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Jesperi Kotkaniemi Undergoes Arthroscopic Knee Surgery

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The Montreal Canadiens have announced that rookie center Jesperi Kotkaniemi underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee today. GM Marc Bergevin released a short statement following the procedure:

With regards to Jesperi, it was a chronic, minor injury that did not stop him from playing this past season. Jesperi will remain in Montreal for the coming weeks to complete his rehabilitation program with our team’s medical staff. We have been told by our medical group that there should be no delay in starting his offseason training. 

While it is good news that Kotkaniemi won’t miss any training time, this is something to watch moving forward. After a brilliant start to the season there was obviously something slowing the 18-year old down in the second half of the season, and the team drastically reduced his minutes. In fact, on three occasions during the Canadiens playoff hunt head coach Claude Julien deployed his young center for fewer than 10 minutes in a game, something seemingly unthinkable at the start of the year when he made such an impact.

Hopefully this procedure will let him get back to full strength for the 2019-20 season when the Canadiens will once again try to climb their way into the postseason. The team surprised many by taking it right down to the wire this year, and should be improved next season with players like Kotkaniemi taking a step forward in their development. With just 11 goals and 34 points on the year, he’ll be asked to provide a little more offense while still offering solid two-way play down the middle.

Poll: What Happens To Kyle Turris?

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The Nashville Predators will bow out of the playoffs earlier than they expected for the second consecutive season, and this time have plenty of question marks heading into the offseason. The team scored just 12 goals in six playoff games against the Dallas Stars, and have to find a way to get more offense from basically every forward not named Filip Forsberg, Viktor Arvidsson or Ryan Johansen. Other than that top line, the Predators didn’t have a single forward with even 40 points on the season.

One of the biggest disappointments in that category was Kyle Turris. The 29-year old was supposed to solidify the team’s second-line center position and provide a healthy amount of secondary scoring, but was completely lifeless at times this season. He finished with just seven goals and 23 points in 55 games, and saw his ice time drastically limited in the postseason.

Turris was acquired from the Ottawa Senators during the 2017-18 campaign and got off to a blistering start with Nashville, scoring 17 points in 17 games following the trade. After breaking out of a slump near the end of the season though, he was a no-show in the 2018 playoffs and recorded just three assists (no goals) in 13 games. That kind of production is just unacceptable from a player the team spent so heavily on, especially in the six-year, $36MM extension he signed quickly after arriving in Nashville. There are five years left on that deal.

Notably, GM David Poile doesn’t hand out no-trade protection. Turris’ contract is also evenly distributed and contains no signing bonuses. If the team wanted to trade him, there would be teams interested given his history as a solid contributor, but there would also likely be some wary of his propensity to disappear at key times. The biggest question would be do the Predators have a replacement for him if they did decide to move on?

This season Poile decided to spend some future assets to load up for a long playoff run, and acquired two pending unrestricted free agents in Wayne Simmonds and Brian Boyle. It seems unlikely that Simmonds will be retained, given the almost non-existent role he was given under head coach Peter Laviolette. Boyle is a useful player but wouldn’t be able to provide the same kind of secondary scoring the team expected from Turris. There was however another forward acquired at the deadline, this time with another year under contract. Mikael Granlund was pulled from Minnesota in exchange for Kevin Fiala, but also struggled to make a huge impact with the team down the stretch. There’s reason to believe that he could fill that role though, despite spending the last few years on the wing.

Still, that would only put a short-term fix on the problem. Turris was supposed to be the long-term answer, and still could be if they give him the chance to bounce back from this dreadful season. What do you think they should do with him? Is it time for a fresh start elsewhere, or does the team come back with him in 2019-20 and hope for better results?

Cast your vote below and make sure to leave your thoughts in the comments.

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Snapshots: Kings, Checkers, Hornqvist

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In 2017-18, the Los Angeles Kings finished with 98 points, were a playoff team and had both a Norris Trophy and Hart Trophy finalist (and Selke winner) on their roster. Dustin Brown had found his edge again and recorded a 60-point season, while Jonathan Quick took home the Jennings Trophy as the goaltender for the team with the lowest goals against average in the NHL. Then, it all came crashing down. The club finished 30th in the NHL in 2018-19, fired their coach and traded away several assets. Things looked grim.

As Todd McLellan comes in to try and turn the team around, he spoke with Mark Spector of Sportsnet and was clear that it won’t be a quick process. The Kings aren’t expecting to be back competing for the Stanley Cup next season, and are just “at the beginning of the process.” The question now becomes what happens with the other veteran assets on Los Angeles, as names like Brown, Quick, Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty and Jeff Carter aren’t getting any younger. If “it’s not going to be an overnight thing” as McLellan says, where does that leave the aging stars?

