Oilers Notes: Puljujarvi, Niemelainen, Hall
Some fans in Edmonton are probably wishing that Jesse Puljujarvi would just fade into irrelevance in Europe so that they can stop hearing about him. However, the reality is that Puljujarvi is excelling in his native Finland and it is only creating more buzz about his availability. The Oilers have been adamant that they will not rush into a trade for Puljujarvi and will wait for a fair return, but as he continues to put up points for Karpat in the Liiga, the more likely that offer will come. The Athletic’s Allan Mitchell tries to put Puljujarvi’s production into context rather than let the hype train run wild. He writes that there is some question as to the quality of a few of Puljujarvi’s six goals on the year and, more importantly, adds that his point-per-game pace in the Liiga is only equivalent to approximately 0.43 points per game in the NHL. Puljujarvi’s level of play in Finland lends itself to a projection of a third-line forward in the NHL in Mitchell’s estimation; however, given his upside and natural size and athleticism, the 22-year-old is worth more than your typical third-liner. The Oilers will eventually get an offer that they like for Puljujarvi and this story will go away, but the question is whether or not that deal occurs before the December 1st signing deadline for Puljujarvi, a restricted free agent, to play this season. Mitchell does not add any new names to the list of teams interested in Puljujarvi, but reiterates that the Carolina Hurricanes remain intrigued, as do the Oilers do in ‘Canes prospect Julien Gauthier. Mitchell also posits that Dominik Bokk, a raw, but talented prospect recently acquired by the Hurricanes in the Justin Faulk trade, could be another target of Edmonton’s in a Puljujarvi trade. Carolina sought a regular NHL forward in exchange for Faulk, but settled for the upside of the young Bokk. Perhaps the team could be convinced to flip him for Puljujarvi. One way or another, the Hurricanes lead the pack when it comes to the most likely landing spot for Puljujarvi until new information emerges on the race to land the divisive young forward.
- Another Edmonton prospect could also be looking at an extended stay in Finland. Defenseman Markus Niemelainen, the team’s third-round pick in 2016, has signed a one-year extension with Assat of the Liiga, the team announced. Niemelainen is in his first year with the Aces after growing up in the system of HPK, as well as two seasons with the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit. While the big defender has been held scoreless through 12 games, he brings a well-rounded game that balances checking ability and defensive awareness with mobility and play-making ability. Niemelainen has the makings of a player ready for the jump to North America, but claims in the team’s release that he is happy to continue developing with Assat. It seems likely that the Oilers will have to wait until 2021-22 to see Niemelainen cross the pond.
- The “Taylor Hall-back-to-Edmonton” rumors were inevitable once the New Jersey Devils entered the season without an extension in place with their superstar and then subsequently got off to a rough start. Despite what many may think, Hall never requested a trade when he was with the Oilers, the team that selected him No. 1 overall in 2010, and actually enjoyed playing in Edmonton. It’s possible that Edmonton could continue to build off their hot start to the season and put themselves in position to be a real contender and a potential rental destination for Hall later this season. However, The Athletic’s Jonathan Willis all but rules out Hall as a possible free agency target and long-term fit. With the likes of Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, James Neal, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins signed long-term on substantial contracts and a number of other top players in need of new contracts, there doesn’t appear to be space for Hall, who Willis expects to command a contract in the vicinity of $11MM per year. Even taking into account salary cap inflation, Willis feels that the Oilers would need to shed considerable salary to afford Hall and questions whether that would be the right play. Edmonton’s days as home to Hall are likely exclusively in the past.
Longtime Player, Coach Ted Green Dies At 79
Ted Green, a longtime member of the Boston Bruins during the 1960s and a head coach for the Edmonton between 1991-94, passed away at the age of 79. The Oilers announced his death today and he was honored at Saturday’s New York Rangers game. Green was an assistant coach for the Rangers between 2000 and 2004.
Green was known as “Terrible Ted” during his playing days due to his physical style of play on the ice. In fact he had more than 100 penalty minutes in six of his first seven seasons in the league. In 11 season with the Bruins, Green picked up 254 points (48 goals and 206 assists) and 1,029 penalty minutes in 621 games. He played in the 1965 and 1969 all-star games and was named an the NHL Second Team All-Star in 1969, while finishing third in the Norris voting that year. Green was on the team that captured the 1970 Stanley Cup Championship, but he never played that year after sitting out the season after being hit in the head with a stick during the preseason that year. Regardless, his name still engraved on the cup.
