International Notes: Leipsic, Bitten, Timashov, Gagner
The current roster freeze will prevent several roster moves in the NHL over the next few days. However, that won’t stop roster moves on the international stage, particularly in the Kontinental Hockey League. A couple of those transactions overseas include notable former NHL talent.
Longtime NHL veteran Brendan Leipsic has been traded in the KHL from Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg to Sibir Novosibirsk, per a release from the latter. In his first season with Yekaterinburg, Leipsic scored six goals and seven points in 25 KHL contests. It’s been six years since Leipsic suited up in the NHL, most recently for the Capitals. The former third-round pick of the Nashville Predators played in 187 games in the NHL from 2016 to 2020, scoring 16 goals and 59 points overall. He’s been far more productive in Russia, scoring 46 goals and 114 points in 197 games since joining the KHL ranks in 2020-21.
Other international transactions:
- Former NHL prospect William Bitten is on the move in the KHL. Anton Nekrasov of Championat confirmed that HK Sochi has claimed Bitten off waivers from Spartak Moscow. Only a year removed from scoring 39 goals and 78 points in 133 games for the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds and debuting in the NHL with the St. Louis Blues in 2022-23, Bitten’s transition to the KHL has been nothing short of disastrous. He scored one goal and five points in 21 games for Moscow, leading the team to move on relatively quickly.
- In a corresponding move, Sochi released former Maple Leafs, Red Wings, and Islanders winger Dmytro Timashov, the team announced on Telegram. The 28-year-old Swede has been a non-factor in his first season in Russia, posting a goal and three assists in 22 games. He last suited up in the NHL with the Isles in 2020-21 and has quickly established himself as a European journeyman since, suiting up in Sweden and Switzerland before arriving in Sochi over the offseason. A fifth-round pick of Toronto in 2015, Timashov recorded four goals and five assists in 45 NHL contests while averaging 8:30 per game across the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons.
- Unrestricted free agent center Sam Gagner is in Sweden training with Djurgårdens IF of the second-tier HockeyAllsvenskan, reports Andreas Hanson of HockeyNews.se. Gagner, 35, has yet to play in 2024-25 but was recently named to Team Canada’s roster for this year’s Spengler Cup. The veteran of 1,043 NHL games could sign overseas for the first time since playing in Austria during the 2012 lockout if he has a decent showing at the tournament. After posting 10 points in 28 games in a limited role with the Oilers last season, Gagner signed a professional tryout with the Hurricanes in September but was released at the end of training camp.
PHR’s Josh Erickson contributed to this article.
Brendan Leipsic Re-Signs In KHL
Former NHL forward Brendan Leipsic will be staying in the KHL moving forward, after signing a two-year contract with Metallurg Magnitogorsk. Leipsic’s rights were actually traded from CSKA Moscow where he played this season for the rights to Los Angeles Kings forward Lias Andersson, who happens to be a restricted free agent this summer. CSKA will likely try to convince Andersson to leave the NHL and head to Russia in the offseason when his contract in Los Angeles expires.
Leipsic meanwhile is staying after scoring 32 points in 58 games this season, his first overseas. The 26-year-old forward saw his last NHL contract terminated by the Washington Capitals in May 2020 after several screenshots were leaked from his social media account. At the time, the NHL issued a statement condemning “misogynistic and reprehensible remarks” that Leipsic and Jack Rodewald made in a private group chat. Both players ended up taking contracts overseas, with Rodewald signing in the Czech Extraliga for 2020-21.
Originally selected in the third round by the Nashville Predators, Leipsic’s NHL career isn’t necessarily over, but it would certainly be a difficult public relations move for any team to sign him at this point. The fact that he had just 11 points in 61 games during the 2019-20 season with the Capitals would suggest he’s not valuable enough to take the risk, meaning he might be limited to KHL contracts from here on out.
Brendan Leipsic Signs In KHL
CSKA Moscow of the KHL has decided to take a chance on a recent free agent, signing Brendan Leipsic to a one-year contract for the 2020-21 season. The 26-year old Leipsic saw his contract with the Washington Capitals terminated in May after private messages from Instagram came to light. At the time, the NHL released this statement:
The National Hockey League strongly condemns the misogynistic and reprehensible remarks made by players Brendan Leipsic and (Florida Panthers prospect) Jack Rodewald in a private group chat that has surfaced on social media. There is no place in our League for such statements, attitudes and behavior, no matter the forum. We will address this inexcusable conduct with the clubs and players involved.
