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Evening Snapshots: Surging Avs, Daley, Sabres

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The same Colorado Avalanche who had the worst record in the NHL by a long mile last season and still couldn’t get the top pick in the draft have won nine consecutive games following a 3-1 victory over the Rangers Saturday afternoon. The Denver Post’s Mike Chambers writes that in addition to the sudden turn of events, center Nathan MacKinnon is in the Hart Trophy conversation and head coach Jared Bednar is making quite the case for the Adams, an award many thought Vegas’ Gerard Gallant had already won. Chambers continues:

A year ago at this time, MacKinnon was having the worst season of his career and somewhat embarrassed to represent the Avalanche at the All-Star Game. And fans were calling for Bednar’s firing just five months after he was hired. Colorado was 13-30-2 at the time.

Along with Vegas’ performance this season, the Avalanche’s sudden surge is one of hockey’s best stories of the 2017-18 season and reveals how the league’s parity can change a team’s fortunes in such a short amount of time. The nine-game winning streak is tied for the longest in team history.

  • MLive’s Ansar Khan tweets that the Detroit Red Wings’ Trevor Daley left the Red Wings-Hurricanes game with a lower body injury sustained during the first period of play. Though the Red Wings are sliding further away from a playoff spot, the news is significant since Daley was one of many Red Wings named as possible trade by the Detroit News’ John Niyo but a major injury would certainly derail any chances of a deal. Daley hasn’t exactly lit up the scoresheet for Detroit, but his presence with the back-to-back champion Pittsburgh Penguins and smooth skating make him an intriguing target for teams seeking depth and experience.
  • The Buffalo News’ Bucky Gleason questions Sabres bench boss Phil Housley’s analysis following a 7-1 drubbing by the Dallas Stars. Wondering how Housley could have labeled the early part of a blowout as “pretty good hockey,” Gleason points out that the team was booed off the ice while adding that the Sabres looked “uninterested” from the opening faceoff. In what has been a challenging season for the Sabres, Gleason believes that the performance is another indicator that Housley “appears to be in over his head.” Gleason doesn’t stop there, blasting everyone from ownership to the idea that tanking would actually bring the Sabres a winner. The fans, Gleason writes, are being taken advantage of by an organization that appears no closer to the playoffs or escaping the hockey wilderness.

Red Wings Notes: Howard, Larkin, Holland

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MLive’s Ansar Khan reports that Detroit Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard is slated to return for Saturday’s contest against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Howard was shelved with a lower body injury but Detroit’s bye week was a fortuitous opportunity for the veteran net minder to recover. Howard told DetroitRedWings.com’s Dana Wakiji that he’ll be ready for tomorrow’s game. In his last six starts, Howard has been 4-2 with a .952 save percentage, and a main reason the Red Wings have seen their fortunes trend up. Though they’re still out of the playoff hunt (and will stay that way most likely), Howard has been excellent for a team short on defense and elite talent.

  • Khan takes questions in a mailbag next, indicating that he doesn’t expect any hitches as they did when Andreas Athanasiou held out as an RFA. Khan continues, writing that the Red Wings have $10MM  with Mike Green and Petr Mrazek set to be free agents. With the cap rising as well, Khan doesn’t foresee any issues getting the important younger players, namely Dylan Larkin, Anthony Mantha and Athanasiou. Martin Frk and Tyler Bertuzzi are both in their final year of a contract but will come at a lower price than the aforementioned three.
  • In another question, Khan writes that Henrik Zetterberg might have one season left before a new captain will have to be named. He sees Justin Abdelkader being the next Red Wing to wear the C while Larkin a future captain as well. Larkin was an alternate captain while playing in the World Juniors last May, but it wouldn’t be crazy to think that Larkin could be the next in line. Steve Yzerman was named captain at the ripe old age of 21, which just happens to be Larkin’s current age.
  • The Detroit Free Press’ Helene St. James has a mailbag of her own, and gives her thoughts on the future of general manager Ken Holland. She believes he will still be around, either in the GM chair or as an adviser. She also believes that Larkin will be the first of the three young building blocks (Larkin-Mantha-Athanasiou) to be re-signed by Detroit.