The blueliner played for the Boston Bruins from 1961 to 1972 before opting to sign with the New England Whalers of the WHA where he played for three seasons and then played another four years with the Winnipeg Jets, winning three championships. He retired in 1979.
After he retirement, he took up coaching, working as an assistant with the Edmonton Oilers under former teammate Glen Sather from 1982 to 1990 before becoming co-coach for the 1990-91 season and eventually becoming head coach of the Oilers in 1991-92. The team went 65-102-21 in his two and half years at the helm in Edmonton. He was eventually fired after starting the year off at 3-18-3 in 1983. After taking a few years off from coaching he returned to the Oilers as an assistant once again in 1997 and stayed until 2000, before joining the New York Rangers in the same capacity after that.
Everyone at PHR wishes the best for the family and friends of Green at this time.
Evening Notes: CBA Talks, Kempny, Smith, Miller
The good news for the NHL and the NHLPA is that both sides continue to have bargaining talks to work towards a new CBA contract. While many thought talks might cool down between the two sides after the players opted out of its option to terminate the current agreement, that has not happened. However, Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston writes that there are other issues that could make it an interesting negotiations.
One of the biggest roadblocks is Olympic participation as the league isn’t that interested in allowing players to play.
“I’ll say, because I think I need to say, from the NHL owners’ perspective, Olympic participation is not seen as something that’s either essential or even useful to our business,” said deputy commissioner Bill Daly. “It’s highly disruptive to our season, puts our players in jeopardy of injury with no financial benefit to the NHL or the clubs.”
If the NHL wants to bend on this aspect of negotiations, they would have to not only change their stance, but then begin negotiations with the IOC in regards to travel, insurance and hospitality arrangements, which had been the issues that the NHL had with the IOC in the past.
- The Washington Capitals are already getting forward Evgeny Kuznetsov back from suspension, but they might just be closer to getting back defenseman Michal Kempny, who has been out with a hamstring injury, according to The Athletic’s Tarik El-Bashir (subscription required). Head coach Todd Reirden said that until Kempny competes in 5-on-5 practice and can prove he’s healthy, Reirden won’t even consider playing him. The next opportunity to prove himself will be Monday.
- Newsday’s Colin Stephenson writes that New York Rangers defenseman Brendan Smith, who was used as a fourth-line forward Saturday, but also used as a defenseman in short-handed situations, could find himself in a similar role for a while. Head coach David Quinn said that he likes using Smith in that role. “I think he had a really good (training) camp, and he had a great stretch last year when he played forward and no problem playing it for an extended period of time,’’ Quinn said of Smith, who scored an empty net goal in the season opener Thursday against Winnipeg, when he was on the ice as a defenseman in a six-on-four situation.
- Sticking with the Rangers, The Athletic’s Rick Carpiniello (subscription required) writes that after hearing that New York prospect K’Andre Miller was suspended at the University of Wisconsin, he immediately called Wisconsin head coach Tony Granato, who acknowledged that the infraction that got him suspended wasn’t serious. “Nope. Nothing major,” said Granato. “I have done the same with probably seven or eight guys already. … It is exactly what it is. He broke a team rule and is suspended for (Sunday’s) inter-squad game. Nothing more.”
Waivers: 09/26/19
With the NHL regular season approaching quickly, many players will be put on waivers over the next several days. We’ll keep track of all of them right here:
Anaheim Ducks
F Andreas Martinsen
F Andrew Poturalski
F Chase De Leo
D Jani Hakanpaa
G Kevin Boyle
Boston Bruins
F Paul Carey
F Brendan Gaunce
D Alexander Petrovic*
Calgary Flames
Chicago Blackhawks
Colorado Avalanche
D Jacob MacDonald
D Dan Renouf
Montreal Canadiens
F Matthew Peca
F Phil Varone
F Dale Weise
D Karl Alzner
D Xavier Ouellet
New York Islanders
F Travis St. Denis
F Matthew Lorito
F Cole Bardreau
D Kyle Burroughs
D Seth Helgeson
G Christopher Gibson
G Jared Coreau
New York Rangers
Ottawa Senators
Vegas Golden Knights
F Patrick Brown
F Curtis McKenzie
*Petrovic was in Bruins’ training camp under a professional tryout. Waivers would indicate that the team has signed him to a standard player contract.
