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Vermette To Be Suspended Ten Games

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Anaheim Ducks veteran center Antoine Vermette slashed an official in last night’s game, a 1-0 win over the Western Conference-leading Minnesota Wild, and was swiftly ejected. Vermette’s chop to the back of the leg of linesman Shandor Alphonso was nothing more than a love tap, but any and all abuse of referees is not tolerated in the NHL. Now, the league is set to show Vermette just how serious they are.

As reported by Sportsnet’s John Shannon this morning, Vermette’s action is categorized as a Category II violation under NHL Rule 40 , which states:

“Any player who deliberately applies physical force to an official in any manner (excluding actions as set out in Category I), which physical force is applied without intent to injure, or who spits on an official, shall be automatically suspended for not less than ten (10) games.”

Shannon does note that Vermette has a right to an appeal, which would be heard by commissioner Gary Bettman. However, it is possible that Bettman could actually increase the suspension if it is appealed, though it is more likely that he will simply uphold it and is very unlikely that he will spurn his officials by cutting it short. However, if Ducks coach Randy Carlyle had any say, it would surely be reduced. Carlyle told the Orange County Register that Vermette was simply reacting to not being ready for the drop of the puck and that there was no malicious intent or actual harm. It certainly seems that way, but the NHL is still not wrong for taking a hard stance on protecting its refs.

The suspension comes at a tough time for Anaheim, as they jockey for position in the Western Conference playoff picture. Trailing the slumping San Jose Sharks by three point for the top position in the Pacific Division, yet up just two points on the Edmonton Oilers as well, the Ducks can ill-afford to lose a key piece of their forward corps. Vermette has eight goals and 14 assists through 58 games in his first season in Anaheim, and while his signature two-way play has slipped somewhat in 2016-17, he is still a wizard at the face-off dot and leaves a gaping hole at third line center without an easy fix. Over their next ten games, the Ducks play the division rival Los Angeles Kings twice, as well as Western contenders like the Chicago Blackhawks, Nashville Predators, and St. Louis Blues, and additionally host Eastern playoff hopefuls in the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs. It is not a good time to lose a major piece and if Vermette’s ten-game suspension is upheld, Anaheim may have to shift its focus at the Trade Deadline to adding some depth down the middle.

The NHL is expected to handle any appeal promptly. Stay tuned for the final word on Vermette’s fate.

West Notes: Shattenkirk, Enroth, Avalanche, Michalek

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While it has been speculated that St. Louis defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk would only be open to playing with an American team, Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos reports (video link) that a pair of Canadian squads are on a list of 12 that he would be interested in playing for beyond this season.  Those two teams are the Canadiens and Maple Leafs.

Although the Blues are playing themselves back into the postseason hunt, many expect them to deal the pending UFA to ensure they get something in return instead of losing him for nothing in free agency.  While he doesn’t have any no-trade protection and could be dealt anywhere (including the Oilers who had permission to speak to him last summer but couldn’t reach an agreement on an extension), it’s more likely that St. Louis will look to move him to a team that is on that list of 12, hoping the acquiring team may pay a bit more with the thought they’d have a shot at signing him long-term.

Other notes from the West:

  • With the performance of goalie Jhonas Enroth with AHL San Diego, Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register wonders if his play could make Anaheim netminder Jonathan Bernier expendable. Enroth has a stellar 1.20 GAA and a .954 SV% since being acquired from Toronto and carries a cap hit of just $750K.  Meanwhile, Bernier carries a $4.15MM cap hit (though they’re only responsible for $2.15MM as the Leafs paid his $2MM signing bonus back in July) and the Ducks find themselves using LTIR for Simon Despres to remain in cap compliance.  If Anaheim needs to free up some cap space to make a move, moving Bernier and calling up Enroth is certainly an option for them.
  • A large reason for Colorado’s current struggles is due to their continued struggles to draft quality defensemen, notes Terry Frei of the Denver Post. Over the past decade, the Avs have drafted several blueliners in the top two rounds but have really only hit on one.  (That player happens to be Shattenkirk, who they dealt to the Blues back in 2011.)  Now, they’re faced with the prospect of having to deal a top forward such as Matt Duchene or Gabriel Landeskog to fill an organizational void that hasn’t really been addressed under multiple management groups.
  • Coyotes defenseman Zbynek Michalek has yet to decide if this is his final season, writes Sarah McLellan of the Arizona Republic. The 34 year old is in the final year of a two year contract that carries a cap hit and salary of $3.2MM.  However, he was waived early in the year and cleared, in part due to his expensive contract.  He’s suited up in 28 games at the minor league level this season and acknowledged he may be in tough to get a guaranteed NHL deal next year.  There isn’t a great chance he’ll get moved at the deadline either unless the team is willing to retain a big chunk of his deal (they can hold back up to 50%) or take a similarly bad deal back in return.

