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Nashville Predators Sign Victor Ejdsell To Three-Year Deal

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As rumored, the Nashville Predators won the battle for Victor Ejdsell, beating out several other NHL teams in pursuit of the Swedish centerman. The team has signed him to a three-year entry-level contract. The 21-year old was the MVP of the Allsvenskan (Swedish second league) this season after scoring 57 points in 50 games.

Back at the end of April it was reported that the Detroit Red Wings were pursuing Ejdsell, and while he had visited the city to be wooed by the team, he eventually decided on Nashville. The Chicago Blackhawks were also linked to the Swedish forward, marking the second victory Nashville has over Chicago this spring.

Ejdsell is a big, big man (6’5″, 214-lbs) who has turned into a “strong two-way center” according to Red Wings assistant GM Ryan Martin. His NHL career may not start right away, as he has also signed on to play for HV71 this season. Another year (or two) of development for Ejdsell won’t hurt, but he is a big add to a growing Swedish contingent in Nashville. Viktor Arvidsson, Filip Forsberg, Calle Jarnkrok and Mattias Ekholm are all big parts of the Predators already, and Ejdsell will try to make an impact with that group within the next few years.

Nashville is turning into one of the premiere destinations in the NHL, with a rabid fan base and successful team. After their impressive playoff run this year, competing with more traditional hockey markets like Detroit and Chicago for international talent is a great sign for the team going forward. Ejdsell was one of the most interesting names in Sweden this year mostly because of his age and size. He’ll have to prove he can compete at the same level in the SHL where defenders are quicker and stronger, but it is a worthwhile gamble for the Predators.

Stephane Da Costa Receiving NHL Interest

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After making another strong impact on the international stage, Stephane Da Costa is on the radar of several NHL clubs according to Darren Dreger of TSN. Da Costa has nine points for the French team at the current World Championships, and is tied for the tournament lead in goals with six.

Playing the last three seasons in the KHL, Da Costa has been effective when healthy. His 62 point effort in 2014-15 rivaled Alexander Radulov among CSKA Moscow players, but he’s been held to just 24 games in each of the last two seasons. The former Ottawa Senators forward scored 11 points in 47 career NHL games before bolting for the Russian league.

Da Costa went undrafted out of the USHL but then excelled for Merrimack College scoring 90 points in 77 games. Turning pro after his sophomore season, he could never find consistent minutes in the Senators NHL lineup and instead spent much of the following few years in the AHL. Now still just 27, Da Costa could return should an NHL team offer a full-time role. Dreger cautions though that there is plenty of interest from around the KHL, accelerating any timeline for NHL GMs to step up and offer him a deal.

While he likely wouldn’t make the same impact in the NHL that he does in Russia, Da Costa could represent a secondary scoring option for a team that is a bit lacking on offense. He’ll have to really want to come back to the NHL—which Dreger says he does—because he’ll likely command more money to remain in the KHL.

Morning Notes: Maple Leafs, Eberle, Bishop

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The Maple Leafs took an impressive step forward in 2016-17, riding the backs of several rookies to their first playoff appearance in a full season since 2004. While they were ultimately defeated by the Washington Capitals, their fan base was enthused by the performance and expects big things from them over the next several years. James Mirtle of The Athletic (subscription needed) took a look at their salary cap situation, and proposes that the Maple Leafs should make a big splash this summer before they have to pay the likes of Auston Matthews, William Nylander and Mitch Marner more than their current entry-level deals.

Mirtle shows that the Leafs may have as much as $15MM to spend this summer and would be wise to invest it in short-term veteran help for the team to push them into contention immediately. Joe Thornton, Ilya Kovalchuk, Alexander Radulov all make hypothetical appearances among the Maple Leafs forwards, while the contention that a right-handed defenseman is still of the highest importance remains. Toronto, who holds the 17th-overall pick in the upcoming entry draft could theoretically use some of their prospect capital and cap room to be one of the biggest players in both free agency and the trade market this summer.

