Blues sign twice-bought-out defenseman Ryan Suter to 1-year, $775,000 contract

Blues sign twice-bought-out defenseman Ryan Suter to 1-year, $775,000 contract

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The St. Louis Blues signed veteran defenseman Ryan Suter to a one-year, $775,000 contract, the team announced Wednesday night.The deal includes $2.225 million in potential performance bonuses. The terms were not immediately known.Suter, 39, was bought out by the Dallas Stars in late June. He ranked 62nd on The Athletic’s NHL big board heading into free agency opening on July 1 and was fourth among remaining unsigned players as of Wednesday.The left-shot defenseman scored two goals and 17 points in 82 games in 2023-24, averaging 18:56 per game for the Central Division-winning Stars. He added one goal and four points in 17:50 per game during the playoffs, playing 19 games as Dallas made its second straight Western Conference final run.Suter is the second player in league history to be bought out twice, after Tony DeAngelo. Suter was previously bought out by the Minnesota Wild in 2021, when he signed a four-year, $14.6 million deal with the Stars. This season, he will be paid by all three teams.Why did the Blues sign Suter?The Blues had interest in Suter when he signed in Dallas. Now available again, Suter was likely attractive to them because he can provide depth on the left side as they navigate through their retool.He joins a group on that side which includes Nick Leddy, Torey Krug, Scott Perunovich and Tyler Tucker. If the Blues find a trade partner for Krug, Suter can be counted on for limited minutes and to support Perunovich and Tucker.What does this mean for the salary cap?This is a low-risk addition because Suter comes in on a league-minimum salary. There are performance bonuses in the deal, and the terms aren’t yet known, but even if he maxes them out, he would cost only $3 million, and the club is currently well under the NHL’s cap with $7.3 million available, according to PuckPedia.Required reading(Photo: Chris Jones / USA Today)

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Wild prospect Charlie Stramel taking a ‘chip on my shoulder’ to Michigan State after trying year at Wisconsin

Wild prospect Charlie Stramel taking a ‘chip on my shoulder’ to Michigan State after trying year at Wisconsin

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ST. PAUL, Minn. — Charlie Stramel said all the right things Tuesday, mostly that this is now on him and he’s going to have to determine if he’s going to make it to the next level and perhaps one day have a successful NHL career.He made no excuses about what led to his second straight sub-par season at the University of Wisconsin, not blaming early season injuries for his season-long lack of production nor Mike Hastings for playing him down near the bottom of the Badgers’ lineup.Instead, the Wild’s 2023 first-round pick tried to keep the focus on the future and his transfer to Michigan State, calling it a “no-brainer” to leave Wisconsin and attempt to prove all his naysayers wrong during a clean slate under one of his former USA Hockey coaches, Adam Nightingale, with the Spartans.“I’m pumped,” Stramel, the Rosemount, Minn., native, said. “Playing with a chip on my shoulder this season and looking forward to it. … I was always thinking, ‘If I’m ever going to leave, I’m going to go somewhere where I trust somebody and with Nightingale and Michigan State … upcoming here, it was a no-brainer to go there.’”
Charlie Stramel says it was a “no brainer” to transfer to Michigan State and that he’ll be playing with a “chip on my shoulder” this season pic.twitter.com/dO4P7LAMHq
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) July 9, 2024Stramel, 19, scored three goals and eight points in 35 games during his second year with Wisconsin after having five goals and 12 points in 32 games as a freshman.That lack of productivity and his usage mostly at fourth-line right wing sure didn’t quiet the critics who were already scrutinizing the Wild’s decision to skip skilled forward Gabe Perreault on their draft list and take a leap at Stramel.Stramel was drafted as a center, and at 6-foot-3 with a power game in his arsenal, the Wild were intrigued by the overall package because there’s no doubt that has long been an organizational need.Granted he’s young and it’s way, way too premature to hurl him into the pile of failed Wild first-round picks, Stramel feels the pressure to prove himself now. The Wild have supported him since drafting him. They stick up for him every chance they get.Now he must prove them correct in their faith.He knows it.So, first things first, it’s that power game that Stramel hopes to rediscover at Michigan State.“I think getting back to my identity,” he said. “Just getting back to the power forward, 200-foot center, winning draws, good at the net front. Not straying away from that. I think at times I strayed away from that at Wisconsin and it hurt me. I’ve got to stick to the player I am and the player I’m hopefully going to be at the next level.”Wild director of amateur scouting Judd Brackett believes being reunited with Nightingale after spending two years together at the U.S. National Team Development Program will do wonders.“To be back with a coach he has trust and confidence in is what he needs right now,” Brackett said. “He needs to go in feeling sure of himself, his ability and where his role and opportunity is going to be, but now it’s up to him to perform. It’s a clean slate. It’s the right fit. It’s a great opportunity. But now the rubber’s gotta meet the road. He’s got to do it.”GO DEEPERRusso and Smith: Wild keeping faith in Charlie Stramel, but Judd Brackett says, ‘We want to see progress’Stramel said he learned a lot during his trying season with the Badgers, mostly that it’s up to “you” to work your way out of adverse situations. He had to endure plenty of them last season, from the early injuries to a new coach who didn’t recruit him and seemed to want to rely on veteran players the way he used to during his successful stint as Minnesota State’s coach.Stramel says he has worked hard this offseason to be in better shape and improve his first three steps in his stride. He’ll head to Michigan State after the Wild’s development camp, which wraps up Thursday.“This is a big year,” Stramel admitted. “I think confidence helps a lot in any player. You don’t always have it. You’re always working to get more of it. I think this summer even these first two months of the summer I’ve already felt like my confidence is up a lot more. I’m trying to carry that momentum into State.”Stramel does his best to avoid reading articles or the sometimes mean banter on social media from fans already labeling him a bust. First-round pick Marco Rossi was also smart enough to distance himself from that during his rough start to his NHL career. He worked his butt off last summer, scored 21 goals in his first full NHL season and last month was named to the NHL’s All-Rookie Team.And, by the way, Rossi is three years older than Stramel.“It definitely helps put a chip on my shoulder. I’m coming into this season with something to prove,” Stramel said of the criticism and worry about his future. “Like I said, I didn’t have a great season this year overall. I think everybody knows that. But (the Wild) have been every step of the way — player development, management — super supportive getting me back to the player they drafted and the player I want to be at the next level.”(Photo: Jason Kempin / Getty Images)


