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Toronto’s John Tavares Stretchered Off Ice In Game One

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May 21: Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters including Chris Johnston of Sportsnet after the game that Tavares is “conscious and communicating well” but will spend the night in hospital for further testing. An update came from the team in the morning when the veteran forward was discharged from hospital:

Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares has been discharged from the hospital this morning. He was thoroughly examined and assessed by the neursurgical team at St. Michael’s Hospital and the club’s medical director. He was kept overnight for observation and is now resting at home under the care and supervision of team physicians. Tavares will be out indefinitely. 

May 20:  The long-awaited postseason reunion of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens got off to a start that no one hoped to see. Maple Leafs captain John Tavares was forced from Game One on Thursday night just over ten minutes into the game following a serious head injury. Tavares required the use of a stretcher to leave the ice. He has been taken to a local hospital. There has been no further update as to his condition.

Tavares’ injury, while horrific, was completely unintentional. The Leafs star was checked by Montreal Canadiens defenseman Ben Chiarot while in transition. Montreal’s Corey Perry, following the play at full speed, skated by Tavares just as he fell to the ice. Perry’s knee struck Tavares directly in the head, launching the Hab into the air and knocking the Leaf to the ice. Toronto’s medical staff attempted to help Tavares from his prone position up to his knees, but he could not maintain his balance and fell back to the ice in a scary display of the immediate aftermath of a violent collision. The decision was made to bring the stretcher out in order to get Tavares off the ice. The captain was able to signal with a thumbs up as he exited, but this will not eliminate the fear and concern surrounding his condition.

Tavares, 30, is unlikely to return to the ice any time soon for the Maple Leafs, if at all this postseason following what was obviously a major head injury. It is a huge loss for the team, both on the ice and in the locker room. Tavares played in all 56 games for the Leafs this season, recording 50 points along the way. The anchor of the Leafs’ second line and a key piece of the top power play unit, Tavares was third on the team in scoring and second in assists. He is also Toronto’s top face-off man, enjoying a second consecutive season with career-best success at the dot with a 55.3% FOW. Tavares, of course, is also a locker room presence and an important part of the Leafs’ leadership group. Toronto will have to regroup and refocus in order to make sure that they don’t let Tavares’ loss, no matter how shocking it was to watch, cost them their first-round series.

Everyone at PHR wishes Tavares and his family the best during this frightening time.

Minors Notes: Heartlanders, McKinnon, Senn

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One of the ECHL’s 2021-22 expansion teams is now official. The team slated to play in Coralville, Iowa beginning next season will officially be called the Iowa Heartlanders, the league announced today. The team debuted a buck logo that also implies a gold, black, and gray color scheme. The Heartlanders, on obvious nod to their Iowa locale, will also use the local wild prairie rose as a secondary logo. While Iowa finally has a name and logo, their yet-to-be-named expansion companions in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec have the all-important NHL affiliation, having linked up with the Montreal Canadiens. Iowa has yet to strike a deal of their own, however the obvious link would be to the Minnesota Wild, whose AHL affiliate also plays in the state. The Wild were affiliated with the Allen Americans this past season, but there has been no word on whether that relationship will continue or if Minnesota will instead recruit the newfound Heartlanders.

  • Ian McKinnon made quite a name for himself in just a short time in the AHL this season and has now been rewarded. On loan from the Jacksonville Ice Men to the Providence Bruins for ten games this year, McKinnon racked up a whopping 81 penalty minutes. It was enough to finish third in the league in total PIM while obviously taking the PIM per game crown. McKinnon was a physical force and unafraid to drop the gloves, but also contributed three points in those ten games as well, including his first AHL goal in the Bruins’ division title-clinching season finale win. It was enough to earn him an AHL deal for next year, as the Providence Bruins have announced a one-year pact. The junior-level journeyman has finally found his stride in the pros and the Bruins are looking forward to seeing what he can do moving forward with some experience now under his belt.
  • One player who may not be as thrilled about playing in the minors is New Jersey Devils goaltender Gilles Senn. A restricted free agent this summer, the 25-year-old played exclusively with AHL Binghamton this season – and poorly at that – after seeing NHL action last year and doesn’t seem to be happy with that career progression. Word out of Senn’s native Switzerland is that the netminder is “on the market.” The GM of National League squad HC Davos, Marc Gianola, claims that his off-season plans to make a change in goal shifted when he heard that Senn could be available. Senn played six seasons with Davos prior to making the jump to North America and could be eyeing a return, especially with the GM publicly acknowledging his interest. However, if Senn does choose to return to Switzerland, there will be no shortage of interest. Is that enough to convince him to abandon his NHL pursuits? A decision will be made one way or another shortly with the off-season coming up quickly.

