Stars Notes: Oleksiak, Seguin, Nichushkin
Athletic ability really is a family matter. Stars’ defenseman Jamie Oleksiak may be the highest paid member of his family after he inked a new deal that will pay him almost $1MM next season, but he’ll have to take a supporting role in the family newsletter this month. Oleksiak’s 16-year old sister Penny won two Olympic medals over the weekend, capturing silver in the 100m butterfly and anchoring a team that was awarded bronze for their time in the 4x100m freestyle.
When Jamie was asked about his state of mind while watching Penny swim for their native Canada, sibling rivalry didn’t come into the equation: “It’s just surreal. I feel like the biggest super fan right now watching her and I’m screaming and losing my voice. She’s done such a great job and we’re all so proud of her. We’re all so proud to watch her represent Canada.”
Oleksiak will try to get his hockey career back on track this season after playing in only 19 games last year. His waiver eligibility and the acquisition of Kris Russell mid-season played the biggest parts in his time in the press box, and the former first-round pick will have to prove he’s deserved of more playing time in 2016-17.
- In a Q&A with media on Saturday afternoon, Tyler Seguin (via The Dallas News) answered questions about his injured Achilles tendon, but also shared some feelings on the Stars’ chances this season. “Our window really just opened and I think every team’s got kind of that window that opens where you can win a championship, and I think our time definitely has now, so that part’s exciting. Getting a veteran guy like Hamhuis, it makes you even more excited for the season to start here.” Seguin is referring to Dan Hamhuis, who signed a two-year, $7.5MM deal on July 1st.
- While the team quickly came to an agreement with Oleksiak for next season, Valeri Nichushkin remains unsigned. It was almost a month ago that GM Jim Nill reported that Nichushkin was training in North America and isn’t considering an exit to the KHL, but there has been no other news on the contract negotiations. Nichushkin is coming off a promising season that saw him contribute 29 points in limited minutes. Still just 21, the former 10th-overall pick will have to show some more goal scoring ability if he’s to cement his spot next to Jason Spezza on the second line.
Snapshots: Blues, Hall, Seguin
The St. Louis Blues will have a vastly different look this season after a summer of big changes. In an online chat on the St. Louis Post-Dispatch website, Jeremy Rutherford chatted about some of the differences Blues fans can expect this coming season.
Regarding the Brian Elliott trade, Rutherford believed Blues GM Doug Armstrong made the trade to avoid losing him for nothing next summer when Elliott is a UFA. While the trade could go wrong if Jake Allen struggles or gets hurt, the trade makes sense, asset-management wise.
Former captain David Backes left town for a bigger contract in Boston; while Backes claimed Bruins forwards Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand convinced him to sign in Boston, Rutherford shut down that idea saying players will sign wherever is best for them and that if the Blues had offered Backes a fifth year, then it wouldn’t have mattered what Bergeron and Marchand said. As far as replacing Backes as captain, Rutherford felt it was safe to assume one of the remaining assistant captains (Alex Pietrangelo and Alex Steen) would be the new captain. The new assistant would likely be one of Paul Stastny, Jaden Schwartz, and Vladimir Tarasenko – who Rutherford believed was “pretty disappointed to not get an A last year”.
Here are some other notes from around the hockey world:
- It’s New Jersey Devils day on Pro Hockey Talk, and they have named Taylor Hall as their player under pressure this season. Adam Gretz justified the choice by saying while he knows Hall will produce, he’ll be under scrutiny because of the perception that he’s at fault for the Oilers misfortunes over the last six years and the high price that the Devils parted with to acquire him. Oscar Klefbom‘s comments about Hall and Ben Scrivens subsequent agreement will also be weighing on Hall as he looks to prove his former team and teammates wrong.
- Speaking of top picks from the 2010 NHL Draft that Peter Chiarelli has traded, Dallas Stars center Tyler Seguin says he’s ready to go for the upcoming World Cup in September. Seguin missed all but one of the Stars playoff games with Achilles and calf injuries. Seguin told Steve Hunt of NHL.com it’s been “a bit of a different summer as far as training-wise just coming off an injury, but feeling great and looking forward to the World Cup”.
This Day In History: Seguin Traded To Dallas
Monday is three years ago to the day that the Bruins and Stars made a blockbuster deal with Boston sending Tyler Seguin to Dallas as part of a seven player swap. It was a deal that significantly shaped the look of each franchise. Here’s a closer look at each player in the original deal and what they’ve accomplished since the trade.
Dallas Received:
Tyler Seguin – Seguin has been better than a point per game player in each of the last three seasons and has the fourth most points in the NHL in that span. Seguin has three years left on a six year, $34.5MM contract, making him one of the better bargains among top line forwards in the league.
Rich Peverley – Peverley played most of the 2013-14 season with Dallas, picking up 30 points in 62 games before collapsing mid-game on the bench in March. He was never able to get the green light to return to the ice and officially retired in September of 2015. He remains with the Stars as their Player Development Coordinator.
Ryan Button – Button spent 2013-14 with Dallas’ two minor league affiliates but was not given a qualifying offer at the end of the season. He has played the last two years in Germany.
Boston Received:
Loui Eriksson – Eriksson played each of the last three seasons with Boston, saving his best effort for last with a 63 point campaign in 2015-16. However, he no longer is with the team as he signed a six year, $36MM contract with Vancouver on Friday.
Reilly Smith – Smith spent two years with Boston, collecting 91 points in 163 games in that span. He was traded to Florida last July in exchange for Jimmy Hayes. Smith picked up 50 points last year with the Panthers and signed a five year, $25MM extension yesterday afternoon.
Joe Morrow – The former first round pick spent all of last season up with the Bruins but only got into 33 games of action. He should be positioned to play more of a regular role in 2016-17.
Matt Fraser – Fraser spent parts of two seasons with the Bruins, picking up five goals in 38 games. He was lost to Winnipeg on waivers in December of 2014 and spent all of last season in the AHL, split between Manitoba and Rockford.
At the time, the return for the Bruins was widely panned and a few years later, that still seems like the case as all they have left to show for Seguin, one of the NHL’s top players, is Hayes and Morrow. Meanwhile, the Stars have themselves a franchise player on a team-friendly contract for several more seasons.