Brock Boeser, Vancouver Canucks To Discuss Extension Next Week
Though a ton of the focus in Vancouver this offseason has been on the somewhat odd additions they made in free agency, or the performance of top draft pick Quinn Hughes at the World Junior Summer Showcase, there is still plenty of work to be done to keep the organization on the tracks of their rebuild. One of those things is negotiating an extension with star forward Brock Boeser, who is already heading into the final year of his entry-level contract despite having just one full season under his belt in professional hockey.
Since Boeser was already 20 when he signed his first contract out of the University of North Dakota, he burned the first year of his ELC in just those nine games at the end of the 2016-17 season. He’s been eligible to sign an extension since July 1st, and according to Ben Kuzma of The Province the two sides had preliminary discussions last month. They also plan on talking again next week, though GM Jim Benning isn’t putting a deadline on anything:
We haven’t got down to talking term. We plan to circle back and I’m not sure where it’s going to go, but we want to see if we can get somewhere. There’s no time frame on it.
Brock is going to see the best matchup line and best defensive pair, but I don’t expect a drop-off. He has pushed himself hard to pick up where he left off and there are other contracts coming up in the league in the next six months that could drive up the price — I understand that part of it.
Benning is right about the fact that there are several potential extensions coming up around the league that could change the price tag for Boeser. Though he likely won’t quite match up with the mega contracts that Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine are headed for in their negotiations, there is a big group of other players that find themselves in a similar situation to Boeser after performing well early in their careers. Kyle Connor, Sebastian Aho, Matthew Tkachuk, Mikko Rantanen and Mitch Marner are all wingers who have found incredible success in their first few seasons, and are scheduled for restricted free agency in 2019.
All of them will be looking at other contracts signed by players like David Pastrnak, Nikolaj Ehlers and soon William Nylander as potential starting points but could eclipse the $6-7MM range that each of those players will fall into. Boeser could be the same, especially if he can prove he’s back to full health and can get back on a 40-goal pace to start the season.
There is little worry here that the two sides won’t be able to eventually come to some agreement, but the question is will the Canucks get any sort of discount by betting on Boeser before he’s shown his ability for a second season. With added pressure and tougher defensive matchups, there is always a real possibility that his numbers decline this season. Boeser did after all shoot 16.2% in 2017-18, though the eye test would lead you to believe that he’ll post above-average shooting percentages for his entire career. If that number drops significantly though, the Canucks might be able to parlay a down year into a better deal for themselves. The two sides are in a game of poker at the moment, wondering when to push all their chips to the middle. Whether that happens this summer or much further down the road still is yet to be seen.
Pacific Notes: Flames Forwards, Haula, Horvat
The Calgary Flames have made quite a few moves this offseason in hopes of reshaping their roster after a dismal second half that saw them out of the playoffs. However, the Flames new signings may have caused other issues that the team will have to deal with in a few years — namely the expansion draft.
The Athletic’s Kent Wilson (subscription required) writes that the team might be in trouble if/when the unnamed Seattle franchise has its expansion draft in 2020. Assuming all the rules are the same as they were for Vegas, Calgary will have a logjam of players at the forward position and won’t have enough spaces to protect some quality players.
Assuming there are no changes among forwards over the next two seasons, the team would likely protect or have to protect Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan, Elias Lindholm, Mikael Backlund, Matthew Tkachuk, James Neal as six forwards they would likely protect. That would leave one spot open for players like Derek Ryan, Mark Jankowski, Sam Bennett, Andrew Mangiapane and Spencer Foo, which could leave several high quality players exposed to Seattle. Unless the team addresses these issues, the team may be giving Seattle a solid player.
- Adam Hill of the Las Vegas Review-Journal writes that the Vegas Golden Knights still haven’t decided on a plan for what they intend to do with second-line center Erik Haula after they signed Paul Stastny away from the Winnipeg Jets this offseason. Haula had a great offensive season, centering the second line with 29 goals and 55 points, but the line (along with the departed Neal and David Perron) struggled defensively. In fact, Vegas’ second line was one of the worst defensive lines in the league. “It produced, but the goals against per 60 minutes was not good enough,” said Vegas general manager George McPhee. “We were actually dead last among second lines in the league. You can just sort of look the other way on that or you can address it. We’re trying to address it.”
