Elias Pettersson Signs Entry-Level Contract With Vancouver Canucks
Saturday: CapFriendly provides the details of Pettersson’s contract, noting that he receives the maximum Schedule ‘A’ and ‘B’ bonuses ($850K and $2MM, respectively) in each year along with a maximum base salary and signing bonus ($925K combined). This marks the first time that a fifth-overall selection has received the maximum entry-level contract, something that is typically reserved for the top pick or two in the draft. However, Nashville’s decision to give Eeli Tolvanen (the 30th selection in 2017) maximum bonuses in the final two years of his contract may wind up changing those standards around the league.
Friday: The Vancouver Canucks have signed one of the top prospects in the world, inking Elias Pettersson to a three-year entry-level contract. Pettersson was selected fifth-overall last summer, and led the SHL in scoring en route to a Swedish championship. Pettersson also won a World Junior silver medal earlier this year, and just recently was part of the gold medal-winning Swedish World Championship team.
Though Pettersson had to leave the most recent tournament after suffering a thumb injury, he’s expected to be ready for training camp where he could very well carve out a spot on the Canucks. The 19-year old forward had 56 points in 44 games for Vaxjo and added another 19 in their 13-game playoff run. Though he could certainly afford to fill out a bit and gain some strength, his elusiveness and creativity allows him to succeed almost every time he touches the puck. Pettersson is a type of do-it-all forward that could potentially turn into a superstar in the NHL, scoring highlight reel goals while providing plenty of offensive opportunities for his linemates. Vancouver GM Jim Benning released a statement about his newest player:
Elias is a talented offensive player with tremendous vision and skill. Like most Canucks fans we watched with excitement the incredible season he had in Sweden. This is an important offseason of training and development for Elias and we expect him to be ready to challenge for a roster spot in training camp
Pettersson could stay in Sweden for another season, and the GM recently spoke out about how he believes another year with Vaxjo would do him well. There are still things that he can learn in the SHL, but if the Canucks feel he can compete at the NHL level right away there won’t be anything standing in his way. After winning Rookie of the Year, Best Forward, and MVP of both the regular season and playoffs, it would be understandable if Pettersson wants a new challenge in North America in 2018-19. We’ll have to wait to see if he gets that chance.
Canucks To Relinquish Rights To Three Prospects
It appears the Canucks are set to let a trio of prospects go. Postmedia’s Ben Kuzma reports that Vancouver will not sign defenseman Cole Candella, winger Jakob Stukel, and center Brett McKenzie before their deadline to do so on June 1st. The trio were all selected out of the CHL in 2016 and players in that situation have two years to sign before the team relinquishes their rights.
Candella, the 140th overall selection that year, is coming off of a career season with the Sudbury Wolves of the OHL. After being dealt by Hamilton back in September, he went on to play in all 68 games while posting new bests in goals (five), assists (28), and points (33). Sudbury missed the postseason but Vancouver passed on bringing him to their AHL affiliate in Utica late in the year on an amateur tryout deal so this news isn’t too much of a surprise.
Meanwhile, the 21-year-old Stukel wrapped up his junior career with the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL where he led the team in both goals (37) and points (64). However, like Candella, the writing was on the wall regarding his future when he wasn’t invited to join Utica once his junior campaign came to an end.
As for McKenzie, his final junior campaign saw him take a step back offensively. After recording 67 points in as many games with North Bay in 2016-17, his numbers dropped to 49 in 64 contests split between them and Owen Sound, who acquired him for their playoff push. He did, however, have a strong postseason, tallying 16 points in 11 games which was good enough for a share of the team lead.
For a list of all players that need to be signed by next Friday, click here.
Latest On Carolina Hurricanes Trade Rumors
The Carolina Hurricanes are expected to be big players this summer as they try to change their fortunes in 2018-19. With a new owner in Tom Dundon, new GM in Don Waddell and new coach in Rod Brind’Amour, changes have already occurred throughout the organization. On the ice, rumors have surfaced around players like Jeff Skinner and Justin Faulk, with Waddell clearly wanting to shake things up. One name that is often included in trade speculation, but usually avoids being mentioned by anyone associated with the team, is Noah Hanifin.
