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Trade Deadline Primer: Winnipeg Jets

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The 2021 NHL Trade Deadline is just hours away so it’s time to wrap up our look around the league with the Winnipeg Jets and where they stand and should be trying to do.

The Jets came into this season as a bit of a wild card team.  Connor Hellebuyck gives them high-level goaltending while they bolstered one of the better top-six forward groups in the league.  There were questions surrounding the rest of the team but they’ve answered them nicely so far and are battling for home ice in the first round with a shot still at tracking down Toronto for first in the North.  With that in mind, Kevin Cheveldayoff should be looking to try to add over the next few hours.

Record

25-13-3, 2nd in West Division

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$0 in regular cap space, $2.43MM in LTIR room, 1/3 retention slots used, 44/50 contracts used per CapFriendly.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2021: WPG 1st, WPG 2nd, WPG 3rd, WPG 5th, WPG 6th
2022: WPG 1st, WPG 2nd, CBJ 3rd, WPG 3rd, WPG 5th, WPG 6th, WPG 7th

Trade Chips

Cheap defensemen are always in high demand at the trade deadline and Winnipeg has one of those in Sami Niku.  For years now, he has been on the cusp of making it as a regular but has yet to do and has dropped a couple of spots on the depth chart with Logan Stanley holding his own and Ville Heinola waiting in the wings.  He’s someone that they can easily hold on to for expansion purposes as he is already signed for next season at just a $725K cap hit but at 24, there are likely rebuilding teams that would like to get a closer look at him.  Instead of flipping a mid-round pick for a rental, Niku could be substituted, a move that would also give Winnipeg a little more cap flexibility.

Kristian Vesalainen is a name that many are familiar with going back to his days in the SHL before he was drafted.  However, the offensive potential that was believed to be there hasn’t really materialized since Winnipeg picked him 24th overall back in 2017.  In his limited NHL action this season, he has been limited to duty on the fourth line and that’s not a great fit for his particular style of play.  The Jets would certainly be selling low but his value is likely only going to continue to dip the further he gets into his entry-level deal which has another year left on it.  If there’s a team that still really believes in Vesalainen’s upside, this may be the right time to move him.

Mathieu Perreault’s name has come up many times over the years as a speculative trade or even buyout candidate but now as an expiring contract, this is his last chance to be moved and this may be his likeliest chance of moving compared to those other times.  If Cheveldayoff wants to go after a higher-priced player, Perreault’s $4.125MM AAV could quite plausibly be thrown into the deal as a salary offset over asking a team to retain, especially with some of the sellers likely to use their three allowable retention slots.  He’s a versatile player that certainly has a role on the roster but if they need to take away a sizable contract to add another one, Perreault is the obvious candidate to be thrown in.

Others to Watch For: F David Gustafsson ($817.5K through 2021-22), F Skyler McKenzie ($742K, RFA)

Team Needs

1) Top-Four Defenseman: One team that was almost certainly disappointed by David Savard heading to Tampa Bay was Winnipeg as they’ve had a need for a blueliner that can log 20 minutes or more pretty much all season.  Actually, you could go back to last year for that particular need.  There aren’t many other rentals that could fit that bill – New Jersey’s Ryan Murray may be one of the exceptions – but Cheveldayoff needs to find a way to get one despite the limited LTIR room he has to work with.

2) Upgrade Fourth Line Depth – Winnipeg has not used their fourth line much this season with Perreault being the only one averaging more than ten minutes a night.  There isn’t anything wrong with targeting defensive specialists to help in those situations but adding a piece or two that Paul Maurice would be comfortable using for more than nine minutes a game would help keep their top players a bit more rested down the stretch and give them some extra insurance in case more injuries arise.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Snapshots: Hall, Zadorov, Kulikov, Blueger, Tanev

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Taylor Hall has been sitting for just over a week now while waiting to see where he’ll be traded to.  It appears his new team may soon be known as TSN’s Darren Dreger reports (Twitter links) that the Sabres have made progress on the trade front today and there are believed to just be three teams left in the mix for his services.  Buffalo will undoubtedly need to retain a sizable chunk of his $8MM cap hit (they can hold up to half) and as we’ve seen with recent notable moves, a third-party facilitator could also be in play.  While the 29-year-old is having quite a rough season with just two goals in 37 games, he could be an intriguing wild card for whoever gets him down the stretch.

