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Sonny Milano

Sonny Milano Signs With Washington Capitals

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10/16/22: The Capitals have now officially announced the deal. Per the announcement, it’s a one-year, $750k deal, and it was confirmed that Milano will be hitting waivers today for the purpose of assigning him to AHL Hershey.

10/15/22: The Washington Capitals are expected to sign Sonny Milano, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The deal will be a one-year, one-way $750K contract but Friedman notes that Milano will be starting in the AHL. That would require him to clear waivers, meaning there’s at least a chance that another team could claim him for their NHL roster right away.

Milano, 26, failed to earn an NHL contract the summer or with his professional tryout this fall. That was with the Calgary Flames, where he struggled to fit into the team’s system or provide much offensive spark.

That’s the key with Milano, who has always been exceptionally skilled but has struggled to play a consistent role in the NHL. The 16th overall pick in 2014, he has 197 games under his belt, 66 of them coming last season with the Anaheim Ducks. That was easily his best season, finding early chemistry with Trevor Zegras and racking up 14 goals and 34 points.

Notably though, that included just five points in his final 27 games, the kind of inconsistency that has plagued him his whole career.

Perhaps the Capitals will be able to coax that out of him, though there appears to be no guarantee of playing time if he’s starting in the minor leagues. Washington has lost some serious forward depth in recent days, with Axel Jonsson Fjallby and Brett Leason both claimed on waivers.

Those two combined for 59 games for the Capitals last season, moving up and down when needed.

West Notes: Milano, Robertson, Hague

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Forward Sonny Milano turned some heads when he signed a PTO with the Calgary Flames this fall, in part because many believed that the former Anaheim Duck would receive a full NHL contract offer from a team. Last season Milano set career highs in production, scoring 14 goals and 34 points in 66 games, but that contract offer never materialized.

Milano was recently released from his PTO after an underwhelming preseason, but that may not mean the end of his NHL journey. Per Thomas Drance and Rick Dhaliwal of The Athletic, (subscription link) the Vancouver Canucks invited Milano to their training camp before he ultimately chose to go to Calgary, and they “still like” Milano as a player. But given the complex roster and cap situation that the Canucks’ front office will need to manage in the coming days, Drance and Dhaliwal do state that the team isn’t able to acquire Milano at this moment. The bottom line, though, is that despite how rapidly his stock seemed to decline over the course of this summer and preseason, there still are teams who believe Milano can contribute in the NHL.

Now, for some other notes from the Western Conference:

  • One of the biggest contract sagas of this offseason reached its conclusion this week, as Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson signed a four-year contract to remain in victory green. In order to get there, it seems some compromise was required. Today, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet speculated on the 32 Thoughts Podcast that Robertson’s camp had been eyeing an AAV “in the tens” on any max-term deal. Due a $9.3MM qualifying offer after his new contract expires, Robertson seems to have set himself up nicely to break into that range once this current deal expires.
  • While Robertson’s contract saga came to an end earlier this week, the contract standoff between the Vegas Golden Knights and restricted free agent defenseman Nicolas Hague is still ongoing. Per Friedman on 32 Thoughts, the Golden Knights’ desire to maximize the cap benefits they gain from long-term injured reserve is not considered to be a barrier to getting Hague’s deal done. The 23-year-old former Mississauga Steelhead had a breakout season of sorts in 2021-22, seeing time with Alex Pietrangelo on the team’s top pairing, and it looks like the main obstacle to getting a deal done is based more on value disagreements than anything related to the Golden Knights’ cap management.

Sonny Milano, Cody Eakin Released From PTOs

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One of the most interesting cases of the offseason was Sonny Milano, an offensive-minded player that scored 14 goals and 34 points in 66 games last season. After failing to land a deal in the early part of free agency, Milano signed a PTO with the Calgary Flames.

Today, both Milano and fellow PTO Cody Eakin have been released from those tryouts, putting them both on the open market with just a few days to go before the regular season schedule begins.

