The deadline for
Club-Elected Salary Arbitration notification is July 6, 2008 at 5 p.m.
ET. Hearings will be held in Toronto from
July 20 to August 4, 2008."
More significant is the fact that these players are now ineligible to receive offer sheets from rival teams.
The Florida Panthers needed to address a lack of offensive
depth after trading away Olli Jokinen nearly two weeks ago.
GM Jacques Martin appears to have found that replacement by
signing veteran left winger Cory Stillman to a three-year, $10.6 million
contract.
Stillman has proven to be a reliable 50-60 point man in
recent years, including an 80-point performance in 2003-04, yet he hasn’t been
able to stick with one team for long, as the Panthers will be his fifth team
since 2002-03.
He’ll help fill that gap but they’ll still need to bring in
a first line center or else elevate Stephen Weiss and bring in a second line
center.
Avalanche GM Francois Giguere said he wouldn’t be making any
big splashes in this summer’s UFA market but wasted little time bringing in
some affordable grit and experience in Darcy Tucker, signing the former Leafs
to a two-year, $4. 5 million contract.
The Toronto Maple Leafs bought out Tucker’s contract last
week and there were concerns that in his mid-thirties age and injuries might be
catching up to him.
Still, Tucker is only two years removed from a 28 goal, 61
point season and if he can stay healthy and bounce back could be a valuable
addition to the Avalanche.
NHL general managers may be gearing up for the noon ET commencement of the annual unrestricted free agent spending frenzy but some are also taking care of a few re-signings.
-The Anaheim Ducks reportedly are close to re-signing restricted free agent Corey Perry to a multi-year deal similar to that signed by teammate Ryan Getzlaf last season (which was worth over $5 million per season) but due to salary cap issues apparently cannot officially announce the deal until after noon on July 1st.
No one should be surprised by this news. After losing Dustin Penner to an offer sheet from the Edmonton Oilers last summer there was no way Ducks GM Brian Burke would risk losing Perry to an offer sheet from another rival team this summer.
-The Buffalo Sabres have been busy, re-signing forward Paul Gaustad to a four-year contract worth $2.3 million per season against their cap, and opening contract talks with goaltender Ryan Miller, who’s eligible for UFA status next July.
After losing players to the UFA market over the last three seasons Sabres management have shifted gears and now hope to get Miller re-signed this summer (maybe on July 1st?) and intend on opening contract talks with Jason Pominville (another player eligible for UFA status next summer) very soon.
-The defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings are still trying to keep defenseman Brad Stuart off the UFA market with last-minute contract talks but they did successfully lock up blueliner Andreas Lilja to a two-year deal worth an affordable $1.25 million per season.
-It remains to be seen if the San Jose Sharks can retain impending UFA blueliner Brian Campbell but they did ensure that they’d a physical presence on the roster by re-signing enforcer Jody Shelley to a two-year contract.
-The Florida Panthers raised some eyebrows today by re-signing forward Rostislav Olesz to a six-year contract extension worth $3.15 million per season.
That’s a lot of coin to invest in an injury-prone young forward whose best season was a 30-point performance in 2006-07, but the Panthers are obviously investing in potential here, expecting Olesz to blossom into the scoring star he’s been projected to be.
For their sake that potential had better pan out, otherwise they’ll have an unmoveable contract on their hands.
Sorry for the absence, folks, I took a day off on Friday and
my wife and I are spending some time with my son before he heads out for basic
training with the Naval Reserve on Sunday.
Lots of activity leading up to July 1st as teams
scramble to lock up their RFA players and cut loose some cap space via waivers
and buyouts. Here’s the most significant as of today (June 28):
The Tampa Bay Lightning acquired the rights of forwards Ryan
Malone and Gary Roberts from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a fourth
round pick in 2009. Should the Bolts re-sign Malone prior to July 1st
the pick is upgraded to a third rounder.
It’s a bold move by the new Lightning ownership to gain an
inside track on signing one or both, but if it doesn’t work out all it costs
them is a mid-round pick next season, one that could be easily replaced by trade
between now and next year’s draft if required.
