Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Mammoth Rumors

Training Camp Cuts: 9/21/19

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

With the regular season less than two weeks away, there will likely be plenty more training camp cuts today.  We’ll keep track of those moves here.

Arizona Coyotes (per team release)

D Dane Birks (to Tucson, AHL)
D Cam Dineen (to Tucson, AHL)
F Giovanni Fiore (to Tucson, AHL)
F Jeremy Gregoire (to Tucson, AHL)
F Keeghan Howdeshell (to Tucson, AHL)
G Erik Kallgren (to Tucson, AHL)
F Kelly Klima (to Tucson, AHL)
G Merrick Madsen (to Tucson, AHL)
F Jonathon Martin (to Tucson, AHL)
F Nate Schnarr (to Tucson, AHL)
D Jalen Smereck (to Tucson, AHL)

Calgary Flames (per team release)

F Alex Gallant (to Stockton, AHL)
F Jeremy McKenna (to Stockton, AHL)
F Mason Morelli (to Stockton, AHL)
G Nick Schneider (to Stockton, AHL)

Carolina Hurricanes (per team release)

G Callum Booth (to Charlotte, AHL)
G Jeremy Helvig (to Charlotte, AHL)

Chicago Blackhawks (per team release)

D Nicolas Beaudin (to Rockford, AHL)
D Lucas Carlsson (to Rockford, AHL)
F MacKenzie Entwistle (to Rockford, AHL)
F Alexandre Fortin (to Rockford, AHL)
F Brandon Hagel (to Rockford, AHL)
F Mikhael Hakkarainen (to Rockford, AHL)
F Matthew Highmore (to Rockford, AHL)
F Reese Johnson (to Rockford, AHL)
F Philipp Kurashev (to Rockford, AHL)
F Dylan Sikura (to Rockford, AHL)
G Matt Tomkins (to Rockford, AHL)
D Joni Tuulola (to Rockford, AHL)

Columbus Blue Jackets (per team release)

F Derek Barach (released from PTO)
D Gabriel Carlsson (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Ryan Collins (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Trey Fix-Wolansky (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Maxime Fortier (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Brett Gallant (released from PTO)
D Anton Karlsson (released from PTO)
F Nikita Korostelev (released from PTO)
F Stefan Matteau (released from PTO)
F Bryan Moore (released from PTO)
D Michael Prapavessis (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Eric Robinson (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Kole Sherwood (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Kevin Stenlund (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Calvin Thurkauf (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Sam Vigneault (released from PTO)

Dallas Stars (per team release)

F Michael Mersch (to Texas, AHL)
D Reece Scarlett (to Texas, AHL)

Florida Panthers (per team release)

F Rodrigo Abols (to Springfield, AHL)
F Jonathan Ang (to Springfield, AHL)
G Ryan Bednard (to Springfield, AHL)
D Tommy Cross (to Springfield, AHL)
F Joel Lowry (to Springfield, AHL)
D Jake Massie (to Springfield, AHL)
F Serron Noel (to Oshawa, OHL)
F Kevin Roy (to Springfield, AHL)
F Paul Thompson (to Springfield, AHL)

Los Angeles Kings (per team Twitter)

F Samuel Fagemo (to Frolunda, SHL)
F Akil Thomas (to Niagara, OHL)

Montreal Canadiens (per team release)

F Morgan Adams-Moisan (to Laval, AHL)
F Alexandre Alain (to Laval, AHL)
F Joe Cox (to Laval, AHL)
D Ryan Culkin (to Laval, AHL)
F Nikita Jevpalovs (to Laval, AHL)
G Connor LaCouvee (to Laval, AHL)
D Maxim Lamarche (to Laval, AHL)
G Michael McNiven (to Laval, AHL)
F William Pelletier (to Laval, AHL)
F Michael Pezzetta (to Laval, AHL)
D David Sklenicka (to Laval, AHL)
F Lukas Vejdemo (to Laval, AHL)
F Hayden Verbeek (to Laval, AHL)
F Antoine Waked (to Laval, AHL)

New York Rangers (per team release)

F Gabriel Fontaine (to Hartford, AHL)
D Mason Geertsen (to Hartford, AHL)
D Joey Keane (to Hartford, AHL)
F Patrick Newell (to Hartford, AHL)

St. Louis Blues (per team release)

D Jake Dotchin (to San Antonio, AHL)
D Joey LaLeggia (to San Antonio, AHL)
F Nick Lappin (to San Antonio, AHL)

Tampa Bay Lightning (per team release)

