Dennis Seidenberg Signs With New York Islanders
5:40pm: The Islanders have officially announced the deal.
12:03pm: TSN’s Darren Dreger is reporting Team Europe defenseman Dennis Seidenberg will join the New York Islanders on a one-year contract after the conclusion of the World Cup. The deal, expected to come in at exactly $1MM, is a far cry from the four-year, $16MM deal he was just bought out of in June. Boston deemed him expendable after multiple sub-par seasons, and instead re-signed John-Michael Liles and Joe Morrow to fill out their blueline. 
Dreger believes there were seven teams, including the Ottawa Senators, interested in the German defenseman, however they wanted to wait until the conclusion of the World Cup to sign him. They’ve missed their chance now, as the Islanders are set to snatch him up and try to regain some of his early-career play.
Now 35, Seidenberg was once considered an excellent shutdown defender capable of contributing 20-25 points per season. A veteran of 758 career games, he’ll be joining his sixth NHL club and look to make it back to the playoffs with the Isles. After a wild series with the Florida Panthers which featured less than steller defensive play, perhaps Seidenberg can add some consistency to a back-end led by high-flying Nick Leddy.
For $1MM Seidenberg is worth the gamble – just like fellow veteran defenseman Kyle Quincey signed today. The Islanders can now surround their young back-end with a once dependable veteran who has a ton of playoff experience.
2016-17 Season Preview: Boston Bruins
With NHL preseason underway, PHR continues to look at each team in-depth and the focus now turns to a team making news recently, the Boston Bruins.
Last season: 42-31-9 (93 points), 4th in the Atlantic Division, 9th in the Eastern Conference
Cap Space Remaining: $5.832MM according to Cap Friendly
Key Newcomers: C/RW David Backes (free agency, St. Louis Blues), G Anton Khudobin (free agency, Anaheim Ducks), C Dominic Moore (free agency, New York Rangers), RW Peter Mueller (PTO), C/RW Riley Nash (free agency, Carolina Hurricanes)
Key Departures: RW Brett Connolly (free agency, Washington Capitals), RW Loui Eriksson (free agency, Vancouver Canucks), RW Landon Ferraro (free agency, St. Louis Blues), G Jonas Gustavsson (free agency, Edmonton Oilers), C Chris Kelly (free agency, Ottawa Senators), C Joonas Kemppainen (free agency, KHL), C Alexander Khokhlachev (free agency, KHL), D Dennis Seidenberg (free agency, unsigned), RW Lee Stempniak (free agency, Carolina Hurricanes), C Max Talbot (free agency, KHL), D Zach Trotman (free agency, Los Angeles Kings)
Player to Watch: Jimmy Hayes – The first season in Boston for the local boy Hayes did not go as well as he, or anyone for that matter, expected. After coming over from the Florida Panthers in exchange for Reilly Smith, the “pride of Dorchester” was expected to, at the very least, be a 20-goal scorer for the Bruins. Instead, he scored six less goals than the year before and watched his point total drop to just 29 points in 75 games. He also drew much criticism from Boston fans and media for his lack of a physical game an net-front presence despite his 6’5″ frame. Hayes has reportedly been working on his crash-the-net skills and skating ability this off-season, and hopes to rebound in 2016-17. Hayes has little choice but to improve his game, or his time back in his hometown could be cut short. With Loui Eriksson, Lee Stempniak, and Brett Connolly now gone and Frank Vatrano missing the first couple months of the season with an injury, the opportunities will be there for Hayes to prove himself as a top-nine contributor. While it remains to be seen where in the lineup coach Claude Julien sees newcomers David Backes and Riley Nash playing, Hayes should nevertheless have a shot at playing on the right side of a talented center to start the new season, whether that be Backes, Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, or Ryan Spooner. A strong camp for Hayes will be key, as he looks to establish himself as a top scoring option at right wing, holding off youngsters like David Pastrnak, Jake DeBrusk, Danton Heinen, and Zach Senyshyn. If he’s able to find a good fit in the top nine, expect Hayes to put up good numbers this season. If not, expect Hayes to be spending a lot of time in the press box.
