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Five Key Stories: 3/25/19 – 3/31/19

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With some top college teams getting eliminated, the activity on the NCAA free agent market should pick up shortly.  In the meantime, there were some other newsworthy events in the NHL over the past seven days.

Ladd Out Long-Term: Andrew Ladd’s tough season came to a premature conclusion as the Islanders winger will miss the next four-to-five months with a torn ACL.  He now has had significant injuries to both knees which certainly won’t help his mobility moving forward.  Ladd played in just 26 games this season, picking up just three goals and eight assists.  That’s hardly the return they were expecting on his $5.5MM contract, one that carries four more years after this one.

Cooper To Stay With Tampa: It took a while but the Lightning and head coach Jon Cooper were able to agree on a multi-year contract extension, ensuring he’ll be sticking around in Tampa Bay for a while yet.  He has been quite successful over his first six years with the team, compiling a 302-158-44 record with a win percentage that is only bested by legend Scotty Bowman.  The Lightning have been the class of the league by a considerable margin this season which should have Cooper in the mix for the Jack Adams Award for Coach of the Year.

Coyotes Lock Up Schmaltz: Arizona made a notable trade early in the season that saw them bring in center Nick Schmaltz from Chicago.  Clearly, they liked what they saw from him before suffering a season-ending lower-body injury in late December as they signed the 23-year-old to a seven-year, $40.95MM contract extension.  At the time of the deal, GM John Chayka believed that Schmaltz could be a long-term top-six center for them and he was certainly heading in that direction with 14 points in 17 games with the team before the injury.  Arizona has very quickly reshaped their group down the middle and they have committed to spending at that position as their top three pivots (Derek Stepan, Schmaltz, and Christian Dvorak) will cost a combined $16.8MM next year, more than double their combined cost this season ($8.26MM).

Flyers Re-Sign Raffl: Philadelphia winger Michael Raffl had some trade interest at the deadline so it was a little bit of a surprise that he wasn’t dealt.  That decision is more understandable now after he agreed to a two-year, $3.2MM extension.  The deal actually represents a bit of a decrease on his current $2.35MM AAV but considering that Raffl has spent a lot of time this season on the fourth line, it’s not too surprising.  The Flyers are the only NHL organization that the 30-year-old has played for and he has suited up for more than 400 games over his six seasons with the team.

Masterton Nominees Announced: The first finalists for an offseason award have been revealed as each team submitted their nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.  The award goes to a player who is judged to exemplify perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.  Predators center Brian Boyle won the award last season.  The field will be whittled down to the usual three finalists in advance of the NHL Awards show in June.

PHR Mailbag: Lightning, Housley, Fox, Draft, Bruins, Rangers, Roster Shakeups

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Topics in this edition of the PHR Mailbag include Tampa Bay’s dominance, Phil Housley’s future in Buffalo, the Adam Fox situation, the upcoming draft, Boston’s injury replacement, the Rangers, and teams that could be primed to shake things up with an early postseason exit.

sovietcanuckistanian: Does anybody in the East have a legit shot at beating the buzz saw that seems to be Tampa? I know it’s the playoffs/anything can happen and the track record of Presidents’ Trophy winners winning it all is spotty, but it’s hard to want to bet against them given everyone else in the East (or West it would seem). Thanks in advance.

I certainly wouldn’t want to bet against the Lightning but I could see Boston and Toronto legitimately having a shot from their own division.  The Bruins are a playoff-tested team and their top line is certainly a dominant one.  They’re also getting strong goaltending that’s capable of stealing a game or two.  With a decent back end, that will give them a chance.

If Toronto gets through that opening series, they certainly have the offensive firepower and depth to match up well.  Like Tampa, they’re also a pretty quick team.  Their defense concerns me but it’d be tough to rule the Maple Leafs out of a high-scoring series.

From the Metropolitan Division, Washington beat them last year and the core is largely the same this time around.  If they did it once, they could do it twice.

Considering how dominant Tampa Bay has been this season, they are more than deservedly the favorites no matter which matchups they wind up with.  That said, it’s far from a given that they make it through as there are a few teams that are capable of giving them a tough series at the very least.

