The six-month saga between the New York Rangers and defenseman Tony DeAngelo is seemingly coming to an end. New York has placed the 25-year-old on unconditional waivers to begin buying out his contract, according to Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston.
DeAngelo will become an unrestricted free agent once he passes through waivers and the buyout is executed, as the Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli noted.
The process would go as follows for DeAngelo, per CapFriendly.
Season
Initial cap hit
New cap hit
Annual cap savings
2021-22
$4.8M
$383K
$4.4M
2022-23
$0
$883K
-$883K
In February, former general manager Jeff Gorton announced the New Jersey native had played his last game as a Ranger.
The tumultuous situation came to a head due to a skirmish between DeAngelo and goaltender Alexandar Georgiev following the club’s January 30 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The franchise placed DeAngelo on waivers the following day.
The blue-liner went unclaimed and didn't suit up for another NHL contest in the 2020-21 season.
The Montreal Canadiens were apparently interested in him in April, but he didn’t accept. DeAngelo also reportedly rejected New York's offer to mutually terminate his contract - which would have allowed him to sign elsewhere as a free agent - opting to be bought out this summer instead.
The Rangers signed DeAngelo to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $4.8 million beginning in the 2020-21 campaign. DeAngelo spent four seasons in the Big Apple.
Most experts and insiders expected Power to be the No. 1 pick, though he wasn't as much of a slam dunk as Alexis Lafreniere last year. Nevertheless, the towering blue-liner oozes potential.
NHL Central Scouting named Power the No. 1 North American skater on its final rankings. He impressed during his freshman season with the Wolverines after playing two campaigns for the USHL's Chicago Steel. That league named him defenseman of the year in 2019-20 after he led all players at the position with 40 points over 45 games.
The Ontario-born rearguard also contributed internationally, helping Canada claim gold at the World Championship in Latvia back in May while producing three assists over 10 games.
Matthew Beniers - Center, Michigan (NCAA)
Beniers had an incredible freshman season with Michigan, ranking third among rookies in points in the NCAA. His season was ultimately cut short due to COVID-19 cancellations, but he's indicated that he may return to college for at least one more campaign.
Despite being the youngest player on Team USA's roster at the 2021 world juniors, Beniers played a vital role in helping lead his team to a gold medal. Centering the second line, he recorded one goal and two assists.
William Eklund - Left wing, Djurgarden (SHL)
Eklund was arguably the top prospect from outside North America in this draft, as NHL Central Scouting slotted him No. 1 among European skaters in its final rankings.
That distinction was warranted, given how well Eklund played in one of the world's best professional leagues at just 18 years old. The promising winger did so despite testing positive for COVID-19 - which forced him to miss the world juniors - and undergoing an appendectomy.
Dylan Guenther - Right wing, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
Guenther averaged two points per game for the Oil Kings during the WHL's abbreviated 2020-21 season and is one of the most dynamic offensive talents in this class.
Guenther also proved himself on the international stage this season, notching four goals and three assists in seven contests at the Under-18 World Championship to help Canada win gold.
Mason McTavish - Center, Peterborough Petes (OHL)
McTavish played in Switzerland's second-tier league during the COVID-19 pandemic, posting 11 points in 13 games. He was also one of Canada's top players at the Under-18 worlds, captaining the team to a gold medal. McTavish is a bona fide power forward who's proved he can score goals in bunches.
A big center with a high hockey IQ, McTavish knows where to be on the ice at all times to help make the right play. He may not possess the elite all-around talent of some other top prospects, but his rare blend of size, speed, and skill can make him a legitimate threat in the NHL.
Luke Hughes - Defense, USNTDP (USHL)
Luke is the younger brother of Vancouver Canucks blue-liner Quinn Hughes and New Jersey Devils pivot Jack Hughes. As a defenseman, Luke will draw more comparisons to Quinn, but he shares traits with both of his NHL siblings.
Like his brothers, Luke is a world-class skater. He has great straight-line speed, but his edge work and agility are arguably even better. He's also four inches taller than Quinn and three inches taller than Jack, giving him substantial upside.
The two sides previously tried to hammer out a trade, with the Blue Jackets reportedly wanting Kirby Dach or Alex DeBrincat as the centerpiece coming their way. However, it wasn't a deal the Blackhawks were willing to make.
Chicago and Columbus are now reportedly working on a swap that would include a mix of the Blackhawks' other young players, prospects, and high draft picks.
Jones has one year remaining on his deal with a $5.4-million cap hit, so any team trading for him is likely looking to ensure he'd sign an extension afterward. Chicago is believed to be one of the teams that could secure a long-term commitment from the 26-year-old, Friedman added.
The Blackhawks project to have over $20 million in cap space this offseason. The trade that sent Duncan Keith to the Edmonton Oilers - helping clear cap room - brought in Seth's brother, Caleb, to Chicago.
