Timo Meier Signs Extension With San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks might not be huge players in the unrestricted free agent market this year, but they are keeping another one of their excellent young players. Timo Meier has signed a four-year contract extension with the Sharks that will carry a $6MM average annual value. Meier will still be a restricted free agent at the end of the deal, and will be eligible for salary arbitration. GM Doug Wilson released a statement on his young forward:
Timo is one of only a few young, dominant power forwards in the NHL and we’re extremely pleased that he stepped forward to make this commitment to the Sharks. Timo has elevated himself into a core part of our hockey team and his play last season was a huge part of our success. We feel that his best hockey is still ahead of him.
With numbers rolling around for some of the top restricted free agents that sometimes approaches eight digits, the Sharks look like they got a steal of a deal with Meier. The 22-year-old had a breakout season and keeps showing marked improvement in each year, which the team was hoping for when they made him the ninth-overall pick in 2015. Meier tallied three goals and six points in 34 games during his rookie season, but took that to a new level in his sophomore campaign when he tallied 21 goals and 36 points. While solid, Meier took his game to a whole new level this year as he became a major component to the Sharks’ offense, scoring 30 goals and 66 points.
With a better than expected $6MM deal, the Sharks should have some extra money to add depth to their team. The team has lost a number of key players from last season as they recently allowed captain Joe Pavelski as well as winger Joonas Donskoi to walk away in free agency. The team also traded away defenseman Justin Braun on defense and have quite a few holes to fill.
Vancouver “Still In The Mix” For Gustav Nyquist
The Vancouver Canucks have had quite the interesting offseason so far, highlighted by the retirement of Roberto Luongo placing more than $3MM of cap recapture penalties on their books. To combat that the team placed will buy out Ryan Spooner to open up some more cap space for potential free agent signings and new contracts for their own RFAs. While Vancouver has been routinely linked to free agent defenseman Tyler Myers, Rick Dhaliwal of Sportsnet reports that the team is currently “still in the mix” for Gustav Nyquist as well.
Nyquist, 29, was acquired by the San Jose Sharks at the deadline and fit in quite well with them, scoring 22 points in 39 games including a solid postseason. Even with the good fit he may end up being too pricey for the team to retain after they made Erik Karlsson the highest-paid defenseman in the league and need to get Timo Meier under a new deal. That opens him up for a bidding war on the open market as one of the top second-tier free agent forwards, something Vancouver is obviously interested in.
Coming off a four-year $19MM deal signed with the Detroit Red Wings in 2015, Nyquist is undoubtedly looking for a raise on the $4.75MM cap hit he carried last season. After recording a career-high 60 points his market won’t be small, and there has been plenty of speculation on where that might lead him. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet suggested recently that the Columbus Blue Jackets may be a fit, which would make sense given Aaron Portzline of The Athletic’s reporting (subscription required) that they have been focused on free agent forwards.
If Vancouver does get involved with Nyquist, they’re going to have to make sure they don’t overextend themselves while Brock Boeser is still without a contract. The 22-year old forward should be getting a healthy raise on whatever deal he signs, and is much more important to the team’s future than a free agent forward who will be 30 before the season begins.
Latest On Joe Pavelski’s Pending Free Agency
Saturday: It looks like the Dallas Stars have become the leading candidates to be Pavelski’s new home as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that Stars have been in negotiations with Pavelski. With the team’s buyout of Valeri Nichushkin, the team should now have more than $10MM to spend on free agents and Pavelski would be the perfect complement on the team’s second line. With negotiations with Mats Zuccarello having fell apart, the team has made it clear they want a veteran scorer to join the team.
Friday: Two years ago the San Jose Sharks watched a franchise icon walk out the door. Patrick Marleau, a former captain who had suited up 1,670 times for the Sharks, was left unsigned on July 1, 2017 and the next day signed a three-year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Sharks, it has been reported, were not willing to give Marleau that third year, which now looks prescient given his recent buyout. Now Sharks GM Doug Wilson may be preparing for the same thing to happen again. Kevin Kurz of The Athletic reports that after a conversation with the agent of Sharks captain Joe Pavelski, the “overwhelming sense” is that the pending free agent forward will be moving on to another team. Kurz calls it “the end of an era” and it is, even if Pavelski doesn’t have quite the tenure Marleau did two summers ago.
Set to turn 35 in two weeks, Pavelski has played his entire career with the San Jose organization. Debuting in November of 2006, Pavelski would score in his very first game—coincidentally on a goal assisted by Marleau—and basically never look back. The seventh-round pick from the 2003 draft would light the lamp 13 more times that season in just 46 games, and show that he would be beating goaltenders for a long time. In fact he has scored 355 goals in his Sharks career, more than anyone other than Marleau. His 406 assists trail just Marleau and long-time teammate Joe Thornton, as do his 761 points. He has served as captain for the last four seasons, including 2018-19 when he recorded 38 goals and 64 points.
