Atlantic Notes: Marchand, Tavares, Wikman
It was a tough night for the Bruins on Friday who lost to Florida to now trail two games to one in their second-round series. They also lost one of their top players in the process with Brad Marchand exiting the game in the second period off a hit from Sam Bennett. Speaking with reporters postgame including Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald, head coach Jim Montgomery didn’t have any immediate updates about the availability of his captain for Sunday’s contest. Marchand leads Boston in scoring in the postseason with three goals and seven assists through ten games and with the Bruins struggling offensively the last couple of games, losing their top scorer would certainly be a significant blow.
More from the Atlantic:
- After being added to Canada’s roster on Friday, Maple Leafs captain John Tavares has been named as captain for the Canadians at the Worlds, Hockey Canada announced (Twitter link). The 33-year-old saw his output dip this season but he still managed 29 goals and 36 assists for Toronto in 80 games but was limited to just one goal and one assist in their first-round loss to Boston. This is his fourth appearance at the World Championship although it has been a while since Tavares has taken part; he last participated back in 2012.
- Panthers prospect Albert Wikman has been loaned to Sodertalje in Sweden’s Allsvenskan for next season, per a team announcement (Twitter link). The 19-year-old blueliner was a fourth-round pick last June, going 127th overall. Wikman spent most of this season playing in Farjestad’s junior system, notching 20 points in 45 games while also making a pair of SHL and Allsvenskan appearances. While still eligible to play at the junior level, it appears the determination has been made to have him play a full professional campaign at the second-tier level to aid in his development.
Snapshots: Devils, Leonard, Berube
At the beginning of the season, the Devils weren’t expected to be picking in the top ten but that’s where they find themselves after the lottery earlier this week. Speaking after the lottery, GM Tom Fitzgerald indicated to reporters including team reporter Amanda Stein that it’s not a guarantee he’ll use the tenth pick next month, suggesting it’s an option to be moved if the right trade presents itself. It’s not very often that top-ten picks are dealt but with New Jersey being a team in win-now mode, they could be inclined to try to use that selection for someone who is more established and can contribute right away.
Elsewhere around the NHL:
- Capitals prospect Ryan Leonard opted not to sign with Washington for their playoff run, instead choosing to stay at Boston College instead. However, with San Jose getting the first-overall pick (which is expected to be used on Macklin Celebrini), it’s possible that Celebrini signing will also result in San Jose getting Will Smith to turn pro and become their one-two punch down the middle. If that happens, Colby Cohen suggested on a recent Daily Faceoff appearance (video link) that Washington could then try to re-engage on getting Leonard, a current teammate of Smith, to sign for 2024-25. Leonard had a dominant campaign, putting up 31 goals and 29 assists in 41 games in his freshman year.
- While the Kings haven’t decided on if they’ll remove the interim tag from Jim Hiller who took over as head coach midseason, Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos reports in his latest Toronto Star column that Los Angeles is kicking the tires on Craig Berube. Berube has also been speculatively linked to the openings in New Jersey and Toronto and appears to be well-positioned to return behind an NHL bench in the coming weeks. The 55-year-old has been an NHL bench boss for parts of eight seasons with his teams playing to a .584 points percentage.
Central Notes: Cogliano, Carrier, Rossi
Avalanche winger Andrew Cogliano has played on one-year deals in each of the last three seasons and with his 17th NHL campaign ending at the conclusion of Colorado’s playoffs, there are questions about whether he’ll continue playing. Speaking with Kyle Frederickson of The Denver Gazette, the 36-year-old indicated that he’s hopeful to stick around but also wants to see how things go in the postseason and go from there. Cogliano logged a career-low 10:37 per game during the regular season but was fairly productive despite the low ice time, notching 19 points in 75 contests while adding four assists in six playoff appearances despite barely logging nine minutes a night.
