Snapshots: Robert, McCauley, Trotz
The Buffalo Sabres and their fan base are among those in mourning today, as the team revealed that beloved alumnus Rene Robert has passed away at 72. Robert had been hospitalized in Florida this weekend with a heart attack and died early on Tuesday. A member of the famed “French Connection” line with Gilbert Perreault and Rick Martin, Robert played seven plus seasons with the Sabres during the prime of his career. In 524 games with the team, he recorded 552 points, including a 100-point All-Star season in 1974-75. Robert also had two stints with the Toronto Maple Leafs and spent time with the Colorado Rockies and Pittsburgh Penguins as well. However, his name will always be synonymous with the Sabres and Robert remained an active part of the organization long after his retirement. The team has released a statement calling Robert a “tremendous player, teammate, and person [who] truly loved this organization”. Owner Terry Pegula also called the new of the loss of his friend “devastating”.
- In the midst of a postseason in which officiating has been a hot-button issue, the NHL is without one of its top referees for the time being and no one knows exactly why. Sportsnet reports that Wes McCauley, considered by one of, if not the best referee in the league is currently at home and will not work again during the semifinals. There is no word yet on if he will be available for the Stanley Cup Final. McCauley is not believed to be sick or injured, but is sidelined nonetheless. The league has not commented on the situation other than stating that they hope he will be available soon. In these playoffs, inconsistent officiating within series and even within games as well as a reluctance in the same or similar manner as the regular season has brought referees and the NHL under fire. McCauley would be a valuable asset for the championship round.
- The officials were not wrong when they kicked the New York Islanders’ Mathew Barzal out of Monday night’s Game Five. A high-stick to the face of Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Jan Rutta earned him a five-minute major and game misconduct and the NHL Department of Safety agreed with the egregiousness of the penalty, additionally docking Barzal with a maximum fine. Who else agreed that Barzal’s play was a poor display? His own coach, in fact. Barry Trotz told ESPN’s Greg Whyshynski that he was “disappointed” in his star center and his decision-making. Even in the case of bad penalties, coaches usually refrain from such direct criticism, especially deep in the playoffs. It remains to be seen if Trotz will show his displeasure in his usage of Barzal or if Barzal’s play might slip as a result of his coach’s comments.
Overseas Notes: Meszaros, Rattie, Gragnani
It is a homecoming of sorts for veteran defenseman Andrej Meszaros. The 35-year-old has signed a one-year deal with HK Dukla Trencin of the Slovakian Extraliga, returning to the same club that he left when he departed for the NHL 17 years ago. Meszaros developed in the Trencin system and received his first pro experience with the club before being drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the first round of the 2004 NHL draft and making the jump to North America to join the WHL’s Vancouver Giants. He now returns after ten years in the NHL and another six in the KHL and Extraliga, the past five as the captain of Slovakian powerhouse HC Slovan Bratislava. The move back to Trencin could be a sentimental one for Meszaros, who will hit 1,000 career pro games if he suits up for 60 this season, which could mark the end of a long, successful career.
- When Ty Rattie left the NHL following the 2018-19 season despite setting career highs in games played and points, it came as somewhat of a surprise. Rattie had established himself as a capable depth forward and seemed to be on his way up after that final season with the Edmonton Oilers. Yet, Rattie made the jump to Europe and it seems to be working out. After a strong first season overseas in the KHL, Rattie joined the Liiga’s Assat this past year. While his production wasn’t spectacular, it was enough to draw the attention of other European clubs. According to Swedish source Aftonbladet, the SHL’s Timra IK have come to terms with Rattie on a one-year contract. He becomes the crown jewel of an expansive free agent haul for Timra, who are returning to the SHL after earning promotion out of the second tier Allsvenskan. Rattie will join a roster that also includes fellow former NHLer Tim Erixon as well as a number of former NHL prospects, as he looks to make up for the loss of departed Allsvenskan MVP Jonathan Dahlen.
- Another former NHLer sticking in Europe is veteran defenseman Marc-Andre Gragnani. The veteran defenseman has played in Europe for seven of the past eight seasons, with a stop with the New Jersey Devils mixed in, but at 34 still has gas left in the tank. It helps that he didn’t put much wear on the tires this year, playing in just five games with the SHL’s Djurgardens IF after a late-season arrival. However, his point-per-game production in that small sample size appears to have been enough. Swedish source Expressen reports that Djurgardens is in a “far-reaching negotiation” with Gragnani, stating that both sides were happy with the match and are interested in an extension.
