The New York Rangers have traded forward Ryan Reaves to the Wild in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, Minnesota announced Tuesday. Here’s what you need to know:
Reaves has played in 12 games for the Rangers this season.
The Wild are having trouble generating offense and finding lineup fits amid an 8-8-2 start to the season.
While Reaves is not expected to provide a big offense boost, both he and general manager Bill Guerin agree the forward brings something the team needs, “energy” and “swagger.”
Guerin said Reaves will make his Wild debut Friday against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
Backstory
Reaves has been a healthy scratch in eight of New York’s last nine games and the Rangers needed to start collecting cap space, so he was likely going to be waived if they couldn’t find a trade. He was well-liked in the dressing room, but there was just no room for him in the lineup. — Staple
Why Reaves is a good fit for Minnesota
As The Athletic has reported for two weeks, Guerin had been pursuing Reaves in order to bulk up the bottom six and start winning some board battles. Reaves is still one of the toughest — if not the toughest — man in hockey and the Wild are one of the most undersized, least physical teams in hockey. They’ve lost a lot of board battles this season and rank 24th in hits per 60 minutes at 21.29. Since entering the NHL in 2010-11, Reaves ranks third among active players in hits (2,645) and sixth in penalty minutes (992).
According to hockeyfights.com, Reaves has also gotten into 78 fights in his NHL career, including one with Marcus Foligno on the Wild’s opening night. — Russo
What they’re saying
“No GM’s ever traded for me because they needed goals or points. I bring energy, I bring physical play, I bring swagger. I look forward to bringing that in Minny. I’m excited. They had a good run last year, they’re a good team, just fell short,” Reaves told The Athletic.
Guerin told The Athletic that acquiring Reaves was “not for the fighting.” Instead, Guerin said the gritty forward was brought in for other attributes.
“He’s a biiiiigggg personality. He’s got a lot of energy. He’s got swagger. We’ve been missing that,” Guerin said. “The energy he brings is really good. And size. He’s gonna help us get our identity back.”
“Obviously a competitor and very tough. Also has been on a lot of experienced playoff teams. He knows the grind and can bring that energy,” Foligno said to The Athletic in a text message.
The NHL’s Reverse Retro jerseys were a sensation two years ago, creating significant sales and conversation among hockey fans. Adidas felt the pressure of creating a sequel to that blockbuster with its 2022-23 season retro sweaters.
“How many amazing remix combinations are out there?” said Dan Near, senior director at adidas hockey. “We spent a lot of time debating about whether the franchise should evolve into something else or is this a sequel. We went with the latter.”
Like any sequel, there are a few differences from the original. The 32 new Reverse Retro jerseys feature more white sweaters than the 2020 collection. Please recall that because of the COVID pandemic, the 2020-21 season was played without interdivisional games. Now, Adidas hopes to see more retro vs. retro games, such as the Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Buffalo Sabres game on Nov. 2.
This line also features more embroidered and raised elements on the team logos, which is something that arrived when adidas started making jerseys with 50% recycled materials.
Another big difference was the level of anticipation. Near said that adidas is aware of all the speculation, mock-ups and social media scuttlebutt about this collection of jerseys.
“We’re excited about the speculation. I think if you look back at the first time we launched in 2020, it came out of nowhere. Nobody knew what it was,” Near said. “We didn’t announce it was coming back this time, but people seemed to know it was coming. The rampant speculation and energy is making this unique and exciting. We track it. We see what people are saying. Sometimes they’re right on the mark. Other times they’re on a completely different planet. Nothing is official until it’s official.”
But it wasn’t just the fans anticipating the next wave of Reverse Retro jerseys. The NHL teams were as well.
“There was plenty of meat on the bone to do this again,” Near said. “What made it unique the second time around is that you have the teams thinking ‘I want to win Reverse Retro.'”
Which ones were victorious? Here is our ranking of the 32 NHL Reverse Retro jerseys for the 2022-23 season. Keep in mind that we based this just on the jerseys themselves — some really cool elements will be revealed with the full uniform kits, but they didn’t factor in here.
What a concept: It’s only taken nearly 30 years, but a team that plays in South Florida finally has a jersey that’s evocative of South Florida.
This is a mix of the team’s stick-and-palm secondary logo that’s been with it since the 1990s and the light blue from the third jerseys it rocked in 2009. The rays of the sun are slightly raised to give the crest a 3D quality. The colors on the stripes pay homage to the Panthers’ current primary colors. The rest feels like you’re staring at a frozen blue Hawaiian through a pair of expensive sunglasses.
Sure, seeing the alternate logo makes one realize how close that hockey stick looks to a golf putter … but that’s also kind of thematic to the franchise, if we’re being honest.
It was inevitable that the Sharks eventually would honor their Bay Area ancestors with a Reverse Retro jersey. The California Golden Seals’ greatest legacy might be their aesthetics, including a turn to teal 17 years before the Sharks swam into the NHL.
These are essentially the Seals’ 1974 home jerseys with “Sharks” written on them instead, and they’re sublime: a little California love, a little Jackie Moon. That Seals team won 19 games. Given what we’ve seen from San Jose this season, perhaps it’s just dressing the part.
The Youppi! of Reverse Retro jerseys.
Montreal claims this is meant to honor its 1979 look, when it won its fourth Stanley Cup in a row. Adidas claims the light blue is “inspired by the city of Montreal colors.” But for the love of Tim Raines and Larry Walker, we know what’s up with these sweaters: It’s the Habs as the Montreal Expos, and we salute them like Andrés Galarraga admiring a home run.
The most remarkable thing about this Reverse Retro Kings jersey, which honors the 40th anniversary of the “Miracle on Manchester,” is that one swears that it has previously existed. But the crown logo in the 1980s was on either a gold or “Forum Blue” jersey.
This is the first time the iconic sweater has been executed in white, and it looks awesome. Bonus points for creating raised gems on the crown for a 3D look.
The Avalanche topped the 2020 rankings with their ode to the Quebec Nordiques. This year’s model could be seen as a homage to the NHL’s Colorado Rockies, but their logo inspiration was the same as this Retro jersey: the Colorado state flag.
Nothing is going to top the remixed Nords sweater. But this looks clean and sharp, and like other Avalanche alternate logos is an improvement over their primary one.
The Golden Knights had a Reverse Retro jersey last year inspired by the now-defunct Wranglers minor league franchise. This time, they’re inspired by a team that doesn’t exist.
This sweater “imagines what a Golden Knights third jersey might have looked like in 1995.” The font and numbering are inspired by vintage hotel signage on the Strip. Oh, and just to make sure you get the full Vegas ostentatiousness: There are hidden glow-in-the-dark stars incorporated in the crest that can be seen in the dark and under a black light.
“When you think about the glitz and glamor of Vegas, it requires a little ingenuity,” Near said.
The Blues chose poorly last season, resurrecting a nauseating jersey design and inexplicably making red the primary color. This time, they understood the assignment.
The Blues’ Reverse Retro is based on a 1966 prototype worn by the team’s ownership a year before the expansion franchise actually hit the ice, which is like giving an Oscar to a teaser trailer. Despite being their second most prominent color, this is the first primarily gold jersey the Blues have worn. It incorporates the light blue seen on their Winter Classic jerseys.
Sound the trumpets: These rule.
This is the most “meta” Reverse Retro jersey in the collection.
In 2020, the Coyotes honored their much-maligned 1998 thirds that magnifying the head of the “kachina jersey” logo, made green the primary color and ceded the waistline to “a painfully obvious desert landscape complete with cacti,” as the Five For Howling blog noted. Their first Reverse Retro jersey swapped the green for purple from the team’s crescent moon alternate logo, and it was one of the best of the lot.
Now they’ve gone Reverse Retro on their Reverse Retro, swapping out the green for sienna, marking “the first time this trending earth tone color has been worn by any NHL team,” according to Adidas. The million dollar question: Are these supposed to abstractly evoke Arizona State athletics colors or is this simply coincidental?
The Pooh bear has returned!
The Bruins wore this logo from 1995-2006 on a third sweater. The blog Stanley Cup of Chowder called it “the greatest jersey in Bruins history.” The Pooh bear was originally featured on a gold jersey. This time it’s a white background, all the better to see the kind eyes, parted hair and Marchand-esque smirk on the bear’s fuzzy mug. Put one on and snuggle up with a pot of honey.
I once asked comics artist Todd McFarlane about creating this logo, which Edmonton used as a third jersey from 2001 through 2007.
“What’s the design I could do that could pay homage to the Oilers but also just be cool to look at?” he pondered. “Selling it to someone in Edmonton is preaching to the choir. How do I sell it to someone in Miami?”
We’re not sure how it played in Florida, but its initial run in Edmonton wasn’t unanimously beloved. But this version might be an improvement.
His “dynamic gear surrounding an oil drop” logo has been enhanced by being raised in some areas and with that splash of orange in the middle. Each spoke represents a different Oilers Stanley Cup championship, and sadly that hasn’t needed to be edited since it debuted in 2001.
The Islanders have slowly reclaimed the ill-fated legacy of the “Fishsticks” logo that reigned from 1995-97, selling gear with that logo and color scheme in their official store in recent years.
For the team’s 50th anniversary, Adidas has added “the most requested uniform” for its Reverse Retro series.
Here’s the thing: The slight modifications they’ve made to the logo — like the TRON-esque orange highlights and the current color scheme — tone down the kitsch and the charm. One could argue the original Fishsticks jersey’s Aquafresh palette and queasy waves are more in keeping with the Reverse Retro aesthetic.
There’s an interesting separation between Canucks fans and outsiders when it comes to this Reverse Retro jersey. It’s inspired by their Western Hockey League look that featured Johnny Canuck, only this one has raised embroidered gloves and suspenders.
But the Canucks Army blog notes that Vancouver fans (a) feel this look to too close to that of the Abbotsford Canucks, who also use Johnny Canuck, and (b) were hoping for a less predictable experiment like “a green and blue edition of the Flying Vee or Flying Skate jerseys.”
In 1995, the Capitals went from red, white and blue to blue, black and bronze. They had a black third jersey for 10 years during that fad, with the capitol dome logo seen on the shoulders of this Reverse Retro jersey.
Now they’ve turned the “Screaming Eagle” into another black alternate sweater, with some really nice tweaks to the formula. This jersey features metallic copper and “Capital Blue,” giving the whole thing a sleeker look.
You can’t improve on perfection, which is why the Red Wings’ first Reverse Retro attempt looked like a practice version of their iconic sweater. But give the Red Wings credit for taking a swing with version 2.0.
An homage to their 1991 NHL 75th anniversary jerseys, which were red and white, this bold red and black look is accented by a DETROIT wordmark inspired by the 1920s Detroit Cougars. For a young team developing its swagger, we’ll allow it.
This Ducks jersey is cool. It’s clean looking. It’s got the proper logo on the front. They’re going to slap “ZEGRAS” on the back of these and move racks of them.
But after much debate inside the ESPN fashion offices, we came to a consensus: If Anaheim is dipping back to the inaugural Mighty Ducks season and their Reverse Retro doesn’t have even a hint of jade or eggplant, then what are they even doing this for?
