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Black Monday: The Day The Coaches (Could) Disappear

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The NHL looks like it will finish an entire season without seeing a single coach fired for the first time since expansion in 1967, but there could be a dark lining on that stat coming next week. “Black Monday” as it is being termed could be coming after the final game of the regular season this Sunday, with close to a dozen coaches finding themselves on the hot seat.

In last night’s Insider Trading segment on TSN, Bob McKenzie broke down a list of potential firings that looked like this:

Glen Gulutzan, Calgary Flames
Bill Peters, Carolina Hurricanes
Joel Quenneville, Chicago Blackhawks
Jeff Blashill, Detroit Red Wings
Todd McLellan, Edmonton Oilers
Doug Weight, New York Islanders
Alain Vigneault, New York Rangers
Guy Boucher, Ottawa Senators
Barry Trotz, Washington Capitals

Some of these names simply don’t have a contract for next season, including Trotz, who also happens to be the only coach on the list heading to the playoffs. The Capitals have won the Metropolitan Division for the third year in a row, but will be judged entirely on their postseason performance. Washington must find some success past the second round, or there could be a shake up in order starting with the man behind the bench.

The rest of the list is a who’s who of disappointing seasons, with Quenneville sticking out like a sore thumb. Arguably one of the best coaches of all-time, Quenneville’s firing could cause what McKenzie terms a ripple effect throughout the league. Though he doesn’t expand on that idea, many have wondered whether another team would fire their incumbent to have the opportunity to hire Quenneville should he become a free agent, much like the Montreal Canadiens did last season when Claude Julien was let go from Boston.

In New York, while both coaches might not be back it would be for very different reasons. Vigneault has had a lot of regular season success with the Rangers, but as they enter into an unfamiliar rebuild they could want to start with a fresh face behind the bench. For Weight and the Islanders, this season was an abject failure as they tried to woo John Tavares with a trip to the postseason. They won’t get there, and now have to worry about whether their captain and superstar will stick around.

There could be many other names you could suggest for the list, and it is extremely unlikely that all of these will get the boot before the start of 2018-19. You can be sure some changes are coming though, even if it does come after a remarkable season of patience by general managers around the league.

Minor Transactions: 04/02/18

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The NHL is down to the last week of the season, with all games scheduled to be wrapped up by Sunday night. With that in mind, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves around the league and give context on how they could impact the playoff picture. Check back throughout the day to stay up to date on your favorite team.

  • According to Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News, the Buffalo Sabres have recalled Matt Tennyson from the minor leagues to help replace the injured Victor Antipin. Antipin was knocked unconscious this weekend against the Nashville Predators, and won’t play again this season. Tennyson has played 14 games for the Sabres this season, though most of his work has come in the AHL. The 27-year old defenseman is still looking for his first NHL point of the season.
  • Back and forth goes Oliver Kylington, who has been recalled once again by the Calgary Flames today. Kylington is still looking to get a chance at the NHL level, but the 20-year old defenseman has seen positive progression while in the minor leagues.
  • Thatcher Demko is on his way back to the minor leagues, in time to help the Utica Comets with their playoff push. If the AHL playoffs started today, the Comets would have to dangerous Toronto Marlies in the first round, a matchup that would really test Demko and give him an opportunity to show he’s too good for the minor leagues.
  • The Boston Bruins have recalled Colby Cave from the minor leagues under emergency conditions, bringing up the forward once again. Cave made his NHL debut earlier this year, and could get back into the lineup if one of the injured players for Boston can’t play.
  • The Chicago Blackhawks have swapped goaltenders, recalling Jeff Glass from the minor leagues and sending Collin Delia back down. Delia had a very interesting debut, suiting up after Anton Forsberg was injured, only to suffer an injury himself and relinquish the net to emergency goaltender Scott Foster. Delia has played at three different professional levels already this season, impressive for an undrafted goaltender out of Merrimack College.
  • The Dallas Stars have reassigned Jason Dickinson to the minor leagues, giving him back to the Texas Stars for their playoff run. Texas will welcome him back with open arms, as Dickinson has 16 goals in just 36 games this season.

