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Evening Notes: Sanheim, Palmieri, Subban, Rasmussen

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The Philadelphia Flyers chose to carry eight defensemen out of training camp, but Sam Carchidi of Philly.com writes that general manager Ron Hextall wants to drop that to seven soon, perhaps even after tonight’s game with the Anaheim Ducks. The Flyers are going to give rookie defenseman Travis Sanheim a chance to redeem himself after some opening night struggles. If he can play well, the scribe writes the team will hold onto the 21-year-old former first-rounder.

Sanheim’s NHL debut on Thursday was disappointing and has left the Flyers wondering if the blueliner is ready for the NHL or might need more time developing in the AHL. He was responsible for allowing the first goal against the Kings (they lost 2-0) and then took a four-minute high sticking penalty and was on the ice for the other goal. That type of performance doesn’t look good when the team has another former first-rounder in Samuel Morin who will be a healthy scratch tonight for the third straight game.

If Sanheim shows some success on the ice, Carchidi believes the team will likely send down Morin. However, another disappointing game could lead to Sanheim heading out of town.

  • The New Jersey Devils suffered through a few injuries during their game today against the Colorado Avalanche, including injuries to Kyle Palmieri, Andy Greene and Drew Stafford. Palmieri went knee-to-knee with Colorado defenseman Eric Johnson and didn’t return, while Stafford suffered a lower-body injury and also didn’t return. Greene returned for the third period from an undisclosed injury. Stafford and Palmieri will be further evaluated Sunday, according to Chris Ryan of NewJersey.com.
  • Cat Silverman of The Athletic (subscription needed) writes that Vegas Golden Knights’ goaltending coach Dave Prior was a big fan of recently claimed Malcolm Subban and might be the reason why the team swapped backup goaltenders recently. Subban, a flashy, quick-moving goaltender becomes Prior’s long-term project. The goaltender has only two games of NHL experience, but had solid numbers for the Providence Bruins and had a good preseason. According to Silverman, Prior was not overly thrilled to work with Calvin Pickard, who lacked the speed and was a more by-the-book goaltender. Pickard has since been moved to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
  • Corey Pronman of The Athletic (subscription required) writes about the enigma that is 6-foot-7 center Michael Rasmussen, who he says was being hyped as a top-10 pick when he shouldn’t have been, and yet, the Detroit Red Wings ended up taking him No. 9 and being criticized for it. He writes, however, despite all the criticism, Detroit looks like it got a good investment from it after all. The youngster has developed nicely and looked good during Red Wings training camp.

2017-18 NCAA Players To Watch

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Just like their professional and junior counterparts, the college hockey season is underway. With each passing year, the NCAA’s influence on the world of hockey grows, and in 2017-18 the college ranks contain an impressive amount of talent:

The Recent Draft Picks

D Cale Makar, UMass (COL) – The fourth overall pick this past June, Makar arguably has the highest upside of any player in his draft class. He’s even drawn comparisons to Erik Karlsson. He would be a big deal at any school, but for a Minutemen team that has struggled greatly in recent years, Makar stands to revolutionize coach Greg Carvel’s program. Fans in Amherst hope that Makar won’t be “one and done”, but the Colorado Avalanche need him just as much as UMass does. This exceptional skater could be an offensive force in the NHL sooner rather than later.

C Casey Mittelstadt, Minnesota (BUF) – Mittelstadt may have slipped in the 2017 draft, but the eighth overall pick is a dynamic offensive talent with speed and creativity. Perhaps more than anything, Mittelstadt thinks the game at an advanced level. The Gophers have a special talent on their hands and he could make waves in the NCAA this season. The only concern is whether the high school star yet has the physical tools to play at a high level.

C Ryan Poehling, St. Cloud State (MTL) – The college ranks have already seen a year’s worth of Poehling, but as the two-way threat enters his sophomore season, he’s primed to show more of his offensive ability. The 25th overall pick is as solid a center as can be found at his age and simply needs to bring the same knack for scoring as he brings to defense. He’s developing into the type of player that Canadiens head coach Claude Julien loves. If Montreal struggles to acclimate to their new coach’s defense-first system, Poehling could even be a late-season addition.

