Conditional Improvements: Dallas Watches Game 7
When the Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks do battle tomorrow night, they’ll decide whether a team that has struggled for a decade will be lifted to the promised land by a baby-faced savior, or another will overcome a game seven tradition on the back of a grizzled veteran center. While Connor McDavid and Ryan Getzlaf do battle in southern California there will be a whole group of fans a few states over cheering “Go Ducks Go!” for perhaps the first time in their lives. 
That would be the Dallas Stars, who with an Anaheim victory would see the second-round selection acquired for fan-favorite Patrick Eaves at the deadline morph into a first-rounder, albeit near the end of the round. Moving up 30 spots on the back of one game makes this match the most important one of the year for Dallas—even if they’re not playing in it. Even though Eaves himself hasn’t played since game three of this series, his seven matches in the first two rounds already qualify the Stars for the upgrade (he needed to play in just 50% of the games throughout the first two series).
For Dallas, who watched everything go wrong this season after leading the Western Conference in 2015-16, moving up would be a nice end to a disappointing year. Already having fired their coach, the team is reeling this summer wondering which direction to take a team that looked so dangerous just a year prior. The expansion draft, free agency and the trade market are all huge question marks for Dallas, as they try to rebuild a blueline and find someone, anyone, to stop a puck.
When they sold off Eaves—and Jordie Benn—at the deadline, many fans shouted with frustration at watching some of their heart-and-soul players (beards) walk out the door in a season where they should be buying instead of selling. Now, the idea of getting a first-round pick and the chance to bring Eaves back in free agency should be an exciting prospect. After 32 goals this season there will be plenty of suitors for Eaves, but perhaps the team that has kept him in the NHL when many others would have pushed him out has an inside track.
So while the Ducks try to exorcise their game seven demons, they’ll have the support of a whole swath of Dallas Stars behind them. Whether that’s enough to overcome the suddenly unstoppable Leon Draisaitl, and contain a resurgent Mark Letestu—not to mention that McDavid guy again—is still to be seen.
Injury Updates: Shaw, Steen, Cogliano
Injury notes from around the NHL this evening:
- Helene Elliott of the LA Times reports that the Anaheim Ducks will be without forward Logan Shaw tonight against the Edmonton Oilers. The Ducks say that Shaw is out with a lower-body injury. Shaw is without a point in his nine playoff games so far, averaging 9:30min a game. The undrafted forward misses this morning’s morning skate, as reported by CBS Sports, but his absence was not confirmed until just before puck drop.
- St. Louis Post-Dispatch beat writer Jeremy Rutherford reported that forward Alexander Steen broke his foot in Game 1 of the first round of the playoffs, yet continued to play through the injury. The injury became too much for Steen, however, and he had to sit out Games 5 and 6. Despite the injury, Steen scored 3G and 4A to place second in Blues playoff scoring this season. The Blues may still be playing had Steen not suffered the injury, but the playoffs are a war of attrition, and most teams end up losing a key player for stretches at a time.
- Anaheim Ducks forward Andrew Cogliano took a hard elbow from Edmonton Oilers defenseman Eric Gryba early in the first period tonight. Cogliano received some brief medical attention after bleeding all over the ice, raising concerns that he may have suffered a serious injury. Despite the blood, however, Cogliano returned mere minutes later, and his iron man streak—currently at 786 games—remains intact. Not only did Cogliano return, but he managed to get into a fight with Edmonton’s Drake Caggiula.
Snapshots: Ducks, Blues, Goalie Interference
Anaheim could possibly see the return of two players this evening in their potentially series-deciding Game 6 against Edmonton. Forward Ondrej Kase has only played in two post-season games, but was a spark-plug for the Ducks when inserted. The 21 year-old had played parts of two seasons with the AHL affiliate San Diego Gulls before his call up and 53 games this season for Anaheim, tallying 5 goals and 10 assists. His quick ascension as a 205th overall pick has been impressive, if largely unheralded and under-the-radar. For a rookie, he has shown poise in his own end and adjusted well to the tempo of the playoffs. Although pointless, his possession metrics have been strong and he has skated well in his very sheltered ice time. It will be interesting to see if he will slot back in or if coach Randy Carlyle will opt for a more veteran presence.
Defenseman Kevin Bieksa is also an option on the backend, but with the emergence of Shea Theodore, it is difficult to justify his re-entry into the lineup. Although Bieksa boasts a wealth of playoff experience, his team is 3-0 in his absence this series. His skating has slowed to a crawl and he has been exploited repeatedly by the Oilers forward corps. Carlyle is known to like his veterans however, and it is possible he finds the ice tonight. Sami Vatanen could find himself in the pressbox if that were the case.
