Kris Versteeg Signs AHL Contract
Kris Versteeg is back. The veteran forward has signed a one-year contract with the Rockford IceHogs for 2019-20 to play in the AHL. Versteeg spent the 2018-19 season in the KHL and Sweden after failing to get an NHL contract, but will return to North America to continue his professional career.
Now 32, Versteeg has seen it all in his hockey career. Originally selected in the fifth round by the Boston Bruins in 2004, he would eventually battle for the Calder Trophy in 2008-09 after scoring 22 goals and 53 points as a rookie for the Chicago Blackhawks. Versteeg would win the first of two Stanley Cups with the Blackhawks the following year, but found himself on the trade block for basically the next decade.
Spending time with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Philadelphia Flyers, Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, Los Angeles Kings and Calgary Flames in addition to two stints with the Blackhawks, the veteran has long been a solid if unspectacular offensive contributor. The fact that he will be rejoining the Blackhawks organization is a coming home of sorts, and should give the AHL squad a bit of a scoring punch for next season.
While an AHL contract doesn’t actually mean Versteeg is part of the Chicago roster, it could potentially lead to an NHL deal if he proves capable. We’ve seen other veterans take similar deals, though they often play on professional tryouts instead of full blown AHL contracts. Lee Stempniak for instance spent time with the Providence Bruins this season before eventually signing a contract with Boston just before the trade deadline in order to be eligible for playoffs. Versteeg could be in a similar situation for 2019-20.
Pittsburgh Penguins Will Likely Trade A Defenseman
The Pittsburgh Penguins were swept out of the first round of the playoffs by the New York Islanders, opening the door to plenty of questions surrounding the roster composition moving forward. The team made a few big trades during the season to change the look of their group, sending out names like Derick Brassard, Riley Sheahan, Daniel Sprong, Carl Hagelin and Tanner Pearson at various times. While that ended up with a deep group of defense with plenty of talent, it also now may lead to more deals having to be made this summer.
Speaking with Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Penguins GM Jim Rutherford admitted that the team will likely have to trade a defenseman this summer. In fact, Rutherford told Mackey:
“But it will be difficult to keep all of our defensemen and keep them happy. I’m sure with the amount of teams who are looking for defensemen, we’ll have to move at least one.”
That may not come as a surprise, given the state of the blue line right now. Six players are currently under one-way contracts for next season, all of them with cap hits of at least Jack Johnson‘s $3.25MM. That makes for an expensive group, especially when you consider the fact that Marcus Pettersson, a restricted free agent, deserves a substantial raise after becoming one of the team’s more reliable options.
Mackey suggests that the one skating for a new team come 2019-20 may well be Olli Maatta, who ended up a healthy scratch for three games after his -2 performance in game one. This certainly isn’t the first time that Maatta has been considered a potential trade candidate, in fact his name has surfaced on a consistent basis since signing his six-year, $24.5MM contract in 2016. While the 24-year old defenseman is not a liability, he also hasn’t taken the necessary steps to make him an untouchable on the Pittsburgh roster.
That’s not to say that there wouldn’t be interest in him even with three years and more than $12MM still left on his contract. As Rutherford says, there will be plenty of teams looking for defensive upgrades this summer and he is still a potential top-four option on many of them. His cost certainty may actually be an attractive component to any trade, given his relative youth and the soaring costs of restricted free agents.
The question then becomes whether the Penguins group of defensemen is good enough to compete for a Stanley Cup next season without any other additions. Rutherford seemed to think so when he told reporters including Josh Yohe of The Athletic that this was the best blue line the team has had since he joined them. Rutherford of course joined the Penguins before the 2014-15 season, and won back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2016 and 2017. Maatta, Kris Letang, Brian Dumoulin and Justin Schultz were part of both titles, while Johnson, Pettersson and Erik Gudbranson were all added in the past year.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Mike Smith Open To Returning To Calgary
The Calgary Flames were handed their golf passes in the playoffs after just five games against the Colorado Avalanche, but it wasn’t for the reasons many speculated on heading into the postseason. For much of the year the team had been dealing with goaltending issues, and when they handed the reins in game one to Mike Smith and his .898 save percentage it was easy to see a way that the top seed in the Western Conference could crumble.
