Philadelphia Flyers Sign Nolan Patrick to Entry Level Contract

The Philadelphia Flyers announced on Monday that they signed second overall pick, Nolan Patrick to a three-year entry-level contract worth 925,000 per season.

Patrick, who the Flyers chose with the number two pick, after their division rivals, the New Jersey Devils nabbed Nico Hischier with the first overall selection, put up 20 goals and 26 assists in 33 games with the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League this past season.

Patrick missed 39 games during the season, including the WHL Playoffs, with a sports hernia. He underwent surgery for the injury on June 13, holding him out of the Flyers Development Camp this past week.

Patrick said, “This is the first time in a while that I will be completely healthy. My injury was bugging me all season. I will be back on the ice next week and I am excited.”   

Regarding the surgery he added, “If I had waited any longer it would take two weeks off my training. When the doctor told me, `It needs to be done’, I told him, OK I will get it done right away, `When can we do it?’”

Patrick went on to say, the doctor told him to go home for a couple of days and then return. He said, “I went home on Friday, came back on Monday and had it done on Tuesday morning. I am feeling great, really happy I got it done.”  

Patrick’s father, Steve was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the first round, 20^th overall, of the 1980 National Hockey League Entry Draft. His uncle James, patrolled the blueline in 1,280 NHL games between the New York Rangers, Hartford Whalers, Calgary Flames and Sabres, between 1983 and 2004.

Flyers general manager, Ron Hextall said that he expects the 18-year old center to be ready for the start of Flyers training camp in September. The Devils inked Hischier to his three-year, entry-level deal just two days earlier on Saturday. 

New Jersey Devils Sign 2017 Number One Selection Nico Hischier to Three Year Entry Level Contract

The New Jersey Devils announced on Saturday that they signed 2017 number one overall draft pick, Nico Hischier, to a three-year entry-level contract worth 925,000 per season, plus performance bonuses.

Executive Vice President and General Manager, Ray Shero, made the announcement following the conclusion of the team’s development camp that the 18-year-old, Swiss-born player was inked to the maximum salary allowed for entry-level contracts.

The Devils made Hischier the first ever player from Switzerland to be chosen first overall, during last month’s National Hockey League Entry Draft in Chicago, Illinois. The Devils received their first ever number one slot in the NHL Draft, after winning the 2017 NHL Draft Lottery and moving up from the fifth slot to the top spot in the draft.

On Saturday, Hischier participated in the team’s Red and White Scrimmage between the prospects that were invited to the development camp, at the RWJ Barnabas Hockey House in Newark, New Jersey.  Season ticket holders were invited to watch the scrimmage between the team’s future stars.

During the 2016-2017 season, Hischier played for the Halifax Mooseheads, of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, as he led all rookies in scoring with 38 goals and 48 assists in 57 games. He added three goals and four assists in six QMJHL playoff games.

The Canadian Hockey League and QMJHL Rookie of the Year, was also QMJHL Offensive Rookie of the Year, a member of the QMJHL All-Rookie Team and recipient of the Mike Bossy Trophy for QMJHL Best Professional Prospect. During the second day of the NHL Draft, he was awarded the E.J. McGuire Award of Excellence, given to the player that best exemplifies the commitment to excellence through strength and character, competitiveness and athleticism.

The Brig, Switzerland native, represented his homeland during the 2017 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championships in Toronto, Ontario and Montreal, Quebec. He put up seven points during the tournament.

The team also announced that Hischier will become the second player in team history to don the number 13. He wears the number for the Mooseheads, for his favorite player, former Detroit Red Wing star, Pavel Datsyuk. Hischier’s playing style has also been compared to Datsyuk.

Shero said, “He has been everything I had hoped he would be, I know this is not an evaluation but certainly his on-ice skill set is really fun to watch. He is a respectful kid and the way that he carries himself is nice to see and he has interacted well with the younger players and veterans that came in. That is his upbringing, but it has been a great learning week for him and it has been nice to see the type of person he is as well.”  

The Devils also noted that they are continuing to work to sign former Harvard Crimson forward, Alexander Kerfoot and restricted free agent defenseman, Damon Severson to contracts with the club. Kerfoot can become an unrestricted free agent on August 16, if the Devils can’t work out a contract agreement.

The 22-year-old Harvard captain, put up 16 goals and 29 assists in 36 games last season. He was a first-team All-Ivy League player, as well as a finalist for the 2016-2017 Eastern College Athletic Conference Player of the Year.

The Devils fifth round pick, 150^th overall in the 2012 NHL Draft also finished in the top 10 for the Hobey Baker Award, for top player in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, Division I hockey.  

