Atlantic Notes: Nylander, Lohrei, Cormier, Knight
The availability for Maple Leafs winger William Nylander for tonight’s series opener against Boston is up in the air. He didn’t take part in the game day skate today and head coach Sheldon Keefe didn’t have any updates. Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that the injury isn’t something he was trying to play through down the stretch (where he struggled, notching just four points – all assists – in his final 11 games). Instead, he woke up with some discomfort on Thursday that has made him uncertain for this one. Despite the late-season struggles, Nylander finished second on Toronto in scoring this season, picking up 40 goals for the second straight year while posting a career-best 58 assists and 98 points.
Elsewhere in the Atlantic:
- The Bruins announced that they’ve returned blueliner Mason Lohrei to AHL Providence, one day after being recalled. The 23-year-old has been recalled to the NHL roster on 11 separate occasions this season, where he got into 41 games, recording 13 points and 63 blocks in just under 17 minutes a night of action, good numbers for a rookie. Lohrei also has played in 19 contests with Providence, picking up a goal and 14 helpers. If Lohrei isn’t going to be in Boston’s lineup, it makes more sense to have him continue to play in the minors but if an injury strikes on the back end in the playoffs, he could be recalled once more.
- The Panthers have added goaltender Evan Cormier to their roster, relays George Richards of Florida Hockey Now (Twitter link). The 26-year-old was converted to an NHL deal just before the trade deadline, making him eligible to be recalled. Cormier isn’t covering for an injury but instead will serve as Florida’s third-string emergency option and a practice netminder. He spent most of this season with ECHL Florida, posting a 2.93 GAA and a .907 SV% in 22 games.
- Panthers netminder Spencer Knight was named the recipient of the Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award, per an announcement from the AHL. The award goes to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of sportsmanship, determination, and dedication to hockey. Knight spent the entire season in the minors after coming back from the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program to receive help with managing obsessive-compulsive disorder. The 23-year-old has a 2.45 GAA and a .904 SV% in 44 games with AHL Charlotte this season and will stay down there to help in their playoff run; he’ll likely take Cormier’s spot as the third-string option once the Checkers are eliminated.
Atlantic Notes: Zub, Lockwood, Jones, Nylander
Senators defenseman Artem Zub did not participate in the team’s optional practice on Wednesday morning, but he hasn’t been ruled out of Thursday’s contest against the Ducks, Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun says. Zub, 28, missed Tuesday’s 6-3 win over the Blue Jackets with a lower-body injury.
As such, the Senators were forced to play a skater short due to salary cap restraints, as both Zub and Jake Sanderson were out of the lineup with short-term injuries. If Zub can’t return for tomorrow’s game, the Senators will be able to use a $0 emergency recall on a minor-league defenseman with a cap hit of less than $875K. The right-shot shutdown specialist is having the best season of his career, on pace to break his previous career-high of 22 points set in 2021-22 while posting a career-best +5.3 expected rating. He remains under contract at a $4.6MM cap hit through 2027.
Other updates from the Atlantic Division:
- Panthers winger William Lockwood remains out for tonight’s game against the Penguins as he’s yet to clear concussion protocol, per head coach Paul Maurice (via Jameson Olive of the Panthers’ official site). The 25-year-old Michigan native has not played in nearly a month, entering concussion protocol after a Jan. 19 collision with Wild goaltender Marc-André Fleury that also earned Lockwood a three-game suspension. He’s played a career-high 23 games during his first season in Florida, recording one assist and a +2 rating while averaging 8:22 per game.
- Maple Leafs goaltender Martin Jones is still listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury and will likely remain out tomorrow against the Flyers, head coach Sheldon Keefe said (via David Alter of The Hockey News). Jones did not dress as the backup for last night’s 4-1 win over the Blues, forcing Toronto to recall 22-year-old Dennis Hildeby to serve as the backup for starter Ilya Samsonov while Joseph Woll remains out with a high ankle sprain. Hildeby will likely back up Samsonov against the Flyers as well, his sixth time dressing for an NHL game this season.
