Wowza!
The NHL has swung again open for enterprise in a significant approach, which is one thing seldom seen earlier than the Stanley Cup has even been hoisted.
If there’s one conclusion to attract from the early exercise it’s that the circumstances could also be ripe for extra participant motion now that the wage cap is lastly rising from its pandemic lag and leaping to $88 million subsequent season.
Probably the most putting factor about Wednesday’s swap of Pierre-Luc Dubois for Darcy Kuemper was that the Los Angeles Kings bought out from underneath the remaining seven years of PLD’s $8.5 million annual contract totally after his disappointing 40-point season.
Think about {that a} signal of hope for these seeking to get a major contract off the books throughout a buying and selling window that usually stays open by way of July.
There have additionally been two goaltenders traded — with Jacob Markstrom going to the New Jersey Devils from the Calgary Flames and Kuemper being despatched to Los Angeles from the Washington Capitals within the Dubois deal — forward of a free-agency interval that’s brief on confirmed front-line starters.
That’s one other theme to regulate.
As we enter uncharted territory with the NHL’s foolish season mixing into its postseason, the Massive Board returns. Listed below are my prime targets to observe.
2023-24 stats: 26 objectives, 85 factors, 21:17 common time on ice, plus-21
Age: 27
Contract: $10.903 million by way of 2025 (UFA)
The opportunity of a Marner commerce is the speak of the city in Toronto. With it being an offseason the place “the whole lot is on the desk,” in keeping with the workforce’s senior management, and with Marner eligible to signal a contract extension July 1, there are a number of potential outcomes right here. However the mere proven fact that the Leafs are keen to take calls on the previous Selke Trophy finalist and perennial 90-plus level man is a major improvement. Marner holds the hammer with a no-movement clause and might have some cajoling or convincing to green-light a transfer out of his hometown. That makes it a fragile scenario for all concerned.
2023-24 stats: 22-10-7, 2.57 GAA, .915 save proportion
Age: 30
Contract: $5 million by way of 2025 (UFA)
Not solely did Ullmark carry out persistently above common for the Bruins over the previous three years, he did so whereas making 41, 49 and 40 appearances. You received’t discover any goaltenders accessible in free company who could make that declare, making the Vezina Trophy winner much more engaging to groups needing an improve. Boston has additionally reached a degree the place it’s ready to permit 25-year-old Jeremy Swayman to deal with extra of the workload in internet, and it must clear Ullmark’s cap house to make enhancements to different areas of the roster, to not point out to assist cowl the elevate quickly to be coming Swayman’s approach. One potential complication: Ullmark has some say within the course of with a 15-team no-trade record, which prevented him from being dealt on the commerce deadline.
2023-24 stats: 24 objectives, 53 factors, 17:21 ATOI, minus-9
Age: 25
Contract: 2024 RFA
It’s no secret that the proficient ahead would welcome a change of surroundings. Necas took a step again production-wise final season — going from 71 factors to 53 — and he wasn’t too joyful about how he was deployed. Now two years out from unrestricted free company and needing a brand new contract this summer time, he’s been made accessible on the commerce market. The Hurricanes are working by way of concrete provides and hoping to get one other roster participant again in return, as a substitute of a package deal constructed round future property. Necas has an attractive mix of measurement, velocity and talent, and he confirmed extraordinarily nicely whereas serving to Czechia win gold on the IIHF World Hockey Championship in Could.
2023-24 stats: 25 objectives, 61 factors, 15:52 ATOI, Plus-27
Age: 28
Contract: $6 million by way of 2025 (UFA)
A talented offensive play-driver who persistently produces 20-plus objectives and 60-ish factors, Ehlers stays a polarizing determine among the many Winnipeg hockey discourse. What’s not up for debate is that he’s now one 12 months out from potential unrestricted free company and there are solely so many cap {dollars} to go round. Plus teammate Kyle Connor is up for an extension of his personal two years down the street. Because of this, the Jets are listening to curiosity on Ehlers to see if there’s one thing on the market that is sensible for them to behave on.
2023-24 stats: 14 objectives, 41 factors, 22:23 ATOI, minus-30
Age: 26
Contract: $4.6 million by way of 2025 (UFA)
One thing has to provide on the left facet of the Senators blue line, the place Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot are already signed to vital long-term contracts and Chychrun is one 12 months away from being in line for one. Not solely is he coming off the primary 82-game marketing campaign of his profession — notable given his prolonged harm historical past — however the match has really been fairly seamless since he was acquired from the Arizona Coyotes. His pending UFA standing in 2025 complicates the image, although.
