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Minor Transactions: 7/18/18

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The past few days have been a busy stretch for fringe NHL free agents deciding whether to hold out for a big league deal or look elsewhere. Significant names such as Torrey Mitchell and Teemu Pulkkinen have signed overseas, while other players have settled for minor league employment. Similar deals have continued throughout the day:

  • Count Michael Latta as a player making the jump across the Atlantic. Or would it be the Pacific? Latta has signed with the Kunlun Red Star, the sole Chinese member of the KHL. He announced the deal himself today, while European insider Aivis Kalnins adds that it is a one-year contract. Latta, who is most well known for his days as a serviceable bottom-six regular with the Washington Capitals, has actually not played in an NHL game since 2015-16 in D.C. Latta has landed NHL contracts in each of the past two off-seasons with the Los Angeles Kings and Arizona Coyotes respectively and has even been a sought-after trade acquisition in both years, but nevertheless has played only in the AHL. Latta’s numbers in the minors are not all that impressive either, so perhaps his move to the KHL presents an opportunity for his two-way game to be better appreciated.
  • Veteran forward Mike Blunden is making a similar move but to a lesser-known team and league. The long-time depth forward has made an NHL appearance in all but one season since turning pro in 2006, including multiple seasons where more than half of his time was spent at the top level, but saw only three games with the Ottawa Senators over the course of his recently-expired two-year contract. A proven scorer in the AHL, Blunden is likely in pursuit of a new opportunity and higher compensation outside of North America. Per a team release, Blunden has signed a contract with HC Bolzano of the Austria-based EBEL. However, the “Foxes” are actually located in Italy and are the premiere pro team of the country. Bolzano is the reigning EBEL champion and has been loading up this off-season to defend their title, adding Blunden and fellow AHLers Leland Irving, Brett Findlay, and Matt MacKenzie. Blunden could turn out to be a top scorer for the team this season.
  • Experienced goaltender Tom McCollum is not quite ready to leave North America or even the Great Lakes region. The Buffalo-area native has spent all but one season of his nine-year pro career in the Detroit Red Wings system, appearing in over 250 games with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. However, without an offer from the Red Wings or presumably an AHL offer from the Griffins this summer, McCollum has decided to take his talents to their arch rival. The Milwaukee Admirals have announced that they have signed the veteran netminder to a one-year minor league deal. The team’s release calls McCollum a “proverbial thorn in the Admirals’ side” for years, but he has now joined them in their pursuit of a Calder Cup. Milwaukee’s parent club, the Nashville Predators, could also come calling if injuries strike; the team has just three goalies signed who have pro experience in North America.
  • Forward Tyler Randell is sticking around in the AHL as well. The 27-year-old enforcer has been unable to land a two-way NHL contract, but will settle for a minor league deal. The Rochester Americans have announced that they have signed Randell to a one-year AHL contract. Randell, a 2009 sixth-round draft pick of the Boston Bruins, is an impressive physical force and a smart defensive player. He even earned himself 27 NHL games with the Bruins in 2015-16 and a nice $700K free agent contract from the Ottawa Senators last summer. However, his offensive game is severely limited at all levels and it’s no surprise that his NHL market was lacking this off-season after an eight-point campaign with the Belleville Senators last season. Randell brings energy and grit to Rochester, but if his scoring doesn’t improve in consistency and frequency, he’s unlikely to end up back in the NHL.

Snapshots: Rangers, Wilson, Mitchell

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The New York Rangers have hired David Oliver and Greg Brown as assistant coaches, rounding out David Quinn’s new staff in preparation for 2018-19. Lindy Ruff, a holdover from the last staff, will also be retained as an assistant. Oliver actually hired Quinn as head coach when working as GM of the Lake Erie Monsters, and even served as an assistant for him before the head coach was promoted to Colorado and then departed for Boston University.

