Dylan Cozens Expected To Miss A Week
- Sabres forward Dylan Cozens could return as soon as next week after sustaining an arm injury on Monday night, relays Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald. It has been a trying year for the rookie as he has been limited to just four goals and two assists in 25 games while missing four games with another upper-body injury earlier this month.
Trade Rumors: Hall, Flyers, Panthers
While he stopped short of stating that there is a lot of interest in Buffalo Sabres winger Taylor Hall, TSN’s Darren Dreger noted on “Insider Trading” this evening that the team is receiving different varieties of offers for the former MVP. While some teams see Hall strictly as a rental, Dreger reports that GM Kevyn Adams has also received calls from teams with interest in a trade-and-sign potential. Despite Hall’s struggles this season, it seems that there are clubs who still believe in his long-term value once he escapes Buffalo. Normally, these teams would not necessarily need to inform the opposing GM of their post-trade intentions. However, given Hall’s No-Movement Clause there seems to be more transparency from suitors in hopes that Hall would waive to come to their team. Dreger relays that Adams and Hall’s agent, Darren Ferris, recently met to discuss these offers as well as those from teams who have not yet expressed interest in an extended relationship with Hall.
GM, agent, and player will all need to be on the same page for a deal to get done, but Hall has already stated that he is open to waiving his NMC for the right move, so it seems likely that he will end up traded. Yet, don’t be surprised if the deal doesn’t happen until deadline day. Dreger believes that Adams could hold on to Hall as long as he can, allowing Hall’s pro-rated cap hit to decrease as much as possible, as a tactic to improve or at least maintain his trade value. With so many team’s facing a salary cap crunch, a cheaper Hall is a more valuable Hall. To this point, it seems teams have balked at Buffalo’s first-round price tag for Hall, but their best chance of netting that return will likely be on deadline day.
- As young Carter Hart continues to struggle this season, it is becoming more and more likely that the Philadelphia Flyers will have to add another goalie if they want to compete for a playoff spot down the stretch. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that they are certainly considering a move, but have not made a decision yet. While the numbers for Hart as well as Brian Elliott are not appealing so far this season, bringing in a third netminder is not a simple decision. The Flyers would need to have the cap flexibility to carry three goalies and would also need to consider the mental status of Hart if they were to essentially bump the season-opening starter to a third-string role. LeBrun believes that Philadelphia will wait as long as possible to make a deal, hoping that their current tandem improves but also in order to take a realistic look at their playoff chances at the deadline and weigh whether a move in worth it. If the Flyers do opt to seek another goalie, LeBrun notes that the name they are being linked to is Detroit Red Wings veteran Jonathan Bernier.
- It would surprise no one to hear that the Florida Panthers are looking for a defenseman in light of the season-ending injury suffered by stalwart Aaron Ekblad. However, Florida Hockey Now’s George Richards reports that the team was actually scouring the market for a top-four blue liner even before Ekblad’s injury, which only served to up their efforts. The Panthers had enjoyed strong seasons from Ekblad, MacKenzie Weegar, and Keith Yandle and had not hesitated to give considerable play time to Anton Stralman, Gustav Forsling, and Radko Gudas as well. However, the team recently waived Stralman, which just goes to show how much they value his contribution so far this season. And while Yandle and Gudas have played well, the two are somewhat of specialists, only excelling at one end of the ice. With Ekblad gone, the Panthers will have to rely on Weegar and Forsling as their most complete defensemen and neither has the experience needed to lead a contender on a deep playoff run. It is likely this concern that prompted a search even before Ekblad went down.
Taxi Squad Shuffle: 03/28/21
There has been plenty of roster movement between NHL teams and the taxi squad on a daily basis this season. Although some major names may be highlighted in separate articles, this is where you’ll find the majority of that shuffle news each day:
North Division
- The Ottawa Senators got the day started on the transaction wire with the swap of two forward prospects, partially reversing the moves they made yesterday. The team announced that Alex Formenton has been recalled from AHL Belleville and assigned to the taxi squad. In a corresponding move, Jack Kopacka has been reassigned from the squad to the minors. Formenton has played in two games with Ottawa so far this year, while Kopacka has spent time on the active roster but has yet to make his Senators debut.
