Craig Anderson Again Away From Team; Timetable Uncertain
In a story that sounds like it will be one of the focus points of the season for the Senators (however unfairly), Craig Anderson has again left the Ottawa Senators to be with his wife Nicholle. The goaltender’s wife was recently diagnosed with cancer, prompting the team to go out and get Mike Condon from the Pittsburgh Penguins for exactly this reason.
The 35-year old Anderson recorded an emotional shutout in his return to the net after learning of the diagnosis, and stopped 32 of 33 shots on Tuesday over Carolina. In his career with Ottawa, the veteran netminder now carries a 2.63 GAA and .919 save percentage, both outstanding numbers.
Even though the Senators were forced to give up a fifth-round pick for Condon, a player Pittsburgh had only just acquired on waivers three weeks earlier, it should provide them with some stability behind Anderson while Andrew Hammond nurses a groin injury. Even when Hammond returns, the team might elect to carry three goaltenders for the remainder of the year.
As everyone does when they write about this story, the staff here at PHR would like to extend our thoughts to the Anderson family. Many people’s lives are affected by cancer every day, but usually sports tends to provide relief from serious matters. If you’d like to help, check out #HockeyFightsCancer for donations and support.
Senators Recall Fredrik Claesson, Max McCormick From AHL
The Senators have made another couple of tweaks to their NHL roster, bringing up Fredrik Claesson and Max McCormick from Binghamton of the AHL. No word on the corresponding moves yet.
Heading into their matchup with the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night, the team has brought up some youth to inject into the lineup. Claesson, a 23-year old defenceman played 16 games with the club last season, and is a solid stay-at-home defender often called Binghamton’s best blueliner. While he doesn’t provide a ton of upside, he excels at winning puck battles and providing a first pass out of the zone.
McCormick, on the other hand is a bottom-six forward with a ton of grit and energy. He’s always in hard on a forecheck, and isn’t afraid to drop the gloves if he has to. While he’s not big by any means, he does provide a physical nature to his line, and can catch unsuspecting defenders napping with a hard shot. McCormick got into 20 games with the Senators last season, scoring two goals and notching two assists.
Atlantic Division Snapshots: Spooner, Carlo, Detroit
Until either Jacob Trouba signs a new deal with Winnipeg or is finally traded away to a club willing to meet the Jets high asking price, you can expect to see countless rumors linking the young blue liner to anyone in need of a right-shot defender. One of the latest comes courtesy of Nick Kypreos, who during an appearance on Hockey Night In Canada indicated the Jets had reportedly asked the Boston Bruins for a package highlighted by Ryan Spooner and Brandon Carlo in exchange for Trouba. However, from Boston’s perspective, any hypothetical trade package for Trouba should not include Carlo, opines Joe Haggerty of CSNNE.
Elliotte Friedman recently reported there was significant interest in Spooner and any team in the league would love to add a 19-year-old, right-shot defenseman like Carlo. While that type of package might be appealing to Winnipeg, it’s not something Boston should even consider, writes Haggerty. The scribe notes that already through nine NHL games, Carlo is already one of Boston’s best blue liners and at just 19 there is still plenty of room for growth in his game. Essentially, Haggerty is arguing that Carlo has the same kind of potential as Trouba and at least at this point in their respective careers is a lot cheaper than the Jets defenseman.
Now it should be apparent that if Winnipeg had actually proposed this deal to Boston that the Bruins rebuffed the Jets offer otherwise Trouba would be in Beantown today.
The other curious factor to this rumor is that Carlo is also a right-handed shot. All previous indications have had the Jets insisting on a left-shooting defender of comparable age and ability to Trouba. Of course it’s possible Winnipeg was simply willing to overlook that detail in order to land an overall package of talent they were comfortable with.
