The Montreal Canadiens traded defenseman P.K. Subban to the Nashville Predators for Shea Weber on Wednesday, the clubs announced.
It's a straight one-for-one trade.
Montreal just acquired the age 31-40 seasons of Weber in exchange for the age 27-31 seasons from Subban.
— Jonathan Willis (@JonathanWillis) June 29, 2016
Subban had a no-movement clause in his contract that would have kicked in on July 1. His name had been in the rumor mill for months, but the trade still comes as a shock. His contract runs through 2021 at a salary cap hit of $9 million.
Weber is now the former captain of the Predators. He's signed through the 2025-26 season at $7.857 million. By the salary cap, the two players were the highest-paid defenders in the NHL.
Poile in a statement on Subban: “Superstar defensemen of his caliber are a rare commodity, and we are thrilled to add him to the organiztn.”
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) June 29, 2016
Subban had six goals and 45 assists last season, but was a lightning rod for criticism after Montreal's season fell apart after a very strong start. Weber had 51 points and scored 20 goals - the third time in his career he's hit the mark.
Weber's a five-time All-Star and three-time Norris Trophy finalst, while Subban's twice participated at the annual midseason showcase. Trade talks began to get serious at last week's draft, according to ESPN's Pierre LeBrun.
Montreal general manager Marc Bergevin said the following in a statement:
We completed today an important transaction which I am convinced will make the Canadiens a better team. It was also one of the most difficult decisions I had to make as general manager of the Montreal Canadiens. In Shea Weber, we get a top-rated NHL defenseman with tremendous leadership, and a player who will improve our defensive group as well as our powerplay for many years to come. Shea Weber led all NHL defensemen last season with 14 powerplay goals. He is a complete rearguard with impressive size and a powerful shot. P.K. Subban is a special and very talented player. He provided the Canadiens organization with strong performances on the ice and generous commitment in the community. I wish him the best of luck with the Predators
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The Edmonton Oilers sure know how to get people talking.
After pulling off a reported one-for-one trade involving Adam Larsson of the New Jersey Devils, the wide world of hockey Twitter exploded with a mix of shock, and, well, derision.
Here's a sampling of some of the best reactions.
The Oilers just traded away a top-right EV scorer in the league for a guy who doesn't even move the needle when he's on the ice.
— Travis Yost (@travisyost) June 29, 2016
The Oilers just traded Taylor Hall for a handful of beans. And not even magic beans. Like they reached into a dented can of baked beans.
— Down Goes Brown (@DownGoesBrown) June 29, 2016
How could you not offer something better than Larsson for Taylor Hall if you're an NHL GM?? HOW?!?!?!?!
— Conor McKenna (@mckennaconor) June 29, 2016
When did Adam Larsson become a No. 1 defenceman?
— Terry Jones (@sunterryjones) June 29, 2016
So they could've drafted Larsson but took Nuge. Now they get Larsson but it costs them Hall. And Chiarelli has dealt Hall & Seguin. Perfect
— Dean Molberg (@fan960boomer) June 29, 2016
It might be time for the last of us to stop feeling bad for the Oilers.
— June Dave Lozo (@davelozo) June 29, 2016
On the bright side there might be an Oilers fan that thinks they're getting Oliver Ekman-Larsson in that trade.
— Paul Bissonnette (@BizNasty2point0) June 29, 2016
#PackYourShit Taylor, and fly your ass to the Garden State.
— Mike Commodore (@commie22) June 29, 2016
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The Edmonton Oilers traded forward Taylor Hall to the New Jersey Devils for defenseman Adam Larsson on Wednesdsay, the club announced.
The Oilers have been rumored for weeks to be in the market for a defenseman, but many figured if Hall was on his way out of town, a package of some sort would be coming the other way.
Hall, the first overall pick by the Oilers in 2010, will turn 25 on Nov. 14. He had 26 goals and 39 assists last season, suiting up in all 82 games for the first time in his career. His best season came in 2013-14, when he posted 80 points - 27 goals and 53 assists - in 75 games. He is one of the game's best young offensive talents, and signed through 2020 at a cap hit of $6 million.
Larsson will turn 24 in November and was the fourth overall pick in 2011 by the Devils. He's a stay-at-home defender, and had three goals and 15 assists in 82 games last season. He posted the lowest Corsi For percentage of his five-year career in 2015-16 at 43.5 percent.
The Oilers aren't saving a lot of money in this deal, as Larsson is signed through 2021 at a cap number of $4.167 million. However, the trade will ramp up speculation that the Oilers will be signing pending unrestricted free-agent winger Milan Lucic to a lucrative contract on July 1, in order to make up for the loss of Hall's offense.
Regardless of what happens Friday, this trade is likely to be blasted by Oilers fans in Edmonton, while lauded in Newark.
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Every NHL team wants to add scoring in free agency, but many teams are either hamstrung by the salary cap or simply priced out of the high-profile bidding wars.
Steven Stamkos, Kyle Okposo, and Loui Eriksson are getting the attention as July 1 nears, and they'll each garner hefty raises, but a handful of sneakily productive forwards can likely be had for more reasonable prices.
