All Quiet On The Veteran Front
The NHL offseason has been an interesting one. With plenty of intrigue around the Vegas Golden Knights expansion draft, and speculation that they’d flip half the team immediately after, the returns were relatively unspectacular. A fifth-round pick here, a second-rounder there. For all the excitement it has seemed like the market is somewhat saturated with middling players at the moment. No one is going to pay a premium for an average player, when the new NHL is so skewed to the talents of the youth each team has already in their system.
The same can be said for the free agent market. After coming out blazing on day one, the market quickly cooled and has left some veteran players on the outside looking in. Several players whose age starts with a three (and some with a four) are still sitting on the sidelines, waiting for an opportunity to open up. There is plenty of talent still to be had, if they would agree for the right price.
The ageless one is obviously the first that anyone notices when looking at a list of free agents. Jagr put up 46 points last season and is still an excellent possession player, shielding the puck down low like he has a trademark on it. A career-low shooting percentage kept his goal total down at 16, but he easily could have had another 20-goal season had it been anywhere near his normal rate. Some of that may come from a loss of power, accuracy or even of the ability to get to the prime scoring areas but he still generates positive chances when he’s on the ice.
Kevin Kurz of NBC did a Q&A on Twitter today and was asked about Jagr’s fit in San Jose, responding that if he is looking for just $2-3MM he could be a fit. That may not be that far-fetched, as Jagr has signed for as little as $2MM in base salary in the past. A contract filled with performance bonuses is clearly the way to go here.
Why is the league so afraid of Vanek? After being bought out by the Wild last year, Vanek had to settle for just $2.6MM from the Detroit Red Wings on a sort of prove-it deal. Well, what didn’t he prove? In 68 games split between the Red Wings and Panthers, Vanek registered 48 points and showed he can still work on the powerplay and in limited minutes. His defensive deficiencies are readily apparent, but can easily be explained away by the offense he creates in a sheltered role. Both contenders and rebuilders could use him, if even as a trade chip for next year.
No one is ever going to mistake Winnik for an offensive dynamo, but he’s proven to be an excellent defensive forward for years and could still help many teams. If you have a fourth-line winger spot that’s being filled by an unproven rookie who may need some more seasoning, Winnik is the guy for you. He’s effective in limited minutes, can penalty kill, and for some reason is worth a second-round pick at the deadline. 25 points from a guy who plays less than 12 minutes of even strength ice time is pretty darn effective.
We seem to get a question every week about Franson in our live chats, and he continues to be one of the most pondered players in the league. What is he exactly? Can he legitimately be the possession-driving borderline top-4 player he once was, or is he an extreme defensive liability that can only work on average teams? If you go by analytics Franson had another solid season for Buffalo, and recorded 19 points in 68 games. His market still seems to be invisible, though with the recent injury to Jakob Chychrun in Arizona, Sarah McLellan of AZ Central suggests that the Coyotes might look at him as a veteran replacement to help lengthen out their back end.
Other unsigned veterans include Drew Stafford, Brian Gionta, Francois Beauchemin, Ryan White, Jiri Hudler, and P.A. Parenteau all who could still have an impact in the right situation.
Jakob Chychrun Undergoes Knee Surgery, Out Indefinitely
The Arizona Coyotes announced some disappointing news today, saying that Jakob Chychrun underwent knee surgery and will be out indefinitely. The defenseman suffered the injury this week but should make a “full recovery.” When exactly that recovery will be is still to be determined, as GM John Chayka will “further update once training camp begins on September 14.”
Chychrun was a huge find for the Coyotes last year, making the jump right from junior hockey to the NHL in his draft year. After once being considered a top pick, there were concerns about his dedication to the game as he looked uninterested at times during the OHL season. That didn’t stop the Coyotes from making a trade with Detroit in order to select him 16th-overall, a decision that looks like it will pay off.
