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Perron, Carrier Draw In For Vegas In Game Five

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If the amount of Washington fans able buy Game Five tickets off of Vegas fans or the look on Alex Ovechkin’s face is any indication, this Stanley Cup final series is already over. However, the Golden Knights are not going to give up that easy. Underestimated since their inception, the team knows how to fight through adversity and tonight is no different.

To shake things up in an effort to extend the series, head coach Gerard Gallant has made some surprise changes to his lineup. Per beat writer Steve Carp, drawing back in after being a scratch in the last game is veteran winger David Perron. He will be joined by energetic checker William Carrier, who has missed the past ten games due to injury. Yet Tomas Tatar will remain in the lineup for the Knights after filling in for Perron in Game Four. Instead, bottom six contributors Ryan Carpenter and Ryan Reaves will take a seat for what may be the team’s final game of their inaugural season. Here is the projected lineup.

While Perron’s production has slowed in the postseason – no goals and eight assists in fourteen games – he in undeniably an offensive upgrade to Carpenter or Reaves. The 30-year-old winger has 444 points in 722 NHL games, including a career-high 66 points with Vegas this year. If the Knights plan to outscore the Capitals tonight, they will need both Perron and Tatar on the ice. While Carrier may be cold, he is also a pesky defensive presence and a vicious, but clean checker. Carrier brings a different element to the bottom six that Vegas has been lacking and could help to slow down the torrid Caps attack.

Will these moves make a difference? Tune in to a possibly deciding Game Five to find out.

Niklas Svedberg To Sign In Sweden

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It was a short-lived NHL comeback for goaltender Niklas Svedberg. The 28-year-old free agent returned from two years abroad in the KHL with a one-year deal with the Minnesota Wild, but is now reportedly headed back to his native Sweden. A Swedish newspaper, the Kvalls Posten, revealed that Svedberg has agreed to terms with Timra IK of the SHL and two sides are hammering out the details of a contract, per GM Kent Norberg.

Svedberg originally made a name for himself in Sweden, breaking into the elite ranks with MODO at just 17 years old in 2007-08. He played five seasons in the SHL, including three as a starter, and led Brynas IF to the championship in 2012. Following his success overseas, the undrafted keeper signed a two-year deal with the Boston Bruins. Svedberg entered the NHL with high expectations that a combination of underwhelming performance and a lack of opportunity has kept him from reaching. In his first year in Boston, Svedberg was blocked by the emergence of Anton Khudobin as the backup to Tuukka Rask and did not play a single game in the NHL that year for the eventual Eastern Conference champions. However, he did post top marks in the AHL. The next season, Svedberg finally made his debut, but was held to just the one impressive outing as Boston again got reliable backup play, this time from Chad Johnson. Meanwhile, his play dropped off in the AHL. Finally, in 2014-15, Svedberg was promised the backup job in Boston and re-signed with the team. He performed well, posting a .918 SV% and 2.33 GAA, but did so in just 18 appearances as Rask started 70 games.

Seemingly was fed up with his role in Boston and unable to find work elsewhere in the league, Sveberg left for the KHL in 2015 and proceeded to serve as the starter for Salavat Yulaev Ufa for the next two seasons. Although he was the unchallenged starter, Svedberg’s performance in the KHL last year was the worst of his pro career and the journeyman goalie decided he would settle for a backup job in the NHL, signing with the Minnesota Wild last summer. Again, Svedberg’s luck was poor; he expected to replace Darcy Kuemper as the backup to Devan Dubnyk, but instead lost the job in camp to Alex Stalock and did not make an appearance with Minnesota this year. His performance with AHL Iowa was pedestrian as well.

Now, Svedberg seems to be content to just head home to Sweden and make his living as a starter in the SHL. He has his work cut out for him with Timra, who return to the country’s top league after being relegated back in 2013. The team has some promising young talent up front, but the adjustment to tougher competition will be much smoother with Svedberg in net. With that said, a recently promoted team is unlikely to be immediately successful and Svedberg may not put up flashy numbers with the team. As such, it may be hard for him to work his way back into the international spotlight. The NHL may have seen the last of Svedberg.

Mike Hoffman Trade Speculation Heats Up

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If you didn’t believe Darren Dreger when he told TSN 1200 yesterday that Mike Hoffman was likely to be traded before or during the June 22nd NHL Entry Draft, perhaps you’ll take another look after Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic was on the same radio station today explaining the situation surrounding the speedy winger.

