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West Notes: Smith, Wild, Evason

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When Mike Smith signed with Edmonton in free agency, the move raised some eyebrows.  He was coming off a season that saw him post the lowest save percentage of his career and with Mikko Koskinen having several question marks, some were expecting the Oilers to add a more proven goaltending option.  Instead, he has rebounded quite nicely and has posted the second-highest point total among NHL netminders since January while helping Edmonton get into second place in the Pacific Division.  As a result, Sportsnet’s Mark Spector suggests that the soon-to-be 38-year-old has done enough to warrant another one-year deal for next season.  Despite the strong record since the turn of the calendar to 2020, his overall numbers on the season (2.95 GAA, .902 SV%) aren’t the best so the Oilers may be able to get him cheaper than his current price tag of a $2MM base salary plus another $1.75MM in performance bonuses ($500K of which have been reached so far).

More from the West:

  • While there aren’t any games being played, college players can still sign deals and that where Minnesota’s focus appears to be at the moment. GM Bill Guerin told Sarah McLellan of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune that they are currently involved in talks for a few players.  However, he also mentioned that he has no intention of merely stockpiling players given the uncertainty for next season.  With that in mind, it’s hard to imagine that they’ll sign all of their targets but perhaps a deal can be reached with one or two of them.
  • From the same interview, Guerin stated that he’s quite pleased with how Dean Evason has performed as the interim head coach so far but that he’s not prepared to change his status at this time to the permanent role. He acknowledged that he isn’t speaking to anyone else about the spot at the moment thanks to the current travel restrictions in place and that a final decision will come at the end of the season.

Stretch Run Storylines: Colorado Avalanche

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As things stand, the NHL is planning to have games resume at some point over the coming weeks.  Assuming the regular season continues, there will be plenty of things to watch for over the stretch run.  Over the coming weeks, PHR will examine the top stretch run storylines for each team.  We continue our look at the Central Division with Colorado.

After making somewhat of a surprise appearance in the second round last season, the Avalanche have built off of that and have become one of the top threats in the Western Conference.  They’ve managed to do so despite a litany of injuries to key players.  That shouldn’t be an issue when play resumes, making it a top storyline for not only them but the rest of the West as well.

Return To Health

Just before the suspension of play, Colorado had just found out that Nathan MacKinnon was going to miss a couple of weeks while Cale Makar had just returned from an upper-body injury issue.  Having them at full strength is nice…and that’s only the tip of the iceberg.

Philipp Grubauer will return from his lower-body issue which will bolster their goaltending tandem.  Mikko Rantanen will be ready to go from his upper-body ailment; both players have been out for roughly a month.  Nazem Kadri plays more than any forward not on their top line and will be back from his lower-body injury.  And while we’re at it, Matt Calvert and Andre Burakovsky will also be ready to go from their lower-body issues.

If you’re keeping track, that’s two top line forwards, a second line center, two middle six wingers, and a starting goalie that will all be back.  Calling that a huge upgrade to their roster would be an understatement and positions the Avs quite nicely for a stretch run or quick start to the postseason.

Goaltending Decision

Let’s go back to Grubauer.  Prior to his injury, he had become more of the clear cut starter.  But when he went down, Pavel Francouz ran off a 2.40 GAA with a .918 SV% in 13 appearances (one being in relief of Grubauer when he was hurt).  He more than capably held down the fort and earned himself a two-year contract extension in the process.  At the same time, his play also suggested that he is worthy of more playing time.

All of a sudden, there isn’t a guaranteed number one option anymore.  When it comes to the regular season, there’s nothing wrong with that and platoon situations can be quite useful during that time.  More teams have gone with that approach and the results have been largely positive.  So for however many regular season games are played (if any), they’re in good shape.

But who’s going to lead them in the postseason?  Teams typically pick one and stick with that goalie throughout though Grubauer himself was one of the exceptions a couple of years ago in Washington.  Six weeks ago, it looked like Grubauer was the favorite to start.  But Francouz’s performance in his absence suggests he may be worthy of the number one job now.  A return to regular season games could help solve this but if the NHL jumps right into the playoffs, Jared Bednar has quite a decision to make.

