Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Pro Hockey Rumors Originals

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Ottawa Senators

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Navigating the salary cap is one of the most important tasks for a front office.  Teams that can avoid total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful.  Those that don’t often see struggles and front office changes.

PHR is looking at every NHL team and giving a thorough look at their cap situation for the 2024-25 season.  This will focus more on players who are regulars on the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL.  All cap figures are courtesy of PuckPedia.  We’re currently covering the Atlantic Division, next up is the Senators.

Ottawa Senators

Current Cap Hit: $88,257,127 (over the $88MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

F Ridly Greig (one year, $863K)
D Tyler Kleven (one year, $917K)
F Zack Ostapchuk (two years, $825K)

Potential Bonuses
Kleven: $600K
Ostapchuk: $82.5K
Total: $682.5K

Greig has already signed an extension so we’ll cover him later on.  Ostapchuk has had his first extended NHL look this season but has primarily been limited to duty on the fourth line with very limited output.  He should be able to reach some of his games played bonuses but he’s likely heading toward a low-cost second contract barring a big uptick in his output and role next season.

Kleven is holding down a regular spot on Ottawa’s third pairing but his deployment has been limited thus far.  As a result, he’s not on track to reach his ‘A’ bonuses while his next contract should be a low-cost bridge deal although passing the $1MM mark isn’t out of the question.

Signed Through 2024-25, Non-Entry-Level

D Jacob Bernard-Docker ($805K, RFA)
F Nick Cousins ($800K, UFA)
G Anton Forsberg ($2.75MM, UFA)
F Adam Gaudette ($775K, UFA)
F Claude Giroux ($6.5MM, UFA)
F Noah Gregor ($850K, RFA)
D Travis Hamonic ($1.1MM, UFA)
F Matthew Highmore ($775K, UFA)
D Nikolas Matinpalo ($775K, RFA)
F Cole Reinhardt ($775K, UFA)

Giroux was brought in to be not only a veteran mentor to what was (and still is) a relatively young core group but also to be a key contributor in their top six.  Mission accomplished on both fronts.  He was third in team scoring in his first season and fourth in scoring last year.  At 37, he’s starting to slow down offensively but he’s still a top-six player, at least for now.  One of the big questions for next season as he heads into his next contract is how much longer he can play at that level.  A two-year offer probably isn’t off the table but it’d likely reflect the expectation of a diminished role in the second year which could result in a small dip in pay.  But if Giroux is open to a one-year deal, something around this price point is doable while he’d also be eligible for performance incentives.

Gregor has been non-tendered for two straight years with his former teams wanting to avoid giving him salary arbitration eligibility where his more productive years (23 points in 2021-22, 10 goals the following year) will come into play.  That seems like the probable outcome here as well but without those rights, he could still check in a bit closer to $1MM.  Cousins had to wait until late August to get this contract and not much has changed in terms of his role and production.  He’s effective enough to stay above the minimum salary but he’s probably only a tier above PTO territory so another low-cost one-year deal is likely.

Gaudette only got into two NHL games last season but he has been one of Ottawa’s better success stories this year, sitting inside the top five on the team in goals.  Nonetheless, he historically has had a hard time hanging onto a full-time spot which should keep his cost lower than someone with a shot at 20 goals.  A one-year deal in the $1.25MM range, one that can largely be buried in the minors if things don’t go well, would represent a nice raise for him while lessening the risk on the signing team.  Highmore and Reinhardt have been back and forth to and from the minors this season and are likely to remain at the minimum salary moving forward.

Hamonic has had a bigger role this year but his playing time is still rather limited compared to even just a few years ago.  He’s struggling to keep up and will be entering his age-35-year next season.  A one-year, minimum-salary deal with some low-cost performance incentives could still be doable but he could also be a PTO candidate.

Bernard-Docker became a full-timer last season but has been scratched a bit more often this year while injuries haven’t helped either.  He’s also arbitration-eligible which could work against him if Ottawa needs to keep this salary slot a little lower.  With a hearing, he could plausibly double this price tag but it wouldn’t be shocking to see him non-tendered if they can’t agree on a lower number before then.  Matinpalo is also arbitration-eligible but doesn’t have enough NHL experience to really command any sort of big raise.  A jump closer to $1MM is doable but probably not much more than that.

Forsberg hasn’t been able to come close to the level of performance from 2021-22, the one that earned him this contract.  He has been a bit better this year but his save percentage is still below the league average.  He might not get back to the level of third-string money but it’s quite possible his next AAV is half of this or less barring a big turnaround down the stretch.

Signed Through 2025-26

D Nick Jensen ($4.05MM, UFA)
F David Perron ($4MM, UFA)
F Shane Pinto ($3.75MM, RFA)

Perron was brought in over the summer with the hope he could be a reliable veteran secondary scorer.  That hasn’t really happened as when he has been in the lineup (which hasn’t been often between an injury and a family-related absence), his production has been quite limited thus far.  He’ll be 38 when this contract ends so he’ll need to rebound considerably to have a shot at matching this price tag a year and a half from now.  Pinto was at one point believed to be hoping for an offer sheet as early contract talks didn’t go well.  But, instead, they settled on a second bridge contract on a back-loaded deal that cranks the qualifying offer up to $4.5MM with arbitration rights.  If he can establish himself as a legitimate top-six forward by then, he’ll be able to get a fair-sized raise on that and the long-term deal he’s been seeking.

Jensen has been a nice fit in Ottawa after being acquired from Washington back in July.  He has settled in nicely as a second-pairing blueliner in recent years although he doesn’t produce a lot which will keep the price tag down.  A jump into the $5MM range on a long-term deal should be achievable if he plays like this over the rest of this season and next.

Signed Through 2026-27

F Michael Amadio ($2.6MM, UFA)
F Drake Batherson ($4.875MM, UFA)
D Artem Zub ($4.6MM, UFA)

Batherson has produced at or close to a top-line rate in the past three seasons heading into this one and is putting up points at a similar clip this year.  That makes him a nice bargain and if this keeps up, he could find himself closer to the $8MM range in 2027.  Amadio came over from Vegas after putting up back-to-back 27-point seasons.  He hasn’t fit in quite as well despite an uptick in playing time but as a bottom-six forward, it’s not a steep overpayment.

Zub has had some challenges staying healthy but when he is in the lineup, he’s a legitimate top-four blueliner, one that flies under the radar a little bit.  With his limited production, he’s not on a bargain contract but it’s not a bad one by any stretch.  Like Jensen, his next deal likely starts with a five.

Read more

PHR Mailbag: Devils, Restricted Free Agency, Jones, Tuch, Young Defensemen, Canadiens

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Topics in this edition of the PHR Mailbag include some thoughts on how an increased salary cap could affect restricted free agency, Seth Jones’ situation in Chicago, and much more.  If your question doesn’t appear here, check back in last weekend’s mailbag while we still have one more to come.

JF Devs Fan: Would Anaheim accept Kovacevic for Zegras and let Z be the 3C for the Devils? Who else is a 3C the Devils can target at the trade deadline? Hopefully someone with speed, some defensive acumen, and enough offense.

Unless the Ducks just want to open up cap space and get out of Trevor Zegras’ contract, there’s no reason for them to accept the trade.  Johnathan Kovacevic is a pending unrestricted free agent and would be far from a guarantee to re-sign so that would be a pretty low return for a player who they’ve had a high asking price on in the past.  New Jersey, meanwhile, can’t afford to take on the $5.75MM price tag on their books for this season and Anaheim would have no interest in paying down the money.  If the Ducks were to move Zegras, I suspect they’d want a similarly-established top-six piece.