Seattle Hires Team Of Pro Scouts
The Seattle expansion franchise has hired a group of five professional scouts, adding more names to their growing front office. Stu Barnes, Ulf Samuelsson, Dave Hunter, John Goodwin and perhaps most notably Cammi Granato have all joined the team.
Granato becomes the first female pro scout in the NHL years after becoming one of the most decorated hockey players in USA Hockey history. The former forward captained team USA for many years and took home two Olympic and nine World Championship medals over her career. Granato is married to NHL analyst and former star forward Ray Ferraro and is the sister of Don and Tony Granato, both coaches after their own professional playing careers. The family is hockey royalty in the United States, and Cammi was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2011.
The rest of the group includes several other familiar names, including Samuelsson who played his early career with the Hartford Whalers alongside Seattle GM Ron Francis. He also served as Charlotte Checkers head coach for a time while Francis was running the Hurricanes, and was last employed under Joel Quenneville with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Jimmy Hayes, Griffin Reinhart Among Notable AHL Camp Invites
It’s a position that no NHL veteran wants to find himself in, but sometimes it’s the only way to stay employed in North America. With NHL training camps starting to cut mass amounts of participants, AHL camps are opening for another round of evaluation and to prepare young pros for the start of the minor league season. However, these AHL camps can also be a last-ditch source of hope for older players looking to stay relevant with an NHL affiliate. Every year a few recognizable names opt for this route, and this year is no different.
Of the many invites announced thus far, Jimmy Hayes stands out as the top AHL camp participant. The Iowa Wild specifically acknowledged the veteran winger’s presence in camp when announcing their roster. Hayes, 29, has 334 NHL games and over 100 points to his credit over eight seasons with five different NHL teams. However, Hayes’ two-way contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins last season saw him play exclusively in the AHL. While he was productive, recording 30 points in 72 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, it wasn’t enough to earn another two-way deal. To this point, Hayes hasn’t even earned an AHL deal. He’ll work to earn a contract, and hopefully the attention of the Minnesota brass, when he takes part in Iowa camp.
Griffin Reinhart is another name that sticks out among the crowd of AHL camp invites. Like Hayes, Reinhart is a player whose trade value far outweighed what he ever produced on the ice in the NHL. The 25-year-old was drafted fourth overall in 2012 by the New York Islanders, who dealt him to the Edmonton Oilers a few years later for a first- and second-round pick. Yet, Reinhart has just two points in 37 games to show for his NHL impact. Even in three straight seasons of exclusive AHL action, Rienhart has failed to impress. However, on name value alone he will be able to find a shot somewhere. This time around, the Belleville Senators have invited the young defenseman to camp. Former Vancouver Canucks prospect Cole Cassels, the son of long-time NHLer Andrew Cassels, will also join the junior Senators in camp after playing in Germany last season.
Among the other recognizable faces in minor league camp is veteran forward Lance Bouma. After missing almost all of last season due to injury, Bouma signed a PTO with the Los Angeles Kings and seemed like a dark horse candidate to earn a contract. The 29-year-old has a proven track record as a checking forward in the NHL and has flashed offense from time to time as well. However, the Kings opted to go with their younger options, but not before asking Bouma to take part in AHL camp with the Ontario Reign, the team announced. Bouma could still earn a spot with the organization yet. Talented young goaltender Hayden Hawkey surprisingly remains a free agent searching for a landing spot. The property of both the Montreal Canadiens and Edmonton Oilers during his four years at Providence College, Hawkey nevertheless ended up without an NHL team after graduation and became a UFA in August. He recently took part in training camp with the Washington Capitals, but was cut. He will now join the Stockton Heat in camp, the team revealed, and could prove to be a sneaky addition to the organization for the Calgary Flames. Hawkey posted a 2.19 GAA or lower in each of his four dominant collegiate seasons. Finally, Connor Brickley seems determined to stay with the New York Rangers organization at all costs. Brickley, 27, is a big, capable bottom-six forward who performed well down the stretch for the Rangers last season following a deadline trade. However, New York would not commit to a contract extension for the former second-round pick. Instead, he accepted a PTO to join the team in camp. When that ended today with his release from Rangers camp, the team announced that he will still participate in minor league camp with the Hartford Wolfpack and could stay in the organization after all.
None of these players are likely happy with their current predicament, but if they work hard in camp and in the AHL regular season, the fastest way back to NHL relevance is through production and consistency at the minor league level. Even for veterans and especially for those still considered prospects, AHL training camp can still be a valuable stepping stone toward a return to the top level.
