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Vincent Praplan Signs Entry-Level Contract With San Jose Sharks

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Entry-level contracts continue to be given out, but this time it is not a drafted prospect that has signed, but an Olympic athlete. Vincent Praplan has signed an entry-level contract with the San Jose Sharks, not long after finishing his stint with the Swiss national team at the Olympics. Praplan attended training camp with the Sharks in 2017, but has played this season in the Swiss NLA.

The 23-year old forward has no doubt been on the radar of NHL teams for several years, dating back to his single season in the OHL with the Brampton Battalion. As a 19-year old, Praplan recorded 53 points in 61 games in that lone season before returning to the NLA full-time for the last four years. This season brought 38 points in 45 games, and continued development of his defensive game.

San Jose Sharks GM Doug Wilson had this to say about Praplan in the team release:

Vincent is a highly skilled playmaker who can play any forward position. We saw first-hand at our rookie tournament last summer what he can do with the puck and think he will fit perfectly within our puck pressure system. His speed allows him to be a threat on the penalty kill, and his offensive instincts make him an asset on the power play. We’re excited for him to join our organization.

Now listed at 6’1″ 195-lbs according to the Sharks, Praplan was the most dangerous Swiss forward at last year’s World Championships, where he recorded seven points in eight games. He has plenty of international experience, and is a worthwhile gamble for the Sharks.

It seems likely that his contract will begin next season, though no official word has been released so far.

Aaron Dell Signs Two-Year Extension With San Jose Sharks

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In what will surely make the goalie market quite different this summer, the San Jose Sharks have signed Aaron Dell to a two-year extension worth a total of $3.8MM. Dell was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st. The salary breakdown is as follows:

  • 2018-19: $2.2MM
  • 2019-20: $1.6MM

Aaron DellDespite having just 45 NHL appearances under his belt at age-28, Dell has played well enough that he could have been considered a starting option on the open market. The free agent signing out of the University of North Dakota was leading the league in several categories at one point this season, and now has a .912 save percentage through 25 appearances.

Earning just $675K on a two-way deal, Dell is one of the most cost-effective goaltenders in the entire league this season. With starter Martin Jones is starting a six-year, $34.5MM extension next season, the Sharks could have a solid tandem locked up for at least two years. Though there was no guarantee he would get looks as a starter on the open market, he’s giving up the chance to become a #1 somewhere else.

With his play the last two seasons, Dell had set himself up to follow the footsteps of goaltenders like Scott Darling and go from relative obscurity as a backup to starting goaltender. We discussed the dangers of such a pursuit earlier this year, but the Sharks re-signing him means no team will have to make that tough decision. Instead, he’ll be able to continue working as one of the more reliable backups in the league, and try to help the Sharks to another Stanley Cup Finals appearance.

Kevin Kurz of The Athletic first reported that the deal was close.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Trade Deadline Recap: Western Conference

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After a month of lead up, a sprinkling of trades over the last week or so, and a wild deadline day today, NHL teams are done with transactions for the 2017-18 NHL season. Here are the deals that improved contenders in the Western Conference:

Deadline Day

Winnipeg Jets receive:
F Paul Stastny

St. Louis Blues receive:
F Erik Foley
2018 first-round pick
Conditional 2020 fourth-round pick

 

Vegas Golden Knights receive:
F Tomas Tatar

Detroit Red Wings receive:
2018 first-round pick
2019 second-round pick
2021 third-round pick

 

Nashville Predators receive:
F Ryan Hartman
2018 fifth-round pick

Chicago Blackhawks receive:
F Victor Ejdsell
2018 first-round pick
2018 fourth-round pick

 

San Jose Sharks receive:
F Evander Kane

Buffalo Sabres receive:
F Danny O’Regan
Conditional 2019 first-round pick
Conditional 2020 fourth-round pick

 

Anaheim Ducks receive:
F Jason Chimera

New York Islanders receive:
F Chris Wagner

 

Vegas Golden Knights receive:
D Philip Holm

Vancouver Canucks receive:
F Brendan Leipsic

 

Winnipeg Jets receive:
D Joe Morrow

Montreal Canadiens receive:
2018 fourth-round pick

 

Calgary Flames receive:
F Nick Shore

Ottawa Senators receive:
2019 seventh-round pick

Read more

San Jose Sharks Acquire Evander Kane From Buffalo Sabres

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The San Jose Sharks have acquired Evander Kane from the Buffalo Sabres, according to Bob McKenzie of TSN in exchange for a conditional 2019 first-round pick, conditional 2020 fourth-round pick and Daniel O’Regan. Kane has not signed an extension with the Sharks, and is still scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News reports that the bidding was down to San Jose, Anaheim and Calgary today.

