Vancouver Canucks Will Not Qualify Derrick Pouliot
The deadline to make qualifying offers to restricted free agents is still more than six weeks away, but the Vancouver Canucks have given one of their impending RFA’s an early heads up. Sportsnet’s Rick Dhaliwal reports that the team has informed defenseman Derrick Pouliot and his representation that they will not qualify him this off-season. As a result, Pouliot will now be an unrestricted free agent this summer, free to sign with any team he likes.
This move is both surprising and unsurprising all at once. On one hand, Pouliot’s name is still associated with youth and upside. On the other, he has never lived up to his expectations and that “youth and upside” may have very well passed him by. The 25-year-old was the 8th overall pick in 2012 by the Pittsburgh Penguins and dominated the junior level with the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks before turning pro. In his first two pro seasons, Pouliot split his time between playing for the Penguins and putting up major numbers with their AHL affiliate and looked to be on the verge of a breakout in Pittsburgh. Instead, the 2016-17 season was a major disappointment; Pouliot was held scoreless in just 11 NHL games and his production dropped off in the minors as well. The Penguins dealt him to the Canucks that off-season in exchange for a mere fourth-round pick and Andrey Pedan, who never played a game in Pittsburgh and has since bolted for the KHL. Pouliot was handed a starting role in Vanouver last year and responded with a strong campaign. He set career highs across the board, recording 22 points in 71 games and playing second-pair minutes. He even showed he could be an adept shot blocker, knocking down 118 shots despite never previously displaying any ability in that area. However, just like in Pittsburgh, when Pouliot seemed primed to take the next step, it was instead a step backward. This year, he played in only 62 games, registered only 12 points, and saw his ice time and defensive responsibility cut back.
Likely contributing to the decision to move on from Pouliot is also the influx of young talent on the blue line in the Canucks’ system. With Pouliot stalling in his development, the team probably figured they would be better off using the roster space elsewhere. Heading into 2019-20, the Canucks will have ample competition for jobs even without Pouliot. Calder hopeful Quinn Hughes will lead a young unit that could include fellow top pick Olli Juolevi, undrafted free agents Mitch Eliot, Brogan Rafferty, and Josh Teves, mainstays Troy Stecher, Chris Tanev, Ben Hutton, and Alex Biega, and AHL standouts Ashton Sautner and Guillaume Brisebois, and that’s not even including unrestricted free agents Alexander Edler and Luke Schenn, both of whom would like to re-sign. There’s too many cooks in the kitchen as there is, so it makes sense that the Canucks have decided to move on from a player they feel was given a fair shot and didn’t make the most of it.
Pouliot isn’t in danger of being dismissed by every other NHL team though. On a Vancouver club that was not very good during his tenure, Pouliot still put up respectable offensive numbers and showed more of his defensive game than he did in Pittsburgh. Still a high-end skater who is only 25, it seems likely that there will be plenty of teams lining up this summer to give Pouliot another chance. This may be the last time that his name value helps him out however, especially after a down year, so look for Pouliot to choose a team where there is both a clear path to ice time, but also enough protection that he can continue to grow and round out his game without being overexposed.
Poll: Who Wins A Loui Eriksson-Milan Lucic Swap?
July 1st, 2016 is a day that a handful of NHL teams would like to forget. As the free agent market opened, mistakes were made, as they usually are, but this year in particular took a heavy toll. David Backes, Loui Eriksson, Andrew Ladd, Milan Lucic, Frans Nielsen, Kyle Okposo: six contracts, each with a term of five or more years, totaling $220MM. The contracts all looked bad right away and now three years later, all six players have been massive disappointments. None of those six teams – the Bruins, Canucks, Islanders, Oilers, Red Wings, and Sabres – have been able to shed those cumbersome contracts to this point either. As with most bad pacts, the teams must either give away something of value or take on a similarly poor contract to move the player. Entering a new off-season, patience is running out on most, if not all, of these players and it seems that long-awaited moves could be on the horizon.