From what I understand I think there’s a really strong chance that Hoffman gets dealt in the next couple of weeks here. But I think [the return] depends on the team you end up dealing with. Different teams have different assets, that if you’re [Senators GM] Pierre Dorion probably appeal to you. For example, let’s just pretend the Calgary Flames—who we know did reach out to Ottawa before the trade deadline about Mike Hoffman—you know if you’re Ottawa, you’ve got to look at Sam Bennett do you not? Is that not a desirable asset, hoping that you can turn the young man’s career around, and he’s a center? But if it’s another team it could be a younger player. I think it really depends on what team you end up finding a fit [with] in terms of the return.

At the very basic minimum, my understanding is that the Senators would want multiple assets back. Certainly not just a one-for-one.

Hoffman, 28, is coming off another 20-goal season and has two seasons left on his current contract. Able to bring speed and skill to any lineup, there will certainly be several suitors knocking down Dorion’s door to get a chance at him. For the Senators, trading him means giving up on the chemistry he seemed to build with Matt Duchene in the second half of the season, and attempting to rebuild with younger assets.

This summer could be one filled with fireworks for the Ottawa front office, as Erik Karlsson finds himself amid a hurricane of trade rumors as well. The superstar defenseman is heading into the final year of his current contract, and if the Senators can’t re-sign him quickly after July 1st the distraction might prove too much for a team trying to get back into the playoffs. Karlsson remains one of the top prizes on the trade market, but Hoffman doesn’t fall far behind.

Though teams have other options this summer with the free agent market looking like it will have players like James van Riemsdyk, James Neal and David Perron available, none are quite the style of player Hoffman is and will likely all demand longer contracts on the open market. For teams like the aforementioned Calgary Flames, he might seem like a much more appetizing option, even if he will cost multiple assets.

Ottawa is also facing a situation where they do not have a first-round pick next season, regardless of where it ends up. That’s thanks to the top-10 protection they placed on this year’s selection they sent Colorado for Duchene, which ended up landing at fourth-overall after the team struggled to find any success. It’s been a clear goal of the team to get back into the first round next season, as the team doesn’t look anywhere close to being a Stanley Cup contender and has never been able to afford quick fixes from the free agent market. Trading Hoffman and Karlsson though becomes a scary proposition when Colorado could potentially select first-overall in next year’s draft, and get to bring Jack Hughes (or another top prospect) in while Ottawa flounders at the bottom of the standings. Making a team that wins just enough to keep Colorado out of the top-10 may seem petty, but the pain from giving up a top pick can feel like too much to bear.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Edmonton Oilers Trying To Rid Themselves Of Milan Lucic

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When the Edmonton Oilers signed Milan Lucic to a seven-year, $42MM contract in the summer of 2016, he was expected to bring a big, tough presence to a team that had lacked it in the past. The power forward had been a 30-goal scorer in the past, and was still in his late-twenties and expected to be effective for several years. Today, as Lucic celebrates his 30th birthday, speculation has risen about his future in Edmonton.

On Edmonton radio today, Frank Seravalli of TSN reported that the Oilers are talking to other teams to try and trade Lucic and get rid of his contract:

My understanding, and the reason that Milan Lucic is on our [TSN Trade Bait] list, is from my understanding they’re trying and talking to teams about potentially taking another contract back—even if that means sweetening the pot with a pick or some other roster player in order to make it happen—they’re pushing, or at least doing their due diligence and working to move on from Milan Lucic if they can. I just don’t know if it’s going to happen with that much term left, it’s going to be a really tough one to do.

Lucic is coming off the worst full season of his career, with just 10 goals and 34 points in 82 games. Though still able to protect the puck and help his team out through the neutral zone, Lucic looked a step behind the play at times and unable to really assert himself in the offensive zone. His minutes were reduced in the latter part of the season, averaging just 13:41 in his final 15 games.

The Oilers could perhaps have an ace up their sleeve if they are truly trying to trade the big winger. On July 1st, Lucic is owed a $3.5MM signing bonus on what was a front-loaded contract, meaning any acquiring team will only need to pay him $22.5MM over the last five years of the contract. Though his cap hit of $6MM is still troublesome for several clubs in the league, a team with ample space might be more amenable to a player earning an average of just $4.5MM over the next several years. If the Oilers were to retain salary in the transaction, they could reduce that number even more.

There is of course the chance that Lucic bounces back from his terrible season. He hadn’t posted a full season without at least 42 points since his rookie year in 2007-08, and had scored 23 goals as recently as 2016-17. Though he may not be the high-end scoring player he once was, an effective third-line player for less than $4.5MM doesn’t seem so bad. If Edmonton can find a team that is willing to take on the money in exchange for that “sweetened pot,” perhaps there is a deal to be made. Otherwise, they’ll have to hope for that bounce back season on their own, and try to fit Lucic into a roster that desperately needs to get back to the playoffs in 2018-19.