Jonathan Quick To Undergo Shoulder Surgery

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After another disappointing season, both personally and for his team, Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick is wasting no time with getting a start on his preparation for next year. According to The Athletic’s Lisa Dillman, Quick is scheduled for shoulder surgery on Wednesday. GM Rob Blake states that Quick will be ready for training camp and the start of the regular season.

Ironically, Quick’s shoulder is a separate ailment from the one that kept him out the final weeks of the Kings’ season. Quick suffered a rib injury on May 3 and this is the issue that prevented him from returning to action at the end of the year. Instead, Blake notes that the shoulder surgery is to fix “wear and tear over the years.” This is potentially good news for Kings fans, as Quick’s underwhelming performance has spanned the past three years, not just 2020-21. Correctly a lingering injury as opposed to a recent issue is more of a proactive move to improve rather than a reactive move merely to keep playing. Perhaps a refreshed shoulder could lead to return to form for the 35-year-old, a multi-time Jennings Trophy winner, All-Star, and Stanley Cup-winning starter.

Interestingly, especially given that Quick receiving fewer starts than Calvin Petersen even before his late-season injury, the veteran was recently named by franchise icon Drew Doughty as still being part of L.A.’s aging “core”, who Doughty believes deserve to be surrounded by superior talent. Quick may have had a better record than Petersen this season at 11-9-2 and even had a slightly better goals against average, but the younger member of the tandem had a substantially better save percentage and simply passed the eye test more often. While to the outside observer it may seem like Quick’s play over the past few years and Petersen’s presence no longer make him a key player for the Kings, there at least seems to be some internal belief that the long-time netminder is still a top option in net and a key member of the roster. A healthy Quick to begin the 2021-22 campaign could be on a mission to prove his teammates right and to return himself and his team to relevance.

Detroit Red Wings Agree To Terms With Jonatan Berggren

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The Detroit Red Wings are getting another top prospect under contract, agreeing to terms with Jonatan Berggren on a three-year entry-level contract. The young forward recently completed a breakout season with Skelleftea AIK in the SHL and will now begin his journey to the NHL.

Berggren, 20, was the 33rd overall pick in 2018, just a few picks after Joe Veleno. He stayed in Sweden after being selected and ended up scoring 45 points in 49 games this season, his first spent fully at the SHL level. Impressively, that was good enough to lead the powerful club and actually tied him for sixth in league scoring. As the release from the Red Wings includes, he became just the 13th player in SHL history to record 40 points in a season at age 20 or younger.

It’s that offensive potential that the Red Wings saw in the 5’8″ forward, and what will help him succeed at the next level. He has put up huge numbers at pretty much every step and will now be joining a program in Detroit that is filled to the brim with other talented youngsters. It’s not clear exactly where Berggren fits into the depth chart, but that’s certainly not a bad thing for a rebuilding club like the Red Wings.

Though sometimes with players like this, the first year of the entry-level contract is spent overseas, Berggren’s team indicated that his time there was finished after this season ended. It seems more likely that he’ll be suiting up for the Grand Rapids Griffins next season, or even the Red Wings should he make an impression in camp.

Detroit Red Wings Sign Eemil Viro

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May 20: The Red Wings have officially announced the three-year entry-level deal with Viro.

