West Notes: Oilers, Coyotes, Wroblewski
The Oilers are on the lookout to add some defensive help and would like to add another goaltender, reports ESPN’s Emily Kaplan. Edmonton is a bit shorthanded on the back end at the moment with both Duncan Keith and Slater Koekkoek injured and Cody Ceci currently in COVID protocol. That has resulted in Philip Broberg and Marcus Niemelainen both being recalled from AHL Bakersfield and while that works as a short-term solution, getting another proven piece into the mix would certainly help their fortunes.
As for their goaltending, Mike Smith is currently injured and while Mikko Koskinen has done well this season, his track record over his tenure with the team is much spottier so adding some insurance would help. Of course, with minimal cap space and the fact they’re well into LTIR already, GM Ken Holland will have to get creative if he wants to try to add those players now. Otherwise, they may have to wait until closer to the March 21 deadline to make the money work.
More from the Western Conference:
- The City of Glendale is threatening to lock the Coyotes out of Gila River Arena if their unpaid invoices and tax bills tallying more than $1.3MM aren’t paid by December 20th, reports Katie Strang of The Athletic. This is the latest chapter of an ongoing battle between the city and the team with the Coyotes being told to look for other places to play with their lease agreement not being renewed. Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports suggests (subscription link) that Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, a facility that was built in 1965 and was home to Phoenix’s WHA team in the 1970s, could be a landing spot for the team while they wait for their desired Tempe home to be built.
- The Kings’ AHL affiliate in Ontario announced that head coach John Wroblewski has taken a personal leave of absence for an indefinite period of time. Assistant coaches Chris Hajt and Craig Johnson will split the coaching duties in Wroblewski’s absence.
PHR Mailbag: Flyers, Kane, Trade Deadline, Jets, TV Coverage
Topics in this edition of the PHR Mailbag include the tough starts for the Flyers and Jets, Evander Kane’s situation, trade candidates closer to the deadline, and the television deal in the United States. If your question doesn’t appear here, watch for it in next weekend’s mailbag.
BlackAce57: It seems like the most consistent part of the Flyers the last three to five years has been their inconsistency. With the injuries to older big salary players and the young guns still not stepping up to what was expected, will this just be another season of mediocrity?
DarkSide830: What should the Flyers do? Is sacking AV and seeing if the new coach can spark the team a good start?
Being consistently inconsistent is certainly a hallmark of Philadelphia’s hockey teams in recent years and enough coaches, players, and general managers to make it a baffling trait. There has been enough turnover on all fronts that it shouldn’t keep happening. Making more big changes as they’ve now done certainly isn’t going to guarantee that this stops being the case.
Injuries haven’t helped their cause this season and yes, the minimal progression of some of their younger players like Joel Farabee, Travis Konecny, and Travis Sanheim has compounded that problem. That said, I’m not willing to write off their playoff chances just yet; one of their hot streaks would get them right back in the race. They’re not good enough to contend and not bad enough to bottom out and if you’re worried about them being in that mediocre zone, that’s probably where they’re going to land.
As for Vigneault, my original answer that was going to run Sunday night before Vancouver’s shakeup occurred was that I thought GM Chuck Fletcher would wait it out until the end of the season and re-assess from there. Clearly, that isn’t the route they took given today’s news. I’m not sure that promoting Mike Yeo is going to spark them but he does have some experience in the top role and he’s certainly a reasonable one to turn to.
In his recent press conference, Fletcher preached patience for his roster and I take him at his word. They haven’t had a healthy squad for most of the season so it’s harder to evaluate the ceiling for this team and now the coaching change will make that a bit more challenging. I think they’re a bubble team and as long as they hang around the playoff mix, I don’t think they’ll do much.
As for what they should do, I’d let the season play out and if they fall out of the race a bit more, try to get something for some of their expiring contracts. By then, hopefully they’ll have had some more games at full strength to get a sense of what they can do at full strength. They have a window where they can make some notable changes again next summer with Claude Giroux and several defenders heading for free agency. That’s a good spot to decide on pivoting towards a reset or whether some more core tinkering (and perhaps another coaching change if it’s decided Yeo isn’t the long-term option) will be enough to get them battling for top spot in the Metropolitan. I’d lean towards the reset; we’ll see eventually if they see it the same way.
trak2k: Why doesn’t the NHL require mouth guards for forwards and defensemen?
