Finding A Match For A Nils Lundkvist Trade
With Rangers prospect Nils Lundkvist’s trade request now well-known, efforts continue to find the youngster a new home for the upcoming season. If the belief that he won’t attend training camp in New York holds true, that could be a trigger point for GM Chris Drury to avoid any distractions heading into camp while getting a chance to integrate whichever player or prospect they get for the rearguard at training camp.
With that in mind, here’s a look at some of the potential suitors for Lundkvist. Since he’s looking for a team that will have a chance to give him an NHL opportunity in the short-term, the focus will be on those squads although there undoubtedly will be others that will kick the tires. Los Angeles is a team that has been speculated as a landing spot with their deep prospect pool but they don’t really have an opening on the right side of their back end for him to slide into so they don’t appear among the teams below.
Detroit: The Red Wings have two right-side rearguards in place in Calder winner Moritz Seider and young veteran Filip Hronek. There are questions behind those two, however. Gustav Lindstrom has yet to establish himself as a full-time player while Mark Pysyk will miss the first half of the season after undergoing surgery in July to repair a torn Achilles tendon. If Lundkvist was to go there and do well, it could free them up to move Hronek who is the type of blueliner that could yield a nice return for the Red Wings.
Detroit has a couple of young centers that the Rangers would likely show some interest in. One is Joe Veleno who is close to being ready for full-time duty while Jonatan Berggren, who was picked just five spots after Lundkvist in 2018, had a very promising first season in North America in 2021-22. They also have an extra second-round pick at their disposal if New York ultimately decides that a draft pick is the right return. Arthur Staple of The Athletic reported a few days ago (subscription link) that at least one team had a second-rounder on the table in an offer for the blueliner.
Montreal: At the moment, the right side of the back end for the Canadiens is David Savard, Justin Barron, and Chris Wideman. The only established full-time player out of that group is Savard. Montreal is likely to use several prospects throughout the season (Jordan Harris and Kaiden Guhle among them) but those are left-shot options, not righties like Lundkvist. It’s plausible that Lundkvist could jump into their lineup right away. Jeff Gorton, who was GM at the time Lundkvist was drafted, now works in Montreal’s front office.
While the Rangers wouldn’t be likely to get a return that could help them right away, Montreal’s prospect pool is one of the deeper ones around the league with recent center picks like Jan Mysak, Owen Beck, and Riley Kidney potentially being of interest. They could also deal from the left side of their defensive pool if New York would prefer a defenseman in return with Harris, Mattias Norlinder, and prospect Jayden Struble being possible options.
San Jose: The only established must-play right-shot defender on their roster is Erik Karlsson. Matthew Benning got a four-year deal but could bounce in and out of the lineup while Ryan Merkley could stand to spend more time in the minors before becoming an everyday regular. With Brent Burns not really being replaced after his trade to Carolina, there’s a definite need for a second defenseman to help shoulder the offensive load. Worth noting, one of New York’s former top scouts, Chris Morehouse, is now heading up San Jose’s amateur scouting ranks. He wasn’t there when Lundkvist was drafted but he’ll have some extra familiarity with the blueliner.
Center Thomas Bordeleau didn’t look out of place in his brief NHL stint late last season and acquitted himself well at the World Championship as well and is the type of young center that might entice the Rangers. Merkley himself could be an option if Drury decides to look for a similar player, one that will be more amenable to being in the minors to start the season. The Sharks don’t have an extra second-round pick but the one that they do have projects to be a good one based on the state of their roster heading into training camp.
Seattle: While the addition of Justin Schultz lessens their need for an extra offensive defenseman, the third RD spot is far from secure with William Borgen spending a lot of time as a healthy scratch last season. That’s a spot that Lundkvist could conceivably battle for or least position himself to be the first one recalled.
The Kraken don’t have the deepest of prospect pools to work with since they’ve only been around for two drafts but they do have three second-rounders for the 2023 draft. Parting with one for a potentially near-ready young defenseman would be a defensible move for the second-year squad.
