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Eichel Talks Getting "More Intense"

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It was clear that teams are calling the Buffalo Sabres about captain Jack Eichel, but Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic writes that conversations are getting “more intense and serious” even though the playoffs are still going on. LeBrun lists the Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild, Anaheim Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers as teams that make sense, though doesn’t suggest who has reached out at this point.

In return, the Sabres appear to be focused on receiving a top draft pick in this year’s class. LeBrun mentions that a 2021 first-round pick will be in any package, while Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet wrote that if Eichel or teammate Sam Reinhart are to be traded, “do not be surprised if the Sabres end up with a second high first-round selection.” The team already has first overall, but could be walking to the (virtual) podium twice if they get their way.

New Jersey Devils Showing Interest In Rasmus Ristolainen

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The Buffalo Sabres are a team to watch on the trade market this summer and not only because of Jack Eichel. At their end-of-year press availability, Sam Reinhart and Rasmus Ristolainen both expressed some frustration with the organization’s lack of success and knew their names would be brought up in the offseason. Ristolainen in particular has been involved in trade speculation for years, as his blunt way of speaking his mind has led to some choice quotes.

Now, Lance Lysowski of the Buffalo News is reporting that the New Jersey Devils have shown interest in the 26-year-old defenseman, noting that the team has a glaring hole on the right side because of the pending free agency of Connor Carrick. Of course, Carrick only played 11 games for the Devils this season and has been used sparingly since arriving, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the Devils wouldn’t do well to upgrade their defense. Even the right side, which already has P.K. Subban and Damon Severson on the books, could be improved if the Devils want to compete in the Metropolitan Division next season.

Is Ristolainen the right way to go about that? The Sabres defenseman has just one year left on his six-year, $32.4MM contract, meaning he’ll carry a cap hit of $5.4MM next season. He has long been criticized for the analytical community given his brutal possession numbers, but at least some of that poor shot suppression comes from being asked to carry the load as the Sabres top dog. Since he debuted in 2013-14, the eighth-overall pick has averaged nearly 24 minutes a night over 542 games. He has been given defensive starts more often in all but one of his NHL campaigns, with this most recent season being the most lopsided. He is a -163 in that eight-year career and has failed to make the playoffs even a single time, but perhaps there is more to draw out of his game if he goes somewhere else.

When trading players that are a year away from free agency, teams will often look for a suitor that can offer an extension in order to maximize the return. While the Devils have enough cap space to do that with Ristolainen, the defenseman has been clear about his desire to end up with a winning program. He’s tired of missing the playoffs, and going to New Jersey–even with their exciting young core–certainly doesn’t guarantee he’d see the postseason anytime soon. Though he doesn’t have a no-trade clause, the idea of a possible extension with a winning team would give the Sabres the most assets in return.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Snapshots: Capuano, Tardif, Asselin

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With the divisional playoffs now over, the days of the North, East, West, and Central (sort of) are over. Teams are already shifting their mindsets back to the Atlantic, Metropolitan, Pacific, and the true Central, working out how best to beat out their division rivals and make the postseason next year. After taking a step forward this season, albeit against lesser competition, the Ottawa Senators are no exception. The long-time bottom-dwellers are just as cutthroat in their pursuit of success, even if that means handicapping one of their own. Joe MacDonald of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette reports that the Senators have blocked associate head coach Jack Capuano from interviewing for the Buffalo Sabres’ head coach vacancy. Buffalo will be Ottawa’s divisional rival once again next season and beyond and the team will not lose a valued member of their staff with inside knowledge of the organization to one of their most frequent competitors. After leading Team USA to a bronze medal and the best record in group play at the recent IIHF World Championships, Capuano’s name is back in the mix as a head coach candidate. The long-time New York Islander bench boss is still held in high regard around the league and the Sabres may not be the only team kicking his tires. Perhaps the Senators will let him go elsewhere, just not within the Atlantic Division.

