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West Notes: Kesler, Mitchell, Canucks

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The Anaheim Ducks are well out of the playoff race in the Western Conference, meaning they don’t need to rush players back from injury for the last bit of the season. That could mean that Ryan Kesler’s year is finished after 60 games, given his chronic hip pain and absence recently. GM Bob Murray told Elliott Teaford of the Orange County Register that he doesn’t know if Kesler will play again this season, and that if Kesler were willing to shut down for the year and start the recovery process it “would be fine.”

The veteran center broke the 1000-game threshold just this month, but is a shadow of his former self and has just eight points on the season. The 34-year old has three more years on his contract but seems like a candidate for long-term injured reserve at some point in the future, if his hip injury doesn’t improve.

  • The Chicago Blackhawks have their eye on second round pick Ian Mitchell as he progresses at the University of Denver, and Scott Powers of The Athletic (subscription required) caught up with the young defenseman to get a read on whether he would be willing to sign after this season. Mitchell wouldn’t commit to anything, but explained that a recent rumor of him not wanting to sign in Chicago wasn’t true. “I want to play for the Blackhawks as soon as I can,” Mitchell told Powers, though he is still focused on taking Denver as far as they can go this year.
  • Speaking of the college market, the Vancouver Canucks are still eyeing potential NCAA defensemen even after inking Quinn Hughes and Josh Teves over the last few days. That’s what GM Jim Benning told Ben Kuzma of The Province yesterday, explaining that they would like to sign one more defenseman out of the college ranks. It’s not clear who they have their eye on, but with names like Jimmy Schuldt still to sign there is plenty of talent to recruit over the next few days and weeks. The Canucks have a great example to point to during that recruitment process, as Troy Stetcher has found great success with the team since signing out of the University of North Dakota in 2016.

Quotable: Stamkos, Lehner, Tavares

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It’s not hard to find a critic of the NHL’s current playoff format, but it refreshing to hear criticism come from a player, particularly one of the game’s biggest names. Asked by the media the other night how he felt about the current format and it’s effect on the Tampa Bay Lightning, Steven Stamkos has this to say (video courtesy of TSN):

It is what it is. It’s been that way for a while now… I understand where they’re coming from from a marketing perspective, wanting to get some rivalries early on, but from a perspective of what you’re grinding 82 games for during a season is to finish as high as you can so you can have that advantage come playoffs. I don’t think that’s an advantage to Toronto or Boston to be what could be the top three teams in the whole league from one division and then have to play that team in the first round. I don’t think that’s right…. It is what it is, you can’t change it now, but I don’t think it’s the most fair in terms of why you play and the advantage you’re supposed to have come playoff time.

Stamkos very clearly demonstrates the core problem with current format which is, in an effort to improve divisional rivalries and boost TV ratings in the postseason, the league is devaluing the entire regular season. As Stamkos references, the Bruins and Maple Leafs are inching closer to locking in the second and third spots in the Atlantic Division and a guaranteed meeting in the first round, despite the fact that they are both top-five teams in the league standings. While he avoids seeming like he’s complaining by framing the argument through Toronto and Boston, Stamkos also knows that the format is a detriment to Tampa Bay, who are awarded with a first-round win this year by likely having to play the next-best team in the conference in the second round. Similarly, the current format will prevent the San Jose Sharks and Calgary Flames, both top-three teams in the league, from meeting in the Western Conference final, as they will be forced to play in the second round per the current divisional emphasis. A strong performance in the regular season should offer more of an advantage to teams in the postseason, Stamkos states. For exmaple, by the old 1-8 playoff format, the Bruins and Maple Leafs could not meet until the second round and neither could play the Lighting until the conference final, while the Sharks and Flames also could not play until the conference final. The NHL has not expressed any desire to change this current format, but with a star of Stamkos’ caliber speaking out with a very logical argument, perhaps they will begin to look at changes.

  • New York Islanders goaltender Robin Lehner is back from injury and ready to put an end to skaters crashing the net and running over goalies, as Ottawa’s Brady Tkachuk did to him earlier this month. Lehner told Brett Cygralis of the New York Post that he won’t be a victim again. Instead, he’s advocating that goalies do a better job of defending themselves, perhaps with some leniency from the referees, to teach skaters that there are consequences for these dangerous plays:

Got to be honest, everyone always does it on purpose… Plays like that, all of sudden, you tear a knee and [your] career is over. They’re the ones that do it. It’s still part of the game. Maybe I need to brace myself more for next time. Next time someone comes in, I’ll protect myself and we’ll see if they do it again. I think it’s a joke… You look around at all the different hits and all the different stuff, it’s so inconsistent… I don’t think they really know what they’re doing. This is a problem around the league that a lot of goalies get run into like that. I cannot complain about it, but maybe all the goalies should start protecting ourselves with our blockers and our sticks, and they shouldn’t call anything about that if we do it.

