What Your Team Is Thankful For: Florida Panthers
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 Florida Panthers (when it eventually resumes).
What are the Panthers thankful for?
A resurgent Sergei Bobrovsky.
No team in the league can get by with a player making over $10MM and performing the way Bobrovsky did the last two seasons. He’s being paid like one of the best goaltenders in the league, and he posted a .902 save percentage over his first 81 games with the team.
It’s not that Bobrovsky is competing for the Vezina this year–his numbers aren’t that good–but a .917 has been good enough behind a powerful Florida lineup to result in a 12-3-2 record. Given Spencer Knight‘s struggles in his first full season, it was absolutely imperative to have Bobrovsky take the net back.
Who are the Panthers thankful for?
Bill Zito.
Since Zito has arrived in Sunrise just over a year ago, the Panthers have, among other things:
- Added Patric Hornqvist, while moving out Mike Matheson‘s contract in the process.
- Added Markus Nutivaara for a player that’s now in the KHL.
- Added Lucas Carlsson, while moving out Brett Connolly‘s contract in the process.
- Added and extended Brandon Montour for a third-round pick.
- Added and extended Sam Bennett for a second-round pick and Emil Heineman.
- Added and extended Sam Reinhart for a first-round pick and Devon Levi.
- Cleared Anton Stralman‘s contract from the books.
- Signed Spencer Knight, Anton Lundell, Maxim Mamin, Matt Kiersted, and other prospects.
- Extended Carter Verhaeghe, Anthony Duclair, and Aleksander Barkov.
- Won 55 of their 85 regular season games.
It’s been a pretty successful tenure for the former player agent and Columbus Blue Jackets assistant GM in his first go-round as the boss. The Panthers look like they’re set up for long-term success while also being a contender right now.
What would the Panthers be even more thankful for?
A healthy return for Barkov.
It was a brilliant start for the 26-year-old Finn. Barkov had five points in his first three games, 17 in his first 15. But then Scott Mayfield of the New York Islanders caught him with a knee-on-knee collision and things abruptly came to a halt. Barkov would return for one game, but end up back on injured reserve.
Now, as the Panthers are put on hold over the Christmas break due to COVID, Barkov has just played in just 16 of Florida’s 29 games. He doesn’t necessarily need to rush back, the team is good enough to stay in a playoff position without him. But for the Panthers to go on a deep postseason run, they’ll need their big center to be at full strength.
What should be on the Panthers’ Holiday Wish List?
Defensive depth.
There actually may be a case to be made for a better backup goaltender, given the team is currently going with Jonas Johansson behind Bobrovsky at the NHL level. But with Nutivaara on long-term injured reserve without a clear return, the defense could use a boost as well. The top three are locked. Aaron Ekblad, MacKenzie Weegar, and Gustav Forsling are going to continue to log huge minutes for the team when healthy. But Montour’s role has been diminished this year, Radko Gudas is probably playing more than he should, and beyond that, it’s a mix of inexperienced young players.
The idea of adding another legitimate top-four option, someone who can play in all situations and elevate the entire group, could make the Panthers one of the most deadly opponents in the league. A player like Jakob Chychrun–if he’s truly available–would be perfect, but even a lesser name like Ben Chiarot could potentially allow everyone to slot in a little better come playoff time.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Vancouver Canucks Place Schenn, Lammikko In COVID Protocol
Dec 17: Tyler Motte has joined Schenn, Lammikko, Tucker Poolman, and Brad Hunt in the COVID protocol today. The Canucks are scheduled to play the Maple Leafs tomorrow, who are dealing with their own protocol situation.
Dec 14: The Vancouver Canucks are facing a COVID outbreak of their own. After canceling morning skate as a precaution, Luke Schenn and Juho Lammikko have been placed in the COVID protocol. Both have tested positive for coronavirus–Schenn yesterday and Lammikko today–while the rest of the traveling party has been tested and will receive the results prior to tonight’s game.
The Canucks have moved Travis Hamonic to long-term injured reserve and recalled Phillip Di Giuseppe from the minor leagues. The team is still currently scheduled to play the Columbus Blue Jackets this evening, before departing for San Jose to face the Sharks on Thursday.
