NHL offseason tracker: Analyzing the moves in what promises to be a busy offseason
This NHL offseason shapes up to be one of the busiest in years.
Ten days after the Tampa Bay Lightning clinched a repeat of the Stanley Cup championship, every team except the Vegas Golden Knights must submit a protected and available list for the expansion draft on July 17.
The Seattle Kraken will build their inaugural team from that list on July 21.
The NHL draft will be July 23-24, with the Buffalo Sabres choosing first and the Kraken second. Free agency will begin on July 28 amid a flat salary cap.
Adding to the intrigue is the fact that Jack Eichel, Vladimir Tarasenko, Seth Jones and other big names could be on the trade block.
LIGHTNING:Stanley Cup champions face tough decisions
Tracking the big offseason news:
July 16: Red Wings acquire veteran defenseman from Islanders
The Detroit Red Wings landed veteran defenseman Nick Leddy from the New York Islanders on Friday in exchange for forward Richard Panik and a 2021 second-round pick that originally belonged to Edmonton. The 30-year-old Leddy, who spent the last seven seasons on the Islanders after breaking into the league – and winning a Stanley Cup – with the Chicago Blackhawks, has one more year on his deal with a cap hit of $5.5 million. Panik, who the Red Wings acquired from the Washington Capitals in the Anthony Mantha-Jakub Vrana trade, has two more years left on his deal. Detroit is reportedly retaining 50% of Panik’s salary in the deal. Leddy figures to be a work-horse for a Detroit team with a bunch of question marks on defense. As for the Islanders, Leddy could have been a player they lost in the expansion draft. — Jace Evans
league released the order for all seven rounds of the July 23-24 entry draft. The draft will be conducted virtually for the second consecutive year. The Buffalo Sabres are drafting No. 1 overall.
July 14: Skinner waives no-movement clause
The Sabres got Jeff Skinner to waive his no-movement clause, The Athletic reported. Skinner, who scored seven goals last season and has a $9 million cap, won’t be taken, but it frees up Buffalo to protect another player in the expansion draft.
BRUINS: Brandon Carlo gets lengthy deal. Kevan Miller retires.
July 13: Wild buy out Parise and Suter
Zach Parise and Ryan Suter signed front-loaded 13-year, $98 million contracts with much fanfare in July 2012, but the Wild are building around younger players. The buyouts will save money in the short run, but cost the team in cap recapture penalties for the three seasons after next one. Each becomes a free agent and should find a role on another team.
CANADIENS:Dominique Ducharme named head coach after playoff run
July 13: Pekka Rinne retires
He had an award-winning career with the Nashville Predators, earning a Vezina Trophy, a King Clancy Trophy and a trip to the Stanley Cup Final. Plus he scored a goal. The Predators need to re-sign restricted free agent Juuse Saros, who had supplanted Rinne as No. 1, and will need to find a backup goalie.
Duncan Keith traded to Oilers
Edmonton gets 16-year veteran Keith and minor league forward Tim Soderlund and the Chicago Blackhawks get back defenseman Caleb Jones and a conditional third-round draft pick that can become a second depending on how the Oilers and Keith fare in the playoffs. Keith, who played his entire career with the Blackhawks, wanted to be closer to his family in western Canada. Keith, who will be 38 next season, is no longer the player who won three Stanley Cups, two Olympic gold medals and two Norris trophies, but he plays more than 23 minutes a game and has championship experience. Jones is the younger brother of Seth Jones. Does that give the Blackhawks a leg up in acquiring the Blue Jackets defenseman? The money works after the Keith trade.