So why are the Sharks letting him go? Perhaps because of the same reasoning that sent Marleau to Toronto. San Jose is facing a cap crunch after signing Erik Karlsson to an eight-year, $92MM deal that made him the highest-paid defenseman in the league. They have breakout power forward Timo Meier and powerplay dynamo Kevin Labanc to sign, as well as other unrestricted free agents potentially including Thornton and trade deadline acquisition Gustav Nyquist. The team has close to $15MM in cap space to play with, but has only seven forwards signed to one-way contracts at the moment and work to do to build their team back up to a contender. Pavelski simply might be pricing himself out of their market, given Craig Custance of The Athletic’s report (subscription required) that the number of teams making contact with him this week is “well into the double-digits.”
Pavelski has definitely visited with the Dallas Stars and Tampa Bay Lightning, but that doesn’t mean his market ends there. He could have the choice of many teams around the league, though it will be interesting to see how long he eventually signs for. Thanks to his birthday falling in July, he won’t be constrained to the 35+ contract restrictions which may allow teams to be a little more frivolous with the term of the deal. For now, it sounds like that won’t be the Sharks—the end of an era indeed.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Pacific Notes: Heed, Coyotes, Gennaro
Defenseman Tim Heed is an impending unrestricted free agent that has received little media attention so far, and it sounds like he won’t be getting much more outside of his current market. The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz reports that Heed is expected to re-sign with the San Jose Sharks rather than test the market. Initially looking like the odd man out on San Jose’s blue line, the team has since traded Justin Braun and opted not to extend a qualifying offer to Joakim Ryan, opening up space for Heed’s return. The Sharks already have $66.7MM committed to just 15 players next season, with new contracts in store for RFA’s Timo Meier, Kevin Labanc, and Dylan Gambrell and decisions to make on UFA’s Joe Pavelski, Joe Thornton, and more. Heed would be an affordable addition who is already familiar with the team and can act as a capable bottom-pair defender. Kurz points out that the right-shot Heed would be an ideal replacement in old spot. After playing in a career-high 37 games last year, Heed has likely earned the trust of the San Jose staff to at least begin the year as a starter while a number of promising blue line prospects continue to develop.
- The Arizona Coyotes have announced several changes to their front office, the most notable of which is poaching Scott Walker from the division rival Vancouver Canucks. Walker, a former OHL coach, spent the past four years as the Canucks’ Director of Player Development, but has now been hired by Arizona as Special Assistant to the General Manager. Internally, three other executives have been promoted: Jake Goldberg has been named Assistant to the General Manager; Phil McRae has been named the Director of North American Amateur Scouting; and Bryan Stewart has been named the Coyotes’ Director of Pro Scouting.
- The ‘Yotes’ AHL affiliate, the Tuscon Roadrunners, have re-signed forward Matteo Gennaro to a one-year contract. Gennaro, a former Winnipeg Jets prospect, just wrapped up his first pro season with Tuscon. The 22-year-old center was a force in his junior days in the WHL, but got off to a slow start to the next stage of his career with just 12 points in 58 games. However, Gennaro has always been considered a raw prospect and should continue to grow and round out at the pro level. The Roadrunners hope Gennaro can get closer to the 80-point seasons he put up at the end of his junior career, but they’ll settle for steady improvement in his sophomore season.
Joonas Donskoi Drawing Interest
The San Jose Sharks won’t be able to afford new contracts for all of their pending free agents, so names like Joonas Donskoi are going to have to scour the market for a new opportunity. That isn’t going to be very difficult, as Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription required) reports that nearly have the league has already “kicked the tires” on Donskoi, and lists the Edmonton Oilers, Colorado Avalanche and Buffalo Sabres as teams with real interest.
The 27-year old winger has scored 14 goals in each of the last two seasons and reached a new career-high with 37 points in the 2018-19 campaign. That was despite averaging just over 13 minutes a night, making him quite an efficient scorer in the lower half of the Sharks’ lineup. It comes as no surprise then that teams are interested in bringing him aboard, hoping they can coax even more production out.
It is important to note that unlike many depth wingers, Donskoi has virtually no experience on the penalty kill and thus would need to be able to contribute enough offensively to warrant whatever deal he eventually earns. Though he’s not useless defensively and isn’t completely against physical play, those are certainly not his calling cards.
Edmonton, as LeBrun points out, is checking the market on basically every free agent winger including Donskoi’s teammate Gustav Nyquist, who is also drawing interest but hasn’t ruled out a return to San Jose. The Oilers are in desperate need of help this season to try and avoid missing the playoffs again, and will look to add some skill to Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on the open market.
Joe Pavelski To Meet With Several Teams
The San Jose Sharks have already done some heavy lifting this offseason, re-signing Erik Karlsson to a huge contract and dealing Justin Braun to the Philadelphia Flyers. Several more deals took place on the second day of the draft to get San Jose the picks and prospects they were after, but there is plenty more work to be done in the coming days. Timo Meier‘s next contract may be the most important, but Joe Pavelski will be the focus for many fans that don’t want to see their captain walk out the door after an incredible playoff performance.
Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription required) reports that Pavelski and agent Dan Plante have several visits set up with potential teams this week in the unrestricted free agent interview period. While none of those teams are confirmed, LeBrun suggests that the Dallas Stars and Tampa Bay Lightning may bring Pavelski in for a meeting, while the Buffalo Sabres called but do not have a visit scheduled. Craig Morgan of The Athletic also indicated the Arizona Coyotes’ interest in his latest piece.
It’s not hard to understand why teams would be calling on the veteran forward. Even at 34 Pavelski was a dominant player once again for the Sharks, recording 38 goals and 64 points in 75 games before a playoffs that saw him return from several major injuries. The heart and soul forward is one of the most well respected leaders in the league and now has 100 points in 134 career playoff games including 12 game-winning goals. While he doesn’t have any individual trophies, Pavelski has long been a Selke candidate as one of the best defensive forwards in the game and is one of the best net-front players in the league.
Obviously the Stars, Lightning, Sabres and Coyotes won’t be the only teams interested, but a return to San Jose is still possible. GM Doug Wilson watched career-Shark Patrick Marleau chase a third year two summers ago, and will have a similar tough decision to make on Pavelski, who will surely draw multi-year offers even at his age. The team doesn’t have a ton of cap space to throw around given the need to re-sign Meier and Kevin Labanc, not to mention Joe Thornton and Gustav Nyquist who are also unrestricted free agents.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
New Jersey Devils Acquire Adam Helewka
It would be impossible for anyone to follow up yesterday’s Jack Hughes and P.K. Subban additions, but the New Jersey Devils have brought in yet another player to the organization. The AHL announced that forward Adam Helewka has been dealt to the Devils by the Nashville Predators, the second trade between the two teams in as many days. The move adds only “future considerations” for Nashville, but opens up a contract slot for a team with 41 of a maximum 50 players already signed and several restricted free agents still to sign.
Helewka, 23, has been a standout player in the minors for the past few years. A fourth-round pick of the San Jose Sharks in 2015, Helewka had been a dynamic offensive player in the WHL. He debuted in the AHL for the San Jose Barracuda in 2016 and spent each of the next two full seasons with the team, collecting 29 and 38 points respectively. San Jose traded Helewka to the Arizona Coyotes last summer in exchange for defenseman Kyle Wood and the scoring winger broke out with the AHL’s Tuscon Roadrunners, recording 31 points through his first 41 games of the season. However, he would not see the season through in Tuscon (or get rewarded with an NHL call-up to Arizona), as Helewka was traded again in February to the Predators with Laurent Dauphin in exchange for Emil Pettersson. Helewka continued to play well despite the move, registering 19 points in 24 games for the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals. His play even convinced the Predators at the time that he was worthy of a contract extension, a one-year, two-way pact signed not long after he was acquired.
For one reason or another, Nashville came to regret the contract, as Helewka has now been traded yet again for nothing concrete in return. The Devils are happy to take advantage of the Predators’ change of heart though. New Jersey has eight forwards who played regular AHL minutes last season, many of whom also saw NHL action, who are either unrestricted or restricted free agents and not everyone will return. The team needs a re-haul in the minor leagues and could do far worse than a player who notched 50 points combined in just 65 games last year. Helewka will likely be a top contributor for the Binghamton Devils next year and will look to finally find a long-term fit, perhaps even one with the opportunity to make his NHL debut.
Central Notes: Zuccarello, Honka, Perlini, Fabbro
Despite earlier rumors that the Dallas Stars and unrestricted free agent Mats Zuccarello have mutual interest to get a deal done, it looks like it might not be as easy as it seemed. Dallas general manager Jim Nill said that Zuccarello has decided he wants to test the open market before deciding, according to NHL.com’s Mike Heika.
That doesn’t mean a deal will come about as both sides could be interested in what Zuccarello could fetch on the open market. At 31 years of age, the Stars may be hesitant to give him anything more than a four-year deal, but if both teams are truly interested in staying together, they could just be looking to see what other teams offer him first.
“We’ve talked a little bit with his agent, but he wants to test the free-agent market and he’s got that right,” Nill said. “So they going to look into the market and see what else is out there and then we will swing back and see where he’s at. We’ve got an interview period that starts Sunday, so we’ll start talking to other people and he’ll do the same thing and we’ll see where things go.”
Zuccarello came to Dallas in a trade deadline deal with the New York Rangers for a 2019 second-round pick, which turned out to be defensive prospect Matthew Robertson, and a conditional first-round pick, meaning if Dallas does sign Zuccarello to an extension, the Stars would give the Rangers a 2020 first-rounder. If not, they would give New York a third-round pick instead. However, Zuccarello looked to be a good fit, helping Dallas fill out its second line. Despite suffering a broken arm in his first game with the Stars and only playing two regular season games, the 31-year-old scored four goals and 11 points in 13 playoff games before the Stars fell to the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Blues.
