What's the biggest problem you run into with those beards?
Burns: I've got eggs from last week in this thing. We oil it. We brush it out. But you try to eat one bowl of chili or something that can fall or drip and you're just screwed if it goes in there. Nothing's getting out.
Thornton: I like peanut butter and jam on toast in the morning, and that's the worst. If peanut butter gets in there, forget it. You got to eat the peanut butter first and then go take a shower. It's a whole lifestyle. The other big problem is milk for me. I like to eat cereal every night, and that can be a problem. I've got a little bit of gray coming down the middle, and I tell people it's because the milk is staining the beard, not my age.
Thornton and Burns have been longtime teammates in San Jose, but the former could be on the move as a pending unrestricted free agent.
The Blue Jacketsbought out the final two years of Scott Hartnell's contract Thursday, and the veteran winger isn't leaving Columbus with any hard feelings.
"I think it was mutually beneficial for us to part ways," Hartnell told Aaron Portzline of The Dispatch. "They’re going in a different way, they’re going younger, and they have some young studs coming up. They wanted to go that direction.
"I can’t say a bad thing about Columbus. It’s probably a city I’ll come back to after hockey. It’s such good living. People are great. I made some really good friends outside of hockey, too."
The 35-year-old found himself scratched by head coach John Tortorella at different points last season, and can now explore his options for a better fit as an unrestricted free agent.
Despite his positive feelings about the city and the organization, Hartnell admits being bought out is indeed a bit of a tough pill to swallow.
"It’s heartbreaking, a little bit," he said. "It’s new territory for me, but you have to move on."
Hartnell spent three seasons in Columbus, recording 64 goals and 82 assists in 234 regular-season games.
Orlov, who will be 26 years old next season, registered a career-high 33 points this past season, averaging 19:32 minutes of ice time per game. He will no doubt be asked to take on a larger role next season, as fellow defensemen Kevin Shattenkirk and Karl Alzner are unlikely to return to the team.
The adage held true when the Ottawa Senators seemingly gave a just reward to goaltender Andrew Hammond after his spectacular run as a replacement for injured goaltenders Craig Anderson and Robin Lehner in the second half of the 2014-15 NHL season. Hammond went 20-1-2 in 23 starts and earned the Senators a berth into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The three-year contract worth $4.05 million immediately handed to Hammond seemed fair following his miraculous run. His play with the Senators that season overshadowed the fact he was an undrafted goalie who had posted a save percentage of just .898 through 25 games with the AHL's Binghamton Senators and just had his first taste of NHL success.
Since signing his extension, Hammond has posted a .906 SV% and a 2.83 goals-against average over 25 NHL games in two years. The contract is set to expire at the end of the 2017-18 campaign; one which he is expected to spend with the AHL's Belleville Senators if he remains with the Senators organization.
(Photo courtesy: Action Images)
So it's fair for the three-year, $7.2-million contract awarded by the Senators to Mike Condon, the savior of the team's 2016-17 season during Anderson's personal leaves, to cause some alarm. It's a seemingly just reward for his play, which saw him start a franchise-record 27 consecutive games and post five shutouts while helping Ottawa make the postseason.
But in the salary cap era of the NHL and the business of winning, contracts can't be handed out based on feel-good stories. Condon is still a 27-year-old undrafted goaltender who came over from the Pittsburgh Penguins in a November trade, marking his third team in two years. He entered the 2016-17 season with a career save percentage of just .903 through 55 games.
In getting a head start on free agency and re-signing Condon, the Senators failed to see what the offseason market value will be for career backup goaltenders. Instead, they rewarded a goalie with no precedent for high-quality play based on a small sample size of success and an organization-wide feeling of gratitude.
The same thing they did just two years prior.
(Photo courtesy: Action Images)
When the Senators re-signed Hammond, his role was known to be set as the backup to Anderson. He had demonstrated an ability to play well for a prolonged stretch of games, but it was a task the club hoped he wouldn't be handed again.
With Condon, the Senators made an early bet on his level of play sustaining beyond Anderson's potential upcoming departure.
Hammond's and Anderson's contracts are set to expire in the summer of 2018, which means Condon is the lone NHL-experienced goaltender signed beyond the upcoming season. His salary increases in each of the three years, as he'll be due $3 million for the 2019-20 season, though he'll have a cap hit of a more reasonable $2.4 million.
Here's a look at goalies with contracts similar to Condon's:
Name
Team
Cap Hit (millions)
Cam Ward
CAR
$3.3
Martin Jones
SJ
$3.0
Eddie Lack
CGY
$2.75
Michal Neuvirth
PHI
$2.5
Mike Condon
OTT
$2.4
John Gibson
ANA
$2.3
Andrew Hammond
OTT
$1.35
Should Condon have more success during the 2017-18 campaign and the Senators choose to move on from a then-37-year-old Anderson after the final year of his current deal, Condon will provide Ottawa with one of the best-value starting goaltenders in the NHL.
