Toronto’s D.J. Smith A Candidate For Ottawa’s Head Coach Vacancy
The Ottawa Senators’ season has officially been over for more than three weeks and was statistically over long before that. Yet, the team has still not made a decision behind the bench, after head coach Guy Boucher was fired in early March. Interim head coach Marc Crawford closed out the year and remains a candidate to take on the full-time job, but it was expected that the Senators would consider a number of names for the position. However, it has been very quiet on the coaching front, perhaps as the team still has yet to fill another position, President of Hockey Operations.
The other possibility is that the majority of the intriguing coaching candidates for GM Pierre Dorion could be assistants with playoff teams, who either remain focused on the postseason or were only recently eliminated. Hinting at this scenario is the first real leak of hiring news out of Ottawa in weeks: Pierre LeBrun reports that the team intends to interview Toronto Maple Leafs assistant coach D.J. Smith for the head coach position. Smith’s Leafs were eliminated from the postseason less than a week ago and only now has he become available for consideration.
Smith, 41, is an Ontario native who has worked with the Leafs since 2015 as an assistant. A long-time assistant with the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires, Smith got his break when he was named the head coach of the rival Oshawa Generals in 2012 and it didn’t take long for him to then move into his first NHL role. He would again be moving to another in-province rival if he makes the jump from Toronto to Ottawa. His experience working with younger players would certainly benefit him with the rebuilding Senators, as would his knowledge of the Maple Leafs, who pop up quite frequently on the schedule. Smith has the makings of a future NHL head coach and this does seem to be an ideal situation for him to make that jump.
In addition to Smith, The Athletic’s Chris Stevenson lists several other names expected to get interviews, many of which come as little surprise. Crawford, AHL Belleville head coach Troy Mann, and veteran Jacques Martin, also a candidate for the Buffalo Sabres’ opening, are obvious contenders for the Ottawa opening. However, a more intriguing name – like Smith – is also included in Providence College’s Nate Leaman. With a mix of experience, convenience, and upside among their candidates, it is finally looking like the Senators could soon take steps toward hiring their new head coach.
Bruins Notes: Krejci, Pastrnak, Providence
Following Game One against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy announced that center David Krejci was considered day-to-day with an undisclosed injury suffered during the contest. Krejci was the recipient of a big hit from former teammate Riley Nash and left the game shortly after, followed by concern for his availability for the rest of the series. Yet, the Bruins were quick to announce this morning that Krejci is on the ice for morning skate, as well as participating in his regular spots on the second line and second power play unit. Officially, he remains a game time decision, but a successful skate would indicate that the veteran pivot should be ready to go for tonight’s game. Krejci has a modest five points in eight games for the Boston in this postseason, but has proven to be a potent playoff producer in the past and will be a key part to the Bruins’ continued run. Krejci has twice led the NHL in playoff scoring (2011, 2013) and just last year posted ten points in twelve games. If he can stay healthy, the Bruins hope to see numbers like that this year as well.
- Line rushes at morning skate also revealed that Cassidy has shaken up his top-six, which has failed to produce through each of the team’s past two games. The switch comes at left wing, where David Pastrnak is back up to the top line with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand, while Danton Heinen slides down to play on Krejci’s line. Pastrnak may have six points thus far in these playoffs, tied for second on the Bruins, but has largely been held in check. Both the Blue Jackets and Toronto Maple Leafs did a good job of suffocating the dynamic winger, playing tight, physical defense and not allowing him the space to play to his strengths. The result has been long periods of invisible play, as well as frequent turnovers and poor passes. Cassidy clearly feels that time has come for a change and Boston will go back to stacking their top line with their three best forwards, hoping the group can find the same success as they did in the regular season. For what it’s worth, Heinen has been the Bruins’ best player this postseason from an analytics perspective, so there may not be a major drop-off on the second line as a result of the move.