Vancouver: The Canucks have been busy this summer when it comes to their forward group but nothing has been done with their back end yet and it’s not for a lack of trying. Vancouver already has an offensive weapon in Quinn Hughes but someone like Lundkvist could potentially help run a second power play group and perhaps take some minutes from veteran Oliver Ekman-Larsson who is getting near the point where he will need to be managed more carefully. With Tucker Poolman’s availability uncertain for training camp, there’s a spot on the right side of their back end up for grabs.
As for possible trade options, Linus Karlsson is coming off a strong SHL season and shouldn’t be too far away from being NHL-ready which would give New York another option down the middle. Alternatively, winger Nils Hoglander is someone that, on the surface, might be on the fringes of making Vancouver’s roster with their additions on the wing. Perhaps there’s a trade to be made featuring those two?
Of course, this isn’t an exhaustive list and other teams will inquire but if Lundkvist and agent Claude Lemieux’s intention is to have him start the upcoming season in the NHL, that does limit the number of viable opportunities for a trade if the Rangers decide to move him before training camp.
They don’t have to move Lundkvist, however. He’s still waiver-exempt and even if he doesn’t want to report to the minors, they can send him there and suspend him for not reporting. If it’s going to be more of a drawn-out process, a loan overseas (as they did last year with Vitali Kravtsov) is also on the table. There are certainly non-trade options they’ll want to consider but if they do decide to go ahead with a trade, they’ll have some viable teams to consider.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Seattle Kraken Promote Alexandra Mandrycky
The Seattle Kraken now have a new assistant general manager, and it is one that made her name in the field of analytics. According to Emily Kaplan of ESPN, Alexandra Mandrycky has been promoted to the AGM position, from her previous role as director of hockey administration. Mandrycky was one of the first hires the Kraken ever made, before Ron Francis had even been brought in as general manager.
Mandrycky is the sixth woman this offseason to be promoted to assistant general manager, after the Vancouver Canucks essentially broke the glass ceiling by hiring Emilie Castonguay and Cammi Granato. Francis directly addressed some of the comments that are sure to follow this announcement:
I’ve always been in the school of thought that you find the best person available for the job. Alex isn’t getting this promotion because she’s a female. It’s because she’s earned this promotion, there’s no doubt about it. She’s already been involved in all facets of our organization, from the pro side to amateur to management discussions.
Mandrycky, 31, worked as an analyst with the Minnesota Wild for four years before joining Seattle, where one colleague called her an “unassuming superstar” that was destined for bigger things. She landed that job by being one of the founders of war-on-ice.com, a statistical modeling site that attempted to find advantages through analytics.
Now, after more than seven years in NHL front offices, she has received a bigger role and taken another step forward in her career. If there was a betting line on who would be the first female general manager in the NHL, Mandrycky would certainly be among the favorites, even at her relatively young age.
Three Players Sign PTOs
As reported by CapFriendly on Tuesday afternoon, three players have signed PTOs today: goaltender Christopher Gibson with the Arizona Coyotes, center Nate Thompson with the Los Angeles Kings, and winger Daniel Sprong with the Seattle Kraken.
Given the tumultuous goaltending situation in Arizona, the 29-year-old Gibson could vie for a spot as a full-time backup for the first time in his long professional career. Originally a second-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Kings in 2011, he’s played professionally for the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Islanders, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Florida Panthers organizations. He had a 7-5-3 record, .907 save percentage, and one shutout in just 14 games with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers last season. While those totals may be low, he was a part of an uncomfortably crowded crease last season in Charlotte as they played home to both Panthers and Seattle Kraken prospects. He has a long history of strong minor-league play that may give him the inside track over the team’s other two backup options, Ivan Prosvetov and Jon Gillies.
Thompson, far and away one of the most seasoned players to sign a PTO this offseason, brings 844 games of NHL experience to Kings camp. While he did have just three points in 33 games with the Philadelphia Flyers last season and is a 13th forward at best at this point in his career, the 37-year-old Thompson could be a veteran anchor to help guide a youthful Kings’ bottom six, even if it is mainly from the press box. It could also be an inside track on a front office job for Thompson if he doesn’t make the team and opts for retirement instead.
