2019 Jack Adams Award Finalists Announced
The finalists for the Jack Adams Award have been announced, given each year to the NHL’s best head coach. The three coaches are Craig Berube of the St. Louis Blues, Jon Cooper of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Barry Trotz of the New York Islanders. The award was given to Vegas Golden Knights’ head coach Gerard Gallant in 2018, and Columbus Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella in 2017.
In 2016, Trotz won the award when he was still coach of the Washington Capitals after a 56-18-8 season. Two years later he would lead the Capitals to his first Stanley Cup, before moving onto the Islanders organization this season. Trotz has completely turned around those Islanders, changing them from one of the worst defensive teams in hockey to one of the best in short order. He put together a 48-27-7 season to get his club into the playoffs despite losing their captain John Tavares in the offseason, and has them in the second round after sweeping his old rivals from Pittsburgh. Trotz is one of the most successful regular season coaches in hockey history, with 810 wins to his name.
Cooper meanwhile is on his way to that same level of regular season success. Through his first 508 games he has authored a record of 305-159-44 (.644 winning percentage) including a historic 62-16-4 record this season with Tampa Bay. Unfortunately his Lightning were swept out of the first round of the playoffs, an occurrence that is not considered for this award given that the broadcasters vote before the postseason begins. Cooper has never won the Jack Adams before.
Neither has Berube, who amazingly is still not actually the permanent head coach of the Blues. The former Philadelphia Flyers bench boss was named interim coach when Mike Yeo was fired early in the season, but he found a way to turn things around dramatically and form St. Louis into a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. There is little doubt that he will be named the head coach after taking a Blues team that was in last place on January 2nd to the second round and beyond. Berube doesn’t have an extensive history as an NHL head coach, but it has been a successful one, as he now holds a 113-77-34 record in his career.
Some other names that were likely considered are Arizona Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet, who dealt with endless injuries but still almost got his team to the playoffs, and Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour who finally got his team back there after nearly a decade.
Flames’ Exit Provides Boost For Team USA
The Calgary Flames weren’t able to create enough offense against the Colorado Avalanche in their first round series and hit the showers early, but not all of them will be heading to the golf course right away. Johnny Gaudreau, Derek Ryan and Noah Hanifin were all announced as the newest additions to Team USA for the upcoming IIHF World Championship.
The trio joins a group that already included stars like Patrick Kane, Jack Eichel, Dylan Larkin, Ryan Suter and Alex DeBrincat, making them quite the formidable group heading into the tournament. The US has not won a gold medal at the tournament for nearly 60 years, but did win bronze in 2018 with Gaudreau and Ryan on the team.
The full roster now sits at 20 players:
G Thatcher Demko
G Cayden Primeau
G Cory Schneider
D Quinn Hughes
D Alec Martinez
D Brady Skjei
D Ryan Suter
D Noah Hanifin
F Alex DeBrincat
F Jack Eichel
F Luke Glendening
F Patrick Kane
F Clayton Keller
F Chris Kreider
F Dylan Larkin
F James van Riemsdyk
F Frank Vatrano
F Colin White
F Johnny Gaudreau
F Derek Ryan
USA Hockey will be allowed to add five more skaters before the tournament starts on May 10th. One of those may be Jack Hughes when he is finished with the U18 World Championship, which will wrap up this weekend. The potential first-overall pick has 16 points in five games this season, giving him 28 total at the tournament which breaks the previous American record of 26 set by Phil Kessel. In fact, Hughes is within striking distance of the overall records both in a single tournament—Nikita Kucherov‘s 21-point performance in 2011—and career, set by Alex Ovechkin at 31 points.
Poll: Who Is The Stanley Cup Favorite Now?
If you had asked a crowd of hockey fans before the playoffs began to put down a bet on who would win the Stanley Cup, there would likely have been one resounding favorite. The Tampa Bay Lightning had just completed a historic 62-win season and had everything you would want in a team. Top scorers, including potential Hart Trophy winner Nikita Kucherov who led the league with 128 points this season. Shutdown defenders like Victor Hedman and Ryan McDonagh, both playoff-tested from years of postseason play. One of the best goaltenders in the world in Andrei Vasilevskiy, a Vezina finalist for the second consecutive season.
