Archives for February 2018

Deadline Primer: Edmonton Oilers

February 9, 2018 at 7:40 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 3 Comments

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 Edmonton Oilers.

What a difference a year can make. Following a strong regular season that saw them post 103 points plus a solid showing in the playoffs where they lost in the second round, the Oilers were expected to take another step forward in 2017-18 and push for the Stanley Cup. Instead, the opposite has happened and they find themselves in a spot that they’ve become all too familiar with in recent seasons where they’re on the outside looking in.

Record

23-25-4, sixth in Pacific Division

Deadline Status

Seller

Deadline Cap Space

$37.4MM full-season cap hit, 0/3 retained salary transactions, 48/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Draft Picks

2018: EDM 1st, EDM 2nd, EDM 3rd, EDM 4th/5th*, EDM 6th, EDM 7th
2019: EDM 1st, EDM 2nd, EDM 3rd, EDM 4th, EDM 5th, EDM 6th, EDM 7th

*- Edmonton’s fourth-round pick transfers to Montreal if Al Montoya plays in seven or more games with the Oilers with at least 30 minutes played in each. If that happens, Edmonton will instead have their fifth rounder.

Trade Chips

As is always the case with selling teams, the first place to look is the players on expiring contracts. Winger Patrick Maroon highlights that list as a power forward that has certainly held his own in a top-six role with Edmonton. After being practically an afterthought at the trade deadline two years ago, he will be one of the more sought-after players this time around. The Oilers are believed to want to keep him around long-term but with Connor McDavid’s $12.5MM AAV contract kicking in next season, they may not have the cap room to keep him around.

With that in mind, it wouldn’t be surprising at all to see GM Peter Chiarelli look to try to offload some money off the books for next season and beyond. While winger Milan Lucic may be very tough to move with five years left on his deal, someone like Ryan Strome – a pending RFA with arbitration rights who will see a raise on his current $2.5MM deal and carries a $3MM qualifying offer – could be someone that they look to move to free up a little bit of space for next year. Strome has two years of team control remaining.

Five Players To Watch For: W/C Drake Caggiula, C Mark Letestu, LW Patrick Maroon, LW/RW Anton Slepyshev, RW/C Ryan Strome

Team Needs

1) Defense: This has been at the top of the list in Edmonton for several years now and while they have taken steps to improve it, this is still an area that needs considerable improvement. Andrej Sekera has struggled this season since returning from a torn ACL and while they’re hopeful that a full summer will help get him closer to his usual form, that’s not a guarantee. Kris Russell is best served in a depth role while Oscar Klefbom has taken a few steps backward this year. This group isn’t good enough if they want to contend so more additions will need to be made. They may be able to get a decent prospect for Maroon if they value that over a draft pick but otherwise, this may be a need that gets addressed in the summer.

2) Picks, Cap Flexibility: Edmonton doesn’t have its full complement of draft picks to work with this year nor do they have any extra selections from trades with other teams. That should change over the next few weeks with players like Maroon and Letestu expected to yield something in a trade which will give them a few more selections to work with. For 2018-19, the Oilers have nearly $61MM tied up in just 13 players. That doesn’t give them a lot of room for additions even if the salary cap goes up as expected. At this time of the season, players with term remaining on their contracts don’t often move but expect Chiarelli to try to find a way to free up some more cap room for next season and beyond.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

East Notes: Martin, Islanders, Nyquist

February 9, 2018 at 6:27 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 1 Comment

Maple Leafs winger Matt Martin is slated to be a healthy scratch for the eighth straight game on Saturday and unsurprisingly, there are questions as to whether he is part of Toronto’s future plans. Accordingly, Postmedia’s Lance Hornby mentions that there have been rumblings about the Leafs offering Martin to the Islanders, his former team. He adds that they would likely have to retain some of his $2.5MM cap hit to facilitate a trade. It’s worth noting that the 28-year-old has two years remaining on his contract beyond this season and that Toronto already has one of their three retained salary slots tied up through 2021-22 in Phil Kessel. However, with the team having plenty of depth on the wing already and a quickly-diminishing role, it still may be worthwhile for GM Lou Lamoriello to consider holding back some of Martin’s contract to get a deal done.

Senators Sign Pierre Dorion To A Three-Year Contract Extension

February 9, 2018 at 5:13 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 1 Comment

The Senators announced that they have signed general manager Pierre Dorion to a three-year contract extension, one that keeps him under contract through the 2021-22 season. Dorion is in his second season at the helm of the Sens after taking over for the late Bryan Murray back in April of 2016 but he has been with the team since 2007 in several different roles, including chief amateur scout and director of player personnel.

