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Carolina Hurricanes Trade Victor Rask For Nino Niederreiter

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The Carolina Hurricanes have made another huge trade to change up their core group of forwards, this time sending Victor Rask to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for Nino Niederreiter. Both teams have struggled to find a ton of offense from their groups over the last few seasons, leading them to try and shake things up with a move like this.

At first blush, the deal seems to be a huge win for the Hurricanes given Rask’s incredible struggles this season. The 25-year old center has just six points in 26 games since returning from a freak hand injury in late November and has at times been relegated to fourth-line minutes in Carolina. That’s obviously not Rask’s ceiling, as he has twice previously recorded at least 45 points, but he wasn’t getting it done for the Hurricanes under Rod Brind’Amour and needed a fresh start elsewhere.

That’ll come in Minnesota where it’s unclear if Rask will stay in the middle of the ice. Charlie Coyle has been playing at the center position and finding great success, though he has plenty of experience on the wing where there is now a vacancy. Wild GM Paul Fenton had been clear that there were changes coming in Minnesota, and Niederreiter was one of the obvious candidates to be moved.

In fact, the bruising winger played just 9:31 in his final game for Minnesota after being dropped to the fourth line almost immediately after starting the game. Ironically he scored in those limited minutes and was successful in the shootout win to notch two points for the Wild over the Los Angeles Kings Tuesday night. That goal was just Niederreiter’s sixth even-strength tally of the season, a huge problem for a player who has made a living recording 20-goal seasons in the past. That sort of production is exactly what the Hurricanes are looking for, and Carolina GM Don Waddell called him a “proven goal-scorer” in the accompanying press release.

We wrote back in November how the Hurricanes needed help up front scoring goals, and that’s exactly what they’ll hope to accomplish with this addition. Niederreiter also fits right into the possession style that Carolina loves to employ, and is one of the better two-way wingers in the league. Still, the contract swap represents a $1.25MM increase for the Hurricanes through 2021-22 while Niederreiter immediately becomes the team’s highest-paid forward with Jordan Staal on injured reserve. He’ll be asked to do a lot in Carolina, and could even find himself on the top line in short order.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Schedule For Upcoming NHL “Bye Weeks”

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For the third year in a row, the NHL has scheduled a mandated multi-day break for each team in the middle part of the season. Meant to give each team a rest, much like the bye week in the National Football League, this break also includes limits on practice, including several days in which all team activities are prohibited. A seven-day break this season, on paper an increase from the original five-day break, the “bye week” is actually less intrusive this season than it has been in the past despite the longer length. All 31 teams will take their break either right before or right after the upcoming All-Star Weekend, with those two days counting toward the seven and simply extending what has always been a short break for non-participants. Below are the lists of teams who will take leave on one side of All-Star festivities or the other:

Before All-Star Weekend (January 20 – 24)

Boston Bruins
Buffalo Sabres
Columbus Blue Jackets
Dallas Stars
New Jersey Devils
New York Rangers
Philadelphia Flyers
Pittsburgh Penguins
Tampa Bay Lightning
Winnipeg Jets

After All-Star Weekend (January 27 – 31)

Anaheim Ducks
Arizona Coyotes
Calgary Flames
Carolina Hurricanes
Chicago Blackhawks
Colorado Avalanche
Detroit Red Wings
Edmonton Oilers
Florida Panthers
Los Angeles Kings
Minnesota Wild
Montreal Canadiens
Nashville Predators
New York Islanders
Ottawa Senators
San Jose Sharks
St. Louis Blues
Toronto Maple Leafs
Vancouver Canucks
Vegas Golden Knights
Washington Capitals

How each team feels about taking an extended break in the middle of the season generally varies based on situational factors. While many players would enjoy getting to spend some time away with their families, others would rather keep the pedal to the metal mid-season. More specifically, a team that is playing well and stringing together wins would rather keep playing and not lose out on that momentum. Another team may be in a slump or struggling with injuries and desperately in need of a break. Either way, not every team will be in favor of the bye week each season.

