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Archives for April 2018

Ryan Hartman To Have Hearing With Department Of Player Safety

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The playoffs have so far been quite the busy period for the Department of Player Safety, already handing out suspensions to Drew Doughty, Nazem Kadri and Josh Morrissey. Today, they’ll have a hearing with Ryan Hartman of the Nashville Predators to determine whether his hit on Colorado’s Carl Soderberg last night requires any supplementary discipline.

Hartman collided with Soderberg midway through the third period, and was given a two-minute charging penalty. The hit came after Soderberg had passed the puck and seemed to have significant contact with the head. It was actually Hartman’s third penalty of the game, and now he might face even more discipline from the league offices.

Nikita Kucherov, who was also involved in an incident last night, will not receive a hearing after his hit on Sami Vatanen last night. The league, according to Darren Dreger of TSN, decided that the head was not the main point of contact and will not review it further.

Carolina Hurricanes Hire Paul Krepelka As VP, Hockey Operations

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Thomas Dundon and the Carolina Hurricanes still don’t have a GM in place, but have hired a new VP of Hockey Operations. Paul Krepelka, a former player agent with the Orr Hockey Group, has been announced with duties revolving around contract negotiations. According to Bob McKenzie of TSN, Rick Olczyk had previously dealt with contract talks for the Hurricanes and will likely be “reassigned.”

Krepelka has plenty of experience in hockey, playing professionally in the ECHL before becoming an agent. He co-founded the Orr Hockey Group and worked there for 13 years before becoming the director of player personnel for the Norfolk Admirals of the ECHL. It will be interesting to see if there is a shift in contract negotiations going forward for the Hurricanes.

McKenzie also adds that there is a game of “cat and mouse” going on between head coach Bill Peters and Dundon, who both seemingly want the relationship to end. Peters has an opt-out clause in his contract that expires tomorrow, but would be giving up the final $1.6MM of his contract should he leave for greener pastures. McKenzie believes that Dundon wants to replace him, but likely wouldn’t fire him as he prefers “reassigning” which we’ve already seen with Ron Francis’ recent “promotion.”

We’ll get an answer on Peters soon enough, but it’s clear that Dundon is putting his mark on the Hurricanes front office.

Canada, USA Rosters Set For U18 World Championships

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The IIHF U18 World Championships begin today in Russia, with Team Canada and Team USA facing off at 9:30am central. The two squads are made up of many 2018 draft eligible players, including several potential first-round picks. The squads also feature two incredible youngsters, as both Alexis Lafreniere and Jack Hughes are present. Hughes is expected to challenge for the first-overall pick in the 2019 draft, while Lafreniere has a shot at being selected first in 2020.

The full rosters are below:

Team USA

F Jack Hughes
F Trevor Janicke
F Gavin Hain
F Tyler Weiss
F Alex Turcotte
F Jake Wise
F Jack DeBoer
F Jonathan Gruden
F Oliver Wahlstrom
F Jake Pivonka
F Cole Caufield
F Patrick Giles (A)
F Joel Farabee

D Cam York
D Adam Samuelsson
D Ty Emberson (A)
D Bode Wilde
D K’Andre Miller
D Mattias Samuelsson (C)
D Spencer Stastney

G Drew Deridder
G Spencer Knight
G Jonathan Mor*

Team Canada

F Joe Veleno*
F Akil Thomas
F Alexis Lafreniere
F Cole Fonstad
F Cameron Hillis
F Allan McShane
F Liam Foudy
F Ty Dellandrea (A)
F Aidan Dudas*
F Jack McBain
F Chase Wouters
F Raphael Lavoie
F Serron Noel

D Kevin Bahl
D Matthew Robertson
D Bowen Byram
D Jonathan Tychonick
D Ty Smith (C)
D Ryan Merkley
D Jared McIsaac (A)

G Colten Ellis
G Olivier Rodrigue*
G Kevin Mandolese

*Not dressed for the opening game

Evening Notes: Red Wings, DeBrincat, Vegas

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The Tomas Tatar trade seems so far to be a big win for the Detroit Red Wings writes the Detroit Free Press’ Helene St. James. Dealt at the deadline for Vegas’ 2018 1st rounder, a 2019 second rounder and a 2021 third rounder, Tatar is a healthy scratch for the Golden Knights as they made quick work of Los Angeles. St. James believes Tatar will see time again in the playoffs, but she cites this trade as one in a series where the Red Wings got the better of another team. St. James points out that the Brendan Smith trade a year prior with the Rangers is now considered a heist with the Wings picking up a 2017 third round pick, and Ottawa’s 2018 second round pick, which will be the 33rd overall pick. Smith, meanwhile, had a tumultuous season with the Blueshirts that saw healthy scratches, a demotion, and a fight in practice–all of this occurring after signing a four-year, $17.4MM deal. Petr Mrazek was flipped for a conditional 2018 fourth round pick that is now a third rounder along with a conditional 2019 third round pick should Mrazek re-sign with the Flyers. Not a bad haul for players who haven’t really lived up to their end of the bargain for their new teams.

