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Front Office Notes: Holmgren, Wright, Rychel

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The Philadelphia Flyers have announced that long-time executive Paul Holmgren will be transitioning into an advisory role with the team moving forward, while GM Chuck Fletcher will now also have the title of president of hockey operations. Holmgren has been with the Flyers organization for 40 (non-consecutive) years in almost every role possible including player, assistant coach, head coach, assistant general manager, general manager, director of pro scouting and president, but will be taking a step back to spend more time with family.

Fletcher will take on even more responsibility as he tries to reshape the Flyers and take them back to the playoffs next season. The Flyers haven’t won the Stanley Cup since 1975 and haven’t won a playoff round since 2012. Fletcher has already made several moves to try and change that streak this offseason, adding Matt Niskanen, Justin Braun and Kevin Hayes to the mix.

Tampa Bay Lightning Sign Danick Martel

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July 9: The Lightning have officially announced the contract for Martel.

July 4: The Tampa Bay Lightning have inked one of their restricted free agents, signing Danick Martel to a one-year two-way contract according to Joe Smith of The Athletic. Martel was eligible for salary arbitration but instead will get his contract done well in advance. The deal will be worth $700K at the NHL level.

Martel, 24, was claimed off waivers at the start of the 2018-19 season from the Philadelphia Flyers, but he ended up playing just nine games for the Lightning. Used as a press box regular, the undersized forward will be brought back to see if he can help the organization for another season. When the Lightning claimed him it seemed odd, given how little opportunity there was in the NHL forward group, but it’s hard to judge a team that has had such success finding undrafted talents out of the QMJHL in the past.

An 102-point scorer in his final year in junior, the 5’8″ Martel took quickly to the professional level and recorded three consecutive 20+ goal seasons with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Proven now at that level, the next challenge will be finding some NHL success. He has just 13 games under his belt at that level, meaning he will become a Group VI unrestricted free agent next summer if he fails to play in at least 67 contests this year. There actually may be a real opportunity for him to do so now that names like J.T. Miller and Ryan Callahan have moved on.

The Lightning still have lots of work to do this summer after signing Martel, as Brayden Point leads a trio of NHL restricted free agents without contracts. The team still has a little bit of wiggle room under the salary cap, but Point’s deal will determine whether they have to make another move to shed salary or not.

Lightning Sign Gemel Smith

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Monday: The Lightning have officially announced the contract, though they did not release any financial terms to confirm CapFriendly’s reporting.

Sunday: Tampa Bay has added some depth up front.  CapFriendly reports that the Lightning have signed center Gemel Smith to a one-year, two-way contract.  The deal is worth $700K in the NHL, $250K in the AHL, and contains a $325K guarantee.

Smith split last season between Dallas and Boston.  He made the Stars’ roster out of training camp but didn’t see a lot of action in the first two months of the season before he was waived and claimed by the Bruins in December.  However, he only got into three games with Boston before being waived again two weeks later, going through unclaimed.  Between the two teams, he had two goals and an assist while averaging just over eight minutes a night.

The 25-year-old was much more productive at the AHL level.  In 46 games with AHL Providence, he picked up 16 goals and 24 assists to finish second on the team in scoring despite not being with them for the better part of three months.  However, that wasn’t enough for Boston to justify tendering him a $756K qualifying offer with arbitration eligibility.  Instead, Smith now joins Tampa Bay where he figures to be a key player on their farm team in Syracuse while being among the first players considered for a recall when an injury arises.

Tampa Bay Lightning Sign Cedric Paquette, Carter Verhaeghe

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The Tampa Bay Lightning have avoided arbitration with another one of their restricted free agents, as Joe Smith of The Athletic reports the team has agreed to a two-year contract with Cedric Paquette. The deal will carry a $1.65MM average annual value, and take him to unrestricted free agency in 2021. The team has also announced a one-year, two-way contract for Carter Verhaeghe, keeping the minor league star in the organization and avoiding arbitration.

Paquette, 25, was an underrated part of the Tampa Bay machine last season, scoring 13 goals while suiting up for a career-high 80 games. Though he only added four assists and averaged just 12 minutes of ice time, he locked down the team’s fourth-line center position, was a key penalty killer and easily led the club in hits with 269. There’s no reason to think he’ll ever be an offensive dynamo in the NHL, but the Lightning will be happy if he can continue to win faceoffs and provide his physical play during limited minutes. With J.T. Miller and Ryan Callahan gone this season, that type of grinding game will be appreciated even more.

