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Taxi Squad Shuffle: 01/14/21

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It appears as though there will be daily movement this season between the active roster and taxi squad, and although some major names may be highlighted in separate articles, this is where you’ll find the majority of news each day.

  • The Vancouver Canucks have sent Loui Eriksson to the taxi squad and recalled Justin Bailey. Given Eriksson didn’t play last night for the Canucks this doesn’t come as much of a surprise and it will allow the team to bank slightly more daily cap space. Eriksson previously cleared waivers and could also be assigned to the AHL once it gets started.
  • Stuart Skinner has been recalled from the Edmonton Oilers taxi squad under emergency conditions, giving the team an extra goaltender for tonight’s action. Evan Bouchard meanwhile has been sent to the taxi squad, while Tyler Benson, who had previously been there, has now been assigned to the AHL.
  • Staying in Western Canada, the Calgary Flames have activated Derek Ryan from the taxi squad as expected, but he’s coming with some company. The team has also activated Louis Domingue who will serve as backup this evening while David Rittich deals with a family issue. With the extra space, Artyom Zagidulin has been added to the taxi squad from the AHL roster.
  • The Nashville Predators have recalled Cole Smith from the taxi squad while sending Lukas Craggs to the AHL. Craggs already played in eight games for the Florida Everblades, recording nine points early in the season but will now compete for playing time with the Chicago Wolves. Smith, who also played a handful of games for the Everblades to start the year, is in his first season of professional hockey after being signed out of the University of North Dakota.
  • The Winnipeg Jets have brought up a pair of players as Mathieu Perreault and Logan Stanley were recalled from the taxi squad.  Perreault cleared waivers earlier in the week so they will have the ability to shuffle him back and forth until he plays in 10 NHL games or is on the NHL roster for 30 days.  Stanley, meanwhile, was a first-round pick back in 2016 but has yet to suit up with the Jets.  Winnipeg also recalled defenseman Leon Gawanke from his loan to Berlin of the DEL.
  • The Montreal Canadiens assigned Jake Evans to the taxi squad.  He played a little under nine minutes in last night’s season-opener but with them off until the weekend, they’ll shuffle him down and bank a little bit of cap space.  The team has already announced its intent to recall him for their next game on Saturday.

COVID Protocol Related Absences: 01/13/21

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As reported earlier, beginning today, and each day for the remainder of the 2020-21 season, the NHL will be sharing the names of players who are “unavailable” to play or practice due to any number of factors that place them under the league’s COVID-19 Protocol. Here is the list of players for today, Wednesday, January 13:

F Lawson Crouse, Arizona Coyotes
F Karson Kuhlman, Boston Bruins
D Erik Johnson, Colorado Avalanche
F Mikko Koivu, Columbus Blue Jackets
D Christian Djoos, Detroit Red Wings
F Darren Helm, Detroit Red Wings
F Gaetan Haas, Edmonton Oilers
F James Neal, Edmonton Oilers
D Markus Nutivaara, Florida Panthers
D Kurtis MacDermid, Los Angeles Kings
G Cal Petersen, Los Angeles Kings
D Sean Walker, Los Angeles Kings
G Alex Stalock, Minnesota Wild
F Mikael Granlund, Nashville Predators
D Luca Sbisa, Nashville Predators
F Justin Richards, New York Rangers
D Shayne Gostisbehere, Philadelphia Flyers
F Kasperi Kapanen, Pittsburgh Penguins
F Maxim Letunov, San Jose Sharks
D Jordie Benn, Vancouver Canucks
F J.T. Miller, Vancouver Canucks
F Nikolaj Ehlers, Winnipeg Jets

*NOTE: The league declined to list any specific members of the Dallas Stars at this time. The team is currently recovering from an extensive breakout.

Trevor Lewis Signs With Winnipeg Jets

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3:10pm: Lewis has officially agreed to terms on a one-year deal that will carry a salary of $750K.

