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KHL Team “Very Interested” In Jaromir Jagr

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12:30pm: Eronko spoke with Jagr about the potential KHL contract, who was very forthcoming in why he would consider the league.

KHL is possible ’cause if I’m not in NHL then I want to go to the Olympics. I want to try to make the team. If I want the Olympics, I have to play in the best possbile league; that’s what the KHL is.

11:20am: Though it’s not clear if there is any interest on his part, Jaromir Jagr is very much on the mind of Rail Yakupov, the head of HC Neftekhimik in the KHL. He was quoted today by the league’s Twitter account, saying that he’s “very interested” in the legendary Czech winger. Igor Eronko of Sport-Express confirms that the team is in talks with Jagr.

It’s clear why they would be interested in Jagr after missing the playoffs last season, but why exactly the 45-year old would want to sign there isn’t apparent. Perhaps they’re offering the most money, or he just wants the challenge of the KHL, but if he wants to play in the Olympics there are easier ways. Jagr owns a Czech team that he could join until the tournament begins, and since the NHL trade deadline is a day after the gold medal match, could sign and play the stretch run with a contender. Signing with Neftekhimik likely takes that option away (though there could be an out clause inserted into the contract), while not giving him a great chance at winning a Gagarin Cup.

It would be surprising if it were the only KHL team after him, but the offseason has been a wild ride of silence already in terms of his playing future. Why he hasn’t been signed to an NHL team remains a mystery to many, as it’s obvious he can still contribute in some ways.

Sharks Not Pursuing Jaromir Jagr

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With the answer to just one little question, San Jose Sharks GM Doug Wilson eliminated the last hope that Sharks fans had of a major free agent addition this off-season. It’s now mid-September, training camps are opening, and San Jose still has yet to make a notable move. They added aging grinder Brandon Bollig, who played exclusively in the AHL last year, Antoine Bibeau, most recently the fifth-string goalie in Toronto, and just a few days ago AHL veteran Brandon Mashinter. Meanwhile, they watched career Shark and franchise leader in just about every category, Patrick Marleau, leave for the Maple Leafs and failed to take advantage of late-summer, affordable replacement options like Drew Stafford (New Jersey) and Thomas Vanek (Vancouver). The Sharks don’t even have an intriguing PTO player in camp.

The last hope of a big-name free agent who could actually help the team in 2017-18 was none other than the legendary Jaromir Jagr. The highest-ranked member of PHR’s Top 50 Free Agents yet to sign at #13 overall, Jagr’s continued availability had been an ongoing story all summer. The 45-year-old future Hall of Famer may seem washed up by age alone, but played in all 82 games with the Florida Panthers last year, registering 46 points. The year before that, Jagr was nearly a 30-goal scorer, racking up 66 points in 79 games for Florida. Somehow, one of the greatest players in NHL history continues to have gas in the tank. In need of replacement scoring and even some veteran guidance for a plethora of young up-and-coming forwards, Jagr seemed like a good fit for San Jose and has continued to be attached to the team in rumors. That ended today. The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz asked Doug Wilson about the possibility of Jagr going to San Jose, to which the GM replied definitively that he did not see the Czech phenom as a fit.

So, the search continues for both sides. Jagr has heard all off-season about teams that “seem like a fit”, but has not had any concrete offers all summer. Last anyone checked in, Jagr was still considering simply playing for HC Kladno of the Czech Liga, a team that he is a part owner of, and then suiting up for the Czech Republic at the 2018 Olympics. After that, perhaps Jagr would draw some interest as a stretch run addition for an NHL team. For now, that seems to be the only option for the aging superstar. As for the Sharks, Wilson nor any of his colleagues have expressed any concern over the team’s lack of off-season additions or potential scoring difficulties. While it is possible that they could still make a trade before the season or early on in the new campaign, the fact that they have no interest in Jagr seemingly means that they are done with free agent additions for the 2017 off-season. The only other notable names left that could be of any interest to San Jose are veterans like Jarome Iginla, Brian Gionta, or Jiri Hudler, all of whom would seem to provide even less upside than Jagr. The Sharks seem content to head into the season with their current group. Maybe a rough start could make them rethink their position on one of the greatest scorers of all time.

