SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 7/27/2021 1218589 NHL free agency: Ducks Ryan Getzlaf needs a 1218619 Panthers re-sign to a four-year new contract contract 1218590 What I’m hearing about Ryan Getzlaf’s future, the Ducks’ 1218620 Florida Panthers free up cap space, trade Anton Stralman RFAs and Hampus Lindholm’s recovery to Arizona 1218621 Sam Bennett returns to Florida Panthers with new contract 1218622 FHN Today: Bill Zito makes decisions on Florida Panthers 1218591 Busy Monday for Coyotes includes retirement of veteran RFAs defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson 1218623 gives Florida Panthers a load of possibilities 1218592 Qatar holds off El Salvador in thrilling Gold Cup opener at State Farm Stadium 1218593 Report: Coyotes defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson is 1218624 Four players who could become L.A. Kings as NHL free expected to retire agency approaches 1218594 NHL Draft grades: Experts give Arizona Coyotes a ‘B+’ for 1218625 LA Kings send qualifying offers to six players 2021 class 1218626 Reactions to the Kings 2021 Draft 1218595 Dmitrij Jaskin to sign 1-year, $3.2M deal with Coyotes, per report 1218596 Arizona Coyotes acquire Panthers D Anton Stralman in a 1218627 ‘Can’t mess up the plan’: Four days inside the Minnesota trade Wild war room for the NHL Draft and free agent planni Canadiens 1218597 Bruins do not extend qualifying offers to Ondrej Kase, Nick 1218628 Cowan: Canadiens drafting Mailloux 'reflects deep Ritchie insensitivity': expert 1218598 Bruins don’t extend qualifying offers to Nick Ritchie, 1218629 St-Hubert BBQ may ditch Canadiens after controversial Ondrej Kase draft choice 1218599 Boston Bruins Change Course, Don’t Tender Offers To 1218630 Canadiens' pick Logan Mailloux has lots of work to do off Kase, Ritchie ice: expert 1218600 Report: Boston Bruins In Mix For UFA Defenseman 1218631 Jesperi Kotkaniemi among six Canadiens to get qualifying Forbort offers 1218601 Bruins are out on , shifting the search for a 1218632 What the Puck: It's time for to explain Habs' left-shot defenseman draft pick 1218602 Rasmus Dahlin, Henri Jokiharju among Sabres RFAs to 1218633 Who's No. 2? Nashville Predators on the prowl for Juuse receive qualifying offer Saros' backup after Pekka Rinne retires 1218603 Report: 's agents expect trade from Sabres to 1218634 Who are the Predators getting in Cody Glass? Vegas happen 'in the near future' coach Pete DeBoer breaks down his game 1218604 Defense is the NHL's position of emphasis and it impacted Sabres' trade returns 1218605 Sabres can try to bluff but there’s no way around it: Jack 1218635 Islanders don't extend qualifying offer to Michael Dal Eichel will be traded and the sooner the better Colle, source says 1218636 Michael Dal Colle Not Given QO by Islanders; Six Players Flames Receive Qualifying Offers 1218606 Flames extend qualifying offers to 12 players 1218637 Islanders Elongated Road Trip to Start Will Test 1218607 Flames free agency: Blake Coleman, Alec Martinez and the Team’s Character 15 other pending UFAs who might make sense 1218638 NYHN Daily: Islanders Plan Hasn’t Changed & More Red Wings 1218608 opt not to give qualifying offer to 2015 1218639 Rangers give Igor Shesterkin, Filip Chytil qualifying offers first-rounder Evgeny Svechnikov 1218640 Jack Eichel’s agents expect trade from Sabres ‘in the near 1218609 Here's why I gave the Detroit Red Wings this grade for future’ their 2021 draft haul 1218641 Rangers expected to sign Patrik Nemeth in NHL free 1218610 'Excited to be back': Defenseman Marc Staal jumped at agency chance to rejoin Red Wings 1218642 Free-agent targets: A list of players the New York Rangers 1218611 Red Wings, former first-round pick Evgeny Svechnikov could sign this week part ways 1218643 NY Rangers expected to sign defenseman Patrik Nemeth 1218612 Ted Kulfan's top 25 NHL unrestricted free agents in free agency, so what's next? 1218613 Sebastian Cossa looks forward to meeting Red Wings’ high expectations 1218614 Steve Yzerman effectively leverages picks to help Red 1218644 The Ottawa Senators extend qualifying offers to Tkachuk, Wings now and in future Batherson among others at Monday deadline 1218615 Red Wings sign defenseman Marc Staal for one year 1218645 Senators free agency primer: Targets for , defence 1218616 Red Wings free agency: 5 surprise free agents who could — and why a trade could make sense fit in Detroit 1218617 OILERS NOTES: Still waiting to see if James Neal gets bought out 1218618 Lowetide: Oilers top 20 prospects, summer 2021 Canucks 1218646 The Flyers, in need of a backup goalie to Carter Hart, may 1218698 Few surprises amongst Canucks' qualifying offers, while end up with one of these players Holtby waits on fate 1218647 New Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen was an NHL 1218699 Avalanche sign Makar to new contract; how long before rookie at 18. Here are 14 other things you may not know Canucks do same with Hughes? ab 1218700 Canucks offseason depth chart: How will Conor Garland 1218648 Here are 15 things you should know about new Flyers and Oliver Ekman-Larsson fit? What’s next for Braden Hol forward Cam Atkinson 1218649 After positive year, Morin staying with Flyers 1218650 Flyers extend qualifying offers to 4 RFAs, part ways with 1218681 expands fund fighting breast cancer in former 2nd-round pick Nevada 1218651 Cam Atkinson energized by trade to Flyers, but sad to see 1218682 Key defenseman set to sign contract extension with ‘the band has broken up’ in Columbus Knights 1218652 Revisiting the ‘perfect offseason’ concept for the Flyers: 1218683 Report: Golden Knights close to signing Alec Martinez to What they’ve done, and what they still must do 3-year extension 1218684 Golden Knights free agency preview: Alec Martinez’s future and possible additions at center and on defense 1218653 Penguins' Mike Sullivan to be named United States 1218685 Update: Golden Knights Sign Martinez; Knights Over the Olympic coach CapPublished 11 hours ago on July 26, 2021 1218654 Penguins extend qualifying offers to forwards Zach Aston-Reese, 1218655 Penguins A to Z (and back to H): Filip Hallander's return 1218686 Capitals trade defenseman Brenden Dillon to Jets for two boosts the prospect pool second-round picks 1218656 NHL free agency preview: What are Penguins' possibilities 1218687 Capitals tender offers to restricted free agents Ilya between the pipes? Samsonov, Lucas Johansen 1218657 Penguins retain rights to Zach Aston-Reese, Radim 1218688 Capitals trade defenseman Brenden Dillon to Winnipeg Zohorna; let four RFAs go Jets 1218658 Penguins' Mike Sullivan will be named head coach of U.S. 1218689 Dillon trade leaves serious questions on left side of Caps Olympic team for 2022 defense 1218659 The ultimate travel guide for Penguins fans looking to hit 1218690 Caps issue qualifying offer to goalie Ilya Samsonov the road: Part 2 (20-12) 1218691 Capitals add six prospects, including four defensemen 1218660 Report: Mike Sullivan to Coach US Olympic Team 1218692 What are the Caps' defensive options heading into free 1218661 PENGUINS Aston-Reese, Zohorna Get Qualifying Offers; agency? Jankowski, Miletic, 2 More Released 1218693 Capitals create much-needed cap room by dealing 1218662 Penguins Free Agent Potentials: Affordable Right defenseman Brenden Dillon to Jets Defenseman 1218663 Dan’s Daily: Did Fleury Trade Fall Through? Leafs Stick it Websites to 1218701 The Athletic / Finding the next Anthony Duclair: 10 non-tendered NHL players worth targeting in free agency 1218702 The Athletic / Down Goes Brown: Working through a week 1218664 San Jose Sharks issue one qualifying offer, but it’s not to of NHL expansion moves, blockbuster trades and draft su Ryan Donato 1218703 The Athletic / The case for abolishing the NHL Draft: ‘I 1218665 Sharks acquire depth forward from for don’t think it’s that crazy’ Christian Jaros 1218704 The Athletic / The 2022 NHL Draft top 24 prospects: 1218666 Third-round pick Gaudreau ready for 'unreal' Sharks Shane Wright leads Corey Pronman’s list opportunity 1218705 .ca / Jets 2021 Free Agency Preview: Needs, 1218667 BREAKING: Sharks Don’t Qualify Donato, Merkley targets, issues 1218668 How Can Nick Merkley Help Sharks? 1218706 Sportsnet.ca / Canadiens 2021 Free Agency Preview: Needs, targets, issues 1218707 Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs 2021 Free Agency Preview: 1218669 What could the Kraken accomplish in free agency? Needs, targets, issues 1218708 Sportsnet.ca / NHL's Top 15 RFAs of 2021: Latest St Louis Blues rumours and reports 1218670 Blues make qualifying offers to six restricted free agents 1218709 Sportsnet.ca / Top five UFA centres: Canadiens' Danault 1218671 Gordo on the NHL: Blues exploit Rangers' change in to be popular target direction 1218710 Sportsnet.ca / Top five UFA goalies: Will Grubauer stay with Avs or help new team? 1218711 TSN.CA / Proposing a blockbuster trade that would help 1218672 Lightning community rallies behind Sonya Bryson-Kirksey the Leafs and Sabres with fundraiser, T-shirt 1218673 Lightning owner Jeff Vinik on expansion of Community Heroes program, celebration, more 1218694 Jets re-sign Stastny; trade for blue-liner Dillon 1218674 Lightning draft defenseman Roman Schmidt with top pick 1218695 Jets making major strides in addressing centre needs 1218675 Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik announces 1218696 Jets re-sign veteran Stastny to one-year, $3.75 million extension of team’s Community Heroes program deal; acquire Dillon from Capitals 1218697 Jets’ recent draft fortune spotlights how crucial timing is to building a Stanley Cup contender 1218676 Leafs free-agent defenceman Zach Bogosian is likely SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 headed to an American market 1218677 Maple Leafs could lose some regulars before stocking with UFAs 1218678 NHL braces for big week 1218679 TRAIKOS: What's ahead for Canada's NHL teams? 1218680 Who is the Maple Leafs’ newest Arizona kid? Meet Matthew Knies, a power forward in the making 1218589 Anaheim Ducks teams thinking of taking advantage of young players such as Trevor Zegras.

The Ducks are one of a of teams linked to a potential trade for NHL free agency: Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf needs a new contract skillful center Jack Eichel of the Buffalo Sabres. The rebuilding Sabres have already shipped Sam Reinhart to the Florida Panthers and Rasmus Ristolainen to the Philadelphia Flyers in significant deals. By ELLIOTT TEAFORD | PUBLISHED: July 26, 2021 at 4:05 p.m. | UPDATED: July 26, 2021 at 4:06 p.m. Whether through signings or trades, the Ducks are expected to seek additions to their forward ranks, especially anyone capable of bolstering their league-worst offense, which averaged only 2.21 goals per game last season, and their historically inept power play, which clicked at a meager Ryan Getzlaf, the longest-serving captain in Ducks’ history, needs a new 8.9 percent. contract. If the numbers add up and he agrees to a lesser role, he’s expected to re-sign with the only NHL team he’s known and begin his The Ducks’ defense corps appears set for 2021-22, despite losing No. 5 17th season with the Ducks on Oct. 14 against the Winnipeg Jets. defenseman Haydn Fleury to the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft. The Ducks could even re-sign Jani Hakanpaa, the defenseman they The NHL’s free-agent marketplace opens for business Wednesday, and traded to the to get Fleury on April 12. Getzlaf isn’t likely to be going anywhere. Ducks general manager Bob Murray sounded a confident tone last week when asked about re-signing In the end, re-signing Getzlaf might prove to be the least complicated of Getzlaf, the franchise’s leader in games played with 1,101, dating to any of Murray’s moves. 2005-06. Orange County Register: LOADED: 07.27.2021 Murray told the Southern News Group that talks with Gerry Johansson, Getzlaf’s agent, were underway and a contract could be finalized within “three or four days” of the completion of the NHL draft this past weekend.

Getzlaf has been the Ducks’ captain since 2010-11. Only Hall of Fame right wing Teemu Selanne has scored more points (988) than Getzlaf (982), and it’s a milestone everyone (with the likely exception of Selanne) would like to see Getzlaf surpass in the opening days and nights of the 2021-22 season.

Re-signing means concessions must be made, however.

Getzlaf’s eight-season, $66 million contract came to an end when the season ended for the Ducks with a third consecutive playoff miss. If he re-signs, he’ll have to take a considerable pay cut. Think in terms of a one-year, $1 million (or maybe $2 million) deal for the 36-year-old center.

What’s more, Getzlaf must agree to a new role with the rebuilding Ducks, one he began to fill near the end of the 2020-21 season, when he shifted from the top line to the fourth and from the first power-play unit to the second in order to make way for younger, ascending players.

Getzlaf isn’t the only player on the Ducks’ roster who needs a new contract. Right wing Carter Rowney and defenseman Andy Welinski are also eligible to become unrestricted free agents Wednesday, free to sign with any of the NHL’s 32 teams, including the Ducks.

Centers Max Comtois, Isac Lundestrom and Sam Steel, left wing Max Jones and defenseman Josh Mahura received qualifying offers before Monday’s deadline and will become restricted free agents Wednesday, with the Ducks holding the rights to match any offers they receive from other teams.

Danton Heinen, a left wing, didn’t receive a qualifying offer and will be an unrestricted free agent.

Left wing Alexander Volkov signed a one-year, $925,000 contract extension on July 17, avoiding free agency. The Carrick brothers, Sam and Trevor, and Vinni Lettieri signed one-year extensions on July 12. Those three are expected to continue playing with San Diego of the AHL.

As for the Ducks’ pursuit of free agents from other teams, well, don’t expect anything resembling a blockbuster signing. Big-name (read: expensive) free agents such as Dougie Hamilton, David Krejci and are probably headed elsewhere in the coming days.

Last year’s biggest offseason signing didn’t work out as expected, with defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk signing a three-year, $11.7 million contract last Oct. 9, and failing to deliver the goods with only two goals and 13 assists in 55 games in the pandemic-shortened season.

Trades are more likely as Murray continues to re-work the roster, especially among the mid-career players on the roster. Protecting forwards , Adam Henrique, Rickard Rakell and Jakob Silfverberg for the expansion draft last week meant protecting trade chips.

Deslauriers is believed to be one of the Ducks’ most sought-after assets because of his valued role as a heavyweight protector. He had five goals and five assists in 44 games last season and served as a deterrent to 1218590 Anaheim Ducks looking for someone to replace David Krejci if he returns home to the Czech Republic. Edmonton is trying to build around its two-headed Connor McDavid-Leon Draisaitl monster. Nashville doesn’t feel like a fit, given that it is in a serious retool after moving Ryan Ellis and Viktor What I’m hearing about Ryan Getzlaf’s future, the Ducks’ RFAs and Arvidsson. Hampus Lindholm’s recovery In April, Getzlaf said he remains on board with Murray’s vision and that the two have talked often about his role. “I always feel like I want to be part of the solution,” Getzlaf said. By Eric Stephens Jul 27, 2021 Has that changed in three months? Players want to feel wanted. Getzlaf

wants to play, and the Ducks want him back. But you get the feeling that Ryan Getzlaf doesn’t want to leave the Anaheim Ducks. That is hardly a it is up to them to show him just how much, and to more than other teams newsflash. — not taking his return as a foregone conclusion.

The thought of being the rare player to spend his entire NHL career with For the first time, Getzlaf can open himself up to other bidders, and it one team has always appealed to him. Sixteen years of commitment and might behoove the Ducks to not wait until other teams start making on-ice accomplishments and a family created and raised in south Orange pitches that could make it attractive to consider playing elsewhere. County reflect the feelings he has for the franchise. Qualifying offers issued, contract talks oncoming “I’ve always been an Anaheim Duck and this organization means The Ducks sent out qualifying offers Monday to five restricted free everything to me,” Getzlaf said in April before the NHL trade deadline. He agentsL forwards Max Comtois, Max Jones, Sam Steel and Isac added that he also didn’t want to stand in the way of any path in which Lundestrom and defenseman Josh Mahura. The move before Monday’s Ducks general manager Bob Murray needed to move the team. Amid deadline allowed the team to retain negotiating rights with those players. three straight losing seasons, it’s obvious that the path should be one of change. One potential RFA was taken care of before the expansion draft, as Alexander Volkov was re-upped on a one-year deal worth But the Ducks want their captain back. The franchise’s second-leading $925,000. Volkov was exposed to Seattle, but the Kraken opted to select scorer, and one of its five greatest players, can still play. Not at that level defenseman Haydn Fleury. GM Ron Francis knew Fleury well from when that once made him a top-five center or a Hart Trophy runner-up, of he drafted him in 2014 while with Carolina. course, but well enough to have something to offer to a team. The club has maintained that there is still room for him. Now Murray can move on to locking in his other RFAs who have finished their entry deals. While the Ducks have nearly $23 million available under The NHL’s free-agency period opens Wednesday. There is no news of a the salary cap according to Cap Friendly, they must dive into that amount new contract, and the more time that passes, the more the door cracks to re-sign all five players. The advantage that they have in negotiations is open to the possibility of Getzlaf leaving the Ducks. that none of them are eligible for salary arbitration. The players can sign This has one of those “I’ll believe it when I see it” looks, except teams will contracts for the qualifying amounts, though it figures that their come calling when the market opens, teams that need help at center and representation will at least instead seek bridge deals of two or three have the financial wiggle room to add a 6-foot-4, 225-pound playmaker years. with 120 points in 125 playoff games, even if he did turn 36 two months It can certainly be an area Murray uses to keep expenditures down and ago. retain more flexibility when it comes to addressing his roster, either Former NHL defenseman Shane O’Brien created a small stir Saturday through trades or free agency. Comtois figures to get the largest raise when he tweeted that Getzlaf is “not close” to a contract with the Ducks after leading Anaheim with 16 goals and 33 points last season. Might the and “has no problem testing the market.” Those sentiments picked up winger be one who the Ducks look to lock up with more of a long-term some steam Monday through multiple reports. The Athletic has learned deal? I don’t know if Murray is ready to go there after his one-step- through sources that Getzlaf is in listening mode and is evaluating the forward season. (Besides, there are the rumors of Comtois being a piece situation by the day. who might be surrendered in a Jack Eichel trade.)

The sides are keeping quiet. Getzlaf’s agent, Gerry Johannson, did not New assistant GM Jeff Solomon could be the person on many respond to inquiries about the state of discussions. The Southern contract talks. The agents for Comtois and Jones anticipate that they will California News Group reported Murray’s confirmation that talks were soon start discussions with the Ducks. Peter Wallen, Lundestrom’s underway with Johannson and that they could get a contract agreed agent, said he had an initial chat with Solomon. “No terms or money upon in a matter of days following last weekend’s entry draft. discussed,” Wallen said. “More just a briefer to get going.”

Two days have passed since then without a deal. It is accepted that But for now, Murray said that he is in “no hurry” to bang out these second Getzlaf will not make $8.25 million, as he did on average over the course contracts. With none of the possibly headed to arbitration, he doesn’t of his most recent eight-year deal, or his $6 million salary in 2020-21. If need to be. that were the ask, the Ducks would be correct to move on and send a The only RFA that Anaheim did not qualify was veteran forward Danton thank-you message for all his contributions. After all, this is someone Heinen. It seemed highly unlikely, because the offer would have been for who had only 17 points in 48 games – a career-worst 0.35 average – $2.775 million, matching his salary for 2020-21. Heinen, 26, was in and even if part of the blame can be put on not having a top-flight winger or out of the Ducks’ lineup and had seven goals and seven assists in 43 any linemate who could consistently finish. games. But you get the sense that the speculation being floated about Getzlaf Heinen will now be free to sign with any team on Wednesday. going to market might be a maneuver to apply a little pressure on the Meanwhile, the player they traded for him for in a one-for-one swap might Ducks. There is the knowledge that Getzlaf was open to waiving his no- also change addresses. Nick Ritchie was not qualified by Boston despite movement clause to go to Vegas – a team in Stanley Cup contention that scoring a career-high 15 goals. should be a heavy favorite to win the Pacific Division and a city that is just an easy four-hour drive for his family – if Murray (and, to a lesser A healthy Lindholm makes for a happy Lindholm extent, Getzlaf himself) had found a deadline deal with the Golden Knights to his liking. After a challenging season that ended after only 18 games, Hampus Lindholm should be ready to go for the Ducks when training camp opens It didn’t materialize and Getzlaf finished out the season, albeit by moving in September. to right wing and sometimes being deployed on the fourth line to allow Anaheim to view other centers in higher roles. That’s a decidedly The eight-year Anaheim defenseman was done for the year after different position than what he has been accustomed to: being at the suffering a fractured wrist on Feb. 27 against Vegas. It was his first game heart of everything. back after a lower-body injury that had kept him out of three other contests. But the Ducks’ greatest setup man is no longer bound to them. Vegas still makes sense, though it has limited cap room and could be on the Lindholm’s last two seasons have ended prematurely, but the shutdown verge of re-signing Alec Martinez. Boston has space and could be blueliner recently told The Athletic that his wrist feels great and that he is “excited for the new season.” His health will be key for the Ducks and himself, given that he is entering the final year of his contract.

The Athletic LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218591 Arizona Coyotes Bokondji Imama (acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday), Cam Dineen, Dysin Mayo, Lane Pederson and Blake Speers.

Those players can accept the contract offers starting Wednesday. Busy Monday for Coyotes includes retirement of veteran defenseman Arizona did not tender two forwards who appeared in 26 and 29 games Niklas Hjalmarsson last season, respectively, those being Dryden Hunt and John Hayden. Hunt and Hayden can become unrestricted free agents and sign anywhere, and the Coyotes can also attempt to bring them back. JOSÉ M. ROMERO NHL free agency opens on Wednesday, and the Coyotes figure to be active. Armstrong said last week that after trades went through, he'd start focusing on the players the Coyotes want to sign and the free agents Arizona Coyotes fans and NHL observers on Sunday could finally exhale from their own roster that they won't bring back. and relax after a wild week for the team in which there was much to process. But only for a day. One of those potential newcomers is forward Dmitrij Jaskin, who after starting in the NHL with the St. Louis Blues and one season with the Monday brought several pieces of Coyotes news, the biggest being the Washington Capitals, spent the past two seasons playing in Moscow in official retirement of defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson, which quietly Russia's KHL. His signing is expected to become official when free happened over the weekend. agency starts, according to a report from Andy Strickland of Bally Sports The shot-blocking specialist from Sweden was about to enter free Midwest in St. Louis. agency. He played the last four of 14 NHL seasons with the Coyotes, Those Coyotes set to enter free agency after their contracts expired are after winning three Stanley Cups with the . forwards Michael Bunting and Derick Brassard, defensemen Alex The steady Hjalmarsson had five assists in 41 games last season. He Goligoski, Jason Demers, Jordan Oesterle, Aaron Ness and Jordan played in 198 regular season games with Arizona. Gross and Antti Raanta.

Last Wednesday, the NHL expansion draft saw the Seattle Kraken select Taxi squad forwards Michael Chaput and Hudson Fasching are also forward Tyler Pitlick from the Coyotes, ending his time in Arizona after unrestricted free agents. just one season. Thursday brought a deal, as the Coyotes used their Arizona Republic LOADED: 07.27.2021 salary cap flexibility to obtain defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere from the Philadelphia Flyers, getting future draft picks with him.

Later on Thursday, the NHL regular season schedule for 2021-22 was revealed. The Coyotes are in the Central Division now with Seattle taking their former place in the Pacific.

Another major story on Thursday was the news that the Coyotes are in talks with the city of Tempe about construction of an arena and entertainment district, similar in principle to the Deer District outside of Milwaukee's Fiserv Forum which was seen full of thousands of Bucks fans during the NBA Finals by millions of TV viewers during the Bucks- Suns series.

Friday brought the transformative trade of team captain Oliver Ekman- Larsson and fan favorite Conor Garland to the , which landed three veteran players and a coveted first-round pick in the NHL Entry Draft that night. The Coyotes used the No. 9 overall selection to take 18-year-old forward Dylan Guenther.

And on Saturday, the Coyotes made eight selections in the draft, three in the second round.

The current roster is now veteran heavy, but several of those veterans will go into this season in the final year of their contracts. As the Coyotes continue to build for the future, there are still decisions to be made in the present.

One of those came on Monday with a trade with the Florida Panthers, the Coyotes acquiring veteran defenseman Anton Stralman, 20-year-old defenseman prospect Vladislav Kolyachonok and a second-round draft pick in 2024 for a 2023 seventh-round pick and the willingness to take on Stralman's $5.5 million salary for 2021-22 before he can become a free agent.

We are very pleased to add Anton to our roster,” Coyotes General Manager Bill Armstrong said in statement from the team. “He is a veteran defenseman who will provide depth and experience on our blueline. Vladislav is a good prospect who we are high on and we look forward to watching him continue to develop this season.”

It's another move pointed toward the future with the draft picks. Stralman and newly acquired forwards Loui Eriksson, Antoine Roussel and Jay Beagle, all from the Canucks, are signed through the end of this coming season.

"What we need is a little grit and a little toughness, and we got that with Roussel," Armstrong said last Friday. "That also fits our new culture and where we're moving to as an organization."

Around 2 p.m. on Monday, the Coyotes submitted a list of players to which they have extended qualifying offers as restricted free agents. Those are mainly prospects at Tucson in 1218592 Arizona Coyotes

Qatar holds off El Salvador in thrilling Gold Cup opener at State Farm Stadium

JOSÉ M. ROMERO

Qatar, the invited guests from outside of North America, served notice that they are here for more than a good time. But a stirring comeback by El Salvador led by forward Joaquin Rivas almost ruined everything for the Qataris Saturday at State Farm Stadium in international soccer.

Qatar, the champion of Asia and the special guest team in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, got off to a fast start against El Salvador but had to hold on for a 3-2 win in the first quarterfinal of the day. The future hosts of next year's FIFA World Cup scored twice early in the first half and advanced to next Thursday's semifinals, where a date with either the U.S. or Jamaica awaits.

Qatar, the winners of Group D of the Gold Cup who scored nine goals in their first three games to lead the tournament going into Saturday, was already up by two goals well before the majority of the sellout crowd had arrived in their seats at the home of the Arizona Cardinals.

Almoez Ali scored the first of his two goals in the second minute, wide open for a shot after a turnover and pass to him. About six minutes later, Abdelaziz Hatimad picked out a corner of the and blasted a shot after a nifty dribble to create space.

When Ali scored on a kick in the 55th minute for a 3-0 lead, Qatar seemed to have El Salvador put away. But El Salvador roared back.

"For 60 minutes, we controlled the match. The last half-hour, they were attacking all the time," Qatar head coach Felix Sanchez said. "They also wanted to get the victory."

El Salvador head coach Hugo Sanchez though the penalty call was a mistake, but said his team had no excuses.

"We got focused after that start," Sanchez said. "We didn't have the calmness we needed."

Rivas scored his first goal in the 63rd minute, giving the good-sized contingent of blue-clad Salvadoran fans something to cheer about. He made it 3-2 in the 66th minute when Qatar's defense failed to mark three players in the box.

An offside call negated what would have been the tying goal, and El Salvador missed a couple of more chances they had before the final whistle, despite seven minutes of stoppage time.

The match was the opening act for the star attraction, Mexico against Honduras before a full house in the second quarterfinal.

Arizona Republic LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218593 Arizona Coyotes

Report: Coyotes defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson is expected to retire

BY TOM KUEBEL | JULY 25, 2021 AT 1:04 PM

UPDATED: JULY 26, 2021 AT 8:55 AM

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson is expected to retire, according to AZCoyotesInsider.com’s Craig Morgan.

Hjalmarsson spent four seasons in the desert after winning three Stanley Cups with the Chicago Blackhawks.

His best season with Arizona was in 2018-19 when he played in all 82 games with a +8 rating, 10 assists and 44 penalty minutes.

Hjalmarsson ends his career ranked No. 18 in NHL history in blocked shots with 1,606.

He is one of two players in the top 20 all time with less than 900 games played in his career.

At 34 years old, the native of Sweden also had a decorated international career, winning the silver medal in the 2014 Olympics in Sochi and a bronze medal in the in Toronto.

He was drafted in the fourth round of the 2005 NHL Draft by the Blackhawks and debuted in the NHL in the 2007-08 season.

His best season offensively was in 2013-14 when he scored four goals and tallied 22 assists with Chicago.

He ends his 14-year career with 25 goals, 147 assists, 172 total points and +106 overall.

Arizona Sports LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218594 Arizona Coyotes Arizona in the trade that sent Oliver Ekman-Larsson to Vancouver, and now we can officially include Guenther as part of the bounty Arizona received in that deal. He was projected by many to go as high as No. 3 overall to the Ducks. He drops here to the Coyotes, who get the kind of NHL Draft grades: Experts give Arizona Coyotes a ‘B+’ for 2021 class goal scorer their prospect pipeline lacks. His shot is great, but his ability to find spaces to get that shot off is equally impressive.

Corey Pronman, theathletic.com BY WILLS RICE | JULY 26, 2021 AT 8:50 PM Grade: B+ UPDATED: JULY 27, 2021 AT 1:29 AM Reasoning: I’m a huge Dylan Guenther fan. He was my No. 2 ranked

prospect, so I obviously think Arizona did well getting him at No. 9, and Experts weighed in on the Arizona Coyotes 2021 draft class after the acknowledge I’m off from the industry in that regard. Josh Doan at No. 37 team made nine selections over the two days. was rich for me. I don’t think he would have lasted much longer and know several scouts who are huge fans of his, but I’m not over the moon about The team received multiple A grades, while the team’s lowest grade was him. With Ilya Fedotov, I get the talent bet. He hasn’t had a big season, a C+. which worries me, but he has a ton of upside. Guenther gets them a high grade and they likely pull one more real NHL player from this class with a Retool. lot of guys having chances to play. Rebuild. Josh Wegman, thescore.com Refresh. Grade: B+ Below is a full list of the 2021 Coyotes draft class: Reasoning: The rebuilding Yotes got out from under a bad long-term deal Rd 1 No. 9 Dylan Guenther (F) and re-entered the first round of the draft, where they took Dylan Guenther – who many considered a top-three talent – ninth overall. Rd 2 No. 37 Josh Doan (F) Greg Wyshynski, espn.com Rd 2 No. 43 Ilya Fedotov (F) Grade: A Rd 2 No. 60 Janis Jérôme Moser (D) Reasoning: The winner of this trade is pretty clear. It’s the general Rd 4 No. 107 Emil Martinsen Lilleberg (D) manager who doesn’t have Oliver Ekman-Larsson on his salary cap in Rd 4 No. 122 Rasmus Korhonen (G) 2026-27 with a cap hit of over $7.2 million. That team will not be the Coyotes, thanks to another shrewd piece of business from GM Bill Rd 5 No. 139 Manix Landry (F) Armstrong this offseason.

Rd 6 No. 171 Cal Thomas (D) The Coyotes wanted to move Ekman-Larsson’s contract last offseason, and he was willing to waive his no-movement clause for either the Rd 7 No. 223 Sam Lipkin (F) Canucks or the Boston Bruins. A trade never materialized, and the GM Bill Armstrong is trying to rebuild the team through the draft, trading defenseman had yet another underwhelming season, with 24 points in 46 captain and defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson to the Vancouver games, playing at a slightly below replacement level, especially on the Canucks on Friday, as well as forward Conor Garland, for the 9th overall defensive end. As his average ice time dropped by over two minutes per pick in the draft that was used to select Dylan Guenther. game, the writing on the wall was clear as day that they’d revisit a move this offseason. The Coyotes were forced to forfeit their first round pick in the 2021 draft (11th overall) due to violating the NHL’s combine testing policy. The Coyotes now have seven second-round picks over the next two drafts. Work your magic, Mr. Armstrong. The team in the trade also received a 2022 second-round pick, a 2023 seventh-round selection as well as forwards Jay Beagle, Loui Eriksson Garland’s name has been in the trade ether for the past year, with the and Antoine Roussel. Coyotes offering strong denials that he was available. Welp, here we are. Garland was a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. He’s a solid, Here’s what NHL experts around the country had to say about how the top-six forward who could have been part of the eventual solution in Coyotes did with draft day trades and selections. Arizona. But as a way to help facilitate a trade that got the Ekman- Larsson contract off their salary cap and gave them the ninth overall pick Adam Herman, bleacherreport.com in this draft, he served the Coyotes well. Grade: A Josh Bell, SportingNews.com Reasoning: Dylan Guenther resembles much of what a modern team Grade: C+ wants in a north-south winger. He’s a powerful skater. He’s not one to dice through layers of defenders or make exceptional lateral pivots, and Reasoning: Best Selection: Dylan Guenther (9th) in that sense he’s fairly average, but when he’s at his top gear in a vertical route, he’s intimidating. His presence feels much greater than his The Coyotes made a big splash ahead of the draft with the Oliver 6-foot-1, 181-pound frame would suggest. Ekman-Larsson trade and adding the No. 9 pick after losing theirs as punishment for NHL scouting combine violations. They added the best The 2021 draft is littered with players who either have raw skill but no player available in Guenther at that spot, who immediately becomes the identity or defined traits but low upside. For that reason, Guenther is a best forward in their system. They then grabbed the son of a Coyote breath of fresh air. He’s hardly a renaissance man on the ice, but he has legend, Shane Doan, in Josh Doan, a breakout overager from the a few major gifts and knows how to implement them effectively. He will Chicago Steel. They ended up betting big on re-entries, taking two more. need an intelligent center on his line, but he is a safe bet to turn into a Taking swings on Ilya Fedotov and Manix Landry look promising. top-six winger who scores 20-25 goals and provides defensive effort and forechecking output. Arizona Sports LOADED: 07.27.2021

Arizona isn’t getting a steal here or anything, but Guenther was clearly the best player available, and they Coyotes will be content to grab him.

ESPN Staff, espn.com

Ranking: 4th

Analysis: The Coyotes started the day without a first-round pick, having had to forfeit it (No. 11) because they violated the NHL’s scouting combine testing rules. Then the Canucks sent the ninth overall pick to 1218595 Arizona Coyotes

Dmitrij Jaskin to sign 1-year, $3.2M deal with Coyotes, per report

BY WILLS RICE

JULY 26, 2021 AT 5:43 PM

Forward Dmitrij Jaskin is expected to sign a 1 year, $3.2M with the Arizona Coyotes, per Andy Strickland of Bally Sports Midwest.

Jaskin, currently 29 years old, played with the St. Louis Blues for six years and the Washington Capitals for one before spending the last two seasons with Moscow Dynamo in Russia.

Although he did not have major success at the end of his last NHL stint, he recorded 120 points in 117 games over the last two years, including 38 goals in 59 games last year. The 38 goals were enough to lead the Kontinental Hockey League in goals by more than 10 goals.

Jaskin finished fourth overall in the KHL in total points and won the KHL MVP during the 2019-20 season.

He played in 37 games in has last season in the NHL, scoring two goals and collecting six assists.

The 6-foot-3, 225 pound lefty winger adds a veteran presence as the Coyotes look to change directions under new General Manager Bill Armstrong.

Arizona Sports LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218596 Arizona Coyotes

Arizona Coyotes acquire Panthers D Anton Stralman in a trade

BY ARIZONA SPORTS | JULY 26, 2021 AT 2:43 PM

UPDATED: JULY 26, 2021 AT 9:53 PM

The Arizona Coyotes acquired Florida Panthers defenseman Anton Stralman, the team announced on Monday.

Florida as part of the deal is also sending prospect Vladislav Kolyachonok and a 2024 second-round pick in exchange for a 2023 seventh-round pick.

The 34-year-old Stralman played 38 games and scored three goals with six assists this past season for Florida. He carries a $5.4 million cap hit before his contract expires following the 2021-22 season.

The veteran defenseman was picked in the seventh round of the 2005 NHL Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs and played there for two seasons. He spent time with Columbus (2009-11), the New York Rangers (2011- 14) and Tampa Bay Lightning (2014-19) before landing with the Panthers in 2019.

“We are very pleased to add Anton to our roster,” General Manager Bill Armstrong said in a press release. “He is a veteran defenseman who will provide depth and experience on our blueline. Vladislav is a good prospect who we are high on and we look forward to watching him continue to develop this season.”

Kolyachonok, a 20-year-old defenseman, was the 52nd overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. He spent part of last season with the AHL’s .

The Coyotes have already made additions and subtractions on the blue line this offseason. They acquired 28-year-old defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere on July 22 from the Philadelphia Flyers and also traded captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson to the Vancouver Canucks on the date of the NHL Draft Friday.

Arizona Sports LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218597 Boston Bruins the Ducks’ drop-off (playoff DNQ three years running) and rebuild through youth.

Getzlaf, pushed down the lineup, produced five goals and 17 points in 48 Bruins do not extend qualifying offers to Ondrej Kase, Nick Ritchie games last year, skated 16:35 a game and won 51.8 percent of his faceoffs. Once among the elite forwards, he cracked 80 points three times in 16 seasons, including a high of 91 (with 66 assists) in 2009. He has not scored at a point-per-game rate — his standard for the prior By Matt Porter Globe Staff,Updated July 26, 2021, 8:53 p.m. decade — since 2018, and has seen his usage dip into bottom-six territory the last two years.

The Bruins did not extend qualifying offers to wingers Ondrej Kase and In theory, he could replace some of what Krejci brought as the No. 2 Nick Ritchie before Monday’s NHL-imposed deadline, potentially making center, particularly the playmaking and secondary power-play production. both unrestricted free agents come Wednesday. Captain Patrice Bergeron, his former Team Canada teammate, would surely welcome Getzlaf’s presence. Same goes for Chris Wagner, who The two former Ducks could, in theory, renegotiate with the club at a was golfing with his pal when he found out the Bruins signed him in 2018. lower rate, but the Bruins would also be bidding against other teams. It’s easy to imagine Getzlaf teaching fellow righthanded center Jack Studnicka a few tricks. On his now-expired deal, Kase was making $2.6 million a season. That was the rate of his qualifying offer, on a one-year minimum. Kase, whose Squeezing offense out of the third and fourth lines last year was a last two seasons have been marred by post-concussion issues, has challenge for coach Bruce Cassidy, some of that owing to Charlie Coyle’s played in 20 games since arriving here. knee injury. Getzlaf could be a stabilizing force down in the lineup.

The market would be more robust for Ritchie, who put up 15 goals and Given his advanced mileage, it’s unclear how many minutes he could 11 assists in 56 games and settled in as a depth scorer. The Bruins did handle. He was also reportedly bothered by a bad back last year. not offer the QO rate of $2 million. Ritchie also had arbitration rights, and Johannson, his agent, reported that Getzlaf is healthy. could have won a significant raise off last year’s salary ($2 million), given his career-high goal total, age (24) and proven ability as a net-front Boston Globe LOADED: 07.27.2021 presence.

General manager Don Sweeney, who was not available for comment, indicated last week he planned to qualify Ritchie, Kase and AHL winger Robert Lantosi, but did not.

It could mean he plans to negotiate with their agents. Or, it could be more evidence that the pair of February 2020 Bruins-Ducks trades have been largely underwhelming for both sides.

Anaheim on Monday walked from the $2.8 million qualifying offer due , who flew west as Ritchie came east. Kase came here in the deal for a first-round pick, prospect Axel Andersson and David Backes.

Sweeney also conducted some AHL business Monday, letting Lantosi free of his RFA deal, re-signing defenseman Nick Wolff, and qualifying both goalie Callum Booth (last year on the taxi squad) and winger Zach Senyshyn (QO: $735,000).

Getzlaf on the radar?

Done with the Ducks? Not necessarily.

Free agent center Ryan Getzlaf appears to be an option for the Bruins, a possibility that neither his agent nor a source with knowledge of the Bruins’ plans dismissed when queried by the Globe.

Unrestricted free agents such as Getzlaf, 36 — and David Krejci, 35 — can sign new deals beginning at noon Wednesday. Krejci has been deciding in recent weeks whether to return to the Bruins, play in his native Czechia, or retire.

Getzlaf’s agent, Gerry Johannson, wouldn’t speculate on the Anaheim captain’s next destination.

“We don’t know yet,” Johannson told the Globe. “We’ve got a couple irons in the fire, and we’ll have to see what happens on Wednesday or in the meantime. We’re working on that right now.”

Would Getzlaf — a Duck since 2003 (first-round pick, 19th overall), captain the last 11 years, and the franchise’s leader in assists (703) and games played (1,101) — make the move to the opposite coast, with the Bruins?

“You never know,” Johansson said.

Two reports Monday connected the longtime Anaheim captain to Boston. Nick Alberga, a radio host for Sportsnet in Canada, tweeted that the Bruins were one of the “teams to watch closely on the Ryan Getzlaf front.” The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta added that they were “waiting to approach Getzlaf right when the [free agency] doors open.”

Getzlaf, the Stanley Cup champion (2007) and two-time Olympic gold medalist (2020, 2014), remains a big (6 feet 3 inches, 225 pounds), playmaking, righthanded center, but the decline in his game has mirrored 1218598 Boston Bruins There is also local guy Keith Yandle (Milton), who was bought out by Florida. At 34, he’s a talented offensive defenseman and power-play quarterback, though the B’s biggest need is more of a rugged two-way D- man who could handle big minutes in the top four. If they go for Yandle, Bruins don’t extend qualifying offers to Nick Ritchie, Ondrej Kase they would definitely need to obtain another more defensive-minded blueliner, preferably with some size.

The B’s did extend qualifying offers to forward Zach Senyshyn and minor By STEVE CONROY PUBLISHED: July 26, 2021 at 6:40 p.m. | league goalie Callum Booth. They also signed RFA left defenseman Nick UPDATED: July 26, 2021 at 7:04 p.m. Wolff to a one-year, two-way contract that carries an NHL cap hit of $750,000.

In a surprise move, the Bruins did not give qualifying offers to Nick Boston Herald LOADED: Ritchie or Ondrej Kase, making them both unrestricted free agents when the bell sounds on Wednesday at noon.

The move comes after GM Don Sweeney had said last Thursday that he would extend qualifying offers to those players, though that was before officially signed his four-year, $6 million-per-season extension.

Ritchie’s rights-retaining qualifying offer would have been $2 million but he might have made more than that from arbitration after his 15-goal season in 56 games. And with a logjam now at left wing with the return of Hall, it appears that Ritchie is now very much a former Bruin. He was a deadline acquisition from the Ducks for Danton Heinen two years ago. Heinen, coincidentally, was not tendered his $2.75 million QO from Anaheim.

Kase is a different case. His qualifying offer would have been for $2.6 million, a hefty price for a player who, talented though he may be, missed almost the entire 2020-21 season because of the latest of multiple concussions, this one coming in the second game of the season in New Jersey. Kase — obtained from the Ducks as well in a deal that cost the B’s a first-round pick, prospect defenseman Axel Andersson and David Backes — tried to come back in the second-to-last game of the season but had to pull the plug in the second period.

According to a source, the B’s are still open to re-signing Kase at a lower price than the qualifying offer once the club can get more clarity on his health. It’s believed that Kase is working out and does indeed hope to resume his career.

Time will tell if the Ritchie decision comes back to bite the B’s. The big left wing gave the B’s some of what they wanted — physicality, net-front presence — but not all the time. He could be a fearsome fighter as well, though he didn’t drop the gloves too often. The B’s are betting that the 24-year-old Ritchie, the 10th overall pick in 2014, enjoyed a career year in ’21, especially given the fact that he was given time on the first power- play unit for much of the season.

The B’s did not qualify Providence winger Robert Lantosi as well.

Unless the B’s go out and make a deal for a left wing, it would seem that, at least for the time being, they are now committed to left wing Jake DeBrusk, who struggled through a rough ’20-21 season in which he contracted COVID-19 and was limited to just five goals in 41 games, making him a subject of a trade rumors. Fueling those rumors is the B’s clear need of upgrades on defense.

Meanwhile, with Wednesday’s opening of free agency, options for a top- four left defenseman appeared to be dwindling.

According to multiple reports, Alec Martinez will be re-upping with the Vegas Golden Knights, believed to be a three-year deal at approximately $5 million. And Ryan Suter, bought out by the Minnesota Wild and once believed to be at least one of the players who are objects of the Bruins’ affections, appears to be looking for as much as he can get. Minnesota- based reporter Michael Russo of The Athletic reported that he’s looking for a four-year deal. That would seem prohibitive for a player who will be 37 in January.

Jamie Oleksiak, who would have been a good fit as a big stay-at-home presence next to Charlie McAvoy, went off the board early when he signed a whopping five-year, $23 million deal.

What’s left? As far as rugged, penalty-killing types, there’s 6-foot-4, 220- pound defenseman Derek Forbort, who led the Winnipeg Jets in PK time last season. They could take a chance on 27-year-old Jake McCabe, who suffered a season-ending knee injury with the Sabres last February. Had McCabe been healthy, he might be ranked a lot higher in this year’s free agent class. 1218599 Boston Bruins

Boston Bruins Change Course, Don’t Tender Offers To Kase, Ritchie

Published 10 hours ago on July 26, 2021By Joe Haggerty

After Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said last week that the team was going to qualify restricted free agents Nick Ritchie and Ondrej Kase, the team surprisingly reversed course on Monday and didn’t tender qualifying offers to restricted free agent wingers. The Bruins signed RFA Nick Wolff to a one-year, two-way contract for an NHL value of $750,000 and tendered qualifying offers to goalie Callum Booth and former first round pick Zach Senyshyn, but both Ritchie and Kase are now essentially free to sign with any other NHL team.

The qualifying offer for Kase would have been $2.6 million, which the oft- injured right winger would have presumably accepted for next season as a larger amount than he’s going to get otherwise. The 25-year-old Kase has been limited to nine games with the Boston Bruins over the last two seasons due to concussion issues, and has posted just five assists, and zero goals, in 20 total games during the regular season and playoffs after being dealt from Anaheim.

“With [Kase] this year, it’s been a lot of wait and see, and that’s what we’re back to again,” said Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy at the start of the playoffs when Kase was basically ruled out from playing after missing the entire season and then suiting up for the final game of the regular season against the Islanders.

It was a $2 million qualifying offer for Ritchie coming off a career-high 15 goals for the 25-year-old power forward in just 56 games last season, but the 6-foot-2, 230-pound Ritchie had arbitration rights and surely would have been looking at a significant raise based on his numbers. Perhaps it was expansion draft subterfuge from Sweeney when he said he was going to tender his RFAs when it really didn’t make sense to ever tender Kase, but either way it seems to be an admission that Boston’s moves at the trade deadline two seasons ago really didn’t pan out.

The Boston Bruins also didn’t tender a qualifying offer to 25-year-old Slovakian winger Robert Lantosi, who posted nine goals and 15 points 25 games this past season for the Providence Bruins and had 20 goals and 46 points in two seasons in Providence.

The Bruins currently have slightly north of $19 million in salary cap space as they approach the open of NHL free agency this week and obviously have a few spots to fill on their NHL roster.

Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218600 Boston Bruins the handling of heavy minutes in all situations. We’re going to try to be aggressive on that front and see if we can address the need.

“Ideally, you’d want an all-situational minutes player. It certainly has been Report: Boston Bruins In Mix For UFA Defenseman Forbort all of those pressure points and the penalty kill. Maybe they can handle the power play? [A player] not unlike Charlie McAvoy, who impacts the game in sixty minutes. The other guys — Grizzy [Matt Grzelcyk] obviously has done a lot of great things for us in puck moving and can Published 18 hours ago on July 26, 2021By Joe Haggerty complement on the power play as well. [Jakub] Zboril was moving pucks last year, ran into some injuries. But with the loss of Jeremy [Lauzon], there’s a penalty killing component there [that’s missing]. Johnny Moore It seems that during almost every trade deadline or free agency period, helps, we’ll obviously address some of that from a depth perspective. But the Boston Bruins have at least one under-the-radar target that nobody we have to go and add to our group, so we have to address that.” ever really mentions along the way. While Forbort is a solid, no-frills top-4 option without a ton of offensive Mike Reilly was that guy last season when the Bruins nabbed him from oomph and he does have couple NHL fights on his resume (including the Minnesota at the trade deadline, and trade deadline acquisition one bout against Pat Maroon), he’s also not the intimidating bruiser-type Marcus Johansson during the 2019 run to the Stanley Cup Final also the Bruins are now missing with Kevan Miller in retirement. definitely qualifies. He’s more likely a suitable replacement for Jeremy Lauzon after the That under-the-radar option may have popped on the radar this week young shutdown defenseman was lost to the Seattle Kraken in the NHL ahead of the July 28 open of NHL free agency with the Bruins linked to expansion draft last week. unrestricted free agent Winnipeg Jets defenseman Derek Forbort, per Elliotte Friedman. So, one would suspect there’s another shoe to drop for the Black and Gold, for either a slick puck-mover or a legit tough guy, when it comes to Friedman made a number of interesting predictions for free agent stockpiling defensemen for next season. destinations including Forbort to the Boston Bruins, Ryan Suter to the and Alec Martinez re-signing with the Vegas Golden Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 07.27.2021 Knights:

Dougie Hamilton: New Jersey

David Savard: Montreal

Gabriel Landeskog: not hugely confident in this prediction, but he and Colorado find a way

Blake Coleman: the prediction is, he gets 6×5

Jaden Schwartz: Seattle, basically done during the Kraken’s exclusive window

Brandon Saad: St. Louis, Islanders, Pittsburgh or Los Angeles

Kyle Palmieri: haven’t heard a thing, which means the Islanders probably have him locked up

Phillip Danault: Los Angeles takes a surprise look

Alec Martinez: stays in Vegas

Alex Goligoski: Minnesota

Derek Forbort: Boston

Zach Hyman: Edmonton. Makes me feel I’m getting one right

Alexander Ovechkin: 3×10 to stay in Washington

Ryan Suter: Dallas

Florida: locks up Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe.

The 29-year-old Forbort certainly fits the profile as a 6-foot-4, 219-pound defenseman that’s played 20 minutes per game pretty much through the entirety of his NHL career. The left-shot Forbort had two goals and 12 points along with a plus-1 rating in 56 games for the Jets this past season, and kicked in a goal while averaging 24:38 of ice time in eight playoff games for the Jets this past spring.

Forbort is coming off a one-year, $1 million contract with the Jets and has played 331 games with the Kings, Flames and Jets over the course of his six-year NHL career after being a Kings first round pick in the 2010 NHL Draft. Clearly Forbort is an under-the-radar option because he’s not a big name like Ryan Suter or a top-of-the-market free agent like Alec Martinez, but he’ll also be a cheaper top-4 defenseman option for a Boston Bruins team that has other roster holes to fill this offseason.

All of these names are in the mix because the Boston Bruins know they need help on the back end, and need to be “aggressive” about it, after losing a couple of big, tough bodies this offseason.

“We have to identify that we have a couple of holes and gaps that we have to fill. Certainly, [we] addressed a long term future with Brandon [Carlo]. We’re happy to have him back in the fold as an important part as our defense is put together,” said Don Sweeney. “We have to address another need — if not one, if not two from a depth perspective — but also 1218601 Boston Bruins negotiating position. Ritchie scored 15 goals and 11 assists. The left wing could have doubled his salary.

It’s possible the sides could negotiate a new deal. Ritchie was a good fit Bruins are out on Ryan Suter, shifting the search for a left-shot as No. 2 left wing before Taylor Hall’s arrival. He went quiet in the home defenseman stretch and in the playoffs, finishing the run as the No. 4 left wing. Ritchie was more comfortable in Boston in 2020-21, on and off the ice.

If Ritchie goes elsewhere, it creates an opening for Jake DeBrusk as By Fluto Shinzawa Jul 26, 2021 third-line left wing. DeBrusk has a year remaining on his contract before he reaches restricted status.

Kase’s future is unknown because of his concussion history. The Bruins As of Monday, the Bruins’ pursuit of Ryan Suter was approaching an acquired Kase for a 2020 first-rounder, David Backes and prospect Axel unfruitful end. On the same day, Vegas was close to extending Alec Andersson. At full health, Kase was projected as the No. 2 right wing. Martinez to a three-year contract, per Daily Faceoff. Wolff signed Meaning the Bruins’ hunt for a left-shot defenseman will have to shift elsewhere. The Bruins signed undrafted defenseman Nick Wolff to a one-year, $750,000 extension. Wolff, 25, scored two assists in 24 games for A source familiar with the situation indicated the fit was not right between Providence as a first-year pro in 2020-21. Wolff is a possible depth NHL Suter and the Bruins. It is unclear whether Suter informed the Bruins they defenseman. … Zach Senyshyn and Callum Booth were qualified. were out, or whether the team stepped back because of age and contract concerns. According to colleague Michael Russo, Suter, 36, was likely to The Athletic LOADED: 07.27.2021 land a four-year deal.

So far, pending unrestricted free agents have not leaned toward Boston before Wednesday’s opening of the market. Jamie Oleksiak, another possible target, was one of the first to go when the ex-Northeastern defenseman signed with Seattle.

This leaves the Bruins with fewer options to address their most significant need — a vacancy, in fact, that might require two players to fill.

Eyes opened within segments of their hockey operations department when Seattle drafted Jeremy Lauzon instead of Connor Clifton. Lauzon’s departure specifically touched the penalty kill, where he led the team with 3:05 of average ice time per game in 2020-21.

Had Lauzon remained in Boston, he would have, in all likelihood, opened next year as the left-side defender on the No. 3 pairing. He would have also started every penalty kill, most likely next to Brandon Carlo.

This would have allowed the Bruins to target one more left-shot defenseman, either via trade or free agency, to complement Lauzon and Matt Grzelcyk. Whether they can incorporate all their preferred skills — top-four five-on-five workload, penalty killing, blue-line shot generation — in one defenseman remains to be seen.

Suter, for example, would have been a one-player solution. Despite his buyout from Minnesota, the veteran was not approaching anything resembling an immediate decline. He averaged 22:11 of ice time per game in 2020-21, including 2:22 on the power play and 2:00 on the penalty kill.

Martinez, 34, filled a similar profile. He averaged 22:34 of ice time per game last year, second-most on the team after Alex Pietrangelo. Martinez was also a regular on the power play (1:26) and penalty kill (2:28).

Nate Schmidt is likely to be on the move from Vancouver following the Canucks’ acquisition of Oliver Ekman-Larsson. The 6-foot, 194-pounder, however, is designed more like Mike Reilly than Lauzon. His game centers more on mobility and quick thinking than flexing muscle. Of Schmidt’s 20:06 average ice time per game in 2020-21, 1:45 was on the penalty kill. He was a second-wave killer behind Alex Edler, who led all Canucks with 3:28 of short-handed play per game.

Edler, meanwhile, could be a depth possibility, especially on the penalty kill. The lifelong Canuck will be unrestricted on Wednesday. Other pending UFAs who could take some or all of Lauzon’s shifts include Derek Forbort (2:43 short-handed ice time per game), Ben Hutton (2:34), Dmitry Kulikov (2:31) and Jake McCabe (2:24).

Ritchie, Kase are not qualified

The Bruins did not issue qualifying offers to Nick Ritchie or Ondrej Kase prior to Monday’s 5 p.m. deadline. General manager Don Sweeney said last week that both would be qualified. The ex-Ducks are now unrestricted.

Ritchie, acquired for Danton Heinen, earned $2 million in salary in 2020- 21. Had Ritchie been qualified, he would have been eligible for arbitration. While talks may not have proceeded to a hearing, the threat of arbitration would have given Ritchie and agent Pat Morris a strong 1218602 Buffalo Sabres as a backup to Michael Houser and never appeared in a game for the Sabres.

Buffalo News LOADED: 07.27.2021 Rasmus Dahlin, Henri Jokiharju among Sabres RFAs to receive qualifying offer

News sports reporter Jul 26, 2021 Updated 8 hrs ago

General Manager Kevyn Adams and the Buffalo Sabres have extended qualifying offers to all but two of their restricted free agents: goalie Stefanos Lekkas and winger Dawson DiPietro.

According to CapFriendly.com, the Sabres' other restricted free agents were projected to receive the following qualifying offers: defensemen Rasmus Dahlin ($874,125), Henri Jokiharju ($874,125) and Casey Fitzgerald ($874,125); and forwards Rasmus Asplund ($874,125) and ($917,831).

The News learned through sources last week that the Sabres and Dahlin's representatives have begun negotiations about a contract for the 21-year-old defenseman. Dahlin, who was drafted first overall in 2018, is an obvious candidate for a long-term contract extension after three dynamic offensive seasons in Buffalo.

Dahlin has totaled 18 goals and 107 points across 197 games. He is likely in line for an increased role with Rasmus Ristolainen traded to Philadelphia. The process began under coach Don Granato during the final weeks of last season, as Dahlin led all Sabres in average ice time (22:10) over the final 28 games. He had four goals and 12 points during that span.

Dahlin's 50 power-play points since the beginning of his rookie season in 2018-19 rank ninth among all NHL defensemen.

Jokiharju, 22, also may be targeted for a long-term contract after two solid seasons in Buffalo. Although the 2017 first-round draft choice needs to improve his play in front of his own net, Jokiharju has been solid when paired with a reliable left-shot defenseman or one with skills complementary to his own.

A contract for Jokiharju would cost far less than one for Dahlin, as Jokiharju has only seven goals and 23 points in 115 games since joining the Sabres in a trade that sent Alex Nylander to the Chicago Blackhawks. Dahlin and Jokiharju were used by Granato as Buffalo's top defense pairing during the final weeks of last season.

Mittelstadt, who was drafted eighth overall in 2017, emerged as a member of the Sabres' next core last season, totaling nine goals and 17 points in 28 games under Granato. Both totals ranked second on the team during that span, trailing only Sam Reinhart, who was traded to the Florida Panthers on Saturday. Mittelstadt, 22, is in line to center the Sabres' first or second line with Jack Eichel expected to be traded this offseason.

Asplund, 23, could be the Sabres' most improved player last season, as the versatile forward was outstanding when given a role with Granato as coach. Asplund, who was protected by Buffalo in the expansion draft, had six goals and 10 points in the final 23 games. Asplund can play center or wing and likely will be a key penalty-killer for the Sabres in 2021-22.

Fitzgerald, a third-round draft choice in 2016, could be a candidate to make the Sabres' roster out of training camp, as the team is currently short on right-shot defensemen. The 24-year-old was a two-year captain at Boston College before joining the .

With the Amerks, Fitzgerald was reliable defensively and totaled five goals with 22 points in 51 games. The Sabres lost Will Borgen, also a right-shot defenseman, to the expansion Seattle Kraken and traded Ristolainen to the Flyers. Jokiharju and Colin Miller are the only other right-shot defensemen projected to be on this roster next season.

An undisclosed injury prevented DiPietro from playing for the Amerks last season. The 25-year-old played four seasons at Western University from 2016-20.

Lekkas received an NHL contract late last season because of injuries to Carter Hutton, Linus Ullmark and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. Dustin Tokarski also had to leave the team for personal reasons. Lekkas served 1218603 Buffalo Sabres

Report: Jack Eichel's agents expect trade from Sabres to happen 'in the near future'

News sports reporter Jul 26, 2021 Updated 12 hrs ago 0

When Jack Eichel was still a member of the Sabres at the conclusion of the NHL draft on Saturday, General Manager Kevyn Adams left the door ajar for the team's captain and top-line center to remain in Buffalo.

A source told The Buffalo News on Monday that General Manager Kevyn Adams and the Buffalo Sabres have extended qualifying offers to all but two of their restricted free agents: goalie Stefanos Lekkas and winger Dawson DiPietro.

"I would have no problem at all if Jack Eichel is on our team when we start training camp," Adams said when asked by The Buffalo News if Eichel could remain with the Sabres. "I have said this before and I’ll say it again: If we are in a position that we believe will help our franchise, not just short term but for the long term in building this out, building around a core and the foundation of critical assets, then we’d be open and looking at it. If we didn’t have that on the table or don’t think that makes sense, then we won’t do something."

It did not take long for Eichel's representatives to slam the door shut.

Eichel's agents, Peter Fish and Peter Donatelli, told Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman on Sunday that every conversation between them and the Sabres is based around finding a different team for Eichel, who has five years remaining on a contract that counts $10 million against the salary cap each season.

“Our expectation is that Jack is going to be traded in the near future, and all of our discussions have been centered around that issue," Eichel's representatives said in a dual response to Friedman.

That doesn't mean a trade is imminent. Friedman reported over the weekend that teams interested in acquiring the 24-year-old center are waiting for Adams to lower his asking price. Eichel watch was in full force ahead of the draft's first round Friday night because the Sabres were interested in acquiring a top 10 pick in a deal involving the face of the franchise.

However, a trade did not materialize during draft weekend, raising questions about how much longer Eichel will be part of the Sabres. Though Adams insisted he's not working on a deadline, some suitors may bow out of the Eichel sweepstakes if a deal isn't done by the beginning of free agency Wednesday. After all, teams may choose to use that cap space on a free-agent center such as of the . The center market in free agency isn't deep, though, and not even Danault or David Krejci of the Boston Bruins have Eichel's gifts.

Eichel, who was drafted second overall by Buffalo in 2015, scored a career-high 36 goals in 2019-20, a season in which he had a 17-game point streak and became a legitimate Hart Trophy candidate. Across six seasons in Buffalo, Eichel has totaled 139 goals and 355 points in 375 games.

However, there is the issue of Eichel's desire to undergo surgery on the herniated disk in his neck. Eichel reportedly wants a disk replacement, a specific procedure that has not been done on an NHL player. The Sabres' doctors won't approve. Eichel won't change his mind. The disagreement led Eichel to question his future in Buffalo and appears to have permanently fractured the relationship with the Sabres.

Eichel played through injury for the duration of his 21-game 2020-21 season, which ended March 7 with a game on Long Island in which he appeared to be in pain on the bench after a check from behind. He also suffered a broken rib shortly before training camp and played through a lingering abdominal injury that he could not have surgically repaired during the Covid-19 pandemic. Eichel finished with only two goals and 18 points.

Buffalo News LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218604 Buffalo Sabres As for free agency, it will be fascinating to watch how the defense market moves in the coming weeks. For starters, keep an eye on what happens with Carolina's Dougie Hamilton and Tampa Bay's David Savard. See if Seattle or Montreal come into play for Hamilton. Chicago already made Defense is the NHL's position of emphasis and it impacted Sabres' trade its big moves, trading Duncan Keith to Edmonton and then acquiring returns Columbus' and signing him to a bloated Keith/Brent Seabrook type contract at eight years and $76 million ($9.5 million cap

hit). News sports reporter Jul 26, 2021 Updated 17 hrs ago There are other known names on 'D' out there, too.

Ryan Suter, Keith Yandle, Alec Martinez, Tyson Barrie, old friend Why did it seem much easier for Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams , Sami Vatanen and Cody Ceci are all UFAs. So is to get a quality return when dealing Rasmus Ristolainen, a pariah to the former Sabre Zach Bogosian, a Cup winner in Tampa in 2020 who had a analytics community, than Sam Reinhart? good run this season in Toronto and is reportedly looking to get back to an American market for family reasons. It's all about positions. The Reinhart pick and the lottery Sabres spent weekend looking to future while breaking up their current core Some clarity on the 2022 No. 1 draft pick acquired from Florida for Reinhart: The Sabres made 11 selections in this year's draft, but outside the team's draft room, all the attention was focused on the names fans have known Sabres trade Sam Reinhart to Panthers for goalie Devon Levi and a first- for many years: Rasmus Ristolainen and Sam Reinhart. round pick

The playoffs tend to create copycats around the league. Look how strong Reinhart is headed to the Sabres' Atlantic Division rival in exchange for Tampa Bay was on its blueline. Look at how Montreal (Shea Weber) and goalie prospect Devon Levi and a 2022 first-round draft choice. the Islanders rode top play on defense. You're going to see people • It is lottery protected, meaning if the pick lands in the Top 10 of the mining the back end this week in free agency. lottery, it reverts back to Florida and Buffalo instead gets the Panthers' "Defensemen are at a premium right now," Adams said after the draft 2023 first-round pick regardless of where it lands. Saturday. "I think what you saw in the Stanley Cup final, the way teams • That's probably meaningless because the reality is you can't expect have been built lately, a 'Risto' type of player, there's a value to that in Florida to have a high pick, unless some unforeseen calamities strike the the league right now." Panthers. Remember, they finished fourth overall in the shortened The Flyers have been getting savaged in most quarters around the season with 79 points – four ahead of eventual Stanley Cup champion league for the Ristolainen deal because they gave up a first-round pick Tampa Bay – and can have legitimate Cup hopes next season under for a player with no history of winning. But Ristolainen has long been coach Joel Quenneville, the three-time Cup winner in Chicago. miscast in Buffalo as a player who could take up 25-28 minutes a night. • Even though the Sabres had the No. 1 pick this year, they would be Adjusted to a second pair player and cut to 20-22 minutes, most regular eligible to win it again in 2022 for the draft in Montreal. The NHL's new Sabre watchers think he has value to a better team. draft lottery rules do not start until next year. Sabres trade Rasmus Ristolainen to Flyers for Robert Hagg, two draft Starting in 2022, teams cannot win the lottery more than twice in a five- picks year period – but wins prior to 2022 will not be counted toward that total. Ristolainen was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Around the boards defenseman Robert Hagg, a first round pick in this year's draft, No. 14 overall, and a second-round selection in 2023. From Russia with skill: Unusual draft year caused Sabres to plot different course "He's a player we've been looking at for the last three years," Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher said. "We like our defense corps. We For the most part, the Sabres opted for players they were able to scout think we have some good pieces, but we felt we lacked a little bit of size in-person, whether it was second-round selection Prokhor Poltapov at the and physicality on the back end. Rasmus is a young man that stepped IIHF Under-18 World Championship or Olivier Nadeau and Viljami into Buffalo, played a really big role at a young age on a developing Marjala in the Major Junior Hockey League. hockey team." • When speaking about the influx of draftees selected by the team from "Philadelphia, we've been having discussions for quite some time before Russia, Sabres scouting director Jerry Forton said the team had solid that deal was made, but they also needed some deals before to maybe video from that area and that "the analytic data out of Russia is very put themselves in a better position to make an appropriate offer," said advanced and very accurate from our perspective." Adams, who acknowledged that the league seems to be shifting toward big defensemen as linchpins even more than in the past. "Right now, That was a pretty interesting thing to hear from a top Sabres mind. In the clearly just with the way the playoffs were, a defenseman like Rasmus is past, you got the impression the club barely used analytic data out of in demand, for sure." Mississauga, let alone Moscow. The hiring of Pittsburgh brainiac Sam Ventura, the co-founder of the long-lost War-on-ice.com, shows there's When it came to the draft, the Sabres were left with the easy choice to no empty talk about analytics coming from the team anymore. take Owen Power with the No. 1 overall pick. He had separated himself from the pack at the top of the draft with his play for Team Canada in the • Now that the expansion draft is over, look for Alex Ovechkin to re-sign World Junior Championships, but the brain trust had to be imagining with the Capitals. The Great Eight turns 36 in September and the bet is Power, Rasmus Dahlin and Mattias Samuelsson among those forming a he signs for at least three years and maybe four to take him to 40. He's at strong core group – albeit a young one – as soon as the 2022-23 season. 730 career goals, on the fringe of being able to challenge for Wayne Gretzky's all-time record of 894. Four of the top eight picks were defensemen, with No. 4 Luke Hughes (New Jersey), No. 6 Simon Edvinsson (Detroit) and No. 8 Brandt Clarke • To accommodate the completion of UBS Arena at Belmont Park, the (Los Angeles) all getting taken. Islanders are opening the season on a 13-game road trip that is the longest to start the season in NHL history. The previous high was nine Drafted first overall by Sabres, Owen Power 'excited for what's to come' games endured by four teams, last by the Rangers in 2013 while in Buffalo Madison Square Garden was wrapping up its billion-dollar renovation project. Power, a 6-foot-6 left shot defenseman ranked by NHL Central Scouting as the top North American skater in this class, is coming off an "I can assure that when I saw the schedule I went for a long walk, never impressive freshman season at the University of Michigan and a mind a long road trip," cracked Islanders general manager Lou remarkable performance against much older competition at the IIHF Lamoriello after the draft ended Saturday. World Championship in Latvia. Sabres pushing to sign goalie Linus Ullmark; Jake McCabe expected to reach UFA

While the Sabres are pushing hard to sign Ullmark to be their No. 1 goalie for next season and likely beyond, Adams said that all signs point to McCabe reaching the market.

• Speaking of the Islanders, watch for them in free agency. With the trades of Nick Leddy and Andrew Ladd and the loss of Jordan Eberle to Seattle in the expansion draft, they have nearly $18 million in cap space. And they may get another $6 million when the season starts with the likelihood that the retiring Johnny Boychuk goes on long-term injured reserve.

Who could be the big targets? Most observers expect Lamoriello to act fast and stage a New Jersey reunion with Zach Parise after the veteran was bought out in Minnesota. Other big names in play for the Islanders could include Suter, Gabriel Landeskog and Vladimir Tarasenko.

Buffalo News LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218605 Buffalo Sabres taking a faceoff when the game’s on the line. If you’re a Casey Mittelstadt or Dylan Cozens, that’s important.

“We want to make sure that we put the right pieces around this young Sabres can try to bluff but there’s no way around it: Jack Eichel will be core of players that we have, but you want to make sure they’re also traded and the sooner the better getting out there and having the opportunity to grow and learn.”

The Sabres’ plan is going to require something of the fans: patience. It’s understandable that many have run out of it. They watched the rebuild By John Vogl Jul 26, 2021 centered around Eichel and Reinhart fail miserably. The Sabres have tied the NHL record for longest playoff drought at 10 seasons.

Guess what? It’s going to reach 11. The Sabres are in no position to It’s been a long three months filled with rumors, innuendo and straight-up challenge Atlantic Division rivals Tampa Bay, Boston, Toronto, Florida fantasy. It’s easy for the facts to be obscured or forgotten. and Montreal for a playoff spot. They could struggle to keep up with So here are two indisputable facts: Ottawa and Detroit.

The Sabres are building around players who want to be in Buffalo. By going with a young core, that’s the choice Buffalo is making. Management is focused on 2023-24, not 2021-22. Jack Eichel wants to be somewhere else. But unlike the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons — better known as The That’s it. The rest is just noise. Tank — the Sabres won’t lose on purpose. They just won’t be good enough to win. While general manager Kevyn Adams says he’s OK with Eichel still being in Buffalo when training camp starts, it’s not going to happen. He knows Former GM Tim Murray traded away every goalie who could stop a puck. it. Eichel knows it. The NHL knows it. Adams doesn’t even have a goalie on his roster. Murray dressed borderline NHLers such as Tyson Strachan and Zac Dalpe. Adams is “Our expectation is that Jack is going to be traded in the near future,” giving ice time to his top prospects. Eichel’s agents told Elliotte Friedman on Sunday night, “and all of our discussions have been centered around that issue.” Coach Don Granato may coax more development from this group, but even if Cozens doubles his stats, that’s a 16-goal, 52-point season over The last half of the quote is more important than the first. Adams talked 82 games. It would be a welcome jump for the 20-year-old, one that with Eichel’s agents at least twice Saturday. The chats were not about forecasts an impressive future. when camp starts or whether Eichel should bring a hacky sack to the team picnic. But Toronto No. 2 center John Tavares is coming off the equivalent of a 28-goal, 73-point season. Buffalo’s top scorer, Reinhart, went to Florida All discussions have centered around trading Eichel. and may center the second line. The Bruins re-signed Taylor Hall for their The captain’s landing spot and the return for Buffalo still need to be second line after he returned to point-per-game status. worked out. While a deal didn’t happen during draft weekend, talks did. While young players can play in the NHL, it’s rare for them to make The Athletic’s Michael Russo learned the Sabres are asking for four significant contributions. The Sabres’ lineup will feature skaters from the assets that are the equivalent of first-round picks. The Wild went so far 2017 through 2020 draft classes. Going back one year to look at the as to print a potential trade on a glass board in their war room, writes The recently completed season: Athletic’s Scott Burnside. The Athletic’s Rick Carpiniello reported that, according to a league source, Buffalo owner wants Eichel Only five of the 71 skaters from the 2016 draft were in the top 100 to land in the Western Conference. scorers.

For the Sabres’ sake, Adams needs to follow the guidelines he put in Only five of the 62 players from 2017 reached the top 100. place for the Sam Reinhart trade. The GM sent the forward to Florida, which is in Buffalo’s division, because it was the top package for the Only four of the 38 from 2018 ranked in the top 100, including none in the Sabres. top 50.

“This is about the best deal you can get,” Adams said. “You’re talking to None of the 21 players from 2019 were in the top 100. New Jersey’s Jack everybody. I’m not doing my job if I’m not talking to everyone in the Hughes led the way by ranking 136th. league continuously. No one should expect the Sabres’ young guys to challenge for a scoring “When you’re in a situation that it’s time to make a deal, you think about title or record elite numbers. The Sabres should compete nightly, (division rivalries), but to me, it’s about value. If you’re getting what you provided they find a goalie, but they won’t have a roster built for the believe is the best value for your organization, then you make that deal.” playoffs. What they will have is a roster built with guys who want to be in Buffalo. Their captain wants to be somewhere else — and will be. It’s important, if not essential, that Adams finds his trade partner by noon ET Wednesday. That’s when the free agent market opens. Suitors that The Athletic LOADED: 07.27.2021 can absorb Eichel’s $10 million cap hit now may erase themselves from the bidding by signing forwards Gabriel Landeskog and David Krejci, defensemen Dougie Hamilton and Tyson Barrie or goalie Philipp Grubauer.

If the Sabres wait, it could become a “money in, money out” situation. In addition to their desired assets, they’d have to take a bad contract or two. It wouldn’t be the end of the world — after subtracting Eichel’s $10 million, the Sabres are more than $44 million under the salary cap — but it would be preferable to not have regrettable deals on the books.

As for free agency, the Sabres are not expected to go after big names. Adams is determined to build around his core of 18- to 23-year-olds, including Rasmus Dahlin, Dylan Cozens, Casey Mittelstadt, Jack Quinn and No. 1 pick Owen Power.

“We’re going to see where we’re at in terms of the players out there,” Adams said of free agency. “What I will say I believe is critically important with our team makeup right now is not boxing young players that are on our roster out of crucial situations and crucial minutes. One of the best ways to learn in this league is by doing it, by experiencing being out there at the end of the game up a goal or down a goal, having that feeling of 1218606

Flames extend qualifying offers to 12 players

Daniel Austin

Publishing date:Jul 26, 2021 • 9 hours ago

The Calgary Flames extended qualifying offers to a dozen players on Monday, but not Dominik Simon or Artyom Zagidulin.

With the NHL’s deadline for issuing qualifying offers to pending restricted free agents approaching on Monday afternoon, the Flames made offers to 12 players.

That list includes: Glenn Gawdin, Justin Kirkland, Oliver Kylington, Carl- Johan Lerby, Connor Mackey, Tyler Parsons, Matthew Phillips, Luke Philp, Colton Poolman, Juuso Valimarki and Alexander Yelesin.

The move prevents those players from becoming unrestricted free agents on Wednesday.

The Flames opted not to make offers to Simon and Zagidulin, though.

Simon joined the Flames for the 2021 season, and while there were seemingly high hopes that he might be able to produce on a line with Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan, the 26-year-old played in only 11 games and did not pick up a single point all season.

Netminder Zagidulin, meanwhile, bounced between the Flames’ taxi squad and the AHL’s Stockton Heat this past season. The Flames also have Parsons and Dustin Wolf in the pipeline.

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218607 Calgary Flames Connor Mackey Colton Poolman

X Flames free agency: Blake Coleman, Alec Martinez and 15 other pending UFAs who might make sense Oliver Kylington

Similar to Dube, Valimaki has a high ceiling. But with the loss of Mark Giordano to Seattle, Treliving says adding to the defence corps is a By Hailey Salvian Jul 26, 2021 priority. And given the youth on the Flames’ blue line, they would do well to look to add to the top four, hence Valimaki’s place on the third pair.

The trade market remains a possible way for the Calgary Flames to The Flames also need to add another NHL goalie. reshape their roster this offseason. But, come Wednesday morning, Flames goalie depth chart unrestricted free agency offers another option. G The Flames hit big during last year’s free-agent frenzy by signing Jacob Markstrom and Chris Tanev on Day 1. Then they added depth signings in 1 Joakim Nordstrom, Dominik Simon, Nikita Nesterov and Josh Leivo. They were quieter in 2019, only signing Cam Talbot on July 1. Jacob Markstrom

This summer should not be quiet for general manager Brad Treliving, 2 because the Flames entered the offseason with significant needs both up X front and on the back end. Tyler Parsons The following depth chart excludes pending unrestricted free agents such as Derek Ryan and Josh Leivo, and restricted free agents are denoted by X a shade of light blue, while clear roster holes are marked by a shade of green. This is not intended to be a full line projection but is inspired by Dustin Wolf the lines the Flames rolled out last season. Any way you look it, we’re talking about a Flames roster that will require Flames forward depth chart multiple additional pieces in order to ice a playoff-calibre lineup. Among the club’s areas of need are: LW C RW Top-six right wing 1 Middle-six winger Johnny Gaudreau Fourth-line centre Elias Lindholm Top-four defender Matthew Tkachuk Third-pair defender 2 Backup goalie Andrew Mangiapane There are in-house options who could fill some of those holes, with Sean Monahan prospects “knocking on the door,” as Treliving said Saturday. Think Glenn Gawdin or Adam Ruzicka, for example. But there will need to be a 3 balance keeping spots open for internal players while ensuring Calgary Mikael Backlund can field a competitive roster come opening night.