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Central Notes: Hayton, Soderstrom, Kumpulainen, Stars

Central Notes: Hayton, Soderstrom, Kumpulainen, Stars

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After an aggressive start to the offseason the Utah Hockey Club still has some work to do regarding a pair of restricted free agents. Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports reports Utah is closing in on a deal with forward Barrett Hayton and there has been no progress towards a new contract for defenseman Victor Soderstrom.
Hayton looked to be moving into the second-line center position for the 2023-24 NHL season after posting strong numbers in 2022-23. The former fifth-overall pick scored 19 goals and 43 points for the now-defunct Arizona Coyotes in 82 games while achieving a 51.1% success rate in the faceoff dot. Unfortunately, the 2023-24 season was not as kind to Hayton as he wasn’t able to get much consistency while dealing with injuries. In a major step backward in his development, Hayton posted three goals and 10 points in 33 games even while starting his shifts in the offensive zone 56.6% of the time.
Soderstrom spent most of the year with the Coyotes’ AHL affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners. In 62 games at the AHL level, Soderstrom scored nine goals and 32 points which tied him in fourth on the team in scoring and first amongst defensemen. The former 11th overall pick of the 2019 NHL Draft may be serviceable as an extra defenseman on a revamped Utah blue line for the 2024-25 NHL season but could become a trade candidate towards the end of the offseason. Soderstrom has proven to be a quality offensive defenseman in the minor leagues and may be looking for a legitimate opportunity at the NHL level which has not come yet.
Other Central notes:

The Minnesota Wild have loaned prospect Rasmus Kumpulainen to the Lahden Pelicans of the Finnish Liiga where he is also signing a two-year contract according to the team. Minnesota drafted Kumpulainen with the 53rd overall pick of the 2023 NHL Draft out of the Pelicans’ farm system where he had spent all of his professional career. The young Finnish prospect spent last year with the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League where he scored 28 goals and 56 points in 58 games and will now return to his hometown team to continue his development.
In a ’first-of-its-kind’ move from the Dallas Stars organization; the team announced it had severed its ties with Diamond Sports Group for broadcasting the team’s games on television and will enter a seven-year agreement with A Parent Media Co. Inc. (APMC). In conjunction with the new broadcasting agreement, APMC and the Stars organization have set up a new streaming service named VICTORY+ which will allow in-market fans of the team to stream the games for free. In regards to the new methods of distributing game content, President of the Dallas Stars and CEO Brad Alberts said, “After years of researching the right solution and careful planning with our partners at APMC, we’re proud to announce this pioneering streaming platform that will literally change the game for sports distribution on VICTORY+“.

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Each NHL team’s biggest unaddressed need a week into free agency