Snapshots: Chara, Hurricanes, Jagr

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Even at the age of 40, Zdeno Chara figures to be a big (pardon the pun) part of the Boston Bruins’ defense this season. While he’s lost a step and isn’t as punishing in his own end, his experience and size still allows him to be a capable player at both ends. He registered 29 points last season, and feels like he can continue even past the upcoming year. Talking to Joe Haggerty of CSNNE, Chara expressed his want to stay in Boston.

I definitely want to play beyond this season. It’s really hard to put a number on it. Some people do and some people don’t. I just obviously want to keep playing beyond this season. I love this game too much. I have made no secrets about it. I want to stay here [in Boston] and continue to play.

As he enters the third decade of his playing career, Chara is going to be able to start passing on some of the responsibility to younger Bruins defenders like Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo. Along with Chara, Torey Krug and the rest of the veteran options in Boston, the youngsters could make this one of the most dependable groups in the NHL. They’ll need it if they want to get back to the playoffs and make a run for the Stanley Cup before Chara finishes his career.

  • Carolina Hurricanes’ GM Ron Francis spoke with media today including Chip Alexander of the News & Observer, dropping some interesting tidbits about the team’s next few weeks. Francis says that there will be no players signed to professional tryouts, and that the team will indeed name a captain after training camp is over. The Hurricanes played last season without a captain, and haven’t had one since they traded Eric Staal at the 2016 deadline. Eric’s younger brother Jordan Staal is a candidate, but could so are several of the defensemen including Justin Faulk. An interesting option might be giving it to recently returned forward Justin Williams, who has raised the Stanley Cup three times including one with the Canes in 2006.
  • Jaromir Jagr once again has said that he could start the season in Europe and play in the Olympics for the Czech Republic, something that would obviously add a lot of intrigue to the Winter Games. The US and Canada will be struggling to find high caliber players while teams like Russia and the Czech Republic could ice Hall of Fame talent. While that could result in a quick defeat, it also will allow us to see college and AHL-level players against some of the best in the world.

Snapshots: Gudbranson, Cammalleri, Jagr

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Once you get past the obvious, such as Colorado’s Matt Duchene and the entire Vegas Golden Knights’ roster, The Hockey News’ Matt Larkin has several interesting players who he lists as Top 10 trade candidates for the upcoming season, including Vancouver’s Erik Gudbranson, Los Angeles’ Mike Cammalleri and New Jersey’s Drew Stafford to name a few.

Gudbranson is a perfect trade candidate for the Canucks at the trade deadline. With young defensemen like Ben Hutton and Troy Stecher already on board to go with veteran Chris Tanev, he is not as critical of a keeper for a team looking to rebuild over the next few years. Add in the influx of young defensive prospects in their system, including Olli Juolevi (fifth overall pick in 2016), Guillaume Brisebois (third-rounder in 2015), Jordan Subban (fourth-rounder in 2013) and Jalen Chatfield, the team won’t miss Gudbranson too badly.

Cammalleri is a solid candidate. Larkin does not believe the Kings are going to succeed at making a playoff run and the 35-year-old wing could be that veteran “glue guy” for a team needing one piece for a Stanley Cup run, if Cammalleri can stay healthy, which is not something he has done often lately. Stafford would also make sense as a rental player at the deadline. After being traded at the deadline from Winnipeg to Boston last March and just signing a one-year deal with New Jersey this year, it’s very likely he’ll be on the move again if he can put up some points as a Devil.

To see the full list of 10 candidates, go here.

  • The Athletic’s Scott Powers tweets that Chicago Blackhawks prospect Andrei Altybarmakyan made his KHL debut today with St. Petersburg SKA. At just 19 years old, Powers writes, that’s a big deal and should develop into a promising prospect. The wing was a third-round pick in the 2017 draft two months ago.
  • San Francisco Examiner’s Paul Ladewski writes that the San Jose Sharks really need to sign a veteran to help out general manager Doug Wilson. Citing Wilson’s non-interest in being patient with young players, he points to 45-year-old Jaromir Jagr as an excellent player who could fill the void of Patrick Marleau. He cites Jagr’s work ethic, which could help light a fire under an aging team that’s running out of time. Jagr had 16 goals and 30 assists last year for Florida. The scribe suggests a one-year, $4MM deal would be perfect. NBC Sports Kevin Kurz tweets that he wouldn’t be surprised if the Sharks sign one veteran before camp starts, but doesn’t name Jagr.