- J.D. Burke of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that he believes that Vancouver Canucks center Bo Horvat should continue to take his game to a new level as he has every year. However, if there is one area of Horvat’s game that could use some upgrading it would be his defensive game as that’s the weakest part of his game. The 23-year-old took his scoring game up a notch last year when he potted 22 goals, an improvement on his previous career-high of 20 goals, but Horvat missed 15 games last year, so to put up a career-high in goals is key. However, with the additions of players like Jay Beagle, Antoine Roussel and Tim Schaller, maybe defense won’t be that imperative.
Brock Boeser Camp In No Rush For New Contract
The Vancouver Canucks signed several veteran forwards in this summer to insulate their young core, bringing in Antoine Roussel, Jay Beagle and Tim Schaller on multi-year deals. While that solidifies the roster for the next few years, everyone is watching to see if the team will lock up Brock Boeser long term before he becomes a restricted free agent next summer. Boeser is eligible to sign an extension already, but his agent Ben Hankinson was on Sportsnet radio today explaining that they’re not in a rush to get something done.
I don’t think there’s any rush. Obviously Brock knows he has another year left and he’s going to go out there and play no matter what. He’ll probably be on the ice the next October in 2019 to start that season with a new contract too. Whenever it happens it happens. There’s no rush on our end.
I’d say, without putting a deadline on it, we’d like to get going once the season rolls and just play hockey. But there’s no deadline on it. [Canucks GM] Jim [Benning’s] a very level-headed guy and we have a really good relationship. So I’m not gonna say we won’t talk during the season if we don’t get something done, but who knows, it’s too early to say.
Boeser has been a star for the Canucks since the day he signed with them, scoring in his first NHL game just a day after being eliminated from the NCAA tournament. The young sniper went on to record 29 goals and 55 points in his first full season, though he was limited to just 62 games due to a scary back injury that put him on the shelf in early March. He’ll be back and ready to go in 2018-19, and could set himself up for a huge extension with another big season.
Though Boeser has just one season under his belt he’ll be 22 in February, meaning that entry-level contract will come to an end next summer at which point he could easily eclipse Loui Eriksson and Bo Horvat as the team’s highest-paid forward. He’ll have five years of restricted free agency left, but as we’ve seen with other young stars teams now like to lock up their future right away. If both sides wait until after this season and he puts up another near point-per-game campaign, you can expect him to be asking for a deal somewhere along the lines of David Pastrnak ($6.67MM AAV) or Nikolaj Ehlers ($6.0MM AAV). Where Dylan Larkin and William Nylander land in their respective contract talks will also likely be a good comparison, though there could be an argument that Boeser is an even more valuable piece than either given his impressive goal scoring ability.
If the two sides can reach an agreement this summer the Canucks may be able to keep that cap hit slightly lower given that Boeser still has just 71 games under his belt in the NHL. Vancouver has plenty of cap space to fit Boeser in going forward, especially given that several other key players should be joining the organization in the next few years on entry-level deals.
Vancouver Canucks Struggling To Move Ben Hutton
The quietest stretch of the NHL off-season is upon us, but at least one team is still working the phones and trying to make some noise on the trade market. In a piece previewing the 2018-19 season for the Vancouver Canucks, The Athletic’s J.D. Burke includes a note on defenseman Ben Hutton, who he claims the team has actively been trying to unload. Unfortunately, there just don’t seem to be any takers.
In fact, Burke claims that internal trade discussions regarding Hutton’s future with the Canucks have been ongoing since early last season. While there was reportedly interest from several teams back in February, ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline, no deal came together and Hutton continued to struggle over the remainder of the season. Burke cites a downward trend in production over the past two years, as well as a corresponding loss of ice time, as reasons why Vancouver wants to move on and perhaps why no other team wants to jump in. The former UMaine defenseman surprisingly nabbed a roster spot in 2015-16 and impressed as a rookie, recording 25 points and immediately showing an innate ability to block shots and smother offensive chances in his own zone. Hutton didn’t seem to improve noticeably in his sophomore campaign, recording only 19 points and failing to grow his puck-moving ability, but he did find the back of the net four more times than the year prior and continued to be a shot-blocking asset and smart defender in increased play time. There was no such silver lining last season though; Hutton played in ten fewer games, saw more than two minutes less ice time per night, dropped to just six points for the year, and even slipped in his defensive game.