Dillon Dube So, what viable options are available for the Flames to target when free agency opens on Wednesday? 4 With the help of Dom Luszczyszyn’s top 50 UFA list and the complete list Milan Lucic of UFAs on Cap Friendly, I’ve compiled a long list of players who could be potential fits. Tyler Pitlick To be clear, some of these players could be out of the team’s price X range; others might not be rated highly by the front office. Maybe there is a trade on Treliving’s mind that could fill one or two of these holes. This is not a prediction of how Wednesday will go. These are simply some It’s worth noting that Dillon Dube has a high ceiling, projects as a top-six players who could realistically be available. forward and very well could be on the second line next year. But, the Flames simply can’t go wrong adding more top-six talent. And for now, First, there are a few names at the top we can eliminate. Ritchie is marked as the 13th forward. Philipp Grubauer is a Vezina Trophy finalist and is the best goalie on the Flames defence depth market. He’s not going to be a backup in Calgary. Dougie Hamilton is the top defenceman on the open market, but he’s not likely to return. Alex LD RD Ovechkin will be back in Washington. Zac Hyman, while there was initial interest, is close to signing in Edmonton. I contemplated including Gabriel 1 Landeskog as an option, but Joe Sakic is “hopeful” that Colorado can re- Noah Hanifin sign him.

Chris Tanev All contract predictions for skaters are courtesy of Evolving-Hockey’s projection tool. Let’s get to the list. 2 The top/middle-six wingers Rasmus Andersson Kyle Palmieri, RW 3 2020-21: 51 games, 10 goals, 11 assists, 21 points | Predicted contract: Juuso Valimaki 3 years, $4.22 million AAV X Not surprisingly, there aren’t too many top-end right-shot wingers set to the latter’s even-strength struggles. McCabe played only 13 games this hit free agency. Palmieri, one of the few natural right wingers, tops Dom’s season because he tore his ACL, MCL and meniscus on the same play. top-50 list at the position. Despite the small sample size, he still projects to be a top-four He could be a solid fit for what the Flames need. He has a great shot, defenceman next season due to his impressive play in difficult minutes. he’s good on the power play and he can play both wings while bringing a solid two-way game. He had a down year production-wise, split between He doesn’t bring a ton offensively but could be a solid second-pairing guy the Devils and Islanders last season, but was very good in the playoffs, based on his defensive acumen, which makes him an intriguing option to scoring seven goals in 19 games. pair with Rasmus Andersson, a more offensive puck-moving defenceman. It’s difficult to know what to expect from Palmieri next season because his career really could go either way. Is his likely price tag worth the risk? There is a risk here, though. Perhaps McCabe won’t be the same after the injury, and there’s a chance he may not be ready for the start of next Blake Coleman, LW/RW season, with a six-to-eight-month recovery period that started five months ago. So this could be a buy-low upside signing for the Flames, 2020-21: 55 games, 14 goals, 17 assists, 31 points | Predicted contract: with the hope that when he’s healthy, he could bring some stability to the 4 years, $4.70 million AAV top four. Naturally, this couldn’t be the only move Calgary made to beef Coleman is set to become one of the stars in this free-agent class after up the blue line. winning back-to-back Stanley Cup championships with Tampa Bay. One Mike Reilly, LHD source said this week there is likely to be a ton of interest in him when free agency opens. Does that mean he prices himself out of Calgary? 2020-21: 55 games, 0 goals, 27 assists, 27 points | Predicted contract: 3 Maybe, depending on how much they value the player. years, $3.80 million AAV

But at the right number, he could be a great fit in Calgary. According to After being a depth piece in Minnesota and Montreal, Reilly is coming off Dom, “Coleman is the perfect example of where the eye test and a career year between Ottawa and Boston, scoring a half-point per game analytics meet in beautiful harmony, where his hard work and tenacity with each team and seeing time on both special teams. perfectly show up in the numbers.” In Ottawa, he was the team’s best puck-mover behind Thomas Chabot. Coleman drives play well at both ends of the ice and has a nose for the And in Boston, he showed that he wasn’t just a decent player on a net. He’s hard to play against, is reliable at both ends of the ice and can rebuilding team, forming a solid partnership with Brandon Carlo in the put the puck in the net 20-some times a year. What’s not to like? Other playoffs and averaging more than 20 minutes per game. than the potential price tag… Reilly does play sheltered minutes and hasn’t shown he can consistently Mike Hoffman, LW take on a bigger role yet, but does have breakout potential. Given that the Flames are trying to replace Giordano, they may need to look for 2020-21: 52 games, 17 goals, 19 assists, 36 points | Predicted contract: someone more reliable. But, if the market shrinks, Reilly could be worth a 5 years, $5.65 million AAV gamble at the right price.

The Flames need more goal-scoring throughout their lineup. And Ryan Suter, LHD Hoffman, his defensive shortcomings aside, can do that. He produced at a 27-goal pace last season in St. Louis. He was particularly strong on the 2020-21: 56 games, 3 goals, 16 assists, 19 points | Predicted contract power play, scoring seven times, and he ranks sixth among the top not provided by Evolving-Hockey power-play goal-scorers league-wide over the last three seasons with 35. Suter is projected to bring top-pair value in the coming season, and after That said, Hoffman scored just 1.05 points per 60 at five-on-five last being bought out by the Wild, he is one of the top defencemen on the season, which is a fourth-line-calibre production rate. So, the question for market. At 36 years old, there is a risk of age-related regression. But he Calgary is: Are Hoffman’s overall scoring numbers worth his potential was elite in terms of his expected goals rate in nearly every season with cost when they don’t often come in all situations? the Minnesota Wild. So, he seems to have some good play left in him.

Other options: Jaden Schwartz, Brandon Saad, , Alex According to Dom, Suter would be best suited on a second pair with a Chiasson, Joel Armia and Mikael Granlund. strong puck-mover. So there’s a potential fit with Andersson, but Suter could be costly, at approximately $5 million according to Evolving- Mike Hoffman. (Jeff Le / USA Today) Hockey’s projections. And Wild beat writer Michael Russo said, “It would The defencemen be shocking if he’d consider teams in Canada.” So this is likely a long shot. Alec Martinez, LHD Michael Stone, RHD 2020-21: 34 games, 9 goals, 23 assists, 32 points | Predicted contract: 4 years, $5.84 million AAV 2020-21: 21 games, 2 goals, 2 assists, 4 points | Predicted contract: 1 year, $787,000 Martinez has had some interesting progression in the last few years. He has thrived on pairs with Shea Theodore and Alex Pietrangelo the last Don’t we all expect him to be back? Especially after a strong showing last two seasons and has boosted his stock after some down years with the year once he cracked the lineup. Stone as the sixth or seventh Kings. defenceman is a pretty safe bet.

The Flames need to be looking at clear top-four quality defencemen, and Other options: David Savard, Jon Merrill, Ryan Murray, Alex Edler and Martinez fits the bill. By Dom’s model, he projects to be worth 1.4 wins Keith Yandle. next year, which is top-pair value. Bottom-six centres

According to Pierre LeBrun, Martinez is currently weighing an offer from Phillip Danault the Golden Knights to stay in Vegas. But if he hits the market, he could be a fit for the Flames. 2020-21: 53 games, 5 goals, 19 assists, 24 points | Predicted contract: 7 years, $6.24 million AAV Jake McCabe, LHD Do the Flames need a third-line centre? Not at the moment, but if there 2020-21: 13 games, 1 goal, 2 assists, 3 points | Predicted contract: 1 are any trades involving any current centremen, Danault would be at the year, $1.01 million top of my list.

McCabe is a really interesting option for the Flames. Danault had a strong showing in the playoffs, shutting down top lines in He’s been a steady, shut-down type defenceman for the Sabres for the first three rounds, so much so that Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper several years and was having an excellent start to the 2020-21 season was actively avoiding putting his top line out against Danault. before getting injured. He posted really strong defensive numbers (62 He isn’t a dynamic scorer, but he’s a strong defensive centre, and percent expected goals rate and 55 percent actual goals rate) while according to Dom, if a team’s goal is to improve scoring-chance mostly playing with Rasmus Ristolainen, which is quite impressive given differentials, Danault is the guy, even if he doesn’t generate much Bunting is difficult to project, as he’s only played in 26 NHL games. offence himself. As he showed in the postseason for Montreal, he is a very valuable player. He scored 10 goals in 21 games, with a ridiculously unsustainable 26 percent shooting percentage. But he did create a lot of chances for the The issue here is that it’s hard to imagine the fit right now with Lindholm, Coyotes and played with some skill and bite. He has a strong AHL Monahan and Backlund up the middle, and with Danault’s projected cap pedigree, scoring at nearly a point-per-game clip over the last few hit. According to Evolving-Hockey, Danault could make upward of $6.2 seasons. Bunting was also on the Team Canada roster that won gold at million annually over seven years, which wouldn’t make sense for the World Championships along with Andrew Mangiapane. Ultimately, he Calgary unless there is a significant move from their group of centres. could be worth the gamble to fit into the Flames’ middle six. Even then, it’s quite a lot for a 28-year-old. Other options: Matthieu Perreault, Joel Armia, Tyler Ennis, Ryan Dzingel Phillip Danault. (Jean-Yves Ahern / USA Today) and Vinnie Hinostroza

Casey Cizikas The goalies

2020-21: 55 games, 7 goals, 7 assists, 14 points | Predicted contract: 3 Jaroslav Halak years, $2.31 million AAV 2020-21: 19 games, 9-6-4 record, .905 save percentage Cizikas has long been a solid 4C for the Islanders, and if Lou Lamoriello would let him leave, his playing style could suit what might Halak could be the ideal backup for the Flames. He has a long history of be looking for in his fourth line. Cizikas is a hard-working, aggressive accepting and thriving in a backup role, despite showing he has the talent forechecker who has the ability to win tough matchups. His predicted to be more of a 1B option. Halak performed well in a 1B role with Boston contract from Evolving-Hockey is a bit pricey for the role that he plays. the past three seasons, sharing starts with Tuukka Rask. At 36 years old, But he’d certainly be a high-end fourth-line centre in Calgary. Halak still appears capable, with a career save percentage of .916 and a 2.48 goals-against average. He’s also started 37 playoff games, including Two sources recently told our Arthur Staple that the Kraken made a stretch in place of Rask in 2020. contact with Cizikas’ camp during their exclusive free-agent window. The ask from the Isles centre was believed to be in the $5 million range. If His one-year contract last season carried a $2.25 million cap hit, plus that’s the case, scratch him off this list. another $1.25 million in performance bonuses (10 games played). So he shouldn’t eat up too much of the Flames’ cap. Nick Bonino James Reimer 2020-21: 55 games, 10 goals, 16 assists, 26 points | Predicted contract: 2 years, $2.55 million AAV 2020-21: 22 games, 15-5-2 record, .906 save percentage

Bonino has settled into a role as a dependable depth-centre, mostly In over a decade in the league, Reimer has carved out a spot as a playing on the third- ine. He can be trusted to play with pace, is strong suitable backup goalie. He’s 33 and he is what he is at this point of his defensively and is efficient at five-on-five. His 2.23 points per 60 at five- career. Reimer may never be spectacular, but he can be trusted as a No. on-five over the last two seasons is 50th leaguewide. 2 and to hold a save percentage over .900 because he’s never dropped below that mark. In this case, the Flames need a 4C, but Bonino could still play that role, especially if he started to regress next season when he turns 34. And he Jonathan Bernier wouldn’t break the bank like Danault. The question is, is he, Cizikas, or 2020-21: 24 games, 9-11-1 record, .914 save percentage any depth centre for that matter, an upgrade over Derek Ryan? Bernier’s rights got traded to Carolina in the surprising Alex Nedelkovic Derek Ryan trade last weekend, and it sounds like the Hurricanes are negotiating with 2020-21: 41 games 2 goals, 8 assists, 10 points | Predicted contract: 2 him. But there’s no guarantee they’ll be able to work out a contract, and if years, $1.98 million AAV they don’t by Wednesday, he becomes a UFA.

I’ve saved the internal option for last. Or in a cliche way, the best for last. If he’s on the open market, he becomes an intriguing option as one of the top UFA goalies. Bernier had been really strong for the bad Red Wings As Flames fans know, Ryan is a very strong defensive-minded centre over the last two seasons, posting a .915 save percentage and saving and is probably not given enough credit for his play. Ryan has been 1.8 goals above expected. He has less of a track record of being a consistently strong over the last few seasons, but last year might have capable starter, but given how much Sutter uses his goalies, that’s been his best. He played at a 1.1-win pace by Dom’s Game Score model perfectly fine. His role would be that of a supportive backup for (a top-six value) thanks to an impressive 62 percent expected goals rate, Markstrom. Oh, and he played for Sutter in L.A. and won a Stanley Cup driven by elite defensive numbers, both of which led the team last in 2011-12 as the backup goalie. season. Yes, even better than Chris Tanev’s numbers. Other options: Linus Ullmark, Petr Mrazek, Antti Ranta and Laurent At 34, Ryan’s age is a concern. But, if he could re-sign on a cheaper Brossoit. contract than his expiring $3.1 million cap hit, he is hard to beat when it comes to that 4C spot. The Athletic LOADED: 07.27.2021

Useful depth players

Brock McGinn

2020-21: 37 games, 8 goals, 5 assists, 13 points | Predicted contract: 3 years, $2.68 million AAV

McGinn is dependable defensively, is an elite penalty killer and could be a worker bee-type player for Sutter in the Flames’ bottom six.

He’s not going to lead the team in scoring, but McGinn is quite efficient on offence and good for close to 30 points in an 82-game season. This year, with a career-high shooting percentage, he was approaching a near-20-goal pace, which would have been a career-high.

McGinn is one of those players that fans and coaches (like Rod Brind’Amour) love for his hard work on both sides of the puck. And, he likely comes much cheaper than someone like Coleman.

Michael Bunting, LW

2020-21: 21 games, 10 goals, 3 assists, 13 points | Predicted contract: 1 year, $1.01 million 1218608 Detroit Red Wings year-old split last season between Sweden, the AHL and the Wings, with which he played in 13 games and had three assists. The 6-foot-2, 190- pounder was the Wings' second-round pick in 2017.

Detroit Red Wings opt not to give qualifying offer to 2015 first-rounder Detroit Free Press LOADED: 07.27.2021 Evgeny Svechnikov

Helene St. James

The relationship that began with such promise and humor in 2015 is over.

The Detroit Red Wings decided not to tend an offer to forward Evgeny Svechnikov by Monday’s deadline to qualify restricted free agents, his agent, Todd Diamond confirmed to the Free Press.

It is not a surprising development, given general manager Steve Yzerman placed Svechnikov on waivers last season. The 6-feet-3, 208- pound winger appeared in 21 games, producing three goals and five assists. In 41 career games, Svechnikov recorded five goals and seven assists.

Svechnikov, 24, becomes an unrestricted free agent.

HE'S STAYING:Wings re-sign defenseman Marc Staal, bodes well for Moritz Seider

When the Wings selected Svechnikov at No. 19 in 2015, he had 32 goals and 46 assists in 55 games with Cape Breton in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. He was billed as a complete package of size, skill and strength. Asked the night he was drafted what he liked about living in North America, the native of Russia smiled and replied, “chocolate milk and cookies.”

MEET THE NEW GUYS:The Wings' NHL draft Class of 2021: 8 players for the rebuild

Svechnikov showed promise his first year of pro hockey, recording 20 goals and 31 assists in 74 games with the in 2016- 17, followed by 12 points in 19 playoff games en route to the championship.

There were signs of growing pains in 2017-18. Svechnikov managed just seven goals and 16 assists in 57 games with GR, and two goals and two assists in in 14 games with the Wings.

Things got worse the following season. Svechnikov suffered a knee injury during exhibition season, requiring surgery that sidelined him throughout 2018-19.

Given such a long layoff, he looked better than anticipated at camp in 2019, but still began the season in Grand Rapids, where he had a goal and two assists his first game.

Svechnikov was yoyo-ed back and forth the rest of October, called up for three games only not to play, sent back to GR for two, called up to play in four games (no points), then sent back down two days before he could realize his dream of playing in the NHL against his younger brother, Carolina Hurricanes forward Andrei Svechnikov. zerman extended Svechnikov for one year in the summer of 2020. His attempt to gain a foothold last season were thwarted when he left the Jan. 5 scrimmage with an apparent injury to his right arm, costing him a week of camp at a crucial time. He was placed on waivers, and, when he cleared, he was sent to the minors rather than assigned to the taxi squad that teams were allowed to have because of the pandemic.

Svechnikov was placed on waivers again in April, and exposed in July’s expansion draft.

Svechnikov is far from alone in being a first-round pick who hasn’t panned out. The Vancouver Canucks, to use an example from this week, cut loose Jake Virtanen, who they selected at No. 6 in 2014.

Svechnikov looked like a good pick in 2015. But in hindsight, the Wings could have had Brock Boeser, a right-shot forward taken by the Canucks at No. 23; he already has hit the 20-goal mark three times. Travis Konecny, a right-shot forward selected by the Philadelphia Flyers at No. 24, also is a three-time 20-goal scorer.

NOTEBOOK: The Wings announced Monday they have signed defenseman Gustav Lindstrom to a two-year contract extension. The 22- 1218609 Detroit Red Wings “I’ve got the mindset that no coach should tell me after this year that I am not good enough defensively to be a center. I kept working and it worked. I got the results.”

Here's why I gave the Detroit Red Wings this grade for their 2021 draft Why Detroit Red Wings draft pick Liam Dower Nilsson sees himself as a haul steal

Detroit Red Wings draft pick Liam Dower Nilsson. July 24, 2021.

HELENE ST. JAMES It speaks volumes that Nilsson was the choice of the Wings’ top European scout, Swede Hakan Andersson.

“That was a name Hakan was pounding the table for,” Draper said. “He The highlights from the Detroit Red Wings’ 2021 draft: Having a kid from was another captain of a national team, wore the 'C' in Texas for the Detroit tee up the first pick, making the best of the first pick after the top- U18s. rated centers were off the board and, finally, adding a potential franchise goaltender to the farm system. “As we interview a lot of Swedish prospects, we always talk to the prospects on your team at the U18s. Who would you want to take to the Whether any of the eight prospects the Wings selected over the weekend NHL to be a teammate? The majority of players on that team said Liam will have an impact on the rebuild won’t be known for years. However, Dower Nilsson. That’s something that stuck out with us.” in the immediate aftermath of the draft, general manager Steve Yzerman and his hockey operations staff deserve an A for how they used the At one point, Yzerman had 12 picks in the draft. It’s an obvious picks. advantage, like buying tickets for the lottery. The Wings have an incredible history of finding gems in later rounds: Nicklas Lidstrom (third, NEW FACES: Meet the Detroit Red Wings' NHL draft Class of 2021: 8 1989), Sergei Fedorov (fourth, 1989), Vladimir Konstantinov (11th, 1989), players for the rebuild Pavel Datsyuk (sixth, 1998), Henrik Zetterberg (seventh, 1999) and Tomas Holmstrom (10th, 1994). But this year, it made sense to use four The best moment of the first round for the Wings came when the TV feed of them as trade chips to add prospects in Cossa and Buium and cut to Little Caesars Arena, where Yzerman stood next to Harold established players in Nick Leddy and Alex Nedeljkovic. Washington, Jr., a 10-year-old from Detroit who had won the draw to announce the No. 6 pick. Yzerman gave Washington a gentle cue, Ultimately, whether Yzerman made the right choices in this draft will be whispering “Harold,” and Washington smiled and leaned into the determined down the road. However, it looks like he added players who microphone. “With the sixth pick in the 2021 NHL draft, the Detroit Red have the promise to help shape the Wings into a competitive team. Wings are proud to select.” Yzerman then announced the name, Simon Edvinsson, and Washington followed up with a joyous, “Go, Red Wings!” Detroit Free Press LOADED: 07.27.2021 How could anyone not like the pick after that setup?

By the time the Wings were on the board, centers Matty Beniers, Mason McTavish and Kent Johnson had been drafted. At that point, Edvinsson was the best prospect available that fit the Wings’ needs: A 6-foot-4 (and a half, according to director of amateur scouting Kris Draper) left-shot defenseman whose assets include skating, being good at both ends of the ice, and physicality.

The boldest moment of the first round came when Yzerman packaged the Nos. 23, 48 and 138 picks to move up to No. 15, where he selected goaltender Sebastian Cossa. Jesper Wallstedt was projected to be the first goalie taken, but Cossa’s performance (17-1-1 with a .57 GAA and .941 save percentage in 19 games with the in the ), size (6-6, 210 pounds) and demeanor (calm, confident, determined) persuaded the Wings he was the best choice.

WORTH THE PRICE: How Steve Yzerman strengthened Wings by doing something he hates

“It’s imperative to have a good defense to win championships,” Yzerman said. “You’re not winning without a good goalie, you’re not winning without a good 'D' corps. Once you are a solid defensive hockey team, you’re going to be competitive and you can win a lot of nights. Over time, we’ll be able to add to the offense.”

Adding skilled defensemen such as Edvinsson and Shai Buium, the No. 36 pick, is adding to the offense. Defenseman Moritz Seider, Yzerman’s pick at No. 6 in 2019, recorded 28 points in 41 games in Sweden last season and 22 points in 49 games in the AHL in 2019-20. When a team has a defenseman who can handle the puck, get a shot through from the blue line and make good passes, that creates more scoring opportunities for his teammates.

Yzerman did draft four forwards: Carter Mazur at No. 70, Red Savage at No. 114, Liam Dower Nilsson at No. 134, and Pasquale Zito at No. 166. Squeezed in among those picks was a right-shot defenseman, Oscar Plandowski, at No. 155.

My sleeper pick in the Wings' haul is Nilsson; a 6-foot center who has reluctantly played wing and worked on his defense after a national team coach brought it up. Nilsson has a particular set of skills, but he is adding to them.

“It started last year when I was moved from center to the wing with the national team, U17,” Nilsson said. “I was told I had to be more defensive as a center, be stronger in the defensive zone. So I worked really hard with my coach in Frölunda and also my teammates. 1218610 Detroit Red Wings

'Excited to be back': Defenseman Marc Staal jumped at chance to rejoin Red Wings

TED KULFAN

Detroit — Marc Staal enjoyed his time with the Red Wings last season, made it well known and wanted to return.

So it wasn't a shock when Staal re-signed Sunday with the Wings on a one-year contract worth $2 million, taking himself off Wednesday's unrestricted free agent market.

"I told you guys (reporters) at the of the year, during the year, I really enjoyed myself (in Detroit)," Staal said Monday during a media Zoom call. "The organization, the team, the way we were playing, what's been going on there (offseason moves), it's fun to be a part of.

"You never know what you're going to have in free agency and I was curious to get there. But Steve (general manager Steve Yzerman) reached out and made an offer, and like I said before, I had fun playing (in Detroit)."

Staal, 34, also asked, and received, a no-move clause from Yzerman.

"Getting something concrete down where I can move my family down there now and do that stuff, at this time, it was the best decision," Staal said. "I have three young kids and it was important to me. Not to say I'd say no to an opportunity (at the trade deadline, if it occurs) but with the young family and you never know what'll be the situation when you get to that time of the year (trade deadline). To be able to control it a little bit at the trade deadline was important.

"Steve was willing to do that for me and I appreciate that. You never know what's going to happen, but it's a nice thing to have."

After spending the first 13 years of his NHL career with the New York Rangers, Staal found the move to the Wings exciting and re-energizing.

"I liked our attitude, the organization is just first class, the facilities are beautiful, and the fans, it's a hockey market," Staal said. "It's a lot of great things playing for the Red Wings, and I learned that pretty quickly.

"When I had an opportunity to set up here again, it didn't take too long to make the decision. I'm excited to be back."

Staal toyed with the possibility of joining his brothers, either Eric (a potential UFA) or Jordan (in Carolina), on a team for next season. But rejoining the Wings was a better fit.

"When I was going through it and when I was thinking about coming back (to Detroit), both of them were very supportive and pretty pumped up for me to take the offer," Staal said.

Staal played against recently acquired defenseman Nick Leddy when Leddy with the crosstown New York Islanders and Staal with the Rangers. And, of course, Jordan Staal was Carolina teammates last season with goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic, another recent Wings acquisition.

Both players will make the Wings more competitive, said Staal.

"I played against Leddy for a lot of years in New York and he's an incredibly skilled player," Staal said. "He can fly, he can control the puck real well. I'm excited to play with him and not against him.

"Jordan spoke very highly of (Nedeljkovic). He had a great year for them last year. Just from playing against him, he plays the puck extremely well so I'll love that part of it and take a few less hits with him back there. He's a competitive guy and I'm excited to meet him and play in front of him.

"He (Yzerman) is trying to build a winner and move pieces around and we're going to be more competitive. We got better as last year went on and we'll be better this year. That's what we're striving for and it's a fun thing to be a part of."

Detroit News LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218611 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings, former first-round pick Evgeny Svechnikov part ways

TED KULFAN

Detroit — It never really worked out for Evgeny Svechnikov with the Red Wings, and Monday the relationship came to an end.

The Wings chose to not extend restricted free agent Svechnikov a qualifying offer by the deadline, making Svechnikov an unrestricted free agent Wednesday when the UFA market opens.

Svechnikov, 24, a 2015 first-round pick (19th pick overall), played 41 games with the Wings over four seasons, with five goals and seven assists. Last season Svechnikov played in 21 games with the Wings, with three goals and five assists, although his future with the organization was plain to see.

Twice, once before the season and second time during the season, Svechnikov was waived, though no other organization claimed him.

Injuries dogged Svechnkov (6-foot-3, 208 pounds) throughout his Wings career.

Foremost was missing the entire 2018-19 season with a torn ACL in the next to last exhibition game in September. Though Svechnikov played well in Grand Rapids the following season, he was unable to crack the Wings' lineup.

Svechnikov became the second former first-round pick to exit the Wings' organization in recent days. Dennis Cholowski (2016 first round) was left off the protected list and was chosen by expansion Seattle last week.

Lindstrom signs

On Monday, the Red Wings also signed restricted free agent defenseman Gustav Lindstrom to a two-year contract, worth $1.7 million ($850,000 salary cap hit).

Lindstrom, 22, played in 13 games with the Wings last season, with no goals and three assists. He has no goals and four assists in 29 games in the NHL over the last two seasons.

Detroit News LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218612 Detroit Red Wings ► Age: 30 ► Position: Right wing

► 2020-21 salary cap hit (N.Y. Islanders): $4.65 million Ted Kulfan's top 25 NHL unrestricted free agents ► Analysis: A great trade deadline acquisition. Seems to be a great fit.

But can the Islanders fit Palmieri under the cap? TED KULFAN 6. Phillip Danault

► Age: 28 Detroit — The first day of unrestricted free agency in the NHL is always ► Position: Center fascinating, and Wednesday's start to the period isn't likely to disappoint. ► 2020-21 salary cap hit (Montreal): $3.08 million Though many teams are up against the salary cap ceiling, unable to wiggle free from hard constraints, there are still going to be some rich ► Analysis: An interesting case study. Danault is a premier defensive, contracts and eyebrow-raising paydays for certain players. shutdown center. So, exactly how much is/will that be, worth?

Whether they prove to be smart signings will remain to be seen. 7. Tyson Barrie

But there will be key players who'll shift around and change the balance ► Age: 30 of the NHL. ► Position: Defense The Red Wings, still stuck in a rebuild. aren't likely to be major players in this particular market. ► 2020-21 salary cap hit (Edmonton): $3.75 million

For the elite players in this class (and there aren't many), the Wings ► Analysis: Gambled on a one-year deal in Edmonton, and it was a aren't a current prime destination. Also, the Wings aren't in position to get good fit and situation. Can he work out a longer deal with the Oilers? hamstrung to long, expensive contracts at this point. 8. Jaden Schwartz

But just like last year, don't be surprised if general manager Steve ► Age: 29 Yzerman makes some deft, under-the-radar signings to continue his recent bolstering of a gradually improving lineup. ► Position: Left wing

Around the NHL, though, it should be much busier and louder. ► 2020-21 salary cap hit (St. Louis): $5.35 million

Here are 25 of the top unrestricted free agents expected to hit the free ► Analysis: Expectations are Schwartz will sign with expansion Seattle agent market: and inject some offense into a lineup that looks to need it.

1. Dougie Hamilton 9. Zach Parise

► Age: 28 ► Age: 36

► Position: Defense ► Position: Left wing

► 2020-21 salary cap hit (Carolina): $5.75 million ► 2020-21 salary cap hit (Minnesota): $7.538 million

► Analysis: Hamilton has played great hockey the last couple of years, ► Analysis: After being bought out by the Wild, Parise likely is headed to and given some recent contracts handed out, he'll do well this week. But the Islanders and his former boss, GM Lou Lamoriello. you wonder whether he can be the piece for a team to win the Stanley Cup. 10. Alec Martinez

2. Gabriel Landeskog ► Age: 34

► Age: 28 ► Position: Defense

► Position: Left wing ► 2020-21 salary cap hit (Vegas): $4 million

► 2020-21 salary cap hit (Colorado): $5.57 million ► Analysis: The Golden Knights aren't likely to lose this Rochester Hills native, an underrated pro. ► Analysis: Hard to imagine Landeskog and the Avalanche not working out a deal, but negotiations have been rocky. Whoever signs him gets a 11. Philipp Grubauer character guy who blends well into a lineup. Though, Landeskog has it ► Age: 29 made playing with his current linemates. ► Position: Goaltender 3. Zach Hyman ► 2020-21 salary cap hit (Colorado): $3.33 million ► Age: 29 ► Analysis: Good goalie, and he might double his salary. But there aren't ► Position: Left wing a ton of options out there.

► 2020-21 salary cap hit (Toronto): $2.25 million 12. Tuukka Rask

► Analysis: The Toronto native is evidently signed and delivered to ► Age: 34 Edmonton. For the money he'll sign for, it'll be a pressure situation. ► Position: Goaltender 4. Ryan Suter ► 2020-21 salary cap hit (Boston): $7 million ► Age: 36 ► Analysis: Will miss the start of the season due to knee surgery. Likely ► Position: Defense to return to Boston.

► 2020-21 salary cap hit (Minnesota): $7.54 million 13. David Krejci

► Analysis: Bought out by Minnesota, Suter will have plenty of options. ► Age: 35 He'll be a nice, likely inexpensive, acquisition for some lucky playoff contender. ► Position: Center

5. Kyle Palmieri ► 2020-21 salary cap hit (Boston): $7.25 million ► Analysis: Tough to imagine Krejci anywhere but Boston. But for a lot 22. Nick Foligno less. ► Age: 33 14. Mike Hoffman ► Position: Center/right wing ► Age: 31 ► 2020-21 salary cap hit (Toronto): $5.5 million ► Position: Left wing ► Analysis: This will be interesting. Foligno was acquired by Toronto at ► 2021 salary cap hit (St. Louis): $4 million the deadline, and the Leafs are close to the cap ceiling. And Columbus doesn't appear to be an option to return to anymore. This veteran's ► Analysis: Gambled on one year with the Blues, and had so-so season. options could be limited. With that shot, though, some team will sign him to term this time around. 23. Sean Kuraly 15. Tomas Tatar ► Age: 28 ► Age: 30 ► Position: Center, left wing ► Position: Right wing ► 2020-21 salary cap hit (Boston): $1.275 million ► 2020-21 salary cap hit (Montreal): $5.3 million ► Analysis: Good, fourth-line fit with Bruins, but another team might be ► Analysis: The Red Wings might be interested, and he'd be a good willing to pay significantly more. addition. Smart, crafty player who is a good guy in the locker room. 24. Jon Merrill 16. Frederik Andersen ► Age: 29 ► Age: 31 ► Position: Defense ► Position: Goaltender ► 2020-21 salary cap hit (Montreal): $925,000 ► 2020-21 salary cap hit (Toronto): $5 million ► Analysis: The Red Wings traded Merrill at the deadline, and he did a ► Analysis: A few teams are looking for goaltending, and Andersen good job in Montreal. The Canadiens might be willing to keep him at the would fit the bill. But is he completely healthy? right price.

17. Keith Yandle 25. Paul Stastny

► Age: 34 ► Age: 35

► Position: Defense ► Position: Center

► 2020-21 salary cap hit (Florida): $6.35 million ► 2020-21 salary cap hit (Winnipeg): $6.5 million

► Analysis: Playing for his hometown Boston Bruins would seem a likely ► Analysis: Would probably return to the Jets, even at a steep discount. destination at this point after being bought out by the Panthers. Detroit News LOADED: 07.27.2021 18. Jonathan Bernier

► Age: 32

► Position: Goaltender

► 2020-21 salary cap hit (Detroit): $3 million

► Analysis: The Wings traded his rights to Carolina, who desperately need veteran goaltending. Will they be able to work out a contract? Does Bernier want to play there?

19. David Savard

► Age: 30

► Position: Defense

► 2020-21 salary cap hit (Tampa Bay): $4.25 million.

► Analysis: He won a Stanley Cup with the Lightning as a rental, and now could be going to the team Tampa defeated, the Montreal Canadiens.

20. Luke Glendening

► Age: 32

► Position: Center

► 2020-21 salary cap hit (Detroit): $1.8 million

► Analysis: Glendening has attributes and skills that many teams would love to add, but it would be shocking if he's not back with the Wings.

21. Blake Coleman

► Age: 29

► Position: Right wing

► 2020-21 salary cap hit (Tampa Bay): $1.8 million

► Analysis: Would be a good fit with the Wings, and was coached by Jeff Blashill in junior. But with the term and salary Coleman could command on the market, it likely will not be with the Wings. 1218613 Detroit Red Wings “I thought I had a strong season. My play kind of earned it for me,” Cossa said. “The confidence I have in my game, I think I’m going to be the best goalie in the draft. I think I got picked where I should be.”

Sebastian Cossa looks forward to meeting Red Wings’ high expectations Cossa and Wallstedt will be compared in future years. Cossa doesn’t believe they are rivals.

“He’s a solid goalie from Sweden and I knew he was the other top goalie Updated Jul 26, 2021; Posted Jul 26, 2021 in the draft,” Cossa said. “Being picked first is more motivation. I can’t let him catch up to me. No competition. I never played against him or talked By Ansar Khan to him. He’s with the same agency as me. Obviously, you know he’s there and he’s the other top-rated goalie, so a little bit, unconsciously, I guess, but not ever talked about it.” Kris Draper, in pre-draft Zoom calls with Sebastian Cossa, talked to the young goaltender about Dominik Hasek’s competitiveness and Chris Michigan Live LOADED: 07.27.2021 Osgood’s resilience, what made them two of the greatest at their position in Detroit Red Wings history.

Draper came away convinced the 6-6 goalie Detroit selected 15th overall on Friday has the drive and mental fortitude, in addition to the talent, to thrive in the NHL.

“I was fortunate enough to play with one of the greatest competitors in the net in Dominik Hasek,” Draper said. “I talked to (Cossa) about Dom’s work ethic and the expectations he had on himself and why he wanted to come to Detroit. His eyes lit up.

“We had a call with . Ozzie talked about the early days of his career and told some valuable stories that I think Sebastian really appreciated and then he also talked about when he came back in his second stint and how he was a different goalie. I think that conversation really registered with Sebastian.”

Draper, the Red Wings director of amateur scouting, sat back and observed how Cossa interacted with Osgood during the 45-minute call.

“I hung up and called Ozzie right away and thanked him for that call,” Draper said. “It was something I felt was valuable, not only for me to see how the two goalies were talking and interacting, but the questions he was asking Chris. Sometimes you could kind of see his eyes lighting up with some of Ozzie’s answers.”

The Red Wings moved up from 23, relinquishing picks 48 and 138 to Dallas, to grab their goalie of the future. Cossa, 18, went 17-1-1 with the Edmonton Oil Kings of the Western Hockey League, posting a 1.57 goals-against average and .941 save percentage.

“Obviously there’s high expectations in Detroit and I want to live up to that,” Cossa said. “I have high expectations for myself.

“I love the pressure; I love the stress that comes with it. Obviously, I don’t get stressed, but just the pressure of being that last guy back there and kind of being the villain or the hero.”

Cossa has a swagger about him. He likes to talk a little bit on the ice.

“I’m not afraid to throw a chirp around and I definitely stand my own ground,” Cossa said. “I don’t get bullied out there for sure.”

Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman described Cossa as articulate, personable, confident, and definitely not shy.

“From everyone we talked to, from watching him over the last two years, our guys are confident that he has the mental makeup that it takes to be a real good goalie,” Yzerman said.

Cossa will spend another year in juniors and then likely turn pro. But he will surely need a few years of development time with the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins. Goalies generally take longer to reach the NHL than skaters, one reason why so few are selected as high as Cossa.

In the meantime, the Red Wings have veteran Thomas Greiss, 35, signed for one more season and Alex Nedeljkovic, 25, acquired in a trade with Carolina Thursday, locked up for two years and, they hope, many more.

“I can’t speak on what their plans are with (Nedeljkovic), but my future, I want to be a top goalie in this league,” Cossa said. “Whoever they sign today, in a couple years down the road, I don’t think it’ll matter.”

Cossa said it means a lot to him to be the first goalie taken. Many projected it would be Jesper Wallstedt, who went 20th to Minnesota as the first-ever Swedish goalie selected in the first round. 1218614 Detroit Red Wings They aren’t likely to be in the market for any of the few big-name, high- priced players available. Those players generally go to playoff- or Stanley Cup-contending teams.

Steve Yzerman effectively leverages picks to help Red Wings now and in But the way Yzerman has been dealing and drafting, it might not be long future before Detroit once again is a destination for top free agents.

Michigan Live LOADED: 07.27.2021

Updated Jul 25, 7:27 PM; Posted Jul 25, 7:11 PM

By Ansar Khan

Steve Yzerman hates parting with draft picks. You never know if you’re missing out on the next Nikita Kucherov (No. 58 in 2011), Ondrej Palat (No. 208 in 2011), or Brayden Point (No. 79 in 2014), later-round steals in Tampa Bay under Yzerman’s watch.

But the Detroit Red Wings general manager utilized his surplus of picks this year to improve the current roster and add to the pipeline of prospects.

First, he sent a late second-rounder to the Islanders (along with Richard Panik) for defenseman Nick Leddy. Then he shipped a late third-rounder to Carolina (along with the rights to unrestricted free agent Jonathan Bernier) for goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic.

Leddy could end up being the first NHL defense partner for prized prospect Moritz Seider. If he doesn’t re-sign with the Red Wings, they might be able to recoup a pick comparable to the one they spent for him (No. 52, one of two second-rounders acquired from Edmonton for Andreas Athanasiou) by moving him at the trade deadline.

Getting Nedeljkovic, who’s 25 and was a Calder Trophy finalist as top rookie last season, for the 94th pick is nothing short of astonishing.

Yzerman wasn’t done leveraging his picks.

He moved up from 23 (one of the picks acquired from Washington in the Anthony Mantha-Jakub Vrana deal) to 15 during the first round of the draft Friday to land 6-6 Sebastian Cossa, the organization’s goalie of the future. It was well worth sending picks 48 (acquired from the New York Rangers for taking Marc Staal’s contract off their hands) and 138 (acquired from Montreal for Jon Merrill) to Dallas.

On Saturday, the Red Wings moved up from 38 to 36 in a deal with Vegas to take big defenseman Shai Buium (6-3, 209), giving up pick No. 128, acquired from Tampa Bay to facilitate the David Savard trade.

So, all four picks Yzerman relinquished were ones he had accumulated from other teams.

Still, it’s not something he takes lightly.

“I hate giving up draft picks,” Yzerman said. “I feel every draft pick, regardless of a first-round or seventh-round, is hope. It’s hope for Henrik Zetterberg (selected 210th) or Pavel Datsyuk (171st) or Sergei Fedorov (74th) or Nicklas Lidstrom (53rd). I love accumulating them and keeping them and using them.

“But this year we were in a situation … I feel strongly it’s important that we try to be competitive, that we bring in some players to help (Filip) Hronek, help Seider, to help Dylan (Larkin). Those cost us picks. We can live with that.”

The Red Wings still ended up with eight selections this year (they have 10 next year as of now, including an extra second-rounder and two additional fourth-rounders).

“In this year’s draft, you have to be prepared (to move up),” Yzerman said. “We felt very highly about Sebastian Cossa and thought there’s no chance he’s going to be there when we’re picking at 23, that the only way we’re going to get him is to move up. Having the picks allowed us to do that.

“Today we sit here, and we’re glad we have Nick Leddy, Alex Nedeljkovic. We’re very happy to have Cossa and Buium. The cost of that, we’re comfortable paying it.”

Now the Red Wings prepare for free agency on Wednesday. They need three or four right-shooting forwards and a depth defenseman, preferably a left-hander, even after re-signing Staal for one year on Sunday. 1218615 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings sign defenseman Marc Staal for one year

Updated Jul 25, 12:55 PM; Posted Jul 25, 12:55 PM

By Ansar Khan

Marc Staal admittedly was shocked when the New York Rangers, the only NHL team he had ever played for, traded him to the Detroit Red Wings last year.

Since then, the veteran defenseman has gotten over it and actually grown to like Detroit. So much so, that he’ll be back in 2021-22.

The Red Wings signed Staal Sunday to a one-year deal for $2 million.

Staal, 34, joins Nick Leddy and Danny DeKeyser as Detroit’s left- shooting defensemen. They are expected to sign one more in free agency, which begins on Wednesday.

The Red Wings have four right-shooting defensemen: Filip Hronek, Troy Stecher, Gustav Lindstrom and Moritz Seider, their top pick in 2019 who appears to be a lock to make the roster from the start of the season.

Staal might even be paired with Seider, though Leddy is another option for the 20-year-old prized prospect.

Staal (6-4, 209) is coming off a solid season. He and Hronek were the only Red Wings to play in all 56 games. Staal had three goals and seven assists, along with a minus-5 rating.

Staal expressed a desire to return shortly after the season.

“I had a lot of fun this season,” Staal said in May. “It was good to have a fresh start. I enjoyed going to the rink every day. Really nothing but positives my whole experience start to finish. Got a good opportunity to play and for the most part I was playing quite a few minutes.

“It’s a fun D corps to play with, a lot of great guys, not a lot of big, selfish personalities, everyone just wanting to play well and help the team win.”

The Red Wings acquired Staal before the season along with a second- round pick for future considerations (basically nothing) because the cap- strapped Rangers needed to move his $5.7 salary.

Michigan Live LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218616 Detroit Red Wings Still, Ritchie put up 15 goals in 56 games last season, and if the Red Wings buy the defensive ability, too, the first-rounder could be worth a look — even independent of Yzerman completing his 2014 draft Infinity Gauntlet. Red Wings free agency: 5 surprise free agents who could fit in Detroit 3. Dominik Kahun

Kahun’s kind of a weird case study as a player who has played three By Max Bultman Jul 27, 2021 NHL seasons for four teams, showing respectable offense at his first three stops in Chicago, Pittsburgh and Buffalo, but having a tougher go

this past season in Edmonton. In Detroit, the big news out of Monday’s deadline for NHL teams to Kahun also spent some time in the Mannheim junior system in Germany qualify their restricted free agents was that the Red Wings did not tender and played with Moritz Seider at this year’s world championships, so a qualifying offer to 2015 first-round pick Evgeny Svechnikov, agent Mark Detroit’s brass will likely have caught some bonus looks at him that way. Gandler confirmed to The Athletic. It’s always tough to know what to make of a player who’s bounced It’ll mean a fresh start for the talented Svechnikov, who just never latched around this much, though. He’s scored at a reasonable clip up until this on as a full-timer in Detroit after a knee injury that cost him the entire past year, and Luszczyszyn’s model likes the 26-year-old’s offense in 2018-19 season. It also could mean more roster flexibility for general solidly difficult (and limited) minutes. But it also hated his defensive manager Steve Yzerman, especially in light of Monday’s other news. impacts, which may be a tough sell for the way the Red Wings have been Around the league, other formerly prized young players are finding the building. same fates — and with unrestricted free agency set to open Wednesday, 4. Ondrej Kase some of the other non-tendered free agents could become intriguing candidates for the Red Wings to check in on. Just last year, Detroit Kase has been a name player for a few years after putting up real mined the nonqualified RFA market and came away with right-shot offense in Anaheim at ages 22 and 23. He’s been hampered by injuries, defenseman Troy Stecher, who plugged into the team’s right side for the though, and played just three games for the Bruins last season. vast majority of last season. Specifically, he’s battled concussions, which is always scary.

So, with a new group of surprise free agents set to hit the market, here Interestingly, despite the past production, Luszczyszyn’s model doesn’t are five who could be potential fits in Detroit. see much room for upside — though Dom noted that’s likely because of his extremely low ice time at under nine minutes per game last season. 1. Pius Suter It’s worth noting Kase is the lone forward on this list who actually is a Perhaps the most surprising name to go unqualified Monday was right-handed shot, which the Red Wings badly need. And he does have a Blackhawks centerman Pius Suter, who put up nearly a half-point per 20-goal season on his resume, with another year where he would have game as a rookie last season in Chicago. Red Wings fans will remember been on pace for that mark. There’s an argument to take a short flier on he scored his first career goal against the Red Wings — as well as two those grounds. But the concussion issues are frightening. more in the same game to complete the hat trick. 5. Ryan Donato In fact, he scored five goals against Detroit last season, so the Red Wings brass should be plenty familiar with his name. He was a breakout Finally, there’s Donato, also a 2014 draft pick (No. 56) who has bounced player for the Blackhawks, playing 16 minutes per night, and playing a around the league a bit in his early 20s. premium position at age 25, he immediately becomes a player of interest for teams looking for centers — which should be just about all of them. Originally a Boston pick, he has played for the Bruins, Wild (after being a key piece in the Charlie Coyle trade) and Sharks, and he did have an Can the rebuilding Red Wings get him on board? They certainly can’t sell eye-catching 16 points in 22 games after being traded to Minnesota in him on Stanley Cup contention, but they may be able to offer some of the 2019. But he hasn’t recaptured that since, and now finds himself looking most available playing time, with the potential to slot onto the second for his fourth team in four years. line. Suter’s 27 points last season would have led the Red Wings. Luszczyszn’s model sees a bit of room for top-nine impact, driven by In terms of the advanced stats, Dom Luszczyszyn’s GSVA model likes favorable offensive impacts, but it doesn’t like his defense. He’s also Suter as a potential top-six contributor next season with top-nine mainly played on the wing and has virtually no NHL penalty-kill track potential for a few years after that — but it also offers some uneven record to speak of, which is a tougher sell when adding to the bottom six. comparables, which underscore the potential variance and volatility in But a team looking at Donato is doing it for his offense, and he is still adding a player with such a short NHL track record. young enough to hope there may be something there.

Certainly, the Blackhawks not qualifying Suter matters (a caveat that — Charts via The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn applies to all of these players), and Suter notably does not help answer the Red Wings’ need for a right-shot forward. What kind of term he’s The Athletic LOADED: 07.27.2021 looking for will matter significantly, too, as Detroit would be unwise to give too much term coming out of one (abbreviated and unusual) season.

But in terms of a player who can help bring the offense the Red Wings so badly need, at a young enough age to potentially stick around if he hits, Suter immediately jumps out as a compelling option.

2. Nick Ritchie

There’s a running joke about Yzerman loving the 2014 draft class, owing to the GM acquiring four different members of the draft’s top 40 (Brendan Perlini, Robby Fabbri, Jakub Vrana and Alex Nedeljkovic), in addition to already having Dylan Larkin.

Ritchie, the 10th pick from that draft, would make it five. He certainly hasn’t lived up to that draft slot in his pro career, but he spent the past three years hovering right around a half-point per game and would bring a big body at 6-foot-2, 234 pounds.

Luszczyszyn’s model still sees some decent upside with Ritchie, viewing him as a potential top-nine contributor in the coming years (and top-six this coming year) with solid defensive impacts. The model thinks those impacts have come in relatively easy minutes, though — and on a rebuilding team, there aren’t very many of those. 1218617 Edmonton Oilers Oilers gave up the 20th-overall pick to Minnesota for No. 22 and the 90th pick, Holland told Wild GM Bill Guerin he had to see who Nashville took at 19 first. When they took Russian forward Fedor Svechkov, Holland called Guerin to green light the trade of No. 20. So, maybe the Oilers OILERS NOTES: Still waiting to see if James Neal gets bought out were looking at Svechkov at 20? … Talking to scouts, all are highly complimentary of Xavier Bourgault, the Oilers’ pick at No. 22. They

praise his vision and his deceptiveness making plays. They feel he has a Jim Matheson • Publishing date:Jul 26, 2021 • 5 hours ago good shot at making Canada’s under-20 team for the worlds here … One name to keep an eye on in free agency: Nashville’s Mikael Granlund plays wing or could be a 3C … Jesper Wallstedt, the Swedish national junior goalie the Oilers passed on, may be coming over to play junior in James Neal’s on-ice numbers here are fine: 84 games, 41 points, 24 Portland and not staying with Lulea in the . goals. Always a chance if signed the teenager plays for Minnesota’s AHL farm But off-ice, his $5.75 million cap number for the next two seasons, team too…The Oilers are hopeful winger Matvei Petrov, their sixth-round especially for a fourth-line/power-play guy, looks like a point of no return. pick, decides to play in the in North Bay after he was the first-overall pick in the 2020 import draft … Carolina qualified ex- Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland hasn’t bought him out yet Oilers farmhand goalie Dylan Wells, who was on Edmonton’s taxi squad with free agency opening Wednesday but likely will if he can’t trade the for months and actually dressed for a game in Montreal when Koskinen winger to a team with lots of cap room and adding a deal sweetener. had COVID testing irregularities. The Oilers did Wells a favour dealing He must have Arizona’s Bill Armstrong on speed dial. him there because they probably weren’t going to qualify him … We’ll see if Caleb Jones and brother Seth are a partnership on the blue line for If Neal leaves, it comes two years and a week after he arrived in the the Blackhawks any time this season … The Oilers probably see Milan Lucic trade July 19, 2019. If bought out at two-thirds of Neal’s defenceman Kris Russell playing about 50 games this year as a sixth or number, the Oilers will save about $3.8 million this year and next to give seventh guy. If Holland signs another left-shot third-pairing D to play with Holland extra money to spend on a free agent Wednesday. Maybe he Evan Bouchard, it will probably be in the $1 million range. UFA Slater can use it on a third-line centre. Koekkoek? No better than 50-50 he’s back.

Plus, Holland has to re-sign second-line right-winger Kailer Yamamoto in Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 07.27.2021 the next while (maybe in the $2-million-a-year range on a bridge deal) and give his best defenceman, Darnell Nurse, a big bump on an expected eight-year contract, starting in 2021-22, along with winger Jesse Puljujarvi.

The downside with a buyout: The Oilers will have $1.92 million of dead money on their cap for Neal over the next four seasons. They have $1.5 million for Andrej Sekera, too, after his 2019 buyout for this 21-22 season.

“James gave us a really good burst for the first 40 games his first season,” said Holland. “Then he got injured (broken foot) and went dry. This season, he got COVID (before camp). At his $5.75 million, with his age (34 in September) and where’s he’s at (fourth-line) …”

Too much. If he was making $1.5 million fine, but not $5.75 million.

The Mikko Koskinen goalie buyout/trade/bring-back situation remains very fluid. Holland has investigated a trade, likely eating some of his $4.5 million. There don’t appear to be any current takers. While it appears a Koskinen trade is slim, so was the Lucic trade.

LOOK WHO’S AVAILABLE

It is always interesting to see what players don’t receive qualifying offers and are now unrestricted free-agents. Josh Archibald was once in that boat, cast aside by Arizona. The list of UFAs now includes Blackhawks forward Pius Suter, who had 14 goals and 27 points last season as an NHL rookie, but couldn’t agree on new deal. Newly added Duncan Keith would have the scouting report, up close, on the Swiss player.

Also Anaheim, not surprisingly, didn’t qualify winger Danton Heinen at his $2.8 million. How about him at $1 million for the bottom-six here? Good shot, decent skill, not a grinder type.

Boston didn’t offer winger Nick Ritchie.

WHO’S CALLING

After Edmonton-born Luke Prokop came out proudly as a gay hockey player, he received universal support, even from people he never knew would reach out to him. Like Elton John.

“I was driving, picked up my phone, saw it was a New York number and it was Elton John’s publicist. She was looking for Luke’s number. After talking for a while, I knew it was legit. Pretty cool,” said Prokop’s local agent, Gerry Johannson.

This ‘n’ that: The best place for Tyson Barrie if not re-signed here: Seattle. They don’t have a power-play QB after their draft … Adam Larsson’s four-year deal in Seattle isn’t as cut and dried as his former six-year contract here, where he made $4.16 million every year. He gets $2.5 million in salary this season, then $3.5 million, $5.5 million and 4.5 million to add up to $16 million. If Mark Giordano stays with the Kraken and doesn’t get traded, it’s expected they will be partners … Before the 1218618 Edmonton Oilers offensive dynamo (11-24-35 in 23 games). He has size (6-foot-1, 203 pounds) and great speed, making him a load for the opposition. One of the key elements to his success a year ago was anticipating opportunities and playing aggressively in puck pursuit. Lowetide: Oilers top 20 prospects, summer 2021 That’s a perfect fit for what Edmonton needs, and Holloway’s quick progress through college (he is now signed to a pro contract) may signal his NHL arrival as soon as this season. He was drafted as a centre but By Allan Mitchell Jul 26, 2021 could slide over to the wing and play there as a rookie with a strong training camp and preseason. Holloway’s big advantage over other young players (like Tyler Benson) in camp will be foot speed. It’s been years since the Edmonton Oilers boasted one of the NHL’s top prospect lists, and based on the number of picks being sent away in No. 3 (2) LD Philip Broberg, Skelleftea (SHL) recent summers, the club is unlikely to be near the top again in the near Broberg is a fantastic skater and you can’t teach size (6-foot-3, 205 future. pounds). The Oilers project Broberg as a big part of the future. He began That’s fine with Oilers fans. What the masses want to see is deep playoff the 2020-21 season with Skelleftea as a feature player (19:44 a night runs and a chance at winning the Stanley Cup. through the first 12 games, 1-4-5 boxcars and 7-9 even strengh goal differential) but injuries at the world juniors (a slight muscle tear above The pipeline has had success in the last three seasons, graduating his knee and a partially separated shoulder) made him less effective at several useful players to the NHL. Ethan Bear, Kailer Yamamoto and the tournament and during the second half of his SHL season. Caleb Jones (now a member of the Chicago Blackhawks) are playing in the league, and Evan Bouchard and Ryan McLeod (who make this list for Oilers fans have shown concern about Broberg’s development since draft the final time) are ready to graduate. day, especially considering some players chosen later (specifically Trevor Zegras and Cole Caufield) are in the NHL and having early Edmonton’s AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors, should be credited success. Broberg’s progress so far is a close match for Oscar Klefbom, with important work over those years. Coach Jay Woodcroft and who spent his first North American season in the minors (save for 17 assistants Dave Manson and J-F Houle (now the head coach of the Laval NHL games). That’s the kind of season that should be expected, Rocket) have done terrific work in helping develop talent. That’s a big although Broberg has looked better on North American ice than back at part of the process, and it was missing for much of the last decade or home, and there is the possibility for a fast track to Edmonton if he more before Woodcroft’s arrival in California. flourishes in Bakersfield this fall. He can play either side and that may emerge as a factor. Guidelines for the summer top 20 No. 4 (NR) CR Xavier Bourgault, Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL) Players with over 50 NHL games graduate (25 for goalies). Correctly slotting a prospect inside a team’s prospect list hours after a Players who have been traded or went unsigned no longer appear. draft is borderline impossible, but I’m comfortable with Bourgault landing The list is based on potential and gives zero weight to being close to here. His comparable players offensively are quality (Dawson Mercer is a NHL-ready. nice age and points per game match) and Bourgault’s scoring ability is clear. Previous ranking in brackets (previous ranking is from post-draft 2020 list). When a team is badly in need of a specific skill set (scoring wingers) it becomes a volume business. Oilers fans are seeing that in action over This list likes offence. the last two drafts, where 10 of 12 picks have involved forwards. This list also likes prospects who can make the NHL in more than one Bourgault is the most naturally talented scorer in the group based on his way. 2020-21 season (20 goals in 29 games).

Last year’s list wasn’t published until October because the draft was He’s an October 2002 birthdate, so it’s possible Bourgault turns pro next delayed by several months. There were no graduates, although Matej fall in time for the 2022-23 season. A lot will depend on his performance Blumel doesn’t appear because the organization didn’t sign him. in the QMJHL this year, where a 50-goal season would appear to be in reach. Top 20 prospects, July 2021 No. 5 (3) CR Raphael Lavoie, Vasby IK (Allsvenskan), Bakersfield No. 1 (1) RD Evan Bouchard, Sodertalje (Allsvenskan), Edmonton Oilers Condors (AHL) (NHL) Lavoie is the “shot-creation king” as described by Scott Wheeler at The It’s been years since the Oilers had a top-level talent as overcooked as Athletic and has been cashing goals since his draft day. Lavoie’s unique Bouchard, who showed during 14 NHL games last season that he’s skill set saw him score 38 goals in his final 55 junior games (QMJHL), 23 ready to thrive as an everyday player. Slow-playing Bouchard in 2020-21 goals in Sweden’s Allsvenskan early in the 2020-21 season and another was partially due to good health (no right-handed defencemen in front of five goals during spot play in 19 games for the Bakersfield Condors of the him got hurt) but his time is now. AHL.

How much has Bouchard been slow-played? Darnell Nurse was drafted Aside from Wheeler’s detailed breakdown of why Lavoie scores goals, in 2013 and played his rookie season two years later in 2015-16. his shot volume (310 shots in 55 games in 2019-20) is substantial. In Bouchard was drafted in 2018, in about the same spot as Nurse, and observing him during the Bakersfield games, it appears he’ll need to three years later is still waiting. If he passes the 50-game mark this adjust to the pace of the pro game (keeping his legs moving) and a full season, he will have waited four seasons for his NHL job. season in the AHL is likely. One area that is of interest and worth watching: Lavoie played left wing for much of his time with the Condors. During the 2020-21 season, Bouchard played well in Sweden’s It’s unknown if Woodcroft was using him in an area of need or if the Allsvenskan, showing off his terrific passing skills and offensive creativity organization sees Lavoie (who shoots right) as having a future there. as well as playing well in coverage. Once in the NHL, and when given an opportunity, Bouchard’s electric passes were tape-to-tape on the fly and No. 6 (6) CL Ryan McLeod, Zug (Swiss), Bakersfield Condors (AHL), Edmonton’s transition game took a major step forward. He also Edmonton Oilers (NHL) performed well defensively, his 2.53 goals-against per 60 ranking him mid-pack among Oilers blueliners, with his possession numbers (Corsi) McLeod took a big step forward this season, beginning with a breakout over 50 percent (numbers via Natural Stat Trick). offensive appearance with Zug in the Swiss league. The young centre has tremendous speed and two-way acumen, but the offence was a If he doesn’t make it as a regular this season, there should be an concern before this season. investigation. After scoring 4-7-11 in 15 games with Zug, where he was a feature No. 2 (4) LC Dylan Holloway, Wisconsin Badgers (Big Ten) player and carried the puck with aplomb, McLeod duplicated the feat in Bakersfield. His exits and entries for the Condors became a main The big development in Edmonton’s prospect arsenal last season was strength of the team’s five-on-five success, and he scored 14-14-28 in 28 Holloway, who was an impact player for Wisconsin and emerged as an games, eventually earning his first NHL recall. In 10 games with the in time for the 2020-21 season. During the pandemic, he found a place to Oilers, his brilliant speed and ability to corral loose pucks were on display play (and flourish) in , posting solid (4-9-13 in 19 games) offence but he struggled to score during his audition with the team. That will be during his stay. his next step, and if things go well, McLeod could be the team’s No. 3 centre at some point during the 2021-22 season. Tullio is an energy player with skill, a good passer and can score goals. He’s 5-foot-10, 165 pounds so he will need to build up his strength in his No. 7 (7) LD Dmitri Samorukov, CSKA Moscow (KHL) final junior season (turns 20 in April) before heading to pro hockey. He did spend time with the Condors this season but was unable to crack the Samorukov is in a good spot with the organization. He blossomed as a lineup during his short stay. Tullio’s style would be well-suited as a shutdown defender in the KHL last season. His most impressive stat (38- middle-six winger who can be a dogged forechecker, penalty killer and 14, plus-24 in on-ice goal differential at even strength) was good enough goal scorer. He’s a few years away. for No. 2 across the league. His stock is up in the organization and it’s fair to suggest Samorukov’s development is complete and he’s ready to No. 12 (17) G Stuart Skinner, Bakersfield Condors (AHL) graduate. Skinner needed a strong season to maintain his status as Edmonton’s In a stroke of good fortune for the young defender, the Oilers defence is goalie in waiting, and he delivered in a big way. His .914 save experiencing a period of transition. Klefbom appears likely to miss percentage was sixth in the AHL and he led the league with 20 wins. The another season, and general manager Ken Holland dealt for Duncan sense is the organization has him as the most likely option to emerge Keith to replace him. Part of the price was Caleb Jones, who was the from the system, and he did win his first NHL start despite some obvious likely No. 3 left side defender for the Oilers next season. nerves.

That opens up an opportunity. Samorukov has less experience than Kris Skinner’s resume isn’t consistent and that’s the next step for him. In Russell and William Lagesson, but is the owner of the most dynamic skill junior, his save percentage was up and down, and in his two AHL set. His mean streak is a positive and that KHL goal differential success seasons where he’s been a starter the range is large (.892 and .914). suggests he is very close to winning an NHL job. Skinner has a chance, but the window may be closing with Konovalov arriving from Europe and Rodrigue catching fire late in the Condors’ No. 8 (12) LW Carter Savoie, Denver Pioneers (NCHC) season. He’ll need to impress in 2021-22 if he’s going to hold his The Oilers would have known Savoie for several years before his draft position. day (he played his early hockey in nearby St. Albert), and the intel that No. 13 (10) LD William Lagesson, Vita Hasten HC (Allsvenskan); led them to choosing him has paid off. His 13 goals for Denver in the Kristianstads IK (Allsvenskan); Edmonton Oilers (NHL) NCAA ranked second among freshmen across college hockey in 2020- 21. Reports from college had him adjusting quickly to his new Lagesson had a whirlwind season that began in Sweden’s Allsvenskan, environment and working hard on his conditioning to make sure he can where he spent a few weeks as an offensive defender (3-9-12 in 14 perform at optimal levels as his workload and expectations increase. games) for two teams before returning to North America in time for training camp. He won a job and playing time with the Oilers (19 games, The Oilers have several scorers ahead of Savoie in the pipeline, 0-2-2) but struggled in all areas of five-on-five play save goal differential including Holloway and Savoie who will be playing pro in 2021-22. His (he was even). It was a small sample, but he looked awkward without the timeline to sign with the Oilers includes at least one more season of puck and uncertain with it while playing in just two of the final 19 games college hockey, possibly more. As long as he’s making progress, and of Edmonton’s season. there’s no immediate need for his services, Edmonton’s management likely doesn’t force the issue. If Savoie takes his goal scoring to another Two things about Lagesson: He was drafted in 2014, meaning his rollout level again this season, expect him to sign in the spring of 2022. as a prospect has taken forever. It’s shocking that the Oilers, normally an impatient franchise, still has him on the roster. Also, he has a chance to No. 9 (8) G Ilya Konovalov, Yaroslavl Lokomotiv (KHL) stay with the big club in 2021-22 despite the uneven play a year ago. His Konovalov arrives in North America this fall and his timing might be cap hit ($725,000) makes him an attractive No. 7 option for a team riding perfect. The Oilers just signed Mike Smith, 40 in March, as one half of close to the cap all year. the organization’s NHL tandem, and are pursuing another veteran via No. 14 (NR) LW Matvei Petrov, Krylja Sovetov (MHL) trade or free agency (Mikko Koskinen appears unlikely to be back). Petrov is the latest in a substantial line of first-shot scorer options drafted That places Konovalov in a good situation, as he could win the starting by the Oilers in recent seasons. He’ll have to pass Lavoie and Savoie, job with the Bakersfield Condors. That would make him the first recall among others, if he is to find his way to an NHL skill line in the future. option in the case of injury, if he can win the AHL starter’s job. Konovalov’s KHL resume is stellar, with save percentages of .930, .913 He has a good resume. A right-shot winger, he scored 22 goals in 58 and .923 in the last three seasons. He’s a smaller goalie (5-foot-11, 196 games in the MHL, a major junior league in Russia. He has some size (6- pounds) but the results have been consistently excellent for several foot-2, 181 pounds) and has been filling the net all down the line (32 years. At 23, he could help solve Edmonton’s goaltending situation for goals in 24 games in the Russia U16 league a couple of years ago). years to come if he can prove himself in North America. Scouting reports have him as one-dimensional with plenty of work to do away from the puck, but scoring goals gets you places and Petrov can No. 10 (5) LW Tyler Benson, GCK Lions (Swiss), Bakersfield Condors post offence at a good rate. (AHL) No. 15 (9) G Olivier Rodrigue, Graz EC (Austria); Bakersfield Condors This ranking is a little unfair to Benson, who would be higher if this list put (AHL) more value on being NHL-ready. Benson has done everything possible during his AHL time to earn an NHL job, and I believe he’ll earn it this fall Rodrigue is in danger of getting lost in the goaltending prospects flood in despite stiff competition. Bakersfield this season, but his performance in 2020-21 suggests he has a chance to find his way to Edmonton. Benson’s issues are twofold: Foot speed and goal scoring ability. His strength, passing the puck through seams and being creative in the In the early part of the season, he found a net in Austria and was the offensive zone, is exceeded across the roster by the elite ability of most effective (.908 save percentage) for Graz EC during his time there. Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and others. That Back in North America, he played a backup role in Bakersfield (11 group needs someone to cash goals, and Benson is the least impressive games, .894). There is some encouraging news on the Rodrigue front: In shooter among Oilers prospect wingers since Magnus Paajarvi 12 years his final five games of the season (including one postseason contest), he ago. stopped 107 of 115 shots (.930 save percentage). Rodrigue may have to start the season in the ECHL, as it’s likely to be crowded in the AHL to He can make his way to an NHL skill line but it will begin by playing a start the season. If he delivers in net, he’ll get his chance. two-way role and chipping in offensively at five-on-five. Benson’s special teams time is likely to be on the penalty kill in Edmonton. Cooper Marody (Perry Nelson / USA Today)

No. 11 (11) RW Tyler Tullio, Liptovsky Mikulas HK (Slovakia) No. 16 (13) CR Cooper Marody, Dornbirn (Austria) and Bakersfield Condors (AHL) Tullio was the unlucky member of the Oilers 2020 draft class, as he was unable to find a North American spot after the NHL clubs recalled players Marody is an unusual case, as injury impacted his pro career and may something that made them draft worthy, but more information is required have closed his NHL window early. In his healthy seasons with the in order to make a fair assessment. Condors, he was the offensive straw that stirs the drink. His two healthy seasons with Bakersfield saw him post more than a point per game when The one player who didn’t make the list who deserved a spot is Russian combining the two campaigns, and he looked good in a long-forgotten centre Maxim Denezhkin, who has made good progress since being NHL audition in 2018-19. drafted by the Oilers in 2019.

Marody is a bit like Lagesson in that his time as a prospect has taken so The Athletic LOADED: 07.27.2021 long one wonders if the opportunity will ever arrive. He led Bakersfield in goals (21) this season and moved to right wing in a shuffle that might be designed for him to improve his NHL chances. Marody is an RFA, but the Oilers qualified him, so they may have him in their plans (he might also be traded). There’s a player here in the right opportunity but it’s uncertain that’s in Edmonton.

No. 17 (NR) CR Jake Chiasson, Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)

Chiasson is the third and final player drafted on the weekend who makes the list, and there’s plenty about him to like. Chiasson is a righty centre who can also play the wing and delivered offence (23 games, 9-11-20) for the first time in his draft year. His scoring in 2020-21 suggests he’ll be a middle-six forward (second or third line) if he makes the NHL. He was on a 30-goal pace.

As is the case with most draft picks, much isn’t known about Chiasson. His emergence this season came during the most unusual year in memory for all junior players. The Oilers and fans will get a better look at him in 2021-22. If that offence is real, he’ll be much higher on next summer’s list.

No. 18 (14) RD Filip Berglund, Linkoping (SHL)

Berglund played big minutes in his final SHL season (he is signed to an NHL deal with Edmonton and will be here for training camp) with uneven results. Based on his 2020-21 numbers, it’s difficult to get a read on what he does well, but his previous work (five seasons with Skelleftea in the same league) was consistently good.

Berglund is a right-handed two-way defenceman who helps his team outscore the opposition and can chip in enough offensively to spend time as the second or third power-play option. He plays in all game states and has averaged 18-20 minutes a game for the last three SHL seasons. He’s 6-foot-2, 209 pounds and is 24. His time is now, but the organization will want to bring him along at pace, and that means time in Bakersfield for the coming year.

No. 19 (20) LW Maxim Berezkin, Yaroslavl Lokomotiv (KHL, MHL)

Berezkin has all kinds of bullet points on his resume that make him noticeable. He played in the KHL last season as a teenager and had scoring success at lower levels. He’s a right-shot left winger, there may be a move to RW when Berezkin arrives in North America. He is 6-foot-4, 216 pounds and scored 13-15-28 in 25 games for his MHL team.

This is a bull in a china shop, he can play in a strong man’s league as a teenager and projects as a useful possession winger. Speed is the issue but there’s a lot to like. The KHL numbers (31 games, just two assists) don’t shine, but that he got in so many games suggests that Berezkin is already making himself useful at the highest levels. The potential is intriguing.

No. 20 (NR) LD Markus Niemelainen, Assat Pori (); Bakersfield (AHL)

Of all the players to make this summer’s list, Niemelainen is the biggest surprise. For years he appeared to be a pick that wasn’t developing, as nothing stood out over four seasons in the Liiga (’s top pro league). Although Niemelainen is a big shutdown defender (6-foot-5, 205 pounds) his skating was described as awkward and there wasn’t much excitement around him.

He arrived in Bakersfield for the 2020-21 season as something of a mystery. It was a revelation to see his impressive mobility and puck passing ability and he was as advertised defensively. His even strength goal differential (17-16, plus-1) was solid and at 23 there’s still time for him to climb the depth chart and play in the NHL. Niemelainen is a shutdown type and physical. That player type is back in fashion and we could see this player in the NHL soon based on his AHL time in 2020-21.

Summer 2021 depth chart

The players drafted this weekend who don’t appear on the list (Luca Munzenberger, Shane Lachance and Maximus Wanner) all have 1218619 Florida Panthers

Panthers re-sign forward Sam Bennett to a four-year contract

By MALLORY SCHNELL

JUL 26, 2021 AT 1:35 PM

The Florida Panthers have re-signed forward Sam Bennett to a four-year contract, the team announced Monday.

Bennett, 25, was drafted at No. 4 by the Calgary Flames in the 2014 NHL draft. He spent 6 1/2 seasons with the Flames before being traded to Florida on April 12.

With the Panthers, Bennett scored six goals and nine assists in 10 regular-season games.

In the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Bennett recorded a goal and four assists.

“Sam’s impact on our club this past season was seen immediately, injecting physicality, skill and energy into our lineup,” Panthers general manager Bill Zito said in a news release. “We are thrilled to have him in our Panthers lineup and look forward to what he can bring to our offense in the upcoming 2021-22 season.”

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Florida Panthers free up cap space, trade Anton Stralman to Arizona

Published 11 hours ago on July 26, 2021By George Richards

Florida Panthers GM Bill Zito freed up some much-needed salary cap space on Monday as veteran defenseman Anton Stralman was traded to Arizona.

Stralman, who turns 35 next week, had one more year on the three-year contract he signed as part of Florida’s free agent Class of 2019.

With free agency coming Wednesday at noon, Zito need to move some salary to make some additions — perhaps defenseman Ryan Suter.

After signing Sam Bennett to a four-year contract on Monday, the Panthers were only left with around $5.4 million remaining under the cap and that is without signing newly acquired forward Sam Reinhart who would probably eat right through that.

By trading Stralman to the Coyotes, the Panthers are now closer to $11 million in cap room.

Stralman, who played in 107 games with Florida over the past two seasons, had a modified no-trade clause in his contract and apparently had to be talked into waiving it to play for Arizona.

A potential trade to Arizona had been rumored for the past few weeks and per Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic, Stralman finally agreed to the trade on Monday.

Along with Stralman, the Panthers gave up a promising defensive prospect in Vladislav Kolyachonok, their second-round pick in 2024; Florida will get a seventh round pick in 2023 in return.

This past season, Stralman found himself on the outside looking in when it came to Florida’s defensive plans.

From March 27 through the end of the regular season, Stralman was scratched in 15 of the final 23 games.

The Panthers did bring him back for the playoffs and Stralman was one of Florida’s better defensemen in the five games he played against his former Tampa Bay teammates.

Florida simply could not afford such a big cap hit for a defenseman who likely would have played in half of its games this coming season.

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Sam Bennett returns to Florida Panthers with new contract

Published 17 hours ago on July 26, 2021By George Richards

The Florida Panthers took care of one big piece of pressing business on Monday, signing restricted free agent Sam Bennett to a new contract.

Bennett is getting a four-year deal worth $4.4 million per season.

The Panthers acquired Bennett at the trade deadline, sending a second round pick and 2020 second-round selection Emil Heineman to Calgary.

Bennett got off to a great start with the Panthers, scoring six goals with 15 points in 10 games. He also averaged a point a game in the playoffs.

Those 15 points in 10 games set a franchise record for most points by a Florida player in their first 10 games with the team.

Bennett, who was the fourth-overall pick of the 2014 NHL Draft by the Flames, has scored 73 goals with 155 points in 412 career NHL games.

In 35 playoff games, Bennett has 12 goals and 24 points.

We should be getting Bennett this afternoon to talk about his new deal.

“Sam’s impact on our club this past season was seen immediately, injecting physicality, skill and energy into our lineup,” GM Bill Zito said in a release.

“We are thrilled to have him in our Panthers lineup and look forward to what he can bring to our offense in the upcoming 2021-22 season.”

Next up: A new contract for the recently acquired Sam Reinhart.

The Panthers are also expected to sign Carter Verhaeghe to a contract extension on Wednesday. Verhaeghe, who is signed for one more season at $1 million, scored 18 goals with 35 points in 43 goals for Florida in the first year of that very team-friendly contract in 2021.

Florida already signed defensemen Noah Juulsen and Lucas Carlsson to one-year, two-way contracts on Monday as the deadline to make qualifying offers to restricted free agents comes later this afternoon.

Check back soon.

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FHN Today: Bill Zito makes decisions on Florida Panthers RFAs

Published 18 hours ago on July 26, 2021By George Richards

Florida Panthers general manager Bill Zito has until this afternoon to offer qualifying offers to the team’s restricted free agents (RFA) or they can become unrestricted free agents.

Last year, the Panthers took advantage of a couple players becoming free agents when their teams chose not to qualify them in Carter Verhaeghe and Anthony Duclair.

Don’t be surprised if the Panthers hop on a couple other players who may suddenly become free agents before the market opens Wednesday afternoon.

The Panthers are also going to be paying attention to the final buyout casualties — that’s how they got Alex Wennberg last season.

The Panthers have already qualified a number of players including goalie Sam Montembeault.

Get a subscription to Florida Hockey Now today for all the latest Panthers news from the offseason to the postseason

On Monday morning, the team announced that it had signed defensemen Noah Juulsen and Lucas Carlsson to a one-year, two-way contract.

So, those are two RFAs who are taken care of.

Florida has two big-name RFAs who may end up with contracts before the day is done.

The Panthers are expected to announce the signing of either Sam Bennett or Sam Reinhart today; it would not be surprising if they get both done today.

We will more on which players were qualified — and will have much more on the ones who were not — later this afternoon.

AROUND THE NHL

The Boston Bruins could have a big week when the free agency market opens. Does Keith Yandle head home after being bought out by the Panthers? (BHN)

— The newest member of the National Hockey Now family: Hello, Vancouver! (VHN)

— Looking at everything the Penguins did (and didn’t do) and what’s next in Pittsburgh.(PHN)

— Have things gone south in Colorado between the team and Gabriel Landeskog and Philip Grubauer? (CHN)

— Meet the newest members of the the San Jose Sharks. (SJHN)

— Will the Caps trade Evgeny Kuznetsov? (WHN)

— Cam Atkinson rocked a Gritty t-shirt and it looks like the Flyers aren’t going to be a lot of fun to play against this season.(PHN)

— Lou Lamoriello is working hard to keep the band together on Long Island.(NYIHN)

Florida Hockey Now LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218623 Florida Panthers With the way Tippett turned things on the in the final month of the season, it looks like he is ready to take a step forward. We’re going to put him on the second line.

Sam Reinhart gives Florida Panthers a load of possibilities For now. Duclair could end up there as well.

