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Zach Werenski On Track To Be Ready For Season

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Considering Zach Werenski played with an injured shoulder for almost the entire 2017-18 season, imagine how good he could be if he is at 100% for all of the upcoming campaign. That is the goal for the young Blue Jackets blue liner, who recently sat down with Columbus beat writer Brian Hedger. Werenski continues to recover from off-season surgery, but says that his goal is to “be there for Game 1”.

Werenski suffered the injury of note all the way back on October 30th, 2017. The sophomore defenseman nevertheless played in 77 games and recorded 37 points, even though he played with a brace for much of the year. Werenski then underwent corrective surgery in early May and had his left arm immobilized for much of the summer. However, the 2015 eighth overall pick is already ahead of schedule in his rehab and training. Columbus GM Jarmo Kekalainen shared a recovery timeline back in June that assumed Werenski would miss most of training camp, but the young defender tells Hedger that he hopes to back toward the start of training camp. Werenski has already begun shooting drills and is essentially back to his regular off-season training minus taking any contact. While the offensive rearguard is obviously motivated to be ready for the season for his teammates, coaches, and fans, he also admits to Hedger that playing in the teams opener, a road game against the Detroit Red Wings in his home state of Michigan, is an added personal boost. “Suffer now, but I’m going to be able to play in my hometown in front of my family and friends ” has been Werenski’s mantra this summer and so far things seem to be going well.

Should Werenski suffer even a small setback that leaves him unable to start the season, the Blue Jackets are less equipped to deal with his absence than they would have been last year. With Jack Johnson, Ian Cole, and even others like Taylor Chorney now gone via free agency, Columbus is relatively thin on the blue line after their superstar young pairing of Werenski and Seth Jones. Ryan Murray or Markus Nutivaara would likely be the replacement on the top pair with Jones while the other skates with David Savard, leaving the Jackets with a bottom pair featuring two of Scott Harrington, Gabriel Carlsson, Dean Kukan or new addition Adam Clendening. Count the Blue Jackets as being right there with Werenski in hopes that he is able to go from day one.

Over The Cap: Detroit Red Wings

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Although the St. Louis Blues are dangerously close to the salary cap ceiling and the defending Stanley Cup champs of the past three years, the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins, are within an uncomfortable distance, the Detroit Red Wings are the only team who have surpassed the NHL’s $79.5MM limit at this point in time. When the team re-signed franchise center Dylan Larkin to a five-year, $30.5MM contract last week, his $6.1MM  salary boosted Detroit’s payroll for the coming season to $82.772MM for just 21 players. The Red Wings currently sit more than $3.2MM over the salary cap with a roster that contains just six defenseman. While the NHL CBA allows teams to surpass the cap by 10% in the off-season – up to $87.45MM – the Red Wings must clear enough space to begin the season under the cap.

Once the season is underway, the salary cap is unlikely to be much of an issue. Johan Franzen, who last played in October of 2015, has been sidelined with post-concussion symptoms for the past three seasons and is almost surely not going to return to the Detroit lineup. His $3.955MM contract on the long-term injured reserve will wipe out all of the Red Wings’ cap overages. Additionally, it remains a very real possibility that captain Henrik Zetterberg may also be on the shelf this year and possibly done with his hockey career altogether, with a nagging back injury reportedly making his availability over the final two years of his contract an “unknown”.  If Zetterberg doesn’t play, his $6MM cap hit added to Franzen’s on LTIR would give the Wings more than enough space.

However, injured reserve transactions cannot be made until after the official start of the NHL season. This has previously caused teams to trade away players unlikely to ever play again due to health, with the Chicago Blackhawks’ Marian Hossa as the latest example, even though their cap hits can be absorbed. A team tight against the cap, like Detroit, may struggle to manipulate their roster enough to fit those injured players under the cap on day one. As such, the easiest way that the team could get under the cap prior to the start of the season would be to find a taker for Franzen’s contract. The Wings would have to part with a pick or prospect, but may be able to unload the deal to a team far from the cap ceiling. If Detroit is certain that Zetterberg is also done, they could do the same with his contract, although a higher cap hit means parting with greater trade capital.