Instead, Smith posted a 26-save shutout to open the series and was one of the team’s best players throughout. While he allowed 17 goals across five games, he kept them alive as the team routinely gave up huge shot totals meaning Smith actually finished the playoffs with a .917 save percentage. The 37-year old is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and today was asked at his final media availability whether he’d consider a return to the Flames. Smith told reporters including Pat Steinberg of Sportsnet that he would “for sure” like to return to Calgary if possible, noting that he loves being part of an organization committed to winning.
Looking at Smith’s history in the league, it’s easy to understand why he enjoyed this playoff run even with the unfortunate outcome. The veteran goaltender has only suited up in three playoffs over his long career, reaching it once with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2011 and once with the then-Phoenix Coyotes in 2012. Incredibly, he has a .938 save percentage over his 24 postseason appearances, thanks mostly to that outstanding run to the Western Conference Final he took the Coyotes on.
The question will be whether the Flames have room for Smith on the roster. The team doesn’t have a clear answer to the situation in net, and currently head into the offseason with just Jon Gillies, Tyler Parsons, Nick Schneider and Artyom Zagidulin under contract for next year. David Rittich and Mason McDonald remain under control as restricted free agents, but none of those names seem to make up a tandem worthy of a Stanley Cup contender.
There are other big decisions to make this summer including new contracts for Sam Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk, but also where to go with a defense that was carved up by the speedy Avalanche forwards. T.J. Brodie, Travis Hamonic and Michael Stone all have just a single year left on their contracts, while younger options are pushing for more ice time. Smith will likely have to wait until after some of those decisions are made, given that he can’t be the full-time starter again next season if they have plans on advancing further than this year. Even with his surprisingly good performance, something needs to be done to fix the Calgary net.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Clark Bishop Recalled, Could Play For Carolina
Last night, the Carolina Hurricanes made an emergency recall of Clark Bishop from the Charlotte Checkers. Bishop played in both games this weekend for the Checkers, splitting their first-round series 1-1 with the Providence Bruins. Today, the Hurricanes look like they’ll need him on the ice for an even more important playoff game as Andrei Svechnikov, Micheal Ferland and Jordan Martinook continue to deal with injuries. Though nothing is certain at this point, team reporter Michael Smith projects Bishop to jump in on the left side of Greg McKegg on the Hurricanes’ fourth line.
If he does get into the lineup for the team’s elimination game against the Washington Capitals tonight, at least it won’t be completely unfamiliar. Bishop played 20 games with the Hurricanes this season, recording his first NHL goal in early December. Twice he suited up against the Capitals, though the Hurricanes failed to win either game.
With so much riding on this game however, head coach Rod Brind’Amour won’t rule out a return of his three injured forwards until the last moment. All three skated this morning according to Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer, but without getting in a full practice it is unclear who would be ready for game action. If it’s Bishop, he won’t be able to replace the offense that any of them bring to the table. The 23-year old forward scored just six points in 38 games for the Checkers this season.
Patrik Laine, Nikolaj Ehlers Reveal Playoff Injuries
The Winnipeg Jets looked like a team battered and bruised in their final game against the St. Louis Blues, and it turns out that it isn’t just their egos that will need a few days to heal. Nikolaj Ehlers told reporters today including Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun that he suffered a fractured foot but played game six anyway, while Patrik Laine had groin and back injuries that he was dealing with throughout the playoffs. Neither player will suit up for the IIHF World Championship next month.
Brandon Tanev, who played in the final five games of the series, had surgery on a broken finger just a few days before the playoffs began.
The Jets will have plenty of questions to answer this summer after failing to get past the first round of the playoffs, and the postseason performance of Ehlers is certainly one of them. The 23-year old failed to record a single point in the series against the Blues and now has gone 21 games in his career without scoring a playoff goal. Ehlers struggled with injury for much of this season and finished with just 37 points in 62 games, a far stretch from the 60-point seasons he put up in the previous two.
The speedy forward just completed the first season of a seven-year, $42MM extension signed with the Jets in the fall of 2017. His performance is paramount to the team taking the next step and competing for the Stanley Cup.
St. Louis Blues Recall Seven Players
The St. Louis Blues have recalled their “Black Aces” now that their first round series against the Winnipeg Jets is over. Klim Kostin, Chris Butler, Jordan Nolan, Austin Poganski, Niko Mikkola, Mitch Reinke and Jake Walman are all on their way to join the group. None of these players are expected to get into any game action, but will practice and get to experience the NHL playoff atmosphere.
