Snapshots: Rossi, Draft Odds, All-Star Game, Nosek
In late January, the Wild announced that Marco Rossi wouldn’t play this season due to “complications from COVID”. In a harrowing interview with Michael Russo of The Athletic (subscription link), the 19-year-old revealed that he was diagnosed with myocarditis (a heart inflammation) and that his life could have been in serious danger had Austria moved on to the medal round at the World Juniors. The great news is that Rossi is doing well and the plan is for him to start ramping up to on-ice training in the coming weeks as he looks to try to return for next season.
More from around the hockey world:
- With the Arizona Coyotes forfeiting their first-round pick this season as a result of last year’s fitness testing violation and the fact they’re not in a playoff spot at the moment, it had the potential to affect the June 2nd draft lottery. However, TSN’s Frank Seravalli reports in the latest Insider Trading segment (video link) that the league will not do a redistribution of odds if Arizona’s pick winds up in the lottery. Instead, they’ll keep them as they normally are and simply redraw if Arizona’s number combination is drawn. As a reminder, Seattle will have the third-highest odds for those proceedings.
- Seravalli also relays that the NHL intends to hold an All-Star Game next season. While that alone isn’t notable, the league typically shied away from doing so in years that they intend to participate in the Olympics with the last time both events happened being back in 2002. Seravalli notes that the plan is for them to find a way to squeeze it in even with the extended break so this shouldn’t be construed as a sign that they won’t be participating. As things stand, the NHL and NHLPA are believed to be pushing to finalize things with the IOC within the next month or so.
- While Tomas Nosek won’t be returning right away from the injury he suffered over the weekend, head coach Peter DeBoer told reporters including Ben Gotz of the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he expects to have the veteran available by the time the playoffs start next month. The veteran has 18 points in 38 games this season while averaging 13:00 per night.
Devils Working On Extension With Tom Fitzgerald
Tom Fitzgerald’s situation in New Jersey has been a bit of an odd one. While he was elevated to the full-time GM role for this season, the removal of the interim tag back in July didn’t come with a contract extension which meant that he was entering the final year of his contract. It appears that ownership is pleased with how things are going as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported in his latest 31 Thoughts column that the two sides are now working on a contract extension.
It hasn’t been a great season on the ice for the Devils this season as they entered tonight’s game against Philadelphia with a 14-27-7 record and will miss the playoffs for the eighth time in the last nine years. However, it has also been a tough year on the injury front while the team was hit hard by COVID-19 which derailed some early-season momentum they had. Their younger players including Jack Hughes, Ty Smith, Pavel Zacha, and Mackenzie Blackwood have taken some steps forward this season which is encouraging for the future.
So too is Fitzgerald’s limited trade history. After securing a first-round pick and Nolan Foote for Blake Coleman last season while in the interim role, he was able to land a first-round selection back at the trade deadline for Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac, giving them some extra chips to build with. He also used his cap space for some low-cost adds last fall with the additions of Ryan Murray and Andreas Johnsson to build up their depth.
The true test for Fitzgerald – assuming a new deal does get worked out – will be selling New Jersey as a destination for impact free agents which has been a challenge in recent years. They’ll have ample cap room to work with (more than $37MM per CapFriendly) which is notable at a time when many teams will still be tight to the Upper Limit but he will need to be able to add a significant piece or two to truly start to elevate the Devils from their rebuild.
Injury Updates: Panthers, Avalanche, Sabres Goalies, Watson
The Panthers are in a battle for first place in the Central Division but will be without a few regulars for a little while. The team announced (Twitter link) that goalie Chris Driedger has been ruled out for the rest of the road trip which takes him out for the next three games though he isn’t expected to be out much longer than that. Winger Patric Hornqvist is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.
Meanwhile, winger Carter Verhaeghe isn’t expected to play on the trip either, notes David Wilson of the Miami Herald. As a result, Florida entered tonight’s game down two of their top four scorers plus their top netminder statistically. Between that and Carolina holding two games in hand, the Panthers will have their work cut out for them if they want to secure that top seed.
