Archives for September 2020

Snapshots: NHL Draft, Suter, Point

September 8, 2020 at 11:32 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The 2020 NHL Entry Draft will be held a few days earlier than expected, as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that it has been moved up to October 6-7. The change is thanks to a playoffs that is moving along briskly, with the first game of both conference finals already in the books.

An earlier draft only makes it even more imperative for teams like the Arizona Coyotes to get a new GM in place over the next few weeks, though it’s already probably too late for a new executive to really make his mark on the draft process. Even though four teams are still working to win the Stanley Cup, the offseason is fast approaching.

Pius Suter is headed back to Switzerland for the time being, as expected. The 24-year old Chicago Blackhawks forward has been loaned to GCK Lions of the Swiss second league until training camp starts in North America. Suter signed a one-year deal with the Blackhawks a few months ago after winning the MVP in Switzerland’s top league.
Brayden Point has become one of the very best players in the entire NHL, and Chris Johnston of Sportsnet examines his early case for the Conn Smythe trophy this year. Point now has 23 points in 14 postseason games and is an obvious leader on the Tampa Bay Lightning roster, but is in just the first year of a contract that carries a $6.75MM cap hit. While he’ll still be a restricted free agent in 2022 when this deal expires, Point will be owed a $9MM qualifying offer and could easily become one of the highest-paid players in the entire league.

Edmonton Oilers Loan Gaetan Haas, Evan Bouchard

September 8, 2020 at 10:09 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The Edmonton Oilers continue to send their young players all over the world, loaning them out to European leagues to get them back on the ice while we wait for the start of the 2020-21 season in North America. Today, they announced that Gaetan Haas and Evan Bouchard will be heading overseas to play for the next few months. Both players are expected to return for training camp.

Haas, 28, will return to SC Bern in the Swiss NLA for the time being, the same club he played two seasons for before coming to Edmonton. A star in the Swiss league, he recorded 38 points in 50 games during the 2018-19 season and won the league championship. In his first taste of North American hockey, Haas didn’t have quite the same offensive impact but still represented a solid depth forward for the Oilers. In 58 games he recorded ten points and in April re-signed for the 2020-21 season. He’ll earn $915K on a one-way deal, whenever the next NHL season gets underway.

Bouchard of course doesn’t come with quite as much NHL experience, given he was only drafted in 2018. The tenth-overall pick played seven games with the Oilers that first season, but has spent the rest of his professional hockey in the minor leagues with the Bakersfield Condors. Bouchard did continue his excellent play in the AHL this season, recording 36 points in 54 games, but it’s not exactly clear when he’ll take that next step and become a full-time member of the Oilers defense. Still just 20, there is plenty of time for Bouchard to develop, which is exactly why it was so imperative that he find a place to play for the next few months. Bouchard will head to Sweden and suit up for Sodertalje SK of the second league.

Columbus Blue Jackets Announce Several Loans

September 8, 2020 at 9:41 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The Columbus Blue Jackets have found a few landing spots for some of their most important young players. Emil Bemstrom will head to HIFK Helsinki, Alexandre Texier will return to KalPa and Veini Vehvilainen will head to JYP (a move we detailed yesterday). All three are expected back before the start of the 2020-21 NHL season.

The two young forwards are more than just prospects at this point, but rather full-time NHL players. Bemstrom, 21, played in 56 games for the Blue Jackets this season scoring 20 points as a rookie. Selected in the fourth round of the 2017 draft, he quickly climbed the prospect charts after excelling in Sweden, including a 35-point season in the SHL that earned him Rookie of the Year honors. Bemstrom is only heading into the second year of his entry-level contract, meaning he’ll be an extremely inexpensive option for the Blue Jackets through the 2021-22 season.

Texier meanwhile heads into the final season of his own entry-level deal, after first appearing in North America during 2018-19. The speedy forward made an impact even then for the Blue Jackets, jumping right into the playoffs with the team and being a difference-maker in their first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning. This season didn’t go exactly as planned, with Texier only recording 13 points in 36 games, but once again he looked the part of a top-six option when the Blue Jackets hit the postseason. Still just 20 (he’ll turn 21 next week), Texier has a very bright future in Columbus.