Brown is coming in from Boston College where he has spent nearly a decade and a half, coaching elite collegiate talents including Rangers forwards Chris Kreider and Kevin Hayes. Quinn should be quite familiar with Brown from their days coaching against each other at the college level, and will try to bring a new enthusiasm and style to the Rangers as they continue to rebuild their NHL organization.

  • Tom Wilson is still without a contract, and according to Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post the Capitals preference is to work out a long-term deal with the power forward. The two sides have had “steady dialogue” and GM Brian MacLellan admitted that he’s the top priority right now. Even if a deal isn’t imminent, it’s clear that there will be something done to keep Wilson playing for the Capitals for some time. After a successful season with 35 points, Wilson really dominated in the playoffs for the Capitals and recorded 15 points in 21 games while making an impact physically on almost every shift. Selected in the first round six years ago with a hope that he’d turn into a premiere power forward in the NHL, the Capitals and Wilson are starting to see the results of his hard work.
  • Torrey Mitchell has signed a one-year contract in Switzerland, leaving the NHL after a decade and 666 regular season games. The 33-year old forward recorded 11 points last season while suiting up for 60 games between the Montreal Canadiens and Los Angeles Kings, but may not have received much interest in free agency. He’ll join Lausanne HC for next season to hit the ice with other former NHL players like Joel Vermin, Dustin Jeffrey and Christoph Bertschy.

Capitals Hire Reid Cashman As Assistant Coach

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New Washington Capitals head coach Todd Reirden has begun filling out his staff. Just as Reirden was promoted internally, he has made his first hire from within. According to Mark Divver of the Providence Journal, the Capitals have hired Reid Cashman as an assistant coach. Cashman has been an assistant coach with the Hersey Bears, Washington’s AHL affiliate, for the past two years but is set to make the jump. While the team has yet to formally announce the hiring, Divver’s report last night has since been followed up by confirmation from a local radio source and a former colleague of Cashman’s.

It has been a meteoric rise for the 35-year-old coach. Cashman was still playing in the AHL less than a decade ago – including a season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins with Reirden as his coach – after a highly successful collegiate career at Quinnipiac University. He then returned to his alma mater as an assistant right after his playing days were over and coached the Bobcats until 2016. He then joined the Bears and just two years later is already on to the NHL level with the Capitals.

A high-scoring defenseman in his time, Cashman will be tasked with working on the Washington blue line as the replacement to the departed Lane Lambert. His style as a player and experience as a coach at the younger levels should stand to benefit Capitals defensemen like Dmitry Orlov, Christian Djoos, Madison Bowey, and rookie hopeful Lucas Johansen. The defending champs need their younger players on the back end to step up this season with some lacking depth and Cashman will be the man to get them going.

Washington Capitals Re-Sign Liam O’Brien

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Another restricted free agent has avoided arbitration, as the Washington Capitals today announced that Liam O’Brien has signed a one-year two-way contract worth $650K at the NHL level. O’Brien was scheduled to have an arbitration hearing on July 23rd, but will no longer require it. He will still be a restricted free agent at the end of this contract.

O’Brien, 23, has never been known for his scoring ability, but instead as one of the hardest working players on the ice every night. Even in junior he seemed to never take a shift off, and would engage physically at every chance he had. Since joining the Capitals as an undrafted free agent in 2014, he’s continued to work and develop as something other than a bruising option and scored a career-high 17 goals last season for the Hershey Bears. He also recorded the fewest penalty minutes of his professional career as the AHL continues to move further away from fights and enforcers, and model itself after the increasingly quick and skilled game found at the highest level.

To keep his career moving forward in that skilled world, O’Brien has continued to work on his puck skills and speed and is now a valued offensive component of the Hershey attack. He finished second on the team in goals last season, and could be relied upon even more now that Chris Bourque has moved on to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. If the Capitals face injuries he could also be a short-term replacement in the bottom-six, and try to follow in the footsteps of Tom Wilson who plays a similarly physical game, albeit with a touch more skill and success.

Offseason Keys: Washington Capitals

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The offseason is now in full swing with the draft complete and free agency now underway.  What storylines lie ahead around the league in the weeks to come?  Our Offseason Keys series wraps up with a look at the Washington Capitals.

