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Archives for January 2017

Snapshots: Coyotes, Bruins, Ellis

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The Arizona Coyotes swapped forwards with their AHL affiliate on Friday morning, according to GM John Chayka.

Laurent Dauphin is making his way to the Tucson Roadrunners while Christian Fischer will take his place on the NHL roster. Fischer has 16 goals and 32 points in 31 games in the AHL, which puts him first in goals and second in points on the Roadrunners. The 32nd-overall pick in the 2015 draft has been named to the AHL All-Star Classic. Meanwhile Dauphin has three points in 24 games with the big club.

The Coyotes have lost four games in a row, and are currently in 29th with a 13-26-6 record.

  • The floundering Boston Bruins will publicly address their coaching situation tomorrow, according to Bruins reporter Jimmy Murphy. Murphy quotes “numerous sources” as saying the team will speak regardless of the outcome of tonight’s game versus the Chicago Blackhawks. The Bruins have 52 points, which has them third in the Atlantic Division as of today, but they have played five more games than the teams above and below them. They have four wins in their past 10 games. Murphy tweets that the team’s management has “created a PR mess” by not publicly addressing the situation. This is Claude Julien’s 10th season as head coach of the Bruins.
  • Adam Vingan of the Tennessean tweeted an interesting fact, via Elias Sports. When Ryan Ellis scored twice against Calgary on Thursday night, he lost out on a Predators’ team record. Ellis had the most goals (35 before last night) in his Predators career without having a multi-goal game. That record now belongs to former Predator Dan Hamhuis, who had 32 goals during his six seasons with Nashville.

Maple Leafs Re-Claim Seth Griffith On Waivers

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For the third time this season, Seth Griffith has been claimed on waivers.

The Bruins lost him to the Maple Leafs in the pre-season, who lost him to the Panthers after just three games, and now the Maple Leafs have taken him back.

Griffith had five assists in 21 games with the Panthers, but was a healthy scratch in seven of Florida’s past eight games.

Though Griffith is small by NHL standards at 5’9, teams are clearly fascinated by his potential. Griffith has played in 58 NHL games with those three teams, recording six goals and 16 points. His production at the AHL level has been much better; he had 77 points in just 57 games with the Providence Bruins in 2015-16.

Blue Notes: Shattenkirk, Copley, Allen, Coaching

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Much digital ink has already been spilled on the St. Louis Blues and defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk.

As our Brian La Rose wrote yesterday, most hockey insiders believe Shattenkirk is committed to becoming an unrestricted free agent this summer. However, the Blues are not looking like a serious contender, having lost six of their last 10 games. Goaltender Jake Allen is sporting an ugly 0.897 SV% in his first year as the Blues’ starter.

TSN’s Bob McKenzie appeared on TSN Edmonton radio on Friday morning and suggested the Blues could raise their asking price for Shattenkirk by talking to him and his agent to find out his ideal landing spot. The Blues could facilitate contract talks before completing the rare sign and trade, meaning the new team could get Shattenkirk on an eight-year contract and the Blues can get a higher price for the offensive defenseman compared to trading him as a rental.

The Blues may not be opposed to that option, as they did something similar at last year’s NHL Draft. The Arizona Coyotes and Edmonton Oilers were both granted permission to speak with Shattenkirk. The Coyotes reportedly made some progress, but the Oilers were told Shattenkirk wasn’t interested in signing long-term. Had he expressed interest in signing in Edmonton, it’s entirely possible that Taylor Hall could have been a St. Louis Blue instead of a New Jersey Devil.

According to Darren Dreger, Shattenkirk could have interest in signing long-term with Anaheim, Boston, Colorado, Detroit, New York (Rangers), San Jose, and Toronto. The Rangers are believed to be the front-runners at this time.

  • The Blues have recalled Pheonix Copley from the Chicago Wolves. Copley is 11-4-1 with a 0.920 SV% with the Wolves. Neither of the Blues’ current goaltenders are injured, but Allen and Carter Hutton have the worst combined SV% in the NHL at 0.895.
  • On their morning roundtable, ESPN insiders discussed the pros and cons of the Blues’ two-coach system. Ken Hitchcock is in his final year while Mike Yeo was brought in to eventually replace him; both men are behind the bench this season, however. While they agree that neither the coaches nor the system are to blame for the Blues’ struggles, Pierre LeBrun wonders “whether [Hitchcock] will last the rest of the season if the Blues keep producing uneven results,” especially considering his replacement is already in place.

