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Matt Hendricks Signs One-Year Deal With Winnipeg

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Elliottte Friedman tweeted that veteran center Matt Hendricks has found a home with the Winnipeg Jets. TSN’s Darren Dreger confirmed it, saying the deal with the Jets is a one-year deal worth $700K.

The former Edmonton Oiler was a fan favorite over the four years he played there. The 36-year-old compiled 20 goals and 18 assists in 214 games with the Oilers, but offense wasn’t what got him his notoriety. His physical style of play, leadership skills, willingness to stick up for his teammates as well as for his love of meeting with military people outside the locker rooms of home games to salute them is what everyone loved about Hendricks.

However, his age was starting to catch up to him (as well as the continued improved play of the team’s youth) and he only managed to get into 42 games this past year and was a healthy scratch for all 13 of the team’s playoff games. He scored four goals and three assists in this past season.

With the Jets, Hendricks hopes to take a similar role in helping tutor a young team that hopes to make the playoffs this year.

 

Winnipeg Might Have Contract Issues With Trouba Again

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Less than a year ago, the Winnipeg Jets dealt with dragout negotiations with restricted free agent Jacob Trouba. The young blueliner and his agent Kurt Overhardt attempted to force the Jets’ hand, requesting a trade and holding out. The team finally managed to get the former ninth-overall pick in 2012 to agree to a two-year bridge deal worth $6MM. Once signed, Trouba withdrew his trade request and everything seemed fine. The 23-year-old had career highs in assists and points, finishing the season with eight goals and 25 assists for 33 points, but he played in 21 fewer games than the year before.

With one year remaining on his deal signed a year ago, however, no extension was agreed to yet this offseason and James O’Brien of NBC Sports writes that the team could have similar problems with Trouba coming up in the future. With that restricted status preventing him from getting the contract that he really wanted and forcing him to sign a team-friendly deal, the scribe writes that Trouba and his agent may force the Jets’ hands this time around with either a high-paying extension or forcing a trade elsewhere.

Many short-bridge, team-friendly deals (especially messy contract disputes) have later forced teams to pay up big-time. Although Trouba will remain an RFA in a year, O’Brien compares these negotiations to that of other players who were later traded, including P.K. Subban (formerly of Montreal), Ryan O’Reilly (formerly of Colorado), Ryan Johansen (formerly of Columbus) and Kyle Turris (formerly of Arizona). Several of those players were Overhardt clients, who is known to be aggressive.

Could that mean that Trouba could find himself on the trade wire at the trade deadline this year? O’Brien suggests that while he may not be a top defenseman yet, he could command more than Seth Jones money ($5.4MM AAV) on his next contract and the young defenseman has another year to prove his worth on the ice. Either Winnipeg will have to pay up or move him to a team that will.

Maurice May Want To See How Goalies Perform Before Signing Extension

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Although Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff said at the end of the season that head coach Paul Maurice has his “full support”, the bench boss remains without a contract extension more than four months later.  Paul Wiecek of the Winnipeg Free Press relays some speculation that Maurice wanted to see what direction Winnipeg went between the pipes before committing to an extension.

Solid goaltending hasn’t been something Maurice has received often in his 19-year coaching career as his goalies have combined for a .904 save percentage which is well below average.  That said, that average was still better than what the Jets’ netminders were able to put up in 2016-17, combining for a .900 mark.

Accordingly, Cheveldayoff acted quickly in free agency, bringing in Steve Mason to battle incumbent Connor Hellebuyck (who received a one-year bridge deal) for playing time.  While Mason is coming off of a down year himself, he still represents at least somewhat of an upgrade for Winnipeg.  Between that and an expected improvement from Hellebuyck, the Jets should be able to provide Maurice with better goaltending for 2017-18, regardless if the coach enters his walk year without a new contract in tow.

Summer Predictions: Central Division

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The hockey world is at a standstill now that August has rolled around. With all of the arbitration cases now decided and just a few restricted free agents left to sign, players and fans alike are counting the days until training camp starts. While there are still several names in free agency that could still help an NHL club, it seems like many are destined either for professional tryouts or late-summer deals after injuries strike.

So now we’ll get into our summer predictions. Before the start of the year we’ll be releasing a full season preview with projections for each club and the expected playoff teams, but first we’ll ask you to give us your take on how you believe each division will end up. We’ve looked at three of the divisions so far, with the polls pointing to the Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning and Edmonton Oilers as the top seeds. All three of those teams failed to lead their divisions in 2016-17, but are expected to take another step forward.

