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Playoff Notes: Tortorella, Miller, Devils

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The Washington Capitals, who have tortured their fans with crushing playoff losses in the past, are a game away from digging out of a 2-0 hole and advancing to the second round. After beating Columbus 4-3 in overtime this afternoon, Washington has a chance to wrap the series up Monday night in Columbus. But it won’t be that easy, writes the Washington Post’s Roman Stubbs, who quotes Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella as saying there will be another game in D.C.:

“We will be back here for Game 7,” he said, before doubling down after another question about how he would prepare his team for the next game. “I won’t have to say a damn word to them. We’ll be back here for Game 7.”

As Stubbs points out, this isn’t the first person to guarantee victory, as the Caps’ Alex Ovechkin vowed that his team would rally from the two game deficit. Last season, Mike Babcock guaranteed a seventh game against the Capitals, but as Stubbs notes, that guarantee “rang hollow.” The Jackets’ bench boss is most likely trying to deflect the pressure that builds after squandering a two game series lead, or as Caps coach Barry Trotz said after hearing of Tortorella’s guarantee: “He wants to get it out there he believes in his team, just as I believe in my team.”

  • J.T. Miller is thriving with the Tampa Bay Lightning and the former Ranger has been a key part in Tampa’s first round success writes Newsday’s Colin Stephenson. With four points in five games, Stephenson reports that being on a line with Steven Stamkos certainly helps his performance, but it’s Miller’s grit and tenacity that has made him so valuable on a team loaded with skill. Whether it’s his work on the ice leading to goals, like his screen of Cory Schneider during Nikita Kucherov’s goal, or his knack to win crucial faceoffs (currently 56% through five games), he’s a guy, according to Tampa Bay head coach Jon Cooper, who “can make plays.”
  • Emily Kaplan of ESPN (Insider Subscription needed) offers a post-mortem of the Devils season and writes that the team has to add some defensive depth as it was a glaring need during the five game loss to the Lightning. She writes that both Sami Vatanen and Will Butcher are great building blocks for a strong defensive corps, but “reinforcements” are needed to get the Devils back into the playoffs and beyond. She also touches on predictions for next season, and what the Devils should do concerning Patrick Maroon and Michael Grabner.

Evening Notes: Hammond, Wild

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The USA Today’s Jace Evans is one of many to write about Colorado netminder Andrew Hammond’s 44-save performance last night that kept the Avalanche alive for another day. Hammond was called into duty after Colorado goalie Jonathan Bernier was lost to injury after Game Four. Hammond burst onto the scene two seasons ago when he backstopped the Ottawa Senators to an unexpected playoff performance after going 20-1-2 in 24 games and boasting a .941 save percentage during that stretch. The Sens were bounced in the first round and Hammond couldn’t replicate that performance following 2014-15, leading to a demotion and eventual trade to Colorado as part of the Matt Duchene deal. Evans quotes the “Hamburglar” as saying you never know when you’re going to get a second chance, and with that bonus opportunity, Hammond turned a lot of heads.

  • The Sporting News’ Brandon Schlager continues, calling it “perfect serendipity” for Hammond to rescue the Avalanche after falling down 3-1 to the defending Western Conference champion Nashville Predators. Schalger uses clips from the game intertwined with description to break down some of Hammond’s biggest saves in the game, and adds that the NHL playoffs are well known for “red-hot” goalies stealing games against teams that should otherwise win in convincing fashion. The Tennessean’s Mike Organ includes a few quotes from Nashville’s Mike Fisher, who thinks it’s as simple as putting the puck where Hammond isn’t in order to break through. While there doesn’t seem to be much worry on Nashville’s side, one has to wonder if the Hamburglar still has some games left to steal.
  • For a litany of reasons, the Minnesota Wild are out of the first round for a third straight season. Chief among them: they didn’t show up for a crucial game five. CBS Sports’ Pete Blackburn cites the poor showing in the deciding game as a reason the Wild need to make serious changes this offseason. Teams are judged by their play when their backs are against the wall, and Blackburn charges the Wild as a squad that “produced a nice, wet, stinky turd.” In addition, the Jets relentless attack, some bad luck, and the strong play of  Connor Hellebuyck doomed the Wild in the series.

