If he wants to remain part of the Edmonton Oilers organization, Burnaby’s Joey LaLeggia has an opportunity to do so.
The NHL club made the former Burnaby Winter Club defenceman a qualifying offer prior to Monday’s deadline for restricted free agents (RFA).
Although LaLeggia’s expiring contract called for a NHL annual average value of $925,000 for salary cap purposes, his base NHL salary was $832,000. The Oilers had to offer LaLeggia 105 per cent of the base salary, $874,125, to retain his rights, according to the CapFriendly website.
However, LaLeggia has yet to suit up for a National Hockey League game. His two-way contract called for a minor-league salary of $70,000. LaLeggia has spent the last two seasons playing for Edmonton’s American Hockey League affiliate in Bakersfield, California. He had 20 goals and 38 points for the Condors in 2016-17 and eight goals and 27 points the previous season.
The undersized defenceman (five-foot-10) was selected by the Oilers in the fifth round, 123rd overall, of the 2012 draft. After playing bantam for BWC and midget for the Vancouver Northwest Giants, LaLeggia played for the Penticton Vees of the B.C. Junior Hockey League before moving on to a four-year career at the University of Denver where he racked up 49 goals and 131 points in 156 games.
Another BWC Bruins blueline product is in for a much bigger payday than LaLeggia. Karl Alzner, who grew up in west Burnaby next to Cascade Heights Elementary School, is an unrestricted free agent, and his services are in high demand.
Alzner is coming off a four-year, $11.2-million deal with the Washington Capitals that could be considered undervalued for the services he provided. Alzner has become one of the best shutdown defenceman in the NHL. His AAV of $2.8 million is well under the $4 to 6 million similar defencemen of his ilk earn.
UFA’s were eligible to talk to other teams, although they can’t negotiate salary, this week. They can start signing on Twitter reports by sports media indicate he’s been contacted by many teams including the Vancouver Canucks. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported the Montreal Canadiens are among the teams Alzner will visit this week.
Alzner played every regular season game for the Capitals during the contract extending his consecutive games played streak to 532, the 18th longest in NHL history. However, he did miss six of the Caps’ 13 Stanley Cup playoff games this season due to an upper-body injury suffered early in Washington’s first-round series with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Washington selected Alzner fifth overall in the 2007 draft. He played four seasons for the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League before becoming a pro. He has played 591 games for the Capitals scoring 19 goals and 117 regular-season points while compiling only 117 penalty minutes. He has three goals, 11 points and 16 penalty minutes in 64 playoff games.