There also remains some scheduling flaws with the mandated break, as most teams will only get the actual seven days or an eighth day off for travel, but others are set to go ten or eleven days without a contest. The “bye week” seems to be a move by the NHL that has enough support to continue in future seasons, but the league could work on sharpening the schedule so as to give teams as close to an even break as their competition as possible.

Minor Transactions: 01/13/19

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It’s a relatively busy Sunday for the NHL as six games are scheduled for today, including an afternoon tilt between the Nashville Predators and Carolina Hurricanes. While the league prepares for another important week, we’ll be here keeping track of all the minor moves.

  • The San Jose Sharks have sent Rourke Chartier back to the minor leagues, given the team doesn’t play again until Tuesday. The 22-year old forward has played 13 games with the Sharks this season but has just a single goal. He very well could be recalled once again in a few days.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets have recalled Kole Sherwood, a 21-year old forward that spent time in the ECHL earlier this year. The hometown kid has seven points in 22 games for the AHL Cleveland Monsters, but will get a shot to see what life is like in the NHL for at least a little while.
  • Jordan Kyrou and Jordan Nolan have bother been recalled by the St. Louis Blues, giving the team two forward options in very different situations. Kyrou is still trying to get his footing in his first season as a professional, but has recently found his way as the AHL Rookie of the Month for December. Nolan meanwhile is just trying to hold onto his NHL career after finding himself in the minor leagues this season for the first time since 2012-13.
  • In a minor transaction, Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that St. Louis Blues’ goalie prospect Evan Fitzpatrick has been re-assigned from the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL to the Tulsa of the ECHL. The scribe adds the transaction is significant because it likely suggests that prospect Ville Husso might be ready to return from injury, which could provide the Blues with a solid emergency goaltender down the road. The 20-year-old Fitzpatrick has served as an emergency backup already, but has spent most of his season in Tusla.
  • The Vancouver Canucks announced they have assigned center Adam Gaudette to the Utica Comets of the AHL as the team expects the return of Josh Leivo, who has been out with back spasms. The former Hobey Baker Award winner spent the early portion of the season with Vancouver, learning as a bottom-line player, but was sent to Utica to get more playing time in. He has been producing in Utica, posting three goal and seven points in seven games, including a two goal, three-point performance on Jan. 5th. He was then recalled after Elias Pettersson went down with his knee injury and scored a goal in his one appearance on Thursday against Arizona.
  • The Arizona Coyotes announced they have recalled goaltender Calvin Pickard from the Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL now that his conditioning stint is over. The team claimed Pickard off waivers from the Philadelphia Flyers due to injuries to both Antti Raanta and Darcy Kuemper. However, with Kuemper healthy once again and the emergence of Adin Hill, the Coyotes would have to keep Pickard around as a third goaltender, which they may not want to do. Pickard struggled in four appearances in Tuscon, despite a 3-0 record, posting a 3.47 GAA and a .889 save percentage.

Extensive Power Forward Trade Market Forming

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If the 2019 NHL Trade Deadline is deep at any one type of player, it is power forward. As the February 25th deadline grows closer and teams begin to make tough decisions about who goes and who stays, it is becoming clear that many big, physical scoring forwards are about to be up for grabs before they hit free agency. Just this past week, it was reported that the Philadelphia Flyers’ Wayne Simmonds was likely to be moved and inferred that the Carolina Hurricanes and Micheal Ferland were unlikely to come to terms ahead of the deadline. And that’s just the beginning.

Outside of the 6’2″ Simmonds and 220-lb. Ferland, there are plenty of other names out there that fit the power forward mold. Since this summer, the New York Rangers’ Kevin Hayes has been earmarked for a deadline trade. If they cannot agree to an extension, the Ottawa Senators may be forced to move star Mark Stone. Should the New York Islanders or Colorado Avalanche fall out of the playoff race, Brock Nelson and Colin Wilson – neither of whom look like long-term fits on their respective teams – should be on the block. To some surprise, Patrick Maroon’s time with his hometown St. Louis Blues appears to be already running out. Even role player power forwards like New Jersey’s Brian Boyle and Florida’s Troy Brouwer should draw interest.