Barring an injured player salary dump, the Red Wings are likely left with the reality that they must trade a roster player in the next two months. The team may be able to sneak players like Martin Frk and Luke Witkowski through waivers before the season begins, but it would not result in enough savings to make a difference. Detroit would be unlikely to expose anyone else to waivers simply to clear space briefly. As such, it appears as if someone must go. While Red Wings fans and leadership alike might like the idea of shipping an aging defenseman like Niklas Kronwall or Jonathan Ericsson away or trying to sweet talk some team into taking on the behemoth contract of Frans Nielsen or Justin Abdelkader, it would be a surprise to see any team with interest in that foursome. The likes of Danny DeKeyser and Trevor Daley may also be immovable for a team rife with poor contracts. Instead, impending free agent Gustav Nyquist or two-way center Darren Helm are the most likely candidates, while a player like Luke Glendening heading elsewhere paired with some clever waiver action could do the trick. There is also a chance that, if he proves to be healthy, some team might be interested in Zetterberg.

It’s never a great situation for a team to be forced into trading away assets simply to become cap compliant for one day, but trading away an older player would nevertheless be a step in the right direction for a team that has never truly embraced a rebuild. Opening up salary with a trade, as well as an LTIR placement for Franzen, would allow the Red Wings some flexibility to test out some young players this season while building around their established young core, headlined by Larkin. The salary cap crunch could prove to be their ally long-term, but in the short-term the team is left with little option but to make a move and hope for the best.

Previewing The August College Free Agent Market

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On Wednesday, August 15th, all drafted players who went the NCAA route and graduated this spring will become free agents if they remain unsigned by the team that holds their NHL rights. Unlike the last couple of summers, which featured names like Will Butcher, Alexander Kerfoot, Jimmy Vesey and Matt Benning, there is no standout name in this year’s class of late summer college free agents. However, as of now, CapFriendly reports that 16 players are set to hit the market next week. Some of them will not be in search of an NHL contract. Brown forward Max Willman was granted an additional year of NCAA eligibility due to injury and has committed to Boston University next season as a graduate student-athlete. UConn’s David Drake has already worked out an AHL deal with the affiliate of the team that drafted him, the Philadelphia Flyers, and Wisconsin’s Matt Ustaski has a similar arrangement with the Winnipeg Jets. Cornell’s Jared Fiegl and Dwyer Tschantz have already accepted their place in the pro hockey hierarchy and signed ECHL contracts. All of these players can technically sign with an NHL team after August 15th, but it is unlikely.

So what of the other available players? Here is a quick summary of the eleven collegians you may see sign with an NHL team in the coming weeks and a prediction of where they’ll end up:

D Terrance Amorosa, Clarkson (PHI, Rd. 5 – 2013)

Amorosa is the most productive of the players on this list over his NCAA career and he accomplished that feat as a defenseman. A smooth-skating, puck-moving defenseman, Amorosa’s 27 points were key to a hugely successful season for the Golden Knights. Whether his choice or Philadelphia’s, it is not a major surprise that the young defenseman-heavy Flyers weren’t a good fit. The Quebec native has been training with NHLers in Montreal this summer and seems poised to find NHL employment somewhere, with an AHL floor. Prediction: NHL contract

D Kelly Summers, Clarkson (OTT, Rd. 7 – 2014)

The only Clarkson defenseman with more points than Amorosa last season was frequent pair-mate Summers. Not only is Summers slightly younger than Amorosa, he is also a little bigger and played in more games over the duo’s four years in Potsdam. Summers, who is also a right shot, recorded 30 points last season for the Golden Knights and possesses a great first pass. He may not want to sign in Ottawa, but he’ll be happy to sign elsewhere. Like Amorosa, hard to see Summers signing at any level below the AHL. Prediction: NHL contract

F Judd Peterson, St. Cloud State (BUF, Rd. 7 – 2012)

