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Archives for April 2018

NHL Announces Potential Tie-Breaker Game For Eastern Playoff Spot

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Amazingly, there is a scenario in which over the next few days the Philadelphia Flyers and Florida Panthers could end the season tied in every category the NHL uses to determine standings. That’s exactly what the league addressed today when they released the tie-breaker procedures for such a scenario.

For the purposes of the 2017-18 season, the tiebreaking game would be played Tuesday, April 10.

The Philadelphia Flyers (41-26-14, 96 points) currently occupy the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, with the Florida Panthers (42-30-8, 92 points) the only team capable of catching them.

* The Flyers (81 GP) and Panthers (80 GP) are tied in ROW (39). The teams split their season series (after eliminating the odd home game between them). Philadelphia currently is +3 in goal differential for the season, while Florida is -1.

* Therefore, the teams would play a tiebreaking game if Philadelphia loses its final game of the season by two goals exactly (Saturday vs. NYR) and Florida wins its final two contests, both in shootouts (Saturday vs. BUF, Sunday at BOS).

For the potential game, home ice would be determined by an equal odds draw and overtime would be played like it is in the playoffs—that is, 20-minute 5-on-5 sudden death periods until a winner is determined.

Obviously this is an extremely unlikely scenario, but it is definitely one most fans would love to see happen.

Snapshots: O’Ree, World Championships, Yamamoto

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The NHL has announced a new award to be given out annually, named the Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award. It will be given to the a person not affiliated with the league or any club, who “best utilizes hockey as a platform for participants to build character and develop important life skills for a more positive family experience.”

The award is named after Willie O’Ree, the NHL’s first black player who has spent decades working to bring the sport of hockey to those who may not normally be exposed to it or able to afford to play. O’Ree was honored this year on the 50th anniversary of his NHL debut—suiting up for the Boston Bruins on January 18th, 1958.

  • Several players have announced their intention to play at the upcoming World Championships, including Thomas Chabot (Canada), Chris Kreider (USA) and Casey Mittelstadt (USA). The tournament is loading up on talent this season, perhaps in part as a response to the lack of Olympics participation. The teams should be filled with talent, as others like Connor McDavid and Mathew Barzal have already expressed interest.
  • Tyler Benson and Dmitri Samorukov will be joining the Bakersfield Condors for the end of the season, but Kailer Yamamoto will not. The Edmonton Oilers’ first-round pick from 2017 suffered an injury in the WHL playoffs and will focus on his health instead. Yamamoto played just nine games with the Oilers at the beginning of the season, meaning he won’t burn a year of his entry-level contract. Watch for him to make an impact at training camp next fall, and try to secure a full-time roster spot.

Antti Raanta Signs $12.75MM Extension With Arizona Coyotes

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The Arizona Coyotes have locked up Antti Raanta, signing him to a three-year contract extension. The goaltender’s new contract will carry an average annual value of $4.25MM, and keep him in the desert through the 2020-21 season. Raanta was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

After acquiring Raanta and Derek Stepan from the New York Rangers in the offseason, the Coyotes expected them to help the club bounce back and challenge for a playoff spot this season. Unfortunately, due to some injuries and inconsistency through the first half of the season, Arizona quickly fell out of the race. They didn’t secure their first regulation win until the 21st game of the season, essentially ending any chance they had before it started.

Over the second half of the season though, Raanta has shown exactly what he can be when healthy. In his last 15 games, the 28-year old goaltender has gone 12-2 with a .956 save percentage and three shutouts. That has vaulted him right up into the leaders around the league, trailing only Marc-Andre Fleury in save percentage from goaltenders who have started at least 30 games. Those numbers should actually get Raanta some well deserved votes in the Vezina Trophy race, though he is an extreme long-shot to win the award.

If Raanta can stay healthy throughout the contract, this is an extremely team-friendly deal for the Coyotes. The team also acquired Darcy Kuemper this season to serve as a backup, and that tandem should give well above-average goaltending for a relatively inexpensive price. Combined, they will earn just $6.1MM in each of the next two seasons, a number lower than five individual goaltenders in the league.