Snapshots: Pacioretty, Deadline Sellers, CWHL All-Star Game

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Montreal fans can breathe a sigh of relief as reports of Max Pacioretty’s absence from the morning skate is a result of the flu according to the Montreal Gazette’s Stu Cowan. TSN has a video report of Pacioretty’s impact this season, highlighting the captain’s recent strong performance. Leading the Habs in both goals and points (27-21-48), he was lauded by bench boss Michel Therrien in Montreal’s 5-4 victory over Arizona Thursday night. Suffice it to say, the Habs–and their fans–are relieved to hear that the flu, and not injury, is keeping Pacioretty out.

  • The Hockey News has hedged their bets for the trade deadline sellers. Lyle Richardson lists the Dallas Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Detroit Red Wings as potential sellers, indicating their sub-par seasons gives them the incentive to start selling off pieces for a brighter future. He quotes Elliotte Friedman as saying that Thomas Vanek may go to Chicago, while the Lightning could go shopping out West, trying to pry a defenseman from the Anaheim Ducks. General manager Steve Yzerman isn’t short assets, having a number of players to deal away with another cap crunch on its way in Tampa. As for Jim Nill’s Stars, Richardson sees Patrick Sharp, and Patrick Eaves as targets to be moved. But he also adds that should Marc-Andre Fleury waive his no-trade clause, he might just be what the Stars need to get back into the playoff hunt.
  • Speaking of buyers and sellers, be sure to check out PHR’s  takes on the Devils, Blackhawks, Blues, and Blue Jackets as the deadline approaches.
  • The CWHL is set for the All-Star game in Toronto this afternoon at the Air Canada Center. Maple Leafs blog Pension Plan Puppets has a writeup on some of the players to watch while the CWHL’s official site has even more, including the rosters of both teams following yesterday’s fantasy draft.

Could Bobby Ryan Be Exposed In The NHL Expansion Draft?

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TSN’s Darren Dreger hosted a Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) earlier today where he answered questions about hockey and sports reporting. One juicy tidbit he relayed was that Ottawa Senators forward Bobby Ryan could be a big name left exposed in the expansion draft, and that his exposure may not be a surprise in the hockey community.

Ryan is having a disappointing season. He has 11G and 10A in 46 games, and on pace for the lowest numbers of his career. The stinger is that he is in year two of a seven-year deal worth $7.25MM a year. The only thing more surprising than his exposure is that the Vegas Golden Knights may decline to pick him. At this point in his career, Ryan is not living up to his contract, and the Golden Knights would be saddled with Ryan for five more years. Given that the new expansion team is expected to select a high-cost goaltender, Ryan may be too rich for Vegas.

The former number two selection in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft never reached the potential scouts initially held for him. Almost a PPG player with the Anaheim Ducks, his production decreased significantly after being traded to Ottawa in the 2013 offseason. Ryan last scored over 30 goals in 2011-12, and is on pace for less than 20 this season.

Exposing Ryan allows the Senators to avoid asking veteran defenseman Dion Phaneuf to waive his No-Movement Clause, something that the Senators were reportedly contemplating. It will also allow the team to protect a Mark Stone or Kyle Turris.

 

Trade Candidate: Gabriel Landeskog

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With the trade deadline quickly approaching, we will be profiling several players in the weeks ahead that are likely to be dealt by March 1st.

The Colorado Avalanche are one of only two teams – Arizona being the other – that currently identify as certain deadline sellers and in the midst of a disappointing campaign it’s believed the team is willing to consider dealing anyone not named Nathan Mackinnon as they try to find the right blend. Colorado may consider moving winger Gabriel Landeskog and he represents the type of player you don’t often see come available. Landeskog is a four-time 20-goal scorer and at just 24, the Swedish winger is still comfortably within his prime. He also has four more seasons left of team control at a price that’s quite fair for a solid, two-way top-six winger. Sure, Landeskog isn’t having a particularly strong season but there would still likely be plenty of interest in acquiring his services if he was truly available.