Today we’ll finish the series by taking a look at the Central division, which last season gave us the top two records in the Western Conference and the Stanley Cup finalists. Once again choose who you think will win the division this season, and make sure to leave your full prediction for the division standings in the comments. As a proxy for the overall standings, we’ll be sure to publish these results alongside our own PHR rankings in September.

Who will win the Central Division?
Chicago Blackhawks 22.01% (309 votes)
Nashville Predators 20.73% (291 votes)
St. Louis Blues 19.02% (267 votes)
Minnesota Wild 16.95% (238 votes)
Dallas Stars 11.61% (163 votes)
Winnipeg Jets 7.48% (105 votes)
Colorado Avalanche 2.21% (31 votes)
Total Votes: 1,404

[Mobile users click here to vote!]

Minor Transactions: 8/10/17

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It may be August, but hockey transactions are still ongoing. While the major names on the NHL free agent market appear to still be in a holding pattern, AHL teams have begun to fill out their rosters with minor leagues deals. The result has been a recent influx of minor news, both of AHL signings and those with less luck finding a contract in North America signing overseas. Here’s a rundown of today’s minor moves:

  • NHL veteran Jeremy Morin is headed to the KHL, but not to one of the league’s more well-known clubs. Morin has instead signed on with HC Yugra, a relatively new team to the KHL based in the small ski town of Khanty-Mansiysk. Yugra entered the KHL in 2010 and, after qualifying for the postseason in its first two seasons, has not been back to the playoffs since. Part of Yugra’s struggle may be related to a lack of a diverse lineup. Yugra was one of only three KHL teams in 2016-17 to field a roster of players entirely of Russian decent. By bringing in Morin, the team is finally branching out and may have a foreigner even be its best player next season. Morin, 26, is a 2009 second-round pick of the Atlanta Thrashers, but is most well-known as a Chicago Blackhawks prospect after being dealt to the team as part of the return for Dustin Byfuglien back in 2010. Morin skated in 54 games for Chicago between 2010 and 2014, registering 16 points, while also suiting up for over 200 games with their AHL affiliate, the Rockford Ice Hogs. In 2014, Morin was traded away to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Tim Erixon. That kicked off a chain of events wherein Morin was dealt four more times in the last three years, including as part of the package back to Chicago for Brandon Saad, notoriously as the return to Toronto for Richard Panik, and alongside James Reimer to the San Jose Sharks. Unable to find a long-term home, Morin signed on with the Tampa Bay Lightning last summer, looking for a fresh start. Instead, the Lightning also traded him, as he was moved to the Arizona Coyotes in February. Likely sick of the uncertainty that the NHL has showed him in his career, Morin is on the move to Russia, where the ability that has made him a valuable trade chip may finally get a chance to shine for a full season.
  • Recent Chicago Wolves defenseman Kevin Tansey is also on the move. The former Clarkson University standout drew immediate attention in the AHL upon graduating in 2016, jumping right into 11 games with the Binghamton Senators, Ottawa’s AHL affiliate, at the tail end of the 2015-16 season. He expected similar excitement when he joined Chicago for this past campaign, but instead he was buried on the depth chart, skating in only 19 games. The rest of the year, Tansey played for the ECHL’s Kansas City Mavericks, where he was clearly out of place among inferior talent. Tansey, not known for his offensive ability, managed to record 31 points in 44 ECHL games, showing that he really should be in the AHL. The Grand Rapids Griffins, fresh off a Calder Cup championship, will now give Tansey that chance. The Detroit Red Wings’ affiliate announced today that they have inked the blue liner to a one-year deal. Tansey should be eager to show what he can do in a full season of AHL action.
  • Another rearguard coming off of a big ECHL season has inked an AHL deal, but for Tim Daly it is his first foray into the next level. The former St. Cloud State shutdown defender has played the last two seasons in the ECHL, but after a lack of production in 2015-16, Daly’s numbers took off in 2016-17, as he finished with 38 points in 59 games for the Utah Grizzlies. Historically a more stay-at-home style defenseman, Daly showed his two-way ability last year and caught the eye of the Manitoba Moose, who brought him via loan for a couple of games. Apparently the Winnipeg Jets’ affiliate saw enough in that short sample to sign Daly to a one-year deal. The Moose also announced one-year extensions for forwards Kale Kessy and Elgin Pearce in addition to bringing in Daly.

Early Notes: Gretzky, Heatley, Stanley

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Twenty-nine years ago today Wayne Gretzky was traded from the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings in a deal that would change the fate of hockey in Southern California. All of a sudden the greatest player of all time was playing in a non-traditional hockey market. NHL.com’s Lisa Dillman chronicles the trade, and how Gretzky was feeling at the time.

