We wrote about David Booth’s comments, who said veterans were being phased out for younger players. With team’s trying to trim down their roster for the start of camp, there’s been some evidence to support this trend. Here are some surprising vets cuts from NHL camps this preseason.
Andrew MacDonald
PHILADELPHIA, PA – MARCH 05: Andrew MacDonald #47 of the Philadelphia Flyers looks on after the game against the Washington Capitals at Wells Fargo Center on March 5, 2014, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.The Philadelphia Flyers defeated the Washington Capitals 6-4. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
The only nice thing I can say about MacDonald is that he’s from my home province, so I know people who cheer him on enthusiastically. Here’s the bad, his production has been horrific compared to the ice time he’s been receiving over the last three seasons.
MacDonald, 29, started getting top-pair minutes when he played because the Islanders were trash and their defense featured the likes of Steve Staios and Milan Jurcina. He carved out a role as an eye-test guy, blocking a lot of shots and playing big minutes. The problem was, every single measurable advanced stat said MacDonald was not only bad but was one of the worst defensemen in the NHL. I mean look at this chart.
Yikes.
So when the Flyers traded for him and signed him to a six-year, $30 million extension, it was known right away the contract would plague the Flyers instantly. Well, one year later, the club has waived MacDonald.
The deal was signed by former general manager Paul Holmgren. After one season of trying him in a handful of different roles, and healthy scratching him, new GM Ron Hextall had enough.
Apr 15, 2014: Holmgren signs Andrew MacDonald to six-year, $30-million extension.
May 7, 2014: Hextall named GM.
— James Mirtle (@mirtle) October 5, 2015
I don’t claim to have any inside sources or firsthand knowledge of the workings of NHL teams, but I can guarantee no team will be as foolish as to claim MacDonald. Unless there’s a buyout, his contract will be buried for a long, long time.
Nikita Nikitin
LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 14: Nikita Nikitin #86 of the Edmonton Oilers looks on prior to the start of the game against the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center on October 14, 2014, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
Just one year after signing a two-year deal worth $4.5 million per season, the Oilers waived Nikitin, who cleared waivers and was assigned to the AHL.
Edmonton signing Nikitin, 29, was a risky proposition to begin with, as he had barely hit 200 career games by the time he signed the deal. Nikitin peaked in 2011-12 with the Columbus Blue Jackets, scoring 32 points and playing 23 minutes of ice time, but he never repeated that production. At best, Nikitin is a good third-pairing defenseman, who can chip in offensively. When he’s not contributing defensively, he’s not worth having in the lineup.
The Oilers want to go with a much younger d-corps, with Griffin Reinhart and Brandon Davidson, which pushed him out of the lineup. His cap hit, unfortunately, should bury him in the AHL unless another desperate team comes calling, or the Oilers suffer an injury.
Bryan Bickell
CHICAGO, IL – MAY 04: Bryan Bickell #29 of the Chicago Blackhawks tries to collect a pass against the Minnesota Wild in Game Two of the Second Round of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the United Center on May 4, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. The Blackhawks defeated the Wild 4-1. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
The cap-crunched Blackhawks made a necessary move sending Bickell to the minors last week, as the forward is simply not bringing enough bang for his buck. He’s owed $4 million over the next season, and on a team which had to trade Patrick Sharp for cap-related purposes, that’s not good enough.
Bickell, 29, earned his contract because of his dynamite performance in the playoffs in 2012-13, in which he tied his regular season output with nine goals. He didn’t slouch with a new contract either, scoring seven goals the following playoffs. In 2014-15, his production dipped, while he scored 14 goals in the regular season, he was a non-factor in the playoffs, going scoreless in 18 games.
Sending him to the minors only saves $950,000 in cap space, so the Hawks are likely trying to work a trade to shed Bickell’s remaining salary, but that may prove difficult. A reported deal with the Oilers for Nikitin fell through.
Ben Scrivens
EDMONTON, AB – JANUARY 29: Ben Scrivens #30 of the Edmonton Oilers eyes the loose puck and stops it against the San Jose Sharks during an NHL game at Rexall Place on January 29, 2014 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Derek Leung/Getty Images)
Edmonton Oilers goaltenders allowed the most goals in the NHL in 2014-15, and the Oilers decided to go in a completely new direction because of that. They brought in Cam Talbot from the New York Rangers, who posted great numbers in a small sample size, to be the starter, and brought former Islanders goalie Anders Nilsson back from the KHL on a one-way deal to compete for the backup with Scrivens.
Nilsson won the battle with Scrivens, and it looks like Scrivens’ next NHL job won’t be with the Oilers.
Scrivens, 29, had a terrible year with the Oilers in 2014-15, so a change of scenery may due him good.
He cleared waivers, but I imagine teams will likely pursue him as his $2.3 million cap hit is still reasonable, despite how bad he was. Scrivens is much more suited to play 20-30 games, opposed to the 57 he played last year. He’s a good backup, or a below average starter, who would immediately benefit from not playing on the Oilers, should he be moved.