Snapshots: Islanders, Las Vegas, Ekblad
News and notes around the NHL tonight:
- The New York Islanders hired former player Claude Loiselle as Hockey Operations Consultant today. Loiselle held the same position with the Arizona Coyotes last year. As a player, Loiselle netted 92G and 117A in 616 games for the Detroit Red Wings, New Jersey Devils, Toronto Maple Leafs, Quebec Nordiques, and New York Islanders. He has also held numerous management positions around the NHL after retiring, including Assistant GM positions with the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Loiselle faced criticism during his Toronto stint, however, stemming from claims of cap mismanagement and responsibility for the much-maligned David Clarkson contract.
- The Las Vegas NHL Expansion Team hired Vince Williams as a professional scout today. Normally scout hirings are not news, but the new Las Vegas team will have the almost-Herculean task of assembling a farm system from scratch. Williams previously coached the ECHL Orlando Bears before being let go in 2015.
- Team North America GM Peter Chiarelli confirmed this evening that Aaron Ekblad suffered a concussion against Finland and will not play for the remainder of the tournament. Ekblad was pulled hours before Team North America’s games last night against Team Russia with an undisclosed upper body injury. It is believed that the young defenseman suffered the concussion after being hit by Leo Komarov.
Anaheim Ducks Invite Four More Players To Training Camp
The Anaheim Ducks released their training camp roster today, and four more unsigned players received invitations. Antoine Laganiere, Kyle MacKinnon, Scott Sabourin and Nick Tarnasky all received PTOs. The Ducks open camp on Friday September 23rd. The players will join already confirmed David Booth, Yann Danis, and Sean Bergenheim.
Antoine Laganiere is an undrafted forward who played four years for Yale University before spending the next three years with the Norfolk Admirals and San Diego Gulls of the AHL. Last season Laganiere scored 16G and 16A in 57 games for the Gulls, and could crack a roster spot at some point this year with the Ducks.
Kyle MacKinnon is an undrafted American centerman who played four years for Providence College—including captaining the team in 2010-11—before signing with the St. John IceCaps of the AHL. Last year MacKinnon netted 3G and 3A in 11 games for the San Diego Gulls.
Scott Sabourin is an undrafted right winger who scored 30G and 20A in 65 games for the Oshawa Generals of the OHL in 2012-13. Last year he bounced from the Ontario Reign to the Iowa Wild of the AHL with a stop in the ECHL with the Manchester Monarch.
Nick Tarnasky was drafted 287th overall in 2003 by the Tampa Bay Lightning, and has made NHL appearances with the Lightning, Nashville Predators, and Florida Panthers. The Canadian forward last played in the NHL in 2009-10, scoring 1G and 2A in 31 games for the Panthers. Tarnasky has spent the rest of his career in the AHL—and a year in the KHL with Vityaz Chekhov—and is looking for one last shot at the NHL. The 31 year-old netted 15G and 5A in 59 games for the AHL Hartford Wolfpack last season.
Keep track of all the training camp invites with our Training Camp Invite Tracker.
East Notes: Kessel, Daley, Pulkkinen, Mueller, Ekblad
Penguins right winger Phil Kessel and defenseman Trevor Daley are both on track in their recovery from injuries sustained in the postseason, writes Bill West of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Kessel had hand surgery back in July and isn’t expected to participate in much (if any) preseason action but anticipates he’ll be ready when the puck drops to start the season:
“I’ll obviously be out there skating in camp. I’ll progress as it goes. But I’ll be ready to start the first game of the year. … (The hand) feels a lot better now than it did last year.”
As for Daley, who broke his ankle in the Eastern Conference Finals, he has been training hard on the ankle for the last three or four weeks. He’s set to begin his first full season with Pittsburgh after being acquired from Chicago last December.
More from the Eastern Conference:
- Red Wings right winger Teemu Pulkkinen has been cleared for contact following shoulder surgery back in June, notes MLive’s Ansar Khan. Pulkkinen struggled in his first full NHL campaign last season, spending a lot of time as a healthy scratch. He got into just 36 games, recording six goals and six assists, a disappointment considering he had scored just over a point per game in the AHL. The 24 year old is hoping to be able to get into a couple of games towards the end of the preseason with the hoping of being available for Detroit’s season opener. His recovery appears to be well ahead of schedule as he was originally expected to miss 4-6 months.
- Forward Peter Mueller, who is attending training camp on a PTO, is open to signing an AHL contract, reports WEEI’s DJ Bean. The willingness to play in the minors hasn’t always been there as two years ago Mueller requested his release after training camp with St. Louis, who had planned to send him to their AHL affiliate. Last season, Mueller played with Malmo of the SHL, picking up 13 goals and 12 assists in 43 games. His positional versatility could come in handy for the Bruins as Mueller has spent time at all three forward positions in recent years.
