Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Archives for June 2020

Auston Matthews Tests Positive For COVID-19

at CDT | by 20 Comments

Earlier today, reports surfaced that Tampa Bay wasn’t the only team that had a player test positive for COVID-19.  It appears that is indeed the case as Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun reports that Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews has tested positive for the virus and has gone into quarantine at his home in Arizona.  The team later released the following statement:

Per the National Hockey League protocol with respect to COVID-19, the Toronto Maple Leafs will not be commenting on reports surrounds testing for any of the club’s players or staff. A person’s medical information in this regard is private. The club will defer to the NHL’s policy on handling the disclosure of positive tests results, in that the league will provide updates on a regular basis with aggregate totals of the numbers of tests conducted and number of positive tests reported without disclosing either the identities of affected clubs or players.

Simmons notes that Matthews has been skating with several Coyotes players, some of which have tested positive as well although the names of those have not yet been released.  Maple Leafs goaltender Frederik Andersen had been living with Matthews for part of this extended break in the schedule but is no longer in Arizona; Simmons adds that he has not tested positive.

There has been a spike in positive COVID-19 tests in several states in recent days and while NHL teams are able to resume training, there are no quarantine restrictions in place at this time as there will be if play resumes as planned later this summer.

Lightning Close Facilities Due To Positive COVID-19 Tests

at CDT | by 14 Comments

3:08 PM: Lightning GM Julien BriseBois released the following statement through Twitter concerning the positive tests:

We have learned that three players and additional staff members have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.  Those players have been self-isolated following CDC protocals and are asymptomatic other than a few cases of low-grade fever.  Those who have been in contact with these individuals have been notified.  The Lightning continue testing and are strictly following all NHL and government procedures as part of the league’s Phase 2 guidelines.  Upon receiving positive tests yesterday, team training facilities were immediately closed with all players and staff being sent home.  Those facilities will remain temporarily shut down until we can ensure a safe environment.

12:16 PM: While NHL facilities are open as part of the second phase of the NHL’s Return to Play plan, at least one will be shut down temporarily.  TSN’s Bob McKenzie reports (all Twitter links) that three Lightning players and two staff members have tested positive for COVID-19.  The expectation is that if all other players and staff test negative, the facility will re-open in the near future although Diana C. Nearhos of the Tampa Bay Times reports that Amalie Arena (where the team was skating) will be closed to non-essential staff until July 6th.

The identities of the players and staff were not identified.  As McKenzie noted in an Insider Trading appearance on Thursday, that information is unlikely to be made available.  The NHL (in conjunction with the NHLPA) appears to be shifting towards the approach of the NBA where an announcement will simply be made that someone tested positive without making any other type of identification.  To that end, Joe Smith, Michael Russo, and Craig Custance of The Athletic report (subscription required) that there are other positive cases around the league at the moment that have not been announced.

It’s worth noting that at this stage in the process, the skates are voluntary and as such, there is no league-mandated quarantine in place.  The expectation remains that if play resumes (likely in early August), there will be a full quarantine for both hub cities.

While one set of positive tests at this stage isn’t going to cause a significant setback, it certainly serves as a sobering reminder that there is still a long way to go towards a safe and healthy resumption of play as the pandemic continues on.

Metropolitan Notes: Palmieri, Thurkauf, Penguins

at CDT | by 2 Comments

While the Devils aren’t taking part in the NHL’s return, winger Kyle Palmieri told Nick Gantaifis of the Bergen Record that he’s hoping to resume skating at the team’s practice complex in the coming weeks.  Even the facilities for teams that aren’t among the 24 coming back are allowed to be open and although there isn’t anything to necessarily be getting ready for, they’re still likely looking at another four to five months before next season gets underway so a mid-offseason conditioning camp of sorts would be a useful idea.