ThePriceWasRight: Do you think between a poor 1st season and collapse in the 2nd half this season that Housley is shown the door?

I think it’s a lot more of an option now than it was a month ago given how awful they’ve been but I think Buffalo may be inclined to give him one more look for next season.  It has been a bit of a revolving door behind the bench in recent years and at some point, they have to show a bit of patience, don’t they?

Despite their poor play as of late, there have been some positives this season for sure, especially up front.  Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart are having career years while Jeff Skinner was one of the elite scorers for most of the season before tailing off as of late.  Rasmus Dahlin has developed nicely in his rookie year as well.  Several core young players developing and showing improvement has to work in his favor.

Yes, they’ve had some difficulty keeping the puck out of their own net but part of the blame for that has to lie with GM Jason Botterill.  Their goalie tandem had all sorts of question marks coming into the season and they still do while their back end isn’t the deepest either.  That’s not to absolve Housley entirely but it’s not all on him either.

If it was up to me, I’d give him another look next season with what should be a bolstered group as they have plenty of cap space to work with this summer.  However, if they start slow in 2019-20, then the time will be right to make a change.

mikedickinson: Adam Fox is reported to be going back to Harvard for his senior year. He was the key to the Calgary/Carolina deal from the Canes side. Yes, we are deep on defense, but you can’t just lose a young stud like that. Think the Canes will try to sign him as a free agent?

If he makes it to free agency in August of 2020, they’d surely try to sign him.  Why wouldn’t they?  Nashville went after Jimmy Vesey even after he made it clear that he was testing the market and Carolina would certainly do the same in this situation.

To me, the bigger question is whether or not he’d be property of the Hurricanes by the time we get to that point.  If he indicates to the team in the coming days (or even months) that he’s going to play it out and go to the open market, I could see Carolina trying to move his rights for a conditional draft pick.  If there are certain teams he’s amenable to signing with, dealing him this summer and getting something for him (or at least getting the potential to get something) may be the right move for them.

tigers22: After Hughes and Kakko who are the next best prospects? How many goalie prospects could be drafted in the first round?

Lethbridge center Dylan Cozens has been a near-lock to be a top-five pick since before the season started.  He took a big jump forward offensively this season and is a strong skater for his size.  Russian winger Vasili Podkolzin could be a top-line winger and has moved up to the number three spot in many rankings.  However, there are some questions as to his willingness to cross the pond which could hurt his stock a little bit.  While he won’t go with this group, winger Cole Caufield has a whopping 52 goals in 54 games with the US NTDP.  His lack of size will cause him to fall but in terms of raw offensive upside, he’s among the best in this draft class.

In terms of goalies going in the first round, there might actually be one for a change.  (There have only been two since 2013.)  Spencer Knight of the US NTDP is the consensus pick to buck the trend.  There are a lot of teams that firmly believe in not picking a goalie this high but Knight is viewed as one of the better American netminders in recent years so a team towards the back of the round (or with multiple first-round picks) could certainly

Connorsoxfan: Is Kuhlman an adequate replacement for Kuraly? I saw he scored the other night after picking off a pass but that’s the only clip I’ve seen of him so far. Should I be worried about that line against Toronto come playoff time?

While losing Sean Kuraly hurts, Karson Kuhlman should be a capable replacement if he is indeed in for the first round.  The Maple Leafs are a team that has a fair bit of firepower in their bottom six group so having another skilled forward like Kuhlman in wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing.

The bigger concern is not having Kuraly’s penalty killing ability against a Toronto power play that can be quite dominant when it gets going.  They’ve deployed Kuhlman in a limited PK role in the games he has played but Kuraly is the better fit in that role.

However, it could all be moot as with Marcus Johansson back in the lineup, there really isn’t a regular spot for Kuhlman at the moment.  If they do need to call on him against Toronto though, I think he’s a better fit against them than he would be against some other opponents.

acarneglia: Are the Rangers a few big signings away in FA from being contenders again? By big signings, I mean Karlsson and Panarin.