Evander KaneThe first-round pick is tied to the re-signing of Kane. As Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports, if the Sharks don’t re-sign the 26-year old forward before July 1st, it becomes a second-round pick in 2019 instead—unless the Sharks also win the 2018 Stanley Cup. It’s unclear what the conditions are on the fourth-round pick.

O’Regan, 24, is a former teammate of Sabres’ forwards Jack Eichel and Evan Rodrigues at Boston University and has played 19 games for the Sharks this season. Though he has just four points on the season, O’Regan does have some offensive upside and could jump right into the Buffalo lineup. He has 25 points in 31 games in the AHL, and though he’s a bit undersized could give them another option down the middle for the next few years. He’s a restricted free agent in the summer, but should be relatively cheap to sign for the Sabres.

The package Buffalo received for Kane may seem a little light at first glance, especially when compared directly to Rick Nash from this week. That’s likely because of the struggles he’s gone through of late, and his lack of playoff experience. Kane has just six points in 23 games in 2018, and hasn’t played a single postseason game in his nine-year career.

There is also obviously the case of Kane’s perceived attitude, which could have influenced the market that Buffalo was able to create. Kane has had off-ice trouble in the past, and though there hasn’t been much lately on any turmoil in the Buffalo dressing room, playoff teams often don’t want to risk their team chemistry on a player with a reputation. San Jose does have a strong leadership group, and decided that this package was more than acceptable for a player capable of scoring 30 goals in a season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Predators Add Depth In Minor Move With Sharks

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The Nashville Predators announced they have made a minor deal as they acquired forward Brandon Bollig and goaltender Troy Grosenick from the San Jose Sharks for a sixth-round pick in the 2018 draft.

It’s the second move for the Predators today, who earlier traded away forward Pontus Aberg in a three-team deal, that netted them a fourth-round pick in the 2018 draft.

Bollig, a 31-year-old veteran, hasn’t played a game for the Sharks this season. The winger has played the past two years in the AHL and likely is being brought aboard to increase the depth on the Milwaukee Admirals, their AHL affiliate. With the Barracuda, Bollig has eight goals and two assists in 45 games this year with 68 penalty minutes.

Grosenick also will provide the team some depth on the goaltending depth chart. The 28-year-old has served as an emergency backup this year for the Sharks, but has never appeared in a game. He currently has a 2.98 GAA with the Barracuda in 20 appearances.

Senators, Karlsson Trying To Get Trade Done By Deadline

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The Ottawa Senators and Erik Karlsson are both working hard on making a deal happen by the trade deadline with the Tampa Bay Lightning being the leading candidate to acquire the star defenseman, according to Elliotte Friedman Saturday on Hockey Night in Canada.

“Whatever gets said, the belief is the Ottawa Senators want to try to make this happen and Erik Karlsson wants it to happen, and they have been grinding away in the last two or three days to see if they can,” Friedman said. “Obviously Tampa Bay is a leading contender, I think they’ve thrown several different proposals at each other.”

While negotiations haven’t reached their final stages, other teams have also shown interest in Karlsson, including the Nashville Predators, San Jose Sharks and the Vegas Golden Knights.

The idea that Karlsson could end up in Tampa Bay is not unrealistic considering he is close friends with fellow Swede Victor Hedman. The two playing on the Lightning’s blueline could be the ultimate piece for a team that want to win a Stanley Cup this year. However, what would be the cost? While Tampa Bay has quite a lot of solid prospects they could deal, Ottawa would almost definitely be looking for a major piece from the team’s active roster with names such as Brayden Point, Yanni Gourde and Vladislav Namestnikov, rumored to be names that Ottawa would want back.

“I’m sure the names Brayden Point and Yanni Gourde have come up, but at the very least it might even cost them [Vladislav] Namestnikov and we know how important he is to the first line in Tampa Bay,” said Kypreos on the same segment of Hockey Night in Canada. “But Ottawa wants a major piece back.”

