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Pacific Notes: Heed, Coyotes, Gennaro

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Defenseman Tim Heed is an impending unrestricted free agent that has received little media attention so far, and it sounds like he won’t be getting much more outside of his current market. The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz reports that Heed is expected to re-sign with the San Jose Sharks rather than test the market. Initially looking like the odd man out on San Jose’s blue line, the team has since traded Justin Braun and opted not to extend a qualifying offer to Joakim Ryan, opening up space for Heed’s return. The Sharks already have $66.7MM committed to just 15 players next season, with new contracts in store for RFA’s Timo Meier, Kevin Labanc, and Dylan Gambrell and decisions to make on UFA’s Joe Pavelski, Joe Thornton, and more. Heed would be an affordable addition who is already familiar with the team and can act as a capable bottom-pair defender. Kurz points out that the right-shot Heed would be an ideal replacement in old spot. After playing in a career-high 37 games last year, Heed has likely earned the trust of the San Jose staff to at least begin the year as a starter while a number of promising blue line prospects continue to develop.

  • The Arizona Coyotes have announced several changes to their front office, the most notable of which is poaching Scott Walker from the division rival Vancouver Canucks. Walker, a former OHL coach, spent the past four years as the Canucks’ Director of Player Development, but has now been hired by Arizona as Special Assistant to the General Manager. Internally, three other executives have been promoted: Jake Goldberg has been named Assistant to the General Manager; Phil McRae has been named the Director of North American Amateur Scouting; and Bryan Stewart has been named the Coyotes’ Director of Pro Scouting.
  • The ’Yotes’ AHL affiliate, the Tuscon Roadrunners, have re-signed forward Matteo Gennaro to a one-year contract. Gennaro, a former Winnipeg Jets prospect, just wrapped up his first pro season with Tuscon. The 22-year-old center was a force in his junior days in the WHL, but got off to a slow start to the next stage of his career with just 12 points in 58 games. However, Gennaro has always been considered a raw prospect and should continue to grow and round out at the pro level. The Roadrunners hope Gennaro can get closer to the 80-point seasons he put up at the end of his junior career, but they’ll settle for steady improvement in his sophomore season.

Roberto Luongo Announces Retirement

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One of the greatest goaltenders in the history of the NHL is finally hanging up his pads (literally). Roberto Luongo took to Twitter to announce his retirement and detailed his decision in a long letter to fans of his, explaining that he would love to stay on as part of the Florida Panthers’ organization in some capacity:

…Once I’ve had some time to process this and make the adjustment, I’d love to be part of the Panthers organization. This is where my home is and I still love and want to be involved with hockey. At the end of the day, maybe I didn’t win the Stanley Cup on the ice, but perhaps I can still put my name on it in another way. It wouldn’t be quite the same, but it would still be quite the accomplishment.

His retirement brings with it more than just a vacancy in the Panthers’ crease. Because of the structure of his contract and the fact that he is retiring before it is completed, both Florida and the Vancouver Canucks will face cap recapture penalties for the next several seasons. Though there is some dispute over the exact numbers, the most recent estimate from Frank Seravalli of TSN had the Canucks facing a $3.03MM penalty for each of the next three years, while the Panthers would face a $1.09MM penalty for the same duration. Luongo had three years left on his deal that carried a $5.33MM cap hit, though the Canucks were retaining $800K of that. The actual salary however was set to drop to just $3.62MM total over those three years, meaning he’s not giving up very much compared to the ~$93MM he has already earned in his career.

Regardless of the cap implications that his retirement causes, Luongo’s presence in the NHL will be sorely missed. The sarcastic, humble personality that he crafted through social media and interactions with fans made him well-liked across the entire league, even as he continued to put up incredible numbers. Third all-time in wins with 489, he will go down as one of the best goaltenders to never win a Stanley Cup or Vezina Trophy. His best chance at the latter may have been in 2004, when he recorded a .931 save percentage while appearing in 72 games for the Panthers. Unfortunately the team wasn’t able to help him and his 25-33-14 record cost him votes to the eventual winner, Martin Brodeur.

Or perhaps it was 2011 when Luongo led the league in wins with 38 and took home the Jennings trophy as the goaltender for the team who allowed the fewest goals. His .928 save percentage was a huge part of the success for the Canucks that season, though he would eventually watch Tim Thomas accept the award after an otherworldly season. Overall, Luongo finishes his career with a .919 save percentage across 1,044 regular season games.

Obviously it is impossible to see a hole appear in the Panthers net and not immediately speculate on who will fill it next season. While the team has James Reimer under contract they have explored trading him over the last few weeks, and are still being linked to free agent Sergei Bobrovsky. Though the cap recapture penalty is annoying, it actually may be better for a team with the cap space of the Panthers than trying to navigate the tricky long-term injured reserve waters. Bobrovsky reportedly met with the Panthers in recent days, but is also headed to New York to have some further meetings.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Snapshots: Qualifying Offers, Haas, Doan