Many of these players feature on the trade bait lists from both The Athletic and TSN, as well as some non-UFA power forwards like the Blues’ Brayden Schenn, the Rangers’ Chris Kreider, the Wild’s Nino Niederreiter, and even young Jesse Puljujarvi of the Edmonton Oilers. While it may seem like too many names for too few teams – and it is a buyer’s market this year for sure – The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun mentioned a number of suitors for a power forward who could make a move for one or more of these trade candidates in the coming weeks. At the top, LeBrun sees some of the biggest contenders as likely landing spots, naming the Tampa Bay Lightning, Nashville Predators, Winnipeg Jets, and Calgary Flames as good fits for Simmonds, Ferland, and the like. He also adds the Boston Bruins and Vegas Golden Knights into that group. Of course, the Bruins and Jets also have needs down the middle and could be more ideal fits for Hayes or Nelson, while the wingers would appeal more to Tampa Bay and Nashville. While LeBrun casts doubt on the Toronto Maple Leafs being interested, if an arms race begins the team could feel pressured to add to their forward corps as well. The Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars, both in need of secondary scoring, could also jump in on the action, while the Patric Hornqvist injury could prompt the Pittsburgh Penguins to make another move.

With so many power forwards potentially available and prices expected to be low, it could be that the majority of playoff-bound teams decide to add a hired gun up front this season. You can never have too much size and grit in the postseason, not to mention scoring touch, and the 2019 deadline could be defined by many players possessing those exact traits heading to new teams. With plenty of talent available, one of the aforementioned players might just end up being the x-factor for the eventual Stanley Cup champions this year.

Carolina Hurricanes, Micheal Ferland “Far Apart” In Contract Negotiations

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The Carolina Hurricanes have been the target of much trade speculation ever since Thomas Dundon took over as owner and rapidly changed the front office. The team traded away Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin and Jeff Skinner in part because they were hoping for a new identity on the ice, but still found themselves struggling to stay relevant through the first part of the season. Recently, that has changed with a five-game winning streak that shot Carolina back into the playoff picture and now has them as potential buyers at the deadline. Still, one pending unrestricted free agent sits on the roster as a potential rental option for another contender out there.

Micheal Ferland was one of the more underrated pieces that came back in the Lindholm-Hanifin deal, but has performed admirably for the team and still sits second in goals with 12. The physical, bang-and-crash winger has dealt with injury but provided more than enough for his $1.75MM cap hit. It’s that cap hit that makes him so attractive on the trade market though, especially if the Hurricanes can’t get him under an extension for next year. Ferland is a pending unrestricted free agent and according to Elliotte Friedman in his latest 31 Thoughts column for Sportsnet, the two sides are “far, far apart” in negotiations.

Friedman mentions the Pittsburgh Penguins and Edmonton Oilers as potential fits for Ferland at the deadline, though notes that there will be others. That makes sense given how Ferland has shown an ability to play up and down the lineup without dragging down talented linemates, and can offer a brand of hockey that is greatly coveted in the postseason. The 26-year old forward has 701 hits in 285 games and found his offensive stride last season when he recorded 21 goals and 41 points playing for long stretches beside Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan. That kind of versatility is extremely valuable, especially when it comes with such a low salary cost.

It will be interesting to see how Carolina plays the trade deadline though, as they’re obviously in need of more goal scoring if they are to make a playoff run this year. Trading Ferland would certainly take one of their top options away, but if he’s going to walk in free agency anyway there’s little reason to keep him around.

