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The Unleashed: Group VI Free Agency

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Normally in the NHL, players aren’t allowed to reach unrestricted free agency before they turn 27. Even then, most players end up trading away some of their free agent years for pay raises and long-term contract stability. Sometimes though, you end up with a player like Steven Stamkos who in the summer of 2016 was set to become a free agent at the age of 26.

Stamkos debuted in the league at such a young age because of his outstanding talent, that he had already accrued the necessary seven seasons in the league. He actually could have become a free agent in the summer of 2015 had he not signed a contract including the 2015-16 season several years earlier. Almost every star does this, as you can see around the league. Connor McDavid is already locked up until he’s 29, signing away four years of free agency in his recent $100MM extension.

But, there is another way to hit free agency early and it’s at the opposite end of the spectrum. Players that are stuck in the minors and never really given a chance to play in the NHL can become free agents at age-25, as Jordan Weal did this summer. Weal, who dominated for several years in the AHL without ever getting a full-time look in the NHL became a Group VI free agent this summer. To do so, he had to meet three requirements (via CapFriendly):

  1. The player is 25 years or older (as of June 30th of the calendar year the contract is expiring).
  2. The player has completed 3 or more professional seasons – qualified by 11 or more professional games (for an 18/19 year old player), or 1 or more professional games (for a player aged 20 or older). This can include NHL, minor league, and European professional league seasons played while under an SPC.
  3. The player has played less than 80 NHL games, or 28 NHL games of 30 minutes or greater for a goaltender.

Every year there are several players who qualify as Group VI free agents, and 2018 will likely be no different. Here are a few notable candidates.

Mark McNeill – Dallas Stars – 2 GP

Dallas would have had to play McNeill all season long to break the 80-game threshold. The 18th-overall pick from 2011 has been dominant at times in the AHL, but was never given a chance in Chicago. Dealt last season in a move for Johnny Oduya, McNeill will hit free agency and could look for a brand new start somewhere else. Whether another opportunity will ever come in the NHL is a different story, as McNeill has fallen off the prospect map in recent years.

"<strongTyler Wotherspoon – Calgary Flames – 30 GP

Wotherspoon was once considered a top prospect that looked like a lock for a long NHL career, but without showing any real top-four potential the excitement has died in recent years. The 14 games he played with the Flames when he was just 21 would end up being the most he would see in any single season so far, and he’d need to jump into the lineup quite soon (and stick) to avoid being granted free agency this summer.

 

Josh Leivo – Toronto Maple Leafs – 43 GP

Leivo has once again been pulled from the Maple Leafs’ lineup prior to their matchup against the Los Angeles Kings, a feeling he must be getting used to by now. He’s never played in more than 13 games in a single season with the Maple Leafs, and would need to suit up for 47 more this season in order for the team to hold onto his rights. The third-round pick from 2011 has actually fared quite well in his sporadic games, recording 11 points in his last 15 contests.

"<strongStefan Noesen – New Jersey Devils – 53 GP

Noesen has been a solid player for the Devils since being selected off waivers from Anaheim last year, and has played 39 of his 53 games in that time. He isn’t a full-time player for them though, and he was scratched on Wednesday when Brian Boyle returned to the lineup. The question will be can he get into another 27 games this season to crack that 80-game mark, or does the first-round pick—that once was a key part of getting Bobby Ryan to Ottawa—hit the open market this summer.

There are many, many more candidates for Group VI free agency and we’ll be taking a look at some of the others throughout the season depending on how their season progresses. 

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Snapshots: Raanta, Golden Knights, Maple Leafs

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Antti Raanta has been activated off injured reserve and is expected to start tonight against the Buffalo Sabres according to Craig Morgan of AZ Sports. Raanta hasn’t played in three weeks with a lower-body injury after being acquired this summer to be the Coyotes starting goaltender. He’ll head to the crease with a new backup in Scott Wedgewood, a tandem that could prove capable for Arizona as they try to climb out of the bottom of the standings.