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The quality of players hitting the open market today after not receiving qualifying offers is much higher than in recent years past, as teams facing frightening salary cap crunches do not want to issue expensive offers or risk possible arbitration decisions. However, many of these top names officially becoming unrestricted free agents may not be done with their current team’s just yet. The poster boy of this idea is Ryan Hartman, acquired by the Dallas Stars yesterday only to not receive a qualifying offer today. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that the team was unable to negotiate with Hartman in the short time after he was acquired and did not want to risk the potential award that he could land in arbitration. Dallas obviously made the deal knowing this was a possibility and LeBrun notes that they plan to use the waning days of early negotiating rights to their advantage in hopes of signing him. The same story rings true for the Vancouver Canucks and defenseman Ben Hutton. The team did not want to pay Hutton his $2.8MM qualifying offer, nevertheless what he might make in arbitration, especially as they pursue another top defenseman in Tyler Myers, so the team tried to find another solution. Sportsnet’s Rick Dhaliwhal reports that they tried first to trade Hutton, but to no avail. The only other possibility was to let him reach UFA status, negating his arbitration rights, and try negotiating a deal with a lower salary. It seems like a stretch for Vancouver, but so long as they have rights to Hutton, they’ll try their hardest to work out a deal. One last name that may not be headed elsewhere after all is young forward Curtis Lazar. The Calgary Flames did not feel Lazar was worthy of a near-$1MM qualifying offer or potential arbitration battle, but they also have not closed the door on re-signing him, writes beat reported Kristen Anderson. The Flames are continuing negotiations with Lazar’s camp in hopes that he may return at a lower number. However, after Lazar was given just one NHL appearance this season, one would think that he will look for a better opportunity elsewhere next season.

  • Swiss hockey site He Shoots He Scores reports that a deal is imminent between NLA star Gaetan Haas and the Edmonton Oilers. The site relays the news directly from Haas’ agent, who claims an offer has been submitted and will be signed. The 27-year-old forward is coming off back-to-back dominant seasons, recording 30 goals and 79 points in 97 games overall for SC Bern. A two-way center who plays a complete game, this will be Haas’ first venture out of Switzerland, other than international competition, and the Oilers will hope his game can translate. This would be Edmonton’s second import of the off-season already, along with Swedish forward Joakim Nygard, as the team continues to seek affordable scoring help.
  • Arizona State University continues to benefit from being the lone NCAA on the west coast by sweeping up the sons of former nearby NHLers. The Sun Devils received another notable commitment recently from none other than the son of Arizona’s most beloved hockey player, Shane Doan. Josh Doan, 17, announced that he will stay close to home by playing for the program, beginning in 2021-22. Doan was drafted by the USHL’s Chicago Steel last year and will likely spend a season or two with the team before arriving at Arizona State. Doan now joins Carson Briere and Jackson Niedermayer as sons of famous hockey fathers all committed to ASU. Add in recent New Jersey Devils draft pick, goaltender Cole Brady, and the future is looking bright for the upstart Sun Devils program.

Canucks Not Expected To Qualify Ben Hutton

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A weak free agent market for defensemen may be getting an unexpected major addition. With the deadline to qualify restricted free agents arriving tomorrow, teams are down to the last minute to extend offers to retain their young RFA’s. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the Vancouver Canucks are not planning to make that offer to one of their top defensemen, Ben Hutton. If Hutton is not qualified, he will become an unrestricted free agent and would jump to the top of the list available defenders in terms of ice time and arguably all-around role last season.

According to Friedman, the Canucks and Hutton had not come close to an extension as of yet and the team was worried about a possible arbitration award for the capable defenseman. Vancouver has ample cap space heading into the off-season, but need to re-sign Brock Boeser and were already rumored to be in the market for a top free agent defenseman. The team clearly prefers spending money on the existing UFA blue liners more than retaining Hutton, as his departure will only exacerbate their need for help on defense. Top free agent options Jake Gardiner and Tyler Myers are surely to be targets of the team now, if they weren’t already.

Hutton will get his money from another team, if not the Canucks. The 26-year-old University of Maine product recorded 20 points this season, his third year of 19+ points in four NHL seasons, and set a career high with 22:21 ATOI. A reliable two-way contributor, Hutton’s defensive game has also grown and Vancouver relied on him in all situations last season. Few available defenseman can eat minutes and play competently at even strength, man-up, and man-down to the degree that Hutton did last year, so he will likely draw considerable interest if and when he hits the market.

Overseas Notes: Yakupov, Kovar, Erixon, Garteig

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Former No. 1 overall pick Nail Yakupov won’t be joining any of the most recent draft class in the NHL next season. The bust of a former top prospect enjoyed his best season as a pro in the KHL last season and has decided not to press his luck. SKA St. Petersburg has announced a new three-year extension with Yakupov, keeping the 25-year-old in the KHL until 2022 at the earliest. Yakupov finally decided to move on from the NHL last summer and returned to home to Russia to ink a one-year “show me” deal with SKA. He did just that, recording 33 points in just 47 games and another eight points in the postseason for one of the KHL’s top clubs. Now, he has likely either decided to stay in Russia for the remainder of his career or that his best odds of being an impact player in the NHL down the road are to continue developing overseas. Either way, we won’t be seeing Yakupov in North America anytime soon. The top pick of the Edmonton Oilers in 2012 from the OHL’s Sarnia Sting, Yakupov played three underwhelming seasons with the Oilers and last suited up in the NHL in 2017-18, a season split between the St. Louis Blues and Colorado Avalanche. Moving forward, he’ll suit up alongside Jori Lehtera, Sergei Plotnikov, Viktor Tikhonov, and recently drafted goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov in St. Petersburg.