But what if two of these teams simply decided to swap a 2016 mistake? It wouldn’t do much to help with cap compliance, but it would at least allow for the players to get a fresh start and perhaps play at a level closer to what was expected when their contracts were signed. Over the past few days, two players on this unfortunate list have hinted that they may want to leave as much as their teams would like to be rid of them. There seems to be a fit to make a deal as well. As a result, rumors have emerged that Loui Eriksson and Milan Lucic could be traded for one another.
Eriksson, coming off his worst season since he was a rookie in 2006-07, told a Swedish newspaper that he and head coach Travis Green “do not get on 100%”. As translated by The Province’s Patrick Johnston, Eriksson goes on to say that there is a lack of trust from Green, as reflected my a major drop-off in ice time, as well as a lack of opportunity when he is on the ice, as Eriksson feels he has been pigeon-holed into a defensive role. Still a capable two-way winger, Eriksson believes in his ability and promises to “keep fighting”, but is clearly frustrated in Vancouver.
Meanwhile, Lucic stopped just short of saying he would rather be playing for the Canucks right now during an appearance on Sportsnet 650 in Vancouver. When asked if he would welcome a move to his hometown, Lucic’s answer was pretty transparent:
That’s definitely something I wouldn’t rule out. It’s obviously something that potentially could happen. Like you said, things haven’t gone that well for me here with the Oilers. Especially the last year and a half. So a new GM, new coach, which haven’t even been named yet, coming in. You don’t even know what their plan is moving forward, and stuff like that. Like I said, it’s definitely something that could potentially happen… I think the Canucks right now are a very exciting team. I love what (Vancouver GM Jim Benning) has done as far as building the team within through the draft and developing players. He’s done a great job of that. I think Travis has done a really good job as well from a coaching stand point. Like I said, it’s an exciting team and it’s a growing team and you never know what the future has in store for you.
So, Lucic would seemingly like to be in Vancouver and Eriksson would seemingly like to be anywhere else. Benning has never been afraid to shake things up in Vancouver, while the Oilers are close to hiring a new GM, who will almost certainly want to shake things up. This deal, while only a convenient rumor, could happen. But is a one-for-one trade a fair swap? From a production and salary cap standpoint, it’s pretty close between these former Boston Bruins teammates.
Both Eriksson and Lucic carry a $6MM cap hit on their current contracts, but Lucic is signed for four more years versus only three for Eriksson. This is not inconsequential, as another year hurts even more on a bad contract as it additionally impacts potential buyout calculations. Lucic additionally has greater trade protection built into his deal, a problem if he continues to play poorly. The bulk of Eriksson’s actual salary has also largely been paid out in signing bonuses over the past few years, making him more affordable from a payroll standpoint. So while Lucic and Eriksson are even in terms of yearly cap calculations, Eriksson’s contract is friendlier. It is worth considering though that Eriksson, 33, has more tread on his tires than Lucic, 30, and could be less effective in year three than Lucic is in year four.
Lucic has the slight edge in terms of performance, as he has been the least bad of the pair. To his credit, Lucic has been extremely durable during his time in Edmonton, missing only three games over three seasons. In 243 games, the power forward has 104 points, including 39 goals. While his offensive numbers pale in comparison to his early years of production, he has maintained his physical style of play, logging 715 hits. In comparison, Eriksson has struggled to stay healthy with Vancouver. Formerly a tough, two-way winger, Eriksson has missed 50 games in his Canucks tenure and his injury history shows in his play style, which has become far less tenacious. Nevertheless, Eriksson has accumulated 76 points in 196 games, including at least 10 goals each season. It’s not much, but it’s a clip that would put Eriksson only ten points behind Lucic if he had played the same number of games. It’s worth noting that the overall picture looks poor for Eriksson, but he still shows flashes of offensive ability from time to time that Lucic does not.
