Notable Contracts Signed During Playoffs
The NHL’s regular season ended on April 9. Since then, there have been six notable contracts handed out by teams who either missed the playoffs or were eliminated early. We also saw the first major signing by the expansion Vegas Golden Knights.
At the half-way mark of the playoffs, let’s take a look at the bigger contracts signed so far:
April 24 – The New York Islanders re-signed Dennis Seidenberg to a one-year extension worth $1.25MM. A year removed from being bought-out by the Boston Bruins, Seidenberg signed with the Islanders during training camp. The defensive defenseman scored five goals and 22 points in 73 games with the Islanders. Seidenberg will be exposed in the expansion draft, but is not the most-appealing option that will be available to the Golden Knights from the Islanders roster.
May 2 – The Toronto Maple Leafs finally confirmed the long-rumored signing of defenseman Nikita Zaitsev to a seven-year, $31.5MM extension. That’s an average of $4.5MM per season, which is fair value for a top-four defenseman on a long-term deal. The 25-year old transitioned exceptionally to the NHL, registering 36 points while leading the Maple Leafs in ice-time and playing in all 82 regular season games. The term is likely longer than most Maple Leafs’ fans wanted, but will keep the cap hit down. He will also be exempt from this spring’s expansion draft.
May 4 – The Vegas Golden Knights made their first major acquisition (sorry, Reid Duke) by signing KHL star Vadim Shipachyov to a two-year, $9MM contract. The 30-year-old center scored 76 points in 50 games this season for SKA St. Petersburg. That was good for third in the KHL and second on SKA, behind only Ilya Kovalchuk. Shipachyov is a highly-skilled offensive player, but isn’t a big body at 6’1, 190 lbs. Vegas hopes he’ll be a marquee talent for the expansion club.
May 5 – The Carolina Hurricanes traded for Chicago Blackhawks backup goaltender Scott Darling in late April, and spent less than a week negotiating a new four-year, $16.6MM contract. Darling spent three seasons with the Blackhawks, going from a little-known name to one of this summer’s most highly sought-after goaltenders. In 32 games this season, Darling went 18-5-5 with a 0.924 SV% and a 2.38 GAA. The Hurricanes still owe Eddie Lack and Cam Ward over $6MM for the upcoming season.
May 9 – The Los Angeles Kings’ new GM Rob Blake locked up one of his team’s key young players to a four-year, $15MM contract. Tanner Pearson finished third on the Kings in scoring, with a career-high 44 points. The Kings had a disappointing season, but Pearson was one of their few bright spots.
May 11 – After a 22-goal season, Richard Panik signed a two-year, $5.8MM extension with the Chicago Blackhawks this morning. Panik caught on with the Chicago Blackhawks last season and has been a regular fixture with captain Jonathan Toews on the top line. Prior to his 44-points this season, Panik’s previous career-high was 17 points. While he left some money on the table, it was unlikely that he would find a better spot than on Toews’ wing.
Several Teams Looking To Trade For Ben Bishop
With a flurry of upcoming moves that is likely to come in the coming weeks before the NHL expansion draft, many teams are looking at the move that the Carolina Hurricanes made when they traded for the rights to Chicago Blackhawks’ backup goaltender Scott Darling. That allowed Carolina to negotiate with the unrestricted free agent at that moment and the team signed him yesterday.
After Carolina’s successful maneuver, The Hockey News’ Lyle Richardson writes that several teams may be looking to make a similar move for Los Angeles Kings’ goaltender Ben Bishop, who is also an unrestricted free agent and the No. 4-ranked unrestricted free agent this offseason by The Hockey News.
Richardson writes that TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported on May 1 that a couple of teams had inquired about Bishop. While he didn’t name any teams, it is speculated that the Calgary Flames and the Dallas Stars would be two teams that would make sense to have interest in the 30-year-old netminder.
Los Angeles has no interest in Bishop as they have veteran Jonathan Quick locked up long-term. The team traded for Bishop at the deadline when Quick went down with an injury with hopes that Bishop could get them into the playoffs, which did not happen. However, the Kings wouldn’t complain about picking up some assets for the soon-to-be free agent. Chicago was able to net a third-round pick in this year’s draft for Darling. Why not something similar for Bishop?
The Flames are not a surprising option for Bishop as they tried to acquire Bishop last June, but instead traded for Brian Elliott, who they are now looking to move on from after a season with a 2.55 GAA and a .910 save percentage. His playoff performance was even worse as he averaged a 3.88 GAA and a .880 save percentage as the Flames were swept in their first-round series against the Anaheim Ducks.
