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Morning Notes: Raanta, Girard, Sabres

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The Carolina Hurricanes had Frederik Andersen on the ice at morning skate again today, taking normal shots at one end of the rink. The 32-year-old goaltender has not yet appeared in the playoffs after suffering a late-season injury, despite being the primary winner of the William M. Jennings Trophy for the lowest goals-against average in the league.

His partner for that award, Antti Raanta, will start again for the Hurricanes and has done everything possible to prove he is ready for this moment. Mark Lazerus profiles Raanta in his latest for The Athletic, noting the long road the veteran netminder has taken to get to this point. Through nine games in these playoffs, the 33-year-old has a .939 save percentage, allowing just 15 goals on 246 shots.

  • Samuel Girard may not be taking part in the rest of the playoffs but that doesn’t mean he’s ready to leave his teammates alone. According to Mike Morreale of NHL.com, the injured defenseman was at yesterday’s morning skate after being released from the hospital and is in “good spirits” according to head coach Jared Bednar. Girard suffered a broken sternum in game three, but he was able to watch his club secure a game four win and a stranglehold in their second-round series against the St. Louis Blues. There is no official timeline released for Girard’s recovery but he will not return even if the Avalanche advance.
  • With the Florida Panthers being swept out of the second round, the Buffalo Sabres now know exactly where they will be selecting in the first round. CapFriendly tweets out that the Sabres have secured picks nine, 16, and 28, with the latter being from their Sam Reinhart trade with the Panthers. That’s an impressive haul for a team that already has two first-overall picks in the mix and several other young impressive talents up front. The Sabres now have to find a way to put it all together and finally contend for the playoffs.

Oscar Fantenberg Signs In SHL

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Any chance of Oscar Fantenberg returning to the NHL has likely disappeared. The veteran defenseman has signed a four-year contract with Linkoping HC in the SHL, taking him through the 2025-26 season.

Fantenberg, 30, played the last two seasons in the KHL with SKA St. Petersburg and competed for Sweden at this year’s Olympics. Undrafted, he found some sustained success in North America a few years ago, playing 124 games with the Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks, even reaching the Conference Finals in the 2020 bubble playoffs.

Now signed for four years back home, Fantenberg will likely complete his hockey-playing circle back in Sweden after suiting up all over the world. Hopefully, his return will be as successful as his last year before leaving. In 2016, he helped Frolunda to an SHL title, a Champions League title, and participated in the World Championship for his country. He’ll return seeking some of the same accomplishments, this time with a different club.

Milan Lucic Not Expected To Receive Supplementary Discipline

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When Calgary Flames forward Milan Lucic received a match penalty last night for colliding with Edmonton Oilers goaltender Mike Smith, it came with an automatic review from the NHL’s Department of Player Safety. It appears as though there will be nothing more to come from the incident, as Emily Kaplan of ESPN tweets that there will not be supplementary discipline from the league.

The 15 minutes of penalties that Lucic was officially credited with were nearly twice as many as he actually played last night, as the veteran forward has been pushed down into a very limited role so far in the series. In three games he has yet to record a shot on net against his former team and now has racked up 21 penalty minutes in the second-round series.

Smith, meanwhile, was forced from the game by concussion spotters but returned a few minutes later to wild applause from the Rogers Place crowd. The Oilers managed to win the game and take a 2-1 series lead, with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Evander Kane once again leading the way offensively.

Some fans will remember another collision between Lucic and a goaltender that did not result in a suspension, though the two incidents came in very different on-ice situations.

The two teams will be back at it Thursday night.

Morning Notes: Start Times, Audette, Gretsky

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The NHL has officially announced start times for each of the game fives, including Thursday night’s Carolina-New York and Edmonton-Calgary matchups. Those will go at 7:00 pm ET and 9:30 pm ET respectively, as Calgary and New York try to even their series. The Tampa Bay Lightning meanwhile have a chance to finish things off tonight on the second half of a back-to-back against the Florida Panthers.

