Current Status Of Top-Ten Draft Picks
As we approach a month since the NHL Entry Draft took place, teams have started to lock up their newest talents to lucrative deals and will soon begin the process of determining where they’ll play next season (if they haven’t already). For some, the contract seemed a mere formality and was signed within days of the draft; for others, their continuing negotiations are like torture for the fans that have already put in a pre-order for a dozen jerseys, and promised to name their next child Auston, Clayton, or Tyson.
Here is the current status of each of the top ten picks of the 2016 NHL draft:
(Annual average value (AAV) includes potential performance bonuses.)
- Auston Matthews (TOR) – Unsigned – Matthews continues to negotiate with the Maple Leafs on his entry-level deal, though all signs point to an amiable discussion so far. With GM Lou Lamoriello’s known opposition to incentive-laden contracts, perhaps the Maple Leafs and first-overall pick are working out something a little more creative to reward Matthews.
- Patrik Laine (WPG) – Signed, July 3rd: Three years, $3.575MM AAV – After moving up four spots in the draft lottery, Winnipeg was given the chance to draft a potential franchise-altering player in Laine, and they didn’t take long to lock him up. The Finnish winger is an elite goal scoring talent that should step into the NHL right away and be a threat for the Calder trophy. He came in just $200K under the maximum allowed for players signing their ELC.
- Pierre-Luc Dubois (CBJ) – Signed, June 29th: Three years, $3.425MM AAV – The Blue Jackets also moved up after winning a lottery spot, and were expected by many to pick Jesse Puljujarvi, the other Finnish winger who had long been a top choice by scouts. Instead, the team looked down the middle and took the second ranked center in Dubois. Though he’ll probably head back to the QMJHL for another season, Dubois has an extremely high ceiling capable of being a number one center – Columbus will give him every chance to reach it.
- Jesse Puljujarvi (EDM) – Signed, July 13th: Three years, $3.425MM AAV – Even with the glut of young forwards Edmonton already had, they couldn’t pass up a chance at Puljujarvi after he fell to four. They tried to trade the pick but couldn’t find fair value for it, and so added the young Finn to their group. Perhaps that led them to the decision that Taylor Hall was expendable, as they have another elite talent on the wing (though he and Hall normally play opposite sides) that could jump to the NHL right away.
- Olli Juolevi (VAN) – Unsigned – The first defenseman taken in this year’s draft, Juolevi was a rising talent after his Memorial Cup victory with the London Knights. Capable of playing in any situation, Juolevi is as good of a defensive prospect as you can expect to get with the fifth overall pick. Perhaps not a franchise player, he’ll be a big part of Vancouver’s blueline for years to come – that is, whenever he signs his first contract.
- Matthew Tkachuk (CGY) – Signed, July 7th: Three years, $1.775MM AAV – The Flames’ front office must have been ecstatic when Tkachuk was still available when their turn came, as he’s exactly the type of player that President Brian Burke loves. Tkachuck, son of former NHL great Keith, agreed to a deal that will max-out under $2MM even if he hits all of his bonuses. If he turns into the player many believe him to be, at some point skating alongside new Flames’ right-winger Troy Brouwer would be an imposing sight to be sure.
- Clayton Keller (ARZ) – Unsigned – The Arizona Coyotes followed Columbus’ lead and took a center with their first pick of the round (they would later trade for the 16th overall pick to select D Jakob Chychrun) but haven’t signed the USA standout. As we reported yesterday, Keller is standing by his commitment to head to Boston University next season, though the Windsor Spitfires are doing everything they can to bring him to the OHL. He likely won’t sign with the Coyotes until he’s ready to make the jump from the NCAA.
- Alexander Nylander (BUF) – Signed, July 15th: Three years, $1.775MM AAV – The younger brother of Toronto Maple Leafs center William and son of former NHLer Michael, Nylander is expected to play a big part in the re-build for Buffalo over the next few seasons. With the team hitting rock bottom last year, they are on a steady climb upwards and have perhaps turned a corner with the huge signing of Kyle Okposo this summer. Nylander has impressed many at camp with his blend of skating ability and hard shot.
