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Winnipeg Jets Acquire Pierre-Luc Dubois For Patrik Laine, Jack Roslovic

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Morning has arrived and with it the Pierre-Luc Dubois trade that was reported as imminent yesterday. The Winnipeg Jets, considered the favorite late last night, have completed a deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets to add the cornerstone center, as first reported by TSN’s Darren Dreger. The club has parted ways with two disgruntled young pieces of their own: winger Patrik Laine, selected one spot ahead of Dubois in 2016, and RFA center Jack Roslovic, a Columbus native. The Jets also receive a 2022 third-round pick alongside Dubois. Both teams have confirmed the trade.

The Jets have retained 26% of Laine’s salary for the final year of his current contract, according to TSN’s Frank Seravalli, bringing his cap hit down to $4.995MM and making the cap exchange of the two players even given Dubois’ $5MM AAV. Of course, Roslovic will also contribute to the Blue Jackets’ cap and Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that he has already agreed to a two-year contract. Colleague Chris Johnston believes Roslovic’s new deal carries a $1.9MM AAV; PuckPedia adds that the breakdown is as follows:

2020-21: $1.3MM
2021-22: $2.5MM

The qualifying offer at the end of the deal will be $2.28MM, the lower of 120% of the AAV and the final-year salary.  It’s also worth noting that with the contract being signed in-season, the AAV will vary each year.  This season, the cap charge will be just under $2.018MM while next season, the charge will be a little under $1.844MM.

There seemed to be too much in common between these two clubs for this not to be the eventual deal that ended the Dubois saga in Columbus. Dubois and Laine are a very similar caliber of player, with almost identical draft billing and both currently playing on bridge deals. Both were also not content with their current surroundings. Then there is Roslovic, who was an unsigned restricted free agent still living at home in Columbus early on this season. Perhaps the most disgruntled of all, Roslovic likely could not be happier with staying home. Dubois also has ties to the city of Winnipeg and the organization as his father, Eric Dubois, serves as an assistant coach for the AHL’s Manitoba Moose and his parents live there year-round.

With that said, Columbus’ own beat writer for The Athletic, Aaron Portzline, was skeptical that Laine and Roslovic would be headed to Columbus without another substantial sweetener alongside Dubois. He noted that the Jets were also thought to be seeking a defenseman, an area of strength on the Blue Jackets’ organizational depth chart. Not only did Columbus succeed in making this deal without giving up a Vladislav Gavrikov but they also held on to young blue liners like Andrew Peeke and Gabriel Carlsson at the cost of a third-rounder.

All things considered, the Blue Jackets make out very well in this trade. Dubois is a tough piece to give up, but there is a very strong argument to be made that Laine is the best player in the deal. The big, sniping winger has notched 140 goals and 250 points in 306 NHL games, finishing in the top ten league-wide in goal scoring twice in just four seasons. The 2017 All-Star is one of the most dangerous shooters and power play assets on the planet and should help to bring along some of Columbus’ young centers. That now includes Roslovic, who is 23 years old just like Dubois and Laine and a first-round pick as well. The young pivot has shown flashes of high-end ability and will finally land a permanent top-nine role in Columbus. Of course, the final judgement on the deal will have to wait a couple of years. The Blue Jackets have struggled to retain top talent and head coach John Tortorella has a history of clashing with players, so how contract negotiations play out between the team and Laine (and potentially Roslovic as well) will dictate how successful this move was for Columbus’ long-term success.

As for Winnipeg, the team adds yet another skilled center to a roster that was already deep on the wing and now has the talent to match down the middle. Dubois has recorded 159 points in 239 NHL games, not including a 2020 postseason where he tallied ten points in ten games and averaged nearly 23 minutes per night. While Dubois will miss some time with a mandatory 14-day quarantine, Laine was out of action on injured reserve anyhow. Once Dubois joins the Jets, who have the second-best record in the North Division early on, the team could be primed for a strong season and playoff success. They also will have nearly two seasons to evaluate Dubois before he needs a new contract. The hope in Winnipeg is that playing closer to family and having more sustained success will be enough to keep Dubois content and committed to the club long-term.

While many sources believed that the Jets were the most likely team to wind up completing a deal for Dubois, they were not the only team still in pursuit. Friedman reported last night that the Anaheim Ducks, Calgary Flames, and Montreal Canadiens were still very much in the mix. He added that the Ducks, a team chock full of talented prospects, were thought to have significantly improved their offer recently. Well-off contenders like the Tampa Bay Lightning and Colorado Avalanche were even been linked to the young forward, who has the makings of a long-term top-six center. In fact, TSN’s Frank Seravalli says that it is easier to name the teams who were not interested in Dubois and assume all other at least kicked the tires. That list of non-suitors includes the Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers, Nashville Predators, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Vegas Golden Knights. Practically anyone else could have still made a competing offer in time, but with Laine and Roslovic on the table for the Jets, Winnipeg was always likely to come out on top.

