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Lance Bouma

Minor Transactions: 12/23/20

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There has been a flurry of NHL action of late with a number of UFA signings and RFA extensions, among other moves. However, it doesn’t stop there. Between loan recalls, overseas contracts, and college commitments, it has been another busy day for minor moves as the NHL inches closer to joining the other leagues worldwide currently enjoying the 2020-21 season.

  • The San Jose Sharks have recalled goaltender Josef Korenar from his loan to HC Ocelari Trinec, the Czech club announced. The 22-year-old keeper had a down season in 2019-20 after excelling as an AHL rookie the year before, but his play could be trending up after posting an 8-2 record and strong numbers in the Czech Extraliga. With an uninspiring veteran duo of Martin Jones and Devan Dubnyk ahead of him, it would not be a surprise to see the Sharks call on Korenar to make his NHL debut this season, especially if he can return to form.
  • The Boston Bruins have also made a loan recall, bringing back forward Robert Lantosi from HK Nitra of the Slovakian Extraliga, according to the team. While Lantosi may not seem like a top AHL option for the Bruins, he continues to impress with every opportunity. The 25-year-old played with the Providence Bruins on a minor league deal last season but earned an entry-level contract with 31 points in 50 games. He followed that up with a point-per-game pace through 18 games with Nitra on loan. Especially with the taxi squad as a new option, Lantosi could be a dark horse candidate to debut with the Bruins this season.
  • Even as the free agent market starts to pick back up, some North American players are still signing overseas in order to get their season started instead of waiting and hoping for an NHL contract. Netminder Jared Coreau has joined that list, signing a one-year deal with the IceHL’s Bratislava Capitals, per a team announcement. The former Detroit Red Wings prospect has bounced around the AHL over the past few years without much in the way of results, leading to move overseas in hopes of rediscovering his game.
  • Veteran forward Lance Bouma is in the same boat. After spending last season with the AHL’s Ontario Reign, Bouma is heading back to Europe, this time signing with the SHL’s IK Oskarshamn, the team announced. After seven seasons with the Calgary Flames, including four as a regular player, and another with the Chicago Blackhawks, Bouma has been out of the NHL since 2017-18 and hopes a strong season in Sweden may get him back on the radar.
  • Tristan Mullin, formerly a top scorer for Cornell University, has finalized his transfer to the University of Vermont and will join the team in the spring semester, according to insider Mark Divver. The senior forward has recorded 20+ points in back-to-back seasons and with pro size and speed could draw NHL interest.
  • Max Smolinski, son of former NHLer Bryan Smolinski, has committed to play his college hockey at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, he announced today. The young puck-moving defenseman is expected to join RPI for the 2022-23 season. Smolinski is 2021 NHL Draft-eligible and hopes to impress scouts in his first season with the USHL’s Lincoln Stars.

Minor Transactions: 09/30/19

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It’s been the busiest day of training camp from a transactions standpoint, with countless cuts and a waiver wire chock full of talent. NHL teams are making the difficult decisions in preparation for Opening Day. However, some of those moves have repercussions on the rosters of AHL teams as well. On a day that’s not lacking in noteworthy news, don’t forget to keep up with the smaller moves as well:

  • Former Colorado Avalanche prospect Mason Geertsen has found a new home in the AHL. The 24-year-old defenseman was not extended a qualifying offer by the Avs this summer, despite coming off a career-high 16-point minor league campaign, but Geertsen managed to impress in camp with the Hartford Wolf Pack. The team announced that Geertsen has signed a one-year AHL contract. At 6’4” and 220 lbs., Geertsen is a dominant force in the defensive end. While he saw an uptick in offensive production last year, the hallmarks of his game will always be solid defense and a heavy, aggressive checking game. The Wolf Pack hope that he can offer peace of mind to both their goalkeepers and young, offensive prospects this season.
  • One player who surprising will not suit up for Hartford this season is NHL veteran Connor Brickley. Brickley, who started 14 games for the New York Rangers down the stretch last season, was hoping to stay with the organization. He took a tryout offer with the Wolf Pack, but the team revealed today that he has been released from camp. A reliable two-way option, Brickely has played in 81 NHL games over his five-year pro career and has recorded 21 points. That would seemingly imply that, if handed a full-time role, Brickley could have 20+ point upside. Yet, he remains unemployed even at the AHL level, at least for the time being.
  • One player still on an AHL tryout – and could be for a while longer – is Lance Bouma. The experienced NHL forward initially joined the Los Angeles Kings on a PTO in camp, but was reassigned to AHL camp with the Ontario Reign. Fox Sports’ Jon Rosen reports that Bouma is expected to stay in Ontario on a tryout basis for potentially the maximum 25-game stretch. Bouma is still not fully recovered from a major injury that cost him his season in Europe last year, but he seems willing to keep working in hopes of landing a deal with either the Reign or perhaps even the Kings. Bouma is a proven two-way contributor who could be a leader for Ontario in all three zones and in the locker room this season.