F Peter Abbandonato (released from PTO)
G Louis Domingue (to Syracuse, AHL, per Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic)
F Jimmy Huntington (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Boris Katchouk (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Alexey Lipanov (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Ryan Lohin (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Kevin Lynch (released from PTO)
F Taylor Raddysh (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Mikhail Shalagin (released from PTO)
D Luc Snuggerud (released from PTO)
D Oleg Sosunov (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Matthew Spencer (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Nolan Valleau (released from PTO)
G Clint Windsor (released from PTO)
F Dennis Yan (to Syracuse, AHL)

Toronto Maple Leafs (per team Twitter)

G Brandon Halverson (to Toronto, AHL)

Vancouver Canucks (per team release)

F Justin Bailey (to Utica, AHL)
F Landon Ferraro (released from PTO)
F Lukas Jasek (to Utica, AHL)
D Olli Juolevi (to Utica, AHL)
F Kole Lind (to Utica, AHL)
D Brogan Rafferty (to Utica, AHL)
D Josh Teves (to Utica, AHL)

Vegas Golden Knights (per team Twitter)

F Tyrell Goulbourne (to Chicago, AHL)
D Brett Lernout (to Chicago, AHL)
D Jaycob Megna (to Chicago, AHL)

Minor Transactions: 9/21/19

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Several teams are continuing to make deals both in the minor leagues as well as overseas as they look to upgrade and fill out their rosters.

  • The Tuscon Roadrunners of the AHL announced they have signed forward Kevin Hancock to a one-year AHL deal. The 21-year-old Hancock went undrafted the last few years, but still posted impressive numers in junior, including a 52-goal, 107-point season between two OHL teams last year, the Owen Sound Attack and the London Knights. He tallied 291 points over 266 games and received OHL second-team All-Star recognition last year. The 5-foot-11 winger hopes to prove that he is worthy of a future NHL deal with Arizona, but will now get a chance to prove his value in a professional setting.

RFA Profile: Anthony DeAngelo

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

If asked to rank the remaining unsigned restricted free agent defensemen by offensive efficiency, most would easily be able to tab Zach Werenski and Charlie McAvoy as the top two. However, few would name Anthony DeAngelo third ahead of the likes of Ivan Provorov and Marcus Pettersson. In fact, last season DeAngelo finished just behind Werenski and McAvoy in points per game, with 0.49 compared to their 0.54 and 0.52 respectively. He also did so with three minutes less of ice time on average. DeAngelo has quietly developed into a potent offensive contributor on the blue line and working out an extension will be no small task for the cap-strapped New York Rangers. Here is a closer look at his situation.

DeAngelo, 23, is already on his third NHL team, a fact that may contribute to his perceived lesser value compared to his RFA peers. The 19th overall pick in 2014 by the Tampa Bay Lightning, he never played a game for the Bolts and was surprisingly dealt to the Arizona Coyotes for a 2016 second-round pick following a productive first pro season in the AHL. The ‘Yotes did not hesitate to bring DeAngelo up, and he recorded a respectable 14 points in 39 NHL games in 2016-17. Yet, he was moved again that off-season in the deal that sent Derek Stepan and Antti Raanta from New York to Arizona. DeAngelo’s first season with the Rangers was nothing special; he again split the season between the NHL and AHL and failed to scorer a goal in 32 games with New York. Through three pro seasons, DeAngelo was beginning to look like a bust as a first-round pick.

However, the team handed DeAngelo a regular role last season and he ran with it. The talented puck-mover registered 30 points in 61 games to lead all Blueshirt defensemen in scoring despite missing more than 20 games. DeAngelo also led the entire team with a +6 rating and was second in even strength time on ice. There is no hiding the fact that DeAngelo was one of the best players for New York last season. Despite their considerable additions this off-season, especially on the blue line in Jacob Trouba and prospect Adam Fox, the Rangers will still need to sign DeAngelo to a deal that accurately reflects that value, even if they don’t necessarily have the cap flexibility to do so. After that showing last season, DeAngelo is no longer a mystery or an enigma and if the Rangers won’t pay him, another team will.

Statistics

2018-19: 61 GP, 4-26-30, +6 rating, 77 PIMS, 111 shots, 19:20 ATOI
Career: 132 GP, 9-43-52, -25 rating, 125 PIMS, 239 shots, 18:00 ATOI

Comparables

Neal Pionk, Winnipeg Jets

Platform Year Stats: 73 GP, 6-20-26, -16 rating, 25 PIMS, 132 shots, 21:10 ATOI
Career Stats: 101 GP, 7-33-40, -17, 47 PIMS, 186 shots, 21:30 ATOI

Contract: Two years, $6MM
Year Signed: 2019

There’s isn’t a much better comparable than a player who played on the same team. Last season, Pionk was given more ice time and played in more games than DeAngelo for the Rangers and still was outscored and outplayed. When it came to trading away a young defender in the Trouba deal, it was Pionk that New York was willing to part with and not DeAngelo. With similar platform and career stats, especially on a per-game scoring basis, DeAngelo can point to Pionk as a comparable but also prove his slight edge as well as argue that his younger age and greater experience help his case. Pionk’s deal is the floor for a DeAngelo extension.

