NHL Snapshots: Horvat, Blueger, Witkowski
After reaching terms to a new six year, $33MM contract yesterday, Vancover Canucks’ forward Bo Horvat is now labeled as a “foundational” piece of the team. But many question how good can the 22-year-old center get. After all, the young star had a solid season a year ago, putting up 20 goals and 32 assists. But how much farther can he take his game?
Mike Halford of The Athletic (subscription required) interviewed his former coach Willie Dejardins about what the potential future of Horvat is, who says that one of Horvat’s top qualities is that being average just isn’t good enough. The veteran coach writes that when he was first drafted, the big knock on him was his lack of skating skills. However, he has been working on those skills for the last few years, including instruction from power-skating expert Kathy McIlvaine. The results were evident when he found himself competing with St. Louis’ speedster Vladimir Tarasenko in the fastest skating event in the All-Star game this past January.
“The speed of his game – when he first came in, he wasn’t a great skater,” Desjardins explained. “And somehow along the line he changed that, and that doesn’t happen very often at that level, or to that degree. That shows a high commitment level.”
Desjardins also points out in the article that Horvat’s greatest gift is his defense, although the metrics don’t show that yet. What he does say is that Horvat’s will to become a great player will push him up among the top centers of the Pacific Division where he will find himself playing against top talent like Connor McDavid and Ryan Kesler daily.
- Consider Pittsburgh prospect Teddy Blueger as a potential candidate for that third-line center spot. Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazzette writes that Blueger has worked hard at his skating in the last few years in hopes of breaking into the Pittsburgh Penguins front lines. Although the Penguins could trade for a veteran at any time, Blueger, has the ability to break into that lineup. Having scored 108 points in for years at Minnesota State University – Mankato, putting him in the top 10 all-time in the school’s history, he will have quite a challenge to win a job with the Penguins this year. He will have to compete with veteran Carter Rowney, Jay McClement, Jean-Sebastien Dea and Greg McKegg for that spot.
- MLive’s Ansar Khan breaks down Luke Witkowski, who signed this offseason to a two-year deal worth $750K per year. The 27-year-old defenseman played sporadically for the past three years with the Tampa Bay Lightning and now, according to Khan, plan to move him to right wing. Khan writes that unless the team suffers numerous defensive injuries, that Witkowski will not play defense this year. Instead, he will compete with prospect Tyler Bertuzzi for the fourth-line wing spot opposite Riley Sheahan and Luke Glendening and would be a perfect fit as the team’s 13th skater if Bertuzzi makes the team.
Snapshots: Therrien, Blues PTO, Sergachev
Michel Therrien is back in hockey, and you won’t believe where. The former Montreal Canadiens head coach that was fired mid-season when Claude Julien became available will serve as a scout for those same Canadiens this season, according to TSN.
Therrien was unceremoniously removed from the head coaching position in February just days after Julien lost his job in Boston, ending his second stint behind the bench with the club. The 53-year old Therrien has a 406-303-23-82 record in the NHL, and ranks 37th all-time in games coached.
- The St. Louis Blues released their entire training camp roster today, and it includes two players on professional tryouts. Ty Loney and Michael McKee have been signed to PTOs and will be in camp, though not much should be expected of either. Loney has spent the last few years bouncing between the AHL and ECHL after graduating from the University of Denver, while McKee is a former fifth-round pick of the Detroit Red Wings who just finished his fourth season at Western Michigan University. He became a free agent when the Red Wings failed to sign him this summer.
- Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times caught up with prospect Mikhail Sergachev, and the young defender was clear that he intends on making the Lightning out of training camp. “For me, going back to junior is not an option,” said Sergachev, who was acquired from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Jonathan Drouin earlier this summer. Sergachev has dominated the OHL in his first two seasons in North America, and even suited up for four games at the beginning of last season with the Canadiens. While the Tampa Bay defense is quite crowded, he clearly has the talent to break through and establish himself as an NHL force.
Early Notes: Parros, Jets, Red Wings
George Parros will the new voice at the top of the Department of Player Safety according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, who reports that current head Stephane Quintal will be staying with the league but taking on different projects. Quintal will help Parros transition into the leadership role, which comes with its fair share of stressors.