12:45pm: Attending training camp on a professional tryout has proven successful for another veteran player. When speaking with reporters including Murat Ates of The Athletic, Winnipeg Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff confirmed that the team will be announcing a contract for Trevor Lewis, once they can move Bryan Little to long-term injured reserve later today. Lewis had been in camp on a PTO but almost immediately seemed to secure a roster spot with his versatility and hard work.

Now 34, it was surprising to see Lewis even have to agree to a tryout after a decade in the NHL. His game has never been about lighting up the score sheet with points, but instead providing capable defense and support to his flashier linemates. In parts of 12 seasons with the Los Angeles Kings, he recorded more than 20 points on just three occasions and had just 12 in 56 games last season.

He’ll fit into the Jets bottom-six as a player who can line up just about anywhere. Bringing two Stanley Cup rings and plenty of leadership he’ll be a welcome addition in a year where every team will be facing the same opponents on a regular basis. Lewis isn’t expected to earn much more than the league minimum on a one-year deal, though those details have not been officially announced just yet.

Minor Transactions: 01/11/21

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On a day that featured a record number of waiver placements, a long list of training camp cuts, and several NHL signings, anything else may seem especially “minor”. However, other transactions are still being made both at the NHL level and elsewhere. As the AHL eyes its return early next month, those roster have begun to get some extra attention, while action (and inaction) at the junior level continues to result in moves regarding NHL prospects. Here are the notable moves made today:

  • The Florida Panthers have finally recalled first-year pro prospect Alec Rauhauser from his overseas loan. The Bowling Green product signed with Florida back in March, but made his pro debut this season in Hungary of all places with DVTK Jegesmedvek of the Slovakian Extraliga. The Panthers opted not to invite Rauhauser to NHL training camp and to instead leave him in Europe. However, after 22 games with DVTK, Rauhauser is headed home. The club announced that the big defenseman has been assigned to the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch, the affiliate that the Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning will share this season.
  • Rauhauser’s DVTK teammate Haralds Egle is also on the move to the AHL, per the same announcement. The former Clarkson standout scorer had signed with the Manitoba Moose in April and was also on loan in Hungary. The parent club of the Moose, the Winnipeg Jets, will certainly be keeping a close eye on Egle in his first pro season, as the skilled winger was one of the top-scoring players in the NCAA over the past two seasons.
  • Chad Yetman will get a shot with the Chicago Blackhawks organization this season just months after being drafted. A sixth-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, the overage forward has signed an AHL contract with the Rockford Ice Hogs for the coming campaign, the team announced. A prolific scorer with the OHL’s Erie Otters in 2019-20, Yetman is coming off a 43-goal, 74-point season to wrap up his junior career and hoping that ability translates to the pro game.
  • Another 2020 draft pick, Minnesota Wild fifth-rounder Pavel Novak, is also on the move. Only this is somewhat of a promotion within a loan, rather than something simple like a signing. Novak’s junior club, the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets, have announced that he has been loaned to Motor Ceske Budejovice of the Czech Extraliga. The Czech native had already been playing with HC Stadion Litomerice on loan from Kelowna, but has been promoted from the second-tier team to the top club, technically necessitating a second loan. With the WHL looking to return for a shortened season later next month, Novak may still be on the move yet again this season.

Training Camp Cuts: 01/11/21

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Camp cuts will come fast and furious today, with the waiver wire taking dozens and dozens of names in the final day before taxi squad assignments must be made. Remember, just being placed on waivers does not necessarily mean you’ve been cut from the team. With that in mind, we’ll keep track of the team-announced cuts right here:

Buffalo Sabres (via team release):

F Brandon Biro (to Rochester, AHL)
F Steven Fogarty (to Rochester, AHL)
F Brett Murray (to Rochester, AHL)
F C.J. Smith (to Rochester, AHL)
D Casey Fitzgerald (to Rochester, AHL)
G Dustin Tokarski (to Rochester, AHL)
D Ryan Jones (to Rochester, AHL)
G Michael Houser (to Rochester, AHL)

Chicago Blackhawks (via team release):

