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Alex Pietrangelo Suspended One Game

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Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo will be suspended for one game for his actions late in a Game 4 loss to the Edmonton Oilers according to a release from the NHL’s Department of Player Safety.

The incident happened late in Game 4, with the Golden Knights trailing 4-1 and their goaltender pulled for an extra attacker. Oilers star forward Leon Draisaitl was skating into the Golden Knights zone with the puck and back-handed it toward the yawning cage. He barely missed, but a few seconds after releasing the puck, Pietrangelo continued toward him and slashed him on the forearm.

It was not just a small slash on the wrist. It was a blatantly obvious attempt to injure an opponent with a two-handed swing akin to a lumberjack trying to split a block of wood into two pieces with a rusted hatchet. The puck was long gone, the play around Draisaitl was over, and for all Pietrangelo knew, the puck could have already been in the Golden Knights’ net.

Pietrangelo was assessed a five-minute major penalty for slashing and a game misconduct. The Department of Player Safety took a closer look at the incident today and held a hearing this morning with the Golden Knights defenseman. It was determined that a one-game ban was necessary for such a reckless and needless slash of an unsuspecting opponent.

The Golden Knights will now be without their top defender as they look to take a series lead in Game 5. The two teams have traded blowout victories in this series, with the teams now locked up at two wins apiece. No one played more minutes on the Golden Knights than Pietrangelo in Game 4, as he led the way with 23:54 so he will be sorely missed.

The Oilers will be without a top defender of their own as Darnell Nurse was also handed a one-game suspension for instigating a fight in the final five minutes of the contest. Nurse ranks first among Oilers defensemen in ice time in the playoffs, averaging 23:24 per game in the playoffs so far.

Both teams will have their defensive depth tested on Friday night when they face off in Game 5 in Vegas.

Vegas Golden Knights Goalie Laurent Brossoit Injured

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Laurent Brossoit, the starting goaltender for the Vegas Golden Knights has left tonight’s Game 3 with an injury according to a team release.

The Vegas Golden Knights entered Game 3 of their second round playoff series with the Edmonton Oilers looking to bounce back from a lopsided loss. The Oilers dominated Game 2, storming out to a 4-0 lead after the opening period, and extending that to 5-0 midway through the second period. Brossoit was chased from the game after allowing five goals, and left Game 3 early as well but this time it was due to injury.

Brossoit sprawled across the crease to stop a Connor McDavid shot halfway through the first period and then stayed down on the ice. He was helped off the ice and clearly could not walk down the tunnel behind the bench under his own power. He was helped by trainers dealing with something that was obviously causing pain.

The team announced before the start of the second period that Brossoit’s night is over. He is out with a lower-body injury and is not going to return to Game 3. Adin Hill, who came on in relief in Game 2 would take over in the crease. Jonathan Quick is in the building as the team’s number three goaltender and will dress and serve as Hill’s backup for the remainder of the contest.

The Golden Knights have battled goaltending woes all season long. Robin Lehner is supposed to be the number one guy but he missed the entire season with injury. Logan Thompson took over the starter’s role early in the season but he is also now out with injury. Brossoit leaving tonight’s game now gives them three netminders out with injuries at the most crucial time of the season.

The Golden Knights have not released any details on what the injury actually is, other than to say it is a lower-body ailment.

Chicago Blackhawks Win 2023 NHL Draft Lottery

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One of the most highly anticipated nights on the NHL calendar has finally arrived as the annual NHL Draft Lottery was held to determine which team would have the honor of selecting first and second overall at the 2023 NHL Draft. The 16 teams that failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs all had a chance to win the lottery, though teams can only move up a maximum of ten slots, so the bottom 11 teams in the NHL standings all had a chance of landing the top draft pick.

The results are now in and the Chicago Blackhawks have won the first overall selection in the 2023 NHL Draft. They had the third best odds entering the night, but jumped ahead of the Anaheim Ducks and the Columbus Blue Jackets to win the top pick. The Ducks won the second overall pick and will now step to the podium second at the draft after entering the lottery with the best odds at winning the first overall pick. The Blue Jackets had the second best odds of winning the lottery, but have dropped to third overall.