Minor Transactions: 01/08/19

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If you wanted to see some NHL hockey tonight’s the night, as 22 teams are in action across the league. Most notably perhaps is a clash between the Colorado Avalanche and Winnipeg Jets, two teams separated by just six points in the Central Division standings. These two teams could very well be on a collision course in the first round of the playoffs. As always, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves around the league as teams prepare for the busy night.

  • The Toronto Maple Leafs lead off the moves once again by sending both Kasimir Kaskisuo and Trevor Moore back to the minor leagues, given they don’t play until Thursday. The Maple Leafs are hoping to save cap space with these daily moves while also giving Kaskisuo a chance to stay fresh playing for the Marlies.
  • Yesterday the Florida Panthers recalled Ian McCoshen for the first time this season, after suiting up 35 times in the minor leagues. The former Boston College standout was considered “NHL-ready” when he left the NCAA in 2016, but failed to establish himself as a full-time player for the Panthers. He’ll get another chance soon, after recording nine points in those 35 AHL games this season.
  • Dan Renouf has been recalled by the Carolina Hurricanes, an interesting move given their depth at defense. The team has several other options in the minors like Haydn Fleury, Jake Bean and Roland McKeown, but decided to reward Renouf for his solid play all year.
  • The New York Islanders have sent Joshua Ho-Sang back to the minor leagues, making room to activate Valtteri Filppula. That move certainly won’t come with much fan support, given Ho-Sang’s obvious offensive talent and potential as a prospect. Still, the 22-year old has just two points in ten games for the Islanders this season.
  • Days after clearing unconditional waivers and having his contract terminated by the New York Rangers, Vince Pedrie is on to a new team. The Milwaukee Admirals, affiliate of the Nashville Predators, have signed the 24-year-old defenseman to a contract, the AHL announced. Pedrie, a former Penn State University standout, left school early to sign with the Rangers as an undrafted free agent in the spring of 2017. However, that proved to not be the opportunity that he had hoped, as Pedrie did not get his shot at the NHL during the tail end of that season or any of last season. Instead, Pedrie remained with the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack, where he failed to impress. Early this season, Pedrie has split his time between Hartford and the ECHL’s Maine Mariners before negotiating his release. While he is unlikely to earn an NHL contract this season, Pedrie could return to his college form with Milwaukee and try his hand at the free agent market this off-season.

Montreal Canadiens Will Not Be Deadline Buyers

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The Montreal Canadiens have been inside or on the fringe of the Eastern Conference playoff picture for much of the season. Yet, in the stacked Atlantic Division, GM Marc Bergevin knows that he faces an uphill battle to advance very far this season. The experienced executive has thus decided not to fall into the trap of acquiring short-term rentals ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline this season. Addressing the media today, Bergevin stated:

I don’t think I’ll be in the rental business… I’m going to listen. If it makes sense, I’ll do it. But I’m not going to start mortgaging the future… I know …who they’re going to be asking for and I’m not going moving these kids. So it will be a short conversation I think.

As TSN’s John Lu clarifies, Bergevin is speaking about protecting his recent World Junior Championship standouts. Montreal’s prospects stood out at the 2019 WJC perhaps more than any other NHL team. At the front of that group is obviously reigning tournament MVP Ryan Poehling, the Habs’ 2017 first-round pick out of St. Cloud State University, who notched five goals and points in seven games for the Americans. Alexander Romanov, the team’s second-round pick this past June, was also a top performer at the WJC; the KHL product was named the tournament’s top defenseman with eight points in seven games as well. Cayden Primeau, the starting goaltender for Team USA, and one of the few who beat him in the gold medal game, Finnish forward Jesse Ylonen, also belong to the Canadiens. So too do Team Canada contributors Nick Suzuki and Josh Brook, who both impressed before their team’s early exit.

