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Minor Transactions: Zadina, Andreoff, Cracknell, Slaggert

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Elliotte Friedman is reporting that Detroit Red Wings forward Filip Zadina has cleared waivers once again, this time for the purpose of having his contract mutually terminated. The former sixth-overall pick is now an unrestricted free agent and can sign with any team he chooses. The news was a forgone conclusion as Zadina cleared waivers just a few days ago and was unlikely to be claimed this time around.

For Zadina, it means he gets the fresh start he has been asking for since he requested a trade just before the NHL entry draft. For Detroit, it’s a brutal case of missing on a top-10 draft pick during a rebuild, not exactly ideal for a team that has built a good foundation of prospects and future NHLers. One benefit to the Red Wings is that they are no longer on the hook for the $4.56MM that Zadina was owed over the next two seasons.

One team that could check in on Zadina is the Vancouver Canucks, but Rick Dhaliwal of Chek Television tweeted that the Canucks haven’t reached out to Zadina’s representatives at this time, however, it is early. Zadina will come at a very low cap number which should interest many of the cash-strapped clubs around the league.

In Other Minor Transactions:

  • Friedman is also reporting that Detroit Red Wings winger Andy Andreoff also cleared waivers this morning and he too will have his contract mutually terminated. Andreoff had a year left on his contract at a cap hit of $762.5K and at 32 years of age will likely finish his career outside of the NHL. Andreoff has accumulated 14 goals and 13 assists in 188 NHL games in parts of eight NHL seasons but has had a solid AHL career with 254 points in 403 games. CBS Sports is reporting that Andreoff will sign in the KHL with Sibir Novosibirsk.
  • The Henderson Silver Knights have announced that they’ve signed nine-year NHL veteran Adam Cracknell to a one-year AHL contract. The 37-year-old forward is entering his 18th season of professional hockey after spending last season as captain of the Tucson Roadrunners where he posted AHL career highs with 21 goals and 32 assists in 64 games. A veteran of 210 NHL games, Cracknell posted 21 goals and 22 assists in a career that included stops with seven different NHL teams.
  • The Rochester Americans have announced that they’ve signed center Graham Slaggert to a one-year AHL contract. The 24-year-old spent last season with the Toronto Marlies where he posted six goals and four assists in 63 games. It was his first professional season after he spent four years in the NCAA with the University of Notre Dame. In 143 career college games, Slaggert posted 27 goals and 42 assists and was also the captain of his club in his final season of eligibility.

Los Angeles Kings Sign Tyler Madden To Extension

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The Los Angeles Kings have announced that they’ve signed restricted free agent center Tyler Madden to a one-year two-way contract extension. Madden is fresh off his third season in the AHL with the Ontario Reign after he was drafted in the third round of the 2018 NHL entry draft by the Vancouver Canucks. The two-way deal will see Madden earn $775K at the NHL level and $100K while he is in the AHL.

Madden was the central piece of the trade that sent forward Tyler Toffoli to the Canucks in February of 2020. Prior to that the 23-year-old native of Albany, New York spent two seasons at Northeastern University where he flourished posting 31 goals and 34 assists in 63 career NCAA games.

Since signing his entry-level contract with the Kings, Madden has spent three full seasons in the AHL where he has played 133 career games and scored 35 goals and put up 34 assists. He appeared to be well on his way to an NHL call-up in 2021-22 after he put up 31 points in 48 games but took a major step back this season offensively as he had just 33 points in 71 games. The two-way deal will give Madden an opportunity to continue his development in the AHL as he continues to work his way toward his first taste in the NHL.

At the time of the Toffoli trade, Madden was viewed as being just a few years away from the NHL and while his development has taken longer than expected he remains a terrific skater and a player with excellent vision.

