Snapshots: Oduya, Sproul, Trouba, Fowler
Mike Heika writes that the development of Dallas’ young defenseman has been helped by the presence of Johnny Oduya. The four defenseman standing to benefit, Patrik Nemeth, Jamie Oleksiak, Stephen Johns and Esa Lindell, have the two-time Stanley Cup champion defenseman patrolling the blue line. General manager Jim Nill talked about Oduya’s professionalism and dedication to the sport and how it plays a huge role in the development of younger players:
“It’s hard to tell his age, because he’s in such great shape. He’s a consummate professional, and he’s the kind of guy that players naturally attract to. They want to ask him what he’s eating and why. They want to know how he’s working out.”
Oduya was signed as a free agent by the Stars in 2015 and defenseman Stephen Johns followed from Chicago when he was dealt along with Patrick Sharp to the big D. Johns commented on Oduya’s leadership, especially during a rough series for Johns against Minnesota during the 2016 playoffs. Johns said that Oduya’s words of wisdom were instrumental in his confidence growing.
Though the Stars are 3-3-1, the steady Oduya should help the younger defensive corps bring the Stars back to its expected perch as one of the best in the West.
In other NHL news:
- The Red Wings have guaranteed one of their young defenseman an extended stay with the big club writes MLive’s Ansar Khan. Khan answered a number of questions and regarding young defenseman Ryan Sproul, the club has apparently told Sproul to a find a place to live in the Detroit area. Khan reports that Sproul will duke it out with Alexey Marchenko and Xavier Ouellet for a final spot on the blue line when Niklas Kronwall returns from a knee injury. When Tomas Jurco returns, Khan opines that it will most likely be Ouellet as the odd man out, which would mean being exposed to waivers.
- Khan also answers about the Red Wings’ likelihood of obtaining Jacob Trouba or Cam Fowler via a trade, but from the sounds of it, Trouba is still a far fetched option while Fowler might end up staying in Anaheim after all. Khan says that the Ducks may reconsider moving Fowler should their offensive woes continue. Trouba, on the other hand, will simply cost too much for the Wings to trade for, and the young, left handed defenseman the Jets seek in return is something Detroit cannot provide.
Franchise Faceoff: Anaheim Ducks vs Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks have now long been one of the NHL’s preeminent franchises, winning multiple Stanley Cups and sending player after player to the podium to receive NHL awards. They’ve had to sell off young assets to keep their roster together, but seem to continually have a dangerous team capable of winning it all. Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane have developed into one of the most potent duos (though they rarely play together) in the league, and they’re supported by a strong secondary cast.
The Anaheim Ducks on the other hand, have built a powerhouse of their own, only to fall short each time they seem poised to take a long post-season run. Their own franchise duo in Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry have just as many accolades as Chicago’s while their defense corps may be second to none in the league. For some reason though, they just can’t get it done in the playoffs and as many around the league are expecting a trade, Bob Murray has said he wants to “give this group one more shot” before a possible tear down.
[Chicago Blackhawks Depth Chart vs Anaheim Ducks Depth Chart]
With both teams running into cap trouble due to their aging but still effective superstars, they each have good young players to build their next iteration with. After we looked at two rebuilding teams in Toronto and Edmonton, and two teams trying to get back to the playoffs in Calgary and Montreal, we now ask the same thing of two teams who are perennial candidates for the Stanley Cup.
If you were buying a roster (not all the franchise perks that go with it) to build a championship team, which would you take?
Tampa Bay Lightning Recall Cory Conacher
According to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet, the Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled Cory Conacher from the AHL to fill in for Nikita Kucherov while he’s out with injury. Kucherov is listed as day-to-day after falling into the boards awkwardly last night.
Conacher last played in the NHL in 2014-15 for the New York Islanders, and since has bounced around the AHL and Swiss league. Last year for Bern of the NLA he posted 52 points in 48 games, his most productive professional season since 2011-12. The diminutive winger has never found much consistent success in the NHL, though is at least an experienced body to plug into the lineup.
For the Lightning, losing Kucherov for any length of time would be devastating, as the winger is arguably their top forward outside of Steven Stamkos and is a huge part of their offense. While at the moment it doesn’t seem serious, it’ll be interesting to see who takes his spot in the top six.
Anaheim Ducks Recall Shea Theodore
After just assigning Shea Theodore to the AHL yesterday to make room for Hampus Lindholm, the team has brought him back up according to Steve Zipay of Newsday. Apparently, Lindholm has a visa issue and could take some time to arrive in Anaheim.
It’s unclear if Theodore even left the team, though since the AHL affiliate for the Ducks is San Diego, he could have easily been sent there and back in the last 24 hours. Neither team played yesterday.
Theodore is one of the league’s top defensive prospects, and is considered ready for the NHL by many outside observers. His poise with the puck and strong positional play make him a candidate for a top pairing down the road, though he’ll have to wait since the Ducks have such a deep blueline at the moment.
