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Ilya Mikheyev

Ilya Mikheyev Out Eight Weeks With Broken Thumb

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Oct 13: Mikheyev underwent successful surgery this morning, according to Keefe.

Oct 11: The Toronto Maple Leafs lost a key roster member at the very end of training camp, as Ilya Mikheyev went down with a hand injury in the final preseason game. Today, Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters including Kristen Shilton of TSN that Mikheyev will require surgery for a broken thumb and is expected to miss a minimum of eight weeks. Keefe also explained that Auston Matthews, who is working his way back from wrist surgery, will not be available to the team this week.

It was a brutal blow for Mikheyev, who looked like he was going to get a chance to run on the team’s second line with John Tavares and William Nylander to open the season. After a trade request in the offseason because of a perceived lack of opportunity, it was a perfect spot for the pending UFA to rack up some point totals as a top-six forward. Instead, he’ll now be on the shelf once again, opening the door for someone else to take his spot full-time.

The Maple Leafs have plenty of forwards, but the left side was actually already their weakest position. Mikheyev’s injury means that Michael Bunting could slide into the top-six, or Alexander Kerfoot could move out of a center spot and play with the second unit. That’s all assuming a healthy lineup though, one that the Maple Leafs won’t see until Matthews returns at some point in the near future.

Toronto’s Ilya Mikheyev Asked For Trade Following 2020-21

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The Toronto Maple Leafs were forced to say goodbye to Zach Hyman this offseason when he signed a massive seven-year, $38.5MM deal. With Hyman being the team’s only legitimate top-six left-winger, you would guess that someone like Ilya Mikheyev would be excited about the opportunity that should be there in 2021-22. Perhaps not, as Mikheyev requested a trade at the end of this season according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.

With Hyman’s departure though, and bargain bin replacements signed in the offseason, it makes sense why the Maple Leafs don’t want to grant Mikheyev’s request. According to Friedman, the organization has let him know they still consider him a big part of the team, even after a year that saw his average ice time drop to just 14:13. Just 12:28 of that was at even-strength, and Mikheyev ended up with 17 points in 54 games.

Heading into his final season before unrestricted free agency, it’s easy to see why Mikheyev might want a different opportunity. The 26-year-old was an undrafted free agent signing out of the KHL and unless he shows that he’s closer to the player that scored 23 points in 39 games as a rookie, it could be difficult to secure a deal worth more than the $2.19MM he’ll earn this season. The fact that fellow KHL signing Alexander Barabanov–who couldn’t even crack the Maple Leafs lineup on a regular basis–found such immediate success with the San Jose Sharks, could be a shining example of that greener grass.

Once again though, the Maple Leafs depth chart on the left side is not very imposing at the time being. The team signed Nick Ritchie and Michael Bunting, who both may get looks in the top-six, but neither are locks to establish themselves beside Auston Matthews and John Tavares. There could be a real opportunity for Mikheyev this season with Hyman (and Joe Thornton, who played a good chunk of the season on the first line) out of the picture, if he’s willing to take the organization at their word and buy-in.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports images

Snapshots: Stuetzle, Thornton, Duclair, Spurgeon

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The Ottawa Senators have already been in camp for several days already, but the team will get another big name player into camp soon as 2020 first-round pick Tim Stuetzle arrived in Ottawa Saturday night. The 18-year-old is coming off an impressive performance at the World Junior Championship after he led Team Germany to one of the countries best finishes ever. After a seven-day quarantine, he will join his team and is likely to start his NHL career, according to the Ottawa Citizen’s Bruce Garrioch.

“I hope I’m going to play in the NHL this season, that’s 100% my goal and I will work very hard for that,” Stuetzle told reporters in Edmonton following Germany’s elimination in the quarterfinals.

Stuetzle finished the World Juniors with five goals and 10 points in five games. The third-overall pick, who signed his entry-level deal last week, is likely going to play wing for the Senators this season.

2020 Arbitration Tracker

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Originally published on Oct 13

The dates for the upcoming arbitration hearings have been set, with the first three being held on October 20. Hearings will continue through November 8. It is important to remember that this offseason, once a hearing begins, teams are no longer allowed to negotiate with the player in question while the arbitrator deliberates.

