Five Minute Major

*Photo from NBC Sports*     Needing another goalie to round out the roster, the Nashville Predators went north. The Predators and G Kevin Lankinen have agreed to a one year, $1.5 million deal, according to an announcement by the Predators.    Lankinen originally broke into the pros when he signed with the Chicago Blackhawks on an entry level deal prior to the 2018-2019 season out of Finland. He played in the ECHL with the Indy Fuel and the AHL with the Rockford IceHogs. He made his NHL debut in the short 2021 season, and posted mostly solid numbers in two seasons.    The last contract Lankinen was playing on was a two year deal worth $1.6 million, with an $800,000 AAV. Now, signing his 3rd professional contract, Lankinen gets a pay raise to $1.5 million annually, and is an upgrade at backup goalie as the Predators look to make a run.    Last season with the Blackhawks, Lankinen ended the regular season with a 8-15-6 record, posting a 3.50 GAA and ...

*Photo from NHL.com*     Needing to bulk up on defense, the Pittsburgh Penguins went after some winning experience. The Penguins and D Jan Rutta have agreed to a 3 year, $8.25 million deal with a $2.75 million AAV, according to the team.    By bringing in Rutta, he serves essentially as a replacement for John Marino, now on the New Jersey Devils. They are both right shot D who can play on the top 4 when needed. The difference is that Rutta is less of a point scorer and more of a rugged, physical, checking defenseman that brings Stanley Cup experience, despite a crowded core of defensemen in Pittsburgh.    Penguins GM Ron Hextall said that "We like our nine defensemen, and we'll kind of wait and see how things play out, if we go to camp with nine. We feel very good about the depth. Obviously, we'll look at everything that comes along as we go, and if we can strengthen one area, we'll certainly look at it."    Last season, Rutta tallied 3 goals...

*Photo from the Hockey Writers*     Needing some forward depth, the Florida Panthers went for the low risk variety. The Panthers and C/RW Colin White have agreed to a one year, $1.2 million deal, according to an announcement made by the Panthers.    White hit free agency when he was placed on waivers for the purpose of buyout by the Ottawa Senators before free agency opened. White was signed through the 2024-2025 season with a $4.75 million AAV by the Senators, with Ottawa gaining some considerable cap savings.    The deal for White is a low risk move, as it's only one year for $1.2 million, and there are zero trade protections included in his contract. But it could also be a high reward move, as White is a former first round pick, being chosen with the 21st overall pick in 2015, and they can capitalize on his pedigree if he can stay healthy, being marred with injuries in his career.    Panthers GM Bill Zito talked about signing White in the annou...

*Photo from the Langley Advance Times*     Needing a goalie that doesn't need to play much, the New York Rangers went the veteran route. The Rangers and G Jaroslav Halak have agreed to a one year, $1.5 million deal, according to Darren Dreger of TSN. The Rangers have confirmed the deal.    Last season, Halak played for the Vancouver Canucks as a backup, making $1.5 million with a full no movement clause. That is the case again this year, with Halak making $1.5 million with a full no move clause. Halak has $50,000 in performance bonuses and a $250,000 signing bonus.    Halak has had some strong numbers in his career prior to joining the Rangers. He has won the William Jennings award twice, which is given to the pair of goalies on a team that combined for the fewest goals scored against them in the regular season, minimum of 25 games. Halak won it with Brian Elliott in 2011-2012 with the St. Louis Blues, and Tuukka Rask with the Boston Bruins in the 2019-2020...

*Photo from The Athletic*     Seeing an opportunity to invest in a breakout season, the Dallas Stars jumped at the chance. The Stars and LW Mason Marchment have agreed to a 4 year, $18 million deal, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The Stars have confirmed the deal.    Playing on just an $800,000 salary last season, Marchment experienced a breakout campaign with the Florida Panthers, which led him to Dallas. Marchment's new contract is worth $4.5 million annually, and has a $1 million signing bonus for 3 seasons. He has a full no movement clause for this season, and a modified no trade clause for the final 3 seasons.    While Marchment did have a big year on the scoresheet last year, he can serve in a few different roles. His scoring ability can put him on middle six lines, and he can be in the bottom six due to his size and checking ability, with his physicality another weapon the Stars can use with him.    Stars GM Jim Nill said of s...

