Friedman’s Latest: Sobotka, Salary Cap, Tkachyov, Zaitsev
After terminating his KHL contract yesterday, center Vladimir Sobotka and the Blues are making progress on a multi-year deal that could see him rejoin the team shortly, reports Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
The 29 year old owes the Blues one year at $2.725MM on a contract that was awarded by an arbitrator prior to the 2014-15 season. Rather than signing it, Sobotka opted to go play with Avangard Omsk back in Russia for the past three seasons.
If he were to return this season, he could fulfill the previous contract but he would be eligible for unrestricted free agency this summer. While St. Louis could certainly use the upgrade, that wouldn’t be the most ideal way to bring him back. If they can come to terms on an extension, it would be a strong compromise for both sides, allowing the team to potentially get Sobotka back for the playoffs while giving him a multi-year deal at presumably a higher AAV.
As always, Friedman’s full 30 Thoughts column is worth a full read but here are a handful of the other highlights:
- The arrival of the Golden Knights next season may have an impact on the salary cap, particularly the NHLPA’s decision to use their annual escalator at a rate of up to 5%. It has been used each year since being instituted but it has resulted in escrow increasing quickly as well, something that the players aren’t happy with. With Vegas having some money to spend as an expansion team, the players could opt to decide that their entrance is enough of a boost to the market this summer and instead decline to artificially raise the salary cap ceiling with the escalator.
- The NHL’s announcement that they will not stop the season to allow the players to participate in the Olympics could have an effect on the international free agent market. In particular, Friedman cites Russian forward Vladimir Tkachyov, who has received interest from the Devils, Maple Leafs, and Oilers, as someone who may now be less likely to make the jump across the pond in time for 2017-18.
- While the rumored extension between Toronto and defenseman Nikita Zaitsev that leaked last week has yet to become official, Friedman notes that there’s no expectation that the deal will fall apart. The seven year term caught many by surprise but the team was okay going with that long of a deal in order to keep the AAV of the contract down. Morgan Rielly, their top blueliner, has a cap hit of $5MM so it’s understandable that Toronto would want to keep Zaitsev at a lower price tag.
Canucks Extend Jayson Megna
The Vancouver Canucks announced this evening that they have reached an agreement on a one-year, one-way deal with forward Jayson Megna. The extension carries a $675K cap hit for the 2017-18 season and provides some job security for the hard-working veteran forward.
In the team’s press release, GM Jim Benning describes Megna as a players whose “character and professionalism” are valued by the organization. As a bottom-six depth forward, it’s the intangibles that make a major difference for a player like Megna and the Canucks clearly have enjoyed having him around in his first season with the team. The Florida native had spent much of his early pro career with the Pittsburgh Penguins organization, playing mostly in the AHL, and again skated in mostly minor league games after signing with the New York Rangers last year. In Vancouver, Megna has apparently finally found a full-time NHL home. Megna has played in 53 games for the Canucks in 2016-17, versus just four with the AHL’s Utica Comets, and has recorded four goals and four assists in that span, one point shy of his career high. Megna also does the non-flashy things well, such as checking, blocking shots, and winning battles along the boards.
However, like many minor signings this season, the Canucks are likely just posturing that this signing is for need and fit and not just for the upcoming Expansion Draft. After trading Jannik Hansen to the San Jose Sharks at the Trade Deadline, Vancouver put themselves in a position where they needed to add another body that qualifies for exposure – having played 40 games this season or 70 games over the past two seasons and having term on his contract – or else risk losing a good, young forward. With an extension signed, Megna now qualifies for sacrifice to the Vegas Golden Knights. However, don’t expect the 27-year-old grinder to be the pick. Megna appears to have found a unique fit in Vancouver, but has previously been an AHL-caliber player for all intents and purposes. The Knights will inevitably end up with quite a few players of similar talent levels, but will likely choose to go younger than the likes of Megna.
Friedman’s Latest: Kampf, Olympics, Tallon
The Avalanche, Blackhawks, and Golden Knights are among the teams that are believed to be interested in Czech free agent forward David Kampf, reports Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman (Twitter link). He notes his situation could be one to watch over the next 24 hours which suggests Kampf could be close to making a decision on where to sign.
The 22 year old center/right winger is coming off a career year with Pirati Chomutov of the Czech Extraliga. This season, he posted 15 goals and 16 assists in 52 regular season games while adding three goals and seven assists in 13 postseason contests so far.
Kampf will be limited to signing a two year entry level contract wherever he decides to sign. As he is still participating in the Czech playoffs plus the fact that he would have to clear entry waivers if he wanted to play in the NHL this season, it’s a certainty that the deal won’t begin until 2017-18.
