Evgeni Malkin Placed In COVID Protocol
When the reduced testing procedures were announced, there was always a chance that many players would end up in the COVID protocols when the All-Star break ended. There would be one last round of tests for everyone as they rejoined their respective clubs before asymptomatic testing stops. After Jack Hughes and Jesperi Kotkaniemi both entered the protocol yesterday, another Metropolitan center has joined them. Evgeni Malkin is now in the COVID protocol and unavailable for the Pittsburgh Penguins, who have recalled Valtteri Puustinen and Michael Chaput in response.
Losing Malkin is a tough blow for the Penguins as they return and get set for a three-game road trip to start the unofficial second half. Pittsburgh is set to travel to Boston to take on the Bruins tomorrow, before heading to Ottawa and New Jersey. There’s a chance that Malkin could return for that Sunday game against the Devils, though with it being an afternoon tilt the timing may be difficult.
The 35-year-old has been excellent since returning from injury, scoring 13 points in 12 games including at least one in each of his last nine. Already missing the likes of Teddy Blueger and Jason Zucker, the Penguins’ depth is certainly being tested.
Puustinen, meanwhile, is receiving just his first recall to the NHL after signing an entry-level deal last spring. The 22-year-old forward was a star in Finland the past two seasons, and has 27 points in 40 games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins this year. Undersized, he may be able to give the team a bit of an offensive punch in certain situations.
Poll: Who Will Win The 2022 Rocket Richard Trophy?
Yesterday, we asked PHR readers to vote on who they thought would win the NHL scoring race and take home the Art Ross Trophy in 2022. Despite currently trailing by several points, Connor McDavid is polling ahead of Jonathan Huberdeau as fans believe the Edmonton Oilers superstar will regain his crown in the second half.
But what about the goal race? After never scoring more than 28 in a single season, Chris Kreider now leads the league with 33 tallies–including an incredible 17 on the powerplay–through his first 47 games. The big New York Rangers winger has been scoring at a ridiculous pace, finding the back of the net on 22.5% of his shots. Will that continue down the stretch with players like Artemi Panarin and Adam Fox feeding him with the man advantage, or will Kreider get passed by some of the former champions right behind him?
Leon Draisaitl, a former 50-goal scorer is right behind Kreider and is actually scoring at an even better pace. Through 42 games the Oilers’ forward has 32 goals, taking him to 231 through his 520-game NHL career. While he’s still just 26, Draisaitl is already on a Hall of Fame pace and could add to that legacy with another few individual trophies this year. Even his shooting percentage of 21.5% this season which would normally be considered inflated, isn’t that much higher than his normal number. One of the most accurate and efficient shooters in the game, Draisaitl has scored on 17.6% of the shots in his career.
If you want to win a Rocket though, you have to go through the guy in third place. Alex Ovechkin has taken the trophy nine times in his illustrious career and looks ready to compete for a tenth. Through 46 games Ovechkin has 29 goals, 21 of which have come at even-strength. That leads the league, meaning if the Washington Capitals captain starts finding the back of the net a little more on the powerplay things could change rapidly.
Since the 2012-13 season, only two players have finished a single season with more goals than Ovechkin. Sidney Crosby in 2016-17 and Auston Matthews last year, when he potted 41 in the shortened 56-game schedule. After a slow start and some missed games, Matthews is right back on track to defend his crown as the league’s best goal scorer with 29 in just 39 matches. That includes 22 in his last 22, a goal-per-game pace that the Toronto Maple Leafs superstar has flirted with for long stretches in the past. Given how many different ways the 24-year-old can score, it’s hard to bet against him even if the others got an early lead.
Other players who could quickly enter the conversation are Kyle Connor, Alex DeBrincat, and Filip Forsberg, though it’ll be hard to catch and pass that group at the top. It appears to be a four-man are at the moment with a quartet of the league’s best.
Who do you think will come out on top? Cast your vote below and make sure to leave another contender in the comments if you believe they’ll catch up in the second half.
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Morning Notes: Devils, Acciari, Sanderson
The New Jersey Devils sure don’t sound like they’re looking for draft picks anymore. General manager Tom Fitzgerald spoke with Mike Morreale of NHL.com and mentioned the term “hockey trade” more than once, while admitting that they still haven’t made a decision on how the deadline will play out for their pending unrestricted free agents.
Is there a hockey trade you could make to not only help your team immediately, but the future? Somebody in the age demographic of where we’re at with the core of our team. Is there a hockey trade that makes sense for us more long term, but can help jumpstart us now?