It’s already a numbers game in Calgary, where they have several players who already may be exposed to the waiver wire in the next few days. After claiming Radim Zohorna recently, a player that fits much better than Milano in the bottom six, these releases seemed inevitable.

There’s no one who doubts Milano’s skill, it’s just his consistency that comes into question. Is the player who found instant chemistry with Trevor Zegras in Anaheim and scored 29 points through his first 39 games, or the one who had just five in his last 27. There have been far too many of those disappearing acts throughout his career for a team to offer a multi-year deal, and now he hasn’t even been able to land a one-year contract as a free agent.

Eakin, meanwhile, is the kind of player that could have fit into Calgary’s fourth-line mix but there are already too many other options that work in that spot. Had an injury or two happened, it might have resulted in a contract for the 31-year-old, but now he’ll have to try and find a new place to continue his 701-game NHL career.

Calgary Flames Sign Sonny Milano To PTO

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After scoring a career-high 14 goals and 34 points, Sonny Milano finally has a training camp to attend. The Calgary Flames will bring Milano in on a professional tryout. As with any PTO, this doesn’t mean Milano is actually on the Flames, only that he will be attending camp. It is, however, an opportunity for the team to get comfortable with the player and for the player to showcase himself to the entire league.

Milano, 26, was left unqualified by the Anaheim Ducks this offseason, thanks to a breakout campaign that likely would have led to a large arbitration award. The young forward would have needed a qualifying offer of $1.8MM and would have secured much more than that given his strong offensive totals from last year.

Playing nearly the entire season on the wing of playmaker extraordinaire Trevor Zegras (and a good chunk more with solid offensive players like Rickard Rakell and Troy Terry), Milano made the best of his opportunities. Still averaging just over 15 minutes a night, he nearly doubled his career points total, and potted 14 goals, a number he had hit as a rookie in 2017-18 but come nowhere near since.

There have always been questions about Milano’s overall impact on a game, his tendency to try highlight-reel plays instead of more traditional options, and a habit of drifting to the perimeter, but there is no doubt that he has the skill to play at a high level. The fact that he hasn’t found a contract yet likely has more to do with him searching for a good fit than the phone not ringing.

Whether he can find that fit in Calgary is unclear. For a player that will need powerplay time and minutes with top-end players to be effective, the Flames roster looks awfully crowded. Even with the losses of Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk, Calgary can ice a top-six that includes Nazem Kadri, Jonathan Huberdeau, Andrew Mangiapane, Elias Lindholm, and Tyler Toffoli. Blake Coleman, Mikael Backlund, and Dillon Dube are all capable of moving into those roles as well, while the veterans like Milan Lucic and Trevor Lewis patrol the bottom six.

So while Milano may be deserving of an NHL contract, it will be interesting to see whether it ends up being the Flames that sign him. For now, he’ll attend training camp with the team, and get a chance to remind them of the skill that scored two goals in three games against Calgary last season.

Pacific Notes: Weegar, Flames, Stone

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The Calgary Flames quickly signed newcomer Jonathan Huberdeau to an extension after acquiring him from the Florida Panthers, and will now try to do the same with MacKenzie Weegar, according to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period.

Weegar met with Flames general manager Brad Treliving last week and both sides apparently have had good discussions about a long-term extension. Calgary, says Pagnotta, hopes to have something done by training camp or at the very latest, the start of the regular season.

  • On the same NHL Network appearance, Pagnotta also noted that the Flames are still looking to add another free agent forward, mentioning Evan Rodrigues and Sonny Milano in particular. Rodrigues had 19 goals and 43 points in 82 games last season, while Milano racked up 14 goals and 34 points in 66 games.
  • When Jackie Spiegel’s latest piece came out for NHL.com, examining the health of Vegas Golden Knights star Jack Eichel, one line caught the attention of many fans. It read that Mark Stone would miss training camp as he continues to recover from back surgery in May. Golden Knights insider Gary Lawless tried to clarify, noting that just because the team has indicated that Stone would be ready for the start of the regular season, it doesn’t necessarily mean he will be missing training camp. A return to full health for Stone would be a huge boost for Vegas, after he was limited to just 37 games last season.