Snapshots: Brind’Amour, Provorov, Brodziak

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With the departure of head coach Bill Peters who exercised his opt-out clause and left the team, the Carolina Hurricanes will have to start looking for a head coach along with a new general manager. However, former captain and now assistant coach Rod Brind’Amour has said that he would like the job, according to Chip Alexander of The News & Observer.

Alexander says that Brind’Amour is not publically campaigning for the job, but believes after eight years as an assistant coach, he’s ready to become an NHL head coach.

“If you never try, you’ll never know,” Brind’Amour said Saturday. “The reason for saying ‘why not?’ is I’ve been doing it for eight years and I really believe I can help out one way or the other and see if I can put us over the hump. I don’t think as an assistant I’m going to get any better or learn any more. So now’s the time. … They’re going to find the best guy to do it and if it’s me, that’s great, and if not I understand. But I felt like I could at least step up and see if it could happen.”

Alexander says that Hurricanes’ new owner Tom Dundon likes Brind’Amour, including his work ethic, hockey sense and his ability to relate both to players and management.

  • Philadelphia Flyers general manager Ron Hextall would not give a medical update on defenseman Ivan Provorov, who was injured Friday when he collided with Pittsburgh’s Brian Dumoulin and crashed into thte boards late in the game. It looked as if he injured his shoulder, according to Philly.com’s Sam Carchidi. Provorov’s availability for Game 6 is essential if the Flyers want to force a Game 7. He was critical in shutting down Sidney Crosby by playing a career high 30:07 of playing time Friday and was a key member of the penalty kill. The scribe writes the good news is that Provorov was not wearing a sling on his way to the team bus after the game, but Hextall, who is very secretive likely won’t reveal his status until right before the game.
  • Tom Timmermann of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes that veteran forward Kyle Brodziak’s time with the St. Louis Blues could likely be over. With the influx of multiple prospects and with a likely shakeup of the current roster, the 34-year-old veteran could easily find himself on the open market. With the potential additions of some of their top prospects such as Jordan Kyrou, Robert Thomas, Samuel Blais and the possible return of Robby Fabbri, the team is likely to move on from some of their veterans, including Brodziak and veteran Scottie Upshall, who was in the same boat a year ago, but was brought back when injuries mounted.

Western Notes: Peters, MacLean, Duclair, Niku, Suzuki

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While the rumor that former Carolina Hurricanes head coach Bill Peters is likely headed to Calgary, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that the Dallas Stars had requested permission from Carolina to speak to Peters and did, but has decided that he isn’t a good fit for their coaching vacancy and is the front-runner for the Flames head coaching job. Postmedia’s Wes Gilbertson adds that the Flames were concerned about a better offer from Dallas, but the scribe writes that it is more and more certain the team will hire Peters.

“I’d like to work, I’d like to coach. I hope something is in place soon,” Peters said via Gilbertson.

While Peters was considered to be one of the top coaching prospects when he was hired by Carolina four years ago, he was never able to get them to the playoffs. The hope is that with four years of experience, the coach can take that next step with Calgary, who has a lot of talent and could be ready to make an impact next year.

  • LeBrun also said the Dallas Stars will be patient in their coaching search, but believes that the team will consider former Ottawa Senators head coach Paul MacLean as a candidate. The coach was 114-90-35 in three and a half seasons for Ottawa from 2011-2014. However, LeBrun admits there are many candidates on their coaching list.
  • Corey Snzjdjer of The Athletic (subscription required) writes the Chicago Blackhawks might not be able to retain restricted free agent Anthony Duclair. The 22-year-old acquired in January has a ton of potential, but can’t seem to put up much, in terms of points. He had two goals and six assists in 23 games until he suffered a knee injury that knocked him out for the last 13 games of the year. The scribe writes that because Duclair is on a one-year bridge deal, Chicago would have to match his $1.2MM salary, which might be too high of a price with all the young talent who could be brought in at cheaper salaries, including Vinnie Hinostroza, Victor Ejdsell and Dylan Sikura.
  • The Winnipeg Jets announced they have assigned defenseman Sami Niku to the AHL’s Manitoba Moose. Niku was recalled Thursday as the team was dealing with injuries to defenseman Tyler Myers and then losing defenseman Josh Morrissey to a one-game suspension. Niku, the AHL’s defenseman of the year, would have gone in had Myers been unable to go Friday. Instead, he returns to Manitoba as they begin their playoff series today against the Grand Rapids Griffins.
  • The Vegas Golden Knights have promoted prospect Nick Suzuki from the OHL’s Owen Sound Attack to the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. The 18-year-old prospect was the 13th overall pick in the 2017 draft and put up a 100-point season this year in 64 games for the Attack. He will join another first-rounder in Cody Glass, who was promoted earlier this week and 2017 second-round pick Nicolas Hague, who has been with the team for a couple of weeks. The prospects are just another future line of depth that could conceivably join Vegas next year, assuming they can win spots on the team during training camp.