If it does pan out and they manage to sign one or both it’s
a small price to pay.
The Philadelphia Flyers as expected re-signed forward Jeff
Carter to a three-year, $15 million contract extension, and no, this isn’t a “sign
and trade” on their part.
This signing pushes the Flyers payroll to over $51 million
next season so if they’re still looking at landing a quality puckmoving
blueliner via free agency they’ll still have to find a way to free up more cap
space.
The Anaheim Ducks bought out the remaining season of Todd
Bertuzzi’s contract in a move designed to free up cap space to re-sign key free
agents like Corey Perry but they might still need to move another player,
possibly Mathieu Schneider, now that Scott Niedermayer has decided to return
with the Ducks to play out the final season of his contract.
As expected the Calgary Flames announced the re-signing of
impending UFA center Daymond Langkow to a four-year, $20 million contract, but
also re-upped Craig Conroy to a two-year, $2.1 million contract and retained
forward Eric Nystrom and goaltender Curtis McElhinney to one-way contracts,
suggesting the latter two have locked up roster spots for next season.
A solid playoff performance by Loui Eriksson likely cemented
a new two-year contract extension worth $3.2 million ($1.5 million for next
season and $1.7 million for 2009-10), who also had 31 points in 69 NHL games last season.
A Campbell was re-signed but it wasn’t the Sharks’ Brian,
but rather Gregory Campbell of the Florida Panthers to a two-year contract
believed worth more than the $525K per season he earned in his previous
contract.
The Panthers also bought out the final season of forward
Jozef Stumpel’s contract while the NY Islanders have bought out the remaining
season of Shawn Bates’ contract and the Columbus Blue Jackets did the same with
Duvie Westcott.
Nothing like a $6 million jump in the salary cap to spur
some teams into using the buyout option. Last season only one player of note,
the Islanders Alexei Yashin, was bought out; this season, nearly a dozen,
although two, David Tanabe and Dan Cloutier, intend to fight the buyout by
insisting they’re not medically cleared yet to play next season.
The Florida Panthers have announced placing center Jozef
Stumpel on waivers in what could be a prelude to buying out the remainder of
his contract.
Stumpel has one year at $2.25 million remaining on his
current contract. He’d been a consistent 50-point player throughout this decade
but last season struggled with injury posting his lowest offensive totals in a
decade.
It’s possible he could play overseas next season but he
might test this summer’s NHL UFA market where he could be an affordable depth.
The Vancouver Canucks have claimed center Kyle Wellwood off
waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Not a bad move by the Canucks as this is an affordable way
to bring some depth at center. Wellwood has the potential to be a second line
scorer but the injury prone center must improve his conditioning to reach that
potential.
The Ottawa Senators have parted ways with tough guy Brian
McGratton, shipping him to the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for a fifth round
pick in 2009.
McGratton’s presence should make teams in the Western
Conference think twice about taking liberties against the Coyotes best players.
He’s a restricted free agent but the Coyotes shouldn’t have too much trouble
getting one of the league’s best brawlers under contract.
Former NY Islanders goaltender Wade Dubieliewicz has
reportedly signed a two-year contract with AK-Bars Kazan of the newly formed
Kontinental Hockey League.
Dubielewicz rejected a contract offer from the Islanders and
was eligible for UFA status in July.
After two years of baseless speculation, the Florida
Panthers finally traded away team captain Olli Jokinen, but not to the teams he
was often linked to in trade rumors.
Instead of landing in Calgary, Minnesota or Vancouver
Jokinen was shipped to the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for defensemen Nick
Boynton and Keith Ballard and the second round pick (49th overall).
Panthers GM Jacques Martin wanted to bolster his defense
corps and Boynton and Ballard should help in that regard, but this move also
significantly depletes the Panthers offensive production. Panthers fans
probably won’t be happy about this return.
Boynton was once a highly touted blueliner with the Boston
Bruins but injury and contract squabble diminished his status, so much so that it was rumored throughout last season the Coyotes tried unsuccessfully to move
him.