Free Agent Profile: Sonny Milano

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Before 2021-22, it looked like Sonny Milano’s career was headed in the direction many other former top prospects’ careers had gone. A talented run of scoring at lower levels, a solid first season in pro hockey, and then a stagnant development track that leads to an inability to hold down an NHL spot. That’s seemed to be where Milano was going.

The 16th overall pick at the 2014 draft, Milano’s puck skills and overall creativity made him an intriguing forward prospect. After a successful year in the OHL in his first season as a Blue Jacket, Milano made the transition to pro hockey, playing in 54 games for the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters. He played decently well, scoring 31 points, and even earned a three-game cup of tea at the NHL level.

From that point, Milano progressed slowly, but steadily. He had another productive AHL year, a few more NHL games, and then finally got an extended look in Columbus in 2017-18, scoring 14 goals and 22 points in 55 games. The offensive talent was there, but Milano’s struggles away from the puck meant that his NHL role was limited and his overall usage inconsistent. Under a demanding coach like John Tortorella, Milano needed to become a more well-rounded player in order to thrive, and he wasn’t able to.

Milano was dealt to the Anaheim Ducks in February 2020 for Devin Shore, and then missed most of 2020-21 due to an upper-body injury. He cleared waivers at the start of 2021-22 and then went on to have the most productive season of his career. In 66 games Milano scored 14 goals and 34 points, and featured in highlight-reel plays as a frequent running mate of superstar rookie Trevor Zegras.

It looked like Milano had finally found a home in the NHL, but earlier this summer the Ducks made a surprising move. They chose not to issue Milano a qualifying offer and let him hit unrestricted free agency, where he remains today. So, why might Milano still be on the market?

Well, it likely comes down to his flaws away from the puck, the holes in his game that have dogged him for his entire career. We know what Milano can do. He can stick with talented players and help finish their plays. He can dazzle with his creativity and help drive offense. But he can also hurt his team away from the puck and struggle to make any sort of impact when he’s not “on.”

His inability to polish his game is likely why he remains unsigned, but that doesn’t mean there’s no place for him in the NHL. Despite the issues in his two-way game, Milano is still an undoubtedly talented offensive player. He’s also still young at just 26 years old, and the combination of his offensive skill level and age isn’t easily found at this stage of the offseason market. Some teams might be weary of his overall profile, but the bottom line with him is that he can help a team score goals, so he’ll find a way to catch on somewhere.

Stats:

2021-22: 66 GP, 14G 20A 34pts, -9 rating, 10 PIMs, 94 shots, 15:17 ATOI

Career: 197 GP, 36G 45A 81pts, -26 rating, 46 PIMs, 255 shots, 13:15 ATOI

Potential Suitors:

Based on Milano’s profile on the ice, he’ll likely fit best on two types of teams: cap-strapped contenders looking to add some more offensive juice to their attack, or rebuilders who want to take a flyer on a relatively young free agent to occupy a roster spot and protect their current young forwards from being rushed to the NHL. With those two types of teams in mind, there are a few franchises that could make sense for Milano.

One team that makes sense for Milano is the St. Louis Blues. The Blues had one of the deepest top-nines in hockey last year, but the loss of David Perron this offseason means there could be a hole in their top nine that needs to be filled. They don’t have a ton of cap space, but assuming they can find room for Milano he could be a solid add to their lineup. He would have quality linemates to feed off of in St. Louis and would give coach Craig Berube more options as to how to deploy his top three forward lines.

Perhaps most importantly, the Blues have an overabundance of talented forwards who are responsible in their own end, such as Ryan O’Reilly, Ivan Barbashev, and Pavel Buchnevich. Their presence could limit the negative impact of Milano’s poor defensive game and free him up to focus on the offensive side of the ice.