  • Similarly, Jan Kovar is not messing around with an NHL return after a 2018-19 season that did not go as expected. The veteran Czech forward signed a one-year, $2MM contract with the New York Islanders last summer, but that contract was terminated before the regular season even began, once it became clear that Kovar would not crack the opening night roster. Yet, he still wound up in the AHL, playing for the Providence Bruins for two months in hopes of earning a contract with Boston. When that also failed to materialize, Kovar finally returned to Europe, signing with HC Plzen of his native Czech league. Rather than stay in the Czech Republic, return to North America, or even go back to the KHL, where he had spent the previous five seasons and found much success, Kovar has instead decided to try his hand at playing in the Swiss NLA. EV Zug, an NLA finalist last season, have announced a one-year contract with Kovar. The team is excited about the addition and expect Kovar to be a key piece for them next season. The contract does have a temporary NHL exit clause, but it expires on Tuesday and there has been no talk of any NHL interest in Kovar. It’s safe to assume that he’ll be joining Carl Klingberg, Raphael Diaz, and company next season.
  • Give Tim Erixon credit. The 2009 first-round pick out of Skelleftea in Sweden has not played in the NHL since 2015, but has remained in North America, grinding it out for another opportunity in the AHL. However, it’s finally become time to return home. The SHL’s Vaxjo Lakers have announced a two-year contract with Erixon and plan to use him in a major role, unlike the minor league depth capacity that he has filled for several years. A veteran of 93 NHL games 331 AHL games with six different organizations, Erixon is an experienced defenseman who also became a leader and mentor at the minor league level. He heads back to Sweden as a respected and capable veteran player who should be a difference-maker for the Lakers. Vaxjo continues a strong off-season, now adding Erixon to a list of additions that also includes Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson, Marcus Davidsson, Emil Pettersson, and Matt Bodie.
  • Fresh off of a Kelly Cup championship with the ECHL’s Newfoundland Growlers, goaltender Michael Garteig has decided to take his talents to Finland. The 27-year-old keeper has signed a one-year deal with Tappara, the Liiga club announced. Garteig was a former standout at Quinnipiac University and was briefly a prospect of the Vancouver Canucks. However, he has played the past two seasons on a minor league contract and altogether has only seen ten total games in the AHL in three pro seasons. Yet, Garteig was stellar for the Growlers last season, especially in the playoffs, where he posted a .928 save percentage and 2.19 goals against average. Tappara hopes those numbers translate to the Liiga, as the team seeks a replacement for former NHL veteran Niklas Backstrom in their tandem with young Christian Heljanko. Chicago Blackhawks prospect Wouter Peeters also hopes to push for some starts next season.

Pacific Notes: Myers, Kings Qualifying Offers, Puljujarvi, Thompson

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With reports that the Vancouver Canucks intend to focus their sites on adding a top-level defenseman in free agency, its looks like general manager Jim Benning has made it clear who is at the top of his wishlist as Sportsnet’s Rick Dhaliwal reports that Vancouver expects to meet with unrestricted free agent Tyler Myers today, the first day teams can speak to unrestricted free agents.

Myers, who has played with the Winnipeg Jets for the past five years, is one of the top three unrestricted free agent defensemen along with Toronto’s Jake Gardiner and Montreal’s Jordie Benn. The 29-year-old could add some offense as he tallied nine goals and 31 points last season in Winnipeg. The 6-foot-8, 229-pound blueliner would give the team a solid top-four defenseman for the Canucks, who have lacked a solid top-four for years. Myers, along with a full season of 2018 first-rounder Quinn Hughes, could help bolster the team’s defense for a long time if the Canucks can convince him to sign with them.

  • The Los Angeles Times’ Curtis Zupke reports that the Los Angeles Kings will tender qualifying offers to Alex Iafallo, Adrian Kempe, Michael Amadio, Daniel Brickley, Calvin Petersen, Sheldon Rempal and Matt Roy. No surprises there. He adds the team also does not intend to make qualifying offers to Nikita Scherbak, Alex Lintuniemi, Matteson Iacopelli and Pavel Jenys. Scherbak, who was claimed off waivers from Montreal, struggled after coming over to the Kings, while Lintuniemi has been passed by a number of Kings defenseman on their depth chart after the former second-round pick finished the season in Ontario in the AHL with a minus-30 rating.
  • The Edmonton Journal’s Kurt Leavins reports that the Edmonton Oilers haven’t had much success so far in trying to trade winger Jesse Puljujarvi, who has asked for a trade, and had been shopped at the NHL Entry Draft Friday and Saturday. Edmonton has already made it clear they do not intend to trade him away for nothing and supposedly are asking for quite a bit. Leavins writes that they did talk to Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford, but he balked at the asking price, which was winger Bryan Rust. Puljujarvi, a restricted free agent, has made it clear if he isn’t traded, he will play in Europe.
  • Sportsnet’s John Shannon reports that the Toronto Maple Leafs are considering Chicago Wolves head coach Rocky Thompson to join Mike Babcock’s staff this upcoming season. Thompson, who led Chicago to the Calder Cup Finals in the AHL this season, has been considered a candidate to move to the NHL. Toronto has lost two assistant coaches this offseason. D.J. Smith was hired as the Ottawa Senators head coach, while Jim Hiller left the team to join Lou Lamoriello and Barry Trotz with the New York Islanders. No word on whether the Vegas Golden Knights will release him from his contract.

