Kuznetsov's Deal May Have Been Expedited By Threat Of Offer Sheet
Last weekend, the Capitals wasted little time locking up center Evgeny Kuznetsov to an eight year, $62.4MM deal and flipped Marcus Johansson to New Jersey to free up some cap space. Newsday’s Arthur Staple reports that part of the reason that the Kuznetsov contract came together so quickly was the potential for an offer sheet. Although there’s no word on which team may potentially have been sniffing around, it’s still interesting that even the possibility of one impacted the timetable for Kuznetsov.
Philipp Grubauer Re-Signs With Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals have reached an agreement with another arbitration eligible player, signing goaltender Philipp Grubauer to a one-year, $1.5MM contract. Grubauer didn’t file for player-elected arbitration yesterday, which was a clear sign the two sides were closing in on a deal. Washington now has dealt with all of their restricted free agents except for Liam O’Brien, who does not have arbitration rights.
It looked like the Capitals would be in trouble this season getting all of their restricted free agents under contract, but after losing Nate Schmidt to Vegas and trading Marcus Johansson to New Jersey, the team has everyone signed with a few million to spare in cap space. They’ll have to still make some small additions to the fringe of their roster, but have all the big names locked in.
For Grubauer, this deal actually will leave him as a restricted free agent one more time next summer. If he can perform in a similar fashion to this season, he will deserve even more money and could price himself out of Washington’s plans. Grubauer put up a .926 save percentage last season in 23 games, placing him among the elite backups of the league. That mark was actually slightly better than Braden Holtby, making the tandem one of the best in the NHL.
The 25-year old Grubauer is ready for a bigger role in the NHL, and according to Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post didn’t file for arbitration because he did not want the Capitals to pick a two-year term for him. Though that would take him to unrestricted free agency, it would also lock him in as a cheap backup for an extra year. With more leverage next summer, he may be in line to be moved out before he earns a bigger reward.
Travis Boyd Re-Signs With Washington Capitals
- The Washington Capitals have avoided arbitration with one of their restricted free agents, signing Travis Boyd to a one-year two-way contract that will pay him $650K in the NHL. Boyd scored 63 points at the AHL level and could have a chance to make his NHL debut this season. That leaves the Capitals with just Philipp Grubauer as an arbitration eligible RFA.
Washington Capitals Re-Sign Andre Burakovsky To Bridge Deal
The Washington Capitals have signed a key forward today inking Andre Burakovsky to a two-year, $6MM deal. Getting Burakovsky in for a relatively low price of $3MM per season was imperative for the team after it found itself in cap trouble this offseason. Mike Vogel of the team site gives us the breakdown:
- 2017-18: $2.25MM+$500K signing bonus on July 15th
- 2018-19: $3.25MM
After re-signing Evgeny Kuznetsov and T.J. Oshie to eight-year contracts, the Capitals found themselves without much room to pay Burakovsky and fellow restricted free agent Philipp Grubauer. That ended up with the team dealing Marcus Johansson to the New Jersey Devils, but they still didn’t have the room to give Burakovsky a long-term deal. Buying out any free agent years would have made the cap hit skyrocket, as even though he currently has a career-high of 38 points, he’s also only 22 and has put up excellent numbers for relatively low playing time he’s received. With Johansson’s departure, Burakovsky should receive more time in the top-six and on the powerplay, giving him the opportunity to put up 50+ points next season.
That said, signing him to a bridge deal now makes any future long-term deal even more expensive. You don’t have to look much further than Kuznetsov, who took an identical two-year $6MM bridge deal in 2015, and just parlayed it into a $62.4MM contract this summer. While Kuznetsov is a center, giving him a bit more leverage, if Burakovsky can break out in a similar manner he will actually have a longer track record when he hits his third contract.
For the Capitals, this leaves them with ~$5.6MM in cap space and just Grubauer left as a key player to re-sign. They could easily fit him in under that, as the backup goaltender is coming off a $750K salary in 2016-17 and has still only started 51 games in his career. Though the option to trade him still exists, the amount of teams looking for a starting goaltender has considerably shrunk (if not disappeared all together) and dealing him as a backup would likely bring back a much smaller package. That said, Grubauer is two years away from free agency and any short-term deal will put him on the open market in a few seasons as a much sought-after starter.
Burakovsky though will now be a nicely priced asset for the Capitals, and will still be a restricted free agent at the end of the bridge deal. Despite being only 22, he’s just four years away from free agency meaning they’ll have two more years of control before he hits the open market. In 2019, the Capitals have both Lars Eller and Brooks Orpik coming off the books, and should have enough room to sign him to a longer-term deal that buys out free agent years. Whether that is signing a player capable of being a first-line winger or not is still to be determined.