- Sticking with Toronto, star winger William Nylander has caught the illness that kept captain John Tavares and Mitch Marner out of yesterday’s game and did not practice today, Keefe said (via Alter). His ability for tomorrow’s game is now doubtful, with suspended defenseman Morgan Rielly filling in for Nylander alongside Matthew Knies and Auston Matthews in line rushes today. Toronto will need to recall a forward from the AHL under emergency conditions if all three of Marner, Nylander, and Tavares remain out, which they have the cap space to execute after moving winger Calle Jarnkrök from IR to LTIR yesterday.
Morning Notes: Skills Results, Lacher, Coyotes
The NHL’s All-Star Skills Competition was held on Friday night in a revamped format that saw a dozen players compete in a head-to-head format while taking part in at least four of the events. Oilers center Connor McDavid took home the title and $1MM while the rest of the results were as follows.
Fastest Skater: McDavid (Oilers, 13.408 seconds)
One-Timers: Nathan MacKinnon (Avalanche, 23 points)
Passing Challenge: Elias Pettersson (Canucks, 25 points)
Hardest Shot: Cale Makar (Avalanche, 102.56 mph)
Stick Handling: McDavid (Oilers, 25.755 seconds)
Accuracy Shooting: McDavid (Oilers, 9.158 seconds)
One-On-One: William Nylander (Maple Leafs, 9 points), Alexandar Georgiev (Avalanche, 9 saves)
Obstacle Course: McDavid (Oilers, 40.666 seconds)
Other early news from around the hockey world:
- Former Bruins goaltender Blaine Lacher passed away on Friday at the age of 53, the team announced (Twitter link). Lacher made an immediate impact in the NHL, coming up as Boston’s starter in the lockout-shortened 1994-95 campaign, putting up a 2.41 GAA in 35 games to earn him a top-five finish in Calder Trophy voting. However, Lacher only made seven appearances at the top level after that. No cause of death was revealed.
- On Friday, the NHLPA expressed its frustration with Arizona’s search for a new arena site, stating that they’ve missed two deadlines already while not engaging with the PA on numerous fronts. However, it appears the team remains on track to purchase a parcel of land as the team confirmed (Twitter link) a report from ABC15’s Taylor Rocha that they are moving forward with a plan to buy in North Phoenix. At this point, multiple arena sites are still being considered which means we’re still likely a little while away from having more clarity on that front.
Maple Leafs Sign William Nylander To Eight-Year Extension
10:51 a.m.: Toronto has made the eight-year length and $92MM total value of the contract official, per a team release. Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports that approximately $69MM of the deal will be paid out in signing bonuses.
9:00 a.m.: The Maple Leafs have officially completed talks on an eight-year, $11.5MM average annual value extension, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports Monday morning. The contract will carry a full no-movement clause in all eight seasons, running from 2024-25 to 2031-32. TSN’s Chris Johnston was the first to report the NMC inclusion earlier Monday.
Nylander, 27, is now the recipient of the largest total value contract in the Maple Leafs’ 100-plus-year history at $92MM. He will be 36 years old when his mega-deal expires in 2032, making him eligible for unrestricted free agency for the first time in his career as his prime years are assumedly winding down.
This is a landmark deal for a player who’s emerged as undoubtedly their second-most important forward this season. While superstar first-line center Auston Matthews has stolen the show with his 30 goals in just 36 games, Nylander has broken the bank in terms of points. His 21 goals and 33 assists give him 54 points on the year in 37 games, putting him on pace for 120 – shattering last season’s career-high mark of 87.
Nylander’s been viewed as a bona fide top-six winger since he finished sixth place in Calder Trophy voting in 2016-17. However, there have always been external questions surrounding the compete and consistency level of the 2014 eighth-overall pick. Most of those have been quieted in the past 12 months, with Nylander continuing to provide excellent postseason play (despite Toronto’s abbreviated playoff runs), adding in excellent possession metrics and now proving himself as a yearly threat for 40-plus goals.
