Latest news with #MattDuchene
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Stars' Matt Duchene signs four-year deal; Mason Marchment dealt to Kraken
NHL general managers are beating the deadline and getting their pending free agents re-signed before the July 1 start of free agency. The Dallas Stars were the latest, getting forward Matt Duchene, 34, re-signed to a four-year, $18 million contract on June 19. He led the Stars with 82 points in 82 games and set a career best with 52 assists. Advertisement The Chicago Blackhawks had signed leading goal scorer Ryan Donato to a four-year, $16 million contract on June 18. Duchene's four-year contract is a change from his recent deals, though it is team-friendly. After the Nashville Predators bought him out in 2023, he signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the Stars and had a 65-point season. He signed another one-year, $3 million deal before averaging a point a game last season. 'As our team's leading scorer last season, he helped to solidify our forward group while also providing invaluable leadership off the ice and in the community," general manager Jim Nill said. "The fit with Matt and our team has been seamless from the start, and we're looking forward to continuing to pursue our shared goal of bringing a championship to Dallas." The Stars needed to clear out cap space after the signing so they traded 22-goal scorer Mason Marchment and his $4.5 million contract to the Seattle Kraken for a 2026 third-round pick and a 2025 fourth-rounder. Advertisement In other free agency news, Edmonton Oilers forward Trent Frederic, a trade deadline acquisition, could be getting closer to a deal. "We're talking, my agent's talking," he said during the Oilers' end-of-season media availability. "Hopefully, something will get done here." The New York Islanders' Kyle Palmieri and Tampa Bay Lightning's Yanni Gourde re-signed earlier. But there are plenty of potential unrestricted free agents still out there, including from the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. A look: Pending unrestricted free agent forwards Mitch Marner, Maple Leafs Sam Bennett, Panthers Brad Marchand, Panthers Advertisement John Tavares, Maple Leafs Brock Boeser, Canucks Nikolaj Ehlers, Jets Mikael Granlund, Stars Patrick Kane, Red Wings Claude Giroux, Senators Andrei Kuzmenkov, Kings Evgenii Dadonov, Stars Jonathan Drouin, Avalanche Pending unrestricted free agent defensemen Aaron Ekblad, Panthers Vladislav Gavrikov, Kings Nate Schmidt, Panthers Ivan Provorov, Blue Jackets Dmitry Orlov, Hurricanes Matt Grzelcyk, Penguins Brent Burns, Hurricanes Ryan Lindgren, Avalanche Pending unrestricted free agent goalies Jake Allen, Devils Vitek Vanecek, Panthers Ilya Samsonov, Golden Knights Alexandar Georgiev, Sharks Dan Vladar, Flames This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL free agency: Stars' Matt Duchene re-signs. Who's left?
New York Times
27-06-2025
- Business
- New York Times
What John Tavares' hometown discount means for the Maple Leafs — now and later
It was sometimes said that John Tavares took a hometown discount when he signed a seven-year, $77 million contract with the Maple Leafs seven years ago, all because one other team, the San Jose Sharks, was prepared to pay him more. Tavares' $11 million cap hit still ranked right near the top of the league for the entirety of the deal. Advertisement This — the four-year, $18 million deal that Tavares signed with the Leafs on Friday — is an actual hometown discount and a clear win for a front office that needed one to get the ball rolling on the offseason. The contract, which lasts until 2029, comes with a $4.38 million cap hit. That's slightly less than the $4.5 million ticket that Matt Duchene nabbed on the four-year deal he recently signed with the Stars in a much friendlier Dallas tax environment. It's much less than the $7.5 million cap hit that Brock Nelson, he of 12 fewer goals and 18 fewer points than Tavares last season, got on a three-year commitment from Colorado. It's much less than Tavares surely could have fetched on the open market, something Tavares acknowledged himself after the deal was announced when he noted that he 'obviously left some money out there' but wanted to 'find a way to make a deal that was very good for both sides.' Tavares' willingness to defer a $2 million signing bonus until 2033 helped the Leafs get the number they wanted — about $120,000 per season in cap space, from $4.5 to $4.38 million. 'His commitment was illustrated by what he did here,' GM Brad Treliving said. As it stands right now, Tavares now owns the 227th-ranked cap hit in the league next season and sixth highest among Leafs — trailing Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Morgan Rielly, Jake McCabe and Chris Tanev. The cap-hit percentage next season is 4.58 percent, only slightly more than what Max Domi's ticket (4.26 percent) took up last season. That the Leafs didn't have to stretch the deal out six or seven years is a win and removes some long-term risk. There were reasons for the Leafs to move on from Tavares, beginning with the plain old need to change after so much playoff disappointment. If they were going to bring him back, however, this was precisely the kind of deal they needed to get. After years of watching rivals nab their key players for less, for various reasons, the Leafs finally got one of their own. Advertisement They pushed Tavares right up until the brink of free agency, essentially testing his desire to finish his career and continue chasing a Stanley Cup as a Leaf. 'Why we wanted to keep John? Because he's a really good player,' Treliving said. 