2019 NHL Entry Draft Results

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The day has arrived. Friday night kicks off the 2019 NHL Entry Draft with the first round, as the first 31 prospects will hear their names called. Saturday afternoon will bring the remaining six rounds and another 186 NHL hopefuls. This is considered an above average draft class, with strong prospects available well into day two. Below are the picks for the ongoing or completed rounds, with updated selections:

Round One

  1. New Jersey Devils – F Jack Hughes, USNTDP (USHL)
  2. New York Rangers – F Kaapo Kakko, TPS (Liiga)
  3. Chicago Blackhawks – F Kirby Dach, Saskatoon (WHL)
  4. Colorado Avalanche (from OTT) – D Bowen Byram, Vancouver (WHL)
  5. Los Angeles Kings – F Alex Turcotte, USNTDP (USHL)
  6. Detroit Red Wings – D Moritz Seider, Mannheim (DEL)
  7. Buffalo Sabres – F Dylan Cozens, Lethbridge (WHL)
  8. Edmonton Oilers – D Philip Broberg, AIK (Allsvenskan)
  9. Anaheim Ducks – F Trevor Zegras, USNTDP (USHL)
  10. Vancouver Canucks – F Vasily Podkolzin, St. Petersburg (KHL)
  11. Arizona Coyotes (from PHI) – D Victor Soderstrom, Brynas (SHL)
  12. Minnesota Wild – F Matthew Boldy, USNTDP (USHL)
  13. Florida Panthers – G Spencer Knight, USNTDP (USHL)
  14. Philadelphia Flyers (from ARI) – D Cam York, USNTDP (USHL)
  15. Montreal Canadiens – F Cole Caufield, USNTDP (USHL)
  16. Colorado Avalanche – F Alex Newhook, Victoria (BCHL)
  17. Vegas Golden Knights – F Peyton Krebs, Winnipeg (WHL)
  18. Dallas Stars – D Thomas Harley, Mississauga (OHL)
  19. Ottawa Senators (from CLB) – D Lassi Thomson, Kelowna (WHL)
  20. Winnipeg Jets – D Ville Heinola, Lukko (Liiga)
  21. Pittsburgh Penguins – F Samuel Poulin, Sherbrooke (QMJHL)
  22. Los Angeles Kings (from TOR) – D Tobias Bjornfot, Djurgardens (SHL)
  23. New York Islanders – F Simon Holmstrom, HV71 (SuperElit)
  24. Nashville Predators – F Philip Tomasino, Niagara (OHL)
  25. Washington Capitals – F Connor McMichael, London (OHL)
  26. Calgary Flames – F Jakob Pelletier, Moncton (QMJHL)
  27. Tampa Bay Lightning – F Nolan Foote, Kelowna (WHL)
  28. Carolina Hurricanes – F Ryan Suzuki, Barrie (OHL)
  29. Anaheim Ducks (from SJS via BUF) – F Brayden Tracey, Moose Jaw (WHL)
  30. Boston Bruins – F John Beecher, USNTDP (USHL)
  31. Buffalo Sabres (from STL) – D Ryan Johnson, Sioux Falls (USHL)

Round 2

32. Ottawa Senators – F Shane Pinto, Tri-City (USHL)
33. Los Angeles Kings – F Arthur Kaliyev, Hamilton (OHL)
34. Philadelphia Flyers (from NJD via NSH) – F Bobby Brink, Sioux City (USHL)
*PHI acquires pick from NSH for Nos. 45 and 65
35. Detroit Red Wings – D Antti Tuomisto, Assat (Jr. Liiga)
36. Carolina Hurricanes (from BUF) – G Pyotr Kochetkov, St. Petersburg (VHL)
37. Ottawa Senators (from NYR via CAR) – G Mads Sogaard, Medicine Hat (WHL)
*OTT acquires pick from CAR for Nos. 44 and 83
38. Edmonton Oilers – F Raphael Lavoie, Halifax (QMJHL)
39. Anaheim Ducks – D Jackson LaCombe, Shattuck St. Mary’s (MN HS)
40. Vancouver Canucks – F Nils Hoglander, Rogle (SHL)
41. Vegas Golden Knights (from PHI via SJS) – D Kaedan Korczak, Kelowna (WHL)
*VGK acquires pick from SJS for Nos. 48 and 82
42. Minnesota Wild – F Vladislav Firstov, Waterloo (USHL)
43. Chicago Blackhawks – D Alex Vlasic, USNTDP (USHL)
44. Carolina Hurricanes (from FLA via SJS and OTT) – F Jamieson Rees, Sarnia (OHL)
45. Nashville Predators (from ARI via PHI) – F Egor Afanasyev, Muskegon (USHL)
46. Montreal Canadiens – D Jayden Struble, St. Sebastian’s (MA HS)
47. Colorado Avalanche – D Drew Helleson, USNTDP (USHL)
48. San Jose Sharks (via VGK) – F Artemi Knyazev, Chicoutimi (QMJHL)
49. New York Rangers (from DAL) – D Matthew Robertson, Edmonton (WHL)
50. Los Angeles Kings (from CLB via VGK and MTL) – F Samuel Fagemo, Frolunda (SHL)
*LAK acquires pick from MTL for Nos. 64 and 126
51. Winnipeg Jets – D Simon Lundmark, Linkoping (SHL)
52. Florida Panthers (from PIT) – D Vladislav Kolyachonok, Flint (OHL)
53. Toronto Maple Leafs – F Nicholas Robertson, Peterborough (OHL)
54. Detroit Red Wings (from NYI via VGK) – F Robert Mastrosimone, Chicago (USHL)
55. San Jose Sharks (from NSH via NJD) – F Dillon Hamaliuk, Kelowna (WHL)
*SJS acquire pick from NJD for Nos. 82 and 91
56. Washington Capitals – F Brett Leason, Prince Albert (WHL)
57. New York Islanders (from CGY) – D Samuel Bolduc, Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)
58. New York Rangers (from TBL) – F Karl Henriksson, Frolunda (SHL)
59. Minnesota Wild (from CAR) – G Hunter Jones, Peterborough (OHL)
*MIN acquire pick from CAR for Nos. 73 and 91
60. Detroit Red Wings (from SJS) – D Albert Johansson, Farjestad (SuperElit)
61. New Jersey Devils (from BOS) – D Nikita Okhotyuk, Ottawa (OHL)
62. St. Louis Blues – F Nikita Alexandrov, Charlottetown (QMJHL)

