Five Minute Major

*Photo from the Ottawa Senators*     One bright spot of the Ottawa Senators otherwise bad season is back again. The Senators and RFA goalie Filip Gustavsson have agreed to a new two year deal, according to a press release made by the team.    The first season of Gustavsson's two year deal will be a two way deal, with a cap hit of $787,500, according to Cap Friendly. The second year of the deal is a one way contract, worth $825,000 against the cap. Gustavsson will still be an RFA when this deal expires in two seasons, after the 2022-2023 season.     Senators GM Pierre Dorion said of Gustavsson that "We were very pleased with Filip's performance last season. After spending the early part of the year playing in Sweden, it was evident to us that he is committed to continually improve his overall game. He's someone we regard as a high-end talent and we're looking forward to seeing his progress in 2021-22."    In his rookie season last year, G...

*Photo from Sportsnet*     Another part of the offense in Calgary is back in the fold. The Calgary Flames and C Dillon Dube have agreed to a 3 year, $6.9 million deal, with a $2.3 million AAV, according to a release from the team. The RFA is now officially back in Calgary, but will still be an RFA when his deal expires.    In his 3rd NHL season last year, Dube put up his most productive season yet, scoring 11 goals and dealing out 11 assists, with a -1 plus/minus in an ATOI of 13:38, playing in 51 regular season games, missing some time due to an upper body injury. The Flames failed to make the playoffs last season.     Dube said of his deal that "I knew it was going to get done. It was pretty easy for me being here, being around the guys. I'm really happy to get it done before camp, now I can kind of focus, take that next step. It's weighing on you a little bit over the offseason. Have a little bit longer term, feel a part of ...

*Photo from the New York Post*     One can describe this move by the Carolina Hurricanes as pure payback. The Hurricanes have tendered an offer sheet to RFA C Jesperi Kotkaniemi, according to a release by the team. The offer sheet is for one year worth just over $6.1 million. There is a $20 signing bonus, according to the Hurricanes.    Kotkaniemi has signed the offer sheet from the Hurricanes, meaning that the Montreal Canadiens, his current team, now have 7 days to either match the offer sheet and keep Kotkaniemi around, or take draft pick compensation, which would send Kotkaniemi to the Hurricanes. The Canadiens would receive a first and a 3rd round pick if Kotkaniemi leaves.    Two years ago, the Canadiens tendered an offer sheet to Carolina RFA Sebastian Aho, which the Hurricanes matched within a day. The Hurricanes have given out some payback, announcing the offer sheet in French on their Twitter, which is what the Canadiens do. They also tweeted out ...

*Photo from Sportsnet* In my opinion, the Edmonton Oilers had a confusing offseason. It just felt like they downgraded in areas they needed to upgrade in, it didn't make much sense to me. But then again, I'm not the one paid the big bucks to run hockey operations, so it might work out in the end. Last season, the Oilers finished in second place in the Scotiabank North Division, getting eliminated in the first round against the Winnipeg Jets after finishing with a 35-19-2 record in the regular season.    They lost a big name on defense to the expansion draft, as Adam Larsson was taken by the Kraken with their choice from the Oilers. They also lost defensemen Ethan Bear and Caleb Jones to trades, and Dmitry Kulikov in free agency. They also lost forwards James Neal, Tyler Ennis, Dominik Kahun, and Alex Chiasson, who are all still UFA's.    To try and get burlier on defense, they swung a trade for longtime Blackhawk Duncan Keith. The only problem is that Keith is a shel...

*Photo from Sports Illustrated*     Right after the Carolina Hurricanes extended Andrei Svechnikov for 8 years, the Philadelphia Flyers loved the contract. The Flyers and C Sean Couturier have agreed to an 8 year, $62 million extension, with a $7.75 million AAV, the same contract as the Hurricanes gave Svechnikov, according to a release by the Flyers.     The contract goes into effect next season, as he is still under his current contract for this season. When the contract goes into effect, the first 7 seasons have a no movement clause, while the last season has a modified no trade clause. Couturier has spent all 10 of his seasons in the NHL with the Flyers, and this contract pretty much ensures he'll retire a Flyer.     Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher said of the extension that "This guy's an elite hockey player. I don't know, maybe I like him more than some other people, but he is extremely good offensively, is extremely good defensively, is great...