Los Angeles Kings Sign Samuel Fagemo

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Daily Faceoff is reporting that the Los Angeles Kings have signed forward Samuel Fagemo to a one-year two-way contract for the 2023-24 season. The 23-year-old Fagemo was drafted in the second round of the 2019 NHL entry draft by the Kings after spending most of his junior career in his native Sweden. He spent the past three years with the Kings AHL affiliate the Ontario Reign and dressed in nine NHL games this past season where he posted two goals and one assist.

The two-way contract calls for an NHL salary of $775K and an AHL salary of $100K. Fagemo is just a year away from becoming eligible for salary arbitration despite having seen limited NHL action. This past year was the second time Fagemo has been called up to the Kings and although he scored just three points it was a bigger run than his first opportunity where he went scoreless in four games.

His results in the AHL have been a different story as Fagemo has seen a decent amount of offensive success with the Reign. This past season Fagemo put up 23 goals and 9 assists in 56 games as he continued to be more of a goal-scorer than a playmaker. This has been a pattern for Fagemo as he is a natural goal-scorer with excellent wrist and slap shots. While his shooting is a strength, Fagemo hasn’t quite rounded out the other elements of his offensive game yet.  In 151 career AHL games he has 60 goals and 34 assists demonstrating his ability to put the puck in the net and an inability to find teammates with a pass.

Flyers Sign Defenseman Ronnie Attard

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The Philadelphia Flyers have signed defenseman Ronnie Attard to a two-year, two-way/one-way, $1.7MM contract that carries an average annual value of $850K per season. The contract structure is a bit complicated, but it signals that Attard will likely spend the 2023-24 season in the AHL with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. He will make a guaranteed salary of $275K while in the AHL and $775K in the NHL. For the second year of the deal, he will make $925K regardless of where he plays.

The 24-year-old Attard was drafted by the Flyers in the third round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft and spent three years in the NCAA at Western Michigan University. In 94 career games with the Broncos, Attard put up 27 goals and 45 assists.

Last year was Attard’s first season with the Flyers AHL affiliate, he posted 12 goals and 20 assists while dressing in 68 games. His numbers placed him seventh in rookie scoring for defensemen and T-10 in assists for all defensemen. The 6-foot-3, 208-pound Attard was aggressive with the puck as he racked up 158 shots, putting him second among all defensemen.

Attard has seen some time with the Flyers in the NHL netting two goals and two assists in 17 career games. He dressed in just two games last season going scoreless, which must have been a disappointment given that he put up four points in 15 games the year prior. In his first run with the Flyers in 2021-22 Attard handled himself well and had encouraging underlying numbers while being effective on the penalty kill. However, in the two games he dressed for in April of this year, Attard struggled to make much of an impact as the Flyers were badly outplayed when he was on the ice. Although they were playing with a very underwhelming lineup.

It will be interesting to see when Attard can make the jump to the NHL, he should have plenty of opportunities to impress as the Flyers embark on their first real rebuild in recent memory. Right-shot defensemen are always in demand, especially ones with Attard’s size and skating ability.

2023 NHL Draft Results By Team

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A lightning round of sorts concluded today’s 2023 NHL Draft, with Rounds 2-7 getting completed in under four hours. If you want to see who your team got in this year’s draft haul, you’re in the right place:

Anaheim Ducks

1-2: F Leo Carlsson, Orebro (SHL)
2-33: F Nico Myatovic, Seattle (WHL)
2-59: F Carey Terrance, Erie (OHL)
2-60: G Damian Clara, Farjestad (Sweden U20)
3-65: F Coulson Pitre, Flint (OHL)
3-85: F Yegor Sidorov, Saskatoon (WHL)
4-97: D Konnor Smith, Peterborough (OHL)
5-129: D Rodwin Dionicio, Windsor (OHL)
6-161: D Vojtech Port, Edmonton (WHL)

