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Archives for March 2018

Minor Transactions: 03/13/18

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The entire hockey world was watching last night as the league’s top two goal scoring talents went up against each other in the race for the Rocket Richard Trophy. Though Patrik Laine is quite the challenger, Alex Ovechkin showed once again why he is regarded as one of the greatest of all-time. Ovechkin scored two, including the 600th of his career, just the fourth player in history to do so in fewer than 1,000 games.

As the league sends out congratulations to Ovechkin for his impressive accomplishment, they’ll continue to try and make minor tweaks to their roster to take him down once again in the postseason. We’ll keep track of all the minor transactions right here.

Steve Mason Out 2-3 Weeks With Knee Injury

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It’s been a season to forget for Winnipeg Jets goalie Steve Mason. Mason has suffered two concussions in 2017-18, one in November and one in January, missing a combined 28 games. Now he’s back on the shelf, after playing his first game since early January on Tuesday night, a shutout win against the New York Rangers. In the contest, Mason suffered a lower-body injury which, according to NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti, turned out to be a seriously tweaked knee.

In speaking with head coach Paul Maurice, Gulitti reports that Mason underwent surgery today and is expected to be out 2-3 weeks. Michael Hutchinson, who was recalled from the AHL on Thursday while Mason’s condition was still up in the air, will remain in Winnipeg to back up Connor Hellebuyck. 

Hellebuyck has not just helped to make up for the loss of Mason most of the year, but has thrived in his absence. Although Mason signed a two-year, $8.2MM with the Jets this past summer to presumably start in Winnipeg, that seems unlikely to ever happen given Hellebuyck’s emergence. The 24-year-old has blossomed into one of the top goalies in the league this season, posting a .923 save percentage and 2.38 GAA through 56 games already. Mason’s injury woes have certainly affected him – when healthy he has still struggled, posting a .906 save percentage and 3.18 GAA – but both his absence and poor performance have been non-factors for Winnipeg despite what many would have expected prior to the season.

Poll: Which Coach Is Least Likely To Be Back Next Season?

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The NHL has gone almost the entire season without seeing a head coach fired, something that hasn’t happened in more than fifty years. Even with that said, it seems unlikely that all 31 head coaches will be back next season, either through expiration of their contract or termination by a frustrated GM.

Barry Trotz, for instance, is on the last year of his current contract and seems tied to the Washington Capitals playoff success this year. Though Washington GM Brian MacLellan was given a contract extension recently, there has been no word on Trotz, who has never advanced past the second round in his 19-year NHL coaching career.

There has been some talk of even the great Joel Quenneville being let go from Chicago, after the disappointing season the Blackhawks have suffered through. Quenneville is one of the greatest of all time, but even he might have to pay the price for underperforming stars and an aging core.

Who do you think is least likely to be brought back by their current team? Which coach won’t be wearing the same colors next season? Make sure to explain your vote in the comment section below.

[Mobile users click here to vote!]

Snapshots: Three Stars, Mangiapane, NCAA

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The NHL released their three stars from last week, and young Patrik Laine leads the way. The Winnipeg Jets sniper still hasn’t turned 20, but is now tied with Alex Ovechkin for the league lead in goals with 40 and is in the midst of an 11-game point streak.

Brad Marchand and Evgeni Malkin fill the other two spots, as both try to hunt down a nomination for the Hart Trophy. Malkin sits just a single point behind Nikita Kucherov for the league lead in scoring with 87, while Marchand now has 69 points in just 53 games. Though sometimes overshadowed by other superstars on their respective teams (Patrice Bergeron and Sidney Crosby usually), both Marchand and Malkin are having outstanding seasons and could meet late in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Latest On Carolina GM Search

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We’ve heard several names linked to the vacant Carolina Hurricanes GM role, but Bob McKenzie of TSN reports on another. Steve Greeley, the assistant GM of the Buffalo Sabres and well-traveled front office member has been interviewed by the club. Greeley has experience in scouting, player personnel and coaching, spending time with the New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings and Boston University in the past.