Clarke MacArthur Done For The Season

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Ottawa Senators winger Clarke MacArthur will not play this season after suffering a concussion back in training camp.

Senators GM Pierre Dorion said the decision was made after discussions with “numerous doctors,” who all indicated that MacArthur shouldn’t play hockey this year.

MacArthur missed all but four games of the 2015-16 season with a concussion, but his return ended before it started when he took a high hit from defenseman Patrick Sieloff during a scrimmage. MacArthur had to be helped off the ice as his teammates rushed Sieloff to confront his about the hit. Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch reported that MacArthur hoped to return by the All-Star break, but a recent baseline test and examination nixed that. Two concussion experts deemed a return this season to be too risky, so while MacArthur has said he doesn’t want to retire, it may not be up to him. Dorion said MacArthur is “devastated” by the news, but he’s going to stay with the team and continue to work out with hopes of an eventual return.

MacArthur is in the second year of a five-year pact which pays him $4.65MM per season. He’s been on LTIR for all of this season and much of last one. Dorion was asked about his efforts to replace MacArthur via the trade market; he told Garrioch that “the prices are ridiculous, almost.”

There is some good news for Senators fans, however. Goaltender Craig Anderson will permanently return to the team sometime in late January or early February. Anderson has been away from the Senators on-and-off since late October when his wife, Nicholle, was diagnosed with cancer. Her cancer has responded well to treatment so Craig should be good to stay with the team.

Radim Vrbata’s Bonuses May Limit Trade Partners

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Arizona Coyotes forward Radim Vrbata will garner attention come trade deadline time because he is an impending free agent. As TSN’s Bob McKenzie points out, however, Vrbata’s performance-laden contract poses problems for potential trade partners because his bonuses could significantly increase his salary and cap hit.

Vrbata signed a $1MM contract this off-season, but could earn an additional $2.25MM in bonuses. Those bonuses could wreak havoc on a contending team’s cap space next year if a team decides to shift those cap charges to next season as allowed under the cap. Spotrac.com lists Vrbata’s bonuses as:

  • 10 GP: $250,000
  • 30 GP: $250,000
  • 20 Goals/40 PTS: $500,000
  • Playoffs: $250,000
  • Per Playoff Round: $250,000

Vrbata has already hit his 10 and 30 GP bonuses, and is 10 goals or 11 points away from his other stat-based bonus. The two playoff bonuses listed seem innocuous and unattainable if Vrbata remains with the Coyotes, but if traded those bonuses become very valuable. Vrbata would receive $500K just by making the playoffs, and an additional $250K for each successive round. If Vrbata makes the Stanley Cup Finals he earns $1.25MM in additional bonuses on top of his performance-based bonuses.

Any team vying for Vrbata will be a playoff-bound team, so Vrbata’s potential bonuses become instantly attainable. This may eliminate teams like the Chicago Blackhawks because of the potential cap overages next season. The contract structure will not kibosh trades, but it may lower Arizona’s return as teams are trading for a potentially $3.25MM rental instead of a $1MM rental.

 

Anthony Duclair Sent Down to AHL

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The Arizona Coyotes sent prospect forward Anthony Duclair down to the Tucson Roadrunners, reports AZ Central’s Sarah McLellan. Duclair’s demotion opens up a roster spot for Ryan White, who returns tonight after missing 11 games with a lower body injury.

Duclair has struggled this season, scoring 3G and 6A in 41 games. His production pales in comparison to last season’s campaign where he scored 20G and 24A in 81 games. Duclair played just 10 minutes last night in a 6-3 loss to the Winnipeg Jets but managed to earn a -3 rating during those ten minutes. The Coyotes gave Duclair numerous opportunities to turn things around, but it appears that the team has given up on Duclair regaining his scoring touch without any intervention.

GM John Chayka stated that he hopes Duclair finds his skills in the AHL and leaves the door open for Duclair’s return. Duclair was linked to trade talks earlier this season, but it is unclear what the Coyotes plan on doing with the young forward after sending him down. It could be that Duclair gains more playing time in the AHL and thus the demotion may double as a showcase for interested teams.

Replacing Anthony Duclair is Ryan White who returns from injured reserve. White has 2G and 3A in 30 games this season. Unless White finds another gear, however, the Coyotes shouldn’t expect a flurry of offense with these moves.

