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Chicago Blackhawks Fire Joel Quenneville

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In a shocking turn of events, the Chicago Blackhawks have fired head coach Joel Quenneville just a month into the season. Quenneville had been the bench boss in Chicago since October 16th, 2008, and had won more than 500 games with the club including three Stanley Cups. The team has also fired assistant coaches Kevin Dineen and Ulf Samuelsson. Jeremy Colliton, who had been coaching with the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs, has been promoted to NHL head coach alongside Barry Smith who will make the jump to NHL assistant.

Quenneville, 60, is one of a handful of coaches who could be considered the greatest—or at least most successful—in the history of the NHL. His 890 regular season wins trail only the legendary Scotty Bowman, while his .609 winning percentage is third among coaches with over 1,000 games behind the bench. Even his three championships, won in 2010, 2013 and 2015 are the benchmark for coaches in the salary cap era. Since becoming a head coach during the 1996-97 season, his teams have reached the playoffs 18 times, missing just twice including last season.

The struggles of the Blackhawks in recent years to return to the Stanley Cup Finals has forced several issues between Quenneville and the front office into the spotlight, including the firing of assistant coach Mike Kitchen in late April of 2017. After being swept out of the first round of the playoffs, GM Stan Bowman surprised Quenneville by firing Kitchen suddenly. The two had worked together for years, and Quenneville was “upset” at the decision. Even before that, Bowman and Quenneville had clashed about the appearance of Smith, then director of player personnel, at team practices. Smith has now been chosen to fill in on the bench with Colliton as an assistant.

The outgoing Quenneville still has another season on his current contract that will pay him $6MM, but shouldn’t be out of work long if the Blackhawks allow him to pursue other opportunities. Teams that have been internally assessing their own coaching staffs have even more reason to make a move now, and would likely only have to pay out a portion of the remaining deal. Chicago could technically block him from working somewhere else, but would save money by allowing another team to pay some of his contract. There are no longer any compensatory draft picks for situations like this.

Colliton, 33, will become the youngest head coach in the league after taking over from Quenneville. Originally selected in the second round by the New York Islanders, Colliton played 57 NHL games before heading over to Sweden to try and continue his career. While dealing with post-concussion symptoms he announced his retirement only to join the Mora IK coaching staff. He coached the IceHogs to a 40-28-8 record last season (his first) in the AHL, and took them all the way to the third round of the Calder Cup playoffs.

Still, for all the acclaim Colliton has received as a young coach, he has a lot of work to do. Duncan Keith, Corey Crawford, Cam Ward and Chris Kunitz are all older than the incoming coach, and Brent Seabrook is a former teammate of his from the World Junior Championship. While that doesn’t mean he can’t control or command them, it does point to at least one of the reasons why the roster has struggled recently. The Blackhawks are 6-6-3 this season but have lost five straight games, and have a huge amount of their cap tied up in their aging core. Seabrook and Keith, once the faces of a dynamic defensive unit, are both shadows of their former selves and still signed through at least the 2022-23 season. Captain Jonathan Toews has had a nice bounce back season so far, but is now on the wrong side of 30 with another four years at $10.5MM on his deal.

There is talent and youth on the roster, but it will be a tough ask for Colliton—like it was for Quenneville—to turn this group into a playoff team right away. Perhaps more changes are on their way for the Blackhawks, including potential transactions to rid themselves of some of the heftier contracts. The team is headed in a new, fresh direction, and would likely want a more flexible balance sheet to work with going forward.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

New York Rangers Recall Lias Andersson

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The New York Rangers have decided it is time to give one of their other young players a chance. The team has recalled forward Lias Andersson from the minor leagues prior to their game tomorrow night against the Montreal Canadiens. The move comes as Brett Howden missed this morning’s practice, leading to doubt he’ll be able to suit up against Montreal. The team is taking it “day by day” with Howden according to head coach David Quinn, but now have another impressive rookie to consider.

Andersson, 20, was the seventh overall pick in 2017 and put on quite a show at training camp that fall before ultimately being assigned to Frolunda in the SHL. His return to Sweden wouldn’t last the whole season though, as soon after competing in the World Junior Championship he was brought over to join the Hartford Wolf Pack before eventually making it up to the Rangers for seven games. He registered two points in those seven contests, while performing well at the AHL level in 2017-18.