Elsewhere around the NHL:

  • The Blackhawks and Nikita Zadorov have held talks on a new deal, report Scott Powers and Mark Lazerus of The Athletic (subscription link). Chicago is interested in keeping the defenseman in the fold but with Zadorov holding arbitration rights, there is some risk to tendering him a $3.2MM qualifying offer.  Chicago’s initial offer is believed to be around $3.5MM while Zadorov’s camp is looking for something starting with a four so there is a bit of ground to be made up.  As Zadorov’s not a pending UFA, this isn’t a situation that necessarily has to be resolved by tomorrow’s trade deadline.
  • Devils defenseman Dmitry Kulikov was held out of tonight’s lineup as a precaution heading into the trade deadline, Corey Masisak of The Athletic was among those to note (Twitter link). The 30-year-old has two assists in 38 games this season while logging 19:33 per night.  With a $1.15MM cap hit, Kulikov is an affordable depth option that is quite likely to move by Monday.
  • The Penguins welcomed back Teddy Blueger to the lineup against New Jersey as the team announced that he was activated off injured reserve. The 26-year-old has been quietly effective this season with 15 points in 28 games.  Meanwhile, the Pens also transferred winger Brandon Tanev to LTIR retroactive to April 3rd.  For the time being, that gives them another $3.5MM in cap room to work with and if they believe that he’ll miss the rest of the season, that could give them some more flexibility to try to make a splash at the deadline.

COVID Protocol Related Absences: 04/11/21

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Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. While the league is still waiting for a report from the Blues, here is the updated list for today from the other 30 teams:

Boston – Jaroslav Halak
Colorado – Bowen Byram
Florida – Brandon Montour*
Los Angeles – Matt Roy
St. Louis – TBA
Toronto – William Nylander
Vancouver – Travis Boyd, Jalen Chatfield, Thatcher Demko, Alexander Edler, Travis Hamonic, Jayce Hawryluk, Nils Hoglander, Braden Holtby, Bo Horvat, Quinn Hughes, Zack MacEwen, Marc Michaelis, Tyler Motte, Tyler Myers, Antoine Roussel, Nate Schmidt, Brandon Sutter, Jake Virtanen, Jay Beagle*

As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:

(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol

Players removed today: Adam Gaudette, Vancouver Canucks

As reported earlier, another Canucks player hit the CPRA list today in injured veteran Beagle, delaying the team’s return to action by at least a day. At least one player has been cleared, as Gaudette – the first player to hit the list at the start of the Vancouver outbreak – has been removed. Hopefully more and more Canuck names continue to come off the list in the coming days.

The only other name that is new to the list today is Montour, who is in a short quarantine period after understandably choosing to fly from Buffalo, New York to Sunrise, Florida rather than make the 20-hour drive to join his new team. So all things considered, this is a net even day for the league’s COVID cases.

*denotes new addition

Toronto Maple Leafs Acquire Nick Foligno

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have been the biggest winners of the trade deadline so far, at least among sellers, having successfully moved defenseman David Savard to the Tampa Bay Lightning for first and third-round picks Saturday. Now, as TSN’s Frank Seravalli was first to report, the team has traded captain Nick Foligno as well, for another pricey return. After noting that several teams were in the bidding for Foligno, offering up first-round picks to get a deal done, Seravalli revealed that the Toronto Maple Leafs are the lucky club that will land the veteran forward.

