It's impossible to ignore the commotion across the street.
There's the NBA and its 30 teams, obediently spending billions and billions of dollars to fulfill the requirements of its new, wildly inflated salary scale borne of the league's seismic success.
There are rules to govern spending, of course, including a near $85-million salary floor - or a minimum spending requirement that's almost $12 million more than the NHL's maximum purse. But unlike its little brother, there's an element of elasticity to the walls that police parity in basketball.
And the mandate doesn't punish winners.
The Golden State Warriors - the greatest team in regular-season history and a team that already features the league's two-time reigning MVP and two other All-NBA players - came to terms with a top-three NBA talent this offseason in Kevin Durant.
There was a serendipitous element to this unforeseen marriage. But because it has happened, the NBA has been presented this incredible opportunity to fuel its burning star. The Warriors' every outing will be must-see television, let alone a potential Finals rematch with the NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers that would achieve pay-per-view intrigue.
All this while the two most successful NHL franchises over the last handful of seasons are being stripped down to their studs, punished for accounting for five of the last seven Stanley Cups.
The Chicago Blackhawks and Los Angeles Kings have managed to preserve the stars capable of anchoring a title run. But winning - and the NHL's desire to maintain competitive balance - has resulted in an erosion of these rosters, and has the clubs now trending toward non-contender status.
No team has hemorrhaged talent quite like Chicago.
Stan Bowman has discarded a head-shaking amount of talent throughout the franchise's dynastic years, a list that includes Brandon Saad, Patrick Sharp, Andrew Ladd (twice), Brian Campbell, Dustin Byfuglien, Nick Leddy, Johnny Oduya, and most recently, Teuvo Teravainen and Andrew Shaw.
They've routinely done quite well padding their core with capable talent, but a quick scan of their current forward fleet is jarring, especially with just a couple million in cap space to play with.
(Courtesy: General Fanager)
Chicago has just five top-six forwards on NHL contracts, and aside from Marcus Kruger, a supporting cast exclusively earning $875,000 or less.
The Kings, meanwhile, haven't had to juggle a similar mass exodus, though they would certainly have preferred to retain Justin Williams. What's hurt the Kings most is that cap restraints have made it impossible to shore up deficiencies with impact imports. Dean Lombardi moved three valuable pieces that included a current NHL starter and a first-round pick to acquire Milan Lucic, only to lack the means to meet his contract demands after only one season.
It should be noted that Lucic wasn't even the most difficult bargain. Poor decisions prevented Lombardi from retaining the cement mixer and satiating the other needs on his roster. He's worked exclusively at the margins since trading for Lucic, and his latest work includes replacing the power forward with Teddy Purcell, and adding a bottom-tier backup goaltender in Jeff Zatkoff.
But the Kings are in this mess primarily for rewarding fading stars like Dustin Brown and Marian Gaborik with long-term deals that carry a combined average annual value that accounts for 15 percent of the team's total payroll. It's a problem that will compound through until 2022.
Aside from Bryan Bickell, the Blackhawks haven't poured money into rapidly depreciating assets. Instead, they've created a problem by ceding to their stars.
Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane earned $84-million contracts with the two Stanley Cups they delivered the franchise, as well as the third they lifted before the legacy extensions kicked in last summer. But because Toews, Kane, and the similarly extolled Brent Seabrook have been compensated in full, most others have been squeezed.
There are benefits to winning, of course, aside from championships. Chicago has held a competitive advantage in recruiting college free agents and assets from overseas since its proliferation of Stanley Cups.
Artemi Panarin chose a winner, then wound up finishing ninth in NHL scoring en route to the Calder Trophy. And now it appears Chicago is chasing Hobey Baker winner Jimmy Vesey, who himself would make an immediate impact at an entry-level rate.
Los Angeles hasn't quite had the same lure, but took advantage of a loophole the Blackhawks exploited in their title trifecta, keeping Gaborik on the shelf until the postseason to ice a roster priced above the cap ceiling.
In a way, that sort of circumvention underscores just how difficult of a task it's become for Bowman and Lombardi to keep championship rosters intact.
Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
The St. Louis Blues could have a distinct Minnesota Wild feel next season.
Coach Ken Hitchcock and his understudy, Mike Yeo, were busy exchanging notes and drawing up schemes while watching over the team's development camp this week in St. Louis.
And for the veteran Hitchcock, whose experience rivals any coach currently at the helm, there have been more than a few aha moments.
"I learned a lot already," Hitchcock told Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "We took some of the really good stuff that we thought Mike and his staff did, and we’re incorporating that into us.
"There were things in their game that you really had a tough time playing against and now we know why. So we’re going to use those things, and it’s going to make us a hell of a lot better."
Meanwhile, the former Wild head coach has gained insight beyond Xs and Os.
"(Hitchcock)'s been unbelievable, as far as sharing his knowledge and sharing information as far as things that have gone on here," Yeo said. "But also asking for input, very interested in a lot of things that we've done.
"That's one of the things that has been more eye-opening and revealing to me than anything is just how committed he is to getting better. Even despite the success that he's had in his career, he's trying to find ways to get better as a coach and trying to find ways to get this team better."
St. Louis' recruitment of Yeo presented the makings of an awkward spot for Hitchcock, who covets a final charge at a championship before moving on to the next chapter of his life. But four weeks in, the unlikely marriage has been a harmonious one.
Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Pavel Zacha might have a permanent home in New Jersey starting next season.
The Devils' 2015 first-round pick will be looking to crack the opening-day roster for the first time this upcoming season, and as general manager Ray Shero sees it, the 19-year-old should have every chance to do so.
"Absolutely, I'm looking forward to seeing him," Shero said, according to Andrew Gross of NorthJersey.com "He's been battling a hip pointer and we'll see how that impacts him at development camp, but he'll be ready for training camp. Yeah, there's room for him. There's always room for good players."
Zacha has had just one year of development since the team plucked him sixth overall, but what a year it has been.
Zacha returned to the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League, where he went off for 28 goals and 64 points in 51 games. He lit up the postseason, managing six goals and 13 points in just seven games. He made his NHL debut in the Devils' final game of the season, scoring two assists.
Then to top things off, Zacha joined the team's American Hockey League affiliate in Albany, where he had three points in three games in the regular season and three points over five playoff games.
The Devils finished last season with a league-worst 2.22 goals per game, but if Zacha is any proof, help could soon be on the way.
Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Jamie McGinn is hoping new scenery will bring new challenges.
The 27-year-old joined the Arizona Coyotes on July 1 after agreeing to a three-year $10-million contract, and is hoping it comes with an opportunity to serve as a leader on a young squad.
"At this point in my career, I want a bigger role on being a leader," McGinn said, according to Sarah McLellan of azcentral sports. "There are some young guys on the team, so I want to help out in a leadership role and do the best that I can and share my knowledge and help those guys make the next step. That’s a big part in success; they have a lot of talent, but sometimes there’s some adversity that players need help through. That’s where I can come in."
McGinn is coming off the most productive season of his career, having set career highs with 22 goals and 39 points in 84 games split between the Buffalo Sabres and Anaheim Ducks. That aside, McGinn insists he can't be satisfied with last season's success.
"If I find 22 goals acceptable, that means I'm not going to be working hard to get past that," McGinn said. "I'm going to continue to strive to get better."
McGinn is a welcome addition to a club that made has made a splash this offseason with several trades at the draft and the courting and eventual signing of defenseman Alex Goligoski.
"It looks like they're a very positive group," McGinn said. "I’m looking forward to the future."
Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
With Jonathan Bernier out of the picture, the Toronto Maple Leafs are now in search of his replacement.
The club acquired Frederik Andersen from the Anaheim Ducks - the same team Bernier was dealt to - who will step in as the team's No. 1. However, the goalie position is far from solidified, as Mike Babcock admits the team is now in search of a reliable second-in-command.
"Now we have to find a good pro to come in and support him (Andersen), and we'll do that," Babcock said at this week's development camp, according to NHL.com.
While the Maple Leafs might have their eyes set on a reputable goaltender with some miles under his belt, unless a deal is done via trade, their options in free agency will be limited, with few quality experienced goalies seeking contracts.
| Goalie | Age | Last Team |
|---|---|---|
| Karri Ramo | 29 | CGY |
| Ben Scrivens | 29 | MTL |
| Jhonas Enroth | 27 | LAK |
| Anders Lindback | 27 | ARI |
| Ray Emery | 33 | PHI |
Of course, the team could return to Garret Sparks, who spent a large part of last season as the club's backup. But with Sparks still awaiting his next contract as a restricted free agent after posting a porous .893 save percentage and a 3.02 goals-against average last season, the team appears to be looking for a different option.
Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Auston Matthews came to Toronto Maple Leafs development camp and left without signing his first NHL contract.
No big deal, says general manager Lou Lamoriello.
"There is nothing to talk about with reference to Auston's contract until it's done," the notoriously tight-lipped Lamoriello said to Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun. "We're certainly talking to his representative. I don't think this is something that's going to take long. I have total confidence that he'll be under contract."
The issue, it would seem, is Lamoriello's distaste for rookie signing bonuses, which should be a 'fait accompli' when it comes to a first overall pick like Matthews.
Here's the kind of standard deal Matthews would be in line to sign, according to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet:
Lamoriello, however, doesn't seem to be too concerned about the situation.
"Auston is Auston. He's an elite player and will be (in the NHL)," he said. "No one's going to be rushed here."
Matthews is expected to report to Maple Leafs training camp after playing for Team North America at the World Cup in Toronto this September.
Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Auston Matthews came to Toronto Maple Leafs development camp and left without signing his first NHL contract.
No big deal, says general manager Lou Lamoriello.
"There is nothing to talk about with reference to Auston's contract until it's done," the notoriously tight-lipped Lamoriello said to Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun. "We're certainly talking to his representative. I don't think this is something that's going to take long. I have total confidence that he'll be under contract."
The issue, it would seem, is Lamoriello's distaste for rookie signing bonuses, which should be a 'fait accompli' when it comes to a first overall pick like Matthews.
Here's the kind of standard deal Matthews would be in line to sign, according to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet:
Lamoriello, however, doesn't seem to be too concerned about the situation.
"Auston is Auston. He's an elite player and will be (in the NHL)," he said. "No one's going to be rushed here."
Matthews is expected to report to Maple Leafs training camp after playing for Team North America at the World Cup in Toronto this September.
Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.