Victor Hedman Leaves Game With Lower Body Injury

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The Tampa Bay Lightning announced via Twitter that star defenseman Victor Hedman will not return after sustaining a lower body injury during the second period.

Bryan Burns, who writes for the team, indicated that Hedman needed assistance to leave the ice after a knee-to-knee hit by Calgary’s Garnet Hathaway. Hedman hasn’t missed a game all season, and as Burns notes, the loss is a major blow for the league leaders. The anchor of the Bolts’ blue line, players, fans, and staff will be holding their breath to see just how bad the injury turns out to be. The Score’s Ian McLaren tweeted a video of the hit.

A prolonged loss of Hedman would certainly put a dent in the Bolts’ hopes for a deep playoff run. Though the team has depth, losing a player of Hedman’s caliber is difficult–if not near impossible–to replace. Should it be a lengthy injury, it will be interesting to see how general manager Steve Yzerman plays his cards to replace such a significant loss.

Evening Snapshots: Slepyshev, Holland

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As it was reported earlier, the Edmonton Journal’s Bruce McCurdy believes that Anton Slepyshev’s availability is a “fire sale” sign that Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli has displayed for the entire league. McCurdy opines that the Oilers “appear poised to part company with yet another talented young Russian for pennies on the dollar.” Arguments abound for and against such a decision, with the former being that the young forward struggled with injuries and didn’t put together enough “excellent” nights to justify his keep. The latter argument poses that the youngster received an ample chance to display what he could do. Given little to no opportunity on special teams and logging limited minutes, McCurdy writes that the Russian posted impressive numbers during those limited chances–fleshed out further by advanced metrics. To be fair, McCurdy points out that only 40% of the Oilers goals occurred when Slepyshev was on the ice while his “pedestrian” numbers of 1 goal, and 3 points do little to help his case. While it appears to be another young player that the Oilers will ship out, one can only wonder how much longer the front office and coaching staff have before they’re the next to be booted.

  • The Detroit News’ Bob Wojnowski guesses that the writing is on the wall for the Red Wings. All that’s left to decipher is who the architect will be for the inevitable rebuild: Ken Holland or someone else. Wojnowski writes that the Red Wings are no longer the elite team that will make a yearly playoff visit, but at least have some hope in the futures of Dylan Larkin, Andreas Athanasiou, and Anthony Mantha. Wojnowski quotes Holland as saying the Wings will either “stay pat or sell” at the deadline. Holland adds that he’s not in it for a rebuild (something he’s been consistently saying) and his job is to keep the team competitive. But he’s also not naive:

“I’ve been very fortunate to watch some great players on great teams, and I want to do that again. Sometimes your time runs out, but there is a plan, and we’re on our way back. Up until two years ago, we were making moves for the today, we weren’t bad enough to make moves for the future. At some point, you’re gonna pay the piper.”

Whether Detroit chooses to go forward with Holland or someone different remains to be seen. But even the executive who doesn’t want to go through a “painful” rebuild realizes that the days of buying, instead of selling, are over.

Evening Snapshots: Seabrook, Red Wings

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Early speculation that Brent Seabrook may be a healthy scratch today proved correct. The veteran defenseman and alternate captain of the Chicago Blackhawks was a healthy scratch tonight against Ottawa, showing that head coach Joel Quenneville is willing to do anything to keep his team accountable writes ESPN’s Emily Kaplan.  The benching of one of the team’s most successful players is clearly a sign that things in Chicago are not going according to the normal expectations. The Chicago Sun-Times Mark Lazerus reports that “the heart and soul of the team” wasn’t thrilled with the decision, but told Lazerus that once he gets back into the lineup, he’ll “have to be ready to go.” Seabrook has been a solid core of the Blackhawks successful past but his ice-time has been reduced this season and he’s appeared a step behind in terms of foot speed. Though Quenneville said it’s “not easy” to make such a decision, it shows that the team is willing to just about anything to solidify its standing in the West.