The now official order of the first 16 picks in the 2023 NHL Draft will go as follows:

  1. Chicago Blackhawks
  2. Anaheim Ducks
  3. Columbus Blue Jackets
  4. San Jose Sharks
  5. Montreal Canadiens
  6. Arizona Coyotes
  7. Philadelphia Flyers
  8. Washington Capitals
  9. Detroit Red Wings
  10. St. Louis Blues
  11. Vancouver Canucks
  12. Arizona Coyotes (via Ottawa Senators)
  13. Buffalo Sabres
  14. Pittsburgh Penguins
  15. Nashville Predators
  16. Calgary Flames

The prize for winning the first overall pick is a big one this season. Connor Bedard is slated to go with the top selection at the 2023 NHL Draft and he promises to be an exceptional NHL player.

Bedard will not turn 18 years old until July, but he did lead the WHL in goals, assists and points this past season. He scored 71 goals, 72 assists and 143 points in just 57 games. He was away from the team for a few weeks around Christmas to suit up at the World Juniors where he brought his world-class skills to the biggest stage yet. He was named MVP of the tournament after scoring nine goals and 23 points in just seven games, helping Canada claim a gold medal.

Adam Fantilli is likely to be the second player off the board at the draft, but he is an exceptional consolation prize. He won the Hobey Baker Award as the best player in college hockey during his freshman season. Fantilli scored 30 goals and 65 points in just 36 NCAA contests, showing he is ready to take the next step to the NHL immediately after being drafted.

The 2023 NHL Draft will be held in Nashville, Tennessee on June 28.

Vancouver Canucks Fined For Violating CBA

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Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reports the Vancouver Canucks have been fined $50k by the NHL for violating offseason training rules for players. The season ended for the Canucks on April 13 when they won in overtime in their regular season finale against the Arizona Coyotes. That was supposed to be the end of the 2022-23 campaign for Canucks players, but it appears the team did not shut things down immediately.

Rick Dhaliwal of Team CHEK in Vancouver added that six players took part in on-ice instructional skates headed by the Sedin twins. Two of the players involved were Dakota Joshua and Jack Studnicka. He also reported that the skates took place between April 17 and 23, up to ten days after the team’s regular season had concluded.

The rules clearly state in the CBA that clubs are not permitted to have coaching or hockey operations personnel participating in any on-ice sessions with players during the offseason. Both Sedin twins, Daniel and Henrik, are employed by the Canucks as development coaches and they typically work with prospects at the AHL level to refine their skills. Based on the current CBA, the Sedin’s would be forbidden from stepping on the ice with players again until development camp in September.

While $50k is really a slap on the wrist for an NHL club that pays each player a minimum of $750k per season, the league also warned the Canucks that if this is to happen again the punishment would be much more severe.

World Championships Notes: Niederreiter, Hunt, Carcone

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Winnipeg Jets winger Nino Niederreiter is heading to the World Championships to represent Switzerland according to a team release. The 30-year-old winger was traded to the Jets at the trade deadline for a second-round draft pick and scored six goals and 13 points in 22 games in Winnipeg. He also added a goal and four points in five playoff games, though the Jets were knocked out quickly by the Vegas Golden Knights.

This will be the seventh time Niederreiter represents his country at the World Championships, with his first appearance coming in 2010 when he was still a teenager. He has twice helped his underdog country win silver medals, with those coming in 2013 and 2018 respectively. Niederreiter played a big role on both of those teams, scoring nine points in ten games in 2018 and eight points in ten games in 2013.