The Kraken know what they’re getting in Sprong, who had six goals in 16 games for them last season after arriving at the Trade Deadline from the Washington Capitals. Seattle’s roster is more crowded this time around with multiple free agent and trade additions, especially on the wing, but he could bump some players like John Hayden and Karson Kuhlman onto the waiver wire and down to the AHL expansion Coachella Valley Firebirds if he makes the team and pushes for a spot at the bottom of the lineup with some power-play minutes.
Coachella Valley Hires Stu Bickel
The Coachella Valley Firebirds, AHL affiliate of the Seattle Kraken, have added to their coaching and hockey operations department ahead of their inaugural season. Among the names announced today is former NHL defenseman (and sometimes forward) Stu Bickel, who has been brought in as an assistant coach under Dan Bylsma.
Bickel, 35, is an interesting coaching prospect. After the end of a long playing career that included 94 games at the NHL level, he joined his alma mater at the University of Minnesota as an assistant. In 2020-21, he took over as head coach of the Minnesota Magicians of the NAHL, and took them to the third round of the playoffs. Last season he was an assistant with the Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL, who went to the Calder Cup Final – ultimately losing to the Chicago Wolves.
It’s a quick rise for a long-time AHL tough guy, the kind that will likely soon get the attention of NHL benches. Bickel played 310 regular season games in the AHL, racking up 919 penalty minutes in the process. Given that he also served as an assistant general manager with the Magicians during his short stint, he’ll be a coaching name to follow as he progresses through the AHL this season.
Waiver Watching: Sizing Up The Goaltender Market
With training camps on the horizon, there are still some goaltending situations around the NHL that are unsettled. Accordingly, those teams may be planning on picking up a second goaltender on waivers during the preseason as Montreal did with Samuel Montembeault last season. With that in mind, let’s examine who might be looking for a goalie and which teams have a netminder that could be of interest.
Potentially Looking
Arizona: The Coyotes have one of their two goalies locked up for three years in Karel Vejmelka but after that, there is nothing but question marks. Farmhands Jon Gillies and Ivan Prosvetov have some NHL experience but Gillies struggled last season with New Jersey and Prosvetov hasn’t posted a .900 SV% in the last two seasons in the minors. Cap space isn’t an issue for them so they can look at any of the options available on waivers or take on a bad contract for additional compensation.
Chicago: Right now, Alex Stalock is their backup goalie. He has missed most of the last two seasons battling his way back from myocarditis and struggled considerably in the minors last year. Granted, the Blackhawks certainly aren’t in win-now mode but in a perfect world, they’d like Arvid Soderblom to have an uninterrupted year with AHL Rockford. Currently, he’s third on the depth chart but if there’s a chance to bring in a low-cost second-stringer and push Stalock into the spot of being the one to be recalled if an injury arises, they might want to take it. The waiver wire could be the chance to add that.
Philadelphia: With Ivan Fedotov being blocked from going to North America this season due to a military commitment, the Flyers are going to have to turn to Plan B. Felix Sandstrom is currently their second option but he has just five career NHL appearances under his belt. They’re looking to be more competitive this season so this could be a spot for an upgrade. Granted, Sandstrom would then need to be waived to be sent back to Lehigh Valley but that would have been the case if Fedotov had been able to play so it’s a risk they might be comfortable with.
Of course, an injury or two during the preseason could add to the list of suitors in the coming weeks as well.
Teams That Could Lose A Goalie
For the purpose of this exercise, the focus is going to be on either young goalies that could be appealing or veterans with some recent NHL experience that could fill a gap.
Buffalo: Malcolm Subban was brought back to be the veteran to partner with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in AHL Rochester but he has 86 games of NHL experience under his belt and a deal that’s only $100K above the league minimum. He has been a full-time backup going back to his time with Vegas which would also bolster his chances of potentially being claimed.
Dallas: Right now, Anton Khudobin appears to be the odd one out again with Jake Oettinger and Scott Wedgewood set to be the goalie duo for the Stars. Khudobin is now in the final year of his deal that carries a $3.33MM AAV. It wouldn’t be shocking if he cleared waivers but if Dallas wants to free up a bit of extra money for Jason Robertson’s contract, they’ll be calling Arizona to see what it would cost for them to take that contract on.
