Players who could earn big raises this summer, and more speculation over Mike Hoffman’s future with the Ottawa Senators.
Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly could get a big raise this summer.
ESPN.COM: Craig Custance recently listed Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Seth Jones, Anaheim Ducks blueliners Sami Vatanen, Chicago Blackhawks left wing Andrew Ladd, Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly, Nashville Predators forward Filip Forsberg, Colorado Avalanche blueliner Tyson Barrie and Winnipeg Jets rearguard Jacob Trouba as seven NHL players in line for big raises after this season.
Custance reports a source denied Vatanen was seeking a six-year, $6 million per season contract. Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman is interested in re-signing the recently re-acquired Ladd to a long-term deal.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: All but Ladd are restricted free agents this summer. Of these, Vatanen and Barrie have arbitration rights this summer, while Jones, Rielly, Forsberg and Trouba are coming out of entry-level contracts.
For the Blackhawks to re-sign Ladd long term, they must shed considerable salary to make room for his $6 million per season asking price. With $65 million invested in 15 players for next season, I don’t see how the Blackhawks can pull that off.
Vatanen’s going to get a big raise over his current $1.262 million salary. If $6 million seems too pricey, I can certainly see him getting over $5 million annually on a long-term deal. If the Ducks won’t pay it, there are other clubs that will happily do so. His arbitration rights gives him the hammer in contract talks.
Barrie ($2.6 million) will almost certainly get $6 million annually from the Avs. They cannot afford to lose their best puck-moving defenseman. With Erik Johnson about to earn $6 million annually starting next season, Barrie will seek the same.
Of those coming out of entry-level deals, Trouba could be the only one to get a short-term bridge deal, as his development seemed to stall this season. The others (Jones, Rielly and Forsberg) will all get lucrative long-term deals.Yes, even Rielly, as he’s clearly the Leafs best defenseman. GM Lou Lamoreillo is a tough negotiator, but Rielly’s clearly earned it and should be properly rewarded.
The threat of an offer sheet could also affect the negotiations of the pending RFAs, particularly those playing on teams with limited cap space or unwilling to spend toward the cap ceiling. Columbus, Nashville and Winnipeg fall into that category.
TSN: Ian Mendes recently reported on the ongoing tense relationship between Ottawa Senators head coach Dave Cameron and winger Mike Hoffman, and the potential effect it could have upon the latter’s contract negotiations this summer. Hoffman, 26, was awarded a one-year, $2 million contract after the club took him to arbitration last summer. This year, it’s the winger who has arbitration rights, plus he’s only a year away from UFA status. While Hoffman’s led the Senators in goals the last two seasons, Mendes notes his production tends to decline over the course of a season. He also points out the Senators face either re-signing Hoffman to a long-term extension or trading him this summer.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It sounds like Hoffman’s performance down the stretch will determine the Senators decision. So far, it’s not looking good, as he’s been held scoreless in his last six games and has only three points since Feb. 13. I get the impression the Senators will try to trade him this summer, perhaps in late-June leading up to the NHL Draft in Buffalo.
Lou can be tough, Lou can also be a head scratcher when it comes to contracts just ask Kovalchuk and Zajac…hopefully Rielly is closer to a Larrson (done by the guy who replaced Lou) contract than the former. Long term 5 and under would be swell.
And while Rielly maybe the best offensive D man the Leafs have pretty tough argument there to say that Gardiner isnt the all around better D at this point.
Shticky, Rielly at a few days older than 22 is already better than Gardiner at 25, going on 26 in a few months. Babcock has Rielly playing an average of nearly three minutes more per night than Gardiner. In fact, the gap in usage between the two has been growing over the course of the season.
Gardiner better than Reilly??? Wow, sorry couldn’t resist commenting on that one. Gardiner has supreme athletic talent but will he ever figure out how to play defense. Who do you think other teams would covet more, it’s not even remotely close.
if they win the lottery Matthews is the guy after that they need to draft big physical dmen the cupboards are pretty bare moving forward
Bigbear, Matthews is a good size but he’s no Ryan Getzlaf. Obviously if they go 1st overall they would take him, but I’d rather see them swap that pick to Arizona for a package around Strome and their pick.
Then I’d like to see that pick and/or the PIT pick plus other picks nab a pair of the 5 or 6 blue liners that are clustered in and around that 7-10 slot.
Hopefully, we get one or two of those top D prospects out of this draft and then one of them works out as a top four partner for Rielly or Gardiner if he doesn’t get traded or Zaitsev.