Flames GM Treliving On Free Agency, Bennett’s Contract Discussions

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Although the Flames have been speculatively linked to some veteran free agents over the past few weeks (including Jaromir Jagr recently and former Flame Jarome Iginla), GM Brad Treliving told Postmedia’s Eric Francis that he’s not sure where that talk has come from and wouldn’t acknowledge if any talks have occurred:

“You can’t help but respect them. But, this notion we’ve been in contract talks with them is rumour and I’m not going to comment on them.  Are we going to go to camp with the group we have? Good chance. Are we poking around at a few things and could there be additions before camp? Yes. Is that a guarantee? No. I wouldn’t say there’s anything significant on the horizon, but we look at everything every day.”

Calgary is thin on the right side with Micheal Ferland, Michael Frolik, and Troy Brouwer currently comprising their top options.  That’s likely part of the reason why Jagr has been suggested as a potential fit for them as he’d represent an upgrade on that group and would slide into a top-six role for the Flames.

[Related: Calgary’s Depth Chart]

As for Iginla, the talk of him rejoining the team seems more nostalgic than anything else.  He struggled considerably last season with Colorado and while he played better after his trade to the Kings, he’s not a top-six forward anymore and isn’t a great fit for a bottom-six role either.

Calgary currently has some room to make another addition or two as they currently sit with a little more than $7MM in cap space, per CapFriendly.  However, they still have center Sam Bennett to re-sign who will cut into that amount.  While talks don’t appear to have progressed too much, Treliving is confident they’ll get a deal done with the former fourth overall selection:

“We’re going to get Sam signed.  Every contract is unique and takes its own course. We’re working away at it and we think Sam is going to be a good player in this organization for a long time. He’s growing and I know he’s had a good summer. We’ll keep banging away at it.”

Earlier this summer, Treliving acknowledged that contracts for players like Bennett tend to take longer than some others.  This case is particularly interesting with the 21-year-old’s production taking a dip last year down from 36 points to 26.  That all but certifies that he will receive a bridge deal so now, it’s all about finding the right structure, particularly when it comes to how much to backload the contract as his ending salary would represent his qualifying offer at the completion of the deal.

Poll: Where Will Thomas Vanek Wind Up?

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The results of yesterday’s poll, “Will Jaromir Jagr or Thomas Vanek Play in the NHL This Year?“, have been an overwhelming “yes”. So far, more than 71% of voters think both will play, while the next highest scoring option was that Vanek will play, with close to 14%. While the idea of Jagr’s NHL career being over seems impossible to many, it has been relatively quiet for the future Hall of Famer this off-season, with the only recent news being whispers of interest coming out of Calgary. Vanek, on the other hand, has reportedly seen an uptick in interest of late and has ties to many teams across the league. So, the question then becomes, assuming Vanek plays in the NHL this year, where will he end up?

The most recent rumors have connected Vanek with the Vancouver Canucks. A team that seems unsure of its direction, the Canucks have added several veteran pieces this off-season, like Sam Gagner and Michael Del Zotto, and seem determined to make a playoff push with the soon-to-be 37-year-old Sedins set to hit free agency next summer. Loui Eriksson did not work out on the top line with Henrik and Daniel last year, and trying Vanek out could make some sense. On the other hand, Vancouver has some young talent that could use a shot and, even with Vanek, the team stands little chance of reaching the postseason. The Canucks should be in full rebuild mode, but until management realizes that, adding a veteran like Vanek is a real possibility.

The other team who has long been rumored to be in contact with Vanek are the Detroit Red Wings. Another team that probably shouldn’t be adding veterans, the Red Wings also simply may not have the capacity to sign the veteran scorer, given their current cap overage and unfinished business with Andreas Athanasiou. Nevertheless, the rumors have hung around, as Vanek did seem to fit in nicely in Detroit last season. A return could be best for him, but it wouldn’t be the most logical decision for the team.

