- Blackhawks winger Andreas Martinsen is dealing with a back injury, notes Charlie Roumeliotis of NBC Sports Chicago. The 28-year-old was a bit of a surprise inclusion on Chicago’s roster to start the season after spending most of last year in the minors although he has had a limited role in the early going this season, logging just under seven minutes per contests in a pair of games.
Blackhawks Rumors
Blackhawks Prospect Mikael Hakkarainen Leaves Providence College
The Providence College Friars are just one game into their 2018-19 and have already suffered a significant loss – not from injury or suspension, but simply by choice. Freshman center Mikael Hakkarainen has decided to leave the program after just his first collegiate game. Hakkarainen will return to his USHL club, the Muskegon Lumberjacks, who broke the news this morning by announcing his change of heart. The Providence Journal’s Mark Divver later confirmed the move and added context to Hakkarainen’s decision.
Divver spoke to Providence head coach Nate Leaman, who expressed disappointment in Hakkarainen’s sudden decision. Leaman states that Hakkarainen was unhappy balancing academics and hockey, an obvious aspect of life as a student-athlete. Divver points out the irony of that reasoning, as a return to the USHL would seemingly indicate that Hakkarainen is open to returning to the NCAA later on. Hakkarainen could instead follow in the footsteps of former Muskegon teammate and Buffalo Sabres prospect Matej Pekar, who was selected by the Barrie Colts of the OHL in this year’s CHL Import Draft after making it known the NCAA was no longer in his plans. Hakkarainen could also return home to his native Finland at some point, although he has played in North America now for four years.
Hakkarainen, 20, was a fifth round pick of the Chicago Blackhawks back in June, an overage pick who enjoyed a breakout season last year in the USHL. The No. 6 overall pick in the 2016 USHL Draft out of the NAHL, a slow start at the next level saw him traded away from the team that drafted him, the Chicago Steel. In his first full season with the Lumberjacks last year, Hakkarainen led the team in per-game production with 46 points in 36 games, superior numbers to even Pekar, a fourth-round pick. As such, Hakkarainen was expected to play an important role for the Friars this year and potentially take over as a top scorer down the road. He even anchored the team’s third line in their season opener. Instead, the future remains a mystery for the talented, but uncommitted forward. The Blackhawks may have some incentive to intervene and ensure their prospect gets back on the right track.
Hakkarainen’s departure makes that two on the year for Providence. Swedish import Calle Ehrnberg left the program just last week to return home for what Divver cites as “homesickness”. The freshman defenseman was not nearly the caliber of prospect as Hakkarainen, but nevertheless a capable offensive defender who had a role to play with Providence. In the uber-competitive Hockey East Conference, any loss can be a blow, both this season and in long-term plans, and the Friars have had tough luck this season. They can only hope that those players who have remained committed to the program can pick up the slack in their ex-teammates’ absence.
Minor Transactions: 10/09/18
The season has gotten off to a strong start, with outstanding individual performances and parity among all four divisions. As teams try to keep their momentum going, we’ll be here to keep track of all the minor moves.
- The Florida Panthers have recalled Juho Lammikko from the AHL, bringing up the 22-year old forward after just one game in the minor leagues this season. Lammikko, a third-round pick of the Panthers from 2014, is still looking to make his NHL debut and could provide some more size for the team’s bottom six. Derek MacKenzie is expected to miss the Panthers’ next game.
- Pontus Aberg has been assigned to the San Diego Gulls of the AHL after clearing waivers, and will continue to be a part of the Anaheim Ducks organization. Aberg has had several chances in the NHL over the last few years, but can’t seem to catch on. The talented forward will try to prove his worth at the minor league level for the time being.
- The Chicago Blackhawks promoted Alexandre Fortin late this evening, with the team heading on the road to face the Minnesota Wild on Thursday. The 21-year-old forward would be making his NHL debut if he were to be in the Hawks’ lineup for their next game. Fortin, an undrafted rookie out of the QMJHL now in his second pro season, is a versatile forward who could slot in throughout Chicago’s forward corps.