F Andrei Altybarmakian (to Rockford, AHL)
F Evan Barratt (to Rockford, AHL)
F Matej Chalupa (to Rockford, AHL)
F MacKenzie Entwistle (to Rockford, AHL)
F Reese Johnson (to Rockford, AHL)
F Cam Morrison (to Rockford, AHL)
F Tim Soderlund (to Rockford, AHL)
F Michal Teply (to Rockford, AHL)
D Chad Krys (to Rockford, AHL)
D Alec Regula (to Rockford, AHL)
F Michael Krutil (released)
G Cale Morris (released)

Columbus Blue Jackets (via team release):

G Veini Vehvilainen (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Tyler Angle (released)
F Justin Scott (released)
D Thomas Schemitsch (released)
G Brad Thiessen (released)

Los Angeles Kings (via team release):

F Aidan Dudas (to Ontario, AHL)
F Mikey Eyssimont (to Ontario, AHL)
F Samuel Fagemo (to Ontario, AHL)
F Boko Imama (to Ontario, AHL)
F Rasmus Kupari (to Ontario, AHL)
F Tyler Madden (to Ontario, AHL)
F Akil Thomas (to Ontario, AHL)
D Daniel Brickley (to Ontario, AHL)
D Sean Durzi (to Ontario, AHL)
D Jacob Moverare (to Ontario, AHL)
D Markus Phillips (to Ontario, AHL)
G Jacob Ingham (to Ontario, AHL)
G Matt Villalta (to Ontario, AHL)

Minnesota Wild (via team release):

F Mitchell Chaffee (to Iowa, AHL)
F Joseph Cramarossa (to Iowa, AHL)
F Connor Dewar (to Iowa, AHL)
F Brandon Duhaime (to Iowa, AHL)
F Gabriel Dumont (to Iowa, AHL)
F Mason Shaw (to Iowa, AHL)
D Calen Addison (to Iowa, AHL)
D Ian McCoshen (to Iowa, AHL)
G Dereck Baribeau (to Iowa, AHL)
G Hunter Jones (to Iowa, AHL)

New Jersey Devils (via team release):

F Nate Schnarr (to Binghamton, AHL)
F Brett Seney (to Binghamton, AHL)
D Kevin Bahl (to Binghamton, AHL)
D Nikita Okhotiuk (to Binghamton, AHL)
D Reilly Walsh (to Binghamton, AHL)
G Evan Cormier (to Binghamton, AHL)

Pittsburgh Penguins (via team release):

F Josh Currie (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
F Radim Zohorna (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
D Kevin Czuczman (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
D Cam Lee (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
F Nathan Legare (to Val d’Or, QMJHL)
F Samuel Poulin (to Sherbrooke, QMJHL)
F Jordan Nolan (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)

San Jose Sharks (via team release):

F Lean Bergmann (to San Jose, AHL)
F Alexander True (to San Jose, AHL)
F Joachim Blichfeld (to San Jose, AHL)
F Jayden Halbgewachs (to San Jose, AHL)
D Jaycob Megna (to San Jose, AHL)
D Ryan Merkley (to San Jose, AHL)
G Josef Korenar (to San Jose, AHL)

Tampa Bay Lightning (via team release):

F Alex Barre-Boulet (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Ross Colton (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Jack Finley (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Gage Goncalves (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Jimmy Huntington (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Boris Katchouk (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Taylor Raddysh (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Sean Day (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Alex Green (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Dmitry Semykin (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Daniel Walcott (to Syracuse, AHL)*
F/D Luke Witkowski (to Syracuse, AHL)*
G Spencer Martin (to Syracuse, AHL)*

Toronto Maple Leafs (via team release):

