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Toronto Maple Leafs Trade Kasperi Kapanen

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The Toronto Maple Leafs are sending Kasperi Kapanen back to the Pittsburgh Penguins, the organization that drafted him. As Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reported a few weeks ago, the teams eliminated from postseason contention can already complete trades without waiting on the playoffs to finish. The Maple Leafs will send Kapanen, Jesper Lindgren and Pontus Aberg to Pittsburgh, while receiving the Penguins’ 2020 first-round pick (15th overall), Evan Rodrigues, Filip Hallander and David Warsofsky.

It wasn’t so long ago that Kapanen was a budding young first-round pick in the Penguins organization. Selected 22nd overall in 2014, he was actually Pittsburgh GM Jim Rutherford’s first draft pick with the organization after coming over from the Carolina Hurricanes. Rutherford knew the name well, given Kapanen’s father Sami played for both Hartford and Carolina under the executive. The younger Finn was traded just a year later when the Penguins acquired Phil Kessel from the Maple Leafs, where he has blossomed into a strong middle-six winger.

Kapanen’s best attribute is his speed, which he uses routinely on the penalty kill to create shorthanded chances for himself and his teammates. Over the last two seasons, he’s totaled 33 goals and 80 points in 157 games but hasn’t quite been able to develop into the top-line player that some imagined when he was dominating the minor leagues.

For the Maple Leafs, this deal is all about balancing their roster. The team has so much salary tied up in their forward group, they needed to move some of it out in order to address the defense. In the meantime though, they’ll restock their prospect capital with a first-round pick (remember, the Maple Leafs didn’t have one this year because of the Patrick Marleau trade) and Hallander, who was one of the Penguins’ top prospects. The 20-year old center has played the last two seasons in the SHL, recording 35 points in 72 games.

While the Maple Leafs say goodbye to Kapanen’s $3.2MM cap hit, the Penguins will gladly welcome it into the mix for the next few seasons. The 24-year old is under contract through the 2021-22 campaign and will still only be a restricted free agent at the expiry of his current deal. His speed and goal-scoring ability will give the team a dimension they have had success with in the past with players like Carl Hagelin, but also gives them some more youth to build around.

As for the rest of the deal, Aberg and Warsofsky both spent the year in the minor leagues and are unlikely to have huge impacts on their new teams. The former is a restricted free agent and coming off a $700K cap hit, while the latter is signed for that amount through 2020-21. Rodrigues perhaps brings the most intrigue, but appears destined to go unqualified this fall. His current cap hit of $2M means the Maple Leafs would have to extend him the same amount in a qualifying offer to retain his rights, something that doesn’t seem justified after he recorded just 6 goals and 10 points in 45 games this season.

Snapshots: Colorado, Gaudreau, Bjorkqvist

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The Colorado Avalanche will be without both Philipp Grubauer and Erik Johnson for the next while, as head coach Jared Bednar told reporters including Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet that the pair would be out “indefinitely.” Luckily they have Pavel Francouz to step into the net and takeover, as he did so many times this season. The 30-year old undrafted goaltender put up a .923 save percentage in 34 appearances for the Avalanche this season, his first full year in the NHL.

On defense, it will be Kevin Connauton inserted into Johnson’s spot. The veteran NHL defenseman has plenty of experience in the regular season, but hasn’t seen a playoff game since 2014. You can bet the Avalanche won’t be leaning as heavily on Connauton as they did on Johnson, who had been averaging over 19 minutes this postseason.

  • When the Calgary Flames collapsed and allowed seven straight goals to the Dallas Stars in an elimination game, many fans called for the team to be blown up. Johnny Gaudreau was the target of much of the frustration, with Eric Francis of Sportsnet even calling him a “likely trade candidate” after he struggled to produce any even-strength offense in the playoffs once again. For what it’s worth, Gaudreau told reporters today including Wes Gilbertson of Postmedia that he loves playing in Calgary and wants to spend the rest of his career with the Flames. He even directly addressed the rumors that have always swirled about his desire to return to the east coast (Gaudreau is from New Jersey and attended Boston College), saying he is “really comfortable” in Calgary, a place that is “special” to him and his family.
  • Kasper Bjorkqvist has played just six games at the minor league level, but he won’t be playing another for a while. The Pittsburgh Penguins prospect been loaned to KooKoo in Finland’s Liiga for the 2020-21 season. Bjorkqvist, a 2016 second-round pick, played three years at Providence College before signing his entry-level deal in 2019. He played just six games for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins before injuring his knee and requiring surgery, ending his 2019-20 season.

