Five Key Stories: 3/7/22 – 3/13/22
The trade market continues to be quiet with the deadline just over a week away but there was still some notable news on the transaction front which is highlighted in our key stories of the week.
Ristolainen’s Sticking Around: One of the more prominent potential unrestricted free agent defensemen is off the market as Rasmus Ristolainen signed a five-year, $25.5MM contract extension with the Flyers. The 27-year-old continues to be one of the more polarizing rearguards around the league. Philadelphia paid a significant price to get him at the draft including a first-round pick but his underlying metrics have never been good. Nevertheless, GM Chuck Fletcher clearly values Ristolainen to make this type of commitment to him, one that actually represents a small dip in pay compared to his current $5.4MM AAV.
Subban Won’t Be Sticking Around: The Devils have informed veteran defenseman P.K. Subban that they will not be retaining him beyond this season. The 32-year-old is in the final season of an eight-year, $72MM contract that at the time, made him the highest-paid defender in the NHL. However, his numbers have tapered off in recent seasons and he has just 18 points in 56 games this season. As a result of the decision to move on from him, New Jersey will likely try to find a taker for Subban’s services but since they can only retain $4.5MM of his AAV, that may be tricky to do and may require a third team to get involved to hold back another chunk. Either way, Subban will be hitting the open market in July.
Good And Bad News For Dallas: Joe Pavelski has certainly impressed since joining Dallas three years ago and is on pace for a career year at the age of 37 as he has 23 goals and 37 assists in 57 games. He decided he likes playing for the Stars and opted to turn down a shot at testing the open market, instead signing a one-year extension. The deal is worth a guaranteed $5.5MM with an extra $500K in games played bonuses – $100K for every ten games played up to 50. It’s a small decrease compared to the $7MM he’s making now while the bonus structure gives Dallas a bit of extra cap flexibility for next season since those can be rolled over to 2023-24 if needed. Unfortunately for the Stars, the news wasn’t all good as blueliner Miro Heiskanen is out indefinitely due to a bout with mononucleosis.
Another Injury For Fabbri: Red Wings winger Robby Fabbri has had some tough luck when it comes to knee injuries over the years and it looks like he will be dealing with another one as he is believed to have suffered a torn ACL. If that’s the case, his season will be over and he’ll be questionable for the start of training camp. Fabbri has done well to establish himself in Detroit and has been one of their more consistent secondary scorers. He has 30 points in 56 games this season and his performance was good enough for the team to give him a three-year, $12MM extension back in December.
McCann Gets Paid: Over the past few years, Kraken center Jared McCann had shown flashes of offensive upside but wasn’t able to put it together with any sort of consistency. The opportunity to play big minutes with regularity in Seattle has helped him to realize some of that potential and for that, he was rewarded with a five-year, $25MM extension. The deal contains a 10-team no-trade clause in the last four seasons of the deal, the only ones eligible for trade protection as the first year of the contract is an RFA-eligible one. The 25-year-old leads Seattle in goals with 23 and is tied for the lead in points with 35 in 53 games this season.
Trade Candidate: Andrew Copp
The trade deadline is now just over a week away as we continue our look at some of the players who have a good chance of being on the move between now and March 21st.
Andrew Copp has fairly quietly but steadily improved over the past several seasons and has worked his way up from being an energy player on the fourth line to a reliable checker to a quality two-way center that plays big minutes in all facets of the game. As a result, if Winnipeg decides that they’re going to sell, Copp will be one of the most sought-after players around the league in the days to come.
Contract
Copp is on a one-year, $3.64MM contract that was agreed on prior to his arbitration hearing in August and thus contains no form of trade protection. The deal is all salary and he will be an unrestricted free agent after the season.
2021-22
Copp has been somewhat of a Swiss army knife for Winnipeg this season. Injuries to Blake Wheeler and Nikolaj Ehlers opened up spots on the wing that Copp filled at times. He has spent most of the year playing down the middle but even with a fully healthy lineup (including Mark Scheifele and Pierre-Luc Dubois at center), Copp has logged heavy minutes and is third among all Winnipeg forwards in ice time behind only Kyle Connor and Scheifele.