Each NHL team’s biggest unaddressed need a week into free agency

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After the first week of NHL free agency, where does your team stand?If there’s still a gaping hole, there are only a few options left to fill it. Let the Daniel Sprong sweepstakes begin.​​What’s each team’s biggest unaddressed need? The Athletic asked its NHL staff. Here’s what they said.A right-shot top-four defensemanAnother top-six wing could be in this space, as well, given that neither need has been addressed. It’s why Steven Stamkos would have been ideal, and Jonathan Marchessault was a strong secondary target. But a right-handed defenseman was also on general manager Pat Verbeek’s shopping list, and Brian Dumoulin doesn’t fill that hole, even though he should help the defense overall. As of now, it’s likely that the Ducks will have to move one of their lefties over to the right side. Cam Fowler and Jackson LaCombe can do it, but both are stronger on their natural side. While Tristan Luneau has a lot of promise, Radko Gudas is their only proven right-shot defender. — Eric StephensA scoring wingThe Bruins do not have consistent scoring presence aside from David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand. They are worse off for letting Jake DeBrusk go. It’s hard to say whether Fabian Lysell, their 2021 first-rounder, can make an NHL breakthrough in camp as the No. 2 right wing. The Bruins do not have enough space to sign an impact wing. They will have to produce offense elsewhere. — Fluto ShinzawaA top-six forwardUnless Jason Zucker is going to play on the top two lines, the Sabres didn’t add to the top six. They also bought out Jeff Skinner, so a team that regressed offensively last season lost one of its best five-on-five point producers. The Sabres are betting on improvement from players like Tage Thompson, Dylan Cozens, Alex Tuch and Jack Quinn to get their scoring back to 2022-23 levels. Trading for Ryan McLeod solved Buffalo’s need for a third-line center. But there’s still room to add to the top six, and the Sabres have the cap space to make a deal if one is available. — Matthew FairburnGO DEEPERSabres depth chart reset: Where Buffalo improved and what needs are leftA centerThe Flames’ center depth could still use some work, but they’ll likely look to address that issue internally. Nazem Kadri, Mikael Backlund, Yegor Sharangovich, Martin Pospisil, Connor Zary and Kevin Rooney are all possible/likely centers. Sharangovich, Pospisl and Zary, however, could easily be wingers out of necessity. The Flames aren’t above acquiring a young center who could be part of their future for years to come. The deal just has to make sense. — Julian McKenzieGO DEEPERTrevor Zegras? Kaapo Kakko? Here are 11 potential Flames offseason targetsA top-six forward (or two)After losing Jake Guentzel and Teuvo Teravainen, the Hurricanes could use at least one more winger to round out their top six. Questions also continue to swirl around Martin Necas, who is a restricted free agent and has expressed that he would like to move on. Carolina continues to shop him, but losing Necas would create another hole up front. Perhaps the Hurricanes can swing a trade that nets them multiple NHL forwards — maybe even a second-line center? — to fill out a group that looks a little thin. — Cory LavaletteElite wingersThe Blackhawks definitely improved their offensive upside with Tyler Bertuzzi and Teuvo Tervainen, but neither is quite in the “elite” category. The same would go for Taylor Hall and Andreas Athanasiou, among others. The Blackhawks are hoping as a group that they can score more and can also help elevate Connor Bedard to new heights. General manager Kyle Davidson isn’t expected to add anyone else this summer. — Scott PowersSecondary scoring (maybe?)This is a really tough question to answer without knowing what the future holds for captain Gabriel Landeskog and forward Valeri Nichushkin. If neither of them are available in 2024-25, the Avalanche have a significant hole in their secondary scoring. If one or both play (and perform to their expectations) then that suddenly isn’t much of a concern. At that point, the weakest point of the team is likely the goaltending, where general manager Chris MacFarland is standing pat with Alexandar Georgiev and Justus Annunen so far. — Jesse GrangerA new home for Patrik LaineThe Blue Jackets and Patrik Laine have decided to end their relationship, but that isn’t likely to happen until Laine is cleared from the NHL/NHLPA’s players’ assistance program. Other NHL teams want to speak with Laine before trade talks can advance, Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell said. But with the NHL Draft having passed and free agency well underway, the music is about to slow to a crawl for the offseason, making it more difficult for Laine to be traded. Waddell is expected to name a new coach any day, but the need to trade Laine looms over the offseason. They may have to tolerate each other into next season if a deal can’t be found. — Aaron PortzlineA top-four defensemanThe Stars are set up nicely on depth defensemen, with plenty of players who profile as solid third-pairing options. Miro Heiskanen and Thomas Harley are bona-fide top-four players, and Esa Lindell can play there as well. But unless Matt Dumba or Ilya Lyubushkin experience a resurgence — or Lian Bichsel is NHL-ready very soon — Chris Tanev’s departure leaves a void in the top four. — Saad Yousuf

Esa Lindell and Miro Heiskanen could use help on defense. (Codie McLachlan / Getty Images)A right-shot top-four defensemanDetroit added power-play quarterback Erik Gustafsson to replace Shayne Gostisbehere and indicated it will try him on the right side, but he’s more of an offensively tilted player who’s best cast on the third pair. That likely means the Red Wings will once again turn to Jeff Petry in the top four behind Moritz Seider. There was some hope Detroit could find someone to help take a little pressure off Seider, who played the toughest minutes in the NHL last season, but with limited cap space (once accounting for Seider and Lucas Raymond extensions), it looks like this is the group the Red Wings will take into the season. — Max BultmanHelp on the right side of the defenseBringing in Josh Brown to replace Vincent Desharnais, who left for Vancouver in free agency, arguably makes the Oilers even weaker at their weakest position. At least lefty Philip Broberg, now an RFA, stepped up in that regard for the last two rounds of the playoffs and is seen as an option there. This promises to be something that’s addressed before the 2025 trade deadline. — Daniel Nugent-BowmanGO DEEPERWhat the Oilers accomplished on Day 1 of free agency and where they must still improveA fourth lineWith guys like Ryan Lomberg, Nick Cousins and Kevin Stenlund headed elsewhere, the Panthers will have a decidedly different mix on the fourth line, whether they make another low-cost addition or not. General manager Bill Zito has shown a knack for finding cost-effective options at the bottom of his lineup, though. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see them bring in an interesting PTO candidate or two as camp gets closer. — Sean GentilleTop-nine scoring up frontEarly in 2023-24, the Kings got scoring from throughout their lineup and were among the league leaders in goals. As the season went, the goals became harder to come by and the absence of an often-injured Viktor Arvidsson, along with the struggles of Pierre-Luc Dubois, became much more noticeable. They’ve moved on from both, but their summer acquisitions have yet to provide a boost for an offense that finished 17th in 2023-24. There isn’t much left on the market. Tyler Johnson, Daniel Sprong and James van Riemsdyk are available, but are any of them better fits than what they have as down-in-the-lineup contributors? — Eric StephensA second-line wingerThe Wild only had $4 million or so to spend in free agency and didn’t want to go long-term on a top-six winger, so it was always going to be difficult. But they opted to allocate their funds to another third-liner in Yakov Trenin. The Wild finished 21st in the NHL with 3.02 goals allowed per game last season, so somebody new to take scoring pressure off Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy and Joel Eriksson Ek would have been welcomed. Maybe they can figure out a way to trade some money and make a trade later in the offseason, but that’ll be difficult. So for now, they’ll be looking for internal improvement from Ryan Hartman, Marcus Johansson and Freddy Gaudreau. — Michael RussoGO DEEPERWild sign free agent Yakov Trenin to 4-year, $14 million contractTo trade a defensemanThe Canadiens have a surplus of young, cheap and NHL-ready defensemen and waiver eligibility will make it a complicated group to manage very soon. Along with the boatload of draft capital they have next year, they would like to turn one or two of those defensemen plus one or two of those picks into some help at forward, preferably someone young who fits into the core group they are currently forming. — Arpon BasuGO DEEPERCanadiens draft notebook: The value of live viewings, Hutson’s view of the rebuild and moreCenter depthThe Preds still aren’t where they want to be down the middle, though Steven Stamkos certainly could end up centering a line — how about Filip Forsberg and Jonathan Marchessault with him while Ryan O’Reilly works with Gus Nyquist and rising forward Luke Evangelista? The possibilities are exciting, and Tommy Novak could figure into a top-two center role. Still, you’d like to see another answer at center, and that won’t arrive before the season does. — Joe Rexrode

