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Atlantic Notes: Ceci, Daley, Aaltonen

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The Senators have received plenty of trade interest over the last few years in defenseman Cody Ceci, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman told Sportsnet 960 in Calgary (audio link).  One of those suitors appears to be Colorado who has inquired about Ceci’s availability in a possible Matt Duchene deal but it doesn’t appear that GM Pierre Dorion has any inclination to move him, at least for the time being.  Ceci’s entering the final year of his bridge contract with a $2.8MM cap hit and a $3.35MM salary which will also represent his required qualifying offer next June.   While his offensive numbers dipped in 2016-17, his ice time shot up considerably by nearly four minutes to over 23 per night and if that carries over into this season, he’ll be in line for a significant raise regardless of whether or not his production rebounds.

Elsewhere around the Atlantic:

  • Defenseman Trevor Daley’s preference this offseason was to remain with Pittsburgh, reports Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. However, while the interest was mutual, the two sides weren’t able to come close to terms financially and Daley wound up signing a three-year, $9.5MM deal with the Red Wings back on July 1st despite coming off of a season that saw him record his lowest point total since the lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign.
  • Finnish center Miro Aaltonen also drew interest from Vegas but ultimately chose to sign with the Maple Leafs in part due to their looming second contracts for their top forwards, notes Jonas Siegel of The Athletic (subscription required). With the likes of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander all heading for big paydays over the next couple of years, Toronto will need some cheaper talent to fill out their roster so it appears that Aaltonen is prepared to play the waiting game if need be over taking what may very well have been an easier path to the NHL with the Golden Knights.

Panthers Sign Defenseman Ed Wittchow

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Despite outward appearances, not all tryouts end poorly in the NHL. Every once in a while, an impressive camp effort can be it all it takes for even the most obscure player, veteran or prospect, to prove that they are deserving of an NHL contract. Such is the case of Ed Wittchow, who today signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Florida Panther, per a team release. Financial terms have not been disclosed.

Wittchow, 24, was actually drafted by Florida back in 2011, a sixth-round selection out of the USHL. The Minnesota-native attended the University of Wisconsin for four years, becoming the captain of the team in his final year. However, the 6’3″ Wittchow is a stay-at-home type who managed to accrue only 17 total points in his time with the Badgers. While a reliable defensive player, he also didn’t turn heads with his checking ability or physicality in the college game either. Thus, upon graduating, the Panthers had lost interest in signing Wittchow to an entry-level deal. However, he stuck around the organization, singing an AHL contract with the Panthers’ affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, for the 2016-17 season. Again, Wittchow was not nothing if not unspectacular, scoring just four points and posting a -6 in 38 games with Springfield and skating in another 14 games with the ECHL’s Manchester Monarchs. Nevertheless, Wittchow’s hard work and dedication – specifically referenced by Flordia GM Dale Tallon in today’s announcement – earned Wittchow an extension with the Thunderbirds and an invitation to camp. After getting another close look at their former prospect, it seems the Panthers again would like to be a part of Wittchow’s hockey future by giving him his first NHL contract.

The Panthers could use some extra defensive depth after their recent trade of solid veteran Jason Demers to the Arizona Coyotes, but expect Wittchow’s role in 2017-18 to be more of a backup to the backups. With just one season of pro hockey under his belt, the Badger blue liner likely needs quite a bit more seasoning before he is ready to challenge for NHL minutes. However, with Springfield teammate Ian McCoshen likely now slated for a starting role in Florida and the likes of Mackenzie Weegar and Josh Brown the next men up, Wittchow should be set to play a leading role on the Thunderbirds’ blue line this season, which can only help his chances of reaching the next level one day.

Injury Notes: Lightning, Sabres, Jets

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Despite finishing the 2016-17 season with 94 points and missing the playoffs, the Tampa Bay Lightning are the favorite of many to win the Atlantic Division and possibly even the Eastern Conference. Why? It’s not because they added Dan Girardi, Chris Kunitz, and Michael Leighton this off-season. No, the real reason for the resurgence of hope in Tampa is of course the return of captain Steven Stamkos. The Bolts’ superstar is set to return to the team after missing nearly all of last season, and the first step is his preseason debut tonight at home against the Predators. Stamkos told the Tampa Bay Times’ Joe Smith that, more than anything, he’s feeling curious about his first game action since November 15, 2016, eager to see how he feels and how he plays. Lightning fans are eager as well; their season rides on the health and performance of Stamkos. When Stamkos returned from a broke leg in 2014, he tells Smith that he felt he was playing “the best hockey of my career”. However, the serious knee injury that sidelined him for much of 2017 could take a bit longer to work back from. Only time will tell how one of the best players in the game returns from his latest injury, but there is no doubt that the spotlight will be on him, starting tonight.