- Mikhail Sergachev (MTL) – Signed, July 1st: Three years, $1.775MM AAV – Sergachev is an interesting case, as he came over in the OHL’s import draft and made an impact in his rookie season, winning the Max Kaminsky trophy as the league’s top blueliner. Many think he’ll head back to Windsor for another season, but there has been rumbling that he could crack the Canadiens roster as soon as this year. The left-handed shooting Russian is a born powerplay quarterback, and may eventually slide in next to Shea Weber on the top unit.
- Tyson Jost (COL) – Unsigned – Colorado reached into the BCHL to select Jost, an elite offensive talent out of Penticton, if a little undersized. He’ll be heading to the NCAA this year as well, as he’s committed to the University of North Dakota for 2016-17. This is the usual route for players out of Penticton, as since the CHL is deemed a professional league by the NCAA, the BCHL is the highest level of hockey in North America allowed before heading to college. Like Keller, don’t expect Jost to sign anytime soon.
For the other twenty picks of the first round, only Jake Bean and Julien Gauthier have signed as of yet. Many of the players selected here won’t sign a contract until their 2016-17 assignment/league has been decided. Keep an eye on PHR and Roster Resource to track when they sign and where they’re headed next season.
Viktor Tikhonov Headed To KHL
The return trip to the NHL was not a long one for Viktor Tikhonov. The 2008 first round pick of the Coyotes had come back from a four year hiatus in the KHL to sign a one-year deal with the Chicago Blackhawks to play alongside fellow countryman and new addition Artemi Panerin, but was put on waivers after just 11 games in a Blackhawks jersey, and ended up back with the team that drafted him in Arizona. An NHL market did not develop for the 28-year-old who had only six points in 50 games split between two teams, and so he is headed back to Russia. Tikhonov will re-join SKA St. Petersburg, where he played from 2011-2015, the team announced.
While Tikhonov, the grandson of the legendary Russian player and coach of the same name, was born in the USSR, he was raised in the United States. His father, Vasily, was also a coach and the family spent time in California and Kentucky during Tikhonov’s childhood. His American upbringing has not translated to any dedication to playing in North America however. Tikhonov returned to Russia to play hockey at the age of 17, and played for three years before being drafted by the Coyotes in 2008. He made his NHL debut the next season, but failed to meet expectations, scoring only 16 points in 61 games. After starting the 2009 season with the Coyote’s AHL affiliate at the time, the San Antonio Rampage, Tikhonov was loaned to Severstal Cherepovets of the KHL, a team he had previously played for. Tikhonov spent the remainder of the season with Cherepovets, but returned stateside to fight for an NHL spot in 2010. Instead, he spent the entire 2010-11 season with the Rampage and left North America permanently, signing with SKA. Many were surprised by his return to the NHL last year, and his performance showed that this surprise was warranted, as Tikhonov again failed to make a difference at the NHL level. He’ll now return to the KHL, where he has 130 points in 207 games, as compared to just 22 points in 111 career NHL games.
Tikhonov is the 20th player to have left the NHL for the KHL this off-season. SKA St. Petersburg in particular has loaded up, bringing back Tikhonov to go along with the additions of the great Pavel Datsyuk, Bruins prospect Alexander Khokhlachev, and failed NHL experiment Sergei Plotnikov to a roster that already included the likes of Ilya Kovalchuk and Russian stars Vadim Shipachyov and Nikita Gusev. However, even if Tikhonov thrives on a loaded SKA team, it seems unlikely that he’ll try his hand at coming back overseas after his one-year deal expires. His NHL playing days appear to be over.
Coyotes Re-Sign Gaudet and Fournier
Arizona has signed restricted free agents Tyler Gaudet and Stefan Fournier to one-year, two-way contracts reports Sarah McLellan of AZCentral. As the team struggles with RFA negotiations with disgruntled winger Tobias Rieder and arbitration-bound defenseman Michael Stone, the team has gotten two of their lesser known young players signed on for another year.
Gaudet got his first real taste of NHL action last season, playing in 14 games with the Coyotes after just a two-game stint in 2014-15. Gaudet played only energy line minutes, about 10 minutes a game, but scored three points and impressed with his two-way play. He seems likely to battle for a full-time spot this season and get a long look from new GM John Chayka and the Coyotes coaching staff as they evaluate a very young roster. Guadet will make approximately $875K at the NHL level.
