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Department Of Player Safety Fines Artemi Panarin For Unsportsmanlike Conduct

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In hockey, dropping the gloves is a well-known term.  But throwing a glove?  That’s one we don’t see every day.  However, it happened on Friday late in a game between the Rangers and Bruins when New York winger Artemi Panarin threw his glove from his bench (video link) at Boston winger Brad Marchand.  Both players received misconducts which was an easy way for the officials to try to diffuse the situation with just seconds left on the clock.

The Department of Player Safety felt that a bit more punishment for Panarin was warranted, however, as they announced (Twitter link) that he has been fined $5K for unsportsmanlike conduct which is the maximum allowable under the CBA.

This is the first time Panarin has faced any sort of supplementary discipline from the league in terms of a fine or a suspension.  As usual, the money from the fine goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.  In the meantime, these two teams will be waiting a while for their next matchup which isn’t scheduled until April 23rd in the first of a back-to-back home-and-home set.

Anthony Duclair Day-To-Day After Unexpected Scratch

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The Florida Panthers lost Friday night against the Washington Capitals in part because of an Alex Ovechkin hat trick, but they went into the game down one of their best forwards after winger Anthony Duclair was unexpectedly pulled from warmups and scratched.

Now, interim head coach Andrew Brunette says Duclair is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Speaking after the game, Brunette called the scratch “unexpected,” and that he was mostly pulled as a precaution. However, he does say that Duclair will be evaluated in the coming days.

Maxim Mamin, who has a goal in four games this season, filled in on a line with Jonathan Huberdeau and Sam Bennett in Duclair’s absence.

Duclair was finally rewarded with some stability this offseason when the Panthers gave him a three-year, $9MM contract extension this offseason. He’s lit up the scoresheet this season, posting 17 points in 19 games en route to an extremely hot start for the Panthers.

Kraken Captain Mark Giordano Enters COVID Protocol

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Seattle Kraken defenseman Mark Giordano has entered the NHL’s COVID protocol and is unavailable for Friday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, per a team tweet.

The 38-year-old Giordano hasn’t had the dreamiest season with his new Kraken club. He has seven points in 19 games on the season, but none in his last five. He’s seen his ice time dip to 20:52 per game this season, the lowest such mark for him in 12 seasons.

The former Norris Trophy winner was expected to be the biggest name on a strong defense in Seattle, but the team has struggled mightily out of the gate due to unexpectedly poor defense and goaltending. It’s likely that Haydn Fleury draws into the lineup in his place.

Giordano could potentially miss the team’s next five games if he’s absent for 10 days, and would miss four games if he’s absent for seven. Both of those timeframes include matchups against two of the league’s best in the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers.

Drake Caggiula Placed On Injured Reserve

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The Buffalo Sabres today placed forward Drake Caggiula on injured reserve, per a tweet from the team’s public relations account. Caggiula is week-to-week with an upper-body injury after missing Buffalo’s last game, a 5-1 home loss to the Boston Bruins on Wednesday.

The team recalled forward Brett Murray from the AHL’s Rochester Americans today in his place. Buffalo has shuffled Murray up and down multiple times this season as they’ve faced injuries, but he’s only played one game this season (no points in 11:06 of ice time). Murray’s gotten into nine games with Rochester, however, tallying six goals and one assist.

Caggiula signed a one-year, $750,000 extension with the Sabres this offseason after the team claimed him off waivers from the Arizona Coyotes near the end of the 2020-21 campaign. He’d played in all 18 games this season for which he was healthy, scoring two goals and three assists while averaging nearly 15 minutes a night (a career-high).

At even strength, Caggiula’s line with Dylan Cozens and Vinnie Hinostroza has seen the most ice time of any forward grouping for Buffalo in 2021-22. It looks like Sabres head coach Don Granato will do some line shuffling in Caggiula’s absence, getting Arttu Ruotsalainen back into the lineup.

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Calgary Flames

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As the holiday season approaches, PHR will take a look at what teams are thankful for as the season heads towards the one-quarter mark. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Calgary Flames.

What are the Flames most thankful for?

A healthy start.

Injuries are a part of sports, and they’re going to happen for every team in the NHL at some point. But so far, the Flames have escaped relatively unscathed. Fifteen different players have suited up in at least 19 of the team’s 20 games, including basically every important member of the group.

In fact, since they started the year, Calgary has completed just two recalls from the minor leagues. Jacob Markstrom and Daniel Vladar have been the two dressed goaltenders in all 20 matches, meaning not only have they had a consistent effort, but also a consistent group in the locker room.

Who are the Flames most thankful for?

Darryl Sutter.

It’s hard to believe that a coach can make such a huge difference, but the Stanley Cup-winning bench boss appears to have secured a complete buy-in from his squad and a commitment to playing his low-event checking style. The Flames have allowed just 38 goals through 20 games and have the best goal differential in the league.