Key Storylines: General Manager Don Sweeney surprised many critics with his big free agency acquisition of David Backes, savvy signings of Riley Nash and Anton Khudobin, and most recently, his astonishingly affordable extension of Brad Marchand. However, Sweeney has done nothing this off-season to address Boston’s biggest need: defense. The Bruins are more than likely very interested in the likes of Jacob Trouba, Hampus Lindholm, Cam Fowler and others, but as of now have yet to make a move to bring one of them in. Their current group of blue liners is the same as it was at the end of 2015-16, minus Dennis Seidenberg. How is it that the defense, which has been the main reason why the Bruins have missed the playoffs the past two years, has not been improved? Does Sweeney know something that we don’t? Other than the recently-extended Torey Krug, the defense lacks much optimism this season. Zdeno Chara is still an effective shutdown defenseman, but has slowed with age. As has John-Michael Liles, who begins his first full season with the Bruins, but with few expectations. On the right side, Kevan Miller has proved himself to be a serviceable defenseman, but far from a top option and Adam McQuaid has never been more than a good stay-at-home player for the bottom pair. A lot is riding on the success of young puck-mover Colin Miller, who will be given every opportunity to stick as an NHL regular this season, and perhaps establish himself as a future star. Those six leave little for the imagination though. It is possible that Sweeney expects big things from his prospect defenseman this season. Big 19-year-old bruiser Brandon Carlo, a 2015 2nd-round pick, has especially turned some heads, and may be on track to win a spot in camp after a strong junior season, excellent World Junior Championship performance, and brief stint with AHL Providence last year. Two other 2015 top picks, Jakub Zboril and Jeremy Lauzon, may also be NHL-ready with their strong possession ability, but would have to be returned to junior if they don’t make the team out of the gate. Something has to give with improving this defense, and sooner rather than later, or the Bruins fate could be the same as the past two seasons.
The Bruins are built to win now, and the team has continually shown their belief in that with big deals for Matt Beleskey and David Backes in back-to-back years and an unwillingness to trade away veteran pieces. However, should the Bruins struggle early in 2016-17, don’t be surprised to see a flurry of moves this season. Coach Claude Julien has been on the hot seat for longer than nearly any coach in the league, and the fuse could be very short for ownership and management this season. Armed with one of the deeper prospect systems in the NHL and with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand signed long-term to usher in the next generation, the Bruins may be comfortable dealing away pieces in their prime and injecting youth into the lineup. On the other side, if the Bruins reverse their fortunes and are leading a strong campaign in the new season, expect trade talk surrounding top pair defenseman to ramp up, as Boston has the top prospect pieces to interest a seller. Just as unlikely as it is that the Bruins stick with their current starters on defense too deep into the season, it is equally unlikely that they end this upcoming season without major additions or subtractions to the roster.
Bruins Sign Brad Marchand To Long-Term Extension
It’s been a great week for Brad Marchand.
He’s playing on Canada’s top line at the World Cup, and now the Boston Bruins forward has some contract security.
According to TSN’s Bob McKenzie, Marchand has signed an 8-year, $49MM extension. That works out to $6.125MM per season, a notable increase from Marchand’s current AAV of $4.5MM.
ESPN’s Craig Custance reports Marchand will have a full no-move for the first five seasons on the deal, before changing to a limited no-trade clause. As well, $24MM of the contract is paid via signing bonuses, according to CapFriendly.
Contract-wise, recent comparable players include Mark Scheifele, Sean Monahan, Nathan MacKinnon, Milan Lucic, Andrew Ladd, and Kyle Okposo. Marchand is entering the prime of his career, and looks to live up to his new deal.
Marchand scored 37 goals and 61 points in 77 games last season, playing on the Bruins top line with Patrice Bergeron and now former-Bruin Loui Eriksson.
