Early Returns On Summer Blockbusters
Typically, free agency items dominate hockey headlines in the latter days of June. However, the events of June 29th changed that dynamic in the 2016 offseason. First, the marquee name available in free agency, Steven Stamkos, agreed to remain with the Tampa Bay Lightning, inking an eight-year extension with the team and effectively ruining the offseason plans of several other NHL clubs. Second, a pair of rare, player-for-player blockbuster trades were completed, shocking all who follow and cover the league.
Desperately searching to upgrade the team’s blue line, Edmonton GM Peter Chiarelli agreed to ship top-line left wing Taylor Hall to New Jersey for Swedish defenseman Adam Larsson. Not long after that deal was announced, the Nashville Predators dealt team captain and four-time Norris Trophy finalist Shea Weber to Montreal for the electric P.K. Subban.
While it’s too early to make any definitive judgments as to which teams may have come out ahead in their respective exchanges, it is possible to analyze the early returns and see how much each club has benefited from the transactions.
Montreal – While there is no question P.K. Subban is a supremely skilled player, as the 2015-16 season played out it appeared as if head coach Michel Therrien and GM Marc Bergevin had grown weary of the defender’s high-risk, high-reward playing style. In Weber they get a veteran blue liner who boasts the league’s hardest shot and one who has long been a stalwart for Team Canada in numerous international events. Weber has also had a productive start to his Habs career, with eight goals and 18 points through 27 games.
Nashville – The team may have lost the longtime face of their franchise but they did add a dynamic talent who is four years Weber’s junior and has perhaps a more favorable contractual situation. While Subban’s cap hit is more than $1M higher annually through the 2021-22 campaign, his contract expires four years earlier than Weber’s and does not come with the likelihood of a cap recapture penalty. Subban is slowly growing more comfortable in his new home and has produced nearly identical numbers to his counterpart, tallying seven goals and 17 points through 26 contests.
Verdict – With Montreal currently sitting in the top spot in the Eastern Conference it’s hard to argue the trade hasn’t paid off exactly as Bergevin hoped. Weber plays a more conservative style of hockey which Therrien clearly prefers and he is still an impact player at both ends of the ice. On the flip side Subban gives the Nashville market a huge personality and a bankable star. He has quickly endeared himself to the Predators fans off the ice and is still producing on the ice. This deal has worked out for both clubs about as well as could have been hoped.
New Jersey – After ranking dead last in goals scored in 2015-16, the Devils desperately needed an infusion of skill and that’s exactly what they got in Hall. In 19 games this season, Hall is averaging better than a point-per-game for his new team and gives the Devils a legitimate, goal-scoring threat they haven’t had since Zach Parise resided in Jersey.
Edmonton – Larsson doesn’t contribute much in the offensive end of the ice – just six points in 30 contests this season – but has at least provided steady play on the back end for Edmonton. Chiarelli perhaps could have pursued a more dynamic player to address his team’s dire need on the blue line but Larsson came with the cost-certainty that RFA options like Mathew Dumba and Jacob Trouba did not. The Oilers will soon have to consider extensions for Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl – neither of which will come cheap – and getting Larsson in the midst of a long-term deal with a manageable cap hit carries additional value.
Verdict – Hall is clearly the better and more valuable player, both today and into the future. But to Chiarelli’s credit, he knew his team needed to improve on the back end and was willing to lose the trade to make his team better. It’s probable the Oilers GM simply was not content maintaining the status quo and made the best deal available to upgrade the blue line. With the Oilers at the top of the Pacific Division standings, Chiarelli is likely pleased with how this deal has worked out for Edmonton.
Atlantic Division Snapshots: Pastrnak, Sabres, Ryan
The Boston Bruins may be in the midst of a mediocre season but one bright spot, both today and for the future, has been the breakout performance of 20-year-old winger David Pastrnak. The Czech born forward has 18 goals in just 23 games to start the 2016-17 campaign, a figure which has already eclipsed his career-high by three. Pastrnak is playing out the final season of his ELC and presuming he’s able to continue to pile up the points, it’s certain he will cash in big this summer on a new contract, as Joe Haggerty of CSNNE writes.