Frank Corrado Finally Plays

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Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Frank Corrado will finally see the ice after playing but one NHL game this season. Corrado has been a healthy scratch for almost the entire season—minus a week long conditioning stint in the AHL—because of Toronto’s blue line logjam.

The young defenseman took to the media earlier this year to express his frustration with the lack of playing time. Corrado remained a healthy scratch despite gaining muscle and working hard every practice. He questioned whether coach Mike Babcock liked him, and whether he fit into the team’s plan.

With star defenseman Morgan Rielly out, however, Corrado finally gains his chance to show the team what he brings to the table. Rielly suffered a lower body injury against the Buffalo Sabres Tuesday night, and it is unclear how many games the blue line mainstay will miss. According to the Athletic’s James Mirtle, Corrado will man the left side on a third pairing with Connor Carrick. Mirtle expects Corrado to get around 13 minutes of playing time.

The Maple Leafs will have to rely on its defensive depth to weather Rielly’s injury. Rielly plays over 22 minutes a night on the top pairing with the surprise breakout defenseman Nikita Zaitsev. Defenseman Jake Gardiner is expected to shoulder an increased load while Rielly remains sidelined. If Frank Corrado can impress Mike Babcock over the next few games, his current situation may change for the better.

Snapshots: Oilers, Staal, Hedman

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News and notes from around the NHL this evening

  • The Edmonton Oilers have recalled forward Anton Lander from the Bakersfield Condors today. Sportsnet’s Mark Spector speculates that the move means Jujhar Khaira may be out for longer than initially thought. Khaira suffered an upper body injury yesterday in the first period against the Florida Panthers. Lander’s callup was inevitable given how he’s lighting up the AHL. Lander has 14G and 13A in only 16 games—almost a two points per game pace. Those stats have not translated at the NHL level, however, with Lander scoring only 1G and 3A in 20 games.
  • New York Rangers defenseman Marc Staal may be nearing a return. According to the Newsday’s Steve Zipay, coach Alain Vigneault did not rule out Staal returning soon, and that Vigneault will play Staal as soon as he is healthy. Staal is recovering from concussion symptoms that kept him out since January 3rd. He’s been skating with the team for the past week to keep up conditioning and monitor his progress.
  • Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman still needs more time before returning to action, reports James O’Brien of NBCSports. Hedman misses his third straight game tonight with the vague “illness” tag. The Lighting are three points back of a playoff spot, but do not face a conference opponent until they visit the Florida Panthers next Thursday. Despite missing games, Hedman remains 2nd in scoring among defenseman with 7G and 31A in 44 games. The Lightning desperately need his production, so any absences indicate a more severe issue than initially thought.

Poll: 2005 NHL Draft Take Two: Twenty-Ninth Overall Pick

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Hindsight is an amazing thing, and allows us to look back and wonder “what could have been.” Though perfection is attempted, scouting and draft selection is far from an exact science and sometimes, it doesn’t work out the way teams – or players – intended. For every Patrick Kane, there is a Patrik Stefan.

We’re looking back at the 2005 NHL Draft, which kicked off the salary cap era and ushered in many of the current NHL superstars. The question we’re looking to answer is knowing now what we didn’t know then, how different would this draft look now with the benefit of hindsight?

Here are the results of our redraft so far:

1st Overall: Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins)
2nd Overall: Carey Price (Mighty Ducks of Anaheim)
3rd Overall: Anze Kopitar (Carolina Hurricanes)
4th Overall: Jonathan Quick (Minnesota Wild)
5th Overall: Kris Letang (Montreal Canadiens)
6th Overall: Tuukka Rask (Columbus Blue Jackets)
7th Overall: Bobby Ryan (Chicago Blackhawks)
8th Overall: Marc-Edouard Vlasic (San Jose Sharks)
9th Overall: Ben Bishop (Ottawa Senators)
10th Overall: James Neal (Vancouver Canucks)
11th Overall: T.J. Oshie (Los Angeles Kings)
12th Overall: Keith Yandle (New York Rangers)
13th Overall: Paul Stastny (Buffalo Sabres)
14th Overall: Marc Staal (Washington Capitals)
15th Overall: Patric Hornqvist (New York Islanders)
16th Overall: Niklas Hjalmarsson (Atlanta Thrashers)
17th Overall: Anton Stralman (Phoenix Coyotes)
18th Overall: Jack Johnson (Nashville Predators)
19th Overall: Matt Niskanen (Detroit Red Wings)
20th Overall: Justin Abdelkader (Florida Panthers)
21st Overall: Martin Hanzal (Toronto Maple Leafs)
22nd Overall: Andrew Cogliano (Boston Bruins)
23rd Overall: Kris Russell (New Jersey Devils)
24th Overall: Darren Helm (St. Louis Blues)
25th Overall: Cody Franson (Edmonton Oilers)
26th Overall: Benoit Pouliot (Calgary Flames)
27th Overall: Vladimir Sobotka (Washington Capitals)
28th Overall: Devin Setoguchi (Dallas Stars)

