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Duchene Reportedly Open To Trade

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Matt Duchene, frequently a subject of trade rumors this season, is open to being dealt from last-place Colorado, according to The Denver Post’s Mark Kiszla. The scribe spoke to the gifted center who told him that he understands the business side of the game and that he would be ready to move on from the only NHL home he has ever known.

“I’m open to it,” Duchene said Wednesday. “When I say open to it, I know it’s part of the business, and it’s something that might happen. I’m not hiding from it. I’m not running away. I’m not banging my head. I understand it’s part of what we deal with as pro athletes.”

“The trade rumor stuff is part of the business. I understand that at this juncture of the season, (with) the way things are going, something may happen, something may not. We’ll see.”

With the Colorado Avalanche’s season effectively off the rails it’s become clear the roster, as presently constructed, is fatally flawed. GM Joe Sakic has demonstrated tremendous faith in the core he’s helped assemble but it’s clear the time has come to move on and start over. Dealing Duchene would potentially represent the first major step in that direction.

There would be no shortage of suitors interested in adding the skilled Duchene. The 26-year-old center has tallied 20 goals or more in five of his seven full seasons and with 15 in 41 contests it’s a near certainty he will again reach that threshold during the 2016-17 campaign. Over his career, Duchene has averaged 26.2 goals for every 82 games played at the NHL level. There isn’t a team in the league who wouldn’t like to add that type of production to their lineup; the question is what it would cost to do so.

In desperate need to upgrade the blue line, the Avalanche will likely insist on a high-end, young defenseman to headline any trade packages for Duchene. Klisz suggests Colorado call Carolina to inquire about Denver native Jaccob Slavin. The 22-year-old Slavin is in his second NHL season and has tallied 17 points in 47 games for the Hurricanes. As a rookie, he registered a 20-point campaign in 63 appearances. Slavin would appear to represent a solid starting point in potential negotiations, but it’s likely the Avalanche would seek more in any deal for Duchene.

The Hurricanes would certainly welcome a boost to their mediocre offensive attack but how high of a price are they willing to pay? The team does boast an enviable group of blue liners, including those already at the NHL level and in their prospect pipeline, and a case could be made that Duchene is exactly the type of proven player the team should target. With two more seasons on his deal coming with a cap hit of $6MM, Duchene is a player who can help Carolina both today and into the future.

While other names have been linked to trade rumors in Colorado, such as that of team captain Gabriel Landeskog, it seems most likely Duchene will be on the move sooner rather than later. With his track record of individual success – including multiple gold medals representing Team Canada on the international circuit – age, and contractual control, clubs will be willing to pony up the necessary assets to pry the pivot away from Colorado.

Minor Transactions: 1/24/17

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Here is where we’ll keep track of today’s minor roster moves:

  • The Devils announced (Twitter link) that they have activated defenseman Yohann Auvitu off of injured reserve and assigned him to their AHL affiliate in Albany. He had missed the past seven games with a lower body injury.  The 27 year old rookie has spent the bulk of the season with New Jersey, picking up four points (2-2-4) in 25 games.  He also has seen time in seven AHL contests, recording a trio of assists.
  • The Senators announced via Twitter that they have recalled winger Casey Bailey from AHL Binghamton. He’s expected to serve as insurance up front in case Mike Hoffman (flu) is unable to play tonight against Washington.  Bailey has played in four games with Ottawa this season being held off the scoresheet and has ten goals and five assists in 33 games with Binghamton.
  • Washington announced the recall of center Chandler Stephenson from Hershey of the AHL. The 22 year old got into nine games with the Capitals last season but has yet to suit up with the big club in 2016-17.  He has played in 39 AHL games this year, recording 24 points (6-18-24), just four shy of his career high set last season.
  • With defenseman Brian Dumoulin set to return from injured reserve, the Penguins have assigned blueliner Cameron Gaunce to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL, per a team release. Gaunce got into three games with Pittsburgh after being recalled last week, picking up a pair of assists while posting two goals and six assists with the Baby Pens this season.
  • The Ducks announced via Twitter that they have loaned center Nate Thompson to their AHL affiliate in San Diego on a long-term injury conditioning loan.  Loans of this nature typically last a maximum of three games or six days but teams can petition the league for an extra two games.  Thompson, who remains on LTIR, has missed the entire season so far after rupturing his Achilles’ tendon in an offseason workout.
  • Colorado announced (Twitter link) that they have recalled center Jim O’Brien from San Antonio of the AHL.  The team placed forward Rene Bourque on IR to make room for him on the roster.  O’Brien, a former first round pick of the Senators (29th overall) in 2007, has spent the entire season at the minor league level, collecting seven goals and ten assists in 26 games.  He last saw NHL action in 2015-16, getting into four games with New Jersey.

