Florida Panthers Already Close To Hiring Joel Quenneville
1:52: Richards reports that Florida is still trying to get a deal done, but other teams have no gotten involved, including both the Philadelphia Flyers and most recently, the Buffalo Sabres.
12:51: ESPN’s Greg Wyshinski writes that the Florida Panthers have offered Quenneville a multi-year contract in excess of $6MM per year, including bonuses. Currently, Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock is the highest paid coach at $6.25MM.
12:44: New York Post’s Brett Cyrgalis reports that the deal between Florida and Quenneville is done with an announcement coming tomorrow. He also adds that former New York Islanders general manager Garth Snow, who was fired last summer, is likely to find a role with the Panthers in some capacity as well.
12:12: The Florida Panthers are holding a press conference on Monday, according to The Athletic’s George Richards, who asked Tallon whether it will be to introduce a new coach.
“I can’t tell you,” Tallon responded. Then.. “That would be our goal. Yep.”
12:01: It’s been just a few hours since the Florida Panthers fired head coach Bob Boughner, but that hasn’t stopped the team from pursuing their replacement quicker than many people expected. While the name of Joel Quenneville was already rumored to be a legitimate candidate for Florida to hire, it is now believed the two sides are already closing in on a deal.
In fact, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that a potential deal between Quenneville and the Florida Panthers is much closer than anyone realized. While it’s not a done deal, they are close. The Athletic’s George Richards also writes that something could be worked out soon and that the team has already asked the Chicago Blackhawks for permission to interview Quenneville.
“We have to raise the bar here,” Florida general manager Dale Tallon said today. “We’re not happy right now.”
Adding Quenneville could turn Florida into an instant contender as the team is already loaded with offensive talent and only needs a few pieces, which the Panthers are hoping to get this offseason with their available cap space. Quenneville already has a great relationship with Artemi Panarin, who played for him in Chicago. Already having been rumored to be interested in playing in Florida, the addition of Quenneville might tip the scales for Panarin. The team is also rumored to be interested in goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, who would also fill a major hole on the team.
Hiring Quenneville would be a change from their normal hiring practices as the team hasn’t hired a head coach with extensive experience since the days of Mike Keenan or Jacques Martin.
Regardless, the Panthers already have a tremendous amount of talent on their top lines, including Aleksander Barkov, Jonathan Huberdeau, Mike Hoffman, Evgenii Dadonov and Vincent Trocheck. The team also has some promising young players, including Henrik Borgstrom, Owen Tippett and eventually Grigori Denisenko.
2019 NHL Draft Lottery Odds
The regular season has ended, but for those 15 teams who missed the playoffs the wait won’t be long for the first exciting event of the off-season. The 2019 NHL Entry Draft may be more than ten weeks away, but the league has moved this year’s NHL Draft Lottery up several weeks to this coming Tuesday, April 9th, before the postseason even begins. With the final league standings in place after yesterday’s results and the teams with ping pong balls to be selected now set, here are the odds for the No. 1 overall pick in this years draft:
31st – Colorado Avalanche (from Ottawa Senators): 18.5%
30th – Los Angeles Kings: 13.5%
29th – New Jersey Devils: 11.5%
28th – Detroit Red Wings: 9.5%
27th – Buffalo Sabres: 8.5%
26th – New York Rangers: 7.5%
25th – Edmonton Oilers: 6.5%
24th – Anaheim Ducks: 6.0%
23rd – Vancouver Canucks: 5.0%
22nd – Philadelphia Flyers: 3.5%
21st – Minnesota Wild: 3.0%
20th – Chicago Blackhawks: 2.5%
19th – Florida Panthers: 2.0%
18th – Arizona Coyotes: 1.5%
17th* – Montreal Canadiens: 1.0%
It’s important to note that while the odds at winning the first overall pick are listed, there are lottery selections for each of the first three picks in the draft with each team’s odds increasing proportionally after each selection starting with first overall. The prize this year for Tuesday night’s lucky winner is expected to be U.S. National Team Development Program center Jack Hughes, an elite play-making pivot who has been wowing scouts for years. The consolation prize of picking second is not too shabby either; Finnish scoring winger Kaapo Kakko has closed the gap on Hughes and is also considered an elite talent. The No. 3 pick is finally where there will be some intrigue in June. Many feel Russian winger Vasili Podkolzin will be the pick, but a team may opt for a different style of forward like Canadians Dylan Cozens and Kirby Dach or Hughes’ teammate Alex Turcotte, while a D-needy club could reach for promising defender Bowen Byram.