Dallas, on the other hand, has both Kari Lehtonen and Antti Niemi under contract for one more year, but neither goaltender had a good season and they may be looking to net a replacement and move on in some way from one of the other two. Lehtonen, 33, had a 2.85 GAA and a .902 save percentage in 59 games, while Niemi (also 33) finished his season with a 3.30 GAA and a .892 save percentage in 37 contests.
Reactions From Around The League To Darling’s Deal
After signing Scott Darling to a four-year/$16.6MM deal, analysts and writers responded and while opinions were still trickling out, there were still quite a number of takes on Carolina signing their goalie.
- The Chicago Tribune’s Chris Hine writes that Darling “cashed in” after a successful stint as a backup in Chicago. He adds that the Hurricanes wanted him to be their starter badly and did what was necessary financially to make sure it became a reality.
- Yahoo’s Greg Wyshynski adds that the Hurricanes signed him to “save” them in net. He writes that it’s a much deserved raise for the 28-year-old, who had “quite the journey” getting to where he is now in the league.
- Cap Friendly tweets that the deal places Darling as the 23rd highest cap hit for a goalie. He’s right behind Cam Talbot, who Darling has drawn comparisons to in the past.
- The Score’s Navin Vaswani reports that the Hurricanes traded for their goalie of the future last week and now signed him today. Vaswani adds that while Cam Ward certainly deserves kudos for his longevity with the team and backstopping the team to its only Stanley Cup in 2006, it was long overdue to get a stronger option between the pipes.
- Finally, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun tweets that in addition to the signing being a “great job by Carolina,” Darling’s deal includes a limited no-trade clause.
Carolina Signs Scott Darling to Four-Year/$16.6MM Deal
Per the Carolina Hurricanes website, the team has agreed to terms with goaltender Scott Darling, who was recently acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks for a third round pick. Darling inked a four-year, $16.6MM deal which averages out to about $4.15MM per the release. General manager Ron Francis was quoted as saying:
“Obviously Scott could have waited until July 1, to see what other options he might have as an unrestricted free agent. But he believes in what we are trying to do here and we are thrilled that he is committing to the Hurricanes and to Raleigh.”
The deal gives Carolina a boost between the pipes while providing Darling the starting job he coveted. In Chicago, Darling proved more than a serviceable backup and even proved steady during the Blackhawks’ 2015 Stanley Cup run when called on.
Darling’s departure from Chicago was hardly shocking, as the Hawks were strapped by the Cap and Corey Crawford was the number one goalie with a hefty contract that would be more challenging to move. Darling, though he expressed a desire to stay in the Windy City, now gets a chance to prove what he can do. In a down season for the Hawks defensively, Darling’s numbers were sparkling, posting a .924 save percentage and 28 wins. His quality save percentage clocked in at .630 and he appeared in a career high 32 games.
NBC Sports James O’Brien writes that Chicago could have boosted Darling’s standing in terms of ability. While that remains to be seen, the Hawks were not nearly as strong as defensively as in years past. Now, Darling goes to a team with a young defensive corps that is on the rise and boasts depth from years of smart drafting. Jaccob Slavin, Justin Faulk, and Noah Hanifin are all under 25, and prime to be a core that can make the Hurricanes a force for years to come. Add in a goaltender of Darling’s caliber, and now Carolina looks extremely strong in their own zone.
Though they still owe Eddie Lack and Cam Ward $2.75MM and $3.3MM respectively for another season, the Hurricanes have the cap room to absorb three goalies making just over $10MM combined. Additionally, Lack and Ward’s deal run out after the 2017-18 season. If anything, it’s just another element of depth for the ‘Canes.
Players To Watch In Upcoming QMJHL Finals
With the Ontario Hockey League final series getting underway tonight, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is awaiting its own championship kick-off tomorrow. The winners of both series, while league champions in their own right, also earn a spot in the Memorial Cup Tournament, where they’ll try to assert themselves as the top team in all of Canadian junior hockey.
