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Archives for February 2020

Ottawa Senators Claim Jayce Hawryluk Off Waivers

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There seemed to be a fair amount of anticipation that now-former Florida Panthers forward Jayce Hawryluk would be claimed off waivers today. The 24-year-old has struggled with injury setbacks this season and has been unable to carve out a role for himself in Florida, but was a point-per-game player in the AHL last season before being called up an playing at a 24-point pace in the second half of the season with the Panthers. It seems that the expectations that teams would look beyond this season and grab Hawryluk for his previous displays of potential were well-founded. The young forward only lasted until the No. 3 waiver priority, as the Ottawa Senators announced that they have claimed Hawryluk.

The Senators are again heading toward a trade deadline in which they are expected to move a number of roster players. By claiming Hawryluk, the team adds a young player who can move into a regular role in the place of some of those absences. An increase in ice time should also give Ottawa a better idea of Hawryluk’s identity at the NHL level. A dynamic scorer in his junior days, Hawryluk has flashed that ability briefly in the minors but it has yet to show at the top level. Perhaps an expanded role could help him to re-discover that scoring touch. On the other hand, Ottawa may also be looking toward next year as the true test for Hawryluk, as he is an impending restricted free agent with arbitration rights and the cost-sensitive Senators may be hoping to re-sign him at a low cost before trying to inflate his stats.

Joining the waiver wire today are the Sabre’s Taylor Leier, who just signed a two-way NHL contract with the team today, and the Islanders’ Cole Bardreau, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Neither is expected to be claimed, but Bardreau has at least seen NHL action this year. The 26-year-old has skated in ten games with New York and another 29 with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, but has five points combined and is not likely a threat to be claimed. His waiving does indicate that the Islanders are opening up a roster spot for some other corresponding move, however.

Sabres Sign Taylor Leier To NHL Contract

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Last January, the Buffalo Sabres and Philadelphia Flyers swapped prospects, with Justin Bailey heading to Philly and Taylor Leier going to Buffalo. The duo had remarkably similar numbers at both the NHL and AHL levels and were each headed to restricted free agency, but the teams hoped a change of scenery might help to push them into NHL roles. However, when the time came for qualifying offers, both players found themselves as free agents rather than sticking with their new teams. The reasons however were very different.

Bailey got an immediate tryout with Philadelphia last season, skating in 11 games with the Flyers down the stretch. Unfortunately for the big winger, he failed to impress with just one point in that span and was not much of a difference-maker in the AHL either. The Flyers let him walk and he signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Vancouver Canucks this summer, which has so far paid off with immense minor league production and even a pair of NHL appearances.

Leier, on the other hand, spent the remainder of last season with the AHL’s Rochester Americans and was a valuable asset. By all accounts, the Sabres had planned to re-sign him. However, the young forward suffered a freak accident while training in May that completely changed the status quo. While practicing his stickhandling on rollerblades at a local tennis court near his Saksatoon home, Leier fell and put his arm out to break his fall. His shoulder popped out, tearing his labrum. Suddenly, his future was in doubt. With a long road ahead of him, including surgery and rehab, Leier knew that an extension with Buffalo was likely no longer an option. Yet, finding employment anywhere else was likely even more unlikely. The team and player agreed that staying where he was, that being AHL Rochester, was the best course of action, and so Leier signed a one-year AHL deal with the Americans.

Leier returned to game action in late December, finally having healed from his accident. In the 17 games since, the skilled forward has recorded seven goals and eight points, among the team’s scoring leaders. Regardless of whether they need him this season or not, the Sabres have decided to reward Leier’s hard work and dedication. The team announced today that they have signed him to an NHL contract for the remainder of the season. While it is a two-way deal worth the minimum $700K, the move is more of a symbolic gesture anyhow that shows Leier that the club continues to support him. It will also keep him under team control into next season as a restricted free agent.

Of course, Leier will have to clear waivers today before he can be re-added to the Rochester roster. If he continues to produce in the AHL, the Sabres could finally give him an NHL look down the stretch as well, especially if they move out current roster pieces at the trade deadline. Leier has 55 NHL games and seven points under his belt and after working hard to return from injury and earn an NHL contract, the hope is that the young forward will have the chance to build upon those totals moving forward.

