All posts by Josh Wegman

How the Maple Leafs can line up after adding Thornton

It's unclear what's left in 41-year-old Joe Thornton's tank, but what's crystal clear is that Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe will get more options when setting his lineup next season.

The Leafs' bottom-six forward group has undergone a transformation this offseason, with the team trading away Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson, while bringing in Thornton, Wayne Simmonds, Jimmy Vesey, and Alexander Barabanov (who was signed out of the KHL in April). Youngster Nick Robertson could also make the team.

Here are four different ways the Maple Leafs could set their forward lines next campaign, assuming general manager Kyle Dubas is done adding forwards this offseason. For these projections, we've rotated Robertson, Vesey, and Barabanov in and out of the lineup. Pierre Engvall, meanwhile, was omitted because his $1.25-million cap hit may be tough to manage.

Option 1: Stacked top 6

Kevin Sousa / National Hockey League / Getty
LW C RW
Zach Hyman Auston Matthews Mitch Marner
Alexander Kerfoot John Tavares William Nylander
Nick Robertson Joe Thornton Ilya Mikheyev
Jimmy Vesey Jason Spezza Wayne Simmonds

Before adding Thornton, the Leafs would've needed Kerfoot to play center. Opinions are mixed regarding whether he's best suited to be a center or a winger. But Kerfoot struggled during his first season in Toronto, which was spent primarily playing down the middle. Some of his best success came as a winger with the Avalanche in a complementary role on the club's top lines, so we've placed him on the left side with Tavares and Nylander.

The 19-year-old Robertson, meanwhile, flanks Thronton after leading the OHL in goals last year. Mikheyev, who was a hound on the puck last season before suffering a wrist laceration and being quiet in the playoffs, joins them. The finisher and puck retriever could nicely complement Thornton's playmaking ability.

Option 2: Depth down the middle

Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / Getty
LW C RW
Zach Hyman Auston Matthews Mitch Marner
Ilya Mikheyev John Tavares William Nylander
Jimmy Vesey Alexander Kerfoot Wayne Simmonds
Alexander Barabanov Joe Thornton Jason Spezza

There's a real chance Thornton can no longer play top-nine minutes and must be sheltered on the fourth line. That would force Kerfoot back to center. We've bumped Vesey - Kerfoot's former college teammate at Harvard - up to the third line in hopes of recreating their old chemistry.

Putting Spezza and Thornton on the same line may not be ideal because they both lack quickness, but flipping Spezza and Simmonds doesn't entirely fix that problem. We've also inserted Barabanov for Robertson in this scenario to provide a different look.

Option 3: Balanced attack

Kevin Sousa / National Hockey League / Getty
LW C RW
Alexander Kerfoot Auston Matthews Zach Hyman
Ilya Mikheyev John Tavares Mitch Marner
Nick Robertson Joe Thornton William Nylander
Alexander Barabanov Jason Spezza Wayne Simmonds

The previous two lineups are awfully top-heavy, which was part of Toronto's issues in 2019-20. In this lineup, we're banking on Matthews to carry his own unit. As the league's second-highest-paid center, he shouldn't need the help of Marner or Nylander to be effective. Plus, a workhorse in Hyman is there for support, alongside a capable playmaker in Kerfoot.

The third line sees the biggest change in this lineup. Nylander, an elite play-driver and zone-entry specialist, would put Thornton in the best position to succeed. A 30-goal scorer this past season, Nylander would benefit from Thornton's playmaking skills, too. As would Robertson, of course.

Option 4: Let's get weird

Kevin Sousa / National Hockey League / Getty
LW C RW
John Tavares Auston Matthews Mitch Marner
Zach Hyman Joe Thornton William Nylander
Alexander Barabanov Alexander Kerfoot Ilya Mikheyev
Jimmy Vesey Jason Spezza Wayne Simmonds

This isn't a realistic or viable lineup to use over an extended period. It's more of an in-game desperation option for Keefe if the team is trailing and he needs to create a spark.

Toronto ran out it's $33.5-million line toward the end of its qualifying-round series against the Columbus Blue Jackets after the club's offense dried up. The trio displayed flashes of brilliance, but the line should really only be used in spurts.

It probably isn't best to give Thornton second-line minutes over a long span, but Hyman and Nylander are there to provide ample support. However, that leaves the bottom six looking quite bleak. Putting Kerfoot between Barabanov and Mikheyev could create a makeshift checking line, though.