The Rangers finished No. 2 on the 2020 rankings by simply bringing back to the Liberty Head logo for the first time since around 2007. They went back to that well for this Reverse Retro jersey, slapping it on a royal blue jersey with red sleeves.
The whole thing honestly feels like one of those sweatshirts that costs $50 more than it should, and hangs untouched with its friends in some distant corner of the NHL Store.
ROBO PENGUIN! Memories of Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr and Petr Nedved come rushing back as we celebrate the majesty of this flightless fowl.
But we had to award some demerits for what could have been: This is the Penguins’ 1992-93 jersey flipped from white to black, leaving out some of the more audacious Robo Penguin gradient designs from the latter part of the decade. It’s a jersey that thinks the 1990s stopped with grunge, when “Bills, Bills, Bills” actually dropped in 1999.
The most interesting aspect of this Stars jersey, which is a homage to their inaugural season look back in 1993-94, is the dimensional embroidery on the crest to give the star a 3D quality.
Otherwise, the current “victory green” color integrated with this classic design makes for a fine looking sweater. But we’re now two Reverse Retro jerseys deep and the “Mooterus” has yet to return, so we really can’t go any higher than this for Dallas.
The Jets’ first Reverse Retro jersey was one of our favorites, but this one isn’t nearly as bold.
Winnipeg remixed the Jets 1.0 jersey from 1990 with the team’s current color palette, minus the red. A great sweater for Teemu Selanne completists but one that doesn’t come close to the streetwear grandeur of the previous Retro hit.
More debate inside the ESPN fashion offices on this one.
The Devils pay tribute to the Colorado Rockies 40 years after the team relocated from Denver to East Rutherford. It’s certainly a fun look, with the Rockies’ gold, red and navy accenting the jersey. But we’re a little disappointed that the color scheme only carries through to the logo via a blue circle around the “NJ,” when this could have been a fun opportunity to play around with that logo.
As it stands, this sorta looks like when a pro shop irons the right crest on the wrong jersey.
“Say kids, did you like the Minnesota North Stars-influenced Reverse Retro jersey? What if we told you that it’s now available in … green?”
Seriously, no points for creativity, but these remain pretty dope.
Inspired by Chicago’s 1938 uniforms and their 2019 Winter Classic gear, this Blackhawks jersey had the unfortunate timing of being immediately market-corrected by a similar — but much better executed — Red Wings Reverse Retro.
Sorry, but this just doesn’t work. The “goat head” logo loses its magic when stripped away from the red, black and silver color scheme that evoked images of Dominik Hasek saves and Miroslav Satan goals.
Outside of the nostalgic kick of having this logo back on a Buffalo sweater, applying the traditional Sabres colors to it feels slightly blasphemous.
What’s a nostalgic Kraken jersey? A Mark Giordano sweater?
Obviously lacking history, Seattle just decided to make a sea green jersey that makes it look like they’re wearing a cummerbund under their own logo. It’s not a bad looking sweater. It’s just not as audacious one might expect from a team nicknamed after a mythical sea creature. It’s a Reverse Retro with real “why don’t we make our mascot a troll doll?” energy.
Missed opportunity here. There was speculation that the Predators were going to put their 2001 third jersey logo on a navy jersey, which would have properly remixed their mustard stain sweater with a currently used color.
Alas, they went with gold, making this jersey practically redundant with their current ones.
It’s their current away jersey remixed into a red sweater, with two sets of hurricane warning flags on the shoulders.
Your mileage here is entirely dependent one how you feel about nicknames on jerseys instead of full nicknames.
Adidas says this is a remix of the jersey the Senators wore during their 2006-07 Stanley Cup Final run with “the current Ottawa color scheme and breakouts.”
Sure. It’s very much an Ottawa Senators jersey. But we’ll wait and see the full kit, as Adidas notes these Ottawa jerseys will be “presented in a powerful black head-to-toe visual including the helmet, pant and sock complimented by a thick super-sized player name and number system.”
The Blue Jackets got a little funky last time with a primary red jersey that sported their original logo. This is the first black jersey the Jackets will have worn, with blue sleeve accents that evoke their current third sweaters.
These FrankenJerseys are on the borderline of looking like a stitching accident, but in the end we like our jerseys like we like our steaks: black and blue. But maybe not as cold.
Toronto is honoring its 1962 Stanley Cup championship, remixing a primary white jersey into a primary blue jersey with white shoulder pads.
A blue Maple Leafs jersey. Wild stuff. Save us, Justin Bieber.
Have you ever seen a movie where one bad performance ruins the whole thing? The Flames have a cool black jersey, with an iconic logo and an eye-catching color scheme.
They also decided to bring back to truly bizarre “diagonal pedestal hem stripe” from their mid-1990s sweaters.
It just ruins the whole thing and makes it look like the Flames are wearing an achievement belt from a strip mall taekwondo academy.
“I don’t want my guys looking like a [expletive] crayon box. I don’t want them wearing a bunch of whozies and whats-its. Just make a Flyers jersey. Who cares?” — John Tortorella, maybe.
Nostalgia can be comforting. Nostalgia can be inspiring. But nostalgia can also cloud one’s judgement on what should or should not be mined from the past for the benefit of the present.
To that end: These Lightning jerseys should have remained buried under whatever landfill in which they were decomposing. Tampa Bay wore these jerseys from 1996-99, during a time when the NHL had its share of ghastly third jerseys. They had storm waves across the waist; lightning bolts on the sleeves, and in perhaps the single worst aesthetic touch for an NHL jersey in the last 30 years, “bold rain” flecked across the front of the sweater that looked like it was taken straight from an 8-bit video game.
Whatever Lightning player feigns excitement the most for these monstrosities should win the Lady Byng, full stop.
Dan Near of adidas offers a brief rebuttal about this jersey: “There were some jerseys from that era that we presented and the teams weren’t excited about. There were others that the teams embraced right away. This isn’t a permanent choice. This is a celebration of a moment in time and the nostalgia about a team. Maybe we don’t have to take ourselves so seriously and bring something back that might have been polarizing but that in today’s day and age is very trend-right. I give a lot of acclaim to the Lightning for making a risk well worth taking.”
The Rangers season got off to a strange start on Tuesday.
Ahead of the Rangers-Lighting opener at MSG — the first stateside game of the season — veteran referee Chris Rooney delivered an awkward welcome speech before dropping the puck that had NHL Twitter in hysterics.
“To our great players and great fans, welcome to opening night of the 2022-23 regular season,” Rooney said while standing at center ice. “What’s better than this? Good luck to all players. Let’s have a great season.”
Players from both teams awkwardly stood on the ice until Rooney dropped the puck. The unusual impromptu moment made for a memorable start to the 2022-23 season.
“Everything about this is funny,” one person tweeted. “From the dull delivery, the ‘what’s better than this,’ to Chris Rooney being called one of the best in the league. The NHL is back.”
NHL referee Chris Rooney delivers a pre-puck drop welcome speech before the Rangers-Lightning game at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 11, 2022. Twitter
“I cannot believe they made Chris Rooney do that,” another person tweeted. “I would have died if I was about to take the faceoff lol.”
One person said that they had “second hand embarrassment” for Rooney during his speech.
Others enjoyed Rooney’s pre-puck drop speech, with one person tweeting, “I need to hear Chris Rooney’s thoughts before every faceoff.”
Referee Chris Rooney officiates a game between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on Dec. 10, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Getty Images
Referee Chris Rooney announces a call during Game 2 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Finals between the Boston Bruins and the St. Louis Blues on May 29, 2019, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It’s unclear how exactly Rooney’s speech came to fruition.
The Rangers defeated the Lightning, 3-1, in a highly anticipated rematch of the 2021-22 Eastern Conference finals. The Rangers visit the Minnesota Wild on Thursday.
NHL free agency officially begins on Wednesday at noon ET, but it’s already been an absolutely wild offseason in hockey.
With the salary cap rising by only $1 million from last season, teams have been forced into difficult decisions, such as:
Still, some potential free agents removed themselves from the market by re-signing with their teams: Filip Forsberg (Predators), Kris Letang (Penguins) and Valeri Nichushkin (Avalanche) among them.
The offseason chaos is just getting started. Here’s a guide to all 32 NHL teams, their free agents and what they should be doing as free agency officially begins.
Note: Advanced statistics from Natural Stat Trick and Evolving Hockey. Cap and contract information from CapFriendly. Kristen Shilton covered the Atlantic and Central teams, while Greg Wyshynski previewed the Metro and Pacific clubs.
Jump to a team: ANA | ARI | BOS | BUF CGY | CAR | CHI | COL CBJ | DAL | DET | EDM FLA | LA | MIN | MTL NSH | NJ | NYI | NYR OTT | PHI | PIT | SJ SEA | STL | TB | TOR VAN | VGS | WSH | WPG
ATLANTIC DIVISION
Key players hitting UFA: F Patrice Bergeron Key players hitting RFA: F Jack Studnicka Cap space: $2,383,333
What they should do: The Bruins don’t want to rebuild. Therefore, they should be active buyers in free agency. But it’s not so cut and dried for the Bruins.
The first issue is Boston’s tough situation with injuries. Brad Marchand (hips), Charlie McAvoy (shoulder) and Matt Grzelcyk (shoulder) all had offseason surgeries with recoveries that will last into at least the first couple months of next season. General manager Don Sweeney has to address those gaps, or Boston risks falling irretrievably behind early. That’s easier said than done, given the second issue of only $2.3 million in cap space with which to work and a key free agent — captain Patrice Bergeron — who’s reportedly ready to re-sign on a one-year deal. Plus there’s Studnicka — one of the club’s top prospects — to retain and potentially use more regularly in the lineup.
Sweeney needs to create some cap flexibility, whether via trades or buying out a contract or two. Then it comes down to targeting the right players. Even with Bergeron back, Boston needs better play down the middle and in its bottom six. Can the Bruins swing that on a budget? It’s possible. Unless Sweeney clears a bunch of space, Boston won’t be in the mix on top-end free-agent forwards like Nazem Kadri, but someone like Max Domi or Victor Rask could be realistic.
Beyond that, it’s hard to say what the Bruins will manage. There’s a lot hanging on how active Sweeney is in freeing up some flexibility.
Key players hitting UFA: None Key players hitting RFA: F Victor Olofsson Cap space: $32,204,166
What they should do: General manager Kevyn Adams said at last week’s draft that his first priority is a new contract for Olofsson. He was also busy negotiating with Jacob Bryson’s camp to get a deal done, which did come to fruition in a two-year pact (worth $1.85 million per season) announced on Sunday. Even after Adams gets things settled with Olofsson, there will be decent cap space to wield come July 13.
Adams has to invest some of that in goaltending. Craig Anderson recently re-signed on a one-year deal, but the 41-year-old is Buffalo’s lone NHL goalie under contract and can’t reasonably be expected to carry the load. Pickings are slim — and expensive — when it comes to free-agent netminders, so Adams would have to work his magic early, and fast. If he comes up empty there, Adams can also go the trade route.