None of that mattered though, after the Columbus Blue Jackets erased a 3-0 first period lead in game one and never looked back. Tampa Bay was swept out of the first round, and weren’t the only favorite to be overcome. All four division leaders were knocked out this season, the first time that has happened in the history of the NHL. The Calgary Flames (107 points), Washington Capitals (104) and Nashville Predators (100) all saw their playoff run end early. Even other 100-point teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs and Pittsburgh Penguins were ousted, though this time by even better regular season teams that were forced to face higher seeds than in playoff formats of the past.
The second round started last night, with the Boston Bruins and St. Louis Blues taking early series leads. Are they now the default favorites to go all the way? What about the upstart wild card teams like the Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes who have more young talent than they know what to do with?
If that same crowd were asked today to name a favorite, it might not be as easy. Cast your vote below and make sure to leave your thoughts in the comment section!
Who is the Stanley Cup favorite now?
-
Boston Bruins 35% (661)
-
St. Louis Blues 23% (446)
-
San Jose Sharks 14% (270)
-
Columbus Blue Jackets 8% (154)
-
New York Islanders 6% (119)
-
Colorado Avalanche 6% (109)
-
Carolina Hurricanes 5% (100)
-
Dallas Stars 3% (51)
Total votes: 1,910
[Mobile users click here to vote!]
Snapshots: KHL, Capitals, Lindholm
It appears as though a pair of defenders are set to return to the KHL after uninspiring seasons in the NHL, as multiple reports including Darren Dreger of TSN and Pekka Jalonen of Iltalehti have noted that Igor Ozhiganov and Bogdan Kiselevich are likely headed back to Russia. Both players will see their one-year contracts expire on July 1st and were sitting in the press box by the end of the season.
Of note, Ozhiganov is actually scheduled to become a restricted free agent meaning the Toronto Maple Leafs could retain his rights if they issue a qualifying offer. The team though didn’t play him much down the stretch or at all in the playoffs, as Jake Muzzin‘s arrival pushed him out of the lineup. Even with Toronto’s lack of right-handed options, there didn’t seem to be a fit between head coach Mike Babcock and Ozhiganov, who averaged just 14 minutes a night through his 53 games. Kiselevich was acquired by the Winnipeg Jets at the deadline to give them a bit of depth for a long playoff run, but never actually suited up with his new team. In 32 games for the Florida Panthers, he recorded eight points.
- The Washington Capitals were pushed right up against the cap all season, and it’ll cost them next year. Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post points out that the Capitals will face a $1.15MM overage penalty against next year’s cap because of the performance bonuses paid out to Brooks Orpik, Jakub Vrana and Jonas Siegenthaler. While paying out performance bonuses is normally a good thing that means players exceeded expectations, it will make it tough on the Capitals who are going to be cap-strapped next season. The team needs to sign Andre Burakovsky and Vrana to new deals as restricted free agents and may have to let Brett Connolly walk into unrestricted free agency as he deserves a big raise after his first 20-goal season. There are obviously a lot of moving parts to keep an eye on in Washington.
- Team Sweden looked like it might need a bit more firepower up front for the 2019 IIHF World Championship when announcing their preliminary roster, and they’re getting a bit of help from the Calgary Flames. Elias Lindholm will be joining the team according to Jonatan Lindquist of Viasat, giving them another top scoring option for the tournament. Lindholm reached new heights this season while playing with Calgary, scoring 27 goals and 78 points in a breakout performance. The 24-year old was the fifth-overall pick from 2013 but had previously failed to record more than 16 goals or 45 points in a single season.
Montreal Canadiens Extend Jordan Weal
Jordan Weal said that he was interested in staying in Montreal, and that’s just what will happen. The Canadiens have signed the pending free agent forward to a two-year extension that carries an average annual value of $1.4MM. That makes three trade deadline acquisitions that Montreal has extended, along with Nate Thompson and Christian Folin.