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Sharks players send Thornton heartfelt messages after signing with Leafs

Joe Thornton left a lasting impact on the ice in the Bay Area, ranking second on the Sharks' all-time points list after 15 seasons in San Jose. However, Jumbo Joe - who signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday - was also one of the team's most beloved players off the ice.

That was evident after Thornton called members of the Sharks before news broke of his signing with the Leafs, per The Athletic's Kevin Kurz. It was also made clear by all the support Thronton's ex-teammates gave to the greatest player in Sharks franchise history.

Thornton is still chasing his first career Stanley Cup.

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Maple Leafs, Thornton agree to 1-year, $700K contract

Jumbo Joe is coming to T.O.

The Toronto Maple Leafs signed Joe Thornton to a one-year contract worth the league minimum of $700,000, the team announced Friday.

The future Hall of Famer is 41 years old now. He tallied seven goals and 24 assists in 70 games with the San Jose Sharks last year.

Thornton is one of the most decorated players of all time, but he's still missing a Stanley Cup from his resume. The Leafs, although talented, have not won a Stanley Cup since 1967 and a playoff series since 2004.

He's currently training overseas with HC Davos of the Swiss league.

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NHL sets dates for salary arbitration hearings

Salary arbitration hearings for restricted free agents will begin next week, the NHLPA announced Tuesday.

Here's the full schedule:

Date Player Team
Oct. 20 Matt Grzelcyk BOS
Oct. 21 Ilya Mikheyev TOR
Oct. 22 Connor Brown OTT
Oct. 25 Tyler Bertuzzi DET
Oct. 26 Linus Ullmark BUF
Oct. 27 Sam Reinhart BUF
Oct. 28 Jake Virtanen VAN
Oct. 30 Josh Ho-Sang NYI
Oct. 31 Devon Toews COL
Nov. 2 Gustav Forsling CAR
Nov. 4 Victor Olofsson BUF
Nov. 4 Warren Foegele CAR
Nov. 5 Ryan Strome NYR
Nov. 6 Brendan Lemieux NYR
Nov. 6 Ryan Pulock NYI
Nov. 7 Christian Jaros OTT
Nov. 8 Chris Tierney OTT
Nov. 8 MacKenzie Weegar FLA
Nov. 8 Haydn Fleury CAR

Players can still re-sign with their teams prior to their hearings.

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Report: Hoffman considering taking 1-year contract

Mike Hoffman, one of the top unrestricted free agents left on the open market, is considering taking a one-year contract, reports Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

The flat salary cap - as well as the financial repercussions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic - has drastically affected the free-agent market. There are numerous NHL teams up against the salary cap and others who may have internal budgets set by ownership due to the economic uncertainty.

Taylor Hall, who was the top free-agent forward, took a one-year, $8-million contract with the Buffalo Sabres - likely with hopes of cashing in next offseason.

Hoffman, who led all UFAs in points, may end up taking a similar route. The 30-year-old winger recorded 29 goals and 30 assists in 69 games with the Florida Panthers last season. Since becoming an NHL regular in 2014-15 with the Ottawa Senators, Hoffman has averaged 28 goals per season.

Consistent snipers are generally coveted on the open market, but it's worth noting Hoffman's contributions on the ice don't extend far beyond his goal-scoring ability. His five-on-five expected goals for percentage has been below 50% in each of the past five seasons, coming in at 46.3 in 2019-20, according to Natural Stat Trick.

HockeyViz's isolated five-on-five impact illustrates Hoffman's lack of play-driving ability over the past four seasons.

Plus is good in offensive zone (top row), negative is good in the defensive zone (bottom row)

hockeyviz.com

Hoffman's former Panthers teammate, Evgenii Dadonov, inked a three-year, $15-million contract with the Senators on Thursday. Florida still has over $11-million in projected cap space, per CapFriendly, so perhaps a reunion is in order.

In addition to Hoffman, Mikael Granlund, Anthony Duclair, Andreas Athanasiou, Erik Haula, Sami Vatanen, and Travis Hamonic headline the best remaining available UFAs.

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Report: Maple Leafs, Thornton have ‘some mutual interest’

The Toronto Maple Leafs and future Hall of Famer Joe Thornton have "some mutual interest" in reaching an agreement, according to The Athletic's James Mirtle.

Discussions between the two sides are in the infancy stages, Mirtle notes.

At least some of the Leafs' star players have reportedly tried to sell Thornton on the team's upside following the offseason additions of TJ Brodie, Zach Bogosian, Wayne Simmonds, and Jimmy Vesey.