Los Angeles: Pheonix Copley has cleared waivers without any concerns the last couple of years but also was on a pricey contract for a third-string option. Now, he’s on a much more palatable deal ($825K) and is coming off an impressive season in AHL Hershey. The 30-year-old was the backup for the Capitals back in 2018-19.
Nashville: This is the most interesting one to keep an eye on. Although Connor Ingram held his own in the playoffs for the Preds, they still went and brought in Kevin Lankinen on a one-year, $1.5MM deal. That’s a lot to pay a third-string option so it could put Ingram in jeopardy. However, if they try to sneak Ingram through, there’s a very good chance he’ll be claimed, especially with an AAV that’s below the minimum. Carrying three goalies is a possibility but generally not ideal so something might have to give here.
New York (R): The Rangers went and brought in Louis Domingue on a two-year contract to be their insurance policy but he might appeal to some other teams as well. He did alright in the playoffs for Pittsburgh and has 142 games of NHL experience over parts of two seasons. Both years are one-way which was likely to try to deter other teams from claiming him but with an AAV of just $775K, he may attract some interest.
Seattle: With Martin Jones joining the Kraken as their backup, that’s going to push both Joey Daccord and Magnus Hellberg to the waiver wire. Daccord was viewed as a possible NHL option not long ago and at 26, there could still be some upside after a strong season with AHL Charlotte. Hellberg, meanwhile, has been dominant in the KHL the last few years which prompted Detroit to give him a brief look down the stretch last season. Other teams might want to take a look as well depending on how things go over the next few weeks.
Winnipeg: Mikhail Berdin is the one goalie on this list that doesn’t have any NHL experience but at 24, he’s also the youngest in this group. If a rebuilding team wants to take a look at a younger backup to see if there’s something there, this is the type of goalie they’d probably want to go for.
Of course, there will be other goalies that will hit the waiver wire in the coming weeks that could be of interest to teams as well depending on what transpires over the preseason. There won’t be a ton of waiver activity between the pipes – there rarely is – but one or two of these players could be changing teams in the coming weeks.
Seattle Kraken Sign Cale Fleury
September 6: CapFriendly has confirmed that Fleury’s minor salary next season is $200,000.
August 30: Restricted free agents continue to come off the board as September rapidly approaches. The Seattle Kraken have signed their last remaining one, defenseman Cale Fleury, to a one-year, two-way contract worth $750K, per the team. His minor salary has not been disclosed.
Cale, the younger brother of former Kraken defenseman Haydn Fleury, took a significant step forward in his development last season. A third-round pick of the Montreal Canadiens in 2017, Fleury became a full-time NHLer just three years later, although at the expense of his development. Playing in 41 games with Montreal in 2019-20 compared to just 14 in AHL Laval, Fleury notched just one point in those 41 games, showing that he really wasn’t ready for the highest level of play just yet. It showed the following season as well, as he tallied just six assists in 22 games with the Laval Rocket in 2020-21.
But after Seattle selected him in the expansion draft, Fleury became an important part of the blueline for the Charlotte Checkers, Seattle’s shared AHL affiliate last season. In addition to being named an alternate captain, Fleury’s offensive production came back to life with 33 points in 58 games.
Now, with Fleury needing to clear waivers to be assigned back to the minors, Seattle may be more inclined to give him a second NHL look on a more full-time basis. There are some serious question marks on Seattle’s blueline next season despite making serious additions on offense, and there should be lots of competition for NHL time between players like Fleury, Will Borgen, and Michal Kempny.
Fleury will again be a restricted free agent next offseason.
Salary Cap Deep Dive: Seattle Kraken
Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM. Teams that can avoid total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.
PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2022-23 season. This will focus more on players who are regulars on the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.
