Commissioner Notes: Goalie Interference, International Games, Expansion
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman spoke to the media prior to tonight’s All-Star’s Skills Competition and it didn’t take long for questions to arise about the controversial goaltender interference calls that have created an uproar. As reported earlier, the all-star coaches and league executives met with the league today to discuss the issues with goaltender interference. Bettman was quick to point out that he believes that everyone is overthinking the rule and plans to send a memo to officials suggesting they ease off when looking at video, according to Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston.
“Overall, the system works,” Bettman said. “But I think we’ve gotten to the point where everyone is overlooking the review.”
The comments might suggest the league might be backing off on goaltender interference in the near future.
- Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston tweets that Bettman announced the 2019 NHL All-Star Game will be in San Jose on Jan. 26-27. It will be the first time its been there since 1997. St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Tom Timmermann tweeted the St. Louis Blues are bidding to host the 2020 all-star game.
- Johnston also tweets that Bettman said that the New Jersey Devils and Edmonton Oilers will start the 2018-19 regular season in Sweden. The Winnipeg Jets and the Florida Panthers will play two regular season games against each other in Helsinki, Finland. The Devils tweeted they will also be playing in a preseason game in Switzerland.
- TSN’s Daren Dreger tweets that Bettman said that the plan is to send two teams to China in September and continues to be a “work in progress.” Johnston adds that it’s expected the Calgary Flames and the Boston Bruins will be the two teams.
- TSN’s Pierre LeBrun tweets that Bettman was asked if the next expansion team (Seattle — if it happens, added Bettman) would get the same favorable expansion draft rules and player pool that the Vegas Golden Knights received. Bettman said, “Yes.” Chicago Sun-Times’ Mark Lazerus tweets that Bettman added that any future expansion team would insist on the same expansion draft rules that Vegas took advantage of. ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski tweets that Bettman said the ownership group working for a Seattle expansion bid is still working on their application. A timetable and ticket drive are up to them, but likely should be completed in one or two weeks, suggests LeBrun.
- LeBrun tweets that he talked to NHLPA’s Don Fehr, who said that a potential World Cup tournament could happen in September of 2020 or February of 2020. However, there still would have to be a lot of work to be done.
- LeBrun tweets that when asked whether adding a 32nd team through expansion would suggest the NHL should look into expanding the number of playoff teams, Bettman said ‘No.’ He likes it at 16 teams.
- Wyshysnki tweets that Bettman wasn’t positive about a possible expansion team coming from Quebec: “We’re not currently considering an application. At the current time, we’re not focused on a team in Quebec City. That doesn’t mean we’ll never be focused [on it].”
- Wyshysnki tweets that on the topic of the Arizona Coyotes, the commissioner added that ownership is working through possibilities to build a new arena and the strength of the club comes down to the owners’ willingness to continue that pursuit. “I wouldn’t focus on Arizona moving right now. Or anytime soon. Or ever,” said Bettman.
- Lazerus tweets that Bettman also wasn’t as positive about NHL players joining the Olympics in 2020. “I don’t have an answer to that question.” He said the clubs and owners find Olympic participation “disruptive.”
All-Star Skills Competition Assignments Released
With the All-Star game one day away, many NHL fans often get more excited for the 2018 GEICO NHL All-Star Skills Competition, which will be tonight. The NHL released the list of who will be participating in each of the six competitions with the winner of each receiving $25K.
Enterprise NHL Fastest Skater – Each skater is timed for one full lap around the rink.
Brayden Point (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Zach Werenski (Columbus Blue Jackets)
Rickard Rakell (Anaheim Ducks)
Noah Hanifin (Carolina Hurricanes)
Josh Bailey (New York Islanders)
Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche)
Jack Eichel (Buffalo Sabres)
Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers)
Dunkin Donuts NHL Passing Challenge – Requires three skills over one round, including Target Passing (making four passes to a target that light up randomly), Give-and-Go (must complete four successful passes through a course in the neutral zone) and Mini Nets (must complete four passes over barricades and into mini-nets).
