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Snapshots: Free Agency, Soshnikov, Scandella

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While all eyes are on John Tavares of the New York Islanders as we get closer and closer to July 1, 2018, Craig Custance of The Athletic examines the impressive list of other top names headed for unrestricted free agency next summer. Custance updates us on the current situations for each one, including interesting notes on several impending KHL free agents.

The most intriguing one out of Russia will once again be Ilya Kovalchuk, who last year wasn’t able to find a deal because of the rights New Jersey still held. Those rights will expire after the season because he’s now 35, making him free to sign with anyone in the league. Custance expects it to take “a multi-year deal in the $6 to 7 million range,” but notes that he is still seen as a potential impact player around the league. Kovalchuk has 20 goals and 36 points in 31 games for St. Petersburg this season.

  • Also from The Athletic, Pierre LeBrun speaks directly to Toronto Maple Leafs GM Lou Lamoriello about the recent Nikita Soshnikov recall, and how it was partially forced by a clause in his deal that would have allowed him to go back to Russia. Interestingly, Lamoriello tells him that even had Soshnikov been assigned to the KHL the Maple Leafs would have retained the ability to recall him at any time. Instead, the team brought him up and are excited about how he’s played this season in the minor leagues. With 12 points in 14 games for the Toronto Marlies, Soshnikov was arguably their best player so far this year.
  • Marco Scandella has been fined $5,000 for slashing Patric Hornqvist last night, the maximum amount allowed under the CBA. It’s not the first time Scandella has been disciplined by the Department of Player Safety, as he was fined and suspended previously for checks to the head. Some New York fans might even be familiar with his slashing prowess (h/t @myregularface) from his days with the Minnesota Wild.

A Closer Look At The Head Coach Hot Seat

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Before the season even started, several names surfaced as options to be on the dreaded “first to be fired” list released by a number of outlets. Detroit’s Jeff Blashill led the pre-season predictions while Chicago’s Joel Quenneville was even included on the list. Other names included were  Colorado’s Jared Bednar, and Winnipeg’s Paul Maurice. PHR ran a poll last week on this and Alain Vigneault and Claude Julien led the votes.

Heres a closer look at some of these names as teams approach completion of the first quarter of the season.

Todd McLellan

Raise your hand if you expected his name on this list before the season started. Edmonton, who was mentioned as a possible Stanley Cup contender during the preseason, has not only struggled in the first month of the season, but also had a heck of a time trying to score goals. Is it all on McLellan? It’s probably unfair to say so. But with giving up 13 more goals than scoring, and spared only by a dreadful Arizona team from being in last place, McLellan might be in trouble if the Oilers continue to slide.

Alain Vigneault

Another coach who was expected to lead his team deep into the playoffs, Vigneault’s Rangers were sputtering for the first few weeks of the season. Just two weeks ago, New York Post writer Larry Brooks wondered if Vigneault would even make it out of October with a job. It’s amazing what can change in such a short time. The Blueshirts are riding a six-game winning streak and have racked up quality wins against Vegas, Tampa Bay, and Columbus. Vigneault will still be scrutinized but the latest change in fortune have certainly helped his job status.

Jeff Blashill

After a brutal six game losing streak, Blashill’s seat was rumored to be scorching. Following a couple wins and a not-so-bad road trip, the Red Wings have 13 of their next 15 at home. This will most likely dictate Blashill’s fate, should there be a coaching change during the season. The third year coach can’t possibly be blamed for the roster, but the Red Wings want to be a perennial playoff participant. While that doesn’t seem realistic, an 8-8-1 record through 17 games is certainly not helping matters. Further, should the Red Wings not see progression with their younger players, it may seal Blashill’s fate.

Paul Maurice

Out of all the coaches who have been spoken of, Maurice’s name constantly pops up on the list. But so far this season, the Jets are 8-4-3 with 19 points and in second place in the Central Division. How many had him on the list is surprising since the veteran coach was not only extended back in September, but also has a winning mark in Winnipeg.