  • The Detroit News’ Gregg Krupa believes that the Red Wings are just spinning their wheels as they enjoy their five-day break and will not be returning to the playoffs anytime soon, despite a recent four-game winning streak that snapped on Sunday evening. Writing that they’re consistently inconsistent, he adds that the strides of Dylan Larkin, Andreas Athanasiou, and Anthony Mantha among others is encouraging for a team needing to get younger. The Detroit Free Press’ Helene St. James writes, however, that the Red Wings’ players believe that they can beat anyone and will begin their playoff push in earnest once their break is over. Despite several of the players’ optimism about being in the thick of the playoff race, she points out that it would take “quite the push.” While admitting that the Wings have played better than their record indicates, leapfrogging three teams and being just a point ahead of last year’s pace doesn’t bode well for even the most positive thinkers.

Blackhawks Notes: Quenneville, Toews

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The Chicago Sun-Times Mark Lazerus sits down to talk with Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville, who has seen his team follow a roller coaster-like track this season. In what Lazerus warns as a season where the Hawks could miss the playoffs, he asks the coach if his job status is in question due to what has been a disappointing three-year stretch for Chicago. Quenneville responded with a short, yet blunt response:

“We’re in a short-term business as coaches. We’re in the winning business.”

Two first round exits (St. Louis in 2016, Nashville in 2017) and a bumpy season haven’t done much to ease an anxious fan base. It’s one that has become accustomed to winning–and winning often–after the city rediscovered hockey following a conference championship run during the 2008-09 season. From there, the results were dizzying. A Stanley Cup in 2010, another in 2013, missing another Final appearance in 2014 by a game seven overtime goal, and then another Cup in 2015. In what is a league built on discouraging dynasties, Chicago has made a strong argument for being one. It makes for a series of difficult questions: Could the window be closing and could Quenneville, a fixture in the Windy City for a decade, be a casualty?

Lazerus writes that Quenneville knows the lifespan of a coach in the NHL–21 of the 31 coaches have been hired in the past three years while Tampa’s Jon Cooper has the second longest tenure in the NHL with five seasons. Quenneville called the season a “challenge” and insists that his relationship with general manager Stan Bowman is “solid.” Regardless of that, Lazerus points out that both could be on the hot seat should the Blackhawks not find that success of the past. But Quenneville insists he’s concerned about the next game–and not anything else.

  • Many have pointed to the goal-scoring struggles of captain Jonathan Toews as a source for the team’s struggles. Though his numbers have dipped, there was little concern, especially after long playoff stretches where Toews played a full 200-foot game. After trading for Brandon Saad, conventional thought was that another strong two-way forward would aid Toews and take some of the pressure off of him. Instead, the struggles have remained. Lazerus writes that Toews is having the worst statistical season of his career, despite fixing some offseason workout habits that were focused on him not feeling “so heavy” during the dog days of the season. Advanced stats reveal that Toews is still playing at his highest levels, but it’s not transferring over to the scoresheet. Lazerus chalks this up to Richard Panik’s struggles and a lack of puck luck.

Evening Snapshots: Sabres, Rasmussen, Morin

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The Buffalo News’ John Vogl spent some time with Sabres head coach Phil Housley and reports how Housley believes the Winter Classic is a great way for Buffalo to enjoy an event during what has been a frustrating season. The Sabres’ current stretch sees them going 4-3-4, a positive in what has been a downtrodden season. Housley said that the players “have been doing the right things” even though the results haven’t always been there. Vogl adds that Housley believes that when his team plays their style of play, they have been effective. Since they’re 10-20-8, getting almost half of those wins in their last 11 games is encouraging. The 2018 Winter Classic gives the Sabres a spotlight chance in the midst of a dismal season, and possibly something to build on as the season wears on.

