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Wild Notes: Gustavsson, Reaves, Goligoski

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This is an offseason full of questions for the Minnesota Wild. A team perenially on the verge of taking the next step has now lost seven straight playoff series, and they enter the 2023-24 landscape with only $8.23MM in projected cap space and multiple players to sign.

Wild general manager Bill Guerin spoke with The Athletic’s Michael Russo and Joe Smith on the unique challenges brought in by their cap situation and commented on the futures of multiple players, including breakout netminder Filip Gustavsson. The 24-year-old Swede will undoubtedly receive some Vezina Trophy votes after posting a .931 save percentage in 37 starts, but he’s also a pending restricted free agent with arbitration rights. Guerin told Russo and Smith “there’s always challenges” when it comes to locking in contracts on a team without much maneuverability, but said talks with Gustavsson would start “very, very soon” and he’s confident they’ll reach an agreement.

Other notes from Guerin’s interview with Russo and Smith:

  • Guerin highlighted Ryan Reaves as one of the unrestricted free agents he’s focused on retaining this summer. After an early-season trade from the New York Rangers, Guerin said he was impressed with Reaves’ on-ice and off-ice presence, viewing him as integral to the team’s locker room chemistry. Reaves scored 15 points in 61 games this season with Minnesota, his highest scoring total since the 2019-20 season with the Vegas Golden Knights. He’ll need to take a discount on his previous $1.75MM cap hit to stay in a Wild uniform.
  • One player who’s not a pending free agent is defenseman Alex Goligoski, but Guerin said he’ll still sit down and have a talk with the veteran defenseman about his future. Locked in through next season with a no-movement clause and a $2MM cap hit, Goligoski, 37, oftentimes found himself as a healthy scratch this season, including in all six playoff games. If he’d be open to a trade somewhere else for more playing time in likely his last NHL season, it would free up some much-needed cap space for the Wild.

Ryan Reaves And Wild Have Mutual Interest In Contract Extension

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The Wild acquired veteran winger Ryan Reaves back in November, and it appears that they don’t want his addition to just be a short-term one.  Instead, it’s believed that there is mutual interest in signing the pending UFA to a contract extension, report Joe Smith, Michael Russo, and Shayna Goldman of The Athletic (subscription link).

The 36-year-old was more productive than usual with Minnesota, potting five goals and ten assists in 61 games following the swap, matching the second-highest point output of his career.  Of course, Reaves is best known for his physicality as he added 152 hits, giving their fourth line a much tougher look.  Reaves also suited up in all six playoff games, picking up 21 hits and 14 penalty minutes.

Even though there appears to be interest in an extension, it’s far from a guarantee that they’ll be able to come to one.  Reaves’ expiring deal carries a $1.75MM cap charge and while the Wild were able to afford that this season, they won’t be able to next year.

The dead cap charges for the buyouts of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter increase by $1MM each next season while extensions to Matt Boldy, Frederick Gaudreau, and Marcus Johansson are adding nearly $8MM more to their payroll.  As things stand, they have a little over $8MM in cap room, per CapFriendly, with six or seven roster spots to fill including a new deal for pending RFA netminder Filip Gustavsson.

Accordingly, paying a high premium for a fourth liner, or any premium at all, really, is a luxury that Minnesota can’t afford as things stand.  Meanwhile, there’s a very good chance that will be Reaves’ last contract so he’ll likely be looking for as much money as possible and perhaps a second year on the deal.  With that in mind, it certainly looks like the Wild will need to create some cap space before realistically trying to keep the veteran in the fold.

Wild Notes: Gustavsson, Sundqvist, Zuccarello

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Michael Russo of The Athletic is reporting that Filip Gustavsson was the first goalie off at Minnesota Wild practice today indicating that he will likely get the start in game six tonight against the Dallas Stars. Gustavsson has been between the pipes for four of the Wild’s five playoff games and has given up just nine goals on 125 shots. Although those numbers are sparking, Gustavsson has struggled in each of his last two starts giving up three goals in each game on just 24 shots. This drop in his play coupled with the brilliant play of Dallas netminder Jake Oettinger has Minnesota on the ropes as they will face elimination in game six tonight.

There was some speculation that Minnesota could turn to veteran goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury to start game six, but Fleury has struggled in his last four starts dating back to early April. The former Vezina winner has only started one game in the series, a game two loss in which he gave up seven goals on 31 shots. Gustavsson had superior numbers to Fleury in the regular season as well and may even garner some Vezina consideration come awards season.

