Bruins Notes: Krejci, Marchand, Vatrano
Joe Haggerty of CSNNE.com was busy today, writing multiple pieces about the Boston Bruins and their upcoming training camp. On David Krejci‘s exit from the World Cup today, Haggerty reminds us what the centerman said earlier this week:
If I’m ready then that would be awesome, but if not then I have to do what I have to do to be 100 percent. I’m in contact with the national team coach, and we talk pretty every week. They’re asking about my updates, so they know what’s going on. I’m sure they have some backup plan if it’s not going to work out. We’ll see what happens.
He had hip surgery in April, and is still expected to be ready for the season. Here is some more from Haggerty today:
- Brad Marchand isn’t thinking about a new contract while he plays this season, saying that he goes year-by-year and is more focused on making it back to the playoffs. “Guys are really hungry after missing the playoffs again last year. First and foremost this year is on my end and we’ll deal with the years after that down the road.” said Marchand, but Haggerty opines that the Bruins should be more concerned with locking up their young winger. He’s part of the driving force behind the Bruins lineup, and should command more than Loui Eriksson if he hits the open market next summer. He’s set to earn $5MM in salary this season in his last of a four-year pact.
- Frank Vatrano scored 44 goals last season across two levels in his first full year at the professional level. He’s out for even more this year. “I kind of know what it takes to play at the next level, and how to be a complete player. Going into summer that was kind of my mentality: to become a complete player. That’s something I’ve been working at all summer.” The 22-year old exploded onto the AHL scene this year after a successful sophomore year at UMass in 2014-15. 55 points in 36 games at the lower level, he’ll need to prove that he can carry that production to the big leagues; he only scored 11 points in 39 NHL contests.
Injury Notes: Rask, Krejci, Andersen
After working all season to rehab his injured shoulder, Victor Rask now tells Ben Pope of The News & Observer that he’s one-hundred percent healthy and ready for another big season. “I think I had a good season last year but I also want to improve and get better for every season. I think this year’s going to be even better,” said Rask, who played much of last season in a shoulder brace, still scoring 21 goals and 48 points in just his second NHL season.
“I’m just excited for the future and I think we’ve got something really good going on here.” Indeed, the Hurricanes have a strong young core of players going forward, with Rask, Jeff Skinner and Elias Lindholm up front and one of the youngest defense corps in the league. The team will hope Rask has another level this season, and can push Skinner for the team lead in points again.
- According to a report from Roman Jedlicka of TV NOVA Sport, Czech Republic and Boston Bruin forward David Krejci will not be playing in the upcoming World Cup after hip surgery earlier this summer. Krejci is still expected to be ready for the beginning of the season, though Bruins fans should definitely keep an eye on his status as we head into September.
- Aivis Kalnins gives us some more news from the KHL, as Ilya Samsonov has reportedly been placed on injured reserve. Sampsonov was the first goaltender taken in the 2015 draft, 22nd overall by the Washington Capitals, and was slated to see an increased work load for Magnitogorsk Mettalurg this season.
- Also from Kalnins, the Danish Hockey Federation is expecting that Frederik Andersen, who was injured earlier today in an Olympic qualifier should still be available for the World Cup, where he was selected by Team Europe as one of three goaltenders (Jaroslav Halak and Thomas Greiss were the other two). Elliotte Friedman adds that Andersen is being flown back to Toronto to be examined by team doctors, with the injury simply being listed as “upper body”, and Kristen Shilton of TSN says it’s his shoulder.
Free Agent Profile: Jakub Nakladal
Jakub Nakladal entered this off-season as a relative unknown among hockey fans (and maybe even some teams), but was considered by some to be a dark horse candidate for this summer’s best value signing. A 28-year-old rookie with the Calgary Flames in 2015-16, the 6’2″, 212 lb. Czech native played in only 27 games last season. In his brief showing, he played about 14 minutes per game and managed to record two goals and three assists.