Will Steven Stamkos see significant time at center in 2024-25? (Lawrence Scott / Getty Images)A Tyler Toffoli replacementThe Devils could’ve used a goal scorer like Toffoli, whom they traded away last trade deadline. The Tomas Tatar signing should help fill that void to some extent if he can rebound to his form from 2022-23, when he was with the Devils. He had 20 goals and 48 points that year, then had a difficult season with Colorado and Seattle. The Devils probably won’t have cap space to work with after signing Dawson Mercer’s restricted-free-agent deal, but they can try to upgrade during the season if needed. — Peter BaughMore top-nine impactThis can only happen if there’s a salary-cap dump in the works. J-G Pageau makes the most sense to move out, but only Lou Lamoriello knows if that’s what this team is going to do. If Pageau is moved, then there’s a chance to add, but trades are obviously the only way to bring in skill this late into free agency. — Arthur StapleA guarantee at top-line right wingThe Rangers’ biggest need entering the summer was to find someone to play with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. Reilly Smith might be the answer, but it’s not a guarantee. New York probably won’t be able to add another big piece this summer unless it pulls off a trade involving roster players. The Rangers also could use another defenseman, though it makes sense to give Zac Jones a chance to be an everyday player, at least at the start of the season. — Peter BaughA third pairing on defenseThe Senators finally seem to have sorted out their top four by trading Jakob Chychrun for Nick Jensen. But there are now some question marks on their third pairing, with Erik Brannstrom no longer part of the equation. As it stands, the third pairing may consist of a couple of young defensemen in Tyler Kleven and Jacob Bernard-Docker. Veteran Travis Hamonic is part of the mix, too. If general manager Steve Staios is going to make any more moves this summer, something to add a bit of veteran help or experience on his third pairing might be the play. — Ian MendesElite skillThe Flyers’ biggest challenge from now until 2026-27 — probably the earliest they expect to truly compete again — will be finding elite-level players to lead the way. Perhaps Matvei Michkov will be one of them now that he’s here, but a true No. 1 center remains their biggest need. That could come in the form of a hockey trade, particularly as the Flyers have three first-round and three second-round picks in the 2025 draft. For now, though, the front office has remained dormant, still waiting for what it views as the correct deal for the future. — Kevin KurzA winger for Sidney CrosbyGeneral manager Kyle Dubas needs to tie up a couple of loose ends. Both are big and involve captain Sidney Crosby. And while it’s presumed one of those loose ends — inking Crosby to a contract extension — will happen, every day that it doesn’t makes the issue hover like a storm cloud. Still, it’ll probably get done. When it does, or before, Dubas also needs to find a replacement for Jake Guentzel as Crosby’s primary scoring option on the wing. Right now, the usually-top-heavy-at-forwards Penguins are a proven winger short of a viable top six — and the hole is on Crosby’s top line. — Rob RossiGO DEEPERPenguins’ pursuit of Vladimir Tarasenko, Steve Mears leaves for Columbus and schedule releaseA power-play quarterbackThe Sharks picked up Jake Walman as a blueliner with a big shot who can slide to the left side of their defense, but they still don’t have a true puck-mover to run their first power-play unit. At times, they use five forwards for the man advantage because they had no one to fill Erik Karlsson’s old role and the now-departed Calen Addison didn’t exactly distinguish himself. Tyson Barrie could be a candidate here, as he’d check off a couple of boxes in being a proven power-play quarterback and a right shot to boot. Barrie could also be flipped at the trade deadline if he gets minutes and produces. — Eric StephensSeattle KrakenElite talentThe Kraken’s biggest unaddressed need remains a big-picture one as opposed to a specific team-construction one: elite talent. From the outset, the Kraken have been built well, with serious depth and speed and structural know-how. Despite Vince Dunn’s emergence as a top-pair driver and Matty Beniers’ continued promise (despite his sophomore struggles), the Kraken’s core of elite talent is still very much under construction. That’s likely to make life difficult over the long haul. A high-end core can cover any manner of roster-construction sins, but the Kraken appear to be locked into being too good to have first dibs on the best players in the draft and not good enough to contend meaningfully. Selecting Berkly Catton — a pure upside pick at No. 8 — shows that the Kraken understand the task at hand, but their structural position still puts them at a disadvantage in trying to level up organizationally. — Thomas DranceTo trade a defensemanThe best way for Blues general manager Doug Armstrong to alter his roster this summer is to make changes on defense. The right side is set with Colton Parayko, Justin Faulk and Matthew Kessel, so the left side is likely where change would come. But in order to make any moves, they would need Torey Krug to waive his full no-trade clause. Until that happens, it’s difficult to even enter the market for a replacement. Former Blues defenseman Joel Edmundson would’ve made some sense, but not at the cost L.A. paid him with a four-year, $15.4 million deal ($3.85 million average annual value). — Jeremy Rutherford