More from the Central:
- Predators defenseman Alexandre Carrier is set to hit unrestricted free agency in July but Nick Kieser of 102.5 The Game notes that there was a bit of dialogue between the two sides about an extension earlier in the season and that his desire is to remain in Nashville. The 27-year-old had a breakout year in 2021-22 and has been an important part of their back end since then. Carrier had 20 points and 137 blocks in 73 games with the Preds this season and is well-positioned to receive a multi-year deal this summer with a raise from the $2.5MM he made on his set-to-expire deal.
- Despite a strong first full NHL season, Minnesota is believed to be open to offers on center Marco Rossi, reports Anthony DiMarco of The Fourth Period. The 22-year-old potted 21 goals and 19 assists in 82 games while logging a little under 17 minutes, a solid rookie campaign for the ninth overall pick in 2020. This doesn’t appear to be a case where the Wild are shopping Rossi but rather one where they’re open to the idea of a ‘hockey trade’ where they’re getting a quality piece back. Notably, Rossi has another year left on his entry-level deal and with one more year of expensive cap charges on the Zach Parise and Ryan Suter buyouts (before the charges drop considerably for 2025-26 and beyond), they would likely be looking for a similarly-priced contract if they were to part with him.
Atlantic Notes: Maple Leafs, Alfredsson, Malik
At the moment, the Maple Leafs only have one goaltender with NHL experience signed for next season, Joseph Woll. With that in mind, Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic suggested on his latest podcast (video link) that Toronto is likely to sign a pair of experienced netminders for 2024-25. At first glance, finding a partner for Woll will be the top priority while also trying to fill the role that Martin Jones had this season as the veteran third-string option that can be serviceable when called upon. Ilya Samsonov, Matt Murray, and Jones are all set to hit the open market in July with Johnston believing that it’s possible that one of the three could return to fill one of those two spots.
Elsewhere in the Atlantic:
- Speaking at his introductory press conference yesterday, new Senators head coach Travis Green told reporters including Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch that he’s open to having Daniel Alfredsson return as an assistant coach next season. Alfredsson rejoined Ottawa as a development coach for last season but moved behind the bench as an assistant when Jacques Martin took over as interim head coach midseason. Alfredsson is believed to be weighing a decision as to whether he wants to stay behind the bench regularly or go back to his originally planned role.
- Lightning prospect Nick Malik is on the move as HC Plzen of the Czech Extraliga announced that they’ve signed the netminder to a two-year deal. The 22-year-old was a fifth-round pick (160th overall) back in 2022 after a strong first season with KooKoo in Finland. However, the last two years haven’t gone as well; his save percentage dropped to .889 in 38 games this season, 33 points down from 2021-22. Considering that Tampa Bay hasn’t signed him yet coupled with this news, it looks unlikely that he’ll receive his entry-level deal by the June 1st deadline.
Submit Your Questions For The #PHRMailbag
For three-quarters of the league, the offseason is now underway. We’ve seen some exciting playoff matchups in the opening round while several teams now find themselves looking for new coaches with others potentially following suit in the coming days. With that in mind, it’s a good time to open up the mailbag.
Our last mailbag was split into two columns. Topics in the first included Chicago’s goaltending situation, the potential offseason coaching carousel, and college free agency. Meanwhile, in the second, topics included what’s next for San Jose, if this is the summer where Nashville moves a goalie, and expansion.
You can submit a question by using #PHRMailbag on Twitter/X or by leaving a comment down below. The mailbag will run on the weekend.
Offseason Checklist: Montreal Canadiens
The offseason has arrived for three-quarters of the NHL for teams that either missed the playoffs or were eliminated in the first round. Accordingly, it’s now time to examine what they will need to accomplish over the coming months. Next up is a look at Montreal.
With the Canadiens still in the build-up portion of their rebuild, expectations were still low heading into the season. They finished in the same spot as the year before – 28th – while making marginal improvements in goals, goals allowed, and points. With them now missing the postseason three years in a row after making the Cup Final, expectations should start to creep higher now with the team likely to try to emerge from its rebuild soon. Accordingly, GM Kent Hughes will likely be looking to make some moves both for the future and next season.