- TSN’s Frank Seravelli is predicting a huge discussion this offseason among general managers regarding the league’s goalie interference and coach’s challenge rules. Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli was obviously irritated in his post-game interview following yet another controversy in Game 5, as were numerous Edmonton players. Late in the third against Anaheim, Ryan Kesler appeared to hold goaltender Cam Talbot‘s right pad as the tying goal was shot through his five hole. Although a review was instituted, it quickly upheld the call of a “good goal”, to much befuddlement among experts and players. Anaheim went on to win the game. This issue has come up consistently throughout the season and its application does seem very obscure. Some slight bumps have overturned goals and completely hindering a goaltender from making a save has been allowed. Clarity on the league’s part as to what constitutes goalie interference would go a long way in alleviating these sorts of issues going forward, but some GMs may opt to abandon the challenge altogether and revert to the former system. For all its faults, the challenge has been particularly useful in attempting to relieve pressure from on-ice officials during fast-paced gameplay. In the case of offsides, for instance, there has been little disagreement on the positive impact reviews have had. Some argue that the interruptions to play are too extensive, but it seems unlikely the challenge will be entirely scrapped, but rather, modified.
- Folowing the St. Louis Blues’ playoff exit, attention will turn to off-season business. The team only has one UFA in forward Scottie Upshall, and three RFAs in forwards Nail Yakupov, Magnus Paajarvi, and defenseman Colton Parayko. Upshall is a good bet to head elsewhere, as his solid (if unremarkable) season will likely get him a spot on a team in more desperate need of role players. Yakupov could easily turn his sights to Russia if a larger contract offer comes his way and negotiations stall. There is no transfer agreement with the KHL however, so this will be an interesting case to watch. Parayko is absolutely deserving of a raise, as he has consistently contributed on the backend. In only his second NHL season, the 6’6″ tower has averaged over 23 minutes of ice per night and blocked shots with the best of them. He definitely has a bright future and it would be wise for St. Louis to lock him up long-term. It might be difficult to squeeze him under the cap at a higher, extended rate, however. Paajarvi will likely get a very marginal raise on a short-term contract extension. He only participated in 32 contests this season after being plagued by injury and splitting time with the Chicago Wolves of the AHL.
Snapshots: Bruins, World Championships, Oilers – Ducks
CSNNE’s Joe Haggerty cautions the Boston Bruins brass to stay away from free agency this offseason. He reports that Cam Neely doesn’t plan to make any signings, as he indicates that he doesn’t foresee the Bruins making any significant splashes in free agency. Haggerty sees this as a good thing, recalling the signings of both David Backes and Matt Beleskey, who he writes have struggled to live up to the pricey expectations. Though Neely defends both signings, he admits that both players have not played as the Bruins envisioned they would. Backes, according to Neely, struggled to acclimate at first in Boston while Beleskey has struggled to stay healthy. Both signings, Haggerty reports, should be reminders to approach the offseason with caution.
- It was a rough day for the American squad in the World Championship as they dropped their opener 2-1 to Germany. USA Today’s Kevin Allen writes that Thomas Greiss bacstopped the German victory, and only Connor Murphy managed to get a puck past him. Head coach Jeff Blashill didn’t seem too concerned, believing that a lack of familiarity with one another also played a role in the Americans’ struggles.
- TSN’s Frank Seravalli previews the Oilers-Ducks matchup tonight, reporting that Oilers forward Milan Lucic believes that it’s about “taking the play” to the Ducks. After dropping the first two games at home, Anaheim rallied back from a 2-0 series deficit to force the series into a best of three. Seravalli writes that Ryan Getzlaf has been the series’ most dominant “force,” notching 13 points in eight playoff games, including four points in the Ducks’ series tying victory on Wednesday. Also playing a role in the shift in series momentum? The Ducks’ smooth, puck moving defensemen. Oilers head coach Todd McLellan had this to say: I don’t think there’s a team that throws six skaters out there like that. It’s as good as there is in the [NHL] in my opinion. It’s not like you’re running up against somebody that’s a little slow in the retrieval or doesn’t have the ability to maneuver. All six do. Our work is cut out for us.
Snapshots: DeBrincat, Kerdiles, Vegas Goaltending
Chicago Blackhawks prospect Alex DeBrincat was named the OHL’s Most Outstanding Player today, winning the Red Tilson trophy for 2016-17. DeBrincat follows a long line of future NHL players, including (in reverse order) Mitch Marner, Connor McDavid, Connor Brown and Vincent Trocheck. DeBrincat’s 65 goals and 127 points easily paced the league, and he’s added another league-leading 31 in the playoffs.
