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Western Notes: Leschyshyn, Nurse, Sekera

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The Colorado Avalanche and Joe Sakic have brought in another former NHL player into the fold to work in the organization. Colorado Hockey Now’s Adrian Dater reports that the Avalanche have hired Curtis Leschyshyn as a pro scout.

Leschyshyn, 49, started his career with the organization, playing for the Quebec Nordiques for the first seven years and then moving with the team to Colorado when they became the Avalanche. He played one full season in Colorado before being traded in his second year in the city. The former blueliner, played more than 1,000 games (1,033) and scored 47 goals and 212 points.

  • Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal reports that Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland isn’t ready to talk about an extension with Oilers’ defenseman Darnell Nurse yet. The GM said he wants to get more familiar with his team and what he has before committing to a player. Nurse has one year remaining on his two-year, $6.4MM deal he signed last year. The 24-year-old stepped up last season and had a breakout deal, posting career highs in goals (10) and points (41). The blueliner will be a restricted free agent again in 2020-21. Matheson writes that the contract that Josh Morrissey signed with Winnipeg at eight years and $50MM could be a template for Nurse.
  • The Dallas Stars made quite a few headlines this summer when they went out and signed Joe Pavelski and Corey Perry this summer to free-agent contracts. However, one signing that flew somewhat under the radar was the team signing defenseman Andrej Sekera. The 33-year-old blueliner has dealt with injuries the past couple of years while in Edmonton, but was their top shutdown defender before being beset by injuries. Due to his extravagant contract, the Oilers opted to buy him out, making him a free agent. NHL.com’s Mike Heika writes that Sekera is drawing rave reviews, however, in training camp so far and it looks like the veteran will be paired with 20-year-old Miro Heiskanen on Dallas’ second pairing on defense. “I actually think he’s going to be the one guy who is going to be a surprise,” said Stars general manager Jim Nill. “You talk about Perry and Pavelski, I think people are going to be surprised with what he brings to us.”

Atlantic Notes: Honka, Juulsen, Chabot, Stralman, Nordstrom

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Despite rumors that the Dallas Stars were looking for a taker for once prized prospect Julius Honka, the 23-year-old finally requested a trade Friday with several teams immediately showing interest in the blueliner. Now Sportsnet’s Eric Engels reports that the Montreal Canadiens have expressed interest in the defenseman.

Engels writes that a couple of teams are in on Honka with Montreal being at the top of the list (Elliotte Friedman added that Carolina is interested as well) and Montreal has expressed interest in making a player-for-player swap rather than just send a draft pick for Honka. A former first-rounder in 2014, Honka has failed to earn a regular spot in Dallas lineup. Montreal could use some more depth on their blueline despite adding Ben Chiarot this offseason.

  • Sticking with the Canadiens, Engels also reports that a pair of defensemen remain day-to-day in Montreal. Karl Alzner is out with a groin injury, while Noah Juulsen has been dealing with a headache and the Canadiens are holding him out for precautionary reasons after having dealt with head injuries last season. Juulsen played just 21 games for Montreal last season and three for the AHL’s Laval Rocket due to those head injuries.
  • Asked if any Ottawa Senators players caught his eye on the first day of training camp, new head coach D.J. Smith had a quick answer, according to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun. “Chabot … he was really good and he could really skate. There’s good players out there and guys were working, but when you see up close, a guy like that, you see his skating and it really wows you a bit.” It looks like Smith has opted to pair Chabot with newly acquired Nikita Zaitsev and the belief is that those two may stay together. Chabot spent last season paired with Dylan DeMelo, but with several players coming over with Smith from Ottawa, the defense should be somewhat stronger this season.
  • The Athletic’s George Richards (subscription required) writes that Florida Panthers defenseman Anton Stralman says that he intends to be ready for the regular season after dealing with a sports hernia injury that has ended his season last year and one that required surgery again oer the summer, which he’s been rehabbing from all summer. Stralman says that he is done rehabbing, but now must get used to on-ice drills, which his body is only starting to adjust to. “I’m not 100 percent yet. We still have some more work to do, but I am getting there,” Stralman said. “I like the plan we have as a medical team, and it means working long hours to get where I need to be. But there is no rehab anymore. It’s about repetition, getting onto the ice.” Stralman looks to be paired with Mike Matheson on defense this season.
  • NBC Sports’ Joe Haggerty writes that despite all the injuries that the Boston Bruins are dealing with, the team got some good news as Joakim Nordstrom, who fractured his foot at the end of the Stanley Cup Finals, is back on the ice skating after spending the summer rehabbing the injury. While his 12 points in 70 games may not seem impressive, the 27-year-old uses his skills on the penalty kill and providing grit on the bottom line.