  • Smith also issued an update today on Anton Stralman, the Lightning defenseman whose undisclosed injury had kept him from even practicing this week and had some worried about the start of the season. That is, until today. Previously, Stralman had only been seen skating at practice in a red, non-contact jersey and was not taking part in drills, but Smith reports that he was back it today, cleared for contact and participating fully. Stralman told Smith that he expects to be back t full strength for the season opener, easing the fears of the fan base.
  • Another team with a pair of potential difference-makers currently sidelined are the Buffalo Sabres. The Buffalo News’ John Vogl reports that big off-season trade acquisition Marco Scandella was back at practice today after sitting out the last few days. Still recovering from hip surgery, Scandella said that he is preparing for the season mentally, even if he’s taking it easy physically. The Sabres plan to use Scandella on the top pair this season, and while they would love for him to be at 100% come October 5th, his long-term health and durability is of greater concern.
  • Unfortunately, Vogl’s article didn’t have as much optimism about young scorer Alexander Nylander. The team’s 2016 first-round pick has yet to take the ice in training camp after suffering a lower body injury in the Sabres’ prospect camp. Nylander’s status is up in the air, but it seems highly unlikely that he will be ready for the season if he is still watching practices from the stands. New head coach Phil Housley acknowledged that the team is letting Nylander move slowly with his recovering, but admitted that there is no definite time table for his return.
  • The NHL is trying to cut down on injuries this season and to achieve that goal they are ramping up the enforcement of penalties. That presents a substantial problem for the Winnipeg Jets, who have taken more penalties than any team in the league over the past four seasons and haven’t been very good on the penalty kill either. In a stroke of genius, the team hosted former NHL referee Paul Devorski in camp today, who provided some in-depth instruction on how to void penalties, especially those like slashing that have been given special emphasis by the league this season.

Islanders Sign Kieffer Bellows To Entry-Level Deal

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Kieffer Bellows would have liked to have come out of camp with the New York Islanders with an NHL job, but as he heads to his junior team he’ll take the next best thing: his first NHL contract. The Islanders cut Bellows from camp earlier today, but have announced a few hours later that he signed his entry-level deal before leaving. The contract is the entry level maximum: three years, $925K per year.

The Islanders’ 2016 first-round pick, Bellows has already been an intriguing character for fans to follow. The son of former NHLer Brian Bellows, Kieffer was a standout on the 2015-16 U.S. National Development Team, registering 81 points in 62 games. After being drafted by the Isles, Bellows moved on to Boston University last fall, where he had long since been committed to play college hockey. Yet, in May it was revealed that Bellows would not return to the Terriers this season, instead changing development tracks and moving to Canadian juniors, where the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks held his rights. While many speculated that Bellows move may have to do with the loss of talent at BU – the powerhouse program watched Charlie McAvoy, Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson, and Clayton Keller leave early – but the counter is that more talented NHL prospects remained than left and the team had reinforcements of several 2017 draft picks and 2018 hopefuls coming in. In the end, it seems that college hockey might have just been a poor fit for Bellows and he felt that he could develop better in the WHL.

All eyes will be on the 19-year-old power forward this season as he adjusts to the major junior game. With his contract signed, it is possible he could see some time with the Islanders in 2017-18, but seeing as they already have several young forwards still being worked into the lineup, it seems more likely that Bellows will use this WHL season as a tryout for next year’s squad.

Arena Notes: Calgary, Arizona, Detroit

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The ongoing issues with the Flames and the city of Calgary has been well-publicized. The two sides are at odds in regards to the construction of a new arena and who should shoulder the greatest burden of the cost. The Flames have made it known that they have made offers to the city, offers they believe to be fair, and that the city has been the side unwilling to work toward a resolution. However, as The Hockey News’ Ken Campbell points out, the public relations battle that the team is waging may be all for not. Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi, according to Campbell, is not only well-liked, but also a tough negotiator. Campbell believes that Nenshi is not like many politicians, who often cave when it comes to dealing with local sports teams. It seem that Nenshi is willing to make a stand and work toward an agreement that is more balanced for the taxpayers of Calgary. Some may see risk in Nenshi calling Flames billionaire owner Murray Edwards’ bluff, but Campbell believes that there is no way the Flames leave the city under any circumstances. The people of Calgary will inevitably end up partially funding a new arena, but with Nenshi as their negotiator, it should be on far better terms than the Flames’ current offer.