This season has started out even better for the young center, as he has 12 points in 14 games for the Wolf Pack and looks like he is ready to take the next step. A dominating presence on the ice in the minor leagues, Andersson is set to be a huge part of the rebuild in New York along with fellow top prospects Howden and Filip Chytil. The team is already off to a better start than many expected, sitting at 6-7-1 through their first 14 games and coming off three straight wins. Though it seems unlikely that they’ll challenge for a playoff spot this season, seeing the likes of Andersson take a step forward to prove he is an NHL talent would be a positive development.

Nathan Walker, Matt Donovan Placed On Waivers

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Monday: Friedman reports that all three players have cleared waivers today, meaning Walker will be sent to the minor leagues. Donovan meanwhile has signed a two-year deal with the Predators and can now play in the NHL this season.

Sunday: Elliotte Friedman reports that two players were put on waivers today, as the Washington Capitals have waived forward Nathan Walker, while the Nashville Predators waived defenseman Matt Donovan. Friedman also notes that the Calgary Flames have placed Yasim Ehliz on unconditional waivers with the purpose of releasing him from his contract.

With Washington Capitals’ Travis Boyd expected to be activated off of LTIR shortly, someone on the roster had to go and with the impressive play the Capitals have received from recent waiver claim Dmitrij Jaskin, Walker was the only option left to put on waivers. Walker was placed on waivers by the Capitals last year and he was claimed by Edmonton on Dec. 1. However, the Oilers decided not to keep him and placed him back on waivers on Dec. 20, allowing the Capitals to claim him back and send him to Hershey. The team hopes it can slip him past without going through the same troubles this year. Walker only managed to appear in three games this season with just an assist, so putting him on waivers made the most sense.

Donovan’s situation was a little more confusing as he isn’t even on the team’s roster as he signed an AHL deal with the Milwaukee Admirals, the Predators AHL affiliate. However, the fact he’s on waivers means that Nashville has signed the 28-year-old blueliner to a NHL-level contract, which would require the team to send him through waivers. Early reports suggest the team has signed him to a one-year, two-way deal. Donovan, a fourth-round pick in 2008, played much of the early part of his career with the New York Islanders organization, including a 52-game stint with the Islanders in the 2013-14 season even though most of his career was spent in the AHL. He played the past two years in the SHL before joining Milwaukee. He has six goals and six assists in 13 games so far this year.

Calgary originally signed Ehliz back in June after the 25-year winger wrapped up his eighth-year in the German DEL. The undersized forward, however, didn’t make the Flames NHL team and has had trouble cracking the Stockton Heat lineup in the AHL as he has only appeared in four games with no points and a minus-5. It’s likely Ehliz would prefer to return to Europe to continue his career.

Philadelphia Flyers Recall Alex Lyon

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The Philadelphia Flyers are already four deep into their goaltending depth, as they’ve recalled Alex Lyon from the AHL. The move was needed after placing Michal Neuvirth back on injured reserve, while Brian Elliott deals with an injury suffered at practice. Calvin Pickard got the start on Saturday night, and may have to take over as the starter for the time being. Lyon meanwhile was off to a fast start in the minor leagues with a .934 save percentage through three appearances, and may be given another chance to prove that he’s ready for the NHL.

For an organization that has struggled finding quality netminders for a long time, the Flyers actually could claim to be one of the deepest at the position. Though none have been able to really post above-average numbers at the NHL for a long stretch, the group of Elliott, Neuvirth, Pickard, Lyon and Anthony Stolarz all have experience at the highest level. That’s not even including super prospect Carter Hart, who has been given the lion’s share of starts for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms this season. Though Hart—a 20-year old netminder who had one of the most impressive junior careers of all time—has struggled through his first taste of professional hockey, he’s going to be given the net consistently for the Phantoms as they try to develop him into an NHL star.

That leaves scraps for Lyon and Stolarz, unless the NHL group proves to need help as they are now. Neuvirth seemingly can’t stay healthy for any length of time, and Elliott now faces injury after colliding with Travis Konecny in practice. It’s not clear how long either will be out, but Pickard hasn’t instilled the kind of confidence needed for a team that was expected to challenge for the playoffs and perhaps even the Metropolitan Division crown. Lyon may earn his chance to take the net in the coming days, something that shouldn’t be out of the question given his fairly impressive NHL debut a year ago. Lyon recorded a 4-2-1 record and .905 save percentage in 11 games during the 2017-18 campaign, and has a history of success in the minors.