Granted, it’s unlikely Pastrnak, who is also averaging better than a point-per-game, will be able to maintain his scoring pace throughout the season but his prolific start makes it easy to envision a 30-goal, 60-point campaign is a strong possibility. Haggerty speculates that if Pastrnak reaches those plateaus, he would be in line for a deal comparable to those awarded to Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan and Nathan MacKinnon, among others in recent seasons. That means the value of a multiyear arrangement could reach $6MM or more annually on a long-term deal, depending on how many free agent years Boston is able to secure.
While the Bruins would certainly be more than happy to lock up the services of a talented youngster like Pastrnak through his prime seasons at that price, there is what Haggerty considers a “nightmare scenario,” that could come into play. If Pastrnak continues filling the net consistently and posts a platform season similar to that which Vladimir Tarasenko posted in 2014-15 – 37 goals and 73 points – his price tag could go well beyond the $6MM – $6.5MM mark. Tarasenko inked an eight-year, $60MM pact with the Blues on the heels of his breakout campaign two years ago and that could represent a target for Pastrnak if his able to attain that level of offensive production. With the salary cap likely to remain at or near the $73MM mark, and after locking up winger Brad Marchand to a lucrative new deal earlier this year, the Bruins will have to hope they can get Pastrnak extended at a rate which better fits their long-term salary cap situation.
Elsewhere in the Atlantic Division:
- The Buffalo Sabres, led by sophomore Jack Eichel and buoyed by an owner willing to spend to improve his club, would certainly have to be considered a team on the rise in the Atlantic Division. While a postseason berth in 2016-17 might be a long shot at this point, the Sabres should begin to contend for the playoffs as soon as next season. However, as John Vogl of The Buffalo News notes, the situation today could be much different had the club done a better job of drafting in the early-to-mid-2000’s. Former first and second-round choices taken while Darcy Regier was the team’s GM listed by Vogl include: Marek Zagrapan, Philipp Gogulla, Dennis Persson and Drew Schiestel were all high draft picks chosen between 2005 and 2007 and none even played a single NHL game. Conversely, players the Sabres could have selected – Alec Martinez, James Neal and T.J. Oshie – have played key roles for contending teams. While it may be fun to play “what if,” with players the Sabres could have had, it’s also important to note that had the team experienced more success as a result of better drafting under Regier, Buffalo would likely not have franchise building blocks Rasmus Ristolainen, Eichel, Sam Reinhart and Alexander Nylander in the organization today.
- The return of Bobby Ryan and the play of several of Ottawa’s younger forwards has allowed first-year GM Pierre Dorion to resist temptation and stay the course with the team’s current roster, writes Ken Warren of the Ottawa Sun. It would have been understandable if Dorion had looked to make a deal to add some extra offense with Ryan out with a hand injury but the veteran scoring winger missed only three games. Dorion admitted he made some calls in the aftermath of the Ryan injury and while he will continue to look at different avenues to improve his club, there is no immediate pressure to make a trade.
Central Notes: Iginla, Predators, Lehtera
As we noted earlier today, Avalanche right winger Jarome Iginla will play in his 1,500th career game tonight as Colorado takes on Montreal. At the age of 39 and his contract up at the end of the season, many are wondering if this is his final year but speaking with ESPN’s Joe MacDonald, Iginla isn’t sure if he wants to retire yet or keep playing:
“Yeah, I don’t know. I don’t know. I honestly don’t know. I know this is my last year of my contract, I’ve got three kids and they enjoy it, though. It’s probably more of my wife wouldn’t mind a little bit more help around the house, but the kids enjoy watching it and all that, so there are a lot of things to consider. It’s still fun and it’s great winning. It’s still fun winning and competing. It’s truly a decision I’ll make at the end of the year and see how it goes. I’m just trying to enjoy it right now.”
With his diminishing role (he has been in the bottom six a lot this season) and expiring contract, many have speculated that he could be a rental candidate towards the trade deadline. Last season, he indicated that he was not willing to waive his no-move clause but, assuming Colorado remains out of a playoff spot, he might be willing to reconsider that stance if he wants a shot at a Stanley Cup, something that has eluded him throughout his 20 year career. However, with a cap hit of $5.33MM, the number of potential suitors would likely be limited.
More from the Central:
- If the Predators want to improve their seeding in the West (they sit one point out of a Wild Card spot heading into today’s action), they’ll need to improve their play on the road, notes Adam Vingan of The Tennessean. On home ice, Nashville has picked up points in 11 of 13 games, including nine victories while outscoring their opponents by 20. However, on the road, they’ve lost all but three of 13 games while getting outscored by 15 in those contests. Fortunately for the Preds, following tonight’s game in Arizona, six of their remaining nine games this month are at home.