Other injury notes from around the NHL:
- Avalanche defenseman Bowen Byram and winger Logan O’Connor have both suffered setbacks in their recoveries from upper- and lower-body injuries respectively, reports Mike Chambers of the Denver Post (Twitter link). Byram was recently taken off the COVID-Protocol Related Absences (CPRA) List but his injury preceded his placement there. As for O’Connor, he has been out since the end of March. Both players are now listed as week-to-week.
- On the other hand, Colorado is set to get several key regulars back as com’s Rick Sadowski mentions that wingers Mikko Rantanen and Joonas Donskoi plus goalie Philipp Grubauer could all return to the lineup on Friday. Those three were on the CPRA list until recently as well and would undoubtedly provide a boost to the Avalanche’s lineup as they look to chase down Vegas for the top seed in the West.
- The Sabres are unlikely to have goaltenders Linus Ullmark or Carter Hutton return this season, reports Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News. Ullmark has not yet resumed skating after suffering a lower-body injury two weeks ago while interim head coach Don Granato noted that Hutton recently had a setback after resuming skating as he worked his way back from a leg issue. That means that Dustin Tokarski and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will likely remain Buffalo’s tandem for the rest of the year.
- The Senators have ruled out a return for winger Austin Watson this season, relays Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch (Twitter link). Watson suffered a wrist injury back in late March, one that carried a four-to-six week recovery time and it appears it will be the latter with him not returning. He wraps up his first year with Ottawa with 10 points, 40 penalty minutes, and 100 hits in 34 games.
Five Key Stories: 04/19/21 – 04/25/21
It was a quieter week around the hockey world with some COVID-related cancellations garnering plenty of attention. Those can be found among the top stories from the past seven days.
Hartman Extension: Wild winger Ryan Hartman decided to avoid the risk of being non-tendered this offseason, instead inking a three-year, $5.1MM contract extension. The deal represents a $200K pay cut compared to his current contract but gives him some job security at a time where teams are expected to be more hesitant than usual to qualify role players that have arbitration eligibility. As someone who has been in that situation before, getting a three-year deal – his longest since his entry-level pact – is something he’ll definitely appreciate. The 26-year-old is logging nearly 15 minutes a night this season, a career-best.
Cancellations: Last week was somewhat reminiscent of a year ago when leagues and tournaments started shutting down. This was the case at the junior level on two different fronts as the WHL revealed that they will not hold any playoffs, a decision that will allow NHL-contracted players to be recalled once their regular season comes to an end. Meanwhile, the OHL announced that their season will not even get underway let alone hold a postseason as COVID-19 case numbers in Ontario have risen quickly in recent weeks. That means that players that are in the minors because that league wasn’t underway means that they’ll be able to remain there for the rest of the season. On the international front, the Women’s World Hockey Championships were abruptly cancelled as a result of an escalating COVID-19 caseload in Nova Scotia. However, there are other cities that have shown an interest in trying to hold the event later in the summer, providing some hope that the tournament will get another shot.
Marleau Sets The Record: All records are supposed to be meant to be broken but some have stood the test of time without an expectation of being broken. The all-time games played mark was one of those that could be classified as unlikely to be reached but Sharks forward Patrick Marleau has set the new benchmark when he played in his 1,768th career regular season game, breaking the previous record held by Gordie Howe. The 41-year-old is in his 23rd career NHL season, three fewer than Howe who suited up in 26 NHL campaigns (plus six more in the WHA). Marleau is set to become an unrestricted free agent in July and will have to decide if he wants to continue to add to his record or retire with his name now atop the record book.
Injuries In Detroit: It has been a tough few days on the injury front for Detroit. Already without Bobby Ryan for the rest of the season and Robby Fabbri who has been out for three weeks, Tyler Bertuzzi and Frans Nielsen were then ruled out for the rest of the season. Captain Dylan Larkin was then ruled out for the rest of the year, giving them five forwards on the shelf. Long out of the playoff picture, head coach Jeff Blashill will have an opportunity to evaluate some younger players and those on the fringes of the roster down the stretch.
