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Central Notes: Trouba, Kunin, Josi

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The Jets and Jacob Trouba weren’t able to work out an agreement on a contract and wound up going through salary arbitration with him being awarded $5.5MM.  The defenseman told Postmedia’s Ken Wiebe that he’s hopeful to avoid going that route next offseason and indicated that he remains open to signing a long-term pact with the team, acknowledging that there were long-term deals discussed over the summer.  Winnipeg has several players in the final year of their contract including fellow blueliner Tyler Myers plus wingers Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor and already has nearly $52.5MM committed to just 11 players for 2019-20.  While Winnipeg may certainly be interested in giving Trouba a long-term contract, they may not be able to afford to do so without clearing out someone else to create the cap space.

More from the Central:

  • Minnesota may be without winger Luke Kunin to start the season. Speaking with reporters, including Dane Mizutani of the Pioneer Press, he noted that he has not been cleared for contact from the ACL surgery he underwent back in early April.  He’s slated to be re-evaluated in early October but even if he gets the green light, he may not be ready for the opener.  The 20-year-old split the season between the Wild and their AHL affiliate in Iowa; he had two goals and two assists in 19 NHL games plus ten goals and nine helpers in 36 minor league contests.
  • Predators defenseman Roman Josi has switched agencies, reports Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. After previously being with Maloney & Thompson Sports Management, he has joined Wasserman/Orr Hockey.  Despite the switch, it will still be a little while before the blueliner can negotiate a new contract as he’s ineligible for a contract extension until July 1st.  At that time, Josi will certainly be looking for a significant increase on his current $4MM cap hit.

Free Agency Notes: Blue Jackets, Islanders, Edler

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Even if the Columbus Blue Jackets are the best team in the NHL this season – something some analytics pundits don’t think is outside the realm of possibility – the recurring story line all season will be the impending free agency of stars Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky. Much has been made about the futures of these two all-world players, but now that training camp has arrived, the question is whether their fates have already been decided.

As The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline writes, Paranin did set a deadline of September 13th for all contract negotiations to be completed, stating that he would not continue negotiations in-season. That deadline has now passed. However, Portzline also notes that this ultimatum was issued not long after Panarin rejected an extension offer from the Blue Jackets. Perhaps Panarin’s deadline was more about pressuring Columbus to trade him prior to the beginning of the season than it was to come together on a new contract. Yet, GM Jarmo Kekalainen does not see it that way: “There’s no such deadline in my book. It’s July 1, 2019″.” The team clearly believes that their best plan of action is to enter the season with Panarin and see how things go, continually pushing for an extension up to or through the trade deadline.

Meanwhile, Portzline notes that Bobrovsky has spent much of his off-season alongside Panarin and there is a chance that he has rubbed off on the veteran goaltender. Negotiations with Bobrovsky have reportedly been ongoing and there is no reason to think that they won’t continue. Of course, the Blue Jackets have no plans to trade Bobrovsky and may not all year. However, Portzline also writes that Bobrovsky’s mood when speaking with the media yesterday implied that he may also be ready to walk at season’s end. Bobrovsky said “After last season, I told the situation to the management of the Blue Jackets, so they know everything. They know my plans for the season. They know my plans for the future. They know everything.” When asked if that meant that this season would be his last in Columbus, he added “We’ll see. You have to ask them.” Portzline even says that Bobrovsky briefly spoke in the past tense about his time with the team and seemed like a person whose mind was made up. It wasn’t exactly the positive note that the team and its fans wanted to begin the season with, but then again success can be the solution to many problems. A strong start to the season, and especially a strong end to the season, could convince either player to re-sign and keep the Blue Jackets trending toward being Stanley Cup contenders.