Buffalo has some exciting young talents up front, including Alex Tuch, Peyton Krebs and Tage Thompson. Adams likely doesn’t need to add much to the forward group. The Sabres’ defense does need a boost. Buffalo has three veteran blueliners reaching unrestricted free agency, and at least one or two of those roles will need to be addressed. Could Adams target Josh Manson or Nick Leddy there? Or would he take a bigger swing and try for Ben Chiarot?
Adams has to be strategic in his spending to some degree, because those top-six forwards will need new contracts soon. But bolstering Buffalo in net and on the back end is what Adams must do in free agency to put this team in position to take the next step in 2022-23.
Key players hitting UFA: None Key players hitting RFA: D Jake Walman, RW Filip Zadina, F Mitchell Stephens Cap space: $31,021,111
What they should do: General manager Steve Yzerman already checked a big box by trading for the rights to pending unrestricted-free-agent goaltender Ville Husso and subsequently signing him to a three-year, $14.25 million contract. That gives the Red Wings an excellent goalie tandem of Husso and Alex Nedeljkovic for the next few seasons.
Detroit’s primary area of need now is on defense. Veterans Danny DeKeyser and Marc Staal are both pending UFAs, and should they move on elsewhere, Yzerman will be eyeing different depth players for the back end, with a potentially larger role also going to Jake Walman if he remains in the fold. You could see Yzerman going for someone like Will Butcher or Olli Maatta, or perhaps Ian Cole. Those are capable second- or third-pairing defenders who can support and provide stability for the team’s top defensive talents like Moritz Seider. And they could be signed to relatively inexpensive, short-term contracts for the rebuilding Red Wings.
Similarly, there’s room for Detroit to boost its forward depth with some seasoned names like Bryan Rust or Calle Jarnkrok. They’re strong two-way players who can set an example for some of Detroit’s young players with enough offensive upside to be consistent contributors.
While the Red Wings are still charting their new course — under new head coach Derek Lalonde to boot — it’s all about staying low-flash in free agency.
Key players hitting UFA: F Claude Giroux, F Mason Marchment, D Ben Chiarot Key players hitting RFA: G Jonas Johansson Cap space: $774,166
What they should do: Florida went all-in at the trade deadline this past season, acquiring Giroux and Chiarot. Will either of them remain with the team after that gamble didn’t pay off with the intended playoff success? It doesn’t feel likely given what either player could fetch elsewhere and the Panthers’ comparatively limited cap space.
Bringing Marchment back would be a win for Florida. He’s coming off a career-best season (47 points in 54 games) and was among the Panthers’ most reliable forwards throughout the campaign.
General manager Bill Zito will want to target some more depth up front for the Panthers after how that failed the team during the playoffs. When Florida’s big guns weren’t firing, the Presidents’ Trophy winners couldn’t muster anything. That can’t happen again. Pending UFAs like Andre Burakovsky and Max Domi have scoring ability and some edge, another factor Florida has been lacking.
Given the Panthers’ cap constraints, a player like Kasperi Kapanen might make sense as a reclamation project of sorts, perhaps a short-term contract for a player with great potential to rebound from a poor season.
Florida has had too much time to think about how a terrific regular season got it nowhere in the spring. Zito’s best bet is building from a playoff perspective. That is, acquiring free agents who will prevent past roadblocks to success from cropping up again.
Key players hitting UFA: None Key players hitting RFA: F Kirby Dach, F Rem Pitlick, F Michael Pezzetta, D Kale Clague, G Samuel Montembeault Cap space: $1,173,334
What they should do: Montreal can’t do a whole lot without finessing its cap situation. Then again, general manager Kent Hughes has already made some moves in trading for Dach (who needs a new contract) and Evgenii Dadonov.
The Canadiens have more pending RFAs to seriously consider keeping than most teams. That will limit what Montreal is capable of doing in the coming days. There’s always a chance Hughes orchestrates a trade that frees up some cap space, but in their present standing, the Canadiens’ focus will more likely go toward retaining their own talents.
If Hughes can do that, Montreal won’t have glaring holes to fill. There is some concern about its back end (the Jeff Petry trade rumors persist) and adding a player on a league-minimum, veteran contract wouldn’t be the worst thing.
Now, if Hughes does make a splashier trade of Petry or Josh Anderson, that would obviously change Montreal’s approach to the free-agent market. If the Canadiens believe first overall draft pick Juraj Slafkovsky can have an immediate impact, that gives Hughes more room to operate in terms of potential forward movement.
What Montreal should do is partially what it’s done already: be strategic in making early trades and bolster from within. What happens after that, at least at this stage, is gravy.
Key players hitting UFA: F Chris Tierney Key players hitting RFA: F Josh Norris, F Mathieu Joseph, D Victor Mete, D Erik Brannstrom Cap space: $23,869,286
What they should do: General manager Pierre Dorion got his list out early at the NHL draft and added Alex DeBrincat, a true offensive dynamo, into the Senators’ lineup via trade with Chicago. It was quite a pre-free agency fleecing, and positions Ottawa well for what’s ahead.
Now, Dorion can turn his attention to signing Claude Giroux. Or so he should, if any of the rumors Giroux is interested in playing for the Senators are true. Adding Giroux would be the best free-agent signing Dorion could make. The former Flyers captain is still a strong offensive talent who would immediately make Ottawa’s top six better. He’s a leader with high character, and if he chose the Senators, it would do a lot for the overall confidence of a team that’s been struggling for any good mojo in recent years.
A general area to address for Ottawa is its defense, and potential stay-at-home skaters to complement Thomas Chabot and Jake Sanderson. Josh Manson or Ian Cole could fill that role nicely.
There’s some real excitement building around the Senators after the DeBrincat acquisition. And given DeBrincat is only signed through next season, Dorion shouldn’t hesitate to maximize what he’s got and play the field in free agency. It would be worth another splash or two to fill this team with enough good players to actually pull the Senators out of their rebuild.
Key players hitting UFA: F Ondrej Palat, D Jan Rutta Key players hitting RFA: None Cap space: $0
What they should do: Tampa Bay’s cap situation isn’t so dire after general manager Julien BriseBois traded Ryan McDonagh (and his $4.2 million hit) to Nashville, and there’s Brent Seabrook’s $6.875 million contract that will provide LTIR relief in the fall. The Lightning can play around on the open market; the question is whether they will.
BriseBois said at the draft last week he has been in talks with the agents for Palat and Rutta. Those potential deals seem to be Tampa Bay’s priority, and rightly so — especially in Palat’s case. He just had an incredible playoff run as the Lightning’s second-leading scorer (11 goals and 21 points in 23 games) and savior (that overtime winner in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final to keep Tampa Bay alive? Clutch!). Should Palat reach free agency, he’ll have no shortage of suitors. The Lightning shouldn’t let that happen.
Rutta’s résumé isn’t quite so eye-popping, but he’s a solid member of Tampa Bay’s back end who could be re-signed on a reasonable deal.
Otherwise, Tampa Bay is in good shape — for this season, anyway. There are several key players set to become RFAs in 2022-23 (including Mikhail Sergachev and Erik Cernak) so BriseBois won’t be in any hurry to spend cap space now that he’ll need for later. Look for the Lightning to take care of their own and maybe add around the edges. There’s not much else they need to compete.
Key players hitting UFA: G Jack Campbell, D Ilya Lyubushkin Key players hitting RFA: D Rasmus Sandin, F Pierre Engvall, F Ondrej Kase Cap space: $6,360,217
What they should do: Toronto’s first task was to settle on a starting goaltender for next season. Talks with Jack Campbell appeared increasingly unproductive. The Leafs finally agreed to a deal on Monday night with Ottawa for Matt Murray, who projects to fill that No. 1 slot. He’s going to need a partner in the crease though, so Toronto likely isn’t done adding goalies.
The Senators did retain 25% of Murray’s salary in the deal, and general manager Kyle Dubas still has some cap room to spare after he freed up a bunch moving Petr Mrazek to Chicago at the draft last week. That will allow Toronto to bring in a seasoned No. 2 netminder for Murray to play with and help address what should be Dubas’ other main priority in extending Rasmus Sandin.
The 22-year-old made good strides last season in his 200-foot game and is a budding star on Toronto’s back end. Sandin knows that too, since contract negotiations have been more difficult than Toronto expected. There’s always the possibility Sandin receives an offer sheet if he remains unsigned too long. That would be a shame for Toronto, after a season in which its blue line was finally not the liability it has been in seasons past. There’s a solid group there, and Sandin is a big part of it.
A new deal for Engvall seems likely. Dubas said the team planned to give him a qualifying offer, and that’ll require some cash as well. Much like other contending clubs, Toronto will invest in its own players, and whatever splashy signing (or trade) the Leafs do make should be on the goaltending front.
METROPOLITAN DIVISION
Key players hitting UFA: C Max Domi, F Nino Niederreiter, F Vincent Trocheck, D Ian Cole, D Brendan Smith Key players hitting RFA: F Martin Necas, D Ethan Bear Cap space: $19,375,583
What they should do: After trading Tony DeAngelo to the Flyers, the Hurricanes need a puck-moving defenseman on the right side that can quarterback a power play. UFA John Klingberg would seem to fit that bill, although like DeAngelo, his 5-on-5 defense is not his forte.
Trocheck and Niederreiter are two valuable forwards to the Hurricanes — their fourth- and sixth-leading scorers, respectively. Keeping both will add well over $10 million to their cap. Both are expected to hit the market. Frankly, they could use Niederreiter’s space ($5.25 million) to find a similar player who doesn’t ghost them in the playoffs. There’s been talk about the Hurricanes not being enamored with the 23-year-old Necas, but GM Don Waddell indicated at the draft they want to hang on to him.
There’s a belief from some in the NHL that the Hurricanes are the next Stanley Cup bridesmaid that’s ready to take the leap — if they can find the right veterans in their supporting cast to get them over the hump. To that end, a pure goal-scorer on the wing would seem like an imperative, given their offensive deficiencies (2.64 goals per game) in the playoffs.
Key players hitting UFA: None Key players hitting RFA: F Patrik Laine Cap space: $16,916,667
What they should do: The Jackets and Laine have discussed the possibility of a long-term deal. He found his game again in a post-Tortorella Columbus, scoring 56 points in 56 games, with 26 goals. The 24-year-old winger does have arbitration rights this offseason.
Other than Laine, the Blue Jackets are in an interesting spot. Many assumed GM Jarmo Kekalainen was going to be aggressive in moving players off his roster at the draft. That didn’t happen, but one assumes it will: They have 13 forward under contract not counting Laine, and young players like Kent Johnson and Yegor Chinakhov deserve increased roles.
They played competitive hockey last season, at times better than expected. There’s still a chance that Kekalainen gets more aggressive than expected this summer: The Blue Jackets were in on Ryan McDonagh before the Tampa Bay Lightning traded him to the Nashville Predators. Are there other veteran options they’d consider?
Key players hitting UFA: D P.K. Subban Key players hitting RFA: G Vitek Vanecek, F Jesper Bratt, F Miles Wood, C Pavel Zacha, F Jesper Boqvist Cap space: $25,334,167
What they should do: The Devils have made a long-term offer with significant dollars attached to Bratt, but there hadn’t been much negotiation between the sides leading up to the draft. The team views him as a significant part of what they’re building in Jersey. Their last negotiation wasn’t all that sunny either, but they should find some common ground.