Arizona Coyotes

1-6: D Dmitri Simashev, Yaroslavl (MHL)
1-12: F Daniil But, Yaroslavl (MHL)
2-38: G Michael Hrabal, Omaha (USHL)
3-70: F Jonathan Castagna, St. Andrew’s (CAHS)
3-72: F Noel Nordh, Brynas (Sweden U20)
3-81: F Tanner Ludtke, Lincoln (USHL)
3-88: F Vadim Moroz, Minsk (KHL)
4-102: D Terrell Goldsmith, Prince Albert (WHL)
5-134: G Melker Thelin, Bjorkloven (Sweden U20)
5-160: D Justin Kipkie, Victoria (WHL)
6-162: F Samu Bau, Ilves (Liiga)
6-166: G Carsen Musser, USA U-18 (NTDP)

Boston Bruins

3-92: F Christopher Pelosi, Sioux Falls (USHL)
4-124: F Beckett Hendrickson, USA U-18 (NTDP)
6-188: F Ryan Walsh, Cedar Rapids (USHL)
7-214: F Casper Nassen, Vasteras (Sweden U20)
7-220: D Kristian Kostadinski, Frolunda (Sweden U20)

Buffalo Sabres

1-13: F Zach Benson, Winnipeg (WHL)
2-39: F Anton Wahlberg, Malmo (Sweden U20)
2-45: D Maxim Strbak, Sioux Falls (USHL)
3-86: D Gavin McCarthy, Muskegon (USHL)
4-109: F Ethan Miedema, Kingston (OHL)
5-141: G Scott Ratzlaff, Seattle (WHL)
6-173: D Sean Keohane, Cape Cod (18U AAA)
7-205: D Norwin Panocha, Berlin (Germany U20)

Calgary Flames

1-16: F Samuel Honzek, Vancouver (WHL)
2-48: D Etienne Morin, Moncton (QMJHL)
3-80: F Aydar Suniev, Penticton (BCHL)
4-112: F Jaden Lipinski, Vancouver (WHL)
6-176: G Yegor Yegorov, Dynamo Moscow (MHL)
7-208: D Axel Hurtig, Rogle (J20 Nationell)

Carolina Hurricanes

1-30: F Bradly Nadeau, Penticton (BCHL)
2-62: F Felix Unger Sorum, Leksand (Sweden U20)
3-94: F Jayden Perron, Chicago (USHL)
4-100: F Alexander Rykov, Chelyabinsk (VHL)
4-126: F Stanislav Yarovoi, Vityaz Moscow (KHL)
5-139: D Charles-Alexis Legault, Quinnipiac (NCAA)
5-158: G Ruslan Khazheyev, Chelyabinsk (MHL)
6-163: F Timur Mukhanov, Omsk (MHL)
6-190: F Michael Emerson, Chicago (USHL)
7-222: G Yegor Velmakin, Novovoronezh (NMHL)

Chicago Blackhawks

1-1: F Connor Bedard, Regina (WHL)
1-19: F Oliver Moore, USA U-18 (NTDP)
2-35: G Adam Gajan, Chippewa (NAHL)
2-44: F Roman Kantserov, Magnitogorsk (MHL)
2-55: F Martin Misiak, Youngstown (USHL)
3-67: F Nick Lardis, Hamilton (OHL)
3-93: F Jiri Felcman, Langnau (Switzerland U20)
4-99: F Alex Pharand, Sudbury (OHL)
5-131: F Marcel Marcel, Gatineau (QMJHL)
6-167: F Milton Oscarson, Orebro (SHL)
7-195: D Janne Peltonen, Karpat (U20 SM-sarja)

Colorado Avalanche

1-27: F Calum Ritchie, Oshawa (OHL)
1-31: D Mikhail Gulyayev, Omsk (MHL)
5-155: D Nikita Ishimnikov, Yekaterinburg (MHL)
6-187: D Jeremy Hanzel, Seattle (WHL)
7-219: F Maros Jedlicka, Zvolen (Slovak Extraliga)