Before the celebrations of their Stanley Cup title even ended, the Capitals got busy when it came to accomplishing some offseason objectives.  They locked up John Carlson long-term, got out of Brooks Orpik’s contract, and hired a new coach…all before July came around.  Despite accomplishing a lot of their keys early on, Washington still has some work to do this summer before they look to defend their title.

New Deal For Wilson

For several years, winger Tom Wilson has had the reputation of primarily being a physical forward but he took a big step forwards towards changing that last season as he posted career highs across the board with 14 goals, 21 assists, and 187 PIMS in 78 games.  He also saw his role increase dramatically as he went from a bottom-six forward to someone that was frequently riding shotgun on the top line.  He followed up that performance with an even better showing in the playoffs where he picked up 15 points (5-10-15) in 21 contests.

Interestingly, while Wilson was eligible for salary arbitration, he opted not to file in advance of Thursday’s deadline.  That leaves him still eligible for an offer sheet but the biggest takeaway from this is that a guaranteed deal well in advance of the season isn’t necessarily going to be the case.

GM Brian MacLellan has frequently stated that his preference is to sign Wilson long-term but it poses the question of what he’s worth on that type of contract.  Yes, he’s coming off of a strong season but his previous career high in points heading into last year was only 23.  That type of point production from a forward isn’t something that typically yields a long-term commitment.  Instead, a ‘prove it’ bridge deal is often the route that gets taken and it will be interesting to see if they shift towards that if they can’t come to terms on a long-term pact.  As Wilson is just 24, they can safely do so and still have him under team control at the end of the year.

Add A Veteran Goaltender

With Philipp Grubauer off to Colorado as part of a draft night trade, the Caps have lost a big security blanket behind Braden Holtby.  It was only a few months ago that Grubauer actually got the nod to start the postseason and while Holtby eventually reclaimed the starting role and played quite well after, he did struggle in 2017-18 and having Grubauer behind him gave them the opportunity to let him sit back and regain his form with a lot less pressure.

As things stand, Pheonix Copley is set to open the season as Washington’s backup.  The 26-year-old has a total of two career NHL appearances and isn’t exacting coming off of a confidence-inspiring minor league campaign, one that saw him post a 2.91 GAA and a .896 SV% in 41 games.  He brings some value in that he has a league-minimum cap hit but Washington could certainly stand to do better.

Whether it’s looking at someone like Kari Lehtonen or Steve Mason in free agency or simply adding a third-stringer with a bit more NHL experience, bringing someone else in would be helpful.  Ilya Samsonov is now signed and is the goalie of the future but asking him to take on the starting reins in his rookie AHL season if something happens to Holtby would be risky.  MacLellan has done well to give them some wiggle room financially and spending some of those savings on some insurance between the pipes would be wise.

Add Defensive Depth

While Washington is expected to give youngsters Madison Bowey and Christian Djoos longer looks next season, it would still be a little risky going into the season with those two as the bottom pair and not much support behind them.  Orpik’s deal was cleared out last month while Jakub Jerabek, a late-season addition, remains an unrestricted free agent.  In the system, Aaron Ness has a little bit of NHL experience but isn’t someone that’s going to be counted on for more than a few games here and there.

Basically, the Capitals need to replace Orpik with a similar veteran on a short-term deal (or simply re-sign Orpik as he was bought out by Colorado).  Fortunately for them, the market on veteran blueliners has been slow to develop so this is something they can slow play a bit unless there is a specific player they’re targeting.  There will be defenders that will be looking for cheap deals or PTOs in late August/early September and Washington should have a favorable pitch given the year they just had and a spot potentially up for grabs.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Snapshots: Ducks, Arbitration, Panarin

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The Anaheim Ducks will retire two numbers this season, honoring Paul Kariya’s #9 and Scott Niedermayer’s #27 at two different ceremonies. Both players have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame following outstanding playing careers, and were huge parts of a franchise that has had quite a bit of success over its first 25 years in existence.