Florida Panthers GM Search Continues

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The Florida Panthers have been one of the most disappointing teams in the NHL the last few seasons. After collecting plenty of high-end talent including Aleksander Barkov, Jonathan Huberdeau, Aaron Ekblad and even now Sergei Bobrovsky, the team has been trending in the wrong direction. The last time they made the playoffs was in 2016 and they still haven’t won a single series since their 1996 Stanley Cup Final cinderella run.

Recently, they decided to make a move in the front office, relieving Dale Tallon of his duties and beginning a search for a new general manager. Names like Scott Mellanby, Laurence Gilman, and Ron Hextall have all been involved, but a few more candidates have emerged in recent days. On Hockey Night in Canada this weekend, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reported that Bill Armstrong, assistant GM of the St. Louis Blues, has been interviewed, along with NHL Network analyst and former NHL goaltender Kevin Weekes. Today, Craig Morgan of AZ Coyotes Insider adds Sean Burke to the list of interviewees.

The search for the right person to lead the Panthers to glory is obviously a thorough one, but the team does not have a ton of time to complete it. The NHL Draft and free agency will begin just a few days after the league awards a Stanley Cup at the beginning of October, meaning whoever takes over the job has less than two months of preparation if hired today.

With the 12th selection this season, the Panthers are a team to watch at the draft if the new GM decides to make a splash. They selected goaltending prospect Spencer Knight with the 13th pick a year ago and already have several other high-end prospects in the system. Evgeni Dadonov, Erik Haula and Mike Hoffman’s expiring contracts will give the newcomer plenty of cap space to work with, though they obviously may want to retain the services of at least one of those forwards.

The biggest question may come on defense, where the Panthers have nearly $25MM already committed to next season but struggled mightily in their own end. Michael Matheson carries a $4.875MM cap hit through the 2025-26 season but was made a healthy scratch again in the qualification round and is obviously a big question mark for next year.

At any rate, the next GM of the Panthers has a lot of work to do this offseason to vault them back to Eastern Conference contenders.

Anaheim Ducks Extend Jacob Larsson

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According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, the Anaheim Ducks have finished some paperwork, signing Jacob Larsson to a new two-year contract. The deal will carry an average annual value of $1.2MM and keep the pending restricted free agent under contract through the 2021-22 season.

Larsson, 23, was a first-round pick of the Ducks back in 2015, and though he made his debut in the 2016-17 season, he still hasn’t established himself as the rock-solid NHL defender that many expected. The 6’2″ defenseman has played games for the Ducks’ minor league affiliate in each of the last five seasons but did suit up in 60 games for the NHL club this year.

Unfortunately, those 60 games didn’t produce exceptional results, as Larsson scored just 11 points and provided brutal possession statistics. Still young enough to improve there is still plenty of time for Larsson to live up to his first-round billing, but this relatively inexpensive contract reflects his inconsistent performance to this point.

For the Ducks, who have nearly $80MM in salaries committed to next season even as they enter a “rebuild,” contracts like this are necessary. Larsson will be given every opportunity to take a larger role, especially if the team decides to try to move on from one of their more expensive veteran blueliners.

When the contract expires, Larsson will still be a restricted free agent.

Toronto’s Egor Korshkov To Be Loaned To KHL

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Toronto Maple Leafs forward Egor Korshkov may be on the team’s postseason roster, but he is unlikely to see much action. The young forward is under contract for 2020-21 as well, but the same goes for his likelihood of suiting up for the Leafs. As a result, Korshkov may be in need of an early start to his season and possibly a prolonged place to play at a high level. According to multiple sources, that is expected to be the KHL.

