Ottawa Senators Acquire Cody Goloubef From Boston Bruins
After making a minor league swap with the Toronto Maple Leafs earlier today, the Ottawa Senators were back at it with the Boston Bruins. Ottawa has acquired minor league defenseman Cody Goloubef from the Bruins in exchange for Paul Carey. Both players will report to their respective new AHL teams.
Goloubef has been playing with the Providence Bruins for the entire year after winning an Olympic bronze medal last year as part of Canada’s non-NHL squad. The 29-year old defenseman was the 37th overall pick in 2008 but has failed to really establish himself as a full-time option. He did play 33 games for the Colorado Avalanche in 2016-17, but that was as part of one of the worst teams in hockey history. Still, he’s been an excellent contributor over the years at the minor league level and will help the Belleville Senators on the blue line for the rest of the year. Goloubef is on a one-year two-way deal that pays $650K at the NHL level.
Carey meanwhile is a veteran forward that can help fill in for the injuries in Providence while giving Boston some NHL experience at the ready. The 30-year old forward played 60 games for the New York Rangers last season, recording 14 points. He’s also on a one-year two-way contract, but earns $700K at the NHL level. It’s unlikely that we’ll see either of these players for long stretches in the NHL.
Brayden Schenn Drawing Interest As Trade Deadline Approaches
The St. Louis Blues certainly haven’t had the season they expected, and even if they win tonight’s game against the Montreal Canadiens (which they lead 3-0 at the time of this writing) are still down another man. Robert Thomas left the game with an apparent shoulder injury and will not return. While that may not end up being anything serious, it’s just another frustrating development in a season full of them. The Blues sit in last place in the Central Division with a 17-20-4 record and can see their playoff hopes slipping away.
That’s almost certainly why a new Blues player is in the news every week as a potential trade target, and this time it’s Brayden Schenn who is drawing interest from around the league. That’s according to Pierre LeBrun on the latest edition of Insider Trading for TSN, who states that the Blues are in “full listening mode” after the frustrating start to the year. LeBrun uses the Boston Bruins as a specific team who are keeping an eye on Schenn, which makes sense given their struggles with secondary scoring and depth down the middle.
It won’t be just Boston interested in Schenn if he’s put up for sale near the trade deadline though, as there’s a lot to like from the player who recorded 70 points last season. Still just 27 years old, Schenn carries just a $5.125MM cap hit for this season and next before hitting unrestricted free agency. While that 70-point mark may be unreachable this year, he still does have 24 points in 37 games while offering some physicality and solid puck possession skills. If teams are looking for something more than the rental options of Kevin Hayes or Matt Duchene, Schenn would be an enticing player given his reasonable salary and big upside.
We’ve seen what that upside costs before though, as Schenn was traded to the Blues less than two years ago for a package that included two first-round picks. Even with a somewhat down year and a lot less time remaining on his contract the price tag is sure to be pretty steep on a player of Schenn’s caliber, which is why LeBrun suggests that some of the big trades St. Louis is planning might have to wait until the summer. Still, if a for sale sign is put up outside the Enterprise Center, there is sure to be plenty of buyers knocking on the doors.
Kenny Agostino Will Not Face Further Discipline From Player Safety
As the Montreal Canadiens prepare to take on the Detroit Red Wings tonight, they are fortunate to do so with forward Kenny Agostino in the lineup. Agostino, who has carved out a nice role for himself with the Habs this season, received a match penalty game misconduct in the first period of the team’s match-up with Minnesota last night for a late hit on the Wild’s Eric Fehr. Yet, missing most of the game and leaving his team shorthanded appears to have been a fitting punishment for Agostino in the league’s eyes. Sportsnet’s Eric Engels reports that no further discipline will come from the Department of Player Safety and instead Agostino will take the ice this evening.
The incident in question occurred early in the first period of last night’s game in Montreal. Agostino hit Fehr with a late check along the boards, despite having enough time to slow up after Fehr had passed the puck away. Fehr fell against the boards in front of his own bench and hit his face on the way down (video). The veteran forward left the game and did not return. Wild head coach Bruce Boudreau told the media today that Fehr is out tonight against the Boston Bruins but due to soreness and not any long-term injury. Both Fehr and Agostino logged just 25 seconds of ice time apiece in the game due to their early collision. In addition to a game misconduct, Agostino earned a major penalty for interference, a penalty that was partially reduced by Minnesota defenseman Nick Seeler who came to the defense of his teammate and fought Agostino, but at the cost of an instigator penalty. Not long after Agostino’s exit, the Canadiens also lost Shea Weber, who was took a puck up high and left the game. Down two skaters for much of the game, Montreal somehow still held the Wild to one goal albeit in a 1-0 defeat.
