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Latest On Alex Pietrangelo

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The St. Louis Blues have already made some big splashes this season, acquiring Justin Faulk from the Carolina Hurricanes and then extending both Faulk and Brayden Schenn to long-term contracts. Now all eyes are on captain Alex Pietrangelo who stands as easily their most notable player scheduled for unrestricted free agency after this season.

Pietrangelo’s camp met with the Blues front office a few weeks ago, but according to Bob McKenzie of TSN on last night’s edition of Insider Trading, there has been no contact since. While that certainly doesn’t mean that an extension can’t be worked out further down the line, it does still keep the spotlight on the veteran defenseman.

In terms of what it might take to retain Pietrangelo, an easy comparison can be made to yesterday’s eight-year, $72.5MM extension for Roman Josi of the Nashville Predators. In fact, there is an argument to be made that Pietrangelo could deserve even more than the $9.059MM cap hit that Josi secured, given his longer track record and recent playoff success.

Both drafted in 2008, Pietrangelo was picked 34 spots ahead of Josi as the fourth-overall selection. While it took a little while for the Predators to insert their second round pick into the lineup, Pietrangelo got a taste almost immediately and recently played his 700th game (Josi is at 575). The Blues captain also has more overall points with 405, though they have come at a slightly lower rate.

Both players will be 30 when their next contracts kick in, making these types of commitments dangerous, but Pietrangelo is such an integral part of the Blues team that it seems unlikely they would want to watch him walk out the door.

Still, the Blues have traded key players on expiring contracts before. At the 2018 deadline they moved Paul Stastny to the Winnipeg Jets for a package of picks and prospects, and just a year before that moved Kevin Shattenkirk for a similar return. Obviously doing the same with Pietrangelo would be a different level of decision entirely, but there at least is some precedent.

In all likelihood however, there will still be an extension between the two sides at some point. The longer this goes on however, the more speculation will continue to bubble up to the surface.

New York Islanders Place Martin, Kuhnhackl On IR

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The New York Islanders have placed both Matt Martin and Tom Kuhnhackl on injured reserve with lower-body injuries, retroactive to October 25th. In their place, the team has recalled prospect Otto Koivula from the AHL for the first time in his career.

Martin and Kuhnackl are both expected to miss four to six weeks after suffering serious injuries, meaning Koivula and other young players may get a chance with the Islanders.

Selected in the fourth round of the 2016 draft, the 21-year old forward didn’t join the Islanders organization until last season. The wait was worth it though as he performed quite well for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in the AHL, recording 21 goals and 46 points in 69 games.

Not only does Koivula have some offensive upside, but he also brings a 6’4″ 225-lbs frame to the table for the Islanders, helping them replace some of the size they lost through injury. Whether he can contribute at the NHL level is still to be see, but he should get his chance.

Travis Hamonic Will Not Negotiate Extension During Season

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The Calgary Flames are off to a slow start this season, allowing 39 goals in 13 games. If that continues they’ll have some tough decisions to make with their current defense core, as both Travis Hamonic and T.J. Brodie are set to become unrestricted free agents after the season. According to Darren Dreger of TSN on the latest installment of Insider Trading, any discussions there have been with Hamonic are now over; the defenseman will not negotiate during the season.

Just like general managers that state they won’t trade a certain player, sometimes agents and players are bluffing when they shut down negotiations as well. If that’s not the case with Hamonic, he could very well become a top trade deadline target given his relatively low cap hit and expiring contract. The 29-year old carries just a $3.86MM cap hit, a reasonable amount for almost any team looking to add defensive help.

Obviously Calgary may decide to keep Hamonic and attempt to re-sign him in the offseason, but even that may prove difficult due to Brodie’s presence and the cap situation the team finds themselves in. The Flames will have some money coming off the books at the end of the year but also have to consider a new contract for young defenseman Rasmus Andersson and a potential extension for David Rittich down the line.

Hamonic isn’t a big offensive presence on the blueline, but has been considered one of the better shutdown options for years now. The right-handed defenseman now has 600 regular season games under his belt and is logging close to 22 minutes a night for the Flames. That includes more than four minutes of short-handed ice time, something teams are always looking to improve at the deadline.