Notably, Jordan Kyrou and Ville Husso are not among the recalls after being shut down for the season due to injury. Both young players will miss the chance to watch their organization visit the second round and lose any development opportunities that may have presented themselves.
Among the group there is some Stanley Cup experience, as Nolan won two championships with the Los Angeles Kings in the early part of the decade. In 2012 he actually played in 20 playoff games for the Kings, recording two points and 21 penalty minutes in a limited role. He’ll be able to lend his experience, if not his talents, over the next few weeks.
T.J. Oshie Undergoes Surgery, Out Indefinitely
As expected, T.J. Oshie won’t be joining the Washington Capitals on the ice any time soon. The team announced today that Oshie underwent a successful surgical procedure to repair a broken collarbone, and is out indefinitely.
Oshie, 32, was injured when a push from behind sent him hard into the boards in game four of the Capitals first round series. Warren Foegele, the Carolina Hurricanes forward who hit him, was not given any supplementary discipline for the play though he did get some added attention from members of the Capitals in game five. Oshie meanwhile will miss at least the next several weeks if not the entire rest of the playoffs.
There have been players who come back from collarbone surgery in a matter of weeks, but for that possibility to happen the Capitals would need to go deep into the playoffs if not make it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final. Without Oshie on the ice that will be a tough ask, given how important he is to their team. The veteran forward recorded 25 goals and 54 points in 69 games this season and was a key part of the team’s championship run a year ago. An effective two-way player, his defense and physicality is sometimes just as important as the offense he provides for the Capitals.
Perhaps playing a little harder in honor of their injured teammate, the Capitals dissected the Hurricanes last night to the tune of a 6-0 win. They’ll now have two chances to advance to the second round, starting tomorrow evening in Carolina. In the vacant forward spot the team inserted playoff hero Devante Smith-Pelly, who received several standing ovations from the home crowd and was a welcome addition after spending much of the year in the minor leagues. While he obviously doesn’t replace Oshie completely, his presence will be a welcome addition as the Capitals look to repeat their performance from last year.
Winnipeg Jets Face Big Questions After Early Exit
The Winnipeg Jets were knocked out of the playoffs last night by an impressive St. Louis Blues group, and now must face the harsh reality of another season wasted. The Jets will not be happy with just making the playoffs in a season where many had them as a Stanley Cup contender, and will have plenty of questions surrounding the organization as the offseason begins.
Is Paul Maurice the right man for the job?
There’s no doubt that Paul Maurice is a good coach. The Jets’ head man has been behind NHL benches for most of his professional life, first taking the reins of the Hartford Whalers in 1995 when he was just 29 years old. His 695 wins put him seventh all-time among NHL coaches, behind only Joel Quenneville and Barry Trotz among those active. He’s ahead of names like Mike Babcock, John Tortorella and Claude Julien.
For all his regular season success though, Maurice has plenty of failure on his resume too. His teams have finished below .500 in a full season six times, and his overall record in the playoffs is 36-44. The team found some success last season as they made it all the way to the Western Conference Final, but that was just the third time in his entire NHL career that Maurice had made it past the second round of the playoffs. Now with another disappointing exit, the coaching seat in Winnipeg is sure to feel warm over the next few weeks and months.
How much are they willing to commit to Laine, Connor and Trouba?
Patrik Laine, Kyle Connor and Jacob Trouba are all set to become restricted free agents this summer, and should all command huge dollar figures and term. Each one of them is a potential star at his position, but each also comes with some real red flags. Trouba’s are perhaps the easiest to see after his previous tough negotiations and hesitancy to commit long-term to the Jets. The 25-year old defenseman has wanted to be “the guy” on the right side, a position that the Jets are deep at with Dustin Byfuglien and Tyler Myers among others.
Laine has had his ups and downs all season, going through drastic slumps while also still showing why he is a potential superstar. While he hit the 30-goal threshold for the third time in his three-year career, he also had his lowest point total (50) and was a -24 on the year. His negotiation will be particularly interesting to see if the two sides even want to ink a long-term deal after such a disappointing year.
Connor meanwhile led all Jets forwards in scoring during the playoffs and has developed into a key cog on offense. The biggest question surrounding his negotiation will be as a direct comparison to Laine. Doesn’t the 22-year old former Michigan star deserve more money after the year he just completed? How will the Jets afford to pay both of them, while also watching an extension kick in for Blake Wheeler raising his cap hit to $8.25MM. Is that too much money to spend on the wings?