Yet, Burke still opines that the analytics show that Hutton is still a strong defensive player and a positive presence for the Canucks and even goes so far as to say that he should still be playing a prominent role on the blue line, perhaps even paired with Chris Tanev. With first-round pick Quinn Hughes headed back to school and young Olli Juolevi yet to earn a roster spot, Hutton is unquestionably still one of the top seven defenseman on the Canucks. Despite some regression, he would be penciled in as a starter if he isn’t moved and his $2.8MM cap hit, while steep, is not an issue for a team with ample space. Why then is Vancouver so eager to move him? Burke also claims that Hutton has simply fallen out of favor with coach Travis Green. As such, Hutton is clearly in need of a change of scenery and the Canucks are trying to provide him with just that. Hutton could play a bottom-pair or depth role on many teams in the league and Vancouver could bank of Juolevi as a replacement or take advantage of a free agent market still stocked with capable defenders. It thus makes sense that both sides would want a trade. The only question now is whether they will find one. So far, it hasn’t been an easy task.
Showcase Notes: Tkachuk, Hughes, Formenton
The World Junior Summer Showcase wrapped up yesterday with a pair of rivalry games, as the USA and Canada did battle before Sweden and Finland took to the ice in Kamloops. The USA-Canada game ended as chippy as contests between the two countries often do, with the final few seconds not even being played. At the final draw, 89 penalty minutes were handed out between several players when a melee broke out in the Canadian zone. In the middle of it was none other than Brady Tkachuk, who is already following in his brother’s footsteps as a player capable of getting under his opponent’s skin. He was given a 10 minute misconduct and a match penalty for intent to injure, though it wasn’t clear exactly what he did.
Tkachuk now has to decide whether to return to Boston University or sign with the Ottawa Senators and turn pro, a decision that was supposed to be at least partially based on his performance at this tournament if reports are to believed. Tkachuk can obviously compete physically with any player his age, but was held to just two assists in the tournament while recording several minor penalties throughout the tournament. It is quite clear that he’ll have an NHL career before long, but could still use some refinement in the offensive zone.
- One of the real stories in the tournament was supposed to be the play of potential 2019 first-overall pick Jack Hughes, but while the 17-year old was quite good his brother may have stolen the show. Quinn Hughes, selected seventh-overall by the Vancouver Canucks, was all over the ice for Team USA and showed off his wizardry with the puck in the offensive zone. The elder Hughes is headed back for another year at the University of Michigan, where he should be considered a real threat for the Hobey Baker if his scoring numbers take another step forward. For those who are still worried about his size and physicality, it should be noted that both Hughes brothers were involved in the final scrum and each received roughing penalties and game misconducts.
- While Hughes will have to wait for his chance at the NHL, one of the players from the Canadian squad might be ready to take the next step. Alex Formenton scored a brilliant goal against the Swedes earlier in the tournament when he used his blazing speed to drive wide, and head coach Tim Hunter believes he’s obviously “NHL caliber.” Formenton played one game for the Ottawa Senators at the beginning of last season and suited up twice in the AHL at the end of the year. While the London Knights are a great development option for him if he goes back to junior, the Senators might feel as though he can make an impact at the highest level right away.
Pacific Notes: Sutter, Karlsson, Talbot, Stone, McPhee
Much of the attention that has come towards the Vancouver Canucks this offseason either fell to their plethora of prospects, many of which seem to be ready to contribute next season, or their highly criticized signings of Jay Beagle, Antoine Roussel and Tim Schaller on the first day of free agency (not including the resignation of Trevor Linden). Regardless, The Athletic’s J.D. Burke (subscription required) writes that forgotten man Brandon Sutter‘s stock is definitely heading up this season.
The 29-year-old forward has provided the Canucks with a physical and defensive presence, but hasn’t been required to show his offensive skills. Suddenly, with scoring becoming a great team need and the addition of players like Beagle, Roussel and Schaller, the opportunity to play a more offensive role is suddenly in front of him.
One suggestion is to have Sutter center the team’s second line with Elias Pettersson playing next to him to start the season. Then once, Pettersson has adjusted to North American play, allow the two to switch places.