Bob McKenzie of TSN provided the financial details. 

Minor Transactions: 04/06/18

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The NHL had some exceptional moments yesterday, as Henrik and Daniel Sedin said goodbye to the Vancouver fans in the only way they know how—an overtime powerplay goal—and Roberto Luongo played his 1,000th game with relatively little fanfare. What else would you expect from one of the most consistent goaltenders of all-time, than 26 saves and a win in the most important game of the season for the Florida Panthers.

As we bask in the romantic finishes from last night, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves around the league right here:

  • Carson Soucy has been sent back to the AHL by the Minnesota Wild, as his emergency conditions are up. Gustav Olofsson is back with the team according to Michael Russo of The Athletic, meaning Soucy is down for now. That could open a spot for Louis Belpedio to make his NHL debut, after recently signing and joining the team.
  • The Boston Bruins have returned Colby Cave to the minor leagues, after his latest two-game call-up. The 23-year old forward recorded two shots on goal, but is still looking for his first NHL point.
  • The New York Rangers have recalled Matt Beleskey and Steven Fogarty from the minor leagues in time for their final game tomorrow. Beleskey hasn’t played in the NHL since coming over at the trade deadline from the Boston Bruins in a salary dump, but might get a chance against the Philadelphia Flyers tomorrow. The former 20-goal man is a prime candidate for a buyout if the Rangers need the cap space, though in their rebuild they might be fine with him playing next season in the minor leagues.
  • Jonny Brodzinski is on his way back to the AHL, as the Los Angeles Kings prepare for the playoffs. Brodzinski was recalled just yesterday, but will head back without getting into a game.
  • The Carolina Hurricanes have recalled Nicolas Roy from the AHL, a reward for a solid rookie campaign. Roy recorded 37 points in his first professional season, following two solid years in junior. Selected in the fourth round, the 6’4″ forward has turned himself into a legitimate NHL prospect.

Noah Gregor Signs ELC With San Jose Sharks

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Another prospect, another contract for the San Jose Sharks, who today signed Noah Gregor to his three-year entry-level contract. Gregor is currently in the second round of the WHL playoffs with his Victoria Royals, and might not get a chance to sign an amateur tryout in the AHL this season. GM Doug Wilson released this statement on the young forward:

Noah’s taken his game to a whole new level during Victoria’s postseason run, and has shown that he can be a difference maker at both ends of the ice. His combination of talent, hockey sense, speed and hard-working nature make him a player that can be counted on in all facets of the game and we look forward to his continued development.

Indeed, Gregor was a force for the Royals in the first round, recording 10 points in the seven-game series, and showing that he probably deserved to go higher than his fourth-round draft selection. He was ranked #45 among North American skaters pre-draft in 2016, but fell all the way to 111th-overall. The Sharks, who had selected Dylan Gambrell 60th-overall, quickly snapped Gregor up with just their second pick of the day.

That draft looks like it could bear fruit even though the team had so few selections, and Gregor is a big part of that. The two-way forward has experience at center and could make an impact for the San Jose Barracuda next season.

New York Islanders Sign Yannick Rathgeb To Two-Year Deal

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The New York Islanders have dipped into the European free agent market, signing Yannick Rathgeb to a two-year two-way contract. Though no financial terms have been released, Rathgeb will be subject to normal entry-level contract rules given his age.

A Swiss-born defenseman, Rathgeb already has some experience in North America after spending two seasons with the Plymouth Whalers of the OHL. Undrafted, he returned to Switzerland where he has spent the last three seasons, suiting up for Fribourg-Gotteron in the professional NLA. He’s proven to be a consistent puck-moving defenseman, registering point totals of 27, 34 and 28 in relatively short seasons.

