Minor Transactions: 02/05/17
On what is sure to be a slow Super Bowl Sunday, we’ll keep all the minor news right here:
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have returned Markus Hannikainen to the Cleveland Monsters just a day after bringing him up. The 23-year old winger was an emergency recall and got into the game last night against the New Jersey Devils. He’s played in seven contests for the Jackets this year as he bounces up and down between leagues, scoring one goal.
- Bob McKenzie of TSN reports that Frank Corrado has cleared waivers for the Toronto Maple Leafs, and will be assigned to the AHL Marlies. We wrote yesterday about how the Alexey Marchenko claiming impacted the right-hand depth of the Maple Leafs, of which Corrado was a part.
- McKenzie also tells us that Nashville has placed Derek Grant on waivers, likely due to the acquisition of Vernon Fiddler yesterday. Grant has played just six games for Nashville since being selected off waivers from the Buffalo Sabres less than a month ago.
- The Devils have sent Karl Stollery to Albany for the time being, after bringing him up just a week ago. The defenseman has bounced up and down all season long, playing nine games for the big-league Devils so far.
- Per the AHL Transactions page, the Sharks assigned forwards Timo Meier and Kevin Labanc as well as defenseman Tim Heed to the San Jose Barracuda of the AHL. It’s highly likely that all three will be recalled in advance of their next game on Tuesday; San Jose has routinely been shuffling them back and forth between the NHL and the minors in an effort to save a bit of cap space.
- Also via the AHL Transactions page, Nashville has swapped backup goalies once again, recalling Jusse Saros and assigning Marek Mazanec to AHL Milwaukee. Saros had been sent down to get in a game with the Admirals on Saturday night as he last saw NHL action back on January 24th.
- Following their game against Montreal, the Oilers announced (Twitter link) they have assigned defensemen Jordan Oesterle and Griffin Reinhart, as well as center Anton Lander, to Bakersfield (AHL). Oesterle made his season debut on Sunday while Lander saw his first NHL action in over three weeks; Reinhart was a healthy scratch.
Trade Candidates: Jannik Hansen
The Vancouver Canucks can choose from a few different reasons why they should trade Jannik Hansen. 1) The injuries are becoming a concern; after missing 15 games last year, he’s played in only 18 games this season. 2) They probably won’t end up protecting him in the upcoming Expansion Draft and would then very likely lose him for nothing. Hansen has been a hard-working and loyal contributor, but you don’t risk losing a Sven Baertschi or Markus Granlund to keep an injury-prone 30-year-old. 3) Whether they think so or not, the team is in a rebuild and they can get a quality return for a forward with a year remaining at $2.5MM who scored almost 40 points and posted a +16 in 2015-16. The playoffs always seemed to be out of reach for this Canucks team this season, and despite their best efforts, it just doesn’t seem likely to happen this year. If there is any consolation, Vancouver can become bona fide sellers at the Trade Deadline, of which there are very few, and can find a fair deal for Hansen.
Contract
Hansen is in the third year of a four-year, $10MM extension with the Canucks. While his cap hit will count for under $900K at the deadline, any team that acquires him will be on the hook for another year at a $2.5MM cap hit and $3MM salary.
2016-17
Hansen’s 2016-17 season has been forgettable to this point, due primarily to the fact that he has barely played. Hansen missed all but three games in the month of November with broken ribs and returned in mid-December, only to suffer a knee injury just two weeks later. Hansen has not played since December 22nd, and there has been little noise about an impending return. While you can say he was on a career-high pace with nine points through 18 games, that’s a lot of speculation based on a small sample size. It’s more fair to call this season a wash for Hansen, at least so far. Lucky for him, last season was one of the best of his career and the last five years tell the story of one of the most under-rated players in the NHL. Hansen had 157 points in 348 games over the past five seasons and before that was a key piece of the team’s 2011 Stanley Cup run, all while making under $2MM per year on average.