The Devils already have several high-end young players on the roster, so it makes sense that they would want to add to that group instead of looking a few years down the road with any additional draft picks. When Jack Hughes‘ huge extension kicks in next season the pressure will be on to start competing for a playoff spot, especially after handing out a $63MM contract to Dougie Hamilton last summer. P.K. Subban and Jimmy Vesey are the team’s two more notable players on expiring deals, though neither one would be expected to bring back a very valuable asset.
- After just two games with the Charlotte Checkers, Noel Acciari has been recalled from his AHL conditioning loan. Of note, since he’s on long-term injured reserve he does not need to be activated yet, and Acciari is still listed on IR. The Florida Panthers do actually have an extra roster spot open at the moment, though that had been used by Matt Kiersted and Spencer Knight at various points, both of who are currently assigned to the minor leagues.
- It’s still a waiting game for Team USA defenseman Jake Sanderson, who missed photo day last night at the Olympics as he remains in Los Angeles following a positive COVID test. Steven Kampfer and Andy Miele, who were also stuck in isolation for a short period of time, have rejoined the group according to Chris Peters of Daily Faceoff, but it’s still not clear if Sanderson will be able to join the team by Thursday’s opener.
Hurricanes Hoping To Sign Kotkaniemi To Long-Term Deal
Last summer, the Carolina Hurricanes became the first team to successfully acquire a player through an offer sheet since the Edmonton Oilers snatched Dustin Penner in 2007. They forfeited two picks–including a first-round selection in 2022–to the Montreal Canadiens as compensation for Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who signed just a one-year deal with the Hurricanes.
Kotkaniemi, 21, has 20 points in 42 games so far in Carolina but is playing just over 12 minutes a night. While that certainly isn’t what you want from someone carrying a $6.1MM cap hit, the team was always going to have to pay a premium in order for the offer sheet to work in the first place.
Right from the moment it was signed, speculation began about what the Hurricanes could do for Kotkaniemi’s next contract. He’ll be a restricted free agent after the season ends and is eligible for arbitration. To even get that far though the Hurricanes also owe him a qualifying offer that matches his $6.1MM cap hit, something that was the cause of much consternation in the summer.
Before they even get to the issue of a qualifying offer though, the Hurricanes are working to avoid that problem altogether. In Pierre LeBrun’s latest for The Athletic, he spoke to general manager Don Waddell, who admitted that he’s already had preliminary contract talks with Kotkaniemi’s camp. The team is hoping to sign a long-term deal and spoke to agent Markus Lehto last week.
A long-term extension could potentially fix any overpayment relative to Kotkaniemi’s production. Sure, he has leverage right now with that qualifying offer and arbitration in his pocket, but that extra money could be spread out to get a lower cap hit, one that gives the young forward time to develop and become a core piece of what they’re doing in Carolina. It’s unlikely to provide a ton of surplus value given the Hurricanes’ position, but it also will bring that number down to a more reasonable amount. As Waddell put it, the team will “find a solution to make everyone happy.”
Poll: Who Will Win The 2022 Art Ross?
If you asked the average hockey fan who currently leads the league in scoring, you may get some incorrect answers. Edmonton Oilers stars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl–who have taken home the Art Ross Trophy in four of the last five seasons–sit right near the top as expected, but it’s Florida Panthers sensation Jonathan Huberdeau that’s currently leading the way with 64 points in 47 games.
The fact that Huberdeau is among the league’s elite offensive talents shouldn’t really come as a surprise given his performance the past few seasons, and yet he is just now starting to get the recognition he deserves. Since 2018-19, the dynamic winger has 295 points in 253 games, scoring at least a point-per-game in each of the previous three seasons. At his current pace he’s set to break the 100-point threshold for the first time and currently has a healthy lead in the assist race with 47 already. Huberdeau is a legitimate Hart Trophy contender this year and if he wins the scoring race, it’ll be hard to vote for anyone else.
The two Edmonton forwards though are still right on his heels with the added benefit of the Oilers only playing 42 games to this point. Draisaitl leads the Oilers race with 63 points, while McDavid–a three-time scoring champ–has 60 so far despite a recent slump of seven points in his last nine games.
Nazem Kadri meanwhile, who hasn’t ever recorded more than 61 points in a single season, is tied with McDavid for third place with his 60-point first half. The Colorado Avalanche forward took advantage of the absence of Nathan MacKinnon earlier this season and has just continued to perform at an elevated level. With an expiring contract and unrestricted free agent status around the corner, Kadri’s push for the title could result in a huge windfall this summer.