Snapshots: Tkachuk, Provorov, Hutton, Pastrnak

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Although his entry-level contract expires after this season, Brady Tkachuk and the Ottawa Senators are not rushing into contract talks. Tkachuk spoke with the media on Wednesday, including The Ottawa Sun’s Ken Warren, and stated that he was happy with the club and not worried about negotiating an extension. “We’re not really talking about (a new contract),” Tkachuk said, “I don’t think that’s the focus for both sides. Our goal right now is to do everything we can to make the playoffs.” Neither side really has much to worry about anyhow. Tkachuk has continually stated that he enjoys playing for the team and living in Ottawa and seems committed to a long-term future with the Senators. And with more than $34MM in projected cap space for next season and few existing long-term contracts to worry about, the club should have no problem giving their young centerpiece whatever he wants in order to ensure a lengthy extension of their relationship.

  • No league discipline is coming for Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov in regards to a net front collision that injured Buffalo Sabres goaltender Carter Hutton on Tuesday. The play in question did look like it was at least partially caused by Hutton’s teammate, Brandon Montour, and there is not nearly enough evidence for NHL Player Safety to state that Provorov was definitively at fault. That hasn’t stopped Sabres head coach Ralph Krueger from publicly stating his disappointment with the situation, though. Krueger tells The Athletic’s Charlie O’Connor that Provorov’s actions were purposeful: “if you look at the way the elbow comes extended, you know what you’re doing.” Krueger believes his team has already been the victims of several bad hits to the head so far this season and is clearly to get some extra attention for the next time such a situation arises. Hutton continued on in the game following the collision, but did not return after the second intermission and is currently questionable for the Sabres’ next game.
  • The Boston Bruins’ scoring woes are one of the early season’s biggest stories, but help is on the way. NHL.com’s Amalie Benjamin writes that David Pastrnak is ahead of schedule in his recovery from off-season hip surgery. Initially expected to return around mid-February, Pastrnak has already re-joined practice as a non-contact participant. Head coach Bruce Cassidy now expects that he could return to action as early as late next week. The reigning Rocket Richard Trophy winner will be a welcome addition to a team that has yet to produce an even strength goal through three games.

NHL Fines Washington Capitals $100K For Violating COVID Protocol

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UPDATE: For some context as to why the league took the Capitals’ violation so seriously, just look at the caliber of the players at fault. Evgeny Kuznetsov, Dmitry Orlov, Alex Ovechkin, and Ilya Samsonov appeared on the NHL’s COVID Protocol Related Absences list today, implying that the group including the captain and starting goalie were the perpetrators of the COVID violation.

The Capitals have released a statement lamenting the actions of their players. Ovechkin himself also released a statement of regret that he and his teammates socialized in their hotel room rather than in approved locker room areas.

 

The NHL is not fooling around when it comes to protecting its players and staff as well as its 2020-21 season from the Coronavirus pandemic. The league has announced this evening that the Washington Capitals have been fined $100K for violations of the NHL COVID-19 Protocols. The Capitals are the first team to face discipline related to the league’s COVID policies.

As might be expected, the perpetrators in this case were the Washington players. The league reports that the Capitals were cited for “social interaction among team members who were in close contact and who were not wearing face coverings.” While the players obviously interact with one another on the ice and on the bench during games and practices, the league has asked that all additional exposure be limited – a request that the Capitals did not adhere to.

Especially in a season in which revenue will be slashed considerably due to the lack of fans in the stands, a $100K fine is no small thing for owner Ted Leonsis and his team. The NHL has made an example of the Capitals to show that there will not be any leniency, even for a first offense, when it comes to COVID protocol. The hope is that this message comes through clearly around the league as the NHL hopes to get through the current season without issue in the midst of an ongoing public health crisis.

Canucks Announce Loan Agreement With AHL’s Manitoba Moose

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Given the ongoing border restrictions related to the Coronavirus pandemic, there was always a sense that Canadian NHL clubs maintaining their American AHL affiliates could pose problems this season. The Vancouver Canucks however have found a work-around. The team has announced that they have reached a loan agreement with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose that will allow them to assign players to the Winnipeg Jets’ affiliate this season. The Canucks will also continue to maintain their relationship with their own AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets, who are also receiving players from the St. Louis Blues this year.