*Photo from NHL.com*     The Carolina Hurricanes have locked up a big offensive weapon for a long time. The Hurricanes and RW Andrei Svechnikov have agreed to an 8 year, $62 million contract, with a $7.75 million AAV, according to Frank Seravalli of TSN. The Hurricanes have confirmed the deal.     Svechnikov was not in the fold yet for the Hurricanes entering the 2021-2022 season, as he was an RFA who had not yet agreed to a new contract with the Hurricanes. But now, the team gets a big jolt in offensive production back for 8 more seasons at a reasonable cap hit for his value. The last 4 years of his deal have a modified no trade clause, according to Cap Friendly.    Hurricanes GM Don Waddell said "From Day One when we started negotiations, we've always been talking about a long-term deal. So that was the good part, that we were both on the same page of finding the right number for eight years. We've been talking for a few months but the...

*Photo from the San Diego Union Tribune*     Entering Wednesday, the Philadelphia Flyers had 8 players currently on their roster listed as centers. Well, they signed another one anyway. The Flyers and C Derick Brassard have agreed to a one year, $825,000 deal, according to the Flyers in an announcement Wednesday morning.    The move is made with familiarity in mind for both Brassard and the Flyers. Despite not having played in Philadelphia, he is familiar with Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault. Brassard played with the New York Rangers for 3 1/2 seasons, from 2013 to 2016, when Vigneault was head coach in New York.    Last season, Brassard was a member of the Arizona Coyotes, where he scored 8 goals and dished out 12 assists, with a -10 plus/minus in an ATOI of 14:48, playing in 53 regular season games. The Coyotes did not make the playoffs last season, the only season Brassard was in Arizona.     Brassard had been a UFA up until Wednesday mo...

*Photo from Cardiac Cane*     The Detroit Red Wings have had an impressive offseason, making moves to accelerate their rebuild, it's a smart strategy for GM Steve Yzerman and the team going forward. Last season was still bad though. The Red Wings finished in 7th place in the Discover Central Division, with a 19-27-10 record, missing the playoffs once again.    The Red Wings did lose a lot of bodies this offseason. Jonthan Bernier, a veteran goalie coming off a strong season, had his rights traded to the Hurricanes, only to sign with the Devils in free agency. They lost first round pick in 2016 Dennis Cholowski to the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft before free agency began.    They did not issue a qualifying offer to LW Evgeny Svechnikov, so he became a UFA, and signed with the Winnipeg Jets AHL team. They lost a lot more bodies at forward too. C Luke Glendening is off to Dallas, LW Darren Helm to Colorado, RW Richard Panik to the Islanders, and Bobby...

*Photo from CBS Sports*     Former NHL RW Jimmy Hayes has been taken from the world too soon. Hayes was found dead on Monday morning at his home in Milton, Massachusetts, according to the Boston Globe. The death was confirmed by Milton police. His death is not considered suspicious, according to police, but the cause of death has not yet been released.    The NHL released a statement that says "The NHL family mourns the passing of Jimmy Hayes, who appeared in over 300 games with the Blackhawks, Panthers, Devils and his hometown Bruins. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family."    In the 2008 NHL Draft, Hayes was chosen in the second round, with the 60th overall pick by the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010, and debuted in the 2011-2012 season. In college, he won two NCAA championships with Boston College, and turned pro after his junior season at BC.    The Blackhawks said "We are heartbroken to learn o...

*Photo from The Athletic*     Thanks to the Philadelphia Flyers, every single arbitration case has now been settled. The Flyers and left shot D Travis Sanheim have agreed to a two year, $9.35 million deal, with an AAV of just over $4.6 million, according to Cap Friendly. The Flyers have confirmed the deal.    Last season, the offensive defenseman put up 3 goals and 12 assists, with a -22 plus/minus in an ATOI of 21:53, suiting up for 55 of the 56 regular season games played by the Flyers, who missed the playoffs. In 4 NHL seasons, Sanheim has 22 goals and 63 assists to his name, with a -28 plus/minus in an ATOI of 19:27, playing in 255 regular season games.    Entering the offseason, Sanheim was an RFA with arbitration rights. The team and player can avoid arbitration by simply agreeing on a new deal. It was not agreed upon, and a hearing was scheduled for August 26. But they've now agreed on a deal and avoided arbitration. After the deal expires at the end...

*Photo from Blueshirt Banter*     One of the best goalies to suit it up in the NHL is calling it a career. New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist has announced his retirement from hockey after 15 NHL seasons, according to Lundqvist in a statement released on his Instagram page Friday morning.    The Rangers said in a statement that "It is with mixed emotions that The New York Rangers offer our best wishes and heartfelt gratitude to Henrik Lundqvist on the announcement of his retirement. Henrik's commitment to excellence made him one of the best goaltenders to ever play the game of hockey, and we are so fortunate to have witnessed his greatness firsthand for 15 years. As we congratulate Henrik on an extraordinary career and a lasting legacy of success, charity and character, we are honored to announce that we will retire his number and raise his jersey to the rafters at an upcoming game this season. Henrik is, and always will be, a Ranger."    Yo...

