Injury Notes: Stamkos, Schmaltz, Rask
According to Joe Smith of The Athletic, the Tampa Bay Lightning will still be without captain Steven Stamkos for their round-robin game tomorrow, but he was back on the ice at practice today. The 30-year old continues to deal with a lower-body issue and missed yesterday’s game against the Washington Capitals (which Tampa Bay won anyway).
Stamkos’ return will be a huge boost for the Lightning, given how successful he was when healthy this season. The superstar forward had 29 goals and 66 points in 57 games, a pace that would have had him over 40 goals and 90 points once again had it been a full season.
- The rest of the Lightning will have to try and carry the offense against the Boston Bruins tomorrow, and it’ll be against that team’s top goaltender. Tuukka Rask is back in the net for Boston after spending a few days away from the team with a cough. He has tested negative for COVID-19 multiple times and will be back leading the Bruins on their quest for a top seed. In his absence, Jaroslav Halak allowed four goals to the Philadelphia Flyers.
- Nick Schmaltz is still out of the Arizona Coyotes lineup as he recovers from a hit in the exhibition game. The team’s top scorer in the regular season, Schmaltz didn’t seem to be missed in their first game against the Nashville Predators as the Coyotes scored four goals. They’ll try to turn on the goal light behind Juuse Saros again today as the Predators will stick with their young goaltender for the time being.
Goaltending Notes: Halak, Korpisalo, Holtby
The Boston Bruins will be without their top option in goal tonight when they take on the Philadelphia Flyers in the round-robin. Tuukka Rask has been ruled unfit to play by head coach Bruce Cassidy, meaning Jaroslav Halak will be in net for the Bruins.
Perhaps more than any other team in the playoffs, the Bruins have prepared for a situation like this all season. Halak is much more than a backup for Boston, playing in 31 games during the shortened regular season and posting a .919 save percentage. That’s a number most teams would be happy to get from their starter, but it still is a step down from Rask’s .929. One of the advantages of being a top seed in each conference is this round-robin structure, which will allow the team to get healthy without the risk of elimination for the first week.
- One team not in quite as strong a situation is the Columbus Blue Jackets, who start a best-of-five series against the Toronto Maple Leafs later today. The Blue Jackets have two young excellent goaltenders of their own, but head coach John Tortorella has decided to go with Joonas Korpisalo in game one. While Elvis Merzlikins may have received more press this season due to it being his first in North America, it was easy to forget that Korpisalo was actually named to the All-Star game before suffering an injury. He posted a .911 save percentage on the season but has a strong history against the Maple Leafs and much more experience at the NHL level.
- It may not come as much of a surprise, but Braden Holtby will be in net when the Washington Capitals start their own round-robin tomorrow afternoon. Holtby will start over Vitek Vanacek according to Samantha Pell of the Washington Post when the Capitals take on the Tampa Bay Lightning. Once Ilya Samsonov was ruled out due to injury the obvious choice was Holtby given his experience, but it is also important to remember that he was far from his dominant self this season. In fact, Holtby posted an .897 save percentage on the season, putting him 52nd among NHL goaltenders who appeared in at least 20 games.
Ondrej Kase Rejoins The Bruins But Won't Play Sunday
- Bruins winger Ondrej Kase has joined the team in Toronto, notes Joe Haggerty of NBC Sports Boston. He missed all of training camp after being deemed unfit to participate and he will not suit up in the opening game of the round robin against Philadelphia. Considering how long it has been since he last skated, he’ll likely need several full practices before being given the green light to suit up.
Injury Notes: Carlson, Ritchie, Johnsson
The Washington Capitals were without Norris Trophy finalist John Carlson at practice today after he left yesterday’s game. Carlson fell awkwardly into the boards after a collision, but head coach Todd Reirden told reporters today including Samantha Pell of the Washington Post that the hope is to have him back on the ice on Saturday.
Losing Carlson would be a huge blow for the Capitals, though they do have the round-robin games to prepare before getting into elimination territory. The 30-year old had 75 points in 69 games this season to lead all defensemen.
- Nick Ritchie was back on the ice for the Boston Bruins at their optional practice this morning, along with a good number of other players. The deadline addition won’t play tonight for the team when they take on the Columbus Blue Jackets, but is obviously getting closer to a return for the team. Ritchie came over from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Danton Heinen and had two points in seven games before the shutdown.
