It’s September, which means it’s time to pay attention to hockey. No, training camps haven’t opened yet and there are no games to react to yet. But there has been some action around the league this week that’s noteworthy, including a couple young defensemen getting the bag and a general manager getting extended. Let’s go!
Sanderson Paid, Pinto Waits
On Wednesday evening, the Ottawa Senators announced an eight-year extension for 21-year-old defenseman Jake Sanderson. The deal has an AAV of $8.05 million. Sanderson, the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, made the NHL’s All-Rookie team last year after posting 32 points in 77 games. He skated for two years at North Dakota before turning pro before the 2022-23 season.
The Sens now have eight players under contract through at least the 2026-27 season and four of those players — Tim Stützle, Brady Tkachuk, Thomas Chabot and now Sanderson — have cap hits of at least $8 million. Keep this in mind as we look way down the road with the Blackhawks’ rebuild because the Sens are a model the Blackhawks are following with a largely drafted and developed core.
HOWEVER
You know how we talk all the time about how Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson is being intentionally conservative with his payroll and not signing anyone long-term? Well, as I mentioned earlier that ꦅwatching the Sens as a model of drafting, developing and signing home grown core players is smart for Blackhawks fans, their payroll concerns at🅰 this moment are equally important to consider.
shows the Sens with a little under $900,000 in available cap space, and they still need to sign RFA Shane Pinto, who was a really nice third-line center for them. Pinto is a player a lot of teams would love, but he isn’t eligible for an offer sheet. So he waits for the Sens to figure out if/how they can pay him… or trade him.
Pinto is one of . Two of the other six — Trevor Zegras and Jaimie Drysdale — figure to be important pieces in the future of the Anaheim Ducks. But they, too, are waiting for a contract. Wild defenseman Calen Addison is also out there still. If you think the Blackhawks might have interest in making a bold play for a right-handed defenseman, both Drysdale and Addison check that box. I’m not sure the Hawks are in a position to make a trade/pay either of those 23-year-old skaters quite yet, however.
Lindholm Next?
One of the big free agents who could hit the open market next summer (when the Blackhawks once again have a truckload of cap space) is Flames center Elias Lindholm. Elliotte Friedman reported on Wednesday his number might be around $9 million per on an extension IF the Flames can convince him to stay around. Lindholm, 28, is en𝔍tering the final year of a contract with a $4.85 million cap hit.
Dahlin, Too?
It looks like Rasmus Dahlin is getting the bag as well. How about a $10.5 million cap hit for the former No. 1 overall pick? He’s entering the final season of a deal with a $6 million cap hit but has emerged as a legit top-pair defenseman worthy of being a top overall pick.
Right now, there are only two defensemen with a cap hit north of $10 million: Erik Karlsson and Drew Doughty. Cale Makar’s $9 million AAV is starting to look like a bargain!
What About Nylander?
When the NHL was hosting media events a couple weeks ago, William Nylander sat down with the guys from the “32 Thoughts” podcast to talk about the Leafs’ championship window and his personal financial future. He acknowledged there have been postseason disappointments, but noted it takes time to build a winner; he pointed out how long it took the Washington Capitals to finally win a championship. The problem for the Leafs is Nylander is one year from UFA status and they have a LOT o▨f money on the books already. If/How they can afford his hefty next contract will be one of the big storylines to follow this season.
Armstrong Staying in Arizona
The Coyotes announced🍷 a multi-year extension with general manager Bill Armstrong this week. The question is whether or not the Coyotes stay in the desert through his contract.
This means there will at least be some continuity in the front office for the Coyotes despite their concerns about having a home. That’s a young team with some quality players who are ahead of the Blackhawks on the curve of injecting youth into their NHL lineup. Of course Armstrong’s job moving forward will be to keep players with the organization when their deals come due. And his current NHL roster has zero (0) defensemen signed after the 2023-24 season.
Murray to Philly?
David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported on Thursday morning that former Ducks GM Bob Murray may be headed to Philly to join the evolving Flyers’ front office. Murray appeared in 1,008 regular-season NHL games as a defenseman — all for the Blackhawks. Murray resigned his position with the Ducks in 2021 and entered an alcohol abuse program.
