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Afternoon Transactions: Devils, Sharks

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News and notes from around the NHL this afternoon:

  • The Devils have activated forward Beau Bennett from the injured reserve, the team announced (via Twitter). To make room on the active roster, the team placed defenseman Kyle Quincey on the injured reserve. Bennett, a former first-rounder, has collected three goals, seven assists, and 10 penalty minutes in 40 games this season. The 25-year-old is expected to be in the lineup tonight against the Senators. Following five seasons in Detroit, Quincey joined New Jersey this past offseason. In 51 games this season, the 31-year-old has compiled four goals and eight assists.
  • Defenseman Tim Heed and forward Timo Meier’s time on the Sharks roster was short lived, as Paul Gackle tweets that the organization has reassigned the pair to the AHL. Yesterday, the Sharks promoted the two players (along with forward Nikolay Goldobin) from the Barracudas. Heed was a healthy scratch during last night’s loss to the Panthers, while Meier saw the ice for 10:08. Meier, a 2015 first-round pick, has scored three goals and collected two assists in 26 games for the Sharks this season. Heed, who made his NHL debut earlier this season, has the second-most points among defensemen in the AHL (11 goals, 28 assists).

Snapshots: Therrien, Enstrom, Lazar, Varlamov

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Following his sudden firing from the Canadiens earlier this week, former head coach Michel Therrien released a statement (via the Montreal Gazette):

I would first like to thank the Montreal Canadiens organization, especially Geoff Molson and Marc Bergevin, for the experience of five remarkable years. The Montreal Canadiens have always been a great organization, and recent events in no way change my perception of the team and its management.

Being an NHL coach is a tough job: it is gratifying on many levels but it can also quickly become a thankless task. When a team is experiencing difficulties, any head coach knows his job is on the line. I understand and accept this reality.

I would like to thank fans in Montreal and across Quebec, as well as members of the media. I also salute the coaches and staff I have worked with over the years and, above all, the many players whom I had the privilege of coaching.

I leave with my head held high: I am very proud of the work accomplished over the past five years. The current team can aspire to great honours, and I wish my colleague Claude Julien every success in the future.”

Let’s take a look at some other notes from around the NHL:

  • The Jets announced (via Twitter) that defenseman Toby Enstrom had surgery yesterday on “an existing lower body injury.” The 32-year-old is expected to be sidelined for two-to-three weeks. In 55 games this season, the 10-year veteran has collected one goal and 13 assists.
  • Curtis Lazar is set to return to the Senators lineup tonight, and Mike Halford of Pro Hockey Talk writes that the return could help boost the forward’s trade value. The 22-year-old’s agent is set to meet with the team’s front office, and Ken Warren of the Ottawa Citizen believes the player could ask for a trade. In 29 games this season, the former first-round pick has compiled a single assist.
  • Following reports that Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov was set to miss the rest of the season, general manager Joe Sakic said the organization is hoping the 28-year-old will return to full strength for next season. “I expect him to be fully healthy next year,” Sakic said (via Terry Frei of the Denver Post). “He’s had the problems with his groin the last couple of years, and this year, but he’s a worker, he cares, he’s a guy who puts a lot of pressure on that area the way he plays.” In 24 games (23 starts) this season, Varlamov has gone 6-17 with a .898 save percentage.

Alex Tanguay Set To Retire?

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Free agent left winger Alex Tanguay was reportedly still seeking an NHL gig earlier this season, but a recent report by NHL.com (via Eliteprospects.com) implies that the veteran has decided to hang up his skates. According to NHL Public Relations, the 37-year-old has been hired be the NHL Network as an on-air analyst. The long-time player appeared on the network earlier this season, and he’s set to make his full-time debut this evening on NHL Tonight.

In a statement, Tanguay seemingly confirmed his retirement:

“I’ve been lucky enough to realize a childhood dream to play in the NHL for 16 years and, in looking to stay involved in hockey, I thought there was no better way than to be part of the expert panel at NHL Network. I’m looking forward to sharing my passion for the game with the fans.”

The 1998 12th overall pick had a successful 16-year career, compiling 283 goals and 580 assists. During his first tenure with the Avalanche, the forward won the 2001 Stanley Cup and was named an All-Star in 2004. Tanguay also spent time with the Flames, Canadiens, Lightning, and Coyotes. The veteran played for both Colorado and Arizona during the 2015-2016 campaign, compiling eight goals and 27 assists in 70 games.

