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New York Rangers Sign Goaltender Adam Huska

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The New York Rangers sure work quickly. The collegiate season of prospect goalie Adam Huska came to an end last night with an impressive (albeit meaningless) win for the University of Connecticut over the No. 2-ranked University of Massachusetts. Less than 12 hours since the final horn, Huska is now a pro. The Rangers have announced that they have signed the young keeper to a an entry-level contract. CapFriendly reports it is a two-year deal beginning next season, but financial terms are not yet available.

Huska, 21, has forfeited the final year of his NCAA eligibility to go pro, as the junior goaltender leaves UConn after three years and 69 games with the Huskies. The move comes as somewhat of a surprise considering the drop off in Huska’s play this season. After posting a .912 save percentage and 2.59 GAA in 27 games last year, Huska’s save percentage fell to .896 this season while his goals against average ballooned to 3.34, resulting in just 21 games played as he lost starts to impressive freshman and Nashville Predators draft pick Tomas Vomacka. In fact, it was Vomacka in net last night for the big win. Most likely, the Rangers’ brass saw Huska losing the starting job to Vomacka next season and agreed to sign him to his first pro contract and thus control his usage at the ECHL level next season. If instead he does push for AHL time right away next season, he will ironically be right back in the same arena he played at with UConn, also shared by the Hartford Wolf Pack.

Despite some struggles, there is still reason to believe that Huska is an encouraging prospect for New York. A seventh-round draft pick out of Slovakia in 2015, Huska went on to be one of best goalies in the USHL the following season, being named Goaltender of the Year. He has also represented Slovakia several times at the World Junior Championships, gaining that invaluable experience against some of the best young players in the world. At 6’4″, 227 lbs., Huska has great size and athleticism. The fundamentals of his game need improvement and he will almost certainly spend several years in the minors before becoming an option in the NHL, but under the tutelage of the Rangers’ staff, Huska could see immediate improvement. He will have to work hard to earn recognition among a mountain of young goalies in the pipeline, including current backup Alexandar Georgiev, KHL star Igor Shestyorkin, UMass-Lowell standout Tyler Wall, and recent second-round pick Olof Lindbom, but it says a lot that the Rangers were willing to rush Huska out of the NCAA and into the pros.

Tampa Bay Lightning Recall Jan Rutta

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UPDATE: Smith reports that defenseman Anton Stralman is considered day-to-day with a lower-body injury. It’s not exactly an injury that screams play time for Rutta, so the newly-acquired defenseman is likely up in Tampa Bay as insurance for the time being. In the meantime, he can practice with the team and get the feel for his new teammates and coaches. If Stralman’s absence ends up being longer than expected, perhaps Rutta will make his return to NHL action.

 

It’s been a long time coming, but the moment is finally here. Defenseman Jan Rutta, acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks in early January, has finally been called up by the Tampa Bay Lightning. The AHL’s Syracuse Crunch, with whom Rutta has played exclusively since the deal was made, were the ones to break the news, but note that GM Julien BriseBois initially announced the move. 

Rutta, 28, is in his second NHL season after coming over from the Czech Republic ahead of the 2017-18 season. The big, two-way defender played in 57 games for the Blackhawks last season, notching 20 points, and despite spending the last three months in the minors, has 23 NHL games to his credit this year as well, along with six points. In 26 AHL games this year, eight of which came with the Rockford Ice Hogs, Rutta has twelve points. Since joining the Crunch, Rutta has been a dependable defensive presence for the team and has logged an impressive +15 rating. While it helps that Syracuse is a good team this season with the second-best record in the AHL, Rutta has done enough to show that he can be an NHL asset and perhaps a contributor to a playoff run.

As for why the call-up has finally come, The Athletic’s Joe Smith notes that the timing is a surprise and to his knowledge no Lightning defenders are currently injured. Tampa Bay has had the cap space to recall Ruuta if need be, but lacked the roster space – part of the reason they traded Slater Koekkoek in the first place to acquire Ruuta. However, with the trade deadline passed and roster limits eliminated, Ruuta was free to be recalled. It remains unclear where he fits barring an unreported injury, however. The Lightning have seven defensemen who have played more than 41 games this season already and Ruuta is not about to replace any of them in head coach Jon Cooper’s blue line rotation. Yet, the veteran defenseman is probably content just to be back at the NHL level in a season that has surely not gone as he expected.