Not everything is because of Sutter, as there have been some very strong performances–perhaps even unexpected–from the defensive unit, but the veteran coach has the entire group moving in the right direction.

What would the Flames be even more thankful for?

Sean Monahan’s re-emergence.

The one concern some have when discussing the Flames, a team that has dominated the league so far, is the disappearance of Monahan’s offense. Through the first seven seasons of Monahan’s career, he had 194 goals, good for more than 29 per 82 games. Since the start of the 2020-21 season, he has 12 (just seven since Sutter took over).

His minutes have dropped to the lowest of his career and he has generated just 25 shots on goal through 20 games this season. For a player carrying a cap hit of $6.375MM, that’s simply not acceptable even if the overall Flames group is still churning through opponents. The idea of Monahan returning to some semblance of the 30-goal scorer he once was, without disrupting the defensive structure the Flames currently have would make them all the more imposing.

What should be on the Flames’ Holiday Wish List?

A Matthew Tkachuk extension.

Johnny Gaudreau has been outstanding this season, leading the team in scoring with 23 points in 20 games. He’s also an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year, so his future should be front and center when discussing any contract negotiations in Calgary. But it’s Tkachuk, who has been a lynchpin of Sutter’s structure and once again seems like the obvious choice as the team’s future captain that will really decide how much they could spend on Gaudreau.

Already the team’s highest-paid player, Tkachuk is about to hit restricted free agency for the last time, a year away from the open market. He won’t even turn 24 until next month, but is already in the midst of his sixth season in the league, meaning any extension would buy out almost exclusively UFA seasons. It will be a massive contract if Tkachuk does agree to something long-term with the Flames, a number that would limit them elsewhere or cause other cost-cutting measures (perhaps like a bottom-six center that makes more than $6MM next season).

There’s nothing that would be more important for the Flames this winter, so they can also go into the trade deadline with some sort of cap certainty moving forward.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Doug Wilson Taking Temporary Medical Leave

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The San Jose Sharks have announced that general manager Doug Wilson is taking a temporary medical leave from his day-to-day duties with the club. In the interim, assistant general manager Joe Will will be handling the daily operations.

Wilson, 64, was recently inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame for his outstanding contributions to the game as both a player and executive. Kevin Kurz of The Athletic tweets that Wilson has been dealing with a persistent cough since September, but this absence is not believed to be COVID-related.

Across the hockey landscape, fans, media, and players are extending their support for the Sharks GM. The staff at PHR is no different, and hope to see him back to work soon.

Jonathan Marchessault, Brett Howden Exit COVID Protocol

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Now it is clear why the Vegas Golden Knights sent three young forwards back to the AHL this morning. Jonathan Marchessault and Brett Howden, who had been in the league’s COVID protocol, have joined the regular group at practice today according to David Schoen of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Marchessault spent ten days in the protocol, meaning he hasn’t played since November 13. That was a huge blow to the Golden Knights attack, given the veteran forward was off to a great start with nine goals and 13 points in 15 games. When combined with some of the other injuries the team was dealing with, it was nearly the entire top two lines out at once.

Howden meanwhile never did test positive but had been held out as a close contact the last few days. The 23-year-old last played on November 20 against Columbus. He’s obviously a much less important player for Vegas, averaging just 9:45 of ice time.

Incredibly, even with massive absences, the Golden Knights have fought their way back to a Pacific Division playoff spot with a 7-3 run in their last ten. They’re not just five points behind the Calgary Flames for first place and are getting closer to full health. With William Karlsson, Alec Martinez, Nolan Patrick, and Jack Eichel still out, they’re not there yet, but Marchessault’s return will certainly be a welcome one.

Adam Gaudette Placed On Waivers

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The Chicago Blackhawks have placed Adam Gaudette on waivers today, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.

Gaudette, 25, hasn’t played in a few weeks, last suiting up for the Blackhawks on November 9. He played just over five minutes in that game and then has been made a healthy scratch several times by interim head coach Derek King.

Now, with Tyler Johnson nearing a return to action, the team needed to clear a roster spot and it’s Gaudette that will be risked to the rest of the league. It’s an interesting decision for the Blackhawks, who have several waiver-exempt players they could have sent down instead–namely Reese Johnson and Mike Hardman–but they’ve obviously decided that Gaudette is the one that should go.

There’s certainly a chance he could be claimed, though a cap hit just barely under $1MM should make some cap-strapped teams hesitate. Gaudette hasn’t been anywhere near the player he was during the 2019-20 season, when he recorded 12 goals and 33 points in 59 games. Since then, he has just 13 points in 48 games, split between the Vancouver Canucks and Blackhawks.

A Hobey Baker winner, there’s obvious offensive upside in Gaudette, but his overall play hasn’t been good enough to secure a regular spot in Chicago’s top-six. If he clears, he will likely be sent back to the minor leagues.