The full schedule is:

October 20

Andrew Mangiapane – Settled, 2 years $2.43MM AAV
Anthony DeAngelo – Settled, 2 years $4.8MM AAV
Matt Grzelcyk – Settled, 4 years, $3.69MM AAV

October 21

Ilya Mikheyev – Settled, 2 years $1.65MM AAV

October 22

Connor Brown – Settled, 3 years, $3.6MM AAV

October 25

Tyler Bertuzzi – Player filing: $4.25MM – Team filing: $3.15MM – Awarded: $3.5MM

October 26

Linus Ullmark – Settled, 1 year, $2.6MM AAV

October 27

Sam Reinhart – Settled, 1 year, $5.2MM AAV

October 28

Jake Virtanen* – Settled, 2 years, $2.55MM AAV

October 30

Joshua Ho-Sang – Settled, 1 year, $700K AAV (two-way)

October 31

Devon Toews – Settled, 4 years, $4.1MM AAV
Alexandar Georgiev – Settled, 2 years, $2.43MM AAV

November 1

Nick Paul – Settled, 2 years, $1.35MM AAV

November 2

Gustav Forsling  – Settled, 1 year, $700K AAV (two-way)

November 4

Victor Olofsson – Settled, 2 years, $3.05MM AAV
Warren Foegele – Settled, 1 year, $2.14MM AAV

November 5

Ryan Strome – Player filing: $5.7MM, Team Filing: 3.6MM – Settled: 2 years, $4.5MM AAV

November 6

Brendan Lemieux – Player filing: $2MM, Team Filing: 2 years, $1.0125MM AAV – Settled: 2 years, $1.55MM AAV
Ryan Pulock – Settled, 2 years, $5.0MM AAV

November 7

Christian Jaros – Settled, 1 year, $750K (two-way)

November 8

Chris Tierney – Settled, 2 years, $3.5MM AAV
MacKenzie Weegar – Settled, 3 years $3.25MM AAV
Haydn Fleury – Settled, 2 years, $1.3MM AAV

*Virtanen was not included in the NHLPA’s announcement, but Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports he will have a hearing on the 28th. 

Maple Leafs Re-Sign Ilya Mikheyev

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The Maple Leafs have avoided salary arbitration with Ilya Mikheyev as the team announced they’ve re-signed the winger to a two-year deal with an AAV of $1.645MM.  Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic adds (Twitter link) that the deal pays $1.1MM in 2020-21 and $2.19MM in 2021-22.

Yesterday, the two sides filed their arbitration submissions with Mikheyev requesting a one-year, $2.7MM pact and Toronto countering with a two-year deal with a $1MM AAV.  With the player filing for the hearing which was scheduled for Wednesday, the Maple Leafs got to choose what the term would have been had they gone through with the proceedings.  As is often the case in these, they settled close to the midpoint of the two filings which was $1.85MM.

The 26-year-old signed with Toronto last offseason and played relatively well in his NHL debut, picking up eight goals and 15 assists in 39 games while logging over 15 minutes per night.  His rookie campaign was cut short due to a wrist injury which cost him 31 games although the delayed start of the playoffs due to the pandemic enabled Mikheyev to return for the postseason in their five-game loss to Columbus.

Despite the inexperience in North America, Mikheyev was eligible for salary arbitration because of his age which allowed him to earn a decent raise on the $925K he made in his rookie year.  Had his case gone to a hearing, it would have been a tricky one to navigate due to the lack of true comparable players in his situation but that’s all moot now.

While the deal gives Toronto a middle-six forward at a decent price tag, it also only buys out his two remaining RFA years, allowing Mikheyev to return to the open market in 2022.  That price tag also was originally set to be higher as Sportsnet’s Luke Fox notes that the original agreement was for slightly more but that the team called back at the last minute to ask him to take a bit less to help them stay cap compliant.

With this contract now done, Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas can now turn his focus to his last remaining NHL-level restricted free agent in defenseman Travis Dermott with recently-acquired winger Joey Anderson also needing a new deal but he will likely be AHL-bound.  Dermott recently wrapped up his entry-level contract and wasn’t eligible for arbitration.  With Toronto likely needing to carry close to a minimum-sized roster and shuffle several entry-level players back and forth with the AHL Marlies as it is to be cap compliant, it’s likely that Dermott’s contract will also be a short one to maintain as much short-term flexibility as possible.

Mikheyev’s agent Dan Milstein was the first to report the contract while Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was first with the AAV.