Here is what the Panthers have at the moment

Published 21 hours ago on July 26, 2021By George Richards Top three center candidates: Sasha Barkov, Sam Reinhart/Sam Bennett, Anton Lundell (R), Eetu Luostarinen

Top LW: Jonathan Huberdeau, Carter Verhaeghe, Bennett, Frank Not long after completing the trade for Sam Reinhart, Florida Panthers Vatrano, Grigori Denisenko (R), Mason Marchment GM Bill Zito was asked how wide Joel Quenneville’s smile was when he started tinkering with all the lineup combinations his team could ice this Top RW: Reinhart/Bennett, Anthony Duclair, , Patric coming season. Hornqvist, Marchment, Vatrano, Denisenko

Zito, with a big smile on his own face, said his coach wasn’t the only one Breaking this down and it looks like there is going to be a real battle to who is excited about the “what could be” when it comes to this group of make this roster come October. Florida forwards. Don’t be surprised if the Panthers made a trade or two before free “I got quite a few texts from members of our staff and our team,” Zito said agency — not only to clear up some money but perhaps a few roster on Saturday, a few hours after he sent a top-10 protected 2022 first spots as well. round pick and goalie prospect Devon Levi to the Buffalo Sabres for “It challenges guys. We want to improve, we want to get better,” Zito Reinhart. “They are all pretty excited.” said. Quenneville and the Panthers coaching staff certainly have options and On paper, this is where we start — the addition of a player like Reinhart gives the Panthers the ability to further mix-and-match a large number of quality of forwards. Verhaeghe-Barkov-Reinhart

While Sasha Barkov is Florida’s No. 1 center and Jonathan Huberdeau is Huberdeau-Bennett-Tippett the team’s top left winger (regardless of what line he plays on), Quenneville has some star power to build around. Vatrano-Lundell-Duclair

You want Reinhart to center a line? Fine. He showed this year in Buffalo Marchment-Noel Acciari-Hornqvist he could play there and play well. Power play 1

He has also excelled on the right side. Reinhart has averaged 22 goals in Barkov-Huberdeau-Reinhart-Bennett- his six full-time seasons with the Sabres. He also had 10 goals and 16 points on the power play this year. Power play 2

In 454 career games, Reinhart has scored 134 goals with 295 points. Verhaeghe-Tippett-Duclair-Hornqvist-MacKenzie Weegar

“I’ve been pretty able to adapt to different positions, different types of Feel free to mix-and-match. Joel Quenneville certainly will. players,’’ Reinhart said on Saturday. Give us your line combos in the comments section. “I’m really excited to be slotted in wherever the coaches feel I’ll be best utilized. There’s obviously quite a few looks that I feel comfortable in.” Florida Hockey Now LOADED: 07.27.2021

Sam Bennett at center or on the wing? Either or. Depends on what the team needs, right?

Either way, the Panthers’ top six — entire forward group, really — is better today than it was when the team broke training camp in January.

And free agency opens up Wednesday afternoon.

Perhaps some new faces will be added to the mix although Zito has stressed he likes the team he has and wants to let them see what they can do again this season.

For now, let’s break down who the Panthers have — and where we may see them on the ice.

With Reinhart and Bennett both being pretty flexible, it is more than likely the Panthers will use the two both at center and on the wing this season.

When Bennett came over from Calgary in a trade deadline deal, he immediately took over centering the second line and was fantastic.

Although quite a bit of time will have passed from the end of that season to training camp, you have to figure Bennett will slot in at 2C.

So where do you put Reinhart?

How about right at the top. A Carter Verhaeghe-Barkov-Reinhart line sounds absolutely potent.

Up Next: Who do the Florida Panthers target in free agency?

Verhaeghe, Barkov and Anthony Duclair spent a good chink of the season playing together. With Duclair showing that he gives other lines some help, he is going to be a player who slides up and down throughout the season.

In our mock lineup draft, we have him on the third line. 1218624 Los Angeles Kings that time, despite Montreal having a negative-five goal differential over the same span. Offensively, he is somewhat limited but if he could produce around 50 points – he scored 100 over his last two full seasons – that would be an upgrade for the Kings before even factoring in his Four players who could become L.A. Kings as NHL free agency defensive prowess. The Kings had success bringing in defensive-minded approaches centers under former General Manager : Michal Handzus helped shape their roster in the early 2010s and Jarret Stoll was a crucial

supporting cast member en route to two Stanley Cups. By ANDREW KNOLL |PUBLISHED: July 26, 2021 at 2:41 p.m. | Jack Eichel, center, Buffalo Sabres UPDATED: July 26, 2021 at 8:52 p.m. Acquiring Eichel would entail a trade rather than a straight signing,

similar to what Chicago did when they brought in defenseman Seth Free agency kicks off Wednesday in the NHL and the Kings will have Jones on Friday. Still, with free agency often eliciting an open-market around $13.7 million in salary cap space to utilize to improve their roster. premium for talent that seldom if ever equals that of Eichel, the Kings have to at least entertain the possibility of sending some of their stockpile At the end of last season, veteran stars Drew Doughty and Anze Kopitar of prospects to Buffalo for the prolific pivot. The Sabres have already effectively issued a mandate to pursue upgrades for a franchise that had been active after a woeful 2021 campaign that saw them sell off assets at missed the playoffs in three straight seasons and that had not won a the deadline and then continue in the offseason. Last week, they traded playoff series since the 2014 Stanley Cup Final. defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen to Philadelphia and center Sam Reinhart to Florida. The Kings began that process on July 1, trading two draft picks to the Nashville Predators in exchange for winger . They were Eichel, whose representatives said in a statement that they expect a also active at the draft. Not only did they trade up three times on the trade imminently, would not come cheap. His price could rival or even second day, they had two deals in place to potentially move up in the exceed that of both Ristolainen and Reinhart who, cumulatively, fetched draft and another to move down, according to their scouting director Mark two first-round picks, a second-rounder, a prospect and a roster player. Yannetti. The Kings have generally been conservative with their assets, but depending on the exact price they could be one of several teams Ultimately, they did not add anyone likely to make their NHL debut this inquiring about Eichel. year. However, a full season from center Quinton Byfield and potentially from other prospects like winger Arthur Kaliyev might give the Kings an Orange County Register: LOADED: 07.27.2021 infusion of skill just the same.

In free agency, the Kings could benefit from additions all over their lineup. Subpar production on the wings, a lack of a dependable No. 2 center, sparse offensive contributions from the blue line and a need for depth at left defenseman were all issues last season.

The Kings should be uninhibited as next summer their cap climate gets even more clear with the expiring contracts of winger Dustin Brown ($5.875 million cap hit), defenseman Olli Maatta ($3.33 million) and departed center Jeff Carter ($2.64 million in retained salary) coming off the ledger. They also have to make decisions this offseason regarding restricted free agent forwards Andreas Athanasiou, Lias Andersson and Matt Luff.

Here are some free agents who just might land in Los Angeles:

Dougie Hamilton, defenseman, Carolina Hurricanes

Hamilton, 28, is a right-hander with power-play savvy, mobility and a menacing shot from the blue line. He has scored more goals than any other defenseman over the past four seasons, even though he played just 47 games in 2019-20 due to a leg injury. Though he is not particularly physical, Hamilton stands 6-feet-6-inches and weighs 229 pounds. He finished fourth in the Norris Trophy voting for best defenseman in 2021. If Carolina can’t re-sign Hamilton, the Kings will have considerable competition, but Hamilton is in the right age range for their rebuild and brings qualities somewhat similar to those of first-round pick Brandt Clarke.

Brandon Saad, winger,

Though most of the attention has been focused on left winger and team captain Gabriel Landeskog, Saad may be a more realistic target for the Kings. Colorado experienced a salary cap crunch as they doled out a six- year, $54 million deal to defenseman Cale Makar while facing the prospect of losing some combination of Landeskog, goalie Philipp Grubauer and Saad. Saad, 28, has averaged almost 24 goals per 82 games in his career and had 31 goals in his career-best campaign of 2015-16. Saad won a Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2015 and was a key secondary component for the Avalanche last year. His winning pedigree and competition from contenders mean the Kings might have to sell him on their potential to succeed in the near future in order to sign him.

Phillip Danault, center, Montreal Canadiens

Danault aided Montreal’s unlikely run from playoff purgatory to the Stanley Cup Final, but there seems to be little firm indication that the Canadiens will be re-signing the 28-year-old. Danault has finished seventh or better in the Selke Trophy voting for the league’s best forward in each of the past three seasons. He has skated to a +44 rating during 1218625 Los Angeles Kings “He instantly made the Reign defense better and was nearly a point-per- game player over the final half of the season, posting 14 points in 18 games. Further, his overall .58 points-per-game led all Reign defensemen. Surrounded by a sea of forward prospects grabbing LA Kings send qualifying offers to six players headlines, more people should be talking about Moverare’s 2021 campaign and what the Kings might have on their hands after he gets

another full year in the AHL.” By Zach Dooley10 hours ago Strand, 24, made his NHL debut back in February, filling in on a then depleted right side of the Kings blueline. In limited action, Strand showcased good movement for a player of his size, to go along with The LA Kings have tendered qualifying offers to the following six players poise on the puck and a crisp first pass. He tallied an assist and a +2 – Lias Andersson, Andreas Athanasiou, Brayden Burke, Kale Clague, rating from 13 NHL games, to go along with five points (1-4-5) from 19 Jacob Moverare and Austin Strand. games with AHL-Ontario.

The qualifying offers retain the negotiating rights for the aforementioned Strand made a big jump this past season, playing NHL games and players. Athanasiou and Burke are arbitration eligible, while the other turning some heads in doing so. As a right-shot defensemen, his road to four are not. The organization has already come to terms with Blake a regular spot is blocked by three established NHL defensemen, but his Lizotte and Trevor Moore, who entered the offseason as restricted free strides have provided organizational depth at an important position. agents. The Kings did not tender qualifying offers to Mikey Eyssimont, Matt Luff, All of the offers are two-way deals, with the exception of Athanasiou, who Drake Rymsha and Tyler Steenbergen. Those four players will be will get a one-way offer. More information on qualifying offers, including a unrestricted free agents. calculator for each of the six contracts, can be found HERE. Up next in the offseason cycle is the start unrestricted free agency, which Andersson, 22 split the 2020-21 season between the NHL and AHL opens at 9 AM Pacific time on Wednesday. levels, with six points (3-3-6) from 23 games with the Kings and 17 points (6-11-17) from 15 games with the . LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 07.27.2021

Though it took him some time to establish his NHL place, Andersson was one of the more impressive Kings down the stretch. The Swedish-born forward dressed in each of the team’s final 10 games, playing the majority of his time on the second line with Alex Iafallo and Gabriel Vilardi. Andersson collected three points (1-3-4), a +2 rating and a CF% of 50.5.

Other puck possession metrics also favored Andersson in his second tenure, with the Kings controlling nearly 53 percent of scoring chances and more than 54 percent of high-danger chances. Andersson is a player to watch come training camp in the fall.

Athanasiou, 26, scored at right around a half-point-per-game rate this season, as he amassed 10 goals and 23 points from 47 games played during his first season with the organization. The speedy, skilled winger has appeared in 350 NHL games throughout his professional career, with Los Angeles, Edmonton and Detroit, and has amassed 179 points (94- 85-179).

Among regular Kings forwards, Athanasiou ranked in the Top 3 in terms of scoring chances for and high-danger chances for per 60 minutes he was on the ice for. Simply put, things happened with Athanasiou on the ice, and he provides a known depth scoring option.

Burke, 24, was acquired on Saturday from the Arizona Coyotes, in exchange for forward Boko Imama and defenseman Cole Hults. The winger has spent the first three seasons of his professional career with the AHL’s , where he’s amassed 99 points (35-64- 99) from 146 games played.

Burke was selected to the 2020 AHL All-Star Classic in Ontario, where he represented the Pacific Division, and was a point-per-game player with 52 points (21-31-52) from 51 games played during the 2019-20 campaign.

Clague, 23, is coming off of a season that was split between the NHL (18 games) and AHL (23 games) levels. The Canadian-born blueliner started the season with the Kings, and had a couple of extended spells with the big club, but also spent time with the Reign as he worked on rounding out certain parts of his game.

Clague displayed his smooth skating and natural puck-moving ability, and we were able to see some of the strides he’s taken to improve on his defensive limitations, something he has worked so hard on throughout his three years in the organization. He also posted relatively strong possession figures with the Kings, with the team controlling 50.6 percent of shot attempts with Clague on the ice.

Moverare, 22, made his long-awaited debut in the organization, as he joined the Ontario Reign for his first professional season in North America. A veteran, and an accomplished one at that, playing overseas, Moverare settled in at the AHL level, where he was selected as the team’s defenseman of the season here on LA Kings Insider, in an article featured by contributor John Hoven. As the article noted – 1218626 Los Angeles Kings was one of my top-ranked players (24th overall) and I love their continued insistence on slippery, two-way possession types.

The above also made their selection of Samuel Helenius an intriguing Reactions to the Kings 2021 Draft one because despite being 6-foot-6, he actually has some uncharacteristic ‘small’ skill for a player that size. I had him ranked 74th, so 59th was probably a little too early. But that was more or less the tier he belonged in. It’s going to be hard for him to be productive and play in By Zach Dooley15 hours ago an offensive role at the next level. That’s just the reality for forwards that big. There aren’t many who are more than depth pieces. But he’s got enough skill to become that and his attention to detail and leadership are Death, Taxes and a highly-regarded LA Kings draft class. both revered.

Seems like a theme is building here, doesn’t it? The hits kept coming for the Kings in the third round with their selection of Kirill Kirsanov 84th-overall. At that point, Kirsanov was my fourth- The Kings took a “quality over quantity” approach to this season’s NHL ranked player (50th). He’s not the kind of player who is going to finish off Draft, with more from Director of Scouting, Mark Yannetti, HERE. They a lot of plays inside the offensive zone, or even break teams down to sacrificed fourth, fifth and sixth-round selections via trades to move up create the finishing play for someone else. But he’s a smooth skater who twice in the second round and once in the third, in order to get players beats pressure laterally through neutral ice, leads a lot of transition they came in knowing they wanted. Combine that with defenseman sequences with a quick few steps into an outlet pass, and defends with a Brandt Clarke falling to the Kings at eighth overall on Day 1, and the polish that is rare for a player his age. There’s two-way value there. Kings walked away happy with four selections who fit well into the team’s plans moving forward. Considering they only had three picks, it’s another year of winning at the draft for the Kings for me. Here are several outside perspectives on the Kings 2021 Draft Class. Sporting News Chris Peters, Hockey Sense – via All The Kings Men Podcast The Sporting News also gave the Kings a B+ draft grade, though were a I think, just because of the smallness of the class, [the Kings] will be in a bit friendlier overall with their grades, giving 11 teams that ranking or B+ range, and that’s just because you only get four prospects, however, higher. Still, at worst, that puts the Kings in the top third, and likely on the all four of the players the Kings selected were on my draft list. They’re all higher end of that scale. guys that I believe will be good players. Clarke and Pinelli were both first- round grades for me, Pinelli slips into the second round and they get him Best Selection: Brandt Clarke (8th) at a really good range. I had Helenius as a Top 60 guy and certainly Kirsanov, who I had right outside of the first round, I really like him as Like the Hurricanes, good drafts are pretty much expected for the Kings. well. I think what the Kings did, they did get quality over quantity, and With just four selections, they didn’t add as much as they have in past that’s why [they’re] in that A-/B+ range. They got a top-end defenseman, drafts, but they made it count. This is highlighted by Clarke, an offensive two quality centers who can play in various spots in your lineup and defender that was in the discussion for the No. 1 spot. It was surprising another shutdown defenseman who’s already playing significant minutes how far Francesco Pinelli fell, but it was right into the laps of the Kings at in the KHL. No. 42. They also added Samuel Helenius and Kirill Kirsanov, two boom- or-bust prospects but with promising ceilings. Corey Pronman, The Athletic Bleacher Report also gave the Kings a B+ for their draft, but did not go Pronman ranked the Kings as a B+, as one of just six teams with that into any further details. grade or higher. He had both Pinelli and Kirsanov among his “Top 15 available on Day 2” list, and the Kings walked away with both. ESPN

The Kings only ended up with four picks in this draft because of various ESPN only reacted to the first-round picks, but gave a strong review of moves, but I think they made them count. Brandt Clarke is a great the Kings’ selection of defenseman Brandt Clarke at eighth overall. prospect. Kirill Kirsanov and Francesco Pinelli both have a lot of ability. Clarke – How he fits: Clarke joins arguably the deepest prospect pool in And I could see Samuel Helenius plugging into the tail-end part of a the NHL with the Kings. But as deep as that pool is, it has more big fish lineup. Kirsanov slid due to conditioning and signability concerns, but I at center and wing than on the blue line. Given that need, and GM Rob had him highly rated. I could see L.A. getting two or three quality NHL Blake’s legacy as a Hall of Fame defenseman, this was one of the draft’s players from this group. most predictable picks. Given his hockey sense and offensive Scott Wheeler, The Athletic awareness, there have already been comparisons for Clarke to the kind of impact Adam Fox has had early in his NHL career with the Rangers. Wheeler had the Kings as the draft’s fourth-best team on Day 1 and the Fox just won the Norris Trophy. No pressure, Brandt. — Wyshynski third-best on Day 2. With just four picks, that naturally means that he believed in each of them, as indicated below. LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 07.27.2021

Day 1

Clarke was always the best-case scenario for the Kings. Not only was he the best-player available on my board, but in a Kings pool that is unmatched league-wide at forward and loaded on defence, the only thing that was missing was a dynamic, playmaking D prospect, the two things that Clarke is. Clarke is an incredible talent who breaks ankles laterally, roves like a fourth forward, wants to take over the game, and plays a very vocal, I’m-in-charge style out there. His wonky skating mechanics and underdeveloped frame and athleticism raise some question marks, but neither his skills/skating coach nor his strength coach are concerned about them and there are OHL people who think he’s the best player in this age group.

Day 2

The Kings have the best prospect pool in hockey and they just keep adding to it. Part of that comes from just how many selections they’ve made in recent years. But they don’t build what they’ve built without also making good on a lot of those picks and the Francesco Pinelli selection at 42 feels like another feather in their cap. They’ve got an embarrassment of riches up front in their pool, which will make his path to his second-line upside a little more challenging than elsewhere, but he 1218627 Minnesota Wild The salary cap implications of the high-profile buyouts are significant for the next four years with the dead cap numbers looking like this: $4.74 million, $12.74 million, $14.74 million and $14.74 million.

‘Can’t mess up the plan’: Four days inside the Minnesota Wild war room That means all of what transpires in the coming days, starting with the for the NHL Draft and free agent planning Soucy pick, will be critical to continuing what has been an impressive change in structure and identity in Minnesota.

The boardroom is a kind of terminus with Guerin, Sexton and veteran Scott Burnside Jul 26, 2021 NHL GM Ray Shero, director of hockey operations Chris O’Hearn, director of hockey analytics Mat Sells and assistant to the GM Michael

Murray popping in and out at various times to discuss all manner of ST. PAUL, Minn. – The GM of the Minnesota Wild, Bill Guerin, is in the personnel moves and possible moves. boardroom adjacent to his office in downtown St. Paul. In erasable marker are numbers next to the names of Kirill Kaprizov and He is staring at a wall on which are mounted three boards that outline the Kevin Fiala, projecting the amount it will take to sign the team’s two rosters of their AHL team, their prospects and, in the middle, the Wild’s critical free agents. NHL roster. There are dollar figures written into the two open spaces on the left side Almost in a whisper, Guerin says “Can’t mess up the plan. Can’t mess up that represent third and fourth line wingers both expected to be signed the plan.” when free agency opens.

Mantra? Prayer? Promise? The upside of the Seattle move is that with Kahkonen staying, the Wild have outstanding goaltending at about $4.4 million next season, an Maybe all of the above for a team at a crossroads, a team still grieving exceptional value with Cam Talbot already locked up through 2022-23. the loss of a beloved colleague, a team determined to change its culture and its history no matter the cost, having just jettisoned two cornerstone But the blue line is the key and the group discusses a variety of ways to players. make it work given the team will have somewhere north of $8 million to spend on three open spaces in the everyday lineup. If there is a picture of “trial by fire” in the dictionary, it could be of Guerin. He won two Stanley Cups as a player and two more as an executive in The math is sobering. There is a veteran defender who might fit but Pittsburgh before taking the GM job with the Wild. there’s fear another team may be able to offer a year more than the Wild can or will offer in term. There’s a younger defenseman on their radar He took over in August 2019, weeks before the start of the 2019-20 who is coming off an injury but he may be enticed elsewhere with longer season and after the sudden firing of Paul Fenton. Guerin has piloted this term. team through two COVID-19 shortened seasons. He’s fired a coach, had a rookie of the year winner, and bought out Zach Parise and Ryan Suter. Numbers are written into the empty slots and then erased and replaced with other numbers as the names of six or seven defensemen are Now Guerin faces an offseason that will in all likelihood shape the future bandied about. The team has significant skill in its existing three of the team one way or another for years to come. defenders and in a perfect world the Wild add some more skill and experience to the top four on the back end and balances the scales with Over the course of five days, we had a chance to observe the Wild and more heft in the five/six roles, but it must fit within their economic model. Guerin navigate the Seattle Kraken expansion draft, debate the efficacy of acquiring an elite but possibly damaged franchise center and go “Unfortunately for the next four years this is our world,” Sells said. through a critical entry draft while preparing for free agency. “Every team is living this,” Guerin said. “We’ve got lots of time, let’s just Wednesday, July 21 use it.”

Wednesday morning is not starting off in a banner fashion for Guerin. One potential defensive target creates some interesting internal debate with one member of the group questioning whether he’d be a good fit and Late Tuesday evening, he was rebuffed by the Kraken on a deal that several others taking an opposing view. Guerin decisively stops the might have yielded a defenseman for the Wild with a player exposed by conversation from heading into testier waters. another team and he must share that news with his hockey ops team. Then shortly after 9 a.m., Seattle assistant GM Jason Botterill, once a “I wasn’t the greatest guy coming out of the Islanders,” Guerin said. He colleague of Guerin in Pittsburgh, is on the phone. looks at Shero who is directly to his right to see if he’s listening.

Senior advisor to the GM Randy Sexton comes into Guerin’s office, and “Thanks, Ray,” he said with a grin. “Ray took a bad guy.” Guerin shakes his head ruefully and scribbles a name on a notepad: Soucy. A couple of years later it was Shero who hired Guerin, starting him on an executive path. Seattle is eschewing promising young Minnesota netminder Kaapo Kahkonen and is selecting solid defenseman Carson Soucy. Sexton went to St. Lawrence University with Shero and the two have been pals since, working together first in Ottawa with the Senators and Sexton, who worked with Guerin and Botterill in Pittsburgh, jokes out loud then in Pittsburgh. Sexton recalled inviting Guerin and Mark Recchi to a wondering if Seattle has seen the last-minute medical report on Soucy. midseason scouting meeting. The two ex-players were encouraged to But no dice. pipe in with any questions as the scouts went over their player lists.

Guerin hangs up and quickly calls Soucy. “They didn’t say one word,” Sexton recalled.

How’s it going? Soucy wants to know. After the meeting, Guerin asked Sexton if they could go for a beer. There, he confessed how in awe he was of the information the scouts “Not so good, Seattle took you,” Guerin said. “You’re going to a great had at their disposal. organization with great people. It’s a great opportunity for you. Just sorry to be losing you.” “He said, ‘I don’t know a fucking thing about anything. Those guys know everything,’” Sexton recalled. Guerin explains that someone from Seattle will be in touch and if there’s anything the Wild can do to help in the transition to let him know. Then he got to work.

Soucy’s name is removed from the board showing the Wild’s roster and We talk often about culture and, more to the point, changing it. It’s easy now there are just three names in the defensive section: , to say, hard to do. Sometimes the changes are subtle, like making sure Jared Spurgeon and Jonas Brodin. the doors to the two sides of the Wild administration offices, at opposite ends of a landing, are now constantly open to facilitate a more open The board is a constant reminder that Minnesota is at a crossroads as an exchange of traffic and ideas. organization. There’s a dog named Celly – as in celebration – that periodically makes its way into the meeting room next to Guerin’s office and Guerin sometimes brings his own dogs to work. Staff routinely bring their kids with some of the players selected by the Kraken who will be flipped in the around. It’s a reminder, said Guerin, that what they are doing isn’t rocket coming days, especially as it relates to the plethora of defensemen science, it’s not life-altering stuff. It’s hockey. It’s supposed to be fun. selected. But it doesn’t look like there will be a fit there, at least not in the short term. Guerin greets everyone heartily by name whether it’s the guy in the underground parking lot, the chef at the practice facility or the names of The group moves to a larger boardroom to accommodate the addition of seemingly every staff members’ children, all of whom seem to adore director of amateur scouting Judd Brackett, director of European scouting Guerin. Ricard Persson, director of pro scouting Chris Kelleher and Ontario- based amateur scout Dan Palango. The staff Guerin has assembled is a mix of those who were in place when he took over after the Fenton regime and people Guerin has Brackett leads the meeting to go over one final time the team’s plans for brought in. Friday’s draft and beyond. The team’s list, a co-operative exercise, is projected onto screens in the boardroom. He’s told them, if you want to advance, you want to move up the ladder in the NHL, I’ll help you but don’t try and achieve that by one-upping your Minnesota has the 22nd and 26th picks in the first round and will begin colleagues or tearing down your colleagues. the weekend with nine picks total.

It’s called trust. It’s why Guerin feels totally at ease hiring a man in Shero One might have imagined that this process of assessing the team’s who was once his boss and hiring another in Sexton who has twice been options might be contentious or filled with caveats and permutations an NHL GM. given the challenges of scouting during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s called chain of command. I don’t work for (Wild owner) , But it’s simple, straightforward and concise. I work for Billy,” said Shero. Lunch takes longer than the presentation. A jersey with Tom Kurvers on it hangs in the Wild draft war room. (Scott Burnside / The Athletic) There are 39 names on the team’s main list and the belief among the scouts and hockey ops staff in attendance is that any player in the first 18 On the Wednesday night that Seattle’s expansion roster is formally to 20 are legitimate first-round caliber players. announced, Leipold hosted a dinner at a restaurant below the Wild offices for staff and many of their partners. Among those in attendance is Brackett goes through the qualities, pro and con, of the five or six players Heather Kurvers whose husband Tom was a long-time executive with the they feel reasonably confident will be available to them at those points in Wild. the first round from that master list.

Tom Kurvers, among the most respected men in the game, passed away Brackett, who will sit to Guerin’s immediate right during the draft, is the on June 21 after a long battle with small cell lung cancer. Heather foreman of the draft operation. Kurvers is joined at the dinner by the couple’s two boys, Weston and He joined the Wild, not unlike Guerin, in trying circumstances having Roman, who chat easily with Guerin and Leipold while eating dinner at been hired after leaving Vancouver in July 2020. That meant most of the the bar. work for the October 2020 draft delayed by COVID-19 was already done On Friday night, Weston, Roman and Kurvers’ daughters, Madison and when Brackett arrived. Rose, join the draft team to announce the two first-round picks the Wild He still hasn’t met in person about half of the scouting staff but they have own. worked hard to build a trust and commonality in a season when so much The moment is a powerful one, not just for the people in the Wild was thrown out of kilter in the drafting world with players not playing or organization but around the hockey world. A number of executives playing truncated schedules or in the case of some players being loaned reached out to Guerin to thank him for making sure Kurvers was to teams in Europe. remembered so warmly. “We’re going on a lot of good faith,” Brackett said of the process of “That was a big blow. I talked to him every day,” Guerin said. coming up with a final draft list.

At a busy time for the team it might have been the kind of moment that One of the reasons this last formal meeting of the group seems almost a could have been missed. But it wasn’t. formality is that there is a common vision shared by everyone in the organization from Guerin on down when it comes to drafting and Leipold drops in periodically during the days leading up to the draft to developing. have a piece of saltwater taffy Guerin has brought from the Jersey shore or share in some lunch. He’s not poring over the draft lists or offering “All the scouts talk a similar language. We’re a like-minded group,” he suggestions to the hockey ops folks. said.

But the changes being made are to his club and they don’t get made It cuts both ways with the draft list, Brackett explained, not just what without his blessing, especially the hard ones like buying out Suter and players fit, “but who are we trying to eliminate?” Parise or the firing of head coach who was replaced by That this draft comes at a time of great upheaval within the organization Jack Adams finalist Dean Evason. in theory doesn’t change how the scouts do their jobs. But, Brackett “He’s letting me do what I feel I have to,” Guerin said of Leipold. added, you are aware of how your work impacts the team at this particular time. And to get to where he wants this team to be there are going to be some hard choices made. “There have been seismic changes,” Brackett said. “There’s a plan. We’re part of that plan and we need to deliver on our end.” “You have to,” Guerin said. “Firing people sucks. Trading people sucks. Buying people out sucks.” The meeting quickly winds down.

But if you don’t make those kinds of moves how do you change what has “Anything else,” Guerin wants to know. been an ongoing assault on mediocrity in the Twin Cities? The team has “Nope. We’re ready,” Brackett said. not advanced beyond the second round since 2003 and has not won a playoff round since 2015. Lots of teams spend the day or hours before the draft grinding over their lists. Not the Wild. Thursday, July 22 “We shouldn’t be cramming,” Guerin said. Guerin starts the day with a coffee he’s made in the office kitchen. Friday, July 23 “What is that, hot chocolate?” Shero asked. The one player whose name comes up in discussion within the Wild “Hot chocolate? Ray, I’m 50 years old,” Guerin responded. “No, it’s offices throughout the weekend shouldn’t surprise anyone: Jack Eichel. Ovaltine.” It shouldn’t be a surprise because Buffalo has made it perfectly clear they A little later Guerin calls Seattle GM Ron Francis to congratulate him on a are looking to move on from the No. 2 pick in 2015 and there are a nice show the night before. They discuss Francis’ plans moving forward handful of teams, including the Wild, that have an obvious need for an Sexton suggests the Stars could swap picks with Edmonton and send a elite No. 1 center. later pick to the Oilers who don’t have many depth picks in this draft to ensure they could snare Wallstedt. Guerin is on the phone promptly with Eichel is such a player and even with the significant cap issues created Edmonton GM Ken Holland. Holland wants to see Nashville’s selection at by the Suter and Parise buyouts, there is still dialogue internally about 19 first. The room is quiet as the pick is announced. The Predators took how or if acquiring Eichel works for the Wild. Fedor Svechkov, another player that had figured prominently in the Wild It’s called due diligence. discussions, and Holland called back to complete the deal as the Wild sent the 90th pick to Edmonton to move up to 20th with the Oilers taking One can only imagine similar conversations are going on around the the Wild’s pick at 22. league. The sign of a pleasant surprise? The Wild so firmly believed that No team is going to be able to make a deal for Eichel without Wallstedt would be gone by the time their pick came around they didn’t contemplating a number of factors. First, the prospects and picks it would have a nameplate made up. take to satisfy Buffalo will likely include any number of the team’s top prospects plus a handful of first-round picks down the road. Then there is “Probably not exactly how we scripted it,” Brackett acknowledged. the $10 million cap hit Eichel carries for the next five years. Roman Kurvers announces the pick, prompting a nice round of applause How do you address all those moving parts without throwing the team’s in the draft room. carefully laid plans to move forward into complete chaos? Or can you? A few minutes later, it was brother Weston who did the honors as the The truth of the matter is there really isn’t a definitive answer. So Guerin Wild selected another player they had identified high on their list. Carson and his staff keep looking at it from as many angles as they can. Lambos, a defenseman from Winnipeg, is selected with the 26th pick. Friday morning those discussions become more earnest with Sells, This in spite of the fact a number of GMs had called Guerin about moving O’Hearn, Shero, Sexton and Guerin blue-skying what works from their into that slot. end. “I hate dropping back. I’d much rather move up to take guys,” Guerin Guerin turns to a large glass board on another of the room’s walls and said. begins drawing up what a deal might look like and what kind of elements Persson provides Guerin with Wallstedt’s phone number and even might need to come into play if they were to try and pry Eichel out of though it’s shortly after 5 a.m. in Sweden, the young netminder answers Buffalo. on about the third ring.

Eichel is determined to have neck surgery as opposed to rehabbing an “We’re very happy,” Guerin said, explaining to Wallstedt they didn’t injury that cost him half of last season and will likely miss the start of the believe they had a shot at him. “We’re thrilled. This is a big day for us coming season. The Sabres have opposed the surgery option and the too.” handling of the injury has led in some ways to the acrimony between Eichel and the Sabres. He explains how important hockey is in Minnesota and how the goalie coaches and staff in Minnesota can’t wait to work with him. “How do we protect ourselves,” Sexton asks. “It’s a good place for you to learn a lot of stuff,” Guerin said. Guerin calls the Wild’s team doctor to get input on the situation. The doctor in turn agrees to call a neck specialist to provide some more “I know it’s early in the morning, you probably want to get to sleep,” he context. Later Guerin has a long chat with the specialist about his added. “We’re really proud to have you.” interpretation of the procedure that Eichel is angling toward having. While Guerin does local media interviews, the scouting staff on hand do The group looks at the glass board and the assets that could possibly go a video call with the rest of the Wild’s scouting group to see how they feel out the door. about the first-round picks and to go over last-minute thoughts on Rounds 2 through 7 on Saturday. “It’s a lot,” someone in the group notes. Saturday, July 24 But it’s Jack Eichel, a superstar center, another notes. Guerin arrives at draft headquarters about 9 a.m., an hour before the It’s now mid-morning. The draft is about eight hours away. start of the second of the two-day draft having already had a phone chat On that glass board is the outline of a deal that would change everything with Lambos. Most of the staff is already on site. Once again they’re for Buffalo and Minnesota if it ever came to fruition. sporting jackets and ties. The original plan was that Saturday would be more casual for Rounds 2-7, but Guerin audibled late Friday telling the It won’t be the last time Eichel’s name comes up during the weekend. group to wear shirts and ties to keep the positive mojo of the first night of the draft going. Friday night “Hey guys, before we get going,” Guerin addresses the group. “I just The hockey ops group is in suits and ties. Wild jerseys are hung behind wanted to wish Randy a happy 74th birthday.” the u-shaped table from which the Wild will make their picks, including one with the name Kurvers on the back directly behind Guerin. There is applause for Sexton who is actually 62.

The staff greet the Kurvers family warmly and they take seats in the The Wild’s second-round pick passes without any further discussion and locker room and wait as the ponderous first round meanders toward the because the picks aren’t being broadcast as they were in the first round, Wild’s first pick. At one point the boys get up to grab a snack or stretch O’Hearn calls into the league to announce they selected solid high school their legs and Guerin stopped them in their tracks. defender Jack Peart, a former Mr. Hockey winner from the home state with the 54th pick. Peart had been part of the team’s discussions as a “Hey, hey, you guys, where are you guys going, we’re only 11 picks player that might have been available to them with either of their first- away,” and the room bursts into laughter. round picks. “You can go home and lie down for a while if you want,” Guerin added There’s a reason the team’s two development coaches, Brad Bombardir, with a laugh. a rugged NHL defenseman who logged 356 NHL games, and Matt Brackett felt the top 11 or 12 picks of the draft were pretty much locked in Hendricks, a veteran of 607 NHL games, sit next to each other during the and it was just a matter of who went where and in what order. But as the draft. first round unfolded, one of those players from that top group, Swedish The two player-development specialists will take the baton from Brackett netminder Jesper Wallstedt, remained in play. and the scouts in helping build a relationship with the new prospects. Considered one of if not the top goalie in the draft, Wallstedt was ninth on They’ll assist with all aspects of their growth from raw talent to NHL the Wild’s list. As the Wild pick approached, a kind of nervous energy players, from workout regimens to diet to difficulties they may have on swept through the room. and off the ice. It’s why Guerin jokes minutes after the Peart pick that Hendricks already has all of Peart’s information in his phone. Sexton asked Brackett if he really liked the kid. Brackett grins and nods. If Bombardir, Hendricks and Richard Bachman, who works with the Wild’s young goaltenders, do their job well, players will move seamlessly from the AHL Iowa board to the Minnesota board outside Guerin’s office. If they do their jobs properly, Guerin and his staff won’t be trying to find expensive free agents to fill in the blank spaces on the board. If they do their jobs well, kids like Peart or Caeden Bankier, the first forward taken by the Wild this weekend with the 86th pick, or defenseman Kyle Masters picked in the fourth round, will someday walk into a Wild locker room whose culture has been established and refined by other homegrown Wild players.

If, however, the team fails on the developmental end it will be difficult if not impossible for the Wild to ascend to that upper echelon of NHL teams.

The Wild ended up trading their fifth and seventh-round picks to move up and take center Josh Pillar in the fourth round. The added bonus for the staff is that their day ends early.

Some of the staff head off to change into casual clothes for a team dinner at a local bar.

For a brief time, they will gather and celebrate the work done and maybe for a time forget about the work that lies ahead.

“This is not my weekend,” Guerin insisted. “I am taking advice from the people around me that really know this stuff.”

For Guerin, there are parallels to what life was like when he was a player. He loved to have a good time, have some laughs but when the puck dropped it was all business.

“That’s kind of the way I look at this, too. We work our asses off and we challenge each other,” he said. “It’s great.”

The Athletic LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218628 Montreal Canadiens much sex as their friends say they are and they’re more prone to engaging in behaviours like Logan engaged in. If I was to testify in court, I would be saying that him displaying this to his friends was about his status among them at her expense. That his peers did not do anything Cowan: Canadiens drafting Mailloux 'reflects deep insensitivity': expert about it, nor his coach, tells you something, doesn’t it?”

"The damage that's done is very, very significant," West Virginia DeKeseredy said he would love to speak with Canadiens University's Dr. Walter S. DeKeseredy says. "This woman's decimated." owner/president Geoff Molson to enlighten him on sexual violence.

“It reflects a deep insensitivity … I just can’t understand this,” DeKeseredy said about the decision to draft Mailloux. “The city of Stu Cowan Montreal Gazette Montreal is still reeling from the Dec. 6, 1989 massacre (in which 14 women were murdered at the École Polytechnique). The Habs, I’ve noticed, have more female fans than most other hockey teams. Certainly Dr. Walter S. DeKeseredy became a huge Canadiens fan as a young boy they’re going to be deeply upset by this. This is indeed a slap in the face. living in Hudson. I would also say to Geoff Molson to issue a public apology and to not sign this player. I realize young people do things in regret, but did they His family moved to Toronto when he was 8, but the now 62-year old had really have to pick this person? remained a lifelong fan of the Canadiens. That was until they selected 18-year-old defenceman Logan Mailloux with their first-round pick (31st “It’s very hard for me to support an organization that condones this type overall) at the NHL Draft on Friday. of violence against women,” DeKeseredy added. “I was really wrestling with this … it was very, very difficult for me and I have all kinds of Mailloux released a statement last Tuesday saying he had renounced Canadiens memorabilia. I subscribe to the Centre Ice package so I that I himself from this year’s draft, adding he didn’t deserve the honour or can watch the Habs here in West Virginia. How do I justify, given the line privilege of being selected after secretly photographing an 18-year-old of work I do, my commitment to gender equality? How do I justify woman engaged in a sexual act with him while in Sweden last year and supporting this team now?” sharing the picture and her identity with his SK Lejon teammates. Mailloux was charged with defamation and offensive photography and Montreal Gazette LOADED: 07.27.2021 was fined about $2,100.

The Canadiens still decided to draft Mailloux with GM saying: “From the players available — just from the hockey side — he was the best pick, from the hockey side.”

DeKeseredy is an Anna Deane Carlson Endowed Chair of Social Sciences, Professor of Sociology, and Director of the Research Center on Violence at West Virginia University. He has published 26 books and more than 100 scientific journal articles and 90 book chapters on violence against women and other social problems.

“I was deeply concerned,” DeKeseredy said during a phone interview Monday about the Canadiens’ decision to draft Mailloux. “I’m a great Montreal Canadiens fan as well as a professor, so I took this a little personally, too. … I was just so shocked at this draft pick.

“This is becoming a hot topic — needless to say — among women’s groups around North America, battered women’s organizations, sexual- assault centres, rape-crisis centres,” he added. “This example is being tied to what people in the field refer to as a rape culture in excuses for these sexually abusive men. We know that in many professional sports this is ubiquitous.”

Mailloux was 17 when he took the photo and there are some who will say it was just a teenager making a dumb mistake and that it shouldn’t be such a big deal. The Canadiens seem to feel that way with their decision to draft him.

Dr. Walter S. DeKeseredy is an Anna Deane Carlson Endowed Chair of Social Sciences, Professor of Sociology, and Director of the Research Center on Violence at West Virginia University. He has published 26 books and more than 100 scientific journal articles and 90 book chapters on violence against women and other social problems.

“It is a big deal,” DeKeseredy said. “The damage that’s done is very, very significant. This woman’s decimated … she’s the one who’s going to pay the price. She will likely face major challenges getting jobs, she’s going to have long-term trauma. These Images never disappear … they never disappear. They stay up there for life. There are people who are driven to suicide because of this. So this is very, very serious stuff.

“People like myself argue that it exists on a continuum of sexual violence, ranging from non-physical acts to physical ones like forced penetration. This is a form of digital violence. People like myself define this as violence. Psychological abuse can be far more damaging than acts of physical violence and we have a substantial body of research that supports that.

“The sexual abuse is not about this man’s pleasure,” DeKeseredy added. “It’s about status among his peers. This is what I found in my research … I call it male peer support. Most of the men like him who do these type of things belong to peer groups. That’s why I’m worried about these hockey teams. They belong to peer groups that place a very high price on sexual conquest. Members of these peer groups feel that they’re not getting as 1218629 Montreal Canadiens

St-Hubert BBQ may ditch Canadiens after controversial draft choice

Restaurant chain "surprised" by the team's decision and considering pulling its advertisements at the .

Katherine Wilton Montreal Gazette

One of Quebec’s best-known companies is reflecting on whether to continue advertising with the Montreal Canadiens following the team’s controversial decision to draft Logan Mailloux.

Mailloux, 18, asked that no NHL team draft him this year after it was revealed he had shown teammates a photo, taken without consent, of a young woman engaging in a sexual act with him while he was living in Sweden last year.

“This choice surprised us, and we are evaluating if we’re going to continue our partnership with them,” said Josée Vaillancourt, the company’s director of public relations.

“In 2021, with everything we have seen, with all the movements, we were actually surprised. Are they going to go back on their position or will they go forward and accompany the young man?”

Mailloux was charged with defamation and offensive photography and was ordered to pay a fine of about $2,100.

Senior executives at the popular restaurant chain discussed the Canadiens’ first-round draft choice Monday, but they haven’t had a chance to speak with senior members of the hockey team, including its owner and president, Geoff Molson.

“We will take a few days to reflect on the situation,” she said. “We believe that everyone has a right to a second chance, but was it too early for him?”

The company is very family-oriented, so the situation isn’t ideal, she added.

Besides running an annual contest with fans, the company also advertises on the boards at the Bell Centre and Place Bell, where the play.

Mailloux has apologized for his conduct and said he is seeking professional counselling.

He had issued a statement renouncing himself from this year’s NHL draft because of his conviction. The Canadiens drafted him anyway.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday, the defenceman read a statement in which he expressed regret for what he did to his victim.

“I know I caused a lot of harm to this person and their family, and I regret doing this stupid and egotistical act,” he said. “What I did now is, unfortunately, a part of both her life and mine.”

Quebec groups helping women who have experienced sexual violence say the Montreal Canadiens are trivializing criminal acts by drafting a player with a conviction for victimizing a woman.

On Saturday, Isabelle Charest, the Quebec minister responsible for the status of women, said she was surprised and disappointed by the decision to draft Mailloux.

“The choice to draft Mr. Mailloux is not at all in line with the positive change in culture that I want to bring about in the sporting world and at the societal level,” she wrote on Twitter.

“Having exceptional athletic skills is one thing, but I truly believe that those who are part of (the NHL) should be role models, on and off the ice.”

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218630 Montreal Canadiens “I’ve participated in batter intervention programs,” DeKeseredy said. “I’ve observed and I have friends who run them and there are some excellent ones in the Montreal area. We try to get men to realize their sexism, their violence, their control issues. And this can’t be done with a few sessions Canadiens' pick Logan Mailloux has lots of work to do off ice: expert with a psychiatrist.

"He needs time — he even said he needed time — to develop a stronger “This man likely grew up in a very sexist environment … I’m sorry to say character," West Virginia University's Dr. Walter S. DeKeseredy says. but hockey can be,” DeKeseredy added. “I’ve played hockey, I know what it’s like in the locker room and now I’m teaching at an NCAA school

that’s in the Big 12 Conference. I teach football players, I teach Stu Cowan Montreal Gazette basketball players, so I’m familiar with the culture. I think this young man needs more time.

“This seems to be more about the Montreal Canadiens wanting to win a "Geoff Molson's aware of everything that goes on in our organization and few games rather than helping this man become a kinder, better person.” this was a hockey decision and we'll leave it at that,” Canadiens assistant GM Trevor Timmins said when asked if the team owner/president had Montreal Gazette LOADED: 07.27.2021 signed off on drafting Logan Mailloux.

Article content

Dr. Walter S. DeKeseredy believes in giving people second chances and that includes Logan Mailloux, the Canadiens’ first-round pick at this year’s NHL Draft.

Mailloux, an 18-year-old defenceman, released a statement early last week saying he had renounced himself from Friday night’s draft, adding he hadn’t earned and didn’t deserve the privilege of being selected after secretly photographing an 18-year-old woman engaged in a sexual act with him while in Sweden last year and sharing the picture and her identity with his SK Lejon teammates. Mailloux was charged with defamation and offensive photography and was fined approximately US$1,650.

DeKeseredy is an Anna Deane Carlson Endowed Chair of Social Sciences, Professor of Sociology, and Director of the Research Center on Violence at West Virginia University. He has published 26 books and more than 100 scientific journal articles and 90 book chapters on violence against women and other social problems. He became a big Canadiens fan as a youngster growing up in Hudson, but says he can’t support the team now.

“People like myself do the work we do to facilitate change,” DeKeseredy said during a phone interview Monday. “We want to see people become good people. But in my opinion, (Mailloux) has a long way to go. I don’t fully believe that he’s remorseful because the survivor — we don’t call these people victims, we call them survivors — has even said that she does not believe his apology. I think he has a lot of work to do. Also, you’re going to trust him in a hyper-masculine environment. He needs time — and he even said he needed time — to develop a stronger character.”

The Canadiens decided to draft Mailloux even though he had asked not to be selected this year.

“I know it will take time for society to build back the trust I have lost, and that is why I think it is best that I renounce myself from the 2021 NHL Draft and ask that no one select me this upcoming weekend,” Mailloux said in his statement before the draft.

After the draft, Mailloux said: “I haven’t said that I think I deserve to be drafted. Like I said in my statement, I do not think that I did earn the right to be drafted.”

Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin tried to justify drafting Mailloux by saying: “Just on the hockey side, we saw players who were picked before him — we’re only talking about the hockey side right now — he was a step ahead of them. And from the players available — just from the hockey side — he was the best pick, from the hockey side.”

Assistant GM Trevor Timmins said the team “truly believes” Mailloux is remorseful for his actions. Timmins added that Rob Ramage, the Canadiens’ director of player development, has already started working with Mailloux and that the team’s community-relations people also have a plan in place for him.

“I know Logan meets with a lady psychiatrist a couple of times a week and we’re looking forward to welcoming him to training camp,” Timmins said.

DeKeseredy said meeting with a psychiatrist a couple of times a week isn’t enough for Mailloux at this point. 1218631 Montreal Canadiens

Jesperi Kotkaniemi among six Canadiens to get qualifying offers

Artturi Lehkonen, Michael Pezzetta, Ryan Poehling, Otto Leskinen and Michael McNiven also receive offers as restricted free agents.

Stu Cowan Montreal Gazette

The Canadiens' Jesperi Kotkaniemi is coming off a three-year, NHL entry-level contract worth US$10.275 million with an annual salary-cap hit of $925,000 and is a restricted free agent.

Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin made qualifying contract offers to six players on Monday, including Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Artturi Lehkonen.

Both players are restricted free agents with the NHL free-agency signing period beginning on Wednesday.

Kotkaniemi posted 5-15-20 totals in 56 regular-season games this year and had 5-3-8 totals in 19 playoff games. The 21-year-old centre is coming off a three-year, NHL entry-level contract worth US$10.275 million with an annual salary-cap hit of $925,000.

Lehkonen posted 7-6-13 totals in 47 regular-season games and had 3-1- 4 totals in 17 playoff games. The 26-year-old left-winger is coming off a two-year, US$4.8 million contract with an annual salary-cap hit of $2.4 million.

Bergevin also made qualifying offers on Monday to forwards Michael Pezzetta and Ryan Poehling, along with defenceman Otto Leskinen and goalie Michael McNiven, who all spent this past season with the AHL’s Laval Rocket. Those four players are also restricted free agents.

Canadiens forwards Phillip Danault, Joel Armia, Corey Perry, Tomas Tatar and Eric Staal are all unrestricted free agents, along with defencemen Jon Merrill and Erik Gustafsson.

According to CapFriendly.com, the Canadiens have just over $14 million in available salary-cap space.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218632 Montreal Canadiens was sexually assaulted by one of the team’s assistant coaches. Paul Vincent, the skills coach at the time, said he went to senior Blackhawks executives, including GM Stan Bowman, and told them they should go to the police to report the allegations. They did not. Bergevin said he was What the Puck: It's time for Geoff Molson to explain Habs' draft pick “not aware” of these allegations at the time.

It's baffling that the team owner, GM and draft chief could not see what I don’t understand how Molson, Bergevin and Timmins could not see the reaction would be to selecting Logan Mailloux. what the reaction would be to selecting Mailloux. It leaves the impression that all they care about is nabbing a player who might’ve been drafted

earlier if it wasn’t for the personal baggage. They’re clearly hoping the Brendan Kelly Montreal Gazette news cycle will move on and the anger and disappointment will dissipate.

But they misjudged where our society is in 2021.

Montreal Canadiens owner Geoff Molson watches during game against Re: Mailloux the Vancouver Canucks in Montreal on Feb. 2, 2021. I’ve been in the comments all day. I’m now not only disgusted with my Article content team, I’m disgusted with its fan base. So many men dismissing what he did because he’s so damn talented. Can anybody make this conversation The Logan Mailloux story is not about second chances. It’s about one of about anything other than how talented he is? the most influential corporations in Quebec making a terribly irresponsible decision that sends a dangerous message to the world. — Marianne (@MarianneP514) July 25, 2021

Mailloux deserves a second chance, just like anyone who’s made a big With great power comes great responsibility. The Canadiens are revered mistake, and he could’ve received that second chance if the Montreal by millions and have a huge role to play in Quebec. They’re much more Canadiens had respected his publicly stated wishes and not drafted him than just a hockey team. The Molson family has owned this team for a this year. He could’ve played another year of junior hockey and, if he’s as good chunk of the past 70 years and until now the family has always good as the hockey pundits say he is, he would’ve been picked up by a understood the responsibility that comes with ownership of this storied team next year. franchise that is so much a part of Québécois culture.

The anger and disappointment this week is not directed at Mailloux. The It’s time for Molson to take that family legacy seriously and he can do that people who did the wrong thing are the senior managers of the by breaking his silence and taking a strong ethical stand on this issue. Canadiens, up to and including owner and president Geoff Molson. The buck stops with the boss. Ultimately, he is responsible for the decisions Montreal Gazette LOADED: 07.27.2021 his company makes, and that’s why Molson needs to come out of hiding and explain why he thought it was okay to pick a player who trampled on the fundamental rights of a young woman in Sweden.

You don’t need to be female, or the parent of a girl, to be shocked by the Montreal Canadiens selection of Logan Mailloux in the NHL draft, but if you’re male, just for a moment try putting yourself in the position of a female fan and picture how devastating this must feel.

— Gord Miller (@GMillerTSN) July 24, 2021

I’ve heard enough comments from male hockey fans during the weekend about how what Mailloux did isn’t that serious, that it was just a teenager having a little fun and maybe going too far. The focus should be on the victim, who told The Athletic recently that she’s still waiting for “a heartfelt apology” from Mailloux for what he did. He took photos of her without consent in the midst of a sexual act with him and shared the photo and information that identified her with his teammates.

Mailloux asked not to be drafted, saying he had not shown “strong enough maturity or character to earn that privilege in the 2021 Draft.”

Molson, general manager Marc Bergevin and head of scouting Trevor Timmins somehow came to the conclusion that it would just hunky dory to ignore his plea and draft him anyway.

Mélanie Lemay, co-founder of Le mouvement Québec contre les violences sexuelles, said it best: “It’s really a slap on the face of every woman who has experienced violence because, in a certain way, it normalizes and trivializes what happened.”

Amen. The Canadiens used to be routinely cited as one of the classiest organizations in professional sports and in Quebec society. For decades, during his on-ice career and after, the public face of the Canadiens was Jean Béliveau, the ultimate gentleman. The same organization is sending the message that it’s more important to get a quality hockey player added to its roster than it is to help build a world where sexual harassment is not tolerated.

Why did Molson and Bergevin think this was right? Are they that out of touch with where our society is in this #metoo universe? It also has many wondering about Bergevin’s moral compass. When he hired goalie coach Sean Burke last season, few talked about the fact that Burke was convicted of assaulting his wife in 1997.

It also reignites questions about Bergevin’s role in the Chicago Blackhawks sex scandal.

Bergevin was director of pro personnel with the Blackhawks during the 2010 playoffs when an unidentified former Blackhawks player alleges he 1218633 Nashville Predators Last cap hit: $4.25 million. Numbers: 3.36 GAA, .905 save percentage in 12 games for the Coyotes

last season. Who's No. 2? Nashville Predators on the prowl for Juuse Saros' backup FYI: Like Mrazek, injuries kept him off the ice a lot last year. He, too, after Pekka Rinne retires could be looking to make a one- or two-year stop somewhere. His price tag would have to come down for it to make sense for the Predators.

Paul Skrbina Jaroslav Halak

Age: 36.

With their backup plan – Pekka Rinne – retired, the Nashville Predators Last cap hit: $2.25 million. were forced to turn to their backup-backup plan for No. 1 goalie Juuse Numbers: 2.53 GAA, .905 save percentage in 19 games for the Bruins Saros. last season. So who will be No. 2 for Nashville next season? FYI: This would seem to make perfect sense for Nashville. He's not That's a question at or near the top of general manager David Poile's young and trying to prove himself anymore. He's had a long, good offseason agenda. career. His price tag probably would be in the range the Predators would be willing to pay. RETIREMENT: Pekka Rinne goes out like he came in — quietly, with class Tennessean LOADED: 07.27.2021

ESTES: There won't be another Pekka Rinne, a 'man of the people' and true Nashville treasure

Goalie Iaroslav Askarov, the team's pick at 11th in the 2020 draft, is in the pipeline but not expected to be NHL ready for a couple of years, though he's been labeled a potential "franchise player" by some in the front office.

With the free agency period beginning Wednesday – and 37 goalies with unrestricted status – here's a look at five targets the Predators could consider to bridge the gap between Rinne's departure and Askarov's arrival:

Connor Ingram

Age: 24.

Contract/cap hit: Two years remaining/$733,333 per year.

Numbers: 1.92 goals-against, .933 save percentage in 33 games for Milwaukee in 2019-20, his last full season.

FYI: Ingram hardly played last season after entering the NHL's player assistance program, which helps players and their families with mental health and substance abuse issues. He also never has played in an NHL game. But he could be an attractive option because of his cap hit and the potential he's shown when he has played. The Predators acquired Ingram in 2019 from the Lightning for a seventh-round pick in this year's draft and signed him to a three-year deal.

"The most important thing is it appears that he has his life back on track and in order," Poile said. "If he gets that back in order, the hockey, I'm sure, comes."

Linus Ullmark

Age: 28.

Last cap hit: $2.6 million.

Numbers: 2.63 GAA, .917 save percentage in 20 games with Sabres last season.

FYI: Injuries have been a problem for Ullmark. Still, he might make the most sense for the Predators. His cost should be relatively low, and his numbers have been above-average.

Petr Mrazek

Age: 29.

Last cap hit: $3.125 million.

Numbers: 2.06 GAA, .923 save percentage in 12 games with Hurricanes last season.

FYI: Both he and James Reimer are unrestricted free agents who played with Carolina last season. The Hurricanes weren't optimistic about re- signing Mrazek, who was hampered by injuries last year and might be willing to sign a "prove-it" deal.

Antti Raanta

Age: 32. 1218634 Nashville Predators 22, could play alongside Glass, which would achieve the Predators’ goal of getting younger at key positions.

CODY GLASS, TRADED TO NSH, HAS STRUGGLED TO GENERATE Who are the Predators getting in Cody Glass? Vegas coach Pete DeBoer ANYTHING AT ALL OFFENSIVELY IN THE NHL. #PREDS breaks down his game PIC.TWITTER.COM/TNLTDSKMCN

— JFRESH (@JFRESHHOCKEY) JULY 17, 2021

By Adam Vingan Jul 26, 2021 Reclamation projects carry risk. Glass’ analytical profile, albeit with less than a full season’s worth of games to pull from, is lackluster. But given his age and pedigree, the Predators are willing to take a gamble.

As the No. 6 pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, Cody Glass faced two kinds of “I’m excited for him,” DeBoer said. “He’s a fantastic kid and a fantastic pressure. teammate. He was one of the most popular guys in the dressing room. When Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty are asking to play with him when There was the pressure commonly associated with being a top-10 he comes up, asking the coach, ‘Hey, put him with us,’ that’s a testament selection. On top of that, Glass was also the first draft pick in Vegas not only to their respect for his skills but also what kind of guy and what Golden Knights history. kind of teammate he was. It was a lot for a 20-year-old rookie to handle, and that was before he “I was anticipating him coming back for us and having a fantastic season, suffered a serious right-knee injury that required surgery and derailed his really taking a huge step. He knew what he had to do. He knew how development. important the summer was going to be. I have no doubt that that’s going In trading for Glass earlier this month, the Predators, who have rarely to happen. I think the fresh start without some of the baggage of what been bad enough to pick in the draft lottery, saw an opportunity to add a he’s dealt with the first couple years here is going to make him even promising young forward as they pursue a so-called “competitive rebuild.” better.”

Golden Knights coach Pete DeBoer, who took over the team in January The Athletic LOADED: 07.27.2021 2020, said last week that Glass, now 22, endured “some terrible, unfortunate luck” during his first two NHL seasons.

“Tremendous amount of pressure he put on himself,” said DeBoer, whom the Golden Knights hired 11 days after Glass originally injured his knee. “And then when you throw in the unfortunate circumstances and the injury and the type of injury, if he’d blown a shoulder out or even broken a wrist, it would’ve been better than the knee surgery that put him out. It was probably the one injury that (could have) set him back the most. Anything else he probably could’ve dealt with a lot quicker.

“It took him the year to catch up, I think real similar to the guy we’re acquiring for him (Nolan Patrick) — two high-end prospects that essentially have missed a year of hockey, (which) put them behind a little bit. I can tell you in the time I did have with him, even coming back from a year off this year, you could see the elite hockey sense. Some of the plays he made were those ‘wow’ moments coaches have when great players make plays that a lot of people on the ice can’t.”

DeBoer recalled a pass that Glass made to set up for a goal against the Minnesota Wild on March 3.

“We were standing on the bench and said, ‘Did you see that?’” DeBoer said. “Even Alex Tuch’s reaction after he scored was, ‘Wow.’ It wasn’t just an accident. He made that on a regular occurrence. When he had the puck on his stick, good things were happening.”

The Predators see Glass as a top-six center, which DeBoer said is the right role for him long term. He could also use some stability. The Golden Knights moved him around the lineup, playing him with a varied cast of linemates in 66 games over two seasons.

Tuch, according to Natural Stat Trick, was Glass’ most frequent linemate with 350:43 of shared ice time at five-on-five. Max Pacioretty was next at 180:21.

DeBoer also said Glass is “elite around the net” on the power play. All four of his goals last season came from the slot with the Golden Knights on the man advantage.

“He’s going to be that centerman everyone’s looking for — big, make plays, make people around him better,” DeBoer said. “It’s just when is he going to be that centerman? Is it going to be this year in September or is it going to be a year from now in September?

“He’s got to play with good players. When we got to the playoffs, some people wondered, ‘Well, why didn’t we stick him in the lineup?’ You’re not doing him justice by playing him on your fourth line as that type of player. He’s an offensive player. He needs to play with good players, and he needs to play on your power play. That’s what he does at a world-class level.”

Glass could slide underneath Ryan Johansen on the Predators’ center depth chart. Mikael Granlund, who held that role for most of last season, is an unrestricted free agent. Wingers , 23, and Eeli Tolvanen, 1218635 New York Islanders

Islanders don't extend qualifying offer to Michael Dal Colle, source says

By Andrew Gross

The Islanders opted not to extend a qualifying offer to Michael Dal Colle before Monday afternoon’s deadline, per a source with knowledge of the situation.

That means the former first-round pick will become an unrestricted free agent when the market opens on Wednesday.

The Islanders did not release the information, unlike many other NHL teams.

The source said president and general manager Lou Lamoriello did extend qualifying offers to his three, key restricted free agents, Anthony Beauvillier, defenseman Adam Pelech and goalie Ilya Sorokin, all who are arbitration eligible.

Kieffer Bellows, Otto Koivula and Anatoly Golyshev also received qualifying offers while Bobo Carpenter and Dmytro Timashov were not extended qualifying offers and will also become UFAs.

Dal Colle was selected fifth overall in 2014 and was arbitration eligible as he completed a two-year, $1.4 million deal. He had one goal and three assists in 26 games last season but was unavailable for the Islanders’ playoff run because of injury.

Dal Colle, 25, used mainly as a bottom-six forward, has eight goals and 12 assists in 111 career NHL games.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218636 New York Islanders

Michael Dal Colle Not Given QO by Islanders; Six Players Receive Qualifying Offers

By Christian Arnold

The New York Islanders did not extend a qualifying offer to Michael Dal Colle, according to Newsday’s Andrew Gross.

The Islanders did not release their list of qualifying offers on Monday. Anthony Beauvillier, Kieffer Bellows, Anatolii Golyshev, Otto Koivula, Adam Pelech and Ilya Sorokin did receive qualifying offers, according to Gross.

Dmytro Timashov and Bobo Carpenter were also not extended qualifying offers.

Dal Colle comes as the biggest surprise among the group that did not receive offers from the Islanders. The former fifth overall pick developed into a bottom-six role for the Islanders when he did play.

The 25-year-old forward appeared in 26 games in the COVID-19 shortened season and had a goal and four points. Michael Dal Colle played in 111 games in his four years with the Islanders. He had eight goals and 21 points over that span in the NHL.

Dal Colle was drafted in the first round of the 2014 NHL Draft in Philadelphia but never developed into the type of player he was expected to be having been drafted as high as he was. Michael Dal Colle had turned into a solid player under Barry Trotz in his own zone and was responsible with the puck, but his scoring production was never there.

Beauvillier, Pelech and Sorokin headlined the list of players that were qualified. All three will receive raises, with Pelech getting the biggest of the three.

Pelech is reportedly the Islanders’ biggest priority this offseason, and rightfully so being one of the team’s top defenseman. The defender is looking at a deal somewhere in the $5 million range per year.

NYI Hockey NowLOADED: 07.27.2021 1218637 New York Islanders The Islanders struggles on the road factored into them not having home ice during the postseason last year. Pittsburgh, Washington and Boston — all of whom finished ahead of the Islanders — all had winning records on the road. Islanders Elongated Road Trip to Start Season Will Test the Team’s Character #Isles were 11-13-4 on the road in 2020-21. Will need to be better on road, especially early on with long road trip (13). It was the difference last season, standings-wise (back to normal divisions). Cost them home-ice in playoffs. By Stefen Rosner 1. PIT: 15-12-1

2. WSH: 19-7-2 New York Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello jokingly (or not so jokingly) said that he took a long walk after the schedule came out, as he 3. BOS: 15-9-4 saw his team would start the first 13 games on the road. — Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) July 23, 2021 No, the NHL doesn’t hate the Islanders, but with work still being done on UBS Arena, the league wanted to make sure that it gave the Islanders There is a break in the road trip late in October where the Islanders enough wiggle room for the building to be done before they hit the ice. should be able to return home and spend time with their family. Following Instead of opening their new barn in October, the Islanders and their fans a game against the Vegas Golden Knights on Oct 23, the Islanders have will have to wait until Nov. 20 against the Calgary Flames to play the first a few days before their game against the Predators in Nashville on Oct game at UBS Arena. 30.

The ensuing road trip will be the longest road trip to kick off a season in The break could be a blessing or a curse, depending on how the first five NHL history, playing four more games on the road than the New York games go. Rangers had to during the renovation of Madison Square Garden in The good news is that 41 of the Islanders’ last 69 games will come on 2013-14. home ice. While the Islanders will no longer be on Nassau Coliseum ice, The Islanders road trip to start the 2021-22 season is the longest ever to where they dominated last season (21-4-3), UBS Arena should provide a begin an NHL campaign. #NHLStats #Isles – 13 games (UBS similar climate and lead to similar results. Arena)#NYR – 9 in 2013-14 (MSG renovation)#NJDevils – 9 in 2007-08 The elongated road trip will test the true colors of this Islanders team. (Pru Center)#Canes – 9 in 1999-00 (Raleigh Arena) And if the Islanders can find a way to overcome the rigid beginning of the Nordiques – 9 in 1980-81 season, that could be the deciding factor come season’s end given the competitiveness of the division. — Emma Miller (@emiller04) July 22, 2021 NYI Hockey NowLOADED: 07.27.2021 “It’s going to be challenging, but we have to look at the glass half full,” Lamoriello said during a conference call with reporters on Saturday. “The arena will not be open until our opening date that we have scheduled, that’s a guaranteed date. There had to be some flexibility if there were a little bit of a delay. That really made a decision for the league. We had to be on the road because not only us starting late, but the preparation for the Olympics inclusive of an all-star game.

“I think all of us have difficult schedules, but ours certainly more difficult than most.”

The road trip, which begins on October 14 against the Carolina Hurricanes, ends more than a month later on November 16, following a game against the Florida Panthers. It will be a significant test for a franchise that has struggled to find consistency on the road over the last few seasons.

And the Islanders will have their work cut out for them.

Of the 12 teams the Islanders will battle against on their first road trip (play Florida twice in the first 13 games), eight of them participated in this past postseason. Six of those eight teams finished the 2020-21 regular season with more points than the Islanders.

That will make the challenging start to the 2021-22 season even more so, which could be an issue since the Islanders have relied on long point streaks in the first half of the season in the past to compensate for sluggish second halfs. Despite back-to-back trips to the semifinals, the Islanders have limped to the playoffs in two consecutive seasons.

The road was not too kind to the Islanders last when they went 11-13-4. It was the dominance at home that gave the Islanders a chance to partake in postseason festivities.

In 2019-20, their first 13 games brought success with a 10-3 record. However, only 5 of those games were on the road. They were 4-1 in those games and finished with a road record of 15-14-4 that season.

What’s clear is that the Islanders will need to be succesful on the road early to put themselves in a good spot later on in the seaason.

“We will have to schedule a little different,” Lamoriello said. “Training camp will be more important than ever as far as getting ourselves in shape. There will be less practice time that period of time because of the amount of traveling that has to be done, almost like when you’re playing in the playoffs.” 1218638 New York Islanders Jake Virtanen will have the final season of his contract bought out by the Vancouver Canucks.The 24-year-old forward was placed on unconditional waivers Sunday for the purpose of a buyout, Canucks general manager Jim Benning confirmed. (NHL) NYHN Daily: Islanders Plan Hasn’t Changed & More NYI Hockey Now LOADED: 07.27.2021

By Stefen Rosner

As we approach free agency, the New York Islanders are still working to bring players back. It’s a work in progress says Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello. How did the draft go for the Islanders?

These stories and more in today’s daily links!

New York Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello was pretty clear in his objectives for the offseason first and foremost. We were pleased we were able to get a little relief,” Lamoriello said during a conference call with reporters. “But we certainly have a lot of work to do. We still have to get our players signed that we have not got signed. That’s a work in process.” (NYI Hockey Now)

It took some time, but the New York Islanders made six selections during the 2021 NHL Draft. In the end, the Islanders selected two forwards, two defensemen and two goaltenders. New YorkIslanders general manager Lou Lamoriello told reporters afterward that he was pleased with the diversity of positions they were able to draft on Saturday. (NYI Hockey Now)

A certain Boston Hockey Now puck scribe was quite critical of Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney this past Thursday after he acknowledged that he had yet to really explore the NHL trade market for the Top 4 left-shot defenseman the Bruins are targeting this offseason. (Boston Hockey Now)

The Draft weekend had some clear winners, including some in the Metro Division, while the Pittsburgh Penguins moved along on their own path with a few solid picks, a “show-me” deal, and sources tipped off PHN on what’s to come for the Penguins. (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)

With the dust settled from NHL Draft weekend and a few days before free agency starts on Wednesday, I wanted to take a look back at each trade. What did the Flyers give up, what did they get, and, most importantly, how did the Flyers fare in the trade? (Philly Hockey Now)

Not long after completing the trade for Sam Reinhart, Florida Panthers GM Bill Zito was asked how wide Joel Quenneville’s smile was when he started tinkering with all the lineup combinations his team could ice this coming season. Zito, with a big smile on his own face, said his coach wasn’t the only one who is excited about the “what could be” when it comes to this group of Florida forwards. (Florida Hockey Now)

With the expansion and NHL drafts said and done and free agency approaching, the Washington Capitals are shifting their focus to the biggest item on their offseason to-do list: re-signing Alex Ovechkin. (Washington Hockey Now)

Red Savage is a skipper who dresses like Gilligan. The captain of the US under-18 team made some stylish wardrobe choices following his selection by the Detroit Red Wings with the 114th overall pick of the NHL entry draft. (Detroit Hockey Now)

After discussing the six-year, $54 million new contract to franchise defenseman Cale Makar, it wasn’t long before Colorado Avalanche GM Joe Sakic was asked about the situation with the captain, Landeskog, and No. 1 goalie, Grubauer. “We’re hopeful we can come to terms as well, have them sign with us as well. But I won’t comment on the negotiations. They’re still going on,” Sakic said. (Colorado Hockey Now)

The San Jose Sharks may have drafted a couple rabble-rousers in Max McCue and Liam Gilmartin. McCue cited snarly Matthew Tkachuk as his favorite player to watch. Gilmartin models his game after Public Enemy No. 1 Tom Wilson. (San Jose Hockey Now)

Several high-profile players changed teams, including defensemen Oliver Ekman-Larsson, traded to the Vancouver Canucks by the Arizona Coyotes, and Seth Jones, traded to the Chicago Blackhawks by the . With so many transactions taking place recently, we asked six NHL.com staff writers and editors to choose what they think was the biggest move since the expansion draft Wednesday. (NHL) 1218639 New York Rangers

Rangers give Igor Shesterkin, Filip Chytil qualifying offers

By Mollie Walker July 26, 2021 | 1:59pm | Updated

Reunion with youth coach changed everything for Rangers’ pick: ‘Tears in your eyes’

With the start of free agency beginning Wednesday, the Rangers, as expected, made qualifying offers to the team’s key restricted free agents — goalie Igor Shesterkin and center Filip Chytil.

Defenseman Libor Hajek, as well as prospects Tim Gettinger, Ty Ronning and Adam Huska, were also qualified Monday. New general manager Chris Drury opted not to qualify Yegor Rykov, Brandon Crawley, Gabriel Fontaine and Patrick Newell.

The Rangers currently have more than $21.8 million in cap space after signing Barclay Goodrow to a six-year contract and adding Sammy Blais’ $1.5 million cap hit from the Pavel Buchnevich trade, according to CapFriendly. But there is still work to be done on the lineup — which could possibly be addressed on the free-agent market — in addition to next year’s paydays for the Norris Trophy-winning Adam Fox and top-line center Mika Zibanejad.

That’s what Drury will have to keep in mind as he negotiates the upcoming RFA deals for Shesterkin and Chytil.

Igor Shesterkin and Filip Chytil.

It makes sense for the Rangers to sign the 25-year-old netminder to a five-year contract, at the least, considering Shesterkin is just two years away from unrestricted free agency. Shesterkin, who began to find his footing at the end of last season following a rocky start, is expected to come in around $5 million-$6 million per year.

For comparison, Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko signed a five-year, $25 million extension in March. Demko is the same age as Shesterkin and the two put up similar numbers last season. Shesterkin was 16-14-3 with a 2.62 goals against average and .916 save percentage while Demko was 16-18-1 with a 2.85 goals against average .915 save percentage.

Shesterkin, who started 31 of the Rangers’ 56 games last season, has been groomed to be the team’s starting goalie since before former face of the franchise was bought out last September. It’s why the Russian goaltender will likely get closer to a $6 million average annual value.

While re-signing Shesterkin appears to be straight-forward, there is more to consider when it comes to Chytil, who doesn’t have arbitration rights. Had a hand injury not derailed the 21-year-old’s season and limited him to eight goals in 42 games, the Rangers may view Chytil a bit differently.

The truth is, Chytil hasn’t been able to establish himself as a top-six contributor, but that’s also because he hasn’t been given an opportunity to do so. It’s a possibility that Chytil may find himself as part of a trade package, but the Czech center has a lot of tools that new head coach Gerard Gallant could work with.

Chytil, who has been a 20-plus-point player the past three seasons, is certainly due for a bump from his $894,166 cap hit. The Rangers will likely look to give Chytil a two-year deal that carries a cap hit of roughly $2 million.

New York Post LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218640 New York Rangers

Jack Eichel’s agents expect trade from Sabres ‘in the near future’

By Jared Greenspan July 26, 2021 | 1:52pm | Updated

Jack Eichel’s time in Buffalo may be nearing an end.

After Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams insisted that he “would have no problem” if Eichel was still with Buffalo at the start of training camp in September, the center’s agents reaffirmed his desire to be traded.

“Our expectation is that Jack is going to be traded in the near future, and all of our discussions have been centered around that issue,” Peter Fish and Peter Donatelli said in a joint statement to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on Sunday.

In June, The Post’s Larry Brooks reported that the Rangers had engaged in preliminary talks with the Sabres regarding a potential Eichel blockbuster trade. And while the Sabres have not yet granted permission for clubs to access Eichel’s medical records — Eichel is dealing with a herniated disk in his neck — the Rangers also expressed interest in looking into his condition.

The 24-year-old Eichel has already established himself as one of the NHL’s premier centers since Buffalo selected him second overall in 2015. However, his relationship with the organization has soured, with the two sides recently disagreeing on the proper treatment for Eichel’s injury.

As expected, the Sabres’ asking price is rumored to be high, with Buffalo wanting at least four pieces equivalent to first-rounders, according to The Post’s Larry Brooks.

The Rangers’ pursuit of Eichel raises questions about the future of first- line center Mika Zibanejad, who is one year away from unrestricted free agency. The Blueshirts can begin negotiating a potential extension with Zibanejad on Wednesday. Eichel, meanwhile, has five years remaining on his $10 million per year contract.

In addition to the Rangers, the Wild, Ducks, Kings and Blue Jackets are rumored to be interested in Eichel.

New York Post LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218641 New York Rangers

Rangers expected to sign Patrik Nemeth in NHL free agency

By Larry Brooks July 26, 2021 | 1:14pm | Updated

The marriage cannot be consummated until the market officially opens at noon on Wednesday, but The Post has learned that the Rangers are expected to fortify their defense by signing 29-year-old Swedish free agent Patrik Nemeth once the bell rings.

Nemeth, who went to the Avalanche from the Red Wings as a rental in the days prior to the trade deadline, is another one of those hard-to-play- against guys whom general manager Chris Drury has targeted since taking command on May 5.

The deal would likely be for two or three years, worth between $2.25 million-$2.75 million per season. The Avalanche have given permission to Nemeth to speak to other teams in advance of the opening of the market.

A veteran of 366 NHL games, the 6-foot-3, 228-pound Nemeth is a big- bodied lefty who plays a simple, stabilizing game, is strong is in own end and will protect the front of the net. He can be a nasty one, blocks shots, has a good stick, can make the first pass and not coincidentally at all, should be a stabilizing influence on his projected third-pair partner and fellow Swede, Nils Lundkvist.

It will be important for the Rangers to make Lundkvist — who turns 21 on Wednesday — as comfortable as possible on and off the ice in his transition to the NHL and North America. That is something, quite frankly, on which the previous regime whiffed when Kaapo Kakko joined the club out of Finland two years ago.

The addition of Nemeth, who can move up and down the blue-line ladder as directed by head coach Gerard Gallant and should be a prime penalty killer, likely means that young Zac Jones will get necessary time to gestate with the AHL Wolf Pack (if he is not dealt this summer) after having played 10 games for the Blueshirts last season directly out of UMass. It also should slow the rush of 20-year-old lefty Matt Robertson.

There are exceptions to the rule, of course, but defensemen generally benefit from an apprenticeship in the AHL. The Islanders’ Formidable Three of Adam Pelech, Ryan Pulock and Scott Mayfield, who excel at not allowing opponents to get to the front, played a combined 491 games in the AHL, none with fewer than 101 contests with Bridgeport. That axiom should apply to Jones, Robertson and righty Braden Schneider, who will turn 20 during training camp.

The Blueshirts should enter camp, then, with the redoubtable Batman- and-Robin pair of Ryan Lindgren and Norris winner Adam Fox at the top followed by the K’Andre Miller-Jacob Trouba tandem and Nemeth- Lundqvist on defense.

Nemeth, a second-round, 41st-overall selection of Dallas in 2010, was paired primarily with either Conor Timmins or Ryan Graves while getting 15:46 per in Colorado’s playoff run that ended with a second-round, six- game defeat to Vegas. The Swede was credited with 87 blocked shots in 52 regular-season matches.

Libor Hajek, who held down the spot on the left side of last year’s third pair, remains in the equation after having received his qualifying offer on Monday.

But with the Blueshirts believed in the market for a veteran size-and- strength seventh defenseman after moving on from impending free agent Brendan Smith, the 23-year-old Czech Hajek is in a tenuous position.

New York Post LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218642 New York Rangers Gabriel Landeskog Many Rangers fans are wondering about the captain of the Colorado

Avalanche, who's widely considering the top free-agent forward not Free-agent targets: A list of players the New York Rangers could sign named Alex Ovechkin. He's a legitimate top-line player who can do the this week dirty work and still net 60-to-75 points per season.

