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Calgary Flames Reveal Scrapped Arena Proposal

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As Calgary Flames President Ken King said he would last week, the team has released a full page ad both online and in local print revealing what their offer for new arena funding looked like. In it, the team criticizes the city of Calgary for submitting an unfair proposal that would put the entire burden of financing on the team. Though the city has said they’re willing to pay up to one-third of the cost, the team believes this “did not accurately reflect the total Flames funding required.”

The team includes a somewhat ominous statement about the future in Calgary:

Many, including us, believe Calgary is a terrific place for NHL hockey and we certainly have great fans. As such, we will strive to operate, as we have for the past 34 years, in the Saddledome for as long as we believe it is feasible.

King joined the Fan 960 in Calgary this morning to discuss the ad, and reiterated that there would be no more negotiations or arena talk. He wants to put the potential deal behind him, and “move on.”

Though this all seems like a terrible outcome for Flames fans who wish the team will stay in town forever, remember that this fight has been highly politicized from the start. Though they say there is no movement on a new deal, things can obviously change very quickly. This should not be taken as a death sentence for the Flames, though it is certainly not a step towards longevity.

Golden Knights Sign Dylan Coghlan To Entry-Level Deal

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Another player has turned a strong performance at rookie camp and the early part of training camp into an entry-level deal as the Golden Knights announced that they have signed defenseman Dylan Coghlan to a three-year contract.  Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The 19-year-old wasn’t selected back at the draft in June despite a very strong season with Tri-City of the WHL.  In 2016-17, he had 15 goals and 38 assists; his 53 points were more than he had in his first two seasons combined.  They were also enough to tie him for 12th overall among all Western League blueliners.  He had been ranked 155th among North American skaters for the draft.

Given the logjam of blueliners that Vegas has, Coghlan will assuredly be going back to junior for this season (he isn’t eligible to play in the AHL yet).  As a result, his contract will slide (unless he surprisingly makes it into ten or more NHL games) and won’t officially begin until the 2018-19 campaign.

Joffrey Lupul Won’t Seek Second Opinion On Failed Physical

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After suggesting earlier this week that the Maple Leafs cheat the system when it comes to utilizing long-term injury reserve, winger Joffrey Lupul released a statement via his Twitter account, announcing that he wouldn’t be seeking a second opinion on his failed physical.  He had until Thursday to request one.  He added that he still hopes to return to playing one day.

He’s entering the final year of his contract with a cap hit of $5.25MM and Toronto is expected to place Lupul on LTIR once the season gets underway in order to get back into compliance with the salary cap.  Even when that happens, the Leafs will still likely be within $1MM of the Upper Limit as things currently stand.  Nathan Horton, who also failed his physical and isn’t expected to resume his playing career, was already placed on there back in the summer.

The soon-to-be 34-year-old has played in 701 career NHL games with four different teams, collecting 205 goals and 215 assists.  He last suited up in February of 2016 and underwent sports hernia surgery at that time.  Assuming he gets the green light to try a comeback for next season, Lupul could be an intriguing candidate for a PTO or a bonus-laden one-year contract next summer.

Snapshots: Mueller, Kronwall, Loktionov, Scandella

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After failing to land an NHL contract with Boston last season, center Peter Mueller is heading back across the pond as he has signed a one-year contract with EC Salzburg, the Austrian team announced.  Mueller has 297 career NHL games under his belt but last saw action at the top level in 2012-13 with Florida.  He also previously spent time with the Coyotes and Avalanche.  The 29-year-old collected 13 goals and 12 assists in 56 games with AHL Providence last season and at this point, another run at an NHL spot doesn’t seem too likely.

Other notes from around the hockey world:

  • Although Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall has yet to practice with the team or suit up in early preseason action, head coach Jeff Blashill told reporters, including Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press, that Kronwall has been skating on his own and could start practicing soon. Kronwall battled knee problems last season and had back spasms earlier in the week.
  • Although he inked a PTO deal with the Kings, center Andrei Loktionov initially drew interest from the Maple Leafs, reports Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider. He opted to take the tryout with Los Angeles in large part due to his familiarity with the organization, having been drafted by the team in 2008 and being with them until February of 2013.  A path to an NHL roster spot is likely easier with the Kings than in Toronto as well.  Loktionov had 27 points in 58 games with Yaroslavl Lokomotiv of the KHL last season.
  • The Sabres plan to hold defenseman Marco Scandella out of game action until sometime next week, head coach Phil Housley told reporters, including Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald. Scandella is recovering from offseason hip surgery and the team has been cautious with him so far, giving him some off days in the early going of training camp.

