PHR Live Chat Transcript: 02/28/19
Click here to read a transcript of this week’s live chat with PHR’s Gavin Lee.
Travis Dermott Out Four Weeks
The Toronto Maple Leafs will have to deal with an incredibly thin blue line for most of the remainder of the season. The team announced today that Travis Dermott will be out for four weeks following the shoulder injury he sustained last night. Dermott was hit into the boards by Brad Malone of the Edmonton Oilers and immediately left the game in obvious pain.
Dermott will join Jake Gardiner on the shelf tonight as the Maple Leafs try to find a way around their defensive issues. Martin Marincin has been recalled to take his place while Justin Holl is expected to enter the lineup on the right side. The team is set to take on the New York Islanders in an important Eastern Conference matchup, and one that will see John Tavares make his return to Nassau Coliseum.
Originally selected 34th overall in 2015, Dermott has been quite the find for Toronto the past two seasons. Stepping into the lineup last year the mobile defender has proven he belongs at the NHL level and was given more responsibility this season. While he has still not completely earned the trust of head coach Mike Babcock, the 22-year old defenseman was already averaging more than 17 minutes a night on a team that has other experienced options on the left side. His future in Toronto looks bright, especially given Gardiner’s impending unrestricted free agency.
For now though Dermott will be out for almost the entire rest of the season. Four weeks from today would leave just five games left in the Maple Leafs’ season, meaning the young defenseman will need to get up to speed quickly if he is to play a role in the playoffs.
Snapshots: Mueller, Zuccarello, Tokarski
It’s hard to find a ton of uplifting news for the New Jersey Devils right now, but Mirco Mueller gave the hockey world some today. Mueller took to social media to tell his fans that he did not suffer any serious injuries last night when he went crashing into the boards. The 23-year old defenseman needed to be stretchered off the ice after laying motionless for several moments, and was taken to hospital immediately.
Despite the Devils’ struggles Mueller is actually having a fine year, playing more games than he ever has in a single season previously. With ten points in 47 games he has also set a career-high in scoring, and is averaging more than 18 minutes a night for the Devils on the blue line. A first-round pick of the San Jose Sharks six years ago, Mueller found himself on the move thanks to the Vegas expansion draft. Instead of leaving him unprotected, the Sharks moved him to New Jersey for a package of draft picks where he has flourished. It’s unclear when he will return to action.
- The Dallas Stars went out and added secondary scoring close to the deadline by acquiring Mats Zuccarello from the New York Rangers, only to see the veteran forward suffer a broken arm in his debut. If the Stars miss the playoffs they will have given up a package of assets for basically nothing, unless of course they decide to re-sign Zuccarello before he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer. If they do, the 2020 third-round pick they sent New York would upgrade to a first-round selection, but Sean Shapiro of The Athletic (subscription required) believes the team still has interest in an extension. Shapiro does note that Zuccarello hasn’t indicated that he wants to re-sign yet, but he likely won’t make that decision until after he’s back on the ice. Four weeks from the injury would be March 24th, which would leave just seven games remaining in the Stars season.
- The Rangers’ AHL affiliate has essentially made a trade, loaning goaltender Dustin Tokarski to the Charlotte Checkers while receiving Josh Wesley in return. Both players will technically remain in their current organizations, but will play for their new teams. That means Tokarski can help out Alex Nedeljkovic on what looks like a Calder Cup contender in Charlotte, while Wesley may get a chance to stick in the AHL instead of the ECHL where he has spent much of the season.
Taylor Hall Undergoes Knee Surgery
The New Jersey Devils have officially announced that Taylor Hall underwent arthroscopic knee surgery this week, and will begin rehab immediately. Hall’s recovery timeline has not been announced, as it depends on how he responds to rehab in the coming days and weeks.
It’s not clear if Hall will be ready to play again this season, but at this point you couldn’t blame the Devils for shutting him down entirely. The team is well out of the playoff race and will be competing once again for the right to draft first overall in June. Hall’s presence would hurt those chances and while no team is actually hoping for losses, if there is any slight risk of re-injury there seems little point to risk his health.
The reigning Hart Trophy winner went down to injury just before Christmas after scoring 37 pints in 33 games and hasn’t been able to get back into a game since. That means his season will likely finish as the lowest-scoring year of his career, and get him even closer to unrestricted free agency without anything to show for the Devils. Hall has just one season remaining on his current contract that carries a $6MM cap hit, which means he is eligible for an extension on July 1st. It’s not clear just how big of a raise he’ll be looking for, but after scoring 130 points in his last 99 games his average annual value could approach eight digits.
Toronto’s Defensive Depth Thinner Than Ever
For most of the season and even previous years, many have pointed to the Toronto Maple Leafs blue line as their obvious weakness. Even with their glut of talented forwards, the team struggled at times because of the lack of defensive awareness or skill on the back end. With Travis Dermott‘s emergence late last season that was partially corrected, and when the team went out and acquired Jake Muzzin from the Los Angeles Kings the group took another step forward. While they were obviously left-heavy, there was enough talent there to perhaps take the team deep into the playoffs. That’s why they ultimately decided against adding another name at the trade deadline, given the high prices floated around for available right-handed defensemen.
