Washington Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan has been actively shopping for forwards throughout the summer and still aims to reinforce his club's top six before training camp gets underway next month.
"We had a few discussions at the draft; it might carry forward or it might not carry forward," MacLellan said, per The Athletic's Tarik El-Bashir. "We'll see where it goes."
The Capitals brought in six-time 30-goal scorer Max Pacioretty on a one-year contract in free agency, but his age and recent injury history likely aren't enough to rectify Washington's 20th-ranked offense from last season.
MacLellan reportedly told teams in June that forward Anthony Mantha is available to be moved, but a deal never materialized. This summer, longtime center Evgeny Kuznetsov asked to be dealt and is also rumored to be a trade option throughout the summer.
The Capitals' options for a potential trade are limited, as the club is currently $700,000 over the $83.5-million limit, according to Cap Friendly.
Washington missed the playoffs for the first time since 2014 this past season. The down year resulted in the club replacing head coach Peter Laviolette with Spencer Carbery.
Missing the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs didn't sit well with Tom Wilson and the rest of the Washington Capitals.
"There's a lot of winners in that room, and when you don't make the playoffs, it's a failure to what we believe in, in our group," he said during a press conference Monday, according to NHL.com's Tracey Myers.
The Capitals missed the postseason by 12 points. It was their first time falling short of the playoffs since 2013-14, which was Wilson's first campaign with Washington.
"We're hungry to get back at it and get this moving back in the right direction and show the culture of what it is to be a Cap," Wilson continued. "And that's winning games, that's playing hard, that's making it hard for teams to come into our building.
"We built that for a long time. You talk to other players around the league, they're like, 'Hey, we knew when we came into D.C., our chances weren't good.' That's what we've got to get back to."
The 29-year-old has been a Capital for his entire career thus far. He opted to prolong his stay Friday by signing a seven-year, $45.5-million extension, which begins in 2024-25.
Wilson saw his name pop up in trade rumors this offseason, which he said was a "weird" experience, per The Athletic's Tarik El-Bashir. However, all that hearsay motivated Wilson and general manager Brian MacLellan to come to an agreement sooner rather than later.
"I wanted to get rid of that, not have to worry about that," Wilson said. "I knew I wanted to be here for as long as I could, and the team expressed the same."
Wilson's 2022-23 season debut was delayed until early January due to an ACL injury. He accrued 13 tallies and 22 points in 33 contests while ending the campaign on a four-game goal streak.
Kyle Dubas thinks he sent a clear message to the Pittsburgh Penguins after acquiring star defenseman Erik Karlsson in a complicated three-team, nine-player trade.
"I think it's just an affirmation that we believe that they have a chance to contend and compete for a championship," the general manager said during a press conference Monday.
He added: "(Karlsson's) still an elite player, as he showed last year. ... We have a chance to add him, we're gonna do it because we believe in the group."
Dubas said he wanted to bring in Karlsson to help the Penguins move the puck out of their own zone, and he hailed the 6-foot Swede as "one of the top skaters" in the league.
Karlsson, 33, enjoyed a resurgent 2022-23 campaign, potting 76 assists and 101 points in 82 games en route to winning his third career Norris Trophy. The San Jose Sharks retained 13% of his salary in the trade, meaning Karlsson will cost the Penguins $10 million in each of the next four seasons.
Dubas acknowledged that the road to landing Karlsson was a "fairly lengthy process" that seemed to have kept him awake some nights.
"When it's a good player that you really want, that's why you spend a lot of your nights staring up at the ceiling rather than sleeping, (thinking) of different ways you can make it happen," he said. "(You have to) know the market, which other teams are gonna jump in, who can beat you to it, how can they beat you to it, how can you outdo them."
Pittsburgh was mired by uncharacteristic inconsistencies last season. The team won three-plus consecutive games just three times and lost four-plus straight contests four times, including a seven-game slump.
As a result, the Penguins missed the postseason for the first time since 2005-06 by one point.
"There's a lot of work that has to be done. ... I know that there'll be lots of people that doubt the group, and rightfully so," Dubas said. "We have to go out and prove it."
Dubas officially took on the title of Pittsburgh's GM on Thursday, in addition to his role as president of hockey operations. He joined the Penguins' front office in June shortly after parting ways with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Anaheim Ducks signed unrestricted free-agent goaltender Alex Stalock to a one-year deal, the team announced Monday.
His deal has an average annual value of $800,000, according to CapFriendly.
Stalock enjoyed a solid bounce-back campaign in 2022-23 with the struggling Chicago Blackhawks. He posted a .908 save percentage and 3.01 goals against average in 27 showings while saving 2.98 goals above average, per Evolving Hockey.
The 36-year-old was limited to just one NHL game over the previous two seasons following a myocarditis diagnosis, and he also battled through a concussion and ocular dysfunction this past campaign.