Evening Notes: Updated Draft Odds, Keith

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With the season winding down, and teams vying for the better odds of winning the Rasmus Dahlin sweepstakes, the Ottawa Senators took another step in upping their chances at the top pick by losing to Detroit 2-0 this afternoon. With just four games remaining, the Sens are tied with Arizona for the second worst record in the NHL with 65 points. Buffalo still has the best shot at securing the rights for the first overall pick. The NHL released the odds two days ago and with several teams within a few points of one another, the “tank-a-thon” race could be the matter of a few points as opposed to Colorado’s historically bad season in 2016-17.   As it stands, here are the odds for the ten worst teams through Saturday evening. Vancouver won in overtime, blowing a 4-1 lead late but still notching two points, which moved them from a 9.5% chance to 8.5%.  Please note that Arizona, Buffalo, New York (Rangers and Islanders), Edmonton, and Montreal all play tonight, which could alter the landscape a bit.

Buffalo (18.5%) – 60 points – 5 games remaining
Ottawa (13.5%) – 65 points – 4 games remaining
Arizona (11.5%)   – 65 points – 4 games remaining
Montreal (9.5%) – 68 points – 5 games remaining
Vancouver (8.5%) – 69 points – 3 games remaining
Detroit (7.5%) – 71 points – 3 games remaining
Chicago (6.5%) – 74 points – 3 games remaining
NY Islanders (6.0%) – 74 points – 4 games remaining
Edmonton (5.0%) – 74 points – 4 games remaining
NY Rangers (3.5%) – 75 points – 4 games remaining

  • The Chicago Blackhawks are going to miss the playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade, and some of that has to do with the Hawks inability to score goals. Duncan Keith has seen his share of struggles and is on pace to set an NHL record for the wrong reasons writes the Chicago Sun-Times Mark Lazerus. After taking 183 shots on net this season, Keith has only gotten the puck past a netminder once. Though his goal scoring has dropped off since he potted 10 back in 2014-15 when Chicago captured the Stanley Cup, nobody saw Keith’s performance going off the rails quite like this. Lazerus writes that if Keith doesn’t score in the final three games, Keith will set the NHL record for lowest non-zero shooting percentage. Lazerus adds that while Keith has been far and away the best defenseman for Chicago this season, he’s even fallen away from what has been his best play. Lazerus attributes this to being one of the only true top four defenseman on the team, something that has bogged down the two-time Norris Trophy winner.

Minor Transactions: 03/30/18

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A busy night in the NHL brought several exciting finishes, but nothing quite like the drama that occurred in Chicago. Scott Foster, a 36-year old recreational goalie entered the game when Collin Delia was injured, and stopped all seven shots he faced en route to a first star selection and perfect NHL debut.

Because of the injuries to Anton Forsberg and Delia—who was also making his NHL debut—the Blackhawks made Jean-Francois Berube an emergency call-up, recalling the goaltender after just seeing him clear waivers this week.

Like always, we’ll keep track of all the other moves around the league:

  • Also facing goaltending problems, the Buffalo Sabres have recalled Adam Wilcox from the minor leagues. Wilcox has bounced around the minor leagues for the last few seasons, but is still waiting for his NHL debut. The 25-year old has a .903 save percentage in 28 games with the Rochester Americans this season.
  • The Dallas Stars have sent Curtis McKenzie back to the minor leagues, according to Mark Stepneski of NHL.com. McKenzie has played in just seven games for the Stars this year, and is still looking for his first goal of the season.
  • The Boston Bruins have returned Jordan Szwarz to the minor leagues, according to Mark Divver of the Providence Journal. Szwarz is having another excellent season in the AHL, recording 44 points in 46 games. His time in the NHL hasn’t been as fruitful, with just three points in 12 contests.
  • Kerby Rychel has been recalled by the Montreal Canadiens, after playing some of the best hockey of his career for the Laval Rocket of late. Rychel has registered 12 points in the 14 games since being traded from the Toronto Marlies, and could get his first taste of NHL action in more than two years. The 23-year old was a first-round pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets and debuted at age 20 to high expectations, but couldn’t find his footing in the NHL and was passed over by other prospects. He’ll try for a fresh start in Montreal, where they are dying for an offensive spark of any kind.

Snapshots: Ho-Sang, Price, Mitchell

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Joshua Ho-Sang hasn’t had the season many were hoping for this year, and he doesn’t really think it’s all his fault. Ho-Sang has played in just 22 games at the NHL level, scoring 12 points but spending most of the season in the AHL once again. He spoke to Arthur Staple of The Athletic (subscription required) about it, and was quite candid in his approach.