While the QMJHL doesn’t feature quite as much star power as its OHL counterpart this year, there are plenty of names taking part in the finals who could be making an impact in the NHL as soon as next season. Behind a stalwart defensive pair and consistent scoring, the Saint John Sea Dogs cruised to a 48-14-5 record in 2016-17, which gave them the regular season crown by a whole nine points over the closest contender. The Sea Dogs’ impressive pace has not slowed down at all in the postseason; they went 12-1-1 on their way to a title berth. Now, Saint John has to get the job done when it matters most, as they know too well what falling short feels like after a semifinal exit last season. Their opposition for the championship is the upstart Blainville-Boisbriand Armanda. The Armada finished second in the West Division behind defending champion Rouyn-Noranda, but had the fourth-best record in the league at 43-19-4. Armed with two elite trade acquisitions, the Armanda charged through the playoffs and capped off their run to the title match-up with an upset over the #3-seed Charlottetown Islanders.
These two teams have been nearly unstoppable in the QMJHL playoffs and are charged up and ready to go. Who should you keep an eye on when the series starts tomorrow?
Pierre-Luc Dubois, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada/Columbus Blue Jackets
A player who most hockey fans have heard of by now, Dubois was the third overall pick in the NHL Draft last June by the Columbus Blue Jackets. Although many expected that he would make the team out of camp, the Blue Jackets brass felt he was not ready and returned the young center to his junior team, the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. Although he scored 18 points in his first 20 games of the season, it was far off his pace from 2015-16, when he finished with 99 points in 62 contests. Cape Breton decided to trade Dubois to Blainville-Boisbriand for a package that included two high draft picks. Dubois returned to his high-scoring ways with the Armada, posting 37 points in 28 regular season games and added 21 more through 15 postseason games thus far. Dubois is a well-rounded player with great offensive skill and strong two-way ability. If the Armada hope to knock off the Sea Dogs, Dubois will have to be the difference-maker.
Thomas Chabot, Saint John Sea Dogs/Ottawa Senators
Another star prospect many felt would be in the NHL this season, 2015 first-round pick Chabot has instead dominated the QMJHL since returning from his brief stint – one game played, -2 rating – with Ottawa earlier this season. An excellent possession defenseman who has speed and puck-moving ability, Chabot racks up the points from the blue line. In 34 regular season games in 2016-17, he accumulated 45 points. He also took a brief break to dominate the World Juniors with ten points in seven games as the alternate captain for Team Canada. Yet, he has still been able to take his game up a notch in the playoffs, posting 19 points in 14 games. Not only does that top all defensemen in the postseason, it’s also good enough for ninth overall. Chabot is a difficult player to match up against and will likely continue to score in the upcoming final series as he works to win a championship for the team he has played for since 2013.
Mathieu Joseph, Sain John Sea Dogs/Tampa Bay Lightning
GM Steve Yzerman picked a good one in the fourth round in 2015, as Joseph has been a revelation for Saint John the past two seasons. A multi-skilled winger who apparently was just slow to develop, Joseph went from a 42-point campaign in 2014-15 to 73 last year and 80 this year. Centered by recent Chicago Blackhawks signee Matthew Highmore, Joseph put up career numbers and finished tied for 12th in scoring in the QMJHL. To top off an incredible season, Joseph is second in postseason scoring with eleven goals and eleven assists already through just 14 games. No one has slowed Joseph down thus far and the Armada have their work cut out for them.
Alex Barre-Boulet, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada
The only player scoring more than Joseph in the postseason has been Barre-Boulet. Passed up in the NHL Draft last year, the small, shifty center has done just about everything possible to make sure that doesn’t happen again. After scoring 89 points in 65 games last year for the Drummondville Voltigeurs was not enough, Barre-Boulet requested a trade midway through the season to a team with championship hopes in an effort to extend his season. Adding on to his 48 points from Drummondville, he registered 33 points in the Armada’s final 28 games and finished 11th in league scoring with 81 points total. In the playoffs though, he is alone in first by quite a margin. Barre-Boulet has 29 points, including 13 on the power play, in just 16 games. A player with a point to make, unlike many of the top players in the series, Barre-Boulet will perhaps be the most dangerous competitor that Saint John has to face.
Jakub Zboril, Saint John Sea Dogs/Boston Bruins
Luckily, the Sea Dogs have had an answer for some of the top offensive talent in the QMJHL this year (and last year and the year before that) in Czech defenseman Zboril. A 2015 first-round pick of the Bruins, Zboril is known as one of the best two-way defenseman in the league. A dominant force in the neutral zone, Zboril can carry the puck and fire a hard shot on goal and then speed back to his own end for a hard check as well. In a league that has historically been fast-moving and high-offense, Zboril has helped to keep scoring down in Saint John for the visitors. He also gets on the board himself with 41 points in 50 games this season. One of a number of elite Boston defensive prospects, enjoy Zboril dominating the juniors while you can, because he’ll be turning pro after the season.
