Eichel Sets The Market For Matthews And Laine
While the eight-year, $80MM contract extension that the Sabres handed center Jack Eichel earlier this week ensures that Buffalo has their franchise player under contract for almost the next decade, it also goes a long way towards setting the market for 2016 top picks Auston Matthews (Toronto) and Patrik Laine (Winnipeg) this time one year from now.
Both Matthews and Laine surpassed Eichel’s rookie season output and at least are expected to do the same with their second-year production so it’s fair to say that both players should check in past that $10MM mark while Connor McDavid’s eight-year, $100MM extension with Edmonton from the summer will represent the high end.
Despite that, there’s a case to be made that Buffalo did the Leafs and Jets at least small favor by locking Eichel up now. With a more defined salary range to work with, it should be easier for GMs Lou Lamoriello and Kevin Cheveldayoff to plan around who they can keep and who may become a cost casualty. Both teams will have some tough calls to make.
For Toronto, they also have Mitch Marner eligible for an extension starting next summer while William Nylander’s entry-level contract will be up (with no in-season extension in the plans). That trio could cost somewhere around $25MM per year and Lamoriello will undoubtedly want to keep all three in the fold. Looking ahead to 2019-20 when the second contracts will kick in for Marner and Matthews, they’ll have over $55MM committed to just 11 players (which doesn’t include the injured Nathan Horton or any money allocated for pending UFAs Tyler Bozak, James van Riemsdyk, and Leo Komarov). Needless to say, that’s going to be a tight squeeze.
It isn’t much different in Winnipeg either, especially with the recent long-term extensions handed out to Bryan Little (six years) and Nikolaj Ehlers (seven years). They already have more than $33MM tied up in six players for 2019-20 when Laine’s next deal will begin plus they still have to re-sign Jacob Trouba this summer and either re-sign or replace key pieces in winger Blake Wheeler and defenseman Tyler Myers a year later. Put those four players (or replacements) under contract and they’ll be past the $60MM mark with still more than half a team to sign.
The 2019 offseason is still a long way away so there is plenty of time for Lamoriello and Cheveldayoff to determine how they’re going to fit in the big ticket deals for Matthews and Laine on their payroll. But at least now with the Eichel contract, they have a better idea of just how much it’s going to cost to keep them around for the long haul which gives them more time to plan out any corresponding moves.
Pickard May Not Be With Marlies For Long
- After acquiring goaltender Calvin Pickard on Friday, Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston suggests that he’s not a candidate to stay as a third-string goaltender with the Maple Leafs for too long which could have Curtis McElhinney’s roster spot in jeopardy. Pickard is nine years younger and has a decent NHL track record despite playing on a subpar Colorado team so while McElhinney has a two-year contract in tow, that might not be enough to keep him on the roster and off the waiver wire once Pickard gets some games in at the AHL level.
Toronto Maple Leafs Acquire Calvin Pickard
The Toronto Maple Leafs have acquired recently waived goaltender Calvin Pickard from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for prospect Tobias Lindberg and a 2018 sixth-round draft pick. Since he has already cleared waivers, Pickard will be assigned to the Toronto Marlies immediately. In Vegas, the team now has room to activate James Neal from the injured list for tonight’s game.
As Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports, Vegas had been trying to trade Pickard all week after claiming Malcolm Subban off waivers from the Boston Bruins, but couldn’t find a taker until he had cleared. Teams like Toronto likely weren’t willing to waive their own backups in order to keep Pickard on the roster. Their emphasis on draft capital is clear, turning one of their assets into another pick for the 2018 draft.
They also receive a prospect in Lindberg who will join his third organization. Originally selected by the Ottawa Senators in the fourth-round of the 2013 draft, Lindberg was part of the package sent to Toronto for Dion Phaneuf. He made his NHL debut for the Maple Leafs at the end of that season, but couldn’t crack the improved roster a year ago. It was a disappointing season even at the AHL level, where he registered just 16 points in 44 games. Lindberg has size and speed, and dominated the OHL in his one year of Canadian junior hockey. Still, he hasn’t made much of an impact at the professional level and is close to being considered a non-prospect. At 22 there is still room to grow, but it will take a lot of work to make an impact at the NHL level.