  • After wrapping a strong junior career in the QMJHL, capped off by a stellar run with the Victoriaville Tigres that ended with a league title, Ben Tardif was expected to have some NHL interest. The 21-year-old forward had scored at better than a point-per-game clip in each of the past two seasons, culminating in 11 goals and 22 points in 19 games for Victoriaville en route to the President’s Cup. However, Tardif seemingly did not receive the attention he might have expected and has settled for an AHL contract. The Colorado Eagles announced that they have signed Tardif to a two-year contract. The Colorado Avalanche obviously have some stock in the move as well, hoping that Tardif can use the time to round out his game and show that his offense can translate to the pro level. If he succeeds, Tardif will find himself in a great spot as part of an Avs club that looks like it will contend for many years to come.
  • One player whose career Tardif will likely be following is Samuel Asselin. A QMJHL star himself –  a Memorial Cup champion and league-leading goal-scorer – Asselin too was surprisingly unable to land an NHL contract after his junior career ended. Like Tardif, he signed a two-year deal with the AHL’s Providence Bruins instead. Following a point-per-game, All-Star season in the ECHL last year, Asselin was a full-time member of the P-Bruins this season and showed that there is more to his game than scoring ability with a gritty, high-energy style. And other teams took notice. Mark Divver of The New England Hockey Journal writes that NHL competitors are sniffing around Asselin and time is running out for the Bruins to lock him in to an entry-level contract. The club holds the right of first refusal to match any competing offer, but only while Asselin remains under contract. Once the off-season arrives, Asselin could depart with Boston having nothing to show for two years of development.

Atlantic Notes: Ristolainen, Bergevin, Bruins

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When the Stanley Cup Playoffs conclude later this summer, hockey fans everywhere will say goodbye to this season’s divisional structure. In 2021-22 the NHL will be going back to the Pacific, Central, Metropolitan, and Atlantic, albeit with a couple of tweaks. That means the Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins will be divisional rivals once again, so let’s check in on some notes from around the old-new Atlantic.

  • Even the new divisions weren’t enough to help the Sabres, who have now missed the playoffs in ten straight seasons and face an offseason of change. Jack Eichel dominates the headlines coming out of Buffalo, but there are other players on the roster to keep an eye on this summer. In his latest mailbag, Buffalo News writer Lance Lysowski explains that he believes a Rasmus Ristolainen trade is “inevitable” at this point and it would make sense to do it before the upcoming expansion draft. The 26-year-old Ristolainen has just one year left on his contract before becoming an unrestricted free agent, so if Buffalo is going to try to turn him into any future assets, now is the time to do it.
  • The Montreal Canadiens may not be very excited about going back to the Atlantic, given they just waltzed through the North en route to the third round. That playoff success has certainly turned some critics into champions of GM Marc Bergevin and as Eric Engels of Sportsnet writes, it seems to have reinvigorated the front office executive. In examining the future of Bergevin, who is under contract for just one more season in Montreal, Engels writes that he was recently offered a “lucrative, three-year deal.” Obviously, the focus right now is on the Canadiens’ quest for the Stanley Cup, but the Bergevin situation will need to be resolved at some point.
  • When the Bruins come back to the Atlantic they could be a very different looking team, with names like Tuukka Rask, David Krejci, and Taylor Hall all scheduled for unrestricted free agency. In making a decision to re-sign those free agents or not, GM Don Sweeney has a little less cap space to work with. PuckPedia reports that because the Bruins decided to split their 2019-20 performance bonus overage and had another $1.05MM overage this season, they face a $2.02MM carryover penalty for the 2021-22 season. That’s certainly not a surprise to the Bruins front office, who would have been working with this knowledge all season, but it does tighten things even further in a flat cap world.

Buffalo Sabres Sign J-J Peterka

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The Buffalo Sabres have inked another one of their prospects, signing J-J Peterka to a three-year entry-level contract. The young forward split this season between the German and Austrian leagues, while also starring for Germany at the World Juniors.

