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Sharks To Buy Out Paul Martin

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The Sharks announced that they have placed defenseman Paul Martin on waivers for the purposes of buying out the remainder of his contract.  GM Doug Wilson issued the following statement regarding the move:

“Paul Martin has been the utmost professional on and off the ice during his three years in San Jose. His leadership, character and on-ice contributions have been essential to our success and in reaching the 2016 Stanley Cup Final. The impact he has had on our organization, his teammates and many of our younger players will be felt for many years to come.”

The 37-year-old has spent the past three seasons in San Jose and played an important role in their trip to the Stanley Cup Final back in 2015-16.  However, his effectiveness and role were reduced in recent years to the point where he cleared waivers this past season and played in more games in the minors (18) during the regular season than he did in the NHL (14).  Martin was brought back up late in the season and while he played a sparing role on the third pairing, he did get into seven postseason contests but even with that, being bought out was still the expected outcome.

Martin had one year left on his deal with a $4.85MM cap hit and a $4.25MM salary.  Assuming he clears waivers on Saturday, the Sharks will instead carry a $2.017MM cap charge in 2018-19 and a $1.417MM hit in 2019-20.  The roughly $2.8MM in savings will give San Jose nearly $19MM in cap room to play with this summer which will make them a team to watch for in free agency which kicks off next Sunday.

Contract Offers Submitted To Ilya Kovalchuk

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Ilya Kovalchuk can’t officially sign a contract until July 1st, but as Darren Dreger of TSN reports offers have already been submitted to his camp. Dreger believes the Los Angeles Kings are one of the team who have sent an offer, while the Boston Bruins, San Jose Sharks and Vegas Golden Knights remain in contention. Kovalchuk is permitted to reach a deal with a team prior to the free agent period.

The 35-year old Russian forward is returning after five seasons in the KHL, and has already sat down with multiple teams. Though his contract will be held to normal restrictions for a 35+ player—that is, his average annual value will be applied to the salary cap regardless of whether he retires before the end of the contract—he is still expected to get a multi-year deal. It’s not like his production has waned in recent years, as he led the KHL in scoring this season and recorded 78 points in 2016-17. Kovalchuk was one of the NHL’s most lethal offensive weapons during his first tenure in North America, recording 816 points in 816 games including an impressive 417 goals. While he’s coming back a much older player, he also recently won Olympic MVP and should still be able to produce at a respective rate in the NHL.

Whether he’ll be able to do that for multiple seasons, and at a rate which makes his contract palatable is another story. With several competing teams there is no telling how high the offers for Kovalchuk will climb, and though he has said his first priority is winning the Stanley Cup, all players want to earn the most they can during their final seasons of professional hockey.

For the Kings, the interest is not surprising. GM Rob Blake has shown reported interest in almost every scoring threat on the market, including players like Phil Kessel and Jeff Skinner. Los Angeles desperately needs to add offense to a group that can still compete for the Stanley Cup, and Kovalchuk costs nothing but money. Anze Kopitar bounced back to his MVP-caliber self this season, but relying on a resurgent Dustin Brown and Jeff Carter to carry the load just wasn’t working.

Boston too makes sense for the big winger, as the team is expected to let Rick Nash walk in free agency. The team acquired Nash at the trade deadline hoping he’d give their offense another dynamic goal threat to push them over the top, but after a disappointing playoff exit at the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning will look to retool through free agency.

San Jose has been linked to just about every free agent on the market thanks to their healthy cap space, and with this week’s Mike Hoffman magic have cleared another $4MM. If they get the feeling that John Tavares isn’t going to be available in a few days, why not swing at Kovalchuk to give the team another option and more incentive for Joe Thornton to take one more crack at a Stanley Cup in California.

