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Snapshots: Kane, Saros, Pettersson

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With an investigation ongoing into allegations that he bet on NHL games, Evander Kane’s future with the San Jose Sharks isn’t clear. But it was long before that things started to deteriorate between the $7MM forward and his team. Kevin Kurz of The Athletic published an explosive piece today examining the situation in San Jose, reporting that “several key players” told the Sharks management that if Kane remained with the team, they didn’t want to stay.

Kurz writes that the Sharks did explore trading Kane earlier this offseason, but that obviously didn’t come to pass. Now with this new allegation, the reports of locker room turmoil and a bankruptcy case continuing in the background, the 30-year-old forward is “virtually untradeable.” Kane is currently signed through the 2024-25 season and holds a modified no-trade clause that allows him to list just three clubs he could be traded to. He also is coming off arguably his best season as a professional, with 22 goals and 49 points in 56 games.

  • The Nashville Predators are approaching an arbitration hearing with starting goaltender Juuse Saros, scheduled for August 18. Adam Vingan of The Athletic breaks down the case that both sides have, but notes that Saros’ camp is looking for a long-term deal, while the Predators are hoping for a three to four-year contract if things can be worked out before the hearing. Saros truly broke out this season, finishing sixth in the Vezina Trophy voting and even receiving some Hart Trophy recognition, after posting a 21-11-1 record with a .927 save percentage. The 26-year-old goaltender is just a year away from unrestricted free agency, meaning any multi-year contract would be buying out almost exclusively UFA seasons. An arbitration ruling on the other hand could only be one year in length, taking him right to the open market next year.
  • Elias Pettersson is another restricted free agent without a contract, but he doesn’t seem too worried about it. The Vancouver Canucks forward spoke to Uffe Bodin of Hockeysverige and explained that though the two sides are not in agreement on a deal yet, he’s confident they will find a solution. Pettersson also clearly indicated that he wants to be on a winning team, meaning if they want to keep him long-term, the Canucks better start making the playoffs more often.

San Jose Sharks Sign Adin Hill

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Though an unsigned restricted free agent when acquired from the Arizona Coyotes, there was no question that young goaltender Adin Hill was a big part of the San Jose Sharks’ future. That became even more clear when incumbent starter Martin Jones was bought out. The Sharks have now taken their first official step toward a new status quo in net, signing Hill to a new deal. The team announced that the 25-year-old has inked a two-year deal. Kevin Kurz of The Athletic reports that it will carry a $2.175MM cap hit, paying Hill $1.675MM in 2021-22 and $2.675MM in 2022-23.

Hill arrives in San Jose with his eye on the starting job after gradually increasing his role with the Coyotes over the past three seasons. From four NHL games and an .891 save percentage in 2017-18, Hill improved to 13 games apiece in the next two years with a combined .910 save percentage and finally to a career-best 19 games, including 17 starts, and a .913 save percentage in 2020-21. Hill’s numbers are remarkably similar to his AHL play, he has a career 2.79 GAA and .909 save percentage in the NHL and a 2.69 GAA and .909 save percentage in 138 AHL games. Often the mark of a good goaltender, Hill shows little discrepancy in his play regardless of the caliber of competition or defense in front of him.

At 6’6″, Hill is a big, positional goaltender who learned how to use his size from one of the best in the game right now, new Colorado Avalanche addition Darcy Kuemper. The Sharks hope that Hill has a ceiling like Kuemper, but will settle for any upgrade to Jones’ abysmal numbers over the past few years. With the term of his new deal coming in shorter than that of veteran free agent signing James Reimer, San Jose will not be completely left hanging if Hill does not pan over the next two years, but they would much rather be signing him to a long-term extension in 2023 than searching for a replacement.

NHL Opens Investigation Into Evander Kane Gambling Allegations

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Aug 1: Emily Kaplan of ESPN reports that league officials will meet tomorrow to determine who will conduct the Kane investigation. The league, according to Kaplan, expects it to be completed before training camp in September.

July 31: Earlier today, allegations were made on social media by Evander Kane’s wife Anna Kane that suggested the San Jose Sharks forward had placed wagers on NHL games he took part in. The claims have not been proven to be true, but the league has opened an investigation into the matter. A statement from the league reads:

The League was made aware this evening of a post on social media alleging that San Jose Sharks Player Evander Kane bet on NHL games. The integrity of our game is paramount and the League takes these allegations very seriously. We intend to conduct a full investigation and will have no further comment at this time.

The Sharks have also released a statement:

The San Jose Sharks have been in contact today with the NHL about the serious allegations made against Evander Kane.  We support a full and transparent investigation into the situation to maintain the integrity of the game and consistency with our team values.