Needless to say, neither Lucic nor Eriksson are players that any team would be excited to add at this point in time. But if the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks were to make this trade straight-up, would it be a fair deal? The Canucks land a hometown product who is younger and has been slightly more productive and far more durable over the past few years, while the Oilers get back a player that costs less, both in reality and against the cap, in the long-term and has a more versatile game and could have more upside. What do you think?
Snapshots: Andrighetto, Eriksson, Glass
A recent report out of Russia claimed that Colorado Avalanche forward Sven Andrighetto was close to signing a contract with Avangard Omsk of the KHL after his contract expires with the Avalanche this season. Andrighetto, who is wrapping up a two-year, $2.8MM contract, has said that he’s heard those reports out of Russia himself. Yet, when TSN’s Pierre LeBrun talked to Andrighetto about the rumors, he revealed they were not true. He admits there has been interest from overseas teams for his services, but he the 26-year-old said he won’t make a decision on his future until after the season ends. Andrighetto played in 64 regular season games, recording just 17 points, and hasn’t contributed a point yet in four playoff games, but he is expected to play Saturday in Game 5 against the San Jose Sharks.
- One player unhappy with his role is Vancouver Canucks forward Loui Eriksson, who knows he has struggled and has no intention of retiring, according to Patrick Johnston of the Vancouver Sun. Eriksson, who scored 52 goals in the two seasons prior to signing with Vancouver, has scored just 32 goals in three seasons with the Canucks, including 11 last year. The 33-year-old vented some frustration about his “defensive role,” while adding that his relationship with head coach Travis Green has been turbulent. “The coach and I don’t really get on 100 percent,” he acknowledged about his relationship with Travis Green. “It is difficult when I do not get the same trust that I received from all the other coaches I had during my career. Of course it is tough on that front.”
- The Vegas Golden Knights might have a tough decision to make later this summer. The team’s top draft pick from 2017, Cody Glass, has finally gone pro and has been excelling to the point that he might seriously force the Golden Knights’ hand in their plans for him, according to the Daily Herald’s John Dietz. Glass, who was the sixth overall pick in 2017, has been lighting it up in juniors, but since arriving with the Chicago Wolves of the AHL, Glass has taken off, scoring three goals and five points in six regular season games and scoring another three goals and five points in seven playoff games. There has been much speculation that Vegas, who are expected to be very deep in their top-nine after acquiring Nikita Gusev and are expecting the healthy return of Erik Haula, would keep Glass in the AHL for a full season next year, but the star prospect may have other plans.
Pacific Notes: Pavelski, Donskoi, Quick, DiPietro
The San Jose Sharks are expected to get back a key forward for Game 5 on Saturday, but it won’t be captain Joe Pavelski. The veteran forward, who has been out after hitting his head on the ice in Game 7 of the first-round of the playoffs after taking a hit from Vegas’ Cody Eakin, has been skating more often this week, but is still not ready to return, according to Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News. “Getting better. Starting to skate regular,” head coach Peter DeBoer said of Pavelski, but added “Not in tonight.”
However, the Sharks are expected to be getting back Joonas Donskoi, who has missed the last five games with an undisclosed injury after taking a hit from Vegas’ Brayden McNabb in Game 6 in the first round. The winger said he’s available to play, although DeBoer said that Donskoi will be a game-time decision. The 27-year-old has appeared in just three playoff games this season with no points. Donskoi was a healthy scratch for the first three games of their first-round series to allow Micheal Haley to play. If Donskoi does go in, he would likely replace Lukas Radil and join the team’s third line along with Tomas Hertl and Evander Kane. Haley is expected to play on the fourth line regardless.
- The Athletic’s Lisa Dillman (subscription required), in a mailbag column, suggests that the Los Angeles Kings would be better off holding on to veteran goaltender Jonathan Quick. With the team moving towards a rebuilding project, many feel that trading Quick makes the most sense, especially considering the success that Jack Campbell and Calvin Petersen had this season. However, Dillman writes that with four years remaining on his contract at $5.8MM AAV, there will likely be few takers for Quick considering his poor numbers last year (3.38 GAA, .888 save percentage). She writes that it would be better for the Kings to hold onto him and hope he can bounce back and increase his value ahead of the trade deadline or next off-season.