Metropolitan Notes: Smith-Pelly, Johnson, Wennberg, Manning

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Capitals winger Devante Smith-Pelly told Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post that he played through a knee injury last year in New Jersey, something that the team was aware of at the time.  With 15 games left in the season, he opted for surgery which put him on injured reserve the rest of the way.  The Devils bought out the final year of his contract back in June (something Smith-Pelly opted not to grieve) and Smith-Pelly was only able to land a two-way contract that only pays the league minimum at the NHL level.  The 25-year-old says his knee has fully recovered and with Washington needing some cheap contracts to round out their roster, he should have a good chance to make the team despite posting just nine points in 53 games in 2016-17.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • Blue Jackets defenseman Jack Johnson is entering the final year of his contract and told Tom Reed of The Athletic (subscription required) that his priority is to stay with Columbus. Johnson is set to earn $5MM in salary this coming season but may be hard-pressed to match that amount on the open market unless his point production gets back into the 30-40 point range after tallying just 37 combined over the last two years.
  • Still with the Blue Jackets, center Alexander Wennberg has finally received his new work visa and has rejoined the team, notes Adam Jardy of the Columbus Dispatch. Although Wennberg didn’t change teams this offseason, his new six-year, $29.4MM deal required him to go through the formal process once again.
  • Flyers defenseman Brandon Manning resumed skating last month as he recovers from back surgery from April and is hopeful to be 100% for the regular season opener, notes Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer. With Philadelphia expected to carry a couple of rookies to start the season, Manning may be in line to start as their seventh blueliner.  He has been in that role at times over the past few seasons but saw action in a career-high 65 games last year.

Erik Cole Signs Ceremonial Contract, Officially Retires

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Though he hasn’t played NHL hockey since the 2014-15 season, Erik Cole never officially retired. Today, after signing a ceremonial contract with the Carolina Hurricanes he’ll hang up his skates for good at the age of 38. Carolina is where it all started for Cole, and he told gathered media he always hoped he could end his career by coming back to the Hurricanes. He’ll now serve as a team ambassador.

Erik ColeCole was selected by Carolina in the third round of the 1998 draft, and after another pair of seasons at Clarkson University and one in the minor leagues, debuted with the Hurricanes in 2001 and would never look back. In that rookie season, Cole scored 40 points and would finish fifth in Calder trophy voting behind Dany Heatley (the winner), Ilya Kovalchuk, Kristian Huselius and Pavel Datsyuk. He went on to become an integral part of the Carolina team, scoring 30 goals in just 60 games in 2005-06 before completing an incredibly emotional comeback from a serious neck injury to help the team raise the Stanley Cup.

He would never be quite as dominant as he was during that shortened season, but Cole would continue to represent a prototypical power forward in the years to come, scoring 265 goals in his career including a career-high 35 in his one full season in Montreal. In 892 career games he recorded 532 points and 1,192 hits. He played for Carolina, Edmonton, Montreal, Dallas and Detroit during his long career.

2017-18 Primer: New York Islanders

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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 New York Islanders.

Last Season: 41-29-12 record (94 points), fifth in Metropolitan Division (missed playoffs)

Remaining Cap Space: $2.98MM per CapFriendly

Key Newcomers: F Jordan Eberle (trade, Edmonton)

Key Departures: F Ryan Strome (trade, Edmonton), D Travis Hamonic (trade, Calgary), F Mikhail Grabovski (trade, Vegas), G Jean-Francois Berube (expansion, Vegas)

[Related: New York Depth Chart From Roster Resource]

Mathew BarzalPlayer To Watch: F Mathew Barzal – Even though it may have seemed like it over the last few years, it’s not every day that a 20-year old player can walk into the NHL and completely change his team’s offensive profile. That’s the kind of impact that Barzal could have on the Islanders though, as he has legitimate superstar upside and could give the team a real weapon outside of the top line. While John Tavares and Eberle could be a dangerous duo this year, and the other good-but-not great forwards like Andrew Ladd, Josh Bailey and Brock Nelson could still have some upside, it’s really Barzal who could make them special.

