Penguins POHO/GM Kyle Dubas signed four of his team’s RFAs to contract extensions yesterday.
The most prominent, 24-year-old forward Egor Chinakhov, agreed to a three-year deal with an AAV of $6.25 million. He becomes the team’s third-highest paid player, behind Erik Karlsson and Sidney Crosby. The speedy right wing with the wicked shot and release piled up 18 goals and 36 points in only 43 games following his arrival in late December.
Dubas also came to terms with goalie Arturs Šilovs on a one-year deal worth $2.8 million. The 25-year-old Latvian blew hot-and-cold during his rookie season with an .888 save percentage (SV%) and 3.07 goals against average (GAA), but shone in the playoffs to the tune of a 1.52 GAA and .939 SV%. He’ll still be an RFA at season’s end.
The other signees included defensive specialist David Gustafsson and goalie Joel Blomqvist. The former agreed to a one-year deal worth $850K at the NHL level.
As for Blomqvist? The 24-year-old netminder signed for two seasons with an AAV of $875K at the NHL level. Last season he registered some of the best numbers in the AHL with the Baby Pens while backing up wunderkind Sergei Murashov, posting a 2.40 GAA and .916 SV%. According to Dubas, the former AHL All-Star could compete for regular duty with the Pens.
On Friday, Dubas signed recent acquisition Hendrix Lapierre for two seasons at a rate of $1.3 million per.
Two RFAs remain unsigned, forwards Ville Koivunen and Nick Robertson. The latter filed for salary arbitration. A pair of other RFAs, Vasiliy Ponomarev and Alex Alexeyev, have committed to play in Europe.
According to Puckpedia, the Pens have used 44 of their 50 available contract slots, with projected cap space of $16.93 million.
Did You Know?
Once a player files for salary arbitration, they are no longer eligible to receive an offer sheet from another club. Nick’s brother, Jason Robertson, rumored to be a Pens trade target, also filed for salary arbitration.
Prominent RFAs who remained unsigned and are offer-sheet eligible include centers Connor Bedard (Blackhawks) and Adam Fantilli (Blue Jackets), the latter a college teammate of Rutger McGroarty. The Hawks and CBJ have $29.31 million and $21.46 million, respectively, in projected cap space, in case you were wondering.
Ducks forward Cutter Gauthier, whose favorite team as a youth was the Pens, and ‘Canes defenseman Alexander Nikishin, two other notable RFAs who remain unsigned, are not offer-sheet eligible.
Hey all,
Dan Kingerski of PHN proposed a trade with Carolina where we’d acquire Nikishin and center Jesperi Kotkaniemi…who’s basically their Ryan Graves.
I love the idea. Nikishin’s 24, a left shot, goes 6’3″ 218 and basically brings every element you’re looking for, including thump, wheels and offensive ability (11 goals, 33 points as a rookie). He’d go a long way toward fixing our defense.
Once a player of promise, Kotkaniemi, 26, simply doesn’t fit the ‘Canes system, but could be an interesting reclamation project.
Don’t know what the ‘Canes would want in return. But on the surface, I’d be all for it.
Rick
PS–Hopefully they wouldn’t demand Brunicke as part of the return.
Rick