Contract

As noted above, Landeskog has four years left on a deal that comes with an AAV of $5.57MM. His deal contains neither a NMC nor a NTC, putting the Avalanche in the driver’s seat in terms of trade talks.

2016-17

Landeskog has tallied just nine goals and 20 points in 40 games this season, a scoring rate well below his career average of 0.67 points-per-game. Part of that is likely a function of Colorado icing the league’s lowest scoring attack, averaging just 2.06 goals-per-game. He’s generating shots at a rate not much below that of his career norm and his conversion rate of 10% is right in line with his career average. His 95.5 PDO is indicative of bad puck luck and a regression could be in order.

Season Stats

40 GP, 9 G, 11 A, 20 Pts, -13 plus/minus rating, 44 PIM, 19:12 ATOI

Suitors

The Los Angeles Kings and Boston Bruins have both previously been rumored as potential landing spots for Landeskog. Both make a ton of sense as they tend to favor bigger forwards who can play a physical forechecking style. At 6-foot-1 and 215-pounds, Landeskog certainly brings good size. Colorado reportedly asked Boston for a package headlined by rookie blue liner Brandon Carlo but the Bruins balked at the asking price. The Kings will have nearly $7MM in deadline cap space meaning they can afford to add the winger without moving salary, however such a transaction would complicate their salary cap situation in seasons ahead. Anaheim, with their blue line depth would seem to make for a natural match for the Avalanche, and the Ducks also appreciate size and physicality in their forwards. Considering the term remaining on his deal, any team in the league could show interest in Landeskog should they be willing to meet Colorado’s understandably high asking price.

Likelihood Of A Trade

Blockbuster trades involving multiple pieces are complicated and are rarely able to be completed during the season. Prior to the 2012 trade deadline, the New York Rangers worked feverishly to acquire winger Rick Nash from Columbus and even though Nash’s market was severely limited due to his willingness to go to only a few teams, a deal wasn’t completed until after the season. The Rangers ultimately sacrificed a package of talent similar to what they offered at the deadline, but then Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson still held out, hoping the market would improve.

It’s likely the Landeskog negotiations will play out similarly. Considering their ask of a young, top-four blue liner, a prospect and a first-round pick, a deal of this nature is easier to make in the offseason when the salary cap plays less of a role in the proceedings.

Friedman’s Latest: Julien, Ducks, Bolts, Avalanche, Vrbata

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Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet published his latest “30 Thoughts” column and like always it’s worth a read in its entirety. However, here’s a brief roundup of some of the column’s highlights.

  • Friedman reiterates what many others in the industry have said on Claude Julien, suggesting he “will be unemployed as long as he wants to be unemployed.” Julien of course joined Ken Hitchcock as former Stanley Cup winning head coaches now on the unemployment line this week when Boston decided to pull the plug after a nearly 10-year run behind the Bruins bench. Ultimately, while Julien’s tenure was mostly successful, Friedman argues that the relationship between the coach and ownership was never strong. While the Blues had already established a succession plan in anticipation of Hitchcock’s retirement at the end of the season, there are still three jobs potentially available to Julien – Vegas, New York Islanders and Florida. All three should be expected to show interest in hiring Julien to run their respective clubs. Additionally, with Julien available, it’s at least plausible other teams who may not be 100% sold on their current bench boss might reach out to the veteran head coach to gauge his interest in leading their program.
  • Joe Sakic and Steve Yzerman, the GM’s of Colorado and Tampa Bay respectively, both attended a recent Anaheim game, leading the scribe to conclude they were there to scout some of the Ducks defenders. Anaheim is blessed with excellent blue line talent, both at the NHL and minor league levels, and it’s been suggested the team could flip a defender to add scoring help up front. Of course Colorado and Tampa Bay each need defensemen but as Friedman notes, the two GM’s may have different preferences. Friedman writes that the Avalanche are looking for young blue liners with term remaining on their contracts while the Lightning need a more established, top-four presence. Speculatively, Colorado may prefer either Brandon Montour or Shea Theodore, two rookies with loads of upside, while Cam Fowler could represent an ideal fit for the Lightning, assuming they can find a way to make the cap hit work. It’s not clear to Friedman who the Ducks might be interested in from either potential trade partner.
  • Good news for any team that might have designs on acquiring veteran winger Radim Vrbata from the Arizona Coyotes. Vrbata’s one-year deal with Arizona contains a $500K bonus if the winger reaches either 20 goals or 40 points. With 35 points in 51 games, Vrbata is closing in on that bonus. His deal also provides for up to $1.25MM based on his team’s playoff success. Friedman had originally reported that Arizona would not be able to retain any bonus money not already earned by the player, meaning any team looking to trade for him would be on the hook for a significant chunk of change potentially. With the salary cap likely to remain flat next season, any interested suitor for Vrbata might be unwilling to chance assuming the balance of his contract since any bonuses earned would apply to next season’s salary cap. However Friedman provides an update and based on his understanding, if, for example, the Coyotes agree to retain 50% of Vrbata’s contract, that would apply not only to his remaining salary but also to any unearned bonuses as well. This is welcome news for any team tight against the cap ceiling and looking for scoring help on the wing as Vrbata now remains an intriguing option.