Ballard however has far more potential, a 25-year-old blueliner
who can play a physical style but also contribute offensively. His offensive
production has steadily dropped in his first three seasons but his defensive
game has improved.
If that 49th overall pick should blossom into a
star player down the road this deal could work more in the Panthers favor. Having
bolstered his defense (possibly in hopes of enticing RFA Jay Bouwmeester into
re-signing a long-term deal), Martin will be hard pressed to replace the gaping
hole at center.
Coyotes fans have to be thrilled about this move, as they’d
now got a bona fide first line center for winger Shane Doan’s line, giving the
Coyotes considerably more offensive punch than they’ve had in recent years.
Losing Ballard and Boynton bites into their defensive depth,
but with Ed Jovanovski, Derek Morris and Zbynek Michalek already on their blueline and young Keith
Yandle making the team at mid-season it might not hurt them too badly.
The chance to increase the offensive firepower was obviously
too good to pass up, and they’ll have Jokinen on the payroll for the next
seasons, which could give him the opportunity on a more promising team to
finally play on a post-season team.
In the short term, rank this deal a winner for the Coyotes.
Florida Panthers general manager Jacques Martin made the first of his off-season signings on Monday, re-signing forwards Wade Belak and Kamil Kreps to two-year contract extensions. Belak's deal will be $1.3 million over two years whilst Kreps will receive $1.365 million over two years.
Belak, a tough, physical player who can play both forward and defense, was acquired by the Panthers from the Toronto Maple Leafs at this year’s trade deadline for an eighth round draft pick.
Drafted by the Quebec Nordiques 12th overall in the 1994 Entry Draft, Belak’s bounced from Colorado and Calgary, with various stops with their minor league affiliates before finding a home in Toronto, where he played the last six and a half seasons primarily in the role of enforcer.
As personable as he is tough, the 32-year-old Belak has lasted nearly 10 NHL seasons due to his pugilistic abilities and positive attitude. He also proved to be a decent depth player as well as a fan favorite with the Maple Leafs, which should carry over in Florida.
Kreps, 23, played his first full NHL campaign with the Panthers in 2007-08, posting 25 points in 76 games, finishing the season on the Panthers top line.
While that was in part due to Richard Zednik’s last season neck injury it should in no way detract from Kreps’ performance and improvement this season, which earned positive reviews from Martin and thus his new contract.
It remains to be seen if Kreps will return to the Panthers first line next season but he could easily fit in as a second or third line player. Given his age he still has plenty of time to further his development and solidify a hold on a roster spot.
It’s been said that the best hockey of an NHL season isn’t truly seen until the playoffs, but in my humble opinion the race for the playoffs in the final month of the regular season can bring about excitement every bit as worthwhile as a playoff game.
This season is no exception, as once again several teams are battling to clinch the final two playoff berths in each conference, and every remaining game in this season for those teams carries the same importance as a post-season contest.
In the Eastern Conference, seventh and eighth overall are very much up for grabs, with the Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers desperately clinging to those two berths, with the Buffalo Sabres, Florida Panthers and Washington Capitals breathing down their collective necks.
As of this writing, only five points separate seventh-place Boston from 11th place Florida, with the Flyers, Capitals and Sabres sandwiched between them.
Looking at the standings as of March 19th, the Bruins have 83 points, the Flyers 82, the Capitals 80, Sabres 79 and Panthers 78.
Of these five team, the Capitals and Panthers have been red-hot, both clubs winning seven of their last ten games, which doesn’t bode well for the struggling Bruins (3-4-3), Flyers (4-3-3) and Sabres (4-4-2). If the Caps and Panthers can keep up their torrid pace they could end up playoff bound.
The race isn’t quite so close in the Western Conference, as a four-point gap separates the eighth overall Colorado Avalanche from the 9th overall Nashville Predators and the Avs also enjoy a five point gap over the 10th overall Edmonton Oilers.