Here are some other notes courtesy of Friedman via the weekly Saturday Headlines segment (video link):
- While the IIHF is asking for a final decision from the league with regards to Olympic participation by the end of April at the latest, Friedman expects a decision to be made much sooner than that, noting that it’s “very possible” that the announcement will come at some point this week. If it doesn’t, Friedman expects that a call will be made one way or the other by April 10th. With the playoffs fast approaching, the league would be wise to get this storyline over and done with before the puck drops on postseason play to avoid any potential distractions.
- Although there has been some suggestion that the Islanders might ask the Panthers for an opportunity to speak to Dale Tallon, Florida’s President of Hockey Operations, Friedman noted that New York hasn’t yet sought permission to do so. He also doesn’t believe that the Panthers would allow Tallon to speak with the Isles as they plan to bring him back next season. Florida’s front office situation could shuffle once again this offseason if interim head coach and GM Tom Rowe brings in a new bench boss as expected which could result in Tallon having a lesser role in hockey operations as he reportedly did at the start of this year.
Snapshots: Protected List, Stalock, Fritz
The NHL has announced that it will now release publicly both the protected and available lists for the upcoming expansion draft when they are distributed to teams around the league. This comes as a reversal of their previous decision, and one that fans will embrace. While the front offices of many teams likely didn’t want the list to become public because of potential public relations or player morale problems—incessant critiquing of their jobs is something they live with, but not something they enjoy—it is something that fans of the sport wanted so overwhelmingly that the league will now consent.
Expected to be released on June 18th, the actual date of the release has not yet been announced. Either way, it will be an exiting day for fans and media members alike that will have a few days to pick through the rosters and project who will be picked by the Vegas Golden Knights. Teams must submit their protected list on the 17th, while the team will be announced at some point on the 21st.
- Alex Stalock has been recalled by the Minnesota Wild, and he is expected to make the start tomorrow night against the Ottawa Senators. The team will give Devan Dubnyk three days off before he returns Saturday, given his struggles this month. After leading the league in save percentage for much of the season, Dubnyk has posted an .889 number in March as the team has fallen out of first place in the Central Division. Stalock will be making his first NHL start since February of last season.
- The New York Islanders have signed Tanner Fritz to a two-year extension starting next season. It will be a two-way deal, and Fritz had been playing on an AHL deal with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers up to this point. The former Ohio State Buckeye broke out this season in the AHL, scoring 40 points in 61 games. The 25-year old is still waiting for his NHL debut, but this is a solid step in that direction.
- Dallas has recalled young defenseman Julius Honka from the AHL, bringing him back up for the end of the season. Honka, the team’s first-round pick from 2014, played ten games for the team earlier this year and did not look overmatched. He has excelled in his three years at the AHL level, recording at least 31 points in each season and generally moving the puck with swift, crisp passes. He’ll get another tryout this spring before likely being installed full-time on the blue line for the Stars next year.
Snapshots: Raiders, MacArthur, Roy
The NFL approved the Oakland Raiders bid to move to Las Vegas today, which led to a lot of different opinions on the future of the Vegas Golden Knights as the prime sports franchise in the city. Though the Raiders aren’t expected to move to the city until the 2019 season, PFR’s Zach Links writes that they may not wait that long if the fan pressure gets to them next season.
The Golden Knights released a statement on the move, indicating that they’re happy to welcome the Raiders into their community. It would seem though, that even if the Raiders do improve Vegas’ viability as a major sports market they will definitely eat at some of the corporate sales and sponsorships available for the NHL franchise. This is exactly why the NHL wanted to get into the market first, in order to try and build a fan base before one of the other leagues forced their way in.
- Despite a history of concussions throughout his career, Clarke MacArthur is trying to return to professional hockey—this season. In January, the team had announced that he wouldn’t play again this season, but according to Ian Mendes of TSN MacArthur has never given up hope. Head coach Guy Boucher is operating as though he’s shut down, but apparently there has been some talk about having him retry the baseline testing that had him shutdown earlier this year. It still seems extremely dangerous for MacArthur, but if he could return as an effective winger the Senators would be that much more dangerous in the playoffs.
- The Los Angeles Kings have signed Matt Roy to a two-year entry-level deal, now that Michigan Tech’s season is over. The team lost at the hands of the University of Denver on Saturday, ending their run for the Frozen Four before it had even really begun. Roy was a seventh-round pick of the Kings in 2015, and has posted two straight seasons of excellence on the Michigan Tech blueline. He’s turning pro a year early, and has the makings of a solid two-way defender for the AHL with a chance to grow into something even better.