  • The Charlotte Checkers will be without two key defenders for their next game, as both Trevor Carrick and Bobby Sanguinetti have been given suspensions. While Sanguinetti will serve just a single game for a check to the head, Carrick is out for three games after leaving the bench to join an on-ice altercation. The Checkers are tied 1-1 in their first-round series against the Providence Bruins, and will need to find a way to win without two of their veteran blue liners.
  • Patric Hornqvist will suit up for Sweden at the upcoming IIHF World Championship, continuing his season after a disappointing exit with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Hornqvist joins a squad that needed some help up front, and could very well find himself skating beside rookie sensation Elias Pettersson. The 32-year old winger won a gold medal with Sweden last year, scoring two goals in five games. Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that teammate Marcus Pettersson will be an alternate for the Swedish squad.

Zach Bogosian Undergoes Hip Surgery

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The Buffalo Sabres may be without one of their veteran defensemen when the 2019-20 season opens. The team announced today that Zach Bogosian has undergone successful hip surgery and will be out for five to six months.

Bogosian, 28, underwent another hip surgery last year and made it all the way back to actually have one of his most productive seasons in quite some time. The big blue liner recorded 19 points in 65 games for the Sabres while averaging nearly 22 minutes a night. He was listed as “day-to-day” for the end of the season, but apparently had something that needed correcting. This surgery will almost certainly cost him all of training camp, if not the first part of next season.

Notably, the injury will also remove any consideration of a buyout for the veteran. Bogosian has one year remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $5.14MM, and had been a buyout candidate in the past given his struggles to stay healthy and effective. As you cannot buy out injured players, the team will miss the window to do so if they had any intention to.

That means Bogosian will have to work hard to get himself back to game shape in time to prove he can still compete in the NHL. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent next summer and still just 29 years old, plenty young enough to secure a multi-year deal if he can show his effectiveness. After two major hip surgeries and several other injuries though that will be a tough ask.

Ilya Mikheyev Expected To Make Decision Soon

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We heard a few days ago that KHL forward Ilya Mikheyev was being pursued by the Vegas Golden Knights, but they’re not the only team trying to get him under contract. Today, Igor Eronko of Sport-Express has heard that the Toronto Maple Leafs are among the final few teams, while Darren Dreger of TSN includes Vegas and the Chicago Blackhawks as well. Dreger notes that a majority of the league has shown interest, and that a decision is expected this weekend.

Mikheyev, 24, is a versatile forward that has played several seasons in the KHL with Avangard Omsk. This year he finished with 23 goals and 45 points, before putting up another 11 in his 13 playoff appearances. The 6’2″ winger is a great skater and plays his off-wing, allowing him to use his speed to drive the net and get shots away in tight. Whether that offense would translate to the NHL is still unclear, but teams are more than willing to take a chance.

He will be limited to a one-year entry-level contract whenever he does sign, likely with some sort of agreement to get a chance at the NHL in 2019-20. Teams courting him may well include a European Assignment Clause, allowing him to return to the KHL if they try to send him to the minor leagues. That is of course unless Mikheyev is committed to the long haul in North America and is willing to work with a development team to maximize his NHL potential.

West Notes: Myers, Trouba, Blackhawks, Flames

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Speaking with reporters as they cleaned out their lockers today, a pair of Jets defensemen commented on their future with the team.  Pending UFA Tyler Myers indicated (via Murat Ates of The Athletic) that he’s open to starting discussions with GM Kevin Cheveldayoff as soon as the team is ready to do so.  Myers took a small step back statistically this season but remains one of the top blueliners that will potentially be available on the open market.

Meanwhile, pending RFA Jacob Trouba was largely non-committal about his future, relays Sportsnet’s Rory Boylen.  He’d only acknowledge that they’d talk in the summer which suggests there are no imminent discussions on the horizon.  Trouba’s willingness to sign long-term with the Jets has long been in question but he has certainly bolstered his negotiating leverage as he had a career year in 2018-19 with 50 points in 82 games.  If he so desires, he can sign a one-year deal this summer and become eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2020.

Elsewhere out West:

  • Blackhawks prospect Evan Barrett has decided to remain at Penn State for his junior year, reports Scott Powers of The Athletic (subscription required). The center, a 2017 third-round pick, had a strong sophomore season with 43 points in 32 games and gave serious consideration to turning pro.  He recently underwent surgery for an undisclosed injury and will miss two-to-three months.
  • Meanwhile, from the same report, Powers notes that goalie prospect Ivan Nalimov is unlikely to sign with the Blackhawks. His KHL contract with Avangard Omsk is set to come to an end next week but with several others already ahead of him on the depth chart, he could be looking at spending time in the ECHL next season.  If another team has interest in him, he could be a trade candidate but the odds of that will decrease if he signs an extension in Russia.
  • Flames GM Brad Treliving told reporters, including Sportsnet 960’s Pat Steinberg, that center Sean Monahan was playing through a cracked thumb. Monahan averaged over a point per game during the regular season but was held to just a goal and an assist in five postseason contests.  He added that goalie David Rittich had been playing through a knee injury late in the year which may at least partly explain why he wasn’t given a chance to play at some point during their series loss to Colorado.