Friedman added in the segment that he believes if Ottawa is willing to accept Namestnikov as the centerpiece of the deal, “that’s something that Tampa would do.” However, the real question is what else would Ottawa want? The team is unlikely to part with 19-year-old Mikhail Sergachev, who seems to have turned the corner after recent struggles.

You also have to factor in the injury to Ondrej Palat, who is out for another two or three weeks with what many believe is a high ankle sprain. Does the team have enough depth to survive without a Namestnikov, who is a major influence on the team’s first line. The 25-year-old is having a breakout season with 20 goals and 24 assists in 62 games this year. He is only making $1.94MM this year, but will be a restricted free agent next year, which could make him harder to sign for the future.

Eastern Notes: Karlsson, Nash, Lindblom, Rosen

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Did Erik Karlsson play his last game as a member of the Ottawa Senators?

Just a few weeks ago, there was no way Karlsson would be traded. Just a few days ago, there was nothing more than a rumor that general manager Pierre Dorion might consider a trade if he was blown away. Now suddenly, it seems like everyone is in on a potential trade and there is a good chance Karlsson will be dealt.

The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch writes that while he believes there is a better chance than not that Karlsson will remain with the Senators after the trade deadline, it seems that teams are lining up to make offers. The scribe writes that three teams, in particular, have all been mentioned as trade partners for Karlsson, including the Tampa Bay Lightning, Vegas Golden Knights and the Nashville Predators. Tampa Bay would love to add Karlsson to their stable of defensemen and have a 1-2 combination of Victor Hedman and Karlsson. Vegas wouldn’t mind acquiring the star and making him the face of their franchise and would be easily able to take the contract of Ryan off Ottawa’s hands as well.

The San Jose Sharks have also been mentioned as having checked in with Ottawa about Karlsson and also have the cap room to take on Ryan, but seem an unlikely option.

All three clubs would like to have Karlsson for the next two postseasons, but Garrioch writes that unless the Senators are blown away by an offer, the team should hold onto the star defenseman and move him before the draft. That’s the more likely time the team will see the best offers. The Senators have made it clear to anyone calling that they are looking for about five to six pieces to help the team both immediately and in the future.

  • Pierre LeBrun tweets that the New York Rangers that trade talks surrounding winger Rick Nash are progressing. While there is no mention of what teams are attempting to make a deal for the veteran, LeBrun writes the Rangers got an offer they are considering, but then adds that other teams remain in the mix. A deal within the next 24 hours is not out of the question. Elliotte Friedman just added that the Boston Bruins may be the leading candidate in the Nash sweepstakes.
  • Charlie O’Connor of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that for Philadelphia Flyers prospect forward Oskar Lindblom to remain with the Flyers once Wayne Simmonds returns from injury, he would have to knock one player off one of the top three lines. Lindblom, who had 16 goals with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the AHL this year has played in just two games since being recalled after Simmonds went down. While he hasn’t put up any points yet, O’Connor writes that Lindblom would need to show that he can produce at the NHL level better than either Michael Raffl or Jordan Weal. Both could easily move to the fourth line to make room for him. The question is whether he can produce.
  • Scott Wheeler of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that one asset the Toronto Maple Leafs have is their AHL franchise, the Toronto Marlies, which seems to have one of the deepest rosters in the league. While that is great, the team has too many players and once playoff time rolls around, the Marlies will have some real issues. If the Maple Leafs are eliminated from the playoffs before the Marlies are, the Maple Leafs will also likely send some players down, causing an even bigger roster jam. Wheeler writes the Maple Leafs should consider moving some of their AHL players such as defenseman Calle Rosen to lighten their load, but some of those pieces could also be used to acquire another piece for the Maple Leafs.

Trade Deadline Notes: Ward, McDonagh, Oduya, Plekanec

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The San Jose Sharks are playing both buyer and seller at this year’s trade deadline. The Sharks are currently second in the Pacific Division, looking to hold off the Ducks, Kings, and Flames, and are known to be looking for scoring help up front. They have been attached to names like Evander Kane, Rick Nash, and really most high-profile forwards on the market. At the same time, TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that the team has requested a no-trade list from veteran forward Joel Ward. Ward, 37, is an impending free agent who has fallen out of favor in the San Jose lineup. He has a six-team no-trade list that he can use to slightly reduce the number of possible destinations, should he be traded. Ward has played in only 46 games this season, with just 11 points to show for it, but more importantly, has seen his once-valued penalty kill role diminished, along with his even strength ice time. Ward can still be an asset for many teams as both an experienced locker room presence and reliable two-way depth option, but he’s worth much more to another contender than the defense-conscious Sharks. A trade is far from a certainty, but is a definite possibility now that a list has been officially requested.

