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Chandler Stephenson

Looking At The Impending Vegas Cap Crunch

May 20, 2022 at 7:17 pm CDT | by Josh Erickson 26 Comments

To say the 2021-22 season was a gigantic disappointment for the Vegas Golden Knights would also be a massive understatement. After mortgaging a large part of their future to acquire superstar center Jack Eichel, albeit for the long term, the team missed the playoffs for the first time in franchise history and fired head coach Peter DeBoer earlier this week.

Now, general manager Kelly McCrimmon has an arduous offseason to retool the roster and find a new head coach. Both will need significant attention, however, the Knights are already entering free agency with the pressing need to shed cap space. With a roster size of 23, the team is already in a salary deficit of about $500,000, even with the small cap increase to $82.5MM next year (CapFriendly).

While some of those players may be sent to AHL Henderson when the team is fully healthy, the team needs to make a decision on RFAs Nicolas Roy, Brett Howden, Keegan Kolesar, and Nicolas Hague, who have all been extremely valuable to the team in their depth roles. It’s clear that unless the Knights somehow make a move to acquire significant long-term injury relief (Shea Weber?), the team needs to move on from a decent chunk of cash to be comfortable under the cap in 2022-23.

Obviously, the choice that jumps off the page is forward Evgenii Dadonov. Signed just through next season at $5MM, the veteran forward was already involved in a trade intended to dump his salary but was reversed due to his limited no-trade clause. He did hit the 20-goal mark again this year and could do so again if given good support. It’s a low-risk acquisition for teams looking for scoring depth, especially with his contract expiring at the end of the year. However, Vegas has absolutely no leverage in this situation given the failed trade in March. If that incident didn’t happen, the Knights could probably have made a decent deal involving Dadonov this offseason. They’ll likely still be able to make a trade, but it won’t involve much benefit for the team other than cap space.

Another potential option is William Karlsson. Given his offensive upside and defensive acumen, teams would probably like to have a top-six centerman under a $6MM cap hit. With the Eichel acquisition and solid play from the cheaper Chandler Stephenson, there is no longer a pressing need for Karlsson in the lineup. He had a very tough season putting pucks in the net, though, and his 40-goal 2017-18 campaign seems like decades ago for him now. He’s scored just 15, 14, and 12 goals in the past three years, and while he still puts up points, he’s signed through 2027. It would clear a tad more cap space than Dadonov, though, and the wing is more a position of need for the Knights. Yet, the relationship between Dadonov and the Knights must be considered. If the relationship is irreparably severed, the team might have no choice. That’s not to say they still couldn’t entertain the idea of moving Karlsson, however.

Lastly, there’s backup netminder Laurent Brossoit and his $2.3MM cap hit. He’s almost surely gone considering the incredibly strong play of youngster Logan Thompson down the stretch. It’s not much cap relief, though, and the team likely needs a little more wiggle room to adjust the roster as desired.

AHL| Brett Howden| Chandler Stephenson| Free Agency| Injury| Jack Eichel| Keegan Kolesar| Kelly McCrimmon| Laurent Brossoit| Nicolas Roy| Peter DeBoer| Players| RFA| Vegas Golden Knights

26 comments

Vegas’ Stephenson, Coghlan Land In COVID Protocol

January 29, 2022 at 6:29 pm CDT | by Zach Leach Leave a Comment

As the Vegas Golden Knights take the ice in Tampa tonight to square off with the Lightning, the team will be without a pair of players. Vegas has announced that forward Chandler Stephenson and defenseman Dylan Coghlan have been placed in the NHL’s COVID Protocol. The team has only indicated that Stephenson and Coghlan would miss Saturday’s game, but like any COVID situation the absences could last longer.

An immediate impact will be felt on the Knights’ top line, where Stephenson will be replaced by Nolan Patrick for the time being. Though Patrick was once a top prospect, the No. 2 overall pick in 2017, while Stephenson was a role player for much of his early career, this is a significant drop-off for Vegas. Stephenson currently leads the team in scoring with 38 points and is tied for second with a dozen goals. He leads all forwards in ice time, plays on the top power play and penalty kill units, and is the go-to faceoff man. Patrick, on the other hand, is still trying to find his footing in Vegas (and the NHL overall). He has played in just 14 games and served in a limited role. There is hope though, should Stephenson miss extended time; Patrick’s underlying possession numbers are very strong – the best in Vegas – and he has managed five points and a team-best face-off mark despite his minor role. With more ice time and supporting talent, this could be the jolt that Patrick needs to get back on track.

