RFA Notes: Honka, Perlini, Boeser
The Dallas Stars are still expected to move on from young defenseman Julius Honka at some point, it’s just not clear when that will be. The 23-year old spoke to Sean Shapiro of The Athletic (subscription required) and explained that he is trying to stay positive about the next chapter of his hockey career, despite not knowing exactly where that will be.
Honka is unsigned, one of the large group of restricted free agents still without a contract for the upcoming season. The Stars meanwhile have their defensive group filled out for 2019-20 thanks to the emergence of Miro Heiskanen and solid contributions from depth options like Roman Polak, Jamie Oleksiak and newcomer Andrej Sekera. With a lack of opportunity there have been trade rumors floating around Honka for quite some time, though it’s not clear when a move will actually be made.
- One other young RFA that is expected to sign soon is Brendan Perlini of the Chicago Blackhawks, who continue to discuss a new contract according to Scott Powers of The Athletic. Powers relays news from a source that says a deal will get done “over the next week or so.” Perlini is the final restricted free agent left to sign for GM Stan Bowman, who has rebuilt the Blackhawks roster over the last several months by bringing in names like Andrew Shaw, Zack Smith, Olli Maatta and Calvin de Haan.
- Though a deal for Perlini is imminent, that doesn’t sound like the case for Vancouver Canucks forward Brock Boeser. Iain MacIntyre of Sportsnet tweets that Canucks GM Jim Benning won’t have anything new to say about Boeser when he speaks to the media today about his own extension. Boeser is one a dozen high profile restricted free agents waiting for the market to be set by someone else—with most pointing to Mitch Marner or Brayden Point as the flag bearers for the class.
Latest On Brock Boeser’s Contract Negotiations
The Vancouver Canucks are one of the many teams waiting to resolve a contract situation with one of their best players, in their case restricted free agent Brock Boeser. The 22-year old forward has scored 59 goals through his first 140 NHL games and possesses one of the most lethal shots in the league. Seemingly a perfect fit alongside phenom center Elias Pettersson, the Canucks would surely like to lock Boeser up to a reasonable long-term deal. Ben Kuzma of Postmedia was on TSN radio yesterday and reported that Boeser’s camp is looking for a $7MM average annual value on his next deal and suggests Timo Meier‘s four-year deal as a reasonable comparison.
Meier signed that four-year $24MM contract with the San Jose Sharks at the beginning of July, but it was designed in a very interesting way. At the conclusion of the contract Meier will still be a restricted free agent for one more year, but because he earns $10MM in salary during the 2022-23 campaign that is what the Sharks would have to extend him as a qualifying offer in order to retain his rights. Obviously they could work out another extension, but Meier has virtually turned the deal into a five-year $34MM contract if he wants it to be. That gets the average annual value a lot closer to that $7MM mark that Kuzma reports Boeser is after.
It’s not clear if the Canucks would be willing (or able) to structure a deal like that, but obviously some sort of compromise will have to be made. Seemingly the entire RFA class has decided that they want to get paid handsomely this summer on their second contracts, and many believe the market is still being held up by Mitch Marner and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Marner isn’t a very good comparable for Boeser given the difference in their NHL experience (Marner has played in 101 more regular season games than Boeser and is a year closer to UFA status), but he still may set the ceiling on the entire market whenever he actually signs. For what it’s worth, Toronto GM Kyle Dubas spoke with TSN at the World Junior Summer Showcase and explained that there isn’t a ton of progress in any of the RFA situations around the league.
A $7MM cap hit would put Boeser into the top-35 in terms of highest paid forwards in the league, tying him with names like Anders Lee, James van Riemsdyk and Evander Kane who were all paid for their UFA seasons relatively recently. William Nylander‘s six-year $45MM deal comes in just shy of the $7MM mark and was signed as an RFA, though it also buys out a year of unrestricted status.
