Countdown to Free Agent Frenzy: Pietrangelo's health a 'question mark' in Vegas

The NHL's off-season has arrived for all 32 teams who are preparing for Free Agent Frenzy on July 1. TSN.ca keeps you up to date with all the latest rumours and speculation from around the NHL beat.

Pietrangelo a 'question mark' in Vegas

The Vegas Golden Knights continue to be linked to Mitch Marner ahead of July 1, but are down to just $7.62 million in cap space after re-signing Reilly Smith and Brandon Saad this week.

With Marner expected to command a salary potentially as a high as $13 million, Vegas would have to clear significant room to bring him in.

TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger revealed on Insider Trading Thursday that veteran defenceman Alex Pietrangelo's immediate future is a question mark due to his health. It's unclear the severity of what the 35-year-old is dealing with, but shelving him on long-term injured reserve would clear an additional $8.8 million in space for the Golden Knights - at least while he remains out. 

"Well that is the tricky part, no doubt about that. Like any contending team that is a cap team, it has to be dollar in, dollar out," Dreger said of the Golden Knights. "But Kelly McCrimmon and the Vegas Golden Knights are very good when it comes to mathematics and staying in compliance with the salary cap.

"Vegas is trying to be super aggressive, they are believed to be a top contender for Mitch Marner as an unrestricted free agent. We’ve just talked about Vegas potentially being in on a defenceman, like Bo Byram from the Buffalo Sabres. They just extended Smith and Saad on very fair deals to the Vegas Golden Knights. 

"But they also have a question mark, a significant one. And that’s veteran defenceman Alex Pietrangelo, specifically his health and his immediate future. 

"So, there’s some question marks to go along with the speculation around the Golden Knights."

Pietrangelo appeared in 71 games this season, posting four goals and 33 points while averaging 22:24 of ice time. He added two goals and six points in 10 playoff games, with his ice time rising to 23:02. 

The veteran blueliner did elect to opt out of playing for Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February, citing health reasons. 

Sabres to trade another RFA?

The Buffalo Sabres opened their off-season with a major move Wednesday, trading restricted free agent JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth for Josh Doan and Michael Kesselring. 

Now, it appears Buffalo is considering moving another RFA in defenceman Bowen Byram. 

"There is a contract snarl here developing, as well. So, the Buffalo Sabres are looking to turn the potential of a contract problem into a playing asset, very similar to JJ Peterka," Dreger reported on Insider Trading. "There is a ton of interest in Bo Byram, as you would expect.

"Now initially, Kevyn Adams wanted a right-shot defenceman back as part of a package for Byram, well, he got that in the Peterka trade.

"So I’m looking at LA, Vegas, St. Louis, Vancouver, Colorado, maybe longshot, Toronto Maple Leafs as teams with interest in Bo Byram."

Byram, 23, had seven goals and 31 points in 82 games with the Buffalo Sabres last season while averaging 22:42 of ice time. 

The 6-foot-1 left-shot defenceman is coming off of a two-year, $7.7 million deal with an annual cap hit of $3.85 million.  

Drafted fourth overall by the Colorado Avalanche in 2019, Byram has 33 goals and 110 points in 246 career games split between the Avalanche and Sabres. 

Byram recorded nine assists while averaging 19:22 of ice time in 20 playoff games to help the Avalanche to a Stanley Cup championship in 2022. 

Kuznetsov coming back?

Could Evgeny Kuznetsov make his way back to the NHL this season? 

Agent Shumi Babaev announced Thursday he now represents Kuznetsov and has already spoken to multiple NHL clubs on his behalf. 

"I have decided that next year he will play in North America," Babaev said in a post on X. 

The 33-year-old centre spent this past season playing for SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL. He posted 12 goals and 37 points in 39 games, adding one goal and three points in six playoff games. His contract, which had three seasons left on it, was mutually terminated in early April, marking the second straight year he agreed to end a deal early. 

The Carolina Hurricanes and Kuznetsov mutually agreed  last July to terminate his contract, which had one season left on it at a cap hit of $7.8 million, which the Washington Capitals had retained half of in a previous trade. His $3.9 million cap hit was cleared from the books of both teams.

Acquired for a third-round pick at the trade deadline, Kuznetsov had two goals and seven points in 20 games with the Hurricanes to end the season, adding four goals and six points in 10 playoff games.

He had six goals and 17 points in 43 games prior to the trade with the Capitals, missing time while in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program. Washington placed Kuznetsov on waivers after he was cleared to return, making the trade with the Hurricanes just days later.

Selected 26th overall by the Capitals in the 2010 draft, Kuznetsov has 173 goals and 575 points in 743 career games in the NHL.

The Chelyabinsk, Russia native won the Stanley Cup with the Capitals in 2018, contributing 12 goals and 32 points in 24 games during that playoff run.