Goalie Extensions And The Expansion Draft
In-season extensions in the NHL are not all that common. In-season extensions of pedestrian back-up goalies are even more rare. So the recent re-signings of Al Montoya by the Montreal Canadiens and Dustin Tokarski by the Anaheim Ducks likely stuck out to many as being strange, especially when they occurred within days of each other. While the Habs may talk about their desire for a “quality backup” to Carey Price and the Ducks say they need depth in net behind John Gibson with Jonathan Bernier headed to free agency, the teams and players know what the reality of these extensions are and fans should too. Montoya and Tokarski earned extensions not because of their play, but simply because of their mere existence as goalies on their respective teams. They won’t be the last either, as the impending NHL Expansion Draft will force a few other teams to make a move in net before it’s too late.
When the NHL laid out rules for this June’s Expansion Draft, they required that each team leave at least one eligible goalie exposed. For the majority of teams, this wasn’t a difficult criteria to meet. They could protect their starter as long as they had any other goalie with two years of pro experience and term on their contract. For a select few though, it remained a problem that needed to be solved in-season. Montreal and Anaheim were two such teams. Heading into 2016-17, the Candiens has a goalie stable of Price, Montoya, who they signed to a one-year deal this summer, and impending unrestricted free agent Mike Condon. Without any extension or acquisition, Montreal would have been forced to expose the best goalie in the world as their other two keepers held no further term on their contracts. After Condon failed to clear waivers earlier this season, it left the Habs with just two options: extend the veteran Montoya or trade for a third goaltender with term. Since many other teams are depending on their under-contract backups for expansion protection, it was a much easier task to extend Montoya, and given his early-season success, it became an even more obvious decision. While the journeyman goalie is happy to have a “permanent” home into his mid-30’s and the best deal of his career, the true intention of the Canadiens is to offer him up to the Vegas Golden Knights instead of their MVP, Price. Meanwhile in Anaheim, the league’s deepest goalie group also would not be able to protect their starter. The Ducks have five good-to-decent goalies signed, but the best of the bunch, Gibson, was the only one signed beyond 2017. The 23-year-old is coming off the best season of his young career and looking good again in 2016-17. There was no way that they could leave him exposed, but NHL backup Bernier was headed to unrestricted free agency, as were AHLers Tokarski and Matt Hackett and former college standout Kevin Boyle was ineligible for selection. With trading for yet another goalie not much of an option, Anaheim was left with three choices for extension. Bernier would be the most expensive to re-sign, and has also had a disappointing season, so it came down to a choice between San Diego Gulls’ keepers. Neither has impressed this season, but the Ducks chose to keep the more seasoned Tokarski around as depth. Tokarski stands almost no chance of being selected by Las Vegas, but will serve to protect Gibson and will stay employed in pro hockey a while longer.
Two more teams have similar decisions to make in 2017. As soon as the Expansion Draft rules came down, the Philadelphia Flyers knew that they were in somewhat of a pickle. Both Steve Mason and Michal Neuvirth were impending free agents and only the then-unproven Anthony Stolarz was an eligible goalie to be exposed. The Flyers’ situation has become only more difficult as both Mason and Neuvirth have struggled this season, while Stolarz made his NHL debut and looked good in a short stint as Mason’s backup. A young, promising goalie would almost surely be picked up by the Knights, so Stolarz now needs to be protected. However, are Mason or Neuvirth worthy of an extension? Maybe not, but the Flyers may look to simply use one or the other to bridge the gap to their talented goalie prospects. Mason may even be good enough that he is looked at by Las Vegas, but only time will tell. Expect the Flyers to extend Mason, or possibly Neuvirth, or else make a trade prior to the NHL Trade Deadline. The Minnesota Wild are also in this predicament, but their situation seems more cut-and-dry. Devan Dubnyk is the only goaltender on the roster who is eligible for exposure, but he has been a revelations since arriving in Minnesota, transforming into one of the best goalies in the NHL. The Wild won’t leave him exposed, but have the option of simply handing out an affordable extension to backup Darcy Kuemper or AHL starter Alex Stalock. Kuemper has seen a bit of a drop-off in 2016-17, but has been solid during his career in Minnesota. It seems likely that the Wild reward him with an extension, even if it carries a risk of him being selected in the Expansion Draft.