The fifth-overall pick from 2015 stepped right into the NHL a few months after his draft, and is now three seasons deep in what has been an impressive young career. Just 21, Hanifin is now a restricted free agent for the first time and could be dangled as trade bait to try and land an even bigger fish. The Hurricanes have plenty of good options on defense, and even more coming with the likes of Haydn Fleury, Jake Bean and Roland McKeown. Still, it was hard to believe that the team would move on from Hanifin after taking another step forward offensively and looking like he could be a long-term core piece of the team. That’s why it was so interesting when Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet noted in his latest 31 Thoughts column that the Vancouver Canucks could be a “stealth team” in pursuit of the young defenseman. Friedman didn’t expand on it at all, obviously not wanting to reveal whatever made him observe the potential fit.
On the surface, it’s not clear what fit there would be. The Hurricanes are looking for scoring help up front, and other than Bo Horvat and Brock Boeser—both of whom aren’t expected to be dealt any time soon—there isn’t a lot of high-end talent on the Canucks forward roster. Top prospect Elias Pettersson is surely off limits, and Adam Gaudette isn’t enough on his own to land Hanifin.
An interesting thought though could be Waddell’s recent comments on the goaltending situation in Carolina. The Hurricanes struggled in net last season, with Cam Ward feeling the effects of age and Scott Darling not able to reproduce his success from Chicago. Though the latter is still under contract, it’s not clear where the answer is for the Hurricanes in the short or long-term. Vancouver could present an answer to that, as goaltending prospect Thatcher Demko is considered ready for the NHL and is expected to be of starting caliber for his career. The 22-year old is stuck behind Jacob Markstrom and Anders Nilsson for the time being, but many believe he is the Canucks’ goaltender of the future. Interestingly though, the team also has Michael DiPietro in the system, who starred in the OHL again and even got to be part of Team Canada at the World Championship. Though he didn’t play for the team, his selection as the third goaltender just shows how highly he is regarded as a prospect. There’s no guarantee DiPietro even finds success at the AHL level, but so far he’s done nothing to show that he’s not deserving of the third-round selection Vancouver used last summer.
Even if Vancouver doesn’t land Hanifin, the idea that Friedman would need to reveal them as a “stealth” team lends credence to the idea that the young Hurricanes defenseman is available, at least for the right price. Though that return would have to be hefty, some team could land themselves quite the prize if there is a deal to be made. Hanifin should get a substantial raise this summer, but as a legitimate top-4 option that is still only 21-years old, it would be hard to find a team that wouldn’t accept him into their dressing room.
Vancouver Canucks “Not Looking To Move” Chris Tanev
Over the last few years, as the Vancouver Canucks posted disappointing results on the ice, speculation has surfaced about what they’ll do with certain key parts of their defense. Chris Tanev in particular has come up in rumors in each of the last two offseasons, and likely would have been a target for more speculation this summer. Vancouver GM Jim Benning is trying to put an end to that before it gets started however, telling Sportsnet 650 (via Rick Dhaliwal on Twitter) that the team is “not looking to move Chris Tanev.”
Tanev, 28, had another injury plagued season in 2017-18 and ended up in just 42 games for the Canucks. The undrafted free agent defenseman hasn’t been able to stay healthy in basically any professional season, peaking at 70 games played in 2014-15. Still, when he is on the ice he makes a considerable impact. One of the best players in the league at suppressing shot attempts, Tanev plays a simple defensive game that could fit in on most blue lines. His contract, which has two years left at a $4.45MM cap hit, is reasonable enough to bring all kinds of interest from the rest of the league, and the fact that he’s right-handed only helps. All of those things of course also appeal to the Canucks, who aren’t so sure that they’ll be bottom feeders for very long.
Though the Canucks finished near the bottom of the standings once again this season, a new leaf is turning in Vancouver with Bo Horvat and Brock Boeser leading the way. Top prospect Elias Pettersson signed his entry-level deal today, while Adam Gaudette made a much-anticipated debut late in the season. There is talent coming up for Vancouver, who might value Tanev more as an example of how to play in your own end for their young players. Not to mention the fact that even if they do struggle again this year, they could trade him at the deadline or draft in 2019 for nearly the same amount of value. Tanev does hold an eight team no-trade clause, but that would be a small impedance if the team truly were looking to deal him.
