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Austin Watson To Face Player Safety Hearing

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It looks like Radko Gudas won’t be the only player speaking with the NHL Department of Player Safety today. The league has announced that Nashville Predators forward Austin Watson also has a disciplinary date today. Watson was the perpetrator of a hard check from behind on Colorado Avalanche rookie Dominic Toninato yesterday.

As you can see in the video, Watson hit Toninanto right on the numbers with some real force and may have even gotten his elbow up in Toninato’s head area as well. The hit occurred midway through the first period in what was Toninato’s NHL debut. Watson was given a five-minute major for boarding and a game misconduct, leaving his team short-handed for much of the game, though the Predators still won 5-2. Toninato missed much of the game, but did return later on in the third period.

A notably physical player, Watson has nevertheless never been suspended in his NHL career. Also, unlike Gudas, the league requested only a phone hearing with Watson, meaning that a suspension – if any – will be less than five games. It may be the first major infraction for Watson, but given the ferocity of the check and the league’s efforts to clean up the game, it seems likely that Watson will end up with a suspension of some sort.

Avalanche Set To Make Nine-Game Decision On Girard

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Although we’re well into November, there is still one more decision to be made when it comes to a junior-aged player officially burning the first year of his entry-level contract.  That happens to be in Colorado, where recently-acquired defenseman Samuel Girard is scheduled to play in his ninth and tenth games for the Avalanche over the weekend.

Mike Chambers of the Denver Post suggests that the team is highly likely to keep the 19-year-old up with the big club.  Although he has only played three games in an Avalanche uniform (the other five coming with Nashville), Girard has already made quite the impact, logging more than 22 minutes per game while playing alongside Erik Johnson on the top pairing.  Although it’s not likely that he’ll be able to sustain that workload for the rest of the season, it’s certainly hard to imagine Colorado choosing to send him back to junior within the next day or two considering how big of a role he already has.  As is the case with other teenaged players, the next threshold will be 40 games on the active roster which accrues a season towards unrestricted free agency eligibility.

Dominic Toninato Recalled By Colorado Avalanche

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One young player’s suffering is another’s opportunity. When the Colorado Avalanche lost Vladislav Kamenev to a broken arm yesterday in his first game for the team, a chance was made for another player to be called up to the team. That player is Dominic Toninato, who will be getting his first opportunity as well. Toninato is a rookie in professional hockey after signing out of UMD this summer, and has six points in his first 13 games for the San Antonio Rampage.

Toninato was originally drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs, but after four years of university failed to sign with the team. Toronto had basically run out of roster spots for the young forward, and he became a free agent. He decided to sign with the Avalanche in one of the more overlooked moves of the summer, as Alex Kerfoot and Will Butcher were stealing the spotlight around NCAA free agency (especially in Colorado, where one was coming and the other was going). Tonintato didn’t deserve to be overlooked though, after being a consistent two-way forward for the Bulldogs for several seasons.

Named conference defensive forward of the year, and captaining UMD to the NCHC Championship were just the latest accomplishments in an amateur career that also included an impressive year in the USHL. Toninato isn’t likely to ever become a top line player, but has real potential to fill in the bottom half of a Colorado lineup that is looking more dangerous every day

Vladislav Kamenev Out Indefinitely With Broken Arm

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Imagine the worst way to make an impact for your new team. That’s what happened to Vladislav Kamenev, who was playing in his first game for the Colorado Avalanche when he suffered a broken arm. The young forward is out indefinitely according to Mike Chambers of the Denver Post, cutting short his Colorado debut before it even really had a chance to start. Kamenev was acquired along with Samuel Girard from the Nashville Predators in last week’s Matt Duchene–Kyle Turris swap, and was expected to stick with the NHL club for at least the time being.

The 21-year old Kamenev was drafted by the Predators 42nd-overall in 2014, and has developed into a solid two-way center that figures into the Avalanche long-term plans. He made his NHL debut last season with a pair of games for Nashville, but is still looking for his first big-league point. In 14 AHL games split between Milwaukee and San Antonio, he has 12 points.

Colorado head coach Jared Bednar spoke about the unfortunate situation after the game, saying that they “know what they have” in Kamenev and will patiently wait for his return. While some may immediately point to Tyson Jost (who was sent down to the minor leagues this week) as a potential call-up, Bednar and the front office believes getting some playing time with San Antonio is better for his development.

Prospect Notes: Gawdin, Plant, Rising Stars

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The Calgary Flames have inked another young CHL player to an entry-level deal, signing Glenn Gawdin to a three-year contract. Gawdin was originally a fourth-round draft pick of the St. Louis Blues in 2015 but never signed, becoming a free agent. He’s currently playing as a 20-year old in the WHL for the Swift Current Broncos.

Though Gawdin has been an effective player throughout his junior career, this season has been spectacular as he plays against younger competition. With 40 points in 18 games, he ranks third in the WHL in scoring and only trails two of his own teammates. He’ll be heading to the AHL next year in all likelihood, but with experience at center ice could be on a fast track to Calgary.