- After signing a one-year deal for $5.25MM this morning, Vegas Golden Knights center William Karlsson remained positive about staying in Las Vegas long-term, according to Jesse Granger of the Las Vegas Sun. He hopes he can duplicate the 43-goal season from last year, which should hand him the long-term deal he wants when he goes through restricted free agency again next season. “In an ideal world I would’ve liked a long term deal, but I like to bet on myself and that’s what this is. Now I can go prove myself,” Karlsson said.
- The Edmonton Sun’s Robert Tychkowski interviewed Edmonton Oilers goaltender Cam Talbot about the team’s signing of Mikko Koskinen to a one-year, $2.5MM deal. Koskinen is likely to take a much bigger role than the 15 games that Talbot didn’t play in. That signing likely had something to do with Talbot’s on-ice struggles as he went from a 2.39 GAA and a .919 save percentage in 2016-17 to a 3.02 GAA and a .909 save percentage. However, Talbot welcomes the challenge. “I like the competition,” Talbot said. “I enjoy it. It pushes everyone to be better. Maybe it will take a little bit of the starts away from me and I can be at the top of my game.”
- The Athletic’s Kent Wilson (subscription required) writes that the Calgary Flames made a poor move last offseason when they signed defenseman Michael Stone to a three-year, $10.5MM deal. The veteran defenseman was thought to be a top-four defenseman, but once the team added Travis Hamonic via trade, Stone was sent to the team’s third pairing and truly struggled last year. Now, with $7MM remaining on his deal over the next two years, Stone stands in the way of multiple young defenseman, including Rasmus Andersson. With little trade value, things could get ugly at some point in the next year.
- In another tweet, Granger interviewed Vegas Golden Knights general manager George McPhee about the talent at the forward position. The team added center Paul Stastny, but lost two quality players in James Neal and David Perron. Despite the losses, the team has several in-house candidates like Alex Tuch and Tomas Tatar ready to step up. “I like where we are, but if there’s an opportunity to upgrade at the forward position at any time over the next year we will,” McPhee said.
New Jersey Devils To Hire Mark Dennehy As AHL Head Coach
The New Jersey Devils have snatched a coach from the Pittsburgh Penguins organization, agreeing to terms with Mark Dennehy as head coach of their AHL affiliate. Dennehy had been hired earlier this offseason to lead the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL, but was given permission to interview for the advanced position in the AHL. New Jersey AGM Tom Fitzgerald released a statement thanking the Penguins:
I want to thank Jim Rutherford, Bill Guerin, the Penguins’ organization and the Wheeling Nailers ownership group for the opportunity to speak with Mark on this position. Mark has spent considerable time building, coaching and recruiting in one of college hockey’s most competitive conferences. His experience will help him connect with players coming from the collegiate and junior hockey levels. Mark is extremely excited for a new challenge and to take the next step in his coaching career.
Dennehy has spent the last 13 years coaching Merrimack College, where he was tasked with developing young players and getting them ready for their transition into the professional ranks. He’ll be given a similar role with the Binghamton Devils, where the job is to get picks and prospects ready for their NHL futures while still maintaining a culture of winning.
The Contract Each Team Would Most Like To Trade: Part III
Nearly every team has one of those players: a top talent they were excited to sign and never thought could do anything but help them. In hindsight, history shows that more often than not, expensive, long-term free agent contracts don’t work out. It may look good at first (or it may look bad right away to the outside observer), but players struggle to make their value last throughout a lengthy contract. Those contracts come back to bite teams and are hard to get rid of. As teams begin to finalize their rosters at this point in the off-season, many are struggling to make everyone fit under the salary cap and are regretting these past signings that exasperate a cap crunch that can be tough for even a mistake-free club. We already took a look at the first third and second third of the league; here are the contracts that each of the final ten teams would most like to trade, from Philadelphia to Winnipeg:
Philadelphia Flyers: Andrew MacDonald – two years, $10MM remaining