Verhaeghe meanwhile is still trying to crack the NHL squad, but had about as good a minor league season as anyone last year. The 23-year old put up 34 goals and 82 points in 76 games to lead the AHL in both categories (tying his teammate Alex Barre-Boulet in goals) and should compete for a spot on the roster this fall. The former Toronto Maple Leafs prospect is eligible for waivers and could be claimed if the Lightning try to send him back to the Syracuse Crunch once again.

Notable AHL Signings: 7/1 & 7/2

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It’s not uncommon to see many players coming off NHL contracts, including those who have found success in the AHL, opt to sign minor league contracts early in July. As the new league year begins, many unrestricted free agents find that the market for their services at the top level does not develop. Rather than hold out hope for a two-way NHL contract further into the off-season, many are content to accept AHL contracts, which don’t rule out the possibility of signing in the NHL but provide some certainty about the coming season. Through the first two days of free agency, more than a few familiar names have settled for minor league pacts:

  • Tyler Sikura has signed a one-year deal with the AHL’s Rockford Ice Hogs, remaining in the Chicago Blackhawks organization. Sikura has been a key contributor for Rockford the past two years, even earning a one-year contract with Chicago this past season, but did not make an NHL appearance. He was likely content to stay with organization anyway, as he can continue to play with younger brother Dylan Sikura.
  • After playing a key shutdown role for the Charlotte Checkers en route to a Calder Cup championship, defenseman Josiah Didier has signed a one-year deal with the Providence Bruins. Providence has several top prospects on their blue line, but are lacking depth and Didier should again play an important role for his team next season.
  • The San Antonio Rampage have signed former Detroit Red Wings prospect and second-round pick Zach Nastisiuk to an AHL contract, as well as fellow forwards Cameron Darcy and J.J. Piccinich. The trio will have to fight for ice time in the minors, as the St. Louis Blues have signed quite a few depth players already over these past two days.
  • The Lehigh Valley Phantoms went big game hunting among AHL veterans yesterday, signing five-time AHL All-Star Cal O’Reilly to a two-year deal and bringing back their own All-Star, Greg Carey. O’Reilly, 32, has been on an NHL contract in each of the past five seasons, but had to settle for a step down this year despite another strong campaign. The center was a point-per-game scorer for the Iowa Wild, notching 67 points in 67 games to finish in the top ten in the AHL in scoring. It was his sixth AHL season with 60+ points. Carey, 29, saw his contract with the Philadelphia Flyers expire, but remains in the organization, where he has recorded three straight 50+ points seasons. The Phantoms also signed another Iowa forward, Gerry Fitzgerald, and defenseman Eric Knodel to one-year contracts.
  • A trio of familiar names have joined the Hartford Wolfpack: goalie Thomas McCollum, forward Harry Zolnierczyk, and defenseman Vincent LoVerde. All three players are coming off of NHL contracts but will have to work their way back into relevance at the top level. McCollum and Zolnierczyk both have played in the NHL, albeit not in several years, and LoVerde is a two-time AHL All-Star and Calder Cup champ. It’s quite a haul for Hartford.
  • Sam Vigneault left Clarkson University early to join the Columbus Blue Jackets, but his play in the minors tailed off over the past two years and his entry-level contract expired without an NHL experience. However, he’s content to stay in the organization, as Vigneault has signed a one-year deal with the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters.
  • Former top goalie prospect Zach Fucale has had a tough go of it in the pros. A second-round pick of the Montreal Canadiens in 2013, Fucale has been relegated to the ECHL for much of the past three seasons. He managed to find an AHL contract with the Syracuse Crunch, but considering the depth in net for the Tampa Bay Lightning after signing three goalies yesterday, Fucale is likely headed back to the ECHL.
  • Cole Schneider has been a force in the AHL for years, recently wrapping up his sixth straight season of 50+ points. However, the 28-year-old has been unable to translate that offense to the NHL. Although he still had enough value to warrant a trade to the Nashville Predators this season, Schneider never made an appearance for the team. That hasn’t stopped him from sticking with the organization though. The Milwaukee Admirals have brought back the talented forward on a one-year deal.

Lightning Ink Goalies Wedgewood And Martin, Forward Mueller

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Even more reason to believe that last year’s backup, Louis Domingue, is on the trade block? After signing his replacement, Curtis McElhinney, the Tampa Bay Lightning have added two more goalies to the mix in Scott Wedgewood and Spencer Martin. The team has also signed forward Chris Mueller. The trio have all agreed to one-year, two-way contracts.

