Coyotes Assign Dylan Strome To Junior
The Arizona Coyotes announced that they have returned center Dylan Strome to his junior team, the Erie Otters of the OHL. GM John Chayka commented on the decision to send him back:
“Dylan has made exceptional progress and continues to make strides to being an elite center in this league. At this point in time we felt it was best for his development to get him back playing in junior, but his future in the NHL is very bright.”
The third overall pick back in 2015, Strome made Arizona’s roster out of training camp but has only played sparingly so far. He has seen action in just seven of 17 games, collecting one assist while playing 13:41 per game. Because he didn’t suit up in ten NHL games this year, Strome’s entry-level contract will not officially begin this season and instead will slide to 2017-18.
In the last two seasons with Erie, Strome has a whopping 82 goals and 158 assists in just 124 games. However, as he’s just 19 years of age and was drafted out of the Canadian junior circuit, he’s ineligible to play in the AHL this season (at least until Erie’s season comes to an end). At least by returning him to junior, Strome can play regularly, even if it is at a level that he has already dominated. It’s highly likely that he’ll face a stiffer junior test next month as he’s expected to play for Team Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championships.
[Related: Coyotes Depth Chart]
Snapshots: Olympics, Vanek, Kane
The NHL is using the Olympic dream to play hardball with the Players Association, according to Larry Brooks of the New York Post.
As we’ve previously reported, the NHL is offering Olympic participation in exchange for a three-year extension of the current collective bargaining agreement (CBA). But the NHLPA isn’t likely to accept that proposal due to their unhappiness with the escrow agreement.
Brooks compared the escrow situation to a classic Seinfeld quote, “the players are angry, my friends, like old men trying to send back soup in a deli.”
The players are not happy with losing 15% of their yearly salary. And they’re furious, according to Brooks, that the NHL is holding the Olympics over their head to increase the CBA’s length. Originally, the NHL said they needed the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) to cover player costs, which President René Fasel ultimately agreed to. But then NHL decided it needed more from the players in order to go to the Olympics. As Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist put it, “it sounds like they’re pretty happy at the league with what they have, doesn’t it?”
Brooks writes that this could be the issue that finally unites the Players Association for the first time since they fractured during the 2004-05 lockout as different parts fought for and against the implementation of a hard salary cap. They could fight for a hard cap on escrow, like the NBA has.
With the NHL publicly open to extending the current CBA, it would be “an Olympian task” for them to lock out the players for a fourth time under Gary Bettman.
- The Detroit Red Wings will have some scoring help when they face the Calgary Flames on Sunday as Thomas Vanek is set to return to the lineup. Vanek has missed 11 games, in which the Red Wings had a paltry record of 3-7-1. They’ve had trouble scoring just 18 goals in those 11 games. Vanek has four goals and eight points in seven games played, and should boost the Red Wings. He’ll play on the top line with Frans Nielsen and Dylan Larkin against the Flames, according to George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press.
- On Friday, we reported that the Vancouver Canucks were no longer interested in pursuing hometown boy Evander Kane. On Hockey Night in Canada, Elliotte Friedman reported that the Sabres’ asking price was too high for the Canucks, and that’s what lead to the breakdown of talks. Puck Daddy’s Greg Wyshnyski wrote that the two would have been a poor fit, as the Canucks are rebuilding and Kane averages “a police investigation per season and can’t stay healthy.” Wyshnyski said he doubts Kane would be able to stay on his “best behaviour during a prolonged rebuild,” and concluded “thank God for high asking prices.”
Senators Place Matt Puempel On Waivers, Andrew Hammond Clears
Another day, another Ottawa Senator on waivers.
After goaltender Andrew Hammond cleared waivers on Sunday morning, the team placed forward Matt Puempel on waivers, according to Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston. Puempel has played 13 games this season, but has not scored a point. Overall, he has six points in 52 NHL games over the last three seasons.
This is a disappointing development for Puempel, who was a prolific goal scorer in the OHL. He scored 119 goals in 195 games with the Peterborough Petes and Kitchener Rangers. Puempel was selected 24th overall in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. Since turning pro, he’s also been a consistent scorer at the AHL level, with 111 points in 170 games. Unfortunately for him and the Senators, Puempel has been unable to find success at the NHL level.