Should either team instead opt to make a trade, either just for the purposes of expansion or for added depth in the postseason, there are a few teams who could be sellers. The Columbus Blue Jackets could look to move one of their talented young goalies rather than risk losing them for nothing in the draft, and could afford to do so with all three of Joonas Korpisalo, Anton Forsberg, and Oscar Dansk being eligible for selection. The New York Islanders have moved on from Jaroslav Halak and could move him without repercussions. Similar acquisitions on the more expensive side could be Dallas’ Antti Niemi or Kari Lehtonen. The St. Louis Blues may be looking to add another high-end goalie to share the net with Jake Allen, in which case Carter Hutton could also become available. However, trading will be more difficult and more expensive for Philadelphia and Minnesota, especially if they end up competing with each other or with teams in need of a goalie for non-expansion reasons. The simple solution to the problems posed by the upcoming NHL Expansion Draft are more easily solved by extension, as Montreal and Anaheim have shown, so expect to hear about Mason, Kuemper, Neuvirth, or Stalock in the not too distant future.
Hurricanes To Play As Scheduled Despite Winter Storm
Whenever it snows below the Mason-Dixon line, panic is generally expected. Without the same means of clean-up as most areas in the North, as well as citizens unfamiliar with freezing temperatures and non-rain precipitation, Southern states seemingly shut down as a result of the rarely-seen snowstorm. So when Winter Storm Helena hit the South East over the past two days, dumping up to a foot of snow in some parts of North Carolina, there was naturally some doubt about whether or not the Carolina Hurricanes game, among many sporting events, would go on as scheduled today.
While the visiting Boston Bruins are likely laughing to themselves over the extreme response to the type of snowstorm that hits New England multiple times every year, they’ll be happy to hear that they didn’t rush to North Carolina after their game last night in Sunrise, Florida for nothing. The NHL has decided that it will not be necessary to move tonight’s Bruins-Hurricanes game, scheduled for a 5pm ET puck-drop. Although the state of North Carolina is in a State of Emergency as a result of the snow, both teams and officials are already in Raleigh and there is no extreme safety risk to those traveling to the game, now that the storm is over and clean-up has begun. For those who choose not to attend, the Hurricanes will allow them to swap tickets with another remaining home game.
While the Bruins wouldn’t have minded an extra day of rest on their current four-game road trip, as they are scheduled to play tonight just 19 hours after their game against the Florida Panthers last night ended, re-scheduling a game can be a difficult task, as the Hurricanes have already experienced this season when ice conditions caused a prior home game to be postponed. The Bruins may also want to keep their momentum going, as they played well in a 4-0 shutout of the Panthers last night following tough losses to the New Jersey Devils and Edmonton Oilers. A win over the Hurricanes tonight in front of rookie goalie Zane McIntyre may be the boost they need to take home wins against the St. Louis Blues and Nashville Predators before heading home to Boston, which also fell victim to Winter Storm Helena yesterday. Meanwhile, Carolina will look to reward their fans willing to brave the snow with a win tonight. The Hurricanes beat the Bruins 3-2 in overtime when these teams met in Boston on December 23rd, and since then Carolina has had quite a stretch of tough games against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning, St. Louis Blues, and twice against the Chicago Blackhawks. It doesn’t get any easier after tonight, as the ‘Canes face the Columbus Blue Jackets three times in their next six games, so they need a win wherever they can get one.
Snapshots: Vegas Golden Knights, Fort Lauderdale Shooting
After the deadly shooting at Florida’s Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport today, there were discussions as to whether or not the nearby Florida Panthers would postpone tonight’s game against the Nashville Predators. Although the Predators were already safely in Sunrise, concerns over safety and the welfare of players, personnel, and fans after the scary incident were taken into account. The airport was just 20 miles from the BB&T Center, so the ongoing events were obviously going to impact the participants and spectators of tonight’s game. However, the NHL and the Broward County Sheriff came together and agreed to play the game tonight. Security has been increased for the match-up, which dropped the puck at 7:30 ET.
