending time as the captain of the Sabres, Pominville developed from second-round pick to elite winger, scoring a career-high 80 points in 2007-08. He’s not that player anymore, but should still provide some offensive punch to the Sabres’ middle six. Pominville has two years remaining at $5.6MM, making him the most expensive piece in the trade.
Going the other way is Ennis, who is good friends with Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon and was even working out with him when the deal was broken. A few years ago, he likely would have been the biggest part of the deal after five straight successful seasons as a second line center. That play has dropped off a cliff recently though, limited by several injuries to just 74 games over the last two seasons. During that time he’s scored 24 points, but Minnesota will hope he can bounce back and give them some value for his $4.6MM cap hit. That contract will expire after the 2018-19 season, when Ennis is just 29.
Foligno, the best player in the deal for Minnesota, is an restricted free agent still but should provide some size and strength to the club. His 279 hits last season ranked second among all forwards last year, and he can chip in double digit goals from a bottom-six role. At 25, he’s a useful player for any team and will fit into a tough defensive team in Minnesota.
If Foligno is the best player in the deal for the Wild, the cap space cleared is the best asset. The Wild have to re-sign both Nino Niederreiter and Mikael Granlund to big RFA deals, and open up a few million with this contract (depending on what Foligno earns on his next contract). They also might be opening up some room for free agency tomorrow.
In all, this deal seems like a win-win for both clubs with upside to make it a big win for either. Should Pominville mesh with the young forwards and bring a winning culture, or Scandella find chemistry with Ristolainen on the top pairing they could be a much improved club. Minnesota could easily get a bounce-back campaign from Ennis, or a Foligno offensive breakout.
Bob McKenzie of TSN first reported the deal, while Michael Russo of the Star Tribune helped with details.
Calgary Acquires Eddie Lack And Ryan Murphy From Carolina
TSN’s Bob McKenzie reports that the Calgary Flames have acquired goaltender Eddie Lack, defenseman Ryan Murphy and a 2019 7th round pick from Carolina in exchange for defenseman Keegan Kanzig and a 2019 6th round pick. McKenzie adds that Carolina will retain 50% of Lack’s salary. The deal secures a backup goaltender for the Flames as they acquired Mike Smith from the Arizona Coyotes earlier this month.
Despite the trade, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun tweets that the Flames are still interested in bringing back Michael Stone while also perusing the options available in free agency. The acquisition of Lack solidifies a tandem in net that was lacking after a quick first round exit during the 2017 playoffs. Brian Elliott struggled in their first round tilt with Anaheim, so acquiring Lack to backup Smith allows for a safeguard should injury or struggles in the net befall either netminder. Lack is coming off a season that saw him post an 8-7-3 record while also suffering a scary injury in late March.
Sportsnet 960’s Pat Steinberg wonders if Murphy can be a solution on the blueline for the long haul. The 24-year-old saw 27 games with the Hurricanes, a drop from the 2015-16 season in both ice time and production.
Kanzig appeared in 40 games for the Adirondack Thunder of the ECHL and posted 5 points (1-4). With the Stockton Heat of the AHL, Kanzig registered two assists in six games.
Brendan Smith Signs With New York Rangers
After hearing earlier today that Brendan Smith may have a bigger offer from New York than anyone else, the two sides have agreed to terms and will bring back the defender on a long-term contract. The deal is expected to be for four years with an average annual value of $4.35. It also includes some sort of no-trade clause for all four seasons. In our free agent rankings where Smith placed 12th, we had him signing a four-year deal worth $15MM, but he is clearly set to eclipse that number. 
Smith fit in quite well with the Rangers after being acquired at the trade deadline from the Detroit Red Wings, logging over 20 minutes a night for them down the stretch and being a big part of their playoff run. The left-handed defenseman has experience playing both sides, and could be asked to play his off-side now that Dan Girardi has been bought out. The Rangers have Ryan McDonagh and Brady Skjei locked in on the left side, and though newcomers Neal Pionk and Anthony DeAngelo are both right-handed, neither may be ready to start the year with the club.
It’s that versatility that made Smith so valuable on the open market, and has provided what may seem like a slightly overpriced contract. He had been playing on a $2.75MM cap hit, but at 28 was looking for a solid long-term deal. With the new cap hit, the Rangers will be left with between $15-16MM for now, though many things could still be done to impact that. The team still needs to sign restricted free agents Mika Zibanejad and Jesper Fast to new contract, while replacing Derek Stepan and Antti Raanta who they traded to the Arizona Coyotes.
This contract is not without risk, as Smith scored just nine points last season and isn’t very offensively gifted. He’ll never be a big point producer even if he plays with McDonagh, but what he can do is defend and do it well. He’s reliable in his own end and is willing to engage physically when the time is right (though that isn’t a huge part of his game). Mostly, he can do a little bit of everything and not hurt you with any bad mistakes. That’s valuable to any team, and apparently worth a hefty sum on the open market.
Bob McKenzie of TSN was first to report the deal.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Flames To Sign Spencer Foo
One of the biggest college free agent prizes has decided on his NHL destination, according to TSN’s Bob McKenzie. Union forward Spencer Foo will sign with the Calgary Flames. The 6’0″, 180 pound right winger scored 26 goals and added 36 assists in his Junior season with the Union Dutchmen. He was known in NCAA circles for being the motor behind the highest scoring line in college hockey, alongside Mike Vecchione, who ended up in Philadelphia.
Foo was previously linked to other teams, most seriously those same Flyers. However, Foo decided to change course, as he and his agent were pursued by other teams with more glaring holes at the winger position. Although details are scarce as to the rationale, one has to imagine that he was looking to have a serious opportunity on the right side. Calgary is weak on the right side, and only two players are under contract that naturally slot there: Troy Brouwer and Michael Frolik. The Flyers, by comparison, have multiple flexible core players who can slot on that side, including mainstays Claude Giroux, Wayne Simmonds, and Jakub Voracek, with Matt Read and Dale Weise also getting looks. In Calgary, he is almost certain to have a crack at the top-9 on the roster, with the ability to play with creative talents Johnny Gaudreau and Sam Bennett.
Foo is tough for his size and has good skating ability. He has been lauded for his exceptional work ethic and conditioning, which at 23 will provide a decent opportunity to smoothly transition. The odds are against him to make an immediate offensive impact, as many college signings still take time to develop. For the re-building Flames, however, the signing is a perfect fit. Foo will be allowed to blossom alongside the young core that is already present, without worrying too heavily about internal competition for ice time on the wing.
Terms will not be revealed until that July 1st date, when the Unrestricted Free Agency signing period starts. Flames Nation’s Ryan Pike expects the deal to be a two-year entry level contract, at somewhere near the maximum $925,000 per year.
Eric Gryba Re-Signs In Edmonton
The Edmonton Oilers continue to bring back their veteran defense group, as according to Bob McKenzie of TSN the team has re-signed Eric Gryba for two years. The deal will pay him an average of $900K per season.
Gryba played last season on a two-way deal but spent the whole season with Edmonton or on the shelf due to injury. In 40 games he registered six points but amazingly recorded 145 hits, an impressive rate that would have had him near the top of the league had he played all 82. He’ll likely return in a similar depth role, but is an interesting piece as a big bruising right-handed defenseman.
Now with Gryba and Kris Russell back in the fold, the Oilers have seven NHL defenders under contract. Andrei Sekera won’t play for the first part of the season, but it seems like Edmonton is probably finished when it comes to free agent defensemen. With Matt Benning and Darnell Nurse expected to take a step forward, and Oscar Klefbom and Adam Larsson entrenched as the leaders on the back end, it could be a pretty solid defensive group this season.