If anything works against Peterson, it will be age and mileage, as the hard-working forward played in two USHL seasons in addition to four NCAA seasons since being drafted out of high school by Buffalo. Yet, that has also added to his hockey IQ and leadership ability as well. The Huskies captain put up respectable offense in each of his seasons at St. Cloud and by the end was also a responsible defensive asset. He even has a summer coaching gig at St. Cloud hockey camps. Peterson got a taste of the pro game with a brief tryout with the AHL’s Rochester Americans to end the year and seems like a good bet to challenge for an energy line role with an NHL team down the road, if not right away. Prediction: NHL contract

D Steven Johnson, Minnesota (LAK, Rd. 4 – 2014)

It’s somewhat surprising to see Johnson still unsigned. After wrapping up his season with the Gophers, Johnson jumped right in with the Kings’ AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign and didn’t look out of place in four games. The two-way defender led all Minnesota defensemen with 15 points last year and was one of the team’s ice time leaders. He will likely transition well to the AHL after facing tough Big Ten competition and could help an NHL club relatively soon as a depth option. Prediction: AHL contract

F Avery Peterson, Minnesota – Duluth (MIN, Rd. 6 – 2013)

Another strange player to see available, Peterson is a Minnesota native drafted by the Wild out of Grand Rapids High School and starring for Duluth over the past two years, including helping the team to a National Championship in April. Peterson got off to a rough start in his first two collegiate seasons at Nebraska-Omaha, but since transferring has really turned his game around. He isn’t a high-skill player, but he has the rare combination of both size and speed and can be a useful bottom-six player. He has okay odds of landing an NHL deal, but Minnesota did seem like the most likely spot. It seems more likely that he starts in the minors. Prediction: AHL contract

F Shane Eiserman, New Hampshire (OTT, Rd. 4 – 2014)

Eiserman is a good, consistent forward and a former member of the U.S. National Development Program. However, he has never quite reached the ceiling that some thought he may have. As a one-dimensional scoring forward with just pedestrian offensive numbers, Eiserman still needs to polish his game and find out where he fits at the pro level. Prediction: AHL contract

F Aidan Muir, Western Michigan (EDM, Rd. 4 – 2013)

A big, physical winger and a locker room leader for the Broncos, Muir is a nice asset for a team. However, the offense just isn’t there yet and the competition gets much harder at the next level. He can be a role player in the AHL and grow his game from there, but could slip into ECHL territory. Prediction: AHL contract

D Johnathan MacLeod, Boston University (TBL, Rd. 2 – 2014)

In this day and age, just playing for BU is a sign of talent. Add a second-round draft position and you may think that you’re looking at a Chad Krys clone. Unfortunately, MacLeod lacks similar potential. Amidst the talent of the Terriers blue line, MacLeod’s inability to make plays at the college level cost him games through the years. He never cracked double-digits in points and only mustered 3 points as a senior. Perhaps his ability will shine through at the AHL, as his resume alone should get him to that level to begin with. Prediction: AHL contract

D Michael Prapavessis, RPI (DAL, Rd. 4 – 2014)

Prapavessis put up good numbers in his college career, especially for a defenseman. Unfortunately, RPI simply isn’t an elite program and leading that team isn’t worth as much as others. Prapavessis has both talent and intelligence and could still be a surprise. He may wind up in the AHL right away, but more likely he will have to work his way up. Prediction: ECHL contract

D Jack Glover, Minnesota (WIN, Rd. 3 – 2014)

Glover may have led the Gophers in plus/minus last season and is certainly a defensive force, but his skating and offensive game simply leave too much to be desired. Prediction: ECHL contract

F Tyler Bird, Brown (CLB, Rd. 5 – 2014)

Bird got better offensively as his career with the Bears wore on, but he still was less than spectacular at putting up points. His lack of a defensive game leaves little upside otherwise. Prediction: ECHL contract

 

