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PHR Originals: 9/12/16 – 9/18/16

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Here is a look at the original content and analysis from the Pro Hockey Rumors staff over the past week:

  • Gavin Lee and Glenn Miller both looked at compelling restricted free agents in 2017. Gavin focused on Artemi Panarin among others while Glenn wrote about Bo Horvat and three other future RFA’s.
  • Finally, Mike Furlano outlined the reasoning for new goalie equipment rules after Bill Daly appeared on Sirius XM. Similar to the changes put in place following the strike, Mike details the changes that are coming to goalie pants regulations.

2016-17 Season Preview: St. Louis Blues

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With the NHL season just weeks away, PHR is looking at each team, in-depth. Today: the St. Louis Blues.

Last Season: 49-24-9 (107 points), 2nd place in the Central Division. Lost 4-2 to San Jose Sharks in Western Conference Finals.

Cap Space Remaining:  $3.96MM via CapFriendly.

Key Newcomers: David Perron (signed as a free agent from Anaheim); Carter Hutton (signed as a free agent from Nashville); Landon Ferraro (signed as free agent from Boston).

Key Departures: David Backes (signed with Boston); Troy Brouwer (signed with Calgary); Brian Elliott (traded to Calgary).

Player to Watch: Kevin Shattenkirk. Rumors swirled that Shattenkirk was on his way out and then in mid-July, general manager Doug Armstrong told Craig Custance that he expects Shattenkirk to spend the season in St. Louis. When Custance pushed him on what he meant,  Armstrong clarified that Shattenkirk would stay in St. Louis. However, with the Blues weaker than last season, it will be interesting to see what happens should Shattenkirk’s stock rise more by the trade deadline. If negotiations don’t go well for a new contract, it’s not crazy to think Shattenkirk will be shipped somewhere else for a king’s ransom.

Key Storyline: The Blues finally pushed through the Blackhawks in the playoffs and survived through the Conference Finals, where they were dispatched by the Sharks in six games. Then started the purge. Elliott was dealt to Calgary, Brouwer packed up and followed his former teammate there, and Backes went east to Boston. Though they still have talent on the roster, this is a weaker St. Louis team than last season. Nashville certainly improved with the addition of P.K. Subban and the Western Conference improved almost everywhere. Playing the always competitive Central Division will be more perilous than usual.  Ken Hitchcock will be handing the reins over to Mike Yeo, and after an up and down tenure in Minnesota, what will Yeo do differently with the Blues? While the team is still strong with the likes of Vladimir Tarasenko and Alex Pietrangelo to name a few, they may be a step back from what St. Louis has been accustomed to.

St. Louis Depth Chart

Snapshots: Team USA Reaction, Prospect Tournaments, Rantanen

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It was paramount for the United States to put themselves in a good position heading into its tilt with Team Canada on Tuesday. Instead, they made things even tougher on themselves. Lauding a gritty style that would intimidate opponents, the US looked anything but intimidating in a 3-0 loss to Team Europe. Until the third period, the US seemed to lack any sense of urgency.

USA Today’s Kevin Allen writes that while the US can still hypothetically advance, it would take a number of scenarios for that to happen. Further, Allen reports that giving up three goals in just shots never allowed the US to get control of the game. Puck Daddy’s Jen Neale writes more about how even before the game, Team USA was making odd decisions.

Head coach John Tortorella had defenseman Dustin Byfuglien as a healthy scratch, a befuddling move that had every analyst wondering what was going on. Neale goes on to write that the US team looked “listless” and then more telling, that after scoring its first goal, Team Europe sat back to allow the US to “implode on themselves.”

Frank Seravalli was even more blunt:

Just about everything Team USA had been billed as before the tournament started did not show up on Saturday for the first game of the tournament. They weren’t rugged or tough to play against. In fact, they played most of the game like the environment inside the arena: quiet and without much intensity.

The US will have to find that intensity quickly or else they will have a short stay in the tournament.

