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Shayne Gostisbehere

Shayne Gostisbehere Available In Trade

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Though it may not come as much of a surprise, Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic confirms that Shayne Gostisbehere of the Philadelphia Flyers is available in trade talks as the offseason approaches. The team has “shown a serious willingness” to move Gostisbehere for the first time, even though his name has been in trade speculation for years.

It’s easy to see why that might be the case. Gostisbehere has fallen out of favor with the new coaching staff, seen his offensive production fall off a cliff, and still carries a $4.5MM cap hit for the next three seasons. The 27-year-old scored just 12 points in 42 games this season, playing the fewest minutes of his career and barely even getting into the Flyers postseason.

That said, this is a player that recorded a 65-point season as recently as 2017-18 and has shown an ability to contribute huge numbers in the offensive end. A powerplay quarterback, he has twice received votes for the Norris Trophy as one of the league’s best defensemen. No one would call Gostisbehere a shutdown defender in his own end, but he still does produce strong possession stats and may be seen by another team as a serious buy-low candidate.

Importantly, as LeBrun points out, Gostisbehere’s contract was also heavily front-loaded. That means the enigmatic defenseman will only actually earn $3.25MM in salary over each of the final three seasons, a lot less money than his $4.5MM cap hit suggests. For teams looking to cut costs while still remaining cap compliant, he may be a rather attractive target.

Potential Compliance Buyout Candidates: Part III

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As the current Coronavirus crisis wears on, it seems more and more likely that the NHL will not be able to complete the full remaining regular season schedule and talk of an expanded playoff field might indicate that there will be no return to the regular season at all. That lost revenue is expected to impact the 2020-21 salary cap, likely keeping the current $81.5MM upper limit in place. Given that teams expected an increase, initially projected to be between $84-88.2MM, this stagnation could have a harsh impact on a number of clubs’ cap situations. As such, many expect that compliance buyouts will return in some form or fashion to ease that pain. These buyouts, which do not count against the salary cap, would allow for teams to open up space that they otherwise expected from a cap increase.

After taking a look at teams 1-10, then 11-20, here is a breakdown of the names that the final 11 clubs could use a compliance buyout on, if they opt to use one at all:

Ottawa Senators: Bobby Ryan

While the oncoming cap crunch caused by COVID-19 will not impact the Senators, who have sat at or near the bottom of the league’s salary ranks in recent years, owner Eugene Melnyk is not one to miss out on an opportunity to save money. In the case of Ryan, that would mean casting off a player who has overcome the adversity of addiction to resume his career, but don’t expect that to stop the Senators from moving on. Ryan’s remaining two years and $15MM in actual salary represents a large chunk of what Ottawa owes its current roster. Ryan has not played at a level becoming of a $7.25MM player at any point over the course of his time with the Senators, but especially over the past four years in which he has failed to crack 50 points in any season. At 33 years old, Ryan’s best days are behind him and Ottawa won’t hesitate to but him out and face the potential public relations backlash.

Philadelphia Flyers: Shayne Gostisbehere

The Flyers are right up against the salary cap and will have to create some space if the upper limit does not move this off-season as had been expected. The team has been trying to trade Gostisbehere in the midst of a down year, but to no avail. It may seem counter-intuitive for a contender to give away a 27-year-old regular defenseman for free via buyout, but Gostisbehere is trending in the wrong direction and has three years at $4.5MM AAV remaining on his deal. If Philly cannot find a trade, which obviously would be the more ideal solution, they may not have a better alternative to clear space without buying out a more impactful player. Some may point to last summer’s Kevin Hayes mega-contract as a worse deal to consider moving, but it seems highly unlikely that the team would move on from Hayes this soon after signing him, especially since his production this season has been on par with his career numbers.

Pittsburgh Penguins: Jack Johnson

It was pretty obvious right from the start that Johnson was not going to be a value player for the Penguins. Many were skeptical of his 2018 signing right from the start and he has done little to prove those critics wrong. A minus player whose offensive ceiling now sits in the mid-teens, Johnson is 33 and his best days are well behind him. The Penguins are another team that needs as much cap space as they can create to keep their roster together. Can they really afford to pay Johnson $9.75MM against the cap over the next three years to be a bottom pair defenseman who is more often a liability than an asset? Pittsburgh has the depth on defense to make up for the loss and could desperately use the cap flexibility elsewhere.