Potential Landing Spots For Trouba
After the report came out that Jets restricted free agent defenseman Jacob Trouba had asked for a trade out of Winnipeg, GM Kevin Cheveldayoff stated that he would do what’s “best for the team” in handling the situation. Although the Jets have all of the leverage – Trouba’s only choice other than to re-sign with Winnipeg or accept a trade and sign is to play overseas – they are on the clock to figure out what to do about the young blue liner. With Dustin Byfuglien, Tyler Myers, and Paul Postma already on the roster, losing Trouba would not be as catastrophic for the Jets as it would be for most teams, but they are also not going to just give him away. A young, right-shot defenseman is one of the most valuable assets in the NHL, and the Jets should be able to get quite the package in return for Trouba. However, that price will inevitably drop the further the stand-off lasts into the regular season, and should the Jets fail to make a move by December 1st, the signing deadline for RFA’s, then Trouba will not be allowed to play at all in 2016-17 and the price will plummet.
Nearly every team in the NHL is probably kicking the tires on Trouba right now, but the list of teams who are actually willing and capable of making the deal is actually fairly short. Although Trouba’s agent Kevin Overhardt says that the main reason that Trouba wants out of Winnipeg is the lack of opportunity behind Byfuglien and Myers, the relationship between the team and the young defenseman began to break down last year when it was reported that Trouba was looking for $7MM per year. If the 22-year-old really is holding to a $6MM to $7MM yearly price tag, several D-needy teams with cap troubles, like the Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers, and Colorado Avalanche may have a difficult time making a deal without sending significant salary the other way. The problem with that is whether Winnipeg is willing to take on high-salary players. Their ideal package will likely include a young left-shot defenseman and a young forward, rather than any high-priced veterans. With that criteria in mind, here are the most likely destinations for Trouba if his trade request does pan out:
Arizona Coyotes
The Coyotes are actually very deep on the right side of the blue line, with Michael Stone, Connor Murphy, Luke Schenn and Zbynek Michalek in the fold, but have long been pursuing a true top-pair partner for Oliver Ekman-Larsson. They are also armed with the deepest prospect system in the NHL, and could offer the Jets any number of elite young forwards to make this deal happen. If Winnipeg holds tight to their request for a young lefty defenseman, it’s possible that GM John Chayka could part with 2016 first-rounder Jakob Chychrun. If he’s not, the pickings are slim at left defense. The Coyotes have the most quality young talent up front to offer the Jets, but would also have to suffer a high cost as a Western Conference competitor. Arizona has been connected to Trouba in the rumor mill for months, but are they willing to pay the price to get him?
Boston Bruins
The Bruins defense is nothing to write home about. In fact, a team that was the best two-way squad in the league a few short years ago has missed the playoffs is back-to-back years due mostly in part to poor play on the back end. Boston is slated to enter the 2016-17 season with Colin Miller, Kevan Miller, and Adam McQuaid as their starters on the right side, even though all three would be bottom pair or extra defenseman on most teams in the NHL. Colin Miller has potential, as does Brandon Carlo, who is looking to win a job this year, and 2016 first-rounder Charlie McAvoy looks like a future star. That won’t stop GM Don Sweeney from jumping at the chance to acquire a young right-shot stalwart though. The Bruins have the roster and cap space to bring in Trouba and put him on the top pair with Torey Krug or Zdeno Chara. The question for the Bruins is whether or not they have the pieces to make it happen. At left defense, Krug is untouchable and former top picks Joe Morrow and Linus Arnesson have yet to establish themselves as reliable pros. The Jets would have to accept a top prospect like Jakub Zboril or Jeremy Lauzon at the position, as well as one or more of the Bruins deep group of forward prospects. The Bruins do have more to choose from in quality centers in the system, Winnipeg’s biggest need up front, than the Coyotes or Maple Leafs do. The last time the Jets (read: Thrashers) made a deal with the Bruins, they ended up with captain Blake Wheeler. The pair could swing another big deal with Trouba.
