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West Notes: Vanek, Seguin, McDavid

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Forward Thomas Vanek is having a bigger effect on the Canucks than previously expected writes Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre. Though some fans were concerned about the one-year deal Vanek inked, the early indicators are that Vanek will turn out to be quite the bargain. Though the Wild cut him loose with a buyout during the summer of 2016, the Red Wings took a flier and then flipped him to the Panthers for a draft pick and Dylan McIlrath thanks to a nice return during his five months in Detroit. Though he only potted two goals for the Panthers, MacIntyre points out that he has five goals and fifteen points in 23 games already for Vancouver. For a player seeing third and fourth line work (13:18 ATOI), Vanek has been a low risk signing that has produced with limited minutes. Though there was concern he would block prospects, it’s shown that the veteran forward still has value.

  • Tyler Seguin embraced the change from sniper to two-way forward reports Dallas Morning-News beat writer Mike Heika. While many weren’t sure how he would react going from goal scorer to having to be more defensively conscious, Seguin couldn’t wait. Heika writes that the moves, however, created some problems for Hitchcock and Seguin. Calling him a “goal-scorer,” Hitchcock tweaked lines to get some of the early season magic back for Seguin. Pairing him with Jason Spezza on Friday night, Seguin responded with a hat trick in a 6-4 win over Calgary. Spezza moved to right wing and the gamble paid dividends as Seguin notched his first hat trick of the season. Though Alexander Radulov and Jamie Benn were the ideal linemates for Seguin, it was necessary for Hitchcock to keep the team balanced. Friday’s move is one that Hitchcock hopes can keep Seguin’s name on the score sheet consistently.
  • As the Oilers stumble through their first quarter of the season, Sportsnet’s Andrew Berkshire wonders if Connor McDavid is truly regressing defensively. Much has been made about Edmonton’s struggles to score goals outside of McDavid, and Berkshire writes that it’s splitting hairs picking on a player who is responsible for nearly 50% of the Oilers scoring. Instead, Berkshire takes the opposite approach, showing both graphically and through words that McDavid has actually been just fine this season–especially where he’s been criticized heavily when it comes to turnovers. A closer look reveals time lost due to penalties–which is a team-wide problem, as one of the culprits. Berkshire argues that a  32 second increase in penalty minutes and a three second decrease in power play time caused a drastic swing in performance for not only McDavid, but the entire team performance. A closer look at the problem, through the use of numbers, reveals that McDavid isn’t the problem at all.

Poll: Which Surprise Team Will Make The Playoffs?

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It’s still early and injuries or other misfortunes can befall a team at any point, but there certainly are a number of “surprise” teams in the playoff hunt as of today. Many general managers use the American Thanksgiving as a measuring point for whether their team is truly built for the second season. Some of those teams, namely the Vegas Golden Knights, were expected to endure years of losing before they experienced a playoff appearance. Just a week outside of December, there a number of squads that will continue to push toward a playoff berth while others regress to the mean.

So which surprise team has the best chance of making the playoffs?

East Notes: Red Wings, Sabres, Capitals

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The Athletic’s Prashanth Iyer hands out some quarterly grades (subscription needed) for the Red Wings and there were some surprises for Iyer in the first 20+ games. Iyer lists Jonathan Ericsson and Luke Glendening as a couple players who earned better marks for improved play while youngsters Dylan Larkin and Anthony Mantha both received As for their strong, team leading performances thus far. Iyer points out that Detroit has seen some modest improvement from last season, but it’s in the special teams where they’ve seen jumps, which has certainly helped their bubble-team playoff hopes. He does point out, however, that the 5v5 play will need to improve, or the Wings will be on the outside looking in for the second consecutive season.

