Archives for February 2018

Latest On Thomas Vanek’s Trade Market

February 19, 2018 at 11:03 am CDT | by Gavin Lee 9 Comments

When the Vancouver Canucks signed a number of free agents last offseason, at least one of them seem destined to play less than a season with the club. Thomas Vanek, signed to a one-year $2MM deal at the beginning of September, would be suiting up for the seventh team of his career and could easily be flipped a few months later.

As Vancouver heads towards the trade deadline, the case for trading Vanek is clear. The Canucks sit near the bottom of the Western Conference once again, and the 34-year old winger has had an excellent season alongside superstar rookie Brock Boeser. With 40 points in 59 games, Vanek could be seen as one of the best plug-and-play offensive pieces on the market. He was dealt last deadline with a similar point total for a third-round pick, which provides good insight into what he might be worth in the next week.

Rick Dhaliwal of News 1130 in Vancouver tweets that the Anaheim Ducks could have interest in Vanek, and relates that they considered signing him at one point in the offseason. Dhaliwal reports that Vanek’s representation will speak with Vancouver GM Jim Benning tomorrow about his future with the Canucks.

Obviously, Vanek could re-sign with the Canucks at some point instead. Just recently Benning told the media that he’d be signing some veterans to help his young players develop over the next few years, and with Vanek’s obvious chemistry with Boeser he could be a prime candidate. Trading a player and hoping to re-sign him in the offseason is always tricky, though that possibility remains.

For Anaheim, Vanek has always seemed like a nice fit. The team could use some help on their powerplay which ranks 25th in the league, and a boost of secondary scoring without giving up a ton of assets. Still, Ducks’ GM Bob Murray has been clear that he won’t be spending big on rentals if his team didn’t show they were real Stanley Cup contenders, and despite recent wins still sit right in the middle of a battle for a playoff spot.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Philadelphia Flyers Discussing Petr Mrazek With Detroit Red Wings

February 19, 2018 at 9:16 am CDT | by Gavin Lee 3 Comments

After losing Brian Elliott for a good chunk of time, the Philadelphia Flyers need to look elsewhere to solve their goaltending problem. While Buffalo Sabres’ netminder Robin Lehner was an option, he’s now dealing with a minor injury of his own and Darren Dreger of TSN instead reports the Flyers are in discussions with Detroit over Petr Mrazek.

Mrazek has been on the block for much of the season, once linked strongly to the Edmonton Oilers when Cam Talbot was dealing with an injury and just recently reportedly offered to the Flyers for a third-round pick. Instead, he’s stayed with the Red Wings and really played well when given the chance. In his last ten games, Mrazek has posted a .935 save percentage and two shutouts. Those numbers would be more than enough for an acquiring team to push towards the playoffs, but they don’t come without some concern.

The 26-year old goaltender has never been considered a consistent performer, and there has been speculation in the past on a poor locker room presence. While those things are difficult to quantify (if they’re even true), he also brings a hefty cap hit at $4MM and is a restricted free agent in the summer. If a team does not believe he can be their starter next season, he’s a prime non-tender candidate as he’d require a $4.15MM qualifying offer.

Philadelphia may be one of the only spots that could bring in Mrazek and extend him, as they’re only set to pay Elliott and Michal Neuvirth a combined $5.25MM next season. Burying one of them in the minors in favor of Mrazek would give the team a regularly priced goalie duo, though whether it is actually much of an improvement is still to be seen.

Minor Transactions: 02/19/18

February 19, 2018 at 8:47 am CDT | by Gavin Lee 1 Comment

One week remains until the NHL trade deadline, and an injury now could totally change a team’s plans. As a few sellers decide just how low of a price they’re willing to give away their assets for, buyers are clamoring for more production at a reasonable cost. Like always, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves right here.

