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Snapshots: Kane, Zub, Werenski

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In the most recent 32 Thoughts podcast episode, Elliotte Friedman added credence to the idea that star free agent Patrick Kane could sign with the Dallas Stars. Friedman says that a very reliable source shared the likelihood of Kane landing in Dallas, adding that the stylistic fit could be good for the aging veteran.

The Stars rapidly rise up the power rankings of teams likely to land Kane, leapfrogging the New York Rangers, Florida Panthers, and Buffalo Sabres. Dallas has flexed a very deep forward group this season, providing nearly identical ice time to each of their top three lines. The only weak spot is likely 34-year-old winger Evgenii Dadonov, who’s spent the year alongside Wyatt Johnston and Jamie Benn. This could be the role that Kane takes over if he joins the Stars; bringing a little more mobility and finesse to the line.

Only three forwards in Dallas’ top nine have scored a goal at this point in the year: Joe Pavelski, Benn, and Roope Hintz. Kane’s all-out-offensive style may be enough to kickstart the Stars’ scorers.

Other notes from around the league:

Minnesota Opens Extension Talks With Foligno, Zuccarello, Hartman

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The Athletic’s Michael Russo shared that, while the team hasn’t acknowledged it yet, it seems they’ve begun talking extensions with their ’big three’ – Marcus Foligno, Mats Zuccarello, and Ryan Hartman. All three veterans are pending free agents, a part of the 10 Wild players facing free agency next summer.

Russo walked through what to expect with each player’s contract talks in turn. Foligno is expected to boast the easiest conversations, as the contract he’s currently on (three years, $9.3MM) could be really close to the details of his next deal. Foligno has become a fan favorite, offering an important amount of grit and physicality to the team’s top six. He recorded 42 points and 112 penalty minutes in the 2021-22 season – career highs in both categories and his first time breaking 30 points – but fell back to Earth this year, only netting 21 points in 75 games. Still, with scoring not the reward of Folingo’s game, there’s some reason to expect he can maintain his impact through the end of his career.

Mats Zuccarello is facing a similarly positive outlook on his next deal. There’s no denying the chemistry formed between Zuccarello and Wild star winger Kirill Kaprizov, both on and off of the ice. That bond alone is enough to warrant a contract extension, although Russo notes it will likely have to come at a reduced cost. Zuccarello currently carries a $6MM cap hit on a deal he signed in 2019. Now 36, a new deal will likely have to carry short-term and short costs. But how much longer Zuccarello, who scored 67 points last year, can play will be an interesting storyline to follow.

While Foligno and Zuccarello seem like sure bets to re-sign, Russo doesn’t express that same optimism with Hartman. The forward has emerged as the team’s top-line center and a dangerous goal-scorer, netting 34 goals in 2021-22. But, like Foligno, Hartman’s scoring didn’t survive through last season. He recorded just 37 points in 59 games. While not a terrible tally by any means, it could be just low enough that Hartman begins to feel pressure as young prospects earn roster spots. The Wild are overflowing with young talent and Hartman is set for a pay raise from his current $1.7MM cap hit. If the Wild can support both of those things at once is yet to be seen, although Russo does note that Hartman would carry great trade deadline value. He was traded for a first-round pick at the 2018 trade deadline, before he was ever the goal-scorer he is today. While he’s now much older, Minnesota has shown the extent of Hartman’s untapped potential – something a team on the playoff bubble could really enjoy. Of course, this trade feels most likely if young centermen like Marco Rossi are able to step up.

Niagara IceDogs Hire Bruce Boudreau

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The Niagara IceDogs announced this morning that they have hired former NHL head coach Bruce Boudreau as a Senior Advisor. The former Jack Adams award winner last coached the Vancouver Canucks and was unceremoniously fired by the club this past January after parts of two seasons at the helm.

Boudreau coached the Canucks to a 50-40 record during his time in Vancouver and was let go after weeks of speculation about his job security. Boudreau was stoic despite all the noise around him and he received a lot of support from the Canucks faithful in what was ultimately his last game as a head coach in Vancouver.

The 66-year-old ranks 21st all-time in NHL games behind the bench as well as in coaching victories. He has coached 1087 games in the NHL, compiling a record of 617-342-128. During his time in the NHL, he coached the Washington Capitals, Anaheim Ducks, Minnesota Wild, and the aforementioned Canucks. He won his Jack Adams award in 2008 in a season that saw him guide the Capitals to a Southeast division title with a 43-31-8 record.

Now, at least for the time being, it appears as though Boudreau is ready for a new challenge. He joins his son Ben in Niagara, who joined Niagara’s coaching staff in July as an associate coach.