Evening Notes: Officials, OHL, Capitals
The focus of late has been on peaceful collective bargaining talks between the NHL and NHLPA. The players’ association formally declined their opt-out on Monday, extending the current CBA through the 2021-22 season, while the two sides continue to work toward a new agreement. Meanwhile though, the league has been embroiled in another labor negotiation. The NHL Officials’ Association watched their deal with the NHL expire at the end of August and the two groups have been working hard to come to a resolution before the puck drops on a new season. Fortunately, a deal has been made with time to spare. Sports Illustrated’s Michael Farber was the first to report that the terms of a new agreement have been agreed for the NHL’s referees and the deal needs only to be ratified by the Officials’ Association. While neither side has confirmed the new agreement, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun also hears that a resolution has been reached, adding that it is a four-year term. Luckily, the NHL won’t have to deal with replacement referee any time soon, a debacle that played out poorly for the NFL in 2012.
- The Ontario Hockey League began their regular season today and the league announced Opening Night rosters for each of its 20 teams. While many of the biggest names in the OHL are still competing in NHL training camps, many have already been returned to their clubs to start the junior season on time. Ontario will also be home to three of the biggest names in the 2020 NHL Draft class: forwards Quinton Byfield (Sudbury Wolves) and Cole Perfetti (Saginaw Spirit) and defenseman Jamie Drysdale (Erie Otters). After a down year for the OHL – and Canada as a whole – in last year’s draft, this promises to be a bounce-back year with plenty of draft-eligible talent to watch.
- Drysdale’s team, the Erie Otters, also started off the season with an exciting announcement. The team revealed a new ten-year lease agreement with the Erie Insurance Arena, keeping the team in the Pennsylvania city through the 2028-29 season. The decision was likely a no-brainer for the city of Erie. The Otters have been one of the top junior teams in all of the CHL over the last decade, winning the 2016-17 OHL Championship and producing the likes of Alex DeBrincat, Dylan Strome, Anthony Cirelli, and, of course, Connor McDavid. The “McDavid Era” vaulted the popularity of the Otters and has created a nice fan base in Erie.
- The Washington Capitals have cut two junior players from training camp, but won’t return them to their clubs just yet (if at all). Both Kody Clark and Riley Sutter, a second- and third-round pick respectively in 2018 and both part of famous hockey families, are no longer competing for an NHL roster spot. However, the team announced that they have been assigned to minor league camp with the Hershey Bears for now. Why? Both players are dealing with injuries and will continue to rehab under the supervision of the Washington medical staff before likely heading back to junior. Clark and Sutter are both currently battling upper-body injuries, but should be back competing in the CHL soon, with a possibility they stick in Hershey.
NHL Releases Detailed Rule Changes For 2019-20
The NHL’s Public Relations team has released a video updating all of the rule changes for the upcoming season, agreed upon earlier this year. The five-minute video goes in-depth on each change, noting that the focus was on expanded video review, promoting player safety and encouraging more offense. The full list is as follows:
Video Review:
Referees will be required to review any major or match penalty, excluding fighting majors. The penalty can be confirmed or reduced to a minor penalty, but not completely rescinded.
The officials can also review any double-minor high-sticking penalty, and either confirm or rescind it if it wasn’t an opponent’s stick that caused the damage. It cannot be reduced to a minor penalty.
In both cases, review will not be used to call a penalty, only review. It also cannot be used to increase a penalty from a minor to a major.
Coaches Challenge:
In addition to offside and goaltender interference, coaches can now challenge plays in the offensive zone that should have resulted in a stoppage but did not prior to a goal. The examples given are pucks off the spectator netting, a hand pass or high-stick.
All three categories now result in a two-minute minor penalty for the first unsuccessful challenge, and a four-minute double-minor penalty for the second unsuccessful challenge. Plays in the final minute of the third period and overtime will be automatically reviewed by the league situation room.
Helmets:
Rule 9.6 – A player on the ice whose helmet comes off during play shall be assessed a minor penalty if he does not either exit the playing surface or retrieve and replace his helmet properly on his head within a reasonable amount of time.
“Reasonable” is at the discretion of the referee. A player who intentionally removes an opponent’s helmet, will be assessed a minor roughing penalty.
Line Changes:
Teams will no longer be allowed to execute a line change if their goalie initiates a stoppage on a puck shot from the other side of center, or if the net is unintentionally dislodged by a defensive skater (does not include the goaltender). In either case, time-outs are also not permitted.