Meanwhile, the Boston Bruins, flying into Fort Lauderdale for their game against the Panthers tomorrow night, were instead diverted to Miami International Airport. The shooting occurred around 1:00 PM ET, but events were still unfolding into the evening and no official updates were made until after the Bruins had been scheduled to land. The team arrived safely in Miami and will simply travel a little farther to Sunrise tomorrow.
- The Vegas Golden Knights are getting closer and closer to the realization of their NHL dreams, as the team released an update on the ongoing activities of their hockey operations staff. After scouting the World Juniors this past week, the team is re-focused on meetings to put together their plan for the upcoming NHL Expansion Draft (June 18th-20th) and Entry Draft (June 23rd-24th), as well as their special pre-free agency negotiating window. General Manager George McPhee was excited to have his first real team outing at the World Juniors, an invaluable experience in preparing for the rookie draft, and now has his sights set on running some more mock drafts in preparation for the Expansion Draft. On top of all of this scouting and strategy, McPhee is also finishing up the hiring of his medical staff and is close to an agreement on an AHL franchise arrangement. McPhee believes that the team will have a greater understanding of their AHL status in the coming weeks. The teams has also said that their pre-season schedule is nearly complete. The NHL’s newest team is keeping busy as they prepare to be the first addition to the world’s best hockey league since 2000.
“Major” Juniors Trades: Dubois, Gauthier, Popugaev
The Pierre-Luc Dubois trade has been completed. Nearly a month after it was originally reported that the 3rd overall pick in the 2016 draft would be moved to another QMJHL team, the details of the deal have finally been formalized, and on the league trade deadline no less. Dubois will move from the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, whom he has played for in parts of three seasons, to the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. In exchange, Cape Breton will receive 16-year-old forward Mathias Laferrière and the Armada’s first round draft pick in 2017 and second round pick in 2018.
The Columbus Blue Jackets prospect is quite a haul for Blainville-Boisbriand. Though Dubois had a less-than-stellar World Junior experience with Team Canada and has yet to find his rhythm since returning to juniors, he remains one of the top young two-way forwards in Canadian juniors. Dubois racked up a whopping 99 points in just 62 games with the Screaming Eagles last season, and his physical style earned him 112 penalty minutes as well. He’ll now bring that unique combination of high-end skill and grit to an Armada team that currently sits in second in the QMJHL’s West Division, just two points behind the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.
- Another QMJHL team getting much better on deadline day is the Maritime Division-leading Saint John Sea Dogs, who have acquired 2016 first-round forward Julien Gauthier. Gauthier comes over from the Val-d’Or Foreurs, who sit in last place in the West Division, at the price of a third-round pick in 2017, two second-round picks in 2018 and a first rounder in 2019, as well as prospect Nathan Cyr-Trottier. It’s a steep price for the Sea Dogs, but well worth it for one of the junior league’s best power forwards. The 21st overall pick by the Carolina Hurricanes this June, Gauthier is back on his better than a point-per-game pace this year that he finished the season with in each of his first two campaigns with Val-d’Or. He’s also fresh off of a five-goal effort for Team Canada at the World Juniors. Joining fellow top prospects Thomas Chabot, Jakub Zboril, and Matheiu Joseph, Gauthier completes a formidable roster for Saint John, now likely the favorite to win the QMJHL this season.
- Over in Western Canada, the WHL is approaching their own Trade Deadline on Tuesday and the Prince George Cougars have mad a major move. Headed to the B.C. Division leaders is 2017 top-ten hopeful Nikita Popugaev. The 6’6″ scorer already has 51 points in 40 games for the Moose Jaw Warriors in his second major junior season, good enough for a place in the top ten in scoring. The move is somewhat of a surprise as the Warriors sit in second place in the East Division, with just three points less than the Cougars on the season. However, Moose Jaw is getting their fair share in return, as Prince George sends 18-year-old forward Yan Khomenko, 17-year-old forward Justin Almeida, a second-round pick in the 2018 Draft and a fifth-round pick in the 2017 Draft back in return.