In his defense, Agostino has no suspension history or past dealings with the Department of Player Safety. While his check on Fehr was certainly late, it was not a heavy or high hit with an intent to injure, but the unfortunate way that Fehr landed caused most of the damage. Although the league could have thrown the book at him for a late, careless hit that caused an injury, the decision not to further discipline Agostino with a fine or suspension seems fair.
Throughout most of his pro career, an absence by Agostino would not have mattered much to his teams. The former AHL standout struggled to earn play time in stops with the Calgary Flames, St. Louis Blues, and Boston Bruins, but has already set a career high in games played (28) and points (11) in Montreal. Agostino is still playing a limited bottom-six role, but improved physicality and extraordinary possession numbers have helped him lock up a spot in the Habs’ lineup. On a $700K two-way contract this season, the winger is a bargain for the Canadiens. However, the 26-year-old is surely looking forward to being a free agent again this summer following his current breakout campaign.
Montreal Canadiens Will Not Be Deadline Buyers
The Montreal Canadiens have been inside or on the fringe of the Eastern Conference playoff picture for much of the season. Yet, in the stacked Atlantic Division, GM Marc Bergevin knows that he faces an uphill battle to advance very far this season. The experienced executive has thus decided not to fall into the trap of acquiring short-term rentals ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline this season. Addressing the media today, Bergevin stated:
I don’t think I’ll be in the rental business… I’m going to listen. If it makes sense, I’ll do it. But I’m not going to start mortgaging the future… I know …who they’re going to be asking for and I’m not going moving these kids. So it will be a short conversation I think.
As TSN’s John Lu clarifies, Bergevin is speaking about protecting his recent World Junior Championship standouts. Montreal’s prospects stood out at the 2019 WJC perhaps more than any other NHL team. At the front of that group is obviously reigning tournament MVP Ryan Poehling, the Habs’ 2017 first-round pick out of St. Cloud State University, who notched five goals and points in seven games for the Americans. Alexander Romanov, the team’s second-round pick this past June, was also a top performer at the WJC; the KHL product was named the tournament’s top defenseman with eight points in seven games as well. Cayden Primeau, the starting goaltender for Team USA, and one of the few who beat him in the gold medal game, Finnish forward Jesse Ylonen, also belong to the Canadiens. So too do Team Canada contributors Nick Suzuki and Josh Brook, who both impressed before their team’s early exit.
Bergevin has done a great job of stocking the cupboard for the Canadiens and is right to protect his top young assets. There is always a chance to win for any team that makes the playoffs, but Montreal would first have to qualify, battling for a wild card spot with the Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, and New York Islanders, at the very least. Currently, the projection model of The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn gives the Canadiens a 50% chance at making the playoffs, but does place them in the eighth and final playoff spot in the East. However, that would still land Montreal with a first-round match-up with the likely President’s Trophy-winning Tampa Bay Lightning and, if by some miracle they advance, then a face-off with the Toronto Maple Leafs-Boston Bruins winner. It’s a tough road for the Habs and one that is unlikely to be successful this year, so the team may as well steer clear of the rental market and hold on to their top prospect talent. As Bergevin states, he’ll listen, but doesn’t expect to be convinced. Without any obvious rental pieces of their own either, this could be a quiet deadline season in Montreal.
Atlantic Notes: Lightning, Trocheck, Backes, Schenn
The Tampa Bay Lightning had two chances to acquire superstar defenseman Erik Karlsson to their lineup and while many still feel that they should have gone out and paid the price to bring one more superstar into their lineup, The Athletic’s Joe Smith (subscription required) looks back and feels the team should be thankful it didn’t do that when it had the chance.