Bergevin has done a great job of stocking the cupboard for the Canadiens and is right to protect his top young assets. There is always a chance to win for any team that makes the playoffs, but Montreal would first have to qualify, battling for a wild card spot with the Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, and New York Islanders, at the very least. Currently, the projection model of The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn gives the Canadiens a 50% chance at making the playoffs, but does place them in the eighth and final playoff spot in the East. However, that would still land Montreal with a first-round match-up with the likely President’s Trophy-winning Tampa Bay Lightning and, if by some miracle they advance, then a face-off with the Toronto Maple Leafs-Boston Bruins winner. It’s a tough road for the Habs and one that is unlikely to be successful this year, so the team may as well steer clear of the rental market and hold on to their top prospect talent. As Bergevin states, he’ll listen, but doesn’t expect to be convinced. Without any obvious rental pieces of their own either, this could be a quiet deadline season in Montreal.

Dougie Hamilton Potentially Available As Carolina Enters Trade Market

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With talks extension talks cooling with Matt Duchene the Ottawa Senators could be forced to consider moving their unrestricted free agent forward before long, and they’re not the only Eastern Conference team in that situation. The Carolina Hurricanes were also discussed on last night’s Headlines panel between periods of the Vancouver-Toronto game, and Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman indicated that the team are not close on an extension with UFA forward Micheal Ferland and also have two free agent goaltenders who could be of interest before the deadline.

Most notably though, Friedman mentioned Dougie Hamilton as a player that Carolina could consider moving for the right package:

Another name I’m curious about is Dougie Hamilton. They have four right-shot [defensemen], they have been asked about Hamilton. If you’re willing to come back at them with a score, I think that they would consider doing it.

That revelation may come as a surprise, given that Hamilton was the centerpiece in a trade that cost the team both Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin just last year. Hamilton hasn’t been quite the dominating right-handed puck mover that the Hurricanes expected, only logging 13 points through his first 40 games. That pact would put him at his lowest point total since 2013-14 with Boston, and much lower than the last few seasons with the Calgary Flames.

Perhaps most telling is Hamilton’s ice time, which has decreased to just over 17 minutes over his last six games including a season-low 14:22 against the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night. Part of that decrease can be explained by the Hurricanes’ almost unmatched depth on the right side, with Brett Pesce, Justin Faulk and Trevor van Riemsdyk all right-handed and capable. It’s also not the first time that Hamilton’s name has been included in trade talks.

Originally selected ninth overall by the Boston Bruins in 2011 with a pick the team acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs, Hamilton lasted just a few years before trade rumors started surfacing. The young defenseman would only play three seasons in Boston before being shipped out to Calgary for a trio of draft picks, only to once again find himself on the block after three years with the Flames. Reports vary on whether Hamilton fit in well with teammates and coaching staffs, but his on-ice play never suffered.

Throughout his short career, the 25-year old has 233 points in 463 games and has been one of the darlings of the analytical community. Driving possession in a way that very few players can match, Hamilton can boost teammates and be a force at both even-strength and on the powerplay. The idea that he could be available once again may not come as a surprise given his history, but it certainly should perk up a few ears around the league. Hamilton carries just a $5.75MM cap hit through 2020-21.

Trade Rumors: Senators, Ferland, Goldobin

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In his latest “31 Thoughts” article, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman poses the question on the mind of many fans and general managers alike: how long will the Ottawa Senators wait to make a decision on the futures of their impending free agent stars? The team made it a point to say early in the season that they had talked about a new contract with Matt Duchene and just recently it was reported that Mark Stone is prepared to talk to the team as well, now that he is eligible for an extension in the new year. Friedman adds that the Ottawa has already approached Ryan Dzingel about a new deal as well. The Senators clearly have plans to discuss contract extensions with the trio, but with the NHL Trade Deadline less than two months away, at what point will they begin talking to other teams instead? On one hand, the Senators owe the bulk of their meager offense to these three impending free agents and seemingly must do their best to bring back as many as they can. Stone leads the team with 45 points, while Duchene has missed six games but nevertheless is second with 40 points, and Dzingel is fourth – third among forwards – with 29 points. The idea that the team could lose all three and somehow improve next season seems like a long shot to say the least. The team has to do their best to resign the group. Yet, if the trio were to depart, it would be much nicer if they did so with a parting gift. Even if GM Pierre Dorion holds on to each player through the deadline in hopes of resigning them, there is no guarantee that they will stay in Ottawa. Rather than lose them for nothing, the Senators would benefit far more from trading them for hefty returns this season. Odds are that the team negotiates with each one of Stone, Duchene, and Dzingel right up until deadline before making a move, but if the market is stronger beforehand, Dorion and company will have some difficult decisions to make.

