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Los Angeles Kings Acquire Troy Stecher

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The Los Angeles Kings have been shopping for a defenseman and were linked to a number of major targets. However, with the likes of Hampus Lindholm, Ben Chiarot, and Mark Giordano now off the table and Jakob Chychrun looking increasingly unlikely to be dealt before the deadline, L.A. has decided to go bargain hunting. The Detroit Red Wings have announced that they have traded defenseman Troy Stecher to the Kings in exchange for a 2022 seventh-round pick. Los Angeles has confirmed the deal as well.

Now, adding Stecher does not remove the Kings from making further deadline additions on the back end, particularly when it comes to long-term pieces like Chychrun. Though just 27 years old and still carrying some name recognition from when he was an up-and-coming blue liner with the Vancouver Canucks, Stecher is merely a rental depth option for the Kings. Stecher has only played in 16 games with Detroit this season, with two points and a career-low 15:08 averaget time on ice. He is now longer the player he was once expected to become and is just an extra option on defense in L.A., hence the low cost of a last-round pick.

With that being said, defensive depth is still highly valuable to the Kings. The club has been inundated with injuries of late, with top-four defenders Drew Doughty, Matt Roy, and Michael Anderson all sidelined, not to mention Sean Walker out for the year. The team has been fortunate enough to get Alex Edler back in the lineup after a long-term absence, but they still have five rookie or sophomore defensemen on the roster right now. Stecher brings some much-needed experience and veteran ability to the team to help with this short-term injury bug and could play himself into a regular role even once the team is back at full strength. Stecher and Edler are familiar having played together in Vancouver and it will be interesting to see if they are paired once again in L.A. and if that could be a stable, successful partnership.

More On Josh Manson Trade

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Of course the team to jumpstart a stagnant trade market is none other than the NHL’s very best. The league-leading Colorado Avalanche made a big move on Monday night to acquire defenseman Josh Manson from the Anaheim Ducks. They weren’t the only team looking to pry the big blue liner away though. A number of clubs have been linked to Manson, including the Carolina Hurricanes and Toronto Maple Leafs, the latter of whom seemingly got close to adding him. Sportsnet’s Nick Alberga reports that Manson was unwilling to waive his trade protection to go to Toronto, which implies that the Leafs got close enough that the Ducks approached the veteran defender about the possibility. Manson has just a limited No-Trade Clause – a twelve-team no-trade list. It seems that the Maple Leafs were among those dozen undesirable landing spots. It is unclear whether the team has been a long-standing member of that list or a more recent addition given their current struggles.

  • The Manson trade shows that the Anaheim Ducks are officially sellers. The team has exceeded expectations this season and have continued to stick around the Western Conference playoff picture, but of late have slid outside of a reasonable chance of reaching the postseason this year. Any question as to their deadline position is now over, but the unknown remains to what extent they will sell. While Manson is a very talented player, he is not even among the top two potential rentals in Anaheim. That would be fellow defenseman Hampus Lindholm and skilled forward Rickard Rakell. Both of these players are core pieces for the Ducks and critical to their success and at 28 years old could each continue to play a major role for years to come. If Anaheim feels that they are close to contending following their strong start this season, then they could opt for extensions rather than trades for Lindholm and Rakell. Alas, Alberga reports that there are no ongoing contract negotiations with either player right now, which could imply that they will soon follow Manson out the door.
  • If and when the Ducks do move Lindholm, they have set the bar high for the rental defenseman market. Manson is the first and only proven top-four defenseman to be dealt so far this season and in return Anaheim landed a 2023 second-round pick and a well-regarded 2019 second-round pick in Boston College defenseman Drew Helleson, a top-five scorer for the Eagles. Though a solid defensive asset, Manson pales in comparison to the more well-rounded Lindholm, who might be the best defenseman on the trade market. An A-level prospect and a second-round pick, or even two second-round picks, is now the baseline to which Anaheim can refer when commanding a much better return for Lindholm. Around the league, the Canadiens, Kraken, and possibly the Stars will be happy to see the Manson return knowing that their top-four rentals – Ben Chiarot, Mark Giordano, and John Klingberg – may also garner an equal or greater return.
  • The Colorado Avalanche are not done either. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun was quick to note that the Manson acquisition is not all that GM Joe Sakic has in mind as he chases the Stanley Cup. Especially given the cap flexibility afforded by recent injuries to Gabriel Landeskog and Samuel Girard, the door is open in Denver. LeBrun still expects the team to take a swing at Philadelphia Flyers star Claude Giroux and have their eyes on other forwards as well.