Andrew Neilsen also figures to be in that mix. I know you won’t like this, but he’s putting up Ivan Provorov numbers in the WHL at the same age – 67 pts/66 gp to Provorov’s 65 pts/57 gp.
They would covet Rielly more nased on future upside and contract status, but right this moment Gardiner is the better D, funny mentioning Gardiners defemsive issues and ignorimg Riellys, Yes Dan I realize that Rielly usage is growing what I also noticeos with that growing usage is his shot supression is gettimg worse and alot of hos defensive short comimgs are becoming more noticeable. Again he os younger and thos could improve but for the moment Gardiner is the better all around D. There is literally no comparision in any adv stat or eye tests for that matter that says that Relly is better defensively than Gardiner for the extra 3 minutes that Rielly is on the ice there are a tonne more shot attampts against the Leafs, tthe majority of those are on his side of the ice the Leafs give up far more goals when Rielly is on the ice compared to Gardiner you can point to minutes amd usage all you want its just not that big of a difference in relation to the results… Gardiner at thos poimt in time is better (much better) than Rielly defensively and isnt all that much
behind him offensivly
dan… Matthews would not get strome and the yotes pick that’s just too much. as far as nielson im not talking about points im saying a big shutdown defense first guy
shticky your right defensively reilly has a long way to go but he is young and like I said before babcock and staff will be working with him a lot
Hey Dan I know you seem to kinda have mentioned some of this kimda stuff before so not sure if you have ever heard of it but here is a link to a spot where you have the ability to compare players head to head based on thier analytics and some other stuff you can mess around hero or warrior charts kinda cool check it out.
http://ownthepuck.blogspot.ca/
Shticky-Nice website link. First thing that pops up is a button to “Donate”. If any fan needs advanced stats that badly-I feel for them. No Thanks
Wasnt really trying to twist anyones arm, or was particularly speaking to you scott so….lol there is no adds on the guys site and he puts alot of work into it, just allows you to compare players it doesnt produce the stats and its free. Alot of media and others are using it and without licensing it the guy who made it (@mimicohero) is trying to get something for the service, you dont have to donate to use it.
Shticky, thanks for the link. I will check that out.
I saw your stats argument on Gardiner the other day – it was well researched and there’s no denying the stats.
I just can’t come around based on what I see to Gardiner being defensively sound.
There may be something in these stats that makes offensive oriented Dman appear defensively sound. I don’t know, just seems that way.
Bigbear, have you seen Nielsen play? Has anyone here? I haven’t, it’s just pretty striking the numbers he has out up.
you have to remember those numbers are from the whl a far far step from the nhl and yes I saw him play for lethbride definitely didn’t stand out but it was one game
Senator’s decisions this winter baffle me. Turris should have been shut down 2 months ago. Mike Richards( 30) was a free pick-up that should have been pursued. Then Jiri Sekac ( 23) was waived and a decent free pick-up. Then they sign Gomez who hasn’t done a thing. Ryan and Hoffman are underperforming given skill levels. I’m living in Massachusetts now, and see Boston working hard and making a couple of decent trades. I think Brian Murray is not up to the job any longer in Ottawa, and emotionally I am still a fan of that team.
all the criticism is deserved. The team did little to improve their plight this season and that little they did amounted to little or nothing.
the sens need defense in a bad way!!! if they are moving Hoffman it should before a dman maybe zibanjed could get a good return? last in shots against and goals against is terrible
I think it is more than the Defenseman as an issue for the team. I think the over all team D is horrible. They need better defensive minded forwards as well. Perhaps a better system.
A budget cap team has it rough. Can add the Ducks to the list of budget teams. Murray does ok but prolly a lil shake up is needed this offseason.
You got that right Steve. It’s time for Murray to move out (and please take Dorion and Lee with him). We can also only hope that Melnyk finally sees the futility of trying to run a franchise with mediocrities at the helm. Hoffman is as good as gone regardless of what he does “down the stretch” because, after last night’s pathetic display in Florida there isn’t any “st retch” left. The Leafs will embarrass them tomorrow night in Ottawa. Watch. Also out the door should be Chiasson, Wiercioch, Anderson, Zibanejad and Lazar. And although it would make it an even half-dozen coaches fired over the past 9 years, Cameron should also walk with a new clutch of coaches brought in by whoever gets the GM job.