Jimmy Hayes, Griffin Reinhart Among Notable AHL Camp Invites

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It’s a position that no NHL veteran wants to find himself in, but sometimes it’s the only way to stay employed in North America. With NHL training camps starting to cut mass amounts of participants, AHL camps are opening for another round of evaluation and to prepare young pros for the start of the minor league season. However, these AHL camps can also be a last-ditch source of hope for older players looking to stay relevant with an NHL affiliate. Every year a few recognizable names opt for this route, and this year is no different.

Of the many invites announced thus far, Jimmy Hayes stands out as the top AHL camp participant. The Iowa Wild specifically acknowledged the veteran winger’s presence in camp when announcing their roster. Hayes, 29, has 334 NHL games and over 100 points to his credit over eight seasons with five different NHL teams. However, Hayes’ two-way contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins last season saw him play exclusively in the AHL. While he was productive, recording 30 points in 72 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, it wasn’t enough to earn another two-way deal. To this point, Hayes hasn’t even earned an AHL deal. He’ll work to earn a contract, and hopefully the attention of the Minnesota brass, when he takes part in Iowa camp.

Griffin Reinhart is another name that sticks out among the crowd of AHL camp invites. Like Hayes, Reinhart is a player whose trade value far outweighed what he ever produced on the ice in the NHL. The 25-year-old was drafted fourth overall in 2012 by the New York Islanders, who dealt him to the Edmonton Oilers a few years later for a first- and second-round pick. Yet, Reinhart has just two points in 37 games to show for his NHL impact. Even in three straight seasons of exclusive AHL action, Rienhart has failed to impress. However, on name value alone he will be able to find a shot somewhere. This time around, the Belleville Senators have invited the young defenseman to camp. Former Vancouver Canucks prospect Cole Cassels, the son of long-time NHLer Andrew Cassels, will also join the junior Senators in camp after playing in Germany last season.

Among the other recognizable faces in minor league camp is veteran forward Lance Bouma. After missing almost all of last season due to injury, Bouma signed a PTO with the Los Angeles Kings and seemed like a dark horse candidate to earn a contract. The 29-year-old has a proven track record as a checking forward in the NHL and has flashed offense from time to time as well. However, the Kings opted to go with their younger options, but not before asking Bouma to take part in AHL camp with the Ontario Reign, the team announced. Bouma could still earn a spot with the organization yet. Talented young goaltender Hayden Hawkey surprisingly remains a free agent searching for a landing spot. The property of both the Montreal Canadiens and Edmonton Oilers during his four years at Providence College, Hawkey nevertheless ended up without an NHL team after graduation and became a UFA in August. He recently took part in training camp with the Washington Capitals, but was cut. He will now join the Stockton Heat in camp, the team revealed, and could prove to be a sneaky addition to the organization for the Calgary Flames. Hawkey posted a 2.19 GAA or lower in each of his four dominant collegiate seasons. Finally, Connor Brickley seems determined to stay with the New York Rangers organization at all costs. Brickley, 27, is a big, capable bottom-six forward who performed well down the stretch for the Rangers last season following a deadline trade. However, New York would not commit to a contract extension for the former second-round pick. Instead, he accepted a PTO to join the team in camp. When that ended today with his release from Rangers camp, the team announced that he will still participate in minor league camp with the Hartford Wolfpack and could stay in the organization after all.

None of these players are likely happy with their current predicament, but if they work hard in camp and in the AHL regular season, the fastest way back to NHL relevance is through production and consistency at the minor league level. Even for veterans and especially for those still considered prospects, AHL training camp can still be a valuable stepping stone toward a return to the top level.

