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Randy Carlyle Inks Extension In Anaheim

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Head coach Randy Carlyle has been extended as head coach of the Anaheim Ducks, per the team’s twitter. The contract is good through 2018-19, with an option for 2019-20. Trent Yawney and Rich Preston will be returning for at least one season, with Todd Marchant returning as Head of Player Development.

The organization is opting to stay the course in what many anticipated could be a tumultuous summer. With Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry getting another playoff older, and Randy Carlyle in the midst of his second tour of duty in Orange County, those central figures all look to remain locked in place for the foreseeable future. Although familiarity is often a good thing, there was a subsection of the Anaheim fanbase hoping for greater change. All three were present when the Ducks won their first and only Stanley Cup 10 years ago. Carlyle had been let go in 2011 before returning this season. His stint in Toronto was the topic of great scrutiny league-wide, but his all-time coaching record remains a sterling 410-283-93.

It’s hard to argue with his relative success this year, however. If the Ducks had lost to the upstart Oilers in the second round, perhaps this extension wouldn’t sit quite as well with fans. These Ducks had a fantastic regular season performance with Carlyle at the reigns, finishing 46-23-13. Their resilience in the post-season (exemplified by a 3-goal comeback late to win Game 5 against Edmonton) was the marvel of the league. Captain Getzlaf looked totally rejuvenated and ready to lead his team back to Finals contention, while youngsters such as Rickard Rakell and Cam Fowler made great strides in their game. Carlyle’s hard-nosed brand of hockey was adopted by this team, which got them to Game 6 of a Conference Final. Whether or not his old school mentality will lead to success long-term remains to be seen. GM Bob Murray doesn’t seem concerned, and stated his unequivocal confidence in the bench boss.

Marchant has done quite well in his front office role since he retired as a skater to don a suit back in 2011. In those 6 years, Marchant has played a large part in the successful ascendance and development of young draftees Fowler (2010), Rakell (2011), John Gibson (2011), Josh Manson (2011), Hampus Lindholm (2012), Frederik Andersen (2012), Shea Theodore (2013), Nick Ritchie (2014), and Brandon Montour (2014). His familiarity with the last two years’ draft picks will be invaluable as well, as Jacob Larsson (27th OV 2015), Julius Nattinen (59th OA 2015), and Max Jones (24th OA 2016) try to build pro careers. Assistant Trent Yawney was promoted from the Norfolk Admirals 3 seasons ago, after his head coaching career in Chicago ended in disastrous results back in 2007. Rich Preston has served has an assistant coach for multiple teams dating back to the 1990s, with a successful return to coach his hometown Regina Pats that ended in 2013.

Speculation Continues Regarding Jordan Eberle

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Though the Edmonton Oilers haven’t come out and said that Jordan Eberle is on the block, his name continues to pop up in trade speculation all around the league. Today, while releasing the first edition of “Trade Bait”, TSN’s Frank Seravalli wrote:

The Edmonton Oilers will look to move winger Jordan Eberle and his $6-million salary cap hit after a dismal playoff run that saw him fail to score a single goal over two rounds. Jordan Eberle

Eberle appears at #6 on the list, wedged between a pair of defensemen from teams that missed the playoffs. Despite his miserable playoff performance, Eberle remains a perennial 20-goal scorer and one of the most consistent offensive producers in the league. Though he hasn’t quite reached the sophomoric highs he reached in 2011-12, he can be counted on to score at least 50 points even in a reduced role like he saw this year. After turning 27 just a few weeks ago, he surely has some effective years left under his belt.

It’s that pesky $6MM that is getting in the way in Edmonton, as just this week GM Peter Chiarelli admitted that they’d have to move out a contract sooner or later to accommodate the big deals looming for Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid. The team will also have to pay to retain Kris Russell this summer should they choose to bring him back. Eberle is the prime candidate because of his value—the fact that he still has some, unlike Benoit Pouliot—and position on the wing. He could be moved and replaced much easier than Ryan Nugent-Hopkins for instance, who is an important center for them as long as Draisaitl continues to skate alongside McDavid.

