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Evening Notes: Sharks Lineup, Gaudette, Johansson

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The San Jose Sharks had to cast off a number of forwards this offseason after they inked star defenseman Erik Karlsson to an eight-year, $92MM contract three weeks ago. The team let Joe Pavelski and Joonas Donskoi off and there continue to be rumors that they may have to trade off Melker Karlsson later on this summer to free up more cap room.

Of course, San Jose is expected to re-sign Joe Thornton and are likely to also bring back Patrick Marleau. Yet, despite those signings, there are likely going to be some holes in their lineup. In fact, The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz (subscription required) writes that there could be a major change in the top-six. The scribe writes that San Jose might look to its prospect depth to fill one of the wing positions on the second line this season as Sasha Chmelevski and Ivan Chekovich could be the beneficiaries of that job.

Chmelevski, a sixth-round gem found in the 2017 draft, has scored 70 goals and 151 points in the past two seasons with the Ottawa 67s of the OHL. Chekovich, a seventh-round stud picked up in the 2017 draft as well, scored 43 goals and 105 points last season in the QMJHL, but also gotten some time in the AHL with three goals and seven points in nine AHL games. Kurz writes that the only way they would make the team is if one of them played on the second line. A spot on the bottom-six would make less sense, however, as they could get valuable minutes with the San Jose Barracuda instead.

  • The Vancouver Canucks have been quite active this offseason and have added quite a bit of depth to their team. However, Patrick Johnson of the Vancouver Sun writes that the team will have a significant roster jam at the forward position this fall. The team currently has 13 healthy forwards under NHL deals and still have to sign Nikolay Goldobin and Brock Boeser to deals. Throw in the injured Antoine Roussel, the team has a lot of forwards with only 12 spots. That could put the spot of Adam Gaudette, who many people feel deserves a spot as the team’s third-line center, in jeopardy as the 22-year-old is the only player on the team (minus Elias Pettersson and Boeser) who can be sent down without having to pass through waivers. Unless Gaudette can have a dominant camp and beat out some of the others like Brandon Sutter, he could find himself starting the year off in Utica of the AHL.
  • The two-year deal that winger Marcus Johansson signed Saturday with the Buffalo Sabres includes a modified no-trade clause, according to CapFriendly. Johansson has the ability to provide Buffalo with a list of 10 teams he cannot be traded to during both his seasons. That’s an improvement on his previous deal where for the past two years he could submit five teams he couldn’t be traded to.

Benning: Canucks To Restructure Scouting Department

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  • Vancouver’s amateur scouting department is undergoing some changes for next season. Postmedia’s Patrick Johnston notes that the Canucks have parted ways with a trio of scouts.  One of those, Chris MacDonald, has left for a post with another team but has yet to officially be announced.  GM Jim Benning indicated that there will be some further restructuring to the scouting staff in the weeks to come as some of their scouts are shifted into different positions.

Vancouver Canucks Sign Josh Leivo

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The Vancouver Canucks have come to an agreement with another one of their restricted free agents, signing forward Josh Leivo to a one-year contract worth $1.5MM. Leivo was eligible for salary arbitration, and will be an unrestricted free agent when this contract expires. GM Jim Benning explained what he likes about Leivo’s game:

Josh made a positive addition to our roster last year. He has a versatile game, is a strong two-way player and generates offence throughout our lineup. We’re excited to have Josh sign as a member of the Vancouver Canucks.

Ending up in Vancouver was the chance of a lifetime for Leivo, who had been previously stuck in a difficult situation with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Despite showing strong offensive numbers whenever he got the chance to play, Leivo was strapped to a press box seat on a nightly basis. He ended up playing just 34 games at any level over a two-year span between 2016-18, wasting two key years of his prime.