College Defenseman Will Francis Suffers Cancer Relapse

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In sad news, University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs defenseman Will Francis has announced via the teams official Twitter page that he has had a relapse of cancer that he has battled since March 2020. Francis released the statement earlier today that he had a relapse of the Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia that was discovered during a routine post-recovery checkup. Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow.

Francis first discovered the cancer back in March 2020 during the height of the pandemic when a series of blood tests revealed that his white blood cell count was almost 20 times higher than normal. This result indicated that Francis had Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia which he battled for 848 days until July 2022, at which time he completed chemotherapy.

Francis heroically returned last season, dressing in 28 games for the Bulldogs posting a single assist and a -1 rating with 22 PIM. He is a former sixth-round draft pick of the Anaheim Ducks from the 2019 NHL entry draft and was a standout stay-at-home defenseman with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the USHL prior to being drafted.

Although he is once again going through a harrowing experience, Francis appears positive and optimistic about the future. He states in the release that he expects to be back on the Minnesota-Duluth campus this upcoming January and hopes to be on the ice with his teammates at the same time.

Previewing The Top 2024 Unrestricted Free Agents

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This year’s free agent class was underwhelming. There’s no disrespect intended here to players like Alex Killorn, Dmitry Orlov and Vladimir Tarasenko. However, we’ve grown accustomed to at least one true star being available on the market every year – at least a top-ten player at their position. But a flurry of extensions took some potential game-breakers, such as Boston Bruins sniper David Pastrnak off the market, limiting the amount of star power available.

With the salary cap finally expected to jump significantly by about $4MM next offseason, some NHL general managers will undoubtedly look to spend that extra cash on a shiny new toy on the UFA market. As 2023 is mainly in the rearview mirror, let’s take a look at some of the best players slated to hit the open market next summer, whether or not they may extend, and offer some way-too-early contract projections in the process:

F Auston Matthews (Toronto Maple Leafs) – The unquestionable crown jewel of the 2024 free agent class might also be one of the least likely to hit the market. Matthews is more than just a superstar – he’s a season removed from back-to-back Rocket Richard Trophies, he’s led the league in even-strength goals in four out of his seven NHL seasons, and he’s coming off a “down season” in which he still managed 40 goals despite a career-low 12.2 shooting percentage. Toronto is still plugging away at an extension with Matthews, a process that was surely elongated by a change at the GM position earlier this offseason. While multiple reports suggested it likely won’t be a long-term deal to keep Matthews in Toronto, seeing his name available for anyone to pursue next July would be shocking.

Extension Likelihood: Very Likely
Projected Contract: Five years, $62MM ($12.4MM AAV)

F William Nylander (Toronto Maple Leafs) – Another star in Canada’s largest city is also headed for the open market next season. Nylander is coming off a strong season with a career-high 40 goals and 87 points, but multiple reports indicate contract talks are currently at an impasse between the two sides. The Swedish winger reportedly wants an eight-figure cap hit on his next deal, one he’s increasingly unlikely to receive after sub-$10MM extensions for players like the Carolina Hurricanes’ Sebastian Aho. He will be in his prime at 28 years old next summer, though, and he currently holds the undisputed title of the best pure winger slated to hit the market. Given the slated cap increase, Nylander may be able to garner the money he desires elsewhere if Toronto isn’t willing to fork over another eight-figure deal.

Extension Likelihood: Somewhat Unlikely
Projected Contract: Seven years, $70MM ($10MM AAV)

F Steven Stamkos (Tampa Bay Lightning) – Including Stamkos on this list seems like more of a formality than anything else. The captain of back-to-back Stanley Cup championship teams in Tampa and likely to go down as the greatest player in franchise history when he retires, it’s nearly impossible to imagine him wearing another jersey. Barring an unforeseen breakdown in communication, Stamkos will be re-upping with the Bolts on what could potentially be the final contract of his NHL career as he enters his mid-30s. After yet another point-per-game season, Stamkos will undoubtedly be sticking around in Tampa as long as they’ll have him, likely at a slight discount to help them replenish their depth reserves.

Extension Likelihood: Very Likely
Projected Contract: Four years, $31.5MM ($7.875MM AAV)

F Jake Guentzel (Pittsburgh Penguins) – The Penguins have exhibited a strong tendency toward keeping the band together in recent seasons, but it’s a trend that may change under the front-office leadership of Kyle Dubas. Still, it’s hard to imagine the Penguins won’t field a competitive offer to keep Guentzel in the fold. He’s been one of the most successful and consistent linemates to Sidney Crosby in the entire illustrious career of the future Hall-of-Famer, he’s a two-time 40-goal scorer, and he’s an incredibly clutch playoff performer. While contract extension talks haven’t begun between the two parties yet, reporting indicates the Penguins’ core shares the public’s view of Guentzel and would like to keep him around.

