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Atlantic Notes: Cassidy, Radulov, Plekanec, Carrier, Kulikov

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The Bruins have played their way right back into the thick of the postseason chase under interim head coach Bruce Cassidy, going 8-2 in his first ten games behind the bench heading into play on Monday night.  Accordingly, CSN New England’s Joe Haggerty suggests that the time is right for GM Don Sweeney to lift the interim title and make him the full-time head coach.

Shortly after the trade deadline, Sweeney told reporters that he’s open to lifting the tag at the end of the season although he left the window open to do so later this season if he feels the time is right.  Haggerty argues that if the GM is already content with the idea of making the change more of a permanent one, it should be done sooner than later so there’s no opportunity for a distraction during the stretch run.

This is Cassidy’s second stint as a head coach after holding the job for parts of two seasons with Washington more than a decade ago.

More from the Atlantic:

  • The Canadiens announced via their Twitter account that Alexander Radulov is likely to miss his second straight game against the Canucks tomorrow with a lower body injury sustained after blocking a shot last week. The Russian right winger has returned to the NHL with a bang this season and sits second on Montreal in scoring with 46 points in 63 games; his 31 assists lead the team.  Additionally, the team noted that center Tomas Plekanec is listed as day-to-day although the nature of his injury is undisclosed.
  • Sabres left winger William Carrier is set to miss his 17th straight game tomorrow against the Flyers, notes John Vogl of The Buffalo News. It doesn’t appear a return is imminent either as he has yet to start skating as the bruise on his knee is not hearing anywhere near the rate the team was hoping for.  Defenseman Dmitry Kulikov is also expected to sit that game out with a concussion.

Latest On Golden Knights’ Coaching Search

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Golden Knights GM George McPhee made his first splash earlier today with the signing of undrafted free agent Reid Duke to an entry level contract.  However, the biggest question around the team for the last few months has been the head coaching situation.  Earlier in the year, owner Bill Foley suggested that the team could look to hire their inaugural bench boss by the end of the season.  However, speaking with NHL.com’s Nick Cotsonika, McPhee suggested that’s not likely to be the case.

When asked about the status of their shortlist of coaching options, McPhee noted they’ve yet to speak to everyone on it just yet.

“We’re not going to add to the list. Just want to make sure we talk to every person on the list, and we haven’t had a chance to do that yet.”

The fact that they’ve yet to speak to everyone suggests that there’s at least one coach that the team has interest in that’s currently under contract to another franchise at the moment which is likely a reason why this search is now expected to last past the end of the regular season.  The GM certainly seems content with the opportunity to conduct a longer search than most organizations have the ability to do:

“We’re trying to take our time. You don’t get this kind of time very often. So we’re trying to use it as best we can.”

In past months, former Florida head coach Gerard Gallant and ex-Islanders boss Jack Capuano are a pair of names that have been linked to Vegas as strong candidates to get the position as things currently stand.

While there’s no firm timeline in place for the coach to be hired, it’s likely that the Golden Knights won’t want to let this process go past May.  With the expansion draft set to occur from June 18th to the 20th (with picks being announced on the 21st), they’ll undoubtedly want their new coach in place to help shape the framework for their inaugural roster.

West Notes: Parenteau, Salomaki, Pietrangelo, Hansen

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The Predators are about to be faced with a nice problem to have, too many NHL-capable forwards.  Recently-acquired right winger P.A. Parenteau is expected to make his Nashville debut sometime this week during their three game road trip, reports Adam Vingan of The Tennessean.  Additionally, the Preds are expected to have winger Miikka Salomaki back in the near future as he’s currently on a long-term injury conditioning loan after being out since mid-October.

Vingan suggests that Parenteau’s acquisition could force right winger Craig Smith either onto a lower line or out of the lineup entirely.  Smith has struggled considerably at the offensive end this season, scoring just four goals in 54 games, hardly the type of production they were expecting from a player carrying a $4MM cap hit.  He adds that someone like Salomaki, who was a regular for most of last season, may have to wait a little while to get back in the lineup as fourth liners Harry Zolnierczyk and Austin Watson are playing well enough to stay where they are for now.