In other hockey news:

  • Gustav Forsling had an impressive showing for the Blackhawks during a 5-0 whitewashing of the Red Wings prospects at the Rookie Tournament in Traverse City, Michigan. Forsling had three points, with one coming as a goal. Nathan Noel, and Alex DeBrincat each added a goal while Alexandre Fortin scored two. In other action from Traverse City, the Rangers knocked off the Stars 5-4 in overtime. Jimmy Vesey had an assist and a shootout goal in the win.
  • It appears that Mikko Rantanen’s injury is not a serious one. Mike Chambers tweets that the Avs classified it as an ankle sprain and nothing more. It was reported earlier that Rantanen suffered an apparent right leg injury that looked troubling.

 

Snapshots: Ovechkin, Cleary, World Cup Predictions

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If the NHL won’t send players to the 2018 Olympics, it won’t stop Alex Ovechkin from representing Team Russia. ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that the superstar simply said “I will go there,” and elaborated a bit more on his wording:

“My decision is the same,” Ovechkin said. “So, I don’t know what’s going to happen right now, but we just have to wait what they say and we’ll see. …It’s a situation where you don’t know what’s going to happen. But obviously I said I’m going to play.”

The major hangup over participation is 2018 is insurance costs for players should they play in South Korea. The IOC, according to LeBrun, have expressed hesitancy over covering travel and insurance costs for those playing in the Olympics.

In other hockey news:

  • The Detroit Red Wings have offered Dan Cleary a professional tryout tweets Ansar Khan. Cleary spent the season in Grand Rapids, and was not re-signed by the organization. However, this news will certainly rankle many Detroit fans who point to Cleary as one of the many reasons the Red Wings have continued to slide. Cleary had a hand shake deal with general manager Ken Holland to return following the 2013-14 season, a season where his decline began. Since then, he played sparingly and was relegated to the AHL after the emergence of Dylan Larkin and Andreas Athanasiou.
  • With the World Cup of Hockey beginning its first slate of tournament games today, analysts have started releasing their predictions. NHL.com had a slew of analysts picking their favorites and there were three analysts (Amalie Benjamin, Michael Langr and Dave Stubbs) to reach the championship round. Langr believes that Team USA will win Group A. As for the champions, it was either Team Canada or Team Sweden from the handful of analysts. Puck Daddy’s crew of Greg Wyshynski, Sean Leahy, Josh Cooper and Jen Neale all have Canada being crowned as champions. The runner ups varied from the US (Wyshynski and Neale) to Sweden (Cooper and Leahy). Neale adds that the matchup the NHL desires is USA-Canada, but Sweden–or possibly Team North America, could certainly prevent that.
  • Puck Daddy’s writers also conducted a roundtable where they discussed what must happen for the World Cup to be considered a success. Wyshysnki is conflicted because the success of the World Cup–which he calls a negotiating tool against the IOC–may encourage the lack of NHL participation in the Olympics. This is less about national pride, Wyshynski writes, and more about showing the viability of international hockey outside of the Olympics. WCOH gear is selling well and advertisers are aplenty. Josh Cooper writes that North America, USA, and Canada all need to be successful because it was placed in the North America timezone to cement its support. Neale adds that every game needs to be competitive in order to keep the casual fan interested. Ryan Lambert just hopes for more entertainment than an NHL exhibition game, calling that a moral victory for the NHL.

World Cup Notes: Team USA Cannot Afford A Letdown

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It’s now or never for Team USA. ESPN’s Scott Burnside writes that Team USA is in an absolute must win today against Team Europe and can’t afford any sort of letdown. While he explains that every team is in the same boat, it’s the construction of the US team that makes a victory today imperative. Pundits and analysts have all sounded off about the hard nosed, tough style the United States wishes to play while wondering if it can stand up against the speedier, skilled teams like Team Canada, Team Sweden, and Team North America. Beating the Czech Republic and Team Europe then, is “imperative” with Canada looming over the Americans. Burnside reports that Team Europe came back strong against Sweden and will hardly be the pushover that many initially thought. Canada, meanwhile, outplayed the United States in both meetings, despite an American victory in the exhibition opener for both squads. Jonathan Quick will start in the net for the US today while forward Justin Abdelkader appears to be the extra forward.