- Vancouver Canucks prospect goaltender Michael DiPietro got injured Saturday in the OHL playoffs, according to Sportsnet’s Rick Dhaliwal, who adds that he hears it is a high-ankle sprain, which could end his season early. The 19-year-old star goalie prospect, who is expected to join the Utica Comets next season in the AHL, is 13-0 in the playoffs with a 2.24 GAA and a .917 save percentage. The injury should not affect his availability to begin next season.
Penguins Notes: Malkin, Kessel, Maatta
Even in a year in which the Pittsburgh Penguins were swept out of the first round, they somehow are still creating headlines deep into the playoffs. As wild card teams battle for a chance at the Stanley Cup, Penguins GM Jim Rutherford is sitting back dissecting what went wrong this year and how to change things for 2019-20. This week’s 31 Thoughts podcast with Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman starts out with a discussion of the Penguins, specifically addressing the Evgeni Malkin rumors that have popped up once again. Friedman put it this way:
I did get a call last night from somebody who has heard the rumors, and he thinks that they are not media make-up. He thinks they are legit. Malkin didn’t have a great year. He wasn’t up to Malkin standards. And [this source] is wondering if they’re trying to rattle [Malkin’s] cage a little bit. Just to say, “you know Evgeni, last year wasn’t you. We want you to be you,” and maybe this is a way of doing it. Malkin has a no-movement clause, and the word is he’s at least thinking about would he agree [to waive it].
It seems that there have been Malkin trade rumors after every season that didn’t end in a Pittsburgh Stanley Cup, and this year appears to be no different. The important part to note is that no-movement clause however, as the 32-year old center controls his own destiny. Malkin is under contract for three more seasons with a $9.5MM cap hit, and and recorded 72 points in 68 games this season.
Before getting into Malkin, Friedman slips in a note on another Penguins superstar:
The Penguins are contemplating some major changes. I think it is very likely that [Phil] Kessel is traded regardless.
Kessel, 31, has strong trade protection in his contract as well. The former Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs forward submits an eight-team list that he can be traded to, limiting where the Penguins could send him without his blessing. The enigmatic winger had another outstanding offensive season recording 82 points and played in every game for the ninth consecutive year. He has three years left on his current contract, but since the Maple Leafs are still retaining $1.2MM of it he comes with a cap hit of just $6.8MM.
When the conversation turns to the Penguins blue line and the now infamous comments by Rutherford on the strength of his defense right now, the obvious center of discussion is Kris Letang. The offensive defenseman put up 56 points in 65 games this season and is under contract for three more years. Interestingly though it is another Penguins defenseman that Friedman dishes some information on:
I’ve been told that [Olli] Maatta’s trade value is very low. They’ve tried to do that for a while, and it hasn’t gone anywhere. So, we’ll see.
Maatta ended up a healthy scratch in the playoffs this season for the Penguins, and finished with just 14 points on the year. His foot speed has been questioned in the past, but the 24-year old is just a few years removed from signing a six-year, $24.5MM extension after looking like a core piece through the first part of his career. Still, he remains a likely candidate to be moved if the Penguins are really shaking things up this offseason.
Prospect Notes: Bishop, Woo, Gaus
Not only did Clark Bishop earn a call-up to the Carolina Hurricanes this postseason, he actually made his playoff debut in Game One of team’s second-round series against the New York Islanders. It continues what has been an unexpectedly major season for Bishop, who skated in 20 games with the ‘Canes in the regular season despite any indication he would play such a frequent role prior to the season. However, with Andrei Svechnikov returning to the lineup last night in Carolina, Bishop has been returned to the minors, along with young defenseman Jake Bean. The AHL’s Charlotte Checkers are still alive in the Calder Cup chase, so when the Hurricanes don’t have an immediate need, they’d rather support their affiliate than have an unnecessarily crowded press box. Bishop has been held scoreless through two NHL playoff games and three AHL playoff games so far this spring, but will still be an asset for the Checkers in his return to the lineup. Bean did not suit up for the ‘Canes during his last recall, but has since been called up again ahead of tomorrow night’s Game Four. Bean has two points in four postseason games with the Checkers to go with the 44 points he logged in a strong regular season.