Elsewhere in the West:

  • The Blues are looking to find a way to trim defenseman Alex Pietrangelo’s ice time, notes Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Although he’s averaging his lowest amount of playing time per game (24:57) since 2011-12, the captain has had to take on a larger role following the trade of Kevin Shattenkirk to Washington last week and has passed the 27 minute mark in each of his last two games.  While that could suggest that Colton Parayko could be in line for a heavier workload, St. Louis is likely hoping that rookie Jordan Schmaltz may be able to take some of the pressure off Pietrangelo in the coming weeks as he gets acclimated to his first tour of duty in the NHL.
  • San Jose is expected to have winger Jannik Hansen in the lineup on Thursday against the Capitals, reports Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News. He’s dealing with the long process getting a work visa to move from Canada to the United States but the process is nearing completion.  International players being traded from Canada to the United States often take longer to get clearance to play for their new team as on top of needing a P-1 visa, they also have to go through an interview process which often takes several days to get an opening as most of those slots are reserved for Canadians.

East Notes: Hyman, Tynan, Eichel

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have outplayed all of the preseason expectations of the club, and much of that has to do with the excellent performance of Auston Matthews in his rookie season. The first-overall pick has become an impact player right away with 55 points in 64 games, despite spending the whole season skating alongside fellow youngster Zach Hyman. When the team was winning, everything seemed fine with that arrangement but now that they’ve lost five straight people are starting to call for some more experienced wingers to be put with Matthews.

Craig Button of TSN thinks (video link) that’s “laughable” though, as he details the amount of room Hyman creates with his forechecking ability and unstoppable energy level. Hyman has just 25 points all season, and is one of the most divisive players in Toronto at the moment. While he obviously works as hard as any player in the league, some question his offensive upside and whether he can be an option long-term on Toronto’s top line. For now, the team looks like they’ve moved William Nylander away from that group and back to the wing of Nazem Kadri to try and spark some offense (via Kristen Shilton of TSN).

  • The Columbus Blue Jackets have recalled T.J. Tynan from the AHL on emergency conditions after Josh Anderson was given a 7-10 day timeline for his knee injury. Tynan was up just a few days ago but still has yet to make his NHL debut with the Blue Jackets. The undersized winger is an excellent passer and has 30 points in 55 AHL games this season. The Blue Jackets have a rematch with the New Jersey Devils tomorrow night, after defeating them 3-0 on Sunday evening.
  • Jack Eichel has been the oft-forgotten member of the exceptional 20 and under club this season because of the injury that held him out of 21 games to start the season. The young Sabres forward is here to remind you of his talent though, with 42 points in 45 games and a shot at passing his full-season mark of 56 last year. Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News writes that greatness isn’t far off for Eichel when it comes to the NHL, and that he expects him to play a big role at the World Championships this spring if the Sabres do in fact miss the playoffs. If he’s healthy next year, Eichel could easily push to be crowned among the best young players in the game. He’s just scratching the surface of his offensive potential.

Los Angeles Kings Sign Clague, Wagner To Three-Year Contracts

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The Los Angeles Kings have gotten into the entry-level contract fun. The team has signed both Kale Clague and Austin Wagner to three-year, entry-level deals. Both players are coming to the end of their CHL seasons, and will now start on their professional journey.

Clague was the Kings’ second-round pick in the 2016 draft, and is another in the growing trend of slightly-undersized but tremendously skilled defenders. Finally out of the shadow of Ivan Provorov for the Brandon Wheat Kings, he has become the team’s top defender and produced like it all season. 38 points in 43 games during what has been a shortened season due to injury and the World Juniors, Clague is one of the best skaters in his draft class and can move the puck efficiently and calmly under pressure.