While the Lightning seriously considered trading with Ottawa at the trade deadline and then again in the offseason, the team opted to go a cheaper route and bring in defenseman Ryan McDonagh. That trade was critical, according to Smith, who writes has been crucial to the team’s penalty kill, which was 28th in the league at the time of the trade last season. While he doesn’t contribute as much offensively, that’s one area of the game that Tampa Bay doesn’t need help on.
The scribe also points out that the team would have been forced to move Mikhail Sergachev in any deal to acquire Karlsson, and while the youngster has had an up-and-down season so far this year, the team still views Sergachev as a top-four defenseman and a key piece to the Lightning’s long-term future.
- Wells Dusenbury of the South Florida Sun Sentinel writes that Florida Panthers forward Vincent Trocheck is ahead of schedule in his rehab on his fractured right ankle that he suffered on Nov. 11. The 25-year-0ld returned to the ice both Friday and Saturday. “It was encouraging,” Panthers coach Bob Boughner said. “I talked to him and asked him how it was to be on the ice [Friday] and he said he was a little sore during the day, but he woke up real good today, so that’s a good sign after his first skate.” Boughner said that Trocheck definitely won’t be back until after the all-star break, but much will depend on how he feels with each step in his recovery.
- Despite never having any success next to David Krejci, Boston Bruins forward David Backes filled in on the team’s second line alongside Krejci and Jake Debrusk and showed that he might be the answer to their team’s hole there, according to NHL.com’s Joe Haggerty. Backes scored the game-winning goal against Buffalo Saturday and looked like the perfect linemate after the team has cycled through Ryan Donato, Anders Bjork and Danton Heinen all failed to succeed there. The 34-year-old has seen his offense decline over the years from a 30-goal threat to a 14-goal season a year ago. With just four goals this season, the team would be thrilled if Backes could contribute in a top-six role in the future.
- That report comes a day after Haggerty’s report that the Bruins have expressed interest in acquiring Brayden Schenn from St. Louis. While Haggerty writes that the team has shown considerable interest in Minnesota’s Charlie Coyle, the scribe writes that Schenn would be a much more intriguing option to fill the hole on the second line. While the 27-year-old center’s numbers have been down this year with just eight goals and 23 points, he is coming off a 28-goal, 70-point season last year and could be a big addition to a Bruins team if they opt to go out and get him.
Joakim Nordstrom Suffers Fractured Fibula
The Boston Bruins have lost another player for a substantial period of time, as today the team announced that Joakim Nordstrom suffered a non-displaced fractured fibula during the Winter Classic. Nordstrom will be re-evaluated in three weeks.
It’s an unfortunate outcome for the 26-year old forward, who had settled into a nice role for the Bruins this season. After failing to receive a qualifying offer from the Carolina Hurricanes last summer, Nordstrom signed a two-year, $2MM deal with the Bruins and has been used extensively in the team’s bottom-six. Averaging more than 14 minutes a night, Nordstrom actually ranks sixth among all Bruins forwards in goals with five and has been a key penalty killer for the team. Though he doesn’t offer a ton of offensive upside, his consistent effort has been needed while the team has dealt with injuries all over the lineup.
His injury will open the door for another one of Boston’s young forwards to see more minutes, though the team has not made a roster move just yet. David Krejci was also absent from practice today, but that was due to the birth of his second child. Krejci is expected to be in the lineup tonight for Boston.
NHL Releases Special Events Schedule for 2019-20
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced a new schedule for all the special events happening in the 2019-20 season. While it was reported Monday that the 2020 Winter Classic will be in Dallas, Bettman also announced that the St. Louis Blues will host the 2020 Honda NHL All-Star game, Regina will host the 2019 Tim Horton’s NHL Heritage Classic between the Winnipeg Jets and the Calgary Flames, while Colorado will host the 2020 Stadium Series at the U.S. Air Force Academy’s Falcon Stadium.
There is no word yet on who the Dallas Stars will play next year at the 2020 Winter Classic at the Cotton Bowl. The Athletic’s Sean Shapiro reports that the opponent will be determined by the Stars, NBC and the NHL in a group effort and will be made within the next few weeks. However, with no regional rival, there isn’t an obvious opponent, although some are already suggesting that the Minnesota Wild might be a good match. It’s not expected to be the Blackhawks, who played in the event this year and has already played in six outdoor games. This marks the first time that Dallas will play in an outdoor game.
