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Colorado Avalanche Sign Head Coach Jared Bednar To One-Year Extension

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Rather than have him enter next season with the pressure of performing in his final season under contract, the Colorado Avalanche have extended Jared Bednar’s deal for another year. That means the head coach, who originally signed a three-year deal in 2016, is now under contract through the 2019-20 season.

Bednar and the Avalanche have been one of the best stories of the year, after posting a historically bad season in 2016-17. The then-rookie head coach led Colorado to a 22-56-4 season and was the target of ridicule for much of the offseason. While GM Joe Sakic dealt with the ongoing Matt Duchene trade request distraction, Bednar was brought back for another chance with the young group. After Duchene was dealt, something in the Avalanche clicked and they rolled all the way to a postseason berth.

Though they were eliminated in the first round by the Nashville Predators, many see this as a hugely successful season for the Avalanche. Nathan MacKinnon is a legitimate candidate for the Hart Trophy as league MVP after scoring 97 points in just 74 games, and 21-year old Mikko Rantanen exploded for 84 points of his own. The team’s incredibly fast-paced attack would relentlessly grind down opponent’s defenses, and despite a relatively shallow roster—especially on defense—the Avalanche would finish 10th in goals for.

Today at the season-ending press conference, Sakic admitted that he likely will try to get even younger next season, not bring in a group of veterans to help MacKinnon and company compete next season. In a league that is skewing younger and younger each season, that seems like a sound strategy from a GM who was criticized endlessly last offseason.

The Avalanche do have several young prospects close to providing some NHL impact, though Cale Makar—perhaps the best of the bunch—will return to college next season. Bednar will be tasked with implementing them into the roster, without disrupting the chemistry he built this season.

Calgary Flames Announce Bill Peters As New Head Coach

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The signs all pointed to Bill Peters being the next head coach of the Calgary Flames, and now it is a reality. The team has introduced Peters as the their new bench boss. Recently leaving Carolina despite a $1.6MM salary, Peters has long been rumored to be interested in heading back to his home province of Alberta if the opportunity presented itself.

Peters also recently interviewed with the Dallas Stars, and is still a sought after commodity in the coaching ranks. That reputation comes in spite of the fact that the Hurricanes failed to reach the postseason in each of his four yeas behind the bench. Still, he fits the mold for the Flames, who have been clear that they are after a more authoritative voice in the dressing room. Though former head coach Glen Gulutzan was known for periodical explosions at practice, he was considered much more laid back than Peters is, something that the front office believes needs to change.

The Flames struggled this season and missed the playoffs despite outstanding performances from their best two players, Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan. Both players set career-highs in scoring—despite Monahan requiring four surgeries at the end of the year—but couldn’t get the Flames into the postseason and now face a challenging task in the future. The Flames are without their first three picks in this year’s draft, as they expected to be Stanley Cup contenders, not draft lottery participants.

The new coach will have to get more out of the Flames’ defensive group, which is something Peters is known for. Serving under Mike Babcock in Detroit, Peters established himself as a progressive defensive mind whose systems generally drive possession and avoid giving up high danger scoring opportunities. Though Carolina wasn’t making the playoffs, they routinely registered good possession statistics but couldn’t seem to get enough goaltending to really compete. In his four years, his goalies registered .907, .906, .904 and .897 save percentages, well below league average. The question of whether that has to do with talent or system will likely be answered in Calgary, where Mike Smith is still capable of putting up fine numbers.

Calgary’s defense corps was expected to be one of the best in the league, especially after the addition of Travis Hamonic in the offseason. Unfortunately Hamonic never seemed to gel perfectly with the group, who were inconsistent from day one. They still have plenty of talent in the group, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see some personnel tweaks in the offseason as the team looks to rebound in 2018-19.

Snapshots: Boucher, Thornton, Hamhuis, Lindholm, Cullen

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The Vancouver Canucks placed center Reid Boucher on waivers with the hopes of sending him to Utica of the AHL, according to TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie. The forward missed the final three games of the season when he broke his hand, but Sportsnet’s Rick Dhaliwal reports that he is healthy again and ready to join the Comets for the first-round series against the Toronto Marlies in the Calder Cup playoffs.

The 24-year-old Boucher struggled to make an impact with the Canucks this season as he had just three goals and five points in 20 games. However, he was quite successful when playing for the Comets, putting up 25 goals in just 45 games for the AHL squad. He is a restricted free agent this offseason.

  • The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz reports that San Jose Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer said that center Joe Thornton has been ruled out in Game 1 against the Vegas Golden Knights later this week, although no date has been set yet by the NHL. The 38-year-old has been working his way back from a torn MCL injury in January. He has been practicing on his own, but obviously if he’s been ruled out already for Game 1, then it might be another week. Regardless, he could be back at some point in the series.
  • SportsDay’s Mike Heika profiles defenseman Dan Hamhuis, who was a key shutdown defender alongside Greg Pateryn this season for about 50 games before the 35-year-old veteran began to wear down. The defensive-minded defenseman still tallied three goals, 24 points, 113 blocks and 82 hits during the season, but the scribe writes the veteran’s play was part of the reason for Dallas’ late-season struggles. Heika adds that it’s likely the team will move on from Hamhuis who will be a unrestricted free agent this summer. He is finishing up a two year, $7.5MM deal. The team is likely to go with a younger defense as they will want to give minutes to Julius Honka and last year’s third-overall pick Miro Heiskanen, who many believe will come over from Finland next season.
  • With his team having lost the SHL finals, center Par Lindholm, one of Skelleftea top players, is expected to leave the team and come to the NHL, according to Expresssen (translation required). The 26-year-old put up 18 goals and 29 assists in 49 games this past season, and added another six goals and 11 points in 16 playoff games and played for Sweden in the 2018 Olympic Games. There is no word in the article where he might go, although there is plenty of interest from NHL teams.
  • The Minnesota Wild’s Matt Cullen has not made any decisions about whether he intends to return next season, according to StarTribune’s Sarah MacLellan. “I don’t know,” the 41-year-old said after the Wild were eliminated Friday. “My only though here the last while was getting it back home for Game 6. So to be honest, I don’t have an answer right now.” Cullen, who has played 20 seasons so far in the NHL, waited until August last year before opting to leave Pittsburgh and join Minnesota, his hometown team. He played in 79 games, but saw his points total drop to one of his lowest totals ever with 22 points.

Playoff Notes: Hornqvist, Malkin, Komarov, Ehlers

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After having missed the last two playoff games for the Pittsburgh Penguins with an upper-body injury, veteran winger Patric Hornqvist is expected back for Game 6 today against the Philadelphia Flyers. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Jason Mackey writes that Hornqvist’s return is a major boost for a team as he is one of the team’s most unheralded players.

Mackey writes Hornqvist’s skill around the net, willingness to take a hit and his intensity both on and off the ice are keys the Penguins have missed the last two games. In fact, it’s that passion that’s so important to Pittsbugh.

“He brings so much passion to the rink every day and loves the game,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “He loves to be around his teammates. He loves to practice. He loves to play, and it’s contagious. I think he’s one of the more passionate guys that I’ve been around in all the years that I’ve been associated with this league. That’s one of the things that we love about him.”

Whether it’s his attitude or scoring prowess, he has made a difference to the team, according to Mackey. When he’s on the ice, the Penguins have a .640 points percentage as opposed to a .559 when he’s not playing.

  • While Hornqvist is expected to play Sunday, the Pittsburgh Penguins aren’t as sure about the status of center Evgeni Malkin, according to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Sam Werner and Mackey. Malkin was the only player to miss Saturday’s practice after injuring his leg in the first period of Friday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers when he got collided with Jori Lehtera and fell awkwardly against the boards. While he left after that play, he returned for the second period. While missing practice isn’t that big of a deal, Sullivan didn’t tell the media he was taking a maintenance day, suggesting his injury could be more serious than originally thought. He is a game-time decision.
  • Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston writes that Toronto Maple Leafs forward Leo Komarov is at 85 percent and isn’t yet ready to play for Monday’s Game 6 against the Boston Bruins. The 31-year-old has only played in two games this series with a lower-body injury. He has no points and a minus-1 rating in those two games.
  • While it’s still a series away, the Winnipeg Jets Nikolaj Ehlers skated with a non-contact jersey Sunday. Head coach Paul Maurice said Ehlers wasn’t feeling quite right and missed Game 5 because of that, although the coach didn’t clarify if it was an injury or illness, according to Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun. Ehlers and the Jets await the winner between Nashville and Colorado in the second round of the playoffs.

Playoff Notes: Tortorella, Miller, Devils

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The Washington Capitals, who have tortured their fans with crushing playoff losses in the past, are a game away from digging out of a 2-0 hole and advancing to the second round. After beating Columbus 4-3 in overtime this afternoon, Washington has a chance to wrap the series up Monday night in Columbus. But it won’t be that easy, writes the Washington Post’s Roman Stubbs, who quotes Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella as saying there will be another game in D.C.:

“We will be back here for Game 7,” he said, before doubling down after another question about how he would prepare his team for the next game. “I won’t have to say a damn word to them. We’ll be back here for Game 7.”

As Stubbs points out, this isn’t the first person to guarantee victory, as the Caps’ Alex Ovechkin vowed that his team would rally from the two game deficit. Last season, Mike Babcock guaranteed a seventh game against the Capitals, but as Stubbs notes, that guarantee “rang hollow.” The Jackets’ bench boss is most likely trying to deflect the pressure that builds after squandering a two game series lead, or as Caps coach Barry Trotz said after hearing of Tortorella’s guarantee: “He wants to get it out there he believes in his team, just as I believe in my team.”

  • J.T. Miller is thriving with the Tampa Bay Lightning and the former Ranger has been a key part in Tampa’s first round success writes Newsday’s Colin Stephenson. With four points in five games, Stephenson reports that being on a line with Steven Stamkos certainly helps his performance, but it’s Miller’s grit and tenacity that has made him so valuable on a team loaded with skill. Whether it’s his work on the ice leading to goals, like his screen of Cory Schneider during Nikita Kucherov’s goal, or his knack to win crucial faceoffs (currently 56% through five games), he’s a guy, according to Tampa Bay head coach Jon Cooper, who “can make plays.”
  • Emily Kaplan of ESPN (Insider Subscription needed) offers a post-mortem of the Devils season and writes that the team has to add some defensive depth as it was a glaring need during the five game loss to the Lightning. She writes that both Sami Vatanen and Will Butcher are great building blocks for a strong defensive corps, but “reinforcements” are needed to get the Devils back into the playoffs and beyond. She also touches on predictions for next season, and what the Devils should do concerning Patrick Maroon and Michael Grabner.

Snapshots: Brind’Amour, Provorov, Brodziak

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With the departure of head coach Bill Peters who exercised his opt-out clause and left the team, the Carolina Hurricanes will have to start looking for a head coach along with a new general manager. However, former captain and now assistant coach Rod Brind’Amour has said that he would like the job, according to Chip Alexander of The News & Observer.

Alexander says that Brind’Amour is not publically campaigning for the job, but believes after eight years as an assistant coach, he’s ready to become an NHL head coach.

“If you never try, you’ll never know,” Brind’Amour said Saturday. “The reason for saying ‘why not?’ is I’ve been doing it for eight years and I really believe I can help out one way or the other and see if I can put us over the hump. I don’t think as an assistant I’m going to get any better or learn any more. So now’s the time. … They’re going to find the best guy to do it and if it’s me, that’s great, and if not I understand. But I felt like I could at least step up and see if it could happen.”

Alexander says that Hurricanes’ new owner Tom Dundon likes Brind’Amour, including his work ethic, hockey sense and his ability to relate both to players and management.

  • Philadelphia Flyers general manager Ron Hextall would not give a medical update on defenseman Ivan Provorov, who was injured Friday when he collided with Pittsburgh’s Brian Dumoulin and crashed into thte boards late in the game. It looked as if he injured his shoulder, according to Philly.com’s Sam Carchidi. Provorov’s availability for Game 6 is essential if the Flyers want to force a Game 7. He was critical in shutting down Sidney Crosby by playing a career high 30:07 of playing time Friday and was a key member of the penalty kill. The scribe writes the good news is that Provorov was not wearing a sling on his way to the team bus after the game, but Hextall, who is very secretive likely won’t reveal his status until right before the game.
  • Tom Timmermann of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes that veteran forward Kyle Brodziak’s time with the St. Louis Blues could likely be over. With the influx of multiple prospects and with a likely shakeup of the current roster, the 34-year-old veteran could easily find himself on the open market. With the potential additions of some of their top prospects such as Jordan Kyrou, Robert Thomas, Samuel Blais and the possible return of Robby Fabbri, the team is likely to move on from some of their veterans, including Brodziak and veteran Scottie Upshall, who was in the same boat a year ago, but was brought back when injuries mounted.

Western Notes: Peters, MacLean, Duclair, Niku, Suzuki

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While the rumor that former Carolina Hurricanes head coach Bill Peters is likely headed to Calgary, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that the Dallas Stars had requested permission from Carolina to speak to Peters and did, but has decided that he isn’t a good fit for their coaching vacancy and is the front-runner for the Flames head coaching job. Postmedia’s Wes Gilbertson adds that the Flames were concerned about a better offer from Dallas, but the scribe writes that it is more and more certain the team will hire Peters.

“I’d like to work, I’d like to coach. I hope something is in place soon,” Peters said via Gilbertson.

While Peters was considered to be one of the top coaching prospects when he was hired by Carolina four years ago, he was never able to get them to the playoffs. The hope is that with four years of experience, the coach can take that next step with Calgary, who has a lot of talent and could be ready to make an impact next year.

  • LeBrun also said the Dallas Stars will be patient in their coaching search, but believes that the team will consider former Ottawa Senators head coach Paul MacLean as a candidate. The coach was 114-90-35 in three and a half seasons for Ottawa from 2011-2014. However, LeBrun admits there are many candidates on their coaching list.
  • Corey Snzjdjer of The Athletic (subscription required) writes the Chicago Blackhawks might not be able to retain restricted free agent Anthony Duclair. The 22-year-old acquired in January has a ton of potential, but can’t seem to put up much, in terms of points. He had two goals and six assists in 23 games until he suffered a knee injury that knocked him out for the last 13 games of the year. The scribe writes that because Duclair is on a one-year bridge deal, Chicago would have to match his $1.2MM salary, which might be too high of a price with all the young talent who could be brought in at cheaper salaries, including Vinnie Hinostroza, Victor Ejdsell and Dylan Sikura.
  • The Winnipeg Jets announced they have assigned defenseman Sami Niku to the AHL’s Manitoba Moose. Niku was recalled Thursday as the team was dealing with injuries to defenseman Tyler Myers and then losing defenseman Josh Morrissey to a one-game suspension. Niku, the AHL’s defenseman of the year, would have gone in had Myers been unable to go Friday. Instead, he returns to Manitoba as they begin their playoff series today against the Grand Rapids Griffins.
  • The Vegas Golden Knights have promoted prospect Nick Suzuki from the OHL’s Owen Sound Attack to the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. The 18-year-old prospect was the 13th overall pick in the 2017 draft and put up a 100-point season this year in 64 games for the Attack. He will join another first-rounder in Cody Glass, who was promoted earlier this week and 2017 second-round pick Nicolas Hague, who has been with the team for a couple of weeks. The prospects are just another future line of depth that could conceivably join Vegas next year, assuming they can win spots on the team during training camp.

Ducks Notes: Carlyle, Kesler, Henrique, Bieksa, Eaves, Vermette

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Despite suffering a sweep at the hands of the San Jose Sharks, Anaheim Ducks executive vice president and general manager Bob Murray gave a vote of confidence to coach Randy Carlyle today, according to Mike Coppinger of the Los Angeles Times. However, Murray also said he is looking for changes in the team’s style of play.

The team made the playoffs despite being plagued by injuries. Carlyle, who has coached the team for the past two years after serving previously as the Ducks’ coach for seven years from 2005-2012, had no players who played the full 82-game season. First liners Ryan Kesler only played 44 games, while Ryan Getzlaf only played 54 games. Even Corey Perry missed 11 games due to injury. However, with an aging offense, the team needs to increase its speed if it wants to compete in the same division as the Vegas Golden Knights or the San Jose Sharks.

  • Kesler admitted he struggled trying to get his way back this season after undergoing hip surgery last offseason. He was forced to re-learn how to skate. “Learning how to basically skate again, and coming back behind the eight ball when everybody is in mid-season form and you’re in training camp mode, is hard. It’s not an excuse. I’m way better off now than I was before the surgery.” Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register adds that Kesler lost 20 pounds in the last month to increase his speed. He intends to play at his new weight next season in hopes of lengthening his career. Kesler, originally listed at 202 pounds, will be needed to return to full form next season if they want to continue with their playoff success. He is locked up for another three years at $8.625MM with a no movement clause.
  • Center Adam Henrique, who the team acquired back in November, has said he is interested in signing an extension with the team this offseason. The 28-year-old scored 20 goals in 57 games with the Ducks and 24 total goals. He has one more year at $4MM and is eligible for an extension on July 1.
  • Veteran defenseman Kevin Bieksa didn’t leave the team on a positive note, suggesting that despite having a ruptured tendon in his finger, it was “very disappointing” that he didn’t get more playing time in the team’s playoff series. The 36-year-old played in just one game against the Sharks. “It didn’t turn out to be a good-looking decision,” said Bieksa. He will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
  • Stephens added veteran winger Patrick Eaves, who had surgery on his shoulder in March, will be ready this fall with an October timeline. Eaves, who scored 32 goals between Anaheim and Dallas last year, played in just two games this season.
  • Antoine Vermette says he believes he has more hockey left in him. The 35-year-old will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason. He said he will discuss his situation with his family about whether he will return next season. “I’ve never been in this situation. I’ll take my time to kind of see what we want to do here,” said Vermette about his uncertain offseason.
  • The Ducks also announced that Hampus Lindholm, Rickard Rakell and Korbinian Holzer will each play for their respective countries in the 2018 IIHF World Championships.

 

Injury Updates: Bergeron, Wennberg, Oshie

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One game after he was inexplicably a late scratch due to a lingering injury, it appears that Boston Bruins star Patrice Bergeron is feeling better. The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa not only reports that Bergeron was a full participant in the team’s morning skate, but that he skated in his regular spot on the first line and first power play unit. Head coach Bruce Cassidy told the media that he anticipates that Bergeron will play in Game Five, as the series returns to Boston with a chance for the Bruins to advance. While Riley Nash filled in admirably for Bergeron, as he has all season, the return of arguably the best defensive forward in hockey history could be the death knell of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

  • In a crucial Game Five in Washington, the Columbus Blue Jackets are also hoping to get a key center back in the lineup. The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline feels there is a “strong indication” that Alexander Wennberg will be back for the Jackets after being knocked out of the first game of the series by Capitals head-hunter Tom Wilson. Portzline adds that head coach John Tortorella will address the media about an hour and half ahead of puck drop and would then confirm Wennberg’s return. Portzline believes that Sonny Milano would be the man to sit if Wennberg is ready to go.
  • After missing two of the final three regular season games for the Capitals, it appears T.J. Oshie is still not over his lower-body injury. Oshie has been active and effective in every game of Washington’s first-round series, but the Washington Post’s Isabelle Khurshudyan reports that Oshie has been playing through injury and has been missing practices and morning skates all series long. While head coach Barry Trotz and Oshie’s teammates appreciate his sacrifice, there should be concern that it will catch up to the talented forward. Unfortunately, the Capitals-Blue Jackets series is knotted up at two games apiece and has been extremely competitive, not allowing Oshie any flexibility to sit for a game. If the series runs seven games deep, an extra day of rest seems unlikely as well. If Washington is fortunate enough to advance, Oshie may struggle to keep up his level of play in the next round.

Coaching Notes: Peters, Quinn, Stars

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As soon as former Hurricanes head coach Bill Peters resigned from his position with Carolina this morning, hockey pundits around the continent proclaimed him the leading candidate for the open Calgary Flames job. While no one has yet made any sort of concrete connection between Peters and the Flames, there is nearly universal agreement that he is the top option. The Athletic’s Rick Carpinello has taken it one step further. The New York Rangers beat writer states that Peters was never an option for the Rangers, as his deal with Calgary is “done”. It seems a deal could be imminent between the two sides. While on it’s face, Peters’ hire in Calgary could be a good fit, as he is a widely-respected coach who has always carried high expectations, the parallels between the underachieving Flames and underachieving Hurricanes is cause for some alarm.

  • If Peters won’t be the next head coach in New York, who will be? For a while, the top candidate has seemed to be Boston University head coach David Quinn. Quinn’s Terriers have been have made the NCAA Tournament four years in a row, most recently winning the Hockey East Tournament this season to sneak in and make it to the Northeast Regional final. During this time, Quinn has coached more top NHL prospects than any other bench boss in college hockey. The rebuilding Rangers could greatly use Quinn’s talent for working with young players. USA Hockey has recognized that ability as well, today naming Quinn the head coach of the 2019 U.S. World Junior team. Some Rangers fans have worried that this appointment could remove Quinn from the running for New York’s new head coach, but the New York Post’s Larry Brooks says not so fast. Per Brooks, Quinn’s role as Team USA coach won’t hurt what Brooks calls his “strong candidacy”. In fact, Brooks calls Quinn the exact “developmental coach” that owner James Dolan is seeking and ensures that everything would work out if Quinn was offered the job.
  • While Carolina, Calgary, and New York make waves in the coaching pool, the vacancy in Dallas has received little attention. That hasn’t surprised SportsDay’s Mike Heika, who says that GM Jim Nill will be patient with his decision on Ken Hitchcock’s replacement. Heika states that Nill has a long list of candidates, including many former Stars coaches. That could be a benefit for Dallas, an organization with ties to Glen Gulutzan, Dave Tippett, and Willie Desjardins, or could be a hindrance if the team doesn’t want to recycle a former coach again as they did with Hitchcock. Alternatives include hiring displaced Rangers coach Alain Vigneault, offering a promotion to several AHL head coaches, or even poaching Craig Berube from the division rival St. Louis Blues, according to Heika. Nill will take his time in sorting out the candidates, only setting a deadline of the NHL Draft in late June for the hire.

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