The search for the next Hurricanes GM is an interesting one, as the new executive will have to report directly to owner Thomas Dundon. Ron Francis was moved out of the role recently and into one as President of Hockey Operations, despite his work creating a pipeline of young talent. Unfortunately, that talent hasn’t shown much improvement in the standings, as Carolina is set to miss the playoffs for the ninth straight time without a late season push.

Most of the names interviewed in Carolina seem to be those who have never been general manager of an NHL team, but are all expected to be given the opportunity at some point. The Hurricanes might just be that chance as they try to find a fresh outlook for a team that has stagnated in the middle of the standings. Whether the answer is Greeley isn’t clear, but they will certainly check in on every possibility before making a decision.

Minor Transactions: 03/12/18

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Another week, another set of playoff-deciding matchups around the NHL. With so few games remaining in the regular season, every single day is of huge significance. We’ll keep track of all the transactions taking place on the fringes of rosters.

  • The Tampa Bay Lightning have officially recalled Peter Budaj from the AHL after his conditioning stint. The goaltender played a pair of games for Syracuse as part of his recovery from a lower-body injury, but will now stick around in the NHL. That move gives the Lightning three goaltenders for the time being, giving them plenty of opportunity to rest Andrei Vasilevskiy down the stretch.
  • Ville Husso is up under emergency conditions for the St. Louis Blues, as Carter Hutton deals with injury. Husso is the heir apparent in St. Louis should Hutton leave in free agency, as the 23-year old has shown he’s more than capable in the AHL. Through 34 games for the San Antonio Rampage, Husso has a sparkling .928 save percentage and 2.31 goals against average.
  • The Carolina Hurricanes announced that Valentin Zykov has been reassigned to the team’s AHL affiliate in Charlotte. Zykov was just recalled on Sunday and did not see any game action. The 2013 second-round pick has put up prolific numbers in each of the past two seasons with the Checkers, but has only two games with the ’Canes to show for it all the way back in March 2017.

Five Key Stories: 3/5/18 – 3/11/18

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The first full week of March was a quieter one as teams settle in for the stretch run but there was still a fair bit of big news around the league.

Bouwmeester Out For The Year: After a lengthy losing skid and the trade of Paul Stastny to Winnipeg at the trade deadline, the Blues were already in tougher shape for making the playoffs.  That path got even more challenging with the announcement that defenseman Jay Bouwmeester is out for the season with a hip injury that carries a recovery timeline of four-to-six months.  2017-18 was certainly an injury-riddled campaign for the 34-year-old as he finishes it up having played in a career-low 35 games.  However, when healthy, he still logged big minutes for St. Louis and they will certainly miss his presence on the back end down the stretch.

Washington Sits Down Holtby: It’s not very often where a team in contention will announce that they’re sitting their starting goalie down late in the season but that is what happened with the Capitals and netminder Braden Holtby.  Since the start of February, the 28-year-old has posted a 4.44 GAA with a .872 SV%, numbers that are well below the league average.  Philipp Grubauer is poised to run with the number one spot for the time being and has fared well in his first two starts, allowing just two goals on 52 shots.  Considering that he is widely expected to be traded in the summer, this is quite the opportunity for Grubauer to showcase himself to potential suitors around the league.

Francis Out As Carolina GM: New Hurricanes owner Thomas Dundon isn’t wasting much time putting his stamp on the organization.  Barely a week after Carolina was largely inactive at the trade deadline, Dundon removed Ron Francis from his role as general manager and named him president of hockey operations.  The move may sound like a promotion in title but Dundon stated that he wanted a new voice for personnel moves which isn’t exactly a vote of confidence for the moves (or lack thereof) that Carolina has made in recent years.