Also is there any way for the Sharks to get rid of Evander Kane without owing him his full salary?
On the first one, most already do but there are always some holdouts, just like with helmets back in the day. It’s sort of a CBA issue as there is a joint committee between the league and NHLPA to determine what is and isn’t needed. Obviously, enough players are against it enough to the point where the NHLPA isn’t going to want it mandatory and it’s not vital enough of an issue for the league to try to push something through like they did with visors. If players want to run the risk of losing some more teeth, it’s their call to make.
As for Kane, there are a couple of ways to move him without paying his full salary, at least in theory. The first is a trade with retention which is allowable up to 50% of the contract, or $3.5MM of Kane’s AAV; the same percentage is taken off his salary each year. At this point, San Jose has indicated a willingness to go that route even though there are three years left after this one; they’d be paying a lot of money for him to not play there. But with the behind the scenes stuff, will there be a taker at $3.5MM? That’s hardly a guarantee which is why some have wondered if a third team will need to get involved, retain more of the contract (while receiving some sort of compensation for that), and then move him on. Kane will need to play well with the Barracuda for a while before any type of trade could take place.
Another option – and perhaps the likelier one at this point – is a buyout in the summer. San Jose can pay two-thirds of his remaining salary (plus all of the signing bonus money) spread out over six years for him to leave. Doing so would cost them $10MM in actual money and drop his AAV from $7MM to $3.667MM in 2022-23, $2.667MM in 2023-24, $4.667MM in 2024-25, and $1.667MM for three years after that. The Sharks don’t have the ability to void Kane’s contract for his fake vaccine card – Forbes’ Eric Macramalla explained the reasoning for that back in October – and while he could, in theory, agree to a contract termination, it’s quite unlikely he’d do so given his bankruptcy situation.
Y2KAK: Who would you see as some of the biggest players traded at the trade deadline?
Barring a bunch of extensions, I think it could be a fun trade deadline for rentals. On the wing, Phil Kessel seems like a lock to move. With his low salary and high cap hit, it’s one that Arizona may prefer to keep until closer to March 21. I’m not sure Nashville is willing to lock up Filip Forsberg on a contract similar to the one that Gabriel Landeskog got to stay with the Avalanche and losing him for nothing but cap space wouldn’t be a good return at all so I think he goes.
Can San Jose afford to keep Tomas Hertl? Getting any sort of cap relief (however minimal) for Kane would help but the prospect of letting him walk without a trade return would hurt. The Sharks don’t have a deep farm system and he’s the one piece that could help to replenish it. It’d be hard to part with him if they’re still in the playoff picture but it may be the better play long term.
I’m really curious to see what happens in Anaheim. Defensemen Josh Manson and Hampus Lindholm plus winger Rickard Rakell are all probably in extend or trade situations. Can interim GM Jeff Solomon work out new contracts for any of those three? If not, while a shot at a playoff round would be nice from a financial standpoint, the smarter play would still be to sell.
Are all of these players going to move? Probably not. But I wouldn’t be surprised if a few of these names are traded over the next few months.
FearTheWilson: What’s with the Jets? Year after year they ice a highly talented team yet other than a trip to the WCF they haven’t had much success. Is it finally time to part ways with Paul Maurice?
For the talent Winnipeg has, it has been a flawed roster over the years. Their defense last year had to be in the mix for the bottom five in the league after they lost so much so fast with not enough brought in to replace them and it’s hard to have a lot of playoff success with a bad back end. Center depth – even when Bryan Little was healthy – always seemed to be an issue. Their cap management hasn’t been the greatest either which has resulted in a few too many league minimum players on their roster lately.
In terms of this season, I think they’re going to be just fine. Mark Scheifele will find another gear. Blake Wheeler isn’t going to be held without a goal forever; he’ll get going again. Connor Hellebuyck is still one of the top goalies in the league and their defense is a lot better this season.
How far they go will determine Maurice’s fate as I think he’s getting really close to a make-or-break situation. Either they get through that ceiling and have a better playoff showing or it’ll be time to ask if he’s taken them as far as he can. How they perform in May (and maybe June) will answer whether or not it’s time for a change.