League Notes: Rescheduling, Julien, Kane

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After the game between the St. Louis Blues and Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday was postponed following Jay Bouwmeester’s cardiac event on the bench, it was clear that the Blues’ schedule would be in for a shake-up in order to make up the game. With limited time left in the season – adding a 23rd game to the Blues’ schedule over the remaining 48 games of the regular season –  was not going to be easy, especially when the team needed to return to Southern California despite not having any more road games scheduled against the Pacific Division. The NHL did their best to find the best time to play the game and the Blues have announced the re-worked schedule. The team will now resume their game with the Ducks on Wednesday, March 11th. Their home game against the Florida Panther that had been scheduled for March 10th has now been moved up a day to March 9th as well. St. Louis will now wrap up a road trip through New York, New Jersey, and Chicago on March 8th, return home on the 9th, fly to Anaheim for the 11th, and then head back home to face the Sharks on the 13th. It will be a busy week for sure, but likely preferable to making the game up with an extra day after the end of the regular season, as the Panthers and Bruins did two years ago. As for the postponed game itself, the league has decided to keep the points on the board but re-start with a fresh 60 minutes rather than account for the first nine minutes of play from the previous game. As such, the Blues and Ducks will begin the game at 1-1, but there will be no other changes from a typical regular season game.

  • Montreal Canadiens head coach Claude Julien has been fined $10,000 for remarks he made about the officiating in the team’s game on Saturday, the league announced. The game in question, a 4-3 overtime loss to the Dallas Stars, featured a number of missed penalties suffered by the Canadiens. In fact, the team did not have a single power play in the game. A frustrated Julien listed many of the missed calls in his postgame availability and called the officiating “embarrassing”. Perhaps the most incriminating line was Julien’s implication that the calls were skewed in Dallas’ favor, as he stated that Montreal “had to beat two teams.” While it fair to criticize officiating and to wish that there was more accountability for a poor job by the referees, the league is never going to tolerate such public comments, especially by a head coach. Julien had to have known that a fine was coming, so this should not come as much of a shock, fair or not.
  • San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane is also unhappy with the league’s officials, both on the ice and within the Department of Player Safety. Kane was suspended three games for an elbow to the head of Winnipeg defenseman Neal Pionk on Friday. Kane spoke out on the suspension and his gripe was not with his individual penalty, but with the inconsistency of the call. “There have been countless incidents of the same nature through this season and past seasons that have gone unsuspended or (un)fined,” Kane said. “No one person can tell you what is and isn’t a suspension in today’s game, it’s a complete guess. There is a major lack of consistency with NHL Department of Player Safety… You can’t continue to give some players a pass and throw the book at others.” The Hockey News’ Ken Campbell concurs with Kane’s statement, pointing out a very recent example. Just last week, Arizona Coyotes forward Lawson Crouse hit Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy in the head with an elbow and received only a roughing minor. Not only was the hit nearly identical to that of Kane on Pionk, but it was also very similar to another hit in the same game, a check by the Bruins’ Jeremy Lauzon on the Coyotes’ Derek Stepan that earned Lauzon a two-game suspension. The inconsistency of the Department of Player Safety, as well as on-ice officials, is well-documented, but this is the first time that any player has spoken out so publicly about it. Perhaps Kane’s call to action will do more than just earn him an additional fine. He is advocating for a third party to review all questionable hits and penalties rather than the NHL, which could become a bargaining plea for the players in the next CBA if the league does not improve in this area.