Rutta Extension: Jan Rutta’s first season in the NHL has been a solid one and the Blackhawks certainly have taken notice as they signed him to a one-year, $2.3MM contract extension.  The 27-year-old has logged over 19 minutes per game this season and ranks second on Chicago in points-per-game from defensemen.  The ‘Hawks now have their top-six defenders all locked up for next season at a combined cap hit of just over $20.4MM.

Whitecloud To Vegas: College free agent season is now upon us and the Golden Knights landed the first prominent player as they signed defenseman Zach Whitecloud to a three-year, entry-level contract.  The 21-year-old put up 19 points in 35 games in his sophomore season at Bemidji State University and drew interest from several other teams around the league including the Kings, Lightning, and Red Wings.  That may have played a role in Vegas deciding to have him skate with the big club for the rest of the regular season although it remains to be seen how much game action he will see.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

2018 College Free Agent Market: Forwards

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With the college playoffs starting to get underway, we’re starting to see a few free agents that were eliminated early sign with NHL teams.  Many more players will become available in the coming weeks and quite a few will sign shortly thereafter.

With that in mind, here is a closer look at some of the forwards that could be of interest to teams in the coming weeks.  All of these players are undrafted (and are too old to be drafted this year making them eligible for free agency) and unless they’re in their senior season, they could opt to return to their schools for the 2018-19 campaign.

Brady Ferguson (Robert Morris)

Ferguson opted to return for his senior season after finishing fifth in NCAA scoring last season with 58 points in 38 games.  The decision may not have been the best one as his final college campaign wasn’t quite as productive with just 43 points in 38 contests.  That may lessen his market a little bit but he should still have several suitors in the coming weeks.

Robby Jackson (St. Cloud)

Jackson has gone from being a supporting cast player to a top threat on the Huskies this season.  His point production nearly doubled from his sophomore campaign and at only 20 years of age, he is also one of the younger free agents and will be eligible for a three-year entry-level deal (most players on this list are only able to sign two-year pacts).  However, some teams may be scared away due to his smallish stature as he stands just 5’9.

Mason Jobst (Ohio State)

Like Ferguson, Jobst was among the top NCAA scorers last year (seventh) as a sophomore but opted to return instead of turning pro.  While he still put up more than a point-per-game this season (41 points in 36 games), he still came up well shy of the 55 he put up last year.  At 5’8, his size will be a concern to some teams as well.  However, while it may seem like a good idea to go back for a senior campaign and boost his stock, Jobst is already 24; accordingly, going back to school and dominating players several years younger than him likely won’t draw much more attention to him than there already is.

Ryan Kuffner (Princeton)

Kuffner has been one of the top goal scorers in all of college hockey this season and had been hovering near the goal-per-game mark.  The junior forward is willing to battle around the net as well which should also help endear him to scouts.  He certainly benefits from having one of the top playmakers in the NCAA on his line (more on that player shortly) but Kuffner should still draw plenty of interest in the near future.

Sheldon Rempal (Clarkson)

The sophomore winger became a go-to scorer this season, boosting his goal total from 11 to 21 despite playing in four fewer games.  While he has shown a knack for scoring in tight at the college level, there will justifiably be some questions as to whether or not he can play that style in the pros as he, like several others on this list, is undersized.  Rempal could stand to fill out his frame a bit more and that’s easier to do at the college level than in the minor leagues so he could stick around for another year.

Max Veronneau (Princeton)

The junior playmaking winger ranked second in the NCAA in regular season scoring with 52 points in 36 games and is believed to be drawing plenty of interest already; Chris Peters of ESPN reports (Insider required) that he is the most sought-after forward in college free agency.  However, he adds that he appears to be leaning towards returning for his senior season.

Sebastian Vidmar (Union)

The Swedish winger also saw his production dip from his sophomore campaign (understandable considering the team lost both Mike Vecchione and Spencer Foo, two of the top four scorers in the NCAA last year) although he still managed to post 30 points (10-20-30) in 36 contests to sit third in team scoring.  He’s more of a playmaker than some of the others on this list but also has pro size.  Vidmar turns 24 on Tuesday so it may not make much sense for him to return for his senior year so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him opt to turn pro.

