Snapshots: Three Stars, Sandin, Defense Market
The NHL has released their Three Stars for the second week of the season, led by Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid. The 22-year old superstar recorded seven points in three games to help the Oilers get off to a fast start and has an early lead in the league scoring race with 12 points in his first five games.
While Sidney Crosby isn’t much of a surprise in the third star spot, many may have not been expecting such a strong start for Patrik Laine who came in second. The Winnipeg Jets sniper had eight points in four games last week and is showing the entire league that last year’s disappointing totals were an aberration.
- It may have come as a surprise when the Toronto Maple Leafs sent top prospect Rasmus Sandin back to the minor leagues today, but as Chris Johnston of Sportsnet explains, the team wants him to log bigger minutes to continue his current development path. Sandin was sent to the Toronto Marlies after six games with the NHL club, most recently one on Saturday night that included a high hit from Detroit’s Justin Abdelkader. The Maple Leafs have high hopes for Sandin as a future NHL star, and will try to protect their young asset while developing his full potential. For now, it doesn’t appear as though a return to the NHL is coming anytime soon–meaning Sandin’s entry-level contract may slide once again.
- In Pierre LeBrun’s most recent column for The Athletic (subscription required) the hockey insider examines the trade market for defensemen around the league. Most notably perhaps is that the Dallas Stars are still “actively taking calls” on Julius Honka, who signed a contract in Europe with an NHL out clause. LeBrun suggests that Honka situation isn’t helping the Pittsburgh Penguins who continue to try and unload one of their own defensemen.
West Notes: Laine, Seattle, Strome
Jets winger Patrik Laine battled inconsistency throughout most of last season with a significant portion of his 30 goals last season coming in November where he scored 18 times. Beyond that month, he struggled considerably at times and admitted to NHL.com’s Tim Campbell that the stress of not having a contract beyond the end of the year was getting to him. With a lot of top players now bypassing the bridge deals altogether, there’s a lot more pressure knowing that the big money contract can be on the horizon. However, his inconsistencies ultimately resulted in him having to take a short-term pact but he certainly seems more comfortable now as his ten points in five games give him a tie for the early league lead in scoring.
More from the West:
- While Seattle has their GM in place already in Ron Francis, don’t expect them to be naming a head coach for a while. In an appearance on TSN’s Insider Trading, Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reports that the window for the expansion franchise to name a head coach probably won’t open up until January 2021. That would still be three months earlier than when Vegas made Gerard Gallant their first bench boss.
- Blackhawks winger Alex DeBrincat wasted little time signing a three-year extension earlier this month but it appears that Dylan Strome will be waiting a while for his. Mark Lazerus of The Athletic reports (subscription required) that there have been no discussions regarding an extension between the team and Strome’s representatives. That shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise given that his track record of success is much smaller; it’s understandable that Chicago will want to see if his strong performance with them after joining them from Arizona carries over to this season before making a commitment towards getting a new deal done.
Western Notes: Boeser, Laine, Tuch, Burdasov
The Vancouver Canucks are hoping that they can get Brock Boeser back from concussion for the start of the regular season. The star forward, along with defenseman Oscar Fantenberg, suffered a concussion on Monday against the Ottawa Senators. However, the Vancouver Sun’s Patrick Johnston writes that both players appear to be making progress in their recovery.
The scribe writes that Boeser and Fantenberg skated with the team at practice Saturday for 90 minutes. By participating in practice, the duo are now in Stage 4 of their recovery of the SCAT5 return to play protocol, which involves non-contact training drills. To be cleared, both players must pass through Stage 5, which requires Boeser and Fantenberg to go 24 hours without any symptoms following activity.
With no more practices until Monday, if either player feels well enough, they can be full participants for practice. If they then go 24 hours without symptoms, they will be cleared to play in their season opener on Wednesday against the Oilers in Edmonton.
- Tim Campbell of NHL.com writes that Winnipeg Jets forward Patrik Laine, who just signed a two-year, $13.5MM contract on Friday, is expected to be in the Jets’ lineup in New York against the Rangers on Thursday. “Being that he’s been training, and has been training with men, our expectation is he’ll be able to come and move around the ice pretty good,” Jets coach Paul Maurice said of the 21-year-old forward, who was a restricted free agent and has not played this preseason. Laine is expected to arrive in Winnipeg on Monday for fitness testing and a physical and then should be ready for practice on Tuesday before the team leaves for New York.
- The Vegas Golden Knights got some bad news as forward Alex Tuch suffered an upper-body injury in Friday’s preseason game after he lost his balance and crashed hard into the boards and was forced to leave the game. Las Vegas Review-Journal’s David Schoen reports that Tuch is now listed as week-to-week and is expected to miss the start of the season for a second year in a row. Tuch scored 22 goals and 52 points last season and is currently slated to play on the Golden Knights’ third line.