May 19: The Red Wings have signed one of their 2020 draft picks as CapFriendly reports (Twitter link) that they’ve inked defenseman Eemil Viro to a three-year, entry-level contract.  The deal, which carries an AAV of $925K, breaks down as follows:

2021-22: $750K base salary, $92.5K signing bonus, $82.5K games played bonus
2022-23: $750K base salary, $92.5K signing bonus, $82.5K games played bonus
2023-24: $775K base salary, $92.5K signing bonus, $57.5K games played bonus

The 19-year-old was a third-round pick (70th overall) last fall after splitting last season between Finland’s top level and their junior league.  This season, Viro made the jump to the SM-liiga on a full-time basis, getting into 53 games with TPS Turku where he recorded four goals and ten assists.  He picked up four more points in 13 postseason contests along with 31 PIMS, good for the second-most in the league.

It’s worth noting that Viro has another year left on his deal in Finland and at this point, it seems likely that Detroit will opt to loan him back there for next season over having him play junior hockey or with AHL Grand Rapids.  He should have another opportunity to suit up at the World Juniors after playing an important role on their bronze medal-winning team earlier this year where he logged more than 18 minutes a night on their back end.

St. Louis Blues Recall Tyler Tucker

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After losing both Justin Faulk and Robert Bortuzzo to injury last night, the St. Louis Blues are in a tricky situation. Jake Walman, who would normally be one of the injury replacements, is still in the COVID protocol after testing positive earlier this month. Without a ton of reinforcements, the team has recalled Tyler Tucker from the AHL’s Utica Comets.

Utica’s season ended a few days ago, but it’s not like Tucker was really knocking on the NHL door before the injuries. The 21-year-old seventh-round pick recorded seven points in 27 AHL games this season, his first professional campaign. In 2019-20, the young defenseman split his season between the Barrie Colts and Flint Firebirds of the OHL and actually did attend training camp with the Blues this year.

Still, if he was ever forced into action, it would be a tough test for a player with such little professional experience. More likely he is just there as insurance and to help at practice like a normal “Black Ace,” with other more veteran names stepping into the lineup. Head coach Craig Berube told reporters that Vince Dunn was a possibility for game three, while Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch tweeted that Steven Santini is the other likely replacement, should they need both.

The problem will emerge if anyone else gets injured, as Tucker is literally the last defenseman in the organization that could be called up. The Blues do not have anyone else, save for Scott Perunovich who has been dealing with injury all season, signed to an NHL contract.

COVID Protocol Related Absences: 05/20/21

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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. Here is today’s list:

St. Louis – David Perron, Jake Walman, Nathan Walker

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: None

The Blues are still without their trio of players as they now head back to St. Louis to try and stay alive. The Avalanche have defeated them in both of the first two games and now both Justin Faulk and Robert Bortuzzo are dealing with injuries. It’s a tough situation for the Blues, but at least no other players have been added since the positive test results.

Johnny Gaudreau Hoping To Stay In Calgary

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In 2016, when Johnny Gaudreau was approaching the end of his entry-level contract, he was asked about playing for the Calgary Flames long-term. His answer then included the idea that he could play his “whole career” in Calgary, given the support of the organization and the fan base. Gaudreau would sign a six-year, $40.5MM contract a few months later, buying up many of his prime years in the league. That refrain of staying in Calgary his entire career was echoed throughout the first several seasons of the deal and now, as he approaches the last year of the contract, he was asked again.

If [Brad Treliving] and the owners are happy with the way I’ve played here the past six, seven years. It’s something we can figure out this upcoming summer, I’d love to do that. I love the city of Calgary. I love playing here. I don’t think I’ve ever once said I haven’t wanted to be here, the guys in the locker room are great in there. I’ve always enjoyed my time here. 

Gaudreau will be eligible to sign an extension this summer when his contract officially has just one year remaining, and Flames GM Brad Treliving confirmed to reporters including Hailey Salvian of The Athletic that the forward has expressed his desire to stay in Calgary. Still, there will be speculation (as there is almost every offseason) that the Flames are in need of a refresh and moving out some of their core pieces would be the start.