Fournier, the former captain of the QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads, will likely see most of his ice time during the inaugural season of the newly minted Tuscon Roadrunners of the AHL. A point-per-game player in juniors, Fournier’s game has not translated as well to the pros, as he has bounced around the AHL and ECHL the past few seasons. Despite scoring just four points in 32 games with Arizona’s AHL affiliate last season, they saw enough in him to bring him back. He’ll have to do better than that from a production perspective though if he wants to earn his $633K NHL salary.
Snapshots: White, KHL, Nugent-Hopkins
The Arizona Coyotes have been a determined franchise since bringing in 27-year old GM John Chayka to captain the ship. The league’s youngest GM in history has already put his fingerprints all over the roster and, according to Sarah McLellan of AZCentral, seems to have targeted Ryan White in free agency due to an attribute many may have overlooked: versatility.
The 28-year old forward has never been much of a scoring threat in his career (though he is coming off a career-best 11 goals), but it’s that versatility that drew Chayka to him. White can play both center and wing equally, and will provide a right-handed faceoff option in the defensive zone. Here are some more notes from around the league:
- The KHL has been aggressively pursuing expansion options across Europe and Asia, as seen from their recent move into China, and they may be headed towards the UK soon. In a couple of tweets this morning from separate sources, the league has reportedly reached some sort of an agreement to eventually put an expansion team in London.
- The Sabres have hired Tom Ward and Adam Nightengale to join their coaching staff, as an assistant and video coach respectively. Ward was last seen coaching the Shattuck St. Mary’s Boys Prep team in Minnesota, where he won nine national championships. Nightengale was previously the director of hockey operations at Michigan State University.
- Amid swirling trade rumors, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins admits that it sometimes gets into his head. On Edmonton’s 630 CHED today (via Chris Nichols), he said “There’s just a lot of talk and really, it’s just guys kind of putting their own opinions out there. It kind of gets carried away, I think, a little bit. But yeah, it’s still in the back of your mind a little bit.” The former first-overall pick hasn’t lived up to his high expectations (or contract) as of yet, scoring only 222 points in 313 career games, including just 34 last season (55 GP).
Minor Transactions: 07/15/16
Here is where we will keep track of all the day’s minor transactions:
- The Florida Panthers have re-signed Jonathan Racine to a one-year, two-way deal worth $660K at the NHL level. The defenseman played 69 games last season for the Portland Pirates, scoring one goal and nine points. Racine was a third-round pick by Florida in 2011, and has played in a single NHL game thus far.
- Daniel Catenacci has re-signed with the Buffalo Sabres for 2016-17, on a two-way deal worth the league minimum ($575K). Catenacci made his NHL debut this past season when he suited up for 11 games for the Sabres, but was held pointless. The 5’10” center plays a high-energy game and will try to work his way back into the bottom-six for Buffalo at some point this season.
- After extending Jake Allen and signing Carter Hutton this summer, the Blues have re-signed two more goaltenders, inking restricted free agents Jordan Binnington and Pheonix Copley to one-year, two-way deals. Binnington made his NHL debut this season when he relieved Brian Elliott on January 14th. The former third-round pick made 13 saves and allowed a goal in his first taste, but will surely head back to the AHL this season. Copley also debuted this season, relieving Allen on Feburary 27th.
- Philadelphia has signed restricted free agent Petr Straka to a one-year deal. The 24-year old was originally a second-round pick of the Blue Jackets in 2010, but chose not to sign a contract with them, eventually making him a free agent. He signed with the Flyers in 2013, and played for the Phantoms exclusively last season.
- Arizona’s Tyler Gaudet and Stefan Fournier accepted their qualifying offers tweets Sarah McLellan. General Fanager tweets that the deals are both one-year, two-way contracts. The financials read out as just above $874K for Gaudet, and just over $632K for Fournier.
Minor Transactions: 7/14/16
- The Los Angeles Kings have signed 2016 fourth round pick Jacob Moverare to a three-year, entry-level deal. The cap hit is $691,667. Jon Rosen writes that the 17-year-old forward has a hockey IQ and awareness of a first round pick, but his skating pulls his stock down. He quotes Director of Amateur Scouting Mark Yannetti as saying he has one of the highest IQ’s in the 2016 draft. Moverare played on HV71’s U20 team, notching 21 points (5-16) in 41 games.