At first glance, the numbers are nothing to get too excited about. A closer look reveals otherwise though; Nakladal was actually a very capable and productive player for the Flames. The “HERO chart” below displays that not only was he an outstanding possession player by Corsi standards, who created offense and made his team mates better, but he was also a solid defensive presence. In fact, by statistical standards, Nakaladal played as well as an average top-four defenseman last season. If you don’t trust the numbers, trust the people. A good measure of a free agent’s ability and value is how much the fan base wants him back. Social media will tell you that Flames fans would very much like to see Nakladal return to Calgary, though the team’s depth makes that unlikely. If the fans who watched him play believe he is worth having, he likely is. Other fans have caught on as well. As the market has slowed to a crawl in these last few weeks and the list of available names continues to shrink, Nakladal’s name has resurfaced as seemingly every fan’s top PTO target.
Regardless, Nakladal remains unsigned. Perhaps his 27 games were not enough for other NHL teams to get a good read on him. It’s also possible that his strong possession statistics could be perceived as skewed because of too few minutes. Maybe yet another reason is that executives are simply not clamoring to acquire a player who could be 30 before he plays in 100 NHL games. For some reason or another, the market for Nakladal’s services has not formed yet. With only so many names remaining, it seems like a matter of time though.
Potential Suitors
It is very unlikely that Nakladal will be handed a top-four position, or even a top-six gig at this point. Few teams are still looking to make additions with training camp right around the corner. However, his market value is clearly low and his ceiling appears to be high, making the risk to teams still looking around for talent very low. At the very least, he is a capable player who could be a reliable seventh or eighth defenseman with enough upside to crack the starting lineup or who could also be a valuable AHL stash. An added benefit is that he is also a right-handed shot. Teams looking to balance their defensive depth or who simply lack depth and are willing to take a shot on a skilled player, should be taking a long look at Nakladal as the summer winds down. The Boston Bruins, for example, have three right-handed defensemen with NHL experience in Kevan Miller, Colin Miller, and veteran Adam McQuaid, but only Kevan Miller managed to stay in the starting lineup throughout the 2015-16 season. The New Jersey Devils have also been speculated to be looking for a right-handed shot, after trading away Adam Larsson left only Damon Severson and new addition Ben Lovejoy as righties on the line. Add the Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars, Edmonton Oilers, Ottawa Senators, Washington Capitals, and Vancouver Canucks to a list of teams that could be helped and certainly not hurt by adding an affordable puck-moving defenseman, and Nakladal’s availability seems even stranger.
Expected Contract
The calendar flips to September tomorrow, and contracts at this point in the off-season are impossible to predict. Who would’ve guessed that Boston would sign Dominic Moore to a guaranteed deal yesterday with six proven centers already on the roster? Nevertheless, deals do get done, even as the summer draws to a close. Much like the situation with James Wisniewski (if he’s healthy) in Tampa Bay, some lucky team might have the chance to strike gold by extending a Professional Tryout Offer to Nakladal. Considering the possibility that Nakladal has yet to really reach his potential, given what limited play time he saw last year, an even better move might be to just sign him to a short, cheap contract and ensure that no one else can take him off your hands. Whether signed off of a PTO or guaranteed right away, Nakladal should end up on an NHL roster to the tune of $800K or so. Unless they have a lot of faith in young stud Brandon Carlo or really want to play both McQuaid and K. Miller every night, bet on the Bruins, who have cap space and roster space, to make another move and take a chance on Nakladal in 2016-17.
Boston Bruins Sign Dominic Moore, Three Others To One-Year Deals
According to a team release, the Boston Bruins have signed Dominic Moore, Chris Casto, Brian Ferlin and Alex Grant to one year deals. Moore will earn $900K on a one-way deal, while the other three will be on two-way deals earning $650K, $725K, and $600K respectively. Moore will also earn a $100K bonus if he plays in at least 42 games and the Bruins make the playoffs, reports Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports.
Moore, a veteran of 765 NHL games, played last season with the New York Rangers and provided another season of solid bottom-six play. While his offensive production dropped to a career low of 15 points, the 35-year old was still an excellent penalty killer and face-off man for the Rangers, winning a career high 55.3% of his draws.
A former Bill Masterson Trophy winner for perseverance and sportsmanship, Moore has always been regarded as a near-perfect teammate and will a big part of the leadership group on the team next year. He’s heading back to the area he played his college hockey in, graduating from Harvard in 2003.
Casto, 24, has been in the Bruins system since signing in 2013 out of the University of Minnesota. The defenseman had his best season as a professional last year, scoring seven goals and 23 points in 68 games for the Providence Bruins of the AHL. A right-handed shot, Casto will keep working towards a possible NHL debut in the near future, a long way from going undrafted out of the USHL.