Notably, the Canucks played the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday, a team that had two players enter the protocol yesterday (and more positive cases coming, according to Michael Russo of The Athletic) after meeting with the Calgary Flames–a team that has been shut down entirely–last Thursday. The entire league appears to be dealing with an increased positivity rate as Schenn and Lammikko are by no means the first two added to the protocol today.
Nicklas Backstrom Added To COVID Protocol
The return for Nicklas Backstrom lasted exactly one day. The Washington Capitals center is unavailable for tonight’s game after being placed in the COVID protocol, just a few days after making his season debut. Tarik El-Bashir of The Athletic tweets that Backstrom did not travel to Winnipeg; the Capitals made arrangements for him to return from Chicago to Washington.
That’s three centers the team will be missing tonight, as Backstrom joins Evgeny Kuznetsov, Nic Dowd, Garnet Hathaway, and Trevor van Riemsdyk in the protocol. Dowd and van Riemsdyk were actually cleared and made their return to the lineup in Chicago, but have not cleared the 14-day period that is required to enter Canada. So back on the non-roster list they went, where they’re joined by several key forwards for the Capitals.
The team is expected to go with 11 forwards and seven defensemen this evening, with team reporter Mike Vogel suggesting that either Connor McMichael or Aliaksei Protas will have to move to center.
Backstrom played just over 18 minutes in his debut on Wednesday, recording a powerplay assist on Alex Ovechkin‘s 21st goal of the season. The Capitals would eventually lose in overtime though, with Caleb Jones scoring the winner for Chicago. The 34-year-old forward will have to wait for a minimum of ten days if he has tested positive and is experiencing any symptoms, certainly not what he was hoping for after such a long recovery period.
AHL Shuffle: 12/17/21
There are six games scheduled for this evening, but once again that could change at any moment given the league’s widespread COVID absences. If they do all go through, it’ll be Dave Lowry‘s first game behind the bench as head coach of the Winnipeg Jets, and a chance for the Anaheim Ducks to extend their Pacific Division lead by taking on the last-place Arizona Coyotes. As those teams and others prepare for action, we’ll keep track of all the minor shuffling right here.
Atlantic Division
- The Montreal Canadiens have sent Cayden Primeau back to the minor leagues after winning last night’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers. Primeau stopped 37 of 39 shots in regular play and then all three attempts in the shootout to secure the victory.
Metropolitan Division
- The Washington Capitals have recalled Zachary Fucale from the minor leagues as a precaution, as they travel to Canada for a game against the Jets. The Capitals, like most teams in the league right now, are dealing with several COVID absences and are likely trying to avoid a situation like the one that played out for Colorado last night.
Central Division
- The Minnesota Wild have recalled Kevin Czuczman from the AHL, after Jared Spurgeon reaggravated an injury last night. Czuczman, 30, has just 15 NHL games in his long professional career but has been a successful minor league option for years. He last played for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2020-21.
- Klim Kostin has been sent to the AHL on a conditioning loan, an understandable decision given he hasn’t played a game for the St. Louis Blues since November 24. The 22-year-old forward was expected to grab hold of a full-time roster spot this season but has been plagued by injury and inconsistency so far.
- The Dallas Stars have recalled Riley Tufte and Thomas Harley from the AHL. As head coach Rick Bowness told team reporter Mike Heika, Harley is up to replace Miro Heiskanen‘s play and Tufte’s size will be needed against the Blues. The team recently had Ty Dellandrea and Riley Damiani, but those weren’t the right fit for the upcoming game.
- With the Colorado Avalanche now off until after the holiday break, they have assigned forward Mikhail Maltsev and defenseman Justin Barron back to the AHL. Maltsev has been held without a point in six games this season while Barron made his NHL debut on Tuesday.
Pacific Division
- The Los Angeles Kings have brought up a pair of defensemen, recalling Jacob Moverare and Jordan Spence from Ontario of the AHL. Moverare is in his second season in North America and has eight points in 19 games for the Reign this season while Spence is in his first professional season and has eight assists in 18 contests.