CPL: Seems there is less NHL on TV under the new contract. TNT games are at 10 pm EST and most ESPN games are on ESPN+/Hulu. Will that continue all year?
There certainly haven’t been many national telecasts early on but that’s not surprising. TNT doesn’t have the ‘A’ package so they don’t have a lot of games and ESPN is trying to get people to subscribe to ESPN+ in the early going. That will change a bit as the season progresses as in the second half when there will be a national game on ESPN most weeks as well as ABC picking up some Saturday games as well. ESPN’s full schedule can be found here.
As for TNT, their schedule is back-loaded as well. Of their 50-game slate (which can be seen here), 40 still remain and there are a lot of double-headers in the second half of the season. Yes, there are a lot of late games in there still but there will be more earlier games for them as well for you to look forward to.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
West Notes: Canucks, Coyotes Injuries, Ducks
Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini and interim GM Stan Smyl held a press conference today following the sweeping changes that were made late Sunday. Aquilini told reporters, including Thomas Drance of The Athletic (Twitter link) that there is no timeline to try to find a replacement and that they will conduct “a thorough and exhaustive search” to find the right candidate. It’s a similar line to what Chicago and Anaheim have used following their vacancies being created and it would suggest that Vancouver may wait until the offseason when they’re able to speak to candidates currently employed with other teams.
Meanwhile, earlier today, Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News reported (Twitter link) that former Montreal GM Marc Bergevin is someone the Canucks are very interested in. When asked about that, Aquilini acknowledged (via Drance) that he hasn’t approached Bergevin about whether or not he’d be interested in the position.
More from the Western Conference:
- The Coyotes should be getting some help on the injury front soon. PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan reports (Twitter link) that centers Nick Schmaltz (upper body) and Jay Beagle (lower body) could return from their respective injuries this weekend while center Johan Larsson (lower body) is a couple of weeks away after being re-injured on Friday. Meanwhile, goaltender Carter Hutton has cleared COVID protocol but isn’t yet fully recovered from his ankle injury; with Karel Vejmelka and Scott Wedgewood providing decent goaltending in his absence, they’re in a spot where they can afford to be cautious in bringing him back.
- Ducks centers Adam Henrique and Ryan Getzlaf could rejoin the team at some point on their five-game road trip, relays Elliott Teaford of the Orange County Register. The veterans are having strong bounce-back seasons; Henrique is only five points shy of his total from 2020-21 while Getzlaf has already surpassed his total from last season and sits second in team scoring. Both are dealing with lower-body injuries.
Salary Cap Deep Dive: Columbus Blue Jackets
Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM. Teams that can avoid total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.
PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading for the 2021-22 season and beyond. This will focus more on players who are regulars on the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Current Cap Hit: $70,831,138 (under the $81.5MM Upper Limit)
Entry-Level Contracts
F Emil Bemstrom (one year, $925K)
D Adam Boqvist (one year, $894K)
F Yegor Chinakhov (two years, $925K)
F Cole Sillinger (three years, $925K)
Potential Bonuses
Bemstrom: $850K
Boqvist: $850K
Chinakhov: $500K
Sillinger: $425K
Total: $2.625MM
Sillinger took advantage of the Blue Jackets being thin down the middle to push himself into a regular roster spot and he is the only player from this draft class to make it past the nine-game threshold to start his rookie deal. His offensive numbers are certainly decent but it’s what he does in the last half of the contract that will determine if he gets a short-term second deal or a long-term pact as a franchise fixture. His two ‘A’ bonuses for this season could very well be hit, giving him a nice jump in pay. Columbus somewhat surprisingly agreed to burn the first year of Chinakhov’s deal last season without him playing a single game. That, coupled with a quiet start to his rookie campaign, puts the 2020 first-round pick on a path for a bridge contract. Bemstrom was a capable secondary offensive player in his rookie season and was a bit below that pace last season but has yet to play this season due to an oblique strain. Players like that rarely get long-term pacts but he should be able to land a small raise and be closer to the $1.5MM mark in 2022-23.