Jaskin Eyeing NHL Return: With KHL contracts expiring this coming Friday, there should be some players signing NHL contracts soon after. One of those could be winger Dmitrij Jaskin whose agent Allain Roy confirmed that the 28-year-old is looking to return to the NHL for next season. While he was more of a physical energy player in his first stint in North America, Jaskin’s offensive abilities have come to light back at home with 69 goals and 54 assists in 117 games with Dynamo Moscow which should help generate some more interest in his services. Arizona is known to be one of the teams talking to Roy about a deal for Jaskin for next season.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
David Backes Considering Retirement
It has been a tough last few seasons for veteran winger David Backes who has gone from being an impact power forward to someone who has cleared waivers multiple times, been moved in a salary cap dump trade, and has been a healthy scratch or on the taxi squad for large portions of this year. With his contract ending at the end of the season and the fact he turns 37 next weekend, his playing future is certainly in question. In a scrum with reporters today (video link), Backes strongly hinted at retirement when asked if hanging up his skates was a possibility:
Possibility…I’d say it’s more of a probability. But it’s not a certainty. That’s just kind of where I’m at. I’ve said it all year that every game you play in this league is a gift, every shift you play is a gift. It’s a great blessing to be able to play in this league.
I’ve taken a bit of notes from guys before me that in the emotions and the grind of a season to make a concrete, hundred percent decision is a difficult process. No offense to Brett Favre because he had a great career, but he retired six or eight times and still came back. I think when I say ‘that’s enough,’ I’d like it to be enough and not have to go back and forth.
Backes was a second-round pick of the Blues (62nd overall) back in 2003 and became one of the more prominent power forwards in the league, notching six seasons of more than 20 goals and seven years of more than 200 hits. That helped him land a five-year, $30MM contract with Boston in the 2016 offseason, part of that ill-fated free agent class.
His role has deteriorated significantly the last two years as he managed to play in just 22 games in 2019-20 and has suited up just 14 times this season with the Ducks where he has collected three goals and an assist while averaging just under 13 minutes a night. If this is indeed his final season, he’ll wind up just shy of the 1,000 games played mark as he currently sits at 964, 18th among players selected in his draft class.
Backes indicated that a final decision won’t come right away but if it indeed winds up being the end of the road for him, his time in the NHL may not be done entirely as he noted that a job in a front office down the road could be in the cards. In the meantime, he still has eight games left to focus on this season although with Anaheim evaluating some of their youngsters, playing time may be scarce the rest of the way.
COVID Protocol Related Absences: 04/25/21
Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Here is today’s list:
Calgary – Josh Leivo
Colorado – Joonas Donskoi, Mikko Rantanen
New Jersey – P.K. Subban, Jonas Siegenthaler
As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:
(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol
Players removed today: None
No news is good news on this front as while no one came off, there were no newcomers to the list either. Of the five on the list, Donskoi has been on the longest going back to the 16th but he still should be on there for a few more days at least. Accordingly, barring Leivo or Siegenthaler’s tests being false positives, there shouldn’t be anyone coming off the list over the next few days.
*denotes new addition
Blue Jackets Believed To Be Showing Interest In Justin Danforth
With KHL contracts officially expiring at the end of the month, there should be a few players signing NHL deals soon after. One of those could be winger Justin Danforth who Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports (subscription link) that the Blue Jackets are believed to be interested in.
The 28-year-old played his NCAA career at Sacred Heart before turning pro in 2017, inking a minor league tryout with the Islanders’ AHL team before catching on with Buffalo’s affiliate soon after. However, after spending the majority of the 2017-18 campaign in the ECHL, Danforth opted to go overseas.
That decision definitely proved to be the right one. He spent two years with Lukko in Finland’s SM-liiga, leading the team in scoring both seasons and the entire league in scoring last season with 27 goals and 33 assists in just 56 games. That helped him land an opportunity in the KHL with Vityaz Podolsk this season where he again made the most of it. His 23 goals and 32 helpers in 58 games led the team in scoring while slotting him sixth overall league-wide. Clearly, he has done enough to get himself on the NHL radar.
Because he’s already 28, Danforth is not subject to NHL entry-level restrictions which gives him a bit more flexibility to work with as he looks for his first contract although the deal can’t have any performance bonuses in it either. On the surface, Columbus would make sense for the winger as they have struggled mightily when it comes to scoring this season, as they’re averaging less than 2.5 goals per game. Even though he’s a late bloomer which carries some uncertainty, Danforth could be a good fit for the Blue Jackets when he’s eligible to sign in May.
