Penguins Sign Jonathan Gruden, Filip Kral To New Contracts
Shortly after news broke that the Pittsburgh Penguins are keeping defenseman Jack St. Ivany in the organization for the next three seasons, two similar signings were announced. The team has signed forward Jonathan Gruden to a two-year extension worth $775K, as well as defenseman Filip Kral to a one-year contract for the same amount.
Much like St. Ivany, Gruden was drafted in the fourth round of the 2018 NHL Draft, going 95th overall to the Ottawa Senators. A little over two years later, without having played a game in the Senators organization, Ottawa traded Gruden with a second-round pick in 2020 to the Penguins in exchange for goaltender Matt Murray.
Primarily serving as organizational depth at the forward position, Gruden just completed his fourth season at the professional level, but largely played with the team’s AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Since officially joining the team in the 2020-21 season, Gruden has suited in 208 games for WBS, managing 45 goals and 96 points up to this point.
In Pittsburgh, the team has kept a very tight leash on Gruden, allowing him to play 16 games but limiting him to an average of 8:03 of ice time. Much like he did during the 2023-24 NHL season, Gruden should once again serve as injury insurance for the Penguins, with a majority of his games coming at the AHL level.
After suiting up in two games for the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 2022-23 regular season, Kral spent last season playing for the Lahti Pelicans in the Finnish Liiga. Over 46 games, Kral scored five goals and 37 points, which led all defensemen on the team in both assists and points. After a quality season overseas, General Manager Kyle Dubas brings another former Toronto player into the Penguins organization.
Penguins Sign Jack St. Ivany To Three-Year Extension
According to a team announcement, the Pittsburgh Penguins have signed defenseman Jack St. Ivany to a three-year contract, paying St. Ivany an AAV of $775K at the NHL level. The contract will keep the young defenseman in the only organization he has ever known until the end of the 2026-27 NHL season.
Originally drafted with the 112th overall pick of the 2018 NHL Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers, St. Ivany opted to forego signing his entry-level contract with the Penguins’ interstate rivals, and instead continue his playing career at the collegiate level. Totaling 115 games played split between Yale University and Boston College during his tenure in the NCAA, St. Ivany put up 12 goals and 60 points in total.
The California native would wait until well into the offseason of the 2022-23 NHL season before finally inking his entry-level deal with the Penguins. Since then, St. Ivany has appeared in 117 games for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins with another 14 coming in Pittsburgh, scoring 23 and 1 point, respectively.
Over the life of the new contract, St. Ivany should still regularly factor in at the top of the depth chart at the AHL level, serving as injury insurance at the top level with the Penguins. However, if St. Ivany were to have a productive training camp this upcoming September, he could earn a spot on the team’s bottom pairing.
Lightning Acquire Ryan McDonagh From Predators
The Lightning have re-acquired defenseman Ryan McDonagh from the Predators via trade, the team announced Tuesday. Tampa is picking up the Oilers’ 2024 fourth-round pick in the deal and sending their 2025 second-round pick and 2024 seventh-round pick to Nashville in return.
It’s incredibly unusual timing for a swap, especially one of this significance. Both the Bolts’ and Preds’ seasons ended a few weeks ago in first-round playoff exits.
There was no previous indication McDonagh was on the trade block, but he’ll now finish out the last two seasons of his seven-year, $6.75MM AAV contract back in Tampa, where he signed it in 2018. The Predators are not retaining salary in the deal – an important factor for the Lightning as they attempt to keep captain Steven Stamkos, a pending unrestricted free agent, from going to market.
McDonagh, who was part of the Lightning’s three straight Stanley Cup Final appearances from 2020 to 2022, spent the last two seasons in Nashville after the Lightning couldn’t afford to keep his contract on the books. They traded him to the Preds in July 2022 for minor-league pieces Grant Mismash and Philippe Myers. Mismash never suited up for Tampa and is now playing in Norway, while Myers has logged 16 appearances for the Bolts in the last two seasons.
It’s hard to argue with the asset management here from Predators general manager Barry Trotz. McDonagh gave them two seasons of solid top-four minutes, averaging 21:40 per game over 145 contests. He isn’t the player he once was offensively, but he still put up a respectable 52 points in a Nashville uniform and a combined +31 rating, which leads Nashville skaters since 2022-23. Trotz also nets a second-round pick for his troubles.