No, if you’re looking to upgrade your blue line with a defensively responsible asset you might have to look elsewhere. Tanev seems destined to stay on the Canucks for the time being, although nothing is certain in hockey. Should a team blow the doors off with an offer this summer, Benning might quickly change his tune from “not looking to move” to “couldn’t turn down.”
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Trade Speculation Surrounds Phil Kessel, Pittsburgh Penguins
Every year when a team is eliminated early in the playoffs, speculation starts to pop up about any underperforming stars. Will they return next season? Is the time now to move on? What could they fetch in return? This time around, it’s a two-time Stanley Cup Champion coming off a 92-point season that is the target of much trade speculation. Recently, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette columnist Ron Cook penned a piece suggesting that a divide had been formed between Phil Kessel and Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan, one that “torpedoed” the team’s chances at a third consecutive Stanley Cup. Today, Tim Benz of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review pointed us in the direction of radio host Mark Madden of 105.9, who suggests that the Penguins are trying to trade Kessel and that the enigmatic winger is “okay with that.”
It’s not the first time Kessel has been involved in trade speculation in his career. The 30-year old winger was first shipped out of Boston after a breakout 36-goal, 60-point season for the Bruins in 2008-09, only to find himself traded once again by the Toronto Maple Leafs six years later. The situation in Toronto had deteriorated to a point where they needed a reset on the ice and in the dressing room, and Pittsburgh was happy to take him off their hands—Toronto even retained some of the salary on his expensive, long-term deal.
Kessel is coming off the best season of his career with 34 goals and 92 points, but was able to muster just one goal in the playoffs for the Penguins (though he added eight assists in 12 games). If GM Jim Rutherford were to trade him away, it would be a stark indictment of all the success this group has had the last few seasons. Kessel especially flourished this season, finishing three points ahead of Sidney Crosby and just six behind Evgeni Malkin for the team lead.
That big-money contract that Kessel signed in Toronto still has four years remaining on it, with the Penguins carrying just a $6.8MM cap hit after Toronto’s retained portion. He also holds a modified no-trade clause that would allow him to block trades to all but eight teams, though, if Madden is correct, perhaps he’d waive the clause to find his way out of town.
At this point in the season all the speculation regarding star players should be taken with a grain of salt. If, however, Kessel does enter the trade market there would be no shortage of teams interested. The Penguins do still have a cap crunch going forward, with several restricted free agents needing contracts with little cap room to spend. Trading Kessel would certainly open up some room, and he would likely generate a big return. Usually big trades like this don’t happen until the entry draft, meaning even after the upcoming Stanley Cup Finals we likely will have to wait a bit to see if there is anything to these trade rumors. If Pittsburgh really is considering it, Kessel could quickly become the offseason’s most intriguing story.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Snapshots: Heiskanen, Bachman, Belov
It has been quite a year for Miro Heiskanen, the third overall pick last year by the Dallas Stars. The young defenseman put up 23 points in 30 games in the Finnish Liiga, played well at the World Juniors and the Olympics, and most recently has starred in the World Championships. As reported by the Associated Press, the only logical next step is the NHL. “I want to play there as soon as possible, that’s my goal”, Heiskanen said about joining the league’s best in the NHL next season. Heiskanen knows that he could still get stronger and smarter, but his skill is very clearly pro-ready. Heiskanen is likely to step in and immediately play a key two-way role on the Dallas blue line. Expect the announcement sooner rather than later that arguably the best defensive prospect in hockey will be a full-time Star next season.
- Former Stars goalie Richard Bachman has struggled to ever be more in the NHL than he was as Dallas’ primary backup in 2011-12. He has spent almost all of the past five years toiling in the AHL for the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks. Heading into free agency, it seems Bachman has decided to move on from the NHL. Swedish news site Hockey Sverige reports that Bachman is expected to sign with Timra of the SHL. Instead of sitting behind Swedes – Jacob Markstrom and Anders Nilsson – in the NHL, the 30-year-old Bachman is expected to be given the starter’s job initially with Timra as he begins a new chapter in his career.