Russian news source Sport24 first reported that Korshkov was planning to sign a contract with HC Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, the same organization that he played for during the seven years prior to his jump to the NHL. However, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman corrects this report, noting that Korshkov will be loaned rather than having his contract terminated in favor of a KHL deal. This will leave open the option for Korshkov to play for Toronto at some point next season.

Korshkov, 24, played in just one game with the Maple Leafs this year and saw only about ten minutes of ice time. However, he made the most of this debut by recording a goal. The big right wing is a natural scorer who excels around the net. He recorded 16 goals and 25 points in 44 games with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies this season and very well might have seen more NHL action if not for the league’s pause. There is upside to Korshkov’s game and this loan does not imply that he does not have a future in Toronto. However, with the Maple Leafs deep up front and the questions surrounding the 2020-21 AHL season, a return to the KHL could be the best bet for Korshkov.

Anaheim Ducks Re-Sign Sonny Milano

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8:00pm: The Ducks have officially confirmed the new deal. Milano is set to make $1.6MM next season and $1.8MM in 2021-22.

4:30pm: The Anaheim Ducks will be handing out an extension to one of their young trade deadline acquisitions according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The insider reports that Sonny Milano will be signing a two-year extension that will carry an average annual value of $1.7MM. Milano was scheduled to become a restricted free agent at the end of the season.

The 24-year old forward has quite honestly been a disappointment to this point in his NHL career, after going 16th overall in 2014. When the Columbus Blue Jackets selected him Milano had just dominated at the USNTDP and would continue that offensive performance in his one year of CHL hockey. Oozing with skill, the winger took immediately to the professional ranks when transitioning to the AHL and even recorded five points in ten games as a teenager in 2015.

The biggest question with Milano was always his consistency and whether he could round out a defensive game to go along with his offensive skill. It was tough for him to crack John Tortorella’s lineup, and when he did there were long stretches where he would seem to disappear. In 120 games for the Blue Jackets, he recorded just 42 points and averaged fewer than 12 minutes of ice time.

Then came the trade deadline, when it was obvious he needed a fresh start and his contract was coming to an end. The Blue Jackets shipped him to Anaheim in a one-for-one trade that saw Devin Shore go the other way, giving him a chance to play every day in the top-six of a rebuilding club. Milano got into nine games with the Ducks before the season ended, and recorded five points while averaging 15:30 of ice time.

Now, with the Ducks looking to continue their youth movement, Milano will get a chance to prove he belongs there as a core piece. A $1.7MM cap hit is a relatively big commitment for a player who has just 47 career points in 125 regular season games, but the Ducks obviously liked what they saw.

For Milano, this is basically a perfect outcome. He’ll still be a restricted free agent at the end of the deal but he gets some financial security for the next two years, a likely chance to play power play minutes beside talented teammates, and will be arbitration-eligible and able to force his way to UFA status in 2022 if he chooses. Now he just needs to find that consistency which has always eluded him.

More On John Chayka, Arizona Coyotes

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One of the biggest stories in the hockey world over the weekend was the abrupt end to John Chayka’s tenure with the Arizona Coyotes. After several years as general manager and president of hockey operations, which included a recent contract extension, Chayka terminated his deal and walked away from the club. The team promoted assistant GM Steve Sullivan to interim GM for the time being, but there are still plenty of questions as to why the relationship soured so quickly.

Today, some new information came out about what exactly happened and what is next for the former Coyotes executive. First of all, Craig Morgan of AZ Coyotes Insider reported that the rumors of Chayka heading to the Buffalo Sabres are “inaccurate.”  Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet writes that he thinks it could be the New Jersey Devils, or at least the ownership group that also runs the Philadelphia 76ers of the NBA and Crystal Palace of the English Premier League. Friedman notes that the position is “a major position in an organization that owns teams in more than one sport” but that he doesn’t know exactly what it would be.

The real story may take some time to come out, but in the meantime, Friedman also reports that he believes the offer made to Taylor Hall from Arizona ownership—the first inkling of a problem between Chayka and the rest of the organization—was five years at $7.25MM per season. With so much confusion surrounding the Coyotes now, Hall’s pending free agency has become even more interesting. The playoffs could obviously be a perfect place for the former MVP to show he deserves a lot more than that, though with a flat salary cap it may be difficult for him to find a full market.