*Photo from Canucks Army*     The Dallas Stars have had an offseason of additions, as they look to get back to the playoffs, headlined by a lot of goalie depth. Last season, the Stars finished in 5th place in the Discover Central Division, missing the playoffs with a 23-19-14 record.    The first big subtraction of the offseason came on the defense, when, as a result of extending Miro Heiskanen, they lost Jamie Oleksiak in the expansion draft. Right shot D Sami Vatanen hit free agency and hasn't found a home yet. They also traded C Jason Dickinson to the Canucks, and lost LW Andrew Cogliano in free agency to the Sharks.    In an effort to replace Vatanen and Oleksiak on the back end, they signed defenseman Jani Hakanpaa and left shot D Ryan Suter to multi year deals in the hopes that they can stabilize the production on defense. They also signed C Luke Glendening and LW Michael Raffl to compensate for losing Dickinson and Cogliano.     N...

*Photo from The Athletic*     After a disappointing regular season, the Columbus Blue Jackets have had an offseason of overhauling, which has brought them some good value. Last season, the Blue Jackets finished in last place in the Discover Central Division, with a 18-26-12 record, failing to make the playoffs.     They started off the offseason with a change behind the bench. Head coach John Tortorella had his contract expire and did not return. This left a vacancy, which was filled by Tortorella assistant Brad Larsen.    In terms of the actual team, an important face of the defense in Seth Jones is gone, as he was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks. The good news for the Jackets is they got an incredible return for him. They also lost D-Man Michael Del Zotto to the Ottawa Senators in free agency. Forward Cam Atkinson is also gone, traded to the Flyers, and F Mikhail Grigorenko signed in Russia.     Coming in to Columbus is Adam Boqvist, ...

*Photo from Mile High Sports*     The Colorado Avalanche have had a good offseason, coming off a strong season that saw them win the presidents trophy, given to the team with the best regular season record in the NHL. Last season, the Avalanche finished first in the Honda West Division with a 39-13-4 record, losing in the second round of the playoffs to the Vegas Golden Knights.    As always, we start with the departures from Colorado. Joonas Donskoi came first, being selected in the expansion draft by the Seattle Kraken. Brandon Saad, who experienced a renaissance in Colorado, signed a 5 year deal with the St.Louis Blues in free agency. Pierre-Edouard Bellemare has left as well, signing with the Tampa Bay Lightning. They also lost D-Man Ryan Graves in a trade, as well as Connor Timmins.     Now, we get to the big departure in goal. Devan Dubnyk was minor, as he is still a UFA after hitting free agency, but the big one is Vezina trophy finalist Ph...

*Photo from NHL.com*     The Chicago Blackhawks offseason can be summed up like this. It's a rebuild that really isn't a rebuild. I say it's a rebuild because the front office said last year they are rebuilding, but with these moves, you wouldn't be able to tell. Last season, the Blackhawks finished in 6th place in the Discover Central division, failing to make the playoffs with a 24-25-7 record.    Let's as always get into the departures from the windy city. Longtime face Duncan Keith is gone, but it was time, as he looked like a shell of who he was. He got traded to Edmonton for a pretty good return. Defensemen Adam Boqvist and Nikita Zadorov were also moved in separate trades, with Boqvist going to Columbus, and Zadorov to Calgary. Forwards Pius Suter and David Kampf signed elsewhere in free agency, with Suter going to Detroit, and Kampf going to Toronto.    Now, we get into the additions. Oh boy, are there a lot. Kevin Lankinen had a fantastic rookie se...

*Photo from ESPN*     For the Carolina Hurricanes, they had an offseason that featured a lot of big names head out of town, and a lot of guys come in to replace them. In other words, it's been a very busy offseason in Raleigh. Last season, the Hurricanes won the Discover Central Division with a 36-12-8 record, and were eliminated in the second round by the Tampa Bay Lightning.    Starting off with some departures, there are a lot of big contributors to last year's team that are now gone. The 3 biggest are in goal. Breakout star and playoff starting goalie Alex Nedeljkovic is gone, traded to the Red Wings for a 3rd round pick and the rights to goalie Jonathan Bernier, who signed with the New Jersey Devils when free agency opened. Number two goalie Petr Mrazek has signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and James Reimer has left as well, signing with the San Jose Sharks.    They also lost one of the best defensemen in the NHL. Right shot D and all around stud Do...

