Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Archives for September 2016

Snapshots: Seguin, Kucherov, Lundqvist

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Tyler Seguin has tallied better than a point-per-game in each of the last three seasons as the Stars #1 center and has also totaled 107 goals during that time. It would seem foolhardy to move the skilled pivot to any other position but Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News thinks the idea might have some merit.

In a recent chat, Heika fielded a question on Seguin and suggested he will be watching the six-year veteran to see how he plays at RW for Team Canada at the World Cup. With 11 natural pivots on the Canadian roster, several centers obviously will be forced into duty on the wing and it appears Seguin will be among those. Heika feels if Seguin performs well on the wing it might prompt the Stars to move him off the center position and elevate Cody Eakin into a more prominent role.

Eakin scored 16 goals and 35 points in 82 games for the Stars in 2015-16, while averaging nearly 16 1/2 minutes of ice time per contest. It was the third straight campaign Eakin recorded at least 16 goals and 35 points. Jason Spezza, fresh off a 33-goal, 63-point performance, is also likely slated to fill a slot on the top two lines giving the Stars plenty of depth at the center position.

It’s worth noting that Dallas also boasts plenty of offensive talent elsewhere among the forward group, meaning the club has no real need to move Seguin to the wing. The Stars recently inked Jiri Hudler to a one-year deal and he will join Jamie Benn, Patrick Sharp, Ales Hemsky, Valeri Nichushkin and Mattias Janmark in giving Dallas all kinds of options on the wing. Time will tell, of course, but the ability to role out Seguin, Spezza and Eakin, in that order, gives the Stars a strong group of pivots and one few teams can match in terms of talent. It simply wouldn’t make much sense to break that unit up.

Elsewhere in the NHL:

  • Even though RFA RW Nikita Kucherov remains unsigned, Tampa Bay GM Steve Yzerman remains confident a deal will get done prior to the 2016-17 season kicking off, as Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times writes. There is no understating how critical Kucherov is to the success of the Lightning, particularly given how good he has been in the playoffs. Kucherov has contributed 21 goals and 41 points in 43 postseason games over the last two seasons, helping the Lightning to a Stanley Cup Finals berth in 2014-15 and an Eastern Conference Finals appearance this season. He’s also posted seasons of 66 and 65 points over the last two regular seasons. The Lightning are in a bit of a pinch in terms of the salary cap with just less than $6.3MM in space remaining and only 12 forwards, six defensemen and two goalies under contract. Smith points out that Filip Forsberg and Vladimir Tarasenko, two players he identifies as possible comparable cases, each signed deals recently that come with annual cap charges of $6MM and $7.5MM respectively. Given the situation, it’s plausible the Lightning will have to make a trade to clear some cap space if that’s the range Kucherov is looking to land in, and Smith singled out Ben Bishop, Valtteri Filppula and Jason Garrison as players the team could look to move if necessary.
  • Despite stories – including this one which is in Swedish, and this one – suggesting New York Rangers superstar goalie Henrik Lundqvist had sustained an injury while golfing, Larry Brooks of the New York Post reassures the team’s fans that “the King” is just fine. Brooks tweet does indicate that Lundqvist took a puck to the ribs and is “sore” but it’s nothing to be concerned about. Of course any rumor regarding Lundqvist’s health is sure to grab the attention of Rangers fans everywhere. “Hank,” has been the backbone of the team since he debuted all the way back in the 2005-06 season and the five-time Vezina finalist gives the Blueshirts a chance to compete every year. If he were to miss significant time due to injury, the Rangers playoff chances would drop considerably.

 

Free Agent Notes: Tanguay, Bernier

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Free agent left winger Alex Tanguay isn’t quite ready to hang up the skates yet, writes Marc-Antoine Godin of La Presse (link is in French).  Tanguay’s agent, David Ettedgui, told Godin that there are two or three teams interested in his services but that he is looking for the right offer financially.  That would suggest that Tanguay is not likely interested in a PTO at this time.