When looking back at the deal, many fans remember the $15MM price tag paid by the Kings and equate the deal to a purchase from the less-wealthy Oilers franchise. But there were other parts that should be remembered. Los Angeles also traded Jimmy Carson, a 20-year old former second-overall pick who was coming off a 55-goal, 107-point season, Martin Gelinas the seventh-overall pick from just a few months earlier, and three additional first-round picks. That’s in addition to the $15MM, while the Oilers also sent Marty McSorley and Mike Krushelnyski south along with Gretzky. It was lopsided for sure because of Gretzky’s greatness, but the return shouldn’t be minimized. It was likely the biggest trade that will ever happen in the NHL.

  • According to CTV News in Calgary, former NHL star Dany Heatley has won a court decision over his former agent for losing a large part of his career earnings, given a judgement of just over $6.5MM. Apparently Heatley won a similar court case in the past and was never paid, so it is still to be seen whether he actually gets it. Chris Phillips, Heatley’s former Ottawa Senators teammate who used the same agent also sued in the past and was given a judgement of over $7MM, though was only paid a fraction of the settlement.
  • Winnipeg Jets’ prospect Logan Stanley was traded from the Windsor Spitfires to the Kitchener Rangers yesterday for a package of picks. The huge defender was selected 18th-overall in 2016 and won a Memorial Cup after coming back from injury just in time to compete in the tournament this spring. Windsor, with the hosting duties behind them and several players graduating to the NHL will look to rebuild their franchise and try to time a championship winning group a few years down the line.
  • The Washington Capitals will be playing their home games in the Capital One Center this season, as Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post reports. The Verizon Center’s naming rights were up at the end of 2018, but will change a year early.

Oft-Injured Teams Likely To Rebound In 2017-18

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Every year, some teams invariably get the short straw when it comes to injury. The Washington Capitals, notably, were the healthiest team in the league, and ended up winning the Presidents’ Trophy. That said, organizational depth is absolutely vital, as the Penguins survived well enough to repeat championships, even though they were bottom-5 in man games lost. Ultimately, there are a few franchises that are merely anticipating a restart in 2017-18, in hopes of entirely forgetting the abuses of last season. These three teams are those which suffered the worst, and have a solid chance to rebound in the upcoming campaign.

Tampa Bay Lightning

The Lightning lost Steven Stamkos for the majority of the season after he was diagnosed with a torn meniscus in November. He missed an astounding total of 65 games. Ryan Callahan was also lost for the majority of the year, losing 64 games of action to a lower-body injury. After that, the onslaught of injuries kept hammering away. Nikita Kucherov only lost 8 games, but was felled on three separate occasions. Ondrej Palat missed only 9 games as well, but his presence was sorely missed when absent. Cedric Paquette lost 23 games, while Tyler Johnson missed 16. It seemed that no one was safe on Tampa’s squad more man-games than an other teams when you factor in essentially retired players.

Tampa will look to remain healthy this season, after an incredibly unlucky venture in 2016-17. They have the depth to endure losses, but the sheer carnage last season was too catastrophic to overcome. Still, they finished only one point out of the final wild card spot. They could easily have squeaked into the playoffs and inflicted serious damage. This year, as long as the fates turn their way, they should be right back in the competitive mix.

Winnipeg Jets

Tyler Myers lost out on the bulk of the season, only playing in 11 contests. As a big component of the team’s defense, he will need to be back to peak performance if the Jets hope to stop some of the bleeding in their own end of the ice. Center Bryan Little lost 23 games to a lower-body injury, while Shawn Matthias missed 37 contests to an upper-body ailment. Not a single player survived the entire year without succumbing to some sort of injury or sickness, and the team as a whole struggled to find a consistent groove with so many bodies filling in and falling out.

The Jets need consistent goaltending and less obnoxiously aggressive defense if they hope to reach the post-season again. That said, simply remaining healthy will go a long way in transforming Winnipeg into a dangerous team. Mark Scheifele was absolutely dominant last season, and with reliable depth behind him, only good results lie ahead. The Central is also slightly less intimidating this year, even with Dallas making as many transactions as they did. Nashville and Chicago both took steps backward, the Blues remained relatively the same, while the Wild made lateral moves.

Vancouver Canucks

Vancouver will have a tough time entering the playoff conversation. In the relatively weak Pacific however, anything can happen. The Sedin twins are another year older, and GM Jim Benning hasn’t acquired any game-breakers in the off-season (Michael Del Zotto doesn’t count). Still, when a team loses over 300 man-games to injury in a year, things should theoretically improve the following year. Admittedly, some of their most heavily injured players were nominal players, like Derek Dorsett (68 lost) and Anton Rodin (79 lost). Still, they missed the presence of multiple depth players at a time and ultimately relied too heavily upon call-ups to crawl through the year. Jannik Hansen (39 lost), Chris Tanev (29 lost), and Erik Gudbranson (52 lost) are far from world-beaters, but on a team as thin at both offense and defense as the Canucks, their losses were unsustainable.

