Petrus Palmu Seeking SHL Deal, Nikita Tryamkin Remains Open To A Possible Vancouver Return
Several veteran players are still looking for a place to play but so is one of Vancouver’s prospects. Winger Petrus Palmu has spent the last two seasons with TPS Turku in Finland (aside from a brief stint with AHL Utica last year) but his agent Todd Diamond told Postmedia’s Patrick Johnston that the 22-year-old is hoping to catch on with a team in the SHL this season to play at a higher level of competition. Returning to the AHL doesn’t appear to be an option for Palmu at this time although he could join them or the Canucks at the completion of his season overseas.
Meanwhile, Diamond also reiterated that blueliner Nikita Tryamkin remains open to the idea of one day rejoining the Canucks. That almost certainly won’t happen this season as he’s under contract with Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg of the KHL and they’re unlikely to release him from his deal early. Vancouver holds his NHL rights through the 2021-22 season.
Pittsburgh Penguins Sign Marcus Pettersson
As expected, the Pittsburgh Penguins have signed defenseman Marcus Pettersson to a one-year, one-way deal and will have him in training camp. Pettersson accepted his qualifying offer salary of $874,125. GM Jim Rutherford released a short statement on the deal:
Marcus is a smart, reliable defenseman who improved our defensive corps after coming over from Anaheim last year. We are fortunate to have a good, young defenseman of his caliber in our top-six.
Pettersson, 23, will come back to the Penguins on a very reasonable deal after he broke out as a full-time player last season. Originally selected in the second round by the Anaheim Ducks, he ended up on Pittsburgh as the return for Daniel Sprong and immediately found a home. Playing nearly 18 minutes a night, Pettersson recorded 19 points in 57 games with the Penguins and finished tenth in Calder Trophy voting. After Erik Gudbranson was acquired from the Vancouver Canucks, the two made up a very solid second pairing and actually posted some of the strongest possession numbers on the team.
That strong season made many expect a more expensive deal for the young defenseman, but the Penguins have convinced him to come back for at least one more year at a reduced price. While it doesn’t give them much certainty going forward, a near-minimum contract that can be plugged in gives the team a lot more flexibility in designing their roster. The Penguins currently project just over the cap meaning there very well could be another trade coming at some point, though with such a low number for Pettersson they could actually just start the season with fewer than 23 players on the roster and make the decision down the line.
Either way, something will have to change at some point on the blueline. The team has up to nine defensemen with NHL experience and all of them will require waivers in order to be sent to the minor leagues. If they all get through training camp healthy, Rutherford will have to make a decision on who he wants to expose to the rest of the league.
Pettersson will be a restricted free agent again next season and will have arbitration rights.
Vancouver Canucks Restructure Front Office
The Vancouver Canucks have made several changes in the front office in preparation for the upcoming season. Chris Higgins re-joins the team as assistant director, player development, Todd Harvey and Derek Richard will take on additional responsibilities as amateur scouts and Troy Ward, Phil Golding and Martin Bakula have all been hired as amateur scouts. Other changes in the scouting department include Pat Conacher moving to the amateur side after several seasons as director of hockey operations with the Utica Comets, and Ryan Biech joining the team as a video analyst. Dan Cloutier, who has served as a goaltending coach and director of goaltending for eight seasons, has resigned.
This is a big season for the Canucks, given their investment in players like Tyler Myers, J.T. Miller and Micheal Ferland this offseason. Getting Brock Boeser is obviously the biggest thing left on the to-do list, but adding more resources to the scouting department is always an important step. The Canucks have hit home runs in Quinn Hughes, Elias Pettersson and Boeser over the last few years, and appear to have another top talent in Vasili Podkolzin from June’s draft.
Vancouver Canucks, Brock Boeser Still Not Close On Contract
The Vancouver Canucks begin training camp on Friday ahead of a big season with big expectations. Their young core led by Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes and Brock Boeser is hoping to turn things around push the Canucks into a playoff spot in the Pacific Division. There’s only one thing wrong with that picture—Boeser still doesn’t have a contract. The 22-year old won’t be with the club on Friday without one, and Rick Dhaliwal of Sportsnet reports that the two sides are still not close to a deal, with a big salary gap even on a short-term deal.