The fact that Seravalli has him so high on the board suggests that there is real fire behind the smoke, and that Edmonton is really considering a move for the former Team Canada hero. It may though have to wait, as if he’s moved for a defenseman like Taylor Hall last season, it could put the Oilers into protection trouble for the expansion draft. More likely, he’d be moved at the draft or sometime this summer after the insanity known as June is over. For now, we’ll just have to wait and see.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Jim Montgomery Staying At University Of Denver

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After being courted by the Florida Panthers recently, Jim Montgomery has decided to stay in the NCAA coaching ranks according to Mike Chambers of the Denver Post. The former NHL forward has coached at the University of Denver for the past four seasons, winning a National Championship last season by beating the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs 3-2 in the final game of the Frozen Four. As referenced in our live chat yesterday, Florida had moved on to other candidates and will continue to wait on Phil Housley to finish his Stanley Cup run with the Nashville Predators.

Montgomery is considered one of the top coaching prospects outside of professional hockey, and according to Chambers received two interviews with Florida and was also in contact with the Los Angeles Kings before they decided to go with John Stevens. Fans of the DU program will now be able to rest easy, expecting players like Henrik Borgstrom—Florida’s first-overall pick in 2016—to honor their commitments to the school and return for the 2017-18 season.

Florida meanwhile will move on to other candidates including Housley. They’ve also been linked in the past to Bob Boughner, Michel Therrien and Todd Reirden, and could branch out the coaching search even further. For several of their candidates they’ll have to fight off the Buffalo Sabres who are also in the midst of a coaching search.

Bruins Notes: Draft Picks, Pastrnak, Bjork

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Boston Bruins GM Don Sweeney met with the media today and spoke about many upcoming topics in the NHL offseason, including where he stands on the NHL Entry Draft. According to Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald, Sweeney is open to trading his team’s first-round pick in the right deal. The Bruins currently hold the 18th pick, but after selecting five times in the past two first rounds could move it for help next season.

As Boston looks to get back to the playoffs, they’ll be looking for defensemen to help young Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo on the back end.  Their top pick in combination with perhaps Ryan Spooner could make an attractive offer for someone looking to move a surplus defenseman. With both apparently available for the right deal, expect to hear more from Boston in the coming weeks.

  • Boston fans can breathe again after Sweeney reported that talks are “moving in the right direction” with David Pastrnak on a long-term deal. The Bruins GM seems confident that the two sides will reach a deal before next season. Pastrnak broke out this year with 34 goals and 70 points and is a restricted free agent this summer. Just 21, Pastrnak has already completed three NHL seasons and would be giving up four free agent years if he were to sign the maximum eight-year deal.
  • Sweeney also spoke about Anders Bjork, who they signed this week to his entry-level deal. Bjork had the option of going back to Notre Dame for another year, but instead chose to start his pro career early and join the Bruins organization. Sweeney claimed the “opportunity would be there” for Bjork, who will come to camp to compete for an NHL job right away. The 20-year old forward is coming off an outstanding year in the NCAA where he scored 52 points in 39 games but could need some seasoning in the AHL first.
  • Also, Sweeney confirmed what was reported yesterday in regards to Linus Arnesson. He has left the Bruins to sign in Sweden, but the team will extend a qualifying offer in order to retain his rights should he want to return to the NHL after his multi-year contract expires.

Return To NHL For Valeri Nichushkin Still Up In The Air

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Despite having a year left on his contract with CSKA Moscow of the KHL, Mike Morreale of NHL.com relays from Joe McDonnell, the Stars director of amateur scouting that it is still “50/50” if Valeri Nichushkin returns to the NHL for next season. Any return would need a buyout or mutual termination of the final year of his contract in Russia, because of the unwritten agreement between the two leagues to respect each other’s contracts.

Nichuchkin would be a big bonus to the Stars if he found a way to return, as they try to bounce back from a disappointing season and compete again. The 22-year old winger put up 24 points in 36 games in the KHL this season and is starting to really take advantage of his huge 6’4″ frame. After selecting him 10th overall in the 2013 entry draft, Nichuchkin left for Russia last summer after perceived tension with head coach Lindy Ruff. Ruff is gone, Ken Hitchcock is the bench boss now, and the Stars have room up front to hand out some important minutes.

