San Jose Sharks Hire Ned Colletti
In a head-scratching move, the San Jose Sharks have hired former Los Angeles Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti as a professional scout. Colletti will focus on scouting the AHL and NHL levels, a huge change from his near 40-years of experience in the MLB. Sharks GM Doug Wilson released a statement explaining the hire:
Ned has an extensive background working in professional sports and talent evaluation and he will bring a fresh perspective to our organization’s evaluation process. This was a unique opportunity to add someone of Ned’s experience to our staff.
Colletti does have experience with hockey as a journalist, covering the Philadelphia Flyers before starting his career in baseball. Back in 2013, Los Angeles Kings reporter Jon Rosen interviewed the baseball executive about his history with hockey and friendship with former Kings GM Dean Lombardi. Moving to an entirely new sport after several decades will not be easy, but Wilson and the Sharks will hope his experience running one of the biggest organizations in professional sports will help him acclimate quickly.
In the professional scouting role there isn’t likely a ton of pressure on Colletti, though this does beg the question of where his future lies. Will he transition entirely over to hockey for the rest of his career, or is there a return to baseball on the horizon? The 65-year old was taken out of the GM position with the Dodgers in 2014, but remained on as an advisor and worked in broadcasting.
The team has also added Jon Hull and Tomi Kallio to the scouting department.
Joe Thornton Re-Signs With San Jose Sharks
The deal is finally official, and Joe Thornton is returning to San Jose. The Sharks have announced that Thornton will be back on a one-year deal, and Kevin Kurz of The Athletic reports it will be worth $2MM.
It never was in doubt, but now that it is official there is plenty of time to analyze the Sharks cap situation and see if there is room for another addition before the season begins. The team now projects to have just under $2.7MM in cap space and could potentially add another forward on a relatively inexpensive deal. For months there has been belief that Patrick Marleau would be that cheap forward, but the two sides both explained recently that there is not going to be a reunion for the franchise icon.
Not so when it comes to Thornton however, who returns for his 22nd NHL season and 15th with San Jose. The 40-year old continues to amaze with his incredible playmaking ability and is coming off a 51-point season (in just 73 games) in 2018-19. Thornton now has 1,478 points in his long illustrious career and could potentially pass Paul Coffey for 13th all-time with a strong season. It seems very likely that he will become just the 14th player in league history to amass 1,500 points, and will undoubtedly end up in the Hall of Fame after retirement.
Amazingly, even with all of his success Thornton has still not been able to raise the Stanley Cup during his career. A winner of the Art Ross, Hart Trophy, Olympic, World Cup and World Junior gold, and even a Swiss-league championship during the 2004-05 lockout, there is still one silver chalice that has stayed out of reach. By re-joining the Sharks for one more season he’ll have a good shot at it once again as even without captain Joe Pavelski returning the San Jose roster is still filled with talent.
It’s important to note that the contract does not include any performance bonuses, even though Thornton was eligible for them. That means the Sharks won’t have to worry about any potential overages and can use their remaining cap space as they see fit. If that means a last-second addition before the season begins or a trade deadline acquisition, GM Doug Wilson would have had a plan before committing to Thornton. The veteran forward has been open all summer about how he would return for whatever the Sharks could afford and felt was reasonable, hoping to have another crack at the Cup next spring.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Micheal Haley Joins New York Rangers On PTO
33-year-old Micheal Haley may only have 31 career points in parts of nine NHL seasons, including just six points last year, but the veteran forward still has value around the league. The Athletic’s Rick Carpiniello writes that Haley is expected to join the New York Rangers in training camp on a professional tryout offer, returning to the team he played in nine games for in 2012-13.
Haley is one of the last of his breed. A 5’11, 205-lb. forward, Haley plays a rugged, high-intensity style that makes him an effective fourth liner and often a match-up nightmare. Haley may not play many minutes – a career 8:07 ATOI – put he makes his presence felt regardless. In fact, the gritty pivot led the NHL in penalty minutes in 2017-18; in a career-high 75 games, he spent 212 minutes in the box and just 584 minutes on the ice. A physical force in a small package, Haley’s value is not in his offense, but in his checking ability and willingness to stand up for his teammates. That value was on display again last season, as the San Jose Sharks couldn’t help but claim Haley on waivers from the Florida Panthers, bringing him back to the team he had spent the most of his career with.
