Latest on Hampus Lindholm
Ironically, part of what could get restricted free agent Hampus Lindholm dealt out of Anaheim is the length of time that he would actually like to stay in Anaheim. As was reported yesterday, Lindholm is hoping to re-sign with the Ducks for at least $6MM per year. However, it has also been revealed that he is looking for the maximum eight years as well. This puts Anaheim in a tough situation. They would like to sign the 22-year-old defenseman long-term, but at a cap hit closer to $5MM annually. Generally if two sides are far apart on a lengthy deal, they then turn to a bridge deal with less years and less money. However, if Lindholm holds tight to his demands of both money and term, than the Ducks have few options. With Rickard Rakell still to sign as well, and only about $7.5MM in cap space, Anaheim cannot afford to meet Lindholm’s expectations without moving other salary. It remains to be seen whether they are willing to do so.
While the two sides try to work around the impasse, Lindholm has no plans of taking part in the Ducks’ pre-season camp. Agent Claude Lemieux, who has brought his toughness from the ice to negotiations, says that until Anaheim agrees to a long-term extension, Lindholm will train in his native Sweden. “Our plan is to report to the team once we have a contract signed,” Lemieux said, showing the resolve of the young defenseman and his representation. Unlike Sabres’ RFA blue liner Rasmus Ristolainen, who showed up to camp without a contract in a show of good faith, Lindholm will take a hard stance on his demands and wait for the Ducks to make their move.
Blackhawks Sign Knott To Entry-Level Deal
The Chicago Blackhawks have announced that they have signed 2015 second-round pick Graham Knott to an entry-level contract. CapFriendly confirms that it is a standard three-year deal with the $925K maximum entry-level cap hit. The big left wing has looked good in camp, and is coming off of a 42-point season with the OHL’s Niagara Ice Dogs, who he helped lead to the league finals.
Although the 6’3″ 19-year-old is likely headed back to juniors this year, he is an interesting prospect for Hawks fans to keep an eye on. A power forward who plays a complete two-way game, Knott has the skill and hockey sense to be an effective NHLer. However, he may need more development on the finesse of his game before he’s ready for the next level.
With Knott signed on officially, he joins a massive list of young wingers fighting for a spot on the Blackhawks this season. Ryan Hartman, Vinnie Hinostroza, Mark McNeill, Nick Schmaltz, and Tyler Motte are all looking to fill a plethora of holes in Chicago’s bottom-six, and Knott hopes to keep his name in contention for as long as possible.
Injury Notes: Janmark & Schwartz
The Dallas Stars have had a tough off-season, and it just got worse. The team announced that young center Mattias Janmark is expected to miss up to six months as he recovers from knee surgery. It was first reported that Janmark had been seen on crutches and was then scratched from Dallas’ preseason match-up, but the extent of the injury was unknown. As it turns out, it wasn’t so much an injury, but a preexisting condition that has sidelined Janmark. Stars GM Jim Nill announced that Janmark has been diagnosed with Osteochondritis Dissecans, a structural issue in the knee joint that is present at birth. Although the condition is not considered career-threatening, after a promising rookie campaign, it is disappointing to hear that Janmark will be out until March or April at the earliest, and could end up missing his entire sophomore season. With Cody Eakin injured and expected to miss up to two months, and team leaders Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin both recovering from injuries, the Stars have had bad luck lately. Everyone will have to chip in to make up for the losses, as well as work hard to stay healthy, if Dallas wants any chance of repeating as Central Division champs.
One of their main competitors for that title, the St. Louis Blues, are having injury issues of their own. What seemed at first to be a minor upper body injury for young winger Jaden Schwartz, has now been announced as a serious elbow injury that will keep him out of the lineup through the first month of the season at least. Schwartz missed 49 games recovering from an ankle injury last season, and it off to a tough start in 2016-17. The 23-year-old has shown great scoring ability when healthy, but the Blues have to be worried about the durability of a player that they handed a five-year, $26.75MM deal to this summer. With Alex Steen recovering from off-season shoulder surgery and Robby Fabbri dealing with a day-to-day upper body injury of his own, the Blues depth at left wing may face some early challenges this season.