I love those guys, I want to make that clear,” Ho-Sang said of his former Islanders teammates. “I know they’re working hard. But I got sent down for defense and what are they in goals against in the NHL? I only played (22) games up there this year. I don’t think it’s my fault. They really painted it like it was my fault at the beginning of the year and I didn’t like that.

Obviously there is more than just defense in the critique of Ho-Sang’s game, and Staple does a wonderful job breaking down what has happened between the two sides, including quotes from GM Garth Snow. It’s a very interesting situation to keep an eye on, as Ho-Sang has all the offensive talent in the world and is still an important part of the Islanders’ future.

  • Carey Price won’t play in the upcoming World Championships, instead focusing on his health and being ready for the 2018-19 season with the Montreal Canadiens. Price has had a tough season battling through injuries, and putting up the lowest save percentage of his career at just .902. About to start an eight-year, $84MM contract, he’s the key to any potential Canadiens bounce back next season and down the road. Brendan Gallagher also won’t suit up at the Worlds, while Alex Galchenyuk is still weighing a decision.
  • Also from the staff at The Athletic, Scott Powers reports (subscription required) that Ian Mitchell will not turn pro this summer and instead is expected to return to the University of Denver for his sophomore year. Mitchell, 19, was selected in the second round by the Chicago Blackhawks last June and excelled in his first year for DU. 30 points in 41 games easily led the club’s defensemen in scoring, and he should take another step forward next year to be one of the nation’s most dangerous offensive blueliners.

Chicago Blackhawks Place Jean-Francois Berube On Waivers

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Wednesday: Berube has cleared waivers and been assigned to the minor leagues. Collin Delia, a 23-year old goaltender in his first professional season, has been recalled. Delia signed last summer out of Merrimack College, and has now spent time in the ECHL, AHL and NHL this season.

Tuesday: Though we haven’t had much waiver action since the trade deadline, the Chicago Blackhawks have decided to use it today. The team placed goaltender Jean-Francois Berube on waivers today, likely to have him head to the AHL since he is eligible to play there. Berube was included on a paper transaction at the deadline so that he could maintain AHL eligibility, where Rockford is heading to the playoffs.

It seems very unlikely that anyone would claim Berube, after his poor performance this season and one-way deal in 2018-19. Berube hasn’t been able to help the Blackhawks in Corey Crawford’s absence, posting an .891 save percentage in 11 games. His numbers in the minor leagues, like they’ve been his entire career, are much better.

The 26-year old goaltender is earning just $700K next season, meaning his cap hit won’t affect the Blackhawks while he’s in the minor leagues. Still, he’s not that attractive an asset as they’ll owe him the entire salary regardless of which level he plays.

Since Crawford has not skated with the team recently, the Blackhawks will likely recall another goalie (perhaps Jeff Glass) tomorrow.

Blake Hillman Signs Two-Year Entry-Level Contract With Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago Blackhawks have signed Blake Hillman to a two-year entry-level contract, and will have him join the team right away. That will end up using the first year of the deal, meaning that Hillman will become a restricted free agent after the 2018-19 season.

Hillman is just the latest player from the University of Denver to turn pro, after Henrik Borgstrom, Troy Terry and Dylan Gambrell all signed yesterday. The sixth-round pick by the Blackhawks has developed into a legitimate prospect, who will likely see some time on the ice in the last few games of the season.

The 22-year old Hillman could play a role for the Blackhawks next season, though with six NHL defensemen already under contract he’ll have to battle for playing time. Though he hasn’t shown a ton of offensive upside, Hillman is extremely effective in his own end and shuts down rushes quickly with an active stick. Whether he can continue to play at that level in the NHL is unclear, but he’ll get a chance to prove himself before long.

Minor Transactions: 03/27/18

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Just a handful of games remain in the NHL regular season, and teams are beginning to be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Yesterday, the New York Islanders were knocked out of the race after their loss at the hands of the Florida Panthers. It’s been a tough season for the Islanders, who expected to be in the race in the last season of John Tavares’ current contract. Now all Islanders eyes turn to the offseason and what their captain will decide to do.