Snapshots: Perry, Stephenson, Fantilli
Corey Perry was pretty close to not even being around for this Montreal Canadiens postseason run. The veteran forward’s agent Pat Morris told Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic that he personally called three teams when Perry was placed on waivers at the beginning of the season, asking them not to put in a claim and let him stay with Montreal. Two of those teams apparently told Morris they would have if he hadn’t called, but decided to “respect his career” and leave him with the Canadiens.
Perry ended up clearing, giving the Canadiens flexibility to bounce him back and forth from taxi squad to active roster, saving cap space in the process. He ended up playing in 49 regular season games and became one of the team’s most important forwards, playing a huge role in the postseason. The 36-year-old has three goals and eight points in 15 playoff games, including the game-winner in game seven against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
- Chandler Stephenson is a game-time decision for the Vegas Golden Knights tonight against Perry and the Canadiens. The 27-year-old has developed into a top-line center with the Golden Knights this season, scoring 35 points in 51 regular season games, usually skating between Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty. Though he has failed to score a goal in 14 playoff games so far, he does have six points and has been excellent in the faceoff circle. Stephenson of course won the Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals in 2018 (defeating the Golden Knights) and would be a welcome addition to the lineup for this evening’s match.
- Though there had been some speculation that Adam Fantilli could leave the USHL next season, the top prospect will be back with the Chicago Steel for 2021-22 according to Corey Pronman of The Athletic. The 16-year-old is not eligible for the NHL draft until 2023 but is already turning heads after a 36-point campaign with Chicago this season. His eight goals in the playoffs were enough to Clark Cup MVP, helping the Steel secure the trophy for the second time. Fantilli, who is from Nobleton, Ontario, was actually drafted 18th overall by the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL in 2020 but would not be eligible for the NCAA if he decided to play in the CHL.
Daniel, Henrik Sedin Named Special Advisors For Vancouver Canucks
The official title will be Special Advisors to the General Manager for Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin, who were announced today by the Vancouver Canucks. The franchise icons will now be involved in the front office of the team they spent their whole NHL careers with, helping with the decision-making and organizational strategy. In the release, the team also indicates that the Sedins will support all areas of the team’s hockey operations, including player evaluation and development, while also participating in amateur and pro scouting meetings.
Basically, the Sedins will be learning the entire management side of hockey with an eye on a bigger role down the line. Canucks GM Jim Benning released a statement on the move:
Henrik and Daniel’s hockey intellect and experience is exceptional. We’ve had an open line of communication since they retired as players. They are students of the game, eager to learn, who will make valuable contributions and strengthen our staff. We are very pleased to add their knowledge and passion for the game and have them begin the next stage of their careers with us.
There was never any doubt that if the Sedins wanted to get into the front office of an organization, the Canucks would be glad to have them. Their cerebral style on the ice will hopefully help them learn and understand the scouting and development side of the game, evaluating which moves will benefit Vancouver moving forward.
Henrik Sedin is the all-time franchise leader in games played, assists and points, while twin brother Daniel Sedin leads the club in goals and shots. Even among the long list of great players that have donned the Canucks colors, there are very few who embody the franchise as much as these two.
Mathew Barzal Avoids Suspension, Receives Fine
New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal has avoided a suspension for cross-checking Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Jan Rutta but will have to pay a $5,000 fine. That is the maximum allowable fine under the CBA. Barzal was given a penalty and a game misconduct at the end of the second period for the incident but will be able to re-join his team for the next game.
The Department of Player Safety obviously did not believe the cross-check rose to the level of a suspension, meaning the Islanders won’t be without their top forward for game six when they face elimination. Without Barzal, the team’s most dangerous offensive weapon, New York looked completely unable to mount any comeback against the Lightning. The game ended 8-0 in favor of Tampa Bay, while Matt Martin and Scott Mayfield were also given game misconducts late in the third period.
The Islanders now face elimination for the first time this postseason after eliminating the Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Bruins in six games. Tampa Bay has outscored them 17-8 so far, suggesting that Barzal and company will need a much better defensive effort if they’re to stay alive tomorrow night.
Free Agent Focus: Arizona Coyotes
Free agency is now just a little more than a month away and many teams are already looking ahead to when it opens up. There will be several prominent players set to hit the open market in late July while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign as well. Nearly the entire starting defense corps is about to hit the open market, meaning there are big changes coming in Arizona.