The New York Islanders have placed Thomas Greiss on injured reserve, making Christopher Gibson an emergency call-up. Greiss’ injury isn’t expected to be long-term, but will still hurt the Islanders chances. New York is fighting for their lives in the Eastern Conference playoff race, and Greiss had recently started to see his game improve. Now they’ll have to rely on Jaroslav Halak for the time being, unless a trade is in the works to bring another goaltender in.
The Montreal Canadiens have assigned Nikita Scherbak to the minor leagues as they start to get healthy. Phillip Danault and Andrew Shaw are both expected back soon, and the team needed a roster spot. With rosters expanding after the trade deadline, you can bet Scherbak will be back up with Montreal before long.
Dean Kukan has been put on injured reserve, and will miss at least week according to the Columbus Blue Jackets, who recalled Zac Dalpe and Ryan Murray today. Murray has been injured for some time, and just completed a short conditioning stint in the minor leagues where he scored in his only game. He could represent a big trade deadline boost for the Blue Jackets, or make a potential Jack Johnson trade possible.
The Buffalo Sabres have recalled Linus Ullmark from the AHL, while Robin Lehner deals with a minor injury. Ullmark has had an excellent season with the Rochester Americans, posting a .924 save percentage through his 18-9-4 record. The 24-year old goaltender looks ready to take the next step to the NHL full-time next season.
Carolina has sent Lucas Wallmark back to the AHL, where he has been a top offensive performer this year. The 22-year old has now played five games for the Hurricanes this year, scoring his first NHL goal but being held off the scoresheet otherwise. Carolina is off until Friday, when Wallmark could be recalled.
Teddy Blueger didn’t get into a game for the Pittsburgh Penguins, and will now have to wait for another opportunity. The 23-year old forward has been sent back to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, where he has 26 points in 45 games.
While the Flyers have been decimated by injuries in goal lately, they did get some good news as Anthony Stolarz was given the green light to be activated off season-opening injured reserve. Accordingly, the team has assigned him to Lehigh Valley of the AHL. Philadelphia has also recalled winger Oskar Lindblom from the Phantoms and he could make his NHL debut tomorrow night against Montreal.

Five Key Stories: 2/12/18 – 2/18/18

February 18, 2018 at 8:44 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose Leave a Comment

While there wasn’t a lot of activity on the trade front, there was one deal of note made over the past seven days which is among the top stories of the past week.

Elliott Injured: Philadelphia’s postseason chances took a dip when it was revealed that starting goalie Brian Elliott will miss five-to-six weeks after undergoing core muscle surgery. For the time being, this means that the Flyers will go with a tandem of Michal Neuvirth and Alex Lyon while there has been plenty of speculation that they will have to turn to the trade market at some point before the deadline. However, it appears that they have already declined an offer involving Detroit’s Petr Mrazek.

Phaneuf For Gaborik: The most prominent trade of the week saw a swap of veterans with the Kings acquiring defenseman Dion Phaneuf and center Nate Thompson from Ottawa in exchange for winger Marian Gaborik and center Nick Shore. The Sens are retaining 25% of Phaneuf’s contract through 2021-21. While the 32-year-old blueliner isn’t a top pairing player anymore, he still is capable of holding down a second pairing role and should help shore up their back end. Meanwhile, Ottawa, a known budget team, saves some money over the life of the trade although Gaborik’s best days are behind him while Shore is more of a depth player than an impact one.

Seattle Files Expansion Application: Seattle took the next step towards their anticipated expansion franchise by officially filing their application and $10MM down payment to the league. Considering the NHL has already pre-set the expansion fee and set it so that only Seattle could apply, the expectation is that this will be rubber-stamped. Presently, the hope is that the renovations to Key Arena will be ready in time for Seattle to join the league in 2020.

Six Years For Backlund: There is one less top-six center set to hit the open market this summer as the Flames signed Mikael Backlund to a six-year, $32.1MM contract extension that also contains a ten-team no-trade list. The 28-year-old has spent his entire career with Calgary after they drafted him in the first round (24th overall) back in 2007. While he is having a little bit of a quieter year offensively, he’s still on pace to surpass the 45-point mark for the third straight season. The deal also gives the Flames some security down the middle as their top-two pivots are each signed through at least the 2022-23 season.

