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Garth Snow, Doug Weight Relieved Of Duties By New York Islanders

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The hammer has dropped in New York, where Lou Lamoriello has announced that former GM Garth Snow and head coach Doug Weight have both been relieved of their duties. The press release indicates that both will “remain with the organization” though no word on any titles or responsibilities. Lamoriello will take over as GM, and begin the hiring process on a new coach.

Snow has been with the Islanders for more than a decade, hired in 2006 as GM immediately after his retirement from playing. That tenure hasn’t been filled with success, as the team has made the playoffs just four times and advanced through the first round once. That’s despite having an elite NHL center in John Tavares, someone who poses perhaps the most interesting question to come of the restructuring.

Tavares is notably close with Weight and Snow, and has previously given his vote of confidence to both. Some believe that he wanted the organization to stand behind Weight despite the team’s struggles this season, before re-signing this summer. Tavares of course is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st and is the prize of the market for any number of teams. Lamoriello has reportedly met with Tavares and his representation several times since taking the job, but there is still no clear decision from the 27-year old on whether he’ll test the free agent waters or not.

Weight was given just one year as the head coach, but saw the team take a substantial step backwards thanks to poor defensive play and inconsistent goaltending. The team could score—their top two pivots in Tavares and rookie Mathew Barzal both eclipsed 80 points—but not keep the puck out of their net on a regular basis. That’s not a style Lamoriello is familiar with (except perhaps from his recent days with Toronto) as his championship-winning New Jersey Devils teams of the past were some of the most defensively capable of any group in NHL history. Obviously it’s impossible to turn this Islanders team into that Scott Stevens-led trapping monster, but it would be a good bet to expect the team to make improvements in their own end.

Stevens in fact is an interesting candidate for the now vacant coaching position, as Lamoriello hired him in New Jersey as an assistant and then “co-coach” alongside Adam Oates. Stevens resigned his most recent post with the Minnesota Wild to be closer to his family that reside in New York, something he could obviously still do if employed by the Islanders.

There are other names that obviously come to mind, including Toronto’s Sheldon Keefe (head coach of the AHL Marlies) and D.J. Smith (assistant with the Maple Leafs) who should have a working relationship with Lamoriello, and Barry Trotz, who still doesn’t have a contract past this season and is one game away from winning a Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals.

Arthur Staple of The Athletic tweets that Weight’s entire coaching staff has likely been let go with him, meaning any of the above names (perhaps except for Trotz) could be in the running for assistant roles with whoever is given the head coaching position. It will be interesting to see who the legendary executive brings in to turn things around, and whether they’ll have the face of the franchise back in town—clean shaven, that is.

Detroit Red Wings Actively Shopping Xavier Ouellet

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In Craig Custance’ latest piece for The Athletic (subscription required), he lists through 20 names that could be moved this summer. Number 19, Nick Jensen of the Detroit Red Wings, comes with an interesting first paragraph:

The Red Wings are actively shopping defenseman Xavier Ouellet, who has one year remaining on a contract worth $1.25 million. “He wants a fresh start,” Red Wings GM Ken Holland said last week at the draft combine. That’s not necessarily an easy assignment since Ouellet had trouble cracking the lineup on a Detroit team that wasn’t particularly good.

Though Jensen is the target of the blurb, Ouellet sticks out as an interesting note as we get closer to draft day. The 24-year old defenseman has been underwhelming through his 141-game NHL career, but still could posses enough upside for a team to take a chance on him. The fact that the Red Wings are trying to move him doesn’t come as much of a surprise, as they currently project to have a bit of a logjam on defense next season if everyone comes back healthy.

Ouellet, selected 48th-overall in 2011, still hasn’t found a full-time role for the Red Wings. In 45 games this season he recorded just seven points, averaging fewer than 14 minutes a night. With the sheltered role—or perhaps in spite of it—Ouellet actually did put up reasonably good possession statistics and could be seen as an underutilized asset to another team. The league is getting a first-hand look at what underwhelming players can do in the right situation, with several of the Vegas defenders and Michal Kempny who is starring for the Washington Capitals after believing he was on his way out of the NHL just a few months ago.

Still, it’s hard to see the Red Wings bringing back anything of real value for Ouellet. Though a $1.25MM contract isn’t outlandish, it also might be a little too much for a team to risk when they don’t exactly know what kind of contribution they’ll get. That’s not to say there won’t be any takers, but to expect much of a return seems foolish at this point.

Ben Simon Named Head Coach Of Grand Rapids Griffins

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The Grand Rapids Griffins, AHL affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings, lost their head coach Todd Nelson to the Dallas Stars recently, but will have a familiar face taking over for him next season. Ben Simon, who worked as an assistant for the team the last three years has officially been named head coach.