2023-24 stats: 6 objectives, 9 factors, 15:13 ATOI, minus-10
Age: 26
Contract: $8.7 million by way of 2026 (UFA)
The previous 44-goal man has endured a troublesome couple of seasons in Columbus and would love a contemporary begin. Laine is at the moment underneath the care of the NHL/NHLPA Participant Help Program, which he entered in late January, and just lately underwent a minor process on his left shoulder. Whereas there may be clearly uncertainty about the place his recreation can be at, there’s additionally the potential of a giant payoff if a workforce can put Laine in the correct place to succeed. Regardless of the ups and downs with the Blue Jackets, he nonetheless produced 0.79 factors per recreation throughout his tenure with the workforce.
GO DEEPER
Patrik Laine commerce locations: 8 groups that might (or ought to) have an interest
2023-24 stats: 20-18-4, 3.06 GAA, .899 save proportion
Age: 25
Contract: $3.75 million by way of 2026 (UFA)
What’s that line about goalie being the toughest place to foretell? Two years after serving to push the Wild into the playoffs, Gustavsson fell again to earth in a giant approach in 2023-24. Now he’s on the commerce market. The Wild are working with a particularly tight cap sheet and have Jesper Wallstedt ready within the wings for NHL begins alongside veteran Marc-Andre Fleury. These circumstances have made the Swede accessible.
2023-24 stats: 7 objectives, 14 factors, 12:01 ATOI, minus-10
Age: 27
Contract: $2.665 million by way of 2025 (UFA)
On the outset of yet one more summer time with tight cap {dollars}, the Lightning are on the lookout for methods to create house. Enter Jeannot, the hard-hitting winger who hasn’t ever been near duplicating the 24-goal, 41-point season had in Nashville in 2021-22. It’s secure to say he’s one of many few large swings made by Tampa normal supervisor Julien BriseBois that didn’t repay, and he additionally occurs to be one 12 months out from unrestricted free company. BriseBois has by no means shied away from a troublesome determination, and if he can discover a technique to get Jeannot’s cap hit off the books, it may not even be that robust for him to tug the set off on the deal.
2023-24 stats: 11 objectives, 31 factors, 14:16 ATOI, plus-1
Age: 29
Contract: $4.75 million by way of 2026 (UFA)
After watching Mikheyev put up an unsightly playoff stat line — no factors in 11 video games — the Canucks can actually discover higher methods to make use of the $4.75 million in cap house they’ve devoted to Mikheyev. He hasn’t lived as much as expectations since signing in free company two years in the past and wasn’t helped by a knee harm throughout his first season in Vancouver. Add all of it collectively and Mikheyev is a distressed asset, however he’s a distressed asset they’d like to maneuver.
2023-24 stats: 4 objectives, 39 factors, 21:58 ATOI, minus-31
Age: 33
Contract: $6.5 million by way of 2027
The veteran puck-moving defenseman would have been a member of the Philadelphia Flyers final summer time had he not exercised his proper to dam the potential cope with a no-trade clause. Now one other 12 months on, the dynamics behind these discussions are unchanged and Krug is down to 3 seasons remaining on his $6.5 million annual contract. He additionally loses the complete no-trade clause past this 12 months. There could also be barely extra room to maneuver a second time round.
2023-24 stats: 13 objectives, 19 factors, 13:17 ATOI, plus-6
Age: 23
Contract: $2.4 million by way of 2025 (RFA)
When the playoffs ended, the previous No. 2 draft decide expressed a want to stay in New York and rapidly signed a one-year contract on the quantity he would have been due on his qualifying supply — $2.4 million — somewhat than pushing for more cash and time period. That supplied value certainty for the Rangers, however it received’t assure him a future roster spot because the workforce enters an necessary summer time for retooling.
2023-24 stats: 11 objectives, 35 factors, 16:28 ATOI, minus-4
Age: 27
Contract: $2.95 million by way of 2026 (RFA)
His second full season in Ottawa went significantly better than the primary, however he stays expendable on a roster stocked with younger forwards. The truth is, with an reasonably priced cap hit for the subsequent two years, Joseph could possibly carry again some worth. His velocity stays an asset, and there have been groups who inquired about his availability through the season.
2023-24 stats: 7 objectives, 15 factors, 11:48 ATOI, minus-3
Age: 22
Contract: 2024 RFA
Kaliyev didn’t play rather more hockey than he watched this previous season as an everyday wholesome scratch or fourth-line winger for the Kings. That represented regression for a participant in his fourth skilled season. An elite shooter who carried appreciable promise after being a second-round decide by Los Angeles in 2019, Kaliyev is on the stage of his profession the place he wants to attract extra outcomes out of his attributes. He might have a contemporary begin to accomplish that.