Jakob Chychrun Out Two To Four Weeks

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No player has been talked about as much or as long this season as Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun. The 23-year-old is a supremely skilled blue liner coming off of a 41-point season and carrying a very palatable $4.6MM cap hit through the 2024-25 season. Yet, the rebuilding ’Yotes have reportedly been willing to trade him for the right price in hopes of drawing a return that would better suit their timeline for contention than Chychrun’s contract. By no means was Arizona shopping the young star, but they were willing to listen and wait for a godfather offer.

Well, that offer may not be coming this season. Chychrun was injured on Saturday night against the Boston Bruins, falling awkwardly against the board following a Derek Forbort check. Chychrun left the game and did not return and yesterday the team announced that he was flying back to Glendale to be examined by team doctors. Those test results have now come back and the team has announced that Chychrun will miss the next two to four weeks with an undisclosed lower-body injury.

This is far from a worst-case scenario for the Coyotes – or Chychrun’s suitors – and doesn’t completely rule out a trade occurring before the deadline next Monday. After all, a Chychrun acquisition is a long-term move rather than a rental deal. The talented rearguard avoided long-term injury and that is all that matters in the big picture. However, the injury does substantially lessen the odds of a deal being made this week. Most teams eyeing Chychrun are contenders or at least battling for a playoff spot and will think twice about paying full price for an injured player guaranteed to miss time down the stretch. As such, Arizona is not going to accept a reduced offer for their most valuable trade chip just because he could miss a few weeks of his remaining three plus years under contract. The Coyotes are under no obligation or time pressure to trade Chychrun and will wait as long as it takes to be blown away by an offer.

In the meantime, Chychrun is still on the active roster for the time being, merely scratched from the lineup for Monday night’s game. Whether he remains on the roster or is moved to the injured reserve, Chychrun’s recovery timeline implies that he will not play again before the deadline. Interested teams have seen plenty of him this year to make a decision before the deadline, and Arizona will still be open to an offer they can’t refuse, but in all likelihood the Chychrun saga will continue into the offseason or beyond.

Poll: Can The Blue Jackets Catch The Capitals?

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As early as mid-January, it seemed as though the Eastern Conference playoff picture was already complete given the discrepancy between the top eight and bottom eight teams. At the time, it was the Boston Bruins in the second wild card spot and the Detroit Red Wings as the first team out, but separated by .157 percentage points. Over the past two months, the Bruins have continued at the same clip but the Washington Capitals have fallen off, now sitting soundly in the second wild card spot with a .617 points percentage. On the other side of the midpoint, the Columbus Blue Jackets have emerged as the best of the rest and are sticking around the fringes of the East playoff picture with a .517 points percentage. Separated by .100 and with their final head-to-head match-up of the season approaching on Thursday, the question must be asked: can the Blue Jackets pull off the unthinkable and catch the Capitals, shaking up a conference playoff group that looked set in stone?

In terms of absolute points, Columbus sits 13 points back of Washington. However, they do hold a game in hand. Regardless, its still a significant gap between the teams with just over a quarter of the season remaining. The Blue Jackets do have an edge when it comes to remaining schedule. Not only do they have an extra game on Washington, but Columbus also has an easier slate with 11 games against playoff teams – less than half of their remaining contests. In contrast, the Capitals will face 12 playoff teams in their remaining 22 games. It is isn’t a major advantage for the Jackets, but could make all the difference in a tight race.

Statistically, the teams are not as different as it may seem. At first glance, the Capitals +28 goal differential to the Blue Jackets’ -25 looks like two teams in entirely different stratospheres. However, Columbus’ struggles are due mainly to goaltending, as Elvis Merzlikins and Joonas Korpisalo are both enduring difficult seasons and have their team ranked 30th in goals against per game. Meanwhile, Washington is ranked eighth in the same category. However, with improved play in net down the stretch, the Blue Jackets would become quite comparable to the Capitals. In terms of scoring, Washington is ranked ninth in goals for per game while Columbus is ranked 12th, separated by just 0.05. On the power play, both clubs have struggled, ranked 23rd and 24th respectively and again separated by just a marginal amount of 0.6%. On the penalty kill, the Capitals are 12th and the Jackets are 17th, but only 1.3% apart. In fact, outside of goals against the only area in which Washington is substantially outperforming Columbus is in physicality – 12th vs. 28th.