  • The Athletic’s Scott Powers reviews Blackhawks rookie Alex DeBrincat’s season, and the marks are unsurprisingly positive. Powers writes (subscription required) that the Hawks’s first year forward was hoping to just make it out of camp with the team, but 52 points (28 of them coming as goals) was certainly more than anyone could have envisioned. The future is bright for a Hawks squad that missed the playoffs and saw a lot go wrong this season. DeBrincat’s performance is a silver lining, Powers reports, and the 20-year-old had one of the best rookie performances in Blackhawks history. Powers adds that the goal totals could be higher next season should DeBrincat see more time on the powerplay. Last season, he logged the sixth most minutes when the Hawks were on the man advantage, a metric that should certainly rise given his propensity to find the back of the net.
  • The USA Today’s Kevin Allen gives five reasons why the Vegas Golden Knights are suddenly one of the trendy picks to win the Stanley Cup in their first season. A raucous home ice advantage is one of the reasons Allen believes the Golden Knights are finding success. But Allen cites the chip on the shoulders of players and staff who were spurned by a previous organization as one of the main reasons for Vegas’ success. Allen writes that such an attitude gave the players a “passion and purpose” and has carried onto the playoffs, making the Golden Knights a dangerous opponent.

Jets’ Josh Morrissey Suspended One Game

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The NHL Department of Player Safety is staying busy this season, handing down yet another suspension. Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey has been suspended for Game Five of the Jets’ first round series against the Minnesota Wild for cross-checking Eric Staal in the head area. The check, which went unnoticed by the officials, was followed up moments later by a Winnipeg goal. Staal was able to return to the game, but that made the check no less dangerous and purposeful. As Player Safety explains in this video:

“Morrissey sees Staal and moves towards him, raising his stick… Morrissey raises his stick above his shoulders and makes sharp contact with Staal’s neck. This is cross-checking… This also is not a routine motion to box out an opponent. Staal is in Morrissey’s field of vision. There is no ongoing battle between the players. Morrissey is in control of this play and initiates contact… This is a reckless strike to an opponent’s neck with sufficient force to merit supplemental discipline.”

While Staal and the Wild are happy to have Morrissey out of the lineup for an elimination game on Friday, head coach Bruce Boudreau was frank that the lack of an in-game call cost Minnesota a win. Not only should the first goal of the game soon after not have happened, but the Wild should have enjoyed at least a two-minute power play.

Perhaps the Wild will get their revenge against a Jets blue line that is severely lacking right now. With Morrissey’s suspension on top of injuries to Tyler Myers and Toby Enstrom and the long-term injury absence of Dmitry Kulikov, Winnipeg may be left to employ all three of Joe Morrow, Tucker Poolman, and Sami Niku in Game Five, none of whom began the year as starters for the Jets. The suspension may also throw Paul Maurice for a loop; the head coach expected a hearing, but was adamant that Morrissey’s check did not have the requisite intent to warrant a suspension. However, Player Safety continues to play hardball in these playoffs.

NHL Announces Selke Trophy Finalists

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The Professional Hockey Writers’ Association has spoken, as the NHL has announced that three forwards have been nominated for the 2018 Frank J. Selke Award. The Selke Award, or as some call it “the Bergeron Award”, is given each year to the top defensive forward in the league. To the surprise of very few, Boston Bruins top center Patrice Bergeron is again among the finalists, a record seventh consecutive nomination. Bergeron is the reigning champ and the winner in four of the past six seasons. However, Bergeron faces stiff competition for his fifth Selke, going up against 2016 winner and two-time runner-up, Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar, and breakout Philadelphia Flyers star Sean Couturier, who earns his first Selke nod.

While the Selke is perhaps up to the eye test more than any other major award, there are some key statistics to look at to determine the odds-on favorite. The original measure of a players’ two-way success is plus/minus, which would favor Couturier. His +34 rating was good enough to tie for third in the NHL behind only Vegas Golden Knights linemates William Karlsson and Jon Marchessault. Meanwhile, both Bergeron and Kopitar were +21, tied for 28th. However, possession metrics may be the best way to evaluate two-way ability, in particular a player’s Corsi For %, which shows the proportion of shots for relative to shots against. By this standard, Bergeron was firmly in the lead. His 57.56 CF% led all forwards who played in at least 50 games this season. In comparison, Couturier was 59th and Kopitar was 93rd among that same subset. Bergeron also edges out the other two in face-off percentage, short-handed time on ice, and takeaways; Couturier gets the nod in hits, while Kopitar had the most blocked shots. It again looks as if Bergeron would be the favorite, but one thing to consider is that Bergeron played in just 64 games this season, averaged the least amount of time on ice of the trio, and benefited from playing alongside another two-way dynamo in Brad Marchand. Bergeron may have been the best defensive forward in the league this year – and at this point might be the best all-time – but there’s a strong case that the two-way play of Kopitar and Couturier had a greater impact in 2017-18.

As for snubs, many out there will fight for the cases of Minnesota Wild captain Mikko Koivu, dynamic young Florida Panther Aleksander Barkov, and even the aforementioned Marchand. However, unlike the debated results of the Vezina voting, it seems that the correct trio of players were selected and any one would be worthy of taking home the hardware at the NHL Awards in June.