Severson, 22, is coming off a three-year, two-way, 2.85 million-dollar contract with New Jersey. He was given a qualifying offer on June 26, which gives them a little bit of more time to work a way with the right-handed defenseman.  

In 80 games, during the 2016-2017 campaign, Severson put up three goals and 28 assists while patrolling the blueline with captain Andy Greene. 

Edmonton Oilers and Connor McDavid Reach Agreement on Eight Year 100 Million Dollar Contract Extension

The Edmonton Oilers announced that they have reached an eight-year, 100-million dollar, contract extension with 2015 number one draft pick, Connor McDavid on Wednesday.

The new deal will kick in before the start of the 2018-2019 National Hockey League, as the 20-year-old captain is in the final year of his entry-level contract as the Oilers prepare for the upcoming 2017-2018 season. When the contact begins next season, McDavid’s annual average value of 12.5 million per season, will have the highest salary cap hit in the league. 

McDavid said, “It is insane to really think about, someone is going to pay me 100 million dollars to do what I am going to do what I would do on a regular day; it is insane. It is very special, and to do that in Edmonton makes it even better.”

 

According to CapFriendly.com, Chicago Blackhawks forwards, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane currently have the highest cap hit in the NHL, for the 2017-2018 season, at 10.5 million dollars. Montreal Canadiens goaltender, Carey Price, who just signed an eight-year extension over the weekend, will have an AAV of 10.5 million dollars beginning in 2018. 

McDavid added, “For me, it just makes me want to be better, it just makes me want to work harder. You want to earn that money. You do not want to be somebody that signs a deal and kind of shuts it down, that is not going to be me at all. It is only driving me more.”    

By signing the extension, he avoids worrying about becoming a restricted free agent next July 1^st. He said, “You see guys go through years where it is their contract year; I saw [Tampa Bay Lightning captain] Steven Stamkos go through it firsthand and I know him pretty well. I do not think it is very fun. It is not fun to answer that question every day you come to the rink: `Is there any updates, is there any of this?’”     

He went on to say, “For me, getting it done early shows a sign that I want to be here, there was no hesitation, it is not even a thought, I want to be here in Edmonton, and I think getting it done early shows that.” 

This past season, the 2015-2016 Calder Trophy winner, put up 100 points (30 goals and 70 assists), as he led the league in scoring during his sophomore season. The 2017 Hart Trophy winner (Most Valuable Player), and 2017 Ted Lindsay Award recipient (top player chosen by his peers), helped lead the Oilers to a second-place finish in the Pacific Division and the club’s first appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs after in nearly a decade. 

Through 127 games in his young NHL career, he has scored 46 goals and 102 assists. He has also added five goals and four helpers in 13 postseason games. 

Oilers general manager, Peter Chiarelli pretty much made getting McDavid signed to an extension a top priority for the Oilers, so as not to have any worries as it got closer to next summer when he would become a RFA. 

Chiarelli said, “This may be one of the largest contracts ever given in the NHL, but I can assure you, it could be a lot higher in value and shorter in term. Building a team to win the Stanley Cup was a constant discussion point in this negotiation.”

 

Oilers forward, Leon Draisaitl, became a RFA on July 1^st. The organization said that they will match any offer sheet that Draisaitl may receive from one of the other 30 clubs. 

Now that Chiarelli has completed the extension with McDavid, he can shift his focus on getting Draisaitl locked down in Edmonton as well. He believes the deal with his captain, helps to give the club some more flexibility to continue to build the club around McDavid. 

The 21-year-old, Draisaitl, put up 29 goals and 48 assists during the 2016-2017 season. The general manager said, “Any time you enter July 1, with a player of Leon’s caliber unsigned, there is always that chatter of offer sheets across all of the networks. We are in a comfortable position and will match any offer.”

The team has about 17.9 million dollars wriggle room under the 75-million-dollar cap for the 2017-2018 season. 

The Oilers did lose center David Desharnais on Wednesday after the New York Rangers gave him a one-year, one-million-dollar deal. 

In 49 games between the Oilers and Canadiens, Desharnais, put up six goals and eight assists. He added four more points in the Oilers’ 13 postseason games. 

The 31-year-old center felt the Rangers were the right fit for him, after they lost center Derek Stepan in a trade to the Arizona Coyotes and the Vegas Golden Knights claimed Oscar Lindberg in the expansion draft. 

Desharnais said, “They lose two centers, so they only have two centers [Mika Zibanejab and Kevin Hayes], so that is a good opportunity for me to come and have a little bit of ice time and show what I can do. I feel like it was a good fit.”

 

The undrafted free agent, signed with the Canadiens back on November 5, 2008 and has put up 81 goals and 173 assists through 453 games between Montreal and Edmonton. In 51 Stanley Cup Playoff games, he added, four goals and 13 assists throughout his career.