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Snapshots: Corsi, Ramo, Matthews

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have hired a pair of new faces for the coaching staff, bringing in Jim Corsi as goaltending development coach and Carey Krug as an assistant for the Cleveland Monsters. Corsi of course is the coach that the statistic is named after, but also has a long history of developing NHL goaltenders including working with Dominik Hasek and Ryan Miller after taking over from legendary coach Mitch Korn in Buffalo.

Krug, another familiar name in the hockey world, is the uncle of Boston Bruins defenseman Torey Krug and has been a skills development coach working with various players for more than a decade. He’ll join Columbus’ AHL affiliate and work with head coach John Madden for the upcoming season.

  • Karri Ramo will miss the next six months thanks to a knee injury, keeping him out of a good portion of the KHL season. After posting outstanding numbers with Jokerit last season, Ramo was set to start for Avangard Omsk this season. Instead, that job will likely go to hulking goaltender Igor Bobkov, who also came over to Omsk this offseason. Bobkov was selected back in 2009 by the Anaheim Ducks in the third round, but never did crack the NHL. Now 32, it seems unlikely that Ramo will ever return to the NHL during his playing career.
  • Auston Matthews has been the center of several rumors this offseason regarding his perceived attitude towards Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock and the arrival of John Tavares in town. He sat down with Jonas Siegel of The Athletic (subscription required) to put some of that speculation to rest, and admitted that he is ecstatic about the team adding a star of Tavares’ stature. Matthews also admitted that if the Maple Leafs brass asked him if he was ready to be the next captain of the team already, he would tell them yes—an admission that is only going to start more speculation about the 20-year old superstar.

Poll: Early Hart Trophy Favorite?

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It may be the slowest stretch of the off-season, but the odds-makers at Bovada are staying busy. As Sports Illustrated’s Michael Blinn writes, the first odds for the NHL’s MVP Award, the Hart Trophy, for the 2018-19 season are out. Very few could have predicted that the New Jersey Devils’ Taylor Hall would have taken home the title this past season at this point last year. Is next year’s winner even on the board? Or will it be one of the heavy favorites?

To no surprise, Edmonton Oilers phenom Connor McDavid has the best odds to win the Hart for the second time in three years after being crowned in 2017. McDavid has 10/3 odds to win the award and those are actually pretty fair odds. Even last season, when McDavid was not even a finalist for the Hart, he nevertheless was the league’s leading scorer with 108 points, six more than the next-best player. It was the second season in a row that McDavid won the scoring title and that trend seems unlikely to change if he remains healthy. However, there are some who will say that McDavid’s Hart chances are tied to the success of the Oilers. The argument this past season was that he could not truly be the most valuable player in the league when his contributions still left Edmonton far from a playoff spot. With a roster that has been largely unimproved this off-season, another regular season disappointment for the Oilers could make it hard for McDavid to get back on top.

Next up is two-time Hart winner Sidney Crosby at 13/5. The face of the Pittsburgh Penguins dynasty has long been considered the best player on the planet. Yet, one would think that Crosby might actually have more than two MVP titles. Crosby has scored between 84 and 120 points in every healthy season of his career, but his impressive supporting cast detracts from the impact of those unbelievable numbers. Especially last season, when Crosby was narrowly outscored by both Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel, it would have been close to impossible for him to win the Hart. Malkin (18/1 odds) and Kessel (75/1 odds) are still Penguins and barring injuries to one or both, Crosby would have to take his game to an even higher level to get back into Hart consideration.

Maple Leafs centers John Tavares and Auston Matthews both have 10/1 odds to win the Hart, as the odds-makers clearly expect there to be plenty of offense to go around in Toronto next season. Injuries held Matthews to 63 points last season, outside the top 50 in scoring, while a healthy Tavares only managed to tie for sixteenth with 84 points for the New York Islanders. Both players will greatly need to improve their production to be Hart – and it is certainly possible now that they are playing together – yet an improvement by both could land them in Crosby/Malkin territory where they cancel each other out in the Hart race.