Columbus Blue Jackets

1-3: F Adam Fantilli, Michigan (NCAA)
2-34: F Gavin Brindley, Michigan (NCAA)
3-66: F William Whitelaw, Youngstown (USHL)
4-98: D Andrew Strathmann, Youngstown (USHL)
4-114: F Luca Pinelli, Ottawa (OHL)
5-156: G Melvin Strahl, MoDo Hockey (Sweden U20)
7-194: F Oiva Keskinen, Tappara (Finland U20)
7-224: F Tyler Peddle, Drummondville (QMJHL)

Dallas Stars

2-61: D Tristan Bertucci, Flint (OHL)
3-79: F Brad Gardiner, Ottawa (OHL)
4-125: D Aram Minnetian, USA U-18 (NTDP)
5-157: G Arno Tiefensee, Mannheim (DEL)
6-189: F Angus MacDonell, Mississauga (OHL)
7-221: F Sebastian Bradshaw, Elite Hockey Academy (18U AAA)

Detroit Red Wings

1-9: F Nate Danielson, Brandon (WHL)
1-17: D Axel Sandin Pellikka, Skelleftea (Sweden U20)
2-41: G Trey Augustine, USA U-18 (NTDP)
2-42: D Andrew Gibson, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
2-47: D Brady Cleveland, USA U-18 (NTDP)
3-73: F Noah Dower Nilsson, Frolunda (Sweden U20)
4-117: D Larry Keenan, Culver Military Academy (USHS)
5-137: D Jack Phelan, Sioux Falls (USHL)
5-147: F Kevin Bicker, Mannheim (Germany U20)
6-169: G Rudy Guimond, Taft School (USHS)
7-201: F Emmitt Finnie, Kamloops (WHL)

Edmonton Oilers

2-56: D Beau Akey, Barrie (OHL)
6-184: G Nathaniel Day, Flint (OHL)
7-216: F Matt Copponi, Merrimack (NCAA)

Florida Panthers

2-63: F Gracyn Sawchyn, Seattle (WHL)
4-127: D Albert Wikman, Farjestad (Sweden U20)
5-159: G Olof Glifford, HV71 (Sweden U20)
6-191: D Luke Coughlin, Rimouski (QMJHL)
7-198: F Stepan Zvyagin, Minsk (MHL)

Los Angeles Kings

2-54: D Jakub Dvorak, Liberec (Czech Extraliga)
3-78: F Koehn Ziemmer, Prince George (WHL)
4-118: G Hampton Slukynsky, Warroad (USHS-MN)
5-150: D Matthew Mania, Sudbury (OHL)
6-182: F Ryan Conmy, Sioux City (USHL)

Minnesota Wild

1-21: F Charlie Stramel, Wisconsin (NCAA)
2-53: F Rasmus Kumpulainen, Pelicans (Finland U20)
2-64: F Riley Heidt, Prince George (WHL)
5-149: D Aaron Pionk, Waterloo (USHL)
6-181: D Kalem Parker, Victoria (WHL)
7-213: F Jimmy Clark, Green Bay (USHL)

Montreal Canadiens

1-5: D David Reinbacher, Kloten (NL)
3-69: G Jacob Fowler, Youngstown (USHL)
4-101: F Florian Xhekaj, Hamilton (OHL)
4-110: D Bogdan Konyushkov, Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)
4-128: G Quentin Miller, Quebec (QMJHL)
5-133: F Sam Harris, Sioux Falls (USHL)
5-144: G Yevgeni Volokhin, Khanty-Mansiysk (MHL)
6-165: F Filip Eriksson, Vaxjo (Sweden U20)
7-197: D Luke Mittelstadt, Minnesota (NCAA)

Nashville Predators

1-15: F Matthew Wood, UConn (NCAA)
1-24: D Tanner Molendyk, Saskatoon (WHL)
2-43: F Felix Nilsson, Rogle (Sweden U20)
2-46: F Kalan Lind, Red Deer (WHL)
3-68: F Jesse Kiiskinen, Pelicans (Finland U20)
3-83: D Dylan MacKinnon, Halifax (QMJHL)
4-111: F Joey Willis, Saginaw (OHL)
4-121: G Juha Jatkola, KalPa (Liiga)
5-143: F Sutter Muzzatti, Rensselaer (NCAA)
6-175: F Austin Roest, Everett (WHL)
7-218: F Aiden Fink, Brooks (AJHL)