Johnny Gaudreau, Mikko Rantanen, Kirill Kaprizov, and others should be mentioned as well, but it’s a much older player who really deserves attention here. Alex Ovechkin, the winner of the 2008 Art Ross, is within striking distance of the leaders at age-36. The Russian Machine is on pace to break 100 points for the first time since 2010 and could potentially take home his tenth Rocket Richard trophy as the league’s top goal scorer with a strong second half. It’s incredible what Ovechkin has been able to do this season after signing a new five-year deal with the Washington Capitals in the offseason and at this point is showing no signs of slowing down.
So who will actually take home the trophy at the end of the year? Vegas still has McDavid as the odds-on favorite to win his fourth in six years, but will he be able to stave off the other contenders? We’ve listed all the players who have eclipsed 50 points already, but if there’s someone else you think can climb the rankings in the second half, make sure to leave their name in the comments.
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More On Chicago’s GM Search
Feb 5: The Blackhawks have now confirmed Mellanby’s interview as well. More are scheduled for the coming days.
Feb 4: The Chicago Blackhawks are trying to fill a general manager position amid more controversy after chairman Rocky Wirtz‘s public outburst when asked about the Kyle Beach sexual assault scandal. Recently Peter Chiarelli‘s name surfaced as a potential candidate. The long-time NHL executive hasn’t been in charge of an NHL team since he left the Edmonton Oilers in early 2019 and has a checkered past in terms of successful moves, but Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet explained why he thinks the Blackhawks could be interested on the latest 32 Thoughts podcast:
If you’re only thinking of hiring a GM–let’s say for example that Kyle Davidson is your choice and he’s your GM. Now the question becomes do you need someone above him to manage up. To say that, after what happened on Wednesday night, you simply need a more experienced hand somewhere in your organization.
Friedman went on to mention Ed Olczyk–who was recently announced as part of an advisory committee for the team during the hiring process–as a potential candidate for a role in the organization.
On the other hand, it appears as though the Blackhawks will also consider some rather inexperienced candidates as well. Scott Powers of The Athletic reported today that the team will interview Scott Mellanby for the position. Mellanby, certainly not short of playing experience after nearly 1,500 regular season games, has never been an NHL general manager previously. He resigned his position as assistant GM with the Montreal Canadiens last year, an organization he had been with since 2012.
Another name that is on the Blackhawks’ list and will raise some eyebrows is Eric Tulsky, according to Friedman. The Carolina Hurricanes assistant GM is generally regarded as one of the brightest up-and-coming executives in the game and is credited for many of the moves that have turned his organization into a perennial Stanley Cup contender. Tulsky is certainly not someone you would call experienced though, having only sat in the AGM role for a little over a year. Just after the Friedman report, the Blackhawks confirmed that Tulsky had interviewed for the position.
With Chiarelli on one end and Tulsky on the other, the Blackhawks’ list of candidates run the gamut in terms of NHL front offices. They also indicated recently that they would look outside of hockey in their search, though it is not clear if that has produced any interviews to this point. Davidson, currently serving as interim GM has already done his, and Powers writes that the team is expected to meet with at least five people.
NHL Announces Several Key Events For 2022-23
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman took the podium today in Las Vegas to give an update on several topics, including some key events that will take place in 2022-23.
The 2023 NHL Winter Classic will feature the Boston Bruins at Fenway Park and will mark the fifth outdoor game for the team. The Bruins’ opponent has not yet been revealed, or the official date at this point. Fenway held the 2010 Winter Classic, where the Bruins defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 in overtime.
Next year’s All-Star festivities will be held in Sunrise, Florida, and will be hosted by the Florida Panthers for the first time since 2003. The event will take place over February 3-4, 2023 with the All-Star Skills Competition on Friday, as it is this year. The Panthers, one of the league’s most exciting teams, will likely have several participants again next year.
The Stadium Series will head to Raleigh, North Carolina, where the Carolina Hurricanes will host an outdoor game at Carter-Finley Stadium, home of the NC State Wolfpack. This will be the very first outdoor game for the Hurricanes, though their opponent has also not been announced yet. The Stadium Series date has also not yet been officially set for 2023.
On the upcoming 2022 draft that is currently scheduled for Montreal, Bettman explained that if Quebec’s current COVID restrictions have not changed by that point, the league may decide to take it somewhere else. He hopes to have not only the team representatives and players in person, but also fans in the stands.
The league will also return to Europe next season in the Global Series, with games scheduled for Germany, Switzerland, Finland, and the Czech Republic, though details on those games were not revealed.