There is no guarantee he even cracks the club to start the year. Often, 20-year olds are required to spend time in the minor leagues to develop their game. But after giving him a taste of the NHL at the beginning of the season, and watching him dominate the Western Hockey League with the Seattle Thunderbirds—to the tune of 104 points in 57 games—it’s clear that Barzal could handle himself right away.

There would surely be growing pains five-on-five, where Barzal could get beat by bigger, stronger players than he’s used to facing. But with the man advantage (something that looks like it might happen a lot more this year) he could be a game-changer right away. Barzal tallied 39 of his 87 assists on the powerplay last year for Seattle, showing off his patented puck skills while patiently waiting for a lane to open up. He may already be one of the best players in the world at getting pucks through stick traffic, using a feathery touch on his saucer passes.

Even though the Islanders’ season was considered a disappointment, they still recorded 94 points and actually had more wins than the eighth-seeded Toronto Maple Leafs. They ranked 28th in the league in powerplay efficiency last year, scoring on just under 15% of their chances. Improving that number could get them a few more wins, and a seat at the table in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Key Storyline: Even though Barzal and fellow youngster Joshua Ho-Sang are creating some excitement around the team, the most ink (or pixels) will undoubtedly be spilled on the impending free agency of Tavares. We’ve heard about it all summer, how the Islanders’ captain wants to see where the team stands in terms of its building, finances and success before making a long-term decision. There doesn’t seem like there will be any moment of respite from the speculation all season.

Taveras is an NHL superstar through and through, and would easily be the top name in free agency next summer. Should he get that far, he may even rival Connor McDavid as the league’s top paid player, after what would likely be a heated bidding war for his services. Today, as it happens, marks his 27th birthday and already he’s scored 537 points in his NHL career. That ranks ninth in the entire league since that time, trailing at least five future hall of fame players, and several others who would be in consideration. Unlike some of those, who rely on their offensive game to drive their value, Tavares also comes as a bonafide number one center, capable of matching up against anyone at even strength.

It’s overwhelmingly clear that the Islanders will pay anything to retain his services, but it’s not just about his contract. The team will need to have an identity in New York somewhere, and their best hope lies in the Belmont Park location. Proposals will be seen in the near future, but it could take several months before a decision is made. In the meantime, Islanders fans should just enjoy their captain in his prime, each and every night.

Injury Notes: Steen, Fabbri, Vigneault, Parise

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As we mentioned this morning, the St. Louis Blues have suffered another potentially dramatic injury after Alex Steen was ruled out of the rest of training camp with a hand injury. Like Jay Bouwmeester yesterday, Steen will be re-evaluated in three weeks, which likely means the start of the season is out of the question. The veteran forward is a big part of the Blues’ offensive presence, and will be sorely missed.

Since Zach Sanford, one of the potential replacements for Steen in the top-six is already out for several months, the team will have to look elsewhere to fill his two-way role. An interesting option would be Ivan Barbashev, who impressed the Blues’ brass in his 30-game stint last year. Scoring 12 points as a rookie, Barbashev has some of the same versatility that Steen brings and can move in and out of several roles. Still, losing another key player is a tough way to begin any campaign.

  • There was some good news for the Blues though, as Robby Fabbri is coming along right on schedule from the ACL surgery that ended his 2016-17 prematurely. Head Coach Mike Yeo told reporters, including Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that Fabbri has a little bit of pain but nothing to worry about. He was given a couple of extra days before making his preseason debut, but expects to play in four exhibition contests. Fabbri was our “Player To Watch” in the recent St. Louis Primer, and could take a big step forward into stardom this season. The 21-year old has excellent offensive talent, and could very well finish the year among the team leaders in points if he can stay healthy.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets made some cuts today from their training camp roster, but will also be without Sam Vigneault for the next four to six weeks through no fault of his own. The young NCAA signing that made his professional debut last year in the AHL broke his finger, and will have to delay the start of his 2017-18 campaign. Vigneault only had an outside shot at cracking the Blue Jackets roster out of camp, but could potentially be an injury call-up during the year should he show the same combination of power and skill that he exhibited at Clarkson University.
  • Michael Russo of The Athletic caught up with Minnesota Wild GM Chuck Fletcher today, who reported that Zach Parise is “skating and progressing daily” after being held out of practice with a back injury. Parise has had issues with his back for years, but it doesn’t seem serious enough to jeopardize much of the season.