The leading thought among public opinion will likely be that new GM Brad Treliving shoehorned himself by not signing Nylander to a deal last summer when discussions were reportedly in the $9MM-$10MM AAV range. However, Friedman countered that on this morning’s edition of the 32 Thoughts podcast. He believes that Nylander’s camp has been holding steadfast to a higher number since negotiations began last July, and while he couldn’t confirm that an $11.5MM AAV on an eight-year deal was Nylander’s initial ask, it was close enough to get the deal done once the Leafs arrived at that number.
It’s unlikely the Leafs were comfortable with a $1.5MM jump in value per season based on a 30-game hot streak. Advanced metrics show this run of play from Nylander could very well be sustainable over the first few seasons of the deal, however, making the team’s third $11M+ cap hit on the books next season easier to swallow.
For one, he’s shooting the puck more – likely due to an uptick in ice time this season of around a minute and a half. He’s now shown he’s able to weather more than 20 minutes per game on a routine basis, something the Leafs will rely on him to do as their bevy of high-paying contracts restricts their ability to add depth on offense. Thus, despite his career-high 47-goal pace, Nylander is shooting at a percentage right around his career average (12.9% this season compared to his 12.3% average), and at a shooting percentage lower than three out of the last four seasons. His possession numbers remain quite strong, too, including a 53.4% Corsi share and a 4% relative Corsi share at even strength this year. Put simply, his play this season warrants the box-score numbers he’s produced.
That makes it an incredibly difficult decision to consider parting with Nylander, who’s developed into a core player for Toronto in every sense of the word. He’ll have spent a decade already in the organization next summer, and he’s managed to withstand, at times, a great deal of public criticism from local media and respond with an 18-month span that’s solidified him as a top-five right wing in the league. By keeping him around long-term, the Maple Leafs will get to reap the rewards of their patience.
Whether or not the team’s current construction under the salary cap can lead to a Stanley Cup win is the most pressing question, though, a cry that will become louder with now over 50% of next season’s salary cap devoted to Nylander, Matthews, Mitch Marner and captain John Tavares. In hindsight, that may be a more important metric in assessing this deal’s value rather than Nylander’s individual production over the next eight seasons.
For now, Nylander will be one of the six highest-paid players in the league next season in terms of AAV behind Matthews ($13.25MM), Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon ($12.6MM), Oilers superstar Connor McDavid ($12.5MM), Rangers winger Artemi Panarin ($11.64MM), and Penguins blueliner Erik Karlsson ($11.5MM). It’s quite lofty company for Nylander at the beginning of the contract, but his cap hit’s place in those standings will continuously drop as more eight-figure deals get inked with the impending sharp rise of the salary cap’s Upper Limit.
In signing this deal, the Maple Leafs also take the top pending unrestricted free agent of the 2024 class off the board. That title now goes to a group of first-line talents in the Eastern Conference – Penguins first-line mainstay Jake Guentzel, Lightning captain Steven Stamkos, and, amidst a breakout season on pace for 59 goals and 105 points, Panthers winger Sam Reinhart.
Nylander’s full no-movement clause will protect him from any trades, waiver placements, or future expansion drafts over the life of the deal unless he consents. It does not, however, prohibit Toronto from buying out his contract if the last seasons of the deal age poorly.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Maple Leafs Closing In On William Nylander Extension
Jan. 8: Nylander and the Maple Leafs are indeed closing in on an eight-year, $92MM total value extension, TSN’s Darren Dreger corroborates Monday morning. There is still “some work getting done” on the deal, however, and it’s unclear whether it will become official today. Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic expects the deal to contain full no-movement protection and “favorable bonus structuring.”
Jan. 6: The Maple Leafs could announce an extension for star winger William Nylander after returning from their California road trip, potentially on Monday, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said on tonight’s Hockey Night in Canada broadcast. Per Friedman, it’s likely to be an eight-year deal carrying a stratospheric AAV of $11.5MM.
