Snapshots: Tortorella, Moore, Capitals
The Philadelphia Flyers have a long offseason ahead of them, figuring out what to do in the front office after firing Chuck Fletcher a few days ago. One of the people that figures to be there—regardless of how the titles shake out—is Daniel Briere, who took over as interim general manager in Fletcher’s absence.
In that case, you can also keep John Tortorella’s name jotted down in pen for next year. Briere spoke with Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports today, and explained that Tortorella was his first choice to coach the Flyers last year and is “the man for the job” still. The veteran coach signed a four-year deal worth $16MM last June.
- There’s an interesting name among those invited to the 2023 National Team Development Program evaluation camp later this month: William Moore. The Toronto native holds dual citizenship and is nearing a crossroads in his hockey career. He is a potential first-overall selection in the OHL draft if he indicates that is the path he’ll follow. He could also join the NTDP or USHL to maintain his college eligibility. Just 15, he isn’t eligible for the NHL Draft until 2025.
- With how well Rasmus Sandin has played in the early going for the Washington Capitals, the team may have found an inexpensive option for big minutes on the blueline next year. As Tarik El-Bashir of The Athletic writes, that would open up money for the team’s biggest offseason target, a top-six forward (or two). The group currently has Craig Smith, Conor Sheary, Connor Brown, and Carl Hagelin all scheduled for unrestricted free agency this summer, opening up plenty of room for a significant addition.
Washington Capitals Acquire Rasmus Sandin
The Toronto Maple Leafs said this week that there were ways to recoup some of their recently traded draft capital, and it didn’t take long. The Washington Capitals have acquired Rasmus Sandin from the Maple Leafs in exchange for Erik Gustafsson and Boston’s 2023 first-round pick, as confirmed by Toronto.
The move comes just after the Maple Leafs landed Jake McCabe to shore up their defensive group, ultimately pushing Sandin out of the regular lineup. The 22-year-old defenseman has been unable to keep a grip on that full-time role, even with outstanding underlying metrics through his first few NHL seasons.
In 140 career games, Sandin has ten goals and 48 points, averaging just under 17 minutes a night. It seemed as though he was turning a corner with Toronto this season, but instead will have to find his way with a new organization.
Signed to a two-year contract last summer, Sandin carries a very reasonable $1.4MM cap hit and can contribute in several ways for the Capitals. After they moved Dmitry Orlov, he should find playing time next season and could run the team’s second powerplay unit. There’s plenty of upside still left in the first-round pick, though his size and foot speed will always likely limit him to a middle-pairing ceiling in the NHL.
Still, you can see that the Capitals aren’t content with a full rebuild while their core is still in place. Flipping a first-round pick (despite how late it will be in the first round) for a young defenseman gives them a chance to quickly rebound and try to compete again in the 2023-24 season.
For Toronto, that pick might not be in their pocket for very long. The team still has to make another move to clear enough cap space to activate Matt Murray, and they now have another chip to waive in any trade discussions.
Not to be forgotten in this deal is Gustafsson, who has 38 points in 61 games this season as an all-offense defenseman. The curious thing is where he fits into the lineup right now, as like Sandin, he currently projects outside of their top group. The Maple Leafs essentially kept their defensive depth intact with this move, though with Gustafsson being a UFA, they are sacrificing it in future seasons.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was first to break the trade.
Morning Notes: Luukkonen, Sandin, Kuzmenko
The Buffalo Sabres have shuffled things around again, this time sending JJ Peterka to the minor leagues to recall Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. The young netminder is expected to start tonight for Buffalo, as they continue to use three goaltenders. It is interesting that Peterka is the one going down, given he played more than 15 minutes just two nights ago and has been a regular in the lineup so far.
Through 41 games, the rookie forward has seven goals and 18 points, while averaging a hair under 14 minutes. Peterka, who just turned 21 a few days ago, was outstanding in the minor leagues last season, scoring 28 goals and 68 points in his first season in North America. He’ll be back before you know it, given Vinnie Hinostroza is on waivers.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs appear to have Rasmus Sandin back in the mix, as he took a regular shift at morning skate. The young defenseman had been out with an illness the last few games. The health of the Toronto blueline will be something to watch in the coming weeks, as they determine if they have enough depth at the position. T.J. Brodie, who has been sidelined for a while, was on the ice again before the rest of the group, according to David Alter of Sports Illustrated.