  • The Arizona Coyotes issued a statement last night, updating fans on the status of the ice at Gila River Arena. The Coyotes were forced to cancel their first home preseason game on Monday night due to poor ice conditions. With only a fixed amount of time for preseason hockey, Arizona did not even have the ability to postpone their contest with the Los Angeles Kings. In an effort to make sure they didn’t miss anymore opportunities to take a look at their young and very different roster, the Coyotes worked quickly to install a new sheet of ice and have their arena back up to suitable standards. The improvement is just in time, as the San Jose Sharks come to town tomorrow.
  • The Detroit Red Wings took the ice at the brand new Little Caesars Arena for the first time today, as noted by beat writer Helene St. James. The Wings played their final game at Joe Louis Arena, the historic building at 19 Steve Yzerman drive, in April after being one of the most dominant teams in all of sports during their residency from 1979 to 2017. Veterans like Henrik Zetterberg and Niklas Kronwall, who more or less grew up in “The Joe” will now have to get a feel for their new home, the massive 20,000 seat Little Caesars Arena, and it all starts with the team’s first game there, hosting the Boston Bruins tomorrow night.

Montreal Places Zach Redmond On Waivers

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The Montreal Canadiens came into camp with quite a few players battling for spots on the blue line after adding Karl Alzner, David Schlemko, and Mark Streit this summer as well as Jordie Benn and Brandon Davidson late last season. With mainstays Shea Weber and Jeff Petry having spots locked in as well, the influx of talent was always going to push someone out. The process of picking their final seven is not yet over, but they have taken the first step, announcing the placement of Zach Redmond on waivers today for the purposes of reassigning him to their new AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket.

Redmond, 29, is the first notable player to hit the waiver wire this fall. With 130 NHL games under his belt, including a 59-game, 20-point effort as a top-four regular with the Colorado Avalanche in 2014-15, Redmond has proved himself to be a reliable AHL depth option over the past five seasons. Last season in Montreal, Redmond recorded five assists over 16 games and added another 18 points in 26 AHL games. Redmond largely played the seventh-man role in Montreal, spending the majority of the season with the Canadiens, but watching from the press box. However, his early release from camp likely means that isn’t the plan for 2017-18. If Redmond clear waivers, he could spend much of the season in Laval until injury or poor play strikes the Habs’ defensive corps. If Redmond doesn’t clear waivers (not an overwhelming likelihood but a definite possibility), it will be due to his ability to step in and play competent defense as that valuable dependable extra man.

Redmond is far from alone on waivers today; joining him are several Ottawa Senators – Patrick Sieloff, Erik Burgdoerfer, Chris DiDomenico, Daniel Taylor, and Ben Sexton, several Philadelphia Flyers – Corban Knight, Greg Carey, Phil Varone, Will O’Neill, T.J. Brennan, and Mark Alt, as well as Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Chris Casto, Minnesota Wild rearguard Zach Palmquist, New York Rangers forward Adam Chapie, and Chicago Blackhawks Jeff Glass and Kyle Baun.  

2017-18 Primer: Nashville Predators

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With the NHL season now just a few weeks away, it’s time to look at what each team has done this summer and what to watch for in the year to come.  Today, we focus on the Nashville Predators.

Last Season: 41-29-12 record (94 points), fourth in Central Division (lost to Pittsburgh in Stanley Cup Finals)

Remaining Cap Space: $6.09MM per CapFriendly

Key Newcomers: F Nick Bonino (free agency, Pittsburgh), F Scott Hartnell (free agency, Columbus), D Alexei Emelin (trade, Vegas)

Key Departures: F Colin Wilson (trade, Colorado), F Mike Fisher (retirement), F James Neal (expansion, Vegas)

[Related: Nashville Depth Chart From Roster Resource]

Kevin FialaPlayer To Watch: F Kevin Fiala – The Nashville Predators had some of the worst injury luck (outside of perhaps Pittsburgh, their opponents) in the playoffs, seeing star center Ryan Johansen need emergency surgery on his thigh late in their Stanley Cup Run. They also witnessed a terrible injury to Fiala, who shattered his femur in a horrifying board collision with Robert Bortuzzo. Amazingly, Fiala would recover quickly from surgery to repair his left leg, and is apparently already completely unhindered at training camp.