It is important to note that the Canucks don’t actually have a ton of cap space to throw around. CapFriendly is currently projecting them to have just over $5MM, though that is based on a 24-man roster that will obviously be downsized before the start of the season. With Nikolay Goldobin still to go however, there will likely have to be a few more moves to fit everyone in if Boeser does get his $7MM deal. While Boeser is obviously worth it, the Canucks have a lot of money tied up in bottom-six forwards (even through 2020-21 and beyond) and may have to find a way to shed some of them before things really get going next month.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Mitch Marner Deal Holding Up Other Restricted Free Agents
If the Toronto Maple Leafs’ negotiations with Mitch Marner last as long as they did with William Nylander last season, many other NHL teams are going to be in trouble. According to The Athletic’s Joe Smith, many other agents are waiting to see how Marner’s deal shakes out before finalizing terms for their own top restricted free agent forwards. A surprising number of prominent RFA forwards remain unsigned and could stay that way until the Marner deal sets the market.
Writing specifically about the Tampa Bay Lightning, a team facing their own RFA conundrum with breakout center Brayden Point, Smith states that the team expects Point to be ready for camp in September, but agent Gerry Johansson is content with the “slow process”. The agents for Mikko Rantanen, Matthew Tkachuk, Kyle Connor, Brock Boeser, Patrik Laine, and Travis Konecny likely feel the same way and are apparently waiting to see where Marner, the best of the group, ends up before moving forward. In fact, Sportsnet’s Rick Dhaliwal also added today that things are very quiet around Boeser’s camp and he acknowledges that the process has been slow for most big-name RFA’s.
So what will be the first domino to fall? Will Marner really sign first and set the stage for everyone else? Or will another unsigned star finally budge and give the market a much-needed comparable? While Marner, who recorded 94 points in 82 games last year, is the most established player and considered the top RFA who would be the ceiling for the market, he was actually quite comparable to Rantanen and Point last season. However, the rest of the group could benefit from any of the group signing a contract to use as a point of comparison. At this point in the summer, the odds are high that at least one of these negotiations will last into the regular season. But if the reports are true that the market waits on Marner, those teams with top unsigned RFA forwards better hope that Toronto and their star winger are closer than it seems.
West Notes: Engelland, Hutton, Eriksson
The bonus structure for Deryk Engelland‘s new contract has been reported by PuckPedia, and there are certainly some achievable milestones for the veteran defenseman. Engelland will receive a $300K bonus for playing in ten games, and an additional $100K at the 20 and 30 game thresholds. He’ll also get an additional $100K if he finishes the season in the top-five on the Vegas Golden Knights in ice time, an $100K for making the playoffs, and $25K for each successful round.
The relatively easy bonuses are another reason why the Golden Knights didn’t want to be using long-term injured reserve if they can avoid it, hence the trade of David Clarkson‘s contract earlier this week. If they were using LTIR and Engelland reached the bonuses, they would be applied as a cap overage in 2020-21 giving the team even less room for additional spending. Obviously $800K in overages isn’t the end of the world, but for a team like Vegas who is expected to be cap-strapped for some time they can make a difference.
- Ben Hutton‘s agent Andy Scott of Octagon Hockey spoke to Rick Dhaliwal on Sportsnet radio, and explained that he has no doubt the free agent defenseman will be signed before the year starts. Hutton has “plenty of offers” according to Scott, though nothing has been worked out so far. Scott also gave his take on the Brock Boeser situation (who is represented by fellow Octagon agent Ben Hankinson) explaining that “everyone is taking it slow” in the market right now. Boeser is one of a huge number of star restricted free agents still without contracts as August nears.
- The conversation around Vancouver Canucks forward Loui Eriksson continues, this time with Harman Dayal of The Athletic (subscription required) exploring potential trade options in the form of LTIR contracts coming back. The most eye-popping suggestion is one that revolves around Ryan Kesler, who is a polarizing figure in Vancouver. The veteran center heard boos for his entire career with the Anaheim Ducks whenever they traveled to Vancouver after forcing his way out of the Canucks organization in 2014, but is not expected to ever play again after debilitating hip injuries and multiple surgeries. Eriksson still has three years remaining on his contract which carries a $6MM cap hit.
