Matt Duchene Still Undecided On Future In Ottawa
The Ottawa Senators are going to need an answer at some point. Matt Duchene understands that, but it doesn’t mean he’s going to feel pressured into making one before his time is up. The pending unrestricted free agent forward spoke to reporters including Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia today, and explained that whether he re-signs in Ottawa or tests the market, the decision will be based on where he thinks he can win.
We’ve been talking, my agent and I have been talking, and, like I said, at the end of the day it’s going to be a hockey decision. I see certain things on TV or in the media and I laugh because I have no idea where they’re coming from.
It’s pretty simple right now. We’re talking about it, we’re looking at it from a hockey perspective and we’ll go from there.
On the latest edition of TSN’s Insider Trading, Bob McKenzie reiterated that nothing has changed between Duchene’s camp and Senators GM Pierre Dorion. The two sides are set to speak again in the next few days, but McKenzie points out how saturated the rental market will be if both Duchene and fellow Senators forward Mark Stone become available. A team that would be interested in both players according to panelist Darren Dreger is the Winnipeg Jets, who have been searching for more forward help throughout the season. Stone, Dreger notes, is from Winnipeg and could be a huge addition for their Stanley Cup run.
But with Duchene, a decision has to be made in the next few weeks in order to give the Senators time to put together a trade if it comes to that. The 28-year old center would be quite an addition for any team looking to contend this season given his outstanding production—47 points in 41 games—but his lack of playoff experience might come as a red flag. Duchene has suited up for just eight playoff contests in his entire career and just two since his rookie season in 2010.
There is now just over three weeks until the February trade deadline, and the Senators are still holding up a good portion of the market with Duchene and Stone. Though defensemen may now have a price set thanks to the Toronto Maple Leafs’ acquisition of Jake Muzzin, the forward market is still unclear. Teams aren’t going to want to spend all of their assets on a lesser player just to find out that Duchene and Stone are available, meaning we may not see a ton of movement until the Senators come to a conclusion. That decision rests on Duchene as far as his future is concerned, and he clearly hasn’t made it yet.
PHR Live Chat Transcript: 01/31/19
Click here to read a transcript of this week’s live chat with PHR’s Gavin Lee.
Future Unclear For Bogdan Kiselevich After AHL Assignment
The Florida Panthers made a few heads turn today when they announced that veteran forward Jamie McGinn had been placed on waivers, but it likely could have been expected given the extent of his injury that has kept him out all year. McGinn has a big enough contract to probably avoid any claim since he hasn’t proven his health at all this year. There was another older player on his way to Springfield today though, this time with not such a hefty contract. Included at the very bottom of the press release explaining three call-ups today was the news that Bogdan Kiselevich has been assigned to the Thunderbirds.
Kiselevich, 28, was made available for trade earlier this month by the Panthers, after failing to really make an impact with the team. In 31 games the Russian defenseman has recorded eight points, but has been a healthy scratch at times and hasn’t suited up since January 13th. He played just 12:33 in that contest, but amazingly that wasn’t even close to his lowest total of the season. In 17 of his 31 games Kiselevich has received less than 15 minutes of ice time, including a season-low of 10:52 on New Year’s Eve.
Now, with MacKenzie Weegar close to a return and Kiselevich headed to the minor leagues it is unclear what the future holds. The KHL veteran signed a one-year contract with the Panthers in the summer and will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year. He’s waiver exempt for this year allowing the team to move him up and down without risk, but Josh Brown and Ian McCoshen both getting the call today there doesn’t seem to be any room in the NHL. That means he could still be used as trade bait, but as of yet there doesn’t seem to be a market, or at least not one that has satisfied GM Dale Tallon.
There is reason to believe that the left-handed defenseman can help someone, given his success overseas. Part of the gold medal-winning “Olympic Athletes from Russia” squad and a staple of the CSKA blue line the last few years, Kiselevich actually put up some good possession statistics in his short opportunity in Florida. We’ll have to wait and see if someone takes a chance on him at the deadline, and if he wants to remain in North America for next season. The Panthers are back in action tomorrow night against the Nashville Predators.
Sami Vatanen Diagnosed With Concussion
Thursday: Vatanen has been moved to injured reserve and the Devils have recalled Eric Gryba from the AHL.
Wednesday: The New Jersey Devils have had an extremely frustrating season, and today got some more bad news. Sami Vatanen has been diagnosed with a concussion and will be out indefinitely. The injury occurred on Monday when Derick Brassard hit Vatanen’s head into the boards. Brassard was ejected from the game, but did not face any supplementary discipline.
Vatanen, 27, has been the good-if-not-great player the Devils hoped for when they traded Adam Henrique for him last season, and could very well be a trade target if the team can’t right the ship next year. Signed for another year at $4.875MM, the right-handed defenseman will draw even more than that on the open market and price himself right out of New Jersey if the team can’t get an extension with him done at some point after July 1st. Though he only has 17 points on the season, Vatanen is still logging nearly 22 minutes a night and putting up respectable possession numbers on a struggling team.