If that’s true, then he’s easily one of the most interesting players to watch on the Predators this season. When he went down, Fiala was starting to show just why the Predators selected him 11th-overall in the 2014 draft. His speed, tenacity and offensive skill were all shining in the playoffs after a pretty ho-hum regular season, but at 21 he’s ready to take the next step.

Scoring 11 goals in 54 games last season, there is now an opportunity left in the wake of Neal and Wilson for Fiala to play higher in the lineup. The Predators usually run the trio of Johansen, Filip Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson together, but as recently as yesterday Fiala was also getting some time with the former two. Whether or not that shows up in the regular season, it’s clear what the team thinks about him going into the year. He’ll be a big part of their offensive identity, and will look to prove that the leg injury is completely behind him.

Key Storyline: After the team’s surprise Cinderella story this spring, in which they went from barely making the playoffs to pushing the Penguins to six games in the finals, many people are expecting the Predators to cruise to a playoff spot this year. Their team’s trademark, defense, will still be its strength this season but was dealt an early blow with the news that Ryan Ellis will be out until January. The newly crowned “associate captain” is working his way from knee surgery and will leave a sizable gap in the defense.

While the team acquired Emelin after the expansion draft, he’s nowhere near the type of player that Ellis is for the club, and offers more as a rough-and-tumble stay at home defenseman than elite special teams and possession monster. More than that, Ellis is one of only two top right-handed options for the Predators, likely meaning someone will have to play their off-side for the beginning of the year.

There is no guarantee that the Predators are a Cup contender this season, as the Central still boasts several powerhouse clubs. St. Louis has been struck by early injury but remain as deep as any team in the league, Minnesota will continue to play their familiar defensive style, and Chicago still has a Hall of Fame trio to keep them afloat. That’s to mention nothing of the Jets and Stars, both of whom should be pushing hard for a playoff spot this year.

The Predators have youth and depth on their side, but it won’t be an easy journey. If some of their young players step up and become what they showed in the playoffs, this could be a legitimate powerhouse. If they deal with injury and inconsistency, it could be a tough year. One thing is to be sure though, that “Smashville” will be rocking every night, with high hopes for one of the NHL’s newest “it” teams.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Training Camp Cuts: 09/22/17

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The cuts keep coming from training camps around the league as the season draws near, with less than two weeks from opening night. Teams are starting to whittle down the players they’ll take in the regular season. Like every day, we’ll keep track of all the cuts right here:

Anaheim Ducks

F Antoine Morand – Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)

Colorado Avalanche

F Travis Barron – Ottawa (OHL)
F J.C. Beaudin – San Antonio (AHL)
F Julien Nantel – San Antonio (AHL)

Columbus Blue Jackets

F Hayden Hodgson –  released from PTO

Dallas Stars

F Nick Caamano – Flint (OHL)

Los Angeles Kings

F Shane Walsh – released from PTO
F Evan Weinger – released from PTO
D Clayton Kirichenko – released from PTO

Minnesota Wild

D Gustav Bouramman – Iowa (AHL)
D Dylan Labbe – Iowa (AHL)
D Hunter Warner – Iowa (AHL)
F Adam Gilmour – Iowa (AHL)
F Pavel Jenys – Iowa (AHL)
F Chase Lang – Iowa (AHL)
F Mario Lucia – Iowa (AHL)
F Gerald Mayhew  – Iowa (AHL)
F Dante Salituro – Iowa (AHL)
G Adam Vay – Iowa (AHL)

Montreal Canadiens

F Niki Petti – Laval (AHL)
F Yannick Veilleux – Laval (AHL)
F Thomas Ebbing – Laval (AHL)
F Antoine Waked – Laval (AHL)
D Stefan Leblanc – Laval (AHL)
D Simon Bourque – Laval (AHL)
D Tom Parisi – Laval (AHL)
F Markus Eisenschmid – Laval (AHL)
G Michael McNiven – Laval (AHL)

New York Islanders

F Kieffer Bellows – Portland (WHL)
F Arnaud Durandeau – Halifax (QMJHL)
D David Quenneville – Medicine Hat (WHL)

New York Rangers

D Sean Day – Hartford (AHL)
D Sergey Zborovskiy – Hartford (AHL)
F Dawson Leedahl – Hartford (AHL)

Vancouver Canucks

F Carter Bancks – Utica (AHL)
F Wacey Hamilton – Utica (AHL)
D Jaime Sifers– Utica (AHL)

Vegas Golden Knights

D Dylan Coghlan – Tri-City (WHL)
F Bryce Gervais – Chicago (AHL)
F Cody Glass – Portland (WHL)
D Nicolas Hague – Mississauga (OHL)
F Stephen MacAulay – Chicago (AHL)
D Kenney Morrison – Chicago (AHL)
D Dmitry Osipov – Chicago (AHL)
F Nick Suzuki – Owen Sound (OHL)