The NHL Draft Lottery will be nationally televised by NBC Sports, Sportsnet, and TVA beginning at 8pm ET on Tuesday. As opposed to last year, when the lottery took place over two separate sessions during playoff game intermissions, the event will return to being an independent hour-long show. Tune in to see who the big winner could be this year and how the top of the first round will look in this year’s draft.
Chris Kunitz Unsure Of Playing Future After This Season
- Blackhawks winger Chris Kunitz has yet to decide whether or not he wants to play next season, notes Charlie Roumeliotis of NBC Sports Chicago. The 39-year-old has played a very limited role with Chicago this year, collecting just ten points (5-5-10) in 55 games while logging just over nine minutes a night. However, given his previous postseason successes (including four Stanley Cups), there still may be teams interested in him this summer if he decides that he wants to keep playing.
Minor Transactions: 4/6/19
The final day of the regular season one is certainly a busy one with everyone aside from Anaheim in action. While the 16 playoff teams are locked in, several seedings have yet to be determined so there is still plenty at stake. There is bound to be a lot of roster movement today; we’ll keep track of those moves here.
- With Corey Crawford leaving Friday’s game early due to injury, the Blackhawks announced (Twitter link) that they have recalled goaltender Kevin Lankinen from Rockford of the AHL. The 23-year-old is in his first year in North America and has split the season between the AHL and ECHL levels. He’s expected to back up Cam Ward in their season finale against Nashville.
- A day after being sent down, Matt Tennyson is once again back up with Buffalo, per the AHL’s Transactions page. The 28-year-old has been shuttled back and forth from the Sabres and AHL Rochester on a daily basis for the last week and a half but he hasn’t seen any action with the big club during that time … and several hours later, the Sabres announced that they assigned Tennyson back to Rochester.
- The Bruins announced that they’ve recalled winger Anton Blidh and defenseman Jeremy Lauzon from AHL Providence on an emergency basis. It’s Blidh’s second recall of the season although he didn’t get into a game with Boston in his first stint with the team. He has 20 points and 92 penalty minutes in 71 games with Providence. Meanwhile, Lauzon has split the season between the two teams, suiting up in 15 games with the big club and 28 with Providence.
- The Sharks announced (Twitter link) that they’ve returned defenseman Jacob Middleton to San Jose of the AHL. He played in San Jose’s last two games, picking up an assist while logging a little more than 12 minutes a game. His spot in the lineup is expected to be filled by Erik Karlsson who is set to return after missing nearly six weeks due to a groin injury. Their AHL team also announced that blueliner Ryan Merkley, their 2018 first-rounder, has been assigned to the minors following his elimination from the OHL postseason.
- The Dallas Stars have announced they have assigned forward Joel L’Esperance to the Texas Stars of the AHL for the team’s potential playoff run. The 23-year-old forward had been recalled in late Februrary and has two goals in 18 games, although he did score Friday for Dallas. L’Esperance has potted 29 goals in 50 games for Texas this season.
- The Los Angeles Kings have assigned forward Michael Amadio to the Ontario Reign to make room for Blake Lizotte, according to Fox Sports’ Patrick O’Neal. Amadio was recalled in late February and scored six goals and 13 points in 43 games. However, the Kings intend to give Lizotte, recently signed out of St. Cloud State, a chance to play in their final game of the season. Lizotte scored 14 goals and 42 points in 37 games.
AHL Notes: Penguins, Kurashev, Kings, Rangers, Motte
The Pittsburgh Penguins have tapped the pipeline from Northeastern University yet again, as the organization as brought in the Huskies’ top-scoring forward from this season on an AHL contract. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have announced that Brandon Hawkins has signed a contract for the 2019-20 season and the slick right winger will join the team on an amateur tryout for the rest of this season. Hawkins, 24, took an interesting path through his collegiate career, but it all worked out. Hawkins played two seasons at Bowling Green State University before opting to transfer to Northeastern, but was forced to sit a year due to NCAA transfer rules before playing two more years. Yet, in his fifth and final college season, Hawkins put together 21 assists and 33 points to lead all Huskies forwards. Hawkins will be an asset at the minor league level for the Penguins and could push for an NHL deal with a strong season. The intriguing forward is yet another Northeastern standout to turn pro lately; star goaltender Cayden Primeau (MTL) and dynamic defenseman Jeremy Davies (NJ) both signed entry-level contracts, while Liam Pecararo has joined the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds on an ATO. The Huskies are holding out hope that Tyler Madden (VAN) doesn’t unexpectedly join the pro ranks as well.