For the Maple Leafs, acquiring Pickard gives them something they’ve rarely had over the years: goaltending depth. While Frederik Andersen remains the unquestioned starter, Toronto cycled through backup goaltenders last year until a waiver claim of Curtis McElhinney gave them some sort of stability. McElhinney was re-signed to a two-year deal this summer, but is already 34 and could take a step backwards at any moment. With Pickard in tow, the Maple Leafs now have another name that could step into the backup role at a moment’s notice.
Calle Rosen, Dominic Moore Draw In As Maple Leafs Play Rangers
The Toronto Maple Leafs assigned Martin Marincin to the minor leagues earlier today, recalling Calle Rosen to take his spot. It won’t be in the press box though, as Mike Babcock told reporters that Rosen would be in the lineup for the team’s home opener tomorrow night. He’ll take young Andreas Borgman‘s spot on the third pairing with Connor Carrick.
Babcock also confirmed that Dominic Moore would be inserted into the lineup as the fourth line center, taking Eric Fehr‘s job on Saturday night. This early rotation shows that the Maple Leafs are willing to be fluid with their lineup early on, and also demonstrates the depth they’ve built through free agency. Though the club saw very few injuries last season, they are more prepared to replace players this year as they try to contend for the Atlantic Division crown.
Martin Marincin, Calvin Pickard Placed On Waivers
According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Martin Marincin and Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Calvin Pickard have been placed on waivers today. All five players who were placed on waivers yesterday have cleared.
Marincin made the Maple Leafs final roster over several challengers but didn’t play in their first game last night against the Winnipeg Jets. Perhaps the team was waiting to make sure that rookie Andreas Borgman could hold his own in a regular season game before moving on from Marincin, though the timing is interesting. Roman Polak also continues to practice with the club, and could be a potential signing to add some more physicality to the team. Head coach Mike Babcock has been clear with his praise of Polak over the years, and has also been critical of Marincin.
The more interesting name though is Pickard, who looked locked into the backup role in Vegas until a late waiver claim of Malcolm Subban. Since the Golden Knights already have roster troubles with all of their defensemen, carrying three goaltenders never seemed like a realistic option. Still, Pickard has shown that he’s a capable NHL goaltender and was the Golden Knights’ expansion selection from Colorado. While admittedly there weren’t many other options on the rebuilding Avalanche, if he is claimed it will go down as somewhat of a questionable decision.
Pickard was drafted in the second round by the Avalanche in 2010, and has since developed into an excellent professional goaltender. With a career save percentage of .914 in the NHL even behind a struggling Colorado team, he’s at minimum a backup in the league. Subban, while having a higher draft pedigree than Pickard, is far from a sure thing at the NHL level after struggling in his two career games. Still, the team may see him as a big upgrade in potential, especially with the team not expected to compete. Pickard is a restricted free agent next summer and is arbitration eligible, while Subban still has another year after this on his two-way deal.
For the Maple Leafs, burying Marincin in the minors would save them $1.025MM in cap space which the team could use to improve elsewhere during the season. Last year they showed no issue with burying veteran NHL players, as Brooks Laich, Milan Michalek and Colin Greening all spent nearly the entire year in the AHL. Since Pickard makes just $1MM, he’ll cause no cap penalty on the Golden Knights, who are closer than you may think. The team is currently $5MM under the cap, though that will change drastically when Vadim Shipachyov ($4.5MM) is recalled. That said, they don’t have a ton to worry about as Mikhail Grabovski and David Clarkson could both be placed on long-term injured reserve if the team needed room.
William Nylander Extension Not Expected During Season
As Nikolaj Ehlers and Jack Eichel sign their respective long-term extensions, many fans in Toronto looked at the contracts as parallels for their own young stars. While Eichel compares favorably to Auston Matthews, Ehlers is almost a direct comparison for William Nylander. The pair were selected back to back in the 2014 draft, and have similarities in both style and production.
The Jets inked Ehlers to a seven-year extension today worth $42MM, but the Toronto forward won’t be negotiating during the season according to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet. Like many other athletes, he instead wants to focus on his team’s success and his own game rather than where his future contract status lies.