 

PHR Originals: 01/30/2017 – 02/05/2017

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As we get closer to the NHL trade deadline, PHR has been pumping out the original pieces. Here is a look at the past week:

Minor Transactions: 2/4/2017

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It’s a busy blue line in Edmonton, as the Oilers announced today that they have recalled two defenseman, Griffin Reinhart and Jordan Oesterle. The move comes on the heels of rookie defenseman Matt Benning (and forward Jujhar Khaira) being placed on injured reserve. The call-up adds two more bodies to the back end, which already has fixtures in Oscar Klefbom, Adam Larsson, Andrej Sekera, and Kris Russell, has Brandon Davidson and Eric Gryba back and healthy, and is awaiting the return of Darnell Nurse. 

If he’s in the lineup tomorrow against the Montreal Canadiens, it will be the first NHL game of the season for Reinhart, who failed to make much of an impact in 2015-16 with just one assist and a -6 rating in 29 games with the Oilers. However, Edmonton traded first and second rounders to acquire the young defenseman, so they won’t give up on him that easy, even if he does prove to be a sunk cost. Reinhart has five goals and six assists in 29 games with the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors this season. However, he’s been outshined by Oesterle, who has 3 goals and 15 assists to lead Condors defensemen in scoring. If Oesterle plays tomorrow, it will also be his first appearance in 2016-17. The 24-year-old played in 23 games with Edmonton over the past two seasons, recording six assists. Even with Benning on IR, don’t expect both Reinhart and Oesterle to remain with the Oilers for too long.

Elsewhere across the league:

  • After clearing waivers, Mike Ribeiro has been sent down to the AHL by the Nashville Predators. Although he is clearly not in high demand having gone untouched by 29 teams, Ribeiro’s trip to the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL does not signal the end of his NHL season. If Nashville is willing to hold on to some salary, there is still a good chance Ribeiro gets his trade wish granted by March 1st.
  • Cal O’Reilly also cleared waivers recently and has now been demoted to the AHL’s Rochester Americans. In a corresponding move, the Buffalo Sabres have recalled Justin Bailey, who is expected to take the place of the injured William Carrier while he remains sidelined. The 21-year-old Bailey has 19 goals and 10 assists in 39 AHL games this season.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets have recalled Markus Hannikainen on an emergency basis from the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters. There is no word on what prompted the quick call-up or whether the young winger will suit up for the Jackets’ game against the New Jersey Devils tonight. Hannikainen scored his first career NHL goal in his last game, a win over the Carolina Hurricanes on January 21st.
  • Anaheim has called up defenseman Brandon Montour from the San Diego Gulls of the AHL. The Ducks have been swapping Montour and Shea Theodore back and forth from the AHL seemingly all season long. The former UMass blue liner has been outstanding with the Gulls, scoring 30 points in just 34 games, but is still looking for his first NHL point through five games with the Ducks.