Immediately, it became clear that Leipsic would no longer be welcome on the Capitals, who placed him on unconditional waivers and then terminated his contract. He’ll now get an opportunity to continue his career, though it will be overseas.
Leipsic scored 11 points in 61 games for the Capitals this season and has 59 in his 187-game career. The third-round pick has suited up for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Vegas Golden Knights, Vancouver Canucks, Los Angeles Kings, and Capitals, never staying in one place for very long.
Brendan Leipsic In Talks To Sign In The KHL
Former Capitals forward Brendan Leipsic appears to be on the way to the KHL. Sergei Isakov, his Russia-based agent, told Sport-Express in Russia that Leipsic is closing in on a two-year deal with CSKA Moscow.
The 26-year-old spent this season with Washington after signing a one-year, one-way deal for the league minimum salary of $700K last July. He played in 61 games primarily on the fourth line, picking up three goals and eight assists while logging just 9:10 per night, a career low by a considerable margin.
However, he was released back in May after he made misogynistic comments on social media while also disparaging his linemates with the Caps. The team wasted little time placing him on contract termination waivers which he cleared.
It’s no surprise that Leipsic will be heading overseas to continue his career, an outcome that may have occurred even without his recent comments. While he was a prolific scorer in junior and a productive player at the AHL level, that hadn’t materialized in the form of NHL production. Switching leagues should give him an opportunity to play more of an offensive-minded role which is something he hasn’t had a chance to do for a while.
Washington Capitals Terminate Contract Of Brendan Leipsic
Saturday: Leipsic has cleared waivers, reports Samantha Pell of the Washington Post (Twitter link). That paves the way for the Capitals to officially terminate the contract.
Friday, 10:00am: Just minutes later, the Capitals have announced that they have placed Leipsic on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a contract termination.
9:55am: Earlier this week, private messages of a group chat that included Washington Capitals forward Brendan Leipsic and Florida Panthers minor league forward Jack Rodewald were leaked. In the messages, the participants were using misogynistic language that the league immediately condemned, releasing the following statement:
The National Hockey League strongly condemns the misogynistic and reprehensible remarks made by players Brendan Leipsic and Jack Rodewald in a private group chat that has surfaced on social media. There is no place in our League for such statements, attitudes and behavior, no matter the forum. We will address this inexcusable conduct with the clubs and players involved.
Yesterday, Leipsic’s younger brother Jeremy Leipsic–who also took part in the chat– was removed from the University of Manitoba hockey team. Today, it seems as though the Capitals will come to the same decision.
Tarik El-Bashir of The Athletic is reporting that the Capitals will terminate the remainder of Leipsic’s contract today. The 25-year old forward is on a one-year, $700K contract for the 2019-20 season. After it is terminated, he will become an unrestricted free agent.
Though the Capitals must obviously believe a termination like this is within the rules given Leipsic’s behavior, it wouldn’t be surprising if the transaction is met with a grievance from the NHLPA.
It is not clear what will happen to Rodewald, who is also on a one-year contract but earns just $100K in the Panthers minor league system.
Salary Cap Deep Dive: Washington Capitals
Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM. Teams that can avert total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.
PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2019-20 season. This will focus more on those players who are integral parts of the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.
Washington Capitals
Current Cap Hit: $82,864,294 (over the $81.5MM Upper Limit)
Entry-Level Contracts
G Ilya Samsonov (two years, $925K)
F Jonas Siegenthaler (one year, $714K)
Potential Bonuses
Samsonov: $550K
Siegenthaler: $83K
The one failing of the Washington Capitals and their dominance of their run over the years has been their inability, lately, to develop young talent that can step in. Again there are few players on entry-level contracts who can help ease the Capitals’ salary cap. However, the team believes that they might be close to bringing in their top prospect in Samsonov. The talented Russian goaltender finally arrived in North America last season and had mixed results in his first year in the AHL. However, Samsonov is likely to get a long look in training camp this season and even if he doesn’t make the team, he’s due to make his NHL debut at some point this season. After all, the Capitals must figure out quickly whether they have their future No. 1 netminder.
Siegenthaler finally looks ready to step into a permanent role on the Capitals’ blueline. The 22-year-old showed promise last year in 26 regular season games and even saw some playoff action with four games last season. The defensive defenseman is a perfect addition to a defense that is still dealing with injuries.