Unsurprisingly, the 27-year-old has seen plenty of action on special teams. He leads all Jets forwards in shorthanded ice time per game and plays almost the same amount of time on the power play, making him their only player to average at least 2:30 per contest in both situations.
The end result is that Copp is on pace to set career highs across the board (he’s already there in shots on goals). On top of that, he’s winning over 53% of his draws and we know how much teams value situational faceoff performance in the playoffs.
However, it’s worth noting that his production has tapered off a little bit as of late with five points in his last 16 games while half of his full-season point total came in the first 15 games of the year. That shouldn’t hurt his market too much but interested teams will be factoring that into their offers.
Season Stats
53 GP, 13 goals, 19 assists, 32 points, even rating, 8 PIMS, 147 shots, 20:05 TOI, 52.9 CF%, 53.8% faceoffs
Potential Suitors
Basically, any contending team with some cap space will have interest in Copp if he’s made available. Winnipeg could retain to facilitate a deal although they’re close to being capped out so there may be a limitation to how much they can hold back or who they can take on to offset part of the contract.
In the East, the Bruins never really filled the hole created by David Krejci’s departure and have been looking to fill a top-six hole all season. Copp fits the bill on both ends and they have the cap space to afford him outright. So do the Rangers who could either slot him in on the wing in the top six or have him anchor a new-look third line that can take some pressure off the top lines. The Maple Leafs have been linked to some wingers and Copp would be a good complementary piece on the wing on their second line although making the money work would be a challenge with Jake Muzzin set to return later this season. The Capitals have been looking around at checking wingers and while Copp is rated a little higher, he’s someone they’d have interest in although again, the cap looms large on that front. The Panthers may covet Copp’s faceoff prowess to help offset Sam Bennett’s struggles on the draw if they aren’t able to add a significant piece on the back end.
Out West, the Wild stand out as a strong fit. They’re stuck shopping for expiring contracts with the buyout charges increasing next season for Zach Parise and Ryan Suter and could certainly use some improvements down the middle. The Avalanche have good depth at center already but could use Copp on the wing or in a shutdown capacity. It’d also be an opportunity to evaluate if he could be a serviceable replacement for Nazem Kadri if Kadri prices himself out of what Colorado can afford over the offseason. The Flames would have some cap challenges to overcome and would need to use him on the wing but he certainly fits Calgary’s playing style. If the Predators opt to try to make a bigger addition, Copp is someone that would fit in a role that’s similar to one he plays with Winnipeg, splitting time at center and the wing.
Likelihood Of A Trade
A lot will depend on how Winnipeg fares in this next week. If they can close the gap on a Wild Card spot, they may hold onto Copp in the hopes of sneaking into the postseason. However, if that doesn’t happen and a contract extension isn’t in the cards, there’s a very good chance that Copp will be on a different roster once the clock passes 2 PM CT on March 21st.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
PHR Mailbag: Sabres, Islanders, Husso, Jets, Samsonov, Detroit’s Defense, Pacific Predictions, Projections, Avalanche
Topics in this edition of the PHR Mailbag include Ville Husso’s future with St. Louis, whether or not it’s time for Winnipeg to shake up their core, building up Detroit’s back end, and much more. If your question doesn’t appear here, check back in last weekend’s mailbag.
@JoeBad34TD: Sabres: It’s time to move on from Mittelstadt, Miller, Eakin, and Olofsson. Miller and Eakin are vets that may get you some later picks. Mittelstadt and Olofsson are young but not the right fit for this team’s future. Do you see a trade market for these players and at what value?
I agree with you on the assessment of Cody Eakin and Colin Miller – both are candidates to be moved for draft picks so there’s really nothing more to say about those two.
As for the two younger players, I don’t think there’s a great market for Casey Mittelstadt right now. He has struggled since his rookie season and hasn’t been healthy all that much this year. With two more years left on his deal at $2.5MM per, Buffalo would be selling low if they moved him. They’re not in a position where they should be selling low so holding onto him is the smarter play from a valuation standpoint; it’s not as if his value can get much lower than it would be right now so why not hold onto him, make some moves to bolster the roster over the summer, and see how he fits in with the new-look team? Maybe there’s a better fit and if that doesn’t happen, maybe he produces a bit more to up his trade value.