The terms of the Foligno deal are very similar to the Savard trade, with a third team being used as a broker to retain salary. The Blue Jackets retained 50% Foligno’s contract, an expiring deal with a $5.5MM AAV, and traded him to the San Jose Sharks, who retained 50% of the remainder before passing him along to the Maple Leafs, leaving Toronto with just a $1.375MM hit. In exchange, the Blue Jackets receive Toronto’s 2021 first-round pick and 2022 fourth-round pick. The Sharks also receive a Toronto fourth-round pick in 2021 and send depth forward Stefan Noesen to the Leafs.

While the biggest buyers tend to get the most attention at the deadline, as the 2018-19 Blue Jackets can attest, this year’s Columbus team already feels like story of the 2021 deadline. In a market that was expected to suffer from salary cap crunches, border logistics, and a plethora of potential sellers, the Blue Jackets have turned two good-not-great players into a pair of first-round picks and two additional mid-round picks by getting creative with three-team deals to solve financial struggles. Both Foligno and Savard have been long-time Blue Jackets who worked hard and found great success, but to receive a first-rounder for either one would have been a surprise in a normal season, nevertheless in this strange market. GM Jarmo Kekalainen deserves all of the accolades coming to him for these trades, especially if Foligno re-signs in Columbus this off-season as many expect.

With that said, Foligno’s acquisition is still a strong move by the Leafs even at a high cost. Toronto is all-in this season and Folingo provides experience, leadership, work ethic, positional versatility, a strong defensive game, and some scoring as well. The 33-year-old also knows that this could be his best shot at winning a Stanley Cup and is sure to give it all he has. Foligno is the type of veteran depth addition that can often propel a team to a deep playoff run, especially when surrounded by other elite talent, of which there is a plethora in Toronto. Foligno has seven goals and 16 points in 42 games this season, as well as over 100 hits, and has shown in the past that he is capable of even more scoring and more physicality than he has already shown this year.

In Noesen, the Leafs add yet another forward option who can safely be sent to the taxi squad or AHL after clearing waivers earlier this season. The 28-year-old rental has over 200 NHL games under his belt and plays a gritty, hard-nosed style. Noesen is easy to forget in this deal, but could slide into a fourth-line role with Toronto if injuries strike. He was not being utilized by the Sharks this season, who will gladly move on and eat $1.375MM of Foligno’s cap in exchange for a draft pick.

 

Calgary Flames Sign Walker Duehr To Entry-Level Contract

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The NCAA Tournament, and with it the college hockey season, came to an end last night as the Massachusetts Minutemen won their first ever title. Less than 24 hours later, a Frozen Four competitor is already signing an NHL contract. The Calgary Flames have announced that they have signed forward Walker Duehr to a two-year entry-level contract, beginning in 2021-22. The 23-year-old winger just completed his senior year at Minnesota State – Mankato, who lost in the semifinals to St. Cloud State on Thursday.

The 6’3″, 211-pound winger had his best season to date this year, scoring 10 goals and 17 points in 28 games. He has potted 25 goals over his four-year college career to go along with 51 points. The natural right wing should fill a need in Calgary’s system, which is short on right-shot forwards. A prospect who thrives in front of the net and plays with an edge, Duehr could learn a thing or two from the Flames’ Milan Lucic as he progresses through the system.

While Duehr is not the only Minnesota State player receiving NHL interest, the concern with any Mavericks prospect is the transition to playing against pro competition. Mankato enjoys a relatively cushy schedule in the WCHA, so while they have been among the top teams in the NCAA over the past several years, they tend to be far less battle-tested than their top-ranked counterparts in other conferences. Statistically, the lack of top competition and the teams conservative style tend to exaggerate their defensive ability as well. This is not to say that Duehr or any other Minnesota State product is bound to struggle, but the Flames will likely give him time in the minors to adjust to a new level of competition. Duehr is unlikely to be a factor in Calgary quickly.

Pittsburgh Penguins Discussing Nicolas Deslauriers With Anaheim

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3:48 p.m.: Friedman has backed off his original tweet, now reporting that the two sides are still in discussion about Deslauriers. Nothing is done.