  • The Detroit Red Wings opted to have their latest first round draft pick, Michael Rasmussen, to have his wrist operated on according to The Detroit Free Press’ Helene St. James. The surgery will keep Rasmussen out of the lineup for 4-8 weeks, with general manager Ken Holland stating that the 2017 ninth overall pick had been playing in pain for quite some time. Instead of playing through pain, the Red Wings advised Rasmussen to take care of the issue now, and then return for a playoff run and training in the summer. Rasmussen suffered a broken wrist last season prior to the draft, giving the Red Wings some pause as to whether this will be a reoccurring problem. It certainly isn’t good news for a team trying to build through the draft. Rasmussen has played well for the WHL’s Tri-City Americans, potting 16 goals and 31 points in 22 games.
  • The Courier-Post’s David Issac writes that Flyers prospect Samuel Morin has been brought along with patience by Philadelphia and still may be further away than most hope when it comes to patrolling the blue line with the big club. Morin has spent season with AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley and has been hurt through most of it, suiting up just 12 times this season. General manager Ron Hextall admits that the 22-year-old has been fighting through an injury this season. Issac indicates that the hope was for Morin to emulate former Flyers d-man Chris Pronger, who was also known for his intimidating stature and physical presence. Though appeared for the Flyers this season in two games, it appears that recovering from an injury will keep Morin out of Philadelphia for a little bit longer.

One Year Later: Revisiting A Red Wings Rebuild

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For some teams in the NHL, a year makes quite the difference. Examples include the New Jersey Devils, or the Vegas Golden Knights, who at this point last year, didn’t even have a coach or roster. Yet for other teams, it’s more of the same or in some cases, worse. Despite valiant efforts to improve or an unwillingness to make a steadfast decision, many teams remained mired in mediocrity or near the bottom of their respective division.

The Detroit Red Wings are one of those teams.

Last December, I wrote about whether or not the Red Wings should embrace a full rebuild as the team was looking to miss the playoffs for the first time in 25 years. The “rebuild on the fly” strategy wasn’t working, and as the season would bear out, Detroit would indeed miss the playoffs.

Since then, the Red Wings have continued to take the middle road, refusing to do a complete tear down while still offering money to veterans that could potentially jumpstart the team. Trevor Daley was the latest example of that, and while he’s collected a few goals as of late, his five points (2-3) is hardly an effective return on investment for a defenseman making $3.17MM.

It’s a practice they’ve employed for nearly half a decade, and a three-win December are the recent fruits of that labor. Worse, the Red Wings are staring into the playoff abyss, nine points out of the final wildcard spot. At this point, it’s likely a fool’s paradise thinking that Detroit has any chance at making the playoffs. But general manager Ken Holland has gone on record saying he’s not interested in a rebuild. Andreas Athanasiou

MLive’s Ansar Khan wrote extensively about their troubles, and beyond their goal scoring woes, the Red Wings, he writes, are exactly as their record indicates. At 13-15-1, they’re fooling no one, except maybe themselves, about making a playoff run. Khan doesn’t expect them to be in there, though he leaves it open for a miracle turnaround. He adds that their best bargaining chip is Mike Green, who could fetch a haul from the right team.

But the Red Wings problems run deeper than just missing the playoffs. It’s a stubborn refusal to do what might be painful but necessary. It’s something that many teams reluctantly did after years of suffering through malaise–be it the Toronto Maple Leafs or New Jersey Devils. Even the Los Angeles Kings broomed their general manager and coach, both of whom were in place for two Stanley Cup titles. Outside of Dylan Larkin and Anthony Mantha, Detroit has no elite talent capable of leading them into contender status once again. Andreas Athanasiou has struggled after waiting out a contract, and coach Jeff Blashill once again has him in the proverbial doghouse, giving him just 8:34 of ice time on Saturday.

Detroit News writer Gregg Krupa has been vocal about the “process” not working, and at some point, as the same errors and results continue, something has to be done to reverse course. As  Holland works through his final year without an extension in place, one can only wonder if ownership believes that a fresh pair of eyes are needed to finally plunge into a rebuild that emphasizes youth. For all of the posturing that the Red Wings have made about infusing youth into their lineup, they’re still the oldest team in the NHL. The only question that remains is if they bring in new blood–much like Mike Ilitch did when he hired Jimmy Devellano away from the then dominant New York Islanders in 1982. That move would transition Detroit out of one of the most brutal stretches in team history, known as the “Dead Wings” era.