Seattle Kraken
Current Cap Hit: $81,489,166 (under the $82.5MM Upper Limit)
Entry-Level Contracts
F Matthew Beniers (two years, $897.5K)
F Shane Wright (three years, $950K)
Potential Bonuses
Beniers: $925K
Wright: $3.0625MM
Total: $3.9875MM
Beniers was the second-overall selection last year and had a dominant year at Michigan before making the jump to the pros where he averaged just shy of a point per game down the stretch. He should become their top center within the next couple of seasons and with it, a long-term deal in the $8MM range could be on the table based on recent comparable signings. With his expected role, he should reach his bonuses this season which will need to be factored into their cap plans. Wright slipped to fourth overall last month after being the consensus number one for a lot of the last two seasons but has been billed as being NHL-ready. They’ll be able to ease him in which could result in some lower production at the beginning although it shouldn’t affect his second contract that much unless he’s in a limited role longer than expected.
Signed Through 2022-23, Non-Entry-Level
D William Borgen ($900K, RFA)
F Ryan Donato ($1.2MM, UFA)
F Joonas Donskoi ($3.9MM, UFA)
D Vince Dunn ($4MM, RFA)
F Morgan Geekie ($1.4MM, RFA)
F John Hayden ($750K, UFA)
F Karson Kuhlman ($825K, UFA)
G Martin Jones ($2MM, UFA)
F Kole Lind ($825K, RFA)
D Carson Soucy ($2.75MM, UFA)
Donskoi was one of Seattle’s higher-profile pickups in expansion but struggled considerably last season, scoring just twice in 75 games. While it’s likely that he’ll rebound to an extent, he’ll be hard-pressed to get more than about two-thirds of his current cost unless he has a career year. Geekie’s first full NHL season was a decent one as he acquitted himself in somewhat of a limited role while being their best player at the faceoff dot. Even in a bottom-six role, there’s some room for him to pass the $2MM mark next summer. Donato returned after being non-tendered to avoid salary arbitration and while he is coming off a career year, the fact he wasn’t able to do better than this on the open market doesn’t bode well for his odds next summer. Lind, Kuhlman, and Hayden will be battling for the final forward spot or two on the roster but are unlikely to command much more than their current rates unless one of them can step into a legitimate full-time role.
GM Ron Francis felt that Dunn would be able to stand out more with a bigger role and he did just that, tying his career-high in points while setting a new benchmark in assists. Another showing like that could push him past the $5MM mark next summer in his final season of RFA eligibility. Soucy wasn’t able to land in Seattle’s top four very often last year but that didn’t stop him from showing off an improved offensive element to his game as he scored ten goals which is two more than the previous two years combined. With the size he also brings, a repeat performance could allow him to generate a strong market that could push his AAV into the $3MM range despite being a third-pairing piece which is an area teams often try to save money in. For Soucy, they might make an exception. Borgen was a frequent healthy scratch last season which certainly wasn’t the Kraken debut he was hoping for. A similar role could have him in non-tender territory next summer while if he does lock down a spot on the third pairing, a one-year deal at a small raise might be the route Seattle opts to take.
Jones is coming off another quiet year with the Flyers and has failed to post a save percentage above .900 over the last four seasons. Despite that, Seattle opted for him as their backup goaltender for the upcoming campaign but at some point, it stands to reason that another below-average performance will push him down closer to the $1MM mark next summer.
Signed Through 2023-24
G Chris Driedger ($3.5MM, UFA)
F Jordan Eberle ($5.5MM, UFA)
D Justin Schultz ($3MM, UFA)
F Alexander Wennberg ($4.5MM, UFA)
Eberle’s first season with Seattle saw him play a similar role to the one that he had with the Islanders so it’s not surprising that his production was largely in line with his performance with New York. It’s an output that isn’t quite worth $5.5MM but if he can stay around the 20-goal mark for the next couple of seasons, he should be able to land somewhat close to this on his next deal. Wennberg wasn’t quite able to replicate the production he had with the Panthers but his output at the center position is worth close to his current rate compared to the open market. However, with Beniers and Wright around, can he get those numbers again? That will dictate a lot when it comes to his next contract as to whether a small raise could be had or a sizable drop.
Schultz comes over from Washington where he’s coming off a quiet year offensively by his standards which made this commitment a bit surprising. He should have an opportunity to play a bigger role offensively which could help but even so, he’ll be 34 when his next contract starts so it’d be hard to foresee a big raise on the horizon.