You’ll get at least 1 of your wishes George. Weircioch won’the be resigned & I’m with you on Chiasson unfortunately he is a Cameron favorite for what ever reason.
Anderson isn’the going any where; fits Ottawa’s salary needs,& Zibanejad; 22, & Lazar; 21, are just kids still years from being the players they will be. They aren’the going any where.
On a side note potentially losing Hoffman would be bad for Ottawa’s future fortunes. He may be older but by NHL experience he still has years of growth potential.
I’ve grown tired of waiting for Zibanejad to “develop” – he has some of the tools necessary like size and speed but, to quote Brian Burke on Ryan, doesn’t know how to spell “intensity.” Best deal him now while he still has some potential value. Lazar is a water-flea who always looks “busy” on the ice, but never seems to accomplish anything. Both should bring back a new look if nothing else. They might not be “going anywhere” under the current regime, but if some of us get our wish and that regime changes, all bets are off.
I kinda agree with your opinion on Zabinijad George, but to me he seems like the guy who teams trade then he wakes up realizes what he needs to td and makes trades look suddenly lopsided. As you mentioned all the tools….Lazar on the other hand I totally agree he seems like he is everywhere but then after the game or play eaves you thinking did he actually do anything?
Ottawa’s biggest issue is their cheap owner, I think in this cap era teams are operating in, you almost have to spend to the cap to be competitive. Couldn’t imagine the success Chicago would have missed if they operated under an internal cap, you gotta spend to make the team better. Unless you have a bunch of elite level rookies on elcs not spending to the cap handicaps your team significantly, expecially when most teams are spending to the cap.
Anaheim has the 24th lowest payroll in the NHL, Nashville 26th, NYI 21st, Florida 20th, Dallas 16th. There goes that theory.
Believe it or not some teams actually want to try & make money & not bleed into the red. Ottawa will never spend to the ceiling. Simply don’t have the means especially with the Canadian dollar hovering around 75 cents. Then you have the opposite. Vancouver sits 5th & Toronto 8th essentially spend to the cap & using LTIR to stay cap compliant. It’s not how much money you spend but how you spend your money.
Ottawa’s problems aren’t cap related specifically but management, coaching, & player issues. This is really a very young team. A significant portion of the top 9 are just kids & aren’t any where hear fully developed. They also have little depth that’s NHL ready to cover for injuries & the D to start the year was terrible & Phaneuf helps but they need a solid #5 & 6.
I disagree striker, after Anaheim signs vatanen and lindholm, where wil that put their payroll, powerhouse teams like Washington Chicago Pittsburgh LA spend to the cap in order to hyave elite teams, Nashville, florida and the islanders I would say do not have elite rosters and therefore cant really compete with the big boys when it counts. yes there are some teams who spend a crap ton, but theya re no where near relevant like vancover, more due to inept management then anything. And I agree that you need to spend wisly but you also have to spend in the first place, none of the teams you mentioned besides the Ducks have success recently in the NHL under a cap system. Not sure 3-4 examples of low spending teams makes my point irrelevant….
Mike,
What makes you think Anaheim is going to sign both Lindholm and Vatanen this off season? The way it’s shaping up inking both defenseman would likely cost the Ducks around $10m per year (for the pair)… I would say the obvious one would be Lindholm but Anaheim has another highly touted prospect in Theodore as well. I assume the Ducks will sign Lindholm but I’m not entirely sure they will with Vatanen. I feel they’ll try and move him in the off season.
Chi, Pit, LA spend to the cap as they have a multitude of veteran superstars, that demand big money contracts.
Anaheim will move Vatanen, he’ll be someone else’s cap issue. He’ll be replaced by as effective player at a fraction of the cost in Theodore. Andersen will also be moved. Person, Stewart & Mcginn won’t be retained as UFA’s & again younger cheaper players will replace them full time.
The players coming to replace Vatanen & Andersen will be solid young players on their ELC’s making having nominal cap hits & futures, draft picks.
To better GM at managing the cap.
Well George it very much looks like Dorion is the next GM.
Ottawa wasn’t well structured to have success this season. A mediocre defense coupled with the loss of MacArthur for all but 4 games to date, Michalek for an extended period of time & Cameron’s personal decisions have Ottawa on the outside looking in.
Getting Phaneuf helps solidify a decent top 4 now but I have no faith in Cameron getting this group into the playoffs. If not for Hammond & Stone both playing incredibly hockey over last season’s final 1/4 last season Ottawa wouldn’t have made it last season. It masked the problems to some extent that we’re seeing now.