Then there’s Victor Olofsson. I tend to agree that he’s not a great fit for Buffalo moving forward but again, they’re not exactly selling high on him either. He has struggled this year and has just 10 goals in 49 games with a $3.25MM qualifying offer looming large this summer. If they know that they don’t want to pay that, then it’s a case of taking what you can get now which might be a mid-round pick if the Sabres retain on the contract. If GM Kevyn Adams is leaning towards tendering that offer though, they might have a shot at a swap of underachieving wingers in the summer. It’s not going to be an overly exciting return, however.
Y2KAK: What are reasonable moves the Islanders make at the trade deadline?
While they won’t be able to get much for their rentals (headlined by winger Cal Clutterbuck), GM Lou Lamoriello would be wise to try to get a couple of draft picks through moving some of them. They haven’t had more than six selections over the last three years and only have five for this summer’s draft so getting closer to a full complement of picks would be a reasonable move.
I honestly don’t expect a whole lot more from them. This is a team that has been good enough to make some decent playoff runs lately so I think Lamoriello will look at this and feel that they could be back in the thick of things next season when they don’t have a massive road trip, get hit hard by positive COVID tests, and have a bunch of injuries. With that in mind, I don’t know how much he really wants to change things.
One move I could see them looking into is trading Semyon Varlamov. Ilya Sorokin is clearly their goalie of the present and while they want someone who will probably play a bit more than an average backup behind him, that player doesn’t need to cost $5MM like Varlamov does. He’s signed for next season and with the trade market being relatively thin in terms of impact goalies available, the 33-year-old could be a candidate to be moved. It might have to be in the summer but a deadline trade can’t be ruled out either.
bighiggy: With the emergence of Husso, do the Blues look to sign Husso so he doesn’t depart at the end of the season, and then try to trade Binnington? Or let Husso walk and hope Binnington plays better?
The Blues would like to keep Husso and in a perfect world, they find a way to keep both. Husso is a fascinating UFA case this summer. He’s having a great year (2.24 GAA, .928 SV% in 24 games) but he only has 41 career NHL appearances under his belt. Is that enough to land him top dollar on the open market? Probably not. But could he land something similar to Alex Nedeljkovic’s deal with Detroit – two years, $3MM AAV? That wouldn’t shock me.
Now with that estimate, can they afford to keep Husso? I think they can. If they opt to let David Perron walk in free agency and fill his spot with someone like Jake Neighbours who is still on his cheap entry-level deal, that might be enough of a shuffle in terms of allocating cap dollars to make it work if they go with low-cost pieces to round out the roster as they’re likely to do. If they don’t want to do that, then I suspect Husso would walk and Binnington would enter next season as the undisputed starter as if they can’t/won’t pay Husso in the $3MM range, they’re not getting someone that can push for the starting job for less than that. With Binnington’s struggles, it’s hard to see a viable scenario where he leaves and Husso becomes the starter.
selanne76: Should the Jets make a move to shake up their leadership group? If so, who goes where and what should be the return?
I have to admit, I really like Winnipeg’s core group. It’s a good mix of veterans and younger players and they’re all capable of scoring. Breaking that up is risky. But this core has been together for a while and hasn’t gotten it done in terms of playoff success and even getting to the postseason this year is going to be tough.
Personally, I’d give them one more opportunity next season. Andrew Copp probably won’t be back and if Paul Stastny departs as well, that gives the Jets some money to work with to reshape the bottom six. I’d like to see their depth improved as that has been an issue this year; going with low-cost players because they make the minimum or close to it makes the cap work but puts a lot of extra pressure on that top group.
I also could see a coaching change happening. With Paul Maurice leaving midseason, they were in a tough spot and elevating Dave Lowry to the interim role was the logical choice. But if they miss the playoffs, it’s an opportunity to bring a new voice and system in; perhaps that gives them the spark they were missing.