Offseason Keys: New Jersey Devils

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While the playoffs are now underway, many teams have already started their offseason planning.  What storylines lie ahead around the league in what is shaping up to be a likely busy NHL offseason?  Next up in our Offseason Keys series is a look at the New Jersey Devils.

After a surprising run to the playoffs last year, expectations were elevated in New Jersey for 2018-19.  However, injuries to key players and ineffectiveness between the pipes had them in the basement early on and they never really recovered.  They received one piece of good news last week as they were victorious in the Draft Lottery, moving up two spots to land the number one selection.  Who they take with that pick is one big decision they’ll have to make; here’s what else to watch for in New Jersey.

Add Defensive Help

This was on the list of keys last year as well but the Devils didn’t make any defensive additions beyond Egor Yakovlev who was a player on the fringes of the roster and didn’t make much of an impact.  Not surprisingly, their group struggled this season and multiple additions need to be made.

There are some decent young players in the system.  Damon Severson has established himself as a top-four option while Will Butcher has shown some offensive skills.  2018 top pick Ty Smith could push for a roster spot as soon as next season and will certainly be a part of their long-term core.  Beyond those three, there are some question marks.

To make matters worse, both Sami Vatanen and Andy Greene sit a year away from unrestricted free agency.  It’s plausible that if extension talks don’t go anywhere with Vatanen that he could be on the move some point next season.  Greene has only ever played in New Jersey and he could certainly sign to stick around for another year or so but he’ll be 37 at the end of October so he’s not a long-term option.

There has been a need to add a top-four blueliner for a while.  If they want to get back to contending for a playoff spot, they’ll at least need to add one this summer and could certainly stand to add a second one.  If not, shoring up their depth and bolstering their third pairing will be necessary.  The 2018 offseason was quiet in terms of adding defensemen.  The 2019 summer can’t be.

Extension Talks

Although he won’t be repeating as the Hart Trophy winner in 2019, a long-term contract extension for winger Taylor Hall is undoubtedly at the top of the priority list for the Devils this summer.  While he wound up missing the final 47 games of the season due to a knee injury, he was averaging his second-best point per game average of his career at the time (1.12, only trailing the 1.22 he had the year before).

Needless to say, the 27-year-old will be in line for a significant raise on his current $6MM AAV.  While a deal officially can’t be signed until July 1st, expect the two sides to have had significant discussions before then.  If it appears that a deal can’t be reached or Hall suggests he’d like to test free agency in 2020, the Devils will likely be forced to turn around and trade him.  If that was to be the case and the right package was to present itself around the draft, Hall would at least be a player to watch for.

2017 top pick Nico Hischier is also eligible for a contract extension in July.  He has had a decent showing through his first two NHL seasons although not quite at the level that some of his counterparts from previous drafts have had.  Accordingly, his contract isn’t going to be near the level of extensions that players like Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews, the two prior number one picks, had.  However, given the expectation that the post-ELC marketplace is going to change considerably this summer with so many top players in need of new deals, GM Ray Shero may want to try to get a deal with Hischier done first before the salaries really start to escalate.

Determine Zacha’s Future

This was also on the list of keys last year as well and not a whole lot has changed since then when it comes to Pavel Zacha.  A hot finish to the season when the team was well out of contention allowed him to equal his career high in points.  However, that only meant that he hit the 25-point mark.  For a center picked sixth overall back in 2015, that’s not very good.

Hischier has staked a claim to the top center spot.  Projected number one pick Jack Hughes will likely one day ascend to that spot and should move past Zacha on the depth chart in no time.  Travis Zajac still has two years left on his deal and he isn’t likely going anywhere.  John Quenneville could push for a full-time roster spot next season and Michael McLeod, another former first-rounder, is in the mix as well.  Long story short, there isn’t a place in the lineup for Zacha at his natural position.

While it’s possible that he could move to the wing, doing so could potentially further devalue him around the league, especially if he isn’t productive.  Having said that, they clearly believed in his offensive upside when they drafted him so they could believe there’s another level or two to his game.