- Veini Vehvilainen has finally joined the Toronto Maple Leafs after completing his mandating quarantine period. The young goaltender, acquired earlier this month from the Columbus Blue Jackets, has been assigned to the taxi squad, with prospect Ian Scott returning to the AHL Marlies. Vehvilainen’s arrival comes at a good time; starter Frederik Andersen remains sidelined and replacement Jack Campbell was given a rest day, so Vehvilainen and Michael Hutchinson were the only goaltenders in attendance at Leafs practice today. Should the Maple Leafs suffer another injury in net, Vehvilainen is now the next man up with the other three goalies already on the active roster.
East Division
- The Pittsburgh Penguins are set to wrap up a homestand on Monday before heading out on the road and are taking the opportunity to switch out their taxi squad personnel. Forwards Jordy Bellerive and Josh Currie have been reassigned to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Without announcing any corresponding move, this likely bodes well for the health of numerous Penguins forward currently sidelined by injury or on the COVID Protocol list.
- The Buffalo Sabres will give young goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and forward Brett Murray some play time, reassigning the duo from the practice squad to the AHL’s Rochester Americans. Luukkonen, considered the Sabres’ starter of the future, has played in eight AHL games so far this season but could get his first look with the top club before the end of the year. Murray is also looking to make his NHL debut; the 2016 fourth-round pick took a circuitous route to the pros but has nevertheless proven himself to be an effective player in the AHL and could soon get a chance in Buffalo.
Central Division
- While the Maple Leafs have added former Blue Jacket Vehvilainen to their practice squad, Columbus has gone one step further today by recalling the other side of that recent trade, defenseman Mikko Lehtonen, to the active roster. Lehtonen, a prolific KHL offensive defenseman, recorded three points in nine games with Toronto before the trade, but the Blue Jackets hope that they can put him in a position to be more productive among their deep group of dependable defenders. Forward Stefan Matteau will be taking Lehtonen’s spot on the taxi squad, while promising young forward Liam Foudy will also join the squad after being promoted from the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters.
- The Dallas Stars announced they have swapped a pair of forwards. The team has recalled Nicholas Caamano from the taxi squad and have assigned Justin Dowling to the taxi squad.
- The Florida Panthers announced they have moved forward Aleksi Heponiemi from the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL to the team’s taxi squad. The diminutive forward has four assists in three games for Syracuse and has an assist in three games for the Panthers this season.
- The Nashville Predators announced they have recalled goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo from the taxi squad under emergency circumstances as starter Juuse Saros is out and listed as day-to-day. Defenseman David Farrance, who just signed his entry-level deal, has been assigned to the taxi squad. The team also has sent defenseman Jeremy Davies to the taxi squad. Nashville also announced that the teams 2020 second-round pick, Luke Evangelista has been assigned to the Chicago Wolves of the AHL since the OHL still hasn’t begun their season.
West Division
- As they embark on a road trip, the Minnesota Wild have called in reinforcements up front in Luke Johnson. The veteran AHLer has been recalled to the taxi squad from AHL Iowa, where he has only played in two games this season versus six with Minnesota. A taxi squad fixture, Johnson has been a reliable depth piece for the Wild this year.
- The Arizona Coyotes announced they have assigned defenseman Jordan Gross to the taxi squad.
Latest On Taylor Hall
After Eric Staal was dealt from the Buffalo Sabres earlier today for a moderate return (if that), hockey fans all across the country rushed to CapFriendly to see what else might be included in the team’s fire sale. Top of the list is a former Hart Trophy winner in Taylor Hall, who will certainly command a lot of attention as the deadline draws near.
Earlier today, Darren Dreger of TSN tweeted that Buffalo GM Kevyn Adams has spoken to multiple teams about a Hall trade and now we may know what he was saying. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports that the initial asking price for Hall involves a first-round pick, though the insider suggests it will be difficult to even get that at this point. Staal only landed the team a third-round pick and a fifth-round pick, even with Buffalo retaining half of his already relatively low cap hit. That retention will likely have to happen for Hall too regardless of where he goes, given how expensive his one-year deal is.
The 29-year-old inked a one-year, $8MM deal with Buffalo in the offseason as a chance to play top-line minutes next to Jack Eichel and build his value back up after a disappointing season, but his time with the Sabres has done anything but that. In 32 games, Hall has just two goals and 17 points, numbers that really only compare favorably to depth forwards, not top talent. In fact, Staal even had more goals than him (3) in the same amount of games, and has the added benefit of experience and a Stanley Cup championship.