The 27-year-old Gaudreau recorded 49 points in 56 games this season including 19 goals, a nice bounce-back from the 18-goal campaign he put up a year ago. He still hasn’t been able to come close to that 36-goal, 99-point season in 2018-19 that led him to finish fourth in Hart Trophy voting, but there’s no doubt he’s still one of Calgary’s most important forwards.

The question that has always surrounded the diminutive Gaudreau, is whether he can perform in the playoffs when the game usually gets more physical. While he does have 19 points in 30 career postseason games, most of that production has come on the powerplay. In fact, he has scored just three even-strength goals in those playoff games, often a contributing factor to the Flames’ early exits.

There is of course the cost to worry about as well. The Flames spent big money in the 2020 offseason when they brought in Jacob Markstrom and Chris Tanev, with the former struggling to perform under the new deal. Markstrom did suffer a concussion this season according to Treliving, but recorded just a .904 save percentage in 43 appearances and led the league in losses. The Flames now have close to $42MM already committed to just eight players in the 2022-23 season when any new deal for Gaudreau would kick in, meaning they’ll have to carefully navigate any extension talks in the coming months.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Alexander Edler Wants To Play In 2021-22

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Alexander Edler has hit the ice for the Vancouver Canucks 1,007 times in his NHL career. He has never played a game for another franchise but now enters another uncertain offseason as an unrestricted free agent. One thing that is certain is that he has no plans on retirement; Edler told reporters including Thomas Drance of The Athletic that he wants to play in 2021-22.

In 2019, the Canucks faced a similar decision. Edler made it clear he wanted to stay in Vancouver and the two sides agreed on a two-year, $12MM deal that actually represented the highest per-season salary of his career. The difference now is that Edler is 35 and coming off his worst offensive season, with just eight points in 52 games. For a player that had never registered fewer than 20 previously, that was a precipitous dropoff. Edler’s down year also came in a difficult season for the Canucks, who finished in last place in the North Division.

There’s no doubt that Edler’s next contract will come at a considerably lower salary than his last one, but will it come in Vancouver? The Canucks have young defensemen like Jack Rathbone and Olli Juolevi who will need increased roles, while Tyler Myers and Nate Schmidt are still taking up nearly $12MM in cap already. Quinn Hughes, the team’s most dynamic defender, is up for a new contract and will likely take up a huge chunk of the team’s remaining cap space.

Edler has only received votes for the Norris Trophy on one occasion but he has been a staple in the Canucks lineup since 2007. He sits fourth in franchise games played behind only Henrik Sedin, Daniel Sedin, and Trevor Linden, tenth in all-time points despite being a defenseman.

Ottawa Senators Extend Clark Bishop

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The Ottawa Senators have signed Clark Bishop to a one-year, two-way contract extension. The 25-year-old forward was set to become a Group VI unrestricted free agent this offseason after failing to reach the required number of games played for restricted free agency. That won’t matter now, as the Senators have brought him back on a deal that will carry an $800K salary in the NHL and a 200K salary in the AHL.

Senators GM Pierre Dorion released the following statement:

Clark proved to be a versatile player for us this past season. He possesses good speed, has a great work ethic and showcases a continuous willingness to play in hard areas. We’re pleased to reach agreement with him.

Bishop came to the Senators in a trade just before the season began and ended up playing 13 games for the team. He failed to score a goal, but did register three assists and generally held his own. That short audition has obviously impressed the team enough to bring him back, though the two-way deal suggests he isn’t guaranteed a roster spot next season.

Instead, Bishop will likely serve a similar role, sitting somewhere between 14-16 on the forward depth chart. A handful of NHL games should be expected, but it’s hard to see him locking down a full-time roster spot with so many young prospects pushing for playing time. If the Senators want to move him to the minor leagues Bishop will have to clear waivers, but that shouldn’t be much of an issue. He cleared twice this season.

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