NHL News: Lightning Re-sign Cirelli, NHL Still Talking to Provinces, and the St. Louis Blues
Stars hopeful to get Alexander Radulov back next week. Anthony Cirelli getting closer. Auston Matthews dealing with wrist injury.
Image from NHL.com

Tampa Bay Lightning: The Lightning have re-signed forward Anthony Cirelli to a three-year, $14.4 million contact – an AAV of $4.8 million.

Cirelli scored 16 goals and added 28 assists in the shortened season last year. He recorded three goals and six assists in 25 playoff games.

Pierre LeBrun: Cirelli’s deal is the exact same as Mikhail Sergachev.

2020-21: $2.4 million ($1.5 million signing bonus plus $900,000 salary)
2021-22: $4.8 million ($1.5 million signing bonus plus $3.3 million salary)
2022-23: $7.2 million all salary

Puck Pedia: The 23-year old Cirelli will be a restricted free agent with salary arbitration rights when his three-year contract expires. He’ll be a year away from unrestricted free agency.

  • 16G 44P in 68GP
  • 68.6% 5v5 GF, 53.2% DFF, 52.3% Corsi
  • Rep’d by Patrick Morris

Puck Pedia: After the Cirelli signing, putting Nikita Kucherov $9.5 million on the LTIR (off-season LTIR), and with a 23-man roster, the Lightning would be $2.89 million over the salary cap.

Without making a trade, they could be cap compliant with a 20-man roster by sending two players with at least a salary cap hit of $1.075 million and one at $742,000 to the minors.

The Lightning have re-signed forward Anthony Cirelli to a three-year, $14.4 million contact – an AAV of $4.8 million.

The NHL and the five Canadian provinces continue to talk

Darren Dreger: Sources said last night that the five provinces have asked the NHL for additional testing procedures or consider going with a “bubble” model.

If the NHL won’t go with the bubble, sources said they may have been asked to delay the start of the season.

Talks continue and the NHL is working on a response for the provinces.

  • Bruce Garrioch: Dreger’s tweet is why all the Canadian teams were given tentative game dates.

TSN Hockey: NHLPA executive director Don Fehr on if Canadian teams will be allowed to play in their home arenas: “I’m reasonably optimistic we’ll find a way through this…”

Renaud Lavoie: The five provinces are wanting more info before allowing teams to play in their own cities.

Frank Seravalli: The provinces have also asked the NHL to take a role in promoting health and safety measures in public messaging ‘through visible leadership and also media buys (PSAs).’

Blues hoping for fans in the stands

Andy Strickland: The St. Louis Blues are talking to health authorities about getting a limited number of fans in the stands for this season.

Not sure how quickly they will get an answer but they are putting in the work to make it happen as soon as possible.