Minor Transactions: 02/17/20

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A pair of big trades by the New Jersey Devils were not the only surprises on Sunday. Five of yesterday’s nine games could be labeled as upsets, including the Devils own win after dealing captain Andy Greene and fan-favorite Blake Coleman earlier in the day. New Jersey went on to beat Columbus in a shootout nonetheless. Additionally, the Senators squeaked by the Stars in overtime, the Predators narrowly edged out the slumping Blues, and the Ducks and Sabres won handily over the Canucks and Maple Leafs respectively. Anaheim will look to play spoiler again today as they visit Calgary as one five games on the docket today. With one week to go until the NHL Trade Deadline, these games will be an important piece in determining buyers and sellers, as could the roster tweaks they make ahead of these key contests. Keep up with all of those minors moves right here:

  • Boston Bruins defenseman Connor Clifton is nearing a return to the lineup, as the team announced last night that they had assigned Clifton to AHL Providence on a conditioning loan. Clifton has played in 30 games so far this season, but has been out since before the calendar flipped to the new year with an upper-body injury that landed him on long-term injured reserve. Clifton’s eventual return will cause some complications for the Bruins as his roster spot has been occupied by Jeremy Lauzon, who has moved into a starting role in Boston and even earned a new two-year extension. If the Bruins opt to carry eight defensemen upon Clifton’s activation, the most likely candidate to go down (following waivers) would be young grinder Anton Blidh.
  • St. Louis Blues beat writer Lou Korac reports that veteran Troy Brouwer has been reassigned to the AHL’s San Antonio Rampage. While there has been no official announcement by the team, this should not come as much of a surprise, as Brouwer has previously been sent to the AHL this year. The 34-year-old signed with St. Louis in late November for what will likely be his final NHL campaign, but has only been used sparingly and has struggled to produce in what time he has been given.
  • After recalling defenseman Andreas Englund from AHL Belleville before last night’s game, the Ottawa Senators were quick to send him right back once the game was over. The up-and-down has been a common theme of Englund’s season, as the big Swedish blue liner has played a dozen games with Ottawa and 22 with Belleville. He has just two points combined this season, both in the NHL.

Five Key Stories: 02/10/20 – 02/16/20

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Can you really pick just five? In a news cycle in which superstar Erik Karlsson being ruled out for the season doesn’t even crack the top ten headlines, here are the five most important stories (admittedly with some other notes sprinkled in) of the week that was:

Bouwmeester Suffers Cardiac Incident: The hockey world stood still on Tuesday night, after the game between the St. Louis Blues and Anaheim Ducks was suspended under very scary circumstances. Veteran defenseman Jay Bouwmeester suffered a “cardiac event” while on the bench during the first period of the contest, collapsing onto the ground. Bouwmeester required resuscitation by the teams’ training staffs to re-start his heart before he was rushed to the hospital. While awaiting word on his condition, there was an outpouring of support from teams and players in all corners of the hockey world for the well-respected veteran. Fortunately, the team issued a statement that Bouwmeester was in stable condition, followed by a report on Friday that he had undergone successful heart surgery. While questions remain about Bouwmeester’s availability to the reigning Stanley Cup champs this season, as well as the future of the impending free agent’s career, the focus will be on rest and rehabilitation for a while still to come.

Minnesota Fires Boudreau: In 13 seasons as an NHL head coach, Bruce Boudreau has only missed the playoffs twice and those seasons occurred seven years apart. However, one of those seasons was 2018-19 and things were not looking good for a return to the postseason in Minnesota this year. New GM Bill Guerin opted to cut ties with his veteran coach on Friday before he could miss consecutive postseasons for the first time in his career. Assistant Dean Evason was named the interim replacement, while Boudreau will begin looking for a new home – a process that historically has not taken him very long.

Elsewhere in the division, Winnipeg Jets head coach Paul Maurice received the opposite treatment, despite similar struggles this season. Already one of the longest-tenured coaches in the NHL, Maurice received a three-year contract extension from the Jets.

Penguins Acquire Zucker: Firing Boudreau was not the only major shake-up in Minnesota this week. Long-time Wild star Jason Zucker was finally traded on Monday after more than a year of speculation, even through front office changes. In the end, he winds up with the Pittsburgh Penguins, the same team that nearly acquired him this summer for Phil Kessel. Former Pittsburgh executive Bill Guerin made good on his major trade as Minnesota GM, landing a 2020 first-round pick, top prospect defenseman Calen Addison, and a capable forward and potential extension candidate in Alex Galchenyuk. Meanwhile, the Penguins add the forward they have been seeking – especially in light of Jake Guentzel’s season-ending injury – in Zucker, a veteran with the speed and skill to keep up with Sidney Crosby and three more years remaining on his contract at a reasonable rate. Zucker scored two goals in just his second game with the Penguins on Friday.