Edmonton Oilers
The situation with Edmonton is pretty cut-and-dry. A young team on the cusp of finally putting it all together, the Oilers still have concerns on defense even after trading away Taylor Hall to get Adam Larsson. If they could add Trouba to the mix, it would be a great addition. However, the cost would be a young roster defenseman on the left side, whether that’s Darnell Nurse, Oscar Klefbom, or maybe Griffin Reinhart. Depending on which one, other picks and prospects would be involved as well. Not only a conference opponent, but also a Canadian rival, Edmonton will not get Trouba at a discount rate from Winnipeg. If GM Peter Chiarelli is unwilling to part with one of his current defensive core, the Oilers lack the ability to bring in Trouba.
New Jersey Devils
The Devils defense is perhaps the worst in the NHL. They also have more available cap space than nearly any other team. Acquiring Trouba makes too much sense for the Devils, but can they get it done? If the Jets aren’t interested in Jon Merrill, New Jersey has almost nothing to offer at left defense. GM Ray Shero could offer up a 1st-round pick instead, guaranteed to be a lottery pick, and a top prospect like Pavel Zacha or one of their two 2016 1st-rounders, but whether he would do that and whether Winnipeg would accept it is another thing. The Devils will likely try hard for Trouba, but are only as likely as the teams with no cap space to somehow force a deal. The fit doesn’t seem to be there.
Toronto Maple Leafs
It would be nearly impossible for the Red Wings to fit Trouba’s new contract on the books, and also very hard for the Rangers or Avs to find the flexibility. Just inside the range of teams who could somehow make it work are the Maple Leafs. With only import Nikita Zaitsev and veteran Roman Polak as right-shot defenseman on the roster, as well as no one resembling a future top-pair righty in the system, Toronto would love to capitalize on Trouba’s availability and acquire a long-term partner for Morgan Rielly. Jake Gardiner or Martin Marincin might not be what Winnipeg is looking for, but like New Jersey, Toronto can offer a high first-rounder, or enough forward talent to offset a weaker left-shot defenseman. The fit is not great, but there are options there for GM Lou Lamoriello to make a suitable offer to the Jets.
Frank Vatrano To Miss Three Months After Foot Surgery
The injuries keep piling up on Saturday, as now news has come down that Bruins’ youngster Frank Vatrano will miss three months following foot surgery on Monday.
Vatrano was suspiciously missing from the first day of training camp yesterday, and reports were vague on his status. Somehow, in his training up until now he has torn several ligaments in his left foot and will undergo surgery with Dr. George Theodore on Monday.
After lighting the AHL on fire with 36 goals in 36 games last season, Vatrano came up to the NHL club and posted a respectable 11 points in his first 39 games. While he couldn’t replicate the unbelievable pace he set in the minors, he did prove that he can play at the NHL level and contribute offensively in limited minutes.
Undrafted out of the US development program, Vatrano is a wonderful example of players working hard to continue their dream of playing professional hockey. After playing at UMass-Amherst for just a single season (plus one game), the Bruins signed the 5’10”, 215 lbs forward to little fanfare. In the 80 professional games since, he’s scored 45 goals and tallied 67 points.
Blues Notes: Steen, Shattenkirk, Hutton
When David Backes left the St. Louis Blues this offseason, they saw one of their longest tenured player and leaders depart without much fanfare. Backes slipped into free agency and landed a big deal with the Boston Bruins to work down in their lineup and give them some secondary scoring and two-way play. With Backes gone, the Blues decided to lock up one of their other cornerstone forwards, giving Alex Steen a four-year extension on Friday.
As Matt Larkin of The Hockey News opines in his latest column, it was Backes’ departure that made it necessary to lock up Steen and not completely turn the keys over to the new wave of St. Louis stars (namely Vladimir Tarasenko and Jaden Schwartz). To do it, they may have overpaid slightly. Larkin emphasizes Steen’s checkered injury history when discussing the terms, and he’s right to do so. Steen hasn’t played in 80+ games since 2006-07 when he was with the Maple Leafs, and indeed has only suited up for more than 70 twice in his eight-year Blues career.