Stalock was a finalist for the 2022-23 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in recognition of his perseverance.
He owns a career .908 save percentage and 2.70 goals against average in 179 career NHL games. Stalock has also suited up for the San Jose Sharks and Minnesota Wild.
The Sharks selected him in the fourth round of the 2005 NHL Draft.
It's another special edition of the show on a long weekend! S&P Presents Vancouver Media Legends: Squire Barnes and Jim Robson. Matt and Blake spend the B.C. Day holiday speaking to two B.C. legends. Squire Barnes, ex of BCTV now Global, tells us why shaving his moustache and changing from specs to contacts helped launch his television career. He's been bringing British Columbians sports news and highlights for more than 30 years, so he gives us his thoughts on the Canucks as well as outlining his friendship with Michael J Fox and making it to the Ellen show. Jim Robson is the legend of all media legends in this province. The original voice of the Canucks outlines how he got the team's play-by-play job, how he could've been a baseball announcer in Seattle and Milwaukee, his first NHL game and a shocking encounter with Tim Horton, as well as his partnership with Tom Larscheid. He also reflects back on his famous calls -- "Adams, Greg Adams!" and "he'll play, you know he'll play" -- during the '94 Cup run. Presented by Applewood Auto Group.
Los Angeles Kings forward Quinton Byfield is looking forward to the chance to get off to a hot start for the first time in his young career this October.
A broken ankle in 2021-22 and an extended illness in 2022-23 sidetracked Byfield off the hop in each of the past two campaigns, and he's ready to start the upcoming season at full strength.
"It's just nice to feel good to do things like this and be feeling good heading into a new season for a change," Byfield said, per NHL.com's Mike Zeisberger. "That hasn't been the case in previous years."
He added: "You know, it's always been a struggle for me for the start of seasons. The one year it seemed like I broke my ankle in a thousand different places. And even at the start of last season I was sick for a bunch of weeks. That's why this is important. Hopefully this year, going in, I can stay healthy, be able to produce early on and help the team."
Byfield was drafted second overall in 2020 with tremendous hype after a prolific junior career with the OHL's Sudbury Wolves. He's only appeared in 99 NHL games to date and registered 33 points.
The soon-to-be 21-year-old admitted his setbacks have been frustrating to endure.
"It hasn't been fun at all," he said. "You're excited all summer for the season, and you train all summer for it. And then, for something to happen to sideline things both years, that definitely (stinks)."
Byfield set career highs in games played (53), points (22), and shots (74) last season, then added four points in six postseason contests as the Kings were eliminated in Round 1 at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers.
Los Angeles will enter the 2023-24 season with heightened expectations after landing Pierre-Luc Dubois in a blockbuster trade with the Winnipeg Jets earlier this summer.
Finally, the reigning Norris Trophy winner is on the move.
The Pittsburgh Penguins reeled in star defenseman Erik Karlsson in a three-team megadeal Sunday to enliven a dull part of the hockey calendar. The trade also advances the San Jose Sharks' rebuild and has the potential to shake up next season's Eastern Conference playoff race.
The transaction loops in the Montreal Canadiens and breaks down as follows:
San Jose retains $1.5 million of Karlsson's $11.5-million cap hit over the next four seasons. Pittsburgh will foot 25% - or close to $1.6 million - of Petry's $6.25-million AAV for two more years. Montreal retains no salary.
Let's evaluate this blockbuster from all sides.
Penguins
Kavin Mistry / NHL / Getty Images
Karlsson, 33, hasn't reached the postseason since the Sharks surged as far as the third round in 2019. Two years earlier, he dragged the Ottawa Senators within an overtime goal of the Stanley Cup Final while nursing two heel fractures, exhibiting his toughness and greatness.
He's this move's biggest winner. Karlsson departs a cellar-dweller to join the team that eliminated those 2017 Senators en route to clinching Sidney Crosby's third Cup. Pittsburgh remains committed to Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang despite failing to win a playoff round for the last five years.
With the franchise legends staying put, new boss Kyle Dubas had to swing big to try to prolong the contention window. Dubas' first seismic move as president of hockey operations and general manager delivered an incandescent talent who made NHL history last season.
Karlsson's 101 points shattered his previous career best and were the most a blue-liner has produced since 1992. He was the first NHL defenseman to clear the century mark in his 30s, signaling he'll age gracefully if blessed with good health. Karlsson tallied one fewer point at even strength (74) in 2022-23 than runaway scoring champion Connor McDavid.
Bruce Bennett / Getty Images
Acquiring Karlsson relieves the pressure on Letang, who turned 36 in April, to carry the Penguins' defense corps. Head coach Mike Sullivan can ice a puck-mover on the right side of the first and second pairings and at the helm of both power-play units. Karlsson will raise Pittsburgh's offensive floor even if Letang misses games or Jake Guentzel is hampered by the aftereffects of ankle surgery.