Based purely on salary versus what he brings to the table, Jori Lehtera‘s $4.7MM contract is the worst on the Flyers. However, Philadelphia is far from cap trouble this season, currently among the five lightest payrolls in the league, and Lehtera’s deal expires after this season. However, next year the Flyers will need to re-sign or replace Wayne Simmonds, hand new deals to Ivan Provorov and Travis Konecny, and likely find a new starting goalie. The cap crunch will be much more real and the over-inflated $5MM contract of Andrew MacDonald will hurt. MacDonald’s six-year, $30MM contract was immediately panned by the public and it wasn’t long after that he was buried in the minors for cap relief and to keep him out of the lineup. MacDonald simply is not the player he was with the New York Islanders earlier in his career when he could eat major minutes, was stellar in man-to-man defense, and could block shots with the best. What he is being paid now is far beyond what he is actually worth. Some would say that Radko Gudas is worse, but that is an argument that suffers from recency bias. Combining the past two seasons, Gudas actually has the same amount of points as MacDonald in fewer games and less ice time, a better plus/minus rating, far more shots, and of course infinitely more hits. At $3.35MM for the next two years, Gudas is a far better deal.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Carl Hagelin – one year, $4MM remaining
The real answer is that GM Jim Rutherford would not like to trade any more players. He already ditched two of his worst contracts by sending Matt Hunwick and Conor Sheary to the Buffalo Sabres and he isn’t eager to make another salary dump. However, the reality is that Rutherford is going to find it hard to manipulate his roster this season with just over $1MM in cap space. As such, it is likely that another Penguin could be on the move. An outside observer could easily point to the Jack Johnson contract as one that stands little chance of maintaining its value over the term and the same argument could be made for Patric Hornqvist as well. However, Rutherford just signed those deals and wouldn’t move them even if he could. That leaves a short list of players who could be moved and the only one that sticks out as being overpriced is Carl Hagelin. Hagelin has played an important part of the Penguins’ reign over the past few years, but at $4MM he has not cracked 40 points in any of the three seasons and can go cold for weeks at a time. Rutherford won’t make a move unless it can benefit the team, but if he can get another scoring winger in exchange for a package that dumps Hagelin’s salary, he’ll do it.
San Jose Sharks: None
Mikkel Boedker, Joel Ward, and Paul Martin are all gone. Two top forwards, the two best defensemen, and the starting goalie are all locked up long-term at a reasonable rate. The Sharks have almost $4.5MM in cap space this season, giving them room to add. Congratulations to GM Doug Wilson and his staff. This roster is the epitome of cap compliance mixed with depth and talent. There is not one contract that the team would be interested in dumping.
St. Louis Blues: Alexander Steen – three years, $17.25MM remaining
The Blues currently have all but $285K of their cap space committed to 24 players. The team may send Chris Thorburn or Jordan Nolan down to the AHL, but will only gain marginal space. Something else has to give. If they could target any player to move to alleviate some pressure, it would be Alexander Steen. With just seven forwards and three defensemen (as of now) signed beyond next season and the majority of players in line for raises or free agent replacements, these cap woes aren’t going away anytime soon and an expensive long-term deal needs to be shipped out. Understandably, St. Louis is all in this season and wouldn’t be eager to ship out an important top-six piece. However, Ryan O’Reilly, Vladimir Tarasenko, Brayden Schenn, and Jaden Schwartz are the new young core up front now and paying 34-year-old Steen $5.75MM for three more years for declining production just doesn’t make sense. The Blues could potentially land some nice pieces from another contender for Steen as well. Admittedly, the Tyler Bozak contract looks even worse than Steen’s, but the Blues won’t be looking to trade a player they just signed.
Tampa Bay Lightning: Ryan Callahan – two years, $11.6MM remaining
The long-term implications of several other deals aside, the Lightning’s Stanley Cup window is wide open and their focus is on the here and now. The one player really impeding their ability to add freely to the roster is Ryan Callahan. While GM Steve Yzerman has excelled at extending most of his core below market value, the six-year, $34.8MM contract for Callahan was a mistake. Injuries limited Callahan to just 18 games in 2016-17, but last year he played in 67 games yet he only managed to score 18 points. Callahan’s days as an impact player are over, but he is still being paid like one at $5.8MM. While Tampa Bay can manage this season with close to $3MM in cap space, they would have more to work with without him. However, Callahan’s contract will really present a major road block next summer, when the Bolts need to re-sign Brayden Point, Yanni Gourde, Anton Stralman, and more. There is no doubt that Yzerman will look to unload Callahan’s contract before it comes to that point.