Extension Likelihood: Likely
Projected Contract: Eight years, $75MM ($9.375MM AAV)

F Mark Scheifele (Winnipeg Jets) – The first of two Jets on this list hasn’t been in trade rumors quite as much as his netminding counterpart, but there’s still a very good chance Scheifele is sporting a different jersey by the 2024 trade deadline. Speculation has immediately run rampant about Scheifele as a stop-gap fix down the middle for the Boston Bruins, who are without their number-one center after captain Patrice Bergeron announced his retirement last week. There are plenty of question marks about how highly Scheifele is actually valued around the league, given his significant defensive lapses, but he’s consistently produced the offense you’d want out of a number-one center. Despite scoring a career-high 42 goals last season, 2022-23 was actually Scheifele’s first campaign falling short of a point per game since 2015-16, when he was just 22 years old.

Extension Likelihood: Unlikely
Projected Contract: Seven years, $66MM ($9.4MM AAV)

D Devon Toews (Colorado Avalanche) – Toews may be the most unheralded defenseman in the league thanks to his partner, Cale Makar. On almost any other team, Toews would be a legitimate number-one defender with very few holes in his game. Little has been made of his impending free agency, but he’ll be due a major raise on his current bargain-bin $4.1MM cap hit. Combined with the potential loss of captain Gabriel Landeskog’s LTIR relief should he return to play in 2024-25, it could be incredibly difficult for Colorado to retain him even with the cap going up. Not only does Toews consistently rank among having some of the best defensive impacts in the league, but he’s also coming off back-to-back 50-point campaigns and has finished top-15 in Norris voting during each of his three seasons in Colorado.

Extension Likelihood: 50/50
Projected Contract: Seven years, $61MM ($8.7MM AAV)

D Brandon Montour (Florida Panthers) – A pair of prominent Panthers defenders are up for UFA status next season in Montour and Gustav Forsling, but Montour’s the one we’ll cover more in-depth here after he led the Panthers’ defense in playoff scoring with eight goals and 13 points in 21 games despite playing through a shoulder injury which will cost him the beginning of the 2023-24 campaign. His stock has never been higher after exploding for 73 points in 80 regular season games, along with a career-high 107 penalty minutes. While he’s still a rather one-dimensional player and likely to be somewhat of a liability defensively, he’s finally shown legitimate top-pair ability at 29 years old. Committing any term to Montour as a UFA may be a case of buyer beware, however, as his track record is far from consistent.

Extension Likelihood: Somewhat Unlikely
Projected Contract: Four years, $26MM ($6.5MM AAV)

G Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg Jets) – It seemed very unlikely a few months ago that Hellebuyck would be on this list today. While there’s no chance he’ll be signing an extension with the Jets, a trade followed by an extension with a new team seemed rather likely this offseason. However, some outlandish financial demands from Hellebuyck’s camp dried up trade interest, and there hasn’t been a lot of movement on that front lately. While small, the possibility that Hellebuyck lands on the open market next season seems to be increasing without a trade or extension any closer to fruition.

Extension Likelihood: Very Unlikely
Projected Contract: Seven years, $61.25MM ($8.75MM AAV)

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Seeking Writers For Pro Hockey Rumors

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At the start of 2023, we at Pro Hockey Rumors called for new writers that proved fruitful. We grew the PHR family to its largest size, adding a long-term pair of great teammates in Brennan McClain and Josh Cybulski. As the chaos of the draft and free agency season has passed, we’re now looking to expand our team once again.

PHR is looking to hire part-time writers available to chip in on daytime coverage (before 3 p.m. CT) from Monday through Thursday. The biggest areas of need are:

  • 7 a.m. – 1 p.m. CT, Monday and Wednesday
  • 12 p.m. – 3 p.m. CT, Tuesday and Thursday

The position pays on an hourly basis. Applicants must meet all of the following criteria:

  • Exceptional knowledge of all 32 NHL teams, with no discernible bias.
  • Understanding of the salary cap, CBA, and transaction-related concepts.
  • At least some college education.
  • Extensive writing experience, professional experience, and a background in journalism are strongly preferred.
  • Keen understanding of journalistic principles, ethics, and procedures. Completion of basic college-level journalism classes is strongly preferred.
  • Attention to detail — absolutely no spelling errors, especially for player and journalist names.
  • Ability to follow the site’s style and tone.
  • Ability to analyze articles and craft intelligent, well-written posts summarizing the news in a few paragraphs. We need someone who can balance quick copy with thoughtful analysis. You must be able to add value to breaking news with your insight, numbers, or links to other relevant articles.
  • Familiarity with Twitter, Tweetdeck, and other relevant platforms. In general, you must be able to multitask.
  • Flexibility. You must be available to work on short notice.