Jan 7, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Winnipeg Jets head coach Paul Maurice yells to his team during the third period against the Dallas Stars at the American Airlines Center. The Stars defeat the Jets 2-1 in the overtime shootout. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Jared Bednar

Mark it down as one of the biggest surprises that Colorado is 8-6-1 and are now sitting prettier after finally dealing Matt Duchene in what looks like a win for Joe Sakic. Bednar accepted the job after winning the Calder Cup with AHL Affiliate Cleveland before he endured the most miserable season in Avalanche  history since moving to Denver in 1995. If the Avs continue to keep their head above water, Bednar would have a relatively cool seat.

Joel Quenneville

It doesn’t seem right to put him on this list. A man who led the Blackhawks to three Stanley Cups is leading a team that is now older and shuffling a roster to remain cap-compliant. Firing him, regardless of what the Blackhawks do, seems like a cop out for a general manager who outside of a few players, has won off of his predecessor’s work. Fan Rag’s Craig Morgan wrote as much back in August.

After a torrid start, the Blackhawks have cooled, and are struggling to find the back of the net. The power play is in the bottom rung of the league at 13.6% (27th out of 31) and Quenneville has been employing a line blender to try and find something to work. Should Chicago run out of gas and be eliminated early again or worse, miss the playoffs, then it’s safe to say Coach Q is in trouble. However, if history has taught hockey fans anything, it’s to never count out the Blackhawks.

Snapshots: 2019 Draft, Kase, Price

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Craig Button of TSN takes an early look at the top prospects for the 2019 draft, and leading the pack is Jack Hughes. We’ve mentioned Hughes before at PHR, but his name continues to come up as a potential first-overall pick in the 2019 discussion. The son of former NHL assistant coach and Toronto Maple Leafs Director of Player Development Jim Hughes, the 16-year old is dominating in the US Development Program after an eye-opening season in Toronto midget hockey.

Hughes scored 159 points in 80 games as the captain of the Toronto Marlboros, and is an elite center ice prospect. Amazingly the Hughes family even has a chance to go top-5 in back to back drafts, as eldest brother Quinton Hughes is an outstanding defenseman eligible to be selected in 2018. He’s playing at the University of Michigan already, where he’s put up five points in eight games.

  • The Anaheim Ducks have placed Ondrej Kase on injured reserve to join the rest of their injuries, which brings to mind an interesting case going into next summer. Kase is a pending restricted free agent, and has looked early on this season like he’s about to breakout. As a rookie last year he scored just 15 points, but he already has five goals and eight points in 12 games for the injury-ravaged Ducks. Anaheim has over $60MM owed next season to just 13 players, which is going to make things tough in the summer. Kase, Nick Ritchie and Brandon Montour (among others) are all RFAs, and with the injuries all three have been given more opportunity. That could cost the Ducks as the trio heads into the summer with higher counting stats. Too many good players is never a bad thing, but Anaheim will need to be careful with how they distribute their funds.
  • Speaking of injured reserve stints, the Montreal Canadiens have moved Carey Price to their IR list. Price hasn’t played since November 2nd so he won’t be kept out any longer than he needs to recover, as the stint will be backdated to cover the seven-day minimum. While you never wish for injury, perhaps this break will be exactly what Price needs to get his season back on track. In his first 11 games, Price registered a save percentage above .900 just three times. For a goaltender who averaged a .928 mark over the last four seasons, his performance so far this year was shockingly unfamiliar.

Andreas Athanasiou Heading To Switzerland

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Detroit Red Wings restricted free agent forward Andreas Athanasiou remains unsigned… for now. The latest news on the league’s last remaining RFA comes from TSN’s Bob McKenzie, who shares that Athanasiou is on his way to Switzerland to skate with HC Lugano of the NLA. McKenzie was quick to add that Athanasiou has not signed Lugano and is still evaluating his options, but his commitment to going overseas for the time being raises more doubts that he will suit up in the NHL this season.