This injury comes at a terrible time for the team if they felt as though they could put together a second-half push, but more likely only strengthens their position for the draft lottery. The Devils currently sit ahead of only the Ottawa Senators in the Eastern Conference and will have a good chance of drafting an elite prospect with a top five pick in June. If they decide to sell off some of their aging or expiring assets, they could potentially have quite the haul of draft picks to inject some more talent into the minor league system and continue the slow, methodical rebuild that GM Ray Shero had spoken about. Last year’s playoff run appears to have been a fluke, but there are obvious pillars of the future already on the roster.
John Hayden Drawing Trade Interest
The Chicago Blackhawks have already told other NHL teams that they’re open to moving rentals like Chris Kunitz and Marcus Kruger, but now another forward might be available. John Hayden, who signed a two-year extension with the Blackhawks last June, is receiving interest from around the league according to Scott Powers of The Athletic (subscription required). Powers’ source believes that Chicago is seeking a prospect or draft pick for the young forward, which makes sense given their struggles this season and eye on the future.
Still, it’s somewhat surprising that they would want to move a 23-year old forward signed for just $750K in the first place. Hayden obviously hasn’t brought much in the way of offense since debuting with the Blackhawks in 2016-17—he has 20 points in 94 games including just three this season—but he also doesn’t hurt a cap situation that is always of concern for the team. In fact his $750K cap hit will be just $50K more than the league minimum salary next season after it increases to $700K for NHL players. If the Blackhawks believe in Hayden’s ability to be an effective bottom-six contributor (something that is far from certain) he would be the perfect inexpensive option.
Perhaps the team is hoping to get something of real value out of the young forward though, knowing that they are not likely to go to arbitration with him following the 2019-20 season when he will become a restricted free agent once again. If someone is willing to part with an asset at this point, the Blackhawks can use every little bit of help moving forward as they try to build up the next wave talent. Hayden is also waiver eligible, meaning if they want to give any other young players an opportunity down the stretch they could potentially lose him for nothing.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Brett Howden Out Three To Four Weeks With Knee Injury
The New York Rangers are using this season as a development year for many of their young players, but at least one will now miss up to a month. Brett Howden has suffered an MCL sprain and will be out for three to four weeks.
Injury Notes: Jenner, Perron, Shaw
The Columbus Blue Jackets will be without Boone Jenner for at least another week after a cut on his ankle has become infected. The team announced a one to three week timeline for Jenner today, noting that the laceration happened after Jenner blocked a shot on January 12th. This explains why Mark Letestu has been recalled, though the veteran center is still not expected in the lineup for the Blue Jackets tonight.
It comes at an unfortunate time for Columbus, given that the next three weeks could be the most important stretch of their season. With the decisions surrounding Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky looming, this could be the last stretch that this group has together before watching two of their best players head to a different locker room. Jenner meanwhile has been his effective two-way self this season, but has just nine goals and 21 points to show for it. That’s a far way off from the 30-goal campaign he put up in 2015-16, a distant memory at this point for the 25-year old center. He’ll need to pick things up in the second half if Columbus is going to continue to put pressure on the best teams in the Eastern Conference.
- David Perron has been moved to injured reserve by the St. Louis Blues, as he continues to deal with an upper-body injury. Perron was in the middle of his best stretch of the season with points in 13 consecutive games, while seeing almost 20 minutes of ice time a night. The veteran forward was listed as day-to-day originally, but has now missed three games for the Blues. His IR stint will be retroactive to January 17th, meaning he can come off whenever healthy.
- Andrew Shaw hasn’t played in a month for the Montreal Canadiens, but is getting a lot closer to a return. The feisty forward returned to the ice for practice today and skated on a line with Kenny Agostino and Michael Chaput. Shaw had 24 points in 36 games for the Canadiens before suffering what would eventually be classified as a neck injury at the end of December. His return would be a substantial boost for a Montreal team that is quietly pushing for second place in the Atlantic Division.
Antoine Vermette Announces Retirement
One of the best faceoff men in history has decided to hang up his skates. Today veteran forward Antoine Vermette has announced his retirement from the NHL, though he hadn’t played at all this season.
Vermette, 36, had expressed interest last spring in playing again, but explained that he didn’t want to go overseas and instead hoped to land a job closer to his family. At one point in free agency there were reports that the center had interest from several teams, but his market seemed to vanish quickly throughout the offseason. Training camp came and went without a contract, and now Vermette has officially decided to call it quits.