However, the Sharks are committed giving more ice time to young players this season and are even turning franchise great Patrick Marleau away, so San Jose wasn’t going to be an option this time. Instead, Haley will fight for a spot on the young, up-and-coming New York Rangers. He may actually stand a good chance of landing a contract too. The Rangers are right up against the salary cap ceiling with just over $1MM in space and still have to sign RFA’s Anthony DeAngelo and Brendan Lemieux. However, the team’s youth gives them some added flexibility with more than a few waiver-exempt players who can move freely between the NHL and AHL. The team could also look to bury the likes of Matt Beleskey and Brendan Smith in the minors, clearing both cap space and roster space. If there is room to sign an additional player when all is said and done, the Rangers would be smart to invest in some muscle. New York has spent considerable money and trade and draft capital to build a talented young core and now need to protect it, especially newcomers Artemi Panarin and Kaapo Kakko. Haley is an ideal player to play the retribution role; it doesn’t take him much time to teach the opposition not to mess with his teammates.
Snapshots: Marleau, Morrissey, Flyers
When Patrick Marleau accepted a trade from the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Carolina Hurricanes earlier this offseason, the writing was on the wall. Marleau would be bought out by the Hurricanes and would be free to return to the San Jose Sharks to finish his career where he was a franchise icon. Not so fast, as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that Marleau’s agent Pat Brisson says there is no fit with the Sharks at this time and that his client will pursue other NHL opportunities.
Where exactly those opportunities may lie isn’t clear. The prevailing thought is that Marleau would rather spend his remaining time in the NHL near the west coast to be closer to his family that has moved back to San Jose, but there isn’t a clear fit with any of the California teams. The Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks are trying to get younger, not bring in a soon-to-be 40-year old winger who just experienced his worst offensive season since 1997-98. The Edmonton Oilers were recently suggested as a potential landing spot, though it is not clear at this point. As Kevin Kurz of The Athletic points out, Marleau continues to suit up with the Sharks during informal skates in his old Maple Leafs’ gear.
- With the Winnipeg Jets still focused on their two unsigned star forwards, it’s easy to forget that next summer they will have another tough negotiation. Josh Morrissey, who has developed into a legitimate first-pairing option for the Jets over the last few years is entering the final season of a two-year deal signed last September and will be an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent next summer. Ken Wiebe of The Athletic caught up with Morrissey today to ask him about any potential negotiations and the young defenseman explained that there has been preliminary talks about a potential long-term extension. Morrissey told Wiebe, “I would love to play [in Winnipeg] throughout my career” but that he’s focused on the upcoming season. The 24-year old had 31 points in 59 games for the Jets last season.
- The Philadelphia Flyers have made a few changes to their front office, promoting Ian Anderson to Director of Hockey Analytics and Jacob Hurlbut to Lead Developer in the department. The team has also hired Tom Minton as Director of Hockey Information/Video and Matthew Karliner as an Analyst. GM Chuck Fletcher has obviously chosen to invest in the team’s analytic department moving forward, hoping to find any edge possible.
Prospect Notes: Merkley, Karlberg, Chudinov
When the OHL’s Peterborough Petes released their training camp roster last week, star defenseman Ryan Merkley was suspiciously absent. The San Jose Sharks 2018 first-round pick was only acquired by the Petes midway through last season and was expected to play a major role for the team this year. However, that won’t be the case. Merkley’s agent, J.P. Barry, relayed to Mike Davies of The Peterborough Examiner that he has been informed that Peterborough is working to trade Merkley and do not plan to begin the season with him on the roster. Petes GM Mike Oke confirmed as much, telling Davies that “We’ve decided we’re going to go in a different direction. Finding another opportunity for Ryan would probably be best for everybody… [W]e just felt it wasn’t the right fit.” Oke stated that no specific incident led to the team’s decision on Merkley, but this is hardly the first time that the young blue liner has worn out his welcome. A player that has continuously been followed by rumors of immature behavior and poor sportsmanship, Merkley was thought to have been initially traded to Peterborough from the Guelph Storm under similar circumstances. These personality concerns also likely played a factor in Merkely’s drop to No. 21 overall last year, as his offensive ability might have otherwise warranted a higher draft slot. Nevertheless, the Sharks remain committed to their prospect defender and Oke and Barry are certain that Merkley is still a valuable commodity in the OHL. In fact, the Petes expect to get a similar package back in a trade as what they gave up for him: a top young player and a package of high picks. Merkley is a talented player – he has recorded 193 points in 188 career OHL games – and will get a fair shake at Sharks training camp, but his defensive ability still needs work and he will almost certainly end up back in the OHL this season. The question is with who and whether his continued behavioral issues will follow him to his next stop as well.
- Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Marcus Karlberg will also be playing somewhere different this season. The 19-year-old forward, a 2018 third-round pick, has been loaned to a new club for the 2019-20 season. AIK of Sweden’s second-tier pro league, the Allsvenskan, announced that they have acquired Karlberg’s services from Leksands IF for the coming season. Karlberg was a near point-per-game player for Leksands’ U-20 SuperElit team early last season before being promoted and recording 11 points in 44 games in the Allsvenskan. Karlberg had clearly outgrown the junior level, but with Leksands earning a promotion to the SHL, the team was likely wary of moving the young forward to Sweden’s top pro level. Karlberg’s growing ability is obvious – he is a fast, hard-working forward who doesn’t let his small frame limit him – but remaining in the Allsvenskan for another year is likely a better developmental move. AIK hope that he can break out and perhaps contribute to another promotion-worthy campaign.
- While he can barely be considered a prospect anymore, Russian defenseman Maxim Chudinov is already back to impressing in the KHL. Likely one of the best players in the world never to try his hand at the NHL, Chudinov still remains Boston Bruins property as a 2010 seventh-round pick. The 29-year-old rearguard has been playing in the KHL since even before the Bruins took a flier on him and has become well-known for his top two-way play and even more so for his howitzer of a shot. Chudinov put his slapper on display in the KHL’s season opener yesterday, scoring from behind his own blue line. Amazingly, this is the third time in this calendar year alone that Chudinov has accomplished that unthinkable task. A multiple-time Gagarin Cup champion and KHL All-Star, it’s possible that Chudinov could finally decide he wants a new challenge in his career and the Bruins would surely welcome him with open arms, despite their depth on defense. However, with his 30th birthday arriving this season, it’s more likely that Chudinov will simply remain a “what could have been” for NHL fans.
Snapshots: Marleau, Puljujarvi, Sheahan, Gardiner
The Edmonton Oilers are still in need of depth on the wing and remain in the hunt for players that could help fill a need. Edmonton Journal’s Kurt Leavins, in his Sunday column, writes that one option that he’s hearing is that veteran winger Patrick Marleau has shown some interest in potentially signing with the Oilers.
The 39-year-old Marleau was traded to Carolina in a salary dump and the veteran asked the Hurricanes to buy him out with the intention of returning to San Jose and signing with his old team. While that still seems the likely outcome for Marleau, the Sharks have not signed the veteran to a contract yet and the veteran may be looking at other West Coast options. Edmonton could be attractive to him as the team needs help to fill out its top three lines, something the veteran could help with. While his skills have eroded some, Marleau still posted 16 goals and 37 points last season in a crowded Maple Leafs forward group.
- Leavins, in the same article, adds that with little trade interest brewing for disgruntled Oilers forward Jesse Puljujarvi, the most likely scenario right now if he doesn’t want to return to Edmonton, which he has said numerous times, will be to accept at $200K contract in Finland this season and try to prove himself as a star in the Liiga and then can generate more trade interest next summer. In fact, the Boston Globe’s Kevin Paul Dupont writes that with nothing even close to being lined up in Finland, the 21-year-old winger may have no choice but to return to Edmonton despite all of his agents’ demands.
- The Athletic’s Allan Mitchell (subscription required) writes that the Edmonton Oilers remain in search for a third-line center and he believes that unrestricted free agent center Riley Sheahan might be a good fit with the team. PHR’s Brian La Rose looked at Sheahan’s free-agent status Saturday and noted that Edmonton could be a suitor for the UFA. It’s unlikely that the team will split their top three players at center in Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, but at the moment, their next best option would be Swiss center Gaeton Haas, which makes most people uncomfortable. With five full seasons under his belt at just 27 years old, the Oilers might be willing to take a chance on him.
- The Toronto Sun’s Steve Simmons writes that he believes that general manager Kyle Dubas is hoping to work out a way to sign Mitch Marner and unrestricted free agent Jake Gardiner. While that scenario would seem to be unlikely considering the state of Toronto’s cap situation, Simmons writes that the team could decide to sign Marner to a bridge deal, which could give the team some extra room to retain Gardiner who has been sitting unsigned on the free-agent market. The hope is that Gardiner would slot in as a third-line defenseman. However, that scenario remains unlikely as locking up Marner to a long-term deal is the team’s top priority this summer.