The team unfortunately will not have Niklas Hjalmarsson on the ice however, meaning Dakota Mermis will make his NHL debut on the blueline. The Coyotes are currently last in the league with just one win in their first 13 games, and right now look like the odds-on favorite for the first-overall pick next June.

  • The Vegas Golden Knights will not trade for another goaltender, according to general manager George McPhee. The front office boss told Steve Carp of the Las Vegas Review-Journal that the Golden Knights will “ride it out with who we have.” Currently who they have is Maxime Lagace and 19-year old Dylan Ferguson, the last two goaltenders in the entire organization on NHL contracts. The team has given up six goals in back to back games, and still have four games remaining on their current road trip. Riding it out is likely the best move long-term for the organization, but it won’t feel good for Vegas fans who were on cloud nine after the team’s early season success. That excellent record could evaporate if they can’t find some stability in net soon.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs are clearly not settled with the fringes of their lineup, as even after a win last night in Anaheim head coach Mike Babcock intends on shaking things up. Chris Johnston of Sportsnet reports that Kasperi Kapanen and Roman Polak will draw back into the lineup in place of Josh Leivo and Connor Carrick for tonight’s matchup with Los Angeles. That uncertainty will be an interesting one to follow as the Maple Leafs’ season continues. For a team that is expected to compete not only for a playoff spot, but for a considerable seeding in the postseason, they have several unresolved issues with their lineup. James van Riemsdyk, Tyler Bozak and Leo Komarov are all unrestricted free agents, and remain possible mid-season trade candidates. If they are moved, the rotating bottom-pairing on the Toronto blueline is likely the target of upgrade.

Morning Notes: Marleau, Bonuses, Shipachyov

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The Toronto Maple Leafs got back on track last night with a road win over the Anaheim Ducks, and in the process Patrick Marleau scored the game-winner and his fifth goal of the season. More importantly, it was Marleau’s 100th game-winner of his career, another milestone checked off the list.

Though many believed the Maple Leafs hugely overpaid for Marleau’s services this summer, he’s been one of the team’s most consistent players through the first month of the season and has even turned back the clock to move back to center ice for the team. Marleau now ranks 39th all-time on the goals leader board, passing Hall of Famer and Buffalo legend Gilbert Perreault with 513. While the latter part of his three-year, $18.75MM contract has a good chance to look bad, the Maple Leafs have loved his contribution so far.

  • Chicago Blackhawks fans know all about performance bonuses, as they’ve had to pay overage bonuses for the past couple of seasons due to the huge scoring output of Artemi Panarin. Scott Powers of The Athletic dives into who can earn what this year for the team, a picture that looks a little brighter. An interesting note is that Patrick Sharp has already earned his $200K bonus for playing in ten games, making his a one-year $1MM contract.
  • Vadim Shipachyov is once again not on unconditional waivers but according to Eric Engels of Sportsnet is back in Russia waiting on the next step. The suspended forward is expected to eventually be placed there to have his contract terminated, but the Vegas Golden Knights are looking for a guarantee that he won’t be claimed by one of the other 30 teams. If he is, the Golden Knights won’t get back the nearly $2MM they are owed from his signing bonus.

Latest On Toronto’s Russian Recruitment

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The Toronto Maple Leafs struck gold when they signed the then 24-year old Nikita Zaitsev out of the KHL. It took just one season before Zaitsev earned a seven-year extension with the Maple Leafs, a deal that will pay him an average of $4.5MM per season. Zaitsev has quickly become one of the most reliable defenders in Toronto, and will be a part of that team for some time.

Before signing Zaitsev, the Maple Leafs’ brass went to meIgor Ozhignaovet him in person in Russia and recruit him into their program. Earlier this summer they completed a similar trip to see Igor Ozhiganov, another 25-year old defender that could sign as soon as next summer. Now, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet again mentions the team’s connection to the pending free agent. On Hockey Night in Canada last night:

He’s going to be recruited by some NHL teams, but the word out of Russia is that he is most likely going to Toronto next year.