For now, the Coyotes will have to operate without a full-time GM as they navigate the 24-team postseason. As they prepare for 2020-21, Sullivan will be given “every opportunity” to show he deserves the job.

Arizona Coyotes To Name Steve Sullivan Interim General Manager

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Within minutes of rumors that Arizona Coyotes general manager John Chayka had terminated his contract with the team 48 hours ago, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the team will name Steve Sullivan their interim general manager.

The club released a statement:

John Chayka has quit as the General Manager and President of Hockey Operations of the Arizona Coyotes. The Club is disappointed in his actions and his timing as the Coyotes prepare to enter the NHL’s hub city of Edmonton, where the team will begin post-season play for the first time since 2012. Chayka has chosen to quit on a strong and competitive team, a dedicated staff, and the Arizona Coyotes fans, the greatest fans in the NHL. The Club is moving forward and has named Steve Sullivan as Interim General Manager. He has the full support of the entire organization including team ownership, executive leadership, players, and coaches. The Club will have no further comment on the matter, as the Club remains focused on the opportunity to pursue a Stanley Cup.

TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported that Chayka had informed the Coyotes Friday that he was terminating his contract with his team. This comes shortly after reports that Chayka was given permission six weeks ago to talk to another potential employer about a job opportunity during the pandemic. Since then, Chayka has cleared out his office and was omitted from a key dinner between ownership and pending unrestricted free agent Taylor Hall, suggesting the rift. Chayka had either three or four years remaining on his contract, via different sources.

Chayka also released a statement of his own (via’s AZ Coyote Insider Craig Morgan):

“The past four years have been the most enjoyable of my life. In Arizona, I became a husband and a father, while working as hard as possible to make the Coyotes a Stanley Cup contender. I love our players, coaches, staff and fans and I very much wish I could be with the team in Edmonton. Sadly, the situation created by ownership made that an impossibility. That’s all I intend to say on this matter for now. A fuller, more detailed explanation may be necessary in the near future. Until then, I wish the Coyotes good luck in Edmonton, and thank every member of Our Pack for the support shown to Kathryn, our daughter and myself over the years. Also, I want to congratulate Steve Sullivan as he steps into a new role. We’ve worked side-by-side for years. He is a great person and a terrific hockey mind.”

Sullivan has been with the Coyotes’ franchise since September of 2014 and was holding the assistant general manager position since May of 2017. He has been the GM of the Tuscon Roadrunners, the team’s AHL franchise and has been overseeing the Coyotes’ amateur player development staff. The 46-year-old is a former player, who appeared in 1,011 career games with six different teams, including the New Jersey Devils, Toronto Maple Leafs, Chicago Blackhawks, Nashville Predators, Pittsburgh Penguins and the Coyotes. While there is no guarantee that Arizona doesn’t do an extensive search after the 24-team tournament is completed, Friedman notes that he wouldn’t be surprised if he got a long look as the permanent GM.

It should be noted that the news of Chayka’s departure from the team and Sullivan’s promotion come on the heels of the team leaving today for Edmonton to participate in the upcoming tournament playoffs.

Could John Chayka Be Headed To Buffalo?

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Plenty has been written about the status of Arizona Coyotes general manager John Chayka over the last couple of days. NHL writers Elliotte Friedman and Pierre LeBrun both indicated that the Coyotes and Chayka could be headed for a divorce despite three years remaining on Chayka’s contract. The belief is that Chayka was given permission to speak to another “professional opportunity,” six weeks ago. However, with a new owner and new management in place in Arizona, it’s not surprising if the team might prefer to bring in its own GM.

The Province’s Patrick Johnston has another theory, however. The scribe wonders whether that opportunity might have been with the Buffalo Sabres as the franchise fired their general manager six weeks ago and is currently operating with a skeleton executive office staff. Granted, the GM position is currently filled by newly-hired Kevyn Adams. However, the Sabres’ ownership, the Pegulas, own quite a bit more than just the Sabres. They own the Buffalo Bills, the Rochester Americans, the ice rink and a hotel nearby. He could be a candidate to run the whole entertainment combination. Buffalo, a team who has struggled with both success on the ice and struggles to generate much income on their own, might need someone who has had some success in that area, although the Coyotes haven’t necessarily shown that success on the ice as of yet.