Coyotes Prospect Carson Bantle Transfers To Wisconsin
The NCAA transfer portal has been a busy one this year with the expectation of the implementation of allowing players to transfer once without having to sit out. Arizona prospect Carson Bantle entered the portal three weeks ago and has found his new school, announcing via Twitter that he is transferring to Wisconsin for the 2021-22 season.
The 19-year-old was a fifth-round pick of the Coyotes back in October (142nd overall) after a point per game season with Madison of the USHL. However, that production didn’t follow him to Michigan Tech as he had just two goals and an assist in 19 games with the Huskies this season while playing a limited role.
Obviously, Bantle is making the move with an eye on getting a bigger opportunity with the Badgers, one that should materialize. Wisconsin has already lost its top four scorers from this season (Cole Caufield, Linus Weissbach, Dylan Holloway, and Ty Pelton-Bice) to the professional ranks over the past month so there will definitely be a chance for more playing time there next year.
Snapshots: Cole, Benns, Marlies, Stuart
Wild defenseman Ian Cole has fit in relatively well since he was acquired early in the season from Colorado, providing a veteran physical presence on their third pairing. The pending free agent told Sarah McLellan of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune that he’d like to stick around beyond this season and McLellan notes that his agent and GM Bill Guerin have talked about the possibility of a new deal for the 32-year-old. Cole has a $4.25MM AAV (Minnesota is only responsible for just over 81% of that with Colorado carrying the rest) and while he has held down a regular spot in their lineup, he will likely be facing a pay cut on the open market this summer.
Elsewhere around the league:
- The Benn brothers have changed representation, according to TSN’s Darren Dreger (Twitter link). Jamie Benn (Stars) and Jordie Benn (Jets) will now be represented by CAA’s J.P. Barry and Bayne Pettinger. They had previously been represented by Points West Sports and Entertainment’s Rich Evans. Jamie won’t have to worry about a new contract anytime soon as he has four years left on his current deal that carries a $9.5MM AAV but Jordie is slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer and has a $2MM price tag this season.
- Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters, including Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun (Twitter link), that things are progressing with regard to the Marlies’ COVID-19 situation. Their AHL affiliate last played on April 10th before the team was shut down due to protocols. Keefe also mentioned that there’s no timeline for them to resume playing; their next scheduled game is May 2nd.
- Former NHL defenseman Mark Stuart is set to be named as an assistant coach at Colorado coach, ESPN’s John Buccigross reports (Twitter link). Stuart last played in 2016-17 and has briefly spent time with AHL Manitoba as a team manager and the University of Vermont as a volunteer coach since retiring.
Zack Kassian Listed As Week-To-Week
The Oilers will be without winger Zack Kassian for the next little while as head coach Dave Tippett told reporters, including TSN’s Ryan Rishaug (Twitter link) that the veteran is listed as week-to-week after suffering a lower-body injury early in Wednesday’s game against Montreal.
It has been a tough year for the 30-year-old who also missed time with an upper-body injury sustained in a fight that cost him 17 games. As a result, Kassian has been limited to just 27 appearances this season where he has struggled offensively, notching just two goals and three assists while averaging only 11:51 per night, his lowest ATOI since his rookie season. Of course, he is more well-known for his physicality and he has delivered at that end, ranking third on the team in hits per 60 minutes at 13.68. Having said that, it has not been the year he or Edmonton had hoped for, especially with him being in the first season of a four-year, $12.8MM contract.
Kassian joins Jujhar Khaira (concussion) and Joakim Nygard (undisclosed) as forwards that are injured which means that James Neal, who was recalled on an emergency loan earlier in the week, could stay on the active roster for a little while longer. On the surface, with only 11 healthy forwards on the roster and veterans Tyler Ennis and Kyle Turris being on the taxi squad along with winger Patrick Russell and prospect Ryan McLeod, it would seem that one of those players would be recalled. However, with only $278K in LTIR room remaining, per CapFriendly, they can’t afford to bring anyone else up unless someone else is transferred to LTIR which could force them to dress seven blueliners for the time being.