Bettman said that other venues were considered and will continue to be considered. ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski reports that Bettman said that there has been conversations between both Florida teams of a future night game on Jan. 1. The Athletic’s Joe McDonald adds that Bettman said the league will have discussions with the Bruins after their renovations at TD Gardens are complete about receiving another event.
The Blues will host the 2020 all-star game, which will be held on Jan. 24-2. It will be the first time that St. Louis has hosted an all-star game since 1988. It will be the third all-star game in the city as the team also hosted one in 1970. St. Louis hosted the Winter Classic two years ago, but its success only helped the Blues bring in another big event.
“St. Louis was a great host for us for the Winter Classic, and in the final analysis, the total circumstances including the substantial renovation that they’ve done of the Enterprise Center made it the right time to go back. We have no doubt it will be a huge success,” Bettman said (via The Athletic’s Jeremy Rutherford).
The Winnipeg Jets announced earlier today they will host the Heritage Classic, but the opponent hadn’t been announced. Bettman announced that the Calgary Flames will make their second appearance in the occasionally-held Canadian outdoor game which will be on Oct. 26, 2019.
The Avalanche will get a chance to host their second Stadium Series. They hosted the Detroit Red Wings at Coors Field in 2016. It also marks the second time a game will be at a U.S. service academy. The Washington Capitals hosted the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium at the U.S. Naval Base in Annapolis, Maryland in March last year. Just as with the Winter Classic, an opponent has yet to be named and will be determined in a few weeks.
Atlantic Notes: Point, Andersen, McAvoy, Helm
With more and more rumors surfacing that many teams may consider handing out offer sheets this summer when a number of intriguing game-changing restricted free agents will be out there, one team that might have to worry more than anyone will be the salary-strapped Tampa Bay Lightning. The team will have quite a few cap issues this offseason, including a number of unrestricted defensive free agents in Anton Stralman, Braydon Coburn and Dan Girardi as well as multiple restricted free agents, including star center Brayden Point.
The fear is that a team might take advantage of Tampa Bay’s situation and make Point an offer that the Lightning would have trouble matching as they will be forced to make significant adjustments for the next several years with all the big-name players they have. However, The Athletic’s Joe Smith (subscription required) interviewed general manager Julien BriseBois about many topics, but the GM believes that offer sheets aren’t being utilized amongst NHL teams for a reason.
“I’m really not concerned at all about offer sheets,” BriseBois said. “I don’t see it happening. The way it’s set up, there’s no point in making an offer sheet unless you think you’re going to get the player. And teams match. You’re not going to let go of the good young players that are going to be good for your team for many years to come. So I don’t see it.”
BriseBois also pointed out that negotiations with Point will not begin until after the season and even if a team was able to get Point to sign an offer sheet, he believes that the team would have the time needed to move around pieces to retain Point.
- Mark Zwolinski of The Star writes that Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock said that there is no rush when it comes to getting back goaltender Frederik Andersen, who is out with a groin injury. Andersen, who has played more minutes than any goaltender in the league so far in the past two years, is expected to work out with goaltending coach Steve Briere on Tuesday and could be cleared for practice on Wednesday, but whether he plays on Thursday afternoon or Saturday isn’t important to the coach. “Let’s make it clear, there’s no plan,” Babcock said.
- Joe Haggerty of NBC Sports writes that Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy seems unlikely to play in Tuesday’s Winter Classic after not practicing Monday. If McAvoy misses Tuesday’s game, that will be the 23rd game that he has missed this season, which is starting to look like a pattern as he also missed 19 games in his rookie campaign last season. Haggerty suggests that if he continues to show an inability to stay on the ice, that could affect the big contract that many people expect McAvoy will get this offseason when he hits restricted free agency. He’s been compared to Drew Doughty, but Doughty has never missed more than six games in a season and has played a full 82-game schedule five times in his career.
- MLive’s Ansar Khan writes that the Detroit Red Wings are close to getting back veteran Darren Helm and he could be back as early as Wednesday. The forward has been out since Nov. 17 with a shoulder injury. The 31-year-old has just one goal this season in 20 games after a 13-goal season a year ago.
Injury Notes: Bruins, Capitals, Penguins, Pageau
The Boston Bruins should get a boost just in time for the Winter Classic on Tuesday against the Chicago Blackhawks as NHL.com’s Dan Rosen reports that Brad Marchand should be ready to go after practicing today, barring any setbacks. He missed Saturday’s game with an upper-body injury, but it looks like it wasn’t a serious issue. Marchand is having another solid campaign as he has 12 goals and 41 points in 39 games this year.
Rosen also points out that defenseman Charlie McAvoy remains questionable for the big game. The defenseman has missed two games with a lower-body injury and did not practice today. The gifted defenseman has struggled dealing with injuries as he has appeared in just 17 games this year, although he has 11 points.
- Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post writes that Washington Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen will be out Monday against Nashville and miss his second straight game with an undisclosed upper-body injury. However, the team got better news on Brooks Orpik, who listed as a game-time decision for Monday after missing 27 games with a right-knee injury. The scribe writes that both players practiced Sunday and are both close to returning to the team. The team has also been without Christian Djoos.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins could be without both forward Bryan Rust and defenseman Olli Maatta on Monday as both are listed as day-to-day, according to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Matt Vensel. Rust didn’t practice today with an undisclosed injury, while Maatta suffered a lower-body injury during Saturday’s game against St. Louis, but finished the game. He didn’t practice today either.
- Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reports that Ottawa Senators center Jean-Gabriel Pageau is close to a return. While he’s not expected to play Monday, could be back not long after that. The 26-year-old has been out all season after having surgery to repair a torn Achilles muscle. He had a six-month timetable in mid-September and is well ahead of schedule. Pageau had 14 goals and 29 points last season.
World Junior Notes: Eriksson Ek, Czech Republic, Hughes, Keyser
With the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship underway in Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia, those teams that have yet to fill out their rosters continue to do so in the midst of the first round. Sweden made a notable addition to close out their roster, adding another goaltender in Olle Eriksson Ek, the IIHF announced. The 19-year-old keeper was a fifth-round pick of the Anaheim Ducks in 2017 and was a backup for Sweden at the WJC last year. Eriksson Ek is having an underwhelming season with BIK Karlskoga of the Allsvenskan, the Swedish minor leagues, and has yet to appear in the SHL. However, the younger brother of Minnesota Wild forward Joel Eriksson Ek has undeniable athleticism and ability and was worthy of a roster spot again for the Swedes. However, so long as Samuel Ersson, a Philadelphia Flyers fifth-rounder this year, continues his hot start to the tournament, Eriksson Ek is unlikely to see any action.
- The Czech Republic has also rounded out their roster with addition of a pair of NHL prospects. The Athletic’s Corey Pronman notes that the Czechs have added forward Jan Jenik and defenseman Radim Salda to their tournament team. Jenik was a third-round pick of the Arizona Coyotes back in June and has been a regular contributor for Bili Tygri Liberec of the top Czech league. Jenik is a smart, hard-working player who will bring a boost to the bottom-six for the Czechs. Salda is also a recent selection, a seventh-round pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Salda currently plays for Rimouski Oceanic of the QMJHL and brings the offensive touch that is typical of defenders out of that league. Salda is having a strong season for Rimouski and could prove to be a major addition on the Czech blue line. The Czechs have yet to win a game in regulation through two contests and face a tough challenge in the Canadians up next. The team hopes their newest additions can both be difference makers through the rest of their games.
- When it was announced that American prodigy Jack Hughes would miss his team’s game against Kazakhstan yesterday, few were concerned, as the Americans won handily anyway, 8-2. However, head coach Mike Hastings has now announced that Hughes will also miss tonight’s game against another undefeated team in Sweden and that is concerning. Hastings added that Hughes is “progressing” toward getting back in the lineup, but how long the presumptive 2019 No. 1 overall pick remains out with this undisclosed injury could dictate how far the U.S. goes in the tournament.
- Hastings also announced that Boston Bruins prospect Kyle Keyser will be back in net tonight for the Americans after getting a rest against the underdog Kazakhstan team. With top 2019-eligible goalie Spencer Knight and impressive collegiate keeper and Montreal Canadiens draft pick Cayden Primeau also on the roster, few expected the undrafted Keyser to be the go-to goalie for the Americans. However, Keyser is in the midst of a dominant season for the OHL’s Oshawa Generals and performed well in the Americans first game of the tournament, so Hastings seems content to ride Keyser’s hot hand for as long as he can.