- Blues center Jori Lehtera says he’s “fighting with myself” as he continues his early season struggles, writes Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. His third NHL campaign has yet to go as he or the team hoped as he has just three goals and five assists through 23 games, hardly what St. Louis expected from a forward with a $4.7MM cap hit. Head coach Ken Hitchcock made Lehtera a healthy scratch last week and told the 28 year old that he wants to see him “play through the competition” and that it wasn’t his lack of production that led to the benching.
Pacific Notes: Fowler, Garbutt, Demko, Coyotes
After being heavily mentioned in trade rumors over the offseason, Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler is off to a strong start this year with 17 points (7-10-17) through 28 games. As Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register notes, head coach Randy Carlyle has certainly taken notice, stating that Fowler is as important to Anaheim as Brent Burns (San Jose) and Erik Karlsson (Ottawa) are to their respective clubs, certainly high praise given the stature of those other blueliners.
Not only is Fowler leading the way offensively from the back end, he’s averaging a career high 23:58 per game of ice time, including regular minutes on the top power play and penalty kill.
While it has been speculated that Fowler and his $4MM cap hit would have to be moved for salary cap reasons, the long-term concussion for fellow blueliner Simon Despres has given the Ducks enough wiggle room for the time being. Even when he returns (which isn’t likely to happen for quite a while yet), he’s too valuable to Anaheim for them to realistically consider dealing him any time soon.
Still with Anaheim, after clearing waivers on Friday, forward Ryan Garbutt has been assigned to their AHL affiliate in San Diego, the team announced.
Other news from the Pacific Division:
- With goaltender Ryan Miller leaving Thursday’s game with what is believed to be a lower body injury, the team announced via Twitter that they have recalled top prospect Thatcher Demko from Utica of the AHL. Demko is off to a decent start in his first professional season after spending three years at Boston College. He has a 7-5-1 record in 14 appearances with a 2.59 GAA and a .909 SV%.
- The Coyotes announced that they have recalled center Laurent Dauphin and defenseman Anthony DeAngelo from their AHL affiliate in Tucson. Dauphin has played in 18 games with Arizona so far this season, notching a goal and an assist while DeAngelo made a strong impression in his first call-up last month, picking up seven points (2-5-7) in just 11 games. Dauphin’s recall comes on the heels of Max Domi being placed on injured reserve.
Coyotes Place Max Domi On IR
The Arizona Coyotes have placed sophomore forward Max Domi on Injured Reserved, reported first by AZSports Craig Morgan. The move is retroactive to last Thursday when Domi exited the Coyotes game against the Flames after fighting Flames forward Garnet Hathaway.
The Coyotes called Domi week-to-week, and the earliest he can return is next Saturday against the Minnesota Wild. Domi will be missed—he’s second in team scoring with 5G and 11A. Domi is on pace to match last year’s surprising rookie production of 18G and 34A in 81 games. The team is 28th in scoring right now, and Domi’s absence will not help matters.
Domi’s injury gives struggling forward—and fellow sophomore prospect—Anthony Duclair an opportunity to turn his fate around. Duclair has struggled mightily this season with only 1G and 3A in 25 games. A midseason improvement could spark interest in the forward after rumors circulated that the Coyotes would entertain offers for the young forward.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Milestones: Chris Neil and Jarome Iginla
Ottawa Senators forward Chris Neil and Colorado Avalanche forward Jarome Iginla will hit major milestones tonight when they hit the ice for their respective teams. Neil is set to play his 1,000th game while Iginla will play his 1,500th.
Chris Neil has played all of his 999 games for the Ottawa Senators. He was drafted in the 6th round (161st overall) in 1998—one pick before Montreal Canadiens defenseman Andrei Markov and ten picks before former Detroit Red Wings forward Pavel Datsyuk. In his 999 games Neil racked up 112 goals, 136 assists, and a whopping 2,492 penalty minutes. Known more as an enforcer than a scorer, Neil has dropped the gloves at least 172 times in his NHL regular season career, according to HockeyFights.com.
