Snapshots: Bratt, WJC Prospects, Kerfoot
The New Jersey Devils could be without Jesper Bratt to start the season, as the restricted free agent is still unsigned. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that the 22-year-old forward is still in Sweden, noting that it would be tough even now to get in on time with visa complications and quarantine. Even those things would need a contract to be worked out first, something that may not be all that close. Friedman writes that though the two sides are still communicating there is “not a ton of talk, and there’s a bit of a gap at this time.”
Bratt, who was a sixth-round pick just a few years ago, has been one of the bright spots on a Devils team that has struggled the last few seasons. Though his play has certainly not been consistent, he still put up 16 goals and 32 points in just 60 games last season and figures to play a top-six role on the team this year once he signs. Of course, every day he misses leaves the door open for other players to impress, including newcomer Andreas Johnsson who has been skating next to Jack Hughes and Kyle Palmieri so far.
- Speaking of missing time, several prospects at the World Junior Championship will waste none at all after their championship game this evening. Bob McKenzie of TSN reports that Trevor Zegras, Jamie Drysdale, Quinton Byfield, Alex Turcotte, Arthur Kaliyev, and Tobias Bjornfot will all be on a chartered flight back to Southern California to join the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings respective training camps. Because they are coming out of the bubble and will not be flying commercial, McKenzie reports that these players will likely not have to quarantine for seven days (though they will still have to adhere to NHL testing protocols). The same process will take Dylan Cozens and Jack Quinn to Buffalo Sabres camp.
- Injuries are already popping up around the league and in Toronto the Maple Leafs could be without Alexander Kerfoot the next few days. Head coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters including Kristen Shilton of TSN that Kerfoot is day-to-day after suffering an injury today in practice. The Maple Leafs had split their training groups quite distinctly, meaning if Kerfoot is held out it would open the door for one of the expected non-roster players to get a chance.
Latest On Ben Hutton’s Free Agent Market
With just over a week before the start of the regular season, there are still a few free agent names waiting for a new contract. Among the defensemen still unsigned is Ben Hutton, who is only 27, has averaged 20 minutes a night through his nearly 350-game NHL career, and has experience on both the penalty kill and powerplay. After not receiving a qualifying offer in 2019, Hutton earned just $1.5MM last season on a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Kings and now finds himself searching for a job once again.
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that the search may not last much longer, with the Boston Bruins and New Jersey Devils both showing interest.
There’s no one claiming that Hutton can slide in on the top pairing of a real contender, but there’s also no reason he should be out of work after five full-time seasons. The 6’2″ defenseman can do a little bit of everything and would still be a valuable depth piece, especially in a condensed season. Injuries and illnesses have the power to decimate NHL rosters this year, leaving teams scrambling for fill-ins with any real experience. A player like Hutton on a bargain deal should be an easy contract to sign, though he still sits without any drying ink.
The Bruins specifically have been criticized lately for their defensive depth, especially the left-handed variety after allowing Torey Krug and Zdeno Chara to leave in free agency. Though there is a ton of young potential on that side, everyone will be taking on more responsibility and more pressure to perform. The Devils meanwhile have a lot more experience on that side after acquiring names like Ryan Murray and Dmitry Kulikov, but neither player is what you would call durable. Added depth could make sense for them too.
There figures to be more than just those two teams, however, and perhaps Hutton’s camp is waiting for an injury or two to spring up around the league before making a decision. Of course, the presence of Sami Vatanen on the open market could also be complicating things, as he likely is still drawing much of the attention as an option to play higher in the lineup.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Snapshots: Savoie, Perron, Ritchie
The Dubuque Fighting Saints of the USHL made big news today, announcing that Matthew Savoie has decided to leave the AJHL and will join the team shortly. Savoie, 17, is one of the top prospects for the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, even though he was denied exceptional status by the WHL in 2019. Selected first overall in the WHL bantam draft that year, he played 22 games with the Winnipeg Ice in 2019-20 when he became eligible and had suited up four times for the Sherwood Park Crusaders of the AJHL this season.