In 68 games Chychrun registered 20 points and though he was overwhelmed at times defensively took strides towards the top-4 two-way player he looks destined to be. While that wasn’t expected to be this season, a serious knee injury would set him back in his development. Still just 19-years old until March 31st of next year, another full season in the NHL would give him ample experience. The Coyotes defense should be improved with the addition of Niklas Hjalmarsson, allowing the team to shelter Chychrun still in a third-pairing role.
The team did sign Adam Clendening for this exact situation, adding NHL experience in case of injury. While there is no guarantee Chychrun will miss any of the season, Clendening can step into a full-time role if necessary.
Calgary Flames Name Don Maloney VP Of Hockey Operations
The Calgary Flames have made some front office moves today, including promoting Don Maloney to Vice President of Hockey Operations. Maloney spent last season in Calgary as a pro scout after being the GM of the Arizona Coyotes for nine seasons. The team has also re-signed Craig Conroy and Brad Pascall to their current Assistant GM roles, while announcing several changes to their other front office staff titles.
Maloney was fired by the Coyotes last summer after another poor finish and replaced with John Chayka, who immediately started his restructuring of the Arizona team. There had been plenty of issues surrounding the Coyotes including the John Scott All-Star incident in which the team and league tried to get him to bow out.
In Calgary he will still report directly to GM Brad Treliving, who was extended this summer to a multi-year deal after building quite the team. The Flames are an early favorite for a deep playoff run after continuing to add to their defense by acquiring Travis Hamonic and re-signing Michael Stone.
Teams Currently Without Captains
The Nashville Predators are the latest team to join the ranks of the uncaptained, after Mike Fisher officially announced his retirement from the NHL this morning. They’ll now have to make a decision on whether or not to give one of their current players the “C”, or wait until a leader emerges at some point down the road. Perhaps one of their young stars will show enough this year to deserve it, if they don’t immediately give it to one of their stud defensemen. Much of the chatter among fans has been about Roman Josi or Ryan Ellis taking on the mantle, though nothing is clear just yet.
There are five other teams who have yet to name a captain for the upcoming season, and though some may go through the year with three alternates instead, there are several options to take up the leadership and stitch that curved letter to the front of their jersey.
Buffalo Sabres
Brian Gionta wore the “C” for the past three seasons, but it seems as though the team might go in a different direction this year. Gionta remains unsigned, and though a return is still a possibility it seems remote. Gionta himself gave some options for the next captain next year, listing Ryan O’Reilly, Kyle Okposo and Jack Eichel as obvious possibilities. O’Reilly does seem to be the most logical choice right now, after playing as an alternate last season and generally being regarded as one of the team’s best players. It will be hard to deny Eichel of it though, who was drafted as the face of the franchise and will likely one day lead the team.
An outside chance could be Josh Gorges for a season, as he finishes his current contract. The 32-year old defenseman has been part of the leadership group since coming over from the Montreal Canadiens in 2014, and could prove to be a nice buffer for another season before handing it over to Eichel.
Carolina Hurricanes
The Hurricanes haven’t had a captain since Eric Staal was moved at the 2016 trade deadline to the New York Rangers, instead using Jordan Staal, Justin Faulk, Jeff Skinner and Victor Rask as their leadership group. There isn’t any indication on whether the Hurricanes will name a captain before the season, but any of those four could be successful options.
There is also the possibility of the newly extended Brett Pesce and Jaccob Slavin, both of whom are quite young but figure to be huge parts of the franchise for many years. It will be interesting to see who is picked to lead the young group, as the core is set to stay together for quite some time.
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs have always held their captaincy as a sacred role, and after the ugly exit that was Dion Phaneuf‘s departure may wait a little longer to embroider their next jersey. Auston Matthews is the obvious option, but it’s clear the team doesn’t want to put too much on his shoulders right away. Morgan Rielly has developed into a leader on the blueline, and is still young enough to grow with the rookies and help the Maple Leafs find glory once again.