Key Restricted Free Agents
F Conor Garland – Over the last few seasons, Garland has gone from fifth-round afterthought to arguably the most important forward on the entire Coyotes roster. The 25-year-old followed up a 22-goal 2019-20 season with another 39 points in 49 games this year, trailing only Phil Kessel for the team lead among forwards. His dynamic puck skills and edge work have resulted in outstanding possession numbers ever since he made it to the NHL and there’s good reason to believe he could put up even bigger offensive totals moving forward. Garland played most of the season with Nick Schmaltz but saw a rotating cast of other linemates throughout the year. The question now is whether the Coyotes will be able to lock down Garland with a long-term deal, buying out some unrestricted free agent years, or have to go to arbitration and settle with another short-term contract. He’s coming off a two-year deal that carried an average annual value of just $775K, so it would make sense for Garland’s camp to want a big raise.
G Adin Hill – There was a time a few seasons ago when Hill appeared to be in line to take over the crease in Arizona. The third-round pick made his NHL debut in 2017 at the age of 21, making 31 saves in a losing effort. Standing 6’6″ it was easy to see how he could become an elite starting goaltender at the next level, but now several years later he only has 49 appearances under his belt. Now arbitration-eligible and just two years from unrestricted free agency, the team will have to decide whether Hill is once again the plan for the next several years. Darcy Kuemper, the only other NHL goaltender under contract will be a UFA in a year’s time and has always had trouble staying healthy. Committing to Hill this summer may be the right choice, even if it does cost them a little bit more per season than he would get through the arbitration process.
Other RFAs: F Dryden Hunt, F John Hayden, F Lane Pederson, F Blake Speers, F Nate Sucese, F Frederik Gauthier, F Tyler Steenbergen, F Brayden Burke, D Dysin Mayo, D Cam Dineen
Key Unrestricted Free Agents
G Antti Raanta – Of course, the reason Kuemper is the only other goaltender under contract is that Raanta is about to hit the open market. The 32-year-old netminder still has a .919 career save percentage, but that number was brought down by his .905 this season. The fact that he hasn’t been able to stay healthy for consecutive seasons is a huge red flag, especially as he gets closer to his mid-thirties. Sure, there’s a reason to bring Raanta back on a reasonable deal, but with Hill ready to take his place as a tandem starter and other prospects in the wings, the veteran netminder may be looking for a different address next month.
F Michael Bunting – Some around the league believe that Bunting is ready to break out and could be one of this summer’s most savvy pickups. The 25-year-old scored 10 goals and 13 points in 21 games this season for Arizona, adding another 19 points in 16 AHL contests. That belief may have been a bit shaken when Bunting went completely scoreless in ten games at the World Championships, but there will surely be teams willing to take a chance. The Group VI unrestricted free agent actually prefers to stay in Arizona, but given that there is no deal in place yet, it suggests he is going to at least test the free agent market to see what is out there.
The Defense – The entire UFA section in this article could just be a list of defenders, given how many Coyotes are scheduled to hit the open market. Jason Demers, Alex Goligoski, Jordan Oesterle and Niklas Hjalmarsson are all pending UFAs and it isn’t clear if any of them will be back. The biggest question really is Goligoski, who paired with rising star Jakob Chychrun for most of this season, helping the young defenseman to a career year. Now 35, Goligoski still averaged 23 minutes a night as a steady two-way option and even produced 22 points in 56 games. Replacing him, especially if the Coyotes are also going to move Oliver Ekman-Larsson, will leave a gaping hole on the back end with no clear answer under contract. Demers, Oesterle and Hjalmarsson have all kind of merged into the same 17-minute-a-night defensive option, that doesn’t bring much offense and doesn’t have a lot of upside. Any of them could reenergize their careers with a fresh start somewhere else, or continue to fill out the depth chart on reasonable short-term deals in the desert.
Other UFAs: F Derick Brassard, F Marian Hossa, F Hudson Fasching, F Michael Chaput, D Aaron Ness, D Jordan Gross
Projected Cap Space
Even though they have been technically up against the cap in the past, that was mostly due to the Coyotes taking on contracts like Hossa’s in order to gather assets. The team is not normally known as a big spender and has more than $31MM to work with this offseason. Of course, they’ll need to fill half a roster with that money, not the easiest of tasks. Getting Ekman-Larsson’s contract off the books would be huge for the team, given the value-cost equation that is seemingly getting worse by the year. GM Bill Armstrong has a very busy summer ahead of him but plenty of roster spots to work with.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.