One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level
F Nicklas Backstrom ($6.7MM, UFA)
G Braden Holtby ($6.1MM, UFA)
D Radko Gudas ($2.35MM, UFA)
D Christian Djoos ($1.25MM, RFA)
F Chandler Stephenson ($1.05MM, RFA)
F Travis Boyd ($800K, RFA)
F Brendan Leipsic ($700K, RFA)
Washington will have a big decision to make next offseason as they have two of their core pieces who will become unrestricted free agents and with serious cap issue for several years coming, the team will almost assuredly have to make a tough decision and are likely to lose at least one of them for nothing next summer. Neither is likely to be traded considering the team is strong enough to compete for a Stanley Cup, but the team just can’t afford both. The most likely scenario is the team finds a way to retain Backstrom, but will be forced to let Holtby go, considering that top goaltenders have been cashing in and the Capitals likely won’t have the money to keep him around. Of course much could change, but considering that Washington does have a top goaltending prospect who is almost ready for the NHL, losing Holtby might be an easier blow to take than losing Backstrom.
The remaining group will have to prove their worth. The most interesting player could be Gudas, who is considered a likeable locker room guy, but the Capitals will have to wait and see how well the veteran blueliner fits in with their defense and what the cost of retaining him in the future will be.
Two Years Remaining
F Alex Ovechkin ($9.54MM, UFA)
F Jakub Vrana ($3.35MM, RFA)
While it’s hard to imagine a Capitals team without their star in Ovechkin seems highly unlikely, Washington will have to see whether they can convince their star to re-sign. He’ll be 36 years old by the time he signs his next contract, which means he has quite a few options and while re-signing with Washington is the most likely possibility, the veteran has a number of options which could include returning to Russia to finish his career. Signing with Washington also could hinge on how the Capitals will look in two years. If the team looks like an aging team that has little real chance at winning a title, Ovechkin could also look elsewhere in the NHL for a last chance for a Stanley Cup. The Athletic’s Jesse Granger suggested a while back that Ovechkin might be a good fit with Vegas in a couple of years, suggesting that his relationship with George McPhee could be enough to bring him over there.
The team needs Vrana to continue his development. A player who struggled and was a big question mark at this time a season ago, Vrana answered a lot of questions last year with a 24-goal, 47-point season. If he can continue that success and be a consistent top-six player, the team will likely have hand him a long-term deal in two years.
Three Years Remaining
D Michal Kempny ($2.5MM, UFA)
G Pheonix Copley ($1.1MM, UFA)
F Nic Dowd ($750K, UFA)
The team lacks many major contracts here, but if Kempny continues to prove to be a solid defensive presence on Washington’s blueline, the team may have to hand out a significant contract. While the defender will be out for the start of the season and remains an unknown after a season-ending hamstring injury, he has proven to be quite reliable since the Capitals acquired him back at the trade deadline in 2018. Copley, who posted solid numbers as a full-time back-up goalie, likely will hold down his job, but will be challenged by Samsonov, who the team hopes will be their goalie of the future.
Four Or More Years Remaining
D John Carlson ($8MM through 2025-26)
F Evgeny Kuznetsov ($7.8MM through 2024-25)
F T.J. Oshie ($5.75MM through 2024-25)
F Tom Wilson ($5.17MM through 2023-24)
D Dmitry Orlov ($5.1MM through 2022-23)
F Lars Eller ($3.5MM through 2022-23)
F Carl Hagelin ($2.75MM through 2022-23)
F Richard Panik ($2.75MM through 2022-23)
D Nick Jensen ($2.5MM through 2022-23)
F Garnet Hathaway ($1.5MM through 2022-23)
The bulk of the team’s contracts are here with plenty of money being dedicated to the team between the next four to seven years. Many of these players will likely not be worth the money they are paying for them by that time and much will depend on whether Washington can supplement the team with young, cheap talent. However, the core of the team comes down to Carlson, Kuznetsov, Oshie and Wilson, all of which are currently key to the team’s status as threats to capture another Stanley Cup in the next few years. Carlson, who hits 30 at midseason, put up another phenomenal numbers last year, scoring 13 goals and a career-high 70 points. Kuznetsov had a slight down year, but could be a candidate for a big bounce-back season. Oshie continues to put up solid numbers, 25 goals last season, but will turn 33 during the season and will be 39 before his contract expires, which could go bad quickly. Wilson’s contract doesn’t look nearly as bad, especially after posting career highs in goals (22) and points (40).
