NHL Offseason News and Rumors July 27th

 Offseason News and Rumors 

Photos taken by me with credit to EA sports, and Bazaart

News

#1) Paul Stastny resigns

Paul Stastny has resigned with Winnipeg on a 1 year deal worth $3.75 Million to stay with Winnipeg. Stastny has been a great piece with Winnipeg first as a second line center and after Dubois came in a top 6 forward and should continue to help the deep Jets roster.

#2) Sam Bennett resigns 

Sam Bennett has agreed to a 4 year contract extension with Florida worth 17.7 Million with a AAV of $4.4 Million per year. After acquiring Bennett at the deadline he ended up being a great addition to there top 6 producing in both the regular season and in the playoffs and should continue to grow with Florida.

#3) more minor deals

Nashville Ben Harpur (1 year $.800 Thousand) 

Florida Lucas Carlsson (1 year $.750 Thousand)

Nashville Jeremy Daives (1 year $.750 Thousand)

Detroit Taro Hirose (1 year $.850 Thousand)

Detroit Kyle Criscoulo (2 years $.750 Thousand)

Minnesota Dakota Mermis (2 years $.750 Thousand)

Tampa Bay Otto Somppi (1 year $.750 Thousand)

Minnesota Kyle Rau (1 year $.750 Thousand)

Winnipeg Eric Comrie (1 year $.750 Thousand)

#4) Stralman to Arizona

 Anton Stralman, 2024 2RD Pick, Vladislav Kolyachonok 

 2023 7RD 

Analysis: this is another gain for Arizona by taking on a bad contract this time taking on Stralman’s $5.5 Million dollar cap hit to gain a 2024 2RD and Kolyachonok for a mere 2023 7RD. Stralman is entering the Final year of his contract at $5.5 Million and should play top 4 minutes on a depleted Arizona defence and should have a increased role after having (3G-6A-9P) in 38 regular season games and no points in 5 playoff games. Arizona also gets a 2RD Pick in 2024 once again adding draft capital and they also get Kolyachonok who can be a NHL D-Men in a few years for the Coyotes. As For Florida they do get a seventh round pick in return but basically they had to give up a pick and prospect to clear Stralman’s cap hit and they were willing to pay that price

#5) Dillion to Winnipeg 

 2022 2RD, 2023 2RD Pick 

 Brendan Dillion

Analysis: the Jets get there defensemen as they acquire Brendan Dillion from the Caps for a 2RD Pick in both 2022 and 2023. Dillion will fill in on the second pair most likely with DeMelo and should relieve some of the pressure that Josh Morrissey has has to endure for the past couple years being the best left side defensemen and Dillion should also help offensively after having (2G-17A-19P) in 56 regular season games and 1 goal in 5 playoff games. For the Caps they get two quality picks for next years draft and the year after for a very skilled D-Men that has   been solid top 4 D since acquiring him a year and a half ago and moving Dillion’s $3.9 Million cap hit gives Washington enough space to sign Alex Ovechkin.

#6) Ovi’s back for five more years

Alex Ovechkin has signed a 5 year contract extension with the Capitals worth $47.5 Million and with a AAV of $9.5 Million. Ovechkin is one of the greatest players of all time and is trying to break Wayne Gretzky’s goal scoring record, he will remain in the Capitals top 6 and should continue to have between 25 and 40 goals per year with Washington.

#7) Mac Andre Fleury dealt to Chicago

 Mikael Hakkarainen

 Marc Andre Fleury

Analysis: the Golden Knights Trade star goalie Marc Andre Fleury to the Blackhawks for mid level prospect Hakkarainen. Fleury has been the best goalie over the past four years since the Knights entered the league and him leaving has the Knights letting go this years Vezina winner and now with him gone Lehner takes over in net and freeing up the $7 Million dollars for 1 year gives the Knights cap space to go after someone like Eichel ans Hakkarainen could be a middle six forward in the future. Fleury will bring leadership and experience to the net for Chicago if he goes there as there have been rumors that he is considering retirement after the trade.

#8) recently acquired RFA’s sign with their new teams.

Pavel Buchnevich and Connor Garland who were traded to the Blues and Canucks respectively on Friday and have both been signed to new contracts. Garland signed a new 5 year deal worth 24.75 Million and a AAV of $4.95. Garland will be a great addition to the Canucks top 9 and can help produce offensively after having a great season with Arizona. As for Buchnevich he signed a 4 year contract extension worth $23.2 Million with a AAV of $5.8 Million. Buchnevich will help fill the shoes of whoever leaves via Free Agency and if Tarasenko leaves via trade after he had a great season playing in the top 6 of the Rangers.