San Jose Sharks Send Goodrow, Heed To AHL

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After their 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday, the San Jose Sharks have sent Barclay Goodrow and Tim Heed back to the San Jose Barracuda in the AHL. The team will play the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday and again on Monday, and it’s unclear who they will bring up or replace these two with.

Both Tomas Hertl and Dylan DeMelo are expected to be out for at least another few weeks, meaning the team now has only 21 roster spots filled. Perhaps the organization just wants them to get into a couple of games, as even though the Barracuda are on the road, they’re playing two games in state. Tonight they take on the San Diego Gulls, and tomorrow the Ontario Reign. Both players could travel with the NHL squad on Sunday when they hit the road.

Heed is having an exceptional year in the AHL, scoring 32 points in 29 games from the back end. This comes in his first season in North America after coming over from Sweden. The former fifth-round pick is exceptionally undersized for a defenseman at just 5’11, 165 lbs but can do enough things right to be able to contribute at the NHL level.

Goodrow went undrafted before making an immediate impact at the NHL level in 2014-15, playing in 60 games less than a year removed from playing in junior. While he was a consistent goal-scorer for the Battalion (Brampton and then North Bay), he never projected as much of an offensive talent in the NHL. Since signing though, he’s been a fine addition to the Sharks organization, scoring in the AHL and playing solid bottom-six minutes for the NHL club when called upon.

Varlamov Out Through All-Star Break With Groin Issue

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The Colorado Avalanche will be without starting net minder Semyon Varlamov at least through the All-Star break, the team announced this afternoon. Head coach Jared Bednar made the announcement, indicating the groin issue which has bothered the goalie on-and-off throughout the season “is no longer a day-to-day thing.” The All-Star break runs through January 30th, meaning the injury will effectively cause Varlamov to miss at least the team’s next four games.

The Avalanche later said they would recall goaltender Spencer Martin from their AHL affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage. Martin has previously been up with the club but has yet to appear in an NHL game. He was the team’s third-round selection, 63rd overall, in the 2013 entry draft out of Mississauga of the OHL.

With Varlamov out, expect Calvin Pickard to get the lion’s share of the playing time between the pipes. The 24-year-old has started 19 games on the year for the Avalanche, winning seven, and posting a GAA of 3.06 with a S% of 0.902. Pickard was the team’s second-round pick in 2010.

Varlamov has also struggled between the pipes for Colorado, winning just six of 23 starts and recording a GAA of 3.38 and a S% below 0.900. Among the 47 qualified NHL goaltenders, Varly is tied for 42nd in S% and dead last in GAA.

With the Avalanche at least expected to consider tearing down and rebuilding their roster, it’s possible they would have marketed Varlamov this coming summer to teams in search of goaltending help. But with two more years remaining on a deal which calls for an AAV of $5.9MM, it’s doubtful they would have found a taker given his lackluster performance this season. His recurring groin problems serve to further diminish any possibility of a trade taking place.

Central Division Snapshots: Blackhawks, Avalanche, Korpikoski

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The Chicago Blackhawks roster still boasts many of the key contributors who have led the team to three Stanley Cup championships since 2010. And as long as Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith and Corey Crawford are healthy, the Hawks will be on the short list of Western Conference contenders even as the front office constantly juggles the rest of the roster to augment that core while remaining compliant with the salary cap.