Johan Larsson, Andrew Ladd Exit COVID Protocol

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The Arizona Coyotes will have two reinforcements at practice today, as Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports reports that Johan Larsson and Andrew Ladd are out of the COVID protocol. Ladd actually came out of the protocol on Wednesday, Morgan notes, but he didn’t play for the team that night.

After a short winning streak, the Coyotes were once again outclassed in that game by the Edmonton Oilers, allowing 43 shots and five goals against. There are going to be a lot of nights like those even after Larsson and Ladd get back into the lineup.

Neither one is a real impact player at the NHL level at this point, though Larsson should be an interesting trade candidate later this season after carrying such a heavy load for the Coyotes. The 29-year-old forward is on an expiring, $1.4MM contract and has averaged nearly 18 minutes of ice time through his first 15 games. He has failed to score during that time, but was never known for his offensive abilities anyway. As a depth center that can be deployed heavily in the defensive zone, the Coyotes may be able to secure another mid-round draft pick or prospect.

Ladd meanwhile is likely just happy to be back in the NHL after a long absence, playing out the rest of that seven-year, $38.5MM deal he signed in 2016. With one more year on the deal after this one, it would be a hard sale at the deadline for the Coyotes even if the veteran forward showed he can still contribute at the highest level.

Poll: Which Thanksgiving Playoff Teams Will Fall Short In 2021-22?

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American Thanksgiving arrived on Thursday and with it a shadow that looms large in the NHL. As teams return to the ice on Friday, they have the specter of an unavoidable trend to contend with. Over the past eight years, the Thanksgiving standings have been over 75% accurate at forecasting eventual playoff teams, predicting at least 12 of 16 spots on average. Even though American Thanksgiving only rolls around less than two months into the season, at about the 30% mark, three out of four teams in a playoff spot at that time will have retained their postseason berth when the season ends.

Last year, adjusting for “Thanksgiving” being a games played average given the league’s delayed start, it was even more predictive. 14 of 16 teams in a playoff position on February 21 winded up making the postseason, with only the Philadelphia Flyers and Dallas Stars missing out.

As much as teams outside the playoff picture on Thanksgiving fear missing out when the pattern has been so unrelenting, those clubs can at least be fueled by the desire to buck the trend. The greater concern is for those teams currently in postseason position – and not wanting to be one of the select few who blow their playoff spot by years end.

Below are the current league standings (by points percentage):

Eastern Conference

A1. Florida Panthers (.816)
M1. Carolina Hurricanes (.806)
M2. Washington Capitals (.725)
M3. New York Rangers (.711)
A2. Tampa Bay Lightning (.694)
A3. Toronto Maple Leafs (.690)
W1. Columbus Blue Jackets (.647)
W2. Boston Bruins (.625)
New Jersey Devils (.588)
Pittsburgh Penguins (.579)
Philadelphia Flyers (.556)
Detroit Red Wings (.500)
Buffalo Sabres (.421)
New York Islanders (.375)
Montreal Canadiens (.286)
Ottawa Senators (.265)

Western Conference

P1. Edmonton Oilers (.737)
C1. Minnesota Wild (.658)
P2. Calgary Flames (.725)
C2. Colorado Avalanche (.656)
P3. Vegas Golden Knights (.600)
C3. St. Louis Blues (.579)
W1. Winnipeg Jets (.579)
W2. Anaheim Ducks (.575)
Nashville Predators (.553)
San Jose Sharks (.553)
Dallas Stars (.529)
Los Angeles Kings (.500)
Chicago Blackhawks (.368)
Vancouver Canucks (.350)
Seattle Kraken (.342)
Arizona Coyotes (.250)

Which playoff teams do you think will be the exception to the rule that is the NHL’s Thanksgiving trend, losing their spot over the remaining 70% of the season? Comment with which teams outside the top eight in each conference could steal a spot.

Which Thanksgiving Playoff Teams Will Fall Short In 2021-22?
Anaheim Ducks 30.61% (225 votes)
Columbus Blue Jackets 27.76% (204 votes)
New York Rangers 7.62% (56 votes)
Winnipeg Jets 7.35% (54 votes)
Boston Bruins 6.39% (47 votes)
Toronto Maple Leafs 4.08% (30 votes)
St. Louis Blues 3.67% (27 votes)
Vegas Golden Knights 2.99% (22 votes)
Minnesota Wild 2.86% (21 votes)
Calgary Flames 2.45% (18 votes)
Washington Capitals 1.63% (12 votes)
Edmonton Oilers 0.95% (7 votes)
Florida Panthers 0.82% (6 votes)
Colorado Avalanche 0.41% (3 votes)
Carolina Hurricanes 0.27% (2 votes)
Tampa Bay Lightning 0.14% (1 votes)
Total Votes: 735

[mobile users vote here]

 

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