Snapshots: Marner, Murphy, Canucks
The market for restricted free agents is still being held up by Mitch Marner and today James Mirtle of The Athletic (subscription required) examined the situation between the young star and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Mirtle believes that the Maple Leafs have been “aggressive” trying to get the contract done and are willing to get into basically unprecedented territory for a three-year bridge deal if it comes to that.
Obviously there is still a lot of mystery and negotiating through the media in the Marner situation, but as we get closer and closer to training camp things around the league have to start to resolve eventually. Mirtle writes that everyone is waiting for Marner to set the ceiling on what everyone else can earn, meaning there could be an avalanche coming whenever things are resolved in Toronto.
- The New York Rangers have hired Gord Murphy as an associate coach for their AHL affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack. Murphy spent the last five years with the Philadelphia Flyers and has been in the NHL for nearly two decades as an assistant coach. In fact, he worked alongside new Wolf Pack head coach Kris Knoblauch in Philadelphia, meaning the two will have no trouble getting on the same page this year.
- There are lots of questions surrounding how Vancouver Canucks head coach Travis Green will deploy his lineup this season, so Iain MacIntyre of Sportsnet sat down with him to try and get some answers. Green is excited about getting players like J.T. Miller and Micheal Ferland into their group this season as they can play both checking and scoring roles. Quite simply, when asked about having enough talent to surround Elias Pettersson and Bo Horvat on the top two lines Green responded “I do.” Green also admitted that he still hasn’t spoken to Loui Eriksson about the comments about how the two didn’t get along 100 per cent, though he is planning to when they next see each other.
Snapshots: Djoos, Seattle, Hyman, Oilers
The one-year, $1.25MM contract that Capitals defenseman Christian Djoos received from an arbitrator came in a little higher than the team hoped given their current salary cap situation. That has led some to speculate that Washington may look to move the blueliner but NBC Sports Washington’s J.J. Regan cautions that it’s an unlikely scenario. The 24-year-old is coming off of a tough injury-plagued season so his trade value isn’t particularly high at the moment. If the Caps decide to try to waive Djoos to bury most of that contract in the minors (something they might do with recently re-signed center Chandler Stephenson), any interested team may simply wait to pick him up for free over parting with a negligible asset to get him.
Elsewhere around the hockey world:
- With Seattle now having their GM in place in Ron Francis, the focus has shifted back towards what the team name will be. Francis told NHL.com’s Nick Cotsonika that the hope is to have that in place by early next year while also mentioning that they’ve received no shortage of interest from people looking to work for the expansion franchise. While they don’t begin playing until the 2021-22 season and won’t be able to draft anyone until 2021, Francis has already started his scouting duties at the ongoing World Junior Summer Showcase.
- Maple Leafs winger Zach Hyman told the Toronto Sun’s Terry Koshan that his recovery from ACL surgery is going well but stopped short of suggesting he’d be ready to go by training camp. He underwent the procedure in late April and it carries a typical six month recovery period. Even if he winds up recovering ahead of schedule, the prudent move may be for them to still have him start the season on injured reserve to be on the safe side.
- The Oilers are expected to invite undrafted prospect Jaxon Bellamy to their upcoming rookie camp, notes Kurt Leavins of the Edmonton Journal. The 18-year-old spent last season with Sherbrooke of the QMJHL, recording 16 points and 48 penalty minutes in 60 games.
Snapshots: Kreider, Hextall, Gusev
The New York Rangers have had quite the offseason, scoring Artemi Panarin in free agency, acquiring Adam Fox and Jacob Trouba through trade and drafting Kaapo Kakko second overall. The team looks ready to take the next step towards contending, but still do have several expiring contracts on the books. Most notable is Chris Kreider, who remains an effective power forward option but is heading towards unrestricted free agency next summer. Kreider’s name has been involved in trade speculation for months, and Larry Brooks of the New York Post tweeted today that multiple sources told him the 28-year old’s name “is out there everywhere.”
After signing Panarin and Trouba to huge long-term contracts the Rangers actually find themselves with a bit of a cap problem. They currently project over the $81.5MM ceiling and have until tomorrow evening to decide whether they want to buy out one of their contracts to relieve some pressure. Kevin Shattenkirk and Brendan Smith have been listed as the most likely, though a trade of Kreider could also get the Rangers to a tenable cap situation. The forward carries a $4.625MM cap hit this season and holds an 11-team no-trade clause.