Torey Krug went minus-31 in 2023-24. (Tim Nwachukwu / Getty Images)DepthTechnically, the Lightning have 12 signed forwards at the NHL level. Once restricted free agent J.J. Moser extends, they will have six defensemen, too. If Emil Lilleberg is expected to be an NHL regular next season, then there’s a mix of seven to rotate. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to bring in a little more help. A good focus would be on a secondary scorer so the Lightning’s approach isn’t too top heavy. Cam Atkinson could be a fine addition in that regard, but one more third-line caliber forward should be on management’s radar. — Shayna GoldmanA top-nine centerThe Leafs got nothing out of their third- and fourth-line centers — Pontus Holmberg and David Kämpf — in the playoffs and haven’t upgraded the position at all this summer. Max Domi was re-signed in part because of his ability to play center and could slide back into the middle next season. He played his best last season on Auston Matthews’ right wing, though, and wasn’t their first, second or third option to play center before that. The Leafs also figure to have John Tavares remaining at center at age 34 and entering his 16th NHL season. There’s nothing left in free agency, so barring a trade, this is what the Leafs have for now. — Jonas SiegelGO DEEPERThe case for the Leafs to move William Nylander (back) to centreAn elite forwardMost of general manager Bill Armstrong’s work before and through the early weeks of free agency focused on strengthening the defense corps — and he did that by adding Mikhail Sergachev and John Marino in trades and Ian Cole in free agency. Utah stood pat in goal and so for now will deploy a rotation again, featuring Connor Ingram and Karel Vejmelka. But if they want to compete with the elite teams in the Central, they likely need to add another impact scoring forward. After Clayton Keller’s 33 goals, the next highest total was the 23 that they got from Lawson Crouse. They have the cap room (about $15 million) to accommodate one more big salary if someone like a Mitch Marner is available. — Eric DuhatschekAnother No. 3 defensemanThe Canucks made do on the back end last season with an elite top pair and two pairings that probably graded out as “very good third pairs.” With Ian Cole and Nikita Zadorov heading elsewhere in free agency and the club plugging in Vincent Desharnais and Derek Forbort to replace them, the third pair now grades out as a more conventional, average third pair. Ideally, if the club was able to identify and acquire a credible No. 2 or No. 3 defender, it could bump either Carson Soucy or Tyler Myers down to the third pair to strengthen that group and have a stronger blue line on paper. — Thomas DranceA top-six wingerThe Golden Knights lost 94 goals to free agency or trade this offseason, or 35.7 percent of their total from 2023-24. The additions (Alexander Holtz and Victor Olofsson) have offensive upside, but they’re also coming off a season in which they combined for only 23 goals. Considering Mark Stone’s injury history and the fact that Ivan Barbashev isn’t a pure scorer, Vegas will be relying heavily on its centers for offense this season. — Jesse GrangerAnother wingerAndrew Mangiapane alone doesn’t address all of the Caps’ issues outside, especially if T.J. Oshie lands on long-term injured reserve. They just don’t have enough contender-quality contributors, though Connor McMichael and Alexei Protas still have room to grow, and they don’t have the cap space necessary to make any more meaningful additions without major salary heading back out. — Sean GentilleA contingency planI expect Kevin Cheveldayoff and company have contingency plans ready: They missed on Sean Monahan, for example, so they went after Adam Henrique. I think they traded for Monahan in the first place because they missed on Elias Lindholm. They’re good at moving from Plan A to B to C as necessary. At a certain point, however, it becomes time to look at roster holes at second-line center and top-four defense and explore the idea that the answers could be inside the organization. There are unique cap advantages available if Cole Perfetti and Dylan Samberg can take big steps forward, with tremendous long-term payoffs if they hit and cap space to use at the deadline if they don’t. — Murat AtesGO DEEPERAtes: Why the Jets should extend Cole Perfetti long-term this offseason(Top photo of Jake Guentzel, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin: Patrick Smith / Getty Images)

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The Wild Would Send A Message By Making Eriksson Ek Captain – Minnesota Wild

The Wild Would Send A Message By Making Eriksson Ek Captain – Minnesota Wild

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Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin wants the Wild to maintain its identity as a gritty team. Guerin wants to model his team after the Florida Panthers, who just won the Stanley Cup. However, the Wild lack the personnel and size to play like the Panthers.