  • Jordan Eberle has become a sort of whipping-boy in Edmonton of late, after his play in the postseason took a sharp downward turn. Many fans have been clamoring for his head, wanting to ship him out for the next Adam Larsson. While obviously he still holds value following his 51 point season that included a fourth-straight 20+ goal effort, Eberle will be very difficult to move contends David Staples of the Edmonton Journal. Staples quotes TSN Head Scout Craig Button in the piece, agreeing that a $6MM cap-hit is no easy transaction. Staples writes that Buffalo, Vancouver and New Jersey—the same team that accepted a Taylor Hall deal last summer—would be interested in Eberle and hold the needed cap room for the next few seasons.
  • According to the venerable Renaud Lavoie for Le Journal de Montreal, the Stars actually pursued Scott Darling before acquiring Ben Bishop last week. Darling was the team’s first choice, but they wouldn’t part with the third-round pick it took for Carolina to finally lock down his negotiating rights. Darling signed a $16.6MM deal with the Hurricanes, while Bishop inked a six-year, $29.5MM contract with Dallas. It’s interesting to note that Darling is two years younger than Bishop, but received two fewer years on his contract. With an even lower cap-hit, Darling’s seems to be the much more attractive of the two deals, making the difference between a fourth—what the Stars eventually gave up for Bishop—and a third round pick seem more than acceptable.

PHR Originals: 5/7/17 – 5/14/17

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While the hockey world has been captivated by the NHL playoffs, now onto the conference finals, it’s been a relatively quiet week for hard-hitting news. Luckily, the PHR writers have been hard at work on some original works. Here’s a round-up of our recent articles:

Lead writer Gavin Lee detailed how team may use the Vegas Golden Knight’s early free agent negotiation window to their own benefit, including the possibility of sign-and-trades. The upcoming Expansion Draft is bringing many new and foreign concepts to the otherwise routine structure of the NHL off-season, and the negotiation window is just another level. Gavin also looked into some pressing goaltending issues for two teams that struggled in 2016-17: the Detroit Red Wings and Dallas Stars.

Seth Lawrence was busy with original pieces this week, as he dove into a plethora of topics including the big question everyone is asking after another early postseason exit for the Washington Capitals: should Alexander Ovechkin be moved? Seth also looked back at the P.K. Subban–Shea Weber trade, looked forward to potential buyouts this summer, and took a shot at guessing a few names that may be of interest to GM Dale Tallon and the Florida Panthers.

Brian La Rose continued to plug away at his “Offseason Keys” series, this week targeting three unique Eastern Conference organizations: a team whose fortunes have changed more than any other since the end of the season, the Draft lottery-winning New Jersey Devils; a team with a new man in charge and in desperate need of a quick turnaround, the Buffalo Sabres; and a team who over the past decade plus has still been playing at this point in the season more often than not rather than planning a rebuild, the Detroit Red Wings.

Holger Stolzenberg turned his focus to Western Conference and two Canadian squads with some questions to answer. Can the Edmonton Oilers rely on youngsters like Drake Caggiula, Anton Slepyshev, and Matt Benning moving forward? How will the Winnipeg Jets go about solving their problems in net?

Brett Barrett reminded us that, though it rarely seen, restricted free agent offer sheets do exist and given the talent level of the 2017 restricted free agent class, we may see one pop up this off-season. The price is high, but is it worth the investment?

Finally, yesterday I reflected on one of the busiest days in hockey and voiced my concerns over the status of another. With the NHL season nearing its end, who were the true winners and losers of the NHL Trade Deadline given the benefit of hindsight? Some of those deals still await further evaluation if the acquired player signs an extension, but in an already weak unrestricted free agent class that has seen top talent re-sign already with the potential for many more deals prior to July 1st, can we as hockey fans afford to see more extensions? Who will be left to highlight free agency?

Anaheim Ducks Recall Three

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Just prior to puck drop of Game Two of the Western Conference finals tonight between the visiting Nashville Predators and host Anaheim Ducks, the Ducks announced that they have recalled a trio of players from their AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls. Joining Anaheim presumably for the remainder of their playoff run are goaltender Jhonas Enroth and forwards Nicolas Kerdiles and Sam Carrick. 