If they decided to make a change to really shake it up, my guess would be that Nikolaj Ehlers would be the one to go. It’s hard to move Mark Scheifele when they don’t have a sure-fire replacement in the system (I like Cole Perfetti as a winger more than a center from a long-term standpoint) and Pierre-Luc Dubois isn’t a true number one and might not have the trade value he did when Winnipeg got him with now two fewer years of team control. Blake Wheeler won’t bring back much with his age and contract and Kyle Connor isn’t going anywhere.
As for what Ehlers could bring back, it’d all depend on what they’d be doing. If they were doing a rebuild, a first-rounder and a top prospect would be the key elements of a return. If it’s a core shakeup, it’d be another top-six winger that’s signed or at least under team control for as long as Ehlers is signed for (through 2024-25).
2012orioles: Even if the Capitals move Samsonov, what value does he bring being an RFA after the season?
Not as much as you might think at first glance. When was the last time a goaltender was traded in a move that made anyone think ‘wow, that’s a big price to pay’? It doesn’t happen very often and with the year he’s having, he’s probably not going to buck the trend.
I think Ilya Samsonov can be a starter in the NHL or at least a 1A part of a platoon. He’s not going to be able to command that type of return with a save percentage that’s just above .900 though, nor is he going to be able to land the type of contract that’s commensurate with that level of a player (high-$3MM range for a 1A, considerably more for a starter) this summer. Another one-year, prove it type of deal is probably coming.
That actually hurts Samsonov’s trade value a little bit in my eyes. He has two years of team control left but a one-year deal this summer takes him to a spot where he can opt for arbitration next summer and head to unrestricted free agency in his prime. The Rangers will likely be moving Alexandar Georgiev for cap reasons this summer, another pending RFA who has had similar hot and cold spells in the NHL and that also doesn’t help Washington’s cause.
When I first saw this question, the word that immediately came to mind in terms of value was underwhelming. Regardless of whether it’s a futures-based trade or he’s moved for a veteran, any return for Samsonov (if he winds up being traded) is going to yield an underwhelming return.
Detroit_SP: How do the Red Wings address the left side of the defense? They have given up over 6 GAA in the recent stretch and it’s mostly due to left side deficiencies (Leddy, DeKeyser, etc.)
I don’t see a lot of top two D-men in FA that fit with the Red Wings timeline.
Can they swing for Chychrun without giving up Seider, Edvinsson, or Raymond? I imagine Berggren would be going the other way, as unfortunate as that would be. Combination involving him and then from Wallinder, Sebrango, McIsaac, Johannson, Mazur, picks? I’d prefer to avoid 2023 picks given the draft prowess projected.
Target a different defender with term remaining?
Let’s talk about Chychrun first. The asking price is extremely high and Arizona has no reason to trade him for anything less than a king’s ransom at this point. The price to be paid is going to hurt so no, a package headlined by a 2018 second-round pick in winger Jonatan Berggren isn’t going to work. I don’t think they’d need to move Moritz Seider or Lucas Raymond but I imagine the Coyotes would be insisting on Simon Edvinsson as part of the deal and then adding pieces (including Berggren potentially) from there.
I don’t think this is the right time for them to try to fill a top-two spot on the back end. Detroit isn’t about to jump from missing the playoffs for the sixth year in a row to a contender overnight. GM Steve Yzerman is all about building slowly so it stands to reason that the shift towards being a playoff-bound team is going to be gradual, not dramatic. It wouldn’t be shocking to see them give Edvinsson some NHL time next season (he’s signed with Frolunda but as he was a first-round pick, Detroit can supersede that contract).
Out of the pending free agents, Hampus Lindholm is one that would really fit well for the Red Wings if they wanted to make a big splash and while he’s not a big point-getter, he’s a legitimate top-pairing player. That’s why Anaheim wants to re-sign him and why the trade market for rental defenders is basically at a standstill at this point. I wouldn’t be shocked if Marc Staal returns either while another depth piece can be added as well through free agency.
Could Yzerman trade his way towards filling some of those holes? Sure. But why move those assets out in what will probably be a transitional year as they look to get back into the playoff picture? Add some pieces in free agency, get a little better, assess where things stand, and then use some picks and prospects as trade currency to add when they’re more ready to go for it. As a patient GM with both Tampa Bay and now Detroit, that’s the route I expect him to take.