This page will be updated throughout the day
More Postponements Announced Due To COVID Outbreaks
The NHL has officially postponed several games, shutting down the Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche, and Florida Panthers through the holiday break. The following games will need to be rescheduled:
- Calgary: Dec 21 vs Anaheim, Dec 23 vs Seattle
- Colorado: Dec 18 vs Tampa Bay, Dec 20 @ Detroit, Dec 22 @ Buffalo, Dec 23 @ Boston
- Florida: Dec 18 @ Minnesota, Dec 21 @ Chicago, Dec 23 vs Nashville
The Panthers have been ravaged by COVID recently, placing eight players in the protocol this week. Aaron Ekblad, Frank Vatrano, Sam Bennett, Radko Gudas, Ryan Lomberg, Brandon Montour, and Carter Verhaeghe are all unavailable for the club, while a postponement could suggest even further poor results in testing today. It would be the second time in just a few days that the Wild have a game postponed due to their opponent’s situation, after missing Tuesday’s match against the Carolina Hurricanes.
For Colorado, this was a predictable outcome after they were stripped of several key players just before game time last night. Darcy Kuemper and Cale Makar were both ruled out despite expecting to play only hours after Andre Burakovsky and J.T. Compher were added to the protocol. That forced the Avalanche to play shorthanded and with an emergency backup goaltender though according to multiple reports including Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, Colorado was actually given the option to not play the game. The Avalanche ended up losing the game by a 5-2 margin, and it now looks like they’ll be given a few days to get their outbreak under control.
Calgary has basically the entire organization in the protocol, with just four active players outside of it after Mikael Backlund entered this morning. The team had already seen games on Dec 13, 14, 16 and 18 postponed.
Despite these postponements, Greg Wyshynski of ESPN reports that there is still not a strong push to pause the season entirely. The league instituted some protocol changes recently and, according to Wyshynski, wants to give them “some runway.”
John Tavares, Alexander Kerfoot Placed In COVID Protocol
The Toronto Maple Leafs had yet to be severely impacted by the spread of COVID around the league, but that changed today. John Tavares and Alexander Kerfoot have been placed in the COVID protocol, while the team has canceled practice for precautionary reasons. All players and traveling staff will undergo further testing today.
Notably, both players took part in Tuesday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers, a team dealing with their own outbreak after a cluster of games with the Calgary Flames, Boston Bruins, and Carolina Hurricanes last weekend. Toronto was set to take on the Flames last night before Calgary’s season was put on hold, and are scheduled to play against the Vancouver Canucks tomorrow.
If the positive tests are limited at two, the Maple Leafs will likely continue to move forward with their schedule. The team received Jason Spezza back as an eligible replacement after his suspension was reduced today, and is carrying an extra forward already. The team has one more game on the road trip–in Seattle on Sunday–before returning home for one afternoon match before the Christmas break. If Tavares and Kerfoot have tested positive and are experiencing any symptoms, they’ll miss all of those games.
Bettman Reduces Spezza Suspension To Four Games
The appeal has been successful for Jason Spezza of the Toronto Maple Leafs, as his six-game suspension has been reduced to four. This was a decision made by commissioner Gary Bettman; had he maintained the full suspension, Spezza could have then appealed to a neutral arbitrator. With the reduction, Spezza is now eligible to play against Vancouver tomorrow night.
In the full nine-page ruling, Bettman include that though it was a clearly suspendable play, Spezza has an:
…admirable record of clean play over a nineteen season, 1,300 game career…this record support’s Mr. Spezza’s reputation for clean play and that he has never received a warning or counseling from [the Department of Player Safety] about conduct coming close to the line; and leads me to give Mr. Spezza the benefit of the doubt in terms of his intention.
The suspension has been upheld, meaning that it will go on Spezza’s record moving forward and be considered in any other supplementary discipline. Neal Pionk, the player involved, did suffer an injury on the play but missed just three games. Spezza can re-enter the Maple Leafs’ lineup immediately.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Placed In COVID Protocol
The Edmonton Oilers have added another forward to the COVID protocol, but this time it’s someone with a little more responsibility. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins joins Ryan McLeod and Devin Shore on the sidelines, unavailable for tomorrow night’s game against the Seattle Kraken.