  • Sportsnet’s Rory Boylen writes that despite tanking and acquiring a star in Jack Eichel, the Sabres blueprint of suffering through lean years to get top talent hasn’t worked as they planned. Now, as they sink to the bottom of the Eastern Conference, the losing appears to be taking its toll on not only the fanbase, but players both on the current roster and those who went to playoff-ready teams. Boylen points out that for every success story in Toronto, Pittsburgh or Chicago, there are the Edmonton and Colorado cautionary tales that reveal a circle of hell that revolves around missing the playoffs and drafting high only to see little in return. Buffalo seems to be trapped, once again eyeing a top pick in 2018 with an 82% chance of not even getting that top pick. Worse, it’s shedding that “culture of losing” which has ensnared Sabres present and past. Changing the front office and coaching staff hasn’t changed much, and though it will take time, the Sabres are mired in a negative cycle that is challenging to escape.
  • Are the Capitals next to see a decline in play? ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski listed a number of reasons why dark days may be ahead for Washington, who has come oh-so-close to turning that corner in capturing a Stanley Cup. And yet, it’s always found a way to be stopped–be it the always vexing Pittsburgh Penguins or a key injury at the most inopportune time, the Caps could never find a way to maneuver around that last hurdle to secure as much as a Cup Final appearance. Wyshynski writes that optimism remains in the organization but they’re certainly inching closer to that “iceberg” that could ultimately sink the Caps once and for all.

Red Wings Notes: Abdelkader, Frk, “Relentless Hockey”

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Detroit Red Wings forward Justin Abdelkader was one of many players the organization needed to rebound this season for the team to improve. MLive’s Ansar Khan writes that this is exactly what has happened so far this season as Abdelkader has 14 points (4-10) and has notched a point in nine of his last ten games. The 30-year-old winger was the subject of fan derision after struggling last season, which followed the signing of his seven-year, $29.8MM contract. Abdelkader was rewarded for his strong play while on a line with Pavel Datsyuk, and many pointed to his performance as being tied solely to Datsyuk. Healthier this season, Abdelkader has shown why the Red Wings invested so much in him. If he can stay healthy, he’s on pace for 57 points.

  • Right Wing Martin Frk is still at least a week away from returning according to Khan. The right-hand shot with a booming slapper has been one of many bright spots on the Red Wings roster, especially helping a power play that languished last season. The 24-year-old has nine points (6-3) in 18 games this season.
  • The Detroit Free Press’ Helene St. James reports that Detroit wants to play “relentless hockey” so they’re not suddenly looking up at a gap in the standings. Currently, the Wings are third in the Atlantic and face the flailing Edmonton Oilers tonight, who are reeling after an 8-3 loss to St. Louis last night. It was the Oilers, St. James writes, that spurred the Red Wings current 4-1-1 run. Head coach Jeff Blashill stressed the importance of staying out of the defensive zone, a problem that saw them blow a 3-1 lead Sunday night and eventually lose 4-3 in overtime. Blashill also told St. James that it’s important to play every game “relentlessly,” a necessity in a league where a playoff spot could literally be decided by a regulation win.

Central Notes: Tarasenko, Jets, Bouma

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The St. Louis Blues extended the Edmonton Oilers’ misery with an 8-3 beating on Tuesday night. But who would have thought the beating would have come not only from the blades of the stick, but from Vladimir Tarasenko’s fists, too? The St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Tom Timmermann highlights that Tarasenko’s Gordie Howe hat trick last night was just another sign that the Russian superstar is willing to do whatever it takes to keep the Blues as the top of the Western Conference. Tarasenko, along with winning the fight, added two goals, two helpers, and inspired the bench with his willingness to drop the gloves. Though its still early in the season and teams can fade down the stretch, there’s no denying that this tight-knit Blues squad is doing everything right so far.