Prospect Notes: Bukac, Rasmussen, Conger

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Boston Bruins defensive prospect Daniel Bukac is on the move, but remaining at the Canadian major junior level. Bukac, a seventh-round pick in 2017, has played the last two seasons with the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL. However, Brandon released the Czech native after the end of the season to open up another roster spot and selection in the CHL Import Draft. Bukac himself became eligible for selection again and was drafted by the OHL’s Niagara Ice Dogs in the second round. The team announced today that they have received a commitment from the hulking 19-year-old blue liner. The Bruins have to be happy with their prospect’s continued commitment to North American hockey, as Bukac reportedly had pro offers elsewhere in Europe but chose to remain in the major junior development track. Bukac is known mostly for his size and checking ability, but also his intelligence on and off the ice; he picked up English quickly after coming overseas and picks up offensive schemes even quicker with great positioning and awareness. Bukac will never be much of an offensive contributor – at any level – but could grow into a reliable stay-at-home defender and depth option for Boston down the road.

  • One player whose development path has gone quite differently than he and many scouts may have predicted is goaltender Dayton Rasmussen. Considered by many as a lock to be drafted in 2017, Rasmussen nevertheless went undrafted despite very strong numbers and two championship campaigns in the USHL, an impressive NHL Draft combine workout, as well as a commitment to an elite college program at the University of Denver. Rasmussen moved past it and joined the Pioneers this past season, hoping his performance would earn him a selection in his second time through the draft. Instead, Rasmussen struggled as a freshman, playing in just four games and posting an disappointing .882 save percentage and 3.28 GAA. Less surprising this time, Rasmussen again went undrafted in June. Now, Rasmussen is looking to reverse his fortunes and has decided to return to the USHL. The Lincoln Stars announced today that they have acquired the keeper’s rights from the Chicago Steel for a pair of draft picks and that he will be joining the team for the coming season. There is no word yet on Rasmussen’s long-term plans with just one year of draft eligibility remaining and the possibility of a return to the college ranks in the future still open. However, the athletic goaltender simply needs to focus on improving his play this season if he hopes to keep his pro ambitions alive.
  • Another college player making a change – albeit staying in the NCAA – is former Providence College forward Bailey Conger. The 21-year-old forward put up impressive numbers at both the prep school level with Cushing Academy and junior level with the USHL’s Waterloo Blackhawks before arriving in Providence, but wasn’t able to translate that same production to the college game. Part of that was certainly availability, as the freshman missed more than a dozen games due to injury and received only modest play time for a contending Friars program. Conger managed to record five points in 24 games, but seems to have the ability to do much more. Perhaps looking for a better opportunity to shine, Conger decided to transfer schools this summer and Colorado College announced that they have received a commitment from the scoring winger. Conger was reportedly considering Boston University as well among other schools, but will have a greater chance of receiving a transfer waiver to play right away if he is outside of Hockey East and away from his former team. The undrafted forward still has three years of NCAA eligibility remaining and could certainly still develop into an NHL prospect.

Ryan Suter Expects To Be At Full Strength To Begin Season

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Back in April, Minnesota Wild star defenseman Ryan Suter stated that his broken fibula injury was extremely rare, most commonly seen in car accidents, and that if he played any other sport but hockey it may have been a career-ending injury. Four months later, Suter is now optimistic that he will have a healthy ankle and be ready for full participation come training camp next month. “I feel good right now. I feel like I’m back”, Suter told beat writer Dan Myers, “the way I feel right now, I feel like I’m going to be ready for camp.”

When Suter originally went down with the injury late in the regular season, it didn’t seem at first to be anything major. It was soon discovered that it was quite the opposite. Suter went in for surgery on April 5th and was originally given a four-month timeline before he could even put weight on his right leg. Yet, just days after that four-month mark, Suter told Myers that he skated for the first time three weeks ago. While the reliable rearguard did go through arduous rehab and spent most of the summer in discomfort and pain, he is now working out harder than ever, dedicating hours each day to the gym in an effort to get back to 100%. Suter estimates that, injury and all, he is only a few weeks behind where he would be in a normal off-season.