Stars Place Jamie Benn On IR
The Dallas Stars announced today that captain Jamie Benn is headed to the injured reserve. While no one player can quite make up for his absence, they activated Antoine Roussel from the IR to assist with the efforts. Roussel has missed the past four games with an upper body injury and remains a game-time decision for tonight’s match-up against the Montreal Canadiens. Meanwhile, Benn was considered just day-to-day with a foot injury and there were hopes that he could play tonight, but now it appears as if he could be out much longer.
Over the past three years, few players have dominated the NHL like Benn has. The Star winger has 255 points over the last three seasons, including his league-leading Art Ross-worthy 87-point campaign in 2014-15 and a career high 41 goals in 2015-16. However, over the past six months, Benn has also proven that he is not invincible. He spent most of the summer recuperating from a core muscle injury sustained in the 2016 playoffs, a process that took longer than expected and kept Benn out of the World Cup of Hockey and threatened his Opening Night availability. Now he has a lower body injury, and a expected short-term, day-to-day diagnosis has instead landed him on the injured reserve. An offense that is built around so few core weapons – Benn, Tyler Seguin, Jason Spezza, Patrick Sharp – has had it’s fair share of struggles this season as all have dealt with injuries and missed considerable time. With Benn now on IR and out for an unknown amount of time, the pressure is again on the supporting cast to pick up the slack. The Stars are tied with both the Nashville Predators and Winnipeg Jets in fifth place in the Central Division this year, and stand almost no chance of defending their division crown in 2016-17. If they even want to return to the playoffs, Dallas needs to get healthy and get their offense going.
Roussel’s return will at least add another able body to the top nine to make up for the loss of Benn. Once exclusively just an agitator and checker, Roussel has begun to evolve his game into something more well-rounded. The 27-year-old French forward has been trending toward a 30+ point season for a few years, but has just missed his mark. With five goals and 12 assists thus far, Roussel may just hit a career high in points this season. It’s good timing too, as the Stars’ 18th ranked scoring is a far cry from their high-flying offense of a year ago. They need more goals than grit right now from Roussel if they want to right the ship.
David Backes Cleared To Return
So much for David Backes‘ concussion history, potential lasting effects, and a need to ease him back into the lineup. Less than a week after leaving the Boston Bruins’ win against the Buffalo Sabres last Thursday with a concussion and being deemed “out indefinitely“, the big forward was back at practice today. Coach Claude Julien announced that he had been medically cleared for full contact and Backes was back skating with his usual line of David Krejci and Ryan Spooner. Backes left the possibility open that he could return to the lineup as early as tomorrow night, when the Bruins face the Edmonton Oilers. Throughout his career, Backes has returned quickly from head injuries, and that appears to be the case again for the veteran.
While Backes would have liked to have played against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday and gotten some retribution (he said so himself), the Bruins played it cautiously sitting him out the past two games. Unfortunately, after sweeping the season series with Buffalo, Backes (as well as Adam McQuaid and Kevan Miller) will have to wait until next year for another shot at the Sabres. However, after an embarrassing shutout loss to the New Jersey Devils on Monday, Backes’ return has become of vital importance to Boston. Nearly halfway through the 2016-17 season, the Bruins sit tied for second place in the Atlantic Division with the Ottawa Senators, with a lead on the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning, but having played more games than all three teams. At 20-16-4, Boston is not having a bad year, but has struggled to beat playoff-caliber teams and recently has lost bad games against the Devils, Carolina Hurricanes, New York Islanders, and Colorado Avalanche. Still on the search for consistent scoring, the Bruins need all the help they can get up front, and that includes their free agent splurge, Backes. So far in 2016-17, Backes has nine goals and ten assists in 33 games, which is on pace for the worst full season of his career. They were lucky to avoid a long absence from the power forward, but they need Backes to step up his play when he returns to the ice.