- Immediately after the news broke that Paul Fenton had been fired by the Minnesota Wild, reports surfaced over who may be considered as a replacement. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that the Wild have already reached out to the Philadelphia Flyers for permission to speak with Ron Hextall. The former Flyers’ GM was relieved of his duties last November and is still technically under contract, though it seems unlikely that they would stand in the way of him taking the Minnesota job. Interestingly the man who replaced Hextall in Philadelphia, Chuck Fletcher, is the same GM who was fired in Minnesota only to be replaced by Fenton.
- Though it was the New Jersey Devils who eventually landed Nikita Gusev from the Vegas Golden Knights, there was another team involved in the pursuit of the Russian winger. Vegas executive George McPhee admitted as much to Jesse Granger of The Athletic (subscription required), telling him that two teams made offers for Gusev and the Golden Knights went “back and forth for probably a couple weeks.” Granger was told that team was the Columbus Blue Jackets, but his Athletic colleague Arthur Staple also reports that the New York Islanders were “in the mix” for Gusev but didn’t like the contract terms he was looking for. Gusev eventually signed a two-year, $9MM contract with the Devils.
Snapshots: Hughes, MacKenzie, Dwyer
Jack Hughes hasn’t played a game in the NHL and Quinn Hughes has played just five, but already some are looking ahead to another member of the family. Young Luke Hughes, a 15-year old defenseman who will join the USNTDP next season is on the radar as a potential top pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft and was recently profiled by Ryan Dixon of Sportsnet.
Hughes has the same exceptional skating ability as his older brothers, but already stands 5’11” and has plenty of time to grow. Even if he never becomes a hulking defenseman there seems to be a good chance the trio will all be in the NHL at the same time down the road. The young prospect is currently committed to the University of Michigan for 2021-22, the same school that Quinn went to for two seasons before signing his entry-level deal with the Vancouver Canucks a few months ago.
- The CHL has hired former NBA executive Dan MacKenzie as the league’s first full-time president, responsible for growing the junior leagues and “enhancing the player and fan experience.” All three commissioners—David Branch of the OHL, Gilles Courteau of the QMJHL and Ron Robison of the WHL—will stay in their current positions and work with MacKenzie, who has spent the last eight years as managing director of NBA Canada.
- The Carolina Hurricanes have hired Patrick Dwyer as an assistant coach for the Charlotte Checkers. Dwyer only just finished his playing career after suiting up for a season with the Belfast Giants, but is very familiar with the Hurricanes organization. The 36-year old played 416 NHL games, all with Carolina and recorded 93 points. He’ll join new Checkers head coach Ryan Warsofsky in trying to replace the success delivered by Mike Vellucci before he left for the Pittsburgh Penguins organization earlier this summer.
Snapshots: Jets, Kings, Badgers
A lot has been made about the rumored discourse in the Winnipeg Jets’ locker room. The team suffered another early exit from the postseason this year and some reactions from players, coaches, and media members alike indicated that chemistry concerns may have played a role. This off-season hasn’t helped the narrative either, with mainstays Tyler Myers, Ben Chiarot, and Brandon Tanev all electing to walk away as free agents, while Jacob Trouba was traded and Marko Dano and Joe Morrow were not qualified. Andrew Copp was re-signed, but only after a salary arbitration award, and Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor remain unsigned. It’s not good look for a group of players who some feel don’t get along.
Well, star player Mark Scheifele wants to put a stop to these whispers. Speaking with NHL.com’s Mike Zeisberger, the Jets’ No. 1 center said that he is confident in his team’s chemistry. “People can claim whatever, but I know we have a tight-knit team,” Scheifele said, “We have great guys in our room. And there’s no question in my mind about the character we have in our room, the unity that we have.” He summed up the ongoing drama by stating that “you know what’s going on in your room. Anything extra is a bunch of baloney.” Scheifele admitted that it was difficult to see the likes of Trouba, Myers, Chiarot, and Tanev leave and hopes that there are resolutions shortly with Laine and Connor, but did not hint that internal issues were the cause of any of their negotiations. Of course, Scheifele would never come out and say otherwise, but it should provide Winnipeg fans with a bit of comfort that he was willing to speak openly about the locker room and tried to shut down the rumors that personalities have or could continue to affect the team’s performance.