Reigning Stanley Cup, Conn Smythe, and Maurice Richard winner Alex Ovechkin also has 10/1 odds to take home the Hart. Ovechkin has done it three times before, more than any other active player in the league. However, Ovechkin’s 49 goals last year only came with 38 assists, as his 87 points kept him outside the top ten in scoring. At 33 years old this season, the Washington Capitals captain will have to fight both the aging process and a potential Cup hangover to improve his production if he wants a fourth Hart. Ovechkin’s 10/1 odds seem like a stretch.

At 15/1 are both the 2018 winner Hall and finalist Nathan MacKinnon, as well as Nikita Kucherov and Mark Scheifele. This is where the value lies in these early odds. The former duo greatly benefited from both excellent seasons – 97 points for MacKinnon and 93 points for Hall – but also being far and away the best players on the New Jersey Devils and Colorado Avalanche respectively. Both should again lead the way for their clubs and if they match their previous output and again sneak into the postseason, it would be no surprise to see them both back in consideration next year. As for Kucherov, he was the favorite to win the Hart for a long stretch last season as he led the league in scoring. Although his production tailed off as the season closed out, the dynamic Tampa Bay Lightning winger still managed to finish third with 100 points. Tampa will be top contenders again and promise to light up the score board with Kucherov leading the way. Perhaps this time he can seal the deal on the Hart. Scheifele is a dark horse candidate who could be the breakout star of the coming season like Hall and MacKinnon last year. The Winnipeg Jets franchise center played in only 60 games last year, but scored 60 points and continues to show flashes of brilliance. He could be a savvy pick to take home the hardware.

Among the rest of the field are some very interesting options. Los Angeles Kings star Anze Kopitar, a Hart finalist last season, has 18/1 odds and new weapon to play with in Ilya Kovalchuk (50/1 odds). Philadelphia Flyers captain Claude Giroux has 25/1 odds despite finishing second only to McDavid at the top of the scoring charts last season with 102 points. Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand, also 25/1 odds, was arguably the most dangerous scorer in the league last season when on the ice, finishing 13th overall in scoring with 85 points in just 68 games – the only player in the top 50 to play in less than 70 games. Bargain odds belong to Artemi Panarin at 50/1. The Columbus Blue Jackets dynamo gets better each year since coming over to the NHL and could toy with 100 points in his second year with the team. That would make for an interesting off-season, as Panarin is slated for free agency next summer.

What do you think? Does Bovada have the right names at the top? Or will the Hart winner be another unpredictable upset like Hall?

Who Is The Early Favorite To Win The 2019 Hart Trophy?
Connor McDavid 32.35% (273 votes)
Sidney Crosby 12.09% (102 votes)
The Field - comment below 11.37% (96 votes)
Nathan MacKinnon 11.14% (94 votes)
Nikita Kucherov 7.58% (64 votes)
John Tavares 6.87% (58 votes)
Taylor Hall 5.09% (43 votes)
Mark Scheifele 5.09% (43 votes)
Auston Matthews 4.74% (40 votes)
Alex Ovechkin 3.67% (31 votes)
Total Votes: 844

Zach Werenski On Track To Be Ready For Season

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Considering Zach Werenski played with an injured shoulder for almost the entire 2017-18 season, imagine how good he could be if he is at 100% for all of the upcoming campaign. That is the goal for the young Blue Jackets blue liner, who recently sat down with Columbus beat writer Brian Hedger. Werenski continues to recover from off-season surgery, but says that his goal is to “be there for Game 1”.

Werenski suffered the injury of note all the way back on October 30th, 2017. The sophomore defenseman nevertheless played in 77 games and recorded 37 points, even though he played with a brace for much of the year. Werenski then underwent corrective surgery in early May and had his left arm immobilized for much of the summer. However, the 2015 eighth overall pick is already ahead of schedule in his rehab and training. Columbus GM Jarmo Kekalainen shared a recovery timeline back in June that assumed Werenski would miss most of training camp, but the young defender tells Hedger that he hopes to back toward the start of training camp. Werenski has already begun shooting drills and is essentially back to his regular off-season training minus taking any contact. While the offensive rearguard is obviously motivated to be ready for the season for his teammates, coaches, and fans, he also admits to Hedger that playing in the teams opener, a road game against the Detroit Red Wings in his home state of Michigan, is an added personal boost. “Suffer now, but I’m going to be able to play in my hometown in front of my family and friends ” has been Werenski’s mantra this summer and so far things seem to be going well.