Stephen Johns Won't Participate In Training Camp

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  • While Stars defenseman Stephen Johns was skating earlier this offseason at development camp, he will not be taking part in training camp, notes Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas Morning News. GM Jim Nill indicated that there would be no further update on his status.  Johns missed all of last season with a concussion and this would certainly appear to suggest that those symptoms are still present.  Dallas signed Andrej Sekera after he was bought out by Edmonton in June which gives them a little bit more depth heading into the upcoming season.

Training Camp Notes: Byfuglien, Dach, Perry

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The Winnipeg Jets today announced that Dustin Byfuglien has been granted a leave of absence from the team and will not be participating at the start of training camp. Head coach Paul Maurice and GM Kevin Cheveldayoff both explained that it is not injury related and that it is “nothing sinister.” There is no timetable for his return, but hopefully he can get whatever it is sorted out quickly.

More notes from around training camp:

  • The Chicago Blackhawks have given an update on the status of top prospect Kirby Dach after he was removed from a game during the prospect tournament recently. Dach is in the concussion protocol and will not be in the Blackhawks lineup when they start their exhibition schedule. Philipp Kurashev, who left the same game (along with two others), will not practice today with left knee and shoulder contusions. Calvin de Haan, who is still recovering from shoulder surgery, also now has a groin strain and is expected to be out for another two to three weeks.
  • The Buffalo Sabres have officially announced that Zach Bogosian, Matt Hunwick, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Lawrence Pilut will not take part in training camp due to injury. These had been previously reported, but it is still disappointing for a player like Pilut who has a chance to make a big impact on the NHL club this season.
  • Nolan Patrick wasn’t on the ice when the Philadelphia Flyers opened camp, sidelined with an upper-body injury according to Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer. After missing much of his draft season with various injuries, Patrick has battled minor ailments through each of his first two NHL seasons but still managed to play in 145 games. Still waiting for his breakout, missing camp would be a frustrating outcome for the 20-year old forward.
  • Though all the questions were about Julis Honka’s trade request, the Dallas Stars also announced that Corey Perry has a small fracture in his foot and will be reevaluated in two weeks according to Sean Shapiro of The Athletic. That isn’t a good start for Perry in Dallas where he’s trying to revitalize his career following a buyout from the Anaheim Ducks.

Julius Honka Requests Trade

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Like many of the other teams around the league, the Dallas Stars are currently dealing with an unsigned restricted free agent. Unlike many of those teams however, there seems to be no desire for either side to get something done with Julius Honka. In fact, Stars GM Jim Nill told media including Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas News that Honka has requested a trade. The 23-year old was issued a qualifying offer earlier this offseason so that the Stars would retain his exclusive RFA rights, but there doesn’t appear to be much opportunity in the NHL for him.

Nill was actually quite candid with DeFranks when discussing the trade talks:

Teams that I’ve talked to might have interest but until they know what they can do with their RFAs, they can’t make any moves. They’re capped out. We’ll play this out, see where it goes.

Originally selected 14th overall in 2014, Honka has been unable to ever really find a role with Dallas and saw more healthy scratches than games last season. A dominant presence in the minor leagues, he’s played just 87 games at the NHL level and has 13 points. The young defenseman can move the puck quickly and effectively, but has warts in his game that aren’t being fixed by sitting in the press box. Reaching a deal with Dallas seemed far-fetched all offseason, and Honka’s agent Todd Diamond made it clear today to Sean Shapiro of The Athletic:

We’ve known for a little while and Jim more recently have all come to the conclusion it wasn’t going to happen in Dallas for Julius.

There are certainly risks to acquiring a player like Honka that hasn’t been able to crack an NHL lineup, but there should also be no lack of interest. In the short times he has been on the ice there has been enough positive signs that a rebuilding team could take a chance on him, especially as a relatively cheap option. Honka has little leverage for a big contract and likely just wants a chance to get into the lineup on a regular basis. Diamond also explained that Europe is not an option at this point, meaning any acquiring team would be definitely getting his services.