Leo Komarov, Tyler Bozak and Matt Hunwick also wore letters last season, but the latter is already in Pittsburgh and the former two are free agents at the end of the year. It will likely be a whole new leadership group in 2018-19.
Arizona Coyotes
After parting ways with their long-time captain Shane Doan, the Coyotes have yet to announce the next captain of their team. Though it’s not official yet, many believe that role will go to Oliver Ekman-Larsson in part as an attempt to sway him to re-sign next summer. OEL has just two years left on his contract before becoming one of the highest-paid defensemen in the league, and is clearly Arizona’s best player.
This summer the team brought in a friend and former teammate Niklas Hjalmarsson to try and prove to Ekman-Larsson that they’re ready to take a step forward, and if he’s there long-term he would undoubtedly have a “C” sewn on.
Vegas Golden Knights
The Golden Knights haven’t announced any of their captains as of yet, and it will be a very interesting decision when they do. Only three active players are signed for more than two years, and you would think the expansion franchise would want a stable leader to grow with the team for some time. That said, announcing a captain would be a big marketing play for an organization that is trying to connect with fans.
Deryk Engellend was brought in because of his ties to the Las Vegas community, but he’s only under contract for a single season and is already declining rapidly in effectiveness. Marc-Andre Fleury is likely the face of the franchise for now, but isn’t signed long-term and can’t officially have the “C” as a goaltender. Reilly Smith—one of the only players signed for more than two years—did captain his college team once upon a time, and could potentially grow into that role with his new club. They could also wait and hope Cody Glass or Nick Suzuki make an immediate impact in the NHL, and give the role to one of them in a few years.
Arizona Coyotes Announce Affiliation With Fort Wayne Komets Of ECHL
David Pastrnak remains one of the top unsigned restricted free agents in the league, and looks like he’s due for a huge raise from the Boston Bruins when a contract is finally hammered out. That doesn’t seem any closer today than it has been, as GM Don Sweeney told Ty Anderson of WEEI the negotiations are in a “holding pattern” but that there is plenty of time to get something done. Pastrnak scored 34 goals and 70 points last season, and though he’s still ineligible for arbitration is set to command quite the price on a long-term deal.
Despite only turning 21 a few months ago, Pastrnak has already completed three seasons in the NHL and is on track to become an unrestricted free agent at the age of 25. That means any deal longer than four seasons will be buying out UFA years at a premium, pushing any cap hit up and up as the length increases. Obviously, the Bruins would like to keep him around as long as possible but they’ll have to make a decision on whether to lock him into a seven or eight year deal right away, or offer him a bridge contract and revisit the negotiations in a few years. With just over $10.1MM in cap space, the team could go either route to keep their star winger in town.
- According to Michael Russo of the Star Tribune, Jack Walker has signed an AHL deal with the Minnesota Wild organization after impressing in development camp. Walker was actually a draft pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs as recently as 2016, but was not extended a “Bona Fide Offer” by the team and became an unrestricted free agent. That likely had to do with the combination of Walker being too old to return to junior and the Maple Leafs not having enough contract slots left—the team is currently at 49/50 with Connor Brown still to sign. Walker was a solid scoring threat in the WHL, and will try to improve his all-around game in the minor leagues.
- The Arizona Coyotes have announced a one-year affiliation with the Fort Wayne Komets of the ECHL, replacing the Rapid City Rush who have moved on to partner with the Wild. The Komets operated independently last season after ending a partnership with the Colorado Avalanche a year early, but will now house the lower Arizona prospects. Even without a parent organization the Komets reached the postseason for the fourth straight year, and will try to get back there this season. Interestingly, Brett Perlini, the older brother of Coyotes’ forward Brendan Perlini was traded to the Komets mid-season last year, where he scored 26 points in 33 games.
Coyotes Sign Three More To Minor League Deals
The Minnesota Wild didn’t make too many changes to a team that finished with 106 points in the Western Conference last season. However, one major move was to move defenseman Marco Scandella and veteran Jason Pominville to Buffalo for Marcus Foligno and Tyler Ennis. While the team has high hopes for the 25-year-old Foligno, still a restricted free agent, could have a breakout year and he has predicted a 20-goal season, the team is even more focused on Ennis returning to form.