New Jersey has been linked to Montreal’s Jake Evans for a while and the fit is logical.  He is the league leader in playing time shorthanded among forwards so the defensive acumen is there.  He’s not the fastest but he’s not a bad skater.  And offensively, he’s on pace for around 35 points which is reasonable for a third liner.  He also has a $1.7MM price tag this season which is something they should be able to fit in without too much issue.  If Boston sells, Trent Frederic could be of some interest.  He’s only a year removed from an 18-goal season and third-line minutes and would add some sandpaper.

It wouldn’t shock me if they were among the teams interested in Seattle’s Yanni Gourde.  A lower-body injury will probably keep him out until the deadline but he’s due back soon after and he would certainly give the third line a boost.  The Kraken would need to retain half of his $5.167MM to make a deal palatable, however.  I’m sure they’d kick the tires on Brock Nelson but it’d surprise me if he was moved inside the division.  Another cheaper option would be Chicago’s Ryan Donato who is having a career year offensively and has spent some time at center.  The defensive acumen isn’t necessarily there but he’d be an intriguing pickup as well.  GM Tom Fitzgerald should have some options if they try to make a move down the middle.

Emoney123: Is restricted free agency going to be more active/change since the cap is increasing and should Briere consider offer-sheeting someone like Wyatt Johnston?

I should start this by saying I think restricted free agency is already more active than we realize.  We only find out if a player signs an offer sheet but I think there are some that are discussed every year that just don’t put pen to paper.  In that sense, I don’t think it will be necessarily much more active although the success St. Louis had with their additions of Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway might make players in that price range more palatable.  The Blues didn’t have to part with a first-round pick for either player which is notable.  I doubt we’ll see much more activity, however, or least activity that gets made public because of a signed offer sheet.

In theory, Philadelphia targeting a young center like Johnston makes perfect sense.  In practicality, however, it makes little sense.  In order to get him, they’d have to overpay to the point where it makes no sense for Dallas to match.  What’s that number going to be?

Let’s look at last year’s thresholds for an example.  (Keep in mind these numbers will go up this summer, too.)  Anything below $6.87MM is easily matched because they’re not going to give up Johnston without getting a first-round pick in return.  I think they match in the tier above that which caps at $9.16MM.  So now, to have a plausible shot at getting him, do the Flyers have to offer $10MM or more a season for Dallas to really have to think about it?  It’d probably have to be closer to the higher end of that tier, so now we might even be closer to $11MM.  And on top of that, the deal can’t be any longer than five years which is the maximum divisor.  They could offer seven years at that price point but with the divisor being five, the draft pick compensation would be pushed into the four first-round pick tier.  They’re not paying four first-round picks for Johnston.

So, to recap, the Flyers would have to offer a contract that would walk Johnston to UFA eligibility at 28, paying well above market value and coughing up two first-round picks, a second, and a third for the privilege to do so if Dallas didn’t match.  There’s a reason proven impactful players rarely sign offer sheets and this is it.  There just isn’t a price point that scares the receiving team away while still being affordable enough for the signing team.  I don’t know about you but a move like this doesn’t feel like a great move for a still-rebuilding team to make.

Unclemike1526: I’ve been watching the Seth Jones trade speculation with some interest. There is absolutely no doubt that Jones is overpaid. However, if the Hawks have to pay half his salary to move him that makes no sense to me either. Look he’s not horrible, a team cancer or negative value. IMO there is absolutely nothing to be gained by paying him to play somewhere else.

So, I guess my question is, what would be the minimum in your opinion that the Hawks could get away with to move him and make it worth their while? I’m thinking if they only had to pay $2 million a year to see him off and save $7 million a year would be worth it. Any more than that and with the Cap going up I’d keep him until they can get the years down enough to make that work would be the way I would go. What’s your opinion? Thanks.

You make an important point that I think sometimes gets lost in the speculation about trading Jones, especially now with the news that he is welcome to being moved (but hasn’t asked for a trade).  It is still pretty rare for teams to retain money for more than a couple of years and he has five years left after this one.  That’s a lot of money to pay a player not to play for you.  On the other hand, it’s a necessary decision to make if they’re going to move him as there isn’t going to be much of a market for him at $9.5MM, especially from the standpoint of trading him for value.

The first question I asked myself when I saw this question is what is today’s market value for Jones if he was a free agent?  With the cap set to rise (which partially offsets the age concern), he’s probably still in the $8.5MM range.  If that’s a rough estimate of what a team would sign him for, getting it down to that price tag is necessary to deal him basically for free or for a nominal return.

With that in mind, is paying the deal down to $7.5MM that much of a needle-mover?  I suppose it depends on what the end goal is here, simply clearing money or trying to get something resembling acceptable value for a pretty good player who Chicago paid a lot for not long ago.  (Or, with it being a different GM in charge and not Stan Bowman, will the sunk cost fallacy not come into play?)

If the end goal is simply clearing the contract, retaining $2MM should get it done.  But if they want to get any sort of impactful asset in return, that might have to go to $3MM per season.  That said, spending $15+ million on a player not to play for you to get a good asset in return isn’t a great idea either.  I think the better play is that they hold him for now but if it’s a case where he really wants out, then they might have to bite the bullet.

FeelTheThunder: There seems to be a lot of rumblings about Buffalo Sabres’ Alex Tuch and the Tampa Bay Lightning being linked. Granted, you always have to take things with a grain of salt per se but if there is smoke, there is fire. It’s widely reported that GM BriseBois is quite active searching for a middle six forward so the question becomes what does this potential deal look like?

Obviously, Tampa’s 2026 1st round pick would be a part of it. I assume a middle-round pick (3rd or 4th) would be added in the mix and maybe a player like Darren Raddysh as Buffalo is going to need depth on the defensive right side next season.

Now, if they ask for someone like Ethan Gauthier then we’ll be talking about a bigger trade here if Tampa is even open to moving him (I’m 50/50 on that possibility). I won’t bring up the potential Hobey Baker nominee Isaac Howard nor Conor Geekie as I feel both are off-limits. But in terms of other NHL-ready prospects Gage Goncalves could be someone to watch in the matter.

I wouldn’t necessarily say where there’s smoke, there’s fire.  There’s a lot of smoke at this time of year and most of it usually doesn’t amount to anything.  Most of the players a buying team will be connected to ultimately won’t be acquired.

If the goal is a middle-six forward (as I think it is) for Tampa Bay, that’s not Tuch.  He’s a first-liner and almost more importantly, he’s on a team-friendly contract at $4.75MM through next season.  Accordingly, there’s going to be some sticker shock on the price that’s going to be paid to get him if Buffalo actually moves him.  I agree that a first-round pick is a starting point but I don’t think the other two pieces are going to move the needle much.  I think they’d have a use for Raddysh but he’d be viewed as a secondary addition and those usually don’t go for top-liners.

You mentioned how Gauthier’s inclusion would make it a bigger deal.  I’m not so sure.  Frankly, I don’t know if the Sabres would jump at him plus the first-round pick; I think someone would beat that because if Tuch was actually made available, about half the league would make a serious offer.  Honestly, I doubt the Lightning have the trade chips to beat that many teams out so it’s hard to come up with a specific package.  I agree that Howard is someone they probably don’t intend to move but never say never.  If there’s a player with team control available that they think is a difference-maker, I don’t think any of their youngsters are truly off the table.  As for Goncalves, he cleared waivers barely a month ago so that should tell you that his trade value is minimal at best.