2007 NHL Draft Take Two: Ninth Overall Pick
Hindsight is an amazing thing, and allows us to look back and wonder “what could have been.” Though perfection is attempted, scouting and draft selection is far from an exact science and sometimes, it doesn’t work out the way teams – or players – intended. For every Patrick Kane, there is a Patrik Stefan.
We’re looking back at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft and asking how it would shake out knowing what we do now. Will the first round remain the same, or will some late-round picks jump up to the top of the board?
Here are the results of the redraft so far, with their original draft position in parentheses:
1st Overall: Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks (1)
2nd Overall: Jamie Benn, Philadelphia Flyers (129)
3rd Overall: P.K. Subban, Phoenix Coyotes (43)
4th Overall: Logan Couture, Los Angeles Kings (9)
5th Overall: Max Pacioretty, Washington Capitals (22)
6th Overall: Jakub Voracek, Edmonton Oilers (7)
7th Overall: Ryan McDonagh, Columbus Blue Jackets (12)
8th Overall: James van Riemsdyk, Boston Bruins (2)
The first player on our list that ended up below where he originally went is van Riemsdyk, who drops six spots but remains in the top-10. The big winger from New Jersey would have fit in perfectly alongside some of the other impressive young forwards in Boston and certainly would have been an upgrade over Zach Hamill. Alas, he was already gone when the actual draft happened and the Bruins didn’t have a chance to put van Riemsdyk and Phil Kessel together—a duo that would find themselves skating together in Toronto years later.
While Hamill played just 20 NHL games and never recorded a single goal, van Riemsdyk has made a living off of putting the puck in the net. The 30-year old winger has scored 228 goals in his 675-game career, putting him sixth among all players drafted in 2007. Interestingly his 441 points put him ninth however, behind several names that we’ve yet to see in our redraft series.
Still, it’s easy to see why our voters believe he’s the right choice here. After scoring a career-high 36 goals in 2017-18, van Riemsdyk ended up back in Philadelphia where he registered another solid season. With 27 goals and 48 points in just 66 games he showed he could still be an effective top-six option and deserving of the $35MM contract he signed in 2018.
After Boston whiffed on their pick, the San Jose Sharks were on the clock. Not only would they pick one of the best players from the draft with their first selection, but San Jose would have one of the best drafts in the entire league. Logan Couture was the ninth selection of the first round, five spots after he went in our redraft. The OHL center was actually considered something of a reach by the Sharks given he was ranked #19 among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. The team actually traded up to secure Couture, sending the St. Louis Blues an extra second-round selection to swap picks in the first (the Sharks had already added an extra first by trading Vesa Toskala and Mark Bell to the Toronto Maple Leafs).
After going back to the Ottawa 67’s for two seasons there were actually some who doubted whether Couture would really be a top offensive player at the professional level. After all he never really did have a dominant OHL season, trailing John Tavares in the scoring race by 14 points in 2008-09 despite being two years older. He never even got the chance to suit up for Team Canada at the U20 World Juniors.
Maybe junior hockey just wasn’t made for Couture though, as it didn’t take long for him to show the world what he was all about when he reached the professional ranks. In his first full season he recorded 53 points in 42 games for the AHL’s Worcester Sharks and made his presence known in the playoffs for San Jose with four goals in 15 games. The following year he recorded his first 30+ goal season and finished second in Calder Trophy voting to Jeff Skinner. He never looked back. Though Couture’s 240 career regular season goals are impressive, it’s his postseason performances that have made him into such a superstar in the league. With 48 goals and 101 points in 116 playoff game he has put himself among the elite in terms of “clutch” players in the NHL. Add in that he’s capable at both center and the wing and can play the powerplay and penalty kill and there isn’t a team in the league that wouldn’t pay up to get Couture on their roster.
Unfortunately in our redraft, the Sharks will never get a chance to pick him. The talent is getting thinner but there are still several names worth considering.
With the ninth pick of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, who should the San Jose Sharks select? Cast your vote below!