Central Notes: Colorado’s Defense, Little, Kiviranta

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After impressive performances on the ice at their rookie tournament over the past two days, the Colorado Avalanche dream of a dominant group of franchise defensemen are much closer than they had initially imagined. The team already has two established cornerstones on defense in Samuel Girard and Cale Makar, but the play of 2019 first-round pick Bowen Byram and 2017 second-rounder Conor Timmins suggest they might be closer to join the other two sooner rather than later, according to Mike Chambers of the Denver Post.

Both will be with the team on Friday when training camp begins. Byram will have to prove that he’s ready for the challenges of the NHL already as a recently-turned 18-year-old. He broke out in a big way in the WHL with the Vancouver Giants, scoring 26 goals and 71 points, but he either must make the Avalanche or be returned to Vancouver. Timmins is a different story. The 20-year-old missed the entire 2018-19 season last year after dealing with concussion-like symptoms and likely will begin the season in the AHL until he gets some game experience, but could be recalled at any time if Colorado needs him.

  • One story that has been an issue for years in Winnipeg has been the Jets’ need to establish a No. 2 center. The team has gone with veteran Bryan Little over the years only to acquire a second-line center at the trade deadline the previous two years in Paul Stastny back in 2018 and Kevin Hayes in 2019. Unfortunately, due to cap issues, the Jets were unable to retain either player and are once again on the lookout for someone internally to step up into that role. For Little, the job remains his to lose. The 31-year-old’s numbers continue to decline little by little, scoring 15 goals and 41 points (his least productive season since 2009-10), but he remains the top option, according to Winnipeg Free Press’ Mike McIntyre. The only other options look to be Andrew Copp and Jack Roslovic, both of which seem like longshots to claim that role.
  • The Dallas Stars have a number of young prospects who might have a chance to make their opening day roster, including prospects Ty Dellandrea, Jason Robertson, Denis Gurianov and Riley Tufte amongst many. However, the Stars might have another player who could step up after Joel Kiviranta scored a hat trick against the New York Rangers squad Saturday, suggesting that the recently signed forward out of Finland could make an immediate impact for Dallas, according to NHL.com’s Mike Heika. The 23-year-old Kiviranta  is still adjusting to the smaller North American ice, but has a lot of experience playing amongst men in Finland after five years there. He has tallied 35 goals over the past two years there.

Corey Elkins Among Several Dallas Camp Invites

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Scottie Upshall and Stefan Noesen won’t be the only one fighting for a contract when training camp opens for the Dallas Stars. While the the duo had previously been announced as joining Dallas on PTO’s, the team released their camp roster today, which features several other tryout candidates beyond the Texas-native Noesen long-time veteran Upshall. Of that list, the most recognizable name was forward Corey Elkins, who returns to North America for another try at the NHL.

Elkins, though never drafted, was a standout at Ohio State University in the mid-2000’s and was once considered a legitimate NHL prospect. Signed by the Los Angeles Kings out of school, Elkins began his pro career with back-to-back 40+ point campaigns and strong playoff showing for the AHL’s Manchester Monarchs. The power forward even played in three games with the Kings and netted his first (and only) NHL goal. However, Elkins’ efforts were not enough to earn another contract from L.A. nor garner an NHL deal elsewhere. He took his talents to the Czech Republic for a year before returning to the AHL in 2012-13. Yet, midway through the season he left for Europe again, signing with HIFK of the Finnish Liiga. Elkins would become a core member of HIFK, playing in parts of five seasons with the club and producing consistent offense. The draw of the NHL brought him back though, as he earned a PTO with his hometown Detroit Red Wings prior to the 2017-18 season. While Elkins failed to make the team, he played yet again in the AHL, this time for the Grand Rapids Griffins.  It was a nice season for the aging forward, but not enough to draw interest at the top level. Elkins signed with Germany’s Grizzlys Wolfsburg last year, but suffered a season-ending injury before ever suiting up. He now enters camp with the Stars likely looking at his last chance to make it back to the NHL, or at least to secure AHL employment and extend his career.