It remains to be seen how much of an impact general health will play for the Canucks. They still need their top players to find consistent production, and their younger players (Bo Horvat, Sven Baertschi) must continue to progress. That said, with a little luck, they might find themselves somewhere near the mix yet again. With new coach Travis Green and a fresh beginning, perhaps there is one more Wild Card berth left in a team that has been prolonging their inevitable full-on rebuild.

Winnipeg’s Forward Depth And Versatility Valuable In Trade Market

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The Winnipeg Jets finished just 7 points out of a playoff berth this season. Like the Islanders (41 wins) and Lightning (42 wins), the Jets (40 wins) were on the verge of making it to the show in the final weeks. As such, GM Kevin Cheveldayoff didn’t feel the necessity to spend large this off-season, nor make any substantial trades. Cheveldayoff shored up the goaltending position with Steve Mason on a two-year contract, and hopes that will be enough to push the team over the edge. Still, if management feels that improvements should be made, the team has the assets and the versatility up front to do so. It’s uncertain whether Dmitry Kulikov will be enough to shore up what was a poor-performing defensive group last year. A spare forward could be floated for more help in their own end, even though their 6 slots seem safely filled at the moment.

Particularly at the center position, the Jets have one of the more enviable situations league-wide. By my count, the Jets have 9 roster players who can theoretically slot in for center duties. Mark Scheifele, Bryan Little, Mathieu Perreault, Shawn Matthias, Adam Lowry, Michael Sgarbossa, Marko Dano and Brandon Tanev all can play up the middle. Scheifele is obviously the first line center, and Little is safely pegged at number two. After that, things get a bit interesting. Perreault finished the season while spending some time on the wing, and his goal scoring dried up – he only had 22 in the past two seasons. His point production is still locked in at 40+, but considering his $4.125 MM cap hit for the next four seasons, maybe now is the time to opt out. Matthias is interesting primarily because he only has one season remaining before he hits unrestricted free agency.  He can slot on the third or fourth lines and provide mediocre depth production, but his marginal worth wouldn’t be enough to land a difference maker in a trade.

Little also sees his current deal expire at the conclusion off 2017-18, and his new contract could be relatively hefty. With Blake Wheeler due another contract hike after 2018-19, and Jacob Trouba looking for a raise after this year, there is the possibility Little could be moved for the right package. Still, he’s one of the more consistent players on the Jets and has never known another franchise. If he were to be shopped, the return could be quite pricey for many competing teams. He’s perceived as a top-end #2 center and his internal value is quite steep. Following that, Lowry will continue to build on his progression last year, where he tallied 29 points. He’s yet to put it all together, but his size and still tender age of 24 wouldn’t make him the first target for movement. Dano is far more comfortable on the wing, and he’s likely going nowhere. Sgarbossa is essentially a non-factor, as is Tanev, in terms of drawing league interest.

Another thing to keep in mind is that Nicolas Petan should find himself a regular this season, and many expect him to push for that 3rd line center position. As with many of the other names, he can slot on the wing instead, but that might not be the best use of his talents long-term. If he forces Lowry down the depth chart further, does that make a player like Little more expendable for the right move? What would the interest be like for a player of Perreault’s caliber? Unfortunately, it seems unlikely that we’ll know until well into the season. Cheveldayoff has been firm in staying the course with the young and promising Jets, and he’s more likely to wait at least until the conclusion of training camp before making any major transaction.

RFA Extension Candidates

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While veteran players like Carey Price and Cam Fowler have received huge extensions this summer a full year before hitting the open market, some younger players aren’t usually locked up as early. We saw the Edmonton Oilers jump on Connor McDavid right away, handing him a $100MM contract before even dealing with their current free agents, and there are others who may see an extension before the season is up.

Teams often don’t want to commit to young players before they have to, unsure of how they’ll react to bigger roles or a full-time NHL position. Still, there are some who are already well established and deserve a long-term deal. It’s obviously up to them to decide whether they want to lock themselves into an extension before playing the year, as many can leverage a solid season into even more money. That said, some players just like the stability of a long-term contract. Here are some who could earn extensions before the end of the season.

Jacob Trouba – Winnipeg Jets

Trouba held out last year until the beginning of November, and made it clear he wanted a bigger role somewhere else. He didn’t see himself getting that opportunity in Winnipeg, where the team had Dustin Byfuglien and Tyler Myers penciled in ahead of him on the right side. As it happens, Myers was hit with injury and Trouba excelled in his increased role, logging 25 minutes a night and registering 33 points in just 60 games.