*Photo from LA Kings Insider*     With holes needing to be plugged entering training camp, the Chicago Blackhawks went the veteran route. The Blackhawks and LW Andreas Athanasiou have agreed to a one year, $3 million deal, according to the team.    The Blackhawks have vacancies at forward following the start of free agency, and the hope is that Athanasiou can help to fill one of those vacancies. He's a versatile winger, as he can play both sides, and his speed is still an asset for teams, as he's still just 27 years old.    Coming off a season that was marred by factors that kept him off the ice, Athanasiou went from a $2.7 million salary to a $3 million salary this season with the Blackhawks. He has no performance or signing bonus, and will once again be a UFA at the end of the season.    Last season, Athanasiou spent his second campaign with the Los Angeles Kings. He was limited to just 28 regular season games, but picked up 17 points, with 11 g...

*Photo from The Leafs Nation*     Just like I said in the Brendan Smith post, you can never have too many defensemen. The Buffalo Sabres and D Ilya Lyubushkin have agreed to a two year contract, according to an announcement made by the Sabres.    The Sabres managed to snag Lyubushkin away from the Toronto Maple Leafs, where he played the second half of last season after being traded by the Arizona Coyotes. He set career highs last season in hits and blocked shots, with 187 and 92 respectively.    Sabres GM Kevyn Adams said of Lyubushkin that "He plays a hard game, he's a bigger game, he's solid, he can kill penalties. He can kind of play with any type of player. We just felt that with the defensemen that we have and the young defensemen that we have and the skill that we have, he'd be a good fit."    Combined between the Coyotes and Maple Leafs last season, Lyubushkin tallied two goals and 13 assists, averaging 17:27 of ice time per game with...

*Photo from the News and Observer*     Something that is commonly agreed upon in hockey circles is that you can never have enough defensemen. The New Jersey Devils and D Brendan Smith have agreed to a two year deal, according to an announcement from the team.     What the Devils are getting in Smith is a 33 year old veteran defenseman who is a left shot and primarily a left defenseman, but he can also fill in on the right side when necessary. Smith is by no means a defenseman who will rack up points and light up the scoresheet, but a traditional rearguard who throws his body around and plays a physical game.    After coming off a one year deal worth $800,000 with the Carolina Hurricanes last season, Smith is now off to northern New Jersey on a two year agreement. Smith will get a pay raise, making $1.1 million annually, making the deal worth $2.2 million over the course of both years.    Smith said of signing with the Devils that "Looking at Jerse...

*Photo from NHL.com*     One of the big pieces in St. Louis is sticking around for a while to come. The St. Louis Blues and D Nick Leddy have agreed to a 4 year, $16 million deal, according to an announcement made by the team at the start of free agency.    Leddy said of re-signing with the Blues that "I think the comfort factor was there right away. Obviously I felt welcomed immediately, and knowing some of the guys really well, Brandon and Justin right from the start helped out exponentially. Obviously there was some communication between Doug and my agent, some back and forth, but overall, it was a place I really wanted to be."    Last season, split between the Blues and Detroit Red Wings, Leddy tallied 3 goals and 21 assists, posting a ghastly -30 plus/minus rating in 21:25 of ice time in 75 regular season games. In 9 playoff games, Leddy added one goal and 4 assists for the Blues.    In his NHL career, Leddy has 68 goals and 29...

*Photo from the Hockey Writers*     Needing a jolt on offense, the Seattle Kraken went after a cup champion. The Kraken and D Justin Schultz have agreed to a two year, $6 million deal, according to an announcement made by the Kraken.    Signing with the Kraken marks the 32 year old's 3rd team in 4 seasons, after spending the last two seasons with the Washington Capitals. The right shot D man will be making $3 million annually for both years of the contract, and has a modified no trade clause for both seasons as well, which is a 10 team no trade list submitted by Schultz.    Part of the reason why the Kraken signed him is because they need a jolt on their power play. Typically, you see one defenseman operate near the blue line during the power play as a quarterback of the power play, which is something Schultz is adept at, despite not getting top power play minutes most of the time.    Kraken GM Ron Francis said of Schultz that "We were looking at ...