Injury Notes: Thornton, Laughton, Patrick
Florida Panthers head coach Andrew Brunette said today that forward Joe Thornton is close to a return to the lineup, and Florida Hockey Now’s George Richards says it’s likely the veteran forward is activated prior to Tuesday’s game against his former team in San Jose. Thornton has been dealing with an undisclosed injury since mid-February. He has four goals and two assists for six points in 24 games this year, remaining a solid depth option as he chases an elusive Stanley Cup ring in Florida.
More injury notes from around the league:
- Philadelphia Flyers forward Scott Laughton is “feeling better,” but head coach Mike Yeo says there’s still no timeline for his return to the lineup. The Flyers have been plagued with a laundry list of injuries this season, a trend that isn’t stopping anytime soon. The nine-year NHL veteran sustained a concussion earlier this week, disrupting a solid season for the depth center. He had 11 goals and 17 assists in 54 games.
- The NHL media website lists Vegas Golden Knights forward Nolan Patrick as being off injured reserve for tonight’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Injuries have once again severely limited Patrick this year, getting into just 18 games and registering six points. As the Golden Knights continue to flounder, they hope he can remain a part of the team for the stretch run.
Trade Rumors: Lindholm, Manson, Lehkonen
With just a week now until the 2022 Trade Deadline, The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun took the liberty of compiling a recap of the current standing of many big names who are in conversation to get moved within the next eight days. As injuries have complicated the trade potentials of players like Jakob Chychrun and John Klingberg, LeBrun notes that Anaheim Ducks blueliner Hampus Lindholm is now generating the most interest among pending UFA defensemen. The 28-year-old has stayed healthy this year and is once again playing in a top-pairing situation in Orange County. While some advanced metrics suggest his two-way play has taken a dip this season, he remains a great penalty killer and has experience playing against quality competition. LeBrun notes that general manager Pat Verbeek is likely to take “one last run” at an extension with Lindholm before focusing on a trade, though. If available, he’s likely one of the few rental defensemen on the market that can comfortably step into a top-four role on a contending team and provide his new club with an upgrade in that department. LeBrun singles out the Florida Panthers specifically as a team that’s “kept tabs” on Lindholm.
Some more notes on some deadline assets:
- Josh Manson is another Duck on an expiring deal who could find a new home next week, likely with some added value as he’s a right-shot D. LeBrun says the Carolina Hurricanes are one of the teams that have checked in on Manson, but with their limited salary cap space at this point, getting a deal done may be tough. Any Manson/CAR trade would likely require a third team to broker the deal, adding to the acquisition cost for Carolina. At this moment in time, that acquisition cost is too high for the ‘Canes, according to LeBrun.
- As the Washington Capitals continue to putter, now likely locked in as the second Wild Card in the Eastern Conference, they’re looking to add to their forward group that’s seen significant injuries this year. LeBrun says Montreal’s Artturi Lehkonen is a name that makes sense, but with Montreal not in a rush to trade the pending RFA, it’ll likely mean Washington (or any other team) needs to yield a first-round pick to acquire him. Between that and a potential first-round pick that could head the other way in a Ben Chiarot trade, Montreal could be called up to the podium many times at their hometown 2022 NHL Draft.
Canadiens’ Cedric Paquette Clears Waivers
March 13: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that Paquette cleared waivers today. After going unclaimed, Montreal can now assign him to the Laval Rocket.
March 12: It has been a tough season for Canadiens center Cedric Paquette. He has struggled to stay healthy and when he has been in the lineup, things haven’t gone much better. As a result, Montreal has placed Paquette on waivers, as first reported by TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie (Twitter link).
The 28-year-old signed with Montreal in the summer, inking a one-year, $950K deal with an eye on him playing a regular role on the fourth line and penalty kill. However, he has wound up playing in just 24 games this season, recording two assists while logging less than nine minutes a night in ice time. That production is largely in line with last season when he managed just eight points in 48 games between Ottawa and Carolina where he was in and out of the lineup.