Driedger had a tough first season with the Kraken although he still managed a save percentage of .899, the best on the team. His second year will be even tougher as an ACL tear suffered at the Worlds will cost him the majority of next season. Suffice it to say, there will be a lot at stake in 2023-24 when it comes to determining his next contract.
Signed Through 2024-25
F Yanni Gourde ($5.167MM, UFA)
D Adam Larsson ($4MM, UFA)
F Brandon Tanev ($3.5MM, UFA)
After a couple of quieter seasons with Tampa Bay, Gourde had a golden opportunity with Seattle last season as he was their all-situations top center. While his best success came in a lower role with the Lightning, Gourde adapted quite well to being a go-to player and finished second on the team in scoring. Again, Beniers and eventually Wright will cut into his playing time but for now, this contract is one of Seattle’s better ones. Tanev was limited to just 32 games last season due to a knee injury but was quite effective over the first couple of months of the season. His contract has long been viewed as above-market after Pittsburgh signed him for six years at his current price but if he stays near that half a point per game mark while playing his usual strong defensive and physical game, the Kraken will do well with this contract.
Larsson was one of two veteran defensemen to eschew a chance at testing the open market last summer to instead sign a long-term deal with Seattle. In his case, he received a much bigger role than he was accustomed to with Edmonton which helped him set a new career-best in points. In the process, he established himself as still being capable of being a second or third defender. That’s not the most optimal role for him and he wouldn’t be in that role on a top team but any time a team can get a second or third blueliner for this much money, it’s one that they’re going to be quite happy with. That said, even if he stays in that role for three more years, it’s unlikely the open market will view him at that level.
Matt Tennyson Signs AHL Contract
Veteran defenseman Matt Tennyson has settled for an AHL contract this year, though he’ll at least get to play somewhere warm. Tennyson has signed a one-year deal with the Coachella Valley Firebirds, the new Seattle Kraken affiliate that will begin play this season.
In fact, it is something of a homecoming for Tennyson, who grew up and played minor hockey in California long before his professional career started. In the release, he explained how he feels about returning to the state:
It’s awesome to be back in the Coachella Valley. My grandparents lived in Palm Springs and my parents live in Rancho Mirage, so the opportunity to be closer to family made the decision to sign here extremely easy for me. I grew up playing hockey in California and the youth hockey scene here has come quite a long way since then. I am looking forward to being able to give back to and play in front of this great fan base and community.
What a career it has been for the undrafted defenseman who turned 32 earlier this year. After developing for three years at Western Michigan, Tennyson has played in 173 NHL and 358 AHL games, constantly bouncing back and forth between the two leagues as a capable depth option.
This year that won’t be the case (unless he signs an NHL deal at some point), as he has agreed to a minor league contract that will keep him with the Firebirds. He will likely take on a leadership role on the new team, helping Kraken prospects navigate their way into pro hockey and establishing a culture for the organization.
Francis: Kraken May Not Have Captain This Season, Likely To Decide After Camp
- Last season, the Kraken had Mark Giordano as their inaugural captain but that post has been vacant since the veteran was moved to Toronto at the trade deadline. GM Ron Francis told Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times that he’ll sit down with head coach Dave Hakstol to decide if they even want to name a captain this season and that if they do, they’ll likely wait to see how training camp goes before making a decision. Veterans Yanni Gourde, Jordan Eberle, and Adam Larsson would be candidates for the captaincy if they do decide to name one for 2022-23.
Seattle Kraken Hire Doug Wilson Jr, Frans Nielsen
- The Seattle Kraken announced some notable additions to their hockey operations staff today, hiring former San Jose Sharks head of amateur scouting Doug Wilson Jr. as an amateur scout, and former NHLer Frans Nielsen as a player development consultant. The Kraken are loaded with picks for the 2023 draft class, so adding an experienced scout like Wilson will only help in their efforts to build a contender. Additionally, Nielsen brings nearly 1,000 NHL games of experience to the Kraken’s development team and should especially help with their crop of young centers headlined by Shane Wright and Matthew Beniers.