I know there’s a lot of speculation out there about Tuch but the bulk of the reporting all says the same thing – teams are calling about him but the Sabres are giving no indication that they have any interest in moving him.  Knowing that, if a team wants him, the price is going to be extremely high.  And in Tampa Bay’s case, adding a top-line scorer isn’t necessarily the most realistic priority for them.

letsgonats: Is there a playoff team that would NOT want Alex Tuch?

I kind of touched on this above but I’d imagine all 16 playoff teams would at least try to make a compelling offer with some knowing their chances of landing him would be quite slim.  I also think several non-playoff teams would at least kick the tires on his services in the hopes that they might be able to convince him to sign a contract extension, something that can be done as early as July 1st.  With Tuch growing up relatively close to Buffalo, I think the Sabres will also be planning on taking a run at signing him to a long-term extension as well.  If he was actually made available, he might be the most sought-after player in these next couple of weeks.

Read more

Trade Deadline Primer: Utah Hockey Club

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

With the 4 Nations Face-Off now complete, the trade deadline looms large and is just a few weeks away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the Utah Hockey Club.

The Utah Hockey Club find themselves in an awkward spot with the Trade Deadline approaching. They’ve posted a perfectly .500 season – just good enough to stay within grasp of the Western Conference Wild Cards but not good enough to be planning for travel come May. Adding to the confusion is the return of Sean Durzi from an October injury. Durzi played in four games as a top-pair defenseman before falling to injury, and his return stands as a substantial, free addition to the Utah lineup at the perfect time. With the deadline just around the corner, Utah will need to quickly gauge where their lineup sits – with Durzi’s return, Clayton Keller’s top scoring, and Logan Cooley’s injury all complicating the matter.

Record

24-24-9, 5th in the Central Division

Deadline Status

Tepid Buyers

Deadline Cap Space

$27.07MM on deadline day, 1/3 retention spots used, 47/50 contract spots used, per PuckPedia.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2025: UTA 1st, UTA 2nd, UTA 3rd, UTA 4th, UTA 5th, UTA 6th
2026: UTA 1st, UTA 2nd, OTT 2nd, NYR 2nd, UTA 3rd, CAR 3rd, UTA 4th, UTA 5th, UTA 6th, UTA 7th

Trade Chips

On the heels of an up-and-down year, the Trade Deadline will be Utah’s chance to stake their claim. Are they a hopeful on the fringe of the playoffs, led by a clear top-scorer and strong goaltending? Or are they an up-and-comer, driven by succeeding top prospects and emerging structure? Their fate certainly seems in the latter camp, but Utah seems too close to the Western Conference wild cards – six points out, with one game lost – to take a full stride towards the future. The 26-year-old Clayton Keller – who leads the team with 61 points – or the 28-year-old Nick Schmaltz – right behind him with 48 – may be at their peak sale value this year. But much of the Utah success has been built around those veterans, and would leave major lineup holes by shipping them out.

That likely leaves Utah’s biggest bargaining chips in their lineup depth. Undersized winger Matias Maccelli has fallen to just 18 points in 52 games this season, after posting a career-high 40 assists and 57 points last year. He has been healthy scratched at multiple points this season, including in Utah’s first game back from the 4-Nations Face-Off break. That’s a dismal fall from grace for a player that averaged north of 16 minutes of ice time last season – and could be the signs of a looming separation. Maccelli is still only 24 years old, and proved the extent of his playmaking upside with 78 assists in 146 games between 2022 and 2024 – his first two full seasons in the NHL. This down year seems to be more a fluke, or clash of minds, than it is indicative of any decline – and a young scorer will always be a hot commodity on the open market. Even better, Maccelli carries a comfortable $3.43MM cap hit through the end of next season. Utah could be in store for plenty of attention by gauging Maccelli’s price on the open market.

Utah has also built up a small surplus in net. Connor Ingram started the year in the starter’s net, but lost it to Karel Vejmelka during a two-month absence to injury. Vejmelka now sits with a .909 save percentage, 2.57 goals-against-average, and a 13-15-4 record on the year. That’s a clear step up over Ingram’s .882 Sv%, 3.27 GAA, and 9-8-4 record. Utah also received a strong four games from Jaxson Stauber, who posted a 2-1-1 record and .925 Sv% during Ingram’s absence. Stauber also has an 8-5-1 record and .901 Sv% in 14 AHL games, where he backs up Matthew Villalta’s 12-17-3 record and .904 Sv%. That heap of well-performing netminders could land Ingram on the outside looking in.

Ingram posted a .907 in each of the last two seasons, playing in 27 and 50 games respectively. He’s a long-tenured pro who has worked his way into a cushy platoon role with Utah. Even better, Ingram carries an affordable $1.95MM cap hit through the end of next season. Those facts will keep Ingram an affordable depth option an open market with very few goalies.

If not Maccelli or Ingram, the sight of Utah’s trades will quickly turn towards their veterans. Each of Lawson Crouse, Alexander Kerfoot, and Nick Bjugstad have found reasonable footing in the Utah lineup, and could be cheap bets for deadline buyers looking for a specific style. Juuso Valimaki and Nick DeSimone offer similar low-upside but reliable styles on the back-end, though they likely couldn’t command the same asking price as other positions. That short list of bargaining pieces may set Utah up for a quiet spring, but strategic use of their 2026 draft picks could still make for notable additions.

Team Needs

1) Spark Plugs – Utah is coming into their own this season through the success of their young stars. Dylan Guenther and Logan Cooley are both rivaling point-per-game scoring, while Josh Doan and Artyom Duda are rising through the minor ranks. It’s clear to see the core pieces that Utah’s future will be built around – meaning they can turn their attention towards finding exciting complementary pieces. A winger that can bring added finesse and finishing ability to Cooley’s side, or a heavy passer to set up Guenther, could go far towards solidifying Utah’s next steps. Anaheim Ducks winger Trevor Zegras stands as the beacon of high-skill upside bets at this year’s deadline, but his asking price could quickly run Utah’s wallet dry. A more realistic bet may be aging Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser, who has long been rumored to move and could carry a cheap asking price in the midst of a down year. Boeser has just 35 points this season, less than half of the 73 points he posted last year – helped along by his first 40-goal season. At 27, he may be a bit old for Utah’s young core – but for the right acquisition cost, Boeser could also be the big splash this year that ripples out through the next few seasons. Boeser carries a $6.65MM cap hit and a modified no-trade clause through the end of this season.

2) Younger Depth – For a team built around up-and-coming youngsters, finding the middle ground between youth and impact in the depths is incredibly important. Utah won’t be able to sustain their reliance on Bjugstad or Crouse to play the hard minutes. They need to cycle out their aged vets for a core that can better support the likes of Cooley and Guenther in the years to come. The open market could offer plenty of players that fit that mold, including shoot-first winger Nicholas Robertson in Toronto and heavy-hitter Trent Frederic in Boston. Even acquiring a player closer to their prime, like Boston’s Justin Brazeau or Columbus’ Mathieu Olivier, could stabilize a Utah bottom-six comprised largely of 30-year-olds. There will be a lot of options Utah can push in to build up their bottom pieces – but doing so without paying lavishly will have to be the priority.