Should Werenski suffer even a small setback that leaves him unable to start the season, the Blue Jackets are less equipped to deal with his absence than they would have been last year. With Jack Johnson, Ian Cole, and even others like Taylor Chorney now gone via free agency, Columbus is relatively thin on the blue line after their superstar young pairing of Werenski and Seth Jones. Ryan Murray or Markus Nutivaara would likely be the replacement on the top pair with Jones while the other skates with David Savard, leaving the Jackets with a bottom pair featuring two of Scott Harrington, Gabriel Carlsson, Dean Kukan or new addition Adam Clendening. Count the Blue Jackets as being right there with Werenski in hopes that he is able to go from day one.

Florida Panthers Sign Mark Letestu To PTO

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Professional tryout season is upon us, and the Florida Panthers have announced that veteran center Mark Letestu will join them in training camp this year. A “PTO” as it is referred to is an agreement to have a player in camp without any obligation to sign them to an NHL contract. Many players on tryouts will eventually earn a deal somewhere—though, as the Edmonton Oilers found out not necessarily with the team they’re working with—but nothing is guaranteed for Letestu this time around. The 33-year old will be battling for his NHL life after spending the end of last season with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Aaron Portzline of The Athletic in fact tweets that if Letestu can’t find a one-way deal with the Panthers, there could still be a two-way contract waiting for him in Columbus. The two sides had talks recently, and the veteran center had several two-way contract offers. Though last season didn’t go as planned first in Edmonton and then Columbus, there is a good chance that Letestu can still be an effective player. It was just two seasons ago that he recorded 16 goals and 35 points for the Oilers before being one of their best players in the postseason.

For a Panthers team that is looking to compete in a tough Atlantic Division, giving a chance like this to Letestu makes sense. The team isn’t incredibly deep down the middle, and has several unproven young players trying to lock down spots in the bottom-six. Battling out a veteran like Letestu for that opportunity can only improve their performance, and there is a real possibility that he has enough left in the tank to contribute this season. For what would likely be a one-way contract under $1MM, he may be able to snag a spot on the Panthers roster.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Columbus Blue Jackets

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Navigating the Salary Cap is probably one of the more important tasks for any general manager to have. Teams that can avert total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2018-19 season. This will focus more on those players who are integral parts of the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.

Columbus Blue Jackets

Current Cap Hit: $73,890,832 (under the $79.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

D Zach Werenski (one year remaining, $925K)
F Pierre-Luc Dubois (two years remaining, $894K)
F Sonny Milano (one year remaining, $863K)

Potential Bonuses

Dubois: $2.5MM
Werenski: $800K
Milano: $400K

Total: $3.7MM

The Blue Jackets got a big boost from Dubois who should provide the team with a top center for quite a long time as the 20-year-old had a solid rookie campaign as he posted 20 goals and 48 points. Those numbers should exponentially increase as he gets older, bigger and more comfortable in the league. It wouldn’t be surprising at all to see him develop into a 60-70 point player this year already. And with two years remaining, he will continue to be a bargain for some time.

Werenski had a mixed bag of a season as he saw his points totals drop from his rookie season (47 points) to his second season (37 points). Yet his goal totals increased from his rookie season (10) to his sophomore season (16). However, Werenski underwent surgery for a shoulder injury that had been causing him pain since October, suggesting he played injured all season. A fully healthy Werenski could give the team one of the top young defensemen in the league.