So really what is Hall worth? He has only reached the playoffs twice in his career, and though that 2017-18 Hart campaign was outstanding, now has just 69 points in his last two seasons combined (97 GP). Remember too that he has only reached those lofty MVP-type totals on two occasions, recording 65 points or fewer in nine of his 11 seasons because of injury or inconsistency.
There is also the debate on what a first-round pick is even worth this season, given how much uncertainty surrounds the scouting profession. Teams haven’t had multiple extended looks at many of the top prospects, meaning the spread of draft talent could be even wider this time around. Perhaps that’s why Buffalo was happy to take mid-round picks for Staal, hoping to hit on a prospect that falls due to limited exposure, but that would be relying on their relatively small scouting department to identify things that others miss.
At the very least, the Staal trade has indicated two things. One, the reduced quarantine on players traveling to Canadian teams has opened the market, and two, waiving a no-trade clause to get out of Buffalo doesn’t seem like such an obstacle. Greg Wyshynski of ESPN confirmed that Staal did have the Canadiens on his no-trade list, but he agreed to the deal anyway. Louis Jean of TVA Sports adds some more context, tweeting that the Canadiens “didn’t need to convince Staal” to waive the clause—certainly a bit of an indictment of the Sabres current situation. Hall also holds the cards in that situation with a full no-movement clause, but it is hard to see him blocking any deal to a contender after 16 straight losses in Buffalo.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Buffalo Sabres Trade Eric Staal To Montreal Canadiens
The Buffalo Sabres are working the phones today, after suffering another loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins last night. Earlier in the day, Darren Dreger of TSN reported that Sabres GM Kevyn Adams has spoken to multiple teams about a Taylor Hall trade and now has dealt Eric Staal to the Montreal Canadiens. The Sabres will receive a 2021 third-round pick and a 2021 fifth-round pick for the veteran center. Buffalo will also retain $1.625MM (50%) of Staal’s salary and cap hit.
Adams received an up-close and personal look at the Sabres last night, moving behind the bench while interim head coach Don Granato isolated due to COVID protocols. What he saw was another listless effort from his squad, losing 4-0 to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Sabres have now lost 16 straight games and have been shutout more times than they’ve won on the season.
Like everyone else in Buffalo, Staal has been a shadow of his former self this season, recording just three goals and ten points in 32 games. The 36-year-old seemed to be battling father time quite admirably last season, scoring 19 goals and 47 points in just 66 games for the Minnesota Wild. That was the fourth strong season in a row for Staal in Minnesota, but an offseason trade brought him to Buffalo where he has struggled to get anything going. Chemistry never formed with Hall and at times, Staal has been used as a bottom-six player for the Sabres. His average ice time of 15:34 on the year is the lowest in his entire career and the results have followed.
Still, there’s no doubt he was an intriguing option to teams looking to bolster their center group for the stretch run. With a cap hit of just $3.25MM that expires at the end of the year, the financial commitment by an acquiring team would be small. Getting 1,272 regular season games of experience, not to mention a Stanley Cup championship (where he easily could have been awarded the Conn Smythe), would be an attractive option for any contender if the price is right.
For the Sabres, trading Staal is a no-brainer given how poorly the season has gone, and the recent decision by the Canadian government to reduce the quarantine for incoming players only increased their market. Staal does have a 10-team no-trade clause, but failing to get something in return for him would have been a serious misstep by the Buffalo front office.
Still, two mid-round picks for a player of Staal’s stature may speak to the state of the market right now. There aren’t many teams in the league that are looking to add money at the deadline and the Sabres obviously felt they weren’t going to get a better offer.
For the Canadiens, a third and a fifth is basically nothing, given how many other draft picks they already have. The team had hoarded 14 picks for the 2021 event, including three third and three fifths. It will be the Montreal picks that are going to Buffalo, not those they have acquired from other teams.
Even with the salary retention, Staal’s presence in Montreal squeezes the Canadiens right up against the cap ceiling. Pushing Paul Byron‘s contract to the taxi squad will allow them to complete the move, given he is still eligible after clearing waivers, but it will be a tight dance for the rest of the year. Montreal GM Marc Bergevin had been repeatedly explaining that his cap situation would limit their deadline maneuvering, but it certainly didn’t stop them from landing one of the best rentals on the market.
