Snapshots: CBA, Johansson, Canucks
In September, both the NHL and NHLPA hold opt out clauses for the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, which could eventually lead to another work stoppage in 2020. A stoppage would be a nightmare for fans, but apparently is also not what either side is hoping for this time around. John Shannon of Sportsnet was on 630 CHED in Edmonton today discussing the upcoming negotiations, and told host Bob Stauffer that he is confident a deal will get done:
There will be no work stoppage. There will be no strike. There will be no lockout. Both sides have done too well with this last CBA. What we’re talking about now is tweaks, we’re talking about improving the plight of both sides—and I’m being a little facetious when I say “plight.” This is one where the owners would be thrilled to continue to have this CBA, but they realize that in order to get some harmony with the players they’re going to have to give up a little bit, and in turn the players are going to have to give up something.
Shannon goes on to explain that there will be no compliance buyouts in the next agreement, given that there will be no work stoppage this time. He also suggests the length of contracts may be limited even further, perhaps down to even a five-year cap. While none of this is certain at this point, we’ve been hearing for months that there has been good progress made towards a new agreement.
- Marcus Johansson has rebuilt his free agent value according to a new piece by Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription required) which examines the potential market for the Boston Bruins trade deadline addition. LeBrun notes that the Bruins have “begun to discuss the merits of bringing him back” and speaks to both Washington Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom and New Jersey Devils GM Ray Shero, who both explain that they love the person as much as the player. Johansson has played just 87 regular season games over the last two seasons thanks to injury, but has been a real contributor to the Bruins playoff success and is set to hit the open market at just 28 years old.
- The Vancouver Canucks have been rumored to be in the market for a defenseman this offseason, and now Rick Dhaliwal of Sportsnet tweets out a few potential options. The reporter has heard that the team will go after Jake Gardiner or Tyler Myers, obviously depending on what happens with the two over the next month. Gardiner and Myers are two of the top options available on the free agent market this season, but provide different skill sets. Myers is a huge right-handed blue liner who recorded his best offensive season—48 points—a decade ago and hasn’t come close since, while Gardiner is just one year removed from a 52 point season from the left side.
Trade Rumors: Trade Bait, Panarin, Condon
For everyone but the Boston Bruins and St. Louis Blues, the off-season is already in full swing and with the NHL Draft less than three weeks away, the rumor mill is starting to heat back up. TSN’s Frank Seravalli has updated his Trade Bait list and it features a whopping ten new names out of 25 total players. Leading the way among the newcomers is talented, young Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere. Gostisbehere has emerged as a candidate to move if the Flyers can land a top-six forward in exchange, as they look to be aggressive this off-season. Also new to the list are names included in the overturned Phil Kessel-to-Minnesota trade, Jack Johnson and Victor Rask, with Jason Zucker and Kessel now long-time fixtures. Another player tied to recent rumors making his trade bait debut is the Vancouver Canucks’ Loui Eriksson, who has been linked to former teammate Milan Lucic, also on the list, and the Edmonton Oilers, but could move in any number of possible deals. As the Florida Panthers look to shake up their roster in free agency, James Reimer and Mike Hoffman have made the list as possible cap space casualties. So too have Toronto Maple Leafs teammates Nazem Kadri and Mitch Marner, even though Seravalli himself agrees that a Marner trade is a long shot. With plenty of talent filling the early off-season trade bait board, it could be a busy summer for high-profile trades, some of which could begin even before the draft kicks off on June 21st.