Clear Defensive Logjam
The Canadiens have one of the deeper defensive groups in the league when it comes to team depth. They’re only a year removed from dressing four (and sometimes five) rookies in a game but until the next wave was ready to push for playing time, they didn’t necessarily have to make a move.
That next wave is now pretty close to being ready. Jayden Struble was expected to be in the minors this season but wound up playing 56 games with the big club. Lane Hutson and Logan Mailloux both received a taste of NHL action down the stretch and held their own. David Reinbacher, the fifth-overall pick last spring, will play full-time in North America next season and should see a handful of games at a minimum.
A total of eight blueliners played at least 44 games for Montreal this season. All are either under contract or controllable through restricted free agency. Even without the prospects being on the verge of pushing for roster spots, there was already a bit of a logjam. But if they think one of Hutson or Mailloux is ready for full-time duty or close to it, they might be inclined to look at moving two of their blueliners.
Some expect David Savard, a 2025 unrestricted free agent, to be moved but they could elect to hold him until closer to the trade deadline to keep him working with the young core as long as possible. At first glance, Jordan Harris could be the odd one out. The 23-year-old can play on both sides, is signed for one more year at an affordable $1.4MM, and can log upwards of 18 minutes a night. Speculatively, Justin Barron could also be in play as he’s now waiver-eligible and can’t be returned to the minors as he was for most of the second half of this season. A pending RFA, the 22-year-old was a former first-rounder and has close to 100 career NHL games under his belt which should give him good value if they decide to move him.
Extension Discussions
Last offseason, the focus was on Cole Caufield’s contract as he was entering RFA eligibility for the first time. They don’t have anyone quite as impactful needing a new deal this time around which should position Hughes to turn his focus to trying to sign a pair of key youngsters to early extensions.
At the beginning of the season, Juraj Slafkovsky struggled mightily to the point where many felt he should have been assigned to the minors. Instead, Montreal went the other way and put him on the top line and things clicked for him from there. The top pick in 2022 went on to put up 35 points in the final 40 games of the season, moving him from a sure-fire bridge candidate to one they’ll likely try to sign long-term. Given Montreal’s salary structure, it’s reasonable to infer they’d prefer to slot him behind Nick Suzuki whose deal checks in at $7.875MM per season. However, with what first-overall picks typically get on long-term agreements (generally more than this), will he be amenable to that or will he push for more? If it’s the latter, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the two sides wait until the 2025 offseason to see if his second half was an outlier or a sign of things to come.
The other notable extension-eligible candidate is Kaiden Guhle. The 22-year-old blueliner made the jump from junior two years ago and has logged over 20 minutes a night in his first two seasons. With a bit of a limited offensive game, his earnings ceiling will be limited but he could still push past $6MM per season on a max-term deal. Having said that, Guhle has battled injuries both years so an extension would be somewhat of a shared risk scenario. Guhle would be risking leaving some money on the table if he’s able to stay healthy and have a big year next season while Montreal would be risking a significant commitment to a thus-far injury-prone player but if he stays healthy, they could potentially get him at a team-friendly rate. Seeing if there’s a number where both sides are content should be fairly high on the to-do list.
Add Scoring Help
The last time Montreal finished in the top half of the league in goals scored was back in 2018-19. They’ve finished 26th the last two seasons and 27th the year before that. Only two players scored more than 20 goals this season, Suzuki and Caufield. Even if they feel the top line from the second half of the year (those two with Slafkovsky) is a legitimate top trio, they need a lot of secondary scoring behind them.
The return of Kirby Dach should help after he missed almost the entire season with a knee injury while they will bank on Alex Newhook taking another step forward in his development. Accordingly, it’s reasonable for them to hope that some improvement will come internally. That said, internal improvement alone won’t be enough to propel them back into a playoff race let alone the actual playoffs.
Under this management group, the Canadiens have avoided adding players in free agency, preferring to build via the trade market. They’ve flipped a first-round pick in back-to-back years to add Dach and Newhook and, armed with an extra first-rounder again for next month’s draft, many expect them to do so again, whether that’s for another player of that ilk or as part of a bigger swing.