Milano arrived with much fanfare, but he struggled finding a permanent place in the lineup, as he often received relatively few minutes on the third line due to his struggles on defense. However, Milano showed flashes of scoring ability as the 22-year-old posted 14 goals in 55 games. With a year under his belt, Milano might be able to take those numbers to a much bigger level if he can prove he can play a two-way game for coach John Tortorella.

One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level

G Sergei Bobrovsky ($7.43MM, UFA)
F Artemi Panarin ($6MM, UFA)
D Ryan Murray ($2.83MM, RFA)
G Joonas Korpisalo ($900K, RFA)
F Lukas Sedlak ($825K, RFA)
F Alex Broadhurst ($725K, RFA)
F Markus Hannikainen ($675K, RFA)
D Scott Harrington ($675K, RFA)
F Anthony Duclair ($650K, RFA)

The biggest news all offseason is the fact that Panarin has told Columbus general manager Jarmo Kekalainen says he’s not ready to discuss an extension. Despite the GM’s attempt to speak to Panarin to convince him to stay, it looks like Panarin wants to head elsewhere once his contract expires at the end of the season and he becomes a unrestricted free agent. The 27-year-old winger posted a career-high 82 points after being acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks, but seems to be looking to play in a city with a more diverse market. While there have been rumors that Kekalainen has been looking into trading options, little has come from it. The team may opt to wait until the trade deadline, but that could also lessen the return.

Perhaps more concerning is the contract situation with Bobrovsky. The 30-year-old goaltender is also in the final year of his contract. While there is no talk of leaving Columbus, the Blue Jackets have to be somewhat concerned about the veteran goaltender’s asking price. He will be 32 years old when his next contract takes effect, but Bobrovsky wants term, the team could be paying him until he’s 40 years old and it’s extremely likely that the goalie will take less money than the $7.43MM he’s making on this contract. However, that’s a lot of money to be handing out to an aging goaltender. Bobrovsky’s numbers are still good as he posted a 2.42 GAA and an impressive .920 save percentage in 63 games. However, his struggles in the playoffs isn’t working for him either. Regardless, the team could find itself in quite the contract negotiations in the coming summer.

Duclair is another interesting player, who signed a one-year deal after disappointing in both Arizona and Chicago. The 22-year-old opted to sign a minimum “show me” contract to prove he belongs in the NHL, but he’s struggled to produce over the years after a successful season back in 2015-16 when he potted 20 goals. Since then, he’s managed to post just 16 goals in two seasons. If he can find his game in Columbus, the Blue Jackets could still retain him as he’s a restricted free agent.Read more

Snapshots: Gibson, Kesler, Subban, Cross

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While the Anaheim Ducks didn’t have to discuss a long-term extension with goaltender John Gibson this summer, the team wanted to get their 25-year-old netminder signed as quickly as possible, according to The Athletic’s Eric Stephens (subscription required). They did that Saturday when they signed him to an eight-year, $51.2MM signing with an AAV of $6.4MM.

One of the key reasons general manager Bob Murray and the Ducks negotiated the deal now was the team wanted to avoid the possibility that Gibson would have an even greater year than what he had, which would have driven up the price even more. The team now expects Gibson to raise his game anyway as he must improve his playoffs stats and attempt to remain healthy, which has occasionally been a problem, because eight years is a long ways down the road.