Devils Deal Two Key Players: The trades kept rolling on Sunday with the New Jersey Devils as the center of attention. Another new GM, Tom Fitzgerald, is making good on his promise to maximize the return on tradable assets from the rebuilding club. In two separate deals, the Devils added a first-round pick and second-round pick in 2020, promising forward prospect Nolan Foote, and minor leaguer David Quenneville. Of course, it came at a cost, as long-time captain Andy Greene was dealt to the rival New York Islanders and fan-favorite forward Blake Coleman was moved to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Still, with such strong returns and pieces like Sami Vatanen, Wayne Simmonds, and more expected to go as well, this is the beginning of potentially franchise-altering deadline for New Jersey.

Oilers Extend Nurse: The Edmonton Oilers needed some good news this week, with superstar Connor McDavid out two-to-three weeks with an injury and fellow forward Zack Kassian suspended for seven games. They got it with news of a contract extension for young defenseman Darnell Nurse. Nurse, 25, signed a two-year, $11.2MM deal prior to restricted free agency and a potential arbitration battle this summer. The new AAV for Nurse represents a sizeable salary bump, but for good reason, as he has established himself as a dependable top-pair defender and a point-producer. While the relationship between Nurse and the Oilers was once a concern, it now seems to be in good order, with expectations already that the two sides will negotiate a more long-term extension after next season.

PHR Originals: 02/10/20 – 02/16/20

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During what has been a busy week around the NHL, the writers at PHR still had some time to produce some original content. Check it out:

With the NHL Trade Deadline just over a week away on Monday, February 24, we continued to take a look at how teams are approaching their last chance to make deals this season. We wrapped up the Atlantic Division, as Gavin Lee anticipated the Tampa Bay Lightning’s pursuit of bottom-six grit – they got that and more in Sunday’s acquisition of Blake Coleman – while Brian La Rose looked at the Toronto Maple Leafs’ continued needs even after the additions of Kyle Clifford and Jack Campbell. Attention then turned to the Metropolitan Division. Gavin examined the Carolina Hurricanes’ reported willingness to make a big move on the blue line, Brian pondered whether the Columbus Blue Jackets would make a splash this year, and Holger Stolzenberg offered a well-time preview of the New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders, who came together for a trade on Sunday.

In addition to team previews, big names on the trade block are also worthy of a closer look at PHR. This week, Brian took the time to examine the market for well-regarded defenseman Brenden Dillon of the San Jose Sharks. An impending free agent, Dillon is a lock to be moved, but the destination remains a mystery. The stay-at-home specialist could be that key defensive presence for a team fighting for a playoff spot or an extravagant depth addition for a major contender.

While it’s one of the most exciting stretches of the NHL season right now, it is also an important time for the college game, as teams march towards conference tournaments and the start of the NCAA postseason next month. I took my bi-weekly look at the college landscape in the latest edition of College Hockey Round-Up, discussing the dominance of Jordan Kawaguchi and No. 1 North Dakota, the raging battle in Hockey East, an unlikely commitment by a future NHL prospect, and the Olympic dreams of the first Japanese Division I hockey player.

In another regular piece, Brian answered your questions in another edition of the PHR Mailbag. Topics ranged from trade deadline rumors about the likes of Chris Kreider and Jesse Puljujarvi, to the future of Montreal’s Shea Weber, and the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft.

Finally, of course, is Gavin’s weekly PHR Live Chat. He fielded numerous questions pertaining to the impending trade deadline, including the possible plans of the Golden Knights, Blues, Capitals, Maple Leafs, Bruins, Blackhawks, Flames, Wild, Penguins, Senators, and more. And if that wasn’t enough, he also discussed the future of Nolan Patrick, tried his best to explain Player Safety decisions, and threw out his top five prospects for the upcoming draft.