Snapshots: Three Stars, Lundestrom, Luukkonen
The NHL has handed out the Three Stars of the Week for the first time this season, naming Auston Matthews as the top performer through the first few games. Matthews leads the NHL with eight points through three games including five goals, and has been a huge part of the Toronto Maple Leafs getting off to a 2-1 start. The Maple Leafs have looked shaky in their own end to start the year, but with the firepower that Matthews and John Tavares can provide up front it might not matter on most nights.
Jonathan Toews and Ben Bishop were named to the other two spots, noting a bounce back for both players this season. Toews especially had a down year as the Chicago Blackhawks disappointed in 2017-18, but is off to a blistering start with five goals in his first seven periods and six points total through three games. If the Blackhawks are to return to relevancy this year, they’ll need their captain to be among the best players in the league once again.
- Speaking of captains not living up to expectations, the Anaheim Ducks were without Ryan Getzlaf today at practice while he deals with a lower-body injury. That meant first-round pick Isac Lundestrom was skating between Andrew Cogliano and Kiefer Sherwood according to Eric Stephens of The Athletic, giving the young forward a chance to make his NHL debut later tonight. Lundestrom has been surprisingly polished through training camp, and even at the age of 18 looks like a possible contributor for the Ducks this season. The 23rd-overall pick scored 15 points in 42 games in the Swedish Hockey League last season, and will try to make an even bigger impact in the NHL.
- The Ducks aren’t the only one with an impressive young prospect though, as Buffalo Sabres draft pick Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has won the OHL Player of the Week award. Luukkonen is playing for the Sudbury Wolves this season as he prepares for life as a professional in North America, and is already 5-0 with a .944 save percentage. Selected 54th overall in 2017, Luukkonen signed his entry-level contract this offseason and is quickly becoming one of the top goaltending prospects in the league. He’ll likely start out next season in the AHL, but the Sabres are hoping for big things from him down the line.
Central Notes: Bishop, Hanzal, Crawford, Kunin
While Ben Bishop has fared well, when healthy, for the Dallas Stars, there are many reasons for that. One reason is his dedication to watching film. According to The Athletic’s Sean Shapiro (subscription required), Bishop has been watching film every day before games for the last seven years and will watch anywhere from 30 to 60 clips of opponents and their scoring opportunities.
“I like to see where they’re getting their chances from,” Bishop said. “You can kind of pick up on where they’re getting their chances. Is it a lot of odd-man rushes? Is it down low? Is it a lot of point stuff?”
Bishop always puts more emphasis on young players who he knows little about, something he focused heavily on before their season opener against the Arizona Coyotes, a team full of young, talented players. The result: a shutout. Video coach Kelly Forbes said he’s never seen a goalie put so much emphasis on film. Bishop is also an active participant in team pre-scouting as well.
“Even though I play I’m still a big fan,” Bishop said. “And I’m always watching it and I’m always watching the goalies. Everybody has got a different style, I’m sure when I’m done playing I’ll still be watching the goalies.”
- Sticking with the Stars, NHL.com’s Mark Stepneski writes that Martin Hanzal, who has been on injured reserve as he recovers from back surgery, was skating with the team this morning. Hanzal, who the team signed to a three-year, $14.25MM contract last offseason, hasn’t done much for Dallas so far. He appeared in just 38 games last season, tallying just five goals. There is still no timetable for his return. Valeri Nichushkin, out with a lower-body injury, also skated with the team and remains day-to-day.
- The Chicago Blackhawks are getting closer to getting back goaltender Corey Crawford into their lineup. Mark Lazerus of The Athletic questioned head coach Joel Quenneville about how carefully the team will use Crawford. “We’ll watch him,” Quenneville said. “Long-term, that’s the goal, is to get him playing. But we’ll see immediately how he’s playing.” In the meantime, offseason acquisition Cam Ward has been filling in as the team’s starter.