Training Camp Cuts: 9/30/16
With the last day of September upon us, expect many players to be sent home from NHL camps today, as teams look forward to October and the start of the 2016-17 season. Today is also the first day that waivers applies to any eligible players being sent down. Here is list of players that have been cut so far and where they have been assigned:
Columbus Blue Jackets (Via Team Release)
F Paul Bittner (Cleveland, AHL)
F Ryan Craig (Cleveland, AHL)
F Jordan Maletta (Cleveland, AHL)
D Blake Siebenaler (Cleveland, AHL)
C Alex Broadhurst (waivers -> Cleveland, AHL)
LW Brett Gallant (waivers -> Cleveland, AHL)
D Jaime Sifers (waivers -> Cleveland, AHL)
Minnesota Wild (Via TVA’s Renaud Lavoie)
F Marc Hagel (waivers -> Iowa, AHL)
D Zach Palmquist (waivers -> Iowa, AHL)
Nashville Predators (Via TVA’s Renaud Lavoie)
D Petter Granberg (waivers -> Milwaukee, AHL)
D Matt Irwin (waivers -> Milwaukee, AHL)
LW Mike Liambis (waivers -> Milwaukee, AHL)
F Adam Payerl (waivers -> Milwaukee, AHL)
LW Harry Zolniercyk (waivers -> Milwaukee, AHL)
New York Islanders (Via Newsday’s Arthur Staple)
F Ben Holmstrom (waivers -> Bridgeport, AHL)
F Bracken Kearns (waivers -> Bridgeport, AHL)
D Loic Leduc (Bridgeport, AHL)
F Kyle Schempp (Bridgeport, AHL)
C Carter Verhaeghe (Bridgeport, AHL)
LW Josh Winquist (released from PTO)
Philadelphia Flyers (Via TVA’s Renaud Lavoie)
D T.J. Brennan (waivers -> Lehigh Valley, AHL)
F Greg Carey (waivers -> Lehigh Valley, AHL)
RW Chris Conner (waivers -> Lehigh Valley, AHL)
C Andy Miele (waivers -> Lehigh Valley, AHL)
RW Petr Straka (waivers -> Lehigh Valley, AHL)
St. Louis Blues (Via NHL.com’s Lou Korac)
LW Andrew Agozzino (waivers -> Chicago, AHL)
D Chris Butler (waivers -> Chicago, AHL)
RW Jordan Caron (waivers -> Chicago, AHL)
C Alex Friesen (waivers -> Chicago, AHL)
D Morgan Ellis (waivers -> Chicago, AHL)
D Brad Hunt (waivers -> Chicago, AHL)
Blackhawks Notes: Forsling, Pokka, Schmaltz, Darling
The Chicago Sun-Times Mark Lazerus writes that defenseman Gustav Forsling could be sticking around with the Hawks for a little bit longer. The 20-year-old was paired with Brian Campbell during the Hawks’ 2-0 loss against Pittsburgh, and might be a great fill-in should Duncan Keith not be able to play when Chicago expects him to. Lazerus notes that head coach Joel Quenneville has carried as many as eight defensemen in the past, so holding onto the “kid” might not be far fetched. Assistant coach Kevin Dineen says that the Blackhawks are a “performance based organization” that will give the job to the most deserving player. Scott Powers argues that Forsling still won’t see the time he could have due to Campbell signing on the cheap, and Michal Kempny choosing the Hawks. Forsling, he writes, is most likely headed back to Sweden, despite the Hawks sounding like they might be making a place for him. Powers adds that Forsling is certainly NHL ready but that sending him back to Sweden to push his next contract off a year might be incentive enough to keep his off the roster.
In other Hawks news:
- Powers continues his defensive analysis by writing that Ville Pokka is also not too far away from being a mainstay on the blue line. Though he’s a bit slower in stride and not as gifted athletically as other d-men, Powers believes that his acumen and hockey IQ will more than compensate for an eventual shot with the Hawks. He will have a chance in Chicago–it’s just a matter of when.
- Chicago is high on Nick Schmaltz for obvious reasons, and Powers writes that his work with fellow rookie Vinnie Hinostroza and Richard Panik certainly garnered attention. The three drove possession and were the “best line” on the ice during the Hawks’ preseason loss. He continues by writing that Schmaltz and Hinostroza stand the best chance of making the roster among bubble players.
- According to Powers, Scott Darling could be a #1 goalie in the NHL when he’s “at his best.” Where Darling needs to improve, writes Powers, is his consistency. Darling is set for free agency after this season, and if he is interested in playing the role of a starter, Powers notes that he will have to be better between the pipes after having considerable time between starts. During Wednesday’s game, Darling had 33 saves on 35 shots and dazzled during the second period with 23 saves. Should his game continue to be as impressive, Darling could expect a lot of phone calls next summer.
2016-17 Season Preview: Detroit Red Wings
With the NHL preseason underway, PHR continues to look at every team prior to the regular season. Today, we look at the Detroit Red Wings.