The Griffins won a Calder Cup under Nelson in 2017, but failed to get past the Manitoba Moose this time around. After he joined Jim Montgomery’s new staff in Dallas, it wasn’t clear if the team would bring in a new face or promote from within. That answer is clear now, and Simon will get his first chance as a head coach in the AHL, after previously holding the role in the ECHL.

Simon, once an AHL journeyman himself, played 81 games in his NHL career and recorded just four points. He’ll try to impart some of his knowledge on what has been a very good minor league team of late, despite the lack of real high-end prospects. Ben Street, Eric Tangradi and Matt Lorito, three experienced professionals led the way this year, but are all unrestricted free agents this summer. Though it doesn’t seem like they’ll get a lot of opportunity elsewhere in the NHL, there’s no guarantee they’ll be back in Grand Rapids.

The Griffins will likely get Dennis Cholowski though, one of Detroit’s top prospects and a defenseman with extremely high potential. If he doesn’t crack the Red Wings lineup out of camp, Simon will be the one to mold Cholowski through his first full professional season.

St. Louis Blues Hire Drew Bannister For AHL Coaching Role

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The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds had a spectacular regular season in the OHL this year, losing just seven of 68 games in regulation and carrying five 30-goal scorers on the club. The head coach that is responsible for that outstanding season has been rewarded, as Drew Bannister is has been hired by the St. Louis Blues for their new AHL affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage. Bannister will take over the head coaching role after Eric Veilleux recently left the team and is now working in Halifax. Blues GM Doug Armstrong released this statement:

We are very excited to have Drew join our organization. He has proven himself over the past few seasons in the OHL and will be a perfect fit as we continue to develop our prospects through our affiliation with San Antonio.

Bannister actually grew up playing for the Greyhounds, before being drafted in the second round by the Tampa Bay Lightning and starting what would be a long professional career. Recording 30 points in 164 NHL games, he would eventually find himself travelling Europe playing in various leagues and countries. He came back as an assistant for the Owen Sound Attack, before quickly ascending to the head coaching position he’ll now be leaving.

For the Rampage, they start a new affiliation after previously being with the Colorado Avalanche. St. Louis, who didn’t have a primary AHL affiliate last year, will try to send the Rampage to another level with their glut of young prospects. Bannister, known for his development of young skilled players, will get a chance to work with prospects like Jordan Kyrou, Erik Foley, Klim Kostin and others before they end up in the NHL.

Poll: Superstar Defensemen On The Move

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Much has been made recently about the futures of five All-Star defenseman who are slated for free agency in 2019. Drew Doughty is working toward an extension with the Los Angeles Kings. Oliver Ekman-Larsson is sitting on an offer from the Arizona Coyotes. The Nashville Predators have made re-signing Ryan Ellis their priority this off-season. Ryan McDonagh was unable to bring home a Stanley Cup for the favorite Tampa Bay Lightning after a deadline blockbuster. And all of this has somehow overshadowed the potential availability of the Ottawa Senators’ Erik Karlsson. 

All five of these superstar defenders could sign extensions on July 1st. Of course, they could all be dealt away even sooner. Doughty seems closest on a deal, but has strict salary demands that could end up souring one side or the other. Ekman-Larsson has always seemed loyal to the Coyotes, but is understandably concerned about the future of the team given their struggles throughout his career. Ellis too has been a loyal soldier for the Predators and an extremely underpaid one at that. He could make far more and play a far greater role elsewhere. McDonagh was acquired for the Bolts to make a title run this year and next, but beyond that point the team may not be able to afford him. Finally, Karlsson is the ultimate prize. He has expressed a desire to get fair market value on his next deal and polarizing Ottawa owner Eugene Melnyk seems unlikely to match.

So, as the off-season gets underway and these five know that their futures will be determined in the next twelve months, the question is how many re-sign and how many move on, either via trade or free agency? Which of these stars will don the same jersey in 2019-20 as they did in 2017-18?

Karlsson, Doughty, OEL, Ellis, McDonagh: How Many Re-Sign With Their Current Team?
3 40.29% (365 votes)
2 26.27% (238 votes)
4 16.23% (147 votes)
All 9.49% (86 votes)
1 5.30% (48 votes)
None 2.43% (22 votes)
Total Votes: 906

Canucks Are Content With Draft Preparation

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The 2018 NHL Draft is less than three weeks away. Relative to length of the season, that seems like no time at all. However, in real time, that leaves teams more than enough time to continue evaluating film, talking with scouts, and meeting with draft-eligible prospects. Yet the Vancouver Canucks and GM Jim Benning would be ready to go if the draft was tomorrow instead. Ben Kuzma of The Province reports that the Canucks’ draft board is set and they have no follow-up visits with prospects planned.