Los Angeles Kings Assign Four Players To AHL

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The Los Angeles Kings have been eliminated from the playoffs, but the season isn’t over for four of their players. Today the team announced that Jonny Brodzinski, Michael Amadio, Oscar Fantenberg and Paul Ladue are all on their way back to the Ontario Reign to help in their AHL playoff run.

All four are eligible for the playoffs because they were on the AHL roster—or at least involved in paper transactions—at the trade deadline, and will give a huge boost to the Reign when they take on the Texas Stars tomorrow. Brodzinski and Amadio were both point-per-game players this season in the AHL, while Ladue and Fantenberg can log huge minutes on defense.

It’s a tough end to the season for a team like Los Angeles, after fighting all year to just make it into the playoffs. The four game sweep at the hands of the Vegas Golden Knights will leave a sour taste in the mouths of the players and front office, and likely lead to changes this summer. While Brodzinski and Amadio are both under contract for next year, Ladue and Fantenberg are two of the team’s several restricted free agents and will be looking for new deals. Both should be back on relatively cheap contracts, but don’t expect either to have a guaranteed role on the NHL club next season.

Paul Byron Undergoes Shoulder Surgery, Out Six Months

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One of the only bright spots in the Montreal Canadiens season was speedster Paul Byron, who scored 20 goals for the second consecutive year. Unfortunately, the team announced today that he underwent shoulder surgery and will be out six months. That puts the start of the 2018-19 season in doubt, as six months from now is the middle of October.

That’s a bad start to an important offseason for the Canadiens as they try to crawl back to competitiveness for next year. Byron is an extremely valuable part of their forward group, even if he doesn’t create a ton of offensive opportunities for his linemates. Instead, he’s used as an elite counter-puncher and penalty killer for Montreal, able to stretch defenses out and provide a solid two-way presence for their middle-six.

It seems as though the first month of the season is in doubt, and he’ll almost certainly miss all of training camp. That’s a big loss for the Canadiens, but could also really hurt Byron down the road. He’s headed into the last season of his current contract and scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2019. A third straight 20-goal season would look mighty fine as he hits the open market at 30 years old, something that may be out of reach if he misses a full month.

Jordan Kyrou Assigned To Chicago Wolves For AHL Playoffs

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Jordan Kyrou has turned into one of the most intriguing prospects in the league, and now his season will continue after the St. Louis Blues assigned him to the Chicago Wolves for the remainder of the season. Kyrou’s Sarnia Sting were eliminated from the OHL playoffs on Sunday, but he’ll get a chance to keep playing as the Wolves are headed to the AHL playoffs. He should feel right at home after playing one game for the Wolves last spring.

Kyrou had another outstanding season, recording 109 points in just 56 games while taking home a gold medal with the Canadian World Junior team. He led the Canadians with 10 points in the tournament, something he’s getting used to recently. The 19-year old is an outstanding offensive player, capable of creating consistent opportunities off the rush for himself and teammates. His skating ability is near unparalleled in the junior ranks, and will likely allow him to find immediate success at the professional level.

Chicago isn’t technically the Blues’ affiliate, instead partnered with the Vegas Golden Knights this season, but still has a strong relationship with St. Louis. Kyrou will be playing under Golden Knights’ coaching staffs, and will be heading to a different AHL organization next season. That is of course if he doesn’t make the NHL out of training camp, something that isn’t entirely out of the question.

Poll: How Far Will The Golden Knights Go?

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The Vegas Golden Knights can’t be stopped. The Los Angeles Kings couldn’t even slow them down. It took just four games for the NHL’s youngest franchise to win their first playoff series, allowing just three goals in the process. Marc-Andre Fleury is an early favorite for the Conn Smythe trophy, but he’ll have to continue his string of outstanding starts to actually take home the trophy. More likely than not, the Golden Knights will also have to win the Stanley Cup, something that doesn’t seem so far-fetched anymore.

Vegas has been doubted at every turn. When they got off to an 8-1 start to the season, people said they would come back to earth. It was just a motivated group and home-heavy schedule. They would still falter by the trade deadline, and sell off their expiring assets. Instead, they went out and spent three draft picks on Tomas Tatar to improve their offense and retained all of their high profile unrestricted free agents.

Now, they sit as the betting favorites to win the Stanley Cup after eviscerating the Kings in four games. They only scored seven goals against the stingiest defensive team in the league, but that was more than enough to feel in control of the series the whole time. Amazingly those Kings were basically neck-and-neck with the Golden Knights when we asked who would come out of the Western Conference just before the playoffs began. That was despite an 11-point lead in the regular season. Now, the tide seems to be turning in their favor.

The Golden Knights will take on the winner of the Anaheim-San Jose series next, and they should likely be considered favorites regardless of who they face. Just 12 wins remain for the Stanley Cup, a result unimaginable at season’s start. We ask you, has your opinion changed? How far will the Golden Knights go?

[Mobile users click here to vote!]

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