Beyond that, this might be the time for them to look at a shorter-term unrestricted free agent as well, one that can augment the scoring depth for a few years and serve as somewhat of a mentor to what is a fairly young group. Having said that, they will have a decision to make before July 1st if they intend to go that route.
Escape Or Utilize LTIR
Two years ago, Montreal elected to go into offseason LTIR, giving them the flexibility to take on Sean Monahan from Calgary, receiving a 2025 first-round pick for their troubles. That worked out well for the Canadiens considering they signed him to a cheap one-year deal last spring and then flipped him for another first-rounder earlier this season.
Last summer, they elected not to do that, instead waiting until in-season to put Carey Price on LTIR. That move gave them more flexibility but they then didn’t do much of anything with that flexibility.
Accordingly, that might not be the best approach to take this time around. Price still has two years left on his $10.5MM contract although his playing days are over. Flipping him will be difficult considering there is still $11MM in signing bonuses still left to be paid on it.
So, Hughes needs to determine if he wants to go back into offseason LTIR or not. If he does, they could be players either in free agency or perhaps taking on a short-term pricey contract as they did with Monahan two years ago. Even with the cap set to rise by more than $1MM this time around, there will be teams looking to move out some salary. The benefit would be more future than current as they’d likely be compensated with a draft pick but if they’re not in a spot where they think they can push for a playoff spot – which would be a lofty goal – then they wouldn’t be concerned about that.
If they don’t want to go into offseason LTIR, it might be worth them trying to dip out of it altogether. They currently have about $78.6MM in commitments, per CapFriendly, with Barron and Arber Xhekaj being the only two RFAs on the roster who could command a seven-figure contract. That would still leave them room to try to add a piece while also staying under the cap ceiling (meaning Price would be on regular IR), allowing them to bank money for in-season flexibility or to try to avoid incurring a seven-figure bonus overage for the third straight year, a move that would help them cap-wise heading into 2025-26. They’ll want to have their direction picked out by the time free agency opens up.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Prospect Notes: Sjalin, Kulonummi, Ambrosio
Sabres blueline prospect Calle Sjalin intends to return to Sweden next season, his agent Claes Elefalk told Hockeysverige’s Mans Karlsson. The 24-year-old was acquired at the trade deadline from Florida as part of the Kyle Okposo trade. Sjalin was brought over two years ago but has exclusively played in the AHL and doesn’t appear to be on the verge of pushing for an NHL opportunity. However, his planned return to the SHL doesn’t mean this is it for him in North America as Elefalk indicated that Sjalin plans to sign for a year or two back home and then give it another go at trying to reach the NHL level.
Other prospect news from around the hockey world:
- Predators prospect Kasper Kulonummi has signed with Kiekko-Espoo in Finland’s top division, per a team announcement on their Instagram page. The 20-year-old blueliner was picked 84th overall two years ago and had his first taste of extended Liiga action this year, getting into 40 games where he had four assists. His new team has been promoted from the second-tier Mestis level so Kulonummi will likely be earmarked for a bigger role in 2024-25, the first of the two-year contract he signed.
- Avalanche prospect Colby Ambrosio has elected to transfer for his final season. The center announced (Twitter link) he has moved to Miami University (Ohio). The 21-year-old was a fourth-round pick by Colorado in 2020 (118th overall) and spent the last four seasons at Boston College. Ambrosio struggled in a limited role this season, notching just eight points in 40 games after reaching the 20-point mark the previous two campaigns. He could have elected free agency this summer but coming off the year he had, it made more sense for him to try his hand elsewhere. He’s now reunited with his former USHL coach who will now try to get enough out of Ambrosio to land a pro contract next year.