- Though the Vancouver Canucks are attempting to sign Andrei Kuzmenko to an extension, Cam Charron of The Athletic argues they would be passing up a “golden opportunity” by doing so. The team could sell Kuzmenko at the deadline, and recoup assets for a player that cost them nothing but a one-year, entry-level contract. Sure, the 26-year-old has 38 points in 42 games during his first season of NHL action, but it hasn’t helped this Canucks team much. Kuzmenko is a pending unrestricted free agent.
Rasmus Sandin Placed On Injured Reserve
After suffering a neck injury in the Toronto Maple Leafs last game, Rasmus Sandin has been moved to injured reserve. Head coach Sheldon Keefe explained yesterday that the team would be re-evaluating him after the Christmas break, meaning a stint on IR doesn’t necessarily mean he will be out long-term. Sandin must miss at least seven days but the Maple Leafs don’t play again until December 27 after today’s afternoon match with the Philadelphia Flyers.
In his place, the team has recalled Mac Hollowell from the minor leagues. The 24-year-old Hollowell played six games with the team earlier this season when they were dealing with a number of injuries on defense, and has been excellent in the minor leagues with 10 points in 13 games for the Toronto Marlies.
Unfortunately for Hollowell, the team also recently activated Jordie Benn, who will slide into Sandin’s spot in the lineup today. The club is still without Morgan Rielly, Jake Muzzin, Victor Mete, and Carl Dahlstrom, but has still shown a strong defensive ability. Toronto sits second in goals against on the year, having allowed just 79 in 33 games.
Part of that success has been the strong play of Sandin, who has regularly gone over 20 minutes of ice time in the absence of Rielly. The 22-year-old was selected 29th overall in 2018 and has played 121 regular season games so far in his career.
Toronto Maple Leafs Sign Rasmus Sandin
After losing two more depth defensemen last night, the Toronto Maple Leafs have finally reached an agreement with restricted free agent Rasmus Sandin. The two sides have agreed to a two-year, $2.8MM contract ($1.4MM AAV) which will pay Sandin $1.2MM this season and $1.6MM next season.
The team had Alexander Kerfoot and Calle Jarnkrok filling in on defense last night after losing Jordie Benn and Carl Dahlstrom to injury early in the game, making it even more critical to get Sandin signed and in camp as quickly as possible. While the young defenseman has been worried about his place with the organization, there is a massive opportunity in front of him.
Not only did those two go down but Jake Muzzin is dealing with a back issue, and Timothy Liljegren is set to miss six weeks with hernia surgery. It is Liljegren that is the comparison for this deal, as he signed the exact same two-year $2.8MM contract earlier this summer. Sandin will get a slightly higher qualifying offer, given the $1.6MM salary in 2023-24, but this is basically the contract that was offered to him months ago.
Notably, the team is now quite a bit over the salary cap ceiling but with Liljegren and John Tavares potentially starting the year on long-term injured reserve, there’s a little bit of flexibility. Getting Sandin signed now gives him the best chance of a good start to the season, as he will still have time to get up and running in training camp.
Getting him to sign a two-year deal is even better, as the Maple Leafs will secure another relatively cheap year from the young defender. Filled with promise, Sandin has still only played 88 regular season games in the NHL, including 51 last season. He does have 28 points in those games, and has flashed potential top-four upside, but to this point, very little is proven. He’ll get the chance to do so this season, one way or another.
Snapshots: Hague, Pastrnak, Jets
When Vegas Golden Knights training camp opens tomorrow morning, defenseman Nicolas Hague won’t be there as he awaits a new contract. The Athletic’s Jesse Granger reports that he isn’t expected to be on the ice with his teammates Thursday morning at City National Arena, the team’s practice facility.
Hague is one of the few remaining restricted free agents in the NHL, alongside Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Rasmus Sandin and Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson as the marquee names. Granger expertly notes that Hague missing camp is more detrimental than in previous seasons, as new head coach Bruce Cassidy will be installing a completely foreign defensive system from what the Knights have been used to in past seasons. Hague, the 34th overall pick in 2017, had 14 points in 52 games last season.