  • Anders Lee and Jordan Eberle don’t foresee their impending free agency as a similar situation to that of former teammate John Tavares. Rather, both players expressed their happiness with playing for the New York Islanders when speaking with Newsday’s Andrew Gross. They also agreed that they didn’t want their contracts to be a distraction to them or the team and only hoped for a strong start to the season. Lee, 28, is a career Islander coming of the best season of his career and may be a player that new GM Lou Lamoriello and company see as a core piece moving forward. The same could go for Eberle, 28, who excelled last season after coming over from the Edmonton Oilers. Given the Islanders’ enviable salary cap flexibility and prospect depth, the team can afford to give both Lee and Eberle the contracts they want, likely long-term at $6.5MM+ AAV, if they are happy in New York. The same can’t be said for fellow impending UFA Brock Nelson, who also talked with Gross. Nelson has a long way to go to prove he is worthy of a long-term commitment from the Isles and will be given a chance to prove that. Short of a career year for the two-way center, he is likely a trade casualty in the coming season.
  • Despite being included in trade rumors for the past two or three seasons now, Vancouver Canucks defenseman Alex Edler might not be going anywhere. The Athletic’s Jason Brough reports that Edler would like to re-sign with the team this season before the final year of his contract expires. He tells Brough that, were it up to him, he would never play for another NHL team. “If something can be worked out, I would love to stay here,” Edler said, “Even though we’ve had some tough years, this is kind of an exciting thing to go through. There’s change and a lot of young guys are coming in. You see how they are developing. There’s nothing now, but we’ll see. We’ll see what happens.” The veteran seems more than happy to go through the rebuild process with the Canucks and continue to be a leader in the locker room and on the blue line. In that same vein, Brough doubts that Edler will be willing to waive his full No-Trade Clause if Vancouver does look to move him for picks and prospects this year. Edler dodged a question on the subject and continued on about how much he would like to remain with the team. The 32-year-old still has plenty of gas left in the tank and perhaps refusing a trade would really prove his loyalty and earn him a short-term extension. That remains to be seen, but the status of Edler, like any prominent impending free agent, is not a story line that is going to go away this season.

Snapshots: Orpik, Ennis, Bruins-Flames

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While the irony of the situation was clear all along, the assumption was that there was no issue with the Washington Capitals’ trade of Brooks Orpik to Colorado earlier this off-season, the Avalanche’s subsequent buyout of Orpik’s contract, and then the veteran defenseman re-signing with the Caps. However, GM Brian MacLellan told The Associated Press’ Stephen Whyno that the team actually underwent a thorough investigation from the NHL. The league questioned Washington executives about the team’s trade and later signing of Orpik to a lesser salary than the one bought out. It is illegal for a team to re-sign any player they themselves initially bought out, but Orpik was bought out by Colorado. As such, the investigation did not uncover any conspiracy; the league found that the Capitals conducted themselves “above board”, as MacLellan put it. He stated that there would be no further repercussions from what seems to just be an honest coincidence. Whyno reached out to NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly, who confirmed that the Capitals were cleared of any alleged wrongdoing. The Capitals are now set to save significant cap space on the same services. Had they held on to Orpik this summer, he would be making $5.5MM against the cap. Instead, they were able to sign him to a $1MM deal with incentives that is much kinder to their salary cap crunch. It’s fair to be skeptical of that circumvention, but MacLellan affirms that the team “did everything by the book”, making it simply shrewd business management on their part.

  • One player who wasn’t as fortunate as Orpik following his buyout is forward Tyler Ennis. After injuries forced Ennis out of Buffalo last summer, with the Sabres trading him to the Wild, Minnesota also couldn’t get the former rising star going and bought out the remainder of his contract earlier this summer. Ennis’ value has plummeted so far over the past three seasons that it completely overshadowed the fact that he recorded 212 points in 345 games in the five seasons prior. Ennis could only manage to land a one-year deal worth the minimum salary, a $650K pact with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and that only came after a series of meetings with GM Kyle Dubas in which he had to sell himself to the young Toronto executive. Yet, TSN’s Kristen Shilton writes that this has done nothing but motivate Ennis. Speaking with determined veteran at the start of Leafs training camp, Ennis said “Absolutely, I have something to prove. There are a lot of people that doubt me, there are a lot of people that have written me off and I’m just here to show them I have a lot left to give… My goal is to show people that I can play, that I have a lot of talent still and I’m ready to work.” With William Nylander still unsigned and not in camp, Ennis has had the good fortune of filling his spot on a line with Matthews and Patrick Marleau thus far in camp, which is a good way for him to impress the Maple Leafs’ brass. Shilton notes that he has already impressed teammates and coaches alike thus far and could be well on his way to a key role in Toronto this season. It would be quite the rebound story for a player who is correct in his opinion that many people have counted him out, but those same people could soon be forced to change their minds.
  • Believe it or not, the NHL preseason kicks off in just over six hours. The Boston Bruins and Calgary Flames are set to square off in Shenzen, China at the Universiade Sports Center in the first of two match-ups of the 2018 O.R.G. NHL China Games. Despite the odd timing for fans in North America, both the NHL Network and Sportsnet will air the contest, which begins at 2:30 AM Boston time and 12:30 AM Calgary time. For those staying up for the first game of the 2018-19 season, both the Bruins and Flames have released their split squad rosters who have made the trip and will compete in the series. Tonight’s game marks the beginning of Boston’s evaluation of several young forwards fighting for a top-six right wing spot and third-line center spot, while Calgary must determine both who their primary backup goaltender and how the bottom-six will work out.

