Carter Hart Recalled By Philadelphia Flyers
With the Philadelphia Flyers still looking for an answer in net, they’ve turned to the future. Carter Hart, one of the top goaltending prospects in the world, has been recalled by the team, while Anthony Stolarz has been placed on injured reserve. Stolarz will be out two to four weeks with a lower-body injury.
Hart is likely to receive his first NHL start on Tuesday night, and he’ll do it with a familiar face behind the bench. Scott Gordon, who has been coaching Hart at the minor league level, will serve as interim coach after the firing of Dave Hakstol on Monday. It will be interesting to see if Gordon installs Hart as the full-time starter right away, given the uncertainty surrounding the rest of the Philadelphia goaltenders. Michal Neuvirth, the only other healthy netminder, was away from the team for the birth of his child though could be back in time for Tuesday’s game. Brian Elliott joins Stolarz on injured reserve while he recovers, meaning it could be Hart’s job to steal over the next few weeks.
The 20-year old goaltender is one of the most hyped prospects in recent history, coming to the professional ranks with an impeccable junior career. A three-time WHL Goaltender of the Year, two-time CHL Goaltender of the Year and recent WHL Most Valuable Player, he also helped Canada to a pair of World Junior Championship medals. The second-round pick got off to a shaky start in the minor leagues but has recently found his game, and now carries a .901 save percentage through 17 appearances.
Still, this is an incredibly short path to the NHL for Hart and he will carry an immense amount of pressure. The Flyers are in the midst of a disastrous season that has now cost both the head coach and general manager their jobs, and very well could spell the end of some core on-ice talent’s run with the team. Not so for Hart, who will be looked at as one of the key future pieces and an appealing perk for any incoming coach.
Klim Kostin Assigned To Team Russia For World Juniors
Last night the San Antonio Rampage put up five goals against the Iowa Wild, and today they’ve lost two of the goal scorers. While Zach Sanford is on his way back up to the NHL, Klim Kostin has been assigned to Team Russia for the upcoming World Junior Championships. Kostin had been listed on the Russian roster as a player who would join the preliminary roster at a later date, which is apparently now as the tournament approaches. Pre-tournament games start tomorrow with Russia taking on Sweden in Kelowna, British Columbia.
Kostin, 19, greatly impressed in his first training camp after being selected 31st overall in 2017, but failed to crack the St. Louis roster. Instead of going back to the KHL, he joined the Rampage as a teenager and actually showed quite well in his first professional season. Though there were some consistency issues, that’s to be expected of a player so much younger than his competition. Kostin still used his big frame well and ended the 2017-18 season with 28 points in 67 games. This season he’s off to a better goal scoring pace and has 11 points in 28 games, but will really get to show off in the upcoming junior tournament.
Participating in the tournament last year for Russia as one of the rare 18-year old players selected, Kostin was a standout and ultimately led the team in scoring with eight points in five games. He’ll be looking for revenge and a medal this time around, and should play a huge part among the team’s talented forwards.
Minor Transactions: 12/17/18
The Boston Bruins versus the Montreal Canadiens in the middle of December. You can’t get much more classic than that when it comes to the NHL, making tonight some must-see television for hockey fans. The two clubs will take part in one of five games scheduled this evening, before the week really kicks off tomorrow night. As always, we’ll be here keeping track of all the minor moves.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have recalled Dean Kukan from his conditioning stint in the AHL, where he registered two points in five games. The 25-year old defenseman will try to work his way back into the Blue Jackets lineup and help push them closer to a 2019 playoff berth.
- Zach Sanford is on his way back up to the St. Louis Blues after a very short minor league trip. The young forward was assigned to the San Antonio Rampage on Saturday, but is already back up after the Blues were pummeled by the Calgary Flames yesterday.
- Matt Tennyson has been reassigned by the Buffalo Sabres and will be heading down to the AHL to join the Rochester Americans. The Sabres made several adjustments to their defense corps this weekend, including recalling Brendan Guhle and putting Lawrence Pilut on injured reserve. Tennyson has been bouncing up and down all season, and will likely be up again before long.
- Cory Schneider has been placed on injured reserve with an abdominal strain, leading to a recall of Mackenzie Blackwood from the minor leagues. Blackwood has good numbers in the minor leagues but has yet to make an appearance at the NHL level.
Corey Crawford Diagnosed With Another Concussion
When the Chicago Blackhawks struggled in 2017-18 and missed the playoffs entirely, many pointed to the absence of starting goaltender Corey Crawford as a big reason why. Crawford had suffered a concussion in December and even through an attempted return never was quite himself until earlier this season, when he was back on the ice in October. Now, unfortunately for both the outlook of the season and Crawford’s career, the Blackhawks goaltender has suffered another concussion and is out indefinitely.