Travis Sanheim, Philadelphia Flyers

Platform Year Stats: 82 GP, 9-26-35, -4 rating, 22 PIMS, 121 shots, 19:34 ATOI
Career Stats: 131 GP, 11-34-45, -10 rating, 42 PIMS, 193 shots, 18:04 ATOI

Contract: Two years, $6.5MM
Year Signed: 2019

DeAngelo took a big step forward this season, but Sanheim took a leap. A fellow 2014 first-round pick facing criticism, Sanheim finally showed he was a starting-caliber NHL defenseman with a nine-goal, 35-point campaign. However, those numbers did come in a full 82-game season. Sanheim’s career numbers also trail DeAngelo’s in almost the exact same games played and total ice time. Both young defensemen are part of busy blue lines with a fair amount of talent but have carved out a role for themselves. DeAngelo maintains a slight edge based just on per-game production, but these two players are very similar.

Will Butcher, New Jersey Devils

Platform Year Stats: 78 GP, 4-26-30, -17 rating, 18 PIMS, 108 shots, 19:16 ATOI
Career Stats: 159 GP, 9-65-74, -16, 26 PIMS, 196 shots, 17:38 ATOI

Contract: Three years, $11.2MM
Year Signed: 2019

Like Werenski and McAvoy, few would think to associate DeAngelo with Butcher, the prize college free agent of a few years ago. In reality, DeAngelo and Butcher had the same stat line last season, with the Devils standout playing in 17 more games. In his career, Butcher does have the slightly superior per-game scoring numbers, but it is hard to look at their platform seasons and DeAngelo’s more balanced game at a younger age and not feel they are at least close to equal.

Projected Contract

There are several fair comparisons to DeAngelo, all of whom have signed extensions within the last few months. It paints a pretty clear picture of what a defenseman of DeAngelo’s age, experience, and production should be seeking: a short-term deal worth $3-4MM.

The Rangers are tight against the salary cap and have several long-term contracts on the blue line already, as well as a handful of prospect defenders who could push for a role sooner rather than later. For that reason, the team will likely push for a shorter, more affordable bridge deal, taking the risk that DeAngelo could continue to improve and boost his price tag, but landing a contract that they can accommodate more easily in the short term. If DeAngelo is slightly better than Sanheim, who makes $3.25MM on a two-year deal, and slightly worse than Butcher, who makes $3.73MM on a three-year deal, a two-year deal with a $3.5MM AAV is likely just right for the young Rangers defensemen.

Now, even at a very fair two years and $7MM, a DeAngelo resolution is still too much for the Rangers to carry at current time, with RFA forward Brendan Lemieux still to sign as well. The team has a number of young players they can freely demote as well as multiple veterans that are candidates to be buried in the AHL, but nevertheless the team may still need to make a space-saving trade before the season begins.

Clayton Keller Signs Eight-Year Extension

at CDT | by 6 Comments

The Arizona Coyotes have locked up top young forward Clayton Keller to an eight-year extension. The deal will carry a cap hit of $7.15MM. Keller was scheduled to become a restricted free agent next summer, but instead will sign long-term with the Coyotes. Arizona GM John Chayka released this statement:

Clayton is elite in every sense of the word. He is not only an All-Star and one of the premiere offensive playmakers in the league, but he is equally special as a person with his drive and determination to be great. We are thankful to Clayton for believing in our future and look forward to him playing a vital role on this team for many years to come. We are also very appreciative of Mr. Meruelo’s willingness to invest in our future and solidify one of our core players here in Arizona for a long time.

In an unprecedented move, agent Scott Barlett released the full breakdown of the contract extension on Twitter. The deal will pay out as follows:

  • 2020-21: $2.5MM salary + $3.0MM signing bonus
  • 2021-22: $7.0MM salary
  • 2022-23: $4.5MM salary + $3.0MM signing bonus
  • 2023-24: $6.0MM salary
  • 2024-25: $7.0MM salary + Full no-trade clause
  • 2025-26: $7.0MM salary + Full no-trade clause
  • 2026-27: $6.5MM salary + Full no-movement clause
  • 2027-28: $6.7MM salary + Full no-movement clause

The 21-year old Keller has shown how good he can be in his young career, but this contract certainly doesn’t lack risk for the Coyotes. In his rookie year in 2017-18 the 2016 seventh overall pick exploded onto the scene with 65 points in 82 games, but Keller took a large step backwards last season. With just 14 goals and 47 points in 82 games, his production fell far short of expectations and put him in a points-per-game bracket alongside players like Brett Connolly, Josh Anderson and former teammate Alex Galchenyuk. That was even despite seeing slightly more ice time on the powerplay and overall.