For the Kings, he represents the next piece in the pipeline they’ve created for defenders. While he may not get to the NHL for a few more seasons, the future looks bright for the 18-year old. His development is made all that more important for the club since they dealt Eric Cernak away to the Tampa Bay Lightning for Ben Bishop.

Wagner was a fourth-round selection in 2015, and has continued to put up solid point numbers for the Regina Pats. His 60 points in 58 games represent a career-high pace, but it’s his strong defensive work that stands out for scouts when watching him. Responsible in his own end and willing to use his size on the forecheck, his offensive upside may be limited at the next level. He’ll turn 20 this summer and will debut with the Ontario Reign of the AHL next season.

Seeking Writers For Pro Hockey Rumors

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Last June, we launched Pro Hockey Rumors to cover all of the NHL transaction-related news, joining MLB Trade Rumors, Hoops Rumors, and Pro Football Rumors in our network.  PHR has grown rapidly since then and we’re looking to bring aboard multiple new writers with strong weekend and evening availability.  The positions pay hourly.  The criteria:

  • Availability to work at least ten hours per week covering NHL news, particularly with availability from 8am-9pm central time Saturday and Sunday, as well as 5-9pm Monday through Friday.
  • Exceptional knowledge of all 31 NHL teams, no discernible bias. Knowledge of transaction-related concepts.
  • A high school degree is required, and further education is preferred. Please include your highest completed level of education in your application.
  • Writing experience is necessary, and online writing experience is preferred.
  • Attention to detail and ability to follow the Pro Hockey Rumors style and tone.
  • Ability to analyze articles and craft intelligent, well-written posts summing up the news quickly and concisely.
  • Ability to use Twitter, Tweetdeck, and an RSS feed reader such as Feedly. In general, you must be able to multi-task.
  • Experience with social media, especially Twitter.
  • If you’re interested, email prohockeyrumorshelp@gmail.com and explain how you stand out and qualify in a couple of short paragraphs.  Please attach your resume to the email.  We often receive several hundred applications, so unfortunately we will not be able to reply to each one.

Snapshots: Schultz, Ryan, Folin

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When the Pittsburgh Penguins traded a third-round pick to the Edmonton Oilers last year for Justin Schultz, they thought they were adding a depth defenseman with a bit of upside. What they got instead, is the fifth-highest point producer in the league among defenders. Behind only Brent Burns, Erik Karlsson, Duncan Keith and Victor Hedman, Schultz is providing #1-type production for less than half of what the Blues are paying Carl Gunnarsson and his four points.

That ridiculously low deal is what brought Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette to wonder what hell earn this summer when he becomes a restricted free agent for the final time. Mackey thinks that Kevin Shattenkirk’s four-year, $17MM extension in 2013 is the low-water mark for what one might expect this summer, which would already represent an almost $3MM raise per season. The Penguins don’t look to have an issue with the raise though, as they’re likely taking $5.75MM off the books when Marc-Andre Fleury eventually leaves town.

  • The San Jose Sharks have sent Joakim Ryan back to the AHL, with David Schlemko expected to play in tonight’s game against the Winnipeg Jets. Ryan was brought up just yesterday when it looked like Dylan DeMelo may not be ready to re-join the team. Instead, DeMelo did play his first game in almost two months and with it the need for Ryan was removed. He’ll head back down to the AHL where he has dominated this season, registering 33 points in 46 games.
  • Christian Folin will miss at least three weeks with an upper-body injury, the Minnesota Wild announced today. The 26-year old defenseman suffered the injury last night against the Sharks, and will be out for almost the rest of the season. While the team recently had Jonas Brodin re-join the lineup, this is another hit to a defense group that isn’t as deep as they would like heading into the playoffs.
  • The New York Rangers will be scratching Adam Clendening tonight and inserting Steven Kampfer in his place. In the latest article from Larry Brooks of the New York Post, Clendening doesn’t agree with the demotion but will take it as motivation going forward. Tanner Glass is also expected to get into the lineup for the Rangers, who take on the surging Tampa Bay Lightning tonight in Florida.