- Sticking with the Stars, The Athletic’s Sean Shapiro (subscription required) writes that the trade value of Dallas defenseman Julius Honka has increased since the NHL announced the salary cap to be set at $81.5MM for the 2019-20 season. Despite the struggles that Honka has had in finding a role with the Stars, several teams should be looking for an inexpensive defenseman with potential. Honka, a restricted free agent, requires a qualifying offer of $874K, and could be valuable to teams such as the Toronto Maple Leafs and the San Jose Sharks, who might need some solid depth options on their defense. Shapiro, however, indicates, that the return for Honka still wouldn’t be that significant.
- Mark Lazerus of The Athletic reports that Chicago Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman confirmed the team will give a qualifying offer to forward Brendan Perlini. The 23-year-old struggled after initially coming over from Arizona in November, but started to improve late in the season, finishing with 12 goals and 15 points in 46 games with the Blackhawks. Bowman did admit that the Blackhawks might let some of their restricted free agents walk, although newly acquired John Quenneville will be signed as well.
- The Tennessean’s Paul Skrbina writes that one reason that Nashville Predators general manager David Poile felt comfortable trading defenseman P.K. Subban Saturday was because of the play of Dante Fabbro. The 21-year-old, the team’s first-round pick from 2016, signed with Nashville after completing his junior season at Boston University and played in four regular season games, as well as six playoff games, scoring one goal and one assist in those 10 combined games. Fabbro is the likley candidate to take over Subban’s minutes next season.
2019 NHL Entry Draft Results
The day has arrived. Friday night kicks off the 2019 NHL Entry Draft with the first round, as the first 31 prospects will hear their names called. Saturday afternoon will bring the remaining six rounds and another 186 NHL hopefuls. This is considered an above average draft class, with strong prospects available well into day two. Below are the picks for the ongoing or completed rounds, with updated selections:
Round One
- New Jersey Devils – F Jack Hughes, USNTDP (USHL)
- New York Rangers – F Kaapo Kakko, TPS (Liiga)
- Chicago Blackhawks – F Kirby Dach, Saskatoon (WHL)
- Colorado Avalanche (from OTT) – D Bowen Byram, Vancouver (WHL)
- Los Angeles Kings – F Alex Turcotte, USNTDP (USHL)
- Detroit Red Wings – D Moritz Seider, Mannheim (DEL)
- Buffalo Sabres – F Dylan Cozens, Lethbridge (WHL)
- Edmonton Oilers – D Philip Broberg, AIK (Allsvenskan)
- Anaheim Ducks – F Trevor Zegras, USNTDP (USHL)
- Vancouver Canucks – F Vasily Podkolzin, St. Petersburg (KHL)
- Arizona Coyotes (from PHI) – D Victor Soderstrom, Brynas (SHL)
- Minnesota Wild – F Matthew Boldy, USNTDP (USHL)
- Florida Panthers – G Spencer Knight, USNTDP (USHL)
- Philadelphia Flyers (from ARI) – D Cam York, USNTDP (USHL)
- Montreal Canadiens – F Cole Caufield, USNTDP (USHL)
- Colorado Avalanche – F Alex Newhook, Victoria (BCHL)
- Vegas Golden Knights – F Peyton Krebs, Winnipeg (WHL)
- Dallas Stars – D Thomas Harley, Mississauga (OHL)
- Ottawa Senators (from CLB) – D Lassi Thomson, Kelowna (WHL)
- Winnipeg Jets – D Ville Heinola, Lukko (Liiga)
- Pittsburgh Penguins – F Samuel Poulin, Sherbrooke (QMJHL)
- Los Angeles Kings (from TOR) – D Tobias Bjornfot, Djurgardens (SHL)
- New York Islanders – F Simon Holmstrom, HV71 (SuperElit)
- Nashville Predators – F Philip Tomasino, Niagara (OHL)
- Washington Capitals – F Connor McMichael, London (OHL)
- Calgary Flames – F Jakob Pelletier, Moncton (QMJHL)
- Tampa Bay Lightning – F Nolan Foote, Kelowna (WHL)
- Carolina Hurricanes – F Ryan Suzuki, Barrie (OHL)
- Anaheim Ducks (from SJS via BUF) – F Brayden Tracey, Moose Jaw (WHL)
- Boston Bruins – F John Beecher, USNTDP (USHL)
- Buffalo Sabres (from STL) – D Ryan Johnson, Sioux Falls (USHL)