Now with the Canucks, he’s trying to make up for that lost time. After a trade from the Maple Leafs mid-season took him to the west coast, he was given the opportunity to play with some of the team’s best players and quickly started producing. While that rate didn’t continue for the whole year, he did finish with 18 points in 49 games for the Canucks. Add that to his 27 games in a Toronto sweater to start the year and Leivo more than doubled his NHL experience in one season. With a new one-year deal in his back pocket he’ll try to contribute even more and set himself up for a multi-year contract next summer.

Pittsburgh Penguins Extend Mike Sullivan

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have decided to reward their head coach with an extension, inking Mike Sullivan for another four years. The deal will start at the end of the 2019-20 season and take him through 2023-24. GM Jim Rutherford issued a statement on his coach:

Mike has done a great job delivering four, 100-plus point seasons with our team. To win back-to-back Stanley Cups in this era speaks volumes of him as a coach. His instincts in managing the inter-workings of our team both on and off the ice has been impressive.

Sullivan was named head coach of the Penguins in 2015 after the team moved on from Mike Johnston mid-season, only to immediately lead them to a Stanley Cup after going 33-16-5 down the stretch. He’d come back the next season with an even more impressive performance, leading the Penguins to a 50-21-11 record in the regular season and a second consecutive championship. In all four years with Sullivan as head coach for at least part of the season, the Penguins have finished with at least 100 points.

Even with all that success however, there was some speculation over Sullivan’s future with the team. Reported clashes with start players like Phil Kessel and Evgeni Malkin along with an embarrassing exit in this year’s playoffs—the Penguins were swept out of the first round by the New York Islanders—led reporters to ask GM Jim Rutherford about his coach’s performance and future. Speaking with Josh Yohe of The Athletic (subscription required) Rutherford came to the defense of Sullivan immediately:

Personally. I believe this was the best coaching job Mike Sullivan has done since he’s been with the Penguins. The dynamic of the team this season, it was difficult for him to deal with. This team never came together. It just never did. I don’t want to get into all of the details. But Mike had to deal with a lot of different circumstances this year. He had to keep things under control. It’s impressive that he still pulled off a 100-point season.

Even with that support, Sullivan had just one year left on his contract and when the team brought in famed minor league coach Mike Vellucci recently there was talk that he might be on the hot seat. No more, as Sullivan will now have job security and a chance to take the Penguins back to the playoffs again with a different looking lineup next season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Snapshots: Boeser, Cracknell, Jets

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The Vancouver Canucks and Brock Boeser are closer on a new contract according to Rick Dhaliwal of Sportsnet, though he notes there is still “work to be done and neither side [is] budging.” Boeser is part of the outstanding group of young restricted free agents looking for big deals this offseason, though it is important to note that he is not eligible for an offer sheet. Like Charlie McAvoy in Boston, Boeser is treated like an RFA but doesn’t have all of the same rights because of the way he burned through his entry-level contract, playing through the first year in just nine games after his 2016-17 college season ended.

That, combined with the fact that Boeser is not arbitration eligible, means this negotiation could potentially go on long into the summer if both sides aren’t willing to find some middle ground. The 22-year old forward is one of the most interesting cases this summer thanks to the injury trouble he has suffered through the early part of his young career. Though he has suited up just 140 times, Boeser has already scored 59 goals and 116 points.

  • Adam Cracknell will be taking his talents to China, as Kunlun Red Star of the KHL announced a one-year contract with the NHL veteran. The 33-year old forward has played 210 NHL games across a long professional career, an impressive accomplishment for a ninth-round pick. He suited up last season for the Toronto Marlies, San Diego Gulls and Anaheim Ducks, scoring a total of 38 points in 44 games in the minors and zero in his two NHL appearances. He was however a force in the playoffs with the Gulls, and could very well find success overseas playing in the KHL. He’ll join several other familiar names like Jake Chelios, Gilbert Brule, Spencer Foo and Wojtek Wolski on Kunlun.
  • The Winnipeg Jets have added a little bit of depth up front this free agent period, adding veteran center Mark Letestu to a one-year deal. They likely aren’t done there, as Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun is expecting the team to add another fourth-line forward at some point. That forward will likely have penalty killing experience and cost the team less than $1MM in salary according to Wiebe, which certainly doesn’t limit the field. There are plenty of free agent forwards still out there looking for work, including Winkler, Manitoba native Eric Fehr, coming off a solid season with the Minnesota Wild.