- Detroit iced Stanley Cup contending teams throughout the late 1990’s and well into the 2000’s built around speed and skill. However, in 2016 the Red Wings are behind the rest of the league and need an infusion of speed and quickness, as Gregg Krupa of The Detroit News writes. He points out how the mid-season acquisition of Carl Hagelin appeared to represent a course change last season for the Penguins and helped turn that team into the speedy club that would eventually win the Stanley Cup. Of course skating speed is just part of the equation. Wings bench boss Jeff Blashill believes playing with pace and speed is as much a mentality as anything else: “But playing fast has way more to do with than just your team speed. It has to do with the mentality that every time you can, you want to beat people up the ice, the mentality that every time there’s a transition opportunity you’ve got to beat them up the ice.” Blashill also notes that this mentality was a big reason the team inked Darren Helm to a pricey extension in advance of the free agent signing period: “I think it’s both: It’s about our speed, but it’s also about our mentality of playing fast.We looked at it over the summer, and that is part of the reason that we wanted to make sure to get Darren Helm re-signed.” While the Wings realize their roster deficiencies and are doing what they can to overcome, the team does need to add quicker players to the organization.
Snapshots: Desjardins, Fisher, Gilbert, Chychrun
Darren Dreger’s been making the radio rounds of late and today, while appearing on Ottawa’s TSN 1200, among many notes the NHL insider discussed was the suggestion that Vancouver bench boss Willie Desjardins could soon find himself on the hot seat if the Canucks can’t right the ship in short order. Dreger was clear that he didn’t believe that was the case as of this moment but the organization believes it has a roster capable of making the playoffs and if the team falls further out of the race, they could decide to make a change behind the bench.
“I’m not suggesting he’s on the hot seat today as we have this conversation. But Jim Benning, the general manager, had a much higher view of where he thought this team was coming out of training camp. He told many that he believed that the Vancouver Canucks are a playoff team and would definitely contend for a playoff spot. And they’re not playing that way right now.”
The Canucks got off to a surprisingly strong start winning their first four games but have since lost five straight to even their record at 4 – 4 – 1. Offense. or rather a lack of, is the biggest issue in Vancouver as the team is last in the league in goal scoring, averaging just 1.78 per contest. Their power play is also among the worst in the NHL converting just 10.7% of their opportunities, which ranks 26th overall.
The team invested heavily in skilled Swedish winger Loui Eriksson, to the tune of a six-year, $36MM contract this offseason but the former Bruin has failed to find the back of the net in nine games with Vancouver. Bo Horvat leads the club in goals with four but only five players have tallied more than once this season. At the other end of the scoring spectrum, the New York Rangers lead the league averaging four goals per contest with 10 players who have at least two markers on the campaign.
Chris Nichols of Today’s Slapshot relays a quote from Pierre LeBrun indicating the Canucks would like to pull the trigger on a deal for a proven 20-goal scorer, assuming they can find a trade partner. They’ve been rumored to be in that market since the summer but aside from inking Eriksson the Canucks have done little in the way of adding impact offensive talent.
Desjardins is in his third season as coach of the Canucks and owns a career mark of 83 – 71 -19. He guided the team to a 101-point season and a second place finish in the Pacific Division in 2014-15, his first as bench boss. Last season, Vancouver dropped 26 points in the standings and placed sixth in their division. Prior to being hired in Vancouver, Desjardins served as head coach of the Dallas Stars AHL affiliate and guided them to the Calder Cup championship in 2014.
Elsewhere around the league:
- Mike Fisher, who was injured in Tuesday’s 5 – 1 win over Colorado, is being listed as day-to-day with an upper-body-injury, tweets Adam Vingan of The Tennessean. Fisher, who replaced Shea Weber as Nashville’s captain, is tied for second on the club in scoring with five points in eight games. Now in his 17th season in the NHL, Fisher has scored 261 goals with 287 assists in 1,024 contests.
- According to the NHL Department of Player Safety (Twitter link) Los Angeles Kings defenseman Tom Gilbert will face a hearing for his hit on Nick Ritchie of the Anaheim Ducks Tuesday night. No penalty was assessed on the play but the league indicated the hearing is for boarding/charging. Eric Stephens of The Orange County Register provides an update on Ritchie and says the big winger won’t be in Anaheim’s lineup tonight as the Ducks host Pittsburgh. Gilbert has appeared in eight of L.A.’s 10 games this season and has recorded three points. Ritchie, meanwhile, has scored two goals and three points in 10 contests with Anaheim.