Orlov saw his goal-scoring numbers drop, but he still has been a key figure on the team’s defense. Although he saw his ATOI drop by a minute in a half, the team still believes that Orlov is a top-pairing defender. The team hopes that Jensen might provide the same value at a much cheaper price. Jensen, acquired from Detroit and immediately extended for four years, gives Washington even more depth on the team’s blueline. He only averaged 17 minutes in his 20 games with Washington, but he could return to the 20 minutes he was averaging when he was with the Red Wings.
Washington has started to put more effort into bringing in cheaper players, who they think can contribute to the team long-term such as Hagelin and Panik, who were both locked up as the team believes both can contribute as middle-six players for a number of years.
Buyouts
None
Retained Salary Transactions
None
Still To Sign
None
Best Value: Wilson
Worst Value: Oshie
Looking Ahead
The Capitals are a team that have made it clear years ago that they were going for it. They succeeded finally, winning a Stanley Cup after the 2017-18 season. However, they looked just as formidable last year, despite a first-round exit in a grueling seven-game series against the Carolina Hurricanes. However, expectations continue to be high that this veteran laden club can continue to be one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. With a number of their players already in their 30’s, the question will end up being how long can they keep this up? The team is capped out and will be for years to come, so they could lose quite a bit of talent over the next few years and with one of the weakest group of prospects in the league, the team will have to be quite clever with the cap to keep the team relevant.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Washington Capitals Sign Brendan Leipsic
The Washington Capitals have added another depth forward with a little upside, signing Brendan Leipsic to a one-year, one-way contract worth $700K. Leipsic split last season between the Vancouver Canucks and Los Angeles Kings. The team has also signed minor league forward Philippe Maillet to a two-year, two-way contract worth $700K at the NHL level.
Leipsic, 25, has shown flashes of brilliance in the NHL but hasn’t quite been able to establish himself as a full-time player just yet. In 45 games with the Kings last season he recorded 18 points, but failed to receive a qualifying offer and became an unrestricted free agent. That’s not the first team that passed on him over the years, as the third-round pick has been traded twice, picked in the expansion draft and claimed off waivers over the years. In Washington he’ll try to show that he can be an everyday player, but his $700K deal can be buried in the minor leagues if the team feels he’s not ready to contribute.
Maillet meanwhile is a minor league addition that won’t be expected to contribute at the NHL level at all. The 26-year old forward went undrafted out of the QMJHL despite strong scoring numbers and actually went to the University of New Brunswick for four seasons. Signing a minor league deal with the Ontario Reign, he showed that had still been overlooked and actually registered 94 points in 140 games for the AHL club. This deal represents his first NHL contract and a reward for years of hard work.
List Of Players Not Receiving A 2019 Qualifying Offer
The deadline to issue a qualifying offer to pending restricted free agents comes down at 4pm today, making any player who has not received one eligible to become an unrestricted free agent. It does not stop them from re-signing with the team for a different amount. Below are the players who will not be issued a qualifying offer:
Anaheim Ducks
D Jake Dotchin, D Trevor Murphy, D Keaton Thompson
Arizona Coyotes
G Hunter Miska, F Nick Cousins, F Josh Archibald
Boston Bruins
Buffalo Sabres
F Eric Cornel, D Jack Dougherty, D Brycen Martin, F Sean Malone* (Signed to AHL deal)
Calgary Flames
F Curtis Lazar, F Brett Pollock, F Kerby Rychel, D Josh Healey, G Mason McDonald
Carolina Hurricanes
Chicago Blackhawks
D Blake Hillman, F Anthony Louis, F Spencer Watson, F Luke Johnson, F David Kampf
Colorado Avalanche
F Sven Andrighetto, G Spencer Martin, D Sergei Boikov, D Mason Geertsen, F Julien Nantel
Columbus Blue Jackets
Dallas Stars
F Brett Ritchie, F Ryan Hartman, D Chris Martenet, G Philippe Desrosiers
Detroit Red Wings
F Martin Frk, F Axel Holmstrom, F Dylan Sadowy, D Libor Sulak
Edmonton Oilers
F Tobias Rieder, F Ty Rattie, F Colin Larkin, F Tyler Vesel, D Robin Norell
Florida Panthers
F Vincent Praplan, F Henrik Haapala, D Michael Downing, D Ludwig Bystrom
Los Angeles Kings