Colorado Avalanche To Send Tyson Jost To San Antonio

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While Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar spoke to the media today, he explained that Tyson Barrie won’t play tonight against the Washington Capitals due to an upper-body injury that has been bothering him. According to Adrian Dater of BSN Denver, he also indicated that the team would be sending Tyson Jost down to San Antonio of the AHL. The demotion is to get Jost playing big minutes again and reclaim his timing and fitness after sitting out with injuries of his own for nearly a month.

Jost has played just six games with the Avalanche this season, dealing with lower-body injuries suffered when Adam McQuaid sent him awkwardly into the boards last week. Though he would return for a pair of games he eventually went onto injured reserve on October 22nd.

The 19-year old came into the season as a potential Calder Trophy contender, after looking sharp in his six-game taste at the end of last season. Jost left the University of North Dakota after just one season, and jumped right to the NHL to provide some excitement for an Avalanche fan base that had just endured one of the worst seasons on record. Selected 10th-overall in 2016, Jost is a big part of the next wave for the Avalanche.

This will be his first taste of AHL life, and the Rampage will surely welcome him in. Already armed with an excellent group from two different NHL organizations—the Avalanche and St. Louis Blues are providing players for the Rampage this season—Jost should help San Antonio even more up front. The idea of pairing him with someone like Klim Kostin or Tage Thompson will have prospect junkies drooling, though it’s not clear where Jost will feature as of yet. It likely won’t be long before he’s back with the Avalanche.

Morning Notes: Drouin, Spezza, Duchene

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As usual, the Hockey Night In Canada Headlines segment last night was one to watch if you’re interested in rumors and speculation going on around the league. With a panel of Nick Kypreos, Chris Johnston and Elliotte Friedman, you knew there was going to be a few interesting nuggets of information.

Johnston relayed an interesting situation surrounding Jonathan Drouin and the Tampa Bay Lightning. The two sides have finished an arbitration over a performance bonus from last season, that Drouin missed by less than a tenth of a point per game. Because of all the work Steve Yzerman did at the trade deadline last season, the Lightning don’t have any carryover from their entry-level bonuses, meaning the settlement (which will pay Drouin 90% of the bonus) will not affect this year’s cap number.

  • The panel also discussed Jason Spezza and the idea that his name is starting to surface in trade speculation. Spezza is obviously not as big a part of the Dallas Stars as he once was, taken away from the center ice position and moved down in the lineup. The interesting note that Friedman reported is that Spezza has a full no-movement clause during the season, instead of the 10-team no-trade list that had been previously recorded. That clause and the $7.5MM cap hit for this year and next make a move extremely unlikely even if Dallas wanted to part ways.
  • Though the Matt Duchene saga is over, the panel did relay that the Pittsburgh Penguins made a last-ditch effort to acquire the center from the Colorado Avalanche. That would imply that the Penguins are not comfortable with the team they have right now, and few would be surprised by that. Pittsburgh lost again last night and are now 9-7-3 on the year. Though no one is expecting them to miss the playoffs, GM Jim Rutherford is a known horse trader as the deadline approaches, and will likely be involved in another big move this season.

Avalanche Not As Willing To Move Landeskog As They Were Last Season

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While Matt Duchene drew most of the trade attention dating back to last season, team captain Gabriel Landeskog was also suggested as someone that the Avalanche might also be willing to move.  With the team getting off to a better start this season though, TSN’s Bob McKenzie stated to TSN 1200 (audio link) that Colorado may not be as willing to move him now even though the team is still “somewhat open for business”.  Although this is already his seventh season in the NHL, Landeskog is still only 24 and could very easily still be part of their long-term plans.  He’s off to a much better start this season with 11 points in his first 15 games.  For perspective, it took him until December 27th to hit 11 points last year.

Colorado To Recall Kamenev As Soon As Possible

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Yesterday we discussed the package the Colorado Avalanche received in return for Matt Duchene, but one of the overlooked pieces so far has been Vladislav Kamenev. The 21-year old center might not be as exciting as Samuel Girard, but is another legitimate NHL prospect with some intriguing upside. Today, while the Avalanche prepare for their series against the Ottawa Senators in Sweden, GM Joe Sakic told Igor Eronko of Sport-Express that the team will bring Kamenev up as soon as possible. He would have even liked to bring him to Stockholm, if visa issues had not prevented him.

Kamenev reported to the San Antonio Rampage after the trade, and registered an assist in his first game. That gives him nine points in 11 games this season, after scoring 59 last season. Selected with the 42nd-overall pick in 2014, the 6’2″ forward is a solid two-way player and gives the Avalanche even more depth down the middle. Obviously with the loss of Duchene the NHL center position is weakened, but with Nathan MacKinnon, Alex Kerfoot, Tyson Jost, J.T. Compher and now Kamenev all 23-and-under with plenty of experience in the middle the future looks bright.

Sakic also addressed the idea that Kamenev could return to the KHL when his contract expires, telling Eronko he’s not worried about that.