Round 2
32. Ottawa Senators – F Shane Pinto, Tri-City (USHL)
33. Los Angeles Kings – F Arthur Kaliyev, Hamilton (OHL)
34. Philadelphia Flyers (from NJD via NSH) – F Bobby Brink, Sioux City (USHL)
*PHI acquires pick from NSH for Nos. 45 and 65
35. Detroit Red Wings – D Antti Tuomisto, Assat (Jr. Liiga)
36. Carolina Hurricanes (from BUF) – G Pyotr Kochetkov, St. Petersburg (VHL)
37. Ottawa Senators (from NYR via CAR) – G Mads Sogaard, Medicine Hat (WHL)
*OTT acquires pick from CAR for Nos. 44 and 83
38. Edmonton Oilers – F Raphael Lavoie, Halifax (QMJHL)
39. Anaheim Ducks – D Jackson LaCombe, Shattuck St. Mary’s (MN HS)
40. Vancouver Canucks – F Nils Hoglander, Rogle (SHL)
41. Vegas Golden Knights (from PHI via SJS) – D Kaedan Korczak, Kelowna (WHL)
*VGK acquires pick from SJS for Nos. 48 and 82
42. Minnesota Wild – F Vladislav Firstov, Waterloo (USHL)
43. Chicago Blackhawks – D Alex Vlasic, USNTDP (USHL)
44. Carolina Hurricanes (from FLA via SJS and OTT) – F Jamieson Rees, Sarnia (OHL)
45. Nashville Predators (from ARI via PHI) – F Egor Afanasyev, Muskegon (USHL)
46. Montreal Canadiens – D Jayden Struble, St. Sebastian’s (MA HS)
47. Colorado Avalanche – D Drew Helleson, USNTDP (USHL)
48. San Jose Sharks (via VGK) – F Artemi Knyazev, Chicoutimi (QMJHL)
49. New York Rangers (from DAL) – D Matthew Robertson, Edmonton (WHL)
50. Los Angeles Kings (from CLB via VGK and MTL) – F Samuel Fagemo, Frolunda (SHL)
*LAK acquires pick from MTL for Nos. 64 and 126
51. Winnipeg Jets – D Simon Lundmark, Linkoping (SHL)
52. Florida Panthers (from PIT) – D Vladislav Kolyachonok, Flint (OHL)
53. Toronto Maple Leafs – F Nicholas Robertson, Peterborough (OHL)
54. Detroit Red Wings (from NYI via VGK) – F Robert Mastrosimone, Chicago (USHL)
55. San Jose Sharks (from NSH via NJD) – F Dillon Hamaliuk, Kelowna (WHL)
*SJS acquire pick from NJD for Nos. 82 and 91
56. Washington Capitals – F Brett Leason, Prince Albert (WHL)
57. New York Islanders (from CGY) – D Samuel Bolduc, Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)
58. New York Rangers (from TBL) – F Karl Henriksson, Frolunda (SHL)
59. Minnesota Wild (from CAR) – G Hunter Jones, Peterborough (OHL)
*MIN acquire pick from CAR for Nos. 73 and 91
60. Detroit Red Wings (from SJS) – D Albert Johansson, Farjestad (SuperElit)
61. New Jersey Devils (from BOS) – D Nikita Okhotyuk, Ottawa (OHL)
62. St. Louis Blues – F Nikita Alexandrov, Charlottetown (QMJHL)
Round Three
63. Colorado Avalanche (from OTT) – F Matthew Steinburg, St. Andrew’s (CAN HS)
64. Montreal Canadiens (from LAK) – D Mattias Norlinder, MODO (Allsvenskan)
65. Nashville Predators (from NJD via EDM and PHI) – F Alexander Campbell, Victoria (BCHL)
66. Detroit Red Wings – F Albin Grewe, Djurgardens (SHL)
67. Buffalo Sabres – G Erik Portillo, Frolunda (SuperElit)
68. New York Rangers – D Zachary Jones, Tri-City (USHL)
69. Florida Panthers – D John Ludvig, Portland (WHL)
70. New Jersey Devils (from ANA) – D Daniil Misyul, Yaroslavl (MHL)
71. Tampa Bay Lightning (from VAN) – G Hugo Alnefelt, HV71 (SuperElit)
72. Philadelphia Flyers – D Ronnie Attard, Tri-City (USHL)
73. Carolina Hurricanes (from MIN) – F Patrik Puistola, Tappara (Liiga)
74. Pittsburgh Penguins (from CHI via ARI) – F Nathan Legare, Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)
*PIT acquire pick from ARI for Nos. 98, 151, and 207
75. Minnesota Wild (from FLA via NSH) – F Adam Beckman, Spokane (WHL)
*MIN acquire pick from NSH for 2020 third-round pick
76. Arizona Coyotes – F John Farinacci, Dexter (MA HS)
77. Montreal Canadiens – D Gianni Fairbrother, Everett (WHL)
78. Colorado Avalanche – F Alex Beaucage, Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)
79. Vegas Golden Knights – F Pavel Dorofeyev, Magnitogorsk (MHL)