Season Stats
18 games: 5 goals, 4 assists, 9 points, even +/-, 30 shots, 16:11 ATOI
Potential Suitors
The Edmonton Oilers would be an excellent fit for Hansen. The team is playoff-bound and lacks a right-shot scorer other than Jordan Eberle. They also have a young team, but not much cap flexibility, and a good, affordable veteran for next season and possibly beyond could go a long way. By March 1st, Vancouver should be far enough outside the postseason picture that they would be willing to deal even with their division rival.
However, if the Canucks are uncomfortable with the thought of facing Hansen, a nice bargain that they have kept to themselves all of these years, on a regular basis in 2017-18, they may seek an option outside of the Pacific. The Montreal Canadiens could be willing to move some capital to make Hansen part of the team. Another team in a cap crunch and in desperate need of a right-handed scorer behind Brendan Gallagher, Hansen would be able to help the Habs in the postseason this year and help them to get back to the postseason next year. Other Atlantic teams like the Ottawa Senators and Boston Bruins could also use another scoring winger, and both have plenty of cap space next season, such that $2.5MM would hardly make a dent. Watch out for the Columbus Blue Jackets as well, who need a right-shot forward this year and may need one even more next year if they are unable to retain Sam Gagner.
Likelihood Of A Trade
Hansen is a rare commodity in this market. He is not an impending free agent, nor does he carry a long and expensive contract. Instead, he has just one year remaining at an affordable cap hit, and with many concerns over the salary cap not increasing next season, that is very valuable. The Canucks are often believed to be disillusioned with the state of their franchise, seemingly trying to build a contender when their success implies a need for a rebuild. It’s possible that Vancouver passes on moving Hansen and decides to protect him over a younger asset in the Expansion Draft. However, GM Jim Benning is not that short-sighted. If he can figure out a way to keep Hansen without hurting his squad, he probably will, but the odds are that his best bet is to trade the career Canuck a get a good return for him. Teams may not be lining up for a player with only 18 games under his belt this season, but Hansen’s value extends past the stretch run and the postseason and several squads will surely jump at that opportunity.
Minor Transactions: 2/4/2017
It’s a busy blue line in Edmonton, as the Oilers announced today that they have recalled two defenseman, Griffin Reinhart and Jordan Oesterle. The move comes on the heels of rookie defenseman Matt Benning (and forward Jujhar Khaira) being placed on injured reserve. The call-up adds two more bodies to the back end, which already has fixtures in Oscar Klefbom, Adam Larsson, Andrej Sekera, and Kris Russell, has Brandon Davidson and Eric Gryba back and healthy, and is awaiting the return of Darnell Nurse.
If he’s in the lineup tomorrow against the Montreal Canadiens, it will be the first NHL game of the season for Reinhart, who failed to make much of an impact in 2015-16 with just one assist and a -6 rating in 29 games with the Oilers. However, Edmonton traded first and second rounders to acquire the young defenseman, so they won’t give up on him that easy, even if he does prove to be a sunk cost. Reinhart has five goals and six assists in 29 games with the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors this season. However, he’s been outshined by Oesterle, who has 3 goals and 15 assists to lead Condors defensemen in scoring. If Oesterle plays tomorrow, it will also be his first appearance in 2016-17. The 24-year-old played in 23 games with Edmonton over the past two seasons, recording six assists. Even with Benning on IR, don’t expect both Reinhart and Oesterle to remain with the Oilers for too long.
Elsewhere across the league:
- After clearing waivers, Mike Ribeiro has been sent down to the AHL by the Nashville Predators. Although he is clearly not in high demand having gone untouched by 29 teams, Ribeiro’s trip to the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL does not signal the end of his NHL season. If Nashville is willing to hold on to some salary, there is still a good chance Ribeiro gets his trade wish granted by March 1st.