New Jersey Devils Trade Brandon Gormley To Ottawa Senators

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If you thought trades were a think of the past, think again. The New Jersey Devils have sent Brandon Gormley to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for future considerations. Remember, the trade deadline is only truly for playoff eligibility, meaning that teams can still swap minor league players like Gormley. As such, the Senators have announced that he will report to Binghamton of the AHL.

Gormley was drafted 13th overall back in 2010 by the (then) Phoenix Coyotes but never developed into the kind of shutdown defender the team had hoped for. After a few unsuccessful seasons, Gormley would be traded to the Colorado Avalanche before eventually being released by the club. He signed a contract with the Devils last summer, but has struggled at times with the Albany Devils as well.

Future considerations in this case will likely not amount to much, as Gormley is basically an addition for the baby-Sens (who aren’t even in a playoff race). He is only an restricted free agent this summer at the age of 25, so perhaps they just wanted an extended look at him in person to see if he’s worth re-upping on a two-way deal this summer. Afterall, the pedigree is certainly there—he was drafted just before Jaden Schwartz, and three picks ahead of Vladimir Tarasenko.

Vegas Golden Knights Sign Reid Duke As First Player In Franchise History

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It’s not a big name, but it will be remembered forever. Reid Duke of the Brandon Wheat Kings has been signed by the Vegas Golden Knights to a three-year entry-level contract and with it, becomes the first player in the history of the organization. The deal will carry a cap hit of $770K with performance bonuses that could raise the AAV to $925K, per CapFriendly. As we’ve hinted at in the past few days, the Golden Knights will likely dive deep into the pool of over-aged CHL players and NCAA free agents leading up to the draft, as they will eventually have to fill out their minor league affiliates as well as NHL team.

Duke is a 21-year old center from Calgary, Alberta who has been playing for the Wheat Kings—where Vegas AGM Kelly McCrimmon worked for years and still owns—and was eligible to be signed by any team in the league. Originally selected by the Minnesota Wild in the sixth round of the 2014 draft, the team lost his rights after not signing him by June 1st of last year. With 67 points in 54 games this season, Duke might not look like a promising prospect to new fans, but McCrimmon has a different message.

When we project Reid, we think his game will evolve as he becomes a pro. We believe he’s going to be an NHL player. I think what’s impressive with Reid is a real high skill level and yet a guy that’s able to play a big, strong, heavy game.

Duke will finish his season in Brandon before attending the inaugural Golden Knights development camp this summer, along with many other future players. Even if he never does make it to the NHL, he’ll always be able to say he was the first player in the history of an NHL franchise.

Standings Showdown: Effects Of The “Loser Point”

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With all 31 general managers getting together in Florida the week for their annual meetings, a handful of topics have come to the forefront of the NHL conversation. Offsides, review and bye-week discussions are all taking place as the GMs break into different groups to discuss the game, but one topic continually has fans talking; what about the shootout, and that nasty little “loser point”?

The NHL has long maintained its need for parity league-wide, keeping smaller markets relevant into the late stages of the season and not allowing the powerhouses to push them out financially. It’s why the salary cap was introduced in the first place, as teams like New York and Toronto would buy up all the good players every year and force the Carolinas and Floridas of the world to feast on the scraps. The idea that almost every team was still in the playoff hunt at the deadline—sorry Colorado—was one the NHL relished even if it did make for a less exciting trading atmosphere. One of the other things many people point to is that “loser point”, which is the one earned if the score is tied at the end of regulation regardless of what happens afterwards.

But is that really forcing parity in the league, or is it something else? Mark Stepneski of NHL.com tweets that it has a lot to do with that salary cap, and he’s probably right. That has a much bigger impact on competitive balance league wide, even if not all teams are spending equally.

Looking at an example, the standings in the Western Conference right now are as follows:

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