  • In an interview with Anaheim Ducks coach Randy Carlyle, The Athletic’s Lisa Dillman (subscription required) asked several questions about Ryan Kesler, who missed the first three months of last season after undergoing hip surgery in the offseason, and really struggled after returning. With rumors of Kesler potentially missing more time or sitting out an entire season this year, Carlyle said everything will come down to training camp. “His body will have three months of rest and rehabilitation,” said Carlyle. “Now here we go, training camp is going to be another test. What he went through last year wasn’t what he envisioned or we envisioned. He’s a guy who is very determined. I don’t think it’s about excuses. It’s about finding the right fit. It’s hard to point a finger in any one direction when you’ve got people that are not 100 percent. We’ll support the players and try to find the right combination. But we went through this once. I’m sure we’re not going to take the same route as we did the last time. There’s going to have to be a different approach taken.”
  • Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Ed Graney wonders whether the Vegas Golden Knights should be worried about their backup goaltending situation. The team had issues with 33-year-old starter Marc-Andre Fleury in the past as he missed two months earlier in the season due to a possible concussion. The team has 24-year-old Malcolm Subban as the backup, but he also dealt with numerous injuries throughout the season and then the playoffs. While Subban finished the season with 13 victories in 22 appearances, his numbers weren’t that good as he posted a 2.68 GAA and a .910 save percentage. Is he the goaltender of the future? Most don’t think so.
  • The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa (subscription required) featured veteran minor league defenseman Tommy Cross, who didn’t want to leave the Boston Bruins. However, with a goal to become an NHL-level defenseman and time running out, the 28-year-old blueliner opted to sign with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Cross has played 279 games with the Providence Bruins in the AHL after signing out of Boston College, but has managed to appear in just six NHL games so far and been passed over by so many prospects that the three-year AHL captain felt it was time to move on.

Latest On Artemi Panarin

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September 13th, the day that training camp opens for the Columbus Blue Jackets, is coming quickly. That’s also the date set by star forward Artemi Panarin to have all “business matters” pertaining to his next contract dealt with, leaving the Blue Jackets with just over a month to convince him to sign a long-term extension. Panarin isn’t even willing to negotiate at the moment, which puts GM Jarmo Kekalainen in a very tough position and could eventually force him to trade his best offensive weapon. The 26-year old forward is heading into the final year of his current contract, and could choose his landing spot as an unrestricted free agent next summer. As Scott Powers of The Athletic (subscription required) reports, Panarin would seriously consider the Chicago Blackhawks as that landing spot, returning to the place that gave him his first NHL opportunity.

Chicago traded Panarin a year ago in a blockbuster deal that brought Brandon Saad back, but could end up with both if they were to convince the former to sign again in the summer of 2019. The Blackhawks were the team who first convinced Panarin to come to North America, signing him out of the KHL after he recorded 62 points for SKA St. Petersburg in 2014-15. That SKA team also included Ilya Kovalchuk and Evgeni Dadonov, who have both found their ways back to the NHL in Los Angeles and Florida respectively. Both might be considered contenders for Panarin’s services should he hit the open market, but it’s Chicago’s interest that makes the most sense.

Panarin found instant chemistry with Patrick Kane upon arriving in North America, resulting in Kane’s best two offensive seasons of his career. In 2015-16 Kane scored 106 points and won the Hart and Art Ross trophies, a level that the Blackhawks are dying to get him back to as they try to contend with their current core. Last season without Panarin on his wing, Kane reverted to 27 goals and 76 points, numbers very similar to what he’d put up before the two were put together. While those are still outstanding totals for the talented winger, bringing the pair back in 2019 would obviously be an attractive proposition.

In 2017-18 though, Panarin proved he could drive a line all by himself. Scoring a career-high 82 points, the 26-year old winger found a nice match with young center Pierre-Luc Dubois who was barely even expected to make the Blue Jackets roster. Instead, Dubois finished second among all Blue Jackets forwards with 48 points and eighth in Calder Trophy voting as one of the league’s best rookies. While Dubois looks like he’ll be a top option for the Blue Jackets for a long time, taking Panarin off his wing for this season could lead to disastrous results for the 20-year old center. That, and the fact that the team relied so heavily on Panarin’s offensive creativity, make it quite a difficult decision for Kekalainen. With the Blue Jackets expecting to compete for the playoffs once again, does he remove his best forward in order to get some future assets, or does he roll the dice and hope he can convince him to stay after the year is over?