The Golden Knights are the wildcard in seemingly every trade and free agent scenario, as they have more than $30MM in cap space and very few long-term contracts on the books. Taking a chance on a player like Kovalchuk is nearly risk-free for an organization that is starting from scratch, but could add a huge marketing opportunity for the franchise. Kovalchuk is a star all around the world after his accomplishments in the NHL, KHL and on the Olympic stage, and would only lend some more credibility to a team looking to show they weren’t just a one-hit wonder.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

San Jose Sharks Flip Mike Hoffman To Florida Panthers

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The San Jose experience didn’t last long for Mike Hoffman, as the Sharks have flipped their newest forward to the Florida Panthers in exchange for 2019 second, 2018 fourth and 2018 fifth round picks. The Sharks will include a 2018 seventh along with Hoffman, who moves from Ottawa to San Jose to Florida in a matter of hours. There is no retained salary in the trade.

Senators’ GM Pierre Dorion is notoriously stingy with trades in-division, which may have led to this opportunity for the Sharks. San Jose finishes the transaction with $4MM more in cap space, and a few extra draft picks to fill out the cupboards. Giving up Boedker would weaken their on-ice performance if his cap space wasn’t used for something else, but the team is expected to take a long run at some top names in free agency this summer. They do have contracts to work out with Tomas Hertl, Chris Tierney and Dylan DeMelo, along with unrestricted free agent Joe Thornton, but should have plenty of space to go after someone like John Tavares or Ilya Kovalchuk to give them some added offensive punch.

That offense was what Hoffman was supposed to bring, something that he’ll now take to Florida instead. The 28-year old winger will move south in the Atlantic Division, and join a relatively young team that already has some outstanding forward talents in players like Aleksander Barkov, Vincent Trocheck and Jonathan Huberdeau. The Panthers will add a four-time 20-goal scorer to their group, despite his recent off-ice situations. Because of those troubles between Hoffman and Senators captain Erik Karlsson, Florida has acquired him for an extremely low price. GM Dale Tallon released a statement regarding his newest player:

Mike is a skilled, consistent and hard-working player who has proven himself to be a talented goal scorer in the NHL. His speed, experience and offensive abilities will bolster our top-six group.

Taking a top scoring threat away from a division rival for a handful of picks after the first round is a steal for the Panthers, who are looking to take a run at the playoffs right away. As Chris Johnston of Sportsnet relays, Tallon had spoken with the Senators about Hoffman but thought the asking price was too high. Last night he received a call from the Sharks, and could find a price that worked. The Senators apparently wanted roster players from the Panthers, instead of the draft pick package that the Sharks were after.

The fireworks seem to just be starting in Ottawa, but both San Jose and Florida seem to be in a better position than they started this morning. This deal is a great one for both teams, as long as Hoffman’s off-ice situations are resolved. Draft week has been kicked off with a bang, and there will be plenty of intrigue as we approach Friday’s event.

Mike Hoffman Traded To San Jose Sharks

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9:20am: The Sharks have flipped Hoffman to the Florida Panthers. For more information check the latest story.

7:55am: The Ottawa Senators have traded Mike Hoffman, Cody Donaghy and a 2020 fifth-round pick to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Mikkel Boedker, Julius Bergman and a 2020 sixth-round selection. This comes after weeks of trade speculation surrounding Hoffman, following an incident between his fiancee, and team captain Erik Karlsson and his wife. Senators GM Pierre Dorion released a statement regarding the trade, that seems to point towards a rift in the locker room:

Today’s trade showcases our determination to strengthen the future of the team by improving chemistry, leadership and character in the locker room and on the ice. We are confident it is a step in the right direction for the long-term success of this organization. 

Hoffman, 28, is about as consistent a goal scorer as you can find in the league right now. After four straight seasons with at least 22 goals, Hoffman will look to establish even better numbers in San Jose playing with what has quickly become an impressive forward group. After trading for and re-signing Evander Kane, and now adding Hoffman to the mix, the Sharks have used poor off-ice reputations to acquire top end talent on the cheap. With Joe Thornton expected to re-sign for a relatively low price to remain in San Jose, the team has three legitimate scoring lines that can do damage at even strength.