Lance Bouma Signs PTO With L.A. Kings

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A familiar name is back in the NHL, at least temporarily. Sportsnet’s Rick Dhaliwal reports that veteran forward Lance Bouma has signed a professional tryout offer with the Los Angeles Kings. Bouma missed almost all of last season due to a knee injury, but did suit up for three games with Geneve-Servette of the Swiss NLA. He’s hoping to break back into the NHL via PTO with a team that could use the depth up front.

Bouma, 29, last played in the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2017-18. It was his first pro season outside of the Calgary Flames organization and it didn’t go as expected. Bouma played in 53 games with the Blackhawks, but also in 20 games with the AHL’s Rockford Ice Hogs, his first minor league action since 2012-13. Bouma recorded just nine points with Chicago, but that actually put him on a full-season pace that was better than all but two of his prior NHL campaigns. Bouma is largely considered a bottom-six defensive forward, as evidence by his career numbers, but served the role well in Calgary. He also teased his offensive ability in 2014-15 with a career-high 34 points in 78 games.

It may be difficult to know exactly what you’re getting in Bouma, especially coming after a missed season. That makes him an ideal PTO candidate and a player that could surprise in L.A. training camp. The Kings can see whether Bouma’s surgically repaired knee is a cause for concern or, alternatively, if the year off has given him some extra zip to his skating. Still on the right side of 30 and an experienced two-way forward who has flashed some offensive ability, Bouma could be an intriguing fit for the Kings if healthy. The team has just nine forwards signed to one-way deals at this point and there is expected to be ample competition in camp. Bouma picked the right place to throw his hat in the ring.

Tommy Wingels, Lance Bouma Sign With Swiss Team

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Wednesday: Geneve-Servette has officially announced the contracts, which are both for one year with an additional option year. Wingels and Bouma will be out of the North American hockey world for at least one season, thinning out the free agent market even more.

Tuesday: Given how quiet the unrestricted free agent market has been lately, one could expect that veteran players may start to find jobs overseas for the upcoming season. That looks like it’s happened for Tommy Wingels and Lance Bouma, as Patrick Andrey of RTS in Switzerland reports that both will sign with Geneve-Servette of the NLA. The team has not announced anything official yet, meaning there still could be some negotiating to be done.

It may be a bit surprising to see both players unable to find work in North America, but there was likely nothing more than a professional tryout or two-way contract available at this point in the offseason. Wingels and Bouma both represent fourth-line options at best in the NHL, despite some success in the past. The former was once an effective player for the San Jose Sharks, recording back to back seasons of 38 and 36 points while playing both the powerplay and penalty kill. Since that 36-point campaign in 2014-15 though, Wingels has failed to reach 10 goals or 20 points in each of the last three seasons and only played in four postseason contests with Boston this spring.

Bouma on the other hand brings a big, physical presence to the ice, and once used that power forward stature to score 16 goals and 34 points for the Calgary Flames. He too looked like he could contribute for a long time in the NHL, but has fallen off considerably over the last few seasons. In 2017-18 he played just 53 games with the Chicago Blackhawks, recording nine points and 132 hits. Both players will try to find new heights in Switzerland, playing on a team known for giving NHL veterans a good opportunity.

Nick Spaling, Nathan Gerbe, Jim Slater, Tom Pyatt, Matthew Lombardi and others have all played big roles under head coach Chris McSorley in recent seasons, and it looks like Wingels and Bouma will be the latest to join that group. If they can show a renewed level of play perhaps they will garner some more interest next summer.

Calgary Flames, Brett Kulak Await Arbitration Decision

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Almost unbelievably, given recent history, another salary arbitration case has gone to hearing today without a contract resolution. The Calgary Flames, defenseman Brett Kulak, and their respective representatives sat down with the arbitrator this morning and Postmedia’s Wes Gilbertson says that the parties emerged from the meeting a few hours ago. The two sides now have an approximate 48-hour window to reach an extension settlement on their own terms. Once the formal decision is made on Wednesday, the awarded contract will be final.