Hunwick On The Block, Cole Off: Pittsburgh’s desire to add help at center is well-known but given their salary cap constraints, they will have to make a move to free up some money first. While blueliner Ian Cole has long been expected to be the casualty, talk of the pending UFA being dealt has cooled off recently as he has returned to a regular role in the lineup. Instead, fellow rearguard Matt Hunwick is being made available by GM Jim Rutherford. While his $2.25MM cap hit is manageable, the fact he has two years remaining after this one may limit the number of teams that pursue him.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

East Notes: Maple Leafs, Penguins, Bruins, Kukan, Foligno

February 18, 2018 at 7:31 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 1 Comment

While the Maple Leafs have been linked to Red Wings center Luke Glendening, the team is also pursuing defensive depth in advance of the trade deadline, reports Postmedia’s Lance Hornby. Pittsburgh’s Ian Cole has been speculated as a fit for Toronto previously but it’s looking less likely that he will be moved now and while Matt Hunwick – who is believed to now be available – is familiar with their system, the remaining term on his contract may be a concern. The Leafs have room to fit someone in under the cap through LTIR this season but with their notable expiring contracts and core youngsters needing new deals fairly soon, a rental player may be the best way for them to go.

Elsewhere in the East:

Penguins GM Jim Rutherford acknowledged to Jonathan Bombulie of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that he came into the season hoping to hold onto their first-round pick but that he is open to moving it in advance of the trade deadline. That would be somewhat of a rarity for them as they’ve held one at the draft just once in the past five years. The player they took with that selection was Kasperi Kapanen back in 2014 who was dealt to Toronto just over a year later as part of the Phil Kessel trade.
The Bruins have Canucks winger Thomas Vanek on their radar, reports Joe Haggerty of NBC Sports Boston. It’s believed that Boston is on the lookout for some depth on the wing and Vanek is the highest-scoring pending UFA that is likely to be moved by the deadline (his 40 points are two higher than Buffalo’s Evander Kane). Vanek carries a $2MM cap hit while the Bruins can add roughly $2.5MM in a full-season cap charge on deadline day, per CapFriendly.
Blue Jackets defenseman Dean Kukan suffered an upper-body injury in today’s game against Pittsburgh, the team announced (Twitter link). If he is projected to miss any time, that may play an impact on Ryan Murray’s conditioning stint which just kicked off Kukan has held his own with Columbus since being recalled, posting four assists in nine games while logging just shy of 13 minutes per night. Also injured in the game was winger Nick Foligno, who the team noted (via Twitter) has a lower-body issue. While he has had a quieter year offensively compared to recent seasons, any prolonged absence would be a big concern for the Blue Jackets, who find themselves on the outside looking in at the postseason.

How Flyers Can Deal With Injuries In Net

February 18, 2018 at 6:15 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 3 Comments

Things have been going well for the Philadelphia Flyers. The team has won six of their past ten games and are firmly engaged in a battle for a Metropolitan Division playoff spot. However, the one shortcoming of the Flyers for years now has again reared its ugly head: goaltending. Philly’s goalies have performed well this season, with starter Brian Elliott holding 21 wins and backup Michal Neuvirth performing statistically even better as Elliott’s understudy. For the first time in years, goalie performance has not been a defining issue for the Flyers. However, Elliott is now out of the picture for the time being after suffering a core muscle injury earlier in the month which required surgery and could keep him sidelined through the end of March. Meanwhile, Neuvirth succumbed to a lower-body injury earlier today and had to leave the Flyers’ match-up with the rival New York Rangers. While young Alex Lyon performed admirably in relief, allowing only one goal en route to his first NHL win, the Flyers face a real possibility of being without their top two goalies for some time. So what do they do?

1) Stand Pat

It’s too early to know how long Neuvirth will be out, so the Flyers could let cooler heads prevail and wait to see what the prognosis is on his injury. If Neuvirth will simply miss a few games, the team could rely on Lyon and veteran journeyman Dustin Tokarski, acquired in October for this exact emergency situation, for the time being. Lyon, a former phenom at Yale University, has struggled in limited NHL action this season, but has been good for the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms in each of the last two seasons. Now could be a good time to see what the 25-year-old brings to the table.