Gabriel Landeskog Out Indefinitely With Lower-Body Injury

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3:55pm: Landeskog is out “longer than week-to-week” according to head coach Jared Bednar. The injury will cause him to miss “significant time” though there is no exact timetable yet. The team has recalled Jayson Megna from the AHL in the meantime.

10:27am: The Colorado Avalanche are already without star forward Mikko Rantanen for a while, and now captain Gabriel Landeskog will be joining him in the rehab room. The team somewhat ominously announced that Landeskog is out indefinitely with a lower-body injury.

Though the details are few at the moment, a lengthy injury would be a disaster for the Avalanche as they try to hold onto first place in the Western Conference. The team added depth this offseason to deal with this sort of situation, but removing two of the top three forwards from any team would put them in a difficult situation.

Landeskog, 26, actually wasn’t off to quite as dominant of a start this season, despite having seven points in 11 games. His possession numbers hadn’t been quite as good as usual, and that top line—which has been one of the best in the NHL for the last few seasons—hasn’t been quite as impressive. A step down from greatness is still good however, meaning the Avalanche were still safely one of the best teams in the NHL through the first month of the season.

That claim will be tested without Landeskog and Rantanen, though the additions of Nazem Kadri, Andre Burakovsky and Joonas Donskoi are paying dividends already. The trio has 23 points through 11 games and has made Colorado look like a legitimate Stanley Cup contender from top to bottom.

Alex Galchenyuk, Brian Dumoulin Activated From Injured Reserve

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Unlike the Boston Bruins, who have breezed past the competition this season even without their second line center, the Pittsburgh Penguins have had to fight just to hold their heads above water as they deal with injuries. Some of that is coming to an end however, as today the Penguins activated both Alex Galchenyuk and Brian Dumoulin from injured reserve.

Add in a returning Evgeni Malkin before long and the Penguins are close to full health as they enter November. The team currently sits at 7-5 on the season but find themselves out of a divisional playoff spot in the tough Metropolitan.

Galchenyuk, 25, was off to a strong start with his new team before injury struck, recording two assists in his first three games. The former 30-goal scorer was acquired in the offseason in the Phil Kessel trade and has big expectations as a top-six winger. Originally selected third overall in 2012, Galchenyuk has scored at least 17 goals in each of the past five seasons and can be a difference-maker on the powerplay.

Dumoulin meanwhile is expected to jump back onto the top pairing alongside Kris Letang and reclaim his position as the team’s Swiss army knife. The 28-year old can do a little bit of everything for the Penguins, including move the puck and play the powerplay when required. Still one of the more underrated players in the league despite his strong play in consecutive Stanley Cup runs, his return to the lineup may be as important as anyone else. The Penguins have gone 1-3 since his injury but will try to get back on track tonight against their state rival Philadelphia Flyers.

Boston Bruins Activate David Krejci

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The Boston Bruins have struggled to get any secondary scoring this season, but that may change with the return of David Krejci. The veteran center has been activated off of injured reserve and is expected to play tonight against the San Jose Sharks.

Krejci, 33, was injured early in an October 14th game against the Anaheim Ducks and has just one point on the season so far, but was a huge part of the team’s attack a year ago. While the top line of Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak and Patrice Bergeron has been good enough to carry the team to an incredible 8-1-2 record—54 points combined in 11 games will do that—the rest of the Bruins lineup has been largely absent from the scoreboard. In fact, no forward other forward has more than four points on the season, something that Krejci will try to change quickly.

After a disappointing 2017-18 campaign, Krejci rebounded with 73 points last season including a team-leading 43 even-strength assists. Perhaps his return to the second line will get Jake Debrusk (one goal, three assists) and Danton Heinen (two goals, one assist) back on the right track.

If he does jumpstart the second line, opponent’s will have to be even more frightened of a Bruins team that looks borderline unstoppable right now. That top line seems to be scoring at will, while Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak have combined for a .936 save percentage.