Frank Seravalli of TSN was first to report that a deal with Montreal was close.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Sabres Restructure Scouting Department
- The Sabres have shifted around their scouting department. Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News notes that Jeremiah Crowe will now be in charge of professional scouting while Jerry Fortin will head up the amateur scouting department. Previously, Crowe held the title of director of scouting, suggesting that Buffalo may be shifting back towards a more standard hockey operations department structure.
Trade Candidate: Eric Staal
With the trade deadline quickly approaching, we continue our closer look at some of the players who have a good chance of being on the move between now and April 12th.
It has been an interesting six months or so for Eric Staal. First, he was surprisingly traded to Buffalo in the middle of the offseason for what seemed like a downgrade from Minnesota’s standpoint in Marcus Johansson based on their respective 2019-20 performances. Second, he has been involved in what has been nothing short of a disastrous season for the Sabres.
At this stage of his career, it’s certainly not what he signed up for and from Buffalo’s perspective, carrying a 36-year-old when the team is clearly going to be extending their rebuilding plans doesn’t make a lot of sense either. Accordingly, it looks like he’ll be on the move before next month’s trade deadline.
Contract
Staal is in the final season of a two-year, $6.5MM contract ($3.25MM AAV) with a $3MM salary. Per CapFriendly, his deal contains a ten-team no-trade clause. He will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
2020-21
It has been an ugly year for Staal, to put it nicely. When he was acquired, he seemed like a logical fit to provide some secondary scoring behind Jack Eichel while providing some veteran insurance for someone like Dylan Cozens to start out on the wing. He has been in that role for most of the year but has done next to nothing offensively with just three goals.
To be fair, it has been an ugly year for just about everyone on Buffalo offensively as not a single player overachieving offensively with few living up to even modest expectations. His power play time is down unsurprisingly and even his faceoff percentage is at the lowest rate in a decade.
Some players find themselves trade candidates based on an impressive performance that catches the eye of another team. In Staal’s case, he’s on the list because there’s basically nowhere to go but up. That’s a steep drop from someone who last season was a capable second-line center.
Season Stats
31 GP, 3 goals, 7 assists, 10 points, -20 rating, 8 PIMS, 55 shots, 15:26 TOI, 47.8 faceoff win percentage, 50.3 CF%
Potential Suitors
While he was a top-six player just a year ago, teams won’t be viewing Staal as one now. As a result, his best role is with a team that has an offensively-oriented third line.
In terms of best fits within the East Division, there aren’t a lot of good ones. The Islanders have cap space for a rental but have decent depth down the middle. So does Boston although Charlie Coyle, their third-line center, has plenty of experience on the wing and could easily be shifted over. Of course, improved depth down the middle is hardly their biggest need so Staal would only make sense if other options fall through. Evgeni Malkin’s injury could create an opening in Pittsburgh but most of their cap room is derived from Jason Zucker’s LTIR and he’s expected back before much longer so making the money work would be a challenge.
In the Central, Florida is a team that doesn’t have the strongest center depth and would certainly benefit from adding a veteran to the mix. They have the cap room to absorb Staal’s deal without an offset although as a team that has typically been more of a budget one than a cap spender, they may still want Buffalo to either take a player back or retain on the contract. His old team in Carolina would be a feel-good story and they have the cap space to make it happen although with Vincent Trocheck nearing a return, there isn’t a pressing need for Staal either.
As for the North Division, Edmonton is known to be seeking some help down the middle – Frank Seravalli indicated as much in the latest Insider Trading for TSN (video link) – although Staal isn’t a right-shot player like the Oilers are believed to be seeking. They’re a team that also would need to match money or require some retention to get a deal done. With Vancouver’s recent injuries, they could stand to add a center if they hang around the playoff battle over the next few weeks although with basically no cap room at all, making a move could be tricky.
In the West, a reunion with Minnesota makes some sense. The Wild never really addressed their center depth after moving Staal and as someone familiar with the team and system, there’s some added value you don’t see with most rentals. At the same time, he’s not a huge upgrade based on his current performance and the salary cap element would be a bit challenging.