2) Acquire a stopgap

Perhaps if Lyon had more than three NHL appearances or Tokarski had more than 10 minutes of NHL action in the past two years, the Flyers would be willing to stick with this tandem, even if Neuvirth remains out for a week or two. Maybe if Anthony Stolarz, shut down for the season after knee surgery in September, was available they would be fine with waiting for Elliott and Neuvirth to return to health. However, the Flyers are in the middle of a playoff race and cannot afford to stick with such inexperienced options for more than a handful of games nor wait on injury timelines with the NHL Trade Deadline a week away. Instead, they could turn to the trade market and look for a short-term option. There isn’t much goalie talk on the rumor mill right now, other than the fact that the Flyers turned down a recent offer from the Detroit Red Wings of Petr Mrazek for a third-round pick. They could certainly revisit bringing in the impending restricted free agent for a tryout down the stretch. The team could also look at trading for San Jose Sharks backup Aaron Dell, who’s having a breakout year and comes with a cheap price tag for the remainder of the season. However, the Sharks are a fellow playoff-chaser and might be hesitant to move their backup unless they were getting another in return, either Neuvirth or Elliott. Other options could include Michael Hutchinson from the Winnipeg Jets (though they too have injury issues in net), Andrew Hammond from the Colorado Avalanche, or one of the many minor league keepers from Toronto or Calgary, if those teams are willing to deal.

3) Acquire a starter

Of course, the Flyers could also take this opportunity to bring in a starting-caliber goalie; one who could eliminate the worry of whether Elliott will be healthy by playoff time. Philadelphia could look at short-term starter, such as impending free agents Antti Raanta from Arizona or Robin Lehner (RFA) from Buffalo. However, more interestingly, they could also look for a long-term fit. Both Elliott and Neuvirth are only signed through next season. If they could send one or the other back in a trade, they could look to acquire a starter with term on his contract. That could be as easy as bringing in Lehner or Mrazek with the intention of extending them. Either one could do the job for a few years, bridging the gap to star prospect Carter Hart. It could also open the door to Detroit’s other goalie, Jimmy Howard, who could benefit from a change of scenery with one year left on his deal. The Vancouver Canucks could entertain moving Jacob Markstrom during a down year, though he may not be much of an upgrade over Philly’s current stable and is signed for two more seasons. One possible dark horse candidate would be Colorado starter Semyon Varlamov, who has been outplayed by backup Jonathan Bernier this season and is signed through 2018-19 at an expensive $5.9MM cap hit. For those of you thinking Carey Price though, think again.

Deadline Primer: Florida Panthers

February 18, 2018 at 4:50 pm CDT | by Zach Leach Leave a Comment

With the trade deadline fast approaching, we will be taking a closer look at the situation for each team. Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs? Next up is a look at the Florida Panthers.

The Florida Panthers are in a difficult situation with the NHL Trade Deadline fast approaching. Few truly consider the team to be a playoff contender, but the fact of the matter is they are not that far out from a postseason spot. Florida currently sits in 12th in the Eastern Conference and nowhere close to an Atlantic Division berth, which admittedly is an uninspiring scenario. However, trailing the New York Islanders by eight points with a whopping six games in hand, the Panthers don’t need an unrealistic stretch to catch up. Yet, what is problematic is their upcoming slate of games leading up to the trade deadline, in which they play four games, all of which are against bona fide playoff teams. An 0-4 result this week would not be much of a surprise, but could deter GM Dale Tallon from continuing to pursue a playoff berth. At the same time, a positive result against strong competition could instill hope in the team and urge them to make a deal to improve the roster. The Panthers’ deadline role is still very much up in the air.

