Update on the NHL UFA market, plus the latest on Kevin Shattenkirk, Jared Cowen, Leon Draisaitl, Brandon Sutter and more.
Highlights from Friedman’s latest “30 Thoughts.”
Note: My comments are italicized.
Free agents like Cody Franson could be waiting until September for NHL new contracts.
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman speculates several useful NHL UFAs (“Brad Boyes, Christian Ehrhoff, Eric Fehr, Tomas Fleischmann, Cody Franson, Curtis Glencross, Jim Slater, Lee Stempniak and Scottie Upshall”) could be forced to wait until training camp to get signed to new contracts. He believes the limited depth in this summer’s UFA pool, a tightening salary cap and expensive new contracts for RFAs like Dougie Hamilton, Brandon Saad and Vladimir Tarasenko are to blame. Friedman also speculates NHL GMs could be saving their cap space for next summer, when the UFA pool will be deeper.
The number of notable UFA signings have slowed considerably in recent days. The last significant signing occurred a week ago, when the San Jose Sharks signed Joel Ward to a three-year, $9.75 million deal. Unless the remainder are willing to considerably lower their asking prices, they could indeed be waiting until training camp in September to get new contracts.
If UFA defenseman Johnny Oduya is unable to return with the Chicago Blackhawks, the Buffalo Sabres and Dallas Stars could have interest.
Potential moves involving Blackhawks wingers Patrick Sharp and Bryan Bickell may have stalled over what else GM Stan Bowman might have to include in the deal.
Rival clubs understand the Blackhawks need to shed salary, so they’re going to try and squeeze Bowman to include a good young player or high draft pick in any deal involving Sharp and Bickell. It could take until late-September before either guy gets dealt.
Once the Washington Capitals re-sign Braden Holtby and Marcus Johansson, Friedman expects they could try adding another forward.
That’ll depend upon how much cap space they’ve got left after re-signing those two.
St. Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong believes trade rumors regarding defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk were media creations. Shattenkirk sees no reason to doubt Armstrong. Friedman thinks teams made inquiries about the defenseman because of the perception the Blues wanted to shake things up.
Shattenkirk won’t be dealt this summer, and I believe they want to keep him long term after his contract expires in two years time. However, their cap space could create difficulties re-signing him. Don’t be surprised if the Shattenkirk trade rumors resurface next summer.
The Montreal Canadiens were in on a few things (Matt Beleskey, Shawn Matthias, perhaps T.J. Oshie), but GM Marc Bergevin was leery of bidding too much. He’s also got a couple of promising young players (Daniel Carr, Sven Andrighetto) that he must determine if they’re NHL ready.
I think the acquisition of Zack Kassian could be Bergevin’s only significant offseason addition.
Pittsburgh Penguins GM Jim Rutherford isn’t planning on moving center Brandon Sutter.
Ottawa Senators GM Bryan Murray doesn’t want to give up on young defenseman Jared Cowen.
A team making inquiries about Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draitsaitl was rebuffed. The Oilers could shift him to the wing.
I don’t expect the Oilers to trade Draisaitl. They’ll evaluate his performance as a winger next season, provided he cracks the roster.
There’s speculation the Oilers could buy out the final season of defenseman Nikita Nikitin’s contract following the arbitration period. Friedman notes the Oilers aren’t hurting for cap space, suggesting it makes more sense to let Nikitin play out that final year.
The new contract for Calgary Flames’ defenseman Dougie Hamilton (six years, $34.5 million) could affect the Anaheim Ducks efforts to re-sign Hampus Lindholm next summer.
I am still have a feelimg that the Leafs are going to move someome out and then sign Franson….and I am not sure I like it.
I hope the Leafs don’t sign Franson either
The Leafs seemed to be wise to Franson’s declining mobility into the deadline last season and moved him early if I recall correctly. I would be surprised if they bring him back as that would require term and faith that he isn’t slowing down in a game speeding up. He also doesn’t fit the concept of a rebuild.
Yep, no point signing him now.
They should look to Dion, Polak, Gardiner and Reilly being the top four with Percy stepping in if needed.
Time to play the young guys like Loov, Granberg and Finn to fill out the top 6 along w/ Robidas
Not sure the may not be moving on from Granberg…I wasnt really impressed, now with resigning Marinicin Brennan Harrington they sem to maybe looking at a different directon, Iagree Percy Loov and guys like Valiev and Finn are still worth a look but Granberg mobility issues and not really a great or even good passer, (now with ankle problems) has really fallen off
Share your sentiments on Granberg, disappointing. I thought this would be a bounce back year for him, pity about the injury.