Ducks Notes: Carlyle, Kesler, Henrique, Bieksa, Eaves, Vermette

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Despite suffering a sweep at the hands of the San Jose Sharks, Anaheim Ducks executive vice president and general manager Bob Murray gave a vote of confidence to coach Randy Carlyle today, according to Mike Coppinger of the Los Angeles Times. However, Murray also said he is looking for changes in the team’s style of play.

The team made the playoffs despite being plagued by injuries. Carlyle, who has coached the team for the past two years after serving previously as the Ducks’ coach for seven years from 2005-2012, had no players who played the full 82-game season. First liners Ryan Kesler only played 44 games, while Ryan Getzlaf only played 54 games. Even Corey Perry missed 11 games due to injury. However, with an aging offense, the team needs to increase its speed if it wants to compete in the same division as the Vegas Golden Knights or the San Jose Sharks.

  • Kesler admitted he struggled trying to get his way back this season after undergoing hip surgery last offseason. He was forced to re-learn how to skate. “Learning how to basically skate again, and coming back behind the eight ball when everybody is in mid-season form and you’re in training camp mode, is hard. It’s not an excuse. I’m way better off now than I was before the surgery.” Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register adds that Kesler lost 20 pounds in the last month to increase his speed. He intends to play at his new weight next season in hopes of lengthening his career. Kesler, originally listed at 202 pounds, will be needed to return to full form next season if they want to continue with their playoff success. He is locked up for another three years at $8.625MM with a no movement clause.
  • Center Adam Henrique, who the team acquired back in November, has said he is interested in signing an extension with the team this offseason. The 28-year-old scored 20 goals in 57 games with the Ducks and 24 total goals. He has one more year at $4MM and is eligible for an extension on July 1.
  • Veteran defenseman Kevin Bieksa didn’t leave the team on a positive note, suggesting that despite having a ruptured tendon in his finger, it was “very disappointing” that he didn’t get more playing time in the team’s playoff series. The 36-year-old played in just one game against the Sharks. “It didn’t turn out to be a good-looking decision,” said Bieksa. He will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
  • Stephens added veteran winger Patrick Eaves, who had surgery on his shoulder in March, will be ready this fall with an October timeline. Eaves, who scored 32 goals between Anaheim and Dallas last year, played in just two games this season.
  • Antoine Vermette says he believes he has more hockey left in him. The 35-year-old will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason. He said he will discuss his situation with his family about whether he will return next season. “I’ve never been in this situation. I’ll take my time to kind of see what we want to do here,” said Vermette about his uncertain offseason.
  • The Ducks also announced that Hampus Lindholm, Rickard Rakell and Korbinian Holzer will each play for their respective countries in the 2018 IIHF World Championships.

 

Minnesota Wild GM Chuck Fletcher May Not Get Extension

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After suffering a embarrassing 5-0 defeat Friday that knocked the Minnesota Wild from the first-round of the playoffs, there is likely to be consequences going forward. At least that’s what The Athletic’s Mike Russo (subscription required) writes, suggesting that general manager Chuck Fletcher’s job may not have the security it did a couple of weeks ago. The GM is in the last year of his deal and is awaiting a contract extension.

For the third consecutive season, the Wild have exited after the first-round and have lost 16 of their last 20 playoff games, suggesting that Fletcher may not have assembled the right players meant to sustain a run throughout the playoffs. Granted, Fletcher has done a lot of good in Minnesota. His team’s have reached the playoffs for six straight seasons and the team has reached 100 points in three of the last four seasons. On top of that, key injuries have hampered this year’ playoff hopes, including losses to defensemen Ryan Suter and most recently Zach Parise.