Peterka, 19, was the 34th overall pick last year and certainly disappoint in his first post-draft season. The German forward scored 20 points in 30 games for Munich of the DEL, 16 points in 12 games for Salzburg in the Austrian league, and added ten points in five games for his country at the World Juniors. In September of last year, before that strong season, this is what Scott Wheeler of The Athletic had to say about the newest Sabres prospect:

Peterka’s one of those players that just screams “complementary third-line forward.” Early on this season, he was one of my favourite prospects in the draft for his ability to play with strength and pace all over the ice. He’s a middle-lane driver who shoots a lot and works to get to the front of the net to finish off plays. He’s just naturally athletic and it fits well with his up-tempo, north-south game. As the season progressed, though, he never really showed me he had the tools to be more than that. There are times when I want to see him slow down, or he needs to survey the ice and use his teammates better. His play, role and minutes all went cold late in the season. It can look like he’s playing on instinct out there. That works for some players. It works for J.J. too but it may limit his upside.

The idea of a complementary third-line player may not be very exciting for Sabres fans dying for some success, but this Peterka is exactly the kind of player that the team needs in order to build out the program. Without real tangible depth pieces behind star-level talent like Dylan Cozens, the team is always going to have a difficult time competing for the playoffs. That was the issue for several years behind Jack Eichel, as the Buffalo captain appeared to have to do everything himself.

If Paterka can become that third line, net-driving secondary scoring piece, he’ll be worth his high draft pick. That will still require some development though, and there is plenty of time. His three-year entry-level contract can still slide should he spend next season in Europe, or anywhere not in the Sabres lineup.

Latest On Jack Eichel

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The Buffalo Sabres and Jack Eichel appear to be headed toward a split, even though things have quieted down since the team’s year-end media availability. At that point, Eichel was telling reporters that there was a “disconnect” between his camp and GM Kevyn Adams’ front office regarding his neck injury and it seemed like he already had one foot out the door. Well, that may still be the case, as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet spoke to WGR 550 in Buffalo today and explained:

That’s the poker game we’re playing right now. Other teams are saying ’you’ve got an unhappy player who doesn’t want to come back’ and the Sabres I really think at the end of the day want to move on. They don’t want him back, they want to move on. The teams are going to play Buffalo’s “desperation” at that. The Sabres have to play a game that says ’okay, you guys can play that game, but somebody is going to get him. If you play it too cool or you play us too hardline, it won’t be you.’

Friedman also noted that some teams are even calling him to see what he knows about Eichel’s injury, given how little information the Sabres have released publicly to this point. The neck injury is a huge sticking point in the trade market, given the uncertainty over whether he will still require surgery and miss part of next season.

Of course, there is also the factor of a long-term contract that carries a cap hit of $10MM. That’s not an easy deal to swallow for any team, even if they can technically fit it at the moment. If Eichel can’t return to the player that scored 36 goals and 78 points in 2019-20, his contract quickly becomes an anchor. A trade will require a team that believes that he can get back to that level, and has the assets the Sabres will want in return. Even if Buffalo wants to move on, Adams will need to maximize the return as much as he can for a player who was seen as a franchise icon to this point.

Poll: How Should The Seattle Kraken Approach The No. 2 Overall Pick?

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The Seattle Kraken will be much more than just an idea with one undrafted junior player on their roster by the time the 2021 NHL Entry Draft rolls around. The club will have added at least 30 players to their arsenal by way of the Expansion Draft several days earlier. Seattle is not expected to have the same advantage in making side deals like the Vegas Golden Knights did in 2017, as the other 30 teams have learned their lesson. However, one major advantage they will have compared to Vegas is in the Entry Draft. Picking No. 2 overall after moving up in the draft lottery, the Kraken will pick four spots higher than the Knights, who slid to No. 6 overall in their lottery. While Vegas’ first ever draft pick, Cody Glass, is still fighting for regular play time on the NHL roster four years later, Seattle has a chance to add a player who can contribute right away in their inaugural season – one way or another.