While there apparently is no rush to trade Cam Fowler even with the Lindholm extension, Theodore would clearly benefit most from a deal. He plays the same left side as Fowler, and would likely jump above Clayton Stoner quickly if given the chance. Lindholm, also a left-handed defenseman will likely resume his spot on the top pairing with Josh Manson when the team sorts out his visa issue.
Tuomo Ruutu Signs In Switzerland
According to Sami Hoffren of Ilta-Sanomat (Finland), former NHL forward Tuomo Ruutu has signed with HC Davos of the NLA (Switzerland). It’s a one-year deal for the 33-year old, meaning a return to the NHL next year is not out of the question.
After finding himself unable to secure anything but a PTO with the Canucks this summer, Ruutu was cut just before the start of the season. He’ll now continue his playing career overseas, where he may be able to find some offensive success once again.
As a rookie in 2003-04, it seemed as though a young Ruutu was set to take the league by storm, scoring 23 goals and 44 points on a terrible Chicago team. It looked as though the club had a quartet of young forwards to build around as Tyler Arnason, Mark Bell and Kyle Calder (all 24 or younger) each also scored 20+ goals. That year and the one following would prove to be the high-point for each of them however, until Ruutu rediscovered his game in Carolina in 2008-09. 26 goals and 54 points would represent a career high for the Finn, and the only time he’d see the playoffs in his NHL career.
A ninth-overall pick, Ruutu never did fulfill on his potential of an elite point producer, and has only contributed 19 goals in the last four seasons. Davos is 8-8-1 and struggling in 9th place, and could use the offensive help; they’ve only scored 46 goals in 17 games, while surrendering 54.
Snapshots: Murray, Sceviour, Plager
Matt Murray is finally going to make his 2016-17 debut, it might just have to wait a few more days. Even though the goaltender has been “going full-speed now for almost two weeks” he won’t start this Saturday versus the Philadelphia Flyers. Instead, according to Dave Molinari of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Murray will get one of the west coast back-to-back games on Wednesday and Thursday. The Penguins visit the Ducks and then the Kings in some inter-conference action.
Murray is coming back from a broken hand he suffered during the World Cup when he backstopped the young guns (Team North America) in the tournament. While the Penguins claimed Mike Condon off waivers earlier in the season to replace Murray, they’re hesitant to lose any of the three solid pieces they have in net. They view them all as considerable assets, and don’t want to lose any for nothing.
- Colton Sceviour will be moved up in the lineup according to George Richards of the Miami Herald. After getting a season-high 15 minutes in the Panthers latest loss at the hands of the Maple Leafs on Thursday night, the former Dallas Star will replace Kyle Rau on the second line. The Panthers are without Jonathan Huberdeau, Nick Bjugstad and Jussi Jokinen due to various injuries and have had to move pieces in and out of their top-six in recent games. While Jon Marchessault is thriving on the top line, the unit of Rau-Trocheck-Smith weren’t as effective against the Maple Leafs.
- The St. Louis Blues will retire number 5 in honor of Bob Plager this season. Plager has been with the club for almost 50 years since his addition as a player on June 6th, 1967, holding almost every position possible: player, head coach, director of scouting, director of player development and others. Plager’s #5 will join Al MacInnis (#2), Bob Gassoff (#3), Barclay Plager (his brother and #8), Brian Sutter (#11), Brett Hull (#16) and Bernie Federko (#24) among retired numbers for the Blues.
Las Vegas Will Be Given Free Agency Head Start
In an article by ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun, he reveals that sources have confirmed that the Las Vegas expansion team will be given a head start in free agency. With revamped, pro-team Expansion Draft rules, as well as the ability to make trades (drafts picks, Expansion Draft exceptions) earlier than ever, Las Vegas will now have the benefit of the first shot at the 2017 free agent class.
According to LeBrun, the ____ Knights will have a 48-hour window prior to the Expansion Draft on June 21st, 2017 to negotiate with free agents left unprotected by their respective teams. This includes both unrestricted and restricted free agents. The purpose of this rule is that if Las Vegas is going to use an Expansion Draft selection on a player no longer under contract, they would first want to be sure that this player is willing to sign with the team. In those 48 hours, Las Vegas can negotiate with any unprotected free agent and sign any that they choose to.
The interesting implication that this has on the Expansion Draft is that any team who has an unprotected free agent signed during this head start window can no longer have a player selected in the draft. For GM George McPhee, this adds a whole new layer to draft and free agency preparation. If there is a team with an unprotected free agent that Las Vegas would like to sign as well as an unprotected signed player they would like to draft, it makes no sense to use the window to sign that free agent. It is likely that they will get a shot on July 1st anyways and do not want to have their opportunity to select a player under contract foreclosed on. The loophole that McPhee will likely exploit, rather than signing numerous free agents prior to the draft, will be to establish negotiations with several impending unrestricted free agents rather than sign them right away, so as to give Las Vegas a leg up on the competition come July 1st and the league-wide beginning of free agency. The team will also be able to avoid RFA holdouts or arbitration battles by speaking with the unprotected players before selecting them, instead of using a pick on a player who wants to be overpaid.