Justin Bailey Signs With Vancouver Canucks

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The Vancouver Canucks have picked up another depth forward, signing Justin Bailey to a one-year two-way contract. Bailey failed to receive a qualifying offer from the Philadelphia Flyers last month and became an unrestricted free agent.

Bailey, 24, was originally selected in the second round of the 2013 draft but has failed to establish himself in the NHL to this point. Playing 63 games for the Flyers and Buffalo Sabres, the 6’4″ forward has just nine points. If given a bigger opportunity in Vancouver there is a possibility he can produce a little more offensively, but the likelihood of him becoming an impact player seems low at this point.

Still, adding more depth for the bottom-six at a reasonable price is never a bad thing and Bailey has shown he can clear waivers in the past. That means he might end up ticketed for the Utica Comets if he can’t carve out a role in training camp. The Canucks do already have a huge number of forwards that will be competing for the final few spots, making Bailey’s chances even more slim. Not many of them have the size he brings however, something that head coach Travis Green might appreciate on his roster.

Vancouver Canucks Re-Sign Tyler Motte

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The Vancouver Canucks have signed restricted free agent Tyler Motte to a one-year, $975K contract. The deal will leave Motte a RFA again next summer, though he will have arbitration rights. GM Jim Benning explained the move:

Tyler plays a physical, two-way game that complements our forward group. He’s strong on the forecheck, helps our penalty kill and showed he can contribute offensively last year. We’re pleased to have Tyler continue his career as a member of the Vancouver Canucks.

Motte, 24, ended up playing in 74 games last season for the Canucks, scoring nine goals and 16 points in a limited role. He did however lead the team in hits by a good margin, sacrificing his own body countless times to hunt down pucks in the offensive zone. The problem with logging that many hits—200 in his 74 contests—is it usually means that you don’t have the puck much. Motte registered terrible possession numbers for the third straight season in his young career, something that will have to improve if he’s ever to make a big impact on the team.

He becomes the 11th forward on the Canucks roster with a one-way contract, and with three more restricted free agents to go—Brock Boeser, Josh Leivo and Nikolay Goldobin—the team will have to make some tough decisions on who stays and who goes down to the minor leagues. The only waiver-exempt forwards on the roster are Boeser, Elias Pettersson and Adam Gaudette, meaning Vancouver will be in quite the roster crunch when the season rolls around if they don’t make any trades this summer.

Vancouver Canucks Sign Tyler Graovac, Zane McIntyre

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The Canucks have had a singular focus for much of the day and that has been defense, signing Tyler Myers, Jordie Benn, and Oscar Fantenberg. However, the team has made some depth additions in other areas as well. Center Tyler Graovac has been signed to a one-year, two-way contract, as has goaltender Zane McIntyre. Both players spent all of last season in the AHL, but do have NHL experience.

Graovac, 26, is actually coming off an excellent season in the minor leagues, scoring 50 points in 65 games with the Stockton Heat. The seventh-round pick has carved out a nice professional career even if his NHL experience is limited, and should be a key player for the Utica Comets this season. In 62 NHL games he has just nine points meaning the Canucks shouldn’t be relying on him for any offense at that level, but a 6’5″ center with a minor-league scoring touch is never a bad thing to add to the organization.

McIntyre meanwhile will give the organization some more goaltending depth, though it’s not clear exactly how things will shake out at this point. The Canucks now have six goaltenders in the organization, including top prospect Michael DiPietro who will need ample playing time to continue his development. The 26-year old McIntyre played eight games for the Boston Bruins in 2016-17, but has spent the last two seasons entirely in the AHL. This past one wasn’t particularly good, though he still is an experienced hand that can help fill out the organizational chart.