Still, the Coyotes are betting that Keller’s first year is more indicative of his performance moving forward and it’s easy to see why. After shooting 10.8% as a rookie, a more than reasonable number for a player of his skill, Keller’s shooting percentage dropped all the way to 7.0% last season and should rebound considerably in the future. You can also bet on some natural development given his still very young age—he turned 21 just over a month ago. With strong possession numbers and a tantalizing skill set, the Coyotes may have a bargain down the line if he can continue to take steps forward.

That bet is exactly how the Coyotes have done business under Chayka. The GM has signed young players like Nick Schmaltz, Christian Dvorak and Jakob Chychrun to long-term deals before they really “proved themselves,” knowing that if he waited they might price themselves right out of Arizona’s market. The team can’t throw money around like bigger organizations like the Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Rangers, but have shown a willingness to assume some risk on long-term deals in order to get who they believe are core players under contract.

Part of this contract is also likely a reaction to the restricted free agent market this summer. A dozen teams are in limbo waiting for their young players to sign, something that Chayka will now not have to worry about with regards to Keller. The team still has some who will need new deals, but if Keller performs as many believe he can he would have been the centerpiece of the entire 2020 offseason for Arizona. That time can now be focused on other things as they try to establish themselves as a playoff contender in the Western Conference with new additions Phil Kessel and Carl Soderberg giving them some more depth up front.

As for what this means for that current RFA market, it’s unclear. We’ve heard all offseason how this class is set to re-establish the market for players coming off their entry-level deals, but Keller just sold four years of unrestricted free agency at a relatively low point in his negotiating leverage. Coming off a difficult season and still a year away, he decided to lock in long-term for a number that while substantial, is likely less than he could have gotten if he rebounded this year.

With Kessel now in the fold and Keller locked up, the Coyotes will now be expending quite a bit of capital on their forward group starting in 2020-21. The team will have more than $30MM tied up in five players including Kessel, Keller, Schmaltz, Dvorak and Derek Stepan, which doesn’t leave a lot of extra money for the rest given their hefty expenditures on defense. It very well could mean there is a move coming at some point down the line to free up some space, especially with several veterans who are set to become unrestricted free agents in 2021.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Minor Transactions: 09/02/19

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

We’re now into September, but little has changed on the free agent front. Many prominent players, RFA’s and UFA’s alike, remain unsigned, but the NHL markets remain silent. However, minor league teams, foreign clubs, and college programs continue to make make moves in preparation for the coming season. Keep up with further moves right here throughout the day:

  • Ty Nash, son of former NHLer and current Arizona Coyotes TV analyst Tyson Nash, is following in his father’s footsteps and playing in the WHL. Although Nash is American, born and raised in Arizona, he will take the Canadian junior development route, as his Edmonton-native dad did. The 16-year-old forward was selected by the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft and has been participating in training camp this week. The team announced today that he had officially signed on for the coming season. The small, but aggressive forward has been improving offensively in recent years while maintaining a gritty, high-energy style which could serve him well against much more talented competition in the WHL than what he is used to in the American Southwest. The 2021 NHL Draft-eligible forward still has a lot of work ahead of him to be considered a pro prospect, but now has two full WHL seasons to do just that.
  • It’s a homecoming of sorts for 22-year-old forward Logan Coomes, who will play for the University of Alaska-Fairbanks this season after three years at Merrimack College. Coomes initially committed to Merrimack as a member of the Fairbanks Ice Dogs of the NAHL and now returns to the city where his collegiate path first began. Of course, Fairbanks is quite far from his actual hometown of Nashville. After transferring this summer, Coomes was announced as immediately eligible for this season, his fourth and final NCAA campaign. In 79 games with Merrimack, Coomes recorded 26 points in a bottom-six role. He should be handed more responsibility in his senior year and he surely hopes to get back to his better than point-per-game production from the last time he played in Fairbanks. Other members of Fairbanks’ recruiting class include Latvian junior standouts Eriks Zohovs and Roberts Kalkis.
  • Flames prospect Ilya Nikolayev has been loaned to Yarolslavl’s junior team, notes Ryan Pike of the Sporting News.  The 2019 third-round pick spent all of last season at the Russian junior level (the MHL) but was hoping to spend some time in the KHL this year.  He may still get that opportunity at some point but for now, he’ll repeat the level where he collected 25 points in 41 games in 2018-19.