- John Shipley of pioneerpress.com writes that young forward Luke Kunin is getting closer to being medically cleared after suffering a torn ACL injury on Mar. 4 and undergoing surgery. The 2016 first-round pick passed coach Bruce Boudreau’s infamous skate test Saturday morning and the team now must decide whether to keep him with the Wild or send him to Iowa of the AHL. “That’s not my call,” Boudreau said. Kunin practiced Friday with the team’s third line of Jordan Greenway and Charlie Coyle.
Jordan Maletta Placed On Unconditional Waivers
Friday: Maletta has cleared waivers and will see his contract terminated.
Thursday: According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, the Chicago Blackhawks have placed Jordan Maletta on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a contract termination. Maletta was acquired by the Blackhawks as part of the Marian Hossa trade with the Arizona Coyotes and is in the final season of his entry-level contract.
Maletta, 23, is likely facing the end of his playing career after not being medically cleared to attend camp this season and instead taking a role with the Niagara IceDogs coaching staff (though he’s not listed in any official capacity so far). The young forward played parts of four seasons in Niagara during his junior career, and is originally from the area.
Though he obviously wasn’t the central target for the Hossa trade, Maletta had shown some promise as an undrafted minor league player. In 2016-17 with the Cleveland Monsters, he scored 12 goals and 23 points in 76 games while being a big part of the team’s penalty kill. There was little chance he would play a big role in the NHL at any point in his career, but there was certainly reason to believe he could contribute at the minor league level if healthy. That doesn’t seem to be the case anymore, and he’ll see his contract terminated by the Blackhawks tomorrow.
2018-19 Season Primer: Chicago Blackhawks
With the NHL season now just underway, we continue our look at what each team has done this summer and what to watch for in the year to come. Next up is a look at the Chicago Blackhawks.
Last Season: 33-39-10 record (76 points), seventh in the Central Division (missed the playoffs)
Remaining Cap Space: $3.46MM per CapFriendly
Key Additions: D Brandon Davidson (free agent, NY Islanders), F Dominik Kahun (free agent, EHC Munchen, DEL), F Marcus Kruger (trade with Arizona), F Chris Kunitz (free agent, Pittsburgh), D Brandon Manning (free agent, Philadelphia), G Cam Ward (free agent, Carolina)
Key Subtractions: F Lance Bouma (free agent, Geneve-Servette, NLA), D Adam Clendening (free agent, Columbus), F Anthony Duclair (free agent, Columbus), F Vinnie Hinostroza (trade with Arizona), F Marian Hossa (trade with Arizona), F Tomas Jurco (free agent, unsigned), D Jordan Oesterle (trade with Arizona), F Patrick Sharp (retirement)
[Related: Blackhawks Depth Chart From Roster Resource]
Player To Watch: F Jonathan Toews – For many years, Toews’ reputation around the league has been that he is one of the top centers in the game. He checks off all of the boxes as a leader, a good defensive player that takes all the tough matchups, a well-above-average performance at the faceoff dot while still putting up good offensive numbers.
However, that reputation hasn’t really changed despite his output declining. He put up just 52 points last season, the second lowest total of his career (his lowest came in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign where he had 48 points in 47 games). While 52 points isn’t a bad number by any stretch, he’s carrying a $10.5MM cap hit and given Chicago’s annual salary constraints, they’re counting on more from him.
Toews is entering the season as their top pivot once again and with Nick Schmaltz and Artem Anisimov behind him, he probably isn’t going to get pushed for ice time anytime soon. The Blackhawks are for the most part bringing back the same roster that failed to get the job done last season. They’ll be turning to their captain to help lead the turnaround and will be counting on him to be more productive if they want to get back into the playoff mix.