Strength Of Schedule And The Eastern Conference Wild Card Race

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The Tampa Bay Lightning had a chance to clinch a playoff spot last night on the first Thursday in March. While it didn’t go their way, the Bolts are undoubtedly going to be the top seed in the Eastern Conference and are well on their way to a President’s Trophy with a 15-point lead on the next-best team in the league. That next team up is the Boston Bruins, who are second only to Tampa in both the NHL and within their own Atlantic Division. Riding an 18-game point streak, the Bruins’ playoff position is also in little doubt. The Toronto Maple Leafs, currently holding a top-five record in the league, are on pace to finish third in their own division and without home ice in the first round of the playoffs. Boston and Toronto seem destined to meet in that opening round, with the winner likely getting Tampa Bay as their reward for moving on.

As frustrating as the current playoff format may be for the Leafs – as well as the Bruins and Lightning – at least the three teams know where they stand in the postseason structure with a month to go in the regular season. The same can’t be said for the rest of the Eastern Conference contenders. Just eight points separate the New York Islanders, the current Metropolitan Division leaders, from the Columbus Blue Jackets, presently in ninth in the East and on the outside of the playoff picture, in the standings. Between the two are three more Metropolitan teams, as well as the Atlantic’s Montreal Canadiens. With all six of these competitors struggling to pull away from the rest of the group, it could be that each team’s schedule down the stretch determines where they end up by the end of the regular season. Three divisional spots and two wild card spots are up for grabs; who has the luck of the schedule on their side?

According to the strength of schedule numbers released by the NHL this morning, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ opposing points percentage of .555 is the most favorable of the group. That’s not to say the Pens face an easy slate, though. Pittsburgh faces eight current playoff teams in their final 15 games, not including tomorrow night’s tilt against Columbus, but end the year with a nice stretch that includes a home-and-home against the lowly Red Wings and a final match-up against the Rangers. The experienced Penguins team is a safe bet to stay in the playoff picture, especially if they can get healthy on the back end.

The Montreal Canadiens have a similarly easy schedule, a .575 opposing points percentage, but with a dramatically different ending. Fighting for just one of two wild card spots, the Habs will face eight current playoff teams themselves, again not including a game against the Blue Jackets, but only three of those contests are within their next nine games. Montreal may get a nice boost over the next couple of weeks, but face a daunting final stretch; Columbus, Winnipeg, Tampa, Washington, and Toronto await them in their final five games. How they fare against those Cup contenders could determine whether they make or miss the postseason.

With just seven current playoff teams on the schedule from here on out, not including two run-ins with Columbus, the New York Islanders are in good shape with a .567 opposing points percentage. The team also avoids any road trips of longer than two games for the rest of the season. While a regular season finale against the Capitals could prove critical, the Islanders look as if they should be able to hold on to their playoff spot. The health of Robin Lehner could be a game-changer, though.

Things have not gone as expected since Jarmo Kekalainen and the Columbus Blue Jackets went all out at the trade deadline. The team sits outside of the playoff picture currently, two points back of the final wild card spot, and there is no guarantee that things will get better. The Jackets have a .581 opposing points percentage, including ten games against current playoff teams, and play just six of their final 15 games at home. Perhaps the one saving grace will be trips to Buffalo, the Rangers, and Ottawa in three of their last four games, but Columbus has their work cut out for them.

The Carolina Hurricanes have a similarly tough schedule, but benefit from having a game or two in hand on their playoff berth competition. In their final 16 games, the ’Canes will face opposition with a .586 points percentage, ten of which are playoff teams. They also have three sets of back-to-back games remaining. However, with the cushion of extra games and dates with the Devils and Flyers to round out the year, the red-hot Hurricanes are on pace to erase their league-worst nine-year playoff drought.