The Wild would create a new buzz by making Joel Eriksson Ek captain. They would be messaging to the rest of the world that they are made to last under pressure because of Eriksson Ek’s relentless work ethic and determination. Minnesota will thrive playing a two-way style that allows them to carry out an aggressive forecheck to disrupt breakouts and transition up the middle for shots with created screens. 

Due to their lack of overall size, the Wild won’t thrive as a cycling team. However, they can transition the puck and set up for screens and deflections. The forechecking will revolve around Eriksson Ek, Ryan Hartman, Marcus Foligno, and hopefully Matt Boldy, who can develop more toughness. 

Eriksson Ek can take a break from playing center and assist Marco Rossi and Kirill Kaprizov as a wing to help Rossi take the next step as a player. Eriksson Ek gives Rossi a true power forward to develop his game further due to Eriksson Ek playing the style Guerin wants. Eriksson Ek is the kind of player Florida targets. The Wild should turn Eriksson Ek into their centerpiece for this season by making him captain. 

He had his first 30-goal season, and they shouldn’t take him off the top line just because he isn’t flashy with the puck like Boldy. At 23, Boldy has room to grow his game modeling after Eriksson Ek. Still, Boldy isn’t the right mentor to help Rossi bring more intensity when the Wild go up against bigger teams like the Winnipeg Jets, Vegas Golden Knights, and Nashville Predators. Eriksson Ek’s playing style will create more consistency for Rossi than Boldy’s finesse style. Rossi might not become a consistent 30-goal scorer like Eriksson Ek’s turning out to be but count on assists just from getting pucks on net from the perimeter off Rossi’s stick. 

Eriksson Ek becoming captain would spell the end of Jared Spurgeon’s tenure as captain for the Wild. Spurgeon’s teammates respect him, but he isn’t the kind of captain Eriksson Ek can be. Eriksson Ek can lead the Wild, much like Aleksander Barkov did for Florida. However, the Panthers still needed to bring in Tkachuk for more toughness. Eriksson Ek brings more toughness to the game than Barkov since he takes more beatings in front of the net that get uncalled by the referees. 

Did trading for Jakub Lauko show that the Wild are building around Eriksson Ek? The Wild got a restricted free agent (RFA) in exchange for Vinni Lettieri, who’s expected to play bottom-six minutes. Can he help the Wild bring a consistent spark every night with their energy? Can he bring a little more depth than Connor Dewar and Brandon Duhaime? Lauko can learn how to play a gritty game from Eriksson Ek. 

As a center, Lauko allows Eriksson Ek to play wing on the top line. The Wild can make more center depth by letting Lauko be a bottom-six center. But that’s only one element of creating a contender from scratch. Eriksson Ek will bring his new role to the power play to increase his scoring numbers. Will he be able to score 40 goals? That may be a tall order, but no one saw Eriksson Ek scoring 30 goals until he did last year. 

The Wild signed Yakov Trenin to a four-year contract so that Eriksson Ek remains on the top line while Trenin takes on a shutdown role involving penalty-killing minutes. Trenin plays a similar style to Eriksson Ek, especially as an experienced center. 

Eriksson Ek’s captaincy should be a sign of change. Guerin would invest in building a winning culture by making Eriksson Ek captain. He would officially succeed Mikko Koivu as his replacement, and Eriksson Ek was drafted to be just that. Will he get his jersey retired? That has yet to be determined. If Eriksson Ek leads the Wild to a Cup, they should consider retiring his No. 14 alongside Kaprizov’s No. 97. 

Eriksson Ek needs to be captain and play wing. The Wild can improve by making internal changes to their system. They need to be more creative by making the Wild more versatile than before. Eriksson Ek playing permanently with Kaprizov makes Kaprizov’s game better. Still, the Wild must invest in Rossi’s future by playing with Eriksson Ek. They must continue establishing a core, and Eriksson Ek gets to lead that core to victory.

 

 

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Wild Re-Sign Declan Chisholm

Wild Re-Sign Declan Chisholm

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Minnesota had just one remaining restricted free agent who saw regular NHL action with them last season and they’ve quickly reached an agreement with that player.  Michael Russo of The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that the Wild have inked blueliner Declan Chisholm to a one-year, $1MM contract.  Chisholm was eligible to file for salary arbitration by yesterday’s deadline but elected not to do so.
The 24-year-old was a productive blueliner in Winnipeg’s system but failed to land a full-time spot with them over his entry-level contract.  That led to a one-year, two-way deal for the league minimum last season where he was waiver-eligible.  The Jets didn’t want to lose Chisholm for nothing at the end of training camp but weren’t confident enough to play him.  As a result, he got into just two games with them before finally being waived in late January where he was promptly claimed by the Wild.
With Minnesota, Chisholm became much more of a regular, getting into 29 games with them over the final three months when he had eight points and 36 blocked shots in a little under 17 minutes a night.  While that output pales in comparison to the 43 points he had in the minors the year before, the fact he was able to lock down a regular role demonstrated that his defensive game improved enough to the point where he could be relied on.
This deal represents a low-risk move for the Wild as $1MM for someone who can hold their own on the third pairing represents strong value.  At the moment, Minnesota has just six regular blueliners under contract for next season so it wouldn’t be surprising to see them shop around for some more depth over the coming weeks.  However, with minimal cap space to work with, they’ll have to shop for some lower-cost options.