Among other tryout names on Dallas’ roster is forward Brad McClure, who split last season between their affiliates, the AHL’s Texas Stars and ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads. McClure signed on for another year with Texas after recording  11 points in 30 AHL games, as well as near point-per-game production in the ECHL, in his first pro season out of Minnesota State. He’ll be looking to show that he’s worthy of an upgrade to an NHL contract. Idaho teammate Tomas Scholl will also be in camp as an extra goalie. Forward Diego Cuglietta, who finished his year with AHL Texas after wrapping up an impressive senior season at Lake Superior State University, will be in camp on an amateur tryout. College teammate Anthony Nellis, who began his pro career last year with the ECHL’s Fort Wayne Komets, will also be in attendance. Parker MacKay, the captain of the National Champion University of Minnesota-Duluth, will also participate after signing with AHL Texas this off-season.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Dallas Stars

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Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM. Teams that can avert total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2019-20 season. This will focus more on those players who are integral parts of the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.

Dallas Stars

Current Cap Hit: $80,529,999 (under the $81.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

D Miro Heiskanen (two years, $894K)
F Roope Hintz (one year, $812K)

Potential Bonuses

Heiskanen: $2.5MM

Hintz was a regular for Dallas in the second half of last season before really turning it on in the playoffs.  He tied for the team lead in goals in the postseason and in doing so, he should be a safe bet to be a regular this season.  However, with the limited track record, he shouldn’t be a candidate for a long-term contract just yet.

Heiskanen had a tremendous rookie season and quickly established himself as a fixture on the top pairing.  At 20, there’s still plenty of room for improvement as well.  Keep a close eye at what the top of the post-ELC RFA market winds up being for the defensemen that are still unsigned.  That figure will probably wind up as a starting point for extension talks in July.

One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level

F Radek Faksa ($2.2MM, RFA)
F Martin Hanzal ($4.75MM, UFA)
F Mattias Janmark ($2.3MM, UFA)
G Anton Khudobin ($2.5MM, UFA)
F Corey Perry ($1.5MM, UFA)
D Roman Polak ($1.75MM, UFA)
D Andrej Sekera ($1.75MM, UFA)

Potential Bonuses

Perry: $1.75MM
Sekera: $500K

Hanzal was supposed to come in and stabilize their center situation.  Instead, he has been injured – a lot.  He’s not expected to play this coming season which makes him an LTIR candidate and gives Dallas the potential for some in-season cap flexibility.  That’s not a good return value-wise on a player that was supposed to be a core piece but it’s something at least.  Janmark had a year to forget as his goal total dropped from 19 to just six.  As a result, he got his qualifying offer and nothing more but a repeat performance could see his AAV cut in half a year from now.  Faksa was the one player outside of their big three up front that put up a double-digit goal total (even if his output also dipped).  This is the final year of his bridge contract but it’s hard to imagine that the Stars will want to commit to a long-term deal.  Instead, something that buys out a year or two of UFA eligibility with AAV a little over $3MM may be the likelier outcome.  Perry had a tough injury-plagued season with Anaheim and was bought out in June.  Expectations will be a lot lower with the Stars but the pressure will still be high as a rebound year would go a long way towards getting him a raise and a multi-year contract.

Polak brought some experience to the back end last season and impressed enough to sign before free agency got underway with a nice raise.  At this stage of his career though, he’s probably going year-to-year and with a very limited offensive game, he’s going to stay in this price range for any future deals.  Sekera has dealt with knee trouble the last couple of seasons which eventually got him bought out by Edmonton to free up some cap space.  If he can show that he has recovered and can lock down a top-four role, he could garner a lot of interest and a good raise next summer.

Khudobin is coming off a very strong season that saw him post a new career best in games played to go along with a .923 SV%, a mark that was well above average for all goaltenders let alone backups.  A similar performance could elevate him to a status where a team might be willing to make him the 1A part of a platoon which would carry an extra million or so on his contract.

Two Years Remaining

F Andrew Cogliano ($3.25MM, UFA)
F Blake Comeau ($2.4MM, UFA)
F Jason Dickinson ($1.5MM, RFA)
D Taylor Fedun ($738K, UFA)
D Stephen Johns ($2.35MM, UFA)
D Jamie Oleksiak ($2.138MM, UFA)

Cogliano was brought in to shake up their forward group in a midseason trade but he wound up producing at lesser rate than he did with Anaheim.  He’s coming off a career-low in points (17) and ATOI (12:35).  At this point, he looks like a potential buyout candidate next summer if he doesn’t turn things around.  Comeau saw as much ice time last season as he did the year before with Colorado but barely wound up with half the production.  Their additions are likely to push him down the depth chart which may not help either.  It’s hard to see him getting a raise two years from now.  Dickinson is coming off his first season that saw him play somewhat regularly plus a good showing in the playoffs.  That earned him a bridge contract but he’ll need to progress off of the fourth line over the next couple of years or risk being surpassed by a cheaper fit for that unit.