For those doubting that Suter will be able to step on the ice for the Wild’s opener and play up to the very high standards that he has set for himself, Myers says that Suter thrives off the skepticism. “Honestly, that motivates me, I like doubters. When people say, ’You probably won’t be ready for camp,’ that just makes me angry. I might not be, but I’m sure as heck going to try as hard as I can.” Myers remarks that Suter seems confident and re-energized for the season. The all-world blue liner himself is openly optimistic: “I’m looking forward to getting back to Minnesota. I feel like this is going to be a blessing in disguise.” Minnesota fans who share in their defensive leader’s positive feelings can rest easy. It seems that Suter will be back leading the Wild as if nothing even happened.

Overseas Notes: Lundestrom, Vesalainen, Free Agents, Paille

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While the Anaheim Ducks finalized an entry-level contract with newest first-round pick Isac Lundestrom yesterday, don’t expect to see him donning a Ducks jersey right away. Beat writer Eric Stephens reports that Lundestrom is expected to remain in Sweden for at least one more year to finish out his contract with the SHL’s Lulea. This would line up with the specifics of Lundestrom’s contract, which contains a European Assignment Clause for next season. After that, Lundestrom’s future is more of a mystery, but the high-ceiling center is still relatively raw and likely a few seasons away from an NHL debut.

  • Another prospect in limbo between the NHL and Europe is the Winnipeg Jets’ 2017 first-rounder, Kristian Vesalainen. The 19-year-old power forward had a breakout campaign last year, recording 43 point in 49 games between HPK and Karpat of the Liiga, the top pro league in his native Finland, and impressing at the World Juniors. However, Vesalainen’s contract in Finlad has expired and he remains an unsigned – and highly sought-after – free agent across the continent, having now spent time in both Sweden and Finland. Yet, Vesalainen may be holding out for a spot with the Jets this season. The budding young star has yet to sign his entry-level contract, but may be hoping that he can somehow work his way in to a loaded forward corps in Winnipeg. Otherwise, one would think that he would have already signed with another team in Europe.
  • Speaking of European free agents, Vesalainen is not the only recognizable name still available who played overseas last season. After a point-per-game season with SC Bern of the Swiss NLA, Mason Raymond still remains unsigned, perhaps hoping for NHL interest. Raymond, offensive defenseman Bobby Sanguinetti, and capable two-way forward Nick Spaling highlight NLA players awaiting jobs, while Brandon Gormley and Jonathon Blum are puck-moving defenders still looking for a contract after playing in the SHL and KHL respectively last year. In Finland, veteran defenseman Henrik Tallinder has remained productive well into his late thirties but is still looking for another shot, while consistent forward Jesse Saarinen, a top 20 per-game scorer in the Liiga, also remains unemployed.
  • Joining the list of European free agents today is long-time NHL checking forward Daniel Paille. Paille, 34, spent 11 years with the Buffalo Sabres, Boston Bruins, and New York Rangers before departing for Sweden in 2016. Paille signed a three-year deal with Brynas IF of the SHL and played well in his first season. However, injuries limited the two-way forward to just 14 games last season and Brynas decided to move on. The team announced today that both they and Paille have mutually agreed to terminate the final year of the contract, allowing Brynas to get out from under the contract and allowing Paille to focus on getting healthy. At this point, it is unclear if Paille will be actively looking for work this season or if he is leaning toward taking the year off or perhaps hanging up the skates for good.

 

The Case For Expanding NHL Rosters

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Last week, the NCAA passed a rule change allowing hockey teams to dress 19 skaters per game. Rather than the typical 18-man lineup – six defensemen and twelve forwards (not including goalies) – each squad is now allowed an extra man that can be used at either position. The college level is after all a developmental league and the ability to expose another player to game action each night benefits the growth of a greater majority of the roster. Yet, this rule change is one that could also benefit the NHL. For a variety of reasons, the league should consider expanding the allowable number of players who may dress for a game.