Boeser, who has scored 59 goals through the first 140 games of his career, is absolutely paramount to the Canucks’ chances this season. Though the team has added talent like J.T. Miller, Micheal Ferland and Tyler Myers, no one can match Boeser’s pure goal-scoring ability and perfect fit with Pettersson on the top line. His 39 even-strength goals over the last two seasons puts him ahead of other wingers like Patrik Laine, Mitch Marner and Phil Kessel and he ranks 25th in the entire league for goals (of any variety) per game over that time.
The question will be how the two sides finally structure the deal to provide Boeser with the best financial opportunity. There have been reports earlier this year that had the player asking for a number somewhere in the vicinity of $7MM per season, but it would be difficult for the Canucks to fit that in at the moment given their other cap commitments—this is where Roberto Luongo‘s recapture penalty is really squeezing GM Jim Benning and the rest of the front office. A comparable player in Timo Meier signed at the beginning of the summer for $24MM over four years, but loaded $10MM of that in salary at the end so that his qualifying offer would be that high in his final year of restricted free agency. The Canucks may not want to do something like that and provide a roadmap for Boeser to get to UFA status so easily, but obviously there is a substantial gap still on shorter-term deals.
It is important to note that unlike other restricted free agents that have played three full seasons on their entry-level contracts, Boeser is not eligible for an offer sheet thanks to making his NHL debut at the end of the 2016-17 season after coming out of college. He only has two options at this point, hold out or sign a deal with the team, since he’s also not arbitration eligible. Boeser must sign before December 1st in order to be eligible to play at all this year.
Pacific Notes: Miller, Gaudette, McLeod
The Vancouver Canucks paid a heavy price this summer when it went out and traded their 2020 first-round pick to Tampa Bay to acquire forward J.T. Miller. Despite a disappointing season with the Lightning last year in which he scored just 13 goals and 47 points, Vancouver believes they are getting a 20-goal, 50-point player, who can immediately step into the Canucks’ top-six.
One thing that many people like about Miller is the fact that he is a versatile forward, who can play any position on the forward line. And at reasonable cost at $5.25MM over the next four years, he should provide solid value for a team that needs to score goals. However, while most people have Miller penciled in as a winger on one of those top two lines, The Athletic’s Harman Dayal (subscription required) writes that the team should instead consider moving him back to center and placing him on the third line in hopes of stabilizing a line that has been a nightmare for several years now.
Of course trading a first-round pick for what could be a third-line center might not look good for general manager Jim Benning. However, Dayal cites that Miller has solid defensive skills that would make him a solid full-time center and the entire goal is to make the team better and the team might be better off with Miller at center and a lesser winger moving up in the lineup. It also might leave the team better off with a deeper and more talented balance on all three lines, as opposed to putting all their talent in the top two lines.
- Sticking with the Canucks, the Province’s Ben Kuzma writes that no matter how you look at it, Vancouver center Adam Gaudette just doesn’t have much of a chance to make the team out of training camp. The 22-year-old Gaudette played 56 games for Vancouver last year, but with a loaded roster and the fact that he is waiver-exempt, the math just doesn’t work out for Gaudette staying in the NHL when the season starts. It’s far more likely that the team will send the former Hobey Baker award winner to Utica in the AHL to start the season. He only played 14 games there last year as he spent most of his first professional season learning on the fly as the team’s No. 3 center. However, with more depth in hand, Kuzma writes that the team might be able to develop his skills even better in Utica. He scored five goals and 11 points in the 14 games he played with the Comets last year.
- Despite continued impressive play by 2018 second-round pick Ryan McLeod in rookie camp so far and considering that McLeod came close to breaking camp with Edmonton last year, the team is very high on his development and potentially making the team this year. However, the Edmonton Journal’s Kurt Leavins writes that despite McLeod’s impressive play, the recent signing of Riley Sheahan almost guarantees that McLeod will return to juniors this year. Regardless, Leavins believes have their future No. 3 center, starting next season.
Landon Ferraro To Attend Vancouver Canucks Training Camp
According to Jeff Patterson of TSN, Landon Ferraro will be attending Vancouver Canucks training camp on a professional tryout. Ferraro last played in the NHL during the 2017-18 season and missed much of last year due to injury.
Ferraro, 28, was once a top prospect of the Detroit Red Wings, selected 32nd overall in 2009 thanks to a solid year in junior and a famous last name—he is the son of Ray Ferraro, who scored 408 goals in the NHL. Unfortunately things took a slight downward turn almost immediately, as his goal scoring dried up in junior and he spent several years in the minor leagues trying to find his game.