Coming to the Islanders, the 22-year old Rathgeb will likely have to prove himself again in the AHL. His experience in the most recent Spengler Cup was a good test, but to climb the ranks in New York will be a different challenge entirely. Interestingly though, the Islanders should have a healthy competition over the next few seasons for playing time on their blue line.

Calvin de Haan, Thomas Hickey and Dennis Seidenberg are all scheduled for unrestricted free agency, while Brandon Davidson and Ryan Pulock are both restricted free agents looking for new contracts. If Rathgeb can quickly make an impact, there will be opportunity for him in New York.

David Quenneville Signs With New York Islanders

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According to Arthur Staple of The Athletic, the New York Islanders have signed prospect David Quenneville to a three-year entry-level contract. Quenneville’s junior season came to an end recently when Medicine Hat was knocked out by Brandon, despite his eight points in the series.

Selected in the seventh round of the 2016 draft, Quenneville is the younger brother of John Quenneville and Peter Quenneville, who were drafted by New Jersey and Columbus respectively. John, picked the highest of the three, has played 14 games in the NHL but is still looking for a full-time opportunity with the Devils.

The youngest brother, David is also the smallest of the three. Standing just 5’8″ he’s been overlooked for much of his junior career, not expected to make much of an impact in professional hockey. That might have changed this season, when the 20-year old registered 80 points in 70 games to (tie for the) lead the Tigers and show that he can really dominate his competition through skill and offensive awareness.

It will still be a long road ahead of him to make an impact as part of the Islanders, but signing his ELC is the first step in his professional career. He’ll start out in Bridgeport next season, and will try to show that he can still produce at the next level.

Latest On Erik Karlsson’s Future In Ottawa

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Elliotte Friedman was on Sportsnet radio this morning, and spoke candidly about his thoughts on the Erik Karlsson and John Tavares sagas. On Karlsson in particular, Friedman was pessimistic on the Ottawa Senators chance to keep their captain in town long-term.

I think right now we’re at a point where everybody will be shocked if Erik Karlsson’s going to be in Ottawa at the start of next year. I don’t think there is a lot of people who see that as the option. 

This comes after Karlsson was spotted taking the puck from the net after his final home game, and not joining the team on the road for their last few games. Neither of those things are definitive, especially given the extremely difficult times Karlsson is dealing with in his personal life. The 27-year old’s son was stillborn in late March, and he is currently spending time with his wife at home in Ottawa. The Senators would obviously welcome him back for their final games tonight and tomorrow, but no one would criticize him for putting family first.

Still, the thought that he has played his last game in an Ottawa Senators sweater is one that can’t easily be shaken. The superstar defenseman has been the subject of rumors all season, and there were multiple reports of trade deadline deals that came close. The Vegas Golden Knights were apparently one of those teams pursuing him at the deadline, but couldn’t get something of that magnitude finalized with such a hard deadline. In the offseason, with one more year on his contract those talks would be able to take as long as they need.

Trading Karlsson would likely signal the start of a mini rebuild in Ottawa, despite having spent future assets to acquire Matt Duchene earlier this season. They owe Colorado a first-round pick this year or next, which will be a tough decision to make given that they’ll be picking somewhere high this season. The Senators are currently 30th in the league with 67 points, but could drop as many as three spots after the draft lottery. If they end up sending the 2019 pick instead, it is not lottery protected and could theoretically be the first-overall selection.

There are quite a few interesting prospects coming through the pipeline in Ottawa, which makes the Karlsson decision even tougher. If they aren’t going to be able to re-sign him, trading him for near NHL-ready talent could actually make them better in 2019-20, not just some theoretical future. That question, of whether or not they can re-sign him, is one none of us can know at this point. Karlsson has always been loyal to Ottawa and spoken highly of the city, but there are other issues at play. The Senators franchise has never been accused of being big spenders, and a long-term deal for their captain would likely push close to $100MM. That might be out of their price range entirely, making negotiations impossible. The Norris-winner has explained that he’s going to ask for what he believes he’s worth, and not give a big discount to any team.