Kariya, the team’s very first draft pick, recorded 669 points in 606 games for the then-Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and was named captain just a few years into his career. His dynamic offensive skill and speed brought the team international attention, and when paired with Teemu Selanne formed one of the most exciting young duos to watch in the NHL. He won just about everything he could in his career except for a Stanley Cup, including Olympic, World Junior and World Championship gold medals, an NCAA title and a pair of Lady Byng trophies.

Niedermayer had a different path to success in Anaheim, coming as an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2005. The superstar defenseman brought championship experience to the Ducks, and quickly led them to a Stanley Cup of their own in 2007. That was the team’s first and only NHL championship, and Niedermayer’s Conn Smythe-winning performance was good enough to cement him in their history forever. Another three seasons at an elite level only confirmed his designation as one of the greatest players to ever suit up in Anaheim.

  • A few arbitration dates have already been set, as Michael Russo of The Athletic reports that Mathew Dumba and Jason Zucker of the Minnesota Wild have hearings on July 23 and 28th respectively. Members of the Washington Capitals will also be in Toronto on one of those days, as Liam O’Brien has a hearing set for the 23rd. It’s important to note that teams can sign these players to contracts at any time before an arbitrator actually makes a decision, and only a few (if any) of those who filed for player-elected salary arbitration will even make it that far. For Zucker, an arbitrator could only grant a one-year contract since the Minnesota forward is already 26 and is scheduled to reach unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2019.
  • Rumors have been swirling for some time about the status of Columbus Blue Jackets’ forward Artemi Panarin, given that he isn’t willing to open negotiations with the team regarding his upcoming free agency. Panarin is scheduled to hit the open market next summer, and agent Dan Milstein spoke with The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline (subscription required) to make it clear that his client holds no grudge or animosity towards his current team. Quite the contrary, Milstein explains that the Blue Jackets have been an outstanding organization for Panarin, but that the 26-year old forward simply hasn’t make a decision on his future. Panarin is one of the league’s very best offensive talents, but the Blue Jackets would have to consider trading him if there is a clear indication that he won’t entertain a long-term extension at some point.

Poll: What Kind Of Extension Is Predators’ Ryan Ellis Worth?

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With top defensemen getting locked up to big, long-term deals everywhere, one only has to look around the league to see who is next. The most obvious target would be Nashville’s Ryan Ellis, who will be wrapping up the final year of his five-year, $12.5MM deal. Ellis, who is one of the core of Nashville’s talented back end, is one of the most underpaid blueliners in the league at $2.5MM AAV, should be in line for a great extension. After all, many of his defensive teammates are already well-paid, including P.K. Subban ($9MM for four more years), Roman Josi ($4MM for two more years), and Mattias Ekholm ($3.75MM for four more years).

Nashville claims that locking up the 27 year old is the team’s top priority this offseason. Yet little has happened. However, how much is he worth, asks Adam Vingan of the Tennessean? While two of the most significant extensions went to Los Angeles’ Kings Drew Doughty (eight years, $11MM AAV) and Arizona Coyotes’ Oliver Ekman-Larsson (eight years, $8.25MM AAV), Ellis likely doesn’t fit into that category. Therefore, Vingan writes that Nashville must compare Ellis’ play with several other tiers of defenseman that have recently signed new deals. The most likely comparables for Ellis will come down to the recent contracts signed by Washington Capitals’ John Carlson (eight years, $8MM AAV) and Tampa Bay Lightning’s Ryan McDonagh (eight years, $6.75MM AAV). However is he as good as those two?

The next tier would be contracts handed out a few years ago that could compare, such as Pittsburgh Penguins’ Kris Letang (eight years, $7.25MM AAV), Erik Johnson (seven years, $6MM AAV) and Anaheim Ducks’ Cam Fowler (eight years, $6.5MM AAV). Ellis’ stats are challenging to look when attempting to compare to any of those defensemen. Offensively, he’s never put up 40 points in a season yet, coming close once with 38 points (16 of those were goals). However, after missing the first half of this past season after undergoing knee surgery in the offseason, Ellis’ stats took a jump when he put up 32 points in 44 games, suggesting that his offense is starting to emerge. With his defense never under question, the Predators must come up with a number soon.

