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Snapshots: Gilbert, Schmaltz, Vrbata

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When Tom Gilbert was traded from Los Angeles to the Washington Capitals just over a week ago, it was a step in the right direction for the veteran defenseman. Gilbert had played just 18 games for the Kings and was clearly not in their plans after sending him through waivers to the AHL. He told Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post as much and admitted that coming to Washington was very exciting for him. The Capitals acquired him mostly as injury depth, as he is still playing at the AHL level. But perhaps his coming East will pay off already.

Matt Niskanen was taken out of last night’s game with a lower-body injury, and though it doesn’t seem to be serious it is a sign of how close Gilbert is to having to play a vital role on the best team in the NHL. The Capitals already have just two right-handed defensemen—Niskanen and John Carlson—and use Nate Schmidt on his off-side with Brooks Orpik. If either of Niskanen or Carlson went down it would open a gaping hole on the Caps back end, one that Gilbert would gladly step into. Remember that though it was a long time ago, Gilbert was once a 45 point defenseman, capable of moving the puck with the best of them. It’s nice to have depth.

  • It’s a dream come true for Chicago Blackhawks winger Nick Schmaltz as he plays alongside Jonathan Toews. Schmaltz had three points last night and looks to be finding a nice groove on the wing of the resurgent Toews. In his rookie season Schmaltz has just 14 points in 41 games, but six of those have come in the last five as he’s gotten a nice icetime bump. Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times writes in his latest column that the Blackhawks may have found an answer long-term on the captain’s wing. It doesn’t hurt that both are from the University of North Dakota and have taken a very similar path to the NHL.
  • If you consider Schmaltz a long-term piece on the top line, then how do you fill the other side? Is Richard Panik really the answer beside Toews? Craig Morgan of FanRag Sports has his doubts, and suggests a former Hawk should make his way back to the Windy City. Radim Vrbata is available at the deadline, and with his ridiculously low cap-hit of just $1MM, Chicago could likely afford him for the final part of the season. The veteran winger has 41 points this season and has rebounded well from the worst year of his career.

Morning Transactions: Blackhawks, Lightning

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Assorted transactions from around the NHL this morning…

  • The Blackhawks announced (via Twitter) that they’ve recalled forward Vinnie Hinostroza from the Rockford IceHogs. In 46 games this season for the big-league club, the former sixth-rounder compiled six goals and eight assists. The 22-year-old ultimately played in three games for the AHL affiliate, collecting a single assist.
  • With Tyler Johnson set to return from injury, the Lightning announced that they have re-assigned forward Cory Conacher to the Syracuse Crunch. In seven games with Tampa Bay this season, the 27-year-old recorded one goal and one assist. The former undrafted free agent played 41 games in the AHL this season, collecting 10 goals and 32 assists.

Snapshots: Memorial Cup, Rozsival, Brodin

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The Maple Leafs announced the four additions to their Legends Row tonight before the start of their game against the Ottawa Senators. Charlie Conacher, Red Kelly, Frank Mahovlich and Wendel Clark will all have statues revealed in the fall alongside the other 10 players.

Brendan Shanahan (via James Mirtle of The Athletic) spoke at the ceremony, saying “it is our sincere hope that we will soon have reason to expand this bench to recognize future Leafs heroes.” One player Leaf fans are hoping will be in that group one day, Mitch Marner, is out tonight and tomorrow with a shoulder injury, forcing the Maple Leafs to shake up their lines. William Nylander is back skating with Auston Matthews, while Connor Brown has been dropped into Marner’s spot.

  • Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet tells us that the 2018 Memorial Cup will be held in Regina, Saskatchewan. The CHL tournament is a huge stage for young players to showcase their skills, and the host city is entered automatically. Hopefully for the Regina Pats, Sam Steel will still be with them next season. The 30th-overall pick by Anaheim at the most recent draft has 103 points in 50 games and is still only 18 years old.
  • According to Chris Hine of the Chicago Tribune, Chicago will be getting a little veteran depth back on the blueline as early as tomorrow. Michal Rozsival, who hasn’t played since January 15th due to a foot injury is set to return to the lineup Sunday against the Buffalo Sabres. The veteran of 955 games gives the Hawks an extra body that can be trusted in a limited role. With the team on their way back to the playoffs, they’ll need all the health they can get.
  • Just before their game started, Michael Russo of the Star Tribune told us the Minnesota Wild activated Jonas Brodin from injured reserve. Brodin hasn’t played since January 17th, and will be a big addition to the Wild as they look to continue their dominance in the Western Conference. The team has 82 points already, easily pacing the west and seven points ahead of the Blackhawks for first in the Central Division.
  • Lou Korac of NHL.com adds that the St. Louis Blues have sent Kenny Agostino back down to the Chicago Wolves of the AHL, despite playing well in his short stint. The Blues have Paul Stastny returning and had a roster crunch up front. Agostino will head back to the AHL where he was the league’s top scorer at the time of his call up—and still is. 60 points in 48 games for the former fifth-round pick, who has turned into an excellent playmaker at the age of 24.

Central Notes: Blackhawks, Mitchell, Predators

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The Daily Herald’s John Dietz writes that the Blackhawks are aiming for a strong start following their bye week.When returning from a bye week, teams are 3-10 after playing their first game. The Hawks don’t start up again until Saturday night, but head coach Joel Quenneville thinks that while the break can cause “hiccups,” the break can be a source of good. Defenseman Duncan Keith and Patrick Kane both think the team will be fine, while Keith realizes that Edmonton has been on a roll and will give the Hawks their best, despite a 5-1 beating the Hawks handed them just a week ago.

In other Central Division news:

  • The Wild returned Zack Mitchell to the Iowa Wild after being recalled earlier in the week. Mitchell has played in 11 games this season with the Wild, but has failed to register a point with the big club. It contrasts with his performance in Iowa, where Mitchell led the team in scoring last season. This season he has 14 points (8-6).
  • The Predators are on pace to sell out all of their home games this season reports the Tennessean’s Nate Rau. This would be the first time in franchise history that the Preds would sell out, and team officials say that the Preds have been on a “hot streak” in term of sales since hosting the All-star game. Rau writes that only seven years ago, the Predators were in danger of being sold and possibly moved due to a lack of interest. But another key has been the creativity of season ticket packages. After offering two-year plans, and now three-year plans, the job done by the team on the ice and the front office have allowed for such creativity.
    Related: Deadline Primer: Nashville

Trade Candidates: Patrick Eaves

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With the trade deadline quickly approaching, we will be profiling several players in the weeks ahead that are likely to be dealt by March 1st.

Patrick Eaves is having the best season of his career, and it’s not even close. The Dallas Stars have had the opposite luck, though. The Stars are eight points behind the Predators for the final wild card spot in the Western Conference, and Nashville has three games in hand on them as well. For all intents and purposes, Dallas’ season is over. Their playoff hopes are all but dead and they should be major sellers at the deadline with a plethora of talented expiring contracts. Yet, a team that can move Patrick Sharp, Jiri Hudler, and Johnny Oduya may actually get the best return from the career grinder Eaves; he’s been that effective this season.

Contract

Eaves is on a one-year, $1MM contract. It is the third year in a row that he has signed on for one season at a time with Dallas. By the Trade Deadline, Eaves’ pro-rated cap hit will be only about $250K.