While speculating about brain injuries is never prudent, one has to wonder if this could cost Crawford the rest of another season and perhaps his career. The 33-year old goaltender suffered such long-term effects last time around that putting him back in the net during what looks like a lost season for the Blackhawks would likely be against his best interests. There obviously could be a potential for recovery, but given Chicago’s 10-19-6 record there doesn’t seem to be much point.
If this is the end of the year for Crawford, it would be the worst statistical season of his career. In 23 games he has registered a .902 save percentage and 3.28 goals against average, both low marks since becoming the full-time starter for Chicago in 2010-11. The team in front of him doesn’t help, but obviously all the time off due to his last concussion also played a part. There were times when Crawford looked every bit as good as his Stanley Cup-winning seasons, but others where he failed to find any real consistency on the ice.
New head coach Jeremy Colliton told reporters that the organization was “concerned” about the new concussion, and will now have to deal with a goaltending situation that is far from certain. The team currently has Cam Ward in the NHL and Anton Forsberg buried in the minor leagues, but will recall Collin Delia under emergency conditions and give him a chance at the highest level. For now, the team can only hope that Crawford’s long-term health is unaffected and he can get back to playing hockey in the future if he wishes.
Poll: Who Will Be The Biggest Seller?
The NHL holiday transaction freeze starts in just a few days, and already we’ve heard rumblings from several teams around the league that are in dire need of shake up. The St. Louis Blues seem to be on the minds of nearly every broadcaster in North America, with markets wondering how Alex Pietrangelo, Vladimir Tarasenko or Colton Parayko would look in some new colors.
While none of those three may eventually get moved, the Blues are one of the teams worth monitoring as we move through the holiday season and approach the 2019 trade deadline. Very little has gone right this season for St. Louis, and even after their recent two-game winning streak the team still sits in sixth place in the Central Division. The only team behind them, the Chicago Blackhawks, are another team looking to change their fortunes at some point. On a 1-8-1 streak, the Blackhawks now sit last in the entire NHL with a -32 goal differential and are right in the thick of the draft lottery race for star prospect Jack Hughes. Chicago doesn’t have a lot of assets that aren’t locked into seemingly unmovable contracts, but could try to really change their culture by moving out one of their core Cup-winning faces.
The Los Angeles Kings, another team soaring towards the first-overall pick, have been in the news lately because of Jeff Carter. Their second-line center doesn’t hold any trade protection in his contract, but has another type of armor to help decide where he could be traded to. Carter could potentially use retirement as a weapon against both the acquiring team and the Kings, given that it would cause a cap recapture penalty against Los Angeles. There’s little chance that the team wouldn’t work with him to find a soft landing spot, but even then there may be several complications in a trade.
That takes us to the Eastern Conference, where the Ottawa Senators are starting to slide closer to where many believed they would finish the season. After a stronger than expected start, the Senators now carry a -20 goal differential and sit just two points ahead of the Florida Panthers for last place in the Atlantic Division, despite having played three additional games. Ottawa is perhaps the most interesting team to watch in the entire league as the deadline approaches, given the pending unrestricted free agent status of both Matt Duchene and Mark Stone. The Senators, who owe their top pick to the Colorado Avalanche this June, would love to get back into the first round somehow to help their rebuild continue.
Then there is Philadelphia, who is considering a coaching change after bringing in a new GM and could make several moves to alter the direction of the organization. Chuck Fletcher has been rumored interested in making trades before the freeze kicks in on Wednesday, but with just a few days left that could have to wait. The Flyers too have an unrestricted free agent in Wayne Simmonds, and a potential glut of young offensive-minded defensemen who could help many teams around the league.
So who will put up the “For Sale” sign first and start uprooting their foundation? Who will be first on the phone when the trade freeze lifts? Where will playoff-hungry executives show up to try and make a deal?
Cast your vote below for who you think will be the biggest seller of the season, and leave a comment to explain your choice.
Which team will be the biggest seller this season?
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St. Louis Blues 31% (379)
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Los Angeles Kings 22% (268)
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Philadelphia Flyers 14% (175)
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Chicago Blackhawks 12% (146)
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New York Rangers 7% (87)
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Ottawa Senators 6% (74)
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Detroit Red Wings 5% (58)
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New Jersey Devils 1% (17)
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Vancouver Canucks 1% (12)
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Other (specify in comments) 1% (8)
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Florida Panthers 1% (8)
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Dallas Stars 0% (6)
Total votes: 1,238
[Mobile users click here to vote.]