Tanguay was named one of PHR’s top-five remaining free agents back in August, and a September report indicated that the veteran wasn’t yet ready to retire.

Bruins Extend Agreement With ECHL Affiliate

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The Bruins announced yesterday that they have renewed their agreement with their ECHL affiliate, the Atlanta Gladiators. This new deal will extend the relationship through the 2017-2018 season. This means the Bruins front office can continue to assign players in their system to the Gladiators.

“The Boston Bruins and Providence Bruins are excited to renew our affiliation with the Atlanta Gladiators,” said Bruins general manager Don Sweeney. “Since entering into our partnership with the Gladiators two years ago, we have established a strong working relationship with the club. We have been impressed by the support system; led by their owner Mr. Jefferys and their VP Joe Gelderman, along with the individual development attention that Head Coach Andy Brandt and his staff has shown each one of our players. We look forward to the continued success of the franchise and thank the Atlanta Gladiators ownership group and the Duluth community for their steadfast support.”

The two teams originally signed a “two-year affiliation agreement” before the 2015-2016 campaign. Prior to this, the South Carolina Stingrays and Reading Royals served as the Bruins’ ECHL affiliate.

The Gladiators franchise started as the Mobile Mystics (Mobile, Alabama) back in 1995. In 2003, the team moved to Gwinnett County, Georgia and rebranded as the Gwinnett Gladiators, where they served as the ECHL affiliate to the Atlanta Thrashers. Following the Thrashers’ move to Winnipeg in 2015, the team changed their name to the Atlanta Gladiators as they looked to become the “professional hockey team for all of the metro Atlanta community.” Over the years, the team has aslso served as an affiliate to the Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes, and Buffalo Sabres.

There are several notable players currently playing for the Gladiators, including Akim Aliu, Matt Ginn, Tyler Murovich, and Derek Nesbitt.

Claude Julien Discusses New Job, Lineups, Bruins

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We’re all still recovering from the Canadiens shocking coaching changes earlier this week. We already heard GM Marc Bergevin discuss the decision to replace Michel Therrien with Claude Julien, and yesterday, we got to hear from the team’s new head coach.

During his conference call, Julien touch on a variety of subjects, including his relationship with the Canadiens organization and his firing by the Bruins’ front office. Thanks to Boston.com, Stu Cowan of the Montreal Gazette, and Fluto Shinzawa of The Boston Globe, we were able to compile some of those notable quotes below:

On replacing Therrien:

I was a guy that was let go a little over a week ago. I know the feeling of when you’re let go. It’s not a fun feeling, it’s not something that you like to go through. We know how much it affects not just you, but your family. So I certainly want to talk about Mike Therrien, who I know is going through those same feelings right now.

“It’s not easy for me as a coach to come in here knowing that you’re replacing another coach who is going through the same things that you have. Mike is a good coach, I know from coaching against him he’s not an easy coach to try and match lines against, etc., and he’s done a great job there. So I want to wish Mike the best of luck because I know he’s a good coach and I know he’ll bounce back at some point.”

On whether he learned anything during his previous stint in Montreal:

I don’t know if there’s a lesson. I think it’s more about experience. I really didn’t feel even if it was my first job in Montreal … I really never felt that there was an issue as far as media pressure and everything else.

“Am I going to get criticized? Absolutely. There’s no place in this world of hockey that you don’t get criticized. That doesn’t matter to me. I think what matters to me is that I focus on my job, I don’t get bogged down by what some people call white noise. But I feel in my heart that I’m doing the right thing for my team. The rest I can deal with and that’s probably the experience of being in the league for so long that I’ll probably be able to handle even better now the second time around.”

On any game plan changes he may implement:

We’re going to play as a team, we’re going to play with some pace, we’re going to create some pride in all aspects of our game. All the other adjustments system-wise, I’m going make them, but you can’t come in the middle of the season and change everything.”

On his relationship with Bergevin:

He’s a good manager, a good man and it’s important for me to work for good people. I also spoke to (Canadiens owner Geoff) Molson and I realize I’m going to a good organization.”

On getting fired by Boston:

I’d been in the office the day before, really looking to fix things and get us back on the winning track. The next morning, I found out. It’s not a shocker, but I don’t think I was necessarily expecting it.”