[Related: Updated Boston Bruins Depth Chart]
Having already made his NHL debut in 2014-15, Ferlin re-signs with the team who drafted him in the fourth round in 2011 and will try to reestablish himself after missing most of last year to injury. The winger got into just 23 games in the AHL after suffering an injury opening night, but was able to put up 14 points in that short time. A former Big Red member at Cornell University, Ferlin now has 35 points in 83 games in his professional career.
Grant, 27, is another newcomer to the organization, having spent last year with the Arizona organization. A long-time point producer from the blueline in the AHL, Grant has seven games of experience in the NHL, with five of those coming last year with the Coyotes. His career total of 174 points in the AHL was helped by his best year in 2015-16, when he racked up 42 in just 69 games. Another right handed shot, he’ll try to prove that his puck moving ability can be effective at the next level.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Bruins Notes: Krejci, Hayes, and Vatrano on WEEI
Boston Bruins forwards David Krejci, Jimmy Hayes and Frank Vatrano made an on-air appearance on Boston sports radio station WEEI on Monday afternoon during the 15th annual Jimmy Fund Radio Telethon, which helps to raise money for cancer research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. Adam McQuaid, former-Bruin and annual contributor Shawn Thornton, and many other athletes and celebrities also joined in throughout the day and will continue to take part over the next two days. Both of Hayes’ parents have battled cancer and he thus has a soft spot for the cause, and said that “raising all of that money is great to see.” All three players were excited to be there to contribute to a good cause.
The topic then turned to hockey:
- Hayes denied rumors that he told Jimmy Vesey not to come to Boston. The idea had been floated around, given the harsh criticism that the local kid received in his first season playing with the Bruins. “I love playing here, it’s my hometown,” Hayes said, not the words of someone who would insist on other locals turning away from the city. Hayes said that he pushed hard for Vesey and talked to him all summer, but wasn’t surprised to see him join his brother Kevin with the Rangers, as the two are good friends.
- Hayes also denied that he had any complaints about unfair media pressure in 2015-16, and went as far as to acknowledge that he underperformed last season. Hayes had just 13 goals and 16 assists after scoring 19 goals as a member of the Florida Panthers the year before. The Bruins acquired the hulking winger, hoping that he would be a perennial 20-goal scorer. He realizes that there will always be a tighter focus on Boston-born Bruins players and that it can be tough sometimes, but does not believe that the criticism of his play was undue. “I’ve been hard on myself sometimes”, he added. Hayes has his sights set on a stronger 2016-17 season, and more than anything has been working on his quickness and net-front presence this summer. Hayes said that he can “score some more goals and contribute in the way that I know I can do.”
- Hayes, speaking for the team, said that head coach Claude Julien still has a hold on the locker room, that the team tries to “win games for him”, and that he personally has a great relationship with the coach. Julien has been on the hot seat for a long time now, but Hayes said that the late-season collapse of the Bruins in 2016 that forced them out of a playoff spot for a second straight season was on the players, not the coach. Hayes sounded optimistic about the coming season, believing that his production and consistency will be better and that the addition of David Backes will make the team even tougher to play against. Julien may just be able to survive another season if the Bruins can reverse their fortunes and have a strong, complete season in 2016-17.
- Vatrano should be a big piece of the playoff-contention puzzle for the Bruins this season. The reigning AHL goals-leader acknowledged that he had a very different role once called up to Boston from Providence last year, going from top-line sniper to bottom six energy player. With an open spot to left of either Krejci or Ryan Spooner up for grabs in 2016-17, Vatrano could have that scoring position in Boston that produced a torrid goal-per-game pace in the AHL. “Especially in Boston, you have to play hard-nosed hockey and be good in both zones of the ice, and I think being consistent is the most important thing”, Vatrano said about earning a bigger role in his second season.
- Krejci is excited about this season, and as a veteran Bruin knows that a third straight season of missing the playoff would be unacceptable. “(The playoffs are) what the city of Boston deserves and where we should be playing,” Krejci said. The Czech star hopes to be healthy for the start of the season after undergoing off-season hip surgery. He played through the injury last year, but admitted that the last twenty games or so were difficult for him. He also said that, as a team, the Bruins have lacked that next gear at the end of the season, and that he feels it is unacceptable that they have dropped out of the playoff picture with so few games remaining in each of the past two seasons.