Russo wrote a story 10 days ago, suggesting owner Craig Leipold felt Fletcher deserved an extension and was ready to extend Fletcher after the playoffs, but Russo now says he’s heard that Leipold might be rethinking that.

Much could have to do with recent moves over the last year. One major blunder that is often pointed out is that the Vegas Golden Knights walked away with two top-six forwards from the expansion draft in Erik Haula and Alex Tuch so the Wild could protect some of their younger defensemen. Both players are starting on the Golden Knights’ second line on a team that has advanced farther than Minnesota recently in just one year of existence, thanks in part to the performances of those two players. Haula, who had 15 goals and 11 assists last year in Minnesota, broke out for a 29-goal, 55-point season in Vegas, while the 20-year-old Tuch had 15 goals and 22 assists in his rookie campaign.

Last season at the trade deadline, the team sent their 2017 first-round pick to Arizona for rentals Martin Hanzal and Ryan White, neither of which made much of an impact for the team’s playoff fortunes that year. The team also traded Jason Pominville and Marco Scandella for Marcus Foligno and Tyler Ennis in the offseason. Foligno produced one of his worst NHL season with just eight goals, while Ennis was a healthy scratch four out of five times in the playoffs and is a buyout candidate this summer at $4.6MM. Other deals, including signing defenseman Kyle Quincey and then quickly burying him in the AHL (although he never played a game there) after just 18 games.

The franchise will likely take a few days before making any decisions on their management.

 

NHL Announces Bill Masterton Trophy Finalists for 2017-18

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The NHL announced the New Jersey Devils’ Brian Boyle, Florida Panthers’ Roberto Luongo and Carolina Hurricanes’ Jordan Staal as the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy finalists Saturday for the 2017-18 season. The award is voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association nominate players who “best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.” The winner will be announced June 20 during the 2018 NHL Awards in Las Vegas.

Boyle has received quite a lot of exposure already after being diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia, a type of bone marrow cancer at the start of training camp this season. The 33-year-old returned to the Devils on Nov. 1 and put up 10 goals in his first 25 games and 13 goals and 23 points in 69 games for the season as a bottom line center for the playoff-bound Devils. He also represented New Jersey at the 2018 all-star game.

Luongo, who has dealt with both hand and groin injuries at age 39 and still produced a solid season with the Panthers. He still played 35 games, picking up 18 wins with a 2.47 GAA and a .929 save percentage. He made an emotional speech on Feb. 22 prior to the game addressing the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, honoring the victims.

Staal put up a solid season despite dealing with family tragedy. In late February, Staal and his wife, Heather, announced their daughter Hannah was delivered stillborn due to a terminal birth defect and only missed three games. Staal put up 19 goals and 27 assists this year. The 29-year-old skated in his 800th game and scored his 200th goal this season.

 

Injury Updates: Bergeron, Wennberg, Oshie

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One game after he was inexplicably a late scratch due to a lingering injury, it appears that Boston Bruins star Patrice Bergeron is feeling better. The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa not only reports that Bergeron was a full participant in the team’s morning skate, but that he skated in his regular spot on the first line and first power play unit. Head coach Bruce Cassidy told the media that he anticipates that Bergeron will play in Game Five, as the series returns to Boston with a chance for the Bruins to advance. While Riley Nash filled in admirably for Bergeron, as he has all season, the return of arguably the best defensive forward in hockey history could be the death knell of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

  • In a crucial Game Five in Washington, the Columbus Blue Jackets are also hoping to get a key center back in the lineup. The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline feels there is a “strong indication” that Alexander Wennberg will be back for the Jackets after being knocked out of the first game of the series by Capitals head-hunter Tom Wilson. Portzline adds that head coach John Tortorella will address the media about an hour and half ahead of puck drop and would then confirm Wennberg’s return. Portzline believes that Sonny Milano would be the man to sit if Wennberg is ready to go.
  • After missing two of the final three regular season games for the Capitals, it appears T.J. Oshie is still not over his lower-body injury. Oshie has been active and effective in every game of Washington’s first-round series, but the Washington Post’s Isabelle Khurshudyan reports that Oshie has been playing through injury and has been missing practices and morning skates all series long. While head coach Barry Trotz and Oshie’s teammates appreciate his sacrifice, there should be concern that it will catch up to the talented forward. Unfortunately, the Capitals-Blue Jackets series is knotted up at two games apiece and has been extremely competitive, not allowing Oshie any flexibility to sit for a game. If the series runs seven games deep, an extra day of rest seems unlikely as well. If Washington is fortunate enough to advance, Oshie may struggle to keep up his level of play in the next round.