Palmieri also touched on his contract situation as he’s a year away from UFA eligibility.  He indicated that he hasn’t given much thought to that particular situation, citing the question marks around the NHL calendar at the moment.  He’s eligible to sign an extension as of July 1st under current rules but with so many questions regarding the salary cap for next season, the Devils – like many other teams – will likely hold off on talks until there is more clarity on that front.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • In a newsletter on EV Zug’s website, the Swiss NLA team indicated that the Blue Jackets are interested in working on a new deal for pending RFA winger Calvin Thurkauf. The 22-year-old had a career best 26 points in 53 games with AHL Cleveland this season while getting into three NHL games with Columbus as well.  Thurkauf played in Zug’s junior system before coming to North America so if he was to decide to go back overseas, that would be his likely landing spot.
  • The Penguins are one of quite a few teams that will have an intriguing decision to make between the pipes for the playoffs. Head coach Mike Sullivan told Josh Yohe of The Athletic (subscription required) that he hasn’t decided yet whether Matt Murray or Tristan Jarry will get the nod to start against Montreal.  Previously, GM Jim Rutherford had said his expectation was that Murray would have the first opportunity as his playoff performance over his career has been strong.  However, Jarry’s numbers over the course of the regular season were considerably better.  The three-week training camp and round robin seeding set of games should ultimately decide who gets to start.

Latest On Return To Play And CBA Talks

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Negotiating through all of the safety and logistical challenges as the NHL and NHLPA attempt to finalize the framework for the NHL’s final two phases of their Return to Play plan is difficult enough.  Adding in a CBA extension only makes it that much tougher but as Pierre LeBrun reports in his latest column for The Athletic (subscription required), that is indeed what the two sides are working on.

In fact, LeBrun notes that the two elements (final plans for the NHL’s return plus a CBA Memo of Understanding) could very well be presented as a package deal to the players before the end of the month.

The main reason for this would appear to be the salary cap.  With the expected drop in revenue for the remainder of this season plus next year as attendance will likely take a dip, escrow is expected to rise considerably.  The two sides are believed to be negotiating a fixed percentage with the hopes that as fans are able to return and a new television agreement in the United States is worked out, any lingering ‘debt’ to get the revenue split back to 50/50 will be paid off over time.  Salary deferrals are also on the table.

In terms of shorter-term issues, LeBrun adds that the sides are working on an opt-out provision that would allow players who are uncomfortable with returning to sit out the postseason.  It would almost certainly come with some sort of financial hit – perhaps forfeiture of their final regular season pay which has still not been resolved and/or not getting a playoff pool share – but the option to sit out would be there.

If a CBA vote is indeed required, it would require all NHLPA members to vote on it.  Conversely, in the previous votes on Return to Play protocols, only team representatives were included.  Needing the rubber staff from the full membership will take several days at a minimum to complete and with this being tied in with plans on the next phase (slated to start July 10th), time is starting to become of the essence, especially with a new Critical Dates calendar needed by the end of the month.  To that end, talks are expected to continue daily until an agreement is reached.

In the meantime, an announcement is expected on the two hub cities by next week with a previous report saying that it could come as soon as Monday.  Once that occurs, some more details for the third phase can start to be finalized.  Despite an uptick in recent positive COVID-19 tests, Vegas is still believed to be a front-runner while the Canadian Press reported late Thursday that a path has been cleared for a Canadian host city to bypass the current 14-day quarantine requirement which increases the odds that Toronto, Edmonton, or Vancouver will have an opportunity to be a hub.  As TSN’s Bob McKenzie noted in the latest Insider Trading segment, the NHL’s preference is to have hub city host teams play in the other hub to avoid any possible home ice advantage, that’s only possible if each conference has one hub.

There has been a lot of progress made in recent weeks as the two sides work their way towards a resumption of play but there is also a lot that still needs to be accomplished over the next few weeks for that to happen.