New Jersey Devils

2-58: F Lenni Hameenaho, Assat (Liiga)
4-122: F Cam Squires, Cape Breton (QMJHL)
5-154: D Chase Cheslock, Rogers (USHS-MN)
6-164: F Cole Brown, Hamilton (OHL)
6-186: D Daniil Karpovich, Yekaterinburg (MHL)

New York Islanders

2-49: F Danny Nelson, USA U-18 (NTDP)
4-113: F Jesse Nurmi, KooKoo (Finland U20)
5-145: F Justin Gill, Sherbrooke (QMJHL)
6-177: D Zach Schulz, USA U-18 (NTDP)
7-209: D Dennis Good Bogg, AIK (Sweden U20)

New York Rangers

1-23: F Gabriel Perreault, USA U-18 (NTDP)
3-90: D Drew Fortescue, USA U-18 (NTDP)
5-152: D Rasmus Larsson, Vasteras (J20 Nationell)
6-178: F Dylan Roobroeck, Oshawa (OHL)
6-183: F Ty Henricks, Fargo (USHL)

Ottawa Senators

4-108: D Hoyt Stanley, Victoria (BCHL)
5-140: D Matthew Andonovski, Kitchener (OHL)
7-204: F Owen Beckner, Salmon Arm (BCHL)
7-207: G Vladimir Nikitin, Astana (Kazakhstan U20)
7-215: F Nicholas VanTassell, Green Bay (USHL)

Philadelphia Flyers

1-7: F Matvei Michkov, St. Petersburg (KHL)
1-22: D Oliver Bonk, London (OHL)
2-51: G Carson Bjarnason, Brandon (WHL)
3-87: G Yegor Zavragin, Khanty-Mansiysk (MHL)
3-95: F Denver Barkey, London (OHL)
4-103: F Cole Knuble, Fargo (USHL)
4-120: F Alex Ciernik, Sodertalje (Sweden U20)
5-135: D Carter Sotheran, Portland (WHL)
6-172: F Ryan MacPherson, Leamington (GOJHL)
7-199: D Matteo Mann, Chicoutimi (QMJHL)

Pittsburgh Penguins

1-14: F Brayden Yager, Moose Jaw (WHL)
3-91: D Emil Pieniniemi, Karpat (Finland U20)
5-142: F Mikhail Ilyin, Cherepovets (MHL)
6-174: F Cooper Foster, Ottawa (OHL)
7-217: F Emil Jarventie, Ilves (Finland U20)
7-223: D Kalle Kangas, Jokerit (Finland U20)

San Jose Sharks

1-4: F Will Smith, USA U-18 (NTDP)
1-26: F Quentin Musty, Sudbury (OHL)
2-36: F Kasper Halttunen, HIFK (Liiga)
3-71: F Brandon Svoboda, Youngstown (USHL)
4-123: D Luca Cagnoni, Portland (WHL)
5-130: D Axel Landen, HV71 (Sweden U20)
5-132: D Eric Pohlkamp, Cedar Rapids (USHL)
7-196: F David Klee, Waterloo (USHL)
7-203: F Yegor Rimashevsky, Dynamo Moscow (MHL)

Seattle Kraken

1-20: F Eduard Sale, Brno (Czech Extraliga)
2-50: F Carson Rehkopf, Kitchener (OHL)
2-52: F Oscar Fisker Molgaard, HV71 (SHL)
2-57: D Lukas Dragicevic, Tri-City (WHL)
3-84: D Caden Price, Kelowna (WHL)
4-116: F Andrei Loshko, Chicoutimi (QMJHL)
5-148: D Kaden Hammell, Everett (WHL)
6-168: G Visa Vedenpaa, Karpat (Finland U20)
6-180: F Zeb Forsfjall, Skelleftea (Sweden U20)
7-212: F Zaccharya Wisdom, Cedar Rapids (USHL)