The WBS Penguins also added Jan Drozg to their roster on a tryout basis to close out the year. Drozg, 20, is a 2017 fifth-round pick of Pittsburgh’s who signed his entry-level contract last month. After another dominating offensive season for the QMJHL’s Shawinigan Cataractes – 62 points in 60 games and another six points in six playoff games – Drozg is eyeing the pro level. This brief stint in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is just a precursor to what should be a full-time role next season, potentially with a chance to see some games in Pittsburgh if things go well.
- Another promising prospect joining his drafted organization on an ATO is Chicago Blackhawks’ breakout star Philipp Kurashev. Kurashev was a fourth-round pick out of the QMJHL just last year, but has drastically improved his stock this season with 65 points in 59 games for the Quebec Remparts, as well as another five points in the team’s first round playoff series, on top of a point-per-game performance for Team Switzerland at the World Juniors. The 19-year-old will look to make it a trifecta of strong showings in his time with the AHL’s Rockford Ice Hogs. Kurashev is a long shot to make the Blackhawks out of camp next year, but it never hurts to get a look at a prospect against pro competition.
- Two other teams adding interesting prospects to their affiliates’ rosters are the Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers. The Kings have brought in two 2018 draft picks on ATO’s in fourth-round forward Aidan Dudas and sixth-round goaltender Jacob Ingham. The pair of OHLers each made strides this season and L.A. can now see how they do with the Ontario Reign when the competition is raised. The Rangers have also added a junior player, but alongside two college free agents. Jake Elmer, an undrafted forward who enjoyed a breakout season with the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes, signed an ELC with New York in March and will get his first taste of the AHL down the stretch before turning pro full-time in the fall. Joining him for now and hoping to land AHL contracts are Harvard University captain Lewis Zerter-Gossage and American International College captain Shawn McBride. The pair of experienced locker room leaders will look to make a good impression on the Hartford Wolf Pack.
- While some junior and college players are just now embarking on their first pro experience, some in the AHL are already looking ahead to their next pro gig. Iowa Wild goalie C.J. Motte, who played largely in the ECHL this season but performed well in a handful of AHL games, has reportedly already signed his next contract and it isn’t with Iowa. Instead, Motte is heading to Austria to join the EBEL’s HC Innsbruck, the team announced. With the NHL off-season coming significantly later than many of the European markets, this kind of overlap isn’t uncommon. However, it is strange for Motte to still be playing with one team having already committed to another as soon as the season ends.
Minor Transactions: 04/04/19
There are only a few days left in the NHL’s regular season and today is a big one. Twelve games grace the schedule including several that have huge implications. The Colorado Avalanche could clinch a spot in the Western Conference by getting a single point and the Carolina Hurricanes could do the same with a win and some help, while the Montreal Canadiens are hoping to keep their win streak going and put some pressure on the idle Columbus Blue Jackets. As teams prepare for the action, we’ll be here keeping track of all their minor moves.
- The Chicago Blackhawks have returned Dennis Gilbert to the minor leagues after giving him his NHL debut. The 22-year old defenseman played just under 13 minutes last night and managed to record six hits and two penalty minutes. He’ll rejoin the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs as they try to chase down a playoff spot.
- Ryan Lindgren is on his way back up to the New York Rangers to close out the year. When the Rangers initially recalled the promising defenseman back in January, many assumed he would remain at the NHL level through the rest of the campaign. That hasn’t been the case though; Lindgren played in just three games with New York before returning to the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack. He should start the Rangers’ final two games however, better late than never.
- The Anaheim Ducks have made a flurry of moves as they count down the final days of a disappointing season. Forwards Kiefer Sherwood and Chase De Leo and defenseman Jake Dotchin have been reassigned to the AHL’s San Diego Gulls, as a playoff run for the affiliate is more important at this point than the final games of an NHL team with little to play for.
Minor Transactions: 04/03/19
After a number of games had playoff implications last night, this evening is much more subdued. Only the St. Louis Blues really have anything to play for as they try to hunt down first place in the Central Division just a few months after being at the bottom of the standings. The Blues will take on the recently eliminated Chicago Blackhawks, and could pull even with both the Winnipeg Jets and Nashville Predators at 96 points.
- Those Blackhawks have recalled Dennis Gilbert from the minor leagues, giving the 22-year old defenseman a chance at the NHL in his first professional season. The former Notre Dame standout has 14 points in 59 games for the Rockford IceHogs this season.
