Brad Maxwell Passes Away
Longtime Minnesota North Stars defenseman Brad Maxwell passed away Sunday after a battle with lung cancer, the Minnesota Wild said today. He was 66 years old.
Born in 1957 in Brandon, Manitoba, Maxwell played his junior hockey for the WCHL’s New Westminster Bruins before going seventh overall to the North Stars in the 1977 NHL Amateur Draft. As a rookie the following season, he was arguably the best player on a team that managed just 18 wins, recording 47 points in 75 games while hitting 100 penalty minutes, a mark the physical playmaker would hit six more times in his career. He would go on to become a premier defender for parts of nine seasons in Minnesota, spending some later career stops with the New York Rangers, Quebec Nordiques, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Vancouver Canucks.
In his 613-game career spanning from 1977 to 1987, Maxwell spent years quarterbacking the North Stars’ power play and finished with 98 career goals, 270 assists and 368 points. He would add a -83 rating and 1,292 penalty minutes. His final entire season as a North Star, 1983-84, was his best. It was the only season of his career that earned him All-Star consideration, recording career-highs across the board with 19 goals, 54 assists and 73 points in 78 games.
Maxwell would become a mainstay in the Minnesota community after retiring, starting a business and making the state his post-hockey home. He would go on to become the Minnesota NHL Alumni Association president and was responsible for bringing the alumni contingent that represented the North Stars against the Chicago Blackhawks at the contest preceding the 2016 Stadium Series game in Minneapolis between the Wild and Chicago.
We at Pro Hockey Rumors extend our condolences to his family, friends and the Minnesota hockey community.
Latest On Filip Hronek
The Vancouver Canucks paid a handsome price to the Detroit Red Wings last season in order to acquire defenseman Filip Hronek, surrendering a first and second-round pick. Part of their rationale in acquiring Hronek was that ascending right-shot blueliners capable of scoring at or above a 40-point pace are exceedingly rare, and by acquiring Hronek the team managed to add a defenseman who would arguably slot in as their best behind franchise blueliner Quinn Hughes.
But with just four total games under his belt and a contract set to expire at the end of the season (he’ll be an RFA, one season away from UFA status) the 2023-24 season is shaping up to be a massive one in determining whether the Canucks’ investment in Hronek will be a lasting one. As TSN’s Travis Yost writes, Vancouver is “betting on” Hronek emerging as a capable, reliable top-four defenseman and building on the development he showed over the last two years in Detroit. If he can shore up a spot as the Canucks’ number-two defenseman, a long-term extension in Vancouver could come before the end of the season.
Tocchet Interviews About The Upcoming Season
- In an interview with Iain MacIntyre of Sportsnet, head coach of the Vancouver Canucks, Rick Tocchet, touched on several topics, including the pending restricted free agency of Elias Pettersson, and the ceiling of the Canucks headed into next season. Tocchet notes that if Vancouver can’t make the playoffs next year, the organization will need to “check most of the boxes” to entice him to stay, such as improvements from the coaching & development staff, as well as team cohesion throughout the season. Tocchet also said that the team is “capable of success”, but would not elaborate entirely on his use of the word ‘success’.
[SOURCE LINK]
Elias Pettersson Won’t Discuss Extension With Canucks During Season
It’s no secret that Vancouver Canucks superstar center Elias Pettersson is heading into 2023-24 without a contract extension, hurdling toward restricted free agency next summer. The 24-year-old Swede spoke to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman yesterday from Stockholm, saying he’s more concerned about his on-ice performance next season than spending energy working out an extension.
I’m not in a rush to sign. I mean, I’ve got one more year left over there and I don’t want to rush into anything because I still don’t know myself if it’s going to be a short-term [deal] or long-term [deal], but it’s probably going to be my biggest contract so far so I don’t want to stress anything.
Pettersson’s agent, Pat Brisson, further confirmed to Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre that he would not negotiate an extension with the Canucks until the end of the 2023-24 season:
The main focus will be for him to perform. It’s more that than anything else. Both sides can evaluate. Let’s sit down at the end of the year and explore where we’re at.
Coming off a 102-point season, Pettersson’s stock has never been higher. He’s seen his development take a rather linear rise since missing a solid chunk of 2020-21 with an upper-body injury, and a long-term deal seems like a much safer bet at this point in time than the last time Pettersson’s contract was up. He’s entering the final season of a three-year, $22.05MM bridge deal signed by former GM Jim Benning in 2021. Vancouver would assumedly like to get Pettersson locked in for the long haul as the salary cap rises, but it’s unclear whether he feels the same way.
After back-to-back 30-goal seasons and armed with a qualifying offer of $8.82MM, he’ll be looking for north of that number in negotiations, whether short-term or long-term. One outcome Vancouver will look to avoid at all costs is a two-year extension, which would use up his remaining RFA years and walk him directly to unrestricted free agency in 2026.