Similar to the Jacob Trouba case – the decision handed down yesterday – it seems like the Flames and Kulak are content to await the arbitrator’s judgement, though. Calgary considers Kulak to be a replacement-level, fringe NHL player. They established that when they filed at the minimum $650K for a two-way contract in their arbitration brief and then enforced it when they placed Kulak on waivers on Friday. Kulak and his reps feel that he has established himself as a regular in the league and is deserving of a one-way deal worth more than $1MM. There is a convincing case to be made on both sides and countless comparable contracts to cite, but there doesn’t seem to be much of a middle ground when even the nature of the contract is in dispute, nevertheless salary and term. It’s been all quiet on both sides in recent days and the next 48 hours seem likely to go unused.

The Flames may also be preoccupied with two more upcoming arbitration cases and willing to take what they get from the arbitrator rather than spend time continuing negotiations with Kulak’s side. Calgary faces forward Mark Jankowski on Friday and goaltender David Rittich on Saturday, two players likely to play a larger role for the Flames this season and beyond than Kulak. Such a busy arbitration schedule is far from the norm for Calgary; beat writer Darren Haynes points out that the Flames have reached the hearing stage of salary arbitration with just one player – Lance Bouma in 2015 – in the last ten years. If nothing changes, they are less than a week away from quadrupling that total.

Free Agent Focus: Chicago Blackhawks

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Free agency is now a little more than a month away from opening up and there are quite a few prominent players set to hit the open market while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign.  Here is a breakdown of Chicago’s free agent situation.

Top Restricted Free Agent: F Vinnie Hinostroza — For the second year in a row, Hinostroza got some quality time with the Blackhawks, totallying 99 games in those two seasons. However this year, the 24-year-old forward really showed that he can contribute at a high level. In 50 games this year, Hinostroza found himself working between the second and third lines, totaling seven goals and 25 points, while logging more than 13 minutes of ice time per game. As Chicago becomes more and more reliant on youth to fill in the gap for some of their aging veterans, the team needs Hinostroza to take that next step as a bonafide top-six center.

Having made just $925K this past year, he still is likely to have quite a low salary for a few more years, which is exactly the kind of value the ’Hawks need to rebound and compete for a playoff spot next year.

Other RFA’s: D Adam Clendening, F Anthony Duclair, F John Hayden, F Tomas Jurco.

Top Unrestricted Free Agent: D Cody Franson — Perhaps a better word is ’none.’ There are no key unrestricted free agents unless you look real deep on their roster. You would have to look at players who the team moved to Rockford near the trade deadline when the team decided to give their young players as much playing time as possible. Franson was one of those players, who possesses the offensive talents, but lacks the defense to compete at an NHL level and has bounced around the league looking for a permanent home. Don’t count on Chicago being that place as a recent report suggests he’s not expecting to return next season. He tallied just a goal and six assists in 23 games, but was put on waivers in January.

Other UFA’s: F Lance Bouma, F Christopher Didomenico, G Jeff Glass, F Andreas Martinsen, D Michal Rozsival, D Viktor Svedberg, F Jordin Tootoo.

Projected Cap Space: The salary cap has not been Chicago’s friend over the past few years with big contracts the team handed out to Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook, among others. However, the team has done a good job of moving some contracts and have $6.1MM of cap space available to them, and that’s not including the assumption the cap could go up $5MM next season. The team might have the ability to bring in a free agent or two to help aid the veterans in making a playoff comeback this year. While it’s not likely to include a high-priced free agent, their available cap space should be an asset for the coming season.

Multiple Players Placed On Waivers

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With today being the last day to place players on waivers, many teams have placed players on waivers in hopes of adding some roster flexibility for the remainder of the season. According to Bob McKenzie, many players have been placed on waivers, including defensemen Christopher Breen and Paul Postma of the Boston Bruins, forward Jussi Jokinen of the Columbus Blue Jackets, defenseman Cody Goloubef of the Calgary Flames, forward Lance Bouma of the Chicago Blackhawks, forward Chris Stewart of the Minnesota Wild, forwards Alexandre Burrows and Jim O’Brien and defenseman Johnny Oduya of the Ottawa Senators, defenseman Mark Alt and goaltender John Muse of the Philadelphia Flyers and forward Chris Thorburn of the St. Louis Blues.

McKenzie adds that New York Rangers forward cleared waivers today.

Of teams that are still in the playoff race, the New York Islanders will likely get the first shot on many of these players if the team is looking to add more depth after trading for defenseman Brandon Davidson Saturday.