*Photo from The Hockey Writers*     It doesn't matter how many people they sign, the Tampa Bay Lightning will shore up their depth on defense. The Lightning and D Ian Cole have agreed to a one year, $3 million deal, according to the team.    The left shot D Cole is coming off a one year deal with the Carolina Hurricanes, the 6th team he has played for in his career. He made $2.9 million last season in Raleigh, and the Lightning give him an extra $100,000 bump in his salary to become the 7th team in the NHL that he will suit up for. Cole is a left shot who can also play the right side when needed.    Cole, who was chosen in the first round of the 2007 NHL Draft by the St. Louis Blues, has played for the Blues, Hurricanes, Pittsburgh Penguins, Columbus Blue Jackets, Colorado Avalanche, and Minnesota Wild in his career, winning back to back Stanley Cups with the Penguins in 2015-2016 and 2016-2017.    Last season, his only in Raleigh, Cole tallied tw...

*Photo from Philly Sports Network*     One of the lesser risk goalie signings is in the Pacific Northwest. The Seattle Kraken and G Martin Jones have agreed to a one year, $2 million deal, according to an announcement made by the Kraken.    Jones spent last season with the Philadelphia Flyers, after being bought out of the final 3 seasons of his contract by the San Jose Sharks, which was a 6 year extension worth $34.5 million total, for an AAV of $5.75 million. He hit the open market, and signed with the Flyers for $2 million.    Because of that buyout, his remaining payments due by the Sharks will be spread out until 2027, so he'll still be making money from the Sharks. For this season, he's suiting up for a new division rival of the Sharks, and will make $2 million this season with a modified no trade clause, which is a 10 team no trade list submitted by Jones.    Last season with the Flyers, Jones posted a 12-18-3 record in a backup capacity, w...

*Photo from St. Louis Game Time*     Trying to add to the scoring punch, the Detroit Red Wings did just that here. The Red Wings and LW David Perron have agreed to a two year, $9.5 million deal, according to an announcement made by the team.    Perron's contract is worth $9.5 million over both years of the deal, expiring after the 2023-2024 season. It has an AAV of $4.75 million, up from the $4 million annually he was making on his last contract with the St. Louis Blues. He also has a modified no trade clause for both years of the deal, which is a 10 team no trade list submitted by Perron.    Asked about joining Detroit, Perron said that "Obviously, there were several options I was bouncing around in my head with my agent, my family and everyone. The Red Wings are a team, with some of the singings that happened today, they're ready to take the next step in their evolution as a team, and I wanted to be a part of that."    Last year, with the B...

*Photo from the Hockey Writers*     The British Columbia Native is on his way home. The Vancouver Canucks and C/RW Curtis Lazar have agreed to a 3 year, $3 million deal with a $1 million AAV, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The Canucks have confirmed the signing.    Canucks GM Patrik Allvin said of Lazar that "Curtis is a valuable addition to our group. He grew up a Canucks fan, was raised in BC, and already has a strong connection to our club. He is a responsible 200-foot player who can line up at centre or on the wing. Curtis brings energy, an ability to kill penalties and takes draws from the right side, which will be extremely valuable for our team."    Last season with the Boston Bruins, Lazar ended the regular season with 8 goals and 8 assists, recording a -2 plus/minus rating while averaging 12:00 of ice time per game in 70 regular season games. He scored one goal in 7 playoff games last season for the Bruins.    In his ca...

*Photo from the Tampa Bay Times*     The Tampa Bay Lightning are not done with their contract extensions, they keep coming. The Lightning and D Erik Cernak have agreed to a 8 year, $41.6 million deal, according to an announcement made by the team.    Cernak is by no means a point scorer, only picking up 13 points. He is more known for his rugged and physical play, slamming players into the boards while leading the Lightning in hits last season with 165 in the regular season, also racking up 73 blocked shots.    Last season with the Lightning, Cernak picked up just one goal and 12 assists, with a +7 plus/minus rating while averaging 19:09 of ice time, playing in 55 regular season games. He added one goal and one assist in 23 playoff games last year.    In 4 NHL seasons, all with the Lightning, Cernak has 16 goals and 43 assists, averaging 19:15 of ice time per game while recording a +51 plus/minus rating in 226 regular season games. Cernak has an a...