Now though, that decision looks like a mistake. The Maple Leafs announced yesterday that Jake Gardiner would be out on a week-to-week basis with a back injury, and then lost Dermott during the game to a shoulder injury. Head coach Mike Babcock used the same designation as Gardiner to describe Dermott’s injury timeline, though the team has not given any additional information. That’s two major pieces down in a matter of days, and James Mirtle of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that Gardiner’s injury may actually be similar to the one Zach Parise dealt with that cost him 39 games last season. If that’s true, there’s a chance that Gardiner isn’t even ready to help the team in the playoffs at all.
The Maple Leafs will recall Martin Marincin today and will ice him alongside Justin Holl in tonight’s game against the New York Islanders. The pair has incredibly totaled just 20 games at any level this season, instead spending most of the year in the press box watching the action. That’s a disastrous place for a playoff contender to be in, even if both have shown at least some level of competence in the past.
Muzzin, who has averaged just over 19 minutes a game since arriving in Toronto (well under his career norm), will now have to take on much more responsibility down the stretch. He and Morgan Rielly will likely anchor the first two pairs and powerplay units, while Ron Hainsey and Nikita Zaitsev continue their work on the penalty kill.
After last night’s win against the Edmonton Oilers, the Maple Leafs sit third in the Atlantic Division but right on the heels of the Boston Bruins. The last 19 games of the season will determine who of those two receives home ice advantage in an almost certain first-round matchup, something that has had dire consequences in recent years. Without Gardiner and Dermott for a good chunk of the year, it will be extremely tough to secure that spot.
Minor Transactions: 02/28/19
Seven games grace the NHL schedule tonight, including John Tavares‘ return to New York. The former Islanders captain spurned the team by choosing the Toronto Maple Leafs in free agency and is expected to get a less than welcome reception upon his return tonight. Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins do battle in a matchup of the top two teams in the Eastern Conference. As the league prepares, we’ll be right here to keep track of all the minor moves.
- Sammy Blais is on his way back down again, a usual occurrence recently for the young St. Louis Blues forward. Blais has been moved up or down eleven times this season, including a recall just two days ago. The 22-year old has three points in 27 games for the Blues this season.
- Sam Steel and Jacob Larsson were both returned to the San Diego Gulls last night, their stay as insurance policies for the Anaheim Ducks apparently over for now. The pair will continue their development at the AHL level and wait for another opportunity.
- Drake Batherson has been recalled today for the Ottawa Senators as Rudolfs Balcers deals with the flu. The Senators are giving all of their young prospects a chance to show what they can do at the end of the year, and Batherson is one of the most exciting. The 20-year old fourth-round pick has developed into quite the professional already, recording 49 points in 41 games for the Belleville Senators while also contributing eight points in 19 games for Ottawa.
- Matt Luff has been recalled by the Los Angeles Kings for their game against the Dallas Stars, another young player set to get a chance down the stretch. Luff has played 30 games for the Kings this season and has ten points including seven goals.
- The Boston Bruins have sent Karson Kuhlman back to the minor leagues according to Mark Divver of the Providence Journal. Kuhlman played four games earlier this month for Boston, recording two points in the process. Later in the day, the Bruins also announced that they returned Peter Cehlarik to to the AHL. Cehlarik fared well in 14 games with Boston where he collected six points but his ice time had dropped in recent games so he’ll return to the minors and play a prominent role with Providence.
New York Rangers Recall Libor Hajek
When the New York Rangers decided to sell off some of their key players last year and start a rebuild, they acquired some impressive names. Ryan Lindgren and Brett Howden had relatively high prospect profiles due to their success on the international stage, both winning World Junior gold medals in recent years. Both players have made their debuts for the Rangers this season, and look like they will be big parts of the team going forward. The Rangers got another prospect in the Ryan McDonagh trade though, who some referred to as the key piece. Libor Hajek, who at the time was tearing it up in the WHL, has now been recalled by the Rangers for the first time in his professional career.
If Hajek, 21, is the key to the McDonagh deal, there might be something to worry about. The young defenseman has struggled in his first year at the AHL level, recording just five points in 58 games and tallying a team-worst -26 rating. While there is obviously more to a defenseman’s game than just those statistics, Hajek has routinely looked overmatched against professional players and at times looks lost in his own end. That junior player who made extremely quick decisions and could evade forecheckers even with his large frame hasn’t been there on a consistent basis.
Still, Hajek only turned 21 a few weeks ago and has been given every opportunity to continue his development. The Rangers organization knows that they have to keep him on the ice for him to experience any growth, and will now give him a taste of the NHL to take back down with him. There’s still plenty of time for the 2016 37th-overall pick to become the all-situations defender that many believed he could be just a year ago, and the next step towards that will happen in New York.