That price tag is roughly $2.5MM higher than what new Toronto GM Brad Treliving offered in the early stages of negotiations last summer. Nylander’s 43-goal, 116-point pace through 36 games has eliminated the possibility of a seven-figure cap hit, however, solidifying him as the best pending free agent available in the 2024 class.
It’s also a significant increase on the $10MM-per-season deal Nylander reportedly requested before this season began. Throughout his torrid start to the campaign, which included a franchise-record 17-game point streak, the reported cap hit on an extension began to steadily climb. With that ascent now seemingly arriving at the $11.5MM mark, Treliving won’t wait any longer to put pen to paper and keep his team’s current points leader in the organization long-term.
That contract would tie Nylander for the fifth-highest cap hit in the league beginning next season with Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson, who they have at a reduced price of $10MM through the retained salary trade that brought him there from the Sharks last summer. It also leaves Toronto with two of the top five most lucrative contracts in the league beginning in 2024 – star center Auston Matthews‘ $13.25MM AAV extension will give him the highest cap hit in the league.
His performance this season seems like the real deal, and advanced metrics suggest this similar rate of production should be sustainable for a number of years as he plays out his prime. Despite his career-high goal-scoring pace, his 12% shooting percentage this season is actually less than his 12.3% career average. His two-way game has never been better, either – he’s on pace for an expected rating of +24.6, which would shatter his career-high of +18.9 set last season.
So, in a vacuum, it may be difficult to criticize the price tag given his market value as a pending UFA. However, that cap hit works out to a combined $46.6MM in spending wrapped up in Matthews, Nylander, Mitch Marner, and John Tavares next season – over 53% of the $87.5MM salary cap in 2024-25 spent on four forwards. That doesn’t include Morgan Rielly and his $7.5MM cap hit, which works out to nearly 62% of the salary cap spent on five players. With the current LTIR relief of John Klingberg, Matt Murray and Jake Muzzin all coming off the books next summer, it’ll be an extremely tight one-year squeeze until Marner’s and Tavares’ deals expire in 2025.
Assuming both Marner and Tavares stay with Toronto, the former likely won’t command a significant raise on his current $10.9MM cap hit. However, Tavares’ $11MM cap hit will likely see a multi-million dollar reduction, freeing up a notable amount of money for Treliving as the salary cap jumps to an expected value of $92MM in 2025-26.
Nylander will be 28 years old when the deal begins, and if it’s signed as reported, he’ll be 35 years old in the last season of the deal in 2031-32. Avoiding a long-term commitment to Nylander into his late 30s should help Toronto avoid some serious devaluation of the contract in the final few seasons, but even with a rising salary cap, it’s fair to expect the contract to age poorly in its seventh and eighth seasons as is the case with most long-term deals signed near the beginning of a player’s UFA eligibility.
Nonetheless, it expects to be another landmark signing for a team that’s had quite a few of them in the last decade. The ultimate question – whether or not this core can lead them to a Stanley Cup – of course remains to be seen. With Nylander posting a point per game over his last three playoff runs, however, there’s little doubt about his individual ability to perform in mid-April and beyond.
Afternoon Notes: Nylander, Palat, Heiskanen
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported some updates yesterday on the William Nylander contract negotiations. Friedman believes that there is a deal to be made between Nylander and the Toronto Maple Leafs but that the negotiations are delicate, and both sides want to be careful moving forward. The Maple Leafs want some certainty from Nylander so they can move on and understand what they need to address going forward, as well as how much cap space they can allocate to other areas of need. For Nylander, he’s stated publicly in the past that he wants to stay in Toronto, and it doesn’t appear anything has changed.
Nylander bet on himself in the offseason as the Maple Leafs were looking to get this contract extension done for under $10MM annually. But, with Nylander on pace for career highs in both goals and assists his extension will likely be over $11MM annually. Friedman believes that the Maple Leafs are okay with this being a pricey extension, but they also understand that there are other variables Nylander has to consider other than money and term.