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Making Sense Of the Jake Middleton Extension – Minnesota Wild

Making Sense Of the Jake Middleton Extension – Minnesota Wild

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Jake Middleton has established himself as one of the Minnesota Wild’s most likable players. His toothless grin, bombastic mustache, and blue-collar upbringing call to mind memories of a bygone era of hard-nosed hockey. He’s charismatic on camera and endeared himself further to the entire State of Hockey with a dig at Edina in a feature in The Athletic.

“I don’t think I’m (going to) Cake Eater country just yet,” he joked. “That’s not my speed yet. We’ll see. But not anytime soon.” 

His striking appearance and physical on-ice style combine with that charisma to make Middleton something of a modern enforcer. He’s the type of player that makes fans and teammates glad he’s on their side. 

So why did people meet his extension with groans?

It’s not hard to find analysts and blog posts criticizing the front office for this move. There’s no need to rehash it here: public consensus is that while Middleton is an effective bottom-four defenseman, the Wild overpaid him on his new extension. Furthermore, the timing of this move makes little sense, given that Middleton is 28 years old and under contract for the 2024-25 season. With no pressure to retain him, why would Minnesota feel urgency to sign him to an extension — least of all at this number? 

That’s enough for some people to conclude that the front office had made a massive mistake by signing this extension – and perhaps those people are correct. However, for the curious mind, why? is not an incredulous remark but the beginning of a beautiful journey. 

To answer that why, I started with an interesting piece of reporting from The Athletic’s Michael Russo: “Middleton played through injuries this past season himself, including a knee that had to be cleaned up after the season.” 

Could that injury be the key to explaining this whole extension? 

What comes next will require some speculation about what it means to “clean up a knee.” Please note that I am not reporting the nature of Middleton surgery because I do not have any new information to share. Based on Russo’s wording in his report, I am simply speculating about the nature of that procedure. 

Taking that leap in logic, it sounds like the procedure involves the removal of something from the knee. That could include a meniscus trim or repair. That hypothesis is also supported by the report that Middleton played through injury before the procedure, as is possible with meniscus injuries. It doesn’t prove that Middleton had a meniscus injury, but it’s possible. 

It’s worth continuing down that rabbit hole, even with several degrees of uncertainty, because a meniscus procedure would explain a lot about Middleton’s extension. 

There are two common procedures for treating an injured meniscus: a full repair and a meniscectomy (or a “trim”). The trim simply removes the damaged portion of the meniscus. It’s minimally invasive, and many professional athletes elect this procedure for its short recovery timeline. They can typically return to athletic activity in a month or two.  

The repair has a longer recovery timeline: “Jogging typically begins around three to four months with return to sports around six to nine months.” The tradeoff is that a repair has better outcomes concerning strength, stability, and pain in the knee. These are crucial to the performance and future health of a player like Middleton, who the Wild often task with boxing out opponents at the net. 

When a professional hockey player has the option to return to play sooner but work through more pain, that’s going to sound pretty familiar. Aside from the daily workout schedule, Middleton is no stranger to cross-checks, slashes, and blocking 90 MPH slap shots. But get him back on the ice sooner, and he’ll do it enthusiastically. So, perhaps he opted for the meniscus trim. 

On the other hand, why would the team commit to Middleton this summer after a procedure like that? What if Middleton opted for the full repair, and they offered the extension after a successful surgery? 

Middleton should be ready for the beginning of the season; the team hasn’t indicated otherwise. But with an aggressive timeline, Middleton could return to skating six months after surgery. If the procedure happened just after the season ended on April 18, he could be eyeing a return to the ice right around the October 10 season opener. 

Steven Stamkos had a meniscus surgery in November 2016. It was presumably a full repair, given that it kept him out for the rest of the season; a trim would have allowed him to return before springtime. After that procedure, he never regained the breakneck scoring pace of his younger years, but he still played at an elite level. 

Steven Stamkos career statistics, courtesy of Hockey Reference

Stamkos played a full load of games and minutes the year after his procedure but scored at a lower rate than his rookie season. The long recovery timeline may have played a part in his decreased production. Notably, he had one of the best seasons of his career the following year in 2018-19. 

Stamkos also missed games due to injury in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons. However, some of that was related to a core muscle injury. The team also termed some of it a “lower-body injury,” which may have been related to his meniscus. When he was healthy in those seasons, he scored at his usual elite rate or just below it. 

If Middleton’s recovery follows this timeline, the four-year extension makes more sense. It also explains the contract’s timing. If Middleton returns to his second-pair form by the end of 2024-25, the whole league will know he’s back. He would then hit the open market, which could increase his price. By extending him this summer, the Wild are taking advantage of their trainers’ knowledge of Middleton’s outlook. In exchange, Middleton gets security. 

That explains the term and the timing, but does it explain the price? Some of the $4.35 Average Annual Value (AAV) can be chalked up to Middleton’s locker room presence and veteran leadership. However, the AAV is well above his projected on-ice value from most publicly available models. As cool as Middleton is, surely Bill Guerin isn’t throwing in an extra $3 million annually for it. 

Take a look at Dom Luszczyszyn’s contract value graphic below. Russo has reported that Middleton’s performance was marred by injury, but this model does not quantify how much injury hampered Middleton’s 2023-24 performance. Some of that is baked in because it predicts age-related decline, which is often related to injury. The model projects a significant dropoff in 2024-25, which could be accurate if Middleton needs time to ramp up to full strength. 