- A seemingly curious continued presence on the trade bait list is that of Artemi Panarin. It was one thing for Panarin to be atop the list as the trade deadline approached and the Columbus Blue Jackets were unsure whether or not they would sell the all-world forward. However, after keeping Panarin, an impending unrestricted free agent, it may seem that his trade value has now disappeared, since he is weeks away from hitting the open market. However, as a 27-year-old premiere free agent, both Panarin and his suitors will be interested in that eighth year of contract term that is only available to the incumbent team. As such, the Blue Jackets could look to squeeze the very last drops of value out of Panarin by trading his rights before the league year ends, allowing a new team to sign him to an eight-year extension rather than a seven-year free agent contract. While possible, and often valuable, acquiring UFA signing rights is not as frequent a move as one might expect. The last team to do so was the Florida Panthers in 2016, adding an expiring Keith Yandle for a a sixth-round pick and conditional fourth-round pick. That same year, the Arizona Coyotes did the same, bringing in Alex Goligoski on the tail end of his contract with the Dallas Stars for a fifth-round pick. Not since Ilya Bryzgalov in 2011 has a player’s UFA rights drawn more than a fourth-round pick at best, but Panarin is a unique player and Columbus could land a third-round pick or more in exchange for the opportunity to sign him to that one extra year – and to keep him from testing the market.
- Unsurprisingly, the extension of goaltender Anders Nilsson in Ottawa has prompted speculation that the Senators will try to move overpaid third-string option Mike Condon. The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch writes that Condon’s “days are numbered” with the team, as there’s no room for him in Ottawa behind Nilsson and Craig Anderson and he’s not wanted in Belleville with Filip Gustavsson, Joey Daccord, and possibly Marcus Hogberg in the mix. Cap space is not a problem for the Senators, but Garrioch still believes they would prefer to trade Condon and all or part of his $2.4MM salary next season rather than buy him out at the cost of $400K next year and $1MM the year after. Garrioch can only make a case that perhaps some team with weak goalie depth would be interested in Condon as a strong AHL option next season, as the 29-year-old is unlikely to be considered a regular NHL option. Perhaps after the free agent goalie market shakes out in early July, the Senators will be able to find a partner who missed out on their targets and could use Condon’s services. Otherwise, a buyout does seem to be the more likely route.
Snapshots: Eriksson-Lucic, Markov, NWHL
The rumor that just won’t go away early this off-season is a potential swap between Western Canada rivals Vancouver and Edmonton of Loui Eriksson for Milan Lucic. Originally thought to just be a hypothetical deal – one that readers were split over – it turns out that the possible exchange of bad contracts has actually been discussed. TSN’s Jason Gregor reports that sources within the Canucks organization say that GM Jim Benning and company did actually sit down with the Oilers to discuss a trade centered around the two former Boston Bruins. However, Gregor notes that these talks took place in April and May and does not specify whether new Edmonton GM Ken Holland has been involved in any of those discussions. On paper, there is a discrepancy between the term and contract structure of Lucic and Eriksson, making Eriksson the lesser of two bad contracts. Yet, Lucic has been slightly more productive and brings a consistent physical edge. Eriksson arguably has the higher ceiling though, if he is able to stay healthy. Any deal between the two sides would likely have to provide an additional benefit to the Canucks, beyond just bringing home the Vancouver native Lucic, likely in the form of a pick or prospect. But the idea that the two sides have actually had talks about a trade takes this rumor from a convenient hypothetical talking point to an actual trade that could, and may even be likely, to go down this summer.
- A rumor that did go away has surprisingly resurfaced. TSN’s Andrew Zadarnowski reports that former Montreal Canadiens defenseman Andrei Markov is drawing considerable attention on the open market. Markov, 40, is a free agent after his two-year deal with the KHL’s Ak Bars Kazan expired and he is considering all of his options. No sooner did Markov leave for the KHL than did word get out that he was eyeing an NHL return, but nothing came of it. Now, Zadarnowski states that he has already received three NHL offers, as well as a KHL offer, while Kazan has publicly stated that they would be open to re-signing the veteran leader. The NHL interest may come as a surprise, but Markov has stayed productive even in his older age, recording 47 points over two seasons in the KHL and 36 points in 62 games in his final season with Montreal in 2016-17. Surely no team in North America is willing to offer Markov a multi-year deal at age 40, but a one-year flier may work out well in the right situation.