Paquette is a veteran of over 400 NHL regular season games and has 95 career playoff contests under his belt so there’s a small chance a team might want him for depth for the postseason. More likely is that he’ll go unclaimed on Sunday and be sent to AHL Laval where his entire cap hit would come off Montreal’s books.
Poll: Can The Blue Jackets Catch The Capitals?
As early as mid-January, it seemed as though the Eastern Conference playoff picture was already complete given the discrepancy between the top eight and bottom eight teams. At the time, it was the Boston Bruins in the second wild card spot and the Detroit Red Wings as the first team out, but separated by .157 percentage points. Over the past two months, the Bruins have continued at the same clip but the Washington Capitals have fallen off, now sitting soundly in the second wild card spot with a .617 points percentage. On the other side of the midpoint, the Columbus Blue Jackets have emerged as the best of the rest and are sticking around the fringes of the East playoff picture with a .517 points percentage. Separated by .100 and with their final head-to-head match-up of the season approaching on Thursday, the question must be asked: can the Blue Jackets pull off the unthinkable and catch the Capitals, shaking up a conference playoff group that looked set in stone?
In terms of absolute points, Columbus sits 13 points back of Washington. However, they do hold a game in hand. Regardless, its still a significant gap between the teams with just over a quarter of the season remaining. The Blue Jackets do have an edge when it comes to remaining schedule. Not only do they have an extra game on Washington, but Columbus also has an easier slate with 11 games against playoff teams – less than half of their remaining contests. In contrast, the Capitals will face 12 playoff teams in their remaining 22 games. It is isn’t a major advantage for the Jackets, but could make all the difference in a tight race.
Statistically, the teams are not as different as it may seem. At first glance, the Capitals +28 goal differential to the Blue Jackets’ -25 looks like two teams in entirely different stratospheres. However, Columbus’ struggles are due mainly to goaltending, as Elvis Merzlikins and Joonas Korpisalo are both enduring difficult seasons and have their team ranked 30th in goals against per game. Meanwhile, Washington is ranked eighth in the same category. However, with improved play in net down the stretch, the Blue Jackets would become quite comparable to the Capitals. In terms of scoring, Washington is ranked ninth in goals for per game while Columbus is ranked 12th, separated by just 0.05. On the power play, both clubs have struggled, ranked 23rd and 24th respectively and again separated by just a marginal amount of 0.6%. On the penalty kill, the Capitals are 12th and the Jackets are 17th, but only 1.3% apart. In fact, outside of goals against the only area in which Washington is substantially outperforming Columbus is in physicality – 12th vs. 28th.
As for roster management, how the Blue Jackets consider their own playoff pursuit and approach the deadline could make all the difference. Even if the team decides to sell impending free agents like Korpisalo and Max Domi, they could still improve, especially considering the lacking play from both. With player-for-player trades or additional deals, the Blue Jackets could bring in another goaltender and add forward depth to replace Domi and help manage the injured Boone Jenner or Alexandre Texier; they wouldn’t necessarily have to be “buyers” if they target term players. Such an approach to the deadline could improve the roster and tighten the playoff race. If instead they move their rentals and opt to stick with their current roster, it would be to the advantage of the Capitals. Given their salary cap situation, Washington either has to be conservative at the deadline or get creative to make a big splash. Their overall status in the playoff picture suggests the former, but a big move from Columbus would shift the status quo.
It’s an uphill battle for Columbus and would require further decline from Washington, but the scenario is far more likely than it was a couple months ago. How might it all shake out in another month or so? Can the Blue Jackets catch the Capitals for the final wild card spot in the East?
Can The Blue Jackets Catch The Capitals?