A recent poll revealed that most fans felt Athanasiou and former holdout Josh Anderson would each re-sign with their respective teams. The second most popular answer was that the pair would both play overseas. Anderson has done his part to prove true the majority, re-upping with the Columbus Blue Jackets, but Athanasiou has not made any similar progress with Detroit and seems more likely to join in the dissenting opinion. Interestingly, it was Anderson who had been connected to the NLA this off-season, with Athanasiou reportedly fielding offers from the KHL. Athanasiou may still end up in Russia, but with an influx of talent heading to the NLA in recent years and the the past success of Lugano, who has not missed the playoffs in six years, the team is far from a poor fit. Athanasiou would be skating alongside former Red Wing Damien Brunner, as well as NHL veterans Maxim Lapierre and Bobby Sanguinetti should he sign with Lugano and the talented group could very well make a title run in 2017-18.

Still, the best thing for Athanasiou and for hockey is for the skilled 23-year-old to stay in North America. In just his second NHL season, the young center scored 18 goals and defied expectations for a Detroit team with few bright spots. The Red Wings may not want to overpay – in salary or term – for Athanasiou, who did have an unsustainable 15% shooting percentage in 2016-17 and is only in the early stages of developing a defensive game, but the best decision is always to work things out. Just ask the Dallas Stars, who missed the playoffs last season and had to go on a spending spree this summer in hopes of righting the ship. They would love to have Valeri Nichushkin back, the talented young winger who left the team in the summer of 2016 to head to the KHL, where he remains, after failing to come to terms in restricted free agency. Maybe the Red Wings would rather trade Athanasiou or maybe they’ll realize their mistake and work out a contract. Either way, there seems to be little upside to simply losing the scoring youth for this season (or longer). Athanasiou skating with Lugano may just be the straw that finally breaks Ken Holland’s back.

 

Poll: The Fate Of The Remaining RFA’s

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Notable players have begun to be cut from training camps and placed on waivers as the season draws closer, under two weeks away now. Yet, two restricted free agents still have yet to even sign a new contract, nevertheless compete in camp. Columbus’ Josh Anderson and Detroit’s Andreas Athanasiou still remain unsigned long after agreements were reached in more difficult RFA cases like those of David Pastrnak and Sam Bennett. Not only do the pair still not have contracts for the coming year, but seemingly no progress has been made recently either.

After it was reported more than a week ago that there was a “vast gap” in negotiations between Anderson and the Blue Jackets, a recent update stated that “no progress” had been made since then either. The newest piece of information has Anderson traveling to Switzerland, where he could potentially meet with several NLA teams. Anderson has also spoken about the possibility of starring for Team Canada at the Olympics. Anderson scored 17 goals for Columbus last year, which would be quite a lot of production for a team chasing a division title to lose.

Athanasiou is beyond overseas speculation; he has several hard offers on the table from KHL clubs. While “talks continue” between the two sides, there has been no concrete news for days. The “Riley Sheahan-to-Pittsburgh” rumor, that is supposedly contingent on an agreement with Athanasiou, has obviously not happened either, as it has been all quiet from both the Red Wings and their talented, young player. Athanasiou scored 29 points in 64 games for the struggling Wings last year. Can a team lacking much game-breaking talent afford to lose such a player?

There are a lot of different ways that this could all end up. Either or both could simply sign with their current teams, whether it be in the coming weeks or early in the season like several 2016 cases. Either one could be traded to a team with greater need and greater ability to sign them to a deal that comes closer to their desired term and salary. Or, the nuclear option, both have expressed and interest (read: threatened) in going overseas and could pull the trigger if their team will not sign or trade them. Take a crack at the poll below and sort through a variety of endings to these RFA sagas:

Restricted Free Agents Still To Sign

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Originally published on August 8th, and updated as of September 15th.

While the offseason has crawled along, name after name has been knocked off the list of restricted free agents as teams try to put together their roster for next season. With Monday’s signing of Barclay Goodrow by the San Jose Sharks, there are only 20 RFAs remaining unsigned for the 2017-18 season.

Heading that list is still Leon Draisaitl and David Pastrnak, two young superstars looking for a long-term payday before they turn 22. Each of them scored at least 70 points last season and have established themselves in the top tier around the league. Past them there is still a ton of talent. Alexander Wennberg and Bo Horvat make up the next tier of RFAs, coming off 50+ point seasons and key building blocks for their respective teams down the middle. Both just 22-years old they’ll be important contracts for Columbus and Vancouver to deal with before training camp starts.