Vanecek was acquired to pair with Mackenzie Blackwood, which might be surprising given how Blackwood has played for the last two seasons. But there’s a lot of organizational belief in Blackwood, so he’s their guy in tandem with Vanecek.
The Devils are seeing what’s out there for Zacha on the trade market, who is coming off his strongest NHL season on the defensive side. They’d like to bring Wood back as a feisty depth winger.
The biggest need for New Jersey is on the wing. Ideally, they’d love someone who has size to pair with Jack Hughes, but a player that can also score goals. Finding that player might mean exploring the trade market more than the UFA one. If only there was a way to pry Matthew Tkachuk from the Calgary Flames …
Key players hitting UFA: D Zdeno Chara, D Andy Greene Key players hitting RFA: F Kieffer Bellows, D Noah Dobson, D Alexander Romanov Cap space: $11,185,037
What they should do: We won’t know what the Islanders will do until they’ve done it, given the clandestine ways of GM Lou Lamoriello, who has been known to shut down negotiations if they go public.
That may or may not have been the reason the widely reported talks between the Vancouver Canucks and the Islanders about forward J.T. Miller hit a snag — more likely, it was the initial inability for the Islanders to talk contract extension with Miller. But those talks should reignite, as Miller is a great fit for a Lamoriello team and would give the Islanders a much-needed point producer at forward.
The Islanders should secure Dobson long term and sign Romanov, the defenseman they acquired from Montreal at the draft.
Two players the Islanders could look to move are 25-year-old forward Anthony Beauvillier, who makes $4.15 million per season, and is two years away from UFA status; and goalie Semyon Varlamov, who is one year away (and at $5 million AAV). Lamoriello has stated that he wants to keep Varlamov around to solidify their goaltending core and as a mentor to Ilya Sorokin. But if someone absolutely desperate for a goalie in this shallow market comes knocking with a can’t-say-no offer, would Lamoriello listen?
Key players hitting UFA: C Ryan Strome, F Andrew Copp, F Tyler Motte, F Kevin Rooney, F Frank Vatrano, D Justin Braun Key players hitting RFA: RW Kaapo Kakko Cap space: $10,208,531
What they should do: The Rangers advanced to the Eastern Conference finals this past season, which is great news for the NHL offseason. They think they’re close. They have some clear organizational needs. As seemingly methodical as their building back to contention has been, there’s always the chance they do something audacious in an attempt to get over the top.
To that end, two names really stand out on the UFA market: Avalanche center Nazem Kadri and Lightning forward Ondrej Palat. In the case of Palat, he’s just the type of win-at-all-costs playoff performer that a contender like the Rangers would love to have on their roster for the big moments. His versatility at the forward spot could see him fill any role in which they them need him. In the case of Kadri, he’s a tenacious forward who has broken 30 goals in a season twice, and could slot next to Artemi Panarin. With Mika Zibanejad and Filip Chytil with him on the depth chart, that could be a formidable group of pivots.
But that’s fantasy-casting. More likely, the Rangers bring back Copp after letting Strome walk. The money they’d need to land Kadri is money they’ll need for restricted free agents Alexis Lafrenière, K’Andre Miller and Chytil next summer.
One other piece of business: With Alexandar Georgiev now in Colorado, the Rangers will need a backup for Igor Shesterkin. The good news is that the goalie market has plenty of good backups — Thomas Greiss, Jaroslav Halak, Martin Jones among others — rather than solutions at starter.
Key players hitting UFA: D Keith Yandle, G Martin Jones Key players hitting RFA: F Morgan Frost, F Owen Tippett Cap space: $118,560
What they should do: Johnny Gaudreau would like to become a Flyer. So the Flyers would be smart to find a way to bring the pride of South Jersey to play in Philadelphia, especially since generating offense was something at which they were worse than every NHL team not named the Arizona Coyotes last season.
Any move for Gaudreau begins with the Flyers finding someone to take on James van Riemsdyk and his $7 million cap hit next season. JVR had 38 points in 82 games last season. But even that won’t get it done. Do the Flyers seek to move on from forward Travis Konecny ($5.5 million through 2024-25) in order to create the space they need for Gaudreau now and in the future?
GM Chuck Fletcher and Comcast Spectacor chairman Dave Scott said the Flyers are going to have an “aggressive retool” rather than a rebuild. It doesn’t get more aggressive than reshaping one’s roster for the sake of the market’s top free agent. Let the age of Johnny Hockey begin (while hoping that Sean Couturier and Ryan Ellis are healthy, Carter Hart finds his franchise form and John Tortorella manages to squeeze something out of this otherwise middling roster)!
Key players hitting UFA: C Evgeni Malkin, F Evan Rodrigues, F Brian Boyle, F Danton Heinen Key players hitting RFA: F Kasperi Kapanen Cap space: $10,308,158
What they should do: Not re-sign Malkin, who has indicated he will test the free-agent waters this week.
I know, I know … loyalty, friends, the band stays together, Sidney Crosby remains happy that his friend is there. There is absolutely no question that Malkin still shows flashes of Hall of Fame-level offensive brilliance and that he’s an asset on the power play. But the flashes are becoming less frequent, his body has gained too many miles and it’s not a stretch to say he’s entering his “latter day Joe Thornton” years.
But the Penguins could take that $6 million cap hit — the suggested AAV on a Malkin extension, which could run three to four years — and apply to two other players. Or to a younger, healthier option than Malkin at center.
All that said, I think the Penguins and Malkin get something done, which means Pittsburgh will do what they always do: Surround a core of five players accounting for 39% of their salary cap space with the best supporting cast they can muster. That will include Rickard Rakell, who signed a five-year extension worth $5 million annually. It should also include Rodrigues, an underrated gem.
Key players hitting UFA: F Marcus Johansson, C Johan Larsson, D Michal Kempny, D Justin Schultz, G Ilya Samsonov Key players hitting RFA: None Cap space: $8,978,334
What they should do: There seems to be an eerie consensus that the Capitals are going to end up with Darcy Kuemper as their new starting goaltender — eerie in the sense that mass assumption of a free-agent signing in the NHL doesn’t always work out that way. But their trade of Vitek Vanecek to the Devils clears up potential salary space (he was an RFA) and a roster spot for the Stanley Cup-winning goalie, who will cost a bit, but will certainly be an upgrade over last season’s tandem. An interesting wrinkle on Monday, however: The Capitals didn’t qualify RFA Ilya Samsonov, making him a UFA.
As for other housekeeping, getting Schultz back at a contract under his current $4 million cap hit would be a positive step. So would retaining trade deadline pickup Larsson, who is an elite defensive player.
Complicating matters for the Capitals is the health of star center Nicklas Backstrom. GM Brian MacLellan expects him to return at some point this coming season after the 34-year-old had his hip resurfaced. His $9.2 million cap hit will be off the books and on long-term injured reserve, but MacLellan said “it’s not like we go out and sign a $9 million player. We’re anticipating Nick comes back at some point.” The Capitals could certainly use a center to fill that void until he returns, but at what level of cap hit?
CENTRAL DIVISION
Key players hitting UFA: F Phil Kessel, F Alex Galchenyuk Key players hitting RFA: F Lawson Crouse, F Barrett Hayton, G Josef Korenar Cap space: $28,118,291
What they should do: Let’s assume Arizona won’t be resigning its own UFAs (particularly Phil Kessel, who will almost certainly hit the market). The Coyotes’ energy should be on its list of pending RFAs, with Crouse’s contract a top priority. He’s coming off a career season (20 goals and 34 points in 65 games) and will be due for a raise from his previous $1.5 million salary. Crouse would undoubtedly be an appealing player for other teams if Arizona can’t bring him back. The Coyotes don’t have many dynamic pieces, and letting Crouse slip away would be bad for business.
Fischer was a pending RFA and signed a one-year deal on Monday. Hayton is another pending RFA who received a qualifying offer.
Now, if the Coyotes decide to go shopping this week, how will their living situation affect negotiations? There are several unknowns surrounding the Coyotes’ temporary digs at Arizona State University and their progress on building a new rink in Tempe. Will free agents be hesitant in committing to Arizona? Or, if the dollars are there, do location and amenities not really matter? We’ll find out soon enough.
Until then, the Coyotes should be targeting deals for their own skaters and keeping that consistency in place during what could be a tumultuous time ahead.
Key players hitting UFA: F Dominik Kubalik, F Dylan Strome, D Calvin de Haan Key players hitting RFA: F Philipp Kurashev, D Caleb Jones Cap space: $18,540,704
What they should do: Chicago’s recent activity suggests they’re determined to freefall. Trading Alex DeBrincat for draft picks was a choice. Acquiring Petr Mrazek — when everyone knew Toronto was looking to unload his contract — in exchange for basically nothing was another choice. What will the Blackhawks do for an encore in free agency?
In theory, Chicago should have extended qualifying offers — and new deals — to pending RFAs Dylan Strome and Dominik Kubalik. But, Chicago isn’t keeping either player so they will become UFAs instead. That’s a shame. True, Kubalik had a down year in 2021-22, but he’s 26 and scored 30 goals two seasons ago. And Strome had a terrific second half in 2022-23, finishing with 22 goals and 48 points in 69 games. Why would general manager Kyle Davidson not want them around? Good question.
Defenseman Jones and forward Kurashev received qualifying offers, and appear to be in Chicago’s future plans.
The Blackhawks should also be looking at signing another goaltender to slot in with Mrazek. Collin Delia and Kevin Lankinen are both pending UFAs, with Lankinen perhaps the better option of the two to keep if Davidson decides to go that route. Given that Chicago is in a clear rebuilding stage that might turn off some UFA goalies, but targeting someone (David Rittich, Calvin Pickard) on a one-year deal who’s maybe looking to rebound in a low-pressure situation could work.
Key players hitting UFA: F Andre Burakovsky, F Darren Helm, F Nazem Kadri, F Nicolas Aube-Kubel, D Josh Manson, G Darcy Kuemper Key players hitting RFA: F Artturi Lehkonen Cap space: $14,910,000
What they should do: This is already a fascinating offseason for the Stanley Cup champions. General manager Joe Sakic did an excellent job building this franchise into a winner; keeping it that way will be trickier. Nathan MacKinnon — now entering the final year of his deal — will command a massive extension soon, and their list of pending UFAs includes key playoff contributors.
Colorado has to be strategic about who they can afford now. In the choice between pending UFAs Nazem Kadri and Valeri Nichushkin, Sakic stuck with the latter. Nichushkin never even hit the open market, signing an eight-year, $49 million extension on Monday.
Kadri’s career year has probably priced Colorado out of retaining his services. Nichushkin is also coming off his best season ever (52 points in 62 games), but the winger’s price point — $6.125 million per season — was lower than what Kadri will likely command elsewhere.
After Nichushkin, Colorado should prioritize Burakovsky. He was a big-time player late in the postseason and fits the Avalanche mold. Lehkonen is another player worth keeping; there aren’t many 200-foot players like him available to sign.