So what range should Ellis fall into?

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Washington Capitals Re-Sign Riley Barber

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The Washington Capitals have re-signed Riley Barber to a one-year, two-way contract that will pay him $650K at the NHL level. Barber is coming off his entry-level contract and was a restricted free agent, but will forgo any more negotiation and start working on trying to crack the Capitals next season.

Barber, 24, put up his second 20-goal campaign with the Hershey Bears in 2017-18, registering 38 points in 60 games. The former Miami University (Ohio) standout has developed into a key piece for the AHL Bears, and could play a part for the Capitals at some point as a depth forward. Most people will remember Barber from his days with USA Hockey, winning gold at the U18 Worlds before captaining the gold-medal winning 2014 World Junior team that included names like Jack Eichel, Will Butcher, Jaccob Slavin and Brady Skjei.

A sixth-round pick of Washington in 2012, Barber is at worst an excellent player for the Capitals at the minor league level and at best a bottom-six forward for the minimum salary. He did play three games for the team in the 2016-17 season, but will have to fight and claw to get back to the NHL at this point.

Washington Capitals Interested In Brooks Orpik Return

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The Washington Capitals moved Brooks Orpik earlier this offseason in order to clear enough cap space to re-sign John Carlson. Orpik was carrying a $5.5MM cap hit, so the team attached him to Philipp Grubauer in a trade with the Colorado Avalanche, only to see him bought out by the acquiring team immediately. Now, after the team re-signed both Carlson and Michal Kempny, they’re considering bringing back the 37-year old Orpik as well on a lower salary. GM Brian MacLellan told reporters including Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post as much today as the team introduced new head coach Todd Reirden.

The Avalanche were clear when they acquired Orpik that they did it just to lower the price tag on Grubauer, a potential starting goaltender that cost them just a second-round pick. Colorado will be paying the 37-year old defenseman $4MM split over the next two years to not play for them, giving him plenty of incentive to return to the place where he just won a Stanley Cup on a very cheap deal. If Washington does bring back the veteran defenseman, it would likely be at a near-minimum contract given their relatively little cap space and need to still sign Tom Wilson and Madison Bowey as restricted free agents.

Orpik’s play has deteriorated in recent seasons, but he played well in the playoffs for the Capitals and could still be a valuable veteran option for the bottom pairing. With young players like Christian Djoos ready to take on a bigger role, bringing in someone like Orpik as a part-time player may make a lot of sense. Obviously if there are any other teams involved—and it sounds like there is at least mild interest from a few—Orpik could instead go somewhere he’s expected to play every game. If he can’t find that, or if he just wants to go back where he won his latest Stanley Cup, the Capitals seem like they’d be more than willing.

Washington Capitals Sign Michael Sgarbossa, Jayson Megna

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The Washington Capitals have added some depth to the Hershey Bears, signing minor league veterans Michael Sgarbossa and Jayson Megna to one-year, two-way contracts.

Sgarbossa gives Washington a center to likely replace Travis Boyd who was one of Hershey’s top centers there a season ago. Sgarbossa spent last year with the Winnipeg’s Jets AHL affiliate and put up solid numbers, including 16 goals and 40 points. The 25-year-old was not promoted. Regardless, however, Sgarbossa has 48 games of NHL experience and also provides the Capitals depth options in case of injuries. Sgarbossa did get 29 NHL games in the 2016-17 season with the Florida Panthers, posting two goals and seven points.

The 28-year-old Megna also provides much needed center depth and has even more experience than Sgarbossa. Megna has played in 113 NHL games, but spent much of the season with the Utica Comets, the Vancouver Canucks AHL affiliate. In 25 games there, he scored four goals and 13 points and played in one game for Vancouver.

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