The Soon-To-Be Draft Picks

RW Brady Tkachuk, Boston University – The trend of NCAA freshman going early in the draft may reach a new high in 2017, with Tkachuk leading the charge. The son of Keith Tkachuk and brother of Matthew Tkachuk, Brady brings the same physicality and knack for scoring to his power forward role. Already 6’3”, 200-lbs. and still growing, Tkachuk will one day be a force in the NHL like his family members, but first he’s going give the college game a run for its money. Tkachuk will be fun to watch this season, especially for fans of teams looking like lottery candidates.

D Quinn Hughes, Michigan – Hughes will push Tkachuk to be the first college player selected next June, but in reality both players could easily be top ten, even top five picks. An undersized, but unbelievably skilled blue liner, Hughes could be one of the top scoring defenseman in the NCAA. The Wolverines have become the recruiting capital for top American defenseman and Hughes is their poster boy. Expect a big season from the 17-year-old.

LW Michael Pastujov, Michigan – Joining Hughes in Ann Arbor is the Florida-native Pastujov, a raw, but high-ceiling forward. An underrated member of last year’s U.S. National Development team behind the likes of Tkachuk and recent draft picks/current college players Josh Norris, Grant Mismash, and Evan Barratt in the forward corps, Pastujov’s successes were often lost in the mix. However, Michigan may be strong on defense, but ranked only 42nd in scoring last year. Alongside Norris, the San Jose Sharks’ first-round pick whom he should have some leftover chemistry with, Pastujov could be one of the top offensive threats for the Wolverines. He’s primed for a breakout campaign that could vault him into first-round consideration.

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Michael Matheson Signs Long-Term Extension With Florida

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5:53 PM: It’s a done deal. Less than an hour after Friedman’s report, TSN’s Bob McKenzie has confirmed that Matheson and the Panthers have come to terms on an eight-year, $39MM contract extension. The deal, worth $4.875MM per year, would make Matheson the fifth-highest paid player for Florida and a top-fifty paid defenseman in the league if the 2018-19 season were underway. The extension puts Matheson in the same salary zone as players like Sami Vatanen, Justin Faulk, and Morgan Rielly.

The contract breaks down as follows, per CapFriendly:

2018-19: $3MM salary, $500K signing bonus
2019-20: $3.5MM salary
2020-21: $3.5MM salary
2021-22: $5MM salary
2022-23: $4MM salary
2023-24: $4MM salary, $2.5MM signing bonus
2024-25: $4MM salary, $2.5MM signing bonus
2025-26: $4.5MM salary, $2MM signing bonus

5:15 PM: According to Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman, the Florida Panthers are working toward an eight-year extension in the neighborhood of $40MM with one of their defenseman. Keep in mind Aaron Ekblad already signed an extension last year and 2017-18 marks the first season of his eight-year, $60MM, while Keith Yandle is already on to year two of his seven-year, $44.5MM free agent contract from last summer. No, the star Florida defenseman that Friedman is reporting on is… Michael Matheson?

To be fair, Matheson did play in 81 games with the Panthers last season and led the team in even-strength ice time on ice. However, those 81 games were only good enough to be tied for second among Florida defenseman and he ranked third in overall average time on ice. Matheson scored 17 points, tied for fourth among Panthers’ blue liners, and his 69 hits was fifth among that group. Matheson led the team with 118 blocked shots, but that mark put him only 70th in the NHL. This was all while the Panthers endured a disappointing season and missed the playoffs after winning the Atlantic Division the year before. Matheson is a solid defenseman, but he didn’t really excel at anything in particular in 2016-17 and didn’t necessarily help the team win. When it comes to a long-term extension though, consistency is the key and Matheson has been this good for a long time, right? Except, last year was his rookie season. Matheson has been a name in hockey for years now – a first-round pick in 2012 and a prolific career at powerhouse Boston College – but in reality he has just 84 NHL games under his belt and is just one year removed from a season spent almost entirely in the AHL.