Snapshots: Draft Rankings, Schedule, Sedins
The NHL Entry Draft is right around the corner and rankings, mock drafts and scouting reports continue to pile up. The Buffalo Sabres have the first-overall pick once again and another defenseman is at the top of most lists. Scott Wheeler of The Athletic released his full draft board today and like most other scouts, has University of Michigan star Owen Power at the top. The 6’6″ Power recently won a gold medal at the World Championship and is almost certainly going to be the first player selected next month.
It’s Wheeler’s other rankings that are even more interesting, however, as he goes in-depth on the first 100 prospects listed. One place where he diverts quite a bit from the NHL Central Scouting ranking is on Mason McTavish, who he slides in at tenth overall. McTavish finished second among North American skaters in the CSS rankings and will be in the mix for the first few selections. The entire list is worth a few minutes (or perhaps an afternoon, given how thorough it is) for hockey fans of every NHL team.
- NHL insider John Shannon tweets that the league will be sending out two drafts of a 2021-22 schedule this week, one with the Olympics included and one without. It is still not clear whether the league will be participating in the Games, as there is considerable support for and against going. Shannon notes that the official schedule will be out in the third week of July.
- The Vancouver Canucks have been working with Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin to find them a new role in the organization, and Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK reports that the official announcement is expected tomorrow. It’s still not clear exactly what the role or responsibilities will be for the twins, but they are expected to be involved with the new Abbotsford AHL team.
Jonathan Davidsson Signs In Sweden
The Ottawa Senators may have brought back their AHL head coach, but they’re losing a minor league forward. Jonathan Davidsson has signed a one-year contract with HV71 in Sweden. He’ll be joined by his brother Marcus Davidsson, a Buffalo Sabres draft pick that became an unrestricted free agent when he went unsigned at the beginning of this month.
Jonathan Davidsson, 24, was a sixth-round pick by the Columbus Blue Jackets back in 2017 and ended up in the Senators organization as part of the return for Matt Duchene. At the time, he looked like an interesting prospect who had found plenty of success at the SHL level. Unfortunately, his offensive production didn’t make the trip to North America, as the right-winger scored just five points in his 30 games with the Belleville Senators. In a six-game stint with Ottawa in 2019-20, he managed just a single assist.
The Senators will be able to retain his exclusive rights with a qualifying offer, though it certainly is no guarantee to come. The team doesn’t really have a place for him at this point in the NHL or AHL, so cutting ties may be the most likely outcome.
His younger brother Marcus Davidsson is an interesting story, given how high he was selected in the 2017 draft. The 37th-overall pick, he was actually ranked 12th among international skaters by NHL Central Scouting. Unfortunately, the offensive production that was expected never happened and the 22-year-old never ended up signing his entry-level contract. In 49 games split between the SHL and the second tier last season, he managed just 14 points.
Ottawa Senators Extend Troy Mann
Part of building a winning program in the NHL is finding a level of consistency throughout the multi-tiered development system. For the rebuilding Ottawa Senators, the development their prospects receive at the AHL level is almost as important as the success of the NHL team in the standings. Today, they have secured some of that minor league consistency, extending Belleville Senators head coach Troy Mann for another two seasons. Ottawa GM Pierre Dorion explained just how important it was to bring Mann back:
When we hired Troy three summers ago, we knew we were getting someone who had a strong track record in developing players. With where we were as an organization at that time, and with all that has transpired with regards to stockpiling prospects since, the timing could not have been better. Troy has played a vital role in helping with both the development and preparation of countless players, many of whom have recently assumed important roles in Ottawa. We’re pleased to reach an agreement with Troy to see him return to Belleville.
Mann, 51, came to Belleville after serving for many years with the Hershey Bears. Though he is still looking for that elusive Calder Cup, he is no stranger to the playoffs, taking the Bears to the finals in 2016. That was a valuable stepping stone for young players like Chandler Stephenson and Jakub Vrana, who would end up being key parts of the 2018 Washington Capitals Stanley Cup championship.
In Belleville, there is an endless parade of high-end prospects to deal with as Ottawa continues to collect as many draft picks as possible. The team once again has an extra second-round pick in this year’s draft and will be adding another top-10 prospect to the mix in the first round.