Trade Deadline Primer: Toronto Maple Leafs

at CDT | by 8 Comments

With the 4 Nations Face-Off now complete, the trade deadline looms large and is just a few weeks away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The 2024-25 campaign marks the ninth year in a row the Maple Leafs are vying for a Stanley Cup championship since their competitive window re-opened in 2016-17. Toronto is in the 58th year of their Stanley Cup drought and they’ll have as good an opportunity as any to break that this season. Although it’s still the most competitive division in the NHL, the Eastern Conference feels more open than in years past which should motivate the Maple Leafs to be aggressive at this year’s deadline.

Record

33-20-2, 2nd in the Atlantic Division

Deadline Status

Buyers

Deadline Cap Space

$2.201MM on deadline day + $3.570MM LTIR pool, 0/3 retention spots used, 48/50 contract spots used, per PuckPedia.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2025: FLA 2nd, EDM 3rd, TOR 5th, TOR 6th, TOR 7th
2026: TOR 1st, TOR 3rd, TOR 5th, SJ 6th

Trade Chips

This is where things get interesting for Toronto. The only draft pick worth meaningful value is their 2026 first-round pick but recent history may dissuade them from moving it. The Maple Leafs traded a boatload of first-round picks during the Kyle Dubas administration with only one Round Two appearance in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Toronto was again engaged in some of the market’s top names last season but ultimately played around the edges. The Maple Leafs acquired Joel Edmundson, Ilya Lyubushkin, and Connor Dewar near last year’s deadline. The highest-valued asset general manager Brad Treliving parted with is a 2024 third-round pick and a 2025 third-round pick.

The Maple Leafs have legitimate prospects such as Fraser Minten, Easton Cowan, and Ben Danford with whom they could part ways to land an impact player. Although Treliving didn’t appear interested in moving big-name prospects in his first year at the helm of the Maple Leafs, he’s no stranger to big moves. During his time as general manager of the Calgary Flames, Treliving brought in the likes of Jonathan Huberdeau, Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin, and Nikita Zadorov via trade. If Treliving warms to moving a first-round pick or top prospect, Toronto has the pieces to put themselves in a good spot for the deadline.

Team Needs

1)  Third-Line Center: Assuming Auston Matthews and John Tavares remain healthy the rest of the way, the Maple Leafs would have difficulty improving their top-six centers. Still, Max Domi’s 46.9% success rate in the faceoff dot hasn’t done much to inspire confidence in his abilities down the middle. Toronto could move Domi to the left wing alongside Tavares and William Nylander on the second if they acquire an above-average third-line center at the deadline. This strategy rests on what they’re willing to move. The Maple Leafs have plenty of options such as Ryan O’Reilly, Brock Nelson, Brayden Schenn, Jake Evans, and Scott Laughton but it’ll ultimately depend on how aggressive they’re willing to be.

2)  Top-Four Right-Handed Defenseman: Potentially a more pressing need is Toronto’s lack of options on the right side of their defense in the top four. Chris Tanev has been exactly what they’ve needed him to be but the only right-handed options behind him are Conor Timmins and Philippe Myers. No offense to that duo but neither are expected to strike fear in opposing teams come postseason play. Again, the solution depends on the pieces the Maple Leafs put in play. Toronto should be involved in the markets for Colton Parayko, David Savard, or Rasmus Ristolainen, with any of the three being realistic additions.

Images courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Montreal Canadiens

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Navigating the salary cap is one of the most important tasks for a front office.  Teams that can avoid total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful.  Those that don’t often see struggles and front office changes.

PHR is looking at every NHL team and giving a thorough look at their cap situation for the 2024-25 season.  This will focus more on players who are regulars on the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL.  All cap figures are courtesy of PuckPedia.  We’re currently covering the Atlantic Division, next up is the Canadiens.

Montreal Canadiens

Current Cap Hit: $90,661,575 (over the $88MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

G Jakub Dobes (one year, $925K)
D Kaiden Guhle (one year, $863.3K)
F Emil Heineman (one year, $897.5K)
D Lane Hutson (two years, $950K)
F Juraj Slafkovsky (one year, $950K)
D Jayden Struble (one year, $867.5K)

Potential Bonuses
Guhle: $420K
Hutson: $750K
Slafkovsky: $3.5MM
Struble: $57.5K
Total: $4.7275MM

Slafkovsky has already signed an extension so we’ll just look at the bonuses here.  The $2.5MM in ‘B’ bonuses aren’t going to happen but he also has four ‘A’ bonuses worth $250K apiece.  He’s on his way to getting one for ATOI while another for assists is within reach.  Heineman is in his first full NHL season and was off to a good start before being struck by a car while in Utah.  With limited experience (less than 50 games thus far), it’s hard to see him landing a long-term deal.  Instead, a two-year bridge deal around the $1.5MM to $1.75MM range might be where his next contract lands.

Hutson has been quite impressive in his freshman year, leading all rookies in scoring, making him a Calder Trophy contender in the process.  He’s tracking to hit his three ‘A’ bonuses; he already has reached ones for assists and points while ATOI is all but a lock at this point as well.  Meanwhile, he seems like a strong candidate to be the next Montreal youngster to bypass a short-term second deal in favor of a long-term pact.  In recent years, the team has effectively operated within an internal cap, trying to keep all contracts below that of their captain.  However, with the big jumps coming to the Upper Limit, that might be harder to do with Hutson who could be heading for something in the $8.5MM range unless the Canadiens opt for less than a max-term contract.

Like Slafkovsky, Guhle has already signed his next contract so we’ll only look at the bonuses here.  He’s on pace to hit both of his ‘A’ bonuses with ATOI and plus/minus although if his recent injury keeps him out for the rest of the season, he could get passed for the latter.  Struble, meanwhile, has been the seventh defender for most of the year but is no longer waiver-exempt, leading to a less-than-optimal situation.  With the limited usage, a bridge deal is all but a certainty; whether it’s a one or two-year pact is the only question.  A one-year might check in around the $1MM mark while a two-year agreement could be closer to $1.3MM.  Meanwhile, his bonuses are games played-based so while he won’t max out on those, he could still get a bit of that.  At the moment, Montreal is tracking toward having at least $1.42MM in reached bonuses, a number that would be charged against next year’s cap unless they can get out of LTIR and bank that much in cap room by the end of the season.

Dobes took over as Montreal’s backup goaltender after the holiday break and impressed early on before struggling in recent weeks.  If the Canadiens are prepared to commit to him as the full-time backup, his bridge deal could check in around $1.25MM but a one-year pact worth closer to his $874K qualifying offer could also happen if they envision him being back in the minors next season.

Signed Through 2024-25, Non-Entry-Level

F Joel Armia ($3.4MM, UFA)
F Christian Dvorak ($4.45MM, UFA)
F Jake Evans ($1.7MM, UFA)
F Michael Pezzetta ($812.5K, UFA)
G Cayden Primeau ($890K, RFA)
D David Savard ($3.5MM, UFA)

Dvorak was acquired to be an impactful center, being acquired less than an hour after the team declined to match Carolina’s offer sheet for Jesperi Kotkaniemi.  However, his role has become more and more limited as has his offensive production.  He’ll still generate interest on the open market this summer but it’ll be as a bottom-six faceoff specialist, putting his possible price tag around half of what it is now.  Armia cleared waivers last year but has rebuilt some of his value since then as a double-digit scorer and penalty killer.  Matching this money might be tough to do but he could still get a multi-year deal somewhere close to that price point.