Shea Theodore, Golden Knights Far Apart In Negotiations

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Much like fellow Pacific Division restricted free agent Nick Ritchie and the Anaheim Ducks, promising young defenseman Shea Theodore and the Vegas Golden Knights remain far from a resolution in contract talks. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun writes that the two sides are currently not close to a deal. While he adds that the status quo can change quickly, he does not presently see an end to the impasse. This comes in conflict with GM George McPhee’s recent statement that a deal would be completed soon.

With Golden Knights training camp opening up today, Theodore’s absence becomes much more apparent. The team, entering just its second season, will begin preparations for the regular season without a player that was likely slotted to begin the season on the top pair. Following the revelation of Nate Schmidt’s 20-game suspension, Theodore would presumably be the best candidate start on the left side for the first quarter of the season, ahead of the likes of Brayden McNabb, Jon Merrill, Brad Hunt, and free agent addition Nick Holden. Until he is re-signed, one of that group will be forced into the top pair. Theodore’s continued absence also hurts Vegas’ blue line depth. Although they all remain unsigned, the team did lose considerable depth in the departures of Luca Sbisa, Jason Garrison, Clayton Stoner, and Philip Holm. With Schmidt on the sidelines and Theodore still unsigned, the team is slated to begin the year with just four defenseman who played in 50+ NHL games last season and only eight with any NHL experience at all.

As such, one would expect the team to do what it takes to get Theodore under contract before the puck drops on the new season. Theodore has not given the Golden Knights any reason to doubt his future effectiveness, as the 22-year-old scored 29 points in 61 games last year while skating in over 20 minutes per night. Theodore trailed only Schmidt in average time on ice and defensive scoring and led all Knights defenders in goals, assists, points, and shots in the postseason. On top of that, if Theodore’s shooting percentage regresses positively – as it should – in a full-season role, he should be even more productive moving forward. While the team can no longer treat the salary cap as a non-factor and thus don’t want to dramatically overpay their young defenseman, Vegas has too many reasons not to resolve these contract talks as soon as possible.

Submit Your Questions For The #PHRMailbag

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It’s mailbag time again as we get closer to the start of the regular season. Our Brian La Rose wants to answer all your questions regarding 2018-19 and beyond, and tell you just what you want to hear about your favorite NHL team. Will the Buffalo Sabres be a playoff team? Who will be the first Ottawa forward to be traded? How exactly is anyone supposed to stop the Vegas Golden Knights from acquiring all the best talent in the league?

If you’ve missed the chance to ask a question during the weekly Live Chat on Thursdays, the #PHRMailbag is the place to go. Just submit your question using #PHRMailbag on Twitter or by leaving a comment down below. We’ll run the mailbag this weekend and try to get to each and every question.

Don’t forget to check out our last mailbag, which gave Brian’s thoughts on the stacked Metropolitan Division, Henrik Zetterberg’s injury/retirement situation, and the Bruins log jam on defense. He didn’t think they should be dealing away their depth on the back end, but the Bruins decided to trade Adam McQuaid anyway. Maybe you’d like to know what Brian thinks about that deal? Submit below!

Poll: Who Will Win The Central Division In 2018-19?

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We’re less than a month away from the 2018-19 NHL season, and players are hitting the ice with teammates to start forming chemistry. All over the league training camps are getting underway, and rookies are starting to make their marks with their new franchises. The excitement for the upcoming season is starting to bubble up to the surface, and even the smallest NHL news has fans in a frenzy.

Recently, Bovada released their over/under numbers for each team’s point totals and there are some interesting results. Though these aren’t to be taken exactly as predictions for the upcoming season—since betting odds also take into account popularity trends and other factors—fans of the Tampa Bay Lightning should still be extremely satisfied to see their club at the very top with an over/under of 107.5 points. The Lightning are expected to be Stanley Cup contenders once again in 2018-19, and have brought back nearly their entire roster.