Pacific Notes: Eriksson, Reaves, Richardson

at CDT | by 6 Comments

Near the trade deadline, the Sabres waived and sent Zach Bogosian to the AHL.  However, instead of reporting, Bogosian opted for a contract termination with an eye on resuming his NHL career and wound up in Tampa Bay shortly thereafter.  Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre posits that the Canucks may attempt to go down a similar path with winger Loui Eriksson.  Part of that ill-fated group of big free agent signings in 2016, Eriksson’s numbers went down as soon as he signed with Vancouver and had 72 points in his first three years combined after putting up 63 in Boston in his final year with them.  His output dipped even further this year to just six goals and seven assists in 49 games, hardly a good return on his $6MM price tag.  Once his upcoming $3MM signing bonus is paid, Eriksson will be owed just $5MM in salary over the final two years of the deal which might be enough to walk away from if he thinks he can land an opportunity with a bigger role elsewhere.

More from the Pacific Division:

  • While the Golden Knights managed to get Ryan Reaves to take a pay cut with his two-year extension earlier this week, SinBin.vegas’ Ken Boehlke argues that the team didn’t do enough to take advantage of their leverage. The winger has grown to enjoy playing in Vegas and didn’t seem to have much interest in looking elsewhere while his on-ice production isn’t the strongest either with most of his contributions coming on the physical side.  With the team being right up against the Upper Limit of the salary cap and the belief that the cap won’t be going much if at all for a few years, he suggests that they may have been better off dragging this out in the hopes of saving a bit more money in the end.
  • Coyotes center Brad Richardson told Richard Morin of the Arizona Republic that he underwent a procedure to fix a nagging injury that bothered him down the stretch. The veteran estimated that the issue prevented him from practicing over the final two months of the regular season.  While he didn’t suggest that it affected his offensive numbers, it likely was a detriment to his production as well as he dipped from 27 points in 66 games in 2018-19 to just 11 points in 59 contests this season.

USA Hockey Announces 2020 Summer Showcase Roster

at CDT | by 1 Comment

USA Hockey is moving forward with their annual World Junior Summer Showcase, announcing a 43-man roster for the upcoming event at their home in Plymouth, Michigan from July 24 to August 1. The camp will be used to select the roster for the 2021 World Junior Champions, which is also proceeding as scheduled in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta from December 26 to January 5.

Of course, the Coronavirus threat will have an impact on this year’s showcase and not only in increased focus on health and safety procedures. Team USA will be competing alone this year, as regular participants Canada, Finland, and Sweden have all declined the invitation due to health risks and logistical issues. The camp will have much more of an inter-squad scrimmage feel than most years, but USA Hockey hopes that it will still produce good competition and valuable data for selecting their WJC roster.

Of the 43 participants, most are new faces. Just nine players will take part in camp who played for the 2020 WJC team. This could work in USA Hockey’s favor, as their most recent entry snapped a four-year medal streak with a disappointing sixth-place finish. However, they are surely happy to have Florida Panthers prospect goaltender Spencer Knight back for a third year in a row to lead the squad. The 2019 No. 13 overall pick remains one of the top prospects in hockey after a stellar freshman season at Boston College and can win games single-handedly for the U.S. at the 2021 tournament.

Unsurprisingly, Knight is not the only college player who will be in attendance at the Summer Showcase, as the NCAA has a heavy presence with 38 of 43 participants are active or committed collegiate competitors. While 14 different schools will be represented, there is a strong Boston presence with Boston University sending a whopping eight players and prospects, while Boston College, Harvard, and Northeastern each send at least three. Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin also will have at least three in attendance.

At the NHL level, things are more balanced. A total of 16 clubs will have a draft pick in Plymouth, but only the Anaheim Ducks will have more than two. With a large number of 2020-eligible names and a top 2021 prospect in attendance, all 31 (32?) teams are sure to be interested in the event.