As for roster management, how the Blue Jackets consider their own playoff pursuit and approach the deadline could make all the difference. Even if the team decides to sell impending free agents like Korpisalo and Max Domi, they could still improve, especially considering the lacking play from both. With player-for-player trades or additional deals, the Blue Jackets could bring in another goaltender and add forward depth to replace Domi and help manage the injured Boone Jenner or Alexandre Texier; they wouldn’t necessarily have to be “buyers” if they target term players. Such an approach to the deadline could improve the roster and tighten the playoff race. If instead they move their rentals and opt to stick with their current roster, it would be to the advantage of the Capitals. Given their salary cap situation, Washington either has to be conservative at the deadline or get creative to make a big splash. Their overall status in the playoff picture suggests the former, but a big move from Columbus would shift the status quo.

It’s an uphill battle for Columbus and would require further decline from Washington, but the scenario is far more likely than it was a couple months ago. How might it all shake out in another month or so? Can the Blue Jackets catch the Capitals for the final wild card spot in the East?

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AHL Shuffle: 03/13/22

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The 2022 NHL Heritage Classic at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, Ontario is the highlight of Sunday’s slate, even if the Buffalo Sabres are not appointment television and the Toronto Maple Leafs have five wins in their past 11 games. An outdoor game between these regional yet cross-national Atlantic Division opponents should be an excellent event to watch and will certainly be memorable if the Sabres complete the unlikely upset and continue the Leafs’ slide. Elsewhere around the league, 18 other teams are in play, including some heavy-hitting match-ups. The Carolina Hurricanes face the Pittsburgh Penguins in a matinee battle between Metropolitan foes, the Nashville Predators and Minnesota Wild square off in a Central collision with playoff position implications, and the top two teams in the West meet again as the Colorado Avalanche host the Calgary Flames. Despite plenty of action today and just one game on the docket on Monday, keep an eye out for any and all shuffling right here:

Atlantic Division

  • The Montreal Canadiens have recalled defenseman Corey Schueneman from the Laval Rocket, and he’s on his way to join the team in Philadelphia for their game tonight. Defenseman Joel Edmundson made his season debut last night against Seattle after returning from injury, but the team is taking his return to the lineup slowly by not playing him in back-to-back games. Schueneman has two points in eight games with the Habs this year.

Metropolitan Division

  • As announced by the team, the New York Rangers have assigned forward Tim Gettinger to the Hartford Wolf Pack. He was one of the team’s three extra forwards as they opted for 11 forwards and seven defensemen last night against the Stars, and he has no points in eight NHL games this season. While nothing has been confirmed, it could potentially be a sign that Kaapo Kakko is close to a return to the lineup after missing roughly six weeks with an upper-body injury.

Central Division

  • NBC Sports’ Charlie Roumeliotis reports that the Chicago Blackhawks have reassigned young defenseman Alec Regula to the AHL. Regula has played in six games with Chicago this season, doubling up his rookie season total from last year. Just a second-year pro, Regula has not looked out of place in limited NHL action nor in the AHL, where he has 17 points in 27 games for the Rockford IceHogs. The big defender will be one of the pieces that Chicago builds around as they begin their rebuild, but for now he does not have a permanent NHL role.
  • The Dallas Stars have recalled recent waiver claim Marian Studenic from a conditioning loan to AHL Texas. The 23-year-old forward has only three points in 25 NHL games, but the Stars saw enough to warrant a claim. It remains to be seen though just how long the leash is for Studenic. With little cap space and roster flexibility to go around in Dallas, Studenic will need to show he belongs ahead of the deadline or he could hit the wire once again.

