Around the League - Recapping this Week’s NHL Headlines - Week 14

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Toronto Maple Leafs

The hubbub is finally over (or maybe just beginning) as restricted free agent forward Mitch Marner and the Toronto Maple Leafs have finally come to terms on a new contract. The new deal, worth a reported $65.35-million, will see Marner remain in Toronto for the next six seasons, earning an annual average of $10.893-million. It was reported that Marner turned down several offer sheets from other teams during contract negotiations. The 22-year-old winger finished 11th-overall in the league for points last season with 94.

Ottawa Senators

Ottawa fans can rejoice as the Senators made a rare fan-friendly decision to sign defensive cornerstone Thomas Chabot to a league-maximum eight-year contract extension. The extension, which will go into effect at the start 2020-21 will be worth an annual average of $8-million. The new deal makes him the highest-paid player on the team and ranks him amongst the league’s highest-paid defensemen. Chabot finished tenth-overall last season in defensive scoring, putting up 14 goals and 55 points – both career highs.

Philadelphia Flyers

Although coming off of the worst season of his young career, Ivan Provorov has signed a new deal with the Philadelphia Flyers. The deal is reportedly worth $40.5-million over the next six seasons. Provorov posted only 26 points last season despite leading the team in ice-time. The Flyers are hoping he regains the scoring touch he displayed throughout the 2017-18 season where he produced 17 goals and 41 points.

Travis Konecny, another of Philadelphia’s restricted free agents, also opted to sign a new deal with the team. Konecny signed a contract with the Flyers that is worth $33-million over the next six seasons. Last season, Konecny registered 24 goals and 49 points.

Boston Bruins

Restricted free agent Charlie McAvoy has signed a new three-year deal with the Boston Bruins worth a reported $4.9-million annually. McAvoy spent much of his season in 2019 paired up on the blue line with captain Zdeno Chara. McAvoy had 28 points in 54 games last year.

The Boston Bruins have also come to terms with restricted free agent Brandon Carlo. Carlo signed a new deal with the team that will see him earn $2.85-million per year over the next two seasons. He is entering his fourth NHL season.

Vancouver Canucks

The Vancouver Canucks have come to new terms with restricted free agent Brock Boeser. Boeser’s new deal is worth $17.63-million over the next three years. Boeser finished third on the team in scoring last season, tallying 56 points in 69 games played. The Canucks, however, still sit at $1.7-million over the cap.

Minnesota Wild

The Minnesota Wild have signed defenseman Jared Spurgeon to a $53-million, seven-year deal. Spurgeon was set to be a free agent by the season’s end but after posting career highs in goals, assists, and points last year, the Wild opted to offer him a long-term extension. He is now the 11th-highest-paid defenseman in the NHL.

New York Rangers

The New York Rangers have come to terms on a one-year deal with restricted free agent defenseman Tony DeAngelo. The contract is reported to be worth $925,000. Across 61 games during the 2018-19 season, DeAngelo put up 26 assists and 30 points – both of which were career highs.

Los Angeles Kings

The Los Angeles Kings have come to terms with free agent and former Vancouver Canuck Ben Hutton. Hutton signed a one-year deal with the Kings worth $1.5-million. He played in 69 games with Vancouver last season and registered five goals and 20 points.

Injuries

Montreal Canadiens

Montreal forward Ryan Poehling has been reported to be out indefinitely after suffering a concussion during a preseason game against the Florida Panthers in which he was hit into the boards in the second period. Poehling stayed in the remainder of the game and even assisted on the game-winning goal.

Buffalo Sabres

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Brandon Montour will miss the remainder of the preseason the team announced this week. Montour suffered a hand injury during a preseason game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The seriousness of the injury has yet to be reported but it could be that sitting him for the rest of the preseason is just a precautionary measure by the club.

Anaheim Ducks

The Anaheim Ducks have officially announced that forwards Ryan Kesler and Patrick Eaves will both miss the entirety of the 2019-20 season. Kesler underwent hip surgery last May and was already predicted to miss much, if not all, of the new season. Eaves participated in just29 games for the Ducks over the past three seasons and suffers from Guillain-Barre syndrome which causes the body’s immune system to attack its own peripheral nervous system.

Retirements

Girardi Retires After 13 Seasons

Thirteen-year defensive veteran Dan Girardi has officially announced his retirement from the NHL. Girardi played his first eleven seasons in the league with the New York Rangers before finishing up his career with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Girardi went undrafted and finishes his career with 927 games played, 56 goals, 208 assists, and 264 points. He has also played 143 playoff games and reached the playoffs 12 times out of his 13 seasons played. He had one appearance in the Stanley Cup finals.