Blazing speed and elite hockey sense are Savoie’s calling cards and they likely will get him selected in the first few picks come 2022. For now, he just needs to get back on the ice and continue his development as he prepares for a career in professional hockey. Meanwhile, his brother Carter Savoie, a fourth-round pick of the Edmonton Oilers in 2020, is lighting it up as a freshman at the University of Denver, scoring 13 points in his first 12 games and earning NCHC Rookie of the Month honors.
- David Perron was available to the media today after the St. Louis Blues hit the ice for the second time and explained to reporters including Lou Korac of NHL.com that he underwent surgery for a sports hernia in the offseason. The 32-year-old forward had one of the best seasons of his career last year for the Blues, scoring 25 goals and registering 60 points in just 71 games. In the early part of training camp, he’s been lining up beside Ryan O’Reilly and Brayden Schenn on the top line, with no expectation he’ll be anything other than full strength when the season begins.
- Though it hasn’t been announced by the team, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet writes that Brett Ritchie “is the mystery PTO possibility” for the Calgary Flames. Ritchie, 27, played in 27 games for the Boston Bruins last season, eventually clearing waivers to go to the minor leagues. He was not given a qualifying offer by the Bruins, meaning he’s an unrestricted free agent looking for work just like so many other fringe NHL players.
Seattle Kraken Hire Jason Botterill, Norm Maciver
The Seattle Kraken have added to their front office, hiring Jason Botterill as assistant GM and Norm Maciver as director of player personnel.
Botterill, 44, spent the last three seasons as general manager of the Buffalo Sabres but was fired this offseason after missing the playoffs once again. He cut his teeth as an executive under veteran managers like Ray Shero and Jim Rutherford over several years in the Pittsburgh Penguins organization, the latter having also been the front office mentor of Kraken GM Ron Francis. Though his time in Buffalo did not go well, Botterill was once known as quite the AGM, able to help fill the Pittsburgh prospect pipeline with unheralded prospects that overachieved year after year.
In the release, Botterill explains why he took this job:
Everyone in hockey is extremely excited about what’s happening in Seattle, and I am thrilled for this unique opportunity. I’m looking forward to working with the diverse and talented group that Ron has assembled.
Maciver, 56, was part of the Chicago Blackhawks front office for a decade, serving in various roles including AGM from 2012-2019. He was part of the group that brought three Stanley Cup championships to the city and should bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to his new role in Seattle.
The Kraken have put together quite the front office so far and now will face the most important task so far, selecting an expansion roster. The 32nd NHL franchise will have a tough time replicating the Vegas Golden Knights’ immediate success, but Francis and company will certainly try.
Matt Martin Expected To Sign Four-Year Deal
The New York Islanders haven’t announced it yet, but word has come out that the extension for fourth-liner Matt Martin is quite a bit bigger than expected. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reported today that it would be a “bit of a surprise” and that it would reflect the Islanders’ loyalty to the big forward. Arthur Staple of The Athletic tweets that it is expected to be a four-year contract with an average annual value of $1.5MM. New York GM Lou Lamoriello recently confirmed the team had re-signed Martin, but the contract has yet to be officially filed with the league.
Sure, a four-year deal for a fourth-line player is usually a surprise, but perhaps it shouldn’t be one in this specific instance. Martin is actually coming off two previous four-year contracts, one signed with the Islanders in 2012 and one signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2016 (notably with Lamoriello, who was GM of the Maple Leafs at the time). This one will come in somewhere between the $4MM he earned on that first deal and $10MM he earned on his last, but still means that Martin will be more than twice as expensive as the league minimum.
For a player that scored just eight points last season and has a career-high of 19, this kind of commitment is exceedingly rare. But Martin is beloved in the Islanders locker room and does often impact the game positively, even if it’s not by putting the puck in the net. His defensive ability is actually a bit underrated, with opponents generating fewer shots when he’s on the ice, while he is also always among the league leaders in hits, something still valued by the tough-as-nails Barry Trotz system. The fact that Martin actually rarely takes minor penalties is also a rarity for a player of his ilk; in 2019-20 he took only five of the two-minute variety.
At one point in the past, the trio of Martin, Cal Clutterbuck, and Casey Cizikas was known as the most effective fourth line in the league. The Islanders obviously believe that the 31-year-old Martin can still be an asset in that role.