West Notes: Vegas, Brodzinski, Janmark
The Vegas Golden Knights are primed to use every dollar allowed under the salary cap, and they’ll be willing to do so in various different ways. As Dan Marrazza of NHL.com writes, the team will look at examples like last summer’s Pavel Datsyuk deal as ways to use their cap space to gather assets as quickly as possible. Remember, the Arizona Coyotes acquired Datsyuk’s cap-hit that had no salary attached to it, in order to move up in the draft and select Jakob Chychrun 16th overall. Bill Foley, owner of the Golden Knights, explained it this way:
Cap space is valuable, and there will be people willing to give us good assets to take certain contracts, because they have cap issues. There are teams that have cap stress, there re teams that have expansion stress, there are teams that have both. We’re here willing to talk to all these clubs.
Indeed, Vegas would be wise to take a book from the Coyotes asset collection strategies of the past couple of season, but they can go even further. With Foley willing to pay up to the cap, it doesn’t have to be just dead cap-hits that they acquire for assets, but real salary that is hurting teams. That opens up all 30 franchises as potential customers at the Golden Knights cap-space saloon, hoping to clear out some room to go after the big fishes on this year’s market.
- Jon Rosen of NHL.com tells us that we shouldn’t be surprised if a Jonny Brodzinski call-up is announced tomorrow. The 23-year old winger has been lighting it up at the AHL level where he has 47 points in 56 games this season. Armed with a shot that can score from anywhere in the offensive zone, Brodzinski has been a pure goal-scoring threat at every level without possessing any other standout skill. His ability to be in the right spot at the right time has always followed him, which will now be tested at the NHL level. With the Kings now eight points back of a playoff spot and still struggling to score goals, there isn’t much risk in seeing what Brodzinski can do.
- The Vancouver Canucks will be without Jayson Megna or Joseph Cramarossa for the rest of their current road trip after both missed practice today. Cramarossa is having trouble walking after blocking a shot in last night’s game, while Megna is dealing with an upper-body injury. The Canucks face off against the St. Louis Blues, Minnesota Wild and Winnipeg Jets before heading home at the end of the month.
- Mark Stepneski of NHL.com relays that though Mattias Janmark was on the ice at practice today, he won’t play for the rest of the season. The young forward had surgery in September to fix a congenital knee condition that has been affecting him since he was a teenager. After scoring 29 points in his rookie season, the Stars were hoping for a big sophomore performance—one that never even got started. He says he’ll be ready for camp next fall.
KHL Forwards Shipachyov, Dadonov Looking For Big Payday
As we discussed at length earlier this year, KHL forwards Vadim Shipachyov and Evgeni Dadonov could be headed to the NHL as soon as next season. The two St. Petersburg players enjoyed excellent seasons and have considered a change to the North American game to see if they can compete at this level and cash in on their prime seasons. Cash is exactly what seems to be on their minds, as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet writes in his latest “30 Thoughts” column.
Asking for per-season amounts around $5.5MM and $3.5MM respectively, Shipachyov and Dadonov will come at a high cost to a team looking to upgrade in their top-six. While both have produced at better than a point-per-game pace in the KHL, there is no guarantee that success would translate to the NHL. Playing for the powerhouse St. Petersburg squad alongside Ilya Kovalchuk and Pavel Datsyuk has helped improve their games, but both come with an element of risk.
Shipachyov just turned 30, and has never before experienced quite the amount of success he’s found this year skating almost exclusively with Kovalchuk. A deal that stretched into his mid-thirties could easily backfire for a team if his scoring touch is limited at this level. He does however come with a bit more size and strength than his teammate Dadonov, who struggled as a youngster with the Florida Panthers after being drafted in 2007. Dadonov is (exactly) two years younger and comes with reported smaller ask, which will likely give him a wider net of teams interested in his services.
Friedman notes that the Vegas Golden Knights have been previously linked to the pair, which would give the expansion team a big, unknown name to market around for their inaugural season. With owner Bill Foley apparently willing to spend right up to the cap in his first season, making a big international splash like either Russian sniper could be an interesting play as they try to entice new fans.
Sabres Notes: Kulikov, Expansion, Petersen
The Buffalo Sabres haven’t had a good season. Struggling to get anything going through injury after injury, and seeing players fail to meet expectations on a regular basis has sent them to the bottom of the standings once again. GM Tim Murray took to the airwaves today to talk about the season so far and John Vogl of the Buffalo News and Joe Yerdon of NHL.com relayed the information on Twitter.
One name mentioned in particular was Dmitry Kulikov, who Murray said he expected to play like a top-3 defenseman this year. Admitting that it “didn’t work out” is putting it lightly, as Kulikov has just two points in 39 games and is a -17. Injury and inconsistency have both plagued the former Florida Panther this year, as he heads into unrestricted free agency this summer. After earning $4.3MM per year on his current three-year deal, Kulikov will be hard pressed to find a similar pay day on the open market.
- At the expansion draft in June, Murray expects to go with the seven forward, three defense option. In fact, he has already reached out to Vegas GM George McPhee on who he doesn’t want to lose. At first glance, it appears as though Buffalo may be at risk of losing a player like Marcus Foligno or Zemgus Girgensons, though they could easily make a deal with the Golden Knights to take someone else instead.