DeBrincat was held off the scoresheet in game one of the championship series against the Mississauga Steelheads last night, but he likely won’t be kept down for long. The OHL released a reel of every one of his goals, which provides a great example in how he seems to find open space in the slot on a consistent basis. He’ll have to keep that up at the next level, as goaltenders start to stop more of his wicked wrist shots.
- The Anaheim Ducks have recalled Nic Kerdiles from the San Diego Gulls, likely due to the fact that Patrick Eaves and Ondrej Kase are still not skating. The young Kerdiles made his NHL debut this year with the Ducks, and is beginning to show why the team took him 36th overall in 2012. In five playoff games with the Gulls, Kerdiles has six points including goals at even strength, shorthanded and on the powerplay.
- Matt Larkin of The Hockey News put together a list of fifteen possible options for the Vegas Golden Knights in net next season, which interestingly enough doesn’t include Ben Bishop. The Los Angeles Kings goaltender will be an unrestricted free agent this summer and likely the top option on the market. With the Golden Knights already showing they can hang with the big boys by recruiting Vadim Shipachyov, there is no reason to suspect that they couldn’t woo the former Vezina finalist on a short-term deal to show he’s still an elite goaltender. That would also let them take younger goaltenders in the expansion draft and let them develop behind Bishop for a couple of seasons.
Ryan Garbutt To Sign With Sochi Of KHL
After completing the final year of his current contract with the Anaheim Ducks, Ryan Garbutt will begin a new chapter in his hockey career with HK Sochi of the KHL. The 31-year old signed a one-year deal that will come into effect on July 1st when his current contract expires.
It was a tough year for Garbutt, who was placed on and cleared waivers in December after struggling to contribute through much of the first part of the season. In 28 games with the San Diego Gulls after being re-assigned, he scored 10 points. The former Dallas Stars forward scored 17 goals and 32 points in 2013-14, earning him the three-year $5.4MM deal he’s now finishing. He never could get back to those heights, though has still been credited as an effective fourth line player in recent years.
In the KHL, he’ll join Sochi after they missed the playoffs for the first time this season. While he didn’t put up big numbers in the NHL the last few years, he’ll likely find a bit more success in the offensive systems of the KHL. For the Ducks, it never really did pan out after trading Jiri Sekac for him in 2016. Sekac also returned to the KHL this season, but the Blackhawks had already moved on from him as well. Now the two will likely face off at some point next season.
Tampa Bay Wants To Move Jonathan Drouin For A Top-4 Defenseman
New York Post’s Larry Brooks reports that the Tampa Bay Lightning are focusing on moving forward Jonathan Drouin this offseason for a top-four defenseman. He continues to say that the Anaheim Ducks is the likely trade partner for the Lightning. The 22-year-old Drouin is coming off a breakout season for the Lightning in which he scored 21 goals and 32 assists for 53 points. Despite his success, Tampa Bay is overloaded in quality forwards and could use a trade like this to balance out their rosters, especially with the NHL Expansion Draft approaching.
The team already has Steven Stamkos, Ryan Callahan, Nikita Kucherov, Ondrej Palat, Tyler Johnson, Alex Killorn, Brayden Point and Vladislav Namestnikov. While Point is exempt from the expansion draft, the rest are not and if the team wants to protect all of their forwards, the team might be better off moving the highly-regarded Drouin for blueline help. The team only has two defenders that stand out in Victor Hedman and Anton Stralman. So, another defender would make a lot of sense.
The Ducks could be a prime target as they are overloaded on defense, while they continue to look for consistent scoring. The team has multiple defensemen, including Hampus Lindholm, Cam Fowler, Sami Vatanen, Josh Manson and veteran Kevin Bieksa as their core, but still have promising youngsters Shea Theodore and Brandon Montour, who have also played well for the team in the playoffs. Brooks writes that there may be six or more teams seeking a top-four defenseman this offseason, but Tampa Bay’s willingness to include Drouin gives them the best opportunity of netting one.
Ducks Recall Kase And Kerdiles
Down 2-0 in their Western Conference semifinal series against the Edmonton Oilers, the Anaheim Ducks are bringing in some reinforcements. The team announced that they have recalled forwards Ondrej Kase and Nicolas Kerdiles from the AHL’s San Diego Gulls. Both young forwards have been playing well in the AHL playoffs and will look to help out the NHL club in their efforts to stay alive through their trip to Edmonton.