Or, he'll follow Hammond's path, struggle as a backup, force the Senators to re-sign an aging Anderson or find a suitable alternative as a starting goaltender, and reduce the team's cap space and available internal budget for the next two seasons.
The former is a big ask for a goaltender who has just one quality 40-game sample of NHL netminding.
Cap concerns aren't an immediate issue for the Senators, as they have a projected $11.33 million in cap space for 2017-18, with restricted free-agent forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau the summer's top priority. The issue could come in 2019-20 when Condon is due the largest share of his contract and when captain Erik Karlsson is set to become a free agent.
(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)
Condon demonstrated the ability to serve as a top-tier backup capable of handling starting duties for a large share of an 82-game season for the Sens. He looked every bit the part of an NHL goaltender while endearing himself to management, players, and the entire fan base. He, along with Anderson, was one the season's top feeling-inducing stories.
After reportedly being targeted by as many as 10 teams ahead of free agency, winger Justin Williams is believed to have narrowed his list to three or four potential new hockey homes.
Williams, who spent the past two seasons with the Capitals, is primarily looking for a chance to win his fourth Stanley Cup after failing to do so in Washington.
"We've had a significant amount of interest and we're trying to narrow it down as far as the teams that Justin is interested in," Williams' agent, Thane Campbell, said Wednesday, per Tom Gulitti of NHL.com. "Justin's focus is on finding the right fit for him and a team that has a chance to win a Cup in his mind."
Here are three teams that could foot that bill.
Montreal Canadiens
With Alexander Radulov likely asking for more than what the Canadiens are willing to pay on a long-term deal, Williams represents a fair replacement.
He's older, but will come in cheaper and on a shorter term, while also proving to the players and its fans that the Canadiens remain serious about winning.
Here's a head-to-head comparison based on 2016-17 totals.
Player
Games
Goals
Assists
Points
Shots
Justin Williams
80
24
24
48
167
Alexander Radulov
76
18
36
54
147
And again, Williams has three Cups and a Conn Smythe Trophy to his name. If the Canadiens are serious about contending, Williams is a must add.
Dallas Stars
Stars general manager Jim Nill has already boosted his team's chances with the additions of Ben Bishop in net and Marc Methot on the blue line, but there's work to do up front.
Despite not making the playoffs last season, the Stars are attempting to assert themselves as legitimate Stanley Cup contenders over the next couple of seasons, and have cap space to fill out the roster before Tyler Seguin needs a big raise in 2019.
Enter Williams, who would fill a huge hole on the right side, with only Adam Cracknell currently under contract at that position heading into next season.
Florida Panthers
The Panthers are another team looking to rebound following a playoff miss, and Williams would be a great fit on an up-and-coming club with aspirations of competing for a Cup over the next few years.
Florida finished first in the Atlantic two seasons ago, but that division isn't getting any less competitive, and the Panthers need to replace the scoring of Reilly Smith and Jonathan Marchessault, both of whom were recently lost to Vegas.
There are still questions in regards to whether Jaromir Jagr will return to the fold, but either way, Williams' scoring touch and veteran experience would serve as a great complement to the team's young and ultra-talented forward corps.
As the calendar turns to July, hundreds of free agents will be in search of new deals, while the NHL's 31 general managers will spend their bosses' money, be it out of want or necessity.
It's time, then, to pull out our crystal ball and see what will happen in free agency beginning July 1.
Devil of a deal for Shattenkirk
The New Jersey Devils have a star winger in Taylor Hall, an elite goalie in Cory Schneider, and blue-chip prospects down the middle in Nico Hischier and Pavel Zacha. They also have a boatload of salary cap space and glaring holes on the blue line.
Enter Kevin Shattenkirk, arguably the biggest name in free agency this summer.
There will be plenty of suitors, but general manager Ray Shero can outbid them all and offer Shattenkirk the opportunity to play close to his New York-area hometown.
Only defensemen Andy Greene and Ben Lovejoy are signed past 2017-18, and Shattenkirk would be a nice and necessary building block on the blue line to complement talent elsewhere on the roster.
Radulov is 'one and done' in Montreal
Alexander Radulov returned to the NHL by way of the Montreal Canadiens, but priced himself out of "La Belle Province" by fitting in so well.
Out of the league since 2012 following a brief and failed return to Nashville, Radulov left the KHL and signed a one-year deal with the Canadiens last summer. He went on to record 18 goals and 36 assists in 76 regular-season games, with an additional two goals and five assists in six playoff appearances.
Now, Montreal won't be able to afford to keep him.
Hearing that Radulov's latest contract ask was six years at $7 M per season. No way Habs do that...
