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Washington Capitals Re-Sign Jonas Siegenthaler

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The Washington Capitals have finally come to terms with their last unsigned restricted free agent, and a bargain rate no less. The team has announced that defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler has signed a one-year contract extension. The deal carries a mere $800K salary. Siegenthaler will be an RFA again at the conclusion of the 2020-21 season.

Siegenthaler, 22, just wrapped up his first full season in the NHL, skating in 64 games for the Capitals. Siegenthaler was impressive for a rookie defenseman, recording nine points and a +11 rating, leading all regular defenseman in defensive zone start percentage, and finishing just shy of the team lead in blocked shots with 105. For a player of his age, Siegenthaler looked like a very effective defensive player and a future top-four shutdown option. The Swiss product has never been one to score many points, but he makes up for his lack of offense with his reliability on the back end.

While defensive defenseman are some of the more difficult players to valuate, few would have guessed that Siegenthaler’s new AAV would come in under $1MM, nevertheless $800K. The young defenseman was simply too good defensively in his rookie season. However, the Capitals are in a difficult spot with the salary cap, currently above the upper limit, even accounting for Siegenthaler’s minimal deal, and still need at least one more forward added to that calculation. Washington was going to need to make a move regardless, but Siegenthaler settling for a low salary number this year will make for an easier salary dump. However, the trade-off for help in the present is cost in the future. If Siegenthaler even duplicates his rookie season, he will have that much more leverage next off-season when it comes to finally negotiating a long-term deal, not to mention salary arbitration eligibility. Siegenthaler took a team-friendly deal this year and will likely cash in next summer.

Pittsburgh Penguins Extend Sam Miletic

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have wrapped up their restricted free agent group. The team has announced that forward Sam Miletic has agreed to a new one-year contract. It is a two-way deal that carries the NHL minimum $700K salary. AHL terms were not disclosed. This signing leaves Pontus Aberg as the only unsigned RFA for Pittsburgh, but Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Matt Vensel notes that he plans to play in Europe this season.

Miletic, 23, is a former OHL standout whose game has more or less translated to the pros, at least through two AHL seasons. An undrafted prospect who earned a contract with Pittsburgh through his efforts at development camp, Miletic has gone on to record back-to-back seasons of more than 30 points. This has placed him among the leading scorers for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins both years and earned him an AHL All-Star nod this past year.

A hard-working forward with a decent amount of skill, Miletic projects as a third-line caliber player in the NHL, but may not get that opportunity this season. Although there is less certainty among the Penguins’ bottom-six than in years past, the starting jobs seem locked up at least to begin the year. Even if there was to be an opening, GM Jim Rutherford never hesitates to look for a trade first. If he does opt to promote from within, Miletic faces competition from Sam Lafferty, Jordy Bellerive, Anthony Angello, and veteran newcomers Frederick Gaudreau and Josh Currie to jump into an NHL role. However, if he can take a step forward in his AHL scoring, perhaps to lead WBS, then later this season or next year he will be more competitive.

New York Islanders To Re-Sign Parker Wotherspoon

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Parker Wotherspoon received a qualifying offer from the New York Islanders, but he’ll take a two-year extension with a decrease in NHL salary and an increase in AHL salary rather than accept a one-year raise. CapFriendly reports that the Islanders have come to terms on a new two-way deal with the young defenseman. Wotherspoon is set to make the minimum $700K at the NHL level this year and $750K in the NHL next year for an AAV of $725K. In the AHL, he will earn $100K ($125K total guaranteed) in 2020-21 and $125K ($185K total guaranteed) in 2021-22.

Wotherspoon, 23, is coming off his entry-level contract with three productive AHL seasons under his belt. In fact, the mobile defenseman’s point total has improved year over year. His 27 points in 2019-20 was good enough for fourth among all skaters for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. He also set a career high in penalty minutes as his 6’2″ frame has been put to good use with a more physical presence.

With the departure of Devon Toews and the possibility of more moves on the Islanders blue line, Wotherspoon’s odds of an NHL opportunity have improved, even if New York still has a deep group of defensemen. Given his consistent offense and pro size, Wotherspoon has earned a shot if he can get one. With five defensemen signed to one-way contracts, RFA Ryan Pulock expected to re-sign, and prospects Noah Dobson and Sebastian Aho likely ahead of him in the pecking order, Wotherspoon will need some luck for chances to open up, but once they do he could prove himself as an NHL-ready player.

 

Washington Capitals Re-Sign Shane Gersich

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The Washington Capitals are down to just one restricted free agent remaining after re-signing Shane Gersich to a one-year, two-way contract worth $700K at the NHL level. Gersich and Jonas Siegenthaler were the last two RFAs to get under contract, neither of whom have arbitration rights.