The 28-year-old is exactly the type of player the Rangers want to add, with intangibles, leadership and a commitment to defense. He mostly Vincent Z. Mercogliano played winger in Colorado, but took over 500 face-offs for the Avs last season and won 56.6% of them. If the Rangers believe he can be a full-

time player in the middle, that's even more reason to go after him. One of the last important dates on the NHL offseason calendar is There are two major hurdles, though. The first is that, despite reports of Wednesday, which marks the opening of unrestricted free agency. Landeskog and the Avs being far apart in their negotiations, many still Beginning at noon, UFAs will have the ability to sign with any team that believe they'll find a way to get it done. The other is that he's only going offers them a deal. to considering leaving for a long-term contract in the $8.5 million to $9 million AAV range. Can the Rangers add that kind of salary when Adam The New York Rangers have more financial flexibility than most this Fox and Mika Zibanejad will command similar contracts next summer? summer. Even with the expected signing of defenseman Patrik Nemeth for around $2.5 million per season, we project roughly $17 million in Bottom-six grinders remaining salary cap space. Joel Armia That doesn't mean the Blueshirts can spend like drunken sailors, though. The 28-year-old right winger is a relentless forechecker who can They have a handful of talented players who will need new contracts in contribute 12-to-18 goals per season in a third-line role. He's also a solid the next year or two, which limits their ability to take on too many long- defender with experience on the penalty kill. Plus, Drury will appreciate term commitments. Short-term deals may make more sense in certain his 6-foot-3, 212-pound frame and 86 hits in 41 games played. situations. The results were overwhelming positive with Armia on the ice last PATRIK NEMETH: Rangers expected to sign rugged defenseman season, with the Habs scoring 3.07 goals per 60 minutes while allowing ROSTER: Updating the Rangers' lineup and salary cap situation 1.95. He looks like a good fit in many respects, but he'll be more expensive than some of the other players in this category. Evolving With Nemeth filling the need to add a bottom-pair defenseman, the Hockey projects his next contract at three years with an AAV over $3 Rangers figure to shift their attention to forwards. A top-six center would million. be ideal, but they're also looking to strengthen their bottom six with tenacious players who bring an in-your-face style. Casey Cizikas

In the past few weeks, I've asked around about forwards with the The 30-year-old is a popular target for two reasons: 1. He's a gritty, attributes that new team president and general manager Chris Drury is strong defensive center with loads of playoff experience; 2. Losing him looking for. I've combed through stats and gathered opinions to put would hurt the rival Islanders as much as it would help the Rangers. together this list of potential UFA targets. Cizikas would be an upgrade over current fourth-line center Kevin With the forwards split into four categories, here are a baker's dozen who Rooney, but how much is Drury willing to pay for that? Evolving Hockey could fit into Drury's plans: has him at a $2.3 million AAV, but I've heard that number will be higher — especially if a team is going to pry him away from Long Island. That High-end targets money may be better off going to a center who can play higher up in the lineup. Blake Coleman Jordan Martinook There was a time when I thought the two-time champion was near the top of the Rangers' wish list. They have an affinity for the talented Tampa The analytics don't paint the prettiest picture, but this signing would be Bay Lightning roster — as they should — and the 29-year-old winger is more about toughness and leadership. The 29-year-old winger will work their best free agent. around the net and in the corners while standing up for his teammates. He'll also kill penalties. Much like former teammate Barclay Goodrow, Coleman is an excellent forechecker, defender and penalty killer who plays with a high motor. The Martinook is projected to sign for $1.6 million, according to Evolving main difference is that he brings more offense, which is why he's Hockey, which is a reasonable number. But last week's trade for Sammy expected to command a six-year deal worth around $5 million per Blais (who makes $1.5 million) may have already filled that fourth-line season. role.

With the Rangers already investing a six-year, $21.85 million contract Short-term vets into Goodrow, I have my doubts about them doubling down on the Tampa Bay forwards and getting into what's expected to be a bidding war Nick Bonino for Coleman. But you never know. The 33-year-old has a few things going for him. He's a solid defensive Phillip Danault center who wins his share of face-offs (52.8%), posted a 53.96% xGF/60 and chipped in 26 points (10 goals and 16 assists) in a bottom-six role for The best defensive forward on the market won't come cheap. He's the Minnesota Wild. thought to be looking for a seven-year contract with an average annual value around $6 million, which is a steep price for a player who's never Do the Rangers want to pony up a two-year contract at $2.5 million per produced more than 41 points in a season. But I had him fourth on my season for a likely fourth-line center? That's what Evolving Hockey Selke ballot this year, with his reputation as a defensive stalwart then projects it would take. bolstered during the Montreal Canadiens' run to the Stanley Cup Final. Ryan Getzlaf The 28-year-old was consistently assigned to shutdown the opponents' A few years ago, the Anaheim Ducks' captain would have been highly top line and largely succeeded. Can he maintain that high-level defense sought after. He's physical force at 6-foot-3, 228 pounds who was one of throughout a contract that takes him into his mid-30s? That's a tough call the better two-way centers in the league. But Getzlaf's production has for any team. dropped off significantly, down to 17 points (five goals and 12 assists) in But with the Rangers displeased with the asking price for Jack Eichel and 48 games last season, while his skating isn't nearly what it used to be. trying to become a harder team to play against, there's a real possibility He's still a big bruiser with a heavy shot, though, plus he won 51.8% of they entering the bidding on Danault. My antenna will shoot up if we see his face-offs last season. Would he be interested in a one-year deal to a trade involving Ryan Strome, which would create an opening at mentor the up-and-coming Rangers while playing sheltered minutes? second-line center. David Krejci

The 35-year-old would easily be the most expensive of these veteran options, but he was also the most effective last season.

The Bruins' long-time No. 2 center may not have any more 70-point seasons in him, but he still put up 44 (eight goals and 36 assists) in 51 games this year while winning 54.2% of his face-offs. More impressively, his defense seems to be improving with age. Krejci graded out as one of the top defensive forwards in the league this season, posting a 1.57 xGA/60 at even strength.

His future in Boston is uncertain, which provides an opening if the Rangers are interested. Evolving Hockey projects a two-year deal at an AAV of $4.6 million. It's risky given his age, but a short-term commitment would limit the downside.

Corey Perry

Coming off a strong showing with the Habs in this year's playoffs, the straight-line, hard-nosed winger could bring a veteran presence to the fourth line. He'll attack the net and come up with timely goals, as he showed with 10 points (four goals and six assists) in 22 playoff games this season.

On a one-year deal around $1 million, which is what Evolving Hockey predicts, Perry would be a low-risk depth signing who won't affect the 2022-23 cap.

Derek Ryan

A darling in the analytics community, the 34-year-old is a defensive specialist with a 55.4% career face-off win rate. He posted a gaudy 62.39% xGF last season with Calgary Flames and has been fairly consistently in a fourth-line role.

If the Rangers want a cheap center on a one-year deal, Ryan would offer a lesser-known alternative to Getzlaf with better recent results.

New additions to the market

Nick Ritchie

The Boston Bruins' decision not to extend a qualifying offer to 25-year-old power winger will be another team's gain. Could that be the Rangers?

The 6-foot-2, 230-pounder would definitely help the Rangers become a heavier, straight-line team — and he'd bring some scoring upside. Ritchie scored a career-high 15 goals in 2021 in spite of the shortened season. He'd be a good fit on the third line, but Evolving Hockey projects his next contract at four years for $4.4 million per season. That may be too rich for a bottom-sixer.

Pius Suter

Perhaps the biggest surprise among RFAs who were not qualified was the 25-year-old center who's coming off an encouraging rookie season. Suter posted 27 points (14 goals and 13 assists) in 55 games with the Chicago Blackhawks while playing significant minutes in the top six. He also held his own defensively and saw some time on the PK.

He's an unlikely target for the Rangers because he doesn't fit their mantra of adding size and strength at a slight 5-foot-11, 176 pounds and struggled on face-offs, winning just 42.6%. But if they were to trade Strome and didn't want to pay $6 million-plus per season for Danault or sign Krejci at his age, Suter could be an upside play at an AAV between $3.5 million and $4.5 million.

Bergen Record LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218643 New York Rangers Salary cap update and future considerations Nemeth will likely push either Hájek or Anthony Bitetto off the NHL roster,

and if we figure he'll come in at an AAV around $2.5 million, that leaves NY Rangers expected to sign defenseman Patrik Nemeth in free agency, the Rangers with roughly $17 million in salary cap space this summer. so what's next? That money will dry up quickly, though, as we look ahead to the 2022-23 season.

Vincent Z. Mercogliano By signing Nemeth and forward Barclay Goodrow ($3.642 million AAV) on multi-year deals, the Rangers have added about $6 million in annual commitments. That number will jump by at least $5 million once they re- sign Shesterkin. After adding size and toughness to their bottom-six forwards last week, the New York Rangers are poised to do the same to their blue line. In an earlier story, we projected 10 players under contract for 2022-23 with just over $40 million left to complete the roster. Nemeth and They're expected to sign left-handed defenseman Patrik Nemeth when Shesterkin should add around $8 million, which makes it 12 players with unrestricted free agency opens Wednesday, with a person familiar with $32 million or so left to fill another eight-to-11 spots. the situation telling the USA TODAY Network on Monday that the deal will be worth around $2.5 million per season. The New York Post A huge chunk of that will likely be devoted to re-signing Fox and No. 1 reported it will be for either two or three years. center Mika Zibanejad. Those two are expected to cost between $17 million and $19 million combined. The 29-year-old should fill one of two voids on the bottom pair. At 6-foot- 3, 228 pounds, he'll bring the type of big body and physicality that Apologies if this is too much math, but that basically leaves the Rangers Rangers team president and general manager Chris Drury desires. with $15 million or less to divvy up between half-a-dozen players, including 2022 RFAs Kaapo Kakko and Vitali Kravtsov. Nemeth is a stay-at-home defenseman with limited point production. He posted 10 points (three goals and seven assists) in 52 games last What does that mean for their potential interest in Buffalo Sabres center season, but performed well in his own end while racking up 87 hits, 67 Jack Eichel? A person familiar with the situation told the USA TODAY blocked shots and only 20 penalty minutes. Network that the Rangers believe it's doable to squeeze him in while also paying Fox and Zibanejad, but it would mean filling the rest of the roster He was traded in April from the Detroit Red Wings to the Colorado with entry-level contract players and cheap free agents. Avalanche, where he played on the bottom pair and killed penalties in 13 games for the Presidents' Trophy winner. The Avs allowed just 1.6 goals With Buffalo refusing to give in on their asking price and Drury standing per 60 minutes with Nemeth on the ice at even strength, according to firm on his stance not to include his very best young players, the chances Evolving Hockey, after he ranked as the top defenseman for Detroit with of the Rangers dropping out of the race are increasing by the day. a 1.88 GA/60 across 39 games. Signing Nemeth for multiple years is a small step in that direction, with a good chance a forward will be added in the coming days. Nemeth's pending signing bodes well for the chances of 2018 first-round draft pick Nils Lundkvist making the Rangers' roster as his partner on the The Rangers' preference is to keep Zibanejad and add to their depth bottom pair. Drury has described that spot as an open competition down the middle. The dream scenario was teaming him up with Eichel, between rookies Lundkvist, Zac Jones, Matthew Robertson and Braden not being forced to choose one or the other. It was never part of the plan Schneider, but Lundkvist is considered the most advanced prospect of to surrender major assets for the Sabres' captain if it meant parting ways that group. with their leading goal-scorer from the past four seasons.

The soon-to-be 21-year-old is a smaller defenseman at 5-foot-11, 187 Bergen Record LOADED: 07.27.2021 pounds. He's improved defensively, but the strengths of his game are his skill, mobility and high-caliber shot. Drury's mandate to make the lineup harder to play against may have worked in favor of a bigger prospect such as Schneider, but Nemeth takes care of that. His rugged style should complement Lundkvist, creating an all-Swede pairing.

LINEUP: Updating the Rangers' depth chart and salary cap situation

NHL DRAFT: Chris Drury adds size and grit, but what's next?

The top-two pairs remain in place from last season, with Ryan Lindgren and Norris Trophy winner Adam Fox on one and K'Andre Miller and Jacob Trouba on the other.

RFA decisions revealed

While Nemeth looks like he'll be the first UFA signed by the Rangers, they also narrowed down their list of restricted free agents on Monday.

A team source confirmed that the Rangers will extend qualifying offers to forwards Filip Chytil, Tim Gettinger and Ty Ronning, defenseman Libor Hájek and goalies Igor Shesterkin and Adam Huska. Shesterkin and Huska are the only RFAs with arbitration rights, with an Aug. 1 deadline for them to file if they don't reach agreeable terms sooner.

The Rangers decided to take a pass on RFA forwards Gabriel Fontaine and Patrick Newell and defensemen Brandon Crawley and Yegor Rykov, allowing all four to become unrestricted free agents.

Rykov is the most notable of that group. The 24-year-old was acquired from New Jersey, along with a second-round pick, in the February 2018 trade that sent forward to the Devils.

For a time, Rykov was considered a borderline top-10 prospect for the Rangers. He was clearly behind Miller in the left-handed defensemen pecking order, but grouped with Lindgren, Hájek and Tarmo Reunanen in the next tier. Injuries hindered the 6-foot-2 Russian when he came to North America for the 2019-20 season and his prospect status has faded ever since. 1218644 Ottawa Senators The 6-foot-2, 170-pound Merilainen was taken by the Fronts in last month’s European draft. He signed an entry-level deal with the Senators last month and the club is happy to have him close by.

The Ottawa Senators extend qualifying offers to Tkachuk, Batherson “We’re very pleased that Leevi has made the decision to join the among others at Monday deadline Frontenacs next season,” said Dorion. “The Fronts have long maintained a strong program and our proximity to Kingston will allow for our hockey development staff and goaltending coach to closely monitor his progress.” Bruce Garrioch Kingston GM Kory Cooper is former goalie coach with the club’s AHL

affiliate in Belleville so he’s familiar with Merilainen, who will attend the The Ottawa Senators officially started the process of signing their club’s camp in late-August. restricted free agents to new deals Monday. He is currently participating in the 2021 World Junior Summer Showcase No, it’s not a big step, but it’s significant that the Senators sent qualifying that is taking place in Plymouth along with Ottawa first-round pick Tyler offers to RFA forwards Drake Batherson, Brady Tkachuk, Logan Brown Boucher of the United States. Merilainen stopped 28 of 29 shots against and Vitaly Abramov along with defencemen Victor Mete and Olie Alsing Team USA Sunday. and goaltender Filip Gustavsson with the deadline to make the move on “We are excited about the commitment from Leevi. He’s a goaltender paper Monday afternoon. who has been on an upward trend over the last couple of seasons in It allows the organization to retain their rights for free agency even Finland.” Cooper said. “As an Ottawa Senators prospect, he is thrilled thought in the case of Abramov and Alsing they’ve already signed about the opportunity of playing in Kingston and helping the Frontenacs contracts to play overseas next season. Abramov is headed to the win games.” Kontinental Hockey League for two years while Alsing is returning to Cooper told the club’s website he believes Merilainen has shown in the Sweden but if they ever want to return to North America the Senators will Finnish league that he can take his game to another level. continue to hold their rights. “Leevi has shown the ability to provide solid, consistent goaltending in Of course, all eyes will be on what kind of deals Tkachuk and Batherson both regular season and playoff games,” Cooper said. “He’s a great end up signing with the organization. Both are key pieces in this rebuild addition to our team and a player that fans will really enjoy watching.” and the belief is general manager Pierre Dorion has already serious discussions with both camps. He wouldn’t elaborate on talks last week Merialinen had a 21-0-3 record in the Finnish junior league last season when asked about but that’s always been the organization’s policy not to with a .928 save-percentage. discuss negotiations. Ottawa Sun LOADED: 07.27.2021 You’d have to think the club would like to get both signed to long-term deals. In the case of Tkachuk, there likely won’t be any shortage of options on the table and if you’re worried about him getting an offer sheet from another team, those are usually red herrings but if it does happen then the expectation is the Senators would just match.

Ottawa Senators left wing Brady Tkachuk.

Ideally, the Senators would like Tkachuk to sign a seven-or-eight year extension and that would likely come with the captaincy. Really, it’s up to him on whether he wants to sign that kind of deal or not but the Senators have shown they’re headed in the right direction and Tkachuk has a good relationship with coach D.J. Smith.

Tkachuk has stated several times he loves the city and he’s been the kind of player that leads this team into battle every night. He doesn’t have rights to arbitration so if the two sides can’t find common ground then it does mean this negotiation could stretch into when training camp gets under way Sept. 22 but you have to think neither side wants that to happen.

Ottawa Senators right wing Drake Batherson eyes the face-off against the Vancouver Canucks during first period NHL action at the Canadian Tire Centre, April 28, 2021.

Of course, Batherson is an important piece to the puzzle as well because he’s such a good, two-way forward and can play in all situations. Who knows? Maybe the organization tries to sign him to a six-year deal but it’s really not know what term or money the two sides are discussing.

And, with the club losing Joey Daccord to the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft, the Senators also have to get Gustavsson under contract but that shouldn’t be an issue.

Dorion confirmed Thursday the club has told Marcus Hogberg, Mike Amadio, Brandon Fortunato, Jonathan Davidsson, Jack Kopacka, Zach Magwood and J.C. Beaudin they won’t be back next season.

HEADED TO KINGSTON

The Senators will have one of their top prospects playing only a two hour drive away.

Goaltender Leevi Merilainen, who was taken No. 71 overall in the third round of the draft last October, has confirmed his commitment to the OHL’s for next season. That means Senators fans will be able to get to see plenty of the Finnish prospect when he takes on the Ottawa 67’s at the Civic Centre, including in the season opener. 1218645 Ottawa Senators Jacob Bernard-Docker Erik Brannstrom

Artem Zub Senators free agency primer: Targets for centre, defence — and why a Nikita Zadorov trade could make sense Victor Mete

Nikita Zaitsev

By Ian Mendes Jul 26, 2021 Goalies:

Matt Murray

Over the past couple of weeks, Ottawa Senators fans have watched from Anton Forsberg the sidelines as other teams have made aggressive moves. Extras: Players such as Ryan Graves and Sam Reinhart — who were coveted by many Ottawa fans — changed teams without the involvement of the Logan Brown & Josh Brown Senators. Pros: If the Senators adopt this approach, they will certainly remain on On the weekend, general manager Pierre Dorion made it clear that his the cautious and patient path. Allowing youngsters like Shane Pinto and top priority was on the NHL Draft and not necessarily on improving his Jacob Bernard-Docker to start the season in the NHL would take away roster for next season. the need to find veteran help in those two key positions. And as we saw last season, adding veterans wasn’t exactly the strong suit of this hockey “Obviously, most of us were focused on the entry draft — especially a club. Instead of using relying on the likes of Erik Gudbranson, Braydon team like us,” said Dorion. “But as we move forward over the next few Coburn, Derek Stepan and others, maybe the Senators would have been days, there will probably get into contract discussions more. We can’t talk better off with the youth movement all along. to free agents until Wednesday, so with our pro scouting staff, we’ll really look at that to see if we can fill a few holes that we have. And then we’ll By sticking with the status quo, the Senators could start next season with go from there.” a lot of optimism around the team and the fans would probably embrace a younger roster — rather than one that contained a couple of That answer didn’t sit well with the portion of Ottawa fans who felt like the placeholder veterans. If they don’t make any moves, they could even Senators could have multi-tasked to improve their opening night lineup give Logan Brown another crack at seizing a full-time NHL job — before while still landing the prospects they wanted in the draft. looking for veteran alternatives down the middle.

But as we close in on Wednesday’s opening of free agency, there won’t Cons: Beyond Josh Norris — who had a breakout campaign in 2020-21 be any more distractions for Dorion and his staff. Their sole focus in the — there are a lot of questions down the middle. Can Pinto be a regular next week should be on ensuring the opening night lineup is as strong as NHL centre or would he be better served with a season in the AHL? possible. Watching Josh Norris’ career trajectory, it’s hard not to think a developmental season in the AHL would be ideal for Pinto. But the centre In this column, we’ll explore some of the Senators’ options and look at position is littered with other pressing questions too. What kind of player some of the players who they should consider targeting — either via is Colin White? How big of a role would they give Chris Tierney, trade or free agency. considering he’s entering the final year of his deal? And we haven’t even Option 1 — Stick with the status quo touched on Logan Brown.

The Senators finished last season on a 10-3-1 tear in the final month of And this equation also has Bernard-Docker playing a role on this team. the regular season, which left many fans feeling optimistic about the Does that really make sense — or would he improve his defensive game direction of the franchise. There is an argument to be made that the on the pro side in the AHL? I suspect there are too many questions here group’s progression in the final weeks of the season should earn them to go on with the status quo. But a key question remains: If the Senators the right to start the season together without making any significant go down the road of adding some veterans, can they avoid the mistakes changes. they made last offseason?

And if the Senators subscribe to that theory, this is what their opening Option 2 — Acquire a No. 2 centre night lineup would be when they take on the Toronto Maple Leafs on Oct. As stated above, landing a veteran centre could help this group for the 14: upcoming season — especially if it leads to Pinto having a development Senators current lineup season in the AHL. If that plays out, here is what Ottawa’s lineup might look like — with a hole left in the No. 2 centre spot: Forwards Senators without a No. 2 centre Brady Tkachuk Brady Tkachuk Josh Norris Josh Norris Drake Batherson Drake Batherson Tim Stützle Tim Stützle Shane Pinto Connor Brown Connor Brown Nick Paul Nick Paul Colin White Colin White Evgenii Dadonov Evgenii Dadonov Alex Formenton Alex Formenton Chris Tierney Chris Tierney UFA targets for No. 2 centre Austin Watson There aren’t too many centre options for unrestricted free agents this Defence: summer, but there are a few who could be fits in Ottawa.

Thomas Chabot Using Evolving Hockey’s tool for contract projections, here is what six UFA centres might expect their next contract to look like this summer: Evolving Hockey contract predictions Paul Stastny — There was a time when Stastny was a 20-goal, 60-point centre. He hasn’t reached those figures in more than seven years and his Mikael Granlund productivity certainly seems to suggest he’s now fallen into a bottom-six 3 years role. But as a low-cost, low-risk option, perhaps Stastny is a decent play for Ottawa on a one-year deal. Anything beyond one year would probably $5.036 M be asking for trouble.

Alex Wennberg Travis Zajac and Marcus Johansson — Both of these players could potentially sign one-year deals under $2 million, so it does make them 5 years appealing to a team like Ottawa. But would having a season of Zajac or $4.93 M Johansson as a placeholder really be beneficial for the Senators? It’s been more than a decade since Zajac scored 20 goals or had 60 points David Krejci in a season. It’s hard to imagine him having a better season than someone like Tierney. 2 years Trade targets? $4.68 M Adam Henrique — I keep coming back to Henrique, because as my Paul Stastny colleague Eric Stephens suggested a few weeks ago, Anaheim might be 1 year willing to eat up to 50 percent of Henrique’s contract, which has a cap hit of $5.8 million. And if the Senators could land Henrique with a cap hit of $2.076 M $2.9 million for the next three seasons, he might suddenly become more appealing than the names listed above. Travis Zajac Of course, in order to entice the Ducks to go down that road, the 1 year Senators may be forced to give up an extra asset or two in the $1.43 M transaction. But given Henrique’s success with Connor Brown at the world championship in June — and his previous connection to D.J. Smith Marcus Johansson from their days together in Windsor — it stands to reason that he’d be an 1 year ideal short-term fit in the No. 2 slot in Ottawa.

$1.175 M That he has three years on his deal would certainly be a red flag for a 30- year-old centre, but landing him for half the price would certainly help Alex Wennberg — The Florida Panthers added Reinhart this weekend, offset the term. so that should spell the end of Wennberg’s time in South Florida. Wennberg could be an extremely savvy signing, considering he’s coming Ryan Strome — Over the past two weeks, we’ve seen some notable off a contract that paid him $2.25 million last season. He’s also making hockey insiders like Andy Strickland and Elliotte Friedman suggest the an additional $891,667 for each of the next five years as part of his Senators are targeting Strome from the New York Rangers. buyout from the Columbus Blue Jackets last fall. Strome is entering the final year of his contract before he becomes an If the Senators can get Wennberg around the $2.5-$3 million mark for a unrestricted free agent next summer, so this could very well be a one- couple of seasons, he would slot in nicely as a No. 2 centre and serve as year audition for him in Ottawa. Strome’s contract will pay him $5 million protection for Pinto. But that Evolving Hockey contract projection for in real cash next season, with a cap hit of $4.5 million. Wennberg certainly seems to predict a much higher dollar figure. I’m not Strome played almost 500 minutes last season as Artemi Panarin’s sure he’s a great fit if that’s the potential framework for a contract. centre, which certainly helped contribute to his 49 points in 56 games. An Wennberg is 26 and had a 59-point season in Columbus in 2016-17. opportunity to play alongside Tim Stützle could be very intriguing next Last season, he scored 17 goals for the Panthers — although it’s season. If the Senators trade for him with only one year left on his unrealistic to expect him to replicate his 20.7 percent shooting contract, how does that affect his trade value? The Sabres just pulled off percentage. a similar trade involving Reinhart and ended up fetching a first-round pick as part of their return from Florida. Would the Rangers be looking for David Krejci — If the Senators truly wanted to make some noise this Ottawa’s 2022 first-round pick to make a Strome trade a reality? If so, offseason, they could make a play for Krejci. Whether or not Krejci would that’s an awfully steep price to pay for a guy who could walk next consider playing for an up-and-coming team remains to be seen, but summer. since he’s already won a Stanley Cup, he may not be as interested in joining a ready-made contender. And a trade of that magnitude would certainly put the Sens in a win-now mode. Krejci is exactly the type of No. 2 centre who could inject skill and experience down the middle for Ottawa, but it would likely cost them a Option 3 — Make a left-shot defenceman a priority significant amount of money in free agency. His last contract had a $7.25 At some point next spring, the Senators are hoping Jake Sanderson million cap hit, but Evolving Hockey predicts his next contract will carry a signs his entry-level contract and turns pro. Until that point, though, the much lower term and dollar amount. left side of the club’s defence could use a slight upgrade.

The Senators would certainly have the room to fit him under the cap, but And maybe the reason why the Senators haven’t hammered out a history shows us Ottawa doesn’t usually go big-game hunting for free contract with pending RFA Victor Mete is because they’re contemplating agents. So this would be a departure from their usual approach — the idea of improving the left side of their defence. If there is a criticism especially if his cap hit comes in north of $5 million per season. His for that unit, it would be that it’s a little undersized with both Mete and projected contract value with Evolving Hockey puts him at $4.68 million, Erik Brannstrom. but it’s not unreasonable to think Ottawa may have to overpay to land a guy like Krejci in this market. Would they be willing to go north of $5 So for the purpose of his exercise, let’s remove Mete from the picture million to try to make it happen? Our analytics expert Dom Luszczyszyn and see what the left side could look like next season: certainly sees some short-term value in Krejci: Senators with an opening at LD Krejci is 35, so maybe this only makes sense if it’s a one-year deal for a Thomas Chabot team like Ottawa. But in terms of two-way centres who can be dominant at both ends of the ice, the Senators won’t find a better option. Jacob Bernard-Docker

Mikael Granlund — The tricky thing on Granlund is his production has Erik Brannstrom fallen off significantly since he posted consecutive 60-point seasons for the Minnesota Wild. He’s on the verge of turning 30, so to expect him to Artem Zub return to those previous levels of productivity is probably naive. If his Nikita Zaitsev contract is expected to come into the $5 million range, it might be a touch pricey. Extra: Josh Brown Via Evolving Hockey, here is a handful of left-shot defencemen who are While D.J. Smith is reluctant to play defencemen on their off-side, he on the verge of hitting free agency. usually will make an exception to that rule for physical defencemen. There were a couple of games last season where Coburn played on his Evolving Hockey contract predictions off-side, for example. Smith thinks that transition is much more difficult for Ryan Murray offensive, puck-moving defencemen — but stay-at-home defenders might have an easier time with the switch. And since Zadorov has 4 years experience on both sides, he might be the perfect Swiss Army knife on Ottawa’s back end. $4.26 M The issue would be trying to hammer out a new contract extension for Derek Forbort Zadorov, who made $3.2 million last season but requires a new contract 5 years as a restricted free agent this summer. He’s eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next summer but locking him up to a one-year $4.0 M deal could be the perfect solution.

Alex Edler Option 4 — Get a right-shot defenceman

3 years As I mentioned, there is also an argument for the Senators to add a right- shot defenceman next season. In this scenario, Bernard-Docker is almost $3.86 M certainly down in the AHL while Josh Brown is serving as the extra Patrick Nemeth defenceman.

1 year Here is how Ottawa’s back end would look in that situation — with a partner for Thomas Chabot being the priority: $1.68 M Sens with hole on RD Ian Cole Thomas Chabot 1 year Erik Brannstrom $1.15 M Artem Zub Brendan Smith Victor Mete 1 year Nikita Zaitsev $1.13 M Extra: Josh Brown Ryan Murray — Any time a defenceman drafted No. 2 hits the market, it’s probably cause for evaluation of the situation. And Murray’s NHL career Via Evolving Hockey, here’s a look at some of the potential UFA right- has been rather unremarkable — at least relative to his draft status. The shot defencemen on the market this week: Evolving Hockey contract projection would certainly put him out of Evolving Hockey contract predictions Ottawa’s price range — on both term and dollar amount. Brandon Montour Luszczyszyn is a little less bullish on the value of Murray’s next deal, but even his contract projection would seemingly price him out of Ottawa. 5 years

Alex Edler — The projected three-year term on Edler would be the issue $5.4 M here — especially considering he’s 35. But he might have enough traction to still hang around as a top-four defenceman for at least one Travis Hamonic more season — with reason to believe some of his recent struggles could 3 years be attributed to his surroundings in Vancouver. But going in on Edler for more than one season would likely be a mistake, especially if we assume $3.9 M Sanderson is a full-time NHLer by the time we get to the 2022-23 season. Sami Vatanen

Ian Cole — This could technically be Ian Cole’s second stint with the 3 years Senators, as he was briefly a member of the team after the Derick $3.8 M Brassard trade with the Penguins in 2018. Cole spent about 24 hours on the Senators roster before he was flipped to Columbus for a third-round David Savard pick. 1 year Cole could slide in as a more defensive-oriented blueliner next season, serving as a bridge to Sanderson. $1.6 M

Patrik Nemeth — Nemeth slotted in as a third-pairing defenceman with Jani Hakanpaa the Avalanche last season after Colorado acquired him from Detroit at 1 year the trade deadline. He’s 29 and likely won’t command too much on the open market. Nemeth spent the majority of his time in Detroit paired with $1.3 M Filip Hronek, and via Natural Stat Trick, they held a 50.61 CF% in almost Mark Pysyk 600 minutes of ice time together. 1 year Trade target? $1.12 M Nikita Zadorov — Zadorov’s name has suddenly hit the rumour mill after Chicago left him exposed in the Seattle expansion draft. And given some Tony DeAngelo of their other moves, it’s not unreasonable to think Zadorov may no longer be in the Blackhawks’ plans. Chicago sent Zadorov an RFA N/A qualifying offer before Monday’s 5 p.m. ET deadline, but it certainly N/A wasn’t a slam-dunk decision they were retaining his rights. Which seems to indicate he’s on the trade market. David Savard — As my colleague Sylvain St. Laurent recently pointed out to me, we shouldn’t sleep on the fact that Savard trains in the As my colleagues Mark Lazerus and Scott Powers point out, Zadorov offseason with Chabot and the two players share the same agent (Ian can play either the left or right side on the blue line — which could make Pulver). Savard just grabbed a Stanley Cup ring with the Tampa Bay him the most intriguing option available to Ottawa in the next week. Lightning, so maybe he would love the chance to play a full season with his good friend and hopefully nudge him in the direction of being a Norris Trophy candidate.

Savard would be a terrific, stay-at-home partner for Chabot, and if that Evolving Hockey contract projection is anywhere close to being accurate, the Senators should be aggressively pursuing Savard on Wednesday afternoon.

Travis Hamonic — For years, Hamonic has made it clear his preference was to stay in western Canada. But he’s apparently softened on that stance and he could be a highly sought-after commodity when free agency opens this week. The suggested term would probably be a touch too long if it goes beyond one year, considering Bernard-Docker should be ready to enter the NHL lineup on a full-time basis at some point in 2022.

Mark Pysyk — In his recent column on the top 50 free agents, Dom Luszczyszyn snuck Pysyk into the No. 41 spot in his rankings. Luszczyszyn noted Pysyk’s sneaky good underlying numbers — especially his ability to stifle actual and expected goals against. On a one-year term at reasonable money, this could be a great find in free agency.

Jani Hakanpaa — The 29-year-old ended up playing third-pairing minutes for the Carolina Hurricanes after he was acquired from Anaheim at the trade deadline. If the Senators are looking for a low-cost option on the right side for next season, Hakanpaa could certainly be in the mix.

Tony DeAngelo — The folks at Evolving Hockey don’t have a contract projection for DeAngelo. He’s certainly a polarizing player and after he was officially bought out by the New York Rangers last week, the 25- year-old is able to sign with any team. Considering the Senators are prioritizing character when assessing which players to bring into the fold, it would certainly be an eye-opening decision if they decided to pursue DeAngelo.

Conclusion

There will be no shortage of options for the Senators to explore in the week ahead. And depending on how aggressive they act with their pursuit of free agents — and trades — we should get a window into whether or not this management team legitimately thinks they are a playoff team next season.

But the whole key to this offseason should be ensuring their next wave of younger prospects — most notably Sanderson, Pinto and Bernard- Docker — are put in a position to succeed at the NHL level at some point in 2022.

The Athletic LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218646 Philadelphia Flyers , 31, Vancouver (under contract): He has one year left on a contract that has a $4.3 million cap hit, and the Flyers would try to get the Canucks to eat some of it. He is coming off the worst season of his career (3.67, .889) , but he is close to Hart, has won a Stanley Cup, and The Flyers, in need of a backup goalie to Carter Hart, may end up with the Flyers might gamble that he rebounds. one of these players Darcy Kuemper, 31, Arizona (under contract): He has a year left on a Signing Jonathan Bernier makes lots of sense. He won the 2012 Stanley deal that has a $4.5 million cap hit. Kuemper reportedly is not interested Cup while a backup for the Kings when Dean Lombardi, now a Flyers in an extension, and Arizona would like to move him. He had a 2.56 GAA senior adviser, was L.A.’s general manager. and a .907 save percentage last season but was superb the previous year (2.22, .928).

Petr Mrazek, 29, Carolina, UFA: Mrazek struggled mightily with the by Sam Carchidi Flyers in 17 games in 2017-18 but has since been a quality goaltender in Carolina. Hindered by injuries, he had a 2.06 GAA and .923 save percentage in just 12 games last season and lost his starter’s job to General manager Chuck Fletcher has made three major trades in the impressive rookie Alex Nedeljkovic. Flyers’ Great Summer Makeover, but there is still a less glamorous move he figures to make this week: adding a quality backup goalie. James Reimer, 33, Carolina, UFA: Reimer had his second straight season with a 2.66 GAA for Carolina, while his save percentage dipped The move is ultra-critical for a couple of reasons. from .914 to .906. He is a steady but not dominating goaltender.

For one, if Carter Hart struggles like he did last season, the No. 2 guy will Linus Ullmark, 27, Buffalo, UFA: The Sabres protected him in the get lots of action. expansion draft, but will they be able to re-sign him? If not, he would fit in nicely with the Flyers because he is young and has the ability to play lots For another, the schedule has been condensed a bit because of the of games. In an injury-plagued season, he had a 2.63 GAA, a .917 save proposed Olympic break. That means two goalies will be needed to give percentage, and a commendable 9-6-3 record with the woeful Sabres, each ample rest, and Fletcher expects his backup to play at least 30 whose other goalies went a combined 6-28-4. He may be too expensive games. for the Flyers. The Flyers appear to be hunting for someone more durable than pending Breakaways unrestricted free agent Brian Elliott, who at 36, is still a warrior but probably can’t be counted upon to play 30 or more games at a high level. The Flyers signed defenseman Samuel Morin, 26, to a one-year deal worth $750,000. He could have been an unrestricted free agent Hart, who turns 23 on Aug. 13, regressed stunningly last season, Wednesday. He had one goal and was minus-7 in 20 games with the compiling a 3.67 goals-against average and an .877 save percentage. He Flyers last season. ... Fletcher said the Flyers’ developmental camp will had the Flyers’ worst goals-against average (minimum: 25 games) since be held in Voorhees on still-to-be-determined dates in late August. It Tommy Soderstrom’s 4.01 GAA in 1993-94. Hart has a great pedigree hasn’t been decided whether fans will be able to attend, but that seems and is expected to rebound, but there are no guarantees. probable. ... The Flyers have extended qualifying offers to RFAs Hart, Hence, the need for a strong No. 2. Felix Sandstrom, who is among the Sanheim, Connor Bunnaman, and David Kase. Flyers’ goalie prospects, doesn’t appear ready for that role this season. Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 07.27.2021 Free agency starts Wednesday at noon, and there are a handful of goalies who could interest the Flyers, who will also search the trade market.

After they sign restricted free agents Hart and Travis Sanheim, the Flyers are expected to have about $4.7 million in cap space. Most of that will go toward a No. 2 goalie. They are also interested in a penalty-killing forward and a depth defenseman, but they need them to be inexpensive unless they trade a player and lose his cap hit.

Here are some goalie possibilities, listed alphabetically:

Frederik Andersen, 31, Toronto, UFA: He struggled through an injury- plagued season in 2021 (2.96 GAA, .895 save percentage), but his eight- year career numbers (2.65, .915) are solid.

Jonathan Bernier, 32, Carolina, UFA: Signing him makes lots of sense. He won the 2012 Stanley Cup while a backup for the Kings when Dean Lombardi, now a Flyers senior adviser, was L.A.’s general manager. Bernier is still effective — he and had a .914 save percentage last season with the lowly Red Wings — and would be a great mentor for Hart. While with L.A., he also worked with Kim Dillabaugh, now the Flyers’ goalie coach.

John Gibson, 28, Anaheim (under contract): His name is in lots of rumors, but his contract — he has six years left with an annual cap hit of $6.4 million — makes it difficult to move him unless the Ducks eat a huge chunk of his salary. Once a top goalie, his play has dipped in recent years, and a change of scenery may benefit the Pittsburgh native.

Philipp Grubauer, 29, Colorado, UFA: He is an extreme long shot and, if he doesn’t return to the Avs, will probably go somewhere as a starter. He was 30-9-1 last season and led the NHL with a 1.95 GAA.

Jaroslav Halak, 36, Boston (UFA): He faded a bit during a season, during which he battled COVID-19, and his age makes him a long shot for the Flyers. That said, his track record is impressive. He is not returning to the B’s.

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Braden Holtby is coming off the worst season of his career. 1218647 Philadelphia Flyers $880,883 3: Justin Braun

34 New Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen was an NHL rookie at 18. Here are 14 other things you may not know about him. Right

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Ed Barkowitz $1.8M

Samuel Morin

A quick look at Rasmus Ristolainen and his continued connection with a 26 now former Flyers defenseman. Left 1. Scouting report: A thumper (6-foot-4, 221 pounds) who logs big ice time and hits anything that moves, which has been known to get him out Unrestricted free agent of position. Won’t score many goals, nine is his career high, but five or -- six is a reasonable expectation. 6. Is on Twitter @RasmRist55, but he doesn’t tweet much. Wise man. 2. Has never scored a goal at the Wells Fargo Center (14 games). 7. Was picked eighth overall by Buffalo in 2013, and is one of six players 3. Kimmo Timonen (2007-14) was the best Flyers player from Finland, among the first eight drafted who’ve played in at least 500 games. though Ilkka Sinisalo (1981-90) wasn’t bad. Nathan MacKinnon (1st pick), Aleksander Barkov (2nd), Seth Jones 4. Hails from , a city in southern Finland that also produced Antero (4th), Elias Lindholm (5th) and Sean Monahan (6th) also have played Niittymaki, the only Finnish goaltender to play for the Flyers. 500. Jonathan Drouin (3rd) and Darnell Nurse (7th) should get to 500 within two years. They’ve played in about 400 each. 5. Had a horrible fight with COVID-19 in February. The Buffalo News translated a story from a Finnish paper in which Ristolainen said, “It felt “I would say I’m a player that other teams hate to play against.” like my heart was cracking as I walked up the stairs. A couple of 8. Samuel Morin, whose career has been sidetracked by injuries, has evenings there were such conditions when I went to bed that I didn’t played in just 29 games. He was the Flyers pick at No. 11 in 2013, and is know if I woke up here anymore in the morning.” a restricted free agent. Morin and Ristolainen both wear No. 55.

Projected Flyers’ pairings 9. Broke into the NHL as an 18-year-old, so his 542 career games played Age are more than most 26 year olds. Turns 27 on Oct. 27.

Shoots 10. Had 193 hits last season (49 games) in 1,092 minutes of ice time. That works out to 4.4 hits for every 25 minutes played. By contrast, Justin Signed through Braun, the Flyers leading hitter among returning defensemen, averaged 2.0 hits per 25 minutes. *AAV 11. Had a staggering 42 hits in eight games last season against the 1: Ivan Provorov Flyers. 24 12. Ristolainen played for six coaches in his eight seasons in Buffalo. Left Chronologically: Ron Rolston, Ted Nolan, Dan Bylsma, , Ralph Kruger, and Don Granato. He’s never finished above .500 nor 2024-25 played in a playoff game.

$6.75M 13. The big questions are can/will the Flyers re-sign him before he hits unrestricted free agency next summer, and how much of his poor 1: Ryan Ellis analytical statistics can be attributed to how bad the Sabres have been 30 during his career. He’s minus-163 for his career.

Right 14. For instance, he was tied for 124th among defensemen last season with a 1.6 in defensive point shares, which measures the number of 2026-27 points contributed by the player because of his defense. His 41.6% Fenwick suggests the Sabres’ opponents controlled play 58.4% of the $6.25M time he was on the ice. 2: Travis Sanheim 15. The biggest goal of his life has to be the winner to beat 25 Sweden in the gold-medal game of the 2014 World Junior Championships. Ristolainen, coincidentally enough, went around Left Swedish defenseman Robert Hagg before sliding in a backhander to beat Restricted free agent Oscar Dansk. Hagg is the player the Flyers traded to Buffalo for Ristolainen. -- Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 07.27.2021 2: Rasmus Ristolainen

26

Right

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$5.4M

3: Cam York

20

Left

2022-23 1218648 Philadelphia Flyers restrictions. He’d go there occasionally and wanted to help some folks out. Seems to understand the big picture.

15. “Giving back was instilled in me and my brothers at an early age,” Here are 15 things you should know about new Flyers forward Cam Atkinson told the Columbus Dispatch. “We’ve been doing it for so long Atkinson and Columbus is home for me. It’s important that we give back as much as we can to the community that I call home while I’m really in the limelight and still have that platform.”

Ed Barkowitz Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 07.27.2021

The Flyers got a little smaller, but better defensively with the addition of Cam Atkinson. We’ll see if he moves onto the right side of the top line with and Claude Giroux. Here’s a quick look at the two- time All-Star.

1. Seemed pretty odd that he just happened to have a Gritty T-shirt handy at his home in Columbus when he chatted with reporters shortly after being traded to the Flyers. Turns out it was his wife’s, who picked it up last summer when they visited Scott Hartnell’s family in Jersey.

2. “My wife [Natalie] loves Gritty,” he said. “We couldn’t leave Hartsy’s without a Gritty T-shirt. Everything’s all aligning perfectly. I told her to go run up and get it. I think she actually wore this, I’m not even kidding, a couple weeks ago to bed. We’re ready for this and couldn’t be more excited.”

3. Is the Blue Jackets’ all-time leader with six hat tricks, including one against the Flyers in 2018, which he completed with an empty-net goal with one second remaining.

Bonus item: Who is the Flyers all-time leader? See below for the answer.

4. Has posted photos of his family on Instagram (CamAtkinson13), and hooked up an “LFG” on Twitter to show his excitement after being traded to Philadelphia.

5. Atkinson was dealt for Jake Voracek, who’s a couple months younger and whose cap hit is nearly $3 million more (corrected). The move helps the rebuilding Blue Jackets get closer to the $60.2 million salary-cap floor.

6. Broke his tibia and fibula when he was 15, and had been called too small (5-foot-8, 176 pounds) for the NHL level his entire life. Was a sixth- round pick of the Blue Jackets in 2008, 157th overall.

7. Had a terrific career at Boston College, where he played one season with Kevin Hayes. Both of them are from New England — Atkinson was born in Riverside, Conn.; Hayes is from Dorchester, Mass. — and both wear No. 13. They’ll probably fistfight over it or something.

8. Atkinson led the NCAA with 30 goals as a sophomore, including a pair in the 2010 national championship win over Wisconsin. Hayes joined the Eagles the following season as Atkinson became a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, which was won by Andy Miele, who played for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in 2016-17.

9. Atkinson is a terrific penalty killer. He was second in the league last season with four shorthanded goals. The Jackets’ PK last year was a mediocre 21st, which is still better than the Flyers, who were 30th.

10. Got into a funk during the 2017-18 season, but reclaimed his love for the game after getting some advice from diminutive Hall of Famer Martin St. Louis (5-8, 182, undrafted). “Just go read the game, and have fun,” St. Louis told Atkinson. The following season, he put a career-high 41 goals in 80 games.

11. He’s slowed down considerably with 27 goals in 100 games over the last two seasons.

Bonus item: Tim Kerr is the Flyers’ leader in career hat tricks with 17. Kerr’s final hat trick was about four months before Atkinson was born.

12. Atkinson was born on June 5, 1989, a day made infamous in Philadelphia by the Phillies selecting high school outfielder Jeff Jackson with the fourth overall pick. Three picks later, the White Sox selected Frank Thomas. It happens.

13. The merchandise he sells on his website also raises money for charity, including his Force Network Fund, which supports families of military members and first responders.

14. His philanthropy last Christmas included a toy drive and a donation to a local sports bar near the arena, which was hammered by COVID-19 1218649 Philadelphia Flyers SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.27.2021

After positive year, Morin staying with Flyers

BY JORDAN HALL

Samuel Morin said he felt he was meant to be a Flyer.

On Monday, he stayed a Flyer.

The club re-signed Morin to a one-year, $750,000 contract extension. The 6-foot-6 defenseman was set to hit unrestricted free agency, which opens Wednesday at noon ET.

Morin, a 2013 first-round draft pick, played a career-high 20 games last season. He started 2020-21 with a switch to left winger, but eventually moved back to defense and fared well. Injuries, including a pair of torn ACLs, limited him to nine combined games over the previous four seasons.

The 26-year-old Morin is expected to battle with Cam York and other depth candidates for a spot in the Flyers' season-opening lineup. The club's defense has been reshaped with the additions of Ryan Ellis and Rasmus Ristolainen, along with the trades of Shayne Gostisbehere, Philippe Myers and Robert Hagg.

"The stuff I bring, I don't think a lot of guys bring it in this organization; it's kind of pretty rare now," Morin said in May at his end-of-the-season press conference. "I think I'm probably one of the toughest guys in the league, to be honest. Next year, we're going to play those big boys in the West and I'm kind of ready to prove it. I think I can bring something that no one here can bring. ... I feel I'm a Flyer."

The Flyers last offseason suggested Morin try a position switch. He transitioned to forward and played four games there in 2020-21. As he played with AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley, he was needed again on defense and the Flyers eventually needed him back there, too. He scored his first NHL goal (a third-period game-winner in a 2-1 decision over the Rangers) and saw 16 games on the back end from late March to the finish of the season. He's back on defense for good.

"When I started playing defense down there with the Phantoms, I was like, 'Man, when I get a full summer of training, I’m going to feel good.' Because it was still a rehab season for me kind of," Morin said. "When you tear your ACL twice, still a little bit of pain in my knee, it takes like a year or two before you feel like 100 percent. I just see myself next year, I think I'm going to be skating even better, like without pain and stuff. I'm going to be buzzing I think. I'll be ready to go."

In November 2019, Morin suffered a torn ACL in his right knee for the second time in a span of 19 months. Staying healthy last season and playing games on defense were big for him.

"What I went through was hell, honestly — it was terrible," Morin said. "That rehab twice, two ACLs, being so close to having a chance to play in the NHL and getting hurt and getting hurt, it's tough. It wasn't fun. At the beginning of the year, I just told myself, just go out there and have fun, just be happy to be part of something again, be part of a team. Obviously we didn't make the playoffs, we didn't play well, we didn't meet the expectations and stuff. But for me personally, just being part of a team again was so huge for me mentally. I just love it, I love the game, I love to play hockey."

The deadline for the Flyers to submit qualifying offers to their restricted free agents is today. Carter Hart, Travis Sanheim and Connor Bunnaman are the club's notable RFAs. Per CapFriendly.com, the Flyers currently have around $11.7 million in cap space. The Flyers still need to address their backup goalie situation and they could add a depth forward or defenseman.

"We've made our qualifying offer to Carter," Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher said last Thursday. "Probably next week, I'll have some preliminary conversations with Carter's representative. There's really no hurry there. We haven't had a lot of conversations yet about the contract, just like we haven't with Sanheim or other people as well. That time of the year is sort of coming. We'll get a feel for what their preferences are, what the price point would be and different term lengths, like you always do, and see what makes sense." 1218650 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers extend qualifying offers to 4 RFAs, part ways with former 2nd- round pick

BY JORDAN HALL

he Flyers on Monday extended qualifying offers to restricted free agents Carter Hart, Travis Sanheim, Connor Bunnaman and David Kase. T

The club did not issue an offer to forward prospect Pascal Laberge, making him an unrestricted free agent. The 23-year-old was taken by the Flyers in the second round of the 2016 draft. He has battled injuries throughout his development, going back to 2016-17 and his junior hockey days. Laberge had played a total of 54 games with AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley.

The deadline to submit qualifying offers was Monday at 5 p.m. ET. The offers expire Aug. 6 at 5 p.m. ET and can't be accepted until Wednesday at noon ET, the start of NHL free agency. Essentially, qualifying offers officially kick off the negotiation process.

Hart, the club's 22-year-old No. 1 goalie who had a tough 2020-21 season, is coming off of his entry-level contract.

Sanheim also had a challenging season. His previous contract was a two-year, $6.5 million bridge deal. The 25-year-old defenseman is arbitration eligible.

Both Hart and Sanheim were very good the two seasons prior to last year.

"There's really no hurry there," Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher said last Thursday about Hart's next contract. "We haven't had a lot of conversations yet about the contract, just like we haven't with Sanheim or other people as well. That time of the year is sort of coming. We'll get a feel for what their preferences are, what the price point would be and different term lengths, like you always do, and see what makes sense."

Bunnaman, a 23-year-old depth center the organization has been impressed with, is also coming off of his entry-level contract. Over the last two seasons, he has played 39 games with the big club.

The Flyers retained the NHL rights of Kase, a 2015 fifth-round pick who is set to play in his native Czech Republic for HC Sparta Prague next season.

Samuel Morin re-signed Monday on a one-year, $750,000 deal. It's uncertain if the Flyers will bring back any of their other soon-to-be unrestricted free agents, veteran goalie Brian Elliott being one of them.

Over the last 10 days, Fletcher revamped the Flyers' roster with a flurry of trades. He acquired Ryan Ellis, Rasmus Ristolainen and Cam Atkinson, while parting ways with Jakub Voracek, Philippe Myers, Nolan Patrick, Shayne Gostisbehere, Robert Hagg and four draft picks.

Per CapFriendly.com, the Flyers currently have around $11.7 million in cap space. They need to address their backup goalie situation and could possibly add a depth forward or defenseman.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218651 Philadelphia Flyers (Incredibly, only seven players who appeared in the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs — that’s the year the Blue Jackets swept Tampa Bay in the first round — are still with the club as of today.)

Cam Atkinson energized by trade to Flyers, but sad to see ‘the band has Atkinson and Jones are said to be the two players who were most broken up’ in Columbus forthright in the postseason meeting with Kekalainen. Atkinson was asked if he believed his willingness to speak out could have led to his trade.

By Aaron Portzline Jul 26, 2021 “Honestly, I don’t think so,” Atkinson said. “I would never view it like that. If anything, they’ve listened to us, because there are changes being

made as we speak. I would certainly hope not, because finally they COLUMBUS, — Cam Atkinson was signing autographs at the Blue listened to some of the older players. Jackets draft party in Nationwide Arena on Friday when he learned that “We’re on the ground every day. We see it first-hand. People around the defenseman Seth Jones had been traded to Chicago. league talk — players, I mean — they talk every day. One of the main “A couple of fans were like, ‘Sorry to hear about Jonesy,'” Atkinson said. concerns of UFAs or big-time free agents, the reason they tend to look “I was like, ‘What are you talking about?’ Obviously, I knew he was going the other way, is it’s just gotten kind of stale.” to get traded, but I had no idea where or for what. So that’s how I found One of the sweeping changes has been to the Blue Jackets dressing out about Jonesy. room, which is getting a player-designed remodel this summer. There “I couldn’t even look at my phone because right when I got done signing have been other changes, too. Players had significant input on the hiring autographs, I went up on the stage to get interviewed.” of coach Brad Larsen.

Atkinson was just coming to terms with the latest Blue Jackets’ roster Atkinson said he was well aware that the Blue Jackets were also departure on Saturday morning when his phone rang. It was Blue planning a major remodel of the roster. A rebuild is underway, and the Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen. trade of Jones was seen by many as a big step toward the future. There could be a couple of down seasons before the next wave of players is “And then it was my turn,” Atkinson said. ready to deliver at the NHL level.

Atkinson, the longest-tenured Blue Jackets player, was traded to the “I was 100 percent on board,” Atkinson said. “I’m a guy who likes to see Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for winger Jake Voracek, a swap of things through. I’m a loyal guy. Whatever was thrown our way, I was veteran forwards between two members of the . ready to embrace it.”

“I told Nat (his wife) that we just got traded,” Atkinson said. “I wish I took The Blue Jackets made the playoffs five times in Atkinson’s nine a picture of her face. She looked like she just saw a ghost. We had a seasons. They’ve won only one playoff round in that time, but it’s been bunch of people there for (son) Declan’s third birthday party, and the best stretch of play in franchise history after a brutal first decade on everybody thought I was joking.” the ice.

The Blue Jackets’ fan base was similarly gobsmacked, but many were But it couldn’t last forever, Atkinson said. furious, too. The Blue Jackets have earned the unfortunate reputation of a club that can’t hold on to talent, and now they’ve traded the player who “Unfortunately, with this past year, when you lose, a lot of things change,” has been the most vocal about wanting to stay? Atkinson said. “It’s hard to see your best friends go. The last six years we were building something so special here, and to see the main core guys The on-ice explanation for the trade may have merit. get up and leave, you see the coaching staff with (coach John Tortorella) Tort go, and now Jonesy on Friday … Voracek, a former Blue Jackets’ first-round pick who spent three years in Columbus, is one of the NHL’s elite playmakers, a player who could bring “The band has broken up. We did something so special in Columbus, life not only to Patrik Laine’s game but also to the Blue Jackets’ power and I’ll remember it the rest of my life.” play. Atkinson said he’s ready for a new start with the Flyers, who also added But Atkinson had become a beloved player, as much for his on-ice veteran defensemen Rasmus Ristolainen and Ryan Ellis through trades achievements — two NHL All-Star Games, a 41-goal season, etc. — as this offseason. his off-ice involvement. He has established his own foundation, the Force Network Fund, and built a youth hockey academy, the Battery Hockey “I’m an older guy now, but I know I still have juice in the tank,” said Academy. Atkinson, who turned 32 last month. “Seeing the changes the Flyers have made … (Flyers GM Chuck) Fletcher seems like an unbelievable guy, a “There’s no secret that I love Columbus,” Atkinson said. “Still do. Always very personable guy. He only wants to improve his club. He talks to the will. I wish this organization nothing but the best. players and that sort of thing.

“Trades happen. I’ve been here a long time. My feelings about Columbus “They expect a lot of big things out of me, and I expect the same. I told don’t change. People don’t realize how great a city it is, the way of life them whatever role they want me to play, I’ll do it the best I can. But an here, especially raising a family. This is our home and we plan on living opportunity like this rejuvenates my career. So much new energy. Their here in the summers after the season. We’re invested here. My kids were top six is really good, and it’s a more mature lineup.” born here. I want to continue to see things through, and keep helping hockey grow (with Battery).” Atkinson planned a trip to Nationwide Arena later in the day Monday to retrieve his belongings from the Blue Jackets dressing room. It’s been his Atkinson met with the Philadelphia media via Zoom soon after the trade part-time home since the 2012-13 season. became official. He wore a t-shirt featuring the Flyers’ mascot Gritty and seemed to be excited by the move. It wasn’t just a brave face, either. “I’m so close with all of the medical guys and equipment guys,” Atkinson said. “They know I’m here in town for another month and a half, and I’ll The 2020-21 season was a nightmare in Columbus. The Blue Jackets be around for offseason skates in the future, stuff like that. were a dysfunctional mess right from the start, but it was more than Pierre-Luc Dubois’ preseason trade request that derailed the season. “It’s definitely not goodbye. But knowing that a lot of guys aren’t here anymore is going to make it easier to go.” The Blue Jackets roster was revealed as deeply flawed, especially after Dubois’ trade created a gaping hole at center ice. Veteran players had The Athletic LOADED: 07.27.2021 disappointing seasons. Young players seemed parked in their development.

After the season, veteran players called a meeting with Kekalainen and voiced their opinions on the many ways the club could improve, not just in attracting players through free agency but in keeping players in the organization. 1218652 Philadelphia Flyers The good news is that he avoided major surgery for the issue, and is back to 100 percent now. The Flyers got themselves a very good player in Ryan Ellis, and absolutely checked this box with authority.

Revisiting the ‘perfect offseason’ concept for the Flyers: What they’ve 2. Find a way for Seattle to take one of the big-money forwards done, and what they still must do This box technically wasn’t checked, but in spirit, it mostly was.

Back in June, I wrote the following when it came to Voracek: By Charlie O'Connor Jul 26, 2021 Voracek can score in any role, but his defensive metrics tanked again in 2020-21, and the coaching staff surely is going to place a heavy emphasis in 2021-22 on improving goal prevention. Removing either It turns out that Chuck Fletcher and the Philadelphia Flyers really weren’t (Voracek or ) from the team would absolutely kidding when they said that they wanted to have an eventful offseason. change the mix up front, and after the debacle that was the 2020-21 season, that doesn’t feel like the worst idea. Over the course of eight days, Fletcher has embarked upon a massive restructuring of his roster, shipping out Philippe Myers, Nolan Patrick, The reasoning for moving Voracek (or JvR, the other option) was twofold: Shayne Gostisbehere and Jakub Voracek, and replacing them with Ryan first, it would open up the cap space necessary for the Flyers to make all Ellis, Rasmus Ristolainen and Cam Atkinson. Oh, and the opening bell of of their “perfect” offseason moves, and it would serve as a significant unrestricted free agency isn’t even due to ring for another two days. adjustment to the team’s leadership core. Seattle may have balked at taking Voracek for nothing, but Fletcher found another taker in the form Fletcher might not be finished. of Voracek’s old team, the Columbus Blue Jackets, and even got back a Back in late June, I penned an article laying out 10 steps for the Flyers to good player in Cam Atkinson who fills multiple stylistic holes. There’s a have the perfect offseason — a summer that would see them address strong case to be made that this was an even better outcome for the every key roster hole and position the team for long-term success. Of Flyers than if the Kraken had simply poached Voracek. course, by using the word “perfect,” there was an inherent “I think it was time for Jake to go to a new team and re-energize,” acknowledgment that much of the content was a bit “pie-in-the-sky”. A lot Fletcher noted in the wake of the trade. “It was time for us to bring in was going to have to break the Flyers’ way for even half of the 10 steps different players and get going in a different direction. It’s as simple as to be met. that.” Fletcher has now crammed so many moves into such a short period of 3. Acquire a dynamic, impact forward time, it’s become necessary to revisit that supposedly “pie-in-the-sky” thought experiment. This box still remains unchecked.

Let’s take some time before the action starts up again on Wednesday to It hasn’t been for lack of trying. My understanding is that Fletcher did digest the Flyers’ offseason as it stands today, in the form of my ten-point more than kick the tires on Jack Eichel earlier in the offseason, though I offseason checklist. How close is Fletcher to checking off every single do believe that ship has sailed. I also believe the Flyers have interest in box on our to-do list? Are there plausible paths for him to address the buying low on Vladimir Tarasenko, though with their moves over the past holes that still remain open? And what do we now know about Fletcher’s week, it becomes significantly more difficult to fit him into their cap overarching goals and philosophy guiding his offseason plan? situation.

1. Get a top-pair quality defenseman Fletcher has completely restructured the team’s blueline corps, and by swapping Voracek for Atkinson, certainly shifted the makeup of the Consider this box very obviously checked. forward group. But they do still lack that dynamic offensive threat who Back in June, I noted that Fletcher’s ability (or inability) to acquire a true legitimately scares opposing defenses. Philadelphia’s forward depth is first-pair defenseman — preferably of the right-shot variety — would undeniable, but the absence of that game-breaking piece looms large, define the Flyers’ offseason. And give Fletcher credit, as he found a way especially on the power play. to get it done and to add one of the better RHDs of the last decade in In truth, it was always a long shot that the Flyers would be able to acquire Ryan Ellis. this piece in the offseason. These types of players just aren’t available It wasn’t easy. Fletcher had long targeted Ellis as one of his preferred often, and Fletcher only has so many assets and can only manufacture Matt Niskanen replacement options dating back to February, but talks so much cap space. But entering the offseason, this was a club up front broke off once the Flyers’ season went off the rails and they no longer that was constructed around the idea of “depth you to death,” and that were likely to make the playoffs. In the offseason, Fletcher re-engaged hasn’t changed. Yet. Nashville GM David Poile, and while Poile initially was hesitant to trade 4. Get a solid second-pair quality defenseman, too Ellis, Fletcher finally wore him down and Poile apparently slowly became convinced that his team needed a shakeup on the back end. That’s partly Well, the Flyers certainly think they’ve checked this box. the reason why Ellis was so shocked in the wake of the trade — my understanding is that Poile long assured Ellis that he would not be I’m actually on board with all of the logic underpinning this move. I agree moved, even as rumors emerged regarding his supposed availability. that even after acquiring Ryan Ellis, simply penciling Justin Braun in as the team’s No. 4 defenseman just wasn’t going to be good enough. I Ellis does come with some risks. But his injury history doesn’t seem concur that Travis Sanheim needs an upgraded partner to get the most nearly as frightening with the new knowledge that his issue this past out of him, just as Ivan Provorov did. I agree that they should have season was a shattered knuckle (I believe it occurred when it shot a primarily been looking at righthanded options. I’m with the Flyers in Patrik Laine shot off his hand in February) and not a shoulder injury that believing that the blueline corps needed an infusion of physicality and required surgery. His other major absences over the past four seasons nastiness, and that Sanheim in particular could use a partner in that mold were caused by a Corey Perry cheap shot leading to a concussion, and because he so obviously doesn’t fit it. offseason knee surgery back in 2017. In other words, the two injuries were pretty fluky, and he’s already proven to be past the knee surgery I am just skeptical that Rasmus Ristolainen checks the “solid” box that considering his three stellar seasons in the wake of it. was the key underlying element of this particular step.

Also, Ellis’ down 2020-21 season by the numbers makes more sense There’s really no need to rehash all of the arguments against Ristolainen now as well. I’ve heard that even after Ellis returned from the shattered the player — suffice to say that the Flyers are betting that his natural knuckle, he was still severely limited in terms of what he could do on the talent will manifest itself in far better results with the Flyers than it did ice. The stats reflect that perfectly — his pre-injury five-on-five results are while he was in Buffalo. A large portion of the scouting community right in line with the normal Ryan Ellis season, and they tanked after he believes he will do just that. But his on-ice results at even strength have returned. never been even good in the NHL, so Fletcher and the Flyers are taking a big leap of faith that given different usage and a more stable All metrics courtesy of Evolving-Hockey. environment, Ristolainen will thrive. Stylistically, Ristolainen does check all of the boxes when it comes to this to add at least a Nick Bonino-level center to the mix, but it just might not particular addition. It’s just not a slam-dunk that the sum of those parts be in the cards. actually results in an above-average, top-4 NHL defenseman. 9. Bargain hunt for another (good) veteran bottom-sixer 5. Hart has a fantastic summer and returns to his old self This box hasn’t been checked yet, but in fairness, it was always likely to Let’s largely skip this one, since Chuck Fletcher doesn’t have much wait until the start of free agency, and Fletcher looks to be on the hunt for control over this, beyond not needlessly creating a goalie controversy in some quality cheap depth come Wednesday. Philadelphia by acquiring a highly-paid starting goalie in free agency or via trade. By trading their first-round pick, they also put themselves out of “I think I would certainly look at another defenseman and another forward the Jesper Wallstadt and Sebastian Cossa sweepstakes in the draft, up front to add some more depth, and yet we know we have some good which would have been bound to spark Carson Wentz/Jalen Hurts kids that are going to push for opportunities,” he noted on Saturday. comparisons. It’s worth pointing out, however, that the addition of Cam Atkinson 6. In fact, all the young guys should have big summers actually makes this particular need a little less pressing. My original assumption was that to add an energy forward with high-end penalty Still holds true — well, for all except Philippe Myers and Nolan Patrick, killing ability and strong off-ice character, it would have to come in the since they’re no longer on the Flyers’ roster. Though it would certainly form of a fourth-liner — instead, Atkinson fits into all three boxes, yet he behoove both of them to have big summers anyway. can also be counted on to score 20+ goals and provide 50-ish points. That doesn’t mean the Flyers couldn’t use another player like that, it just 7. Bring in a high-end backup netminder means that it doesn’t feel quite as low-key essential.

Unfinished, but clearly in the works. That said, I expect the Flyers to make some depth adds. Right now, the It’s been obvious since the start of the offseason that the Flyers are defense corps is thin at the bottom, especially if Cam York doesn’t make looking for an upgrade over Brian Elliott in the backup goaltender role, the team out of camp. Fletcher confirmed Saturday that they expect to re- and Fletcher hasn’t hidden that interest in any of his press availabilities. It sign Samuel Morin, but he’s best served as a situational No. 7 makes sense — the expectation at Flyers HQ is that Hart will indeed defenseman, not as the nightly No. 6 as he would be if York proves not bounce back, but there’s always the chance he doesn’t, and even if Hart ready. Adding another serviceable third-pair blueliner would make sense. does have a strong year, Philadelphia could certainly use a netminder As for the forward position, Fletcher strongly hinted that center would be who could step in for a week at a time if Hart needs to work through any the priority, which makes sense because they really don’t have a no- issues in his game. Elliott proved in 2020-21 that he can’t be that guy brainer NHL 4C, either, since Laughton is better served on the wing and anymore. players like Laczynski and Jackson Cates aren’t locks to be ready (or good). So who might they look to add? Pierre LeBrun speculated on Sunday that Jonathan Bernier, James Reimer and Jaroslav Halak could all be Fletcher showed over the past week that he’s willing to shop at the top of potential fits. All three would qualify as significant upgrades to Elliott. The the market. This week, he’ll need to adequately bargain-hunt as well. rights of both Bernier and Reimer are currently held by Carolina, who 10. Resolve the Patrick situation, one way or the other continues to negotiate with all three (including Petr Mrazek, another pending UFA). Presumably, one of the two will hit the market. Halak Yep, this box has been checked. And it speaks to a low-key big part of brings age concerns (he’s 36, the same as Elliott) but he’s remained the offseason for the Flyers: changing the mood and feel of the room. effective into his mid-30s to a degree that Elliott has not. Some of Fletcher’s most eye-opening comments on Saturday were related to this. At the moment, they have the cap space to make somewhere in the $2- 2.5 million cap hit range work without clearing out cap space somewhere “Last year wasn’t good for any of us. I think I said it earlier, just felt like else. Is that enough to get their target? Right now, my understanding is there was a malaise around the team all year,” he noted. “There was no that Bernier’s camp in particular is pushing for a much higher cap number energy, no juice. Nobody smiled. We didn’t play well. Look, we’ve got to at the moment, but that could easily come down in the next few days. get back to being a team. We got to get some energy here.”

8. A quality third center is brought in Obviously, reporters weren’t allowed in the locker room this past season. But I had heard that by the end of the season, that room was not even This one remains unchecked, and based on Fletcher’s comments on close to a happy place. Part of it was the team’s clear underachievement, Saturday, may very well remain so. to be sure, and the COVID-19 restrictions and ridiculous schedule didn’t I always had a suspicion that the Flyers would have the cap space to help, either. But the theory from the outside that the mix of the group just either get a second RHD, or address the third-line center position, but not seemed off in 2020-21 — let’s just say I don’t get the sense that was off- both. Well, with Ristolainen, they addressed the former hole, and now, base. I’m projecting that they’ll likely have somewhere in the $3.5 million range So how do you address a problem like that? Well, for starters, you in terms of cap space to acquire a good backup goalie and fill out the remove anyone who doesn’t want to be there anymore — in other words, roster with two more skaters. That’s not enough to nab anyone of 3C give Nolan Patrick a fresh start somewhere else. You ship out a player in caliber without performing even more cap gymnastics. Shayne Gostisbehere who (perhaps understandably) became frustrated So is Fletcher going to go that route? He threw cold water on the idea with his usage over the years and given the looming presence of Cam after the draft. York, was likely to continue to be. And you shake up the leadership core, sending out a player in Voracek who, while well-liked, was never going to “Yeah, I’m not sure we’ll have the cap space to get into those types of be setting a shining example in terms of two-way play, making it tougher players, the higher end 3Cs,” he said. “I think we have some internal for coaches to successfully hold younger players to those standards candidates that we’ll look at. That’s something we’ll have to sort out without seeming hypocritical. through training camp. We’ll see what opportunities come up, and certainly there could be opportunities here to add a center in the coming To be clear — none of Patrick, Gostisbehere or Voracek are bad guys. days. We may have to look at internal options for that and have some Fletcher made sure to praise the characters of both Gostisbehere (“He competition in camp.” was a model citizen”) and Voracek (“I love him as a person, we’ve had great conversations all year”). But it makes sense to me why they were That sure sounds like a GM who is preparing to make a fourth-line depth all excised. I noted this back in June: “But for the team to have a rebound add at center, and not a player capable of regularly playing on one of the season in 2021-22, I believe they’ll need full buy-in from every single team’s top three lines. In fairness, the Flyers do have “internal player on the roster — a replication of the chemistry the group had in the candidates” for the third-line center spot, with a newly-healthy Morgan second half of 2019-20.” The subtractions from the past week and Frost at the top of the list. Scott Laughton also could end up there, change very much played to me as if the Flyers had that in mind. Tanner Laczynski will be in the mix at camp if he’s fully recovered from offseason surgery, and they could always use Claude Giroux in the 11. End the stagnation middle if necessary. This wasn’t in my original 10 point plan for the perfect offseason, though Still, those pieces are either unproven (Frost, Lacyznski) or better at in a sense, it was understood, because making all of those moves would another position (Giroux, Laughton). Ideally, the Flyers would find a way have naturally achieved this goal. But Chuck Fletcher made it abundantly clear that a “shake-up” wasn’t just a by-product of trying to improve the and Couturier to set the right kind of example for the rest of the group, team — it was the overarching philosophy driving everything. which then will serve to bring everybody else into the fight. Ristolainen (and Morin) are your “we have each other’s backs” guys. And then the “You know what, we just can’t keep bringing the same players back year talent up and down the lineup that Ron Hextall slowly accumulated over after year and expect different results,” Fletcher said in his most the course of his rebuild can provide the skill and offense. revealing quote of the night on Saturday. Will the end product look exactly like the blueprint? Probably not. But It’s not smart to make moves for the sake of making moves. But it’s also Fletcher’s additions to the roster shed real light on what type of team he true that a team isn’t likely to improve entirely via internal progression. wants the Flyers to be. We’ll find out if that’s actually what they become. That was the gamble that Fletcher took last offseason, and it blew up in his face. He wasn’t about to make it again. The Athletic LOADED: 07.27.2021

But it went beyond adding pieces. Fletcher clearly felt changes were necessary, and after the soul-crushing season that the team had, he was probably right. If the Flyers did not shake things up, it’s difficult to imagine that the returning players would have come to training camp in September especially excited to potentially repeat the 2020-21 campaign with the exact same group. They’re apparently excited now.

“I think we’re going to have some guys coming back hungry and energized, ready to go,” Fletcher said. “I’ve spoken to several players in the last 24 to 48 hours and they’re fired up. They’re excited. They finally feel like last year’s in the past and that it’s going to be a different world, a different camp, a different and, in my opinion, a better team.”

This time around, there are fresh faces, new voices, and room for new leaders to step up in place of long-tenured players like Voracek (been a lineup staple since 2011), Gostisbehere (since 2015) and even Michael Raffl (2013), who was shipped out at the deadline. That opens the door for an entirely new feel around the team.

“It’s nothing against the players that we had here before,” Fletcher explained. “It’s about trying to create a new group, a new leadership group, new chemistry.”

12. Build an identity

Back in May, I was asked in a mailbag about team identity — specifically, what kind of identity the present-day Flyers should look to adopt, especially in the wake of a season where they lacked anything remotely resembling one. My answer was as follows:

Look, the days of the Broad Street Bullies are over — that’s just the nature of the new NHL. Teams can’t intimidate opponents the way those clubs from the ’70s did. But clubs can still be close-knit enough that they’ll always stick up for each other. They can play with enough energy to make the lives of opposing defensemen miserable and wear them down over the course of a game. They can infuriate opponents during play with a relentless attacking mentality, and then further needle them after whistles with scrums and taunts. In other words — they can be tough to play against. Oh, and they can have four lines capable of scoring goals. That helps too.

The moves they’ve made so far this summer sure seem aimed towards trying to build that kind of identity.

Ryan Ellis, in addition to being a very good defenseman, is also a heart- and-soul type on and off the ice who plays bigger than his size. Cam Atkinson is in the same mold, a relentless player with skill who was more than willing to check his ego at the door and play John Tortorella hockey for years. While I’m skeptical of Rasmus Ristolainen, I’ll certainly acknowledge that he brings a physical presence and will be more than willing to throw his weight around in defense of teammates. It’s tough to imagine that he’d sit by as recently-recovered-from-cancer Oskar Lindblom has to be the one who starts a fight to try and spark the team after a slow start.

And given the right mix of personalities, the returning players still on the Flyers roster absolutely are capable of playing that style. Giroux’s desire to win is unquestioned, as proven by his (ultimately fruitless) attempt to carry the broken 2020-21 club on his back. Couturier’s work ethic is legendary. Ivan Provorov is an absolute warrior on the ice. Joel Farabee is a relentless forechecker and naturally high-effort. Lindblom’s character is obviously through the roof. Scott Laughton is the kind of chippy-but- skilled bottom-sixer that Stanley Cup contenders are desperate to acquire at trade deadlines. Travis Konecny, when his energy is pointed in the right direction, can get under the skin of opponents. Nicolas Aubé- Kubel’s big problem in 2020-21 was failing to find the proper balance between aggressiveness and stupidity, but his game is based around being in constant attack mode, for better or worse.

It’s not difficult to see Fletcher’s thinking here — add guys like Ellis and Atkinson to the team’s leadership core and trust that they’ll help Giroux 1218653 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins' Mike Sullivan to be named United States Olympic coach

SETH RORABAUGH | Monday, July 26, 2021 6:14 p.m.

Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan is expected to be named head coach of the United States’ men’s Olympic team for the 2022 Games in Beijing.

The NHL has yet to formally agree to participate in the Olympics, which are scheduled for February.

A native of Marshfield, Mass., Sullivan has served as the Penguins’ coach for parts of the past five seasons, winning two Stanley Cup titles (2016 and ‘17) over that span. In 425 games as Penguins coach, Sullivan has amassed a 251-131-43 record.

Sullivan could become the third one-time coach of the Penguins to coach the United States men’s team in the Olympics. He would join Bob Johnson (1976), Herb Brooks (1980 and 2002) and Dan Bylsma (2014).

Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff was first to report on Sullivan potentially being named to the position.

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Penguins extend qualifying offers to forwards Zach Aston-Reese, Radim Zohorna

SETH RORABAUGH | Monday, July 26, 2021 5:42 p.m.

The Penguins extended qualifying offers to pending restricted free agent forwards Zach Aston-Reese and Radim Zohorna.

Aston-Reese, 26, appeared in 45 games last season and had 15 points (nine goals, six assists). His previous contract was a two-year deal with a salary cap hit of $1 million.

The 25-year-old Zohorna made his NHL debut last season, playing in eight games and scoring four points (two goals, two assists). A native of the Czech Republic, Zohorna played his first career games in North America with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League in 2020-21, appearing in 12 games and scoring 11 points (three goals, eight assists).

He just completed a one-year entry-level contract with a salary cap hit of $792,500.

Pending restricted free agent forwards Mark Jankowski and Sam Miletic, defenseman Jesper Lindgren and goaltender Emil Larmi did not receive qualifying offers and will be allowed to become unrestricted free agents.

An offseason signing in October, Jankowski, 26, appeared in 45 games last season and scored 11 points (four goals, seven assists). He just completed a one-year contract for a league-minimum $700,000.

Miletic, 24, played in 21 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last season and scored five points (two goals, three assists). After attending the Penguins’ training camp in January, much of his season was disrupted by a bout of mononucleosis.

He hasn’t played at the NHL level. His previous contract was a one-year, two-way deal with a salary cap hit of $700,000.

The 21-year-old Lindgren was acquired in a multi-player trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs that also brought forward Kasperi Kapanen to Pittsburgh. After opening the 2020-21 season with MODO of Sweden’s HockeyAllsvenskin league because of the pandemic, Lindgren suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s first preseason game Jan. 31.