The group was no longer of use in the minor leagues, as the Gulls season came to an end last night in a 2-0 loss to the San Jose Barracuda, their rival and the affiliate of Ducks’ rival the San Jose Sharks, in Game Five of the series. Now, they’ll look help out the big squad in any way they can. Enroth is simply an insurance policy should John Gibson or Jonathan Bernier somehow unexpectedly be unable to suit up. The veteran keeper began the year at the NHL level with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but after a disastrous start of 0-3-1 to the tune of an .872 save percentage and 3.94 goals against average, he was traded to the Ducks for this exact purpose of being a fallback option. Enroth has eight years of NHL experience and should be able to step in in the unlikely chance that his services are needed. Kerdiles and Carrick lack the experience, but make up for it in energy and ability. Kerdiles made his NHL debut earlier this season and then added two playoff games to his resume earlier in the postseason. He has yet to record a point in three games, but it’s only a matter of time given that the 23-year-old was a point-per-game player for the Gulls in the AHL playoffs. Carrick has not seen NHL ice for over a year, and never with the Ducks nor in the playoffs. The 25-year-old played in 19 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs between 2014-15 and 2015-16, recording a goal and an assist. Carrick has 39 AHL points this season between San Diego and the Rockford Ice Hogs, following a minor mid-season trade with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Whether the Ducks intend to play Kerdiles and Carrick or not, the pair is not in the lineup tonight for Game Two. Anaheim announced their lineup shortly after making the call-ups official, but still went with Chris Wagner and Jared Boll on the energy line. If the Ducks lose at home again tonight and head to Nashville down 2-0, they may look to change things up and give Kerdiles or Carrick an opportunity to make a difference in their playoff fate.

Bobrovsky To Focus On Mental Game During Offseason

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Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky was one of the best goaltenders this season, so good, he is one of three players who are candidates for the Hart and Vezina Trophies. His 2.06 GAA and his .931 were both league bests. Yet despite his amazing regular season, he found himself struggling again in the playoffs. Columbus was eliminated in five games to the Pittsburgh Penguins and Bobrovsky’s 3.88 GAA and .882 save percentages were a key reason for the Blue Jackets’ failures.

However, the Columbus Dispatch’s Aaron Portzline writes that Bobrovsky, who is known for his hard offseason work after losing 17 pounds last offseason off his 199-pound frame which led to his phenomenal season, is receptive to working with sports psychologists and/or doing other types of mental training to get past his playoff struggles in recent years.

While the Blue Jackets have not reached the playoffs since the 2013-14 season, Bobrovsky struggled in the playoffs there too, finishing with a 3.18 GAA and .908 save percentages in six games (also against the Penguins), which were no where near a match to his regular season statistics.

According to Portzline, both Bobrovsky and the Columbus coaching staff, agreed the goaltenders’ struggles were mental. No one will say what his offseason mental training will entail, but no matter what he does, no one will know anything until next year’s Stanley Cup playoffs.

“Bob will do the necessary work in whatever area he needs to work, and he’ll get over the hump,” Columbus general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said. “He has to prepare himself to be the best when it counts the most.”

Oilers Might Look For Rookies To Move Up

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The Edmonton Oilers may not have gotten as far as they had hoped after falling in Game 7 of the Conference semifinals, but unlike many other clubs, the Oilers have even more hope for the future after several key youngsters took another step forward during their playoff run. Three of their young pieces had key roles in their playoff run, including wingers Drake Caggiula and Anton Slepyshev and blueliner Matt Benning. The question is, as Edmonton Journal’s Jim Matheson, puts it, can these kids be counted on consistently?

Caggiula and Slepyshev each tallied three goals in the playoffs and Matheson suggests they might be ready to move into the Oilers’ “top-six” if they can play at that level consistently. In fact, the thought is that Edmonton may be ready to break up Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to create two powerful lines rather than just the one. The idea would be to move Draisaitl to centering the second line and allowing Caggiula to join McDavid on the first line, while Slepyshev would take over as the second line’s right wing.