While Hoffman brings an upgrade in goal scoring, Boedker may fit into Ottawa’s system with ease. The two-way speedster can help the team utilize Guy Boucher’s defensive style, bringing an added level of responsibility to the forward group. Still, it’s not clear where the goals will come from in Ottawa, especially given the team is still considering a trade of Karlsson. Just this morning, Darren Dreger of TSN tweeted that the team is listening on both Karlsson and Zack Smith as they attempt a full rebuild. If they do pull a full overhaul on the roster, there may be another trade coming for Boedker, who is owed $3MM in each of the next two years (with a $4MM cap hit).

Even with Boedker’s $4MM cap hit, the Senators will save some money the next two years. Hoffman is signed for two seasons with a cap hit just under $5.2MM, a number that the Sharks can easily afford. San Jose headed into this offseason with a huge amount of cap space, and even with the Kane extension should be able to bring back all of their restricted free agents and Thornton.

For Ottawa, the simple fact is that they needed to move Hoffman before the season began. The off-ice problems had become too much, and they did well to at least acquire an asset in Boedker and a prospect in Bergman. The latter may be the key to the deal, as a puck-moving defenseman who will add another lottery ticket to the pile for the Senators. Make no mistake, Bergman isn’t an elite prospect ready to make a huge impact at the NHL level, but should play for the Senators at some point at least in a limited role. The second-round pick recorded 20 points in 65 games for the San Jose Barracuda this season, his third in the minor leagues since being drafted in 2014. Bergman has one year remaining on his entry-level contract, meaning he’ll be a restricted free agent in 2019.

It’s tough to think that the Senators will be better after this deal, and should they blow up the entire program and try to rebuild it could get even worse. The tough part about any scorched earth rebuild though is the fact that the Colorado Avalanche own their first-round pick from either this year (fourth overall) or next. The idea of giving up a real shot at first overall and Jack Hughes next season is a frightening one for a team trying to turn itself around, though it may be the only rational decision. Giving up the fourth pick this season is still an extremely difficult decision, especially if they believe Filip Zadina will still be available.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Western Notes: Trouba, Kovalchuk, Canucks

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While the Winnipeg Jets are coming off an exemplary season in which it reached the Western Conference Finals with a young, talented team, now comes the hard part. The team is full of key restricted free agents which could start taking up what was once an ample amount of cap space. The team has already all but said they don’t intend to re-sign trade deadline acquisition Paul Stastny and for good reason. The team must lock up a number of key players, including all-star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, Adam Lowry, Joel Armia, Marko Dano, Tucker Poolman, Josh Morrissey, Joseph Morrow, and oh, Jacob Trouba.

Two years ago, the contract negotiations between Trouba and the Jets went south, as Trouba ended up holding out for an entire month of the season before coming back and signing a below-value two-year bridge deal. Now, with Trouba’s stock sky-high as one of the top defensemen on the team, things could get even more dicey, according to Winnipeg Free Press’ Paul Wiecek. Trouba and his agent are expected to ask for about $7MM per year, while the Jets hope to keep it between $5MM and $6MM. The question is whether the Jets can afford to give him a big, long-term contract, considering that his offense isn’t even close to his defense after posting three goals and just 24 points on the year.

The team not only has to lock up these younger players, but must eventually lock up captain Blake Wheeler as well as pay youngster Kyle Connor in one year. The money will start to dry up soon. The scribe suggests the team consider moving Trouba now to save some of that money, considering his value is at a premium. Bringing back a big haul could save the team some cap space and fill some of its holes in one swoop.

