Snapshots: Ducks, Deadline, Hughes
The Anaheim Ducks seem like they should be obvious sellers at the upcoming trade deadline, given their place at the bottom of the West Division standings. The team is 9-17-6 and has allowed the third-most goals against in the entire league. Their -39 goal differential through 32 games tracks ahead of only the Buffalo Sabres (-40) and the Ottawa Senators (-43), two teams that have no hope of contending for a playoff spot this season. Despite all that, Ducks GM Bob Murray explains to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic that things are still extremely quiet, implying that the deadline might not be very busy for Anaheim.
As LeBrun writes, the Ducks do not hold many pure rental players–that is those who will be unrestricted free agents at the end of the season. Instead, most of their biggest trade chips have some term left, meaning they could be dealt in the offseason instead when the market is a bit more flexible. Once again, LeBrun suggests Rickard Rakell as the best “hockey deal” the Ducks could make, with Murray agreeing that the veteran winger would be more appealing to contenders now than in the summer, giving them two playoff runs.
- It’s not just in Anaheim that things are quiet. As Dan Rosen of NHL.com writes, many teams around the league still haven’t determined the best way to attack a deadline that is clouded by the shadow of quarantine protocols and a flat salary cap. Rosen writes that the cost for the top rentals—of which he suggests Taylor Hall, Eric Staal, Kyle Palmieri and even Ryan Getzlaf are among—is expected to be high. Names like Mattias Ekholm and Filip Forsberg with term attached will cost even more. This seems to go against the prevailing thought process that supply may be higher than demand at this year’s deadline given how few teams can take on cap or salary. Perhaps even then the allure of a Stanley Cup run will drive prices up, allowing the bottom teams to cash in on a few assets with their feet already out of the door.
- Terrible news for top 2021 draft pick Luke Hughes, whose season is over after suffering a lower-body injury last week according to Corey Pronman of The Athletic. That means the star defenseman will miss the All-American Prospects Game and U18 World Championships in April, both events that are expected to have huge ramifications on draft boards this summer. Pronman does write that Hughes is expected to be back skating by the summer, which makes him a candidate for the U.S. World Junior camp.
COVID Protocol Related Absences: 03/22/21
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 the list for today
Boston – Jake DeBrusk, David Krejci, Sean Kuraly, David Pastrnak, Craig Smith
Montreal – Joel Armia*, Jesperi Kotkaniemi*
NY Islanders – Noah Dobson
NY Rangers – Phil Di Giuseppe, Brett Howden* (plus their coaching staff)
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: Zach Sanford, St. Louis Blues
Sanford’s appearance was confirmed as a false positive, and the Blues forward admitted he already had the virus in December so was surprised when he ended up in the protocol. Now removed, he’s expected back in the lineup for St. Louis.
Armia’s appearance is an ominous one as the North Division works to stay postponement-free this season. There have been very few names from the Canadian division even enter the protocol, even fewer stay for very long. Hopefully, Armia’s name will be removed in the coming days, but he will not be available for Montreal tonight. After an update, Kotkaniemi also appeared on the list for the Canadiens, meaning Montreal will need to dip into their taxi squad for tonight’s game.
*denotes new addition
Patrick Marleau Would “Seriously Consider” Trade To Contender
It was somewhat surprising when Patrick Marleau signed a new one-year, $700K contract with the San Jose Sharks last October. Not because he had lost any love for the franchise that he spent two decades leading, but because the Sharks didn’t appear to be in a position to give him a chance at what he had always lacked–the Stanley Cup.
Marleau has gone chasing a ring before, signing a three-year deal with the upstart Toronto Maple Leafs in 2017 and then embracing a trade to the Pittsburgh Penguins at last year’s trade deadline. Returning to San Jose, who had gone 29-36-5 in 2019-20 and were bringing back largely the same roster, seemed like he was giving up any chance at the Cup this season and instead focusing on breaking the all-time games played record with the franchise he knows best. Marleau now sits just 15 games behind Gordie Howe‘s 1,767 regular season contests, a record that for a long time seemed unbreakable.
But now, speaking with Kevin Kurz of The Athletic, Marleau explained that he would “seriously consider” another move to a contender if one were to approach the Sharks about him, noting that winning a Stanley Cup is still the goal. The 41-year-old doesn’t actually have any trade protection in his contract, but would likely be part of the conversation with San Jose management about a deadline deal given his legacy status with the team.