Minor Transactions: 12/16/18
Alex Ovechkin scored again for the Washington Capitals last night, his seventh goal in his last three games and likely a spot on the Three Stars list this week. The superstar forward now has 29 goals in 32 games this season and is setting new career highs of one sort or another nearly every night. Now 33, Ovechkin sits 15th all-time in NHL goals and could very well pass Dave Andreychuk in the next few games. While we wait to see his next trick, stick right here to follow all the minor moves around the league.
- The New York Rangers recalled Boo Nieves last night in preparation of their afternoon tilt with the Vegas Golden Knights today. Nieves has seven points in 12 games for the Hartford Wolf Pack, but has yet to make his NHL debut this season. The 24-year old has just 29 games under his belt at this level and is still looking for a real opportunity to show what made him a second-round pick in 2012.
- After the team’s 4-3 overtime loss to Vegas Sunday, the Rangers made more moves as they announced they have recalled goaltender Alexandar Georgiev from the Hartford Wolf Pack, while assigning Matt Beleskey and Dustin Tokarski to the AHL team. Georgiev has split time between the Rangers and Hartford, but the 22-year-old has struggled in both places so far this year. Beleskey has appeared in four games this month and has a goal, while Tokarski has yet to make an appearance for the Rangers this season.
- The Ottawa Senators announced they have assigned defenseman Erik Burgdoerfer and Stefan Elliott to the Belleville Senators of the AHL. That likely suggests that Ottawa is close to getting back Mark Borowiecki and/or Dylan DeMelo back from injury. Burgdoerfer appeared in three games on this callup, while Elliott appeared in two games and had an assist.
- After the team’s 3-0 victory over Arizona today, the Carolina Hurricanes have assigned three players to the AHL as the team announced that goaltender Scott Darling and forwards Clark Bishop and Janne Kuokkanen have been returned to the Charlotte Checkers. With Carolina not playing again until Thursday, the team may just be giving playing time to all three, although the team might also have the hope that Micheal Ferland, Jordan Staal and Curtis McElhinney might all be healthy enough to play then.
- The Minnesota Wild have returned winger Luke Kunin to Iowa of the AHL, per the AHL’s Transactions Page. He played in three games with Minnesota after being recalled earlier in the week, averaging just shy of 13 minutes per night of playing time. However, with both Mikko Koivu and Jason Zucker expected to return on Tuesday, there’s no longer a spot in the lineup for Kunin. He’ll return to Iowa where he sits fifth in scoring with 15 points in 21 games.
Oscar Klefbom Out Six To Eight Weeks After Finger Surgery
Saturday: John Shannon of Sportsnet reports that Klefbom had surgery on his injured finger and is expected to be out between 6-8 weeks.
Wednesday: The Edmonton Oilers are rolling right now after installing a more defensive structure under new head coach Ken Hitchcock, but will now be without one of their best defensemen. Oscar Klefbom has been placed on injured reserve after suffering a hand injury in last night’s game that should keep him out “weeks.” The team has also activated Drake Caggiula while assigning Cooper Marody to the AHL. To make up for Klefbom’s absence, the team has recalled defenseman Caleb Jones, who could make his long-awaited NHL debut soon.
In the first ten games of the Hitchcock era in Edmonton, he made it very clear that he would lean heavily on the players who he thought gave him the best chance to win. Klefbom was one of them, averaging over 26 minutes a night before going down to injury against Colorado. The 25-year old had also recorded seven points in those ten games, including two game-winning goals. That’s nearly half his production for the entire season, and was a stretch that had him closer to the 2016-17 version that helped the Oilers reach the playoffs.
Losing him means someone else—almost surely Darnell Nurse—will have to carry the load defensively and play nearly half the game. Nurse got a taste of that when he recorded 30:44 of ice time last night, the highest total of his career by three full minutes. Along with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, Nurse will have to really excel in this period without Klefbom on the blue line and help the Oilers maintain their quick ascension of the Western Conference standings. Edmonton has gone 8-2-1 with Hitchcock in charge, and now sit just one point out of second place in the Pacific Division with a game in hand on both the San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks.
Ryan Merkley Traded In OHL
When the San Jose Sharks strode up to the podium at June’s NHL Entry Draft, there was plenty of talent left on the board. They had the 21st pick of the draft, and big names that had been talked about for months like K’Andre Miller, Joe Veleno and Dominik Bokk were still available. They could have even taken Isac Lundestrom, one of the few players from the draft who has already made his NHL debut. Instead, the Sharks threw caution to the wind and selected one of the most polarizing figures in the entire field, Ryan Merkley.