Toronto has some of the most exciting young offensive players in the league, but have continued to struggle defensively at times. Though they’re 7-4 through the first few weeks of the season, they’ve also allowed 40 goals during those 11 games. While Zaitsev worked out quite well for them, there is no telling what Ozhiganov could become. The 6’2″ 207-lbs defenseman certainly has the talent to come to the NHL, and Zaitsev would have some inside info for his new team—the two played together for both CSKA Moscow and Sibir Novosibirsk during their KHL careers.

Eastern Notes: Smith-Pelly, Andersen, Fedun

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A few days ago, Washington Capitals head coach Barry Trotz hinted that bottom-six winger Devante Smith-Pelly might be nearing a promotion to a better line. Well, NBC Sports’ Tarik El-Bashir writes that tonight will be that promotion as the 25-year-old has been moved onto the team’s top line alongside Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov in their game against the Edmonton Oilers.

Smith-Pelly, who came to Washington this offseason, has had a very inconsistent career, starting when he was a highly-touted prospect and was drafted in the second round in 2010 by the Anaheim Ducks. Despite his junior success and his success at the AHL level, the winger had trouble figuring things out at the NHL level and quickly found himself bouncing around different teams. He signed a one-year, $650K deal with Washington this offseason after a one-year stint in New Jersey a year ago in which he tallied just nine points in 53 games.

Now, with the Capitals, he has started to show some of his skills and has earned the trust of Trotz. While he’s yet to score a goal, the belief is that his talents might be a perfect fit alongside Ovechkin and Kuznetsov. Smith-Pelly will replace Jakub Vrana, who moves to the team’s second line next to T.J. Oshie and Niklas Backstrom, who is returning after missing a game due to illness.

“He deserves it. He’s put in the work. His game is such that he needs to move up in the lineup,” Trotz said on Smith-Pelly’s promotion.

 

Maple Leafs Recall Kasperi Kapanen, Demote Eric Fehr

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Although he cleared waivers back on Tuesday, Maple Leafs center Eric Fehr wasn’t immediately sent to the minors.  That has now changed as the team announced that they’ve assigned the veteran to Toronto of the AHL while recalling winger Kasperi Kapanen.

Fehr has played in four NHL games this season, averaging 10:56 per night while being held off the scoresheet.  He had been in a rotation with fellow center Dominic Moore as they alternated games early on.  Even by sending him down, the Leafs won’t be able to clear his contract off the books entirely, however.  As he has a $2MM cap hit, the team will still carry a prorated $975K charge while he is at the minor league level.

This will be Kapanen’s first stint with the big club this season.  He has played in 17 NHL regular season games over the past two seasons where he has just a lone goal but he made his mark in the 2017 postseason against Washington with a pair of tallies – including a game-winner – in six contests.  In six games with the Marlies, he has three goals to tie for the team lead.  He carries a cap hit of just over $863K so Toronto will save a little bit of money on the cap with this move.

Eric Fehr, Antti Niemi Highlight Monday Waivers

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Four players have been placed on the waiver wire today according to Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports. They are as follows:

Eric Fehr (TOR)
Antti Niemi (PIT)
Jordan Schroeder (CBJ)
Colin McDonald (PHI)

Fehr had been rotating with Dominic Moore as the fourth-line center for the Toronto Maple Leafs, but could end up in the minor leagues for the time being. While Toronto added Roman Polak and demoted Calle Rosen, Fehr’s waiver status could allow them to recall the latter as soon as tomorrow. The team already has Josh Leivo sitting on the sidelines as a depth forward, unable to get into a game.

The Maple Leafs acquired Fehr last year from the Pittsburgh Penguins in a deal for Frank Corrado, earning them a fourth-round pick for taking on his salary. The veteran forward earns $2MM this season, but hasn’t shown enough to stay in the lineup on a nightly basis. While he did have a role on the team as a penalty killer, Moore can accomplish that with just as much success for just $1MM. If the Maple Leafs do send him to the minor leagues, they’ll save $1.025MM in cap space (prorated for the remainder of the season). That price tag likely will scare off any potential claims.