Lindgren just completed a three-year entry-level contract with a salary cap hit of $775,833.

Larmi, 24, signed with the Lahden Pelicans of Finland’s Liiga on May 31 after never playing an NHL game in his two seasons with the Penguins. In six AHL games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last season, Larmi had a 1-4-1 record with a 4.87 goals-against average and an .845 save percentage.

He just completed a two-year contract with a salary cap hit of $792,500.

The NHL’s free-agent signing period begins Wednesday.

Tribune Review LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218655 Pittsburgh Penguins Last week, general manager Ron Hextall expressed hope for Hallander to challenge for a spot on the NHL roster in training camp. That might be a bit optimistic considering Hallander has never played a minute in North America on a smaller ice surface. So some refinement in the American Penguins A to Z (and back to H): Filip Hallander's return boosts the Hockey League with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton might be in order. prospect pool Regardless, his return provides a much-needed boost to the Penguins’ shallow prospect pool.

SETH RORABAUGH | Monday, July 26, 2021 8:01 a.m. Follow the Penguins all season long.

Tribune Review LOADED: 07.27.2021 With the Penguins in the midst of their offseason, the Tribune-Review is looking at all 48 players currently under NHL contracts to the organization in alphabetical order, from mid-level prospect Niclas Almari to top-six winger .

Filip Hallander

Position: Center

Shoots: Left

Age: 21

Height: 6-foot-1

Weight: 190 pounds

2020-21 SHL statistics: 51 games, 24 points (13 goals, 11 assists)

Contract: First year of a three-year salary cap hit of $778,333. Pending unrestricted free agent in 2023

(Note: According to Cap Friendly, Hallander’s contract includes a European assignment clause. This allows Hallander, if he chooses, to play in Europe if the Penguins assign him to a minor league affiliate.)

Acquired: Trade, July 17, 2021

2020-21 season: Given how often the Penguins have dealt away high- end future assets, Hallander was, almost by default, one of the organization’s top prospects until August 2020.

Then he became a Toronto Maple Leafs prospect.

The Penguins swung a multi-player deal to reacquire top-six winger Kasperi Kapanen, another one-time Penguins prospect on Aug. 25. The bundle of assets the Penguins sent to Toronto included Hallander, a second-round pick (No. 58 overall) in 2018.

While most leagues in North America were on hiatus last fall due to the pandemic, a number of European leagues opted to forge ahead and played on through, including the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), the top- tier league in Hallander’s home country.

That led to the Maple Leafs loaning him to Lulea HF, the team he had played for during the 2019-20 campaign, though he missed much of that season due to a broken leg.

Deployed on the left wing of the first line for most of the season, Hallander was Lulea’s eighth-leading scorer. His three game-winning goals led the team.

Third on the team in shots with 126, he claimed a role on the power play with four scores.

Helping Lulea to a fifth-place finish in a 14-team league, Hallander collected three points (two goals, one assist) in seven postseason games as Lulea fell to Skelleftea AIK.

After the SHL’s season was concluded, Hallander was selected for Sweden’s roster for the International Federation’s (IIHF) World Championship tournament. In five games, he recorded one assist.

On July 17, the Penguins reacquired Hallander from the Maple Leafs in a deal that sent veteran forward Jared McCann to Toronto.

The future: Hallander automatically becomes one of the organizations’ top prospects — again — by virtue of there being few candidates for that designation.

Drafted as a center, Hallander has predominantly played the wing at the professional level. A nuisance around the cage, he does a lot of his damage offensively near the crease. While his skating could use some work, he offers a defensively conscious game. 1218656 Pittsburgh Penguins After a stellar start to the season, Mrazek was injured for more than half the year in 2020-21. He posted a .923 save percentage and 2.06 goals- against average when healthy in 12 games while playing behind a solid defensive team in Carolina. Reimer, meanwhile, recorded a .906 save NHL free agency preview: What are Penguins' possibilities between the percentage and 2.66 goals-against average in 22 games last year. pipes? However, he became the odd man out once Mrazek returned from injury.

Antti Raanta, 32, Arizona Coyotes

MIKE DEFABO Over the last four years, Raanta posted a .921 save percentage and 2.57 goals-against average. However, he struggled to stay healthy last

season, playing just 12 games during the shortened season. Reports are Of all the questions surrounding the Penguins this offseason, the biggest that Raanta will test the open market after playing on a contract that ones can be found in the crease. carried a $4.25 million cap hit last year. With Darcy Kuemper in trade rumors (more on that later), Raanta’s status in Arizona remains When Tristan Jarry faltered in his first series as the starter, the club was uncertain. left without any real alternatives. Backup Casey DeSmith was still dealing with a core muscle injury that ultimately required surgery, and third goalie Tuukka Rask, 34, Boston Bruins Maxime Lagace had played in just two NHL games since the start of the The Boston backstop, like Grubauer, has made it clear he’d prefer to stay 2018-19 season. with his current club. However, he needs surgery to repair a torn labrum Currently, Jarry is set to enter Year 2 of his three-year deal with a $3.5 in his hip and the Bruins have a couple young netminders who might million cap hit. DeSmith, meanwhile, will make $1.25 million on the final influence that decision. The injury status could be a double-edged sword year of his contract. on the open market. While he’s not going to be ready for the start of the season, Rask could be stashed on long-term injured reserve to If the Penguins want to give themselves more options when it matters, circumvent the cap. The fact that he’s a mid-30s goalie who just went now is probably the time to do it. Free agency opens on Wednesday at under the knife might help make him more affordable after he ate up a noon, where several notable netminders could be available. A number of large $7 million cap hit last year. goalies have also surfaced in trade rumors. Jaroslav Halak, 36, Boston Bruins “I’d say I’m a pretty skilled, playmaking forward,” Tristan Broz, above, said Saturday on a video call with Pittsburgh-area media. “I like to use While one Boston goalie wants to stay, another will be moving on. my creativity, hands and stickhandling ability to set up chances and Halak’s agent, Allan Walsh, told several outlets in Boston that the Bruins create offense for my teammates.” and his client will part ways. In his 15-year career, Halak has posted a solid .916 save percentage and 2.48 goals-against average. He also has Let’s look at some of the possibilities between the pipes: the experience of 39 playoff games.

FREE AGENTS Throughout his three-year tenure in Boston, Halak provided a dependable backup to Rask. However, he lost altitude at the end of the Frederik Andersen, 31, Toronto Maple Leafs season, got leapfrogged on the depth chart and finished his Boston After four solid seasons in Toronto, Andersen struggled last year with tenure as a healthy scratch in the postseason. He’s reportedly looking for injuries and inconsistencies before eventually losing the net to Jack a role in a goaltending tandem. That could be worth consideration for the Campbell. Andersen played the fewest games of his NHL career (24) and Penguins, if they still have some level of faith in Jarry but are looking for posted career-worst stats in both goals-against average (2.96) and save a more-proven 1B option. percentage (.895) last season. TRADE POSSIBILITIES Those stats actually might help the Penguins, if they’re interested. It Darcy Kuemper, 31, Arizona Coyotes could drive down the price on a veteran goalie who carried a $5 million cap hit last season. Andersen, who will turn 32 in a few days, would bring The 31-year-old goalie is entering the final year of a contract that carries the experience of 53 playoff games (including three shutouts) and a a $4.5 million cap hit. Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff recently reported career .915 save percentage in eight seasons. that Kuemper is not interested in a contract extension in Arizona, which makes the netminder an obvious candidate to be moved. The 6-foot-5, Philipp Grubauer, 29, Colorado Avalanche 215-pound Kuemper posted a .907 save percentage and 2.56 goals- Grubauer would be a massive upgrade after finishing third in Vezina against average last season while working through injury. He also brings Trophy voting. At the same time, it also feels like a pipe dream between some playoff experience, after leading the Coyotes to a win during the the pipes, at best. 2020 play-in round.

Here’s the skinny on each draft pick with insight from Penguins director Ben Bishop, 34 … or Anton Khudobin, 35, Dallas Stars of player personnel Chris Pryor. The Dallas Stars’ goaltending situation is completely dependent upon Meet the Penguins' 2021 draft class Ben Bishop’s health. He missed the 2020 run to the Stanley Cup Final and didn’t play at all in 2020-21. Even now, his status isn’t completely The 29-year-old netminder posted a 30-9-1 record this year to go along clear. with a .922 save percentage, 1.95 goals-against average and seven shutouts. He’ll be one of the more-coveted unrestricted free agents on But if he is healthy? The Stars would be a team with a goaltending the market. After playing last year on a deal that carried a $3.33 million surplus. They have a three-time Vezina Trophy finalist (Bishop), a goalie cap hit, he should easily command more than $5 million per season with who came within two games of winning the Stanley Cup (Khudobin) and his next deal. It’s also significant that he’s publicly expressed a desire to a promising young netminder who is considered the future in net (Jake remain with the win-now Avalanche. Oettinger). The question would be: which one do they move?

Petr Mrazek, 29 … or James Reimer, 33, Carolina Hurricanes Bishop, who will play this season at 35 years old, has two years remaining on a contract that carries a $4.916 million cap hit. That’s worth After a surprise move that sent Calder Trophy finalist Alex Nedeljkovic to every dollar if he’s healthy … which has been a constant question the Detroit Red Wings, Carolina enters this offseason without a goalie throughout his career. He recently waived a no-movement clause ahead under contract. However they do have three free agent options of the expansion draft. Maybe he’d do it again for the right team and technically on the roster. Pierre LeBrun reported Carolina is discussing situation. contracts for both Jonathan Bernier (who was acquired in the Nedeljkovic trade) and Petr Mrazek. That would leave James Reimer to enter the Likewise, Khudobin is also signed for two more seasons with a more- market. However, LeBrun later reported that Mrazek’s agent plans to affordable $3.33 million cap hit. He looked like a No. 1 goalie during the have his client test the open market. 2020 run, but his stats came back down to earth last year when he posted a .905 save percentage and 2.54 goals-against average. One way or another, at least one Carolina goalie could be on the move. Jonathan Quick, 35, Los Angeles Quick found his name in trade rumors during last year’s deadline and remains a possible netminder on the move. The Kings chose to leave Quick unprotected in the expansion draft, instead favoring Cal Petersen, a 26-year-old emerging starter. Quick still has two years left on a deal that carries a $5.8 million cap hit. He’s already hoisted the Stanley Cup with Penguins general manager Ron Hextall. His fiery, competitive temperament might also be of interest for a former goalie-turned-GM known around these parts for chasing Robbie Brown around the rink.

Marc-Andre Fleury, 36, Vegas Golden Knights

Penguins fans have been dreaming of a reunion from the minute Fleury pulled on a Golden Knights sweater in the expansion draft. While it’s fun to imagine, the odds are probably worse than hitting it big on most Vegas table games. Fleury just won the Vezina. It would take a huge haul to bring him back to Pittsburgh. Not to mention, he carries a hefty $7 million cap hit and the Penguins have just $7.44 million in space. But since we’re suspending disbelief for a moment, what about if the Penguins shipped Vegas native Jason Zucker and at least some of his $5.5 million cap hit to Sin City and orchestrated two coming-home parties?

John Gibson, 28, Anaheim Ducks

The Baldwin High School grad is a local kid who would look good in the Penguins sweater. But is this a realistic possibility? He’s signed through 2026-27 on a contract that carries a pretty expensive $6.4 million cap hit. The Anaheim Ducks at one point envisioned he would be part of their future in net. The only way they’d move him is if they decide the 28-year- old goalie’s prime doesn’t match with a rebuilding team’s window to win. The next challenge would be fitting him under the cap.

Braden Holtby, 31, Vancouver Canucks

Vancouver Canucks general manager Jim Benning has made it no secret that netminder Braden Holtby’s name has been in trade talks, telling Sportsnet 650 that several teams have called with interest. When a GM is that public about negotiations, it’s usually a good indication he’s already ready to move the player and is now just trying to drive up the price.

Holtby brings pedigree as a Stanley Cup-winning goalie. But he’s also coming off a career-worst season in which he posted just a 3.67 goals- against average and .889 save percentage in 21 games. He was relegated to a backup role last season and has a pretty significant $4.3 million cap hit next year in the final season of his deal. Maybe if Vancouver eats some salary, Holtby could be an option as a mentor to Jarry and a proven playoff safety net.

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Penguins retain rights to Zach Aston-Reese, Radim Zohorna; let four RFAs go

MATT VENSEL

The Penguins have extended qualifying offers to two restricted free agents, most notably Zach Aston-Reese. They will let four others hit the open market.

The team announced prior to Monday’s 5 p.m. deadline to extend qualifying offers to RFAs that they would not be extending one to forwards Mark Jankowski and Sam Miletic, defenseman Jesper Lindgren and goalie Emil Larmi. They will become unrestricted free agents Wednesday and are not expected to return.

The Penguins now have the right to match any offer sheet tendered by another team to the qualified restricted free agents, Aston-Reese and Radim Zohorna.

The Penguins qualifying Aston-Reese was mostly a formality. The winger, who turns 27 in August, had his best NHL season in 2021, after undergoing shoulder surgery to clean up a nagging injury. He had a career-high nine goals and put up 15 points in 45 games while maintaining a high level of defensive play.

That said, his contract negotiation will be an interesting one for the Penguins, who have limited salary cap space. While Aston-Reese has been useful when healthy, he hasn’t always delivered the physicality and tenacity the coaching staff has hoped to see from him. We’ll see if this one goes to arbitration.

Zohorna, the big forward who last season produced a few highlight-reel plays in his first eight career NHL games, was the other RFA the Penguins qualified. They are hopeful Zohorna will settle in as a regular NHL player in 2021-22, which will be his second season since coming over from the Czech Republic.

He is listed at 6-foot-6 and 220 pounds and for such a large human has displayed deft touch and decent skating. The 25-year-old can play center or left wing.

The only mild surprise among the RFAs who were not tendered was Lindgren, a prospect who came over from Toronto in last year’s Kasperi Kapanen trade. The 24-year-old missed all of 2021 with a shoulder injury suffered in his first preseason game with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League.

Jankowski, signed last offseason to potentially be the team’s third-line center, was a healthy scratch in the playoffs. Miletic, originally added as a college free agent in 2017, never cracked the Pittsburgh lineup. Larmi, a Finnish goalie who an intriguing addition two years ago, struggled with the transition to the U.S.

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Penguins' Mike Sullivan will be named head coach of U.S. Olympic team for 2022

MATT VENSEL

Mike Sullivan will be named head coach of the U.S. men’s Olympic ice hockey team for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, a source confirmed Monday.

Sullivan is a worthy selection given his resume since being named Penguins coach in 2015. He has led the team to a pair of Stanley Cup titles. He finished in the top six in voting for the Jack Adams Award in each of the last two seasons. And in 2021, he climbed to third all-time in wins by an American head coach.

Sullivan, a Massachusetts native who played in the NHL for 11 seasons, has been involved in the USA Hockey program for more than four decades. He often speaks at coaching clinics and assists with grassroots efforts to grow the game.

Since retiring as a player in 2002 and getting into coaching, he has held various roles with U.S. teams participating in international competitions, including being an assistant coach at the 2006 Olympics in Turin, Italy. Most recently, the 53-year-old was an assistant for Team USA at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

Pittsburgh Penguins center Zach Aston-Reese (12) checks Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom (19) into the boards during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021, in Washington.

Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff was first to report Sullivan is the U.S. coach.

The NHL in February will pause the 2021-22 season for the Winter Olympics. NHL players did not participate in the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea. It was the first time since 1998 that NHL players were prohibited from playing.

Post Gazette LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218659 Pittsburgh Penguins Hotel options: 8 Lots of places downtown and by the airport.

Cost: 7 The ultimate travel guide for Penguins fans looking to hit the road: Part 2 (20-12) Nothing offensive.

Yinzer attendance: 7

By Josh Yohe and Rob Rossi Jul 26, 2021 Usually a strong turnout.

Yohe: I like the good people of Buffalo. It’s not a glamorous city but it’s a fun trip. (This is the second in a three-part series. Click here for Part 1.) Rossi: Checks all the boxes: short driving distance, go-to spots for dining, The NHL finally released its 2021-22 schedule last week — it’s no doubt and you can usually write the game story well before puck drop and just a grueling process, but it does seem to take longer every year — and the insert goals and the final score of a Penguins victory. Penguins will once again be playing in every NHL arena this season. Have you never made a road trip to watch the Penguins? If you have, is Final score: 61 Columbus the only place you’ve visited (we hear that one a lot)? 19. Columbus We’ve got you covered. Rob Rossi and I (Josh Yohe) have visited every NHL city during our many years on the Penguins beat. We can give you Hockey atmosphere: 6 the highlights, the places to avoid, some appropriate (and not appropriate Great building, and an enthusiastic fan base. stories) and so much more. We aren’t including Seattle in this edition of the travel guide simply because we haven’t been there for a game yet, Weather: 5 but it has all the makings of a top-10 destination. Pittsburgh gets what Columbus gets a few hours later. Here’s the formula for this venture. Each category receives 1-10 points: Accessory activities: 4 Hockey atmosphere: Are the fans in said city into hockey? That makes a difference. Not much going on here, but the zoo is great.

Weather: Come February, going somewhere warm has its perks. Debauchery: 6

Accessory activities: Good museums? Good place to take the kids? How Ohio State has some fun areas to offer. much does this place have to offer? Star power: 2

Debauchery: Perhaps you’re young, single and looking to mingle. Or It would be great if any of the stars wished to stay here. maybe you and a significant other want to party into the wee hours. Maybe it’s a bachelor or bachelorette party. Is this the place for you? Getting there/transportation: 10

Star power: You’re a Penguins fan, so you’re used to seeing Hall of The drive is less than three hours. Famers. What does the other team have to offer? Dining options: 7 Getting there: Can you drive there? Direct flights? This also makes a difference. Downtown Columbus offers wonderful choices.

Dining options: Perhaps you want to take your someone special to a Hotel options: 8 fancy restaurant. Or you’re a foodie. This is an important category. A great hotel city for what is a fairly small town.

Hotel options: Are they nice? Super fancy? Walking distance to the rink? Cost: 7

Cost: In general, how expensive will the entire trip be? Expensive city for hotels but otherwise you won’t pay a ton.

Yinzer attendance: As Pittsburghers, we like to be surrounded by our Yinzer attendance: 7 own. Will black and gold colors take control of the arena? Very much declined since the old Pensblog invasion days. The Quick Road Trip Division Yohe: This trip is a good starter house. It’s not the end game, but it’s a 20. Buffalo good place to get your feet wet.

Hockey atmosphere: 7 Rossi: It’s a day trip from where I live in Pittsburgh and the arena district The building is ordinary, but Buffalo fans are the most underrated in the has few equals. But that blasted cannon is a migraine waiting to happen. sport. Final score: 62

Weather: 2 Gila River Arena in Glendale, Ariz. (Creative Commons license)

Be careful. The snow they get is a little different. The Fun in the Sun Division

Accessory activities: 6 18. Arizona

Niagara Falls is 30 minutes away. Visit with confidence. Hockey atmosphere: 2

Debauchery: 6 The building is fabulous, but the fan base is not.

Niagara Falls again is a good idea, and the bar scene in Buffalo is terrific. Weather: 9

Star power: 2 It’s a dry heat, but it’s still really hot. It feels good in the winter though.

Yikes. Accessory activities: 6

Getting there/transportation: 8 The Phoenix area is fun, but it’s obnoxiously spread out.

Easy drive, weather permitting. Debauchery: 7

Dining options: 8 Arizona State. Look it up.

Anchor Bar and Duff’s are royalty. Star power: 5 Phil Kessel still sells. The arena is old but has some charm. They support the Ducks fairly well in Anaheim. Getting there/transportation: 5 Weather: 10 A long flight, but a direct one from Pittsburgh. Rent a car. It’s easy to get around here. It’s always perfect. This isn’t debateable.

Dining options: 6 Accessory activities: 7

Nothing really stands out but it’s perfectly solid. Disney Land is right down the road. Literally. Nice beaches are nearby also. Hotel options: 7 Debauchery: 6 Some good ones in downtown Phoenix and close to the arena in Glendale. The options are good enough. There’s a good bit of fun to be had if you sniff around.

Cost: 7 Star power: 3

Nothing offensive but hotels aren’t cheap here. Good thing John Gibson is from Pittsburgh.

Yinzer attendance: 10 Getting there/transportation: 6

Always an exceptional turnout. Use the John Wayne Airport. It’s convenient. Traffic isn’t as bad here as in L.A. Yohe: I’m not a desert guy, so I don’t like the weather as much as some do in Phoenix. But it’s a fun trip. You’ll like it. Dining options: 5

Rossi: If the hockey gods wanted hockey to thrive in Arizona, they’d have Eh, nothing special. But plenty of options. gifted the Coyotes an arena in Scottsdale. Hotel options: 7 Final score: 64 Not bad at all, and many are close to the arena and reasonably priced. Staples Center in Los Angeles. (Kirby Lee / USA Today) Cost: 7 17. Los Angeles As California goes, not terrible. Hockey atmosphere: 5 Yinzer attendance: 9 It’s an OK building but there are way better hockey settings. Always an incredible turnout here. Weather: 10 Yohe: I always like games in Anaheim a smidge more than L.A. Less L.A. > pretty much everyone else. crap to deal with. The weather is just as great, the beach is close and there’s way less hassle. Accessory activities: 9 Rossi: With its proximity to Los Angeles, at least I have to rarely spend It’s L.A., so you’ll have no shortage of things to do. Check out Griffith time in Anaheim. Observatory and Santa Monica at sunset. Final score: 66 Debauchery: 7 BB&T Center in Sunrise, Fla. (Robert Mayer / USA Today) If you wish to have fun, you’ll find it. 15. Sunrise, Fl. Star power: 1 Hockey atmosphere: 2 Nothing to see here. Very nice arena, but the atmosphere is as you’d expect. Not good. Getting there/transportation: 3 Weather: 9 Easy to fly there, but LAX is a true tragedy. And the traffic is horrific. Almost too warm at times, but hey, it feels good in February. Dining options: 7 Accessory activities: 7 Downtown L.A. has some options, especially near Staples Center. But it’s no New York or Chicago. Miami and Fort Lauderdale are nearby, along with some great beaches.

Hotel options: 9 Debauchery: 7

Prices here are cheaper than in other big cities and the options are It’s Florida. Of course there is trouble to be had. many. Star power: 4 Cost: 6 Good team, but no one that you’d go to see. It’s California, but it could be worse. Getting there/transportation: 7 Yinzer attendance: 8 Direct flights are plentiful. One problem is that, like in Ottawa, the rink is Not as many Yinzers as we see in Anaheim, but still always a wonderful in the middle of nowhere, which is annoying. turnout. Dining options: 5 Yohe: L.A. isn’t for everyone, but I low-key like it. I think it’s the weather. Nothing too special. Rossi: With its proximity to San Diego, at least I rarely have to spend much time in L.A. Hotel options: 9

Final score: 65 Stay in Lauderdale. It’s a nice little trip.

Anaheim’s Honda Center. (Kirby Lee / USA Today) Cost: 6

16. Anaheim Tickets to games in Florida are so cheap. Hotels here are not.

Hockey atmosphere: 6 Yinzer attendance: 10 Always an incredible scene. Yohe: I enjoy games here. If you’re a beach person, you’ll be happy here. Generally inexpensive, direct flights to Boston make it easy. Not a bad town to navigate. Rossi: I don’t like humidity, malls or toll roads … so … (Note from Yohe: He loves malls.) Dining options: 9

Final score: 67 Show up for the hockey, stay for the seafood.

Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla. (Kim Klement / USA Today) Hotel options: 9

14. Tampa Bay Great choices everywhere. I’d recommend the Boston Marriott Copley Place if it’s not too expensive for you. Hockey atmosphere: 8 Cost: 5 This is a great hockey team. Cool building, too. Flights are usually cheap here, but the hotels are absolutely not. Weather: 8 Yinzer attendance: 3 The storms get pretty nasty here, hence the team’s nickname. But who’s complaining? Pittsburghers aren’t in great supply here.

Accessory activities: 5 Yohe: Boston is exactly as you’ve imagined. It’s very pretty, a great walking city. Lots of wonderful things to see. But you’ll certainly find some Lots of nice beaches nearby. Downtown is kind of “blah.” people who have a high opinion of themselves. All in all, a worthy trip. Debauchery: 8 But shoot for when the weather is warm.

Well, yeah. There’s serious fun to be had here. Rossi: Easily the best city in which I’ve been trapped during a lockdown amid a federal manhunt. Star power: 10 Final score: 69 They’ve won two championships in a row and they’ve done so because of their supreme talent. Washington D.C.’s Capital One Arena. (Scott Taetsch / USA Today)

Getting there/transportation: 4 12. Washington

Direct flights are available. Traffic is awful here, though. You’ve been Hockey atmosphere: 7 warned. The arena is trash, but the atmosphere is good. There are only 20,000 Dining options: 5 people in Washington who care about the Capitals, but they all show up each home game and make a lot of noise. You won’t starve, but it’s Florida, so the chain restaurants are everywhere. Weather: 3

Hotel options: 7 Is D.C. more humid than Pittsburgh? Might be.

Pretty good setup, close to the arena and close to the beach. Accessory activities: 10

Cost: 5 Washington was made for weekend adventures. If you appreciate history in any way, you need to visit. Hotel prices in Tampa have gotten out of control in recent years. Debauchery: 8 Yinzer attendance: 8 Good bar scene here. Lots of young people looking to have fun. Really The sunshine state is good for Penguins fans’ attendance. snobby vibe, however. Everyone in this town thinks they know everything. Yohe: I’m a huge Tampa fan. If these were my rankings alone, it would be higher. Nothing like smelling the saltwater in the warm air while Star power: 9 walking into a hockey arena. Ovi is still Ovi. You may hate him, but he’s a spectacle to see. Rossi: When it comes crashing down and it hurts inside … is how I feel every time I rush into the service elevator in Tampa. Getting there/transportation: 5

Final score: 68 It’s an easy four-hour drive, but the traffic, you may have heard, is less than enjoyable. TD Garden in Boston. (Bob DeChiara / USA Today) Dining options: 9 The Good American City Division Very solid options, especially downtown. 13. Boston Hotel options: 8 Hockey atmosphere: 7 Many good ones. Stay downtown, or in the suburbs. No shortage of Crappy building, but Bruins fans are always entertaining. options.

Weather: 5 Cost: 3

It gets cold there, as you would imagine. But the sun is usually shining, It’s not so bad on the weekends, but during the week, hotel prices are which is a nice change for those of us from Pittsburgh. quite obscene.

Accessory activities: 9 Yinzer attendance: 8

Boston is a wonderful town with history for days. Great place to take a Not as overpowering as it used to be, but there will be plenty of black and walk if the weather cooperates. gold.

Debauchery: 8 Yohe: It’s a fun weekend trip. Drive at night to avoid the traffic on your way down. The museums never fail to impress. You can do a lot worse than a night out in this town. Enjoy. Rossi: I can’t see the color red. That probably helps. Star power: 7 Final score: 70 The Bruins aren’t overly entertaining, but they’re worth seeing. The Athletic LOADED: 07.27.2021 Getting there/transportation: 7 1218660 Pittsburgh Penguins

Report: Mike Sullivan to Coach US Olympic Team

By Dan Kingerski

The NHL participation in the 2022 Beijing Olympic games is not yet official, but the participation is all but guaranteed. The NHL blocked off two weeks in the middle of the 2021-22 season for the Olympic games, and all sides are proceeding as if it will happen. According to Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli, USA Hockey has bestowed the honor to lead Team USA to Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan.

Sullivan will be named the Team USA head coach, presumably when everything becomes official.

Sullivan has assisted in tournaments before. He was an assistant coach in the 2006 Olympics in Turin, Italy. The 2022 Olympics will be Sullivan’s first time to lead Team USA. He is one of four active American coaches in the NHL; John Tortorella mutually parted ways with the Columbus Blue Jackets after last season. Tortorella was the fifth American coach.

The others are Jon Hynes (Nashville), Peter Laviolette (Washington), Don Granato (Buffalo), and Jeff Blashill (Detroit).

The United States Men’s Hockey hasn’t medaled since a silver Medal in 2010, Sidney Crosby’s famous Gold Medal goal for Team Canada in Vancouver.

Team USA finished seventh in 2018 at PyeongChang, and fourth at Sochi, Russia, in 2014. Team USA finished in eighth when Sullivan was an assistant in 2006.

Sullivan has coached 589 NHL games. His record is 321-187-15-66. He has a 44-38 record in the playoffs.

Pittsburgh Hockey NowLOADED: 07.27.2021 1218661 Pittsburgh Penguins

PENGUINS Aston-Reese, Zohorna Get Qualifying Offers; Jankowski, Miletic, 2 More Released

By Dan Kingerski

The Pittsburgh Penguins preserved the rights to RFA forwards Zach Aston-Reese and Radim Zohorna on Monday afternoon, ahead of the 5 p.m. deadline to submit qualifying offers. By doing so, the Penguins keep the rights to both players though Aston-Reese is eligible for arbitration.

Per NHL CBA rules, the Penguins only needed to offer Aston-Reese $1 million to retain his rights.

Forwards Mark Jankowski, Sam Miletic, defenseman Jesper Lindgren, and goaltender Emil Larmi will not receive qualifying offers and will become unrestricted free agents on Wednesday, July 28. The Penguins can re-sign any of them if they choose.

Larmi, a championship goalie in Finland, already said goodbye via Instagram posts in May and will return to Finland to resume his career. His two-year stay in North America was marked by injuries, personable interviews, and inconsistent play.

Jankowski was a free-agent acquisition last offseason. He signed a one- year, $700,000 deal with the Penguins after the Calgary Flames non- tendered the 6-foot-4 center. Jankowski had 11 points (4-7-11) in 45 games.

Lindgren was part of the Pittsburgh Penguins trade receipt in the Kasperi Kapanen deal. The 24-year-old Swedish defenseman played in the SWE- 1 league, a step below the Swedish Elite League. He posted decent numbers, including 18 points in 25 games, but that was the Swedish minor league.

Aston-Reese figures to get a new contract from the Penguins. PHN has estimated his value, based on past comparables and Penguins GM Ron Hextall’s stated cap space at just over $2 million. Aston-Reese and the Penguins brass nearly went to arbitration two years ago, but both sides agreed to a two-year, $2 million deal just before the proceedings began in New York.

Last season, Aston-Reese set a career-best with nine goals. He scored 16 points as the Penguins line with Teddy Blueger, and the now-Seattle Kraken Brandon Tanev set high-water marks offensively while competing against the opposition’s top lines.

Last season, Radim Zohorna played his first year in North America. The 25-year-old Czech forward was a free agent signing who spent most of the season with the WBS Penguins but did score his first NHL goal on March 25. At 6-foot-6, Zohorna stands out on the ice, and the Pittsburgh Penguins organization is working with the big forward to use his size and become more physically engaged.

Zohorna scored four points (2-2-4) in eight NHL games.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218662 Pittsburgh Penguins 3. Sammi Vatanen This is a tough one.

Vatanen, 30, was previously seen as a physical defenseman capable of Penguins Free Agent Potentials: Affordable Right Defenseman more than he’s produced in recent memory. The smallish Finn (5-foot-10, 185 pounds) has a little grit to his game and a touch of offense, too.

By Dan Kingerski In 2017-18, he scored 32 points in 72 games split between New Jersey and Anaheim. Last season his minutes dropped in New Jersey. He was traded to Dallas and didn’t score a point in nine games with the Stars.

It won’t be easy, and there will be competition. The Pittsburgh Penguins In a thin market, will a GM pay for the 2018 Vatanen? are no longer Stanley Cup favorites, and affordable players have a unique advantage in the flat cap environment because, for the first time Given the rollercoaster of the last two seasons, Vatanen is a budget call. in their careers, they are in demand. As the free agency window opens Perhaps he fits, perhaps he doesn’t. We’re inclined to think his salary will on Wednesday, the Penguins have a lot of holes and not enough Flex outpace his value, but he’s someone to keep an eye on. Penguins GM Seal to fix them without using some cheap options. Ron Hextall hinted the Penguins would be watching players into August.

One spot the Penguins may try a committee of approach or try for a low- If Vatanen lingers, he could be a solid addition and a defenseman cost-high-value option is a right defenseman. Cody Ceci was very good capable of second-pair minutes. And, who knows, perhaps another Ceci- for the Penguins and played perhaps his best hockey in the last several like reclamation with head coach Mike Sullivan and assistant coach Todd years. He earned a big contract, and while his fit with defense partner Reirden. Mike Matheson and the team was undeniable, his fit under the salary cap $3-3.5 million? is doubtful. 4. Brandon Montour According to our friends at PuckPedia.com, the Penguins have about $7.4 million of salary-cap space but only 18 players under contract. Zach He’s 27-years-old so he could command a longer-term deal which will Aston-Reese will command some of that money, and the Penguins must further keep his cost down. However, he’s looking for his third team in 6 replace Jared McCann and Brandon Tanev and a RHD. months and fourth team in four seasons. PHN liked his game with the Buffalo Sabres after head coach Don Granato turned them loose. Lots of holes and not enough money to do it all well. Montour was aggressive on the walls and tough near his net. So, we’ve scoured the free-agent heaps for RHDs who could fit the That’s what the Pittsburgh Penguins need. Pittsburgh Penguins’ needs and budget, which might come down to counting pennies on the counter. The solid second-half doesn’t erase his inconsistent play for good portions of his career, but it does balance his decline in offensive The Penguins do have John Marino firmly secured. For fiscal savings, it production. Like Vatanen, PHN expects to be surprised by Montour’s shouldn’t be an issue to slide him onto the second pair with Matheson contract on the open market. Despite the possibility of an unexpected and find a third-pair player for well less cost than a second-pairing payday, if the Penguins were to dish a longer contract on a RHD, defenseman. Montour would be an excellent candidate. With Mark Friedman also waiting in the wings, the Penguins may choose Perhaps his market value could be in the $3 million range, which makes to kick the can down the road and try to save money here. him affordable-ish. Bargain Bin UFA RHD Defensemen Of course, Twitter may rant and scream about analytics with any of the 1. Erik Gudbranson above choices, but if the hockey twitter priests and priestesses weren’t unhappy, what would be the point of Twitter? One of our favorites who would check a couple of the Pittsburgh Penguins boxes. Gudbranson was a surprisingly good puck mover when Pittsburgh Hockey Now LOADED: 07.27.2021 he arrived in Pittsburgh from Vancouver in 2019 and kept Washington Capitals tough guy Tom Wilson on his best behavior. Win-win.

Gudbranson. 29, didn’t pile on the points in 29 games with the Penguins. He played third-pair minutes, and that meant healthy ice time with the bottom six. In 2018-19, the Penguins bottom six was not the same successful group that it was in 2020-21. In fact, the Penguins were still searching for a third-line center with Nick Bjugstad and Jared McCann.

Neither lit up the scoreboard in Gubranson’s tenure, and he posted only two assists in 26 games.

But that belied his impact. The big defenseman could be the net-clearing, hard-nosed player the Penguins need on a budget they can afford. He won’t get another $4 million AAV contract like the one that is expiring and his transient career since the Penguins trade to Anaheim.

Remember Gudbranson teaching Brian Dumoulin how to fight?

We expect “Guddy” to land in the $2 million range.

2. Mark Pysyk

Pysyk, 29, is a dual threat from the bottom of the salary rolls. He can be a steady and smooth third-pair defenseman with good puck skills or a fourth-liner to chip in a bit of offense. There’s no sandpaper to Pysyk’s game, and he won’t win those net-front battles, but he’s a $1 million player who can fill a few roles and do so with a team-first mentality.

The former Florida Panther utility knife scored four points (1-3-4) for the Dallas Stars last season after the previous four with Florida. The 6-foot-1, 196-pound defenseman isn’t going to knock heads at the net, but with a little puck management, fewer opponents will get there.

He’s a $1 million type of player. 1218663 Pittsburgh Penguins

Dan’s Daily: Did Fleury Trade Fall Through? Leafs Stick it to

Edmonton

By Dan Kingerski

There were rumblings the Vegas Golden Knights had a trade in place for one of their goalies this weekend, but it fell through. Marc-Andre Fleury and Robin Lehner are part of a long list of goalies who could have new homes within the next week via the NHL trade route, buyout, or free agency. Jack Eichel’s camp was not happy with GM Kevyn Adams indicating Eichel could remain a Buffalo Sabre, the Toronto Maple Leafs stuck it to the Edmonton Oilers over Zach Hyman, and we recapped the Pittsburgh Penguins weekend and what comes next.

The Toronto-Edmonton no-deal is a lesson in GM’ing, good or bad, pending your outlook.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The Penguins trade hopes, draft recap, and analysis of the Penguins could do this week, did and didn’t do this weekend.

NHL Trade, News, and National Hockey Now

LOOK AT THIS! Vancouver Hockey Now! — The countdown clock has begun! Who is our beat writer? How do they feel about the state of the Canucks? We went vintage with the colors, too: www.vancouverhockeynow.com

Sportsnet: More Jack Eichel soap opera drama, and Elliotte Friedman dropped the biggie that Vegas had a goalie trade in place, but it fell through. He thinks it was Fleury to Chicago or Lehner to New Jersey.

Elliotte just might be the best reporter I’ve ever seen. Even better than the Bobfather.

TSN: Toronto GM Kyle Dubas gave Hyman’s camp the ability to negotiate with other teams for a sign-and-trade. Then Dubas held Hyman for ransom with a high trade ask when Hyman agreed to an eight-year deal with Edmonton. Why? Dubas knows the cap value of the eighth year and will lose Hyman for nothing rather than help Edmonton.

Not the way to make friends, as the old guard and new guard clash.

Boston: Keith Yandle. Jack Eichel. Ryan Suter. Goalies. What the boys in Boston hear about the Bruins BIG week ahead.

Colorado: Things may have taken a turn for the worse with Gabriel Landeskog and Philip Grubauer. GM Joe Sakic may have hit the “take or leave it” stage.

Detroit: What the?! Ginger and Mary Ann would be proud. Check out this outfit that Red Wings draft pick Red Savage (son of the NHL’s Mr. October, Brian Savage) wore for his intro press conference.

San Jose: Get to know the Sharks draft picks. They got some good ones as they try to turn that ship around.

The Penguins Rivals:

Washington: “That’s not exactly the case.” GM Brian McClellan pulled back on NHL trade rumors that the Capitals will trade Evgeny Kuznetsov. But he didn’t squash them either.

Philly: Uh oh–Philadelphia is remaking itself quickly, and they will NOT be easy to play against. Cam Atkinson wore a Gritty T-shirt for his Flyers introduction.

NYI: Lou Lamoriello is doing everything he can to “bring our people back.”

UP NEXT Penguins Free Agent Potentials: Affordable Right Defenseman

DON'T MISS Penguins Recap: Signings, Draft Picks, Trade Rumors and Analysis

Pittsburgh Hockey Now LOADED: 07.27.2021

1218664 San Jose Sharks MORE ON THE TRADE: Merkley, 24, had 10 points in 27 games for the Devils last season as he bounced between the NHL roster, New Jersey’s taxi squad, and the AHL. Merkley, listed at 5-foot-10 and 194 pounds, was the Coyotes’ first-round draft choice in 2015. San Jose Sharks issue one qualifying offer, but it’s not to Ryan Donato In a statement, Joe Will, the Sharks assistant general manager and Barracuda GM said Merkley was “a competitive and skilled forward” who has “shown good progression in his young career and adds versatility to By CURTIS PASHELKA | PUBLISHED: July 26, 2021 at 3:11 p.m. | our organization’s forward depth.” UPDATED: July 26, 2021 at 4:13 p.m. Jaros, who signed a one-year contract extension with New Jersey on

Monday, was acquired by the Sharks from the Ottawa Senators in SAN JOSE — Ryan Donato’s time with the Sharks appears to be over January. Jaros played in seven games for the Sharks and had one and now the team will likely be back in the market for a middle-six assist. forward when NHL free agency begins later this week. San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 07.27.2021 Donato, who was a pending restricted free agent, did not receive a qualifying offer from the Sharks by Monday’s deadline and will become an unrestricted free agent if he’s not re-signed by Wednesday.

The Sharks did qualify another RFA, forward Noah Gregor, to retain his negotiating rights.

Goalie Adin Hill was previously issued a qualifying offer by the Arizona Coyotes, thus his rights are retained by San Jose. Hill came to the Sharks in a July 17 trade with Arizona and still needs a new contract.

The Sharks, according to a source, are also expected to reach an agreement on a new deal with forward Nick Merkley, who was acquired from the New Jersey Devils on Monday for defenseman Christian Jaros. Merkley was a pending RFA.

Any players who are not issued qualifying offers can become unrestricted free agents. UFAs are free to sign with any team as of Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. (PT).

Donato, 25, made $2.15 million in salary last season, and the Sharks’ qualifying offer had to match that for the team to retain his negotiating rights. Given Donato’s inconsistent production, there just wasn’t enough bang for the Sharks’ buck to keep going forward.

Donato had six goals and 20 points in 50 games with the Sharks last season, bouncing around the lineup before eventually falling out of favor with coach Bob Boughner and his staff.

Donato, acquired by the Sharks last October from the Minnesota Wild for a 2021 third-round draft pick, saw his ice time gradually reduced from January to May, and he did not play in the Sharks’ final four games.

Donato had 14 goals and 23 points in 62 games with the Wild in 2019- 2020 but was a healthy scratch for two of the team’s four games in the play-in round last summer.

It was hoped that a fresh start might benefit Donato, and he had 18 points in the Sharks’ first 35 games. But the winger finished with two points in the final six weeks of the season as San Jose fell out of playoff contention.

Going forward, the Sharks figure to be somewhat active once the free agency period begins, although it would be a surprise to see them land any big names.

General manager Doug Wilson has stated that he’ll be shopping for a couple of forwards, including a centerman that can fit in the third line, as he tries to put his team in a more competitive spot after San Jose missed the playoffs the last two years.

The Sharks could also be in the market for a goalie as Martin Jones’ future with the team remains in question.

Tuesday is the last day of the first buyout period, as NHL teams need to place a player on waivers before they can officially buy out that person’s contract. It has been speculated since the end of the season that Jones’ days with the organization were numbered, although Wilson said as recently as Saturday that he hadn’t finalized a decision on the 31-year- old goalie.

“When you look at teams that bounced back, they did add a couple of pieces, they made sure that they played the right way, they integrated some younger players they brought in some veteran players,” Wilson said Saturday. “That’s what you do from season to season.”

Should the Sharks buy out Jones, they would have, per CapFriendly, over $13 million in cap space for next season to spend on new players with Hill and Gregor needing new deals. 1218665 San Jose Sharks

Sharks acquire depth forward from New Jersey Devils for Christian Jaros

By CURTIS PASHELKA | PUBLISHED: July 26, 2021 at 10:29 a.m. | UPDATED: July 26, 2021 at 4:10 p.m.

SAN JOSE – The Sharks completed a minor trade Monday ahead of free agency, acquiring winger Nick Merkley from the New Jersey Devils for defenseman Christian Jaros.

Merkley, 24, had 10 points in 27 games for the Devils last season as he bounced between the NHL roster, New Jersey’s taxi squad, and the AHL.

Merkley, listed at 5-foot-10 and 194 pounds, was the Arizona Coyotes’ first-round draft choice in 2015. He was a pending restricted free agent and was not given a qualifying offer from the Sharks by Monday’s deadline. However, a source said he expected to reach an agreement on a new deal with San Jose.

In a statement, Joe Will, the Sharks assistant general manager and Barracuda GM said Merkley was “a competitive and skilled forward” who has “shown good progression in his young career and adds versatility to our organization’s forward depth.”

The Sharks did qualify another RFA, forward Noah Gregor, to retain his negotiating rights.

Goalie Adin Hill was previously issued a qualifying offer by the Arizona Coyotes, thus his rights are retained by San Jose. Hill came to the Sharks in a July 17 trade with Arizona and still needs a new contract.

Jaros, who signed a one-year contract extension with New Jersey on Monday, was acquired by the Sharks from the Ottawa Senators in January. Jaros played in seven games for the Sharks and had one assist.

Meanwhile, Ryan Donato’s time in San Jose appears to be over after he was not given a qualifying offer, as the Sharks will likely be back in the market for a middle-six forward when NHL free agency begins later this week.

Donato will become an unrestricted free agent if he’s not re-signed by Wednesday. UFAs are free to sign with any team as of Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. (PT).

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218666 San Jose Sharks

Third-round pick Gaudreau ready for 'unreal' Sharks opportunity

BY ALEX DIDION

With uncertainty surrounding Martin Jones' future in goal for the Sharks, the organization indeed ended up selecting a netminder in the 2021 NHL Draft. The Sharks took Ontario Hockey League goaltender Ben Gaudreau with the 81st overall pick, after trading back with the St. Louis Blues from their No. 71 slot and adding a sixth-round selection in the deal.

#SJSharks add goalie Benjamin Gaudreau with the 81st overall pick in the 2021 #NHLDraft. pic.twitter.com/eSiB9luVaa— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) July 24, 2021

Gaudreau was ranked among the top 60 prospects available by both The Athletic and Forbes. The 18-year-old hasn't gotten the chance to play much live hockey over the past year, as the were unable to play during the 2020-21 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic forcing a cancellation of the league's season.

The Ontario native did make a statement at the 2021 IIHF U-18 World Championships, as he was named the most outstanding goalie in leading Team Canada to a perfect record and a gold medal earlier this year.

Gaudreau saved 91.9 percent of shots against him in the tournament, showing no signs of rust after an extended period without live games.

The 81st overall pick, Gaudreau fell a bit as pre-draft rankings had him anywhere from 31 to 69 among all entry draft prospects.

Gaudreau told reporters after being selected that is he excited for the opportunity and to get a chance to eventually play in a Sharks uniform.

"Great to be in San Jose, it's unreal, I mean such a great place from what I've heard and the team is an awesome team, I can't wait to get down there and start playing, it definitely was a little bit of a surprise, but I did think it was pretty awesome and I couldn't ask for a script to work out any better," Gaudreau said Saturday.

The Sharks left Jones unprotected in the Seattle Kraken expansion draft, but the 31-year-old goalie went unselected. Just hours before the roster freeze deadline, the Sharks acquired 25-year-old Adin Hill from the Arizona Coyotes, a netminder general manager Doug Wilson sounded extremely high on. Given that the Sharks sent a 2022 second-round pick and young goalie Josef Korenar to Arizona for Hill and a seventh- rounder, the organization sees a lot of potential in Hill.

Wilson left the door open when asked what Jones' future holds in goal, saying the team had made no decisions on that front as of Thursday. Now, it appears the Sharks are confident with Hill, Alexei Melnichuk and eventually Gaudreau. Where that leaves Jones and the two years remaining on his contract is unclear. Jones was far from the only issue with the Sharks during the past two seasons, but the front office repeatedly emphasized the need to reset the roster this summer, and goalie was a priority for Wilson.

At 18 years old with such limited experience professionally, it isn't likely we'll see Gaudreau on the ice at SAP Center in the next few years.

However, it does appear the Sharks not only got a player about 20-plus picks later than most had him ranked, and managed to pick up an additional sixth-round draft pick in the process.

Not a bad move for a team looking to climb back into the top-end of the Western Conference.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218667 San Jose Sharks

BREAKING: Sharks Don’t Qualify Donato, Merkley

Published 11 hours ago on July 26, 2021By Sheng Peng

As expected, Ryan Donato will not receive a qualifying offer from the San Jose Sharks.

The RFA’s QO would’ve been $2.15 million dollars. Instead, it appears that San Jose will allow the 25-year-old winger to enter unrestricted free agency on Jul. 28.

There is a chance, albeit unlikely, that the Sharks will re-sign Donato to a lower figure than his QO before then.

The San Jose Sharks also declined to qualify their newest acquisition, Nick Merkley, but the Sharks and Merkley are expected to reach a new contract agreement. Merkley’s qualifying offer was $874,125.

How Can Nick Merkley Help Sharks?

San Jose has qualified RFA Noah Gregor, while Arizona previously qualified Adin Hill. Hill is expected to command a sizable increase over his $800,000 QO.

Hill’s Cap Hit Will Probably Be Higher Than Expected

The big news here is Donato.

The winger came to San Jose via Minnesota — for a 2021 third-round draft pick — with high expectations. There were hopes that he could establish himself as a top-six winger, but his playing time under Bob Boughner decreased every month.

That third-round pick sent to the Wild, by the way, was eventually re- routed to Edmonton and became 90th pick Luca Munzenberger.

Donato notched six goals and 14 assists in 50 games. In January, Donato averaged 14:55 Per Game, 13:53 in February, 12:24 in March, 11:19 in April, and 7:12 in May.

Boughner elaborated in his exit interview: “Everybody knows he’s got a great offensive skill-set. He can help you from the top of circles down. I think it’s the other part of the game that he struggles with from time to time.

“As the season went on, guys get worn down and they slow down a bit.

“It was a matter of him being able to stick to the details, help us out that way.

“But the one thing about Ryan, he can help any team because of his offense. He’s good in front of the net on the power play. He’s a guy that loves coming to the rink, he’s a great teammate, and all those things.

“We just got to get the details of his game just a little better. When you’re playing against top-end players, if you want to be a top-six guy, you gotta be responsible in all areas of the ice, and that’s sort of what we talked about.”

However, other organizations might not be as down on Donato as the San Jose Sharks are.

“It should’ve been a fit,” an NHL scout told San Jose Hockey Now. “He had the opportunity to play with different centers. He wasn’t able to bust down the door.

“But he can shoot the puck. He’s a pretty good player who may find his way somewhere else.”

Another NHL scout shared this nuanced opinion: “He’s more of an individually talented player, but lacks overall speed to do it on his own. And he’s not talented enough to get by like that. He doesn’t make his linemates better.”

San Jose Hockey Now LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218668 San Jose Sharks

How Can Nick Merkley Help Sharks?

Published 15 hours ago on July 26, 2021By Sheng Peng

The San Jose Sharks have traded defenseman Christian Jaros to the New Jersey Devils for winger Nick Merkley.

This, by the way, is the depth trade that I hinted at two days ago:

The 25-year-old Jaros appeared in seven NHL games last year for San Jose, notching one assist. The 24-year-old Merkley — no relation to Ryan — recorded two goals and eight assists in 27 contests with New Jersey.

Merkley is an RFA, so the San Jose Sharks will have to qualify him by 2 PM PT today.

So what does the 5-foot-11 winger bring to the Sharks?

“He has shown good progression in his young career and adds versatility to our organization’s forward depth,” Sharks assistant general manager and Barracuda GM Joe Will said in a press release.

Usually, it’s Doug Wilson who supplies the press release quotes — so let’s say it’s not a given that Merkley appears for the San Jose Sharks next year.

That said, an NHL scout provided a rosier outlook on the former first- round pick. Merkley went 30th to Arizona in 2015.

“His foot speed is just okay, but he’s got good hands, good compete, and plays well when he’s physically engaged,” the scout told San Jose Hockey Now. “Good around the net and goes to the hard areas. I liked him in New Jersey, he played well, but younger guys moved ahead of him, I think.”

So he’s a more offensive fourth-liner? Shades of say Stefan Noesen?

“He’s better than Noesen,” the scout interjected. “Better finish, more hockey sense, a better offensive player.”

Expect Merkley to compete for a fourth-line job with the San Jose Sharks this fall.

San Jose Hockey Now LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218669 Seattle Kraken wingers were not used for draws. It is also possible they could use McCann in those situations given he received more than 35 minutes of PK time for four straight seasons prior to 2020-21.

What could the Kraken accomplish in free agency? Where it gets complicated is figuring out which centers in this year’s free agent market meet those criteria. Many of the premier options are older than 30 and it could be a situation in which Francis could be inclined to offer one- or two-year deals considering the 2022 free-agent market By Ryan S. Clark Jul 27, 2021 could be more fruitful. One of five agents who spoke to The Athletic about the Kraken’s free agency outlook called the team “a unicorn” because of its cap space. CapFriendly projects there are 13 teams that Come to Seattle to play hockey. Come to Seattle to live on the water. are expected to have more than $21 million available in cap space. Some Come to Seattle to get paid because Washington has no state income of those teams are in a rebuild and might not be inclined to use that tax. And above all, come to Seattle so you can do all of those things space immediately while others would want to use it but must consider while winning games. specific factors within their lineup. Plus, there are teams that could look to clear cap space by making trades, which could make the marketplace Now sign your name on the dotted line. a bit more challenging for the Kraken. It is more than likely Ron Francis’ sales pitch to free agents is probably One center the Kraken could be in position to target is Mikael Granlund. going to be more nuanced than that. Those items, however, are expected The 29-year-old, who can play center and wing, averaged 0.53 points to be at the forefront when it comes to how the Seattle Kraken are last season, which is below his 0.64 career average. But his usage within seeking to entice the players seeking a new NHL home and a potential the Nashville Predators’ dynamic is one that led to him logging more than payday into joining their club. Free agency commences Wednesday with 100 minutes apiece on the penalty kill and power play. Granlund also the Kraken possessing $30.7 million in projected cap space, according to forged a relationship with Jarnkrok to create a line Predators coach John CapFriendly. Hynes trusted, which could prove useful if they were to reunite in Seattle. Francis and his front office staff have more than just a lot of money to But that is only if Granlund reaches the open market. The Predators have spend. They also have the green light from ownership to spend that a little more than $28 million in projected cap space and could provide money to create the sort of circumstances that can both shape the Granlund with a strong enough offer to stay. Kraken’s roster while also having an advantage in the landscape. History Another option the Kraken could entertain might be Alexander shows Francis know how to manage money and will not spend cap Wennberg. He averaged 0.52 points playing for the Florida Panthers last space just because it is there. He is expected to take a judicious season, which would have resulted in his second most productive approach and spend where necessary. offensive year over an 82-game schedule. The 26-year-old won 49 An initial glance of the Kraken’s roster following the expansion draft percent of his 788 faceoffs and he recorded more than 100 minutes on suggests Francis will spend money bolstering his forward corps. The both the penalty kill and power play. Wennberg and his 6-foot-2 frame Kraken already have a surplus of defensemen and it is possible Francis would also give the Kraken more size down the middle. could look to move a few of them for what will either be more cap space, Evolving Hockey projects Granlund’s contract could result in a three-year future assets or a player who can help them in an area of need. Francis deal worth $5.036 million annually while Wennberg is listed at five years could always decide to spend money on a goalie should he want to add carrying a $4.93 million AAV. reinforcements to the cap-friendly duo of Chris Driedger and Vitek Vanecek, who cost a combined $4.216 million in cap space. It is the sort It is also possible the Kraken could look in other directions. Perhaps the of savings that creates flexibility but it could come with some concern most notable unrestricted free agent center is Phillip Danault. The considering the Kraken’s tandem has played played 75 NHL games Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun wrote Sunday it is possible the Kraken could between the two of them with 80 percent of those games coming in 2020- make another attempt to sign players they spoke with during the free 21. agency window. Signing Danault would give the Kraken a 28-year-old two-way center who is a Selke Trophy candidate who could also be used Here is a look at some targets for the Kraken who could fill their needs on the power play. Evolving Hockey projects his next deal being a seven- ahead of their inaugural campaign. year pact worth $6.236 million annually. Centers The Boston Bruins appear optimistic that second-line center David Krejci Even after the expansion draft, the Kraken don’t have much depth at could return, which would remove another name from the landscape. center. Francis has frequently discussed how teams protected their top Tyler Bozak could be another name to consider as well given he three centers because finding stability down the middle is a commodity. averaged 0.55 points over 31 games with the St. Louis Blues last The Kraken did, however, select centers Yanni Gourde and Jared season. Bozak checks in on a one-year contract worth $1.68 million. McCann. Gourde is expected to miss the start of the season after On Monday, the Chicago Blackhawks did not extend a qualifying offer to undergoing shoulder surgery while McCann is interchangeable in that he center Pius Suter. Knowing Suter is expected to reach the market can play either center or wing. creates another option the Kraken could consider. The 25-year-old, who Examining the Kraken’s approach in free agency also means there is a was previously playing in Switzerland, signed as an undrafted free agent discussion to be had about Matty Beniers. The University of Michigan and had 14 goals and 27 points in 55 games. Natural Stat Trick reveals center was picked by the Kraken on Friday with the second pick of the Suter received a little more than 77 minutes of power play time last NHL Draft. Francis previously said before the draft that the Kraken could season while logging nearly 29 minutes on the penalty kill. Evolving draft someone at No. 2 who they could potentially see playing in the Hockey projects he could sign a four-year contract at $4.178 million per lineup next season. For now, the plan is for the Kraken to hold year. discussions with Beniers about his future with the team, and if his NHL Francis also made another point that the Kraken could seek to alter their career would start immediately or if he returns to Michigan for a roster via trades if that route is presented. sophomore campaign. Wingers Knowing they will be without Gourde could prompt the Kraken to sign two top-six caliber centers. That way, they can use McCann at center in How many top-six wingers the Kraken could choose to sign might Gourde’s absence with the idea he can be moved to the wing once depend upon how they want to configure their current forward options. Gourde has been cleared to play. It appears that at least one of those For example, Eberle is going to be one of the top-six options at right centers would need to have experience operating a power play unit while wing. Seattle could look to sign a left winger to accompany him on the the Kraken could go either way when it comes to having a center with top line. If so, then, the first line is secured. The second-line winger penalty killing experience. Gourde is an accomplished penalty killer who situation is where it gets a bit tricky. Do the Kraken sign at least one can line up down the middle while wingers Mason Appleton, Colin more top-six winger? Or do they feel that need can be filled with forwards Blackwell, Joonas Donskoi, Calle Jarnkrok and Brandon Tanev can be like Donskoi, Jarnkrok and McCann? The odd forward out would then go used in shorthanded sequences. They could also use Nathan Bastian, to the third line where they could be partnered with Appleton or Tanev who can play center or right wing as well. Yet adding another center with knowing one of them would then move to the fourth line with Bastian and PK experience beyond Gourde could be useful given the Kraken’s Blackwell. That is not even taking into account what could happen at center when it paid goalies in the league – one for each NHL franchise – is $6.075 comes to having cover for Gourde at the start of the season. A simpler million. approach might be detailing how at least one top-six winger could fit into the lineup with the idea there could be room for two. Having six wingers More NHL teams are using a tandem in net, for several reasons. who are already on the team capable of playing on the penalty kill means Scheduling and traveling are among them. The Kraken’s inaugural the Kraken can look to get someone whose primary responsibility is schedule has them playing in 14 back-to-back games, with the first scoring in even strength and power play sequences. coming in the fourth and fifth games of the regular season. Having two goaltenders will allow them to shoulder the burden that comes with Blake Coleman, Mike Hoffman, Brandon Saad and Tomas Tatar are playing an 82-game schedule in which there will be weeks when they among the top-six wingers who could reach the open market. Kyle have four games over seven days. It’s why an argument has been made Palmieri could plausibly reach the market but the New York Islanders are that the Vegas Golden Knights are in position to handle that challenge still working to re-sign the right winger after Eberle departed in the with the $12 million duo of Marc-Andre Fleury and Robin Lehner. expansion draft. LeBrun also reported the Kraken could have another discussion with Gabriel Landeskog and Jaden Schwartz. Any one of Attempting to find a goaltender with more NHL experience could them would be able to fill the need of getting another top-six winger conceivably be the biggest reason why Francis and his staff would alter opposite Eberle on the first line with the idea there could be room for one that plan. Driedger went between the AHL and ECHL before finding the more. stability that has allowed him to remain in the NHL. He has only played 38 NHL games. But that his record is 21-8-4 with a 2.06 goals-against It will come with a cost, though. Coleman is projected to sign a four-year average and a .933 save percentage the last two years could serve as deal worth $4.698 million while Hoffman is expected to earn a five-year proof he is ready for more. Vanecek was a rookie in Washington who contract with $5.6 million AAV. Saad is another winger projected to sign a was thrust into a tandem with Ilya Samsonov after doctors diagnosed four-year deal carrying a $4.94 million cap hit while Tatar is three years Henrik Lundqvist with a heart condition that caused him to miss the at $5.236 million. Palmieri could be on a three-year deal with a $4.219 season. The 25-year-old stepped up to become a 21-game winner with a million AAV. Evolving Hockey projects that Landeskog, one of the top 2.69 GAA and a .908 save percentage. He’s the latest goaltender to UFAs on the market, could sign a seven-year deal for $8.791 million per emerge from a Capitals system that has produced Philipp Grubauer, year while Schwartz could potentially be had for a three-year deal worth Braden Holtby, Semyon Varlamov and Samsonov. $4.757 million annually. “I think we will be consistent with what we have,” Francis said about free So what would the Kraken’s cap situation look like in one of these agency. “You saw the contracts we submitted. They’re at three years, hypotheticals? Let’s say they signed Granlund and Wennberg for the four years and five years. I think ideally, in this cap environment, keeping projected prices. They would cost a combined $9.96 million. Then they the terms to where we think makes sense and the dollars to where we opted to sign Schwartz at a $4.757 million cap hit. It amounts to the think that makes sense helps with moving forward in the long haul. But Kraken spending $14.723 million in cap space, which would leave them certainly, we think there are some players in free agency we’d like to with $15.975 million in available cap space. OK, then. Clearly, that is a lot have a discussion with and hopefully, we’re able to convince them to of money. But it feels like there is some sort of catch or hidden fees that come and join our organization.” the Kraken must consider as if there might be another area where they need to spend money. The Athletic LOADED: 07.27.2021

Defensemen

On Monday, the team issued seven qualifying offers to players. Vince Dunn was one of them. He is one of four restricted free agents on the Kraken’s roster. Evolving Hockey projects Dunn to sign a two-year deal worth $3.14 million. That would then reduce the Kraken’s remaining cap space to $12.835 million. As for the rest of the RFA class? The combined cost for defensemen Will Borgen and Dennis Cholowski along with forward Carsen Twarynski is projected to cost $2.477 million. Paying those three cuts that figure down to $10.36 million in remaining cap space that could be used to add depth players if needed. Francis could also use that remaining money for a deal later in the year.

As it stands, the Kraken do not appear to be in a position to add more defensemen. If anything, the belief is that Francis could look to shed a few defensemen in trades. Moving them for picks or projects would allow the Kraken to save cap space depending upon the player. Otherwise? They could move those defensemen for forwards they believe can help in other areas. Dunn and Mark Giordano can be used on the power play. Giordano could also join Haydn Fleury, Jamie Oleksiak and Adam Larsson on the penalty kill. The same could be said for Kurtis MacDermid, Jeremy Lauzon and Carson Soucy. Borgen has only played 14 NHL games but has gained some penalty killing experience while Cholowski could be used on the power play.

Francis also has another item he must consider: The future. Most NHL executives look at how the cost and length of a deal impacts the salary cap. It is possible the Kraken could have $10.36 million available, which is the case in this hypothetical. There is also a chance they could have more or less, which will be predicated by their spending habits. Either way, Francis and the front office would want to keep available cap space to address the five players who will be RFAs next year and four who will be UFAs. Weighing those contracts coupled with planning for the 2021 free agency cycle could also be a reason why Francis and his staff could find a middle ground when it comes to how they spend.

Goaltenders

The economics surrounding the $4.216 million combined price tag for Driedger and Vanecek could be reason enough for Francis to not make any changes. Yes, there are a number of goaltenders expected to hit the open market. But it is also possible that one of those goaltenders might be just as, if not, more expensive than either Driedger on his own or the tandem the Kraken have in place. The median price for the 32 highest 1218670 St Louis Blues

Blues make qualifying offers to six restricted free agents

Jim Thomas 9 hrs ago

Monday was the last day for NHL teams to make qualifying offers to restricted free agents, and the Blues — as expected — did so for six players: forwards Ivan Barbashev, Pavel Buchnevich, Dakota Joshua, Jordan Kyrou, Zach Sanford and Robert Thomas.

By doing so, the Blues have matching rights should any of them receive offer sheets from outside teams once the free agency period starts on Wednesday. Restricted free agents almost never switch teams in the NHL, so this action by the Blues all but assures the players will be with the team next year.

Of the six, Barbashev, Buchnevich, Joshua and Sanford are arbitration eligible.

Buchnevich was acquired Friday from the New York Rangers for Sammy Blais and a second-round draft pick in 2022. The Blues would like to sign Buchnevich to a multi-year deal, but Monday’s move allows the team to retain his rights no matter what.

There were four other players eligible for restricted free agency in the organization — forwards Jacon de la Rose, Erik Foley and Evan Polei, as well as goalie Evan Fitzpatrick — and none received a qualifying offer from the team, making them unrestricted free agents.

Acquired from Winnipeg as part of the Paul Stastny trade in 2018, Foley has not played since the 2017-18 season (with Providence College) because of concussion issues.

De la Rose has signed with Farjestad BK in the Swedish Hockey League.

In another contract move, the Blues announced the signing of forward Nathan Walker to a two-year, two-way contract. Walker, who appeared in eight games for the Blues last season, had been scheduled for unrestricted free agency.

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218671 St Louis Blues Devon Levi and a first-round pick in 2022. If you thought the Sabres were bad last season, wait until you see them next season.

The Chicago Blackhawks won the bidding for Seth Jones, acquiring the Gordo on the NHL: Blues exploit Rangers' change in direction disgruntled defenseman from the Columbus Blue Jackets and bargaining an eight-year contract extension worth a reported $9.5 million per season. The Blackhawks spent promising young defenseman Adam Boqvist, as well as their first- and second-round picks in this year's draft Jeff Gordon 20 hrs ago and a first-rounder in 2022 to get Jones and the 30th overall pick in this year's draft.

The New York Rangers are committed to icing a grittier team this season That was a huge price to pay. A few years ago Jones was an emerging – and the Blues took full advantage of their quest. star on the blue line, but then he regressed in Columbus as the Blue Jackets fell apart under coach John Tortorella. Now the Blackhawks are At a glance, trading Pavel Buchnevich to the Blues for Sammy Blais and betting that Jones, 26, can become a two-way force again. a second-round draft pick in the 2022 NHL Draft made little sense for the Rangers. That wager was somewhat mitigated by the Blackhawks’ ability to dump all of Duncan Keith’s $5.54 million salary cap hit on the Edmonton Oilers. Buchnevich scored at a 73-point pace last season, finishing with 40 in his Keith used to be one of the NHL’s top all-around defensemen, but at age last 41 games. Dating back to the 2019-20 season, he has scored 68 38 he can no longer shoulder that load. The Blackhawks got defenseman points in 74 games. Caleb Jones – Seth’s brother – back in that trade. That did not hurt their bid to secure Caleb for the long haul. He is a sturdy player at 6-foot-3 and about 200 pounds. His 200-foot game has improved. Oilers general manager Ken Holland is also prepared to give way too much money to grinding winger Zack Hyman, who put up numbers Buchnevich added penalty-killing duties last season while averaging playing in Toronto's Top 6. Committing big dollars to Keith and Hyman nearly 19 minutes per game. At 26, he is entering his athletic prime. He follows the pattern of Holland’s work in Detroit, where he stuck the Red checks many boxes. Wings with some really bad contracts. So why did the Rangers trade him for such a modest return? Context The Sabres sent another defenseman with terrible metrics, Rasmus matters. Ristolainen, to the Philadelphia Flyers for a first-round pick in 2021, Buchnevich is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. His next defenseman Robert Hagg and a 2023 second-round pick. Ristolainen is contract figures to land in the $5.5 million to $6.5 million range for annual a volume shooter who also racks up a high hit count, so he has some average value. fantasy value in multi-category leagues.

Next season top Rangers center Mika Zibanejad will be due a big bump But in real life the analytics tell a gruesome story. Any five-man unit he from his $5.25 million salary with unrestricted free agency looming in played on in Buffalo regularly got outscored. Can the Flyers convince 2022-23. Ristolainen to quit attempting high-risk plays at both ends of the ice? Can they get him to play with discipline within a defensive structure? Flyers The Rangers have young, offensive-minded and cost-controlled forwards GM Chuck Fletcher better hope so. Alexis Lafreniere, Kaapo Kakko and Vitali Kratsov lined up to compete for Top 6 roles. Earlier, the Flyers made a more sensible decision to add defenseman Ryan Ellis from the rebuilding Nashville Predators in a trade for New Rangers general manager Chris Drury hired coach Gerard Gallant defenseman Phillipe Myers and injury-plagued center Nolan Patrick. to instill a blue-collar mentality. Then he set out to add toughness, which (Remember when Patrick’s potential made Brayden Schenn led to the acquisition of hard-hitting winger Barclay Goodrow from the expendable? Those were good times.) Tampa Bay Lightning, then the bulldozing Blais from the Blues. But the Flyers also paid a high price to shed defenseman Shayne Drury gave Goodrow a six-year $21.85 million contract, which added to Gostisbehere and his $4.5 million salary cap hit. They sent second- and the Rangers’ long-term salary cap squeeze. seventh-round picks along with the Ghost to the Arizona Coyotes. They Also, the Rangers could stay in Jack Eichel sweepstakes if they can got nothing in return but cap relief for this season and next. create more cap space. That explains why Drury has also been willing to The Flyers also moved cornerstone winger Jakub Voracek to Columbus part with center Ryan Strome (another possible 2022 UFA) in a trade this for winger Cam Atkinson. The 6-foot-2 Voracek is a pass-first forward summer. who plays small while the 5-foot-8 Atkinson is volume shooter who plays The Rangers are looking to allocate resources differently and Buchnevich big. became the odd man out. The Coyotes continued their fire sale by sending defenseman Oliver Meanwhile the Blues had a surplus of Bottom 6 grinders and needed to Ekman-Larsson and Conor Garland to the Vancouver Canucks to get a adding scoring punch, since Vladimir Tarasenko has demanded a trade first-round pick this year, plus their 2022 second-round pick and 2023 and both Mike Hoffman and Jaden Schwartz seem likely to depart via seventh-rounder. The Coyotes also took on more than $8 million in dead free agency. money for this season with useless forwards Loui Eriksson, Jay Beagle and Antoine Roussel. Given all of that, Armstrong is comfortable committing notable cap stance to Buchnevich while continuing to construct his roster for next season. Having overspent on lumbering defenseman Tyler Myers earlier, the Canucks doubled down with the pricey addition of the fading OEL. The AROUND THE RINKS Coyotes will retain a bit of his money, but the Canucks will take a $7.26 cap hit from him through 2026-27. As for Garland, the Blues will attest to By offloading Jordan Eberle’s $5.5 million cap hit in the expansion draft, his goal-scoring ability – but can he elevate the Canucks? the New York Islanders have the operating space needed to acquire Tarasenko from the Blues. The New Jersey Devils, who are sitting on The Carolina Hurricanes invested four years of AHL developmental time more than $32 million in cap space, are another possibility. in goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic. He repaid that effort by stepping up last season (15-5-0, 1.90 goals-against average, .932 save percentage) Aside from Eberle and Flames defenseman Mark Giordano, the Seattle when injuries hit at the NHL level. So naturally the Canes traded him to Kraken took a pass on the high-priced players exposed in the expansion the Detroit Red Wings, who quickly signed him to a two-year, $6 million draft. That team also eschewed the sort of side deals that landed the contract. Vegas Golden Knights extra draft picks. Was that really too rich for the Canes? Will they find better value in free Instead the Kraken saved cap space to free agency, where they could agency? This will be fun to track. land Schwartz and others. Jaden is exactly the sort of two-way player Kraken GM Ron Francis wants to build around. Carolina got the rights to pending UFA goaltender Jonathan Bernier in that deal. They also have Petr Mrazek and James Reimer heading to While the Eichel trade talks continued, the Buffalo Sabres sent skilled forward Sam Reinhart to the Florida Panthers for goaltending prospect unrestricted free agency. The Canes seem likely to sign one of them and find their other goaltender (Antti Raanta?) in the marketplace.

Simultaneously, they are trying to sign pending UFA defenseman Dougie Hamilton. That job got harder when Jones and Cale Makar (six years, $54 million) signed big new contracts.

The Canes, like the Blues, try to maintain salary discipline. If Hamilton chases the last dollar he will land elsewhere.

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218672 Tampa Bay Lightning “Now it’s my chance to return the favor and assist her. I wanted a design that the ‘family’ would immediately recognize, and I want to help us reach our goal.”

Lightning community rallies behind Sonya Bryson-Kirksey with Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 07.27.2021 fundraiser, T-shirt

By Mari Faiello

Published Yesterday

Updated Yesterday

TAMPA — Thomas Schooley wasn’t sure if he was the right person to get the word out to the public when Sonya Bryson-Kirksey was hospitalized with COVID-19 pneumonia.

Bryson-Kirksey, who sings the U.S. national anthem before Lightning home games, has spent more than a week in the COVID-19 unit battling the delta variant, which poses a greater danger to her due to underlying health issues such as multiple sclerosis. Doctors say she’ll be in the hospital for at least another week and a half.

Bryson-Kirksey’s health leaves her status for returning to singing in October in question, while also preventing her from picking up other gigs this offseason. Having known Bryson-Kirksey for years, Schooley wanted to do something to help, so he created a GoFundMe account to assist the family with expenses.

Some said Schooley’s goal of $10,000 was too high. But in three days, the Tampa Bay community has surpassed that goal, which has been raised to $15,000.

“The outcry and support has always been something (great) with the Lightning community,” said Schooley, 43, of Seminole. “When we all go in on a cause, we’re really good at it. ... The Lightning fans always come together.”

Schooley runs the “Thunder Bolts” Lightning fan group on Facebook, which has over 7,400 members. He said he’s been blown away over the past week with the support for Bryson-Kirksey from the group.

“It’s always been that we’ve become a family and we always rise up,” Schooley said.

Schooley and Bryson-Kirksey have become close over the years. He sat with her for hours after she underwent left knee replacement surgery in 2018 and recently offered to provide personal security if she ever needed it.

“I said, ‘I’ll be your bodyguard, I can tell people no,’” Schooley recalled. “‘You can’t tell people no because you’re too nice, but I’ll tell people no, go away, if you don’t have a mask, don’t come near her.’”

The affection for Bryson-Kirksey in the community is why Schooley isn’t surprised to see some, such as local T-shirt apparel designer Matt Shapiro, reaching out to do more.

Since Shapiro had previously partnered with with Bryson-Kirksey on a project that helped raise awareness for multiple sclerosis, Schooley asked him to share the GoFundMe on his social media accounts. But Shapiro responded with something even better.

Already in the process of creating a Bryson-Kirksey-themed T-shirt to help raise awareness about her situation, he said he wanted all of the money raised to go toward the GoFundMe. Once it reaches its goal, any remaining money from the sales will be donated to the National Multiple Sclerosis Foundation in Bryson-Kirksey’s honor.

The shirt spotlights her iconic blue lipstick, along with two hockey sticks crossing behind to represent the Lightning community coming together.

The T-shirt created by Matt Shapiro of 1771 Designs spotlights Sonya Bryson-Kirksey's iconic blue lipstick, along with two hockey sticks crossing behind to represent the Lightning community coming together. [ Matt Shapiro ]

“Creating this shirt was a no-brainer for me,” said Shapiro, 32, of St. Petersburg. “Sonya gives and gives and gives. If a fan wants a picture, she stops. If a fan waves, she waves back. If a fan wants to collaborate, she collaborates. 1218673 Tampa Bay Lightning Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 07.27.2021

Lightning owner Jeff Vinik on expansion of Community Heroes program, Stanley Cup celebration, more

By Mari Faiello

Published Yesterday

Updated Yesterday

TAMPA — Since Jeff Vinik purchased the Lightning in 2010, it has won back-to-back Stanley Cup championships and his Community Heroes program has donated more than $23 million to the Tampa Bay community.

Now, Vinik has another reason to celebrate: he and his wife, Penny, have announced an extension of the program, pledging $10 million over the next five years.

“We’re so proud of this community hero program,” Vinik said. “It’s a part of the DNA of the Lightning and we love honoring our heroes...and one thing you learn is the endless need (in the community).”

Since launching the program in 2011, the Viniks have provided $50,000 to each of 450 local heroes in the Tampa Bay area. These heroes are celebrated at home games during the second TV timeout with a player sharing that hero’s story in a video.

The hope has always been that those who are in the building for Lightning games will recognize the endless need in their own communities and be inspired to give back via their time or money to help others.

With 10 years in the books, the Viniks have decided to throw in some new twists to the program, including players and coaches now being able to nominate philanthropic causes in the area for the $50,000 grant.

“Players love this (program), they are inspired by all of this, they all read the story of the hero at each of our home games,” Vinik said. “(We wanted to get them more involved) and said, let’s let them pick some heroes, let’s let them pick some charities, things that are important to them or things that they are seeing going on that they think should be honored in this way.”

Boat parades were ‘two of the most fun days’ of Vinik’s life

Celebrations like the Lightning’s boat parade July 12 on the Hillsborough River, followed by the rainy outing at Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park in Tampa, is what owners like Vinik dream about.

“It doesn’t get any better than that once,” he said, “and it doesn’t get any better than that twice.”

Vinik said he “learned to ham it up a little bit” after 2020′s experience and enjoy himself a bit more.

“It’s like (Nikita Kucherov) says, one or two days a year you get to see his personality,” Vinik joked. “And plus, it’s a day of the year where I get to celebrate with the players and be a little more than my normal, steady personality.”

Vinik’s day with the Cup will come in the fall

Vinik said he’s more than happy to wait his turn for his day with the Cup, allowing players, coaches and even players from last season’s team to get their chance first.

“We got quite a bit of time with it after we won last year,” Vinik said. “So (we’re letting) other people have a chance and we’ll start thinking about that in the fall.”

Vinik said by waiting until later, he hopes to see the Cup with everyone’s names engraved on it. It was a rare opportunity the franchise got last year, and one Vinik was fond enough of to want again.