Here is the roster for the 2020 Summer Showcase, USA-only edition:

Goaltenders

Spencer Knight, Boston College (FLA)
Drew Commesso, USNTDP/Boston Univ. (2020)
Logan Stein, Waterloo Blackhawks/Ferris State Univ. (2020)
Dustin Wolf, Everett Silvertips (CGY)

Defensemen

Brock Faber, USNTDP/Univ. of Minnesota (2020)
Domenick Fensore, Boston Univ. (CAR)
Drew Helleson, Boston College (COL)
Ryan Johnson, Univ. of Minnesota (BUF)
Tyler Kleven, USNTDP/Univ. of North Dakota (2020)
Jackson Lacombe, Univ. of Minnesota (ANA)
Case McCarthy, Boston Univ. (NJD)
Jake Sanderson, USNTDP/Univ. of North Dakota (2020)
Hunter Skinner, London Knights (NYR)
Jayden Struble, Northeastern Univ. (MTL)
Henry Thrun, Harvard Univ. (ANA)
Alex Vlasic, Boston Univ. (CHI)
Marshall Warren, Boston College (MIN)
Cam York, Univ. of Michigan (PHI)

Forwards

John Beecher, Univ. of Michigan (BOS)
Matthew Beniers, USNTDP/Harvard Univ. (2021)
Brett Berard, USNTDP/Providence College (2020)
Matthew Boldy, Boston College (MIN)
Thomas Bordeleau, USNTDP/Univ. of Michigan (2020)
Bobby Brink, Univ. of Denver (PHI)
Brendan Brisson, Chicago Steel/Univ. of Michigan (2020)
Cole Caufield, Univ. of Wisconsin (MTL)
Sam Colangelo, Lawrence Academy/Northeastern Univ. (2020)
John Farinacci, Harvard Univ. (ARI)
Sean Farrell, Chicago Steel/Harvard Univ. (2020)
Michael Gildon, Ohio State Univ. (2020)
Cross Hanas, Portland Winterhawks (2020)
Arthur Kaliyev, Hamilton Bulldogs (LAK)
Owen Lindmark, Univ. of Wisconsin (FLA)
Robert Mastrosimone, Boston Univ. (DET)
Patrick Moynihan, Providence College (NJD)
Josh Nodler, Michigan State Univ. (CGY)
Dylan Peterson, USNTDP/Boston Univ. (2020)
Landon Slaggert, USNTDP/Univ. of Notre Dame (2020)
Sam Stange, Sioux Falls Stampede/Univ. of Wisconsin (2020)
Lukas Svejkovsky, Medicine Hat Tigers (2020)
Luke Tuch, USNTDP/Boston Univ. (2020)
Alex Turcotte, Univ. of Wisconsin (LAK)
Trevor Zegras, Boston Univ. (ANA)

Lias Andersson Will Not Return To Rangers For Postseason

at CDT | by 10 Comments

Disgruntled New York Rangers prospect Lias Andersson is apparently still upset with his NHL club. The 21-year-old forward was loaned to the SHL’s HV71 in his native Sweden in late January after he had requested a trade out of New York in December. However, after a lengthy amount of time apart, the Rangers decided to offer Andersson a spot at training camp and on their playoff roster, according to the New York Post’s Larry Brooks. However, Brooks reports that a source told the Post that Andersson has declined this invitation and will remain in Sweden. This could very well be the last straw for the Rangers and Andersson.

Andersson, the seventh overall pick in 2017, has openly expressed his displeasure with his role in New York and it eventually led him out of town. The problem is that the talented forward does not have the numbers to back up his argument. Yes, Andersson is a skilled player who flashed incredible offensive ability in the SHL at a very young age and was worthy of his draft slot. However, in three seasons in North America the young center has recorded just nine points in 66 NHL games and 39 points in 74 AHL games. The production simply has not matched the hype and few would fault the Rangers for using Andersson sparingly while they wait for his talent to catch up with the pace of NHL play.