- The Panthers have decided to bring Aaron Ekblad back to Florida, which all but confirms that he will miss the remainder of the World Cup of Hockey, tweets Harvey Fialkov of the Sun Sentinel. Ekblad, who was on Team North America, missed Monday’s game due to an upper body injury. Still with North America’s back end, Columbus defenseman Ryan Murray missed practice today but is expected to play tomorrow vs Sweden, reports ESPN’s Craig Custance.
2016 Season Preview: San Jose Sharks
As the NHL season is now less than a month away, we continue our look at each team’s offseason and preview the upcoming year. Today, we focus on the San Jose Sharks.
Last Season: 46-30-6 record (98 points), 3rd in the Pacific Division. Defeated Los Angeles 4-1 in Round 1. Defeated Nashville 4-3 in Round 2. Defeated St. Louis 4-2 in Round 3. Lost to Pittsburgh 4-2 in the Stanley Cup Final.
Remaining Cap Space: $378K as per Cap Friendly
Key Newcomers: G Mantis Armalis (free agency, Djurgardens, SHL), LW Mikkel Boedker (free agency, Colorado), D David Schlemko (free agency, New Jersey)
Key Departures: D Roman Polak (free agency, Toronto), G James Reimer (free agency, Florida), C Nick Spaling (free agency, Geneve-Servette, NLA), D Matt Tennyson (free agency, Carolina), C Dainius Zubrus (free agency, unsigned)
[Related: Sharks Depth Chart from Roster Resource]
Player to Watch: C Logan Couture – 2015-16 was a tale of two seasons for Couture. He missed a big chunk of the season due a fractured fibula while also missing time due to an arterial leg bleed. When he was in the lineup, he didn’t produce close to the level that the Sharks expected from one of their top players; he posted his lowest points per game average since his rookie season.
Then the playoffs came around and the proverbial switch was flicked. He became arguably San Jose’s most dangerous player in the postseason, leading the entire league in assists (20) and points (30 – six ahead of the second highest point getter, teammate Brent Burns). That strong performance helped earn him a spot on Team Canada’s roster for the World Cup of Hockey.
Which Couture will the Sharks get this season? Their team is already strong in terms of their forward and scoring depth but they showed how dangerous they can be when Couture finds that extra gear and becomes a legitimate top line player. If he can even come close to his postseason play, he can give them another dimension offensively.
Key Storyline: In recent years, teams have acted quickly to try to avoid having their top players head into a season with free agency looming over their heads. That’s not exactly the case with San Jose who have three top players all entering their walk years – forwards Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton as well as defenseman Brent Burns.
Some believe the team may look to move on from Thornton and Marleau in an effort to get younger and save some money but at some point during the season, the question of whether or not the team should either sign them or trade them to avoid losing them for nothing is sure to come up.
Burns is a different case. He projects to be the top defenseman (and arguably the top player) on the market and San Jose undoubtedly will want to lock him up. Will they push to get something done early; are they comfortable negotiating in-season? How much would it cost? Or, are they prepared to let him go to the market next July? We saw the fanfare surrounding Steven Stamkos last season as he played out the last year of his deal. While Burns won’t generate quite that much hype, his contract status is going to be a looming question and story to follow throughout the season.
Snapshots: Morrow, Cervenka, Outdoor Games, Jordan
Boston’s decision to focus more on youth on their back end this offseason has given defenseman Joe Morrow the best opportunity he has had to make an impact on the Bruins, writes CSN New England’s Joe Haggerty. Haggerty adds that the commitment to getting younger was a factor in their decision to buy out Dennis Seidenberg back in June.
Morrow was acquired by the Bruins as part of the Tyler Seguin trade two summers ago and is the only player acquired in the deal that is still with Boston today. He played in a career high 33 games last season (recording seven points) but still spent considerable time as a healthy scratch.
Despite being just 23, Morrow is in his third organization and this could potentially be his last chance with Boston. He’s eligible for waivers if they try to send him down and if he fails to take a step forward into more of a regular role with the team, it’s plausible to think that they’ll be inclined to try someone else in his place before too long.