Julien Gauthier, Saint John Sea Dogs/Carolina Hurricanes
The rich got richer at the QMJHL Trade Deadline this season as the Sea Dogs acquired 2016 Carolina first-rounder Gauthier from the Val-d’Or Foreurs. A big power forward who isn’t afraid to use his 6’4″, 225-lb. frame, but also has a surprising finesse game, Gauthier is a valuable weapon. However, while he managed to score more than a point per game for both Val-d’Or and Saint John en route to a 51-point season, the Sea Dogs know that Gauthier has more to offer. With 11 points in 14 postseason games, he’s made his presence felt, but if Gauthier plays to his potential in this final series, he could really tip the scales in Saint John’s favor.
Morning Notes: MacArthur, Jagr, Darling
Ottawa’s Clarke MacArthur is day-to-day following an injury sustained in the second period of Game 2 versus the New York Rangers. MacArthur took a rather routine, if tough, hit from New York captain Ryan McDonagh. MacArthur appears to have gotten his hands up to absorb some of the high body check, but with MacArthur’s recent history, another concussion is always the fear. MacArthur missed the bulk of this and last season (8 games combined) to lingering concussion symptoms, and would likely have been a finalist for the Masterton had he not been on the same squad as goalie Craig Anderson. The 32 year-old left winger had dealt with quality-of-life issues and was forced to even contemplate retirement. Although coach Guy Boucher did not express major concern, Senators fans will certainly be holding their breath in hopes that nothing serious was sustained. As Boucher said, “it’s something he had last game and he aggravated today” – whatever it was, he had already played through once. It’s difficult to see a coach taking chances with concussion symptoms in this day and age, with this player – even in the playoffs. Whether he returns for Game 3 or at all this series is up in the air.
- As expected, the Carolina Hurricanes organization will attempt to sign Scott Darling to a contract as soon as they are able. The Hurricanes took a bit of a gamble in acquiring an impending UFA for a 3rd-round draft pick. Certainly they have the inside track with regard to signing the goaltender, but there is every possibility he could choose to test the market. His phenomenal season as the backup in Chicago would certainly attract a few suitors, and by heading to July 1st, he only improves his leverage. Carolina was already in a pickle as to which goaltender they would protect. If Darling signs before June 18th, the team would expose both Cam Ward and Eddie Lack in the expansion draft, which could be quite financially beneficial. If they cannot sign him before that date, they could choose to leave Darling unprotected. It’s unlikely that Vegas would opt to choose a UFA who is seemingly holding out (considering they would have a limited negotiation period), but he might be one of the few UFAs that would be intriguing enough for them to roll the dice.
- Jaromir Jagr‘s agent is expected to meet with Florida Panthers management in hopes of negotiating a new contract. The 45 year-old future Hall of Famer has played for 8 separate franchises, but has spent his last 3 seasons in the sunshine state. Dale Tallon, newly re-instated, has nothing but praise for the tough, creative winger. This season, however, Jagr showed signs of slowing down, literally and figuratively. He posted a career low 16 goals and personally substandard 46 points. The totals were still good for 4th on the team, behind youngsters Vincent Trocheck, Aleksander Barkov, and Jonathan Marchessault. Jagr has repeatedly expressed his desire to keep playing until his body fails him, even proclaiming the goal of playing until the age of 60. Jagr will likely be able to find a fit for next season in Florida if his salary demands aren’t too excessive.
NHL Draft Lottery Notes: Odds, History, Viewing
For the fourteen teams that missed the playoffs and the expansion Vegas Golden Knights, they have one thing in common: they’re hoping Bill Daly is holding a card with their logo on it, announcing that they have the first overall pick.
At 7pm central, NBC, CBC, and Sportsnet will show the NHL Draft Lottery as the Colorado Avalanche lead all teams in terms of percentage for receiving the #1 pick. Below are the odds:
Colorado Avalanche — 18.0%
Vancouver Canucks — 12.1%
Vegas Golden Knights — 10.3%
Arizona Coyotes — 10.3%
New Jersey Devils — 8.5%
Buffalo Sabres — 7.6%
Detroit Red Wings — 6.7%
Dallas Stars — 5.8%
Florida Panthers — 5.4%
Los Angeles Kings — 4.5%
Carolina Hurricanes — 3.2%
Winnipeg Jets — 2.7%
Philadelphia Flyers — 2.2%
Tampa Bay Lightning 1.8%
New York Islanders — 0.9%
TSN has a lengthy writeup on the history of the lottery and how the current format differs from other versions. The biggest change for the draft is that instead of the worst team being guaranteed, at worst, a second overall pick, they are only promised a top four pick. This was placed to discourage teams from “tanking” to draft top-end talent, which hasn’t completely negated the idea of tanking as Toronto won the right to draft Auston Matthews last season with the #1 pick while securing the worst record in the NHL.