- The Detroit Red Wings inked defenseman Filip Hronek to a three-year entry-level deal. The 2016 second round choice of the Wings played for HK Hradec Kralove in the Czech professional league, tallying 4 points (0-4) in 40 games. For the Under 20 junior club, Hronek registered 16 points (4-12) in 13 games. He will most likely play with the Saginaw Spirit in the OHL.
- The Sharks have re-signed forward Ryan Carpenter to a one-year deal. Carpenter spent 66 games with the San Jose Barracuda, registering 55 points (18-37). He played one game with the Sharks.
- The Arizona Coyotes have re-upped their affiliation with ECHL club Rapid City for the 2016-17 season. According to the release, the Rush were founded in 2008 and captured the CHL Championship in 2009-10.
- The Philadelphia Flyers have signed 2016 second-round pick Pascal Laberge to a three-year, entry-level contract. The deal will have a cap-hit of $842.5K each season, according to CapFriendly. Laberge played for the Victoriaville Tigers of the QMJHL last season, scoring 68 points in 56 games. He’s expected to head back there for the 2016-17 season.
Shane Doan Returns To Coyotes For 21st Season
The captain of the Arizona Coyotes and the face of the franchise for over two decades will be back for one more season. Craig Morgan announced late tonight that Shane Doan and the Coyotes have agreed to terms on a one-year deal. It is expected to be worth a total of $5MM, much of which will likely be incentive based.
Doan has had quite the career already, totaling 945 points in 1466 games, which is good enough for tenth and third respectively among all active players. Even with twenty seasons under his belt, he couldn’t help but re-sign for another year in Arizona. Doan, who will turn 40 during the upcoming season, is already the (original) Winnipeg Jets/Phoenix Coyotes/Arizona Coyotes franchise leader in games played, goals, and points, and will only increase his lead this season.
The importance of Doan to the Coyotes cannot be understated, even as the team goes through a rebuilding phase. The captain brings experience and leadership to the locker room and an unmatched physicality and on-ice presence to each and every game. Not only is he a great mentor to the young core of the Coyotes, but he is beloved by the fans as well, whose outpouring of celebration on social media followed soon after the signing was announced. While it seems unlikely that Doan will get that elusive Stanley Cup ring if he plays out yet another season with the Coyotes, the selflessness of his dedication to the franchise is a testament to his character and will continue to make him a hero in the game of hockey.
Coyotes, Rieder Far Apart In Contract Talks
The Arizona Coyotes and Restricted Free Agent (RFA) winger Tobias Rieder are “not close” in contract talks according to Rieder’s agent, Darren Ferris, in a conversation with Arizona Sports columnist Craig Morgan.
Rieder completed his entry-level contract with career highs across the board, scoring 14 goals and 37 points in 82 games. Ferris told Morgan their camp feels Maple Leafs center Nazem Kadri and new Coyotes winger Jamie McGinn are fair comparisons for Rieder; while both scored more points than Rieder last season, Rieder has superior possession stats. Kadri and McGinn have both signed new contracts this summer, worth $4.5MM and $3.33MM respectively.
Coyotes rookie GM John Chayka says talks have not progressed in “a while”, and that the team has made what they think is a fair offer. Rieder is not eligible for arbitration, something Chayka says the team isn’t trying to take advantage of. The contract impasse has lead Ferris to explore European and KHL options, but he says Rieder’s first choice is stay in the NHL.
The Coyotes’ qualifying offer, tendered in late June, expires on July 15. The two sides have until December 1 to negotiate a new contract, at which point Rieder is ineligible to play in the coming season.
Arizona has three other key free agents left to sign, captain Shane Doan is a UFA and defensemen Michael Stone and Connor Murphy are RFAs. The Coyotes have $18.68MM in cap space, according to CapFriendly.