In the upcoming expansion draft, it is almost a given that the Stars will decide to protect the young Russian whether he has plans on returning now or in a year’s time. Meanwhile, CSKA will be trying as hard as they can to extend him and keep him in the KHL long-term. Nichushkin is a restricted free agent in the NHL, and should he come back would need a new contract with Dallas. Even if he doesn’t return this summer, you can bet he’ll be a topic of conversation if the Stars are headed for the playoffs next spring, just as Vladimir Sobotka was this year.

Snapshots: Second Overall, Jackman, Rinne

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The Philadelphia Flyers will listen to teams calling about the second-overall pick according to Dave Isaac of the Courier-Post, but don’t expect them to make any deals. After moving up in the draft lottery, the Flyers have a chance to pick an elite talent at No. 2 in Nico Hischier or Nolan Patrick and continue building towards a contender down the road.

With Travis Konecny, Ivan Provorov and others making an impact already, the Flyers look like they’ll have a real chance to surround Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek with enough talent to compete before they start to decline. Both stars are signed long-term for over $8MM, and still have enough good years left to be around when this year’s pick makes a real impact. The top prospects have been doing interviews at the NHL Combine, and will both participate in all the fitness testing this weekend.

  • Barret Jackman is back in St. Louis after the team hired him today as their new development coach. Jackman retired from the NHL last fall after 14 years, and will now take on a role coaching the young players coming through the system. The 876-game veteran played all but one NHL season in St. Louis and recorded 186 points over his career. Never much of an offensive guy, he instead offered reliable defensive structure and penalty killing, eating up minutes on the back end against tough competition. Winning the Calder trophy for Rookie of the Year in 2003, he’ll be able to relate to kids coming into the league at a young age and finding success, only to struggle through the next few seasons.
  • Pekka Rinne was in the starter’s net today at practice for the Nashville Predators, according to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet. After being pulled in Game 2 and replaced by Juuse Saros, there has been much speculation whether Rinne would be given the net for Game 3 tomorrow night. It looks like for at least another game, Peter Laviolette will go with the guy who got him here and give Rinne another chance.
  • Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that Newell Brown is in consideration for an assistant coaching position alongside Travis Green this season. Brown was fired by the Arizona Coyotes earlier this spring after another poor special teams effort last season. He coached with the Canucks for three seasons prior to going to the Coyotes, and was part of the staff that took Vancouver to the finals in 2011.

Columbus Blue Jackets Trying To Deal David Clarkson Contract

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As the Vegas Golden Knights enter the league, another destination for bad contracts has appeared. Previously limited to places like Arizona and Toronto, the Golden Knights are likely to be involved in several transactions that help cap-troubled teams rid themselves of painful deals. Already it has been reported that Chicago may give up a young defenseman in order to move Marcus Kruger’s cap-hit, and Columbus may be in the same boat. On Sportsnet radio this morning, Elliotte Friedman mentioned that the Blue Jackets have been trying to get Vegas to take David Clarkson’s contract off their hands. David Clarkson

When he was acquired from the Maple Leafs in early 2015, Clarkson’s deal was already bad. He was in just the second year of a massive seven-year, $35.75MM deal and already looked a decade removed from the 30-goal performance (and subsequent 15-goal season in the lockout-shortened 2012-13) that had earned it. The reason Columbus was interested in all, is the fact that they could send Nathan Horton’s equally bad contract back, seeing as how he would never play hockey again. Horton had a degenerative back injury that would force him to retire, and his contract wasn’t insured. The prevailing thought at the time was “at least Clarkson is a healthy body that can play some games for us.”

Now, two years later, Clarkson is also retired due to injury but remains a dark stain on the Blue Jackets’ cap structure. Though he’ll sit on long-term injured reserve (LTIR) for the three remaining years and his contract is insured, giving the Blue Jackets some financial relief, it still impacts what the team can do in the offseason. Injured players can’t be placed on LTIR until the season begins, meaning they have $5.25MM less room each summer in which to work. Also, though LTIR allows you to go over the salary cap any performance bonuses by entry-level players would be pushed to the next season like they will in Toronto this year.