Well, any team that lands both Erik Karlsson and Artemi Panarin in free agency would likely be considered as contenders, at least to some degree.  I have a hard time thinking that the Rangers (or anyone) could get both of them and even if they did, I don’t think they’d really get back into contention right away.

With the youth movement the team is currently on, they will be counting on their young players to play big roles in the near future.  Adding over $20MM in financial commitments in this scenario would only up the pressure as they’d have to move out some of their mid-tier players to afford those two.

Are players like Filip Chytil and Lias Andersson ready to be impact forwards?  Can Anthony Deangelo and Libor Hajek be full-timers on the back end and be more than third pairing players?  If the answer isn’t yes, they’re probably not ready to be true contenders and contend with the likes of Tampa Bay, even with two star additions like that.

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Atlantic Notes: Senators, Johansson, Byron

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While the Senators are in the process of searching for a new President of Hockey Operations, that won’t have any bearing on their looming coaching search, reports Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch.  The scribe adds that current interim bench boss Marc Crawford is likely to receive serious consideration for the role.  Ottawa has actually seen its points percentage improve since the coaching change, no small feat considering Crawford took over following the trades of Mark Stone, Matt Duchene, and Ryan Dzingel.  Belleville head coach Troy Mann is also likely to be considered for the role given how many young players are pegged to have regular roles for next season and beyond.

More from the Atlantic:

  • Bruins winger Marcus Johansson has had a rough go since joining the team a month ago. He missed time with a lung contusion and hasn’t made much of a mark when he has played with just a lone assist in six games.  With that in mind, Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe suggests that it’s unlikely that Boston will opt to bring back the 28-year-old for next season, barring a strong showing in the postseason.  Johansson has averaged just 12:13 per night so far as they look to determine what his role in the lineup should be heading into the playoffs.
  • Despite looking like he could be out for a while following a fight on Tuesday, Canadiens winger Paul Byron has resumed skating, reports TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie (Twitter link). As a result, he could be available for their next game on Tuesday assuming he gets the green light from team doctors.  Montreal has struggled without Byron in the lineup this season and would certainly benefit from his presence as they look to make a late run at a playoff spot.

Wild Notes: Parise, Sturm, Schuldt

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As we speak, the Minnesota Wild are playing what amounts to a must-win game against the Arizona Coyotes. Neither team is in a playoff position as of now, but it still represents a potential four-point shift in the Western Conference wild card race. The Coyotes currently sit in ninth place, three points back of the Colorado Avalanche for the final postseason berth. The Wild are in tenth place, just one point behind the ’Yotes. A Minnesota regulation win would see them leapfrog Arizona to pull within two points of Colorado, but an Arizona regulation win would put Minnesota three points back of the nine seed and still four points back of the eight seed, which might be insurmountable with only three games remaining after today.

Hurting the chances of a much-needed Wild win today is the continued absence of star forward Zach Parise. Unfortunately, he may not be returning at all this season. Just prior to puck drop, beat writer Sarah McLellan reported that Parise would not be active for the game, which was not a great surprise, but added that head coach Bruce Boudreau has qualified Parise’s lower-body ailment as “significant”. While she writes that the team “hopes” he might play again this season, it seems far from certain. Parise has now missed four games in a row and with three games left his chances to return are running out. A loss today would substantially lower the odds of Parise being rushed back to action as well. The 34-year-old has enjoyed a resurgence this season, leading the team with 26 goals and 59 points, but this is a disappointing end to an otherwise encouraging season for the veteran.