Boqvist was one of the key pieces of the trade return for Seth Jones but things haven’t gone as planned with his new team. He underwhelmed early on, got hurt, wound up being a healthy scratch for a little bit, and has been up and down since returning. While Columbus surely still views the 21-year-old as a long-term fixture, it’d be next to impossible to find a price point that both sides are content with on a contract that buys out UFA years. A bridge deal – potentially even a one-year contract to try to restore some value – makes the most sense for Boqvist while giving both sides more time to determine whether or not he can reach his offensive ceiling.
One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level
D Gabriel Carlsson ($725K, RFA)
F Justin Danforth ($750K, UFA)
F Max Domi ($5.3MM, UFA)
D Scott Harrington ($1.633MM, UFA)
F Gregory Hofmann ($900K, UFA)
G Joonas Korpisalo ($2.8MM, UFA)
D Dean Kukan ($1.65MM, UFA)
F Patrik Laine ($7.5MM, UFA)
F Jack Roslovic ($1.838MM, RFA)
After a tough season split between Winnipeg and Columbus, Laine accepted his qualifying offer which didn’t come as much of a surprise. Doing so takes him to one year away from UFA eligibility so the time to work out a long-term contract is soon approaching. If that doesn’t happen, he’ll be in trade speculation before too long. As for how much a deal like that should cost, it’s likely in the high-$8MM/low-$9MM range and whether or not it’s worth paying remains in question. Domi has a lot riding on this season after failing to produce in his first season with the Blue Jackets. At this point, he’s likely heading for a pay cut and the question will be, does he take a one-year pillow deal to try to restore some value or opt for a bit less and get some stability after bouncing around the last few years (and probably again by the trade deadline)?
Roslovic ended his holdout after being part of the Laine trade and did quite well, outproducing the others in the swap last season. That hasn’t carried over to this season where he has been more of a secondary player. While it wouldn’t be surprising to see GM Jarmo Kekalainen try to buy out some UFA time with his next contract, they shouldn’t be willing to go much beyond the $3MM mark to achieve that. Hofmann and Danforth were brought over after strong seasons overseas. Hofmann has been okay while Danforth has had a very limited role. Neither have really earned big raises which could have them heading back overseas or re-signing for a similar price tag.
Kukan needed to show that he was capable of holding down a full-time spot in the lineup to have a shot at getting a small raise or even a similar contract next summer. Injuries have limited him to just two games which is going to make it hard for him to get that raise. Something closer to $1MM seems more likely for him. The exact same thing could be said for Harrington who, despite the three-year commitment from Columbus, hasn’t been able to establish himself as more than a seventh defender. The price tag for that is about half of what he’s making now. Carlsson has cleared waivers a couple of times but is still just 24. A small bump is all he’d need to stick around for another year.
Get used to seeing Korpisalo’s name in trade speculation over the next few months. He is no longer the starter of the future for the Blue Jackets and with them rebuilding, it’s unlikely they’d want to pay the price to extend him. His recent performance has hurt his value but it wouldn’t be surprising to see him eclipse $3MM on his next deal and he, too, might benefit from a one-year pillow contract elsewhere to try to improve his long-term value.
Two Years Remaining
D Gavin Bayreuther ($750K, UFA)
D Vladislav Gavrikov ($2.8MM, UFA)
F Gustav Nyquist ($5.5MM, UFA)
D Andrew Peeke ($788K, RFA)
F Alexandre Texier ($1.525MM, RFA)
Nyquist was supposed to come in and be a reliable top-six winger and for the first year, he was. However, he missed all of last season due to a shoulder injury and he has gotten off to a bit of a quieter start this season as well. As a result, his deal – which could have been argued as a slight overpayment when it was signed – now is a contract that’s well above market value. Texier has shown flashes of top-six upside but the consistency hasn’t been there which made a bridge deal for him a wise move for both sides. He’ll be owed a small raise with a $1.75MM qualifying offer and if he can start to produce with more consistency, there’s room for it to go up considerably from there.
Gavrikov has taken some steps forward in the early going this season, taking full advantage of his extra ice time to already surpass his point total from 2020-21 while logging nearly 21 minutes a game. He has become a capable top-four defenseman at a price tag that is well below what one of those can get on the open market. If he can keep this pace up through next season, he could double his current AAV. However, expecting him to maintain that production may be a bit unrealistic and accordingly, something in the $4MM range may be more probable. Peeke has played his way into a regular role and based on the contracts that Harrington and Kukan have, it’s possible that he could double his price tag on his next deal. Bayreuther has had a limited role when he’s in the lineup and that extra spot on the depth chart should be staying at or near the minimum which is where his price tag should be as well.