Record

25-23-6, 4th in the Atlantic Division

Deadline Status

To be determined

Deadline Cap Space

$33,124,940 in deadline cap space
41/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Draft Picks

2018: FLA 1st, ARI 2nd, FLA 3rd, VGK 4th, FLA 5th, FLA 6th, FLA 7th
2019: FLA 1st, FLA 2nd, FLA 3rd, FLA 4th, FLA 5th, FLA 6th, FLA 7th

Trade Chips

The Panthers may not be buyers at the 2018 deadline, depending on their next few games, but can they really be “sellers” in the traditional sense? Florida has just two impending unrestricted free agents with any value: veteran forward Radim Vrbata and AHL import goalie Harri Sateri. Neither player will net Florida much at the deadline, as neither is more than a luxury depth addition, rather than a difference-making acquisition. The team decided to move forward with an extension for Colton Sceviour, who otherwise might have drawn ample deadline attention. What remains is a roster that offers little to contenders. However, where the Panthers could make a move is trading away players with term for other players with term, rather than participating in the rental market. While they may be happy to move the likes of Jamie McGinn or Derek MacKenzie, the Panthers will have to deal value for value if pursuing some of the bigger available targets. Defenseman Alex Petrovic, a restricted free agent this summer, appears destined to leave Florida sooner rather than later, while young forwards Denis Malgin, Maxim Mamin, and Dryden Hunt and rookie defenseman Ian McCoshen will surely be in demand.

The Panthers don’t have much in the way of prospect depth, especially on defense, so may be hesitant to deal away too many draft picks or their high-value picks, including a potential lottery pick this season. Henrik Borgstrom is a near untouchable, and could even make his NHL debut this season if the Panthers are in the hunt, whereas 2017 first-rounder Owen Tippett is definitely a non-starter. Adam Mascherin or Aleksi Heponiemi won’t enjoy the same protections and could be moved in the right deal.

Players To Watch: F Radim Vrbata, G Harri Sateri, D Alex Petrovic, F Connor Brickley, F Denis Malgin

Team Needs

1) Top-six winger with term

The only reason the Panthers would move any of the aforementioned young players is to bring in a long-term asset. Tallon and company have made it known they are looking for a top-six winger to round out a really strong top-six group. With names like Mike Hoffman, Max Pacioretty, Mats Zuccarello and more reportedly available, Florida is one team willing to make a major deal in-season to acquire such a name. A young roster player, prospect, and draft pick could be enough to land one of these experienced scorers, which will serve the Panthers this season and beyond.

2) Starting defenseman with term

Interestingly, the Panthers’ main focus appears to be at forward when the team actually scores at a decent clip, but struggles to prevent goals against. Florida is very attached to Aaron Ekblad, Keith Yandle, and the recently-extended Michael Matheson, and for good reason; the trio have been excellent this season. The other half of the defense corps has been less impressive and both Petrovic and Mackenzie Weegar don’t seem to be long-term fits. The Cats could surely benefit from adding another body on the blue line that has a some years remaining on their contract. Such a deal could easily be made in free agency or on the summer trade market, but if the right player at the right price becomes available – such as an Oscar Klefbom for example – the Panthers will be interested.

3) Draft picks

At the end of the day, with their playoff chances caught in limbo and no desperation to make major deals, the most likely deadline strategy for Florida will be to simply trade away impending free agents or other expendable pieces for the best draft picks they can get. The cupboard is basically bare when it comes to defensive depth in the pipeline. A great quantity of picks in the next draft or two should help to rebuild the system on the back end as well as at other positions.

Snapshots: Karlsson, Tolvanen, Dotchin, Neuvirth, Greiss

February 18, 2018 at 1:53 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg 1 Comment

There was a lot of quiet hope that when Ottawa star defenseman Erik Karlsson bought a new home in Ottawa back in August, that might suggest he intends to agree to a long-term extension when he’s eligible this year.

Don’t count on that, writes the Ottawa Sun’s Don Brennan.

Despite purchasing a new, expensive home in the Glebe before the season started, Karlsson suggested that has no meaning on his future. The 27-year-old will be a free agent in the 2018-19 offseason and constant rumors of whether he intends to stay in Ottawa have been talked about for months.

“I live here, and I’m going to live here no matter what,” Karlsson told Postmedia Saturday. “If not all year round, I’m going to live here during the summer. My wife is from here and this is where we’re set.”