As Friedman implied, it does seem like this situation is heading towards an inevitable trade. The Senators get a large package of assets that can help them quickly, while someone else gets one of the best defensemen in the league. Who that will be is completely up in the air at this point, as after the season ends there will be dozens of teams calling to level interest. Whatever happens, Ottawa will be front and center this offseason.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Penguins Sign Anthony Angello To Entry-Level Deal

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It may have been a disappointing end to the season for Cornell, a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament upset in their first game, but for one player the year will end on a positive note. Anthony Angello, a junior forward for the Big Red, has signed an entry-level contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins, according to a team release. The two-year deal will begin next season, but Angello will join the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on an amateur tryout to close out the season.

It’s hard to argue against the results that the two-time defending Stanley Cup champs have had with bringing in college talent in recent years. Conor Sheary, Bryan Rust, and Zach Aston-Reese have all been successful college free agents who signed in Pittsburgh, while Brian Dumoulin and Jake Guentzel, draft picks who chose the college route, have been even better. Angello, a 2014 fifth-round pick, will gladly take the career trajectory of any of those players as he transitions to the pro game.

A hulking 6’5″ center who anchored the Cornell squad, Angello was also among the team’s top scorers this season. Angello finished the year tied in points and goals with linemate Trevor Yates, a recent signing of the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins, due in no small part to his ability in front of the net. Angello’s checking game and two-way intelligence also contributed to an impressive +16 rating. The Penguins don’t have a forward with Angello’s size and skill set anywhere in the pipeline and have to be excited to bring in the big 22-year-old. The Big Red scorer could be donning Pittsburgh black and yellow sooner rather than later.

Minor Transactions: 4/5/18

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It’s been a slow day for player movement as the regular season winds down, but some intriguing late action serves as a reminder that teams are still tweaking their rosters even this late in the season. 13 teams have been eliminated from postseason contention, but seven out West and five in the East have clinched spots and the remaining six are still fighting. For those lucky enough to still have eyes on the playoffs, there are important transactions to be made:

  • As has been commonplace through this season – and will finally come to an end soon – the San Jose Sharks have reassigned defenseman Tim Heed to their in-house AHL affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda themselves announced. Heed will suit up for the Barracuda tonight, just his sixth game in the minors this season. However, Heed has only skated in 29 games with the Sharks as well, as the 27-year-old rearguard has been passed back and forth continually but under-utilized overall.
  • The St. Louis Blues have recalled goalie Ville Husso, the recently-named AHL All-Rookie Team keeper, from the San Antonio Rampage. There has been no indication that this is an emergency call-up by the Blues, meaning Jake Allen and Carter Hutton are likely fine and the team will simply ride with three goalies to close out the season. St. Louis trails the Colorado Avalanche by one point with two games remaining, including a head-to-head match-up on Saturday.
  • The flood of young talent in Boston isn’t ending any time soon and fans can get another glimpse into the future by watching the remainder of the AHL’s Providence Bruins’ season. Boston assigned junior players Jack Studnicka and Kyle Keyser to their minor league affiliate, per The Boston Globe’s Kevin Paul Dupont, and the pair of Oshawa General teammates reported to the team today. Studnicka, the Bruins’ second-round pick last season, led the Generals in scoring this season with 72 points and did so on a team that featured two potential first-round forwards this June in Serron Noel and Allan McShane. Like fellow Boston prospects Trent Frederic and Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson, Studnicka is an intelligent, two-way center who the Bruins hope could grow into a Patrice Bergeron clone. Perhaps more impressive though has been the play of Keyser, an undrafted free agent signing, who has been one of the best goalies in the OHL this season and was recently named the General’s Most Valuable Player. Both Studnicka and Keyser had previosuly signed ELC’s, but will more than likely still return to junior to begin next season; for now they will get a taste of the pro game in anticipation of NHL futures on the way.

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