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Ryan Strome

Anaheim Ducks Sign Ryan Strome

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The Anaheim Ducks announced that they have signed center Ryan Strome to a five-year contract. Financial terms of the deal were not immediately available from the Ducks, but Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports the contract carries a $5MM AAV. With plenty of cap to spend and a few weapons needed to compliment a young and talented core, the Ducks have begun to make their moves, Strome representing a key veteran to add to their rebuild. Sportsnet’s Nick Alberga had previously mentioned Anaheim as. a team to watch in the Strome bidding.

With the New York Rangers signing of Vincent Trocheck earlier today, it became apparent Strome was on his way out of New York after an incredibly successful tenure which saw him completely rebuild his career. Before coming to the Rangers, the former fifth-overall pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft had struggled after a strong showing in a 50-point sophomore season with the New York Islanders, the team that had drafted him. Following a couple of disappointing seasons on Long Island, he was dealt to the Edmonton Oilers one-for-one for Jordan Eberle, but after struggles in Edmonton, he was then sent back to New York, this time to the Rangers, now one-for-one for Ryan Spooner.

The Rangers had been hoping to keep Strome in the fold, given not only his success with the team, but especially his chemistry with superstar Artemi Panarin, whom Strome teamed up with on the second line to create a formidable offensive weapon. Anaheim will hope to recreate some of that magic, bringing Strome and former Rangers teammate Frank Vatrano in to compliment a talented group of young players including Troy Terry, Trevor Zegras, Jamie Drysdale, and electric young prospect Mason McTavish.

Strome isn’t the kind of superstar that Johnny Gaudreau is, and Anaheim likely won’t be competing for a Stanley Cup just yet like the Rangers were this season, but the match seems to be perfect for both sides. For Anaheim, they will get a veteran, talented top-six forward who has shown that he can make the players around him better. Additionally, Anaheim does have a crop of young players like Max Comtois, Max Jones, and Isac Lundestrom who were all once highly-touted prospects that Strome could influence when it comes to reaching their potential, even if a bit later than expected. For Strome, he will have an opportunity to play alongside another superstar, one who is only approaching his peak in that of Zegras, as well as other dynamic names like McTavish and Terry, just as he had the opportunity to do so with the Rangers.

Metro Notes: Strome, Flyers, Hanus

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It was obvious to anyone watching the Eastern Conference Final that New York Rangers forward Ryan Strome wasn’t playing fully healthy. During his end-of-season availability today, Strome revealed that he had suffered a pelvic injury midway through the regular season and managed it all the way through the rest of the season and playoffs.

What’s unclear at this point is whether surgery will be required or not. It’s bad timing for Strome, who could hit unrestricted free agency on July 13 if he’s not re-signed by the Rangers. Strome did express his interest in re-signing today, but it’s anyone’s guess whether or not that will come to fruition. With the bevy of Rangers prospects finally starting to emerge through the cracks, the team will have to make space for those kids somewhere. It seems logical from an organizational perspective that Strome wouldn’t be retained, especially with the acquisition of Andrew Copp.

  • The Fourth Period’s Anthony Di Marco refutes the reports that the Philadelphia Flyers have narrowed down their coaching search. He does go so far as to say that the three rumored finalists of Barry Trotz, John Tortorella, and Peter DeBoer are still under consideration, but he makes the distinction that the Flyers have just two or three names remaining on their coaching search list. Whether or not an outsider to those three ends up with the job remains to be seen.
  • The ’Baby Penguins’ made some news today, as AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton announced the signing of defenseman Clay Hanus from the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks for 2022-23. The Pittsburgh Penguins affiliate will add some solid defensive depth, as Hanus exploded for 74 points in 68 games this year. He’ll look to continue his development as an undrafted free agent with WBS and hopefully receive an NHL deal from Pittsburgh at some point down the road.

Injury Notes: Kadri, Strome, Laine

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Nazem Kadri has returned to Denver for further evaluation according to Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar, who spoke with reporters including Peter Baugh of The Athletic today. The injured forward has already been ruled out for the rest of this series and is reportedly dealing with a broken thumb that could require surgery.