- Despite releasing Russian winger Anton Burdasov from his PTO Saturday, the Edmonton Oilers had hoped they could convince the 28-year-old to accept an assignment to the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL, which might buy some time to get him back on the NHL roster. However, Edmonton Journal’s Jim Matheson writes that Burdasov intends to return to Russia and was only interested in a one-way deal.
Winnipeg Jets Sign Patrik Laine
The Patrik Laine saga is over as the Winnipeg Jets have signed the star forward to a two-year deal. The contract will carry an average annual value of $6.75MM. Craig Custance of The Athletic confirms that it will pay Laine $6MM in 2019-20 and $7.5MM in 2020-21.
Laine, 21, secured the same number that Brayden Point did earlier this month, but for one fewer year thanks to his huge goal totals in the NHL since entering in 2016. The second overall pick in 2016, Laine immediately burst onto the scenes with one of the most lethal shots on the league and the ability to get to dangerous spots in order to unleash it. With 36 goals as a rookie he came second in Calder Trophy voting and followed it up with an outstanding 44-goal, 70-point sophomore year. That included a league-leading 20 goals on the powerplay, where Laine seemingly took up residence in Alex Ovechkin‘s left-circle mansion.
Unfortunately, basically every offensive statistic declined for Laine in 2018-19 (except for shots, amazingly). Suddenly an extremely inconsistent offensive player, he went long stretches without a single goal and recorded 18 of his 30 total in a 12-game stretch through November. That consistency simply has to get better if Laine ever wants to become the elite talent he has shown flashes of, and return to the upper-echelon of stars in the NHL.
If he does get back there, this two-year bridge deal could certainly pay off for him. He’ll already become Winnipeg’s second-highest paid player (at least while Kyle Connor remains unsigned) for this season ahead of Mark Scheifele but behind captain Blake Wheeler, and could potentially sign an extremely lucrative long-term deal down the road. He’ll have two years of restricted free agency left after this deal expires, but will have arbitration rights as well, meaning another situation like this is extremely unlikely.
The question now becomes if Laine is ready to jump right into game action with the Jets starting next week. Even with a two-year window, he needs to start performing right away if he wants to put this difficult negotiation behind him and set himself up to earn the most he possibly can.
For the Jets, it was extremely important to get Laine back under contract before the season started. After losing Jacob Trouba, Tyler Myers, Ben Chiarot, Brandon Tanev and potentially Dustin Byfuglien this summer, the team looks completely different and thin at several positions. Had the year begun without Laine or Connor under contract they would be even more undermanned and at an extreme disadvantage in the Central Division playoff race.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Latest On Patrik Laine
Another big restricted free agent domino fell today when Matthew Tkachuk signed the most expensive three-year bridge deal in NHL history. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription required) examined what that means for the last three unsigned stars, with particular interest in Patrik Laine of the Winnipeg Jets. According to LeBrun, the focus between Laine and the Jets is on a two-year contract, with the team hoping for an average annual value around $6MM and the player looking for more than $7MM per season. There have also been teams reaching out to Laine’s camp, though it’s not clear if that is offer sheet or trade interest.
Though there is still significant intrigue in Colorado with Mikko Rantanen, the Jets are the focus of attention for many hockey fans right now as they prepare to begin the season with a roster that looks very different than last season. Already departed through trade or free agency are Tyler Myers, Jacob Trouba, Ben Chiarot and Brandon Tanev, while Dustin Byfuglien has stepped away to consider whether he even wants to play another minute of NHL hockey. If Kyle Connor and Laine are both not signed by opening day, suddenly a once powerful Jets team will be considered a shadow of their former selves.
There is still a week before that nightmare becomes a reality, as the Jets don’t open their season until Thursday, October 3rd. Unfortunately it will be Trouba and the New York Rangers coming to visit, reminding them again of who has left over the last few months.
Laine, 21, has proven to be one of the most dynamic goal scorers in the world over his three years in the league, but also brings with him a level of inconsistency that makes it hard for either side to lock down a value long-term. The Jets also have serious cap implications to consider, even if their roster currently sits more than $20MM under the ceiling. That doesn’t include the $7.4MM that could be assigned to Byfuglien the moment he returns (if he returns), meaning they have to be careful with how much they hand out to Connor and Laine in the first place.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Poll: Which Star RFA Is Most Likely To Miss Games?
