NHL News: Coyotes, Canadiens, Sabres, Islanders, Penguins, and Golden Knights

Zack Kassian and Patrik Nemeth were placed on waivers

Arizona Coyotes PR: The Coyotes have placed forward Zack Kassian and defenseman Patrik Nemeth on unconditional waivers for the purpose of buying them out.

Cap Friendly: After the buyouts the Coyotes will have 11 active contracts with a projected cap hit of $51,602,144. They will be $10,097,856 below the salary floor.

Cap Friendly: “Fun Fact: #Yotes currently have more 2023 draft picks (12) than they do signed roster players (11).”

Puck Pedia: “The #Yotes acquired two 2nd round picks for Nemeth. He was on the roster for 1 season at $2.5M Cap Hit & after the buyout, $167K this year & $1.167M year after. He’ll cost them $4.833M total cash since acquisition.”

Puck Pedia: “The #Yotes acquired 2nd and 3rd round picks for Kassian. He was on the roster for 1 season at $3.2M Cap Hit & after the buyout, $1.67M this year & $767K the year after. He’ll cost them $5.03M total cash since acquisition”

The Canadiens re-sign Sean Monahan

Montreal Canadiens: The Canadiens have signed forward Sean Monahan to a one-year contract extension worth $1.985 million.

He played in only 25 games last season and his season ended on December 5th due to a lower-body injury. He recorded six goals and added 11 assists.

Pierre LeBrun: There is a $15,000 games played bonus as well for Monahan, so the deal can reach $2 million. If he can stay healthy, he could be trade bait at the deadline.

The Sabres re-signe Zemgus Girgensons

Lance Lysowski: The Buffalo Sabres have signed forward Zemgus Girgensons (pending UFA) to a one-year contract extension with a $2.5 million cap hit.

“They couldn’t offer term like other teams would on the open market, but Girgensons chose to return.”

Mike Harrington: “That said, players like having Girgensons in the room and he was probably thinking this isn’t the time to be jumping off this organization after putting in a decade since he was drafted.”

The Islanders re-sign Samuel Bolduc

Cap Friendly: The New York Islanders signed defenseman Samuel Bolduc to a two-year contract extension with an $800.000 cap hit. He’ll get $800,000 in both years.

The Penguins re-sign Valtteri Puustinen

Puck Pedia: The Pittsburgh Penguins have re-signed forward Valtteri Puustinen to a one-year contract with a $775,000 cap hit. He’ll make $385,000 in the minors. He’s owed an $814,000 qualifying offer next year.

Not much of an update on Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner

Dan Kingerski of Vegas Hockey Now: Vegas Golden GM Kelly McCrimmon on goaltender Robin Lehner, who missed all of last season.

“(Lehner), who I texted back and forth with after the game the other night, he’s had major surgeries. Three of them,” McCrimmon said. “Those are the conversations that our medical team will have with Robin as we move forward and assess where he’s at. We’ll know more about that in a little bit of time.

“I think with respect to (Lehner), our conversation was about the accomplishment the other night. I sure think it’s premature to suggest (retirement). To say much more than that, I don’t have that information.”

It’s possible that Lehner could be an LTIR candidate next year as well.