2016-17

To say that Eaves is having the best season of his career is an understatement. Despite several major offensive contributors missing extensive time due to injury in 2016-17, Eaves has emerged, seemingly out of nowhere, as the top goal-scoring threat in Dallas this season. Prior to this year, Eaves’ career-high in points was 32, during his sophomore season with the Ottawa Senators, and his career best in goals was 14, during the same campaign. With 23 games remaining this year, he has topped the former and shattered the latter. Eaves is tied with All-Star Tyler Seguin in goals and behind just he and captain Jamie Benn in points. He has scored 50% more goals than his career-high already and has done so as a sniper, with a shooting percentage in the top 25 in the NHL. Eaves is also averaging about four more minutes of ice time than his career average, in a season where he has transformed from a serviceable bottom-six forward to a relied-upon top-six scorer. After a career that to this point had largely been defined by durability problems, only modest offense, and a dependence on high-energy, checking play, Eaves has capitalized on his impending free agency in a week free agent class by playing like he never has before. The only question now is whether he can keep it up on whichever team trades for him.

Season Stats

57 GP: 21 goals, 14 assists, 35 points, -12 rating, 147 shots, 14.3% shooting, 16:33 ATOIP

Suitors

Eaves would be the perfect addition this season for cap-strapped teams in need of some forward depth. As always, the Chicago Blackhawks meet that description to the letter. The dynastic franchise has made it through this season so far with a couple of questionable pieces in the top nine, but would jump at the chance to add a 20-goal scorer at a $250K cost. One major concern about Eaves is that his numbers will drop off outside of the Dallas system, but if he’s playing alongside Jonathan Toews, there’s far less risk. Chicago has ten picks in the draft this season, including their own picks in rounds one, two, and three, and some nice forward prospects in the pipeline. GM Stan Bowman can put together a package worth Eaves and will probably enjoy the returns.

The Anaheim Ducks have very little wiggle room against the cap ceiling, but even they can afford a quarter-million accommodation. Anaheim was having trouble balancing their offensive lines, and that even before Antoine Vermette landed a long-term suspension. The Ducks are loaded with promising prospects at forward and defense and can afford to peddle away some players in a deal with Dallas. Eaves would provide a much-needed veteran scoring presence, especially on a team that has just one 20-goal scorer so far.

Cap space might not be a problem for the Ottawa Senators, but they’ll still have interest in acquiring the affordable Eaves and he may enjoy the idea of a return to his NHL roots. The Senators are surprisingly very much in the Cup hunt and adding another goal-scorer is at the top of their deadline wish list. Eaves would bring a veteran presence and some energy to a young forward corps than could sometimes use a bit more intensity.

Likelihood Of A Trade

The Dallas Stars have no reason not to trade Eaves. Yes, he may be a product of the system in Dallas and they may want to bring him back next season on a multi-year deal. No one is stopping them. Traded or not, Eaves is not foolish enough to not test the market after the season he’s had, even at age 32. By trading him, the Stars can get a good return to help make up for what has been a huge disappointment of a season, and could still join the bidding for his services this summer if they so choose. As much as GM Jim Nill might look at his roster and think it’s a contender, he’s missing some major pieces in all areas of the ice, including a true starting-caliber goaltender, a reliable top-four defenseman, and some youthful depth at forward. All of those problems won’t be solved by whether or not the team can re-sign Eaves, but adding some trade capital could.

Trade Candidates: Gustav Nyquist

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With the trade deadline quickly approaching, we will be profiling several players in the weeks ahead that are likely to be dealt by March 1st.

Gustav Nyquist made the news for all the wrong reasons after a nasty slash earned him a six-game suspension yesterday. Nyquist, who has struggled to score goals this season, has also seen his name pop up in trade rumors throughout the season. As such, we take a look at what Nyquist would bring to the table for another team.

Contract

Nyquist is in the second year of a four-year, $19MM contract. The AAV is $4.75MM.

2016-17

Once seen as a prolific scorer, Nyquist has seen his numbers crash since putting up 28 goals in 57 games back in 2013-14. He followed it up with 27 goals, and from there, his goal numbers plunged. He put up 17 last season and through this week, he has seven goals. Though he’s paid to light the lamp, Nyquist’s value as someone who creates chances and leads to scoring opportunities is often overlooked. This is an extremely important point as being acquired by a contender would certainly give him better scoring opportunities.

Season Stats

56 GP; 7 goals 22 asssists, 29 points;  -4; 49.9 CF%; 16:48 TOI

Suitors

Though the contract is on the expensive side, Nyquist would be a great addition to any team looking for an offensive spark. Between his deployment in Detroit and the nature of the Red Wings’ struggles, Nyquist’s numbers would certainly see an uptick with a playoff bound team. One team interested is the Chicago Blackhawks, though acquiring Nyquist would cause either Detroit to absorb salary since there would still be two seasons left. However, Nyquist would fit nicely on a line with Jonathan Toews, or opposite Marian Hossa, which would benefit the Blackhawks greatly. Another possibility? Toronto. The Leafs have the cap room and Mike Babcock knows Nyquist well from his days in Detroit. Nyquist also had his two best seasons with Babcock behind the bench. One other possibility? Edmonton. Again, cap room and another offensive threat who could provide depth in a competitive Western Conference.

Likelihood Of A Trade

No one knows what Ken Holland is thinking. After making a number of questionable signings in terms of length and cost, the Wings could deal Nyquist to get breathing room. Though his numbers are lower and might fetch less than before, he’s still one of the Red Wings’ best assets. Should the right deal come along, which would be something shoring up the blue line, Nyquist could very well be on his way out in Detroit. But Holland, despite the Wings current five game losing streak, has made it clear that he could very well stand pat without selling. Nyquist, while a good bargaining chip, will most likely remain a Red Wing, unless Holland gets a can’t miss offer.

Snapshots: Scouts, Blackhawks, Yakupov

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With the trade deadline rapidly approaching, but not many teams finding themselves out of the playoff race a team like Colorado is becoming the scouting capital for the NHL. Tonight as they take on the Buffalo Sabres in a rare trip to the North East, teams have come out in full force to watch players like Matt Duchene and Gabriel Landeskog. Terry Frei of the Denver Post tweeted out the list of scouts in attendance, and it includes 24 names including three from the Maple Leafs and two each from Montreal, Los Angeles, Columbus, Winnipeg and Calgary.

The Maple Leafs in particular have a strong contingent, sending assistant GM Kyle Dubas down in person. The Maple Leafs are being tight-lipped on the status of Mitch Marner after leaving the game last night, though there have been reports of the amount of cap space the team has opened up prior to the deadline. Don’t forget that Buffalo has struggled this year as well, and have multiple players (like Evander Kane) that would be interesting to teams around the league.

  • The Chicago Blackhawks have gotten some reinforcements today, bringing Nick Schmaltz and Tanner Kero up from the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL according to Tracey Myers of CSN Chicago. The Hawks have been off since February 11th on their mandatory bye-week, but get back into the swing of things with three games in four nights (and four in six) starting Saturday.
  • Former first-overall pick Nail Yakupov is back in the St. Louis Blues lineup tonight for the first time in nearly two weeks. With a career almost completely off the rails it will be interesting to see what happens to him at the deadline, and whether a team makes a play for his upside. Still just 23-years old, Yakupov only has six points in 31 games this season and is barely playing over 10 minutes a night whenever he does crack the lineup. He’s arbitration eligible this offseason, and is a clear candidate to not even be tendered a qualifying offer. His $2.5MM salary is currently way more than he is producing, and the QO would need to be the same.

Trade Candidates: Brendan Smith

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With the trade deadline quickly approaching, we will be profiling several players in the weeks ahead that are likely to be dealt by March 1st.

As the Detroit Red Wings slip deeper into the Eastern Conference basement, their hopes of a 26th consecutive playoff appearance slip away as well. Brendan Smith is one of many names rumored to be shipped out of Hockeytown.

Contract

Final season of a two-year, $5.5MM deal. $2.75MM AAV.

2016-17

Smith has been somewhat of an enigma in Detroit. On one hand, it’s never seemed like he got a fair shake in the Motor City. On another, when given chances this season, Smith has not been at his best. Fighting injury and other defensemen for ice time, Smith is in the final year of his contract and is destined to be wearing a different jersey next season.

Season Stats

GP 29; 2 goals, 3 assists, 5 points; -1; 18:19 TOI; 50% CF

Suitors

Depth on the blue line is one of the greatest assets come playoff time. A promising playoff run can be derailed by injury, especially due to the grueling nature of the NHL playoffs. Smith’s affordable contract and offensive upside could be an asset looking for a top six defenseman. Though Smith would fill in best as a fifth or sixth defenseman, he could still bring value to a team.

The Chicago Blackhawks could squeeze him in, should they not acquire anyone else, especially since there are rumors tied to them about having interest in Thomas Vanek as well. Should the Red Wings be willing to eat salary, the Blackhawks could offer a mid round or lower end pick. Or, they could get creative in terms of trading players that can match up monetarily. The Los Angeles Kings are another option, always looking for defenseman to strengthen their blue line. In the east, Montreal would be an option, while the Columbus Blue Jackets could bring him into the fold to help its depth. While Smith won’t garner much in the way of prospects, getting a draft pick instead of losing him as a free agent is certainly a better option.

Likelihood Of A Trade

General manager Ken Holland has indicated that selling is becoming the more realistic option as Detroit’s playoff hopes fade. Smith offers a chance to snag a draft pick or a prospect, depending on the trade partner. With Smith being in the final year of his contract, it’s a high probability that he’s shipped out.

Deadline Primer: Detroit Red Wings

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With the trade deadline now just weeks away, we’re taking a closer look at each team.  Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?

It’s been quite the purgatory for the Detroit Red Wings. Mike Ilitch, who transformed the Dead Wings into a four time Stanley Cup Champion, passed away on Friday. As if losing the owner who many current and former players considered to be a father figure wasn’t enough, the Wings 25-year playoff streak may end at a quarter century. Struggling to piece wins together, Detroit has a historically bad power play, a team besieged by injury, and a horrible return on investment from several players inked to expensive, long term deals.

For the first time since the early 90’s, the Red Wings are sellers. And yet, while it looks that the playoffs are slipping away, general manager Ken Holland may “stand pat” instead of selling off assets.

Record

22-24-10; 54 points. Last in the Atlantic; Last in the Eastern Conference.

Deadline Status

Seller

Deadline Cap Space

Current Cap Space: $0 ($8.3MM with LTIR relief)
Deadline Cap Space: $0 ($8.3MM with LTIR relief)
46/50 contracts, via CapFriendly

Draft Picks

2017: ( 9 Total) DET 1st, DET 2nd, DET 3rd, TOR 3rd, DET 4th, DET 5th, DET 6th, FLA 6th, DET 7th
2018: 7 Total) DET 1st, DET 2nd, DET 3rd, DET 4th, DET 5th, DET 6th, DET 7th.

Trade Chips

Mar 29, 2016; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Detroit Red Wings forward <a rel=There are a number of players to choose from but topping the list is Thomas Vanek, who has been linked to the Chicago Blackhawks among other teams. Should he stay healthy (he’s currently battling an ankle injury), he could fetch some prospects or a draft pick. Mike Green has been another name, though he seems less likely to be moved as the Wings are trying to upgrade on the blue line–and he has been good for them this season. Gustav Nyquist and Tomas Tatar were also mentioned, targets by the Chicago Blackhawks. Petr Mrazek, though it seems odd since he has struggled and was just signed to a deal in the offseason, could also be shopped. Finally, Brendan Smith, in the final year of a contract, could be moved as well.

Team Needs

1) #1 defenseman. Good luck. Almost every team in the NHL seeks that top pair defenseman, the Red Wings truly haven’t had one since Nick Lidstrom retired. Worse, their young defensemen have regressed while the veterans are broken down versions of their once steady selves (Niklas Kronwall comes to mind). The problem in getting the top pairing defenseman they seek is two fold. First, only a young player with team control could garner the top d-man, be it Anthony Mantha, Dylan Larkin, or Andreas Athanasiou. But those are players the Red Wings aren’t willing to give up. Second, the salary cap situation is a mess being that Holland has handed out expensive, long-term contracts to players like Justin Abdelkader, who hasn’t scored a goal since November. To add and retain a top pair defenseman, a team needs salary cap space. The Wings are in trouble for years to come unless they can shed those contracts. Until the Red Wings fix the blue line, their slide will continue and only get worse.

2) An elite, generational player. In all of the seasons for the Red Wings to fall off, it would be the season where there isn’t a clear cut one and two option. Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine were all clear cut options in the last two drafts. Now? While Nolan Patrick, Nico Hischier, and Tim Liljegren are all great options, scouts are having a hard time agreeing on a clear cut favorite. Holland could trade draft picks and players to go after former top picks, like Matt Duchene, Nathan MacKinnon or Gabriel Landeskog, but that seems pretty far fetched. Plus, Holland has been gun shy during the Cap era when it comes to trades. But this year’s draft is not as certain as in previous seasons, and that doesn’t bode well for a team who desperately needs a top tier talent to get back on the right track. Larkin, Mantha, and Athanasiou are great starts as building blocks, but they are at least one, if not two, generational players away from getting back to the top of the hockey world again.

Snapshots: Tootoo, Barzal, Parenteau

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It’s not easy to open up about alcoholism and the effect it has on your life and the people around you. Jordin Tootoo has done just that over the past few years, and again to Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune. In a stunningly open interview with Kuc that is reminiscent of the piece done by David Pollock of The Hockey News concerning Devin Setoguchi (who cleared waivers today and was sent to the AHL), Tootoo speaks about the past six years of sobriety and how he has changed from a bottle-swigging teenager to a bottle-feeding parent.

A role-model on the ice and off of it, Tootoo has turned from rampant alcoholism onset by the suicide of his brother to clean living and mentoring of younger players of his Inuit background. Those from his hometown of Rankin Inlet in Nunavut, Canada are starting to follow his lead and leave the bottle for a hockey stick instead. The piece is a wonderful look inside a player who has seen pretty much everything in his NHL career, and is now trying to help the Chicago Blackhawks get back to the Stanley Cup finals.

  • The New York Islanders might not have performed exactly as expected this season, but even if they don’t make the playoffs—which, after an excellent stretch is far from certain—they have some bright spots in their future. Kelsey Smith of NHL.com checks in on some of their prospects, including two that received some league honors this week. Mathew Barzal and Ryan Pulock earned player of the week honors in their respective leagues, and the two first-rounders seem like locks to eventually make it to the NHL on a full-time basis. After starring at the World Juniors, Barzal has 54 points (including 46 assists) in just 29 games for the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL, while Pulock has 22 points in 27 games from the back-end of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the AHL.
  • P.A. Parenteau has found a home in New Jersey after being selected off waivers by the Devils just before the season started. The Islanders had signed the free agent winger prior to the year, but decided he wasn’t cut out for John Tavares’ wing anymore and allowed the Devils to take him for nothing. He’s put up 13 goals and 25 points this year in 53 games and doesn’t want to go anywhere at the deadline. “I want to stay here, they’ve been great to me,” Parenteau told Andrew Gross of The Record, while admitting he understands that his name will surface on March 1st, if not before. Just like last year when Parenteau was in the midst of a 20-goal season for the Toronto Maple Leafs, he’s an expiring contract who can provide goal scoring for almost no money; plenty of teams will be after that at the deadline, if they believe that he is capable of playing a role in their playoff push.

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