Free Agent Focus: Anaheim Ducks
Free agency is now just a little more than a month away and many teams are already looking ahead to when it opens up. There will be several prominent players set to hit the open market in late July while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign as well. Several pieces of Anaheim’s young forward group need new deals as does a franchise icon.
Key Restricted Free Agents
F Maxime Comtois – Very quietly, Comtois led the Ducks in scoring this season. That wasn’t expected at all heading into the year considering he had all of 39 career games played but he secured a spot in the top six and became a quality power forward. In the end, the 22-year-old wound up with 15 goals and 18 assists in 55 games, a more than respectable total on a team that struggled mightily at the offensive end. While it won’t affect his contract talks, his strong play carried over to the Worlds where he picked up six more points there. Comtois doesn’t have arbitration eligibility and with only 94 NHL games under his belt, he doesn’t have the track record to command a long-term deal. A bridge contract around the $2.5MM to $2.75MM mark feels like the expected outcome here allowing both sides to see what his long-term offensive upside will be.
F Danton Heinen – His fall from grace has been quick. After looking like a good fit as a secondary scorer in Boston for the first couple of years of his career, his offense tapered off last season and went even lower this year as he had just seven goals and seven assists in 43 games. The 25-year-old is eligible for arbitration and owed a qualifying offer of $2.775MM. It’s hard to see him getting that so either a cheaper deal is worked out or he’ll be an interesting addition to the UFA market.
F Alexander Volkov – There are quite a few young Anaheim RFAs in similar situations but Volkov is a bit different in that he has arbitration eligibility. The 23-year-old requested a trade from Tampa Bay to go somewhere where he had a better chance to play and the Ducks gave him that. His ice time went up by more than four minutes per game and with four goals and four assists in 18 games, so too did his production. This isn’t a situation where the team should be leery of his ability to request a hearing but it will be interesting to see how much his short time in Anaheim will impact those discussions.
Other RFAs: F Max Jones, F Isac Lundestrom, D Josh Mahura, F Sam Steel
Key Unrestricted Free Agents
F Ryan Getzlaf – It’s clear that Getzlaf’s best days are behind him and at this stage of his career, he should be on the third or fourth line most nights and not a fixture in the top-six as he was for the better part of his 16 years with the Ducks. But he’s still a useful player and in a free agent market where there isn’t any star power down the middle (the same can’t be said for the trade market), there should be a fair bit of interest if he’s willing to move on from Anaheim. That’s the big question as he had made it clear before he’d invoke his no-move clause to be dealt. That wasn’t the case at this trade deadline but his $8.25MM price tag made that next to impossible anyway. His next contract should come somewhere between a quarter and a third of that AAV.
F Carter Rowney – This season was basically a write-off as a torn meniscus ended his season back in February. However, in his three years with the Ducks, he showed that he was capable of playing a bigger role than he had at the beginning of his career with Pittsburgh. Now 32 and in a market that isn’t kind to role players, Rowney probably won’t be able to match the $1.133MM AAV he had on this deal but as far as physical depth players go, he will be one of the better ones out there.
F Andrew Poturalski – This is a name that many won’t be familiar with as his NHL track record is extremely limited (two games in 2017). However, the 27-year-old has been a top scorer in the AHL when healthy. He led the league in scoring this season with 43 points in 44 games and back in 2018-19 (he was injured for most of 2019-20), he was fifth in the league in scoring with Charlotte (70 points in 72 games) and first in playoff scoring (23 points in 18 contests). It will be interesting to see if teams are more hesitant to hand out a one-way deal to top AHL talent as a cost-cutting measure but if some are, Poturalski should be the recipient of such a contract.
Other UFAs: F Andrew Agozzino, F David Backes, F Sam Carrick, D Trevor Carrick, F Chase De Leo, F Vinni Lettieri, D Andy Welinski
Projected Cap Space
Anaheim has been fairly tight to the cap for a while now but that will change with Getzlaf and Backes’ deals coming off the books and Corey Perry’s buyout cost dropping from $6.625MM to a more manageable $2MM. All of a sudden, they have ample room to work with just under $59MM on the books.
Having said that, they have seven or eight spots to fill as well and of their pending free agents, Comtois should be the most expensive but still at a reasonable rate. That should allow them to be an impact buyer over the coming weeks.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.