St. Louis Blues

1-10: F Dalibor Dvorsky, AIK (HockeyAllsvenskan)
1-25: F Otto Stenberg, Frolunda (Sweden U20)
1-29: D Theo Lindstein, Brynas (SHL)
3-74: D Quinton Burns, Kingston (OHL)
3-76: F Juraj Pekarcik, Nitra (Slovak Extraliga)
4-106: F Jakub Stancl, Vaxjo (Sweden U20)
5-138: D Paul Fischer, USA U-18 (NTDP)
6-170: D Matthew Mayich, Ottawa (OHL)
7-202: F Nikita Susuyev, Spartak Moscow (MHL)

Tampa Bay Lightning

2-37: F Ethan Gauthier, Sherbrooke (QMJHL)
4-115: F Jayson Shaugabay, Warroad (USHS-MN)
6-179: D Warren Clark, Steinbach (MJHL)
7-193: F Jack Harvey, Chicago (USHL)
7-211: F Ethan Hay, Flint (OHL)

Toronto Maple Leafs

1-28: F Easton Cowan, London (OHL)
5-153: F Hudson Malinoski, Brooks (AJHL)
6-185: D Noah Chadwick, Lethbridge (WHL)

Vancouver Canucks

1-11: D Tom Willander, Rogle (Sweden U20)
3-75: D Hunter Brzustewicz, Kitchener (OHL)
3-89: D Sawyer Mynio, Seattle (WHL)
4-105: F Ty Mueller, Nebraska-Omaha (NCAA)
4-107: F Vilmer Alriksson, Djurgarden (Sweden U20)
4-119: F Matthew Perkins, Youngstown (USHL)
6-171: D Aiden Celebrini, Brooks (AJHL)

Vegas Golden Knights

1-32: F David Edstrom, Frolunda (Sweden U20)
3-77: F Mathieu Cataford, Halifax (QMJHL)
3-96: D Arttu Karki, Tappara (Finland U20)
6-192: F Tuomas Uronen, HIFK (Finland U20)

Washington Capitals

1-8: F Ryan Leonard, USA U-18 (NTDP)
2-40: F Andrew Cristall, Kelowna (WHL)
4-104: F Patrick Thomas, Hamilton (OHL)
5-136: D Cameron Allen, Guelph (OHL)
7-200: F Brett Hyland, Brandon (WHL)
7-206: G Antoine Keller, Geneve-Servette (Switzerland U20)

Winnipeg Jets

1-18: F Colby Barlow, Owen Sound (OHL)
3-82: F Zachary Nehring, Shattuck St. Mary’s (USHS)
5-146: F Jacob Julien, London (OHL)
5-151: G Thomas Milic, Seattle (WHL)
7-210: F Connor Levis, Kamloops (WHL)

Devils Unlikely To Sign Miles Wood

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Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman is reporting that the New Jersey Devils have granted Miles Wood permission to speak with other teams around the league about trading for his rights prior to July 1st. This likely signals the end for Wood in New Jersey as he will be an unrestricted free agent in a few days, and it doesn’t appear as though the Devils see him in their future.

New Jersey drafted Wood in the fourth round of the 2013 NHL entry draft and after a season in the NCAA and a cup of coffee in the AHL, Wood found himself as a regular in the Devils lineup. Expectations were high for the Buffalo native after he finished his second full season in the NHL with 19 goals and 13 assists.

It looked as though Wood was well on his way to becoming a solid middle-six forward who could contribute 20 goals a season. However, Wood was never able to duplicate those offensive numbers failing to reach the 30-point mark in each of the next five seasons. He also struggled to elevate his linemates and was frequently guilty of turning the puck over at inopportune times.