As for the versatile Coghlan, Vegas will be missing a key cog in the wheel. Coghlan has played in 35 games and has recorded 11 points as well as some impressive possession numbers. The Golden Knights will miss their plug-and-play specialist, who can make a difference anywhere in the lineup and anywhere on the ice.

Though Vegas technically sits second in the Pacific Division, they in fact hold the best record in the division with a .602 points percentage. That is not to say that the Knights are comfortable though. Just .038 percentage points separate the top five teams in the Pacific, with the Flames, Ducks, Kings, and Oilers right behind the Knights. If the playoffs started today, only four teams would come out of the Pacific, so Vegas is that close to being outside the postseason picture entirely. The hope is that Stephenson and Coghlan, as well as Alec Martinez and Jack Eichel, can return sooner rather than later. Following match-ups with Tampa and the Buffalo Sabres, the Knights have a long break. However, that is followed by a critical stretch of games against Edmonton, Calgary, Colorado, and Los Angeles. It’s crunch time for Vegas.

Alec Martinez| Chandler Stephenson| Dylan Coghlan| Jack Eichel| Nolan Patrick| Vegas Golden Knights

0 comments

Pacific Notes: Stephenson, Canucks, Russell

December 11, 2021 at 4:45 pm CDT | by Josh Erickson 7 Comments

After missing Friday’s game against Philadelphia for personal reasons, Vegas Golden Knights center Chandler Stephenson should be available for Sunday’s home tilt against the Minnesota Wild, according to head coach Peter DeBoer. Stephenson’s brought lights-out play for a Vegas team that’s needed him this season with a slew of injuries, producing at a career-best pace with 22 points in 25 games. All that’s been done while playing steep minutes (19:48 a game) and spending time without his usual pair of elite wingers in Max Pacioretty and Mark Stone. That line’s been reunited as Pacioretty and Stone are back healthy, and after Keegan Kolesar filled in down the middle for one game, Stephenson will return to his place atop the center depth chart for Vegas.

More from the Pacific Division:

  • There are some injury updates for the new and improved Vancouver Canucks under Bruce Boudreau, as the new head coach said today that Oliver Ekman-Larsson should be back next week, while Travis Hamonic is expected to miss two to three more weeks. While the team is undefeated under Boudreau, they’re facing a significant list of injuries. However, neither Ekman-Larsson nor Hamonic have been particularly impactful to start the year. Ekman-Larsson has just five points in 26 games to start his Vancouver career, a far cry from his peak of consistent 40-point campaigns. Hamonic has just an assist in nine contests as he’s found his way up and down between the NHL and AHL.
  • Injury news isn’t improving for the Edmonton Oilers defense, as head coach Dave Tippett notes that Kris Russell will be out for a couple of weeks. He joins Duncan Keith and Slater Koekkoek as Edmonton’s inactive blueliners. He’d been playing in an increased role with those injuries, but that responsibility now falls back on the shoulders of young defensemen Philip Broberg and William Lagesson.

Chandler Stephenson| Edmonton Oilers| Injury| Kris Russell| NHL| Oliver Ekman-Larsson| Travis Hamonic| Vancouver Canucks| Vegas Golden Knights

7 comments

Snapshots: Perry, Stephenson, Fantilli

June 22, 2021 at 5:00 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 1 Comment

Corey Perry was pretty close to not even being around for this Montreal Canadiens postseason run. The veteran forward’s agent Pat Morris told Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic that he personally called three teams when Perry was placed on waivers at the beginning of the season, asking them not to put in a claim and let him stay with Montreal. Two of those teams apparently told Morris they would have if he hadn’t called, but decided to “respect his career” and leave him with the Canadiens.

Perry ended up clearing, giving the Canadiens flexibility to bounce him back and forth from taxi squad to active roster, saving cap space in the process. He ended up playing in 49 regular season games and became one of the team’s most important forwards, playing a huge role in the postseason. The 36-year-old has three goals and eight points in 15 playoff games, including the game-winner in game seven against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

  • Chandler Stephenson is a game-time decision for the Vegas Golden Knights tonight against Perry and the Canadiens. The 27-year-old has developed into a top-line center with the Golden Knights this season, scoring 35 points in 51 regular season games, usually skating between Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty. Though he has failed to score a goal in 14 playoff games so far, he does have six points and has been excellent in the faceoff circle. Stephenson of course won the Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals in 2018 (defeating the Golden Knights) and would be a welcome addition to the lineup for this evening’s match.
  • Though there had been some speculation that Adam Fantilli could leave the USHL next season, the top prospect will be back with the Chicago Steel for 2021-22 according to Corey Pronman of The Athletic. The 16-year-old is not eligible for the NHL draft until 2023 but is already turning heads after a 36-point campaign with Chicago this season. His eight goals in the playoffs were enough to Clark Cup MVP, helping the Steel secure the trophy for the second time. Fantilli, who is from Nobleton, Ontario, was actually drafted 18th overall by the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL in 2020 but would not be eligible for the NCAA if he decided to play in the CHL.