Three Years Remaining
D Jake Bean ($2.333MM, RFA)
F Eric Robinson ($975K in 2021-22, $1.6MM in 2022-23 and 2023-24, UFA)
F Jakub Voracek ($8.25MM, UFA)
Voracek was acquired over the summer from Philadelphia as the Flyers looked to shake up their veteran core. The 32-year-old has only scored once but with 17 assists in 21 games, he has been one of their top offensive forwards. That said, that isn’t a level of production worthy of that salary and at this point, it’s only likely it will decline. However, they have the cap space to be able to absorb the overpayment. Robinson worked his way from a sparingly used depth piece to a regular in the bottom six which earned him the raise for next season. He’ll need to show that he’s capable of producing double digits in goals if he’s going to have a shot at a higher AAV in 2024.
Columbus thought Bean had more to bring and flipped a second-rounder to Carolina for his rights, then signed him to a deal that was above the market rate for someone with just 44 games under his belt, most of which were in a limited role. It was a bit of a gamble by Kekalainen but it looks pretty good early on as Bean has thrived with the Blue Jackets, becoming a quality two-way blueliner. All of a sudden, this looks like a nice bargain on their books. He’ll be owed a $2.8MM qualifying offer when this contract expires and he’ll have arbitration eligibility while being a year away from unrestricted free agency. If Bean’s strong play continues, they’ll need to double his current price tag at a minimum to keep him in the fold.
Five Key Stories: 11/29/21 – 12/5/21
The end of November brought forth some notable news around the NHL which is highlighted in our key stories of the week.
Five For Biting: Kings winger Brendan Lemieux was hit with a record-setting suspension, receiving a five-game ban for biting Senators winger Brady Tkachuk. The previous high for a suspension for biting was three games. The league’s ruling was limited to the initial occurrence although they acknowledged that there was circumstantial evidence that it may have occurred more than once. Lemieux has sat the first two games of the suspension and won’t be eligible to return until Saturday against Minnesota.
Khudobin Available: With Dallas having a capable tandem between the pipes in veteran Braden Holtby and youngster Jake Oettinger plus Ben Bishop working his way back towards returning, Anton Khudobin appears to be the odd one out as he has reportedly been made available. It was only two seasons ago that the 35-year-old led the league in save percentage at .930, albeit in only 30 games but since then, his performance has gone in the wrong direction. Through his first seven appearances this season, Khudobin has a 3.73 GAA with a save percentage of just .873 which certainly won’t help his trade value. He’s in the second season of a three-year deal with an AAV of $3.33MM which won’t be easy for many teams to take on without offsetting money the other way. Of course, the Stars need to clear the full contract to get closer to being able to afford to activate Bishop so it may take a while for a trade to materialize.
Hughes Extension: On the ice, it hasn’t been a fun season for Devils center Jack Hughes. A shoulder injury has limited him to just five games so far although he was able to return to the lineup on November 30th. Of course, the bigger news for him and New Jersey on that day is that the 20-year-old signed an eight-year, $64MM contract extension. The first overall pick in 2019 has just 56 career points in 122 games so there is definitely some risk on the part of the Devils. However, if he progresses into the top-line center as they believe he will, it’s a contract that should be a team-friendly one by its conclusion. The deal buys out his first four seasons of UFA eligibility and those years also carry a 10-team no-trade clause.
DeBrusk Wants Out: Off to another tough start with Boston, winger Jake DeBrusk is hoping a change of scenery could get him going and he has asked for a trade. The 25-year-old scored 62 goals in his first three NHL seasons which earned him a two-year, $7.35MM deal that carries a $4.85MM qualifying offer this summer. However, since then, he has scored nine times in 61 games which has resulted in him dropping down the depth chart, putting him in danger of being non-tendered in the process. Despite his struggles, there has been considerable interest so the Bruins will have some options. That said, his cap hit will make it tough to make a move happen without them retaining or taking a contract back. The holiday roster freeze begins on December 20th so there is some time for GM Don Sweeney to try to get a move done before the holidays.