Of course, Marleau’s play has drastically declined, to the point where acquiring him may not necessarily be a good idea for a contender. He has just one goal and five points in 29 games this season, and though part of that is the struggling Sharks roster, part of it is a 41-year-old player trying to keep up. In four postseason games with the Penguins last season he failed to record a point, meaning that third-round pick Pittsburgh used to get him didn’t have much return on investment. Hard to imagine a lot of clubs racing to do the same thing, especially given the added quarantine protocols and cap issues that are plaguing the NHL trade market.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Jordan Harris Returning To Northeastern University
The Montreal Canadiens will not be signing NCAA standout Jordan Harris to an entry-level contract this spring. The young defenseman has decided, after discussions with the organization and members of his family, to return to Northeastern University for his senior season in 2021-22. According to their release, Harris “remains totally committed to the Monreal Canadiens for the future.”
Despite that commitment, the pressure will be on the Canadiens next year when Harris will be just a few months away from becoming an unrestricted free agent. After his senior season, Montreal would only retain his draft rights through August 15, 2022, after which time he would be able to sign with anyone he wanted. Though the team may feel comfortable now, it does certainly pose additional risk.
Harris, 20, was outstanding this season for Northeastern, recording 19 points in 19 games while serving as an alternate captain. A former Team USA World Junior member, the smooth-skating defenseman was a third-round pick in 2018 and has developed quite nicely at the collegiate level.
There isn’t a direct line to playing time in Montreal next season, given they have six NHL-level defensemen already signed, but that does change in 2022. Ben Chiarot and Brett Kulak are both unrestricted free agents after the 2021-22 campaign, perhaps opening the door a crack for Harris to compete at the NHL level. That’s certainly not a guarantee, but spending another year in college will only help his offensive development as he logs huge minutes for the Huskies.
Minnesota Wild Activate Marcus Johansson From Injured Reserve
The Minnesota Wild are suddenly must-see television after adding Kirill Kaprizov, arguably the most exciting player in franchise history. With a record of 18-10-1 it’s not just Kaprizov that should be drawing your attention though, the entire Wild roster seems energized and competitive. Today, they’ll get back another important piece, activating Marcus Johansson from injured reserve.
Johansson, 30, is on the second season of a two-year, $9MM contract signed with the Buffalo Sabres in 2019 but has been out for weeks with an upper-body injury. He has missed Minnesota’s last 16 games and has suited up just 11 times this season. Despite his regular season struggles the last two years, Johansson showed exactly what he was capable of with the Boston Bruins in the 2019 playoffs, routinely being one of the team’s best players and recording 11 points in 22 games.
It’s that postseason performance that should excite fans of the Wild, given how that wasn’t the only time Johansson has gone past the first round of the playoffs. That’s something Minnesota hasn’t accomplished since 2015 and the team hasn’t gone past the second round since 2003. If this team is to change that trend, they’ll need Johansson firing on all cylinders and making his $4.5MM cap hit a worthwhile investment. If he’s not playing up to that level, perhaps his expiring contract could be one shipped out to open up room for a different addition.
Taxi Squad Shuffle: 03/22/21
There has been plenty of roster movement between NHL teams and the taxi squad on a daily basis this season. Although some major names may be highlighted in separate articles, this is where you’ll find the majority of that shuffle news each day:
West Division
- The Arizona Coyotes have recalled Hudson Fasching from the taxi squad and Ivan Prosvetov to the taxi squad from the AHL. Michael Chaput and David Tendeck have taken their places on the taxi squad and AHL respectively.
- The Los Angeles Kings released an ominous statement today, indicating that Olli Maatta did not travel with the team and is waiting for a further update later in the week. The team has recalled Austin Strand in the meantime, but the worry now is Maatta’s health after taking a big hit from Zach Whitecloud last night and suffering an upper-body injury.
North Division
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled Ian Scott to the taxi squad, meaning Frederik Andersen is likely going to be out a little while. The team now has Jack Campbell as the default starter and Michael Hutchinson as the backup, but needed a third healthy netminder for the taxi squad. Scott, 22, is coming off a lost year due to major hip surgery and has not played a game at any level this season.
- The Ottawa Senators have recalled Clark Bishop, Filip Gustavsson, and Artem Zub from the taxi squad, moving Vitaly Abramov and Kevin Mandolese into their spots. The Senators are back in action tonight against the Calgary Flames after several days off.
- Tyler Graovac has been recalled by the Vancouver Canucks, with Marc Michaelis and Brogan Rafferty both returned to the taxi squad. The Canucks are in action tonight against the Winnipeg Jets.