Free Agent Focus: Carolina Hurricanes

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Free agency is now a little less than a month away from opening up and there are quite a few prominent players set to hit the open market while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign.  Here is a breakdown of Carolina’s free agent situation.

Key Restricted Free Agents: F Elias Lindholm – The Hurricanes weren’t able to find much success in terms of wins and losses in 2017-18, and much of that had to do with some inconsistency from nearly every position. One of the only players that has been able to find some of that consistency through his first few years in the league is Lindholm, who went about another 40-point season with solid contributions in the faceoff circle and the penalty kill. If the team were to acquire a real first-line center Lindholm would likely be pushed down in the lineup, but he’s proven that he can be an impact player that doesn’t hurt you at either end of the ice.

He’s coming off a two-year $5.4MM contract that he signed in 2015, and should get a healthy raise after recording 89 points in 153 games. Where that number lands isn’t exactly clear, but one could look at teammate Victor Rask’s six-year $24MM deal as a point of comparison. Rask was also 23 at the time of that contract, though he didn’t have nearly as much NHL experience as Lindholm heads into this summer with.

D Noah Hanifin – The bigger question mark among Carolina restricted free agents is Hanifin, who could either be locked up long-term or shipped out of town. The rumor mill has swirled around the 21-year old defenseman for the past year, mostly because of the Hurricanes’ depth on defense. Hanifin would generate a ton of interest around the league and bring in a big package for the Hurricanes, but could be more useful stepping into a bigger role on the team next year and beyond. While it’s clear that Carolina will move at least one of their defenders, that could Justin Faulk with Hanifin instead being signed to a long-term deal.

No one can really get a read on owner Tom Dundon and GM Don Waddell, but there are clearly changes coming in Carolina. Hanifin will be an interesting measuring stick to see just how far the new executive group wants to go in shaking up the core of the team.

Other RFAs: F Phillip Di Giuseppe, F Joakim Nordstrom, D Trevor van Riemsdyk, F Andrew Poturalski, F Sergey Tolchinsky, F Greg McKegg, D Tyler Ganly, D Keegan Kanzig, F Lucas Wallmark, F Valentin Zykov

Key Unrestricted Free Agent: F Derek Ryan – Though Carolina needs some center help, it looks as though Ryan is destined for free agency as the team prepares to promote Martin Necas to the big club next season. Ryan, 31, has been a sneakily-good player since making his NHL debut at the age of 29 two years ago. With 38 points in 80 games this season and solid faceoff and possession statistics, there will be interest from around the league in the professional journeyman.

Heading to a new team is nothing new for Ryan, but he’ll likely be looking for a multi-year deal that can keep him in one place for a few seasons. After re-signing with the Hurricanes for just under $1.43MM last summer, there could be a hefty raise in order this time around. Ryan heads to free agency in a relatively weak center market, as after John Tavares and perhaps Joe Thornton, options get thin very quickly.

Other UFAs: F Lee Stempniak, G Cam Ward, D Dennis Robertson, D Jake Chelios, G Jeremy Smith, D Philip Samuelsson, D Brenden Kichton

Projected Cap Space: The Hurricanes have never been an upper-limit team, and head into this summer with more than $30MM in cap space depending on where the ceiling lands. While that should afford them the opportunity to be big players in free agency, it really comes down to how much Dundon is willing to spend in his first offseason. The team has previously worked under an internal budget that has limited big free agent splashes, but with a new owner in the mix the Hurricanes are something of a wildcard.

Their restricted free agents should take up a big chunk of that cap room, but there is certainly enough to go around if they decide to wheel and deal. They’d have to pitch any incoming free agents on a new Carolina organization, but with up-and-coming players and a veteran leader in Justin Williams on the roster, perhaps they could draw the attention of some of this summer’s biggest names.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Carolina Hurricanes Expected To Select Andrei Svechnikov

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If there was any doubt that the Carolina Hurricanes would select Andrei Svechnikov second-overall in the upcoming draft, it was put to rest today when GM Don Waddell all but confirmed it to Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer. Waddell told Alexander that it was “safe to assume” that Svechnikov would be the pick if Rasmus Dahlin goes first overall to the Buffalo Sabres as expected.