Johns missed all of last season with a concussion and while the team is optimistic he’ll be able to return this year, it’s still far too early to assess what his next contract could look like.  Oleksiak has had a weird journey the last couple of years.  He was deemed expendable by Dallas and was traded to Pittsburgh only to be traded back last season for the same price the Penguins originally paid.  However, despite the reacquisition, his role with the Stars was even more limited than it was the first time around.  He’s someone that they will likely look to trade again and could also be a buyout candidate next summer.  Fedun was acquired last year to serve as AHL depth but when injuries arose, he made the most of it and basically became a regular in the second half.  That earned him a bit of job security with a two-year deal and if Dallas tries to push him through waivers, his performance last year could get him a look elsewhere.

Three Years Remaining

D John Klingberg ($4.25MM, UFA)
F Joe Pavelski ($7MM, UFA)
F Alexander Radulov ($6.25MM, UFA)

Pavelski’s departure from San Jose comes as a bit of a surprise but the fact he was able to get a three-year at the age of 35 isn’t.  He’ll provide the Stars with another legitimate scoring threat beyond their top line while playing a strong all-around game.  The final season could be a bit iffy in terms of value but it was still a worthwhile move for them.  Radulov has fit in quite well in his first two seasons with the Stars and has been an important part of that top trio.  Like Pavelski, the final year could be a little worrisome but he has already given them a strong return with two straight 72-point seasons.  Neither player will likely come close to this amount on their next contract if there is one.

The decision to bypass a bridge deal for Klingberg back in 2015 looks like a brilliant decision now.  He’s on one of the best bargain contracts in the league as a legitimate number one defenseman making the rate of a number four option.  At an absolute minimum, he should be able to double his current AAV on his next deal.  Chances are that he’ll be able to do even better, especially with the rates for top blueliners going up now.  An AAV around the $10MM range is certainly obtainable and with the two forwards having expiring deals, the Stars should be able to afford to keep him around at that rate if they so desire.

Four Or More Years Remaining

F Jamie Benn ($9.5MM through 2024-25)
G Ben Bishop ($4.917MM through 2022-23)
D Esa Lindell ($5.8MM through 2024-25)
F Tyler Seguin ($9.85MM through 2026-27)

Seguin voiced his frustration with his contract situation last summer but they were able to agree on this deal just before training camp.  The performance that followed was rather underwhelming in the first half although he turned it on down the stretch.  This is a bit of a high price tag but he’s in the prime of his career and a safe bet to be around a point per game so it’s not a massive overpayment.  Benn is coming off a tough season that saw his output drop from 79 to 53 points which isn’t the type of return they need from one of the top-paid wingers in the league.

Lindell has largely flown under the radar but has emerged as a quality top pairing defender.  His offensive game will limit his overall earning upside but this should still prove to be a good contract for Dallas for a long time.

Bishop is coming off his best season at the age of 32 and is signed at a well below market rate as far as starters go.  However, injuries have limited him to less playing time than most starters in the last few years.  As he gets older, the deal will carry a bit more risk but right now, it’s a strong value contract.

Buyouts

F Valeri Nichushkin ($700K in 2019-20, $450K in 2020-21)

Retained Salary Transactions

None

Still To Sign

D Julius Honka

Honka’s stock has plummeted over the past year and a bit.  He has gone from a young defender with some upside to one that can’t crack the lineup and needs a change of scenery.  They’ve been open to moving Honka for a little while now and it’s possible that some other team will be the one signing him to his next deal.

Best Value: Klingberg
Worst Value: Benn

Looking Ahead

As a result of their offseason spending, the Stars would have been tight to the Upper Limit for this season had it not been for Hanzal’s injury.  Now, their ability to place him on LTIR will give them some in-season flexibility which will certainly come in handy.

There aren’t any big expiring deals to worry about for next season so the Heiskanen extension will be the next big task for GM Jim Nill.  While they have some big tickets on the books, they have enough bargain deals that they should be in reasonable shape cap wise for the next few years.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Stefan Noesen To Sign PTO With Dallas Stars

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Tuesday: Shapiro has new information today it seems, as the Athletic reporter now tweets that Noesen will be joining the Stars on a PTO after all.