Unfortunately, it now seems like the Rangers are unlikely to see Andersson reach his potential (if he ever does). With bridges all but burnt, Brooks expects that he will remain in Sweden until he is traded. However, The Athletic’s Rick Carpiniello does point out that Andersson is under contract with New York next season and the Rangers will have the final say as to where he plays. Regardless, that is unlikely to be the Big Apple. It’s all hands on deck for the Rangers, one of the more unlikely playoff teams in the NHL’s expanded postseason, but when Andersson is needed the most, he has opted not to answer the bell. For a player lauded for his work ethic and leadership ability in the draft process, Andersson has failed the Rangers at every turn and they likely face little choice now but to try to get a fair return back for the troubled prospect.

Blue Jackets Activate Seth Jones And Dean Kukan Off IR

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Although we’re still more than a month away from the play-in round getting underway, the Blue Jackets made a pair of roster moves today, announcing that they’ve activated defensemen Seth Jones and Dean Kukan off injured reserve, paving the for them to suit up against Toronto in what will likely be early August.

The return of Jones will be huge for their back end.  He led all Columbus players in ice time at 25:17 per game.  While that actually represented a small dip compared to a year ago, that number was still high enough to rank seventh among all blueliners league-wide this season.  He should step back into the number one role and play in all situations; not many teams welcoming back injured players will get a player that has as big of an impact as he does.  He had missed the final 14 games before the pandemic shut down the season due to an ankle injury.

Jones’ offensive numbers dipped this season with 30 points in 56 games, his lowest point per game rate in any of his full seasons with the Blue Jackets.  However, he made a big impact at that end a year ago when they made it to the second round and he’s certainly capable of doing that again.  At the very least, he’ll take some of the pressure off Zach Werenski (who potted a career-best 20 goals this season) in the attacking zone.

After being a depth player the last couple of years, Kukan had stepped into a regular spot on their third pairing before a knee issue caused him to miss the final 29 regular season games.  He wound up suiting up in 33 contests this year, collecting five points (1-4-5) while averaging just shy of 16 minutes per night.  He may not be able to reclaim that regular role after being off for so long but at the very least, he’ll represent capable depth if and when injuries arise.

While not mentioned in this announcement, the Blue Jackets are also expected to welcome back forwards Cam Atkinson, Oliver Bjorkstrand, and Nathan Gerbe for their best-of-five series against the Maple Leafs.  Alexandre Texier currently remains on IR along with Josh Anderson and Brandon Dubinsky, neither of whom will be available.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Panthers Prospect Emil Djuse Signs In The KHL

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

After a good showing in the SHL the previous two seasons, Emil Djuse decided to try his hand at playing in North America this season and signed with Dallas back in April of 2019.  However, after failing to reach the NHL with them or Florida (who acquired him in February), he has opted to head back overseas as Spartak Moscow of the KHL announced that they’ve signed the pending restricted free agent to a one-year contract.

The 26-year old spent the majority of the season with AHL Texas where he collected a respectable 29 points (4-25-29) in 48 games, more points than he had amassed in a single year over his seven professional seasons in Sweden between the SHL and Allsvenskan levels.  That was enough for the Panthers to move a sixth-round pick (Buffalo’s 2020 selection) at the trade deadline to bring Djuse in for extra depth.  He got into five games with their minor league affiliate in Springfield where he had a goal and two assists before the COVID-19 pandemic shelved the rest of the AHL season.

At 26, Djuse is eligible for restricted free agency this offseason but is only a year away from becoming an unrestricted free agent so a qualifying offer wouldn’t do much from Florida’s perspective.  Meanwhile, with this deal, Djuse gives himself a guaranteed place to play next season with the fate of the AHL schedule in question and a good showing there could get him back on the North American radar in 2021.