The 24-year-old Gersich has played just three games at the NHL level, all of which came at the end of the 2017-18 season after signing out of the University of North Dakota. The two following seasons have been spent entirely at the minor league level, where Gersich has 42 points in 120 regular season games.

A fifth-round pick in 2014, he shouldn’t be expected to become the next impact player for the Capitals but is a worthwhile minor league depth player to keep around. He’ll still be a restricted free agent next offseason, barely missing the age threshold for Group VI unrestricted free agency.

Free Agent Notes: Niku, Greene, Granlund, Jost

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It appears that Jets forward Jack Roslovic isn’t the only player that Winnipeg has made available in trade talks.  Murat Ates of The Athletic reports (subscription link) that that RFA defenseman Sami Niku is also being shopped around the league.  The 24-year-old has been dominant offensively in the past in the minors but that hasn’t resulted in much of a consistent NHL opportunity as of yet.

Last season, Niku played in 17 games with Winnipeg, recording five assists while averaging over 16 minutes a night.  However, the Jets often made him a healthy scratch as well.  He also got into 18 games with AHL Manitoba, picking up three goals and 11 helpers.  There is some intriguing upside with Niku but it’s also telling that he didn’t get more of an opportunity despite all of their injuries.  There should be some interest but given his limited chances so far, his inclusion in a package with Roslovic may not move the needle much.

Other free agent notes from around the NHL:

  • Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello told reporters, including NHL.com’s Brian Compton (Twitter link) that veteran there is a “strong chance” that veteran UFA defenseman Andy Greene will return. New York acquired the 37-year-old from New Jersey back in February but instead of using him as a top-four blueliner like he had been previously, Greene was deployed in more limited minutes.  After making $5MM per season for the last five years, it’s safe to suggest that he’ll be taking a significant pay cut to stick around.
  • UFA forward Mikael Granlund is in the process of trimming down his list, notes Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch (Twitter link). The 28-year-old had 30 points in 63 games with Nashville last season, the lowest full-year point total of his career.  He had 69 points in 2016-17 and followed it up with 67 a year later so the upside is certainly there which is why he was voted as the eighth-best UFA on our Top-50 list.  While he can play down the middle, Hedger notes that most suitors view him as a winger.
  • Colorado is working on a two-year bridge deal for RFA center Tyson Jost, relays Adrian Dater of Colorado Hockey Now (via Twitter). The Avalanche drafted the 22-year-old tenth overall in 2016 but he has yet to become a productive player in the NHL.  Jost had eight goals and 15 assists in 67 games last season and has been between 22 and 26 points in each of his three full NHL campaigns.  Between that and Colorado’s pending stars needing new deals, a short-term pact to keep the AAV low makes a lot of sense.

Charles Hudon Nearing Deal In Switzerland

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Canadiens RFA Charles Hudon is closing in on a deal with Lausanne of the Swiss NLA, reports Guillaume Lefrancois of La Presse.  TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie adds (Twitter link) that the winger is already in Lausanne and is waiting for his work visa to be approved before he signs the contract.

The 26-year-old opted to not file for arbitration back on Saturday so this may not be a typical loan situation as many players have had over the last couple of months.

Hudon spent most of last season with Laval of the AHL after clearing waivers and was quite productive, notching 27 goals in just 46 games.  However, that didn’t carry over to his NHL opportunities as he managed just a goal and an assist in 15 games with Montreal during the regular season and didn’t record a point in two playoff contests.  Hudon has had success in the NHL before, posting a 30-point season in 2017-18 but has struggled since then.

Lefrancois notes that Hudon was hopeful of a fresh start somewhere else but clearly, a trade scenario has not yet materialized.  If this is a season-long signing and not just a short-term deal until NHL training camps open, it likely wouldn’t be until late March or sometime in April before his season would end which may wind up being around where the NHL trade deadline will be in 2020-21 depending on the length of the campaign.  At that time, he could sign with whoever holds his rights or wait it out until next offseason when he’ll be eligible for unrestricted free agency.