- “Unless there is a change of heart soon”, don’t count on women’s professional hockey in Canada in 2019-20. After the Canadian Women’s Hockey League folded earlier this spring, the National Women’s Hockey League announced a planed expansion into the Canadian market with teams in Toronto and Montreal. However, with 200 of the game’s best female players on strike, the Associated Press reports that the NWHL is likely to hold off on expansion talks until next year. The league will continue operating with five American teams and will keep working toward a resolution that is best for the game of women’s hockey.
Oskar Sundqvist Suspended For Game Three Of The Stanley Cup Final
After a hearing earlier today, St. Louis Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist has been suspended one game for boarding Boston Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk in Game Two of the Stanley Cup Final. The decision was handed down from the NHL Department of Player Safety this evening. A high hit from behind in the first period injured Grzelcyk and he did not return to the game, tilting the ice in St. Louis’ favor as Boston played two-thirds of the game with just five defenders. The Bruins will try to take advantage of karma swinging back in their direction, as the Blues will be without a key checking forward in Game Three.
Player Safety, which had top officials George Parros and Damian Echevarrieta on hand for Game Two, met with Sundqvist this afternoon and took a fair amount of time to make their decision. At the end of the day, the league could not ignore a hit to between the numbers on a defenseless player, even if Sundqvist was not intentionally trying to check Grzelcyk from behind as he played the puck behind his own net:
Sundqvist adjusts his force, then hits (Grzelcyk) forcefully from behind with speed, driving him violently into the glass and causing an injury. This is boarding. It is important to note that the boarding rule places the onus to deliver a legal check on the hitter. Therefore, while we acknowledge that Grzelcyk does adjust his body position in making a play on the puck, he does not do so in a way that absolves Sundqvist of responsibility for the nature of this hit. From the moment Sundqvist hits the bottom of the face-off circle until contact is made, Sundqvist sees nothing but Grzelcyk’s numbers. This is not a situation in which a sudden and unexpected movement by the player receiving the check turns a legal hit into an illegal one at the last moment… Sundqvist has time to react to Grzelcyk’s movements and reacts by cutting back across Grzelcyk’s body. This movement results in a more forceful and direct hit to Grzelcyk’s upper back and head, which then drives Grzelcyk’s head into the glass… Sundqvist chooses to finish his check into his opponent’s back with force. Sundqvist had sufficient time to minimize the force of this hit, avoid the hit entirely, or adjust his course to deliver a legal check.
This is not only the expected result on the play, but also a fair punishment and well-adjudicated by Player Safety. Sundqvist’s lack of any history of supplemental discipline and the fact that playoff games, Stanley Cup games in particular, are worth more than regular season games may have convinced some that he would avoid a suspension. However, the fact that Grzelcyk was hurt on a play that Sundqvist could have avoided in a game that was chippy and physical from the start hurt his case. So too did the fact that officials gave Sundqvist only a minor on a check that should have been deserving of a match penalty and could have evened the odds for the short-handed Bruins. Instead, Sundqvist will now sit for Game Three.
There is no word yet on when Grzelcyk is expected to return to the Boston lineup, but it won’t be for Game Three. NHL.com’s Amalie Benjamin reports that Grzelcyk is considered day-to-day and has entered the league’s concussion protocol. He did not travel with the team to St. Louis and will miss Game Three, but that does not rule out him re-joining Boston for Game Four or later in the series, which will go at least five games and likely longer. In the meantime, John Moore is likely to draw in for Grzelcyk on Saturday night in St. Louis.
Oskar Sundqvist To Receive Hearing From Department Of Player Safety
The Department of Player Safety has some work to do, as they have announced a hearing for St. Louis Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist. Late in the first period, Sundqvist hit Matt Grzelcyk behind the Boston Bruins’ net, earning himself a two-minute boarding penalty. Grzelcyk was forced from the game with an injury and taken to hospital for further evaluation.