Teams with scoring troubles, like the Vancouver Canucks or the New York Islanders, could take a look at Puempel, who will be a restricted free agent at season’s end. He makes $900K, which can easily be sent to the minors should he not work out.
Meanwhile, The Hamburglar cleared waivers. Hammond has only played two games this season, with an 0-1-0 record. He has a brutal 0.793 SV% and a 4.5 GAA to show for his work this season.
No word yet on whether or not he’ll be assigned to the AHL, though Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch believes that’s likely to happen sometime on Sunday. Hammond had been hurt in late October, in the game right after Craig Anderson first left the team. The team acquired Matt Condon from the Penguins shortly thereafter. He hasn’t played since, and recently refused to go to Binghamton on a conditioning stint. Hammond makes $1.35MM, so he’ll still count against the Senators’ salary cap to the tune of $400K, should he be sent down.
Craig Cunningham In Hospital After Collapsing On Ice
UPDATE 11/21 (1:30pm CT): Coyotes head coach Dave Tippet has issued an update on Cunningham’s condition on behalf of the team. Tippet says that Cunningham is stable, but remains in critical condition. The 26-year-old is believed to have suffered a heart attack and is still dealing with the related cardiac complications. Tippet added that the team will not comment any further, allowing Cunningham and his family their space.
It was a scary scene in Tucson on Saturday night.
Tuscon Roadrunners captain Craig Cunningham suffered a “medical emergency” on the ice prior to Tucson’s game versus the Manitoba Moose. He is currently in hospital receiving treatment, according to Arizona Coyotes GM John Chayka.
Mike Christy of the Arizona Daily Star reported that the 26-year-old Cunningham collapsed just moments before puck drop and appeared to convulse after hitting the ice. Medics cut away his jersey and did chest compressions before removing him from the ice and taking him to a local hospital. The players were sent back to their dressing rooms and the game was postponed to a later date.
Global BC’s Jay Janower tweeted that the Trail, BC-native Cunningham had a heart attack and is in critical condition, with his mom at his side. Janower added that Cunningham’s blood pressure has increased, which is a good sign. In the team’s statement, Chayka did not confirm any specifics, but promised to “provide a medical update once we receive more information.”
Cunningham is a very good AHL forward, with 203 points in 319 games. His 13 points in 11 games lead his team in scoring this season. Cunningham has eight points in 63 NHL games with Boston and Arizona over the past three seasons. He is also considered a good leader and teammate; he’s served as captain of the Providence Bruins and Springfield Falcons before Arizona moved the Falcons to Tucson this past summer.
John Buccigross of ESPN SportsCenter tweeted a link to a story he wrote on Cunningham’s incredible journey to the NHL back in 2014 when he first cracked the Bruins lineup. Get-well messages have come in from around North America, including Landon Ferraro, who grew up with Cunningham, and Milan Lucic, who called Cunningham “one of [his] best friends.”
Lucic was quoted in Buccigross’ article as saying Cunningham was “a great fit” on the Bruins, before comparing him, somewhat ominously, to Rich Peverley. Peverley was a solid two-way player, before he suffered a cardiac event on the bench during a March 2014 game, which forced him to retire.
We here at Pro Hockey Rumors wish Cunningham and his family all the best during this difficult time.
Blackhawks Notes: Toews, Kane, Expansion Draft, Crawford
The Chicago Sun-Times’ Mark Lazerus answers fan questions and begins by looking at the Jonathan Toews–Patrick Kane pairing. After a shaky start, the Blackhawks have been on fire since, rocketing to the top of the Western Conference thanks to Vezina-like goaltending from Corey Crawford and timely goal scoring. Something fans wanted for a long time, a line featuring Toews and Kane together, was successful in boosting the Hawks to an 8-2-1 record since its construction. The downside? It hasn’t been as dominant as some fans want it to be. Lazerus points out that Toews has four goals and six assists in 11 games with Kane while the latter has four goals and seven assists. While it hasn’t been a “dumpster fire,” as Lazerus put it, it hasn’t been as successful as fans would have thought–or wished.