3:24 p.m.: The Pittsburgh Penguins have been rumored to be interested in adding some size to their lineup and it looks like they’ve done just that as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the Penguins have acquired winger Nicolas Deslauriers from the Anaheim Ducks. Terms or the trade have not been revealed.

It should be noted that the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins removed prospect defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph today from their AHL lineup. While that doesn’t necessarily mean that he is part of the trade, it certainly is a possibility.

The 30-year-old Deslauriers would give the team the needed physicality it is looking for. Well known for his fights against top enforcers, the bruising forward should give the Penguins much-needed grit on the ice. Deslauriers can even put the puck in the net at times as well, posting four goals and eight points in 35 games. He has also racked up 38 penalty minutes, 102 hits and four fights this year.

It’s likely Deslauriers will be useful against players such as Washington’s Tom Wilson, who he has a history with as well as other impact players with the New York Islanders.

Nashville’s Michael McCarron Suspended Two Games For Illegal Check

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The Department of Player Safety announced that Nashville Predators forward Michael McCarron has been suspended two games for an illegal check to the head of Tampa Bay Lightning forward Yanni Gourde. The suspension will cost him $12,068.96.

The incident (video here) happened with just 25 seconds left in the third period of Saturday’s 3-0 loss against Tampa Bay when McCarron nailed Gourde with his shoulder in open ice, sending the forward to his knees. McCarron was given a two-minute penalty and then received a match penalty.

McCarron was playing his first game in almost a month and will not be missed in their lineup. The forward has appeared in just five games for the Predators this year with no points, while averaging under 10 minutes per game.

 

East Notes: Lundqvist, Hischier, Johnston, Devils

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While veteran Henrik Lundqvist was hoping to return to the NHL for the playoffs, the 39-year-old veteran announced via Twitter that those hopes will not be possible. The goaltender, who signed with the Washington Capitals in the offseason only to have to sit out the year after learning that he required open-heart surgery to fix issues with his heart, has been back on the ice for almost a month in hopes of joining Washington. However, he announced that inflammation around his heart requires more time for rest and recovery.

“Last week’s checkup showed some inflammation around the heart that now requires a few months more of rest and steady recovery,” wrote Lundqvist. “While it’s not what I hoped for, I know this is all part of the process of getting back to 100%.”

While a return to the NHL this season seemed highly unlikely, it’s disappointing for Lundqvist, the Capitals and fans who would have loved to see the veteran back on the ice.

  • The New Jersey Devils could be close to getting back their No. 1 center as head coach Lindy Ruff said that Nico Hischier is “very close to playing, he’s closing in on that date,” according to NHL.com’s Amanda Stein. The 22-year-old has struggled staying in the lineup due to injuries. He was forced to sit out for the first month of the season with a leg injury and after appearing in five games, he suffered a facial fracture that required surgery. He practiced with the team Sunday, working with the penalty killing unit and is expected to rejoin the team’s No. 1 power play once he returns.
  • The New York Islanders have placed forward Ross Johnston on injured reserve due to an undisclosed injury, according to The Athletic’s Arthur Staple. That will allow the team to recall Oliver Wahlstrom from the taxi squad. The 27-year-old Johnston hasn’t seen too much time with the Islanders this season, appearing in just nine games. He has no points, but has 35 penalty minutes. Wahlstrom will likely have to battle with Leo Komarov for playing time.
  • Chris Ryan of NJ.com reports that the third-round pick sent to the Washington Capitals for Jonas Siegenthaler is technically still conditional. The Devils sent the Arizona Coyotes’ third-round pick to Washington, which was acquired in the Taylor Hall trade. However, there was a condition to the deal in which New Jersey would actually get Arizona’s second-round pick if Hall re-signs with the Coyotes. Of course, that condition is extremely unlikely considering that Hall is now in Buffalo. Unless the Sabres trade him to Arizona and Hall signs an extension with them before the draft, that condition wouldn’t happen. However, in the unlikely circumstances that did happen, the Devils would then opt to send their own third-rounder to Washington for Siegenthaler.