No evidence has been publicly provided to support the allegation. Kane released a statement denying the allegation:

Unfortunately I would like to address the completely false accusations that my estranged wife and soon to be ex-wife has made against me. Even against the advice of my legal team I feel stronly that the public and fans hear this directly from me. I have never gambled/be on hokey, never gambled/bet on a Sharks game, never gambled/bet on any of my games and never thrown a hockey game. The facts are I personally had my best season of my career last year and was the most consistent I’ve been throughout any season, I’m proud of that. I love the game of hoceky and would never do any of what was alleged. I look forward to cooperating fully with the league’s investigation, having my name cleared and looking forward to this upcoming season. 

San Jose Sharks, Arizona Coyotes Complete Minor Trade

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The San Jose Sharks have acquired Lane Pederson from the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for a 2024 fourth-round selection. Quickly, the Sharks signed the young forward to a two-year contract. According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, the contract will be a two-way deal in 2021-22 with an NHL salary of $750K and a one-way deal in 2022-23 worth another $750K.

Pederson, 23, made his NHL debut this season with Arizona, playing in 15 games and registering three points. The undrafted forward has been a top performer over the past few seasons with the Tucson Roadrunners, scoring at a near point-per-game pace. In San Jose, he may receive an NHL opportunity given the team signed him for two years. Perhaps they see a breakout star that can step directly into a fourth-line role, or maybe he’s just meant to strengthen the San Jose Barracuda roster.

At the end of the deal, Pederson (who turns 24 in just a few days) will be eligible for Group VI unrestricted free agency if he fails to play 65 more NHL games.

San Jose Sharks Sign James Reimer

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The San Jose Sharks have brought back a familiar face to their goalie situation. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that they’ve inked former netminder James Reimer to serve with new acquisition Adin Hill. It’s a three-year deal paying him $2.25MM per season.

Just like that, it’s a new day in net for the Sharks. Gone are the days of struggling starter Martin Jones and a series of backups unable to push him. The goal now belongs to young Hill and reliable veteran backup Reimer. Reimer will push for starts against the former Coyote, who himself has only even been a backup. The competition, which has been missing in San Jose of later, could spur both keepers to play at the top of their games.

For those who have forgotten, Reimer was nothing short of amazing in his first stint with the Sharks, recording a .938 save percentage and 1.62 GAA in 2015-16 after coming over from the Toronto Maple Leafs at the trade deadline. Considerable time has passed since then, but Reimer has been a very solid backup for the Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes in the years since, playing far more than a typical backup as well, and should continue to provide reliable play in San Jose.

Andrew Cogliano Signs In San Jose

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San Jose Hockey Now’s Sheng Peng reports that the San Jose Sharks have brought in free-agent winger Andrew Cogliano. The Sharks will pay him $1MM on a one-year contract. Cogliano, a long-time Anaheim Duck, returns to the Pacific Division after three years with the Dallas Stars.

This could prove to be a shrewd pickup for Sharks, especially at that price point. While Cogliano’s name doesn’t carry as much weight as it once did, much of that is due to the role he was asked to play with the stars. A former “iron man” with the Ducks, Cogliano was one of the most dependable players in the NHL for over a decade, playing every game in each of his first ten seasons without missing a game and consistently producing around 30-40 points. In Dallas, Cogliano’s two-way ability was valued more than his offense, playing a physical, grinding role rather than a top-six scoring role.

Regardless of how San Jose uses him, Cogliano should outplay his $1MM valuation. The veteran forward has over 1,000 games of NHL experience and is a versatile forward who can contribute all over the lineup. He likely will never get back to his old scoring numbers, but put in the right situation he can still contribute on the score sheet while playing solid defense up front. His familiarity with the division certainly won’t hurt either.

Sharks Expected To Sign Nick Bonino

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It appears that the Sharks will be landing one of the top centers on the open market as TSN’s Darren Dreger reports (Twitter link) that San Jose is set to sign veteran Nick Bonino. The terms of the expected agreement were not disclosed.

It’s a return to California for the Connecticut-born Bonino, who played the first several seasons of his career with the Anaheim Ducks. One of the best defensive centers in the league, Bonino scored 26 points in 55 games in his one season with the Minnesota Wild. While that’s not going to be the top of any leaderboards, the 33-year-old can still be a valuable two-way piece for the middle of the lineup. Not only does he come with a long consistent resume, but he also won two Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins. One of those wins came over the Sharks, meaning the fans in San Jose will be very familiar with what Bonino can bring in the playoffs.

Make no mistake, that’s what the Sharks are trying to accomplish this season as they continue to pay a veteran core. They’ve switched out the struggling Martin Jones for a younger Adin Hill, but simply will live or die by the performance of their defense. Erik Karlsson, Brent Burns and Marc-Edouard Vlasic take up more than $26MM in cap space.

Still, adding Bonino certainly helps the team’s forward depth, which has been one of its weakest points over the last few seasons. Players like Rudolfs Balcers and Alexander Barkov have even sometimes jumped ahead of some of the more highly paid players that have been inconsistent. Bonino brings nothing but consistency to the ice, and hopefully will allow the team to build some stable lines moving forward.