- WEEI’s DJ Bean also spoke with Krejci recently and found that he was not that upset about the Vesey decision. “I’m not really disappointed with that guy,” Krejci said, “I heard he’s a good player, but he has to prove himself on the NHL level.” What Krejci is upset about is the loss of Loui Eriksson. Although Backes was brought in to fill the void left by Eriksson’s move to the Vancouver Canucks, this is the fourth year in a row that Krejci has lost a trusted line mate, Bean recalls. Nathan Horton, Jarome Iginla, Milan Lucic and now Eriksson have left Boston. Luckily for Krejci, potential 2016-17 line mates Vatrano, Hayes, David Pastrnak, and Matt Beleskey will be around for a while.
Snapshots: Fehr, NHLPA, Vegas, Lucic, Pietrangelo
The head of the NHLPA, Donald Fehr, recently sat down with the Canadian media to discuss the upcoming World Cup of Hockey while also touching on other subjects of note. An edited and condensed version of the interview was posted by Jonas Siegel on The Globe And Mail. As usual, the entire piece is worth a read but here are some of the highlights.
When asked whether or not the union was on board with the timing of the tournament, Fehr said, “it’s not that pre-season is the best time, but it probably is, at the moment, better than the others.”
He would go on to state: “There has been some informal discussions, for purposes of this World Cup that never rose to the level of serious consideration, that maybe we ought to do it in February. And it’s conceivable that that would be considered going forward.”
There is no perfect time to hold an event like this. Any way you look at it, a tournament held at any point in the year is going to prolong the season and shorten the summer for the players. While teams would probably prefer their players not to participate due in large part to the risk of injury, both owners and union members have a vested interest in successfully pulling off events of this nature since the added revenue will be divided by the players and the league.
Fehr also addressed the idea of European expansion from the players’ perspective. He indicated at least a few players have taken note of the KHL’s presence on the continent and the fact that so many players are European born. While making it clear these conversations were of the internal variety and did not involve the NHL in any way, Fehr did seem to suggest the players would be open to the idea and it was something that would merit further study.
Finally, on the subject of the potential of another lockout, Fehr pointed out that baseball has been the only sport to experience prolonged labor peace over the last two decades. He also mentions, probably not coincidentally, that baseball is the only major sports league without a salary cap.
In terms of possibly avoiding another work stoppage following the 2018-19 campaign when both parties will have the option of opting out of the current CBA, Fehr referenced just how far off that point in time is relative to the average player’s career by saying: “our membership will turn over more than 50 per cent between now and then.”
More from around the NHL:
- The Las Vegas expansion franchise today announced yet another addition to their front office/operations staff. The club has hired Mike Levine for a scouting/player development position. Levine spent the last three years as an assistant coach at Brown University. According to the release on the Vegas Is Hockey website, Levine comes with a solid reputation as a recruiter both at the collegiate and prep levels.
- Not surprisingly, Milan Lucic said as many as 10 teams expressed serious interest in signing the big winger before he inked a seven-year contract with Edmonton, according to Chris Nichols writing for Today’s Slap Shot. Lucic was one of the top players available on July 1st and was guaranteed to generate a lot of interest on the free agent market. It’s not certain how many of Lucic’s suitors were willing to extend themselves as far as the Oilers did, either financially or with a seven-year term, but his status as a coveted free agent was never in doubt. He would ultimately choose Edmonton, saying, “I went with my heart and my loyalty to Peter and chose the Edmonton Oilers.”
- Sportsnet’s John Shannon tweeted earlier today that the St. Louis Blues will announce Alex Pietrangelo as the team’s new captain tomorrow. He will replace David Backes, who left St. Louis in free agency after accepting a five-year deal with the Boston Bruins. The choice of Pietrangelo makes a lot of sense given he is one of the team’s best players, has been with the organization his entire pro career and is under long-term contract ensuring he will be a Blue for the foreseeable future.
Potential 2016-17 Impact Rookies: Carlo, Fasching, Mantha, Matheson
Pro Hockey Rumors continues our series profiling this year’s crop of rookies, now moving on to the Atlantic Division and four more first-year players who could make a splash this season. You can see the first posts covering the Metro Division here and here.