However, if Middleton is poised for a bounce-back in the second year after his surgery (like Stamkos), he could reverse the aging curve in that season (2025-26) and the years after. Those are the years that this extension covers. If Middleton returns closer to his pre-injury performance, his 2022-23 performance is a better benchmark for those years. In that season, his on-ice value was near $5 million. In that scenario, he could live up to the full value of this extension in three or even all four years of the deal. 

Add in his veteran leadership and some cap inflation, and it actually presents a scenario for Minnesota to come out ahead on this deal. However, it’s an unlikely situation. 28-year-old defensemen don’t usually return from injury at 100% of their pre-injury value because even healthy players in their late 20s typically don’t play at the same level as they did two years ago. 

Based on research courtesy of HockeyViz.com

None of this makes the contract a great deal for the Wild. Still, it’s a much more reasonable analysis than looking at the deal and concluding, Man, Minnesota really stepped in it this time. Even if the deal is somewhat inefficient over its lifetime, that’s extremely common for veteran contracts in the NHL. Front offices must spend their money somewhere, and ELC and RFA deals nearly always favor the team. 

On the negative side, remember that it took a few assumptions to get here. For example, we don’t know if Middleton’s injury was related to the meniscus. That’s mostly conjecture based on the wording of Russo’s report. It’s also still fair to criticize this move in light of the need to make room for younger players to join the NHL club. However, Minnesota’s defense prospects still have the opportunity to compete with players like Declan Chisholm. Middleton can also slide to the third pairing in the final years of this extension if those prospects grow into a second-pairing role. 

There’s not much left to do, but watch and see how the deal plays out. In the words of another charismatic professional athlete, “Hate me or love me, you watched. And that’s all that you could do.” 

Ultimately, I’m glad we get to love Jake Middleton for another four years. And if we hate the contract, there may not be a better guy the Wild could overpay. 

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Vibe Check On the 2024 Minnesota Wild Draft Picks – Minnesota Wild

Vibe Check On the 2024 Minnesota Wild Draft Picks – Minnesota Wild

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The NHL vibes were high over the weekend. Having the 2024 Draft in the Sphere in Las Vegas? Genius. Honestly, it should always be there. There was so much to look at visually. And the Trade Horn? Brilliant. Any time it went off, everyone had to buckle in. 

The Minnesota Wild had 6 draft picks, and once again, they cooked. Almost every prospect they picked up was a player who had fallen further down the draft board than anyone thought they would. And the Wild know not to look a gift horse in the mouth. It doesn’t matter why other teams passed on them. What matters is that the Wild’s scouting department is top-notch and knows what they like. 

Everyone has been talking about the stats because it’s easy to point to them when evaluating a player. But let’s pivot and take a look at the vibes of each draft pick because we all know how important vibes are to the Wild organization.

Zeev Buium

Buium made an impression last season when he helped the University of Denver to a national championship. Notably, he expressed his delight by accidentally swearing not once but twice on national television while being interviewed with his brother, who also played for Denver.

Buium is already familiar with Minnesota because he spent time at Shattuck-St. Mary’s in Faribault. He’s already purified himself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka, where he spent an entire summer. 

It feels like Buium will feel right at home next to Brock Faber on the blue line. If Faber brings Golden Retriever energy, Buium brings Border Collie energy, making them delightfully different in the most wonderful way.

Ryder Ritchie

Ritchie is incredibly baby-faced, which tracks because he hasn’t even turned 18 yet! However, despite his young age, he’s among the smoothest-scoring players in the 2024 class. Ritchie fell to pick 45 because he missed a significant portion of his past season. But the Wild were still willing to pick him, and Ritchie seems ready to pay them back by bringing as much offense as possible.

With a dad who was also a professional hockey player, Ritchie showed a bit of cheek by pointing out that he was not only taller but more offensively gifted than his father had been. Unlike his father, however, he hasn’t taken up fighting yet.

Aron Kiviharju

Kiviharju made the most viral moment of the draft for the Wild when he made a ballsy move when shaking GM Bill Guerin’s hand. Pulling Guerin close, Kiviharju assured the GM that he had just made the steal of the draft by choosing him and promised to make sure he saw that. Kiviharju was also coming off a rough season where he missed long periods. In the preseason, people ranked him toward the top of the draft, but he steadily fell until the Wild picked him up in the fourth round.

Not much more has to be said. Saying something like that when meeting your boss for the first time speaks volumes to the large amount of vibes that Kiviharju brings to the organization.

Sebastian Soini

Can the Minnesota Wild really go wrong with a Finnish player? It’s worked pretty well in the past!

Chase Wutzke

The Wild added another goaltender to their organization when they took Wutzke in the fifth round. Wutzke grew up in a tiny town, graduated in a class of fewer than a dozen students, and had to drive two hours to play hockey. The kid is committed.

In a cool twist of fate, Wutzke is part of the Métis Nation. Calen Addison and Connor Dewar were also part of the Métis. Even though both of them have moved on, the Wild maintain their connection to the Métis.

Stevie Leskovar

Leskovar is already 6’4″. Hopefully, he’ll help the whiners stop complaining about the undersized D-men that the Wild currently play with. And even better, he’ll follow through on checks and answer the bell when needed. That should fit in perfectly with the gritty Wild team.

Overall, this draft class brings everything from good stats to amazing vibes. 

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