- Off-season trades are not overly frequent at the junior level, but the Calgary Hitmen and Moose Jaw Warriors swung a major deal earlier today ahead of the WHL Bantam Draft later tonight. The Warriors added the No. 11 overall pick in the draft, as well as a 2021 second-round selection, along with talented Nashville Predators defensive prospect Vladislav Yeryomenko and 16-year-old forward Ryder Korczak. In return, the Hitmen land a big fish in Vancouver Canucks top prospect Jett Woo. Woo, a second-round pick last year, was one of the WHL’s best blue liners this season, recording 66 points in 62 games to finish among the top five defensemen in the league. A well-rounded defenseman who is solid defensively and moves the puck well, Woo nevertheless stunned many with his production this year and has skyrocketed in the eyes of many to become one of the more well-regarded prospects at the junior level. It’s a major add for Calgary – so long as Woo doesn’t break camp with Vancouver next year – but Moose Jaw no doubt feels better about the loss already after they picked twice in the first round today.
- Colorado College continues to scoop up top graduate transfer players this off-season. The Tigers added former Northeastern University goalie Ryan Ruck to the mix yesterday, who will likely be their starter next season, and today added a player who may be their best defensive forward. Andrew Gaus, who just wrapped up his undergraduate tenure at Yale University, will transfer to Colorado College to play out his final year of NCAA eligibility, the school announced. Gaus was quietly one of Yale’s most consistent and effective players last season. While Gaus only managed nine points on the year for the low-scoring Bulldogs, his hard-working two-way game was always on display. Colorado College hopes he can continue to be a force in his new home, as they are gearing up to make some noise in the very talented and tight NCHC next season.
Canucks’ Owner Shoots Down Mike Gillis Speculation
The Vancouver Canucks fired Mike Gillis as president and general manager in 2014, but in recent days speculation had bubbled up that the team may be interested in bringing him back. In fact, reports had surfaced that owner Francesco Aquilini had contacted Gillis to gauge his interest in returning to a role with the club. That report was firmly denied by Aquilini this afternoon, when he took to Twitter to explain that he has not contacted Gillis and has no plans to do so.
This isn’t the first time that Aquilini has had to correct the record, as earlier this month he tweeted in response to a report that Dean Lombardi had been offered the job of team president.
Vancouver has been operating without a president of hockey operations since Trevor Linden left the organization last summer. GM Jim Benning has been running things, and seemingly has the franchise on track given the superb performances from young players like Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser and Bo Horvat this season.
Pittsburgh Penguins Extend Thomas DiPauli
Tuesday: The Penguins have officially announced the contract.
Monday: Jim Rutherford and his Pittsburgh Penguins got an earlier start to this postseason than they would have liked, but they are using the extra time to their advantage. In the midst of swirling trade rumors, the team has now made three signings since their playoff exit, the latest of which has come to light this evening. According to CapFriendly, the Penguins have re-signed forward Thomas DiPauli to a one-year, two-way extension. DiPauli is set to make the new 2019-20 minimum salary of $700K at the NHL level and $100K at the AHL level, with $135K guaranteed. The AHL numbers are a slight raise from this past season, but come in just under those of fellow minor league forward Joseph Cramarossa, who re-upped with the Penguins on Thursday.