Svechnikov going to the Hurricanes means that Montreal and Ottawa will get their chances at Filip Zadina and Brady Tkachuk, listed by many as the most impressive forward prospects in the draft after the Russian winger. Still, there are some who believe one or both teams will go for a defenseman or center, like Quinn Hughes, Evan Bouchard or Jesperi Kotkaniemi. The draft is by no means finalized, though Carolina seems to have honed in on their next potential superstar.

The 18-year old Svechnikov is an incredible prospect, who scored 40 goals in 44 games for the Barrie Colts while missing time due to a hand injury and the World Juniors. Able to dominate in several different manners all over the ice, he is expected to step right into the NHL and be a difference maker. There’s no guarantee that he’ll fulfill his impressive offensive potential, but it’s exactly what the Hurricanes have been looking for for so long. The team has struggled to find stars to build around up front, but with Sebastian Aho’s development into a legitimate top line player and Teuvo Teravainen’s march to 64 points this season, there is a young core ready to take over.

That could mean the end of the line for a player like Jeff Skinner, who has been rumored in trade for some time. Though he has shown a capability as one of the best goal-scorers in the league, the team has never been able to rely on him to create much offense for his teammates. A trade would obviously bring back a haul of other assets, something that could help Svechnikov and the rest as they head into their next chapter.

Waddell did leave some room for speculation on whether the Hurricanes would trade the pick, saying that Svechnikov would be the pick “if” it was Carolina who made it. Before any rumors get out of hand though, the Hurricanes GM said that he’d have to be blown away by an offer and that it hadn’t happened yet. That makes sense, as some are listing Svechnikov among the best forward prospects in several years, and he seems to be a perfect fit for the direction Carolina is headed.

Tampa Bay Lightning Re-Sign Daniel Walcott

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The Tampa Bay Lightning have re-signed defenseman Daniel Walcott to a one-year, two-way contract. Walcott is still waiting to make his NHL debut, but has been a big part of the Syracuse Crunch defense corps for the last few seasons. Scheduled to become a restricted free agent this summer, he’ll now stick with the organization through the 2018-19 season, after which he likely will qualify for Group VI free agent status.

Walcott, 24, was originally drafted by the New York Rangers but traded for a seventh-round pick in 2015. The Lightning quickly inserted him into their minor league system, where he was given the “A” as an alternate captain for the Crunch this season. Despite his relatively small stature, the 5’11” Walcott isn’t really an offensive player and instead relies on good defensive zone positioning and a crisp first pass out of the zone. He recorded a career-high 16 points this season, while helping the Crunch to their 46-22-8 record.

Since he’ll be 25 at the conclusion of next season, Walcott will be eligible for Group VI unrestricted free agency should he fail to play in 80 games with the Lightning. That is almost an impossibility while part of the Tampa Bay organization, meaning he’s headed for the open market a year from now. Whether he’ll stay in the system or try to find a role on another team won’t be decided for some time, as for now he’s headed back to Syracuse to try and win the Calder Cup in 2018-19.

St. Louis Blues Pursuing Top Centers This Summer

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The St. Louis Blues decided to trade Paul Stastny at the deadline this year, despite still being within striking distance of the playoffs. That marked the second consecutive season that GM Doug Armstrong traded away a star on an expiring contract, after dealing Kevin Shattenkirk to the Washington Capitals in 2017. In doing so, and not re-signing Stastny to a contract extension they’ve left themselves with something of a hole up the middle for next season. After Brayden Schenn, the team doesn’t have a clear second-line center unless one of their young forwards comes in and impresses in camp, or someone like Alex Steen or Robby Fabbri is moved back to the position.

That’s where GM Doug Armstrong comes in, who recently spoke to Mike Zeisberger of NHL.com and confirmed that the team would be going after a center in trade or free agency. Armstrong’s been given the financial backing from ownership, and is on the lookout for some help up the middle:

We have Robert Thomas there, but is he ready to enter prime time as a second-line center? That’s a large chore to ask for a 19-year-old. Probably adding to our depth in the middle would be a goal. Alexander Steen has played center before, Robby Fabbri has played center before, Jaden Schwartz has played center before, so if we have to circle back in, and the players we’re looking at don’t hit free agency or choose different paths, we’d have to adjust to that. But I would say center ice would be an area we’d look to do something in. But like we are at the Draft, in free agency we’re always looking at good players.

The question that will invariably come up after answers like this is how aggressive the Blues will be when it comes to John Tavares. The New York Islanders superstar is the obvious choice for any center upgrade this summer, and St. Louis could afford to fit him into their salary structure. The team projects to have around $18MM of cap space depending on where exactly the upper limit lands, and though they have free agents of their own to re-sign they’re not locked into big-money contracts just yet.