Minor Transactions: 2/2/17

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Here is where we’ll keep track of today’s minor roster moves:

  • The Capitals announced that they’ve assigned center Chandler Stephenson back to Hershey of the AHL. Stephenson got into a trio of games with the Caps over the past week and a half, being held pointless while averaging 8:45 per night.  He has spent the bulk of the year at the AHL level, recording six goals and 18 assists in 41 games with the Bears.
  • With goalie Antti Raanta taking a leave of absence to be with his wife gave birth to their first child earlier today, the Rangers announced that they have summoned Magnus Hellberg from AHL Hartford. The 25 year old netminder has played in 26 games with the Wolf Pack, going 10-9-5 with a 2.86 GAA and a .906 SV%.
  • The Wild announced that they have recalled 2014 first round pick right winger Alex Tuch from Iowa of the AHL. Tuch is in his first professional season and has 11 goals and 11 assists in 34 games at the minor league level this season and has yet to play at the NHL level.  He also was named to the AHL All-Star game which took place late last month.
  • Anaheim has recalled defenseman Shea Theodore from San Diego (AHL), reports Eric Stephens (Twitter link). He has been back and forth plenty of times this season (this is recall number 12 for him) and has played in 25 games with the Ducks, scoring once while adding seven assists.  He has fared better offensively at the minor league level with nine points (1-8-9) in 13 contests with the Gulls.
  • Toronto has assigned center Frederik Gauthier back to the AHL’s Marlies, reports Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston (Twitter link).  Taking his place on the roster is center Ben Smith who had been out since late December with a hand injury.  Gauthier has played in 18 games with the Maple Leafs this season, picking up two goals and an assist while winning just over 51% of his faceoffs.  At the minor league level, he has a goal and three helpers in 17 contests.
  • The Devils announced (via Twitter) that they have recalled forward Joseph Blandisi from AHL Albany.  Blandisi spent half the season in the NHL last year, picking up 17 points (5-12-17) in 41 games.  However, he has yet to see action with New Jersey this season.  However, he has been productive with the AHL Devils this year scoring seven goals to go along with 16 assists in just 28 games.

Trade Deadline Reflection: Finding Value In The Margins

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The trade deadline now more than ever is a tough time to impact your team. With the tightening cap structure, long-term deals for young players and league-wide parity (however falsely constructed), finding a deal that works for both teams in a time-sensitive manner is a struggle. While every year there are one or two big name players moved, shocking deals (in the manner of Shea Weber for P.K. Subban) usually wait until the summer.

It’s because of this that fans and media alike must learn to love the small deals, the hockey swaps and the fresh starts. In these trades, teams can find a player that fits perfectly into their system and adds depth for a playoff run. Under-performing teams can take chances on fallen stars, prospects who have been labeled as early busts, or veterans who can make an impact in the development of a young player.

Though deals for Kevin Shattenkirk and Matt Duchene might sound fun, it’s often the Patrick Eaves or Ron Hainsey addition that makes a meaningful impact. To take a page from baseball, adding value anywhere is equal; upgrading the bottom pairing by a lot may be as important as improving your first line by a little. Last year, there were several deals of this nature.

Anaheim added goal scoring to their lineup by bringing in Jamie McGinn and Brandon Pirri on deadline day. The two would score 11 goals in 30 games (total), with McGinn scoring another pair in the playoffs. Edmonton would benefit from the deals as it let the Ducks part with Patrick Maroon later that day. Maroon made an immediate impact for the Oilers and has continued it with an 18 goal season  this year (though playing with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl doesn’t hurt). Justin Schultz

Florida was only able to deal Pirri away because they’d added depth of their own in Teddy Purcell and Jiri Hudler. The pair of upcoming UFAs would each perform quite well for Florida down the stretch helping them lock up first place in the Atlantic Division.

Pittsburgh may have been the biggest winners in late-February without making a huge splash. On the 27th, just a couple of days before the deadline they made the small move of acquiring Justin Schultz. It only cost them a third-round pick (which would be #91 after the Penguins won the Cup). Though Schultz made an impact down the stretch with eight points in 18 games, this season that he has really shone. It’s been 35 points in 47 games for the former Edmonton Oiler.

It’s interesting to watch all the fanfare surround deals like Andrew Ladd, Kris Russell and Eric Staal. None of those deals worked out that well for their teams, despite the huge price tags. So when approaching this deadline don’t shrug off the little deals. They may be just as important, and much more affordable, than going after the big fish.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

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