Round Three

63. Colorado Avalanche (from OTT) – F Matthew Steinburg, St. Andrew’s (CAN HS)
64. Montreal Canadiens (from LAK) – D Mattias Norlinder, MODO (Allsvenskan)
65. Nashville Predators (from NJD via EDM and PHI) – F Alexander Campbell, Victoria (BCHL)
66. Detroit Red Wings – F Albin Grewe, Djurgardens (SHL)
67. Buffalo Sabres – G Erik Portillo, Frolunda (SuperElit)
68. New York Rangers – D Zachary Jones, Tri-City (USHL)
69. Florida Panthers – D John Ludvig, Portland (WHL)
70. New Jersey Devils (from ANA) – D Daniil Misyul, Yaroslavl (MHL)
71. Tampa Bay Lightning (from VAN) – G Hugo Alnefelt, HV71 (SuperElit)
72. Philadelphia Flyers – D Ronnie Attard, Tri-City (USHL)
73. Carolina Hurricanes (from MIN) – F Patrik Puistola, Tappara (Liiga)
74. Pittsburgh Penguins (from CHI via ARI) – F Nathan Legare, Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)
*PIT acquire pick from ARI for Nos. 98, 151, and 207
75. Minnesota Wild (from FLA via NSH) – F Adam Beckman, Spokane (WHL)
*MIN acquire pick from NSH for 2020 third-round pick
76. Arizona Coyotes – F John Farinacci, Dexter (MA HS)
77. Montreal Canadiens – D Gianni Fairbrother, Everett (WHL)
78. Colorado Avalanche – F Alex Beaucage, Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)
79. Vegas Golden Knights – F Pavel Dorofeyev, Magnitogorsk (MHL)
80. New Jersey Devils (from DAL) – F Graeme Clarke, Ottawa (OHL)
81. Florida Panthers (from CLB) – F Cole Schwindt, Mississauga (OHL)
*FLA acquire pick from CLB for Nos. 104 and 114
82. New Jersey Devils (from WPG via VGK and SJS) – D Michael Vukojevic, Kitchener (OHL)
83. Carolina Hurricanes (from PIT via VGK and OTT) – D Anttoni Honka, JYP (Liiga)
84. Toronto Maple Leafs – D Mikko Kokkonen, Jukurit (Liiga)
85. Edmonton Oilers (from NYI) – G Ilya Konovalov, Yaroslavl (KHL)
86. Vegas Golden Knights (from NSH) – D Layton Ahac, Prince George (BCHL)
87. Los Angeles Kings (from WAS) – G Lukas Parik, Liberec (Czech Jr.)
88. Calgary Flames – F Ilya Nikolayev, Yaroslavl (MHL)
89. Tampa Bay Lightning – F Maxim Cajkovic, Saint John (QMHJL)
90. Carolina Hurricanes – D Domenick Fensore, USNTDP (USHL)
91. Washington Capitals (from SJS via NJD) – F Alexei Protas, Prince Albert (WHL)
*WAS acquire pick from NJD for Nos. 118 and 129
92. Boston Bruins – F Quinn Olson, Okotoks (AJHL)
93. St. Louis Blues – G Colten Ellis, Rimouski (QMJHL)