- The AHL’s Providence Bruins saw their season come to a close last night as they were eliminated in the first round of the Calder Cup Playoffs by the Charlotte Checkers, affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes – a possible opponent for Boston in the next round. The next step for several of Providence’s top players will be to report to Boston as playoff reinforcements. This is not inconsequential, as the likes of Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson, Peter Cehlarik, Trent Frederic, and Jeremy Lauzon all played meaningful roles for the Bruins at times over this season, while veterans like Lee Stempniak and Paul Carey were specifically brought in to provide experienced depth in case of emergency in the postseason. It would not be a surprise to see one or more of these players potentially draw in if the Bruins’ current lineup doesn’t get the results they want or runs into injury issues. The more exciting story line would be for top prospects Jack Studnicka and Urho Vaakanainen to find their way into the lineup, but that seems more likely to happen next season.
Minor Transactions: 04/26/19
The second round has started and 23 teams are now no longer in contention for the Stanley Cup. The Boston Bruins got off to a good start last night when Charlie Coyle converted in overtime, while the St. Louis Blues continued their second half domination with another playoff win. Tonight will feature the Carolina Hurricanes trying to hand the New York Islanders their first loss of the playoffs, while the Colorado Avalanche try to slay another Pacific Division powerhouse. As always, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves as teams prepare for action—or a long summer.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have sent Trevor Moore back to the minor leagues now that their season is finished. Moore looked like he had established himself as a full-time NHL option during the last few weeks of the season, but will now try to help the Toronto Marlies defend their Calder Cup title as AHL champions. Moore will be joined by Michael Hutchinson who has also been sent down now that his turn as the Maple Leafs backup goaltender is over.
Snapshots: Bouchard, King, Canucks
Evan Bouchard has been named OHL Defenseman of the Year, receiving the Max Kaminsky Trophy for 2018-19. Bouchard put up 53 points in 45 games for the London Knights, captaining the squad after returning from a brief stint in the NHL. Selected tenth overall last June, Bouchard played seven games for the Edmonton Oilers at the beginning of the season and recorded his first NHL goal in the process. The 19-year old then returned to the OHL where he routinely logged close to 30 minutes in ice time for the Knights and was a dominant player in the playoffs, recording another 21 points in just 11 games. He is now
Finished his junior career now, it seems likely that Bouchard will spend the 2019-20 season with the Oilers as a full-time member of their defense. The Oakville, Ontario native is an elite puck mover and has excellent offensive instincts. Jumping into rushes or getting pucks through traffic, Bouchard is one of the most dynamic goal-scoring threats in among junior defenseman and will try to carry over that production to the NHL level. Any doubt that he’ll be able to might have been pushed aside when he recorded three points in his AHL debut earlier this week.
- The Rockford IceHogs have removed the interim tag from Derek King‘s job title, making him the head coach moving forward. King took over when Jeremy Colliton was promoted to the NHL and finished with a 29-28-7 record behind the bench. The team has also given assistant coach Anders Sorensen a multi-year extension, providing some stability for the AHL organization.
- Rick Dhaliwal of Sportsnet provides updates on several Vancouver Canucks prospects, tweeting that Linus Karlsson, Kristoffer Gunnarsson, Artyom Manukyan and Toni Utunen are all expected to stay overseas for next season. As Dhaliwal subsequently points out, Gunnarsson’s exclusive draft rights expire on June 1st of this season meaning he will become an unrestricted free agent if the Canucks don’t get him under contract. The 22-year old defenseman was a fifth round pick in 2017, but has just two points in his 124-game SHL career.
Minor Transactions: 04/25/19
The second round is coming up and all four wild card entries are still alive. The NHL playoffs is a wild and crazy ride this season but hockey fans everywhere are loving it. As the eight remaining teams prepare for action in the coming days, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves right here.
- Clark Bishop is back up with the Carolina Hurricanes as the team prepares for their second round matchup with the New York Islanders. Bishop has bounced up and down during the postseason due to the injuries to Andrei Svechnikov and Micheal Ferland, and will once again be considered an insurance policy for the start of round two.
- The Boston Bruins have recalled Zane McIntyre to serve as a third goaltender while they get set to face the Columbus Blue Jackets. In addition, the team has assigned Kyle Keyser to the minor leagues after his OHL team was eliminated from the junior playoffs.
- Joe Cannata is on his way to the Colorado Avalanche, recalled today from the minor leagues. Cannata played most of the season at the ECHL level, but can give the team an extra practice goaltender for the time being.
