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Archives for February 2019

Pacific Notes: Toffoli, Coyotes, Virtanen

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Kings winger Tyler Toffoli had been part of trade speculation dating back to early in the season.  However, he remained with Los Angeles through the deadline and perhaps we now know why.  Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the asking price on the 26-year-old included a first-round pick plus a good prospect.  Toffoli has struggled considerably this year with just 12 goals in 63 games and only has one year left on his current deal with a $4.6MM AAV before becoming eligible for unrestricted free agency next July.  While he has a decent track record, that’s a high price to pay for someone that hasn’t been lighting the lamp too often this season.

More from the Pacific Division:

  • The Coyotes reached an agreement on an extension with one of their potential restricted free agents on Wednesday with the two-year deal for winger Conor Garland. There could be more news like that on the horizon as GM John Chayka told reporters in a conference call, including Arizona Sports’ Matt Layman, that the team has held at least preliminary discussions with “the majority if not all of” their pending RFAs.  The most notable players on that list include centers Nick Schmaltz and Nick Cousins as well as winger Lawson Crouse.
  • Canucks winger Jake Virtanen has had an up-and-down first few seasons in the NHL but his potential upside still makes him an intriguing piece of their puzzle. With that in mind, Jason Brough of The Athletic suggests (subscription required) that the 22-year-old may be their best non-star trade chip that they could use to try to add to their back end.  Vancouver’s defense corps has been shaky and with Alex Edler’s future with the team beyond this season being uncertain, it’s an area that GM Jim Benning will likely be looking to address over the offseason.

East Notes: Lee, Johnsson, Ceci

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For the second straight season, the Islanders are in a situation where their captain is currently slated to hit unrestricted free agency.  Winger Anders Lee is having a good season but his numbers are down quite a bit from last season, especially in the goal department where he reached 40 for the first time in 2017-18.  There’s no doubt that New York has interest in keeping him around but Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman notes in the latest 31 Thoughts: The Podcast (audio link) that there is some concern about the term of the deal that Lee is seeking.  He’ll turn 29 in early July so it’s quite possible that he’s looking for close to the maximum eight years in the hopes of making it his final contract which is something the Isles would likely want to avoid if they could.

Elsewhere in the East:

  • While it was known that the Maple Leafs had looked to get winger Kasperi Kapanen locked up by the trade deadline, TSN’s Darren Dreger reports (Twitter link) that they also tried to do the same with winger Andreas Johnsson. The rookie has been quite productive as of late and is just one goal away from cracking the 20-goal mark which will have him in line for a considerable raise on his current salary of just under $788K.  However, Dreger notes that Johnsson’s preference at this point is to wait, presumably until the offseason when his arbitration eligibility will become a factor as well.
  • Senators defenseman Cody Ceci acknowledged to Don Brennan of the Ottawa Sun that he thought he was going to be dealt, especially after being sat at the request of a team that was trying to add him. Instead, the deal didn’t happen but between this and his $4.3MM required qualifying offer this summer, it’s fair to say that his future with Ottawa remains in question.  Ceci indicated that he plans to sit down with GM Pierre Dorion at the end of the season to determine whether or not there’s still going to be a role for him on this team moving forward.

Travis Dermott Out Four Weeks

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The Toronto Maple Leafs will have to deal with an incredibly thin blue line for most of the remainder of the season. The team announced today that Travis Dermott will be out for four weeks following the shoulder injury he sustained last night. Dermott was hit into the boards by Brad Malone of the Edmonton Oilers and immediately left the game in obvious pain.

Dermott will join Jake Gardiner on the shelf tonight as the Maple Leafs try to find a way around their defensive issues. Martin Marincin has been recalled to take his place while Justin Holl is expected to enter the lineup on the right side. The team is set to take on the New York Islanders in an important Eastern Conference matchup, and one that will see John Tavares make his return to Nassau Coliseum.

Originally selected 34th overall in 2015, Dermott has been quite the find for Toronto the past two seasons. Stepping into the lineup last year the mobile defender has proven he belongs at the NHL level and was given more responsibility this season. While he has still not completely earned the trust of head coach Mike Babcock, the 22-year old defenseman was already averaging more than 17 minutes a night on a team that has other experienced options on the left side. His future in Toronto looks bright, especially given Gardiner’s impending unrestricted free agency.

For now though Dermott will be out for almost the entire rest of the season. Four weeks from today would leave just five games left in the Maple Leafs’ season, meaning the young defenseman will need to get up to speed quickly if he is to play a role in the playoffs.

Snapshots: Mueller, Zuccarello, Tokarski

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It’s hard to find a ton of uplifting news for the New Jersey Devils right now, but Mirco Mueller gave the hockey world some today. Mueller took to social media to tell his fans that he did not suffer any serious injuries last night when he went crashing into the boards. The 23-year old defenseman needed to be stretchered off the ice after laying motionless for several moments, and was taken to hospital immediately.