We’re now exactly two weeks from the start of the 2019-20 NHL regular season and eight* restricted free agents are still without contracts. While a few of those names represent depth or role players, five names stand out as potentially disastrous situations. Brayden Point, Mikko Rantanen, Matthew Tkachuk, Kyle Connor and Patrik Laine have all shown superstar ability in their short careers and would be huge talents to leave on the sideline when the season begins. All five forwards scored at least 30 goals last season, with Laine registering the fewest points (50) and Point the most (92).
It’s hard to know exactly when any of them will finally break down the barrier and report to camp at this point. Rantanen and Laine are skating in Switzerland, Tkachuk is with his old OHL team and there have been reports about nearly all of them that things still aren’t close. Just a few days ago Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic tweeted that last offer from the Tampa Bay Lightning to Point was a three-year deal that carried just a $5.7MM average annual value. That would represent a much lower number than someone like Mitch Marner signed for, but Tampa Bay has long maintained the philosophy of low-cost bridge deals for their star players coming out of the entry-level system.
It seems likely then that at least one of these five will miss games at the start of the season. Preseason games have already started without them in training camp and opening night is quickly approaching. But who is the most likely to be without a contract on October 2nd? Cast your vote below and make sure to explain your thoughts in the comment section.
Which star RFA is most likely to miss games?
-
Patrik Laine, Winnipeg Jets 64% (812)
-
Brayden Point, Tampa Bay Lightning 15% (192)
-
Mikko Rantanen, Colorado Avalanche 10% (130)
-
Matthew Tkachuk, Calgary Flames 8% (107)
-
Kyle Connor, Winnipeg Jets 2% (23)
Total votes: 1,264
[Mobile users click here to vote]
*There are actually several other RFAs that do not have NHL contracts, but they have already signed elsewhere around the globe to play in other leagues.
Latest On Patrik Laine, Mikko Rantanen
When the Mitch Marner saga came to an end, some believed that it would move along some of the other restricted free agent negotiations around the league. That may not be the case for two Finnish forwards, who are currently training overseas. Mikko Rantanen and Patrik Laine are both practicing with SC Bern of the Swiss NLA, and don’t appear close to new deals with the Colorado Avalanche and Winnipeg Jets respectively. In fact, their agent Mike Liut joined Sportsnet radio this morning and talked about the negotiations, bluntly stating that they’re “not close” on either player. Liut went on to draw comparisons for one of his clients to Marner:
I think that Mitch Marner and Mikko Rantanen are probably the two closest comparables in terms of how they play the game. Where you have wingers that are adept at creating offense for those that they’re playing with. They do it maybe a little bit differently. Mikko’s 225 (lbs) and Mitch is not, but Mitch is a carrier and a great player. The Leafs have really looked into the future. You’re going to have a salary cap at $81.5MM, there’s no growth factor, one half of one percent. History has shown what the league does on a year-over-year basis, it’s going to 2.5% revenue growth.
Your top line, your top three players whether they’re defensemen or forwards are going to be in that range that the Leafs have created.
Liut also discussed how teams are going to have to roll through players on a more constant basis in order to keep their top players paid. Laine and Rantanen both certainly want to be compensated like top players, and it’s easy to see why. Laine has scored 110 goals in his three-year career, one of the highest rates in the league thanks to his incredible shot and ability to float away from traffic at the right time. Though his overall point totals declined sharply last season, goal-scorers are rewarded handsomely in the NHL and Laine should be no different.
Rantanen meanwhile has become one of the most impressive offensive players in the league, recording 171 points over the last two seasons. While some of that is because of his time with Nathan MacKinnon, there’s no doubting Rantanen’s talent. The tenth overall pick from 2015, Rantanen stands 6’4″ but has the puck skills and playmaking ability often associated with much smaller players. Even in the playoffs where young players often struggle, the Colorado forward led his club with 14 points in 12 games and was a force on the ice on almost every shift. If his camp truly sees a direct comparison to Marner, they must be looking for a pretty big raise. The Toronto Maple Leafs forward recently signed a six-year deal worth more than $65MM, putting him among the top handful of salaries ($10.893MM AAV) in the NHL.
While both are practicing overseas at the moment, Liut downplayed the idea that either one would sign with a European club even if the contract included an NHL-out clause. That should settle some nerves in Colorado and Winnipeg, but if contracts aren’t close at this point there should be real concern that the Finns will miss a good chunk of training camp or perhaps even the start of the regular season.
Snapshots: Draft Rankings, Konecny, Laine
With training camp underway and the 2019-20 regular season just around the corner, Bob McKenzie of TSN has released his annual preseason draft rankings. This list is compiled from the opinions of ten active scouts around the league and given context by McKenzie, who will update throughout the year. It comes as little surprise to find Alexis Lafreniere leading the group, though none of them listed him as “in a class by himself.”