West Notes: Marchment, Pettersson, Henrique, Drouin
The Stars have been without Mason Marchment since he suffered an undisclosed injury in the second game of the opening round. However, he could return for the second game of their second-round series against Colorado as Joey Hayden of the Dallas Morning News relays that the winger is now close to returning and is likely to be a game-time decision on Thursday. The 28-year-old had a career year offensively with 22 goals and 31 assists in 81 games during the regular season and is a big part of Dallas’ deep forward group so getting him back – whether it’s Thursday or soon after – would be a significant boost for them.
Other news from the West:
- After missing Tuesday’s practice due to illness, Canucks center Elias Pettersson will play tonight in their series opener, mentions Thomas Drance of The Athletic (Twitter link). Head coach Rick Tocchet also ruled out any speculation that the illness designation was covering up an injury. Pettersson had a strong regular season with 89 points in 82 games but was quiet in the first round, being held to just three assists in six contests against Nashville.
- As expected, Oilers forward Adam Henrique has been ruled out of tonight’s opener, notes Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic (Twitter link). He was listed as doubtful yesterday due to a lower-body injury. However, head coach Kris Knoblauch added that he’s hopeful that the veteran will be able to return on Friday, continuing to list him as day-to-day. Henrique had a pair of points in their opening-round victory over Los Angeles.
- Avalanche winger Jonathan Drouin skated today for the first time as he works his way back from a lower-body injury that caused him to miss the entire first round. Speaking with reporters including Evan Rawal of Colorado Hockey Now (Twitter link), head coach Jared Bednar indicated that they need to ensure that Drouin’s wound heals so that it won’t bust open again which suggests he probably isn’t overly close to returning just yet. Drouin had a strong bounce-back showing during the regular season, picking up 56 points in 79 games after managing just 29 in 58 in 2022-23.
Oilers Recall Eight Players
May 6: Forward Xavier Bourgault has also been added to the Oilers’ playoff roster, the team said Monday. Bourgault, 21, was the 22nd overall pick of the 2021 draft. He’s yet to make his NHL debut and struggled in his sophomore season with Bakersfield, limited to eight goals and 20 points in 55 games. He has one year remaining on his entry-level contract
May 4: After bringing up goaltender Jack Campbell and defenseman Philip Broberg earlier, the Oilers have finalized the rest of their ‘Black Ace’ recalls. The team announced (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled forwards Adam Erne, Raphael Lavoie, and Lane Pederson, defensemen Philip Kemp, Cam Dineen, and Ben Gleason, and goaltender Olivier Rodrigue from AHL Bakersfield.
Among the forwards, Erne played the most with Edmonton this season, getting into 24 games but was limited to just two points and less than eight minutes a night of ice time but did average nearly three hits per game. The 29-year-old didn’t light it up with the Condors either, recording six goals and six helpers in 36 minor league appearances. However, if the Oilers decide they want some extra physicality on the fourth line here and there, the pending UFA could get into the lineup.
Lavoie cleared waivers at the end of training camp but that didn’t deter him. Instead, the 23-year-old had his best AHL campaign, notching 28 goals and 22 assists in 68 games while also making his first seven NHL appearances. That should have him in the mix for a roster spot with Edmonton against next season although it would be surprising to see him get into the lineup now.
Pederson, meanwhile, failed to make an NHL appearance for the first time since 2019-20. He did, however, have a strong year with Bakersfield, collecting 22 goals and 30 helpers in 66 contests. He’s under contract for one more year at the league minimum on a one-way deal.
As for the blueliners, only Kemp saw NHL action this season, making his first (and only) appearance at the top level. The 25-year-old played in 64 games with the Condors this year, recording a pair of goals and 13 assists. He’s signed through next season on a two-way contract.
Dineen has the most NHL experience among the blueliners brought up today, having gotten into 34 games with Arizona back in 2021-22. He had his first full year in Bakersfield this season after being acquired last year, picking up five goals and 20 assists in 58 games. The 25-year-old will be eligible for Group Six unrestricted free agency for the second straight year this summer.
Gleason’s last taste of NHL action came back in 2018-19 in his first professional season back when he was with Dallas. Since then, the 26-year-old has been one of the more consistent offensive producers from the back end in the AHL and this year was no exception as he put up 10 goals and 22 assists in 62 appearances. His contract converts to a one-way agreement next season for the league minimum.