Finally, there are the defending champs. The Washington Capitals not only have the most difficult remaining schedule in the East’s wild card race, but in the entire NHL. At a .599 opposing points percentage, the Caps are about to go through the ringer in their final 15 games. Ten playoff teams are on the docket for Washington, including three games against the powerhouse Lightning and five playoff teams among their final six competitors. Fortunately, the team does play more than half of their remaining match-ups at home, but there’s little else to find comfort in. If any team in this race is at risk of a dramatic fall from their current playoff position, it is the Capitals, especially if the extra work of last year’s Stanley Cup run starts to catch up to them down the stretch.

Florida Panthers Sign Serron Noel To Entry-Level Contract

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The Florida Panthers have inked one of their top prospects, signing Serron Noel to a three-year entry-level contract. Noel is currently playing with the Oshawa Generals in the OHL after being selected 34th overall last June. Unlike some of the other prospects being signed right now, Noel is still young enough to potentially see the contract slide forward a year and not kick in until 2020-21.

That all depends on whether the Panthers believe he could help in the NHL next season, and after the strong year he’s had for Oshawa he’ll likely get a chance to battle for a spot in the fall. The 6’5″ winger has 75 points in 62 games and is already an excellent skater for his size. GM Dale Tallon expressed exactly that sentiment when speaking about his newest forward:

Serron is a highly skilled, hard-working, young player who we believe has the potential to be an excellent power forward for the Panthers for many years to come. At just 18 years of age, his impressive combination of size, speed and character are qualities that have helped him excel this season in Oshawa. We are thrilled to have signed Serron and look forward to his development with the Panthers.

If he doesn’t make the Panthers out of camp, which is still an extreme long shot at this point, Noel will not be allowed to play in the AHL and would be expected to return to the OHL for another season. That could very well come with an invitation to compete at the World Juniors with Team Canada, given he has already taken part in international tournaments like the Hlinka-Gretzky and the World Junior Summer Showcase.

Gabriel Landeskog Out Four To Six Weeks

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The Colorado Avalanche are trying their best to fight for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, but will now have to do it without the services of their captain. Gabriel Landeskog will be out four to six weeks with an upper-body injury, essentially ending his regular season.

Colorado currently sits just four points behind the Minnesota Wild for the final wild card spot, and are the only non-playoff team with a positive goal differential in the Western Conference. A huge part of that differential though has been the play of Landeskog and his usual linemates, All-Stars Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. That trio (though not always lining up together) has been the driving force behind any Avalanche success all season. The 26-year old Landeskog had already set career highs with 33 goals and 69 points this season, and had scored a league-leading nine game winners.

In fact, by nearly any metric or statistic Landeskog was in the midst of the best season of his career. There are few players who can impact the game in the same number of ways he can, engaging physically while still being an excellent offensive weapon. A loss like this will not only be felt on the ice, but in the locker room as well. His leadership qualities are heralded as some of the best in the league, leading to him being named captain at just 19 years old—the youngest in history at the time.

All hope is not lost for Colorado, but the idea of them catching Minnesota and doing any damage in the playoffs is certainly more daunting now. The team will play their final game of the season almost exactly four weeks from today, meaning he very well could miss the first round of the postseason if they do somehow pull it off.

Of course, some Avalanche fans will be excited even through the disappointment of seeing Landeskog go down. The team still holds the Ottawa Senators first-round pick in addition to their own, and would have two shots at first overall in the draft lottery if they miss the playoffs. The possibility of getting the top two picks in the draft doesn’t come around often, even if it would be a minuscule chance at this point.