San Jose Sharks: Martin Jones

Entering an off-season with a deep goalie market, which could grow even deeper with compliance buyouts, few teams would be happier to have a get-out-of-jail-free card than the Sharks. Goaltending, and their starter Jones in particular, has been at the heart of San Jose’s struggles over the past two years. Once seen as a safe bet to be a solid long-term starter, Jones has been unable to produce even passable numbers in the past couple of seasons. However, with four years and $23MM remaining on Jones’ deal – a $5.75MM AAV, it seemed hopeless for the team improve in net without either an expensive buyout, a painful trade, or a very overpriced backup. This scenario would be exactly what the team needed and there is little doubt that they would move on swiftly from Jones, re-focusing his cap space on improving the roster, most important of which would be finding his replacement(s).

St. Louis Blues: Alex Steen

Steen may be a respected veteran coming off of a championship season, but he is also one of the Blues’ few reasonable candidates for a buyout. St. Louis does not have many long-term contracts and has arguably no bad long-term contracts. Steen, 36, is also one of only three players over 31 signed through this season. Without many bad deals or regressing veterans to compete with, Steen’s final year at $5.75MM looks ugly, especially since his production has dropped off immensely in each of the past two seasons to just 17 points this year. Perhaps the only other buyout option for St. Louis would be backup goaltender Jake Allen if the determine that Steen’s experience and versatility is of greater value. However, Allen is younger and cheaper and coming off a bounce-back season in which he was one of the best backups in the NHL. Steen seems like the more reasonable selection.

Tampa Bay Lightning: Tyler Johnson

Tampa Bay was always going to have to blow up its core to accommodate its young players. However, a flat cap not only ensures that this time has come this off-season, it also makes the situation much worse. In order to sign a number of key restricted free agents, the Bolts must move out a considerable amount of salary this summer. Normally, players like Johnson, Yanni Gourde, and Ondrej Palat would have enough value to garner a nice trade return rather than needing a buyout. However, in an off-season where most teams could be up against the cap, acquiring a $5MM+ player will be easier said than done. Making it even harder is that all three hold No-Trade clauses and may not be willing to accept a deal to the types of team that can afford to acquire them. Of this trio, the Lightning are most likely to keep Palat; although he is the most expensive, he is also the most valuable. Gourde is slightly more expensive than Johnson’s $5MM AAV, but is also slightly younger and has largely outplayed Johnson over the past few years. Gourde is a more valuable asset than Johnson, which could mean he is easier to trade or it could mean that Tampa tries to find a way to keep him. Johnson seems like the odd man out. An undersized forward whose numbers fell off considerably this season to just 31 points and who is signed for four more years, Johnson is a trade risk, especially in a cap-strapped market. The odds are that some team would find a way to take him via trade – if he agrees – but if the Lightning get desperate they may have to buy him out. He’s their most reasonable candidate if it comes to that.

Toronto Maple Leafs: None

The Toronto Maple Leafs really don’t have any need for a compliance buyout at this point in time. The team is very young, many players have been extended recently, and arguably none have fallen so short of expectations that they warrant a buyout. Unless the Leafs trade for a bad contract simply to use their compliance buyout, it would be a surprise to see the club get in on the action this off-season.

Vancouver Canucks: Loui Eriksson

The Canucks have wanted to get rid of Eriksson for some time and with a compliance buyout they would be free to do so. The veteran forward has been one of Vancouver’s highest paid players since he joined the club in 2016, yet he has never recorded more than 30 points in a year through four seasons with the Canucks. At odds with coaches and severely underperforming relative to his $6MM AAV, Eriksson has worn out his welcome in Vancouver. However, he still has two years remaining on his contract. The team would be quick to erase that from the books. This buyout is a no-brainer; what is more interesting is whether Eriksson can return to his status as a valuable two-way forward with another team.

Vegas Golden Knights: None

Like the Maple Leafs, the Golden Knights simply don’t have any obvious candidate for a buyout. They have done well with their long-term contracts and have a roster constructed of players who they want in the lineup, including several who they have recently re-signed. That includes Nick Holden, who may be the only player who could have been considered an odd man out but recently took a pay cut to re-sign for two more years with Vegas. No one else jumps out as a player that the club would entertain giving up for free.