- The World Junior Summer Showcase is underway and fans of the Los Angeles Kings should pay close attention. NHL.com’s Adam Kimelman writes that the Kings lead the way with seven prospects participating in the tournament, headlined by recent No. 5 overall pick Alex Turcotte of Team USA. In fact, each of L.A.’s top four selections in June are in attendance; Turcotte is joined by fellow first-round pick Tobias Bjornfot, fellow American forward Arthur Kaliyev, and forward Samuel Fagemo, who joins Bjornfot on Team Sweden. Fourth-round pick Kim Nousiainen will also suit up for Team Finland. 2018 picks Akil Thomas and Aidan Dudas will both line up at forward for Team Canada. It’s an impressive collection of young talent for the Kings and one that should inspire hope for the future for a team that finished last in the Western Conference this past season with just 71 points. This group likely won’t be making an impact in the NHL in 2019-20, but L.A. is grooming a talented young core to take over down the road.
- As for next season, Turcotte definitely won’t be in L.A., as he’s committed to playing at the University of Wisconsin. The Badgers’ incoming recruiting class has been very highly regarded, as it features Turcotte and fellow U.S. National Team Development Program products Cole Caufield (MTL) and Owen Lindmark (FLA), as well as another 2019 draft selection in Ryder Donovan (VGK) and potential 2020 top-ten pick in Dylan Holloway. With so many talented freshmen incoming, the question has been how head coach Tony Granato would use his rejuvenated roster. That question has been partially answered for the arguably the team’s new two best forwards. Talking to The Athletic’s Corey Pronman at the Summer Showcase, Caufield stated that he and Turcotte will play on the same line for Wisconsin, at least to begin the year. The duo have some familiarity, although Caufield – the No. 15 pick this year – largely played on Jack Hughes‘ wing last season. However, they both possess immense offensive talent, while Turcotte has the two-way intelligence to compensate for Caufield’s lack of size and defensive focus if need be. Having played on the international stage already, the adjustment to the college level should not be too difficult and Turcotte and Caufield could put up huge numbers in their first (and likely only) collegiate season.
Snapshots: De Haan, Engelland, Capitals
While defenseman Calvin de Haan was deemed as likely to miss the start of next season after undergoing shoulder surgery back in May, he told reporters, including Scott Powers of The Athletic (Twitter link) that he’s hopeful to be ready to go when the puck drops in October. The initial timeline for recovery was four-to-six months so if he does get the green light to play to start the season, he’ll be pretty close to the best-case scenario. The Blackhawks acquired the 28-year-old earlier this summer from Carolina and with them starting the season in the Czech Republic, it’s certainly possible that they could hold him out of their opener and give him nearly an extra week to further recover.
Elsewhere around the league:
- While many expected that veteran defenseman Deryk Engelland would end up staying with the Golden Knights, he told Ben Gotz of the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he still received one-year offers from other teams this summer. However, he ultimately waited for Vegas to clear out David Clarkson’s contract before signing a one-year, bonus-laden deal to stick around. While he’ll be 38 by the end of next season, Engelland admitted that he’s not viewing the upcoming campaign as his final year and that he anticipates playing another season beyond this one, preferably in Vegas.
- Although the Capitals need to clear up a bit of salary cap space over the next couple of months, that’s not going to be their only priority the rest of this offseason. Tarik El-Bashir of The Athletic notes (subscription required) that GM Brian MacLellan plans to sit down with center Nicklas Backstrom and goaltender Braden Holtby next month to begin the process of discussing their futures with the team beyond 2019-20. Both players are slated to become unrestricted free agents next summer and will be looking for raises on their current deals ($6.7MM for Backstrom, $6.1MM for Holtby). With Washington’s tight salary cap situation, they may not be able to afford to give both the pay increases they may be seeking.