Thornton, 41, is coming off his worst statistical output since he was 18 years old, as he tallied 31 points in 70 games with the San Jose Sharks. Though Thornton had hoped for a move from the Sharks to a contender at the trade deadline, nothing materialized.

The Leafs reportedly tried to persuade Thornton to come to Toronto in the 2017 offseason when the club signed Patrick Marleau, but Jumbo Joe re-signed in San Jose.

The addition of Thornton would give the Leafs some added depth down the middle of the ice and potentially allow Alexander Kerfoot to play on the wing in the top six instead of centering the third line.

Thornton, who sits 14th on the NHL's all-time points list, would undoubtedly provide some quality veteran leadership, too.

The Leafs are tight against the cap, but they could likely afford Thornton without moving anyone off their roster if he's willing to take $1 million or less.

The London, Ontario, native is still without a Stanley Cup in his decorated career. Toronto has not won a playoff series since 2004, however.

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Golden Knights not trading Marc-Andre Fleury

Marc-Andre Fleury isn't going anywhere.

Vegas Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon said the team won't be trading the veteran netminder, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. The club will roll with the tandem of Fleury and Robin Lehner next season.

Fleury started to show signs of decline at age 35 last year. He sported a 2.77 goals-against average and a .905 save percentage (his worst in a decade) in 49 games during the 2019-20 campaign.

He's signed for two more seasons with an annual cap hit of $7 million, which would be difficult to move in the flat cap world. Furthermore, most goaltender-needy teams already addressed their issues between the pipes during free agency.

Vegas traded for Lehner at the deadline and he became their primary goaltender in the playoffs, starting 16 games compared to Fleury's four. Lehner, 29, then signed a five-year, $25-million contract prior to free agency, which created rumors that Fleury could potentially be on his way out.

McCrimmon also added Lehner will undergo a cleanup surgery on his shoulder this week, but the goaltender will be ready for training camp.

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Vegas trades Schmidt to Canucks for 3rd-round pick

The Vegas Golden Knights traded defenseman Nate Schmidt to the Vancouver Canucks for a third-round pick in 2022, the Canucks announced Monday.

The Golden Knights needed to clear cap room after signing Alex Pietrangelo, and Schmidt carries a $5.95-million cap hit for the next five seasons. The club is still $974,000 above the regular-season salary cap, though, according to CapFriendly. Teams are allowed to exceed the cap by 10% in the offseason.

Vancouver lost right-handed defensemen Chris Tanev and Troy Stecher in free agency this offseason. Schmidt is left-handed but he primarily played on the right side during his Vegas tenure.

Schmidt was plucked by the Golden Knights in the 2017 expansion draft from the Washington Capitals. He served as a top-four defenseman for the Knights, tallying at least 30 points each year.

The 29-year-old is an exceptional skater and posted an expected goals for percentage of at least 51% in all three seasons with Vegas despite being deployed in more of a defensive role, per Natural Stat Trick.

The Canucks' blue line projects to look something like this, pending further moves:

LD RD
Quinn Hughes Tyler Myers
Alex Edler Nate Schmidt
Olli Juolevi Jordie Benn

Vancouver now has just under $2 million in projected cap space and still has to re-sign RFAs Jake Virtanen and Adam Gaudette.

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Report: Golden Knights finalizing 7-year, $61.6M deal with Pietrangelo

The Vegas Golden Knights are on the verge of signing star free-agent defenseman Alex Pietrangelo to a seven-year contract carrying an average annual value of $8.8 million, sources told TSN's Pierre LeBrun.

Pietrangelo's contract will carry a full no-movement clause, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

The 30-year-old was considered the top UFA on the open market. He finished fourth in Norris Trophy voting last season after racking up 52 points in 70 games with the St. Louis Blues.

Since becoming a full-time NHLer in 2010-11, Pietrangelo has averaged 50 points per 82 games. He's been very durable, too, playing at least 70 contests in every season during that span (excluding the shortened 2012-13 campaign).

The 6-foot-3 rearguard is also a proven winner. He captained the Blues to a Stanley Cup in 2019, won an Olympic gold medal with Team Canada in 2014, a World Cup title in 2016, and a world junior gold in 2009.

Pietrangelo's $8.8-million annual cap hit will be the fifth-highest among NHL defensemen, trailing only Erik Karlsson, Drew Doughty, Roman Josi, and P.K. Subban.

The Golden Knights are now $6.9 million above the salary cap, according to CapFriendly. The club will now be forced to part with a large salary in order to become cap compliant. Teams are allowed to be 10% over the cap during the offseason.

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