The Weakest Position In Free Agency
One of the big discussions going around the hockey world this week has been whether or not a team like the Toronto Maple Leafs should take a chance on an offer sheet for restricted free agent defenseman Colton Parayko. The offer sheet strategy, while allowed by the NHL collective bargaining agreement, is generally frowned upon in the sport. There is an unwritten code that you don’t poach other teams’ young talent. Those who do often pay the price by having their own prospects come under fire. There is also an actual price to pay for the practice, as offer sheets come with a steep compensatory formula. The 2017 compensation levels, just recently announced, dictate that a team would owe a third-round pick for a contract not even worth $2MM annually, while a contract north of $4MM per year would cost a first-rounder plus.
So why would a team like the Leafs entertain going after Parayko? And if they’re going to face the risk of an offer sheet, why Parayko and not another defenseman like Shayne Gostisbehere or Nikita Zadorov or even star forwards like David Pastrnak or Leon Draisaitl? The reason: Parayko represents the best free agent, restricted or unrestricted, at his position – right-shot defenseman.
Calling the right-shot defenseman grouping for this years unrestricted free agency pool “weak” is an understatement. Other than Kevin Shattenkirk, Parayko’s teammate in St. Louis and possibly the biggest name on the market at any position, you would be hard-pressed to find a single top-four defenseman and only a hand full of bona fide starters altogether. Cody Franson, under-utilized in Buffalo the past two years, is likely the next man up and the painstaking wait of the 2015 off-season showed how willing teams were to meet his salary demands. Toronto specifically already has had experience with Franson and know he is not the answer to their struggles. Behind Franson comes half of the Calgary Flames 2016-17 blue line: Dennis Wideman, Deryk Engelland, and trade deadline acquisition Michael Stone. The trio played a combined 165 man-games for the Flames this season, with Engelland and Stone playing each game of their first-round sweep by the Anaheim Ducks, and combined for just 50 points. Stone has the greatest upside, but hasn’t proved himself as a reliable top-four option and has struggled with injuries. The Flames were desperate to get Wideman out of town and Engelland has become a one-dimensional player in recent years. Next, there is Roman Polak, another former Maple Leaf. The team seems to have ruled out re-signing the veteran blue-liner and other teams should follow suit. Yannick Weber, currently playing in the Stanley Cup Final with the Nashville Predators, picked a good year to be a free agent, as his effective albeit unexciting style of play should still pay off in a weak class. After Weber? Matt Tennyson from Carolina? Paul Postma from Winnipeg? That is basically it.
This is why the Parayko-to-Toronto talk will continue. Those teams in need of a right shot near the top of their defensive depth are largely out of luck in 2017. Once Shattenkirk is off the board, which should be right away on July 1st, there are slim pickings for the rest. Best wishes to whatever righty D-needy team misses out on Shattenkirk, Franson, Stone, and Weber. There are simply no options. Unless, of course, you dip into restricted free agency. Beyond Parayko, another option is Pittsburgh’s Justin Schultz,who put up a whopping 51 points in the regular season and has 11 points (and counting) in the playoffs. The Penguins would likely be unable to match an expensive contract for Schultz if he were presented with a lucrative offer sheet. After back-to-back strong campaigns, New Jersey’s Damon Severson has proven to be a legitimate offensive defenseman and could entice the right team. Jake Dotchin had a successful rookie season, but the Lightning have a world of cap problems to solve this summer and would struggle to fit an offer sheet-inflated contract for Dotchin into the mix. Finally, even if both Alex Petrovic and Mark Pysyk survive the Expansion Draft in Florida, the Panthers may simply choose one over the other if an offer sheet were involved. The options are plenty on the restricted side of free agency, but the question remains whether any teams will be bold enough to go that route.
Exclusive Negotiating Rights Of 33 Players Expire
The deadline for signing draft picks has come and gone, and unless more deals come in after the fact, 33 players will see their exclusive negotiating rights expire. With it they will either re-enter the 2017 draft for the final time or become free agents, depending on their age. None of the selections were made any higher than the fourth round, though even that is an unfortunate loss for a team hoping to hit a late-round stud. Below is the full list of players:
Buffalo Sabres
Giorgio Estephan (6th round, 2015)
Gustav Possler (5th round, 2013)
Calgary Flames
Riley Bruce (7th round, 2015)
Chicago Blackhawks
Roy Radke (6th round, 2015)
Colorado Avalanche
Wilhelm Westlund (7th round, 2013)
Evening Notes: Navy Outdoor Game, #3 Pick, Blue Jackets
Prior to Gary Bettman’s official league announcement on the news sure to come Monday, it has been revealed by AP’s Steve Whyno that Washington will host Toronto at an outdoor game next season. The affair will take place on March 3, 2018 at the Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. The contest will be the first outdoor affair held at a venue utilized by a branch of the armed forces. Considering the large amount of folks in the greater D.C. area with government employment ties, and the dear respect for veterans around the country, such an arrangement makes a great deal of sense for the National Hockey League. Whether outdoor games are becoming a novelty or not, opportunities such as these are almost certain bets to make money for the league. The Capitals and Maple Leafs are certainly not historic rivals, but both undoubtedly draw revenue.
- Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman believes the Stars’ Jim Nill is serious about moving the #3 pick. If they decide to do so, he says their focus will assuredly be on acquiring a dynamic defender. The Ducks’ dire injury situation likely takes them out of such discussions temporarily, which leaves Columbus and Minnesota as the most likely trade partners. 30 year-old Jack Johnson is entering the final year of his contract, and 23 year-old Ryan Murray will need to re-negotiate after 2017-18. Murray is obviously more enticing, and the fit is certainly there for a deal’s foundation. However, if neither intrigues the Stars, David Savard could be a target – if GM Jarmo Kekalainen is willing to add. His $4.25 MM salary is reasonable and he is still a young defender with room to improve. It’s difficult to see the Jackets moving on from either Zach Werenski or Seth Jones (so recently acquired). The Wild would likely need to move the dynamic Mathew Dumba or stalwart Jonas Brodin, neither of which seems particularly likely. Marco Scandella simply isn’t going to get the job done, and something substantial would need to be added to Jared Spurgeon for Dallas to accept. Of course, it’s always possible a dark horse team enters the discussions if they really like a player at that drafting position.
- Speaking of Kekalainen, Friedman also secured some interesting soundbytes from Columbus’ astute manager. He confidently stated that he “expect(s) zero problems (with the cap) next year.” Considering how close the team is to the ceiling, and RFA center Alex Wennberg needing a new contract, there isn’t a ton of room to maneuver. It does seem like a trade could be on the horizon. Offensive flair is their most glaring need at the moment, and they will not be the only team on the hunt for a marquee scorer. There is help on the way from Grade A prospects Pierre-Luc Dubois and Oliver Bjorkstrand, both of whom look physically ready to successfully enter the league next season. Bjorkstrand in particular will be under additional pressure to perform, as this will be the final year as his Entry-Level Contract. The ability of Columbus to draft and develop consistently well has placed them in the enviable position of all-around depth as they look towards future transactions.
Vancouver Canucks Sign Philip Holm To One-Year Deal
Well, as if the Canucks were upset by the earlier report that they were just a front-runner, the team has announced a one-year entry-level contract with Swedish defenseman Philip Holm. It had been rumored that the Maple Leafs and Blackhawks were two of the other teams interested. The deal will see Holm paid $925K in the NHL, and was the only length he could have accepted due to his age.
The 25-year old played for Vaxjo this year, recording 21 points in 52 games. Canucks GM Jim Benning released a statement about why they went after Holm.
Philip is a mobile, two-way defenceman who adds depth to our blueline. He made strides in his development last season with Vaxjo and played a strong series with Sweden at the World Championships. We’re pleased to welcome him to the Canucks organization.
It sounds as though the Canucks have been scouting Holm for a while, mentioning the strides he took this season when joining Vaxjo. Along with Calle Rosen, who signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Holm was part of one of the most mobile pairings in the league and saw his point total triple while his responsibility was also severely increased. The left-handed defender will compete right away for a job in Vancouver, especially if the team does move on from Alex Edler or Chris Tanev this summer. They had already lost one defenseman in Nikita Tryamkin when he decided to head back to the KHL earlier this spring.
Holm will be a restricted free agent after next season, making this quite risk-free as far as moves for the Canucks. They get to see if the young defenseman can be part of their team going forward, without locking up a roster spot for too long. The rebuilding team will search every avenue to try and kickstart their turnaround, and European free agents—especially ones who can hold their own against NHL talent at international tournaments—is one way to do that.
Ben Kuzma of Postmedia reported the financials on the deal.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Latest On Philip Holm’s NHL Market
Swedish defender Philip Holm is still garnering NHL interest, according to a new report from Henrik Sjoberg in Expressen. This time, it says that four or five teams have expressed interest but the Chicago Blackhawks and Vancouver Canucks are the front-runners. That flies in the face of the previous report that Holm had already chosen Toronto, though when the Maple Leafs announced the signings of both Calle Rosen and Andreas Borgman, it seemed like the may have moved on from Holm.
Holm was Rosen’s partner for Vajxo this season in the Swedish Hockey League, and recently represented his country at the World Championships. Team Sweden would win gold, though Holm didn’t play in the final game against Canada. He did get into seven games in the tournament though, recording three points. For Vaxjo this season, he put up 21 points in 52 games which led all defenders on his team and put him ninth in the league from the back end. At 25, he could earn a one-year entry-level deal should he sign with an NHL club.
Chicago has been on the lookout for any cheap players who could contribute next season as they continue to fight salary cap issues. The team has already signed David Kampf and are still in the running for Jan Rutta. They were also linked to Victor Ejdsell before he signed in Nashville. The Canucks on the other hand are looking for any young talent that they can get as they try to rebuild for the first time in many years. While Holm isn’t a prospect anymore, he is still young enough to be part of a rebuild should he prove his worth on North American ice. Three very different options have presented themselves to Holm, who will now have to decide where the best place to showcase his talents will be.