Another club that could make sense on a one-year deal is the New York Rangers. Like St. Louis, they have a wealth of talented forwards to stick Milano with. The Rangers also have a pretty wide-open right side of their forward group, and although Milano is a left winger he could possibly slot in and compete with Vitali Kravtsov, Kaapo Kakko, and Sammy Blais for minutes on one of the Rangers’ top-two lines.

One club that is rebuilding that Milano could fit with is the Chicago Blackhawks. He would be a similar signing to their prior deals with Andreas Athanasiou and Max Domi, only at a lower cost. Milano would help the Blackhawks fill out their top two lines and keep them from needing to rush Lukas Reichel into a top-six role. The Blackhawks’ roster is among the weakest in the league, and adding a scorer like Milano would be wise in the case that he has a productive first half to his season, as he then could become a flippable asset at the deadline.

Projected Contract:

If a free agent is still available in August, they probably won’t be able to issue huge salary demands to interested teams, save for special cases like with still-unsigned center Nazem Kadri. As a result, Milano’s next deal is unlikely to pass the $1.7MM figure he played on last season. A one-year deal at around $1MM seems like the most likely outcome at this point, if he’s getting an NHL contract.

Adding a player in his mid-twenties who scored at a 42-point pace for just $1MM against the cap is a solid bit of business for many teams. But a team will have to be confident in their ability to properly utilize Milano so he doesn’t end up a net negative thanks to his defensive play.

Finding a proper fit in a lineup could be a challenge, but it’s far from impossible. At a cost at or below $1MM, Milano could quickly make it worth the hassle for any team that signs him.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. Financial information courtesy of CapFriendly.

West Notes: Byram, Oilers, Milano

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There is no timeline for Avalanche defenseman Bowen Byram to return from his leave of absence, notes Mike Chambers of the Denver Post.  The blueliner was a late scratch on Tuesday and Peter Baugh of The Athletic recently reported (Twitter link) that Byram doesn’t have another concussion but is dealing with symptoms that are likely related to the previous ones he has suffered that have gotten to the point where he didn’t feel he could play.  The 21-year-old has been a key part of Colorado’s lineup when he has been healthy, logging just shy of 20 minutes a game while chipping in with 11 points in 18 contests.  However, given his concussion history, it’s quite possible that Byram will be out for a while.

More from the West:

  • The Oilers are hoping that Ryan Nugent-Hopkins can resume skating next week, relays Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic (Twitter link). The center has been out since the start of the month with an undisclosed injury, a tough blow for an Edmonton team that has largely struggled for any consistent secondary scoring behind their two superstars.  Meanwhile, defenseman Kris Russell isn’t expected to return against Saturday against Ottawa; the veteran has been out for more than a month with an upper-body injury.
  • Ducks winger Sonny Milano left tonight’s game against Minnesota due to an upper-body injury, mentions Eric Stephens of The Athletic (Twitter link). He took an elbow to the face from Wild defenseman Jon Merrill and did not return.  The 25-year-old recently set a new career high in points and is up to 25 this season in 35 games.

Snapshots: Zucker, Bertuzzi, Ducks

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While the Penguins sent winger Jason Zucker back to Pittsburgh today to be evaluated, it appears they’re not particularly optimistic that his absence will be a short one.  Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes that while they’re hopeful his lower-body injury isn’t as bad as they initially feared, they are preparing to be without the 29-year-old for an extended period of time.  Zucker is off to a quiet start to the season by his standards with just four goals and three assists in 17 games but his absence will open up a vacancy in their top-six.  If he’s going to miss more than 10 games or 24 days, he’ll be eligible to be placed on long-term injured reserve, giving them some short-term cap flexibility to recall a replacement.