- Speaking of players returning, Andreas Johnsson took part in special teams practice for the Toronto Maple Leafs today. The depth winger was given a six-month recovery timeline in February when he underwent knee surgery and could potentially return for Toronto should they get a little deeper into the playoffs.
Boston Bruins Extend Anders Bjork
The Boston Bruins have finished some paperwork ahead of their round-robin matches, signing Anders Bjork to a three-year extension. The deal will carry an average annual value of $1.6MM and keeps Bjork under contract through the 2022-23 season.
Some may be wondering why the Bruins would commit three years to a player who has only 14 goals in 108 NHL games, but there is a real belief that he can still turn into a top-six option for the team. Bjork will turn 24 in a week and has impressed during the return to play training camp, enough to make head coach Bruce Cassidy unsure of whether Ondrej Kase will even have a roster spot when he returns.
A fifth-round pick in 2014, Bjork really found his game while attending Notre Dame, becoming a dominant offensive presence and recording 52 points in 39 games during his junior year. He was a Hobey Baker finalist that year and quickly made the jump to the NHL in 2017-18. Though he hasn’t been able to show that same sort of offensive touch at the professional level, he was about to have an opportunity to really establish himself with a strong playoff performance. Like the many unrestricted free agents trying to improve their value, pending RFAs are also looking to put down statistical accomplishments that they can use in arbitration hearings.
It’s important to remember that Bjork will not be a UFA at the expiration of this deal, meaning the Bruins hold some control over him even if he does improve. The deal is also not prohibitive to their cap, but does somewhat guarantee him a roster spot going forward.
With Bjork’s deal done, the Bruins now have negotiations with Jake Debrusk and Matt Grzelcyk to look forward to, all while keeping in mind the flat cap and the pending free agency of Torey Krug.
Morning Notes: Kase, Gibbons, Crosby
The Boston Bruins still don’t have Ondrej Kase inside the bubble with them and even when he gets there he may find it difficult to get into the lineup. Speaking with reporters today including Joe Haggerty of NBC Sports, Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy explained that he may not necessarily insert Kase when he joins the team:
I don’t know the player right now. He’s only had a handful of games with us. Those are things we’ll decide down the road. Wouldn’t be automatic that I’d put Ondrej back in if one of the kids was playing well.
Kase of course arrived in Boston at the trade deadline, just a few days before the season was put on pause, but was expected to challenge for a role in the team’s top-six. In fact, it cost the Bruins their 2020 first-round pick to acquire him from the Anaheim Ducks—although one may argue that moving David Backes‘ contract was the biggest part of that deal for the Bruins. Boston will have some time to figure out their lineup, as they play three round-robin games to determine playoff seeding.
- Cory Conacher isn’t the only former NHL player headed to Switzerland, as Brian Gibbons has also signed with Lausanne HC for the 2020-21 season. Gibbons’ deal is only for one year, but means he won’t be returning to the Carolina Hurricanes organization where he played this season. Now 32, Gibbons played 15 games for the Hurricanes but failed to record a single point.
- Sidney Crosby will be a game-time decision for the Pittsburgh Penguins when they take on the Philadelphia Flyers later today. Even if he doesn’t end up playing, that status should be encouraging for Penguins fans hoping to see their captain suit up in game one against the Montreal Canadiens. Crosby missed a chunk of training camp but returned to practice when the Penguins arrived at the Toronto bubble.
Morning Notes: Pastrnak, Hamilton, Colorado
Exhale, Boston Bruins fans. David Pastrnak is back. The superstar winger is expected to practice with the team today in Toronto as they prepare for their round-robin games. Pastrnak has been sitting out after coming in contact with someone who had tested positive for COVID-19. Ondrej Kase, who has also been sitting out, has not yet joined the team in Toronto and will hopefully meet them at a later date. Remember, Kase will be subject to a four-day hotel quarantine after arriving in Toronto–whenever that is.
The Bruins will start their official games on Sunday when they take on the Philadelphia Flyers, trying to lock up the top seed that they held when the season was paused. They’ll have to watch and see who comes out of the qualification round before knowing which team is their first-round matchup.