Parros was known for his fists during his playing days, and continues what has been a trend for the DoPS; hiring those who played their career right on the edge of the rules. The Princeton grad will be the decision maker on many suspensions and fines next season, something that comes with incredible scrutiny. Friedman also mentions that newly retired Shane Doan has been considered as a replacement for Chris Pronger, who departed the DoPS for the Florida Panthers this offseason.
- The Winnipeg Jets have indeed given extensions to both GM Kevin Cheveldayoff and coach Paul Maurice, both coming with multi-year terms. The pair will be in Winnipeg for the next several years, trying to take a franchise to the playoffs for just the third time in their history (Atlanta included). Cheveldayoff has done strong work in the draft room and getting players under contract, but he’ll have a huge offseason ahead of him next year. 19 players are restricted free agents including most of their forward group, and another five will be unrestricted. It could change the course of the franchise should he not be able to find a way to fit them all in.
- Craig Custance of The Athletic (subscription required) went all-in on the Detroit Red Wings and their ongoing negotiations with Andreas Athanasiou, explaining where each side is and how they’ve come to a point where the KHL is a legitimate option. He mentions how Sam Bennett‘s recent contract could easily be a starting point for the Athanasiou camp, as the Detroit forward outscored his fellow Definitive Hockey client last season. The most interesting part of the whole piece is near the end, when Custance mentions that the Red Wings are in conversations on several trade fronts around the league. GM Ken Holland has admitted that if they’re to get through camp healthy, a move would likely be required to keep the Red Wings cap-compliant.
Morning Notes: Jets, Karlsson, Horvat
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet is hearing that there are incoming extensions for GM Kevin Cheveldayoff and head coach Paul Maurice, keeping the duo in Winnipeg for the next few years. The Jets came closer to the playoffs than many remember last year, finishing ninth in the Western Conference with 87 points. With a young group of forwards led by Mark Scheifele, Patrik Laine and Nikolaj Ehlers, the Jets will be a tough contender in the battle for the playoffs once again. With Steve Mason in net, perhaps they’ll finally get the goaltending required to take the next step.
In terms of Cheveldayoff, his biggest task in the near future could once again be Jacob Trouba. After a holdout last season that leaked into November and came with a trade demand, Trouba eventually signed a two-year $6MM contract with the Jets and went on to have an excellent season in an increased role. Trouba’s complaints were mostly about playing time and future, and it seems that he’s now passed Tyler Myers on the depth chart in Winnipeg. We’ll have to wait and see if that’s enough to get Trouba to sign a long-term deal next summer, or if the young defenseman again wants out of town.
- Erik Karlsson hasn’t resumed skating according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, and still isn’t sure if he’ll be ready for opening day. Karlsson underwent surgery on his foot and ankle in June and was given a four month timeline for recovery. Karlsson is part of the media tour for the NHL and NHLPA’s Declaration of Principals, which hope to help establish guidelines for inclusivity from minor hockey to the professional ranks. Dan Rosen of NHL.com has the entire Declaration, which apparently was the brainchild of Pat Lafontaine and Luc Robitaille after a trip to the Vatican. The announcement even included a letter from the Pope endorsing the program.
- Bob McKenzie of TSN returned from his summer vacation to give us a bit of information on the ongoing Bo Horvat negotiations. He believes the two sides are closing in on a deal, and speculates it would be in the range of six or seven years at a salary between $5-6MM. We’ve heard that the Vancouver Canucks and Horvat have discussed everything from a bridge deal to an eight-year contract, with the latter seeming less likely. Horvat is one of several high profile free agents left to sign, but there never seemed to be much doubt that a contract would eventually be signed.
Jakob Chychrun “Progressing Well”, Expected Back This Season
When young Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun underwent knee surgery earlier this month, the timeline for his return was “indefinite” and there was fear that he could miss the entire 2017-18 season. Even when new head coach Rick Tocchet indicated that Chychrun was sure to return this season, there was still skepticism. Now, Arizona Sports’ Craig Morgan has heard from GM John Chayka that the sophomore rearguard’s injury is “definitely not season-ending”.
In speaking with Chayka, Morgan reports that Chychrun is “progressing really well” and that his high-end strength and conditioning has made for an expedited rehab and recovery period. Chayka did not give any details on the nature of the injury, but did day that it is very unlikely that Chychrun would be ready for the beginning of the season. It would be more like a miracle, given the extensiveness of the surgery mere weeks ago, but Chayka seemed optimistic that Chychrun would return much earlier than in most cases.
In the meantime, Chayka mentioned that 2016 AHL All-Star Kyle Wood is the early favorite for Chychrun’s roster spot and would likely fill the seventh defenseman role. This seemingly confirms that off-season addition Adam Clendening will be made a starter to begin the campaign. Chayka also mentioned that AHL veterans Joel Hanley and Andrew Campbell would be given a look and that the team is actively looking into securing a professional tryout with one or two available blue liners. Dennis Wideman, John-Michael Liles, and Fedor Tyutin lead the list of capable veteran defenseman who may be intrigued by a PTO with Arizona. The Coyotes are swimming in forward depth with many promising prospects ready to make the jump, but the same cannot be said on defense. Even with the additions of Clendening and Niklas Hjalmarsson and the eventual return of Chychrun, a PTO could turn into a major role for the right player.
Morning Notes: Butcher, Drouin, Bourque
The team at CapFriendly returned from a quick vacation to drop a bombshell on the hockey world today, reporting that Will Butcher‘s entry-level contract with the New Jersey Devils includes maximum performance bonuses. Though many players are given max Schedule A bonuses, that can total up to $850K if they reach various milestones, just six players drafted outside the top two overall picks have ever been given the max in Schedule B—that is until now.
Butcher becomes the seventh such player and could earn up to $2.85MM in bonuses each year, making his deal worth a potential $3.78MM per season. While these Schedule B bonuses are difficult to achieve, it’s likely another factor in his decision to sign with the Devils. Though teams can offer little variance in terms of salary for entry-level players, bonuses can be used as a negotiating tactic like any other free agent.
- Jonathan Drouin and Alex Galchenyuk will both begin training camp in Montreal as centers, according to J.F. Chaumont of the Journal de Montreal. Chaumont spoke with head coach Claude Julien, who would like to see what each of them can bring to the position before making any decisions. Galchenyuk has a checkered history with the position on the Canadiens, while Drouin was used almost exclusively as a winger in Tampa Bay. Both clearly have enough talent to drive a line from the middle, but will have to be more consistent in their own end if they want to be leaned on heavily in the Montreal rotation.
- Rene Bourque has signed in Sweden for the upcoming season, according to TSN. The 35-year old Bourque played last year with the Colorado Avalanche, scoring 18 points in 65 games. In 725 career games he’s registered 316 points, including a pair of 27-goal campaigns with the Calgary Flames in his youth. Bourque is another example of an undrafted college player making an impact in the league, but will now take his game to Europe to look for more success.
Snapshots: Ratelle, Butcher, Lehner
After the Philadelphia Flyers announced this morning that Eric Lindros would see his number retired to the rafters this season, the New York Rangers are also making plans to honor one of their greatest players. Jean Ratelle‘s #19 will be retired in February, joining Ed Giacomin (#1), Brian Leetch (#2), Harry Howell (#3), Rod Gilbert (#7), Adam Graves and Andy Bathgate (#9), Mark Messier (#11), and Mike Richter (#35) in the rafters of Madison Square Garden.
Ratelle played 16 seasons for the Rangers during his career, scoring 817 points in 862 games for the franchise. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985 and has been waiting a long time to see his number retired in New York. Jesper Fast, who wore the number last season, will have to change for 2017-18. The ceremony is scheduled for February 25th, before a game against the Detroit Red Wings that will be deemed “Jean Ratelle Night.”
- Will Butcher held a conference call with reporters today to explain why he chose the New Jersey Devils, and spoke mostly about his new head coach John Hynes and the effect he had even in just a short meeting. Butcher explained that his final four teams were indeed Vegas, Los Angeles, Buffalo and New Jersey, before eventually settling on the Devils. Butcher could step right into an NHL role in New Jersey, and he has the confidence if nothing else; he compared himself to Duncan Keith in terms of style of play.
- Bill Hoppe of Buffalo Hockey Beat has a great piece on the thought process of Robin Lehner in this summer’s contract negotiations with the Sabres, writing that Lehner wanted a long-term deal even though his agents disagreed. Even though his representatives explained that with a one-year deal he could set himself up for a big raise in what will be his final summer of restricted free agency, Lehner wanted to sign long-term in Buffalo. Hoppe writes that former Sabres GM Tim Murray may have been open to that, but the new regime wasn’t. Lehner has had extreme ups and downs since coming to Buffalo, but clearly has the talent to be one of the very best goaltenders in the league. In a year where almost everything went wrong for the Sabres, Lehner made a career-high 58 starts and maintained an excellent .920 save percentage. Next summer any long-term contract will be buying out almost exclusively UFA seasons, and will push much higher than the $4MM salary he’ll earn this season.
Nikita Zaitsev Helping Maple Leafs’ Russian Recruitment
Mike Babcock and Lou Lamoriello of the Toronto Maple Leafs spent some time in Russia recently, where they met personally for dinner with Igor Ozhiganov in an early attempt at recruiting the KHL defenseman. The pair had completed a similar visit a year prior to bringing Nikita Zaitsev over, and many believed they were attempting to do the same thing. Now Zaitsev himself has admitted to helping the Maple Leafs recruitment efforts, telling Sovsport (via Andrey Osadchenko) that he was even present at the dinner:
Igor asked my opinion. I told him he should sign with the Leafs. Actually, I was with him at one of the dinners he had with the Leafs representatives. I was even his interpreter. That’s just being a part of the Leafs organization. Not only do you play in the NHL and build your career, but you also help others.
Ozhiganov remains under contract for one more season with CSKA Moscow, but it would be hard for the 24-year old to ignore the advice of a former teammate. Zaitsev was signed to a seven-year, $31.5MM extension after just one season in Toronto, giving him some financial and personal stability as he continues his hockey career. Both players were undrafted because of the relative obscurity they played their youth hockey in, but have turned into capable professional defensemen in recent years.
The NHL and KHL don’t actually have a transfer agreement, but normally respect each other’s contracts. The Maple Leafs are being quite bold by meeting a player under contract still, but will wait to see if Ozhiganov comes over next season to give them another almost free asset. Like Zaitsev, he’d be signing just a one-year entry-level contract if he does and be able to cash in on a good performance right away.
Bob Hartley Signs Five Year Extension To Coach Latvia’s National Team
Although he finds himself without a current coaching job in the NHL, Bob Hartley will still be behind the bench for a while to come. He has agreed to stay on as the bench boss for the Latvian Hockey Federation for the next five years, notes Martin Merk on the IIHF’s official website.
Hartley was brought in shortly after Latvia failed to qualify for the upcoming Winter Olympics and was behind the bench at the World Championships back in May. At that time, Hartley didn’t want to commit to a longer-term deal in case another opportunity presented itself there but now he will be able to give their developing program some stability in the years to come.
The 56-year-old has over 1,000 games of NHL experience (between the regular season and playoffs) with a points percentage of .554 during the regular season. Hartley also won a Stanley Cup with Colorado back in 2001 and the Jack Adams Award for Coach of the Year with Calgary.
This isn’t the first time that the Latvian Federation has had someone with NHL experience behind the bench for their national team. Ted Nolan, who had a pair of stints as head coach with Buffalo plus one with the Islanders, coached Latvia’s entries in the 2012 and 2013 Worlds as well as the qualification tournament for the 2014 Olympics.
More Russian Talent On Maple Leafs’ Radar
The Toronto Maple Leafs clearly think there is unmined talent in the KHL. In consecutive drafts they’ve selected players that seemed “off the board”—Yegor Korshkov and Nikolai Chebykin in 2016 and Vladislav Kara in the most recent draft—and signed Nikita Zaitsev away from CSKA Moscow last summer. Zaitsev showed he could be a solid NHL contributor in his first year, and signed a seven-year, $31.5MM extension exactly a year later.
So now, when reports surfaced that both Mike Babcock and Lou Lamoriello traveled to Russia to meet with CSKA defenseman Igor Ozhiganov people take notice. The report appeared on Sovsport, before the Maple Leafs confirmed that Babcock and Lamoriello were in the country to various outlets (but not that they’d met with the defenseman). The pair completed a similar recruitment meeting with Zaitsev a year before he signed in the NHL, which could suggest the same is about to happen with Ozhiganov.
The 24-year old’s contract ends with CSKA in April, and he’s already played parts of seven years in the Russian professional league. The 6’2″ 216-lbs defender is not as offensive as Zaitsev (although he does have highlights like this), but comes with considerable defensive acumen and is also right-handed. For the Maple Leafs, who are looking everywhere to improve their defense corps, Russia seems like fertile land.