The results of the Expansion Draft are unlikely to change the Kraken’s draft plans. They will have several days between the submission of Expansion Draft protection lists and the draft itself and to map out their plan of attack and to talk trade with the rest of the league. Sure, they could find that there are some unexpected trade options that could allow them to add other picks and prospects ahead of the draft, but unlikely anything that will change their opinion on how best to use the No. 2 pick. Only the Buffalo Sabres at first overall could potentially throw Seattle a curveball. Otherwise, their plan should be set well ahead of July 23.

So what should Seattle do with the second overall pick? It is a critical pick that will undoubtedly impact the new franchise for years to come. What is the best approach?

Take The Best Available Player – Pretty straightforward, right? The Kraken should take the best player remaining on their board after Buffalo makes their selection. Regardless of the positional value or any perceived positional needs following the Expansion Draft, Seattle should simply take the prospect that they feel has the highest ceiling and most realistic pro ambitions. While there is no consensus top prospect in this draft, many feel that University of Michigan defenseman Owen Power is that top prospect. If the Kraken agree and Buffalo goes elsewhere at No. 1, they pull the trigger.

Take The Best Available Center – Center is the position that many point to as the most important in the NHL and feel that a true No. 1 center is the hardest player to find. At No. 2 overall and Power potentially going first to Buffalo, Seattle could conceivably have their pick of every forward in the draft class to find that future top center. That could very well be Power’s Wolverines teammate Matthew Beniers. Even if Beniers or another center isn’t the best player on their board, Seattle shouldn’t pass up on the opportunity to add an elite prospect down the middle.

Take The Best Available Defenseman – Some live by the team-building mantra of building from the net out. While goalie Jesper Wallstedt is an elite prospect, he isn’t going No. 2 overall. However, the Kraken could instead choose to bolster their blue line with an elite prospect. Even if Power is off the board and there are forwards ranked higher on their draft board, Seattle needs to target one of the small group of blue chip defenders in the draft class, such as Brandt Clarke or Luke Hughes.

Trade Back And Add Picks – Starting a pipeline from scratch is about quantity over quality, right? The No. 2 overall pick is nice, but if Seattle isn’t able to acquire any other top picks in Expansion Draft deals, they would be better off trading back and adding picks. The New Jersey Devils at No. 4 and Columbus Blue Jackets at No. 5, both with extra first-rounders, seem like enticing trade partners. All three of Clarke, Hughes, or Wallstedt could still be available at either of those picks.

Trade For Established Star – Seattle doesn’t want a slow build-up. They want to compete right away like Vegas, but they won’t be able to so easily dupe the rest of the league in the Expansion Draft. Perhaps they should use the No. 2 overall pick as part of a deal to pry a star from a rebuilding team. Jack Eichel? Dylan Larkin? Logan Couture? Patrik Laine or Seth Jones?

What do you think? Which direction should GM Ron Francis and company go with the franchise’s first pick and the second pick of the 2021 NHL Draft?

Sabres Receiving Interest In Several Players

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Even as the Buffalo Sabres conduct their coaching search, GM Kevyn Adams continues to receive trade calls from other teams around the league. Darren Dreger of TSN tweets that the team has received interest on “a number of players, including Jack Eichel,” though that should come as no surprise.

The Sabres of course also have the first overall pick in this year’s draft to worry about, plus four other picks in the first three rounds. This will be a huge offseason for the organization if they stand any hope of turning things around.

Latest On Buffalo Sabres Coaching Search

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The Buffalo Sabres are searching far and wide for their next head coach, bringing in candidates from all over the hockey world. That includes, according to Darren Dreger of TSN, Rikard Gronborg of the Zurich Lions. Gronborg has already interviewed for the position according to Dreger.

This is not the first time that Gronborg’s name has been connected to an NHL coaching search, but to this point, the 52-year-old has remained overseas. Serving as a staff member for the Swedish national team for more than a decade, Gronborg has almost countless international medals including Olympic silver as an assistant in 2014. He won the World Championship gold as head coach in 2017 and 2018 and has been leading the powerhouse Zurich team for the last three seasons.