  • The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn writes (paid content)  that no one saw the Winnipeg Jets being a top-five team at the start of the season. Even with a 79% chance to make the playoffs, according to Luszczyszyn’s projections, he does point out that some red flags exist despite the Jets’ hot start. Winnipeg is ranked in the bottom half of the league in Score-Adjusted Corsi. Additionally, as Luszczyszyn dives into the advanced stats, it reveals that the Jets are trending in the wrong direction statistically–indicating that the team is due to regress from its hot start. Luszczyszyn also presents some numbers that show a cause for concern about Blake Wheeler, who may be seeing his play decline at a quicker rate than many could have predicted.
  • Lance Bouma has been a great addition and his simple approach to the game is paying dividends for the Blackhawks writes the Chicago Sun-Times Mark Lazerus. Though his scoresheet stats aren’t exactly setting the league ablaze, it’s his defensive responsibility that is getting the attention. Lazerus reports that aside from the physical side of his game, it’s his ability to advance the puck out of trouble that has kept him as a mainstay in coach Joel Quenneville’s lineup. Bouma isn’t going to get fancy–instead he simply pushes to get the puck out of the defensive zone as quickly as he can. This simplicity, Lazerus writes, is something that some of his teammates could take note of.

Suspension Sunday: Gudas Gets 10 Games, Watson Gets Two

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Following a dangerous slash on the Winnipeg Jets’ Mathieu Perreault, Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Radko Gudas was suspended for ten games per the NHL’s Department of Player Safety. A video of the incident, including an explanation and rationale for the suspension was released as well. TSN’s Frank Seravalli tweets that the suspension will cost Gudas $408,538.60.

This isn’t the first time that Gudas finds himself on the wrong side of the NHL’s law. In 2016, Gudas was suspended for six games following a vicious hit on Boston’s Austin Czarnik. In December of 2015, he was suspended for three games after head hunting Mika Zibanejad.

Ejections and misconducts have been a staple of his play, and the ten game suspension is a loud message from the NHL’s Safety Department. With a game that is under the microscope for head hits in a CTE aware world, Gudas’ two-handed slash to Perreault’s head, who has a history of concussions, was an easy call for a long suspension. While Gudas claimed it was “accidental,” the department of player safety indicated that as  repeat offender under the terms of the CBA, he was suspended for ten games.

There are some who feel the suspension wasn’t heavy enough, in light of Gudas’ history targeting the head. If Gudas doesn’t learn from this suspension, next time may be even longer, more costly for the wallet and possibly his employment.

  • In other suspension news, the Nashville Predators’ Austin Watson received a two-game suspension from the NHL Department of Player Safety for his hit on Colorado’s Dominic Toninato. Video of the hit and explanation can be found here. Watson hit Toninato after the Avs’ forward chipped the puck out of the zone. His back turned and in a defenseless position, Tonianato was boarded by Watson and because of no prior history of suspensions, fines, or unsportsmanlike hits, Watson received a two-game suspension.

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Chicago Blackhawks

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As the holiday season approaches, PHR will look at what teams are thankful for this year. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We take a look at what’s gone well in the first month and what could improve as the season rolls on. 

What are the Chicago Blackhawks most thankful for? 

Breaking that goal scoring drought.

After a prolonged struggle where fans, and pundits were wondering what was ailing the team, the Blackhawks rallied to beat Carolina, and though they lost 7-5 to New Jersey, showed their offense was able to show up for more than just a couple goals. They cooled off the Rangers thanks to an Artem Anisimov hat trick on Wednesday, and then beat the defending champs last night 2-1. More reassuring is that the power play, which had been sputtering, has been more effective, scoring at a 29.4% clip (5/17) against Carolina, New Jersey, New York, and Pittsburgh.

Who are the Blackhawks most thankful for? 

Corey Crawford.

The veteran netminder has been clutch for the team this year, keeping them in the games while they struggled to find the back of the net. This season, Crawford has a .933 save percentage, with .934 during even strength and an astounding .920 save percentage on the penalty kill. As a comparison, during the Hawks’ last Stanley Cup winning season in 2015, it was .879. That’s with a solid blue line, and stingy back checking, penalty killing forwards in Marcus Kruger, Jonathan Toews, Marian Hossa, and Brandon Saad.

Crawford has put the team on his back during its struggles and though at some point, he’ll come back to earth a bit, there’s no question how important he’s been for them between the pipes.

What would the Blackhawks be more thankful for? 

A top pairing defenseman.