Dumping Granlund's bloated contract ($5 million through 2025) is a triumph for Dubas. Moving Rutta and Smith made Karlsson affordable while also saving the Penguins about $3.1 million in cap space, per CapFriendly. If Pittsburgh bounces back into the playoff picture - maybe by vaulting the New York Rangers and Islanders to rise to third place in the stacked Metropolitan Division - that'll soften the blow of parting with multiple picks.
Crosby, set to celebrate his 36th birthday Monday, is signed for two more seasons. The Penguins have about that much time to compete in the Metro before he, Malkin, and Letang finally fade. If things proceed to go south, Karlsson could net Pittsburgh a passable trade return or, at worst, would disappear from the cap sheet before long.
Resisting for as long as possible what's eventually bound to happen - the post-Crosby teardown - makes sense for Dubas. He landed the Norris winner and conserved money in the process. Karlsson might never advance in the playoffs again, but his and Pittsburgh's odds just improved substantially.
Grade: A
Sharks
Joe Sargent / NHL / Getty Images
Karlsson appeared in all 82 games and skated for 25:37 nightly last season. That means he was on the ice for close to 45% of San Jose's campaign. The Sharks plummeted in the standings anyway, recording 60 points to drop to fourth-last in the league while posting the franchise's worst points percentage (.366) since 1996.
Next season promises to be miserable. That's for the best. Drafting future stars is what makes a rebuild tolerable. Jettisoning Karlsson positions the Sharks to tank and add a cornerstone who'll play with Will Smith and William Eklund, headliners of GM Mike Grier's ascendant yet unspectacular prospect pool.
The problem with the Karlsson deal is the pool didn't improve Sunday. Grier obtained one decent asset - Pittsburgh's 2024 first-rounder - while committing to pay Granlund and Rutta for two seasons. The Sharks assumed that burden, as well as the final year of Hoffman's contract, to avoid retaining more than 13% of Karlsson's AAV.
Karlsson's age and steep price tag conspired to lighten the return. To land him in 2018, San Jose sent Ottawa two budding star centers: Josh Norris and the draft pick that became Tim Stutzle. Between the Karlsson, Timo Meier, and Brent Burns trade packages, Grier procured two Round 1 selections, using the first in June to draft winger Quentin Musty at 26th overall.
The Sharks' cap sheet remains messy. Defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic, who's 36 years old, is signed for $7 million annually through 2026. Captain Logan Couture, 34, owns an $8-million cap hit through 2027. Tomas Hertl is only 29 but commands more than $8.1 million per year through 2030 on a pact that predates Grier's hiring.
More trades await. The returns for those players, if and when they're moved, will probably underwhelm. Grier didn't get a ton back for the one guy who made his squad watchable.
Grade: D+
Canadiens
Icon Sportswire / Getty Images
Montreal swapped a depth NHLer in Pitlick and a one-dimensional scorer on the decline in Hoffman to bring in Petry at a reduced cap hit and DeSmith to back up Jake Allen in net. GM Kent Hughes also added a second-round pick without sacrificing draft capital or retaining part of Karlsson's salary.
Petry was a pillar of Montreal's North Division championship team in 2021. Dealt to Pittsburgh a year ago for Mike Matheson, he's 35 but spry enough to play with Matheson on a temporary top pair. Hughes could trade Petry again this summer or at next year's deadline. If he sticks around, his presence will buy time for young defensemen Kaiden Guhle, Justin Barron, and Arber Xhekaj - plus top prospects David Reinbacher and Lane Hutson - to make strides.
The cost to butt into the Karlsson trade was minimal. Even if Samuel Montembeault outplays Allen and DeSmith in training camp, making one netminder redundant, Hughes strengthened the Habs by getting involved. That warrants a solid grade.
The Arizona Coyotes signed unrestricted free-agent defenseman Matt Dumba to a one-year deal worth $3.9 million, reports PHNX Sports' Craig Morgan.
Dumba has spent his entire 10-season NHL career with the Minnesota Wild. He put up four goals and 14 points in 79 games this past season while averaging 21:17 minutes of ice time per contest, his lowest since 2016-17.
The 29-year-old also racked up 104 hits and 116 blocks in 2022-23.
Dumba just played out the final season of a five-year, $30-million deal. He was rooted in trade speculation for much of the 2022-23 campaign.
His best statistical season came in 2017-18 when he totaled 14 goals and 50 points in 82 games, but his underlying numbers have taken a hit in recent seasons. The Wild were outscored with Dumba on the ice at five-on-five in five consecutive campaigns, per Natural Stat Trick.
Dumba has amassed 79 tallies and 157 helpers in 598 NHL games, as well as 15 points in 49 playoff contests. Minnesota selected him with the seventh overall pick in 2012.