The first, and perhaps the most glaring reason, to consider this change is that hockey is the only mainstream sport that doesn’t allow an extra player to enter the game that doesn’t fit neatly into the lineup. Yes, hockey does have a large roster of 18 skaters and yes the lines and pair do substitute one another all game long. However, consider football, which has 11 starters on offense and 11 starters on defense for a 22-man starting roster that also substitutes one another. Yet, NFL game day rosters are 46 men deep, more than double the amount of starters. The same goes for lacrosse (field lacrosse), a more similar game to hockey, as only nine men play in the field but the average active roster in the NCAA is 44 players, nearly five times the starting roster. Even soccer (11 men in the field) and baseball (nine batters) allow for multiple substitutes who weren’t a part of a rather large starting lineup. Why then should the NHL limit teams to using only the 18 skaters who fit nicely into four forward lines and three defensive pairs?

There is also the fact that the NHL has reached a point that it needs to accommodate more talent at both ends of the spectrum. Young players often don’t have an easy fit on a roster. Developing offensive forwards may not yet have the ability and awareness for a top-nine role, but they certainly can’t help the team or themselves on the checking line. Young defensemen may not be ready to play major minutes against elite talent at the top level, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t ready at all. With the league trending in a more youthful direction, teams could drastically improve their development of certain players if there was an alternate choice between giving a prospect a starting job, sitting him in the press box, or banishing him to the AHL or back to juniors. If teams could slowly bring along pro-ready prospects by giving them the “extra slot” that the NCAA has approved, limiting their ice time and situations but exposing them to NHL action, it would likely be a popular move. However, some teams may instead like to use that slot on a veteran specialist. Just look at the current free agent market: last week we identified more than 40 useful players still available, yet the results of our poll strongly predict that less than ten of those players will find NHL employment. That might not be the case if each team had an extra slot to fill with an experienced penalty-killing forward or power play quarterback for example. Each off-season, more and more capable veterans go unsigned while teams still have needs due to roster limits alone. These players would rather not retire or move overseas, but they have often outgrown the minor leagues as well. Being that spare part on an NHL club would be an optimum fit.

For more evidence on the overflowing talent in the NHL, see the Vegas Golden Knights. An expansion team filled with rejects, young and old, managed to make it to the Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season and used 35 different players along the way. Even when the league likely adds another expansion team in Seattle in the next year or two, there will likely still be players – young and old – capable of playing in the NHL but without ample opportunity. Just by allowing one more player in the game each night, it will create more opportunities for many different types of players.

The easy way to refute the idea of expanding rosters is the salary cap. Expanding the number of players who dress for a game to 19 would likely mean expanding the roster limit to 24 players and thus increasing the salary cap ceiling in turn and the owners won’t go for that. Not so fast though; with the bulk of this off-season complete, CapFriendly projects that just six teams will enter the upcoming season with less than $2.4MM in cap space, the average NHL salary last season. Consider that the “extra man” will likely be an entry-level prospect or a discounted veteran and there is a case that nearly every team in the league (except for the St. Louis Blues) could add another player right now without touching the cap. Those that would rather push to the cap with just a 23-man roster would also be welcome to do so – the league mandates a maximum roster size, but not a minimum. Teams that carry the maximum 23 players on their roster already have three players that don’t dress each night and could simply make one of them the 19th man.

The NCAA seems to be on to something with expanding game day rosters in hockey. Most sports have this option and the NHL should too. While there is no underestimating the importance of chemistry to the game of hockey, having an alternate or strategic extra man makes a lot of sense. Be it a raw young player, a specifically-skilled veteran, a bench player there as an injury replacement, or even a playoff contender using the spot for a hired gun, there are many ways that an expanded roster could benefit prospect development, elongate careers, improve game play, and simply increase overall interest and excitement due to the strategy of it all. It’s time the league take a look at the possibility.