While Dorion’s first season as GM went quite well with Ottawa making a run to the Eastern Conference Final, 2017-18 hasn’t been anywhere near as successful. The Senators currently sit seventh in the Atlantic Division with just 47 points and are expected to be sellers at the trade deadline. Owner Eugene Melnyk clearly believes Dorion can bring them back to contention but in the press release, he hinted at some short-term pain to come:

“Today’s announcement reflects a renewed commitment to scouting, drafting and development. It may require changes to our lineup. Rest assured, we will only tolerate pain with an endgame in mind: building an organization that wins – at all levels – year in and year out.”

Additionally, the team announced that team president/CEO Tom Anselmi has left the organization after just one year with the Sens. No reason was given for his departure.

Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch was first to report (Twitter link) that an extension for Dorion was to be announced while TSN’s Darren Dreger first reported (via Twitter) that Anselmi would be leaving the team.

Trade Candidate: Michael Grabner

February 9, 2018 at 4:55 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 1 Comment

With the trade deadline approaching, we will be profiling several players in the weeks ahead that have a good chance to be dealt by February 26th.

The New York Rangers are selling. In not so many words, Glen Sather and Jeff Gorton reached out to their fans and told them that they were going to blow up the core of the team, selling off familiar faces and beloved teammates. Not only might that include franchise leaders like Ryan McDonagh, but expiring assets like Rick Nash and Michael Grabner. While the former may be getting more headlines, Grabner is not one to be overlooked.

Contract

Grabner is in the final season of a two-year, $3.3MM contract—$1.65MM cap hit, $1.65MM salary. He will be a UFA in July, and holds zero trade protection.

2017-18

In September of 2015, Grabner was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for five minor league players, who have combined for a total of 11 NHL games since. Several of them are no longer playing hockey in North America. It was a dump of his $5MM salary, after three consecutive injury-filled seasons for the New York Islanders. For Toronto, nothing went right for Grabner as he scored just nine goals and 18 points in 80 games.

But then, the Rangers came calling and everything changed. Suddenly, Grabner exploded for 27 goals last season, all of them at either even-strength or short-handed. His speed and ability to counter-punch with devastating efficiency was a big part of the Rangers offense. This year has been much of the same.

Amazingly, despite getting essentially zero powerplay time all season Grabner already has 21 goals. That total easily leads the Rangers, and puts him among the elite players in the game in terms of goal production given his limited minutes. His 20 even-strength markers tie him for sixth in the league behind names like Nikita Kucherov, Alex Ovechkin, Auston Matthews, William Karlsson and Sean Couturier. He’s on pace for the second 30-goal season of his career, but only has five assists all year.

Season Stats

53 GP, 21 goals, 5 assists, 26 points, -8 rating, 12 PIM, 116 shots, 14:40 ATOI, 44.1 CF%

Potential Suitors

There are basically no teams in the league who have their eye on the playoffs and couldn’t use a player like Grabner. His ability to penalty kill and versatility to play with scoring or checking units means he can fit in anywhere. He comes with an extremely reasonable cap hit at $1.65MM and got some good playoff experience last season with the Rangers (where he scored four goals in 12 games, again tying for the team lead).

The question will be who wants to pay the most for a player who isn’t as dynamic offensively as other rental wingers like Nash, or Evander Kane. Though he can certainly put the puck in the net, creating offense for his linemates has never been Grabner’s game.

One interesting destination could be Los Angeles, who have been desperate for scoring since Jeff Carter’s injury and could use another injection of speed into the lineup. Another is Tampa Bay, who have room for another winger and could really use some help on the penalty kill. The Lightning lost arguably their best defensive forward in Ondrej Palat for a few more weeks, and could easily slide Grabner into their salary structure.

Likelihood Of A Trade

A trade is all but certain for Grabner, as one of the expiring assets the Rangers will use to kick their rebuild into gear. If someone is going to offer a first-round pick, as some have suggested, he’d likely be on his way out in the next few days. Otherwise, the Rangers might be wise to hold onto him until some of the other shoes have dropped and teams feel like their rivals are getting the better of them.

