Penguins name Maple Leafs’ Wes Clark VP of player personnel: What it means for both teams

Penguins name Maple Leafs’ Wes Clark VP of player personnel: What it means for both teams

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The Pittsburgh Penguins added to their hockey operations department Tuesday, announcing the hiring of Wes Clark as vice president of player personnel. It is a new position under Kyle Dubas, who was hired last summer as president of hockey and later assumed the role of general manager.Clark will preside over amateur and professional scouting, college and European free-agent scouting and will report to Dubas.
The Penguins have named Wes Clark Vice President of Player Personnel.
Clark will oversee the club’s amateur, professional and college/European free agent scouting departments and will report directly to Kyle Dubas.
Details: https://t.co/jPKwgZ3lyC pic.twitter.com/5rL458mRMs
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) July 9, 2024Clark was with the Toronto Maple Leafs in various capacities over the previous six seasons. He ran the Maple Leafs’ drafts as director of player personnel from 2023-24, and previously served as director of amateur scouting, assistant director of player personnel and development, and also as a player evaluation consultant.Though granted full autonomy on hockey matters by Fenway Sports Group, which owns the Penguins, Dubas has slowly remade hockey operations. He has promoted personnel that served under previous management, while also adding Vickie Mpofu (directory of hockey operations and legal affairs, Trent Mann (player development and scouting advisor), and former San Jose Sharks GM Doug Wilson (senior advisor).“Starting last fall with the addition of Trent Mann as a player development and scouting advisor and the elevation of Andy Saucier to lead our pro scouting department, we have sought to really bolster our player personnel system,” Dubas said in a statement. “Our personnel decisions in this short term will be critical as we seek to add the draft picks, prospects and young players that will serve to add an infusion of young, hungry players to our core.“By adding Wes to lead the departments directed by Nick Pryor and Andy, along with the valuable experience and wisdom that Trent provides, we have tried to put the Penguins in a strong position to go out and execute on our personnel strategy in the short and long run. Having worked with Wes for many years, I have a deep trust in his ability to identify talent, lead staffs, advance our scouting process and methods, learn from mistakes to improve processes and to challenge my own thinking and planning on a near-daily basis.”In May, the Penguins fired more than 20 staffers from their business operations. No cuts were made to hockey operations.What this means for the Maple LeafsThis hiring is not a huge surprise. Wes Clark worked for Dubas back when Dubas was still running the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. When Dubas became GM of the Leafs, he brought Clark into the organization and eventually made him the head of amateur scouting. Clark earned fans within the team for nabbing potential NHLers Fraser Minten in 2022 and Easton Cowan in 2023. He just led the 2024 NHL Draft that saw the Leafs pick Ben Danford at the end of the first round. His departure means the Leafs will need someone new to oversee their amateur scouting operation.Dubas was born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., and grew up around the Greyhounds, for whom his late grandfather coached from 1960-67. Dubas was GM of the Greyhounds from 2011-14 before he joined the Maple Leafs.Clark is not the first person with Maple Leafs ties to join Dubas in Pittsburgh. Assistant general manager Jason Spezza served as assistant to the GM under Dubas.What this mean for the PenguinsClark brings veteran experience to an area that Dubas has emphasized recently: acquiring assets. Though he has resisted using phrases such as “rebuild” or “retool,” Dubas’ moves to date this offseason indicate the once always-all-in Penguins are focusing as much on their future as their present.The Penguins took on veteran forward Kevin Hayes in a trade at the NHL Draft, essentially so they could add land a future second-round pick. As for free-agent signings, Dubas has opted for one- or two-year contracts with depth players after giving longer terms last summer to retain goalie Tristan Jarry, sign defensemen Ryan Graves and forward Noel Acciari, and acquire Erik Karlsson in a high-profile trade.Those moves did not help the Penguins return to the playoffs. They have missed out on the last two postseasons after qualifying for a salary-cap-era record 16 consecutive playoffs.The Penguins project to have around $3.5 million in cap space, as charted by PuckPedia. They have not replaced winger Jake Guentzel, who was captain Sidney Crosby’s longtime linemate and dealt at the most recent trade deadline.To acquire a winger of stature to pair with Crosby and Bryan Rust on the top line, Dubas would likely need to trade a current roster player. But many of the Penguins veterans have contractual clauses that limit Dubas’ maneuverability.Even while tinkering around the edges with the current roster, Dubas is focused on ownership’s top priority — securing a new contract with Crosby. As reported by The Athletic on Monday, the Penguins and Crosby are closing in on a deal that will keep him in Pittsburgh for the foreseeable future. Crosby has repeatedly said he wants to retire with the franchise that drafted him first overall in 2005.(Photo: David Kirouac / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)