Devils Close To Deal With Defenseman Yegor Yakovlev

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Another team eyeing overseas talent this off-season is one whose off-season has yet to begin. Russian news source Sport-Express reports that SKA St. Petersburg defenseman Yegor Yakovlev is planning to sign with the New Jersey Devils. It seems that GM Ray Shero and company have stayed busy on the talent acquisition front for next season, despite the team still being focused on their first-round playoff series.

Yakovlev, 26, is yet another talented member of KHL powerhouse SKA. Teammates like Ilya Kovalchuk, Nikita Gusev, Sergei Plotnikov, and Mikko Koskinen are among many on the roster who could sign in the NHL this summer, but Yakovlev seems to be closest to a concrete deal. Yakovlev lost games due to injury in 2017-18, but last season set career highs with 21 points and a +30 rating in 56 games. He made up for some missed time this year with a strong showing for Russia at the Olympics as well, skating on the team’s top pair. A high-energy two-way defenseman, Yakovlev certainly appears to have the talent to push for a regular role in the NHL.

Where exactly he fits in New Jersey is a different question. The Devils surprised many this season by earning a playoff berth just one season after finishing near the bottom of the league. Part of that turnaround has been the improved play on the blue line, greatly aided by the additions of Sami Vatanen and Will Butcher. On the left side, where Yakovlev plays, New Jersey has Butcher, captain Andy Greene, and – for now – John Moore. While admittedly it’s not as strong as the right side of Vatanen, Damon Severson, Ben Lovejoy, and seventh-man Steve Santini, it’s still a solid group and a consistent one at that, with all three playing in 81 games this year. Even if Moore, an impending unrestricted free agent, was to leave the Devils, Mirco Mueller is a promising lefty in need of some play time. While healthy competition never hurts, it certainly seems like Yakovlev is signing on to a situation where he won’t be guaranteed a starting job without earning it.

Coyotes To Sign Defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin

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With the KHL season over, there continue to be numerous rumors connecting foreign free agents, young and old, with interested NHL teams. Trusted European hockey insider Igor Eronko of NHL.com says that Lokomotiv Yaroslavl defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin is next up. Eronko relays the message that Lyubushkin is set to sign with the Arizona Coyotes.

While no terms of the deal have leaked yet, the 24-year-old Lyubushkin seems to be more of gamble on upside for the Coyotes rather than a player expected to start immediately without issue. The contract will most likely be for relatively little money and may even be of a two-way nature. In 2017-18, Lyubushkin tallied just nine points in 50 games, which was fifth among Lokomotiv defenseman. The stay-at-home defender was more effective in his own zone, posting a +14 rating, but even this was fourth on the team. Lyubushkin’s only noticeable lead on Yarolslavl was in penalty minutes, where he was tops by a wide margin due to his propensity for the physical side of the game.

What the Coyotes likely see in Lyubushkin is a strong, young blue liner who already has extensive pro experience, with five years with Lokomotiv under his belt. A right-shot defenseman under 25 with that much experience doesn’t hit free agency very often and Arizona likely hopes that his more conservative games translates well to the NHL. They could use him sooner rather than later, as Luke Schenn’s free agency leaves only Jason Demers as a right shot on the Arizona back end. Even in the AHL, there are no better righty options to step in than Lyubushkin, as only college free agent Jordan Gross – a similar style player to Lyubushkin – looks ready to play at the pro level. Of course, this situation could all change this off-season in free agency or if the ’Yotes land elite defenseman Adam Boqvist in the draft (though they would of course prefer lefty Rasmus Dahlin), but for now Lyubushkin looks to be a sleeper pick to fill a regular role with Arizona in the next year or so.

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