McDonagh’s contract has a full no-trade clause, which he waived to return to Tampa. The Lightning have struggled defensively without him the past two seasons, going from a consistent top-10 team in goals against to 14th in 2022-23 and 22nd this season. They also haven’t managed to win a playoff series since trading him away, losing to the Panthers in the first round this season and the Maple Leafs last year. While trading him away did allow GM Julien BriseBois to sign the younger Erik Černák, Anthony Cirelli and Mikhail Sergachev to long-term extensions, it didn’t result in a continuation of their success from the beginning of the decade.
The veteran defenseman turns 35 next month and is entering his 15th NHL season. Formerly the captain of the Rangers, the Lightning initially acquired McDonagh, along with J.T. Miller, in a blockbuster trade at the 2018 deadline. McDonagh played parts of five seasons in Tampa before ending up in Nashville, putting up 99 points and a +74 rating in 267 games in a Lightning uniform while averaging 21:51 per game.
However, re-acquiring McDonagh doesn’t mean the Lightning are in a more advantageous cap situation than when they traded him away. They’re down to just over $5MM in projected cap space next season with a roster size of 18, per CapFriendly, likely not enough to re-sign Stamkos without a corresponding move.
Evolving Hockey projects Stamkos could earn close to $8.5MM annually on a short-term deal on the open market, and while he’s likely willing to take a hometown discount to stay in Tampa, a contract worth less than half his market value would be extreme. They also have a couple of other depth forward spots to fill to ice a full roster, and none of their minor-league forwards are particularly strong candidates to crack next fall’s opening night roster.
After trading away their 2025 second-rounder in this deal, the Lightning now don’t have a pick in the first two rounds until 2026. That’s a tough sell for an aging core, considering they have a bottom-five prospect pool in the league, as analyzed by The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler.
Meanwhile, Trotz frees up some significant cap space to allow Nashville to be slightly more aggressive in free agency. The buyout penalty for Matt Duchene increases by $3MM on July 1 to a $5.55MM price tag next season, eating into their offseason flexibility. After moving McDonagh, CapFriendly now projects the Preds with $26MM in space next season with a roster size of 15. That’s more than enough to go big-game hunting for a younger, more cost-controlled replacement for McDonagh on the open market this summer.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Avalanche Re-Sign Trent Miner To One-Year Deal
The Avalanche are bringing back depth netminder Trent Miner on a one-year contract, per a team announcement. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Miner, 23, was a pending restricted free agent after completing his three-year, entry-level contract. The 2019 seventh-round pick has spent the majority of his time with the Avs in the ECHL, where he has a strong .911 SV%, 2.88 GAA, 10 shutouts and a 39-32-3 record in 76 appearances.
The Manitoba native got an extended look in the AHL with the Colorado Eagles for the first time this season and took advantage of the opportunity. He led all Eagles netminders with a .930 SV%, albeit in only 18 games, along with a 2.10 GAA and 9-6-1 record.
He becomes the third netminder under contract for the Avs next year behind their NHL duo of Alexandar Georgiev and Justus Annunen. While they’ll add more depth to fill out their minor-league ranks and firm up their injury insurance, he likely did enough in his AHL stint to avoid assignment back to the ECHL next season, at least to start.
His development helps shoulder the loss of depth netminders Arvid Holm and Ivan Prosvetov, who are both pending Group Six unrestricted free agents and are heading overseas. Holm, 25, recently signed a three-year deal with Rögle BK of the Swedish Hockey League after struggling in limited AHL action this season, while Prosvetov is expected to return home to Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League after losing the NHL backup job to Annunen midseason.
Miner was not eligible for salary arbitration this offseason. He will remain waivers exempt for the entirety of 2024-25, so the Avalanche can give him his first NHL recall without fear of losing him when returning him to the minors. The one-year extension makes him an RFA again in 2025.
Rangers, Dylan Roobroeck Agree To Terms On Entry-Level Deal
The Rangers have agreed to terms on an entry-level contract with forward prospect Dylan Roobroeck, per a team announcement Monday. It’s a three-year deal for the Ontario-born big man, who will now likely suit up for AHL Hartford next season. Financial terms were not disclosed by the team but PuckPedia reports that the deal will carry an AAV of $850K, consisting of a $775K base salary and a $75K signing bonus each season.
Roobroeck, 20 in July, is one of the more unique prospects in the league. Standing at 6’7″ and 205 lbs, he went undrafted upon initially being eligible in 2022.