Washington Capitals: Nick Jensen

As good as the Capitals are and have been, this one is a toss-up because there are a number of players who could go. T.J. Oshie was brought in to win a Stanley Cup and has accomplished that task. He is still producing at a high level, but could the team cut ties with the 33-year-old while they have the chance rather than face the remaining five years and $28.75MM left on his contract? Lars Eller and Carl Hagelin, both on the wrong side of 30 and both signed for three more years, are in a similar boat. Their scoring is fine relative to their cap hit, but will it continue to be through the length of their contracts? Depending on how much room the Capitals may need to clear, any of these three could be a candidate for a buyout. However, Washington can impact their performance and their locker room far less by opting for Jensen instead. In his first full season with the team, Jensen has not been bad, but he has drawn his fair share of criticism. Jensen’s offense, though not typically a hallmark of his game, has been non-existent and he has been prone to turnovers and blown assignments. If the Capitals need to use a compliance buyout, they can likely find a better use for $7.5MM over the next three years.

Winnipeg Jets: Mathieu Perreault

The Jets have great depth at forward an nearly everyone carries the weight of their contracts. Perreault is an exception. The 32-year-old’s point totals have fallen in each of the past three seasons to just 15 points in 49 games this year. At a cap hit of $4.125, Perreault is not doing enough. He’s not the answer at second-line center and he’s overpaid to play in the bottom-six. There’s no place for Perreault and the team would likely be willing to move on a year early. While Bryan Little has also shown signs of slowing down and his signed for far longer and for more than Perreault, his lack of impact in 2019-20 is tied to injury. Even if injury issues persist, Little’s cap hit does not cause a problem when he is not active, so Perreault still makes more sense a buyout candidate.

Evening Notes: Greene, DeBoer, Gostisbehere

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The New York Islander paid a premium price to acquire 37-year-old defenseman Andy Greene from the New Jersey Devils at the trade deadline, sending the Devils their 2021 second-round pick. However, with the suspension in place, the Islanders have only gotten 10 games from the veteran blueliner.

Newday’s Andrew Gross writes, however, that Greene has made it clear that he doesn’t have any intention to retire at the end of this season.

“Oh, yeah, for sure, in my mind, I’m definitely going to play,” Greene told Newsday this week.

While that doesn’t necessarily mean that Greene, an unrestricted free agent this offseason, would return to the Islanders next year, at least it’s still a possibility. Greene finished his 14th season in the league with two goals, 14 points and 155 blocked shots in 63 games.

  • If the NHL decides to go with a playoff system with more than the standard 16 games, the Vegas Golden Knights would receive a bye in the first-round of the playoffs as they are the No. 1 seed in the Pacific Division. However, head coach Peter DeBoer suggested recently, via SinBin’s Ken Boehlke, that he isn’t enamored with that idea and would not be interested in a bye for his team. “I don’t want to be the team with the bye, sitting there after being off for a month or two months or three months. Having teams play two-out-of-threes and play-in games while you’re sitting there. There’s a huge advantage to having actually played games. I know the bye sounds like an advantage. And it is an advantage if you’ve been playing an entire 82-game season and you roll into that and you have 10 days to prepare for the next round. But when you’ve been sitting around for months, it’s a disadvantage. From a fairness point of view, that would be a concern for me.”
  • Once considered to be a future franchise piece to their defense, Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere has struggled for two straight years, which includes a five-goal, 12-point season last year in 42 games. While there was talk that he could have been a trade candidate at the trade deadline, Philadelphia Inquirer’s Sam Carchidi writes that it’s extremely likely that Gostisbehere will be traded within the next year due to the expansion draft in 2021. With the team likely to only protect three defensemen, it’s a lock that the Flyers will protect Ivan Provorov, Travis Sanheim and Philippe Myers, leaving Gostisbehere available to Seattle. However, the scribe believes that team is more likely to trade him rather than just hand him over to Seattle for nothing.