Changes In Vancouver: The Canucks have cleaned house, firing head coach Travis Green, assistant coach Nolan Baumgartner, general manager Jim Benning and assistant general manager John Weisbrod. Bruce Boudreau will take over behind the bench, while Stan Smyl will serve as interim GM. Boudreau has coached nearly 1,000 career NHL games with the most recent coming with Minnesota in the 2019-20 season and will be tasked with getting Vancouver back on track in a season where they have struggled considerably early on. He will receive a two-year deal that matches the length of Green’s contract. He departs the Canucks after parts of five seasons behind the bench with a 133-147-34 record and one playoff appearance. Benning meanwhile had been with the team since 2014 and had made the playoffs just twice in his eight years at the helm. Things have gone considerably downhill since the 2020 bubble, with the team finding themselves near the bottom of the league standings this season.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Vancouver Canucks Fire Jim Benning
The changes in Vancouver weren’t limited to just the coaches as GM Jim Benning and assistant GM John Weisbrod have also been relieved of their duties. Stan Smyl will serve as interim general manager and be joined by Abbotsford Canucks general manager Ryan Johnson who will serve as interim assistant general manager for Vancouver. Owner Francesco Aquilini released a long statement, which in part reads:
These are difficult decisions, but we believed we would have a competitive group this year. As a result, I’m extremely disappointed in how the team has performed so far. I’m making these changes because we want to build a team that competes for championships and it’s time for new leadership to help take us there.
Our search for new leadership is underway. In the interim, Stan Smyl will lead our Hockey Operations team with the strong support of Ryan Johnson, Chris Gear, Daniel and Henrik Sedin, Doug Jarvis and others on the team to ensure day-to-day continuity. Stan has been a very loyal and committed member of our Hockey Operations Senior Management structure for many years and is someone whose experience and leadership we value greatly.
Benning joined the Canucks back in 2014 after serving as an assistant GM with Boston for seven seasons. Over his tenure with Vancouver, they’ve only reached the playoffs twice, winning just one round which came back in his first season. His initial coaching hire in Willie Desjardins only last three seasons while Travis Green made it into his fifth year before being ousted today.
Benning has made several questionable decisions on the contract front over his tenure. Loui Eriksson received a six-year, $36MM contract back in 2016 which has not worked out well; he has scored just 38 times in 274 games since then. Tyler Myers received a five-year, $30MM contract in 2019 to bolster Vancouver’s back end and that move hasn’t gone as well as they hoped.
His penchant for handing out bigger contracts to bottom-six role players also proved costly as Antoine Roussel, Brandon Sutter, Jay Beagle, and Micheal Ferland all received deals well above market value and provided middling returns at best.
Benning also missed on two of his three highest picks as well. While he got Elias Pettersson fifth overall in 2018, he whiffed on selecting Olli Juolevi fifth overall a year earlier while Jake Virtanen never lived up to the hype of his six-overall selection in 2014. Fortunately for Vancouver, Benning’s other two top-10 picks have shown some promise; Quinn Hughes is already one of the more dominant offensive blueliners in the league while Vasily Podkolzin hasn’t looked out of place in his rookie season.
This past summer, he took a big swing on the trade front, acquiring Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Conor Garland from Arizona for a package involving a first-round pick while also offloading Eriksson, Roussel, and Beagle’s contracts. However, Ekman-Larsson is signed through 2026-27 and even with the Coyotes retaining part of that deal, the Canucks are still stuck with a $7.26MM cap charge while Garland received a five-year, $25MM pact, one that at least looks decent so far.
As a result, Vancouver will continue to be battling the salary cap for the foreseeable future. They have over $70MM in commitments already for next season per CapFriendly with Brock Boeser owed a $7.5MM qualifying offer this summer. Bo Horvat and J.T. Miller are UFAs in 2024 while Pettersson will once again need a new contract in 2025 so more big-ticket signings will be on the horizon over the coming years while the new GM looks to try to improve the existing core at the same time.
As for Weisbrod, he also joined the Canucks in 2014 and previously had worked with Dallas, Boston, and Calgary. Prior to those stints, he had been the GM of the NBA’s Orlando Magic before resigning in his second year to join the Stars. Vancouver has one other assistant GM on their staff in Chris Gear who also serves as their chief legal officer.