- Cal O’Reilly also cleared waivers recently and has now been demoted to the AHL’s Rochester Americans. In a corresponding move, the Buffalo Sabres have recalled Justin Bailey, who is expected to take the place of the injured William Carrier while he remains sidelined. The 21-year-old Bailey has 19 goals and 10 assists in 39 AHL games this season.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have recalled Markus Hannikainen on an emergency basis from the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters. There is no word on what prompted the quick call-up or whether the young winger will suit up for the Jackets’ game against the New Jersey Devils tonight. Hannikainen scored his first career NHL goal in his last game, a win over the Carolina Hurricanes on January 21st.
- Anaheim has called up defenseman Brandon Montour from the San Diego Gulls of the AHL. The Ducks have been swapping Montour and Shea Theodore back and forth from the AHL seemingly all season long. The former UMass blue liner has been outstanding with the Gulls, scoring 30 points in just 34 games, but is still looking for his first NHL point through five games with the Ducks.
Trade Candidates: Cody Franson
If the summer of 2015 taught hockey fans anything, it was that there is no league-wide consensus about Cody Franson. The defenseman was expected to be one of the top blue liners on the market, but instead of jumping on a big offer early in free agency, his negotiations dragged on into September before he finally agreed to a deal with the Buffalo Sabres.
Two years later, Franson’s production has fallen off at both ends of the ice and his value is even more unpredictable. In need of a change of scenery, Franson is not re-signing with Buffalo this summer, so if the Sabres’ playoff hopes continue slip out of reach, they should be more than willing to move the big defenseman.
Contract
Franson is in the final year of a two-year, $6.65MM deal and will be an unrestricted free agent at season’s end. At the trade deadline, Franson’s $3.325MM cap hit will be down to just over $1MM.
2016-17
Franson’s time in Buffalo has not gone according to plan. Reports in the summer of 2015 were that Franson was weighing offers between affordable, short-term deals with contenders or more money and more term from rebuilding teams. What he ended up with was a short-term deal, likely for the most money on the table though, with a rebuild. The lack of talent around him in Buffalo has certainly stifled Franson’s output, but most of the blame lies with him and not making the most of his situation. The 2015-16 season was the worst of Franson’s career. Although injuries limited him to just 59 games, Franson still scored less than half of the 36 points he had registered in 78 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Nashville Predators the year before. He also saw a massive drop-off in his defensive stats like hits and blocks. Buffalo fans were hoping for a rebound year when Franson returned to full health in 2016-17, but so far it has not come. Franson is on pace for just 25 points, which would be the lowest full-season total of his career. It would even be less than the 29 points he scored in 45 games in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season. He’s also way off pace from matching the dominant defensive numbers he put up in Toronto. Add in that these shortcoming are also going along with almost 19 minutes of ice time per game, the third highest average of his career, and clearly something is off with Franson.
Season Stats
47 games: 3 goals, 12 assists, 15 points, -1, 62 hits, 43 blocks, 18:46 ATOI
Potential Suitors
The first team that should jump out as a prime candidate is the Toronto Maple Leafs. A return to Toronto, where Franson had the best years of his career, could be exactly what he needs. When the Leafs dealt him away at the 2015 trade deadline, they were in full rebuild mode. However, they’ve turned it around faster than anyone could have imagined and are now looking for affordable help in trying to reach the playoffs. At a bargain price, Franson would be great value for Toronto as a player comfortable with the city and with several former teammates. Even in the midst of a down year, Franson would present an upgrade over any of Matt Hunwick, Roman Polak, Connor Carrick or the recently-claimed Alexey Marchenko.
The Los Angeles Kings are another club that could really use Franson’s services. The team has had to make due with the likes of Kevin Gravel and the recently-waived Tom Gilbert all season long on their bottom pair, but they are not a lock to make the playoffs and an upgrade on defense would go along way. As of now, Drew Doughty is the only right-handed defenseman on the roster. The Kings would gladly take Franson to add some depth and balance on the back end.
Other contenders that could be interested in Franson for the right price and purely as some added depth include Eastern Conference powerhouses like the Pittsburgh Penguins, Columbus Blue Jackets, and New York Rangers, but they might have to match the offers of teams in more dire need. The Sabres’ playoff chances are slim at this point, and they won’t be afraid to trade Franson to the division-rival Maple Leafs if that is who makes the best offer.