Rodrigue was expected to split time with Calvin Pickard this season with Bakersfield but those plans changed with Campbell struggling and Pickard taking over as the backup in Edmonton. Still, the 23-year-old posted a 2.73 GAA with a .916 SV% in 37 games with the Condors this season, earning himself a one-year extension along the way.
Most, if not all of these players won’t see any action during the rest of Edmonton’s postseason action but will be staying ready in case injuries warrant them suiting up.
Five Key Stories: 4/29/24 – 5/5/24
While the action was busy on the ice as the first round comes to an end (after the second round began), there was a lot of news away from the rink – particularly on the coaching front – which gets the focus in our key stories.
Michkov Arriving Earlier Than Expected? One of the reasons that Matvei Michkov slipped to seventh overall last June was the fact that he had three years left on his deal in the KHL and with no transfer agreement in place, he couldn’t be bought out of that contract with an NHL pact. However, with still two years remaining, the chairman of Michkov’s KHL team (SKA St. Petersburg) stated that thanks to the good relationship they have with Philadelphia’s front office, they’ll consider letting Michkov out of his contract early, permitting him to come to North America earlier than expected. They’ll decide on his fate for next season by the end of June. Michkov spent most of this season on loan again to HK Sochi and finished second on the team in scoring with 41 points in 47 games.
Brind’Amour Extension Talks: While the Hurricanes were off for most of the week, there was certainly some intrigue off the ice. A report surfaced that extension talks between the team and head coach Rod Brind’Amour had soured with their offer being pulled. Then, the next day, it was reported that talks had resumed and that there was optimism that discussions would eventually get a deal across the finish line. Brind’Amour has been behind the bench in Carolina for the past six seasons with the team playing to a .664 points percentage during the regular season while reaching the playoffs each time. If a deal doesn’t get reached, it’s safe to say that he’ll be highly sought after on the open market.
Seattle Makes A Change: After the Kraken reached the second round last season, expectations were high heading into the franchise’s third year. However, they dropped 19 points in the standings, missing the playoffs in the process. As a result, they’ve elected to make a coaching change, firing head coach Dave Hakstol along with assistant Paul McFarland. Hakstol had signed a two-year extension back in July but now has been dismissed before that new deal even kicked in with GM Ron Francis saying that the move was needed to help the team continue to improve and evolve. Seattle played to a 107-112-27 record over Hakstol’s three seasons, a respectable record for an expansion franchise that will now join the Blues, Devils, Kings, Senators, and Sharks as teams looking for coaches or needing to make decisions on their interim bench bosses.
Cooper Reportedly Extended: After the Lightning were eliminated in the first round for the second straight year, some wondered if they could make a coaching change. However, that won’t be the case with GM Julien BriseBois indicating it wasn’t time to think about extending Cooper since he was signed beyond next season, meaning he had already been extended. Subsequent reporting indicated that Cooper received a one-year extension. Cooper is the longest-tenured coach in the NHL having been behind Tampa Bay’s bench for parts of 12 seasons with his teams posting a 525-279-25 record during the regular season along with two Stanley Cup titles and two more Final appearances. Even with the recent step back in the standings, this will be Cooper’s team for a little while longer at least.
Tampa To Work On Extensions: Despite the early exit, Tampa Bay won’t be looking to shake up its core as BriseBois stated that they’ve started preliminary talks about an extension for pending UFA forward Steven Stamkos and defenseman Victor Hedman, who is eligible to sign a new deal starting in July. Stamkos, their captain, has made it known he wants to stay and was disappointed that talks didn’t start last summer. Coming off his sixth career 40-goal season, he has a case to earn a raise on his $8.5MM AAV although the Lightning may not be able to afford that. Hedman, meanwhile, has been a key cog on the back end for the last 15 years and is coming off an impressive season, one that saw him post 76 points, the second-best total of his career. He also has a strong case for a raise on his current $7.875MM AAV.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.