The team that finished the 2016-17 NHL season with a league-worst 48 points has largely remained intact this offseason.
The Colorado Avalanche re-signed restricted free-agent forward Matt Nieto to a one-year contract worth $1 million, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported Tuesday. The resolution was completed in advance of a meeting with an arbitrator.
The deal with Nieto leaves defenseman Nikita Zadorov as the Avalanche's lone remaining restricted free agent.
Nieto began last season with the San Jose Sharks, posting just two assists while averaging 12:13 of ice time in the team's first 16 games. He was eventually placed on waivers and claimed by the last-place Avalanche, where he showed some improvement while seeing his ice time increased to 15:56 per game. He scored seven goals with four assists in 43 contests with Colorado.
Nieto has totaled 81 points in 264 games over his four-year career thus far.
James Bisson celebrates the 25th anniversary of the 1992-93 season with a look back at the most memorable moments of the greatest campaign in NHL history. This edition focuses on the 1993 All-Star Game, a one-sided affair in which the Wales Conference steamrolled its Campbell Conference counterpart:
Considering everything else that helped solidify it as one of the greatest seasons in NHL history, the 1992-93 campaign deserved a memorable All-Star Game - and boy, did it get one.
Led by New York Rangers winger Mike Gartner and his stunning four-goal performance, the Wales Conference cruised to a 16-6 drubbing over the Campbell Conference, establishing a single-game goals record that stood until 2015. Gartner wasn't even supposed to play, but was named as a late replacement for teammate Mark Messier, who was nursing a wrist injury.
Gartner's scoring exploits put a cap on one of the most entertaining All-Star weekends in history, even with two of the league's biggest stars out of action. In addition to Messier sitting out, Pittsburgh Penguins megastar and league scoring leader Mario Lemieux was forced to miss the game due to treatments for Hodgkin lymphoma.
Even still, both sides had plenty of star power. The Campbell Conference's starting lineup featured a Hall of Fame sextet that included Chicago Blackhawks netminder Ed Belfour, Detroit Red Wings center Steve Yzerman, and St. Louis Blues sharpshooter Brett Hull. Among the reserves: A Los Angeles Kings trio of Wayne Gretzky, Luc Robitaille, and Jari Kurri. Not bad.
The Wales Conference boasted plenty of firepower itself, headlined by an all-Pittsburgh Penguins starting forward line of Rick Tocchet, Kevin Stevens, and Jaromir Jagr. Gartner was joined on the reserves list by fellow snipers Peter Bondra of the Washington Capitals, Alexander Mogilny of the Buffalo Sabres, and Joe Sakic of the Quebec Nordiques. Equally not bad.
Yet, despite the perceived parity in lineups, this one was over in a hurry. Gartner scored a pair of goals on his first shift, and his hat-trick marker with 6:38 remaining in the first period put the Wales Conference ahead 6-0. He added his fourth of the game 3:33 into the middle frame.
It was a defining moment for Gartner, who spent the majority of his career in the shadows of Gretzky, Lemieux, and others despite reaching the 700-goal plateau. He'd entered the 1992-93 season as the only player in NHL history to register 14 consecutive 30-goal campaigns, and even showed off his wheels by winning the Fastest Skater competition a day earlier - at age 33, no less.
The four-goal burst tied him with Gretzky, Lemieux, and Vincent Damphousse for the most in a single All-Star Game - a mark that's been equaled by Dany Heatley (2003) and John Tavares (2015). Gartner's linemates tried setting him up for a fifth, but it wasn't to be.
While Gartner made the biggest headlines, he certainly wasn't alone. Rick Tocchet (No. 22, shown below) had a pair of second-period goals, including the eventual game-winner just 19 seconds into the frame, while Pierre Turgeon of the New York Islanders added two goals and two assists in the win. Adam Oates of the Boston Bruins chipped in with four assists.
Even defenseman Brad Marsh of the expansion Ottawa Senators got in on the action, tallying at 12:52 of the third period to give the Wales Conference an absurd 15-2 advantage. How significant was that goal? Marsh, the commissioner's pick for the Wales roster, finished his NHL career with just 23 goals in 1,086 games. (Hey, when you're hot, you're hot.)
It was a rough day for the Gretzky-Robitaille-Kurri Campbell Conference triumvirate, which finished without a point. Pavel Bure of the Vancouver Canucks scored a pair of goals in defeat, while Jeremy Roenick of the Blackhawks, Kelly Kisio of the San Jose Sharks, and rookie phenom Teemu Selanne of the Winnipeg Jets each added a goal and an assist.