- Kevin Shattenkirk was going to be traded. There were no doubts in his mind that at the draft or during free agent frenzy he’d be on the move out of St. Louis. It just made too much sense to everyone involved. As Louie Korac of NHL.com writes however, Shattenkirk didn’t get dealt and is very excited about it. “The grass isn’t always as greener. It’s a cliché, but it kind of fits in this sense. Don’t just leave to leave, make sure that it’s a good fit for you. St. Louis has been a great fit ever since I stepped foot here, ” Shattenkirk says, when talking about the potential trade. He also notes that being given the alternate-captain role for this upcoming season (the Blues named Alex Pietrangelo their newest captain) was a huge moment for him, as he’d been dreading a phone call from GM Doug Armstrong during the trade rumors. Even though he wasn’t dealt this summer, don’t think the rumors will go away – an elite talent on an expiring contract is exactly the type of player that moves at the trade deadline.
- When the Blues signed Jake Allen to a huge extension, and dealt Brian Elliott to the Flames they needed a new full-time backup for the upcoming season. Carter Hutton, the man who eventually was given that job, says it was a no-brainer to come to St. Louis. After three years with Nashville, the 30-year old backup puts it simply: “It’s one of those things. If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.” Hutton has faced the Blues six times in his career and is 0-2-3 with an .882 save percentage and 3.42 GAA.
Atlantic Division Notes: Lupul, Marchand, Galchenyuk
TSN’s Frank Seravelli reports that Joffrey Lupul is rumored to have failed his pre-season physical and expects to start the NHL season on injured reserve. The oft-injured Maple Leafs forward only played in 46 games last year, scoring 11 goals and 3 assists.
Lupul has faced a variety of injuries in his career, but none more severe than his back issues which have sidelined him for significant periods of time. When healthy, Lupul is an excellent contributor, but his repeated injuries often derail successful campaigns.
Lupul began his Maple Leafs career with a bang, netting 45 goals and 105 points in his first 110 contests spread out over parts of three seasons in Toronto after a 2011 deadline trade with Anaheim. His strong play led to a massive five-year contract extension worth $26.25MM in total despite the fact the skilled forward had seen action in no more than 66 games in a single season since 2008-09. Unfortunately for both parties, Lupul has missed nearly a full season’s worth of games (76 in total) since inking that extension and has produced just 0.46 points-per-game during that time.
The Maple Leafs are currently over the cap by $827K, but moving Lupul to LTIR will free up $5.25MM in space. Assuming Stephane Robidas also starts the season on LTIR, the Leafs go from slightly over the cap to over $8MM under the cap. The Leafs will have the option of freeing up additional space by placing Nathan Horton on LTIR as well, which would further lower their overall cap commitment to around $60MM.
Lupul was originally the seventh overall pick in the 2002 NHL entry draft, chosen by the Anaheim Ducks. Ironically, he has twice been included in trades involving Chris Pronger, first going from Anaheim to the Oilers in exchange for the Hall of Fame defenseman, then returning to the Ducks as part of a package that saw Pronger head to Philadelphia. Toronto would acquire Lupul and Jake Gardiner from Anaheim as part of a trade for veteran blue liner Francois Beauchemin.
More from the Atlantic Division:
- Joe Haggerty joined local Boston sports talk show, Toucher and Rich, and discussed Brad Marchand‘s pending free agency. Marchand, of course, ranked 6th in the NHL in goals scored in 2015-16, tallying a career high 37. He is currently playing on what many consider to be the best line in the World Cup, skating on the left of all-world pivot Sidney Crosby with Bruins teammate Patrice Bergeron on the right. Haggerty opines that the Bruins need to lock up the agitating winger before he hits the free agent market, suggesting it will take a seven-year contract with an AAV of $7MM per season. He also listed the Penguins as a potential suitor should Marchand make it to free agency. Haggerty cites the fact both Marchand and Crosby are originally from Nova Scotia and that the success the two players are experiencing at the World Cup might prompt an impassioned plead to Penguins management from their best player to go get Marchand. Of course while Marchand might be getting a glimpse of how fun it might be to play with Crosby every day, he’s also reminded of just how good playing with Bergeron is.