Snapshots: Kubalik, Gostisbehere, Tarasenko, Clutterbuck

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The Blackhawks have started preliminary talks about a new contract for winger Dominik Kubalik, reports Scott Powers of The Athletic (subscription required).  GM Stan Bowman recently met with Kubalik’s agent while in Prague and the expectation is that they will meet again before the season comes to an end.  The 24-year-old rookie has been a pleasant surprise in Chicago this year as he leads the team in goals with 29 and has certainly been worth the fifth-round pick they sent Los Angeles to get his rights last season.  Even though he’s only in his rookie season, Kubalik is arbitration-eligible this summer which will only make things that much more complicated.  A short-term deal given Chicago’s salary structure is the likely outcome here.

Elsewhere around the league:

  • Although Shayne Gostisbehere had been out with recurring knee issues, the Flyers still received some interest in the defenseman leading up to the trade deadline, reports Dave Isaac of the Courier-Post. However, GM Chuck Fletcher opted to hold onto the 26-year-old who has seen his offensive numbers fall off considerably this season as he has just a dozen points in 41 games which isn’t a great return on a $4.5MM AAV.  Gostisbehere is now healthy but is currently serving as Philadelphia’s seventh defender.  However, despite being out of the lineup for now, he indicated that he is happy to remain with the Flyers, the only NHL team he has played for.
  • Blues winger Vladimir Tarasenko will begin participating in contact drills on their upcoming road trip, notes Tom Timmermann of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. That’s a big development for the veteran who has been out since late October with a shoulder injury.  The expectation that he’d return late in the year played a big role in a quiet trade deadline for St. Louis but if he’ll be starting contact drills next week, he could be back a bit earlier than expected which would be a big boost for a team that’s already in the top ten in goals scored this season.
  • The Islanders announced (via Twitter) that they’ve activated Cal Clutterbuck off LTIR in advance of today’s game against Boston. The winger has missed more than two months due to a wrist injury sustained just before the holiday break.  While he won’t make a big difference offensively, the physical dimension he brings will certainly be welcomed for the stretch run.

Minor Transactions: 02/23/20

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Yesterday was one of those days that can only be explained by a glitch in the matrix. The Bruins, Lightning, and Penguins – the NHL’s top three teams – were all blown out, while the Capitals lost to the lowly Devils and, if that wasn’t bad enough, Alex Ovechkin’s 700th career goal was overshadowed by another story line, which was a 42-year-old zamboni driver named David Ayres manning the net for the Hurricanes as an emergency backup and getting the win over his employer, the Maple Leafs. Will some of these teams overreact to these shocking results, especially on the eve of the trade deadline? It’s quite possible. One thing is for certain, roster tweaks could be in store for all involved. Many teams around the NHL could be making minor moves ahead of Monday’s big day, so keep up with all of the action here:

  • The Ottawa Senators have reassigned forwards Drake Batherson and Josh Norris to AHL Belleville, the team announced. While Batherson has been part of this up-and-down shuffle all year, playing in 23 games with Ottawa and 37 games with Belleville, Norris made his NHL debut on this recall. The Unvisersity of Michigan standout leads the AHL Senators with 58 points in 51 games this season.
  • The Minnesota Wild have recalled a pair of players as they deal with potential long-term injury absences. The team announced the promotion of forward Gerald Mayhew and defenseman Louis Belpedio, both of whom have seen NHL action before but could be in for a larger role this time around. The Athletic’s Michael Russo reports that defenseman Carson Soucy is out for at least one month, while forward Luke Kunin could miss 10-14 days minimum.
  • After recalling Sheldon Dries and Logan O’Connor on consecutive days, the Colorado Avalanche were faced with a decision on which to keep at the top level and which to return. The team has apparently opted to keep the youth and motor of O’Connor over the greater experience and scoring ability of Dries, as he has been reassigned to the AHL Eagles. Dries is one of the top point-getters for the Eagles this season, but has skated in just three games for the Avs compared to 40 last year. O’Connor has eight NHL games this year and 13 total, but has just one point to show for it. The University of Denver product does bring a lot of energy and speed to the lineup though.
  • Taylor Fedun is back with the Dallas Stars, as the team has promoted the veteran from his conditioning assignment with AHL Texas. Fedun has played in 27 games for the Stars this season, contributing nine points, but was a healthy scratch for ten games before being sent to Texas for conditioning earlier this month. Fedun will be a dependable depth option for Dallas down the stretch and in the playoffs.
  • The Vegas Golden Knights added some depth to their forward lines as they announced they have recalled Patrick Brown from the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. The 27-year-old was signed during the offseason away from the Calder Cup Charlotte Checkers, who defeated Chicago in the finals last season. He was brought in to provide a veteran presence for the team’s young prospects. He has six goals and 19 points in 54 games this season. Now, he gets his first opportunity in Vegas. Brown has 36 games of NHL experience, all with Carolina, where he has tallied just a goal and an assist.
  • The New York Islanders announced they have swapped forwards. The team has assigned veteran Andrew Ladd to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the AHL. The team also have recalled forward Kieffer Bellows to the team, although Bellows, who was assigned Friday to Bridgeport, never left. He watched the last Islanders’ game in the press box, suggesting that he was expecting to be recalled immediately.
  • The Philadelphia Flyers announced they have recalled defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere from his conditioning stint with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the AHL. The blueliner has missed 18 of the team’s last 19 games with a knee injury, but looks ready to return after a two-game stint in the AHL where he had one assist. The Flyers hope he can contribute immediately after a poor season so far where he’s seen his ATOI drop to a career low 18:21.
  • Kiefer Sherwood is back up with the Anaheim Ducks who announced that they have recalled him from AHL San Diego.  While he hasn’t seen any NHL time this season, he got into 50 games with Anaheim back in 2018-19, recording six goals and six assists.  In 37 games with the Gulls this season in the minors, he has 16 goals and seven helpers.