*Photo from The Athletic*     We have another young addition to an already young team. The Anaheim Ducks and LW/RW Frank Vatrano have agreed to a 3 year, $10.95 million deal, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The Ducks have confirmed the signing.    After being acquired at last season's trade deadline by the New York Rangers, Vatrano quickly became a strong contributor to their success, playing a big role in both the final stretch of the regular season, as well as the postseason, helping to take them to the Eastern Conference Finals.    Vatrano said of playing in New York that he "Went to New York into an unbelievable situation, playing on the power play and playing in the top six. When the playoffs come around, you have to take your game to a whole new level and the regular season doesn't really mean much. It's just getting there and getting a chance to compete for the Stanley Cup. When you can produce and help your team out in the playoffs...

*Photo from NJ.com*     Woah. That's all I have to say for this blockbuster, just woah. The Florida Panthers have acquired LW Matthew Tkachuk and a conditional 2025 4th round draft pick from the Calgary Flames in exchange for LW Jonathan Huberdeau, D MacKenzie Weegar, C Cole Schwindt, and a conditional 2025 first round draft pick, according to both teams.    The trade comes as Tkachuk was an RFA, and after the Flames filed for club elected arbitration with Tkachuk, he informed the Flames he would not sign with them long term. He gets his wish in this sign and trade to the Panthers. Tkachuk agreed to an 8 year, $76 million deal with a $9.5 million AAV with the Flames as part of the trade, which the Panthers are now on the hook for.    Panthers GM Bill Zito said of Tkachuk that "Matthew is a tenacious, physical competitor who possesses a tremendously unique skillset. He is a consistent elite offensive contributor and has emerged as one of the most comple...

*Photo from The Leafs Nation*     All good teams need some good scorers, so the Vancouver Canucks went and got one. The Canucks and LW/RW Ilya Mikheyev have agreed to a 4 year, $19 million deal, according to his agent Dan Milstein. The Canucks have confirmed the deal.    Mikheyev, who originally broke into the NHL after signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs as an undrafted free agent, parlayed 3 solid seasons, particularly last season, into a new deal on the west coast of Canada, after playing on a $925,000 salary in his rookie season of 2019-2020.    In the 2021 short season and the 2021-2022 season, Mikheyev made $1.645 million annually, and his new contract is worth $4.75 million annually, a pretty hefty pay raise. His contract expires following the conclusion of the 2025-2026 season, and has a modified no trade clause for all 4 seasons, which is a 12 team no trade list submitted by Mikheyev.    Canucks GM Patrik Allvin said of Mikheyev that "Il...

*Photo from Gossip Chimp*     Needing an injection of offense, the Detroit Red Wings brought home the local kid. The Red Wings and C/LW Andrew Copp have agreed to a 5 year, $28.125 million deal, according to Darren Dreger of TSN. The Red Wings have confirmed the deal.    Copp said of signing with his hometown team that "I was a big Red Wings fan. Growing up in the era of Yzerman, Shanahan and Lidstrom and then onto Datsyuk and Zetterberg, I think you saw their success. They went to the playoffs like 25 straight years or something insane like that. I concentrated a lot on Michigan too being from Ann Arbor. Between the two of them, to be able to play for both teams is really a dream come true."    The Red Wings struggled last season for a variety of reasons, but one of them was that they needed more punch on the scoresheet. Copp has consistently been a 10-20 goal scorer in his career, and is also strong defensively as a two way player, so the hope is tha...

*Photo from TheScore*     After extending Anthony Cirelli, the Tampa Bay Lightning moved to defense. The Lightning and D Mikhail Sergachev have agreed to an 8 year, $68 million deal, according to an announcement made by the Lightning.    Sergachev said of signing his extension that "Once we started talking about the contract and they wanted me to sign an eight-year deal, that meant a lot because that is a commitment not only in money terms but in playing terms. I'm really excited about that, and that motivated me a lot. I was in Mexico when I signed, so I went to go workout right away."    This season, Sergachev will play out the final year of a 3 year deal with a $4.8 million AAV. His new extension kicks in for the 2023-2024 season until the end of the 2030-2031 season. It has an AAV of $8.5 million, has a full no movement clause for 3 seasons, and a modified no trade clause for 4 seasons, with 2023-2024 not having any movement protection.   ...