Now we move forward to the 29th pick, which was held by the Philadelphia Flyers.

To recap how this works:

  • We will go through the 2005 NHL Draft and have our readers select, through a voting process, who they think should have been taken with the selection.
  • The entire first round will be redrafted, spanning picks one through thirty. The new selection is chosen by the majority of votes.

Back in 2005, the Flyers selected Downie, an undersized power forward out of Windsor of the OHL.  It wasn’t long before some controversy started as a well-publicized hazing incident with the Spitfires eventually resulted in Downie being suspended by the team and ultimately getting dealt.

He made quite the impression in his rookie season at the professional level, putting up 17 points in 21 AHL games while getting into 32 games with Philadelphia.  It wasn’t all good news though as Downie also received a 20 game suspension for an illegal hit in that preseason.  He didn’t last too much longer with the Flyers as in November of 2008, he was dealt to Tampa Bay as part of a trade to bring the recently-retired Matt Carle to Philly.

Downie spent parts of four seasons with the Lightning and had the best season of his career in 2009-10, collecting 46 points.  In 2012, he was flipped to Colorado for blueliner Kyle Quincey (who was immediately flipped to Detroit with Tampa landing a first rounder that was used on goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy) where injuries really started to take their toll.

After being traded back to Philadelphia in 2013, Downie started to bounce around.  He finished that season with the Flyers before moving to Pittsburgh where he lasted one season before joining the Coyotes.  Downie cleared waivers last season, finishing the year in the minors and did not sign anywhere this past summer.

Although his career is largely remembered for a lack of discipline at times (on top of the suspensions, he had over 1,000 penalty minutes), Downie is currently the 19th highest scorer from this draft class, collecting 196 points in 434 career games.

With the 29th pick of the 2005 NHL Redraft, who should the Flyers select?  Cast your vote below!

Mobile users, click here to vote.

Snapshots: Granlund, Red Wings, MacKenzie, Bennett

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A big part of the reason that Wild forward Mikael Granlund is having a breakout season has been the decision to play him almost exclusively on the wing, writes Michael Russo of the Star Tribune.  Minnesota experimented with him on that side late last year under former interim head coach John Torchetti and new bench boss Bruce Boudreau decided to keep the duo of Granlund with Mikko Koivu at center together.

The call to keep them together has certainly worked out for the Wild.  Granlund has 36 points already this season (just eight shy of matching his career best from last year) while Koivu is on pace for a 60 point campaign, a mark he hasn’t reached since 2010-11.  Meanwhile, Minnesota leads the Western Conference in goals scored, something we’re not used to seeing from a club that had a long-time reputation as a defense-first squad.

Other notes from around the league:

  • In what appears to be merely a procedural move, the Red Wings will transfer goalie Jimmy Howard onto LTIR, reports Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press. There’s no indication of a setback for the netminder, who has been skating in recent days.  However, doing so will allow the team to activate Darren Helm off of LTIR without requiring any further roster moves as he is close to returning and could suit up tomorrow.  Helm has been out of the lineup since November 15th due to a dislocated shoulder.  If he is activated, center Steve Ott is expected to be placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury to open a spot on the active 23-man roster.
  • Panthers captain Derek MacKenzie reached a rare milestone yesterday. By suiting up in his 500th career NHL game last night, he became just the eighth player to play in 500 games at both the NHL and AHL levels, via the AHL’s Communications Department (Twitter link).
  • The Flames announced that center Sam Bennett will be a healthy scratch for the first time this season. The fourth overall pick in 2014 has been mired in a major slump lately, scoring just three goals without any assists in his last 19 games.  Calgary also received some good news on the injury front today as winger Micheal Ferland is set to return from a lower body injury that caused him to miss the last three games.

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