Sakic addressed Colorado’s goaltending by trading for the rights to Alexandar Georgiev, which effectively signaled the end for Kuemper’s Avalanche tenure. Georgiev subsequently signed a three-year deal worth $10.2 million.
Where Colorado might add an external UFA is on defense. The Avalanche have a strong core group there, but if Manson doesn’t re-sign, Sakic could look towards Nick Leddy or even John Klingberg (depending on the dollars).
Key players hitting UFA: F Vladislav Namestnikov, F Alexander Radulov, D John Klingberg Key players hitting RFA: F Jason Robertson, G Jake Oettinger Cap space: $17,810,834
What they should do: Dallas’ road map should be simple: Get long-term deals done with pending RFAs Robertson and Oettinger — they will be franchise cornerstones for seasons to come. And let Klingberg walk.
It’s not that the Stars wouldn’t want to keep one of their top defenseman. It’s just that Klingberg is 30 years old and wants to get paid. Even if he would probably be a great fit for Peter DeBoer’s system, it doesn’t seem feasible given Dallas’ cap constraints to invest in Klingberg given what his market will be elsewhere.
Dallas has to address the right side of its defense. If Klingberg exits, then Jani Hakanpaa is the Stars only real option at RHD. Josh Manson and Ethan Bear would be top targets on the market to provide some help.
In a perfect world, Dallas would add more scoring to the mix too, but that would depend on how rich the contracts are for Robertson and Oettinger. The Stars might just have to hope for internal improvements to factor in there, like from Denis Gurianov (who popped in just 11 goals in 73 games last season after a 20-goal campaign in 64 games in 2019-20).
Key players hitting UFA: F Nick Bjugstad, F Nicolas Deslauriers Key players hitting RFA: None Cap space: $1,433,912
What they should do: Well, general manager Bill Guerin already did The Thing when he signed UFA goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury to a two-year contract last week. There’s not much cap space left to do much else.
Now, one completed trade like the one Guerin already made moving Kevin Fiala to Los Angeles — could change things in a hurry. Minnesota would probably want to add another top-six center and really solidify down the middle, but they wouldn’t be in a position to do that without completing another trade.
Does Guerin try to move Matt Dumba or Dmitry Kulikov — both of whom are entering the final year of their deals — to invest up front? It’s possible Guerin moves Cam Talbot (and his $3.6 million contract) now that Fleury is back, and targets a free-agent backup on a less expensive deal.
If Guerin does stand pat, then extending pending UFAs Nick Bjugstad and/or Nicolas Deslauriers could become appealing. Bjugstad is a consistent bottom-six piece and Deslauriers has some bite to his game.
Barring another trade that frees up some cap room, it feels as if the Wild are pretty set.
Key players hitting UFA: F Nick Cousins Key players hitting RFA: F Yakov Trenin Cap space: $9,611,358
What they should do: The offseason priority for Nashville was extend pending UFA Filip Forsberg. General manager David Poile did just that last week when he inked Forsberg to an eight-year, $68 million contract. Check.
The Predators’ blue line looks to be in good shape after Poile acquired Ryan McDonagh from Tampa Bay earlier this month, too.
The internal decisions remaining for Nashville now involve Cousins and Trenin. Cousins has produced only 14 goals in his last two seasons, but provides a certain physical edge that the Predators like. Is that enough to earn him another contract? Or does Nashville go outside itself to find some more grit?
Trenin had 17 goals last season, and at 25, is still coming into his own. He’d be a good depth piece for Nashville to retain, and should be a priority for Poile to resign before free agency begins.
Come July 13, the Predators should be targeting some help at right wing. And they’ve got a decent amount of cap space to wield on the open market. Phil Kessel or Rickard Rakell are both attractive players in this vein, and might pair nicely in top-six (or even top-nine) roles. Adding there would give Nashville more depth and flexibility than it had a season ago, when their scoring petered out late in the campaign.
Key players hitting UFA: F David Perron, D Nick Leddy Key players hitting RFA: F Klim Kostin, D Niko Mikkola, D Scott Perunovich Cap space: $9,012,500
What they should do: This one is easy enough: St. Louis should absolutely, unequivocally re-sign David Perron.
The 34-year-old had a tremendous season (57 points in 67 games), an even better playoffs (nine goals in 12 games) and wants to stick with the Blues. So how is a deal not already done? Money, of course. St. Louis doesn’t have a ton of space, and there are other holes to fill.
The Blues need a new netminder behind Jordan Binnington after trading the rights to pending RFA Ville Husso last week. St. Louis also has decisions to make on the blue line, whether in re-signing Leddy (or replacing those contributions with someone else) and extending (or not) pending RFAs Niko Mikkola and Scott Perunovich.
It’s a lot to get done, and may not leave enough cap space to get a deal done with Perron. How will general manager Doug Armstrong prioritize? The goaltending is non-negotiable; St. Louis knows, especially after how last season went, that the right backup can save a season. It’s not an area to ignore. But losing Perron would leave a massive void.
What the Blues should do first is find out Perron’s bottom line and negotiate from there. There should be a middle ground that can keep both sides happy. If not, then the open market looms, and they’ll have more space to play with when the bell rings on July 13.
Key players hitting UFA: F Zachary Sanford, F Paul Stastny Key players hitting RFA: F Mason Appleton, F Pierre-Luc Dubois, F Jansen Harkins, F Evgeny Svechnikov Cap space: $16,196,310
What they should do: The Jets’ priority should be on Pierre-Luc Dubois, a pending RFA with arbitration rights. Winnipeg would love to get him signed long term, but Dubois will be a UFA in 2024 and has indicated an interest in testing the market then. That’s not great news for the Jets. Mark Scheifele will also be a UFA in 2024, and both players leaving would be a crushing blow for Winnipeg’s center depth.
General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff still has to get Dubois’ deal done for at least this season. Next up would be potentially re-signing Appleton and figuring out whether Stastny should stay in the mix. Because where the Jets really need to improve their depth is on the wing.
Winnipeg has the top-end talents up front, but their middle-six is weaker. Fortunately there are a number of options available to them. Dylan Strome could be a fit there for the Jets, and they should consider a long-term deal to get him in the mix. New coach Rick Bowness had Vladislav Namestnikov in Dallas and knows what he can bring to the lineup. Kasperi Kapanen has been a consistent scorer in the past, and needs a fresh start.
The Jets have the luxury of cap space. They should use it to invest in players committed for more than a season or two. Winnipeg can’t account for an exodus of key players down the road, but why not prioritize younger guys who want to stick around, just in case?
PACIFIC DIVISION
Key players hitting UFA: F Dominik Simon, F Zach Aston-Reese, F Sonny Milano, F Sam Steel Key players hitting RFA: Isac Lundestrom Cap space: $39,423,333
What they should do: The Ducks are obviously positioned well for the future. Center Mason McTavish will join Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale as the next wave of Anaheim stars takes over the roster. The trick for GM Pat Verbeek is to find ways to populate his roster with some veterans who can help make the Ducks more competitive without hindering the growth of that next wave. Ultimately, challenging for a playoff spot — or earning one — will help that young core exponentially.
Between Zegras, McTavish, Adam Henrique, Lundestrom and Derek Grant, the Ducks should have enough depth up the middle. They could use veteran support on the wings. On the free-agency front, I’d like to see someone like Tyler Motte get a look. On the trade front, I’m thinking an Anthony Beauvillier or Tanner Pearson type.
The Ducks could also use a veteran on defense after shipping out Hampus Lindholm and Josh Manson at last season’s trade deadline. A homecoming for Manson as a free agent wouldn’t be out of the question — plug him right back in next to Cam Fowler. If not Manson, there could be trades with Vegas for Alec Martinez or Winnipeg for Brenden Dillon, two players very familiar with California hockey.
Not giving qualifying offers to Milano or Steel was a surprise. But that’s why you bring in a GM from outside the organization: to make tough calls on popular players.
Then there’s the John Gibson question. The netminder pushed back on the notion that he wanted out of Anaheim, with five years left on his deal at $6.4 million AAV. Verbeek knows that given the scarcity of true starting goalies and with that kind of contractual control, Gibson would bring back a windfall. But while it’s true Gibson hasn’t been dominant for about three seasons, trading him may end up creating a new problem for a growing contender rather than solving a current one. He will turn 29 this month.
Let’s face it: The Ducks have a ton of cap space. We know what they could be doing, but they also could surprise us.
Key players hitting UFA: LW Johnny Gaudreau, F Calle Jarnkrok, RW Trevor Lewis, RW Brett Ritchie, C Ryan Carpenter, D Erik Gudbranson, D Nikita Zadorov, D Michael Stone Key players hitting RFA: F Andrew Mangiapane, F Matthew Tkachuk, D Oliver Kylington Cap space: $26,012,500
What they should do: Sign Johnny Gaudreau. OK, moving on …
No, seriously, though: Gaudreau’s next contract is going to carry an average annual value anywhere from $9.5 million to over $10 million. That’s a lot money to commit to one player, especially when there’s another player — Matthew Tkachuk — who will seek to break the bank himself in the coming years. But Johnny Hockey is a franchise player. He’s got years of productivity left. If he leaves, the Flames’ cupboard isn’t bare. But their Stanley Cup aspirations are certainly altered.
The Tkachuk part of this is fascinating, too. His qualifying offer is $9 million, and he’s one year from unrestricted free agency. Like with Gaudreau, there’s a bottomless well of speculation about his monetary and geographic future in the NHL. Getting clarity on that is key as well.
The trick for Calgary is not only giving out new contracts to their star players and RFAs but also finding room for a player like Nikita Zadorov to fill out the blue line. There’s a path to accomplishing that, but it will likely take some salary shedding.
Key players hitting UFA: F Evander Kane, F Josh Archibald, F Derick Brassard, D Brett Kulak, D Kris Russell Key players hitting RFA: F Kailer Yamamoto, F Jesse Puljujarvi, F Ryan McLeod Cap space: $15,868,667
What they should do: The Oilers are expected to place goalie Mike Smith on long-term injured reserve and sign goalie Jack Campbell away from the Maple Leafs. We could very well see a Campbell/Stuart Skinner battery next season. That’s an improvement, if a little less chaotic fun.
GM Ken Holland is playing the Evander Kane game like this: He’s hoping the winger finds the grass isn’t all that greener elsewhere and comes back to the Oilers to score multitudes of goals next to Connor McDavid. It’s the only way Holland can afford him.
If Kane falls through, there was talk that Claude Giroux could be another option for the Oilers. But another interesting name is hitting the market: David Perron of the St. Louis Blues, who is both a top-six forward and a playoff hero. The guy did three tours of duty in St. Louis; one assumes he wouldn’t mind doing a second one in Edmonton to skate with Connor.