In speaking with Benning, Kuzma relays that the Canucks spoke with the majority of the prospects at the recent NHL Draft Combine and feel that they do not need to meet with any of those players a second time in Vancouver. Kuzma opines that this either means they have no idea who will be available when they pick in the first round at seventh overall – although there is no limit to the amount of pre-draft visits a team is allowed and the Canucks could easily cover their bases – or that they feel their draft profiles for all potential targets are complete and they simply have no desire to speak with the players further. Benning said that he was “satisfied with the process of watching them play, the interviews and the physical and medical testing”, but one would think that with 17 days left before draft day, that Vancouver would continue to evaluate players in any way possible.

The other possible reason that the Canucks seem disinterested in spending more time on the draft is that Benning has his eye on trading the pick. Although he told Kuzma that “We think we’re getting a real good player at No. 7 and we like those who have a chance to be there”, it’s also hard to ignore this report in combination with rumors of the team listening to offers on the selection. In particular, it was discussed by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman that Vancouver could be the leader in the efforts to pry young stalwart defender Noah Hanifin out of Carolina. The Hurricanes could benefit from trading one of their many talented defensemen and a package including the seventh pick could be tantalizing. If the teams are deep in discussion about such a deal, Benning may not find further draft preparation to be a priority right now.

Only time will tell how it all plays out, but Kuzma’s report of the Canucks being content with their draft preparation this early in the process is certainly strange and worth keeping an eye on.

Negotiation Notes: No. 2 Pick, Nelson, Simon

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The Carolina Hurricanes and newly promoted GM Don Waddell are listening to offers on the second overall pick in the NHL Draft, but don’t expect them to make a move. Waddell spoke with the media at the NHL Draft Combine with week and said that if teams “want to present something to us, we’ll look at it” but, quickly added that “it’s going to be hard for us to move that pick.” After moving up nine spots in the draft lottery to #2, the Hurricanes are looking to make the most of their good luck. Although Carolina’s biggest need is a star center – something that isn’t available in this draft – they can still land a generational talent up front. Waddell stated that forwards Andrei Svechnikov, Filip Zadina, and Brady Tkachuk are the most likely candidates, but there could also be a possibility that Jesperi Kotkaniemi could slide into the spot, as the Finnish center has reportedly been flying up draft boards. Waddell did say that he was impressed with several of the top defensemen in this class, but feels the Hurricanes are well-stocked on the blue line. That is an understatement for what is one of the deepest and most talented groups in the league with promising prospects still on the way. Forward is the big need and the ’Canes seemed prime to make the pick, but Waddell will listen if another team is ready to blow him away with an offer or present him with an intriguing reason to move back in the first round.

  • Entering a crucial off-season, New York Islanders forward Brock Nelson has decided to move on from his current representation, according to The Athletic’s Arthur Staple. Nelson has hired Ben Hankinson of Octagon Sports to handle his negotiations this summer as he enters restricted free agency. As Staple points out, Nelson’s last foray as an RFA did not go smoothly. Former agent Ron Salcer struggled in his dealings with the Islanders and talks grew contentious over the 2015 off-season. Nelson ended up finally re-signing with the Isles on the eve of training camp. Although Nelson has the benefit of arbitration rights this time around, he would still prefer a more civil negotiation with New York and new addition Lou Lamoriello in his new pursuit of an extension.
  • Contrary to an erroneous report, the agent for young Pittsburgh Penguins forward Dominik Simon says that his client has no immediate interest in leaving North America. Agent Allan Walsh dismissed rumors that Simon could join Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the KHL if the Penguins did not offer the part-time winger a one-way contract extension, reports Jonathan Bombulie of the Tribune-Review. Walsh states that Simon is focused only on playing in Pittsburgh in the future and that any talk with foreign teams would be originating from the teams themselves and not the player side. Simon is an RFA this summer and at 23 scored twelve points in 33 games as a rookie and impressed at the AHL level as well. It would be no surprise to see him land a one-way contract, but Walsh makes it sound as if that won’t make a difference in where he plays next season.

Latest On Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s Future In Arizona

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Recently we learned that Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2019, has been given an eight-year, $66MM  ($8.25MM AAV) contract extension offer by the Arizona Coyotes. The team is waiting for a decision from their superstar defenseman, though nothing can officially be signed until July 1st when Ekman-Larsson is less than a year away from free agency. Nothing stops the team and player from agreeing to terms before that date, and as hockey insider Bob McKenzie opines in his latest Bobcast for TSN, they could also potentially move to a different course of action depending on the answer.