Evans, on the other hand, has seen his market value go up considerably this season.  He’s the most-used forward on the penalty kill in the NHL this season while he’s on the verge of setting new career highs offensively and should surpass the 30-point mark.  Given the high demand for centers, doubling this price tag is very realistic, if not a bit more.  Pezzetta, meanwhile, has been a frequent healthy scratch this year and played very limited minutes when he has played.  It’s hard to see him landing a raise; a drop to the league minimum seems more likely.

Savard has seen his playing time drop considerably this year as he has become more of a third-pairing option at five-on-five.  While he’ll still generate interest as a veteran who can kill penalties and provide some edge, it would be surprising to see him get this much on the open market this summer.  A two-year deal could still be doable, however, but it’s more likely to start with a two.

Primeau started the season as Montreal’s backup but lost the job at the holiday break.  However, he has played quite well in the minors since then and could get another look with the Canadiens over the next couple of months.  Owed a $1.068MM qualifying offer, he’s probably heading for non-tender territory unless the two sides can agree on a new deal before the end of June.

Signed Through 2025-26

F Kirby Dach ($3.363MM, RFA)
F Patrik Laine ($8.7MM, UFA)
D Mike Matheson ($4.875MM, UFA)
G Carey Price ($10.5MM, UFA)
D Arber Xhekaj ($1.3MM, RFA)

Columbus had to part with a second-rounder to offload Laine’s contract in full to Montreal (while receiving depth defender Jordan Harris in return).  He has been quite streaky in limited action since returning from a knee injury and certainly hasn’t rebuilt his value to the point where it could be suggested that he’s in line for an extension anywhere near this cost.  There’s a lot riding on how things go next year to see what type of contract he could realistically command.  Dach missed almost all of last season due to injury and hasn’t been able to show much this year.  Notably, he’ll be owed a $4MM qualifying offer with arbitration rights in the 2026 offseason but right now, his play likely doesn’t warrant that cost.  It wouldn’t be shocking if the two sides ultimately work out a short-term agreement before then, buying some more evaluation time.

Matheson had a breakout year last season, finishing in the top ten in scoring among all NHL defensemen.  Had that continued, he could have been eyeing a long-term deal with a raise of several million per year.  That hasn’t been the case, however, and with Hutson in the fold, Matheson’s offensive opportunities have dried up to a point.  Even so, he could plausibly command in the $7MM range on the open market in 2026.  Xhekaj took a bridge contract after having a limited role in his first couple of NHL seasons.  Not much has changed on that front so another shorter-term agreement appears likely at this point, one that should push past $2MM with arbitration rights.

Price hasn’t played since 2022 when he suited up five times down the stretch of that season and isn’t expected to play again.  Since then, he has been on LTIR.  Notably, his base salary for 2025-26 is just $2MM (with insurance covering a big part of that) so after his $5.5MM signing bonus is paid on July 1st this summer, it’s possible he’s flipped with another asset to a team with plenty of cap room to allow the Canadiens to exit LTIR.

Signed Through 2026-27

F Josh Anderson ($5.5MM, UFA)
D Alexandre Carrier ($3.75MM, UFA)
F Brendan Gallagher ($6.5MM, UFA)
G Sam Montembeault ($3.15MM, UFA)
F Alex Newhook ($2.9MM, RFA)

Gallagher has been a regular in Montreal’s lineup for 13 years now but his production and role have taken a dip the last few seasons.  While he was a 30-goal scorer a couple of times, his output is closer to 30 points now which is far from a good return on their investment.  If the Canadiens decide they need some extra cap room, he could be a buyout candidate.  Anderson is also underperforming relative to his contract.  He has become more of a checker this season compared to the past and has held his own in that role.  Still, someone in that role should be making a couple million less at least although his size and physicality will give him a stronger market in 2027.

Newhook had a good first season with Montreal, setting a new benchmark in points despite missing 27 games due to injury.  But things haven’t gone quite as well this season with his output cut in half.  Notably, unlike Dach, Newhook’s qualifying offer checks in at just $2.1MM (with arbitration rights) so even if his struggles continue for the next couple of years, it won’t be too risky to tender him in 2027.

Carrier was acquired earlier this season for Justin Barron with Montreal deciding that another veteran on the back end was needed.  He has fared better since the swap and has locked down a spot in their top four.  He likely would have ended up with a deal like this had he tested the market and not re-signed with Nashville last summer but barring an uptick in production, his next deal shouldn’t cost too much more than this.

Montembeault has come a long way from being a short-term waiver claim to cover until Price returns, moving from a backup role to a platoon piece to now Montreal’s starter.  He’s in that role while being at the price point of a platoon player.  His numbers have largely been mediocre but playing behind an inexperienced back end probably hasn’t helped.  Over the course of this deal, he needs to show if he can be a true number one.  Otherwise, he’s likely to stay closer to this price tag on his next contract.

Read more

Trade Deadline Primer: Tampa Bay Lightning

at CDT | by 5 Comments

With the 4 Nations Face-Off now complete, the trade deadline looms large and is just a few weeks away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

After a significant roster overhaul last offseason, the Tampa Bay Lightning are chasing their fourth Stanley Cup Final appearance in six years. Whether they reclaim the Atlantic Division title or settle for the Eastern Conference’s top wild-card spot, they are poised for a tough first-round matchup against the Florida Panthers or Toronto Maple Leafs. Both teams have eliminated Tampa Bay in consecutive postseasons, fueling the Lightning’s quest to reassert their dominance in the league’s most competitive division.

Record

31-20-4, 3rd in the Atlantic Division

Deadline Status

Buyers

Deadline Cap Space

$6.122MM on deadline day, 0/3 retention spots used, 43/50 contract spots used, per PuckPedia.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2025: LA 2nd, TOR 2nd, EDM 4th, TB 4th, TB 5th, TB 6th, MIN 7th, SJ 7th, TB 7th, UTA 7th
2026: TB 1st, TB 2nd, TB 3rd, TB 4th, TB 5th, TB 6th, TB 7th

Trade Chips

What Tampa Bay lacks in draft capital quality, they make up for in quantity. The Lightning won’t have their 2025 first-round pick thanks to the Tanner Jeannot trade with the Nashville Predators a few years ago and the two second-round picks they have are expected to fall in the back half of the round. Still, having 17 draft selections over two years is enough to add a few sweeteners to proposed deals while retaining their ability to boost their organizational depth.

Tampa Bay’s prospect depth may be enough to stave off dealing roster players. Although he was recently reassigned to their AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, it’s highly unlikely the Lightning will include forward Conor Geekie in any trade negotiations during deadline season. However, there are a few more forward prospects they could move.

One year after being a point-per-game player with the NCAA’s Michigan State University Spartans, Isaac Howard is going for the Hobey Baker Award. The former 31st overall pick of the 2022 NHL Draft has scored 22 goals and 43 points in 30 games for the Spartans this season good for second in points among college players. Given his exceptional play in East Lansing, Howard would be a commanding centerpiece if the Lightning go big-game hunting.

Other prospects include Ethan Gauthier, Dylan Duke, and Niko Huuhtanen for various reasons. There’s a dramatic drop-off in quality beyond Huuhtanen but the former two offer appeal in varying ways. Gauthier was drafted with the first overall pick of the 2021 QMJHL Draft and has developed into an above-average playmaker for the Drummondville Voltigeurs. Duke is a high-motor forward who’s become an annoying pest in front of the net although he’s undersized for his playstyle.

Given their team needs, the Lightning will likely keep all five of their top prospects. Still, each of Tampa Bay’s core forwards (aside from Nikita Kucherov) is signed beyond the 2027-28 season, making the Lightning well-positioned to mortgage their future on offense for more immediate needs.