The 36 year old split last season between the Avalanche and Coyotes, scoring eight goals while adding 27 assists in 70 games; his 35 points lead all remaining unrestricted free agents.  Tanguay accomplished that while battling through a lower body issue for most of the year, one that he is reportedly now recovered from.  We took a closer look at his situation back in July.

Tanguay, a Quebec native, reportedly expressed an interest in playing with his hometown Canadiens back in July.  He spent one year with the team back in 2008-09 before leaving to play in Tampa Bay the following summer.  However, at this time, Montreal is not among the teams that have shown an interest in signing him.

For his career, Tanguay has suited up in 1,088 NHL games with Colorado, Calgary, Montreal, Tampa Bay, and Arizona, recording 283 goals and 580 assists.  He currently ranks 14th in all-time points among active NHL players.

Godin also provided an update on UFA winger Steve Bernier.  His agent, Phillipe Lecavalier, reports that no fewer than seven teams have expressed an interest in him so far.  Bernier played a sparing role with the Islanders last season, playing in just 24 games, notching a goal and five assists.  He also suited up in six playoff contests, being held off the scoresheet.  However, he’s only one year removed from a 16 goal, 32 point campaign with the Devils.

The fact that there is no deal done at this time despite the fact that many teams expressing an interest suggests that no team has offered more than a PTO to the 31 year old at this point.  Bernier is no stranger to waiting to secure a tryout deal as that’s how he wound up with the Islanders last year, parlaying a September tryout into a one year contract.

Metropolitan Notes: Halak, Greiss, Devils

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Here are the latest news and notes from the Metropolitan Division:

  • Islanders goaltender Jaroslav Halak is fully recovered from the groin injury he suffered late last season that caused him to miss the entire postseason, writes Newsday’s Arthur Staple. Not only is he back to full health, he has been skating for the last five weeks.  He should be ready to reclaim the starting job for the Islanders and battle with Toronto’s Frederik Andersen (who is expected to play despite leaving an Olympic qualifying game Friday due to injury) for the top spot on Team Europe’s entry into the World Cup of Hockey.
  • More from Staple, he spoke with Islanders netminder Thomas Greiss about his decision not to suit up for Germany in this week’s Olympic qualifying tournament. Greiss noted that it would be difficult to jump into games without a training camp which is why he passed on the opportunity to suit up.  He will, however, be a part of Team Europe for the World Cup, likely as the third string goalie despite a very strong playoff effort where he posted a 2.46 GAA and a .923 SV% in 11 games.
  • Count New Jersey goalie Cory Schneider as a fan of the Devils’ moves this offseason, as NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti notes. “Ray (Shero) has done a good job of clearing out some older guys. You loved playing with all of those guys, but he wanted to make us younger and faster, and I think he’s been doing that.”  The team ranked dead last in goal scoring last year, averaging just 2.22 per game but have added some extra scoring depth in Vernon Fiddler and Beau Bennett while also bringing in a legitimate top line threat in Taylor Hall.  While the team lost Adam Larsson in the Hall deal, Schneider believes the offensive improvements should be enough to help vault New Jersey back into the playoff hunt, especially as they continue to shift towards more of a speed-based attack.

Radko Gudas, Tomas Hertl To Miss World Cup

at CDT | by 3 Comments

The injuries keep piling up for the Czech Republic in advance of the World Cup of Hockey as both Philadelphia defenseman Radko Gudas and San Jose forward Tomas Hertl will not play as first reported by hokej.cz’s Vaclav Jachin (link in Czech).  Gudas is dealing with a wrist injury while Hertl still hasn’t recovered from the knee injury that forced him out of the lineup in the Stanley Cup Final back in June.

Gudas is coming off a strong first season with the Flyers where he provided the team with some grit on the back end.  He played in 76 games, collecting 14 points while adding 116 PIMS, 304 hits, and 157 blocked shots.  He also played in six postseason contests, being held pointless but he managed to average five hits per game.  The 26 year old was rewarded with a four year extension this offseason with a cap hit of $3.35MM.

Philadelphia GM Ron Hextall released the following statement on the Flyers website about the injury:

“Radko Gudas sustained an upper body injury during his offseason training and will be evaluated on a week to week basis. We are hopeful and optimistic that he will not miss any regular season games.”