After that, the list is dotted with several useful players who should have full-time roles this season along with some who are on the edge of the NHL still. Calgary leads the way with three remaining, while many teams have all their free agents locked up. Below is a list of the remaining free agents, along with their point totals from last year.

Andreas Athanasiou (DET) – 64 GP, 18 G, 11 A, 29 P

Josh Anderson (CBJ) – 78 GP, 17 G, 12 A, 29 P

Nikita Zadorov (COL) – 56 GP, 0 G 10 A, 10 P (Signed, two years, $4.3MM)

Marcus Foligno (MIN) – 80 GP, 13 G, 10 A, 23 P (Signed, four years, $11.5MM)

David Pastrnak (BOS) – 75 GP, 34 G, 36 A, 70 P (Signed, six years, $40MM)

Leon Draisaitl (EDM) – 82 GP, 29 G, 48 A, 77 P (Signed, eight years, $68MM)

Alexander Wennberg (CBJ) – 80 GP, 13 G, 46 A, 59 P (Signed, six years, $29.4MM)

Bo Horvat (VAN) – 81 GP, 20 G, 32 A, 52 P (Signed, six years, $33MM)

Connor Brown (TOR) – 82 GP, 20 G, 16 A, 36 P (Signed, three years, $6.3MM)

Damon Severson (NJD) – 80 GP, 3 G, 28 A, 31 P (Signed, six years, $25MM)

Sam Bennett (CGY) – 81 GP, 13 G, 13 A, 26 P (Signed, two years, $3.9MM)

Zemgus Girgensons (BUF) – 75 GP, 7 G, 9 A, 16 P (Signed, two years, $3.2MM)

Anthony Duclair (ARZ) – 58 GP, 5 G, 10 A, 15 P (Signed, one year, $1.2MM)

Brendan Gaunce (VAN) – 57 GP, 0 G, 5 A, 5 P (Signed, two years $1.5MM)

Brett Kulak (CGY) – 21 GP, 0 G, 3 A, 3P (Signed, one year, $650K)

Robbie Russo (DET) – 19 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 P (Signed, two years, $650K)

Petteri Lindbohm (STL) – 7 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 P (Signed, one year, undisclosed)

Tyler Wotherspoon (CGY) – 4 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 P (Signed, one year, $650K)

Jean-Sebastien Dea (PIT) – 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 P (Signed, one year, $650K)

Tye McGinn (TB) – 0 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 P (Signed, one year, undisclosed)

“Vast” Gap Between Josh Anderson, Blue Jackets

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Though Aaron Portzline of The Athletic makes it clear that things could change at any moment, the negotiations between Josh Anderson and the Columbus Blue Jackets don’t appear to be close to a conclusion. Portzline tweets that “vast” was used to describe the difference between the two sides, an interesting adjective to use when talking about a pre-arbitration player coming off his entry-level deal and first full season.

Anderson did have an exceptional year, scoring 17 goals in his first real crack at the NHL, a tally that surpassed Alexander Wennberg, Scott Hartnell and Brandon Dubinsky among others. His role in the Blue Jackets’ lineup is an important one, able to move in and out of different lines and play several different styles of hockey. GM Jarmo Kekalainen said yesterday that he still believes Anderson would sign before camp, but with the team reporting for medicals today it would have to get done quickly.

Now that David Pastrnak has signed with the Boston Bruins, Anderson is one of just four restricted free agents left unsigned. Two of the other three—Nikita Zadorov and Andreas Athanasiou—have offers waiting for them in the KHL, while the fourth, Marcus Foligno, is all but signed in Minnesota. He’s already taken the ice with his teammates before camp started, and is just waiting for the contract to be finished before joining them again. While RFA negotiations often leak into training camp, it’s never a good thing for the development of a young player to miss time with his teammates. Camp is often where chemistry is found between potential linemates, and trust is built in the eyes of a coach. Though Anderson is at little risk of losing his spot in the lineup, every day he misses in camp is another chance someone else can impress.