By striking a deal with the Moose, the Canucks have essentially added yet another level of recall ease this season. Beyond their active roster, the Canucks already have their six-man taxi squad who can be recalled immediately. They now have a second layer of players who will be assigned to Manitoba and will require just a seven-day quarantine before joining the NHL club. This initial group will include Tyler Graovac, Ashton Sautner, and Arturs Silovs, per the team release. Finally, they will have a younger, developmental group remaining in Utica who, if absolutely necessary, can be recalled but will require a fourteen-day quarantine period in accordance with federal regulations.

Now that this relationship is in place between Vancouver and Manitoba, the next question becomes whether the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers will also explore a similar arrangement. While four of the seven Canadian teams have AHL affiliates within their own national borders and the Canucks are now linked with one of those clubs, the Flames and Oilers still have American affiliates and face the same inconvenient federal quarantine policy should they need to make a recall beyond their taxi squad. Manitoba, the farthest west of the four Canadian AHL teams, would also be the most reasonable for the Alberta clubs, but should the Jets nix the idea of yet another rival stealing play time from their prospects, there are affiliates in Binghamton, Laval, and Toronto that could serve the same purpose.

NHL Pulls Current Batch of “Tracking” Pucks

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The NHL and its coaches and players are unhappy with one of its newest innovations. Microchipped “tracking” pucks, first introduced in the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs, were intended to bring the league into a new age of technological analysis. However, the current batch of pucks is different than those used seamlessly in the postseason – and people can tell.

NBC Sports reports that a number of players and coaches have complained to the league about the new pucks, which were finished differently than the playoff batch. This included Philadelphia Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault, who claimed the pucks “didn’t slide as well”, and Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin, who commented the pucks were “bouncing everywhere.” As a result, the NHL has announced that the pucks have been pulled from gameplay, beginning with Tuesday night’s contests. Pucks from last season will be used for the time being.

Fortunately, the league does expect that new tracking pucks will be ready for action soon. The new batch will also undergo testing before being rolled out. Puck tracking information has long been desired in the NHL and they will work hard to make sure they can get that data back as soon as possible.

Vegas Still Struggling With Salary Cap Balance

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Ahead of their game on Monday night, the Vegas Golden Knights swapped out a pair of young players from their active roster. After starting only five defensemen to begin the season, the team has recalled Nic Hague to serve as their sixth defenseman. In a corresponding move, Cody Glass has been assigned to the taxi squad. For the time being, it’s a move that the Golden Knights have to make.

Although Vegas would like to have both young standouts in the lineup, they do not have the cap space to fit both. Even with both on entry-level contracts, the Knights’ $294K in cap space (even with the more affordable Hague on the roster) is not enough for an additional player. Vegas is stuck with the minimum roster of 20 players. That 20-man group cannot include both Hague and Glass, either. They are the only members of the Knights that are waivers-exempt, meaning opening up space for both would require subjecting another player to the waiver wire. The deep, veteran roster of the Golden Knights does not offer many safe waiver options and those that might clear, such as Keegan Kolesar or Zach Whitecloud, make even less than Glass or Hague would still put the team in a difficult salary cap spot.

Barring an injury and LTIR placement to open up space, the Knights will either need to continue this careful balancing act or make a move. While Glass and Hague are both ready for full-time NHL roles, the Knights could decide that keeping their roster together this season is more important than the development of either prospect in a shortened season. However, if they feel that their best chance at a Stanley Cup is to ice a lineup with both Glass and Hague during the regular season, something has to give.

IIHF To Move 2021 World Championship From Belarus

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Due to ongoing political unrest in Belarus, the IIHF has made the decision that they will not allow 2021 World Championship games to be played in the country as planned. Minsk, Belarus was expected to play co-host to the tournament this spring along with Riga, Latvia. However, out of concern for the safety and security of all participants and fans, the IIHF will move forward with a new plan for the World Championship. The IIHF Council stated the following:

Due to safety and security issues that are beyond the IIHF’s control, the IIHF Council confirmed today that the decision to move the 2021 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship from Minsk, Belarus is unavoidable. The decision was reached by Council following the conclusion of an extensive due diligence process.

The IIHF has a duty of care to all Championship participants. As such, IIHF Bylaw 9 provides the IIHF Council the ability to withdraw an IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship from a hosting nation if there is reason for concern that the well-being or the safe freedom of movement of the players, officials, traveling spectators and media is in doubt.