Sundqvist has been a force for the Blues this postseason, registering nine points and (perhaps more importantly) 63 hits in the 21 games the Blues have played so far. The 25-year old forward has been part of a formidable fourth line alongside Ivan Barbashev and Alex Steen, providing a physical presence while also chipping in offensively. Given that Robert Thomas was held out of game two due to injury already, a suspension for Sundqvist could mean the entrance of Zach Sanford.
The Stanley Cup Final has already proven to be one of the most physical series of these playoffs, with two teams more than willing to engage each other and deliver some huge hits. Unfortunately for St. Louis, it looks like they’ll be forced to play without one of those physical players for game three when they travel home to try and take the early lead.
Snapshots: Kessel, Malmquist, Vladar
It’s been confirmed by many sources now that Pittsburgh Penguins forward Phil Kessel himself nixed the proposed deal that would have sent him to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for Jason Zucker, among other pieces. What was unclear is exactly why. Kessel is a native of nearby Wisconsin and played his college hockey for the University of Minnesota. It would seem that the Wild would have been a nice fit for the veteran scorer. However, as noted by the Athletic’s Michael Russo, Kessel’s reasoning for turning down the destination is quite simple: he doesn’t think the team is a contender. In fact, after talking to those close to Kessel, Russo phrases it as Kessel didn’t think the team was even “close to contending”. GM Paul Fenton certainly left a mark in his first season at the helm, trading away established veterans Charlie Coyle, Mikael Granlund, and Nino Niederreiter and on paper the team does look to be in more of a rebuild than a title window. Fenton reportedly called Kessel to try to change his mind, but to no avail. Kessel will be 32 next season and has already showed signs of slowing down, so the star winger apparently has his sights set on competing for more Stanley Cups before his playing days are over. That could make the prospect of dealing him that much harder for Penguins GM Jim Rutherford, further limiting Kessel’s trade options to contenders on his eight-team trade list that have both the means and interest in acquiring him. Meanwhile, Fenton and the Wild have to hope that other prominent players, free agents or trade targets, don’t share in Kessel’s pessimistic outlook on the team’s chances or they may have a hard time improving this off-season.
- Kessel’s home of Madison, Wisconsin is set to see another promising player make his way into town in a couple of years. Liam Malmquist, a standout high school forward from Edina, Minnesota, has announced his commitment to play his college hockey for the University of Wisconsin. However, Malmquist will not join the Badgers until 2020-21 and will play next season for the BCHL’s Penticton Vees, the team announced today. Malmquist, 18, is an undersized scoring forward, whose lack of stature and relatively weak competition level likely kept him off the radar of NHL team’s in his first time through the draft last year. However, after recording 52 points in 24 games this year, he’s entered the conversation as a possible late-round overage waiver this June. Malmquist’s older brother, Dylan Malmquist, remains unsigned but just wrapped up a strong collegiate career at the University of Notre Dame. Even if Malmquist is not drafted, he can stay in the pro picture if he is able to replicate or top his brother’s numbers while at Wisconsin. He should be surrounded by plenty of talent too, as Malmquist joins a talented Badgers team that will add top 2019 prospects Alex Turcotte, Cole Caufield, Ryder Donovan, and Owen Lindmark, as well as intriguing 2020 name Dylan Holloway next season and another top 2020 prospect in Tanner Latsch the year after.
