Sunday, June 23, 2019
Associated Press
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA
The traditional team-by-team roll call to open the second day of the NHL Draft hadn’t yet begun when the league’s looming salary-cap crunch began overshadowing the final six rounds Saturday.
Norris Trophy-winning defenseman P.K. Subban is off to New Jersey. Forward Patrick Marleau, a 21-year veteran, is headed to Carolina. And center J.T. Miller (East Palestine), one year into a five-year $26.25 million contract, was traded to Vancouver.
The common denominator spurring each of the trades were teams seeking to shed salaries to address more pressing roster needs before the NHL’s free agency period opens July 1.
And the urgency to make the trades became more real when the league and NHL Players’ Association announced next year’s salary cap was set at $81.5 million — $1.5 million lower than initially projected.
“We had to make a business decision,” Nashville Predators general manager David Poile said about trading Subban.
And then there was Toronto Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas, who only two days ago suggested there was “a strong chance” Marleau would be back for the final year of his contract.
“I think everyone here knows how we feel about Patrick Marleau and what he has done for our organization,” Dubas said, noting he kept Marleau informed of trade talks. “We didn’t want to do one of those trades where it was moving a salary or a cap hit that was going to take anybody off our roster.”
For Toronto, losing the 39-year-old Marleau — and his $6.2 million salary — provides more flexibility to re-sign 22-year-old Mitchell Marner, a restricted free agent after completing his three-year entry-level contract.
Miller became expendable in Tampa Bay, where the Lightning are focused on re-signing center Brayden Point, also a restricted free agent. As a result, Vancouver added a versatile center while giving up journeyman minor-league goalie Marek Mazanec and two draft picks in the deal, including a conditional 2020 first-round selection
The trades started before Ottawa opened the second round by selecting American center Shane Pinto at No. 32 overall, and pushing the conclusion of the draft into the background.
The Devils came away the big winners.
A day after taking American center Jack Hughes at No. 1 overall, New Jersey acquired Subban in a trade with Nashville. The Predators picked up defensemen Steven Santini and Jeremy Davies, the 34th pick in this year’s draft and a second-rounder next year.
“We have cap space, cap space, cap space, and we said if there was a time to book it now, we did,” Devils GM Ray Shero said of adding Subban and his $9 million salary cap hit over each of the next three seasons. New Jersey could afford it after entering the offseason with about $34 million salary cap space available.
“P.K. is excited,” Shero said. “It’s great for our market.”
Subban released a video on social media in which he thanked the Predators and their fans, and then looked forward to joining the Devils.