Toronto Maple Leafs: Nikita Zaitsev – six years, $27MM remaining
The Maple Leafs severely jumped the gun when they rewarded Nikita Zaitsev with a seven-year deal after his rookie season in 2016-17. Although Zaitsev was an import, making his NHL debut at 25 years old, his situation epitomizes why bridge deals exist. Toronto sought to lock him up long term and gave him nearly a maximum term at $4.5MM, just $500K less per year than top defender Morgan Rielly. In his encore performance last season, he showed that he is not worthy of the salary nor length of that contract, dropping from 36 points to 13 points for the year, turning the puck over at an alarming rate, and eventually becoming a healthy scratch. This team simply can’t afford the type of long-term mistake that they made with Zaitsev. While it’s nice that they have Reilly, John Tavares, and Nazem Kadri signed long-term, it’s Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander they need to worry about. The Maple Leafs will have to balance multiple expensive, long-term deals moving forward and would love for Zaitsev’s to not be one of them.
Vancouver Canucks: Loui Eriksson – four years, $24MM remaining
It seems unlikely that the recently-signed deals for Jay Beagle and Antoine Roussel will work out well, but they at least deserve some time. Loui Eriksson has had his time and has done nothing with it. While the Canucks aren’t under any cap pressure, they can’t enjoy seeing Eriksson’s $6MM cap hit – the highest on the team – on the books for four more years, especially when the bulk of his front-loaded salary has already been paid out. Eriksson was brought in with an expectation that he would be the ultimate fit with Daniel and Henrik Sedin. Instead, he has scored just 47 points combined over two seasons, less than his final season total with the Boston Bruins. The Sedins are now gone, the team is trying to get both younger and more physical and defensive-minded, and Eriksson is simply an expensive poor fit. There’s not much more to say about a player who desperately needs a change of scenery and a team that wants him gone.
Vegas Golden Knights: None
The Golden Knights are riding high after an outrageously successful first season in the NHL. It is highly unlikely that they see anything wrong with their current contracts, almost all of which were either hand-picked or signed by GM George McPhee. Give it some time and that could change. Reilly Smith is notorious for a significant drop in production in his second year with a team, but is signed for four more years at $5MM. Paul Stastny for three years at $6.5MM per seems like a solid deal, but he has always produced better surrounded by equal talent. Does Vegas have enough to justify his signing? A $2.775MM cap hit for Ryan Reaves doesn’t seem to make a whole lot of sense. Finally, there’s the three-year, $21MM extension for heroic goalie but also 33-year-old well-worn vet Marc-Andre Fleury, which could end poorly. And this isn’t even counting what could be a massive reactionary contract for one-year breakout star William Karlsson. The Knights don’t see any problems right now after finding immediate success, but if they slide significantly in year two, things could get ugly.
Washington Capitals: T.J. Oshie – seven years, $40.25MM remaining
No, it’s not Tom Wilson. The call of the question is which contract each team wants to trade, not which is objectively the worst. Wilson’s contract does seem excessive, but he is just 24 and could grow into that salary (doubtful but possible). Plus, the organization loves what he brings to the team. T.J. Oshie on the other hand is heading in the wrong direction. Oshie has done what he was brought in to do: help the Capitals win the Stanley Cup. It took a max eight-year term to keep Oshie off the market last summer and now Washington has their Cup but also has a 31-year-old with diminishing returns signed for seven more years. Oshie could absolutely still help the Capitals over the next few years, but it’s doubtful that he will be back in 60-point range in that time. He also will be nothing more than a cap space vacuum when he’s in his late thirties making $5.75MM. Oshie is a great player and one of the more likeable guys in the league, but this contract has little upside left. The Capitals would at the very least consider trading Oshie now, which can’t be said for most of their other core players.
Winnipeg Jets: Jacob Trouba – one year, $5.5MM remaining
The list ends with a tricky one. Is $5.5MM a fair value for Trouba? An arbitrator thinks so and the Jets would likely agree. However, Trouba’s contract has been a nightmare for the team. The young defenseman clearly does not want to be in Winnipeg and has set himself up for yet another arbitration clash next summer, after which he will bolt in free agency. The Jets have no long-term security with Trouba and that meddles with their future planning. With Blake Wheeler, Tyler Myers, and several others also in need of new contracts next summer, the Jets don’t need another Trouba arbitration award cutting into their cap space just so that he can walk after the season. The team will definitely look to get maximum value in a trade for Trouba over the next season.
