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Archives for May 2022

Philadelphia Flyers Extend Linus Sandin

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The Philadelphia Flyers are in hot pursuit of one of the NHL’s biggest-name coaches, but that hasn’t stopped them from getting some offseason work done as well. The Flyers announced today that they have re-signed forward Linus Sandin to a one-year, two-way contract worth $750,000.

Sandin, 26, is an undrafted player who has spent the past two seasons in the Flyers’ organization. He is the brother of Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Rasmus Sandin. He is a veteran of four SHL seasons, having played for two clubs: HV71 and Rogle BK. After a first season in the SHL where he struggled to score, Sandin began to figure things out and scored 35 goals over the next two seasons. He had 10 points in 20 games in 2020-21 before coming over to the Flyers’ AHL affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, and posting a healthy 10 points in 26 games. This season he had 20 points in 36 games and made his NHL debut. For Sandin, this extension and his choice to remain in North America indicate that he is committed to building off of this past season in order to keep his chances of getting back into an NHL lineup alive.

Sandin is hardly a prospect at 26 years old, but he still has only 63 games of experience on North American ice and is an established, quality player at the SHL level. So his ultimate place within the Flyers organization is hardly a settled matter. As the Flyers embark on an offseason where there could be major changes, bringing Sandin back into the fold gives the club a low-cost player who has the chance to become something if he plays well.

Kristian Vesalainen Signs In SHL

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May 23rd: The signing is now official, with the Malmo Redhawks officially announcing the addition of Vesalainen today.

May 21st: Jets winger Kristian Vesalainen has failed to make much of an impact in his four seasons in North America and it appears he’s opting for a change of scenery as Expressen’s Johan Svensson reports that Vesalainen is expected to sign with Malmo of the SHL for next season with an official announcement coming as soon as next week.

The 22-year-old was a first-round pick of Winnipeg back in 2017 (24th overall) but has failed to produce with any sort of consistency.  He played in 53 NHL games this season but managed just two goals and one assist while averaging just 8:40 per contest.  In the minors, he hasn’t fared much better as his best output was a 30-point showing in 2019-20, hardly the type of numbers teams want to see from a first-round prospect.

As a result, a return overseas certainly would make sense for Vesalainen.  He’s waiver-eligible beginning next season and as a result, he’d likely be earmarked for another limited role if he stayed with Winnipeg who almost certainly wouldn’t want to expose him to waivers to get him back to AHL Manitoba.  But if he wants to play a bigger role and show that he still has some offensive upside, playing in Sweden will give him a better chance to do just that.

As Vesalainen is a restricted free agent this summer, the Jets can still retain his NHL rights by issuing a qualifying offer.  In doing so, they’ll at least have the right to try to bring him back in a couple of years if his performance improves overseas which would give them one more chance to salvage some value out of a draft pick that hasn’t panned out so far.

Latest On Frederik Andersen

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The Carolina Hurricanes are two wins away from the Eastern Conference Final, and they have gotten there in large part thanks to the heroics of backup goaltender Antti Raanta. Raanta took the starter’s crease in Carolina after regular starter Frederik Andersen suffered a major injury, and hasn’t looked back. In these playoffs, Raanta has a .939 save percentage and a 1.86 goals-against-average, two elite marks. But now a month removed from the initial injury to Andersen, it seems that the Hurricanes’ goaltending situation is about to become uncertain once again, albeit for different reasons.

The Hurricanes’ goaltending uncertainty was once driven by a lack of options. They had Raanta, who had a decent 28-game stretch in the regular season, but his name wouldn’t exactly strike fear in the hearts of the Eastern Conference’s top contenders. But now, as the Hurricanes inch closer to the Conference Finals, their goaltending situation looks increasingly uncertain once again, but this time for the opposite reason: an overabundance of options. Today, Andersen returned to the ice, practicing with his teammates as they prepared for tomorrow’s game against the New York Rangers.

Per the practice report from Walt Ruff of NHL.com, this was Andersen’s first time skating since his April 16th injury, and he worked for 20 minutes. Forward Sebastian Aho spoke glowingly about his performance, saying “I don’t think I scored on him once today, so he’s still a great goalie.” But coach Rod Brind’Amour was more reserved about Andersen’s situation, opting to keep his cards closer to his chest. Brind’Amour told the media: “I’ll tell you when he’s an option, how about that.”