- It could potentially be the Carolina Hurricanes, but winning that qualification round may be a bit tougher for Rod Brind’Amour‘s squad, given that they’re still missing Dougie Hamilton. The defenseman suffered an apparent injury last week during training camp and is still “unfit to play” according to his head coach. Hamilton is on the 31-man roster for the Hurricanes, which also includes Brett Pesce who is dealing with his own injury rehab. Pesce underwent shoulder surgery in March that gave him a four-to-six month recovery timeline.
- Speaking of interesting 31-man rosters, the Colorado Avalanche included several young players that could be interesting difference-makers if inserted into a lineup. Shane Bowers, Bowen Byram and Conor Timmins all made the cut, while Vladislav Kamenev did not. Ryan S. Clark of The Athletic examines what exactly that means for the future of each prospect, while also looking at other pressing issues for the Avalanche like the goaltending battle between Pavel Francouz and Philipp Grubauer.
Bruins Unsure If Ondrej Kase Will Be Able To Travel To Toronto
- Bruins winger Ondrej Kase was expected to add some depth to their attack when they acquired him from Anaheim. However, the pandemic limited him to just six games with his new team. Now, he hasn’t been able to participate in practice due to being ‘unfit to participate’ and head coach Bruce Cassidy told reporters, including NBC Sports Boston’s Joe Haggerty, that he’s unsure if Kase will even be able to travel to the East’s hub in Toronto. A decision on that front is expected on Sunday. If he can’t participate, one of Anders Bjork or Karson Kuhlman could slot into a regular spot in the lineup.
Morning Notes: Romanov, UBS Arena, Bruins
The Montreal Canadiens have announced a change in plans for young prospect Alexander Romanov, who was previously on his way to Toronto to serve his quarantine. Instead, Romanov will serve it in Montreal before hopefully joining the Canadiens in the bubble city.
Though he will not be allowed to play in the playoffs, Romanov is expected to stay with the Canadiens to get accustomed to the team and organization before battling for a roster spot next season. The 20-year old defenseman has generated incredible hype thanks to his outstanding performances at the World Juniors and regular playing time in the KHL.
- When the New York Islanders take the ice at their new arena in Belmont Park, it will be named UBS Arena. The $1.5 billion redevelopment is set to be ready for play in the 2021-22 season, giving the Islanders a permanent and exciting new home.
- According to Joe Haggerty of NBC Sports, Boston Bruins president Cam Neely doesn’t expect David Pastrnak or Ondrej Kase to be with the team until they get to the bubble city, as they still deal with their individual quarantines. In Neely’s estimation that is especially disappointing for Kase, who didn’t have much of a chance to solidify a role on the team after arriving at the trade deadline. Kase played just six games with the Bruins before the season was put on pause, recording a single point.
NHL Releases Qualifying Round, Round Robin Schedules
July 20: The NHL has announced some minor changes to the schedule for the round robin. The Boston Bruins-Washington Capitals game that was scheduled for August 8 will now be played on August 9. The Philadelphia Flyers-Tampa Bay Lightning game that was originally scheduled for August 9, will now be played on August 8.
July 14: After revealing the schedule earlier today for the exhibition games occurring after the conclusion of training camp, the NHL has followed up with the schedules for the games that actually matter. The league has announced the full schedule for the best-of-five qualifying round match-ups, four each per conference between the teams seeded No. 5 to No. 12, as well as the six round robin games per conference between the teams seeded No. 1 to No. 4. As a reminder, the qualifying round will serve as a knockout round to trim the list of postseason teams to 16 for a standard playoff format while the round robin games will serve as a means to seed the top team in each conference. Teams will re-seed following the conclusion of the qualifying round and each subsequent round.
The full schedule is as follows (all times ET):
Saturday, Aug. 1
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Best-of-5 series
New York Rangers vs. Carolina Hurricanes, Game 1, 12 p.m.
Florida Panthers vs. New York Islanders, Game 1, 4 p.m.
Montreal Canadiens vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, Game 1, 8 p.m.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Best-of-5 series
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Edmonton Oilers, Game 1, 3 p.m.