More from around the hockey world:

  • KHL club Vityaz Podolsk has announced the signing of former AHL star Daniel Audette, a surprising move given the exodus of foreign players from the league since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Audette played part of last season with the club but ended his year with 18 games for Orebro HK in the SHL. He’ll now go back to the KHL for next season, where he has already proven he can be a difference-maker. In 45 games last season, the 26-year-old forward scored 17 goals and 39 points, continuing his trend of posting strong offensive numbers at every stop. Originally selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2014 draft, he never did play a game in the NHL.
  • “Gretsky Signs In KHL” could have been a headline today, as Amur Khabarovsk announced the signing of Vyacheslav Gretsky to a tryout contract. The 25-year-old forward is obviously of no relation to the Gretzky that North American fans are more familiar with (Brent, that is), but did experience a breakout campaign in Belarus last season. The 6’5″ forward had 19 goals and 35 points in 53 games, earning him another chance to play in the KHL.

Brandon Hagel Avoids Suspension, Earns Fine

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The Tampa Bay Lightning will still have Brandon Hagel in the lineup when they try to complete the sweep of the Florida Panthers this evening. The young forward avoided suspension and received a $3,750 fine from the Department of Player Safety for his hit on Eetu Luostarinen. The fine is the maximum allowable under the current CBA.

Hagel, 23, was originally given a major penalty for boarding but had it reduced to a two-minute minor after an official review. The incident occurred partway through the first period, as he delivered a cross-check to Luostarinen’s back a few feet from the boards, sending him headfirst into the corner. Luostarinen did end up returning later in the period and played nearly 14 minutes in the game.

One of the prized trade deadline acquisitions, Hagel has represented some secondary scoring and depth for the Lightning these playoffs, recording four points in ten games so far. While he is averaging just 13:25 of ice time, the young forward–who is signed at a very reasonable $1.5MM per season through 2023-24–has already shown signs of being able to play higher in the lineup next year when the team is forced to see other veteran names depart.

On this occasion, he may have taken his feisty play over the line but will escape without having to miss a game and pay nothing more than a nearly insignificant fine.

Chicago Blackhawks Sign Filip Roos

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The Chicago Blackhawks have finally landed their European target, signing Filip Roos to a two-year contract. The entry-level deal will carry an average annual value of $925K, and extends through the 2024-25 season. General manager Kyle Davidson released a statement:

Filip is a big body who possesses strong skating abilities for his size. That’s a combination of traits that teams across the league are always searching for. Filip played valuable minutes in Sweden’s top league this season and he will strengthen our pool of defensive prospects.

Roos was first linked to the Blackhawks in April when he was about to start his SHL playoffs. Unfortunately, he and the rest of Skelleftea AIK were eliminated rather quickly, with Roos recording just one point in six postseason appearances. While that followed his lack of offensive production from the regular season, when he scored just six points in 50 games, there is actually some upside at that side of the ice left untapped.

The 6’4″ undrafted defenseman performed quite well in the Swedish second league a year ago, adding 28 points in 52 games. His size and, perhaps most notably, excellent skating ability, make him an interesting prospect for the rebuilding Blackhawks. There will likely be plenty of playing time available in Chicago the next few years, and one way to quickly turn around an organization’s fortunes is by finding hidden gems in the undrafted market.

Still, given how little experience Roos has at the SHL level–this was his first season there–asking him to step directly into the NHL is likely out of the question. He’ll likely take some time to develop, either at the AHL level or back in Sweden for the 2022-23 campaign, where he is still under contract. He’ll have to be offered back because of the recently-signed transfer agreement, though only if he fails to make the Blackhawks. Even then, there are ways to get him to the AHL and into the Chicago development system, though that likely won’t be decided for some time.

Montreal Canadiens Sign Riley Kidney

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May 22nd: The Laval Rocket have announced that Kidney has been signed to an amateur tryout contract, in advance of his entry-level deal coming into effect next season. This allows Kidney to be with the team as they attempt to continue their run in the Calder Cup Playoffs against the Rochester Americans.

May 4th: The Montreal Canadiens have signed Riley Kidney to a three-year entry-level contract, adding another prospect to the organization. The young forward’s deal will start in 2022-23 and carries an average annual value of $859K. Kidney currently plays for the Acadie-Bathurst Titan of the QMJHL, where he will start a playoff series tomorrow night.