Caggiula is coming off his first NHL season after four years at the University of North Dakota. The 22-year-old played 60 games and finished with seven goals and 11 assists, but his three playoff goals in 13 games showed he might be ready to take the next step. Slepyshev, a former third-round pick in the 2013 draft, got into 41 games this year, finishing with four goals and six assists, but the 23-year-old also tallied three playoff goals and showed flashes of brilliance.

Benning’s play in the playoffs, which included his improved play after Andrej Sekera went down in Game 5 of the playoffs against the Anaheim Ducks, suggest he might be ready to become that top-four defenseman the Oilers are looking for. Benning, 22, also played in his first NHL season after three years at Northeastern University, and played in 60 games, finishing with three goals and 12 assists as a third-line defender. If Benning is ready, he could supplant Kris Russell on the second line, who is an unrestricted free agent, and the team could use that money towards other needs.

Winnipeg To Wait To Make Goaltending Move?

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A flurry of goaltending moves may just be underway, but despite the fact that both Carolina and Dallas have each solved their long-term goalie issues by trading for Scott Darling and Ben Bishop respectively, some teams may be taking a more cautious approach when it comes to their goaltending problems.

The Winnipeg Jets are one of those teams who need to upgrade their roster behind the net, but the Winnipeg Sun’s Ken Wiebe suggests that the team needs to look at the overall picture. While the Jets are in a similar position that both Carolina and Dallas were in and must upgrade at the goalie position, caution remains in order too.

Current starter Connor Hellebuyck didn’t have the best season this past year, but the netminder remains just 23 years old and the team isn’t ready to give up on the young goaltender, nor do they want to expose the goaltender to the Las Vegas Golden Knights in the upcoming expansion draft. He has been promising, but struggled as a full-time starter. In 59 games this past year, Hellebuyck finished with a 2.89 GAA and a .907 save percentage. His numbers as a part-time goaltender had been much better and the team may just want to look for a short-term option to share duties with Hellebuyck.

So due to those mixed results and the looming expansion draft, don’t expect the Jets to try to trade for their starting goaltender like Carolina and Dallas before them, at least until after the expansion draft. That almost guarantees the team will not be acquiring Marc-Andre Fleury, who will almost guaranteed be dealt by Pittsburgh before the expansion draft.

On top of that, the scribe suggests the team is also unlikely to sign a goaltender to a long-term deal since both Hellebuyck and top prospect Eric Comrie will require waivers in 2018-19 and the team would not be ready to lose either player that soon.

So, what options remain?

Wiebe suggests several smaller targets for the Jets to look at, including the Calgary Flames’ Brian Elliott. While the veteran goaltender is not coming off a great season in Calgary, he might be more open to a short-term deal to prove his worth. The Jets might be eager for someone like Elliott to share duties with Hellebuyck. Elliott finished with a disappointing 2.55 GAA and a .910 save percentage this past year in 49 games, the most he had played since 2009-10. However, before that, he had a 2.07 and a .930 save percentage in 2015-16 and could be great comeback candidate.

Other suggestions were to focus on acquiring backup goaltenders, including Anaheim’s Jonathan Bernier, Ottawa’s Mike Condon, New York Rangers’ Antti Raanta and Washington’s Philipp Grubauer.

 

World Championships Update: Shipachyov, Da Costa, Lundqvist

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As always, international play is a time for players to shine. While plenty of NHL regulars (Johnny Gaudreau, Artemi Panarin) are lighting the lamp quite easily, there are a few names that should be interesting General Managers out there. Prospects and lesser knowns have a chance to really prove they can be difference makers at the top tier of hockey.