  • While there was a rumor mentioned by Pierre LeBrun recently about the St. Louis Blues’ interest in Ilya Kovalchuk, NHL.com reports that general manager Doug Armstrong confirmed the team’s interest in the veteran KHL winger. “There’s certainly intrigue there because he’s been such a dominant player internationally and he was a hell of a player when he left [the NHL],” Armstrong said. Kovalchuk, who has played in Russia for the past five seasons is looking for a new home and has already visited the Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks, while other teams like the Boston Bruins have expressed interest in the 35-year-old veteran, who has tallied 417 goals in 816 NHL games with the Atlanta Thrashers and the New Jersey Devils.
  • Mike Halford of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that the Vancouver Canucks, who have always been adept at mining organizations to get quality players, need to continue to do that more than ever with the retirement of Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin. With a lineup full of holes, the scribe writes that the team needs to continue mining other organizations for their unwanted, forgotten or unfulfilled talent like in previous years. Over the last few years, the team has picked up several key players such as Sven Baertschi, Markus Granlund, Nikolay Goldobin, Derrick Pouliot and Brendan Leipsic. The scribe goes on to point out three players the team should look into during the offseason and pry them away for late picks include Winnipeg’s Nic Petan, Columbus’ Sonny Milano and the New York Islanders’ Michael Dal Colle. All three are on the outside looking in within the organization and might need a franchise to give them a new chance.

Offseason Keys: San Jose Sharks

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With the Stanley Cup now awarded, the offseason is now in full swing.  What storylines lie ahead around the league in the weeks to come?  Our Offseason Keys series continues with a look at the San Jose Sharks.

Rather than make a lot of changes following a first-round exit at the hands of the Oilers in 2017, the Sharks opted to bring the majority of the team back for another run.  That trust was rewarded as San Jose, bolstered by the addition of Evander Kane at the trade deadline, made it to the second round before being ousted by the upstart Golden Knights.  Now, GM Doug Wilson has to decide whether to follow the same playbook again this summer or to shake things up.  He already has dealt with one major offseason key with extending Kane; here are three more.

Extension Talks

Wilson has been a proponent of getting new contracts done early.  He got Kane signed before he hit the open market and last summer, he wasted no time inking goalie Martin Jones and defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic to long-term extensions.  Two more core players are now eligible to sign as of July 1st in center Joe Pavelski and center/winger Logan Couture and it stands to reason that the Sharks will be looking to repeat recent history with these two.

Pavelski is coming off his lowest point total since the lockout-shortened season.  That’s the bad news.  The good news is that he still put up 66 points which is still quite good.  The 33-year-old is unquestionably San Jose’s top pivot and they have used him in all situations so he is someone they’re going to want to keep around.  What will make his extension talks a little more interesting is that he will be 35 when his next contract kicks in.  Will the Sharks go with a longer term in order to try to keep the cap hit a little lower or come in with a two- or three-year offer at a higher AAV?  At either rate, expect talks to begin sooner than later if they haven’t already and that his next contract will exceed his current $6MM cap charge.

As for Couture, it sounds like talks have already started and that the team is hopeful to get something done in these next few weeks leading up to the turn of the calendar.  While the Sharks have flip-flopped at times in terms of using him on the wing instead of down the middle, he has still been a very consistent player for them, averaging between 0.69 and 0.83 points per game over the last eight seasons.  Unlike Pavelski, the 29-year-old is young enough that a max-term deal (or close to one) is certainly going to be on the table and he should be in line for a raise on his current $6MM AAV.

New Deal For Hertl

Two years ago following a 46-point season, San Jose opted to give center/winger Tomas Hertl a bridge contract instead of a long-term pact.  Now, following another 46-point season, the Sharks have to give the 24-year-old another new deal.

In his five-year NHL career, Hertl has been a capable secondary scorer but has yet to really establish himself as a true top-line forward despite having some opportunities to do so.  Despite that, he’s still an important part of their core and is someone that they’d like to keep around for a while yet.

What’s interesting here is how this could go a couple of different ways.  If the Sharks want to be active in free agency (more on that shortly), they may want to go with a one-year deal for Hertl this summer to maximize their salary cap flexibility.  His qualifying offer checks in at $3.2MM.  On the other hand, the time is right for a long-term pact as he looks to be entering the prime of his career (or close to it).