Don’t miss out on all thee great original content from PHR, coming at you each and every week!

Tampa Bay Lightning Acquire Blake Coleman

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Just a few hours after reports emerged that the New Jersey Devils had traded forward Blake Coleman to the Colorado Avalanche, after which he was scratched from tonight’s game, the forward has officially been dealt. However, not to Denver. TSN’s Darren Dreger was the first to report that Coleman has been traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning. He adds that the return for New Jersey is a 2020 first-round pick and forward prospect Nolan Foote. The first-rounder will be the Vancouver Canucks’ pick acquired in the J.T. Miller trade, rather than the Bolts’ own selection. Both teams have confirmed the deal.

At first glance, it is clear that the Lightning paid a hefty price in this exchange. Not only did Tampa give up a first-round pick, and the likely higher pick of the two they owned, but Foote was also their first-round selection just last year and the top forward in the pipeline. The big winger, who is the son of former NHLer Adam Foote and brother of Bolts prospect Cal Foote, already has pro size and is continually developing a next-level skill set and hockey IQ. Foote, the captain of the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets, has scored at more than a point-per-game pace this season and also added five points in seven games at the World Junior Championship. Foote looks ready to help an NHL team sooner rather than later and the Devils will now be the club to reap that reward.

However, the metrics of production versus pay may help to explain why Coleman commanded such a sizeable cost and why he may be a crucial addition for the cap-strapped Lightning. Coleman is in the second year of a three-year, $5.4MM deal signed with the Devils. That means he is making just $1.8MM against the cap this year and next. At that value, the 28-year-old has recorded 21 goals and 31 points through 57 games this season, his second 20-goal season in a row. Not only that, but Coleman is also an intelligent two-way player who brings physicality and poise with his defensive game. Coleman has been one of New Jersey’s best players this season and his addition to a deep Lightning lineup makes for an embarrassment of riches in Tampa. After a shocking first-round sweep last season, the 2019 President’s Trophy winners are loading up in hopes of ensuring that such a collapse does not occur again.

TVA’s Renaud Lavoie, who had reported earlier today that a Coleman deal to Colorado was done, maintains that the Avalanche as well as the Boston Bruins were in the running for the versatile forward until the end. It’s fair to assume that the cost of beating the Bolts’ offer likely proved to be too much for either squad. It will be interesting to see if either team circles back to New Jersey to discuss another term forward in Kyle Palmieri, or if that asking price – probably even higher – will be too much as well. The Bruins especially are feeling the pressure of this addition by Tampa Bay, the biggest threat to unseat them at the top of the Eastern Conference and Atlantic Division as well as a very likely playoff opponent.

While Foote sticks out as the most impressive piece heading to the Devils, it is worth noting that the team now has three first-round picks in June: their own, the Arizona Coyotes’ pick from the Taylor Hall trade, and now Vancouver’s pick via Tampa. They also added a second-round pick earlier in the day from the New York Islanders in exchange for veteran defenseman Andy Greene. With Palmieri possibly on the move and a Sami Vatanen even more likely to be dealt (Travis Zajac and Wayne Simmonds are also names on the rumor mill), the Devils are not done making moves and could at least one more first-round pick before the trade deadline passes next week.

PHR Mailbag: Weber, Rangers, Expansion, Puljujarvi, Flyers

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Topics in this edition of the PHR Mailbag include how Shea Weber’s injury will affect Montreal’s deadline plans, where Chris Kreider could wind up, expansion discussion, the chances of RFA winger Jesse Puljujarvi being moved by the deadline, and how active (or inactive) the Flyers may be over the next week.

If your question doesn’t appear here, watch for it in next weekend’s mailbag.

bigdaddyt: What’s the chances that Weber is done for season/career? And what does Montreal do in response to either?

Since this question was posed, the Canadiens received an update on Weber’s status after he met with the specialist that performed his surgery back in 2018.  The prognosis was largely positive as they announced he’ll miss four-to-six weeks with an ankle sprain.  So it’s certainly not a career-ender which was being floated out there and if Montreal does manage to claw their way back into the playoff hunt, he’ll be back at some point.  (I’m not counting on that happening so I wouldn’t be surprised if they ultimately just shut him down for the season.)