Snapshots: World Cup, Top Prospects, Memorial Cup
When the NHL first appeared headed to the 2022 Olympic Games, it signaled what would have been the first best-on-best action since the 2016 World Cup. Even that event came with the caveat of Team North America, a young-guns squad that kept some top talent off their respective countries. Connor McDavid, for instance, has still never worn a Canada sweater at a top-tier international event and hasn’t even taken part in the World Championship since 2018.
Perhaps there is reason to believe that is going to change, as Pierre LeBrun explained on TSN’s Insider Trading that the NHL and NHLPA have made progress on a potential 2024 World Cup of Hockey. There is also surprising support for it to be held partway through the 2023-24 season, something that had previously been fought against by the owners. This tournament would be held in addition to NHL participation in the 2026 Olympics in Italy, meaning hockey fans could be finally getting a chance to see best-on-best action in the coming years.
- Speaking of best-on-best, the CHL prospects game was originally scheduled to take place a few days ago has been rescheduled to March 23 in Kitchener, according to Corey Pronman of The Athletic. The event pits the best draft-eligible players in the OHL, WHL, and QMJHL against each other and provides a great scouting opportunity for NHL executives. The Ontario government is currently scheduled to lift all capacity restrictions on indoor events on March 14, which would potentially allow a full building for the showcase.
- Another marquee scouting event on the calendar is the Memorial Cup tournament, which hasn’t been held since 2019 because of the pandemic. This year’s event is scheduled to be held in Saint John, with the Sea Dogs automatically entered as the host team. Darren Dreger of TSN adds that because of all the postponements that have happened in the CHL this season, the Memorial Cup is going to be pushed into June.
Latest On Jack Eichel’s Recovery Timeline
The Vegas Golden Knights will be represented well at this weekend’s All-Star Game, with Jonathan Marchessault joining Mark Stone and Alex Pietrangelo at the hometown event. There’s another star player who has stolen the headlines today though, as Golden Knights head coach Pete DeBoer told reporters including David Schoen of the Las Vegas Review-Journal that Jack Eichel could be cleared for contact after the break.
Eichel, recovering from artificial disk replacement surgery in November, was originally given an aggressive three-month timeline to return to action. When he was spotted on the ice just a few weeks after surgery it appeared as though it would be possible and now it seems his return is right around the corner.
Obviously, there are still the normal caveats that come with any player returning from injury, but Eichel’s Golden Knights debut will likely come with even more caution and patience because of his position as the first NHL player to receive this procedure. Chicago Blackhawks forward Tyler Johnson, who underwent the same surgery in December, is expected back in March according to Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times, which would be along the same three-month timetable.
DeBoer even went so far as to say that Eichel has been the best player on the ice at some recent practices, a dream scenario for the Golden Knights after taking a substantial risk in acquiring him earlier this season. The hope is that Eichel can return to full strength quickly and become a game-changing center at the top of the Vegas lineup, but that certainly is no guarantee after he missed so much time waiting for surgery. The 25-year-old’s last NHL game was played on March 7, 2021.
Morning Notes: Manson, Daws, Lorito
New Anaheim Ducks general manager has some big decisions to come in the next few weeks, as the team holds several players who would be top rental options at the trade deadline should they be put on the market. One of those names is Josh Manson, who has seemingly been linked to the Toronto Maple Leafs since the moment he entered the league. Well, if the Maple Leafs ever did want to pry Manson out of Anaheim, there’s another roadblock in the way. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet notes on the latest 32 Thoughts podcast that Toronto is one of the teams on Manson’s no-trade list.
The 30-year-old can block trades to 12 teams as part of his modified no-trade clause, which gives him at least a little bit of power over where he’ll end up if the Ducks do decide to move him in the coming weeks. Rickard Rakell and Hampus Lindholm are the other big names for the Ducks, who sit third in the Pacific Division but have played a league-high 48 games already.
- The New Jersey Devils have recalled Nico Daws to the NHL roster today despite the All-Star break already being underway, sending Akira Schmid back to Utica in his place. While the Comets have a back-to-back starting tonight against the Laval Rocket and could be using it as a way to keep Schmid sharp, it will be interesting to see if Daws gets another look with the Devils down the stretch. The 21-year-old goaltender played twice in October, but with MacKenzie Blackwood‘s season still up in the air perhaps he’ll get another shot to try and show what he can do at the NHL level. Daws, a third-round pick in 2020, has a .917 save percentage in 17 games for Utica this season.
- Matt Lorito has signed a new one-year AHL contract with the Hartford Wolf Pack, returning to the AHL after spending this season in the KHL and SHL. The 31-year-old forward is an experienced hand in the minor leagues and won a Calder Cup in 2017 with the Grand Rapids Griffins. In his last AHL appearance, he had 11 points in 27 games for the San Diego Gulls.