There is offensive talent there, as proven by his multiple 20-goal seasons in the AHL, but Ferraro has never been able to find much consistency at the NHL level. He’ll try to earn himself another two-way contract at training camp to see if he can resurrect his career. The Trail, British Columbia native should feel right at home with the Canucks, and perhaps he can use that familiarity to finally break through and be a nice depth piece for the team. In 77 NHL games, he has 12 points.
Penguins Unlikely To Make Cap-Clearing Trade
The Pittsburgh Penguins are currently over the salary cap limit, per CapFriendly, with $81.66MM committed to 23 players. That does not include restricted free agent defenseman Marcus Pettersson, who reportedly has been waiting for the Penguins to clear the necessary space to sign him to a long-term contract. GM Jim Rutherford even stated that he hoped to sign the 23-year-old blue liner to a long extension and would likely need to move out another roster player to do so. So, a trade is coming to Pittsburgh before the start of the season, right? Probably not, as it turns out. The Athletic’s Josh Yohe recently caught up with Rutherford who has changed his tune on making a deal. “It might turn out that we won’t be able to give Marcus the contract that we want to be able to give right now,” Rutherford said, “But if that’s the case, we’ll make everything work with the cap. And we can do that without trading anyone.”
Yohe speculates that the Penguins could fit Pettersson under the cap on a cheap one-year deal, even though that is not the preference of either side. By demoting one of the defensemen Pettersson would be replacing on the roster, Zach Trotman or Juuso Riikola, the salaries offset somewhat. Trotman in particular appears to be more of a placeholder on the roster if Pettersson is not signed by the beginning of the regular season, as the veteran did not see any NHL action last year. Yohe also adds that keeping Tristan Jarry at $675K as the backup goalie over Casey DeSmith at $1.25MM would also add much needed space, although would be a risky endeavor. DeSmith would be an attractive claim candidate for a number of teams as an affordable backup with term on his contract. The team could choose instead to trade DeSmith, but Rutherford clearly doesn’t see that as a possibility in the current market.
Making a trade remains the simplest way for Pittsburgh to clear space for Pettersson, but Rutherford’s hands appear to be tied. “You can’t make a trade when you can’t find anyone to trade with” he stated to Yohe. The Penguins have been a fixture on the trade market over the last few years and may be running out of willing partners. Last year alone, Rutherford made nine trades during the regular season, only to keep going this off-season with trades shipping out Phil Kessel and Olli Maatta. It could also be the competitors aren’t buying what Rutherford is selling. Defenseman Jack Johnson remains the player that the team would most like to move, but he has little to no market value at his inflated salary. The team also has reportedly tried to flip former Florida Panthers forward Nick Bjugstad, whose value has declined somewhat. As for their more homegrown products, defenseman Justin Schultz and winger Bryan Rust have come up in trade rumors, but have been associated with high asking prices as well.
By saying that no one will make a trade, Rutherford likely just means that no team is currently willing to bite on the players he is open to moving at the price he is willing to take. If that continues, and Pettersson is willing to take a one-year deal with the hopes of driving the price up on an extension next summer, then Rutherford and the Penguins would be better served not to make a desperation trade and instead try to squeeze the young defender onto the roster. It may be difficult season for Pittsburgh when it comes to roster flexibility, but it may be their best solution to the current issue.
Morning Notes: Krug, Coyne-Schofield, Horvat
The Boston Bruins have two defensemen still unsigned in Brandon Carlo and Charlie McAvoy, so Torey Krug‘s contract negotiations haven’t even started yet. That’s what the veteran defenseman told media including Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press, explaining that though he hasn’t had any talks with the Bruins about extending his contract—which is scheduled to expire after the 2019-20 season—he can understand why as they try to get his teammates back in time for training camp.
Krug will be an unrestricted free agent next summer if an extension isn’t worked out, and likely among the most sought-after names on the open market. The 28-year old is coming off three consecutive seasons in which he has recorded at least 51 points, including an incredible 53 in just 64 games last year. Krug could also have been in the running for the Conn Smythe trophy had the Bruins taken home the Stanley Cup, after posting 18 points in 24 postseason games. Though he has been involved in constant trade speculation for the last several seasons, Krug may carry even more importance on the Boston blueline to start the season if either Carlo or McAvoy (or both) miss time.