Last season: 41-30-11 (93 points); Finished 3rd in the Atlantic; Lost 4-1 to Tampa Bay in the first round.
Cap Space Remaining: -$4.24MM via CapFriendly.
Key Newcomers: F Thomas Vanek (signed as free agent); F Frans Nielsen (signed as free agent from New York Islanders); F Steve Ott (signed as free agent from St. Louis), F Dylan Sadowy (acquired from San Jose).
Key Departures: D Kyle Quincey (signed with New Jersey).
Player to Watch: Gustav Nyquist and Tomas Tatar: Both saw their numbers fall last season, but a lot of that, after looking at advanced stats and ice time, show a difference in terms of how the two were utilized. Not having two players on the ice who have a knack to score goals is detrimental to their development, confidence, and ultimately, the team’s success. Both Tatar and Nyquist were supposed to have the baton handed to them as Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk slowed. But head coach Jeff Blashill, who admitted his own culpability in their regression, has to be better in deploying the two goal scorers. Nyquist and Tatar, should they see the ice time they were afforded in the past, should return to their true form. Blashill has promised more minutes and a greater insistence on them.
Key Storylines: Will the Red Wings entrust this team to younger, faster, and hungrier players? Looking at teams who have seen success by allowing their younger players to play, the Red Wings are at a critical juncture in the salary cap era. Ken Holland is being scrutinized by fans and analysts for his summer of “the same” where he brought back familiar faces at much higher prices–Darren Helm immediately comes to mind. This makes some fans leery as Holland promised big changes–though he did add Vanek, and Nielsen, players who should improve the scoring woes. Reports from Darren Dreger cite that Holland balked at the asking price for Jacob Trouba and while it can be speculated that either Anthony Mantha or Dylan Larkin were asked for, Holland felt comfortable enough with his defense, though others aren’t as sure. Much was written about the Wings’ need for defense, but Holland apparently is happy with what already sits in the pipeline.
The mindset for the Wings brass seems to be one that is fine limping into the playoffs only to be bounced early. It’s a team that has for too long, relied on veterans in a league that favors the younger, speedier player. Training camp will reveal clues early should Andreas Athanasiou and Mantha both be sent down, or be healthy scratches while Drew Miller, Luke Glendening and Steve Ott play on the fourth line. Will this team learn from the sins of season’s past? Or will the organization still continue its “just do enough” strategy to make the playoffs instead of looking ahead to what could be a very painful future?
Snapshots: Dallas Stars, Oilers Captaincy, Cap Compliance Deadline
News and notes from around the NHL this evening:
- The Dallas Stars signed undrafted defenseman Ondrej Vala today to a three year ELC. The Czech defenseman played with the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL last season, scoring 4G and 17A in 72 games. Vala also played in the 2016 Traverse Tri-City Tournament this September. It is expected that Vala will play in Kamloops again as continues to develop.
- The Edmonton Oilers will name a new captain this season, but according to TSN’s Bob MacKenzie, the announcement will not come until Leon Draisaitl and Andrej Sekera rejoin the team after playing in the World Cup of Hockey. The Oilers are expected to make Connor McDavid the next Oiler captain, and his Team North America captaincy only fuels the speculation—especially since Team North America’s GM is none other than Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli.
- NHL teams will have to be under the salary cap by October 11, 2016 at 5pm, reports TSN’s Bob MacKenzie. Teams are allowed to exceed the salary cap by 10% during the off-season to accommodate free agent signings and injuries, but by Opening night every team has to be cap compliant.
Injury Updates: September 29, 2016
Many players are nursing off-season, World Cup, or training camp injuries as we get closer to Opening Night. Below are today’s updates for injured players in camp:
- Arizona Coyotes defenseman Kevin Connauton‘s recovery timeline remains the same, reports AZ Central’s Sarah McLellan, but he has been skating on his own throughout the recovery period. Connauton suffered a lower body injury during an informal skate early this month before training camp started. The Coyotes do not see the defenseman missing much time despite failing his physical.
- Arizona Coyotes defenseman Michael Stone is still recovering from surgery in April that repaired his left ACL and MCL. Stone has not been cleared to practice yet, and will most likely miss the season opener. According to Sarah McLellan, Stone is at home with his wife as they are expecting twins soon.
- Ottawa Senators forward Clarke MacArthur continues to rehab following a concussion sustained in a training camp scrimmage on September 25. MacArthur has a history of concussions, suffering four of them over an 18 month period, including one that sidelined him for most of last season. Despite concerns, however, reports indicate that MacArther does not plan on retiring.
- Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Mark Alt is out indefinitely with an upper body injury suffered in camp. Alt scored 4G and 15A in 72 games for the Flyers’ AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
2016-17 Season Preview: Montreal Canadiens
As the NHL season is now just a few weeks away, we continue our look at each team’s offseason and preview the upcoming year. Today, we focus on the Montreal Canadiens.
Last Season: 38-38-6 record (82 points), 6th in the Atlantic Division.
Remaining Cap Space: $855K as per Cap Friendly (Roster Size of 25)
Key Newcomers: RW Bobby Farnham (free agency, New Jersey), G Al Montoya (free agency, Florida), RW Alexander Radulov (free agency, CSKA Moscow, KHL), D Zach Redmond (free agency, Colorado), RW Andrew Shaw (trade, Chicago), D Shea Weber (trade, Nashville)
Key Departures: RW Mike Brown (PTO, Columbus), C Lars Eller (trade, Washington), D Tom Gilbert (free agency, Los Angeles), G Ben Scrivens (Dynamo Minsk, KHL), D P.K. Subban (trade, Nashville)
[Related: Canadiens Depth Chart from Roster Resource]
Players to Watch: D Shea Weber – Given the magnitude of their June trade with the Predators, the focus will squarely be on Weber as many will compare his performance to Subban’s on a regular basis throughout the season (and likely beyond).
Another intriguing thing to watch will be how he fits in with a lineup that plays a much more conservative style than Nashville did. How will that affect Weber’s performance and how will the team adapt to working with a different set of strengths and weaknesses after having Subban anchor their blueline for the last several years? In particular, after having Subban routinely be the one to lead the breakout, how will it change with Weber, a player who often deferred to Roman Josi in that regard over the last few seasons?
RW Alexander Radulov – The off-ice questions about his commitment to playing in North America have been front and center and for good reason having left the NHL twice already. However, after being a top scorer in the KHL, there’s no denying he has the potential to be the top six forward the team has sought for several years. Montreal has tried several different players in recent years to fill that void (Daniel Briere, P.A. Parenteau, Thomas Vanek, and Alexander Semin, to name a few) but have had limited success. Will Radulov be the one to buck that trend?
Key Storyline: After getting off to the best start in franchise history last year, the Canadiens completely fell apart as the season progressed. Despite that, the coaching staff remains largely intact (aside from the hiring of Kirk Muller as Associate Coach and the departure of Craig Ramsay who was a consultant last season). Losing the reigning Hart and Vezina Trophy winner Carey Price between the pipes for most of the season with injury problems was widely considered to be the root cause of their collapse but with him being back to full health this year, that crutch won’t be there for management if they get off to a slow start this season.
How much of a leash will Michel Therrien have if the team struggles out of the gate? While it’s certainly early to speculate on how much rope he’ll be given, he has to be considered to be on the hot seat heading into the season.
Injury Notes: Janmark, Ekblad, Schwartz, Fabbri, Nosek
Dallas center Mattias Janmark was spotted leaving the arena today on crutches, Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News was among those to report. No update has been provided on his condition although one is expected later today.
The Stars have been bit hard by the injury bug early on with center Cody Eakin (knee), right winger Ales Hemsky (groin), and center Tyler Seguin (heel) all down already.
Janmark had a solid rookie campaign last season, scoring 15 goals and 14 assists in 73 regular season games while averaging 14:10 per game. He had a slightly bigger role in the postseason, recording two goals and three helpers in 12 contests while logging 14:41 per night in ice time.
Dallas has one of the strongest and deepest forward groups in the league but it is getting put to the test early on.
Other injury news and notes:
- Florida defenseman Aaron Ekblad was dealing with whiplash and not a concussion from a hit sustained as the World Cup of Hockey, writes George Richards of the Miami Herald. The symptoms from the neck issue mimicked those of a concussion, causing the early confusion. Ekblad was given the green light to return to practice on Wednesday.
- Blues left winger Jaden Schwartz suffered a minor upper body injury (believed to be a hand/wrist issue) in practice today, report Tom Timmermann and Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Schwartz will be held out through the weekend for precautionary reasons. From the same report, Robby Fabbri (upper body) missed his fourth straight day of practice but is believed to be close to being able to return.
- Detroit center Tomas Nosek has started skating as he continues to recover from a knee injury, notes Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press. Nosek got into six games with the Red Wings last season and will likely see time as an injury recall during the year if he doesn’t earn a spot in training camp. He sustained the injury in a collision with teammate Steve Ott in a scrimmage game.