Key players hitting UFA: F Andreas Athanasiou, F Brendan Lemieux, D Alexander Edler, D Olli Maatta, D Troy Stecher Key players hitting RFA: D Mikey Anderson, D Sean Durzi, F Gabriel Vilardi Cap space: $4,438,333
What they should do: The Kings already made their biggest swing of the postseason acquiring Kevin Fiala from the cap-strapped Minnesota Wild. Sure, they could go even more all-in to acquire defenseman Jakob Chychrun from the Arizona Coyotes, a player they’ve coveted. But it would likely cost them their first-rounder next season and a couple of blue-chip prospects whom they might be better off keeping. Still, the temptation will be there, because the fit is so good.
As it stands, the Kings will address their blue line in a more fiscally conservative way: bringing back Edler on an incentive-laden contract, as he was quite good for them last season; and seeking another veteran on the left side, preferably one who can bring some size.
Other than that, the Kings should keep doing what they’ve been doing: letting the veterans shine as the kids ripen and hope the whole thing adds up to becoming a contender. Last season’s playoff berth was just the start.
Key players hitting UFA: F Jonathan Dahlen Key players hitting RFA: G Kaapo Kahkonen, D Mario Ferraro, F Noah Gregor, F Luke Kunin Cap space: $5,667,500
What they should do: The biggest offseason issue for the Sharks remains the $26.5 million in cap space they have tied up in defensemen Erik Karlsson (32), Brent Burns (37) and Marc-Edouard Vlasic (35).
Vlasic and Karlsson have full trade protection. Burns has a modified no-trade clause but makes $8 million against the cap through 2024-25. New GM Mike Grier didn’t exactly dismiss the idea that Burns could seek an exit for a team closer to Stanley Cup contention. If Grier found a way to ship out any of the three off his cap, it would be a boon for the Sharks.
As it stands, the Sharks barely have enough cap space to take care of their RFAs. But they should be able to open up a bit more by trading either James Reimer — who has a five-team no-trade list — or Adin Hill, with the other goalie sharing the crease with Kähkönen next season.
Whoever they add in free agency or via trade might not be as important as another signing: a head coach, who could end up being former Rangers bench boss David Quinn.
Key players hitting UFA: F Ryan Donato, F Victor Rask, F Riley Sheahan, F Daniel Sprong, D Haydn Fleury Key players hitting RFA: F Morgan Geekie, F Kole Lind Cap space: $22,060,834
What they should do: Get their tentacles around one of the biggest free-agent forwards this summer.
Whether it’s Johnny Gaudreau skating with Matty Beniers and Shane Wright or Nazem Kadri giving those two young centers extra time to mature as he takes the No. 1 center spot, the Kraken have the means to throw a considerable contract their way. And before someone says “too soon” to ink an impact player, we will remind you that (a) they signed one before ever playing a game in goalie Philipp Grubauer and (b) critics said the same thing when Artemi Panarin signed with the Rangers during a rebuild.
It’s more likely they make a play for free-agent puck-moving defenseman John Klingberg from the Dallas Stars, filling a need on their blue line while being reunited with former Stars teammate Jamie Oleksiak.
Beyond free-agent chasing, the Kraken could also shed some salary from their original bounty of players. Defenseman Carson Soucy has value one year before UFA status. Ditto forward Joonas Donskoi, who could really use a change in scenery after a terrible first season in Seattle.
Key players hitting UFA: F Alex Chiasson, F Brad Richardson, F Matthew Highmore, F Juho Lammikko, G Jaroslav Halak Key players hitting RFA: None Cap space: $2,148,333
What they should do: Trade J.T. Miller. His value is sky-high. So is his asking price. Rather than the Canucks getting tethered to a contract for a player on the other side of 30 — and with Bo Horvat needing a new contract after next season, too — Vancouver should flip him for some players/picks who can help them now and down the line.
The problem with the Canucks under former GM Jim Benning was the pressure to push chips in every single season. I hope that GM Patrik Allvin and team president Jim Rutherford take a longer-term approach to this roster. Vancouver should be competitive, but taking a year to untangle some of Benning’s moves and shape the roster in their image wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, given the group of players they have signed beyond this season.
Key players hitting UFA: F Reilly Smith, F Mattias Janmark Key players hitting RFA: F Keegan Kolesar, F Nicolas Roy, F Nic Hague Cap space: $0
What they should do: Well, we know they’re going to do something. First, because they’re the Golden Knights, and offseason inactivity isn’t in their nature. Second, because the salary cap necessitates it, whether it’s for expected moves like re-signing Reilly Smith or other moves that could bolster the team.
They could have cleared $2.325 million by trading goalie Laurent Brossoit, but the uncertainty surrounding Robin Lehner’s status clouds that. They could clear $5.25 million for the next two seasons if they trade defenseman Alec Martinez, which is plausible. They could take a big swing and deal Max Pacioretty and his $7 million cap hit one year before unrestricted free agency.
Or they could stand pat, knowing that the rash of injuries that hit them last season were the reason they missed the playoffs; and that with Bruce Cassidy behind the bench as their new head coach, a healthy roster top-lined by Mark Stone, Jack Eichel, Alex Pietrangelo and Shea Theodore doesn’t need radical reinvention. Well, unless they stumble next season.
The Colorado Avalanche have signed pending restricted free agent Alexandar Georgiev to a three-year extension, the club announced on Sunday.
Financial details were not disclosed in the release, but sources confirmed to ESPN the deal comes with a $3.4 million AAV ($10.2 million total).
Colorado acquired Georgiev’s negotiating rights from the New York Rangers during last week’s NHL entry draft, flipping New York a third- and fifth-round selection in that 2022 draft in exchange for the netminder.
The 26-year-old is coming off an average season playing behind Vezina Trophy winner Igor Shesterkin, posting a 15-10-2 record with an .898 save percentage and 2.92 goals-against average. That was a dip from Georgiev’s better overall numbers during the five years he spent in the organization (.909, 2.93 in 131 appearances).
The trade was hardly a surprise, though. Georgiev was increasingly unhappy with his role in New York, even before Shesterkin’s emergence as the Rangers’ obvious No. 1 choice.
New York had shopped Georgiev before to no avail. This time, the Rangers found a trade partner that will be expecting Georgiev to carry the load in net.
“When (Georgiev) was a starter, he played really well, and he wanted a bigger opportunity, and he’s got that opportunity,” Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic said Thursday. “He was looking forward to the challenge. What I like about it, he played in a big market. He was in New York. He can deal with a lot of that stuff. We’re excited for him.”
Georgiev’s acquisition had a ripple effect on Colorado’s incumbent starter Darcy Kuemper. The veteran is a pending unrestricted free agent who was previously expected to at least explore his options on the open market and now certainly will be managing many suitors for his services when free agency begins on July 13.
Pavel Francouz, who backed up Kuemper the past two seasons, will compete with Georgiev for playing time. Francouz was 6-0 in the postseason for Colorado, with a 2.81 GAA and a .906 save percentage.
MONTREAL — Maybe it just worked out this way, but the Rangers used half of their six picks in rounds 2-6 of the 2022 NHL Draft at Bell Centre on Friday on centers — which is coincidentally the position the club needs to address on the current roster.
With an overflowing pool of prospects on defense, the Rangers took only one defensemen this year and opted to pad out the organization’s forward group with three centers, as well as a wing. There is still a question mark hovering over the Rangers’ second-line center job, which is looking less and less likely to be filled by either longtime lineup staple Ryan Strome or trade-deadline acquisition Andrew Copp.
“There’s always a premium on centers, it’s probably one of the hardest positions to play obviously,” said John Lilley, the Rangers’ Director of Player Personnel and Director of Amateur Scouting. “So we targeted a few centermen along the way and the way the list fell, those are the players we selected. So we’re excited to get all these players in the pipeline and get them to development camp.”
It is unclear which of the Rangers’ selections on Friday will participate in development camp, which will commence Monday at the MSG Training Center in Tarrytown.
Adam Sykora is all smiles after getting picked by the Rangers in the second round of the NHL draft.NHLI via Getty Images
The Rangers made their first pick of the draft in the second round at No. 63, taking Slovakian left wing Adam Sykora. While he didn’t expect to be drafted by the Rangers, Sykora was thrilled to be taken in the second round.
Asked to name the player he models his game after, Sykora without hesitation said the Bruins’ Brad Marchand.
“He’s like a rat and he isn’t scared of [taller] players,” he said with a smile. “I try to play that way.”
Sykora said he tries to play a physical game, bring energy to the ice and land a lot of hits. His father, Roman Sykora, played for Tri City in the Western Hockey League. The 17-year-old most recently competed for Team Slovakia at the World Championship, scoring two goals and dishing an assist in six games.
“What a special kid,” Slovakia men’s national team head coach Craig Ramsey said. “I was so happy I took him as a 17-year-old [to World Championships]. He didn’t play the first two games and then he stepped in and just played so hard. When he scored his first goal, the whole bench went crazy because he’s such a great kid. He sat on the bench the first game he played.
“There was power plays and penalty-killing and he didn’t play for a while and I gave him a little hug and I said, ‘I’ll get you out there, don’t worry.’ And he’s ready and he just said, ‘You don’t have to worry about me coach.’ And then he banged the boards and yelled at his teammates.He’s always smiling and he’s always making other people happy and he cheers for everybody.”
The Rangers then took Bryce McConnell-Barker, a Canadian center out of the Ontario Hockey League, in the third round at No. 97 — one of the two picks in this draft acquired in the Alexandar Georgiev trade with the Avalanche. The 18-year-old McConnell-Barker is coming off a 49-point season in the OHL with the Soo Greyhounds, which included a goal and four assists in 10 playoff games.
“I’d say I’m a two-way centerman,” said McConnell-Barker, who added that he models his game after the Bruins’ Patrice Bergeron and the Lightning’s Ondrej Palat. “I’d say I’m really good defensively in my own zone and I can also produce and put up points and score goals and make nice plays when I need to. I also think I work really hard and the really big thing about me is that I give it my all.”
Minnesota native Noah Laba, also a center, fell to the Rangers in the fourth round at No. 111. The Rangers acquired the pick from the Golden Knights as part of the Brett Howden deal, but it originally belonged to the Jets. Laba, who was not in attendance on Friday, is committed to Colgate for the 2022-23 NCAA season after back-to-back campaigns with the United Hockey League’s Lincoln Stars.
The Rangers wrapped up the second draft of the Chris Drury regime by selecting defenseman Vittorio Mancini, left wing Maxim Barbashev and center Zakary Karpa, whose father, Dave Karpa, played two seasons with the Rangers from 2001-03.
“I thought we added to a good prospect pool,” Lilley said. “Got some depth, got some centermen, some bigger players with high compete. I think all around, we added some good pieces and we look forward to development camp.”
Rangers draft picks
Adam Sykora
Position: Left wing Drafted: 2nd round, 63rd overall Height: 5-foot-11 Weight: 174 pounds Club: Slovakia national team What to know: Sykora turned heads with Team Slovakia at the World Championship. He’s considered an undersized pest who also has speed. Despite having experience at center, Sykora is primarily seen as a left wing.
Bryce McConnell-Barker
Position: Center Drafted: 3rd round, 97th overall Height: 6-foot-1 Weight: 194-pounds Club: Soo Greyhounds (OHL) What to know: McConnell-Barker is a lefty shot who is a two-way player and a capable goal scorer.