Jarome Iginla has split his 1,499 games between the Calgary Flames (1219 games), Pittsburgh Penguins (13 games), Boston Bruins (78 games), and Colorado Avalanche (189 games). He’s amassed 614 goals and 665 assists in those games alongside an additional 37 goals and 31 assists in 81 playoff games. Iginla was the centerpiece of the Flames from his first season in 1996-97 to when he was traded at the 2012-13 trade deadline to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Despite being 39 years old, Iginla has remained productive, scoring 30, 29, and 22 goals in his last three seasons.
The veteran forward is in the final year of his contract with the Avalanche that pays him $5.33MM a year, and it is unclear whether Iginla steps away from the game in the offseason. He is off to a slow start this season with only 3G and 3A in 25 games, which could be signs of decline or just a product of Colorado’s anemic offense—the team ranks 29th in goals for. There will be suitors for Iginla this offseason if he decides to continue playing, and the wily veteran could be a worthy addition to the expansion Vegas Golden Knights.
New York Rangers Place Josh Jooris On Waivers
The New York Rangers have placed forward Josh Jooris on waivers today, reports Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston. Jooris was an undrafted free agent initially signed by the Calgary Flames in 2014, and most recently by the New York Rangers last offseason.
Jooris has struggled with the Rangers so far this season, collecting only 1G and 1A in 12 games. He has been a non-factor in New York’s last five games and averaging less than ten minutes of playing time. In 137 career NHL games, Jooris has 17G and 22A.
There was a rumor early this season that Jooris would join Geneve-Servette HC of the Swiss League. Jooris’s dad Mark Jooris played for the team, and Josh has Swiss documentation allowing him to play in the country. The move ended up not panning out, but Jooris’s demotion could renew interest in the overseas club.
Snapshots: Bruins, Lightning, Senators
News and notes from around the NHL this morning:
- The Boston Bruins have called up two players from the AHL Providence Bruins this morning—forwards Noel Acciari and Danton Heinen—and sent down forward Anton Blidh, reports Mark Divver of the Providence Journal. Acciari has struggled so far with the big club, but was placed on IR after suffering a lower body injury. His demotion may have been a conditioning stint for the young forward to regain his legs before re-joining the Bruins. Heinen, however, had been sent down after failing to register a point with Boston this year. He turned it around in the AHL and racked up 13p (7G, 6A) in 13 games. Heinen skated with David Krejci and David Backes on the second line this morning while Acciari was on the fourth line with Dominic Moore and Tim Schaller.
- Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy will start tonight for the Tampa Bay Lightning against the Pittsburgh Penguins, reports Bryan Burns of Tampabaylightning.com. This will be Vasilevskiy’s 11th start this season, and the Russian netminder has made the most of his opportunities. His 2.27 GAA and .929 SV% are significantly better than starter Ben Bishop‘s numbers, and Vasilevskiy could supplant Bishop in the starting role if things remain the same. More likely, however, is that the Lightning will platoon Bishop and Vasilevskiy until they find a trading partner for Bishop, who is a UFA at season’s end.
- The Ottawa Senators are hoping that injured forward Curtis Lazar returns Wednesday against the San Jose Sharks. Lazar suffered a concussion last Monday against the Pittsburgh Penguins when Penguins forward Brian Dumoulin hit Lazar from behind. Lazar is skating with the Senators and the Ottawa Citizen’s Ken Warren expects him back in time for the Sens’ tilt with the Sharks. Lazar will have to work hard to overcome his early season slump, however, as he has failed to register a point so far this season.
Snapshots: McDavid vs. Manning, Red Wings vs. Blue Jackets
Following last night’s 6-5 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, the Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid didn’t hold back in his criticism of Flyers defenseman Brandon Manning. The pair were at it all night, and after the game McDavid let the press know why. It was Manning’s check that injured McDavid last season, sending him crashing into the boards and costing the rookie 37 games with a broken collarbone and, according to McDavid, Manning admitted on the ice last night that he did it on purpose. Usually a quiet kid, McDavid was fired up after the game, calling Manning “classless” and saying that the dirty hit “shows what kind of guy he is”. The physical blue liner has since refuted this claim, but McDavid holds that he is telling the truth. He went as far as to say that he regrets standing up for Manning last season when the media blamed him for the injury, but McDavid felt it was an accident.