Vehvilainen, as we detailed yesterday, is another brilliant goaltending prospect that the Blue Jackets will have to find room for eventually. The 23-year-old could be in contention for an NHL roster spot if the team moves on from one of Joonas Korpisalo or Elvis Merzlikins in a trade this offseason.

Bobby Ryan Wins Bill Masterton Trophy

September 7, 2020 at 6:54 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 11 Comments

This week, the NHL will be revealing some award winners in the pregame show of a Conference Final game. Today’s award announcement was for the Bill Masterton Trophy which was won by Senators winger Bobby Ryan. The other two finalists were Flyers winger Oskar Lindblom and Stars defenseman Stephen Johns. The award is given to “to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey”.

Ryan took a leave of absence from the Senators in November to enter into the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance program and was in there for close to three months. He had quite the memorable return as in his second game back, he had a hat-trick against Vancouver. Before the pandemic hit, Ryan had played in eight games, collecting four goals while playing over 16 minutes a night, well above his season average. While his season ended on a high note, he’ll remember it best for overcoming the alcohol abuse issues that saw him enter the assistance program and for sharing his story publicly.

Lindblom was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma back in December, ending his regular season. At the time of his cancer diagnosis, he was leading the Flyers in goals with 11 and had 18 points in 30 games. He was well on his way to recovery at the time of voting and signed a three-year, $9MM contract back in July. While it was initially believed that he wouldn’t play in Philadelphia’s playoff run, Lindblom recovered quick enough to get into their last two games against the Islanders, playing more than 16 minutes in both contests. He looks well-positioned to once again be an important winger for the Flyers next season and could be a contender for this trophy next season as well.

Johns returned to the ice after missing 22 games due to lingering concussion trouble that first came about in Dallas’ training camp in 2018. He made an immediate impact upon his return, picking up an assist in his third game back and a goal in his fourth contest. Overall, he played in 17 games and logged an impressive 17:40 per game while adding some stability to the back half of their defense corps in the process. Johns suited up for their first four playoff games (all three Round Robin matches plus the first Qualifying Round game versus Calgary) before being injured. He remains unfit to play and there is no word on how long he’ll be out.

Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner was the recipient of the award last season. The Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award is next up and will be revealed on Tuesday.

Metropolitan Notes: Bemstrom, Merzlikins, Couturier

September 7, 2020 at 5:48 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 1 Comment

Blue Jackets winger Emil Bemstrom is expected to join HIFK Helsinki of the SM-liiga to start their season, reports SportExpressen’s Johan Svensson. The 21-year-old still has two years remaining on his entry-level deal so Columbus would have to agree to loan him out before anything could be finalized. While he played in the SHL before coming to North America, that league isn’t accepting players on loan so he had to look elsewhere.

Bemstrom played in 56 games in his rookie season, collecting 10 goals and 10 assists; half of his tallies came with the man advantage to tie for the Blue Jackets lead. He also suited up in five postseason contests where he was held off the scoresheet. After averaging more than 12 minutes a game, it’s safe to infer that Bemstrom should have the inside track on a roster spot with Columbus next season but a good start in Finland in more of an offensive role could certainly give him a boost heading into training camp where he’ll be looking for a bigger role.

Mikael Granlund To Test Free Agency

September 7, 2020 at 4:40 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose Leave a Comment

While many teams will be using these next few weeks to try to reach new deals for their pending unrestricted free agents, that won’t be the case for the Predators and forward Mikael Granlund. Instead, his agent Todd Diamond told Adam Vingan of The Athletic (subscription required) that they intend to test the open market when it opens up next month. Diamond wouldn’t rule out a return to Nashville but they will see what other options are out there first.

Granlund’s time with the Preds has been littered with its ups and downs. Acquired at the 2019 trade deadline for Kevin Fiala, the 28-year-old had just a single goal in 16 regular season games down the stretch with his new team and only had a goal and an assist in their first-round exit at the hands of Dallas. Things didn’t get off to a great start this season either.