Dallas Stars Add Tanner Kero, Re-Sign Reece Scarlett

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The Dallas Stars continue an impressive day that already includes adding decorated veterans Joe Pavelski, Corey Perry, and Andrej Sekera by inking a pair of depth players. The team has announced a two-way contract with forward Tanner Kero, as well as defenseman Reece Scarlett. Both contracts carry a minimum NHL cap hit of $700K.

Kero, 26, has signed a two-year deal following a breakout season with the AHL’s Utica Comets. In 72 NHL games with the Chicago Blackhawks, Kero was primarily used in a bottom-six role and his offense was somewhat limited. After a move to the Vancouver Canucks, Kero spent the whole season in the minors, but rediscovered his offensive touch with 57 points in 67 games. A versatile player who can be a top AHL scorer, but able to slot in anywhere in the NHL lineup, Kero could be a valuable asset for Dallas.

Scarlett, 26, is entering his third season with the Stars organization, but it may not seem that way. Scarlett was acquired from the Florida Panthers in a 2017 trade and played in 44 games with the AHL’s Texas Stars that season. However, he failed to produce the same offensive numbers as he had in his previous AHL seasons. Then, after re-signing with the team last summer, an injury cost him all but one game last season. Despite seemingly having a lot to prove after two seasons with the Stars, Dallas clearly likes the potential that Scarlett can bring on the blue line.

Boston Bruins Announce Several Signings

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While the Boston Bruins garnered some attention early on today with a long-term extension for defenseman Connor Clifton and the signings of young power forward Brett Ritchie and third-string goalie Maxime Lagace, the team was quietly working through a number of other deals that insiders failed to pick up on. The team has announced seven signings: extensions for Clifton and Ryan Fitzgerald, one-way contracts for Ritchie and Par Lindholm, two-way contracts for Lagace and Brendan Gaunce, and an AHL contract for defenseman Josiah Didier.

Outside of Clifton and Ritchie, the biggest news is the addition of Lindholm, who signed a two-year deal with an AAV of $850K. Although Lindholm, 27, just finished his first NHL season after a long career in Sweden, the Bruins got a good look at him as a member of the rival Toronto Maple Leafs. Lindholm recorded 12 points in 61 games for Toronto, but was held to just one point in four regular season games and two postseason games for the Winnipeg Jets following a late-season trade. However, defense is more Lindholm’s game anyway, as he proved to be a good physical presence and proved to be adept at blocking shots and creating turnovers. Lindholm is a good fourth-line depth option and penalty kill possibility for the Bruins, who lost Noel Acciari to the Florida Panthers, but replace much of the same ability at half the price.

Gaunce, 25, became a UFA after he was not tendered a qualifying offer by the Vancouver Canucks. A 2012 first-round pick, the Canucks expected more offense out of the forward, who instead recorded just 15 points in 117 NHL games through four seasons with the team. Last year, Gaunce played all but three games in the AHL. At his point, Gaunce is a player who uses his size and speed to play a physical, up-tempo style, but lacks the skill to play a scoring role in the NHL. At best, Gaunce will challenge Lindholm to be the next man up on the fourth line in Boston, and would be an affordable piece at $700K, but at worst he has a high floor of being a hard-working and experienced minor league presence that will make his Providence teammates better.

One such teammate is Fitzgerald, who returns to the team on a one-year, $700K deal, coming in below his qualifying offer. Fitzgerald has shown a well-rounded game and consistent production in two years with the Providence Bruins, as he did in four years at Boston College. The homegrown product comes from hockey bloodlines and plays a smart game. There’s still some question of whether the skill is enough to get to the NHL, though. Fitzgerald will still be searching for his Boston debut this coming season.

Another Providence addition is Didier, who strengthens a talented, but shallow AHL blue line for the Bruins. Didier is coming off a career-best offensive season for the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers, despite only being a part-time player for the Calder Cup champs. It’s unclear how much of a role he will play in Providence, but it’s a risk-free investment in a big, experienced defender by the Bruins.

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