- Speaking today during preseason media availability, Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney says it’s a priority for him to get pending free agent winger David Pastrnak signed as soon as possible. Pastrnak, while he’s expressed a strong desire to stay in Boston, hasn’t shared the same urgency in negotiations in previous reporting. Pastrnak, who’s notched 40 or more goals in his last two full seasons, will be in line for a substantial raise, and it may behoove Sweeney to get a deal done before his value rises even further.
- The Winnipeg Jets have made three scouting hires, including the first woman scout in team history, Sydney Daniels. Daniels joins the team as an NCAA scout, having previously served as the assistant coach for the women’s team at Harvard. The team also brought on Jari Kekalainen, brother of Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen, as a European scout, and former Toronto Maple Leafs scout Tony Martino as a USHL scout.
Snapshots: Sandin, Senators, Schneider
One of the unsigned restricted free agents still waiting on a contract is Rasmus Sandin of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Some have suggested that the Maple Leafs could trade the young defenseman, but Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet threw some cold water on that today during the 32 Thoughts podcast.
Like I said a couple of weeks ago, I really don’t think Toronto has a desire to trade Sandin. You look at their depth chart over the next couple of years and basically every defenseman aside from [Timothy] Liljegren and [Morgan] Rielly come off the cap pretty soon. I think they have a desire to keep him.
Friedman notes that some agents believe the leverage for Sandin (and fellow unsigned RFA Nicolas Hague) has been lowered by some of the recent deals signed, including the ones for Michael Anderson (one year, $1MM) and Sean Durzi (two years, $3.4MM) with the Los Angeles Kings. Camp starts in just a few days, meaning Sandin might be absent if a deal can’t be worked out at the last second.
- The Ottawa Senators announced their full leadership group ahead of what should be a very interesting season. Claude Giroux will be one of Brady Tkachuk‘s alternates, along with Thomas Chabot, after signing a three-year, $19.5MM contract this offseason. Giroux served as captain of the Philadelphia Flyers for ten seasons before reaching unrestricted free agency this summer.
- Cory Schneider will be back in the New York Islanders organization this season says general manager Lou Lamoriello, who spoke with media including Kevin Kurz of The Athletic today. The 36-year-old goaltender leaned into his role with the AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders last year, posting a .921 save percentage in 30 games, while also making one appearance at the NHL level (and winning his first game since 2019-20). Like so much other Islanders-related news, it is not clear what kind of contract Schneider will be signing, or what role is expected of him this year.
Classifying The Remaining Restricted Free Agents
When the calendar flips to September, it’s time to start paying some attention to who’s left unsigned in restricted free agency. Usually at this point, two months have elapsed since the start of free agency (it’s six weeks this summer) which is typically more than enough time to get a deal done.
There are currently 13 remaining RFAs that haven’t signed elsewhere for next season. As is usually the case, those players can be grouped into a few tiers which are as follows.
Star Players
Jason Robertson (Dallas)
Generally speaking, there are usually more players in this group at this time but the 23-year-old is the only star player in need of a new deal. He’s coming off a 41-goal campaign that has the asking price justifiably high – team owner Tom Gaglardi acknowledged it’s in the $7MM range. The Stars would likely prefer to do a long-term deal that buys out some UFA years but that could push the AAV past $9MM and they don’t have the cap space to do that. At this point, what GM Jim Nill does or doesn’t do on the trade front might dictate what ultimately happens with Robertson; if they can free up some money, a long-term agreement becomes palatable but otherwise, it’ll almost certainly be a bridge contract.
Underachieving Former First Rounders
Erik Brannstrom (Ottawa), Kirby Dach (Montreal), Barrett Hayton (Arizona), Rasmus Sandin (Toronto)
Dach and Hayton were both top-five picks in their respective draft classes but have yet to show the type of offensive consistency to put them in the category of core players. Dach was traded to Montreal at the draft after a quiet season that saw him put up nine goals and 26 points, both career-highs. Despite that, it appears that the Canadiens are at least pondering a medium-term agreement that would run for four years but still leave him RFA-eligible at the end. Something a little shorter in the $2.5MM range is also an option. Hayton has just this last season in terms of being a regular under his belt and could fit in a different category than this but his performance relative to draft stock has been concerning. He’s a prime candidate for a bridge contract and with fewer than 100 NHL games under his belt, he simply doesn’t have the leverage to command anything longer. A two-year deal around the $2MM range should be where his deal falls.