Here are five under-the-radar free-agent forwards that warrant consideration this summer:
McGinn was one of the most underrated acquisitions before the 2016 trade deadline, scoring a career-high 22 goals combined with the Buffalo Sabres and the Anaheim Ducks in 2015-16.
The versatile winger fit in well alongside Ryan O'Reilly and Sam Reinhart on the Sabres' top line before being dealt to the deeper Ducks, and he's posted 19- and 20-goal seasons in the past.
His offensive ceiling isn't sky high, but he's good for at least 15 goals and provides a dose of physicality when it's called for.
Parenteau led the Toronto Maple Leafs with 20 goals this season, and only Nazem Kadri had more points among Leafs (45) than Parenteau (41).
The pending unrestricted free agent is coming off a one-year, $1.5-million deal, providing one of the best bang-for-buck values in the league.
Parenteau ranked third on Toronto in even-strength Corsi For percentage among players with at least 40 games played, showing his ability to drive possession on the NHL's 13th-best club in that regard.
The 33-year-old is in line for a pay increase, but he's still flying under the radar as July 1 approaches.
Purcell didn't produce much for the Edmonton Oilers, recording 32 points in 61 games in 2015-16, but he improved after being traded to the Florida Panthers as a pre-deadline rental, posting 11 points in 15 games and scoring twice in six playoff contests.
The 30-year-old notched 24 goals and 65 points with the Tampa Bay Lightning back in 2011-12, so he's capable of contributing offensively, even if it means expecting 15 goals and 40 points per season at this point in his career.
Purcell isn't a bad option for teams looking to add depth to their bottom six, and he can probably be had for a discount, coming off the final season of a three-year, $13.5-million extension signed with Tampa Bay in 2012.
There are certainly reasons to balk at signing Vrbata on July 1. He turned 35 a couple of weeks ago, and he's coming off his worst season from a production standpoint since his third year in the league with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2003-04.
There are also reasons to consider him. Vrbata is only two seasons removed from a 31-goal, 63-point campaign with the Canucks, and his shooting percentage was a mere 6.5 in 2015-16.
He's not as bad as that primarily luck-driven statistic would indicate, nor is he likely as good as the 11.6-percent shooting he posted in 2014-15, but he should fall somewhere in between next season.
There aren't going to be many teams lining up to court Chimera, but the 37-year-old is actually coming off one of his best seasons.
He scored 20 goals in 2015-16 - tying a career high - and his 40 points represented his second-highest total in that category over his 15 NHL campaigns.
Chimera might not replicate his contract-year output - and by no means is he a possession darling - but the veteran is another depth forward who could help solidify a contending club's bottom six.
(Analytics courtesy: Corsica Hockey)
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The San Jose Sharks have reportedly agreed to terms with forward Tomas Hertl on a two-year, $6-million contract extension, according to Bob McKenzie of TSN.
The 22-year-old entered the offseason as a pending restricted free agent, having recorded career highs in goals (21), assists (25), and total points (46) in 2015-16.
Hertl also played an integral part in San Jose's run to the Stanley Cup Final, scoring six goals and adding five assists in 20 playoff games before suffering an injury early in the championship series against Pittsburgh.
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Seth Jones is a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets for the next six years and he couldn't be happier about it.
The defender and general manager Jarmo Kekalainen met with the media hours after Jones put pen to paper on a six-year contract extension worth a reported $32.4 million.
"I had no thoughts of signing with another team," Jones, who was set to become a restricted free agent, said. "I wanted to get something done before July 1. We have a good, young core.
"I love Columbus."
Wednesday was a busy day for Kekalainen. He signed Jones and reportedly third overall pick Pierre-Luc Dubois, and bought out the final two years of defenseman Fedor Tyutin's contract.
"We were confident the whole time that (Jones' extension) would get done. He wanted to be here," Kekalainen said.
"If somebody wanted to get silly" is how Jarmo Kekalainen described someone throwing an offer sheet at Seth Jones
— Аrpon Basu (@ArponBasu) June 29, 2016
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The Columbus Blue Jackets are trimming some salary.
The club has bought out the final two years of defenseman Fedor Tyutin’s contract, general manager Jarmo Kekalainen announced.
Related: Blue Jackets sign Seth Jones to 6-year contract worth reported $32.4M
"Fedor Tyutin is a pro in every sense of the word and has been an important player for the Columbus Blue Jackets for many years, but this decision is a result of the current depth on our blue line and to add some financial flexibility for our club moving forward," said Kekalainen.
The move will save the team $3,291,667 in cap space for 2016-17 and $2,541,667 in 2017-18, but the buyout means he remains on the books for the following two seasons at a cap hit of $1,458,333, according to General Fanager.
With Tyutin buyout, #BlueJackets now have $3.334M estimated cap space with 12F/6D/2G.https://t.co/mF4VKi75Av
— General Fanager (@generalfanager) June 29, 2016
A second-round pick of the New York Rangers in 2001, Tyutin recorded 39 goals and 146 assists in eight seasons with the Blue Jackets.
Tyutin immediately becomes an unrestricted free agent.
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