- Former NHL defenseman Anton Belov won’t be making the jump across the Atlantic this summer. The Russian rearguard has re-signed with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL, the team he has played with since leaving the Edmonton Oilers in 2013-14, for three more years per a team release. This extension likely rules out a future return to the NHL for the 31-year-old, though he will remain a visible name on the international stage as a top defender for a perennial KHL contender and as a frequent member of Russian national teams.
Poll: Should Pittsburgh Have Traded For Derick Brassard?
With the Eastern Conference Finals set to continue on Monday between the Washington Capitals and the Tampa Bay Lightning, one team that hasn’t been sitting around for the last couple of years is the Pittsburgh Penguins. Entering the playoffs red-hot after a key trade deadline acquistion, many people thought that the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins might make their third-straight trip to the Stanley Cup. Instead, they were ousted by the Capitals, who are fighting for their life.
The Penguins felt they hit the jackpot after making a big three-way trade between the Ottawa Senators and the Vegas Golden Knights to acquire that second-line center they desperately needed in Derick Brassard. While he seemed to be a good fit early during the final part of the regular season when he put up eight points in 14 games, Brassard suffered through an undisclosed “difficult injury,” near the end of the season and struggled throughout the playoffs. He managed just one goal and four points in 12 playoff games.
“I don’t know if we ever got there, to the comfort level where we know he’s capable of being the player he is,” said head coach Mike Sullivan following the season.
In exchange for Brassard, the Penguins gave up quite a bit to the Ottawa Senators and Vegas Golden Knights, including defenseman Ian Cole (who was subsequently flipped to Columbus), goaltending prospect Filip Gustavsson, enforcer Ryan Reaves, a 2018 first-round pick, a 2019 third-round pick and the Vancouver Canucks’ 2018 fourth-round pick.
Cole fit in nicely with Columbus and became a key piece to the Blue Jackets’ defensive core and his gritty play and leadership may have been missed from the Penguins lineup, although defenseman Chad Ruhwedel did a solid job replacing him. While many won’t miss Reaves, his size and leadership also may have been underestimated as he eventually was a key figure in the Vegas Golden Knights’ playoff run, scoring the game-winning goal to clinch the team’s first trip to the Stanley Cup. And while the Penguins are overloaded in prospects, Gustavsson finished his season, came over to the U.S. and already on the Senators’ AHL roster getting valuable playing time.
That doesn’t include the picks that the Penguins have given up, not including the fact that Pittsburgh will have drafted in the first round just once in the past six years (and Kasperi Kapanen was traded not long after to Toronto).
On a positive note, the Penguins have one more year to show that Brassard was worth the haul they gave up. He still has one more year at $3MM (after Vegas retained some of his salary) suggesting he’s on a very affordable contract.
So, did the Penguins make the right decision in trading for Brassard?
Should the Penguins have traded for Derick Brassard?
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Yes. The Penguins had to go for it as their window is closing. 55% (662)
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No. They gave up too much for a 30-year-old center. 45% (543)
Total votes: 1,205
Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.
Western Notes: Pettersson, Fabbri, Blues, Skinner
The Vancouver Canucks top prospect Elias Pettersson received a gold medal today at the IIHF World Championships. While the 19-year-old center did not play after fracturing his thumb last week in a game against finals opponent Switzerland, there is also no word on whether he intends to sign his entry-level deal with the Canucks either, according to Sportsnet’s Rick Dhaliwal.
Dhaliwal said he believes that Pettersson has yet to make up his mind about whether he wants to sign with Vancouver or stay another year in the SHL and play another year for Vaxjo. There is no timetable when the 2017 fifth-overall pick will make his decision.
- In a mailbag edition, St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Jeff Gordon writes that the best option for both the St. Louis Blues and restricted free agent Robby Fabbri is a one-year deal. Fabbri who hasn’t played a game since Feb. 4, 2017, is recovering from a torn ACL injury and had to undergo surgery a second time in training camp this year when he reinjured the same knee. Gordon writes with his value at an all-time low, as many players have trouble coming back from double surgery to the same knee, so both teams would want a one-year deal, including Fabbri who would want to prove to everyone he’s healthy if he wants to cash in on a lucrative contract.