If the cap were to remain flat this summer, the Blue Jackets would have just under $3MM to spend even though Alexander Wennberg and Josh Anderson (among others) need new deals as restricted free agents. Though you can go up to 10% over the cap at any point, it needs to be in order by the last day of training camp. Moving out Clarkson’s contract would seem imperative, and as Friedman says the Blue Jackets have been trying to figure out what “sweetener” can they put in to make it palatable for Vegas. Again, Clarkson isn’t going to play this year or any other. He’s currently coaching high school hockey in Ohio. He’s not eligible for selection in the expansion draft, but that sweetener could come by Columbus exposing someone or something unexpected.

These are the ways Vegas will make their team competitive, not just selecting the aging-veterans or underperforming youngsters available in the draft. Their power comes in the idea of a blank ledger, one they can twist to their advantage over the coming months.

League-Wide Interest In Darren Raddysh

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Sometimes, the NHL Entry Draft gets it wrong. Not just the order of the picks, influenced by former biases or cultural stereotypes, letting players like Nicklas Lidstrom fall to the third round because of his heritage, or Jamie Benn to the fifth because of his competition. No, sometimes it’s even worse than that. Sometimes it misses players completely.

That’s the case for Darren Raddysh, the likely winner of OHL Defenseman of the Year and 21-year old brother of a Tampa Bay Lightning prospect drafted in the second round—Taylor Raddysh, who also had an incredible year. The elder Raddysh went undrafted through each year of eligibility and is now a free agent able to sign with any NHL team he wants, after each one passed on him dozens of times. As Scott Powers of The Athletic notes in his latest piece, the Chicago Blackhawks have considered Raddysh but you could say that for many teams. As his source tells him:

I think you might have 30 teams who would tell you the same thing. He had a very, very impressive year.

It’s true, Raddysh did have an impressive year. After two very successful seasons for the Erie Otters that saw him score 48 and 40 points, he exploded this season as an overager. While many players dominate the junior leagues after their 20th birthday, Raddysh performed on another level scoring 81 points in 62 games and another 22 in the playoffs. Even at his advanced age and on a team loaded with talent, the defenseman turned heads all over the league.

Now, there is no guarantee—or even really a likelihood—that Raddysh goes on to great things in the NHL. But you can be sure that he’ll be signing an entry-level contract somewhere, and will be given a chance to develop as a talented, puck-rushing defenseman. The fact that he’s right-handed helps his case, and though he’s not a bruising presence, he’s not small either. Standing at 6’1″, 200-lbs Raddysh can take care of himself in his own end and has enough offense to make up for it. Whether he can learn the systems of professional hockey and be sound enough positionally to make an impact is still to be seen, but people have underestimated him for too long. Now, instead of being chosen by an organization, it’s Raddysh that will get to make a selection.

The Weakest Position In Free Agency

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One of the big discussions going around the hockey world this week has been whether or not a team like the Toronto Maple Leafs should take a chance on an offer sheet for restricted free agent defenseman Colton Parayko. The offer sheet strategy, while allowed by the NHL collective bargaining agreement, is generally frowned upon in the sport. There is an unwritten code that you don’t poach other teams’ young talent. Those who do often pay the price by having their own prospects come under fire. There is also an actual price to pay for the practice, as offer sheets come with a steep compensatory formula. The 2017 compensation levels, just recently announced, dictate that a team would owe a third-round pick for a contract not even worth $2MM annually, while a contract north of $4MM per year would cost a first-rounder plus.

So why would a team like the Leafs entertain going after Parayko? And if they’re going to face the risk of an offer sheet, why Parayko and not another defenseman like Shayne Gostisbehere or Nikita Zadorov or even star forwards like David Pastrnak or Leon Draisaitl? The reason: Parayko represents the best free agent, restricted or unrestricted, at his position – right-shot defenseman.