Pacific Division

  • The Vegas Golden Knights have recalled Daniil Miromanov from the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights, the team announced. The rookie defenseman was demoted yesterday, but this has proven to be no more than a paper transaction given his immediate recall today. Miromanov has bounced around the junior and pro ranks in North America and Europe but at 24 has finally received NHL action this year, skating in seven games already with Vegas.
  • There’s an internal roster overhaul ongoing in Los Angeles, per a team release. The Kings have placed veteran leaders Drew Doughty and Dustin Brown on injured reserve and demoted young Jaret Anderson-Dolan to the AHL’s Ontario Reign. In their place, forwards Gabriel Vilardi and Martin Frk and defenseman Austin Strand have been recalled. All three have played for L.A. this season, albeit in limited action, and now face the tall task of helping the injury-depleted roster stay on track in their postseason pursuit.
  • The Calgary Flames have made a man-for-man swap, assigning forward Adam Ruzicka to the Stockton Heat and calling up defenseman Connor Mackey. Ruzicka, often an extra this season, was nearing the end of his waiver ineligibility. Mackey, who scored three points in six Flames games at the tail end of last season, gets a chance to get into the NHL lineup for the first time this season.

Lindenwood University To Add Division I NCAA Hockey

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UPDATE: More than a year after the initial announcement and having withstood considerable skepticism due in no small part to the pandemic, Lindenwood University is set to confirm that they will in fact sponsor Division I hockey next season. Bally Sports’ Andy Strickland reports that an official announcement is expected soon. Lindenwood Athletic Director Brad Wachler reportedly informed the Lions’ coaches and players on Friday that they would be joining the top ranks of the NCAA in 2022-23, putting to rest any rumors to the contrary. College hockey will be arriving in St. Louis this fall.

February 4, 2021: The newest addition to the Division I ranks of NCAA hockey is a school that most college sports fans likely know little about. Jeff Cox of the New England Hockey Journal reports that Lindenwood University of St. Charles, Missouri, is set to add Division I men’s hockey in 2022-23, joining it’s Division I women’s program. Unlike college hockey’s most recent addition, Long Island University, Lindenwood is primarily a Division II athletic department and located in an untraditional area of the U.S. for college hockey. Yet, the school is reportedly ready to go ahead with the major step of adding a top-level program in one of the NCAA’s most popular sports.

Lindenwood, a university of less than 7,500 students located in a suburb of St. Louis, may seem like a strange option for Division I hockey. Not only has the school never sponsored men’s hockey in the NCAA, but their ACHA club program only started in 2003. Geographically, they are also an oddity as they will be one of just three programs considered to be south of the Mason-Dixon Line and are located 400 miles or more from the nearest Division I competitors like Notre Dame, Miami (OH), Nebraska-Omaha, or Alabama-Huntsville.

Yet, Lindenwood is actually not as surprising a Division I addition as it may seem. Since 2009, the Lions’ ACHA team has won three titles and finished runner-up three times at the league’s highest level and has a runner-up finish in the second division as well. It is no surprise that their rise as an ACHA powerhouse has corresponded with the growth of grassroots hockey in the St. Louis area. The school undoubtedly will hope to capitalize on that local talent, as well as becoming another close-to-home option for young players from the South or Midwest. The department is also equipped to handle the many additional requirements of sponsoring a Division I sport, not only due to their women’s team, but also as a former full Division I member from 2012 to 2019, during which time they added several new programs.

With participation in the NCAA among NHL draft picks continuing to grow with each year, and the collegiate game overall growing with it, new programs may continue to pop up in the coming years. As an institution located near a historic NHL city who has experienced great success in hockey in recent years, Lindenwood will be a welcome addition to the Division I ranks and could find quick success along the lines of Arizona State University if they can make the most of their unique location and recruiting base.

Snapshots: Paul, Hughes, PWHPA

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Nick Paul has a decision to make and is running out of time to do so. The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reports that progress on a new contract for the impending UFA is still lacking and that Paul appears to be the one dragging his feet. Both Paul and the Ottawa Senators have publicly stated interest in an extension, but with just eight days until the NHL Trade Deadline there has been nothing new on that front. A hard-working, two-way forward, Paul has earned the respect of his teammates and coaches as well as the fans in Ottawa. As the Senators look to take a step forward as a club, they do not want to allow homegrown talent to walk away. However, if Paul cannot give them any assurance by the deadline, GM Pierre Dorion and company will have little choice but to make a trade. Paul is drawing considerable interest and the rebuilding Senators would gain valuable capital in a move. They would prefer to keep him, but that decision remains out of their hands so long as Paul cannot make a commitment to a new contract.