However, once John Hynes took over from Peter Laviolette as head coach, things started to turn around for Granlund. He led the team with 11 goals in 27 games under Hynes while his ice time jumped to over 19 minutes per game as well, numbers that Diamond will surely be emphasizing to potential suitors. His usage was similar in their Qualifying Round series against Arizona as well as he logged 18:43 per game although he only managed a single assist in four games.

Granlund is one of the more intriguing names in what is a fairly soft market for forwards. He’s only two years removed from back-to-back 20-plus goal/65-plus point seasons and at his age, it’s quite possible that he could get back to those numbers in the right environment. He also has experience at center although he has largely played on the wing in recent years; that versatility will also be attractive.

Having said that, two quieter years offensively undoubtedly won’t help his leverage, especially if he’s seeking a long-term contract. While he will be one of the top forwards on the market, the flattened salary cap will reduce how many teams are willing to pay big money for a long-term deal at a rate close to the $5.75MM he made on his most recent contract. As a result, he’s one that might be better off looking for a short-term pact in a better offensive environment that would give him a chance to restore some value before hitting the market again where there is more certainty surrounding the economics. Either way, he’ll be hearing what his options are no matter what with an early contract with Nashville now being ruled out.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Offseason Keys: Washington Capitals

September 7, 2020 at 3:34 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose Leave a Comment

As teams are eliminated from the playoffs, it means that the offseason has arrived for several more squads. Having covered the teams that weren’t a part of the NHL’s return and the ones ousted in the Qualifying Round, we shift our focus to the ones that were eliminated in the official first round. Next up is a look at Washington.

During the regular season, things were looking up for Washington. They were sitting in first place when the pandemic hit and it looked as if they’d be a team that could have some staying power in the playoffs. That didn’t happen. Instead, they were ousted by the Islanders in the first round and one big change has already happened with Todd Reirden being let go as head coach (he has since rejoined Pittsburgh as an assistant). Now, with a flattened salary cap, GM Brian MacLellan is going to have some tough decisions to make for next season which highlight their keys over the next few months.

Find A New Coach

Let’s get the obvious out of the way first. With Reirden out behind the bench, Washington needs to hire a new head coach. Perhaps more importantly at this stage though, they have to decide what type of coach they’re looking for. With Barry Trotz, they had someone who emphasized structure and when he left to go to the Islanders (who eliminated them), Reirden was promoted from his staff for some continuity. Do they look for another coach like Trotz or would they be better off with a more free-flowing style?

Firepower is not a concern for the Capitals. They have plenty of it even after losing some players to cap constraints in recent years. But despite finishing second in the league in scoring, they were led by a defenseman in points and John Carlson was the only one to average better than a point per game. If they were to open up more offensively, they’d be an even bigger threat. On the other hand, they’re set to be led between the pipes by Ilya Samsonov in his sophomore year next season while their back end isn’t the strongest so playing a bit more conservatively has its advantages as well.

One thing seems to be certain at this point, their focus is on a veteran as Peter Laviolette, Mike Babcock, and Gerard Gallant are three candidates that have interviewed for the position. MacLellan himself has said an experienced coach is a priority after having a rookie in Reirden. Right now, they have some time to work with but if they want someone in place for the draft and free agency, they’ll need to make a final decision within the next month.

Ovechkin Extension Talks

If it seems like so long ago that Alex Ovechkin signed his current contract, it’s because it has indeed been a long time. About twelve-and-a-half years, in fact. His 13-year, $124MM contract that was signed back in January of 2008 looked exorbitant at the time but it has in fact worked out quite well for both sides. Ovechkin has become one of the top goal-scorers in NHL history and a franchise icon while the team won its first Stanley Cup back in 2018.