Team Needs

1)  Bottom-Six Forwards: Although the Lightning should already be considered one of the few true Stanley Cup contenders, they still need a few bottom-six forwards. The combination of Michael Eyssimont, Cam Atkinson, Gage Goncalves, Luke Glendening, and Zemgus Girgensons has averaged approximately two goals and six points in 46 games with a -3 rating. The easiest pathway for Tampa Bay to improve this area of their roster is by contacting the Seattle Kraken. If the Kraken retained 50% of both players’ salaries, the Lightning could afford forwards Brandon Tanev and Yanni Gourde at the deadline. Gourde is familiar with the organization and should come off the LTIR near the end of March. Tanev is another defensive-minded forward who would add explosive speed to Tampa Bay’s bottom six.

2)  A Backup Goaltender: The Lightning could also use a more capable backup netminder. Jonas Johansson has been less than average in his role, earning a .890 save percentage and a 3.33 goals-against average in 39 games for Tampa Bay. Thankfully, the Lightning have one of the world’s best goaltenders in Andrei Vasilevskiy who can play between 55 and 60 games of the regular season. Still, when recovering from back surgery at the beginning of last season, Tampa Bay went 9-6-5 without Vasilevskiy before going 36-23-3 upon his return. Either Alexandar Georgiev or Vitek Vanecek of the San Jose Sharks would be affordable backup options for the rest of the season as injury insurance for Vasilevskiy.

Images courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Trade Deadline Primer: St. Louis Blues

at CDT | by 7 Comments

With the 4 Nations Face-Off now complete, the trade deadline looms large and is just a few weeks away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the St. Louis Blues.

The St. Louis Blues find themselves in a similar position to the last two seasons. They aren’t good enough to make the playoffs, but they are too good to bottom out and collect a top draft pick. It’s a position not unlike the one the Pittsburgh Penguins find themselves in. Both teams are recent Stanley Cup Champions that haven’t moved into a full rebuild yet. St. Louis is currently eight points out of a playoff spot and would need to leapfrog three teams to land the eighth seed in the Western Conference. Given their position in the West, it’s fair to assume that they will be looking toward the future at this year’s NHL Trade Deadline.

Record

25-26-5, 6th in the Central Division

Deadline Status

Sellers

Deadline Cap Space

$6.025MM on deadline day, 0/3 retention spots used, 45/50 contract spots used, per PuckPedia.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2025: STL 1st, STL 5th, STL 6th
2026: STL 1st, STL 3rd, STL 4th, STL 5th, PIT 5th, NYI 5th, STL 6th, STL 7th

Trade Chips

St. Louis doesn’t have many pending unrestricted free agents of note but will try to move the handful they do have.

Veteran defenseman Ryan Suter could be traded to a team looking for a depth defenseman, but wouldn’t fetch much of a return at this point. The 40-year-old is a shell of the player he once was, but for a team looking for a veteran presence on the backend, they could do worse. Suter has remained healthy for almost all of his late 30s, and while he isn’t the minute eater he used to be, he could certainly fill the role of a seventh defenseman.

Forward Radek Faksa is another name the Blues could look to ship out. The 31-year-old would bring a strong defensive presence to any acquiring team but wouldn’t provide much in the way of offense. He does have a modified five-team no-trade clause, but it’s hard to see that being an issue at this point. Faksa is a free agent on July 1st and with a $3.25MM cap hit, he should be moveable if St. Louis is willing to retain. Trading Faksa won’t recoup all the draft pick capital St. Louis has moved away this year, but it should allow them to bring in a mid-round pick. Faksa has just three goals and seven assists in 44 games this season, but he has garnered Selke Trophy consideration in four of the last seven seasons.

Outside of Suter and Faksa, the Blues don’t have any remaining UFAs but do have some veterans with term left on their contracts who could be moved. Brayden Schenn’s name has popped up in trade rumors for weeks now, and given his resume it’s no surprise that there has been interest in the 33-year-old forward. There is no doubt that there has been a regression in Schenn’s game the past two seasons and with three more years at $6.5MM per season his market at the deadline will be limited. There is also the concern that Schenn’s defensive game has fallen off, which could scare off some teams who view him as more of a third-line option. St. Louis might wait until the summer to move Schenn if they don’t find an offer to their liking but given that it is a seller’s market right now, they could be able to convince a desperate team to overpay in the next two weeks.

St. Louis has some other veterans on expensive long-term deals who have underperformed the past few seasons, which could make significant moves difficult. Pavel Buchnevich and Jordan Kyrou have both had their names mentioned as potential trade candidates and the Blues would probably be more than happy to move on from some of their veteran defensemen as well but will likely be handcuffed by varying trade protections. Nick Leddy, Colton Parayko, Justin Faulk and Cam Fowler all make north of $4MM per season and have at least one year left on their current contracts. Couple that with the no-trade clauses and the Blues are in tough to make substantial changes if that is the direction they want to go.

Team Needs

1) Offensive Forwards – St. Louis has top forwards who can score (Kyrou, Buchnevich, and Robert Thomas). However, their depth scoring has been a huge issue this season (25th in the NHL in goals). If the Blues elect to retool this summer, getting offensive depth forwards should be at the top of their shopping list. St. Louis has not received much offense from their bottom six forwards, and it has allowed teams to focus more attention on the top six and prohibit them from scoring at their usual rates. Buchnevich, Kyrou and Thomas are all having down years and insulating them with more depth might force teams to divide their attention more when defending the Blues’ best forwards. At the very least, more offensive options should provide some help to the top six by taking the pressure off of them to chase the game when the Blues find themselves behind on the scoreboard.

2) Young Defensemen– The Blues backend is one of the oldest in the NHL, with just two defensemen under the age of 31. Philip Broberg looks like he should be a top-four defenseman for St. Louis, but outside of him, their top prospects Adam Jiricek, Theo Lindstein and Lukas Fischer are still probably two or more years away from making an NHL impact. The direction the Blues decide to go in will ultimately determine the urgency with which they will try to find young defensemen, but it is very clear at this stage that the team needs to get younger. The Blues aren’t a bad defensive team (20th in the NHL), but having a more mobile unit will help the forwards get the puck in more advantageous positions and open them up to focus more on the offensive side of the game.

Images courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Trade Deadline Primer: Seattle Kraken

at CDT | by 3 Comments

With the 4 Nations Face-Off break approaching, the trade deadline looms large and is about a month away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the Seattle Kraken.

The Seattle Kraken season has been far from ideal. They find themselves near the bottom of the division with little time to fix it. With an average age above 28 years old and menial draft capital, Seattle seems perfectly set up for a fire sale of their aging veterans. They offer value from the top to the bottom of the lineup, with a wide variety of roles and price tags attached. A strategic Trade Deadline could help the Kraken lean into their burgeoning top prospects and build a lineup that can be competitive for years to come.