Selected 63rd overall in 2021, Kidney has quickly shot up the prospect charts with an outstanding performance. The 19-year-old scored 30 goals and 100 points in 66 games this season, finishing seventh in league scoring and way out in front of his own team. The next highest scoring player on the Titan was Bennett MacArthur with 77, an undrafted forward who recently signed an entry-level deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Even more impressive is that Kidney only turned 19 in March and will be returning to the junior ranks next season, where he very well could compete for the league scoring title if this kind of production continues. That of course is assuming he doesn’t make the Canadiens out of camp, now that he’s signed and officially a part of the organization.

There is no doubt that Montreal will need dynamic scoring threats in the coming years, meaning a clear path to the NHL is in front of players like Kidney. Whether he can continue on his current development path is another question entirely, and one that will not be answered for some time. An entry-level contract was the next step, now a strong performance in the QMJHL playoffs and a potential spot on next year’s World Junior team is on the horizon.

Samuel Girard Breaks Sternum, Out Rest Of Playoffs

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10:10pm: Girard suffered a broken sternum on the play according to head coach Jared Bednar. He will miss the rest of the playoffs for Colorado.

8:10pm: The Colorado Avalanche have lost one of their defensemen, at least for the time being. After Samuel Girard was removed from tonight’s game against the St. Louis Blues, he has been taken to a local hospital for further evaluation on an upper-body injury.

Girard was hit hard by Ivan Barbashev behind his own net, and though he got off the ice on his own, will not return. The 24-year-old defenseman had averaged just under 21 minutes a night so far in the playoffs but lasted just 56 seconds in tonight’s match.

For their part, the Blues have also lost starting goaltender Jordan Binnington for the time being. The netminder left after a collision with Nazem Kadri, forcing Ville Husso back into the crease.

The two teams will play again on Monday evening.

Pittsburgh Penguins Extend Bryan Rust

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have agreed to terms with pending free agent forward Bryan Rust, keeping him in the organization long-term. Rust has agreed to a six-year contract worth a total of $30.75MM, an average annual value of $5.125MM. Penguins general manager Ron Hextall released a statement explaining:

Bryan exemplifies what it means to be a Pittsburgh Penguin. Since being drafted by Pittsburgh, he has developed into a versatile player and leader on our team, capable of contributing in any situation. His leadership qualities and experience as a two-time Stanley Cup champion is an important piece of our team.

While Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang take up most of the headlines in terms of pending free agents in Pittsburgh, Rust sat as arguably the most valuable of the three, at least when it came to a long-term extension. The versatile forward turned 30 just a few days ago and has been one of the team’s most consistent offensive performers over the last three seasons.

Consistent of course, only when Rust was actually in the lineup. When he played every game in the shortened 2020-21 campaign, it was the first time he’d accomplished the feat in his career. With a career-high of 72 games, and only 60 this season, there’s a fair argument that Rust–or at least the way he plays–brings more risk than the average player on a contract like this.

Still, an average annual value under $6MM for a forward that has been close to a point-per-game player for three years running is a nice bit of business for the Penguins, even if it does come at the cost of a few extra years. Rust has scored at least 22 goals in three straight and had 58 points this season. His play in the postseason has also been strong, with 21 goals in 79 career playoff games, including the two Stanley Cup runs in 2016 and 2017.

It’s that playoff-style hockey that is so appealing about Rust’s game, and what would have likely drawn plenty of interested parties had he reached the open market. Now, with him firmly in the mix for the next six years, the team can turn their attention to Malkin and Letang once again.

Darren Dreger of TSN broke the news that the two sides were close, while Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff filled in the details. 

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Tampa Bay Lightning Sign Jaydon Dureau

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As June approaches, several prospects that were drafted in 2018 or 2020 will be nearing a chance at unrestricted free agency. Not so for Jaydon Dureau, who signed his three-year entry-level contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning today.

Selected 147th overall in 2020, Dureau finished his junior career with the Portland Winterhawks a few days ago when they went down to the Seattle Thunderbirds in round two of the WHL playoffs. The 21-year-old forward had 66 points in 49 games for Portland this season, adding another six in nine postseason appearances.

Already with five AHL games under his belt over the last two years, Dureau will join the many other mid-round CHL players to enter the Tampa Bay development program and should be a full-time member of the Syracuse Crunch next season.

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