Adam Fantilli| Chandler Stephenson| Corey Perry| Montreal Canadiens| Snapshots| USHL| Vegas Golden Knights| Waivers

1 comment

West Notes: Stephenson, Bunting, Dahlen

June 19, 2021 at 2:58 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 4 Comments

There has been very little information regarding the absence of Golden Knights center Chandler Stephenson who has missed the last two games with an undisclosed injury.  SinBin.Vegas reports (Twitter link) that Stephenson is dealing with concussion-like symptoms from a hit from Ben Chiarot in the first game of the series and that he is not with the team in Montreal.  The 27-year-old had a career year this season with 35 points in 51 games (plus six assists in 14 playoff contests) and while they did get Tomas Nosek back on Friday, Stephenson’s absence will be a tough one to fill.  As is the case with any type of concussion symptoms, it appears as if there’s no timetable for his return.

Elsewhere in the West:

  • While Coyotes winger Michael Bunting will have an opportunity to test the open market as a Group Six unrestricted free agent, he told Jose M. Romero of the Arizona Republic that his preference is to remain with Arizona. The 25-year-old cleared waivers in January and was in the minors until late March but after being recalled, he potted an impressive 10 goals in 21 games down the stretch, earning a spot on Canada’s entry at the World Championships in the process.  That should give him a decent market if he gets to free agency but while he’s unsure if talks with the Coyotes have started yet, he’s hoping he won’t have to shop around his services.
  • While the Sharks gave Jonathan Dahlen a one-way contract to bring him back, San Jose Hockey Now’s Sheng Peng feels that the deal doesn’t pencil him into a lineup spot in San Jose next season. The 23-year-old dominated in Sweden’s second-tier Allsvenskan the last two years but that’s at a level that’s well below the NHL.  Peng cites concerns from several scouts about Dahlen’s ability to adapt to the NHL game.  Nevertheless, they’ll get a much better look at him with the one-way deal than watching him from afar in Sweden.

Arizona Coyotes| Chandler Stephenson| Jonathan Dahlen| Michael Bunting| San Jose Sharks| Vegas Golden Knights

4 comments

Chandler Stephenson Suspended Three Games

April 1, 2021 at 3:19 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 9 Comments

The Department of Player Safety has come down hard on Vegas Golden Knights forward Chandler Stephenson, issuing him a three-game suspension for elbowing Los Angeles Kings defenseman Tobias Bjornfot last night. As the accompanying video explains:

It is important to note that while we accept Stephenson’s arguement that he did not attempt to hit Bjornfot in the head, this is not a case where a blow to an opponent’s torso or shoulder rides up and makes subsequent or glancing contact with his head. This is a direct and forceful elbow to an opponent’s head which caused an injury.

Bjornfot did not return to the game and is doubtful for the Kings game tomorrow. Stephenson has not been fined or suspended previously in his career and did receive both a major penalty and a game misconduct for the incident, but was still given a hefty ban today.

He’ll miss games against the Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues over the next few days, two teams chasing the Golden Knights in the West Division standings.

Chandler Stephenson| Vegas Golden Knights

9 comments

Chandler Stephenson To Have Hearing With Department Of Player Safety

April 1, 2021 at 9:47 am CDT | by Gavin Lee 1 Comment

The Department of Player Safety has another big day ahead of them. Not only is Nathan MacKinnon’s helmet throw likely being looked at for supplementary discipline, but Chandler Stephenson of the Vegas Golden Knights will also have a hearing today to determine his suspension for a high hit.

The incident occurred late in the second period of last night’s game against the Los Angeles Kings with the Golden Knights down 4-1. Stephenson tracked Tobias Bjornfot into the corner and after the puck had already been passed away, delivered a high hit that injured the Kings defenseman. After the referees huddled to decide his fate, Stephenson was given a five-minute major for elbowing and a game misconduct. Bjornfot would leave the game.

The Vegas center will likely have to face a suspension of at least one game, taking him out of the team’s match tomorrow against the Minnesota Wild. A ruling should come down later this evening.