PHR Panel: Trade Deadline Predictions

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With just 24 hours remaining before the 2021 NHL trade deadline, things are heating up around the league. Several big moves have already been made, with David Savard, Kyle Palmieri, and Brandon Montour all traded to contenders. There’s more coming before 3pm EST tomorrow, with Taylor Hall still drawing plenty of attention among many others.

With the deadline approaching, we thought we’d unearth one of our former features: The PHR Panel. This time it’ll come with a bit of a twist, as instead of answering questions, we’re going to be having some fun. Each of us will give one prediction for a deadline move, and we encouraged each other to go a bit outside the box if necessary. These deals are completely speculative and just done for fun–but make sure you tell us why we’re out of our minds in the comments!

Q: Predict one trade that will happen before the deadline

Brian La Rose: Luke Glendening to EDM

The Edmonton Oilers are known to be looking for a right-shot center that can help kill penalties and win faceoffs. Detroit happens to have one available in Luke Glendening, a player that GM Ken Holland is quite familiar with; he gave the forward the four-year, $7.2MM contract that is set to expire this summer, a clear sign that he was a fan of what the 31-year-old can provide.

Edmonton has been very quietly creating salary cap flexibility with the recent placements of Kyle Turris, Tyler Ennis, and Joakim Nygard on waivers, giving them the ability to send any of them to the taxi squad to free up cap space. If the Red Wings are willing to retain up to 50% on Glendening’s contract, they could acquire him and have Turris go to the taxi squad in a move that would actually free up a bit more room for Edmonton to work with. With the Oilers missing their second and third-round picks this year already, they’re more likely to part with a 2022 selection to do a deal like this.

Is Glendening going to be a secondary scorer which is something that Edmonton also needs? No, but if he can just provide the two elements that he has with Detroit, he will check off a pair of important boxes for the Oilers. Holland showed faith in giving Glendening what was an above-market extension at the time and he’ll show more faith in him by bringing him to Edmonton.

Holger Stolzenberg: Conor Garland to VGK

With Vegas relatively tight up against the salary cap, the Golden Knights now more than ever will be looking for a cheap forward. They are set in net and seem pretty strong defensively. Where they are lacking is on offense—especially in scoring. The team is hopeful for another Stanley Cup run like they had in their inaugural season and while they are 11th in goals/game, they have struggled more recently to score and could really use one more top-six forward. Enter Garland, who would be quite an upgrade and a player the team could hold onto since he’s expected to hit restricted free agency next season. He would be an excellent fit in Vegas after a breakout season in 2018-19 and an even better year last season. His numbers look to be close to on par this year once again. At $775K, he’s the perfect fit.

Normally, the Coyotes would want to hang onto Garland, but the team is known to be struggling financially, has expressed interest in cutting salary, and might be open to moving Garland for the right price. Things are a little more complicated for Arizona as they are still battling for fourth place in the Central Division, which could stop general manager Bill Armstrong from selling. However, could Vegas move its first-rounder (something they ordinarily don’t do) and a top prospect (Lucas Elvenes might make sense here, although there are other solid prospects the team could offer) to pry him away? Stranger things have happened.

Zach Leach: Sam Bennett to COL

What happened to all of the Sam Bennett rumors? Earlier this season, a Bennett trade seemed imminent on multiple occasions and it was a foregone conclusion that he would be traded before the deadline at the latest. Yet, for over a month now there has been nothing but silence out of Calgary on Bennett’s status and there are just hours left until the deadline passes. Are the Flames just too good to be trading roster players? Nope. In fact, the team’s 2-8-0 record in their past ten games is the worst mark in the NHL. Calgary has fallen to fifth place in the North Division and are well outside of a playoff spot. They’re sellers. So has Bennett just played so well that he can’t be traded? No, it’s not that either. Bennett recorded just three points in the month of March and has one goal in his past 19 games. By all accounts, the situation surrounding the Flames and Bennett has not changed, but the hype surrounding a potential deal has cooled nonetheless.