With that said, Lazerus believes it to be foolish separating the lines, especially since Marian Hossa has experienced a resurgence and is playing exceptionally well with Artem Anisimov and Artemi Panarin.
- Lazerus also answers questions about the expansion draft and who the Hawks are likely to protect come this summer. Aside from Toews, Kane, Hossa, and Anisimov, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, and Niklas Hjalmarsson who all have non-movement clauses, the younger players are also exempt. Lazerus predicts that Trevor van Riemsdyk, Marcus Kruger, or even Richard Panik (should his contract be extended) will be taken by Las Vegas.
- Meanwhile, Scott Powers looks at a number of statistical measures for the Blackhawks that ranges from Corsi to the impressive dominance of the Blackhawks over the season. From Powers:
- 50.29: The Blackhawks are 12th in the NHL with a 50.29 Corsi percentage in 5-on-5 play. They’re 24th with an average of 52.82 Corsi for per 60 minutes and seventh at 52.22 Corsi against per 60. They’re 26th with 27.5 shots on goal for per 60 minutes and 21st at 30.58 shots on goal against per 60.
- 96.00: Corey Crawford is fourth in the NHL with 96.00 save percentage in 5-on-5 play this season. He’s allowed 13 goals on 325 shots. Only two other goalies have faced more 5-on-5 shots than Crawford this season. He’s also fifth with 90.14 high-danger save percentage and leads the league with 13.55 goals saved above average.
The piece about Crawford is valuable because his play has paced Chicago through their torrid run since the end of October. Often believed to be the beneficiary of a great defense, Crawford has been a rock between the pipes and the advanced stats bear that out. Many are taking notice.
Though he was snubbed last season by not even being listed as a Vezina candidate, Crawford should find his name on the ballot this year if his dominant play continues.
Central Division Snapshots: Landeskog, Barrie, Kristo, Bitetto
It must be mailbag day on the NHL beat. Earlier we linked to Joe Haggerty’s piece on the Bruins and now Mike Chambers of The Denver Post chimes in answering some tough questions regarding the Avalanche. First and foremost, Chambers discusses Gabriel Landeskog and what his expectations are for the gifted power forward. In the opinion of the scribe, based on his talent and the fact he was the second overall pick in the 2011 draft, Landeskog has to start producing 30-goal seasons in order to live up to his billing.
Landeskog posted a career-high 26 goals in 2013-14 and since has recorded seasons of 23 and 20 markers. He has netted four goals in 15 games this season which would put him on a full-season pace of 20 – 21.
As Chambers notes, Landeskog is a good NHL player and is the Avalanche captain, but with Colorado once again off to a slow start, Colorado needs him to start being great if they want to sneak back into the playoff race. Currently, the five-year veteran left wing is out of action due to a lower-body-injury.
There were rumblings that Colorado could shake up its core this past summer and one player rumored to perhaps be moved in such a scenario was Landeskog. GM Joe Sakic instead kept the core intact and simply made a couple of changes around the edges. However, if Colorado doesn’t start playing better soon, they may revisit that choice and Landeskog could be made available later this season.
Elsewhere around the Central Division:
- In the same mailbag, Chambers took a question on Tyson Barrie. Barrie, prior to inking a four-year, $22MM extension this summer, was also thought to possibly be available via trade. As a right-handed blue liner with plenty of offensive ability, many teams would have been interested in Barrie’s services. Clearly he is viewed as a top-end puck moving defender, which as Chambers notes, often comes with high-risk, high-reward tendencies. Chambers argues that when the team is going well, the mistakes are easily overlooked. On the flip side, when things are not going so well, each mistake is magnified.
- St. Louis Blues and Pittsburgh completed a minor deal today, with minor league forward Danny Kristo headed to the Penguins and defenseman Reid McNeill headed the other way. The news was first reported via the Blues official Twitter account. Kristo was Montreal’s second-round pick in 2008 and has also played in the New York Rangers organization. He appeared in 71 games for the Chicago Wolves, tallying 25 goals and 48 points. McNeill, two years Kristo’s junior, was selected in the sixth-round of the 2010 draft by St. Louis. With 409 penalty minutes in 234 career minor league games, the 6-foot-4, 216-pound blue liner appears to be more of a physical force than an offensive threat. The trade likely serves as little more than two clubs searching for minor league depth with the Blues moving a forward while acquiring some blue line help.