Shayne Gostisbehere Sent To AHL On Conditioning Stint

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The Philadelphia Flyers have sent Shayne Gostisbehere to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms for a conditioning stint, giving him a chance to get some action while he continues to work his way back from arthroscopic knee surgery. Gostisbehere did play for the Flyers once earlier this month, but has missed the last five as he tries to get back to full strength.

Of course, Gostisbehere’s name has also continually surfaced in trade rumors, at least in part because of the struggles he has had this season. Whether those are due to injury or just a change in system under new head coach Alain Vigneault, the former Calder Trophy finalist hasn’t looked like himself all season.

With just 12 points in 41 games, Gostisbehere is an enigma that the Flyers will need to solve before any playoff run. Whether the end of the maze is a trade out of Philadelphia or a rejuvenated performance, the team can’t afford to have his $4.5MM sitting out or underperforming for long.

Metropolitan Notes: Strome, Jarry, Gostisbehere

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The Rangers are facing a pending salary cap crunch next summer highlighted by a sizable new deal on the way for defenseman Anthony DeAngelo as well as the buyout cost on Kevin Shattenkirk going up by $4.6MM.  As a result, some have suggested that forward Ryan Strome may ultimately be a casualty.  However, he’s in the midst of a resurgent season himself and told Steve Serby of the New York Post that he’d like to stick around:

I really hope I stay. I feel like I’ve lived in New York for so long, it’s my second home. The coaching staff and the management here, I think I’ve found a little bit of a home.

After being cast aside by Edmonton last season, the 26-year-old sits second on the Rangers in scoring this season with 43 points already, just seven shy of his career high.  He’s slated to be a restricted free agent this summer with arbitration rights and will have a strong case for a big raise on his current $3.2MM salary which also represents his required qualifying offer in June.  It may be tricky for GM Jeff Gorton to accommodate it though.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • Although Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry is in the midst of a breakout season that sees him lead the league (among qualifying goalies) in save percentage at .929, he told reporters, including Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, that there have yet to be any discussions regarding a possible contract extension. Jarry, a first-time All-Star, was believed to be available last offseason with Casey DeSmith in place as the backup but they opted to keep Jarry and waive DeSmith at the start of the season instead.  The decision has worked out splendidly for them but they will certainly be paying him more than the league minimum that he’s currently receiving on his next deal.  Both Jarry and Matt Murray are restricted free agents with arbitration rights this summer.
  • Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere may be available when Philadelphia returns from their bye week on Friday, notes Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News. He has missed the last seven games after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery and the team has performed well in his absence, posting a 5-2 record over that stretch.  The 26-year-old has struggled considerably in the offensive end this season which could make him available before next month’s trade deadline although they would be selling low on him if they were to move him now.

Shayne Gostisbehere To Have Arthroscopic Surgery

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The Philadelphia Flyers have announced that Shayne Gostisbehere will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left knee next week, and will be out for three weeks. The team has also recalled David Kase from the minor leagues while sending Mikhail Vorobyev down to the AHL.