As for Hertl, he’s coming off the best season of his three year career, recording 21 goals and 25 assists in 81 regular season games for the Sharks.  He continued his strong play in the postseason, picking up another 11 points in 20 games to give San Jose some secondary scoring.  He inked a two year, $6MM bridge deal back in June.

No replacements have been named at this time.  For now, it’s likely that Roman Cervenka, who has added to replace David Krejci yesterday, will move into a regular role with the Czech squad.

[Related: Updated Czech World Cup Roster]

Kevin Allen’s Latest: Early Predictions, Pivotal Players

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Kevin Allen writes that the Detroit Red Wings are one of five teams in danger of missing the playoffs this season. Similar to his reports while speaking with PHR, Allen lists a questionable defensive corps, inconsistent goaltending and whether or not goal scorers like Tomas Tatar and Gustav Nyquist will find the net as they should as reasons why they may not make it back for a 26th straight season. Though he could see them sneaking in, the Wings are more vulnerable than ever before. It all depends on youth and everything coming together.

Allen also lists the Los Angeles Kings, Philadelphia Flyers, New York Islanders, and St. Louis Blues as candidates to possibly miss. With the Kings, Allen believes that the Calgary Flames and Arizona Coyotes, if better, could push the Kings who lost Milan Lucic to Edmonton. The Flyers, a surprise team in the playoffs last season, will have more competition in the Metropolitan Division while the Canadiens, who struggled after Carey Price’s injury, will also be better in the Atlantic, making the Eastern Conference a lot tougher.

The Islanders, Allen writes, lost some key players in Frans Nielsen, and Kyle Okposo. Though he calls it “sinful” to bet against a John Tavares led team, he still wonders if they grabbed enough to compensate for their losses. Finally, with the Blues, Allen reports that they took a “half step” back while division foes Chicago, Minnesota, and Nashville all improved. Further, Arizona and Calgary are better, crowding the already tight Western Conference. Losing David Backes, Brian Elliott, and Troy Brouwer also doesn’t help for depth purposes.

  • Earlier in the week, Allen also compiled a list of the ten most pivotal players heading into the season. Number one on that list is Kari Lehtonen, who will make an early push to be the primary option between the pipes for the Stars. Though he has struggled in the past, he has the opportunity to backstop a potential Stanley Cup contender. Should he not, the Stars have been an oft-reported  team to land Ben Bishop should he be available. Other names Allen included were Brian Campbell, a player he believes could solidify the Blackhawks defense, and Elliott, who could finally give the Flames a strong goaltending option.

Red Wings Notes: Howard, Nyquist, Tatar, Zetterberg

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Is Jimmy Howard now just a very expensive insurance option for the Detroit Red Wings? MLive’s Ansar Khan writes that the Red Wings were unsuccessful in trading their backup goaltender in the offseason and are now, for a lack of a better word, stuck with Howard and his very expensive contract. Khan argues that Howard provides stability in net, as the veteran netminder helped last season when Petr Mrazek struggled down the stretch. Though Mrazek supplanted Howard in the playoffs to reclaim his job, Howard still played that instrumental role in getting the Red Wings into the playoffs. Khan warns that consistency has been a concern with Howard, as well as his health. Should the Wings not unload him during the season, Khan expects Howard to be exposed in the expansion draft. If he isn’t selected, a buyout may be considered, along with shopping the New York native.

In other Red Wings news:

  • Red Wings blog Winging in Motown has a piece about the line chemistry between forwards Gustav Nyquist and Tomas Tatar. Last season, the two forwards–considered by many to be the necessary goal scoring future of the Red Wings–took a step back. Nyquist it seemed took the brunt of the blame, as he failed to score more than 20 goals for the first time in his career as a full time player.  The article, chock full of detailed statistical analysis, argues that the two could actually be quite good together should they be given an opportunity with a talented centerman (Dylan Larkin comes to mind). The statistics show that their uptick in production while separated was influenced heavily by who was on their respective line and revealed that Tatar benefitted greatly from a lot of time with Pavel Datsyuk as a linemate.
  • With the news that Henrik Zetterberg would bow out of World Cup of Hockey due to a knee injury, the Windsor Star’s Bob Duff expounded a bit on how this affects the Red Wings. Writing for Hockeybuzz, Duff reports that the timetable for his return is not known and that the Red Wings scheduled an MRI to find the extent of the damage. Duff writes that the news couldn’t be worse for the Red Wings, who already lost Pavel Datsyuk to retirement and Niklas Kronwall to an injury of his own. Duff quoted Red Wings general manager Ken Holland as saying that Zetterberg would wait a couple of weeks before seeing if he could participate in training camp.

Snapshots: Vegas’ Fake Nicknames, Leafs Logo, Cervenka

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

NHL.com’s Nick Cotsonika reports that much of the hubbub over Las Vegas purported nicknames are a clever trick played by owner Bill Foley. While Cotsonika jokingly referred to them as the “Red Herrings,” Foley admitted that some of the names–Sand Knights specifically–were a clever ruse to “irritate” some people. To quote Foley:

“I found I had to be very, very careful about what I said, because as soon as I mentioned a direction, then everyone picked up on it,” he said. “It would get in the news and then people would start filing domain name registrations for that particular name. That’s why I’ve been kind of circumspect lately. It’s been interesting. It’s been fun too.”

Foley indicates that he knows the top choice, as well as the secondary choice, and admitted that he never reached out to the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League to talk about a Knights moniker for Vegas. Further, Foley wants a nickname with two words.

In other NHL news:

  • The Maple Leafs unveiled their new logo at center ice–a change for the first time in 45 years. Everything old is new again as the Leafs selected to redesign the classic Leafs emblem used from the 1940’s through the 60’s. CBC notes that logo, with slight alterations to give it a sharper look, is a throwback to the most successful years of Leafs hockey from 1963-1967.
  • Former Calgary Flames forward Roman Cervenka will take David Krejci’s spot on the Czech Republic squad for the World Cup of Hockey. Cervenka played one season with the Flames during the 2012-13 season and has since played in the KHL and Czech league. NBC’s Adam Gretz writes that while he means no offense to Cervenka, he’s unlikely to match the impact Krejci would have had for the Czech Republic.

Snapshots: Torres, Jokipakka, World Cup

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Raffi Torres will turn 35-years old on October 8th. He hasn’t played an NHL game since April 30th, 2014 (when the Sharks were eliminated from the postseason). He has been suspended five times during his NHL career, the latest lasting 41 games. The Toronto Maple Leafs, after agreeing to acquire his rights in a deadline deal last year, immediately loaned him back to his current AHL team, not wanting any part of him in their organization.

But somehow, he’s earned a professional tryout from the Carolina Hurricanes this fall and will skate to try and snatch a spot on their fourth line. In a piece by Chip Alexander of The News & Observer today, Torres and GM Ron Francis talk about his latest (and possibly last) opportunity in the NHL.

“I know I’ve got to change. I know I say that over and over, but I’ve got to change and I can change,” says Torres when speaking about his suspensions. He admits that what he’s done over his career is wrong, and seems genuinely convinced he could offer something to the Hurricanes this season. Francis, for his part says he has “served his time” and is willing to at least give him a look this fall. If he does make the roster, he’ll be joining his eighth NHL team in 16 years.  Here is more from around the league:

  • Among the news that Sean Monahan is still too injured to participate in the upcoming World Cup, Wes Gilbertson of Postmedia tweeted out another interesting injury tidbit. Jyrki Jokipakka, who underwent hip surgery at the end of the season is now expected to be “good to go” for the tournament. Jokipakka was part of the return for Kris Russell this past year, and was well received in his 18 game Calgary stint. He’ll be suiting up for a Finnish team that is looking like a darkhorse candidate; Patrik Laine recently won tournament MVP at the World Championships, while the goaltending tandem of Pekka Rinne and Tuukka Rask should be among the best.
  • Staying with the World Cup, Rob Vollman of NHL.com published a piece that says the possibility that the North America team wins the tournament isn’t necessarily a long-shot, due to the usual peak of physical performance around 24. Indeed, the youngster team led by Connor McDavid will have a speed advantage over the rest of the field, and can create offense at an elite level already.  The one thing Vollman mentions as a weakness though, faceoff skill, was weakened today when Monahan withdrew.  The Calgary centerman was clearly the best on the team in the circle, meaning players like Auston Matthews and Mark Scheifele will have to step up in the defensive end.