Round Four

94. Ottawa Senators – D Viktor Lodin, Orebro (SHL)
95. Los Angeles Kings – D Jordan Spence, Moncton (QMJHL)
96. New Jersey Devils – F Tyce Thompson, Dubuque (USHL)
97. Detroit Red Wings – F Ethan Phillips, Sioux Falls (USHL)
98. Arizona Coyotes (from BUF via PIT) – F Matias Maccelli, Dubuque (USHL)
99. Carolina Hurricanes (from NYR via BOS and MIN) – D Cade Webber, Rivers (MA HS)
100. Edmonton Oilers – F Matej Blumel, Waterloo (USHL)
101. Anaheim Ducks – D Henry Thrun, USNTDP (USHL)
102. Buffalo Sabres (from VAN) – F Aaron Huglen, Roseau (MN HS)
*BUF acquire pick from VAN for Nos. 122 and 175
103. Philadelphia Flyers – D Mason Millman, Saginaw (OHL)
104. Florida Panthers (from MIN via ARI and PIT) – D Eric Hjorth, Linkoping (Allsvenskan)
105. Chicago Blackhawks – F Michal Teply, Liberec (Czech)
106. Florida Panthers – D Carter Berger, Victoria (BCHL)
107. Arizona Coyotes – F Alexander Darin, Yaroslavl (MHL)
108. San Jose Sharks – F Yegor Spiridonov, Magnitogorsk (MHL)
109. Nashville Predators (from COL) – D Marc Del Gaizo, UMass (NCAA)
110. Vegas Golden Knights – F Ryder Donovan, Duluth East (MN HS)
111. Dallas Stars – D Samuel Sjolund, AIK (Allsvenskan)
112. New York Rangers (from CBJ) – D Hunter Skinner, Lincoln (USHL)
113. Winnipeg Jets – F Henri Nikkanen, Jukurit (Liiga)
114. Columbus Blue Jackets (from PIT via FLA) – F Dmitri Voronkov, Kazan (MHL)
115. Toronto Maple Leafs – F Mikhail Abramov, Victoriaville (QMJHL)
116. Calgary Flames (from NYI) – Lucas Feuk, Sodertalje (SuperElit)
117. Nashville Predators – D Semyon Chistyakov, Ufa (MHL)
118. New Jersey Devils (from WAS) – D Case McCarthy, USNTDP (USHL)
119. Los Angeles Kings (from CGY via MTL) – D Kim Nousiainen, KalPa (Jr. Liiga)
120. Tampa Bay Lightning – D Max Crozier, Sioux Falls (USHL)
121. Carolina Hurricanes – F Tuukka Tieksola, Karpat (Jr. Liiga)
122. Vancouver Canucks (from SJS via BUF) – F Ethan Keppen, Flint (OHL)
123. Chicago Blackhawks (from BOS) – F Antti Saarela, Lukko (Jr. Liiga)
124. Toronto Maple Leafs (from STL) – F Nick Abruzzese, Chicago (USHL)

Round Five

125. Ottawa Senators – F Mark Kastelic, Calgary (WHL)
126. Montreal Canadiens (from LAK) – D Jacob LeGuerrier, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
127. New Jersey Devils – G Cole Brady, Janesville (NAHL)
128. Detroit Red Wings – D Cooper Moore, Brunswick (CT HS)
129. New Jersey Devils (from BUF via DET and WAS) – F Arseni Gritsyuk, Yastreby (MHL)
130. New York Rangers – F Leevi Aaltonen, KalPa (Jr. Liiga)
131. Montreal Canadiens (from EDM) – F Rhett Pitlick, Chaska (MN HS)
132. Anaheim Ducks – F Trevor Janicke, Central Illinois (USHL)
133. Vancouver Canucks – F Carson Focht, Calgary (WHL)
134. Winnipeg Jets (from PHI) – F Harrison Blaisdell, Chilliwack (BCHL)
135. Vegas Golden Knights (from MIN) – G Isaiah Saville, Tri-City (USHL)
136. Florida Panthers (from CHI via MTL) – F Henry Rybinski, Seattle (WHL)
137. Florida Panthers – F Owen Lindmark, USNTDP (USHL)
138. Montreal Canadiens (from ARI via CHI and LAK) – G Frederik Dichow, Vojens (Denmark)
139. Vegas Golden Knights (from MTL) – F Marcus Kallionkieli, Sioux City (USHL)
140. Colorado Avalanche – F Sasha Mutala, Tri-City (WHL)
141. Vegas Golden Knights – F Mason Primeau, Guelph (OHL)
142. Dallas Stars – F Nicholas Porco, Saginaw (OHL)
143. Buffalo Sabres (from CLB via DET) – F Filip Cederqvist, Vaxjo (SHL)
*BUF acquire pick from DET for Nos. 177 and 191
144. Winnipeg Jets – G Logan Neaton, Prince George (BCHL)
145. Pittsburgh Penguins – F Judd Caulfield, USNTDP (USHL)
146. Toronto Maple Leafs – D Mike Koster, Chaska (MN HS)
147. New York Islanders – F Reece Newkirk, Portland (WHL)
148. Nashville Predators – G Ethan Haider, Minnesota (NAHL)
149. Minnesota Wild (from WAS via MTL) – F Matvei Guskov, London (OHL)
150. Calgary Flames – F Josh Nodler, Fargo (USHL)
151. Arizona Coyotes (from TBL via CHI and PIT) – F Aku Raty, Karpat (Jr. Liiga)
152. Carolina Hurricanes – F Kirill Slepets, Yaroslavl (MHL)
153. San Jose Sharks – D Martin Hugo Has, Tappara (Jr. Liiga)
154. Boston Bruins – D Roman Bychkov, Yaroslavl (MHL)
155. St. Louis Blues – F Keean Washkurak, Mississauga (OHL)