The general sense from within the organization is they’re optimistic [he’ll re-sign]. They believe that Ekman-Larsson is more likely than not to want to stay for the next eight years in Arizona, and take the 8x$8.25MM deal. I’m not saying he’s not, only that I don’t think he’s made that final decision yet. Last I heard he was in France on a vacation—and I’m not sure if there’s a specific timeline here—but I would have to think in the next week or two, the Arizona Coyotes want to know from Ekman-Larsson and his representatives ’is he prepared to commit to that long-term deal?’ Because if he’s not, then there’s no doubt in my mind that Arizona will try to trade him.

The fact that Ekman-Larsson hasn’t made a final decision yet isn’t surprising, as he only recently finished playing at the IIHF World Championship and has plenty of time to weigh all of his options. The interesting part though is that McKenzie believes that the Coyotes would try to trade him, presumably this summer, if they can’t get a deal. In fact, McKenzie goes on to say that he believes the team hasn’t ruled something like that out at this point:

I believe that Arizona has kept its options open in that regard. I don’t think that they’re being real proactive, picking up the phone and calling teams and saying ’Hey do you want to trade for Ekman-Larsson?’ but I think they’re well aware of which teams are interested in Ekman-Larsson, and that there is ongoing dialogue that if a trade were to become necessary, how they would go about it. Their priority, no doubt about it, is to get Ekman-Larsson signed to that eight-year extension.

Obviously none of this is a concrete report that Ekman-Larsson will be traded, or that he will re-sign with the Coyotes in the coming weeks. He may not make a decision for months and the team could be fine waiting until part way through the season before making a final decision on his future. But the idea that Arizona would strongly consider a trade should he turn down the offer—which McKenzie believes is as high as the team is willing to go salary-wise—does add another intriguing name to the market this summer. A player like Ekman-Larsson could generate the most interest out of anyone not named John Tavares, and really change the market for a player like John Carlson who currently looks like the best puck-moving option available. Ekman-Larsson would come with just one year left on his contract, but could potentially sign an extension with any acquiring team right away.

Still, the 26-year old defenseman has never given any indication that he is frustrated with Arizona, despite the speculation that has surrounded him while the team struggles on the ice. After a relatively successful second half of the 2017-18 season, perhaps he believes the franchise is headed in the right direction with young players like Clayton Keller and Jakob Chychrun at the wheel. The team has gone out of their way to provide a support system for Ekman-Larsson has he dealt with a tough personal year, and it has never seemed like the relationship between organization and star has waned.

As we approach the NHL Entry Draft in less than three weeks, more player movement will surely arise and teams will start organizing their depth charts for the 2018-19 season. If the ball is truly in Ekman-Larsson’s court, he could drastically change the market on the draft floor by making a decision by then. Even if he takes the contract, strategies for the Coyotes and other teams could be altered, if only as another 2019 “Superclass” member drops off the table.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Snapshots: Josi, Condors, Kempny

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Roman Josi couldn’t drag the Nashville Predators or Switzerland to victory this year, but it wasn’t for a lack of effort. As reported in swisshockeynews.ch today, Josi broke his hand in the IIHF World Championship semi-final game against Canada, but still suited up in the final for nearly 30 minutes of ice time. Apparently the Swiss team needed to get permission from the Predators to have him continue to play, likely meaning it’s not a serious injury for the Nashville captain.

Josi will be expected to log big minutes once again for the Predators next season as he continues to close in on the end of his current contract. The 28-year old defenseman is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2020, meaning an extension from GM David Poile and the team just over a year from now seems like almost a sure thing. Josi will carry a cap hit of just $4MM this season and next, another one of the Predators’ mind-boggling bargains on the back end. He, Mattias Ekholm and Ryan Ellis combine for just a $10.25MM cap hit and are among the best at their position—broken hand and all.

  • The Bakersfield Condors have hired Dave Manson as an assistant coach for next season, joining the Edmonton Oilers’ AHL affiliate and head coach Jay Woodcroft. Manson, former NHL player and father of Anaheim Ducks’ defenseman Josh Manson, had been coaching with the Prince Albert Raiders since his retirement in 2002. The Condors will try to get back to the playoffs next season, after finishing just 31-27-10 in 2017-18.
  • Michal Kempny has been a huge part of the Washington Capitals success since coming over from the Chicago Blackhawks during the season, but even he wasn’t expecting to have such an impact. In fact, according to Frank Seravalli of TSN, Kempny was considering returning to Europe at some point as he doubted his future in the NHL. The 27-year old shouldn’t have to worry about that any longer, as he’s done enough to earn a contract offer from the Capitals at very least, and likely many more suitors on the open market should he decide to test unrestricted free agency this summer.

