- The Hurricanes have returned forward Patrick Brown to Charlotte of the AHL, per a team release. He had been recalled on Tuesday but did not get into either of Carolina’s games since then. The 25-year-old has 20 points (6-14-20) in 44 contests with the Checkers this season. Lucas Wallmark will now get another shot at the next level, as the Hurricanes have recalled the rookie forward. Wallmark looked good in a short stint in Raleigh earlier this season and has continued his strong play in the AHL. With the ’Canes pushing for a playoff spot, Wallmark’s addition could be a nice boost for the team.
Hurricanes Rumors
Hurricanes Open To Retaining On Marcus Kruger's Contract
- The Hurricanes may be willing to retain on center Marcus Kruger’s contract in an effort to move him before the trade deadline, notes Luke DeCock of the Raleigh News and Observer. Kruger recently cleared waivers and has played his last three games with Carolina’s AHL affiliate in Charlotte. Even with retaining on his contract, it still may be a challenge to find a taker as the 27-year-old has another year after this one on his deal with a cap hit just under $3.1MM although his salary dips to $2.3MM.
Eastern Notes: Hurricanes, Nash, McDonagh, Van Riemsdyk
The Carolina Hurricanes are by no means out of the playoff hunt. Afterall, they have won two in a row and currently are clinging to the second and final wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference. However, the team might end up being sellers at the trade deadline as the young team have quite a few trade chips that could help this team down the road, according to The Athletic’s Eric Duhatschek (subscription required).
The scribe writes that the Hurricanes have quite a bit of depth on the blueline and it should get deeper soon. The team already has captain Justin Faulk leading the defense and although he’s not having as good of a campaign as a year ago, he might make for a good trade chip especially as the defensive salary cap will rise for the team next season. Carolina already have Jaccob Slavin and Brett Pesce under contract and both their extensions will kick in next year at a combined $9.325MM. Defenseman Noah Hanifin will be a restricted free agent next year and should get a solid raise. The team has rookie Haydn Fleury back next year and likely will have 2016 first-rounder Jake Bean coming in. This might be the right time to make a move for a scoring forward.
Duhatschek also notes that the team, who recently waived Marcus Kruger and Josh Jooris, could also look to move another pair of veterans at the deadline including Derek Ryan and Lee Stempniak. Ryan is an excellent face-off specialist and would make a solid bottom-six center and is an excellent story, while Stempniak, is starting to find his groove after missing much of the season. Ryan has 11 goals and 26 points this season, while Stempniak has played in just 14 games, but has one goal and five assists so far.
- The New York Post’s Larry Brooks writes that New York Rangers winger Rick Nash has set his 12-team trade approved list and the veteran revealed that he chose teams based on their chances to win the Stanley Cup this season. “I included the teams that I think have the best chance of winning the Stanley Cup and are also places I think would be good for my family,” the 33-year-old father of two young children said. “And, yes, that does include teams in Canada. I’m not excluding that as a possibility.” Nash says he would consider changing the list if a certain team not on the list shows interest in him. Brooks adds that several teams have shown interest including the Dallas Stars, Nashville Predators, San Jose Sharks, St. Louis Blues, Boston Bruins, Winnipeg Jets, Tampa Bay Lightning and possibly the Toronto Maple Leafs.
- Brooks also notes that the Tampa Bay Lightning have quite a bit of interest in adding defenseman Ryan McDonagh at the trade deadline. They believe that with Victor Hedman and McDonagh at the blueline, the chances Tampa Bay could win a Stanley Cup would increase heavily. However, the scribe notes that the Rangers should demand 19-year-old defensive rookie Mikhail Sergachev as the asking price for the veteran defenseman.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have gotten some interest in veteran forward James van Riemsdyk recently, Sportsnet’s Mike Johnston said during Saturday’s Headlines’ segment on Hockey Night in Canada. Johnston said two teams were told they have no plans to trade van Riemsdyk before the deadline. The 28-year-old goal scorer, who has 22 goals so far this year, will be an unrestricted free agent this year, but according to Johnston, has not received any contract extension offers yet. Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos added on the segment that the main reason is because van Riemsdyk refuses to take a hometown discount.
Hurricanes Unlikely To Change Strategy In Terms Of Roster Building
While the Hurricanes are sitting on the outside looking in at a playoff spot and haven’t made the postseason since 2009, don’t expect GM Ron Francis to be too aggressive in trying to shake up and add to Carolina’s roster over the next couple of weeks. Speaking with Tom Gulitti of NHL.com, Francis indicated that he won’t be deviating from his approach to building the team and has the backing of ownership to stay the course:
Brendan Smith, Marcus Kruger, Josh Jooris Clear Waivers
Friday: All three players have cleared, and can now be assigned to their respective AHL affiliates.