What’s new to 2017? From Sportsnet:
For just the second time in NHL draft lottery history, the top three picks are in play. This rule was implemented by the league in 2016 to dull incentive for any team to finish lower in the standings (i.e., tanking).
The odds of winning the second and third draws increases on a proportional basis depending on which team claimed the previous draw.
The addition of a 15th lottery team, Vegas, into the mix also affects the winning percentages.
This draft is different too, since the top two picks for the first time in three seasons are not considered the “generational talent” that Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, Matthews or Patrik Laine were when looking back at the one and two overall picks respectively.
This isn’t to besmirch the top two candidates, Nolan Patrick or Nico Hischier. After all, “can’t miss” prospects have fooled scouts and analysts before while prospects that scouts didn’t think were as good sometimes exceeded expectations.
But before the talent can be chosen, there needs to be an order. Tonight will determine that.
Specifics:
Time: 7pm CST
Where to watch: CBC, Sportsnet, NBC
Scott Darling Trade Reactions
The Chicago Blackhawks and Carolina Hurricanes hooked up yesterday for a rare April trade, with pending UFA goaltender Scott Darling departing the Windy City in return for a third-round draft pick in the 2017 entry draft. The Hawks get the third-rounder originally acquired by Carolina at the trade deadline from Ottawa in exchange for veteran winger Viktor Stalberg. The Canes, meanwhile, bring in Darling, who played well as Corey Crawford‘s understudy and was likely going to depart Chicago as a free agent to pursue a starting job elsewhere. Now it appears he’ll have that opportunity in Carolina, presuming he agrees to sign with the team rather than test the open market, of course.
On the surface this deal certainly wouldn’t qualify as a blockbuster, but all one has to do is look north to Edmonton to see what can happen when a quality backup goalie is given a chance to be a #1. Cam Talbot, previously Henrik Lundqvist‘s #2 in New York, has developed into a quality starter for the Oilers and has so far guided his team to a surprising 2 – 0 lead over Anaheim in their Western Conference semifinal match. Talbot also led NHL netminders this season in several categories, including games played, wins and shots against. While there is no guarantee Darling will follow Talbot’s career trajectory, the latter’s success is evidence that deals like this can sometimes pay off.
Here’s a rundown of reactions from around the league:
- Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun Times likes the deal from both perspectives, arguing that the Hawks got solid value for a player they had no room to re-sign while the Hurricanes add a potential long term starter between the pipes. Lazerus does, however, opine that the move, albeit inevitable, leaves the club perilously thin in goal. Beyond Crawford, Chicago has no goaltender in the organization with NHL experience, though Jeff Glass is around to meet the team’s expansion draft requirement of exposing one goalie under contract for 2017-18. The scribe also adds that Chicago gave no thought to extending Darling while attempting to move Crawford. Lazerus suspects Darling could get close to $4MM on the open market but the potential cap savings evidently wasn’t compelling enough to cause Chicago to reconsider their goaltending situation.
- Adam Gretz of NBC Sports Pro Hockey Talk writes that Carolina’s acquisition of Darling is “worth the risk,” borrowing a quote from Hurricanes GM Ron Francis. As Gretz notes, Carolina has long received substandard play between the pipes and it was more of the same in 2016-17. Cam Ward and Eddie Lack combined for a S% of just 0.901, good for just 26th in the league. In fact, Carolina has fared no better than 25th in that category in any of the previous five seasons. For a team looking to break an eight year playoff drought, improved play in net would go a long way to improve their postseason chances in 2017-18. Gretz also points out that the Hurricanes boast an impressive amount of 2017 draft capital, with their own first-rounder, three seconds and two thirds even after acquiring Darling’s rights. As a result, the team can afford to take this gamble given their enviable entry draft wealth.