Pacific Notes: Eriksson, Ritchie, Smith, Dillon
With so many forwards now on their roster, the Vancouver Canucks coaching staff should have their hands full when training camp begins. The team now has 14 forwards under contract with two restricted free agents still to sign in Brock Boeser and Nikolay Goldobin. That’s a lot of players for just 12 spots in the lineup.
One player who should find himself highly scrutinized is Loui Eriksson, who has made it clear he wouldn’t mind a change of scenery as he has stated he isn’t a big fan of Travis Green and his coaching staff. Unfortunately, a trade might be challenging as Eriksson still has three years remaining at $6MM AAV. When Vancouver Sun’s Patrick Johnson asked general manager Jim Benning about the possibility of sending Eriksson to the Utica Comets of the AHL, Benning was slow to answer.
“I don’t have a direct answer for that right now,” he admitted.
Eriksson’s agent said he doesn’t expect his client to be waived or re-assigned to Utica. Not sure if Benning feels the same way.
- With a large number of young wingers and recent two-way acquisitions this summer, the writing could be on the wall for winger Nick Ritchie, who still has two years remaining at a very reasonable $1.49MM. The 23-year-old hasn’t developed into the scoring power forward the team hoped for when they drafted him 10th overall in 2014 and he might be a perfect trade candidate, according to Eric Stephens of The Athletic (subscription required). Ritchie will have to fight for one of the left wing openings or he could find himself on a new team shortly.
- Edmonton Journal’s Kurt Leavins writes that while many people are questioning the Oilers decision-making in signing veteran goaltender Mike Smith after a disappointing campaign last year in Calgary, the numbers may tell a different story. While the 37-year-old goaltender finished with less than stellar numbers: 42 games, 2.72 GAA and a .898 save percentage, he did finish strong at the end of the season. In his seven of his last 10 regular-season games, Smith finished with a .923 save percentage or higher. He also did the same in three of the five playoff games he appeared in. He could bounce back in a big way.
- The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz (subscription required) looks at the Sharks salary cap situtation in 2020. The team should have $10.3MM in available salary cap space, but that doesn’t include an expected long-term deal for Kevin Labanc. However, the scribe notes that no matter what, the team will probably have to let defenseman Brenden Dillon go despite his value to the team’s blueline. However, if Radim Simek continues to get top-four minutes, Dillon would be only a third-pairing defenseman and wouldn’t be worth the $3.27MM he currently makes anyway, especially if he’s looking for a raise.
Latest On Brock Boeser’s Contract Talks
It appears that the Canucks and Brock Boeser are still a sizable distance apart in contract discussions. Postmedia’s Patrick Johnston reports that Vancouver has tabled a six-year, $36MM offer to the winger while Boeser’s camp is looking for a shorter-term around $7MM per year.
Unlike most of the prominent restricted free agents out there, Boeser isn’t eligible for an offer sheet nor was he eligible for salary arbitration so he doesn’t have a lot of leverage at his disposal. He also doesn’t have as lengthy of a track record as some of the others in this RFA class with only 140 career games under his belt.
Nonetheless, the 22-year-old has established himself as being a capable top line player already. Those players tend to get paid more than $6MM per year in this market so Vancouver’s offer seems a little low on the surface but again, Boeser has even less leverage than most RFAs coming off their entry-level deals so that’s likely part of the equation.
Earlier this offseason, Boeser indicated that he’s open to all types of offers, ranging from a one-year deal to a max-term eight-year pact. However, with a notable shift towards eschewing long-term contracts in an effort to get to unrestricted free agency sooner, it’s not surprising that Boeser appears to prefer a shorter deal at this time.
Vancouver also has to be mindful of their salary cap situation. As a result of their offseason additions, they will likely have to clear out some payroll room to sign Boeser to the deal they offered let alone what the winger’s asking price is. Earlier this week, GM Jim Benning indicated that they’re comfortable using LTIR to start the season and then they’d make room when winger Antoine Roussel is ready to return but freeing up space now would be an easier route to take. Accordingly, they may look to try to accomplish that before finalizing a new contract with Boeser which means it could be a while before this deal gets done.
