This offseason was already shaping up to be a busy one for the Florida Panthers. Then came the news Wednesday that Anthony Duclair will likely require surgery for an Achilles tendon injury.
First and foremost, it’s terrible news. Duclair is coming off a career-high 31 goals this past season. He’s been such a good story ever since signing in South Florida. I’m not sure what the exact timeline is for his recovery but it will be lengthy.
But in the context of making lemonade out of lemons, at least on the salary cap front, Duclair’s $3 million AAV going on LTIR will allow the Panthers some cap flexibility they didn’t previously have.
As an example, Florida is interested in keeping trade deadline pickups Claude Giroux and Ben Chiarot if possible. Both are unrestricted free agents as of July 13. Given what the Panthers gave up to get before the deadline, there’s a genuine desire to try and keep both guys if possible.
Another unrestricted free agent is 27-year-old Mason Marchment, coming off a breakout year of his own. There is mutual interest on both sides for a deal. It probably makes sense on that front to, perhaps, make a short-term deal if you’re Marchment and bet on yourself while also giving the Panthers an easier number to work with.
Stay tuned on the Panthers. I think GM Bill Zito has the potential to be a mover and a shaker over the next couple of weeks.
The UFA goalie market
It’s not that deep, that’s for sure. But there are four quality names at the top.
Ville Husso is the most intriguing name to me as far as taking a long-term bet on a UFA goalie after the season he had in St. Louis. He’s also the youngest of the top UFA goalies at 27.
Future Hockey Hall of Famer Marc-André Fleury, 37, could put a lot of contenders over the top on a one-year deal (Wild GM Bill Guerin reiterated Wednesday he remains interested in trying to get Fleury signed). Jack Campbell, 30, and Darcy Kuemper, 32, round out the top four in whatever order you want to place them.
All indications are that the Cup champs want to bring Kuemper back, and the interest is mutual.
“Darcy loved it there, how could you not?’’ Kuemper’s agent Ben Hankinson said Wednesday. “It doesn’t get any better than the year he had with the Avalanche. So hopefully we can figure out a deal within the next week or so. Otherwise, there are 31 other teams out there that will be talking to him.’’
But to me, Husso is the action guy here because of his age. The Blues are locked in long-term on Jordan Binnington, so all signs point to Husso hitting the UFA market.
“I expect it to be a robust market for him,’’ Husso’s agent Todd Diamond said Wednesday. “He’s put himself in a very good position. Let’s see what happens here coming up.’’
I believe the Edmonton Oilers will be among nearly 10 teams calling on Husso come July 13, which makes obvious sense.
Finally, there’s Campbell, who by all indications loves it in Toronto. But, with each passing day, it sure feels like he’s headed to market.
“We’re having discussions but nothing material to report,’’ Campbell’s agent Kurt Overhardt said Wednesday referring to talks with the Leafs.
Given the number of teams hoping for a goalie upgrade and given how lean the UFA goalie market is, it probably makes sense for Overhardt to at least hear from other teams while keeping the Leafs in the loop.
The Hurricanes’ trio of top free agents
Not much progress to report in the ongoing discussions involving three notable pending UFAs for the Hurricanes in Nino Niederreiter, Vincent Trocheck and trade-deadline pickup Max Domi.
But there’s interest in trying to get deals done if possible. The Hurricanes had the third-best record in the NHL this past season and are intent on remaining contenders.
“We want to do what we can to keep our team together,’’ Canes GM Don Waddell told The Athletic on Wednesday. “In saying that, there’s also a cap that we have to keep in mind as try to re-sign players.’’
Waddell wouldn’t share any details on where any of those discussions were exactly, but it sounds like nothing is close on those fronts.
Niederreiter’s agent Andre Rufener took it one step further Wednesday when I contacted him.
“We don’t rule the Canes out at this point for sure but we will definitely hit free agency on July 13th,’’ Rufener said via e-mail.
So I think while the Canes will stay on it, especially with Trocheck and Niederreiter, they are also preparing for life without them if they go to market. There are many pending UFA forwards on the market this year so Carolina clearly is also preparing for Plan B in every scenario.