We ran a poll asking the PHR community to decide who will win the Atlantic Division, and the Lightning came out on top with nearly 37% of the vote. The Toronto Maple Leafs finished in second place, but the big surprise was the Detroit Red Wings in third with 15% of all voters. While our readers have more confidence in the Red Wings than the odds makers, we’ve seen stranger things in the past.

Next we asked the PHR community to vote on the Pacific Division, and while things were a little more evenly distributed the San Jose Sharks were still the clear favorite. With more than 26% of the vote, the Sharks came out ahead of the Los Angeles Kings (16%), Vegas Golden Knights (14%) and Calgary Flames (13%). The Arizona Coyotes and Vancouver Canucks haven’t done enough to inspire much confidence, earning just a handful of votes each. One has to wonder if the Sharks would have had an even bigger lead had the poll happened after their recent acquisition of Erik Karlsson.

Finally, we polled the PHR community on what they think will happen in the Metropolitan Division. This group has given us the last three Stanley Cup winners, but has star players throughout. Our readership obviously believes in a Cup hangover, as the Pittsburgh Penguins easily topped the defending champion Washington Capitals with nearly a 10% gap. Third place went to the Philadelphia Flyers who will hope adding another top forward and allowing their young players to take another step forward can push them to the top, while the Columbus Blue Jackets came in fourth despite their continued regular season success.

While the Atlantic had some contending options, the Central Division which we’ll tackle today have two powerhouses that are likely on a collision course in the playoffs once again. The Winnipeg Jets (106.5 over/under) and Nashville Predators (105.5) are two of the very best teams in the league and can ice a dangerous lineup from top to bottom. They are the easy favorites for the division crown, but the upstart Colorado Avalanche and revamped St. Louis Blues have their eyes on an underdog story. That’s not to mention the top-heavy Dallas Stars, consistent Minnesota Wild or playoff tested Chicago Blackhawks, who could all surprise with excellent seasons in 2018-19.

Who do you think will come out on top of the Central Division? Can the Predators win a second Presidents Trophy in a row, or will the Jets topple them for the Western Conference regular season crown? Is Nathan MacKinnon ready to carry the load for the Avalanche once again? Do Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane have one last outstanding season in them? Cast your vote below and explain how you think the season will play out in the comments!

Who will win the Central Division in 2018-19?
Winnipeg Jets 29.27% (319 votes)
St. Louis Blues 20.83% (227 votes)
Nashville Predators 20.28% (221 votes)
Chicago Blackhawks 10.73% (117 votes)
Dallas Stars 9.27% (101 votes)
Minnesota Wild 5.60% (61 votes)
Colorado Avalanche 4.04% (44 votes)
Total Votes: 1,090

[Mobile users click here to vote]

Anaheim Ducks, Nick Ritchie Not Close To Signing Contract

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Among the unsigned restricted free agents, Anaheim Ducks forward Nick Ritchie has flown relatively under the radar. With players like Shea Theodore, William Nylander and Darnell Nurse still embroiled in important contract negotiations, Ritchie hasn’t made many headlines despite not being with the Ducks as camp opened this week. Today, Anaheim GM Bob Murray told reporters including Eric Stephens of The Athletic that the two sides aren’t close on a deal. Stephens reports that Ritchie has been working out with the Guelph Storm of the OHL in order to be at least fit when a contract is eventually worked out.

Ritchie, 22, is coming off a disappointing season in which he recorded just 10 goals and 27 points. Expected to build upon the 14-goal 2016-17, he instead saw his shot generation decline despite a slight increase in ice time. The 10th-overall pick from 2014 could be a key piece for the Ducks moving forward if he can fulfill the huge, power forward potential he’s shown at times but he’ll have to get under contract first.

The question likely is whether or not Ritchie has proven enough to get a long-term deal like many of his draft contemporaries. While Nylander (8th overall) remains unsigned, Nikolaj Ehlers (9th), Dylan Larkin (15th), and David Pastrnak (25th) have all inked long-term deals after explosive performances. Ritchie hasn’t performed nearly as well as that group, but is still a valuable player that could be demanding some job security with a multi-year deal. The other option for both sides is a bridge contract, that would allow him to show that he’s a more potent offensive weapon before signing long-term, but at this point the Ducks have little incentive to give him a substantial raise on his entry-level contract.

Every day that Ritchie misses camp is another opportunity for one of the Ducks young forward prospects to impress the coaching staff and earn a role on the team. While holding out is part of the negotiation process for many restricted free agents, it’s hard to believe that Ritchie is standing on wholly stable ground at the moment. As head coach Randy Carlyle told Stephens today, the “longer a player misses camp, usually the worse it is for him.”