Gostisbehere, 26, has seen his offensive production evaporate over the last two seasons and his usage decrease alongside it. The Calder Trophy runner-up in 2015-16 after scoring 46 points in 64 games, he hit a career high in 2017-18 with 65 points. That total seems a lifetime away at the moment as he sits with just 12 points in 40 games this season and now facing an uphill battle back from injury.

While he is still a useful player, Gostisbehere has only averaged a little over 18 minutes a night this season as the Flyers lean heavily on Ivan Provorov and Matt Niskanen instead. That has led to plenty of trade rumors given his contract status—signed through the 2022-23 season at a $4.5MM cap hit—and obvious upside. Philadelphia has a whole army of young defensemen and more coming, though many are still relatively unproven at the NHL level.

With the Flyers set to have nine straight days off near the end of the month, there is a chance that Gostisbehere could miss only a handful of games.

Eastern Notes: Gostisbehere, Johnsson, Moore, Wolanin

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The Philadelphia Flyers have a lot to like as they sit in a playoff spot at the midway point of the season. While injuries have ruled the team’s first half, the team also has a lot of impressive play from members of the team. One member of the team who didn’t get much of a rating from The Athletic’s Charlie O’Connor (subscription required) — Shayne Gostisbehere.

While teammate Ivan Provorov has had quite the impact season, getting A’s across the board, Gostisbehere’s final grade was a C-. For a second straight season, the 26-year-old’s offense has disappeared as he is on pace for a 23-point season. What the big problem is, however, Gostisbehere’s defense has also disappeared and his usage is starting to drop. He has averaged just 18:24, more than three minutes below his career high of two years ago. The scribe writes that there is no positive spin on the blueliner and he must find his game quickly for the Flyers’ sake.

  • TSN’s Kristen Shilton reports that the Toronto Maple Leafs may be close to getting back a pair of forwards. Andreas Johnsson and Trevor Moore were both seen at Toronto’s morning optional skate. Johnsson, who has been out with a leg injury since Dec. 4, wore a non-contact jersey, while Moore, who has been out with a concussion since Dec. 23 was in a regular jersey, but hasn’t been cleared yet. “Very encouraging,” said Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe. “They were skating a little bit while we were away, so today was a positive step. Both are still in non-contact situations but just to see them around the building and around the group is a good sign.”
  • The Athletic’s Graeme Nichols (subscription required) writes that the Ottawa Senators finally got an update on injured defenseman as general manager Pierre Dorion stated that Christian Wolanin, who has been out all season with a torn labrum, is targeting a return in mid to late February. Wolanin, who had surgery back on Sept. 21 and given a four-month timetable, is expected to immediately report to the Belleville Senators with the AHL once he’s been cleared to play. The 24-year-old could be with Ottawa in March if everything pans out.

East Notes: Gostisbehere, Coyle, Hedman

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Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere acknowledged to Dave Isaac of the Cherry Hill Courier-Post that he was dealing with a left leg injury throughout last season but that he feels fully recovered from it.  The blueliner is coming off a down year offensively as his point total dropped from 65 down to 37 which has led his name to come up in trade speculation.  Gostisbehere admitted to being aware that his name is out there but stated that his desire is to remain with Philadelphia as they look to get back into the playoffs following an aggressive summer that saw them land several new veteran players.

More from the East:

  • Part of Charlie Coyle’s value comes from his ability to shift between center and the right wing without too much difficulty. However, the Bruins plan to keep him in just one position for the full season, notes NBC Sports Boston’s Joe Haggerty.  As things stand, he likely slots in as Boston’s third line pivot but if one of their young prospects shows they’re ready for that role, team president Cam Neely indicated that they could move Coyle into a top-six spot alongside David Krejci.  Coyle is set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer and a full-time spot in an offensive role could go a long way towards bolstering his value.
  • Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman was banged up down the stretch which played a role in their shocking early exit from the postseason. Speaking with NHL.com’s David Satriano, the rearguard stated that he has been skating regularly throughout the summer and that is fully recovered from the undisclosed issue that kept him out of the final two games of their first-round exit to Columbus.  Hedman had 54 points last season in 70 games, his lowest total in three seasons.

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