That means the pending free agent forward could potentially have already played his last game for Colorado, but teammate Jack Johnson knows that he’ll do “everything he can to get back” as soon as possible. The Avalanche have a chance to sweep the Edmonton Oilers tonight, something that could give them more than a week off, given reports today that the Stanley Cup Final is set to begin on June 15 or 18.

  • Ryan Strome will be back in the New York Rangers lineup tomorrow night according to head coach Gerard Gallant, who told reporters including Dan Rosen of NHL.com that “he should be fine to go.” Strome left yesterday’s game partway through the second period and finished with just over seven minutes of ice time in the loss. The Rangers are looking to take a stranglehold in the series before they head back home for game five and Strome has been a big part of their success so far. The pending free agent center is averaging nearly 19 minutes a night and has eight points through 17 games.
  • Patrik Laine is fully recovered from his back injury, according to Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch, though there are no further updates on a potential contract. Laine played just 56 games this season for the Blue Jackets, but was exceptional, recording 26 goals (including seven game-winners) and 56 points. The 24-year-old will be a restricted free agent this summer coming off his one-year, $7.5MM contract for 2021-22.

Snapshots: Bergeron, Sauve, Strome

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Boston Bruins Captain Patrice Bergeron spoke with the media Sunday following the announcement that he won his record-breaking fifth Selke Trophy. During his availability, Bergeron broke the news that he had surgery on his left elbow last week to repair a tendon (link). As NHL.com’s Amalie Benjamin writes, Bergeron’s recovery is expected to take 10-12 weeks from the date of the surgery last week, and he is still yet to make up his mind about his future. Interestingly, Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press asked Bergeron why, other than being unsigned, would he be considering retirement, considering the current state of his game. Bergeron responded that being unsigned is in fact the reason he is currently taking the time to consider his future.

The Selke-winner, who has only ever played for the Bruins at the NHL level, is an impending UFA coming off an eight-year, $55MM contract that held an AAV of $6.875MM. After reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2019, falling to the St. Louis Blues, the Bruins have taken steps back in the past few seasons, and now face difficult questions regarding their salary cap, which could impact Bergeron’s next contract.

  • Turning to the PHF, as reported by Jeff Marek on the 32 Thoughts segment of Hockey Night in Canada last night, the Buffalo Beauts are expected to sign goaltender Kassidy Sauve for the upcoming season. A goaltender who can trace her family roots back to Georges Vezina, Sauve was a standout in the NCAA, spending three seasons with The Ohio State University before transferring to Clarkson University for her final season. Sauve, now 26, had her most impressive season while at Clarkson, posting an eye-popping 1.71 goals-against average and .937 save-percentage in 36 games, compiling a 27-2-7 record. Most recently Sauve splayed for HPK in the Finnish women’s league, where she again had incredible numbers, going 8-0 with a 0.88 goals-against average and .964 save-percentage.
  • New York Rangers forward Ryan Strome left today’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning with an apparent injury. Strome took a hit from Tampa’s Ondrej Palat in the second period and immediately appeared to be in distress, heading straight down the tunnel. The Rangers forward was absent for several minutes before returning to take one shift, but indicated to trainers that he could not continue, heading back to the locker room shortly thereafter. In Strome, the Rangers lose a key top-six forward and member of their powerplay; after a 54-point regular season, Strome has added another nine points in 16 playoff games heading into today’s action. Time will tell how significant Strome’s injury is, and though he is yet to be ruled out for the remainder of this game, his initial return only to quickly exit again is not a good sign for the Rangers.

Looking At Ryan Strome’s Impending Free Agency

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After looking at Darcy Kuemper’s upcoming contract situation, we move east and take a look at another tricky contract situation, this time regarding New York Rangers center Ryan Strome. Since arriving in Manhattan in exchange for Ryan Spooner, Strome has begun to realize the potential that got him drafted fifth-overall in 2011. Considering the low cost in a trade that it took to acquire him, Strome has been an invaluable “found money” top-six center as the Rangers have clawed their way out of the throes of a major rebuild to become a playoff contender this season. But given the general cap situation of the Rangers, whether the team will be able to keep Strome beyond this season is unknown.