Nikita Kucherov (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Claude Giroux (Philadelphia Flyers)
Brayden Schenn (St. Louis Blues)
Oliver Ekman-Larsson (Arizona Coyotes)
Eric Staal (Minnesota Wild)
Alex Pietrangelo (St. Louis Blues)
Kris Letang (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Drew Doughty (Los Angeles Kings)
GEICO NHL Save Streak – Goalies attempt to win by making the most consecutive saves against an opposing division on a minimum of nine shots.
Henrik Lundqvist (New York Rangers) vs. Central Division
Connor Hellebuyck (Vancouver Canucks) vs. Pacific Division
Pekka Rinne (Nashville Predators) vs. Metropolitan Division
Marc-Andre Fleury (Vegas Golden Knights) vs. Atlantic Division
Andrei Vasilevskiy (Tampa Bay Lightning) vs. Central Division
Gatorade NHL Puck Control Relay – A timed event that involves three skills, including Stickhandling (where a skater must control a puck through a series of eight pucks in a straight line), Cone Control (where a skater controls a puck through a series of eight cones in a zig-zag formation) and Gates (where a skater must shoot or choose to guide the puck through a lighted rung of a gate).
Johnny Gaudreau (Calgary Flames)
Aleksander Barkov (Florida Panthers)
Erik Karlsson (Ottawa Senators)
John Tavares (New York Islanders)
Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers)
Auston Matthews (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Tyler Seguin (Dallas Stars)
Patrick Kane (Chicago Blackhawks)
PPG NHL Hardest Shot – Over two rounds, each player will attempt two shots measured in miles per hour with the highest speed recorded.
John Klingberg (Dallas Stars)
Alex Ovechkin (Washington Capitals)
P.K. Subban (Nashville Predators)
Brent Burns (San Jose Sharks)
Steven Stamkos (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Honda NHL Shooting Accuracy – A timed event in which a skater is positioned 25 feet behind the goal line and must shoot at five LED targets in the goal. A target will light up and the players has three seconds to hit it.
Brian Boyle (New Jersey Devils)
Blake Wheeler (Winnipeg Jets)
James Neal (Vegas Golden Knights)
Brock Boeser (Vancouver Canucks)
Brad Marchand (Boston Bruins)
Anze Kopitar (Los Angeles Kings)
Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Steven Stamkos (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Trade Candidates: Derek Ryan
With the trade deadline approaching, we will be profiling several players in the weeks ahead that have a good chance to be dealt by February 26th.
In 2016-17, Derek Ryan made headlines as a 30-year-old playing in his first full NHL season after working his way to the highest level through levels like the Canadian University system and pro leagues in Hungary and Austria. The Carolina Hurricanes forward was even nominated for the Masterton Trophy to recognize the perseverance and dedication in took to stick with his NHL dreams much longer than most. In 2017-18, the narrative has changed from Ryan, the feel-good story, to Ryan, the legitimate NHL asset. If you thought Ryan’s 29 points in 67 games as an unheralded, aging rookie was impressive, take a look at his 26 points through 20 fewer games so far this year. Ryan has quietly established himself as a capable, versatile forward and with the Carolina Hurricanes again looking like the odd man out in the Metropolitan Division, the next chapter in Ryan’s story could be that of a key Trade Deadline acquisition.
Contract
Ryan re-signed with the Hurricanes this past summer on a one-year, one-way deal worth $1.425MM. By the Trade Deadline, Ryan will count for less than $500K against the salary cap. He will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
2017-18
In 47 games, Ryan has nearly matched his offensive totals from last season, and then some. Ryan has already tied his 11 goals and is only three assists shy of his 18 and has done so in 20 fewer games. Ryan is on pace for 19 goals and 26 assists if he stays with the Hurricanes, though even the smallest hot streak, or perhaps a change of scenery, could push him over 20 goals or 30 assists. This season, Ryan has also been a superior five-on-five player, earning the trust of head coach Bill Peters and, in turn, more ice time. Even with a greater role and more exposure this season, Ryan has elite Corsi numbers and has been the best possession player on the roster. Ryan continues to be an asset at the face-off dot too, with a team-leading 56.3% success rate on nearly 600 draws thus far. He’s seen a slight uptick in hits and takeaways without an increase in penalty minutes as, despite a -13 rating that isn’t a true reflection of his game, he continues to be a two-way force who suppresses the opposition better than most of his fellow Carolina forwards. He often takes the ice against the best the other team has to offer and, compared to the team’s -17 goal differential, does well for himself. By all accounts, Ryan has taken another step forward in all facets in 2017-18.