Ennis, who has battled the injury bug for the last two years has only played in 74 games during that time. Last year, he missed time due to groin surgery and only played in 51 games. Before those injuries, the 27-year-old wing scored 41 goals in two seasons between 2013-15. However, since then, he has tallied just eight goals. NBC Sports Adam Gretz writes that Minnesota Wild coach Bruce Boudreau has high expectations for Ennis this year and believes that if Ennis can remain healthy, he expects to see a resurgence like the one that veteran Eric Staal did last year.
Staal scored 28 goals last year for the Wild a year after he was coming off a lackluster 13-goal season between the Carolina Hurricanes and the New York Rangers. Yet Boudreau believes Ennis could duplicate that kind of comeback performance in Minnesota.
“Tyler Ennis, I’ve seen and talked to and met,” Boudreau said. “I don’t want to put pressure on him, but three years ago, he was a great player in this league. He’s missed 90 games in the last two years due to injury. If we can keep him healthy, I think he’s going to have a rebound year like Eric Staal had. I’m very excited about having him. In our top-9 forwards, I think we’re as strong as anybody in the league.”
Of course Ennis’ personal high is 21 goals, and while he has hit 20 goals three times in his career, it’s unlikely to see Staal-like numbers.
- The Dallas Stars tweeted they will host the 2018 NHL Draft at American Airlines Center next season on June 22-23. It was held this year in Las Vegas.
- The Tucson Roadrunners, the AHL team of the Arizona Coyotes, signed three more players along with the reported signing of Ryan Culkin earlier today. The minor league affiliate also inked goaltender Michael Houser and wingers Scott Allen and Trevor Cheek, according to SB Nation. Houser played most of last season with the ECHL Cincinnati Cyclones finishing with a 2.58 GAA in 41 games. Allen played 57 games for the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL and finished with eight goals and 11 assists, while Cheek split time between both the AHL and the ECHL.
Ekman-Larsson Expected To Take Next Step For Arizona Coyotes
Those struggling Arizona Coyotes that seem to have been flailing aimlessly at or near the bottom of the Pacific for the last few years suddenly are starting to look interesting. The team went out this offseason and made major changes from acquiring star center Derek Stepan and young goaltender Antti Raanta to acquiring veteran defender Niklas Hjalmarsson. The Coyotes suddenly seem to be a team on the rise. In fact, just a few days ago, we featured an early look at potential impact rookies and two Coyotes made the list in Clayton Keller and Dylan Strome. It seems if the rebuilding project that Arizona has undergone over the past few years is ready to begin paying off.
While that seems likely, NBC Sports Cam Tucker writes that of all the talent that Arizona has, the person that everyone should look to is star defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson. The recently turned 26-year-old defenseman who was the sixth overall pick in 2009 and has been outstanding for a team that has struggled. However, with all the influx of talent coming in, Tucker writes that it will be Ekman-Larsson who should continue to be the centerpiece for the franchise. The blueliner slipped off a bit offensively last year after putting up a big season two years ago. He finished the season with 12 goals and 27 assists and while still good was a far cry from his 21 goals and 34 assists he had in 2015-16.
However, with a good chance he will be paired up with fellow countryman Hjalmarsson, a defensive specialist, and along with the forementioned offense that should come to Arizona this season, Ekman-Larsson will no longer have to be a one-man show and could take his game to a new level this year. He was utilized heavily last year as he averaged 24:36 minutes of ice time, more than a minute more than anyone else on the team. Those types of minutes shouldn’t be as necessary this year. On top of that, rumors persist that with the departure of Shane Doan, Ekman-Larsson will be handed the captaincy reigns this year.