#9) 3 buyout’s end the buyout period 

3 players were bought out as the first buyout windows as closed. James Neal had the last 2 years of his contract bought out today saving the Oilers about $4 Million over the next two years and giving them almost 2 million in dead cap for the next four years. Brayden Holtby had the last year of his contract bought out by the Canucks who save $3.8 Million in cap this year and will have $1.9 Million in dead cap the following year. Martin Jones also has his contract bought out this time by the Sharks and the final 3 years on his deal as they will save the Sharks $3.8 Million next year, $3.3 Million the following year, and $2.8 Million the year after that and will have three years following that with a dead cap total of around $1.5 Million. 

#10) Macdermid moved to Colorado

 2023 4RD pick

 Kurtis Macdermid

Analysis: Macdermid’s stay in Seattle was short as the Kraken have moved him to Colorado for a 2023 4RD pick. Macdermid should fight for a position on the Avalanche blue line and be a big physical defensemen for the Avalanche while the Kraken let another player taken in the expansion draft go for a 4th round pick 

#11) more notable resignings

There have been four more prominent signings. First Joel Armia has signed a 4 year contract extension with Montreal worth $13.6 Million for a AAV of $3.4 Million and should continue to be a productive middle 6 forward that can play short handed minutes. Brandon Montour has re-upped with Florida on a 3 year deal worth $10.5 Million with a AAV of $3.5 Million and should continue to be a reliable top 4 D-Men for the Panthers. Mike Reilly is going to be back with Boston on a 3 year deal worth $9 Million and a AAV of $3 Million to continue to be a productive left side defensemen with the Bruins. And Drake Caggula has signed a 1 year deal worthy $.750 Thousand to remain with the Buffalo Sabres and help them in a bottom 6 role.

#12) Schmidt to Winnipeg

 2022 3RD

 Nate Schmidt

Analysis: the Canucks have finally got rid of Nate Schmidt dealing him to Winnipeg for a 2022 3RD pick. Schmidt joins a revamped Jets D-Core that is coming of acquiring Brendan Dillion last night and has now taken their poor D-Core and made it one of the best in the league. Schmidt has 4 years at $5.95 Million and actually had to waive his Modified No Trade Clause to go to Winnipeg as the Jets were on his 10 team no trade list and should be a soild D-Men after having (5G-10A-15P) in 54 games last season. As for Vancouver they paid a third round pick to acquire Schmidt so they get that pick back in the trade and freeing up $5.95 Million in cap space will help them sign pending RFA’s Hughes and Pettersson 

Rumors

#1) Vancouver trying to move on from Schmidt and Holtby

Vancouver has recently got Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Connor Garland and still need some cap space so Vetran Defensemen and Goalie could be on their way out of Vancouver soon. Schmidt has a terrible first year in Vancouver and it seems to be in each teams interest to go their separate ways especially with Schmidt’s $5.9 Million cap hit, and Holtby didn’t do a great job in his first season with Vancouver and could look for a backup job elsewhere.

#2) Calgary could try to move Monahan and/or Gaudreau

Calgary has been quite so far this offseason and not made very many moves but that could change soon. I know that Tkachuk’s name has been in trade rumors but I think he stays put to help that franchise and it is more likely that Gaudreau is traded as his play has dropped in recent years and only has one year left before his contract is up and teams who are looking for high end centers could look to Calgary for Monahan as he is probably the best Center after Eichel and could help offensively.

#3) Kraken to go after Schwartz

A lot of sources are saying that Jayden Schwartz will sign with the Kraken. Apparently they were nearing a contract extension but the Kraken decided to take the young D-Men Vince Dunn instead and wait on Schwartz and that they should resume talks on Wednesday and maybe get a contract agreement in place.

#4) the 2 newest teams looking at Ryan Strome

With New York R possibly trying to improve their Center position and maybe go after Eichel, they could trade already 2nd line Center Ryan Strome and the two newest teams are interested in him. Both of the recent expansion teams have holes in the middle for Vegas they have been looking for someone to play on the top line as center for the entire offseason and could use Strome as a plan B, while coming out of the expansion draft this year the one big hole was center and Gourde being out till November doesn’t help their case so getting a forward like Strome should be at the top of their to do list.

#5) Suter and Yandle closing in on where to sign

Ryan Suter and Keith Yandle could make their decision real soon as to where they will sign. Both were bought out recently and Suter’s most likely candidates are Dallas and the Islanders while Yandle has been linked to the Bruins, Suter probably still has more game than Yandle and could put up more points.