Elsewhere around the hockey world:
- Former Calgary Flame Roman Cervenka is open to returning to the NHL next season, notes Eric Francis of the Calgary Sun. The 30 year old was lured out of the KHL in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season but didn’t live up to expectations, recording 17 points and a -13 rating in 39 games. The following offseason, Cervenka signed back in Russia and has since moved on to the Czech League (where he led the league in scoring last season) and the Swiss NLA this season where he is playing on a one year deal. Cervenka acknowledged to Francis that his age and struggles with the English language could make a return for 2017-18 much more of a challenge. A strong season in Switzerland could get him back on the NHL radar and add to an international free agent class that is expected to feature Russian forwards Evgeni Dadonov and Vadim Shipachev.
- The Senators remain interested in hosting a Heritage Classic game in December of 2017 but aren’t interested at this time in looking at TD Place (a football stadium) as a backup plan to their goal to host the game on Parliament Hill, reports Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun. The Sens met with government officials last month and have also been in consultation with the league on the logistics of building a temporary rink on the Hill. The game projects to be part of Canada’s 150th birthday celebrations while it would also line up with Ottawa’s 25th anniversary of returning to the NHL. It’s believed that their preference for an opponent should they land the outdoor game is the Montreal Canadiens.
- UFA defenseman Michal Jordan has received multiple two-way contract offers including one from Carolina, tweets NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti. However, Jordan isn’t interested in a two-way deal at this stage of his career. The 26 year old played in 36 games with Carolina last season and has a total of 79 NHL games under his belt over the last three seasons, all with the Hurricanes. Jordan is currently suiting up for the Czech Republic at the World Cup of Hockey.
Avalanche Invite Jiri Tlusty To Training Camp
The Colorado Avalanche continue to add veteran forward depth for their training camp as Jiri Tlusty is listed on their official training camp roster as an PTO invite.
Tlusty is coming off a rough season with New Jersey, scoring just two goals and two assists in 30 games while missing significant time due to a wrist injury. He also spent time as a healthy scratch as he struggled to earn a regular role in the bottom six for the Devils. Tlusty earned $800K last season and if he’s able to parlay this tryout into a contract, he’ll likely earn somewhere around that amount again this year.
However, the 28 year old had put up four straight seasons of 30 points or more heading into last year so there is still some offensive upside. In his career, Tlusty has played for four different teams including Carolina, Toronto, Winnipeg, and the Devils. He has 446 games of NHL experience under his belt, tallying 89 goals and 88 assists.
Tlusty is the third invite up front for the Avalanche, joining wingers Gabriel Bourque and Rene Bourque as veterans looking to earn a spot at the end of the roster.
[Related: Avalanche Depth Chart]
Many veterans have already taken tryout deals and there are more expected leading into the beginning of camps later this week. Keep track of who is trying out where with our Invite Tracker.
Blackhawks Discussing Extension With Artemi Panarin
The Chicago Blackhawks and Artemi Panarin’s agent Tom Lynn have been in discussions regarding a contract extension, reports the Chicago Tribune’s Chris Kuc. The 24 year old left winger is entering the second and final year of his entry-level contract signed last offseason with an AAV of $3.5MM including bonuses (which he hit last season).
Panarin is coming off a very strong rookie campaign, posting 30 goals and 47 assists in 80 games, ranking him second on the team in scoring behind Hart Trophy (league MVP) winner Patrick Kane. He also finished tied for ninth overall in league-wide scoring which helped earn him the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s Rookie of the Year.
Speaking through an interpreter, Panarin commented on talks and the thought of staying with Chicago long-term:
“I came to play on the NHL level not because of money and contracts,” Panarin said via an interpreter. “My agent will deal with the rest. As of right now, I like everything and … I’m very content.”
Scott Powers of The Athletic reports that Panarin is seeking a 6-7 year contract with a cap hit between $6MM – $7MM. Last week, our Glen Miller took a look at what the market might be, offering up Filip Forsberg and Vladimir Tarasenko as potential comparable players depending on how Panarin’s sophomore season goes.
Chicago GM Stan Bowman will have to get creative with his roster to find a way to fit Panarin in on an extension. The team currently has 11 players signed for 2017-18 with a cap hit just shy of $58MM according to Cap Friendly. While the salary cap for next season won’t be set until June, based on recent years the increase won’t be that dramatic which means they will likely have to move someone out to make the money work.
Extension Candidate: Brent Burns
While the opening of the 2017 free agent period is still over nine months away, many teams will be looking to discuss new contracts with players whose contracts expire next July 1st to see if they can come to terms on an extension now.
One player that San Jose will undoubtedly be planning to try to get an extension done with is defenseman Brent Burns. Since being moved back to the blueline following the 2013-14 campaign, Burns has quickly become one of the most dominant defensemen in the NHL and he stands to become an unrestricted free agent after 2016-17.