While several of these players are AHL players who aren’t seeing time, there are several veteran players who are affected by the moves. Two of the most obvious are Burrows and Oduya. The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch writes that the team failed to find anyone interested in trading for either players, so the hope is a team might be willing to claim them without having to give anything up.

Burrows is one of those the team would like to close the book on. Acquired at the trade deadline a year ago for prized prospect Jonathan Dahlen, the team then made it worse by signing him to a two-year extension, worth $2.5MM per season. While he scored 15 goals between Vancouver and Ottawa last year, Burrows has struggled, having tallied just three goals in 51 games. Oduya was signed in the offseason and the veteran could be a solid candidate to be claimed by a team that needs some defensive depth.

Another player who is likely to be claimed is Stewart, who the Minnesota Wild placed on waivers as the team wants to make room for adding 2016 first-rounder Luke Kunin or if the team signs Boston University star Jordan Greenway. The veteran is an excellent locker room presence, has quite a bit of experience and can score as he has nine goals in 47 games this year. Jokinen who has already been on waivers this year returns to it and could be claimed if a team wants some depth to their forward line. Chicago’s Bouma is another who could be claimed as he has fallen out of the Blackhawks lineup, but provides forward depth that could be useful for a team making a playoff run. He’s played in 53 games this year, totaling three goals, six assists and +1 plus/minus ratio.

Other players like Alt and Postma are likely just heading to the AHL to join their playoff rosters. Alt has played just eight games in Philadelphia, spending most of his season in Lehigh Valley. Postma has been with the Bruins all year and might be heading to the Providence Bruins to help the team with their playoff push. He has appeared in just 12 games all season for Boston.

Both Breen, O’Brien, Muse and Goloubef each signed two-way contracts in the last 24 hours and had to be passed through waivers in order to assign them to their respective NHL teams. O’Brien signed a two-way contract today, while Goloubef signed yesterday. FlamesNation’s Ryan Pike reports that Muse signed a two-way deal today.

 

 

Central Notes: Tarasenko, Jets, Bouma

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The St. Louis Blues extended the Edmonton Oilers’ misery with an 8-3 beating on Tuesday night. But who would have thought the beating would have come not only from the blades of the stick, but from Vladimir Tarasenko’s fists, too? The St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Tom Timmermann highlights that Tarasenko’s Gordie Howe hat trick last night was just another sign that the Russian superstar is willing to do whatever it takes to keep the Blues as the top of the Western Conference. Tarasenko, along with winning the fight, added two goals, two helpers, and inspired the bench with his willingness to drop the gloves. Though its still early in the season and teams can fade down the stretch, there’s no denying that this tight-knit Blues squad is doing everything right so far.

  • The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn writes (paid content)  that no one saw the Winnipeg Jets being a top-five team at the start of the season. Even with a 79% chance to make the playoffs, according to Luszczyszyn’s projections, he does point out that some red flags exist despite the Jets’ hot start. Winnipeg is ranked in the bottom half of the league in Score-Adjusted Corsi. Additionally, as Luszczyszyn dives into the advanced stats, it reveals that the Jets are trending in the wrong direction statistically–indicating that the team is due to regress from its hot start. Luszczyszyn also presents some numbers that show a cause for concern about Blake Wheeler, who may be seeing his play decline at a quicker rate than many could have predicted.
  • Lance Bouma has been a great addition and his simple approach to the game is paying dividends for the Blackhawks writes the Chicago Sun-Times Mark Lazerus. Though his scoresheet stats aren’t exactly setting the league ablaze, it’s his defensive responsibility that is getting the attention. Lazerus reports that aside from the physical side of his game, it’s his ability to advance the puck out of trouble that has kept him as a mainstay in coach Joel Quenneville’s lineup. Bouma isn’t going to get fancy–instead he simply pushes to get the puck out of the defensive zone as quickly as he can. This simplicity, Lazerus writes, is something that some of his teammates could take note of.