  • The Athletic’s Michael Russo believes that the Wild are “pushing hard” for college free agent forward Nico Sturm. The Clarkson University captain is considered the top defensive forward in the NCAA and has improved offensively in each of his four collegiate seasons as well. The concern with Sturm is that the 23-year-old may have already peaked in his development and could project as nothing more than a fourth-liner at the NHL level. However, with good size and a mature game, Sturm does have the added benefit of being able to contribute right away, even if not on the score sheet. In fact, Russo writes that if Sturm lands in Minnesota, he is likely to join the Wild right away and burn a year off his entry-level contract.
  • There has been plenty of speculation as to where St. Cloud State University defenseman Jimmy Schuldt might end up and the rumor mill has only heated up since the Huskies were unceremoniously upset for the second straight year in their first game of the NCAA Tournament. At one point, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that Schuldt would follow teammate Ryan Poehling to the Montreal Canadiens, but those whispers have subsided and many other contenders have entered the fray. Count the Wild as one such interested club. The Athletic’s Jake Jensen writes that Minnesota is at least “in the race” for Schuldt, alongside the L.A. Kings and Vegas Golden Knights. Potentially the best undrafted defender in college hockey this season, Schuldt will be a nice prize for whichever team he decides to join.

Joe Thornton, Ryan Reaves Receive Matching Fines For High-Sticking

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The San Jose Sharks and Vegas Golden Knights seem destined for a first-round collision in the playoffs and the hype for that divisional rivalry series only increased last night after their final regular season meeting. A 4-3 overtime win for the Sharks, the game ended late but the contention started early as future Hall of Famer Joe Thornton and infamous grinder Ryan Reaves got into in the first period. The sparring between the two led to what appeared to be an intentional high stick from Thornton, who shoved the butt end of this stick into Reaves’ neck area. Reaves retaliated and ended up earning a ten-minute misconduct in addition to a two-minute minor for roughing, while Thornton only received a minor for high sticking. Late in the game, Reaves retaliated again with a high stick of his own on Thornton, which was not caught by the referees.

It was however caught by the NHL Department of Player Safety. Player Safety reviewed the incidents and have decided that supplemental discipline is necessary, but the altercation was not suspension-worthy for either player. Instead, they settled on enforcing matching fines for each case of intentional high-sticking. Both Thornton and Reaves have been fined $2,500 for high-sticking, Player Safety announced.

The league’s response to Thornton’s and Reaves’ actions seems fair for now, but the big question is how they will act if the two continue to battle outside the rules when these two teams clash in the postseason. Reaves isn’t exactly one to forget grudges, while Thornton is well beyond the point in his career where he is willing to put up with disrespect. The two seems almost guaranteed to go at each other in the first round and Player Safety may have to decide whether more fine will be enough if the altercations continue or grow more dangerous. A suspension in the playoffs, even a one-game ban, is usually reserved for major incidences, but Thornton and Reaves might not be slowed by fines for further aggression and could be a cause for concern over a four-to-seven game stretch.

Montreal Canadiens Sign Goaltender Cayden Primeau

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The Montreal Canadiens continue a busy day by signing yet another top prospect who could turn into a franchise cornerstone. After inking first-round forward Ryan Poehling to an entry-level contract earlier, the Canadiens have done the same with top goalie prospect Cayden Primeau. The team has officially announced a three-year ELC for Primeau beginning in the 2019-20 season. The early upset losses for St. Cloud State University and Northeastern University have been to Montreal’s gain, as Poehling will join the Canadiens immediately and Primeau will get his first taste of the pro game on an amateur tryout with the AHL’s Laval Rocket to end the season.

Primeau, still just 19 years old, has come a long way in just two years since being drafted. A seventh-round pick in 2017, Primeau was known more for his lineage than his talent as the son of former NHLer Keith Primeau. Primeau’s numbers in the USHL had been good but not great and heading to Northeastern for his freshman season was expected to be the backup to incumbent Ryan Ruck. Instead, Primeau appeared in 34 of 38 games for the Huskies last year, posting a sub-2.00 GAA and .931 save percentage. Primeau was a Hockey East First-Team All-Star and Mike Richter Award finalist and helped his team win the Hockey East Tournament. If that sounds familiar, it’s because he accomplished all three of those feats again this season, recording a .933 save percentage and 2.09 GAA in 36 games. Primeau also starred for Team USA at the World Junior Championships this year, earning the starting role over fellow top prospects Kyle Keyser (BOS) and Spencer Knight (2019). Primeau – and Poehling – led the Americans to a silver medal at the tournament, with Primeau posting an immaculate 1.61 GAA and .936 save percentage.