This isn’t to disparage Duncan Keith or Brent Seabrook because they’re still good in their own right. But they also look slower and older–thanks to years of deep playoff runs. The Hawks have several good options, but Connor Murphy hasn’t been as strong as they initially thought he would be. Gustav Forsling is getting better with each game,  but they’re just lacking that top defenseman that helped carry them to three Stanley Cups. The tricky part, of course, is the salary cap situation along with who they would trade in order to get that caliber of a defenseman.

What should be on the Blackhawks’ Holiday Wish List? 

Defensive help, moreso for depth if they can’t acquire (because it’d be so . Offensively they look solid with Alex DeBrincat coming into his own. Acquiring a defenseman at a rental price, such as Mike Green from the Red Wings (should he be made available) could do wonders for a team that could use a boost on the blueline. It also wouldn’t burden the cap for next season as his contract would expire at the end of the season. Green is just one of many defensemen that could take an average blueline into an above-average one capable of taking them deeper into the playoffs.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Atlantic Notes: Eichel, Housley, Red Wings, Lightning

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The Buffalo News’ Mike Harrington writes how Buffalo’s struggles are just as perplexing as those affecting its franchise player, Jack Eichel. The third year pro has looked frustrated and lethargic this season as the Sabres sink to the bottom of the Atlantic, and the Eastern Conference even before the (American) Thanksgiving holiday. Harrington writes:

There’s one gnawing issue that keeps growing: What’s going on with Jack Eichel?

Forget about an elephant in the room. This is an entire herd. Eichel is not the guy we’ve seen the last two years. He was invisible again for long stretches Saturday — not getting a single shot on goal for more than 48 minutes.

He continues on the subject of Eichel, stating that the “dirty secret” amongst Sabres fans is that Eichel is essentially lolly-gagging around the ice when he should be skating harder. Worse, he pinpoints a play during the Sabres 3-1 loss to Carolina Saturday night where Eichel was a non-factor in what would be the game winning score. It’s Eichel, Harringon pens, who got his wish when former coach Dan Bylsma was fired. Which leads Harrington to his next subject: new bench boss Phil Housley.

  • Calling him “Pollyanna Phil,” Harrington opines that while the first year coach finally talked tough following an uninspiring loss to Detroit, he was back to his passive ways Saturday. Where Harrington points out that Eichel may need to be shown how lackluster his play has been, Housley has instead gone a more positive route, choosing to highlight what he believes Eichel has done well. If you have a future captain, inked to an expensive long term deal, Harrington suggests that it may behoove the Sabres to call things as they truly are with Eichel.
  • The Detroit News’ Gregg Krupa highlights the Red Wings’ young players as the reason for the team’s latest reversal of fortune. It’s been an uptick in usage of Andreas Athanasiou, Dylan Larkin, and Anthony Mantha that has helped the team while captain Henrik Zetterberg has taken a lesser role while still playing at a high level. Krupa adds that nine players on the team have four or more goals, showing that the more even distribution of ice time has benefitted the team.
  • Tampa Bay hasn’t lost much this season, but when they have, it’s provided a “reality check” writes the Tampa Bay Times’ Roger Mooney. The Bolts have lost for only the third time this season, and as it was in the other two contests, they came out flat and ran out of time. Mooney points out that the team was resilient after both early season losses, ripping off a couple winning streaks after. Bench boss John Cooper likened it to the old Forrest Gump quote: “That stuff happens.” Regardless, it doesn’t seem to have fazed them in the slightest. Simply put, Mooney quoted Ondrej Palat as saying, “We have to be better,”

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Buffalo Sabres

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As the holiday season approaches, PHR will look at what teams are thankful for this year. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We take a look at what’s gone well in the first month and what could improve as the season rolls on. 

What are the Buffalo Sabres most thankful for? 

The chance at another high draft pick.