Winnipeg Jets

F Patrice Cormier – Manitoba (AHL)
F Francis Beauvillier – Manitoba (AHL)
F Brody Sutter – Manitoba (AHL)
D Kirill Gotovets – Manitoba (AHL)
D Peter Stoykewych – Manitoba (AHL)
G Eric Comrie – Manitoba (AHL)

Early Extension Talks Between Maroon, Oilers

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The Edmonton Oilers locked up restricted free agent Leon Draisaitl, and inked an eight-year extension with Connor McDavid, but still have more work to do to keep this team together. One of the players they’d like to keep is big winger Patrick Maroon, and as Ryan Rishaug of TSN reports, the two sides have had early conversations on a potential extension.

Maroon broke out playing alongside McDavid last year, scoring 27 goals and registering 45 points. While those totals look minuscule next to McDavid’s 100-point season, they’re easily career-highs for the 29-year old power forward.

In training camp it looks like Maroon will get another crack at the shotgun seat on McDavid’s line, which will likely result in another strong season. What that means in terms of an extension is tricky though. Could anyone post those numbers with one of the best players in the world? Does Maroon compliment McDavid’s speed and finesse game especially well? Would his production fall off a cliff if put lower in the lineup? These are all questions the Oilers will have to answer before handing out any long-term money.

The team must also be mindful of their salary cap structure going forward. Next year, when McDavid’s $100MM extension kicks in, the team will have four forwards making $33MM each season. That’s nearly half of the salary cap already, without including the hefty contracts they’ve given out on defense and some new deals that are required for restricted free agents.

If Maroon is negotiating like a true 27-goal man, the Oilers may not be able to fit him in. If it’s more a good-faith, perfect-fit conversation, perhaps they can come to an agreement that keeps the “Big Rig” in Edmonton long-term.

Minor Transactions: 9/21/17

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While the big transaction news of the past week and surely the next week or so as well is training camp cuts, signings are still ongoing, with a few notable moves today:

  • Back in August, AHL veteran Graham Black surprised many by giving up his pro hockey pursuits to return to school, committing to the University of Calgary. Fast forward not even a month and an even bigger name made the same rare decision today. CUSN’s Victor Findlay reports that York University announced the commitment of former Carolina Hurricanes prospect Daniel Altshuller. Altshuller, 23, was not qualified by the ’Canes this off-season and became an unrestricted free agent. He clearly struggled to find employment elsewhere and has decided to instead return to school. However, unlike Black, a fifth-round pick who bounced around the AHL, Altschuller was a 2012 third-round pick by Carolina who was for a time seen as their goalie of the future. Although he didn’t see any action, Altshuller even earned an NHL call-up, the first (and only) of his career, in 2016-17. Yet, Altshuller could never find consistency at the AHL level. A more than capable ECHL-caliber goalie, the next level up proved to be too much and after back-to-back seasons with a 2.80+ GAA and sub-.910 save percentage, he likely realized that his NHL aspirations were unattainable. Altshuller will sit out the 2017-18 season, but will be back on the ice for Lions in 2018-19 as he continues to play hockey and now focuses on earning a degree.
  •  Another AHLer leaving the North American pro game is veteran Peter Mueller. Mueller is still playing hockey, but he’ll head back to Europe for the 2017-18 season. EC Salzburg of the Austrian-based EBEL announced their excitement to be signing the former NHL forward. Mueller, 29, had spent three years in Europe before returning across the Atlantic and signing with the AHL’s Providence Bruins last year following a PTO with Boston. Mueller scored 25 points in 56 games and played a leadership role on a young, talented P-Bruins squad. The former Phoenix Coyote scorer will immediately become the best and most experience player for Salzburg, bringing with him six seasons and 160 points worth of NHL pedigree.
  • Mueller isn’t alone in heading to the EBEL. Former NHL goaltender Drew MacIntyre will also resume his overseas career this season, as he has re-signed with Medvescak Zagreb, formerly of the KHL and now a favorite to win the EBEL in their inaugural season. MacIntyre played in 21 games for the teams last season, posting a 2.26 GAA and .925 save percentage. Against weaker competition in the EBEL, MacIntyre has the potential to best those impressive numbers in 2017-18. A veteran of over 300 AHL games, and six NHL contests as well, the 34-year-old journeyman may just be primed for the best season of his career.

 

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