  • Toronto Maple Leafs star John Tavares has a problem with a lack of calls in net too, but different from Lehner’s. Tavares is sick of non-calls for the goal being intentionally knocked off it’s moorings. The Maple Leafs went down 5-0 to the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night, but mounted an impressive comeback to come within a goal of tying the game. However, in the waning seconds of the game with goalie pulled and possession in the Chicago zone, the net came loose and play was stopped and Tavares at least suspects Blackhawks goaltender Collin Delia of doing it on purpose. Tavares told the media after the game, including TSN’s Kristen Shilton, that there should be more to it than just a whistle and a face-off:

If that’s on purpose by them, especially in the last couple minutes in big situations, I would love to see that be a challenge at some point. When we get that kind of pressure, that’s kind of a free out if that’s what happened. I didn’t really see it, but…”

 

Minor Transactions: 03/14/19

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,Now that we know exactly when the draft lottery will be, teams around the league that are already out of the playoff race have something to look forward to. Still, those teams have to play out the string knowing they have little chance of making the postseason, and tonight is filled with games between contenders and bottom dwellers. The St. Louis Blues, Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning, Arizona Coyotes, San Jose Sharks and Nashville Predators are all taking on teams well out of the playoff race, and have a chance to get themselves another two points. As they prepare for those games, we’ll be right here keeping track of all the minor moves.

  • With Jakub Voracek sitting out again tonight with his suspension, the Philadelphia Flyers have recalled Justin Bailey from the AHL. Bailey has played six games for the Flyers since coming over from the Buffalo Sabres organization, but is still looking for his first point with the orange and black. The Flyers will get Voracek back in time for Friday’s game against the Maple Leafs, meaning Bailey’s NHL stint is likely going to be a short one.
  • After relieving Corey Crawford last night, Collin Delia is on his way back to the minor leagues. Cam Ward is set to return from injury, and Crawford was just dealing with an illness that removed him from the game against the Maple Leafs. Delia will resume his role with the Rockford IceHogs and continue to develop in the AHL.
  • Literally an afterthought in the wake of the Erik Brannstrom call-up today, the Senators announced that veteran defenseman Cody Goloubef has also been recalled. Goloubef, 29, has played in four games with Ottawa and 29 games with Belleville since a mid-season trade from the Boston Bruins.
  • Jordan Kyrou is on his way up to St. Louis. The Blues could use a boost right now and hope that one of their top prospects can provide just that. Kyrou has been a point-per-game player for the AHL’s San Antonio Rampage this season and is well on his way to being a regular in the St. Louis lineup next season.

College Free Agent Signings: Gosselin, McLaughlin, Canisius

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As the next round of NCAA conference tournaments get underway tonight, the stars of those college squads already eliminated from postseason contention continue to find new homes in the pros. To date, 17 undrafted free agents out of Division I have signed their first pro deal, not including tryout offers. While the majority have been with ECHL clubs, after the flurry of activity in the past 24 hours there have been four players to ink AHL contracts and six to sign NHL entry-level deals. While the big league contracts garner the most attention, there is a fair bit of intrigue with minor league deals as well. The decisions to sign free agents to minor league contracts or tryouts often comes from the top, with the NHL parent club having interest in seeing how those players can develop. Oftentimes college free agents will even sign one-year deals for the remainder of the season in hopes of proving themselves worthy of a better contract in the coming off-season. So while the minor league deals may not seem as exciting, don’t sleep on their potential meaning.