Taking into consideration everything the IIHF Council learned during the due diligence process, the IIHF Council has determined that it is currently impossible to ensure the welfare of teams, spectators and officials while holding a World Championship in Belarus.

While the IIHF alleges that they came to this conclusion through unbiased due diligence, they did receive outside pressure to make the change as well. The Swiss Ice Hockey Federation recently put out a statement condemning human rights violations in Belarus and calling for IIHF President Rene Fasel to put his duties ahead of his friendship with Belarus president Aleksander Lukaschenko. Swiss Hockey obviously still felt some responsibility about the tournament after canceling the 2020 World Championship in Switzerland and declining the invitation to host in 2021 due to concerns over the Coronavirus pandemic. Swiss Hockey again reiterated that they are not a candidate to replace Belarus as a host of any 2021 games. There were also sponsors, including Skoda, that had threatened to back out of their support if games were held in Belarus.

The IIHF is now left to decide how they want to move forward with the tournament’s hosts. Latvia will need to be considered in any decisions, as they are still a valid co-host of the event. The IIHF could decide to use Riga as the singular host for all games if they can make the logistics work. Otherwise, there are no other cities in Latvia that could likely co-host, meaning another country will need to be considered. Nearby options include Russia and Finland, though both are major hockey countries who likely would prefer not to be co-hosts. In fact, Finland nearly won the 2021 bid over Latvia and Belarus and the IIHF could explore returning to that option. However, if Latvia wants to remain a host this year, other smaller participating countries who could serve as co-host include Baltic neighbor Denmark or perhaps a Kazakhstan or Slovakia.

Lineup Notes: Dubois, Oilers, Blackhawks

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Columbus Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella stated that star center Pierre-Luc Dubois’ trade request would not be a distraction for he or the team this season. In just their third game of the season, that may already be proving untrue. In Monday’s matinee against the Detroit Red Wings, Dubois was seemingly benched for the second half of the second period. He saw just one short shift in the final seven minutes of the frame. When he did play in the second, Dubois also skated on a makeshift fourth line for several shifts. However, it was Dubois who scored the eventual game-winning goal early in the third period and his usage returned to normal the rest of the way. Speaking with the media following the game, Tortorella underplayed Dubois’ usage, stating “You’ll know when I bench someone, don’t try to manifest something…” Given how candid Tortorella has been about the Dubois situation and not letting it become a distraction, there is some believability to his postgame comments. Yet, there was also no reason for Dubois to play so little late in the second, leaving questions of whether there will be continued mind games between coach and player until the trade request is finaly honored.

  • With just two points through their first three games, the Edmonton Oilers are off to a bit of a slow start. Head coach Dave Tippett was honest in his criticism of the team’s play following a 5-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday and with the Habs up again on Monday night, he has made a major change to his defense group. Ethan Bear, one of just three Oilers to play in every game in 2019-20, will be made a healthy scratch. Bear received a specific shout out from his coach for some poor play on Saturday and will take a seat as a result. It is a bold move by Tippett to bench a young, play-driving defenseman who looks to be a major piece for the Oilers’ future, but he hopes the move will inspire some better defensive decisions from Bear moving forward. In the same vein of improving defensively, Caleb Jones will also be scratched on Monday. A young, offensive-minded blue liner like Bear, Jones’ -4 rating is worst among Edmonton defensemen so far. In their place, veteran Kris Russell will draw into the lineup as will rookie William Lagesson. Lagesson has just eight games of NHL experience, with sheltered minutes and zero points no less, but the organization likes his balanced approach to the position and has stated that he will be given more opportunity this season.
  • Through three games – and three losses – it doesn’t look like Collin Delia or Malcolm Subban are ready to be the starter for the Chicago Blackhawks. The pair have allowed 15 goals against for nearly identical 5.00 goals against averages as well as matching save percentages of .848. When Chicago declined to add a veteran goaltender this off-season, it was clear that there would be some growing pains, but this is as bad a start as could have been expected. Enter Kevin Lankinen. Whether this was truly the plan from the start or in response to these early poor results, head coach Jeremy Colliton told the media today that the plan is a to have as close to an even split as possible between Delia, Subban, and Lankinen, with the current taxi squad keeper getting an opportunity soon. Lankinen has yet to make an NHL appearance through two seasons in North America and had just pedestrian AHL numbers last year. However, his performance as an AHL rookie and certainly his play in Finland’s Liiga earlier in his career inspire some hope. It seems Blackhawks fans will get a chance sooner rather than later to see if Lankinen can be an upgrade to their current tandem this season of it will simply be a rotation of three below-average goaltenders.