San Jose Sharks To Buy Out Martin Jones

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The goaltending carousel continues today, as Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic tweets that Martin Jones will be bought out by the San Jose Sharks. The veteran goaltender will be placed on unconditional waivers today as the first buyout window comes to a close. With three years left on his current deal, San Jose will now be forced to carry a buyout penalty through the 2026-27 season. Those penalties will be:

  • 2021-22: $1,916,667
  • 2022-23: $2,416,667
  • 2023-24: $2,916,667
  • 2024-25: $1,666,667
  • 2025-26: $1,666,667
  • 2026-27: $1,666,667

Jones, 31, has been one of the worst starting goaltenders in the league over the last three seasons, posting an .896 save percentage in each campaign. Despite that poor performance, he’s still received 135 starts from the Sharks and incredibly has a winning record at 68-53-11. Even this season, despite the Sharks finishing seven games below .500, Jones still went 15-13-4. It’s entirely reasonable to suggest that the team wouldn’t be in the troubling situation they are with better goaltending, and they’ll finally get to test that theory by moving on from Jones.

The Sharks brought in Adin Hill just before the expansion draft and could hand him the reins, though bringing in another veteran goaltender to share the load is likely. Hill also needs to be signed, as he currently is a pending restricted free agent with arbitration rights. The 25-year-old netminder has just 49 games of NHL experience under his belt, though has posted a .915 save percentage over the last two seasons, a significant upgrade from the performance that Jones was providing.

What Jones’ market in free agency will look like is anyone’s guess, given how poorly he has played for the last three seasons. With so much money still being paid out by the Sharks, a short-term low-cost contract as a tandem or backup could be his best scenario to prove he can still play at the NHL level.

San Jose, New Jersey Swap Jaros, Merkley

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The San Jose Sharks and New Jersey Devils have completed a minor trade, swapping Christian Jaros and Nicholas Merkley. Immediately, Jaros has signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Devils worth $800K at the NHL level and $275K in the AHL.

Jaros, 25, played seven games for the Sharks this season after a late January trade from the Ottawa Senators. An imposing figure on the ice standing 6’3″ 222-lbs, the fifth-round pick will likely be a depth piece for New Jersey like he has been at his previous two stops. In 2018-19, his only full NHL season, he managed ten points in 61 games with the Senators. A one-year deal likely won’t come in at anything more than the $750K league minimum.

Merkley is perhaps the more interesting name to follow in this deal, if only because of his draft pedigree. Picked 30th overall in 2015, he has never been able to translate his exceptional junior production into consistent scoring at the NHL level. In 27 games this year, he recorded two goals and ten points, taking his career total to 12.

Overall, this is just a trade of two depth pieces that needed a different fit. The blueline in San Jose is overcrowded with expensive veterans, but the forward group is in need of some new additions. In New Jersey, it’s almost the opposite, with a defensive group still completely up in the air even after the acquisition of Ryan Graves. For each player it seems like there will be more opportunity in the NHL, though they’ll still need to prove they’re capable of taking on that role.

Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet first reported the trade.

Senators Will Not Extend Qualifying Offers To Six RFA’s

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The deadline to extend qualifying offers to restricted free agents arrives on Monday, but the Ottawa Senators have already made their plans clear. The young team has no shortage of restricted free agents, but that list is about to be trimmed substantially. As relayed by the Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch, Senators GM Pierre Dorion has confirmed that forwards Michael Amadio, J.C. Beaudin, Jonathan Davidsson, and Jack Kopacka, defenseman Brandon Fortunato, and goaltender Marcus Hogberg will not receive qualifying offers. That group of six is nearly half of Ottawa’s current 14 restricted free agents.

The most notable name on the list is Hogberg, who served as the Senators’ primary backup goalie the past two seasons. However, he is also the least surprising inclusion on the list. The team informed the 26-year-old back in May that they would not qualify him and have stuck to that promise. Hogberg has struggled in the NHL and is expected to return to Sweden.

Perhaps the biggest surprise is Amadio, who would only require the minimum $750K salary to qualify. Acquired this season from the Los Angeles Kings for defenseman Christian Wolanin, Amadio has 173 NHL games on his resume including a 2018-19 campaign in which he scored at a full season pace of 12 goals and 25 points. One would think that this could be a useful player for the Senators to hold on to, at least for a full year, but instead they will move on quickly from the 25-year-old winger.

Kopacka was also new to Ottawa this season, acquired from the San Jose Sharks as part of the package for defenseman Christian Jaros, but has never played in the NHL and did little in the AHL to show he was worthy of a new contract. Beaudin, who saw 22 games with the Senators this season, seemingly did not do enough in his audition to stick with the club. Fortunato, the most expensive player to qualify despite having no NHL experience and unspectacular AHL numbers, and Davidsson, who is signed to a multi-year deal overseas, are not surprising inclusions on this list of soon-to-be former Senators.

If anything, this exodus of RFA’s from Ottawa implies that the Senators see better uses for their maximum 50 contract slots. With a deep pipeline of prospects, the team could be looking to bring younger, more exciting options into the fold this season in place of these aging, uninspiring players.

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