Weal, 27, is actually taking a pay cut to stay in Montreal after earning an average of $1.75MM the last two years. That deal came after a late-season goal scoring run with the Philadelphia Flyers and his impending Group VI status, putting pressure on the front office to get a relatively young player under contract before another team snatched him up. After all, Weal had long been an excellent offensive contributor at the minor league level and the Flyers couldn’t let talent slip through their fingers. Unfortunately, he couldn’t make good on that contract in Philadelphia and recorded just 30 points in 97 games before being shipped out to Arizona. The Coyotes didn’t have much use for him either and sent him to Montreal just over a month later in exchange for Michael Chaput.
With the Canadiens though, Weal showed once again that he can perform if put in the right situation. The forward saw an increase in ice time and responsibility in Montreal and responded with ten points in 16 games, including a good showing on the Canadiens powerplay. That will likely be a big part of his role next season, one that could make this contract look like quite the bargain.
The Canadiens still have several restricted free agents to get under contract including Joel Armia, Artturi Lehkonen and Brett Kulak, but have plenty of cap space to get it done and go shopping on the open market in June. Jonathan Drouin remains their most expensive forward at only $5.5MM, with others like Brendan Gallagher and Paul Byron remaining some of the biggest bargains in the league. GM Marc Bergevin had a surprising club that just missed out on the playoffs this season, and if he continues to make shrewd acquisitions like Weal—provided his offense doesn’t disappear again—it’s a good bet he’ll get the Canadiens back to the postseason tournament before long.
David Desharnais, Viktor Stalberg Heading To NLA
Two familiar NHL names are on their way to Switzerland for the 2019-20 season, as HC Fribourg-Gotteron have announced that David Desharnais and Viktor Stalberg have signed on for two years.
Desharnais, 32, had an effective season for the New York Rangers in 2017-18 but decided to try out the KHL this year. His 28 points in 58 games for Avangard tied him for fifth in team scoring, and he added another seven assists during the team’s improbable Gagarin Cup Final run. The long time Montreal Canadiens forward suited up for 524 games in the NHL, recording a career-high of 60 points in the 2011-12 season. He had previously played in Switzerland during the 2012-13 lockout.
Stalberg, 33, actually joined Desharnais in the KHL partway through the season after leaving the NLA and recorded 11 points in 29 games down the stretch. The journeyman forward played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Chicago Blackhawks, Nashville Predators, New York Rangers, Carolina Hurricanes and Ottawa Senators during a long career in North America, even winning the Stanley Cup in 2013. The speedy forward had 168 points in 488 regular season NHL games, but hasn’t played there since 2017.
Minor Transactions: 04/26/19
The second round has started and 23 teams are now no longer in contention for the Stanley Cup. The Boston Bruins got off to a good start last night when Charlie Coyle converted in overtime, while the St. Louis Blues continued their second half domination with another playoff win. Tonight will feature the Carolina Hurricanes trying to hand the New York Islanders their first loss of the playoffs, while the Colorado Avalanche try to slay another Pacific Division powerhouse. As always, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves as teams prepare for action—or a long summer.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have sent Trevor Moore back to the minor leagues now that their season is finished. Moore looked like he had established himself as a full-time NHL option during the last few weeks of the season, but will now try to help the Toronto Marlies defend their Calder Cup title as AHL champions. Moore will be joined by Michael Hutchinson who has also been sent down now that his turn as the Maple Leafs backup goaltender is over.
William Karlsson Looking For Long-Term Contract
The Vegas Golden Knights came into existence last season with almost no long-term commitments. It was obvious from their expansion draft strategy that they were after as much flexibility as possible, and selected several players with expiring deals. Now just two seasons into their history that has completely changed, with long-term extensions handed out like candy for their core pieces. Mark Stone, Reilly Smith, Jon Marchessault, Max Pacioretty, Alex Tuch, Shea Theodore, Colin Miller, Brayden McNabb, Nate Schmidt and Marc-Andre Fleury are all signed through at least 2021-22, and there soon could be another name to add to that group.