- Dylan Gambrell, Lukas Radil and Josef Korenar are on their way to San Jose, joining the Sharks after their AHL club was eliminated from the playoffs last night. The San Jose Barracuda lost in four games to the San Diego Gulls, meaning the Sharks will have some extra bodies hanging around for their playoff run.
Canucks Sign Thatcher Demko To Two-Year Extension
The Vancouver Canucks have several restricted free agents to get under contract before next season, but they’ve managed to get a prominent one done early on this off-season. The Canucks announced today that they have signed goaltender Thatcher Demko to a two-year contract extension. The new deal carries a $1.05MM AAV in each of the two seasons, a value that could prove to be a bargain for the promising netminder. On top of that, the 23-year-old will again be an RFA at the conclusion of this contract, making this very much a risk-free move by Vancouver.
Demko, a second-round pick out of Boston College in 2014, has been slow to come along, but has finally started to live up to his draft stock. The talented young keeper appeared in only on NHL game in 2017-18 (and struggled), but made nine appearances this year to the tune of a .913 save percentage. That alone is good for a rookie goalie, but even more promising when paired with three years of strong AHL numbers. While Demko has good size at 6’4″, he is first and foremost and athletic goalie. He doesn’t need to use his reflexes to compensate for his stature, but has those next-level instincts all the same. Yet, he also has composure that stands out against other young goalies. With continued coaching, Demko could be a top goalie in the NHL
Demko has been a rising star since Boston College through AHL Utica and will now take on a full-time roll in Vancouver. The question remaining is how soon he will be expected to be the starter. Despite his ample ability, Demko’s window may be small. Current starter Jacob Markstrom is signed through next season; given Demko’s reasonable salary, the team may opt to extend Markstrom as well if Demko cannot assume starter duty in 2019-20. On the other end of the spectrum, if Demko can’t take over the reins in the next few years, prospect Michael DiPietro could be gunning for the starter’s job before too long. DiPietro, 19, was a third-round pick in 2017 and has quickly risen to elite status among goalie prospects. DiPietro was forced into an unfortunate NHL debut this season, but has otherwise been remarkable in the OHL and at the World Juniors. Demko will have a fire under him to play at his best and prove himself to be starter material as soon as possible, so that the Canucks don’t get any ideas about Markstrom, DiPietro, or anyone else as a better long-term solution in net.
Kris Versteeg Signs AHL Contract
Kris Versteeg is back. The veteran forward has signed a one-year contract with the Rockford IceHogs for 2019-20 to play in the AHL. Versteeg spent the 2018-19 season in the KHL and Sweden after failing to get an NHL contract, but will return to North America to continue his professional career.
Now 32, Versteeg has seen it all in his hockey career. Originally selected in the fifth round by the Boston Bruins in 2004, he would eventually battle for the Calder Trophy in 2008-09 after scoring 22 goals and 53 points as a rookie for the Chicago Blackhawks. Versteeg would win the first of two Stanley Cups with the Blackhawks the following year, but found himself on the trade block for basically the next decade.
Spending time with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Philadelphia Flyers, Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, Los Angeles Kings and Calgary Flames in addition to two stints with the Blackhawks, the veteran has long been a solid if unspectacular offensive contributor. The fact that he will be rejoining the Blackhawks organization is a coming home of sorts, and should give the AHL squad a bit of a scoring punch for next season.
While an AHL contract doesn’t actually mean Versteeg is part of the Chicago roster, it could potentially lead to an NHL deal if he proves capable. We’ve seen other veterans take similar deals, though they often play on professional tryouts instead of full blown AHL contracts. Lee Stempniak for instance spent time with the Providence Bruins this season before eventually signing a contract with Boston just before the trade deadline in order to be eligible for playoffs. Versteeg could be in a similar situation for 2019-20.
Snapshots: Svechnikov, Hischier, Lack
It appears as though the Carolina Hurricanes aren’t going to rush back one of their young stars, as head coach Rod Brind’Amour told reporters, including Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer. that Andrei Svechnikov is “doubtful” for tomorrow’s game. The Hurricanes are on the brink of elimination, but with Svechnikov such an integral part of their future and dealing with such a serious injury, the team simply can’t push him back too fast. With the Washington Capitals losing T.J. Oshie for the rest of the series (if not the playoffs), both teams will be short-handed in game six.