Calling the right-shot defenseman grouping for this years unrestricted free agency pool “weak” is an understatement. Other than Kevin Shattenkirk, Parayko’s teammate in St. Louis and possibly the biggest name on the market at any position, you would be hard-pressed to find a single top-four defenseman and only a hand full of bona fide starters altogether. Cody Franson, under-utilized in Buffalo the past two years, is likely the next man up and the painstaking wait of the 2015 off-season showed how willing teams were to meet his salary demands. Toronto specifically already has had experience with Franson and know he is not the answer to their struggles. Behind Franson comes half of the Calgary Flames 2016-17 blue line: Dennis Wideman, Deryk Engelland, and trade deadline acquisition Michael Stone. The trio played a combined 165 man-games for the Flames this season, with Engelland and Stone playing each game of their first-round sweep by the Anaheim Ducks, and combined for just 50 points. Stone has the greatest upside, but hasn’t proved himself as a reliable top-four option and has struggled with injuries. The Flames were desperate to get Wideman out of town and Engelland has become a one-dimensional player in recent years. Next, there is Roman Polak, another former Maple Leaf. The team seems to have ruled out re-signing the veteran blue-liner and other teams should follow suit. Yannick Weber, currently playing in the Stanley Cup Final with the Nashville Predators, picked a good year to be a free agent, as his effective albeit unexciting style of play should still pay off in a weak class. After Weber? Matt Tennyson from Carolina? Paul Postma from Winnipeg? That is basically it.

This is why the Parayko-to-Toronto talk will continue. Those teams in need of a right shot near the top of their defensive depth are largely out of luck in 2017. Once Shattenkirk is off the board, which should be right away on July 1st, there are slim pickings for the rest. Best wishes to whatever righty D-needy team misses out on Shattenkirk, Franson, Stone, and Weber. There are simply no options. Unless, of course, you dip into restricted free agency. Beyond Parayko, another option is Pittsburgh’s Justin Schultz,who put up a whopping 51 points in the regular season and has 11 points (and counting) in the playoffs. The Penguins would likely be unable to match an expensive contract for Schultz if he were presented with a lucrative offer sheet. After back-to-back strong campaigns, New Jersey’s Damon Severson has proven to be a legitimate offensive defenseman and could entice the right team. Jake Dotchin had a successful rookie season, but the Lightning have a world of cap problems to solve this summer and would struggle to fit an offer sheet-inflated contract for Dotchin into the mix. Finally, even if both Alex Petrovic and Mark Pysyk survive the Expansion Draft in Florida, the Panthers may simply choose one over the other if an offer sheet were involved. The options are plenty on the restricted side of free agency, but the question remains whether any teams will be bold enough to go that route.

Anaheim Ducks, Paul MacLean Part Ways

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Fresh off a playoff elimination at the hands of the Nashville Predators in the Western Conference Final, the Anaheim Ducks don’t seem content to stand pat this off-season. Changes are expected to come this summer, and the first news has come out already. Assistant coach Paul MacLean, whose current contract had come to an end, will not be retained. According to the team, it was a mutual parting of ways.

MacLean, 59, is a former NHL head coach and Jack Adams Award-winner, serving as the bench boss for the Ottawa Senators from 2011 to 2014, leading the team to the postseason twice in three (and a half) seasons. MacLean was fired by Ottawa midway through the 2014-15 campaign. MacLean joined the Ducks that off-season, working under Bruce Boudreau, whom he beat out for the Jack Adams in 2013. After Boundreau was fired and replaced by Randy Carlyle last year, MacLean was retained. However, the team has promised to shake things up and it appears that they felt the best move for the team was to move on from the veteran coach.

MacLean will certainly land on his feet. Beyond Ottawa and Anaheim, MacLean has an extensive coaching resume to lean on. MacLean had previously served as an assistant in Anaheim before, under Mike Babcock with the Mighty Ducks in the early 2000’s, and followed Babcock to Detroit as well. MacLean also has a long, successful history in the minor leagues where, if no NHL opportunities arise, he would surely be welcomed back. MacLean’s son, A.J., is also an assistant coach with the OHL’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, so don’t rule out a move to Canadian major junior either. MacLean will be fine; the Ducks on the other hand are just beginning their re-tool and more news is sure to come this off-season.

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