The young defenseman was traded to the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday, circa two weeks after signing a one-year, $3.5-million contract extension with the team.
According to George Richards of the Miami Herald, Gudbranson had turned down a four-year deal worth $18 million before signing the one-year bridge contract.
That's significant for his new club seeing as Gudbranson will be a restricted free agent once again at the conclusion of 2016-17, with the ability to become unrestricted in 2018. In order to lock him up and justify dealing prospect Jared McCann along with second- and fourth-round draft picks to Florida, they'll seemingly have to top that offer.
In 309 career games, Gudbranson has recorded 11 goals, 32 assists, and 73 shots on goal.
The young defenseman was traded to the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday, circa two weeks after signing a one-year, $3.5-million contract extension with the team.
According to George Richards of the Miami Herald, Gudbranson had turned down a four-year deal worth $18 million before signing the one-year bridge contract.
That's significant for his new club seeing as Gudbranson will be a restricted free agent once again at the conclusion of 2016-17, with the ability to become unrestricted in 2018. In order to lock him up and justify dealing prospect Jared McCann along with second- and fourth-round draft picks to Florida, they'll seemingly have to top that offer.
In 309 career games, Gudbranson has recorded 11 goals, 32 assists, and 73 shots on goal.
Coyotes general manager John Chayka announced the club has promoted Steve Sullivan to director of player development, signing him to a multi-year contract extension in the process.
Sullivan served as the team’s development coach over the past two seasons, working with coaches and players in the Coyotes’ minor league system.
"Steve has done an excellent job monitoring and developing our top prospects the past two seasons," said Chayka. "We are pleased with his work and he is very deserving of this promotion."
Sullivan recorded 747 points in 1,011 NHL games.
Newell Brown has also been signed to a multi-year contract extension to continue his role as the team's assistant coach.
After the veteran defenseman announced his retirement, the young Ottawa Senators forward tweeted out his appreciation for being taken under Phillips' wing early in his career.
Tremendous career for @CPhillipsFour can't thank you enough for mentoring me into what it takes to be a pro each and everyday! #pureclass
The Senators concurrently announced Phillips will remain with the organization in a front office position. He will continue to engage with the Ottawa-Gatineau community while being involved in community programs, alumni relations, and business development.
Drafted first overall by the Senators in 1996, Phillips made the jump to the NHL at age 19, and went on to appear in 1,179 games with the club, setting a franchise record.
Former and current general managers Bryan Murray and Pierre Dorion were in attendance when Phillips made the announcement Thursday, and praised his time with the club.
"He's been a leader in our dressing room, a leader in our community and he’s had a great career," said Dorion, who also listed off the 20-plus charities Phillips is involved with in the community. "He represents loyalty and what it means to be an Ottawa Senator."
"Nobody worked harder for this franchise than Chris Phillips." - Bryan Murray
A prototypical stay-at-home defenseman, Phillips scored 71 goals and added 218 assists over the course of his career.
He also appeared in 114 playoff games for the Senators, where he helped the team reach the Stanley Cup Final for the first and only time in 2007 - which they lost to Anaheim in five games - and recorded his most memorable goal in a 2003 series against New Jersey.
The club is offering the restricted free agent a six-year contract, and while valuation appears to be a bit of a hangup at this point, neither side is concerned, according to George Richards of the Miami Herald.
The 22-year-old broke out to the tune of 25 goals and 28 assists in 76 games, but was unable to contribute in the playoffs thanks to an ankle injury that sidelined him late in the regular season.
Trocheck was selected in the third round of the 2011 NHL Draft.
The club is offering the restricted free agent a six-year contract, and while valuation appears to be a bit of a hangup at this point, neither side is concerned, according to George Richards of the Miami Herald.
The 22-year-old broke out to the tune of 25 goals and 28 assists in 76 games, but was unable to contribute in the playoffs thanks to an ankle injury that sidelined him late in the regular season.
Trocheck was selected in the third round of the 2011 NHL Draft.
It's an event that needs no introduction, but a few keys don't hurt. Here are three things to consider before puck drop at Consol Energy Center on Thursday night:
If the Penguins get a lead, they mustn't sit on it
Pittsburgh's erased two series deficits, also needing a win in an elimination scenario on the road to tee up the decisive clash on home ice. But from game-to-game and shift-to-shift in the series, they must be considered the more dominant team.
The Penguins have created nearly 100 more Corsi events, and registered 68 more shots on goal than Tampa through six games. They've outshot the Bolts in each meeting, three of which by at least a plus-15 margin.
Where they've fallen into trouble, however, is in protection of their leads. The Lightning erased multi-goal deficits twice to force overtime - winning once - and were close to pulling the trick for a third time in Game 6 before Bryan Rust iced it on a breakaway.
Should the Penguins jump out early, they cannot let the Lightning overrun them on the Corsi clock like they did in Game 6. Instead, they must show the killer instinct they had in Game 3, when they peppered the opposing goal with 48 shots in a contest they never trailed.
Who's got net?
It's no longer a question of who's starting; barring a nonsensical decision to turn to an unpracticed vet, Matt Murray and Andrei Vasilevskiy will oppose each other in Game 7. But only one of these young goaltenders - prospects emerging as bona fide future No. 1s - can prevail.
So, who?
Vasilevskiy, with the ice primarily titled toward his net, has been consistently brilliant since spelling an injured Ben Bishop in Game 1. He owns a .921 save rate in seven appearances, only showing vulnerability - and often volatility - in moments when his defense fails him.
Murray, meanwhile, has had stinkers, allowing three or more goals in six of his 14 starts. But at the same time, he's cancelled out the noise in big spots - none more important than his 29-save performance in Game 6 after briefly being unseated by longtime starter Marc-Andre Fleury.
Invariably, the netminders in a Game 7 are of utmost importance. But who has the edge over the other; well, that's anyone's guess.
Second strike
Perhaps the difference in shot disparity between Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay falls on the fact that the Penguins hide weapons up and down the lineup, while the Bolts rely primarily on a handful of top-six contributors.
Brian Boyle's provided important, albeit outlying, production, but, aside from that, Tampa's depth has been muted. Ryan Callahan, Valtteri Filppula, J.T. Brown, Cedric Paquette, and Vladislav Namestnikov have combined for four goals and 16 points in the playoffs, and six points versus Pittsburgh, placing the onus almost entirely on the skilled positions.
By contrast, the Penguins have received at least two goals this spring from every single forward whose appeared with any regularity, and 14 total points from their fourth line.
But that's the thing with these win-or-go-home games. It's almost always the case that a name that's sat dormant throughout arrives with a massive moment. And the Lightning certainly have more who can classify for such distinction.
Troy Brouwer doesn't want to be one-and-done in St. Louis.
The 30-year-old, who's set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, expressed a desire to remain with the Blues following Wednesday's season-ending loss to the San Jose Sharks.
Troy Brouwer said he loved playing for #stlblues and would love to return. But doesn't know what other signings/cap issues will be.
The problem is, he may have priced himself out of St. Louis with his postseason performance.
With eight goals and five assists in 20 games, Brouwer certainly upped his value as a free agent and will have plenty of suitors on the open market who could offer a raise over his 2015-16 cap hit of $3,666,666.
Whether general manager Doug Armstrong will invest in his veteran presence or move towards a younger roster remains to be seen.