Flames GM Brad Treliving has repeatedly said that he did not want to rush into a Bennett trade. However, that was months ago and nothing has changed. The 24-year-old forward has shown flashes of upside, but it simply hasn’t been a good fit in Calgary. Even with the coaching change to Darryl Sutter, whose style should favor a player like Bennett, there has been little improvement from the 2014 fourth overall pick. Both sides just need to move on. If Bennett remains in Calgary beyond the deadline, he will very likely be exposed in the Expansion Draft and could be lost for nothing to the Seattle Kraken. Even if that doesn’t happen, the Flames may seriously consider not offering the restricted free agent a qualifying offer at his $2.55MM mark. In either scenario, Calgary comes away with nothing. In a trade, they come away with something, even if Bennett’s trade value is at its lowest point. Unless Treliving and company still quietly believe in the long-term potential of Bennett and plan to protect him in expansion and then re-sign him, they need to make this move.

Colorado may not immediately come to mind as a suitor for forward help. Their public pursuit of a backup goalie and rumors that they are eyeing a defenseman as well would seemingly make forward their third-highest priority. However, the Avalanche are one of the very best teams in the NHL this season and a top contender for the Stanley Cup. They also have ample salary cap room, unlike many of the other buyers scouring the market. GM Joe Sakic is going to do his best to check off every single box that he can because that is what you do when you have a real chance at a championship. Bennett makes a lot of sense for what the Avalanche need. As good as their forward corps has been this year, with a dominant top line and good secondary scoring, there is a major drop-off after their top eight forwards. J.T. Compher has had a down year, Tyson Jost has again failed to take a step forward, and Matt Calvert has been all but written out of the lineup. The team needs a boost in the bottom six and Bennett fits the bill, especially since he could be a solution beyond just 2020-21 as well.

While his career offensive profile is similar to Jost’s, Bennett has a slightly better goal-scoring touch and, importantly, has an excellent track record in the playoffs. Yet, offense may not even be Bennett’s most important contribution to Colorado. The Avalanche desperately need to add physicality to their lineup. The team ranks dead last in the NHL with just 15.06 hits per 60 minutes and the biggest threat to their postseason success is the potential of getting pushed around by a bigger, tougher opponent. Enter Bennett. For a player who couldn’t do even one pull-up at the NHL Combine, Bennett has developed into a heavy, aggressive player. His physicality has been the one element of his game that has never wavered and the Avalanche could desperately use a player who can improve their checking game and make them more difficult to play against.

As for the return, the Flames are more likely to land a prospect than a pick if dealing with the Avalanche. Colorado is already missing their 2021 and 2022 second-round picks, as well their 2021 fourth- and sixth-rounders. Bennett is certainly not worthy of a first-round pick, but even asking the Avs for a third-round pick in either of the next two years could be a tall task. Fortunately, Colorado has a solid pipeline, especially down the middle, and Calgary has a long-term need at center. While Alex Newhook and Shane Bowers are not on the table in a Bennett deal, their presence in the system could make a nice piece like Jean-Luc Foudy expendable. The 2020 third-round pick plays with speed and vision and has the makings of an NHL play-maker down the road. He would be a nice project for the Flames with the upside to be the top-nine center that Calgary had hoped Bennett would be. It seems like a fair swap all things considered.

Gavin Lee: Jamie Oleksiak to TOR

I know what you’re thinking, Maple Leafs fans. Oleksiak? That’s it? Don’t be so dismissive of the 6’7″ defenseman just because he’s played in Dallas for most of his career. Toronto may have publicly stated that they need forwards, but adding some defensive depth should also be in the plan for GM Kyle Dubas. After trading Mikko Lehtonen earlier in the season, the team doesn’t have a ton of reliable options to plug in should any of their starters go down.