Merkley was one of the youngest players eligible for the 2018 draft, and didn’t turn 18 until nearly two months after his selection. That youth, combined with some much publicized attitude issues scared away several teams. Once considered a potential top-5 or top-10 pick, he very well could have fallen out of the first round entirely if the Sharks hadn’t snapped him up in the later part of the round. Playing for the Guelph Storm, Merkley recorded 55 and 67 point seasons in his first two years in junior, easily showing off his skill from the blue line as one of the most exceptional passers in the league. This year he is off to an even better start, recording 39 points in 28 games for the Storm.
Those 28 games are all he’ll play for Guelph this year though, as today the team traded Merkley to the Peterborough Petes in exchange for Pavel Gogolev and a package of five draft picks (three of which are conditional). It’s not often you see a team that is in a playoff chase trade away arguably their best player, but the Storm must have felt it was the right time to cash in on their star defenseman. The Petes meanwhile will add a top talent as they try to compete in the OHL’s Eastern Conference with the likes of Ottawa and Sudbury.
Merkley was noticeably absent from the World Junior selection camp roster, but that likely has more to do with his age and the high level of competition than anything else. Unless he surprises everyone and makes the Sharks roster out of camp next year, you can be he’ll be among those competing to play in next year’s tournament. In fact, he very well could be the star puck-mover on that team, given how dominant he projects to be in the OHL next season.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Vancouver Canucks Sign Mitch Eliot To Entry-Level Contract
The Vancouver Canucks have signed undrafted free agent defenseman Mitch Eliot to a three-year, entry-level contract. The deal will kick in for this season given Eliot is already 20 years old, and expire after the 2020-21 season. He will also take up one of Vancouver’s 50 contract slots.
It didn’t take long for Eliot to show that he had more to give a hockey club than he was being allowed to at Michigan State University. Eliot, unable to show off his offensive abilities last season in college, left in February to join the Sarnia Sting of the OHL. After a late season run with the Sting, he returned this year as one of the team’s leaders on the back end and has recorded 28 points in 32 games—his career high at Michigan State was five.
Despite being relatively undersized for a defenseman, Eliot does not shy away from the physical side of the game and can battle hard in the corners and in front of the net. His offensive upside is likely what has earned him a contract at this point, but that hard-nosed effort level will be what he needs to continue in order to succeed at the next level. If he can’t keep up that competitiveness, he could very well get pushed around by much bigger foes.
Poll: Which Defenseman Is Most Likely Traded This Season?
The NHL holiday transaction freeze is just a few days away, and while there is an increased level of chatter among league front offices in comparison to recent years, there’s no guarantee any blockbuster trades are made. Those could very well wait for after the freeze is lifted at the end of December, and in the following two months before the 2019 trade deadline.
Like every year, contenders are looking for defense. Teams like Toronto and Edmonton led by superstar forwards, could use an upgrade in their own end. Unlike most years though, there may be several high-end defensemen available. What is usually an extreme shortage may actually be in ripe supply this year, and Colton Parayko could be the crown jewel. Parayko leads Frank Seravalli’s latest Trade Bait board for TSN, despite much of the speculation around St. Louis focusing on Alex Pietrangelo instead.
Parayko is an obvious target if he is truly available, given his age and immense upside. Everyone who watches the 6’6″ defenseman play can see what a monster he could become if he puts everything together, and at just 25 years of age there is plenty of time for that to happen. The right-handed Parayko has 111 points through 271 games in his career, but likely has even more offensive ability to show in the right situation. That also means he would cost a boatload from any acquiring team, especially given that he’s under contract through 2021-22 at a reasonable $5.5MM per season.
It’s the depth of potentially available defensemen that is so striking though, as Los Angeles Kings duo Alec Martinez and Jake Muzzin both find themselves on Seravalli’s list along with Brett Pesce and Justin Faulk, two right-handed options from Carolina. Those three teams—St. Louis, Los Angeles and Carolina—could create quite a market for desperate buyers, but also could drive each other’s prices down because of heavy supply.
There’s obviously going to be some moves before the trade deadline later in the season, but which high-end defenseman is most likely to be traded? Who will be first? Cast your vote and leave a comment down below detailing who you think will step up and pay the price.
Which defenseman is most likely to be traded in 2018-19?
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Alex Pietrangelo 24% (274)
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Jake Muzzin 22% (255)
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Justin Faulk 18% (213)
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Colton Parayko 11% (131)
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Alec Martinez 10% (121)
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None of the above 10% (116)
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Brett Pesce 4% (45)
Total votes: 1,155
[Mobile users click here to vote]