Zack Smith, Marko Dano Clear Waivers
Jan 5: Both players have cleared waivers and can be assigned to the AHL.
Jan 4: Two veteran forwards have been placed on waivers today, as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that Zack Smith of the Chicago Blackhawks and Marko Dano of the Winnipeg Jets have both hit the wire.
Smith, 32, was recently ruled healthy for the Blackhawks after undergoing back surgery in March, but may not end up on the opening day roster after all. Placing the veteran on waivers already suggests that Smith is headed for the AHL or taxi squad, though even if he clears he may not necessarily be sent down right away.
Normally a player with 662 games of NHL experience would be a likely candidate to be claimed on waivers, but in Smith’s case, it seems very unlikely. Not only is he coming off a major injury and saw his play deteriorate last season, but he is also set to earn $3.25MM this season in the final season of his four-year contract. That cap hit is high enough, but given that it is all due in salary, it’s also probably too pricey even for rebuilding clubs that may need some more veteran experience in the lineup.
Dano meanwhile is just trying to hold onto an NHL career that barely ever existed in the first place. The 27th overall pick in 2013 has played just 141 games at the NHL level, including just three last season with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 26-year-old signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Jets in November and had been playing overseas, but suffered an injury and was limited to just two games with Trencin Dukla of the Slovakian league.
After going up and down, traded back and forth, and clearing waivers previously, it seems very unlikely that anyone would take a chance on Dano at this point. But if he can get his game back on track (and remain healthy), perhaps he can still be a useful taxi squad player for the Jets in a condensed season.
Colin Wilson Announces Retirement
A few months ago, Colin Wilson released a long, emotional piece in The Players’ Tribune, detailing his battle with addiction and a recent diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It was a brutally honest look at the mental health struggles of many athletes and ended with this:
And like I said, I don’t know if I’ll be back out on the ice anytime soon. But I know that, no matter what the future holds for me, I did it. I played in the NHL. I lived my dream. And I fought through hell to make a career for myself. My name might not be on the Stanley Cup, and that’s fine. Because I know there is an opportunity ahead of me to not just leave my mark on the game of hockey, but also on lives all across the world.
I don’t want to pretend like I have it all figured out, because I don’t. I’m still learning as I go. But what I do know comes from what I went through. So if you’re going through it, remember this:
Be kind to yourself, to your mind.
Have patience with your soul, your body.
And know that you don’t have to do it alone.
Today, he has at least figured out what the future will not hold. Wilson has retired after 11 NHL seasons, explaining that though it is a bittersweet moment to leave hockey behind, he’s excited for what will come next in his life.
Originally selected seventh overall by the Nashville Predators in 2008, Wilson made it to the NHL by the 2009-10 season and never looked back. A solid middle-six contributor, he reached a career-high of 20 goals and 42 points in 2014-15. In 632 career games, he scored 286 points, helping his team reach the playoffs on eight different occasions.
Though his career likely didn’t burn as bright as some expected after his dominant performances at Boston University, Wilson can still say he was a very good NHL player. Wish him well in the next chapter of his life and hope that the honesty he showed in October can continue to guide him.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Toledo Walleye Expected To Opt Out Of ECHL Season
Another team appears poised to sit out the ECHL season as Jeff Marek of Sportsnet reports that the Toledo Walleye will not play. Toledo was one of the five teams still waiting to start their season after 13 squads kicked things off a few weeks ago. The two groups were supposed to play varied schedule lengths to try and get as much hockey in as possible, but with another team dropping out there are obviously new questions raised about the viability of a full season.
Toledo joins the Cincinnati Cyclones, Idaho Steelheads, Kalamazoo Wings, Worcester Railers, Maine Mariners, Reading Royals, Newfoundland Growlers, Adirondack Thunder, Brampton Beast, Atlanta Gladiators, and Norfolk Admirals as teams that will not play the 2020-21 season but expected to return in 2021-22. The other team that had not yet decided, the Fort Wayne Komets, are expected to play according to Marek.