- Nashville Predators defenseman Anthony Bitetto has been assigned to the club’s AHL affiliate on a conditioning assignment, tweets Adam Vingan of The Tennessean. Bitetto has been out since opening night with an upper-body-injury. It will be interesting to see what the Predators do once the 26-year-old blue liner completes his conditioning assignment. In his absence, Yannick Weber has stepped into the top-six and has three assists in 15 appearances. Former Shark Matt Irwin has replaced veteran Matt Carle in the lineup and has responded with three goals and five points in 10 games. It seems likely that Weber would be the odd man out though there is no indication from Nashville or Vingan that this is the case.
Anaheim Ducks Notes: Wagner, Shaw, Kase, Cramarossa
Since joining the Anaheim Ducks organization as a fifth-round pick in 2010, center Chris Wagner has carved out a career on the fringes of the NHL, and as The Orange County Register’s Eric Stephens writes, the 25-year-old pivot has learned a hard lesson about the business side of hockey. Wagner has been placed on waivers several times over the last two seasons, most recently two days ago, but instead of a reassignment to San Diego after he cleared, he was back in the Ducks lineup Thursday night following the trade of Michael Sgarbossa to Florida.
Wagner and Sgarbossa had been competing for playing time but that changed following the trade:
“It’s crazy. Sgars (Sgarbossa) was playing well, too. We competed. We had a really good relationship and everything. It just proves that it’s a business. We’re kind of just cogs in the business.
“Sometimes you can’t really explain why things happen. Just got to worry about your team and yourself. Make the most of your opportunity.”
Despite moving from Anaheim to Colorado and back again last season via waivers, Wagner says it’s not a process you “become immune to,” as Stephens reports:
“Once you go on, it’s just waiting. I don’t know if I’m numb to it now. It’s part of the worst 24 hours in hockey. You have no control and you don’t know what’s going to happen until the next day.”
With just two goals in 16 appearances so far this season, Wagner is likely to remain vulnerable to losing his roster spot as long as he is with Anaheim. Wagner provides an interesting insight into what it’s like for all of the fringe NHL players active today.
More from Anaheim:
- From the same piece, Stephens notes that while Logan Shaw, recently acquired from Florida in the Sgarbossa deal, was assigned to San Diego immediately after the trade, the possibility exists that the 25-year-old winger could see time with Anaheim this season. Bench boss Randy Carlyle points to Shaw’s size and versatility as advantages over the recently departed Sgarbossa: “He can play right side or center. He’s a bigger-bodied individual. We’re looking at a little size differential between him and Sgarbossa. Sgarbossa came in and played well for us. Was up and down. Was a good player. Got nothing but great things to say about Sgarbie (Sgarbossa).
- Anaheim today recalled forward Ondrej Kase from San Diego, tweets the busy Eric Stephens. Kase will likely take the spot of Joseph Cramarossa, who Stephens said did not skate this morning and appeared to get hurt Thursday. In nine games for San Diego of the AHL, Kase has scored three goals and seven points. He’s also appeared in two games for the Ducks tallying a single point this season. Kase was Anaheim’s seventh-round pick in 2014 and the 21-year-old recorded eight goals and 14 points in 25 games with the Gulls last year, his first action as a professional in North America.
Atlantic Division Snapshots: Miller, Shattenkirk, Pastrnak, Sabres
In a recent mailbag feature appearing on CSN New England, Joe Haggerty tackled several Bruins-related questions. Chief among them was a query regarding the possibility of Boston making a move for St. Louis defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk. Shattenkirk, who is in the final year of his contract and is expected to be one of next summer’s most coveted free agents, has been rumored to be available at times since the outset of the offseason and Boston, thought to be in the market for a top-four blue liner for just as long, has been linked to the veteran defender previously.