Zacha will no longer be waiver-exempt next season so if he’s a bubble player in training camp, this could become a storyline pretty quickly.  If Shero expects to make a few additions up front this summer, Zacha’s spot could be in jeopardy pretty quickly.  Is he still a core part of their future?  If the answer is no, they may be best served to try to trade him this summer rather than potentially being forced into that situation in September or October.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Metropolitan Notes: Gordon, Lehner, Ragnarsson

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With Philadelphia hiring Alain Vigneault as their new head coach last week, that has left former interim bench boss Scott Gordon’s future with the team in question.  Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher told NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Jordan Hall that he plans to speak to Gordon in the coming days about potentially reprising his old role as the head coach of their AHL affiliate in Lehigh Valley.

After the season, Gordon indicated that his stint with the Flyers – one that was relatively successful as the team posted a .529 points percentage during his tenure – rekindled his interest in being a head coach at the NHL level.  His first stint with the Islanders from 2008 to 2010 did not go well so he admitted to not giving much thought to getting another shot.  However, with a few vacancies available, it’s quite possible that Gordon could find himself in the mix for another NHL opportunity if he decides to try to land one of those positions.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • The Islanders have a lengthy list of potential unrestricted free agents this summer and one player that has quietly gone under the radar is goalie Robin Lehner. Larry Brooks of the New York Post details why New York should be confident about him sticking around beyond this season as few teams are in the market for a starting goalie.  While a long-term, big money contract isn’t likely given Lehner’s previous track record, a medium-term deal at a sizable raise is one that would be a reasonable compromise for both sides.  The Isles have less than $48MM committed for next season which gives GM Lou Lamoriello plenty of financial flexibility for the upcoming offseason.
  • Rangers prospect Jacob Ragnarsson has signed a two-year contract with Rogle, the SHL team announced. The defenseman was the 70th overall pick back in June and spent the 2018-19 in the Allsvenskan, Sweden’s second division.  As he wasn’t drafted out of the CHL, New York has four years to sign Ragnarsson so this contract shouldn’t have any bearing on them trying to sign the 19-year-old down the road.

Alexander Yelesin Linked To Calgary Flames

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Calgary Flames head coach Bill Peters spoke to the media today as the team finished their year-end locker clean out, and mentioned a couple of players that the team had signed recently. Unfortunately Peters didn’t list them by name, but noted a Russian goaltender—likely Artyom Zagidulin, who was announced a few weeks ago—and a defenseman who is old enough to compete for a spot on the team next season. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet tweets that the “mystery defenseman” is likely Alexander Yelesin, who the Flames had been pursuing recently.

Yelesin, 23, played this season for Lokomotiv of the KHL and recorded 10 points in 55 games. He had been previously linked (however tenuously) to the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Friedman actually wrote in 2018 that there was an agreement in place to bring him to the NHL. The defenseman’s KHL contract will expire at the end of April, meaning he is free to go wherever he chooses.

Though he’s not a big offensive contributor, Yelesin did average more than 17 minutes of ice time for Yaroslavl this season and increased that even further during their short playoff run. The young defenseman is right handed and could offer another depth option for the Flames who face plenty of tough decisions this summer after their early exit from the playoffs. The team currently has a wealth of defenders available to them, but T.J. Brodie, Travis Hamonic and Michael Stone—all options on the right side—are each heading into the final year of their contracts and will be unrestricted free agents in the summer of 2020.

Kris Versteeg Signs AHL Contract

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Kris Versteeg is back. The veteran forward has signed a one-year contract with the Rockford IceHogs for 2019-20 to play in the AHL. Versteeg spent the 2018-19 season in the KHL and Sweden after failing to get an NHL contract, but will return to North America to continue his professional career.

Now 32, Versteeg has seen it all in his hockey career. Originally selected in the fifth round by the Boston Bruins in 2004, he would eventually battle for the Calder Trophy in 2008-09 after scoring 22 goals and 53 points as a rookie for the Chicago Blackhawks. Versteeg would win the first of two Stanley Cups with the Blackhawks the following year, but found himself on the trade block for basically the next decade.

Spending time with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Philadelphia Flyers, Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, Los Angeles Kings and Calgary Flames in addition to two stints with the Blackhawks, the veteran has long been a solid if unspectacular offensive contributor. The fact that he will be rejoining the Blackhawks organization is a coming home of sorts, and should give the AHL squad a bit of a scoring punch for next season.

While an AHL contract doesn’t actually mean Versteeg is part of the Chicago roster, it could potentially lead to an NHL deal if he proves capable. We’ve seen other veterans take similar deals, though they often play on professional tryouts instead of full blown AHL contracts. Lee Stempniak for instance spent time with the Providence Bruins this season before eventually signing a contract with Boston just before the trade deadline in order to be eligible for playoffs. Versteeg could be in a similar situation for 2019-20.

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