Thursday: The New York Rangers are not having the season they expected. Today, according to Larry Brooks of the New York Post, they have placed Brendan Smith on waivers less than a year after re-signing the defenseman to a four-year $17.4MM contract. He’s joined by Marcus Kruger and Josh Jooris of the Carolina Hurricanes according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic.
The Rangers recalled Neal Pionk earlier in the day and needed to make a corresponding move, but many expected it to be Marc Staal headed for injured reserve with his continued neck troubles. Instead, the team has decided to make Smith available to the rest of the league in an attempt to rid themselves of his contract. New York have allowed 35 goals in their last eight games and seen Henrik Lundqvist chased from the net three times, seemingly unable to complete simple defensive rotations at times. While Smith is still a capable NHL player, his extension is quickly looking like a mistake.
Kruger and Jooris are the first victims of a Carolina team that has said recently that they can’t keep running the same group out every night. Head coach Bill Peters and GM Ron Francis believe this team is good enough to compete right now, but still find themselves struggling near the bottom of the Metropolitan Division. Kruger, acquired in the offseason from the Vegas Golden Knights after he was part of the Chicago Blackhawks’ expansion package, comes with a $3.1MM cap hit for this year and next. Jooris is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent again this summer.
The Rangers and Hurricanes will both save the prorated version of $1.025MM in cap space by sending Smith and Kruger to the minors (along with the entirety of Jorris’ $775K hit) if they should clear, but this seems more about giving other players a chance. Both teams are fed up with how their seasons have gone, and are starting to bring in new blood to try and turn things around down the stretch. While the Rangers prepare to sell at the deadline, Carolina still seems undecided over which path they will follow.
Trade Candidates: Radim Vrbata
With the trade deadline approaching, we will be profiling several players in the weeks ahead that have a good chance to be dealt by February 26th.
The last time that the Florida Panthers went out and added a veteran Czech forward, it worked out perfectly. Jaromir Jagr was an All-Star and the Panthers were Atlantic Division champions. GM Dale Tallon may have been hoping that lightning would strike twice when he added Jagr’s countryman, Radim Vrbata, this off-season. It didn’t. In fact, Vrabta’s tenure in Florida has been an unmitigated disaster, as the 36-year-old is on pace to have the worst offensive season of his long, successful NHL career.
Nevertheless, Vrbata has shown time and time again to be a lethal weapon when he finds the right line chemistry and, despite what they say, even on teams other than the Coyotes. Vrbata’s decline in production could be a sign of his age, but some teams may gamble on it instead being a product of his surroundings and will look to acquire the experienced scorer at a bargain price. The Panthers are not as far out of a the playoff picture as some might think – six points back with two games in hand as of this writing – but that won’t stop them from entertaining offers on several players, especially Vrbata. The veteran forward hasn’t worked out in Florida and wouldn’t be much of a loss for the Cats, so a trade could wind up as a win-win for both sides.
Contract
Vrbata signed a one-year deal with Florida this summer that carries a $2.5MM base salary, his cap hit for the year. Vrbata can earn an additional $1.25MM in performance bonuses and, interestingly enough, a trade to a contender could trigger one of them; Vrbata earns $250K if his team makes the playoffs this season. He also earns $250K each for 10 goals, 15 goals, 20 goals, and 45 points. With just 5 goals and 13 points thus far, he realistically has a shot at only $500K in bonuses for 10 goals and a playoff berth. This overage would count against next season’s cap.
2017-18
The myth surrounding Vrbata has always been that he doesn’t perform outside of Arizona. While past campaigns in Colorado, Chicago, and Vancouver have indicated otherwise, this season in Florida has only added fuel to that fire. Vrbata has skated in 35 games for the Panthers this season, missing five games due to injury, five to illness, and another six (and counting) as a healthy scratch. Even when he’s been on the ice, Vrbata has been invisible. He’s outside the top ten in goals, assists, and points among Panthers and his impressive power play production has dried up, reduced to just four points on the year. On top of that, Vrbata has the third-worst plus/minus on the team and, as he has his whole career, plays with little physical or defensive ability. As a result of his poor play, the 16-year NHL veteran is seeing the least ice time of his career. The Vrbata experiment in Sunrise did not work out and will soon be over, either via trade or the end of the season.