Record

24-29-4, 7th in the Pacific Division

Deadline Status

Sellers

Deadline Cap Space

$4.65MM on deadline day, 0/3 retention spots used, 46/50 contract spots used, per PuckPedia.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2025: SEA 1st, SEA 2nd, SEA 4th, DAL 4th, SEA 5th, SEA 7th
2026: SEA 1st, SEA 2nd, SEA 3rd, ANA 4th, SEA 4th, SEA 5th, SEA 6th, SEA 7th

Trade Chips

They have an absolute wealth of forward talent rumored to be on their chopping block, headlined by leading scorer Jared McCann. McCann has posted 14 goals and 42 points in 57 games this year, putting him on pace for 20 goals and 60 points through a full 82 games. That’d be a small step down from the 29 goals and 62 points he scored last year, but McCann’s role with the Kraken has only increased. His average ice time is up to 17:28 this season, the highest its been in his four years in Seattle. That includes the mere 16:20 he averaged while posting 40 goals and 70 points, both career-highs, in 79 games of the 2022-23 campaign. McCann has come into his own since Seattle selected him in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. He’s averaged 28 goals and 56 points a season in four years with the Kraken – a 17-goal and 30-point improvement over what he averaged in his first six NHL seasons.

Prying that caliber of player away from a low-scoring Kraken offense will take some convincing, especially given McCann’s incredibly affordable $5MM cap hit and 10-team no-trade clause. He could be a high-upside bet for a team with a role in mind, though McCann’s mere three points in eight games of Seattle’s 2023 playoff run might make a high price too rich for playoff hopefuls.

Should that be the case, the Kraken will have plenty of middling forwards to offer instead. Yanni Gourde has been at the top of trade rumors for much of his time in Seattle. He offers diligent, two-way reliability – backed by 16 points and 36 penalty minutes in just 35 games this season. Gourde also won a pair of Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 21. He contributed 21 points in 48 games from Tampa Bay’s middle-six over the two postseason runs. Gourde was also an expansion draft pick and he stayed consistent through his first two years in Seattle – netting 48 points both seasons. Those numbers have fallen a bit since – with 33 points last year and a 38-point pace this year – but Gourde has nonetheless stayed a popular depth option.

But for all of his hard-nosed drive, Gourde’s five-foot-nine frame may not be as physical as a playoff team would like. Luckily, Seattle parallels their feisty, undersized center with bulky and gritty winger Brandon Tanev. Tanev is one of just three Kraken forwards with over 100 hits this season – with 114 hits in 55 games. He’s added 17 points, a poised eight penalty minutes, and a minus-11 to his stat-line – holding true to his role of third-line bruiser. Tanev is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, carrying a modest $3.5MM cap hit until then. That could make him a cheap rental option for playoff teams looking for more heft, with little detriment to the Seattle lineup.

Seattle’s ability to match the buyer’s need drags on. Fast-paced left-winger Jaden Schwartz and scoring right-winger Oliver Bjorkstrand are both past their prime, and likely wouldn’t carry a tremendous acquisition cost. Among the defense, Josh Mahura seems the most expendable. He’s the cheapest of the bunch with a league-minimum, $775K cap hit – and has just six assists in 45 games this season. But Mahura has added a plus-six and 58 hits – creating a moldable style for teams in need of more depth. For those looking for a more true lineup piece, the Kraken could also expend 32-year-old Jamie Oleksiak, who plays hard minutes on Seattle’s second pair but has 13 points and a minus-seven on the year. Moving either defender would give Seattle more room to lean on promising youngster Ryker Evans on the left-side, or recall hefty, right-shot prospect Ty Nelson from the minor leagues.

Team Needs

1) Young Defensemen – The Kraken have build a prospect pool worth admiring on offense. They’re led by Shane Wright, Jagger Firkus, Jani Nyman, and Logan Morrison – who all look capable of contributing to the top flight for years to come. But their defensive depth isn’t nearly as fleshed out. Nelson leads the bunch, and has managed an encouraging 21 points in 50 AHL games. But the trio of Caden Price, Lukas Dragicevic, and Ville Ottovainen haven’t inspired much behind Nelson – leaving questions as to how Seattle can build around Evans. Bringing in another top, young, left-handed defender would be a great start. The Kraken certainly have the assets to shoot for the moon by acquiring top Buffalo Sabres defender Bowen Byram, who’s managed 29 points and a plus-nine in 54 games next to Sabres star Rasmus Dahlin. Byram has had his lulls, but he’s also 23-years-old with five years of partial NHL experience and one Stanley Cup to his name – rare esteem to find on the open market.

Should a proven NHLer be too rich of a price to pay, Seattle could try to convince a fringe playoff team to part with a top defense prospect in exchange for their solidifying lineup piece. The Columbus Blue Jackets are well within grasp of the second Eastern Conference wild card, and could part with the well-rounded Stanislav Svozil without jeporadizing the future of their blue-line. Svozil has 24 points in 43 AHL games this season – his second pro season.

2) Young, Middle-Six Forwards – The Kraken are in a great Deadline position because of their overabundance of forward talent – but many of their options are in or past their prime. With a dismal record on the year, it’s clear Seattle’s positives lie in the future. Top prospects will soon be coming up, and finding the right role players to support them could go far in returning the Kraken to the postseason sooner rather than later. They may be able to sway the New York Rangers to part with an effective youngster like William Cuylle in the name of a playoff upgrade. Or perhaps expendable Toronto Maple Leafs winger Nicholas Robertson could find his scoring groove in the same slow, shoot-first style that’s supported Bjorkstrand. Both options likely wouldn’t come at a major price, especially for a Kraken team with the roster spots and draft picks to make an addition.

Images courtesy of USA Today Sports.

List Of NHL-Affiliated Prospects In The Western Hockey League

at CDT | by 2 Comments

The Canadian Hockey League trade deadlines are in the rearview mirror. That makes it a good time to take stock of where NHL teams have their prospect pool skating ahead of the big league deadline. We’re taking a look at how many prospects each team has in the world’s top junior association, moving onto the Western Hockey League. You can find the list of Ontario Hockey League players and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League players here.

Anaheim Ducks

D Vojtech Port (Lethbridge Hurricanes)
D Tarin Smith (Everett Silvertips)

Buffalo Sabres

G Scott Ratzlaff (Seattle Thunderbirds)

Calgary Flames

F Andrew Basha (Medicine Hat Tigers)
D Axel Hurtig (Calgary Hitmen)
D Eric Jamieson (Everett Silvertips)
F Hunter Laing (Saskatoon Blades)
F Jaden Lipinski (Vancouver Giants)

Colorado Avalanche

F Maxmilian Curran (Tri-City Americans)
D Saige Weinstein (Spokane Chiefs)

Columbus Blue Jackets

D Charlie Elick (Tri-City Americans)
G Evan Gardner (Saskatoon Blades)
F Cayden Lindstrom (Medicine Hat Tigers)

Dallas Stars

D Niilopekka Muhonen (Medicine Hat Tigers)

Detroit Red Wings

F Emmett Finnie (Kamloops Blazers)

Florida Panthers

F Gracyn Sawchyn (Edmonton Oil Kings)
F Hunter St. Martin (Medicine Hat Tigers)

Los Angeles Kings

F Koehn Ziemmer (Prince George Cougars)

Minnesota Wild

F Riley Heidt (Prince George Cougars)
D Kalem Parker (Calgary Hitmen)
F Ryder Ritchie (Medicine Hat Tigers)
G Chase Wutzke (Red Deer Rebels)

Montreal Canadiens

F Tyler Thorpe (Vancouver Giants)

Nashville Predators

F Hiroki Gojsic (Kelowna Rockets)
F Kalan Lind (Red Deer Rebels)
F Miguel Marques (Lethbridge Hurricanes)
D Tanner Molendyk (Medicine Hat Tigers)

New Jersey Devils

F Max Graham (Kelowna Rockets)

Ottawa Senators

D Carter Yakemchuk (Calgary Hitmen)

Philadelphia Flyers

G Carson Bjarnason (Brandon Wheat Kings)
D Carter Sotheran (Portland Winterhawks)