Noah Laba
Position: Center Drafted: 4th round, 111th-overall Height: 6-foot-1 Weight: 181 pounds Club: Lincoln Stars (USHL) What to know: Laba, who compiled 24 goals and 34 assists in 96 games for the Stars, is committed to Colgate. He was also named to the 2020-21 USHL All-Academic Team.
Vittorio Mancini
Position: Right defenseman Drafted: 5th round, 159th overall Height: 6-foot-4 Weight: 215 Club: University of Nebraska-Omaha What to know: Mancini is a big-bodied blueliner who can make an impact during even-strength play.
Maxim Barbashev
Position: Left wing Drafted: 5th round, 161st overall Height: 6-foot-1 Weight: 183 pounds Club: Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL) What to know: Barbashev brings a physical presence to the ice, with an emphasis on landing hits and winning battles in front of the net for position.
Zakary Karpa
Position: Center Drafted: 6th round, 191st overall Height: 6-foot-2 Weight: 190 pounds Club: Harvard What to know: Karpa excels in skating and is a strong defensive center who has an offensive upside.
Today we look at each NHL team’s biggest need going into the 2022 NHL Draft.
Biggest need, in this context, doesn’t mean the immediate need on the big club’s roster. This is not about filling needs for the 2022-23 NHL season. The purpose of this from an NHL Draft perspective is to examine a club’s entire depth chart at the NHL and prospect level and project their needs over the next few years.
Anaheim Ducks: Defenseman
The Ducks have some excellent young defensemen in their system, with Jamie Drysdale on the path to becoming a top-flight player and Olen Zellweger looking great in junior. After dealing Josh Manson and Hampus Lindholm though, there is a pressing need for more top-four defense talent on the team.
Arizona Coyotes: Center
Any look at the four centers the Coyotes were starting on any given night would probably lead you to the same conclusion: This organization needs more down the middle. I still like Barrett Hayton, but the Coyotes need a lot more around him. It helps there will probably be a very good center available at the No. 3 pick.
Boston Bruins: Defenseman
In terms of what the big club needs right now, I would lean toward a center, but the Bruins do at least have John Beecher coming and I think you could get some games out of Brett Harrison too. On defense, there’s very little on the way. Maybe you can turn Mason Lohrei into an NHL player, but it’s not a sure thing, and other than him there’s not much.
Buffalo Sabres: Center
The Sabres have a deep farm system so there’s no pressing, glaring need, but in a post-Jack Eichel world, center is the need I would single out — particularly another high-echelon center. They have a bunch of good pieces between Peyton Krebs, Casey Mittelstadt and Dylan Cozens who could possibly be those solutions, but it couldn’t hurt to add more.
Calgary Flames: Defenseman
The Flames have used a lot of their high picks in recent years to add talented forwards such as Matt Coronato, Connor Zary and Jakob Pelletier. They have some decent defense prospects but there is a glaring need for more talent at that position, especially given that Juuso Valimaki has yet to take that big step forward in his development.
Carolina Hurricanes: Center
Carolina has had a ton of draft picks over the last few years, so there’s no pressing need in their system. I highlighted center because while they have some good forward prospects, some of which are listed as centers, they realistically don’t have many prospects that project as legit top-three-line NHL centers and a lot of their listed centers may get pushed to the wing in the NHL.
Chicago Blackhawks: Defenseman
I could have gone in several directions for Chicago’s biggest need but chose defense. I did so because after trading Adam Boqvist and Henri Jokiharju, and after several of their other high defense picks in recent years not developing as planned, there’s very little coming from that position in the pipeline.
Colorado Avalanche: Goaltender
I was tempted to say defense here after Colorado traded Justin Barron and Drew Helleson at the deadline, but they still have Bowen Byram who will be a great NHL player, and Sean Behrens had a strong year in college. Their top goalie prospect is Justus Annunen who has good size but has been just okay as a pro, and they could realistically use another option in case he doesn’t pan out.
Columbus Blue Jackets: Defenseman
Columbus did a great job last year adding to a key need up front and particularly down the middle by taking Kent Johnson and Cole Sillinger high in the draft. Now, the attention turns to the blue line. Columbus has only used one top-two-round pick on a defenseman since Andrew Peeke in 2016, and it shows when you look through their reserve list
Dallas Stars: Defenseman
I wouldn’t call this need for Dallas pressing — obviously they have Miro Heiskanen on the big club who’s still quite young, and I think Thomas Harley will be very good in time, too. This is a position they could use more depth at though because after those two there isn’t much on the way other than maybe Artem Grushnikov.
Detroit Red Wings: Center
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, Wings fans. The Wings have done a very good job building up their blue line through the draft and adding a quality goalie in Sebastian Cossa, but given the so-so development of former top center pick Michael Rasmussen, this has become a clear position of need for the Wings to address.
Edmonton Oilers: Goaltender
The Oilers have a clear present need for a quality starting goalie, but that need won’t be addressed by this draft, given how long you’ll be waiting for even the best netminder. That said, their system also lacks a clear goalie of the future. Stuart Skinner held up well in a trial run, but he’s no sure thing, so adding more depth at this position seems like a priority for this organization.
Florida Panthers: Defenseman
Florida’s system isn’t that deep and they don’t have many picks, but they do have several good, young forwards and Spencer Knight in net. They have very little coming on the blue line. I like Evan Nause but they need a lot more than just him.
Los Angeles Kings: Goaltender
The Kings have a deep organization of young talent at most positions including premium positions of center and defense. The one they do lack is a clear goalie of the future. This may not be the draft class to address that, but it could be worth taking a swing on at least one goalie.
Minnesota Wild: Center
Minnesota has done well drafting premium positions of center, defense and goalie in recent years. After watching Jack McBain walk and seeing Marat Khusnutdinov re-sign with his KHL team, a little more depth down the middle would be nice to add to the organization.
Montreal Canadiens: Center
I think you could easily argue center or goalie for Montreal here. After the disappointing development of No. 3 pick Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Ryan Poehling becoming a solid but not great player, they could use more quality depth down the middle.
Nashville Predators: Defenseman
After being known as a defense factory for years, Nashville has invested more of their draft capital recently at forward and in net. Their system has little coming on the blue line and you have to imagine this draft they look to address that.
New Jersey Devils: Goaltender
The Devils have had a ton of picks in recent years and have addressed a lot of critical needs in the draft, but the one position they still need to fill is a clear goalie of the future if Mackenzie Blackwood can’t be that guy. It’s possible Nico Daws or Akira Schmid could be, that but they’re not sure things.
New York Islanders: Defenseman
The Islanders have a lot of needs in their system so I could have gone in a bunch of different directions here. Noah Dobson looks great on the blue line, but after him it’s bleak. Maybe Robin Salo plays, but he’s not a guarantee.
New York Rangers: Center
The Rangers have picked often and high in recent years so their stable of young talent is in a good position with depth and quality. The one thing they could really use though is more depth down the middle. The positive playoffs from Filip Chytil is reassuring but there’s almost nothing coming from outside the NHL.
Ottawa Senators: Defenseman
Ottawa has a very good farm system and young players on the NHL club so I don’t really see a clear need at any one position. But if I had to pick one, it would be the blue line. The obvious caveat is Jake Sanderson is an elite defense prospect, and they have several other good defense prospects coming too. If I were to compare the young depth between the Sens forwards and blueliners, they could use one or two more quality blue-line prospects to play alongside Sanderson and Thomas Chabot. Lassi Thomson or Jacob Bernard-Docker could be that, but if they can’t, more depth doesn’t hurt.
Philadelphia Flyers: Center
The Flyers have several clear needs, but there are little answers in the current organization as to who their centers of the future are. In a post-Claude Giroux era, that is a position that needs a ton of help.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Defenseman
The Penguins have had few draft picks in recent years and the picks they have made haven’t developed all that well. I could have easily gone with center here, but the lack of defense prospects in their pipeline is striking.
St. Louis Blues: Defenseman
The Blues haven’t had or kept many high picks recently, but you have to like the progress of top forward picks Zachary Bolduc and Jake Neighbours, and obviously Robert Thomas has flourished on the big club. On the back end, there’s less quality depth coming, and so it should be an area they look to address.
San Jose Sharks: Goaltender
San Jose has some young players at defense, wing and center, especially if William Eklund can play the middle. I like Benjamin Gaudreau but he had a so-so season so it’s not clear if he, or anyone else in the pipeline, is the Sharks’ goalie of the future.
Seattle Kraken: Depth
Having gone through only one NHL Draft with only seven picks, Seattle’s farm system is quite thin. Matty Beniers is great, and both Ryker Evans and Ryan Winterton look like solid NHL prospects, but they just need a lot more players.
Tampa Bay Lightning: Scoring forwards
Tampa hasn’t picked much or high in recent seasons so the farm is understandably thin with various needs. I could have picked center here, but I do like Jack Finley enough to think he’ll play. Looking through their pipeline, Tampa has a lot of hard-working forwards, but there isn’t a ton of skill coming, nor guys who can project to score a lot as pros.
Toronto Maple Leafs: Center
Roni Hirvonen is a solid prospect who I think will play in the NHL. He’s played the middle before, but I don’t think he’s a lock to be an NHL pivot, and after him there isn’t a whole lot else coming up for Toronto down the middle.
Vancouver Canucks: Center
The Canucks haven’t had many high picks in the last two years so they have several needs, but if I had to pick one it would be center. Yes, they have some very good centers on the NHL team, but there’s no obvious next guy up in the scenario any of them need to be replaced.
Vegas Golden Knights: Center
Vegas has a couple of good wing and defense prospects, but they lack depth in goal and particularly down the middle unless Ivan Morozov really hits. I’m not ruling out Nolan Patrick turning it around to an extent, but regardless, they could use more quality depth at center in the pipeline.
Washington Capitals: Goaltender
Washington’s need for a goaltender was well documented after a team .899 save percentage on the season. There is a lack of a next clear guy coming from the system as well. It’s always possible Ilya Samsonov bounces back due to his age and talent, though.
Winnipeg Jets: Center
I picked center as the position of need for the Jets — however, if someone like a Chaz Lucius were to find a way to play the middle as a pro to go with David Gustafsson, then that would alleviate their needs to an extent. Barring that, getting more depth down the middle stands out as their biggest need going into the draft.
(Photo of Shane Wright: Frank Gunn / The Canadian Press via AP, File)
TAMPA, Fla. — Toronto Maple Leafs star forward Auston Matthews collected the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player and the Ted Lindsay Award as the NHLPA’s most outstanding player at the NHL Awards on Tuesday night.
Matthews, 24, scored 60 goals, leading the NHL for the second straight season. He set a Maple Leafs franchise record and the single-season record for most goals by an American-born player. He led the NHL in even-strength goals (44), goals per game (0.82) and shots (348). He was tied for sixth in points with 106 — the highest total of his career.
Matthews earned 119 first-place votes for the Hart Trophy, which is voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA). Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers was second in the voting while New York Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin was third.
Matthews was the first Maple Leafs player to win the NHLPA’s most outstanding player award, which is voted on by the players and was first handed out in 1971. McDavid and Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi were the runners-up for the Ted Lindsay. Matthews is the second American-born player to win the award, along with Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane in 2015-16.