2023-24 stats: 35-24-5, 2.86 GAA, .906 save proportion
Age: 29
Contract: $5 million by way of 2025 (UFA)
There’s optimism that the Predators can be in place to increase Saros to a brand new contract as soon as the CBA guidelines enable it to occur in July, however it’s no secret that they’ve shopped him earlier than. That’s vital due to the present state of the goaltending market and the likelihood that Nashville pivots within the occasion contract talks aren’t as fruitful as hoped. Saros is an extremely athletic goaltender who has averaged 65 begins throughout his previous three seasons, and he by no means appears to stray too removed from the Vezina Trophy dialog.
2023-24 stats: 13-27-2, 3.54 GAA, .888 save proportion
Age: 30
Contract: $6.4 million by way of 2027 (UFA)
Gibson has been a workhorse for a Geese workforce that hasn’t certified for the playoffs in six years and is probably going nonetheless going through rising pains. With 23-year-old Lukas Dostal beginning to bloom behind him, Anaheim is keen to clear some room within the crease by discovering Gibson one other alternative. His numbers make that a lot simpler mentioned than completed — Gibson’s yearly save proportion goes within the incorrect path, and he’s signed for 3 extra seasons at an expensive cap hit — however there are additionally quite a lot of groups on the lookout for goaltenders proper now.
2023-24 stats: 6 objectives, 15 factors, 17:05 ATOI, minus-1
Age: 23
Contract: $5.75 million by way of 2026 (RFA)
The 23-year-old ahead oozes offensive expertise and is coming off a season that he’d simply as quickly overlook. Zegras performed solely 31 video games due to time missed resulting from a groin harm and surgical procedure on a damaged ankle, whereas additionally coping with commerce rumors within the months earlier than the deadline. He even noticed roommate Jamie Drysdale dealt away to the Philadelphia Flyers. There’s work to be completed on repairing and increase the connection between the workforce and Zegras if he isn’t traded away this offseason. He’s piqued the curiosity of a few groups.
2023-24 stats: 13 objectives, 40 factors, 16:08 ATOI, plus-3
Age: 33
Contract: $5 million by way of 2025 (UFA)
He arrived in a commerce final summer time simply days after successful the Stanley Cup in Vegas and the match by no means appeared proper. Smith completed along with his lowest per-game purpose, help and level totals since 2016-17 and heard his identify in hypothesis main as much as the commerce deadline. The veteran brings loads of expertise and a powerful two-way recreation, and he’s one 12 months out from unrestricted free company.
2023-24 stats: 24 objectives, 46 factors, 16:00 ATOI, minus-2
Age: 32
Contract: $9 million by way of 2027
A major candidate for a buyout if a commerce doesn’t materialize (or Skinner elects to not waive his no-movement clause), the 32-year-old seems headed for a contemporary begin. He’s seen a pointy decline in manufacturing, going from an 82-point marketing campaign two years in the past to 46 this previous season, however he stays a very good shooter and skater. The satan can be within the particulars of how the cash will get moved round and what cap determine is hooked up to the participant on the opposite facet of a possible transfer.
2023-24 stats: 11 objectives, 62 factors, 25:33 ATOI, minus-24
Age: 30
Contract: $4.875 million by way of 2026
With two years left on the contract of the left-shot defenseman, the Canadiens are in place to gauge {the marketplace} and see if something on the market is sensible. Matheson is a powerful skater coming off a 62-point season, so that they’d be promoting excessive in the event that they selected to take action. Montreal has a number of prospects within the pipeline who’re defenseman and might not be on the identical timeline as a company with a participant who is because of be hitting free company at age 32 in 2026.
2023-24 stats: 1-4-0, 4.50 GAA, .873 save proportion
Age: 32
Contract: $5 million by way of 2027
Campbell has quietly been alongside for the experience through the Oilers’ run to the Stanley Cup Ultimate — skating with the Black Aces and protecting himself in enjoying form simply in case he’s wanted. The group will discover choices to maneuver the veteran goaltender following a season the place he went from opening evening starter to creating 34 appearances for AHL Bakersfield. Whereas a buyout is feasible, a commerce of his $5 million annual cap hit can be extra palatable.
Be aware: This board is predicated on what we’re listening to from NHL sources and can be adjusted as new names enter the dialog or achieve prominence, so examine again.
Others we’re watching who don’t fairly crack the highest 20 at this level: Pavel Buchnevich, St. Louis Blues; Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers; Mario Ferraro, San Jose Sharks; Andrew Mangiapane, Calgary Flames; Jean-Gabriel Pageau, New York Islanders; Timothy Liljegren, Toronto Maple Leafs.
(Illustration by Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic, with images of Mitch Marner, Linus Ullmark and Martin Necas from Mark Blinch, Josh Lavallee and Mitchell Leff / Getty Photos)