Status Of The 2019 Entry Draft First Round
Now that the trade deadline has come and gone, teams out of the playoff chase have one thing on their mind. The NHL Draft Lottery, where fortunes can be made and franchises can be altered. This year’s lottery is for the right to draft American center and presumptive first-overall pick Jack Hughes, an incredibly talented offensive weapon that is expected to step right into the NHL in 2019-20. The second and third picks are also up for grabs, though not for everyone. The deadline and several trades before it have changed the landscape of the first round, with several teams no longer scheduled to take part.
While the rest of the season, lottery and playoff results will change the order, here is the current status of the first round based on today’s pure point standings:
- Colorado Avalanche (via Ottawa Senators)
- Los Angeles Kings
- Detroit Red Wings
- Anaheim Ducks
- New Jersey Devils
- Edmonton Oilers
- Chicago Blackhawks
- Vancouver Canucks
- New York Rangers
- Arizona Coyotes
- Florida Panthers
- Buffalo Sabres
- Colorado Avalanche
- Philadelphia Flyers
- Dallas Stars*
- Minnesota Wild
- Vegas Golden Knights
- Ottawa Senators (via Columbus Blue Jackets)
- Pittsburgh Penguins
- Carolina Hurricanes
- Anaheim Ducks (via St. Louis Blues, Buffalo Sabres)**
- Montreal Canadiens
- New York Rangers (via Winnipeg Jets)
- Nashville Predators
- Washington Capitals
- New York Islanders
- Los Angeles Kings (via Toronto Maple Leafs)
- Buffalo Sabres (via San Jose Sharks)**
- Boston Bruins
- Calgary Flames
- Tampa Bay Lightning
Teams with no first-round pick: CBJ, STL, WPG, TOR, SJS
*Owed to NYR if Stars advance to Western Conference Finals and Mats Zuccarello plays in 50% of the first two rounds
**Anaheim will receive the better of these two picks
Jake Gardiner Out “Week-To-Week” For Toronto Maple Leafs
When the Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Jake Muzzin earlier this season there were many who questioned why the team brought in another left-handed option. That move seems prescient today, after the team announced that Jake Gardiner will be out on a “week-to-week” basis with a back injury. Gardiner has already missed two games earlier this year with what were characterized as back spasms, but this seems like a much more serious injury.
With Gardiner out, the Maple Leafs will have to rely on Muzzin, Morgan Rielly and Travis Dermott on the left side while rookie Igor Ozhiganov draws back into the lineup. Ozhiganov has not played since January 23rd and is averaging just over 14 minutes a night for the Maple Leafs in the 42 games he has suited up for.
It’s a tough break for Toronto, who decided not to pay the high prices for rental defensemen at the deadline. Gardiner played on Monday night but ended up with his lowest ice time of the season at 16:30, and will likely miss at least a handful of important games. The Maple Leafs are likely going to face the Boston Bruins in the first round once again, but are fighting with them to decide who will enjoy home ice advantage during the series. The Montreal Canadiens are also within striking distance, meaning a Maple Leafs slump could have dire consequences.
Gardiner, for all the derision he takes at times from Maple Leafs fans, is an extremely effective player at even-strength for the team. The 28-year old has 29 points through 60 games for the team and has once again posted positive possession statistics. Those strong numbers are however marked with the odd brutal giveaway or complete lack of defensive awareness, which leads to some debate over his contributions.
Nevertheless, Gardiner was setting himself up for a huge payday in the offseason. A career-high of 52 points set in 2017-18 and the fact that he won’t turn 29 until July 4th made him quite an attractive option as a potential free agent, something he’ll almost certainly become now that the Maple Leafs acquired Muzzin’s $4MM cap hit for next year. The team will have quite the cap crunch after signing their remaining restricted free agents—a group that includes Mitch Marner, Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson—and will likely not be able to afford Gardiner’s new deal. That said, this injury comes at a terrible time for the defenseman as he tries to prove his worth on a playoff team.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Corey Crawford To Return For Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks will have an important name on the lineup card tonight, as Corey Crawford will make his first start since mid-December. Crawford was activated from injured reserve yesterday while Collin Delia was returned to the minor leagues on Monday in time to retain AHL playoff eligibility.
Crawford, 34, started 23 games for the Blackhawks after returning from a long concussion-related absence and posted a .902 save percentage. That number was trending upwards when he suffered another concussion on December 16th when a player collided with him. Crawford’s head impacted the post of his net and given his history with head injuries he was immediately removed for testing.
The fact that Crawford is returning at all this season is almost miraculous, but given the current state of the Blackhawks it couldn’t come at a better time. Despite sitting in last place in the Central Division the Blackhawks are still just six points behind the Dallas Stars for the final Western Conference wild card spot. If the team is to have any hope of snatching that final playoff position, Crawford will have to be at his best.
The team has been carried by an outstanding season by Patrick Kane and the immediate chemistry between Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Strome, but need better goaltending to really compete in the playoff picture. While Delia made an admirable debut and showed he may have a future in Chicago, the team has a combined .894 save percentage on the season, tied for 29th in the league.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images