Quest For 100

Two years ago, MacKinnon came up just shy of the 100-point mark as he had 97 in 74 games.  Last season, he got even closer; while his point per game average went down, he played in all 82 contests and got to 99 points.  This season, he was well on his way to getting there and likely would have hit that mark even though he’d have missed this week due to injury.  He currently sits at 93 points in 69 games with his 1.35 point per game average being the best of his career.

If regular season play resumes, it’s quite possible MacKinnon will get to 100 even if the schedule winds up being truncated by a few games.  If not, he’ll take aim at that plateau next season and will instead have to settle for leading the team in scoring by a country mile.  (He currently sits 43 points ahead of Makar who is second in points with 50.)

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Cole Caufield To Return For Sophomore Season

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7:33 PM: The Canadiens have confirmed that Caufield will remain at Wisconsin.  GM Marc Bergevin released the following statement:

This additional year in the NCAA will benefit Cole and will allow him to continue developing his skills within the Badgers’ environment. Cole is an important part of the Montreal Canadiens’ future and we will continue to follow his development with interest.

4:12 PM: Fans of the Montreal Canadiens haven’t had much to be happy about recently, but were holding out hope that perhaps top prospect Cole Caufield would soon sign his entry-level contract. Not so fast, according to Todd D. Milewski of the Wisconsin State Journal, who reports that Caufield has told Badgers head coach Tony Granato that he is planning on returning for his sophomore season.

The 19-year old forward has watched teammates K’Andre Miller and Alex Turcotte sign their entry-level deals and turn pro in recent days, but will instead return for another chance at developing his game at the collegiate level.

Caufield, the 15th overall pick in 2019, is an incredibly gifted scorer that can put the puck in from anywhere in the offensive zone. His ability to find open space when his teammates have the puck or create it for himself with his strong acceleration and balance is almost unmatched among his age group, as seen by the record-breaking numbers he put up for the U.S. National Team Development Program.

At Wisconsin, even as a freshman he found quite a bit of success. He led the Badgers with 19 goals and 36 points in 36 games, both numbers that will be expected to climb even further next season. Even though he likely won’t be contributing to the Canadiens in 2020 (unless something changes his mind through the summer), there is still plenty to be excited about down the road.

Snapshots: Timelines, Juniors, College Signings

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It sounds like many NHL players are as restless as the average hockey fan while waiting for the season to resume. The panel on TSN’s Insider Trading outlined a return to action timeline that a group of players has been developing and will submit to the NHLPA, which includes playing the rest of the regular season games in late July.

A plan like this would obviously be exciting for fans as hockey would be played throughout the summer, but there would be an incredible amount of logistics to be worked out. Part of the reasoning behind the plan may also be financial in nature, as players want the league to recoup all of their potential gate revenue in order to not get dinged with even higher escrow numbers than expected. None of the timelines being discussed have any legs at this point, given how there is so much uncertainty there still is on when the season could be allowed to resume. Remember however, that deputy commissioner Bill Daly was clear when speaking with Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic recently that the league does not intend on shortening the 2020-21 season if they can help it, at least in terms of games played.

  • The QMJHL has canceled the remainder of their regular season, meaning playoff seeding will be based on points percentage should it resume at some point. That same move is expected by the WHL according to Bob McKenzie of TSN, with the OHL also discussing their future tomorrow on a conference call. McKenzie suggests that the CHL playoffs at this point are a “long shot” and also notes that the Memorial Cup, which was originally set to start on May 22nd, is scheduled in a province that recently mandated no sporting events with more than 50 people could take place before June.
  • While college free agents continue to sign with NHL organizations, there is some concern rising around the league that some teams are gaining an unfair advantage in negotiations according to Andy Strickland of Fox Sports Midwest. Strickland suggests that some teams may find it more difficult to pay out bonus money to college and European signings while in a suspended league state, noting the difference in cash flow between organizations like the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers. It’s not clear however what would be done to stop teams from negotiating, especially when any contract signed would likely be ticketed to start with the 2020-21 season.