After two outstanding years at Northeastern and a stellar World Junior performance, there was great speculation that Primeau would turn pro despite his young age for a goaltender. For all of his amateur accomplishments, there is still plenty of work to be done for Primeau at the pro level. Fortunately, he has plenty of time and faces little pressure; the Canadiens current keeper isn’t going anywhere any time soon. Carey Price, who will be 32 before next season, is nevertheless signed for seven more years at a $10.5MM AAV. Primeau could find himself as third-string behind Price and Charlie Lindgren as early as next season, but the Habs have no expectations that he will be the starter any time soon. Primeau can take his time and develop in the AHL and maybe could become Price’s backup at some point during his entry-level contract. But with an all-world starter ahead of him, Primeau is still years away from the pressure of a top NHL role and that’s alright for a talented, young goalie.

Eastern Notes: Fritz, Crawford, Daccord, Byron, Strome

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The New York Islanders have lost some depth as forward Tanner Fritz is expected to miss six to eight weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a blood clot in his hand, according to NHL.com’s Cory Wright.

He had a little bit of a blood clot between two fingers, so they had to do some surgery and he’ll be out six to eight weeks. The operation was 100% successful. It’s just the nature of the type of procedure that was done, that it’ll take that bit of time. He’s fine. It’s unfortunate for Tanner, who came in and did so well, but as I said, he’ll be fully recovered.”

While the 27-year-old Fritz has only appeared in eight games for the Islanders this season, he was recalled on March 21st after veteran Valtteri Filppula was injured, giving Fritz the opportunity to play in the team’s last three games. Fritz was averaging only 10:49 of ice time with the Isles, but has been solid with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the AHL where he has 12 goals and 37 points in 57 games. As for Filppula, head coach Barry Trotz said that he has been skating, but there is still no timetable for his return.

  • Expect Ottawa Senators interim coach Marc Crawford to be a serious candidate for the team’s head coaching position, according to Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch. While general manager Pierre Dorion has a list of many candidates, the team won’t allow their search for a president of hockey operations to interfere with their hunt for a head coach. Crawford deserves consideration for that position as he has made a difference on the Senators’ young squad. Belleville head coach Troy Mann is another serious candidate for the Senators’ coaching vacancy.
  • Garrioch reports that Dorion and goaltending coach Pierre Groulx watched Arizona State goaltender Joey Daccord Saturday and are expected to try to sign the collegiate goaltender. Daccord had a breakout year with Arizona State as the junior put up 21 wins, a 2.36 GAA and a .926 save percentage. He was the team’s seventh-round pick in the 2015 draft.
  • TVA’s Renaud Lavoie reports that Montreal Canadiens forward Paul Byron, who has missed two games with an upper-body injury, was back on the ice Sunday, but still needs to pass some tests before he is cleared to play. The 29-year-old Byron has 15 goals and 30 points in 54 games and could be available to play for Montreal on Tuesday if all goes well.
  • The Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the AHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers, announced that prospect Matthew Strome has been reassigned from his OHL team, whose season recently ended. Strome, the team’s fourth-round pick in the 2017 draft, just wrapped up his fourth year with the Hamilton Bulldogs, posting 28 goals and 79 points. He signed his entry-level contract in March of 2018 and will finish out the season with the Phantoms.

Canucks Notes: Demko, Hutton, Schenn, Lockwood

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With the impressive play of Jacob Markstrom this season, the Vancouver Canucks have an interesting conundrum to face as the team suddenly may have themselves too much goaltending depth. The 29-year-old Markstrom has had another solid season as the Canucks’ starting goaltender, posting a winning record of 28-22-9 on a losing team, while posting a 2.76 GAA and a .913 save percentage.

However, Markstrom’s solid play raises some questions, according to the Vancouver Sun’s Patrick Johnston, who suggests that with his improved play, the team might want to consider trading from strength and consider moving top goaltending prospect Thatcher Demko this off-season. With another franchise goaltender in waiting with 19-year-old Michael DiPietro ready to go pro next season, the team could move Demko without significant loss. Demko has played in seven NHL games, and has played extremely well in five of those games. However, because of two poor outings, his .903 save percentage doesn’t look as impressive.