In other Minnesota notes:

  • Michael Russo tweeted that Oskar Sundqvist could possibly play tonight for the Wild. Sundqvist hasn’t dressed since game two of the Dallas series and has a goal in just a single game in these playoffs. The two-time Stanley Cup winner was healthy scratched for game three and hasn’t seen game action since. The 29-year-old Swede came over from the Detroit Red Wings in a trade deadline move for a fourth-round pick and looked to be a fit putting up seven points in 15 games. However, in the playoffs the Wild have opted for more toughness and have kept Ryan Reaves in the lineup over Sundqvist.
  • Russo also tweeted that Wild forward Mats Zuccarello will likely be out of the lineup, or best-case scenario he will be a game time decision. The Norway native didn’t skate yesterday with the team and is dealing with an undisclosed ailment. The Wild have been tight lipped about the situation and at this point there are more questions than answers. Zuccarello has been fantastic for the Wild this season with 67 points in 78 games during the regular season and has followed that up with two goals and three assists through five playoff games. Should he be unable to dress, the Wild will be hard pressed to replicate his production in the most important game of their season.

Wild Injury Notes: Klingberg, Duhaime, Reaves

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Joe Smith of The Athletic is reporting that John Klingberg will re-join the Minnesota Wild after missing the past three games with an upper body injury. Klingberg came over from the Anaheim Ducks at the trade deadline and has a goal and three assists in nine games since joining the Wild. Smith went onto say that it appears that Klingberg will serve in the top-4 and play alongside Jon Merrill. The Wild took five of a possible six points with Klingberg out of the lineup but will certainly welcome the offensive firepower that he adds to the backend.

Klingberg has had a nightmarish season thus far. He didn’t find that long term deal he was hoping for last summer in free agency and opted to bet on himself and sign in Anaheim for a single season. This move has largely been a failure as Klingberg struggled mightily with the Ducks notching just 24 points in 50 games. While he has struggled to this point in the season, he still has an opportunity to prove his worth with the Wild. Minnesota has had a tremendous season and with the acquisition of Klingberg, one has to assume that they see themselves as a contender to come out of a wide open Western Conference.

In other Wild injury news:

  • The Athletic’s Joe Smith is also reporting that winger Brandon Duhaime won’t play this evening due to an undisclosed illness. Duhaime is in his second season with the Wild and has nine points in 44 games, including eight goals. While Duhaime won’t fill the scoresheet, he does add an element of grit that the Minnesota will miss this evening when they do battle with their division rival. Duhaime is third on the team in hits with 126 hits on the season while averaging just over 10 minutes of ice time per game. The Wild sit one point up on Colorado for the division lead in the Central.
  • Speaking of grit, Ryan Reaves also won’t be dressing tonight as he will be sidelined with what is being described as an upper body injury. Reaves left the Wild’s 5-1 win over the Seattle Kraken on Monday night and did not return. Little is known about Reaves injury, but with he and Duhaime on the shelf, it will make for a much easier night for Avalanche defensemen. Reaves is second on the Wild in hits this season with 134 hits in 54 games and has been an emotional catalyst for Minnesota since coming over from the New York Rangers in a mid-season trade. With Reaves and Duhaime out for tonight, and Kirill Kaprizov also sidelined, the Wild will be forced to play with 11 forwards and seven defensemen in a crucial game. Joe Smith tweeted that Alex Goligoski could take some shifts at forward to offset the injuries.

Minnesota Wild Acquire Ryan Reaves

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The Minnesota Wild have acquired Ryan Reaves from the New York Rangers, sending a 2025 fifth-round pick in return.

Reaves, 35, had been left out of the Rangers lineup for a good chunk of this season, suiting up only 12 times so far. According to Mollie Walker of the New York Post, his agent requested a trade while the team was in Los Angeles.

The move is a positive one for both sides. Reaves will get a better chance at playing time with the Wild, while the Rangers move out his entire $1.75MM cap hit. That gives them some much-needed cap flexibility, especially for a midseason acquisition later on.

There’s not much to explain about Reaves’ game. He is only a fourth-line option at this point in his career and likely shouldn’t be in the lineup every game. He does bring an immense physical presence and has plenty of experience in the Central Division from his time in St. Louis.