- While Switzerland isn’t a traditional hockey powerhouse, they have performed as well as anyone at recent international events. The Swiss are coming off a silver medal finish at last season’s IIHF World Championship, and will add a top name to the squad for this season. The New Jersey Devils today announced that Nico Hischier will be suiting up for his country in next month’s tournament, adding a dangerous offensive player to a group that is always extremely disciplined in their own end.
- One of Hischier’s former Devils teammates may be leaving the NHL. Swedish news source Hockeypuls reports that veteran goaltender Eddie Lack is in talks to return to his native Sweden to play for Leksands IF of the SHL. The 31-year-old is an impending free agent who did not make an NHL appearance this season and was limited by injuries to just six AHL starts with pedestrian results. While Lack has played in close to 150 NHL games, he has not been a regular contributor for two years and has not put up standout numbers for another two years before that. It’s time for Lack to move on with his career, and Leksands is reportedly excited to bring him in. The team was just promoted back to the SHL and acquiring an experience netminder could help them avoid being relegated right back to the Allsvenskan. Lack played for the organization for three years prior to jumping to North America and would be welcomed back with open arms.
AHL Notes: Ness, Wild, Barach
It was a scary moment for everyone in attendance when Hershey Bears defenseman Aaron Ness lay motionless on the ice during last night’s Calder Cup playoff game against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. The 28-year old fell and collided head first into the end boards, not moving for several minutes as the medical staff brought out a stretcher. The entire Bears team stood stoically while their teammate was rolled off the ice, hoping he would be okay.
Good news came down today, as the team announced that though Ness did go straight to hospital for further evaluation he was in stable condition and was expected to be released. Obviously there is no timeline for his return to action, as his health is the first priority in an incident as serious as this.
- The Iowa Wild have signed three players to amateur tryouts for the remainder of the season, bringing in Shawn Boudrias, Alexander Khovanov and recently signed Brandon Duhaime. Khovanov may be the most interesting of the group, as the 18-year old put up 74 points in 64 games while playing in the QMJHL this season. The third-round pick signed his entry-level deal last month, and will be a name to watch over the next few seasons to see if he can compete for a spot on the NHL roster.
- Derek Barach had been playing with the Cleveland Monsters on a tryout since finishing his college career at Mercyhurst, and will stay on with the club for another year. The 24-year old forward signed a one-year AHL contract with the Monsters for next season, giving the team another offensive weapon for next season. Barach had 11 points in 15 games with the team down the stretch, but hasn’t been able to light the lamp yet in the postseason.
Several Liiga Champions Looking To Make NHL Jump
Finland’s Liiga had their own version of the Tampa Bay Lightning this season, only one that has gotten the job done in the playoffs thus far. Karpat, the reigning Liiga champion, has been unstoppable all season long in pursuit of a title defense. Building off the success of their 2017-18 campaign, the team was the regular season champion by 29 points over the next-best competitor and finished with a +106 goal differential while just one other team in the league topped +27. Through the first two rounds of the postseason, Karpat has needed just ten games to dispatch their opponents, all while allowing just 13 goals against. The Liiga Final begins today, as Karpat takes on the No. 5-seeded HPK, a team that they are not expected to have much trouble with.
Given their dominant regular season and early playoff success, it is hard to make a case that Karpat is not undoubtedly the Liiga’s best team this season, regardless of how the final turns out. As usual, the best players on the best team in a major European league are garnering a fair amount of attention. Finnish news source Ilta Sanomat reports that upwards of seven of Karpat’s veteran core players could leave the team for greener pastures. Of that group, the reporter indicates that leading scorer Ville Leskinen and top defensive pair Teemu Kivihalme and Jani Hakanpaa are almost certainly headed to the NHL. The terrific goalie tandem of Veini Vehvilainen and NHL veteran Jussi Rynnas could also be headed to North America. Not mentioned are top NHL prospects Aleksi Heponiemi and Rasmus Kupari, who are both considered likely to join their drafted clubs.