Scratch Notes: Seabrook, Gusev, Fiala

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The Chicago Blackhawks are sitting one of their franchise icons in the press box again tonight, as Brent Seabrook waits his turn to get back into the lineup. That obviously isn’t what the 34-year old was hoping for at this point in his career, and he made it clear to Charlie Roumeliotis of NBC Sports that he believes he can still play:

I don’t think I need rest. I think I feel great, I’m 34, you guys seem to want to write articles about my age and my speed. I feel like I still got a lot to offer in this league and still be a good player for somebody.

The most interesting part of the Seabrook quote may be the very last word, as he didn’t specify the Blackhawks. There has been a contingent of Chicago fans hoping to get rid of Seabrook’s hefty contract for years now, but it still remains one of the toughest deals to make in the league. While the quote might suggest that he’d be willing to waive his no-movement clause in order to get back on the ice, Seabrook carries a $6.875MM cap hit through the 2023-24 season, something no team wants to take on.

  • The New Jersey Devils will be sitting Nikita Gusev in the press box tomorrow night when they take on the Tampa Bay Lightning. Gusev will get a chance to sit with Devils legend Patrik Elias for the game and pick his brain, something head coach John Hynes hopes will help down the road. Gusev has four points through his first nine NHL games, but has recently seen his minutes drastically reduced.
  • Kevin Fiala will be a healthy scratch for the Minnesota Wild once again tonight, with head coach Bruce Boudreau telling reporters including Michael Russo of The Athletic “we expect more” from the talented forward. Fiala has played in just seven games this season and has a lone assist, after being acquired from the Nashville Predators by former GM Paul Fenton. The 23-year old signed a new two-year, $6MM contract in September but has yet to show that high-end offensive skill that made him such an attractive trade target.

Tobias Rieder Placed On Waivers

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Tuesday: According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, Rieder has cleared waivers and can be assigned to the minor leagues.

Monday: The Calgary Flames have decided to place Tobias Rieder on waivers, according to James Mirtle of The Athletic. Rieder has just one goals and zero assists in nine games this season, after signing a one-year, two-way contract with the Flames in September.

Even though Rieder hasn’t been quite the offensive catalyst the team may have hoped for, this move reeks of cap implications more than performance. The Flames in the midst of a delicate cap ceiling dance thanks to injuries, and getting another player through waivers would give them some flexibility. Should Rieder clear tomorrow he could be shuttled back and forth between the NHL and AHL for quite some time, as players don’t need waivers again until they have played in ten NHL games or spent 30 days on the NHL roster.

Still, that lack of offensive production is still concerning for a player that struggled so mightily last season. Rieder was infamously unable to score a single goal for the Edmonton Oilers in 67 games, leading to plenty of frustration from the team leadership.

After earning a contract after skating with the Flames on a professional tryout, there was some hope that Rieder could get back to the level that had him recording double-digit goal totals in four consecutive seasons between 2014-18. This latest move may be a sign that he isn’t ever going to be an impact player for the Flames, though there perhaps will be another team that believes they could use him.

Nashville Predators Extend Roman Josi

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The Nashville Predators have once again found common ground on an extension with one of their franchise icons. Captain Roman Josi has agreed to an eight-year extension that will keep him under contract through the 2027-28 season. The deal, which will carry an average annual value of $9.059, is set to make Josi the third highest paid defenseman in the NHL, just ahead of former teammate P.K. Subban. It also represents another long-term commitment from Predators GM David Poile, and sets up Josi to potentially play his entire career with the Nashville organization. Poile released a statement explaining the deal:

Roman Josi is one of the top defensemen in the National Hockey League and our team leader as captain. As he enters his prime, we look forward to Roman continuing to showcase his elite skills in Smashville and guiding our team in pursuit of the ultimate goal, the Stanley Cup.

Notably, the team has also given Josi a full no-movement clause, something that Poile is almost always against. In fact, the only player on Nashville currently with a no-trade clause of any kind is goaltender Pekka Rinne.