The Boston Bruins seem intent on giving their young players the opportunity to make the team this year. However, the team also kept in touch with free agent Drew Stafford this summer and seemed likely to offer him a contract or tryout deal once they had the David Pastrnak negotiations wrapped up. Pastrnak remains unsigned, but now Stafford is off the market, signing in New Jersey. The Bruins could now turn their attention to Vanek, who has historically been a thorn in the team’s side, to provide some depth and insurance on the wings if the prospects aren’t ready for regular roles just yet.

Then there’s the Arizona Coyotes, who are in desperate need of a right-shot winger, and could use some more veteran leadership up front as well. Yes, the ’Yotes are still rebuilding, but they need to take the next step sooner or later. Vanek would bring a scoring boost and most of all some balance to the lineup and, with a league-high $19.3MM in cap space remaining, Arizona can certainly take a chance and pay Vanek what he’s asking. The fit makes sense, but does Vanek want to go to the desert? Will he have any other choice?

Finally, the San Jose Sharks lost Patrick Marleau this summer and his 46 points from last season and have only added Brandon Bollig and his zero points from last season to make up for it. That speaks for itself. Vanek would immediately be the Sharks’ biggest off-season acquisition and a great candidate to step in and replace Marleau in the top six.

So, what do you think? The response has been near total agreement that Vanek is staying in the NHL, but where exactly will he play?

Options For Coyotes At Lacking Right Wing

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By all accounts, the Arizona Coyotes are still a re-building club without much for expectations in 2017-18. However, at some point this team needs to take the next step and to do so the club needs to develop their many talented, young players as best as possible. For that reason, the incredulous lack of right-shots and experienced right wingers on the Arizona roster presents a substantial problem. In an article on the biggest issues facing each of Arizona’s sports teams, Craig Morgan of Arizona Sports opines that the Coyotes’ right wing depth is a major obstacle. With so few options, the team would be forced to move young players out of position or field unbalanced lines for the purposes of making the right wing position make sense. Instead, Morgan suggests that the roster still needs “tinkering”, with an outside addition going a long way to balancing out the team.

Morgan certainly is not exaggerating the problem that the Coyotes have on the right side. The only right-handed shot guaranteed to make the roster is newly-acquired top center Derek Stepan. Beyond him, Arizona could end up fielding an entire forward corps of lefties. Morgan mentions 20-year-old Christian Fischer as a near lock for one of the right-wing spots, given that he is likely the only natural right winger with the NHL ability in the organization right now. Fischer skated in seven games with the Coyotes last year, scoring three goals, and put up big numbers in the AHL as well. He looks primed for a full NHL campaign and the team’s lack of right wing options only helps to solidify his chances of making the roster. Young forwards Jens Looke and Nick Merkley are also righties with right wing experience, but what they lack is North American pro experience and seem better suited for a season in Tuscon, at least early on. So who fills the final three spots? Although he is a lefty, Tobias Rieder has fared well on the right side for much of the past few seasons in Arizona and will likely resume his role on the off wing in 2017-18. Brad Richardson and Anthony Duclair have routinely played on the off side in their careers as well, but with Richardson’s health still in question and Duclair coming off a disappointing season and has yet to re-sign, so relying on either, nevertheless both, is a risk for the ’Yotes. That leaves Arizona with the option of moving young lefties like Brendan Perlinin, Lawson Crouse, or Nick Cousins to the left side or giving veteran wash-ups like Emerson Etem, Michael Latta, or Mike Sislo a regular job. Neither of those avenues seem to be the best fit for the Coyotes.

Instead, GM John Chayka may be looking to fill the void with a new addition. A couple obvious names pop up as right side options still available on the free agent market, as Arizona could simply fill the hole left by veteran scorer Radim Vrbata with another veteran scorer like Thomas Vanek or Jaromir Jagr. The team said goodbye to the face of the organization, Shane Doan, this summer, so it is fair to be skeptical of them bringing in another aging player. However, Vanek and Jagr offer a scoring touch that Doan hasn’t had of late and that others like Jarome Iginla or Brian Gionta may not bring. If the Coyotes are going to take a roster spot away from a young player, even if it is to fill a notable absence, it will need to be someone ready to contribute. Younger veterans with more gas in the tank like Alex Chiasson or P-A Parenteau would make some sense as well. A trade, even at this point in the off-season, is always a possibility for Chayka as well. The Coyotes young GM has showed a willingness to take on bad contracts and a propensity for winning those trades as well. The cap-strapped Toronto Maple Leafs may be willing to give up a pick or prospect alongside Joffrey Lupul to remove that contract, especially when Lupul appears to be moving closer to playing health, while the Detroit Red Wings also need to move some salary at some point soon.