East Notes: Spooner, Flyers Goaltending, Nielsen

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While it’s obviously far too early for the Rangers and recently-acquired center Ryan Spooner to really discuss a new contract, the 26-year-old is already making his preference known.  Speaking with Brett Cyrgalis of the New York Post, Spooner indicated that he would like to avoid the process he went through last summer with Boston.  Back then, the two sides got to the brink of an arbitration hearing before settling on his current one-year, $2.825MM contract that will also represent his qualifying offer this summer.  New York will be quite busy this offseason with their list of arbitration-eligible free agents, one that also includes forwards Vladislav Namestnikov and Kevin Hayes as well as defenseman Brady Skjei, among others.

Elsewhere in the East:

  • The Flyers are getting closer to getting at least part of their regular goalie tandem back in the fold. Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News notes that Michal Neuvirth (lower body injury) has been skating recently; GM Ron Hextall acknowledged that he’s a little ahead of schedule in his recovery.  Meanwhile, starter Brian Elliott (abdominal injury) is expected to resume skating in the coming days as well.  Petr Mrazek was acquired in advance of the trade deadline to provide some stability in their absences but he has posted a save percentage of just .899 in eight starts so far.
  • Red Wings center Frans Nielsen returned to practice today for the first time as he continues to progress through concussion protocol, notes Ted Kulfan of The Detroit News. His injury was sustained back on Tuesday against Boston.  Head coach Jeff Blashill ruled out a potential Monday return but is hopeful that the 33-year-old will be able to return to action at some point in their four-game Western road trip that runs through next Sunday.

Snapshots: General Manager Hot Seat, Cholowski, Cullen

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With many teams starting to see the writing on the wall that their season is coming to a close sooner than they had intended, the next question that comes about is whether the team has any intentions of making changes to their staff. After a look at possible changes to the coaching ranks, the next question would likely turn to which general managers are on the hot seat. The Athletic’s James Mirtle (subscription required) takes a look at 10 candidates who could find themselves without a job this offseason.

Mirtle quickly addresses the obvious ones, including Detroit’s Ken Holland and Toronto’s Lou Lamoriello, both who have been rumored to either be on their way out or moved to a different role within the organization. However, Mirtle also admits that both could easily stay in their present roles too.

The next stage of general managers that are most likely on the hot seat include Peter Chiarelli of Edmonton, the New York Islanders Garth Snow and Montreal’s Marc Bergevin, while other general managers might be given more time to prove to the organization that their plan works. Colorado’s Joe Sakic, Arizona’s John Chayka, Minnesota’s Chuck Fletcher and Columbus’ Jarmo Kekalainen are all likely to be on short leashes due to their inability of taking their teams to a new level.

  • Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press writes that while 2017 first-round pick Michael Rasmussen might make the Detroit Red Wings team next season, the real prospect to keep an eye on will be 2016 first-round pick Dennis Cholowski, whose having a stellar year with both the Prince George Cougars and the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL. The 20-year-old blueliner is in his final year of junior and has 14 goals and 50 assists this year. St. James writes that while Rasmussen must make the Red Wings roster out of training camp to stick, Cholowski could play with the Grand Rapids Griffins in the AHL and get a midseason callup if he can’t break into the Red Wings lineup.
  • StarTribune’s Sarah McLellan writes that the NHL Players Association released a players poll this week and for the question of which player would make great coach after they retire. Minnesota’s Matt Cullen won the poll. He received 4.5 percent of the votes, yet Cullen hasn’t decided if that’s the avenue he plans to go down. “I’ve never really put a lot of thought into it, to be honest,” Cullen said. “I guess I’ve had a lot of experience, and I’ve been through a lot through a long career, I guess. Truthfully, I’ve never thought a lot about it. I don’t know. I’m not sure what I’ll do when I’m done playing.”

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