- It appears the Montreal Canadiens have anointed Alex Galchenyuk as the team’s #1 center, with head coach Michel Therrien saying he plans to start the talented American on the top line with Max Pacioretty and Brendan Gallagher, as Stu Cowan of the Montreal Gazette reports. Galchenyuk, who has moved back-and-forth between wing and center since breaking into the league in 2012-13, may have finally earned the trust of the coaching staff on the heels of a strong 30-goal campaign, which included netting 18 over the team’s final 27 games. Veteran center Tomas Plekanec will then assume the role of #2 pivot and is expected to have new offseason additions Andrew Shaw and Alexander Radulov on his wings.
*Mike Furlano contributed to this post.
Snapshots: Morrow, Cervenka, Outdoor Games, Jordan
Boston’s decision to focus more on youth on their back end this offseason has given defenseman Joe Morrow the best opportunity he has had to make an impact on the Bruins, writes CSN New England’s Joe Haggerty. Haggerty adds that the commitment to getting younger was a factor in their decision to buy out Dennis Seidenberg back in June.
Morrow was acquired by the Bruins as part of the Tyler Seguin trade two summers ago and is the only player acquired in the deal that is still with Boston today. He played in a career high 33 games last season (recording seven points) but still spent considerable time as a healthy scratch.
Despite being just 23, Morrow is in his third organization and this could potentially be his last chance with Boston. He’s eligible for waivers if they try to send him down and if he fails to take a step forward into more of a regular role with the team, it’s plausible to think that they’ll be inclined to try someone else in his place before too long.
Elsewhere around the hockey world:
- Former Calgary Flame Roman Cervenka is open to returning to the NHL next season, notes Eric Francis of the Calgary Sun. The 30 year old was lured out of the KHL in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season but didn’t live up to expectations, recording 17 points and a -13 rating in 39 games. The following offseason, Cervenka signed back in Russia and has since moved on to the Czech League (where he led the league in scoring last season) and the Swiss NLA this season where he is playing on a one year deal. Cervenka acknowledged to Francis that his age and struggles with the English language could make a return for 2017-18 much more of a challenge. A strong season in Switzerland could get him back on the NHL radar and add to an international free agent class that is expected to feature Russian forwards Evgeni Dadonov and Vadim Shipachev.
- The Senators remain interested in hosting a Heritage Classic game in December of 2017 but aren’t interested at this time in looking at TD Place (a football stadium) as a backup plan to their goal to host the game on Parliament Hill, reports Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun. The Sens met with government officials last month and have also been in consultation with the league on the logistics of building a temporary rink on the Hill. The game projects to be part of Canada’s 150th birthday celebrations while it would also line up with Ottawa’s 25th anniversary of returning to the NHL. It’s believed that their preference for an opponent should they land the outdoor game is the Montreal Canadiens.
- UFA defenseman Michal Jordan has received multiple two-way contract offers including one from Carolina, tweets NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti. However, Jordan isn’t interested in a two-way deal at this stage of his career. The 26 year old played in 36 games with Carolina last season and has a total of 79 NHL games under his belt over the last three seasons, all with the Hurricanes. Jordan is currently suiting up for the Czech Republic at the World Cup of Hockey.
Who Could Survive Armageddon In Net?
The NHL’s neighbors on turf, the NFL, came very close to seeing a rare nightmare scenario today. The New England Patriots, already down future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady to suspension, lost backup Jimmy Garoppolo to a shoulder injury and were forced to put third-string QB Jacoby Brissett in to finish the game. In the short term, had Brissett been injured as well, the Patriots would have been hard-pressed to find a suitable replacement on the spot. However, the more important factor is the long-term, as the Patriots play again on Thursday night, and are now down to an inexperienced rookie quarterback and no other available QB’s on the roster.
The equivalent to this scenario on the ice is the loss of multiple goalies. The most crucial part of any successful hockey team, losing both the starting and backup goalie is a rare, but when it occurs it is a death knell for the majority of organizations. It has of course occurred in the short-term before, with the wacky stories of goalie coaches and nearby minor-league washouts or former college players getting an emergency call to duty. But just like the NFL and it’s quarterbacks, the long-term health and availability of goalie depth is a much more important situation than scrambling to find an option for just one game. So just how many NHL teams could survive a stretch without their starter and backup in net?