Minor Transactions: 07/31/18
The last few arbitration cases will be wrapped up over the next few days, and the waiting game will truly begin until the start of the 2018-19 season. Though there is plenty going on with the World Junior Summer Showcase and training camps opening in a few weeks, most eyes are still focused on the last few names on the free agent market. We’ll keep track of any minor signings right here.
- Cole Cassels has signed in the German DEL for next season after failing to receive a qualifying offer from the Vancouver Canucks. Originally selected in the third round in 2013, Cassels never did make it to the NHL and recorded just 26 points for the Utica Comets last season. It doesn’t look like there is much of an NHL future for the 23-year old center, unable to make the same offensive impact as his father, Andrew Cassels, a long-time NHL player with over 1,000 games under his belt.
- The New Jersey Devils decided not to give a qualifying offer to 24-year old Mario Lucia, who has now signed on to play in Norway for this year. Lucia, selected in the second round by the Minnesota Wild seven years ago, had a good career at Notre Dame but struggled at the AHL level. Lucia came to the Devils organization earlier this year in a minor league trade, and had just seven points for the team in 23 games.
- The disappointing NHL career of Zach Nastasiuk (or lack there of) is likely over before it began. Nastasiuk, 23, was a second-round draft pick of the Detroit Red Wings back in 2013. A first-rounder in the OHL as well, Nastasiuk had boasted strong production in juniors with the Owen Sound Attack prior to being selected and only improved after his draft year. Yet, when he joined the pro ranks in 2015, the powerful forward’s offense disappeared. Nastasiuk has spent the entirety of his entry-level contract in the minors, playing 102 games in the ECHL compared to 64 in the AHL and has failed to show off any elite ability at either level, instead playing a checking role most of the time. It is no surprise then that the Red Wings did not qualify him this off-season and that has been unable to find another NHL contract. Instead, Nastasiuk has signed with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers, the team announced. It is a two-way deal as well, meaning Nastiuk could very well spend the bulk of his season with the ECHL’s Florida Everblades instead.
Tampa Bay May Still Be Looking For More Defense
With the current high demands from Ottawa in a possible Erik Karlsson trade making it less and less likely that anything will happen, the Tampa Bay Lightning must choose whether they should be content with their defense or need to find another fit.
On paper, the team seems more solid than most as the team boasts Victor Hedman, Ryan McDonagh to go with promising Mikhail Sergachev and a host of solid blueline depth, including Anton Stralman, Dan Girardi, Braydon Coburn, Jake Dotchin and Slater Koekkoek. Yet when looking a step further, their elite defensemen are all left-handed. Hedman, McDonaugh and Sergachev are all left-handed, leaving Stralman, Dotchin and Girardi on the right, which isn’t nearly as solid. While Sergachev has proven he can play on the right side, that isn’t ideal for the Lightning, which was another reason why the team was intent on adding the right-handed Karlsson.
In a mailbag segment, The Athletic’s Joe Smith (subscription required) suggests the team needs to continue looking for a right-handed defenseman to even out both sides, suggesting the team should monitor the Jacob Trouba situation in Winnipeg since the stud defenseman refuses to sign a long-term deal with the Jets. Trouba, who received a one-year, $5.5MM deal from an arbitrator last week will have to go through the same process next year as he will be a restricted free agent again. If the two sides can’t reach long-term agreement then, he will be an unrestricted free agent in 2020-21 and might force his way out of Winnipeg.
Another option, Smith writes, would be prying Justin Faulk away from the Carolina Hurricanes. The right-shot defenseman has two years remaining on his contract at $4.83MM AAV, but with the acquisition of Dougie Hamilton and Calvin de Haan and the plethora of young defensive talent on the roster, including Jaccob Slavin, Brett Pesce, Haydn Fleury and Jake Bean, the team is expected to move Faulk for more help in other areas.
One final option and perhaps the cheapest would be to trade for Vancouver Canucks’ Chris Tanev. The 28-year-old stay-at-home defender has been solid for the Canucks, but is being overpaid at $4.45MM for the next two seasons. The right-handed defenseman would be a reliable presence.
Regardless, the team needs to shake up their defense. Coburn and Girardi, who have played bigger roles in the past, are better off as third-pairing defenders, while Sergachev played the best hockey of his career during the playoffs, suggesting he’s likely going to move into the top-four. Dotchin and Koekkoek are also both likely going to fight for time in the top-six, so something needs to change.