Brandon Carlo (Boston) – Even though Boston has an aging roster and failed to qualify for the postseason in either of the last two seasons, the Bruins surprisingly might not be integrating any rookie talent to the roster to start the 2016-17 campaign. The team does have some quality young talent coming down the pipeline but most of those prospects are probably a year away and Boston wouldn’t appear to have much room on their roster for a first-year player. But if one of the kids does give the Bruins a reason to carry a rookie this year it may well be defenseman Brandon Carlo.
Carlo was chosen by Boston in the second-round of the 2015 entry draft with the 37th overall selection on the heels of a 25-point campaign with TriCity of the WHL. Listed at 6-foot-5 and 203 pounds, Carlo certainly has NHL size. He currently projects as a smooth skating, defense-first blue liner with enough tools to project as an above-average offensive contributor if he develops further.
The incomparable Zdeno Chara still anchors the Bruins defense corps but is 39-years-old and has seen his best years are in the rear-view mirror. Torey Krug is probably the club’s #2 defenseman – if not #1 – and Adam McQuaid is solid enough. But outside of those three players, the Bruins currently have Kevan Miller, John-Michael Liles and Colin Miller in the top-six on their depth chart. Assuming Carlo shows well at training camp, he could easily force his way onto the roster ahead of any one of the latter three names.
Boston’s assistant general manager, Scott Bradley, spoke highly of Carlo earlier this summer when discussing some of the club’s prospects including; Carlo, Jakub Zboril and Jeremy Lauzon.
“Obviously [you had to like] what Carlo did when he was brought in [to Providence] at the end. It just bodes well for what we have coming this year. Zboril and Lauzon are probably going back to junior, but Carlo is going to get a long look.”
Bradley’s comments certainly suggest Carlo has a leg up on his fellow top defense prospects coming into camp.
Hudson Fasching (Buffalo) – Last season, Buffalo broke camp with two supremely talented rookies, Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart, in their opening night lineup. The duo would combine to score 47 goals and 98 points in 160 games for the Sabres. Hudson Fasching is unlikely to have that same type of impact in Buffalo this season but should earn a regular role and has the potential to provide some offense from the team’s bottom-six.
Fasching made his Buffalo debut last season, appearing in seven contests and netting his first career NHL goal. He signed his ELC with Buffalo after wrapping up his junior season at the University of Minnesota, where he scored 20 goals in 37 games for the Golden Gophers. Fasching also saw action in 10 games during the 2016 IIHF World Championship and tallied two assists playing for Team USA.
At 6-foot-2 and 216 pounds, Fasching has the size necessary to excel in a power forward role. Whether or not he can score enough to eventually fill a top-six scoring role with the Sabres is the question. But with talented players like Eichel, Reinhart, Ryan O’Reilly and Kyle Okposo around him, Fasching could produce points if he can develop chemistry with some combination of the aforementioned skaters.
Anthony Mantha (Detroit) – The development of Mantha could be key to Detroit’s ability to keep its 25-season playoff appearance streak in tact. Like Boston, Detroit’s core is aging with half of the 18 skaters expected to see regular ice time either turning or already at least 30-years-old during the 2016-17 season. Mantha has the skill and talent to join Dylan Larkin as future foundation pieces for Detroit.
Mantha got his first taste of NHL action last season, racking up two goals and three points in 10 games while averaging 11:42 of ice time per contest. He has also accumulated extensive pro experience playing for Detroit’s AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids. In 122 games with the Griffins, Mantha recorded 36 goals and 88 points. His experience playing for Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill, both with Detroit and Grand Rapids, should benefit the big winger as he attempts to make the roster for the 2016-17 campaign.
The 6-foot-5, 214 pound Mantha is said to be an excellent skater with a terrific shot and release. Detroit is known for being patient with their prospects and allowing them to develop at a slow pace in the minor leagues. It’s possible Mantha will start the year in Grand Rapids but could position himself as one of the first players promoted in the event of an injury on the big club. If he does get his shot at some point with the Wings, Mantha could surprise some people.
Michael Matheson (Florida) – The Panthers boast a solid defense corps with plenty of options to flesh out the six man group. Keith Yandle, Aaron Ekblad, Alex Petrovic and Jason Demers comprise a skilled group of top-four blue liners while currently Mark Pysyk and Jakub Kindl are listed as the third pair on the team’s depth chart. Additionally, the team can also call on veteran Steven Kampfer to provide further depth.