“That’s going to be very exciting to see those side by side on the Cup,” Vinik said. “But right now, our plan’s to let those who have the mental and physical fortitude to go 32-13 in the playoffs over the last two years, let them have their time with it in their communities.” 1218674 Tampa Bay Lightning “I like how he’s able to get his shot off,” said Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois. “I like his skating mobility for a big man. It’s very impressive. He’s got the reach. You can’t teach size.”

Lightning draft defenseman Roman Schmidt with top pick Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 07.27.2021

By Eduardo A. Encina

Published Jul. 24

Updated Jul. 25

Roman Schmidt says he can’t remember much time when he wasn’t on the ice.

The Lightning’s first pick in this year’s draft Saturday was seemingly meant to be on skates. Both his parents were figure skaters, so as a kid he split time between hockey and figure skating until he grew out of the latter around age 9.

“My dad actually had a conversation with my mom around that time,” Schmidt said. “He just said to my mom, ‘He just doesn’t look like a figure skater. He’s too lengthy, he’s too tall.’ Usually, figure skaters are a little smaller, a little slicker. They have to do a lot of jumps and be really good on their edges and stuff.”

Hockey has worked out well for the 18-year-old native of Midland, Mich., who has grown into a 6-foot-6, 209-pound right-shot defenseman that the Lightning selected with the final pick of the third round, 96th overall.

The Lightning made defenseman Roman Schmidt their first pick of the 2021 draft in the third round, 96th overall. [ RENA LAVERTY | Courtesy of USHL ]

“Roman’s one of those guys that we say makes the all-warmup team,” said Lightning assistant general manager and director of amateur scouting Al Murray. “Because as soon as he steps on the ice, everybody takes a look and they see a great big guy wheeling around, and they go ‘Holy mackerel, who’s this guy?’ "

Schmidt’s reach, puck-moving ability, strong positional sense and willingness to finish his checks reminds Murray of Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo. But Schmidt has grown to admire another supersized defenseman over the past few seasons: the Lightning’s .

“I love watching him play,” Schmidt said. “He’s so good with the puck, so good at both ends of the ice. And being a bigger guy like Victor, I try to emulate as much of my game to his. Obviously, he’s the best defenseman in the league, so he’s definitely one of my idols. I’ve looked up to him for a long time, and it’s quite surreal, actually, now being part of the same organization as him.”

Schmidt is regarded as more of a stay-at-home defenseman. But he said he hopes that his decision to play juniors with Kitchener in the Ontario League rather than college hockey at Boston University will help him develop his offensive game and that the league’s schedule will better prepare him for the rigors of NHL life.

Schmidt not going to college also will allow the Lightning to have him work with their skating and conditioning and strength people, Murray said. The organization will get an up-close look at its top pick at its prospects tournament in September.

Schmidt’s mother, Elizaveta Stekolnikova, a two-time Olympic ice dancer from Kazakhstan, and his father, Derek, coached figure skating in Michigan. They moved to Derek’s hometown, Ottawa, where Roman’s passion for hockey deepened while watching Senators games with his dad.

Most recently, he played for the U.S. National Team Developmental Program in the junior U.S. Hockey League, compiling three goals and 11 assists in 45 games. He also played for the national under-18 team.

Schmidt was ranked the 58th-best prospect among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, the 65th-best prospect by Canada’s TSN network and 85th by the Hockey News.

Schmidt said his background in figure skating helped him learn to use his edges for turning, stopping and accelerating.

But that’s not all there is to like about his game. 1218675 Tampa Bay Lightning volunteer recruitment and she said half of the people there had heard about it because of the Lightning game.”

“We couldn’t be happier how it’s evolved,” Vinik said. “This is what we Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik announces extension of team’s hoped, that it would ignite conversations, ignite volunteer activity. Ignite Community Heroes program additional giving gifts by those in a position to do so.”

While each NHL team works closely with charitable causes and within the community, having a team owner donate $50,000 per game to By Sean Shapiro Jul 26, 2021 charitable causes is unprecedented in the league. It’s one of the reasons Vinik is viewed as one of the model owners in the league, and it’s further

tied the Lightning to the community. When Jeff Vinik bought the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2010, he wanted to The team’s on-ice success has also helped boost the program, and win the Stanley Cup and make a positive impact in his new community. during the playoffs, Vinik doubled the donation to $100,000 per game. On the ice, Vinik achieved his goal twice in the past two seasons. Off the With 10 home games on the run to the Stanley Cup, it effectively ice, the Lightning Community Heroes Program has become a lasting represented an additional $1 million for non-profits in the community. legacy of Vinik’s ownership. The Athletic LOADED: 07.27.2021 The Community Heros program was born out of a conversation between Vinik and Tod Leiweke, the former Lightning CEO who is now the president and CEO for the Seattle Kraken.

“Tod and I and our family have community service as a major part of our DNA, and we knew that we wanted that to be a major part of the DNA of the Lightning organization,” Vinik said. “So it was the two of us having brainstorming sessions about different things we could do with community, and it evolved into the community hero program.”

Since the program’s inception in 2011, the Lightning Community Hero program had donated $23.65 million across 958 donations to 628 unique nonprofits in the Tampa Bay area. That number will continue to grow next season after Vinik and the Lightning announced an extension of the Community Heroes Program on Monday, pledging an additional $10 million over the course of the next five seasons.

Since 2011, the program has selected a local hero for each home game whose efforts have had a positive impact on the community. The program also has lived in a hybrid form in the past 18 months, with heroes still being selected and donations for games without fans because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The hero is honored during the first period of the game and given $50,000 to donate to the cause or non-profit organization of their choosing.

Craig Sher is on the board that reviews and selects applicants. The group typically meets three times a season, and often tries to focus on community heroes that, “have a great story, but more people need to hear it.”

“It’s evolved, we spent a lot of time actually talking about what a hero is, and it’s a very interesting concept,” Sher said. “Early on we emphasized more first responders, military heroes, and things like that. But we kind of evolved into more unpaid heroes, those who have either volunteered their time or something like that in an extraordinary manner.”

Some of the recipients focus the entire $50,000 donation into one cause, while others will split it up. Dr. Liana Fernandez Fox was one of the recipients during the 2020 season and had the entire donation sent to Hillsborough Community College with half of it earmarked for an endowment to send faculty members to leadership, and the other $25,000 set aside to help establish a math excellence center.

Fox was chosen as a recipient because of her role within the Tampa Bay education community, particularly in Hillsborough County, She said that, in addition to the donation, the attention from the being chosen helped better promote and drive the two projects she’d been working on.

“To be honest with you, it gave a real heads up to the administration,” Fox said. “Before, it’s the type of thing that’s just a line item on the budget, maybe, laying there. But now it’s got a commitment because the Lightning and Mr. Vinik were willing to put some extra attention on it in front of 20,000 people at a hockey game.”

That’s a common theme according to Elizabeth Frazier, the Executive Director of the Lightning Foundation and Senior Executive Vice President of Philanthropy and Community Initiatives.

“What I’ve heard is from different nonprofit directors after the experience of the game is that just sharing a program exists to a large crowd goes a long way,” Frazier said. “I had the executive director from Guardian ad Litem call me up two weeks after they were honored at a game with tears in her eyes because they had double the normal amount of people at 1218676 Toronto Maple Leafs

Leafs free-agent defenceman Zach Bogosian is likely headed to an American market

By Mark Zwolinski

Mon., July 26, 2021 updated 8 hrs ago

It won’t be easy. Kyle Dubas’s newest task — restocking his roster for the 2021-22 season — became slightly more complicated with a report that rugged defenceman Zach Bogosian will not be re-signing with the Maple Leafs.

The Star’s Kevin McGran tweeted that news, along with a note that forward Nick Foligno remains in conversation with the Leafs. The 33- year-old forward is also talking with other teams, the Edmonton Oilers apparently among them.

Bogosian was a valuable asset in his lone season in Toronto, setting the tone by boxing out forwards in front of the Toronto net and providing a much-needed physical presence in the defensive zone. Foligno provides a similar physical presence up front. It is not known how serious talks are between the Leafs and Foligno.

Dubas and his staff have plenty of work to do as NHL free agency opens Wednesday, with the Leafs expected to lose forward Zach Hyman and Bogosian, and with needs to fill throughout the roster, including a goaltender and at least two forwards. The team looks to have about $9.3 million (U.S.) in cap space, according to the web site CapFriendly.

Dubas stated last week that one off his priorities is the acquisition of a goalie. That player ideally would form a tandem with Jack Campbell, who had the No. 1 job for most of 2020.

With Bogosian apparently deciding to sign with a U.S.-based team, the Leafs are down to six defenceman signed for next season. They also have Rasmus Sandin poised to step into a full-time NHL role, while Timothy Liljegren gradually could be worked into one. Ben Hutton, who was acquired for the playoff run last season, remains an unrestricted free agent.

Toronto has 10 forwards signed for next season and is reportedly in talks to keep Alex Galchenyuk in Toronto. There are three other UFAs — Joe Thornton, Riley Nash and Foligno — with Foligno looking like the only one who might return to Toronto.

With more cap space available, Dubas has options in goal. He could re- sign Frederik Andersen if the former No. 1 is willing to accept less than his $5-million cap hit from last season, or he could look at a large goaltending market. Vancouver’s Braden Holtby and San Jose’s Martin Jones are candidates to be bought out by Tuesday’s deadline and could join a group that includes Jonathan Bernier (if he doesn’t sign in Carolina), Jaroslav Halák, Antti Raanta and David Rittich, who was with the Leafs down the stretch last season.

Petr Mrázek, who was with Carolina last year, is another interesting possibility; at 29, he’s two years younger than Andersen and his numbers compare favourably.

Most of the top names in free agency, including Colorado goalie Philipp Grubauer, are likely priced out of range for Dubas. But he could still spend on a single player who could have a big impact.

If Dubas does spend more than expected, he may target a forward to replace Hyman, and go with a moderately priced goalie to form a tandem with Campbell. Blake Coleman, who just won a Stanley Cup with Tampa Bay, brings the same style as Hyman and is coming off a season where his cap hit was $1.8 million.

If Dubas sticks with his blueprint of skilled, offensive players, 30-goal forward Kyle Palmieri could fit the bill.

Toronto Star LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218677 Toronto Maple Leafs graduation from the University of Maine, the 72nd overall pick in 2016 was not in the club’s plans.

Toronto Sun LOADED: 07.27.2021 Maple Leafs could lose some regulars before stocking with UFAs

Lance Hornby

Publishing date:Jul 26, 2021 • 6 hours ago •

Before the Maple Leafs decide which newcomers join their fight for redemption this season, they must settle on those coming back.

While general manager Kyle Dubas has sought to protect as much of the 2021 roster as possible, despite its playoff flop, forward Nick Foligno and steady defenceman Zach Bogosian could be gone by Wednesday’s noon bell to start free-agent shopping.

Both enjoyed their 2021 season in Toronto — Bogosian spending the entire five-month campaign as a steady defence partner for Travis Dermott, Foligno a major trade-deadline move — but there are now extenuating circumstances with both.

It was evident in the days leading up to the draft that the New York state- born Bogosian favoured returning to an American-based team with his family. Though wanting a Stanley Cup with Toronto, that prize is already off Bogo’s bucket list after winning with the 2020 Tampa Bay Lightning.

His departure opens the door for another veteran UFA who can be a right-shooting positional blue-liner, or the Leafs will give that chance to first-round draft picks Rasmus Sandin and Timothy Liljegren.

Foligno will be turning 34 at the start of next season and craves his first Cup. While many thought he would look at returning to Columbus, where he has indicated a desire to live post-career with his wife and three kids, the Blue Jackets’ summer revamping could limit those title hopes. A persistent rumour is that Foligno will look at a short-term deal with Minnesota to play with younger brother Marcus.

Dubas gave up a first- and a fourth-round draft pick for Foligno, and the GM would like to realize more value from such a significant trade. But Foligno can’t be faulted for wanting to look around after noon Wednesday.

WHO’S SOUPY’S SECOND?

The Leafs will be looking for veteran goaltending help for Jack Campbell this week, unless incumbent Frederik Andersen provides them a massive hometown discount.

A wide slate of stoppers is open via a trade or free agency. Those under contract the Leafs might examine include Darcy Kuemper of the Arizona Coyotes, with a one-year $4.5-million US cap hit, or on the lower end, Joonas Korpisalo ($2.8 million), who helped defeat them in the play-in round of the 2020 tournament with Columbus.

Old friends and old rivals out there include James Reimer and Jaroslav Halak, the latter a past division foe with Montreal and Boston.

MOVING AROUND

As Monday’s 5 p.m. deadline to qualify restricted free agents passed, the Leafs retained the rights to forward Denis Malgin and young defenceman Joe Duszak, but not forward Nic Petan.

Also, scratch goalie Veini Vehvilainen from the list of potential in-house candidates to work with Campbell. Obtained from Columbus mid-season for defenceman Mikko Lehtonen, he signed with Brynäs in Sweden on Monday.

“I was stuck in North America without a real opportunity to show my potential at the NHL level, so it felt great when Brynäs showed interest in me,” Vehvilainen posted.

Former Leafs who did not get qualifying offers Monday included Frederik Gauthier from Arizona and Dmytro Timashov of the Isles.

GREENWAY GONE

The Leafs made a minor trade on Monday night, sending the rights to unsigned defenceman J.D. Greenway to Boston for future considerations. With his time as Leafs property soon to expire with his 1218678 Toronto Maple Leafs Boston did not qualify wingers Nick Ritchie and Ondrej Kase, same with Chicago and David Kampf, a regular centre with the Blackhawks the past few years and veteran Swiss teammate Pius Suter, who impressed in his first NHL season. NHL braces for big week TURN BACK THE CLUCK?

The Montreal Gazette reports St-Hubert BBQ Chicken, a significant Lance Hornby restaurant chain in the province and an advertiser with the Canadiens, is reflecting on whether to continue its association with the club following Publishing date:Jul 26, 2021 • 9 hours ago • the team’s controversial decision to draft Logan Mailloux.

Mailloux originally asked that no NHL club pick him last weekend when it This is what you call ‘earthquake weather’ around the NHL. was revealed he had shown teammates a photo, taken without consent, of a young woman engaging in a sexual act with him while he was living While there was some seismic activity at the weekend draft as and playing in Sweden last year. Philadelphia moved out Jakub Voracek and Shayne Gostisbehere amid general manager Chuck Fletcher’s shake-up, full free-agent shopping “This choice surprised us and we are evaluating if we’re going to begins Wednesday at noon, while a resolution of the Jack Eichel stand- continue our partnership with them,” said Josée Vaillancourt, the off in Buffalo could soon be at hand. Throw in some rumoured movement company’s director of public relations. “In 2021, with everything we have of goaltenders for some after shocks. seen, with all the movements, we were actually surprised. Are they going to go back on their position or will they go forward and accompany the Teams are already trying to determine the course of action with their own young man?” pending UFAs so they can either sign them or move on to be better prepared for Wednesday. More than a few GMs went into serious deal Vaillancourt said the chain y, which has rink board ads as well as fan mode as of Saturday night once their last draft picks were made and contests with the team, has concerns as a family company, but its everyone had a better picture of what the expansion Seattle Kraken executives at have not yet spoken with senior management of the Habs, roster looked like. By Monday night, all restricted free agents knew if they including its owner, Geoff Molson. were getting qualifying offers or not, setting a few up to join the UFA Mailloux has apologized for his conduct and said he is seeking bonanza. professional counselling. Jack Eichel’s agents have let it be known he’s skating again, some ICE CHIPS added enticement for clubs concerned about his medical condition. In addition to his frustration with the ongoing cycle of losing in Buffalo, there Forward Sam Bennett got a tidy payday in Florida on Monday, a four- is disagreement with the Sabres about treating the herniated disc in his year, $17.6 million US deal for the RFA. But that left the club in a cap neck. Eichel is said to want a disc replacement, an uncommon operation conundrum, so it moved defenceman Anton Stralman and the final year for an NHLer that the Sabres’ medical staff deems too risky. It’s a stance of his deal at $5.4 million to Arizona. Stralman had to waive a modified Eichel’s reps say underline their belief it’s best he move on. no trade clause. The pick-up for the Coyotes includes defencemanVladislav Kolyachonok and the Panthers second round pick But five years with a $10-million US cap hit is a lot for any new team to in 2024; Florida will get a seventh round pick in 2023 in return. The take on, never mind the health issue and putting a trade package Panthers will receive a seventh-rounder in2023 … Centre Paul Stastny together. At 100% Eichel, on the other hand, is a game-changer for any (Winnipeg) and defenceman Alex Martinez (Las Vegas) were nearing club. new deals according to Monday night reports … Forward Blake Coleman In Denver, GM Joe Sakic is trying to calm fears that he’ll lose both of the Cup champion Lightning will test free agency … Mike Sullivan, captain Gabriel Landeskog and No. 1 goalie Philipp Grubauer, telling coach of the Penguins, is in line for the Team USA gig if the NHL goes to reporters that Wednesday does not equate to doomsday on their careers the Beijing Olympics. Analyst John Shannon says Team Canada will not in Colorado. But Landeskog’s stated disappointment at the pace of talks name its coach until a decision to participate is made, though Jon Cooper has understandably made fans antsy. and Barry Trotz are thought to be on a short list … Arizona defenceman Niklas Hjalmarsson will be announcing his retirement from the NHL In Carolina, the Hurricanes are trying to keep second-team all-star according to Coyotes reporter Craig Morgan. He won three Cups in defenceman Dougie Hamilton from walking. Chicago.

“We’re running across some deadlines here (and) deadlines are when Toronto Sun LOADED: 07.27.2021 things usually happen,” GM Don Waddell said post-draft. “I know Dougie’s very familiar with where we are. We still know what his thoughts are, and it’s up to his agent, (J.P. Barry) and I to figure it out, It’s got to fit for him and for us. But I feel pretty good that we’ll be able to get this done.”

NET LOSSES?

The Canes have reached the rather dicey stage of having no NHL veteran goalies under contract as of Wednesday. Alex Nedeljkovic was traded to Detroit in a deal that saw the rights to Jonathan Bernier come back. But Bernier, James Reimer and Petr Mrazek will be on the open market, at least until they take a look around at other options.

Darcy Kuemper has a year to go with the Arizona Coyotes at $4.5 million, but the 31-year-old is due more in real salary dollars and as part of a general changing of the guard in the desert, could be moved with Arizona paying some of his salary.

Grubauer might have priced himself out of town in Denver, along with Devan Dubnyk, leaving the Avs in the same boat as Carolina. A growing list of budget stoppers around the NHL also includes Jaroslav Halak and Linus Ullmark.

FREEDOM TO ROAM

Among those without a home after Monday’s RFA deadline the Wings top pick in 2015, Evgeny Svechnikov, who has played just 41 games to date. GM Steve Yzrman could circle back on a two-way deal if he doesn’t sign elsewhere. 1218679 Toronto Maple Leafs The week ahead: From Brady Tkachuk and Drake Batherson to Victor Mete and Filip Gustavsson, the Senators have a number of restricted agents who need sizeable raises. With the money left over, expect them to go hunting for a top-two centre and some size on the backend. TRAIKOS: What's ahead for Canada's NHL teams? TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

The week that was: While the Leafs didn’t lose anyone off this year’s Michael Traikos roster in the expansion draft, saying goodbye to Hyman in free agency opens up a huge hole in their top-six. For the second time in three years, Publishing date:Jul 26, 2021 • 12 hours ago they also didn’t have a first-round draft pick — or many picks at all — putting even more pressure on the team to win now. “When you only have three picks, and two of them are outside the top-150, you can’t The Flames and Oilers each lost a top-pairing defenceman. The Leafs expect to have a great draft,” said Seidel, who gave Toronto a C-minus, lost a top-six winger. And the Canadiens made headlines for all the with over-aged Russian goalie Vyacheslav Peksa being the lone wrong reasons. highlight.

It was certainly an eventful few days in the NHL last week. The week ahead: With about $9 million in available cap space, the Leafs will try to get a goalie (Petr Mrazek? Braden Holtby?) who can share the With both the expansion and the entry draft behind us, here is a look at net with Jack Campbell and use whatever is left in the kitty on a Hyman- what’s happened with each of the seven Canadian teams — and what’s type winger. on the horizon heading into the free agency period on July 28: VANCOUVER CANUCKS CALGARY FLAMES The week that was: By trading for Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Conor The week that was: Exposing — and then losing — captain Mark Garland, the Canucks made it clear that they don’t intend on missing the Giordano to Seattle in the expansion draft might have been the first step playoffs again. Of course, it cost them cap space, as well as a first-round towards rebuilding a roster that failed to make the playoffs this year. If so, pick in the draft. “Let’s be honest, this weekend was about Ekman- Calgary took a step towards the future at the entry draft by landing USHL Larsson and Garland,” said Seidel, who gave Vancouver a B-minus for a goal-scoring leader Matt Coronato with the 13th pick. “I thought the Euro-heavy draft strategy that included world under-18 standout Danila Flames had the best weekend of any of the Canadian teams,” said North Klimovich in the second round and top-ranked goalie Aku Koskenvuo in American Scouting’s Mark Seidel, who gave the team an A-plus for the fifth round. finding value in the latter rounds with defencemen Cameron Whynot and Cole Jordan, as well as goalie Arseni Sergeev. The week ahead: With 2020 Calder Winner Cale Makar signing for $9- million annually, the challenge for Vancouver will be to re-sign Quinn The week ahead: The Flames need someone who can replace Hughes and at a reasonable number. Either way, don’t Giordano’s minutes, but more importantly they need someone with be surprised if the Canucks have to part ways with Holtby and championship credentials (Brandon Saad? Blake Coleman?) who can defenceman Nate Schmidt. help head coach Darryl Sutter change the losing culture. WINNIPEG JETS EDMONTON OILERS The week that was: The Jets dodged a bullet when Seattle chose winger The week that was: The Oilers received criticism for acquiring 38-year- Mason Appleton rather than defenceman Dylan DeMelo in the expansion old defenceman Duncan Keith in a trade and re-signing 39-goalie Mike draft. They also got lucky when sharp-shooting centre Chaz Lucius Smith, but the deals were made worse by the fact that they also lost dropped to them with the No. 18 pick and Russian sniper Nikita Chibrikov Adam Larsson in the expansion draft and could be without Oscar was still available in the second round. “An excellent gamble that may Klefblom for a second straight season. Seidel gave the team a B-minus pay off in spades,” said Seidel, who gave Winnipeg an A-minus. “The at the entry draft, where Edmonton selected “slick” forward Xavier Jets only had four picks over the weekend, but I thought they did Bourgault at No. 22, before using a sixth-round pick on Russian winger exceptionally well.” Matvey Petrov, who was the No. 1 pick in the 2020 CHL Import Draft. The week ahead: Even with DeMelo returning, a defenceman remains at The week ahead: A deal is in the works for Toronto’s Zach Hyman, which the top of GM Kevin Cheveldayoff’s wish list, “if it makes sense for us.” should make Connor McDavid very happy. But all eyes are on whether That’s another way of saying that the Jets will be bargain hunting. the Oilers can re-sign defenceman Tyson Barrie or find a suitable replacement (Dougie Hamilton?) for both him and Larsson on the Toronto Sun LOADED: 07.27.2021 backend.

MONTREAL CANADIENS

The week that way: The Habs caught a break when Seattle decided not to select in the expansion draft, but that goodwill vanished when GM Marc Bergevin selected sex offender Logan Mailloux, who had tried to remove himself from the draft, with the 31st overall pick. “Without the cloud over Mailloux, I still thought he was picked too early,” said Seidel, who gave Montreal an A-minus mostly for landing forwards Riley Kidney and Oliver Kapanen in the second round, as well as for finding value in the latter rounds with winger Joshua Roy and goalie Joe Vrbetic.

The week ahead: With injuries knocking out Shea Weber for the season, expect the Habs to enter the bidding wars for Hamilton and Barrie. But the big question is whether they can bring back fan favourite Philip Danault.

OTTAWA SENATORS

The week that was: Some believed the Senators over-reached in using the 10th overall pick on scrappy forward Tyler Boucher, but Seidel praised the selection. “Boucher is very hard to handle and plays the style of game that fans will love, and coaches will covet in the playoffs,” he said, while giving Ottawa an overall B-minus grade for taking a chance on second-rounders Zack Ostapchuk and Benjamin Roger, who didn’t play because of the pandemic. “Trent Mann and Al Murray are the two best scouts in the NHL, so I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt after his past few drafts.” 1218680 Toronto Maple Leafs with Knies going 20 picks after his best friend, who was selected by the hometown Coyotes.

The Knies family credits Shane Doan with being a constant encouraging Who is the Maple Leafs’ newest Arizona kid? Meet Matthew Knies, a presence from right when Matthew first began playing the game. power forward in the making He is, they say, one of the reasons he made it here.

“Shane gave him advice and talked to him, shared his experience,” Miro By James Mirtle, Jonas Siegel, Joshua Kloke Jul 26, 2021 Knies said. “That was tremendous. You can’t have better people around your son than people like Shane.

“We became friends, and we talk a lot. He’s a great person. He helped If you ask around the hockey world about Matthew Knies, you get a lot of my son quite a bit.” different answers about the Maple Leafs’ newest top prospect. The Knies family: Matthew (18), Phil (23), mother Michaela and father It turns out that he contains multitudes. Miro. (Credit: Phil Knies)

Knies, they’ll say, is big, at 6-foot-3 and 208 pounds — a frame that is A hockey state on the rise already ready for pro hockey at just 18 years old. But he wasn’t always. That connection — between an NHL captain and a young boy from He’s also incredibly bright, which makes sense, given he is the son of an another family — is a microcosm of what is happening in Arizona hockey aerospace engineer and a doctor. circles. Former pro players are staying in the area after their careers end and giving back to the sport, which is creating more homegrown And while he grew up in the non-traditional hockey market of Phoenix, he products. also has deep, deep ties to a top European hockey nation, going back to birth, and speaks Slovak at home. Auston Matthews was one, high-profile example. Knies is another — and there are more coming. He also knows Auston Matthews, which should help ease his adjustment process, from junior to pro, in the Leafs organization. It was particularly good fortune for the Knies family that they landed, via a hockey-loving nation, in Arizona just as the state was adopting the sport, In fact, that Arizona connection was on the top of Knies’ mind when the with the Coyotes arriving in 1996. Leafs made him their second-round pick on the weekend at the 2021 NHL Draft. They were the team he wanted to go to because of Matthews, On Saturday, Matthew Knies said one of his earliest hockey memories is more than anything else. cheering on the Doan-led Coyotes in person, with his father and brother, during the 2012 playoffs when the “whiteout” became a thing in their A welcoming text message from the Leafs superstar after Knies became hometown. the 57th pick put an even bigger smile on his face, too. That success led to more and more kids choosing hockey over football, “He’s the kind of guy I looked up to and wanted to play like,” Knies said of basketball and baseball. Matthews, who he has trained with since they were 6 and 11 years old, respectively, with skating coach Boris Dorozhenko. Tyson Nash, a Coyotes alumnus and current team broadcaster, said Arizona has become hockey’s “diamond in the rough.” “Being an team, having a player like Auston Matthews on the team — that’s the one team you dream of to go to when you want to be “Everyone thinks about hockey in America as Chicago, Minnesota and drafted.” Detroit,” Nash said. “But when you look at all the players that have retired here and are raising families in the community and getting involved in Matthews Knies, age 10, training with Dorozhenko. (Credit: Next hockey — I mean, you walk into our local hockey rink and you could see Generation HKY) Derek Morris, Shane Doan, Sean Burke, Corey Hirsch, myself, Ray A father’s love of the game Whitney.

Miro Knies grew up loving hockey in Bratislava, Slovakia. “That is who these young players grow up learning from. They’re getting coached by these ex-NHL players.” A child of the 1980s, he remembers being in awe at the great international battles between the Soviets and Canada and reading Marc Fritsche, the program director for the Jr. Coyotes program where newspaper articles about the top players from the NHL. Knies played, says that seven or eight former NHL players currently serve as coaches. At the time, it seemed so far away and fanciful. Players quickly learn a professional approach in that environment. To think his son would one day be drafted into the NHL, by an Original Six team? Never. Not when he had hardly played the game, a world “Before every game, he would tell me: ‘Don’t be the most skilled player, away, in Central Europe. be the best player,’” Knies said, recalling Doan’s advice. “And that’s the kind of thing that sticks with me, that I tell myself before games. “There were some Slovaks that had made it,” Miro Knies recalls. “But in our wildest dream, we would never think someone in the family would be In Auston Matthews, meanwhile, Knies had a role model — a player five drafted and have a chance to play in the NHL. It’s hard to imagine. It’s years his senior that represented his ambitions. But in Doan, he had a like a very distant dream, if you grow up in Slovakia and think about mentor who could help get him there. something like that.” “I couldn’t tell you how many tournaments we were at, sitting down in the Miro and his wife, Michaela, relocated to Phoenix 20 years ago when his hotel lobby after breakfast, where Matt was talking to Shane,” said Mike role with Honeywell Aerospace offered a role stateside. The Coyotes, DeAngelis, one of Knies’ coaches with the Jr. Coyotes. “He rubbed off on also new to the area, quickly caught their attention, and the Knies began him in so many positive ways.” attending games. “We grew up taking these former NHL players’ advice and having And when their sons, Phil and Matthew, were toddlers, they were on conversations with them,” added Phil Knies, Matthew’s older brother, skates. who was the captain at in Ohio in the NCAA last season. “Having them talk about what they went through and their As an immigrant family with minimal grounding in the minor hockey hockey journey was definitely a huge help. It speaks to how much they system and speaking English as a second language, they had a lot to care about the game, the time they put in with these young guys and give learn. Fortunately, they found an early kinship with Coyotes captain back to hockey to help it grow.” Shane Doan, who coached the mites team his son, Josh, was playing on while Doan was still in the NHL. The trickle of players from Arizona that began with Matthews may be becoming a wave. Matthew Knies is the same age as Doan’s son, and he and Josh Doan quickly became inseparable. Twelve years after they started playing Tyler Boucher, who went 10th to Ottawa on the weekend, was born in together, they were both taken in the second round over the weekend, Scottsdale. Red Savage, the son of former Coyotes forward Brian Savage, went in the fourth round. Plus Josh Doan to the Coyotes and Knies himself, meanwhile, has compared his game to Brandon Saad. Matthew Knies to the Leafs. In terms of improvements, Noreen believes Knies still needs to finish (Nash, meanwhile, watched anxiously over the weekend in hopes that his more chances and get stronger. Knies was only 5-foot-8 at 15 years old, son, Ty, would be drafted, too, but his moment never came.) so his size is a relatively new addition, and there could still be more growing into his body to accomplish. The more popular hockey has become in Arizona, the more rinks that are being built, including one that was just approved in Tucson. Those who know him well say he has come home to Arizona looking bigger and bigger every summer, so that shouldn’t be a problem. Nash also believes Knies’ upbringing in a sunny desert setting not known for hockey — until recently — has instilled in him an underdog mentality. Nash has gotten to know Knies personally, as he is a friend of his daughter. Knies is on the quieter side, Nash explained, but with a “silent “When you go to Chicago as an Arizona kid,” Nash said, “they’re like, confidence” and great ambition. ‘Oh, we’re gonna pound these Arizona pukes!’ Well, you know what, when you start competing and knowing you can compete against the “That’s what I love about him is he wants to be the best, and he’s not supposedly best in the U.S., that does something for you.” gonna stop until he is,” Nash said. “I’ll tell you what, if he wants to be, he can be because he has all the tools, the skating ability and the drive to do “There’s going to be even more players from Arizona, very soon, getting that.” the attention of Maple Leafs scouts,” Dorozhenko predicted, noting that he was getting calls from high-level NHL staffers asking questions about It’s expected Knies will play at least two and likely even three years at the what was happening in the area. “People are starting to recognize there’s University of Minnesota, beginning this coming season. His brother, Phil, something here. They can’t explain it, but they say: ‘It’s like a little factory is entering his fifth NCAA season, and it’s clear education is important to there.’” the family overall.

Matthews’ arrival as an NHL star has only added another layer to that But Matthew Knies’ blend of size, physicality and scoring touch puts him rise. in his own class among Leafs forward prospects, the majority of which skew towards the smaller, playmaking types. “Every Arizona kid, they look at Auston and go: ‘Hey, this is possible,’” Fritsche said. Several scouts polled by The Athletic over the weekend gave the Leafs high marks for the pick. “Auston, he knows (about Knies),” Nash said. “And I guarantee you he had something to say, or somebody (with the Leafs) went to him and “He shouldn’t have lasted so long,” one scout said of Toronto nabbing said, ‘What do you know about this kid? Tell me everything.’ I just know him at the end of the second round. what the reviews would be.” Because of his energy and constant competitiveness, Knies was Matthew Knies wore a letter in the USHL this past season despite being projected by multiple scouts as a surefire third-line winger, someone best only 18. (Credit: Eldon Holmes / Tri-City Storm) suited on a checking line who can chip in some offence here and there.

When will Knies be a Maple Leaf? Some believe his range of offensive and defensive tools — combined with his size — make him closer to pro-ready than some older Leafs “You could hear his smile through the phone.” forward prospects.

Anthony Noreen coached Knies with the Tri-City Storm of the USHL for Still, there’s no rush. Playing college hockey into his early 20s could do the past two seasons and spoke with him not long after he was selected wonders for Knies’ development, especially under the tutelage of by the Leafs. respected head coach Bob Motzko.

There had been some hope that Knies might go late in the first round. Can Knies find more consistency in his production with a top NCAA However, a sluggish start to the season, which included a bout with program and erase any doubts after an up-and-down draft year? Can his COVID-19, hurt his stock. skating improve, specifically his ability to separate from the opposition on That’s the best explanation for how a winger who can skate and score the rush? and has the kind of size most NHL teams drool over — someone Nash And how will the Leafs contribute to accelerating his development? describes as a “specimen” — remained available until the second day of the draft. “Matthew brings size, skill and grit — everything you want in today’s game,” Motzko said. “He is going to become a leader and one of the Over the weekend, Leafs GM Kyle Dubas said he was intrigued by Knies’ most feared players around the Big Ten because there’s nothing he can’t second-half response to his poor start. After getting healthy, he exploded, do.” piling up goals and points to pull back up to nearly a point a game. “For a lot of guys, junior hockey is just a stopover — two years before The tape the Leafs GM watched on him late in the year was impressive. university,” Noreen said. “But that kid, he lived and breathed being a As a result of their scouts’ interest, the Leafs had a lengthy two-hour member of the Tri-City Storm. He made the guys run better with his interview with Knies in late May. (The Coyotes and Wild had also shown energy. His attitude was infectious.” a lot of interest in Knies prior to the draft.) It’s that attitude that has already given the Leafs some faith in his ability. “He’s going to wind up being a steal,” Noreen said. “People can say whatever they want about his start in the first half of the year, but if you And should he continue to improve, he might one day play alongside look at him down the stretch, if you watch any shift that he played in the Matthews, the player he skated with — and looked up to — as a little playoffs, I would put him up against any player in our league as far as a boy. prospect. “It’s a long road,” Miro Knies said of what’s next for his son. “He hasn’t “In our playoff games, he was the best player on the ice, every shift, reached the finish line yet. This is a big milestone, a big accomplishment, every game — and I don’t even think it was close.” but still a lot of hard work ahead of him.

Noreen described Knies as “a complete 200-foot player with skill, with a “He can’t wait to step on the ice in a Leafs uniform. He’s very excited. big body that was really, really tough to play against.” But what he liked He’s going to work extra hard to get to that step.” most was Knies’ determination to win pucks back with “second, third, fourth efforts.” The Athletic LOADED: 07.27.2021

“Matthew does not pause a second when the puck goes from offence to defence,” Noreen said. “He’s the first guy that’s going to hound you from behind to try and get it back.”

Speaking of his son’s competitiveness, Miro Knies said Matthew could be “mean” on the ice — and mean even to him when they played sports together. His Jr. Coyotes’ coaches often told him to lighten up at practice. 1218681 Vegas Golden Knights “We’ll be a cap team again, that I can tell you,” general manager Kelly McCrimmon said before the NHL draft. “Exactly what that looks like as it plays out remains to be seen and still depends on some of the decisions we make between now and opening day.” Shea Theodore expands fund fighting breast cancer in Nevada LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 07.27.2021

By Ben Gotz

July 26, 2021 - 5:18 PM

Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore was back at City National Arena on Monday after an offseason vacation to Hawaii, but he didn’t bring his stick, skates or helmet.

Instead, Theodore announced he was stepping up his charitable efforts to combat breast cancer in Nevada. The 25-year-old unveiled new contributions to his Kay’s Power Play fund for Susan G. Komen Nevada, named after his late grandmother and aimed at providing mammograms to those in need.

Theodore and Comprehensive Cancer Centers combined to donate $50,000, and the Vegas Golden Knights Foundation matched it. Some of the money came from the Knights’ jersey auction during their annual “Hockey Fights Cancer” game.

Theodore, who overcame a testicular cancer diagnosis in 2019, also launched a new initiative in which those who get a mammogram through Comprehensive Cancer Centers will receive a limited edition “Mammo Cup” patch.

“With some of the new funding here, it’s going to help a lot more people,” Theodore said. “Hopefully that forces people to go and get those patches.”

Theodore launched Kay’s Power Play in November for his grandmother Kay Darlington, who died in June 2020 and was a breast cancer patient at Comprehensive Cancer Centers. It had an initial donation of $50,000, and Susan G. Komen Nevada development manager Sherry Alexis said more than $30,000 has been spent. That has resulted in approximately 150 mammograms, Alexis said.

One of the recipients was Las Vegan Lauren Kennedy, who lost her job and health insurance but received a mammogram through the fund.

“I put off having a mammogram because it was just something I needed to do later, and without insurance, it was something that just seemed intimidating and very expensive,” Kennedy said. “Booking it through Susan G. Komen was excellently easy. I’m super excited to have one more thing off my plate.”

Theodore hopes the fund also can help others as a way to honor his grandmother.

“It’s definitely a special moment,” Theodore said. “I know she’d be very proud.”

Cap moves coming

The Knights’ reported three-year contract extension with defenseman Alec Martinez probably will force the team to make at least one salary cap clearing move in the offseason.

Martinez’s deal will have an average annual value of about $5 million, according to Daily Faceoff. On Monday, the Knights had approximately $4.09 million in cap space. Teams are allowed to exceed the cap by 10 percent in the offseason.

The Knights will need to find a way to fit Martinez and restricted free agent Nolan Patrick on the books. Patrick, acquired in a trade July 17, received a qualifying offer before Monday’s deadline to avoid becoming an unrestricted free agent. Patrick’s minimum qualifying offer was $917,831.

Restricted free agent defenseman Dylan Coghlan also received a qualifying offer. His minimum was $735,000.

The Knights had to make multiple salary cap clearing moves last offseason to sign defenseman Alex Pietrangelo. Defenseman Nate Schmidt was traded to Vancouver for a third-round pick, and center Paul Stastny was sent to Winnipeg for a fourth-round pick and defenseman Carl Dahlstrom. 1218682 Vegas Golden Knights There also were whispers during the draft about the Knights moving left wing Max Pacioretty, the second straight offseason his name has come up in trade rumors. Forward Ryan Reaves ($1.75 million cap hit) and defenseman Nick Holden ($1.7 million cap hit) are other trade Key defenseman set to sign contract extension with Knights possibilities.

Meanwhile, the Knights were linked by Sportsnet to a potential deal for Rangers center Ryan Strome, who would be expendable if New York By David Schoen wins the sweepstakes for Buffalo star Jack Eichel. July 26, 2021 - 8:45 am LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 07.27.2021 Updated July 26, 2021 - 7:56 PM

Alec Martinez celebrated his 34th birthday Monday with a new contract.

The defenseman agreed to terms on a three-year extension with the Golden Knights and avoided free agency, a person with knowledge of the situation confirmed.

The deal, which was first reported by DailyFaceoff.com, carries a $5.25 million average annual value and is expected to become official Tuesday.

Hearing Vegas @GoldenKnights are closing in on an extension to keep D Alec Martinez off the market.

General manager Kelly McCrimmon declined to comment, and Martinez’s agent, Alexander Schall, also refused to comment.

“I can’t (over)state the importance of him to our group,” coach Pete DeBoer said of Martinez in June after the Knights were bounced from the Stanley Cup semifinals by Montreal in six games.

“There’s a reason he’s a multiple Stanley Cup winner. There’s a reason you can count on him at the most important time of the year. He rises to the occasion at the tough moments. You can never have enough guys like that.”

Martinez was in line for a raise after leading the NHL in blocked shots during the regular season with 168, 40 more than the next-closest player. He posted 32 points (nine goals, 23 assists) in 53 games playing on the top pair with Alex Pietrangelo, and Martinez’s 0.60 points per game were the highest of his 11-year career.

Martinez tied for second on the team with a plus-26 rating and was second on the team in average ice time at 22:34.

During the postseason, Martinez played through a broken foot and posted a stunning 10.08 blocked shots per 60 minutes. He led the league with 72 blocks in 19 games as the Knights fell one step short of playing for the Stanley Cup.

Since he was acquired from Los Angeles on Feb. 19, 2020, for two second-round picks, Martinez has provided a veteran presence on the blue line. In 63 regular-season games, he has 40 points in 63 games, and the Knights are plus-22 with him on the ice at five-on-five.

Martinez would have been one of the top left defensemen in free agency and might have commanded more money on the open market.

With the two-time Stanley Cup winner back in the fold, the Knights are set to return their top six defensemen after allowing a league-best 2.18 goals per game.

“I obviously want to (return),” Martinez said in April. “It’s obviously a really good team. It’s a great group of guys. I love playing here.”

Before signing Martinez, the Knights were projected to have $5.2 million in salary cap space by CapFriendly.com with 19 players on the roster. PuckPedia.com shows $4.35 million remaining with a 20-player roster.

Newly acquired center Nolan Patrick and defenseman Dylan Coghlan are restricted free agents and in line for new contracts, which means the Knights aren’t done making moves.

There continue to be rumblings around the league that Vezina Trophy winner Marc-Andre Fleury or Robin Lehner could be traded to create salary cap space. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported a deal for one of the goalies might have fallen through during the draft last weekend.

Right wing Reilly Smith has surfaced as a potential trade chip. The alternate captain carries a $5 million salary cap hit entering the final year of his contract and is coming off a down season. 1218683 Vegas Golden Knights

Report: Golden Knights close to signing Alec Martinez to 3-year extension

By Justin Emerson

Monday, July 26, 2021 | 9:11 a.m.

The Golden Knights are on the verge of bringing back arguably last season’s most consistent defenseman.

Alec Martinez and the team are reportedly putting the finishing touches on a three-year extension, which will keep Martinez from free agency and keep Vegas’ stout blue line intact, according to Daily Faceoff. The final cap hit is expected to be close $5 million per season.

It’s a nice raise for Martinez, who turns 34 today, in order to stay in Vegas after he was acquired at the 2020 trade deadline. He played mostly with Shea Theodore during the 2020 postseason and earned rave reviews, then spent last season on the left side of Alex Pietrangelo on the top pair.

Martinez had the best season of his career last year, his first full one with the Golden Knights. On a per-game basis, because of the pandemic- shortened season, Martinez turned in career bests with nine goals, 23 assists and 32 points. He became a key cog of the Golden Knights’ sputtering power play toward the end of the year and was the only player with multiple power-play goals in the postseason.

The risk in such a deal is both Martinez’s age and his style of play. He led the NHL in blocked shots last season (168), and though he only missed three games, he played through the postseason on a broken foot sustained at the end of the regular season. He did not miss a playoff game and also led all players in playoff blocks (72).

Martinez’s extension eats up virtually the remainder of the Golden Knights’ available cap space. The team will need to make a cost-cutting move to fill out its roster or make any other improvements. Vegas had about $5.2 million in cap space before the Martinez deal, according to CapFriendly.

The Golden Knights have two remaining unrestricted free agents-to-be in forwards Tomas Nosek and Mattias Janmark. Forward Nolan Patrick, acquired earlier this month, is the only major restricted free agent.

The contracts for Nosek and Janmark expire on Wednesday, when free agency opens to all teams. Vegas will have more time to work out a deal with Patrick, who will be tendered a qualifying offer.

LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218684 Vegas Golden Knights has entered free agency each of the last two years, and both times opted to re-sign with Vegas late in the offseason. There’s a better-than-good chance that Nosek is hoping for a similar result this offseason, but that offer is unlikely to come until most other moves are made. Golden Knights free agency preview: Alec Martinez’s future and possible additions at center and on defense Nosek’s odds of returning to Vegas are also reliant on what else the team does at the center position. The Golden Knights already have added two centers this summer, trading for Nolan Patrick and Brett Howden. Both will be bottom-six options and could replace Nosek on the fourth line. By Jesse Granger Jul 26, 2021 If the Golden Knights are aggressive when free agency opens

Wednesday morning, it will almost certainly be in the pursuit of center The dust from the expansion draft and the entry draft has settled, and the help. The best centers available could be a bit out of Vegas’ budget. Golden Knights’ front office now turns its attention towards free agency. Montreal’s Phillip Danault, Nashville’s Mikael Granlund, Florida’s Alex Vegas’ entire pro scouting team is in Las Vegas this week, preparing Wennberg and Tampa Bay’s Blake Coleman are all in line for sizable alongside president of hockey operations George McPhee and general contracts after their strong seasons. manager Kelly McCrimmon for the unrestricted free agency period to PLAYER AGE PROJECTED AAV PROJECTED TERM open Wednesday at 9 a.m. PT. Phillip Danault According to Cap Friendly, the Golden Knights have just over $4.1 million in salary-cap space to work with, but that accounts for a roster of only 20 28 players. Vegas will be a “cap team” again in 2021, pressed tightly to the ceiling. That’s what many expected entering the summer, and $6.2 million McCrimmon confirmed it last week. There’s a chance the Golden Knights 5-7 years might operate with fewer than the maximum allotment of 23 players on their roster the way they did in 2020-21, but it still leaves very little room Mikael Granlund to work. 29 The good news for Vegas is that it has only three unrestricted free agents — Alec Martinez, Mattias Janmark and Tomas Nosek — set to hit the $5.0 million open market Wednesday morning unless a deal is reached prior. All 3-4 years signs point toward Janmark and Nosek exploring those options. Sources told The Athletic that negotiations between Martinez and the Golden Alex Wennberg Knights are ongoing, but that no deal is imminent. 26 Vegas’ $4.1 million in free cap space likely isn’t enough to even sign Martinez alone. Despite turning 34 on Monday, Martinez is likely in line $4.9 million for a considerable raise from his $4 million AAV last season after a 4-5 years strong year. The two-time Stanley Cup champion finished with 32 points in the shortened season and led the NHL in blocks both in the regular Blake Coleman season and playoffs. 29 According to Evolving Hockey’s contract projections, Martinez’s next deal will be three or four years in length and carry a cap hit of roughly $5.84 $4.6 million million (I’ll be using that resource for many contract projections). 4-5 years

That number is likely a bit high, considering Martinez’s age and lack of All four of these players would improve Vegas’ center depth, but unless production prior to joining the Golden Knights. If Martinez does return to there’s a corresponding move to clear cap space, none fit into the Golden the Vegas, expect the AAV to be slightly lower than that, closer to $5 Knights’ budget. million. Here are the next group of free-agent centers who could help strengthen But that’s no sure thing. Martinez could test the open market, where he’s Vegas up the middle, two of whom are former Golden Knights. expected to have plenty of suitors. If there is a bidding war for his services, Vegas is almost certainly going to lose him. That is the first PLAYER AGE PROJECTED AAV PROJECTED TERM domino that will help shape the rest of the moves for the Golden Knights. Paul Stastny The other domino is what McCrimmon and McPhee decide to do with 35 their goalies. Vegas currently has the second-highest cap hit allocated to goaltending in the NHL at $12 million. With both Marc-Andre Fleury and $3.9 million Robin Lehner on the roster, the Golden Knights are extremely limited in what they can do to improve their roster this offseason – confined to 2-3 years small changes around the edges of the lineup. Erik Haula If one of the goalies were to be traded, it would open up a host of options 30 that would be otherwise impossible. I won’t go over the pros and cons of keeping Fleury and Lehner, because that’s already been covered here, $3.8 million here and here this offseason. 3-4 years From everything I’ve heard, there’s a belief that Vegas could move one of the goalies but there hasn’t been a decision on either and there’s nothing Ryan Dzingel close to imminent. Teams have inquired about both Fleury and Lehner, 29 which makes total sense. They are both exceptional goalies who represent a significant upgrade to what many teams have in net. If $3.5 million there’s even the slimmest possibility one gets traded, general managers would be dumb not to call. 3-4 years

McCrimmon is likely keeping all possibilities on the table as Wednesday Nick Bonino approaches, listening to all offers. Having said that, I think he and 33 McPhee would be content moving forward with both goalies if that’s how things shook out. $2.9 million

The other two pending UFAs – Janmark and Nosek – are unlikely to 2-3 years know their fate until much later. It’s a familiar situation for Nosek, who A reunion between the Golden Knights and Haula is more likely than the wouldn’t work. McCrimmon now has the opportunity to sign Getzlaf for possibility of bringing Stastny back. I heard there was mutual interest less, and it likely would be a very short-term deal. between the sides last offseason, but when Vegas landed Alex Pietrangelo it eliminated that option. Haula still spends much of his The 36-year-old power center’s production has steadily declined over offseason in town – he played in Reilly Smith’s charity softball game each of the last five years, and he managed only 17 points in 48 games Saturday night at the Las Vegas Ballpark. Haula has bounced from last season. But Anaheim is nowhere near contending, and a change in Carolina to Florida to Nashville over the last two years, never able to scenery often sparks veterans. Look no further than Martinez, who replicate the type of production he had in Vegas. averaged only .31 points per game over his final three seasons with Los Angeles and jumped to .63 in Vegas. Getzlaf would play with much more He certainly wouldn’t be getting the contract projected by Evolving offensive talent in Vegas, and while he’s not the athlete he once was Hockey ($3.8 million over three or four years) if he signed with Vegas, when leading Anaheim on deep postseason runs, he still has great vision but his affinity for the city and teammates could lower those numbers a and feeds players the puck in dangerous areas. bit. Haula also signed a one-year deal for only $1.75 million last offseason and had 21 points in 51 games for the Predators, so the raise And while center is certainly Vegas’ biggest need this summer, there are in that projection seems steep. If he was willing to take less, Haula would other options to upgrade the roster. The Golden Knights could look to give the Golden Knights another middle-six forward option – and it’s add depth scoring on the wing with a veteran like Zach Parise. He has a worth noting he led Vegas with 12 power-play goals in 2017-18. great history with coach Pete DeBoer and would bring skill and a nose for the front of the net to a Vegas bottom six that has little of either. Ryan Dzingel and Nick Bonino are two more center options who make sense for the Golden Knights. Dzingel is coming off a down year with Vegas also could be in the market for a defenseman, especially if only 13 points in 40 games for the Hurricanes and Senators but has been Martinez signs elsewhere. There are options to replace Martinez from a consistent bottom-six producer for years prior to that. Bonino is much within the organization, namely restricted free agent Dylan Coghlan. But older (33) than the other options but would be an upgrade to one of the if McCrimmon wants another veteran blueliner, here are a few bottom-two center spots if Vegas could sign him short-term. He’s been a reasonable choices in the open market. dependable third-line center for Nashville and Minnesota with an on-ice PLAYER AGE PROJECTED AAV PROJECTED TERM expected goals share of roughly 54 percent. He’s responsible in all three zones, garnering Selke Trophy votes in three of the last five years, so he Mike Reilly has many of the qualities Vegas usually prioritizes. 28 Bonino, Dzingel, Haula or Stastny wouldn’t make a major splash, but all $3.8 million would provide Vegas with more depth to its offense – something that has been lacking in each of the last two postseasons. It’s also worth noting 3-4 years that league sources have indicated that this class of players – the mid- tier free agents seeking between $3 million to $5 million AAV – could be Ryan Murray hit the hardest by the current market. The flat cap has led to frugality 27 when handing out contracts, and this group is expected to be most affected. $4.3 million

Elite players will still be paid, as shown by several large contracts already 3-4 years signed this offseason (Cale Makar and Seth Jones, to start). The bottom- of-the-lineup players making $2 million or less won’t see much of an Travis Hamonic impact, either. But players stuck in the middle could end up with a lot less 30 money offered than the projections might expect. That’s how Haula ended up playing for only $1.75 million last season and it could be the $3.9 million case again for many of the players in this category, which could work in Vegas’ favor. 1-3 years

Another option for upgrading at center could come in the form of a short- Alex Edler term deal with an older veteran player. One benefit of being a contender 35 is that players nearing retirement will often sign below-market deals for a chance to play for a winner in the twilight of their career. $3.9 million

PLAYER AGE PROJECTED AAV PROJECTED TERM 1-3 years

Ryan Getzlaf The free-agent market for defensemen who have played top-four minutes isn’t all that large, but there are a few solid options. Mike Reilly is the 36 most enticing. He’s only 28 and had a strong finish to the season in $2.8 million Boston after being traded from Ottawa at the deadline. He’d be a nice middle-pair option for the Golden Knights and would be able to fill a role 1-2 years similar to Martinez, playing alongside one of either Shea Theodore or Pietrangelo. The problem is that Boston is likely to re-sign Reilly, David Krejci especially after losing Jeremy Lauzon to Seattle in expansion. And after 35 playing for four different teams in the last four years, Reilly could be seeking stability in Boston. $4.6 million New Jersey’s Ryan Murray and Vancouver’s Travis Hamonic and Alex 1-2 years Edler are also options. Edler is 35 years old, but his agent has said his client intends to leave Vancouver. He could be a short-term option to fill I’ll start by saying Getzlaf is a much more likely option here than Krejci. If in for Martinez if the Golden Knights are priced out. Edler had a major Krejci were willing to take a discount to play for a contending team, he’d down season in 2020-21, with only eight points in 52 games, but had likely just stay in Boston, where he’s played all 15 years of his career. topped 30 points in each of the three seasons prior. At his age, that drop- Krejci was excellent in 2020-21, centering the Bruins’ dangerous second off in production could be a big enough red flag to keep him off Vegas’ line between Taylor Hall and Craig Smith, and he should still command a radar. decent AAV in his next contract. But I couldn’t leave him off the list entirely because he would be exactly what the Golden Knights need to It will be interesting to see which path the Golden Knights choose. There add scoring, depth and experience up the middle. are plenty of options, whether they opt to make major changes or supplement the current squad. Krejci could be a pipe dream, both in terms of interest in signing with the Golden Knights and making the cap space to accommodate it, but It should be another busy week inside the offices at City National Arena. Getlzaf is a much more realistic addition. There were reports that Vegas was interested in Getzlaf at the trade deadline, but the cap math simply The Athletic LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218685 Vegas Golden Knights

Update: Golden Knights Sign Martinez; Knights Over the CapPublished 11 hours ago on July 26, 2021

By Dan Kingerski

The Vegas Golden Knights and Alec Martinez agreed to a new three- year contract on Tuesday, which will pay the top-pair defenseman around $5 million for three years and close the loop on the Golden Knights’ most pressing offseason need.

The story was first reported by the Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli on Twitter.

But now the clock starts ticking on the Golden Knights cap issues.

Martinez was easily the best fit for the Golden Knights compared to the potential free-agent class, which is shallow at best. The signing solidifies the biggest hole in their lineup and will allow GM Kelly McCrimmon to begin working on the smaller lineup pieces.

Last season, Martinez posted his second-best career totals with 32 points, including 23 assists. Both marks were just short of his career year with the LA Kings in 2016-17 when he scored 39 points. Martinez further showed his value to the team when he played with a broken foot in the playoffs.

According to our friends at PuckPedia.com, the contract will push the Vegas Golden Knights about $800,000 over the salary cap, with 21 of 23 contract slots filled. Many teams carry only 22 contracts to save money, but McCrimmon is still one player short and over the limit.

Per NHL CBA rules, teams can exceed the salary cap by 10% during the offseason, but the situation clearly creates a need for the Golden Knights to shed salary.

Sportsnet reporter extraordinaire Elliotte Friedman reported that a deal for one of the Vegas Golden Knights’ goalies fell through on Sunday. Friedman believed it was either Marc-Andre Fleury to Chicago or Robin Lehner to New Jersey.

One of the goalies is the most likely candidate to be re-homed in a salary-saving move. Fleury, of course, won the Vezina Trophy last season, but he is 36-years-old. Lehner, 30, has four more years remaining on his contract.

The National Hockey Now network has not confirmed the report or learned which trade didn’t reach the finish line. Our New Jersey sources were mum on the subject.

The move will keep the top two defensive pairings together, Martinez with Alex Pietrangelo and Brayden McNabb on the left side of Shea Theodore.

The Golden Knights have not yet announced the signing, but that could be anytime today or even later this week as Martinez is officially able to sign the contract.

Vegas Hockey Now LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218686 Washington Capitals

Capitals trade defenseman Brenden Dillon to Jets for two second-round picks

Samantha Pell

Today at 10:27 p.m. EDT

The Washington Capitals traded defenseman Brenden Dillon to the Winnipeg Jets on Monday night for a pair of second-round draft picks — one in 2022, one in 2023.

Dillon has three years left on his four-year deal with an average annual value of $3.9 million. Washington needed to clear cap space to re-sign captain Alex Ovechkin and goaltender Ilya Samsonov. The Capitals now have $13.6 million in cap space after shedding Dillon’s contract, according to the NHL news site PuckPedia. It was Washington’s first major trade this offseason.

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Ovechkin is set to become an unrestricted free agent after his 13-year, $124 million deal expires at noon Wednesday. The Capitals tendered a qualifying offer to Samsonov, who is a restricted free agent, on Monday.

The Capitals signed Dillon to a four-year, $15.6 million extension in October after he was acquired at the 2019-20 trade deadline. He played in all 56 regular season games for Washington in a pandemic-shortened season and tallied two goals and 17 assists.

As draft wraps, Capits anticipate completing deal with Alex Ovechkin before free agency

The 6-foot-4, 220-pounder was a staple on the Washington blue line last season, slotting in on the Capitals’ top-four — mainly skating alongside John Carlson.

Capitals General Manager Brian MacLellan said Saturday that the team would have to make some hard decisions on defense, with multiple players poised to return but very little cap space to operate. The team has indicated it wants to add more younger players, with defenseman Martin Fehervary at the top of the list.

With Dillon off the roster, the Capitals still have Carlson, Dmitry Orlov, Justin Schultz and Nick Jensen as the core veteran blue-liners from last season. Schultz and Jensen were the two other options to be moved in the offseason, with Schultz’s cap hit at $4 million and Jensen at $2.5 million.

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Capitals tender offers to restricted free agents Ilya Samsonov, Lucas Johansen

Samantha Pell

Yesterday at 5:55 p.m. EDT

The Washington Capitals extended qualifying offers to restricted free agents Ilya Samsonov and Lucas Johansen on Monday. Samsonov is expected to be the team’s No. 1 goaltender.

General Manager Brian MacLellan said Saturday that a short-term “bridge deal” is most likely for Samsonov’s next contract. The team has already started talks with the 24-year-old Russian’s camp.

“Given the season he had last year, a little inconsistency there, I think that probably works for both parties,” MacLellan said. “He recognizes or his representatives recognize that there’s upside there. We recognize there’s upside there.”

Samsonov had been on a three-year entry-level contract that carried a salary cap hit of $925,000. He had a 2.69 goals against average and a .902 save percentage last season in 19 games, missing time following a positive test for the coronavirus after sitting out the previous postseason with an off-ice injury. He also missed games late in the season after landing on the NHL’s coronavirus protocols list for a second time.

Johansen, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound defenseman, was selected by the Capitals with the 28th pick in the 2016 draft. He played for the Hershey Bears the past four seasons but has yet to make his NHL debut.

The deadline for NHL teams to issue qualifying offers to pending restricted free agents was 5 p.m. Eastern time Monday. The league’s free agency period starts Wednesday at noon.

The Capitals have a handful of notable unrestricted free agents, including captain Alex Ovechkin.

MacLellan said Saturday that he anticipates getting a deal done with Ovechkin before the start of free agency. Ovechkin is coming off a 13- year, $124 million deal he signed in 2008. He is again negotiating his deal by himself.

Other Capitals unrestricted free agents include defenseman Zdeno Chara, winger Michael Raffl, and goaltenders Craig Anderson and Henrik Lundqvist.

The team checked in with Chara, 44, earlier in the offseason and will probably do so again when free agency opens to see “if he’s serious about coming back or not coming back and where the salary is going to end up,” MacLellan said. Chara signed a one-year, $795,000 deal with the Capitals last year after a storied career in Boston. He said at the end of last season that he wanted to talk over his next decision with his family.

Anderson, 40, is expected to retire, MacLellan said. Lundqvist, who missed the entire season after heart surgery, has resumed light workouts, but MacLellan said he has yet to be cleared medically to play. MacLellan said he believes the 39-year-old has the same attitude as last season, “that he’d like to play and if he gets clearance I think he’s probably going to try and play.”

The team also will resume talks with Raffl, acquired at the trade deadline last season, after free agency opens, MacLellan said.

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Capitals trade defenseman Brenden Dillon to Winnipeg Jets

By Andy Kostka - Monday, July 26, 2021

The Washington Capitals traded defenseman Brenden Dillon on Monday night to the Winnipeg Jets for two second-round picks in what could be the first of several salary-cap-conscious moves.

Washington saves $3.9 million in cap space by moving Dillon. The team had left the 30-year-old unprotected during last week’s expansion draft, but the Seattle Kraken opted to choose goaltender Vitek Vanecek. That selection didn’t help the Capitals’ issues with cap room, with the team needing to resign captain Alex Ovechkin and restricted free agent goalie Ilya Samsonov this offseason.

Moving Dillon frees up some space, but it might not be the final move. According to CapFriendly, Washington has just over $13 million in cap space, and the team offered Samsonov a qualifying offer Monday.

Washington general manager Brian MacLellan said Saturday the team expects to re-sign Ovechkin by Wednesday. They might need additional cap space to get that deal done, leading to Dillon’s trade. The Capitals received second-round picks back from the Jets in the 2022 and 2023 drafts.

Dillon posted 19 points for the Capitals in 56 games last season. Washington had acquired Dillon in a trade with the San Jose Sharks midway through the 2019-20 season.

The trade could open a spot for Martin Fehervary on the NHL roster.

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Dillon trade leaves serious questions on left side of Caps defense

BY J.J. REGAN

We knew a trade had to happen and it came on Monday as the Capitals traded defenseman Brenden Dillon to the Winnipeg Jets for two second round draft picks.

There is a lot to like about this trade. The Caps were in a serious cap crunch and had to move significant salary. General manager Brian MacLellan managed to move a player with a $3.9 million cap hit and three years remaining on his contract and he managed to get value back in return with two second round picks. That is a really good return on a three-year salary dump.

With Dillon gone, the Caps now have about $12.8 million in cap space if you include prospect Martin Fehervary on the roster. Can the Caps get Alex Ovechkin, Ilya Samsonov and possibly a 13th forward signed within that $12.8 million? It's definitely possible.

That's the good news. The bad news is that Dillon's departure leaves a major hole on the left side of the defense.

Dmitry Orlov is the top left defenseman on the team. Michal Kempny will be returning from an Achilles injury, plus MacLellan noted at the end-of- season media availability that he felt Fehervary was ready to make the jump to the NHL next season. That's three defensemen to go with the team's four righties. But the question is not about bodies, it's about what you can expect from those bodies.

Kempny is coming off his second major injury and one that kept him out the entire 2021 season. He struggled in his return from a hamstring injury and there's no way to know what to expect from him when he returns next season. Fehervary, meanwhile, is an up-and-coming prospect who the team thinks very highly of, but he has only six games of NHL experience.

If this roster remains as is, both of those players look slated for everyday roles and one of them is going to be in the top-four. That is a huge gamble for a team with its sights set on one more Stanley Cup before the championship window closes on this era for good.

Maybe the Caps could look to add to the left side of the defense in free agency or in a trade, but given how tight the cap situation is, whatever moves they make will have to be dollar in, dollar out, so the team would have to make a corresponding move to shed more salary.

Does this leave the door open for a Zdeno Chara re-signing? Will the team dump more salary to look for another blue line pick-up? Does MacLellan have enough confidence in the defense as is to gamble possibly this core's last shot at a Cup? Those are questions that will have to be answered in the coming weeks.

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Caps issue qualifying offer to goalie Ilya Samsonov

BY J.J. REGAN

The Capitals issued qualifying offers to goalie Ilya Samsonov and minor- league defenseman Lucas Johansen on Monday, thus retaining their rights as restricted free agents. The moves were announced by Mike Vogel. Monday was the NHL's deadline to issue qualifying offers and Samsonov and Johansen were the team's only RFAs.

In the NHL, teams still retain the rights of a restricted free agent even after free agency begins so long as the player has been issued a qualifying offer. A qualifying offer is based on a player's previous salary. It is non-binding and a player must still sign it if he intends to play under it. In most situations, players do not sign qualifying offers and continue negotiating with the team to come up with a new contract.

On Saturday, Washington general manager Brian MacLellan indicated to reporters that a bridge deal, meaning a shorter-term contract, was "most likely" for Samsonov.

“Given the season he had last year, a little inconsistency there, I think that probably works for both parties," MacLellan said. "I think he recognizes or his representatives recognize that there’s upside there. We recognize there’s upside there. So that probably makes more sense for both parties.”

Samsonov, 24, is expected to be the team's No. 1 goalie next season, though MacLellan stressed the role would not be handed to him.

“I think he has to earn it, too," MacLellan said. "I think that’s up to him. He has the potential to be a No. 1 and I think he has to show it.”

Samsonov is arbitration-eligible which could greatly complicate things for the Caps given their tight cap situation. They will almost certainly reach an agreement before that point so as to avoid the uncertainty of arbitration.

Johansen, 23, was the Caps' first-round draft pick in 2016. He has yet to reach the NHL and has spent the last four seasons with AHL Hershey.

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Capitals add six prospects, including four defensemen

BY ANDREW GILLIS

The Capitals added six players to their prospect pool during this year’s NHL Draft, all of which came on Saturday afternoon spanning from the second to sixth rounds.

The team added four defensemen (two right-handed, one left-handed), a center and a goalie that they hope can help add to the team’s farm system, which has been a bit depleted through the years as the Capitals make runs at the Stanley Cup.

But the headline of this year's class was how heavy the team went at the blue line.

“I thought maybe where we were picking, there were going to be defensemen that were going to be available,” assistant general manager Ross Mahoney said. “We’ve always said that, that we’ll take the best player. I think it was good to be able to get some defensemen, and the first couple are right-handed defensemen, which I think helps to fill a bit of a void that we have as far as young defensemen.”

The team chose right-handed defenseman Vincent Iorio, out of the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings, 55th overall with their first selection of the draft. The Capitals liked his upside offensively as he continues to develop. Mahoney even thought that he’d go in the first round.

“He’s a big kid, about 6’2 ½, 6’3, skates really well, good hands, moves the puck well,” Mahoney said. “Probably didn’t get to show as much offensively this year, as I think he will in the future because he played behind Braden Schneider, who the Rangers traded up last year to take at 19.”

They followed up with another right-handed shot defender in Brent Johnson (no, not that one) out of the USHL’s in the third round. With Martin Fehervary and Alexander Alexeyev set to join the NHL roster as soon as October, the Capitals felt they balanced out their blue line prospect pool a bit, while adding more young players to the mix.

The Capitals added two more defenders, Joaquim Lemay (119th overall) and Dru Krebs (176th), before the day ended. Both are left-handed shots.

Lemay played 15 games for the Salmon Arm Silverbacks in the British Columbia Hockey League, while Krebs played 23 games for the Medicine Hat Tigers in the WHL.

They added Haakon Hanelt at 151st overall as the team’s first, and only, forward selection of the day. Hanelt turned 18 just shy of two months ago and played hockey last season for Eisbaren Berlin of the DEL, which is the highest level of German hockey.

The Capitals closed their draft with the selection of Chase Clark, a 6-foot- 6 goaltender who played three games in the USHL in the 2020-21 season. He spent the majority of his time for the Jersey Hitmen of the National Collegiate Development Conference where he posted a .935 save percentage in 22 games.

“Really interesting guy, he was playing in New Jersey, the Hitmen, and we had video from him there,” Mahoney said of Clark. “But then we saw him play also in the USHL and he was really impressive for a big, 6-foot- 6, 200-pound goalie. Pretty controlled, pretty athletic, and that’s not easy at that height, that age and that position.”

Mahoney mentioned last week he was hopeful that, with the unique and challenging year that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought on, the Capitals would be able to find value in some players that otherwise wouldn’t be there in the middle rounds. Saturday, he and the Capitals think they’ve found a solid draft class to work with.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218692 Washington Capitals exposed in the expansion draft. I expect he is the guy they will look to move and simply promote van Riemsdyk into the lineup as an everyday player.

What are the Caps' defensive options heading into free agency? Schultz had a great season last year, but even if you like him over Dillon, it will be much tougher to replace Dillon. If the Caps lose him, they will have Orlov, Kempny and Fehervary on the left. Kempny is coming off his second major injury and did not play at all in 2021. Fehervary, BY J.J. REGAN meanwhile, has played in six career NHL games. Both players are question marks in terms of what they can provide next season and one of those players will have to play in the top four. The Capitals are a team with Stanley Cup aspirations that fell short of that goal in 2021. Because of that, nothing is off the table when it comes I see the Caps trading Schultz for cap room, even if it takes a high draft to improving the team. What moves could they make to improve the pick to do it, and going with a defensive lineup of: defense? Orlov - Carlson What they need Dillon - van Riemsdyk In terms of bodies, this is actually an area of surplus for the team. In Fehervary/Kempny - Jensen terms of defense, they certainly could be better. Washington finished 17th in the NHL last season in goals against per game. For a team Is that defense better than in 2021? Probably not, but I just don't see how known for its offensive firepower playing in front of two rookie goalies, they get the cap space to make any additions. that's not terrible. For a team that wants to win the Stanley Cup, they have to do a better job keeping the puck out of the net. The wild card

Internal options Last season I was writing a piece on free agents to watch. I typed out "Justin Schutlz," paused, then deleted it. There's no way they could fit Zdeno Chara is set to become a free agent. "We’ve talked to his him under the cap, I thought. representative. I think we might check in here again when [free agency] opens up just to see if he’s serious about coming back or not coming Not only did MacLellan fit Schultz under the cap, but he added Chara and back and where the salary is going to end up and if we have room based van Riemsdyk as well. Never count out MacLellan in these situations. on our roster decisions," General manager Brian MacLellan told the I don't think the Caps have the room to make any free-agent additions or media Saturday. the assets to trade away cap space and bring in players to bolster the Translation: If he's still available, still wants to play and if we have any blue line, but if MacLellan wants to do that, he will find a way. I think it money left, then we'll talk. depends on just what he is able to conjure up on the trade market.

I don't see that happening. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.27.2021

Michal Kempny is set to return to the ice this season after missing all of 2021 with an Achilles injury.

“He’s healthy," MacLellan said. "He’s cleared, he’s ready to go.”

MacLellan also said at the team's end-of-season media availability that prospect Martin Fehervary looked ready to compete for an NHL roster spot next season.

Free agent options

Even if the team does not re-sign Chara, they already have eight defensemen with Dmitry Orlov, John Carlson, Brenden Dillon, Justin Schultz, Nick Jensen, Trevor van Riemsdyk, Kempny and Fehervary.

When there are no roster spots and no cap space available, it's kind of hard to add free agents.

Having said that, I thought the same thing last year and MacLellan still managed to add Chara, Schultz and van Riemsdyk, so you never know.

One name to keep in mind would be Ryan Suter. He may have been bought out by Minnesota, but he was still a good player for them. Coming off a buyout, his price tag will probably be fairly low.

Trade options

A trade is coming, but it is more likely the Caps send someone out than bring someone in. Again, they have eight NHL defensemen which is a luxury they can't afford with their cap space issues.

Dillon, Schultz and Jensen were all left exposed at the expansion draft so those would be the three most likely players for the Caps to move. Jensen, however, has a cap hit of only $2.5 million. Dillon has a cap hit of $3.9 million, but three years left on his contract so that will be a hard contract to move with the flat salary cap. Schultz has a cap hit of $4 million, is a right defenseman and has only one year left on his contract. That's still a lot of cap space for a team to take on in this current climate, but that seems like a much easier contract to move than Dillon's.

The most likely scenario

“I think we’re going to have to make some decisions on our D," MacLellan said. "We’ve got good depth and guys that have played well.”

Again, the Caps must shed salary this offseason and defense is an area of surplus. I think the Caps tipped their hand when they left Schultz 1218693 Washington Capitals “We might check in here again when (free agency) opens up just to see if he’s serious about coming back or not coming back and where the salary is going to end up and if we have room based on our roster decisions,” he said Saturday. Capitals create much-needed cap room by dealing defenseman Brenden Dillon to Jets In the place of Dillon and Chara, you’ll notice a couple of new (but not unfamiliar) names.

Michal Kempny, who missed all of last season with a ruptured Achilles By Tarik El-Bashir Jul 27, 2021 tendon, is healthy and could step back into a top-four role. He averaged 18:38 per game in 2019-20 and 19:11 the season before.

“He’s cleared,” MacLellan said of Kempny, who turns 31 in September. The Capitals created some much-needed breathing room under a tight “He’s ready to go.” salary cap late Monday by dealing defenseman Brenden Dillon — and his $3.9 million cap hit — to the Jets for a pair of second-round picks. As for Fehérváry, MacLellan has maintained all offseason that the 21- year-old is ready for a full-time role and deserves to get that chance next With free agency set to open this week, Washington general manager season. A second-round pick in 2018, Fehérváry has appeared in six Brian MacLellan now has 17 players under contract for next season and NHL games, all in the 2019-20 season. $13,635,407 in cap space with which to work. The Athletic LOADED: 07.27.2021 Atop MacLellan’s to-do list: re-signing captain Alex Ovechkin and presumptive No. 1 netminder Ilya Samsonov as well as potentially adding another goalie in free agency after losing Vitek Vanecek to Seattle in last week’s expansion draft.

MacLellan said Saturday that he anticipated re-upping Ovechkin before the market doors open Wednesday at noon. Samsonov, meanwhile, received a qualifying offer from the team Monday; he’s a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.

Here’s the Caps’ updated salary cap picture, per Cap Friendly. (It does not include Ovechkin, Samsonov or prospect Martin Fehérváry.)

It had been obvious for a while now that the Caps had too little cap space and too many blueliners, and they left Dillon and Justin Schultz unprotected in the expansion draft in the hope that the Kraken would take one of them. Seattle, though, did the Capitals no favors and instead selected Vanecek, the least expensive player on the roster. That forced MacLellan’s hand and ultimately led to Monday’s trade, a move the veteran GM hinted at when he spoke to reporters over the weekend.

“We’re going to have to make some decisions on our D,” he said. “We’ve got good depth and guys that have played well.”

A defensive defenseman, Dillon was the only Caps blueliner to suit up for all 56 games last season. He led the group in hits (143), was second in plus/minus (plus-15) and ranked fourth in blocked shots (61) and average ice time (18:57) per game.

Dillon signed a four-year, $15.6 million extension with Washington in October.

The second-round selections Washington received for Dillon are 2022 and 2023 picks. The Caps acquired Dillon from San Jose at the 2020 trade deadline for a second-round pick and a conditional third-round pick.

So what does Washington’s depth chart on the back end look like without Dillon?

At the moment, like this:

Capitals defensemen under contract

LEFT DEFENSEMEN RIGHT DEFENSEMEN

Dmitry Orlov

John Carlson

Michal Kempny

Justin Schultz

Martin Fehervary

Nick Jensen

Trevor van Riemsdyk

Yeah, that left side looks a lot different than it did at the end of the season.

Dillon’s name, of course, is missing in the top four, and Zdeno Chára’s isn’t listed on the third pair. Chára is a free agent, and although there have been exploratory talks between the Caps and Chára’s agent, MacLellan was noncommittal when asked about the 44-year-old’s status. 1218694 Winnipeg Jets Connor, Nikolaj Ehlers, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Adam Lowry and Andrew Copp.

Stastny moved to the wing for part of last season once the Jets acquired Jets re-sign Stastny; trade for blue-liner Dillon Dubois in a trade with Columbus, sending Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic the other way. He also moved up and down the lineup, and that versatility will be useful going forward

Mike McIntyre 7/27/2021 The Jets still have plenty off work to do on their roster, with depth forwards Mathieu Perreault, Trevor Lewis and Nate Thompson all UFAs.

There’s also the matter of the backup goalie position (Laurent Brossoit is The Winnipeg Jets aren’t waiting until free agency begins Wednesday to a UFA) and perhaps some further adds to the blue line (Forbort, Tucker get working on their roster. Poolman and Jordie Benn are UFAs).

Two major moves were made Monday night, with the club acquiring Winnipeg is expected to be active on all of those fronts over the coming defenceman Brenden Dillon in a trade with Washington and re-signing days. As Cheveldayoff said this past weekend, there are numerous balls veteran centre Paul Stastny. A pair of second-round draft picks in 2022 in the air at the moment. He also needs to get new contracts done for and 2023 went to the Capitals in return. restricted free agents Copp, Pionk and Stanley.

Not that there was any doubt, but both developments are a sign that But by keeping Stastny in the fold, and bringing to Dillon town, an general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff is in "win-now" mode, an obvious extremely busy and important summer stretch is off to a strong start. retooling rather than a rebuilding. Which is how it should be, considering Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 07.27.2021 he has a a former Vezina Trophy winner in Connor Hellebuyck in net and a deep forward core that isn’t getting any younger, or cheaper, to build around.

Dillon, 30, provides an instant upgrade to Winnipeg’s top four. The 6-4, 220-pounder from British Columbia had two goals and 17 assists in 56 regular-season games last year, along with 49 penalty minutes and an impressive plus-15 (second-best on the team). He’s also played for Dallas and San Jose over his 654-game NHL career, and was actually a former defence partner of Dylan DeMelo with the Sharks.