If you’re interested, email prohockeyrumorshelp@gmail.com before Friday, August 4, and in a few paragraphs, explain why you qualify. Be sure to attach your resume to the email.

We understand that many of those who read this have applied in the past. If you have previously submitted an application for PHR and are still interested, please submit it again. Many will apply, so unfortunately, we cannot respond to every applicant.

USA Hockey Announces Roster For 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup

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Headlining the first major international tournament of the new league year, the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup will run from July 31st-August 5th in both Czechia and Slovakia. Almost two weeks ago, Hockey Canada announced their roster for the tournament, and today, USA Hockey announces there’s. In this tournament, they will have much to prove, as the United States team has not medaled since 2016, losing in the Gold Medal game to then-Czech Republic. The team did receive a fourth-place finish in 2018 but has failed to reach a semi-final game since that year.

The United States full roster for the tournament is as follows:

F Euro Betalla (Chicago, HPHL)
F Trevor Connelly (Tri-City, USHL)
F Colin Frank (Anaheim, T1EHL)
F Callum Hughes (Mount St.Charles, NEPACK)
*F Ryker Lee (Shattucks-St.Mary’s, USHS)
F John McNelis (Long Island, NEPACK)
F JJ Monteiro (Mount St.Charles, NEPACK)
F Aidan Park (Shattucks-St.Mary’s, USHS)
F AJ Spellacy (Windsor, OHL)
F Chase Stefanek (Mount St.Charles, NEPACK)
F Mac Swanson (Fargo, USHL)
F Grant Young (Long Island, NEPACK)
F Will Zellers (Shattuck-St.Mary’s, USHS)

D Alex Bales (Yale, BEAST)
D William Felicio (Madison, USHL)
D Tanner Henricks (Anaheim, T1EHL)
D Owen Keefe (Muskegon, USHL)
D Adam Kleber (Lincoln, USHL)
D Finn McLaughlin (Canmore, AJHL)
D Tory Pitner (Youngstown, USHL)

G Thatcher Bernstein (Noble & Greenough, USHL)
G Caleb Heil (Sioux Falls, USHL)
G Kam Henrickson (Chanhassen High, USHS)

* not draft-eligible until 2025

Forwards Connelly and Swanson are projected to be two of the better options at the United States disposal for the tournament, as both are currently projected to be second round picks in the 2024 NHL Draft. Next season, Connelly will be headed to the Hockey East division joining Providence College, while Swanson will head to the NCHC joining North Dakota. On defense, Felicio will likely be relied upon plenty by the Americans, being one of the better defenseman in the USHL last season. Felicio is set to join on with the NCAA powerhouse, Denver University Pioneers, for the 2023-24 season.

Latest On Patrick Kane’s Free Agency

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While most of the top end of the unrestricted free agent market was picked clean by NHL clubs at the start of the new league year, a few top names remain without a contract for next season. While players such as Vladimir Tarasenko, Tomas Tatar, and Matt Dumba are undoubtedly of interest to many teams across the NHL, the name likely to generate the most attention is that of future Hall of Fame forward Patrick Kane.

Although the soon-to-be-35-year-old Chicago Blackhawks legend’s production declined slightly this past season, his 57 points in 66 games not quite matching the 92 in 78 he posted the year before, Kane is still widely regarded as a top offensive creator in the NHL.

A hip injury that nagged him for most of last season and required offseason surgery likely contributed to that decline, and there is hope that Kane can return to his explosive offensive form when he steps onto the ice next season.

The question regarding Kane, then, has been less about what he’ll be when he returns to full health and instead has focused on where he’ll be when he returns to NHL action.

ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski reports as part of his conversation with Kane’s agent, Pat Brisson, that Kane ” isn’t looking to commit to a team in the summer,” and is instead looking to “take his time to recover” this summer while “keeping an eye on the standings during the opening weeks of the season.”

Under this approach, “Kane will select the suitor he feels is the best fit and with the best chance of winning the Stanley Cup” at the point when he’s ready to return to the ice, which could be before December. This would allow Kane to not only have a clearer sense of which teams offer him the best chance of winning his fourth Stanley Cup, it could also allow for Kane to join a team that currently does not have the salary cap space to sign him.