The eventual return may be far less, depending on where the market sets the price for rentals, but it’s clear that Grabner will have value around the league. If there is a team who feels that he can make a big difference on their team in those key situations, there just could be a small bidding war for his services.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Rangers, Capitals Complete Minor League Trade

February 9, 2018 at 4:16 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The Washington Capitals have traded John Albert and Hubert Labrie to the New York Rangers in exchange for Adam Chapie and Joe Whitney. The deal is a minor league swap, with none of the players expected to make an impact in the NHL this season.

Even though the deal doesn’t have much to do with the NHL clubs, it does still carry some interesting tidbits. This is the third straight season that the Hartford Wolf Pack have traded their captain mid-season, as Whitney took over the role this year. Ryan Bourque and Mathew Bodie had been previously moved.

Also, as Patrick Williams of NHL.com points out on Twitter, this alleviates some of the pressure caused by the veteran rule in Hershey. A rule that doesn’t get much press, the AHL forces their teams to make sure a certain portion of the roster is available for “development players.” Twelve players on each roster must have played in fewer than 260 professional games, and a thirteenth must have played in fewer than 320. In this trade, only Chapie qualifies for one of the twelve true development player spots.

Injury Notes: Scheifele, Brouwer, Boychuk

February 9, 2018 at 1:37 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

Mark Scheifele will return to the Winnipeg Jets lineup tonight for the first time in 2018, more than six weeks since his last NHL game. During that time, the Jets have continued to win and find themselves tied with the Nashville Predators for first place in the Central Division with 73 points.

Scheifele’s return will once again make the Jets forward group one of the most fearsome in the league, now armed with the added knowledge that Blake Wheeler can handle center responsibilities and still perform at an elite level. Winnipeg will take on St. Louis in a key divisional matchup that could bring the two teams within two points of each other once again.

Troy Brouwer is week-to-week in Calgary after suffering a facial fracture last night, but isn’t expected to be out long-term. Brouwer actually returned to the game but will have to take a seat for at least a little while, opening another opportunity for some of the young Flames forwards. Brouwer was playing better of late, but still has just 15 points on the season in the second year of his $18MM contract.
The New York Islanders are starved for defensive help, and they’ll get some tonight as the team activated Johnny Boychuk off injured reserve. Boychuk hasn’t played since December 27th, but is expected to be back in the lineup against the Detroit Red Wings. If the Islanders think they can truly reach and then compete in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, they’ll need to greatly improve their defensive play—Boychuk is a good first step.

New York Rangers Swap Brendan Smith, John Gilmour

February 9, 2018 at 12:22 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 2 Comments

After clearing waivers, the New York Rangers have officially assigned Brendan Smith to the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL. Despite already recalling Neal Pionk yesterday to fill the roster spot, the team has also recalled defenseman John Gilmour. Though they don’t actually have Marc Staal listed on injured reserve as of this writing, that move is expected to create room for Gilmour, as he hasn’t played since February 3rd and is dealing with a neck injury.

Gilmour, 24, is a speed demon on defense that recently won the AHL All-Star Fastest Skater competition. He has 26 points in 44 games this season, his second year in the AHL after signing out of Providence College. Originally a Calgary Flames seventh-round draft pick, Gilmour completed all four years at Providence and then waited to reach free agency in the summer of 2016.

The Rangers told their fans yesterday that they’d be going after youth and speed, something that Gilmour certainly provides. While he is unproven at the NHL level, the team is looking to see what they have before making any further decisions in the offseason. Giving Gilmour and Pionk a chance down the stretch can’t hurt their development, and will give the Rangers an idea of where they stand going forward.

Brendan Smith, Marcus Kruger, Josh Jooris Clear Waivers

February 9, 2018 at 11:00 am CDT | by Gavin Lee 5 Comments

Friday: All three players have cleared, and can now be assigned to their respective AHL affiliates.

Thursday: The New York Rangers are not having the season they expected. Today, according to Larry Brooks of the New York Post, they have placed Brendan Smith on waivers less than a year after re-signing the defenseman to a four-year $17.4MM contract. He’s joined by Marcus Kruger and Josh Jooris of the Carolina Hurricanes according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic.

The Rangers recalled Neal Pionk earlier in the day and needed to make a corresponding move, but many expected it to be Marc Staal headed for injured reserve with his continued neck troubles. Instead, the team has decided to make Smith available to the rest of the league in an attempt to rid themselves of his contract. New York have allowed 35 goals in their last eight games and seen Henrik Lundqvist chased from the net three times, seemingly unable to complete simple defensive rotations at times. While Smith is still a capable NHL player, his extension is quickly looking like a mistake.