As previously mentioned, this season has been a momentous one for the Rangers. After the famous “letter” sent out by the former regime led by Jeff Gorton and John Davidson, communicating to the fans that a rebuild was in store, the Rangers spent several years building a prospect pool and adding younger talent that could help them compete long-term. With some extra lottery luck and the addition of players who were dead-set on playing for the Rangers (such as Norris Trophy winner Adam Fox and superstar winger Artemi Panarin) the Rangers have this season escaped that rebuilding phase and become a legitimate playoff contender within a stratified Eastern Conference.

In order for the Rangers to become a legitimate playoff contender, many players have elevated their games since arriving in New York, perhaps none more significantly than Ryan Strome. Before his trade to New York, Strome was going through a difficult time as an Edmonton Oiler. His first season there, 2017-18, was decent, as he posted 13 goals and 34 points in 82 games, but the beginning of his second season was a nightmare, as he was only able to generate two points in 18 games before being shipped to New York. In his first season as a Ranger, Strome flashed greater offensive capability, scoring 18 goals and 33 points in 63 games. Since that first season, Strome has blossomed into a legitimate top-six center, and in his most recent three seasons in New York, Strome has 155 points in 191 games, a 67-point 82-game pace. That’s production fit for a high-end second-line center or even a low-end first-line center, meaning Strome has played himself into becoming one of the rarest and most valuable commodities in the NHL.

The Rangers have had Strome at a $4.5MM cap hit, but his contract is expiring and he is set to become an unrestricted free agent. Players like Strome, centers who can score at a 67-point pace, rarely hit unrestricted free agency, and when they do, they get paid. Matt Duchene, coming off of a tumultuous two-year stretch where he scored at a 68-point pace, received a seven-year, $56MM contract carrying an $8MM average annual value. Ryan Johansen and Tomas Hertl, two centers with similar scoring profiles in terms of raw production to Strome, also received deals worth around $8MM per year. Kevin Hayes, a center with a more well-regarded two-way game than Strome but without Strome’s production, got a seven-year contract worth $7.14MM per year from the Philadelphia Flyers. In a world where centers scoring at the pace Strome has scored at these past three seasons are routinely getting to the $8MM mark on long-term deals, and centers who don’t have Strome’s numbers are clearing $7MM, would it be unreasonable to believe that this would be the target for Strome’s representation as well?

Furthermore, if getting a contract comparable to Johansen, Duchene, Strome, or even Hayes is the target, is that a deal the Rangers are going to be able to do? The team already has significant money tied into core players such as Panarin, Chris Kreider, Jacob Trouba, and Mika Zibanejad, and Fox’s mammoth $9.5MM-per-year extension is set to kick in at the start of the next league year. Additionally, the team has potential extensions for Kaapo Kakko, K’Andre Miller, and Alexis Lafreniere to either immediately or eventually consider. With an $8.5MM center already on the books, it’s not easy to see how the Rangers could match a major, market-price offer for Strome’s services, especially given that as of the most recent update, no extension talks between Strome’s camp and the Rangers have been held.

With Strome’s recent success as a scorer must come one major reservation. Beyond just the fact that Strome’s production has dipped this year, (he has 47 points in 65 games, which is a 59-point pace) the role that Strome has settled into in New York, the role that has brought him this offensive success, has been as Artemi Panarin’s center. Panarin, as one of the most prolific scoring wingers in the NHL, is the driver of play on that line. The offense flows through him, and that does add some risk to Strome as a potential free agent. With much of his production coming as Panarin’s center and as a supporting character in the Rangers’ blockbuster power play, one has to wonder if Strome is the kind of center who can drive his own line. Before his Rangers tenure, Strome’s best offensive showing in the NHL was when he played next to John Tavares on the Islanders. If he is someone NHL decision-makers tag as being a strong supporting scorer rather than a true play-driver who can run his own line from the center position, that could damage his ability to land a contract of the same magnitude as the centers mentioned earlier.

Overall, Strome’s contract situation is a fascinating one. The numbers are there, there is no doubt about that. But given his level of production, he may not be able to sign the type of contract he might want in New York, meaning he could be a big-ticket free agent elsewhere. And given the role, he has played next to Panarin and on a juggernaut powerplay, perhaps there is more risk to his free-agent profile than there might seem to be. With all those factors in place, one thing is abundantly clear: Strome’s free agency could be one of the most interesting offseason storylines in the NHL.