There are options aplenty for the Coyotes on the right side, but the question remains whether they see 2017-18 as yet another stepping stone campaign or a season where they can actually compete. It if it’s the former, then the team may hesitate to add another contract with so many young forwards eager for play time (even on their off side), but the latter would require another body at right wing. The decision belongs to Chayka an his staff, but there appears to benefits all around to adding another body to compete at right wing.

Poll: Will Jaromir Jagr Or Thomas Vanek Play In The NHL This Year?

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With Drew Stafford signing this morning, many fans are turning their sights to Jaromir Jagr and Thomas Vanek, arguably the top two names left on the open market. Both have had rumors recently about renewed interest, but it’s now late August and neither has found a team.

As we’ve looked at in the past, Jagr is one of several players from the Czech Republic who could give his country a huge boost for the upcoming Winter Olympics. The NHL isn’t going, and Jagr could play in Europe until after the international tournament. Thomas Vanek is not so lucky.

Vanek is Austrian, and though he captained his country’s team in the 2014 Games he won’t get the same chance in 2018 regardless of where he plays his hockey. Austria—playing without Vanek—got crushed by Latvia in Olympic qualifying 8-1 and then again by Germany 6-0 last summer to get knocked out of contention, despite ranking nearly ten spots higher than the host South Korean team in the world rankings. There’s no Olympic incentive for him, making his continued free agency something of a mystery.

So, we ask you reader what you think will happen this season. Coming off 46 and 48 point seasons respectively will Jagr and Vanek both suit up for an NHL game in 2017-18? Or depart for the professional leagues abroad?

[Mobile users click here to vote!]

“No Comment” On Jagr-To-Calgary Rumors

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The last few days, there have been some unverified rumors of Jaromir Jagr potentially heading to the Calgary Flames. While these could be true, our job here at Pro Hockey Rumors is to wade through all those reports, and only give you the most reliable information. Still, as they’ve persisted Rick Dhaliwal of News 1130 reached out to Jagr’s agent Petr Svoboda, who declined to comment on the specific rumor. Instead, he told Dhaliwal that he is “working around the clock and will get something done” without mentioning any specific teams.

Jagr remains one of the most interesting players on the open market, as even at 45 he’s shown himself to be an effective possession player and able to contribute offensively. Though he doesn’t skate like used to, and can clog up the center ice area he’s still deadly in the offensive zone and can help a powerplay if given the chance. He scored 46 points last season even with a career-low shooting percentage, and was one of only three players on the Florida Panthers with a positive +/- rating.

It’s not clear where he’ll end up, but there are plenty of teams who could use Jagr to add some experience to their forward group. As the second-highest scorer in league history, he’s just 86 points shy of 2,000 for his career and has seen just about everything there is to see in his long career.

Snapshots: Jagr, Keenan, Team USA

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Jaromir Jagr remains unsigned now deep into August, and though the second all-time leading NHL scorer wants to play again this year there hasn’t been a ton of interest just yet. Elliotte Friedman joined NHL Network yesterday and said that a few teams have reached out, including the Calgary Flames. The Flames are led by a former Jagr coach in Glen Gulutzan, but nothing sounds imminent with any team so far.

Jagr has joked about playing for his own Czech club to start the year, and that would allow him to play in the Olympics. The Czech Republic have several players in this situation, but could see some late-summer signings rob them of Olympic talent.

  • Kunlun Red Star of the KHL have fired their General Manager just a few months after installing him in March, and have given the reins to Mike Keenan who will remain on as head coach as well. Keenan is a legendary NHL and KHL coach who made big waves after going to China, and will now have full control of the organization.
  • Andy Strickland of Fox Sports reports that USA Hockey is considering Troy Terry, Jordan Greenway, Ryan Donato and Adam Fox for their Olympic team, which comes as little surprise. The quartet of college players are all outstanding options that could likely find great success on the international circuit. Greenway already represented the US at the recent World Championships, while Donato, Fox and Terry were among the best college players in the country last season.

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