Toronto Revokes Permission To Interview Kyle Dubas
- Though this week it was reported that the Colorado Avalanche had requested and been given permission to talk to Toronto Maple Leafs Assistant General Manager Kyle Dubas it seems as though a hiring is off the table. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet was on the Boomer & Warrener radio show this morning, and said that “that window is closed” and that “it’s over”. Friedman specifies that he thinks that it was Toronto who “closed the window” not letting Dubas follow through with the process. Dubas is an up-and-coming GM candidate in Toronto, and is part of a crowded front office with Lou Lamoriello and Mark Hunter. It was surprising in the first place that Toronto would let him interview for what would likely be a lateral move, seeing as Joe Sakic seems safe for now in Colorado.
Colorado Interested In Maple Leafs AGM Kyle Dubas
Last night during Ottawa’s miraculous 2-1 victory to force game seven with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Elliotte Freidman of Sportsnet dropped a bomb on another Ontario town. Friedman reported that the Colorado Avalanche had asked for permission to speak with Maple Leafs Assistant General Manager Kyle Dubas for a position in Denver. Friedman continued on Twitter, explaining that he’s not sure where the interaction sits now, but that it very much did happen.
Like John Chayka in Arizona, Dubas is Toronto’s whiz-kid executive who was hired by the team at the age of 28. He had been successfully running the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League since he was 24, and is considered one of the top young minds in hockey. Still just 31, his current role includes GM of the Toronto Marlies of the AHL, usually a stepping stone to the big chair in an NHL front office one day. There has been much speculation that Dubas was being groomed as the next GM of the Maple Leafs when Lou Lamoriello eventually retires, but with a successful candidate in Mark Hunter also present that has never been confirmed.
It’s not clear what Dubas’ new role would be with the Avalanche, as Joe Sakic currently sits firmly in the GM chair—though it might be getting a little warm—and it’s unlikely that the Maple Leafs would want him to move laterally to another AGM position. The Avalanche are working hard to fix their organizational structure, also firing three coaches yesterday to allow Jared Bednar to have a team of his own creation.
Details On Rosen, Borgman Contracts
Details on the contracts for new Toronto Maple Leafs defenders Calle Rosen and Andreas Borgman have come down, with Chris Johnston of Sportsnet reporting that each will earn $832,500 on their entry-level contracts, with full “Schedule A” performance bonuses that will allow them to make up to $850K more each season. The deals also come with a $92.5K signing bonus each season, making the maximum they can earn $1.775MM in each season.
Nylander Wins MVP At World Championships
The Toronto Maple Leafs must be happy after William Nylander and the gold-medal winning Team Sweden captured the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships over Canada Sunday. Nylander, coming off his first full season with Toronto, was named the World Champion MVP after scoring seven goals in the tournament.
Nylander, the eighth overall pick in 2014, completes an eventful year with that award. He already had been named NHL Rookie of the Month twice (in October and March), helped the Maple Leafs reach the playoffs for the first time since 2013 by scoring 22 goals in his first full season. His success in Germany at the world championships dealt with more than just the seven goals. He tallied seven assists for 14 points. He also finished with the best plus-minus in the tournament (+11) and was named a World Champion All-Star and a Top 3 player on his team.
Nylander capped off the overtime shootout victory by body slamming his own goaltender New York Rangers’ Henrik Lundqvist after the victory. His success only further heightens the anticipation of the Maple Leafs’ season next year after he and Auston Matthews teamed up to almost knock off the Washington Capitals in the first round of the playoffs.
Do Maple Leafs Have Too Many Young Contracts?
Is it possible to have too many young players? That may be the question the Toronto Maple Leafs may be asking themselves this offseason as they look to sign several players and draft picks to contracts, according to thestar.com’s Kevin McGran, who looks at the situation of prospect Dominic Toninato‘s future in the NHL.
The former college star and Toronto’s 2012 fifth-round pick can be a free agent on August 16 if he chooses, but he claims that he wants to play for Toronto next year. The Minnesota-Duluth captain who led his team to the U.S. college hockey finals finished his career with 55 goals in four season. The question is, are the Maple Leafs able to sign him?
The NHL Collective Agreement limits teams to 50 pro contracts, not including players who remain in junior hockey. While many teams keep that number to the late 40’s to give them flexibility, Toronto is already at 50. While that number could shrink to 36 or 37 when the offseason officially gets underway, the Maple Leafs have other players to consider as well.
The Leafs have five players from 2015 under contract, but will have to make decisions on forwards Martins Dzierkals (third round) and Nikita Korostelev (seventh round) and defenseman Stephen Desrocher (sixth round). To make matters even more complicated, the team only has two of 11 2016 draft picks under contract and the junior careers of Adam Brooks (fourth round), Vladimir Bobylev (fifth round) and Jack Walker (sixth round) are ending and the team must make decisions on them.
The team would consider the option of signing Toninato to a minor league contract with the Toronto Marlies. Many former teammates at Minnesota-Duluth have done this recently, including 2011 fifth-rounder Tony Cameranesi, J.J. Piccinich, a fourth-rounder in 2014. However, Tonitato’s agent Neil Sheehy says he will not sign a minor-league contract, which may force him to take the free agent route if he wants a pro contract.