Klingberg likely heading to market
No surprise but the agent for pending UFA blueliner John Klingberg says the 29-year-old is most likely headed to market July 13.
“No talks between us since a few months back,’’ agent Peter Wallen said Wednesday regarding negotiations with the Stars.
Although Wallen wasn’t ready to say 100 percent his client was gone to market when I asked.
“If the (UFA) market started today, yes… but who knows,’’ he responded.
Klingberg likes it in Dallas so his agent will keep the door open to the Stars right to the end.
But given the apparent long-term contract demands from Klingberg months ago, and the Stars not wanting to commit to that, I don’t see much changing on that front.
The Kraken and the UFA market
I can’t tell you how many different sources across the league mentioned to me over the past couple of weeks to keep an eye on the Seattle Kraken ahead of the July 13 UFA market.
Word out of Seattle is the Kraken intend on being serious players in free agency.
“They’re going to spend big if they can,’’ a source reiterated Wednesday.
I wonder if they’ll make an offer to Johnny Gaudreau if he hits the market, for example. Wouldn’t surprise me if they did.
The Pittsburgh Penguins continue to have ongoing discussions with pending UFAs Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. However, sources say things were status quo on both those fronts.
Both players clearly want to stay put but the sense I got Wednesday is that they’re struggling to wrap their minds around what that means as far as the Penguins’ ability to sign them under the salary cap. Pittsburgh has about $23 million to spend and plenty of other holes in the lineup to fill.
There’s still hope on each front, but we’re getting closer to hard decisions here.
Ondrej Palat and the Lightning
I will be honest in saying I was moderately surprised to hear Tampa Bay GM Julien BriseBois come out Tuesday with local media and say he’s hoping to re-sign Ondrej Palat, as colleague Joe Smith chronicled from locker-room clean-out day.
I had just assumed given Tampa’s cap situation that it would be difficult to do so, Palat coming off a deal paying him $5.3 million a season. The 31-year-old had some clutch moments yet again this postseason.
But I will also say it’s one thing to have mutual interest from both sides to talk contract and then a whole other thing to realize what number each side was thinking about.
In this case, as of Wednesday, I’m told there haven’t been any detailed negotiations yet between the Lightning and Palat’s camp led by Craig Oster at Newport Sports. This is understandable as the season just ended for Tampa Bay on Sunday night. The only communication so far has been what BriseBois has stated publicly which is the team’s desire to bring Palat back if possible.
But it won’t be easy. Unless Palat wants to take a discount, and I mean I guess you never know, the Lightning can’t compete with what the player can get on the open market.
Nazem Kadri and the Avalanche
I would be surprised if the Stanley Cup champions can afford to re-sign pending UFA center Nazem Kadri given all their other contract decisions under the salary cap, plus the fact this is Kadri’s chance to cash in for real for the first time in his career.
But, I’m told the Avalanche have informed Kadri’s camp led by Darren Ferris they want to at least have a crack at it before July 13.
Kadri is coming off a six-year deal he signed in Toronto which paid him a bargain of $4.5 million and he’s switched agents to Ferris over the past year I think for an obvious reason.
I also think as much as the Avs would like to find a way with Kadri, they have to prioritize pending UFA forward Valeri Nichushkin, who’s younger at 27. Which is what I think will happen.
Big Z will take his time
Zdeno Chara is in no rush to decide his NHL future.
“Zdeno is going to take the summer with his family and assess as we go here,’’ Chara’s agent Matt Keator said Wednesday. “There’s no rush on his part.’’
If Chara, 45, does have the itch to return at some point, one can assume it will be another bargain deal like he had with the New York Islanders this past season ($750,000 plus bonuses).
The point is contenders who want Chara will have room for him even if it’s a September or October signing.
(Top photo: Timothy T. Ludwig / USA Today)
LeBrun rumblings: What Anthony Duclair’s injury means for Florida’s pending unrestricted free agents - The Athletic
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