  • Peter Baugh of The Athletic reports Brad Hunt is also heading to the World Championships. The Colorado Avalanche veteran defenseman will be representing Canada for the first time at the age of 34. After bouncing between the NHL and AHL for much of his early pro career, Hunt became a full-time NHL skater in 2017-18 with the Vegas Golden Knights. He spent the next five seasons at the NHL level but split the 2022-23 campaign between the Avalanche and their AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles. He is an offensive defenseman who scored ten points in 47 NHL games and had 21 points in 24 AHL games.
  • Michael Carcone of the Arizona Coyotes will also join Team Canada at the World Championships, per a team release. Like Hunt, Carcone has been a terrific AHL player, but the 26-year-old winger has yet to make a mark at the NHL level. He scored 31 goals and 85 points in 65 AHL games for the Tucson Roadrunners, but had just three points in nine NHL games with the Coyotes this season. At 5-foot-9 and 170 pounds, he is a small, but skilled, forward who could provide some scoring if given the opportunity.

Jakob Silfverberg Planning Return To Sweden

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The Anaheim Ducks finished the 2022-23 season with the worst record in the NHL. With the season finally over in Anaheim, players begin to make plans for their offseason and look to the future. One player, according to Rasmus Kagstrom of Hockeysveirge.se, is Jakob Silfverberg, who has an eye on returning to play in Sweden.

The 32-year-old winger has one more season on his contract with the Ducks and it comes with a cap hit of $5.25MM. He will play out that final season, but it sounds like he wants to return to Sweden and play with Brynas as soon as the 2024-25 campaign.

Silfverberg grew up in the Brynas program, last playing there in the 2011-12 season when he scored 24 goals and 54 points in 49 games. He left at the end of that season to join the Ottawa Senators who had selected him in the second round of the 2009 NHL Draft. The smart, two-way winger quickly earned a reputation as one of the best defensive forwards in the league and was a key piece in a trade that saw Bobby Ryan head to Ottawa while Silfverberg headed for warmer climes in California.

His best offensive season came in 2016-17 when he scored 23 goals and 49 points in 79 games. He also stepped up in the playoffs, helping the Ducks reach the Western Conference Final by scoring nine goals and 14 points in 17 playoff games. In a three year stretch on a deep Ducks squad, Silfverberg scored 13 goals and 37 points in 40 playoff games.

His offensive numbers have dried up recently, as the veteran winger scored ten goals and 26 points in 81 games in 2022-23. It appears he will now head into his final NHL campaign as a veteran leader on a young, inexperienced Ducks squad. If those young, talented Ducks players learn how to pay attention to defensive detail and bring out their best in the postseason like Silfverberg has in his career, they will be set up for long-term success.

Dallas Stars Sign Lian Bichsel

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The Dallas Stars have signed Lian Bichsel to an entry-level contract, according to a team release. The 18-year-old defenseman was the team’s first-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, coming off the board with the 18th overall selection. The 6-foot-5 and 215 pound defender is best known for his work in his own zone as well as the physicality he brings to the ice. He will not be looking to take any power play time away from some of the Stars offensive defensemen at any point, but could turn into a dependable defensive option.

Bichsel is a native of Switzerland and played this past season with Leksands in the Swedish Hockey League. He scored six points in 42 games and added one point in three playoff games. Even at the Junior level he was not a major offensive presence, as he scored three points in eight games during his stint with the U-20 program in Sweden.

Bichsel did play well at the World Juniors when facing players closer to his own age. Again, he was not lighting up the scoresheet, but he showed a reliable defensive game while playing huge minutes for a Swiss squad that surprisingly won three of its four preliminary round games before bowing out in the quarterfinal.

Unfortunately, Bichsel was slated to suit up for his country once again at the upcoming World Championships, but was injured in an exhibition game leading up to the tournament and is out long-term with a broken ankle.

In better news for the young player, his new contract is a three-year agreement that will start next season with a cap hit of $950k. He now has plenty of options for the 2023-24 campaign, but will likely head to Texas to play in the AHL with the Stars. Although, it is still possible he returns to Sweden for another season, as an entry-level contract does not mean he necessarily needs to head to North America, but it does point in that direction.