Snapshots: Dahlen, Teply, Boston University
Many believe that talented, but under-performing forward Jonathan Dahlen may be primed for a breakout year in 2019-20, beginning his first full season with the San Jose Sharks. Dahlen, 21, was acquired by the Sharks at the trade deadline in a swap with the Vancouver Canucks for fellow Swedish forward prospect Linus Karlsson. Dahlen had failed to do enough in the AHL to earn a call-up to the Canucks in his first season in North America, but after a four-point outburst in the final seven games of the regular season with AHL San Jose, many felt a change of scenery could be all he needed to battle for an NHL spot this upcoming season. However, Dahlen may not break camp with the Sharks this fall because he may not even be in camp. Swedish news source Hockey Sverige reports that Dahlen is expected to return to his former club, Timra IK. Dahlen is in the final year of his entry-level contract, but that deal does include a European Assignment Clause, which allows Dahlen to play in Europe if he does not make the NHL club. The fact that this information has been leaked so early before training camp likely indicates that Dahlen either believes or knows that he won’t be playing for the Sharks in 2019-20 and would prefer to return home to Sweden rather than suit up for the Barracuda. Dahlen exercised his European Assignment Clause in the first year of his ELC, playing for Timra rather than the AHL’s Utica Comets. After a season in Utica last year that left a lot to be desired, Dahlen is likely eager to get back to his roots, especially since Timra has been promoted to the SHL from the minor league Allsvenskan since the last time he played there. If Dahlen does indeed jump overseas next season, it doesn’t mean his career with San Jose is over. The Sharks would merely need to make him a qualifying offer next season to retain his rights moving forward, should he re-discover his game and try again to make it in the NHL.
- One player making the reverse move, going from Europe to North America, is Chicago Blackhawks prospect Michal Teply. Teply played professionally in his native Czech Republic last season, but is ready to return to the junior ranks. After being selected No. 4 overall in the recent CHL Import Draft, Teply has delivered on the pick used by the WHL’s Winnipeg Ice, as the team announced he has signed. The Ice, who are moving from Kootenay to Winnipeg and looking for a fresh start after a second-to-last league finish, are likely to see immediate results from Teply. A big winger who uses his size well to create space and make plays, many were surprised that Teply fell into the fourth round for the Blackhawks. In fact, there was a consensus among the top scouting services that Teply was a surefire second- or third-round pick. From fourth round to fourth overall, Winnipeg still may have found a steal in Teply, as the skilled forward has already proven he can compete with men at the pro level and could be in for breakout year against junior competition.
- Boston University has found its new starting goaltender via transfer. The program has announced that a pair of graduate transfers have joined the team in Alex Brink and Sam Tucker. While Brink was a nice piece as a depth forward at Brown University, Tucker is the big news. The 23-year-old keeper split starts in net for Yale University over the past three seasons, including leading the team in appearances in each of the past two years, and his numbers took a sharp upturn in 2018-19. He now joins an elite NCAA program in BU where superior defense and possession ability should allow him to excel even more. After losing Jake Oettinger to the pros, it was looking like the Terriers were going to enter next season with untested Vinnie Purpura in net, but Purpura can take another year to continue developing while Tucker presumably takes over the starter role. Brink and Tucker join a new group of players that is arguably the best recruiting class in the nation, helping to make up for an exodus of nearly a third of last year’s roster to the pros.
Snapshots: Point, Bobrovsky, McDavid
The top end of the RFA market is really making an impact this offseason as it appears most of the players are waiting to see what others get. But eventually, someone will have to be the next to sign. ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski cites one GM who believes that Tampa Bay center Brayden Point will be the next one to put pen to paper on a new deal. It was reported earlier this summer that Montreal had approached him about an offer sheet but they were quickly rebuffed so the threat of him considering an offer sheet elsewhere may not be so high. However, the cap situation for the Lightning still isn’t the greatest, even following the trade of J.T. Miller to Vancouver and the fact that Ryan Callahan will be on LTIR next season. Tampa Bay has forced some young players to go the bridge route in the past and it’s something they may have to do here but if so, this is something that could wind up dragging out for a while yet.