  • The New York Post’s Larry Brooks strikes a similar chord, saying that this may be the USA’s best chance to ease the pressure of the tournament with a win over Team Europe. Otherwise, Brooks writes, they make the contest with Canada a do-or-die affair, something the US can ill afford. Brooks also calls the US team one that is hardly the fastest or most skilled and echoing Burnside, notes that it’s all by design. Forward Max Pacioretty calls his American teammates a “lunch pail” group that will “make life difficult” for other teams. Pacioretty should know well, as Brooks writes that the Canadiens forward irritated coach John Tortorella with an early hesitation to play hard nosed hockey by skating around the perimeter. But changes were made and now Pacioretty is one of many American players altering their game to fit the “blue collar” hockey America was designed to play. Though they have snipers in Patrick Kane and Blake Wheeler, Team USA appears ready to live and die with the blueprint of toughness.

Atlantic Notes: Marner, Red Wings Trades, Bruins Rookies

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Mitch Marner is ready for the spotlight of Toronto hockey writes Sportsnet’s Michael Grange. The fourth overall pick from the 2014 NHL Draft is ready to prove he belongs in Toronto as he attends his third prospect camp since being selected by the Leafs. Marner has played well with the Ontario Hockey League’s London Knights, registering 59 points (13-46) in 2013-14, 126 points (44-82) in 2014-15,  and 116 points (39-77) in 2015-16. His monstrous production over the past two seasons has the Leafs’ brass attention and Grange writes that should he produce the wizardry he did in London, he’ll absolutely be playing in Toronto this fall. During the Leafs 2-1 victory over the Senators Friday night during the Leafs Rookie Tournament, Marner played well in the Leafs 2-1 victory over the Senators, and also demonstrated some physicality in the Leafs’ win.

In other Atlantic Division notes:

  • Puck Daddy’s Ryan Lambert writes that the Red Wings lack of trades indicate some deeper issues in Hockeytown. The Wings wanted to move Jimmy Howard but failed to do so. They are trying to acquire a top four defenseman but haven’t been able to do that either. Lambert reports that the problem is all the money tied up in older veterans like Henrik Zetterberg and goes as far to say that the Red Wings made a number of poor contract choices this summer. This has been levied by many analysts regarding general manager Ken Holland’s decisions and has contributed to the Red Wings current situation of cap hell. Lambert further writes that the forward core had its struggles last season and that the defense is leaky. Lambert sees the Wings not making any trades due to this situation–unless they find themselves on the outside looking in at the trade deadline. And at that point, the Wings may be sacrificing the future for another playoff run that may end as quickly as the last three have.
  • Joe Haggerty reports via CSNNE that a number of Bruins’ rookies have a real shot at cracking the Bruins roster this fall. Haggerty quotes Boston general manager Don Sweeney as saying that the “door is wide open” for younger players to make their mark. Brandon Carlo, Jakub Zboril and Jeremy Lauzon are three players to watch, and Haggerty says that Carlo has the inside track to make the team out of camp. He does believe that some extra time in the AHL may be a more realistic start for Carlo. Danton Heinen and Jake DeBrusk are also other young Bruins to watch as the Bruins start their analysis of their young talent.

Snapshots: McDavid, Team North America, Team USA Preview

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Connor McDavid finally knows who his linemates are. The newly minted Team North America captain will center a line with Auston Matthews and Mark Scheifele on his left and right respectively. Team North America coach Todd McLellan, who is also McDavid’s bench boss with the Oilers, finally decided on his the lines after experimenting through the exhibition games. McLellan had this to say:

“We’re still looking for combinations that will give us the best chance to win. Connor, I think, has been getting better. I thought Auston’s been one of our top forwards. Those two complement each other, Auston with his size (6-foot-2, 210 pounds) and his ability to hold onto the puck, and Connor with his speed.”