Coyotes Have Started Talks With Their 2020 RFAs

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

With there being so many notable restricted free agents despite training camps being only a few weeks away, it will be worth watching to see if teams adjust their approaches towards trying to lock up their young players earlier.  With that in mind, Coyotes GM John Chayka acknowledged to Craig Morgan of The Athletic (subscription required) that the team has already started talks with their three potential RFA forwards next summer in wingers in Clayton Keller, Vinnie Hinostroza, and Christian Fischer but was quick to add that none of the talks should be considered as advanced.  Arizona hasn’t hesitated to lock up players early in recent years but considering that they could be facing a bit of a cap crunch in the near future, they may opt to tread lightly with these talks for now.

Elsewhere out West:

  • While new general managers often like to handpick their head coach, don’t expect that to be the case in Minnesota. New Wild GM Bill Guerin told NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti that he has “full confidence” in head coach Bruce Boudreau so there is no coaching change on the horizon.  The veteran bench boss could reach the 1,000 games coached mark this season but the team has won just two postseason contests over his first four seasons with the team.
  • Jimmy Schuldt’s presence on the Golden Knights’ entry into their upcoming rookie tournament raised some eyebrows as the defenseman remains unsigned. His agent told SinBin.Vegas (Twitter link) that both sides are preparing as if a deal will be done by the time the tournament gets underway on September 7th.  However, Jesse Granger of The Athletic adds (via Twitter) that while he could play on a tryout deal as many undrafted players do in these events, his sense is that it’s unlikely that Schuldt would participate.  Many teams pursued the 24-year-old in college free agency last season but he was only eligible for a one-year, entry-level deal which is why he’s now unsigned after playing just one game with the team.

Poll: Which GM Will Be Fired Next?

at CDT | by 11 Comments

Despite missing the playoffs in each of the last four seasons, the Vancouver Canucks decided to extend GM Jim Benning today. The reasons for that are complicated—and obviously do not hinge entirely on his postseason record—just as they were when the Minnesota Wild made the decision to fire Paul Fenton just 14 months into his tenure with the team. The inner workings of an NHL front office are almost never made public (unless there is an intrepid reporter like Michael Russo of The Athletic who gets the incredible story), and it is hard to see why some decisions are made.

Still, even the most casual fan can see the seat of specific executives and coaches heating up. When the Edmonton Oilers decided to move on from Peter Chiarelli during another disappointing season, it didn’t come as much of a surprise. On the other hand, it was easy to see why the Carolina Hurricanes recently locked up Don Waddell after he interviewed for another job.

Looking around the league, who is next? Which GM will be let go, either this year or next summer?

It might be easy to look at the teams that have struggled recently, but many of them have replaced their top hockey operations executive over the last few seasons. The Oilers brought in Ken Holland to change the culture in Edmonton, while Steve Yzerman returned to the Detroit Red Wings to bring a new voice to a stagnant team. Florida has gone through quite a bit of turmoil in the front office since their ownership changed but Dale Tallon now seems to be entrenched as a veteran leader.

There are others though that may not be so lucky. The Ottawa Senators are heading in a new direction after shedding their previous core, but if the young talent doesn’t develop as hoped Pierre Dorion could be held responsible. John Chayka was the youngest GM in history when he took over the Arizona Coyotes in 2016, but they still haven’t made the playoffs under his watch and now have new ownership of their own. Jason Botterill was expected to have success in Buffalo after finding so much of it in Pittsburgh, but the Sabres haven’t been able to build a full roster around Jack Eichel despite some outstanding individual players.

Nothing is certain when it comes to front offices however. Cast your vote below and explain just why you think they’ll be the first to go!

[Mobile users click here to vote]

*We’ve used Kelly McCrimmon as the Vegas GM, though he won’t officially take that title from George McPhee until September

Pacific Notes: Coyotes’ Arena, Labanc, Flames’ Goaltending

at CDT | by 3 Comments

While the Arizona Coyotes new owner Alex Meruelo has made it clear that he’s committed to keeping the Coyotes in Arizona, he also didn’t go as far as to say that he wants to keep the team in Glendale, Arizona. The Coyotes have struggled financially at Gila River Arena and Merulo may be interested in moving the team elsewhere, calling Glendale, “a difficult situation.”

The owner made it clear that there are several reasons why Glendale may not be an ideal location in Arizona, including the team keeps losing money, most fans don’t live in Glendale, sponsorship there has been difficult and the team does not have a long-term lease there. However, AZ Central’s Jen Fifield reports that the leaders of the city of Glendale hope to have a meeting with Meruelo “to see how we can help him achieve his goals of success.”