Free Agent Focus: New York Rangers

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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 New York’s free agent situation.

Key Restricted Free Agents: F Vladislav Namestnikov – The Rangers have plenty of restricted free agents to sign this summer, and while Kevin Hayes and other forwards may have had a bigger impact on the team, it’s Namestnikov that remains the biggest enigma. After coming over from the Tampa Bay Lightning at the deadline as part of the Ryan McDonagh trade, Namestnikov failed to find much chemistry with his new team. The 25-year old registered just four points in 19 games down the stretch, after notching 44 in Tampa Bay (mostly alongside Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov). Those 44 had already guaranteed he would reach a career-high in points, and he had already cracked 20 goals by the end of February.

There is still some question as to where he fits into the Rangers plans though. As the team continues to try and get younger, they essentially swapped two players the same age when they sent J.T. Miller along with McDonagh to Tampa Bay. Now Namestnikov, the 27th-overall pick from 2011, will have to show that the team actually upgraded with that trade and show he can be a top-six contributor in 2018-19 and beyond. Since he’ll be turning 26 in November any long-term deal will be buying out several unrestricted free agent seasons, substantially increasing the cap hit of the overall deal. After being paid an average of just $1.94MM the last two years, Namestnikov will be looking for a substantial raise. It’s not clear if New York wants to commit long-term to a player that has had trouble producing when not playing alongside elite linemates.

D Brady Skjei – If Namestnikov is the most unclear decision on the team’s RFA list, Skjei might be the most important. The 24-year old turned into one of the team’s most reliable defensemen in the second half of 2016-17, and showed again that he could be a big time contributor this season. Though his point production dropped significantly, Skjei was asked to log more than 21 minutes a night for a team whose defensive unit was constantly in flux. McDonagh was traded midseason, Kevin Shattenkirk dealt with injury and Brendan Smith was banished to the minor leagues, leaving Skjei the lone defender who could be counted on all season.

Skjei is coming off his entry-level contract later than many other impact players, meaning that he’s closer to unrestricted free agency than many would be heading into their second deal. It’s clear that he is a player to build around for the Rangers, and signing him long-term right now is the only way to really keep his cap hit to a reasonable amount. If the team (or player, for that matter) decides to mitigate risk and sign a short-term bridge deal, it could end up costing them in the long run if Skjei continues to improve and looks for a big-money extension when he’s 26 or 27.

Other RFAs: F Ryan Spooner, F Kevin Hayes, F Jimmy Vesey, D Rob O’Gara, D John Gilmour, G Marek Mazanec, F Steven Fogarty, F Boo Nieves, F Chris Bigras, F Adam Tambellini

Key Unrestricted Free Agent: G Ondrej Pavelec – The Rangers sold hard at the deadline to rid themselves of nearly all valuable unrestricted free agents, leaving Pavelec as the last remaining big ticket. The team does have other potential internal options as a backup for Henrik Lundqvist, but there’s not much to complain about with their situation this year. Pavelec recorded a .910 save percentage in 19 games, and though his record was poor that’s more a reflection on the team in front of him than his performance. The former Winnipeg Jets goaltender signed for just $1.3MM this season, and could likely be brought back for a similar amount in 2018-19.

Otherwise, Pavelec would likely have several suitors around the league as a reasonably priced backup with plenty of experience. The 30-year old goaltender has played 398 games in the NHL, and could come in as a 20-game backup for one of the more established goaltenders in the league. There is also always a chance he could return to the Czech Republic as a starter, though it’s been more than a decade since he played there full-time.

Other UFAs: F Paul Carey, F Cody McLeod, D Ryan Sproul, F Daniel Catenacci, F John Albert

Projected Cap Space: The Rangers currently project to have somewhere around $30MM in cap space to spend this summer, but a lot of that will be eaten up by the group of RFAs requiring new contracts. If every one of Skjei, Spooner, Hayes, Vesey and Namestnikov are signed, the team could be looking at a lot less room to operate with for the rest of the summer. The idea that they’ll just re-sign what they have and go into next season with the same group seems foolish, especially with young players like Filip Chytil and Lias Andersson knocking down the door.

With three first-round picks and plenty of young prospects starting to fill the cupboards, it wouldn’t be surprising if New York was one of the most active teams this offseason. Either continuing to trade experience for youth and building towards a window of contention in a few years, or reloading to get back to the playoffs in the short-term, the Rangers are a team to watch closely as the draft approaches in a few weeks.

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