2007 Redraft: Ninth Overall
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Wayne Simmonds 39% (348)
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Kevin Shattenkirk 14% (125)
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Jake Muzzin 13% (112)
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David Perron 8% (75)
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Kyle Turris 8% (67)
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Evgenii Dadonov 4% (38)
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Mikael Backlund 3% (30)
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Alec Martinez 2% (14)
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Carl Hagelin 1% (13)
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Justin Braun 1% (12)
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Patrick Maroon 1% (10)
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Alex Killorn 1% (7)
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Brandon Sutter 1% (7)
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Sam Gagner 1% (6)
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Nick Bonino 1% (6)
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Karl Alzner 1% (5)
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Robert Bortuzzo 0% (4)
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Riley Nash 0% (3)
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Paul Byron 0% (2)
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Lars Eller 0% (2)
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Brendan Smith 0% (2)
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Thomas Hickey 0% (1)
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Carl Gunnarsson 0% (0)
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Ian Cole 0% (0)
Total votes: 889
[Mobile users click here to vote]
Minor Transactions: 08/21/19
As the RFA market shows signs of movement, other teams are still working to fill out their organizational depth charts. As we keep track of all the minor moves around the world of hockey, we’ll fill you in right here. Keep checking back as this page will be updated throughout the day:
- The Stockton Heat have signed four players, inking Terrance Amorosa, Zach Osburn, Matthew Gaudreau and Mitch Hults to one-year, two-way minor league contracts. Gaudreau is the name that will stick out to Calgary Flames fans for obvious reasons, as he is the younger brother of star forward Johnny Gaudreau. The 24-year old has spent the last two seasons with the Worcester Railers of the ECHL while getting a handful of games at the AHL level.
- Jonathan Martin‘s entry-level contract with the San Jose Sharks expired earlier this summer and the team opted not to extend him a qualifying offer. Despite scoring 28 points in 57 AHL games last season, it seems other NHL teams weren’t enamored with the forward either. Martin has signed a one-year deal with the AHL’s Tuscon Roadrunners, the team announced. The 23-year-old will look to work his way back into NHL consideration with a strong perfromance this season.
- Kelly Cup champion Derian Plouffe has signed with the Indy Fuel of the ECHL, leaving the Toronto Marlies/Newfoundland Growlers after just one full season in professional hockey. Plouffe put up 23 points in 56 games with the Growlers and took home the championship after spending four years at Niagara University. Fellow former Growler Gabriel Gagne has also left the Maple Leafs organization, as the former Ottawa Senators prospect has signed with the ECHL’s Allen Americans, the team announced. The towering power forward recorded 16 points in 55 AHL games last season and is a major addition for Allen.
- Connor Moynihan won’t be playing for the Rockford IceHogs this season, instead signing an ECHL deal with the Tulsa Oilers. The Oilers decided to bring in both Connor and his brother Danny Moynihan, who actually retired from professional hockey temporarily because of a heart condition. He returns after a year off and last played with the Utica Comets and Kalamazoo Wings in 2017-18.
- The Boston Globe’s Matt Porter reports that forward Tanner Pond has signed a two-way deal with the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Pond played in a career-high 46 AHL games with the Providence Bruins last year, playing a reliable energy role. He’ll look to carve out a regular role for himself again in the coming season with Bridgeport.
- Thomas Beretta has transferred to the University of Vermont after three seasons at Michigan Tech. The senior forward is looking for a fresh start after missing more than half of the 2018-19 season due to injury. His scoring pace was the greatest of his collegiate career last season though, so if he can adjust to the tougher competition of the Hockey East Conference, he could be in for a breakout campaign just prior to becoming a free agent next summer.
Poll: Which GM Will Be Fired Next?
Despite missing the playoffs in each of the last four seasons, the Vancouver Canucks decided to extend GM Jim Benning today. The reasons for that are complicated—and obviously do not hinge entirely on his postseason record—just as they were when the Minnesota Wild made the decision to fire Paul Fenton just 14 months into his tenure with the team. The inner workings of an NHL front office are almost never made public (unless there is an intrepid reporter like Michael Russo of The Athletic who gets the incredible story), and it is hard to see why some decisions are made.
Still, even the most casual fan can see the seat of specific executives and coaches heating up. When the Edmonton Oilers decided to move on from Peter Chiarelli during another disappointing season, it didn’t come as much of a surprise. On the other hand, it was easy to see why the Carolina Hurricanes recently locked up Don Waddell after he interviewed for another job.
Looking around the league, who is next? Which GM will be let go, either this year or next summer?
It might be easy to look at the teams that have struggled recently, but many of them have replaced their top hockey operations executive over the last few seasons. The Oilers brought in Ken Holland to change the culture in Edmonton, while Steve Yzerman returned to the Detroit Red Wings to bring a new voice to a stagnant team. Florida has gone through quite a bit of turmoil in the front office since their ownership changed but Dale Tallon now seems to be entrenched as a veteran leader.