He’s now established himself as one of the best young defenders in the league and a key piece for Winnipeg going forward. They should try hard to sign him to an extension now, instead of letting this linger again and ending up in another hold out situation. Trouba has overtaken Myers on the depth chart, but allowing him to hold all the cards next summer would make for another messy situation, and it’s clear that he can provide ample value even on a big contract.

J.T. Miller – New York Rangers

Miller has always seemed like a good fit in New York, and signed an early deal with the Rangers last summer. He improved once again and continues to show why the team invested a 15th-overall pick in him. With 56 points in 82 games he was often the most dangerous player on the ice, and coming into his age-24 season he’s poised to put up even bigger numbers.

The Rangers have a ton of money coming off the books next summer with Rick Nash’s $7.8MM cap hit expiring, but will need all of it for extensions for some of their top young players. After committing big money to Mika Zibanejad this summer, they could lock in Miller now and provide some cap-certainty as they hit what will be a huge summer for the team.

Dylan Larkin – Detroit Red Wings

Larkin is coming off a down year and probably won’t want to take a discount because of it, but Detroit could lock him in as the face of the franchise going forward and start jettisoning other assets to continue the rebuild. They’re in no danger of him going anywhere next year, but it could be a clear sign to their fans that he’ll lead the next wave of Detroit success.

William Nylander – Toronto Maple Leafs

The Maple Leafs have some huge contracts coming up, with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner both entering similar circumstances to these next summer. Nylander is first up, and could be locked up to a long-term deal right now. Like Edmonton the team may want to see how much Matthews will cost them first, but it’s not like they’re heading for a series of bridge deals with Nylander. He’s a key piece who will be there for a long time.

Locking him up now gives you some idea of what there will be left for free agency next season, as it would be tough to go after anyone with Matthews’ negotiations not technically allowed to start until July 1st (though they often are discussed anyway). Toronto might be the busiest team in the league next year, as seven forward contracts are expiring.

OHL Trade Notes: Rippon, Stanley, Lodnia

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Every summer top prospects in the CHL are moved around to various teams as the franchises work in a dance of preparing for Memorial Cup hosting opportunities while trying to maintain relevancy in the interim. Timing your team to be a powerhouse when the tournament is coming to your city is a big part of junior hockey, and can help build your fan base. Since the home team gets automatic admission to the tournament regardless of their season record, fans don’t want to see their home squad get pummeled by the other powerhouses of the leagues.

This year, Windsor loaded up for the tournament and despite not doing well in the OHL playoffs, won the Memorial Cup with a rested and exciting squad. They took down an Erie Otters team that was widely considered the favorite, boasting a top line of Taylor Raddysh, Dylan Strome and Alex DeBrincat. Now, as Jeff Marek of Sportsnet reports several moves are being made to prepare teams for the upcoming season and beyond.

  • The Kitchener Rangers have traded Merrick Rippon to the Mississauga Steelheads for two seconds (2018, 2021) and one conditional third-round pick (2023) in the bantam draft. Rippon has already committed to Providence College for 2018-19, so it’s unclear if he’ll now suit up for the Steelheads instead. The NCAA considers the CHL a “pro” league because some of its players have already signed NHL contracts, meaning if Rippon suited up for even a single game he would lose college eligibility. The smooth skating defenseman is eligible for the 2018 NHL draft.
  • The Windsor Spitfires are likely moving top Winnipeg Jets prospect Logan Stanley after he returned just in time from injury to help the team win the Memorial Cup. Stanley was selected 18th-overall by the Jets in 2016, but missed most of the season to a knee injury and will return to junior hockey to continue to develop his 6’7″ frame. Marek believes Stanley is heading to Kitchener, a place where he could immediately be inserted on the top pairing.
  • Ivan Lodnia may be on the move from Erie, where he had been stuck in a shutdown role behind the older offensive weapons. Lodnia dropped to the Minnesota Wild in the fourth round this draft after disappearing in the OHL playoffs and Memorial Cup, but still has tremendous talent and could break out this season if given a larger role.
  • The Sudbury Wolves are expected to trade Owen Lalonde, a 17-year old defenseman who already has a chance to go in the late first/early second round at next year’s draft. Lalonde was picked second-overall in the 2016 bantam draft, but was a little over-matched in his first season in the league. That should change this year as his body grows and he’s given a bigger opportunity, as he possesses some incredible offensive instincts and could be a powerplay quarterback as soon as this year.

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