The Athletic’s Sara Civian reported that Andersen “was taking shots and saving them normally” and “walked off the ice normally.” While this development does indicate that a return for Andersen could be right around the corner, his participation in only half of practice does communicate that the Hurricanes could prefer to offer him as much time as possible to get to full health. Raanta’s play has given them the option to do so, and choosing patience with regard to Andersen’s health does have the added benefit of stalling the eventual need to choose between a red-hot Raanta and Andersen, who was in the conversation for the Vezina trophy at times during this season.

Regardless of what happens going forward with the Hurricanes and Andersen, it’s likely that any choice Brind’Amour makes will be highly scrutinized. That being said, though, there are definitely worse situations to be in than having to choose between two in-form goaltenders who have each played extremely well.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

East Notes: Giordano, Rust, Hextall

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Yesterday, Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Mark Giordano signed a two-year extension to remain in Toronto, an extension that was immediately characterized as being highly team-friendly in nature. It seems that the team-friendly nature of the extension was by design and by the request of Giordano himself. According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, the original deal between Giordano and Toronto was “around” $1MM AAV, but Giordano preferred to sign at around $200K lower than that offer in order to allow the Maple Leafs “go out and do something else to help [them] win.”

While $200,000 may seem like a relatively small amount within the grand scale of the NHL’s salary structure, one has to remember that it is a significant amount of money for any person. For Giordano to reportedly forgo that amount of money, a sum that he has rightfully earned with his play in Toronto, in order for his team to have a little extra wiggle room to add players is an incredibly generous gesture. Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas said as much, referencing a “tremendous sacrifice” in Giordano’s contract negotiation process. The Maple Leafs have serious designs on competing for a Stanley Cup in the near future, and it now is evident that at least one of their players has quite literally bought into that vision.

Now, for some other notes regarding the league’s Eastern Conference teams:

  • The Penguins recently extended forward Bryan Rust on a six-year deal worth just over $5MM per year. Today, Penguins GM Ron Hextall had some other news regarding Rust, stating that the forward had undergone a “clean-up” surgery. Hextall downplayed the importance of the operation, stating that it was only a minor procedure and that Rust will be ready for the start of next season. Given the amount the team has now invested in Rust and his health, it’s important for Rust to be on the right health footing at the start of next season so the Penguins can hit the ground running on their next chance to win a Stanley Cup.
  • With the pending unrestricted free agencies of Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin looming, some believe that next season could be a transitional one for the Penguins, where they perhaps take a small step back from true contention in order to re-tool and extend their overall competitive window. Today, Hextall spoke on that idea and clarified the direction of the Penguins franchise. He stated, as relayed by Mike DeFabo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, that the team is going to “continue on trying to win the Stanley Cup,” and that their new owners, Fenway Sports Group, are “totally on board” with this all-in approach. Despite the contract uncertainty of Malkin and Letang, two players Hextall deemed “generational,” it looks as though the Penguins will not be embarking on the re-tool some fans believe they need and instead will be doubling down on their chance to win a Stanley Cup with their current core.

Calgary Flames To Relocate AHL Affiliate

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While the headlines surrounding the Calgary Flames are all about their Battle of Alberta playoff series against the Edmonton Oilers, the organization does have some major unrelated news as well. The American Hockey League announced today that its Board of Governors has approved the relocation of the Flames’ affiliate, the Stockton Heat, from Stockton, California to Calgary. The league’s official announcement read as follows:

American Hockey League President and Chief Executive Officer Scott Howson announced that the AHL Board of Governors, convening last week for its Spring Meeting, has approved the relocation of the franchise owned by the Calgary Flames from Stockton, Calif., to Calgary, Alta., beginning with the 2022-23 season.

Details relating to the transfer are in progress and the AHL and the Flames will provide more information when finalized. Division alignment for the 2022-23 AHL season, which will begin October 14, will also be finalized at a later date.