So, why is GM Dale Tallon reportedly throwing this kind of money at him? Why could Matheson soon be paid more and for longer than the likes of Roman Josi and John Klingberg after just one alright NHL season? It could be that Panthers, who admittedly have seen more of Matheson than anyone else, see something more from the 23-year-old. Of course, it could also be, that after trading away Jason Demers, this extension is the result of some panic setting in. Ekblad is coming off a down season with some lingering injury concerns, Yandle is on the wrong side of 30, and Mark Pysyk and Alex Petrovic tend to be one-dimensional players. With Ekblad, Pysyk, and Petrovic all young, right-handed rearguards, that side of the defense could be set for the long haul, even if there are some concerns. However, on the left side, Matheson and Yandle are the only two established NHLers on the roster with nearly no high-end defensive prospects in the system. It seems likely that Florida sees Matheson as a worthy gamble because he is all they have to gamble on. Is that worth upwards of $40MM? Maybe not, but at least waiting until later in the season to gauge Matheson’s development could help to alleviate some of the risk. (Update: They didn’t.)

2017-18 Primer: Boston Bruins

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With the NHL season now underway, we continue our look at what each team has done this summer and what to watch for in 2017-18.  Next up in our team-by-team primers is the Boston Bruins.

Last Season: 44-31-7 record (95 points), third in Atlantic Division (lost in the first round to Ottawa)

Remaining Cap Space: $271K per CapFriendly

Key Additions: F Anders Bjork (Notre Dame, NCAA), D Paul Postma (free agency, Winnipeg)

Key Departures: F Jimmy Hayes (buyout, New Jersey), D John-Michael Liles (free agency, unsigned), D Colin Miller (expansion, Vegas), F Dominic Moore (free agency, Toronto), D Joe Morrow (free agency, Montreal), F Drew Stafford (free agency, New Jersey)

[Related: Bruins Depth Chart From Roster Resource]

Player To Watch: D Charlie McAvoy – Not many rookies drafted outside of the top two or three have a lot of pressure on their shoulders in their first NHL season but that isn’t the case with McAvoy.  After a strong showing in the playoffs against Ottawa back in April, expectations are quite high.

BOSTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 25: Charlie McAvoy #73 of the Boston Bruins skates against the Chicago Blackhawks during the first period at TD Garden on September 25, 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)It’s not often that teenage defensemen jump into a top-four right away but Boston’s defensive depth isn’t the strongest in terms of proven talents just yet so that’s the role they’re asking him to take on.  Early returns suggest he should be up to the task but if not, GM Don Sweeney may have to look to the trade market to find a more suitable top-four fit.

McAvoy has been a high-end point producer wherever he has played and the Bruins are certainly hoping that he will continue that trend in the NHL where he and Torey Krug could become a very potent one-two punch that most other teams can’t match up with.  That would also help offset the decline at the offensive end of Zdeno Chara who isn’t the high-end threat he was just a few years ago.  McAvoy may be a rookie but he already looks to be a key cog on their back end which is certainly putting a lot of pressure on someone who was playing college hockey just six months ago.

Key Storyline: While there is definitely a shift towards playing the rookies like McAvoy, Bjork, and Jake DeBrusk, there is also a trio of veterans who are looking to bounce back from below average seasons.

David Backes’ first season with the Bruins did not exactly go as planned.  His production was his lowest full-season output in nearly a decade while he played a lesser role than he did with the Blues.  They’re certainly banking on a rebound from their top free agent signing in 2016 although he’s currently out for a few weeks with diverticulitis.

Matt Beleskey’s first year in Boston wasn’t bad but his second one (2016-17) was a disaster.  He was banged up at times with knee trouble while at others he was a healthy scratch.  All in all, he totaled just eight points which was hardly what they were expecting.

Ryan Spooner was the subject of frequent trade speculation during the year as he saw his role reduced and the talk of a possible deal carried over into the summer.  He wound up signing a one-year, $2.825MM contract but a slow start could have him back in the rumor mill quickly.