That may raise some eyebrows after Lafreniere took home the CHL Player of the Year award following his 105-point season with the Rimouski Oceanic, but it speaks to the strength of the players behind him. Those nipping at Lafreniere’s heels? They include power forwards, pure goal scorers, talented playmakers and even a potential franchise goaltender.
- After the trio of high profile restricted free agents all signed contracts over the past week, Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription required) examines what that will mean for next year’s crop. Mikhail Sergachev and Thomas Chabot are the focus of his musing, each in very different situations in Tampa Bay and Ottawa. LeBrun also gives an update on the ongoing negotiations with Philadelphia Flyers Travis Konecny, noting that there is “at least a path ahead” and giving a potential comparable of Bo Horvat‘s $5.5MM average annual value. Horvat signed a six-year, $33MM deal in September 2017 following his first 20-goal campaign.
- Patrik Laine has begun practicing with SC Bern of the Swiss NLA as expected, explaining that he knew the coaching staff and thought it was a perfect place to stay in shape. The team’s head coach is Kari Jalonen, who had Laine on the Finland World Championship roster in 2016 where they won a silver medal. Laine was named the Most Valuable Player of that tournament, scoring seven goals in ten games.
Camp Notes: Laine, Priskie, Boedker, Boqvist
Jets winger Patrik Laine will soon be beginning his training camp but it won’t be in Winnipeg. Vili Pesu of Ilta-Sanomat in Finland reports that Laine will soon begin skating with SC Bern of the Swiss NLA; head coach Kari Jalonen indicated that it would be on a week-to-week basis. Laine is coming off an intriguing season; while he had 18 goals in the month of November alone, he also only had a dozen tallies the rest of the season. As a result, a short-term bridge deal has been the expectation for a while but it appears that there is still a ways to go to get an agreement in place. While Laine will be practicing with Bern, he will not be participating in any games while he’s with them.
More camp news from around the NHL:
- Hurricanes defenseman Chase Priskie has been listed as week-to-week following an injury sustained on Friday, notes Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer (Twitter link). The youngster signed with Carolina after being an unrestricted free agent back in mid-August. At the time, he was told that he’d be given a long look at earning a roster spot with the big club but missing even a couple of weeks could make that a much tougher task.
- Senators winger Mikkel Boedker will miss at least the next five days due to a hip flexor, reports Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch (Twitter link). The winger is entering his second season with the team and will be playing for a new contract as he’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July. Meanwhile, in a separate tweet, Garrioch notes that Ottawa will make their first set of roster cuts on Sunday. They’re currently carrying 63 players on their training camp roster.
- It doesn’t appear as if Blackhawks prospect Adam Boqvist will be returning to OHL London for the upcoming season. GM Stan Bowman told NBC Sports Chicago’s Charlie Roumeliotis that if the defenseman doesn’t crack Chicago’s roster, they will send him to their AHL affiliate in Rockford instead of back to junior. While Boqvist is only 19 (typically too young for players with CHL experience), he was drafted out of Brynas in Sweden which doesn’t make him subject to the NHL-CHL agreement which allows him to play in the minors already.
Snapshots: Red Wings, Blues, RFAs
The Detroit Red Wings will operate without a captain once again this season, despite the expectation that Dylan Larkin will one day assume the role. Head coach Jeff Blashill told reporters including Ansar Khan of MLive that they will instead start with four alternates: Larkin, Justin Abdelkader, Frans Nielsen and Luke Glendening. Blashill and Steve Yzerman agreed to wait until the GM got to know the entire team better after taking over this offseason.
Larkin, 23, has become the face of the Red Wings franchise after putting up a career-high 32 goals and 73 points last season. As the old guard including Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk and recently Niklas Kronwall have moved on from their roles on the Red Wings, Larkin and other young players have taken on more and more responsibility. As the team transitions from rebuilding to contending over the next few years it seems likely that someone will eventually wear the “C” for Blashill and Yzerman, just not yet.
- The St. Louis Blues are finalizing extensions for Steve Ott and David Alexander according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The pair of assistant coaches will be given extensions that match the length of head coach Craig Berube, who was given a three-year deal earlier this summer. The coaching staff under Berube completed a miracle turnaround this season with the Blues, taking them from last place in the NHL to Stanley Cup champions in just a few months.
- Andy Strickland of Fox Sports Midwest has heard a few things on restricted free agents Patrik Laine and Mikko Rantanen, including about a recent short-term offer from the Winnipeg Jets to the former. The deal presented to Laine was in the “$5MM per year range” though Strickland notes that even on that short-term deal the Jets will “need to come up on money.” For Rantanen, Strickland reports that the free agent forward is not far away in terms of salary with the Colorado Avalanche and that the team’s last offer “blew past Nathan MacKinnon‘s $6.3MM AAV.”