For Minnesota, one of the biggest disappointments in the early going, a change was needed. While an acquisition of Reaves isn’t exactly what many were expecting, he certainly will give their bottom six a different look.

Metropolitan Notes: Capitals, Reaves, Konecny, Popugayev

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There could be some much-needed help coming on the injury front for the Capitals as NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti relays (Twitter link) several updates.  First, winger T.J. Oshie skated before practice today and could rejoin the team tomorrow.  The 35-year-old has missed the last ten games due to a lower-body issue and had five points in nine games prior to the injury.

Meanwhile, center Nicklas Backstrom also took part in the skate before practice.  He is attempting to work his way back from hip resurfacing surgery back in June.  He’s not expected to skate tomorrow and there remains no timetable for his return but the fact he’s skating now is a promising sign that he might be able to come back at some point this season.

Lastly, winger Tom Wilson has also started skating on his own lately as he works his way back from ACL surgery back in May.  There is no timetable for his return as well but the recovery period for that injury typically ranges from six to eight months and he’s already past the short end of that timeline.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • For years, Rangers winger Ryan Reaves has been a consistent presence on the fourth line for several teams. However, that hasn’t been the case this season as he has only played in three games so far this month, spending the rest of the time as a healthy scratch.  Accordingly, Larry Brooks of the New York Post opines that New York could opt to waive the 35-year-old in order to free up some extra cap space both now and at the trade deadline.  They wouldn’t be able to clear his entire $1.75MM cap hit off the books if he was to be sent to AHL Hartford (they’d only get a prorated $1.125MM in space) but if he’s going to continue to have a limited role, it’s a move they’ll have to seriously consider.
  • Flyers winger Travis Konecny won’t play tonight in Montreal as he has returned to Philadelphia to be evaluated for his upper-body injury, notes Olivia Reiner of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The injury is believed to be to his hand and was sustained on Thursday against Boston.  Konecny had been off to a very strong start to his season as he leads the team in scoring with 19 points in 17 games.  Now, he joins a long injury list up front that includes Sean Couturier, Cam Atkinson, and James van Riemsdyk, among others.
  • Devils prospect Nikita Popugayev has been traded in the KHL as SKA St. Petersburg announced that they have acquired the winger from Sochi in exchange for cash considerations. The 23-year-old has already set new career highs offensively with nine goals and five assists through 28 games which could get him back on the NHL radar this summer.  Popugayev’s contract in Russia runs through this season with New Jersey retaining his rights indefinitely due to there being no transfer agreement in place with the Russian Federation.

East Notes: Bruins, Reaves, Laviolette

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Last week, we covered the potential developments regarding a path forward in terms of severance between the Boston Bruins and prospect Mitchell Miller. Today, the Bruins released a statement announcing an independent review of their player vetting process, led by former United States Attorney General Loretta Lynch.

The Bruins signed Miller early this month despite public knowledge that Miller was convicted of extreme allegations of bullying Isaiah Meyer-Crothers, a Black classmate with developmental disabilities. The conviction was serious enough to cause the Arizona Coyotes to rescind his rights after selecting him in the 2020 NHL Draft, yet the Bruins still proceeded to sign him as a free agent. Boston has pledged to release the results of the investigation upon completion.

  • Ryan Reaves has been a rare sight in the New York Rangers lineup in recent weeks, appearing in just one of the past five games as a frequent healthy scratch. The imposing veteran winger spoke to the New York Post’s Larry Brooks today, saying that he had a “very brief” conversation with the coaching staff about his dwindling role. Reaves has no points in 12 games and has played just 8:27 per game, and opting to waive him and assign him to the minors would save valuable trade deadline cap space for the Rangers.
  • The Washington Capitals are getting head coach Peter Laviolette back behind the bench tonight against the Florida Panthers, according to the team. Laviolette had spent the past four days in COVID protocol, with assistant Kevin McCarthy temporarily taking over coaching duties. Washington split a home-and-home series with the Tampa Bay Lightning in Laviolette’s absence.