  • Another impressive Hughes is heading to Michigan; however, this one has no relation to Quinn or Luke. The Wolverines have received a commitment from record-breaking AJHL scorer T.J. Hughes, as announced by his current team, the Brooks Bandits. At 20 years old, Hughes is an older prospect and college commit, but has earned his spot with an elite program like Michigan this season. Hughes just completed a 66-goal, 127-points season in just 60 games – an incredible 2.12 points per game. It was the most goals in a single season in Brooks history, as well as a top-ten historical mark in the AJHL and the first 60+ goal season in the league since before the turn of the century. As the star-studded Wolverines continue to chase an NCAA title this season, their incoming classes also continue to grow more and more impressive. Meanwhile, the Bandits are a juggernaut in the AJHL as the playoffs begin. The team holds the top seed in the postseason and each of the top four scorers in the league. They will look to make the most of Hughes’ efforts before he departs for Ann Arbor.
  • The Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association is closing in on the formation of a fully-funded league. Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek reports that the PWHPA is nearing an announcement of a women’s league that would be the first of its kind in terms of financial backing and sponsor support. The PWHPA represents players that broke off from the PHF (and its previous iterations) and has only been operating as showcases to this point, but a change seems to be on the horizon. Of note, Marek does not believe that this newly-constructed league has any association with the PHF and the two will likely exist separately as competing leagues. Additionally, there is no evidence as of yet to suggest that the NHL is tied in to this new league either.

Trade Deadline Primer: Dallas Stars

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As we enter the middle of March, the trade deadline is inching closer. Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make?  We continue our look around the league with the Dallas Stars.

The Dallas Stars’ ability to make a splash at the upcoming trade deadline is a question of both “can” and “should”, to which the answer is the same for both: no. The Stars are currently utilizing the Long-Term Injured Reserve and are not accruing any cap space. As of today, they have practically no cap space and any trade would have to be dollar-for-dollar in terms of full-year cap hit. While small roster tweaks like demoting third goalie Adam Scheel or young defenseman Thomas Harley or waiving recent claim Marian Studenic could open up marginal space for an acquisition, anything more than a low-salary addition will be impossible without sending a regular roster piece the other way. The Stars have put together a deep, diverse roster and should not be disassembling it this season, either as a seller or in a bid to to make a major move as a buyer. While the pursuit of a playoff spot is important (and the Stars currently hold the final wild card spot in the West), a first-round match-up with the Colorado Avalanche likely awaits. Dallas fans should not be fooled by an unlikely run to the Stanley Cup two years ago; the best move this season is to be cautious and conservative rather than overreact one way or the other. The Stars have already extended Joe Pavelski and seem likely to retain John Klingberg as an internal rental – that could very well be the extent of their deadline plans.

Record

32-22-3 (.588), fifth in Central Division

Deadline Status

Stand Pat

Deadline Cap Space

$50,000 today (LTIR), $50,000 in full-season space, 0/3 retention slots used, 46/50 contracts used per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2022: DAL 1st, DAL 2nd, DAL 3rd, DAL 4th, DAL 5th, DAL 6th, DAL 7th
2023: DAL 1st, DAL 2nd, DAL 3rd, DAL 4th, DAL 5th, DAL 6th, DAL 7th

Trade Chips

The most talked-about trade chip in Dallas will of course be Klingberg. However, recent reports suggest that he may not be on the move after all. While Klingberg seems destined to play elsewhere next season, the Stars’ playoff position combined with Miro Heiskanen’s recent mononucleosis diagnosis makes Klingberg far more likely to stay on as an internal rental rather than be dealt. The Stars are able to largely stand pat because their current group has put them in playoff position. If Klingberg was traded, Dallas would have to replace him if they hoped to hold on to that position, likely making retaining Klingberg more valuable than the return they would receive for him.

As for other roster players that could be on the move, it is hard to say who Dallas could move. They would probably like to move Alexander Radulov or Radek Faksa, both of whom have had very poor years relative to their lofty contracts. However, for that same reason neither is likely to move at the deadline. The up-and-down play of Denis Gurianov can be frustrating, but the Stars are unlikely to move him just yet. The same can be said for Joel Kiviranta, who has fallen very short of expectations this season but still has upside. Barring a godfather offer, the two young forwards are likely safe for now.