Niemi, 34, has been a terrible experiment for the Pittsburgh Penguins so far this season, recording a .797 save percentage through his three games. Stopping just 63 of 79 shots, the former Stanley Cup champion hasn’t been able to find his game after the team took a chance on him this summer. Bought out by the Dallas Stars, Niemi signed a one-year $700K contract with the Penguins but likely won’t start another game for them this season.

There is a chance that the Vegas Golden Knights could claim Niemi, as they are currently operating with two AHL goaltenders in Oscar Dansk and Maxime Lagace. While Niemi doesn’t offer much of an upgrade in performance, he could allow them to continue to start one of the two in the AHL for the time being. Still, it doesn’t seem like he’s destined to play much in the NHL this year as even Vegas would only be using him as a stop-gap until Marc-Andre Fleury or Malcolm Subban could return.

Schreoder was signed this summer to a two-year deal with the Blue Jackets, but was never expected to play the full season in Columbus. A prototypical 13th forward, Schroeder has never suited up for more than 37 NHL games in a single season (though also not fewer than 25 in the last five). Schroeder was on a conditioning stint with the Cleveland Monsters and will likely continue to play for them after clearing tomorrow.

McDonald has a similar story to Schroeder, playing as a depth forward for several teams over his career. Bouncing up and down between the minor leagues is no new thing for him, as he’s only played one full season at the NHL level in his ten year professional career. The 33-year old was on season-opening injured reserve after suffering a lower-body injury in training camp, and will likely be assigned to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Toronto Maple Leafs Assign Calle Rosen To AHL

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The Toronto Maple Leafs, fresh off the signing of defenseman Roman Polak yesterday, have assigned Calle Rosen to the AHL. The Swedish defender had been rotating in and out of the NHL lineup, but will now have to wait for another chance with the big club.

Rosen, 23, was signed this offseason out of the Swedish Hockey League to provide some depth for the Maple Leafs, who had relied on players like Martin Marincin and Matt Hunwick last year. Along with Andreas Borgman and Connor Carrick, Rosen had spent time on the bottom pair to try and prove he was ready for the NHL. That decision was complicated yesterday when Polak signed, seemingly fully recovered from the broken leg he suffered in last year’s playoffs.

With Polak in tow, the Maple Leafs had to make a decision on their two young Swedes. Rosen and Borgman were the only two waiver-exempt defensemen on the team, and losing Carrick to waivers wasn’t an option. Polak, meanwhile, would likely take Carrick’s spot on the third pairing if he got into the lineup.

In four games, Rosen registered one assist but looked over-matched at times. While he possesses all the physical skills required to be a puck-moving defenseman in the NHL, his decision making wasn’t up to snuff and he found himself in tricky situations more than head coach Mike Babcock would like. Those mistakes might not continue, and Rosen could be back up with the team sooner than later. But for now, he’ll have to work on his consistency at the AHL level. It will be interesting to see if he gets any time with top prospect and countryman Timothy Liljegren, who has been logging important minutes for the Toronto Marlies.

Roman Polak Signs With Toronto Maple Leafs

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have apparently decided that Roman Polak is healthy enough to return to the NHL, as they have signed the veteran defenseman to a one-year, $1.1MM contract. Polak had been practicing with the team all season after rehabbing from a broken leg suffered in the playoffs last year. The team is currently carrying 23 men on their roster, meaning a corresponding move will be coming to make room for Polak.

Roman PolakAfter the nasty injury he suffered against the Washington Capitals, it always seemed like Polak would eventually sign with the Maple Leafs once again. Attending training camp on a professional tryout and even practicing with the minor league Marlies when Toronto was on the road, Polak will now be under contract and can immediately be inserted into the lineup for Mike Babcock. The coach has always been a big fan of Polak’s hard-nosed approach, and after the Maple Leafs were unable to break down the Ottawa Senators’ trap on Saturday night could look to go a different direction on the back end.