However, Meruelo has made it clear for quite a while that he’s looking to find a new arena in Arizona. The team is currently on a year-to-year arena lease and the owner has made it clear that Glendale “is not viable long-term.”

  • Many eyes went wise earlier this summer, when highly talented restricted free agent Kevin Labanc signed just a one-year, $1MM deal when he could have gotten quite a bit more. NHL.com’s Adam Kimmelman reports that Labanc admits that he put the team first when he signed that deal. “I didn’t want to wait,” he said following a Checking For Charity game at Flyers Skate Zone on Friday. “I wanted to sign the contract, get myself ready for the upcoming year and have nothing hanging over my shoulder.” Labanc, who will be a restricted agent once again next summer, could be in line for an even bigger payday as his role on the ice with the Sharks is likely to increase with the losses of Joe Pavelski, Joonas Donskoi and Gustav Nyquist during the offseason. Labanc put together a solid year last season, posting career highs in goals (17) and points (56) and saw his ATOI improve as the season went on, averaging 15:26 in April despite averaging just 13:34 before the all-star break.
  • With a recent bias over the last few years in the NHL over the importance of height in goaltenders, The Athletic’s Darren Haynes (subscription required) writes that the Calgary Flames seem to be heading towards an anti-establishment policy towards them. In fact, most of Calgary’s goalie draft picks in recent years have been towards smaller goaltenders, including Tyler Parsons, who at 6-foot-1, is not considered to be ranked at the 15th percentile in height. In comparison, he would have been considered in the 89th percentile in 1984-85. The Flames seem to be opting to go against those trends as the team is also loaded with shorter goaltenders, including 2019 seventh-rounder Dustin Wolf at 5-foot-11 and Nick Schneider, who is one of their tallest prospects at 6-foot-2.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Arizona Coyotes

at CDT | by 2 Comments

Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM. Teams that can avert total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2019-20 season. This will focus more on those players who are integral parts of the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.

Arizona Coyotes

Current Cap Hit: $81,321,901 (under the $81.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

F Christian Fischer (one year, $822K)
F Barrett Hayton (three years, $894K)
F Clayton Keller (one year, $886K)

Potential Bonuses

Fischer: $212.5K
Hayton: $1.35MM
Keller: $850K

Keller took a considerable step back in his second NHL season, dropping from 67 points to 45.  A comparable performance could have him in line for a bridge contract a year from now but if he shows some chemistry with newly-acquired winger Phil Kessel, he could have a big boost in output next season to make him one of the top restricted free agents of the 2020 class.  How they get paid will largely be determined by what happens over the coming weeks to the current RFA class but right now, his next deal could range from anywhere from around $4MM on a short-term pact to twice that much on a contract that buys out some UFA eligibility, something the Coyotes have preferred based on recent history.

Fischer is also coming off of a rough season, recording just 18 points in 71 games, well off his 33 from the year before.  He’s more of a secondary piece on their roster so a short-term second contract is likely on the horizon.  Hayton briefly made the Coyotes last season (spending one day with them before being returned to junior) and as their consensus top prospect, he’ll likely get a long look in training camp.  Even if he does make the team though, it’s too early to forecast what his post-ELC contract will look like.

One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level

F Vinnie Hinostroza ($1.5MM, RFA)
G Darcy Kuemper ($1.85MM, UFA)
D Ilya Lyubushkin ($874K, RFA)
F Brad Richardson ($1.25MM, UFA)
F Carl Soderberg ($4.75MM, UFA)

Hinostroza’s first season in Arizona was a successful one as he became a consistent top-six forward.  The Coyotes hoped that he’d be able to become a part of their young core when they got him and he’s trending in that direction.  He’s technically on his bridge deal but could still sign another short-term pact and still have RFA rights and given their longer-term cap outlook, that’s a likely outcome.  Soderberg was brought in to provide some extra depth down the middle and is coming off a resurgent season with Colorado that saw him collect 49 points.  A repeat performance could have him pushing for a similar price tag a year from now but if he reverts back to his play from the previous two years, he’ll be looking at a notable pay cut.  Richardson tied for the team lead in goals last season which made him one of the better bargains on the team.  It’s unrealistic to expect him to produce like that again but he still should be looking at a raise on his next deal.

Lyubushkin accepted his qualifying offer after an up-and-down rookie campaign.  He’s clearly no higher than seventh on the depth chart and if his price tag goes much higher, they’ll likely move on from him.  Kuemper wound up having a stellar season, one that saw him thrive with a number one workload on the way to posting a career year.  He won’t get as much playing time in 2019-20 but there will be teams remembering his performance when he hits the open market in July where he’ll land a decent raise.