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No 71% (835)
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Yes 18% (208)
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Maybe 11% (130)
Total votes: 1,173
AHL Shuffle: 03/13/22
The 2022 NHL Heritage Classic at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, Ontario is the highlight of Sunday’s slate, even if the Buffalo Sabres are not appointment television and the Toronto Maple Leafs have five wins in their past 11 games. An outdoor game between these regional yet cross-national Atlantic Division opponents should be an excellent event to watch and will certainly be memorable if the Sabres complete the unlikely upset and continue the Leafs’ slide. Elsewhere around the league, 18 other teams are in play, including some heavy-hitting match-ups. The Carolina Hurricanes face the Pittsburgh Penguins in a matinee battle between Metropolitan foes, the Nashville Predators and Minnesota Wild square off in a Central collision with playoff position implications, and the top two teams in the West meet again as the Colorado Avalanche host the Calgary Flames. Despite plenty of action today and just one game on the docket on Monday, keep an eye out for any and all shuffling right here:
Atlantic Division
- The Montreal Canadiens have recalled defenseman Corey Schueneman from the Laval Rocket, and he’s on his way to join the team in Philadelphia for their game tonight. Defenseman Joel Edmundson made his season debut last night against Seattle after returning from injury, but the team is taking his return to the lineup slowly by not playing him in back-to-back games. Schueneman has two points in eight games with the Habs this year.
Metropolitan Division
- As announced by the team, the New York Rangers have assigned forward Tim Gettinger to the Hartford Wolf Pack. He was one of the team’s three extra forwards as they opted for 11 forwards and seven defensemen last night against the Stars, and he has no points in eight NHL games this season. While nothing has been confirmed, it could potentially be a sign that Kaapo Kakko is close to a return to the lineup after missing roughly six weeks with an upper-body injury.
Central Division
- NBC Sports’ Charlie Roumeliotis reports that the Chicago Blackhawks have reassigned young defenseman Alec Regula to the AHL. Regula has played in six games with Chicago this season, doubling up his rookie season total from last year. Just a second-year pro, Regula has not looked out of place in limited NHL action nor in the AHL, where he has 17 points in 27 games for the Rockford IceHogs. The big defender will be one of the pieces that Chicago builds around as they begin their rebuild, but for now he does not have a permanent NHL role.
- The Dallas Stars have recalled recent waiver claim Marian Studenic from a conditioning loan to AHL Texas. The 23-year-old forward has only three points in 25 NHL games, but the Stars saw enough to warrant a claim. It remains to be seen though just how long the leash is for Studenic. With little cap space and roster flexibility to go around in Dallas, Studenic will need to show he belongs ahead of the deadline or he could hit the wire once again.
Pacific Division
- The Vegas Golden Knights have recalled Daniil Miromanov from the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights, the team announced. The rookie defenseman was demoted yesterday, but this has proven to be no more than a paper transaction given his immediate recall today. Miromanov has bounced around the junior and pro ranks in North America and Europe but at 24 has finally received NHL action this year, skating in seven games already with Vegas.
- There’s an internal roster overhaul ongoing in Los Angeles, per a team release. The Kings have placed veteran leaders Drew Doughty and Dustin Brown on injured reserve and demoted young Jaret Anderson-Dolan to the AHL’s Ontario Reign. In their place, forwards Gabriel Vilardi and Martin Frk and defenseman Austin Strand have been recalled. All three have played for L.A. this season, albeit in limited action, and now face the tall task of helping the injury-depleted roster stay on track in their postseason pursuit.
- The Calgary Flames have made a man-for-man swap, assigning forward Adam Ruzicka to the Stockton Heat and calling up defenseman Connor Mackey. Ruzicka, often an extra this season, was nearing the end of his waiver ineligibility. Mackey, who scored three points in six Flames games at the tail end of last season, gets a chance to get into the NHL lineup for the first time this season.
Lindenwood University To Add Division I NCAA Hockey
UPDATE: More than a year after the initial announcement and having withstood considerable skepticism due in no small part to the pandemic, Lindenwood University is set to confirm that they will in fact sponsor Division I hockey next season. Bally Sports’ Andy Strickland reports that an official announcement is expected soon. Lindenwood Athletic Director Brad Wachler reportedly informed the Lions’ coaches and players on Friday that they would be joining the top ranks of the NCAA in 2022-23, putting to rest any rumors to the contrary. College hockey will be arriving in St. Louis this fall.