The left-shot rearguard is signed for three more seasons at US$3.9 million per year and will bring plenty of tools, including a physical presence and penalty-killing acumen. He had 143 hits and 61 blocks last season. Dillon likely slots in on the second-pairing behind Josh Morrissey, replacing pending unrestricted free agent Derek Forbort who is expected to find another hockey home.

DeMelo and Neal Pionk are currently the top two right-shot defencemen. Winnipeg also has Logan Stanley, Nathan Beaulieu, Sami Niku and bright young prospects Ville and Dylan Samberg in the mix, and Cheveldayoff may still be looking to boost a group that has consistently given up far too many shots and dangerous scoring chances in recent years. Dillon should help in that regard.

Washington was looking to clear some cap space, with several players to sign including UFA captain Alex Ovechkin. Dillon was a casualty of that.

As for Stastny, he and the Jets just can’t quit each other. And their mutually-beneficial relationship has been extended for another season in a signing that makes plenty of sense for both sides. Stastny, 35, inked a new one-year contract that will pay him US$3.75 million for the 2021-22 season. He was set to become a UFA on Wednesday.

The move allows the Jets to hold on to a valuable veteran forward, one whose contributions go beyond the scoresheet. Stastny may not wear a letter on his sweater, but he is a key part of Winnipeg’s leadership group. And the Quebec native, who is the son of Hockey Hall of Famer Peter Stastny, clearly likes the fit around here.

He showed last year he’s still got some game left, scoring 13 goals and adding 16 assists in 56 regular-season contests, and a goal and an assist in six playoff games. He also celebrated playing in his 1,000th career NHL game in the final week of the season.

Stastny was first acquired by Winnipeg at the 2018 trade deadline, agreeing to waive his no-trade clause to come over from St. Louis. He wasn’t re-signed that summer — the Jets simply didn’t have the cap space at the time — and signed a three-year, US$19.5-million contract. (US$6.5 million per year). However, the Jets came calling again last off- season, looking to fill a hole up the middle created by Bryan Little’s career-ending injury. Stastny once again agreed to waive his no-trade clause to head north.

Now, he’s chosen to stay put, rather than test the free agent waters. It comes at a price point the Jets can afford, especially with the US$81.5- million salary cap ceiling not budging, while giving Stastny some stability.

Although the Jets lost forward Mason Appleton to Seattle in the expansion draft last week, this allows them to bring back their top seven forwards in Stastny, captain Blake Wheeler, Mark Scheifele, Kyle 1218695 Winnipeg Jets draft. Winnipeg also has centres Santeri Virtanen (4th round, 2017) Nathan Smith (3rd round, 2018) and Harrison Blaisdell (5th round, 2019) in the pipeline, with all three yet to turn pro.

Jets making major strides in addressing centre needs "My personal opinion is you build your team through the centre ice," Jets director of amateur scouting Mark Hillier told me in a post-draft Zoom chat this past weekend. "The players we’ve added, we’re a lot stronger in the future up the middle." Mike McIntyre 7/26/2021 No kidding.

Given the cyclical nature of things, the Jets will likely now want to start The Winnipeg Jets will never be mistaken for a high-risk, free-wheeling stockpiling some wingers in the coming years, although Hillier noted it’s hockey club when it comes to areas that often strike the biggest chord much easier to move a centre into such a spot, rather than the opposite. with fans wanting an immediate payoff — free agency and blockbuster Winnipeg took a good step in that direction this past weekend as well, trades. That’s just the reality of being a small-market Canadian franchise, nabbing Nikita Chibrikov with the 50th-overall pick in the second round. where the challenges are many. The Russian teen is signed to play two more years in the KHL, but is And so it means trying to find other ways to succeed, namely in the areas projected to be a top-six NHL right-winger, one many expected to be of drafting, developing and hopefully retaining those players for the long picked long before the Jets were able to grab him. haul. They’ve got a rock-solid track record in that department with the The Lucius and Chibrikov picks put the Jets near the top of most "Draft likes of Connor Hellebuyck, Mark Scheifele, Nikolaj Ehlers, Kyle Connor, Day Winners" lists making the rounds. So, yeah, the future appears Adam Lowry and Josh Morrissey all under contract for years to come. bright. But they don’t throw parades for potential, and I’ll remind you the They hope to add Andrew Copp to that list this summer, as well. Hockey News, following a terrific 2015 draft for Winnipeg, ran a cover But in a results-based, "what have you done for me lately" business, story proclaiming the Jets the "2019 Stanley Cup champions." Remind there’s no time to rest on your laurels. The talent pool must frequently be me, how did that work out? refilled, as prospects either graduate to the big leagues or run out of rope With the expansion draft and entry draft now in the rear-view mirror, work before being cut loose. On that front, the Jets were staring at holes in two on the present begins immediately for Cheveldayoff. In addition to trying all-important areas — defence and centre — just a few short years ago. to get two key restricted free agents signed to new deals in Copp and They began addressing the blue line in a big way, quite literally, back in defenceman Neal Pionk, he must address various pressing needs for his 2016, selecting Logan Stanley 18th overall. The tall, gangly teenager was troops when free agency begins on Wednesday. always going to be a project, one they’d have to be patient with, but it A backup goalie, either by re-signing unrestricted free agent Laurent finally paid off last season as he made his NHL debut and instantly Brossoit or someone else, is a must. Same goes up front, with multiple proved he belonged. spots vacated by Mason Appleton (Seattle), Stastny (UFA) and last Other rearguards began to flow in, from Dylan Samberg, Jonathan year’s entire fourth line of Mathieu Perreault, Nate Thompson and Trevor Kovacevic and Leon Gawanke in 2017, Giovanni Vallati and Declan Lewis, all UFAs. And, of course, the blue line, with Derek Forbort, Tucker Chisholm in 2018, Ville Heinola and Simon Lundmark in 2019, and Anton Poolman and Jordie Benn all UFAs, and the ever-present need for a big Johannesson in 2020 all selected in the first five rounds of those piece to help the likes of Morrissey, Stanley, Heinola and Samberg, plus respective drafts. Samberg and Heinola are now on the cusp of full-time the rare trade additions in Pionk and Dylan DeMelo. NHL work, while Kovacevic, Gawanke and Chisholm have all showed Thanks mainly to strong drafting, developing and retaining, the Jets have great promise with the early in their careers and could a solid nucleus in place, and plenty of good-looking pieces on the be future NHLers. horizon. The key, as always, is to find a way to surround all that Now, as a result of amateur scouting and perhaps a sprinkle of good homegrown talent with some valuable outside help. fortune, the Jets have made major strides in addressing their future Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 07.27.2021 needs up the middle, which took on added urgency when veteran Bryan Little was lost to a career-ending injury early in the 2019-20 season. Plenty of assets have been burned in an attempt to find a temporary fix, from Paul Stastny to Kevin Hayes to Cody Eakin back to Stastny again. But that couldn’t go on forever.

And so it has to be comforting to general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff and company to look at the organizational depth chart and envision a lineup just a few years from now in which David Gustafsson, Cole Perfetti and Chaz Lucius are all centring lines at the same time.

Gustafsson (60th overall in 2018) has 26 NHL games under his belt and was just named the Moose MVP from this past season. The 21-year-old Swede is ready, and a spot is his for the taking as early as this fall with the big club.

Perfetti (10th overall in 2020) reaped the rewards of the Ontario Hockey League going dark this past year, jumping right into the pro ranks when he otherwise wouldn’t have been eligible. His shortened season with the Moose will serve as a significant jump-start for his career, and he’ll be competing for work with the Jets at training camp. If they feel the 19- year-old needs a bit more seasoning, it appears a newly-created exemption is in the works which will allow him to go back to the AHL and not be forced back to junior for one more year.

And then there’s Lucius, 18, the prize haul for the Jets from the just- completed 2021 draft. Just like Perfetti a year ago, he was ranked much higher on most draft boards and fell into their laps. The general consensus from pundits around the league is Winnipeg got an absolute steal with pick No. 18 in Lucius, who is headed to the University of Minnesota for at least one season this fall.

Throw in 23-year-old Pierre-Luc Dubois, acquired in January in one of those rare big trades Cheveldayoff has made, and the Jets appear to have quite a succession plan in place for the likes of Scheifele and Lowry, both 28 after being taken in the first and third rounds of the 2011 1218696 Winnipeg Jets game losing streak in the waning days of this past regular season, suggesting Winnipeg’s problems extended back as many as 20 games, with players trying to cheat the game and getting away with it due to the heroics of Connor Hellebuyck. Jets re-sign veteran Stastny to one-year, $3.75 million deal; acquire defenceman Dillon from Capitals Stastny’s comments came after a brutal 6-1 loss to the Oilers in the fifth of those seven straight losses.

On the ice, Stastny is likely to once again fortify the team’s top-six Scott Billeck contingent, which also includes Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Nikolaj Ehlers. But there will be Publishing date:Jul 26, 2021 • 6 hours ago competition come training camp, including the likes of Cole Perfetti and Andrew Copp.

Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff had a busy Monday Stastny is still more than capable of leading Winnipeg’s second-line night, re-upping veteran forward Paul Stastny while also swinging a trade centre role, which he played at times last season when Dubois was in with the Washington Capitals for defenceman Brenden Dillon. quarantine, injured and when the latter was struggling to find his way on his new team. If nothing else, the Jets have an insurance policy for The Stastny deal clocks in at one year and $3.75 million for the 35-year- Dubois as he transitions into the role Maurice has been adamant about old, who scored 13 goals and added 16 assists in 56 games with the Jets him occupying eventually. this past season. In his end-of-year press conference in early June, Stastny said he’d take The Jets acquired Stastny a year earlier from the Vegas Golden Knights his time with a decision on his future. for defenceman Carl Dahlstrom and a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. The Quebec City native played in this final year of a “I know the future has always been bright (for the Jets), it continues to be three-year, $19.5 million deal initially signed with the Golden Knights bright and there’s always going to be a chance (to win) here,” he said. during the truncated 2020-21 season and was set to become an “That’s a really important piece to picking a team you want to play (for).” unrestricted free agent on Wednesday. Schmidt won’t budge on no-trade clause: sources Cheveldayoff then dipped his feet into the trade market on Monday night, Meanwhile, despite “several attempts,” Vancouver Canucks defenceman acquiring Dillon from the Capitals for two second-round draft picks — one Nate Schmidt won’t waive his modified no-trade clause to become a in 2022 and another in 2023. member of the Jets. A left-handed shot, Dillon, 30, is coming into the second year of a four- Sources say the Jets have tried several times to acquire Schmidt this year, $15.6 million ($3.9 million annual average value) pact signed with offseason, who has four years remaining on a six-year deal signed with the Caps prior to last season. the Golden Knights that come switch an AAV of $5.95 million. Dillon will find a familiar face in fellow Jets defenceman Dylan DeMelo, Schmidt invoked the same clause last year when the Jets tried to acquire as the pair played together when both were members of the San Jose him from the Golden Knights. Sharks — 508:48 at five-on-five during the 2017-18 season, posting an expected goals percentage of 52.21%. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 07.27.2021 The deal for Washington sheds the cap space in anticipation of Alex Ovechkin re-signing with the club.

For Winnipeg, Dillon is a massive problem-solver.

The Jets fill a glaring hole on their blue line — one vacated two seasons ago when Dustin Byfuglien retired — adding a player that offers much- needed size (6-foot-4, 225 pounds) and defensive acumen.

Dillon is sound defensively, limiting shots — and perhaps more importantly in Winnipeg’s case, high-danger shots — and while he doesn’t produce a lot of points (he had two goals and 17 assists in 56 games last season), he helps create offence (50.4% of the shot share and 51.56 expected goals percentage).

Dillon played significant minutes this past season with John Carlson, propping up the perennial Norris contender defensively while playing tough minutes against the league’s best.

He’s big, beefy, likes to hit, likes to keep people away from the front of his own net and can kill penalties. For Winnipeg’s current needs, he’s a perfect fit and could slide in alongside Neal Pionk or be reunited with DeMelo, depending on how head coach Paul Maurice chooses to deploy him.

It remains to be seen how Dillon ages, but for now, he’s a solid top-four defenceman the Jets have coveted in the wake of their blue-line exodus two years ago.

In Stastny, the Jets know exactly what they are getting: an honest, dependable — and despite his age — capable point-producer who has played 1,001 regular-season games during his 15-year tenure as a pro (having celebrated his 1,000th game on May 11).

In both of his residencies in Winnipeg, Stastny has been a clutch performer — think back to Game 7 in Nashville during the 2017-18 playoff run, or his overtime game-winner against the Edmonton Oilers in Game 2 of the first round this past season.

And he’s also been a clutch leader.

Stastny, originally drafted by the Colorado Avalanche 44th overall in 2005, was the first to peel back on the curtain on Winnipeg’s ugly seven- 1218697 Winnipeg Jets Top centre Mark Scheifele was drafted by the Jets in 2011. His $6.125 million contract was (and remains) great value to the club.

Second-line centre Paul Stastny was acquired by the Jets for a first- Jets’ recent draft fortune spotlights how crucial timing is to building a round pick and Erik Foley, Winnipeg’s third-rounder in 2015 who went on Stanley Cup contender to star for Providence before injuries derailed his career. Draft capital paid for Stastny’s arrival while the cap space created by Winnipeg’s absurd run of value contracts paid Stastny’s $3.5 million salary (St. Louis retained the other $3.5 million.) By Murat Ates Jul 26, 2021 The captain, Blake Wheeler, earned $5.6 million — which was a terrific

value deal at the time for one of the world’s best players, certainly among The Vancouver Canucks put forward Jake Virtanen on unconditional the best RFA contracts the Jets have ever signed. Top defenceman waivers Sunday for the purposes of buying out his contract. For Dustin Byfuglien’s $7.6 million can’t be attributed to the draft. Toby Vancouver and Virtanen, this move ends a seven-year story that began Enstrom was a Thrashers pick from a different regime, way back in 2003, with the Canucks’ 2014 draft decision to choose at No. 6 a player without while Bryan Little was a Thrashers first-rounder in 2006. elite offence but with a power forward’s body. But we’re through all of Winnipeg’s top forwards and its top-four defence Three picks later, the Jets landed a fleet-footed Danish dynamo with without a single boat anchor contract. The 2017-18 Jets were just twice the offence but much less size by the name of Nikolaj Ehlers. stunning in terms of cap efficiency and the reason they were so efficient, aside from Wheeler’s team-friendly deal, was their success at the draft. “I found myself becoming more of a fan when I watched him play,” Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff said following Ehlers’ selection. “Any time he got Some of the decline from the Western Conference finals to now was the puck, you felt like something was going to happen.” inevitable.

One year later, a curious run of three consecutive Bruins picks — Zach Great young players get paid eventually. Indeed, Ehlers and Hellebuyck Senyshyn, Jakub Zboril and Jake DeBrusk — gave the Jets Kyle Connor, earned almost $10 million more between them in 2018-19 than they did the top scorer in all of American junior hockey. In 2016, a draft lottery win the year before. Free agents don’t always stick around, either. Stastny provided Patrik Laine. In 2017-18, those three players — plus Jack signed in Vegas, Enstrom went home to Sweden. Roslovic, taken wisely but with less superlative good fortune — helped And certainly, Byfuglien’s departure was impossible to foresee. the Jets set an unofficial NHL record: most goals scored by players 21 and under on a single team in the salary cap era. But perhaps the lesson to be learned from Winnipeg’s ascent to Cup contention is less about the (celebration-worthy) excellence of the 2017- The 109 goals Winnipeg got from Laine, Connor, Ehlers and Roslovic 18 veterans and more about the cap efficiency foundational to its roster. came at an astonishing cost of less than $4 million combined. Pay Hellebuyck, Laine, Ehlers and Connor less than $6 million before Meanwhile, Josh Morrissey, who Winnipeg took 13th in 2013, earned bonuses between them and you’re going to have a good time. $863,333. That’s part of Winnipeg’s top line, two-thirds of its second line (including the NHL’s second most productive goal scorer) and a top four This brings us back to the draft. defenceman for less than what the Jets paid Morrissey this season. That Ehlers and Connor fell to Winnipeg was good fortune, seized and That’s incredible value from young NHL players on entry-level contracts. consolidated by Winnipeg’s scouts. That the Jets won the Laine lottery was great fortune, however Laine’s Jets story ended. Add Hellebuyck, And, while not every young player is capable of record-setting heights Copp, Lowry and other victories well outside the top end of the draft and during the early stages of their pro career, ELCs are a known and viable it’s abundantly clear that the amateur scouts — and the development source of “value contracts” — that is, a contract, at any price, that the process which followed their work — built the foundation for Cup player is likely to outperform. contention. But the value contracts on Winnipeg’s 2017-18 team — the most “They come from miles and miles and days of days of scouts scouring successful NHL team the Jets have ever iced — don’t end with entry- and being away from their families,” Cheveldayoff said in June. “They level contracts. come from having a development group that cares about the players and Consider this list of Jets players who I identified as value contracts in the truly relishes when they get their … probably the only prouder person lead-up to the 2018 trade deadline (2017-18 cap hit in brackets): than the parents of a young player is the scouts and the development side when they go and play their first game. Mathieu Perreault ($4.125 million) Free agency, the double-edged sword that it is, is never going to give the Jacob Trouba ($2.813 million) Jets that same level of efficiency. Winnipeg has made some good trades (Stastny is a big win, Dylan DeMelo is a win and time is turning Neal Connor Hellebuyck ($2.250 million) Pionk and the 20th pick in 2019 into something much more impressive Adam Lowry ($1.125 million) than what Winnipeg gave up.)

Andrew Copp ($1 million) But an often necessary cost of Winnipeg’s contention has been draining the draft capital on which its success depends in the name of the present Patrik Laine ($925,000) moment.

Joel Armia ($925,000) Stastny’s success was followed by the similarly ambitious trade of Kyle Connor ($925,000) Brendan Lemieux and a first-round pick for Kevin Hayes. A series of depth moves from 2018 to now for Joe Morrow, Matt Hendricks, Bogdan Nikolaj Ehlers ($894,000) Kiselevich, Nathan Beaulieu, Cody Eakin and Jordie Benn cost a draft pick each. The Jets gave up a third-round pick for DeMelo in 2020 while Jack Roslovic ($894,000) the Steve Mason cap dump in 2018 cost a fourth-round pick, a seventh- Josh Morrissey ($863,000) round pick and Armia.

I wrote: “Take a moment to appreciate this – nearly half of Winnipeg’s The more Winnipeg gave up, the less success it returned: instead of a active roster, including its starting goaltender, top defensive pairing and full complement of seven picks, Winnipeg made six selections in 2018, most of its top-nine forwards, have cap hits which represent extreme five in 2019, four in 2020 and four more in 2021. The value of the picks value.” they gave up, if you believe in historical probabilities, is approximately two full-time NHL players — not an exorbitant loss nor an Nine of those 11 players were drafted by the Jets. A 10th, Armia, was inconsequential one. Add Armia, Foley, Lemieux and the other assets part of the Evander Kane trade package. Only Perreault arrived by free sent out and the cost reaches a level of concern. agency. In June, I asked Cheveldayoff about Winnipeg’s “draft and develop” “But Murat … What about the veteran star players who carried Winnipeg identity. all the way to the Western Conference finals?” “There’s a real fine balance between throwing everything, putting all your And of course, it tends to take time to dominate at the NHL level — if all chips in the middle each and every year,” Cheveldayoff said. “And it’s goes well and a player makes it that far. exciting at the trade deadline to do that. It’s certainly … once you’ve traded one first-round pick, you just go, ‘Let’s just do it again,’ and we So as tempting as it may be to project an elite offensive force of Connor, had success, obviously, trading for (Stastny) that first time, so you keep Scheifele and Ehlers on line No. 1 and Perfetti, Dubois and Lucius on line on doing it. But then when you’re sitting at the table on draft day and your No. 2, remember that Hellebuyck is a UFA in 2024. The Jets’ amateur scouts are looking at you and going, ‘Ah, we love that guy and we love scouts have re-established Winnipeg’s shot at long term success, but this guy and we love that guy,’ then you get the angst from a with so few picks, a depleted prospect pool and an NHL team desperate management standpoint that you’ve got to try to go and get some picks. for defence, Winnipeg’s toughest battle will be against the clock. It’s interesting and we talk about it all the time.” The Athletic LOADED: 07.27.2021 There are parallels between the 2014 and 2015 drafts which gave Winnipeg Ehlers and Connor and Winnipeg’s great fortune in 2020 and 2021.

Cole Perfetti, the visionary playmaker who thinks two steps ahead of his opposition, was a consensus top-five pick in 2020; Cheveldayoff couldn’t have been happier to decline the whirlwind of trade offers he got to pick Perfetti at 10th.

Chaz Lucius, the goal scorer who loves to go to dangerous areas of the ice, was a consensus top-10 pick this year; Cheveldayoff was equally joyous to take him 18th. The Jets crushed the consensus rankings to take top Russian scorer Nikita Chibrikov at 50 and added the highly talented (although undersized) defenceman Dmitri Kuzmin at 82 and late- blooming overage scorer Dmitri Rashevsky at 146.

Thus the Jets leave consecutive drafts with much more talent than they should based on their draft slot.

The difference, of course, is that the Jets made just four picks. Their draft is worthy of celebration at the same time as it leaves the club wanting more. Its scouts hit for distance with each and every pick but management failed to provide them the full complement of pitches to swing at.

“We did try to move down in the fifth round to try to gain some picks, but I think pick 127 was the last pick that was able to move down,” Cheveldayoff said. “It was an interesting dynamic at the end of the draft actually. There were probably around 10 to 12 instances where teams tried to move down and there were no takers.”

What does this all mean?

Clearly, the Jets prospect pool needed a boost. After Perfetti up front and Ville Heinola on defence, there wasn’t a lot of blue chip talent to bank on. Winnipeg’s biggest strength was its diverse group of defensive prospects, highlighted by Heinola but followed by Dylan Samberg, Johnathan Kovacevic, Declan Chisholm and Leon Gawanke. David Gustafsson projects to be a middle-six NHL centre. Arvid Holm and Mikhail Berdin represent the future in goal.

But the Jets’ prospect pool was a wide world away from being the envy of the NHL as it was when led by Laine, Ehlers and Connor. Not every highly touted prospect becomes a star but, without Perfetti in 2020 and Lucius in 2021, it would be hard to even begin to guess who had that chance.

And Winnipeg’s ultimate goal is the Stanley Cup. We will soon see Cheveldayoff’s attempts to trade or sign his way to a defence worthy of his goaltending superstar and his highly capable forward group. There will be urgency; Hellebuyck, Scheifele and Wheeler have only three years left on their contracts.

As far-too-soon as it may seem, the window opened by the Jets’ value contracts in 2017-18 is closing.

Even if the trade market returns a defenceman or if free agency is kinder to Winnipeg than it has ever been before, the only way to maximize salary cap efficiency in a flat-cap era is through developmental success. Veteran acquisitions may assure Winnipeg a playoff spot but value contracts — like young players on ELCs — are the difference between good and elite teams. We’ve already seen it, whether directly through Laine, Connor and Ehlers or indirectly through the ability to add Stastny in 2018.

Perfetti, Lucius and Heinola give Winnipeg a shot at that.

Just be wary of timelines: Connor had to destroy Big-Ten hockey to the tune of 71 points in 38 games and then star for the Moose for a season and change before making the NHL jump. Ehlers went back to the QMJHL for one more season. Scheifele returned to the OHL twice. 1218698 Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Province: LOADED: 07.27.2021

Few surprises amongst Canucks' qualifying offers, while Holtby waits on fate

Patrick Johnston

Publishing date:Jul 27, 2021 • 4 minutes ago

The Vancouver Canucks extended qualifying offers to seven players Tuesday, locking in their status as restricted free agents.

Outside of perhaps Lukáš Jašek, who impressed last season for the but nonetheless signed a contract with Finnish Liiga team the Pelicans for this coming season, none of the offers are a surprise.

Also receiving qualifying offers are Guillaume Brisebois, Jason Dickinson, Conor Garland, Quinn Hughes, Olli Juolevi and Elias Pettersson.

Garland, Hughes and Pettersson are all going to sign for big numbers. At last report, a source described the Hughes and Pettersson negotiations — the young stars share representation with super agent Pat Brisson — as “plodding along.” Garland was added in a trade last Friday; his agent Peter Cooney wouldn’t divulge to Postmedia what he was after in the coming negotiations with the Canucks, but expressed a positive outlook towards the negotiations.

Between Garland, Hughes and Pettersson, a good chunk of the Canucks’ remaining salary cap space will be eaten up. The Canucks still need to find a fourth-line centre and at least one defenceman, depending on what happens with Nate Schmidt, who hasn’t formally asked for a trade but is now widely understood — by Postmedia as well as other news outlets — to want to play for a new team next season.

The Canucks declined to make qualifying offers to five players, most notably Jayce Hawryulk and Marc Michaelis, who both featured fairly often in 2020-21 as depth wingers.

Canucks GM Jim Benning was non-committal about both players when asked before the draft if he was looking to retain either player, which led one to believe that Monday’s decisions were coming.

The Canucks could still re-sign either as both would be inexpensive options to keep around. Michaelis was signed from NCAA Mankato State and tried hard but clearly needed time to mature as a professional in the AHL; the creation of the taxi squad, a practical reality in a world where players were still unvaccinated and quarantine rules around cross-border travel remained in effect, negated his needs and kept him in Vancouver all season.

Hawryluk proved to be a pesky depth winger at times, but often struggled to make his presence felt. St

Also not receiving offers were minor leaguers Mitch Eliot and Jake Kielly, plus Petrus Palmu, the skilful little Finn who left the Utica Comets after a dispute over playing time in his first season in the AHL in 2018-19.

Holtby watch

The Canucks have been trying to find a new home for backup goaltender Braden Holtby, the former Vezina Trophy winner who struggled in his first season with Vancouver.

Vancouver had been hopeful that the Seattle Kraken would select him in the expansion draft but the NHL’s newest team took forward Kole Lind instead, leaving Holtby still with the Canucks.

Rumours have swirled for weeks now that Holtby has wanted out and while the Canucks didn’t opt to waive him for the purposes of a buyout on Monday, they could yet do so on Tuesday, or even later this summer if they go to arbitration with one of their eligible restricted free agents.

The Canucks have held trade talks with several teams but it seems those talks have failed because of Vancouver’s unwillingness to retain Holtby’s salary in a potential swap.

Jake Virtanen was waived Sunday for the purposes of a buyout. 1218699 Vancouver Canucks flat cap for the immediate future.” The salary cap this past season was US$81.5 million, which was unchanged from 2019-20.

A bridge deal also means that Pettersson and Hughes get a chance to Avalanche sign Makar to new contract; how long before Canucks do see how the Canucks are trending going forward and not give up any of same with Hughes? their unrestricted free agency years. Pettersson currently can be an unrestricted free agent in 2025, while for Hughes it’s 2026.

According to capfriendly.com, the Canucks have 14 players signed for Steve Ewen next season and have US$21.28 million in cap space. Pettersson, Hughes and fellow restricted free agents, like forwards Jason Dickinson Publishing date:Jul 26, 2021 • 10 hours ago and Conor Garland, aren’t included in that signed group. It does include winger Micheal Ferland, who’s likely to go on long-term injured reserve. He didn’t play a game last season and only saw duty in 14 regular- Cale Makar has a new contact with the Colorado Avalanche and it’ll be season games in 2019-20 with concussion issues. interesting to see just where Quinn Hughes and the Vancouver Canucks land compared with the deal. The Canucks do have other key contracts coming due in the next couple of years. Hughes is a restricted free agent in search of his second contract with Vancouver since his entry-level agreement expired at the close of last Vancouver has one more season with winger Brock Boeser with a season. Fellow defenceman Makar was in an identical spot until US$5.875 million cap hit before he becomes a restricted free agent with Saturday, when it was announced that he had inked a six-year, US$54 arbitration rights. Centre has two more years at US$5.5 million million extension with the Avs, giving him a salary cap hit of US$9 million and forward J.T. Miller two more at US$5.25 million before they both annually. become unrestricted free agents.

Makar, 22, won the as the NHL’s rookie of the There was speculation that Vancouver would put goalie Braden Holtby year two seasons ago. Hughes, 21, was runner-up. Makar took another on waivers Monday with the intention of buying out the last year of his step forward this past season and was the runner-up for the James contract, but that didn’t happen. Holtby is a US$4.3 million cap hit. Norris Memorial Trophy, which goes to the NHL’s top defenceman. The Canucks announced the buyout of winger Jake Virtanen on Sunday. Vancouver has another crucial contract extension to work out this Along with Pettersson and Hughes, the Canucks have sent qualifying summer, since centre Elias Pettersson, 22, is also in search of his offers to Garland, Dickinson, defencemen Olli Juolevi and Guillaume second deal. He’s a restricted free agent, and is eligible to receive an Brisebois, and winger Lukas Jasek. offer sheet from other teams. Hughes isn’t eligible for an offer sheet. They didn’t qualify forwards Jayce Hawryluk, Marc Michaelis and Petrus As expected, Pettersson and Hughes were among the seven players that Palmu, as well as defenceman Mitch Eliot and goalie Jake Kielly. Vancouver announced Monday that they had extended qualifying offers to, retaining their negotiating rights. The Canucks could still double back to any of those players. Hawryluk, 25, got into 30 regular-season games with Vancouver last season and Colorado’s next duties include figuring out where they sit with bringing had two goals and five points. back team captain and forward Gabriel Landeskog and starting goalie Philipp Grubauer, who are both pending unrestricted free agents. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 07.27.2021 Free agency opens Wednesday.

Makar (20-74-94) has played 101 regular-season games with Colorado, and Hughes (11-86-97) has manned 129 with Vancouver, and Makar leads in points-per-game (0.93 to 0.75). Makar also has a decided edge in plus-minus (plus-29 compared with a minus-34) over that time, although the strengths of the two teams obviously play a role in those numbers.

Makar has been superb as well for the Avalanche in the playoffs (seven goals, 31 points in 35 games).

With that US$9 million cap hit annually, Makar is now tied with P.K. Subban of the New Jersey Devils for the fourth highest hit for a defenceman in the NHL, trailing only the San Jose Sharks’ (US$11.5 million); the Los Angeles Kings’ Drew Doughty (US$11 million); and the Nashville Predators’ Roman Josi (US$9.059 million).

Hughes won’t get Makar money, but how close might he come?

Miro Heiskanen, 22, signed an extension with the Dallas Stars earlier this month and now has the seventh-highest cap hit among defenceman in the league. He’s at US$8.45 million per season after his eight-year, US$67.6 million deal. In 205 regular-season games with Dallas, he’s 28- 67-95. He had six goals and 26 points in 27 playoff games two seasons ago.

New Vancouver defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, 30, is eighth in cap hit. He’s at US$8.25 million from an eight-year, US$66 million deal he signed with the Arizona Coyotes that runs through 2026-27. The Coyotes and the Canucks made a swap on Friday involving Ekman-Larsson, and Arizona will retain 12 per cent — US$990,000 — of Ekman-Larsson’s cap hit.

There are 33 defenceman with a cap hit of at least US$6 million and 54 of least US$5 million in the NHL.

A bridge deal in the three-year range might well be best for the Canucks and both Pettersson and Hughes. It will give the Canucks a chance to see the salary cap expand. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told reporters in March that teams would be “focusing on a flat cap or a near- 1218700 Vancouver Canucks Regardless of which wing he plays, Garland should be a tremendous fit in the Canucks’ top-six forward group. Few will be happier for his acquisition than Horvat, who finally gets a high-end winger after spending nearly his entire career without consistent, top-end scorers on his flanks. Canucks offseason depth chart: How will Conor Garland and Oliver Gone are the days of the Canucks platooning players like Loui Eriksson Ekman-Larsson fit? What’s next for Braden Holtby and Nate Schmidt? and Virtanen on Horvat’s wing.

The last time we did this depth chart exercise, the third-line left wing spot was a gaping hole. Garland’s addition creates a trickle-down effect that By Thomas Drance and Harman Dayal Jul 26, 2021 allows the club to more appropriately slot Pearson as a third-line piece. Pearson’s rugged style on the forecheck and along the walls, in tandem with his dependable defensive game, should make him a strong fit with The Vancouver Canucks made a whopper of a trade over the weekend. Dickinson. From there, the Canucks can go in a couple of different directions to round out the third line. If the Canucks want this unit to be a Three draft picks, five players, over $20 million in salary-cap checking one, they can roll with the previously discussed idea of slotting commitments for the 2021-22 season and more than $50 million in total Podkolzin there for a defensive, shutdown line, but we think the team will salary liabilities were moved. They don’t make NHL trades much bigger opt for a more balanced approach. than that. Irrespective of how the Canucks work out the final line combination, The impact of acquiring Conor Garland and Oliver Ekman-Larsson from there’s zero doubt that Vancouver’s top nine is more formidable with the Coyotes is massive and will be far-reaching. How do they fit into the Pearson on the third line, rather than the second one. Canucks’ lineup for next season? Just how good is Vancouver’s top-nine forward group? Where else does the club still have significant needs After Pearson, Matthew Highmore is now the slam dunk option for the now? How close is the club to trading the likes of Nate Schmidt and fourth line as the roster is currently constructed. Antoine Roussel was his Braden Holtby? only competition, but his departure to Arizona in the blockbuster trade creates a wide-open opportunity for Highmore. We’ll get into all of that and more as The Athletic’s Vancouver bureau updates its Canucks offseason depth chart. That landscape may change in free agency, though, as the club should consider adding another left wing depth option given how scarce things (Note: Unrestricted free agents shaded red, restricted free agents blue, get after Highmore. Marc Michaelis, who will require a qualifying offer on roster holes orange.) Monday if the club is intent on retaining his restricted free-agent rights, LEFT WING was overmatched during his 15 NHL games — he’s clearly better suited as a full-time AHLer — and the club doesn’t seem particularly fond of J.T. Miller Jonah Gadjovich’s big-league readiness either if the lack of opportunity Conor Garland he netted toward the end of last season is any indication.

Tanner Pearson CENTRE

Matthew Highmore Elias Pettersson

Marc Michaelis Bo Horvat

Jonah Gadjovich Jason Dickinson

Vancouver’s bet on centre Jason Dickinson will permit the team to keep (New Player) J.T. Miller at left wing. Travis Boyd

Reuniting the Lotto Line as a first look seems like a no-brainer. The Carson Focht Canucks’ last playoff berth in 2019-20 came off the back of an electric top six, a competitive advantage sharpened by that trio’s success as one There’s no suspense regarding the Canucks’ top-six centres once of the best top lines in the NHL. restricted free agent Elias Pettersson puts pen to paper on his second contract: he and Horvat will be the club’s top two pivots. Heading into next season, Vancouver’s top six once again needs to be decisively better than its opponents, particularly given the question marks Beneath them, Dickinson is the incumbent to play third-line centre, but it and warts on their blue line. For that reason alone, slotting anyone other wouldn’t be surprising if the club experimented with different looks than Miller as the club’s 1LW as a default look would be a mistake. throughout the season.

Beneath Miller, we’ve slotted newcomer Conor Garland on the left wing. The Canucks value Dickinson’s versatility in being able to play the wing, He still needs to be signed as an RFA with arbitration rights, but the and because they believe he may have a modestly higher offensive Canucks and Garland’s agent held preliminary contract talks on Sunday. ceiling than he’s shown previously, it’s also possible that he sees time as It’s still very early in the process, but the Canucks will likely prefer to try a top-nine winger. to buy out some of his unrestricted seasons with a medium-term deal. Vancouver’s best bet heading into next season would be to load up its Garland has primarily played right wing for the Coyotes over the past two top six, but if they prefer a more balanced top nine, they’ll have the seasons, but he’s capable of suiting up on his off wing and occasionally flexibility to bump Garland to the top line with Pettersson and Boeser, use saw reps there when he played on a line with Phil Kessel, who Dickinson as a second-line winger with Horvat and Höglander and then exclusively plays the right flank. run Miller as the 3C.

Our initial thought was to slot Garland on his natural side and run a Nils Garland’s acquisition provides the club with enough high-scoring wingers Höglander-Bo Horvat-Garland line to stack as much gifted offensive that they can use Miller at centre as a secondary option, depending on talent together as possible. This would have allowed the Canucks to the matchup. They could even consider running Pettersson, Horvat, deploy a checking line of Tanner Pearson-Dickinson-Vasili Podkolzin that Miller and Dickinson as their four centres in that order, which sounds like could take on tougher matchups to free up the new, dynamic Horvat line. an imposing way for the club to fatten its lineup. At the very least, it could be an interesting wrinkle. On reflection, we think it’s unlikely that the club will run two undersized wingers in Höglander and Garland on the same line. And for that reason There’s just an endless number of combinations the team can try we expect the Canucks to try other combinations, including potentially because of the positional flexibility many of Vancouver’s forwards now starting Garland out on the left side. possess. And that’s great news for the coaching staff.

Some coaches are a bit reluctant to play wingers on their off side, but The fourth-line centre is a new hole that needs to be filled due to Jay Travis Green has been very liberal with this approach when one Beagle’s departure in the Arizona trade. Perhaps that raises the incentive considers the opportunities that right-handed forwards Jake Virtanen and to re-sign Travis Boyd and then bump him up to the 4C role. Josh Leivo used to get on the left wing as well as left-shot Tyler Motte’s deployment on the right. Even if the club moves Boyd off the back burner and gets a new deal Officially, the Canucks say they haven’t made a decision on either done this offseason, the Canucks would still need another pivot — or two Michaelis or Hawryluk, but dodging the question in this manner tends to — because their depth down the middle is anemic when one considers be a bad sign. If we had to guess, we’d expect the club to avoid potential call-up options and their ambition in launching a new local AHL tendering Hawryluk — who would be arbitration-eligible if qualified — team in Abbotsford. even though he acquitted himself well in a bottom-six role for Vancouver last season. Carson Focht would be next in line and while the organization is a fan of his gritty, high work-rate style, he’s got a long way to go before sniffing Zack MacEwen took a step back last season and the coaching staff the NHL as even a top recall candidate. Ideally, he’s not even the club’s seemed reluctant to use him at times, but if he bounces back, he still has top-line centre in Abbotsford once the club’s AHL lineup is fleshed out, the upside to be a useful, hardscrabble bottom-six forward. This group truth be told. could certainly use his toughness.

RIGHT WING Justin Bailey is an interesting case. If he’s healthy, he’s precisely the type of scoring forward the club needs at the AHL level, particularly since the Brock Boeser Canucks have bled top AHL-level offensive talent over the past 12 Vasili Podkolzin months, with Sven Baertschi, Nikolay Goldobin, Reid Boucher, Lukas Jasek and Kole Lind all departing the organization. Bailey is a Group VI Nils Höglander unrestricted free agent though and if his health checks could, could have other options. Tyler Motte William Lockwood remains our pick as a dark horse to make the club out Jayce Hawryluk of training camp, or failing that, emptying the tank to the point that it’s a Zack MacEwen very hard decision for the Canucks coaching staff to cut him.

Justin Bailey LEFT DEFENSE

William Lockwood Quinn Hughes

Adding another top-line calibre forward in Garland gives the Canucks a Oliver Ekman-Larsson ton of options in their top six. Jack Rathbone And for the first time in the Travis Green era, the Canucks should Olli Juolevi genuinely be able to ice a third line that can score without being carefully sheltered the way the Adam Gaudette, Virtanen “third line” was in the Guillaume Brisebois 2019-20 season. How do the Canucks replace Alex Edler? It was a tough question, but it Now the question is how exactly will Green decide to deploy the new now has a straightforward answer: with the pricey addition of Ekman- weapons in his forward ranks? Larsson?

It’s a big question and one that probably doesn’t have a right answer just Ekman-Larsson is arriving on the heels of a very tough season in Arizona yet. Somewhere in Rogers Arena, there’s a whiteboard with a template of and has been on a downward slope for a few seasons now, but a fresh the Canucks lineup, but it’s written in erasable marker. It won’t be set start in Vancouver should rejuvenate his game. with any certainty for another few weeks, at least. The contract is a massive long-term gamble, but for next season he For now, we’ll keep Brock Boeser on the top line with Miller and should be able to bounce back and provide a meaningful boost to Pettersson. The so-called Lotto line is just too good to split up, at least to Vancouver’s blue line as a credible top-four defenceman. begin the season. Ekman-Larsson’s success will partially be determined by who his partner Beyond that, we’ll go a little bit off the board and pencil Vasili Podkolzin ends up being, so that’s a question that needs to be answered, but the into the top six to begin the 2021-22 season. How’s that for a bold left side looks deep and talented. offseason prediction? Beneath Quinn Hughes and Ekman-Larsson, the club will have Jack Here’s the thing, Green isn’t typically reluctant to give younger players a Rathbone pushing for a third-pair role. He’ll inject much-needed chance higher up the lineup than most expect. And he often does it right transitional help. Behind him, Olli Juolevi is a restricted free agent without off the bat. arbitration rights and low counting stats. He should return as an inexpensive depth player who can step into games when the situation We’ve seen it repeatedly in the Green era, with Boeser and with calls for it. Pettersson and with Nils Höglander, too. Here’s saying that we’ll see it again this upcoming season. Perhaps the club considers looking for another left-shot defender they can stash in Abbotsford as a recall option ahead of Guillaume Brisebois, Garland and Höglander are both players who play bigger than their listed but the left side is generally shaping up pretty well. height — they stand 5-foot-8 and 5-foot-9, respectively — and are excellent at winning battles along the wall in particular. One suspects that RIGHT DEFENSE Green will be reluctant to play them together on Horvat’s flanks, particularly considering the sort of matchup burden that Horvat typically Travis Hamonic handles. (New Player)

If the Canucks want to keep the Lotto line together, and that is their first Tyler Myers choice, then their best bet at finding a bigger body to contribute to a more dynamic second-line is to give Podkolzin a shot with Horvat right off the Jalen Chatfield bat and see what he can do with it. Madison Bowey If Podkolzin is given a shot on the second line, that would leave Höglander to bounce a bit further down the lineup, where he’d be well- Jett Woo positioned to do real damage against tertiary competition on a potential If the left side of Vancouver’s defence is strong and easy to project for line with Dickinson and Pearson. He’d be the type of bottom-six presence next season, the right side of the defence is, unfortunately, the polar that the club hasn’t employed since … well, probably since Jannik opposite. Hansen graduated into a top-six role a decade ago. Trade winds continue to swirl around Nate Schmidt, and while it’s still Now that Garland is in the fold and the top nine is relatively settled, Tyler possible he could return for next season, it seems unlikely at this Motte can drop down to help drive the fourth line in his usual spot on his juncture. If Schmidt departs, the Canucks would be left with Tyler Myers off wing. as the only right-side defenceman who’s played regular NHL games Jayce Hawryluk will need to receive a qualifying offer from the club on signed for next season. Monday so that the team might preserve his restricted free-agent rights. We still expect Travis Hamonic to return to Vancouver. The current Holtby through the first buyout window, some options will emerge when iteration of the blue line lacks in-zone defensive authority and physicality, the goaltending carousel stops spinning in free agency. so while he’s better served as a bottom-pair defenceman at this stage in his career, there is an incentive for the club to bring him back for another Dithering on a Holtby buyout and waiting for the market to reform makes go next to Hughes given the stylistic fit and lack of alternative options. some logical sense. It’s also a risky play, however, one that would limit the club’s cap flexibility in free agency. If Schmidt indeed departs, adding a right-side defenceman immediately becomes a top priority. It remains to be seen how much money the Considering the internal logic of the Ekman-Larsson deal — a “going for Canucks will have available to address that need, but David Savard, it” trade if ever there was one — and the club’s massive needs on the Brandon Montour, Jason Demers, Sami Vatanen, Cody Ceci and Jani back end, it’s probably best to rip the Band-Aid off through either a Hakanpää are among the right-handed defenders set to hit the open retained salary transaction or a buyout of Holtby’s contract this week. market on Wednesday. As for Schmidt, the sense we had over the weekend is that trading GOALTENDER Schmidt remains a slightly less urgent priority for the Canucks than moving Holtby is. There’s a time pressure in Holtby’s case that doesn’t Thatcher Demko exist in Schmidt’s, and several of the teams that may be interested in Schmidt are prioritizing courting Ryan Suter, who is expected to decide (New Player) on where he wants to play next season on Monday.

Mike DiPietro A Schmidt trade isn’t explicitly tied to what occurs with Suter, but that’s Arturs Silovs the domino to watch for early this week.

Jake Kielly GONE

It seems like Holtby’s days as a Canucks player may be numbered, but Alex Edler we’ll get into that later. Brandon Sutter

Assuming Holtby’s stay in Vancouver is a short one, his departure will Brogan Rafferty likely put the Canucks in the market for an affordable backup goalie. Ashton Sautner Some of the unrestricted free-agent goaltenders who may find themselves in Vancouver’s low price range include James Reimer, Jimmy Vesey Jaroslav Halak, David Rittich, Devan Dubnyk, Aaron Dell and Curtis McElhinney. Vancouver is bullish on Michael DiPietro and organizational Sven Baertschi leaders have confidence he can take over as the No. 2 for the 2022-23 Jake Virtanen season — that was at least the belief at the start of 2021, coming into last season — but there’s virtually no chance they’ll thrust him into that role When the news broke that Edler, the longest-serving Canucks for 2021-22. Nor should they considering how rarely he played high-level defenseman in franchise history, intended to test the market, both sides hockey during the pandemic. explicitly stated and recognized that there was a possibility that Edler’s money and ice time would be gone by the time the sides circled back to ON THE BLOCK one another in late July. The Ekman-Larsson trade is precisely that sort Nate Schmidt of scenario and closes the door on Edler’s Canucks tenure rather firmly. Until his ring of honour ceremony, anyway. Braden Holtby The Ekman-Larsson deal would seem to open the door, however, for the We firmly expect both Holtby and Schmidt to be dealt — or potentially possibility that the club could consider returning pending unrestricted bought out in Holtby’s case — at this juncture. free-agent centre Brandon Sutter. Jay Beagle’s departure in the trade would seem to open a fourth-line spot back up in the Canucks lineup, but There’s enough uncertainty remaining, however, that we wanted to be a the industry expectation remains that Sutter will head elsewhere. bit cautious before moving them into the “Gone” column. So we’ll build a new column for them ahead of a critical week of business for the Brogan Rafferty is among a quartet of Canucks depth defenders that are Canucks, because there’s really no doubt that both players — the poised to hit the market, along with Ashton Sautner, Jalen Chatfield and signature additions of Vancouver’s 2020 offseason — are on the block Josh Teves. He’s also the least likely of the four to re-sign in Vancouver. and poised to move on from Vancouver. The writing has been on the wall for both Jimmy Vesey and Sven The Holtby situation is the more urgent one to monitor early this week. Baertschi for a while now, so there’s no real suspense in either of their There’s a chance he could be placed on unconditional waivers on cases. Monday and see his contract bought out, a move that would carve out $3.8 million in cap savings for the Canucks. The leverage of that extra Virtanen was placed on unconditional waivers on Sunday for the purpose cap space would be significant, the Canucks clearly have a ton of work to of buying out his contract. By end of day Monday, Virtanen’s tenure with do on renovating their back end and a quartet of important restricted free the Canucks organization will officially be at an end. agents to sign over the next two weeks. The Athletic LOADED: 07.27.2021 Vancouver has worked hard to find a Holtby trade and continued to do so on Sunday. The club still believes there’s a variety of scenarios still on the table for clearing Holtby’s cap $4.3 million cap hit — among them the possibility that the club might hold on to Holtby through the first buyout window, see what shakes loose in the market after the free-agent frenzy, and consider exercising a buyout later on in the offseason.

The first buyout window will slam shut on Tuesday evening. However, Vancouver has the ability to trigger a second buyout window later on this offseason. The key is that the club’s newly acquired forwards — Garland and Dickinson — are both arbitration-eligible. If the club slowplays negotiations with either restricted player so that a hearing is scheduled, then the club will trigger the opening of a second buyout window when the case is settled — regardless of whether the hearing actually occurs or not.

We’ll see where this goes. There’s been some qualified interest expressed in Holtby, but that interest appears to have cooled in the wake of the expansion process and league sources have since described Vancouver as “desperate” to move Holtby. Perhaps if the club holds on to 1218701 Websites value with five-on-five numbers that were strong at both ends of the ice on a relative basis.

Beyond the offensive value, Suter also brings a ton of versatility. He can The Athletic / Finding the next Anthony Duclair: 10 non-tendered NHL play all three forward positions and was a quick study in terms of players worth targeting in free agency seamlessly adapting to any role the Blackhawks thrust him into. Suter even provided spot duty on the penalty kill on occasion.

There’s nothing especially dynamic about Suter’s game and the By Thomas Drance and Harman Dayal Jul 27, 2021 production likely won’t be as fruitful as it was this year, but he’s a handy player who can add value in multiple roles for a team’s middle-six.

2. Nick Ritchie The qualifying offer deadline wasn’t always such a robust source of secondary free-agent market talent. If there’s one thing this offseason’s moves have reinforced, it’s that teams still treasure physical players who are hard to play against. The flat cap era has ushered in a ton of change for the professional There’s no player on this list who fits that bill better than Ritchie, a hard- hockey business, however, and one of the most dramatic changes we’ve nosed power forward whom the Bruins decided not to qualify. seen is how high the bar is these days for teams to tender a qualifying offer to arbitration-eligible restricted free agents. Ritchie owns a robust physical profile and can bury the puck in the back of the net at an auspicious rate — the 0.68 goals per 60 minutes he’s In order for a team to maintain its right of first refusal on a restricted registered at five-on-five over the past three seasons checks out at a low- player this offseason, it had to tender that restricted player a qualifying end second line pace. This year, he registered a career-high 15 goals in offer by 5 p.m. Eastern time Monday. Failure to do so results in the team 56 games. forfeiting those rights. Any player who went unqualified is a pending unrestricted free agent, eligible to be signed to a standard player contract Teams have to be careful not to overpay him based on that production, rather than an offer sheet when the market opens Wednesday. though. The 25-year-old left-winger was in a cushy spot for Boston where he averaged a career-high 15:22 and received ample first-unit power- As it all played out Monday, an awful lot of talent shook loose across the play time during the first half of the season. NHL. So far CapFriendly.com has confirmed 21 players who appeared in at least one NHL game last season who were non-tendered by Monday’s Ritchie was bumped down the depth chart following the trade deadline deadline — including nine players who recorded at least 10 points. And acquisition of Taylor Hall and his production suffered dramatically upon the list continues to grow Monday evening as additional non-tendered having less help around him. The 2014 10th pick scored 10 goals and 20 players are confirmed. points in 39 games before Hall arrived. After Hall’s addition, Ritchie chipped in with a much more modest six goals and 10 points in 28 games These days if a player isn’t a bona fide top-six or top-four piece, if they between the end of the regular season and playoffs. have arbitration rights and if their qualifying offer is north of $1 million, they’re in danger of going non-tendered at the qualifying offer deadline. There’s also the matter of his bad habit of consistently putting his team It’s no longer a surprise when a useful player who meets this criteria — short-handed with undisciplined penalties. like a Nick Ritchie, a Danton Heinen or a Pius Suter — isn’t tendered a qualifying offer, so much as it’s a surprise when a useful third-line calibre Still, there’s positive value to be found in how Ritchie drives offence and player like Artturi Lehkonen or Warren Foegele is tendered one! teams will certainly value the toughness and power forward style he brings. At the right price, he could be an attractive third-line wing option In our flat cap years, the secondary market has become a legitimate for a team looking to beef up and add finishing. source of unrestricted free-agent talent for savvy teams to mine. Look no further than the tale of talented offensive winger Anthony Duclair, who 3. David Kampf wasn’t qualified ahead of the deadline last offseason by the Ottawa There isn’t a ton of offensive pop to Kampf’s game, but he ticks a ton of Senators, signed a bargain basement deal with the Florida Panthers and boxes for any team in the market for a fourth-line centre. proceeded to score at a 60-point per 82 game pace in a top-six role. Kampf and the Blackhawks are still engaged in contract talks and could Duclair’s contributions helped the Panthers to a dynamite season, their come to an agreement, according to The Athletic’s Scott Powers. If the best regular season in franchise history, and he just signed a lucrative Czech-born defensive pivot hits the open market Wednesday, however, extension for three years this past week. expect there to be a fair number of suitors of his services. Among the players who were unqualified as Monday’s deadline passed, The 26-year-old pivot is a reliable faceoff winner, led all Blackhawks who is the best bet to emerge as this offseason’s version of Duclair? forwards in penalty killing ice time by over 40 minutes this past season Here are 10 players your favourite team should be considering on the and while his offensive production was non-existent — just one goal in 56 secondary market when the free-agent frenzy begins Wednesday. games played in 2021 — he’s still a decent bet to be a 10-goal fourth-line (Note: There are stragglers being confirmed as the evening rolls along, centre, capable of logging a ton of penalty killing minutes and giving any and we may update this list if one of the teams that has yet to announce teams star players 10 to 11 five-on-five minutes of relatively worry-free its qualifying offers non-tenders a major contributor). rest per game.

1. Pius Suter There’s value in that, at the right price. And in a free-agent market with very few centre options, Kampf should have a decent market. There are few NHL teams that mine European talent outside of the draft better than the Chicago Blackhawks. Suter, who the club inked to a one- 4. Ondrej Kase year deal at $925,000 last year, is just the latest example. If Kase is healthy, he’s an absolute stud. After being decimated by key centre injuries to Jonathan Toews and A few years back, Kase was widely seen as a can’t miss breakout Kirby Dach, Chicago stuck Suter down the middle and he delivered with candidate. He was one of the NHL’s best, young volume shooting surprisingly promising results. The 25-year-old Swiss forward notched 14 wingers. He drove play. He had a rangy, physical assertiveness to his goals and 27 points through 55 games, the equivalent of a 21-goal, 40- game. point pace over 82 games. Over the past few years, however, Kase has dealt with a repetitive Prospective buyers probably can’t count on that level of production to succession of concussions, appearing in only 88 games over the past stick — he was handed outsized opportunity and unquestionably three seasons. benefitted from centering and Alex DeBrincat — but there’s still a lot to like about him as a potential middle-six contributor. There’s no question that Kase has significant game. With the Boston Bruins this past season, the club started him out on the top-six, and it’s Suter can play with pace despite not being exceptionally fast and he’s got not as if the Bruins don’t have a ton of other good options upfront from a well-rounded offensive skill set. His top asset is the way he processes which to choose. It says a lot about his upside. the game in the offensive zone and reads off his linemates to find open seams as both a passer and finisher. He also brings solid play-driving Unfortunately, Kase’s season lasted only three games. He left Boston’s The template here is probably ’s 2016-17 season with the third game of the season in the second period after being caught high by Columbus Blue Jackets. Gagner logged fourth-line ice time at five-on-five a Miles Wood hit away from the puck. that season, but was a key triggerman for the Blue Jackets’ first power- play unit, racking up 18 power-play points and 50 total points on a Unqualified on Monday, the question for teams considering making Kase bargain-basement contract. There’s potential for Donato to have a similar an offer this offseason has nothing to do with his undeniable talent level impact if a team is able to slot him into the right situation as a designated and everything to do with his potential durability. If Kase is healthy and hitter of sorts — the far too rarely seen bottom-six power-play specialist. able to stay healthy, he could be a top-of-the-lineup calibre contributor. 8. Evgeny Svechnikov It’s a big if, but there’s a ton of potential upside. Sometimes players just need a fresh start. That’s what the hope is for 5. Danton Heinen Svechnikov, who’s endured a difficult six seasons in the Detroit Red Non-tendered on Monday by the Anaheim Ducks, Heinen is a versatile Wings’ system after being drafted 19th in 2015. winger who excels on the penalty kill and can handle being deployed in a Svechnikov owned a promising scoring profile in the QMJHL and had a matchup role without hurting his team. very solid 20 goals and 51 points in 74 AHL games in his draft-plus two Hailing from Langely, B.C., Heinen isn’t likely to return to the 45-plus seasons but injuries have sidetracked his development since. The point form that he flashed for the Bruins as a rookie back in 2017-18, at Russian right-winger missed the entire 2018-19 season after suffering an least not without significant power-play ice time, but he’s a competent ACL injury in a preseason game. He’s bounced between the AHL and third-line rate scorer at evens — his five-on-five scoring rates over the NHL for various stints over the past few seasons and just hasn’t been past three seasons compare roughly with those of Rickard Rakell, Bo able to find consistency. Horvat and Jesperi Kotkaniemi — with some serious special team utility. That said, Svechnikov possesses an intriguing offensive toolbox. He’s He’s also got the ability to move up the lineup in the pinch, even if he’s got a quality shot, decent puck skills, good size and could pop if he can not ideally suited to filling the role of an everyday second-line player on a improve his skating. In his most recent cup of coffee in the NHL, he contending team. produced a reasonable eight points in 21 games. Those skills, in addition In the right environment, with the right linemates, Heinen could be a to his pedigree and prior scoring track record, may make him worth a roll useful third-line addition for a team pressed up against the salary cap of the dice for a team looking to add cheap scoring depth. and in need of useful depth and penalty killing ability. 9. Jayce Hawryluk

6. Dominik Kahun Hawryluk’s boxcar stats are nothing to write home about, but he flashed In some ways, Kahun profiles similarly to Suter as a versatile, potential in Vancouver as the kind of inexpensive winger that can reliably unspectacular middle-six contributor. Like Suter, Kahun is on the thinner take shifts on a fourth line. side at 5-foot-11, 175 pounds and he’s not exactly a speedster. That may Hawryluk’s anticipation, above-average wheels and active stick helped scare some teams off, but Kahun’s all-around skill and offensive him break up plays on the forecheck and pick off passes in the neutral intelligence can be helpful in a number of spots in an NHL lineup. zone. He’s not afraid to use his frame to cause havoc on the forecheck Kahun definitely didn’t have a banner year for the Oilers last season but and can get under the skin of the opposition with the way he battles on he’s chipped in with 34 goals and 83 points in 186 career NHL games, the inside and in front of the net. There’s limited offensive upside but he which translates to a 15-goal, 36 point pace over an 82 game season. It’s showed the affinity to make the kind of subtle plays that can help also worth noting that nearly all of that production has come at even advance play. strength where he’s historically been a very efficient producer. Over the That impact certainly surfaced in his play-driving numbers which reveal last three seasons, he’s scored 1.88 points per hour at five-on-five, a his defensive value in suppressing shots and high danger chances. legitimate second-line rate that ranks just outside the top-100 forwards in Hawryluk’s relative to teammate impact on preventing expected goals the NHL during that timeframe. against was second-best among Canucks forwards last season.

That’s fairly solid secondary scoring, especially when one considers how He wasn’t used as a regular penalty killer in Vancouver, but based on his cheap he’ll be on the heels of a down year in Edmonton. intelligent two-way game, he’s a good bet to have success in a stationary Kahun hasn’t been an especially strong play-driver in his career but it’s defensive role if called on. If a team thinks he can do that, there’s no worth noting that he’s faced unusually tough matchups. Perhaps there’s questioning there’s value in his game as a pesky, responsible winger an opportunity for him to feast on softer competition if he’s deployed in a who drives defensive results. more sheltered role. 10. Jujhar Khaira

The fact that he can play all three forward positions is a crucial bonus. Khaira is a versatile fourth-line player, a useful heavyweight flank who Teams shouldn’t expect Kahun to produce at the top-end of their roster can lineup at centre or wing, provide the physical presence teams always — Edmonton learned that lesson this year — but there could be surplus want from their energy lines and log a regular shift while playing a value to be found in him as a cheap bottom-six scorer. reliable defensive game.

7. Ryan Donato Khaira isn’t a productive offensive piece — 10 goals and 20 points is probably his absolute ceiling, production-wise — and he’s only Donato, 25, is a really talented — if undersized — offensive centremen. accomplished that once in his four seasons of regular NHL duty. That While he’s yet to find a full-time NHL home and has gone through three other combination of factors — the size, the versatility, the defensive organizations in his young career so far, there’s really no question that game — is going to be enough to generate real interest on the open he’s got the ability to be a legitimate power-play threat and supporting market. And it should. goal scorer in the right situation. The Athletic LOADED: 07.27.2021 Part of the reason Donato is likely to change teams for the fourth time this offseason is that there are holes in his game as a two-way piece. Talent evaluators in the industry have occasionally been left cold by the lack of consistency in his work rate also.

That sort of one-dimensional profile is far from ideal, but at the right price point on the right team, Donato can be a useful middle-six player and power-play specialist, capable of providing top-six injury insurance in a pinch and some thrust to a team’s offensive depth.

The price point is key because while Donato is a credible second-line goal-scoring threat and GSVA likes him to be a top-nine calibre contributor overall for a couple of additional seasons, Donato’s contributions are more likely to be maximized if he can slot into the right situation on a deep team affordably. 1218702 Websites Surprise scale: 90/100. It’s too early to pass judgment on the Kraken overall, because they still have a ton of cap space and we need to see how they use it. If we get to Wednesday and they’re announcing the signing of guys like Hamilton or Landeskog (or both) or weaponizing their The Athletic / Down Goes Brown: Working through a week of NHL cap room to land big picks or prospects from teams that are desperate expansion moves, blockbuster trades and draft surprises for space, great. Nobody will care that they didn’t get mid-round picks on expansion day. Let’s give them some credit and see how it plays out, but

for now, the lack of trade action is surprising. By Sean McIndoe Jul 26, 2021 Oh, one more expansion point …

Every expansion pick gets spoiled Well, that was a week. The Kraken handed in their list on Wednesday morning, at which point it Seven days ago, we were mulling over the just-released protected lists was apparently immediately handed off to all the insiders, who passed it for an upcoming expansion draft and trying to figure out how many teams on to you. We knew most of the names by noon, and all of them well had already cut side deals with the Kraken. One week later, we’ve seen before the big made-for-TV unveiling. And some people were very mad what Seattle did (and didn’t do), watched an entry draft and seen about a about this. half-dozen legitimately big trades. It was not a boring week. Surprise scale: 10/100. The NHL could have kept the list a secret or even Are you surprised? That’s always a fun question at this time of year, let the Kraken turn it in minutes before the show went to air. But the because while big moves always happen, they’re often expected. But league decided that it didn’t want the selected players to find out from a every now and then, something catches us completely off guard, and TV show and gave everyone time to spread the news. That’s fair, but it those are often the moves that end up being the most memorable. meant that picks being spoiled was basically a sure thing, just like had happened with Vegas. I’ll give a few points for the sheer volume of So today, let’s break out a gimmick we used a few years ago, back in the spoiled picks, since I didn’t think the insiders would go 30-for-30. But they before times: the Surprise Scale, where we go through some of the did, and that’s fine, because they’re reporters and not PR people for the biggest stories of the last few days and try to figure out how shocking league’s big TV show. If you follow a bunch of hockey reporters and then each one actually was. As the hockey world takes a breath and gets got mad at them for reporting news, that’s on you. ready for more action in the week to come, here are the stories from the last week that may or may not have caught you off guard. The trade market blows up

The Kraken (mostly) avoid the big names We knew there were a few big names on the market, and we knew there was a chance that at least a few would move in the window between There was plenty of star power available to Seattle, at least in terms of expansion and the entry draft. But not many of us were ready for how big name value. They had a shot at Carey Price, Vladimir Tarasenko, Mark names were moved over the course of 48 hours. Honestly, it was pretty Giordano, plus early access to unrestricted free agents like Gabriel great. Landeskog and Dougie Hamilton. The Flyers dangled James van Riemsdyk and Jakub Voracek while the Predators offered Ryan Surprise scale: 75/100. Hey, look at that, I guess NHL GMs actually Johansen or Matt Duchene. Jonathan Quick, Matt Murray and Braden doing their job isn’t too difficult after all. Holtby were options in net and or even P.K. Subban were Let’s talk through some of the specific deals … possibilities. If you wanted to, you could have put together a dream roster of big names. The Flyers remake their blue line

Ron Francis apparently didn’t want to, because he didn’t take any of They’d already landed Ryan Ellis in a pre-expansion deal. But Chuck those players except for Giordano. Other than plucking the Flames Fletcher wasn’t done, dumping Shayne Gostisbehere on the Coyotes and captain, the biggest names from Wednesday’s draft were probably then using that space to bring in Rasmus Ristolainen from Buffalo. Add it Jordan Eberle and maybe Yanni Gourde. Several players taken were all up, and the moves cost a ton, including a first and two seconds. And guys some of us had never heard of. we’re not completely sure that the moves even make them any better — the reviews of the Ristolainen deal were not kind, to put it mildly, and Was that a surprise? A little bit, sure — our final mock draft had Seattle there’s an argument to be made that he isn’t significantly better than rolling the dice on Landeskog and van Riemsdyk. But the Kraken were Gostisbehere. never going to go crazy on big names, especially when most of them are long past their peak. Recreating the 2016 all-star team doesn’t help much Surprise scale: 85/100. There was a time when you could count on the in 2021 and the Kraken were too smart for that plan, even if it would have Flyers to do something crazy every offseason, and it’s nice to have that been all sorts of fun for the rest of us to watch them try energy back in our lives. We knew Fletcher would make moves, but I’m not sure anybody expected the price tag to look like that. And I’m Surprise scale: 30/100. And besides, we all knew that the real value in awarding a few bonus points because the Ristolainen deal gave Sabres the expansion draft would come from all the teams Seattle would fans something to be happy about, and these days not much can be squeeze in their side deals … more surprising than that. The Kraken don’t make any side deals The Blackhawks land Seth Jones Oh. They traded for him and then extended him, and neither move was Yeah, I just don’t get this. I’ve ranted a bit on Twitter about it, and I’ve cheap. The trade cost them next year’s first, a good young player in heard the counterarguments. The rest of the league was always going to Adam Boqvist and a swap of first-rounders on Friday, while the extension learn some lessons from Vegas, and wouldn’t want to overpay like they clocked in at a $9.5 million cap hit through 2030 after this final year of his did in 2017. The timid teams were going to be so scared that they current deal. That’s the sort of price you pay to lock in a Norris front- wouldn’t even pick up the phone when Francis called. And with years to runner, and there’s a lot of debate over whether Jones is still in that prepare, smart teams had already positioned themselves well, so they category. He’s 26, so this isn’t exactly a team mortgaging their future on weren’t scared of losing a player. an asset in decline. But it’s also not any kind of a discount, and given how little leverage the Blue Jackets seemed to have, that feels All of that is true enough, and it was a good reason to expect that the surprising. As Mark Lazerus put it, the Hawks were all but bidding against Kraken weren’t going to be able to reap the kind of harvest that the themselves, and still lost. Golden Knights did. There wasn’t going to be a Shea Theodore available. They weren’t going to swing side deals with 10 different teams. Surprise scale: 60/100. We knew the Blue Jackets were going to have to move Jones, and Chicago had been the leading destination for a while But … zero? Not one? That just doesn’t make sense. And when you mix now. And we all know that when teams traded for big names, the shiny in just one minor post-draft deal — Tyler Pitlick to Calgary for a fourth — new toy syndrome kicks in and they almost always overpay on the it all feels like a major missed opportunity for Seattle. The expansion draft subsequent extension. So in one sense, you could say this all played out is literally a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for your franchise, and working about as we should have expected. Still, it was one thing to predict the the trade front is a big part of that. It sounds like Francis misread the move, and another to see it actually play out the way it did. initial market, then couldn’t (or wouldn’t) adjust. The Canucks commit to Oliver Ekman-Larsson compensation. You can see both sides — the Leafs shouldn’t be doing any favors for a fellow team unless it’s worth their while, and the Oilers The old cliche says that the team that gets the best player wins the trade, can just wait a few days and get Hyman for nothing as a UFA (albeit at a and this deal saw the Canucks get the best two while also clearing out higher cap hit). three of their worst contracts. Easy win, right? Sure, as long as you don’t bother clicking on Ekman-Larsson’s CapFriendly page and … oh no, now Surprise scale: 25/100. We’ll get a sign-and-trade someday, hockey fans. you’re sad. Just apparently not this year.

So yeah, the Canucks dumped three contracts that were undeniably bad The Sabres make two big trades, but neither involve Jack Eichel but were also expiring in 2022 to land one that might be worse and has six years left. That doesn’t seem ideal, and a cynic might suggest that it’s Three things we knew about the Sabres heading into the offseason: They a classic case of a GM making a trade for short-term gain while knowing wanted to trade Ristolainen, they probably had to trade Sam Reinhart he probably won’t be around for the long-term pain. And that’s assuming and they were definitely trading Jack Eichel. there is short-term gain, given Ekman-Larsson just turned 30 and hasn’t So far, they’re two for three, thanks to a big win in that Ristolainen deal been a difference-maker in years. we already covered and a decent trade that sent Reinhart to Florida for a Not surprisingly, the Canucks got ripped for the move. I don’t think I’m first and a prospect. Then we got to see Kevyn Adams try to bluff as if an quite as pessimistic as my colleagues, since I like Conor Garland a lot Eichel deal wasn’t a lock. He wasn’t very convincing, but you can’t blame and I do think there’s a non-zero chance that Ekman-Larsson has a bit of a guy for trying, if only to try to conjure up some leverage. This one could a rebound early in his Vancouver tenure. But this contract was already drag on all summer, especially if teams are nervous about Eichel’s health one of the worst in the league, and even with some salary retained, it status. might be topping the list within a few years. Surprise scale: 40/100. Did you like how that last sentence was blatantly Surprise scale: 75/100. My take here was all about the Canucks’ trying to reverse-jinx the deal into existence this week? I figured you perspective, but great work by Arizona to dump a bad contract and get a would. high pick in the process. The Avs extend Cale Makar, but not Gabriel Landeskog or Philipp The Hurricanes trade their goalie Grubauer

For the last few years, the Hurricanes have seemed like they were one Is it weird that a team that just about everyone thinks is one of the best in good goaltender away from moving to the top of the contenders list. This the league is days away from seeing both their captain and starting year, they seemed to find him, as Alex Nedeljkovic emerged as one of goalie hit the UFA market? It’s weird, right? the season’s unexpected success stories. So of course they traded him Probably, but nobody seems to be panicking, because Joe Sakic is good to the Red Wings for a third-round pick and a veteran UFA they might not at this. He says he’s “hopeful” that both deals can get done, and Avs fans keep. are too. There’s still time, but not much, and the clock is ticking.

Did it make sense? Not if you think Nedeljkovic’s breakout was the real As for Makar, it’s not easy to give a guy one of the most expensive thing, which not everyone does. The weird piece here was the money second contracts ever and still have just about everyone call it a bargain, aspect, with reports that Carolina didn’t want to get stuck with a big but as you may have heard, Joe Sakic is good at this. arbitration award followed by Nedeljkovic immediately signing what seems like a low-risk contract with the Wings. Did the Hurricanes just get Surprise scale: 50/100. But add 10 points for each day that goes by cheap? Did they not believe in their own player? Is there a Plan B in goal without either guy signed. that we don’t know about? Sara Civian broke it down in the aftermath of Finally, let’s wrap this up with the entry draft … the deal, but there are still more questions than answers. The Sabres take Owen Power Surprise scale: 50/100. Carolina fans sure seemed surprised, and more than a little confused. But the Hurricanes are apparently going to have a It was the right pick, but any suspense that had been lingering was question mark in net until the sun explodes, and we need to just accept it. mostly gone by draft night. That’s fine, since we still got more intrigue around the top of the draft than we usually get, but here’s hoping we get (While we’re on the Hurricanes, I don’t think Hamilton heading to the UFA a genuine question mark at the top of a draft someday. market can qualify as a surprise at this point. Neither can the exit of Jake Bean, although maybe getting a pick for him instead of losing him in the Surprise scale: 10/100. There were minor surprises over the next eight expansion draft qualifies.) picks, especially if we count Jack Hughes starting to twitch when his brother got picked, but nothing really shocking. For that, we had to wait Hey look, it’s a (mostly) hockey trade! for … Jakub Voracek for Cam Atkinson was a one-for-one trade involving two The Senators go off the board guys of a similar age and similar money left on their deals. While the Blue Jackets are in the middle of an overhaul and the deal was at least partly The first genuinely surprising moment of the draft came when the about the Flyers saving some immediate cap space, this was still mostly Senators reached at No. 10 for Tyler Boucher, a power forward that most an old-fashioned one-for-one hockey trade. lists had outside the first round. They kept throwing curveballs for most of the weekend, as Ian Mendes explains, with a focus on grit and compete Those sorts of deals used to happen fairly often, but they’ve become a level over skill. Their explanation fell back on the tried and trued “we rarity in the cap era. It was genuinely cool to see one play out, especially know something you don’t know” approach, and yeah, they might. At the involving two reasonably big names. The best part is that now we can very least, they kept us on our toes. spend the next few years declaring winners and losers in this trade based on which forward had the most recent multi-point game. Surprise scale: 50/100. Some team always has a surprise up their sleeve, although it’s rarely the Senators, as they’ve had a lot of success Surprise scale: 141. Yeah, we’re doing number puns, I go on vacation at the draft. We should probably give them some benefit of the doubt next week and my brain is fried, deal with it. based on the past success, but their weekend was weird. Zach Hyman to the Oilers, but not yet From there, we got a fairly typical first round, with a few names dropping, Once it became clear that Hyman was leaving Toronto, the Oilers almost a few reaches, a handful of trades involving picks and your team made too much sense. And for once, it’s probably even smart for a team grabbing a guy they couldn’t believe was still there. Then, just as we to overcommit on term, even if it’s all but guaranteed that the deal were all ready to pack it in, we got one more moment we have to talk eventually ages poorly. The window with Connor McDavid and Leon about … Draisaitl is open now, and Hyman is a great addition who checks just The Canadiens draft Logan Mailloux about every box they’re looking for. Let’s be clear: Marc Bergevin owns this. The only intrigue left was whether the Leafs and Oilers would work out a deal that would see Toronto “sign” Hyman to an eight-year deal with a He may not want to. He may think he won’t have to. Maybe he figures the lower cap hit before trading him to Edmonton. That could still happen, but PR statement the team had at the ready would be enough or that any sounds unlikely, with the two teams unable to agree on fair heat would last a few days and then fade or that he’d be off the hook as long as Mailloux plays well. If so, I’m betting he’s wrong. This is his pick, his decision to derail the first round with a moment that embarrassed a franchise that had so much to be proud of this year.

You know the details by now, or you should, and you know Mailloux had asked the league not to draft him. We can argue about second chances and when they should apply and to who, but that wasn’t even up for debate in this case, because the player himself made it clear that he didn’t want to be drafted. That should have been the end of it. Even if Mailloux’s request was just an attempt at damage control, he was acknowledging that he had a long road ahead of him before he’d be worthy of hearing his name called by an NHL team. Then the Canadiens told him “Nah, you’re good.”

It doesn’t matter how many self-important statements the team makes about Mailloux and his personal journey. It doesn’t matter if other teams were ready to pick him too, and apparently there were several. It doesn’t matter if Montreal’s assistant GM can string together an explanation of what the team was thinking, although for the record he couldn’t.

What matters is that the Canadiens embarrassed themselves and the league, and Bergevin is going to own that. There are probably some fans out there who think it will all be worth it if Mailloux turns out to be a star. We can only assume Bergevin does too. But he’s wrong, and as Arpon Basu wrote, the GM and his team should be ashamed.

Surprise scale: Surprise over an NHL team putting their precious draft list and depth chart ahead of any consideration of a young victim or the message they’d be sending their fan base and the wider hockey world? Not anywhere near as surprised as I wish I were.

The Athletic LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218703 Websites NHL into the future while also providing opportunities for a lower tier of players. The salary cap and standard entry-level contracts would remain in place.

The Athletic / The case for abolishing the NHL Draft: ‘I don’t think it’s that • Every year, there will be two phases of prospect acquisition: The priority crazy’ selection, in which a player can declare for and then choose the team he wants to sign an ELC with. And a secondary six-round draft, with players who do not declare for the priority selection. Players selected in the secondary draft will be subject to existing rules for how long an NHL By Joshua Kloke Jul 26, 2021 team controls their rights.

• If a player who declares for the priority selection does not choose a This idea began to take shape, as many ideas do, at a bar. team but is drafted in the secondary selection, the NHL team has a one- year window to negotiate an ELC. If the player and team cannot agree on In the spring of 2016, an English friend told me he wanted to better an ELC, the player is able to declare for the following season’s priority understand the NHL. I invited him to the Monarch Tavern in Toronto to selection or secondary draft. watch multiple playoff games. • Every year, each NHL team would be allowed to select two players in Sometime around the second pint, my friend peered across the multiple the priority selection. If they choose more than one player, they would screens and asked: “Hey, where are the Canadian teams?” lose one of their selections the following season.

For the first time in 46 years, I pointed out, no Canadian team had made • A team is not required to make a priority selection every year. the playoffs. • If a player declares for the priority selection but does not choose a “That doesn’t make any sense,” he replied. “I thought Canada had the team, he can declare for the secondary draft, or can declare for the best hockey players in the world. Why wouldn’t the teams full of following season’s priority selection. Canadians be in the playoffs?” • NHL teams could still trade secondary draft picks and priority selection “Canadian players don’t always play for Canadian teams,” I told him. spots, though receiving teams have no guarantee they would get to “They get drafted to teams throughout the United States, too.” utilize priority selections.