Round Six

156. Vancouver Canucks (from OTT) – G Arturs Silovs, Riga (MHL)
157. Los Angeles Kings – D Braden Doyle, Lawrence Academy (MA HS)
158. New Jersey Devils – F Patrick Moynihan, USNTDP (USHL)
159. Detroit Red Wings – F Elmer Soderblom, Frolunda (SuperElit)
160. Buffalo Sabres – F Lukas Rousek, Praha (Czech)
161. New York Rangers – F Adam Edstrom, Mora (SuperElit)
162. Edmonton Oilers – F Tomas Mazura, Kimball Union (MA HS)
163. Anaheim Ducks – D William Francis, Cedar Rapids (USHL)
164. San Jose Sharks (from VAN) – F Timur Ibragimov, St. Petersburg (MHL)
165. Philadelphia Flyers – F Yegor Serdyuk, Victoriaville (QMJHL)
166. Minnesota Wild – D Marshall Warren, USNTDP (USHL)
167. Chicago Blackhawks – G Dominic Basse, Selects (USPHL)
168. Florida Panthers – F Greg Meireles, Kitchener (OHL)
169. Philadelphia Flyers (from ARI) – D Roddy Ross, Seattle (WHL)
170. Montreal Canadiens – F Arsen Khisamutdinov, Nizhnekamsk (MHL)
171. Colorado Avalanche – F Luka Burzan, Brandon (WHL)
172. Minnesota Wild (from VGK) – F Nikita Nesterenko, Lawrenceville (NJ HS)
173. Dallas Stars – D Ben Brinkman, Minnesota (NCAA)
174. Arizona Coyotes (from CLB) – F Danil Savunov, Penza (VHL)
175. Vancouver Canucks (from WPG via BUF) – F Karel Plasek, Brno (Czech)
176. Arizona Coyotes (from PIT) – F Anthony Romano, Sioux Falls (USHL)
177. Detroit Red Wings (from TOR via BUF) – D Gustav Berglund, Frolunda (Allsvenskan)
178. New York Islanders – F Felix Bibeau, Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)
179. Nashville Predators – F Isak Walther, Sodertalje (Allsvenskan)
180. Vancouver Canucks (from WAS) – F John Malone, Youngstown (USHL)
181. Carolina Hurricanes (from CGY) – F Kevin Wall, Chilliwack (BCHL)
182. Tampa Bay Lightning – D Quinn Schmiemann, Kamloops (WHL)
183. Carolina Hurricanes – F Blake Murray, Sudbury (OHL)
184. San Jose Sharks – D Santeri Hatakka, Jokerit (Jr. Liiga)
185. Boston Bruins – F Matias Mantykivi, SaiPa (Jr. Liiga)
186. Anaheim Ducks (from STL) – D Matthew Hill, Barrie (OHL)

Round Seven

187. Ottawa Senators – D Maxence Guenette, Val-d’Or (QMJHL)
188. Los Angeles Kings – F Andre Lee, Sioux Falls (USHL)
189. New Jersey Devils – F Nikola Pasic, Linkoping (SuperElit)
190. Detroit Red Wings – F Kirill Tyutyayev, Yekatirinburg (MHL)
191.  Detroit Red Wings (from BUF) – G Carter Gylander, Sherwood Park (AJHL)
192. Boston Bruins (from NYR) – F Jake Schmaltz, Chicago (USHL)
193. Edmonton Oilers – F Maxim Denezhkin, Yaroslavl (MHL)
194. Chicago Blackhawks (from ANA) – D Cole Moberg, Prince George (WHL)
195. Vancouver Canucks – F Aidan McDonough, Cedar Rapids (USHL)
196. Philadelphia Flyers – F Bryce Brodzinski, Blaine (MN HS)
197. Minnesota Wild – G Filip Lindberg, UMass (NCAA)
198. Tampa Bay Lightning (from CHI) – F Mikhail Shalagin, Moscow (MHL)
199. Florida Panthers – F Matthew Wedman, Seattle (WHL)
200. Arizona Coyotes – D Axel Bergqvist, Leksands (Allsvenskan)
201. Montreal Canadiens (from PHI via MTL) – F Rafael Harvey-Pinard, Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)
*MTL acquires pick from PHI for 2020 seventh-round pick
202. Colorado Avalanche – G Trent Miner, Vancouver (WHL)
203. Pittsburgh Penguins (from VGK) – F Valtteri Puustinen, HPK (Liiga)
204. Toronto Maple Leafs (from DAL) – D Kalle Loponen, Hermes (Mestis)
205. New York Rangers (from CLB) – F Eric Ciccolini, Toronto (OJHL)
206. Montreal Canadiens (from WPG) – D Kieran Ruscheinski, Calgary (AMHL)
207. Arizona Coyotes (from PIT) – F Valentin Nussbaumer, Shawnigan (QMJHL)
208. Toronto Maple Leafs – G Vadim Zherenko, Moscow (MHL)
209. New York Islanders – F Cole Coskey, Saginaw (OHL)
210. Nashville Predators – F Juuso Parssinen, TPS (Jr. Liiga)
211. Pittsburgh Penguins (from WAS via SJS) – D Santeri Airola, SaiPa (Jr. Liiga)
* PIT acquire pick from SJS for 2020 seventh-round pick
212. Columbus Blue Jackets (from CGY via OTT) – F Tyler Angle, Windsor (OHL)
213. Tampa Bay Lightning – F McKade Webster, Green Bay (USHL)
214. Calgary Flames (from CAR) – G Dustin Wolf, Everett (WHL)
215. Vancouver Canucks (from SJS) – F Arvid Costmar, Linkoping (SuperElit)
216. Carolina Hurricanes (from BOS via NYR) – F Massimo Rizzo, Penticton (BCHL)
217. St. Louis Blues – F Jeremy Michel, Val-d’Or (QMJHL)

Vancouver Canucks Acquire Francis Perron From San Jose Sharks

at CDT | by 3 Comments

5:27: The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz reports that the Sharks have no interest in Pyatt as the only reason Pyatt was included in the deal was because Vancouver already had the maximum number of 50 contracts and needed to send a player back to the Sharks.

4:30: The Vancouver Canucks announced they have acquired prospect Francis Perron and a 2019 seventh-round pick from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for the rights to unrestricted free agent Tom Pyatt and a 2019 sixth-round pick.