Ironically, the Patriots’ friends to the north, the Boston Bruins, are one such team. Former Vezina winner Tuukka Rask and Anton Khudobin, who returns to Boston where he first found NHL success, form a strong tandem in goal for the Bruins, but they are not without options beyond the pair. Top prospect Malcolm Subban has made just one NHL start in his pro career, but has been pushing for big league minutes for years and is considered by many to be one of the best goalies not in the NHL. Called into backup duty would be Zane McIntyre, who has not seen NHL action and was sub-par in his first AHL season, but was unbelievable in the college ranks, with three years of dominant play and a Hobey Baker campaign for the University of North Dakota. The young duo would at least provide Boston with more raw talent and potential than most teams could provide that far down the depth chart.
However, the best team to handle such an apocalyptic event in net is likely the Columbus Blue Jackets. With two promising young goalies with NHL experience in Joonas Korpisalo and Anton Forsberg behind incumbents Sergei Bobrovsky and Curtis McElhinney, the transition from one pair to another would not be seamless, but has more long-term potential than nearly any other situation in the NHL. In fact, don’t be surprised if either guy slated for the AHL this year finds themself supplanting McElhinney with the Jackets instead. Another team who could substitute one dynamic duo with another is the Florida Panthers. Many were surprised when Florida went out and traded for Reto Berra and signed James Reimer to a long-term deal this summer, with all-world starter Roberto Luongo already in the fold. It is expected that Berra will join veteran Mike McKenna at the AHL level to start the season, where the pair would provide more experience than nearly any other minor league combo in hockey. Should one or both goalies go down for the Panthers this season, they are well-suited to handle the loss.
The best third-string option in the league? That title belongs to Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets. The Jets will likely try to find a way to give the young stalwart starts in the NHL this season, though he is buried on the depth chart, alongside fellow high-end prospect Eric Comrie, behind Ondrej Pavelec and Michael Hutchinson. Should either goalie struggle, which would not be a big surprise, or get injured, Winnipeg will not hesitate to put Hellebuyck in a position of responsibility. Should both goalies get hurt in a rare coincidence, Hellebuyck could carry the team with the young Comrie giving him some rest occasionally.
Other teams with ample depth to survive Armageddon in goal: the Montreal Canadiens, who very well may need it considering recent history, with Mike Condon and top prospect Zach Fucale behind franchise cornerstone Carey Price and veteran addition Al Montoya, and the Carolina Hurricanes, who signed journeyman Michael Leighton in part to mentor the high-potential Alex Nedeljkovic while Cam Ward and Eddie Lack handle NHL duties. Perhaps the only team that could take this hypothetical scenario a step further and handle three hurt keepers is the Anaheim Ducks, who sported even more impressive depth before the trade of Frederik Andersen to Toronto, but still have experienced backups Dustin Tokarski and Matt Hackett as well as former UMass-Lowell star Kevin Boyle behind John Gibson and Jonathan Bernier.
No one likes to see any player get injured, nevertheless a goalie and certainly not both goalies. However, these teams have the depth and talent needed to handle such a nightmare scenario and it sure would be interesting to watch them try. As the New England Patriots prepare to tackle their quarterback depth conundrum, keep these goalies in mind should such an event occur during the 2016-17 NHL season.
Linus Arnesson To Miss Camp With Upper Body Injury
According to a release from the Boston Bruins Sunday morning, prospect Linus Arnesson has suffered an upper-body injury, and will miss all of rookie camp. Arnesson is coming off shoulder surgery in the spring.
The 21-year old is a former second-round pick of the Bruins from 2013, and played all of last season with the Providence team, scoring five points in 48 games. The shutdown defensive prospect has turned in some stellar performances, but has never been able to develop much of an offensive game to help him get to the next level.
Still young, Arnesson projects as a bottom pairing NHL blueliner one day, capable of helping against a tough forecheck and contributing on the penalty kill. Limited already in his short career by injury, we’ll see how long it takes him to get back to full strength after this latest upper body problem.