Minor Transactions: 01/18/21

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The NHL season is underway and at the top level teams are keeping busy merely by swapping players between the active roster and taxi squad. However, with AHL training camps starting up, there has also been a flurry of activity from the lower levels. There also continue to be players making the move overseas, by both signing and loan. Keep up with all of the action right here:

  • In addition to confirming the previously reported signings of Ryan Fitzgerald, Tanner MacMaster, and Zane McIntyre, the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms have added another netminder, announcing the signing of Eamon McAdam. McAdam, 26, is a Pennsylvania native and a Penn State product, so he should feel right at home with the Philadelphia Flyers’ affiliate. McAdam had been playing with the ECHL’s Jacksonville Icemen to begin the season.
  • The Rochester Americans announced that they have inked defenseman Dylan Blujus to a one-year AHL contract. The former Tampa Bay Lightning prospect is a solid stay-at-home defender who has a +24 rating in 274 AHL games over six pro seasons.
  • The San Jose Barracuda have recalled a number of players from the ECHL’s Allen Americans for the start of training camp, including Sharks prospect Jacob McGrew. McGrew got an early start to his first pro season down in the ECHL after missing all but six games of his final WHL campaign due to injury. The Sharks already trusted McGrew’s ability enough to give him an entry-level contract and after a strong scoring start in Allen, they could let him fight for a top-six role with the Barracuda.
  • After five seasons in the AHL, former Edmonton Oilers prospect Joey LaLeggia is headed overseas. The 28-year-old has signed with he SHL’s Rogle BK for the remainder of the season, the team announced. LaLeggia, who was a standout on defense in the NCAA with the University of Denver, had shifted to forward in the pros. It remains to be seen how the versatile veteran will be used in Sweden.
  • Another name making the move to Europe is 2021 NHL Draft prospect Brett Harrison. The potential first-round pick this summer has yet to play this season and the OHL’s Oshawa Generals have thus agreed to loan him to KOOVEE of the Finnish minor league Metsis, his new club announced. The two-way center will look to improve his draft stock by playing against pros, possibly for the rest of the year.

USHL Gaining Top Players With Canadian Junior Leagues Out Of Action

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The United States Hockey League, USHL, is the top junior league in the U.S. and has been growing as a top developmental destination in recent years. Yet, they have never seen an influx of talent as they have this season. Early on, it was NCAA players whose teams (mostly Ivy League programs) canceled play this year due to the Coronavirus pandemic. However, as the CHL leagues – OHL, WHL, and QMJHL – and other Junior-A Canadian leagues remain out of action, the flow of top players has continued. The USHL season is ongoing and has thus far operated without much delay, making it the greatest beneficiary on the other side of the border from the stalled Canadian leagues. This past week has shown that talented players throughout Canada are running low on patience with their current leagues and are now making the move south.

On Tuesday, the trend really began to pick up steam when the BCHL announced nine departures, four to the USHL including two top players from the powerhouse Penticton Vees. Buffalo Sabres forward prospect Matteo Costantini, who had joined Penticton this season before heading to the University of North Dakota next year, has now joined the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers. Well-regarded 2021-eligible defenseman Owen Murray is also headed to the NCAA next season as a University of Massachusetts commit, but instead of staying with the Vees this year, he has now joined the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers.

On Wednesday, Penticton lost another top defenseman, as projected 2021 second/third-round pick Jack Bar left for the USHL’s Chicago Steel and will not return to the Vees next season with Harvard University in his sights. However, the bigger story was the exodus from the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks. Detroit Red Wings 2020 second-round pick Cross Hanas and potential 2021 first-round forward Jack O’Brien, along with two other teammates, all left for the USL’s Lincoln Stars. Lincoln also picked up 2021 defenseman and Boston University commit Charles-Alexis Legault from the BCHL’s West Kelowna Warriors.

The biggest move to date is a major addition for the Sioux Falls Stampede. Forward Cole Sillinger, a consensus 2021 first-round pick, left the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers to head to the U.S. Sillinger recorded 53 points in 48 games with the Tigers last year and may just be one of the best players in the USHL now that he has arrived in Sioux Falls.

The question of course with all of these transfers is whether any of these players will leave if their Canadian teams are able to play this season. These USHL clubs undoubtedly hope they can retain their newfound talent throughout their season and postseason and they almost certainly will if junior play in Canada is unable to return. However, the WHL is already taking steps toward a possible return and other leagues will try to follow. Regardless, this influx of talent is great for the competition level of the USHL this year and its reputation moving forward as it looks to compete for top players with the CHL elite in the future.

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