The roster position to watch is likely in net. Jake Oettinger has established himself as the proven, long-term starter this season. If the Stars are willing to bet on the young keeper to lead them through the stretch run and into the postseason, they could move on from impending UFA Braden Holtby, who has drawn interest from other contenders. Holtby’s current injury situation complicates the matter, but shouldn’t rule out a trade completely. If Holtby is dealt, the team would look to Anton Khudobin to return to the NHL roster as backup. If Holtby stays, the Stars will continue to look for a new home for Khudobin.

Assuming that the Stars keep things quiet at the deadline, it is likely that none of these aforementioned players are traded. It also would imply that their top picks and prospects are safe. Dallas is more likely to peddle mid- to late-round draft picks, older prospects, or lower-level prospects in order as a means to add depth players. Members of AHL Texas who have yet to carve out an NHL role in Dallas but could contribute more to a seller include forwards Riley Tufte and Nicholas Caamano and defensemen Ben Gleason and Ryan Shea.

Others To Watch For: F Jordan Kawaguchi, F Fredrik Karlstrom, D Samuel Sjolund, G Colton Point

Team Needs

1)  Affordable Secondary Scoring – On paper, it would seem that the Stars are well off at forward. The team has skill on every line, with at least one recognizable (and well-paid) anchor, not to mention a blend of experience and youth. Yet, it hasn’t gone as planned this season. Dallas is in the lower half of the league in scoring despite their considerable talent and depth, as many players have struggled with inconsistency and underperformance in general. While it may not be clear exactly where in the lineup an additional forward may fit, there is room to improve. If the Stars felt that the unproven Studenic could help, then there is a need. Of course, the problem is that the Stars will have no more than $1.75MM or so to add – and that is if they budget for only one acquisition. Dallas will have to target affordable contracts given their cap space.

2) Defensive Depth – Even if Klingberg stays and Heiskanen is healthy sooner rather than later, an extra body on defense certainty wouldn’t hurt the Stars chances. The Dallas top four is strong, but the depth falls off after that. Jani Hakanpaa is one-dimensional, Andrej Sekera is well past his prime, Joel Hanley plays a limited role, and the capable Harley is nonetheless an inexperienced rookie. Again, this will have to be a bargain addition, but there are options available that could prove to be an upgrade

College Hockey Round-Up: 03/09/22

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Tournament time has arrived! Saturday marked the end of the regular season slate for Hockey East and the NCHC, while the other conferences are already underway on their individual postseasons. All six conference tournaments have different formats and will move at their own pace, but it all leads up to the NCAA Tournament selection show on March 20, Regionals on March 24-27, and the Frozen Four in Boston from April 7-9.

Recent Results

Typically, the early match-ups in conference tournaments don’t yield major impacts to the NCAA rankings or potential National Tournament field. No. 15 Ohio State wishes that had been the case again this year. The Buckeyes were ousted from the Big Ten tournament via upset by Penn State and now face a long and possibly fruitless wait for the selection show in two weeks. Ranked No. 12 before the first round knockout, Ohio State is now soundly in bubble territory and can do nothing to change their position.

While No. 2 Minnesota had a bye, other Big Ten contenders in No. 4 Michigan and No. 8 Notre Dame advanced alongside Penn State, although Wisconsin gave the Fighting Irish a run for their money. Michigan and Notre Dame are set to square off in the semifinals this weekend.

Elsewhere in conference tournament play, No. 1 Minnesota State and No. 13 Michigan Tech moved on in the CCHA Tournament (though not as easily as expected); meanwhile, No. 6 Quinnipiac, No. 17 Clarkson, and No. 18 Cornell received byes in the first round of the ECAC Tournament, as did Atlantic favorite American International in that tournament.

Hockey East ended the regular season in style with a series of results that vaulted No. 11 Northeastern into the top seed in the conference and to the top national rank in the conference as well. Much of the disarray was due to a stunning sweep by unranked Boston College over No. 12 UMass, who surrendered a regular season Hockey East title that looked to be a lock. No. 14 UMass Lowell also briefly looked to have a shot at a share of the top spot this past weekend as well, after sweeping New Hampshire, but Northeastern managed to sweep Merrimack as well to seal sole possession of the top spot. All three teams have a bye in the first round of the Hockey East Tournament, underway on Wednesday, but each knows that an early loss will all but cost them their NCAA bid. No. 16 Boston University suffered a surprise loss to Maine that bumped them down the national rankings and to the five seed in the conference, while No. 20 Providence somehow finishes seventh and is active in the first round. Both BU and PC know they likely need to win the conference tournament to get in.

