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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.

Poll: Can The Predators Make The Playoffs?

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Matt Duchene, the Nashville Predator’s blockbuster free agent addition of this past summer, remains very confident in his new team, despite how their season is going. Duchene, in the first season on a seven-year, $56MM contract, is one of a number of under-performing players on the Nashville roster. The team has not played up to expectations this year, which has already cost head coach Peter Laviolette his job and now threatens to cost the team a trip to the postseason. Yet, Duchene believes the team has what it takes to turn their season around and qualify. He told the media on Monday that he feels that Nashville is a playoff team and, to double down, he does not think they need to make a move ahead of the forthcoming NHL Trade Deadline.

It’s a mighty big prognostication from a player who has been part of the problem and not the solution for the Predators this year. Duchene is on pace for just 56 points this season, which would be among the worst years of his career, when he was supposed to be shine on a talented Nashville roster. He’s not alone; Filip Forsberg (59 points), Ryan Johansen (47), Viktor Arvidsson (40), Kyle Turris (36), and Mikael Granlund (30) are all on pace to finish well below what has come to be expected of them. On top of that, veteran starter Pekka Rinne and young backup Juuse Saros are both experiencing the worst campaigns of their careers. Nearly all of Nashville’s key pieces outside of Roman Josi have disappointed to this point in the season, leaving them in the basement of the Central Division and among the worst teams in the league in a number of categories.

Yet, maybe Duchene has a point. A closer look would imply that perhaps Nashville is more than their current last-place position in the Central Division. With substantial games in hand on Minnesota, Chicago, and Winnipeg, the Predators’ .543 points percentage before Monday night’s game is actually fourth-best in the division. Beyond that, while the Preds currently trail the Vegas Golden Knights by six points for the final wild card spot in the Western Conference, they are really just .005 points percentage points behind. Nashville actually seems to be well-positioned to compete for a spot. Also strange is the seeming lack of correlation between the number of underachieving core producers on the Predators and the actual state of their offense. At 3.30 goals for per game, the team is tied for seventh-best in the league in offense so far this season, even if only Josi is among the top scorers at his position.

With all that said, there is no hiding the fact that the Predators have been poor defensively and on special teams this season, their goaltending situation is shaky at best, and their best forwards have not risen to the occasion all year. Will the returns of Ryan Ellis and Colton Sissons be enough to boost the team? Can their struggling stars turn things around without help?

We already know how Duchene would vote, but what say you? Can the Predators make the playoffs?

[Mobile users click here to vote]

Trade Deadline Primer: Edmonton Oilers

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With the trade deadline now less than a month away, we will be taking a closer look at the situation for each team over the coming weeks.  Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?  Next up is a look at the Edmonton Oilers.

After two disastrous seasons, there was little hope that the Oilers might be able to compete for a playoff spot, especially considering the fact that new general manager Ken Holland didn’t make major changes to the team. They added James Neal and brought in a few overseas players in hopes of filling in the holes in their middle six, but instead, the Oilers have risen to the challenge under new head coach Dave Tippetts, holding the top spot in the division at several points in the season and still remain near the top of a competitive Pacific Division.

Record

26-18-5, tied (with three other teams) for second in the Pacific Division

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$5.851MM in a full-season cap hit (using LTIR), 1/3 used salary cap retention slots, 48/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2020: EDM 1st, EDM 2nd, EDM 3rd*, EDM 4th, EDM 5th, EDM 6th, EDM 7th
2021: EDM 1st, EDM 2nd, EDM 3rd, EDM 4th, EDM 5th, EDM 6th, PIT 6th, EDM 7th

*- Calgary will receive Edmonton’s third-round pick as part of the Neal/Lucic swap if Neal scores 21 or more goals and Lucic has at least ten goals less than him at the end of the season.  Neal is currently at 19 so he will likely get to 21 while Lucic is at four goals.