*Photo from CTV News*     Though he won't miss the regular season, Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews is hurt. The team announced on Friday that Matthews has successfully undergone wrist surgery and will be out for a minimum of 6 weeks, which means he will miss the start of Leafs training camp.     The team did not say which wrist Matthews had surgery on, but it's probably a safe bet to say that he had it on his right wrist. He had been dealing with discomfort all season on that wrist, and missed two games after aggravating the injury, which affected his shot and overall usage on the ice.    Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe had said before the playoffs about Matthews that "He's had a tremendous season yet not a smooth season. We all know he's been dealing at different times with injury situations that have directly impacted his ability to shoot and handle the puck, and so that makes you wonder what could have happened had he been healthy...

*Photo from the Duluth News Tribune*     After yet another season of disappointment, this time not even making the playoffs, the Calgary Flames have chosen to simply shuffle some chairs around. Last season, the Flames finished in 5th place in the Scotiabank North Division, with a 26-27-3 record, falling 4 points shy of a playoff spot.    The Flames had one big face leave in the expansion draft, as captain Mark Giordano was selected by the Seattle Kraken. Also on the defense, right shot D Michael Stone and left shot D Nikita Nesterov are both UFA's, and have yet to sign with any team.    Calgary also lost some depth in the forward group as well. Winger Joakim Nordstrom is currently a UFA after scoring just one goal in his lone season in Calgary. One of Nordstrom's old teams, the Carolina Hurricanes, just signed LW Josh Leivo to a one year deal, after scoring 6 goals last season with the Flames. C Derek Ryan is also gone, signing a two year deal with the Edmo...

*Photo from NHL.com*     This offseason for the Buffalo Sabres can be described in two words. Blow up. Superstar center and captain Jack Eichel is still here, but a lot of good players are gone in another reset for the Sabres, who have been spinning the tires of rebuilds for the last 20 plus years.     Let's get into the departures first. Eichel's wingman Sam Reinhart is gone, traded to the Florida Panthers just before the opening of free agency. Former first round pick turned disappointment Rasmus Ristolainen is also gone, traded to the Flyers. Left shot D Jake McCabe is also gone, signing a 4 year deal with the Chicago Blackhawks on the opening day of free agency.    Then, we get to the goalies. Their starter and bedrock of the team Linus Ullmark left in free agency, signing a 4 year deal with the Boston Bruins. Ullmark's backup Carter Hutton is gone too after signing a one year deal with the Arizona Coyotes. They are left with Dustin Tokarski, ...

*Photo from Sportsnet*     For the Boston Bruins, it so far has been an offseason of acquisitions, as they continue to chase after the Stanley cup that has eluded them so far in this window, including a tough game 7 loss in the cup finals to the St.Louis Blues back in 2018-2019. This past season, the Bruins finished in 3rd place in the MassMutual East Division, with a 33-16-7 record, losing in the second round of the playoffs to the New York Islanders.    Before I get to the arrivals, the departures are a storyline. First up was veteran right shot D Kevan Miller, who announced his retirement after 7 NHL seasons due to nagging knee injuries, which has led to tons of time missed, particularly in the last few seasons. Next up was backup goalie Jaroslav Halak, who signed with the Vancouver Canucks.     Now, some bigger names. 4th line LW/C Sean Kuraly left in free agency to sign with his hometown Columbus Blue Jackets on a 4 year deal, after spending his f...

*Photo from WKBW*     For the Arizona Coyotes, it was an offseason of transition in what has been a tumultuous few seasons in Arizona, most due to drama in the front office, although the team itself has definitely struggled. The Coyotes just missed a playoff spot, finishing in 5th in the Honda West Division, with a 24-26-6 record, for 54 total points in the regular season.    In terms of departures, there are some big names on their way out of town for the Coyotes. The big ones are in net. Darcy Kuemper, their bona fide number one, was traded to the Colorado Avalanche two days into free agency. They also lost Kuemper's backup, Antti Raanta, to the Carolina Hurricanes, and they traded 3rd goalie Adin Hill to the Sharks in exchange for likely backup Josef Korenar.     Outside of goalie, they also traded the big contract of underperforming D Oliver Ekman-Larsson to the Canucks, but they also had to give up Conor Garland to the Canucks as a sweetener in th...