Now that he’s set to enter the final year of his contract, he’s eligible to sign a contract extension. His next deal will be subject to 35-plus provisions (unless it’s uniform in salary throughout the duration) but that shouldn’t have an impact on things. It’s safe to say that Ovechkin will be looking for a deal that takes him to retirement but the big question will be how many more years does he want to play? He’s still several years away from taking aim at the all-time goals scored mark which may very well play a role in how long this next deal is. Money, of course, matters too but he remains a top offensive threat so it stands to reason that his next contract should wind up around a similar price tag as his current $9.538MM AAV.

This isn’t a case where Washington needs to get a deal done or consider trading him over the risk of losing him for nothing. Most would likely classify Ovechkin’s next contract as a matter of when, not if. But getting something done now would give MacLellan some much-needed certainty in terms of knowing how much (or little) money he has left for 2021-22 and beyond. That could, in turn, impact what types of deals they do in the weeks ahead. It’s not a must-do at this point but it would be beneficial for both sides to get it done now.

Replace Holtby

The in-season extension given to Nicklas Backstrom was the final nail in the coffin for Braden Holtby’s chances of re-signing with Washington unless he wants to sign for less than market value. Assuming that’s the case, they’ll need to find a backup for Samsonov who will be in his first season as a starter.

There are two in-house options for the position but neither one is particularly strong. Pheonix Copley was their backup in 2018-19, earning himself a three-year deal in the process. However, he’s not the type of goalie that they should be comfortable asking for roughly 30 games from next season as Samsonov is unlikely to jump into a top workload after making just 22 starts this year. Prospect Vitek Vanecek has some upside and did well with AHL Hershey this season but is he ready for a full-time NHL spot? It’s certainly not a guarantee.

While one of those two would provide more cap flexibility (Copley’s AAV is $1.1MM while Copley’s is just over $716K), they would put a lot of pressure on Samsonov. Accordingly, a more proven veteran goalie would certainly be a safer play, albeit a more expensive one. While it’s unlikely that they’d shop at the higher end of that market, they could still get someone around the $2MM to $2.5MM mark that would give them a bit more security. But with limited cap space and a pair of blueliners (Brenden Dillon and Radko Gudas) set to hit the open market, it’s going to be a tough decision to make.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Pacific Notes: Oilers, Toffoli, Coyotes GM Search

September 7, 2020 at 1:59 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 10 Comments

The Oilers are among the teams that have kicked the tires on Penguins goalie Matt Murray, reports Postmedia’s Jim Matheson. They have a vacancy to fill between the pipes with Mike Smith slated to become an unrestricted free agent. However, with the limited cap space they have and several RFAs in need of new deals including winger Andreas Athanasiou and defensemen Matt Benning and Ethan Bear, they probably won’t be able to afford the salary that Murray, an RFA himself, will likely command in the coming months. Instead, they will probably have to shop at the cheaper end of the goalie market to find Mikko Koskinen’s partner for next season.

NHL Issues Update On COVID-19 Testing

September 7, 2020 at 12:38 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 2 Comments

As the NHL has done each Monday in recent weeks, they have released an update on the COVID-19 testing being done in the bubble cities. For the sixth straight week, there have been zero positive tests. Their statement reads as follows:

The NHL completed the sixth week of its Phase 4 Return to Play with no positive test results for COVID-19 among the 2,534 tests administered. Testing was administered on a daily basis to all members of the Clubs’ 52-member travelling parties, including Players, during the period from August 30 through September 5. The NHL will continue to provide regular updates on COVID-19 testing results. The League will not be providing information on the identity of any individuals or Clubs.

With these results being added to the cumulative total, there have now been over 30,000 tests administered without a positive result. The number of weekly tests continues to decrease (as expected with fewer teams playing) but with some family members being permitted to join players in Edmonton as the bubble drops to one city from two, they will now be subject to tests as well.

Free Agent Focus: Arizona Coyotes

September 7, 2020 at 12:18 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 1 Comment

While the official start date of free agency remains in flux depending on when the playoffs end (the later of October 9th or a week after the completion of the Stanley Cup Final), many teams are already looking ahead to when it opens up. There will be several prominent players set to hit the open market while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign. Arizona has been in constant turmoil for two decades and now face an offseason with incredible challenges.