Notably, Nugent-Hopkins played nearly 20 minutes last night against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
It’s a crucial time for the Oilers, who got back in the win column with a strong performance against Columbus but are still just 4-6 over their last ten games. The team has slipped out of the divisional playoff spots in the Pacific, two points behind the surging Vegas Golden Knights and struggling Calgary Flames. With the Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, and even the suddenly red-hot Vancouver Canucks nipping at their heels, losing a key player like Nugent-Hopkins certainly isn’t an ideal situation.
The 28-year-old forward is having a great season, at least in terms of point totals. Though he’s recorded just three goals, Nugent-Hopkins is among the league leaders with 22 assists in 28 games. With Edmonton struggling to score of late, someone else will have to step into that offensive role if they want to get back on track.
Paul Maurice Resigns From Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets have announced some shocking news, revealing that Paul Maurice has resigned as head coach effective immediately. Dave Lowry will take over head coaching duties on an interim basis.
Maurice met with the media to explain why he has made the decision to leave and said that the Jets are a very good team but they’ve consistently performed under where they could be of late. He stated that he believes it’s time for a new voice behind the bench in Winnipeg, despite noting that he doesn’t believe the team “quit” on him. Maurice spoke with general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff about the situation last summer, and there was no single breaking point, just that there needed to be a new voice.
The veteran coach is proud of the work he did in Winnipeg, explaining that he believes he helped take them from a “bottom 10 situation to a top 10 situation.” He mentioned the “law of diminishing returns” to explain that when he pushes a button now, he doesn’t get quite the same reaction.
Maurice had been the second longest-tenured coach in the NHL, behind only Jon Cooper of the Tampa Bay Lightning. He had another year on his contract with the Jets, though it was an option that will obviously now not be exercised. He explained that he’s not embarrassed by this decision and “feels good” that he doesn’t have a game to coach tonight or a job to chase tomorrow. He noted that may be the first time in 26 years that he has felt that way.
It’s been “more of a grind” for Maurice to come to the rink the last two years, as the excitement has waned for him after a long career. That was especially true during last year’s season without fans; the coach asked the collected media “what’s the point” without the energy in the building.
To sum it up, Maurice said this:
I just don’t want to watch those guys fight for the rest of the year, when I think they could be better with someone else.
Cheveldayoff explained that Lowry is expected to serve as head coach the rest of the season.
Calgary Flames Add 20 To COVID Protocol
Dec 17: The cases continue for Calgary, who have added Mikael Backlund and another member of the support staff to the protocol. The team has now reached 31 cases, including 19 players.
Dec 16: The Flames have announced three more additions to the protocol. Dillon Dube, Oliver Kylington, and another member of the support staff are now ruled out.
Dec 15: The Calgary Flames have announced that 17 more people have been entered into the COVID protocol. Seven players, three coaches, and seven support staff. Rasmus Andersson, Byron Froese, Johnny Gaudreau, Erik Gudbranson, Trevor Lewis, Jacob Markstrom, and Tyler Pitlick have joined the other players, while Ryan Huska, Kirk Muller, and head coach Darryl Sutter are also now in the protocol.
Just seven active players are not in the protocol for the Flames. Games had been originally postponed through tomorrow, but there is no way the Flames can ice a roster for Saturday unless a huge number of these are false positives that are confirmed negative in the coming days. That certainly doesn’t look like the case given how many other positives there have been, meaning the Flames will be dormant for a while longer.
Notably, the Flames were already on a four-game losing streak when they were originally shut down, meaning this could be a critical time for the organization’s Stanley Cup hopes. Depending on how long the league keeps them dark, they may have to return to the ice extremely shorthanded and at the very minimum will be rusty from spending a minimum of ten days in quarantine. The hope is obviously that none of the players, coaches, or staff experience any serious symptoms and can get back on the ice as soon as possible.
Eric Francis of Sportsnet passes on some good news. Assistant general manager Chris Snow, who was diagnosed with ALS in 2019, is not one of the staff members that has tested positive.