As for Brannstrom, he was billed as an offensive defender but has yet to be able to produce with any consistency since joining Ottawa back in 2019. He has just two career goals in 116 career games but that hasn’t stopped his camp from seeking a multi-year agreement in negotiations which are likely playing a role in this delay. Sandin could also fit in a different category but the 2018 first-rounder has exhausted his waiver exemption and doesn’t appear to be a fit in their top six next season. His agent recently bemoaned the lack of progress in negotiations. Teammate Timothy Liljegren’s two-year bridge deal that has a $1.4MM AAV seems like a reasonable comparable but with playing time being a potential concern, might Sandin be looking for more certainty before putting pen to paper on a new deal?
Young Regulars
Michael Anderson (Los Angeles), Alex Formenton (Ottawa), Nicolas Hague (Vegas)
Formenton played his first full NHL season in 2021-22 and it was a good one as the 22-year-old speedster chipped in with 18 goals and 14 assists in 78 games. The Sens have ample cap space this coming season so there are some options beyond the bridge contract. If GM Pierre Dorion thinks that Formenton is part of their long-term core, a longer-term pact that buys out a UFA year or two in the $3.5MM range might be a better way for them to go.
Hague has done well in a limited role on the back end for the Golden Knights over the past two seasons and is coming off a year where he logged close to 19 minutes a night. They’ve already spent most of the LTIR ‘savings’ so Vegas isn’t in a spot to give him a long-term deal. But is Hague better off taking a one-year contract that would be below market value to acquire arbitration eligibility next summer? Such a deal would be in the $1.25MM range with the promise of a better payout later on. Otherwise, a bridge pact that’s closer to $2MM is probably in the cards. Anderson has logged over 20 minutes a night for the Kings for the last two years but doesn’t have the offensive numbers to support a pricey bridge deal. Los Angeles’ cap space is quite limited so, like Hague, a one-year deal in the $1.25MM range might be where they wind up settling.
Not Fully Established
Sean Durzi (Los Angeles), Ryan McLeod (Edmonton)
McLeod figures to be a part of the long-term plans for the Oilers after a promising rookie campaign but doesn’t have much leverage at this point. Edmonton’s issue here is cap space as they’re already in a spot where they need to clear money out. If they can move someone out, a multi-year bridge contract becomes their preferred route but otherwise, he’s a strong candidate for a one-year deal around that $1.25MM threshold as well, perhaps a tad below that.
Durzi quietly put up 27 points in 64 games last season but it’s his only taste of NHL action so the track record isn’t strong enough to command a sizable contract. A two-year bridge deal makes a lot of sense for him as a repeat performance over that stretch would have him well-positioned to seek $4MM or more two summers from now. However, with the cap situation for the Kings, they might be forced to push for the one-year, ‘prove it’ contract that would fall in the same range as Anderson.
What’s The Holdup?
Cayden Primeau (Montreal), Adam Ruzicka (Calgary), Parker Wotherspoon (NY Islanders)
Ruzicka played in 28 games last season for the Flames and did reasonably well with ten points but it’s not as if he’s in a position to command a sizable raise. He’s waiver-eligible but not a guarantee to be claimed if he passes through. The holdup might be along the lines of making next season a one-way or two-way contract with any subsequent season(s) being a one-way agreement. Even so, it’s odd this is taking so long.
Wotherspoon’s presence on here is arguably the most perplexing of the bunch. He opted to not file for salary arbitration which would have gotten him signed weeks ago. He has cleared waivers in each of the last two seasons and has yet to play an NHL game. Haggling over NHL money would be pointless as a result so accordingly, it’s safe to suggest his NHL pay would be $750K. At this point, AHL salary or guaranteed money is the only sticking point. In all likelihood, the gap probably can’t be more than around $25K which is a pretty small one to justify being unsigned this long.