Haggerty reasons that while the Bruins would likely welcome a player of Shattenkirk’s ilk, the fact he has been the Blues best defenseman so far this season and given St. Louis considers themselves Stanley Cup contenders, they would probably not have much interest in dealing him away at this point. Additionally, it’s been suggested the Blues would require a scoring forward in any hypothetical trade of Shattenkirk, and until Frank Vatrano returns from injury, the Bruins don’t have the depth at that position to sacrifice.
Ultimately, while Haggerty expects the Bruins to have interest in Shattenkirk closer to the trade deadline, assuming the Blues do indeed make him available, right now it doesn’t make much sense for Boston.
Elsewhere in the Atlantic Division:
- One of the reasons Boston could eventually find themselves in the market for a top-four defender is the mediocre play of young blue liner Colin Miller. Haggerty noted in the same mailbag that Miller’s performance so far has been “indifferent,” and while he’s had his moments this season he simply hasn’t played up to his abilities. Miller has just one goal and two points in 15 games this season and carries a minus-6 plus-minus rating.
- Staying in Boston, Bruins winger David Pastrnak has officially been ruled out for tonight’s home game against Winnipeg, according to the team’s official Twitter account. Pastrnak is day-to-day with an upper-body-injury. The Czech winger is tied for fourth in the NHL with 10 goals and has added four assists for a total of 14 points in 14 games.
- The Buffalo Sabres and GM Tim Murray have not been shy about spending owner Terry Pegula’s money the last couple of seasons but still didn’t expect to be a “cap team.” Despite adding Evander Kane via trade a couple years back, taking on his $5.25MM cap hit in the process, and signing unrestricted free agent Kyle Okposo this summer to a seven-year, $42MM contract, Murray figured he’d still have plenty of cap space to work with this year. But, as John Vogel of The Buffalo News writes, injuries to several key contributors have forced Buffalo to call up replacements from their farm system and as a result they’ve walked a fine line relative to the salary cap ceiling. The Sabres have four players – Tyler Ennis, Cody McCormick, Jack Eichel and Nicolas Deslauriers – currently on IR. That totals $7.8MM in cap space on the shelf. As Murray noted in Vogel’s piece, Buffalo has 27 players drawing NHL salaries and pushing the team closer to the cap ceiling than they are comfortable being. It remains unclear why Buffalo hasn’t utilized LTIR as that would at least temporarily alleviate the problem. Ennis is out until mid-January after groin surgery and would have been eligible for a stint on LTIR.
Oilers Notes: McLellan, Lander, Russell, Caggiula, Hendricks
Thursday night’s 4 – 2 loss to Los Angeles represented Todd McLellan’s 100th game behind the Edmonton bench. Bruce McCurdy of the Edmonton Journal felt that’s enough of a sample to determine whether McLellan has delivered on the promise of guiding the talented team back to the playoffs for the first time in a decade.
McCurdy compares McLellan’s performance to this point to the five other men who have guided the club since the 2009-10 campaign; a list that includes accomplished NHL coaches in Pat Quin and Tom Renney in addition to first-time NHL bench bosses like Ralph Krueger and Dallas Eakins.
It’s a relatively in-depth analysis using a number of categories including; the Oilers win rate, their share of goals and shots for and the team’s performance in the special teams department. A full read of the post is highly recommended but ultimately McCurdy concludes that the Oilers have improved only marginally under McLellan and despite a ton of high end talent – including Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Jordan Eberle – there is still much work to be done to turn Edmonton into a perennial playoff team.
Other items from Edmonton:
- The club announced via their official Twitter account today that they have activated forwards Matt Hendricks and rookie Drake Caggiula, along with blue liner Kris Russell from IR. Also, Anton Lander who cleared waivers, has been assigned to the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL. Hendricks and Caggiula have yet to appear in a game for Edmonton this season while Russell, a late offseason free agent signing, has suited up for 11 contests and has three assists so far. Caggiula was a coveted college free agent last spring who capped off an impressive four-year career at the University of North Dakota with a 25-goal, 51-point senior season. He made the Oilers in training camp but a hip injury delayed his much anticipated debut. Now it appears as if he will get his chance in relatively short order.