A move within the Ontario Hockey League from Niagara to Oshawa sparked his development, though, and he broke out for 15 goals and 53 points in 68 appearances during the 2022-23 campaign. That performance put him on some NHL teams’ radars, including the Rangers, who selected him with the 2023 sixth-round pick that they acquired from the Jets along with Andrew Copp in a deadline deal two years ago.
Roobroeck continued to improve on both sides of the puck this season, finishing second on the Generals in scoring with a career-best 26 goals and 72 points in 68 games. He added 101 PIMs and a +23 rating and played a pivotal role on an Oshawa team that advanced to the OHL championship, losing in a sweep to the champion London Knights.
His size obviously jumps off the page, but he is a decent puck handler and is a better skater than you’d expect for such a tall frame. The Rangers have the option to assign him back to Oshawa if they feel he needs an overage season, but since he’s turning 20 before the New Year, he’s eligible for a full-time assignment to the AHL.
Roobroeck’s age also makes him ineligible for an entry-level slide, so his deal will take effect next season regardless of whether he sees NHL ice. He’ll become a restricted free agent upon expiry in 2027.
His younger brother, Ryan Roobroeck, is currently on track to be a top-10 selection in the 2026 draft. Also a center, the 16-year-old Ryan already stands at 6’2″ and 185 lbs and had 28 goals and 51 points in 63 games for Niagara this year, who finished last in the OHL.
Blackhawks Sign Brett Seney To Two-Way Extension
The Blackhawks are bringing depth forward Brett Seney back next season on a two-way extension, the team announced Monday. The deal carries the league-minimum salary of $775K at the NHL level, while his AHL salary will be $500K with a $525K guarantee, PuckPedia reports.
Seney, 28, signs his third straight one-year deal with Chicago. He first joined the organization ahead of the 2022-23 season, inking a two-way deal with a $475K guarantee after posting a career-high 59 points in 62 games with AHL Toronto the year prior.
The diminutive yet versatile forward has just one goal in 11 NHL games with Chicago over the past two years but has remained exceptional in the minors. In 127 games with AHL Rockford, he’s posted 46 goals and 117 points and led the club in scoring this season while serving as an alternate captain.
He’ll remain a short-term call-up option if injuries strike, but his value to the organization is felt much more as a capable offensive threat to play with their younger, developing talents in Rockford. He was slated to become a UFA this summer after completing a two-way extension with a $500K guarantee that he signed in March of last year.
Seney will again be eligible for unrestricted free agency when his new extension expires in 2025. After signing as an undrafted free agent with the Devils in 2018, the 5’9″ forward has accumulated six goals, 14 points and a -17 rating in 66 appearances with Chicago, New Jersey and Toronto.
Kraken Re-Assign Tyson Jugnauth To AHL
Earlier today, it was announced that Portland Winterhawks forward, Nate Danielson, would be joining the AHL affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings, the Grand Rapids Griffins, in their pursuit of the 2024 Calder Cup. Like Danielson, another player from the Winterhawks will be moving to the AHL, as beat writer for Portland, Joshua Critzer, reports that Tyson Jugnauth will be joining the AHL affiliate of the Seattle Kraken, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, for the postseason.
Jugnauth was drafted one year before Danielson, being selected by the Kraken with the 100th overall selection of the 2022 NHL Draft. Originally, the young defenseman had committed to the University of Wisconsin after his draft year before finally joining the Winterhawks partway through the 2023-24 season.
In Wisconsin, Jugnauth’s footwork was never shown on full display, putting up five goals and 17 points in 45 games over two years spent in the NCAA. However, once Jugnauth landed in Portland, his offensive prowess and foot speed came to the front stage, scoring seven goals and 34 assists in only 41 games.
During their run through the 2024 WHL playoffs, Jugnauth was once again relied on for his play creation, scoring four goals and 16 points during the Winterhawks’ 18-game playoff run. Although he currently remains unsigned by the Kraken organization, Jugnauth’s play in the WHL has led them to give him this opportunity.
After defeating the Calgary Wranglers in four games during the Pacific Division semifinals, the Firebirds already find themselves up two games to none in their Western Conference Division Final matchup against the Ontario Reign. Much like Danielson, it is no guarantee that Jugnauth will factor into any games during the AHL postseason, but practicing on a playoff-caliber roster will be a valuable experience in its own right.
Red Wings Re-Assign Nate Danielson To AHL
Nate Danielson’s junior season has come to an end but he could still see some game action yet. Detroit’s AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids announced that the Red Wings have re-assigned the center to AHL Grand Rapids.