Julien also indicated today that Matt Beleskey is on the mend and has begun skating again. Beleskey has been out since mid-December with a knee injury and was given a six-week prognosis for recovery. While it sounds like his return is still a ways off, perhaps close to the projected early February date, it’s good news that another top forward is getting healthy. Once Beleksey, who enjoyed a career-high 37-point season last year, returns it will be the first time that the Bruins have he and Frank Vatrano healthy at the same time this season. They young winger just returned from injury and is already making a difference. Adding Backes and Beleskey back into the mix will give the Bruins the complete top nine that they expected to begin the season with and could help them rediscover their scoring. Julien has always tried to roll four lines deep on offense, and that task has proved to be a struggle so far this season. The Bruins’ growing health may finally solve that problem.
Milt Schmidt Passes Away At 98
Boston Bruins legend Milt Schmidt has passed away today at the age of 98. He was the oldest surviving NHL veteran. A true icon of the game, his memory will live on in the hearts and minds of hockey fans, especially those fortunate enough to know him and see him play, coach, and manage the Bruins for many years.
Milton Conrad Schmidt was born on March 5th, 1918 in Kitchener, Ontario. After playing junior hockey in his hometown alongside good friends and fellow Hall of Famers Woody Dumart and Bobby Bauer, an 18-year-old Schmidt joined the Original Six Boston Bruins for the 1936-37 season and brought his friends along with him. As they say, the rest is history. Schmidt played in Boston for 18 seasons, calling it a career during the 1954-55 season. During that time, the trio formed the famous “Kraut Line”, considered by many to be one of the best lines in NHL history. They played a key role in Stanley Cup championships in 1938-39 and 1940-41. Dumart was a three-time All-Star, and played with Schmidt right up until the very end of their careers. Bauer was four-time All-Star and two-time recipient of the Lady Byng Award; the sleak scorer of the group. But it was Schmidt who was the leader and play-maker down the middle. A four-time All-Star and the Hart Trophy winner as league MVP in 1950-51, Schmidt established himself as one of the best players in the NHL during the 40’s and 50’s. His breakout year came in 1939-4o, when he led the league with 30 assists and 52 points. He set a career high four years later, with 62 points in 1646-47 and nearly matched it again in 1950-51 with 61 points. Schmidt also wasn’t afraid to play physical and never backed away from conflict. Hard-working and consistent throughout his lengthy career, Schmidt ended his career with 575 points in 776 games.
However, Schmidt’s hockey career was far from over when he finally left the ice. 16 years of NHL experience and four years of military service during World War II were the perfect formula for a great coach. This realization came during the 1954-55, when mid-season Schmidt retired as a player and took over as the bench boss. Schmidt remained the head coach of the Bruins for 11 years, during which he also served as the team’s assistant general manager. Schmidt took the team to two Stanley Cups during this stretch, back-to-back heartbreaking losses to the rival Montreal Canadiens in 1956-57 and 1957-58. During his time as coach, Schmidt was also inducted into the NHL Hall of Fame in 1961, cementing his legacy.
Even when Schmidt was done coaching in 1965-66, he wasn’t done. Instead, he was promoted to the team’s general manager in 1967. Despite his accolades as a player for 16 years and his ability to jump right into coaching for more than a decade after, Schmidt’s managerial prowess may have really been his greatest achievement. Just two years after taking the job, he had put together one of the best teams in NHL history, which won the 1969-70 Stanley Cup and then won it again in 1971-72. He hired Harry Sinden, developed Bobby Orr (who scored 120 points that year), Derek Sanderson, Wayne Cashman, and Gerry Cheevers and traded for Phil Esposito, Ken Hodge, and Fred Stanfield. Schmidt served as the GM until only 1975, but in that time transcended his hero player turned head coach role and became a true Boston legend.