While the Islanders wait out the last few games, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves around the league right here. Check back throughout the day to stay up to date on all the comings and goings.

  • The Winnipeg Jets have sent Michael Hutchinson back to the minor leagues, likely meaning he’s healthy enough to get back into game action. The Jets still have three goaltenders on their NHL roster, with Steve Mason still working his way back from a knee injury and Eric Comrie serving as backup.
  • The Chicago Blackhawks have re-assigned Matthew Highmore to the minor leagues, despite playing 14 minutes last night. The young forward has two goals in his 13 games this season, but with the solid debut of Victor Ejdsell, perhaps there isn’t enough room to give him the ice time the team wants. Highmore has 35 points in the AHL this season in his first year of professional hockey.
  • Last night the Detroit Red Wings recalled Joe Hicketts from the minor leagues, giving the 21-year old another chance in the big leagues. Hicketts played one game for the Red Wings earlier this year, but has spent most of the season with the Grand Rapids Griffins.
  • The Buffalo Sabres have sent Justin Bailey back to the minor leagues, as they prepare for Casey Mittelstadt’s debut on Thursday night. Bailey has played in just 12 games with the Sabres this season, recording four points in the process.
  • Alexandar Georgiev is on his way back to the minor leagues, as Henrik Lundqvist is heading back into the net. GM Jeff Gorton told media this was always the plan when they had two healthy goaltenders in the NHL, and meant nothing against Georgiev’s play in his short stint. The 22-year old goaltender has a .918 save percentage in ten NHL games so far, and has put himself into contention for the full-time backup role next year.

Chicago Blackhawks Sign Joni Tuulola To Entry-Level Deal

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Monday: The Blackhawks have officially announced the signing, and that Tuulola will report to the Rockford Icehogs for the rest of the season.

Thursday: According to Scott Powers of The Athletic (subscription required), the Chicago Blackhawks have signed Joni Tuulola to a two-year entry-level contract. Tuulola is expected to head to the AHL for the rest of the season, now that his year in Finland is over.

Tuulola, 22, was selected in the sixth round in the 2015 draft but broke out this season playing in Vaasa, Finland. After previously recording a career-high of 14 points, he registered 30 in 58 games for Sport, leading their defense corps in scoring while taking on a much bigger role. Part of the 2016 gold medal-winning Finnish World Junior Squad, Tuulola has developed nicely over the last few years and will now try professional hockey in North America.

Though he could potentially show enough at training camp to earn a spot with the Blackhawks, Tuulola’s role is more likely on the Rockford IceHogs next season as he adapts to the different league. The Blackhawks already have six NHL defensemen under contract for next season, and will have quite a battle for playing time in the AHL.

Chicago Blackhawks Sign Dylan Sikura To Entry-Level Deal

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3:25 p.m.: Powers tweeted that Sikura’s deal will be a two-year entry-level deal and he will wear No. 95 for the Blackhawks on Thursday.

1:05 p.m.: The Chicago Blackhawks have officially signed Northeastern star Dylan Sikura to an entry-level contract, according to The Athletic’s Scott Powers (subscription required). There is no word on contract specifics yet. Sikura, Chicago’s top prospect and a Hobey Baker Award finalist, is expected to leave for Chicago tonight, but will not be allowed to play in Monday’s NHL game due to visa issues. Instead, he is expected to make his Blackhawks’ debut on Thursday against the Winnipeg Jets.

Sikura’s college career at Northeastern, who was eliminated Saturday by Michigan 3-2, is over after four years. As reported yesterday, the 22-year-old forward was rumored to have already a deal in place after the Huskies were eliminated. As a fourth-year senior, Sikura could have chosen to become a unrestricted free agent on Aug. 15, but the opportunity to play for the Blackhawks immediately was likely enough incentive to sign. The Blackhawks tried to sign him after a solid junior campaign, but he opted to return to Northeastern and there was some concern he would sign with Chicago at all.

Sikura, Chicago’s sixth-round pick back in 2014, is coming off a successful college career at Northeastern in which he 58 goals in his four years there, including 43 during his junior and senior years combined. During those final two years, he put up 111 points. An undersized forward at 6-foot, 166 pounds, he is considered to have excellent skating ability and goal-scoring skills and is expected to be a big part of Chicago’s rebuilding plan.

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