Mark Stone Signs Eight-Year Extension With Vegas Golden Knights

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The wait is over Vegas Golden Knights fans. Mark Stone has officially signed his eight-year, $76MM extension. The deal carries a $9.5MM average annual value and includes a full no-movement clause. CapFriendly has the full salary breakdown:

  • 2019-20: $3MM salary + $9MM signing bonus
  • 2020-21: $1MM salary + $7MM signing bonus
  • 2021-22: $7MM salary + $5MM signing bonus
  • 2022-23: $1MM salary + $7MM signing bonus
  • 2023-24: $6MM salary + $5MM signing bonus
  • 2024-25: $6MM salary + $5MM signing bonus
  • 2025-26: $3MM salary + $5MM signing bonus
  • 2026-27: $1MM salary + $5MM signing bonus

Stone, 26, was acquired by the Golden Knights at the trade deadline from the Ottawa Senators for a package that included prospect Erik Brannstrom, and has had an immediate impact on the ice. Though he has recorded just two points in five games, the Golden Knights are undefeated and have not allowed a goal against with Stone on the ice. That’s part of his appeal, given his ability as one of the very best defensive forwards in the entire NHL. Stone has also attempted 34 shots in those five games, with 18 of them hitting the net but failing to go in. Stone had scored on nearly 20% of his shots while with the Senators, meaning it’s just a matter of time before he gets his first goal as a Golden Knight.

Even with his incredible two-way appeal, this contract is certainly an expensive one for the Golden Knights. The club is just in their sophomore season in the NHL, but already has more than $82MM in cap space committed to the 2019-20 season. That includes just 17 players, meaning there will have to be changes coming in Vegas even if the cap ceiling increases substantially as it is expected to. Along with Stone’s extension, the Golden Knights will see Marc-Andre Fleury, Nate Schmidt, Alex Tuch and Max Pacioretty all receive huge raises next season.

The huge amount of the contract paid out in signing bonuses is an important factor. Not only will Stone receive the equivalent of lockout protection by receiving most of his total in bonuses in both 2020-21 and 2022-23 (possible work stoppage seasons), but paying out his salary in huge chunks is something the Ottawa Senators likely weren’t able to offer. The Senators apparently tried tirelessly to work out a contract extension with Stone before trading him, but the team has never been able to agree to this sort of payment structure in the past.

A no-movement clause is also included in the deal, which is something teams are wary to hand out at the moment. With the Seattle expansion draft coming up, NMCs drastically reduce a team’s flexibility given that they must be protected. Vegas however doesn’t have to worry about that factor, given they will not be participating in the expansion fee or draft process. While several teams likely would have been willing to offer a no-movement clause to a player of Stone’s caliber, Vegas can do so without hesitation.

Stone’s will now be tied (for the moment) for the 12th-highest cap hit  in the NHL next season, and puts him behind only Patrick Kane ($10.5MM) and Alex Ovechkin ($9.54MM) in terms of wingers. Nikita Kucherov and Jamie Benn also come in at $9.5MM. That puts a lot of pressure on him to continue producing, something that isn’t guaranteed even with his outstanding reputation around the league. His 64 points this season actually represents a career high, tying him with his total from 2014-15. While he’s obviously going to break that total given the month remaining in the season, the fact that he secured a contract like this without ever producing 65 points or 30 goals in a single season is impressive and speaks to just how valuable the Golden Knights believe him to be in other areas.

It’s not just on the ice that Stone has impressed. There was speculation in Ottawa that the winger would likely be the team’s next captain if he re-signed, and new teammates have already raved about how Stone stepped into a leadership role in Vegas right away. He’ll be asked to bring that and a lot more for the next eight years.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Submit Your Questions For The #PHRMailbag

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The trade deadline is over and teams now have to complete the last quarter of the season with no outside help. That means plenty of action for young players on clubs outside the playoff race, and a test of depth for those grinding for a top seed. While the battle for the last few playoff spots rages, some fans will have turned their attention to the upcoming draft and free agency, excited for what to come. Will the big names moved at the deadline re-sign with their new teams? Or will the free agent market be littered with stars looking for big paychecks?

With the deadline behind us and the playoffs not too far away, it’s time to run another mailbag. We’ll be answering as many questions as we can this weekend. You can submit questions by using #PHRMailbag on Twitter or by leaving a comment down below.

If you missed our last mailbag, it came out in two parts given all the questions asked. First Brian tackled everything to do with the Metropolitan Division including predicting Pittsburgh’s movement of Tanner Pearson for some defense help and giving his thoughts on the Micheal Ferland situation. Next, he tackled the rest of the league in a lengthy mailbag that stretches from Erik Karlsson to Jonas Brodin.