Evening Notes: Sharks Lineup, Gaudette, Johansson
The San Jose Sharks had to cast off a number of forwards this offseason after they inked star defenseman Erik Karlsson to an eight-year, $92MM contract three weeks ago. The team let Joe Pavelski and Joonas Donskoi off and there continue to be rumors that they may have to trade off Melker Karlsson later on this summer to free up more cap room.
Of course, San Jose is expected to re-sign Joe Thornton and are likely to also bring back Patrick Marleau. Yet, despite those signings, there are likely going to be some holes in their lineup. In fact, The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz (subscription required) writes that there could be a major change in the top-six. The scribe writes that San Jose might look to its prospect depth to fill one of the wing positions on the second line this season as Sasha Chmelevski and Ivan Chekovich could be the beneficiaries of that job.
Chmelevski, a sixth-round gem found in the 2017 draft, has scored 70 goals and 151 points in the past two seasons with the Ottawa 67s of the OHL. Chekovich, a seventh-round stud picked up in the 2017 draft as well, scored 43 goals and 105 points last season in the QMJHL, but also gotten some time in the AHL with three goals and seven points in nine AHL games. Kurz writes that the only way they would make the team is if one of them played on the second line. A spot on the bottom-six would make less sense, however, as they could get valuable minutes with the San Jose Barracuda instead.
- The Vancouver Canucks have been quite active this offseason and have added quite a bit of depth to their team. However, Patrick Johnson of the Vancouver Sun writes that the team will have a significant roster jam at the forward position this fall. The team currently has 13 healthy forwards under NHL deals and still have to sign Nikolay Goldobin and Brock Boeser to deals. Throw in the injured Antoine Roussel, the team has a lot of forwards with only 12 spots. That could put the spot of Adam Gaudette, who many people feel deserves a spot as the team’s third-line center, in jeopardy as the 22-year-old is the only player on the team (minus Elias Pettersson and Boeser) who can be sent down without having to pass through waivers. Unless Gaudette can have a dominant camp and beat out some of the others like Brandon Sutter, he could find himself starting the year off in Utica of the AHL.
- The two-year deal that winger Marcus Johansson signed Saturday with the Buffalo Sabres includes a modified no-trade clause, according to CapFriendly. Johansson has the ability to provide Buffalo with a list of 10 teams he cannot be traded to during both his seasons. That’s an improvement on his previous deal where for the past two years he could submit five teams he couldn’t be traded to.
Snapshots: Boeser, Cracknell, Jets
The Vancouver Canucks and Brock Boeser are closer on a new contract according to Rick Dhaliwal of Sportsnet, though he notes there is still “work to be done and neither side [is] budging.” Boeser is part of the outstanding group of young restricted free agents looking for big deals this offseason, though it is important to note that he is not eligible for an offer sheet. Like Charlie McAvoy in Boston, Boeser is treated like an RFA but doesn’t have all of the same rights because of the way he burned through his entry-level contract, playing through the first year in just nine games after his 2016-17 college season ended.
That, combined with the fact that Boeser is not arbitration eligible, means this negotiation could potentially go on long into the summer if both sides aren’t willing to find some middle ground. The 22-year old forward is one of the most interesting cases this summer thanks to the injury trouble he has suffered through the early part of his young career. Though he has suited up just 140 times, Boeser has already scored 59 goals and 116 points.
- Adam Cracknell will be taking his talents to China, as Kunlun Red Star of the KHL announced a one-year contract with the NHL veteran. The 33-year old forward has played 210 NHL games across a long professional career, an impressive accomplishment for a ninth-round pick. He suited up last season for the Toronto Marlies, San Diego Gulls and Anaheim Ducks, scoring a total of 38 points in 44 games in the minors and zero in his two NHL appearances. He was however a force in the playoffs with the Gulls, and could very well find success overseas playing in the KHL. He’ll join several other familiar names like Jake Chelios, Gilbert Brule, Spencer Foo and Wojtek Wolski on Kunlun.