There doesn’t seem to be room for a rookie to earn a spot but injuries are an unfortunate reality in hockey and Michael Matheson would likely be the first player Florida goes to if one of their regulars goes down. Matheson got into three games with the Panthers last year, going scoreless and averaging 17:32 of ice time. He’s also appeared in 59 AHL games over the last two seasons and recorded eight goals and 22 points during that time.
The former Boston College Eagle was the Panthers first-round pick, 23rd overall, in the 2012 draft. He’s known as an excellent skater and puck-handler with offensive instincts. With the NHL evolving into a speed and transition gme, Matheson would seem well-suited to one day play a regular role in the league. If things fall just right, that day could come as soon as this season.
Las Vegas Hires Karpan, Campese
The Las Vegas TBAs and GM George McPhee have continued to add strong hockey voices to their front office, today hiring Bruno Campese as an amateur scout and Vaughn Karpan as their director of player personnel.
Karpan, 55, had been with the Montreal Canadiens organization since 2005, and last year was promoted to director of professional scouting. During his playing days, Karpan was a member of the Canadian national team from 1983-1988 and competed at two Olympic games, coming in fourth both times (the Soviet Union won both tournaments). Regarded as an exceptionally knowledgeable hockey mind that leans slightly analytical at times, Karpan will represent a good balance to a front office with long-time GMs in McPhee and assistant general manager Kelly McCrimmon.
Campese is a former head coach and general manager of the Prince Albert Raiders of the WHL, and has been around the game for a long time going back to his selection by the Boston Bruins in the 12th round of the 1982 draft. He never made it to the NHL, though he did play professionally in a handful of other countries around the world. Campese also competed at the Olympics, this time the 1994 games for his home country of Italy. Though it’s not clear where his territory will be, bringing in a scout with experience in less-known hockey countries like Italy and Austria can never be a bad thing.
These hires represent some of the first few that don’t have immediate ties to McPhee from the Washington Capitals organization, though McCrimmon would be very familiar with Campese from his days in the WHL, and played with Karpan in junior hockey with the Brandon Wheat Kings in 1979-80.
Snapshots: Hunter, Marchand, Karnaukhov
The Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that Mark Hunter has been promoted to Assistant General Manager for the team. Hunter has served as the Director of Player Personnel for the Leafs, after leaving his long-time position as the GM of the OHL’s London Knights in 2014-15. His role in Toronto has been overseeing scouting and drafting for the Leafs, a job that he will hold on to in his new position. In fact, GM Lou Lamoriello stated that Hunter’s promotion was “essentially a formality” and a “more appropriate recognition of (his) role in the organization.” Hunter will for the most part serve the same purpose to the Maple Leafs, but will now share the Assistant GM title with young executive Kyle Dubas, as the pair work to support Lamoriello and Brendan Shanahan in re-building the Toronto franchise.
In other news:
- NBC Sports’ Pro Hockey Talk reports that the front office for a Leafs’ division rival, the Boston Bruins, is busy working on a long-term extension for winger Brad Marchand. A fan-favorite in Boston who took off in his first full season and was a major piece in the Bruins’ 2011 Stanley Cup championship, Marchand has never looked back, enjoying year after year of solid production including a career-high 61 points (with nearly 40 goals) this past season. Now the 28-year-old faces unrestricted free agency for the first time after the 2016-17 season, but the Bruins brass is hoping to keep him from seeing the light of day. Marchand is as tough in the corners as he is tough to slow down on offense, and fits the culture of Boston and the Bruins perfectly. So what will it cost to make sure he sticks around throughout the prime of his career? Pro Hockey Talk believes that Marchand’s initial ask was a seven-year, $49MM extension, which carries a cap hit of $7MM. However, they also counter that such a deal would make him paid higher than career line mate and Bruins legend Patrice Bergeron. This begs the question: will GM Don Sweeney really pay Marchand more than a guy considered to be one of the most complete players in the NHL and who will more than likely have his name in the rafters of the TD Garden when all is said and done? The answer is easy – yes. The team already pays Zdeno Chara, Tuukka Rask, and David Krejci more than Bergeron and with the cap increasing each year, paying Marchand $7MM annually, if he can keep putting up 60+ points per season and annoying every team in the league, is a no-brainer for Boston.