The new deal for DiPauli prevents the young forward from leaving this off-season. DiPauli, who celebrates his 25th birthday today, just narrowly qualified as a Group 6 unrestricted free agent as a player of age 25 or older who has completed three or more seasons of pro hockey without playing in a total of 80 NHL games. In fact, DiPauli has played in zero NHL games thus far, due largely in part to struggling with long-term injuries suffered in two of his three pro seasons. Yet, the shifty forward showed enough in just 29 AHL games this season to earn a new contract, registering 15 points and a +6 rating for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
DiPauli, a native of Italy who also holds American citizenship, originally came to the Penguins as a college free agent in 2016. A fourth-round pick of the Washington Capitals in 2012, the U.S. National Team Develop Program product played four years at the University of Notre Dame and starred alongside promising prospects like Boston’s Anders Bjork and Montreal’s Jake Evans. Following his senior year, DiPauli opted not to sign with the Capitals, instead holding out until August to sign with the rival Penguins. There were some expectations that DiPauli could crack the Pittsburgh lineup in year one and become yet another quick, versatile forward who could excel in the Penguins system. Perhaps that role is still on the horizon, as the Penguins seemed determined to keep DiPauli around despite his lack of impact at the NHL level thus far.
KHL Notes: Goldobin, Prokhorkin, Langhamer
There were rumors last week that Nikolay Goldobin was being pursued by the KHL, but even with his recent agent change that doesn’t seem imminent. Rick Dhaliwal of Sportsnet spoke with Goldobin’s new agent Sergei Isakov, who explained that the young forward would be returning to the Canucks next season.
Obviously nothing is guaranteed given that Goldobin is still a restricted free agent that needs a new contract, but his return to Vancouver at least indicates that the two sides are still willing to try and make their relationship work. Goldobin recorded 27 points in 63 games for the Canucks this season but hasn’t been able to fully tap into the huge potential that made him the 27th overall pick in 2014. The 23-year old forward has put up excellent offensive seasons in the minor leagues, but has just 46 points in 124 games in the NHL.
- Earlier this month Los Angeles Kings GM Rob Blake confirmed that they would offer Nikolai Prokhorkin a contract, and it seems as though the talented Russian forward is going to accept. Igor Eronko of Sport-Express tweets that Prokhorkin himself confirmed he is going to sign with the Kings, giving the organization another offensive option for next season. The 25-year old forward put up 20 goals and 41 points in 41 games for SKA St. Petersburg this season, his sixth full year since returning the the KHL after his contract signed in 2012 with the Kings was voided.
- Former Arizona Coyotes prospect Marek Langhamer isn’t coming back to North America any time soon, as the 24-year old goaltender signed a two-year extension with Amur in the KHL. Langhamer actually played in two NHL games for the Coyotes but was loaned back to the Czech Republic in 2017-18 and hasn’t returned. His rights still belong to the Coyotes, but after finding such success in the KHL this season—the young goaltender posted a .929 save percentage in 19 appearances—there will obviously be an appetite to stay overseas.
Marek Mazanec Signs In The Czech League
The Canucks won’t have goaltender Marek Mazanec back for next season. The 27-year-old has signed a two-year contract with Mountfield HK, the Czech Extraliga team announced.
Vancouver acquired Mazanec in a midseason trade from the Rangers when their goaltending situation was in turmoil. Starter Jacob Markstrom was injured as was backup Thatcher Demko, former backup Anders Nilsson had recently been traded, and veteran Richard Bachman was also injured. As a result, Mazanec was immediately summoned to the big club upon being acquired and spent nearly two weeks with the team but didn’t see any game action.
He split the rest of 2018-19 between the AHL affiliates of the Rangers and Canucks, posting a 3.01 GAA with a .895 SV% over 30 appearances. He last saw time in the NHL back 2016-17 while he was still with Nashville, who drafted him in the sixth round back in 2012. He left the Preds following that season to sign in the KHL but left that team midseason to sign with New York.
As Mazanec was already slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July, Vancouver will not retain his NHL rights if he decides he wants to come back to North America once again in the future.