Is Hertl the type of player to commit to long-term though?  We’re seeing a time where the top players get the big bucks and more and more cheaper players coming in to offset the higher salaries.  As a result, the middle class is getting the squeeze and that’s where Hertl fits in; he’s not a top-line player but is still a legitimate top-six forward.  Are they better off committing the better part of $5MM to a second-line player or following the recent trend of bringing in a lesser player to fill that spot in order to have more money to allocate for a top-liner?  They can defer that call by signing him short-term but it’s one they’ll need to make sooner than later.

Add A Top-Six Center

The Sharks have had strong depth down the middle in recent years.  Pavelski has succeeded as a number one, pending UFA Joe Thornton (when healthy) is still a strong playmaker, while Couture and Hertl have flipped between the wing and center.  That’s a strong group to work with but none of those players are under team control for much longer.  They’re in good shape for 2018-19 but after that, it could get iffy.

Assuming at least one of Couture or Pavelski signs an extension, that gives them a bit more security for one of their top-six roles.  Thornton is at best a stop-gap; he turns 39 next month so he’s not part of the long-term plans.   Even Pavelski is a shorter-term solution given his age when his next contract kicks in.  San Jose has one legitimate center prospect in the system in Josh Norris but he’s still several years away from being ready.

Accordingly, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Wilson pursue more help down the middle either via free agency or trade.  They have the cap space to make a splash since the salary cap is expected to jump by several million for next season and doing so would give them high-end center depth for 2018-19 to make them more of a contender while giving them some more security at that position long-term.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Coyotes And Sharks Strike Minor Trade

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Arizona Coyotes GM John Chayka is feeling lucky today. The Coyotes have announced their second trade of the evening, acquiring forward Adam Helewka from the division rival San Jose Sharks. In return, the Sharks land defenseman Kyle Wood from the ’Yotes. Arizona announced the deal with a team release.

While this is a minor trade, it is not inconsequential. Helewka, 22, was a fourth-round pick of the Sharks in 2015. Like Hudson Fasching, who the Coyotes acquired from the Buffalo Sabres earlier in the day, Helewka’s offensive totals as a younger player exceed what he has been able to produce so far as a pro. However, he too seems to be trending in the right direction with an AHL career-high 38 points this year and a strong albeit brief playoff showing. In one day, Chayka has added a lot of offensive upside to the Tuscon Roadrunners and may find that both of his acquisitions could be good depth pieces up front for the Coyotes.

As for the Sharks, they add impressive potential of their own in Wood. The 22-year-old blue liner was one of the top scoring defensemen and an All-Star in the AHL in 2016-17 with 43 points in 68 games. He was pegged as one of the favorites to fill the roster spot of Jakob Chychrun early this season while he was sidelined, but Wood too ran into injury issues which lost him an NHL chance and also cost him some games and production in the AHL. However, at full health he is a dangerous minor league asset. Although the Sharks are set for their seven starting defensemen going into next season, Wood is yet another strong young option for the San Jose Barracuda and it would be no surprise see him make his NHL debut next year. Wood is an impending restricted free agent though, and the Sharks GM Doug Wilson will first have to sign the young rearguard to a new deal.

Bruins To Meet With Ilya Kovalchuk

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The Boston Bruins have already been linked to Russian free agent and former NHL superstar Ilya Kovalchuk this off-season, but GM Don Sweeney confirmed the interest today, telling NHL.com’s Amalie Benjamin that he will speak with Kovalchuk and his camp in the coming days. The Bruins are seeking to add a veteran scoring winger to their top six for next season and, if they don’t resign trade deadline acquisition Rick Nash, Kovalchuk could be a suitable replacement. Kovalchuk has already met with the Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks, while the Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers, and Dallas Stars are among others who would like to outbid the Bruins for the big-name import.

Kovalchuk, 35, has been one of if not the best player in the KHL since he bolted from the New Jersey Devils in 2013. Sweeney still believes that the veteran sniper has the ability to left to translate those numbers back to the NHL. A big, strong shooter, Kovalchuk would not only add more talent and some balance to the Bruins roster, but would also be a great stylistic role model for a player like Jake DeBrusk, who he would likely skate beside with center David Krejci. However, the Bruins also liked the chemistry that those two players shared with Nash prior to his concussion late in the regular season. Sweeney stated that they remain in communication with Nash and that financially a deal with one of Nash or Kovalchuk would all but rule out the signing of the other.