He’ll finish his career with 1,046 career regular season NHL games, quite a feat for a second-round pick out of the QMJHL. Once a top scorer in junior, Vermette actually entered the professional ranks with a more offensive-minded game than the role he eventually fell into. In fact, the young pivot dominated the AHL during the early part of his pro career, recording seasons of 62 and 73 points for the Binghamton Senators. Jumping to the NHL full-time after the lockout, he posted his first 20-goal season in 2005-06, a threshold he would cross three more times in his career.
While his career-high of 65 points in a single season is impressive, Vermette will be remembered most for the incredible two-way center he became in the second half of his career. Very few players could be trusted more with an important draw than Vermette, who finishes his career with the 14th most faceoff wins in NHL (recorded) history and a career 56.6% win percentage in the circle.
That reliable presence led to a trade to the Chicago Blackhawks in 2015, who were looking for another faceoff ace down the middle. Though he’d put up just three points in 19 games down the stretch, Vermette would be a key part of the Blackhawks Stanley Cup run. Scoring key goals—including three game-winners—and being his usual dominant self in the dot and defensive end, Vermette would lift the Cup for the first and only time in his career.
Not only did his career have excellent highlights, but basically every person who has interacted with Vermette over the years speaks highly of the person off the ice. He’ll finish a 14-year career with 515 points.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Minor Transactions: 01/31/19
Just one more day of a limited NHL schedule until things get back to normal, but there are still three games to look forward to tonight. Perhaps the most interesting battle will be when the Columbus Blue Jackets travel to frigid Winnipeg to take on the Jets in a battle of Stanley Cup contenders. As always, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves around the league right here.
- As expected, the New Jersey Devils have brought Mackenzie Blackwood back to the NHL. Blackwood has been recalled from the minor leagues while Cam Johnson, who was up over the break, will be sent back down. Blackwood was given the opportunity to play in the AHL All-Star game over the weekend, but will be back up with the Devils down the stretch.
- Devon Toews and Michael Dal Colle are both on their way back up from the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. The pair of top prospects will rejoin the New York Islanders as they attempt to make it back to the playoffs this season. Dal Colle is finally getting his chance to show what he can do at the NHL level after struggling since his fifth-overall selection in 2014.
- Mackenzie MacEachern has been recalled by the St. Louis Blues, but surprising Sammy Blais is not coming with him. That suggests that Robert Thomas is close to returning for the Blues, who take on the Blue Jackets Saturday night.
- The Carolina Hurricanes have recalled Haydn Fleury once again, though that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re trading a defenseman. Fleury has spent much of the season in the press box for the Hurricanes, sitting as an extra behind their deep blue line. The 22-year old has also dealt with injury, but has now suited up just 25 times between the NHL and AHL this season.
- Michael Amadio has been recalled by the Los Angeles Kings, giving the team 23 players again as they prepare for action against Islanders on Saturday night. Amadio has just four points in 28 games with the Kings this season. The team has also recalled Sean Walker and Austin Wagner once again.
- The Montreal Canadiens have recalled Karl Alzner once again, bringing up the veteran defenseman in time for their weekend action against the Devils and Oilers. Alzner has suited up just nine times for the Canadiens this season, after seeing his eight-season iron man streak end at the beginning of the year.
- Colin Blackwell is back with the Nashville Predators and looking for a chance to get some more NHL action under his belt. The 25-year old has played in three games for the team this season but hasn’t been able to record a single point so far.
- Jake Dotchin has been sent back down to the AHL by the Anaheim Ducks, as the team has recalled Jaycob Megna. Dotchin hasn’t been able to establish himself as a full-time option for Anaheim yet this season, playing just 20 NHL contests.
- The Arizona Coyotes have recalled Kyle Capobianco from the minor leagues, likely as insurance for a banged up Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Capobianco has 32 points in 40 games for the Tucson Roadrunners but has played just a single contest for the Coyotes in his NHL career.
Henri Jokiharju Assigned To AHL
In a somewhat surprising move, the Chicago Blackhawks have decided to assign Henri Jokiharju to the minor leagues. The young defenseman will be joining the Rockford IceHogs for the time being, wearing number 14 and continuing his development in the AHL.
At times this season Jokiharju has been the best defenseman on the ice for the Blackhawks, but since returning from a gold medal performance at the World Juniors has looked a little out of sorts. His ice time has been curtailed in recent games, a good sign that Chicago was considering a change for the young defenseman. There’s no doubt that Jokiharju has shown enough to prove he is already an NHL-caliber player, but seeing 12 minutes a night for the Blackhawks wasn’t going to cut it for his development. If the team believes they have a potential top-pairing defenseman, he needs to be seeing as much ice time as possible.
That doesn’t mean he won’t be back, but there is also another consideration for the Blackhawks if they do recall Jokiharju at some point. The 19-year old has played 37 games in the NHL, meaning this season would not count towards the seven required for free agency down the line. Chicago might very well be thinking big picture given their place outside the playoff race, and thinking that another year of restricted free agency with their prized prospect is worth more than his impact on the ice right now.