William Karlsson, the breakout star of the Golden Knights’ inaugural season, is scheduled to be a restricted free agent for the final time this summer and is arbitration eligible once again. Karlsson told David Schoen of the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he had some preliminary talks with the team before the playoffs and that he hopes to sign a long-term deal with Vegas. If Karlsson went to arbitration the process would only be able to award him a one-year contract, taking him to unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2020.
There were some who expected the Golden Knights to lock up Karlsson last summer, but their decision to wait seems to have paid off. The 26-year old forward could not replicate the 43-goal campaign he had in 2017-18, and finished with just 24 goals and 56 points this season. While that was still good enough for second on the team in scoring, Karlsson is in a much different place when heading into negotiations.
It was always expected that Karlsson would experience some regression, given the mind-boggling 23.4% shooting percentage he enjoyed in 2017-18. His previous high for goals had been just nine in a full season, but a move to Vegas has turned him into a much more effective offensive player. He also won the Lady Byng award last year, and received votes for both the Selke and Hart trophies.
That outstanding season turned into a one-year $5.25MM contract for Karlsson, a contract that will have an interesting effect on his next deal. UFA seasons usually cost more to buy out in long-term deals, meaning any multi-year contract will be an expensive addition to the Vegas salary structure. How that can fit in isn’t totally clear, given the some $82MM that the team has already committed to next year. That total doesn’t include new deals for Nikita Gusev or Jimmy Schuldt either, though it’s not clear how expensive they will be after burning through their entry-level deals without really playing.
The Golden Knights have quickly put themselves in a tricky financial situation, and one that may result in the team moving out a player or two as a cap casualty. It would have been difficult to see that coming a few days after the draft, but GM George McPhee has been aggressive in acquiring the talent to make his team a Stanley Cup contender right away.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Russia Adds Top Talent For IIHF World Championship
Teams that lose in the first round of the NHL playoffs often represent the biggest source of talent for the IIHF World Championship, and for Team Russia that is certainly the case this season. Igor Eronko of Sport-Express tweets that Alex Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Dmitry Orlov and Nikita Zaitsev have all accepted an invitation from Russia to suit up in next month’s tournament. Evgenii Dadonov from the Florida Panthers will be joining them, giving the Russians quite the powerful forward group.
It’s not just those players who are headed to Slovakia for the tournament, as the team had previously received commitments from Evgeni Malkin, Nikita Kucherov, Ilya Kovalchuk, Mikhail Sergachev, Kirill Kaprizov, Andrei Vasilevskiy and others.
For Ovechkin, this is just another chance to add to his incredible international resume. The Washington Capitals have been knocked out of the playoffs early many times in the past, leading to the superstar forward suiting up 12 times in the past for this tournament. While still looking for an Olympic gold—Russia won last year when the NHL did not attend—Ovechkin has won this tournament three times previously and has a total of eight medals.
The action begins on May 10th.
Jordan Weal Interested In Staying With Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens have already re-signed two of their trade deadline additions, inking short extensions with both Nate Thompson and Christian Folin in recent days. At least one more of their expiring contracts could stay, as Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports that there have been preliminary discussions between the Canadiens and the representatives for Jordan Weal. LeBrun adds that Weal has interest in staying with the Canadiens.
Weal, 27, was acquired on deadline day in exchange for Michael Chaput and quickly found a fit with Montreal. He recorded 10 points in 16 games with the team and was given more responsibility and ice time than ever before in his career. The talented forward is actually approaching unrestricted free agency for the second time despite being relatively young, as he was heading for Group VI status in the summer of 2017 before inking a two-year deal with the Philadelphia Flyers in late June. That deal was predicated on a hot streak over the last few weeks of the 2016-17 season, not unlike the stretch that Weal just went through with Montreal.
Even with his relatively small NHL resume—Weal has only suited up 169 times and never played more than 69 games in a single season—there seemed to be a great fit in Montreal for the third round pick. There’s a good chance he could find a full-time role next to some of the team’s other talented young forwards, giving him a chance to really show what he can do at the highest level. The Canadiens have plenty of cap space, but still need to make smart decisions with it and not fill their roster with overpriced talent. There’s little chance that Weal can command huge numbers, making him a potential low-risk, high-reward play for the team.