If the decision were left up to Ty Anderson of The Sports Hub, he would gladly take Kovalchuk. The Bruins beat writer believes that the Russian goal scorer is the exact kind of gamble that Boston should take this summer to add a difference-maker that can balance their top six. Anderson notes that the Kovalchuk played right wing alongside Zach Parise in New Jersey and found great success and could do the same in Boston. His scoring touch could be what it takes to bring together a Bruins’ second line that paled in comparison to the league’s best line – Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, and David Pastrnak– last year.

Both Sweeney and Anderson note that the financial flexibility may be needed to sign Kovalchuk – or Nash – to his desired contract. TSN’s Darren Dreger and Pierre LeBrun said the same on “Insider Trading”  today, adding that the Bruins would like to move David Backes this summer and may even consider trading Krejci in the right move to free up space. The duo also bring up an interesting twist that the Kovalchuk sweepstakes is having on the trade market. They feel that the suitors for Carolina Hurricanes winger Jeff Skinner are largely the same as those talking to Kovalchuk. They name the Bruins, alongside the Kings and Sharks, as the teams that could look at Skinner if they were to miss out on Kovalchuk. Nash, Kovalchuk, Skinner, and the off-season is just getting started in Boston. A big move could be on the horizon for the Bruins.

Sharks Discussing Contract Extension With Logan Couture

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Last summer, the Sharks moved quickly to get a pair of core players locked up as soon as the window to sign contract extensions opened up as they inked defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic and goalie Martin Jones to long-term deals.  It appears they may be heading down that route again this summer as Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reports (subscription required) that talks on a new deal are progressing with center Logan Couture and that they’re hoping to have a deal done for July 1st, the first day an extension can be made official.

The 29-year-old has been a fixture in San Jose’s lineup for the better part of the last decade after they made him the ninth-overall selection back in 2007.  He’s coming off of a career year in goals (34) and adapted well when he was asked to spend some time on the left wing.  Couture is set to earn $6MM in 2018-19 and will undoubtedly get a raise from the Sharks on this new contract.

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Several Teams Linked To Ilya Kovalchuk

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This weekend a report surfaced that Ilya Kovalchuk was visiting the Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks. There wasn’t any indication whether those teams would eventually land the Russian sniper, but he was at least willing to speak with them ahead of his signing period that begins on July 1st. Now, in a report from Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription required) the market for Kovalchuk becomes more clear.

LeBrun lists the Kings, Sharks, Boston Bruins and New York Rangers as the “top contenders” for the 35-year old sniper, with a second group of interested parties including the Detroit Red Wings, St. Louis Blues, Dallas Stars and Anaheim Ducks. Darren Dreger of TSN also believes that Detroit is in the mix, while Craig Custance of The Athletic (subscription required) has heard that the Red Wings want to bring him aboard. Custance also lists the Tampa Bay Lightning as a possibility if Kovalchuk is willing to sign a short-term deal.

Interestingly, the New York Islanders were not listed among the interested teams despite Kovalchuk’s obvious connection with GM Lou Lamoriello. Arthur Staple of The Athletic added to that when he tweeted that the Islanders were “not in the main circle of interest” something that doesn’t seem so surprising when they have their own star free agent to get under contract in the coming weeks. While no Lamoriello-run team should ever be counted out of anything because of a lack of information, the Islanders don’t appear to be the best fit for Kovalchuk, who wants to win a Stanley Cup and doesn’t have a lot of years left to do it.

Kovalchuk can agree to terms with anyone in the league right now, but will have to wait until July 1st to actually sign a contract. He’s obviously taking his time to speak with anyone interested, but it seems as though there are plenty of teams willing to take a chance on him. Remember any contract he signs will count against the cap regardless of whether he retires or not, while he can only receive performance bonuses if he agrees to a one-year deal.

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