- Luke DeCock of The News & Observer is satisfied to at least see Carolina attempt to make changes in goal, even if the team fails to extend Darling, after what he describes as “two unsatisfying years of the Cam Ward/Eddie Lack tandem.” According to DeCock, a third-round pick may be a substantial price to pay for just two months of exclusive negotiating rights but considering Carolina still has six choices in the first three rounds and 10 overall in 2017, it’s a reasonable cost assuming the Hurricanes can lock the 28-year-old goalie to a long term deal. The scribe feels Darling is just entering his prime and has the potential to solve the team’s longstanding issues between the pipes. DeCock believes the deal also means Carolina already has an agreement in place or feels confident in their ability to consummate one with the Vegas Golden Knights that would result in one of Ward or Lack being selected in the expansion draft. The duo accounts for a combined $6MM cap charge and with Darling expected to command around $4MM annually, a budget team like Carolina simply cannot afford to keep all three in the organization. Ultimately, DeCock feels entering the 2017-18 campaign with the Ward/Lack duo would have been “utter folly,” and considers any change “an improvement.”
Hurricanes Acquire Scott Darling From Blackhawks
Scott Darling was expected to hit unrestricted free agency for the first time in his career this summer, but that may not be happening after all. The Carolina Hurricanes announced this evening that they have acquired the goalie from the Chicago Blackhawks. In exchange, the Blackhawks will receive the Ottawa Senator’s 2017 third-round pick, originally acquired by the ‘Canes at the Trade Deadline for forward Viktor Stalberg.
Following this trade, Carolina now holds the exclusive right to sign Darling prior to the beginning of free agency on July 1st. The Vegas Golden Knights will have a 48-hour window to speak with Darling prior to the Expansion Draft on June 21st, but may only sign Darling if they then select him in the Expansion Draft. However, giving up a third-round pick for two months of exclusive talks with Darling seems to indicate that the Hurricanes are intent on signing the 28-year-old. That could mean that they sign Darling prior to June 21st and protect him in the draft or they could instead agree orally on a deal and use their one slot to protect another goalie, either longtime starter Cam Ward or 2015 off-season trade addition Eddie Lack. Darling greatly outperformed both as the backup in Chicago this season and the Hurricanes may not care if either is selected; they could simply protect Darling regardless of having a deal in place.
In a career-high 32 appearances in 2016-17, Darling was 18-5-5 with a .924 save percentage and a 2.38 goals against average. That performance was good enough for the sixth-best save percentage and the eleventh-best goals against average in the entire NHL. Although he is 28 years old, Darling has little wear on the tires and, if he continues to play this well with a greater workload, could be the Hurricanes starting goalie for quite a few years.
Babcock, Tortorella, McLellan Finalists For Jack Adams Award
The Score’s Josh Gold-Smith is one of many to report that the finalists for the Jack Adams Trophy are Mike Babcock, Todd McLellan, and John Tortorella. The award is given to the league’s best coach. All three choices are hardly a surprise.
After a vicious performance in the World Cup of Hockey, Tortorella was expected to be one of the first
coaches on the hot seat, especially with a Columbus club few expected to be anywhere out of last place. Instead, Torts and the Jackets responded with a 50-24-8 record, good for third in the Metropolitan Division and 108 points. The Jackets also went on a tear in December, stringing together sixteen consecutive victories and putting the NHL on notice that they were for real. Though they ended up losing to Pittsburgh in five games during the first round of the playoffs, the Blue Jackets certainly made a case for being a threat in the Met and the Eastern Conference.
Babcock left the Detroit Red Wings after the 2014-15 season and joined the Toronto Maple Leafs, an original six team searching for its first Stanley Cup since 1967 and trying to make its way out of the hockey wilderness. Though he said the rebuild would be “painful,” it was a lot shorter than anyone expected. Paced by Calder Award candidate Auston Matthews, Babcock showed why so many teams sought his services, guiding the Leafs to their first playoff appearance since 2012-13, and taking an enormous step in the rebirth of a once dominant franchise. The Leafs were recently knocked out by Washington, but they proved to be a “tough out” and will certainly be a force to reckon with in the coming seasons.
McLellan has been a consistently good coach since taking the reins in San Jose,
and after moving to Edmonton, it was expected that he would turn around a franchise seeking a playoff run after being absent for nearly a decade. After missing last season, McLellan steered the Oil into the playoffs, posting a 47-26-9 record, 103 points, and a second place finish in the Pacific Division.
It was the Oilers highest point total since 1986-87, when they had 106 points and won the Stanley Cup. He turned around a franchise annually criticized for not capitalizing on its success despite netting numerous number one draft picks. Though it won’t factor into voting, McLellan has the Oilers in the second round of the playoffs as well.
Photos Courtesy of USA Today Sports Images