  • Kurt Gosselin, four-year mainstay on the blue line for the enigmatic University of Alabama – Hunstsville, is headed to the pros. The AHL’s Rochester Americans announced that they have signed Gosselin to a one-year, two-way AHL contract for next season and that he will play out the rest of the season on an amateur tryout with their ECHL affiliate, the Cincinnati Cyclones. Gosselin, 24, plays a mature, well-rounded game on the back end. He has led all Chargers defensemen in scoring in each of the past two seasons, posting a career-high in per-game production this year with 15 points in 25 games. He also led the team in assists and plus/minus this season. At 6’1″, 201 lbs., Gosselin can hold his own in the checking game as well. Gosselin earned recognition for his solid defensive game and offensive contributions by being named the first ever all-conference selection out of Alabama-Huntsville in 2016-17. An accomplished collegiate defenseman, the Americans hope that he can adjust to the pro level and play a valuable role for them next season. The Buffalo Sabres will undoubtedly keep an eye on him as well.
  • While Gosselin moves from Alabama to upstate New York next season, the top player from Canisius College in Buffalo will make his way to Illinois. Dylan McLaughlin, a top-ten goal scorer in the NCAA this year, has signed a two-year AHL contract with the Rockford Ice Hogs, per a team release. McLaughlin, 23, was Hobey Baker candidate last season when he posted 48 points in 37 games for the Golden Griffins. While his point total fell to 40 this year, he tallied two more goals for 19 on the year and further asserted himself as a natural scorer. A top-ten pick in the USHL Draft in 2011, McLaughlin’s offensive ability has always been apparent and now the next step will be to take the game that he has polished over four years at Canisius and adapt it to the AHL. The Chicago Blackhawks have been known to get the most out of players with strong offensive instincts and should have a keen interest in McLaughlin’s development in Rockford.
  • The Atlantic Hockey Conference may be the weakest in the NCAA and Canisius finished dead last in their standings this season, but that hasn’t stopped several pro teams from jumping at their top players. Following an early exit from the conference tournament, McLaughlin signed in the AHL and defensemen Ian Edmondson and Jimmy Mazza were right behind him with ECHL deals. Mazza, 24, has signed with the Reading Royals for the remainder of the season. Mazza led all Golden Griffins defenders with a career-high 24 points this season. Mazza has good size and awareness and will look to show down the stretch and in the ECHL postseason that he is perhaps worthy of an AHL deal next season. Edmondson, 24, has signed for the rest of the season as well, but with the Wichita Thunder. Less of an offensive threat than Mazza, but a dependable defender for four seasons with Canisius, Edmondson will be a nice option on the back end in the ECHL. While obviously a function of some of the lesser teams in college hockey having their seasons end first, no one could have expected that at any point in the college free agent market that Ferris State University and Canisius College would lead the way in pro signings, but such is the case so far.

Chicago Blackhawks Sign Philipp Kurashev

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The Chicago Blackhawks have inked one of their intriguing forward prospects, signing Philipp Kurashev to a three-year entry-level contract. Kurashev is currently playing with the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL, where he will remain for the rest of this season.

Kurashev certainly didn’t make headlines when he was selected 120th overall in the 2018 draft, but a few months later he was the talk of junior hockey. That came at the most recent World Junior tournament where the 19-year old led the field with six goals in seven games for Switzerland, impressing everyone in attendance with his slick puck skills and ability to finish around the net. Kurashev returned to the Remparts where he has 28 goals and 62 points in 57 games, easily leading the team in both categories.

The talented forward was actually ranked much higher than his eventual draft position by many outlets, and he’ll now get the chance to prove that he should have been a higher selection. Turning 20 in October means his contract will kick in for the 2019-20 season regardless of where he plays, making him a restricted free agent in the summer of 2022.

Cam Ward To Miss Another Week

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  • The Blackhawks will likely be without goaltender Cam Ward for at least another week due to his knee injury, notes Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times. The injury was sustained a week ago with an expected return timeline of seven-to-ten days so it appears he’s behind schedule in his recovery.  In the meantime, Corey Crawford will continue to get the bulk of the work as he continues to work his way back following another concussion while youngster Collin Delia will remain as the backup.

Tampa Bay Lightning Recall Jan Rutta

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UPDATE: Smith reports that defenseman Anton Stralman is considered day-to-day with a lower-body injury. It’s not exactly an injury that screams play time for Rutta, so the newly-acquired defenseman is likely up in Tampa Bay as insurance for the time being. In the meantime, he can practice with the team and get the feel for his new teammates and coaches. If Stralman’s absence ends up being longer than expected, perhaps Rutta will make his return to NHL action.

 

It’s been a long time coming, but the moment is finally here. Defenseman Jan Rutta, acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks in early January, has finally been called up by the Tampa Bay Lightning. The AHL’s Syracuse Crunch, with whom Rutta has played exclusively since the deal was made, were the ones to break the news, but note that GM Julien BriseBois initially announced the move. 