Regardless, the 23-year-old Demko would be high in demand from teams looking for a future franchise goaltender. Johnston suggests it’s a similar situation to when the team opted to trade goaltender Cory Schneider back in 2013 for a first-round pick, which eventually turned out to be Bo Horvat.

  • The Athletic’s Harman Dayal (subscription required) writes that Vancouver should consider moving defenseman Ben Hutton. The 25-year-old blue liner seems to have returned to the form he showed in an impressive rookie year back in the 2015-16 season. After two seasons of struggles, Hutton has once again proven to be a top-four defenseman. Regardless, Dayal suggests that the 25-year-old’s success might be the best the team will ever see and they might be better off moving on from him now while his value is at its highest.
  • The Canucks are close to signing defenseman Luke Schenn to a one-year contract extension, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman late last night on Hockey Night in Canada. Schenn, who came over to the Canucks in a January swap with the Anaheim Ducks for Michael Del Zotto, has fared well, showing energy and becoming a quick fan favorite in his 15 games with Vancouver. Schenn, who fell out of favor in Anaheim, is currently finishing out a one-year, $800K deal that he signed with the Ducks last offseason.
  • In the same commentary, Friedman also confirmed rumors that University of Michigan forward William Lockwood has told the Canucks that he intends to return to college for his senior year. The 20-year-old had a solid year with the Wolverines as he tallied 16 goals and 31 points in 36 games last season. The 2016 third-round pick out of Michigan could opt to become a unrestricted free agent at this point next season.

Montreal Canadiens Sign Ryan Poehling To Entry-Level Deal

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Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin has announced that the team has signed center Ryan Poehling to a three-year, entry-level deal. The Canadiens’ 2017 first-round pick, who has played the last three seasons with St. Cloud State University, is expected to join the team immediately.

Poehling will begin his three-year deal this season as the team will burn the first year of his contract, but he will remain exempt from the upcoming Seattle expansion draft as he would need to play in 11 games to earn a pro season towards expansion eligibility. Known for being an offensive catalyst who is exceptional at play-making, the 20-year-old has scored 29 goals and 46 assists in three years at St. Cloud State. While his junior year numbers don’t stand out (eight goals, 31 points in 36 games), Poehling is considered to be a top prospect, who just has struggled this season with his shooting percentage, despite putting up more shots as well as more quality shots on goal this season.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound forward also saw some international time as he was named the tournament MVP of the 2019 World Junior Championship for Team USA, showing off his offensive prowess. This included leading an impressive third period comeback in a preliminary game against Sweden, when he scored a natural hat trick in the second half of the period to tie the game. In the end, he tallied five goals and eight points in seven games. It was the second time Poehling played in the World Juniors as he also suited up for the 2018 team as well.

Canadian Women’s Hockey League To Discontinue Operations

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The Canadiens Women’s Hockey League put out a press release, announcing that they will discontinue league operations as of May 1. Despite a solid product on the ice, the business side of the operation hasn’t been nearly as successful and has forced the league to disband.

The news also comes on the week of the 2019 Women’s Ice Hockey World Championships, which starts on Thursday, April 4. The CWHL, a professional hockey league that has been around since 2007, included six teams throughout Canada and China. The league had signed a number of notable female players, including U.S. Olympian Hilary Knight, who signed with the Les Canadiennes de Montreal, along with a group of others including Brianna Decker, Kacey Bellamy, and Alex Rigsby.

With new leadership that took over in 2018 behind Hockey Hall of Famer Jayna Hefford, the league was hoping to establish a more successful business model, but that didn’t happen, even as 175,000 fans tuned in to watch the Clarkson Cup last week. “This morning we were informed the CWHL is folding. As players, we will do our best to find a solution so this isn’t our last season of hockey but it’s hard to remain optimistic,” stated the Calgary Inferno’s Rebecca Leslie today.

The National Women’s Hockey League, is now the only professional women’s league in North America. The NWHL has five teams in the United States. There remains a possibility that the NWHL could absorb some of if not all of the former CWHL teams, but such a move is not imminent.

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