Obviously there is good reason for Josi to become the second player on that list. The 29-year old defenseman has been one of the league’s consistent two-way players over the last several years, recording at least 49 points in each of the last five seasons while more than holding his own in the defensive end. During that five-year span, Josi has finished in the top-11 in Norris Trophy voting every season, including two fifth-place finishes.

It is not just his on-ice play that has garnered so much attention however. Josi was the easy choice as team captain after Mike Fisher announced his retirement and is a valued leader in the Nashville dressing room. With a new extension in hand he’ll be able to continue in that role for the foreseeable future, perhaps even until he retires down the line.

Still, any time you sign a player to an eight-year contract of this magnitude there is substantial risk. Though Josi has shown absolutely no signs of slowing down at this point, he will be 30 before the first year of the contract kicks in, meaning it takes him into and through what is normally a steep decline phase for NHL players. While he may be one of the select few to avoid that precipitous fall, there is also already a lot of miles on the Swiss defender—he’s averaged close to 25 minutes a night over his entire career.

The Predators though are obviously willing to make the investment to keep Josi in the fold right now. The team believes they are Stanley Cup contenders and now have their core locked up for the next several years. Ryan Johansen, Matt Duchene, Kyle Turris, Viktor Arvidsson, Colton Sissons and Ryan Ellis are all under contract for at least five seasons, while Filip Forsberg, Calle Jarnkrok and Mattias Ekholm don’t become unrestricted free agents until 2022.

Not only will this deal make Josi a very wealthy man, but it will set a market for many other top defensemen looking at free agency in 2020. Alex Pietrangelo, Tyson Barrie, Torey Krug and others are all going to get huge raises before the end of next summer, with Josi’s deal now either being a comparable or perhaps a ceiling to shoot for, depending on the player. Pietrangelo in particular may try to eclipse the deal to become one of the top earners, though it’s not clear exactly if or when an extension will come with St. Louis.

For now though, Josi the Predators can start to focus on the task at hand—getting back to the Stanley Cup Final. With 13 points in his first 11 games, he’s doing his part already.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Minor Transactions: 10/29/19

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After a relatively quiet night the NHL is back with a bang tonight, featuring nine games on the schedule. That includes a return for Bill Peters and the rest of the former Hurricanes when the Calgary Flames travel to Carolina and Ryan McDonagh leading the Tampa Bay Lightning back into his old barn at Madison Square Garden. As teams prepare for the action, we’ll be right here keeping track of all the minor moves around the hockey world.

  • The Detroit Red Wings have recalled Joe Hicketts from the AHL, placing Justin Abdelkader on injured reserve to make room. Abdelkader’s stint is retroactive to October 23rd, but given their recent acquisition of Brendan Perlini they didn’t need to add another forward from the minor leagues.
  • Colin Blackwell has been recalled from the minor leagues by the Nashville Predators, giving the diminutive forward another shot in the NHL. Blackwell played six games for the Predators last season, but is still looking for his first point at the NHL level.
  • The Los Angeles Kings have recalled prospect Carl Grundstrom, giving him another chance at the NHL level. Grundstrom has been running roughshod over the AHL so far this season, scoring five goals and seven points in four games. The second-round pick looks ready to contribute for the Kings, though how much ice time he’ll receive is unclear.
  • Travis Dermott has been activated from injured reserve as expected by the Toronto Maple Leafs, meaning they needed to make one roster move to clear room. Kevin Gravel is that move, as he’s on the way to the AHL after playing in the last few contests for Toronto. Dermott is back from offseason shoulder surgery and will try to help the spinning Maple Leafs regain control of their season.
  • The Detroit Red Wings have activated Adam Erne from injured reserve, sending Evgeny Svechnikov back to the minor leagues. Svechnikov will have to wait for his first chance to play his younger brother, unless of course he is recalled again before Friday’s matchup with the Carolina Hurricanes.
  • William Borgen is on his way back to the Rochester Americans once again, the fourth transaction of the last five days for the young defenseman. Borgen has actually not played a single game for the Buffalo Sabres this season, but is being used as insurance as they deal with some injuries.
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