26 Players Elect Salary Arbitration

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Today at 4pm CT was the deadline for players to file for salary arbitration in this rapid-paced start to the offseason. Once that threshold passed, the NHLPA released the full list of 26 players who have filed. That list:

Matt Grzelcyk (BOS)
Victor Olofsson (BUF)
Sam Reinhart (BUF)
Linus Ullmark (BUF)
Andrew Mangiapane (CGY)
Clark Bishop (CAR)
Haydn Fleury (CAR)
Warren Foegele (CAR)
Gustav Forsling (CAR)
Ryan Graves (COL)
Tyler Bertuzzi (DET)
MacKenzie Weegar (FLA)
Kaapo Kahkonen (MIN)
Joshua Ho-Sang (NYI)
Ryan Pulock (NYI)
Devon Toews (NYI)
Tony DeAngelo (NYR)
Alexandar Georgiev (NYR)
Brendan Lemieux (NYR)
Ryan Strome (NYR)
Connor Brown (OTT)
Christian Jaros (OTT)
Nick Paul (OTT)
Chris Tierney (OTT)
Ilya Mikheyev (TOR)
Jake Virtanen (VAN)

Other restricted free agents can still be taken to arbitration by their clubs. The deadline for club-elected salary arbitration filing is October 11 at 4pm CT. Salary arbitration hearings will be held between October 20 and November 8.

It is important to note that these players who have elected salary arbitration are no longer eligible to sign an offer sheet.

 

2020 Offer Sheet Compensation

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We finally saw an offer sheet used last summer as the Montreal Canadiens signed Sebastian Aho to a five-year deal, but the deal was quickly matched by the Carolina Hurricanes. Aho stayed put, but the team had to turn down a big package of draft picks that Montreal would have had to surrender.

Offer sheet compensation is based on the average salary of the league, and the NHL has released the thresholds for this year. Below is the full breakdown, with the contract’s average annual value placing it in one of seven tiers:

$1,439,820 or less No compensation
$1,439,820 to $2,181,545 Third-round pick
$2,181,545 to $4,363,095 Second-round pick
$4,363,095 to $6,544,640 First and third-round picks
$6,544,640 to $8,726,188 First, second and third-round picks
$8,726,188 to $10,907,735 Two firsts, a second and third-round picks
Over $10,907,735 Four first-round picks

It is important to note that any team trying to sign a player to an applicable offer sheet must use their own draft picks for compensation, not ones that have been acquired. That rules several teams out already from signing high profile RFAs, unless they were to work to reacquire their picks before submitting the contract.

There are some restricted free agents, like Philadelphia’s Nolan Patrick, that have not accumulated enough time in the NHL to be eligible for an offer sheet. The full list of eligible players can be found here. For more information about the details of offer sheets, check out CapFriendly’s FAQ.

List Of Players Not Receiving A 2020 Qualifying Offer

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The deadline to issue a qualifying offer to pending restricted free agents has come and gone, making any player who has not received one eligible to become an unrestricted free agent. It does not stop them from re-signing with the team for a different amount. Below are the players who will not be issued a qualifying offer:

(this list will be updated as reports continue to come in)

Anaheim Ducks

Arizona Coyotes

Vinnie Hinostroza, Dane Birks, Jalen Smereck

Boston Bruins

Brendan Gaunce, Brett Ritchie, Wiley Sherman

Buffalo Sabres

Dominik Kahun, Remi Elie, Matthew Spencer, Brandon Hickey

Calgary Flames

Mark Jankowski, Andrew Nielsen, Nick Schneider

Read more

Arizona Coyotes Shopping Taylor Hall’s Negotiating Rights

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With just a few days remaining before Taylor Hall becomes an unrestricted free agent, the Arizona Coyotes are trying to recoup some of the value they spent to acquire the star forward. Darren Dreger of TSN reports that the Coyotes are shopping Hall’s negotiating rights, which would give a team the chance to try and sign him before he even reaches the open market.

Just recently, reports surfaced that Hall would consider signing a short-term deal with a contender instead of trying to land the biggest deal possible in free agency. After a frustrating season that resulted in another early playoff exit, Hall has now played in just 14 postseason games over his ten-year career.

Earlier this summer we saw the Montreal Canadiens trade a fifth-round pick for the negotiating rights of defenseman Joel Edmundson, before eventually signing him to a four-year, $14MM deal. Given Hall’s status as the 2018 Hart Trophy winner and a top offensive winger, one would imagine the trade cost would be higher than that of a depth defenseman.

Still, it’s hard to know if acquiring him early would even be beneficial for a team interested in his services. Sitting just a few days away from the free agent market opening, Hall could easily just wait to see what kind of offers come from around the league. Negotiating with just one team would limit his options unless of course, he has a destination in mind that has already expressed interest to the Coyotes.

Hall, 28, scored 52 points in 65 games this season split between the New Jersey Devils and Coyotes. After reaching the 93-mark in 2018 and carrying the Devils to the playoffs, it’s been another few disappointing seasons. The first-overall pick in 2010, Hall has scored 563 points in 627 games but has played playoff matches in only two seasons.

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