Bruins Notes: Krejci, Marchand, Vatrano

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Joe Haggerty of CSNNE.com was busy today, writing multiple pieces about the Boston Bruins and their upcoming training camp. On David Krejci’s exit from the World Cup today, Haggerty reminds us what the centerman said earlier this week:

If I’m ready then that would be awesome, but if not then I have to do what I have to do to be 100 percent. I’m in contact with the national team coach, and we talk pretty every week. They’re asking about my updates, so they know what’s going on. I’m sure they have some backup plan if it’s not going to work out. We’ll see what happens.

He had hip surgery in April, and is still expected to be ready for the season.  Here is some more from Haggerty today:

  • Brad Marchand isn’t thinking about a new contract while he plays this season, saying that he goes year-by-year and is more focused on making it back to the playoffs. “Guys are really hungry after missing the playoffs again last year. First and foremost this year is on my end and we’ll deal with the years after that down the road.” said Marchand, but Haggerty opines that the Bruins should be more concerned with locking up their young winger. He’s part of the driving force behind the Bruins lineup, and should command more than Loui Eriksson if he hits the open market next summer.  He’s set to earn $5MM in salary this season in his last of a four-year pact.
  • Frank Vatrano scored 44 goals last season across two levels in his first full year at the professional level. He’s out for even more this year. “I kind of know what it takes to play at the next level, and how to be a complete player. Going into summer that was kind of my mentality: to become a complete player. That’s something I’ve been working at all summer.” The 22-year old exploded onto the AHL scene this year after a successful sophomore year at UMass in 2014-15. 55 points in 36 games at the lower level, he’ll need to prove that he can carry that production to the big leagues; he only scored 11 points in 39 NHL contests.

Flames Sign Matt Frattin, Four Others To AHL Deals

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The Calgary Flames’ AHL affiliate have announced the signing of five players to AHL deals.  Matt Frattin, Jamie Devane, Mike Angelidis, Ryan Lomberg and Roman Dyukov have all signed minor-league contracts to join the Stockton Heat.

Frattin, the most notable of the bunch, has 135 games of NHL experience in his career split between the Maple Leafs, Kings and Blue Jackets. After being selected in the fourth round of the 2007 entry draft, Frattin was a standout at the University of North Dakota even scoring 60 points in his senior year. Once thought of as a solid wing prospect, Frattin could never find any consistency at the NHL level despite repeated success at the lower level.

Another former Maple Leaf, Devane was actually signed to a PTO with the Flames earlier this summer, and will now agree to an AHL deal. Only seeing two games of NHL action over his career, Devane never did develop into the rugged bottom-six winger that earned him a third-round selection in 2009. Now 25, he’s actually coming off the best offensive season of his professional career: 11 points in the AHL.

Angelidis, 31, is a long-time AHL performer that has been an all-star, captain and Calder Cup champion in his career. Never scoring more than 20 goals in a season, Angelidis is known for his work ethic and grit, and will bring leadership to the Heat in a similar role.  In 14 NHL games, all with the Tampa Bay Lightning, he’s scored just two points and recorded 22 PIM.

In Lombo and Dyukov, the team adds two players more prospect-aged, at 21 and 20 respectively. The 5’9″ Lombo split last season between the Heat and the ECHL’s Adirondack Thunder, scoring 38 points in 58 games. The former University of Maine product went undrafted, but is working his way through the professional ranks trying to prove he can compete.  Dyukov, a Belarusian defenseman, played in his native league and won a championship last season with Yunost Minsk. Suiting up for 32 games at the top level he recorded eight points and chipped in four more during their playoff run.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

scroll to top