Season Stats
47 GP, 11 goals, 15 assists, 26 points, -13 rating, 10 PIM, 92 shots, 16:18 ATOI, 56.9 CF%
Potential Suitors
While most teams did not even his know his name a few short years ago, Ryan will now be a sought-after depth addition at the Trade Deadline. A responsible, well-rounded forward, Ryan is the type of player that nearly any team could use for the stretch run. With the versatility to play all three forward positions, the depth to his game to line up on the second, third, or fourth line depending on fit and need, and a cap hit that is a total non-factor, there is spot on every contender’s roster for Ryan this season. Who could use him the most? The league’s top team, the Tampa Bay Lightning, are a bit top-heavy on offense and could use a player like Ryan to add balance to their forward corps. The San Jose Sharks and Philadelphia Flyers are in a similar boat. Neither of those three teams have a specific, identifiable need that Ryan could fill, but could greatly use the flexibility he provides as a depth asset.
More specifically, Ryan could be another option for the Pittsburgh Penguins in their continued search for a third-line center. However, the Hurricanes may want to avoid trading Ryan to one of the teams they would need to leapfrog to make the playoffs – especially one with back-to-back Stanley Cup titles. Two other top contenders, the Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals, could really use Ryan as an anchor on their fourth lines. Both teams could use an injection of talent on their energy line, as well as another forward who could fill in throughout the lineup, as they march toward the postseason. The Bruins’ responsible, two-way, possession-heavy game especially seems to fit Ryan.
Likelihood of a Trade
The Derek Ryan story has been a great one, but it’s time for the Carolina Hurricanes to move on. Ryan has been a major surprise and a great addition to the lineup the past two years, but the ‘Canes face an uphill battle to make the playoffs and should get what they can for all of their impending UFA’s. If they so choose, Carolina could bring Ryan back in free agency, but it’s no use holding onto him for this season. The 31-year-old second-year NHLer faces a limited window to win the ultimate prize, a Stanley Cup, and in the midst of an outstanding season, he deserves to join a contender. Despite his amazing climb from the bowels of the hockey world to the highest level, Ryan remains a name that few people really know. Yet, expect him to quietly garner a lot of attention over the next month.
PHWA Announces Midseason Awards
The Professional Hockey Writers Association this season asked their members to vote for the end of year awards at the halfway point, and today announced the winners. Votes were cast on all the awards given annually to the top players in the league, and though they may not actually win when the time comes it is is a good look into which players will be in consideration.
The results are as follows:
Hart Memorial Trophy (League MVP):
Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning
Second place: Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
Third place: John Tavares, New York Islanders
James Norris Memorial Trophy (Top defenseman):
Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning
Second place: Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings
Third place: John Klingberg, Dallas Stars
Frank J. Selke Trophy (Top defensive forward):
Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins
Second place: Sean Couturier, Philadelphia Flyers
Third place: Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings
Calder Memorial Trophy (Rookie of the year):
Mathew Barzal, New York Islanders
Second place: Brock Boeser, Vancouver Canucks
Third place: Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins
Vezina Trophy (Top goaltender):
Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning
Second place: Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
Third place: Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (Sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct):
Johnny Gaudreau, Calgary Flames
Second place: Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
Third place: Ryan O’Reilly, Buffalo Sabres
Jack Adams Award (Coach of the year):
Gerard Gallant, Vegas Golden Knights
Second place: Jon Cooper, Tampa Bay Lightning
Third place: Paul Maurice, Winnipeg Jets
General Manager of the Year:
George McPhee, Vegas Golden Knights
Second place: Steve Yzerman, Tampa Bay Lightning
Third place: Ray Shero, New Jersey Devils
Top Defensive Defenseman:
Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings
Second place: Zdeno Chara, Boston Bruins
Third place: Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning
Comeback Player of the Year:
Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning
Second place: Brian Boyle, New Jersey Devils
Third place: Claude Giroux, Philadelphia Flyers
Brad Marchand Receives Five-Game Suspension
Bruins winger Brad Marchand has been suspended for five games for an elbowing incident from late in last night’s game against New Jersey, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced (video link). This represents the maximum number of games he could have received after participating in a phone hearing this afternoon. This will keep the 29-year-old, who leads Boston in scoring this season with 50 points (21-29-50) in 38 games, out of the lineup until February 8th.