  • An unexpected suitor has entered the bidding for New York Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh. Sportsnet’s John Shannon believes that the Florida Panthers have interest in the top-pairing defenseman. Going up against divisional foes like the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins, as well as many others, the Panthers will try make the top offer for McDonagh, as the Rangers continue their fire sale. The Panthers are still fighting for a wild card spot in the Eastern Conference this season, and McDonagh would be a major help with that, but more likely the motivation for the Cats is to bring in McDonagh for next season and with the intent of extending him. PHR recently identified a top-four defenseman as a need for the Panthers going forward, and McDonagh would round out quite the top four in Florida with Aaron Ekblad, Keith Yandle, and Michael Matheson.
  • Count both Johnny Oduya and Tomas Plekanec as the latest big-name players being held out of lineups tonight prior to the deadline. Dreger says that Oduya’s benching is just precautionary, but that the Ottawa Senators are working on trading the veteran defenseman as part of their own fire sale. The news of Plekanec, from TVA’s Renaud Lavoie, comes after a report yesterday that the Montreal Canadiens have received an influx of interest in the veteran center over the last 24 hours. Both players are expected to be moved in the coming days.

San Jose Sharks Have Looked Into Erik Karlsson

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This is not a match many would have seen coming, but TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that the San Jose Sharks are among the teams that have had talks with the Ottawa Senators about all-world defenseman Erik Karlsson. The rumors are growing that Karlsson could be moved ahead of Monday’s trade deadline or, at least, this off-season. Could the Sharks be a dark horse destination?

In a way, it makes sense. Ever since it was revealed that Senators GM Pierre Dorion was seeking a team to take the contract of Bobby Ryan – $7.25MM over four more years – as part of any deal for Eriksson, it narrowed the field considerably of who could possibly even afford to acquire such players, without bringing in a third team. One such team that is a contender and could afford to bring in both Karlsson and Ryan are the Sharks, who will have over $18MM in salary cap space entering the off-season. LeBrun also notes that it is not out of the ordinary for Sharks GM Doug Wilson to inquire into every available player. LeBrun calls San Jose “big-game hunters”, citing their trades for Joe Thornton and Brent Burns over the years and their push to sign Steven Stamkos two years ago. The Sharks have also been mentioned as a possible destination for John Tavares, should he decide not to re-sign with the New York Islanders.

However, one has to wonder if this rumor is more fiction than fact. While the Sharks may have the cap space and the big splash history, the fit doesn’t make much sense. The reason the team has had interest in Stamkos and Tavares is because they need another major piece up front, especially with 38-year-old Thornton unlikely to return. There is no similar concern on the blue line. Burns is fresh off a Norris Trophy last season and right up there with Karlsson as one of the best defenseman in the league. He’s also signed for seven more years to the tune of $56MM. Marc-Edouard Vlasic is one of the league’s top defensive rearguards and begins his own eight-year, $56MM extension next season. Justin Braun and Brenden Dillon are both in their primes and signed for two more years at reasonable rates, while youngsters Dylan DeMelo and Joakim Ryan have taken a step forward this season. Even the system is well-stocked, with promising blue liners like Jeremy Roy, currently in the AHL, and Mario Ferraro of UMass. The Sharks are a top-ten team in goals against and shots against and arguably the best penalty kill unit in the NHL. Defense is the least of their worries, so why then would they sell off multiple high-value assets and take on a terrible contract to acquire, of all things, another defenseman? The answer is they wouldn’t. No one can blame Wilson for checking in, if he did, but more likely this is the Senators exaggerating interest to drive up the price on Karlsson. Don’t expect a top pairing of Norris Trophy winners in San Jose any time soon, unless Vlasic is ever rewarded for his stellar two-way play.

Minor Transactions: 02/21/18

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After a busy night in the NHL, the league has just three games on tap for today. Instead, teams might use their time off to cement their status for the trade deadline and make inquiries around the league. All the minor moves we’ll keep track of right here. Refresh the page throughout the day to make sure you stay up to date on all the comings and goings.

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