Both Kase and Kerdiles were rookies for the Ducks in 2016-17, but played very different roles. Kase, 21, suited up for 53 games with Anaheim this season and recorded five goals and ten assists. The Czech winger saw only limited ice time, but showed an effectiveness in many facets of the game. Meanwhile, Kerdiles, a 2012 second-round selection, made his NHL debut on February 22nd against the Boston Bruins, but it would be the only game he skated in for the Ducks this season. The French-American forward missed most of the regular season due to injury, playing in just 27 games with the Gulls as well. However, through three playoff games, Kerdiles has looked like the best player on the ice for the AHL affiliate.
Experienced or not, the Ducks are hoping that an injection of young energy and offensive talent will help them get back into the series. Anaheim has been outscored 7-4 by the Oilers thus far, including a one-goal effort in their Game 2 loss. The team has not yet stated whether Kase or Kerdiles will start Game 3 tomorrow, but look for at least one of them to get the call as the Ducks begin to scramble for a way to change the status quo of the series.
Playoff Notes: Rangers, Ducks, Oilers
The Rangers could find themselves in a 2-0 hole tonight if they don’t make some adjustments writes the New York Post’s Brett Cyrgalis. The Rangers lost game one by the “thinnest of margins” after a fluke from Erik Karlsson sealed a 2-1 Senators victory. Cyrgalis reports that as the playoffs march on and the Rangers continue to compete, the possibility of hoisting the Stanley Cup becomes less and less far fetched. It’s why they have to play with intensity, while the Senators, according to Cyrgalis, are playing a great game of psychological warfare–using positive comments. He notes that Sens head coach Guy Boucher has a degree in sports psychology, and it feels as if they’re trying to lull the Rangers into a sense of security with compliments and by using words like “fear” to describe them. While it remains to be seen how the series goes, the Rangers must continue to build upon the strong play they exhibited against Montreal in order to continue playing into June.
- LA Daily News writer Elliott Teaford tweets that the Ducks may be without Sami Vatanen, while Kevin Bieksa could be out for the series. The Ducks found themselves on the wrong side of a 2-1 game yesterday, and now trail the series to the Edmonton Oilers 2-0. Teaford also tweets that the Ducks talked a lot about regaining the puck luck they had against Calgary.
- Meanwhile, Tim Campbell of NHL.com reports that the Oilers feel they still haven’t played their best hockey of the series yet. In an opinion shared by many, the Ducks have outplayed the Oilers but haven’t been rewarded for their efforts. Edmonton stole the first two games in Anaheim, and have a chance to close things out on home ice, thanks to the heroics of Cam Talbot. Connor McDavid, who has an assist in the series, is “adapting” and “adjusting” to the playoffs Campbell writes. McDavid has been shadowed by Ryan Kesler, and while many feel he’s been phased out as a result, head coach Todd McLellan believes his star player has been just fine, drawing penalties and opening up the ice for his teammates.
Playoff Notes: Stephenson, Bieksa, Predators
The Washington Capitals have sent Chandler Stephenson back down to the AHL ahead of the Hershey Bears back-t0-back games this weekend. The Bears will take on the Lehigh Valley Phantoms Saturday and Sunday needed to win just one game to go through to the second round. Stephenson wasn’t playing for the Capitals anyway, and will likely be back after the AHL series is decided one way or another.
For the Capitals, they won’t mess with their lineup heading into game 2 with the Penguins despite dropping the first game 3-2. Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post talked to Braden Holtby, who admitted some of the blame was on him for the loss. Much of that came when Sidney Crosby scored twice in just 52 seconds to give the Penguins a 2-0 lead. The two teams will face off again tomorrow night.
- Kevin Bieksa won’t play for the Anaheim Ducks tonight after suffering a lower-body injury. The veteran defender will likely be replaced by Sami Vatanen, who has played just a single game in the playoffs this year. Vatanen took the morning skate again today and according to Eric Stephens of the OC Register, sounded like he’s ready to re-enter the lineup. Head coach Randy Carlyle told media that Bieksa would likely be ready for later in the series, though who would come out in that situation would be interesting. If Vatanen is indeed ready to come back, his role is likely without question in the lineup after another big-minute season. Brandon Montour and Shea Theodore have also both showed exceptional play in the postseason, and Josh Manson provides a big physical presence against the heavy Oilers team.
- Adam Vingan of the Tennessean tweets that Craig Smith and Calle Jarnkrok should both be considered game-time decisions tonight, after taking the morning skate with the team. The pair missed game 1 of their series, but will be relied upon to fill in some of the lost offense after Kevin Fiala broke his femur on Wednesday night. While Smith had a down season offensively this year, he’s shown in the past that he can be an effective scoring winger with three straight seasons of 20+ goals. Jarnkrok on the other hand would likely be used back in the middle where he’s played for most of the season. His presence at center would let the Predators reduce some of the stress on Colton Sissons, who played almost 17 minutes in game 1—a mark he broke just once during the regular season.