There are others though that may not be so lucky. The Ottawa Senators are heading in a new direction after shedding their previous core, but if the young talent doesn’t develop as hoped Pierre Dorion could be held responsible. John Chayka was the youngest GM in history when he took over the Arizona Coyotes in 2016, but they still haven’t made the playoffs under his watch and now have new ownership of their own. Jason Botterill was expected to have success in Buffalo after finding so much of it in Pittsburgh, but the Sabres haven’t been able to build a full roster around Jack Eichel despite some outstanding individual players.
Nothing is certain when it comes to front offices however. Cast your vote below and explain just why you think they’ll be the first to go!
Which GM will be fired next?
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Pierre Dorion, Ottawa Senators 9% (256)
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Marc Bergevin, Montreal Canadiens 9% (243)
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Stan Bowman, Chicago Blackhawks 9% (242)
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Kevin Cheveldayoff, Winnipeg Jets 8% (226)
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Bob Murray, Anaheim Ducks 8% (220)
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Jason Botterill, Buffalo Sabres 7% (186)
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Rob Blake, Los Angeles Kings 6% (181)
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Jarmo Kekalainen, Columbus Blue Jackets 6% (159)
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Kyle Dubas, Toronto Maple Leafs 5% (148)
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Jim Rutherford, Pittsburgh Penguins 5% (146)
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John Chayka, Arizona Coyotes 5% (139)
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Brad Treliving, Calgary Flames 3% (93)
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Jim Benning, Vancouver Canucks 3% (86)
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Jim Nill, Dallas Stars 3% (74)
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Chuck Fletcher, Philadelphia Flyers 2% (68)
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Ken Holland, Edmonton Oilers 2% (55)
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Doug Wilson, San Jose Sharks 2% (49)
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Jeff Gorton, New York Rangers 2% (46)
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Don Sweeney, Boston Bruins 1% (35)
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Dale Tallon, Florida Panthers 1% (29)
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David Poile, Nashville Predators 1% (24)
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Julien BriseBois, Tampa Bay Lightning 1% (24)
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Doug Armstrong, St. Louis Blues 1% (19)
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Steve Yzerman, Detroit Red Wings 1% (18)
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Lou Lamoriello, New York Islanders 1% (16)
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Don Waddell, Carolina Hurricanes 1% (15)
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Kelly McCrimmon, Vegas Golden Knights 1% (15)
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Brian MacLellan, Washington Capitals 1% (15)
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Joe Sakic, Colorado Avalanche 0% (11)
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Ray Shero, New Jersey Devils 0% (8)
Total votes: 2,846
[Mobile users click here to vote]
*We’ve used Kelly McCrimmon as the Vegas GM, though he won’t officially take that title from George McPhee until September
Snapshots: Sharks, Prospect Pools, Flames
The San Jose Sharks are still expected to sign Joe Thornton at some point this offseason according to Kevin Kurz of The Athletic (subscription required). That might not be so for the other franchise icon that sits unsigned deep into August, Patrick Marleau who joined his former teammate for a skate at the San Jose facility this week. Kurz examines the situation for both men, pointing out that Thornton is completely committed to the team regardless of how much cap space they have left at the end of the summer.
Just recently we examined that cap space with a breakdown of the Sharks’ salary situation for the upcoming season. With just under $4.7MM to work with they could certainly bring in both Thornton and Marleau if they want to come “home,” but that wouldn’t leave much for upgrades to the rest of the roster. Most notably is perhaps in net where Aaron Dell remains the backup for the time being despite having just one year at $1.9MM left on his contract and the Sharks trying to trade him in the past. An improvement in net might cost the Sharks some of that room if they can’t find a taker for Dell in return.
- Sticking with The Athletic, resident prospect guru Corey Pronman has started to release (subscription required) his ranking of the 31 farm systems around the league. In last place sits the Calgary Flames, who have had several graduations recently including injured defenseman Juuso Valimaki. In the 2018 draft the Flames didn’t select a single player until the fourth round after trading away several picks, leaving a gap in their system they’ll have to work hard to refill. Pronman has released five other teams and will continue through the summer.
- Those Flames are now in the process of looking to add a defenseman instead of shopping one after Valimaki’s injury. GM Brad Treliving admitted to Eric Francis of Sportsnet that they hadn’t previously been considering an addition on the blueline, but is now after a depth option to help fill in. The rest of the league obviously noticed the situation the Flames are now in, with Treliving saying that his “30 other GM friends certainly have a lot of ideas for [him].”