Canucks GM Patrik Allvin has been at his post for just over a year and a half, during which time he’s only signed one long-term contract: a seven-year, $56MM extension for J.T. Miller which kicks in this season. The richest deal he’s signed a restricted free agent to was winger Brock Boeser‘s bridge deal, which came in at three years and $19.95MM. This is an entirely different and new situation for Allvin to navigate with Pettersson.
Another thing that may complicate contract comparables is Pettersson’s age. Most recent big-money, long-term deals for RFA centers either occurred immediately after their entry-level contract expired (Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, Auston Matthews, etc.) or, more recently, at the end of their RFA eligibility with names like Mathew Barzal and Brayden Point. Pettersson falls between those two landmarks, potentially yielding a more favorable framework for a shorter-term deal.
Since breaking into the NHL with his Calder Trophy-winning season in 2018-19, Pettersson has accumulated 136 goals, 187 assists and 323 points in 325 games. He’s posted strong Corsi figures at even strength in each of his five NHL seasons and checked in at seventh in Selke Trophy voting last season after posting a +16 rating on a team that finished the season with a -22 goal differential. Everything points to Pettersson as an all-around top-flight center for years to come.
A rocky start to next season and extension talks remaining quiet could immediately plunge Pettersson’s future in British Columbia into doubt. Doing so now would be speculative – there’s been no information to suggest the two sides are far apart in negotiations or are otherwise developing animosity. Yet the fact that Pettersson is willing to let the season play out without expressively desiring a long-term commitment does put some pressure on the organization to perform this season. The Canucks have made the playoffs just twice in the past decade.
Salary cap considerations could also be a mitigating factor in a Pettersson extension, depending on what (if any) moves are made before talks begin. CapFriendly projects the team with $32.4MM in space for 2024-25, but that is considering a roster of just 11 players.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Canucks Have Too Many Forwards
With a murky salary cap situation and a glut of forwards ready and able to play in the NHL next season, the Vancouver Canucks should not be considered done with their lineup tweaking leading into training camp this September. Patrick Johnston of The Province agrees with that narrative, indicating that the Cancuks appear forced to move out a winger before the season begins.
Taking into account the probable return of forward Tanner Pearson, Johnston argues that Vancouver has five wingers set to fill three spots in the lineup. With Pearson, the Canucks have Vasily Podkolzin, Conor Garland, Brock Boeser, and Nils Hoglander set to fill three open spots on the wing for Vancouver. The team does have some flexibility with Pearson, however; if he is not ready for NHL minutes after the conclusion of training camp, the team could waive him and assign him to the AHL, as it is unlikely that another team would put in a claim.
It’s never a problem to have too much depth in the NHL, and the Canucks may wait out training camp before making a significant move to thin out their roster, but they have put themselves in a territory to make a move regardless. Boeser has been the one name most oft-mentioned in trade rumors over the last several years, as well as Garland more recently, but the two may provide too much on-ice value to Vancouver to have them seriously consider a trade that far in advance of the trade deadline.
Waiver Exemption Could Hurt Akito Hirose In Training Camp
- While Akito Hirose impressed for the Canucks late last season, his waiver exemption could work against him in training camp, suggests Patrick Johnston of the Vancouver Province. The 24-year-old held his own after signing as an undrafted college free agent, collecting three assists in seven games while logging over 16 minutes a night. However, Jack Rathbone, Guillaume Brisebois, Noah Juulsen, and Matt Irwin (among others) must pass through waivers to go to AHL Abbotsford. If Vancouver is worried about possibly losing one of them on the wire, Hirose could find himself on the outside looking in as a result.
August Free Agency Update: Pacific Division
As even most mid-tier free agents are now off the market, it’s a good time to look at how each team has fared on the free agent market this offseason. We’re publishing a list of one-way signings (i.e., likelier to start the season on the NHL roster) by team, per division, to keep you updated on NHL player movement since the new league year began on July 1.
Asterisked players denote a restricted free agent. Double-asterisked players denote the contract starts in the 2024-25 season. We finish up with the Pacific Division. You can check out the list of Atlantic Division signings here, the list of Metropolitan Division signings here and the list of Central Division signings here.