Season Stats
35 GP: 5 goals, 8 assists, 13 points, -8 rating, 14 PIM, 78 shots, 13:05 ATOI, 44.3 CF%
Potential Suitors
So who would want to trade for such an uninspiring asset? Unfortunately for Vrbata, the Coyotes aren’t an option as they are as far from a deadline seller as any team could be. However, Vrbata has found success elsewhere before in his career and he can do so again. Especially at this point in his career, Vrbata is the perfect deadline depth acquisition: a hired gun who doesn’t need to be relied upon to be a team’s best player. With the right fit, Vrbata can score in bunches down the stretch and in the postseason. Several playoff-bound teams are known to be looking for a scoring winger, including the Washington Capitals, St. Louis Blues, and San Jose Sharks. All three teams have the infrastructure where Vrbata could settle in to a middle-six role depending on which personnel he fits best with. Top contenders like the Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lightning – if the Bolts are willing to bring Vrbata back for a second go-round after his disappointing prior stint – could also use the luxury of bringing in a veteran winger, but could also survive if he doesn’t work out and ends up a frequent scratch.
However, where Vrbata is likely the best fit is not with a bona fide playoff team, but instead a fringe team looking to make a minor addition in hopes of increasing their odds of seeing the postseason. The Calgary Flames, who won’t trade away any high draft picks, might be happy to take a look at Vrbata if the price is a late pick or low-end prospect. The Colorado Avalanche, the team that drafted Vrbata, and New Jersey Devils have both stated that they won’t derail their long-term plans by chasing expensive rentals, but could pursue the affordable Vrbata, while the Anaheim Ducks and Carolina Hurricanes could also be options if they are closer to a playoff berth come deadline day.
Likelihood of a Trade
Predicting whether Vrbata’s 2017-18 performance will outweigh his career production in the eyes of this year’s buyers is impossible. There is a clear need for a veteran winger with a scoring touch on many teams, including some not even mentioned, but whether they target Vrbata over any number of other options (even including Panthers teammate Colton Sceviour) remains to be seen. If anyone does come calling though, it would be a surprise to see Florida turn down the best offer. The Panthers will continue to push for a playoff spot of their own, but Vrbata won’t play a real part in that plan whether he is traded or not. The signing was a failure, but Florida can still turn it into a positive if they are able to get something back in return for trading Vrbata.
Jeff Skinner Latest To Enter Trade Deadline Rumor Mill
The Carolina Hurricanes made a strong statement today when they waived Marcus Kruger and Josh Jooris, unwilling to continue their current level of mediocrity. That comes just after Frank Seravalli of TSN included forward Jeff Skinner on the latest edition of his Trade Bait board, stating that the Hurricanes could listen on the 25-year old sniper.
Skinner is no stranger to TSN’s Trade Bait board, having first appeared two seasons ago. But this time there seems to be a growing friction between him and Peters that is likely destined to come to a head – whether in the next two weeks or the summer.
While it’s not overly surprising that Skinner would find himself among the rumor mill, the idea that there is a friction between player and coach is certainly one to monitor over the coming weeks. If there is something irreparable between the two, trading Skinner before he enters the final season of his contract would offer an increased value. The three-time 30-goal scorer is poised to be part of the incredible class of unrestricted agents in the summer of 2019, alongside other names like Tyler Seguin, Artemi Panarin, Blake Wheeler and many, many others.
The Hurricanes currently sit a single point out of a wildcard position in the Eastern Conference, but have lost their last three games and are just 4-5-1 in their last ten. Skinner meanwhile has just two points (one at even strength) in those ten games, and carries a -6 rating. His overall production on the season sits at 15 goals and 31 points, but hasn’t come close to matching the 37-goal output from a year ago.
Still, the Carolina forward would have plenty of suitors if he were to be willing to waive his no-movement clause. Teams from all over the league would love to add a dynamic offensive presence like him, and his $5.73MM cap hit is far from prohibitive. With less than three weeks before the trade deadline, we won’t have to wait long to find out.
Morning Notes: Hurricanes, Predators, Strome
The Carolina Hurricanes were one of the few NHL teams in action yesterday, but weren’t able to put up much of a fight against the San Jose Sharks, losing 3-1. After the game, head coach Bill Peters had a lot to say about the effort of his team, and Luke DeCock of the News & Observer encapsulated the comments in a scathing review of the club.
Whether Peters’ angry exclamation that the Hurricanes “can’t put that group out again after that” will actually spark some movement from GM Ron Francis is unclear, but the team certainly isn’t satisfied with how they’ve played. Carolina has lost two in a row but still find themselves only one point out of a wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference. If there was ever a time to push some chips to the middle and try for a playoff push, now might be it.
- The Nashville Predators are one of the deepest teams in the NHL, and will only improve in that regard when Mike Fisher returns to the lineup at some point over the next few weeks. Still, that isn’t stopping GM David Poile from looking around for another forward. Adam Vingan of the Tennessean reports that Poile could still go after a top-six winger, and points out that the Predators have a ton of cap room to fit in even the most expensive players.