In reality, it’s probably a good move for the Nylander camp. Entering the final year of his entry-level contract, Nylander is poised to spend the entire season riding shotgun with Matthews and racking up points. The two combined for 130 last season and could easily surpass those totals, especially given the innate chemistry they’ve shown once again in the preseason. If Nylander sets a new mark for points this season he could easily demand more than Ehlers’ $6MM per season. If not, he likely won’t be asking for much less.
It’s easy to bet on yourself when you’re as talented as Nylander, but the Maple Leafs likely want to know where Matthews’ salary falls before getting into any real negotiations anyway. As the Edmonton Oilers are finding out, when you have several superstars ready to get paid it is a tough job to fit them all into a salary structure and leave yourself any room. The Maple Leafs also have Mitch Marner to worry about, and eventually will have to decide if Jake Gardiner is worth a long-term extension. Waiting on Nylander may just be out of necessity.
Toronto Maple Leafs Expected To Keep Timothy Liljegren In North America
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have decided something different with their prized European prospect, as Dhiren Mahiban is reporting that the team will keep 2017 first-round pick Timothy Liljegren in Toronto to play with the AHL Marlies. Liljegren could have returned to Sweden, but according to his agent it is a “very good situation” to continue working with the Maple Leafs’ development team. Liljegren showed better than expected in training camp, suiting up several times with the NHL club and not looking completely out of place. Though he still has trouble making the right decision at times, his skating looks every bit as excellent as promised. The AHL will be a daunting task for him, but the Maple Leafs staff can keep a closer eye on his development.
Joffrey Lupul Fails Second Physical, Eligible For LTIR
According to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet, the Toronto Maple Leafs will indeed be allowed to place Joffrey Lupul on long-term injured reserve, after the veteran forward failed a second physical administered by the league. Like Marian Hossa in Chicago, this ruling will provide Toronto with some cap relief, though the two situations are very different.
Lupul hasn’t played with the team in several years, and caused a media uproar earlier this summer when he posted some comments seeming to call out the Maple Leafs for cheating the system. He later deleted them and apologized, explaining that it was just frustrating for him sitting on the sidelines. The Lupul saga has many reports of the team not wanting him around anyway, and that they were willing to eat his contract to keep him off the team.
Interestingly, CapFriendly just this morning released a new full explanation of the ways you can use LTIR but if you aren’t interested in the minutia of the rule just know that the Maple Leafs are at little risk of going over the cap this season thanks to Lupul and fellow injured forward Nathan Horton. They still could carry another bonus overage into next season thanks to the outstanding totals of their entry-level players, but that’s less of a concern for the time being.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
No Answer From League On Joffrey Lupul Status
- Chris Johnston of Sportsnet asked Lou Lamoriello of the Toronto Maple Leafs if his team had been given any sort of decision from the league on the Joffrey Lupul situation, to which the GM said no. The league is set to decide whether Lupul and Chicago Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa can be placed on long-term injured reserve, a decision that should be made before long. If they are, both Toronto and Chicago could get more salary cap relief. The Blackhawks did place one player on LTIR today, moving defenseman Michal Rozsival there to free up another roster spot. Rozsival signed a contract last season in order to help the Blackhawks become expansion draft compliant, but did not pass his physical at the beginning of training camp.
Training Camp Cuts: 10/02/17
Training camp is over for all the clubs around the NHL, and the season begins on Wednesday. By tomorrow evening, all teams must submit their cap-compliant 23-man roster, meaning there will be several cuts today. We’ll keep track of them all right here, as teams try to slip players through waivers or send them back to junior and European clubs.