F Kenny Agostino (to Toronto, AHL)*
F Joey Anderson (to Toronto, AHL)
F Pierre Engvall (to Toronto, AHL)
F Nic Petan (to Toronto, AHL)
D Mac Hollowell (to Toronto, AHL)
D Teemu Kivihalme (to Toronto, AHL)
D Timothy Liljegren (to Toronto, AHL)
D Martin Marincin (to Toronto, AHL)*
D Calle Rosen (to Toronto, AHL)*
G Michael Hutchinson (to Toronto, AHL)
F Justin Brazeau (to Toronto, AHL)
F Rourke Chartier (to Toronto, AHL)
F Tyler Gaudet (to Toronto, AHL)
F Scott Sabourin (to Toronto, AHL)

Vegas Golden Knights (via team release):

F Jake Leschyshyn (to Henderson, AHL)
F Lucas Elvenes (to Henderson, AHL)
F Jack Dugan (to Henderson, AHL)
F Ben Jones (to Henderson, AHL)
F Peyton Krebs (to Henderson, AHL)
D Kaedan Korczak (to Henderson, AHL)
D Jimmy Schuldt (to Henderson, AHL)
D Brayden Pachal (to Henderson, AHL)
D Connor Corcoran (to Henderson, AHL)
G Logan Thompson (to Henderson, AHL)
G Dylan Ferguson (to Henderson, AHL)

Washington Capitals (via team release):

F Kody Clark (to Hershey, AHL)
F Brett Leason (to Hershey, AHL)
F Garrett Pilon (to Hershey, AHL)
F Joe Snively (to Hershey, AHL)
F Riley Sutter (to Hershey, AHL)
F Axel Jonsson-Fjallby (to Hershey, AHL)
F Hendrix Lapierre (to Chicoutimi, QMJHL)

Winnipeg Jets (via team release):

F Joona Luoto (to Manitoba, AHL)
F Skyler McKenzie (to Manitoba, AHL)
F Kristian Reichel (to Manitoba, AHL)
D Declan Chisholm (to Manitoba, AHL)
D Luke Green (to Manitoba, AHL)
D Johnathan Kovacevic (to Manitoba, AHL)
G Mikhail Berdin (to Manitoba, AHL)
D Jimmy Oligny (to Manitoba, AHL)
G Cole Kehler (released)

*Must clear waivers first.

Maurice: Jets Unsure Of Plans For Ville Heinola

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  • Last season, defenseman Ville Heinola made Winnipeg’s roster out of training camp but it appears unlikely he’ll be able to do so this season, especially since he’s in quarantine until Thursday. Jets head coach Paul Maurice acknowledged to Ted Wyman of the Winnipeg Sun that he’s unsure of what the plans will be for the 19-year-old.  It looks like the team could enter the season with eight blueliners on the active roster which would make it difficult for Heinola to earn a spot and it may not be ideal for him to hang around on the taxi squad either although Maurice stated that keeping him up with that group is being considered.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Winnipeg Jets

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Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM.  Teams that can avert total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful.  Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2020-21 season.  This will focus more on players who are regulars on the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL.  All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.

Winnipeg Jets

Current Cap Hit: $83,015,356 (over the $81.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

David Gustafsson (two years, $818K)

Potential Bonuses:
Gustafsson: $132.5K

The 20-year-old made the team out of camp last year as a fourth liner but was eventually moved to the minors.  He’s probably in a similar situation this season and shouldn’t be looking at a costly second deal.  Kristian Vesalainen (two years, $894K plus $850K per year in bonuses) could also be heard from at some point but he may be more of a midseason recall.

One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level

G Laurent Brossoit ($1.5MM, UFA)
F Andrew Copp ($2.24MM, RFA)
D Derek Forbort ($1MM, UFA)
F Patrik Laine ($6.75MM, RFA)
F Adam Lowry ($2.916MM, UFA)
F Mathieu Perreault ($4.125MM, UFA)
D Neal Pionk ($3MM, RFA)
D Tucker Poolman ($775K, UFA)
D Luca Sbisa ($800K, UFA)
F Paul Stastny ($6.5MM, UFA)
F Nate Thompson ($750K, UFA)
F Dominic Toninato ($700K, UFA)

Let’s start with the biggest name on the list in Laine.  His preference for a trade doesn’t matter a whole lot for this exercise and knowing it’s a contract year with plenty on the line, even if he isn’t thrilled about his situation, it shouldn’t affect his play.  There’s no denying that he is one of the better pure goal-scorers in the league but there’s also no denying that he’s one of the streakiest scorers in the league either.  With a $7.5MM qualifying offer on the horizon, Laine will need to improve on his consistency if he wants to land more than a nominal bump on that if it goes to arbitration.  A long-term deal may not be as lucrative as it could have been a couple of years ago given the current financial landscape but Laine should be one of the highest-paid wingers in the league next year if one can be reached – with Winnipeg or someone else.