In other afternoon notes:
- New Jersey Devils reporter Amanda Stein tweeted that Devils head coach Lindy Ruff told reporters this morning that Ondrej Palat will likely miss the next few games. Palat suffered a lower-body injury in practice on Tuesday and did not play Wednesday night. The 32-year-old has struggled to live up to expectations after signing a five-year $30MM deal with the Devils in July of 2022. In 84 games spread out over one and a half seasons, Palat has just 13 goals and 24 assists.
- Lia Assimakopoulos of The Dallas News is reporting that Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen was not on the ice for Stars practice today after suffering a lower-body injury in last night’s game against the Colorado Avalanche. Heiskanen crashed into his goalie early in the third period and left the game. There is no word yet on the severity of the injury, although TSN’s Pierre LeBrun is reporting that there is optimism that the injury is not long-term.
Atlantic Notes: Nylander, Hutchinson, Miller
While the Maple Leafs locked up a key pending UFA back in August when they inked Auston Matthews to a four-year extension, they still have another member of their ‘core four’ to sign, winger William Nylander. In a recent TSN Insider Trading segment, Chris Johnston of The Athletic reported that the two sides seem to be on the same page on a number of fronts while Nylander has affirmed his desire to stay with Toronto long-term. Currently carrying a cap hit of just over $6.96MM, the 27-year-old has a chance to push past the $10MM mark on his next agreement. He had a career-high 87 points last season and is on pace for 119 as things currently stand this year.
More from the Atlantic:
- While Michael Hutchinson wound up inking a two-way deal with the Red Wings earlier this week following a stint with their farm team, he acknowledged to Ken Wiebe and Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press that his preference was to go back to Winnipeg, the franchise he has had the most success with over an 11-year NHL career. Hutchinson noted that he did hold contract talks with the Jets but they ultimately opted to go with Collin Delia as their third-string option. Meanwhile, with Detroit missing both Ville Husso and Alex Lyon at the moment, the 33-year-old finds himself back at the top level for the time being so it’s safe to say that things wound up working out well for him after all.
- The trade deadline is fast approaching in the CHL and several NHL-drafted prospects will be on the move in the next couple of weeks. One of those appears to be Canadiens goaltender Quentin Miller as Kevin Dube of the Journal de Quebec reports that Miller will be moved to QMJHL Rimouski on Friday. The 19-year-old was a fourth-round pick back in June and has a 3.05 GAA and a .901 SV% with Quebec so far. Even though the trade has been agreed to in principle, Miller is expected to make one more start prior to the swap.
Atlantic Notes: Knies, Liljegren, Larkin
Sportsnet’s Luke Fox tweeted this morning that Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies returned to practice today but is unlikely to return to the lineup tonight as he is still not 100%. Knies has been dealing with an illness the last few days that already caused him to miss Tuesday night’s 7-3 win over the New York Rangers. Lance Hornby of Postmedia added that there is a small chance that Knies could play and that things are a bit up in the air as the Maple Leafs have had a flu bug circulating through their dressing room. Should Knies miss tonight’s game Noah Gregor would likely take his spot on the top line once again with Auston Matthews and William Nylander.
The 21-year-old Knies has had an okay start to his first full season in the NHL registering six goals and five assists in 25 games. Expectations for the Phoenix, Arizona native were quite high after a solid seven-game showing in last year’s playoffs in which Knies posted a goal and three assists. He’s been physical, good defensively and responsible with the puck. However, he has not been able to drive play, which is surprising given that he has spent time on a line with two of the best play drivers in the NHL.
In other Atlantic Division notes:
- Lance Hornby of Postmedia tweeted that Toronto Maples Leafs defenseman Timothy Liljegren is getting close to returning to the lineup. In talking with Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe Hornby learned that the 24-year-old should only need another practice or two before being ready to return to action. Liljegren has been out of the lineup since suffering a high-ankle sprain on November 2nd that was the result of a controversial trip by Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand. Liljegren has just a single assist in ten games this season and has been averaging just shy of 18 minutes a night of ice-time for Toronto.
- Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press is reporting that Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin skated with the team this morning in a non-contact jersey. Larkin being back on the ice is certainly a positive development after he suffered what appeared to be a devastating injury on Saturday after he was hit up high by a couple of Ottawa Senators players. Larkin lay motionless on the ice as a melee ensued around him between the two teams. Larkin suffered what is being described as an upper-body injury and although it is a very positive development to see him back on the ice so soon, there is no timeline for his return to Detroit’s lineup.
Snapshots: Oilers, Nylander, Three Stars
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman spoke about the Edmonton Oilers goaltending situation on the most recent episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast, sharing that the team is in search for a new netminder with Jack Campbell struggling in the AHL. Specifically, Friedman reported that the Oilers recently got a good look at the three goalies with the Montreal Canadiens and could be interested in acquiring either Cayden Primeau or Sam Montembeault.
Montembeault has yet to sign his anticipated contract extension with the Canadiens, and Friedman adds that this extension could be a barrier for Montreal in any trade talks. The 27-year-old goaltender is in his third season with Montreal, joining the team via waivers ahead of the 2021-22 season. He’s performed well for the team since, recording a .908 save percentage through eight games this season and a .901 save percentage in 40 games last year. Edmonton is looking for a goaltender to support sophomore Stuart Skinner, rather than finding one to replace him, per Friedman. Montembeault could be a budget-friendly option if Montreal is willing to part with him.
Other notes from around the league:
- The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun has shared that the Toronto Maple Leafs are being deliberately tight-lipped about star winger William Nylander‘s looming contract extension, but that both sides remain committed to finding a deal before he hits free agency. One exec that LeBrun spoke with compared the negotiations to David Pastrnak‘s extension negotiations, and another estimated that the winger could make $10.5 to $11 million on his next deal. Nylander recently forced his way into the spotlight again by scoring five points in Toronto’s pair of Global Series matchups.
- The NHL has announced its Three Stars of the Week, with Sidney Crosby taking Third Star, Nylander winning Second Star, and Cale Makar being awarded First Star. Crosby won on the back of a five goal, seven point performance through four games this week; Nylander’s Global Series performance earned him a nomination despite playing just two games; and Makar amassed an impressive eight points in three games this week to top the list.
Evening Notes: Couture, Motte, Nylander
Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News is reporting that San Jose Sharks center Logan Couture will miss the team’s home opener on October 12th against the Vegas Golden Knights. Couture remains week-to-week currently but has started some light skating over the last few days. Couture suffered a lower-body injury prior to the start of training camp and failed his physical which has kept him out of pre-season action. This will be the first time Couture starts a season on the IR.
The Sharks are likely to use Tomas Hertl in Couture’s usual spot centering their first line. While Hertl can play on the team’s top unit, it does create a domino effect on an already thin forward group. Mikael Granlund appears likely to center the team’s second unit which could be problematic given how much he struggled last season.
The Sharks appear poised to finish the season near the bottom of the standings and seem prepared to take their time with Couture’s injury. Couture is only halfway through his eight-year contract and could become a tradeable asset for the Sharks if he is able to get healthy and contribute this season.
In other evening notes:
- Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times tweeted that Tampa Bay Lightning forward Tyler Motte left the game in the second period of their 5-3 win over the Nashville Predators. The 28-year-old took a puck in the hand with just under six minutes left in the middle frame and did not return to the game. Lightning Head Coach Jon Cooper told reporters that the team will know more about Motte’s condition at some point tomorrow. Motte signed a one-year deal in the offseason after setting a career-high with 19 points last season in 62 games.
- Pierre LeBrun reported on TSN Insider Trading that the Toronto Maple Leafs and pending unrestricted free agent forward William Nylander are continuing contract extension discussions into the season with both sides remaining tight-lipped on the proceedings. LeBrun added that Maple Leafs General Manager Brad Treliving had a face-to-face discussion with Nylander at training camp as the sides try and work towards a resolution. LeBrun finishes by saying that it appears from the outside that all parties are on the same page as far as getting the deal done.