I think he wants to play in the NHL and he’s an NHL player. I’m sure once he comes up he doesn’t want to go anywhere else. He’ll enjoy growing with that group. We wanted to get younger, get those young guys and grow together.

Kamenev’s entry-level contract will expire at the end of the 2018-19 season, and there will be plenty of eyes on him by then. If he does come up right away, he’ll be given every opportunity to succeed with the team right away. Colorado is off to a good start, but is focused on the long-term growth of the team.

On that note, Girard looks like he’ll get into the games in Sweden for Colorado which will force them to make a decision quickly after returning. Girard has played five games so far this season, and if he plays 10 he’ll burn a year of his entry-level contract. The Avalanche will have to decide whether sticking with their team for the whole year is worth it, or whether he should go back to the QMJHL. For Nashville, that decision was likely going to lean towards junior because of their already stellar group of defensemen. In Colorado, there’s no telling how much ice time Girard could earn himself.

The Post-Duchene Era: Colorado’s New Path To Success

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The Colorado Avalanche aren’t ready to compete for the Stanley Cup. No one is saying they will. Even if their current players are hoping to squeeze their way into the playoffs, they’re still more likely to finish somewhere in the bottom half (or even third) of the league. But there is still that hope.

In August, PHR ran an article entitled Colorado’s Tumultuous Twelve Months which chronicled the fall of the Avalanche after Patrick Roy left the team on the precipice of the season, and all the heartbreak that followed. The 2016-17 version of the Avalanche was one of the worst teams in NHL history, and their reward—dropping to fourth overall in the entry draft—was the final blow. But, as we wrote then, there was reason for (say it with me) hope.

Add in that Matt Duchene is still likely to bring a big return at some point, Jonathan Bernier could be a trade-deadline asset, and the team could be surprisingly successful in short order. While a playoff spot still seems like a distant goal, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The defense still needs work—the team doesn’t even have Nikita Zadorov under contract yet—but with another lottery chance in what’s shaping up to be an incredibly deep draft in 2018, the Avalanche could have a quicker turnaround than many expect.

The Avalanche did cash in their Duchene-shaped poker chip, using him as a catalyst for the massive three-team trade this past weekend. In return, not only did they set themselves up well for the 2018 draft—the same one that is still looking incredibly deep—but did a lot of the heavy lifting on the defense rebuild. Samuel Girard, the centerpiece of the Duchene deal, is a blue-chip prospect that is perfectly built for the new NHL. When you describe his best qualities, Avalanche fans may think you’re talking about someone else.

Excellent mobility. Quick decision making. Superb puck skills. Are we talking about Girard or Cale Makar, the other top defensive prospect obtained in the last few months?

Makar is spending the year at UMass-Amherst, where he recently scored his first collegiate goal and seems to take on more minutes and more responsibility on a nightly basis. Head coach Greg Carval recently called him “remarkable” and spoke about all the intangibles Makar brings to the team, even as a freshman. When he’s ready to turn pro, there is no doubt he’ll be a difference-maker in the NHL.

That August article also mentioned two other names, Nikita Zadorov and Jonathan Bernier. The former did eventually sign, inking a two-year deal with the team that told him “prove it.” It’s not gone swimmingly early on, as Zadorov has been a healthy scratch and generally ineffective in his role. By no means does he look out of place in the NHL, but hasn’t shown that shutdown ability both Buffalo (who drafted him 16th-overall in 2013) and Colorado (who included him as the centerpiece of the Ryan O’Reilly deal) believed he could.

In Bernier’s case, his season has gone much the way his career has. At times he looks outstanding, able to shoulder the load as a starter in the NHL. But then there is the other Bernier, who can allow six goals on 28 shots and look small and defeated in the net. It’s just five games for him this season as the backup to Semyon Varlamov, but even if he has his occasional stinker he’ll still be worth something at the deadline as an expiring, relatively inexpensive contract.

Which brings us to the final (and perhaps most important) piece of good news for the Avalanche. In Elliotte Friedman’s latest 31 Thoughts column for Sportsnet, one of the smaller notes was about Colorado’s salary structure going forward. With the departing of Duchene and his $6MM hit, the team now has approximately $26MM in cap space (via CapFriendly) for next season with 17 players already under contract. In a league that cap space is king, that is a perfect situation for a rebuilding club. Colorado will be able to pick and choose the contracts they want to sign over the next few years with only Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog and Erik Johnson locked in past the 2019-20 season.

So what does this all mean? Are the Avalanche the new model for a rebuilding club? No. Not everything has been perfect, not by any means. But for all the horror that was last season, when the team was continually going on losing streaks of four, five or even nine games, there is—to borrow from that August article—a light at the end of the tunnel. Suddenly, a defensive prospect system that was completely bare is stocked with two legitimate top names. A forward group that was dominated by disappointment and trade talk has now catapulted the team to the top half of the league in scoring and features several budding stars.

Add in the fact that they’ll likely pick four times (at least) in the first 60 selections come June, and there’s one thing on the minds of Colorado Avalanche fans.

Hope.

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