Minor Transactions: 11/05/18

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Ten teams are back in action tonight, kicked off by the reigning Stanley Cup champions welcoming Connor McDavid and the red hot Edmonton Oilers into Washington. Before the games start, we’ll be here keeping track of all the minor moves:

  • Tom Kuhnhackl has been recalled by the New York Islanders in time for their game tonight against the Montreal Canadiens. Kuhnhackl scored three points in his lone AHL contest, and will try to reestablish himself in the Islanders bottom six. Unfortunately, he’ll have to wait for at least one game as the Islanders will go with the same lineup that won on Saturday night.
  • Anton Blidh is the latest call-up for the Boston Bruins, giving them another option up front. The 23-year old forward has six points in 11 games for the Providence Bruins this season, but adds some energy and physicality to whatever lineup he joins.
  • The Florida Panthers are no longer carrying three goaltenders, as Michael Hutchinson has been returned to the minor leagues. Roberto Luongo was activated just before the team went to Europe, meaning Hutchinson is no longer required to stay with the group at the NHL level. Unfortunately, his short opportunity didn’t go well, as the 28-year old goaltender registered just an .839 save percentage in four appearances. He’ll still serve as quality depth at the position, but needs to get his game back on track.
  • Travis Boyd is back with the Washington Capitals after finishing his conditioning stint in the minor leagues. The 25-year old forward played two games with the Hershey Bears, but now will re-join the Capitals in time for their game against the Edmonton Oilers tonight. Nathan Walker has been reassigned to the AHL in the meantime, after clearing waivers today.

Nashville Signs Matt Donovan To Two-Year Deal

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When the Nashville Predators placed AHL defenseman Matt Donovan on waivers yesterday, it was clear that they had signed him to some sort of NHL contract. That’s the only reason that would have made them send him through the waiver process, but it wasn’t clear what the deal was. Now, CapFriendly reports that Donovan has signed a two-year two-way contract that carries a $675K cap hit at the NHL level.

Donovan, 28, has spent the last two seasons in Sweden playing for Frolunda after finding himself without a contract in the summer of 2016. A fourth-round pick by the New York Islanders in 2008, he played just 67 NHL games with the organization and instead spent most of his time racking up points at the AHL level. An excellent offensive defenseman, Donovan was leading the Milwaukee Admirals in scoring this season after accepting another AHL deal to return to North America, and has now been rewarded for his hard work. The Predators will add him to a stable of offensively-minded defensemen in the organization, and hope that the lessons he learned in Sweden can translate to more consistent play in his own end.

The best part about this deal for the Predators is that Donovan can still be placed in the minor leagues and help the Admirals to AHL success, while being a potential call-up down the line. The team didn’t have a ton of NHL experience among their potential call-ups, meaning any rash of injuries to their NHL group could leave a huge hole on the blue line. There’s no guarantee that Donovan can fill a spot like that adequately, but he does at least have a history of success in several different professional leagues.

Eastern Notes: Zacha, Dahlin, Neuvirth, Hagg, Martin

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While there were a number of people that were shocked when the New Jersey Devils assigned Pavel Zacha to Binghamton of the AHL, head coach John Hynes felt that the team needed to do something that would have an impact on the 21-year-old first-rounder. Despite having already played 150 NHL games in his career, Zacha was pointless in 10 games and Hynes felt just scratching him wasn’t going to be enough to spark him, according to Chris Ryan of NJ.com.

“To scratch him one game and put him back in, we’re still not in a position right now where we could rely on him in key situations, and that’s what we need from him,” Hynes said. “We think it’s important that it’s not, ’Hey, sit in the stands for one game and watch.’ That is effective in some situations, but we need him to go down and play, and play a lot of minutes and play in situations and earn his confidence back and get his game back.”

The sixth-overall pick in 2015, Zacha hasn’t developed into the franchise player the team thought they were getting when they drafted him. He has so far only managed to total eight goals in two straight seasons, suggesting the team may have needed to give him time in the AHL before bringing him to the NHL. Zacha, who has played in just three AHL games in his career, needs to have time to regain his confidence while playing lots of minutes, something that he wasn’t going to get with the Devils.