Despite the Devils’ struggles Mueller is actually having a fine year, playing more games than he ever has in a single season previously. With ten points in 47 games he has also set a career-high in scoring, and is averaging more than 18 minutes a night for the Devils on the blue line. A first-round pick of the San Jose Sharks six years ago, Mueller found himself on the move thanks to the Vegas expansion draft. Instead of leaving him unprotected, the Sharks moved him to New Jersey for a package of draft picks where he has flourished. It’s unclear when he will return to action.

  • The Dallas Stars went out and added secondary scoring close to the deadline by acquiring Mats Zuccarello from the New York Rangers, only to see the veteran forward suffer a broken arm in his debut. If the Stars miss the playoffs they will have given up a package of assets for basically nothing, unless of course they decide to re-sign Zuccarello before he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer. If they do, the 2020 third-round pick they sent New York would upgrade to a first-round selection, but Sean Shapiro of The Athletic (subscription required) believes the team still has interest in an extension. Shapiro does note that Zuccarello hasn’t indicated that he wants to re-sign yet, but he likely won’t make that decision until after he’s back on the ice. Four weeks from the injury would be March 24th, which would leave just seven games remaining in the Stars season.
  • The Rangers’ AHL affiliate has essentially made a trade, loaning goaltender Dustin Tokarski to the Charlotte Checkers while receiving Josh Wesley in return. Both players will technically remain in their current organizations, but will play for their new teams. That means Tokarski can help out Alex Nedeljkovic on what looks like a Calder Cup contender in Charlotte, while Wesley may get a chance to stick in the AHL instead of the ECHL where he has spent much of the season.

Taylor Hall Undergoes Knee Surgery

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The New Jersey Devils have officially announced that Taylor Hall underwent arthroscopic knee surgery this week, and will begin rehab immediately. Hall’s recovery timeline has not been announced, as it depends on how he responds to rehab in the coming days and weeks.

It’s not clear if Hall will be ready to play again this season, but at this point you couldn’t blame the Devils for shutting him down entirely. The team is well out of the playoff race and will be competing once again for the right to draft first overall in June. Hall’s presence would hurt those chances and while no team is actually hoping for losses, if there is any slight risk of re-injury there seems little point to risk his health.

The reigning Hart Trophy winner went down to injury just before Christmas after scoring 37 pints in 33 games and hasn’t been able to get back into a game since. That means his season will likely finish as the lowest-scoring year of his career, and get him even closer to unrestricted free agency without anything to show for the Devils. Hall has just one season remaining on his current contract that carries a $6MM cap hit, which means he is eligible for an extension on July 1st. It’s not clear just how big of a raise he’ll be looking for, but after scoring 130 points in his last 99 games his average annual value could approach eight digits.

Toronto’s Defensive Depth Thinner Than Ever

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For most of the season and even previous years, many have pointed to the Toronto Maple Leafs blue line as their obvious weakness. Even with their glut of talented forwards, the team struggled at times because of the lack of defensive awareness or skill on the back end. With Travis Dermott’s emergence late last season that was partially corrected, and when the team went out and acquired Jake Muzzin from the Los Angeles Kings the group took another step forward. While they were obviously left-heavy, there was enough talent there to perhaps take the team deep into the playoffs. That’s why they ultimately decided against adding another name at the trade deadline, given the high prices floated around for available right-handed defensemen.

Now though, that decision looks like a mistake. The Maple Leafs announced yesterday that Jake Gardiner would be out on a week-to-week basis with a back injury, and then lost Dermott during the game to a shoulder injury. Head coach Mike Babcock used the same designation as Gardiner to describe Dermott’s injury timeline, though the team has not given any additional information. That’s two major pieces down in a matter of days, and James Mirtle of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that Gardiner’s injury may actually be similar to the one Zach Parise dealt with that cost him 39 games last season. If that’s true, there’s a chance that Gardiner isn’t even ready to help the team in the playoffs at all.

The Maple Leafs will recall Martin Marincin today and will ice him alongside Justin Holl in tonight’s game against the New York Islanders. The pair has incredibly totaled just 20 games at any level this season, instead spending most of the year in the press box watching the action. That’s a disastrous place for a playoff contender to be in, even if both have shown at least some level of competence in the past.

Muzzin, who has averaged just over 19 minutes a game since arriving in Toronto (well under his career norm), will now have to take on much more responsibility down the stretch. He and Morgan Rielly will likely anchor the first two pairs and powerplay units, while Ron Hainsey and Nikita Zaitsev continue their work on the penalty kill.

After last night’s win against the Edmonton Oilers, the Maple Leafs sit third in the Atlantic Division but right on the heels of the Boston Bruins. The last 19 games of the season will determine who of those two receives home ice advantage in an almost certain first-round matchup, something that has had dire consequences in recent years. Without Gardiner and Dermott for a good chunk of the year, it will be extremely tough to secure that spot.