Stastny was brought in as a cap dump from Vegas but this is a good landing spot for him.  He’s familiar with the system and could see a small uptick in minutes.  While he’ll re-enter the market subject to 35+ caveats in July, he’s still a capable middle-six center and should be able to command longer than a one-year deal although it will have to come with a notable dip in pay.  Perreault is still a serviceable player that can move up and down the lineup but someone with that skillset should be making about half of what he currently is and that should be his market rate this summer.

Lowry is a player who could very well be hit hard by the current financial situation.  The hope that he’d be able to provide more offense has largely faded and instead, he’s someone that should be between 20-25 points in a normal year while winning a fair share of faceoffs and providing some physicality.  That’s definitely an effective role player but teams will be trying to squeeze their lower-line options for financial savings which doesn’t bode well for his chances of a raise.  Copp saw a lot of time in the top six last season and the offensive results weren’t really there.  He’ll need to be better at that end if he wants to get much more than his $2.3MM qualifying offer.  Thompson and Toninato were brought in for extra depth down the middle and their spots will be filled by similarly-priced depth players if they don’t re-sign for next season; neither should be expected to command much more than the minimum on the open market.

On the back end, Pionk vastly exceeded expectations in his first season in Winnipeg and appears to be well-positioned to land a long-term deal this offseason and if his point per game rate this season is similar to 2019-20, doubling his AAV isn’t out of the question.  Forbort had a rough year injury-wise a year ago which cratered his market this fall but before that, he was a 20-minute per game player.  He should have the opportunity for similar ice time and if he can stay healthy, he could re-enter free agency in July with a considerably larger number of suitors.  Poolman’s progression has been slow and steady so far.  He already has shown himself to be capable of handling a third-pairing workload which on its own should help earn him a small raise.  If he can work his way into number four minutes though, he could be one of the more intriguing unheralded options in free agency next summer.  Sbisa was an effective depth player last season but it’s hard to anticipate his market growing substantially after having to wait until 2019-20 started before he could get a deal last season.

Brossoit’s second year with the Jets wasn’t anywhere near as good as his first as he went from high-end backup numbers to low-end.  Nevertheless, he got a small raise but will need to be closer to his 2018-19 numbers for that to happen again next offseason.

Two Years Remaining

F Mason Appleton ($900K, RFA)
D Nathan Beaulieu ($1.25MM, UFA)
F Jansen Harkins ($725K, RFA)

Appleton has been in and out of Winnipeg’s lineup the last couple of years in a limited role.  If he remains primarily a fourth liner, he won’t have much leverage in securing a bigger deal two years from now with his arbitration eligibility potentially working against him at that time.  Harkins made his NHL debut last season and did enough to convince the Jets to give him a one-way deal at the minimum for both seasons.  He’ll need to work his way into a regular role for his arbitration eligibility to work in his favor in 2022.

Beaulieu hasn’t lived up to his first-round draft billing but since joining the Jets, he has been a serviceable option on the third pairing.  That earned him this two-year guarantee but it’s unlikely he’ll be able to land much more than that on the open market unless he can step into a spot inside their top four.

Three Years Remaining

The Jets don’t have anyone on their roster whose contract expires in 2023.