Likelihood Of A Trade
Considering Buffalo’s situation, both sides would likely want a move to happen although there aren’t a lot of good fits and even fewer that can afford him without matching some money. Ultimately, Buffalo’s willingness to absorb a contract or retain up to half of the contract will ultimately determine the outcome. Right now, it’s reasonable to think they’d be willing to do so which means Staal should be in another uniform by April 12th.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Kyle Okposo Out For The Rest Of Buffalo's Road Trip
- Sabres winger Kyle Okposo isn’t expected to join the team for the remainder of their current road trip, relays John Vogl of The Athletic (Twitter link). The veteran is dealing with an upper-body injury and interim head coach Don Granato indicated that the hope is that Okposo will be able to return next week. It has been another tough year for the 32-year-old who has scored just once in 24 games this season.
East Notes: Ullmark, Zucker, Kuraly
The Buffalo Sabres have a new coaching staff in place and could be getting back a key player from injury soon as interim coach Don Granato said that starting goaltender Linus Ullmark is expected to join the team for their four-game road trip starting on Monday, according to NHL.com’s Jourdon LaBarber.
“We need to integrate him into practice. That’s the next step here,” said Granato.
That doesn’t sound like Ullmark is ready to play, but getting on the ice with the team would be a big step for a player, who has only appeared in 12 games this season and hasn’t seen the ice since Feb. 25. Ullmark was playing quite well with a 5-4-2 record, a 2.44 GAA and a .919 save percentage. If he can return soon, that could be a huge boost for a team that has lost 13 in a row.
- Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan said that forward Jason Zucker continues to progress in his rehab from a lower-body injury. The winger was placed on LTIR, retroactive to Feb. 23, according to PGPSportsNow’s Matt Vensel. Sullivan said that Zucker dressed in full gear Sunday and skated with the taxi squad, suggesting he’s getting closer to a return. Regardless, it looks like Zucker should be able to return before the end of the season. The 29-year-old has four goals and seven points in 17 games, but should supply a big boost to the team’s top-six once he returns.
- Boston Hockey Now’s Jimmy Murphy writes that sources suggest that the Boston Bruins are willing to move fourth-line forward Sean Kuraly in any package and the team could find a taker in the Columbus Blue Jackets. Columbus might be interested in Kuraly, who is a local kid, and could provide the team with solid two-way play. The scribe writes that the team feels they have younger players who look ready to step in as fourth-line options.
Buffalo Sabres Trade Jonas Johansson
When Michael Houser was signed to an NHL contract yesterday, some wondered whether it meant a trade was coming for one of the other Buffalo Sabres goaltenders. That was a good prediction, as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports Jonas Johansson is on his way to the Colorado Avalanche for a 2021 sixth-round pick. The deal, which was first reported by Lance Lysowski of the Buffalo News yesterday when Johansson was not at practice, had a slight hold up but has now been completed.
Johansson, 25, was the 61st overall pick in 2014 and has climbed the ranks of the Buffalo organization over the last few years. In 2019-20 he posted a .921 save percentage in 22 games for the Rochester Americans, while also making his first appearance at the NHL level. Expected to challenge Carter Hutton this season for the Sabres backup role, he has struggled instead, posting an 0-5-1 record and .884 save percentage in seven appearances. John Vogl of The Athletic called him the worst goalie he’s seen in 19 seasons covering the Sabres, though obviously, the Avalanche believe he can provide some value for the team.
Perhaps that’s because for Colorado, an .884 would be a tremendous upgrade at the backup goaltending position. With Pavel Francouz injured, the team has used Hunter Miska in that role this season, where he has registered an .838 in five appearances. With their sights set on the postseason and not much proven talent behind starter Philipp Grubauer, the Avalanche have decided to add another name to the mix.
While a sixth-round pick doesn’t mean much in the long run, it could signal the start of a fire sale in Buffalo. Johansson is set to become a Group VI unrestricted free agent in the summer and could be just the first of several rentals sold off as the deadline approaches. The Sabres have quite a few expiring contracts, including Taylor Hall, Eric Staal, Tobias Rieder, Riley Sheahan, Brandon Montour, Matt Irwin, Jake McCabe, Linus Ullmark and Hutton. Any number of those could be on their way out, especially if GM Kevyn Adams is happy to take draft picks in return for the lesser names.