Rutta, 28, is in his second NHL season after coming over from the Czech Republic ahead of the 2017-18 season. The big, two-way defender played in 57 games for the Blackhawks last season, notching 20 points, and despite spending the last three months in the minors, has 23 NHL games to his credit this year as well, along with six points. In 26 AHL games this year, eight of which came with the Rockford Ice Hogs, Rutta has twelve points. Since joining the Crunch, Rutta has been a dependable defensive presence for the team and has logged an impressive +15 rating. While it helps that Syracuse is a good team this season with the second-best record in the AHL, Rutta has done enough to show that he can be an NHL asset and perhaps a contributor to a playoff run.

As for why the call-up has finally come, The Athletic’s Joe Smith notes that the timing is a surprise and to his knowledge no Lightning defenders are currently injured. Tampa Bay has had the cap space to recall Ruuta if need be, but lacked the roster space – part of the reason they traded Slater Koekkoek in the first place to acquire Ruuta. However, with the trade deadline passed and roster limits eliminated, Ruuta was free to be recalled. It remains unclear where he fits barring an unreported injury, however. The Lightning have seven defensemen who have played more than 41 games this season already and Ruuta is not about to replace any of them in head coach Jon Cooper’s blue line rotation. Yet, the veteran defenseman is probably content just to be back at the NHL level in a season that has surely not gone as he expected.

Chicago, Philadelphia To Begin 2019-20 Season In Prague

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The NHL has been very happy with their Global Series efforts in recent seasons and very motivated to continue their preseason and regular season ventures in countries throughout Europe and Asia. As early as November, Prague – the capital of the Czech Republic, a major supplier of hockey talent – emerged as a likely destination for a Global Series event next season. Per Sportsnet’s John Shannon, that has now been confirmed and the competitors have been chosen. The Chicago Blackhawks and Philadelphia Flyers will start the 2019-20 season in Prague.

If the 2018-19 format is to be followed , the Blackhawks and Flyers are likely to play just the regular season opener overseas. This season, the New Jersey Devils and Edmonton Oilers started the year with a game in Sweden, which was preceded by exhibition contests elsewhere in Europe. However, in November the Florida Panthers and Winnipeg Jets faced off in a pair of games in Finland, so it could be that the league opts to schedule two matches in the Czech Republic to open the season. All of the Global Series games had great success this year, which could encourage the league to expand on the total number of contests.

Also like the Global Series competitors this season, Chicago and Philadelphia have ties to the location. While the Blackhawks and Flyers are undoubtedly teams that the NHL likes to promote in league events, they also each have popular players among Czech fans. Jakub Voracek, long-time Flyers star forward, is one of the more popular Czech players in the NHL, while teammate Radko Gudas is a Prague native. Meanwhile, the ’Hawks have several intriguing young players with Czech connections. Standout rookie Dominik Kahun has both Czech and German citizenship, second-year player David Kampf came over directly from the top Czech pro league, and NLA superstar and Czech native Dominik Kubalik was recently acquired from the Los Angeles Kings and Chicago could push to sign him this summer. The game would garner great attention in a great hockey country like the Czech Republic regardless, but with several locals to watch it should be a quite popular event.

Chicago Blackhawks Sign Reese Johnson

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The Chicago Blackhawks have added a prospect to their cupboard, signing undrafted free agent Reese Johnson to a three-year entry-level contract. The deal will begin in the 2019-20 season and carries an average annual value of $925K. Johnson is currently playing with the Red Deer Rebels of the WHL.

Johnson, 20, is the captain of the Rebels this season and has 45 points in 62 games, trailing only Brandon Hagel (a fellow Blackhawks prospect) for the team scoring lead. He’s also known for his incredible faceoff ability, where he has absolutely dominated over the past two seasons. Johnson has won nearly 65% of his draws this year, an incredible talent that will prove invaluable at the professional level.

That professional career will kick off next season when Johnson is expected to join the Rockford Ice Hogs, where he will be challenged to improve his offensive game. While he won’t wow you with puck skills or elusiveness, Johnson gives the Blackhawks another legitimate NHL prospect even if his ceiling is limited.

Chicago's Tough Offseason Decision On Dylan Strome

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While the Blackhawks will undoubtedly look to extend winger Alex DeBrincat’s contract this summer when they can do so starting in July, John Dietz of the Daily Herald details the more challenging decision they’ll face with center Dylan Strome who is in a similar situation.  The soon-to-be 22-year-old has been quite productive since joining Chicago with 40 points in 42 games but his struggles in Arizona would also play a factor in negotiations as well.  Accordingly, it may make sense for both sides to hold off on pursuing an early extension with an eye on seeing if his success alongside DeBrincat extends over into next season and is sustainable.

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