Trade Chips

With a number of young defensemen already in Edmonton and several others not far off, the Oilers would love to unload a defenseman, preferably someone who has a big contract such as Adam Larsson or Kris Russell. Whether they can convince anyone to take either of those is a whole different question. The team does have a few other third-pairing options it could move, including William Lagesson and Keegan Lowe, but the team has made it clear that top prospects Evan Bouchard and Philip Broberg are off the table in trade talks. Perhaps a team could pry away Dmitri Samorukov.

While the team many NHL options, Holland still has a full complement of draft picks, minus the team’s third-rounder, which is likely to change hands to Calgary. The team’s first-round pick could easily be in play for the right piece.

Five Players To Watch For: F Sam Gagner, D William Lagesson, D Adam Larsson, D Kris Russell, D William Lagesson, D Dmitri Samorukov

Team Needs

1) Scoring Help: The team still has holes in its top-nine. While the Oilers seem to have recently found some success on their second line with Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Kailer Yamamoto, Edmonton still has holes on its first line and third line and could, without a doubt, use one more significant scoring piece at the trade deadline. While there was plenty of talk about acquiring Taylor Hall back in December, that was quite unrealistic considering their cap situation. However, there are a number of options that could interest them, including a third-line center on the market — Ottawa’s Jean-Gabriel Pageau. He would fill a significant need on the third line or, if needed, could step into a top-six role on the wing. Another option would be adding Los Angeles’ Tyler Toffoli, whose name has been thrown around trade rumors quite a bit the last month or two. Toffoli might be a cheaper option, who could fill a top-nine role for the team and prove to be a better player than Alex Chiasson or Joakim Nygard.

2) Goaltending Depth: Yes, the team has Mikko Koskinen and Mike Smith, but the 37-year-old Smith hasn’t been that consistent this season and often sees his second-half numbers decline. The team has already used Smith quite a bit this year (26 appearances) and could use a more impactful player that can be used in tandem with Koskinen. Smith currently has a 2.96 GAA and a .901 save percentage, numbers that could be replaced if they wanted to go out and acquire an Alexandar Georgiev or swap Smith for a more consistent option.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Pacific Notes: Oilers Offseason, Green, Hughes, Gretzky

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The Edmonton Oilers are still trying to put together a impact top-six. The team seems to have formed a new No. 2 line between Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Kailer Yamamoto, but the team is still trying to find partners for their No. 1 line centered around Connor McDavid.

The Athletic’s Allan Mitchell (subscription required) writes that throughout his career McDavid has always had a physical winger with him he wonders if that is even necessary any more. While the team is limited in its current options, this summer is likely to be a different story. The scribe writes that general manager Ken Holland will be looking to spend some money this offseason with names such as Taylor Hall and perhaps a more likely candidate could be Mike Hoffman, who might be the perfect linemate for McDavid if the two were paired together.

  • While Vancouver Canucks general manager Jim Benning said recently that the team will wait until the summer to discuss a possible contract extension with head coach Travis Green, The Athletic’s Rick Dhaliwal (subscription required) writes that the team needs to lock up Green, considering the work he has put in over the last few years and how the team currently sits in first place in the Pacific Division. Of course, with four teams just one point behind them, Green’s extension could be tied with the team making the playoffs (especially considering the team traded their first-round pick to Tampa Bay to get J.T. Miller this summer). However, the scribe points out that the team needs Green locked up, not dealing with a new coach next season.
  • In a seperate tweet, Dhaliwal notes that Vancouver’s Quinn Hughes finds himself in a good position for an extension on July 1. Agent Pat Brisson said they will deal with it as they get closer to July 1. Hughes has had an impressive rookie year, which includes a trip to the All-Star game and could score quite an extension if Benning is willing. “We can start talking with Canucks on July 1st,” said Brisson. “We will cross that bridge when we get there. He is sure building a case as a strong asset. We will see how it goes.”
  • As rumored, Pacific Division’s head coach Rick Tocchet, who agreed to take over for fired Gerard Gallant at the All-Star game today, has got NHL icon Wayne Gretzky to serve behind his bench as an assistant coach, according to The Athletic’s Craig Morgan. Gretzky served as head coach of the Coyotes from 2005 to 2009,