As of March 19th the Avalanche had the same number of points (84) as the sixth overall Vancouver Canucks and seventh overall Calgary Flames. These three clubs appear to control their destiny over their final handful of games.
Still, these three clubs cannot afford a letdown. The Predators may be struggling (4-6-0 in their last ten games) but they’re not out of the hunt yet, and with 8 games remaining still have enough time to claw their way into a berth of the Avs, Flames or Canucks stumble.
The Oilers also cannot be completely counted out, having gone on a remarkable 8-2-0 streak in their last ten games and with 8 games remaining they too have enough time to catch those ahead of them if they falter.
Wouldn’t it be great if it came down to a final game of the season for one of these teams, as it did last year for the NY Islanders?
The Isles blew a two-goal lead in their final game of the 2007 season against the New Jersey Devils but won it in a shootout thanks to a savvy poke-check by Islanders backup goalie Wade Dubielewicz, clinching the last playoff berth in the East in a thrilling contest.
Consider this battle for the final playoff spots a primer for the upcoming 2008 Stanley Cup Finals. Who knows, maybe one of these teams could go on to become a “giant killer” in this year’s post-season.
With the NHL trade deadline now past the next notable round of player movement won’t occur until June, 2008, and most of it will be free agents signing with new teams.
While the focus as always will be on unrestricted free agents, this summer the threat of offer sheets is now a very real one, thus hockey fans will be nervously watching the contract talks of their favorite restricted free agent players as July 1st approaches.
Many teams haven’t wasted time this season, locking up their best RFA players to lengthy, long-term contracts now rather than risk another club either setting the price or plucking them away.
As a result, the list of the top RFA players has shrunk considerably since the start of the season, but there still remains some quality talent who, if unsigned by July 1st, could be tempting targets for offer sheets. It’ll be interesting to see how many of the following are re-upped by the end of June:
Anaheim: Corey Perry.
Columbus: Pascal LeClaire.
Detroit: Valtteri Filppula
Edmonton: Tom Gilbert and Joni Pitkanen.
Florida: Jay Bouwmeester.
Minnesota: Pierre-Marc Bouchard.
Montreal: Andrei Kostitsyn.
Nashville: Martin Erat, Shea Weber and Ryan Suter.
The Leafs continue to make minor moves in their rebuilding process, dealing veteran winger Chad Kilger to the Florida Panthers for a third round pick.
Kilger has a good reputation as a skilled checking forward with good speed who can also chip in offensively, which should make him a good addition to the Panthers checking lines.
He’s also signed through next season with a very affordable salary, which also made him attractive to the cost-conscious Panthers.
One day after signing Peter Forsberg the Colorado Avalanche have added grit to the blueline, acquiring defenseman Ruslan Salei from the Florida Panthers in exchange for Karlis Skarstins and a third round pick.
Salei is an physical blueliner who can chip in offensively and has some post-season experience with the Anaheim Ducks in the late 1990s and earlier in this decade. He’s currently signed through to the 2009-10 season.
Skrastins was once considered one of the best shot-blocking defensemen in the NHL but injuries have taken a tool and his stock was in decline this season.
Should Salei play as well as he’s still believed capable he could be a welcome addition to the Avs, but it remains to be seen if Skrastins will be able to help the Panthers in their struggles to make the playoffs this season.
The housecleaning in Toronto has apparently started, albeit in a small way, as the Maple Leafs have dealt winger/defenseman Wade Belak to the Florida Panthers for a fifth round pick.
Belak is a scrappy player whose physical style and pugilistic ability made him popular with Leafs fans and could made him a valuable asset to a Panthers team that has lacked some physical jam this season.
Florida Panthers forward Richard Zednik is lucky to be alive.
No other statement can be made after getting accidentally slashed on the throat by the skate blade of teammate Olli Jokinen during Sunday’s Panthers-Buffalo Sabres game.
Zednik immediately grabbed his throat and skated toward the Panthers bench, helped by teammate Jassen Cullimore, where he was met by a Panthers trainer who quickly put pressure on the wound and led him off the ice to the locker room where he was quickly treated by medical staff.