Key Storyline: After last year, patience wound up being the surprising theme. Stan Bowman remains as GM while Joel Quenneville is still behind the bench. Meanwhile, their most notable move of the summer was donating Hinostroza to the Coyotes to get them to assume the remainder of Hossa’s contract; the core of the team remains the same.
The fact that Hossa is gone gives the Blackhawks something they haven’t had in quite some time, cap flexibility. Instead of scrounging to free up a little bit of money for late-season additions, Chicago should have the ability to make a move early if things start to go off the rails early. If not, they’ll be able to add without necessarily having the other team needing to retain salary or take an offsetting contract back.
Either way, it’s hard to envision Chicago’s patience lasting another full season. Something’s going to have to give at some point, whether it’s in the form of player movement or changes off the ice. It’s not a question of if, but rather when it happens.
Overall Outlook: Considering how poorly things went last season and the fact it’s largely the same roster, it’s tempting to write Chicago off already. However, a healthy Corey Crawford (he’s expected to return within the next couple of weeks) and a return to form from players like Toews and Brandon Saad should have them in the hunt for a Wild Card. If those players continue to falter though, another season outside the playoffs is a likely outcome.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Minor Transactions: 10/04/18
The NHL got off to a roaring start last night with impressive debuts and outstanding goals. Teams will be making changes though, and we’ll be right here to keep track of all the minor moves.
- According to Mark Lazerus of The Athletic, the Chicago Blackhawks will recall Collin Delia from the minor leagues today to back up Cam Ward in their season opener. Anton Forsberg, who was expected to be the backup goaltender until Corey Crawford is ready to play was hit up high by a puck at the morning skate and will be held out of the lineup entirely. Delia, 24, played two games for the Blackhawks last season, but was supposed to be spending the year with the Rockford IceHogs this season.
- The Colorado Avalanche have activated both Vladislav Kamenev and Anton Lindholm from injured reserve, but immediately assigned them to the minor leagues. Both players will report to the Colorado Eagles of the AHL, a somewhat surprising move given that they are expected to play roles in the NHL this season. The Avalanche start their season tonight against the Minnesota Wild, and will also have Mark Barberio and Sven Andrighetto out of the lineup.
- The Nashville Predators have activated Ryan Hartman in time for their opener, an expected move after he returned to practice. Hartman, acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks last season, was involved in a legal matter this summer but should be a big part of the Predators lineup this year as he tries to take the next step in his hockey career. He scored just six points in 21 games during the regular season for the Predators last year, but is a versatile player who can contribute offensively and engage physically on a nightly basis.
Training Camp Cuts: 9/30/18
It’s the last day of September and the start of the regular season is mere days away. Final cuts are looming and the decisions are going to get much tougher. While the drama really lies with the waiver wire over the next few days, keep track here of all the players otherwise sent down right here:
Buffalo Sabres (via team Twitter)
F Justin Bailey (to Rochester, AHL)
F Nicholas Baptiste (to Rochester, AHL)
Carolina Hurricanes (via CapFriendly)
F Patrick Brown (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Greg McKegg (to Charlotte, AHL)
Chicago Blackhawks (per CapFriendly)
G Collin Delia (to Rockford, AHL)
F Dylan Sikura (to Rockford, AHL)
Columbus Blue Jackets (per team release)
G Jean-Francois Berube (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Tommy Cross (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Zac Dalpe (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Dan DeSalvo (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Nathan Gerbe (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Miles Koules (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Mark Letestu (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Ryan MacInnis (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Michael Prapavessis (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Dillon Simpson (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Sam Vigneault (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Justin Wade (to Cleveland, AHL)
