NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 10, 2021
New deals for Igor Shesterkin and Carter Hart top yesterday’s notable contract signings and the contract standoff between Kirill Kaprizov and the Wild intensifies. Details on these and other stories in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.
NEW YORK POST: The Rangers signed goaltender Igor Shesterkin to a four-year contract worth just over $5.66 million annually. It’s the largest second NHL contract signed by a goaltender.
New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a reasonable deal for both sides. The Rangers kept Shesterkin’s annual cap hit under $6 million and the 25-year-old goaltender qualifies for UFA status in four years times. He’s shown considerable promise as an elite netminder in his brief NHL career. This contract will look quite affordable if he reaches his full potential.
NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: The Flyers signed goalie Carter Hart to a three-year contract worth an annual average value of $3.95 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hart might’ve earned himself a deal comparable to Shesterkin’s had it not been for his struggles last season. That worked in favor of the Flyers, inking the 23-year-old to a cost-effective bridge contract. He’ll be in line for a considerable raise in three years’ time if he regains his promising form from 2019-20.
WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: The Capitals re-signed netminder Ilya Samsonov to a one-year, $2 million contract.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Like Hart, Samsonov’s inconsistent performance last season hurt his efforts for a more lucrative deal. The 24-year-old also displayed some immaturity by testing positive twice for COVID-19 and getting scratched for disciplinary reasons late in the season for missing a team function.
DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli reports Kirill Kaprizov has a tentative agreement with KHL club CSKA Moscow for a one-year deal worth 8 figures in US dollars if a new deal with the Minnesota Wild doesn’t materialize.
The Wild initially sought a seven- or eight-year deal for the Calder Trophy winner. They’re willing to discuss a medium-range deal but the Kaprizov camp claims no offer has been made since April.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: An interesting development in the contract standoff between Kaprizov and the Wild. I’ll have more in today’s Rumor Mill update.
MLIVE.COM: The Detroit Red Wings and Jakub Vrana are reportedly far apart in contract negotiations as his Wednesday arbitration hearing approaches. Acquired from the Capitals at last season’s trade deadline, the 25-year-old winger seeks $5.7 million annually while the Red Wings are offering $3.65 million. He’s completing a two-year contract valued at $3.35 million per season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The two sides could agree to something around $4.4 million before tomorrow’s arbitration hearing.
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Anaheim Ducks signed Max Comtois, Max Jones and Joshua Mahura to new contracts. Comtois got a two-year, $4.075 million deal, Jones agreed to a three-year, $3.885 million contract, and Mahura a two-year, $1.5 million deal.
SPORTSNET: The New Jersey Devils re-signed winger Janne Kuokkanen to a two-year, $3.65 million contract.
TSN: The Tampa Bay Lightning inked forward Ross Colton to a two-year deal worth $1.125 million annually.
THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks signed defenseman Olli Juolevi to a one-year, $750K extension.
CALGARY SUN: The Flames signed blueliner Oliver Kylington to a one-year, two-way deal worth $750K at the NHL level.
TAMPA BAY TIMES: Tampa Bay Lightning bench boss Jon Cooper was named head coach of Canada’s Men’s Olympic hockey team for the 2022 Beijing Games in February. His assistant coaches will be the New York Islanders’ Barry Trotz, the Vegas Golden Knights’ Peter DeBoer and the Boston Bruins’ Bruce Cassidy.
NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: Former Blackhawks center and current radio analyst Troy Murray has been diagnosed with cancer. He intends to continue calling games while battling this disease.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Murray for a speedy and full recovery.
TRIBLIVE.COM: After 46 seasons in the broadcast booth, Mike Lange has called his last game for the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 73-year-old is stepping down from play-by-play duties, though he’ll continue to provide commentary and voiceover work for the club’s radio network.
Famous for his colorful style and signature catchphrases, Lange has been scaling back his broadcasting duties since 2017. In 2001, he received the Foster Hewitt Award for broadcasting from the Hockey Hall of Fame.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Listening to Penguins’ games will never be the same. Best wishes to Lange in his retirement.
You didn’t need to watch Mike Lange games – all you needed was a radio.
I essentially only listened to pens games when he called them in recent years cause I knew the end was coming.
A bittersweet day for pens fans.
No more Mike Lange? Well scratch my back with a hacksaw!
“Frank Seravalli reports Kirill Kaprizov has a tentative agreement with KHL club CSKA Moscow for a one-year deal worth 8 figures in US dollars if a new deal with the Minnesota Wild doesn’t materialize.”
The KHL has a $13 million salary cap, how are they supposed to pay him 8 figures which is minimum $10 million?????
Given the number of large contracts and the need to fill rosters with low cost bargains there should be quite a few players plucked off waivers this year
Hi HF30
You took the words right out of my mouth…. $10 M+ …..in the KHL…. In 2021…..W T F ??
Maybe the 8 figures are in rubles.
Maybe the eight figures includes the final two, after the period.
Everything’s possible in Russia…
FabianLysell…is on his way to Boston….a scouting report I found if it turns out to be correct it will be fun watching him grow ….
name has a nice ring to it
projects as a possible first-line winger in the NHL. His advanced defensive game and the fact that he has already been playing against men mean that he may be NHL ready quickly. However, he likely needs to spend at least one more season in Sweden, getting stronger and producing offence in the SHL. He should also be an important part of the Swedish team at next year’s World Junior Championships. Lysell’s game is reminiscent of Mitch Marner. This is a stylistic comparison only though, not one based on skill and potential.
He signed his 3 year entry level contract. He shant be playing in Sweden this year.
My guess for natural progress would be something like:
25 games of AHL hockey. World Juniors appearance. Back to Providence, or an NHL debut.
“Elvis has just left the building”
“Heeeeeeeeeee shoots and scores”
“Slap me silly Sidney”
“Smiling like a butcher’s dog”
“Scratch my back with a hacksaw”
“Beats him like a rented mule”
Good on ya Mike…. Happy retirement
Cooper, Trotz, DeBoer, Cassidy….👍👍👍🇨🇦👍🇨🇦👍🇨🇦👍🇨🇦👍👍👍
For those of you who never heard Mike Lange call an nhl game you really missed out on something unique … yes, I am biased because I had the pleasure of listening to him for 45 years but he was simply one of the best ever …
and will somebody please tell me what Max Jones has done to earn nearly 4 million a year for the next three years?????????
Ed: the $3.885 million is the entire contract, not per season.
The Vancouver Canucks signed defenseman Olli Juolevi to a one-year, $750K extension.
Plan the parade route