Erik Karlsson Expected Back For Playoffs

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The San Jose Sharks haven’t had Erik Karlsson in the lineup for the past three games (all wins) and shouldn’t expect him back “anytime soon.” That’s what Karlsson told Kevin Kurz of The Athletic, but the star defenseman did say he would be back in time for the playoffs. Karlsson is dealing with a groin injury and hopes to get back on the ice for at least a few games before the Sharks start their first round playoff series.

When healthy, Karlsson has been an incredible performer for the Sharks, who currently sit just a point back of the Calgary Flames for first place in the Pacific Division. His 45 points ranks 12th in the NHL among defensemen despite him playing only 52 games—teammate Brent Burns leads the league with 73 points in 67 games—and he has logged an average of more than 24 minutes for the Sharks even including his last two games where he was extremely limited. There’s no doubt the Sharks are better with him in the lineup, and will hope to get him back on the ice to shake off the rust before an important playoff series starts.

Remember that Karlsson remains unsigned and is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Showing he is healthy and playoff capable will go a big way to dissuade any hesitation to sign him, be it from the Sharks or another team on the open market. The last time the 28-year old was in the postseason was 2017, when he recorded 18 points in 19 games and pulled the Ottawa Senators within one goal of reaching the Stanley Cup Finals.

Islanders Keep Dal Colle, Send Ho-Sang Back To AHL

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The New York Islanders have made the decision on which of their young forwards to keep for the time being, changing Michael Dal Colle’s emergency recall to a regular one and assigning Joshua Ho-Sang back to the minor leagues.

Dal Colle, 22, is finally making good on the fifth-overall selection the Islanders spent on him in 2014. For two years the big winger struggled in the minor leagues, but this season seemed to turn a corner with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers before eventually finding his way to the NHL. Now with 22 games played for New York this season, it looks like he could be carving himself out a full-time role.

Though he has just five points in those 22 games, Dal Colle has been a positive possession player and has earned himself more ice time of late. Though he’s not going to supplant one of the Islanders’ top options at the moment, he’s setting himself up to be a real contributor in the future. Obviously you want more than just a warm body from such a high draft pick, but sometimes players just take longer to work out what makes them successful at the next level. Dal Colle is a restricted free agent this summer, which makes the next month or so very interesting from a contract negotiating standpoint.

Ho-Sang meanwhile continues to bounce up and down without any real consistency. The 23-year old forward is obviously a skilled player, as evidenced by his 103 points in 144 games at the minor league level, but can’t seem to find a role on the Islanders. Another first-round pick from 2014, Ho-Sang is also a restricted free agent this summer and has been considered a trade candidate in the past.

Ralph Krueger Resurfaces As Head Coaching Candidate

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Since leading Team Europe to a second place finish at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, Ralph Krueger’s name has come up every time a coaching vacancy appears in the NHL. That has happened once again, as Darren Dreger of TSN reported on Insider Trading last night that Krueger is interested in returning to the NHL but “only if the fit is right.” It’s not clear what kind of fit that would be, but there’s obviously still interest in bringing him back overseas.

Krueger, 59, last coached in the NHL during the 2012-13 season when he served as head coach of the Edmonton Oilers, but is currently serving as chairman of the Southampton Football Club in the English Premier League. Krueger has repeatedly said in the past that he is happy in the role he now occupies, but almost yearly around this time his name surfaces as a potential candidate.

There’s good reason for that interest from teams around the league. Players rave about working under Krueger despite his relative lack of experience at the NHL level, and he is credited with being a huge driving force behind the development of Swiss hockey. As head coach of the Swiss National team for more than a decade, he prepared his clubs spectacularly for matches that they were regularly outclassed in, often playing spoiler to some of the more traditional hockey powerhouses.

With the NHL season coming close to an end there will surely be some more coaching vacancies that open over the next few weeks and months. Already there are roles open in Los Angeles, Anaheim, Ottawa and Edmonton (as long as Ken Hitchcock doesn’t return), while other coaches like Scott Gordon and Craig Berube are technically still under interim labels.

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