There is no word on yet on where the Flames’ affiliate will be playing in Calgary, but this move comes as part of a larger trend towards moving AHL affiliates closer to their NHL parent clubs. The Montreal Canadiens, Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks and Vancouver Canucks are all teams that have moved their AHL affiliates closer to their home markets in the past.

The Canucks example is particularly relevant for the Flames because of the success of their move from an established AHL market in Utica, New York to Abbotsford, British Columbia. Patrick Williams of TheAHL.com notes that the success of the Canucks’ move to Abbotsford gives confidence that the Flames’ move will prove a success. Because optimizing for easier travel and smaller travel costs is so important for the health of minor league sports, the fact that the success of the Canucks and their move can serve as a blueprint for the Flames’ move is no small factor. At the very least, this relocation will make it so the logistical challenge of the Flames calling up AHL-ers on short notice will be significantly reduced.

Snapshots: Trotz, Devils Draft, Senators Draft

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Barry Trotz is the hottest name on the coaching market right now. The Winnipeg Jets have already interviewed him, and we previously covered that the Chicago Blackhawks and Philadelphia Flyers have interest in Trotz as well. Along with those teams, you can add two more organizations into the mix. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Trotz’s list of suitors is “expected to include” the Vegas Golden Knights and Detroit Red Wings.

Both Vegas and Detroit recently fired their coaches, though that’s about where the similarities end between the two franchises. The Golden Knights are an organization with sky-high aspirations and a roster equipped for long playoff runs. The Red Wings, on the other hand, are just beginning to emerge from a rebuild and have a roster with some young stars such as Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond but also enough flaws to keep them from being widely seen as a true contender. With these two teams now in the chase for Trotz, it seems that he will have the pick of the litter when it comes to where he will work next. As one of the most widely respected individuals in hockey, Trotz’s choice will likely say a lot about the direction of the franchise he chooses and be a reason for optimism for that team’s fanbase.

Now, for some other notes from across the NHL:

  • We previously covered when Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald publicly communicated a willingness to deal his team’s top draft pick for an impact player, but many have wondered if that willingness still exists since the Devils won the second pick in the draft. According to Friedman, the Devils “will still consider” the possibility of moving the pick. Friedman reports that the Devils are in the process of “firming up a list of players they would consider moving the pick for.” One player who many have speculated will be on that list is Minnesota Wild forward Kevin Fiala. Fiala will be 26 at the start of next season and fits the Devils’ competitive timeline. He also is coming off an extremely productive 85-point season, and the Wild are going to be hard-pressed to find the cap space to keep him. It’s a natural fit for each side, and it seems from Friedman’s reporting that it’s the kind of situation the Devils will ponder as the calendar turns to June.
  • Another GM has also communicated a willingness to move a top-ten pick for an impact player: the Ottawa Senators. Per Friedman, the Senators, who pick seventh-overall, are also curious about the possibility of using that pick to acquire a player more immediately able to help their team win. Friedman reports that the Senators “want someone with term,” and speculates that there should be a “wider range” of possibilities at the seventh pick compared to the second. The Senators have a strong prospect pool but finished 26th in the standings, so GM Pierre Dorion’s interest in exchanging his premium draft pick for more proven assets is definitely reasonable.

Milan Lucic Not Expected To Receive Supplementary Discipline

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When Calgary Flames forward Milan Lucic received a match penalty last night for colliding with Edmonton Oilers goaltender Mike Smith, it came with an automatic review from the NHL’s Department of Player Safety. It appears as though there will be nothing more to come from the incident, as Emily Kaplan of ESPN tweets that there will not be supplementary discipline from the league.

The 15 minutes of penalties that Lucic was officially credited with were nearly twice as many as he actually played last night, as the veteran forward has been pushed down into a very limited role so far in the series. In three games he has yet to record a shot on net against his former team and now has racked up 21 penalty minutes in the second-round series.

Smith, meanwhile, was forced from the game by concussion spotters but returned a few minutes later to wild applause from the Rogers Place crowd. The Oilers managed to win the game and take a 2-1 series lead, with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Evander Kane once again leading the way offensively.

Some fans will remember another collision between Lucic and a goaltender that did not result in a suspension, though the two incidents came in very different on-ice situations.

The two teams will be back at it Thursday night.