Kruger and Jooris are the first victims of a Carolina team that has said recently that they can’t keep running the same group out every night. Head coach Bill Peters and GM Ron Francis believe this team is good enough to compete right now, but still find themselves struggling near the bottom of the Metropolitan Division. Kruger, acquired in the offseason from the Vegas Golden Knights after he was part of the Chicago Blackhawks’ expansion package, comes with a $3.1MM cap hit for this year and next. Jooris is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent again this summer.

The Rangers and Hurricanes will both save the prorated version of $1.025MM in cap space by sending Smith and Kruger to the minors (along with the entirety of Jorris’ $775K hit) if they should clear, but this seems more about giving other players a chance. Both teams are fed up with how their seasons have gone, and are starting to bring in new blood to try and turn things around down the stretch. While the Rangers prepare to sell at the deadline, Carolina still seems undecided over which path they will follow.

Ottawa Senators Sign Ben Harpur To Two-Year Extension

February 9, 2018 at 10:56 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The Ottawa Senators are busy working on their future as the trade deadline approaches, and have signed Ben Harpur to a two-year extension. The one-way deal is worth a total of $1.45MM, and will take him through the 2019-20 season. The salary breakdown is as follows:

2018-19: $650K
2019-20: $800K

Harpur, 23, was set to be a restricted free agent this summer after his entry-level deal expired. The fourth-round pick from 2013 has played just 31 NHL contests to this point, 20 of them coming this season as the team looked for an answer on their bottom pairing. Still looking for his first NHL goal, Harpur has collected two assists in his short career.

A rangy 6’6″ defenseman, Harpur has shown an ability to close gaps quickly with his long reach and aggressive play style. Though he can be caught out of position at times in the defensive end, his physical presence is a big factor and fits nicely into the way Ottawa likes their left-side defensemen to play. Whether he actually locks down a full-time position there is still to be seen.

The Senators have two defenseman hitting unrestricted free agency this summer in Johnny Oduya and Chris Wideman, along with new contracts owed to RFAs Cody Ceci and Fredrik Claesson. It’s unlikely that all four will be back, while others like Dion Phaneuf or even Erik Karlsson could be on the move before the beginning of next season. Harpur will hope his new one-way deal will make the Senators give him a chance, along with the fact that he will no longer be waiver-exempt next season.

Ottawa now heads into their next few weeks with one player locked up on the blue line, but several decisions still to make.

Minor Transactions: 02/09/18

February 9, 2018 at 10:40 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

As always, we’ll keep track of all the league’s minor transactions right here. Check back often throughout the day for updates.

The Chicago Blackhawks have recalled Carl Dahlstrom from the minor leagues, moving Jan Rutta to injured reserve retroactive to February 6th. Should Dahlstrom get into a game, it would be his NHL debut after spending the last few seasons in Rockford. This year, the 23-year old defenseman has 23 points in 47 AHL games.
Ryan White has been signed to a professional tryout by the Iowa Wild, after being released by the San Diego Gulls a few days ago. White finished last season with the Minnesota Wild after a trade from Arizona, and had nine points in 21 games with the Gulls this season. The 29-year old forward is fighting for another chance at an NHL contract, after playing 313 games in the league since being drafted in 2006.
Minnesota has also officially recalled Viktor Loov after acquiring him yesterday. Loov can serve as sort of insurance as the team deals with an injury to Jonas Brodin, though doesn’t offer a ton of upside. The 25-year old defenseman has just four NHL contests under his belt, all coming in 2015-16 with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Ottawa Senators have assigned Mike Blunden and Max McCormick to the minor leagues, as both Mark Stone and Derick Brassard are expected to play tomorrow night against the Maple Leafs. The Senators are on a two-game winning streak, and will look to keep it going if only to build some momentum towards next season.
Jason Garrison is heading back to the AHL, where he’s spent most of the season. The 33-year old veteran defenseman has suited up 35 times for the Chicago Wolves, compared to just eight matches for the Vegas Golden Knights. As he heads towards free agency this summer, it seems like he’ll be fighting just for a spot on an NHL roster in 2018-19.
The Anaheim Ducks have returned goaltender Reto Berra to San Diego of the AHL, freeing up the roster spot for John Gibson to be activated off injured reserve. Anaheim also sent winger Nicolas Kerdiles back to San Diego, just a day after they originally recalled him.

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