- Sticking with the Blues, The Athletic’s Jeremy Rutherford (subscription required) writes that the St. Louis Blues continue to shop some of worst contracts in hopes of clearing some cap space, including Patrik Berglund, Vladimir Sobotka and goaltender Jake Allen, although it’s unlikely they would be able to move any of those contracts. The 29-year-old Berglund has a $3.85MM AAV deal for another four years. Sobotka has two more years at $3.5MM AAV, while Allen has three more years at $4.35MM.
- The Athletic’s Allan Mitchell (subscription required) evaluates the play of Edmonton Oilers goaltending prospect Stuart Skinner, who has been a solid prospect, but had a really good stretch after he was traded to the WHL’s Swift Current Broncos. The 2017 third-rounder posted a .932 postseason save percentage in 26 games, leading Swift Current to the WHL title. Is he the goalie of the future for the Oilers? Mitchell compares the prospect to other top goaltending prospects, but still admits its too early to know how good he could be. Regardless, the Oilers have something to look forward to in the future.
Toronto Maple Leafs Lead Bonus Overages List
It looks like the Toronto Maple Leafs are at the top of at least one list. CapFriendly released a list of teams with Bonus Overages for this year, which result from players on their entry-level contracts hitting their standard bonuses. Nine teams’ performance bonuses went over the salary cap with the Maple Leafs leading with $2.55MM, which will now count against their 2018-19 cap. The bonus overages range from Toronto’s $2.55MM to the Minnesota Wild’s $25K.
The Maple Leafs’ bonuses came from just three players from the entry-level contracts of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander which totaled the $2.55MM. Since the team had no remaining cap room in 2017-18, it pushes over to the following year. Most of the nine teams were at the cap threshold, while others like the Vancouver Canucks, St. Louis Blues and the Tampa Bay Lightning had some cap room to take a part of the bonus hits.
Two teams bonuses could still go up as Boston’s Jake Debrusk and Tampa Bay’s Mikhail Sergachev could each receive bonus if they are named to the All-Rookie Team.
Here is the nine-team list:
Toronto Maple Leafs: $2,550,000
Chicago Blackhawks: $1,232,500
Vancouver Canucks: $852,847
Boston Bruins: $774,000
Detroit Red Wings: $755,000
St. Louis Blues: $150,988
Tampa Bay Lightning: $142,947
Washington Capitals: $82,500
Minnesota Wild: $25,000
Morning Notes: Backstrom, Mironov, Comets
Nicklas Backstrom was present at the Washington Capitals morning skate today, but rotated in and out of the regular lineup. Head coach Barry Trotz wouldn’t give any indication whether the star playmaker would return tonight, calling him a game-time decision once again. Interestingly though as Tom Gulitti of NHL.com points out, Trotz revealed that Backstrom has not been medically cleared, something that was not previously known.
The Capitals are in good shape against the Tampa Bay Lightning as they head into game four up 2-1 in the series. Though the Lightning were able to avoid falling down 3-0 by winning game three, they have a lot of work to do to topple the Capitals. Backstrom’s return would make that even more difficult, especially if he can jump start the Washington powerplay once again.
- Andrei Mironov has signed a three-year deal back in the KHL after being released by the Colorado Avalanche in March. The 23-year old defenseman never did fit into the Avalanche organization, playing just 10 games for the NHL squad this season. Mironov is technically an unrestricted free agent now that he agreed to a mutual termination with Colorado, meaning we may see him back in the NHL one day. That day will have to wait for now, as he returns to the KHL for Dynamo Moscow.
- The Vancouver Canucks have signed Tanner MacMaster and Jagger Dirk to one-year AHL contracts, bringing them in after amateur tryouts coming out of college. MacMaster played 18 games for the Utica Comets including five postseason contests, scoring 11 points in the process. The 22-year old forward was a dominant player at Quinnipiac University this season, and will try to prove he can keep up the early performance in his first full season of professional hockey.