The bleeding was stopped and Zednik was then rushed to a Buffalo hospital, where after emergency surgery he was reported resting and in stable condition.
Thankfully, it appears that Zednik will be okay, and given time should make a full recovery and should continue his hockey career.
Still, the image of Zednik clutching this throat and leaving a trail of blood on the ice isn’t likely to be forgotten by anyone who saw it, either live or on TV.
For long time hockey fans, this brings back the nightmarish image of former Buffalo Sabres goaltender Clint Malarchuk’s horrifying experience back in 1989.
(Warning: the link to the Malarchuk injury is quite graphic).
It also conjures up the less bloody but no less terrifying neck injury suffered by former Montreal Canadiens Trent McCleary, who was struck in the throat by a slapshot and would’ve died if not for an emergency tracheotomy by the Habs team doctor.
While these injuries aren’t commonplace, they are frightening examples of the dangers of playing hockey, especially at the NHL level.
It should inspire calls to make neck guards mandatory for all NHL players, just as they are in junior and minor hockey levels.
Well-deserved kudos goes to NHL team trainers and medical staff, as their training and quick reactions in all these incidents saved the lives of Malarchuk, McCleary and Zednik, as well as that of former Detroit Red Wing Jiri Fischer, who suffered a life-threatening heart seizure during a game.
I question the decision to continue playing the Panthers-Sabres game, and I’m not the only one as several of the players, including Jokinen who was quite shaken by the accident, felt the same way.
Sometimes there are things more important that continuing a hockey game, and I was as sickened by the sight of the Zamboni clearing the ice of Zednik’s blood to continue the game as I was by the incident itself.
When Fischer suffered his seizure the league correctly decided to postpone the game, citing how upset Detroit and Nashville players were over Fischer’s situation after seeing him receive CPR.
Seeing how shocked the Panthers and Sabres players were after Zednik’s injury, particularly with the trail of his blood still on the ice, the league should’ve postponed this game.
I’ll give the players credit for soldiering on, although as several said afterwards they just went through the motions. None of them wanted to be there.
At least Richard Zednik survived, and that’s what’s most important right now.
With the NHL’s trade deadline fast approaching here’s my take on some players thought to be possible trade bait and who might be on the move by February 26th:
Mats Sundin: As long as the Toronto Maple Leafs have a shot at a playoff berth, he won’t waive his “no-trade” clause.
Marian Hossa: The Atlanta Thrashers are trying to re-sign him leading to speculation that if he’s not re-signed by the deadline he’ll be shopped. If the Thrashers are still in the playoff chase I suspect GM Don Waddell won’t move him, but if not, he could indeed hit the trade block.
Alex Tanguay: His name’s popped up this past week due to media concerns about the Calgary Flames off-season cap issues, but he’s denied seeking a trade or being asked to waive his NTC. I suspect Flames GM Darryl Sutter could retain him for the upcoming playoffs and perhaps consider shopping him in the off-season.
Olli Jokinen: Ever notice that it’s Canadian-based media outlets that often report the Florida Panthers captain could be traded? Ever notice that to date they’ve yet to be right?
Rob Blake: He says he hasn’t agreed to waive his NTC or asked to waive it, but the possibility exists that this LA Kings blueliner could be playing elsewhere by February 26th.
Jaromir Jagr: If the NY Rangers were to shop him I have my doubts there’d be many takers given his low production this season and his reputation for moodiness.
Patrick Marleau: A fixture in the rumor mill since last April, his below-average stats and the expensive ($12.6 million) two year contract (with a no-trade clause) beginning next season should keep him in the Shark tank.
Dan Boyle and Vaclav Prospal: Tampa Bay Lightning GM Jay Feaster suggested that if the club fails to make a playoff push he could be forced into making some cost-cutting moves, leading to speculation impending UFAs Boyle and Prospal could be part of those moves.
Brian Campbell: He’s postponed his contract talks with the Buffalo Sabres until the off-season. That’s led to trade speculation that Sabres GM Darcy Regier rejected, claiming he hopes to re-sign Campbell. I believe him.