- The Winnipeg Jets have added a little bit of depth up front this free agent period, adding veteran center Mark Letestu to a one-year deal. They likely aren’t done there, as Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun is expecting the team to add another fourth-line forward at some point. That forward will likely have penalty killing experience and cost the team less than $1MM in salary according to Wiebe, which certainly doesn’t limit the field. There are plenty of free agent forwards still out there looking for work, including Winkler, Manitoba native Eric Fehr, coming off a solid season with the Minnesota Wild.
Canucks Not Expected To Qualify Ben Hutton
A weak free agent market for defensemen may be getting an unexpected major addition. With the deadline to qualify restricted free agents arriving tomorrow, teams are down to the last minute to extend offers to retain their young RFA’s. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the Vancouver Canucks are not planning to make that offer to one of their top defensemen, Ben Hutton. If Hutton is not qualified, he will become an unrestricted free agent and would jump to the top of the list available defenders in terms of ice time and arguably all-around role last season.
According to Friedman, the Canucks and Hutton had not come close to an extension as of yet and the team was worried about a possible arbitration award for the capable defenseman. Vancouver has ample cap space heading into the off-season, but need to re-sign Brock Boeser and were already rumored to be in the market for a top free agent defenseman. The team clearly prefers spending money on the existing UFA blue liners more than retaining Hutton, as his departure will only exacerbate their need for help on defense. Top free agent options Jake Gardiner and Tyler Myers are surely to be targets of the team now, if they weren’t already.
Hutton will get his money from another team, if not the Canucks. The 26-year-old University of Maine product recorded 20 points this season, his third year of 19+ points in four NHL seasons, and set a career high with 22:21 ATOI. A reliable two-way contributor, Hutton’s defensive game has also grown and Vancouver relied on him in all situations last season. Few available defenseman can eat minutes and play competently at even strength, man-up, and man-down to the degree that Hutton did last year, so he will likely draw considerable interest if and when he hits the market.
Snapshots: Trade Bait, Free Agency, Canucks
Despite the Stanley Cup Final still being at least two games from completion, trade news has exploded in recent days around the hockey world. Players like Jacob Trouba, Nikita Zaitsev and Phil Kessel are all expected to be moved at some point this summer, and Craig Custance of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that the rest of the trade market is expected to be quite active. Custance breaks down his top-20 players who could be on the move, and includes Trouba right at the top after speaking with executives and scouts around the league.
There are other interesting notes in the list though, including the fact that the San Jose Sharks showed interest in New York Rangers forward Vladislav Namestnikov at the trade deadline before acquiring Gustav Nyquist. Namestnikov hasn’t quite found his touch with the Rangers since being part of the deal that sent Ryan McDonagh to Tampa Bay, and is heading into the final year before unrestricted free agency. The 26-year old has shown flashes of immense offensive potential in the past, but scored just 31 points in 78 games last season for the Rangers.
- The Winnipeg Jets have re-opened talks with pending unrestricted free agent Tyler Myers according to Frank Seravalli of TSN. In his latest Free Agent Frenzy column, the scribe notes that with an understanding of the trade market for Trouba, GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has circled back to Myers to see what it would take to bring him back to Winnipeg. The 28-year old defenseman still ranks seventh on the TSN free agent list, but could disappear entirely if the Jets are able to re-sign him before the interview process starts on June 23.
- The same could be said about both Luke Schenn and Alexander Edler, who continue to discuss new contracts with the Vancouver Canucks according to GM Jim Benning on a Sportsnet radio appearance today. Benning also shot down any rumors that the team and RFA Brock Boeser are far apart on contract talks, noting that contract negotiations have “gone in the right direction.” The Canucks GM could not comment directly on the recent Zaitsev report, but is having lots of trade conversations to see if there is a way to improve the team.