Last year Wood posted 13 goals and 14 assists in 76 games and did a much better job driving play and was much more engaged physically, however, he continued to turn the puck over regularly.

Wood will generate some interest on the open market, but it would be surprising to see a team give up an asset to acquire his rights given that free agency is just a few days away and there are plenty of available options that can offer a similar skill set to him. That being said, the market for free agents is weak and teams looking for bottom-six help could do worse than Wood.

2023 NHL Awards Winners

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2023 The NHL Awards were given out tonight in Nashville. The ceremony kicks off what should be a busy week as teams continue to prepare for the NHL Entry Draft and free agency, which begins on July 1st.

Here is the full list of winners, with the top two runners-up in each category:

Calder Trophy – Top Rookie

Winner: Matthew Beniers (Kraken)

Runners-Up: Owen Power (Sabres), Stuart Skinner (Oilers)

Voting Results

Norris Trophy – Top Defenseman

Winner: Erik Karlsson (Sharks)

Runners-Up: Adam Fox (Rangers), Cale Makar (Avalanche)

Voting Results

Ted Lindsay Award – Most Outstanding Player (as voted by the players)

Winner: Connor McDavid (Oilers)

Runners-Up: Erik Karlsson (Sharks), David Pastrnak (Bruins)

Lady Byng Trophy – Most Gentlemanly Player

Winner: Anze Kopitar (Kings)

Runners-Up: Jack Hughes (Devils), Brayden Point (Lightning)

Voting Results

Hart Trophy – Most Valuable Player

Winner: Connor McDavid (Oilers)

Runners-Up: David Pastrnak (Bruins), Matthew Tkachuk (Panthers)

Voting Results

Vezina Trophy – Goaltender Of The Year

Winner: Linus Ullmark (Bruins)

Runner-Ups: Connor Hellebuyck (Jets), Ilya Sorokin (Islanders)

Voting Results

Selke Trophy – Best Defensive Forward

Winner: Patrice Bergeron (Bruins)

Runners-Up: Mitchell Marner (Maple Leafs), Nico Hischier (Devils)

Voting Results

Jack Adams Award – Coach Of The Year

Winner: Jim Montgomery (Bruins)

Runners-Up: Dave Hakstol (Kraken), Lindy Ruff (Devils)

Voting Results

Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy – Perseverance, Sportsmanship, and Dedication

Winner: Kris Letang (Penguins)

Runners-Up: Clayton Keller (Coyotes), Alex Stalock (Blackhawks)

King Clancy Memorial Trophy – Humanitarian

Winner: Mikael Backlund (Flames)

Runners-Up: Anders Lee (Islanders), Darnell Nurse (Oilers)

Mark Messier Leadership Award

Winner: Steven Stamkos (Lightning)

E.J. McGuire Award – Prospect Commitment to Excellence

Winner: Connor Bedard (Regina Pats, WHL)

 

Congratulations to all the winners and the nominees.

Evening Notes: Salary Cap, Bailey, Graovac

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Chris Johnston of NorthStar Bets is reporting that the NHL and NHLPA will not be negotiating a higher increase to the 2023-24 NHL salary cap meaning that it appears the cap will be set at $83.5MM. The $1MM increase will be a disappointment to a lot of teams that are pressed up against the cap, while teams with ample room under it will have an opportunity to weaponize their space and acquire assets for bad contracts.

Two weeks ago, Joe Smith of The Athletic laid out the case for a larger cap increase this offseason but it appears the NHL and the players association have opted for one more season with a modest increase. The players are expected to pay off the debt they incurred from the 2020-21 and with that there are a lot of people in the hockey community who believe that the cap could increase by more than $4MM for the 2024-25 season, which would be an absolute boon for players hitting free agency 12 months from now.