Maxim Afinogenov and Dmitri Kalinin: The former has struggled offensively this season and the latter’s eligible for UFA status this summer. I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of the Sabres trying to move either guy by the deadline.
J.P. Dumont: The Nashville Predators might not have enough money available this summer to re-sign him and if they’re out of the playoff race in a month’s time could consider shopping Dumont.
Michael Ryder: The Montreal Canadiens aren’t expected to re-sign him after this season and could try to move him in the coming weeks. His sub-par production this season however could hurt his trade value.
Nikolai Khabibulin: I wouldn’t doubt Chicago Blackhawks management would love to dump the remaining year and $6.75 million on his contract, but that and his poor performance this season won’t make him enticing to anyone at this year’s deadline.
Yanic Perreault: The Chicago Blackhawks could try to peddle this faceoff specialist to a Stanley Cup contender.
#### Tarnstrom: He’s been considered the odd man out on the Edmonton Oilers blueline, and with some teams seeking a veteran puck-moving defenceman Tarnstrom could attract some attention leading up to the deadline.
Keith Carney: This blueline veteran was a frequent scratch in the first half of this season, and he could end up shopped by the Minnesota Wild in the coming weeks.
Christian Backman: Plenty of speculation the St. Louis Blues could shop a defenceman for depth elsewhere in the roster, and Backman’s name has been floated as part of those rumors.
Bear in mind, folks, that this is only a quick observation of who might or might not be dealt. There are likely to be players that no one suspected as trade bait who could be traded by February 26th, and that most of the above-mentioned players could end up staying with their respective teams.
Feel free to chip in with names you think might be on the move by the deadline. It'll be interesting to review this list and your takes after February 26th.
- The Chicago Blackhawks today announced the re-signing of defenseman Brent Sopel to a three-year contract extension. Financial terms weren’t disclosed but when they are I’ll post them here.
Sopel was earning $1.5 million for this season having signed a one-year deal with the Blackhawks as an unrestricted free agent last October.
He’s been sidelined since December 30th with a broken finger but is expected back soon. In 33 games Sopel had 10 points and was +10, earning praise from Blackhawks coaching and management staff for his steady defensive play and experience.
Those traits have made him valuable to a Blackhawks teams whose best blueliners have been young and promising (Brent Seabrook, Duncan Keith, Dustin Byfuglien) but still developing their respective games.
Considering that last summer Sopel struggled to attract interest in his services as a UFA and even considered playing in Europe this season it shows just how important he’s been to the ‘Hawks this season.
- In other news, the Blackhawks also traded veteran defenseman Magnus Johansson to the Florida Panthers for a late round pick in 2009.
Johansson, 34, played his entire career in Europe up until this season when he was signed by the Blackhawks. In 18 games with Chicago he had 4 points and a plus-minus of –5.
- The Vancouver Canucks plucked centre Kris Beech off waivers from the Columbus Blue Jackets. Beech was once a highly touted draft pick (selected 7th overall in the 1999 entry draft) of the Washington Capitals who has never played up to lofty expectations.
The most notable thing about his career thus far is he was part of the package the Pittsburgh Penguins received from the Capitals in 2001 in exchange for Jaromir Jagr.
He’s bounced around the NHL, from Washington to Pittsburgh to Nashville, back to Washington and then signing with Columbus as an unrestricted free agent last summer. His best NHL season was 2006-07 with the Capitals, with 26 points in 68 games.
In 16 games this season with the Blue Jackets Beech had 9 points and a +3 rating.
I'm Lyle Richardson, also known as Spector, Foxsports.com 's "Prince of Pucks".,which is based on the fact I live in Prince Edward Island, Canada and I couldn't think of a better byline. I've been an NHL hockey commentator since 1998 on my website, Spector's Hockey, and I'm a contributing writer for Foxsports.com , The Hockey News and Eishockey News. I'm also a regular on The Faceoff Hockey Show and a frequent guest on "The Late Crew" on The Team 1200 Ottawa.