Pittsburgh Penguins

D Harrison Brunicke (Kamloops Blazers)
F Tanner Howe (Calgary Hitmen)

San Jose Sharks

D Nate Misskey (Victoria Royals)
D Colton Roberts (Vancouver Giants)
F Carson Wetsch (Calgary Hitmen)

Seattle Kraken

F Clarke Caswell (Swift Current Broncos)
F Berkly Catton (Spokane Chiefs)
D Lukas Dragicevic (Prince Albert Raiders)
D Kaden Hammell (Everett Silvertips)
F Ollie Josephson (Red Deer Rebels)
D Tyson Jugnauth (Portland Winterhawks)
F Julius Miettinen (Everett Silvertips)
D Caden Price (Lethbridge Hurricanes)

St. Louis Blues

F Adam Jecho (Edmonton Oil Kings)
D William McIsaac (Spokane Chiefs)
F Tomas Mrsic (Prince Albert Raiders)
F Jakub Stancl (Kelowna Rockets)

Tampa Bay Lightning

G Harrison Meneghin (Medicine Hat Tigers)

Toronto Maple Leafs

D Noah Chadwick (Lethbridge Hurricanes)
F Miroslav Holinka (Edmonton Oil Kings)
D Nathan Mayes (Spokane Chiefs)

Utah Hockey Club

D Terrell Goldsmith (Tri-City Americans)
F Tij Iginla (Kelowna Rockets)
D Justin Kipkie (Victoria Royals)
D Veeti Väisänen (Medicine Hat Tigers)

Vancouver Canucks

D Parker Alcos (Edmonton Oil Kings)
D Sawyer Mynio (Calgary Hitmen)

Vegas Golden Knights

F Jordan Gustafson (Lethbridge Hurricanes)
D Viliam Kmec (Prince George Cougars)

Washington Capitals

F Andrew Cristall (Spokane Chiefs)
F Terik Parascak (Prince George Cougars)

Winnipeg Jets

F Connor Levis (Vancouver Giants)
F Markus Loponen (Victoria Royals)
F Brayden Yager (Lethbridge Hurricanes)

Trade Deadline Primer: San Jose Sharks

at CDT | by 6 Comments

With the 4 Nations Face-Off break now almost over, the trade deadline looms large and is less than three weeks away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the San Jose Sharks.

San Jose remains deep in a rebuild and is currently dead last in the NHL in points. As you would expect, they have already begun their trade deadline sell-off by moving out the likes of Mikael Granlund, Cody Ceci, and Mackenzie Blackwood. The Sharks are unlikely to make any big moves heading into the deadline since they’ve moved on from their more notable UFAs, though they do have a few depth pieces remaining on expiring contracts who could be of interest to buyers. One issue that could plague San Jose at the deadline is their inability to retain salary thanks to the trades of Brent Burns, Erik Karlsson and Tomas Hertl. However, Sharks’ general manager Mike Grier has shown an ability to get creative when he needs to and will likely do more of the same as he tries to maximize the assets he does have.

Record

15-35-7, 8th in the Pacific

Deadline Status

Seller

Deadline Cap Space

$32.86MM on deadline day, 3/3 retention slots used, 46/50 contracts used, per PuckPedia.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2025: SJS 1st, DAL 1st, SJS 2nd, COL 3rd, SJS 4th, WPG 4th, COL 5th, NJ 7th
2026: SJS 1st, SJS 2nd, COL 2nd, SJ 4th, SJS 7th,

Trade Chips

As mentioned, San Jose has been busy this year moving out some of their more desirable assets. However, they do have some remaining veterans on expiring deals who could help teams.

Luke Kunin is a depth center who has had poor possession numbers for much of his professional career. He is physical and can score in a fourth-line role, hitting double digits in goals five times in his career. The 27-year-old is overpaid at $2.75MM. However, the acquiring team would only need to fit him under the cap for the remainder of this season. Physical players are always in demand for the playoffs, so Kunin will likely find a new home before the deadline, though it’s unlikely that an acquiring team will give up more than a late-round draft pick. San Jose also can’t retain on any trades, so the team trading for Kunin would need to pick up the full freight of his contract.

Another depth forward the Sharks could dangle is Nico Sturm. The 29-year-old is also in the final year of his deal and is counting $2MM against the salary cap. Sturm is similar to Kunin in a lot of ways but is less physical, although he has a big body and probably has more utility. Sturm’s possession numbers aren’t terrible, and he does offer more of a two-way presence than Kunin. Sturm could thrive in a sheltered fourth-line role on a solid team but won’t break the bank for any team looking to acquire him. Much like Kunin, any team that does trade for Sturm will need to pick up the full tab on the remainder of his contract, which will limit suitors and the cost to acquire.

Jan Rutta was a salary dump by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Erik Karlsson trade and has struggled in San Jose. The 34-year-old is on pace to commit more turnovers this season than the past six years combined. Rutta was never the fleetest of foot, but he can thrive in a sheltered third pairing role with a mobile defensive partner. Rutta is a two-time Stanley Cup Champion with Tampa Bay and was good during those runs, but he did benefit greatly from playing with Victor Hedman. Rutta will have suitors because he is a right shot defenseman, but at $2.75MM for the rest of the season, it is hard to see teams giving up much more than a mid-round pick for him.

The final two trade chips that San Jose could dangle are goaltenders Vítek Vaněček and Alexandar Georgiev, both of whom are UFAs this summer. The difficulty with moving either man is that neither one is a starter at this point in their careers, and without retention, they would make for an expensive and possibly ineffective backup. Vaněček has posted a goals against north of 4.00 this season, and his goals saved above expected is -9.1, which is the seventh worst in the NHL. Georgiev has posted even worse numbers, tallying a goals saved above expected of -12.1, which is the second worst in the entire NHL (as per Money Puck).

Team Needs

1) Young Roster Players: The Sharks have the NHL’s best prospect pool, according to Scott Wheeler of The Athletic, and while they have an embarrassment of riches in the pipeline, they are going to need to start getting contributions at the NHL level sooner than later. The Sharks could be in line for another down year next season, and with that being said, the team will likely start to convert notable prospects and draft picks into roster players as they look to surround the young players already in the NHL with better talent. The Sharks can ill afford to leave their young NHL stars in a similar position to the one the Edmonton Oilers did with their top draft picks during the 2010s. Mike Grier has already started this process with the move for goaltender Yaroslav Askarov and could do so again as he pinpoints which part of the roster he is going to need to address.

2) Young Defensemen: The Sharks have some solid defensive prospects such as Luca Cagnoni, as well as highly touted prospect Sam Dickinson. They also have youngster Jack Thompson at the pro level, who looks promising, and Shakir Mukhamadullin, who has played in 13 games this season. Both Thompson and Mukhamadullin look like NHL defensemen, but it remains to be seen what their ceiling will be. The Sharks’ prospect cupboard is forward-heavy, and at some point, they will need to be sure that they have NHL-caliber defensemen to play with their skilled forward group. Finding a right shot defensemen is especially hard in the NHL, and Grier might opt to make his swings at it now rather than later when the cost could be higher. San Jose likely won’t rush to make this move before the deadline, but they will be taking a hard look at what their best course of action is going forward. Given that they have a deep prospect pool and good draft capital, they could jump-start their rebuild with some young defensemen who can elevate their forwards and make life easier for the goaltender of the future, Askarov.

Photo courtesy of Imagn Images.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

scroll to top