Key Restricted Free Agents

F Christian Fischer – What happened to the promising young power forward that scored 15 goals and 33 points as a rookie? Fischer, a second-round pick from 2015, burst onto the scene with the Coyotes in 2017-18 as a 20-year old wrecking ball, using his 6’2″ frame effectively to punish opponents and create offense. Now 23, Fischer is coming off a nine-point season that saw him averaging less than ten minutes a night in the second half. That offensive drop off coincided with plummeting possession stats, while the playoffs didn’t bring much change. In nine postseason games, Fischer recorded just one point. He shouldn’t be expensive for the Coyotes to retain after that dreadful year, but a return to form for Fischer would go a long way in helping the Coyotes lengthen out their lineup.

F Vinnie Hinostroza – You can basically cut-and-paste the disappointing year quotes for Hinostroza, who scored just five goals in 2019-20 after tallying 16 in his first year with Arizona. The 26-year-old forward ended with just 22 points in 68 games, a substantial step backward for a player that was an exciting piece of the Marian Hossa deal in 2018. Unlike with Fischer however, Hinostroza is heading into restricted free agency for the final time, is arbitration-eligible and could potentially be a player the Coyotes walk away from if things are getting too expensive. He’s coming off a contract that paid him just $1.5MM this season, and it’s hard to imagine him providing much excess value for whatever the arbitrator awards.

Other RFAs: D Ilya Lyubushkin, D Jordan Gross, D Dane Birks, D Kyle Capobianco, D Vili Saarijarvi, D Jalen Smereck, G Merrick Madsen, G Adin Hill

Key Unrestricted Free Agents

F Taylor Hall – Here’s where the real tough decisions come for the Coyotes. Nick Merkley, Nate Schnarr, Kevin Bahl, and two high draft picks is what the Coyotes paid for 44 games of Hall. 12 goals, 33 points, and a first-round exit were the return, not exactly what they were hoping for when they made the deal with New Jersey midway through the season. Now, a team operating without a permanent GM is trying to sell Hall on the perks of remaining a Coyote, but it’s hard to imagine him taking any contract before seeing what’s available on the open market. The former MVP is still an excellent offensive player and he’s only 28. While his market may be significantly depressed by the flat cap, that doesn’t mean he’s going to come cheap. The Coyotes aren’t really in a position to be giving out the biggest contract of the offseason, meaning they may end up without a chair when the music stops on Hall’s free agency.

F Carl Soderberg – A veteran forward with a history with the Boston Bruins finished third in goals for the Coyotes in their first season in Arizona. Phil Kessel? No, it’s Soderberg, who ended up with 17 goals and 35 points in 70 games (Kessel had 14 and 38) while playing nearly 16 minutes a night. That ridiculous 14-point season in 2016-17 is the obvious outlier now for Soderberg, who has scored at least 12 goals and 35 points in each of his other six NHL seasons. After just one season in Arizona, Soderberg will be 35 next month and could find himself on the way out given the team’s cap crunch. You can bet other teams are watching to see if the veteran center will hit the open market as a strong depth option.

Other UFAs: F Brad Richardson, F Markus Hannikainen, F Beau Bennett, D Robbie Russo

Projected Cap Space

That flat cap will have several teams struggling to piece together the offseason puzzle, perhaps in Arizona most of all. Even without Hall, the team has more than $80MM committed for next season thanks to expensive extensions kicking in for Darcy Kuemper and Clayton Keller. Hossa’s $5.275MM cap hit will be kept on long-term injured reserve again to give some added flexibility, but even so, the team is going to be cap-strapped in the offseason. That’s exactly the reason why captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s name has already been floated in the trade rumor mill, along with several other of the team’s veteran defensemen—Alex Goligoski, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Jason Demers, and Jordan Oesterle are all unrestricted after next season.

If Hall is to come anywhere near a return to Arizona, the team is going to have to move some money out. Does interim GM Steve Sullivan pull that trigger, or will the team wait for their next front-office leader to be hired before issuing sweeping changes to the roster?

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

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