They’re the worst team in the Eastern Conference and many aren’t sure they’ve hit bottom yet. They finally notched a win after an 0-4-1 start, and had a nice 3-2 stretch before going 2-7, with another loss coming at the hands of the Red Wings on Friday. Sabres fans are hunkering down for another long season of losses, but if the younger players grow it at least helps stomach the losing a bit. But to what is one of the most loyal and hardcore fanbases in hockey, the Sabres seem stuck in a perpetual rebuild while the Maple Leafs, who went the same route, are enjoying far more success.

The right numerical combination in April could net the Sabres the first or second overall pick but as the Avalanche learned last Spring, nothing is guaranteed. If anything, it would at least cushion what is looking like another brutal season.

Who are the Sabres most thankful for? 

Evander Kane’s stock continues to rise.

It’s no secret that the phone has been ringing in Buffalo with trade offers for the winger. Kane has been strong this season, being a point-per-game player. The better Kane plays–the more value he has as the trade deadline nears. Teams will be hunting for a goal scorer that could tip the scales in their favor, and Kane, being added to a team with playoff talent, would fit that need perfectly. While he is a UFA at the end of the 2017-18 season, his scoring knack would be too much to pass on for a team desperate for scoring. Should the Sabres continue to struggle, Kane could net valuable picks, top prospect or maybe both.

What would the Sabres be more thankful for? 

Goalscoring. And lots more of it.

The slumping Sabres have been hurt by their players not putting the puck in the back of the net. Kyle Okposo was brought into score goals and he only has two (though he did rebound from a scary medical incident last season). Sam Reinhart hasn’t scored as expected.   And that brings us to Jack Eichel.

Eichel is second on the team with points (5-11-16) but he is not finding the net, either. Worse, not one defenseman this season has scored a goal, through 19 games (through Friday). Jack Eichel

What should be on the Sabres’ Holiday Wish List? 

If the season truly is doomed, fetching draft picks and prospects for impact players seems to be at the top of the list. New general manager Jason Botterill has hands full trying to navigate out of some bad contracts and a lack of depth that has handcuffed the Sabres chances of rebuilding successfully. At 5-10-4, hope of anything besides a last place finish seems far-fetched. Jason Pominville (6-7-13) has been a bright spot and could yield a higher pick, as well as cap relief, should his play continue to be strong. Like Kane, put in the right spot with a team seeking a long playoff run, he could be great depth scoring. At this point, anything on the wish list has an eye on the future.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Evening Snapshots: Blackhawks, Rangers, Smith

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Are major changes really necessary for the Chicago Blackhawks? Chicago Sun-Times reporter Mark Lazerus thinks it all starts on the ice, moving the speedy Alex DeBrincat onto a more skilled line instead of letting him languish on a grinder line. Further, any talk of letting head coach Joel Quenneville go doesn’t jive with Lazerus. Aside from trying to find a better coach than Quenneville, who has three Cups with the Hawks, Lazerus reasons that if the locker room is already lost, who is going to be better than the coach who has the second most wins in league history? It begins with changes on the ice and as long as the big guns start playing as they have in the past, maybe then their fortunes will surely turn around.

  • Larry Brooks reports that the consistency in the Rangers game has been a major contributor to their six-game winning streak. Brooks writes that head coach Alain Vigneault has been pushing all the right buttons and that the Rangers’ comfort has been showing on the ice. It’s been the “stable defensive pairings,” that Brooks points to as making the most sense and bringing the team onto a new level of comfort.
  • Speaking of defense, Brooks adds that the “Brendan Smith situation” needs to be addressed as the re-signed defenseman has been a healthy scratch over the past five games. Smith inked a four-year, $17.4M deal after being traded from the Detroit Red Wings last season. Smith responded with four points in 18 games after arriving in the Big Apple. In the playoffs, he added another four assists in 12 games. But what the frustrated the Red Wings with his inconsistency, and often baffling play, it never came with the price tag attached now. At an AAV of $4.35M, the deal isn’t looking very good as Smith has only appeared in 11 games this season. While he isn’t the most expensive defenseman on the roster, it’s still looking like a shaky investment for a player who’s watching more than playing.

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