Monday: It has been a quiet summer thus far for forward Stefan Noesen, who became an unrestricted free agent earlier this off-season when the New Jersey Devils opted not to extend a qualifying offer. Noesen’s name has hardly been whispered on the rumor mill with so many teams still needing to sign their RFA’s and other talented UFA’s waiting for the dominoes to fall. However, Noesen has finally resurfaced in the most likely of places. The Athletic’s Sean Shapiro reports that the Texas native skated with the Dallas Stars today.

Now, Shapiro stops short of claiming this is an indication of even a PTO, nevertheless a contract. However, he does note that Noesen was the only non-Star in attendance and was wearing Dallas gear. That in itself is not conclusive, but surely lends itself to the idea that Noesen may be officially linked to the team in some way. Yet, Dallas’ roster construction may suggest the opposite. The Stars were active in free agency this summer, adding Joe Pavelski and Corey Perry to a forward corps that was already relatively deep. It has left the team with less than $1MM in cap space with only 22 players on the projected roster. On a minimum contract, Noesen could fit as the final member of the roster, but it would leave the Stars with less roster flexibility than would a waiver-exempt prospect. The team could use a young, established bottom-six player, but likely not at the cost of cap and roster confusion.

Noesen, 26, would have to first prove he is worthy of a contract anyway. It is unlikely that the Stars, or any NHL team for that matter, are willing to give the two-way forward a guaranteed deal after such a down season. Noesen entered 2017-18 with high expectations after a career-high 27 points the year prior, but took a major step backwards. Noesen recorded just eight points in 41 games and watched the other 41 from the press box. The Devils themselves regressed as well, but Noesen’s struggles were mostly a product of his own poor play. The 2011 first-round pick still has the tools and experience to be an effective player, but he first needs to show that he is ready for NHL action. The Stars have already shown a willingness to add PTO’s, formally inviting Scottie Upshall to camp, so Noesen could very well be getting that shot. If not in Dallas, he still seems like a solid candidate to get a look somewhere. However the invitation is just the beginning and the once highly-regarded prospect will need to work hard to show he still belongs at the top level.

Evening Notes: Hanzal, Pominville, Pilut

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Last season, the Dallas Stars freed up some cap space at the trade deadline by placing both Martin Hanzal and Marc Methot on LTIR, which allowed the team to go out and acquire New York Rangers forward Mats Zuccarello and Pittsburgh’s Jamie Oleksiak. While Methot’s contract has expired, the team still has Hanzal under contract for one more season and while his on-ice contributions are in question with recurring back issues, his contract could help the team once again.

According to Dallasnews.com’s Matthew DeFranks, the team may be able to do something similar. Hanzal hasn’t played any hockey since before last Christmas and has appeared in only 45 games since signing a three-year, $14.25MM deal back in 2017. However, while there are quite a few variables when dealing with LTIR, the Stars could conceivably open up between $4-5MM in cap space during the season and use that to acquire a player.

DeFranks lists a number of potential targets, including T.J. Brodie, Chris Kreider, Tyler Toffoli, Craig Smith, Evgenii Dadonov, Vladislav Namestnikov and Jake Muzzin.

  • In his most recent mailbag column, the Buffalo News’ Lance Lysowski writes that it’s highly unlikely the Buffalo Sabres will be bringing back veteran forward and current unsigned unrestricted free agent Jason Pominville, even if it’s on a tryout basis. At 36 years old, Pominville still seems to have something to give after posting 16 goals and 31 points last season, but after adding Jimmy Vesey and Marcus Johansson to their roster and with a number of young forwards looking to step up, including Tage Thompson, Victor Olofsson and C.J. Smith, there really isn’t space for Pominville. The team did opt to keep Johan Larsson and Zemgus Girgensons as fourth-line options, where they could have retained Pominville, but both Larsson and Girgensons have penalty kill experience, while Pominville doesn’t.
  • Sticking with the Sabres, The Athletic’s Joe Yerdon (subscription required) wonders whether Buffalo Sabres defenseman Lawrence Pilut could be ready to immediately jump in as the team’s No. 2 defenseman on the left side. Pilut, despite recovering from offseason shoulder injury and might miss some time early in the season, played just 33 games for Buffalo, posting a goal and six points, and impressed with his corsi-for with a 53.2 percent, only behind Brandon Montour. The 23-year-old proved in Rochester that he can be a dependable blueliner in his own end. The question is whether he’s ready for the same role in Buffalo.

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