PHWA Announce 2019-20 Midseason Awards

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Though they have no bearing on the eventual winners, each season the Professional Hockey Writers Association vote for the Midseason Awards to give fans an idea of who is leading the charge around the NHL at the halfway point. Today those ballots have been tallied and the midseason trophies were given out:

Hart Trophy – Most valuable player

1. Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
2. Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
3. David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins

Norris Trophy – Best defenseman

1. John Carlson, Washington Capitals
2. Roman Josi, Nashville Predators
3. Dougie Hamilton, Carolina Hurricanes

Selke Trophy – Best defensive forward

1. Sean Couturier, Philadelphia Flyers
2. Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins
3. Ryan O’Reilly, St. Louis Blues

Calder Trophy – Best rookie

1. Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche
2. Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks
3. Victor Olofsson, Buffalo Sabres

Lady Byng Trophy – Sportsmanship & gentlemanly conduct

1. Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
2. Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
3. Ryan O’Reilly, St. Louis Blues

Vezina Trophy – Best goaltender

1. Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
2. Ben Bishop, Dallas Stars
3. Darcy Kuemper, Arizona Coyotes

Jack Adams Award – Best coach

1. Mike Sullivan, Pittsburgh Penguins
2. John Tortorella, Columbus Blue Jackets
3. Craig Berube, St. Louis Blues

Jim Gregory GM of the Year Award

1. Joe Sakic, Colorado Avalanche
2. John Chayka, Arizona Coyotes
3. Doug Armstrong, St. Louis Blues

Rod Langway Award – Best defensive defenseman

1. Jaccob Slavin, Carolina Hurricanes
2. Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning
3. Roman Josi, Nashville Predators

Comeback Player of the Year Award

1. William Nylander, Toronto Maple Leafs
2. Anthony Duclair, Ottawa Senators
3. Max Pacioretty, Vegas Golden Knights

East Notes: Trade Bait, Red Wings, Bruins

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Trade season is starting to heat up, and Frank Seravalli of TSN has put together his latest Trade Bait board for all those who want to know who might be on the market. The top name on the list is Chris Kreider of the New York Rangers, but he’s not the only Eastern Conference player that might be on the move.

In fact, eight of the first ten assets on Servalli’s board are from the east, with only the Los Angeles Kings taking a couple of spots away. The Rangers, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Philadelphia Flyers, New Jersey Devils, Detroit Red Wings and Carolina Hurricanes all have pieces near the top.

  • Speaking of the Red Wings, with the playoffs already out of the question, it is hard to get excited about their games on a daily basis. That apathy is only amplified when top players are out of the lineup, as will be the case for the next several weeks. Anthony Mantha is “still a ways away, a month maybe” according to head coach Jeff Blashill, who also told reporters today that Mike Green will also be out “a couple weeks” with an upper-body injury.
  • With only a handful of games left before the All-Star break, the AHL transaction page hasn’t been as busy as usual this week. The Boston Bruins did make a move today however, recalling Jeremy Lauzon and assigning Steven Kampfer to the minor leagues. Lauzon will skate on a pair with Matt Grzelcyk, playing in an NHL game for just the second time this season.

Snapshots: Gallant, KHL Cross-Over Series, Kovalchuk

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Gerard Gallant spoke to the media for the first time since being relieved of his duties as head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights for two and a half years, along with his longtime assistant in Mike Kelly, and made it clear that he intends to return to coaching, according to Jason Simmonds of the Journal Pioneer.

“I’m far from done,” said Gallant, 56. “I enjoy coaching. If an opportunity comes up I will definitely look at it – myself and Mike. Mike is a big part of what I do too and sometimes people forget about the assistant coaches. Mike is a good man, we have been together for a long time. It’s not just me, Mike is part of that, too. We will get ready and hopefully, something comes up.”