'I understand John's at the age that he is and we all expect aging curves to kick in at some point. John's been able to defy it and it's a credit to the way he looks after himself, the commitment he has to his craft, his body. His preparation is second to none.' Though it's highly unlikely that Tavares scores 38 goals again at any point in the contract, the Leafs should be able to count on anywhere from 20-30 next season, especially if Tavares and pending RFA Matthew Knies continue to chow down together down low in tandem on the power play. Tavares' goal scoring is crucial for a team that's about to lose Mitch Marner in free agency. He scored 18 of those 38 goals last season from the high-danger zone and another 10 — on remarkable (and undoubtedly unsustainable) 38.5 percent shooting — from the high slot. Tavares worked to earn that good fortune, spending day after day with player development coach and former NHLer Patrick O'Sullivan after practice to fine-tune not just his shot but his puck-work and skating. He would often return to the dressing room a full hour after most of his teammates. If there's reason to think that Tavares won't fall off sharply in the near term, it's that. Tavares has been determined, admittedly so, to turn over every possible stone to ensure that he remains relevant and impactful for as long as possible. 'I don't necessarily think just because you get to 33, 34, 35 years old that all of a sudden your career's over,' Treliving said, describing Tavares as the most 'committed athlete' he's been around. 'I look at John maintaining his level,' the Leafs GM went on, before adding, 'We'll see. Father Time is undefeated. But I know we're gonna have a real good player here and we expect to have a really good player for the foreseeable future.' Advertisement At some point, there will be a more noticeable drop-off, and it's likely going to be tied to a continued decline in foot speed. Tavares, to his credit, has worked diligently on maintaining and even improving that aspect of his game throughout his time with the Leafs, but it's still been evident, especially in the playoffs, that the pace can get a little too quick for him. Not playing centre full-time would help with that. It's hard to see a scenario though where Tavares isn't playing the middle again in the short term. Whether it's on the second or third line will be determined by the calibre of centre that Treliving is able to acquire in the coming weeks, if he's able to acquire one at all. The free-agent market is notoriously thin on options of any kind this summer, and the Leafs aren't especially well-positioned to strike a trade. That's partly why bringing Tavares back felt so essential to the Leafs. Without him, they would be chasing not one centre but two. Any kind of upgrade on Domi would help Tavares, especially in the postseason. Add even a one-dimensional defensive-minded centre who can be buried in defensive-zone faceoffs and combat top competition and head coach Craig Berube could ease both the quantity and quality of Tavares' minutes. Regardless of what they do, the Leafs shouldn't have Tavares logging 18 minutes again next season, not when the team needs him as fresh as possible in the spring. The Leafs' second-round series with Florida turned when the Panthers sent their Selke Trophy combo of Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart to shut down Tavares, William Nylander and Max Pacioretty. Even on home ice though, where Berube could dictate matchups, Tavares was unable to get much going. He was held without a point in the last four games of the series (three of them losses) and six of seven overall. Not unlike the Matthews-Marner duo, the Tavares-Nylander combo has never really taken off when it matters. Advertisement Tavares has posted only six goals and 10 points in his last four playoff series, totaling 25 games. That was costly to a Leafs team devoting $11 million in cap space to him. Ideally, the Leafs could play Tavares on the left wing of a second line as soon as next season. If not that, the centre of a third line that could consistently bully lighter opponents. For the moment, with free agency around the corner, Tavares slots back into the middle of that second line, likely alongside Nylander. The clock is ticking now more than ever for the Leafs to improve at centre. It will get to a point soon enough, if it hasn't already, when a full-time move to the wing becomes mandatory for Tavares. The positive for the Leafs is Tavares, at this cap number, figures to deliver value wherever he's playing, even if he's delivering 20-ish goals and 50-ish points next season or 15-20 goals and 40-ish points the one after that. And if Tavares were to fall off dramatically, the Leafs have some outs. Tavares holds no-move control only for the first two years of the deal, after which only a five-team no-trade clause. There is a measure of complacency that comes with bringing Tavares back. Treliving spoke of the need for a change in DNA at the end of last season, and Tavares has been an integral part of that with the Leafs for his seven seasons, including five as captain. Even as his role shrinks, and it will shrink, he will remain a prominent figure and voice on the team. The challenge of replacing him, coupled with the fact that he wanted to stay and ultimately took less to do so, made a reunion more than palatable. If the Leafs end up winning the Cup that Tavares is so desperately chasing, he will take on hero status in the market for his financial sacrifice in the name of team success. Tavares said he only wanted to stay at home. In taking less, he proved it.