Girardi, whose contract was bought out by the Rangers, will earn $1.11 million from the Blueshirts through to the end of 2022-23. Look for him to concurrently cash another hefty paycheck over the next three-to-five seasons, likely from the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Thornton and Marleau team up elsewhere
Back in 2003, Teemu Selanne and Paul Kariya - both of whom were recently elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame - left the Anaheim Ducks and decided to sign tandem deals with the Colorado Avalanche in pursuit of a Stanley Cup.
Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau find themselves in an eerily similar situation and there's a real possibility their long tenures with the San Jose Sharks have come to an end, leaving them to seek glory elsewhere around the NHL.
Drafted first and second overall respectively in 1997, Thornton and Marleau have become quite a duo both on and off the ice, and no doubt relish the opportunity to win together after failing to do so in San Jose.
It's happening every year with increased regularity: following the initial rush of signings, several players are forced to wait things out until deep into the summer or even right up until training camp to find a new hockey home.
This year will be no exception, even with the advent of a 31st franchise to fill out. The salary cap didn't increase all that much and teams are relying more and more on cheaper, younger talent.
Once the dust has settled and teams have a better handle on their respective situations, look for an onslaught of short-term, low-value deals and training camp tryouts.
As an offshoot, Jarome Iginla and Shane Doan, for example, will be left with plenty of time to think about their futures.
As the calendar turns to July, hundreds of free agents will be in search of new deals, while the NHL's 31 general managers will spend their bosses' money, be it out of want or necessity.
It's time, then, to pull out our crystal ball and see what will happen in free agency beginning July 1.
Devil of a deal for Shattenkirk
The New Jersey Devils have a star winger in Taylor Hall, an elite goalie in Cory Schneider, and blue-chip prospects down the middle in Nico Hischier and Pavel Zacha. They also have a boatload of salary cap space and glaring holes on the blue line.
Enter Kevin Shattenkirk, arguably the biggest name in free agency this summer.
There will be plenty of suitors, but general manager Ray Shero can outbid them all and offer Shattenkirk the opportunity to play close to his New York-area hometown.
Only defensemen Andy Greene and Ben Lovejoy are signed past 2017-18, and Shattenkirk would be a nice and necessary building block on the blue line to complement talent elsewhere on the roster.
Radulov is 'one and done' in Montreal
Alexander Radulov returned to the NHL by way of the Montreal Canadiens, but priced himself out of "La Belle Province" by fitting in so well.
Out of the league since 2012 following a brief and failed return to Nashville, Radulov left the KHL and signed a one-year deal with the Canadiens last summer. He went on to record 18 goals and 36 assists in 76 regular-season games, with an additional two goals and five assists in six playoff appearances.
Now, Montreal won't be able to afford to keep him.
Hearing that Radulov's latest contract ask was six years at $7 M per season. No way Habs do that...
Girardi, whose contract was bought out by the Rangers, will earn $1.11 million from the Blueshirts through to the end of 2022-23. Look for him to concurrently cash another hefty paycheck over the next three-to-five seasons, likely from the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Thornton and Marleau team up elsewhere
Back in 2003, Teemu Selanne and Paul Kariya - both of whom were recently elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame - left the Anaheim Ducks and decided to sign tandem deals with the Colorado Avalanche in pursuit of a Stanley Cup.
Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau find themselves in an eerily similar situation and there's a real possibility their long tenures with the San Jose Sharks have come to an end, leaving them to seek glory elsewhere around the NHL.
Drafted first and second overall respectively in 1997, Thornton and Marleau have become quite a duo both on and off the ice, and no doubt relish the opportunity to win together after failing to do so in San Jose.
It's happening every year with increased regularity: following the initial rush of signings, several players are forced to wait things out until deep into the summer or even right up until training camp to find a new hockey home.
This year will be no exception, even with the advent of a 31st franchise to fill out. The salary cap didn't increase all that much and teams are relying more and more on cheaper, younger talent.
Once the dust has settled and teams have a better handle on their respective situations, look for an onslaught of short-term, low-value deals and training camp tryouts.
As an offshoot, Jarome Iginla and Shane Doan, for example, will be left with plenty of time to think about their futures.
The Los Angeles Kings drafted Weal in the third round in 2010. He was dealt to the Flyers in 2016 as part of the trade that sent Vincent Lecavalier to Los Angeles.
Weal split last season between the Flyers and the AHL's Lehigh Valley Phantoms. He netted 12 points in 23 games with the Flyers after scoring 47 points in 43 contests with the Phantoms.
Weal led the Flyers in a host of key categories last season, including a team-best 2.19 points per 60 minutes, 1.46 goals per 60, shooting percentage (18.42 percent), and a 55.96 Corsi For rating.