- Washington Capitals prospect Nathan Walker could make NHL history by becoming the first player from Australia to play a regular season game in the NHL. The third-round pick in 2014 has a legitimate chance to break the season with the Capitals this season, according to NBC Sports’ Adam Gretz. Walker, a high-energy, physical player despite his lack of size (5-foot-8, 186 pounds), could replace Daniel Winnik on the team’s fourth line this year. Walker has stepped up his game the last two years with the AHL Hershey Bears, putting up 28 goals and 64 points over the past two seasons.
Coyotes Sign Ryan Culkin To Minor League Deal
One of the more intriguing defensemen still available on the open market is Chris Lee. The 36-year-old has yet to play in the NHL but is coming off a strong season with Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the KHL (where he led all defensemen in scoring with 65 points in 60 games) while also making a strong impression with Team Canada at the World Championships back in May.
Accordingly, his agent Peter Cooney told Ken Campbell of The Hockey News that five or six NHL teams have kicked the tires with regards to Lee’s asking price. The holdup seems to be that no team is offering a one-way deal as of yet and Cooney noted that if the best offer that’s received is a two-way one, he’ll stay overseas where suiting up in the Olympics would be a distinct possibility.
Other notes from around the hockey world:
- While some have wondered if free agent winger Jaromir Jagr could potentially go back to Pittsburgh to end his career, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette noted that GM Jim Rutherford has no interest in bringing Jagr in. The 45-year-old played spent 11 seasons with the Penguins from 1990-91 through 2000-01, collecting 1,079 points in just 806 games. While he’s undoubtedly past his prime, Jagr did put up 46 points in 82 games with Florida last season, showing he can still produce at the NHL level.
- Unrestricted free agent defenseman Ryan Culkin, who wasn’t tendered a qualifying offer by Calgary last month, has inked a one year deal with AHL Tucson (affiliate of the Coyotes), the minor league team announced. Culkin split the season between the AHL and ECHL levels and while he was productive in the latter (12 points in 16 games), he didn’t have much success in the AHL as he was held off the scoresheet in a career-low 19 contests.
Latest On Shane Doan’s Future
It was shocking to many around the hockey world when the Arizona Coyotes made it clear they weren’t going to bring long-time captain Shane Doan back for the 2017-18 season, but perhaps it shouldn’t have been. Doan’s game has deteriorated significantly over the past few seasons, to the point where he scored just six goals this year breaking a streak of 16 seasons with 13 or more. Doan had said he would like to keep playing if there is a team that wants him, as he’s never come close to the Stanley Cup throughout his career.
Now speaking with Craig Morgan of AZ Sports, Doan’s agent Terry Bross says that four or five teams have been in contact but there is still not a decision imminent. He could even wait until training camp is about to begin to make that decision. It’s not clear who those teams are, or if they have actually offered Doan anything but it’s unlikely that there would be a huge market for the 40-year old. Though he’s likely due for some regression from that terrible goal total—his shooting percentage was a ridiculously low 4.4% last year—he also doesn’t seem to fit into anyone’s top-six, and may not even be a realistic option on a third line.
It’s hard to sign on as a fourth line player after so many years as the face of a franchise. While Doan may not be quite good enough for the Hall of Fame, he has still been one of the household names of his generation of players. With over 400 goals already, Doan is just 28 points away from cracking 1,000, something that will be odd to accomplish in a sweater that isn’t emblazoned with a Coyote. If there is any poetic justice in the NHL it will be a Jet instead, which was the crest he scored his first point under when the Arizona franchise was still located in Winnipeg.
Early Look At Some 2017-18 Impact Rookies
Last season we saw one of the greatest rookie crops come through the league in quite some time. Auston Matthews, Patrik Laine, Zach Werenski, Matt Murray, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, Travis Konecny, Ivan Provorov, Matthew Tkachuk, Sebastian Aho, Brayden Point the list could go on and on with the players who made an impact right away in their first full season. The league continues to skew younger and younger, and we got a taste last year of some of the names we’ll see fighting for the Calder trophy next season as well.