Elsewhere around the league:
- New Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky opened up to Sport 24’s Daria Tubolseva regarding his departure from Columbus. He mentioned that he informed management following their postseason exit in 2018 that he had no intentions of staying with the Blue Jackets but management decided to try to re-sign him anyway at various points throughout the season. Bobrovsky called Florida his top option when he was assessing teams to sign with and he wasted little time joining them, inking a seven-year, $70MM contract shortly after the signing period opened up on July 1st.
- Oilers GM Ken Holland indicated in an appearance on Sportsnet 590 (audio link) that everything he’s hearing regarding Connor McDavid’s recovery is positive but stopped short of guaranteeing that the center will be ready for training camp. McDavid suffered a knee injury in the final game of the regular season and while surgery wasn’t required, a lengthy rehab period was expected.
Snapshots: Maroon, Connor, Condon
While Pat Maroon has indicated that he would like to remain in St. Louis, Benjamin Hochman of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch believes that both sides would be better off if the winger didn’t re-sign with the Blues. The 31-year-old had an up-and-down season in 2018-19 but did provide a level of physicality that not many others in their bottom six group could. However, they have plenty of winger depth in the mix already so it’s not as if there’s a glaring vacancy for the St. Louis native to fill. At this point, Maroon is seeking a multi-year deal which is something that the Blues clearly won’t be giving him. But if a one-year pact is all he can get, there are other teams that can offer a more prominent opportunity than he’d get by staying with his hometown team. We’ll see in the coming weeks how important playing close to home will be for the veteran.
Elsewhere around the league:
- There were talks regarding a potential offer sheet for Jets winger Kyle Connor during the RFA interview period and Sportsnet’s Sean Reynolds reports that those talks have continued. The 22-year-old had a strong 2018-19 campaign, recording 34 goals and 32 assists, career bests in both categories while logging over 19 minutes a night. That has put him in line for a massive raise from his $925K entry-level salary. Winnipeg has roughly $17.5MM in cap room (per CapFriendly) to re-sign Connor, fellow RFA winger Patrik Laine, and a few other depth players to round out their roster.
- While Mike Condon is coming off a particularly rough season in Ottawa, Jonathan Willis of The Athletic suggests (subscription required) that the netminder could be an interesting trade chip. He’s clearly not in the plans of the Senators for next season but possesses a contract that could be of interest to some cap-strapped teams. He carries a $2.4MM cap hit but a $3MM salary; it’s possible that a team against the Upper Limit could move a back-diving contract (higher cap hit, lower salary) for him, allowing them to save some cap space while the Sens would gain an asset and potentially save a bit of actual money. Condon battled hip issues last season but is expected to be ready for training camp.
Snapshots: Gusev, Dotchin, Prospects
The Vegas Golden Knights still haven’t come to an agreement with Nikita Gusev, but there is coming a time when they’ll need to make a final decision on the restricted free agent. Gusev’s Russian agent Yuriy Nikolayev spoke to Championat and explained (via Google translate) that there is a “certain deadline” when they will turn to negotiate with SKA St. Petersburg, who currently own his rights in the KHL.
Gusev signed his entry-level contract with the Golden Knights just a few months ago and burned through it without actually ever playing a game for the team. The team issued him a qualifying offer as an RFA, but haven’t yet been able to come to an agreement on a new contract. The only bit of leverage Gusev really has in this position is a possible return to the KHL, as he was not eligible for arbitration and cannot sign an offer sheet.
- According to Joe Smith of The Athletic, the Tampa Bay Lightning have reached a settlement with Jake Dotchin on the grievance he filed after seeing his contract terminated last fall. Dotchin allegedly showed up to training camp out of shape, causing the Lightning to place him on unconditional waivers and cut ties with him. He eventually signed with the Anaheim Ducks and played 20 games in the NHL last season, but had filed a grievance through the NHLPA for his lost salary. Smith reports that the two sides settled without having to go to an arbitration, which potentially could have set a precedent for other cases in the future. The details have not been disclosed.
- Scott Wheeler of The Athletic (subscription required) has released his top-50 drafted prospect list, and recent first overall selection Jack Hughes comes in on top. The list includes 11 others from the 2019 draft, but is also led by names like Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar who made their NHL debuts at the end of last season. Notably the Colorado Avalanche and New York Rangers each have two players in the top-10, giving them plenty of hope for the future—and the present, if Makar and Kaapo Kakko have anything to say about it.