In other evening news:

  • Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports tweeted today that there is no truth to the rumors that the Arizona Coyotes have interest in New York Islanders forward Josh Bailey. While a cap dump to Arizona does make sense for the Islanders given Bailey’s recent play, they might have to cough up significant assets in order to facilitate a trade to move on from Bailey. The once productive forward struggled last season posting just eight goals and 17 assists in 64 games and has become a regular on most pundits lists of players who will be bought out. Bailey’s contract was frontloaded so while his cap hit will be $5MM next season, his actual salary owed is just $3.5MM.
  • The KHL’s Admiral Vladivostok announced today that they have signed Canadian forward Tyler Graovac to a one-year contract. The Brampton native was drafted in the seventh round of the 2011 NHL entry draft by the Minnesota Wild and spent four seasons in their system split between the AHL and NHL putting up 12 goals and three assists in 84 NHL games. He will be entering his third season in the KHL after spending last year with Podolsk Vityaz where he put up nine goals and 11 assists in 49 games.

Winnipeg Jets Sign Fabian Wagner

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The Winnipeg Jets announced today that they have signed forward Fabian Wagner to a three-year, entry-level contract. The deal runs through the 2025-26 season and carries a cap hit of $858,333. Wagner was Winnipeg’s sixth-round selection in the 2022 NHL entry draft and is currently scheduled to take part in the Jets development camp in early July.

The Nykoping, Sweden native spent this past season back home playing with Linkoping’s junior and SHL teams. In the SHL he was held pointless in 22 games, however for their under-20 squad he put up 11 goals and 22 assists in 33 games. He found less success in the playoffs putting up just a single assist in four games.

At 6’0” and 176 pounds, Wagner is a bit undersized, however he is regarded as an excellent passer and a bit of a playmaker. Scouts also consider him to be patient with the puck and not a player who will try and force a play that isn’t there. He does have some playmaking to his game evidenced by his production as he has averaged around a point a game in the J20 Nationell as well as the World Juniors where he had two goals in four assists in seven games while representing Sweden.

Winnipeg has a lot of veteran forwards in front of Wagner on the depth charts, however depending on how their summer shakes out they could be entering a rebuild which would leave a lot of opportunities for him to make his mark in both the AHL and NHL.  Wagner is likely a longshot to make it to the NHL, but if he can continue to develop his game in the Jets system, he may be able to breakthrough and play a role in Winnipeg’s bottom six. This contract indicates that the Jets are encouraged by the development of one of their late picks from last year’s draft and should give the 19-year-old some confidence when he comes over to North America to begin his professional career.

Brad Treliving Not Allowed At Maple Leafs Draft Table

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Brad Treliving was recently announced as the 18th general manager in Toronto Maple Leafs history. Treliving was officially introduced today and stated that his first priority is to meet with superstar Auston Matthews. While getting Matthews signed long-term is the focus, another focus is the upcoming NHL entry draft, which Treliving will not be allowed to take part in. Chris Johnston of NorthStar Bets is reporting that this condition was put in place by the Calgary Flames when granting Toronto permission to talk to him. Treliving is under contract with Calgary until July 1st.

Maple Leafs president of hockey operations Brendan Shanahan was asked about this stipulation at the press conference this morning and praised the teams scouting staff and said they are still preparing to pick late in the first round of the draft as well as the fifth and sixth round. One would have to presume that either Shanahan or head scout Wes Clark will be making Toronto’s picks this year in the absence of Treliving.

It’s not surprising to see the Flames attach a condition like this to Treliving as they were originally apprehensive about even allowing their long-time general manager to interview for other jobs before his contract expired. Three weeks ago, it was reported by The Hockey News that Calgary wasn’t allowing him to speak with teams, however they had a change of heart and let the 53-year-old pursue other employment. One would have to guess that the draft condition was a compromise Treliving, and the Maple Leafs had to make to move forward with the interview process.

It’s not unheard of for a team to block a former employee from participating in the entry draft, although it doesn’t happen often. In fact, it happened to the Flames back in 2000 when general manager Craig Button came over from the Dallas Stars and was blocked from taking part in draft day.

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