F Nikita Scherbak, F Brendan Leipsic, F Matheson Iacopelli, F Pavel Jenys, D Alex Lintuniemi
Minnesota Wild
F Pontus Aberg, F Chase Lang, F Dante Salituro, D Michael Kapla
Montreal Canadiens
F Hunter Shinkaruk, F Daniel Audette, D Brett Lernout
Nashville Predators
F Phillip Di Giuseppe, F Justin Kirkland
New Jersey Devils
F Stefan Noesen, D Ryan Murphy, G Cam Johnson
New York Islanders
New York Rangers
D Julius Bergman, D Fredrik Claesson, D Chris Bigras, G Chris Nell, G Brandon Halverson
Ottawa Senators
Philadelphia Flyers
F Justin Bailey, D Jacob Graves
Pittsburgh Penguins
San Jose Sharks
D Joakim Ryan, F Rourke Chartier, F Jon Martin, F Alex Schoenborn, D Michael Brodzinski, D Cody Donaghey, D Cavan Fitzgerald
St. Louis Blues
F Nikita Soshnikov, F Conner Bleackley
Tampa Bay Lightning
Toronto Maple Leafs
F Nicholas Baptiste, F Gabriel Gagne, D Jordan Subban, G Eamon McAdam
Vancouver Canucks
F Brendan Gaunce, F Markus Granlund, F Yan-Pavel LaPlante, D Derrick Pouliot, D Ben Hutton
Vegas Golden Knights
F Tomas Nosek, F Alex Gallant, F Tobias Lindberg, F Tomas Hyka, G Zach Fucale
Washington Capitals
F Dmitrij Jaskin, F Mason Mitchell, F Hampus Gustafsson, F Mathias Bau-Hansen
Winnipeg Jets
F Marko Dano, D Joseph Morrow, D Nathan Beaulieu, D Jimmy Oligny, G Ken Appleby
Kings Notes: Leipsic, Brodzinski, Coaching Staff
The Los Angeles Kings have started talks with Brendan Leipsic‘s representatives, according to Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider. The team would like to sign Leipsic if possible after he found his NHL footing in Los Angeles following a waiver claim in early December. The 25-year old forward scored 18 points in 45 games for the Kings, more tha he had for any one team previously.
Leipsic was originally selected in the third round by the Nashville Predators, but has already been involved in two trades and was picked by the Vegas Golden Knights in the expansion draft. That kind of turmoil is rarely productive for an NHL career, something a new contract with Los Angeles could fix. Obviously the Kings have lots of work to do this summer in order to try and get younger and faster, but Leipsic has apparently done enough to impress the front office in his short tenure.
- Jonny Brodzinski however looks like he’ll be heading for a fresh start elsewhere. The 25-year old forward qualifies for Group VI unrestricted free agency this summer and GM Rob Blake told Curtis Zupke of the Los Angeles Times that Brodzinski will make it to the open market. Blake did explain that he expects to sign a “majority” of the team’s restricted free agents however, which include names like Leipsic, Alex Iafallo and Adrian Kempe. Brodzinski ended up playing just 54 games for the Kings over the last three seasons, and wasn’t able to translate his powerful shot and minor league scoring ability into much production at the NHL level.
- Blake told Rosen that the team will have just two assistant coaches this season, including Marco Sturm who will stay on with the club. Rosen expects the other coaching hire to be Trent Yawney who worked with head coach Todd McLellan in Edmonton last season, but notes that there have been other interviews. The Kings handed McLellan a five-year, $25MM deal to turn things around in Los Angeles and will need to surround him by the best coaching staff possible if a return to the playoffs is in the cards.
Los Angeles Kings Claim Brendan Leipsic
There are some benefits of being at the bottom of the NHL standings, and one is waiver priority. The Los Angeles Kings have added another young forward, claiming Brendan Leipsic from the Vancouver Canucks according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The team had recently added Nikita Scherbak as well through the waiver process.
Leipsic, 24, is now on his fifth NHL organization since being selected 89th overall in 2012. The Nashville Predators were the ones to select the undersized WHL scoring phenom, but ended up trading him to the Toronto Maple Leafs before he ever played a game for them. The Maple Leafs proceeded to lose Leipsic to the Vegas Golden Knights in the expansion draft, who followed by trading him to the Canucks last season. He’ll now head south to Los Angeles to get another chance at the NHL level.
The Kings have been searching for speed and skill to try and infuse some offensive into their lineup, and with Scherbak and Leipsic they’ve certainly taken a chance. Both players have failed to really establish themselves in the NHL, but have big upside if they can ever bring their previous production to that level. Leipsic in particular has been an outstanding player in the minor leagues, including a 51-point season in 2016-17 for the Toronto Marlies.