Dead Space: Bought-Out, Buried, And Retained Salaries For Every Team

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It’s something that often goes unnoticed, but with the cap showing minimal growth the last few years, teams are starting to feel the crunch more than ever. Buyouts have become more common, especially with players with under three remaining years on their contracts. And it’s not just the big name busts that have seen the ax lately – we’ve seen lesser names at lesser money take the fall for their respective teams, then needing to scramble for work elsewhere in the league. Additionally, salary retention in trades has become a more utilized tactic as of late. Teams with “unmovable” contracts have offered to retain part of a poor contract in order to entice a team into giving them some relief.

All this said, some teams have been better with foresight than others. Some teams have shown a track record of being entirely unable of handing out poor contracts over the past five or so seasons. Considering many teams showed some progress in being more frugal this off-season, it seems a wise time to review the dead space every team has accumulated, either due to poor management decisions or poor luck.

Colorado Avalanche – $4.83 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after current year – Francois Beauchemin buyout; Cody McLeod retained

Arizona Coyotes – $4.61 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after 2020-21 – Mike Smith retained; Mike Ribeiro, Antoine Vermette buyouts

Columbus Blue Jackets – $4.025 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after 2020-21 – Fedor Tyutin, Jared Boll, Scott Hartnell buyouts

Carolina Hurricanes – $3.71 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after 2020-21 – Eddie Lack retained; Alexander Semin, James Wisniewski buyouts

Toronto Maple Leafs – $3.28 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after 2021-22 – Tim Gleason, Jared Cowen buyouts; Phil Kessel retained

Nashville Predators – $2.83 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after 2018-19 – Viktor Stalberg, Eric Nystrom, Barret Jackman buyouts

Boston Bruins – $2.73 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved 2019-20 – Dennis Seidenberg, Jimmy Hayes buyouts

New York Rangers – $2.61 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after 2022-23 – Dan Girardi buyout

Minnesota Wild – $2.5 MM in 2017-17, issues resolved after current year – Thomas Vanek buyout

Los Angeles Kings – $2.4 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after 2023-24 – Matt Greene buyout; Mike Richards termination/recapture

Edmonton Oilers – $2.33 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after 2020-21 – Lauri Korpikoski, Benoit Pouliot buyouts

Anaheim Ducks – $2.21 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after 2023-24 – Mark Fistric, Simon Despres buyouts; Patrick Maroon retained

Vancouver Canucks – $2.13 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after 2021-22 – Roberto Luongo, Jannik Hansen retained; Chris Higgins buyout

New Jersey Devils – $2.09 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after 2023-24 – Mike Cammalleri, Devante Smith-Pelly buyouts; Ilya Kovalchuk recapture

Tampa Bay Lightning – $1.83 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after 2019-20 – Matt Carle buyout

Calgary Flames – $1.82 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after 2018-19 – Mason Raymond, Lance Bouma, Ryan Murphy buyouts

Detroit Red Wings – $1.67 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after 2020-21 – Stephen Weiss buyout

Dallas Stars – $1.5 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after 2018-19- Antti Niemi buyout

Philadelphia Flyers – $1.5 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after current year – R.J. Umberger buyout

Winnipeg Jets – $1.46 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after 2018-19 – Mark Stuart buyout

Florida Panthers – $1.33 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after 2018-19 – Jussi Jokinen buyout

Las Vegas Golden Knights – $1.1 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after current year – Alexei Emelin retained

Ottawa Senators – $350,000 in 2017-18, issues resolved after current year – Andrew Hammond buried

Buffalo Sabres – Minimal in 2017-18, increased issues ($791,00) resolved after 2022-23 – Cody Hodgson buyout

 

 

Chicago Blackhawks, St. Louis Blues, Washington Capitals, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Islanders, San Jose Sharks,  Montreal Canadiens – No dead cap space

After compiling the list, it became clear that utilizing these options isn’t a complete hindrance to competing in the NHL. In fact, most clubs have between $1 MM and $3 MM in dead space. That said, of the teams that have not needed to utilize the buyout or retention options, there has been a great deal of success. And among the five worst offenders, the Leafs, Hurricanes, Blue Jackets, Avalanche, and Coyotes, none has moved past the first-round in multiple years. It’s hard to draw massive conclusions without taking the context of each individual situation into account, but there is something to be said for making every dollar of cap space count. Perhaps this is merely a byproduct of past success rather than an indicator of future success, but considering how amenable many managers have become to the option, it bears consideration.

(All totals courtesy of the fantastic CapFriendly.com)

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