Chayka was a candidate for Buffalo’s GM position three years ago before the team opted to go with Jason Botterill. However, the Coyotes refused to allow the Sabres the opportunity to interview him for the position. Throw in the fact that Chayka is a native of Buffalo, having grown up 40 minutes from there in Jordan Station and the dots do connect to a possible opportunity for Chayka if the Coyotes eventually let him out of his contract.

Snapshots: Martinook, Toews, Tortorella, Khudobin

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The Carolina Hurricanes really don’t like the NHL’s Return to Play plan. After Jordan Martinook and the ‘Canes were one of just two teams to vote against the initial postseason format last month, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that Martinook was also one of the two NHLPA representatives who voted against ratifying the Return to Play plan and CBA extension. Martinook has previously stated that he and his teammates felt that the expanded playoff structure was a disadvantage to teams who were safely in the postseason picture, but not within the top four in their conference. It is a fair opinion for Carolina to have; the team has the second-best record of qualifying round contenders and almost certainly would have made the playoffs. Their reward for those regular season efforts? A five-game series match-up with a New York Rangers team that was playing their best hockey down the stretch and has been a tough match-up for the Hurricanes all season. As a result, Martinook tried not once but twice to change the league’s plan, but to no avail. They will face the Rangers in just over a week’s time with a playoff berth on the line.

The other “no” vote against the Return to Play plan was reported to belong to Chicago Blackhawks representative Jonathan Toews. However, Toews has come out today and refuted that report. There is no doubt that Toews asked hard questions about health and safety protocols and gameplay logistics and made the case for why his peers should consider voting against the plan, but he tells Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun Times that at the end of the day he voted “yes”. In fact, he said that he always planned to vote yes but wanted to make sure that there was a thorough conversation before a decision was made. There is no word on who the mystery second “no” vote came from, but it was not the Blackhawks captain.

  • Columbus Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella might be re-thinking his teams approval of the expanded postseason plan. While a standard 16-team format would have excluded his team, which was in ninth in the Eastern Conference at the time of the league’s pause, their preparation for the knockout round is not going according to plan. Tortorella told NHL.com’s Craig Merz outright that he does not like what he has seen from his best players. “My concern is some of the people that we are going to need to make a difference for us to win a series, I don’t think they’re ready right now,” the Jack Adams finalist stated. “I don’t think they’re doing the things they need to do right now to get ready for that series… This isn’t getting ready for the regular season and then trying to find your game in 15 games during the regular season. This is a sprint… I don’t want us to fall into this trap of wading in. We need to be ready to go.”
  • Anton Khudobin and the Dallas Stars have some extra time to get ready for the postseason as they are one of the four top seeds in the West and will have four round robin games ahead of them before the real competition begins. Although Khudobin may only see action in the round robin and not in the Stars’ postseason series, as starter Ben Bishop will get the nod unless his play warrants a change, Khudobin’s value to Dallas cannot be understated. One of the best backups in the NHL, Khudobin recorded a .930 save percentage and 2.22 GAA in 30 games this season. While these numbers are outstanding, even better than Bishop’s, it doesn’t appear that Khudobin is looking to move on from Dallas to a greater role. He tells Matthew DeFranks of The Dallas Morning News that his preference is to remain with the Stars for a while longer. However, the impending UFA admits that he will let his agent work out the details and find the best opportunity. Khudobin is certainly comfortable and thriving in Texas, but the Stars’ limited cap space and the presences of Bishop and top prospect Jake Oettinger may mean that his current team cannot offer him top dollar. On the other hand, a potentially strong goalie market and Khudobin’s age, not to mention a flat salary cap, may mean that there won’t be the demand on the open market that Khudobin’s performance would normally command. This seems to be the case with another elite backup, Boston’s Jaroslav Halak, who recently signed a one-year extension for less guaranteed money despite another stellar season as the Bruins’ backup after replacing Khudobin himself. Perhaps Khudobin will have to settle for the same fate, especially if he wants to remain in Dallas.

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