Luke Witkowski Signs With Tampa Bay Lightning

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The Tampa Bay Lightning are bringing back Luke Witkowski, after the hybrid forward/defenseman spent two years with the Detroit Red Wings. Witkowski has signed a two-year, two-way contract with the Lightning.

Witkowski, 29, was a sixth-round pick of the Lightning back in 2008 and joined their organization after four years at Western Michigan University. Known mostly for his physicality, he put up a whopping 204 penalty minutes in his first professional season. That physical play has never disappeared, and he has found a way to stay in the lineup even if it meant lining up at forward and defense in the same game.

With just ten points in 119 career games he won’t be making much of an offensive impact, but Witkowski will likely receive some playing time in the NHL next season just as he has in each of the last five. The two years will provide him with some stability, while he is also very familiar with the Syracuse Crunch from his time in the Tampa Bay development system.

Tampa Bay Lightning Sign Luke Schenn

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Monday: The Lightning have officially announced the deal, adding Schenn at the expected bargain rate of $700K for one year. Schenn may end up being a fantastic value for Tampa Bay this season on a new look blue line.

Sunday: When Luke Schenn arrived in Vancouver late in the 2018-19 season it looked as though he might soon be pushed out of the league entirely. After surprising down the stretch though a market has materialized for his services and now he could be joining a Stanley Cup contender. Frank Seravalli of TSN reports that Schenn is expected to sign a one-year contract worth around $700K when free agency opens on July 1.

Schenn, 29, ended up just cracking our list of the Top 50 UFAs despite his down year, mostly because of those final 18 games with the Canucks. He played a total of 26 last season counting the eight times he suited up with the Ducks, and his routine as a part-time player might continue in Tampa Bay. The Lightning don’t desperately need him to step right into a major role, but are likely losing Dan Girardi and Anton Stralman as veteran defensive options. Schenn doesn’t have much (if any) offensive upside, but can at least play a little in his own end and contribute a physical presence.

Even though his stock has crashed dramatically since being drafted fifth overall in 2008, Schenn still ranks fourth in games played among all players selected that year. Trailing just Drew Doughty, Josh Bailey and Steven Stamkos, he has figured out a way to stay relevant in a league that quickly moved to a different style of defense. Probably born an era too late, the 6’2″ bruising defenseman has suited up for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Philadelphia Flyers, Los Angeles Kings, Arizona Coyotes, Ducks and Canucks.

Lightning Sign McElhinney, Will Look To Trade Domingue

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The Tampa Bay Lightning emerged this morning as the surprise favorite to land veteran backup goalie Curtis McElhinney and a deal is now done. The team has announced a two-year contract with a $1.3MM AAV for the 35-year-old, strengthening their depth behind young starter Andrei Vasilevskiy. 

However, the team was not expected to be in the running for a goalie, as Louis Domingue performed well last season and looked comfortable as the backup. While it’s possible that the team sees Domingue, signed through next season at $1.15MM, as better suited for a third-string role, The Athletic’s Joe Smith reports that Tampa will also work on trading the understudy.

In McElhinney, the Bolts add a backup who is an upgrade both statistically and in terms of experience. McElhinney appeared in 33 games for the Carolina Hurricanes last season and made several more appearances in the postseason while posting strong numbers. Should injury befall Vasilevskiy, McElhinney would be ready to take over the starter role temporarily and Tampa Bay obviously felt more comfortable paying slightly more to have McElhinney in case of emergency rather than Domingue.

Detroit Red Wings Sign Valtteri Filppula

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The Detroit Red Wings have brought back a familiar face, signing Valtteri Filppula to a two-year contract. New GM Steve Yzerman also has a history with the veteran forward from their days with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Filppula played in Detroit for the first eight years of his career. MLive’s Ansar Khan reports the deal is for $3MM per season.

Filppula may be 35, but he continues to put up solid numbers as a bottom-six defenseman and played a major part of the New York Islanders turnaround last season. For a Barry Trotz team that focused more on defense this year, Filppula posted impressive numbers, scoring 17 goals, his most since the 2013-14 season and finished with 31 points.

With Detroit, Filppula gets a slight raise as he made $2.75MM last season. He will try and find a role somewhere on the third or fourth line and adds to a group of veterans that now have slipped to the bottom-six, including Frans Nielsen, Justin Abdelkader and Luke Glendening. He also could have been brought in to prevent too many young players being vaulted into roles they aren’t ready for as the team now has a number of prospects who are close to being NHL ready, including Filip Zadina and Joe Veleno.

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