Winnipeg Jets vs. Calgary Flames, Game 1, 10:30 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 2
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Round-robin
Philadelphia Flyers vs. Boston Bruins, 3 p.m.
Best-of-5 series
Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Toronto Maple Leafs, Game 1, 8 p.m.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Best-of-5 series
Arizona Coyotes vs, Nashville Predators, Game 1, 2 p.m.
Minnesota Wild vs. Vancouver Canucks, Game 1, 10:30 p.m.
Round-robin
St. Louis Blues vs. Colorado Avalanche, 6:30 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 3
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Best-of-5 series
New York Rangers vs. Carolina Hurricanes, Game 2, 12 p.m.
Montreal Canadiens vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, Game 2, 8 p.m.
Round-robin
Washington Capitals vs. Tampa Bay Lightning, 4 p.m.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Best-of-5 series
Winnipeg Jets vs. Calgary Flames, Game 2, 2:30 p.m.
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Edmonton Oilers, Game 2, 10:30 p.m.
Round-robin
Dallas Stars vs. Vegas Golden Knights, 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 4
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Best-of-5 series
Florida Panthers vs. New York Islanders, Game 2, 12 p.m.
Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Toronto Maple Leafs, Game 2, 4 p.m.
Carolina Hurricanes vs. New York Rangers, Game 3, 8 p.m.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Best-of-5 series
Arizona Coyotes vs. Nashville Predators, Game 2, 2:30 p.m.
Calgary Flames vs. Winnipeg Jets, Game 3, 6:45 p.m.
Minnesota Wild vs. Vancouver Canucks, Game 2, 10:45 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 5
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Best-of-5 series
New York Islanders vs. Florida Panthers, Game 3, 12 p.m.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Montreal Canadiens, Game 3, 8 p.m.
Round-robin
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Boston Bruins, 4 p.m.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Best-of-5 series
Nashville Predators vs. Arizona Coyotes, Game 3, 2:30 p.m.
Edmonton Oilers vs. Chicago Blackhawks, Game 3, 10:30 p.m.
Round-robin
Colorado Avalanche vs. Dallas Stars, 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 6
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Best-of-5 series
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Columbus Blue Jackets, Game 3, TBD
Carolina Hurricanes vs. New York Rangers, Game 4*, TBD
Round-robin
Washington Capitals vs. Philadelphia Flyers, TBD
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Best-of-5 series
Vancouver Canucks vs. Minnesota Wild, Game 3, TBD
Calgary Flames vs. Winnipeg Jets, Game 4*, TBD
Round-robin
Vegas Golden Knights vs. St. Louis Blues, TBD
Friday, Aug. 7
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Best-of-5 series
New York Islanders vs. Florida Panthers, Game 4*, TBD
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Montreal Canadiens, Game 4*, TBD
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Columbus Blue Jackets, Game 4*, TBD
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Best-of-5 series
Nashville Predators vs. Arizona Coyotes, Game 4*, TBD
Vancouver Canucks vs. Minnesota Wild, Game 4*, TBD
Edmonton Oilers vs. Chicago Blackhawks, Game 4*, TBD
Saturday, Aug. 8
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Best-of-5 series
New York Rangers vs. Carolina Hurricanes, Game 5*, TBD
Montreal Canadiens vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, Game 5*, TBD
Round-robin
Boston Bruins vs. Washington Capitals, TBD
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Best-of-5 series
Winnipeg Jets vs. Calgary Flames, Game 5*, TBD
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Edmonton Oilers, Game 5*, TBD
Round-robin
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Colorado Avalanche, TBD
Sunday, Aug. 9
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Best-of-5 series
Florida Panthers vs. New York Islanders, Game 5*, TBD
Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Toronto Maple Leafs, Game 5*, TBD
Round-robin
Philadelphia Flyers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning, TBD
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Best-of-5 series
Minnesota Wild vs. Vancouver Canucks, Game 5*, TBD
Arizona Coyotes vs. Nashville Predators, Game 5*, TBD
Round-robin
Dallas Stars vs. St. Louis Blues, TBD
With round robin games scheduled through August 9, the first round will not begin until August 10 at the earliest. However, given that exhibition games don’t even begin until July 28, the NHL is about to cram a lot of hockey into a span of just a dozen days.