Snapshots: Strome, Abruzzese, McDonough

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Some bad post-Deadline news for Rangers fans strikes, as forward Ryan Strome left today’s game with a lower-body injury and did not return. He’s having another productive season playing alongside Artemi Panarin in the team’s top-six, and that line looked to be bolstered by the addition of Andrew Copp at the deadline. If Strome misses any game action, Copp could be thrust back into a center position for the time being. Strome’s health, especially for the playoffs, is of the utmost importance right now for him and the Rangers.

Some more notes, now from the college world:

  • New addition Nick Abruzzese will join the Toronto Maple Leafs in Boston tomorrow, according to head coach Sheldon Keefe. The Harvard standout signed his entry-level contract with the Leafs yesterday. There’s a solid chance he could slot into the lineup sooner rather than later, and could help bring some more speed and energy to a bottom-six that’s looked lethargic at times with both Jason Spezza and Wayne Simmonds in the lineup. He’s currently the team’s only extra healthy skater on the roster.
  • The Vancouver Canucks won’t be getting a college boost to their lineup, however. The Vancouver Sun’s Ben Kuzma reports that Northeastern’s Aidan McDonough will likely return to the school for his senior year instead of turning pro with Vancouver. McDonough was incredible this season with 25 goals in 38 games, and the 2019 seventh-round pick is quickly rising up the team’s prospect ranks.

No Extension Talks Yet Between Rangers And Ryan Strome

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Throughout his tenure with the Rangers, Ryan Strome’s job security has seemed to be relatively thin.  Two years ago, the team acknowledged that they gave consideration to not tendering him a qualifying offer in part to avoid the risk of salary arbitration.  Instead, they agreed on a two-year, $9MM contract, one that ends in July.

For that money, New York has received a pretty good return.  Last season, the 28-year-old had 49 points in 56 games, the highest point per game average of his career (slightly besting his point per game average from 2018-19, his first full season as a Ranger).  This year, Strome is off to another good start with 10 points in 13 games.  Granted, a lot of that production has come alongside top winger Artemi Panarin but the combination has worked pretty well overall.

With that in mind, it would only seem logical for the two sides to be discussing an extension.  Not so fast, as Mollie Walker of the New York Post reports that there have been no such talks nor is there a plan for any to be held in the near future.

New York has some significant additions to their salary cap for next season which certainly plays a role in their current approach.  Mika Zibanejad’s AAV goes up by $3.15MM while Adam Fox goes from a base salary of $925K to a $9.5MM cap charge.  Add that to the likes of Sammy Blais, Kaapo Kakko, and Alexandar Georgiev all needing new deals as pending restricted free agents and all of a sudden, there isn’t a lot of money left; they have more than $70MM in commitments already per CapFriendly with the Upper Limit only expected to go up by a million or so for next season.

As a result, it looks like Strome could wind up being the odd one out even though it would open up a big hole inside their top six to try to fill, particularly internally with Filip Chytil looking like more of a bottom-six forward than a top-six option.  That’s something that GM Chris Drury will need to be mindful of as he looks to add to his current group with Blais out for the year.  In the meantime, Strome will look to pile up the points and hope that it will land him a sizable deal somewhere for next season, even if it’s not with Panarin and the Rangers.

Ryan Strome Placed In COVID Protocol, Will Miss Saturday’s Game

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The New York Rangers announced Friday afternoon that center Ryan Strome has entered the league’s COVID-19 protocol. He’ll be unavailable for Saturday night’s game against the Montreal Canadiens.

With forward Sammy Blais listed as day-to-day, the Rangers have also recalled Greg McKegg from the Hartford Wolf Pack to have 12 active skaters for their next game.

The circumstances of Strome’s placement on the protocol list are unknown, but he could miss up to 10 days if he can’t produce two negative tests. That could potentially be five missed games for Strome, making him eligible to return on October 29 against the Columbus Blue Jackets. However, he can come back sooner if he produces the aforementioned negative tests.