- The Sabres are hoping that Calvin Peterson will turn pro after Notre Dame finishes their college season. The NCAA goaltender has been one of the best in the country the last three seasons, recording .919, .927 and .928 save percentages. A fifth-round pick of the Sabres in 2013, Murray says there is opportunity in net in the Sabres organization and feels there is a solid relationship between the two sides.
Snapshots: Kunin, Vegas, Vermin
Luke Kunin has done everything the Minnesota Wild had hoped for since drafting him fifteenth overall in 2016 except one—sign a pro contract. It might not be long until he finishes that goal too, as Michael Russo of the Star Tribune expects him to turn pro within the next few days. Kunin went back for his sophomore year this season as the Wisconsin Badgers’ captain and improved in every facet of his game. The offensive performance continued, with 38 points in 35 games but he improved in the defensive zone and on the powerplay as well.
Badgers coach Tony Granato told Todd Milewski of the Wisconsin State Journal that Kunin is “ready to play pro hockey,” despite wanting him back to help his team next year. He wishes him well with whatever he decides, and is just happy he got the opportunity to coach him for two seasons. If Kunin does turn pro he would likely head to the Iowa Wild for the remainder of the regular season on an amateur tryout, before starting his entry-level deal in 2017-18.
- SinBin.com reported answers from George McPhee during a non-media Q&A for season ticket holders today, which led to some interesting revelations about the Vegas Golden Knights. While some have argued that the Golden Knights would take a pile of young, prospect-type players in the expansion draft to build for the future, it doesn’t sound like that will be the driving force behind the team. McPhee touched on experience and leadership as a need for the team, while also revealing that Bill Foley will be willing to spend to the cap in the first season. One of the things that is often overlooked in mock drafts is the need to get to the cap floor, which is something McPhee believes will be no problem. “Complying with the rules and spending the amount of money necessary has not been a problem,” he said, lending a little more credence to the idea that he might target some slightly overpaid, yet still valuable veterans that will be left exposed by their teams.
- One important note from the Q&A is also that McPhee said they will announce an AHL affiliate at the end of the season. Though it’s not clear yet who that would be, SinBin.com notes that it is likely the Chicago Wolves and that the Golden Knights will supply the coaching staff and control hockey operations. The Wolves are currently affiliated with the St. Louis Blues, but remain one of only a dozen AHL teams not owned by an NHL club.
- The Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled Joel Vermin for the second time in three days. The forward was brought up on Saturday, only to watch the game that night from the press box. With Vladislav Namestnikov returning to a full practice today, but Ondrej Palat leaving early, Vermin is likely only up as insurance once again for tomorrow night’s game against the Arizona Coyotes. Should one of those two miss the contest, Vermin would get into his 12th game of the season in Tampa Bay. He has just three points in the NHL this year, with 28 in AHL action.
College Notes: Vegas, Schuldt, Butcher, Flyers
Although many have speculated that the Golden Knights would be highly active in the college free agent market, that isn’t going to be the case, GM George McPhee told ESPN’s Craig Custance (Insider required). The team is focusing at this point on targeting players who they believe have NHL upside in the near-term instead of signing several to fill spots at the minor league level for next season.
Custance adds that one of the players that Vegas has interest in is defenseman Neal Pionk. The Minnesota-Duluth sophomore is expected to have quite a few teams interested in his services should he decide to turn pro. Although he’s undersized at just 5’11, he boasts a powerful shot that could make him a strong power play threat down the road.
Other news and notes from the NCAA:
- While he was likely to draw NHL interest, St. Cloud defenseman Jimmy Schuldt has decided to not go pro and instead return for his junior NCAA season, reports Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News (Twitter link). This isn’t the first time the 21 year old has spurned overtures to sign with an NHL team as he was one of the more sought after blueliners on the market last season. In 36 games with the Huskies this season, Schuldt had eight goals and 11 assists.
- The Avalanche plan to offer a contract to defenseman Will Butcher in the coming days, reports BSNDenver’s Adrian Dater. Colorado drafted the 22 year old back in the fifth round (123rd overall) back in 2013. If he doesn’t come to terms on a contract, he would be eligible for unrestricted free agency in mid-August. This season with the University of Denver, Butcher has six goals and 29 assists in 39 games.
- Flyers GM Ron Hextall landed one of the more notable college free agents last season in goaltender Alex Lyon and told CSN Philly’s Jordan Hall that he’s hopeful that they will be able to add someone in the coming weeks. However, he noted that Philadelphia’s depth of young prospects at all positions could ultimately work against them as players may opt to pursue a spot with an organization that doesn’t have as many youngsters to compete with for a spot.