For example, a team could see one of its higher-priced players go down to a long-term injury, resulting in that player getting placed on long-term injured reserve. The resulting salary cap flexibility could allow a team previously unable to afford Kane to add him to their roster.

A team such as the Colorado Avalanche, for example, are a club that could be of interest to Kane but would almost certainly need to place the contract of injured captain Gabriel Landeskog on long-term injured reserve in order to be able to fit a Kane signing.

Given how much more frequent in-season LTIR placements have become, (the reigning Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights had captain Mark Stone on LTIR from early January until the playoffs) that could be the path for Kane to end up on a team he most prefers.

But for that to happen, he has to wait until he’s ready to hit the ice (and until a month or two of NHL games have been played) in order to sign his deal. So while Kane is still the top free agent on the open market, he’s likely to remain a free agent long past the other remaining names have found teams.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. 

Submit Your Questions For The #PHRMailbag

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There was an expectation of a busy trade market this summer with many teams up against the salary cap and while that hasn’t quite come to fruition, there certainly have been some notable swaps made.  Meanwhile, a lower-end free agent market has yielded some different strategies with some players opting for short-term deals in the hopes of landing a better contract down the road.

Our last mailbag came before the draft and was broken into three segments.  Among the topics in the first was a look at Linus Ullmark’s possible trade value, the next RFAs to try to force a trade to a desired destination before reaching UFA eligibility, and the goaltending depth in the draft.  Included in the second column were Nashville’s roster restructuring, the LTIR ‘loophole’, and if Clayton Keller could be a trade candidate in Arizona.  Topics in the third one included Sergei Bobrovsky’s volatility, early playoff predictions, and expansion.

You can submit a question by using #PHRMailbag on Twitter or by leaving a comment down below.  The mailbag will run on the weekend.

Hockey Canada Announces Roster For 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup

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The Hlinka Gretzky Cup is the first major international tournament of the new league year, and it’s the first major international event for 2024 NHL Draft hopefuls. Today, Hockey Canada revealed their contingent for this year’s event, which starts July 31 and runs through the middle of August. Canada has won the U-18 tournament in three of the past five occurrences, only interrupted by wins from Russia in 2020 and 2022 – as with all other international events, they’re no longer allowed to participate due to their ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Canada’s full roster for the tournament is as follows:

F Maxim Masse (Chicoutimi, QMJHL)
*F Malcolm Spence (Erie, OHL)
F Justin Poirier (Baie-Comeau, QMJHL)
*F Roger McQueen (Brandon, WHL)
F Berkly Catton (Spokane, WHL)
*F Jordan Gavin (Tri-City, WHL)
F Ryder Ritchie (Prince Albert, WHL)
F Cole Beaudoin (Barrie, OHL)
F Ollie Josephson (Red Deer, WHL)
*F Porter Martone (Mississauga, OHL)
F Liam Greentree (Windsor, OHL)
*F Michael Misa (Saginaw, OHL)
F Carson Wetsch (Calgary, WHL)
F Cayden Lindstrom (Medicine Hat, WHL)

D Sam Dickinson (London, OHL)
D Ben Danford (Oshawa, OHL)
D Frankie Marrelli (Ottawa, OHL)
D Anthony Cristoforo (Windsor, OHL)
D Charlie Elick (Brandon, WHL)
D Henry Mews (Ottawa, OHL)
D Zayne Parekh (Saginaw, OHL)

G Ryerson Leenders (Mississauga, OHL)
*G Gabriel D’Aigle (Victoriaville, QMJHL)
G Carter George (St. Mary’s, GOJHL)

*Not draft-eligible until 2025

Headlining the forward group is Misa, already the front-runner for the first-overall selection in 2025. The 5-foot-11 center notched over a point per game in his age-15 season for Saginaw after being granted exceptional status into the OHL, finishing second on the team with 56 points in just 45 games.

There’s also Berkly Catton, a potential top-five selection come draft day in 2024. Catton appeared for Canada at last year’s IIHF U-18 World Championship and notched 23 goals and 55 points in 63 games for a struggling Spokane team.

The defense is dotted with three likely top-15 picks in 2024 – Dickinson, Mews, and Parekh, all of whom are already garnering significant attention from scouts. Parekh, a teammate of Misa’s in Saginaw, opened a lot of eyes last year while scoring 21 goals in 50 games, finishing third on the team in scoring despite being a blueliner.

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