There is much more security in the NCHC, home to five top-ten teams. Even after No. 10 Minnesota-Duluth was swept No. 9 St. Cloud State and No. 5 North Dakota managed only an overtime win and a regulation loss against No. 19 Omaha, they both remain locks for the NCAA Tournament. The NCHC Tournament will hit the ground running this weekend with a Huskies-Bulldogs rematch, as well as Omaha and No. 7 Western Michigan, while North Dakota and No. 3 Denver should have easier match-ups with Colorado College and Miami, respectively.

Bracketology

Before the conference tournaments mess with the national landscape further as they did with Ohio State, what doe a potential NCAA Tournament Field look like right now? Minnesota State, Denver, Michigan, and Minnesota look to safely have top regional seeds locked up, following recent slides by North Dakota and Quinnipiac. With that being said, the Fighting Hawks and Bobcats are also locks, as are WMU, Notre Dame, St. Cloud State, Minnesota-Duluth, and Michigan Tech. The bubble is currently very Hockey East heavy and at least two but upwards of four of the remaining slots could come from that conference. Ohio State is stuck with their current resume, while Clarkson and Cornell will also garner some consideration with a deep ECAC run. Of course, a surprise conference tournament winner on top of the automatic qualifier from the Atlantic would also shake up the field.

If the selection show occurred right now, here is how it could all shake out:

Albany, NY
Minnesota State
St. Cloud
Notre Dame
AIC

Allentown, PA
Minnesota
Quinnipiac
Minnesota Duluth
UMass Lowell

Loveland, CO
Denver
North Dakota
Michigan Tech
Ohio State

Worcester, MA
Michigan
WMU
Northeastern
UMass

Is The Hobey Baker Race Already Over?

The top ten finalists for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, honoring the most outstanding player in NCAA men’s hockey, will be announced next Thursday, March 17. However, after a wide open race earlier this season it fair to wonder whether the title has already been clinched. Denver forward Bobby Brink (PHI) is the best scorer in college hockey right now – and it isn’t particularly close. Brink leads the NCAA in points by seven, assists by six, and points per game by 0.12. There isn’t much hope for anyone to catch him statistically, so how can they catch him for the Hobey Baker?

While there is a case to be made that teammate Carter Savoie (EDM) hurts Brinks chances, it may not be a strong enough argument. Savoie ranks tenth in points and sixth in points per game, as well as tied for sixth in goals, but Brink has far surpassed Savoie’s totals and has been the mastermind play-maker behind many of Savoie’s goals for the Pioneers.

The elite teammate case does hurt a few other contenders though. Minnesota State’s Nathan Smith (WPG) is second in points, total and per-game, and that is despite the Olympic break. He likely has the best chance of anyone to overtake Brink. However, when teammate Julian Napravnik (who was not even a Hobey Baker nominee) is right behind him in third-place in total points as well as third in plus/minus, it doesn’t help Smith’s case. And while the Mavericks are the No. 1 team in the country, their CCHA strength of schedule hurts Smith’s case as well.

Likewise, Western Michigan standout Ethen Frank is the NCAA’s leading goal scorer and among the top 25 in points, but when teammate Drew Worrad (also not nominated) is second in assists and tenth in points, it’s hard to call Frank individually the most outstanding player. While reigning second overall pick Matty Beniers (SEA) has been phenomenal for Michigan – the only player in the NCAA in the top 15 in goals, points, points per game, and plus/minus – the rest of the talent on the star-studded Wolverines lineup will make it hard for him to separate himself.

UMass forward Bobby Trivigno, coming off a National Championship, and Michigan Tech’s Brian Halonen, the leader of the season’s most surprising team, both have had excellent individual efforts this season. Trivigno is eighth in points and sixth in points per game, while Halonen is the only name to grace the top five in both goals and points. However, neither of their teams is trending toward a top-ten finish without a conference tournament win, which works against their chances.