Anaheim Ducks
F Giovanni Fiore – San Diego (AHL)
F Kalle Kossila – San Diego (AHL)
F Scott Sabourin – San Diego (AHL)
D Jacob Larsson – San Diego (AHL)
Boston Bruins
F Jordan Szwarz – Providence (AHL)
F Tommy Cross – Providence (AHL)
F Jakub Zboril – Providence (AHL)
F Peter Cehlarik – Providence (AHL)
F Danton Heinen – Providence (AHL)
F Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson – Providence (AHL)
F Teddy Purcell – Released from PTO
G Malcolm Subban – Waivers for purpose of assignment
Calgary Flames
D Rasmus Andersson – Stockton (AHL)
G Jon Gillies – Stockton (AHL)
F Luke Gazdic – Waivers for purpose of assignment
F Garnet Hathaway – Waivers for purpose of assignment
Carolina Hurricanes
F Lucas Wallmark – Charlotte (AHL)
F Phillip Di Giuseppe – Waivers for purpose of assignment
Chicago Blachawks
F Vinnie Hinostroza – Rockford (AHL)
F Jordin Tootoo – Waivers for purpose of assignment
F Tomas Jurco – Waivers for purpose of assignment
G Jean-Francois Berube – Waivers for purpose of assignment
Colorado Avalanche
F Gabriel Bourque – Waivers for purpose of assignment
Dallas Stars
F Remi Elie – Texas (AHL)
F Roope Hintz – Texas (AHL)
F Jason Dickinson – Texas (AHL)
F Curtis McKenzie – Waivers for purpose of assignment
D Patrik Nemeth – Waivers for purpose of assignment
Detroit Red Wings
D Libor Sulak – Lahti (Finland)
F Matt Lorito – Grand Rapids (AHL)
F Ben Street – Grand Rapids (AHL)
D Brian Lashoff – Grand Rapids (AHL)
D Dylan McIlrath – Grand Rapids (AHL)
F David Booth – Waivers for purpose of assignment
D Ryan Sproul – Waivers for purpose of assignment
Los Angeles Kings
F Brooks Laich – Released from PTO
Minnesota Wild
F Luke Kunin – Iowa (AHL)
D Ryan Murphy – Waivers for purpose of assignment
Montreal Canadiens
G Charlie Lindgren – Laval (AHL)
F Andreas Martinsen – Waivers for purpose of assignment
F Byron Froese – Waivers for purpose of assignment
New Jersey Devils
F Brian Gibbons – Waivers for purpose of assignment
D Brian Strait – Waivers for purpose of assignment
New York Islanders
F Devon Toews – Bridgeport (AHL)
F Stephen Gionta – Waivers for purpose of assignment
F Steve Bernier – Waivers for purpose of assignment
Philadelphia Flyers
F Matt Read – Waivers for purpose of assignment
San Jose Sharks
F Brandon Bollig – Waivers for purpose of assignment
F Brandon Mashinter – Waivers for purpose of assignment
G Troy Grosenick – Waivers for purpose of assignment
St. Louis Blues
F Sammy Blais – San Antonio (AHL)
D Jake Walman – Chicago (AHL)
G Jordan Binnington – Waivers for purpose of assignment
Tampa Bay Lightning
F Cory Conacher – Waivers for purpose of assignment
Toronto Maple Leafs
F Carl Grundstrom – Frolunda (SHL)
F Miro Aaltonen – Toronto (AHL)
F Frederik Gauthier – Toronto (AHL)
F Andreas Johnsson – Toronto (AHL)
F Kasperi Kapanen – Toronto (AHL)
F Tobias Lindberg – Toronto (AHL)
F Trevor Moore – Toronto (AHL)
F Nikita Soshnikov – Toronto (AHL)
F Dmytro Timashov – Toronto (AHL)
F Mason Marchment – Toronto (AHL)
D Travis Dermott – Toronto (AHL)
D Justin Holl – Toronto (AHL)
D Andrew Nielsen – Toronto (AHL)
D Michael Paliotta – Toronto (AHL)
D Rinat Valiev – Toronto (AHL)
G Kasimir Kaskisuo – Toronto (AHL)
F Colin Greening – Waivers for purpose of assignment.
F Chris Mueller – Waivers for purpose of assignment.
F Kerby Rychel – Waivers for purpose of assignment.
F Ben Smith – Waivers for purpose of assignment.
D Vincent LoVerde – Waivers for purpose of assignment.
G Garret Sparks – Waivers for purpose of assignment.
Vancouver Canucks
D Andrey Pedan – Waivers for purpose of assignment
Vegas Golden Knights
F Teemu Pulkkinen – Waivers for purpose of assignment
Washington Capitals
F Anthony Peluso – Waivers for purpose of assignment
Winnipeg Jets
F Jack Roslovic – Manitoba (AHL)
F Brendan Lemieux – Manitoba (AHL)
F Michael Spacek – Manitoba (AHL)
F J.C. Lipon – Waivers for purpose of assignment.