To no one's surprise, Gartner was awarded All-Star Game MVP honors, taking home a 1993 Chrysler Intrepid for his efforts. And he had a message for the guy whose roster spot he claimed.
"Mark Messier gets a big handshake and a thank you very much," Gartner joked with reporters after the game. "If you're watching, Mess, thank you. I'll buy you dinner for this."
The concussion lawsuit between the NHL and its former players is about to get rolling.
According to TSN's Rick Westhead, the two sides have a court date set for Oct. 11, when the lawyers for former players will argue the case should qualify as a class-action suit.
Should the court agree, upwards of 5,000 alumni who suffered from concussion-related problems will instantly become plaintiffs. In that case, only players who elect to opt out of the case would be excluded from the proceedings and any potential payout.
The lawsuit began with 10 players, including former Toronto Maple Leafs forward Rick Vaive, but quickly grew to over 100 names.
Lehner started 79 games for the Sabres over the past two seasons, posting a record of 28-35-13 with a .921 save percentage and 2.63 goals-against average.
The 26-year-old was originally selected 46th overall by the Ottawa Senators in the 2009 draft. He owns a career .918 SV% and 2.76 GAA through 155 starts and 166 games played.
The short-term pact will have Lehner become a restricted free-agent at the end of the season. Veteran Chad Johnson will serve as the Sabres' backup goaltender this coming season and become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Twenty-three-year-old goaltender Linus Ullmark is viewed as the future of the team in the crease, but he has appeared in just 21 NHL games over the past two years and struggled to a .909 SV% in 55 games at the AHL level last season.
According to Cap Friendly, the Sabres have two remaining RFAs in forward Zemgus Girgensons and defenseman Nathan Beaulieu. They are currently an approximate $11 million below the 2017-18 salary cap.
Per the release, Smith tested positive for a category S6.a stimulant, defenseman Andrei Konev tested positive for a category S6.b stimulant, and forward Danis Zaripov tested positive for a category S6.b stimulant and category S5 diuretics and masking agents.
In accordance with the tests, Smith has been suspended until Sept. 2, 2018, Konev until Nov. 19, 2017, and Zaripov was dealt the biggest suspension, which will see him banned until May 22, 2019.
Per Rene Fasel Danis Zaripov, who's been suspended for 2 years today for anti-doping rules violation, could still play in the NHL
By all rights, Thomas Vanek should be signed by now.
And yet, as August approaches, and despite a solid bounce-back season that should have earned him a measure of job security, the 33-year-old winger remains without a contract for 2017-18.
After being bought out by the Minnesota Wild last summer, Vanek signed a one-year, $2.6-million contract with the Detroit Red Wings, for whom he registered 15 goals and 23 assists in 48 games.
Vanek was flipped to the Florida Panthers prior to the trade deadline, and added two goals and eight assists in 20 games to his point total. Overall, his 48 points in 68 games last season ranks him first among all remaining unrestricted free agents.
Clearly he still has some gas left in the tank, and what he lacks in speed, he makes up for in net-front presence, deft passing, and sharp shooting.
Here, then, are three teams that should not let him remain unemployed.
San Jose Sharks
Patrick Marleau's departure left a hole in the Sharks' lineup that could be handily filled by a dexterous winger like Vanek.
While playing for a pair of non-playoff teams last season, Vanek recorded two more points than Marleau, and in 14 fewer games played. And over the course of their respective careers, Vanek has, on average, outproduced the former Shark.
Player
Games
Goals/GP
Assists/GP
Points/GP
Marleau
1493
0.34
0.38
0.72
Vanek
885
0.38
0.57
0.79
Vanek will no doubt come much cheaper than the $6.25-million cap hit Marleau will carry with the Toronto Maple Leafs over the next three seasons, and could be equally, if not more, effective on the ice.
Montreal Canadiens
Vanek's previous run with the Canadiens was brief but effective.
Traded to Montreal by the New York Islanders prior to the 2014 deadline, Vanek scored six goals and added nine assists in 18 regular-season games, and contributed five goals and five assists in 17 playoff appearances for the Bleu, Blanc et Rouge.
Much like in San Jose, a roster spot opened up after Alexander Radulov decided to move to Dallas, and Vanek's 0.71 points per game average last season matched that of the Russian, who's only 2.5 years younger.
Radulov will make Marleau money with the Stars, and could be replaced on the cheap with a player who's proven to be able to succeed on one of hockey's biggest stages.