The returning group:
Phaneuf
Rielly
Gardiner
Polak
Robidas (if you want to count him)
The potential new adds:
Hunwick
Harrington
Marincin
Percy (looked good before he got injured)
+ maybe Granberg if/after he heals up
I think you rotate around these guys depending on who performs. Loov to me needs another year before he even gets a call up.
Brennan you simply don’t call up. Ditto Finn, Valiev.
Ya I keep forgetting about Hunwick…not that its great by any stretch of the imagination but the D corps actually looks a bit deeper and better than it has in sometime. No Kostkas Rangers Holzers Gleason’s Frasers oByrnes McWilliams or Aulies
Why dont you call up/use Brennan ? He has earned his shot and was the AHLs best D man just a few years ago.
Phaneuf/Reily
Polak/Gardiner
Robidas/Hunwick
Maricin/Brennan
going with 6 D a night you rotate everyone in and out as seen fit except Phaneuf and Reily. I see Robidas as out more then in.
I like Harrington but he needs to develop slow , not thrown to the Wolves like they usually do to their D. Granberg, Percy Finn etc. are not ready.
Hockey Guru, Brennan was atrocious down the stretch for the Leafs when they gave him the shot that he had ‘earned’ with his years of service in the AHL (for the Leafs and others) and the games didn’t matter.
He’s an excellent AHL offensive Dman, like you say, and racked up a lot of points QB’ing the PP. However, he’s mediocre defensively at the AHL level.
In order for him to succeed in the NHL, he’d have to be used in an offense-only role and be given PP time and he’s just not at the level to do that. To be a bottom pair D at the NHl, he would need stronger defensive skills.
Dan
everyone was bad for the leafs down the stretch ! I say give him a chance.
Tbh In the preseason Of see how he does with Phaneuf… and how Gardiner and Rielly do with more minutes could be an idea if they shelter Brenan and Phaneuf a bit and give them lots of pp time could actually be good…only if Rielly and Gardiner take a step but that’s more of how phaneuf should be used imo going forward not backwards and playing with a guy who can set things up.
I like it if that someone is Robidas
Ya I suppose if they could dump Robidas…lol but Tbh Id pay a chimpanzee a million bucks to play D before Id take Robidas for 3…Thanks Dave!
Ha ha ha…..great mental image there…. 🙂
I see Phaneuf, Reilly, Gardner,Polak,Hunwick, Marancin, Brennan and Robidas. I think Robidas stays, they can rotate him in and out with Brennan and Marancin. They like him as a mentor. He is also the only D with a No Trade clause, and no one is chasing after him, so keep him to teach the younger guys.
I can see them trading Robidas at the dealine, as he will be a UFA after this season. Too bad though, love that guy.
oops meant Polak!
SJS if they don’t resign Irwin.
I’m surprised that the habs are one and done this offseason. I for one thought they would be looking for scoring depth. Wonder how much Glencross would want if the Habs pick him up for a third line role? Would he accept third liner money?
If not they can look at options like Stempniak, Boyes or even Fehr if he can switch to wing.
Fehr was a wing before the Caps moved him to center
I dont know wht Fehr hasnt been signed.
Pittsburgh ? 1- 1.5 one yr or 1.75 2 yr ?
LA ?
I don’t think Fehr or Glencross are fits with Montreal. Both are, in truth, bottom six guys, and Glencross has been declining for a couple years. The Habs have a jam packed bottom six. Sure, these guys might be a marginal improvement over what the Habs have, but they might not. I think the cap space is probably more important to the Habs at this point. Plus, leaving a couple spots open will allow the habs to graduate a player or two from St. Johns.
The Habs will wait and evaluate if young players like Scherback,McCarron, Hudon and Adrighetto can produce offensively in the nhl this year. If they’re not ready, Bergevin will trade during the season. He will find a better deal by trading than with the actual free agents. I doubt Plekanec will end the last season of his contract in Montreal. Plekanec or Desharnais are gone if Galcheynuk can do the job at center this year.
Well there goes all My Shattenkirk to Ottawa fun. lol Thanks Lyle.
Seems things are settling down. Leading up to this summer there was a lot of talk of huge fire sales and big changes due to the cap crunch. It didn’t seem that dramatic to me. I know Chicago still has to move a a guy or two but does anyone else? Teams like Toronto are attempting a rebuild. Nothing unusual seems to have happened this year in regards to the stuttering cap. The usual Stanley cup Champs and Contenders struggle to balance the cap with success and the bottom feeders attempt to bulk up while a few mid level bubble teams decide to tear it down.
If anything it appears the stagnant cap has hindered much movement not bolstered it.
I kinda was hoping for more fireworks.