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Penguins Hire Wes Clark As Vice President Of Player Personnel

Penguins Hire Wes Clark As Vice President Of Player Personnel

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Another high-ranking member of the Toronto Maple Leafs is leaving the organization for the Pittsburgh Penguins as the team announced it has hired Wes Clark as the vice president of player personnel. The news came shortly after Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that Clark would be leaving the Maple Leafs organization.
Clark has spent the last six years of his career working as the director of amateur scouting and director of player personnel. The Maple Leafs have drafted the likes of Nicholas Robertson, Matthew Knies, and Easton Cowan under Clark while only making three selections in the first round of the NHL Draft. Clark also served briefly as an amateur scout with the Florida Panthers before returning to the Original Six organization.
In his new role with the Penguins organization, Clark will oversee the team’s amateur, professional, and European/international free agent scouting departments and will report directly to his old boss, Kyle Dubas. In the public announcement of Clark’s hire, Dubas said, “Having worked with Wes for many years, I have a deep trust in his ability to identify talent, lead staffs, advance our scouting process and methods, learn from mistakes to improve processes and to challenge my own thinking and planning on a near daily basis“.
With a middling team at the NHL level, Pittsburgh must be able to make the most of their draft picks for the next several years. The end of the Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang era is looming large over the Penguins’ organization and the team must balance the end of their illustrious careers with the future without them. According to CapFriendly, Pittsburgh has 24 draft selections in total over the next three NHL Drafts and may add to that collection of picks over the next few seasons.

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Sidney Crosby nearing new contract with Pittsburgh Penguins: Sources

Sidney Crosby nearing new contract with Pittsburgh Penguins: Sources

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The Pittsburgh Penguins and captain Sidney Crosby are closing in on a new contract, multiple team and league sources briefed on negotiations told The Athletic. The team and player are confident a deal will be agreed upon and formalized soon, the sources said.Crosby and his longtime agent, Pat Brisson, have kept a mostly tight lid on contract talks with Penguins general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas. During those discussions, the sources said, Crosby reaffirmed to Dubas what he has repeatedly stated publicly — that he wants to finish his career with the Penguins, who selected him No. 1 in 2005. The potential deal is being viewed by both sides as “a commitment to Pittsburgh,” a team and league source said.Crosby, who turns 37 next month, is intent on being a Penguin for life, despite missing the playoffs in back-to-back years and amid an underwhelming offseason in which Dubas has added little to the roster.As previously reported, a deal within a range of three years and potentially an average annual value of $10 million was possible. Full details of Crosby’s contract were not shared with The Athletic.Crosby’s age requires a “35-plus contract” designation, similar to the four-season deal teammate Evgeni Malkin signed in July 2022. As part of the collective bargaining agreement between NHL owners and players, a “35-plus contract” prohibits a team from reducing a player’s salary-cap hit on any deal two seasons or longer by frontloading the deal or delaying a signing bonus to/after a second season.While far from a complication in talks with the Penguins, Crosby’s age, at least as it relates to his next contract, is a wrinkle previous Pittsburgh GMs have not had to iron out.Crosby’s three NHL contracts were signed before rules prohibiting contracts from extending beyond eight seasons for players re-signing with a team. Crosby’s current contract had a heavily frontloaded base salary, paying him $67.8 million over the first six seasons and only $3 million each of the final three seasons.Crosby has counted $8.7 million against the cap on his last two contracts. He wears the No. 87 because he was born on August 7, 1987 — so that $8.7 million cap hit has always sat well with one of the NHL’s most superstitious players.Crosby has afforded the Penguins opportunities to build contending rosters around him by taking less than perceived market value in the past. However, the team has missed the past two postseasons after qualifying for 16 consecutive Stanley Cup playoffs, and the Penguins have won just one playoff series since back-to-back championships in 2016 and 2017.While Dubas has not committed to a full rebuild, the Penguins have only $3.5 million in cap space, as tracked by PuckPedia, and they’re short at least one proven top-six winger. Crosby’s longtime winger, Jake Guentzel, was moved at the most recent trade deadline for a package that included Michael Bunting and three prospects.Dubas said at the NHL Draft in Las Vegas that he would expect Crosby, who he described as “ultra-competitive,” to want the current roster to be a contender for the postseason, if not the Stanley Cup. Speaking last Monday after the opening hour of free agency, Dubas detailed the on-ice direction of a roster whose most prominent if not best players are all in their mid-to-late 30s.“The on-ice direction is simply we’re not looking to simply squeak into the playoffs,” Dubas said. “It’s to return the team to become a contender as soon as possible.“Can we do that this season? Can we do that next season? It’s hard to put a time frame on it. But this is obviously not a strip-it-down-to-the-studs situation here; the people in the room are too good for that.”