Sure, the Canadiens did add Ales Hemsky on a low-risk deal earlier this summer, but could further shore up the forward ranks with a familiar face.
Nasvhille Predators
Still yet to re-sign top center Ryan Johansen, the Western Conference champion Nashville Predators have worked their cap situation to perfection, with over $13.4 million in available funds to strengthen a fairly complete roster.
Scott Hartnell was signed to a one-year deal worth $1 million, but he managed only 37 points in 78 games last season. Vanek is younger and better, and after coming so close to winning the Stanley Cup, the time is now for Nashville to add as many contributing pieces as possible.
The Predators' injury issues during this year's playoff run proved the team could use some depth, and Vanek's veteran experience, and more importantly, his skill set, could help ensure a return to the Stanley Cup Final and hopefully a win next time around.
Wherever Vanek signs, he's no doubt been on the market for too long.
By advancing all the way to the Stanley Cup Final, and subsequently dishing out numerous team-friendly contracts in the evaluation period that followed, the Nashville Predators have firmly staked their claim as a perennial threat in the Western Conference.
Since seeing their captivating playoff run end two wins shy of the ultimate prize in June, general manager David Poile has brought in Nick Bonino and Scott Hartnell to solidify his forward corps, and handed out new contracts to five restricted free agents, most notably Viktor Arvidsson and Austin Watson.
However, one roster player remains without a contract for 2017-18, and it's a big one - Ryan Johansen.
Below, we dive into what the star center might earn as he awaits a new deal.
His background
Johansen is coming off his first full year with the Predators, a successful campaign in which he proved his worth by finishing the season tied for the team lead with 61 points. He carried his success into the playoffs with 13 points in 14 games, but was stunningly shut down after emergency thigh surgery.
On July 31, Johansen will turn 25 years old, and the end of the 2016-17 campaign signaled the conclusion of his three-year, $12-million extension signed in 2014, then with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Johansen infamously held out before signing said deal, and his rocky relationship with the club that drafted him fourth overall in 2010 ended with a trade to Nashville in exchange for defenseman Seth Jones last January. However, after fitting in nicely atop the Predators' center depth chart, it's unlikely any similar problems emerge as Johansen and Poile work to reach an agreement.
Comparables from around league
(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)
After playing out his bridge deal, Johansen should be reasonably inclined to expect a long-term contract, and here are some comparable pacts recently signed by forwards across the NHL.
Through 433 career games, Johansen's per-game production rate sits at 0.66. Last season, he owned a remarkable Corsi-For percentage of 55.9 percent in the regular season, and further boosted his value by winning 54.6 percent of his faceoffs.
Poile's magic, and a verdict
That Poile has managed to keep just over $13 million in cap space with only Johansen left to sign is wizardry in itself, and there's no reason to believe the veteran executive won't strike a deal that doesn't greatly benefit the future of his club.
Somehow, Nashville's core of Arvidsson, Roman Josi, Mattias Ekholm, and Ryan Ellis combine for only $20.5 million in annual salary, and Poile's knack for locking down his players at reasonable rates before they hit their peaks has paid great dividends in affording the financial flexibility to build a championship-worthy roster.
For years, Nashville's missing ingredient was a top-line center, and now the club has a chance to secure a young, prospering two-way pivot in Johansen. With P.K. Subban raking in $9 million per season, Johansen surely won't leave his negotiations as the Predators' highest-paid skater, but he's well in line to earn second spot on the list, ahead of Filip Forsberg's forward-leading $6 million.
In his contract year, Johansen adequately demonstrated his importance to the Predators, and his absence in the postseason left a glaring, perhaps insurmountable hole in the lineup. Now, it's time to pay him, and a deal, let's say, for seven years and $7 million annually, fits more than comfortably in Nashville's books, and is cost-comparable to several of Johansen's peers across the league.
Chuck Greenberg, who's reportedly in the market to purchase the Carolina Hurricanes, spent some time Monday checking out the team's practice facility as part of a fact-finding trip, according to Chip Alexander of the News & Observer.
On July 13, Bloomberg News reported Greenberg was close to purchasing the club for approximately $500 million in a deal that would keep the team in North Carolina. The Hurricanes later confirmed owner Peter Karmanos Jr. is indeed considering an offer to sell.
Alexander added Greenberg would not discuss the details of his visit, nor comment on the reported sale. The potential ownership group, however, is believed to include local investors.
Greenberg is the former CEO of the Texas Rangers and remains involved in the ownership of three minor-league baseball teams.