Toronto Maple Leafs, Ilya Mikheyev Exchange Arbitration Figures

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After Tony DeAngelo, Matt Grzelcyk and Andrew Mangiapane all signed new contracts before their hearings this week, the arbitration schedule will be kicked off on Wednesday with Toronto Maple Leafs forward Ilya Mikheyev. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that the two sides have exchanged filings. The Maple Leafs have filed for a two-year contract that carries an average annual value of $1MM, while Mikheyev’s camp has filed for a one-year, $2.7MM contract. It is important to remember that in the NHL, the arbitrator does not need to choose one filing or the other and usually instead awards a contract somewhere in the middle. The two sides can also come to an agreement in the coming days, though this year once the hearing begins they must wait for the reward and cannot settle while the arbitrator deliberates.

After moving out $6.6MM in the form of Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson the Maple Leafs are actually in a fine position to afford Mikheyev’s arbitration result and re-sign restricted free agent Travis Dermott. The bargain-bin shopping of GM Kyle Dubas resulted in low-cost additions of Wayne Simmonds, Jimmy Vesey, Zach Bogosian and Joe Thornton, meaning they aren’t in quite the salary cap pickle as they were a year ago.  Remember that when Mikheyev and Dermott are signed, two other players can be sent to the minors (or junior, in the case of Nick Robertson) to clear up that extra room.

The hearing for Mikheyev will be interesting though, given how little experience the 26-year-old has at the NHL level. Signed out of the KHL in 2019, Mikheyev was a revelation for the Maple Leafs early on, recording eight goals and 23 points while providing strong penalty killing. He regularly saw time playing beside John Tavares and looked well on his way to becoming a valuable middle-six option for the team. Unfortunately, Mikheyev suffered a scary wrist injury in late-December. New Jersey Devils forward Jesper Bratt’s skate came up and sliced Mikheyev’s arm, severing tendons and causing the Russian forward to require immediate surgery.

Though he did return for the Maple Leafs short-lived postseason, he failed to score a single point against the Columbus Blue Jackets and now heads into arbitration with just 23 points in 44 career NHL games. Since these hearings are based on actual production, not potential, it’s likely that the Maple Leafs will get a bargain relative to what he could have demanded had the injury never have occurred.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Atlantic Notes: Chara, Maple Leafs, Danault

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With a big four-year extension for Boston Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk, the Bruins continue to work on their defense after the departure of Torey Krug. Of course, much of that work relies on a decision by veteran Zdeno Chara, who is still considering what he is going to do for the 2020-21 season.

Boston Hockey Now’s Joe Haggerty writes that Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said that the team can do nothing, but wait to hear from Chara about what his offseason plans are.

“We have communicated consistently with Zdeno and [his agent] Matt Keator,” said Sweeney. “We’re just waiting for him to initiate what he’d like to do moving forward. I feel very comfortable allowing [the decision-making process] to take the necessary time and let Zdeno make his own decisions along that route.”

Of course, Keator did say that Chara has received multiple inquiries from other teams and the veteran is considering all options, according to The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa (subscription required), which isn’t good for Boston who will need the 6-foot-9, 250-pounder to help stabilize their defense after losing Krug to St. Louis more than a week ago and lack the financial abilities to bring in a solid replacement.

  • In a conference call with reporters as well as NHL.com’s Mike Zeisberger, Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas said that he doesn’t foresee the team making any more roster moves, which includes adding more players or having to move a player out. The GM said the Maple Leafs will now focus on signing their own restricted free agents with next week’s arbitration case of Ilya Mikheyev on tap next, followed by focusing on working out a deal with defenseman Travis Dermott.
  • The Athletic’s Arpon Basu (subscription required) writes that Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin has now signed defenseman Jeff Petry and forward Brendan Gallagher to long-term deals. He also managed to swap forwards Max Domi and Josh Anderson, signing the latter to long-term deal as well. When asked what his next task would be, Bergevin replied that he was thinking about going on vacation, sounding like his work this offseason is finished. Basu writes that can’t be good news for center Phillip Danault, who is on his last year of a three-year, $9.25MM contract and has said he would like to stay long-term as long as his role on the team is guaranteed. The 27-year-old has posted 25 goals and 100 points combined over the last two seasons, but with young centers Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Nick Suzuki ready to step into more significant roles in the near future, there may not be a big role remaining for Danault.

Snapshots: Eller, Panthers, Mikheyev

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Washington Capitals forward Lars Eller has decided against opting out of the return to play tournament, but that doesn’t mean he’ll be there for the whole thing. Eller told reporters including Greg Wyshynski of ESPN that he will leave the “bubble” at some point for the birth of his child. The expected due date is August 8th, right in the middle of the qualification round that the Capitals will not be taking part in.

As Wyshynski explains, leaving the bubble is relatively easy—it requires extenuating circumstances like the birth of a child and a GM’s approval—getting back in is not. Eller will be subject to several tests before being allowed to return, including a potential 14-day quarantine depending on where they have traveled.