80. New Jersey Devils (from DAL) – F Graeme Clarke, Ottawa (OHL)
81. Florida Panthers (from CLB) – F Cole Schwindt, Mississauga (OHL)
*FLA acquire pick from CLB for Nos. 104 and 114
82. New Jersey Devils (from WPG via VGK and SJS) – D Michael Vukojevic, Kitchener (OHL)
83. Carolina Hurricanes (from PIT via VGK and OTT) – D Anttoni Honka, JYP (Liiga)
84. Toronto Maple Leafs – D Mikko Kokkonen, Jukurit (Liiga)
85. Edmonton Oilers (from NYI) – G Ilya Konovalov, Yaroslavl (KHL)
86. Vegas Golden Knights (from NSH) – D Layton Ahac, Prince George (BCHL)
87. Los Angeles Kings (from WAS) – G Lukas Parik, Liberec (Czech Jr.)
88. Calgary Flames – F Ilya Nikolayev, Yaroslavl (MHL)
89. Tampa Bay Lightning – F Maxim Cajkovic, Saint John (QMHJL)
90. Carolina Hurricanes – D Domenick Fensore, USNTDP (USHL)
91. Washington Capitals (from SJS via NJD) – F Alexei Protas, Prince Albert (WHL)
*WAS acquire pick from NJD for Nos. 118 and 129
92. Boston Bruins – F Quinn Olson, Okotoks (AJHL)
93. St. Louis Blues – G Colten Ellis, Rimouski (QMJHL)
Round Four
94. Ottawa Senators – D Viktor Lodin, Orebro (SHL)
95. Los Angeles Kings – D Jordan Spence, Moncton (QMJHL)
96. New Jersey Devils – F Tyce Thompson, Dubuque (USHL)
97. Detroit Red Wings – F Ethan Phillips, Sioux Falls (USHL)
98. Arizona Coyotes (from BUF via PIT) – F Matias Maccelli, Dubuque (USHL)
99. Carolina Hurricanes (from NYR via BOS and MIN) – D Cade Webber, Rivers (MA HS)
100. Edmonton Oilers – F Matej Blumel, Waterloo (USHL)
101. Anaheim Ducks – D Henry Thrun, USNTDP (USHL)
102. Buffalo Sabres (from VAN) – F Aaron Huglen, Roseau (MN HS)
*BUF acquire pick from VAN for Nos. 122 and 175
103. Philadelphia Flyers – D Mason Millman, Saginaw (OHL)
104. Florida Panthers (from MIN via ARI and PIT) – D Eric Hjorth, Linkoping (Allsvenskan)
105. Chicago Blackhawks – F Michal Teply, Liberec (Czech)
106. Florida Panthers – D Carter Berger, Victoria (BCHL)
107. Arizona Coyotes – F Alexander Darin, Yaroslavl (MHL)
108. San Jose Sharks – F Yegor Spiridonov, Magnitogorsk (MHL)
109. Nashville Predators (from COL) – D Marc Del Gaizo, UMass (NCAA)
110. Vegas Golden Knights – F Ryder Donovan, Duluth East (MN HS)
111. Dallas Stars – D Samuel Sjolund, AIK (Allsvenskan)
112. New York Rangers (from CBJ) – D Hunter Skinner, Lincoln (USHL)
113. Winnipeg Jets – F Henri Nikkanen, Jukurit (Liiga)
114. Columbus Blue Jackets (from PIT via FLA) – F Dmitri Voronkov, Kazan (MHL)
115. Toronto Maple Leafs – F Mikhail Abramov, Victoriaville (QMJHL)
116. Calgary Flames (from NYI) – Lucas Feuk, Sodertalje (SuperElit)
117. Nashville Predators – D Semyon Chistyakov, Ufa (MHL)
118. New Jersey Devils (from WAS) – D Case McCarthy, USNTDP (USHL)
119. Los Angeles Kings (from CGY via MTL) – D Kim Nousiainen, KalPa (Jr. Liiga)
120. Tampa Bay Lightning – D Max Crozier, Sioux Falls (USHL)
121. Carolina Hurricanes – F Tuukka Tieksola, Karpat (Jr. Liiga)
122. Vancouver Canucks (from SJS via BUF) – F Ethan Keppen, Flint (OHL)
123. Chicago Blackhawks (from BOS) – F Antti Saarela, Lukko (Jr. Liiga)
124. Toronto Maple Leafs (from STL) – F Nick Abruzzese, Chicago (USHL)
Round Five
125. Ottawa Senators – F Mark Kastelic, Calgary (WHL)
126. Montreal Canadiens (from LAK) – D Jacob LeGuerrier, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
127. New Jersey Devils – G Cole Brady, Janesville (NAHL)
128. Detroit Red Wings – D Cooper Moore, Brunswick (CT HS)
129. New Jersey Devils (from BUF via DET and WAS) – F Arseni Gritsyuk, Yastreby (MHL)
130. New York Rangers – F Leevi Aaltonen, KalPa (Jr. Liiga)
131. Montreal Canadiens (from EDM) – F Rhett Pitlick, Chaska (MN HS)
132. Anaheim Ducks – F Trevor Janicke, Central Illinois (USHL)
133. Vancouver Canucks – F Carson Focht, Calgary (WHL)