February 4, 2021: The newest addition to the Division I ranks of NCAA hockey is a school that most college sports fans likely know little about. Jeff Cox of the New England Hockey Journal reports that Lindenwood University of St. Charles, Missouri, is set to add Division I men’s hockey in 2022-23, joining it’s Division I women’s program. Unlike college hockey’s most recent addition, Long Island University, Lindenwood is primarily a Division II athletic department and located in an untraditional area of the U.S. for college hockey. Yet, the school is reportedly ready to go ahead with the major step of adding a top-level program in one of the NCAA’s most popular sports.
Lindenwood, a university of less than 7,500 students located in a suburb of St. Louis, may seem like a strange option for Division I hockey. Not only has the school never sponsored men’s hockey in the NCAA, but their ACHA club program only started in 2003. Geographically, they are also an oddity as they will be one of just three programs considered to be south of the Mason-Dixon Line and are located 400 miles or more from the nearest Division I competitors like Notre Dame, Miami (OH), Nebraska-Omaha, or Alabama-Huntsville.
Yet, Lindenwood is actually not as surprising a Division I addition as it may seem. Since 2009, the Lions’ ACHA team has won three titles and finished runner-up three times at the league’s highest level and has a runner-up finish in the second division as well. It is no surprise that their rise as an ACHA powerhouse has corresponded with the growth of grassroots hockey in the St. Louis area. The school undoubtedly will hope to capitalize on that local talent, as well as becoming another close-to-home option for young players from the South or Midwest. The department is also equipped to handle the many additional requirements of sponsoring a Division I sport, not only due to their women’s team, but also as a former full Division I member from 2012 to 2019, during which time they added several new programs.
With participation in the NCAA among NHL draft picks continuing to grow with each year, and the collegiate game overall growing with it, new programs may continue to pop up in the coming years. As an institution located near a historic NHL city who has experienced great success in hockey in recent years, Lindenwood will be a welcome addition to the Division I ranks and could find quick success along the lines of Arizona State University if they can make the most of their unique location and recruiting base.
Snapshots: Paul, Hughes, PWHPA
Nick Paul has a decision to make and is running out of time to do so. The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reports that progress on a new contract for the impending UFA is still lacking and that Paul appears to be the one dragging his feet. Both Paul and the Ottawa Senators have publicly stated interest in an extension, but with just eight days until the NHL Trade Deadline there has been nothing new on that front. A hard-working, two-way forward, Paul has earned the respect of his teammates and coaches as well as the fans in Ottawa. As the Senators look to take a step forward as a club, they do not want to allow homegrown talent to walk away. However, if Paul cannot give them any assurance by the deadline, GM Pierre Dorion and company will have little choice but to make a trade. Paul is drawing considerable interest and the rebuilding Senators would gain valuable capital in a move. They would prefer to keep him, but that decision remains out of their hands so long as Paul cannot make a commitment to a new contract.
- Another impressive Hughes is heading to Michigan; however, this one has no relation to Quinn or Luke. The Wolverines have received a commitment from record-breaking AJHL scorer T.J. Hughes, as announced by his current team, the Brooks Bandits. At 20 years old, Hughes is an older prospect and college commit, but has earned his spot with an elite program like Michigan this season. Hughes just completed a 66-goal, 127-points season in just 60 games – an incredible 2.12 points per game. It was the most goals in a single season in Brooks history, as well as a top-ten historical mark in the AJHL and the first 60+ goal season in the league since before the turn of the century. As the star-studded Wolverines continue to chase an NCAA title this season, their incoming classes also continue to grow more and more impressive. Meanwhile, the Bandits are a juggernaut in the AJHL as the playoffs begin. The team holds the top seed in the postseason and each of the top four scorers in the league. They will look to make the most of Hughes’ efforts before he departs for Ann Arbor.
- The Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association is closing in on the formation of a fully-funded league. Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek reports that the PWHPA is nearing an announcement of a women’s league that would be the first of its kind in terms of financial backing and sponsor support. The PWHPA represents players that broke off from the PHF (and its previous iterations) and has only been operating as showcases to this point, but a change seems to be on the horizon. Of note, Marek does not believe that this newly-constructed league has any association with the PHF and the two will likely exist separately as competing leagues. Additionally, there is no evidence as of yet to suggest that the NHL is tied in to this new league either.