Aquilini, Smyl, and Boudreau will each meet with the media on Monday afternoon.
The firings were first reported by Irfaan Gafaar of The Fourth Period (Twitter link).
Vancouver Canucks Fire Travis Green, Hire Bruce Boudreau
12:45am: The Canucks have officially announced the change, relieving Green and assistant coach Nolan Baumgartner of their duties. Boudreau has been installed as head coach and he’ll be joined by new assistant coach Scott Walker.
7:10pm: It appears another coaching change is on the horizon in the NHL. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that the Canucks are expected to hire Bruce Boudreau as their new head coach which suggests that Travis Green‘s time behind Vancouver’s bench is set to come to an end. Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK and The Athletic adds (Twitter link) that no move to replace GM Jim Benning has been made at this time.
This season certainly hasn’t gone as well as Vancouver had hoped. After making a big splash to add defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson and winger Conor Garland from Arizona while shoring up their backup goalie position with the signing of Jaroslav Halak. Benning’s hope was that those additions, coupled with continued development from their young core, would be enough to get them back into playoff contention. Instead, they sit at the bottom of the Pacific Division with 18 points in 22 games, tied with Chicago for the second-fewest points in the Western Conference.
Several key Vancouver forwards have scuffled offensively this season, highlighted by Brock Boeser and Elias Pettersson both sitting at four goals, hardly the ideal output for two of their top forwards. This is where Boudreau’s reported hiring could pay dividends as his teams have typically been higher scoring and his system could jumpstart Vancouver’s attack. At least, that’s what the team is hoping for. Of course, their defense corps still isn’t the strongest even with Ekman-Larsson in the fold and getting more out of that group will also be high on Boudreau’s priority list.
Boudreau is no stranger to being behind an NHL bench as he sits just 16 regular season games shy of 1,000 for his coaching career which includes stints in Washington, Anaheim, and Minnesota, putting him 29th in NHL history in that regard. His .635 points percentage sits seventh all-time among those who have coached at least 200 games. The 66-year-old last coached in the 2019-20 season although he was set to be on Canada’s staff as an assistant coach for some upcoming international tournaments later this month.
Green will become the second coach to be fired this season and third departure overall (the others being Jeremy Colliton and Joel Quenneville who resigned from Florida). He was in his fifth season behind the bench and had a 133-147-34 record along with only one playoff appearance in 2020 where they fell in the second round to Vegas. He signed a two-year contract extension back in May but won’t be making it to the end of that deal. Meanwhile, Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre notes (Twitter link) that Boudreau will receive the same term which means he’ll be under contract with the Canucks through 2022-23.
Boudreau will be joined by Scott Walker as an assistant coach, reports TSN’s Darren Dreger (Twitter link). This would be Walker’s second stint with the Canucks having worked with them for three seasons in player development before moving onto Arizona. The veteran of over 800 NHL games as a player is currently the President of Hockey Operations for Guelph of the OHL and was expected to coach alongside Boudreau as an assistant in those upcoming international tournaments for Canada.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
What Your Team Is Thankful For: Columbus Blue Jackets
As the holiday season approaches, PHR will take a look at what teams are thankful for as the season passes the one-quarter mark. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Columbus Blue Jackets.
What are the Blue Jackets thankful for?
Their future down the middle.
After moving Pierre-Luc Dubois to Winnipeg last season, Columbus’ center depth was extremely limited. However, that changed over the offseason. Kent Johnson was picked fifth overall in the draft and has been nothing short of stellar at Michigan. Cole Sillinger went seven picks later and has acquitted himself well while playing a regular role for the Blue Jackets this season. All of a sudden, the center position went from a significant question mark to a long-term asset almost overnight. Add Boone Jenner getting locked in on a four-year extension and there’s their top three for the foreseeable future. That’s a foundation to build on as they continue to rebuild.
Who are the Blue Jackets thankful for?