Two Years Remaining

D Jason Demers ($3.9375MM, UFA)*
F Conor Garland ($775K, RFA)
D Alex Goligoski ($5.475MM, UFA)
F Michael Grabner ($3.35MM, UFA)
D Niklas Hjalmarsson ($5MM, UFA)
F Marian Hossa ($5.275MM, UFA)
D Jordan Oesterle ($1.4MM, UFA)
G Antti Raanta ($4.25MM, UFA)
F Derek Stepan ($6.5MM, UFA)

* – Florida is retaining the other 12.5% of Demers’ contract

This is where the bulk of Arizona’s commitments are.  Let’s get Hossa out of the way first.  He won’t play again and will go on LTIR if the Coyotes need to free up extra room.  However, the risk in doing so is that it would set them up for the possibility of having to carry over any bonus overage penalties into 2020-21.

Stepan had a very disappointing season and only managed a career-low 35 points.  They were hoping he could be their number one center but it hasn’t happened.  At this point, it’s hard to envision him landing $6.5MM on his next contract.  Grabner was reasonably productive when he was healthy last year but he missed half of the season due to injury.  His speed is a big weapon now and his ability to maintain that will ultimately determine if he gets another deal in this price range down the road or if he’ll be looking at a cut as well.  Garland has his flaws but has shown an ability to score in his limited NHL experience.  If he produces like he did last season (a 23-goal pace over a full season), this could be a nice bargain for the Coyotes.

Goligoski was yet another player whose production dipped considerably as his output was the lowest since the lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign.  He has settled into more of a second pairing role and considering he’ll be 36 when his next contract kicks in, he’ll be hard-pressed to get a raise two years from now.  Hjalmarsson doesn’t put up many points but the Coyotes liked his defensive presence enough to give him this deal a year ago.  Even so, he’ll be 34 two years from now and as the league trends towards more skill on the back end, that doesn’t bode well for his chances.  Demers battled injuries last season but is a serviceable fourth or fifth defender when healthy.  His $4.5MM price tag (between the two teams) isn’t enough to justify that.  Oesterle took advantage of being a regular for the first time and posted a career year.  Maintaining that over the next couple of years would give him a much better track record for teams as he enters the open market for the first time.

Raanta, when healthy, has played well for the most part in recent years (despite some struggles last season).  The Coyotes clearly believe he can be a starter but he has still played more than 30 games in a single season just once.  If he wants a chance to beat (or even equal) his current deal two years from now, he’ll need to stay healthy and help lead this team to the postseason.

Three Years Remaining

F Lawson Crouse ($1.533MM, RFA)
F Phil Kessel ($6.8MM, UFA)*

* – Toronto is paying the other 15% of Kessel’s contract

Kessel was brought in this summer to give Arizona a legitimate top-line forward with a track record of production.  He immediately becomes the best scoring threat they’ve had in quite some time.  However, his all-around game has long been questioned and he’ll be turning 35 at the start of the 2022-23 season which will be his next contract.  Accordingly, he probably will struggle to land an $8MM deal in free agency.  Crouse held his own in a bottom six role last season but has developed slowly thus far.  The three-year bridge deal gives the team some time to see if he can progress into a legitimate top-six threat.

Four Or More Years Remaining

D Jakob Chychrun ($4.6MM through 2024-25)
F Christian Dvorak ($4.45MM through 2024-25)
D Oliver Ekman-Larsson ($8.25MM through 2026-27)
F Nick Schmaltz ($5.85MM through 2025-26)

Schmaltz was the return in the somewhat-questioned trade with Chicago that saw Dylan Strome and Brendan Perlini go to Chicago.  Clearly, GM John Chayka has plenty of confidence in him considering that extension was signed only a few months after the trade.  He was productive during his limited time with Arizona (injuries limited him to 17 games) while he played at a 50-point pace overall.  There is some risk to this deal given the lack of track record but there is some potential for reward as well.  Dvorak’s contract was a big surprise considering he was coming off a pair of seasons with 15 goals.  Clearly, they’re banking on him taking a step forward although injuries limited him to just 20 games last season.  Right now though, that deal looks to be on the expensive side.

Last offseason, Ekman-Larsson was looking like he’d be one of the top defenders available in free agency but instead, he opted to sign the extension.  For the next few years, the high price tag shouldn’t be an issue as he’s a legitimate number one defender but as he ages, it could become a bit of an overpayment (although that can be said about a lot of long-term extensions given to pending UFAs).  Chychrun has had trouble staying healthy in his career as he has missed at least 14 games in each of his first three seasons.  That creates some risk with the deal but when healthy, he’s a legitimate top-four defender that’s locked in at a pretty good rate.