A top line that features the future superstars of the NHL provides excitement as the World Cup of Hockey begins tomorrow. North America has been tabbed as a team that could possibly push Canada and Sweden for the title of champions as they feature depth, speed, and scoring prowess. A line of Matthews-McDavid-Scheifele only guarantees that.  TSN’s Ryan Kennedy continues by writing that the North American squad has gelled quickly and quotes Jack Eichel as saying that his teammates are “awesome” with similar interests. Defenseman Ryan Murray explains:

“Everyone has created some chemistry,” Murray said. “You see guys like Morgan Rielly and Aaron Ekblad, who have never played together before, and they look really good as a pair. That’s pretty rewarding to see.”

That chemistry has translated into success and placed Team North America as a much-watch team for many hockey fans. Kennedy writes that the 23 and under squad is looking forward to the challenge of the tournament as it learned some valuable lessons in just two exhibition games.

In other NHL news:

  • Puck Daddy’s Sean Leahy previews Team USA before tournament play begins and a quick take for the Red, White, and Blue is a team strongest in net but weakest up front. Leahy understands the addition of irritant Ryan Kesler but wonders why Justin Abdelkader and Brandon Dubinsky are on the roster in the first place. Though they bring a physical element, goal scoring isn’t expected to come from them. Leahy notes that the United States boasts Patrick Kane, Joe Pavelski, Blake Wheeler and Max Pacioretty, the four Americans to be in the top 50 of goal scorers last season. Yet the obsession with being “tough to play against” may in fact be USA’s undoing. A complete team effort is necessary for the US to win, Leahy writes, but whether that happens is another matter.

Red Wings Notes: Helm, Mantha, Howard

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It appears that communication was a key roadblock between Darren Helm and Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill throughout the 2015-16 season. The Detroit News’ Ted Kulfan writes that Helm grew frustrated by a lack of understanding when it came to his role on the team. From Helm:

“Sometimes I just didn’t feel like the message was relayed to me clearly,” Helm said. “I didn’t know if I was moving (lines) because I wasn’t playing well or doing things wrong or matchups.

Helm is convinced after talking with Blashill and general manager Ken Holland that things will improve for him during the upcoming season. Helm believes that he will slot in as a third line center and after signing a five-year, $19.25MM deal in July with the Wings, many fans and analysts wonder if Helm will live up to a $3.85MM AAV deal. The biggest knock on Helm is his inability to finish scoring plays. Though his speed and penalty killing prowess is valuable, Helm failed to convert breakaways and excellent scoring chances into goals. For a return on investment, Detroit certainly must hope that Helm will improve upon that and continue to keep the lines of communication open with Blashill.

In other Red Wings news:

  • Top prospect Anthony Mantha believes the time is now to cement his place on the Wings roster. Helene St. James reports that Mantha can “be a force” and is “brimming” with confidence as training camp approaches. Last season, the Red Wings’ 2013 first round pick added some buzz to the power play before being sent back to Grand Rapids to finish the season. For Mantha, he remembers those ten games and uses it as motivation to make the team full time. While the Red Wings roster has a glut of forwards, it’s also been trimmed by injuries to Teemu Pulkkinen, Henrik Zetterberg, and Tomas Jurco. If there’s any time for Mantha to make the roster, this would be a golden opportunity. Zetterberg is expected to return by the start of the season, but Jurco and Pulkkinen are expected to miss some time. For Mantha to stick with the big club, St. James opines that he has to prove himself a top 9 forward instead of jockeying for time on the fourth line. Despite needing youth to step up, Holland will often favor veterans, hence the signing of Steve Ott, to play on a fourth line while the younger players can “over ripen” in the minors.
  • Goaltender Jimmy Howard, who was shopped around the league all summer, plans to give Petr Mrazek a run for his money as the starter reports Ansar Khan.  The 32-year-old netminder lost his starting job to Mrazek two seasons ago, despite a $5.3MM price tag. Now, Howard finds himself on a team as the backup and with a murky future. Howard is expected to be left off the Wings list when it comes time to protect players in the expansion draft next summer. Until then, Howard maintains that he’s happy to still be in Detroit and never wanted to leave. Howard insists that he’ll “push” Mrazek with the intent of making both goaltenders better.