Just how Schmidt’s career seemingly never ended, his connection with the Bruins lived on as well. Even after retirement, Schmidt remained close with the team, serving in various positions and continuing to mentor some of Boston’s finest players. The Bruins retired Schmidt’s #15 in 1980 and have honored his life-long commitment to the team on nearly an annual basis. Bruins team president Cam Neely said today that “(Milt Schmidt) epitomized what it meant to be a Bruin” and was an “outstanding ambassador for the game of hockey” and “a true gentleman”. Jeremy Jacobs added that “Milt’s impact in Boston… will forever be felt amongst hockey fans”. Finally, captain Zdeno Chara summed it up by saying that Schmidt will be “greatly missed, but never forgotten”. Though Schmidt has passed away, his legacy in Boston and around the NHL will live on. A player, a coach, a GM, a four-time Stanley Cup champ, an All-Star, an MVP, a legend, a great man.
The Boston Bruins’ Sudden Defensive Depth
For those keeping up with the World Junior Championships, it’s a story line that has been one of the focuses of the tournament. Although the Boston Bruins couldn’t quite match the nine Philadelphia Flyers prospects who made their junior teams and were one of five NHL organizations with five prospects taking part, the Bruins sent a league-high four defensemen to the World Juniors. While many think of the Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, or Anaheim Ducks when talking defensive depth, or maybe even the Carolina Hurricanes when considering the whole system, the Bruins have now entered the conversation as having maybe the best defensive depth in the NHL. A team that has struggled in their own end over the past few seasons has turned it around in 2016-17, a top five team in goals against all season, and there’s even more help on the way.
The Bruins do not just have okay defenders playing in the World Juniors, they have future stars. It starts with the United States, where 2016 first-rounder Charlie McAvoy and 2016 second-rounder Ryan Lindgren have been great. McAvoy, a sophomore at Boston University, has a goal and three assists so far in the tournament, which leads all U.S. defensemen and ranks fifth overall on the tourney’s best team so far. This season at BU, the 14th overall pick has 13 points in 17 games and is on pace to crush his freshman year totals. McAvoy projects as an elite puck-mover and play-maker (as well as a crushing open ice hitter) at the next level. Meanwhile, Lindgren is in his freshman year at the University of Minnesota and is developing into more of a shutdown defender. Lindgren has just one assist at the World Juniors, but his defense has drawn rave reviews. His play for the Golden Gophers has been similar – less offensive production and more defensive domination – but the Bruins are always happy to have physicality in their lineup. Besides, they have plenty of offensive defenseman in the system. For example, Canada’s Jeremy Lauzon. Lauzon has a goal and an assist at the World Juniors, and has been nearly a point-per-game player as the captain of the QMJHL’s Rouyn-Noranda Huskies this season, despite dealing with injuries. Last year, Lauzon finished the season with 50 points in 46 games for the Huskies and following that performance, nearly made the Boston roster out of camp this season. A late second-round pick in 2015, Lauzon appears to be a steal in the making for the Bruins. A more obvious 2015 selection was 13th overall pick Jakub Zboril, the fourth of the World Junior defenseman, from the Czech Republic. Zboril had somewhat of a down season in 2015-16 with just 20 points in 50 games for the QMJHL’s Saint John’s Sea Dogs. However, after a strong camp in Boston, he’s having a bounce-back year with 18 points already in just 20 games. He’s also added four assists for the Czechs at the World Juniors, good enough to tie for the team lead in points. As of now, Zboril may be the most complete defensive prospect in the Bruins system right now.
Armed with those four top blue line prospects, some of which might fight for a spot as soon as next season and some of whom will be ready in the next few years, the Bruins have some future depth stored up. Yet, they also have future depth on the team right now. Brandon Carlo has been a revelation for Boston in 2015-16. The 2015 second-round selection, the fourth of six picks in the first two rounds that year, is the first to make it to the NHL, and the Bruins are glad that he did. Carlo has stepped in immediately as a top pair defenseman and is quickly establishing himself as a future franchise defender. The 6’5″ 20-year-old is playing alongside veteran star Zdeno Chara, a big man’s perfect mentor, and eating up about 22 minutes per game. The massive American defender has already become a fan favorite in Boston and seems likely to have a long, successful career ahead of him. He won’t be alone either. Teammates Torey Krug, Adam McQuaid, and Colin Miller appear to be in it for the long haul as well. Since signing with the Bruins out of Michigan State and having a surprise breakout season in 2013-14, Krug has been a mainstay of the Boston blue line. A consistent 40-point scorer, Krug was rewarded with a four-year, $21MM contract this summer, and has responded with possibly his best season to date. McQuaid, finally healthy after years of struggling with injury, is playing the best hockey of his career this season. A shutdown defender who is never going to put up a lot points, McQuaid has nevertheless taken his game to the next level this season with improved skating and vision. If he can stay healthy, his two years left at $2.75MM may prove to be a good deal after all. Finally, Miller, who has often been found in the dog house of coach Claude Julien, appears to have finally stuck as a starter in Boston. Acquired as part of the Milan Lucic trade, Miller was an AHL superstar who was expected to be a future centerpiece of the Bruins blue line. He’s on his way there, and his raw offensive talent will likely keep him on track. Miller has another year left at just $1MM, and will then be a restricted free agent who the B’s will look to lock up long-term.