In NHL history there have been only two European-born and trained head coaches, meaning Gronborg would be breaking new ground should he land the gig in Buffalo. It would certainly be an outside-the-box move for an organization desperate for answers, but he wouldn’t be coming in completely blind. Remember, Sabres franchise defenseman Rasmus Dahlin is very familiar with Gronborg from his time with the national program for Sweden, including time together at the 2018 Olympics.

Still, with so much pressure on Buffalo to turn things around, going with a rookie head coach may not be the best idea. The team has not been able to find any sort of stability or consistency over the last several years, switching coaches and managers as quickly as players. Gronborg is just one of many candidates considered for the role, including interim head coach Don Granato.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Buffalo Sabres Win 2021 NHL Draft Lottery

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For the final time for the foreseeable future, all non-playoff teams were eligible to win the first overall pick in the NHL Draft Lottery. Beginning in 2022, a team can only move up a maximum of ten spots, meaning the teams who finish No. 12 through No. 16 in the final league standings cannot move high enough to take over the top pick. The stage was set for a climactic send-off for the old format.

Well, the lottery balls decided not to take a crazy bounce in their last opportunity to move a team from the middle of the first round all the way to the top. Instead, the draft order stayed virtually the same. The Buffalo Sabres, who held the worst record in the NHL this season and thus the top odds in the lottery, retained the No. 1 pick. The expansion Seattle Kraken, awarded the same odds as the third-worst record in the league, moved up one spot, switching places with the Anaheim Ducks. New this year, there were only two lottery draws as opposed to the former three. Here is the official first-round draft order for the top 15 picks:

  1. Buffalo Sabres
  2. Seattle Kraken
  3. Anaheim Ducks
  4. New Jersey Devils
  5. Columbus Blue Jackets
  6. Detroit Red Wings
  7. San Jose Sharks
  8. Los Angeles Kings
  9. Vancouver Canucks
  10. Ottawa Senators
  11. Chicago Blackhawks
  12. Calgary Flames
  13. Philadelphia Flyers
  14. Dallas Stars
  15. New York Rangers

(As a reminder, the Arizona Coyotes forfeited their first-round pick this years as discipline for scouting violations)

This will be the second time in four years that the Buffalo Sabres will pick first overall after selecting Rasmus Dahlin at the top spot in 2018. It also means that two teams, the Sabres and New Jersey Devils, will have owned the first pick in four of the past five drafts. The two clubs are happy that the NHL’s new rule limiting teams to two lottery wins in a five-year span kicks in next year with a clean slate. Incredibly, the Sabres lottery win also further advances the mythology of Taylor Hall. Although Hall is now with the Boston Bruins, this is the fifth time in Hall’s career that his most recent team eligible for the draft lottery has won. A No. 1 overall pick himself, Hall has brought luck to the Edmonton Oilers, Devils, and now Sabres.

Perhaps bigger news than Buffalo at No. 1 is Seattle at No. 2, a major opportunity for the Kraken to draft a player who is ready to join the team in their inaugural season. The Vegas Golden Knights, with the same odds in the 2017 NHL Draft Lottery, fell to No. 6 overall and drafted Cody Glass, who has still yet to establish himself as a regular in the Vegas lineup. With the second pick, Seattle will have better odds of adding an instant difference-maker.

The 2021 NHL Draft is unique compared to recent years in that there is no consensus top prospect. In fact, it is difficult to remember a draft class in recent memory that is so undecided at the top. One major factor has been the lack of complete scouting due to canceled and shortened seasons and limited live viewings. However, even with complete information, there is still seemingly no prospect that stands heads above the rest. University of Michigan defenseman Owen Power and forward Matthew Beniers are largely considered the top players at each position and the two most likely candidates for the top pick, with Power having a slight lead according to draft pundits. However, current teammate Kent Johnson and Wolverines commit Luke Hughes, a forward and defenseman respectively, are also in the mix. Canadian junior standouts Mason McTavish, Dylan Guenther, and Brandt Clarke and European pros William Eklund and Simon Edvinsson may also be in play.

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