Adam Vingan of the Tennessean writes that while the Nashville Predators are open to signing top prospect and Finnish Olympian Eeli Tolvanen to an entry-level deal when his KHL season ends (anytime between early March and late April), don’t count on him making a major impact to the team. While Tolvanen, the team’s first-round pick in 2017, would be a cheaper alternative to making a major trade for a top-six forward, an 18-year-old likely will struggle initially, although a few players in similar situations fared well in the playoffs. He points out that Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy had three assists in six first-round playoff games last year and the New York Rangers’ Chris Kreider did the same back in 2012 when he scored five goals in 18 postseason games.
The Tampa Bay Lightning have scratched defenseman Jake Dotchin five times in the last six games. The young 23-year-old defenseman has often found himself on the team’s top defensive pairing in the past, but suddenly can’t get on the ice. According to Tampa Bay Times Joe Smith, head coach Jon Cooper said he has been struggling on the ice of late. “He’s got some inconsistencies in his game,” said Cooper. Dotchin has played in 43 games this season and has three goals and 11 assists.
The Philadelphia Flyers may have just found themselves looking for a goaltender on the trade market after the team lost goaltender Michal Neuvirth to a lower-body injury during the first period in today’s game against the New York Rangers, according to Sportsnet’s John Shannon. While its too early to know whether Neuvirth will miss an extended amount of time, the team already lost goaltender Brian Elliott for five weeks after undergoing core muscle surgery last week.
The New York Islanders also may have some goaltending problems as goaltender Thomas Greiss, who just came off his best game of the season Friday when he shutout the Carolina Hurricanes, did not practice today as he tweaked something. “He just tweaked something,” said head coach Doug Weight. “We’re going to have it looked at and make a final ruling here moving forward. We’re prepared for anything. Obviously Bridgeport is close so if we need to do something for tomorrow we’ll be fine.” If the injury is serious, the Islanders might also be looking for a goaltender at the trade deadline.

Devils’ Miles Wood Suspended Two Games For Boarding

February 18, 2018 at 1:00 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg 7 Comments

1:01 p.m. — The Department of Player Safety have suspended Wood for two games for boarding Namestnikov.

8:53 a.m. — The Department of Player Safety announced they will hold a hearing today for the New Jersey Devils Miles Wood for his boarding of Tampa Bay Lightning forward Vladislav Namestnikov during Saturday’s game. Watch the video here.

Early in the second period, Wood appeared to leave his feet and delivered a hit to Namestnikov from behind, sending his head into the boards. To make matters worse, Tampa Bay teammate Andrej Sustr attempted to come to Namestnikov’s aid, but instead took a punch to the visor and sustained a bloody face.

Wood, who has had no previous suspensions, was given a two-minute minor penalty for boarding. He also received a two-minute minor for roughing for the fight with Sustr, which the Tampa Bay defenseman also received. To make matters worse for Tampa Bay, Wood also scored the game-winning goal.

Detroit’s Holland “At Top Of List” To Run Seattle Franchise

February 18, 2018 at 12:36 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg 8 Comments

With the likelihood that Seattle will end up with their own expansion franchise in the coming years, the importance of hiring a top general manager will be surfacing quicker than ever. The Vegas Golden Knights have proved that running an expansion franchise might just be one of the top job in the NHL as George McPhee has showed. Now that Seattle has officially filed an expansion application recently, the team might be looking for their own GM, if/when it gets approved.

Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reports that Detroit Red Wings general manager Ken Holland might be “at the top of the list,” of candidates to fill that role in Seattle in the near future.

“Let’s make no mistake about it, Kenny Holland is out there,” Kypreos said during the Headlines segment Saturday on Hockey Night in Canada. “His contract is going to expire at the end of the year. No talks at all scheduled. It appears it might go all the way to the end of the season before it gets addressed. You’ve got to put him at the top of the list.”

Some might consider that surprising. While Holland has put together an impressive resume with the Detroit Red Wings, who have won four Stanley Cups under his tenure, he has struggled to stabilize the franchise over the last few years, refusing to rebuild the franchise and signing multiple players to over-inflated deals with no-movement clauses which has set back the franchise.

Others mentioned as potential early candidates include John Ferguson, Jr., the executive director of player personnel of the Boston Bruins and former general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Pittsburgh Penguins assistant GM Bill Guerin. The Athletic’s Craig Custance adds Vegas Golden Knights’ assistant general manager Kelly McCrimmon to the list of potential candidates as well.

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