Though there are intriguing prospects waiting, none seem ready to step in and save the team. That type of talent is only found early on in the draft–or sometimes–a bit later if luck will have it. The Athletic’s Craig Custance (subscription needed) wrote about how the Red Wings drafting as of late hasn’t yielded the talent necessary to take the next step. This is troubling for a team trying to “rebuild on the fly.” If they can’t draft high-end talent and can’t make the playoffs either, it’s the perfect combination for a return to the hockey wilderness.

There are a lot of tough decisions ahead for the Red Wings. But it’s clear that their familiar approach isn’t working anymore.

Atlantic Notes: Bruins, Sabres

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Yahoo’s Ryan Lambert opines that the Boston Bruins are truly as good as advertised. After dispatching the Red Wings Saturday afternoon, the Bruins solidified their spot in the Atlantic top three, and are within two points of the Maple Leafs, with three games in hand. Not bad for a team that struggled in its first 15 games and looked anything but a playoff team. Lambert writes that it wasn’t fair to judge them so early–especially since they were besieged by injury. Lambert writes that since going 6-7-1, the Bruins are 12-3-1 since and their possession numbers, which rank fifth in the league, are a pretty good indicator of a solid team. Lambert tips his cap to bench boss Bruce Cassidy, who he says has gotten the most out of a team that featured aging vets and younger players trying to find their stride. Lambert adds that the play of youngster Charlie McAvoy has been above and beyond everyone’s expectations, calling the 20-year-old defenseman the “crown jewel” of Boston’s “stable youngsters.”

  • The Buffalo News’ Nick Veronica writes that Sabres’ owner Terry Pegula admits the team desperately needs scoring to turn the corner. Veronica reports that Pegula was on WGR-550’s show, The Instigators, and spoke about how dire the goal scoring situation was for the Sabres. For fans looking for hints as to what Pegula would do to address it, Veronica writes that he spoke of his excitement regarding the Sabres prospects wh who will be playing in the World Juniors over the course of the week. Pegula cited Alex Nylander, Casey Mittelstadt and Marcus Davidsson as the prospects he’ll be keeping an eye on.

Atlantic Notes: Nylander, Bruins’ Cup Hopes

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An 8-1 rout of the Carolina Hurricanes was exactly what the slumping Maple Leafs needed. William Nylander was at the top of that list, needed a goal to break a long drought after being victimized by crossbars and posts. Nylander finally scored one, writes Sportsnet’s Luke Fox, and it seemed to ease the tension for the young center who had only scored twice in the past 26 games. Fox adds that Nylander appeared ready to set the league ablaze in scoring, but is now only on pace for 12 goals. Leafs bench boss Mike Babcock, however, calls for pause:

“We think he has the skill to be a centre, to transport the puck, to make plays. The part that we haven’t seen is the ability to play without the puck in his own zone. I would bet you on every team, the majority of forwards were centres, probably eight of the 12. They come into the league and the best players on all the minor hockey league teams are often centres.

They come up and they end up on the wing and it takes a few years to figure out the league and learn how to play hard and how to play without the puck so you don’t spend the whole time just standing there watching the merry-go-round.”

Perhaps that much needed goal could get the young center back on track.

  • ESPN’s crew of writers debated the chances that the Bruins have in making a strong push for a Stanley Cup run. Greg Wyshynski believes that the Nashville Predators serve as inspiration for a team that played on the fringe for awhile before playing stronger as of late. Wyshynski says the teams match up everywhere except in net, where he wonders if Tuukka Rask is capable of playing big like the Preds’ Pekka Rinne did last season for Nashville. Emily Kaplan agrees, believing that their 7-2 throttling of Columbus is an indication they’re truly a contender, but that depth is a concern. She also lauds Charlie McAuvoy as being as good as advertised. Chris Peters takes the dissent, saying that it will take a lot to get past Tampa, and even if they do, defeating a Metropolitan team would be a heavy task as well.

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