The Bruins are undoubtedly hoping that their youngsters will progress through the season but the key to their overall success may come from some of their veterans rebounding to provide them with a much deeper attack.  If that doesn’t happen, Sweeney will be hard-pressed to add some help considering how tight they are to the salary cap.

Snapshots: Canucks, Flyers, Jagr, Hornqvist

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In an appearance on Sportsnet 650 (audio link), Canucks president Trevor Linden acknowledged that GM Jim Benning has already been in contact with the agents for all of their pending free agents although the discussions were more of the preliminary variety.  The Sedin twins highlight the list of looming UFAs while the likes of winger Sven Baertschi and defenseman Troy Stecher are among those that will be eligible for restricted free agency.  Linden added that center Brendan Gaunce is expected to be cleared for contact next week and the team is hopeful that he could be ready to rejoin the team by the beginning of November.

Other notes from around the league:

  • Although they’re currently carrying eight defensemen, Flyers GM Ron Hextall told Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer that doing so is not their long-term plan. They’re still evaluating which of their young defensemen to keep up with the team (including Robert Hagg, Samuel Morin, and Travis Sanheim) but they also don’t want to keep whoever isn’t in the lineup sitting for very long as a healthy scratch, especially with all of them being waiver exempt.  Accordingly, it wouldn’t be surprising if someone is sent down shortly after Philadelphia returns from their Western road trip to start the season.
  • Jaromir Jagr’s debut in Calgary has still yet to be determined as the team announced via Twitter that he will not suit up against the Jets tonight. Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun adds that Jagr told head coach Glen Gulutzan that he needs a couple more skates with the team before he figures he’ll be ready to suit up.
  • Penguins winger Patric Hornqvist returned to practice for the first time for the first time since participating in an informal skate a month ago, notes Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Hornqvist underwent hand surgery a little more than two weeks ago to remove some screws.  He has yet to be cleared for contact and won’t play tonight but there’s a chance he could return for the following game on Wednesday versus the Capitals.

Eichel Sets The Market For Matthews And Laine

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While the eight-year, $80MM contract extension that the Sabres handed center Jack Eichel earlier this week ensures that Buffalo has their franchise player under contract for almost the next decade, it also goes a long way towards setting the market for 2016 top picks Auston Matthews (Toronto) and Patrik Laine (Winnipeg) this time one year from now.

Both Matthews and Laine surpassed Eichel’s rookie season output and at least are expected to do the same with their second-year production so it’s fair to say that both players should check in past that $10MM mark while Connor McDavid’s eight-year, $100MM extension with Edmonton from the summer will represent the high end.

Despite that, there’s a case to be made that Buffalo did the Leafs and Jets at least small favor by locking Eichel up now.  With a more defined salary range to work with, it should be easier for GMs Lou Lamoriello and Kevin Cheveldayoff to plan around who they can keep and who may become a cost casualty.  Both teams will have some tough calls to make.

For Toronto, they also have Mitch Marner eligible for an extension starting next summer while William Nylander’s entry-level contract will be up (with no in-season extension in the plans).  That trio could cost somewhere around $25MM per year and Lamoriello will undoubtedly want to keep all three in the fold.  Looking ahead to 2019-20 when the second contracts will kick in for Marner and Matthews, they’ll have over $55MM committed to just 11 players (which doesn’t include the injured Nathan Horton or any money allocated for pending UFAs Tyler Bozak, James van Riemsdyk, and Leo Komarov).  Needless to say, that’s going to be a tight squeeze.

It isn’t much different in Winnipeg either, especially with the recent long-term extensions handed out to Bryan Little (six years) and Nikolaj Ehlers (seven years).  They already have more than $33MM tied up in six players for 2019-20 when Laine’s next deal will begin plus they still have to re-sign Jacob Trouba this summer and either re-sign or replace key pieces in winger Blake Wheeler and defenseman Tyler Myers a year later.  Put those four players (or replacements) under contract and they’ll be past the $60MM mark with still more than half a team to sign.