New York Times
26-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Stars, Jamie Benn agree on 1-year contract extension, keeping franchise icon in Dallas: Sources
At 35 years old, Jamie Benn isn't the player he once was. But in Dallas, he's every bit as important as he's ever been. So while the Stars have all sorts of salary-cap concerns that forced them to trade Mason Marchment to Seattle and even have them considering Jason Robertson's future, Benn's return to the team was never in doubt. Advertisement Benn, the Stars' captain and longest-tenured player, will return for his 17th season on a one-year, incentive-laden contract, per league sources. His base salary will be just $1 million but could be worth as much as $4 million if he hits all of his bonuses. 'You want to talk about immortal, statue-out-in-front-of-the-rink-type person and player and leader, that's Jamie Benn,' said Matt Duchene, who last week signed a four-year, $18 million deal to stay in Dallas. 'That's probably the best way to put it. … I think it'd be a crime if he's not a Dallas Star for life, and I'd be shocked if it went (differently). He bleeds green and he's going to go down as one of the greatest Dallas Stars to ever play for a long time. 'Hopefully he's able to continue his career, and he's still a great player, and he brings so much to the table for us. More than people would know. More than I knew before I got here. When I got here, you see it from a different lens. I've been extremely impressed and blown away by what he brings.' Benn had 16 goals and 33 assists in 80 games this past season, his lowest career goal total in a full season. He struggled mightily in the postseason, posting just one goal and two assists in 18 games as the Stars fell short in the Western Conference final for the third straight season. He won the scoring title a decade earlier with 87 points, has 399 goals and 956 points in his career, and just two years ago had a renaissance season with 33 goals and 45 assists in 82 games. Despite his age and heavy style of play, he's missed just two games in the past four seasons. After Dallas' season ended in Game 5, Benn was short and to the point about his future. Had he thought about his future? 'No.' Did he want to be a Dallas Star? 'Yep.' Did he feel good about the chances of that happening? 'Yep.' Advertisement A couple of days later, on locker-cleanout day, Benn was a little more loquacious about his future. 'I don't see myself going anywhere else,' he told reporters in Dallas. 'This is all I know, so hopefully we can get something figured out.' Stars general manager Jim Nill never sweated Benn's future, either, thanks largely to the incentive-laden structure of over-35 contracts. 'He wants to be here,' Nill said in May. 'And with him turning 35, we have different ways to attack it.' Dallas has virtually no cap space left, even after jettisoning Marchment. But Nill still could be a major player in free agency if he gets aggressive, as he tries to shake up a perennial contender that seems to have hit its ceiling in the conference final.
National Post
24-06-2025
- Sport
- National Post
Abbotsford Canucks: Could (should?) Manny Malhotra fill Dallas Stars' coaching vacancy?
