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The NHL free agent market opens on July 1. It’s an opportunity for the league’s 32 teams to add a little talent to their rosters, as well as a chance for out-of-contract players to hit the jackpot.
In Montreal, there’s a sense that the Habs may be putting their nose to the grindstone. It may not be a big splash, but it could be a big move.
Of course, the most talked-about names are Steven Stamkos, Jake Guentzel and Sam Reinhart. I expect to see all three guys stay where they are now, but we agree that things could change.
However, there are two well-known guys in Montreal who will be free as a bird: Sean Monahan and Tyler Toffoli. Both guys, who finished the year in Winnipeg, will sign new contracts this summer.
And in his paper of the day for The Athletic, Chris Johnston played the salary projection game: according to him, both guys will sign three-year contracts, but Toffoli’s projected annual salary ($6.113 million) is higher than Monahan’s ($5.258 million).
New, for @TheAthletic: NHL free-agent big board -Reinhart, Guentzel and Stamkos lead our ranking of the top 50 UFAs.
NHL free agency opens in less than five weeks.https://t.co/lVZIXmC2ashttps://t.co/lVZIXmC2as
– Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) May 29, 2024
Both forwards are coming off big seasons, and we can expect to see them sign for big money. Toffoli has continued to score goals (he has 33 this season), while Sean Monahan played 88 games (season + playoffs) in 2023-24, a noteworthy feat for a guy who has been so affected by injuries.
The age of both guys at the start of next season (32 for Toffoli, 30 for Monahan) probably means they won’t sign very long pacts, but at three years, it looks good for everyone.
Speaking of age, the projection in The Athletic ‘s rankings that’s sure to cause a stir is Joe Pavelski. According to the site’s projections, the 40-year-old would sign a three-year pact at an annual salary of $7.374 million, which would be a bigger deal than those projected for Toffoli and Monahan.
I’d like to think he’s still scoring 20+ goals a year with regularity and putting up 60-70 points a season… but a three-year deal for a 40-year-old would be something. Patrick Kane, who is almost five years younger, will only sign a one-year deal based on the same projections.
So it’s something to keep an eye on, but with the Habs having the money, you have to wonder if the club wouldn’t like to take a chance by bringing back one of its two former players. Would you do so if it were possible to sign them for these projections?
In bursts
– David Pagnotta confirms what everyone expected: Tanner Pearson won’t be back in Montreal next year.
My latest: #VegasBorn & Marchessault talks to begin & 4 Knights to hit UFA, plus
– #Flames & Kylington
– #GoHabsGo & Pearson
– #Preds & Beauvillier
– #GoOilersGo Holland’s last ride
– Kaliyev wants trade #GoKingsGo
– #SJSharks coach race
+ Lots more https://t.co/q7YV9ngJGA– David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) May 29, 2024
– Nothing less.
“I think Laval is one of the best places in the American league to be an instructor”
Full media availability: https://t.co/jur7SPUl99“I think Laval is one of the best places in the @TheAHL to be a coach.”
Full media availability: https://t.co/jur7SPUl99... pic.twitter.com/mpGq92ARZC– Rocket de Laval (@RocketLaval) May 29, 2024
Struggling offensively as well as struggling defensively at even strength, Darnell Nurse owns a -12 rating in 15 games. Among those to have played at least that many contests in a postseason, the #Oilers defenseman has the worst mark on this list of shaky starts to a playoff year pic.twitter.com/XCqiUaxoEh
– StatsCentre (@StatsCentre) May 29, 2024
– At 37, time is running out.
The Quebecer still believes https://t.co/xvssl9UkcI
– TVA Sports (@TVASports) May 29, 2024
– Well done. He’s not to blame for the team’s rocky start to the season.
Message of support for the coach from the @Collectif_IMFC. #CFMTL pic.twitter.com/NAPAG7zFbS
– Olivier Tremblay (@olitremblay) May 29, 2024
More must-reads:
- Four teams that should be buyers at the trade deadline
- Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb sends strong message after tempers flare at training camp
- The 'Most NBA games played' quiz
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TODAY'S BEST
Chicago Blackhawks reportedly set to trade 25-year-old goaltender to Stars rival, Edmonton Oilers
Free-agent profile: Why is this former Stanley Cup champion still unsigned?
It’s difficult to think of another active player who has had his career derailed by injuries more than Robby Fabbri. A former first-round selection of the St. Louis Blues back in the 2014 NHL Draft, Fabbri’s only season with 70 or more games played came back during his rookie campaign during the 2015-16 season. Despite his multiple ACL surgeries, Fabbri has shown flashes of being a capable and even above-average tertiary scorer at the NHL level. Still, even though he’s only 29 years old, there’s little chance of Fabbri becoming a consistent top-six winger anymore. Unfortunately for Fabbri’s earning power, he is coming off one of the worst seasons of his career. Again hampered by injuries, Fabbri finished the 2024-25 season with eight goals and 16 points in 44 games for the Anaheim Ducks. It was his lowest output since scoring an identical amount in 2022-23 with the Detroit Red Wings, in 21 fewer games. Stats 2024-25: 44 GP, 8 G, 8 A, 16 PTS, -6, 20 PIMS, 65 shots, 16:12 ATOI, 42.8 CF% Career: 442 GP, 106 G, 110 A, 216 PTS, -95, 203 PIMS, 737 shots, 15:05 ATOI, 46.4 CF% Potential suitors He’s not much of a defensive asset as evidenced by his -95 career rating and 90.1 on-ice save percentage. Given that, any team signing Fabbri this offseason will assuredly view him as an option to increase the team’s overall scoring on the fringes. This means that any team with an open roster spot, is looking to add some scoring, and has a readily available insurance option, should injuries shorten his season again, could offer Fabbri a contract this summer. Teams like the San Jose Sharks, Nashville Predators, Anaheim Ducks, Calgary Flames, Boston Bruins, New York Islanders and Chicago Blackhawks all make sense in some manner or another to add the 2018-19 Stanley Cup champ. Projected contract Unfortunately, Fabbri’s most recent string of injuries has cost him most of, if not all, of his bargaining power. After earning a $4M salary from the Red Wings and Ducks the past two seasons, Fabbri is destined for a league-minimum prove-it offer. Given that most teams have addressed their scoring needs this offseason, or are expecting younger prospects to make bigger steps next season, Fabbri may have to wait until training camp in September for a professional tryout, or have the unfortunate reality of waiting for another player to get injured.
Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani ties franchise record with HR vs. Twins
MLB's midseason break was kind to Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter and starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani. On Wednesday, the three-time MVP tied a Dodgers franchise record with a home run in his fifth consecutive game, taking Minnesota Twins right-handed starting pitcher Chris Paddack 441 feet to centerfield on an 0-2 79 mph curveball in the bottom of the first inning. Ohtani entered the All-Star break with 32 home runs but had just two in his 12 previous games before beginning his current streak. He's appeared in 101 of L.A.'s 103 games, putting him on pace for 159 games this season. If Ohtani continues at his home run trajectory, he'll set a personal record for single-season home runs, breaking the record he established last season, his first with the Dodgers. Per ESPN Bet, Ohtani (-1800) is an overwhelming favorite to be named NL MVP for the second consecutive season. With every home run hit, his odds of receiving a fourth overall MVP award likely increase. Also helping Ohtani's case is his return to the mound after not pitching a season ago while rehabbing from 2023 surgery. The Dodgers have slowly eased him back, with Ohtani throwing 12 innings in six starts, allowing nine hits and two earned runs with 13 strikeouts. Per Baseball Savant, he ranks in the top six percent in average fastball velocity (97.8 mph), a promising sign as he continues his progression. While the Dodgers keep him on a pitch count, Ohtani didn't need much warming up at the plate following the in-season break to find his swing. Some might argue he's already in postseason form.
Tua Tagovailoa addresses relationship with Tyreek Hill after controversial comments
Shortly after Miami Dolphins players reported for training camp on Tuesday, Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill suggested he wants to be "better as a leader" after he controversially subbed himself out of Miami's regular-season finale this past January and then told reporters he was "out." While speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa addressed the Hill-sized elephant in the room. "I think there’s a lot more vulnerability with Tyreek," Tagovailoa explained, as shared by Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. "He’s conversating a lot more with the guys, not just about football, but about things off the field, being vulnerable about some of the things people know about his personal life and things of that nature. I think that’s the first step toward him building true relationships and a real connection with a lot of the guys in there." Following Hill's "out" comment, Dolphins general manager Chris Grier revealed that the 31-year-old speedster never requested a trade. While publicly apologizing to his teammates during a Super Bowl week interview, Hill directly said that Tagovailoa is his "guy." Hill also insisted at the time that he loves Tagovailoa. "Everybody makes mistakes," Tagovailoa added about Hill. "It’s just, some people, they’re in the spotlight, and their deals get pushed out more than some others. So you’ve just got to cut him some grace. That’s our teammate. We love him, but as a person, I think if you get to know him, you’ll love him too." Hill and Tagovailoa likely will need to be on the same page if they want to prevent the Dolphins from going through a franchise reset next offseason. At least head coach Mike McDaniel is reportedly on the hot seat this summer, while Tagovailoa's status beyond the upcoming campaign is up in the air after he suffered a third reported concussion since the fall of 2022 last season. "You guys aren’t the only people that heard that," Tagovailoa said about Hill's "out" statement. "...So when you say something like that, you don’t just come back from that with, 'Hey, my bad.' You’ve got to work that relationship up. You’ve got to build everything up again. It’s still a work in progress, not just for me but for everybody. But like I said, he’s working on himself, he’s working on the things he says he wants to get better with and do better on. So that’s the first step to me, so I commend him for doing that." As of Wednesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had the 2024 Dolphins at -275 betting odds to miss the playoffs. Those who believe the relationship between Tagovailoa and Hill is on shaky ground following Wednesday's developments may want to take a flier on such a wager before the odds change later this year.
Jaxson Dart had worst start imaginable at Giants training camp
The New York Giants officially opened training camp on Wednesday, and the good news for Jaxson Dart was that the rookie had nowhere to go but up after his first play of practice. Dart’s very first pass of 11-on-11 drills was intercepted by third-year cornerback Nic Jones. Dart stared his receiver down the entire way, and Jones showed the former Ole Miss star why doing so in the NFL is never a good idea. The whistle blew after the interception, but Jones would have taken it the other way for a touchdown had the play been live. Like any rookie quarterback, Dart is going to make plenty more mistakes in training camp. Brian Daboll and the Giants’ coaching staff will be more interested in how Dart bounces back from them. The Giants traded up to select Dart in the first round and are very high on his ability. They plan to bring him along slowly, which Daboll seemed to reiterate again on Wednesday. Dart led the SEC with 4,279 passing yards last season. He threw 29 touchdown passes and is known for having a strong arm, but throwing windows get significantly tighter in the NFL. Dart will learn that as he gains more experience.
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