The expansion process continues to become more and more intensive and strategic, and for fans, exciting. Las Vegas will be one of the NHL’s main story lines this season, before the team even takes the ice, all culminating in the Expansion Draft next June. Stay tuned.
Bryan Little To IR, Marko Dano Up To Winnipeg
When Bryan Little was injured in the Winnipeg Jet’s season opener, it was originally believed that he would only be out for a short time. Yet, two weeks later he has not made his return and head coach Paul Maurice stated yesterday that he could be out for another month. The team backed up those words today, placing Little on the injured reserve.
The team’s second-line center and a key point producer, Little’s long-term absence will certainly mean trouble for the Jets. The team is already off to a disappointing start, with just two wins thus far, and now they are missing one of the centerpieces of their team. A holdover from the Atlanta Thrashers days and a career member of the organization, Little has always been relied upon to play big minutes for the team. A strong two-way player who is a perennially puts up 40+ points, Little’s absence will be felt in all aspects of the game. Unlike the loss of unsigned Jacob Trouba, Winnipeg does not have the same depth up front as they do on the back end, and are not structured well to deal with the loss of a key forward. The team certainly hopes that Little returns before the end of November.
In his stead, the Jets have called up Marko Dano from the AHL’s Manitoba Moose. Once considered a top NHL prospect, Dano has had an interesting few years. A first-round pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2013, Dano made his debut in 2014-15 with 21 points in 35 games, playing a complete and exciting game. He caught the eye of the Chicago Blackhawks, who asked for Dano in the Brandon Saad trade. However, Dano failed to find his footing in Chicago, and was once more traded after putting up just 10 points in 34 games. This time he was shipped to Winnipeg as part of the package for Andrew Ladd and finished the season with the Jets, recording eight points in 21 games. Dano failed to make the team out of camp this week, but will now get his chance to stick at the NHL level with Winnipeg. The 21-year-old winger has a ton of skill, and if he can put it all together like he did as a rookie in Columbus, that will greatly help the Jets cope with the loss of Little and turn their early struggles around.
Pastrnak Suspended Two Games
NHL Player Safety has announced that Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak will be suspended two games for a high hit on New York Rangers defenseman Dan Girardi on Wednesday. As the league explains, by launching himself toward the head area of Girardi, Pastrnak committed an illegal check and has been given two games as a punishment. Girardi was not injured on the hit.
There are certainly some questions as to the intent of the 180 lb. Pastrnak as he flew towards an unaware 210 lb. Girardi. Pastrnak has never been afraid of contact, despite his smaller stature, but he also has no history of dirty checks. Girardi was also making a play on the puck, and the hit was with purpose and not late. Nevertheless, the league felt that Pastrnak’s hit, which by accident or on purpose was to the head of Girardi, warranted a suspension, even as the player’s first offense.
Pastrnak will miss big divisional games for the Bruins, on the road against the Detroit Red Wings and Florida Panthers. After starting off strong with a 3-1 record, Boston has lost their last three games while they dealt with the absence of goalie Tuukka Rask. With Rask set to return as early as tomorrow, the Bruins were hoping to get back on track. They will have to do so without their leading goal-scorer. Playing on a line with Brad Marchand and one of Patrice Bergeron or David Backes, Pastrnak has gotten off to a red-hot start with five goals and three assists in seven games. The 20-year-old is tied for second in the league in goals, and was hoping to pot a few more on the Bruins road trip. Instead, he will watch from the bench as a Boston team that is struggling with injuries early this season will lose another key contributor.
Kucherov Out With Upper Body Injury
Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov left last night’s game, a 3-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens, and did not return. Kucherov took a hard check midway through the first period and looked to have injured his left shoulder. Kucherov skated to the bench afterward, and did come out for his next shift, but did not return to the bench following the period break.
When asked about the status of the team’s leading scorer in 2015-16, The Tampa Bay Times’ Joe Smith reports that coach Jon Cooper had little to add. Other than confirming that Kucherov had not suffered a concussion, Cooper said that the nature of the injury and it’s extent were still unknown. Cooper believes that Kucherov was simply hit “the wrong way” on that check, indicating that it should not be a long-term injury.
In the meantime, if Kucherov is out for a few games, the Lightning will not be too short-handed. Ryan Callahan is nearing return to the lineup, after rehabbing from hip surgery, and may be ready to go as early as the team’s next game on Saturday. Tampa also has the luxury of experienced wingers like Cory Conacher and Erik Condra playing in the AHL with the Syracuse Crunch who could be called up as well. While no one can replace Kucherov point-for-point (he has 131 of them over the past two seasons), the Lightning are well-equipped to handle a short absence for the Russian scorer.