*Photo from The Athletic*     Rather than continuing to write about every single free agency signing, which would undoubtedly take me all the way to the start of the season, I decided to just go over what each individual team did as a whole instead. I decided to go in Alphabetical order, so we'll start off with the Anaheim Ducks.    The 2021 season was a lost one for the Ducks, who have been in rebuild mode for a few years now. They finished in 8th and last place in the Honda West Division, with a 17-30-9 record, for just 43 points on the season. The lack of offense power, especially from some of the upper echelon prospects on the team, was a concerning note for the Ducks as they entered the offseason.    After captain Ryan Getzlaf became a UFA on July 28, the start of free agency, the Ducks acted fast to bring him back, despite age concerns. He was signed to a one year, $3 million deal, with a no movement clause. Despite being a shell of who he once was on...

*Photo from the Associated Press*     The Montreal Canadiens were in some trouble. After they lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Stanley cup finals, some troubling news came out. Captain and bona fide defense leader Shea Weber's career was in serious doubt. The Canadiens needed another big sturdy defenseman to help fill the Weber sized void.    So, they turned to the Lightning. The Canadiens have signed right shot D and native of Quebec David Savard to a 4 year, $14 million contract, with a $3.5 million AAV, according to Pierre Lebrun of TSN. The Canadiens have confirmed the deal.    Savard said of choosing Montreal that "I was definitely trying to find the best fit, a team that wanted to have me, and I think Montreal showed a lot of interest right away. And for me it was easy, the way they spoke to us and the way they wanted us to be there and to be a big part of their team moving forward."    After he was acquired by the Lightning at la...

*Photo from NHL.com*     Don't worry Nashville Predators fans, not everyone is gone. The Predators have re-signed C Mikael Granlund to a 4 year, $20 million deal, according to the team.     With the new contract, Granlund will be entering his 3rd full season with the Predators, after being traded to Nashville at the trade deadline in 2018-2019 from the Minnesota Wild, in exchange for LW Kevin Fiala. Granlund tested the market as a UFA before deciding to re-sign with the Predators.     Nashville GM David Poile said "Signing Mikael to a contract that will keep him here in Nashville was a priority for us as we entered the free agency period. He has been one of our most consistent players since he joined the Predators, played a crucial role in helping turn our team around last season, and fits in extremely well with our team chemistry and the identity we are trying to build. We're excited to see his continued impact in all three zones of the...

*Photo from Sporting News*     One of the biggest bottom 6 difference makers is on his way to Alberta. The Calgary Flames have signed C Blake Coleman to a 6 year, $29.4 million contract, with a $4.9 million AAV, according to Pierre Lebrun of TSN. The Flames have confirmed the deal.    Coleman said of joining the Flames that "We like to be around good people. It sounds like the people in Calgary are just wholesome people and the lifestyle is very comfortable for families. It's still a very passionate fan base, and hockey is a big deal in that town, and that's important to us as well. It really checked both sides of the boxes that we were really trying to dive into and that was ultimately our ultimate piece to make the decision."    In his 1 1/2 seasons in Tampa Bay, Coleman played a pivotal role in helping the Lightning win back to back cups, with his 4th line grit and physicality, plus an injection of offense, particularly in this year's playoffs. In 23 pla...

*Photo from NHL.com*     With James Reimer a UFA, Petr Mrazek off to the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Alex Nedeljkovic traded, the Carolina Hurricanes were in need of a goalie. So they signed the guy the Maple Leafs let walk. The Hurricanes have signed G Frederik Andersen to a two year, $9 million contract, with a $4.5 million AAV, according to the team.    Hurricanes GM Don Waddell said of adding Andersen that "Frederik has been a starting goalie in this league and has an established track record. We believe that his experience will help us achieve further success."    Andersen was allowed to hit free agency by the Maple Leafs after his backup, Jack Campbell, had a career season, which now has him poised to take over the starting job in Toronto. Andersen coming off of a few down seasons didn't help him either. He also dealt with nagging injury over the course of last season as well, missing significant time in the regular season.    Due to injur...

*Photo from the Miami Herald*     For C Alexander Wennberg, the allure of being one of the first members of an NHL franchise was too good to pass up. The Seattle Kraken and Wennberg have agreed to a 3 year, $13.5 million deal, with a $4.5 million AAV, according to the team.     Kraken GM Ron Francis said of Wennberg that "Alexander is coming off of his best goal-scoring season to date and gives us an offensive-minded center down the middle. He's still young and we think he has room to grow even further as he has taken large strides in each of his last few seasons. We like his combination of size and skill and think he will fit well with our group."    Last season, his only year with the Florida Panthers, Wennberg had career best numbers, with 17 goals and 12 assists, with a +6 plus/minus, and an ATOI of 18:10, playing in all 56 regular season games and 6 playoff games, with the Panthers being bounced in the first round by the eventual champions, t...