In Strome’s absence, it’s likely a chance for the young Filip Chytil to step into the second-line center role between Artemi Panarin and Kaapo Kakko. It’s an undeniable upgrade from his current wingers in Barclay Goodrow and Julien Gauthier, and it gives him a chance to show some promise of what he can do in a top-six role. McKegg could draw into the lineup as the fourth-line center, bumping Kevin Rooney up to third-line duties between Goodrow and Gauthier.

The Rangers will look to get their first win of the season without Strome against a similarly hobbled Canadiens team that’s still missing Joel Edmundson, Mike Hoffman, Carey Price, and others.

Metropolitan Notes: Penguins, Trocheck, Backstrom, Rangers

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The Penguins had close to a full group at practice today with winger Jake Guentzel returning from COVID-19 protocol while center Sidney Crosby participated once again.  However, head coach Mike Sullivan told reporters, including Mike DeFabo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, that those two as well as winger Zach Aston-Reese, have all been ruled out for tomorrow’s season-opener.  However, Guentzel is a possibility to play on Thursday night while Crosby is unlikely to play on their road trip.  An IR placement for him appears likely which could open up a roster spot for the expected signing of veteran Brian Boyle.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • While Carolina placed center Vincent Trocheck on IR over the weekend, Walt Ruff of the Hurricanes’ team site notes (Twitter link) that the team remains optimistic that he will be available for their season-opener against the Islanders on Thursday. Trocheck had 43 points in 47 games last season while primarily playing on Carolina’s second line, a role he’s likely to reprise in 2021-22.
  • Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom has been making progress as he works his way back from a hip injury but the team announced (Twitter link) that the veteran has been designated as injured/non-roster on their season-opening roster. Head coach Peter Laviolette told reporters, including NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti (Twitter link) that the 33-year-old has to start skating.  As a result, it appears it will be a little while longer before Washington’s top pivot is in the lineup.
  • While the Rangers were expected to name a captain before the season started, that is not the case. Instead, the team revealed (Twitter link) that they have named six alternates – defenseman Jacob Trouba plus forwards Barclay Goodrow, Chris Kreider, Artemi Panarin, Ryan Strome, and Mika Zibanejad.

Rangers Showing Interest In Mark Giordano

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Defenseman Mark Giordano will soon officially be joining the Kraken but his stay there may not be very long. Mollie Walker of the New York Post reports that the Rangers appear to be zeroing in on trying to acquire the blueliner from Seattle.

The 37-year-old had been a part of Calgary’s organization for his entire career spanning parts of 15 NHL seasons before his reported selection today and was a mainstay on their top pairing for a large amount of that time. Back in 2018-19, he had a dominant season offensively which helped lead him to the Norris Trophy but his production has tapered off since then; this past season, he had just 26 points in 56 games which was his lowest output since the lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign. However, he still logged nearly 23 minutes of ice time while being a steadying defensive presence for the Flames.

It’s that element that likely endears him to Rangers GM Chris Drury. While Jacob Trouba is a strong part of their back end, he’s about the only impact veteran they have with several of their blueliners being 23 or younger. Giordano is someone that would fit in quite well with either Trouba or Norris winner Adam Fox as the steadying veteran that allows his partner to jump into the attack.

The other element that is appealing is his contract; Giordano has one year left on his deal with a $6.75MM price tag and Walker suggests that Seattle would be willing to retain on it to facilitate a trade. With New York having several players up for new deals next summer (including Fox, Vitali Kravtsov, and Kaapo Kakko as RFAs plus Mika Zibanejad and Ryan Strome as UFAs), having someone on an expiring contract would certainly help in terms of keeping some spending flexibility.

As for what Seattle might want for their blueliner, Walker reports that Strome may very well be a target for the Kraken. Their reported roster doesn’t exactly feature much in the way of impact talent down the middle and Strome would be able to step in and play an impact role right away. He would certainly be able to bolster their attack while potentially setting himself up nicely for his first trip to the open market a year from now. After having a lot of success with Artemi Panarin with the Rangers, Strome showing that he can still produce away from Panarin would also bolster his case for a big contract in free agency.

If the two sides aren’t able to make a move right away, expect Giordano to garner considerable interest around the league as there are plenty of teams that could benefit from a veteran blueliner of his caliber for next season. Now that he’s heading for an expansion team, it’s likely there will be lots of trade speculation until he finds himself on the move again.

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