As for what it does for Montreal’s plans, probably not a whole lot.  Jeff Petry’s name is out there but since the Canadiens have no intention of committing to a larger-scale rebuild, they didn’t have a lot of incentive to move him before this happened.  I thought Christian Folin, a right-shot defender, could be moved to a contending team looking for depth but given Montreal’s shallow right-side depth which extends to the minors, that isn’t as much of a guarantee now.  They’re certainly not going to turn around and trade for a right-shot replacement though.  Cale Fleury may get another look at some point as well.

Weber’s injury undoubtedly hurts the Canadiens but in the grand scheme of things, it really shouldn’t affect their plans moving forward on the trade front.

acarneglia: Where does Kreider end up and what do the Rangers get for him? How about Georgiev?

Given their trade history and the fact that the Bruins are known to be quite interested in Kreider, they’re a popular speculative destination for him.  I wouldn’t be shocked if he landed there either.  But I’m going in a different direction here.

The Avalanche have a short window to try to win before players like Cale Makar and Gabriel Landeskog need new, pricier contracts.  (Philipp Grubauer is also up at that time so if they go for a more proven goalie at that time, that’s another big cost on the horizon.)  They’re probably not going to land a legitimate goaltending upgrade so why not improve their strong spot instead?  They were in on Taylor Hall to an extent so they’re not against going for a rental like Kreider is.

New York isn’t necessarily just looking for picks and young prospects.  Given where they are in the rebuild, young NHL-ready players are going to be in the asking price.  Colorado has a couple of those that could move in a deal like this in Tyson Jost and Vladislav Kamenev.  They’re also in a pretty safe spot in the playoffs and have a quality prospect pool so moving their first-rounder shouldn’t be much of a concern.  I’ll toss out two scenarios here – if Jost is involved, it’s him and the first-round pick and that’s plenty.  If Kamenev is the player involved with the first-rounder, then I think there’s a lower pick involved (or comparable prospect).  Something like a 2021 fourth-rounder that upgrades to a third if he re-signs or the Avs reach the Western Conference Final.

As for Alexandar Georgiev, I don’t think he’s going anywhere now that Toronto made their move for Jack Campbell instead.  The market for goalies is typically soft at this time of year and with the Maple Leafs out of the mix, that’s one less potential suitor for his services already.  I don’t think there’s enough demand for New York to land a strong return and there’s no point in taking less than they want to merely get a deal done.  Get to the offseason with the three goalies and then reassess the situation at that time.

M34: With the expansion draft looming, one would have to think that teams need to be mindful of their assets versus their protection rights.

What does a team like Colorado do regarding a contract like Erik Johnson’s? He has a full NMC, but certainly the Avalanche do not want to be forced to use a protection slot on him. Is a buyout a realistic option or do they have to try and convince him to waive the NMC? Of course they would have to take a minimal return, probably retain salary, etc, in a trade scenario.

Also, what other players fall in a similar category?

Considering probably 30% or more of most rosters will change between now and Seattle’s draft in 2021, I’m not sure teams are really worried about that just yet.  Pittsburgh just went and added someone that they’ll need to protect in Jason Zucker but I suspect that didn’t give GM Jim Rutherford any pause before he decided to pull the trigger on the deal.  I expect that it will start to be a bit more of a consideration at June when a good chunk of the summer trading happens but until rosters are set closer to September and the free agents are all gobbled up, it’s not going to necessarily be at the forefront.

With regards to Johnson’s case, I don’t think they need to worry about that situation just yet (there’s a good chance their back end will look a bit different next June than it does now) but let’s dive into it.  They can ask him to waive it to allow him to be left unprotected.  That happened several times with the Vegas draft and that’s how Marc-Andre Fleury got to the Golden Knights even though he had a no-move clause in his deal.  A buyout would also be a possibility and would result in a $2MM cap charge (and payment) for four seasons presuming the move came in 2021.  Is that worth guaranteeing a protection spot for someone else?  Perhaps.  Given who needs new deals that summer to begin with, it’s an option that is going to be considered regardless of expansion and would be weighed against the potential for paying down the contract in a trade.