The Penguins’ most prominent players are in their mid-to-late 30s, including Malkin (38 this month) and Crosby (37 next month). (Mitchell Leff / Getty Images)The Penguins’ core consists of Crosby; Malkin, who will turn 38 on July 31; Letang, 37; and Erik Karlsson, 34. Crosby, Malkin and Karlsson have full no-movement clauses. Malkin’s contract, with two seasons remaining, has an expiration that coincides with Letang’s full no-movement clause becoming limited to a list of 10 teams to which he can approve a trade.A new contract of three years in length would extend into Crosby’s 40s, through Malkin’s presumed retirement after the 2025-26 season, and through the final two seasons of Letang’s current deal.Crosby, Malkin and Letang have played more seasons together than any trio of professional athletes in North American team sports. Crosby is close friends with each player and pushed for the Penguins to keep Letang and Malkin during tumultuous contract negotiations with previous Pittsburgh management two years ago.Fenway Sports Group (FSG), which purchased the Penguins midway through the 2021-22 season, was not interested in parting with two of the most popular players in franchise history when it came time to make a call on Malkin and Letang. Even then, FSG viewed Crosby as the only indispensable asset in the organization.Crosby is coming off a campaign in which he topped 40 goals for only the third time and 90 points for the second consecutive season and eighth time overall. Crosby, who averaged a point per game for the 19th consecutive season, can break a record he shares with Wayne Gretzky this season.With eight goals, Crosby will become only the ninth player to amass 600 goals and 1,600 points in the NHL. If his next contract is for at least three seasons, he likely will set the Penguins records for goals, assists and points — all marks held by Mario Lemieux.In addition to being their best player on the ice, Crosby is the only Penguins player — and one of few in the NHL — with crossover appeal to a non-hockey audience. He remains one of the league’s most endorsed players, drawing around $4 million annually from partnerships with Gatorade, Tim Hortons, Bell and CCM.FSG targets national partnerships for the Penguins as part of bundles with its other sports properties, including MLB’s Boston Red Sox — and Crosby’s remaining in Pittsburgh is viewed by ownership as a crucial selling point to prominent potential sponsors.FSG has viewed locking up Crosby until he retires as its top priority with the Penguins. Its long-term hope is that Crosby will join the Penguins in a front-office capacity after he retires.That is at least a little while off.As for any perceived delay in finalizing his next deal with the Penguins, Crosby wanted to allow Dubas to address other offseason matters — specifically, potential trades and free-agent signings — before negotiations with Brisson ramped up, the sources said.Though Crosby extending his fruitful partnership with the Penguins is expected by both sides, he and the team are aware every day that passes without his next contract being announced only serves to build on public speculation that he could test free agency next summer or even be traded.Those scenarios were never discussed, the sources said.Crosby is entering the final season of a 12-year, $104.4 million contract signed in June 2012.(Top photo: Steph Chambers / Getty Images)

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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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Penguins Options To Play On Sidney Crosby’s Line