Afternoon Transactions: Meier, Sharks, Kings

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News and notes from around the NHL this afternoon:

  • The Sharks announced that they have recalled a trio of players: defenseman Tim Heed and forwards Timo Meier and Nikolay Goldobin. Meier, a 2015 first-round pick, scored three goals and collected two assists in 25 games for the Sharks this season. Goldobin has played 43 games for the Barracuda’s this season, compiling 13 goals and 24 assists. Heed, who made his NHL debut earlier this season, has the second-most points among defensemen in the AHL (11 goals, 28 assists).
  • The Kings have recalled winger Adrian Kempe and defender Paul Ladue from Ontario, reports Elliott Teaford of the Southern California News Group (via Twitter). Kempe, a 2014 first-round pick, will be making his NHL debut. In 43 games for the Ontario Reign this season, the 20-year-old has collected 11 goals and eight assists. Ladue, a former sixth-rounder, played two games for the Kings earlier this season.

Canadiens GM Discusses Coaching Changes

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The Canadiens shocked the hockey world yesterday when they fired head coach Michel Therrien and replaced him with the recently-fired Claude Julien. We learned at least one new detail this afternoon, as NHL.com’s Dave Stubbs passes along (via Twitter) that Julien inked a five-year contract (not including this season). This will presumably keep Julien in the organization at least through the 2021-22 season.

Following the Canadiens’ sudden moves, general manager Marc Bergevin met with the media to discuss the drastic changes this afternoon.

Thanks to the Montreal Gazette and Greg Wyshynski of Yahoo.com, we’ve compiled several of his notable remarks below:

On the firing of Therrien:

“Michel and I worked very closely together over the past five years. We fought some big battles and experienced strong emotions together. And above all, we always demonstrated integrity in our dealings with each other and with the Montreal Canadiens organization. Those who know me, I am engaged body and soul with my team. I will never think twice about going down in the trenches and fighting alongside them, players and coaches. This is what I’ve always done with Michel and I will do with Claude and this is why the decision was all the more difficult.”

On the decision to swap coaches:

“I’ve reached the conclusion that we were at a turning point for our team and that’s why I decided to make this change in the club’s best interests. I’m convinced that in hiring Claude Julien we are getting one of the best coaches in the NHL. In my estimation, to this point we have reached, Claude is the best man to help reach our goal. Claude has proved his worth.”

On whether Julien being fired in Boston influenced the firing of Therrien:

“I didn’t make my decision based on how Boston operates…[w]e were at a turning point for our team. We’re just not playing our game. There was something missing.”

Evening Transactions: Blues, Oilers, Devils, Sharks

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News and notes from around the NHL this evening:

  • The Blues announced that they have recalled forward Wade Megan from the Chicago Wolves. The 26-year-old made his NHL debut earlier this season, scoring a goal in his first career game. In 50 games with Chicago this season, Megan has collected a league-high 23 goals to go along with 22 assists. Earlier today, the team placed forward Paul Stastny on the injured reserve with a lower-body injury.
  • The Oilers have activated winger Iiro Pakarinen from the injured reserve, the team announced on Twitter. This wasn’t a huge surprise, as Pakarinen was recalled earlier this week following the demotion of forward Anton Lander. After scoring five goals and compiling eight assists last year, the 25-year-old hasn’t played a single game for the Oilers this season.
  • The Devils announced (via Twitter) that they had activated defender Jon Merrill from the injured reserve. After having missed the past four games with an upper body injury, the 25-year-old is expected to play for New Jersey tonight. In 27 games this season, the former second-rounder has accounted for one goal, three assists, and 18 penalty minutes.
  • The Toronto Marlies, the Maple Leafs AHL affiliate, announced (via Twitter) that they have acquired defender Alex Gudbranson on loan from the Wild. The 22-year-old has spent this season playing with the Quad City Mallards of the ECHL, where he’s compiled four goals and 11 assists in 45 games.
  • As part of their near-daily roster shuffle for cap reasons, the Sharks announced (via Twitter) that winger Timo Meier and Marcus Sorensen, as well as defenseman Tim Heed, have all been sent to their AHL affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda.  Of the three, only Meier has played a semi-regular role in the NHL this season, suiting up in 25 games while recording three goals and two assists.

Canadiens Fire Michel Therrien, Hire Claude Julien

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Following a recent stretch that saw the team drop 10 of their past 13 games, the Canadiens have decided to make a coaching change. The team announced that they have relieved head coach Michel Therrien of his duties and have hired Claude Julien as his replacement. Chris Johnston of Sportsnet tweets that the rest of the coaching staff will be retained for the time being.