Primeau is coming off a strong showing in the AHL playoffs but struggled mightily in limited NHL action with the Canadiens last season. Even so, he’s viewed as their potential backup of the future as soon as 2023-24 when he becomes waiver-eligible. This is a contract that should be a two-way pact next season and then one-way after that as a result and there are enough of those comparable contracts around the league for young goalies that the general framework should basically have been in place before talks even started. As a result, this is another case that feels like it should have been resolved weeks ago.
There’s still plenty of time to work something out with training camps still a couple of weeks away and several of these players should come off the board by then but there will likely be a handful still unsigned when camps get underway.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Negotiations “Going Nowhere” Between Rasmus Sandin, Maple Leafs
One of the interesting restricted free agents that remains unsigned is Rasmus Sandin of the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 2018 first-round pick does not have arbitration rights yet and reports have emerged over the last few months about him wondering where he stands on the team’s depth chart, after they brought back Mark Giordano on a two-year deal.
Now, new comments from Sandin’s camp have emerged, explaining how little movement there has been in contract talks To Sportsnet’s Luke Fox, agent Lewis Gross said “negotiations are going nowhere.” Maple Leafs’ general manager Kyle Dubas responded with some firm thoughts on negotiating through the media, including the fact that it “traditionally [does] not create resolutions to private matters.”
A player that is often linked to Sandin, Timothy Liljegren, signed a two-year, $2.8MM contract with the Maple Leafs in June, avoiding restricted free agency entirely. That contract is likely being used by Toronto as a direct comparable, given the similarity in production between the two young defensemen.
But even that $1.4MM average annual value might be an issue for the Maple Leafs right now, who are pushed right up against the cap once again. While their situation right now could be resolved by carrying a 20-man roster, it seems more likely that a trade is coming at some point – especially if they want to fit Sandin in.
The fact that no contract movement is happening will raise some eyebrows in that trade speculation, given the fact that Giordano, Morgan Rielly, and Jake Muzzin are locked in on the left side of Toronto’s blueline already. If Sandin was signed, then there would be no real reason to move him, as depth at defense is extremely important. But if contract talks have still not progressed, perhaps the team will have to move on at some point.
Like any of the other RFAs, Sandin will need a contract by December 1 if he wants to play in the NHL this season.
Injury Updates: Flyers, Barabanov, Maple Leafs, Murray
Don’t expect the Flyers to get many – if any – reinforcements from their injured list over the final few games. Giana Han of the Philadelphia Inquirer relays (Twitter link) that the only player that might be able to return is defenseman Nick Seeler with interim head coach Mike Yeo admitting that even that “might be a bit of a long shot”. This means the season has come to an end for wingers Cam Atkinson and Patrick Brown, defensemen Rasmus Ristolainen, Kevin Connauton, and Cam York, as well as goaltender Carter Hart.
Other injury news from around the NHL:
- Sharks winger Alexander Barabanov is listed as probable for tonight’s game against Chicago, notes Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now (Twitter link). The 27-year-old has missed the last four games with an undisclosed injury. Barabanov has been one of the bright spots for San Jose this season, notching 37 points in 65 games, a very nice return on a $1MM AAV. He’s eligible for unrestricted free agency this summer and will be looking at a sizable raise on his next contract.
- The Maple Leafs could have defenseman Jake Muzzin back in the lineup tomorrow against Washington, reports Sportsnet’s Luke Fox (Twitter link). The veteran has been held out of the last few games after struggling a bit after returning from a concussion. Meanwhile, Fox adds that blueliner Rasmus Sandin is expected to start practicing with the team as he works his way back from a knee injury that landed him on LTIR last month. Toronto has enough cap flexibility to activate him if he’s able to get into a game before the end of the season but if not, he should be ready for the playoffs.
- Senators goaltender Matt Murray is hoping to get into a game or two by the end of the season but it doesn’t seem likely to happen, mentions Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch. The netminder has been out for the last six weeks with a neck injury and is a speculative candidate to play for Canada at next month’s World Championships. An appearance or two in the final week for Ottawa would go a long way towards demonstrating that he’ll be able to play in that tournament.