Washington Capitals Didn’t “Really Consider” Brooks Orpik Buyout
The Washington Capitals have had an interesting offseason to say the least. Since being knocked out the playoffs by the Pittsburgh Penguins once again, they’ve lost Nate Schmidt to Vegas, Karl Alzner, Kevin Shattenkirk and Justin Williams to free agency, re-signed T.J. Oshie and Evgeny Kuznetsov to monstrous eight-year deals, and traded Marcus Johansson for a couple of draft picks.
Even now they remain in a tough spot cap-wise, with just $8.6MM in room and two key RFAs still to sign. Through all of this, fans have been thinking, writing and even shouting about a move that seemed clear to them: buy out Brooks Orpik. 
The 36-year old Orpik has two years remaining on his current contract with a $5.5MM cap hit, though the actual salary does go down a bit in year two. That deal looked bad from the start when he signed it in 2014, and even worse last year as he dropped to the third pairing and had little impact in the playoffs. His ice time was the lowest it had been in nearly a decade, and it was clear he wasn’t able to contribute the same way anymore.
So why not buy him out? Well, thanks to Greg Wyshynski of Puck Daddy who asked the question and transcribed the answer during a conference call with GM Brian MacLellan earlier today we have the answer:
I don’t know what we really considered that. I thought Orpik had a good year last year. I thought him and [Nate] Schmidt played well together on our third pair. We value what he brings to young defensemen. He was very good for Schmidt, and Schmidt was good for Orpik. We have a bunch of young defensemen that are coming up: 10 or 12 guys that are under 22. They’re all pretty good players. We’re going to value the ability of Orpik to mentor those guys.
So I didn’t want a buy out on our salary cap going out four years. I didn’t think it made sense for us.
The four years he is referencing is how long the Capitals would’ve been paying out a potential buyout for Orpik. Instead of his $5.5MM hit the next two seasons, a buyout would have cause a $2.5MM cap hit the next two seasons, and a $1.5MM hit the two after that. That does give them savings now, but perhaps not enough to keep Johansson anyway. The now-Devils forward earns $4.6MM the next two seasons.
So it doesn’t look like Orpik is going anywhere, even if the Capitals do get another buyout window later in the summer after finishing their potential arbitration cases. His role on the team will continue to be shepherding in the young defensemen, and teaching them how to work hard enough to stay in the NHL. After all, who wouldn’t look up to a 36-year old defenseman who earned himself a huge contract without much offensive upside. He’s proof that a solid defensive game can keep you around in the NHL, something that every young defenseman needs to learn.
KHL Notes: Sorokin, Kuznetsov, Lyubimov
The New York Islanders have some of the top goalie prospects in the world, but will have to wait a few more years at least to see Ilya Sorokin on North American ice. The Russian goaltender has reached a three-year extension with CSKA Moscow. He was under contract for the 2017-18 season already.
Sorokin is one of the best goaltenders in the KHL, winning Goaltender of the Year two seasons ago age-20. Should he ever decide to come to North America the Islanders would welcome him with open arms, but it still doesn’t seem like he’s considering it. Back in May, he told reporters after the World Championships that he would be focused on the 2017-18 season, but an extension will keep him overseas even longer.
- The Washington Capitals re-signed Evgeny Kuznetsov to an eight-year, $62.4MM contract yesterday, and GM Brian MacLellan met with the media today to discuss it and other offseason moves the team has made so far. To Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press, he explained that the threat of Kuznetsov going back to Russia was real, and pushed the contract higher than they’d hoped. The decision was “do we let Kuznetsov walk to Russia and become a UFA in 2 years or do we trade Marcus [Johansson]?”
- Agent Dan Milstein of Gold Star Hockey announced today that Roman Lyubimov has signed with CSKA Moscow in order to try his hand at the 2018 Olympics, something he hinted at back in April. Lyubimov is a restricted free agent with the Philadelphia Flyers after playing 47 games with the club last season. The 25-year old scored just six points, and didn’t make the impact they’d hoped for.
Washington Capitals Sign Devante Smith-Pelly
After trading one of their key forwards to the New Jersey Devils yesterday, the Washington Capitals have brought in a potential roster replacement. The team has signed Devante Smith-Pelly to a one-year, two-way contract worth the league minimum. The team also announced a one-year, two-way contract for forward John Albert.
Smith-Pelly, 25, was bought out by the Devils last week after failing to provide much value on his $1.3MM cap hit. In 53 games last season, he registered just nine points and had a -18 rating.
Selected in the second round by the Anaheim Ducks, it was hoped that Smith-Pelly could carry over some of his goal scoring talent from junior into the NHL. Entering the league almost right away, he found a role as a bottom-six energy player instead, something he’ll try to fill on the Capitals next season.
While obviously not an offensive replacement for Marcus Johansson, Smith-Pelly could provide some depth to the Washington group while costing very little. The Caps, struggling to re-sign all of their current restricted free agents after giving out huge contracts to T.J. Oshie and Evgeny Kuznetsov, need players on minimum contracts to contribute next season.