Vancouver Canucks Struggling To Move Ben Hutton

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The quietest stretch of the NHL off-season is upon us, but at least one team is still working the phones and trying to make some noise on the trade market. In a piece previewing the 2018-19 season for the Vancouver Canucks, The Athletic’s J.D. Burke includes a note on defenseman Ben Hutton, who he claims the team has actively been trying to unload. Unfortunately, there just don’t seem to be any takers.

In fact, Burke claims that internal trade discussions regarding Hutton’s future with the Canucks have been ongoing since early last season. While there was reportedly interest from several teams back in February, ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline, no deal came together and Hutton continued to struggle over the remainder of the season. Burke cites a downward trend in production over the past two years, as well as a corresponding loss of ice time, as reasons why Vancouver wants to move on and perhaps why no other team wants to jump in. The former UMaine defenseman surprisingly nabbed a roster spot in 2015-16 and impressed as a rookie, recording 25 points and immediately showing an innate ability to block shots and smother offensive chances in his own zone. Hutton didn’t seem to improve noticeably in his sophomore campaign, recording only 19 points and failing to grow his puck-moving ability, but he did find the back of the net four more times than the year prior and continued to be a shot-blocking asset and smart defender in increased play time. There was no such silver lining last season though; Hutton played in ten fewer games, saw more than two minutes less ice time per night, dropped to just six points for the year, and even slipped in his defensive game.

Yet, Burke still opines that the analytics show that Hutton is still a strong defensive player and a positive presence for the Canucks and even goes so far as to say that he should still be playing a prominent role on the blue line, perhaps even paired with Chris Tanev. With first-round pick Quinn Hughes headed back to school and young Olli Juolevi yet to earn a roster spot, Hutton is unquestionably still one of the top seven defenseman on the Canucks. Despite some regression, he would be penciled in as a starter if he isn’t moved and his $2.8MM cap hit, while steep, is not an issue for a team with ample space. Why then is Vancouver so eager to move him? Burke also claims that Hutton has simply fallen out of favor with coach Travis Green. As such, Hutton is clearly in need of a change of scenery and the Canucks are trying to provide him with just that. Hutton could play a bottom-pair or depth role on many teams in the league and Vancouver could bank of Juolevi as a replacement or take advantage of a free agent market still stocked with capable defenders. It thus makes sense that both sides would want a trade. The only question now is whether they will find one. So far, it hasn’t been an easy task.

Hlinka Gretzky Cup Rosters Released For U.S.A., Canada

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The Hlinka Gretzky Cup, formerly known as the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, is about to get underway tomorrow in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta. The premiere IIHF U-18 off-season tournament, the Hlinka is one of the first major showcases for draft-eligible talent in their draft year. Scouts and fans alike will be focused on the tournament over the next week, trying to get a look at some of the best in the next wave of NHL prospects. The rosters are set for each participating country, although the majority of players are far from household names at this point in the pre-draft process. However, the U.S. and Canada both promise to bring talented teams loaded with pro upside. Here are those rosters:

Canada

Forwards:

Graeme Clarke, Ottawa (OHL)
Dylan Cozens, Lethbridge (WHL)
Kirby Dach, Saskatoon (WHL)
Dylan Holloway, Okotoks (AJHL)
Peyton Krebs, Kootenay (WHL)
Alexis Lafreniere, Rimouski (QMJHL)
Sasha Mutala, Tri-City (WHL)
Xavier Parent, Halifax (QMJHL)
Jakob Pelletier, Moncton (QMJHL)
Samuel Poulin, Sherbrooke (QMJHL)
Jamieson Rees, Sarnia (OHL)
Ryan Suzuki, Barrie (OHL)
Josh Williams, Medicine Hat (WHL)

Defensemen:

Justin Barron, Halifax (QMJHL)
Bowen Byram, Vancouver (WHL)
Maxence Guenette, Val-d’Or (QMJHL)
Kaeden Korczak, Kelowna (WHL)
Matthew Robertson, Edmonton (WHL)
Braeden Schneider, Brandon (WHL)
Michael Vukojevic, Kitchener (OHL)

Goalies:

Taylor Gauthier, Prince George (WHL)
Nolan Maier, Saskatoon (WHL)