Buyouts

F Mike Ribeiro ($1.944MM, final year)

Retained Salary Transactions

None

Still To Sign

None

Best Value: Kuemper
Worst Value: Dvorak

Looking Ahead

Seeing Arizona potentially being in cap trouble is something we’re not used to seeing.  Moving Hossa to LTIR will help but if bonuses are hit, that will hurt them for next season at a time where they’re going to need a lot of room for a new deal for Keller (and potentially Kuemper if they’d like to keep their goalie tandem intact).

The good news is that the crunch is going to be relatively short.  Two summers from now, a lot of big-ticket contracts will be off the books and not a lot of those players will be in line for raises.  That will give Chayka plenty of flexibility to work with and accordingly, expect a lot of turnover to come at that time.  Some short-term cap pain is on the horizon but they’ll be in good shape before too long.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Snapshots: Shattenkirk, Miller, Malik

at CDT | by 3 Comments

There appears to have been more interest in Kevin Shattenkirk than most anticipated, making his one-year, $1.75MM pact with the Tampa Bay Lightning all the more interesting. Earlier today, it was reported that the Lightning and the Arizona Coyotes were just two of eleven teams that reached out to Shattenkirk. Now, The Fourth Period’s Dennis Bernstein states that the Anaheim Ducks went so far as to make Shattenkirk a formal, multi-year contract offer. He notes that the Los Angeles Kings also entered the mix. Colleague David Pagnotta adds that the Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Avalanche, and Winnipeg Jets were also serious contenders. As for some of the other possible suitors, there was rampant speculation that both the Montreal Canadiens and Edmonton Oilers would have interest in Shattenkirk. At the end of the day, the veteran puck-mover clearly chose what he felt was his best opportunity to return to form as a high-scoring, dynamic defenseman, playing with the uber-skilled Lightning. There were surely offers for more money and term than what Shattenkirk ended up accepting to go to Tampa, and what remains is to make the most of that gamble by asserting himself as a top option on a crowded blue line and padding his stats before hitting the free agent market again next summer.

  • Despite Shattenkirk’s ties to the city during his collegiate career, it’s safe to assume that the Boston Bruins were not one of the teams interested in his services. The Bruins are having a hard enough time getting their own right-handed defensemen under contract with limited cap space, never mind adding another to the mix. Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo remain unsigned and the team has acknowledged that one or both may miss time during training camp due to to the rigors of difficult negotiations. Barring some magic from GM Don Sweeney and company, Boston will likely have to make a move to free up cap space. While many hope that it would be overpaid and ineffective veteran David Backes leaving town, such a trade would be hard to make and/or would cost the Bruins too much in picks or prospects. NBC Sports’ James O’Brien writes that defenseman Kevan Miller is instead the most likely casualty. Miller is a strong two-way defenseman who can make an impact on any team, when healthy. The problem is that he is not healthy as often as the Bruins have liked, leading them to invest heavily in defensive depth, such as signing John Moore last summer and extending Steven Kampfer and Connor Clifton in recent months. The Bruins have the depth to survive next season without Miller, after which he is likely to leave as a free agent anyway. Eliminating Miller’s $2.5MM cap hit may give the team just enough wiggle room to sign McAvoy and Carlo to long-term contracts. Meanwhile, even with so many teams facing salary cap issues, there would be a market for Miller’s services as a year-long rental to play a shutdown role for a contender.
  • NHL scouts will have to travel to the Czech Republic to evaluate one of the 2020 draft class’ top goaltenders in-person this upcoming season. 17-year-old Nick Malik, son of former NHL defenseman Marek Malik, was drafted by the OHL’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in this summer’s CHL Import Draft, but will not sign with the club. His Czech junior team, HC Ocelari Trinec, announced today that their starting goaltender will be staying through the 2019-20 season. Malik is considered one of the top handful of goaltenders early on in the 2020 evaluation process, with one scouting source, Future Considerations, naming him their No. 2 goalie and No. 59 overall prospect in their preliminary rankings last month. The Czech keeper, who was actually born in Raleigh, North Carolina while his dad was playing for the Hurricanes, has turned heads with his calm demeanor and lightning reflexes in net and performed very well at the U-17 World Junior Championship last year. Rather than split time with new Greyhounds acquisition Christian Propp, who made 51 appearances for the North Bay Battalion last season, Malik will likely be the undisputed starter for Ocelari and will have the chance to make more appearances in the Czech secondary pro league.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

scroll to top