Dallas Stars (via Mark Stepneski of NHL.com)
F Erik Condra (to Texas, AHL)
F Michael Mersch (to Texas, AHL)
Detroit Red Wings (per team Twitter update)
F Jussi Jokinen (released from PTO, via MLive’s Ansar Khan)
F David Pope (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
D Vili Saarijarvi (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
G Harri Sateri (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
F Givani Smith (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
F Dominic Turgeon (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
F Filip Zadina (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
Edmonton Oilers (per team Twitter update)
D Jakub Jerabek (awaiting assignment)
Montreal Canadiens (per team release)
G Charlie Lindgren (to Montreal, AHL)
New York Rangers (per team Twitter update)
D Brandon Crawley (to Hartford, AHL)
Philadelphia Flyers (per team release)
D Mark Friedman (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
G Carter Hart (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
D Philippe Myers (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
Tampa Bay Lightning (per team release)
D Erik Cerna (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Mitchell Stephens (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Alexander Volkov (to Syracuse, AHL)
Toronto Maple Leafs (per team Twitter update; Dhiren Mahiban)
D Andreas Borgman (to Toronto, AHL)
F Jeremy Bracco (to Toronto, AHL)
F Adam Brooks (to Toronto, AHL)
F Emerson Clark (to Toronto, AHL)
F Rich Clune (to Toronto, AHL)
F Pierre Engvall (to Toronto, AHL)
F Colin Greening (to Toronto, AHL)
F Carl Grundstrom (to Toronto, AHL)
D Timothy Liljegren (to Toronto, AHL)
F Mason Marchment (to Toronto, AHL)
F Trevor Moore (to Toronto, AHL)
D Calle Rosen (to Toronto, AHL)
F Dmytro Timashov (to Toronto, AHL)
D Sean Durzi (from Toronto, AHL to Owen Sound, OHL)
D Mac Hollowell (from Toronto, AHL to Sault Ste. Marie, OHL)
Washington Capitals (via The Athletic’s Chris Kuk)
F Riley Barber (to Hershey, AHL)
F Liam O’Brien (to Hershey, AHL)
Western Notes: Crawford, Saad, Vilardi, Andrighetto
The Chicago Blackhawks got more good news today as The Athletic Scott Powers reports that head coach Joel Quenneville said that goaltender Corey Crawford could practice with the team as early as Monday.
Crawford who has been out since Dec. 23 of last year with concussion symptoms said earlier this offseason that he likely wouldn’t be ready when the regular season begins as the symptoms have still affected him. That has been the case, but if Crawford is close to returning to practice, that could be a good boost for the team, knowing that he’s not far off to returning to game action, even if its a few weeks into the season.
The 33-year-old Crawford was having a solid season before going down as he posted a 2.27 GAA and a .929 save percentage in 28 games. If he can come back and post anything close to that, the Blackhawks may be able to work their way back into playoff discussions this year.
- In a separate story, Powers (subscription required) interviewed three NHL scouts about individual players on the Chicago Blackhawks and while there are many interesting comments about different players, two scouts had nothing nice to say about Chicago winger Brandon Saad. “When he’s not playing with top guys, he doesn’t respect who he’s playing and he’s selfish,” a scout said. “He’ll try to carry it himself instead of moving the puck. When he gets frustrated, he shows it with his body language. They have to recognize that and have a talk with him. Whether they put him with one of the big guys, he’s got to have a better attitude.” A second scout was equally unimpressed. “I think Saad is a guy who plays for a contract. I’m not convinced that he’s a guy who plays for you every night.”
- Fox Sports’ Jon Rosen reports that Los Angeles Kings prospect center Gabriel Vilardi, who has missed the entire preseason after re-injuring his back this summer, was in full gear working out on the ice with head trainer Chris Kingsley. There is no timetable on his return. Rosen added that Vilardi will either start the season on IR or as an injured non-roster player. The 19-year-old still has one year of junior eligibility, but posted 52 points in just 32 games last year with the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs and many feel could be ready to take on a key role with Los Angeles if he can put his back issues behind him.
- Adrian Dater of BSN Denver writes that winger Sven Andrighetto will miss two to four weeks with a foot injury. The 25-year-old is trying to force his way into the team’s top-six . He tallied eight goals and 22 points last year in a bottom-six role for the Avalanche.