The 2019 offseason is still a long way away so there is plenty of time for Lamoriello and Cheveldayoff to determine how they’re going to fit in the big ticket deals for Matthews and Laine on their payroll.  But at least now with the Eichel contract, they have a better idea of just how much it’s going to cost to keep them around for the long haul which gives them more time to plan out any corresponding moves.

Central Notes: Wild, Bishop, Zadorov, Fiala

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Though he ultimately wound up signing a one-year contract with the Wild, center Matt Cullen acknowledged to Dane Mizutani of the Pioneer Press that he originally thought he’d be retiring following his second straight Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh.  However, he recovered from the wear and tear of last season much quicker than expected which motivated him to play for one more year.  However, instead of re-signing in Pittsburgh where he could potentially have had a bigger role, he opted to sign with Minnesota for family reasons.

More from the Central:

  • Still with the Wild, the team is hoping that winger Zach Parise will be able to return to the lineup for the home opener next weekend, notes Michael Russo of The Athletic (Twitter link). The veteran has been dealing with lingering back issues that caused him to miss the entire preseason.  Also, Russo notes via Twitter that center Mikael Granlund is expected to miss tonight’s game versus Carolina.  He was spotted limping yesterday although the team hasn’t specified what his injury is.
  • Although Stars goaltender Ben Bishop left Friday’s game after being cut from a puck hitting his mask, head coach Ken Hitchcock told reporters, including Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News, that although team doctors advised him to keep his starter out for the rest of the game, he is fine and should be in uniform tonight against St. Louis. He will take part in the morning skate although Kari Lehtonen is expected to get the start.
  • After being a healthy scratch in the season opener, Colorado defenseman Nikita Zadorov will return to the lineup today against New Jersey, reports BSN Denver’s Adrian Dater. While some speculated that his benching had something to do with his contract discussions over the summer, head coach Jared Bednar had said Zadorov “had a lot of catching up to do” before being ready to step into the lineup.
  • Predators winger Kevin Fiala won’t play tonight due to an upper-body injury, the team announced via Twitter. The team has listed him as day-to-day.  Winger Pontus Aberg is expected to play in Fiala’s place which will mark his first appearance of the season after being a regular for a good chunk of their postseason run back in the spring.

2017-18 Primer: Buffalo Sabres

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With the NHL season now underway, we continue our look at what each team has done this summer and what to watch for in 2017-18.  Next up in our team-by-team primers is the Buffalo Sabres.

Last Season: 33-37-12 record (78 points), eighth in Atlantic Division (missed the playoffs)

Remaining Cap Space: $5.88MM per CapFriendly

Key Additions: D Victor Antipin (Magnitogorsk, KHL), D Nathan Beaulieu (trade, Montreal), F Seth Griffith (free agency, Toronto), G Chad Johnson (free agency, Arizona), F Jacob Josefson (free agency, New Jersey), F Jordan Nolan (waivers, Los Angeles), F Jason Pominville (trade, Minnesota), F Benoit Pouliot (free agency, Edmonton), D Marco Scandella (trade, Minnesota), D Matt Tennyson (free agency, Carolina)

Key Departures: F William Carrier (expansion, Vegas), F Tyler Ennis (trade, Minnesota), F Marcus Foligno (trade, Minnesota), D Cody Franson (free agency, Chicago), F Brian Gionta (free agency, unsigned), D Dmitry Kulikov (free agency, Winnipeg), G Anders Nilsson (free agency, Vancouver)

[Related: Sabres Depth Chart From Roster Resource]

Player To Watch: F Evander Kane – Kane has been a player who has tantalized at times and mystified at others (and not for the best of reasons).  When he’s on, he is among the more dominant power forwards in the league but when he’s off, he can be really off.  Add to that the fact that he has had some off-ice issues in the past and you have a player who has garnered a lot of attention over the years.