Devils winger Marcus Johansson was the victim of the elbow and has already been diagnosed with a concussion, his second of the season. There is no timetable yet on how long he will be out of the lineup.
Marchand will still be eligible to participate in this weekend’s All-Star Game, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman (Twitter link). He is classified as a repeat offender as this is the sixth suspension of his career and as a result, he will forfeit just over $373K that will go to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
Winger Anders Bjork was made a late scratch for Boston’s farm team in advance of their game tonight and the Bruins have announced that he has been recalled from AHL Providence on an emergency basis. Although they didn’t have a roster spot opened up with this suspension, they can create an opening on the 23-man roster by transferring defenseman Charlie McAvoy (abnormal heart rhythm) to injured reserve.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Marcus Johansson Suffers Second Concussion Of Season
As Brad Marchand and the Boston Bruins await word of a potential suspension from the league, the New Jersey Devils will have to deal with another concussion for Marcus Johansson. According to Bob McKenzie of TSN the Devils’ forward suffered his second such injury of the season when elbowed by Marchand last night, and his third of his NHL career.
Johansson came over to the Devils in a trade last offseason and was concussed in November when he crashed hard into the boards against the Vancouver Canucks. That kept him out for a month, and has limited his impact on the Devils this season. Brought over to be a part of the offensive revolution in New Jersey, Johansson has just 14 points in 29 games. Seven of those had come in his last 11 games, though there is now no telling how long it will take him to get back to full strength.
As more and more is known about head and brain injuries, medical staffs are trying their best to keep players out until the risk of re-injury is extremely small. As we’ve seen with other players in the past, multiple concussions suffered in a short time period can cause long-term effects and take quite a bit of time to recover full from. Hopefully for Johansson’s sake that’s not the case here, and he’s able to get back on the ice with relative ease.
With the All-Star break coming up this weekend, New Jersey has four full days off after tomorrow’s game against the Nashville Predators. Hopefully we’ll know more about Johansson’s status afterwards, and when we can expect him back in a game.
Michael Lindqvist Drawing NHL Attention
The last few years the NHL has been mining the Swedish Hockey League and other European teams for talent even more than in the past, signing undrafted players and bringing them directly into the NHL. The SHL is full of talented players who may have been overlooked as youngsters, and Michael Lindqvist is just the latest example. The 23-year old is garnering plenty of NHL interest according to Rick Dhaliwal of News 1130, who lists the Vancouver Canucks as one of the many teams pursuing Lindqvist, but wouldn’t put them as a “leading candidate” at this point.
Lindqvist, and undersized but talented forward, was also mentioned in the latest 31 Thoughts column by Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman as one of several Swedish players being scouting by the NHL. Friedman listed the Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks, Nashville Predators, Vancouver and the New York Rangers as teams that had been watching, noting that there were likely even more.
In 32 games this season, Lindqvist has 34 points and is among the league leaders in goals with 20. Ten of those have come on the powerplay, where he sets up as a right-handed shot in the left circle and can beat goaltenders with his quick release. Teams could be viewing him as a potential help to a powerplay in the future, given his success there this season.