In net, there have been some truly outstanding performances this season across the NCAA. However, it could just make for a tight Mike Richter Award race, as there has been little chatter about a goaltender battling for the Hobey Baker this season. Senior keeper Dryden McKay has yet again been the fuel to Minnesota State’s success, leading college hockey in games played and wins (by a whopping six) while currently in third in goals against average and among the top ten in save percentage. However, McKay has been excellent for year and never received much Hobey hype, certainly due in part to the Mavericks’ poor strength of schedule. Quinnipiac’s Yaniv Perets is statistically the best keeper in the NCAA with a league-leading .955 save percentage and 0.82 GAA , both of which are truly stunning marks. Yet, Perets shares the net with veteran Dylan St. Cyr, who has also found great success, making it seems as though the Bobcat’s system and a down year for the ECAC may have a lot to do with it. Northeastern’s Devon Levi has been excellent, especially during the Huskies’ late run, and is second is save percentage and fourth in GAA. Is it enough?

Brink seems to have a very strong case to take home top honors this season, but there is a lot of hockey left to play.

 

 

 

Snapshots: KHL Departures, AHL Signings, NHL Trade Market

at CDT | by 2 Comments

Amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the exodus in the KHL continues. While many North American players had already left their respective Russia-based club and two non-Russian teams left the league altogether, perhaps the largest blow yet occurred Friday as European players across the KHL left their teams en masse. The move takes place as the Gagarin Cup playoffs are underway.

The Eastern Conference first round match-up between Salavat Yulaev Ufa and Sibir Novosibirsk will look decidedly different moving forward. Ufa, the No. 3 seed in the conference, announced that all of their import players have left the team. This includes names familiar to NHL fans like Markus Granlund, Teemu Hartikainen, and Philip Larsen. Granlund and fellow departure Sakari Manninen led the club in scoring this season. Novosibirsk revealed that a pair of former NHLers had left their ranks as well in goaltender Harri Sateri and defenseman Jyrki Jokipakka. Leading scorer Nick Shore had already left the team and is now joined by the starting goaltender and arguably their best defender. Perennial favorite CSKA Moscow is not immune to this movement; the team announced that they have lost recent NHL contributors Joakim Nordstrom and Lucas Wallmark, both of whom served in top-six roles. Finally, regular season champion Metallurg Magnitogorsk may have lost their title hopes with the departure of starting goaltender Juho Olkinuora. The former AHLer and University of Denver standout was among the best keepers in the KHL this season. This is not the extent of the departures of foreign players, nor will it be the last.

  • There has been a flurry of activity in the AHL of late, headlined by an extension for veteran forward Tanner Fritz. The Hartford Wolf Pack announced that their plus/minus leader has inked a new contract for the 2022-23 season. Fritz, 30, has played his pro career almost exclusively in New York and Connecticut, spending five years with the New York Islanders and their affiliate in Bridgeport before moving to Hartford this season. While appreciative of a new contract, Fritz is probably eyeing a contract with the New York Rangers next, if possible. In Toronto, the Marlies have elevated NHL veteran Joseph Blandisi from a PTO to a contract for the remainder of the season. Blandisi, 27, has been a near point-per-game player for the Marlies this season and is well-deserving of a real contract. Down in Charlotte, the Checkers are bringing in some fresh blood from the junior ranks. Defenseman Robert Calisti of the OHL’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds and forward Xavier Cormier of the QMJHL’s Rimouski Oceanic have each signed two-year contracts with the club, beginning next season. The two combined for 72 points in 81 games this season and the Checkers hope that production translates to the pros.
  • If it seems like all the action right now is outside of the NHL, while the trade market remains all bark and no bite, it’s true. Despite the usual speculation, there have been nearly no early moves made this season with the deadline just over two weeks away. Outside of Tyler Toffoli and Nick Ritchie/Ilya Lyubushkin, the only trades made of late have included future considerations, seventh-round picks, and third-string goaltenders. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that the holdup on the market comes from the buyers rather than the sellers. He believes that the salary cap concerns, especially from those teams managing long-term injuries, is slowing deal-making. However, there may be hope that things will pick up soon, as LeBrun notes that sellers are getting antsy. Contenders with cap space, such as the Predators, Rangers, Wild, and Bruins, could be the beneficiaries if other cap-strapped teams continue to drag their feet.

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