- The Arizona Coyotes have elected to keep rookie defenseman Jakob Chychrun on the roster instead of returning the 18-year-old blue liner to his junior team, according to Craig Morgan of Arizona Sports. As a result, Chychrun will burn the first season of his three-year entry-level contract. The Coyotes made a trade with Detroit during the 2016 entry draft to move up four spots to select Chychrun and so far has rewarded management’s faith. Chychurn has averaged 17:15 of ice time and has three points in eight games so far.
Blues Place Bortuzzo On IR; Call Up Hunt
The St. Louis Blues announced today that they have placed defenseman Robert Bortuzzo on the injured reserve. Bortuzzo suffered an undisclosed lower-body injury against the Detroit Red Wings on October 27th, and has not played since. Bortuzzo had not registered a point and was averaging just 11 minutes per game through four games before he was injured.
A defensive defenseman who has been used sparingly in his NHL career, Bortuzzo’s position on the Blues was further diminished by the breakout of Colton Parayko last season. Behind Parayko, Alex Pietrangelo, and Kevin Shattenkirk – the most talented collection of righty defenseman in the entire league – Bortuzzo has been forced into a limited role, if he plays at all. Bortuzzo was already expected to split time with Carl Gunnarsson and Joel Edmundson this season, and St. Louis cannot be too worried about his absence.
However, while Bortuzzo is out, the Blue have occupied his roster spot with defenseman Brad Hunt. The 28-year-old veteran is in his first season with the Blues organization, having played all 21 of his previous NHL contests with the Edmonton Oilers over the past three seasons. Signed this off-season for this very reason, to provide veteran depth and a more offensive option if needed, Hunt is ready to work his way into the St. Louis lineup. Thus far in 2016-17, he is leading the AHL’s Chicago Wolves with ten points.
NHL Investigating Islanders’ Ice
According to New York Islanders beat writer Chris Botta, the league has reached its limit with tolerating the problems with the ice at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The NHL is sending experts to the building to inspect the ice conditions and facility. There have been complaints about the ice conditions for over a year now, since the team first began play, from both Isles’ players and visitors and something must be done.
In a series of tweets two weeks ago, Botta detailed the main issue with the Barclays ice. Essentially, the piping system in the arena does not meet NHL standards, yet arena leadership has not done anything about it. Around the same time as Botta’s analysis, a New York Post article detailed some honest comments from Cal Clutterbuck, who did not hesitate to call it “the worst ice I’ve ever seen”. When the Islanders were winning last season in spite of the poor conditions, the team was not as heavy-handed with their commentary. However, with New York off to a rocky 4-6 start, the last thing the Islanders need is an added disadvantage as they try to right the ship.
It’s no secret that the Barclays Center was not designed for hockey. The Brooklyn Nets were meant to be the sole inhabitants, but an interest in a move from the Nassau Coliseum by the Islanders late in the game led to New York heading to Brooklyn last season. However, the Islanders have an out clause in their contract allowing them to leave after next season. With many design flaws in the stadium already apparent and attendance down for the second straight year, if the ice issues persist, it will be foregone conclusion by the end of the 2017-18 season that the Islanders will be on the move. Whether they return to a renovated Nassau Coliseum, begin building a new arena, or decide to depart New York altogether, the ice is just another factor leading towards an almost-inevitable Barclays departure.
Eetu Selanne Commits To Northeastern
Teemu Selanne‘s son grew up in southern California, is currently playing in Wisconsin, and now will head to Boston for the next chapter of his hockey career. Eetu Selanne announced yesterday that he has committed to play his college hockey at Northeastern University. The Huskies are the defending Hockey East champions and will look to get even stronger with the addition of Selanne in 2017-18.
In Teemu’s oldest son, Northeastern is getting a smart, two-center. Though he lacks the offensive firepower of this 10-time All-Star father, Eetu is developing into a solid defensive forward. With Teemu still playing in the NHL with the Anaheim Ducks just three years ago, Eetu was also playing in SoCal as a member of the Los Angeles Jr. Kings. Even in a market not typically known for it’s junior hockey, he drew the attention of several teams. This season he is beginning his second year with the Madison Capitals of the USHL and looking to better his 10 points in 48 games from 2015-16. Though Eetu may lack NHL potential at this point in his hockey career, a (likely) four year stint at Northeastern, playing against the best competition in college hockey, should help him develop into a more well-rounded player. Given the legacy of his last name, Selanne will be given every chance to make in to the big leagues.