New York Islanders Hire Jacques Lemaire

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This won’t come as much of a surprise, but Lou Lamoriello has hired Jacques Lemaire once again. According to Arthur Staple of The Athletic, Lemaire has been hired as a special assignment coach with the New York Islanders, while Andrew Gross of Newsday adds that Ken Gernander has been hired as a scout.

Lemaire and Lamoriello have a long history together, including in this very same situation in Toronto before the latter moved on this spring. Often credited with perfecting the neutral zone trap, Lemaire and Lamoriello built a legacy with the New Jersey Devils that culminated in a Stanley Cup in 1995 but would stretch far into the future. A two-time winner of the Jack Adams award as Coach of the Year, Lemaire has 617 regular season victories in his coaching career and last coached under Lamoriello with the Devils in 2011.

Though there is no threat to head coach Barry Trotz, the Islanders are clearly trying to build a different culture in the front office and behind the bench. The team has brought in experienced, veteran names at almost every position and will try to complete a similar rebuild to the one experienced in Toronto recently. With a superstar talent in Mathew Barzal already on the roster, and a promising draft class this June it might not be long before the Islanders are back in playoff contention.

Injury Notes: Crawford, Kesler, Roussel

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Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford finally admitted that it was a concussion that ended his season last year and has been causing him so many problems over the last few months. On the ice working his way back to playing shape today but not taking part in normal training camp activities, Crawford told reporters that is now “really close” despite still experiencing some concussion symptoms.

The Blackhawks are desperately trying to bounce back from their disappointing 2017-18 campaign, and probably the most important player on the entire roster is Crawford. Without him the team will have to go with a tandem of Cam Ward and Anton Forsberg, a duo that while upgraded from last season is still underwhelming at the very best. Ward does have experience as a starter of course, but hasn’t shown much over the last few seasons to prove that he can handle carrying a team to the postseason. Crawford getting back into the net at full strength would be a huge boost for the Blackhawks, but we’ll have to wait and see if he can get there.

  • The Anaheim Ducks were pleased to have both Ryan Kesler and Patrick Eaves on the ice today when the team opened training camp, though it’s still not clear what their status is for the start of the season. There had been some rumors about Kesler perhaps missing the entire 2018-19 campaign with his ongoing hip troubles, but having him out on the ice even just skating is a step in the right direction. Eaves of course is coming back from his Guillain-Barre Syndrome diagnosis but would be an incredible boost to the Ducks’ secondary scoring group if he can return to full strength this season. In his 22 regular season games with the Ducks since being acquired in 2017, Eaves has scored 12 goals including 10 at even strength.
  • The Vancouver Canucks added some size and toughness to the lineup this summer when they signed Tim Schaller, Jay Beagle and Antoine Roussel, but have already lost one of them to injury. Roussel will not be participating in training camp at this point after suffering a concussion in pre-camp scrimmages. Still skating, Roussel’s timeline hasn’t been made public and at this point is likely still undecided. It’s a tough start for a player who was signed to a four-year contract in July, despite never scoring 15 goals or 30 points in a single season.

Joel Ward To Attend Montreal Canadiens Training Camp

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The Montreal Canadiens have invited veteran forward Joel Ward to training camp on a professional tryout, giving him another chance in the NHL after becoming an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

It’s easy to forget that Ward is just a few years removed from being a 20-goal, 40-point player for the Washington Capitals and San Jose Sharks, given his low-key personality and workman-like play style. The veteran of 726 regular season games scored just 12 points in 52 games for the Sharks last season but has been a solid offensive contributor throughout his career and could basically play anywhere in a lineup. There was an obvious decline in play and opportunity in 2017-18, but even at 37 there may be enough left in the tank for another season in the NHL.

That opportunity may come in Montreal, where the Canadiens suddenly find themselves with a very uncertain forward group heading into the season. With Max Pacioretty the latest to be traded away, and several players still sidelined with injury—though Paul Byron appears to be ahead of schedule and could be ready for the start of the year—the team might be forced to play several young players in important positions. A player like Ward could mitigate that need somewhat, and at least provide another veteran option for the team if they’d rather their prospects get more seasoning at the minor league or junior level. There are few players as well respected and liked as Ward around the league, and at the very least that can rub off on the Canadiens during a period in which they’re looking for new leadership among the players.

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