Morning Notes: Start Times, Audette, Gretsky

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The NHL has officially announced start times for each of the game fives, including Thursday night’s Carolina-New York and Edmonton-Calgary matchups. Those will go at 7:00 pm ET and 9:30 pm ET respectively, as Calgary and New York try to even their series. The Tampa Bay Lightning meanwhile have a chance to finish things off tonight on the second half of a back-to-back against the Florida Panthers.

More from around the hockey world:

  • KHL club Vityaz Podolsk has announced the signing of former AHL star Daniel Audette, a surprising move given the exodus of foreign players from the league since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Audette played part of last season with the club but ended his year with 18 games for Orebro HK in the SHL. He’ll now go back to the KHL for next season, where he has already proven he can be a difference-maker. In 45 games last season, the 26-year-old forward scored 17 goals and 39 points, continuing his trend of posting strong offensive numbers at every stop. Originally selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2014 draft, he never did play a game in the NHL.
  • “Gretsky Signs In KHL” could have been a headline today, as Amur Khabarovsk announced the signing of Vyacheslav Gretsky to a tryout contract. The 25-year-old forward is obviously of no relation to the Gretzky that North American fans are more familiar with (Brent, that is), but did experience a breakout campaign in Belarus last season. The 6’5″ forward had 19 goals and 35 points in 53 games, earning him another chance to play in the KHL.

Brandon Hagel Avoids Suspension, Earns Fine

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The Tampa Bay Lightning will still have Brandon Hagel in the lineup when they try to complete the sweep of the Florida Panthers this evening. The young forward avoided suspension and received a $3,750 fine from the Department of Player Safety for his hit on Eetu Luostarinen. The fine is the maximum allowable under the current CBA.

Hagel, 23, was originally given a major penalty for boarding but had it reduced to a two-minute minor after an official review. The incident occurred partway through the first period, as he delivered a cross-check to Luostarinen’s back a few feet from the boards, sending him headfirst into the corner. Luostarinen did end up returning later in the period and played nearly 14 minutes in the game.

One of the prized trade deadline acquisitions, Hagel has represented some secondary scoring and depth for the Lightning these playoffs, recording four points in ten games so far. While he is averaging just 13:25 of ice time, the young forward–who is signed at a very reasonable $1.5MM per season through 2023-24–has already shown signs of being able to play higher in the lineup next year when the team is forced to see other veteran names depart.

On this occasion, he may have taken his feisty play over the line but will escape without having to miss a game and pay nothing more than a nearly insignificant fine.

Chicago Blackhawks Sign Filip Roos

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The Chicago Blackhawks have finally landed their European target, signing Filip Roos to a two-year contract. The entry-level deal will carry an average annual value of $925K, and extends through the 2024-25 season. General manager Kyle Davidson released a statement:

Filip is a big body who possesses strong skating abilities for his size. That’s a combination of traits that teams across the league are always searching for. Filip played valuable minutes in Sweden’s top league this season and he will strengthen our pool of defensive prospects.

Roos was first linked to the Blackhawks in April when he was about to start his SHL playoffs. Unfortunately, he and the rest of Skelleftea AIK were eliminated rather quickly, with Roos recording just one point in six postseason appearances. While that followed his lack of offensive production from the regular season, when he scored just six points in 50 games, there is actually some upside at that side of the ice left untapped.

The 6’4″ undrafted defenseman performed quite well in the Swedish second league a year ago, adding 28 points in 52 games. His size and, perhaps most notably, excellent skating ability, make him an interesting prospect for the rebuilding Blackhawks. There will likely be plenty of playing time available in Chicago the next few years, and one way to quickly turn around an organization’s fortunes is by finding hidden gems in the undrafted market.

Still, given how little experience Roos has at the SHL level–this was his first season there–asking him to step directly into the NHL is likely out of the question. He’ll likely take some time to develop, either at the AHL level or back in Sweden for the 2022-23 campaign, where he is still under contract. He’ll have to be offered back because of the recently-signed transfer agreement, though only if he fails to make the Blackhawks. Even then, there are ways to get him to the AHL and into the Chicago development system, though that likely won’t be decided for some time.

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