“I would like to sincerely thank Michel for his relentless work with the Montreal Canadiens over his eight seasons behind the bench, including the last five seasons when we worked together,” said general manager Marc Bergevin. “The decision to remove Michel from his coaching duties was a difficult one because I have lots of respect for him. I came to the conclusion that our team needed a new energy, a new voice, a new direction. Claude Julien is an experienced and well respected coach with a good knowledge of the Montreal market. Claude has been very successful as an NHL coach and he won the Stanley Cup. Today we hired the best available coach, and one of the league’s best. I am convinced that he has the capabilities to get our team back on the winning track.”

Therrien re-joined the organization back in 2012, and he led the team to the playoffs during his first three seasons. However, the team struggled last year, finishing with a .500 record for the first time since the 2011-2012 campaign. Bergevin made several bold moves this past offseason, and the team seemed to have regained their form, starting the campaign with a dominant 13-1-1 record. However, the squad has struggled recently, and despite sitting atop the Atlantic Division, their lead is quickly fading.

There were plenty of whispers that Therrien could find himself on the hot seat, as our own Mike Furland wrote yesterday. A number of teams recently saw an uptick in production following a coaching change, which perhaps added some fuel to the fire in Montreal.

This will be a reunion of sorts for Julien, who coached the Canadiens for 159 games in the early 2000s. The 56-year-old spent much of the past decade in Boston, where he led the team to seven playoff births and a Stanley Cup Championship. However, the Bruins failed to make the playoffs in each of the past two seasons, and their 26-23 record this season led to Julien’s firing earlier this month. ESPN.com’s Pierre LeBrun tweets that the Canadiens asked the Bruins for permission to interview Julien on Sunday. In a subsequent tweet, LeBrun reports that multiple teams reached out to Boston in hopes that they could secure an interview with their former coach.

Ironically, this is the second time the organization has replaced Therrien with Julien, as the former head coach was replaced by the future Bruins head coach during the 2002-2003 season. Andrei Markov and Tomas Plekanec are the lone holdovers from Julien’s previous stint with the organization.

Trade Notes: Oilers, Krejci, Parenteau, Boyle

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The Oilers are on pace to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2005-2006 season. As a result, there’s some pressure on general manager Peter Chiarelli to make some moves that will help the team secure that playoff birth. While the executive admitted that he doesn’t believe his team is a true Cup contender, he did provide some insight into his pre-deadline strategy.

“I really don’t want to delve into that market,” Chiarelli said (via Sportsnet’s Mark Spector). “I think there are areas we can tinker with; I think the team deserves it. We wanted to be in the conversation. We are.

“(But) we’ve made a lot of moves in the summer, and they’re coming around. I’d rather see those play out…(Deals) fall in your lap … but I don’t see being heavily involved in that market.

“I don’t think it’s the right time for this team, but having said that … once you get into the playoffs, you never know.”

As we anticipate the March 1st trade deadline, let’s explore some other trade notes from around the NHL…

  • An NHL executive told WEEI’s Jimmy Murphy that Bruins center David Krejci has been a target of multiple teams (Twitter link). However, the same sourced wondered whether the veteran could now be off the market due to his and his team’s recent play. The 30-year-old has 14 goals and 25 assists this season.
  • That same executive also told Murphy that Predators general manager David Poile has been “a lot more aggressive” over the past year, and that sentiment apparently applies to this season (Twitter link). Nashville is currently slotted in as the top wild-card team in the Western Conference.
  • It seems like P.A. Parenteau’s name has been floating in trade rumors for the better part of a year, and the Devils winger recently told Andrew Gross of NorthJersey.com that he understands that he could be on the block if the team falls further out of the playoff hunt. “I went through it last year,” Parenteau said. “I was having a really good year and I didn’t get traded. Who knows? The market changes every year. I’m aware of my age, and when I sign a one-year deal like that, if the team is going to be out of playoff contention, there’s a chance I get moved.”
  • Joe Smith of TampaBay.com tweets that he isn’t surprised at the trade talks surrounding center Brian Boyle, citing the veteran’s leadership presence in the locker room. However, Smith says these are the reasons why the Lightning should actually be looking to keep the 32-year-old. In 50 games this season, the veteran has collected 13 goals and seven assists, and he’s on pace to set career-highs in both categories.

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