*Photo from NHL Rumors*     Needing more scoring depth and a veteran jolt, the New York Rangers went big. The Rangers and C Vincent Trocheck have agreed to a 7 year, $39.375 million deal, according to Arthur Staple of The Athletic. The Rangers have confirmed the deal.    Asked about signing in New York, Trocheck said that "This was one of just a few teams that we really looked at and thought it was a good fit. Coming in we knew that New York was probably our No. 1 choice, and when they came today it was an easy decision. Obviously, term and security is something everybody is looking for. To be able to get that was something that important to us and shows the confidence that they have in me."    Trocheck's contract is worth $5.625 million annually, and it expires following the 2028-2029 season. He will once again be a UFA when the contract expires. His deal has a full no movement clause for the first 3 seasons of the deal, and a modified no trade c...

*Photo from the Hockey Writers*     The man they call Goal-ofsson is back in the fold. The Buffalo Sabres and LW/RW Victor Olofsson have agreed to a two year, $9.5 million deal with a $4.75 million AAV, according to an announcement made by the Sabres.    Olofsson was an RFA after his previous contract, a two year deal with a $3.05 million AAV had expired at the end of the 2021-2022 season. This is his 3rd career NHL contract, and he will be a UFA when the deal expires following the end of the 2023-2024 season.    He had a productive season last year, tying a career high in goals, while setting new career highs in assists and points. He did this despite playing with a injury that held him out for 10 games in November, and it was an injury that affected his shooting motion when he returned to action.    Olofsson said about the injury that "I think it helped me a lot, just coming out of it eventually. I've never had a stretch in my career where ...

*Photo from Detroit Hockey Now*     Needing another goalie, the St. Louis Blues turned to the motor city. The Blues and G Thomas Greiss have agreed to a one year, $1.25 million deal, according to an announcement made by the Blues.    With goalie Ville Husso signing with, ironically, the Red Wings, the Blues needed another goalie to pair with the entrenched goalie Jordan Binnington. Enter Greiss, a 36 year old journeyman who has played for 5 teams in his NHL career since being selected by the San Jose Sharks in the 3rd round of the 2004 NHL Draft.    Last season with the Red Wings, Greiss ended the regular season with a 10-15-1 record, posting 14 quality starts amidst a 3.66 GAA and .891 save percentage, starting in 28 games and appearing in 3 games in relief for the Red Wings, who finished in 6th place in the Atlantic Division with 74 points.    In 13 NHL seasons with 5 different teams, Greiss has a lifetime 155-120-37 record with a 2.72 GAA and ....

*Photo from Sports Spectrum*     There's another member of the Stanley Cup champions sticking around for another go at it. The Colorado Avalanche and D Josh Manson have agreed to a 4 year, $18 million deal, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The Avalanche have confirmed the deal.    Last season, split between the Anaheim Ducks and the Avalanche, Manson had 6 goals and 10 assists, with a -11 plus/minus rating while averaging 18:59 of ice time in 67 regular season games. In the playoffs, Manson had 3 goals and 5 assists in 20 games, his 4th season of playoff hockey.    In Manson's career, spanning 8 seasons, all with the Ducks and Avalanche, he has 28 goals and 92 assists, averaging 19:44 of ice time per game while posting a +28 plus/minus rating in 475 regular season games. Manson has 3 goals and 8 assists in 42 career playoff games.    Avalanche GM Chris McFarland said of bringing back Manson that "Josh was a huge addition to our back en...

*Photo from The Hockey Writers*     We have a Stanley Cup champion off to the nations capital. The Washington Capitals and G Darcy Kuemper have agreed on a 5 year, $26.25 million deal, according to Pierre Lebrun of TSN. The Capitals have confirmed the deal.    Capitals GM Brian McClellan said of revamping the goaltending that "I think it was the goal going into free agency that we wanted to change our goaltending, and we accomplished it. I feel good about both guys we've gotten, and I look forward to the season with both of them in net."    Kuemper's contract has an AAV of $5.25 million per season, and has a $2 million signing bonus each year, running through 2026-2027 when the deal expires. Kuemper also has a modified no trade clause all 5 seasons of the deal, which is a 15 team no trade list for the first two seasons of the deal, and a 10 team no trade list for the final 3 seasons.    Last season, his only one in Denver, Kuemper had a recor...