It's not whether could Manny Malhotra run his first NHL bench next season. It's should the Calder Cup champion head coach fill the Dallas Stars' vacancy after guiding the Abbotsford Canucks to a remarkable and resilient AHL season as a rookie bench boss? Article content Malhotra, 45, is a hot commodity, but the heat is always on in Dallas to take the next step. To finally clear that big Western Conference final hurdle and get back to the Stanley Cup final after three-straight failures under head coach Peter DeBoer, who was fired June 6. Article content Article content Article content The Stars' anxiousness was reflected is signing pending UFA centre Matt Duchene, 34, on Thursday to a team-friendly, four-year, $18-million US extension. The Stars got a palatable salary cap hit, and Duchene, who was on the Vancouver Canucks ' radar to fix their riddle in the middle, got term. Article content Duchene had 30 goals and 82 points this season, and his contract extension was another indication that Dallas has unfinished business. What does this possibly mean for Malhotra? Article content There is a reason why the Stars are still waiting to fill their coaching void. It's Malhotra. He's well beyond a curiosity. Article content Stars general manager Jim Nill could convince owner Tom Gaglardi to go the customary route and chose from a number of seasoned coaches to push a veteran-laden roster. They may need a heavy old-school hand. That list includes those fired this season, others looking for another shot in The Show, and those worthy of taking the next career step. Article content Article content However, Gaglardi could believe a fresh voice in Malhotra amid a fast-changing game may be a worthy play. It worked for the Washington Capitals and Spencer Carbery. At 43, the Victoria native was an AHL head coach and turned his second season running an NHL bench into the Jack Adams Award in 2024-25. Article content The Stars could chose familiarity and promote Texas Stars head coach Neil Graham after five seasons of running the AHL affiliate bench. An assessment trip to Cedar Park, Tex. this month would have been prudent. Watching Graham, 40, match Western Conference final wits with Malhotra would check boxes. Article content Article content Malhotra's management is a culmination of 1,026 NHL games as a centre with seven teams — including three seasons with the Stars — and seven seasons as an NHL assistant. And the manner in which young impressionable players and grizzled veterans responded to Malhotra in Abbotsford is beyond noteworthy.
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Possible Maple Leafs Trade Target Gone As Kraken Land Former Prospect Mason Marchment
Any hopes the Toronto Maple Leafs had of re-acquiring Mason Marchment were dashed Thursday , as the Dallas Stars traded the gritty forward to the Seattle Kraken in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick and a 2025 fourth-round selection in the NHL Draft. The Maple Leafs are in the hunt for more forward depth, and Marchment brings plenty of playoff experience, having played with the Stars in the Western Conference Final for the third consecutive season. The return that Dallas received may not seem like much, but the Stars were looking to clear salary cap space after signing forward Matt Duchene to a four-year extension worth an average annual value (AAV) of $4.5 million. Marchment, 30, has one more season on his contract, which carries the same $4.5 million salary cap hit as Duchene's new deal. The forward also had a modified no-trade clause, and his take-home pay will be the same as he moves from one state with no income tax to another. Advertisement Had Toronto landed Marchment, it would have been a reunion for the Uxbridge, Ontario native. A late bloomer, Marchment started his professional career with Toronto's AHL affiliate, the Marlies. Despite success there, he was unable to break out with the Leafs, limited to just four games with the big club where he registered one assist. Marchment, in many ways, has been seen as the Leafs prospect that got away. He was traded to the Florida Panthers on Feb. 19, 2020, in exchange for Denis Malgin. Marchment's career has flourished since then, having scored 76 goals and adding 112 assists in the 298 NHL games played after his stint with Toronto. The Leafs have cap space, but committing $4.5 million to Marchment right now could have been a big ask. With free agency set to open on July 1, Toronto has key restricted free agents like Matthew Knies needing new contracts and a potential extension for captain John Tavares to consider, in addition to other prospective free agents. Maple Leafs Snubbed? Sam Bennett Reportedly Has No Interest In Toronto If He Hits Free Agency Maple Leafs Snubbed? Sam Bennett Reportedly Has No Interest In Toronto If He Hits Free Agency When the Toronto Maple Leafs look for free agents to sign on July 1, they'll no doubt go big game hunting. And while the Leafs would certainly be interested in a player like Sam Bennett, it appears the feeling isn't mutual. According to FanDuel Sports reporter Andy Strickland, Bennett Advertisement does not have Toronto on his list of possible destinations if he is unable to sign an extension with the Florida Panthers. Maple Leafs Snubbed? Sam Bennett Reportedly Has No Interest In Toronto If He Hits Free Agency Maple Leafs Snubbed? Sam Bennett Reportedly Has No Interest In Toronto If He Hits Free Agency When the Toronto Maple Leafs look for free agents to sign on July 1, they'll no doubt go big game hunting. And while the Leafs would certainly be interested in a player like Sam Bennett, it appears the feeling isn't mutual. According to FanDuel Sports reporter Andy Strickland, Bennett does not have Toronto on his list of possible destinations if he is unable to sign an extension with the Florida Panthers. Report: OHL Goaltender Austin Elliott Will Not Attend Maple Leafs Training Camp, Unsure How Rumor Started Report: OHL Goaltender Austin Elliott Will Not Attend Maple Leafs Training Camp, Unsure How Rumor Started London Knights goaltender Austin Elliott is reportedly not joining the Toronto Maple Leafs for training camp after all.