  • Although no longer technically considered a prospect, offensive dynamo Vadim Shipachyov is looking like a brilliant pickup for the Vegas Golden Knights. Through 5 games he has already accumulated 10 points (2 G, 8 A) and is driving possession for his Russian squad. His skill with the puck on his stick and his vision to find teammates through traffic has been mightily impressive. He may be slotted down the lineup as Capital Evgeny Kuznetsov joins the fray, but he still has a reasonable shot at tournament MVP if he keeps this work up.
  • France’s Stephane da Costa has been nothing short of incredible for the home team, currently tied for the tournament lead in goals (6) and third in points (9). Da Costa is 27 years-old and went to play in the KHL following his up-and-down experience with Ottawa. He played 47 games for the Senators over 4 seasons but spent the majority of his time in the AHL’s Binghamton. Da Costa has played shortened seasons for the CSKA Moscow over the past three years, but has not entirely fallen off the radar of North American teams. He was even rumored to be linked to the Golden Knights in February by Dans les Coulisses journalist Max Truman, although there has been nothing since. This sort of performance could put him back in teams’ considerations.
  • Swedish goalie (and New York Ranger cornerstone) Henrik Lundqvist survived a scary hit to the head when an opposing Danish player crashed his crease at full speed. He eventually got up and continued to play in the game. Trainers say he is all right. His injury would be huge, both for the Swedish national team’s chances, and the Rangers franchise. Although he’s just turned 35 and is signed for four more seasons on an outrageously expensive contract, Lundqvist is still a top goaltender at the NHL level. The clip can be viewed here.

Nashville And The Win-Win Trade

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In these playoffs, there are quite a few players who are making their former teams look silly for ever moving on from them. Phil Kessel is one such example, Kyle Turris is another. There are also skaters who have been fantastic for their teams but the sight of whom doesn’t instill hatred in former team’s fans. Arizona faithful surely grimace every time Turris touches the pucks and drives up ice, but James Neal is still loved and adored by Pittsburgh fans. The primary reason being that the Penguins aren’t regretful. Neal was involved in a very important and team-altering trade that ended up benefited the Predators as much as it did the Penguins.

Rewind the clock  to the 2014 Draft. The Penguins have just been eliminated for the 5th straight postseason in disappointing fashion. The aging Jim Rutherford is brought in to right a ship that looks destined to take on more water. The Predators had completely missed the playoffs, tallying only 38 wins and relying upon a totally inept and anemic offense. Shea Weber had led the team in points on D and they had recently lost Ryan Suter to free agency, and after Hornqvist, Craig Smith, and Mike Fisher, there was practically nothing to push the pace offensively. Carter Hutton had to take the crease in the wake of Pekka Rinne having injury trouble and poor performance. Both teams needed a desperate shake up, and it wouldn’t come painlessly for either. GM David Poile spent the time with Rutherford to hammer out a deal that contained a fair bit of risk on both sides.

The ultimate deal resulted in the 61-point getting, former 40-goal scoring James Neal traded to Nashville for their leading scorer in Patrick Hornqvist, Nick Spaling, and a 2nd-round pick. Nashville lost two solid players on a defensive oriented team in hopes of shifting focus to a more offensive game. Pittsburgh isolated net-front presence and physicality as pieces they were lacking come playoff time. Both teams ended up reveling in the results of this gambit, but it is the sort of deal we see little of in today’s NHL – a win-win trade.

A recent example of an attempted high-risk win-win trade would be Shea Weber for P.K. Subban. One could make the case that GM Marc Bergevin was following a valid needs-based brand of logic, but for many reasons the move was short-sighted for the Canadiens. Montreal fans can claim hindsight, but Weber was always going to be due for decline and was arguably already lesser in value. Without delving further into that particular transaction, Nashville again made a prudent (but difficult) decision to move their captain, which paid dividends. Subban will be an integral part of their franchise for years.

Many teams are overly rigid in sticking to their core when it is obviously in need of change. Nashville not only shifted their core in a few short years, but adapted on the fly to a changing game. Poile acquired the necessary personnel to go deeper into the playoffs in an exceptionally talented Central division, and all GMs would be wise to look to his example. The blueprint for a win-win trade is to isolate what your team desperately needs, who can fill that need, and being willing to part with important players to acquire your man. Winning the value comparison on paper isn’t what should truly matter to GMs, Taking risks to make weaknesses strengths will never be a safe or easy move, but it is the sort of mentality that can win a franchise a Stanley Cup. This offseason, perhaps there will be more moves of this ilk.

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