NHL Offseason News and Rumors

News

#1) Mike Smith has officially signed a two year contract extension worth $4.4 Million and with a AAV of $2.2 Million. Mike Smith has been a solid goalie for Edmonton since first signing there and really played well last year starting the majority of the games last year but with Smith getting up there in age they should try to find a more suitable tandem partner then Koskinen.

#2) Michael Rasmussen has extend with the Red Wings signing a 3 year deal worth $4.38 Million for a AAV of $1.46 Million. Rasmussen played a lot with injuries to key players last season and should be a solid middle 6 Forward after having (3G-9A-12P) in 40 regular season games.

#3) Barclay Goodrow has signed a 6 year deal with the Rangers for $21.85 Million and caries a AAV of $3.64 Million per year. Goodrow had his signing rights trade to the Rangers by Tampa for a 7RD pick before the trade freeze after wining back to back cups with the Bolts and should mesh nicely in the middle 6 for NYR after he had (6G-14A-20P) in 55 regular season games and (2G-4A-6P) in 18 playoff games.

#4) San Jose has re-upped 2 Forwards as they have signed Rudolf Balcers to a 2 year extension worth $3.1 Million and a AAV of $1.55 Million and Joachim Blichfeld to a 1 year $.750 Thousand dollar extension. Blichfeld has play in only a handful of NHL games the last couple of seasons and could fight for a bottom 6 role after having 1 goal in 5 regular season games and Balcers should help in the top 9 for the Sharks after having a breakout season scoring (8G-9A-17P) in 41 regular season games.

#5) Some minor deals to announce as the last post of the day

Gemel Smith (2 year $.750 Thousand)

Kiefer Sherwood (1 year $.750 Thousand)

Nolan Stevens (1 year $.750 Thousand)

Rumours

#1) Hearing that Gostisbehere is going to Arizona, Nedeljkovic is on his way to Detroit, and Settle will trade expansion pick Pitlick to Calgary and will have full details and analysis when they are official.

Trade Alert 

 Jonathan Bernier (Pending UFA), 2021 3RD pick (#94)

 Alex Nedeljkovic (Pending RFA)

Analysis: the Hurricanes have made a surprising move trading young start Alex Nedeljkovic who is a Pending RFA to the Red Wings for Pending UFA Jonathan Bernier and a 2021 3RD pick (#94 overall). Nedeljkovic played great last season and was there starter for most of there playoff games having a (1.90 GAA and .932 SV%) in 23 regular season games and  a (2.17 GAA and .920 SV%) in 9 playoff games. I have just heard that Nedeljkovic has also signed a two year contract extension with Detroit worth $6 Million and a AAV of $3 Million. Nedeljkovic will be the staring goalie this year for Detroit and will be a great tandem with Greiss. As for Carolina it sounded like Nedeljkovic would not agree to terms and the the Canes didn’t want to go to arbitration so they moved him. Bernier had a (2.99 GAA and .914 SV%) in 24 regular season games with Detroit, but joins Reimer and Mrazek as Carolina Goalies who are pending UFA’s and will most likely need to ether sign or trade for a goalie and they do get a mid round pick for him with the 2021 3RD pick(#94 overall).

 Shayne Gostisbehere, 2022 2RD Pick, 2022 7RD Pick

 Future Considerations

Analysis: the Flyers get Future Considerations (or in this case Cap Space) for giving Arizona Shayne Gostisbehere and a 2RD and 7RD Pick in 2022. For Philly Getting rid of Gostisbehere was tough but great. His defensive play has declined over the last couple years and paying a guy $4.5 Million to be a third pairing player is quite a lot so giving away $4.5 Million in cap space will allow Philly to go after someone like Tarasenko. As for Arizona basically their entire defensive core is heading to Free agency and they don’t have that many proven D-Men signed for next year so getting Gostisbehere who can play in the top four and help offensively is a huge gain. And well the 7RD Pick will help them gain in draft Capital the 2RD Pick in 2022 is the third 2RD draft pick from next years draft taken by Arizona in the last week (SJ 2022 2RD in the Hill trade and Col or NYI 2022 2RD Pick in the Ladd deal).

 Tyler Pitlick

 2022 4RD

Analysis: The Flames acquired bottom 6 Forward Tyler Pitlick from the Kraken for a 2022 4RD pick in the Krakens first ever trade. Pitlick had a good season with Arizona as a middle 6 Forward and put up (6G-5A-11P) in 38 regular season games, and was then taken by the Kraken in the Expansion Draft and flipped for draft capital. I would guess that Pitlick would play a bottom 6 role for the Flames in the upcoming season, while for the Kraken they get a extra pick for next years draft with 2022 4RD pick.