With Chara down to just one year remaining on his contract before his likely retirement (and possible number retirement as well), these latter four represent the new core of the Boston defense. The prior four are the future, forming a strong group of eight defensemen for Bruins fans to look foward to. But wait, there’s more. Former college stars Matt Grzelcyk and Rob O’Gara are down in the AHL with the red-hot Providence Bruins and have looked good in their brief Boston appearances this season. Both project to be NHL regulars. Some even hold out hope that press box frequenter and former first-round pick Joe Morrow will be able to make something of his career. And what of free agency? Boston appears to be one of, if not the top destination for one of best available players on the 2017 free agent market, Kevin Shattenkirk. The St. Louis Blues puck-mover has made it known that he wants to be on the East coast, and the city where he played his college hockey at Boston University, which is also just hours from his hometown in Connecticut, seems like his top choice. Don’t look now but 2018 top free agent defenseman John Carlson has also expressed potential interest in returning to the state he grew up in.
The Bruins have not had much to be happy about over the past few years, especially on defense. However, their current and future depth is an embarrassment of riches. They have the potential to almost be too deep on D. The Boston blue line has a very bright future. So there’s something to be happy about.
Henrik Sedin, Alexander Ovechkin Approaching Milestone
What better way to start the new year than by hitting a major career benchmark? We could see it happen twice this week, as Vancouver Canucks long-time center Henrik Sedin and Washington Capitals franchise forward Alexander Ovechkin are each within reach of 1,000 career regular season points. As the NHL begins it’s 100th season, just 83 players have scored 1,000 points in their career. Gordie Howe was the first to do it, back in 1960, and Patrick Marleau was the most recent addition, notching #1,000 last November. It took Marleau the most games to hit the mark, 1349 to be exact, while Wayne Gretzky did it the fastest, in 424 games, and had his second 1,000 in 857 games, just 433 games later, making him also the second fastest. The only active players on the list are Marleau, teammate Joe Thornton, Jarome Iginla, Marian Hossa and, of course, Jaromir Jagr. When will Sedin and Ovechkin join them?
Sedin currently sits at 996 points, just four points away from membership into the elite club. Sedin, and twin brother Daniel (965 career points), were drafted #2 and #3 overall by the Vancouver Canucks in 1999. They broke into the league together in 2000-01 and the rest is history. 16 years later, hockey’s ultimate siblings continue to be scoring machines in Vancouver. Henrik, now the captain of the Canucks, established himself as one of the best players in the NHL back in 2009-10, when he led the league with 83 assists and 112 points, earning both the Art Ross Trophy as the league’s top scorer and Hart Trophy as MVP. Sedin went on to lead the league in assists in each of the next two seasons. Just two years ago, in 2014-15, Sedin notched 55 assists on his way to a 73-point season, showing up those who suggested he was slowing down. Now 36 years old, both Henrik and Daniel are finally starting to show their age, but Henrik is still the main man in Vancouver, sharing the team points lead of 26 with Bo Horvat. With just four points to go until 1,000, Sedin faces three opponents this week who are not exactly the toughest to score against. Vancouver hosts the Arizona Coyotes tomorrow night and then takes on the Calgary Flames in a home-and-home on Friday and Saturday. Sedin has a strong chance to join the 1,000 point club by week’s end.