- The Boston Bruins have already lost forward Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson and defenseman Emil Johansson to Europe this off-season – even though the team’s off-season has yet to begin – and for the good of their minor league depth hope to avoid any other such losses. However, it is worth noting that AHL goaltender Dan Vladar was the subject of a recent trade in the KHL. Vladar’s rights were acquired by contender Lokomotiv Yaroslavl from HK Sochi in exchange for 22-year-old active KHL forward Alexander Polunin, a somewhat hefty price for just a player’s rights. There has been no word as to whether Vladar has talked about jumping overseas, prompting the trade, but it certainly shouldn’t be ruled out. Vladar, a 2015 third-round pick of the Bruins, is still only 21 but has yet to make an NHL appearance in three pro seasons. Vladar played as the Providence Bruins’ backup this season, making 31 appearances to starter Zane McIntyre‘s 47. Both goalies put up just pedestrian numbers and McIntyre, a pending unrestricted free agent, is not a lock to return. With NHL backup Jaroslav Halak also signed for just one more season, it could be that Vladar remains on the fast track to start for Providence next season and one day back up Tuukka Rask. One would think that position would keep the young net minder stateside. However, he now faces a challenge from other promising young goalies in the pipeline like Kyle Keyser and Jeremy Swayman and may no longer feel that he is guaranteed to ever see time with the Bruins. Such a mindset could see Vladar off to Russia this summer.
Poll: Who Will Win The Stanley Cup In 2018-19?
It’s here. The Stanley Cup Final is about to start. The Boston Bruins will host the St. Louis Blues in game one of the final series of the season, a battle between a classic team from a powerhouse sports town that has been crowned champions six times in their long NHL history, and a passionate expansion franchise that has never hoisted the trophy in their 51-year history. Scotty Bowman was the coach of the upstart Blues in 1970, the last time they went to the finals, but even the legendary coach wasn’t able to overcome a 22-year old Bruins phenom who would change the way defensemen were expected to play.
Bobby Orr had hit his prime in the 1969-70 season, and would win the first of three consecutive Hart trophies as the league’s most valuable player. He’d also raise the Stanley Cup for the first time that spring, beating the Blues and accepting the Conn Smythe trophy as playoff MVP. The Bruins have a much different leader on the blue line this time around, as seven-time All-Star and 42-year old fitness freak Zdeno Chara will captain Boston in another finals. No longer anywhere near his prime, Chara is still playing outstanding hockey for the Bruins and leads the entire playoffs with a +11 rating.
The Blues though will not be put down easily. St. Louis was in last place in the entire NHL on January 3rd of this year, and have climbed all the way back to compete for the Cup. The team has shown incredible resilience, knocking off contenders every step of the way and relying on a varied cast of characters to get it done. Pat Maroon, Tyler Bozak, David Perron and Ryan O’Reilly, all acquired in the offseason, have a combined six game-winning goals these playoffs. Jaden Schwartz, who scored just 11 goals all regular season now has 12 in just 19 games.
It may come down to goaltending, which is usually the case in the Stanley Cup playoffs. On one side there is Tuukka Rask, much maligned by his fan base over the years for his inconsistency, but playing the best hockey of his career. His .942 save percentage easily leads the playoffs and has him in line for the Conn Smythe if the Bruins manage to win. On the other, a rookie in Jordan Binnington who carried the Blues to the playoffs with an incredible second half of the season. The 25-year old had played one game in the NHL before this season, but now may be the key to bringing St. Louis their first Stanley Cup.
So just before the game begins, cast your vote! Who will win the Stanley Cup for the 2018-19 season? Do the Bruins have what it takes to give the city another title? Or can the Blues finally break their curse and snap the streak? Make sure to leave a comment explaining what you think will happen!
Who will win the Stanley Cup?
-
Bruins in 6 28% (319)
-
Blues in 6 25% (293)
-
Bruins in 5 19% (219)
-
Blues in 7 17% (195)
-
Bruins in 7 6% (66)
-
Bruins in 4 4% (41)
-
Blues in 5 1% (12)
-
Blues in 4 1% (10)
Total votes: 1,155
[Mobile users click here to vote]
Playoff Notes: Marchand, Dunn, Thomas, Chara
Boston Bruins fans got a scare Sunday when star forward Brad Marchand was missing from practice as Karson Kuhlman took his place in practice, according to NHL.com’s Matt Kalman, making many wonder if Marchand would be made available for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals, which start on Monday.