2023 Norris Trophy Finalists Announced

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The National Hockey League is announcing finalists for all of their end of season awards this week. Today, they have revealed the three players that are up for the Norris Trophy as the league’s best defenseman. In the running are Adam Fox of the New York Rangers, Erik Karlsson of the San Jose Sharks and Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche.

Fox has quickly become known as one of the best offensive defensemen in the league, and his 72 points in 82 games are proof of that. He has also become a well-rounded defender and is regularly on the ice for the Rangers against the other team’s top players, and routinely takes over the play when he is on the ice. He also averaged over two minutes of ice time per game while his team was shorthanded, proving he can be counted on in all situations. The 25 year old has already won a Norris Trophy once, in 2021, and is now up for the award for the second time after playing just his fourth NHL season.

Karlsson had an incredible bounceback season for the Sharks. After scoring 97 points in 158 games combined over the previous three seasons, the 32-year-old defenseman had his best season yet by scoring 25 goals and 101 points. This was the first time a defenseman reached 100 points since Brian Leetch did so with the New York Rangers 31 years ago. Karlsson’s game is geared heavily towards offense and not as much towards defense, which could cost him in his quest for a third Norris Trophy after winning the award in 2012 and 2015. However, it is hard to argue the value of a defenseman that can score 101 points.

Makar has stormed onto the NHL scene much like Fox. Once they arrived, they immediately became stars. The 24-year-old defender won the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie in 2020, the Conn Smythe in 2022 as Playoffs MVP and he also took home the Norris Trophy last season. He was limited to 60 games this season, but made his mark by scoring 17 goals and 66 points while being a tremendous defensive presence as well. No one in the entire NHL averaged more time on ice per game than Makar’s 26:23 per contest and he is among the league’s best in all situations.

The Norris Trophy will be handed out on June 26th at the NHL Awards ceremony.

Snapshots: Gaudreau, Jonsson-Fjallby, Bell

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The Minnesota Wild were eliminated in the first round of the postseason and have now revealed what injuries their players were dealing with in the playoffs. According to Michael Russo of The Athletic, forward Frederick Gaudreau has been dealing with a significant abdominal injury and will require surgery. The injury has been nagging him for four months and he continued to play through it, but will now have surgery to repair the damage.

Gaudreau played all 82 regular season games and all of the team’s six playoff games, so the injury did not take him out of the team’s lineup. The 30-year-old forward scored 19 goals and 38 points for the Wild, adding some depth scoring and playing a gritty, defensively responsible role as well. He added three goals in six postseason contests as well. After proving his value this season, Gaudreau signed a five-year contract extension last month that kicks in next season and has a $2.1MM cap hit.

  • While Gaudreau was locked up by his team, one play that is now eligible to hit the open market is Winnipeg Jets forward Alex Jonsson-Fjallby. As capfriendly.com reports, the 25 year old will become a Group 6 UFA because of his age, and career games played. Had the Swedish winger played 75 career games before the end of this season, he would have retained RFA status and remained property of the Jets. He finished this season with 74 career games played.
  • The Belleville Senators have announced their new head coach. Per a team release, David Bell will take over behind the bench and becomes the third head coach in franchise history. The 46 year old was the team’s interim head coach since February 2, but was officially named the future bench boss for the 2023-24 season this week. He had been the team’s assistant coach since 2019 and has been behind the bench of an OHL or AHL team going back to the 2004-05 season.

PHR Playoff Primer: Vegas Golden Knights vs Edmonton Oilers

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With the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs now underway, PHR makes its first foray into playoff series analysis with our 2023 Playoff Primers. Where does each team stand in their series, and what storylines could dominate on and off the ice? We continue our Second Round coverage with the Pacific Division matchup between the Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers.

Not much separated the Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers in the regular season. Both teams battled to the very end to determine the winner of the Pacific Division, with Vegas finally emerging and finishing just two points ahead of their division rival.

Though they ended up at the top of the division, it was not an easy ride for either team this season. The Golden Knights had to overcome many significant injuries, including Robin Lehner, their starting goaltender, missing the entire season, Mark Stone, an exceptional two-way winger missing the second half of the season and top defenseman Shea Theodore missing significant time in the middle of the season with injury as well.