According to Friedman, some of the other players being targeted are Lawrence Pilut, Joel Persson and Par Lindholm. As teams continue to try to find competitive advantages, free agents from overseas provide easy additions to the depth of an organization. Whether Vancouver or anyone else will land Lindqvist and others is still unclear, but don’t overlook the impact they could make in the near future.
Snapshots: Sharks, McAvoy, Pesce
The San Jose Sharks have won two games in a row and find themselves in second place in the Pacific Division, and are still on the lookout for a fourth-line center to help out their forward group. Meanwhile, Kevin Kurz of The Athletic (subscription required) has kept track of the scouts attending recent games and one team stands out in particular.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have been at three of the last six Sharks games, and also sent a representative to take in a San Jose Barracuda game recently. The expectation is that it was to see Paul Martin, who is still looking for another opportunity in the NHL. Martin has a single point in seven games during his AHL stint, and could be a potential option for a club looking to help their defense down the stretch.
- Charlie McAvoy is out of hospital and on the road to recovery after undergoing a procedure yesterday correcting an abnormal heart rhythm. McAvoy is expected to be out for two weeks, but has avoided a potential long-term problem. The Boston Bruins are one of the league’s hottest teams right now and will have to find a way to replace McAvoy’s minutes internally.
- Brett Pesce has been activated off injured reserve for the Carolina Hurricanes, just in time for their important matchup with the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight. The Hurricanes are in last place in the Metropolitan Division but just three points out of a wildcard spot, and will have to pass the Penguins if they’re to make the playoffs this season. Pesce’s return should help them correct what has been a porous defense of late, allowing 27 goals in their last seven games.
Montreal Canadiens “Very Active” As Deadline Approaches
The Montreal Canadiens, losers of four of their last five games including three at the hands of the Boston Bruins, are now 19-22-6 on the season and well out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. In his latest 31 Thoughts column for Sportsnet, Elliotte Friedman reports that GM Marc Bergevin is more active than normal trying to “get something going.”
Friedman lists only Carey Price, Shea Weber, Victor Mete and Jonathan Drouin as unlikely to be traded, making the rest of the roster ripe for speculation. Max Pacioretty has obviously been in the news quite a bit recently, something Alex Galchenyuk has dealt with for years. There are also lesser-known names like Paul Byron, Andrew Shaw and Brendan Gallagher who would all draw interest as well as expiring contracts for Tomas Plekanec, Jakub Jerabek and Antti Niemi.
Montreal has had a season to forget, but Friedman points out that everyone in the league can see what Colorado is doing this year. After putting up historically bad numbers in 2016-17, the Avalanche are now on a ten game winning streak and find themselves right in the thick of the Western Conference playoff run. Montreal knows first hand what that bounce-back can be, after struggling without an injured price in 2015-16 only to return to the playoffs a year later.
If anything, the Canadiens are more likely to reload than rebuild, as Price’s huge extension kicks in next season and there is plenty of other money tied up in Weber, Drouin, Jeff Petry and Karl Alzner. Even if they do move out some significant pieces, you can bet Montreal won’t be tearing down the whole thing.
Charlie McAvoy Undergoes Procedure To Treat Heart Condition
Boston Bruins rookie defenseman Charlie McAvoy underwent a procedure today to treat an “abnormal heart rhythm” that was first noticed after a game on November 26th. McAvoy will remain in hospital overnight, and has a recovery timeline of two weeks.
McAvoy was diagnosed with a supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) and though it was not immediately dangerous, a decision was made to treat it now before any recurrence. The 20-year old had obviously continued to play after the initial diagnosis, but underwent a procedure called an ablation today according to the team.
The Bruins, who have been the hottest team in the NHL for quite some time, will have to adjust to playing without their young Calder nominee, who had been logging big minutes and playing a key role on their blue line. The first-round pick has 25 points on the season and was averaging more ice time than any Bruin not named Zdeno Chara. He was a replacement candidate for Victor Hedman in the All-Star game, but won’t be able to take part now.