Meanwhile, Ovechkin prepares to hit 1,000 at just 31 years old. The dynamic winger currently has 994 points, just six points away from becoming the fastest to 1,000 in the 21st century. The first overall pick in 2004, Ovechkin has been a star since the beginning. In his rookie season in 2005-06, the 20-year-old scored 105 points, took home the Calder Trophy in a landslide, and has never looked back. Ovechkin has had four seasons of over 100 points, including leading the league with 112 in 2007-08. He has won the Maurice Richard Trophy as the league’s leading goal-scorer six times, including each of the past four years. He’s even two goals away from tying Maurice Richard himself for 29th all-time in goals. Ovechkin will hit 1,000 in no time and will likely be chasing 1,500 before we know it. But will he hit the mark this week? The Capitals square off against the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight, the upstart Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday, and then travel to Ottawa to face the Senators on Saturday night. Three good competitors are on the docket, but when it comes to scoring, never count out Ovechkin.
NHL All-Star Captains Announced
After the conclusion of the fan voting that took place from December 1st to January 2nd, the results are finally in on who will be leading each divisional team in the upcoming All-Star Weekend 3-on-3 tournament. The Metropolitan Division will be led by none other than the best player in the league, Sidney Crosby. He’ll be opposed by the young stud gunning for his title, Connor McDavid, who will captain the Pacific Division team. Leading the charge for the Atlantic Division team, and from the most important position as well, will be Carey Price. If healthy, a new addition to the loaded Central Division, P.K. Subban, will captain his squad.
While the rest of the rosters have yet to be filled out, fans nailed at least three of their four selections. The building rivalry between Crosby and McDavid as to who is the best player in the world has really take off in 2016-17. At 29 years old, and already a surefire Hall of Famer, Crosby may be having the best season of his career. With 26 goals in just 32 games, he’s scoring at a career-best clip and seems likely to shatter his personal best of 51 goals in a season. Crosby is also third overall in points with 42. The Penguins are bona fide contenders again, as they look to defend their Stanley Cup title, and Crosby is leading the way. However, just above him at 43 and tied for the league lead in points is the prodigy McDavid. McDavid also has complete control over the league lead in assists with 29. The Oilers have finally climbed out of the NHL’s basement, and the owe a lot, if not all, of their success to McDavid. As good as he’s been, many expect better. With Evgeni Malkin hogging a lot of points for himself in Pittsburgh, most believe that McDavid will eventually pull away from the Penguins’ dynamic duo and claim the Art Ross, and likely the Hart, for himself. We’ll get a preview of the stretch run points race at All-Star weekend.
Price is also the obvious choice, especially to lead a division that is lacking in offensive superstars with Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos sidelined. Price is the undisputed best goalie in the league, and is at it again in 2016-17. Price is currently fourth in save percentage at .930, seventh in goals against average at 2.07, and fifth in wins with 18. The collapse of the Canadiens last season was due completely to Price’s injury absence, as he proved to be the most valuable asset in the entire league. As long as he stays healthy, Montreal appears to be a lock to win the Atlantic, with their all-world goalie leading the way.
The selection of Subban follows a different thought process. Despite moving from Montreal to Nashville, which in fairness has become quite a hockey city itself, Subban remains one the most popular players in the NHL. With one of the biggest personalities in the league and a persona that exceeds the boundaries of the game, fans want to make sure that they see the talented blue liner in action whenever they can. However, their votes may not be enough this time. Subban was just placed on injured reserve by the Predators on Sunday, as he has struggled with a herniated disk in his back for weeks. Rather than surgery, Nashville has opted to let Subban rest and recover until he is game-ready. Returning to action for an All-Star tournament doesn’t quite align with that task. Unless the team has cleared Subban for action prior to the end of the month, it seems unlikely that he will be able to captain the Central team. However, don’t expect him to pass up the opportunity to stop by and get his face in front of a camera regardless.
All-Star Weekend takes place on January 28th and 29th. Stay tuned for more info on the complete rosters in the coming weeks.