- Lastly, Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal took note of the rumored availability of Arizona Coyotes blue liner Michael Stone and wonders if the Edmonton Oilers would have an interest, assuming those rumors are in fact accurate. Stone has just three points in seven games this season but turned in a productive 2015-16 campaign with six goals and 30 helpers. Stone has had a positive affect on puck possession over the last three years while playing for a team that ranks 24th in Corsi For % during that time. It’s unclear what Edmonton would have to give up to pry Stone away from Arizona but Pierre Lebrun speculates that when and if the team elects to move center Martin Hanzal, the Coyotes would want a young roster player who can contribute right now as opposed to prospects and/or picks. It’s fair to guess then that Arizona would request the same in any hypothetical trade of Stone.
Metro Division Snapshots: Oshie, Eller, Jones, Flyers
Washington lost three players last night to injury in the team’s gutsy 1 – 0 win over Detroit, forcing the Capitals to play with just nine forwards for the last two periods of the contest. T.J. Oshie exited in the first frame with what is being called an upper-body-injury after absorbing a heavy hit from Riley Sheahan, writes Isabelle Kurshudyan of The Washington Post. He is being listed as week-to-week, suggesting he could miss at least the next few games for Washington.
Kurshudyan adds that Lars Eller, also suffering from an upper-body-injury, is currently day-to-day though head coach Barry Trotz says he is doubtful for tomorrow night’s game after not practicing today.
Andre Burakovsky was also hurt during the game and sat out the final two periods but was a full participant in practice this morning and should be ready to go tomorrow. Trotz says the 21-year-old winger is “trending in the right direction,” in terms of his chances of playing tomorrow. Burakovsky is confident, saying, “I feel good” and “I feel ready,” when discussing his availability for the game.
The loss of Oshie for any length of time hurts Washington as the veteran winger plays in all situations and logs big minutes for the team. He has eight goals and 12 points in 17 games this season for the Capitals.
Eller, acquired from Montreal in the offseason in exchange for two, second-round draft choices, has just two goals on the season. Washington pulled the trigger on the deal with the idea the Danish pivot would address the team’s longstanding hole for a third line center who can contribute in all phases.
Kurshudyan also reports that Trotz indicated the team will recall a forward from Hershey of the AHL, with the expectation that Oshie and Eller will be out of the lineup tomorrow. Though Trotz didn’t offer any insight into who might get the call, Paul Carey, Chris Bourque and Christian Thomas are all having good seasons for the Bears and each has at least some NHL experience.
Elsewhere in the Metro Division:
- According to Tom Reed of the Columbus Dispatch, Seth Jones, out the last couple of weeks with a hairline fracture of his foot, was back at practice this morning. Jones was originally expected to miss three weeks with the injury so a return to practice lines up well with that time frame. In his first full season with the Blue Jackets, Jones has three goals and six points in 10 games. Fortunately for Columbus, the absence of Jones hasn’t hurt the team as the Blue Jackets have won four of the five games he has missed.
- On one hand, the influx of talented youngsters into the Philadelphia Flyers lineup has been a welcome one. But, on the other, there is generally a learning process each must go through and several of the team’s young players are finding that out, as Dave Isaac of the Courier-Post writes. Head coach Dave Hakstol recently made second year defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere a healthy scratch and benched rookie winger Travis Konecny for much of the third period in Thursday’s 5 – 2 win over Winnipeg. Hakstol reminds his charges that a healthy scratch or a benching is simply a part of the process as young players learn what it takes to be a successful NHL player, and not to necessarily take it as a bad thing: “It’s easy to take some of the moves that we make in a negative way, but that’s not the case,” Hakstol said. “For young players, it’s a learning process. I used the word (Thursday) ‘accountability.’ There is that element within a team and most importantly just taking positive steps forward as you become a more consistent player at this level and that’s not an easy step for young players to make and Ghost is still a young player.” Gostisbehere, who finished second in Calder Trophy voting a year ago, and Konecny, a 19-year-old rookie, have both been productive this season with the “Ghost” posting 10 points in 17 games while Konecny has 11 points in 18.