Detroit Red Wings Depth Chart

2016-17 Season Preview: Chicago Blackhawks

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As the NHL season is just weeks away, PHR begins to look at each team in-depth. Today, we focus on the Chicago Blackhawks.

Last season: 47-26-9 (103 points), 3rd place in the Central. Lost in the first round to St. Louis, 4-3.

Cap Space Remaining: $2.49MM  via CapFriendly

Key Newcomers: Brian Campbell (D) – free agent signing (Florida), Michal Kempny (D) – free agent signing (KHL);  Jordin Tootoo (F) – free agent signing (New Jersey).

Key Departures: Bryan Bickell (LW) – traded to Carolina; David Rundblad (D) – contract termination; Andrew Shaw (RW) – traded to Montreal; Teuvo Teravainen (LW) – traded to Carolina.

Player to Watch: Nick Schmaltz – Head coach Joel Quenneville has been known to keep his young players on a short leash and it will be interesting to see how much freedom Q will give the dynamic young forward. Schmaltz has been mentioned in the same breath as former Blackhawk Brandon Saad, who was a huge piece of the team that won the Stanley Cup in 2013 and 2015. Schmaltz turned heads during the World Juniors and has an opportunity to log significant ice time as the Hawks depth isn’t what it once was.

Key Storyline: After an early exit last Spring, do the Hawks have it in them to make another run at the Cup? They had a couple months of extra rest, but still have some holes up front. Marcus Kruger is already fighting an injury and Marian Hossa has slowed a bit from the form that made him a key part of the Hawks’ three Cups. The real question is can the Hawks find talent from the youngsters they’re now counting on, specifically Schmaltz, Tyler Motte, and Vinnie Hinostroza. Corey Crawford has shown he is the man between the pipes and bringing Campbell back will shore up a defensive corps that suffered with consistency last season. Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin should continue to pace the team offensively while Jonathan Toews will be his usual steady self. For the Blackhawks, health and depth will ultimately determine their season and postseason success. Duncan Keith’s knee should hold up and ease some fan concern that something more serious is afoot following last year’s surgery.

General manager Stan Bowman may need to tinker a bit more at the trade deadline, but the assets to deal are dwindling. Then again, should Chicago’s “kids” step in, they could find themselves adding another Cup to its already impressive haul.

Blackhawks Depth Chart

Blues Notes: Stastny Brothers, Prospect Tournament Roster

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The St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Dan O’Neill reports that the Stastny brothers couldn’t be more excited to be together at the Blues camp. Yan Stastny, older brother of current Blues forward Paul Stastny, was invited to participate in St. Louis’ camp with a professional tryout. A journeyman hockey player who has played throughout the world, Yan will lace his skates up for an NHL team for the first time since 2010. Though making the team is considered a long shot, Stastny is only concerned about the experience:

“Realistically, I’m going to go have fun,” said Stastny, who makes his home in St. Louis. “I got a phone call out of the blue from (Blues general manager) Doug Armstrong and I asked him if I could take a little time to think about it … But it gives me a chance to skate and stay in shape, if something comes up, in Europe or wherever. Right now, I think I’m the oldest guy going to camp, so I take a little pride in that — the fact that I’m still playing. I’m just going in to compete and have some fun. I know the game has changed quite a bit since I last played in North America. But you never know what can happen. There have been longer shots.”

For the younger Stastny, it’s a thrill to have his older brother in camp. Though they’ve never been on the same professional team, Paul said it will be “exciting” and said it’s a moment that “you dream of” but really aren’t sure that it will actually happen. For the Stastny brothers, it’s a terrific opportunity to spend time together as not only teammates, but brothers and friends. Anything that happens after that would certainly be a bonus.

In other Blues news:

  • The Blues have announced their prospect roster for the NHL Prospects Tournament writes Jeremy Rutherford. The Prospect Tournament is held in Traverse City, Michigan, and features the prospects of eight teams that include the Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota Wild and the New York Rangers. In the round robin tournament, the Blues will face the Red Wings, Blackhawks and Blue Jackets. Forward Ivan Barbashev and defenseman Jordan Schmaltz are just two of the many prospects on the list to participate.

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