NHL Headlines – July 3, 2016

Check out the latest collection of notable free-agent signings in your NHL headlines

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Any notable NHL free-agent signings will be posted here throughout the day.

Jason Demers signs with the Florida Panthers.

MIAMI HERALD: The Florida Panthers made the biggest of Saturday’s (July 2) signings, inking defenseman Jason Demers to a five-year, $22.5 million contract. They also re-signed center Vincent Trocheck to a six-year deal worth $4.75 million AAV.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Both are reasonable deals for the Panthers. Demers will replace the departed Dimitry Kulikov and his annual salary-cap hit ($4.5 million) is only slightly more than the $4.33 million they would’ve owed Kulikov this season.

Trocheck, 22, enjoyed a breakout performance in 2015-16 with 25 goals and 53 points to move into the second-line center spot. If he continues to average those numbers over the course of his new contract, it’ll be a worthwhile signing for the Panthers.

NEWSDAY: Winger P-A Parenteau is returning to the New York Islanders, signing a one-year, $1.25 million contract. He played two seasons with the Isles from 2010 to 2012, which were also his best statistically, netting 53 and 67 points respectively.

TORONTO SUN: Defenseman Roman Polak is coming back to Toronto, inking a one-year deal with the Maple Leafs. Financial terms weren’t disclosed.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens signed left winger Chris Terry and defenceman Philip Samuelsson to one-year, two-way contracts.

THE WASHINGTON POST: The Capitals signed center Brad Malone to a one-year, two-way deal.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: The Sabres acquired goaltender Anders Nilsson from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2017 NHL Draft.

ARIZONA SPORTS: Right wing Shane Doan remains confident of re-signing with the Coyotes.

THE VANCOUVER SUN: Dave Cameron, Doug Jarvis, Keith Acton, Nolan Baumgartner and Dave Lowry are the top-five candidates for the Canucks’ vacant assistant-coaching job.

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks believes signing bonuses and second contracts could be among the hot-button issues that point to another NHL lockout, perhaps as early as 2020.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The NHL can trigger the early termination of the current CBA (due to expire in September 2022) on Sept. 1, 2019, meaning a lockout could take place following the end of the 2019-20 season. While I’m hoping that doesn’t happen, I’ve already started saving up for my lockout fund.

3 Comments

bvizzle on July 3, 2016 at 11:10 am

there is absolutely no justification for another lockout. not in 2020. not ever.

Striker on July 3, 2016 at 12:55 pm

Really. we don’t have operating revenue yet for 2015-16 & won’t for several months but in 2014-15 8 teams lost money, Flo; 20.2 mil, NYI; 14, Car; 11.7, Ar; 4.5, Col; 3.7, TB;1.4 & they went to the cup final & Anh; .8. Tyhe next 8 barely made money. Revenue for most teams will be down in 2015-16 due to the Canadian Dollar having a great impact on revenue for that full calendar year. The new Canadian TV contract will off set some of those losses but not all.

The top 3 teams; MTL, NYR & Tor, in the NHL account for the vast majority over 65% of NHL revernue. Combined they make more than the next 10 combined, gthe remainder barely break even or lose money.

This is a flawed business model & can’t be perpetuated. There may not be a lock out but the NHL is going to want the revenue split between themselves & the players altered. it currently sits at a 50?50 split but that’s not working. Thankfully the NHLPA will demand that revenue sharing again be addressed.

Do you think the NHLPA is just going to accept this with out with holding services or the NHL isn’t going to lock the players out again to get improvements?

You have more faith than I.

Rocky on July 3, 2016 at 11:56 am

I think I’ll enjoy this season, see if my Sharks can make a good shot at the cup, then f*** it. I’m tired of hearing about millionaires and billionaires squabble over the big bucks while the rest of rest barely make ends meet. It’s not like the old days when the boys drove beer trucks for the summer because they too were in the same boat as the rest of us. I still think hockey is the best sport in the world, but the NHL is not for the common man anymore. it’s too corporate, like the rest of the sports world.

bvizzle on July 3, 2016 at 11:10 am

there is absolutely no justification for another lockout. not in 2020. not ever.
- Striker on July 3, 2016 at 12:55 pm
  
  Really. we don’t have operating revenue yet for 2015-16 & won’t for several months but in 2014-15 8 teams lost money, Flo; 20.2 mil, NYI; 14, Car; 11.7, Ar; 4.5, Col; 3.7, TB;1.4 & they went to the cup final & Anh; .8. Tyhe next 8 barely made money. Revenue for most teams will be down in 2015-16 due to the Canadian Dollar having a great impact on revenue for that full calendar year. The new Canadian TV contract will off set some of those losses but not all.
  
  The top 3 teams; MTL, NYR & Tor, in the NHL account for the vast majority over 65% of NHL revernue. Combined they make more than the next 10 combined, gthe remainder barely break even or lose money.
  
  This is a flawed business model & can’t be perpetuated. There may not be a lock out but the NHL is going to want the revenue split between themselves & the players altered. it currently sits at a 50?50 split but that’s not working. Thankfully the NHLPA will demand that revenue sharing again be addressed.
  
  Do you think the NHLPA is just going to accept this with out with holding services or the NHL isn’t going to lock the players out again to get improvements?
  
  You have more faith than I.
Rocky on July 3, 2016 at 11:56 am

I think I’ll enjoy this season, see if my Sharks can make a good shot at the cup, then f*** it. I’m tired of hearing about millionaires and billionaires squabble over the big bucks while the rest of rest barely make ends meet. It’s not like the old days when the boys drove beer trucks for the summer because they too were in the same boat as the rest of us. I still think hockey is the best sport in the world, but the NHL is not for the common man anymore. it’s too corporate, like the rest of the sports world.