Other players that could be in that type of situation (bad contract needing protection) include Milan Lucic, Bobby Ryan, Brandon Dubinsky, Brent Seabrook, and Marc Staal.  Those are all among the 60 players with no-move clauses at that time.  But with another summer spending spree on the horizon, that list will undoubtedly grow between now and then.

@SnoopMinnis: Chances Oilers trade Puljujarvi at the deadline? Him and a draft pick for Spencer Knight seems like it makes sense for both teams. Panthers replace Hoffman or Dadonov next year with Jesse, they got BOB for 6yrs more, so Oil get future number 1 SG.

I’d peg the odds of Edmonton trading Puljujarvi as pretty low.  Yes, the restricted free agent is having a nice season in the SM-liiga but I don’t think he has really increased his trade value there.  If what teams were willing to pay for him months ago wasn’t enough then, it probably isn’t enough now unless the deal is of the minor variety.  In terms of standalone value, the best case scenario for Edmonton would be a second-round pick and that typically doesn’t get you more than a rental player on deadline day.  Is that enough to entice Ken Holland to move him?  Probably not.

As for the trade proposal, unless that draft pick is a lottery selection, I don’t think Florida would be interested.  One of the worst kept secrets in hockey last year was their expected pursuit of Sergei Bobrovsky so their selection of Knight was made with that in mind.  The timeline works in terms of a transition.  Knight should spend three years at Boston College, plus a year or two as the starter in the minors to get more reps in.  By the time he gets to the NHL, Bobrovsky will be more of a platoon option by then anyway.  Knight isn’t a luxury in that sense.  He’s the successor for the Panthers’ high-priced netminder and it doesn’t make much sense for them to deal him for a draft pick and a player that has struggled at the NHL level so far.

I also wouldn’t put Puljujarvi as a capable replacement for one of Mike Hoffman or Evgenii Dadonov.  Florida certainly won’t be able to re-sign both of them but there is a substantial drop-off between one of them and Puljujarvi, a player who had a lot of chances in a top-six role with Edmonton and couldn’t produce.  Whoever winds up with Puljujarvi (and at this point, re-signing with the Oilers is probably the best option for him even if he doesn’t want to go back), is going to be looking at him as more of a depth piece with the hopes that he can out-produce those expectations, not a top-six option that’s going to be counted on for 20 goals when he didn’t score that many over parts of three seasons in Edmonton.

mydadleftme: Do you think the Flyers can move anyone, or at least accomplish bad contract swaps. Lots of things suggest Gostisbehere would be traded but I cannot imagine moving that contract would be that easy.

I don’t expect a whole lot from Philadelphia between now and the trade deadline.  They’d like to add but with only a couple million in full-season cap room, that doesn’t allow for much more than a depth acquisition unless the other team is retaining close to the maximum 50%.  Nolan Patrick appears to be getting closer to a return as well so that should be a bit of an upgrade in itself once he’s up to speed.

I don’t think Shayne Gostisbehere gets moved but my reasoning is different than yours.  His knee is still bothering him after surgery and that’s going to give interested teams some pause.  With the potential that a knee injury has to affect his mobility, teams are going to want to see him in action and get some conclusive evidence as to how the surgery affects his game.  They’re not going to get that between now and February 24th.

His contract (which has three years left at $4.5MM after this one) doesn’t seem all that bad to me.  Yes, he’s two years removed from his 65-point season but he doesn’t need to produce at that level to justify that price tag.  A year ago, he had 37 points which is a decent return on that deal.  Looking at it that way, this is his only real down season.  That shouldn’t be enough to scare teams away entirely on its own.  If Gostisbehere can return this year and show that there are no ill effects from the surgery, there’s a move to be made but it will have to wait until the offseason at the earliest.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

New Jersey Devils Trade Andy Greene

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The New Jersey Devils have decided to trade captain Andy Greene, sending him to the New York Islanders in exchange for David Quenneville and a 2021 second-round pick. Greene waived his no-trade clause to go to the Islanders, where he will be reunited with GM Lou Lamoriello who originally signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2006.