Full Salary Arbitration Hearing Schedule
The NHLPA released the full schedule of arbitration hearings today, which will not include Jordan Weal, after he re-signed with the Philadelphia Flyers earlier today. Teams and players can still negotiate up until the hearing, and many will reach agreements before going to arbitration. For more information on the arbitration process, check out part one of our full guide. Here is the full schedule:
PLAYER ELECTED FILINGS
Arizona Coyotes
Michael Stone – August 4, 2016
Colorado Avalanche
Tyson Barrie – July 29, 2016
Mikhail Grigorenko – July 22, 2016
Detroit Red Wings
Danny DeKeyser – July 28, 2016
Minnesota Wild
Jordan Schroeder – July 27, 2016
Nashville Predators
Calle Jarnkrok – August 4, 2016
Petter Granberg – August 3, 2016
New York Rangers
Kevin Hayes – July 27, 2016
Chris Kreider – July 22, 2016
Dylan McIlrath – July 21, 2016
J.T. Miller – August 2, 2016
Ottawa Senators
Mike Hoffman – August 4, 2016
Philadelphia Flyers
Brandon Manning – August 2, 2016
Brayden Schenn – July 25, 2016
St. Louis Blues
Jaden Schwartz – July 20, 2016
Tampa Bay Lightning
Alex Killorn – July 20, 2016
Vladislav Namestnikov – July 29, 2016
Toronto Maple Leafs
Frank Corrado – July 26, 2016
Peter Holland – July 25, 2016
Martin Marincin – August 2, 2016
Washington Capitals
Marcus Johansson – July 20, 2016
CLUB ELECTED FILINGS
Detroit Red Wings
Petr Mrazek – July 27, 2016
Top-Line Options Remaining In Free Agency
For many teams, free agency is a place to find a player or two to slot into your top two lines, to supplement the core you already have in place. Edmonton went out and got Milan Lucic, to add some veteran toughness while replacing the outgoing offensive contribution of Taylor Hall. Vancouver added Loui Eriksson in a questionable move for a team who hasn’t quite decided what direction they’re headed in, and Buffalo brought on Kyle Okposo to ride shotgun with their young talent up front.
Now that the madness has died down, the market for these top-six players is extremely thin, with only a few names having established themselves there in the past. With Shane Doan surely re-signing with the Coyotes, and Patrik Elias looking as though it’s either Devils or retirement, two of the most well known names among this group aren’t going anywhere. Here are the other possibilities for a team to add to their top-six:
(number in parentheses represents ranking on our Top 50 UFAs)
- Jiri Hudler (18) – Though Hudler is now 32-years old and took a significant step back last season, he still represents one of the better second-line options available. His 46 points in 2015-16 split between the Flames and Panthers were a disappointing total for a player coming off a 31-goal, 76 point season but still ranked him right alongside players like Andrew Ladd (46 points, $38.5MM) and David Backes (45 points, $30MM).
- Kris Versteeg (25) – While Versteeg is probably better suited as a third-liner on a good team, he has shown the ability to move up in the lineup consistently in the past. A three-time twenty goal scorer, Versteeg has scored at least 34 points in each of his seven healthy seasons. He can play either wing, and brings a level of physicality to his game as well.
- Radim Vrbata (27) – Vrbata is clearly on the downswing of his career, having put up just 27 points and a whopping -30 mark last season. Now 35, he’ll look to sign a cheap deal and could be a nice value signing for a team pressed against the cap. Remember, this is a guy who has over 250 career NHL goals, and is just one season removed from the second 30-goal season of his career.
- Alex Tanguay (33) – Though he’s now 37, Tanguay continues to produce like a second-line center, putting up another 35 point campaign despite having a much reduced role after a trade to Arizona. For a team looking to shelter their young forwards, a veteran like Tanguay can provide some offensive punch on a cheap, short-term deal. He’ll likely break 900 points in what has been an excellent career for the former Avalanche stalwart.
- Brandon Pirri (NR) – Despite Pirri’s reputation as a bottom-six forward, some teams might see the former Panther as a second-line option, due to his previous goal scoring ability. Pirri has potted 36 goals over the past two seasons, including 22 in 2014-15. The problem is that he’s racked up just 17 assists over the same time. He was an outstanding scorer in his AHL career, and is still just 25-years old, meaning that taking a shot on him might not be the worst gamble among the remaining options.