That doesn’t mean the Blackhawks aren’t in need of reinforcements as the March 1st trade deadline approaches, however. Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun Times argues Chicago desperately needs a top left wing in order to help pull Toews out of his season long scoring slump. For his career, Toews has averaged 0.86 points/game but so far this season he is nearly three-tenths-of-a-point behind that rate. Lazerus believes that the acquisition of a proven top-six winger would allow Vinnie Hinostroza to slot into the team’s bottom-six, further bolstering that group. In conjunction with the expected return of Marcus Kruger, the Blackhawks would be able to ice four solid and balanced lines in this scenario.

Lazerus lists Matt Duchene and Gabriel Landeskog, who have both been frequently mentioned in trade rumors of late, as two potential options. Though given the team’s current salary cap situation – $65.7MM in commitments to just 14 players – it’s far more likely that Chicago will stick to shopping in the rental bin as opposed to adding a player with term remaining beyond this season.

James van Riemsdyk was also listed by Lazerus as a possibility though Toronto would likely hold onto the winger as long as they remain in the hunt for a playoff spot. He also has one more year remaining on his deal, representing an additional sticking point in this scenario. Jarome Iginla is undoubtedly available but at 39 and with just five goals through 41 games this season, Chicago would probably exhaust other alternatives before pivoting in this direction.

If Dallas decides to sell at the deadline, former Blackhawk Patrick Sharp could represent an interesting option, though that is just my speculation. Sharp has missed time this season on two separate occasions with concussions and has just two goals on the season but tallied 20 last year for the Stars. He’s in the final year of his contract with a cap hit of $5.9MM and given Chicago will only have roughly $3.3MM of available space at the deadline, the Stars will either have to retain salary or take back a contract to facilitate a trade.

Elsewhere in the Central Division:

  • The Colorado Avalanche, in the midst of a second straight dismal season, appear to be on the verge of a major shakeup, whether that occurs at the trade deadline or during the summer. Multiple high-profile players could be shipped elsewhere as management attempts to fix what ails the roster. The Denver Post’s Terry Frei compiled a comprehensive listing of the moves the team has made since Joe Sakic took over as the organization’s top decision-maker and the results are as you would expect given the current state of the team. Like many teams, the Avalanche have blundered when it comes to the term offered to unrestricted free agents. Among the players acquired either as a free agent or via trade and then subsequently extended were Brad Stuart, Jarome Iginla, Francois Beachemin, and Carl Soderberg. All were at least 30 when added to the Avalanche roster and only Soderberg was younger than 34. Needless to say, those deals haven’t worked out as the team had anticipated.
  • A late free agent addition that has panned out far better than expected was the Dallas Stars October signing of forward Lauri Korpikoski, as Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News writes. The Finnish forward had been bought out of the final year of his deal with Edmonton and was later released from his PTO with Calgary. In need of forward depth following the loss of Ales Hemsky and Mattias Janmark, the team inked Korpikoski to a one-year, $1M deal. While he hasn’t exactly lit up the score sheet, the nine-year veteran has contributed six goals and 15 points in 43 games. That’s solid production for a bottom-six winger and a relative bargain given the minimal investment the Stars undertook. Additionally, Stars head coach Lindy Ruff appreciates Korpikoski’s all-around game, saying: “He’s a solid contributor who is good on both sides of the puck. You’ve got a guy who is pretty diligent and plays the game the right way.” With five of his fellow forwards also set to hit unrestricted free agency this summer, it’s at least possible Dallas considers an extension with Korpikoski.

 

Predators Acquire Cody McLeod From Avalanche

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The Nashville Predators have added some grit up front, announcing the acquisition of winger Cody McLeod from Colorado in exchange for prospect center Felix Girard.

McLeod had seen his role with the Avalanche diminish considerably under new head coach Jared Bednar this season.  He has played in just 28 games this year, scoring once while adding 52 penalty minutes.  His average ice time had also been cut nearly in half from 2015-16, dropping to just 5:53 per game.