Minor Transactions: 02/28/19

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Seven games grace the NHL schedule tonight, including John Tavares’ return to New York. The former Islanders captain spurned the team by choosing the Toronto Maple Leafs in free agency and is expected to get a less than welcome reception upon his return tonight. Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins do battle in a matchup of the top two teams in the Eastern Conference. As the league prepares, we’ll be right here to keep track of all the minor moves.

  • Sammy Blais is on his way back down again, a usual occurrence recently for the young St. Louis Blues forward. Blais has been moved up or down eleven times this season, including a recall just two days ago. The 22-year old has three points in 27 games for the Blues this season.
  • Sam Steel and Jacob Larsson were both returned to the San Diego Gulls last night, their stay as insurance policies for the Anaheim Ducks apparently over for now. The pair will continue their development at the AHL level and wait for another opportunity.
  • Drake Batherson has been recalled today for the Ottawa Senators as Rudolfs Balcers deals with the flu. The Senators are giving all of their young prospects a chance to show what they can do at the end of the year, and Batherson is one of the most exciting. The 20-year old fourth-round pick has developed into quite the professional already, recording 49 points in 41 games for the Belleville Senators while also contributing eight points in 19 games for Ottawa.
  • Matt Luff has been recalled by the Los Angeles Kings for their game against the Dallas Stars, another young player set to get a chance down the stretch. Luff has played 30 games for the Kings this season and has ten points including seven goals.
  • The Boston Bruins have sent Karson Kuhlman back to the minor leagues according to Mark Divver of the Providence Journal. Kuhlman played four games earlier this month for Boston, recording two points in the process.  Later in the day, the Bruins also announced that they returned Peter Cehlarik to to the AHL.  Cehlarik fared well in 14 games with Boston where he collected six points but his ice time had dropped in recent games so he’ll return to the minors and play a prominent role with Providence.

New York Rangers Recall Libor Hajek

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When the New York Rangers decided to sell off some of their key players last year and start a rebuild, they acquired some impressive names. Ryan Lindgren and Brett Howden had relatively high prospect profiles due to their success on the international stage, both winning World Junior gold medals in recent years. Both players have made their debuts for the Rangers this season, and look like they will be big parts of the team going forward. The Rangers got another prospect in the Ryan McDonagh trade though, who some referred to as the key piece. Libor Hajek, who at the time was tearing it up in the WHL, has now been recalled by the Rangers for the first time in his professional career.

If Hajek, 21, is the key to the McDonagh deal, there might be something to worry about. The young defenseman has struggled in his first year at the AHL level, recording just five points in 58 games and tallying a team-worst -26 rating. While there is obviously more to a defenseman’s game than just those statistics, Hajek has routinely looked overmatched against professional players and at times looks lost in his own end. That junior player who made extremely quick decisions and could evade forecheckers even with his large frame hasn’t been there on a consistent basis.

Still, Hajek only turned 21 a few weeks ago and has been given every opportunity to continue his development. The Rangers organization knows that they have to keep him on the ice for him to experience any growth, and will now give him a taste of the NHL to take back down with him. There’s still plenty of time for the 2016 37th-overall pick to become the all-situations defender that many believed he could be just a year ago, and the next step towards that will happen in New York.

Snapshots: Sheahan, Stone, Pearson, Desjardins

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While some expected the Panthers to flip recently-acquired center Riley Sheahan by the trade deadline, they opted to keep him around instead.  GM Dale Tallon told Walter Villa of the Miami Herald that he’s quite pleased with how the 27-year-old has performed so far and that they hope to bring him back for next season.  Sheahan is set to become an unrestricted free agent in July and is making $2.1MM this season.  With just 14 points in 62 games between Pittsburgh and Florida, it’s hard to imagine that it will cost considerably more to keep him around although his positional versatility certainly adds to his value.

Other news and notes around the league:

  • Mark Stone’s expected new deal with Vegas (which can be made official as early as Friday) is expected to carry a full no-movement clause. Don Brennan of the Ottawa Sun notes that this was something that the Senators were unwilling to put as part of their offer to keep the 26-year-old in the fold.
  • Canucks winger Tanner Pearson has had a rough season as he has struggled offensively and has been dealt twice now. He told reporters, including Postmedia’s Patrick Johnston, that he had been playing through an undisclosed injury since early December which had prevented him from producing like he did in the past although it wasn’t significant enough to take him out of the lineup.  After averaging 18 goals over each of the past three seasons, Pearson has scored just nine through 61 games so far in 2018-19.
  • With the deadline having passed, one of the questions in Los Angeles is once again the future of interim head coach Willie Desjardins. GM Rob Blake told Robert Morales of the Los Angeles Daily News that a decision on whether or not Desjardins will remain behind the bench for the Kings beyond this year will be made at the end of the season.  The team is 19-25-6 under Desjardins since he took over for John Stevens back in early November.

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