Chandler Stephenson| Vegas Golden Knights

1 comment

Vegas Golden Knights Re-Sign Chandler Stephenson

October 7, 2020 at 6:05 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 5 Comments

6:05 PM: The team officially announced the signing, confirming the four-year, $11MM terms.

2:07 PM: The Vegas Golden Knights have reached a new contract with restricted free agent Chandler Stephenson according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The new four-year deal will carry an average annual value of $2.75MM. PuckPedia reports the full breakdown:

  • 2020-21: $1.625MM
  • 2021-22: $3.025MM
  • 2022-23: $3.125MM
  • 2023-24: $3.225MM

Stephenson, 26, ended up in Vegas last December through a trade with the Washington Capitals and cost the team just a fifth-round pick. Despite winning a Stanley Cup with the Capitals in 2018, Stephenson still hadn’t really shown his full potential. That’s exactly what happened in Vegas though, as he finally got a chance to line up at center on a regular basis and ended up scoring eight goals and 22 points in just 41 games.

This contract keeps him in the lineup at a reasonable cost, but the Golden Knights do have some cap issues to deal with in the coming days. The team is trying hard to move Marc-Andre Fleury, but are well over the $81.5MM cap with spots on the roster to fill and improvements to be made.

Chandler Stephenson| Elliotte Friedman| Vegas Golden Knights

5 comments

Golden Knights Acquire Chandler Stephenson

December 3, 2019 at 8:10 am CDT | by Brian La Rose Leave a Comment

Tuesday: The deal has official gone through. Vegas acquired Stephenson in exchange for a 2021 fifth-round pick.

Monday: The Capitals and Golden Knights appear to be nearing an agreement on a trade involving Washington center Chandler Stephenson, according to reports from David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period (Twitter link) and TSN’s Darren Dreger (Twitter link).

Stephenson is in his third full season as an NHL player but his hold on a roster spot has been tenuous at best.  He has played in 24 games with the Caps this season, recording three goals and an assist while averaging just shy of 12 minutes per night.  With a $1.05MM cap hit, he costs a fair bit more than the players making the $700K league minimum and with the Capitals being extremely tight to the salary cap, a prorated few hundred thousand can make a big difference.  Winger Carl Hagelin is nearing a return from LTIR which is providing an impetus to make a move to free up a bit of cap room.

As for what may interest Vegas in the 25-year-old, center Cody Eakin is out week-to-week with an upper-body injury, creating an opening on the penalty kill which is an area that Stephenson can help in as he regularly kills penalties with Washington.  The Golden Knights are currently in action so any move won’t likely be announced until after the conclusion of their game.

Chandler Stephenson| Vegas Golden Knights| Washington Capitals

0 comments

Evening Notes: Kempe, Capitals, NHLOA Talks

September 3, 2019 at 7:40 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose Leave a Comment

Some progress appears to be getting made when it comes to contract talks between the Kings and RFA center Adrian Kempe.  GM Rob Blake told reporters last week (including Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider) that things are getting close while Lisa Dillman of The Athletic adds (Twitter link) that it will wind up being a short-term bridge deal.  The 22-year-old saw his output dip last season from 16 goals and 37 points to just 12 and 26 respectively so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Los Angeles isn’t ready to commit a long-term contract to him just yet.  While he’s currently unsigned, there will be at least one Kempe in training camp for the Kings after they signed his brother Adrian Kempe early in free agency this summer.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • Capitals GM Brian MacLellan stated last week that they’ll likely have to make a trade for salary cap reasons. With that in mind, J.J. Regan of NBC Sports Washington examined some of the potential cost casualties.  Considering they’re firmly in win-now mode, it’s unlikely that they’ll part with a core player which limits their options.  He lists defenseman Christian Djoos, center Chandler Stephenson, and center Travis Boyd as potential trade options though the latter makes just over the league minimum so the savings from moving him could be limited.  They’ll have to trim more than $1MM off their payroll and with so few options to deal from, it may take multiple moves to get there.
  • While the CBA between the NHL and NHLPA is attracting the headlines at the moment with the league opting to not opt out and the players having until the middle of the month to decide, there’s another contract that’s being worked on. Sports Illustrated’s Michael Farber reports (Twitter link) that the deal between the league and the NHL Officials’ Association expired on Saturday without a new agreement in place.  However, the hope is that a new deal will be agreed on by the start of the season.  The officials will be reporting to their own training camp this weekend.

Adrian Kempe| Chandler Stephenson| Christian Djoos| Los Angeles Kings| Washington Capitals

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