While Polak plays the right side and would likely be inserted over Connor Carrick if anything, one of Calle Rosen or Andreas Borgman would likely be the roster casualty as both are waiver-exempt. Both young Swedes have had moments of success and failure so far, while they rotated through the lineup.

Polak, coming off a $2.25MM salary will take a hefty pay cut to stay with the Maple Leafs this season. As Chris Johnston of Sportsnet points out, he’ll make just under $1MM in actual salary as his deal will be prorated for the remaining days in the season. That number makes it more than palatable for the Maple Leafs who continue to operate in the room created by long-term injured reserve. Rosen and Borgman are each on maximum entry-level contracts ($925K) meaning Polak will incur almost no extra cap hit once the switch is made.

Never an offensive player, Polak nevertheless contributes as an excellent penalty killer and provides a level of physicality both on and off the ice. A notoriously hard worker in the weight room and in practice, Babcock has continually sung his praises over the years. The Maple Leafs have been leaning heavily on Ron Hainsey and Nikita Zaitsev for almost all of their penalty killing, something they’ll be able to spread out a little more with Polak’s return.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Atlantic Notes: Athanasiou, Canadiens, Kronwall, Marner

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Often when you have lengthy holdouts, fans have to wonder whether one of the big obstacles (besides money) is that the player doesn’t really want to play for the team he’s on, only creating a longer bridge towards finding a happy stalemate. Even after the holdout ends, often the player finds himself resenting the organization, which only creates more problems. Not so, however, with the Detroit Red Wings and recently signed forward Andreas Athanasiou, according to Craig Custance of The Athletic (subscription required).

The scribe writes that a conference call held earlier this week between Athanasiou, his agent Darren Ferris and Red Wings brass changed everything and was not just the critical step that helped end the stalemate, but helped show the 23-year-old center that the team really wanted him to return to the team, while the Red Wings understood Athanasiou’s reasons for asking for a trade.

“The philosophical stuff that was causing the desire to be traded was addressed,” Athanasiou’s agent Darren Ferris said. “I really think that call turned the bus around.”

After that phone call, the wheels of progress began to churn and a deal began to be chiseled out. Custance writes that Ferris said while only a one-year deal was struck, Athanasiou plans to prove himself to the Red Wings in hopes of getting a long-term deal with them for next year — in Detroit. Ferris says he wants to stay there.

  • Mitch Melnick of The Athletic writes his Good, Bad and Ugly column about the Montreal Canadiens 6-2 loss to the Anaheim Ducks last night, pointing fingers to Paul Byron and Victor Mete as the team’s top players lately. While that was the good, Melnick points out how bad that is too if those two are your best players. The 19-year-old Mete, who no one expected to make the Canadiens’ roster this year, has thrived on the team’s defense in his rookie campaign, while Byron is a 28-year old, whose best season saw him score 22 goals last year. Neither was expected to make a major impact. Catch all of Melnick’s commentary as it’s a good read.
  • Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press writes that veteran defenseman Niklas Kronwall tried stem-cell treatment for his bad knee. The 36-year-old blueliner revealed the information today after having played in his 800th career NHL game yesterday. He has been playing on a permanently damaged knee for the past two years and has been told that surgery would not help him. St. James writes that Kronwall wouldn’t go into specifics about what procedure he had undergone. “It’s a long process,” he said. “It is for another time to discuss.”
  • Mitch Marner of the Toronto Maple Leafs, recently downgraded to the team’s fourth line, was quite positive about his demotion and has learned a lot from veteran Matt Martin, tweets Kristen Shilton of TSN. “You just want to go out there and help the team win,” Marner said. “If you don’t, then just be the guy on the bench that’s staying positive and helping the guys out. That’s what I’ve learned from Marty.”
  • CapFriendly tweets that the site has confirmed that Boston Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid has gone on LITR. The move gives the Bruins a $2.75MM salary relief pool. Boston can now exceed the cap by $2,654,209.

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