- Adam Clendening has been returned to the AHL by the Columbus Blue Jackets, joining the Cleveland Monsters for their playoff run. With the Blue Jackets loss last night the team is now tied with the Montreal Canadiens for the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference and can’t afford to drop any more points over the last two games. Clendening could be recalled quickly if Adam McQuaid or Ryan Murray aren’t ready to return.
- Brett Seney is on his way to New Jersey, having been recalled today by the big club. The 23-year old forward has played 50 games already this season for the Devils, recording 13 points as a rookie. The undersized Seney also has 18 points in 23 games in the minor leagues, though only two of those are goals.
- As expected, the Washington Capitals have recalled Jonas Siegenthaler once again. With Michal Kempny injured and out for the playoffs, Siegenthaler will likely serve as the team’s seventh defenseman.
- The Calgary Flames have recalled Dillon Dube under emergency conditions, giving them another forward option for the last few games of the regular season. Dube played 23 games for the Flames earlier this year, and has 39 points in 37 games for the Stockton Heat.
- Adin Hill has been recalled by the Arizona Coyotes, giving the team another goaltender as they make sure Darcy Kuemper‘s injury isn’t serious. Kuemper was hit in the head by a stick last night and had to leave the game, a huge blow to the Coyotes’ playoff race.
Minor Transactions: 04/02/19
Just a few days remain in the NHL regular season and there is still must-see television every night. This evening brings about several important games including a do-or-die matchup for the Montreal Canadiens against the best team in the NHL. Carey Price will have to try and keep the Tampa Bay Lightning off the board or the Canadiens risk falling further behind the Columbus Blue Jackets and Carolina Hurricanes for the final two Eastern Conference playoff spots. Meanwhile the Arizona Coyotes are in a similar must-win situation, but happen to get the Los Angeles Kings—a slightly easier matchup.
- The Nashville Predators have assigned Zac Rinaldo to the minor leagues on a long-term injury loan. Rinaldo had been ruled out for the season earlier this year after shoulder surgery, but perhaps is healthy enough to at least participate in some minor league practices. It’s unclear if there are any expectations that he can get back into a game this season.
- The Ottawa Senators have recalled Andreas Englund from the AHL, likely a reward for his play this season. The 23-year old defenseman has six NHL games under his belt but spent this entire year in the minor leagues. Christian Wolanin has been assigned to the AHL in return, giving the Belleville Senators some more firepower as they try to lock up a playoff spot.
- Dylan Sikura has been sent back down by the Chicago Blackhawks for much the same reason, as the Rockford IceHogs are still within striking distance in the AHL. Sikura, 23, has 30 points in 40 games for the IceHogs this season.
- The Anaheim Ducks have sent Kiefer Sherwood and Chase De Leo back to the San Diego Gulls to help with their playoff run. The Gulls unfortunately won’t be getting Troy Terry back anytime soon because of his broken leg, but at least will get some other reinforcements.
- The Washington Capitals have sent Jonas Siegenthaler back to the AHL for the time being, though that is likely just a cap saving measure in case they suffer another injury over the next few days. The team will be without Michael Kempny through the playoffs, making Siegenthaler their likely seventh defenseman.
Central Notes: DeBrincat, Strome, Hamhuis, Bishop, Schuldt
With the signing earlier today of former Chicago Blackhawks forward Nick Schmaltz to a seven-year, $40.95MM contract extension, The Athletic’s Scott Powers (subscription required) wonders what kind of extensions might forwards Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Strome earn, as both will be eligible to sign new deals on July 1.
DeBrincat, who is in the second year of his three-year, entry-level contract, has already tallied 68 goals in two years, including a 40-goal campaign this season. With those numbers, Powers writes that the Blackhawks are most likely going to get DeBrincat to eventually sign a six-year deal, likely heading into the $8MM AAV-range, pointing out that a seven or eight-year deal is unlikely since a six-year deal will leave him looking for a third contract at age 27, the perfect age for a long-term extension. If he can continue posting 30-to-40 goal seasons, DeBrincat could be in line for double digit cap hits in the future.
As for Strome, the team may be better off waiting for another year to lock up the young forward. Strome has played well in Chicago with 14 goals and 45 points in 53 games, but both sides would be better off to wait another year for more proof that he deserves a big contract extension. Plus, it would be wise if Chicago doesn’t have two big contracts handed out in the same year, which could get expensive, possibly between $13-15MM combined.