United States

Forwards:

Sam Colangelo, Lawrence Academy (NEPSAC)
John Farinacci, Dexter (NEPSAC)
Josh Groll, Anaheim (T1EHL)
Aaron Huglen, Roseau (HS-MN)
Jackson Jutting, Prior Lake (HS-MN)
Arthur Kaliyev, Hamilton (OHL)
Michael Mancinelli, Madison (USHL)
Robert Mastrosimone, Chicago (USHL)
Josh Nodler, Fargo (USHL)
Tyler Paquette, Des Moines (USHL)
Nicholas Robertson, Peterborough (OHL)
Grant Silianoff, Cedar Rapids (USHL)
Luke Toporowski, Spokane (WHL)

Defensemen:

Dylan Davies, Chicago (HPHL)
Michael Feenstra, Dubuque (USHL)
Mike Koster, Tri-City (USHL)
Jackson LaCombe, Shattuck-St. Mary’s (HS-MN)
Mitchell Miller, Cedar Rapids (USHL)
Luke Reid, Penticton (BCHL)
Cade Webber, Rivers (NEPSAC)

Goalies:

Derek Mullahy, Dexter (NEPSAC)
Dustin Wolf, Everett (WHL)

Poll: Ottawa’s Impending Free Agents

at CDT | by 4 Comments

The Ottawa Senators are a team in trouble. The Senators finished with a 28-43-11 record last season for a total of 67 points, second-lowest in the NHL. The team also placed close to the bottom in both goals for and goals against, which combined for a the league’s second-worst goal differential of -70. Ottawa dealt with a public relations nightmare this summer surrounding Mike Hoffman and ended up having to deal the dependable scorer away for pennies on the dollar. They have thus far failed to add any difference-makers via trade or free agency this off-season as well. On top of that, owner Eugene Melnyk is reportedly hemorrhaging money and appears to have a singular focus of spending as little as possible this season. That task is made difficult by a roster that features overpaid, ineffective veterans such as Bobby Ryan, Marian Gaborik, and Mikkel Boedker and a 37-year-old goalie coming off the worst season of his career in Craig Anderson. The Senators are the popular pick to be the worst team in the NHL in 2018-19, but even that has no silver lining, as the Colorado Avalanche own Ottawa’s first-round pick, potentially the first overall pick in next year’s draft.

It almost seems like so much is going wrong in Ottawa that things can only get better. Unfortunately, that is simply not the case. Early in this off-season, the Senators made a contract extension offer to all-world defenseman Erik Karlsson, who is slated for free agency next summer. When Karlsson dismissed this initial offer, the team made it know that they were open to trading the face of the franchise. Just this week, the team was unable to come to terms on a long-term extension with top scorer Mark Stone, instead signing him to a one-year deal that will make him an unrestricted free agent after the season, where he will potentially be the biggest available name behind Karlsson. Perhaps the biggest bargain on the team, Ryan Dzingel’s team-friendly contract runs out after next season and the young forward will want a significant raise, even if that means it doesn’t come from the penny-pinching Senators. Finally, Matt Duchene, who Ottawa gave up substantial trade capital to acquire early last season – when their future looked much brighter – is also entering the final year of his contract and may not want to stick around any longer in Ottawa after the team fell apart soon after his acquisition.

With Hoffman and Derick Brassard already gone, the Senators face a very real possibility that they will begin the 2019-20 season without all of their top six scorers from the 2017-18 season (make that top seven if they succeed in trading Ryan). Between the value each would have on the open market prompting them to test the waters and the mounting pressure on the team to trade them during what will almost certainly be another season of struggles, the odds of each of them returning is slim. If the team was second-worst last year, did nothing to improve this off-season, and doesn’t have the pick that could otherwise land them a franchise cornerstone in next year’s draft, it is scary to think about how much worse things could get in Ottawa if all four of these prominent free agents depart.

This begs the question: how many of Karlsson, Stone, Dzingel, and Duchene will still be Senators this time next year?

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