The Blackhawks resigning Ladd? There may be a chance but that chance is quite slim IMO, especially if Ladd is seeking a longterm contract around $6m per… which is similar to Eriksson and the situation that will likely unfold in Boston unless Eriksson comes down on term.
I can see a team paying $5m per or around that longterm for Vatanen but $6m+ per… is he in that discussion of defenseman at this point in his career? I had mentioned yesterday in the rumors thread that Sami Vatanen I’m not particularly sold on, he’s a great puck mover, produces offensively as a defenseman… very small though. I compared him to Torey Krug, now I know some Anaheim fans and Vatanen supporters might go off on the deep end over that comparison but they are quite similar. Both players are 24, roughly the same height and weight, production is quite comparable as well… both players have been a 0.5 point per game player to this point in their career. The upside to Vatanen may be higher than Krug, although Krug’s first couple of seasons were quite impressive from an offensive defenseman standpoint… I think Vatanen’s build ultimately limits him as a #1 or #2 defenseman. Lindholm and Trouba are more along the lines of what I’d be looking at if I’m going to be spending $6m+ per and to add as a key component in my defense. Vatanen would be a great addition to many teams but like I said, he’s comparable to Torey Krug and Krug went undrafted… Vatanen was a 4th round pick. Players of that physique who posses offensive skill typically do well in terms of production. Just not 100% sold on the player, great player but I hope the Bruins don’t prepare an offer sheet or give away some huge package of assets for him. No thank you.
Hometown discounts don’t happen too much these days, but I see Ladd giving the Hawks the HTD to stay in Chicago. Just a feeling I have.
I also still have a feeling that the Kings are going to move one of their d-men this summer to free up $$$ for Lucic. “Luc” is a natural with the Kings.
How bout a big hand for the Carolina Hurricanes for being the in hunt for a playoff spot? Guess they don’t miss Eric Staal, not one bid. Honorable mention to the Flyers for being right there too.
Yes there is optimism with the flyer fan base. A surprise playoff push-and a cupboard full of prospects. Kinda nice reading the prospects edition of the THN-and having 4 flyers among the top 51 rated prospects.
Kudos to Mr Hextall!
Now the Flyers have to try something new – resist the temptation to grossly overpay players that are on the back sides of their careers. Don’t pay players for past performance.
Agree-Under Holmgren Eric Stall would be a flyer for the next 6 year.
With Ghost and Provorov in the line up next year, Sanheim in Leigh Valley, and Morin pushing for a spot-they have the potential to have an exciting young D for years to come. Having watched provorov numerous times this year-he has the potential to be a drew doughty type.
Still cap issues though. A couple more years of problems i figure. I see less n less options or teams to move out bad contracts to. So i say teams r stuck with bad contracts running tgeir course unless BO’s happen.
@gordie-Only 2 real bad contracts. Umberger has 1 year left-so he will be bot out. Andrew Mcdonald-$5M for a bottom pairing-that is unmoveable
How the heck did Holmgren do all that damage, then get a promotion?
Stan Bowman was probably asked the question and politely answered, “Sure, we would like to resign Andrew Ladd.”
He is the master Capologist of all the GMs, but I really can’t see how that could happen, unless they plan on Panarin’s walking in the near future to find the pot of goal elsewhere, and that seems a stretch too, since there is such chemisty on his line…
Just not sure Ladd is going to find the money he thinks on July 1. Alotta teams have cap issues + flat cap.
Bill,
Not sure I entirely agree that he’s the master Capologist… he does a great job managing the team he has under the cap, however, he hovers very close to that cap ceiling and I somehow feel that’ll eventually come to fruition in terms of negative effects for the team. The team has seen core players leave in recent years due to the inability to sign… they organization does a great job at drafting but if they keep hitting on these young players eventually they’ll all need to be paid and I think the team will see a decline. They’re in that prime window now but this isn’t going to last indefinitely, Chicago’s time will come.
We say that every year tho it seems since he took over…by time it finally happens the hawks could have 3 cups and been probably the best team of the past decade….the Hawks have been in cap trouble since Tallon left yet they keep finding ways.
Agreed, they have managed to continually operate under the cap ceiling and still stay competitive. Their drafting has been good as well, which I think has helped. Eventually though players want to be paid, after someone has won a cup most players turn to the $$$ aspect.