Metropolitan Notes: Niederreiter, Reaves, Dowd

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The Hurricanes had plenty to be happy about on Friday night as they ran their winning streak to seven straight to start the season but it wasn’t all good news as Nino Niederreiter suffered a lower-body injury in the third period.  Speaking with reporters including Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer postgame, head coach Rod Brind’Amour indicated that the winger could be “out for a while”.  Niederreiter, a five-time 20-goal scorer, was off to a decent start this season with three tallies in his first seven games and with this being a contract year, any extended absence certainly won’t help his cause when it’s time to work out a new agreement.  In the meantime, Niederreiter’s injury could open up a spot for Seth Jarvis to make his NHL debut.

More from the Metropolitan Division:

  • The Rangers are hoping that winger Ryan Reaves won’t miss more than the minimum seven days after being placed on IR Thursday, relays Larry Brooks of the New York Post. The 34-year-old will be with the team on their upcoming four-game road trip and the hope is that he’ll be able to return over that stretch.  Reaves has logged nearly nine minutes per game in his first seven contests in New York.
  • Capitals center Nic Dowd suffered a lower-body injury in Friday’s morning skate, notes Tarik El-Bashir of The Athletic (subscription link). Head coach Peter Laviolette expressed optimism that Dowd, who has won nearly 60% of his faceoffs this season, won’t be out for too long.  Brett Leason made his NHL debut in Dowd’s absence and Washington will need to make a roster move if they want to bring up another extra forward.  Dowd could be shifted to IR if he’s going to miss at least a week or defenseman Martin Fehervary – who’s waiver-exempt – may need to be sent down and replaced with a forward.

Injury Notes: Reaves, Bennett, Guentzel

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Despite suffering an injury on Wednesday night that forced him to be helped off the ice, New York Rangers free agent addition Ryan Reaves may not miss any regular season time. The grinder has not been practicing since the injury occurred, but head coach Gerard Gallant is optimistic that he could return by opening night. “I think it’s going to be close,” Gallant told Collin Stephenson on Newsday. “When we left the game, I said no, but… the last couple of days it’s going in the right direction… I can’t really say, but I think it’s going to be real close.” The Rangers prioritized adding grit and physicality this summer, adding Reaves, Barclay Goodrow, Sammy Blais, and Patrik Nemeth, so they hope to be able to roll out their full complement of toughness for Opening Night.

  • Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett missed the team’s preseason match-up on Saturday night as he has been placed in the NHL’s COVID-19 Protocol, the team announced. Depending on the context of Bennett’s absence, the two-way forward could miss more than just one game. The Panthers certainly hope that the physical center is good to go for the start of the season; Bennett was an excellent addition to the Florida roster at the deadline last season, recording 15 points in ten games while averaging a career-high 18:04 time on ice. As the Cats look to compete in the Atlantic Division this year, every game matters and a healthy Bennett is a difference-maker.
  • The Pittsburgh Penguins expect to have Jake Guentzel back sooner rather than later from COVID Protocol. Head coach Mike Sullivan told The Athletic’s Rob Rossi that Guentzel is asymptomatic and going through the steps of the protocol. Though he has missed a week of practice, Guentzel will jump right back into the lineup if he is healthy. The 27-year-old has scored at a point-per-game pace over the past three years and will be relied on even more with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin injured.

New York Rangers Acquire, Extend Ryan Reaves

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July 31: The Rangers have announced the one-year extension for Reaves.  ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reports that the deal is a true extension for Reaves, bringing him back for the 2022-23 season at the same $1.75MM cap number.

July 30: The Rangers not only acquired Reaves for this season, but are also working on a one-year extension according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Reaves is signed through 2021-22 at a $1.75MM cap hit, and Friedman expects the extension to come in around the same number.

July 29: The New York Rangers are adding some serious grit to their lineup. According to Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston, the team has acquired veteran grinder Ryan Reaves from the Vegas Golden Knights. The return heading to Vegas is a 2022 third-round pick.

The Rangers wanted to get bigger and more physical this off-season and they are certainly doing that. Reaves joins Barclay Goodrow, Sammy Blais, and Jarred Tinordi as recent additions who all play a hard-nosed, aggressive game. As the team battles through the difficult Metropolitan Division, they have added plenty of size and grit to complement their considerable skill.

However, Reaves in particular is pretty limited in what he brings to the team beyond hits, PIMs, and locker room presence. An old-fashioned grinder, Reaves is good for aggression and aggression only. Essentially a match-up player who sees limited ice time, Reaves is an expensive acquisition for the Rangers, both in his $1.75MM cap hit and the third-round pick required to land him.

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