134. Winnipeg Jets (from PHI) – F Harrison Blaisdell, Chilliwack (BCHL)
135. Vegas Golden Knights (from MIN) – G Isaiah Saville, Tri-City (USHL)
136. Florida Panthers (from CHI via MTL) – F Henry Rybinski, Seattle (WHL)
137. Florida Panthers – F Owen Lindmark, USNTDP (USHL)
138. Montreal Canadiens (from ARI via CHI and LAK) – G Frederik Dichow, Vojens (Denmark)
139. Vegas Golden Knights (from MTL) – F Marcus Kallionkieli, Sioux City (USHL)
140. Colorado Avalanche – F Sasha Mutala, Tri-City (WHL)
141. Vegas Golden Knights – F Mason Primeau, Guelph (OHL)
142. Dallas Stars – F Nicholas Porco, Saginaw (OHL)
143. Buffalo Sabres (from CLB via DET) – F Filip Cederqvist, Vaxjo (SHL)
*BUF acquire pick from DET for Nos. 177 and 191
144. Winnipeg Jets – G Logan Neaton, Prince George (BCHL)
145. Pittsburgh Penguins – F Judd Caulfield, USNTDP (USHL)
146. Toronto Maple Leafs – D Mike Koster, Chaska (MN HS)
147. New York Islanders – F Reece Newkirk, Portland (WHL)
148. Nashville Predators – G Ethan Haider, Minnesota (NAHL)
149. Minnesota Wild (from WAS via MTL) – F Matvei Guskov, London (OHL)
150. Calgary Flames – F Josh Nodler, Fargo (USHL)
151. Arizona Coyotes (from TBL via CHI and PIT) – F Aku Raty, Karpat (Jr. Liiga)
152. Carolina Hurricanes – F Kirill Slepets, Yaroslavl (MHL)
153. San Jose Sharks – D Martin Hugo Has, Tappara (Jr. Liiga)
154. Boston Bruins – D Roman Bychkov, Yaroslavl (MHL)
155. St. Louis Blues – F Keean Washkurak, Mississauga (OHL)
Round Six
156. Vancouver Canucks (from OTT) – G Arturs Silovs, Riga (MHL)
157. Los Angeles Kings – D Braden Doyle, Lawrence Academy (MA HS)
158. New Jersey Devils – F Patrick Moynihan, USNTDP (USHL)
159. Detroit Red Wings – F Elmer Soderblom, Frolunda (SuperElit)
160. Buffalo Sabres – F Lukas Rousek, Praha (Czech)
161. New York Rangers – F Adam Edstrom, Mora (SuperElit)
162. Edmonton Oilers – F Tomas Mazura, Kimball Union (MA HS)
163. Anaheim Ducks – D William Francis, Cedar Rapids (USHL)
164. San Jose Sharks (from VAN) – F Timur Ibragimov, St. Petersburg (MHL)
165. Philadelphia Flyers – F Yegor Serdyuk, Victoriaville (QMJHL)
166. Minnesota Wild – D Marshall Warren, USNTDP (USHL)
167. Chicago Blackhawks – G Dominic Basse, Selects (USPHL)
168. Florida Panthers – F Greg Meireles, Kitchener (OHL)
169. Philadelphia Flyers (from ARI) – D Roddy Ross, Seattle (WHL)
170. Montreal Canadiens – F Arsen Khisamutdinov, Nizhnekamsk (MHL)
171. Colorado Avalanche – F Luka Burzan, Brandon (WHL)
172. Minnesota Wild (from VGK) – F Nikita Nesterenko, Lawrenceville (NJ HS)
173. Dallas Stars – D Ben Brinkman, Minnesota (NCAA)
174. Arizona Coyotes (from CLB) – F Danil Savunov, Penza (VHL)
175. Vancouver Canucks (from WPG via BUF) – F Karel Plasek, Brno (Czech)
176. Arizona Coyotes (from PIT) – F Anthony Romano, Sioux Falls (USHL)
177. Detroit Red Wings (from TOR via BUF) – D Gustav Berglund, Frolunda (Allsvenskan)
178. New York Islanders – F Felix Bibeau, Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)
179. Nashville Predators – F Isak Walther, Sodertalje (Allsvenskan)
180. Vancouver Canucks (from WAS) – F John Malone, Youngstown (USHL)
181. Carolina Hurricanes (from CGY) – F Kevin Wall, Chilliwack (BCHL)
182. Tampa Bay Lightning – D Quinn Schmiemann, Kamloops (WHL)
183. Carolina Hurricanes – F Blake Murray, Sudbury (OHL)
184. San Jose Sharks – D Santeri Hatakka, Jokerit (Jr. Liiga)
185. Boston Bruins – F Matias Mantykivi, SaiPa (Jr. Liiga)
186. Anaheim Ducks (from STL) – D Matthew Hill, Barrie (OHL)
Round Seven
187. Ottawa Senators – D Maxence Guenette, Val-d’Or (QMJHL)
188. Los Angeles Kings – F Andre Lee, Sioux Falls (USHL)
189. New Jersey Devils – F Nikola Pasic, Linkoping (SuperElit)
190. Detroit Red Wings – F Kirill Tyutyayev, Yekatirinburg (MHL)