Mar 12, 2016; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; Colorado Avalanche left wing Cody McLeod (55) takes a shot on net prior to the game against the Winnipeg Jets at MTS Centre. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Fedyck-USA TODAY SportsIn his career, McLeod has played in 659 NHL games, all with Colorado after signing with the team as an undrafted free agent back in 2006.  He has 66 goals, 51 assists, and 1,359 penalty minutes in that span.  He has one season remaining after this one on his contract with a cap hit of $1.33MM.  The Avalanche will retain 40% of that, per ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun (Twitter link).

With the Preds, McLeod will likely contend for a spot on the fourth line.  With the team battling injuries up front, long-time AHL player Harry Zolnierczyk is currently in the lineup so McLeod should be able to step in and play right away.  As for the Avs, they had been carrying 14 forwards lately so it’s unlikely they’ll bring someone up from the AHL to take their place.  Instead, one of John Mitchell or Joe Colborne should get back into the lineup on a more regular basis.

As for Girard, he was Nashville’s fourth round pick (95th overall) back in 2013 and he has yet to play at the NHL level.  He has played in 35 games this season with AHL Milwaukee, scoring eight points (3-5-8).  The Avalanche have already assigned him to their minor league affiliate in San Antonio.  Girard is in the final year of his entry-level contract and carries an NHL cap hit of $631,667.

Interestingly enough, McLeod may not have to wait too long to face his former team as the Predators will be in Colorado tomorrow afternoon.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Evening Snapshots: Murray, Avalanche, Callahan

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News and notes from around the NHL this evening:

  • Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Matt Murray makes his first start tonight since suffering a lower body injury on December 28th. Murray actually returned to action last night against the Washington Capitals but rode the pine as Marc-Andre Fleury’s backup. The Penguins welcome Murray back as he’s earned a .928 SV% and a 2.18 GAA in 19 games this season. That is in contrast that with Fleury’s .908 SV% and 3.12 GAA. Every point matters in the tight Metropolitan division this season, and right now Murray gives the Penguins that best chance to win in the season’s second half.
  • Colorado Avalanche GM Joe Sakic wants to reboot the team to get younger and faster, reports TSN’s Pierre LeBrun this evening (video link). The expectation is that a number of players currently in the AHL with the San Antonio Rampage are ready to step up. But Sakic also admitted that he has been in talks with other teams about undisclosed players. We mentioned here and here that both Gabriel Landeskog and Matt Duchene are also rumored to be traded.
  • Tampa Bay Lightning forward Ryan Callahan will miss his second straight game tonight as he deals with a lower body injury. While the team did not disclose the nature of the injury, many think it’s related to his hip after he underwent surgery on it this season. Callahan is struggling this season, scoring only 2G and 2A in 18 games.

Snapshots: Burmistrov, Canucks, Ducks

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Since being selected off waivers on January 2nd, Alexander Burmistrov has still yet to make it to Arizona due to work visa issues. Now, according to Dave Vest the team’s director of news content, Burmistrov has his visa and is just waiting to get his passport back from the government. As soon as he does, he’ll fly out to Arizona and join the team.

The Coyotes hope he’ll be ready to play on Friday, when they’ll begin to evaluate what they have. The former top-10 draft pick has just two points this season and hasn’t developed into the dominant two-way center the Jets had hoped for when they selected him. The Coyotes will use the rest of this year to determine if they can find some use for him going forward, or if he’s just another busted prospect.

  • Pierre LeBrun says the Vancouver Canucks will not trade away draft picks for a short-term gain to get them into the playoffs. That would jive with what Frank Seravalli said earlier today when he said that gaining draft picks would probably be the priority for GM Jim Benning. LeBrun does say that if they could acquire a young player capable of contributing for the next few years they’d be open to it, but realistically who wouldn’t?
  • There’s a nasty flu going around the Anaheim Ducks room, reports Adrian Dater of Bleacher Report. That’s not good as starting tomorrow night the team has five games in eight nights and are fighting the San Jose Sharks for the first seed in the Pacific division. Luckily, they’ll face the hapless Avalanche twice during those games, with another one against the Coyotes to boot.
  • Dylan DeMelo will be out a couple of weeks, according to Kevin Kurz of CSN. The defenseman was seen in a cast tonight before the team’s game against the Calgary Flames. With DeMelo out, Tim Heed may work his way in on the bottom pairing at some point.