Leskinen, 25, is the big name included on this list as a highly-sought after free agent scorer. An undrafted product who has played in the Karpat system for his entire life, Leskinen’s production has increased exponentially over each of the past few seasons. This year, he tied for the Liiga scoring title and was one of just three qualifying players to finish in the point-per-game range with 57 points in 58 games. He also finished second overall in the league with 29 goals and a +31 rating. He has since added a league-leading five goals in the playoffs to go along with six assists through just ten games. A right-shot winger with decent size and great hands, Leskinen has proven that he can be a star in the Liiga, but is out to show that he can also make an impact in the NHL. Expect many teams to be willing to give him that chance. At 25 years old, Leskinen is still within the laws of the entry-level system, meaning teams will have to find ways other than salary to convince the talented Finn to join them.
Both Kivihalme and Hakanpaa are former NHL prospects who never signed with their teams, but are reportedly going to be in the league after all with deals “in the final stages”. Kivihalme, 23, was curious case due to his commitment to North American hockey. The puck-moving defender spent much of his childhood in Minnesota and even has American citizenship. After a strong high school career, Kivihalme was drafted by the Nashville Predators in 2013 and eventually went on to play for Colorado College. However, he did not complete his NCAA eligibility, opting instead to turn pro in Finland after three years. The Predators let his draft rights expire, so Kivihalme is now very much a free agent who should draw considerable interest as Karpat’s top defenseman. Hakanpaa has a very different game and very different story from his pair mate. The 6’5″, 207 lb. 27-year-old was a fourth-round pick of the St. Louis Blues out of the Finnish junior ranks all the way back in 2010. While he never earned a contract from the team, he appeared at several camps, played in the preseason, and spent parts of three seasons with their AHL affiliates. At the end of the day, the opportunity wasn’t there and Hakanpaa returned to Finland. The solid defensive blue liner has had an awakening offensively over the past two seasons and will be returning to North America as a far more well-rounded product.
Of everyone listed in the report, it is fair to be skeptical of the thought of Rynnas returning to the NHL. Despite incredible numbers in the Liiga this season, they were second only to Vehvilainen, who got the bulk of the starts. It may be a hard sell for the 31-year-old, who has already spent four seasons in North America with the Toronto Maple Leafs’ and Dallas Stars’ organizations, to say that he is ready to try again after being a backup in Europe. Perhaps there is an opportunity – Rynnas did have some good AHL seasons – but more likely than not, he will wait to see what happens with Vehvilainen and may prefer to stay with Karpat as the replacement starter.
As for their other top teammates, their immediate NHL futures are largely predetermined. As most know, Kupari and Heponiemi are recent high draft picks and considered top prospects by their organizations. Kupari was the first-round pick of the Los Angeles Kings last year and played on loan with Karpat this year after signing with L.A. The Kings could desperately use an injection of youthful talent, which gives Kupari strong odds of cracking the roster out of camp. Heponiemi was a second-round selection of the Florida Panthers in 2017 who returned to his native Finland this year after two strong seasons with the WHL’s Swift Current Broncos. One of the best players at the World Juniors this winter, Heponiemi is definitely ready for the NHL and the Panthers could use the affordable production as they project to be low on cap space after a busy summer. What some might not realize is that starting goalie Vehvilainen is also NHL property. Vehvilainen, 22, was drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets just last year as an overage prospect. Yet, the sixth-rounder has already proven to have been a smart gamble by the team. Vehvilainen led the Liiga with a .933 save percentage and 1.58 GAA this year, his second straight season of finishing in the top three in both categories. He has also played better in the postseason both years, which is always a plus for a goaltender. The Ilta Sanomat report claims that Vehvilainen will join Columbus if he is at least guaranteed a top-three spot on the depth chart next season. With Sergei Bobrovsky likely to leave, Vehvilainen could join existing keepers Joonas Korpisalo and Elvis Merzlikins as an inexperienced, but high-upside unit next season.
Karpat was an extremely talented team this season and last with several great core players. It will certainly be worth watching how those former teammates perform in the NHL in the future.