Despite being shocked and disappointed that his tenure in Vegas ended so suddenly, the longtime coach still has good feeling about his time with the team.

“The 2 ½ years were incredible,” said Gallant. “That first year was a magical season. If we could have capped it off winning the Stanley Cup it would have been incredible. The second year was a really good year, too. We made the playoffs, battled hard. Up until I got fired, I had 2 ½ years of being really happy in Vegas. It’s a good organization, a good team and I was excited.”

  • There has been high hopes that the NHL and KHL might be able to produce a cross-over event between the two leagues. However, ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reports that possibility now remains unlikely after an interview with KHL president Dmitry Chernyshenko. “Everyone dreams of having a series, but it’s a matter of schedules,” said Chernyshenko. “What’s convenient for us is not convenient for them.” Kaplan said that Chernyshenko sat down with NBC to try to work out a time period that both leagues might get together, however, they failed to come up with dates to make it work.
  • The Montreal Gazette’s Jack Todd writes that Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin needs to sign forward Ilya Kovalchuk to an extension now. Currently on a one-year deal with the Canadiens, the 36-year-old has been impressive in his first eight games with the franchise, posting four goals and four assists. The scribe suggests that with the window closing for players like Carey Price and Shea Weber, the team needs veteran players to aid an already young locker room. He also notes that while often players struggle when they reach Montreal and the pressure that comes with it, Kovalchuk has thrived, suggesting he’s a perfect fit for the Canadiens and needs to be retained rather than moved at the trade deadline or worse, hope that he’ll sign a new deal in the summer when other teams can lure him away.

Central Notes: Bowness, Johns, Fiala, Kubalik

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The Dallas Stars were placed in a tough position back on Dec. 11 when they fired head coach Jim Montgomery due to off-ice, personal issues. The team installed assistant coach Rick Bowness in as interim coach, but general manager Jim Nill recently said that despite there being several big-name coaches available suddenly after a number of firings, he has no intention of making a second coaching change during the season.

However, The Athletic’s Sean Shapiro (subscription required) wonders whether Nill and the Stars might reconsider that stance with their bye-week coming up now that former Vegas coach Gerard Gallant has become available, as well as others like Mike Babcock and Peter Laviolette. The scribe writes that while it might create more unrest in the locker room, the team might not be able to resist a coach like Gallant, while Bowness might be OK with returning to his assistant coach role regardless.

  • Sticking with Dallas, Stars defenseman Stephen Johns fared well in his debut after missing 22 months due to post-concussion headaches. He played 18:29 against the Minnesota Wild with two shots on goal, two hits and a blocked shot, but told NHL.com’s Mike Heika that he intends to treat the upcoming bye-week and all-star break as his own training camp to get back into form. “I’m going to treat this bye week like a training camp for me,” said Johns. “Obviously, I need to get in better shape, I was breathing pretty hard out there today. It’s not really a break for me, which I’m fine with. I’ve had a long break.”
  • Sarah McLellan of the Star Tribune writes that almost a year after coming over from Nashville via trade, Minnesota Wild forward Kevin Fiala has found himself trying to develop himself as a complete player. While he has great offensive potential, he has often found himself as a healthy scratch due to his in-game mistakes and has made it clear he wants to change the way he plays. “I want to be a package, the full package, for sure,” Fiala said. “[But] I want to be me. I want to be offense.”
  • The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus (subscription required) writes that Chicago Blackhawks forward Dominik Kubalik has forced his way into the Calder Trophy discussions after scoring nine goals in the last seven games. The 24-year-old, whose rights came to Chicago in a trade with Los Angeles a year ago for a 2019 fifth-round pick, arrived from the NLA this summer and currently leads all rookies with 20 goals. Of course Colorado’s Cale Makar is the obvious first choice for the Calder, but the scribe writes that Kubalik is getting comfortable in the NHL now and might continue to improve.

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