Jeremy Swayman Signs With Boston Bruins

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Though the team hasn’t made it official yet, the Boston Bruins have signed prospect Jeremy Swayman to an entry-level contract. The University of Maine announced the deal on Twitter, congratulating their Hobey Baker-nominated goaltender on turning pro.

Swayman, 21, just finished his third season at Maine, in which he registered a .939 save percentage as one of the best goaltenders in the country. In fact, the young goalie was recently awarded the Walter Brown Award, presented to the top American-born college player in New England.

Though he may play hockey in Maine, Swayman actually hails from Anchorage, Alaska and was a fourth-round pick of the Bruins in 2017. He will be signing a three-year entry-level contract and immediately adds another interesting goaltending prospect to the Bruins’ system.

Joe Thornton Still Wants To Play Next Season

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It would have been unusual enough to have the NHL playoffs with no Joe Thornton this season, given he has appeared in the postseason 17 times over his career. But a regular season without him? That would be the end of an era. Some had wondered whether “Jumbo Joe” had played his final NHL game now that there is a chance the 2019-20 regular season could be canceled and the San Jose Sharks certainly won’t qualify for the playoffs, expanded or not. You don’t have to worry, according to the man himself, who told Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic that he still has “years to go” in his NHL career.

Thornton, who will turn 41 in July, has now played in 1,636 regular season games during a 22-year career, with another 179 postseason contests added on. That’s already good for ninth all-time, trailing only longtime teammate Patrick Marleau among active players. Another full season would get him close to the top-five, depending on what Marleau does, not to mention climbing up the assist and point leaderboards, where he ranks seventh and 14th all-time respectively.

Sure, he’s not the same player that won the Hart Trophy as league MVP in 2006, or even the powerplay anchor that recorded 82 points in the 2015-16 season. But Thornton is still a strong possession player and continues to make you snap your head and say “wow” when he threads a pass through several defenders.

The question immediately becomes where would Thornton want to play next season. He obviously has incredible ties to the Sharks organization, but went public with his disappointment when he wasn’t moved to a contender at the trade deadline. If he doesn’t believe San Jose can get back to contender status by next year, perhaps he would want to continue his career elsewhere. The London, Ontario native has been linked to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the past, and has a history with the Boston Bruins that would make any return a marketing executive’s dream.

Thornton has also been very willing in the past to structure his contract in a way that made it fit for San Jose, something that might have to happen again if he wants to keep playing. After making $2MM this season he will likely have to take another pay cut to stay in the league. While that may seem like a problem for some, after making more than $109MM during a long career but still never raising the Stanley Cup, Thornton is probably looking at the situation on the ice more than the dollar signs on the contract.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Cam Lee Signs With Pittsburgh Penguins

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The season may be suspended, but it’s not a vacation for NHL front offices. The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed college free agent Cam Lee to a two-year, entry-level contract that will kick in for the 2020-21 season. Penguins’ GM Jim Rutherford released a statement on the signing:

Cam is a good-skating, offensive-minded defenseman that fits the current style of play in today’s NHL. This signing adds more young depth at defense for us. We’re excited to have Cam as a member of the Penguins organization.

PuckPedia reports that the deal will carry a $925K average annual value and includes up to $425K in performance bonuses for the 2021-22 season.

Lee recently finished his senior season at Western Michigan University, where he recorded 85 points in 137 games. The 23-year old is actually the nephew of former goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere and has been on NHL radars for quite some time. Lee had previously attended development camp with the Montreal Canadiens and represents another potential addition to the Penguins defense corps, one that has been rebuilt almost entirely through trades or free agency.

This is also just the latest example in a long history of the Penguins combing the college free agent ranks, which also led them to Drew O’Connor just a week ago. For a team that is always trading away draft picks to compete for the Stanley Cup, the college system has become a pipeline of sorts for Rutherford and his staff.

Check Out Pro Football Rumors For NFL Offseason Updates

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None of North America’s major sports leagues are currently playing games, but the NFL is in the midst of one of its biggest weeks of the year, and Pro Football Rumors is covering all the action.