Four Years Remaining

D Dylan DeMelo ($3MM, UFA)
G Connor Hellebuyck ($6.166MM, UFA)
F Bryan Little ($5.292MM, UFA)
F Mark Scheifele ($6.25MM, UFA)
F Blake Wheeler ($8.25MM, UFA)

Wheeler has been one of the faces of the franchise since the team moved from Atlanta and was recognized for it by this deal, one that takes him through his age-37 season.  There is definitely some risk in the last year or two but he is still a top-line player and even acquitted himself well having to play down the middle for extended periods last season.  Scheifele’s deal seemed like a bit of a risk at the time considering that he only had one 20-goal campaign under his belt at the time it was signed but it has turned into one of the better bargains in the league as he has emerged as a legitimate front-line center.  Little, another long-time Jet, played just seven games last season and has been ruled out for the season as he continues to recover from a perforated eardrum after taking a shot to the head.  He’ll be eligible for LTIR which will get Winnipeg into cap compliance.

DeMelo has certainly seen his stock rise.  He was only two years removed from a non-tender by San Jose, only to re-sign for $900K a week into free agency.  He hit his stride after being traded to Ottawa and fit in quite well with Winnipeg after they acquired him before the deadline.  This was certainly a big raise but he’s worth the price if he plays at a similar level throughout this contract.

Hellebuyck has had a heavy workload the past three seasons and has held up quite well overall, even taking home the Vezina Trophy in 2019-20.  Without a top goalie prospect in the system, this is going to be his spot to hold for a while and at a price tag that’s barely $1MM above the median above starting goaltenders, this has become another bargain for GM Kevin Cheveldayoff.

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Snapshots: Dubois, Sweden, Manitoba

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Though they haven’t commented on it, the overwhelming feeling after recent reports is that the Columbus Blue Jackets will have to trade Pierre-Luc Dubois at some point. The young center has requested a change of scenery and that kind of thing rarely seems to change, meaning GM Jarmo Kekalainen’s phone will likely be ringing all year long.

Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic has compiled a list of what he believes would be the seven best suitors, while also noting that he believes at least two-thirds of the league will check-in. Snuck into the bottom of the Dubois piece is also a note on Gabriel Landeskog, noting that the Colorado Avalanche captain is hoping to sign another long-term deal with the team in order to spend his entire career there.

  • Sweden has shut down its junior leagues for the rest of the season, ending any chance that scouts have to see some of the prospects for the 2021 draft. Many of those names could make an appearance at the pro level in the coming months if they haven’t already.
  • Like Ontario earlier this week, Manitoba has finally given its blessing to the Winnipeg Jets to host NHL games this season. The province joins the four others that house NHL franchises in allowing the professional league to continue, without fans, for the time being. That exemption was the final hurdle for the All-Canadian division, though the league had previously expressed confidence that they would receive permission from all five provinces.

RFA Deadline Approaching Quickly

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In a normal season, even restricted free agents that miss all of training camp have plenty of time to sign. To be eligible to play, they must have a contract signed and filed with the league by December 1, nearly two months after a normal NHL season begins. Two years ago we saw a negotiation go down to the witching hour between the Toronto Maple Leafs and William Nylander, with the young forward eventually signing a six-year, $45MM deal just before the deadline. Nylander was in the lineup by December 6, though he never seemed to get comfortable and ended up having arguably his worst season as a professional.

With a few notable restricted free agents still unsigned, now less than a week before the season begins, it’s important to note that they don’t have that two-month in-season window anymore. In fact, it’s less than a month between the start of the regular season and the RFA signing deadline of February 11 in this unique, shortened campaign.

That means for Jack Roslovic, Jesper Bratt, and, most importantly, Mathew Barzal, the clock is ticking. If they are not signed by that date, they cannot play this season at all.

In Roslovic’s case, the negotiations have led to a formal trade request. That doesn’t mean the only way he plays this season is with another team, but it certainly should inspire confidence that he’ll be inking a deal with the Winnipeg Jets anytime soon. The 23-year-old forward hasn’t gotten a ton of playing time in Winnipeg’s deep forward group but did generate 12 goals and 29 points last season in 71 games. Selected 25th overall in 2015 he obviously believes a change of scenery would be beneficial to his career, and it’s hard to argue that at this point given where he’ll still slot in on the Jets depth chart. If Winnipeg doesn’t give in or doesn’t receive an acceptable offer though, that signing deadline will put a lot of pressure on Roslovic to take whatever deal he can get just so he doesn’t spend an entire year away from NHL ice.