- Kendall Coyne-Schofield will join the San Jose Sharks broadcast team as a color analyst for select games this season, as she continues her boycott of the professional women’s hockey leagues. Coyne-Schofield, who gained increased public exposure when she took part in the NHL All-Star Fastest Skater competition last season, was part of a group of more than 200+ women who decided to announce a boycott in May to further their pursuit of increased resources for the women’s game. The PWHPA, formed soon after, will be putting on a showcase of the top talent this fall, but Coyne-Schofield will not be taking part in the Toronto stop on September 21.
- Bo Horvat is ready to take on the captaincy of the Vancouver Canucks, if the team decides to give it to him. Horvat told media including Frank Seravalli of TSN that he would welcome the honor and that it “would change the type of player [he] wants to be.” Horvat was dubbed a potential future captain from the moment he hit the ice for the first time with the Canucks in 2014, and has developed into an extremely important part of their lineup. The 24-year old center is coming off his best season as a professional, in which he scored 27 goals and 61 points in 82 games.
Nikolay Goldobin Signs With Vancouver Canucks
As expected, the Vancouver Canucks have reached an agreement with restricted free agent Nikolay Goldobin. The young forward has re-signed with the team on a one-year, one-way contract worth $900K. Reports yesterday were that things had moved in a positive direction, and this deal will now leave the Canucks with just Brock Boeser left to get under contract. GM Jim Benning released a short statement on the signing:
Nikolay is a gifted offensive player who has shown good chemistry with some of our other younger players. He has taken steps to round out his game and we’re excited to see continued improvement from him this season.
Goldobin, 23, scored 27 points in 63 games last season for the Canucks but still hasn’t quite figured out his game at the NHL level. Armed with plenty of offensive talent, there are times when Goldobin fades into the background and doesn’t assert himself enough to deserve a bigger role. That said, there have been times that he looks right at home alongside top players like Boeser and the Canucks will hope he can grow on that moving forward.
The young forward will have arbitration rights as a restricted free agent when the deal expires next year. Vancouver will now turn its full attention towards Boeser and the ongoing negotiation which is still expected to take some time. Though Goldobin’s relatively low salary will give them some extra wiggle room, the Canucks don’t have a ton of cap space to fit Boeser in if the reports of demands reaching $7MM per season are to believed. There may be some more work coming for Benning and company to clear a bit of space, or the team may be heading into the year without much flexibility.
Canucks Notes: Boeser, Goldobin, Juolevi
The Vancouver Canucks are one of the teams looking at the start of training camp in a few days with one of their key players still without a contract as Brock Boeser remains unsigned now into September. Though there is obvious upside for both the player and team to have things resolved before camp, Rick Dhaliwal of Sportsnet tweeted yesterday that there is still “lots of work to do” before a deal can be made.
Boeser, 22, has already scored 59 goals in his young career but has been limited by injury in each of his two full seasons with the Canucks. While other players like Mitch Marner, Brayden Point and Mikko Rantanen have huge point totals to bring up in negotiations, Boeser has a career-high of just 56 thanks to all the time he’s missed. There’s no question how important he is to the Vancouver attack but there are serious risks on both sides to both a bridge deal and long-term deal, which may have made the negotiations a bit more difficult. Boeser is expected to be looking for a four-year deal with a cap hit around $7MM, but with less than two weeks before training camp opens things may have to change to get it done in time.
- The Canucks have another restricted free agent that gets much less publicity, but still could be an important piece. Nikolay Goldobin hasn’t been able to find his way in the NHL just yet, but Dhaliwal reports that there has been “positive dialogue” towards a new contract. The 23-year old Goldobin had 27 points in 63 games last season and showed flashes of the offensive ability that made him the 27th overall pick in 2014, but he needs to find more consistency in order to really be an impact player for the Canucks moving forward.
- Speaking of high draft picks that haven’t quite found their way, the Canucks still have high hopes for defenseman Olli Juolevi as he continues to rehab a knee injury. Juolevi may not participate much in the upcoming prospects camp according to Ben Kuzma of The Province, who spoke with Canucks GM Jim Benning. Benning explained that the team wouldn’t “throw [Juolevi] into the fire” as they try to avoid any setbacks and have him ready for the start of the season. Juolevi underwent knee surgery last December and still has not made his NHL debut despite being the fifth overall pick in 2016.