- The Athletic’s Adam Vingan reports that the Nashville Predators have activated defenseman Dan Hamhuis from injured reserve. The veteran blue liner has been out with a leg injury since February 23rd, but it finally ready to return. The team’s third-pair defender has played 53 games this season for the Predators and will now partner up with rookie Dante Fabbro, who is expected to make his debut Saturday against Columbus. The Predators also announced they have assigned Troy Grosenick to the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL.
- SportsDay’s Matthew DeFranks reports that the Dallas Stars will be without goaltender Ben Bishop on Saturday and likely longer, as he is considered to be day-to-day. The 32-year-old Bishop has been a key reason why Dallas has been playing so well as they fight to hold onto their wildcard spot. Bishop has a 2.03 GAA and a .933 save percentage so far this year and may even be a Vezina Trophy finalist at this rate. NHL.com’s Mike Heika writes that he suffered a lower-body injury while going down into the butterfly in the Stars’ last game. DeFranks also adds that Mats Zuccarello and Justin Dowling are about three days away from returning to the lineup.
- The Athletic’s Michael Russo (subscription required) writes that the Minnesota Wild are expected to be one of the most active teams in trying to sign St. Cloud State defenseman Jimmy Schuldt in the next few days. Schuldt finished his four-year college career Friday night, posting 38 career goals. Russo reports that the Wild hope to sign the four-year blue liner by burning the first year of his deal this season and allowing him to play in the NHL for the team’s final few games.
Coyotes Sign Nick Schmaltz To Seven-Year Extension
Nick Schmaltz only played in 17 games for the Arizona Coyotes this season, following a November trade from the Chicago Blackhawks and prior to a season-ending lower-body injury. However, the 14 points he recorded in those 17 games certainly made an impression on the ‘Yotes front office. The team has signed the young center to a long-term extension, reports The Athletic’s Craig Morgan. The Coyotes have confirmed the signing. Morgan adds that the breakdown of the deal, which carries a $5.85MM AAV and is considerably backloaded, is as follows:
2019-20: $2.5MM base salary, $500K signing bonus
2020-21: $3MM base salary
2021-22: $5MM base salary, $1MM signing bonus
2022-23: $4.5MM base salary
2023-24: $7.5MM base salary
2024-25: $6.95MM base salary, $1.5MM signing bonus
2025-26: $7MM base salary, $1.5MM signing bonus
The deal also carries a ten-team no-trade clause in the final three years.
Schmaltz, 23, has three years of NHL experience to his credit already, but was working on a breakout campaign after the move to Arizona. A first-round pick of the Blackhawks in 2014 out of the U.S. National Team Development Program, Schmaltz starred for the University of North Dakota for two years before turning pro. His rookie year was split between the NHL and AHL, but he still manged to record 28 points in 61 games. However, it was his sophomore season when Schmaltz began turning heads. He compiled 52 points in 78 games for Chicago, playing much of the season as the team’s second-line center. Yet, the team still decided to move on from Schmaltz even after another strong start this season, swapping him for young Coyotes forwards Dylan Strome and Brendan Perlini. The Blackhawks likely have no regrets about the deal, but Arizona is happy to have a new core forward, as evidenced by the extension. Schmaltz had 25 points in 40 games prior to his injury, but if he had continued his scoring pace after landing in the desert, Schmaltz would have been a 60-point player this season.
The Coyotes certainly hope that the young pivot can rebound from his injury and get back to that scoring trajectory next season. Arizona is pushing for a playoff spot this season, but is still a ways away from being a true contender. Schmaltz’ continued development will play a major role in the team’s ongoing pursuit of consistent success. A poised play-maker, Schmaltz has the potential to grow into the team’s No. 1 center and power play quarterback. That is certainly the expectation, as the extension makes Schmaltz the team’s third-highest paid player heading into next season. GM John Chayka said of Schmaltz that “Nick is a highly skilled, creative, young center with extremely high upside. Getting Nick signed to a long-term extension is another positive step towards building a sustainable contender here in the Valley.” Even if Schmaltz never exceeds the 50-60 point range, this is still a good signing for the Coyotes, who needed another trusted forward and now have one for the next seven years in the intelligent and confident center. The only concern with the term will be if nagging injuries slow Schmaltz down over the course of the contract.
For his part, Schmaltz is not worried about injuries and is only looking forward to the years ahead of him in Arizona. The team press release quoted Schmaltz as saying “I’m very excited to sign a long-term contract with the Coyotes. We have a great core of young, talented players in Arizona and I’m looking forward to coming back healthy next season and contributing for many years to come. We have a very bright future here and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.” That is exactly what ‘Yotes fans want to hear from a player that is now in for the long-haul, expected to be a star and leader for years to come.