For Bratt, it doesn’t seem as contentious, but Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reported recently that the New Jersey Devils forward is still in Sweden and there is a “bit of a gap” between the two sides. New Jersey just spent another $2MM on Sami Vatanen in free agency and, like in all of these situations, every day that passes gives another player a chance to show what they can do at camp. Perhaps playing in the SHL would be an option for the 22-year-old Bratt, but after a 32-point season in 2019-20 you would think he’d want to be part of what they’re building in New Jersey. He has just over a month to get something done if he wants to be there this season.

There are technically some other restricted free agents, including names like Henrik Borgstrom and Aleksi Saarela of the Florida Panthers, but they are already playing overseas and don’t have the kind of track record of the three mentioned.

That brings us to Barzal, who is one of the most fascinating stories of training camp so far. He was listed on the New York Islanders camp roster, but hasn’t appeared on the ice as the negotiations continue. Like any other situation that includes GM Lou Lamoriello, there is little information coming out, but Friedman discussed it today on the radio, explaining that this situation is not like some of the other high profile RFAs that have been in the news lately:

I don’t look at this situation here and see—like we know obviously there is a issue with [Pierre-Luc] Dubois in Columbus and we know there is an issue with [Patrik] Laine in Winnipeg, I don’t get any sense there is an issue with Barzal and the Islanders.

That doesn’t mean they have forever though, as not only has Barzal now missed a chunk of the already-shortened training camp, he’ll need a new deal before that February 11 deadline if he wants to play at all. For the Islanders, who have their eyes fixed squarely on a playoff spot in the tough East Division, missing Barzal even for a single game would have grave repercussions. The heartbeat of their offensive attack, the 23-year-old has 207 points through his first 234 NHL games and is expecting quite the salary bump on any contract.

The deadline isn’t two months into the season anymore. It’s just about a dozen games.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Latest On Patrik Laine

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When Patrik Laine took the podium to do his first media availability of training camp, one of the first questions was about the trade rumors that followed him all offseason. “I’m here, aren’t I?” said Laine, who wouldn’t really comment on the continued speculation and instead wanted to focus on the upcoming season. That didn’t slow down the rumors though, as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet wrote about it in his latest 31 Thoughts column and now David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports that the Carolina Hurricanes are still interested.

The Jets are apparently looking for Brett Pesce and Martin Necas in return for the enigmatic sniper, though obviously, trade talks can move in any direction at any time.

Laine, 22, may be inconsistent, but he is also one of the best pure goal scorers in the entire NHL. In 305 career games, he has 138 goals, including a 44-goal sophomore campaign. His current contract, a two-year bridge deal signed in 2019, is due to pay him $7.5MM this season and expires in the summer. He’ll still be a restricted free agent and in line for a huge raise on any sort of long-term deal, something that he appears not to want to sign with Winnipeg.

For what it’s worth, the Hurricanes do have a strong contingent of Finnish players, including their two top forwards Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen. Laine would seem a perfect fit with those two, who can generate offense at an elite level already. Whether the team would ever be willing to part with enough to make Winnipeg pull the trigger is unclear, given the early reports of what is being discussed.

Pesce, a 26-year-old rock-solid defender is one of the most valuable contracts on the team, given he’s signed through the 2023-24 season at a $4.025MM cap hit. The right-shot doesn’t provide a ton of offensive upside but can be thrown over the boards nearly every second shift to soak up tough defensive matchups on a nightly basis. Necas meanwhile is still waiting for his real breakout after being the 12th overall pick in 2017. The 21-year-old center had 16 goals and 36 points last season but appears to have even more to give as a top-six option. The Jets are obviously not going to take scraps for their star winger, nor should they.

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