Greene, 37, has spent his entire career to this point with the Devils and was named captain in 2015. The minute-munching defenseman is in the final season of a five-year, $25MM deal negotiated in 2014 and is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer. Even as the end of his career creeps closer, Greene has still been a reliable option on the back end, logging more than 20 minutes a night for the Devils and leading their penalty killing efforts.

That’s exactly the type of addition the Islanders were looking for after losing Adam Pelech for the rest of the season. Greene can slide right into their structured defensive system and give head coach Barry Trotz another veteran option to deploy in their playoff hunt.

The Devils have been forced to move on from some of the team’s most recognizable faces after a disastrous first half, trading Greene and Taylor Hall, while firing John Hynes and Ray Shero. It’s tough to watch the team be dismantled, but a second-round pick is a solid return to help the rebuild efforts.

Quenneville, 21, is essentially just a throw in to balance the number of contracts, given that he has found little success in professional hockey to this point. The brother of former Devils prospect John Quenneville, he has split the season between the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the AHL and Worcester Railers of the ECHL. The seventh-round pick has another year remaining on his entry-level contract.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

 

Sharks Notes: Karlsson, Goodrow, Thornton, Hawryluk

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Despite the devastating news that star defenseman Erik Karlsson will miss the rest of the season Saturday with a broken thumb, there may be a silver lining when looking at the injury.

One small consolation is that by placing Karlsson on long-term injured reserve, it will free up $11.5MM in salary, which could give the team some more flexibility in taking on salary at the trade deadline, according to The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz (subscription required). The team currently has just $5.7MM of cap space it could use at the trade deadline, meaning it would be unable to take back any team’s salary which could increase their return in trades. Now with that $11.5MM available to use, San Jose may be able to benefit even more at the trade deadline.

Another concern initially came when Karlsson fell awkwardly over Joe Thornton as many believed he had re-injured his surgically repaired groin injury, which he dealt with for much of last season. The 29-year-old hasn’t been the same since undergoing offseason surgery and hasn’t been nearly as mobile this year. Kurz added in a separate tweet that Karlsson will have his thumb surgery Monday in Los Angeles, by Dr. Steven Shin, who operated on NBA’s Stephen Curry and the NFL’s Drew Brees.

  • With the “For Sale” sign up and visible, there are many teams who have inquired about Sharks forward Barclay Goodrow, who is having a career season with eight goals, 24 points and 80 penalty minutes. The 26-year-old is very attractive to capped-out teams as he carries just a $925K salary and has one more year on his current contract before he hits unrestricted free agency in 2021. However, the Mercury News’ Curtis Pashelka writes that there has been no indication from the Sharks that they would be willing to move Goodrow, who has become a very versatile piece on the team, who can play any position, play on the penalty kill, and has received a signficant upgrade in minutes since Tomas Hertl went down with a season-ending injury. The team fully expects him to be a part of their future.
  • Longtime Shark Thornton has also been in trade rumors recently, but has a no-movement clause, which means that if Thornton is traded, it will be at his request. However, rumors still suggest that he might be a good fit with the Boston Bruins, for a reunion with the team that originally drafted him and which he played for eight seasons before being traded to the Sharks. Another recent team to come up in rumors is the Colorado Avalanche, where he might be a perfect addition, according to ColoradoHockeyNow’s Adrian Dater. Thornton would serve as a good short-term replacement for Nazem Kadri, who is out weeks with a lower-body injury. He also might be a better candidate to play in a bottom-six role over Tyson Jost, who has struggled mightily recently, going 30 straight games without a goal.
  • Kurz also notes that the Sharks could be interested in forward Jayce Hawryluk, who was put on waivers today. Hawryluk is well known by head coach Bob Boughner, who coached him in Florida last season. With the team looking for depth on their bottom-six, Hawryluk would make sense.
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