Latest On David Pastrnak’s Contract Talks

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David Pastrnak is one of the five remaining unsigned restricted free agents, and easily the most important one to his team. As training camp is set to open tomorrow the Boston Bruins have yet to come to some sort of an agreement with the young sniper, and as agent J.P. Barry told Joe Haggerty of CSNNE there’s “no breakthrough yet.” Pastrnak is still in the Czech Republic, and has decided not to attend camp with the Bruins until a deal is done. Darren Dreger of TSN gets the feeling that something is coming later tonight, but there are definitely still obstacles to overcome.

One such obstacle is the KHL, which has reportedly already given offers to Pastrnak to play in Russia next season. It remains extremely unlikely that he would go there, as he’s maintained all along that he loves Boston and wants to play for the Bruins long-term, but it is still a negotiating tactic his camp can use. The added proposition of playing in the Olympics is just another factor on the KHL’s side, given that Pastrnak would likely be the Czech Republic’s top forward (sorry, Jaromir).

For Bruins fans still wringing their hands with anxiety, remember that holdouts for big name RFAs happen often. Last year, Johnny Gaudreau, Rasmus Ristolainen and Nikita Kucherov all signed just before the season began, with no ill-will between the two sides. Though Hampus Lindholm, Rickard Rakell and Jacob Trouba ended up holding out into the season, there is no reason to think Pastrnak would do the same. Instead, he’s more likely to just miss a few days of training camp before a long-term contract is announced. Dreger reports that they’ve been looking at 5-8 years, though it’s still unclear where they will land.

St. Louis Blues Sign Petteri Lindbohm

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The pool of restricted free agents continues to dwindle, as the St. Louis Blues have signed Petteri Lindbohm to a one-year, two-way contract. Lindbohm was the team’s final RFA, and one of only six across the entire league. The financials have not been released, but it would be surprising to see Lindbohm earn any more than the minimum $650K at the NHL level. He’ll remain a restricted free agent at the end of the contract.

Lindbohm, 23, played in just seven games for the Blues last season, and has yet to find a real niche in the NHL. A sixth-round pick in 2012, Lindbohm has just three points to date in his Blues’ career, though has never been expected to contribute much offensively. Instead, his size and strength have been his calling card, mixing physical play with solid positioning in the defensive zone. While there is still some room to grow with a hard shot and fine passing ability, it’s more likely that he’ll continue to play a depth role for the team this year.

He is no longer waivers-exempt, meaning he likely won’t be bouncing up and down anymore and it’s unclear where exactly he’ll play in the AHL. The Blues don’t have a primary AHL affiliate this year after the Chicago Wolves instead signed a partnership with the Vegas Golden Knights. While Chicago will still be the destination for some of the Blues’ prospects, there won’t be enough room for all of them. Instead, some may be spread throughout a few other teams around the league, before the club starts their new deal with the San Antonio Rampage in 2018.

Marcus Foligno Close To Signing With Minnesota Wild

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Monday: Russo again writes that the contract should be done by Thursday at the start of camp, and that it will likely be either three or four years in length. Despite what CapFriendly says about the team’s current projected cap hit, Russo writes that the team has “roughly $3.7MM” in space before signing Foligno. There is some grey area depending on who the Wild keep out of training camp, but if the team carries any extra skaters (which they assuredly will) that room becomes even more constricted.

Friday: The last few restricted free agents are starting to sign around the league, with Bo Horvat going off the board today with the Vancouver Canucks. One of the remaining RFAs, Marcus Foligno told Michael Russo of The Athletic that he’s “very close” to signing, and that it would be done by the start of training camp.

Foligno was acquired from the Buffalo Sabres earlier this offseason in the Marco Scandella and Jason Pominville trade, and could be a solid addition to the Wild’s bottom-six. His game is based mostly around physicality and defense, and with the forward depth Minnesota already has in terms of skill, Foligno should fit in alongside Joel Eriksson Ek and Charlie Coyle as an impressive third line. The former Sabre set a career-high in goals with 13 last season, and could eclipse that this year depending on how much playing time he receives.

Interestingly, Foligno is coming off a salary of $2.25MM, which if matched would put the Wild over the salary cap at the time being. The additions of Kyle Quincey, Matt Cullen and the pair of Buffalo forwards, combined with extensions for Nino Niederreiter and Mikael Granlund has put the team right up against the cap to start the year.

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