The Latest On Gabriel Landeskog Trade Rumors

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It seems like every week brings a new Colorado Avalanche trade rumor. Teams plummeting in the standings attract sharks looking to pick off the best pieces in exchange for future prospects. This week’s target is Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog.

Adrian Dater tweeted that both the Los Angeles Kings (here) and the Boston Bruins (here) were rumored to be in the mix for Landeskog. The problem, however, may be with Colorado’s requested return. According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, Colorado is looking for “top-level defenseman, first-round draft pick, plus.” He noted that some teams find that ask outrageous—especially because Landeskog is struggling this season with 7G and 6A in 29 games.

Boston is one of those teams. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that Boston ended talks with Colorado after Boston refused to part with defensive prospect Brandon Carlo. Boston drafted Carlo in the second round in 2015, and while his numbers don’t raise any eyebrows, his defensive play has impressed scouts. Boston is reportedly very high on Carlo, and expect him to develop into a top-flight defenseman.

Because of this ask, TSN and ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun says that most teams think that the Avalanche wait until the offseason to make any moves. The rationale is that teams are relatively unshackled from cap constraints and have more freedom to make moves. Left unsaid was that an offseason deal protects a team from losing a fringe player or prospect in the June expansion draft.

Colorado’s asking price may drop as more teams drop out of the playoff race, notes Elliotte Friedman today on the Fan 590 (audio link). Right now only Colorado and the Arizona Coyotes are definite non-playoff teams, creating scarcity in the market for available players. Colorado may reduce its price for Landeskog in a few weeks once the NHL standings filter out some of the bubble teams like the Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres, and New York Islanders.

5 Key Stories: 1/2/16 – 1/8/16

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Let’s recap the five biggest stories from the week of 1/2/2016 through 1/8/2016:

  • The Columbus Blue Jackets occupy the top spot in the league due in large part to their recent 16-game winning streak. The team had a chance to tie a record set by the 1992-93 Pittsburgh Penguins – a team led by “Super” Mario Lemieux and the ageless Jaromir Jagr – but the Blue Jackets came up short, falling to the Washington Capitals by the score of 5 – 0. Nonetheless, it’s an incredible feat accomplished by the Blue Jackets and an announcement to the rest of the league that they are indeed a team to be taken seriously.
  • It’s been an up-and-down year in Winnipeg, but Jets rookie phenom Patrik Laine has been a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing season. The 18-year-old Finn is currently tied for third in the league in goal scoring with 21 and has already established himself as one of the league’s most exciting young stars. Unfortunately, Laine is out indefinitely after suffering a concussion in Winnipeg’s 4 – 3 loss to Buffalo on Saturday.
  • Colorado has certainly been one of the league’s biggest disappointments in 2016-17. An offseason coaching change was expected to spark a talented roster back into playoff contention but instead the Avalanche have been the worst team in the league and at this point are one of the few clubs who can safely be called “seller” in advance of the trade deadline. This of course has led to all kinds of rumors, with the most recent involving Boston. The Bruins reportedly inquired as to the availability Gabriel Landeskog with Colorado asking for rookie blue liner Brandon Carlo in return. While there appears to be no traction in trade discussions between the two teams, that could change closer to the March 1st deadline.
  • It was a busy week on the waiver wire with several players switching teams by virtue of waiver claims. Reid Boucher changed clubs twice going from Nashville to New Jersey and finally on to Vancouver all via waivers. Ty Rattie went from St. Louis to Carolina and San Jose lost Matt Nieto to Colorado.
  • Montreal winger Brendan Gallagher is slated to miss the next eight weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a fractured hand. Gallagher was injured when a shot from teammate Shea Weber struck his hand during a recent game.

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