Faceoffs, Slashing & Powerplay Opportunities

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The first taste of preseason hockey the last few days has been notable for two things: injuries and penalties. While teams like the St. Louis Blues and Ottawa Senators have already had their fair share of the former, the league seems intent on increasing the latter. Through 18 preseason games so far (the boxscore for three matches is unavailable on NHL.com) teams are averaging 7.25 powerplay opportunities per game, thanks in part to the crackdown on slashing and faceoff violations.

Joe ThorntonThough part of that is due to the bigger gap in talent preseason games represent, and the league trying to show off their new stance on enforcing rules that have always technically been part of the game, this number would be monumental should it carry over to the regular season. Powerplay opportunities peaked in the first season after the lockout, when obstruction rules were put into place to speed the game up. In 2005-06, teams were afforded 5.85 powerplays per game. That resulted in some pretty spectacular totals.

In that year, a whopping seven players broke the 100-point mark, with Joe Thornton leading the way with 123. He did it on the back of 54 powerplay points, and each of the rest of the group tallied at least 40 points with the man advantage. Last year, when powerplay opportunities were at an all-time low of 2.99 per team, per game, Niklas Backstrom of the Washington Capitals led the entire league with 35 powerplay points.

While no one is expecting the league to suddenly hand out close to 15 powerplays a game, even a moderate increase will have huge effects on the league. If, suddenly players are given two or three more opportunities a game for points, the overall increase in production could have a marked effect on the contracts signed next summer.

As an example, William Nylander led the Toronto Maple Leafs with 26 powerplay points, good for 15th in the entire league. Should that total balloon to 40+ due to no other fact that he was given more opportunities, he’ll likely be looking at an 80-point season, and a huge negotiating boost next summer when he looks to cash in. In seems then, that teams who took advantage of a signing window this offseason may be rewarded in the short term. Though obviously teams will try to use even strength totals as the basis of contracts, agents will use anything they can to try and secure the best deals for their clients.

Enforcing these rules is a good thing for injury, as hopefully we’ll see less incidents like the ones concerning Marc Methot and Johnny Gaudreau this year. But make no mistake, leaning into the idea of more powerplays will have ripples throughout the structure and finances of the game.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Vegas Golden Knights “Not Squirming” As Season Approaches

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Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic spoke with Vegas Golden Knights’ GM George McPhee to ask him about the impending season and how his team is shaping up. The veteran executive is extremely pleased with how things have turned out so far, and said that there may be as many as eight spots still up for grabs in training camp. The Golden Knights have been the topic of much trade speculation in recent weeks, as they still seem to have too many defenseman to start the year. McPhee won’t be rushed into a move though, and told LeBrun that the team is “not squirming.”

The Golden Knights currently have ten defensemen on one-way contracts, plus Shea Theodore and Jake Bischoff who both could be ready for full-time duty this year. That dozen will have to be reduced by at least three, with only Theodore and Bischoff waiver-exempt. Though the Golden Knights aren’t in much danger of losing an asset—burying a contract like Clayton Stoner’s in the minors has little chance of backfiring—they still could use their position as one of power in the late stages of the preseason. Already clubs are starting to feel the pinch of injuries (just ask St. Louis, who have also lost Alex Steen for the rest of camp) and with solid NHL contributors like Brayden McNabb, Jon Merrill and Colin Miller all dressed in grey and gold, the team could still make moves for future assets.

McPhee also reveals that he’s not against extending some of his pending free agents rather than trading them, though it’s not clear which ones he would consider. Though James Neal and Jon Marchessault may be deserved of contracts, both also carry huge trade value now and throughout the season. Moving them is likely a much better move than extending them, even if the Golden Knights are better than expected this year.

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