Central Division
- The Columbus Blue Jackets unexpectedly recalled Mikhail Grigorenko from the taxi squad, even though head coach John Tortorella said there would be no lineup changes. Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch reports that the move was likely precautionary, meaning someone is dealing with a minor injury.
- The Nashville Predators have moved Rem Pitlick and Alexandre Carrier to the taxi squad, another one of their daily moves to conserve cap and cash. Pitlick was only up on an emergency loan yesterday and has played in four games this season.
- The Dallas Stars have moved Justin Dowling and Tanner Kero back to the taxi squad, given that they don’t play until tomorrow. The Stars are coming off another shootout loss, taking their record to 10-10-8 on the season.
East Division
- The Pittsburgh Penguins have sent Sam Miletic back to the AHL after calling him up over the weekend to the taxi squad. The 23-year-old is still waiting to make his NHL debut and has two points in six games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins so far.
- The Buffalo Sabres have recalled both Rasmus Asplund and Dustin Tokarski from the taxi squad, announcing that Kyle Okposo is not with the team on their current road trip as he nurses an injury. Carter Hutton starts tonight for the Sabres.
This page will be updated throughout the day.
Vancouver Canucks Claim Travis Boyd
If you don’t have depth, just take someone else’s. The Vancouver Canucks have claimed the second Toronto Maple Leafs forward in a few days, grabbing Travis Boyd off waivers today. Boyd will be following former linemate Jimmy Vesey to Vancouver, after the latter was claimed last week.
Boyd, 27, signed a one-year, $700K deal with the Maple Leafs in free agency and actually received a pretty substantial opportunity at the NHL level. In 20 games he recorded eight points, mostly working on the fourth line whenever he did get onto the roster. The former Washington Capital has carved out a career as a “tweener,” stuck somewhere between being an AHL star and NHL depth player. In 105 NHL games he has 39 points, but is nearly a point-per-game performer in the minor leagues.
For the Canucks, this move and the Vesey one are reminiscent of a team that is preparing to sell at the deadline. Both former Maple Leafs can be either flipped or fill the holes left by other trades, rather than really impact the fate of the Canucks down the stretch. Vancouver is 16-16-3 at this point in the season and though the playoffs are certainly not out of the picture, really competing for the Stanley Cup would be extremely difficult without massive improvement.
For the Maple Leafs, they obviously would have liked to get Vesey and Boyd through waivers, but will take the added cap space that their departures come with. The team is expected to be a big player at the trade deadline as they attempt to win a playoff round, or even perhaps get all the way to the Conference Finals given their route through the North Division.
Edmonton Oilers Sign Michael Kesselring
The Edmonton Oilers have announced a three-year entry-level contract for prospect Michael Kesselring. The deal will begin for the 2021-22 season, but Kesselring has signed an AHL contract with the Bakersfield Condors for the rest of this season.
Now 21, the 2018 sixth-round pick has spent the last two seasons at Northeastern University, racking up 13 points in 54 games. Though his offensive numbers aren’t eye-popping, the 6’4″ Kesselring actually has some strong scoring instincts and can jump into the play thanks to his above-average (if not excellent) skating ability. His skills defending the rush may be most polished though, as his long reach and quick feet can close a gap in an instant.
Still, there’s a long way to go if he wants to secure a full-time role in Edmonton. The young defenseman will get his first taste of professional hockey this spring and will have to adapt to the speed of the AHL game. In training camp for next season, he should be a player to watch, given how impressive he’s been in previous Oilers development camps.
Buffalo Sabres Trade Jonas Johansson
When Michael Houser was signed to an NHL contract yesterday, some wondered whether it meant a trade was coming for one of the other Buffalo Sabres goaltenders. That was a good prediction, as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports Jonas Johansson is on his way to the Colorado Avalanche for a 2021 sixth-round pick. The deal, which was first reported by Lance Lysowski of the Buffalo News yesterday when Johansson was not at practice, had a slight hold up but has now been completed.
Johansson, 25, was the 61st overall pick in 2014 and has climbed the ranks of the Buffalo organization over the last few years. In 2019-20 he posted a .921 save percentage in 22 games for the Rochester Americans, while also making his first appearance at the NHL level. Expected to challenge Carter Hutton this season for the Sabres backup role, he has struggled instead, posting an 0-5-1 record and .884 save percentage in seven appearances. John Vogl of The Athletic called him the worst goalie he’s seen in 19 seasons covering the Sabres, though obviously, the Avalanche believe he can provide some value for the team.