- Another rugged left winger hoping to make a difference in the NHL is Calgary Flames prospect Pavel Karnaukhov. A 2015 5th round pick for the Flames, the big Russian forward played his junior hockey nearby with the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen. However, instead of signing an entry-level deal with the Flames for the 2016-17 season, he returned home to Russia, signing with CSKA. In a new development though, FlamesNation reporter Ryan Pike says that Karnaukhov is not on the team’s roster for today’s start to the KHL season. Whether he has been demoted to a lower level affiliate or is having second thoughts, it seems possible that Karnaukhov could wind up back in North America at some point this year if he is not getting what he expected out of CSKA.
Bruins/Blackhawks Notes: Vatrano, Hinostroza, Makarov, AHL
With the historically defensive-minded “Big Bad Bruins” now in a state of disrepair on defense, NBC Sport’s Pro Hockey Talk points out that this is an “offense-first team” that needs to outscore its opponents to win games until the defense can be rebuilt. Enter Frank Vatrano, who has been one of the most talked about breakout candidates for the 2016-17 season. With Boston missing out on Jimmy Vesey, the spot promised to him on the left side of David Krejci is now open for competition. Although Matt Beleskey had a strong first year with the Bruins and some will call for top prospects like Jake DeBrusk or Danton Heinen to be given a chance, it seems as if a top six spot is Vatrano’s to lose this season.
Vatrano certainly didn’t underwhelm in his audition last year. With 11 points in 39 games in Boston, including three of his eight goals as a hat trick against the eventual Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins, the UMass Minuteman showed that he can produce points at the highest level in just his first pro season. He also showed few holes in his game, a rare trait for young players that will keep him on coach Claude Julien‘s good side. Meanwhile, he also showed that the AHL is not worthy of his scoring talent. With 36 goals in 36 games with the Providence Bruins, he took the league by storm, leading the AHL in goals and finishing fourth in points, with line mate Seth Griffith one of the three ahead of him. Pro Hockey Talk points out that Vatrano is only the fourth player in AHL history to average a goal per game and outscored former Bruin Chris Bourque of the Hershey Bears for the goal-scoring title despite playing in half as many games. That rate of scoring has no chance of continuing over the course of a full NHL season, but with his ability to put the puck in the net and a potential 82 games with playmakers like Krejci and David Pastrnak, 20-30 goals is well within the realm of possibility for the young Massachusetts native.
More from around the hockey world:
- Another local kid trying to make it big with his hometown team is Vincent Hinostroza of Bartlett, Illinois, a 2012 sixth round pick of the Chicago Blackhawks who starred at nearby Notre Dame University before turning pro last season. While Hinostroza failed to record a point in seven appearances with the Blackhawks in 2o16-17, he did well for himself with the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs, scoring 51 points in 66 games. Now, he has his sights set on a full-time NHL gig. Scott Powers of the The Athletic caught up with the young prospect after a recent skate, and learned that he has been working hard all summer with friend and teammate Ryan Hartman this summer, as both strive to make the cut with Chicago. Given the Blackhawks tight cap space and need for scoring depth, it seems likely that one if not both of the dynamic duo crack the lineup for significant portions of the upcoming season. Make your bets now on Vatrano & Griffith vs. Hinostroza & Hartman for total NHL points in 2016-17.
- Count Igor Makarov as one player not trying to make the Blackhawks, or return to the North America at all, for the 2016-17 season. Unsurprisingly, he will re-sign in the KHL for the upcoming year, joining Salavat Julaev UFA. A 2006 second round selection by Chicago, Makarov’s only attempt at living out his NHL dreams was a full season in the AHL with the Rockford IceHogs in 2010-11, before he fled back to Russia and the comfort of the KHL. Now 28, Makarov has had a long career overseas, but not nearly as successful as many once thought. Simply a marginal player in a second-rate league, his chances of playing in the NHL are all but gone.
- Even if there is some star power missing in Providence and Rockford this season, the AHL will still go on. This afternoon, at 2:00pm CT, the AHL is set to release the 2016-17 schedule. Among the highlights will be the path to defending the Calder Cup title for the newly-named Cleveland Monsters (formerly Lake Erie Monsters), as they look to keep the city of Cleveland’s sudden and surprising winning ways going.