The Oilers didn’t have the same injury troubles, though Evander Kane missed half the season after having his wrist cut by a skate blade. Their adversity was more about past issues coming back to haunt them. Those issues were goaltending problems as Jack Campbell struggled all season after signing a five-year contract with a $5MM cap hit. The defense seemed to be a bit too offensive minded as well and were not able to shut things down well enough to be a serious Stanley Cup contender.

Regular Season Performance

Vegas: 51-22-9, 111 points, +43 goal differential
Florida: 50-23-9, 109 points, +65 goal differential

Head-To-Head

November 19, 2022: Edmonton 4, Vegas 3 (OT)
January 14, 2023: Edmonton 4, Vegas 3
March 25, 2023: Vegas 4, Edmonton 3 (OT)
March 28, 2023: Edmonton 7, Vegas 4

Edmonton takes season series 3-0-1

Team Storylines

The Oilers seemed to flip a switch at the trade deadline and put all those past defensive issues in the rearview mirror. There were two main reasons for this team finally looking like a sound defensive team as well as an elite offensive team instead of a one-dimensional squad that we have seen in the past.

First, they acquired Mattias Ekholm from the Nashville Predators at the trade deadline and he immediately became their best defensive defenseman as well as their top defender on the penalty kill. He eats up a ton of minutes and plays against the other teams best players while putting up points and ensuring the opposition stays off the scoresheet.

Secondly, the Oilers finally started to rely more on goaltender Stuart Skinner late in the season instead of Campbell. While Campbell’s contract would suggest he is their top guy, Skinner played extremely well down the stretch, starting 16 of the team’s final 21 games and posting a 2.43 GAA and a .920 SV%.

Skinner didn’t quite continue that performance in round one against the Los Angeles Kings as he posted a GAA near 3.50 as well as a .890 SV%. He is going to need to be closer to his regular season numbers if the Oilers want to advance to the Western Conference Final for the second consecutive season.

Apr 16, 2022; Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports

Also, the Oilers are an offensive juggernaut, but they leaned pretty heavily on just three players in their six game round one win. Connor McDavid has ten points, as did young defenseman Evan Bouchard and Leon Draisaitl led the team with 11 points. However, no one else on the team had more than four points in the opening round. That’s not horrible, especially since Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Kane, Klim Kostin and Ekholm all had four points, but having a forward other than Draisaitl and McDavid score a point-per-game pace would give the Oilers incredible scoring depth.

It won’t be easy to score at will against the Golden Knights who lost their opening game of the postseason but then eliminated the Winnipeg Jets with four straight victories. They may not have an elite scorer like McDavid or Draisaitl, but they have incredible scoring depth that allowed them to quickly dispose of the Jets.

Chandler Stephenson and Stone led the way with eight points each in five games while William Karlsson, Jack Eichel and Alex Pietrangelo all had five points in the series. Add in Reilly Smith, Jonathan Marchessault, Theodore and Ivan Barbashev and the Golden Knights have scorers up and down their lineup as well as on their blue line.

The Golden Knights will lean on Laurent Brossoit in goal, giving each team a starter with very little playoff experience. Brossoit was solid against his former team, the Jets, in round one posting a .915 SV% and being good enough to outduel Connor Hellebuyck in the other end.

Prediction

Both teams have some inexperience in goal, and the ability to score almost at will. The Oilers have the top end guys while the Golden Knights have plenty of scoring depth, but putting pucks in the net will not be an issue in this series.

It should be a long series, but the defensive depth on the Golden Knights blue line may be the determining factor. Having to face Theodore, Pietrangelo, Alec Martinez and Brayden McNabb will give the Oilers depth players little chance to score while limiting their top guns just enough to outlast them in a long, back and forth series. In the end, home ice advantage in that last game may prove to be the difference.

Prediction: Golden Knights win in seven games.

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