Perhaps that’s because for Colorado, an .884 would be a tremendous upgrade at the backup goaltending position. With Pavel Francouz injured, the team has used Hunter Miska in that role this season, where he has registered an .838 in five appearances. With their sights set on the postseason and not much proven talent behind starter Philipp Grubauer, the Avalanche have decided to add another name to the mix.
While a sixth-round pick doesn’t mean much in the long run, it could signal the start of a fire sale in Buffalo. Johansson is set to become a Group VI unrestricted free agent in the summer and could be just the first of several rentals sold off as the deadline approaches. The Sabres have quite a few expiring contracts, including Taylor Hall, Eric Staal, Tobias Rieder, Riley Sheahan, Brandon Montour, Matt Irwin, Jake McCabe, Linus Ullmark and Hutton. Any number of those could be on their way out, especially if GM Kevyn Adams is happy to take draft picks in return for the lesser names.
Taxi Squad Shuffle: 03/20/21
There has been plenty of roster movement between NHL teams and the taxi squad on a daily basis this season. Although some major names may be highlighted in separate articles, this is where you’ll find the majority of that shuffle news each day:
West Division
- After clearing waivers, Michael Amadio has been sent to the taxi squad by the Los Angeles Kings. With that move made, the team then loaned Lias Andersson to Ontario of the AHL; the 22-year-old hasn’t seen any NHL action in more than a month.
- The Minnesota Wild have recalled Joseph Cramarossa from the taxi squad while sending Luke Johnson to the taxi squad. Cramarossa will make his Minnesota debut tonight; it will be his first NHL game in almost four years.
- The Colorado Avalanche have swapped backup goaltenders as their AHL affiliate announced that Hunter Miska has been sent down while Adam Werner was recalled to the Avs. Miska struggled in his last outing on Tuesday, allowing four goals on just seven shots to Anaheim before being pulled after the first period.
- It’s an even swap in Arizona, as the Coyotes have announced that two players have been recalled from the taxi squad while two others have been reassigned to the taxi squad. Forward Hudson Fasching and defenseman Jordan Gross will join the active roster, while forward Michael Chaput and goalie Ivan Prosvetov will take a seat.
- The Anaheim Ducks have reassigned defenseman Josh Mahura directly from the active roster to the AHL’s San Diego Gulls. Mahura has played in 11 games for the Ducks this season, including each of their past eight, and has not looked out of place, but has seemingly been relegated back to the minors for the time being.
Central Division
- The Detroit Red Wings weren’t just calling Dennis Cholowski up to skate with the taxi squad. The young defenseman has now been placed on the active roster and is expected to make his season debut this evening against the Stars. The 23-year-old Cholowski actually already has 88 games at the NHL level and was playing extremely well for the Grand Rapids Griffins before this call-up.
- The Nashville Predators have brought up Alexandre Carrier and Ben Harpur from the taxi squad while sending Michael McCarron down to the taxi squad. The three have frequently been involved in taxi squad moves for the past few weeks.
- Mark Pysyk has been placed on the Injured Reserve by the Dallas Stars, retroactive to March 11 when he initially suffered his current lower-body injury. Dallas will replace Pysyk with the options already on their active roster, as they have reassigned fellow defenseman Taylor Fedun to the taxi squad and filled their open roster spots by recalling a trio of forwards: Nick Caamano, Rhett Gardner, and Tanner Kero.
East Division
- The New Jersey Devils have recalled Mikhail Maltsev and Nicholas Merkley to the active roster, while also bringing Gilles Senn up to serve as the taxi squad goaltender. The Devils will play the Pittsburgh Penguins this afternoon.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled Colton Sceviour and Anthony Angello from the taxi squad in advance of that game against New Jersey. Sam Miletic has been recalled from the AHL to the taxi squad in a corresponding move.
- Anton Blidh has been returned to the AHL by the Boston Bruins, clearing a spot on the taxi squad and sending the 26-year-old back where he has spent most of the season. Blidh has five points in nine games for the Providence Bruins this year.
- The New York Rangers have swapped Mason Geertsen and Jonny Brodzinski, moving the former to the AHL and the latter to the taxi squad. Geertsen, 25, is still waiting to make his NHL debut but Brodzinski, 27, has already played four games for the Rangers this season.
- Several players are moving up the depth chart for the Philadelphia Flyers. Forward Carsen Twarynski and defenseman Nate Prosser have been promoted from the taxi squad to the active roster, while young Matthew Strome has been recalled to the taxi squad from the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
North Division
This page will be updated throughout the day.