No longer is there an age restriction on the NHL, since teenagers have taken the league by storm with their blend of speed and skill. Even before they’ve grown into their bodies they’re putting up 40-goal seasons, or winning back-to-back Stanley Cups. So who will be the next wave of players to change their team’s fortunes and make an impact from the second they step on the ice? While there may not be another crop like last year, there are plenty of interesting names to keep an eye on.
Without dipping into the 2017 draft class, of which Nico Hischier, Nolan Patrick and others both may jump right into the top league, we’ll examine some early favorites who have both the talent and opportunity to find immediate success.
Clayton Keller – Arizona Coyotes 
Keller made his NHL debut last spring after exiting Boston University and immediately made his presence felt. In three games he registered a pair of assists, and showed off his incredible offensive skill. As a freshman at BU he scored 45 points in 31 games, won gold at the World Juniors and put up seven points in eight games with Team USA at the World Championships playing against other NHL stars. Like Marner last year there are questions about his size and durability, but Keller has excelled at every level so far and if given the chance could be a difference maker on the Coyotes.
Dylan Strome – Arizona Coyotes
In any discussion of young Coyotes you also have to mention Strome, the third-overall pick from 2015 who started the season with the team last year before heading back to junior for another year. Upon his return Strome dominated as part of one of the most talented lines in the OHL, but some still question his NHL ability in 2017-18. There is potential for a franchise centerman here, but there is also a substantial amount of risk that Strome’s skating will hold him back from being the elite offensive player he is at the lower levels.
Tyson Jost – Colorado Avalanche
Another NCAA-turned-NHL player this spring, Jost finished his year with six games for the Avalanche and even scored his first goal. It’s all about speed with Jost, who is rarely caught standing still and always seems to have the puck follow him around the ice. His year was spent in North Dakota where he scored 35 points in 33 games, and given the poor results of Colorado last year could be given an opportunity to impress right away. If put on a line with other young offensive talents in Colorado, Jost could end up with a healthy number of points even if some of his fundamentals at the center ice position still need work.
Brock Boeser – Vancouver Canucks
Boeser was Jost’s teammate (and often linemate) at North Dakota, and jumped straight to the NHL after losing out in the NCAA tournament only to immediately make an impact for the Canucks. Boeser scored what would end up being the game-winning goal in his first NHL game, in a fashion that will foreshadow how he’ll be effective at the next level. Speed, playmaking and a never-ending drive for the net will be the hallmarks of Boeser’s career, and he’ll be given a chance right away with some of Vancouver’s top forwards. In nine games at the end of the year he registered five points, including two powerplay tallies set up by Henrik Sedin.
Charlie McAvoy – Boston Bruins
On defense, the Bruins’ top prospect leads the list after debuting in the Stanley Cup playoffs this past season. McAvoy looked every bit as confident and smooth as expected, even when being chased by NHL forwards and paired with the legendary Zdeno Chara. While Boston won’t want to put too much on the 19-year old’s shoulders right away, he’s always floated to the top of any team he’s played on and didn’t log less than 24 minutes in a single one of his six playoff matches. The Bruins will have several rookies in the lineup next season, but it’s not just top pairing potential for McAvoy, it might already be performance.
Julius Honka – Dallas Stars 
A player that likely could have been included at the top of this article had he been given the chance, Honka comes into this season ready to take the next step and be a full-time player on the Dallas blueline. After three development years in the AHL where he’s shown off his high-end offensive talent on a nightly basis, he may just end up as one of the top up-and-coming defensemen in the league at year’s end. His two-way skill is reminiscent of teammate John Klingberg, and showed it off by being arguably Finland’s top defender at the recent World Championships. With 16 games under his belt and turning 22 this season, he’s ready to help the Stars get back to the playoffs right away.
*Note: There are many other rookies that have impact potential that will be profiled throughout the summer as we approach the season. These are in no particular order or ranking.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images