Perron, acquired last offseason along with Erik Karlsson from Ottawa, had a breakout year with the San Jose Barracuda in the AHL, posting 18 goals and 47 points in 63 games after putting up just 10 combined goals over the two previous years, but with a tremendous amount of young talent coming into the AHL this season in Ivan Chekhovich, Sasha Chmelevski, Noah Gregor and Joakim Blichfield, Perron was expendable. The 23-year-old has a better chance to cracking Vancouver’s lineup in training camp than he would have in San Jose.

The 32-year-old Pyatt is expected to be an unrestricted free agent on July 1. No word on whether San Jose wants to sign the veteran forward. He played 37 games with the Ottawa Senators last season, tallying no goals and two assists, but then was traded along with goaltender Mike McKenna to Vancouver in the Anders Nilsson trade in January. He was immediately sent to the Utica Comets after the trade and played 36 games there, scoring six goals and 19 points there. Whether San Jose might want him as a cheap bottom-line option with the Sharks or potentially as a veteran leader for their top prospects is still up in the air.

Vancouver Canucks Acquire Tampa Bay’s J.T. Miller

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With salary dumps starting off the day after both Patrick Marleau and P.K. Subban were traded earlier, TSN’s Bob McKenzie reports that the Vancouver Canucks are closing in on a deal to acquire forward J.T. Miller and the four years remaining at $5.25MM from the Tampa Bay Lightning. Vancouver trades goaltender Marek Mazanec, a 2019 third-round pick (goaltender Hugo Alnefelt) and a conditional first-round pick in 2020, reports NHL.com’s Dan Rosen. If the Canucks do not make the playoffs, the 2020 first-rounder will be conveyed in 2021.

With plenty of salary cap issues, the Tampa Bay Lightning had to move out some salary, especially with restricted Brayden Point expected to get a big raise this summer. Miller seemed to make the most sense as the forward struggled last season in his first full year with the Lightning. After posting more than 20 goals for three straight years, Miller saw his goal-scoring numbers drop to just 13 last season. With a no-trade clause kicking in on July 1, the team had to make a move sooner rather than later.

For Vancouver, Miller should provide some much needed offense as Miller can play all three positions and still is just 26 years old and should find a role somewhere in the team’s top six. If he continues to struggle like he did last year, he could always take over the third-line center duties. The Canucks have the cap space to take in the deal, but Miller’s four year’s at $5.25MM is pretty reasonable had the team tried to land a player of Miller’s success on the free-agent market.

It wasn’t a long stay for Miller, who the team acquired as part of the Ryan McDonagh trade back at the trade deadline in 2018. He looked sharp for the team’s stretch run that year, tallying 10 goals and 18 points in 19 games. The team then signed him to a five-year, $26.25MM contract last offseason, but now decided to move on from him. The team got solid value for him as they expect to get either the team’s 2020 first-rounder (assuming the Canucks make the playoffs) or the team’s 2021 first-rounder. They also added a third-round pick in this year’s draft, while also getting Mazanec. While it looks like it would fill their hole in the net in Syracuse, the team only picked up Mazanec’s rights as he has already signed a contract in the Czech League for two years. The team already lost both of Syracuse’s goaltenders from last year as Eddie Pasquale has already signed with Barys Nur-Sultan in the KHL, while they traded Connor Ingram to Tampa Bay for a future seventh-round pick.

Morning Notes: Barrie, Subban, Penguins

at CDT | by 3 Comments

For all the anticipation that the NHL Entry Draft creates, fans were left somewhat disappointed last night when not a single player was traded. All the viewers got from the floor in Vancouver was the Arizona Coyotes moving up three spots and the Philadelphia Flyers adding a second-round pick. The kind of movement that had been hinted at all day never materialized, perhaps thanks to the still-not-finalized cap ceiling. The league is expected to release the final number today, hopefully kicking the market into gear.

Nevertheless, here are some notes from last night’s show:

  • The player most rumored to be on the move yesterday may have been Tyson Barrie, who was linked several times to the Vancouver Canucks. The offensive defenseman’s name came up even more when the Colorado Avalanche selected Bowen Byram fourth overall, but GM Joe Sakic wants everyone to calm down. Sakic told A.J. Haefele of BSN Denver that there is no truth to the idea that Barrie is already traded, and Adrian Dater of Colorado Hockey Now that the rumors are “news to him.” Even with the apparent denials, Barrie’s name will continue to float around in trade speculation until he has a new deal with the Avalanche or is moved. The 27-year old is entering the final year of his current contract and carries a $5.5MM cap hit.
  • Another defenseman drawing plenty of speculation is Nashville Predators star P.K. Subban who is apparently on the market as the team tries to clear cap space. Subban has three years remaining at a huge $9MM cap hit, but Darren Dreger of TSN suggested that the Predators may be willing to retain up to $3MM of that. If that’s true, there will likely be teams lined up to take on the Norris-winning defenseman.
  • After a disappointing season from the Pittsburgh Penguins and some frustrated comments from GM Jim Rutherford, some expected the team to make a huge move and send one of their superstar talents packing this summer. While the team did try to move Phil Kessel to the Minnesota Wild, they won’t be dangling Evgeni Malkin or Kris Letang. Rutherford spoke to Jonathan Bombulie of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and told him it’s “highly unlikely” that either one is moved and that there was never an intention to have a ton of roster turnover in Pittsburgh.

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