What about the unrestricted free agents?
If those three RFAs weren’t enough, the Jets also have some important unrestricted free agents to worry about, starting with Myers. The hulking defenseman is set to hit the open market in July and could arguably be the best blue line option available, depending on how things go with Erik Karlsson. While he had another strong season for the team, if they are looking to shake things up perhaps they decide not to bring him back and instead install one of their younger defensemen like Sami Niku on a full-time basis.
There is also Kevin Hayes, whose upcoming free agency leads to another question about the Jets. How are they going to fill that second line center role, after using rentals in each of the last two years? Hayes was acquired for a first-round pick this season after the team spent the same on Paul Stastny the year before, only to see both fail to bring them a Stanley Cup. Bryan Little is still under contract for five more years at a $5.29MM cap hit, but GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has obviously not been content with him in the middle of the second unit.
Morning Notes: Gronborg, Hayton, Hughes
There are still quite a few coaching vacancies around the NHL after some of the big names have been snatched up in recent days, and Scott Burnside of The Athletic (subscription required) breaks down all the expected candidates in a new piece. While the scribe details everyone from Dave Tippett to Scott Sandelin, one interesting name appears with a connection to the Buffalo Sabres. Burnside notes that after missing out on Todd McLellan recently, the Sabres threw Rikard Gronborg‘s name “into the mix” for their head coaching positions.
Gronborg is an extremely well respected name in international coaching circles, but it would certainly be an out of the box hire for the Sabres as he doesn’t have any previous NHL experience. Still, there were rumors that GM Jason Botterill considered Ralph Kruger during his last head coaching search, and he is likely turning over every possible stone to try and find the right fit for his flailing organization.
- Barrett Hayton finished his OHL season with 82 points in 50 combined regular season and playoff games, the expected big step forward in production after being the fifth-overall pick last June. His development has gone so well that Craig Morgan of The Athletic (subscription required) suggests that he may even compete for a roster spot with the Arizona Coyotes for the coming season, despite not turning 19 until this June. Hayton will be too young to be eligible for the AHL as he was drafted out of the CHL, meaning he’ll have to go back to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds if he fails to make the Coyotes roster. While that’s not a death sentence for his development, it certainly might not be the best place for him after all he showed this season.
- If you wanted proof that Jack Hughes was a little bit ahead of his fellow draft eligible players, he’s providing it at the U18 World Championship. After a quiet opening game with just a single point, Hughes recorded seven in his second game of the tournament and already has a goal in today’s matchup with Russia. The potential first-overall pick is doing his best to show he still belongs at the top of every draft board, while others like Cole Caufield and Alex Turcotte continue to impress.
Minor Transactions: 04/21/19
The NHL has just two games scheduled for today after several series came to an end this week, including the Colorado Avalanche upsetting the Calgary Flames. Each game today features a favorite facing elimination as the Boston Bruins and San Jose Sharks look for a way to avoid the golf courses and play again on Tuesday. As teams prepare for that action, we’ll be here keeping track of any minor moves they may make.
- After being demolished last night by the Washington Capitals, the Carolina Hurricanes have sent Aleksi Saarela back to the minor leagues. The team hopes that young star forward Andrei Svechnikov will be ready for tomorrow’s elimination game, after suffering a concussion at the hands of Alex Ovechkin earlier in the series. Saarela made his NHL debut last night but failed to record a shot on goal in his nine minutes of ice time.
- Minnesota has been active in signing its prospects to Amateur Tryout Agreements to bring them to AHL Iowa for the postseason and they’ve added two more as Michael Russo of The Athletic reports that winger Ivan Lodnia and center Connor Dewar have both signed ATO deals. Lodnia was a third-rounder back in 2017 and recently finished up with Niagara of the OHL where he had 14 points in 11 playoff games. Dewar was a 2018 third-round selection and had a career year with WHL Everett with 81 points in 59 contests.
- The Capitals continue to shuffle their third goalie as the team announced that Parker Milner has been recalled from South Carolina (ECHL) while Ilya Samsonov has been returned to Hershey (AHL). Milner spent nearly the entire season at the ECHL level so if one of Braden Holtby or Pheonix Copley were to be injured, they would likely bring someone else up to serve as the backup.