Should Eetu fall short of his pro goals, he does not represent the last chance for a Selanne family line in the NHL. Younger brother Leevi Selanne is just 16, playing for the Anaheim Jr. Ducks, and is considered to be the best of Teemu’s three sons. Leevi may stand a chance to hear his name called on draft day in a few years.
Not long after Eetu announced his commitment to the Huskies yesterday, former Jr. Kings teammate Dakota Raabe of the BCHL’s Wenatchee Wild also announced that he is headed to the NCAA, set to play for the University of Michigan Wolverines in 2017-18. Selanne is also joined by Eeli Tolvanen (BC) and Kasper Kotkansalo (BU) as high-profile Finns who will soon be Hockey East rivals.
Injury Notes: Hammond, Letang, Pietrangelo
After dealing for Mike Condon today to give himself some insurance, Ottawa Senators’ GM Peter Dorion says that Andrew Hammond is out for at least another week dealing with a groin injury. Hammond was placed on injured reserve last week.
While Hammond is out with a known injury, Ken Warren of the Ottawa Citizen reports that the Craig Anderson situation is “very fluid”, meaning the goaltender may miss additional time during the year. Condon will fly to meet the Senators in Ottawa for tomorrow’s game against the Canucks.
- Kris Letang is back in uniform for Pittsburgh and will play tonight against Anaheim, says Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register. Along with the top blueliner, the Penguins will be welcoming back Matt Murray to the ice as he gets his first start this season. Murray was nursing a broken hand suffered at the World Cup.
- The Blues have announced that Alex Pietrangelo will likely play tomorrow even though he didn’t practice today with the club. While he’s due for another evaluation in the morning, head coach Ken Hitchcock said he looks to be “OK” for tomorrow night.
- David Backes is back skating for the Boston Bruins, after receiving medical clearance yesterday. According to Claude Julien “everybody’s on track right now and heading in the right direction.” Practice was a little thin today as Tuukka Rask, Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, David Krejci, Zdeno Chara and John-Michael Liles were all given the day off.
Vancouver Canucks Assign Stetcher, Nilsson To AHL
The Vancouver Canucks continue to shuffle the deck looking for a winning formula. Today, the team has sent Troy Stecher and Tom Nilsson to the AHL Utica Comets. Chris Tanev will figure back into the lineup in their absence.
Stecher had played admirably for the Canucks since his call up, averaging over twenty minutes a night and providing a calm presence on the back end. The 22-year old was only just signed out of the University of North Dakota this summer, but has already established himself as a potential NHL blueliner. He’ll have to wait his turn though, as being waivers-exempt often means you’re on the bubble of the NHL roster.
Nilsson on the other hand didn’t get into a game with the Canucks after suffering an injury in the preseason. The former Maple Leafs’ prospect will look to make an impression at Utica this season and reestablish himself in the North American game. After playing well for the Toronto Marlies two seasons ago, Nilsson returned to Sweden to play for Frolunda last year.
Anaheim Calls Up Sgarbossa, Kase; Assigns Tokarski To AHL
After a 4-0 drubbing of the Los Angeles Kings last night, the 4-4-0 Anaheim Ducks have decided to make some changes today. According to Helene Elliott of the LA Times, the team has called up Michael Sgarbossa and Ondrej Kase while sending down Dustin Tokarski down to the AHL.
Sgarbossa has played four games for the Ducks this year after spending all year with their AHL team last season. The former Colorado prospect has shown an ability to score at the minor league level but has never found any consistent playing time in the NHL. Only 24, he may yet develop into a useful piece for the Ducks.
Kase is a much different story, as still little has been seen of the Czech forward in North America. While only getting into 25 games last season with the San Diego Gulls, Kase put up 14 points and was a contributor in their short playoff run. The 20-year old was the Ducks’ seventh-round selection in 2014 and is off to a good start with the Gulls this season.
Tokarski had a short-lived stint with the Ducks this year, getting into one game in garbage time in relief of John Gibson last week. The former Montreal Canadiens netminder was dealt to the Ducks last season in exchange for Max Friberg. Tokarski made his first impression on the NHL when he replaced Carey Price in the 2014 playoffs after the Canadiens’ MVP went down with a knee injury.