Jones received down-ballot Norris Trophy votes in each season between 2017-20, finishing as high as fourth in 2018. However, he registered just five goals and 23 assists in 56 games this past season, and his underlying numbers plummeted.
Evolving-Hockey.com
The Blackhawks severely lack experience on the back end. Here's their current defensive depth chart:
LD
RD
Calvin de Haan
Connor Murphy
Nikita Zadorov*
Adam Boqvist
Riley Stillman
Ian Mitchell
Caleb Jones
*Restricted free agent
Jones reportedly told the Blue Jackets in May that he wouldn't sign an extension with the team.
Suter could make his decision by Monday - two days before free agency opens - Friedman adds.
The 36-year-old was bought out by the Minnesota Wild last week. Suter tallied three goals and 16 assists in 56 games this past season while averaging 22:11 per contest. His underlying numbers were still stellar, specifically on offense.
Warning: Story contains graphic content about sexual assault.
Further details have emerged in the civil lawsuit against the Chicago Blackhawks brought by a former player.
The amended lawsuit details an incident in May 2010 and states video coach Brad Aldrich turned on pornography at his apartment and began to masturbate in front of the plaintiff, according to Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times, who provided screenshots of the updated lawsuit.
The player attempted to leave, but Aldrich blocked the exit and threatened him with a small baseball bat, the lawsuit states. Additionally, Aldrich verbally threatened the player, saying he'd never play in the NHL again if he didn't engage in nonconsensual sexual activity.
Pope also provides a screenshot from the lawsuit that states that for years after the abuse, the player was subject to homophobic and "humiliating trash talking by his teammates during scrimmages where coaches were present."
The assault allegedly occurred while the Blackhawks were in the 2010 Western Conference Final. Former Chicago assistant coach John Torchetti told TSN in June that team management met to discuss the situation but never brought it to police.
Brent Sopel, a defenseman on the team at the time, said "pretty much every" player knew about it.
The Blackhawks hired a former federal prosecutor in June to conduct an independent, team-financed review of the allegations, which have yet to be tested in court.
The NHL unveiled its schedule for the 2021-22 campaign Thursday.
The season will run from Oct. 12 to April 29 - contingent on the league participating in the 2022 Olympics. The schedule features a two-week pause between Feb. 7-22 to allow players to compete at the Games. The NHL will revise the schedule and the campaign will likely end earlier if the league decides not to attend the Olympics.
An agreement hasn't been made regarding the league's participation in the Winter Games. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in June that it's "not necessarily an ideal Games to elect to go to."
The NHL's 2021-22 opening night will feature a doubleheader beginning with the Tampa Bay Lightning raising their Stanley Cup banner and hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins, followed by the league's two newest franchises - the Seattle Kraken and Vegas Golden Knights - squaring off in Sin City.
Each team will play 26 games within its division, 24 contests against the other division in its conference, and 32 matchups against the opposing conference.
Here are a handful of contests throughout the season worth circling on your calendar:
Date
Home
Away
Purpose
Oct. 13
Rangers
Capitals
1st game since line brawl
Oct. 23
Kraken
Canucks
Seattle's home opener
Nov. 20
Islanders
Flames
New York's 1st game as UBS Arena
Dec. 7
Canadiens
Lightning
Stanley Cup rematch
Jan. 1
Wild
Blues
Winter Classic at Target Field
Feb. 26
Predators
Lightning
Stadium Series at Nissan Stadium
The series-style schedules, which were used during the 2020-21 campaign and were popular among players, won't return this season.
The All-Star Weekend in Vegas will take place Feb. 4-5.
Longtime Montreal Canadiens defenseman Shea Weber won't play next season and he "probably won't be back for his career," general manager Marc Bergevin told reporters on Thursday.
Bergevin confirmed the team's captain has been dealing with multiple injuries, including ankle, foot, knee, and thumb issues.
Weber, who turns 36 next month, missed time toward the end of the regular season with a thumb injury, but he returned to average 25:13 of ice time per game during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Bergevin notes he had an "emotional" conversation with Weber.
“It was hard for Shea," he said. "I mean, that’s all he knows. He’s a hockey player to the core. He's been doing that all his life. It’s really hit hard to realize that he can no longer perform the way he’s expecting for him and his teammates in the pain he’s going through daily."
Notorious for his higher-than-average pain tolerance, Weber has also previously dealt with a left foot issue. In February 2020 he was slated to miss four-to-six weeks because of the injury, but Weber returned just two weeks later.
The Nashville Predators' 49th overall pick in 2003 has played 1,038 NHL games while registering 589 points. He spent the first 11 seasons of his career in Nashville and the last five with the Canadiens, who will now be dealing with a gaping hole on their blue line.
“I have a lot of respect for Shea,” Bergevin said. “It will be impossible to replace Shea Weber.”
There are five years left on Weber's contract that carries an annual cap hit of $7.86 million.