Playing against star players with increased physicality and sometimes an intent to injure is no stranger to the NHL. The man who would know best, Wayne Gretzky, came to McDavid’s defense on the matter. It’s Gretzky’s opinion that having that competitive fire and willingness to call competitors out is important for a superstar. Gretzky opined that “(McDavid’s) been tested since he was a kid and then playing junior hockey and now in the NHL and he’s always responded and done his part.” While off-ice trash talk is usually frowned upon, Gretzky’s philosophy is that a player of McDavid’s caliber needs to be able to keep opponents in check with his comments since he can’t always match up with them physically. Accountability when it comes to intent to injure is important, and a player with McDavid’s persona can help to eliminate dirty play against him on the ice by making it known off the ice.
In tonight’s marquee matchup:
- Red Wings defenseman Jonathan Ericsson was a surprise scratch from tonight’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets and the team has revealed that the veteran is dealing with an injury. Apparently, Ericsson could not play due to back spasms and he is currently listed as day-to-day. There has been no word on whether or not this was caused by a recent injury or if it is a chronic issue for the blue liner. Ericsson has looked off at times this season, but has five points already, which puts him well on his way to his career-high 15 points if he can stay healthy.
- Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno was also a surprise scratch from the same game tonight, but he is simply feeling under the weather, according to the team. With Foligno out sick, Oliver Bjorkstrand has drawn into the lineup. The 21-year-old has been used sparingly this season, appearing in just three games, after posting eight points and a +6 in 12 games last year. The young winger has plenty of talent, but head coach John Tortorella has been unimpressed with his consistency and effort at times. One of the top-scoring teams in the league does not need more offense right now, so Bjorkstrand will have to work on playing a more complete game if he wants to carve out a role in Columbus.
- Tonight’s game is a special one for Blue Jackets’ rookie sensation Zach Werenski, as it marks his return to Michigan for the first time as a pro. Werenski played two seasons with the University of Michigan Wolverines, scoring 61 points in 71 games. He was also the roommate of Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin when he was a freshman. It’s a homecoming of sorts for the college phenom and future All-Star.
Raman Hrabarenka Signs In KHL
Former New Jersey Devils prospect Raman Hrabarenka has become the latest player to put his NHL dreams on hold and head overseas. The 24-year-old defenseman signed on with Dynamo Minsk of the KHL today, affording him the opportunity to play in the capital city of his home country of Belarus.
An undrafted free agent in 2012, Hrabarenka went unnoticed by NHL teams looking for defensive depth and ended up signing a minor league deal with the AHL’s Albany Devils. His apparent transparency was not unfounded; Hrabarenka played just two seasons of major junior hockey and didn’t begin to pick up his play until the second half of year two. Hrabarenka joined the QMJHL’s Cape Breton Screaming Eagles for the 2010-11 season, but by the midway point of the 2011-12 league year, he had contributed just 15 points in 80 games. At about 6’3″, 220 lbs., Hrabarenka is more of a physical, stay-at-home defenseman, but in a league fueled by offense like the QMJHL, players with little offensive upside don’t last long. The Eagles traded Hrabarenka to the Drummondville Voltigeurs, only to watch him hit his stride after a change of scenery. Hrabarenka recorded 14 points, and also played the best defensive hockey of his junior career, in 27 games with Drummondville. The Albany Devils must have noticed the improvement, as they were able to snag the big man in free agency that spring.
Able to settle into a more comfortable role as a shutdown defender in the AHL, Hrabarenka impressed many in his first pro season. Although he had just five points, he was a plus player that occasionally showed flashes of puck-moving ability. Not wanting another team to steal him away from their affiliate, the New Jersey Devils signed Hrabarenka to his first NHL deal in the summer of 2013, a three-year two-way deal worth $2.78MM. Hrabarenka looked like a strong investment over the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons, with his points jumping up to 21 and 27 respectively and his defensive reliability remaining consistent. He even made his NHL debut in a late-season game in 2015. However, Hrabarenka was unable to win a spot in camp last season and over the course of the AHL season regressed back into a one-dimensional checking defenseman. Unable to find a guaranteed contract this summer, Hrabarenka joined the Toronto Maple Leafs on a professional tryout agreement, but was one of the final cuts from camp just days before the start of the new season.
Disappointed with the lack of interest in North America, Hrabarenka is now headed home to Belarus. Much like the QMJHL, the KHL is an offense-driven league that is often hard on defensive defenseman. If Hrabarenka is able to maintain his physical dominance and defensive instincts against the speed and skill in that league, especially the division rival SKA St. Petersberg squad, he’ll be on NHL radars next summer and may get the opportunity to pursue the dream yet again.