2015-16
Last season was a banner year across the board for the 31 year old. Not only did he set career highs across the board offensively, he also logged 25:52 of action per game, the highest average in his career. Burns played in all 82 games for the second straight year, scoring 27 goals and 48 assists; his 75 points ranked second amongst all NHL blueliners. For his efforts, he was named to the NHL’s Second All-Star Team and finished third in Norris Trophy voting.
His strong play carried over into the postseason as he played at a point per game average while playing on the top pairing. In 24 games, he tallied seven goals and 17 assists in 25:07 of ice time per contest as the Sharks reached the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in franchise history. His strong play earned him a spot on Team Canada for the World Cup of Hockey.
Statistics
2015-16: 82 GP, 27 goals, 48 assists, 75 points, -5 rating, 53 PIMS, 353 shots on goal
Career: 797 GP, 141 goals, 282 assists, 423 points, -1 rating, 531 PIMS, 1,919 shots on goal
The Market
Blues Notes: Shattenkirk, Sobotka, Perron
While defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk remains in St. Louis, there were discussions about moving him to Edmonton in exchange for Taylor Hall in the offseason, reports Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. However, Shattenkirk was unwilling to sign a contract extension as part of the agreement which nixed the trade. Hall, meanwhile, was later dealt to New Jersey in exchange for blueliner Adam Larsson.
With no trade on the horizon, Shattenkirk will now be asked to fill a leadership role with the Blues after being named one of four alternate captains last month. Head coach Ken Hitchcock isn’t worried about all the rumors being any sort of distraction:
“We talked about, ‘Can he put everything behind him to become a leader? Where things go at the end of the year is out of our reach as a coaching staff. But we need to know how locked in you are … and he said he’s very locked in and wants to have a hell of a year. That’s when we put him in the leadership position.”
As a pending UFA following the season, Shattenkirk acknowledges the questions will be there throughout the season unless a trade or extension gets worked out:
“This is something that I think is going to go on all year, it’s always a story that people are going to run with. But for me, I can only control what I do on the ice and if I’m giving 100 percent out there, whatever happens, happens. I can control it to a certain point, but if something is going to go down, it’s going to go down.”
Shattenkirk is set to earn $4.25MM this season and is expected to receive a sizable raise on his next deal.
Other news out of St. Louis:
- There appears to be no immediate resolution to the Vladimir Sobotka saga with both the Blues and Avangard Omsk claiming they have a valid contract for him for this season. Jeff Gordon, also of the Post-Dispatch, opines that one way or another, the process has dragged on far enough and that an answer needs to be given shortly. GM Doug Armstrong kept enough room under the salary cap to be able to fit in his $2.725MM deal but Gordon notes that the team will likely want to make a move to take his place should Sobotka remain in the KHL.
- David Perron, who started his career in St. Louis, told Jose de Jesus Ortiz of the Post-Dispatch that he kept in touch with Hitchcock over the last few years and that they’d often meet for a half an hour or longer each time Perron’s teams (Edmonton, Pittsburgh, and Anaheim) came to town. Those talks likely played a role in their decision to bring Perron back on a two year, $7.5MM contract in July. Perron is expected to play a top six role for the Blues after the team lost David Backes to Boston and Troy Brouwer to Calgary in free agency.
Eric Gryba Signs PTO With Edmonton
September 21: The Oilers officially confirmed the PTO via their Twitter account.
September 20: Eric Gryba‘s time with the Edmonton Oilers isn’t up just yet. The unrestricted free agent defenseman has agreed to attend their training camp on a PTO deal, reports TSN’s Ryan Rishaug.
Gryba was acquired by the Oilers back in June of 2015 from the Senators. He played in 53 games with Edmonton last season, recording a goal and five assists with 75 penalty minutes. Gryba also logged 17:53 of ice time per night, his highest average since his rookie season. For his career, he has played in 218 games with Edmonton and Ottawa, scoring five goals while adding 30 assists and 262 PIMS.
Last month, Gryba noted that he had tryout offers from three different teams but was still hoping to get an offer from the Oilers. He earned $1.3MM in salary last season and presumably will have to take a pay cut if he earns a guaranteed deal after training camp.
Gryba may have a harder time landing a spot on their roster compared to last year. The team acquired Adam Larsson from New Jersey back in June while youngsters such as Brandon Davidson, Darnell Nurse, and Griffin Reinhart are all expected to push for bigger roles this season. What will work in Gryba’s favor is that he is a right shooting blueliner, something the Oilers are lacking beyond Larsson and veteran Mark Fayne.
[Related: Oilers Depth Chart]
Over 30 NHL veterans have already taken tryout deals and there are more expected in the days ahead. Keep track of who is trying out where with our Invite Tracker.