The list of high-end players that have left the organization either through free agency or trade (due to dissension or declining an extension) over the last few years is quite significant. Werenski could have been the next one to do so. The top of the market for defensemen increased sharply over the summer and Werenski appeared to be the next one poised to potentially leave. He could have simply filed for arbitration in July, taken a one-year award, and gone to the open market in 2023. But he didn’t. Instead, the 24-year-old opted to lock in a six-year extension, ensuring he’ll be with Columbus throughout the prime of his career. He was certainly well compensated for it; he’ll have the third-highest AAV of any NHL defender next season. But other players turned down lucrative money to stay before. Werenski is the recent exception and they’re quite thankful for that.
What would the Blue Jackets be even more thankful for?
Max Domi to stay healthy and productive.
It has been a rocky year for the 26-year-old. He was left unprotected in expansion and Seattle passed on taking him. He had shoulder surgery which cost him most of training camp. Then he fractured some ribs and along the way, caught COVID. That’s not a fun way to start a contract year. But in between all of that, he has had a decent season with nine points in a dozen games. If he can stay healthy and keep producing, Domi would become a prominent trade chip heading into the deadline as an intriguing piece that can play down the middle or on the wing. Another decent prospect or pick wouldn’t hurt as they look to stockpile assets.
What should be on the Blue Jackets’ Holiday Wish List?
Assuming they fall out of the playoff mix (they’re hanging around a Wild Card spot at the moment), picks and prospects will be at the top of GM Jarmo Kekalainen’s wish list. They don’t have many notable pieces to sell beyond Domi and backup goalie Joonas Korpisalo (and his start to the season isn’t going to have general managers calling to try to get him). But Columbus has plenty of cap space at their disposal and that could be a way to try to add some of those future assets. Are they willing to be a third-party facilitator or take a bad contract back to add those assets? On the other hand, if they happen to still be in the mix by mid-March, they can leverage that cap space to add a piece or two without giving up a significant return. The Blue Jackets shouldn’t be overly busy on the trade front over the coming months but there will be a chance to add to their stockpile.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Kings Place Blake Lizotte In COVID Protocol
The Kings have announced (Twitter link) a series of transactions highlighted with the placement of center Blake Lizotte into COVID protocol. Taking his place on the roster is Jaret Anderson-Dolan while T.J. Tynan has also been recalled to replace Kale Clague who was just claimed off waivers by Montreal.
Lizotte has played in all but one game so far this season for Los Angeles, tallying a goal and four assists while logging 11:36 per game primarily on the fourth line. The 23-year-old has also won a career-high 53.1% of his faceoffs, good for third on the team in that regard.
Anderson-Dolan was a regular with the Kings for the bulk of last season, getting into 34 games where he picked up 11 points before suiting up for Canada at the World Championships. However, with more depth down the middle this season, he has spent all of 2021-22 so far with AHL Ontario playing heavier minutes and he has responded with 13 points in 16 contests with the Reign. He should have an opportunity to move into Lizotte’s spot on the depth chart and play the type of role he had last season.
As for Tynan, the 29-year-old is in his first season with the Kings and cleared waivers back in training camp. He has been quite productive with Ontario, collecting 17 points in 12 games which puts him second in team scoring. Despite his consistent offensive numbers over the years, he has played in just 19 career NHL contests, the most recent coming back in the 2019-20 season with Colorado.
Canadiens Claim Kale Clague Off Waivers From Kings
Down multiple defensemen at the moment, the Canadiens have added some depth on the back end as they’ve claimed Kale Clague off waivers from the Kings, Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports (Twitter link).
The 23-year-old somewhat surprisingly cleared waivers at the start of the season and picked up four assists in five games with AHL Ontario which helped him earn an opportunity when Los Angeles was really battling injury issues to their defense corps. Clague was actually relatively productive in his 11 games with the team, picking up five assists while logging nearly 18 minutes a game but with Drew Doughty recently returning and Clague sitting for nearly two weeks, they decided to try to send him down again.
The Canadiens have battled injury issues all season and find themselves without Jeff Petry (upper-body injury), Joel Edmundson (back injury), and Sami Niku (COVID protocol) so there is definitely a chance that Clague can secure a spot with Montreal in the short term at the very least. Laurent Dauphin was sent back to AHL Laval to make room for Clague on the roster; they will have to make another move later as well as they’ve already committed to activating Mike Hoffman off IR before tonight’s game.
Clague is making just over $761K this season and will be a restricted free agent with salary arbitration rights next summer.