Metropolitan Storylines: Columbus Blue Jackets

at CDT | by 1 Comment

While the stretch run is officially over with the NHL’s declaration that the play-in games won’t be part of the regular season, we still have one division left to get to in our Stretch Run Storylines series.  Our focus has been shifted to the Metropolitan Division with an eye on things to watch for in the postseason.  Next up is a look at Columbus.

The Blue Jackets were one of the surprises of the postseason last year.  Few gave them a chance against the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Lightning but instead, it was Columbus that swept Tampa Bay.  This version of the team lacks the star power last year’s group had with Artemi Panarin, Matt Duchene, and Sergei Bobrovsky all playing elsewhere but they were right in the thick of the battle for a top-three spot before the pandemic shut the season down.  They have a similar matchup as their first round clash last year as they’ll be taking on Toronto.  Here is what to watch for from the Blue Jackets.

Return Of Walking Wounded

Some teams will benefit from getting a key player or two back from injury that may not have been available to play had the postseason gone on as originally scheduled.  The Blue Jackets aren’t just getting a player or two back.  Instead, a third of their lineup will be returning.

Oliver Bjorkstrand was in the midst of a breakout season in spite of ankle and rib injuries that cost him 21 games; he still managed to lead the team in goals.  He’s back.  Cam Atkinson was having a quiet year but is a top-liner for them still.  He’s back from his lower-body issue.  So is promising youngster Alexandre Texier (lumbar stress fracture) and veteran Nathan Gerbe (groin) whose performance after an in-season call-up was enough to earn him a two-year extension.

But that’s not all.  How about adding back a 25-minute per game defenseman to the lineup?  Seth Jones was one of just seven blueliners to have that ATOI and he is back from his ankle injury.  Getting a number one defender back is a huge addition.  Dean Kukan (knee) isn’t as well known but he was holding down a regular spot on the back end before he went down.

Despite that, there are some players who won’t be returning.  Josh Anderson won’t be ready to go from his shoulder surgery and while he had a tough year offensively, his physicality will certainly be missed.  Veteran Brandon Dubinsky (wrist) will also remain out.  Even with them not playing, Columbus is getting several core players plus important regulars back.  Not many teams can say they’ll benefit anywhere near as much from this delay as them.

Who Starts?

There were understandably question marks between the pipes heading into the season.  There are now as well.  But it’s a different set of questions entirely.

Heading into the season, it seemed like the Blue Jackets were being risky going with a relatively unproven tandem of Joonas Korpisalo and rookie Elvis Merzlikins.  Merzlikins struggling early on only compound that.  However, both got going as the season progressed and when Korpisalo went down, Merzlikins came in and went on a tear, making a compelling case to stay in the top role in the process.

Both now are healthy and with the fact that it will be more than four months between games before teams take to the ice again, it’s an entirely clean slate.  Their three-week training camp could very well represent the competition to see who gets the nod in the first game against Toronto.

This series represents an interesting clash of styles.  The Maple Leafs had the second-most goals in the league this season while the Blue Jackets allowed the third-fewest.  With Columbus being a defense-first, low-scoring team, whoever gets the tap to start is going to have that extra challenge of facing a top attack.

Dubois’ Final Push

Heading into this season, Pierre-Luc Dubois looked like a prime candidate for a breakout year.  His sophomore campaign was strong and he played well in their playoff run last season.  Things didn’t quite go as planned, however.  While he managed to lead the Blue Jackets in scoring this year, his goals per game and points per game averages dipped despite a small uptick in ice time.  Losing players like Duchene and Panarin shifted Dubois from a secondary role to a front line one but the improvement in production wasn’t there.

As a restricted free agent this summer, that certainly doesn’t help his negotiating leverage.  Of course, he’s still in line for a significant raise but between this and the expected flattening of the salary cap, the time may not be right for either side to commit to a long-term, big money deal that buys out the remainder of his RFA eligibility and takes out some of his UFA years.  However, a big showing offensively in the play-in round and potentially longer would certainly help his case.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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

scroll to top