  • While there is no official word on the injury, Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, who was forced to leave Saturday’s game against Ottawa in the second period after taking a shot off his leg, is expected to travel with the team to New York, suggesting that his injury may not be too serious, according to the Buffalo News’ Mike Harrington. There is swelling, which means the team won’t be able to determine his status until tomorrow, according to The Athletic’s Jon Vogl. The team plays the Rangers on Sunday.
  • The Philadelphia Flyers announced that goaltender Michal Neuvirth has left the team and returned to Philadelphia to be checked out by doctors and could soon find himself back on injured reserve. The 30-year-old injury-prone goalie played in one game since being recalled from a conditioning stint on Oct. 25th, but allowed six goals in that lone start to the Islanders two days later, and now currently holds a .727 save percentage.
  • Charlie O’Connor of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that one interesting development in Philadelphia is the offensive improvement surrounding Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Robert Hagg. The 23-year-old sophomore currently leads all defenseman, including Shayne Gostisbehere and Ivan Provorov, with seven points (just two points shy of his totals last year). The scribe says that Hagg has seemed more comfortable joining the rush and going deeper into the offensive zone than he was willing last season.
  • New York Islanders head coach Barry Trotz said fourth-line forward Matt Martin remains day-to-day with an upper-body injury, according to Newsday’s Andrew Gross. The 29-year-old has combined with Cal Clutterbuck and Casey Cizikas to form an impressive energy line for the Islanders. Martin already has equaled last year’s goal total of three in just 11 games.

Columbus Blue Jackets Demote Milano To Make Room For Dubinsky

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The Columbus Blue Jackets needed a roster spot to activate veteran forward Brandon Dubinsky from injured reserve, according to Columbus Post-Dispatch’s Brian Hedger. However, the team surprised a few by opting to send winger Sonny Milano, who is not waiver-eligible, to the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL.

It is a surprise for a few since Milano posted 14 goals last year and many thought that the 22-year-old was ready to take that next step up in his game and even develop into a top-six left wing for the franchise in the future. However, it hasn’t been a good year for Milano so far, who has appeared in just eight games for the Blue Jackets with just one goal and four healthy scratches. Milano averaged 11:39 of ATOI last season, but found his playing time dwindle to just 8:19 this season.

While there may have been better options, it’s the easiest decision for the team who otherwise would have had to place a player on waivers, which they obviously preferred not to do. The team hopes that Milano can find his scoring prowess as well as work on his defensive game while in Cleveland, hoping that the demotion sparks his play.

The team does get a big boost in the return of Dubinsky. The veteran has only played in the first two games of the season before straining an oblique muscle during practice and has since missed 10 games. The 32-year-old veteran had a career-low 16 points in 62 games last season and many believed he desperately needed a bounce-back season. While it’s too early to tell, Dubinsky looked good in the first two games of the season, putting up a goal and an assist, while receiving 14:27 of ATOI in those two games. Dubinsky still has three years remaining on his deal, paying him $5.85MM AAV.

Minor Transactions: 11/03/18

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It’s a busy time in the NHL, with 24 teams scheduled to square off over the course of the day. The action kicks off with a matinee featuring division rivals, Buffalo and Ottawa. Later tonight, heavyweights do battle with Tampa Bay-Montreal, Toronto-Pittsburgh, Boston-Nashville, and Chicago-Calgary. It could also be a big day for transactions, as teams get set to face the week ahead. Keep up with all of the minor moves right here:

  • The Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled forward Trevor Moore from the AHL Marlies, the team announced. Moore, 23, is off to a terrific start to the minor league season with twelve points in ten games. That effort may earn him his NHL debut on this most recent call-up. An undrafted free agent out of the University of Denver, Moore is in his third season with the organization but has played exclusively with the Marlies. After back-to-back 33-point regular season campaigns, Moore took a step forward in the postseason, registering 17 points in 20 games en route to a Calder Cup. He has kept that hot streak going this season and will now try to translate his ability to the next level. A Mitch Marner-style player, Moore could fit in nicely with the Maple Leafs if given the opportunity.
  • CapFriendly reports that the Anaheim Ducks have reassigned forward Kalle Kossila to their AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls. Kossila was activated from the season-opening injured reserve last week and made his season debut for the Ducks on Thursday night. The St. Cloud product has dominated at the AHL level since turning pro in 2016, but has only managed to skate in twelve games and record two points for Anaheim. Expected to play a more regular role this season, it is possible that Kossila’s assignment is simply a paper transaction to save cap space ahead of a stretch of four games in six nights. However, it also would not be a surprise to see Kossila spend some time in the AHL, where he will quickly re-discover his scoring touch, before being handed significant minutes by the Ducks.
  • The New York Islanders announced (via Twitter) that they have re-assigned goaltender Christopher Gibson to Bridgeport of the AHL.  He was recalled on an emergency basis on Wednesday with Robin Lehner banged up but he is now capable as dressing as the backup goalie which eliminated the need for Gibson.  The 25-year-old Gibson has struggled in the early going this season, posting 4.21 GAA and a .861 SV% through six games in the minors.
  • Jon Rosen of Fox Sports reports that the Los Angeles Kings have assigned forward Austin Wagner and defenseman Sean Walker to the Ontario Reign of the AHL, but the reporter wasn’t sure who the team intended to recall. CapFriendly now reports that Los Angeles has recalled forwards Michael Amadio and Matt Luff. While Luff has yet to make his NHL debut, Amadio has been with the team for most of the season, getting into nine games. However, after scoring just one goal, the Kings sent him to Ontario to work on his game. He played one game there, posting three assists and already has been recalled.
  • The Colorado Avalanche announced they have sent forward A.J. Greer to the Colorado Eagles of the AHL. With the Avalanche on a four-day break before returning to work, it’s likely the team has sent Greer down to get some work. He has played in eight games for the Eagles and has posted eight points, but has appeared in just one game with the Avalanche. BSN Denver’s AJ Haefele writes that it’s likely that Greer will be back when the Avalanche return to action on Wednesday. However, if he isn’t recalled, that might suggest that center Tyson Jost might be ready to return to the ice.
  • The Winnipeg Jets announced they have returned defenseman Tucker Poolman and goaltender Eric Comrie to the Manitoba Moose of the AHL after taking the pair as non-roster players on their trip to Helsinki, Finland. Poolman has played six games for the Moose and has three assists in six games. The 23-year-old Comrie has also played solidly for Manitoba this year. He has put up a .917 save percentage and a 2.80 GAA in five games.

 

Edmonton Activates Ty Rattie From Injured Reserve

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Entering the 2018-19 season, forward Ty Rattie was labeled as one of the players who could make or break the Edmonton Oilers’ season. Any determination of Rattie’s impact on the campaign was put on hold in mid-October, when the 25-year-old was placed on the injured reserve with an undisclosed injury. Expected to be out until later this month, it came as somewhat of a surprise this afternoon when the Oilers announced that Rattie has been activated from the IR and is set to return to the lineup. In a corresponding move, rookie forward Cooper Marody has been returned to the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors.

After an incredibly productive preseason, Rattie was handed a coveted first-line slot on the right wing of superstar center Connor McDavid. It was a career-defining opportunity for Rattie, who has been little more than minor league depth thus far in his pro career. A second-round pick of the St. Louis Blues in 2011, Rattie played in only 30 NHL games in parts of four seasons in St. Louis, recording eight points. He was lost on waivers briefly to the Carolina Hurricanes in 2016-17 and contributed two points in five games. Rattie opted to sign with Edmonton as a free agent in 2017 and played in a career-high 14 games last season, posting a career best 15:28 ATOI. It was far from regular NHL action, but was the first step toward taking a permanent role with the Oilers, and he made the most of it by posting nine points. Expected to take a step forward this year, Rattie notched a goal and an assist in his five games prior to the injury. While he’s not quite back at square one, he may very well have to work his way back into top minutes and first-line consideration.

If Rattie can find his scoring touch quickly, he should be back in the top-six as soon as possible. The Oilers have struggled with secondary scoring this season, with only McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins holding more than seven points on the year. The platoon on the right side is an especially troublesome situation, with Alex Chiasson, Drake Caggiula, Zack Kassian, and Jesse Puljujarvi all failing to make the most of their opportunities. Rattie’s addition would be a welcome addition to the competition for production and consistency at right wing.

Marody, a first-year pro out of the University of Michigan, skated in two games for the Oilers during Rattie’s absence. While he was limited to under nine minutes of ice time per night and held scoreless, he didn’t look out of place at the NHL level. A sixth-round pick of the Philadelphia Flyers acquired for a third-round pick last spring, Marody’s stock is clearly on the rise and he should see more action in Edmonton before the end of the season.

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