Toronto Maple Leafs Frontrunners To Sign Alexander Barabanov

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March 31: Maple Leafs’ GM Kyle Dubas admitted at media availability today that his team is pursuing Barabanov, explaining to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet that the team likes the Russian forward’s ability to make plays under pressure. Johnston also notes that there doesn’t seem to be any rush from Barabanov’s side to make a decision.

March 28: With the KHL playoffs now canceled, many of the league’s top free agents can now consider signing new contracts. One of the more interesting forwards, Alexander Barabanov, has expressed interest in coming to North America and signing with an NHL team with at least 20 teams showing interest in the diminutive forward to this point.

However, a recent report from Sport-Express’ overseas reporter Igor Eronko suggests that the Toronto Maple Leafs are the leading candidate to sign the 25-year-old, although he did report that there are three teams he’s considering, which also includes the Arizona Coyotes. TSN’s Darren Dreger does add that nothing is confirmed. In fact, there are no guarantees he’s definitely coming to the NHL yet. He reports that Barabanov and his agent Dan Milstein will begin interviewing teams next week.

Barabanov has played full seasons for SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL for the past five years and has scored anywhere between 10 to 20 goals in each of the last four years. He scored a career-high 17 goals and 46 points in 58 games in the 2018-19 season but saw his numbers dip this past year after suffering a broken hand in December from a slashing incident. He finished his season with 10 goals and 20 points in 43 games. Regardless, the forward is expected to fill a role as a solid bottom-six forward despite his lack of size at 5-foot-8 and 159 pounds.

If Toronto is the front-runner, it wouldn’t be a big surprise as general manager Kyle Dubas has made it a priority to add undrafted talent to his salary cap-strapped team by looking overseas. He added forward Ilya Mikheyev out of the KHL last year, who did make an impact in the first half of the season before suffering a wrist laceration when the skate of New Jersey’s Jesper Bratt ran over his wrist. Mikheyev has eight goals and 23 assists in 39 games this season. Despite the injury, he is expected to play a major role for the Maple Leafs next season. Toronto hopes they can get similar production from Barabanov if he agrees to sign with them.

Arizona is also in the mix. The Athletic’s Craig Morgan confirmed the Coyotes interest as general manager John Chayka talked with Barabanov earlier this season when he visited St. Petersburg. No word on who the third team Barabanov is considering.

Maple Leafs Likely To Have Greater Cap Issues Due To Cononavirus

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The Toronto Maple Leafs knew they would have some issues with their cap for many years in the future when they signed John Tavares to a seven-year, $77MM ($11MM AAV) contract and then locked up their three future star forwards (Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander) to a combined $29.5MM per season.

General manager Kyle Dubas was already hard-pressed last year when he was forced to send a first-round pick to Carolina to get rid of Patrick Marleau’s final year of his contract. The team also sent off popular center Nazem Kadri to Colorado in hopes of adding some much-needed defense. The team already knew it was going to have to make some tough decisions this offseason even with estimates that the salary cap could increase from $81.5 to anywhere from $84-88.2MM. However, the Maple Leafs’ cap situation may have gotten worse, according to Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun, who writes that with the financial impact that is expected to hit the NHL, that salary cap could flatline and remain at $81.5MM next season.

If that’s the case, then the Toronto Maple Leafs plans may require some major changes as they currently have $77MM committed to just 17 players with a number of restricted free agents they must deal with, including Ilya Mikheyev, Travis Dermott, Denis Malgin and Frederik Gauthier. Both Mikheyev and Dermott each should get significant raises, while the team will want to being back Gauthier. Malgin is a different question. On the unrestricted free agent market, the team was likely going to let Tyson Barrie and Cody Ceci walk anyway, there would be no room to keep either one if they wanted to bring one back. The team must also find some room for Jason Spezza and Kyle Clifford, who have become valued veterans.

With so much salary, the scribe believes that Dubas will guaranteed be forced to trade at least one of their younger top-six forwards, including Kasperi Kapanen ($3.2MM AAV), Andreas Johnsson ($3.4MM) or Alexander Kerfoot ($3.5MM), each of which make more a significant amount of money and likely could bring back a significant package of cheap roster players.

Of course, much of that is dependent on what happens in the next few weeks/months, but the more time that passes is likely worse in Toronto. Throw in the fact that the team must also deal with Frederik Andersen’s contract in two years and they have even more trouble ahead.

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