“Drafted?” Argument No. 1: Abolishing the draft allows the best young players to dictate the course of their career The playoff action became secondary as I explained the concept of a draft to someone who grew up in a different sporting ecosystem, in which When I presented this idea to an NHL player, he quickly rebuffed: “If I the best soccer players usually begin playing for their hometown team were ever in a situation where I didn’t like where I was, I’d just grind it out and then enjoy more freedom to sign with the teams of their choosing. as best I can, raise my stock and then I know further down the line, there is unrestricted free agency, right? That’s when the cream of the crop My friend refused to believe the draft had any merit and echoed a really get to choose. And that’s when you see all these teams putting sentiment I’d long had, yet kept tucked away in the face of traditional together presentations because then it’s more of a sure thing.” hockey culture: Why don’t the best hockey players have any say where they spend most of their careers? His argument is one I heard in a variety of ways. Players waiting until they are 27 to hit unrestricted free agency to have a choice in their career For the next few years, I’d share this question quietly in bars and press is an institution in the NHL. boxes, but now, it feels like the question needs to be asked a little louder. The disappointed look on Connor McDavid’s face on the night of the “No one is bigger than the league,” said the player. 2015 NHL Draft Lottery when he found out that he, a generational player, would be forced to play for a team with a history of questionable I put the idea of abolishing the draft to a few highly-touted prospects in decision-making was evident. this year’s draft. Some said they hadn’t thought about it, but others, like 8th overall pick Brandt Clarke, stressed that while they were happy with a The player drafted after him, Jack Eichel, looks to be frustrated with his draft, the idea is intriguing. organization, raising questions about whether some of his best seasons have been wasted. Consider that alongside Eichel, Patrik Laine “It would be cool to listen to teams,” said Clarke. “If a playoff team also seemingly has yet to find the right home for his services and is on the wants to offer me a spot next year, that’d be a cool feeling. I’d already trade block. Seth Jones was also on the block before a Friday trade to step in with a set squad and also have a significant role. But (with a draft) the Blackhawks and was followed by an eight-year extension. All three I’d be coming into a team that didn’t do great last season, but now I’m players were top 5 picks. with younger guys and we can grow together and maybe be the powerhouse, in four, five years.” If these players had the choice, is it possible they would have stopped before being drafted and asked, “Is this where I want to spend the best This speaks to a divide and leads to a natural question: Why should any years of my career?” player have to wait until the latter stages of his career to have the freedom to choose the team he wants to play for, and the city he wants to “Players are more empowered now,” said Dallas Stars general manager live in? Jim Nill. “They’re more educated. Since they’ve been 12, 13 or 14, they’ve been travelling the world, they’ve had skill coaches, they’ve been Hockey’s physical nature means injuries constantly threaten a player’s trained to be hockey players. It’s a new generation. And there’s nothing career and their ability to even reach UFA status. wrong with that.” The league also continues to skew younger. Abolishing the draft could With that in mind, I called dozens of people throughout the hockey world empower the league’s best young players. Of the five most recent Hart to pitch a hypothetical but worthwhile idea: It’s time to abolish the NHL Trophy finalists, only four of a possible 15 had hit UFA status. This year, Draft. all three finalists were 25 or younger. Seeing how important young players are to NHL teams made me wonder why teams aren’t pitching “It all depends on what parameters are put in place,” said Nill. “You’re not the best young prospects on what they can do for them, knowing how off the wall here.” immediate an impact these prospects can make. Why should a player’s prime be spent under the control of a team he might not have faith in? I expected every one of these people to laugh at the concept. A salary cap means NHL teams depend heavily on young players under But one by one, as I laid out my plan and parameters, people started to team control. It’s bewildering that the most gifted young players are see this idea as an opportunity to improve the lives of the best NHL treated any differently than the most gifted doctors or computer players and push the league forward. programmers, who usually have the opportunity to weigh professional “I don’t think it’s that crazy,” said an NHL executive. offers.

For the purposes of this argument, we’re using a hybrid draft model, which could better serve the players who are (hopefully) going to take the “In every other industry, you can find the job that’s the best monetary, life If more questions are asked throughout the organization, positive or professional fit,” said an NHL agent. “The draft is very much a function changes could come to a team’s facilities, resources, amenities and advantage of the teams and not of the player at all.” development model or team culture.

While players might be reluctant to admit frustration about the team they “If you can’t convince the (player), as an owner or team, that you can a were drafted to, every agent I spoke to said they’ve had clients who have winning culture in five years, then you should lose your player. wished they were drafted to a different team. There has to be some pressure on the player to perform but you also have to put some burden on the ownership,” said an NHL executive. But many people still shot back: What’s going to stop the NHL from becoming like European soccer leagues where a handful of teams And perhaps players should be asking questions of an organization always lay claim to the best players? before signing with them, too.

Yet with a salary cap and entry-level contracts remaining in place, the Some people I spoke to believed league-wide player experiences could parity that the NHL trumps as the great equalizer wouldn’t dissipate. improve as a result.

“If you put the right framework in place,” an NHL executive said of the “You might never see some of those high-end players there otherwise idea, “it polices itself.” until you find a way to make a better machine,” said a scout.

Without a draft, young players would have to utilize foresight and do their So what might make players happy? research on an organization before signing with them. “The biggest question players always have is ‘Where do I fit in the lineup, Every agent I spoke to acknowledged that while the popular conception and when?’” said an NHL agent. would be that young players would want to sign with their hometown or favourite team, that might not always be possible. The onus would be on “I sell (players) on opportunity and where they would fit,” said an NHL advisors to guide players toward better long-term fits. executive.

“As a young kid coming into the league, you need to ask ‘Who’s going to Yet a common, and understandable, approach in the draft is to select the have enough room after my ELC to pay me sufficiently?’” said an agent. best player available, regardless of position. But that, however, puts the drafted player in a precarious position. Even if a young player wants to go to a specific team, there’s nothing guaranteeing that is an option. “Obviously, there’s some teams that have a better track record of developing players, so there’s definitely some teams that we probably “Generational players don’t happen every year. There’s a lot of different would see as better fits,” said the agent of a highly-touted prospect in this moving pieces to this. We can say ‘They choose where they want to go,’ year’s draft. “I hope there’s teams that are going to pick him because but maybe the team they want to go to doesn’t have room,” said Nill. there’s a need for him as a player, not just because he’s the best player available on the list.” Argument No. 2: Abolishing the draft would force underachieving teams to improve throughout their franchise instead of being rewarded with high Without a draft, team management might better understand draft picks organizational needs, and fans and media would also be able to hold teams more accountable if top prospects avoid their team. To sell those Let me bring you back to the Monarch Tavern for a point that took my top prospects on their future, one executive said creating a “very strong friend the length of an entire beer to comprehend: If an NHL team has a development program” would be necessary. terrible season, why is their status in the league not threatened, but rewarded? This raises another important question: After families spend thousands of dollars on a player’s youth development, why should the best years of His confusion is warranted. Take the Sabres, who have had eight top 10 their professional career be determined by a lottery, and see them go to picks since 2010 but have yet to win a playoff series in that time and look a team which might not serve their development? far from contention. Since the 2011 NHL draft, 26 players have been selected from “Under your system, Buffalo would be screwed. But should they be Djurgardens IF in Sweden. Djurgardens general manager Joakim rewarded? Probably not,” said an NHL scout. Eriksson likens draft picks to “investments.”

The NHL goes to continued lengths to alter the draft lottery rules to “It’s a hard business for young players,” said Eriksson. “I think the radical prevent tanking, a problem that will hang over the league as long as a idea you present is good for hockey. If there will be no draft, there would draft exists. be no automatic right to sign a player, even if they have contracts in But abolishing the draft could force teams to internally investigate failures Europe. It would benefit international hockey. There will be players in the hopes of improving. staying longer in Europe and developing. They are afraid of saying no to the NHL and not signing contracts because that’s the dream for them.” “The NHL wants parity,” was the argument I heard repeatedly, which has become such an effective piece of state propaganda that few wonder Multiple people I spoke to for this story agreed sometimes players do not why the logic should even be questioned. develop properly because of the organization they were drafted to and are, in the words of one agent, “handcuffed” to a team. But it should be. When looking at the drafts from 2010 to 2020, teams that have had five or more top 10 picks have generally not turned those “Teams can just keep qualifying you and you’re hobbling along,” said the high picks into playoff success. agent.

Either it takes longer than anticipated for teams to cultivate their high But abolishing the draft could force teams to create development plans picks, or these teams are not properly taking advantage of the system in tailored specifically to prospects to create trust and entice them to join place. And so is the draft ensuring a competitive balance, or is it their organization. inherently rewarding organizational failures? Abolishing the draft would “You see it all the time, a guy goes to a different environment, the team flip the onus to teams to improve their programs to sell to players. sees him differently, they utilize him differently and his career takes off. Here’s a hypothetical situation most people I spoke to could see People say, ‘Where’d this come from?’ It’s because he got an happening: Without a draft, a small handful of teams with less-than- opportunity,” said the agent. stellar reputations would have difficulty attracting the best prospects. One name brought up was Casey Mittelstadt. The highly-touted forward Every agent I spoke to essentially agreed on that group of teams. was selected eighth by the Sabres in 2017 but as the organization After a few years, ownership would start to ask questions of continues to be in a state of flux, one executive pegged him as a perfect management: Why are top prospects spurning them for other teams? example of who the draft hurts, as he has not had enough attention paid to his development. “This is a keeping up with the Joneses league. If there’s anything another team is doing, pretty much every team doesn’t want to fall behind. If “Maybe his development model would have been different, and maybe they’re staying at the Ritz, we’re staying at the Ritz,” said an NHL he wouldn’t have picked Buffalo?” said the executive. “Here’s a kid that is executive. pushed into an environment that he’s not going to develop in, is pushed way too early, too many different coaches, and now we’ve lost this talent that’s a really strong talent. And there’s nothing he could do about it. He One NHL executive with a roster with a few players from one country had no control.” said in this scenario “we would be using that to our advantage.”

Argument No. 3: Abolishing the draft would force teams to get creative Going heavy on players from one country creates a pipeline to attract with their identities, pipelines and business models future players and opens up advertising and sponsorship revenue streams that didn’t exist previously. If the Blue Jackets, for example, had Let’s assume some teams would be in favour of abolishing the draft more Germans on their roster than any other franchise, the number of because of the current state of their franchise, the prestige that comes German viewers would increase and make the team more attractive to from playing for their team, lower state taxes, their location and the German companies who want to advertise with the team. resources available to them. “I never thought of the business side of it,” said an NHL executive. “New York would be jacked at this concept,” joked an NHL executive. “Maybe you do target guys that way.”

Yet some teams might initially suffer, which was a common argument OK, time for a sobering last call. against my idea. Ultimately, everyone I spoke to agreed the likelihood of my pitch “You have to find a way to force the bottom to improve,” said an NHL happening is virtually non-existent. It would require the CBA being re- executive, “but not bury them because of things beyond their control.” written and an entire generation of players adopting a completely Abolishing the draft could force teams to think outside the box, get different mindset. creative and develop a marketable identity. “There isn’t a great appetite for seismic changes,” an agent said of the Many people I polled for this piece agreed the Western Canadian teams NHL, before adding that he believes “100 percent” of his clients would be might not love this concept. The combination of poor weather throughout supportive of having the freedom to choose their NHL team. the season, not being large cities and a lack of success in recent years But it’s that player empowerment that remains at the heart of this were all referenced. argument. The NHL will never increase its foothold around the world on But what these markets do have that others might not is youth hockey the strength of its teams without worldwide brand recognition. But stars associations brimming with players. fuel highlights packages and viral in-game videos, and the NHL should better support and market these stars, and sell the drama that the NBA The Flames, Oilers and Jets could theoretically become teams full of makes part of its product. Western Canadian talent. Having a team full of local players isn’t a bad way to increase fan interest. And though some were skeptical that “I think (abolishing the draft) would be very intriguing for the consumer,” Western Canadian players may actually want to stay home, agents I said an NHL executive. “There might be more theater for the fans. I don’t spoke to agreed: There will always be players who want to play close to know if our sport wants to go that way. Probably not, right? It’s very home. conservative.”

One positive offshoot of abolishing the draft would be that all NHL teams The Athletic LOADED: 07.27.2021 could create better ties with, and provide more funding to, local minor hockey leagues to create a pipeline for future talent. Smaller teams could raise the visibility of their brand and make in-roads for young kids to play hockey.

Auston Matthews said in 2016 he would not be playing hockey if there wasn’t a team in Arizona. Instead of making this a one-off success story, abolishing the draft could force teams to create talent pools that didn’t exist.

That approach to development could lead to more regional interest.

“Instead of just relying on a lottery, you can develop players,” said an executive. “And then you’re opening up a new market and different demographic to attract people, recruit and you can create your own pods and development, and you don’t have to travel all over the country.”

The opportunities to adapt don’t end there.

Teams in large markets could lure players with the right personality to thrive with more eyeballs on them. But most of the people I spoke to agreed for every prospect with a Type A personality, there is another equally talented prospect who is just as happy to avoid the spotlight.

“You’re going to get players who are going to say, ‘I thought it was a great idea as an 18-year-old from Toronto to want to go play for the Maple Leafs. But this hasn’t gone as well as I thought and the pressure there is insane. I don’t want to be there anymore. I’d love to go to a smaller city, be a star player there and have no one know who I am when I go out to dinner.’” said an executive.

Without a draft, the onus would be on teams to recruit better fits for their organization. Teams that scout more accurately could have success.

“(Abolishing the draft) would make my job more heavily recruiting based, and you’d have to watch the players as they’re getting younger,” said an NHL scout who favoured that approach.

Finally, here’s one more creative approach teams could utilize: becoming the destination for prospects from a specific country.

Imagine the Hurricanes, for example, continually investing heavily in scouting in Finland and creating relationships with the best young Finnish players available.

Imagine the Blue Jackets getting in on the hockey boom currently happening in Germany and recruiting the top German player year after year. 1218704 Websites make and how easily he navigates around the offensive zone. The speed and playmaking are obvious but with Lambert, I find his effort and physical play can be inconsistent when watching him over the years. You saw that this season where he was great at the world juniors and The Athletic / The 2022 NHL Draft top 24 prospects: Shane Wright leads average at the U18 worlds. Corey Pronman’s list 5. David Jiricek, RHD, Plzen-Czech Extraliga

Jiricek is a complete defenseman coming off a great season between the By Corey Pronman Jul 26, 2021 pro level and international play including being one of the Czech Republic’s best players at the world juniors. He’s a 6-foot-3 right-shot

defenseman who can skate, move and shoot the puck and defend well. In an extremely way too early look at the 2022 NHL Draft class, I’ve With his frame, mobility and physicality he makes a lot of stops. He won’t identified 24 players who stood out to me this past season as top dazzle with the puck but he has some skill and playmaking and will be prospects for next season. able to play on a pro power play.

The most obvious question I’m sure I will get is “Where are the Ontario 6. Juraj Slafkovsky, LW, TPS-Finland Jr. kids?” To which the answer is I just simply don’t know the 2004 birth Slafkovsky was quite good in the Finnish junior league, but it was his play years well enough yet to comment due to a lack of an OHL season in at the world juniors and world championships that really stood out. He 2020-21. With a lack of international U17 tournaments last season this didn’t record a point at either event, but you can clearly see the top- list is much harder to do than it typically is. prospect toolkit in him. He’s 6-foot-4 with a ton of skill and offensive The top of this class, with the caveat that a lot will likely change in the instincts. He’s not an explosive skater, but he skates well for the size and coming 12 months, looks more interesting than the 2021 class. Shane competes well enough to win battles and play reasonable minutes at Wright would be ahead of Owen Power by a decent, albeit not wide those major events at such a young age. margin. The 2-5 range would be fairly analogous to the 2021 class but for 7. Matthew Savoie, C, Dubuque-USHL me, the top of this year’s class has more guys with chances to be real top-end prospects. Savoie spent the entire season in Dubuque due to the WHL’s delayed start where he scored at a significant clip for a 16-year-old with 21 goals “Most of the guys you have in the top 10 (of this list) would be candidates and 38 points in 34 games. With the puck on his stick he stands out. to be top-five picks in the 2021 class,” said an NHL scout. Savoie is full of skill, creativity and has high-end vision. He’s the kind of One theme that stood out upon an early scan of next year’s class is after player you want running a power play due to his vision while also having a 2021 class with some great defensemen it’s a more forward-heavy top a mid-range shot threat. The questions on Savoie will be his size and of the class in 2022. skating. He competes well and can PK, but for his frame he’s a good but not great skater, which will be a question for his pro projection. Complete coverage of the 2021 NHL Draft 8. Conor Geekie, C, Winnipeg-WHL TIER 1: Bubble elite NHL player/NHL All-Star Geekie was great as a rookie pro, being a point-per-game guy for a top 1. Shane Wright, C, Kingston-OHL WHL team in Winnipeg. He stands out immediately as a 6-foot-3 center who can dazzle with the puck. He has high-end puck skills and with his Wright didn’t get to play this season with his club, but he was for my reach he puts pucks around a lot of defenders with ease. Geekie can money the best player at the U18 worlds as an underage after a also make plays through seams and finish plays from range. Like his ridiculous 15-year-old season in the OHL with 39 goals in 58 games. brother Morgan in the NHL, Conor’s skating is an issue but better than Wright has the skill and speed you want in a high pick. Those aren’t the his brother’s at the same age. calling cards of his game for me. The things that stand out to me about Wright is he is a relentless competitor, and he has an elite shot. He wins 9. Logan Cooley, C, U.S. NTDP-USHL a ton of battles versus older players consistently and is a great 200-foot player at a very young age. His wrist shot is a weapon and will be a long- Cooley is the top 2022 eligible at the U.S. NTDP next season and played range threat in the NHL. He’s not a Connor McDavid-level prospect yet the top center role often for the U18s as an underage this past season. for me, but he looks like a strong No. 1 pick who can be a foundational Cooley has almost every attribute you want. He’s a great skater, he has a piece of a rebuild. high skill level and can make creative, highly skilled plays at a fast pace. He competes well, being a reliable two-way center who can play in the TIER 2: Bubble All-Star/Top of lineup player hard areas of the ice. Cooley’s only real knock will be his 5-foot-10 frame.

2. Ivan Miroshnichenko, LW, Omsk-MHL TIER 4: Bubble top and middle of the lineup players

Mirosnichenko stands out immediately as an NHL prospect with a lot of 10. Simon Nemec, RHD, Nitra-Slovakia clear attributes. He has NHL skating and skill, he has a great shot and doesn’t shy away from physical play. With his great speed to go with Nemec had a fantastic season, putting up huge numbers for a 16-year- some physicality, he can be a lot to handle for opponents when he old defenseman versus men in Slovakia with 19 points in 37 games. He comes up through the neutral zone. He can make plays through was also a top player at the world juniors and a useful one at the world opponents, to teammates, and can finish from range. Miroshnichenko is championships for Slovakia. His hockey sense is tremendous. He makes a complete winger who was one of the best players at the U18 worlds as a ton of plays all over the ice due to his great vision. He’s also a strong an underage. skater who can play fast. His skating, frame, sense and solid compete help him be a reliable enough defender too. 3. Danila Yurov, RW, Magnitogorsk-KHL 11. Isaac Howard, LW, U.S. NTDP-USHL Yurov had a successful season with his club, being a point-per-game player at the junior level and getting a lot of KHL games at a very young Howard is one of the more dynamic players in the draft with the puck on age. He then followed it up by being a top scorer at the U18 worlds. his stick. He has an elite ability to pull pucks through legs and sticks and Yurov is a well-rounded winger. He skates well if not very well. He has an the creativity to try to make unique plays happen both in terms of his extremely high skill level, he can beat defenders with ease and he’s a individual skill and passes to teammates. He’s a great passer while also competitive two-way player who can win battles and kill penalties. He being known as a great goal scorer. The 5-foot-10 Howard lacks size and didn’t play that much with his KHL team but with his speed and work while he works hard he won’t be known for his off-puck play. His skating ethic he showed he could translate versus men. is good but more darting/shifty than having a great top gear for his size.

TIER 3: Top of the lineup players 12. Tristan Luneau, RHD, Gatineau-QMJHL

4. Brad Lambert, C, JYP-Liiga Luneau was a top rookie in the QMJHL this season, playing big minutes for Gatineau. With the puck on his stick he stands out with his skill and Lambert is a truly dynamic forward who played well versus men this offensive stick. He can make slick plays through opponents with ease season. He has a ton of speed and skill, and when he winds up through and make plays from the offensive blue line. With his frame and sense, the neutral zone he easily draws you in with the type of rushes he can he’s a solid enough defender, but the question in the NHL for him will be Matikka was an impressive junior at the club and U18 international levels his footspeed and whether the offensive touch is enough to make up for this season. Any time you see a 6-foot-3 forward with an extremely high mediocre quickness. skill level it intrigues. With his reach he’s able to put pucks around checks with ease and create a lot of offense. He’s great down low due to his 13. Elias Salomonsson, RHD, Skelleftea-Sweden J20 frame while also having a shot that can finish from range. His skating is Salomonsson popped to start the season, being one of the top the main issue for his NHL projection as he lacks separation quickness. defensemen in the Sweden J20 circuit in the first half prior to the season 22. Mattias Havelid, RHD, Linkoping-Sweden J20 being stopped. He wasn’t as strong at the U18 worlds, but the toolkit remains exciting. He’s a 6-foot-2, mobile defenseman with offense. The Havelid was good, but not great, at the J20 level. Still, he impressed with skill won’t jump out at you, but he can make strong outlets, has some his time with the national team, playing with the U18s in a significant role. offensive zone instincts and a hard point shot. With his feet and reach he He’s an extremely smart puck mover whose exits are great and can makes a lot of stops too. make a lot of plays inside the offensive zone. His skating is strong. The quickness isn’t amazing for his size, but it’s good and overall he’s quite 14. Lane Hutson, LHD, U.S. NTDP-USHL elusive. Havelid may not be truly dynamic for a small defenseman but the Hutson is a unique prospect. He’s 5-foot-7, and a good but not that great feet/IQ combo will make him a desirable prospect. skater, especially for his size. That’s not a great start to a profile for a 23. Tyler Brennan, G, Prince George-WHL potential top-20 pick, but the reason he’s slotted here is he is elite with the puck. He has an extremely high combination of skill and offensive Brennan only played a few games in the WHL this season but he’s a hockey sense. He can make tough plays consistently and sees plays that player scouts are excited about. He’s a goalie with good size, great others don’t. His size/skating will be questioned reasonably until he does sense and technique. He makes a lot of good reads in the net, being it in the NHL and shows he can defend in the NHL, but his hockey sense efficient in his movements. His quickness isn’t amazing, but it’s good is just so good that he finds a way to do it. enough to make hard saves with his strong enough legs that push off well. He also isn’t afraid to be aggressive and challenge shooters. He’s a TIER 5: Middle of the lineup players and starting goaltender guy with the potential to have a huge 2021-22 season with his toolkit.

15. Nathan Gaucher, C, Quebec-QMJHL 24. Danny Zhilkin, LW, Guelph-OHL

Gaucher had a huge season in Quebec, being a point-per-game and all Zhilkin didn’t get a season with Guelph but did get to take part with situations center for the Remparts. He’s a smart, competitive player. Canada’s U18 team in a limited role. Zhilkin’s skill and offensive creativity Gaucher wins a lot of battles, can PK and the 6-foot-3 forward is good stand out when you watch him. He can make flashy plays with the puck around the net. His puck game isn’t elite but he has skill and can make a to beat defenders one-on-one and be a threat to generate chances off lot of plays. His skating will be the one drawback as he doesn’t have true the perimeter. His skating is fine, the stride is technically good, but his NHL quickness, even though I don’t have any issues with the stride. game can lack pace with a compete level that’s also good enough but not 16. Joakim Kemell, RW, JYP-Finland Jr. great.

Kemell was great in the junior ranks this season, scoring 22 goals in 38 The Athletic LOADED: 07.27.2021 games and being a top player for Finland’s U18 team as a 16-year-old. He is a dangerous offensive player due to having good speed, great skill and a shot that is a long-range threat. Kemell can create scoring chances from range due to his shot. He’s only 5-foot-11 and not that great off the puck but I wouldn’t call him soft. Lambert is the obvious draw in JYP but this guy isn’t too far behind him.

17. Ryan Chesley, RHD, U.S. NTDP-USHL

Chesley was a top defenseman for the U.S. NTDP 17s this season and has a lot of attributes that you can see translating to the NHL. He’s a very strong skater, breaking up a lot of rushes due to his feet and equally adept at rushing pucks up ice. His puck game isn’t elite, but he has legit puck skills and can make some plays to go with a hard point shot. Chesley projects as a solid two-way defenseman as a pro.

18. Frank Nazar, C, U.S. NTDP-USHL

Nazar was great with the U.S. NTDP program this season, being a top scorer for the U17s. He brings a lot of skill and pace to his shifts. Nazar is a very strong skater who competes hard. He wins a lot of battles, can PK and can generate chances around the hard areas of the offensive zone. He’s not an elite playmaker, but he can make highly skilled plays and create for himself and his teammates.

19. Jack Hughes, C, U.S. NTDP-USHL

You clicked on the right year don’t worry. This Jack Hughes is also an extremely skilled center. His one-on-one ability is right at the top of the draft class. He also is a very smart playmaker who can run a power play off the flank and make a lot of tough plays. Hughes is limited by a lack of quickness in his skating and isn’t that physical as well. He will play next season at Northeastern.

20. Denton Mateychuk, LHD, Moose Jaw-WHL

Mateychuk played big minutes in Moose Jaw as a young 2004 and was a late injury add to Canada’s U18 team. He’s not the biggest defenseman, but his skating and hockey sense are excellent. He can find seams and make plays with the puck but I don’t know if I see Mateychuk as this overly flashy offensive player. I see a really reliable two-way defenseman who used his skating to break up plays and transport pucks up ice while moving it well enough to earn a coach’s trust.

21. Miko Matikka, RW, -Finland Jr. 1218705 Websites The expectation is that a number of goalies will be on the move this off- season and there could be a musical chairs feel to the position.

Morweena, Man., product James Reimer could be an option, but only if Sportsnet.ca / Jets 2021 Free Agency Preview: Needs, targets, issues he’s willing to make less than the $3.4-million AAV he was paid on his previous five-year deal.

Salary cap space: $11.2 million Ken Wiebe Roster size: 19/23 ($70.3 million) July 27, 2021, 12:35 AM Salary committed to forwards: $48 million

Salary committed to defence: $16.0 million WINNIPEG — Kevin Cheveldayoff didn’t want to risk waiting until free agency opened, so he made a pre-emptive strike instead. Salary committed to goalies: $6.17 million

After watching a number of defencemen move in trades or to the Salary cap overages for 2021-22: $145,122 expansion Seattle Kraken during the previous week, the general Potential UFA targets manager of the Winnipeg Jets orchestrated a deal for Brenden Dillon on Monday night. Joel Armia, RW

Just last week, Cheveldayoff was discussing the pursuit of defencemen The former Jets winger was a salary-cap casualty back in the summer of and mentioned that it would be interesting to see who was going to be 2018 as he was traded to the Canadiens. Armia excelled in a fourth-line, left on the board when free agency opened. penalty killing role as the Canadiens reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2021, but he’s shown an ability to play higher in the lineup as well. The Cheveldayoff saw several teams address their need — and with 28-year-old from Finland is coming off a two-year deal that carried an speculation surrounding potential target David Savard and expected AAV of $2.6 million and he will be looking for a multiyear pact in a similar interest of the Montreal Canadiens after news Shea Weber was likely lost price range. for the upcoming season and that he might not play again — and decided to part with second-round picks in 2022 and 2023 in order to acquire 31 Thoughts: The Podcast Dillon. Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman talk to a lot of people around the hockey Dillon’s arrival is expected to coincide with the departure of pending world, and then they tell listeners all about what they’ve heard and what unrestricted free agents Derek Forbort and Tucker Poolman. they think about it.

This isn’t just a stopgap solution either, as Dillon provides some cost Listen and Subscribe for free certainty for the Jets — since his contract runs for three seasons and carries an AAV of $3.9 million. | Marek on Twitter

*I understand that I may withdraw my consent at any time. | Friedman on Twitter

Dillon, who is six-foot-four and 225 pounds, plays with an edge, has Nick Ritchie, LW showcased the ability to contribute offence at even strength, should help The 25-year-old is a power forward who has battled consistency issues the penalty kill and brings some valuable playoff experience to an during his career, but he’s got size, soft hands and managed to record 15 organization looking to take a step forward after getting swept in the goals and 26 points in 56 games with the Boston Bruins last season — second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. though his role was reduced after the arrival of Taylor Hall. The 10th- The Jets had been interested in acquiring Dillon when he was a member overall pick in the 2014 NHL Draft is looking for a fresh start, but likely is of the San Jose Sharks, but they ended up with Dylan DeMelo prior to hoping for a raise after a three-year contract paid him $4.6 million ($1.53- the NHL trade deadline in 2020. million AAV).

Prior to Monday’s trade, the Jets addressed another need by signing Ritchie became a UFA because the Bruins were concerned about the veteran forward Paul Stastny to a one-year contract worth $3.75 million. potential arbitration award, so he might be out of the Jets' price range.

Stastny, 35, is coming off a strong season and had expressed an interest Andrew Cogliano, LW in extending the relationship during a year-end zoom session, but made it The 25th-overall pick in the 2005 NHL Draft can provide a boost on the clear he was in no rush to make a decision on his future. fourth line, while showcasing his speed and penalty killing abilities. His After waiving his no-trade clause at the deadline in 2018, Stasty chose to resume includes 1,066 NHL games and another 100 Stanley Cup Playoff forego unrestricted free agency this time around and is taking a pay cut contests. (he made $6.5 million during the past three seasons) to remain in the Cogliano’s previous three-year contract carried an AAV of $3.25 million, fold. but he’s likely going to need to take a pay cut.

The Jets were expected to be active Wednesday, but these two moves Ondrej Kase, RW helped stabilize a defence corps that was in need of an upgrade and also bolsters a strong forward contingent with a middle-six option who is a A lot hinges on his medical report as the former Anaheim Ducks forward part of the leadership group and has the versatility to play either centre or was limited to only three games with the Bruins last season, much of the wing. which was related to concussion issues. There’s risk attached, but also the potential for a reward as Kase produced 20 goals and 38 points in 66 With the two moves, the bulk of the remaining salary-cap space ($11.2 games during the 2017-18 season. He’s a hard-working winger with million, not including centre Bryan Little and the $5.291 million that is some finishing ability and he’s likely going to need to take a deal for less likely heading to LTIR once again) to be allotted for deals to lock up than the $2.6-million AAV he made during his prior three-year contract. restricted free agents Neal Pionk, Logan Stanley and Andrew Copp. Danton Heinen, C But if the price is right, the Jets could consider a forward to provide some organizational depth that might push for a spot on the edges of the A versatile forward with speed, the 26-year-old isn’t a big point producer, roster, or perhaps serve as a replacement for right-winger Mason but he’s a responsible player and can contribute on the penalty kill in a Appleton — who landed with the Seattle Kraken. bottom-six role and provide some secondary scoring — reaching double digits in three seasons. Danton had a $2.8-million AAV the past two The Jets are also in the market for an experienced backup goalie to seasons, which is part of the reason he didn’t receive a qualifying offer share the crease with Connor Hellebuyck and will likely be looking at from the Ducks. external options after Cheveldayoff said following the 2021 NHL Draft that he expected Laurent Brossoit to test the market as an unrestricted Trevor Lewis, RW free agent. A return for the two-time Stanley Cup winner wouldn’t necessarily generate a lot of headlines, but he earned the trust of Jets head coach Paul Maurice and was an important contributor to the penalty kill while playing responsibly on the fourth line. Lewis played for just over the league minimum last season and should be in a similar range on the next deal. There is believed to be mutual interest to extend the relationship.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218706 Websites Dead space: $1.95M (Karl Alzner buyout) Bonus overage from 2021: $597,561

Potential targets: Sportsnet.ca / Canadiens 2021 Free Agency Preview: Needs, targets, issues David Savard, 30, right defence.

Previous contract: Five years, $21.25M

Eric EngelsJuly 26, 2021, 2:32 PM Here’s a player who reportedly is willing to sign in Canada. The Saint- Hyacinthe, Que., native helped the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the

Canadiens in the Final after spending the majority of his career as a key MONTREAL — The Montreal Canadiens are diving into free agency from piece on a stingy Columbus blue line, and now he could be joining them. the high board, with gaping holes to fill and upwards of $21 million We’re leading with Savard because we believe he’s the most realistic available to them to fill them. target on Montreal’s list. Though he doesn’t come close to offering the While it’s true they only have $14 million in cap space, they’re expecting offence top free agent Dougie Hamilton will, he also won’t command Shea Weber’s $7.87-million hit to be designated to long-term injury nearly as much money as Hamilton. reserve. They won’t find out for sure before training camp, when Weber’s Not that Savard will come cheap. Right-side defencemen are in heavy injuries —ankle, foot, knee, thumb among others — will be assessed. demand but short supply, and Jamie Oleksiak just set the market with a General manager Marc Bergevin said last week that he’ll have no five-year, $23-million deal signed with the Seattle Kraken. reservations about exceeding the cap by the 10 per-cent summer cushion permissible under the collective bargaining agreement. Savard is two years older, but still well positioned to earn almost as much. We believe the Canadiens, who signed Joel Edmundson to a four- He also said that, while he’ll be careful, he’s not concerned about signing year, $14 million contract a year ago, would likely be willing to do someone to a long-term contract to help fill the void Weber leaves — something similar with Savard. We think the cap hit might come in a bit even if the LTIR designation isn’t granted by the NHL. higher than Edmundson’s $3.5 million, which will inspire plenty of debate “We have money that’s coming off the cap the next few years,” Bergevin amongst Canadiens fans, some of whom will (justifiably) feel Savard’s said, “So that won’t be an issue.” acquisition is expensive and doesn’t address the lack of pure puck- moving ability on the Montreal blue line. The money coming off it right now emphasizes to what extent the GM has his work cut out for him to have the Canadiens competing at a level But the need for a reliable right-hander was there before Weber was that won’t make the run they just took to the Stanley Cup Final feel like a forced out by injury and Cale Fleury was taken by Seattle in the distant memory. expansion draft, and it’s the most pressing one the Canadiens have— even if they drafted Logan Mailloux and two other right-shot defencemen Shutdown centre Phillip Danault, who just completed a three-year deal this past weekend. worth $3.08 annually, is going to market. Linemate Tomas Tatar, who led the Canadiens in scoring for his first two seasons in Montreal before an Brandon Montour, a 27-year-old right-hander with offensive potential but inconsistent third season, is coming off a four-year, $21.2-million deal defensive issues, is an available option. As is Tyson Barrie, who could and looking for another payday elsewhere. And 28-year-old Joel Armia provide a massive boost to a power play that needs one, but likely at a just watched Barclay Goodrow — a player in a similar role who’s the cost that proves prohibitive. same age but slightly less productive — sign a six-year, $3.6-million And then there’s Tony DeAngelo, who’s been embroiled in persistent contract with the New York Rangers, and a contract like that likely prices controversy since he entered the NHL in 2016. Spats with coaches and him out of Montreal. teammates saw him parked on the sidelines for all but six games in 2021, Remaining Time -3:00 and his contract was just bought out by the New York Rangers.

What's the future for Ducharme & Danault with Canadiens? He’s a talented player who was reportedly of interest to the Canadiens at the trade deadline, but he also reportedly had no desire to play in If all three of them leave, the Canadiens won’t be able to replace them — Montreal at the time, which is why his acquisition wasn’t made. on top of signing a good right-handed defenceman or two — exclusively through free agency. We can’t strike the possibility of the Canadiens circling back — especially if no one else wants to sign DeAngelo —but our money is on a deal with Still, expect Bergevin to be aggressive on that front. Just as he will be in Savard. working the phones to make trades. We’ll see how much of their money is in it. That might be the more fruitful avenue, given what Bergevin acknowledged when he was asked by Sportsnet about selling the run to Gabriel Landeskog, 28, Left Wing. the 2021 Cup to offset concerns free agents might have about coming to Previous contract: Seven years, $39 million Canada, where COVID restrictions could prove drastically tighter than they will be in the United States as the pandemic rages on. Landeskog would help fill a need that was already quite pressing but is now significant with Tatar moving on. “That’s a fact, that’s reality,” Bergevin said. “Still today, we have restrictions. And it’s hard to tell how players feel about coming to Canada That Jonathan Drouin is returning at left wing after taking personal leave to do all this.” 44 games into the 2021 season will help, but the Canadiens hardly have enough insurance there if Drouin can’t find the consistency that’s proven Many have chosen not to throughout the years due to the pressure that so elusive for him throughout his seven-year NHL career. comes with playing in a Canadian city, the cold weather in the winter months and the high taxes versus other destinations where those things Landeskog would not only provide the Canadiens insurance at the aren’t issues. position, he’d instantly become their best player there — a top-line scorer who has honed his reputation as a hard-nosed, gritty player and A potential fourth wave of the pandemic only narrows that pool, making upstanding leader since being drafted second overall by the Colorado the task in front of Bergevin that much more challenging. Avalanche in 2011. That he’s also capable at centre and right wing We’re just a couple of days away from seeing how he handles it. makes him an even more appealing player to the Canadiens.

Salary cap space: $14M Whether or not the Stockholm native actually hits the market will depend on how much the Avalanche still value him. He’s their captain, and he Roster size: 16/23 completes one of the most dominant lines in hockey with Mikko Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon. Salary committed to forwards: $27.64M The Avs have a reasonable amount of cap space, but only 14 players Salary committed to defence: $23.85M signed, and Landeskog is looking for top dollar at max term. Salary committed to goalies: $13.87M It’s a price not too many teams will be able to pay, and some won’t necessarily want to — with the upper limit of the cap not budging off $81.5 million any time soon — but don’t count the Canadiens among them. We believe they’ll be quite interested.

As always, there is, however, a lot more that needs to fall into place for them to land Landeskog.

31 Thoughts: The Podcast

Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman talk to a lot of people around the hockey world, and then they tell listeners all about what they’ve heard and what they think about it.

A goaltender

We won’t pin down a specific target, as 36 goaltenders are impending unrestricted free agents, but it won’t surprise us if Bergevin looks for a value add at the position.

With Carey Price undergoing knee surgery last Friday, some insurance feels like a need. Even if Price’s recovery is expected to be 10-12 weeks — enabling him to start the season on time — Charlie Lindgren is being allowed to walk to free agency and only Cayden Primeau and restricted free agent Michael McNiven remain behind Price and Jake Allen. Adding someone a bit more seasoned on a short-term deal that could be flipped at any point is something we could see Bergevin doing.

Depth market

We believe Bergevin will dip his toes in here, as he has in all nine years he’s been GM of the Canadiens.

He’s already said he wants to re-sign 36-year-old Corey Perry, who also expressed an interest in returning to Montreal. Whether or not that gets done will depend on what offers come Perry’s way.

If a stronger contender comes calling, he’ll have to consider that.

The Canadiens will be looking for a player of his profile—and perhaps trying to find value in a depth centre to mitigate the loss of Danault, if they in fact lose Danault.

Bergevin said that Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Jake Evans are internal options that can help. Ryan Poehling is also coming along nicely in Laval.

But the GM might be compelled to take a run at 32-year-old Brandon Sutter, if he's willing to come to Montreal and play on a short-term deal.

Still, trade feels like a better avenue to obtain a centre—a younger but established one with more upside and versatility—just as it likely will be for more help on defence.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 07.27.2021 1218707 Websites Mikael Granlund, LW: A major reason the Maple Leafs are letting Zach Hyman seek his payday elsewhere is that Dubas trusts he can find a decent top-six left winger without going so deep in term or dollars.

Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs 2021 Free Agency Preview: Needs, targets, Toronto has had its eyes on Nashville’s Granlund, a spunky playmaker, issues for a while now.

It’s doubtful Dubas bothers with aggressive bidding for top-end left wings like Gabriel Landeskog and Brandon Saad. Instead, he’ll focus efforts on Luke FoxJuly 26, 2021, 10:27 AM the less expensive second tier.

Granlund is in that group. So are Mike Hoffman, Tomas Tatar, Foligno (rumoured to be considering Minnesota), Jaden Schwartz (eyeing Under president Brendan Shanahan and general manager Kyle Dubas, Seattle?), Mattias Janmark and super value buy Michael Bunting. the blueprint is clear as crystal -- and equally fragile. Lots of options at different price points here. We’re betting Dubas hunts Bank on the Core Four. Fill around the fringes by scouring for deals. for a bargain. The cheapest replacements for the Toronto Maple Leafs’ long list of likely Philip Danault, C: Danault signing one province to the left would be the departing UFAs -- Zach Hyman, Nick Foligno, Alex Galchenyuk, Joe ultimate heel turn, a glorious can’t-beat-him-sign-him move on the part of Thornton, Zach Bogosian, Frederik Andersen, etcetera -- would be from Dubas. It’s no secret the Leafs have been searching for a bona fide 3C within. And Dubas said Thursday that Rasmus Sandin, Nick Robertson since dealing away Nazem Kadri in 2019, and their lack of centre depth and Timothy Liljegren should be given more opportunity in 2021-22 to was exposed in May when John Tavares went down to injury. prove they can stick. (In a perfect world, is better suited to the wing. But this is a club that needs to contend now, and we see at least four Although, today, Dubas has Kerfoot and Ilya Mikheyev pencilled in as spots that require NHL-ready talent, starting from the crease out. third-liners.) Remaining Time -1:03 The formation of a pure checking line would free the Tavares and Any chance Maple Leafs can find a way to make Hyman work? Matthews units to focus more on offence and less on D-zone starts. That unit would need an anchor in the middle, and the ’21 final is an excellent “The needs of the group are fairly obvious to me and probably to people blueprint. Montreal had Danault; Tampa Bay rolled out Yanni Gourde. on the outside,” said Dubas, beginning with priority No. 1. The trouble here is Danault’s asking price, which will be more in line with “We need to find a competent partner for Jack Campbell and let them the cap hit of a 2C. The chances of the pizza-loving bilingual getting battle it out. Obviously, Jack had a great season. We have a lot of belief overpaid after a five-goal season are high. in Jack and look forward to him continuing to take steps next year. But we need to address that.” More likely, Toronto looks at the trade market or bargain veteran centres to plug this hole. UFAs Paul Stastny, Nick Bonino, Alexander In terms of a skilled left wing, a penalty-killing right-side D-man and Wenneberg, Derek Ryan and Tyler Bozak (triumphant return?) would be (hopefully) a third-line centre, Dubas should be aggressive in the second- pivots worth consideration. tier market. But with only a $9 million budget, Toronto might need to mix in a trade or two instead of going nuts on free agents. The fallback plan: Kerfoot and Pierre Engvall do the trick.

“We feel that depth on both forward and D is an area we need to address Ian Cole, D: There is a reluctance to give too much responsibility to in free agency, in order to give [our] young players some competition to Travis Dermott, so the Leafs will explore a third-pairing right-side make sure that if they are not ready, we have the requisite depth to help defender to replace UFA Zach Bogosian. out there. We will be active in that market as well,” Dubas said. Kill penalties. Block shots. Make the net front miserable. “We are going to have some opportunity up front, which I think appeals to “We will try to focus on a defenceman that perhaps brings a little bit more a lot of the players that are there. If free agency doesn’t bear fruit for us, power and presence in the way that Zach did. [Kristians] Rubins has that and we don’t think there is value, then we will look at the trade market a little bit as a prospect for us, but we are not flush with it,” Dubas said. heading into the season.” “We will look, in free agency and trade, to continue to address that.” Salary cap space: $9.36 million Stay-at-home Cole, 32, is a left shot comfortable playing the right side. Roster size: 17/23 Jason Demers, David Savard, Jordie Benn, Travis Hamonic and Bogosian himself are worth consideration -- but price will be an issue. Salary committed to forwards: $49.28 million “It all comes down to value. If we think something is of great value, it is Salary committed to defence: $20.02 million long-term, and the player is going to perform at the contract level or beyond all the way down to the back end of a long-term deal, there is no Salary committed to goalies: $1.65 million issue on our end,” Dubas said. Potential UFA targets “It is easy to look now and have question marks. Come September, when Linus Ullmark, G: Dubas says he has learned from a turbulent 2021 in camp opens, we will be in a different spot.” the crease, as Jack Campbell and Frederik Andersen took turns riding IR Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 07.27.2021 and the club needed four starters to survive 56 games.

“The lesson is that we have to go out and continually find somebody that can be a good partner [for Campbell] -- whether that is Fred returning or somebody else,” Dubas said. “It is making sure we are bolstered on that end to set the goalies up for success.”

With 13 back-to-backs and a jam-packed April on Toronto’s schedule, a strong tandem will be critical.

Andersen still believes he’s a No. 1 and will walk if another team makes him a suitable offer.

Of the remaining UFA goalies, we like the 27-year-old Ullmark best and believe he could take off playing behind a playoff team. Petr Mrazek, Antti Raanta and Jaroslav Halak are in the conversation.

There’s a chance Toronto instead goes the trade route to find Campbell’s partner, and Arizona’s Darcy Kuemper would be a fantastic choice. 1218708 Websites Age: 22 Position: Centre

2020-21 salary cap hit: $925,000 Sportsnet.ca / NHL's Top 15 RFAs of 2021: Latest rumours and reports Arbitration rights: No

Bargaining chips: 2019 Calder Trophy winner. Finished 16th in Hart Luke Fox voting in 2020. 66 points in each of his first two seasons. Plus-19 player. July 26, 2021, 11:00 PM Career 17.6 per cent shooter. No. 1 centre. Put up 21 points through 26 games in 2021, and it still feels like underachieving.

The latest: In late January, Pettersson switched agents, leaving Michael Yes, one could quibble about the ranking on this list, or the players left Deutsch at Eclipse Sports Management and joining teammate Hughes at just outside the cut. That’s because the quality of impending NHL CAA. Power brokers Pat Brisson and Barry will handle their extension restricted free agents this summer is deep. negotiations — and hold a great deal of leverage.

It’s a youth-driven league, folks. Barry told Rick Dhaliwal that the plan is to work on both deals together, like the twin monsters Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane signed in the We have first-line wingers and at least one franchise centreman who are summer of 2014. Unlike Hughes, Pettersson could theoretically ink an due for raises, but the amount of young top-pair defencemen and offer sheet. emerging goaltenders with No. 1 potential is staggering. Barry, you may recall, put the screws to Benning in securing lucrative Vancouver’s Jim Benning may be under the most pressure to negotiate contracts for Tyler Myers and Loui Eriksson in recent off-seasons. But long-term extensions with his RFAs and still has three in our top 10. they were UFAs, not RFAs. So many RFAs shining in their platform seasons and so many executives “The Canucks have cap issues. I don’t think we can do long-term deals wrestling with a flat salary cap has set the stage for several compelling for Petey and Quinn. We have started the dance; we are engaged in negotiations and trades heading into training camp. talks,” Barry told Donnie and Dhali. Cale Makar got paid in Colorado, Miro Heiskanen in Dallas, Brandon “We are exploring shorter term for Elias, five years and under. Quinn Carlo in Boston. longer.” Joel Eriksson Ek committed to Minnesota and Anthony Duclair to Florida. Sportsnet's Iain McIntyre estimates that somewhere in the ballpark of $14 Detroit's Steve Yzerman heisted Carolina for Alex Nedeljkovic and million in total AAV could get both stars under contract. One would have instantly inked him to a two-year bridge at $3 million per. to bet that means going the Auston Matthews–style, five-year route and keeping the door ajar for another windfall when the cap escalates. But these extensions are just the tip of the iceberg. Benning vowed to match any offer sheet on Pettersson during a Qualifying offers are due Monday. (The Oilers' Dominik Kahun and Jujhar Sportsnet radio interview in Vancouver on July 22. Khaira did not receive one.) A rehabbing Pettersson tweeted footage of him firing pucks on July 14, Here’s where things stand with the top 15 pending RFAs of 2021. an encouraging video for Canucks fans.

Quick Shifts: 'No-brainer' and most popular buyout candidates 3. Kirill Kaprizov

Luke Fox Age: 24

1. Quinn Hughes Position: Left wing

Age: 21 2020-21 salary cap hit: $925,000

Position: Defence Arbitration rights: Yes

2020-21 salary cap hit: $916,667 Bargaining chips: 2021 Calder champ. Blew up with 27 goals and 51 points in 55 games as an NHL rookie, while logging 18-plus minutes Arbitration rights: No nightly. Most points and goals by a rookie in Wild history. Instant star and Bargaining chips: 2020 Calder runner-up. Power-play quarterback. 97 fan favourite. Minnesota is desperate for young, exciting offensive talent. points through first 129 NHL games. Key building block in Vancouver. The latest: Wild insider Michael Russo of The Athletic reported in late Averages nearly 23 minutes per game. March that Kaprizov’s agent, Paul Theofanous, sat down with GM Bill The latest: Preliminary contract talks got underway between Benning and Guerin to kick off “a long conversation that will eventually lead to a new the two most important engines of the Canucks’ rebuild in early April. contract” for the most exciting young talent to pull on a Wild sweater since… who? Marian Gaborik? Hughes has been putting up gaudier numbers than recent RFA defencemen (Charile McAvoy, Zach Werenski, Mikhail Sergachev) and is Kaprizov’s status as a 10.2(c) RFA means he’s immune to an offer sheet. arguably more important to his franchise’s future. He can become a UFA as early as the 2024 off-season, so Guerin should be gunning for term here. Benning drew mild criticism for the in-season extensions he handed out to Demko and Tanner Pearson, essentially signing some smaller fish In polling execs and agents, Russo’s sources’ predictions on Kaprizov’s before dealing with the biggies. next contract range from a $6.5-million AAV on a two-year deal to a $9- million AAV for a lockup of six years plus. While some money is coming off the books — Brandon Sutter, Alex Edler — Vancouver is still overpaying on the back half of its lineup and dealing Kaprizov headlines a Minnesota RFA class that includes prized forward with Roberto Luongo’s cap recapture penalty. Kevin Fiala. (The club already took care of Ryan Hartman and Eriksson Ek before they hit RFA status.) Perhaps bridge is the only solution. The good news for panicky people in Van City: Hughes is classified as a 10.2(c) RFA, meaning he cannot sign Certainly, the twin buyouts of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter freed up cash an offer sheet. for this summer’s spending.

On June 15, agent J.P. Barry suggested to Donnie and Dhali on CHEK Kevin Weekes caused a stir on June 18 with his report that talks had that he is exploring a deal longer than five years for Hughes. gone cold and that Kaprizov was threatening to sign back in the KHL, yanking on his only leverage in this situation. Conversations continue.

2. Elias Pettersson Guerin said on July 13 that “dialogue is open” with Kaprisov’s camp and A two-year bridge deal could land in the range of $4 million ballpark. That that talks began around July 3. The GM cautioned the sides are still early AAV goes up if rookie GM Chris Drury wants to lock up the netminder. in the process. Thatcher Demko’s five-year deal in Vancouver at a $5-million AAV would 4. Brady Tkachuk be the ballpark to be considered on a longer deal.

Age: 21 6. Andrei Svechnikov

Position: Left wing Age: 21

2020-21 salary cap hit: $925,000 Position: Right wing

Arbitration rights: No 2020-21 salary cap hit: $925,000

Bargaining chips: Finished fifth in Calder votes in 2019. 125 points Arbitration rights: No through first 198 NHL games. Plays 18-plus minutes per night. Willing to fight Shea Weber. Hits hard and often. Beloved by teammates and fans. Bargaining chips: Second-overall pick. Big power forward (six-foot-two, His prime will align with Sens’ ascent. Captain material. 200 pounds) entering prime. Two 20-goal seasons before age 21. Power- play weapon. Skating a career-high 17-plus minutes. The latest: Tkachuk has expressed his love for playing in the nation's capital. He’s also revealed that his in-depth conversations with The latest: “I'm open,” Svechnikov said way back in August regarding re- management regarding a new contract have been limited. signing. "I think my agent is going to do that job, and I tell him I don't want to know anything (until) it's going to be done. So, he's going to tell “That’s a good question,” Tkachuk told reporters in January. “Where the me when it's going to be done, and I just don't want to worry about that." world’s at right now, we haven't really been talking about (my extension), and we don't know how the salary cap is going to look for the next couple Extension talks with Svechnikov reportedly quieted in February but of years. picked up after Carolina was eliminated in Round 2.

“I love being here. I love the crew, love the teammates and the staff, so Owner Tom Dundon is always looking for a deal, and it’s no coincidence definitely love it here. But we'll see how it unfolds.” the Canes’ last high-profile RFA, Sebastian Aho, signed the NHL’s most recent offer sheet. Or that Nedeljkovic left. GM Pierre Dorion has the cap room to commit and has shown a preference to go deep with RFAs he deems worthy of the core (see: Carolina also has decisions to make on top UFA defenceman Dougie Chabot, Colin White and Matt Murray). Hamilton, forward Warren Foegele, and a few other integral RFAs.

Tkachuk is absolutely worth the investment, so it’ll be fascinating to see “Mark Gandler, who represents Andrei, and I have had lots of talks over how he plays this out. Senators fans needn’t be reminded of past free the last six weeks,” Waddell said on July 24. agents who’ve departed for more money elsewhere. “We’ll get a deal done. I don’t think it’s going to happen before “We haven’t really started to talk yet,” Tkachuk told the Cam and Strick Wednesday. There’s no urgency from either side right now. We don’t podcast in June. “So, I’m going to give you the hockey answer and then start playing until September. These contracts for these type of players I’m going to give you the real answer. I will let my agent [Newport Sports’ will get done; they just take a long time to get done. Craig Oster] and Pierre figure it out. "Our talks have been very good about what length of a contract and right “I think it’s pretty cool going through this for the first time. Of course, it’s a around the amount, we have a little disagreement there, but we have a little stressful, and people say you shouldn’t think about it, but it’s your pretty good range of how things are going to fall. So we’re able to plan, life. regardless if we get him signed before now or next week. We can plan and know that he’s going to be part of our group moving forward.” “For it now to be kind of getting into the works this summer, it’s definitely going to be exciting, and I hear different stories about different 7. Patrik Laine negotiations and how they go. Being there with Matthew and with his Age: 23 negotiations [with the Calgary Flames], I’m just excited that it’s happened to me.” Position: Right wing

Elliotte Friedman suggested on July 12 that a three-year bridge might be 2020-21 salary cap hit: $6.75 million the route here: Arbitration rights: Yes 5. Igor Shesterkin Bargaining chips: Second-overall draft pick. Three-time 30-goal man. Age: 25 Capable of 44 goals and 70 points. Columbus already gave up prized centre Pierre-Luc Dubois to acquire him. Wrist shot concocted by Finnish Position: Goaltender gods.

2020-21 salary cap hit: $925,000 The latest: Had his production not fallen off a cliff, had his transition to his Arbitration rights: Yes new club not been so rock, Laine would be top-five on this list, easy.

Bargaining chips: Superior track record in KHL. 23-12-3 record and .921 A few highlight moments notwithstanding, this is hardly how GM Jarmo save percentage through first 47 NHL appearances. Seasoned, well- Kekalainen envisioned Laine’s migration to Ohio. Former coach John developed pro. Tagged as New York’s goalie of the future. Tortorella benched the star early, and as Laine struggles to find his groove and the Jackets struggle to find playmaking centres, the sniper’s The latest: In a deep summer for RFA starting netminders, we’ve placed 10 goals and 11 assists through 45 games in Columbus is a Shesterkin on this list because he’s emerging as the bona fide No. 1 disappointment. starter in a spotlight market. And his prime should align with the Rangers’ run back to Cup contender status. Shortly after the trade, Laine said he’d be open to a long-term extension in Columbus: “Hopefully that’s a spot where I’m enjoying life and enjoying Even with limited fans permitted into Madison Square Garden, “I-gor! I- playing hockey.” gor!” chants rang through the rink late season as the Russian stood on his head. Does Tortorella’s departure bode well for Laine’s chances of sticking?

“He’s been great all year. Obviously, he had a little bout with injuries. "I don't think it matters who is behind the bench. I still have to go out He’s always giving us a chance to win and makes key saves for us,” there and do what I do, and I couldn't do that this year. I'll do that next Norris winner Adam Fox said. year,” Laine vowed before flying home for the summer.

Shesterkin has taken the baton from Henrik Lundqvist and (at the risk of "I have enjoyed every minute I've been here. It was great to see the fans getting ahead of ourselves) has the makings of being New York’s in the stands… I love it here, and I want to stay here for sure." backbone in net for the next eight years. Kekalainen said that because the sniper is under team control, it is “self- Bargaining chips: 2017 Calder Cup champ. 2019 Red Wings rookie of explanatory” that he’ll be back in Columbus. the year. Team Czech staple who won Best Defenceman at 2019 worlds. Puck-moving, right-shot defenceman yet to reach his ceiling. Led team in "I am pretty sure that nobody is more disappointed in Patrik Laine's year points (26) and assists (24) this season. Logs 23:23 per game. Improved than Patrik himself," the GM said upon season’s end, noting that some discipline and defensively during platform year. players struggled with performing in a pandemic. "I think you have to give them a fresh start and a new opportunity to show what they can do in a The latest: Fantasy managers know: Hronek is that rare Red Wing worth normal year.” hanging onto, even during the mighty franchise’s patient rebuild.

If Laine forces his way out of another city, well, chalk up this blockbuster “A year from now, Filip Hronek’s up and we’ll extend his contract,” as a loss for Kekalainen — who traded away stud D-man Seth Jones at promised GM Steve Yzerman back in October, during an appearance on the draft. 97.1 The Ticket.

“If I’m Laine’s agent, I feel really, really good about my leverage in these As recently as the 2021 trade deadline, when he dealt away Mantha, talks, and yes I realize he isn’t playing well right now. Doesn’t matter,” Yzerman highlighted Hronek as a core member of a roster he’s slowly Jackets insider Aaron Portzline wrote in a recent mailbag at The Athletic. building back to prominence.

Laine now holds an arbitration hammer and could force a one-and-done. Detroit is flush with cap space, so Hronek should surface this summer with more term than any of his teammates. Yzerman was prudent in The winger is considering whether to sign his $7.5-million qualifying offer managing his internal cap in Tampa, so the bar he sets with Hronek will from Columbus that would make him the highest-paid player on the Blue be one worth watching. Jackets and give both sides more time to consider a longer commitment. 10. Conor Garland The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta reported on July 19 that Kekalaien also did his due diligence in gauging the trade market for Laine. Age: 25

“The Los Angeles Kings, Calgary Flames, Anaheim Ducks, Montreal Position: Right wing Canadiens and Philadelphia Flyers expressed interest in the past and could circle back again this month,” Pagnotta wrote. 2020-21 salary cap hit: $775,000

8. Pavel Buchnevich Arbitration rights: Yes

Age: 26 Bargaining chips: Back-to-back 30-point seasons. Career-high ice time. Steals pucks. Provides 5-on-5 offence on a team that needs all it can get. Position: Right wing Won 2021 world championship bronze with Team USA. You don’t trade for a stud forward and not wish to lock him up. 2020-21 salary cap hit: $3.25 million The latest: GM Bill Armstrong dealt Garland and captain Oliver Ekman- Arbitration rights: Yes Larsson in a blockbuster deal on July 23, taking on some bad-money Bargaining chips: His 20 goals and 48 points in 2021 puts him top-three contracts from Vancouver to gain draft picks. among all RFAs. Registered his third 40-point campaign. Skates nearly Garland wanted to remain a Coyote for life but felt disrespected by the 19 minutes a night, a career high. Following up a career year with a lack of negotiations leading up to the trade. career year. “Everybody knows what’s gone on here. We haven’t heard anything from The latest: So what if Buchnevich had a quietly impressive 2021 platform the team since maybe three days after the season ended when they season? asked for our offer. It’s been a while waiting for that. You just want to go The Rangers needed to save money and get grittier in their bottom six. where you’re wanted,” Garland said post-trade. Thus, GM Chris Drury traded a talented winger to St. Louis on Draft Day “I feel like I'm just starting. I've only played 160 games, and last year was for inexpensive energy guy Sammy Blais and a second-round pick. the first year that I've felt comfortable.”

Drury knows he has young right wings Kaapo Kakko and Vitali Kravtsov The Canucks are getting a motivated, underrated talent. coming. And entry-level deals are balm for cap issues. It’s now up to Benning to fit Garland’s extension into a puzzle that The Blues needed an offensive jolt, and Buchnevich can help provide it. includes bigger pieces like Hughes and Pettersson. Dumping Jay Beagle, Recent winger comparables Buchnevich could use on a longer deal Loui Eriksson and Antoine Roussel’s cap hits helps in that regard. include Anthony Mantha ($5.7 million AAV over four year) and Oliver 11. Juuse Saros Bjorkstrand ($5.4 million AAV over five years). Age: 26 Buchnevich’s co-agent, Todd Diamond, and Blues GM Doug Armstrong will talk extension this week. Position: Goaltender

“For Pavel, it’s difficult. All he knows is the New York Rangers and has 2020-21 salary cap hit: $1.5 million many close friends in that locker room. The Blues have a solid veteran core, and I am sure will make him feel welcome when he gets into town,” Arbitration rights: Yes Diamond told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Bargaining chips: World junior gold medallist. Natural successor to UFA Armstrong hopes to ink a multi-year contract done with the newest Blue. Pekka Rinne’s long run as Nashville’s No. 1 netminder. Career .920 goaltender coming off a personal-best 21-win, .927 season. Started all “I’ve enjoyed working with Todd in the past. He’s a straight shooter,” 2021 playoff games for the Predators and showed well. Armstrong said. The latest: GM David Poile said at his season-ending conference that he “The goal going in is to see if we can get something done now or in the and Saros’s representatives had yet to dive into negotiations, but with future on a long-term deal. At 26 years old, he’s a player that’s at a very Rinne retiring and Saros proving he can handle No. 1 duties, anything good age.” less than an juicy Juuse extension will be a shock.

9. Filip Hronek The question will be whether Nashville goes long-term (see: Matt Murray in Ottawa or Demko in Vancouver) or bridge (Tristan Jarry in Pittsburgh, Age: 23 Mackenzie Blackwood in New Jersey) with its RFA netminder.

Position: Defence 12. Andrew Copp

2020-21 salary cap hit: $714,166 Age: 27

Arbitration rights: No Position: Left wing / Centre 2020-21 salary cap hit: $2.28 million "You never want surgery, but I thought I was honestly going to be a little bit more immobile after," Bertuzzi told reporters in May. "I'm feeling really Arbitration rights: Yes good right now, so I'm happy I ended up doing it.

Bargaining chips: Breakout offensive season in which he scored 15 goals "Honestly, it was a really tough year and I'm looking to just put it past me and 39 points in 55 games. Only getting better with age. Not afraid to and get ready for next year." take the Jets to arbitration. Only one year away from unrestricted free agency. Valued teammate and two-way force versatile to play anywhere Bertuzzi, a net-front presence, vowed that his rehab won’t alter his hard- in middle six. Faceoff force. driving game.

The latest: Copp’s platform performance was timed perfectly, and with "It's just a slow process initially after surgery and gradually ramp things UFA status less than 12 months away, the player holds more leverage up," Yzerman said on locker cleanout day. "Tyler, as you know, is pretty than most RFAs. quiet. He doesn't say a lot. He is very upbeat and positive. We expect him to be full steam ahead in September." During Copp’s end-of-season press conference, he said he was open to all possibilities for his next contract. That AAV should climb north of $4 Bertuzzi is again speeding toward RFA status. Again, he is arbitration- million, regardless of term. eligible. How much can he command coming off a down year in which he played nine games and scored five goals? So valued is Copp that, even without a contract, he was protected by GM Kevin Cheveldayoff over Dylan DeMelo and Mason Appleton in the The Maple Leafs were reported to have interest in a trade for Bertuzzi, expansion draft. with Zach Hyman leaving for Edmonton — but Yzerman set a high price.

If the sides can’t strike a deal, Copp could be used as a weighty trade The GM since said publicly that he intends to make Bertuzzi part of the chip to help the Jets upgrade their D corps. Wings future, yet trade rumours lingered last week.

13. Rasmus Dahlin Fascinating case here.

Age: 21 More notable RFAs: Drake Batherson, Carter Hart, Jordan Kyrou, Ilya Sorokin, Neal Pionk, Jakub Vrana, Ilya Samsonov, Maxime Comtois, Position: Defence Travis Sanheim, Dante Fabbro, Kevin Fiala, Jake Bean, Kailer 2020-21 salary cap hit: $925,000 Yamamoto, Vince Dunn, Adin Hill, Nikita Zadorov, Sam Bennett, Artturi Lehkonen, Warren Foegele, Anthony Beauvillier, Adam Pelech, Andreas Arbitration rights: No Athanasiou, Adam Erne, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Casey Mittelstadt, Ross Colton Bargaining chips: First-overall draft pick in 2018. Calder Trophy finalist in 2019. Fifth defenceman in NHL history to record 30 points before age 19. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 07.27.2021 World junior silver medallist. Building block who wants to stay in Buffalo. 107 points in first 197 NHL games. Skates more than 21 minutes per night.

The latest: The Buffalo News reported on July 21 that contract negotiations are underway between Dahlin and GM Kevyn Adams, who has gained some leverage here after the D-man's disappointing minus-36 performance in 2021.

"Going through a year like this is not easy," Dahlin said. "the one thing I'll take with me is that it has been an experience that will make me a stronger person and better player and person."

Dahlin was encouraged when Don Granato took over the bench, saying he felt more trusted.

The safe play for both sides might be a bridge, but the Sabres don't have a single defenceman signed beyond 2022.

Could they lock up Dahlin long-term early in this rebuild of the rebuild and position his as their No. 1, the way Ottawa did with Thomas Chabot?

14. Tyler Bertuzzi

Age: 26

Position: Left wing / right wing

2020-21 salary cap hit: $3.5 million

Arbitration rights: Yes

Bargaining chips: 2017 Calder Cup champ with Grand Rapids. 2019 Team Canada silver medallist at IIHF worlds. Represented Detroit at 2020 NHL All-Star Game. First player in Red Wings history to record four consecutive three-point games. Back-to-back 21-goal, 47-point seasons in 2018-19 and 2019-20. Detroit needs all the top-line forwards it can get.

The latest: The skilled and bruising Bertuzzi went through arbitration in the 2020 off-season, settling with Yzerman on a one-year, $3.5-million pact, closer to the $3.15 million filed by the Wings than the $4.25 million Bertuzzi requested.

Hurt feelings sometimes linger from these cases, but Bertuzzi downplayed that, telling the Detroit Free Press there was "nothing personal at all."

Bertuzzi injured his back on Jan. 28 against Dallas, but a troubling recovery pushed him to seek a second opinion and he had an operation on April 30. 1218709 Websites seventh in scoring on the Jets in 2020-21 and his point totals have declined in each of the past four seasons, however he remains one of the top faceoff performers in the league. Put him in between two skilled wingers and play him 16-18 minutes per game and he can be a valuable Sportsnet.ca / Top five UFA centres: Canadiens' Danault to be popular addition. With career earnings just shy of $80 million and an annual cap target hit of at least $6.5 million since 2009-10, the 35-year-old might finally be due for a pay cut.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 07.27.2021 Mike Johnston

July 26, 2021, 11:43 AM

There aren’t any top-line centres set to hit the open market and join a new team, which is similar to last off-season.

There are, however, plenty of middle-six and depth centres for teams to sign when free agency officially opens on July 28.

Here are five notable centres ready to hit the open market.

Phillip Danault

The 28-year-old is coming off a three-year, $9.25-million contract with the Montreal Canadiens and should be in line for a relatively substantial raise from his $3.083-million 2020-21 salary cap hit.

Sportsnet’s Eric Engels recently reported it’s “highly unlikely” Danault will agree to a new deal with the team that acquired him from Chicago back in 2016 but Montreal GM Marc Bergevin said Thursday: “Until an agreement is signed with us or with somebody else, there’s hope that he’s back, but it’s too early to tell at this point.”

Danault, who has finished top-seven in Selke Trophy voting in each of the past three seasons, has a relatively low ceiling for offensive output yet would be an ideal third-line centre on a contending team.

David Krejci

The lifetime member of the Boston Bruins might’ve played his final game with the franchise that selected him in the second round of the 2004 NHL Draft. In fact, the 35-year-old has contemplated returning to his native Czech Republic for personal reasons and his NHL future is up in the air.

Bruins GM Don Sweeney told reporters Thursday he has been in touch with Krejci but that nothing has been decided and he is “going to respect all of his privacy and decisions at this point in time…and there’s no timeline to make decisions.”

If Krejci does return, be it in Boston or with a new team, he remains a productive centre who’s great in the faceoff circle and a proven playoff performer that posted a career-best 61.4 Corsi For percentage in 2020- 21.

Mikael Granlund

Granlund had 13 goals and 27 points in 51 games this past season while on a one-year, $3.75-million deal with the Nashville Predators. He should be a target for any team seeking some depth scoring and footspeed – that is, unless he ends up staying in Tennessee. He’s only 29 and at times in 2020-21 was Nashville’s best forward. Preds GM David Poile told reporters at a media availability he has had “some conversations” with both Granlund and fellow pending UFA Erik Haula.

“Nothing has been done there,” Poile said. “I think we’re going to be heading into next week just to see where we are, where they are, what other opportunities they have, what other opportunities we have. I think that’s about where we are.”

Alexander Wennberg

Wennberg notched a career-high 17 goals in a shortened season with the Florida Panthers after having the remainder of his previous contract bought out by the Columbus Blue Jackets. His possession metrics have declined in four years running and he is subpar when it comes to faceoffs, yet he’ll only be 27 at the start of next season and has a higher upside than most of the available centres. It would make sense for him to re-sign in South Florida although he would garner interest on the open market.

Paul Stastny

The Seattle Kraken passed on him in the expansion draft but another team could benefit by adding the veteran centre. Stastny finished 1218710 Websites Bruins GM Don Sweeney said in his pre-draft media availability he has “had great communication with Tuukka throughout the year and the end of the year and really just allowing the medical stuff to be at the forefront.” Sportsnet.ca / Top five UFA goalies: Will Grubauer stay with Avs or help new team? Rask went 15-5-2 with a .913 save percentage and 2.28 GAA in 2020-21 and performed admirably while battling through his hip injury in the playoffs, posting a 6-4 record, .919 save percentage and 2.36 GAA.

Mike Johnston Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 07.27.2021 July 26, 2021, 11:47 AM

We’ve already seen some goalie movement early this off-season and there's plenty more right around the corner.

Chris Driedger was signed and selected by the Seattle Kraken, Mike Smith re-upped with the Edmonton Oilers, while Steve Yzerman and his Detroit Red Wings acquired the promising Alex Nedeljkovic from the Carolina Hurricanes.

There aren’t necessarily any A-list netminders available this summer, but here are five that teams will be eyeing.

Philipp Grubauer

The German is the clear top netminder set to hit the open market after going 30-9-1 with the Colorado Avalanche this past season. Among goalies with at least 25 appearances, his .922 save percentage ranked sixth, his seven shutouts were tied for first and his 1.95 goals-against average was best in the entire league.

The 29-year-old is coming off a three-year, $10-million deal and should garner a relatively substantial raise from the $3.333-million annual salary cap hit. Grubauer finished third in Vezina Trophy voting behind Andrei Vasilevskiy and winner Marc-Andre Fleury.

Petr Mrazek

The 29-year-old’s 2020-21 campaign was marred with injuries, however he fared rather well when he did see action. Mrazek went 6-2-3 with a .923 save percentage, 2.06 GAA and three shutouts. He suited up for two playoff games against the eventual Cup winners, stopping 35 of 37 shots in an overtime win in one game then getting lit up for six goals in the other.

Mrazek has finished above .500 in all but one of his full seasons since 2014-15 but hasn’t started more than 40 games in a season in five years. He’s coming off a two-year deal he signed as a free agent in 2019 that saw him earn an AAV of $3.125 million and could be a cost-effective, high-upside addition.

Frederik Andersen

Andersen signed a five-year, $25-million deal with the Maple Leafs back in 2016 after being acquired from the Anaheim Ducks. In his five seasons with Toronto he posted a 149-74-36 record but 2020-21 was his worst statistical season, posting career lows in games played (24), wins (13), .895 save percentage and a career-high 2.96 GAA.

The 31-year-old dealt with lower-body injuries for much of the season, lost six of his last seven starts and was supplanted by Jack Campbell as the team’s starting netminder.

Jonathan Bernier

There weren’t many bright spots on the 19-27-10 Detroit Red Wings last season. Bernier was one of them, though. The 32-year-old went 9-11-1 with a .914 save percentage and a 2.99 GAA. Any team looking for an experienced 1B type goalie or a quality backup might be well served to give Bernier’s agent a call. Bernier hasn’t made more than $3 million per season since 2016-17 and would be a relatively inexpensive option for a franchise needing help between the pipes. His rights were traded to the Carolina Hurricanes with Alex Nedeljkovic going back the other way.

Tuukka Rask

Rask has injury concerns heading into next season (the start of his next season is expected to be delayed a few months) and how he responds to off-season hip surgery could determine the type of offer he gets from the Boston Bruins – or any other team for that matter. The 34-year-old has stated he doesn’t wish to play for another team. Each of his 560 NHL regular-season and 104 post-season games have been played in a Bruins uniform. 1218711 Websites season was particularly ugly. The offensive playmaking and distributing ability is there in spades; so too, unfortunately, was shoddy off-the-puck play.

TSN.CA / Proposing a blockbuster trade that would help the Leafs and What’s hard to tell is how much the Sabres acted as an anchor on Sabres Dahlin’s production versus how much Dahlin contributed to Buffalo’s struggles – though just 21 and clearly still developing, it cannot be discounted that Dahlin (who averaged nearly 22 minutes a night last season) was contributory on that front. By Travis Yost Those same regression-based Goals Above Replacement models still

like Dahlin, but his career-to-date has been much more muted: Lost in a flurry of trades last week was a subtle but important point: NHL There would be a lot more going into the framework of a trade involving front offices are trying to improve their rosters but are doing so under the two names as big as this. The Maple Leafs would get to work on Dahlin’s auspice of flat or slow salary cap growth for the foreseeable future. extension first, then might consider deploying the extra cap space on a It’s is a rather unique wrinkle for a league that, by and large, has seen top-nine winger – be it through the trade market or free agency. the salary cap increase year over year by about 4.5 per cent. In a hard- For the Sabres – well, a lot of work would have to go into building up the cap league that doesn’t allow for overruns and luxury tax payments, that blueline. Having recently traded Rasmus Ristolainen and his expiring sort of cap growth is critical for big-market teams that spend aggressively deal to Philadelphia, the current defensive corps is thin – only Colin each off-season. Miller, Robert Hagg, and Jacob Bryson are rostered next season, with Much of the focus in this realm has fixated on the two-time Stanley Cup Henri Jokiharju still an unsigned restricted free agent. champion Tampa Bay Lightning, an organization that has been operating This is where the framework of a trade can expand. Perhaps the Sabres on razor-thin margins against the cap ceiling for some time. (Some take a look at another younger player like Leafs defenceman Travis believe they have been increasingly creative in how they’ve managed Dermott, who suddenly becomes a bit more expendable with Dahlin in a that.) trade. The Toronto Maple Leafs are another big-market team that’s been dealt You could sit and build theoretical trades for hours, but the reality is the a difficult blow through slowed revenues and the associated flat cap. foundational part of it – the Maple Leafs adding a big name to their Toronto has about $9-million in cap space, but the roster is still blueline while clearing the space needed to build out the rest of the incomplete – the goaltending position behind Jack Campbell is bare and roster; the Sabres adding an elite (and locked in) offensive talent who will wipe away some of that room. It’s a big issue for a Maple Leafs should dovetail with their rebuild – makes some degree of sense. And, organization that’s under increased scrutiny due to repeated postseason remember: the Sabres hedge on the downside risk here, acquiring a failures. proven commodity and sending off a player whose true talent is still To that end, general manager Kyle Dubas’ recent comments were unclear. impossible to ignore – he believes in the core of this roster, but the Trades of his size are few and far between, but sometime the stars align. approaching season surely has a “Last Dance” feel to it. And with so many teams trying to improve against a salary cap Based on Dubas’ comments, I don’t expect much from the Maple Leafs headwind, more players will invariably be on the move. this off-season beyond tinkering at the periphery and bringing in another TSN.CA LOADED: 07.27.2021 goaltender. But it is interesting to consider how the Maple Leafs could be opportunistic here.

One of the biggest challenges they have right now is a top-heavy roster on the cap front – not an issue for teams winning through their stars, but again, that hasn’t been the case in Toronto. Although Auston Matthews appears worth every penny, players like Mitch Marner ($10.9-million AAV) continue to be evaluated.

Top-pairing defenceman Morgan Rielly’s contract is another issue. The deal expires at the end of next season and he is looking at a raise, one he probably can’t get in Toronto, which would put another hole in the blueline.

Down the Queen Elizabeth Way, the Buffalo Sabres are heading towards another rebuild. The Sabres recently moved forward Sam Reinhart to Florida and have been persistent about trading Jack Eichel, though progress there has stagnated.

Also of note: the Sabres have $37-million in cap space and are in dire need of more talent throughout the lineup. Their core performance has, by and large, been a disaster.

So, hear me out for one moment: The Sabres have a pressing need for young talent and hold endless cap space – space that is only going to increase if an Eichel trade ever materializes, or whatever ends up happening with high-priced winger Jeff Skinner and his contract.

Enter Marner – a game-breaking 24-year-old offensive talent coming off a 67-point season (20 goals and 47 assists) in just 55 games played. Marner is signed through 2024-25 and doesn’t have any trade restrictions or movement clauses until 2023, both of which are enticing for a team like Buffalo.

A three-year retrospective (courtesy Evolving Hockey; total production measured via Goals Above Replacement) shows Marner as a bona fide first-line talent:

Even on an expensive deal, few teams have the assets to trade for a player like Marner. That’s where Sabres defenceman Rasmus Dahlin comes into play. The former first-overall pick (2018) has shown signs of brilliance in Buffalo, but it’s been rather inconsistent, and the 2020-21