Face-Offs:
Face-offs will take place in zone where puck was shot out of bounds from, regardless of which team shot it.
The offensive team will be allowed to choose which face-off location following an icing, following a goalie stoppage from behind the red line, following a defensive skater unintentionally dislodging the net, and on the first face-off to start a powerplay.
NHLPA’s Decision To Re-Open CBA Will Be Announced Monday
After the NHL announced that they have formally declined using their opt-out clause to re-0pen the current CBA early, the NHLPA has until Sept. 15th to make their decision on whether they want to opt-out of the current agreement after the 2019-20 season. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that while the deadline is Sunday, there is a provision in which the decision can be moved to the next business day, which means that the two sides have an extra day to negotiate before the NHLPA will decide whether to reopen the CBA or whether to keep it intact until Sept. of 2022.
The two sides have been negotiating for a full week now and will now get to continue one extra day as no decision now has to be made until the end of the day on Monday. The NHL has made it clear they want to keep things as they are.
“Our hope that a continued, sustained period of labor peace will enable us to further grow the game and benefit all constituent groups: NHL Players, Clubs, our business partners and, most important, our fans,” said NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.
Current rumors, according to The Athletic’s Katie Strang (subscription required), is that negotiations have been less challenging than the ones during the last labor dispute that cost the league 113 days of lockout during the 2012-13 season.
Snapshots: CBA Talks, Scherbak, Kane
The NHL’s recent decision to decline their early opt-out clause from the current Collective Bargaining Agreement was a step in the right direction to labor talks, but there’s still work to be done, with the NHLPA next up to make a decision. Fortunately, it seems both sides are open to doing whatever it takes to avoid a work stoppage. The Hockey News’ Ken Campbell reports that both sides seem willing to extend the players’ union’s upcoming September 15th opt-out deadline to allow for talks to continue. Campbell writes that negotiations on a CBA extension are well on their way and neither side wants to see progress stalled by a deadline. He believes that the NHLPA could be given a few extra months, perhaps into early 2020, before they would have to make a decision on their opt-out clause. An extension on that deadline could give the talks enough time to lead to an agreement on a CBA extension, pushing the current expiry date from 2022 to 2025. It would also be an act of good faith on the part of the owners, who clearly stand to benefit more from an extension on the current CBA than do the players, who continue to be frustrated by escrow terms. With two weeks to go until that existing deadline, an official announcement on a possible deadline extension should be coming sooner rather than later, if it does in fact happen.
- Rumors emerged yesterday that former NHL forward Nikita Scherbak had not done enough in training camp and the preseason with the KHL’s Avangard Omsk and that his recently-signed contract was in jeopardy of being terminated. However, the KHL regular season began today and Scherbak was in the lineup as Omsk snapped a nine-game losing streak against rival CSKA Moscow. Granted, in a match-up chock full of former NHLers, Scherbak only served as a substitute for Avangard and played little role in the win. He has a ways to go to earn the trust of Bob Hartley, also an NHL vet, but TVA’s Renaud Lavoie reports that, for now, the team does not plan to buy out his contract. Scherbak signed a three-year, $3.6MM contract with Omsk in June after dropping from 26 NHL games in 2017-18 to just eight last season. A 2014 first-round pick of the Montreal Canadiens, Scherbak failed to produce at the NHL level over four pro seasons, recording eight points in 37 combined games with the Habs and Los Angeles Kings, and took his very first opportunity to return to Europe. Considering how things have gone thus far in the KHL, it seems unlikely that the 23-year-old will ever make his way back across the Atlantic.
- Chicago Blackhawks superstar Patrick Kane is being honored for his achievements well before the end of his career. Ryan Pyette of The London Free Press reports that Kane will have his number retired by the OHL’s London Knights this season. GM Mark Hunter confirmed that Kane’s No. 88, the same number he wears in the NHL, will be lifted into the rafters in London on January 17th. Kane, now 30, only played one season with the Knights, having graduated from the U.S. National Team Development Program. However, in that illustrious 2006-07 campaign, Kane put up unthinkable numbers, recording 145 points in just 58 games (2.5 points per game), and another 31 points in the postseason. His efforts made him an easy choice for the Blackhawks with the first overall pick in 2007. Kane becomes the ninth player to have his number retired by the storied junior franchise, joining a list of other familiar NHL names like Rob Ramage, Dino Ciccarelli, Darryl Sittler, Brendan Shanahan, Brad Marsh, Rick Nash, Dave Bolland, and Corey Perry.