For now, Blackhawks fans should just be happy that there isn’t any bad blood between Chicago and Panarin. An incredibly well-liked player for the franchise would at least consider a return if he ends up on the open market, though there would still be work to do in order to fit in what could be a huge cap hit. Panarin will likely be demanding somewhere around an $8-10MM salary, if not more depending on how this season goes. As one of the NHL’s most dangerous offensive players, he’ll be fighting off suitors during the free agent interview period.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Jonathan Davidsson To Return To Sweden If He Doesn't Make The NHL Roster

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  • Although he is 21 and now on his entry-level deal, Columbus prospect Jonathan Davidsson will not play at the AHL level if he fails to make the Blue Jackets’ opening roster next season, notes Craig Merz of NHL.com. Instead, he would return to Djurgardens of the SHL where he played a key role for them last year with 31 points in 52 games.  It was his performance last year that has him on the NHL radar despite being selected in the sixth round (170th overall) just one year ago.

College Notes: Meyer, Fensore, Rule Changes

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Carson Meyer’s luck has finally turned. The Ohio native and Columbus Blue Jackets draft pick was hoping to make it the Buckeye State trifecta by transferring to Ohio State for his junior year collegiate season. Meyer struggled this past season at Miami University, fighting health issues and fatigue to record only ten points despite reaching 26 as a freshman and 51 in his final junior season in the USHL. Meyer later discovered that the “sickness” impacting his play was actually a 25-inch tapeworm. Wanting to put that experience past him, Meyer transferred to OSU only to be told that he would likely have to sit for a year due to NCAA transfer rules. However, the university has announced that the NCAA has approved their submitted waiver for Meyer to participate immediately this year. Now back at full health and joining a team that reached the Frozen Four last year, the quick winger could be in store for a breakout campaign.

  • Boston University has received a commitment from U.S. National Development Team defenseman Dominick Fensore, beginning in the 2019-20 season.  The young rearguard took to Twitter to announce the decision himself. While Fensore clearly has enough talent to play in the exclusive development program, he brings the undersized defensemen trend to a new level. The 16-year-old stands 5’6″ and is listed at just 141 pounds. While the teenage blue liner surely has more growing to do, that is incredibly small for any hockey player, never the less a defenseman. Luckily, BU has excelled in recent years with developing smaller defensemen, such as the Boston Bruins’ Matt Grzelcyk and current NHL prospects Chad Krys (CHI) and David Farrance (NSH). After another year with the USNTDP, playing alongside top 2019 defensive prospect and future Boston College rival Cam York, Fensore should be ready to join the Terriers and make an impact at the college level.
  • The rules for overtime in the NCAA will be a bit different going forward and how different they are will depend on the conference. The NCAA approved a proposal this week that gives each conference autonomy in deciding how best to handle overtime out of three options. If the score is tied after regulation, there will continue to be a mandatory five-minute, five-on-five overtime. After that, the new rule allows for a) the game to end in a tie, b) a shootout, or c) a five-minute, three-on-three overtime followed by a shootout. Non-conference games and postseason games will continue to use their previous overtime formats. Another new rule also provides each time with an additional timeout if the game goes to overtime. Other approved rule changes include using video replay to review ejection-worthy penalties, new definitions for slashing and legal substitution, and – perhaps most interesting – allowing teams to dress 19 players rather than the typical 18 players for each game.

Liam Foudy Signs Entry-Level Contract With Columbus Blue Jackets

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed their 2018 first-round pick, announcing a three-year entry-level contract for Liam Foudy. Foudy is still expected to return to the London Knights for the 2018-19 season, which would allow his contract to slide forward one year.

Foudy, the 18th-overall selection this year, is an incredibly talented athlete that still has work to do to reach his full potential. Not expected to be drafted so high early in the year, Foudy kept climbing up draft boards and impressed at the NHL Scouting Combine where he won several events and performed well in nearly all the others. Though he had just 40 points for the Knights, he showed enough to make a believer out of Blue Jackets’ GM Jarmo Kekalainen, who is known to take big risks in the draft for players he thinks can be top-end NHL talents.

That’s the ceiling for Foudy, who will try to take the next step on a London team that should be a contender for the Memorial Cup this season. If he’s given more offensive responsibility, he could find another level of production and prove the Blue Jackets right. At the very least the team will continue to work with him and try to turn his outstanding athleticism into outstanding hockey performance.

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