Maybe gor signing but trades? This summer actually had some big trades Kessel Oshie Lucic Saad Rinehart Lack Niemmi Hagelin ROR Hamilton….it was probably the most trade action with players that actually played important roles on their teams in some time…not just a bunch of plugs moving around…I totally disagree the cap crunch actually helped stimulate some pretty big deals instead of GMs just buying up UFAs….
Perhaps you right but years past there has been valuable player movement as well. From my team alone we lost Alfy, Picked up Ryan the next year we lost Spezza. Year before all that we traded away Foligno and fisher during that brief retool.
Seems no different this year to me. Now it is Toronto’s turn to move out players. The same old issues plague the top teams who have to move bodies to adjust under the Cap. This is the first year Chicago moved people out. Pittsburgh normally picks up quite a bit. They went and traded for kessel.
The Isle and Caps last year made big splashed in the D free-agency.
Some how I guess with all the hype of the cap crunch I expected more. Perhaps it doesn’t feel much different than previous years as my expectations were increased.
I meant to type this “isn’t” the first year Chicago had to move out players.
Hopefully not but they did kick tires on him earlier.you can’t have two guys that are slowing down playing big minutes in dion and franzen.i just hope they can get rid of Bozak with out eating money.
I think they can move Bozak without eating money. The bigger question might be the asking price. Bozak’s role on another team will likely be much different than it was in Toronto, so it’s difficult to put a price on a player who may or may not perform well as a 2nd/3rd line center. It might have to be a scenario where the Leafs ask for conditional draft picks in return (ie if Bozak scores more than 20 goals, the Leafs get a 2nd pick, if not, they get a 3rd)
I could see the Sharks letting Irwin go & then they go out & sign somebody else.
Bruins sign Irwin smart move great price.
Agree good signing
Still think Hamilton needs to be replaced either Oduya or Ehrhoff would help.
Would like to see Ryder signed to a low salary with bonus incentives nice third line player.
Unless Kassian somehow gets his act together not sure that MB shouldnt be maybe thinking of away to find some more offense, if Price dosent stand on hs head its awfully tough for a team that doesnt score much to win.
Habs need some help on Left Wing, and there is nothing special in the UFA market. Looks like they will have to bring up a rookie or make a trade, but what would they give up?
The Leafs could make Lupul available for a conditional (on GP) return and a dump. He is at least a 0.5 ppg LW when healthy
He would also be satisfied by the night life in Montreal so would be okay with the move I’m sure.
I still expect to see Cam Fowler’s name come up in trade rumors sometime soon. I think Fowler has hit his ceiling, what you see is what you get. Ducks have some other young defenseman who are comparable, maybe a little better.
Fowler could become a nice little trading chip.
Kassian was projected as a 3rd line player coming out of juniors. He is, what we thought he would be.
Of course Rutherford doesn’t want to trade Sutter, after all instead of picking up assets and picks he likes to trade all them away then let players walk away at the end of their contracts instead of getting anything back to try and build in the future. By the time this useless old timer kicks he’s going to leave the penguins in ruins worst then Rutherford himself. It’s going to take the penguins decades to recover. Rome has move of a fighting chance of preserving there city with the acid rain then the pens do with Rutherford’s cannonball actions.
Montreal will get P Sharp somehow for round picks.
Than will trade 2 players for picks for cap space.
Tony!
My favourite, astute Habs prognosticator!
fyi Sharp is in Dallas.
Why won’t they listen, the fools???
Try again, maybe you’ll be third time lucky.
For me, the Habs dodge another bullet, this time a 33 year old, overpaid for what he now brings, former-sniper in decline.
Sharp went to Dallas for Daley and garbutt! A lot of people on here were saying they would get a lot more!
simply put with as many names that where out there and who was on the trade market, it was a buyers market. Plus everyone knew Chicago one way or another needed to make cap space. At least they moved who they chosen to move and not had to move another they didn’t
Franson doesn’t fit the Leafs plan by any stretch. Too old to be part of the rebuild in the long term, he would just take ice time away from Reilly, Gardiner and others in the short term. Na gunna happen.
4th Hanson bro I hope you realize fowler is only 23 years old. And hasn’t had a actual top 4 dman to play along side how whole career. I expect fowler to take the next step this season playing with despres and add to his playoff performance
To the Bozak comment above I believe they can move him as well. On a lot of teams he is a decent 2nd line center and on strong team he would be good 3rd line center for playoff runs. I believe they he could pull a B level prospect or 2nd round pick they may need to take a contract back that has one or 2 years left. As for retaining money I don’t think they leafs can, teams are only allowed to retain 2 contracts and they have Gunnerson’s and now Kessel’s.