“To be honored by players you go up against every night,” he said, “it just means a lot to me.”
The closest vote of the night was for the Norris Trophy, given to the NHL’s best defenseman by the PHWA. Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar won his first Norris with 1,631 points in the voting, with 92 first-place votes. Josi was second (1,606) with more first-place votes than Makar (98). The points allocation on the ballot, which ranks the top five choices, is 10-7-5-3-1. Makar was named on 195 ballots, while Josi was named on 194.
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman was third for the Norris.
“We’ve got some important things to do [Wednesday]” Makar said at the show, quickly turning attention back to the Stanley Cup Final. “But for the boys, this goes out to them.”
Shesterkin won the Vezina Trophy as the League’s top goaltender, which is voted on by the NHL’s general managers. The other finalists were runner-up choice Jacob Markstrom of the Calgary Flames and Juuse Saros of the Nashville Predators.
“It’s a great honor for me to be here,” Shesterkin said at the ceremony. “It’s good to play for the New York Rangers, it’s an incredible feeling.”
Shesterkin led the NHL with a 2.07 goals-against average and a .935 save percentage in 53 games, leading the Rangers to 110 regular-season points, the third-highest total in franchise history. He was a first-time Vezina nominee and joined Henrik Lundqvist and John Vanbiesbrouck as Rangers who won the Vezina since the current criteria for the award was set in 1981-82.
Some expected he could be a unanimous choice, but Carolina’s Frederik Andersen, Tampa Bay goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy and the New York Islanders’ Ilya Sorokin also had first-place votes.
Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider won the Calder Memorial Trophy for rookie of the year, as voted on by the PHWA. He played all 82 games for the Red Wings and averaged 23:02 in ice time per game, tops among rookies. He led all rookie defensemen in points (50), the third-highest for a first-year blueliner in the last 30 years. He led all rookies in assists (43) and power-play points (21).
“It’s a really big honor, I didn’t really prepare for a speech, so I’ll just go with the flow here,” he said. “It’s a great organization with Detroit, it’s very fun to be a Red Wing.”
Seider collected 170 first-place votes. Trevor Zegras, the Anaheim Ducks forward who created several highlight-reel goals this season, was second with 15 first-place votes. Toronto Maple Leafs rookie Michael Bunting, who was notable for being 26 years old, was third in the voting.
Julien BriseBois of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Chris Drury of the New York Rangers and Joe Sakic of the Colorado Avalanche are the three finalists for the 2021-22 Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award. The winner will be announced at the NHL Draft next month in Montreal.
The NHL Awards were held at Armature Works in Tampa on the off day between Games 3 and 4 of the Stanley Cup Final. The league previously announced several awards during the playoffs: Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award: Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings; Jack Adams Award: Darryl Sutter, Calgary Flames; Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy: Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens; Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award: Noel Acton of Baltimore, Md. Frank J. Selke Trophy for best defensive forward: Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins; Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for most gentlemanly player: Kyle Connor, Winnipeg Jets; King Clancy Memorial Trophy for community service: P.K. Subban, New Jersey Devils.
At this point we should be grateful for what ESPN is not. It’s not, for example and thank goodness, the Do It Yourself Invasive Surgery Channel or the Home Gas Leak Mending Network.
If ESPN didn’t know before the seven-game Rangers-Hurricanes Stanley Cup playoff series, it had to know after Game 3. And it had to remember it as its top priority come the series-concluding handshake line.
Throughout Games 3, 4 and 6, all at the Garden, ex-Ranger defenseman Tony DeAngelo was booed, en masse, every time he played the puck. DeAngelo last year became a persona non grata here, culminating with a postgame fight he had with backup goalie Alexandar Georgiev.
DeAngelo, a talented puck-mover from New Jersey, was then essentially fired. He next signed with the ’Canes.
Again, if ESPN entered this series not knowing this, it couldn’t have claimed ignorance after Game 3. “Follow DeAngelo to Georgiev during the handshake!” then should have been circled in thick red ink and distributed to the entire crew.
Monday, after the Rangers won Game 7, ESPN in fact followed DeAngelo as he traveled that handshake line … until he just about reached Georgiev.
Tony DeAngelo and Henrik LundqvistGetty Images; AP
At that moment, ESPN jumped off the shot! It then returned to DeAngelo after he’d passed Georgiev!
We’ve recently heard that inflation is so bad that a picture is now only worth 200 words, but there are no words to describe this latest ESPN blunder.
Kapler’s anthem protest woefully misguided
Feckless virtue-signaling has become the new national waste time.
Giants’ manager Gabe Kapler will no longer show himself in or near the dugout during the national anthem to protest mass shootings. That’s certainly his right, and if his body isn’t in the right place, perhaps his head is.
But what’s it worth? How does that solve or even minimally treat the issue? Which murders count and which don’t?
Recently, several municipalities and states determined that they will no longer use the word “chief,” as in Chief of Police and Chief Executive Officer, as “chief” is disrespectful to native Americans. That chief comes from the French word “chef,” for leader, doesn’t matter.
I supported losing “Redskins” as an NFL team nickname as it directly appropriated a race. However, sentiment to eliminate Braves, Warriors and Chiefs is foolish as they refer to the nobility, spirit and courage of American Indians.
Eliminating chief in titles is absurd. When folks say “chief financial officer” they don’t see Geronimo in a feathered headdress, they see a guy in a suit.
And capitalizing “black” as in the black race, has changed what?
But if Kapler wants to link or exploit the national anthem to protest mass murder he’s woefully misguided.
Why are conspicuous truths regularly avoided during Yanks’ YES telecasts?
Tuesday, first inning, Gleyber Torres hit one deep to left-center then broke into his home run trot rounding first. Only then did he realize that it had smacked high off the wall. He was called out at third after over-sliding the bag when he reasonably should have pulled up at third, standing.
It took several replays and more than half an inning before Michael Kay cut to the core of the matter — Torres had to turn it on late then slide past third because he’d slowed to a jog.
Yet Carlos Beltran, who doesn’t stop speaking the obvious, chose to take this play off, while David Cone excused Torres with his usual “he thought” it was out.
Gleyber Torres, who didn’t sprint out of the box, gets thrown out after trying to stretch a double into a triple during a recent game against the Angels.N.Y. Post: Charles Wenzelberg
Regardless, returning to the dugout Torres, smiling, received high fives after needlessly making an out at third playing diminished standards, Aaron Boone Baseball.
Rob Manfred and MLB continue to push conceited, counterproductive, opponent-inflaming baseball as a way to kids’ hearts, the pandering fools.
Is no one at MLB aware that sports are suffering from a nationwide shortage of youth and rec league umpires and game officials who have chosen to bolt rather than indulge the escalation of uncivilized, abusive conduct among players, adult coaches and spectators, especially the parents of kids?
This week Yankees minor league prospect Anthony Seigler made news when he performed a bat-flip after hitting a home run. Except it wasn’t a home run and Seigler was thrown out at second to end the game.
Hey, a walk-off bat-flip for the other team!
At the time, Seigler’s Hudson Valley team was losing, 6-2!
Yet MLB Network continues to roll “Best Bat Flips” reels and, as reader Ron Perri noted for us, this week MLB.com included a piece that began, “Nothing in baseball is more exciting than a perfectly timed bat-flip.”
Well, beanballs and occasional brawls ignited by acts of excessive self-aggrandizement can be exciting, too.
MLB Network and its website are stuffed with all-about-me baseball, from “Memorial Day Weekend’s Best Bat Flips” to a video instructional, “Learn To Bat-Flip.”
Yep, just keep desensitizing kids, turn them into remorselessly selfish creeps and we’ll continue to call it sports.
Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior scored in the second half to give Real Madrid a 1-0 win over Liverpool in the Champions League final, Saturday, seen on CBS.
In the first half, analyst Rob Green said that Vinicius was so raw and confused when he arrived from Brazil that teammates cracked, “Keep the ball away from him, I think he plays for the other side.”
Francesa burned by Blueshirts
On his betting tout podcast, Monday, Mike “My Picks Have Value” Francesa buried another local favorite, claiming the Rangers would lose Game 7 to Carolina because the ’Canes “are a very well-coached team.”
Our man who runs @backaftathis to expose “Let’s Be Honest” Mike as a self-anointed expert who is rarely correct and seldom honest, wrote that at the time Francesa was heard touting the ’Canes because of their coach, he’d have bet Francesa 10 grand he didn’t know the name of their coach (Rod Brind’Amour).
Mike FrancesaGetty Images for Radio Hall of Fame
Not to burden Yankees fans with bad memories, but Gary Sanchez’s many deficiencies were brought to mind, over the weekend, by the efficiency of new Yankee catcher Jose Trevino.
Trevino, on pitches outside and in the dirt to right-handed batters, stopped the ball by backhanding it with his mitt wide open.
Sanchez didn’t try to stop the ball, he tried to catch it, backhanded, looking to snag such pitches with a closed glove like a first baseman. That’s why pitches often had to be chased toward the backstop.
Spare notes in search of sanctuary:
Seven of the 10 Tigers who batted, Sunday, were hitting below .200. Analytics, baby!
John SmoltzGetty Images
Carlos Beltran this week suggested that checked swing calls should be subjected to replay reviews.
ESPN2, during Sunday’s Phils-Mets, posted a graphic of Chris Bassitt’s last seven pitches to Kyle Schwarber. Even if you cared to read it, you couldn’t. It appeared for exactly two seconds before it disappeared beneath a replay.
Reader Richard Kelly on Fox’s lead baseball analyst, John Smoltz, another whose inability to hush up for even a moment has gone untreated: “He’s like the damned fan my wife must have on to go to sleep.”
Love those split screens during Stanley Cup play on ESPN that encourage viewers to watch the Stanley Cup on ESPN.
That Johnny Depp-Amber Heard trial lasted longer than their marriage.
Matt Carpenter, W.B. Mason logoJason Szenes; Wikipedia
Lookalikes: Reader Mike Rowan submits new Yankee Matt Carpenter and Yankee Stadium right-field sentry W.B. Mason.
The Rangers and Hurricanes will be playing to keep their seasons — and their Stanley Cup chase — alive on Monday night (8 p.m. ET, ESPN, SN, TVAS) at PNC Arena in Raleigh for Game 7 of their Eastern Conference second-round seres.
The winner will go on to face the two-time defending Cup champion Lightning, while the loser can start making tee times an get a jumpstart on their offseason training programs.
For both teams, it’s the second Game 7 of their 2022 postseasons: Carolina edged out the Bruins to earn their second-round berth, while the Rangers rallied from a 3-1 series deficit to top the Penguins.
The home team has won each game in the series, the 22nd time in NHL history that’s occurred heading into Game 7.
Frank Vatrano and the Rangers will look to end the Hurricanes’ home ice dominance in Game 7.Corey Sipkin
Pregame Warmups
• Brooks: Rangers ignoring outside noise as Game 7 against Hurricanes looms
• Rangers-Hurricanes Game 7 betting preview
• Vaccaro: Rangers-Hurricanes Game 7 means someone will be remembered forever