“He had a maintenance day today, so that’s all, he’ll be ready to go tomorrow,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said about Marchand.
There was some concern that Marchand, who leads the Bruins with 18 points (seven goals and 11 assists) in 17 games, injured his left hand in Thursday’s scrimmage when he bumped into Connor Clifton and returned to the bench at one point, favoring his left hand. However, he continued playing in the scrimmage.
“I’ve been trying to get out of practice every day this week,” Marchand joked. “It’s just been dragging out here, so we’re excited for it to start tomorrow and it should be fun.”
Kalman also writes that David Krejci, who has been out with a fever the last couple of days, practiced today and is expected to be ready for Monday’s game as well.
- St. Louis Blues defenseman Vince Dunn, who has missed three straight games after taking a puck to the head during Game 3 against the San Jose Sharks, has traveled with the team to Boston and skated with the team Sunday, wearing a plastic face guard around his entire face, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He is still considered doubtful for Game 1 as he practiced with the extra defensemen. Head coach Craig Berube said there is a chance that Dunn returns at some point in the playoffs. “That was the best he’s looked, which is a good sign. He’s pretty close,” Berube said.
- Thomas also posts that St. Louis Blues forward Robert Thomas (undisclosed injury) did not skate among the regulars during practice on Sunday. He came out later in practice and worked on his own. However, Berube said that Thomas was “a go” for Monday and is expected to play in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Robby Fabbri filled in for Thomas on the third line.
- In an in-depth piece on Boston Bruins 42-year-old defenseman Zdeno Chara, the Boston Globe’s Christopher L. Gasper writes that Chara expressed an interest to play until he’s 45, a claim very similar to the ones made by fellow New England athlete Tom Brady with the New England Patriots. “Obviously, I’m signed for next year. I’m planning to play. I want to compete and still play. I’ll be 43. I’m not, obviously, that far away. I’m taking it one year at a time,” Chara said. “I think you have to respect that things could change. It could go from my end, ‘Hey, I just don’t feel like it.’ Or it could be, ‘Hey, I still love it. I still have so much passion for it. I want to keep going.’ But I want to play until I can still be contributing to the game and still be effective. At the same time, you’ve got to realize that when there is a time there is a time. At this point, I’m still hungry. I still love the game. I have so much passion for it.”
Atlantic Notes: Kapanen, Johnsson, Ristolainen, Krejci
While the Toronto Maple Leafs know what to expect when it comes to the future contract for Mitch Marner, it isn’t as straight forward for their other two key restricted free agents in Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson. Some of the reason for that is that young forwards with little experience who post an impressive season, often don’t get rewarded when they hit restricted free agency and that could easily be the case for the Maple Leafs, according to The Athletic’s Ian Tulloch (subscription required).
Kapanen, who hits restricted free agency for the first time, had an impressive season last year as he put up 20 goals and 44 points as a full-time player. However, before that, he had played a combined 55 games (and tallying just 10 points) over three separate seasons. Johnsson posted very similar numbers as he tallied 20 goals and 43 points in 73 games last season, but has played just 82 games in two years.
There are a number of comparables, however, including Ondrej Kase, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Phillip Danault, Anthony Mantha, Andreas Athanasiou, Teuvo Teravainen and Andre Burakovsky. All of them opted to sign a bridge deal with the hopes to prove to their respective teams that they can score like that consistently, suggesting that each of them may make anywhere from $2.7MM to $3.3MM AAV if they follow suit.
Of course, the problem could come down to offer sheets as both players would likely be prime candidates to sign offer sheets with other teams that could be closer to $4MM with a less risky compensation (just a second-round pick) which could cause quite a bit of havoc to Toronto’s salary cap situation.