Penguins Options To Play On Sidney Crosby’s Line

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The Pittsburgh Penguins reportedly took a swing at acquiring veteran free agent winger Vladimir Tarasenko to play in their top-six forward group alongside Sidney Crosby but lost out on his services to the Detroit Red Wings. Tarasenko signed a two-year $9.5MM deal with the Red Wings and the Penguins’ interest indicates that they aren’t satisfied with their top two lines as they head into what is likely to be a transitional season for the franchise. The Penguins have Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, and Michael Bunting returning next season and finished last season with youngster Drew O’Connor replacing Jake Guentzel on the top line as Crosby’s left winger.
O’Connor played well for the Penguins, but he would be better served as a third liner in an ideal world. But given the Penguins’ lack of cap space, and apparent eye towards the future, none of their options will be ideal, but they do have some options when it comes to Crosby’s left winger next season.
Trade Options
Nikolaj Ehlers: Ehlers hasn’t been given an opportunity to be a top-line player with the Winnipeg Jets despite being one of their most effective players. He is the type of player that has thrived with Crosby historically, as he has high-end skill, is a high-level thinker, and is very deceptive and skilled at finding open space. The issue with Ehlers is that he is a year from free agency and the price tag to acquire him will be far too high for the Penguins’ taste given their apparent pivot to acquiring draft picks and younger players.  Murat Ates of The Athletic reported a few weeks ago that Ehlers isn’t likely to extend in Winnipeg but given his age and recent injury history, it’s hard to imagine the Penguins acquiring and extending him long-term.
Patrik Laine: The 26-year-old has fallen on hard times in recent years with the Columbus Blue Jackets but remains an intriguing option on the trade market. Laine is a former second-overall pick who has dealt with injuries in recent seasons but can still score when he is healthy. The Tampere, Finland native was a point-a-game player from 2021-23 but had just nine points in 18 games last season. While the drop in offensive production is alarming, Laine averaged almost four minutes less per game in ice time and wasn’t playing with a skilled center. That being said, his injury issues are a concern and could reduce the cost of acquiring him from Columbus. Laine is a liability defensively and doesn’t necessarily compete on every shift, however, if he were to play on the Penguins’ top line, he would be the best pure goal scorer that Crosby has ever played with.
Unrestricted Free Agent Options
Max Pacioretty: The 35-year-old Pacioretty is well removed from his days as a perennial 30-goal scorer as injuries and the aging curve have slowed down his production. Last year he dressed in 47 games tallying four goals and 19 assists while registering a -14. Pacioretty’s offensive numbers don’t look terrible at first glance, however, nearly half his points came on the power play as he tallied just two goals and 10 assists at even strength. Pacioretty won’t be expensive to sign on a one-year deal, but he hasn’t played more than 47 games in three seasons and his body likely wouldn’t be able to withstand the stress of playing almost 20 minutes a night next to Crosby.
James van Riemsdyk: van Riemsdyk is another former 30-goal scorer on the wrong side of 35 but is coming off a decent offensive season with the Boston Bruins. The Middletown, New Jersey native posted 11 goals and 27 assists last season in 71 games and wasn’t a burden on his teammates. The former second overall pick doesn’t have the pace to play in the top six anymore and would likely be a non-factor in transition which would be a big problem playing with Crosby. JVR could work on the Penguins’ power play and would give the team a net-front presence that they’ve lacked since trading Patric Hornqvist in 2020, however, he might not be physical enough at this point to be effective in the role. At this stage of his career, van Riemsdyk is best served as a fourth-line winger, something the Penguins have more than enough of.
Internal Options
Drew O’Connor: is coming off a career year in which he posted 16 goals and 17 assists in 79 games (all career highs). While those numbers aren’t earth-shattering, they are a remarkable improvement on his previous career year in 2022-23 when he posted just five goals and six assists in 46 games. O’Connor is not a pure offensive player and doesn’t possess strong passing skills or a great, however, he is fast and physical and plays a smart game. All traits they were possessed by one of Crosby’s former long-time wingers Chris Kunitz. O’Connor might be the easiest option for Pittsburgh to slide in alongside Crosby and might be the one they have to use if they don’t facilitate another transaction.
Brayden Yager: Pittsburgh’s 2023 first-round pick (14th overall) is coming off an incredible season with the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors in which he posted 35 goals and 60 assists in 57 games. He is likely a season or two away from being ready for the NHL, but the Penguins might opt to give him a nine-game audition to see what they have in the youngster. Yager is a sneaky good shooter and is excellent at taking passes in his shooting pocket, allowing him to fire off shots quickly and accurately. If he can show in training camp that he deserves a longer look he could play his way onto Crosby’s wing for at least a few games if not longer.
Crosby’s Next Winger
The Penguins had issues finding Crosby a linemate early in his career but eventually found a perfect match with Jake Guentzel. Now with Guentzel signed long-term in Tampa Bay, the Penguins are tasked with finding new linemates for Crosby in what will be the final stretch of his NHL career. While all of the options above present some downside, the Penguins are unlikely to find another Guentzel-like player and will need to make some type of concession heading into next season while keeping an eye on the future.

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Snapshots: Dillon, Swayman, Yager

Snapshots: Dillon, Swayman, Yager

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The New Jersey Devils were quick to bring in defenseman Brenden Dillon when free agency opened on July 1st, signing him to a three-year, $12MM contract. But that wasn’t the first time the Devils tried to acquire the physical defender, with Dillon sharing on Sportsnet’s The Hockey PDOcast that the Devils also wanted to acquire him at the Trade Deadline. He added that Winnipeg was hesitant to move any of their pending unrestricted free agents amid a strong season.
Dillon was a focal piece of the Jets’ success, once again returning to his stout role on the team’s second pairing and posting 20 points for the third year in a row. He found ways to make his presence felt every single game, leading Winnipeg with 241 hits in 77 games – 20 hits ahead of anyone else on the team – and ranking third with 111 blocked shots.
It’s clear to see why the Devils of all teams would be interested in Dillon’s services. New Jersey is entering next season with an incredibly skilled, but underdeveloped, blue-line – headlined by Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec. Both players are still rounding out their two-way game early in their careers and could stand to benefit from the physical punch that Dillon brings to the lineup. His veteran status is a nice perk as well, with Dillon appearing in 892 games across 13 seasons in the league.
Other notes from around the league:

The deadline for clubs to file for salary arbitration with their arbitration-eligible restricted free agents passed on Saturday with no clubs filing additional cases, shares Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman (Twitter link). Notably, this leaves star goaltender Jeremy Swayman off the list of arbitration cases. Swayman has emerged as one of the league’s strongest goalies over the last four seasons, posting 79 wins and a .919 save percentage across 132 career games. All of those games came in tandem with Vezina Trophy goaltender Linus Ullmark, though, making Swayman’s value as a standalone starter hard to gauge. That led many to anticipating arbitration, though the Bruins will now get to negotiate with Swayman directly. He’ll be set up for the lions share of Bruins’ starts next season, regardless of how these contract talks pan out.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are leaving the door open for top prospect Brayden Yager to make the 2024-25 roster, shares Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Yager is coming off a championship-winning season in the WHL, scoring 122 points across 77 games while serving as the Moose Jaw Warriors’ top centerman. He also posted five points in five World Juniors games – on the back of very dynamic playmaking in the middle lane. It was a standout year for Yager, capping off what’s been a stellar WHL career, with Yager totaling 250 points in 211 juniors games. Even with the optimism around his chances next season, Yager has not yet signed his entry-level contract and remains eligible for the WHL next season.

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Snapshots: Buchnevich, Cajkovic, Leafs, Durandeau

Snapshots: Buchnevich, Cajkovic, Leafs, Durandeau

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Just a few months after shopping him around the Trade Deadline, the St. Louis Blues have agreed to terms on a long-term extension with top winger Pavel Buchnevich a year early. But general manager Doug Armstrong acknowledged that the team had to cave to Buchnevich’s term, telling Matthew DeFranks of the St. Louis Post, “We talked [with Buchnevich’s side] again on the first, did the deal on the second. I’ll be honest with you, I budged.” Armstrong added that giving ground on term is the cost of doing business in today’s market.
For their effort in the negotiations, the Blues have now locked up Buchnevich at a manageable $8MM cap hit, set to begin in 2025-26 after his current deal expires. The 29-year-old winger recorded 27 goals and 63 points in 80 games this season, the lowest scoring of his tenure with the Blues. He had a career year in his first year with the club in 2021-22, recording 30 goals and 76 points in just 73 games. Buchnevich scored at a similar pace last year, though an ankle injury would limit him to just 63 games and 67 points.
Buchnevich has emerged as a premier winger in St. Louis, and a great addition to the high-tempo duo of Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou. He’ll look to really get comfortable in that role next year, after agreeing to what will be the longest contract of his career.
Other notes from around the league:

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Maxim Cajkovic has signed with HC Verva Litvinov of Slovakia’s Tipsport Extraliga. The Penguins acquired Cajkovic from the Minnesota Wild in January, sending Will Butcher the other way. The deal proved moot for both teams, as Butcher currently awaits a new deal on the free-agent market. Cajkovic, 23, is returning to Europe after spending all year in the minor leagues, tallying five points in 10 AHL games and four points in 13 ECHL games. He’ll be playing in his third European pro league on this deal, after spending time in Sweden’s SHL and Austria’s ICE Hockey League during his U21 career.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced a new ECHL affiliation, signing an agreement with the Cincinnati Cyclones set to begin next season. The duration of the deal hasn’t been revealed. Toronto turns to the Cyclones after their previous affiliate, the Newfoundland Growlers, ceased operations before the end of the 2023-24 season. The Cyclones are a familiar face in the ECHL, appearing in 23 of the league’s last 30 seasons. They’ve won two Kelly Cup Championships in that span – in 2008 and 2010. Cincinnati will look to return to those heights now in partnership with the Leafs: the fifth NHL club they’ve been affiliated with.
Montreal Canadiens winger Arnaud Durandeau has signed with Amur Khabarovsk of the KHL, per Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports. Durandeau went on a quick tour around the minor leagues this season, playing for three different AHL clubs this season after a mid-year loan was followed with Montreal acquiring Durandeau from the New York Islanders in exchange for Tyce Thompson. Durandeau scored 24 points across 48 AHL games this season, bringing his career totals to 132 points in 215 games. He also appeared in four NHL games during the 2022-23 season, though he failed to score.

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