Mar 5, 2017; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Buffalo Sabres left wing Evander Kane (9) skates with the puck against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the first period at the PPG PAINTS Arena. The Penguins won 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY SportsKane now finds himself in a contract year.  Will that be enough to sufficiently motivate him to play at his best for an entire season?  If so, not only will he benefit with another big payday in the months to come but the Sabres will be that much stronger of a team with another dominant player to play alongside Jack Eichel.

On the flip side, if his mercurialness continues, Kane’s name is certain to come up in trade speculation, especially if Buffalo is on the outside of the playoffs looking in as it will be fair to question if they will want to commit to the 26-year-old long-term.  Given what he can do when he is on his game, Kane will undoubtedly garner a lot of interest should he be made available.

Key Storyline: Turnover was the theme of the offseason in Buffalo.  Not only did they bring in a new GM in Jason Botterill, they also replaced Dan Bylsma with rookie head coach Phil Housley.  And on top of that, half of their lineup on opening night wasn’t with the team when the season ended back in April.  That’s a lot of changes in a short period of time.

The big question here, naturally, is how will everything come together?  If the players adapt quickly to Housley’s more up-tempo system, the Sabres have the firepower to stay in the thick of the playoff race.  Botterill handed goaltender Robin Lehner another short-term ‘prove it’ contract and when he’s on, he’s a quality NHL starter.

If they struggle though, they could be a team to watch for on the trade market.  Of the 13 forwards on their opening roster, only three are signed beyond next season so with that many short-term and expiring contracts so there is still potential for even more turnover beyond the changes that have already been made.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Noel Acciari Undergoes Surgery, Out Six Weeks

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Bruins winger Noel Acciari has undergone surgery to repair a left index finger fracture, the team announced.  As a result, he is expected to be out of the lineup for the next six weeks.  The injury was sustained in their season opener back on October 5th.  He becomes the second winger that Boston has lost this week after David Backes was diagnosed with diverticulitis.

Acciari had cracked the opening night lineup after splitting last season between the Bruins and their AHL affiliate in Providence.  He played in 29 NHL games in 2016-17, recording five points (2-3-5) and 16 penalty minutes while also collecting a goal in four postseason contests.

While the team will have an open roster spot when he’s placed on injured reserve, they sit just $270K under the salary cap at the moment which doesn’t give them enough room to call anyone else up unless they choose to place Acciari on long-term injury reserve.  However, they should have Patrice Bergeron (lower body) back soon while Austin Czarnik (illness) skated with the team today so they shouldn’t need to call anyone up right away to take Acciari’s place.

Atlantic Notes: Athanasiou, Turris, Pickard

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Although the Red Wings aren’t shopping unsigned winger Andreas Athanasiou, they are listening to trade offers for him, reports Craig Custance of The Athletic (subscription required).  However, they have set a high asking price for the 23-year-old as Custance notes that Detroit is seeking a top-four defenseman or a young center in return.

Athanasiou and the Red Wings continue to be far apart in contract talks in both one-year and two-year offers.  With no resolution on the horizon, the winger has now flown to Switzerland to begin skating with HC Lugano of the NLA and while there is no contract in place to play yet, his presence over there will only fuel the trade speculation even further.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic Division:

  • With the report earlier in the week that the Senators and center Kyle Turris aren’t close on a contract extension and that a trade could be a possibility, Postmedia’s Don Brennan speculates that the report may have stemmed from a rival general manager as neither the team nor Turris benefits from this coming out this early. Turris is no stranger to a contract squabble having had a holdout with the Coyotes in the past but considering it’s only October, it’s far too early to call this situation another one.  However, it’s likely that he will be looking for a long-term deal given the demand for centers out there so if Ottawa wants to keep him around, they may have to go more years than they’d prefer to.
  • After acquiring goaltender Calvin Pickard on Friday, Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston suggests that he’s not a candidate to stay as a third-string goaltender with the Maple Leafs for too long which could have Curtis McElhinney’s roster spot in jeopardy. Pickard is nine years younger and has a decent NHL track record despite playing on a subpar Colorado team so while McElhinney has a two-year contract in tow, that might not be enough to keep him on the roster and off the waiver wire once Pickard gets some games in at the AHL level.
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