Elsewhere around the league:

  • The Red Wings have been without winger Tyler Bertuzzi for all of February and it doesn’t sound as if he’ll be back anytime soon. Head coach Jeff Blashill told reporters, including Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link), that he has “no idea” when the 26-year-old will be able to return.  Bertuzzi was off to a strong start to his season with five goals and two assists in eight games and with his contract expiring this summer, missing this much time isn’t going to give him the type of platform season he was hoping for.
  • The Ducks activated Sonny Milano from IR and recalled him from his AHL conditioning loan, relays Elliott Teaford of the Orange County Register (Twitter link). The winger suffered an upper-body just a week into the season, limiting him to just two games.  He was quietly productive after joining Anaheim last season with five points in nine contests, making him an intriguing addition to a lineup that has struggled mightily offensively in the early going.  The team also placed winger Carter Rowney on IR due to a lower-body injury.  While the veteran is known more as a bottom-six player, he’s tied for the team lead in assists with six in 19 games.

Columbus Blue Jackets Issue Qualifying Offers

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have announced which restricted free agents will receive qualifying offers, with few surprises. Josh Anderson, Gabriel Carlsson, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Vladislav Gavrikov, Matiss Kivlenieks, Ryan MacInnis, Kevin Stenlund and Calvin Thurkauf have all received qualifying offers from the team and will remain in the organization.

That means Devin Shore, Maxime Fortier, Justin Scott, Paul Bittner, Michael Prapavessis and Ryan Collins did not, making them unrestricted free agents on Friday.

The only real surprise is Shore, and only because the Blue Jackets acquired him this season in exchange for Sonny Milano. The 26-year-old Shore has not been particularly effective since the 2017-18 campaign, splitting the last two seasons between three teams and recording just 12 points in 2019-20. Add in the fact that he was due a $2.4MM qualifying offer in order to remain with the Blue Jackets and it’s not hard to see why the team decided to cut bait.

Still, Shore could represent a cheap depth signing for a team this offseason if they think he can be of use to a bottom-six. The 26-year-old forward has experience at center and on the wing and has scored double-digit goals in three different seasons.

Bittner and Collins may also bring a twinge of disappointment to Blue Jackets fans, given they were both second-round selections that never seemed to pan out. Bittner especially was hyped coming off a successful junior career but failed to score much in the AHL. Collins, the 47th pick in 2014, never added any offense to his defensive game and could only rely on his size for so long.

Anaheim Ducks Re-Sign Sonny Milano

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8:00pm: The Ducks have officially confirmed the new deal. Milano is set to make $1.6MM next season and $1.8MM in 2021-22.

4:30pm: The Anaheim Ducks will be handing out an extension to one of their young trade deadline acquisitions according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The insider reports that Sonny Milano will be signing a two-year extension that will carry an average annual value of $1.7MM. Milano was scheduled to become a restricted free agent at the end of the season.

The 24-year old forward has quite honestly been a disappointment to this point in his NHL career, after going 16th overall in 2014. When the Columbus Blue Jackets selected him Milano had just dominated at the USNTDP and would continue that offensive performance in his one year of CHL hockey. Oozing with skill, the winger took immediately to the professional ranks when transitioning to the AHL and even recorded five points in ten games as a teenager in 2015.

The biggest question with Milano was always his consistency and whether he could round out a defensive game to go along with his offensive skill. It was tough for him to crack John Tortorella’s lineup, and when he did there were long stretches where he would seem to disappear. In 120 games for the Blue Jackets, he recorded just 42 points and averaged fewer than 12 minutes of ice time.

Then came the trade deadline, when it was obvious he needed a fresh start and his contract was coming to an end. The Blue Jackets shipped him to Anaheim in a one-for-one trade that saw Devin Shore go the other way, giving him a chance to play every day in the top-six of a rebuilding club. Milano got into nine games with the Ducks before the season ended, and recorded five points while averaging 15:30 of ice time.

Now, with the Ducks looking to continue their youth movement, Milano will get a chance to prove he belongs there as a core piece. A $1.7MM cap hit is a relatively big commitment for a player who has just 47 career points in 125 regular season games, but the Ducks obviously liked what they saw.

For Milano, this is basically a perfect outcome. He’ll still be a restricted free agent at the end of the deal but he gets some financial security for the next two years, a likely chance to play power play minutes beside talented teammates, and will be arbitration-eligible and able to force his way to UFA status in 2022 if he chooses. Now he just needs to find that consistency which has always eluded him.

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