The Walleye are the ECHL affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings, who will now not have the luxury of sending prospects down to the ECHL this season. That said, the Grand Rapids Griffins, AHL affiliate of the Red Wings, was not one of the teams that pulled out of the AHL season and should be able to house the team’s prospects just fine. Still, for Toledo, this is brutal news as the Walleye are one of the most successful organizations in the ECHL with a strong fanbase.
Three Teams Opt Out Of AHL Season
The AHL will have a season, but it won’t be with 31 teams. The Charlotte Checkers, Milwaukee Admirals, and Springfield Thunderbirds have all elected to opt out of the 2020-21 season. All three will return for 2021-22. After a board of governors call today, the league has announced realignment for the upcoming season that will see 28 teams operate in five divisions. Those divisions will be as follows:
Atlantic:
Bridgeport Sound Tigers
Hartford Wolf Pack
Providence Bruins
Canadian:
Belleville Senators
Laval Rocket
Manitoba Moose
Toronto Marlies
North:
Binghamton Devils
Hershey Bears
Lehigh Valley Phantoms
Rochester Americans
Syracuse Crunch
Utica Comets
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Central:
Chicago Wolves
Cleveland Monsters
Grand Rapids Griffins
Iowa Wild
Rockford IceHogs
Texas Stars
Pacific:
Bakersfield Condors
Colorado Eagles
Henderson Silver Knights
Ontario Reign
San Diego Gulls
San Jose Barracuda
Stockton Heat
Tucson Roadrunners
Several teams have also secured provisional relocations. The Binghamton Devils will play in Newark, New Jersey; the Ontario Reign will play in El Segundo, California; the Providence Bruins will play in Marlborough, Massachusetts; and the San Diego Gulls will play in Irvine, California.
The league will play a schedule with variable lengths for each division but will have a minimum of 24 games. The league is hoping to start on February 5, though an official schedule has not been announced yet.
The question now becomes what will happen to minor league players for the Florida Panthers, Nashville Predators and St. Louis Blues, NHL affiliates of Charlotte, Milwaukee, and Springfield respectively. Patrick Williams of NHL.com reports that St. Louis will be sending players to Utica; no word yet on the other two franchises.
Injury Notes: Patrick, Dallas, Colorado, Marchand
The Philadelphia Flyers had a welcome face join them for the first on-ice session of training camp today. Nolan Patrick, who hasn’t played an NHL game since April of 2019, was present and taking part in practice. In fact, he’s even cleared for contact and says he’s feeling better every day as he recovers from the migraine issues that kept him off the ice for so long.
Patrick, the second overall pick from 2017, is still just 22 and could be a big part of the Flyers lineup this season should his health hold. Without any leverage in negotiations, he accepted a one-year contract at his qualifying offer salary of $874,125. Even if he never becomes the top-line center they hoped for, Philadelphia can still certainly use a bargain in the middle-six.
- The Dallas Stars were without two postseason standouts as camp opened, announcing that Anton Khudobin is still dealing with some immigration issues and Joe Pavelski is listed as day-to-day pending further examination results on an undisclosed injury. Remember, with such a short training camp this year every day is even more important, meaning there may be some extra rust to shake off for Dallas early on.
- Speaking of missing important time, five Colorado Avalanche players were deemed “unfit to play” today and head coach Jared Bednar wasn’t sure when they would be back. Gabriel Landeskog, Brandon Saad, Erik Johnson, Philipp Grubauer, and Keaton Middelton (AHL contract) were all held out, though the exact reasoning was not given. The first four are obviously extremely important to the Colorado lineup, so hopefully they can get back on the ice before long.
- While David Pastrnak wasn’t on the ice and will still miss the first part of the regular season, the Boston Bruins had Brad Marchand out there in his familiar place next to Patrice Bergeron. Marchand is coming back from sports hernia surgery in September and explained today that he had been dealing with the injury for the last two and a half years. The veteran forward also spoke about Kevan Miller‘s return to the ice with the Bruins, calling him an “animal” and saying that he hasn’t missed a beat. Miller last played an NHL game in April of 2019 and has had multiple major surgeries in the interim. He signed a new one-year, bonus-laden deal with the Bruins in October.