Albert, a 28-year old forward who spent last season in Finland, hasn’t played in the NHL since 2013-14 when he suited up for nine games with the Winnipeg Jets. Unless he’s found another gear in his time overseas, he’ll be used mostly as a minor-league addition next year.
Devils Acquire Marcus Johansson From Capitals
After re-signing Evgeny Kuznetsov earlier tonight, the Capitals had to make some cap-clearing moves. They’ve gone ahead and made one of them, announcing that they’ve dealt forward Marcus Johansson to New Jersey for Florida’s 2nd round pick in 2018 and Toronto’s 3rd round pick in 2018.
Johansson had spent his entire NHL career with the Capitals, spanning 501 games after being a first round pick (24th overall) in 2009. This past season, he set a career high in goals (24) and points (58) while playing in all 82 games for the first time in his career. He also was productive in the postseason, collecting eight more points (2-6-8) in 13 games.
The 26 year old has two years remaining on his contract with a cap hit just under $4.6MM, a good price tag for a player who has had at least 44 points in each of the last four seasons. However, the Kuznetsov signing forced them to clear out some salary and New Jersey becomes the beneficiaries.
With the Devils, Johansson should comfortably slot in as a top line forward; his point total would have led all New Jersey skaters. He has experience at all three forward positions so head coach John Hynes will have plenty of flexibility in assembling his top six for next season.
Even with the trade, the Caps will still have some work to do on their salary cap. They now sit with $9.2MM in cap space per CapFriendly but now only have 14 players under contract. As for the Devils, they still have $20MM in cap room to work with but are expected to have a budget somewhat below the $75MM upper limit.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Capitals Re-Sign Evgeny Kuznetsov To Eight Year Deal
The Capitals have locked up one of their core players for the long haul, announcing the re-signing of restricted free agent center Evgeny Kuznetsov to an eight year, $62.4MM contract ($7.8MM AAV). Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post adds (Twitter link) that the deal contains a modified no-trade clause in the final six years of the contract; he is ineligible to receive one in the first two due to his age.
Kuznetsov has spent the past four seasons with Washington and was a first round pick (26th overall) of the team back in 2010. GM Brian MacLellan had the following to say about the 25 year old in a team release:
“Evgeny is a premier center in the NHL and we are pleased that he will remain in Washington for at least the next eight years. It is difficult to find a player of his caliber, who is in his prime and makes his teammates better. Evgeny plays with a tremendous skill, speed and tenacity needed to win in the NHL.”
Last season, Kuznetsov saw his production dip a little although he still posted a solid 19 goals and 40 assists while playing in all 82 games for the second straight season. He followed that up with a strong postseason effort, collecting five points and five helpers in 13 playoff contests. That came off the heels of a career year in 2015-16 where he posted 77 points (20-57-77), a career high.
The deal makes Kuznetsov the second highest paid player on the team, only behind captain Alex Ovechkin. Nicklas Backstrom is their top pivot and plays ahead of Kuznetsov but he still has three years left on his deal with a cap hit of $6.7MM.
MacLellan will have plenty of work to do to stay under the $75MM salary cap. They currently have $4.6MM in cap space per CapFriendly and only have 15 players under contract. Among their notable restricted free agents that still need to be re-signed are winger Andre Burakovsky and goaltender Phillip Grubauer.
Mike Vogl of the Capitals’ team website reports that the contract breaks down as follows:
2017-18: $5MM salary, $5MM signing bonus
2018-19: $5MM salary, $5MM signing bonus
2019-20: $3.4MM salary, $5MM signing bonus
2020-21: $3MM salary, $2MM signing bonus
2021-22: $3MM salary, $5MM signing bonus
2022-23: $3MM salary, $2MM signing bonus
2023-24: $6MM salary, $2MM signing bonus
2024-25: $6MM salary, $2MM signing bonus
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Kevin Shattenkirk Signs With New York Rangers
The top free agent on the market is now off the market. Kevin Shattenkirk, PHR’s #1 on our Top 50 Free Agents list and long considered the top prize of the 2017 off-season, has returned home to New York. The New Rochelle native has signed a four-year deal with an average annual value of $6.65MM to play for his hometown New York Rangers, according to TSN’s Frank Servalli.
The $26.6MM deal is far below what many were expecting for Shattenkirk. Most expected a six or seven-year deal worth somewhere in the total range of $40-$50MM. Instead, Shattenkirk appears to have taken a hometown discount, at least in term, to play for the Rangers. It had long been rumored that he was hoping to play on the east coast, and in New York particularly, and he got his wish.
The long-time St. Louis Blue is no stranger to changing teams, having been traded by the Colorado Avalanche in his rookie season and then again to the Washington Capitals this past year. No matter where, Shattenkirk has always performed. Consistently topping 40 points, including a career-best 56 in 2016-17, Shattenkirk is an elite puck-mover with an excellent first pass. Paired with a shutdown two-way presence like Rangers’ captain Ryan McDonagh, Shattenkirk can be a truly dynamic player in New York.