Anaheim Ducks
*F Troy Terry (seven years, $7MM cap hit)
F Alex Killorn (four years, $6.25MM cap hit)
D Radko Gudas (three years, $4MM cap hit)
G Alex Stalock (one year, 35+ contract, $800K cap hit)
D Robert Hägg (one year, $775K cap hit)
Calgary Flames
D Jordan Oesterle (one year, $925K cap hit)
Edmonton Oilers
*F Ryan McLeod (two years, $2.1MM cap hit)
F Lane Pederson (two years, $775K cap hit)
F Connor Brown (one year, $775K cap hit)
Los Angeles Kings
**F Anze Kopitar (two years, 35+ contract, $7MM cap hit)
D Andreas Englund (two years, $1MM cap hit)
G Cam Talbot (one year, 35+ contract, $1MM cap hit)
G David Rittich (one year, $875K cap hit)
F Jaret Anderson-Dolan (one year, $775K cap hit)
F Trevor Lewis (one year, 35+ contract, $775K cap hit)
*D Tobias Björnfot (two years, $775K cap hit)
San Jose Sharks
G Mackenzie Blackwood (two years, $2.35MM cap hit)
*F Fabian Zetterlund (two years, $1.45MM cap hit)
D Kyle Burroughs (three years, $1.1MM cap hit)
F Filip Zadina (one year, $1.1MM cap hit)
F Givani Smith (two years, $800K cap hit)
Seattle Kraken
*D Vince Dunn (four years, $7.35MM cap hit)
D Brian Dumoulin (two years, $3.15MM cap hit)
*D William Borgen (two years, $2.7MM cap hit)
F Kailer Yamamoto (one year, $1.5MM cap hit)
*D Cale Fleury (two years, $800K cap hit)
F Pierre-Édouard Bellemare (one year, 35+ contract, $775K cap hit)
Vancouver Canucks
D Carson Soucy (three years, $3.25MM cap hit)
D Ian Cole (one year, $3MM cap hit)
F Teddy Blueger (one year, $1.9MM cap hit)
F Pius Suter (two years, $1.6MM cap hit)
*F Nils Höglander (two years, $1.1MM cap hit)
Vegas Golden Knights
*F Brett Howden (two years, $1.9MM cap hit)
*F Pavel Dorofeyev (one year, $825K cap hit)
Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly
Canucks Could Waive Their Way To Cap Compliance
Following last week’s signing of Pius Suter, the Canucks find themselves even further above the $83.5MM cap ceiling with more than $88MM in commitments per CapFriendly and with a surplus of forwards. Thomas Drance of The Athletic examines (subscription link) how Vancouver can get cap-compliant even with Tanner Pearson’s potential return from LTIR. It would require carrying a 22-man roster instead of the maximum of 23 and would require at least three players to go on waivers, one of which needs to make at least $1.15MM. That would give them less than $150K in wiggle room, however, so it wouldn’t be surprising if GM Patrik Allvin looks to make a move or two to try to give themselves at least a bit of flexibility.
Unlikely That Poolman Will Be Available For Training Camp
- While it looks like the Canucks will have Tanner Pearson available for training camp, the same can’t be said for defenseman Tucker Poolman. CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal reported in a recent appearance on Sekeres and Price (Twitter link) that Poolman isn’t cleared to return yet as he continues to deal with concussion symptoms. The blueliner doesn’t want to retire and has sought out several medical opinions but after playing in just three games last season and the fact the symptoms continue, it’s hard to see him coming back in the near future. As a result, Poolman and his $2.5MM AAV will remain LTIR-eligible in October when Vancouver has to submit their cap-compliant roster.
Former Vancouver Canuck Josh Teves Signs In Italy
Italian club HC Bolzano of the Austrian ICEHL has signed former Vancouver Canucks defenseman Josh Teves to a one-year contract, according to a team press release. The move fills out Bolzano’s roster for the 2023-24 campaign, which also includes former Montreal Canadien and Phoenix Coyote Lucas Lessio.
This is Teves’ third European team in the last two seasons after he failed to secure an NHL or AHL contract in the 2022 off-season. After signing with Liiga club JYP, he struggled in a top-four role to start the year and slowly slid down the depth chart, totaling ten points in 48 games and a -16 rating. With just weeks left in the season, JYP and Teves mutually terminated their contract, and he immediately signed with Swiss club SC Bern, where he had two points and a +3 rating in 13 combined regular-season and playoff games to close out 2022-23.
Without much to prove he can be a serviceable top-four defender at the top flight of European pro hockey, he drops down to a slightly less competitive league in the ICEHL. While still a solid European network that sends teams to the Champions Hockey League, it’s not a league that routinely produces NHL draftees or even free agents.
It’s been a tough few seasons for Teves after signing with the Canucks as an undrafted free agent out of Princeton University in 2019 when he looked like a rather promising depth add. He made his NHL debut with Vancouver to end that season, although it would end up being the only appearance of his career to date (and, likely, ever). Unfortunately, injuries limited his playing time the following season, and his development never recovered. He would score just one goal and six points in 52 games with the AHL’s Utica Comets while a member of the Canucks organization over the next two years and Vancouver didn’t issue him a qualifying offer when his entry-level contract expired in 2021. He then signed an AHL deal with the Rochester Americans for 2021-22, the Buffalo Sabres’ affiliate, although he failed to capture much attention despite playing a full 72-game season. There, he recorded a career-high six goals, 15 assists, 21 points, and a -8 rating.
In Bolzano, the 28-year-old Teves will look to prove that he can still shoulder heavy minutes at the pro level and hope to rebuild some career stock, even if just to return to a higher-level European pro league next season.