The NFL’s free agency period kicked off on Monday with a series of agreements on major deals, including the Texans trading DeAndre Hopkins to the Cardinals, the Vikings sending Stefon Diggs to the Bills, and Amari Cooper reaching a $100MM deal with the Cowboys.

Tuesday began with Tom Brady dropping a bombshell, announcing that his time with the Patriots has come to an end. Brady’s eventual landing spot is one of the biggest NFL offseason questions still to be answered, but Pro Football Rumors is keeping tabs on every potential roster move, big and small.

If you’re suffering from hockey withdrawal and you’re an NFL fan, be sure to follow PFR (@pfrumors on Twitter) for all the latest offseason updates.

KHL Suspends Playoffs Until April

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Less than 24 hours after announcing it would shut down the playoffs for just one week, the KHL has been forced to take more drastic measures. In accordance with the recommendations of the Russian Minister of Sport, the KHL—along with the Russian Premier Football League and the VTB United Basketball League—has been suspended until April 10. That puts a hold on the league playoffs, which had already seen two teams drop out due to coronavirus directives from their respective countries.

The KHL had been the last professional hockey league to continue operating, but now has an uncertain future. In the press release, the league includes the possibility that the suspension will not be lifted as planned should Russia remain in a state of high alert.

NLA’s EHC Biel-Bienne Pursuing NHL Free Agent Targets

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The Swiss season is over, as the NLA has decided to cancel the remainder of its season. However, that will give perennial contender EHC Biel-Bienne even more time to plan ahead for what they hope is an impact off-season. According to Swedish news source Hockey Sverige, the club plans to go after some impending NHL free agent defensemen. The trio specifically named are all Swedes and include the Anaheim Ducks’ Christian Djoos and Joel Persson and the Carolina Hurricanes’ Gustav Forsling.

Djoos, 25, was just recently traded to the Ducks by the Washington Capitals and is set to be a restricted free agent this summer. A former AHL standout, Djoos grew into a regular contributor for the Caps in the previous two seasons, but roster and salary cap pressure forced him back to the minors this year. However, since the trade to Anaheim he has played exclusively in the NHL, recording three points in nine games which is technically a career-high clip albeit in a small sample size. Given Djoos’ history and RFA status, he seems the least likely of the listed names to jump to Switzerland this summer.

Persson, 26, is an entirely different case, other than the fact that he too will be an RFA. Persson has no NHL history other than his 13 games this season with the Edmonton Oilers. An undrafted prospect who turned heads in the SHL, Persson signed with the Oilers back in 2018 but was loaned back to Sweden last season. He was extended and came over to suit up for the Oilers this year, but failed to impress and has spent the bulk of the season in the AHL. Persson was dealt to Anaheim for next to nothing – ECHL goaltender Angus Redmond and a 2022 conditional seventh-round pick – at the deadline and has not played for the Ducks yet. He could very well depart North America after a disappointing year, but may choose to head elsewhere rather than go back to Sweden. Biel could be an attractive option in this case.

Forsling, 23, is the youngest of the players named and is also the hardest to speculate on. After beginning his pro career with considerable NHL action in each of his first three seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, the young defender has played exclusively in the AHL this season following an off-season trade to the Carolina Hurricanes. The Hurricanes are exceptionally deep on the blue line and that isn’t about to change. Heading into next season, Forsling will be eighth or ninth at best on the organization’s depth chart. As such, if the team opts to make him a qualifying offer, he could choose instead to depart North America and play a top role somewhere else. However, it’s fair to argue that remaining in the AHL may still be the better decision for his career. Of the players named, Forsling would be the least likely to stay with Biel long-term, but could produce the greatest immediate impact.

At this point, it is difficult to project that any of these three names will end up jumping to the NLA to play for Biel, especially given that all three are restricted free agents and that Djoos and Forsling have considerable NHL experience for their ages. However, if the top Swiss club pushes hard, potentially using this extended off-season to their advantage, they may be able to convince one of these three or another NHL free agent that a move to Biel to play a top pair role is the right call.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

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