The 19-year-old was the ninth overall selection last June following a strong campaign with WHL Brandon. This season, he put up similar numbers, notching 24 goals and 43 assists in just 54 contests between Brandon and Portland, who acquired him midseason after suiting up for Canada at the World Juniors. Danielson was quite productive in the postseason as well, collecting 24 points in 18 games, good for a tie for fourth in WHL playoff scoring.
If he gets into a game, he’ll be the fourth Detroit first-round pick and sixth draft choice overall to make his Griffins debut a year after being drafted. Grand Rapids won the opener of the Central Division Finals back on Wednesday so they will have some time to work Danielson into their lineup if they want to give him a taste of AHL action ahead of what should be his first full professional campaign next season.
Stars Recall Four Players From AHL
After bringing up a trio of players (Mavrik Bourque, Alex Petrovic, and Lian Bichsel) earlier this week, the Stars have added to their taxi squad of Black Aces. The team announced (Twitter link) that they have recalled forwards Fredrik Karlstrom, Oskar Back, and Matej Blumel along with goaltender Remi Poirier from AHL Texas.
Karlstrom saw action in Dallas in 2021-22 and 2022-23, spanning eight games in total where he had an assist but played exclusively for Texas this season. The 26-year-old had his most productive year in the minors, notching 21 goals and 23 assists in 72 games during the regular season while averaging over a point per game in the playoffs. That should help his case as he reaches Group Six unrestricted free agency this summer.
Back, meanwhile, is wrapping up his entry-level deal and has yet to see any NHL action. The 24-year-old hasn’t been a big scorer in the minors – he matched his career-best with seven tallies in 59 games for Texas – but he set a new benchmark for assists with 29.
As for Blumel, he played in six games with Dallas last season, registering his first career NHL goal and point in the process. The 23-year-old finished second on Texas in scoring this year, tallying 31 goals and 31 assists in 72 games while leading them in goals in the playoffs, adding five more in nine appearances. Like Back, he’s set to be a restricted free agent this summer.
Poirier’s addition is strictly for extra depth as he’ll be their fourth-string netminder for the rest of the postseason. The 22-year-old played his first full AHL campaign this year, posting a 3.18 GAA with a .904 SV% in 38 games but improved on those numbers (2.60 and .907 respectively) in seven playoff contests. He has one year left on his entry-level contract.
Devils Re-Sign Kurtis MacDermid For Three Years
The Devils have filled their enforcer role for the foreseeable future, re-signing winger/defenseman Kurtis MacDermid to a three-year, $3.45MM contract on Friday. The deal carries a $1.15MM cap hit and is paid out entirely in base salary, earning him $1.25MM in 2024-25, $1.2MM in 2025-26 and $1MM in 2026-27. PuckPedia adds that $250K next season and $200K from his 2025-26 salary will come in the form of signing bonuses.
New Jersey acquired MacDermid, 30, via trade from the Avalanche on March 1, sending Colorado the signing rights to center prospect Zakhar Bardakov and the Predators’ seventh-round pick, 215th overall, in this year’s draft. He played in 16 games for the Devils down the stretch, lining up at forward for all of them, contributing an assist while racking up 50 PIMs during his short stint in the Garden State.
He’ll now have the opportunity to add many more over the next three seasons. MacDermid first broke into the league with the Kings in 2017-18, over five years after they initially signed him as an undrafted free agent out of the Ontario Hockey League’s Owen Sound Attack.
He’s remained in the league as a seventh defenseman/13th forward ever since and hasn’t been assigned to the minors since the 2018-19 campaign. In 265 career games, the 6’5″ heavyweight has 11 goals, 31 points, a -24 rating and 368 PIMs with Colorado, Los Angeles and New Jersey.
MacDermid was also briefly a member of the Kraken, who selected him from the Kings in the 2021 expansion draft. He remained a member of the organization for all of six days before they flipped him to the Avs for a 2023 fourth-round pick (later flipped to the Sharks for Jaycob Megna, used to select defenseman Luca Cagnoni). He was on the roster for Colorado’s Stanley Cup win in 2022 but didn’t suit up in any playoff games after making a career-high 58 regular season appearances.
Today’s extension is the richest deal MacDermid has earned in his NHL career, beating out the two-year, $1.975MM extension he signed with the Avalanche in 2022. It’s his first three-year deal since his entry-level contract. He was set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer.