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Colorado’s Nazem Kadri Out “Weeks”

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The surging Colorado Avalanche have suffered a setback in their pursuit to overtake the St. Louis Blues for the lead in the Central Division and Western Conference. Head coach Jared Bednar revealed to the media on Tuesday that center Nazem Kadri has suffered a lower-body injury and is set to miss “weeks, not days.” Kadri was injured in the second period on Sunday against the Minnesota Wild and return for just one shift in the third period before exiting the game.

Kadri, 29, has played an integral role for the Avalanche this season after coming over from the Toronto Maple Leafs this summer. In a campaign that has featured lengthy absences from the likes of Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog, Kadri has been a steady secondary scorer for Colorado, recording 19 goals – second only to Nathan MacKinnon – and 36 points. Had Kadri stayed healthy, he would have been on pace for the second-best season of his career. He has also been far and away the team’s best face-off man and among the leading forwards in power play time and hits.

Kadri’s absence, especially as the Avs are in the midst of a 7-1-2 run a rolling on all cylinders, is a stroke of bad luck for player and team. The good news is that the injury occurred prior to the trade deadline, with enough time to react and refocus their trade pursuits. Colorado was already considered a top buyer at the deadline, given their position in the standings and considerable cap space, but now they have even more incentive to add depth up front. It’s fair to consider the Avalanche players for nearly every top name on the market. In the meantime, the team will have to lean more heavily on their other secondary scorers, particularly centers J.T. Compher and Tyson Jost, and hope that slumping star Landeskog can rediscover his game. Colorado will need help in some way, shape, or form as they await a return from Kadri, likely not until next month.

Trade Rumors: Hall, Wild, Rangers, Hurricanes

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After spending the first few months of the season obsessing over him, few want to see Taylor Hall’s name back in the rumor mill. Fortunately, that doesn’t appear to be likely. Even though the Arizona Coyotes have failed to improve since acquiring the star forward from the New Jersey Devils in December and are far from a lock for the playoffs this season, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun confirmed on tonight’s segment of “Insider Trading” that the Coyotes have no intention of flipping Hall before the deadline. Although holding on to the high-profile impending free agent is a risk, the team remains intent on re-signing Hall, with the full backing of new owner Alex Meruello. In fact, LeBrun reports that Meruello, GM John Chayka, and Hall’s agent, Darren Ferris, all recently met and are on the same page that Hall will not be dealt this season and that extension talks will begin once the Coyotes’ season has come to an end, whenever that is. LeBrun believes that Arizona’s ability and willingness to offer Hall and eight-year term on his next contract could tip the scales toward the former Hart Trophy winner staying in the desert.

  • TSN colleague Darren Dreger reports that even after trading away long-time forward Jason Zucker to the Pittsburgh Penguins yesterday, new Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin may not be done dealing. Dreger states that the team is still listening to offers for young defenseman Matt Dumba, who has popped up in rumors over the last few weeks, as well as fellow rearguard Jonas Brodin. With that said, a trade of either skilled defender seems more likely to occur in the off-season, as Dreger believes the asking price for both would be a top-line center or a second-line center plus a pick or prospect. No contender will be in position to make a deal of that magnitude ahead of the trade deadline, but suitors could circle back this summer, perhaps even before free agency opens and the Wild have to make a decision on captain Mikko Koivu.
  • Another deal that could take place this summer is a resolution in the crowded net of the New York Rangers. Alexandar Georgiev was the name suggested by many as being available for trade, but TSN’s Bob McKenzie does not see a deal happening this season. He reports that the Rangers continue to listen on Georgiev but are not actively shopping him and head coach David Quinn is content to carry three goalies and ride the hot hand. However, the best keeper of late has been Igor Shesterkin, not future Hall of Famer Henrik Lundqvist. McKenzie wonders if Lundqvist will be content in New York moving forward if he is playing more of a backup role to Shesterkin or if he could ask for a trade this summer or perhaps even at the deadline.
  • The insiders wrapped up with LeBrun relaying word from sources around the league that the Carolina Hurricanes are openly offering a first-round pick in exchange for a top-four defenseman with term. The Hurricanes are owners of two top picks, their own and the Toronto Maple Leafs’ from the Patrick Marleau trade, and GM Don Waddell clearly feels that he could part with one of the two if it means landing long-term help. Even after trading Justin Faulk before the season, the Hurricanes are still considered one of the deeper blue line units in the NHL. Yet, they have been on the hunt for a Faulk replacement much of the year and that search was amplified by the injury to Dougie Hamilton. In that vein, LeBrun adds that the team has had talks on rentals Sami Vatanen of the Devils and Brenden Dillon of the Sharks as a short-term fix with Hamilton out, but owner Tom Dundon has encouraged Waddell to avoid rentals and target term if he is going to trade a first-rounder.

Pacfic Notes: Boeser, Neal, Kuemper, Karlsson

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The Vancouver Canucks were bracing for the worst when forward Brock Boeser went down early in the third period of Saturday’s game when he got tangled up with Calgary’s Andrew Mangiapane. However, head coach Travis Green announced that Boeser is likely to miss the next couple of games with an upper-body injury, according to Postmedia’s Ben Kuzma. He is expected to be re-evaluated at that time.

The 22-year-old has struggled his young career with injuries, but had not missed a game this season until now. He has 16 goals and 45 points, which is tied for third place on the team. While there was some speculation the Canucks might be forced to trade for a top-six forward before the trade deadline, had the Boeser injury been more serious, that looks to have been averted, especially with Micheal Ferland close to returning to the lineup as well.

  • The Athletic’s Daniel Nugent-Bowman reports that with the return of forward Tyler Benson to the Bakersfield Condors, it likely means that forward James Neal is ready to return to Edmonton’s lineup for Tuesday’s game against Chicago. Neal has missed five straight games with a foot injury, but could add that extra depth the team needs. He has 19 goals in 50 games so far this season. The team did add Colby Cave to its roster since sending Benson down, but the team had an extra roster spot anyway, according to Nugent-Bowman.
  • The Arizona Coyotes could be getting goaltender Darcy Kuemper back as soon as Tuesday. Head coach Rick Tocchet told reporters, including The Athletic’s Craig Morgan, that Kuemper will be a game-time decision for Monday’s game against Montreal. Kuemper has been out since Dec. 19 with a lower-body injury. Getting him back would be critical for a team that was thriving when he was in net, which netted him an all-star nomination, which he was unable to attend. Kuemper had a 15-8-2 record with a 2.17 GAA and a .929 save percentage in 25 appearances. Tocchet added that defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson will also be a game-time decision. The 24-year-old has missed four games with a lower-body injury.
  • The Athletic’s Jesse Granger reports that Vegas Golden Knights forward William Karlsson, who has been out with an upper-body injury since Jan. 14, actually has been dealing with a broken finger, which he suffered on his last shift against the Buffalo Sabres. The winger sounded optimistic when asked if he would play on Tuesday against Minnesota, but wasn’t sure if he would play. He has been practicing on the team’s third line with Cody Eakin and Alex Tuch.

Trade Rumors: Connor, Gostisbehere, Center Market

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With the Winnipeg Jets continuing to slide further and further from playoff contention this season, the team will have to begin entertaining trade offers. While impending free agents like Dmitry Kulikov, Luca Sbisa, and Gabriel Bourque could be the most likely trade casualties, Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press writes that the team is receiving considerable interest in top line winger Kyle Connor. Normally, a player like Connor, who is skating more than 20 minutes per night and leading the team in goal scoring at the age of 23, would be untouchable. However, the Jets are deep up front and in desperate need of a new cornerstone on defense and the possibility of landing an elite young player or prospect who could fill that void may have them at least listening to offers for Connor. The division rival Colorado Avalanche are reportedly leading the hunt, with 2019 No. 4 overall pick Bowen Byram being the core piece that would head to the Jets. A young defenseman of Byram’s caliber would be a huge addition to the Winnipeg pipeline, but would not be able to play a top-pair role for a few years still to come. Is that enough to part with a player like Connor? McIntyre is skeptical and reiterates that in no way are the Jets shopping their young star. After all, they just signed Connor to a seven-year, $50MM extension back in September. However, given their disappointing season and bleak outlook on the blue line, it cannot be ruled out that the right price – Byram or otherwise – could entice the Jets to move Connor.

  • A difficult season for Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere continued not only in his last game, but in his last practice as well. Gostisbehere, who has missed 13 games this season due to injury and has struggled even when healthy, drew back into the Flyers’ lineup on Thursday night. The team proceeded to drop an embarrassing 5-0 loss to the New Jersey Devils, in which the pairing of Gostisbehere and Justin Braun were of little help. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Ed Barkowitz recounts that Gostisbehere’s frustration boiled over in practice on Friday. The blue liner whiffed on a shot late in practice and responded by hurling his stick over the glass and storming off the ice. While Barkowitz makes no mention of any possible discipline for Gostisbehere as a result of this incident, there is a strong chance that he will take a seat for Saturday’s match-up against the Washington Capitals. While it may seem like Gostisbehere is wearing out his welcome in Philly with lacking results and now visible distress, head coach Alain Vigneault did acknowledge to Barkowitz that the team likely erred in rushing Gostisbehere back from his knee surgery rather than allowing him to serve a rehab stint in the AHL. But with the deed done, both sides have to live with the current situation. Or do they? Gostisbehere remains a hot name on the trade market and with the Flyers fighting for a playoff spot and needing help up front, a trade seems like a strong possibility. Gostisbehere is only 26 and has three years remaining on his current contract, but this seems like a situation where both sides might benefit from a fresh start. With each of their next five games coming against an Eastern Conference team currently in playoff position, a crucial stretch for the Flyers’ own postseason hopes, perhaps a Gostisbehere deal will come sooner rather than later.
  • The Flyers are one of a number of teams who could benefit from bringing in a center at the deadline. However, TSN’s Frank Seravalli points out that this is the weakest position in the current trade market. The top available option is Ottawa’s Jean-Gabriel Pageau, who some believe the team would rather re-sign than deal. Beyond that, the only other two centers on TSN’s Trade Bait List are Nashville’s Kyle Turris, and his remaining four years and $24MM, and Detroit’s veteran pivot Valtteri Filppula. Beyond that, Seravalli lists impending UFA’s Derek Grant of Anaheim and Nate Thompson of Montreal and younger players like San Jose’s Barclay Goodrow and Ottawa’s Chris Tierney as the top options. Once Pageau is off the board – or worse, if he isn’t traded at all – it is slim pickings down the middle on the trade market. Seravalli lists the Oilers, Capitals, and Jets as teams joining Philadelphia in the pursuit of a center, but not all of these teams will leave the deadline happy.

Morning Notes: Kreider, Kapanen, Muzzin, Markstrom

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The New York Rangers seemingly avoided disaster last night, as star Chris Kreider suffered an injury that appears to have looked worse than it actually was. A prone Kreider took an accidental knee to the head from teammate Mika Zibanejad early in the second period of Saturday’s match-up with the Detroit Red Wings and he did not return to the game. Head coach David Quinn, like any who witnessed the incident, was fearful that Kreider may have suffered a serious head injury. However, he told the media, including The New York Posts’ Brett Cygralis, that he felt much better after seeing Kreider after the game. “That looked like a really severe blow to the head,” Quinn said. “He wasn’t anywhere near as bad as I thought he would be. After the game ended, we talked, and it’s a lot better than I anticipated.” Quinn stated definitively that Kreider did not suffer a concussion, but the team is considering him day-to-day nonetheless. Kreider is simultaneously the best trade chip on the rental market and one of the Rangers’ most important pieces as they continue to stay relevant in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Fans of both trading Kreider or keeping and re-signing him know that a serious injury at this point in the year would have been a nightmare in either scenario. Fortunately, it sounds as though Kreider will be fine and could be back in action in no time.

  • Another surprise development from Saturday night was the absence of Kasperi Kapanen in the Toronto Maple Leafs lineup. Kapanen was made a healthy scratch by head coach Sheldon Keefe, but prior to game time there was no word as to why. Speaking to the media, including TSN’s Kristen Shilton, after the game, Keefe clarified the situation with Kapanen. Keefe stated that Kapanen was a healthy scratch, essentially serving a one-game suspension for what he called an issue of “internal accountability’”. He added that it was a one-time thing and the decision was only made yesterday morning, but he would not go into any more detail. More information may emerge when Kapanen has media availability on Monday. In the meantime, speculation has begun that Kapanen, a frequent name on the rumor mill, could be on the outs with Keefe and his staff. With the rest of the Maple Leafs playing well since Keefe took over, perhaps Kapanen will end up being the winger dealt out of Toronto at some point.
  • Impending free agent defenseman Jake Muzzin would like to stay in Toronto, but Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston says that it is not that simple. Johnston hears that early extension talks have been difficult due to the Maple Leafs’ cap constraints and the potential market value of Muzzin. With St. Louis’ Alex Pietrangelo and Boston’s Torey Krug both considered likely candidates to sign extensions, Muzzin would enter the conversation as the top defender available on the open market this summer. While he may be willing to take a slight discount to stay in Toronto, the potential to command a top-of-the-market contract if he opts for free agency will certainly play a major role in extension talks. The Maple Leafs may be unwilling or unable to pay him even close to what the top UFA defenseman will get this summer.
  • Vancouver Canucks goaltender Jacob Markstrom is another name who has made it known that he would like to re-sign, though acknowledging that he could have considerable value in the free agent market. Markstrom, an All-Star this season, has quietly positioned himself to be one of the best available in a weak goalie market should he opt for that route. However, Markstrom would prefer to stay in Vancouver and he and the team have been working toward an extension, Johnston reports. However, with Thatcher Demko showing NHL ability this season and Michael DiPietro also in the pipeline, the Canucks will be wary of going overboard on salary or term to keep Markstrom. The contract offer that keeps coming up is of a two-year term, keeping Markstrom in Vancouver through the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. This would give the team another year to decide whether Demko is the real deal or if they are better off moving forward with Markstrom, as either would could be a tempting target for the Seattle expansion franchise. Johnston’s colleague Elliotte Friedman adds that, as for salary, the most recent offer to Markstrom is rumored to be similar to the two-year, $9MM deal signed by Arizona’s Darcy Kuemper in October.

Injury Updates: Bjugstad, Wilson, Neal, Wolanin, Motte, Okposo

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Prior to their bye week, Penguins winger Nick Bjugstad had been skating on his own and had even traveled with the team on its recent road trip, leading to some speculation that he was nearing a return.  However, he hasn’t been skating since then, yet head coach Mike Sullivan told reporters, including Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, that Bjugstad hasn’t suffered a setback but declined to go into further detail.  The initial timeline for his return was a minimum of eight weeks after undergoing core muscle surgery.  This is week nine since then and even if this is just planned rest and not anything of concern, it certainly seems like Bjugstad is going to be out for a while longer.

Other injury notes from around the league:

  • Avalanche winger Colin Wilson has missed nearly three months with a lower-body injury and it doesn’t sound like he’s coming back anytime soon. Adrian Dater of Colorado Hockey Now reports (Twitter link) that it looks doubtful that he will return to play this season.  The 30-year-old is set to become an unrestricted free agent in July and considering that he has only played in nine games in 2019-20, he’ll be hard-pressed to get his current $2.6MM salary on his next deal.
  • Oilers winger James Neal was a late scratch on Friday due to a foot injury and is doubtful to play in Saturday’s rematch of the Battle of Alberta against Calgary, notes Postmedia’s Jim Matheson. While his goal production has slipped as of late (he has scored in only one of Edmonton’s last 13 games – though that one game saw him record a hat trick), he still sits third on the team in goals with 19.
  • Senators defenseman Christian Wolanin has been cleared for contact as he works his way back from shoulder surgery, notes Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch. He was injured just before training camp got underway and has yet to play this season.  Ottawa plans to assign him to Belleville of the AHL on Wednesday and should make his season debut a week or so after that.  With the Sens likely to move a blueliner or two by the trade deadline, there’s a good chance that Wolanin’s AHL time will be limited.
  • A difficult season for Vancouver Canucks forward Tyler Motte is only getting worse. The team has announced that Motte, who has already missed 27 games this season with a broken foot, is now set to miss four-to-six weeks with a shoulder injury. When Motte returns in March, he likely will have missed another 15-20 games, meaning more than half of the 2019-20 season will have been lost to injury. Even when the young forward has been healthy, he has recorded just five points in 24 games. It’s been a year to forget for Motte.
  • The same can be said for the Buffalo Sabres and forward Kyle Okposo. After being sidelined for ten games earlier this season due to a concussion, head coach Ralph Krueger told the media today that a new upper-body injury is likely to keep Okposo out “weeks”. The veteran forward left Thursday night’s game early and did not return and now it seems a return to the lineup is not imminent. As Buffalo continues to falter after a hot start, Okposo’s twelve points on the year and inability to stay in the lineup are not helping the cause.

Central Notes: Jets, Mitchell, Strome, Gurianov

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In each of the last two seasons, the Jets have made big splashes at the trade deadline to bring in rental centers Paul Stastny and Kevin Hayes.  If head coach Paul Maurice has his way, they’ll go with a different approach at this year’s deadline.  Speaking with reporters, including Paul Friesen of the Winnipeg Sun, Maurice indicated he’s hoping the team doesn’t part with a top young asset for someone that’s set to be unrestricted in July:

So paying a high price for a rental, I don’t know that that makes a whole lot of sense for us. If we get a guy that can come in and play maybe more than the rest of the season, you’d think about doing that.

Winnipeg’s cap situation is tricky with the uncertainty surrounding the status of injured (and suspended) defenseman Dustin Byfuglien with a grievance on the horizon.  After years of playing it safe, Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has been more aggressive at recent deadlines but that may not be the case this time around.

More from the Central Division:

  • Blackhawks prospect Ian Mitchell told Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times that his intention remains to turn pro at the end of his current college season. The 2017 second-round pick is having a strong junior season with Denver while faring well in an international stint with Canada at the Spengler Cup.  If Denver’s season ends before Chicago’s does, it’s quite possible if not probable that they will opt to burn the first year of his entry-level deal in 2019-20 which would give them an intriguing youngster to use down the stretch.
  • Still with the Blackhawks, center Dylan Strome has resumed skating, notes Charlie Roumeliotis of NBC Sports Chicago. He has missed the last three weeks to an ankle injury.  The 22-year-old is producing at a slightly lesser clip than he did after being acquired last season but with 10 goals and 20 assists in 40 games, he sits fifth on the team in scoring.
  • Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas Morning News examines a bit of a tricky contract situation for Stars winger Denis Gurianov. While he’s in his fourth year in their system, he has just 67 NHL games under his belt though 45 of them have come this season where he ranks fourth on the team in goals with 13.  There are several single-season statistical comparables for this summer when he’s a restricted free agent but since he doesn’t have anywhere near the experience that most of them do, it makes it a tougher one to project.

Gerard Gallant Not Expected To Take New Role This Season

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The 2019-20 NHL season has seen quite a fair amount of turnover in the coaching ranks, including the firing of veteran bench bosses Mike Babcock, Peter Laviolette and Pete DeBoer. One name that hit the unemployment market recently to the surprise of many was Gerard Gallant, who was fired by the Vegas Golden Knights after taking them to the playoffs in each of their first two seasons (including an appearance in the Stanley Cup Final).

Gallant should have plenty of suitors if he wants to jump back behind an NHL bench, but Pierre LeBrun reported last night on TSN’s Insider Trading that the expectation is that he will wait until the summer to make any decision.

What he told me Thursday is that he is in no rush. He’s going to use the rest of the year to decompress. He’s enjoying spending time with family, in fact he’s in Vegas this week tying up some loose ends. He says he has not spoken with any teams since his firing. His phone has been quiet that way. 

LeBrun goes into even more detail in his latest column for The Athletic (subscription required), including examining several potential landing spots. The first team many will think of is Seattle, who would have to look at Gallant’s success in Vegas as extremely enticing as they prepare to enter the league. Gallant is under contract with the Golden Knights through next season so he wouldn’t be desperate for a salary, but of course that isn’t the only thing that drives coaches at this level.

Amazingly, Gallant has never made it through a third season as head coach of an NHL team. His stints in Columbus, Florida and now Vegas have all ended in year three, despite being above .500 with the latter two at the time the axe fell. Overall, the 2018 Jack Adams Award winner for Coach of the Year has a 270-216-4-51 record.

Edmonton Oilers Make Several Roster Moves

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The Edmonton Oilers have placed Joakim Nygard and Kris Russell on injured reserve, while recalling Tyler Benson and William Lagesson. Nygard is out with a hand injury that “could be a serious” one according to head coach Dave Tippett, while Russell has been placed in the concussion protocol. This will be Benson’s first call-up to the NHL.

Golden Knights Hire Steve Spott As Assistant Coach

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Tuesday: The Golden Knights have made the hiring official, announcing that Spott has joined DeBoer’s staff. The team’s release acknowledges the important role that Spott played in DeBoer’s successful tenure with the rival San Jose Sharks and they can only hope that the duo find more success in Las Vegas.

Saturday: When the Vegas Golden Knights shook up their coaching staff earlier this month, they let both head coach Gerard Gallant and assistant coach Mike Kelly go.  At the time, they only replaced Gallant with new bench boss Peter DeBoer.  It appears that Vegas has filled their other vacancy as Ken Boehlke of SinBin.Vegas reports that veteran assistant Steve Spott will join the team following the bye week.

Spott is no stranger to working with DeBoer as he was with him in San Jose before they shook up their coaching staff last month.  On top of that, the two worked together from 2002-2008 with the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL; when DeBoer left to begin his NHL coaching career, Spott took over as the head coach of the Rangers.

Before joining San Jose in 2015, Spott spent two seasons with Toronto – one as the head coach of the AHL Marlies and one as an assistant with the Maple Leafs.  He has experience coaching both forwards and defense from his time with the Sharks and that type of coaching versatility is something that is certainly desirable and likely had a role in him only being out of a job for roughly six weeks.

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