- Though his short NHL stints haven’t gone perfectly, Dylan Strome continues to impress in the minor leagues. The 20-year old Arizona Coyotes forward is leading the league in points-per-game with 41 in 32 games, and will look to continue that dominance tonight against the San Jose Barracuda. Strome, the third-overall pick from 2015, has just two points in 18 NHL contests but is still a big part of the Coyotes future plans. If Max Domi truly is on the block in the desert, Arizona will need Strome to take the next step before long and help fill some of the offensive burden that Domi has struggled with at times this season.
Poll: Who Will Win The Metropolitan Division?
The Metropolitan Division is the most exciting in hockey these days. All eight teams are separated by fewer than 10 points, with the Washington Capitals out in front with 63 and the Carolina Hurricanes bringing up the rear with 54. In a matter of weeks the entire division could be completely flipped, especially after some trade deadline acquisitions.
The New York Islanders, currently sitting in seventh, have a lot riding on this season if they want to keep John Tavares in the organization. While he remains unsigned, success this season would be a nice way to show him where the Islanders are going with him at the top.
Pittsburgh of course can never be ruled out, thanks to their back-to-back Stanley Cup championships. Sidney Crosby is suddenly on a 10-game point streak (3 goals, 17 assists) and still isn’t the leader on the club. That’s Phil Kessel, who trails only Nikita Kucherov and Nathan MacKinnon in scoring this season.
Even Philadelphia, who have dealt with a roller coaster season for the ages this year are within striking distance of the top. Looking at the assist leaderboard in the league you notice that Jakub Voracek and Claude Giroux are first and (tied for) second respectively, and the team has three games in hand on the Penguins.
So who out of this meat grinder of a division will come out on top? The Capitals have the lead, however tenuous, but have shown cracks in their armor at times. They also have very little room to make any deadline moves, which could shift the balance of power somewhere else in the division. Vote below and explain who you think will win the division!
Who will win the Metropolitan Division?
Washington Capitals
42.65%
(496 votes)
Pittsburgh Penguins
22.53%
(262 votes)
Philadelphia Flyers
11.09%
(129 votes)
New Jersey Devils
7.39%
(86 votes)
Columbus Blue Jackets
5.67%
(66 votes)
New York Rangers
4.47%
(52 votes)
New York Islanders
3.87%
(45 votes)
Carolina Hurricanes
2.32%
(27 votes)
Total Votes: 1,163
[Mobile users click here to vote!]
Final Standings Projections At The Mid-Way Point
It’s impossible to tell exactly how the remainder of the 2017-18 season will shake out, but with the NHL set to resume it’s unofficial second half of the season tomorrow, there’s no better time to look at the current state of the league. The final standings could look much like they do now or they could differ greatly, depending on whether or not the status quo shifts over the next few months. The trade deadline, rookie wall, and the health rigors of an 82-game season can all change the course of the campaign for many teams, but as of now, this is what the final standings and 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs will look like:
Atlantic Division
- Tampa Bay Lightning – 119 points
- Boston Bruins – 115 points
- Toronto Maple Leafs – 98 points
- Detroit Red Wings – 79 points
- Montreal Canadiens – 77 points
- Florida Panthers – 77 points
- Ottawa Senators – 68 points
- Buffalo Sabres – 62 points
Metropolitan Division
- Washington Capitals – 105 points
- New Jersey Devils – 96 points
- Columbus Blue Jackets – 95 points
- Philadelphia Flyers – 94 points
- Pittsburgh Penguins – 92 points
- New York Islanders – 90 points
- New York Rangers – 90 points
- Carolina Hurricanes – 87 points
Eastern Conference First Round Playoff Match-ups:
#1A Tampa Bay vs. #2W Pittsburgh
#1M Washington vs. #1W Philadelphia
#2A Boston vs. #3A Toronto
#2M New Jersey vs. #3M Columbus
Central Division
- Nashville Predators – 113 points
- Winnipeg Jets – 108 points
- St. Louis Blues – 101 points
- Dallas Stars – 98 points
- Colorado Avalanche – 97 points
- Minnesota Wild – 95 points
- Chicago Blackhawks – 89 points
Pacific Division
- Vegas Golden Knights – 116 points
- San Jose Sharks – 101 points
- Calgary Flames – 97 points
- Los Angeles Kings – 95 points
- Anaheim Ducks – 93 points
- Edmonton Oilers – 79 points
- Vancouver Canucks – 74 points
- Arizona Coyotes – 54 points
Western Conference First Round Playoff Match-ups:
#1P Vegas vs. #2W Colorado
#1C Nashville vs. #1W Dallas
#2C Winnipeg vs. #3C St. Louis
#2P San Jose vs. #3P Calgary
The biggest takeaway from this current outlook? It won’t take 100 points to be a playoff team this year, but the vast number of mediocre teams opens the door for some last-minute playoff drama. The Islanders, Rangers, Wild, and Kings all project to be just one win outside of a playoff berth. These races could come down to the wire. It should be a fun second half.