191. Detroit Red Wings (from BUF) – G Carter Gylander, Sherwood Park (AJHL)
192. Boston Bruins (from NYR) – F Jake Schmaltz, Chicago (USHL)
193. Edmonton Oilers – F Maxim Denezhkin, Yaroslavl (MHL)
194. Chicago Blackhawks (from ANA) – D Cole Moberg, Prince George (WHL)
195. Vancouver Canucks – F Aidan McDonough, Cedar Rapids (USHL)
196. Philadelphia Flyers – F Bryce Brodzinski, Blaine (MN HS)
197. Minnesota Wild – G Filip Lindberg, UMass (NCAA)
198. Tampa Bay Lightning (from CHI) – F Mikhail Shalagin, Moscow (MHL)
199. Florida Panthers – F Matthew Wedman, Seattle (WHL)
200. Arizona Coyotes – D Axel Bergqvist, Leksands (Allsvenskan)
201. Montreal Canadiens (from PHI via MTL) – F Rafael Harvey-Pinard, Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)
*MTL acquires pick from PHI for 2020 seventh-round pick
202. Colorado Avalanche – G Trent Miner, Vancouver (WHL)
203. Pittsburgh Penguins (from VGK) – F Valtteri Puustinen, HPK (Liiga)
204. Toronto Maple Leafs (from DAL) – D Kalle Loponen, Hermes (Mestis)
205. New York Rangers (from CLB) – F Eric Ciccolini, Toronto (OJHL)
206. Montreal Canadiens (from WPG) – D Kieran Ruscheinski, Calgary (AMHL)
207. Arizona Coyotes (from PIT) – F Valentin Nussbaumer, Shawnigan (QMJHL)
208. Toronto Maple Leafs – G Vadim Zherenko, Moscow (MHL)
209. New York Islanders – F Cole Coskey, Saginaw (OHL)
210. Nashville Predators – F Juuso Parssinen, TPS (Jr. Liiga)
211. Pittsburgh Penguins (from WAS via SJS) – D Santeri Airola, SaiPa (Jr. Liiga)
* PIT acquire pick from SJS for 2020 seventh-round pick
212. Columbus Blue Jackets (from CGY via OTT) – F Tyler Angle, Windsor (OHL)
213. Tampa Bay Lightning – F McKade Webster, Green Bay (USHL)
214. Calgary Flames (from CAR) – G Dustin Wolf, Everett (WHL)
215. Vancouver Canucks (from SJS) – F Arvid Costmar, Linkoping (SuperElit)
216. Carolina Hurricanes (from BOS via NYR) – F Massimo Rizzo, Penticton (BCHL)
217. St. Louis Blues – F Jeremy Michel, Val-d’Or (QMJHL)
Vancouver Canucks Acquire Francis Perron From San Jose Sharks
5:27: The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz reports that the Sharks have no interest in Pyatt as the only reason Pyatt was included in the deal was because Vancouver already had the maximum number of 50 contracts and needed to send a player back to the Sharks.
4:30: The Vancouver Canucks announced they have acquired prospect Francis Perron and a 2019 seventh-round pick from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for the rights to unrestricted free agent Tom Pyatt and a 2019 sixth-round pick.
Perron, acquired last offseason along with Erik Karlsson from Ottawa, had a breakout year with the San Jose Barracuda in the AHL, posting 18 goals and 47 points in 63 games after putting up just 10 combined goals over the two previous years, but with a tremendous amount of young talent coming into the AHL this season in Ivan Chekhovich, Sasha Chmelevski, Noah Gregor and Joakim Blichfield, Perron was expendable. The 23-year-old has a better chance to cracking Vancouver’s lineup in training camp than he would have in San Jose.
The 32-year-old Pyatt is expected to be an unrestricted free agent on July 1. No word on whether San Jose wants to sign the veteran forward. He played 37 games with the Ottawa Senators last season, tallying no goals and two assists, but then was traded along with goaltender Mike McKenna to Vancouver in the Anders Nilsson trade in January. He was immediately sent to the Utica Comets after the trade and played 36 games there, scoring six goals and 19 points there. Whether San Jose might want him as a cheap bottom-line option with the Sharks or potentially as a veteran leader for their top prospects is still up in the air.