Martin Marincin currently looks like the team’s seventh defenseman, with Rasmus Sandin and Timothy Liljegren behind him. That’s one player who has never been able to secure an NHL job and two young prospects without much experience. Oleksiak would be a perfect complement to the group, able to move into the lineup in case of injury or even perhaps unseat Travis Dermott on the third pairing.

The fact that he’s from Toronto—his younger sister Penny is an Olympic swimmer from the city—and a pending free agent makes him a realistic fit, given the team’s insistence that rentals are the target this season. Toronto has a little bit of added cap flexibility after acquiring the LTIR-bound Riley Nash, and if Dallas (or a go-between) retained some of Oleskiak’s $2.14MM cap hit he wouldn’t cost much more than the league minimum.

This is a unique opportunity for the Maple Leafs to go deep in the playoffs without facing Tampa Bay or Boston. Adding depth is a crucial part of those long runs, and Oleksiak shouldn’t come at a prohibitive cost.

Latest On Vancouver Canucks Return To Play

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Sunday: The league announced that as a result of another Canucks player being place on the COVID protocol list, the Vancouver Canucks’ facilities will not re-open Sunday as had been planned. The league announced the facility will not re-open until Monday at the earliest.

While the name of the new player has yet to be revealed, the announcement states the player has not been around the facility since the outbreak began on March 31. Regardless, it was decided that the team should keep their facility closed for at least one extra day. The decision should not impact the Canucks’ return to play on Friday.

Saturday: Pending today’s coronavirus test results, the Vancouver Canucks are scheduled to re-open their practice facilities tomorrow. The league currently expects the team to resume their regular season schedule on Friday, April 16 against the Edmonton Oilers. The Canucks had eight games postponed during their coronavirus outbreak; those games have now been rescheduled, with Vancouver’s season now stretching through May 16, a week after the regular season was originally expected to end.

The league has announced the following changes to the North Division schedule:

  • Game #829, Edmonton at Vancouver, scheduled for May 4, is now scheduled for Friday, April 16 at 9 p.m. ET
  • Game #567, Calgary at Vancouver, scheduled for March 31, is now scheduled for Wednesday, April 21 at 10 p.m. ET
  • Game #792, Vancouver at Toronto, scheduled for April 30, is now scheduled for Thursday, April 29 at 7:30 p.m. ET
  • Game #647, Vancouver at Calgary, scheduled for April 10, is now scheduled for Monday, May 3 at 9 p.m. ET
  • Game #593, Vancouver at Edmonton, scheduled for April 3, is now scheduled for Tuesday, May 4 at 9 p.m. ET
  • Game #662, Vancouver at Edmonton, scheduled for April 12, is now scheduled for Saturday, May 8 at 10 p.m. ET
  • Game #720, Ottawa at Calgary, scheduled for April 20, is now scheduled for Sunday, May 9 at 8 p.m. ET
  • Game #602, Vancouver at Winnipeg, scheduled for April 4, is now scheduled for Monday, May 10 at 8 p.m. ET
  • Game #619, Vancouver at Winnipeg, scheduled for April 6, is now scheduled for Tuesday, May 11 at 8 p.m. ET
  • Game #833, Toronto at Ottawa, scheduled for May 10, is now scheduled for Wednesday, May 12 at 7:30 p.m. ET
  • Game #673, Vancouver at Edmonton, scheduled for April 14, is now scheduled for Thursday, May 13 at 9 p.m. ET
  • Game #864, Calgary at Vancouver, scheduled for May 8, is now scheduled for Saturday, May 15 at TBD
  • Game #634, Vancouver at Calgary, scheduled for April 8, is now scheduled for Sunday, May 16 at TBD

The league will not announce definitive dates for the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs until later in the season, and admit that the first round for the East, Central and West could open a few days earlier than the North now that things have been pushed.

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

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