If it’s not Tavares, then Zeisberger lists Joe Thornton, Stastny and Tyler Bozak as the center headliners on the free agent market this summer. Whether the Blues would have any interest in those three is unclear, but there is obviously a plan in place to improve the middle of the ice in some fashion.

It is interesting that Armstrong would mention Thomas, as he’s in the precarious situation that faces many top young players. Thomas won’t turn 19 until July 2nd, meaning that he can only play in the NHL or CHL next season, not the minor leagues. There’s no seasoning to be had for him in the AHL before assuming the second-line center role, meaning he would have to really impress the team in camp. That’s not impossible, as Thomas has taken huge steps forward since being selected 20th-overall last year, and could be ready to step into the lights of the NHL right away. More likely though is that the Blues go out and find another option, perhaps even one on a very short-term deal, to give Thomas and others another year of development.

Chicago Blackhawks Agree To Terms With Andreas Martinsen

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The Chicago Blackhawks have decided to bring back Andreas Martinsen for another year, signing the hulking forward to a one-year extension. No word yet on if the deal is a two-way contract, or what cap hit it carries. Martinsen was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st.

Acquired just before the season began from the Montreal Canadiens, Martinsen ended up playing just nine games for the Blackhawks. Most of his year was spent in the minor leagues with the Rockford IceHogs, where he registered 28 points in 64 games and continued to be the physical presence he’s known for in North America. The Norwegian forward once recorded 41 points in 50 games in the German DEL, but has been a fourth-liner for during his NHL career. With just 19 points in 128 games, he shouldn’t be expected to be much of a contributor to the Hawks offense next season, even if he gets the chance to play in the NHL.

The Blackhawks have several other veteran UFAs in the minors, but are facing an offseason without the huge contract negotiations they’ve faced in the past. With just a few restricted free agents, the team can instead focus a lot of their attention on finding a way to get back to the playoffs in 2018-19. The team should have a little cap wiggle room for the first time in a while, and could be players both on draft day—as they hold two first-round picks—and free agency.

NCAA Notes: Boston University, Illinois, Penn State

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Boston University has been on the hunt for a new head coach ever since David Quinn left for the New York Rangers. Although they considered Boston Bruins assistant Jay Pandolfo, former NHLer and current head coach at The Rivers School Shawn McEachern, and Union College head coach Rick Bennett, the team ended up deciding to promote assistant Albie O’Connell. The school announced O’Connell as their twelfth head coach in program history and another in a long line of alumni who have filled the role. O’Connell played four seasons at BU under legendary coach Jack Parker from 1996 to 1999, winning four Beanpot titles and a Hockey East Conference championship and captaining the team as a senior. A fifth-round draft pick of the New York Islanders in 1994, O’Connell never reached the NHL and eventually transitioned into coaching with stops at Colby, Niagara, Holy Cross, Merrimack, Northeastern, and Harvard. He joined Quinn’s staff at BU in 2014 and was instrumental in the recruiting and development of several stars such as Jack Eichel, Charlie McAvoy, and Jordan Greenway. O’Connell inherits a team that was a win away from a Frozen Four berth this year and is set to add potential first round pick Jake Wise to the mix among others.

  • Given the success of the Big Ten Conference this year, in particular how well the relatively new Penn State performed, it’s not surprising that Big Ten members in other sports are now beginning to consider adding hockey. University of Illinois Athletic Director Josh Whitman acknowledged today that he is “increasingly confident” that the school will field a team in the near future. While the scholarship and roster management and Title IX compliance challenges alone are overwhelming, Illinois would also have to raise an estimated $50-60MM to build an arena for the team. However, interest is high and donations are already coming in earmarked for a hockey program that doesn’t yet exist. Whitman feels that the chance to jump into an elite conference and immediately attract high-end athletes is too much to pass up and hopes that the Champaign would be quick to embrace a team. It sounds like it’s only a matter of time before the Fighting Illini are the newest NCAA Division I team.
  • Speaking of Penn State, the team got some good news recently when forward Will Cuylle announced his commitment to the program. The 16-year-old Toronto native was recently selected third overall by the Peterborough Petes in the OHL Priority Selection Draft and has great upside as a player, but appears to have chosen against pursuing the major junior route in favor of the college game. The big winger already plays a strong power forward game, equipped with checking ability and a howitzer shot, but seemingly feels that he can develop better outside of the OHL. Cuylle is not eligible for the NHL Draft until 2020 and will not join Penn State until at least 2020-21, so there is time for him to change his mind, but right now it seems like an incredible acquisition for the upstart program.

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