- Despite multiple rumors that the Buffalo Sabres are considering dealing defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, who has never been able to take that next step and become a star defenseman like the team thought would happen when he joined the franchise six years ago, TSN’s Darren Dreger (while appearing on WGR 550) said he doesn’t believe that the Sabres will entertain the notion of trading him. Dreger said he doesn’t believe it’s a move the team feels is critical, but general manager Jason Botterill is still open to listening to offers. Of course, one fear of moving him is that Ristolainen could take that next step wherever he gets traded to, which the Sabres would prefer to avoid.
- NHL.com’s Eric Russo writes that the Boston Bruins have been without center David Krejci for the past few days as the center has been out with an illness. He missed Thursday’s scrimmage and skipped practice on Saturday although head coach Bruce Cassidy said he hopes to have Krejci back on Sunday. “Precautionary,” said Cassidy. “I suspect we’ll see him tomorrow. That is the plan. If he’s not out tomorrow, now there’s a little bit of worry there. But right now, I believe he’ll be practicing tomorrow.”
Jordan Binnington’s Bruins Past Could Play A Role In Cup Final
Plenty has been said about the meteoric rise of St. Louis Blues goalie Jordan Binnington this season. The 25-year-old rookie began the year as the team’s fourth-string option in net and did not make his first NHL start until January. Yet, he miraculously managed to pick up 24 wins in the second half of the season behind a league-best 1.89 goals against average and has led the Blues to the Stanley Cup Final. Part of Binnington’s dominance is that his emergence from obscurity meant that most opponents this season had little to no experience with facing him. However, the part of Binnington’s story that is now in the spotlight, and one that many still may not realize, is that last season Binnington played for none other than the AHL’s Providence Bruins.
Without an AHL affiliate in 2017-18, St. Louis was forced to split their minor league prospects between several AHL teams. With limited options for play time in net, the Blues opted to leave Ville Husso with many of his teammates on the San Antonio Rampage – now the team’s new affiliate – and loaned Binnington by himself to Providence for the year. Binnington played well, but made just 28 appearances over the course of the season as the backup to the Bruins’ Zane McIntyre. More importantly, he spent the whole campaign with the team.
Could this be an advantage for Boston in their upcoming Stanley Cup clash with the Blues? It certainly won’t hurt, but the bulk of the Bruins’ regulars did not spend much time in Providence last season. Of the players to skate in at least half of Boston’s games this season, only Danton Heinen and Matt Grzelcyk suited up for Providence last season and the pair combined for just 18 early-season games. Even current Bruins reserves like Peter Cehlarik, Trent Frederic, and Karson Kuhlman (none of whom are likely to draw into the Cup Final anyway) only spent limited time playing with Binnington. And the P-Bruins’ top players from last season – Austin Czarnik, Kenny Agostino, Colby Cave – have since departed the organization.
The one outlier, and potential Stanley Cup x-factor, is defenseman Connor Clifton. Clifton played the full season in Providence last year and spent much of this season in the AHL as well. However, Clifton has jumped on the opportunity presented by injuries to Kevan Miller and John Moore and has asserted himself as a starter for the Bruins this season. Even with Moore now healthy, as well as Steven Kampfer in the mix, the rookie defenseman has held on to his spot on the right side of the team’s bottom pair. Clifton has been trusted with meaningful minutes and even recorded his first NHL goal in the Eastern Conference Final. A player on the smaller side who makes up for his lack of stature with both tenacity and intelligence, Clifton is not a player to be overlooked and his experience playing with Binnington could be key for the Bruins.
Of course, Providence head coach Jay Leach and organizational goalie coach Bob Essensa, among others, will also surely have input on Binnington. So too will former net mate McIntyre, who has served as Boston’s emergency third-string goalie in recent weeks. There’s no reason to believe that one season as the minor league backup for the Bruins will give the team all they need to totally figure out the red-hot goaltender, but Boston may have a slight advantage over other teams this postseason when it comes to beating Binnington.