  • The Carolina Hurricanes are in a similar position with off-season acquisition Micheal Ferland. Ferland, an overlooked part of the Dougie Hamilton trade between the ’Canes and Calgary Flames, has enjoyed a breakout season in Carolina. Ferland is fourth on the team in scoring with 19 points and is currently on pace to set a new career high in scoring despite missing seven games due to injury. Friedman’s opinion on this situation is somewhat more definitive than Ottawa’s. Friedman claims that the two teams are talking extension, but if one is not in place by the trade deadline, Ferland will certainly be moved. The two-way left wing would be a highly valued asset on the rental market and Carolina would not hesitate to get what they can in a trade. Ferland, who has found a fit with Carolina, may not even rule out returning to the team in free agency, even if they can’t come to terms on a new contract this year. The only question remaining is how soon the Hurricanes would be willing to move Ferland if a deal is not coming together.
  • One surprise player who Friedman notes could be available is Vancouver Canucks forward Nikolay Goldobin. Friedman states that the team is merely looking into the potential return for the young winger right now, but even testing the market on Goldobin is unexpected. The 23-year-old winger is fourth on the team in scoring with 23 points in 41 games and at times has looked like a key piece of the young core for the Canucks. Yet, he has also moved around the lineup frequently and has even been a healthy scratch. It could be that Vancouver is fearful of upcoming negotiations with the impending restricted free agent, as GM Jim Benning and head coach Travis Green are not yet sold that he is worthy of a long-term contract, nor does the team want to be saddled with an arbitration decision. Regardless, a young player with the offensive upside of Goldobin is a rare entry into the trade market (although he has already been traded once in his career) and if the Canucks truly make him available, they will surely find takers.

Carolina Hurricanes Make Three Roster Moves

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The Carolina Hurricanes put up five goals yesterday on the Philadelphia Flyers, winning their second straight and climbing within just a single goal of 100 on the season. They are one of only two teams (along with the Los Angeles Kings, who sit at 94) without 100 goals this year, a result of some very inconsistent play from their forward group. One player who prior to this season was lauded for his consistency at both ends of the rink is Jordan Staal, who unfortunately was placed back on injured reserve today with an upper-body injury. The former Carolina captain had missed time with a concussion in December before returning for just two games prior to the Christmas break and hasn’t suited up since.

In his place, the team has recalled minor league forward Greg McKegg under emergency conditions to give them an extra body up front. More importantly though, Haydn Fleury has been sent back to the AHL. The young defenseman has also been out with a concussion, missing the team’s last nine games. His assignment likely means that he’s ready to get back into game action, and the team will give him the chance to prepare in the minor leagues.

Fleury, 22, has played just ten games for the Hurricanes this season and finds himself fighting for a spot on one of the most crowded blue lines in the NHL. Despite the Hurricanes’ unimpressive 17-17-5 record, they still have an enviable group of defensemen that includes Jaccob Slavin, Dougie Hamilton, Calvin de Haan, Brett Pesce, Justin Faulk and Trevor van Riemsdyk. That’s not even mentioning the other young options like Jake Bean and Roland McKeown who are pushing for spots, giving Fleury more than enough competition to endure even without factoring in a head injury.

If the Hurricanes ever do consider trading one of their prized defensemen, there is no shortage of players ready to seize the opportunity and show they are full-time NHL players. Fleury will have to wait for that chance with the others in the minor leagues for now.

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