Likelihood Of A Trade
If a market develops, which it likely will, Franson will almost definitely be moved. He has been a disappointment with the Sabres and a rebuilding team will take any help they can get by moving out veterans with expiring contracts. It’s possible that Franson’s struggles will cause teams to shy away from acquiring him, but at just 29-years-old and with very good numbers in his past, the big blue liner has potential. Buffalo will not ask for much, but some team will pay to bring in what amounts to a very good depth defenseman for the stretch run. Still capable of solid two-way play with offensive upside in the right system, Franson is more valuable than his numbers indicate.
Minor Transactions: 2/1/2017
Here’s where we will track the day’s less significant roster transactions:
- The Columbus Blue Jackets reassigned defenseman Dean Kukan to the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL, according to The Columbus Dispatch’s Aaron Portzline (via Twitter). The 23-year-old blue liner was recalled Sunday but did not appear in the Jackets wild 6 – 4 win over the New York Rangers last night. He appeared in eight games last season, his first in the NHL, but failed to register a point. The Swiss-born Kukan signed a deal with Columbus prior to the 2015-16 season after a lengthy pro career playing in his home country. In 37 games this year with Cleveland, Kukan has 13 points.
- Joe Haggerty of CSNNE has relayed that Zane McIntyre has been recalled by the Boston Bruins to replace Anton Khudobin as the team’s backup netminder. The Bruins are desperate for quality play in goal behind starter Tuukka Rask. McIntyre and Khudobin have combined to post a woeful record of 1 – 8 – 2 in 15 appearances with a GAA of 3.42 and a S% of 0.875. Boston has just two back-to-backs scheduled this month, suggesting they won’t have to rely on their backup much, provided Rask remains healthy.
- Defenseman Dylan McIlrath and forward Paul Thompson, each of whom was placed on waivers by Florida yesterday, went unclaimed and will remain in the Florida Panthers organization, according to Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston. George Richards, who covers the Panthers for the Miami Herald, later added that McIlrath was reassigned to Springfield, along with forward Jared McCann. McIlrath, acquired earlier this season from the New York Rangers, has seen action in just five games for Florida this season. The former first-round draft pick has had trouble earning regular playing time. Thompson, 28, has played in 21 games for the Panthers, registering three assists while averaging less than eight minutes per game.
- The Washington Capitals returned blue liner Christian Djoos to Hershey of the AHL, reports Tarik El-Bashir of CSN Mid-Atlantic. Djoos was Washington’s seventh-round selection in the 2012 entry draft and has yet to debut in the NHL. He’s in the midst of a solid season for Hershey, tallying 26 points in 35 AHL contests.
Minor Transactions: 29/01/17
Good All-Star morning folks, even on this short mid-season break teams aren’t holding back from their roster shuffling. Here are all the minor transactions of the day.
- According to Joe Haggerty of CSNNE, late yesterday the Bruins did a flip-flop, sending Anton Khudobin back to the AHL and bringing up Zane McIntyre. That came less than 24 hours after the two made the opposite trips. After McIntyre played for the Providence Bruins on Friday night, Khudobin started last night and allowed four goals on 33 shots.
- Staying with flip-flopping goalies, the Columbus Blue Jackets have again swapped Joonas Korpisalo and Anton Forsberg, this time with Korpisalo heading to the NHL. Korpisalo also played last night, winning in a shootout when Oliver Bjorkstrand scored in the ninth-round.
- Cory Conacher (Lightning), Chris Terry (Canadiens) and Justin Bailey (Sabres) have been added to the AHL All-Star Rosters for your viewing pleasure tomorrow night. All three are having outstanding years in the lower level and will be replacing Joe Blandisi, Vojtech Mozik and John Quenneville, all from the Albany Devils.
- It didn’t take long for former NHL defenseman James Wisniewski to impress his new team. Just days after signing a 25-game tryout with the Chicago Wolves of the AHL, Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune is reporting he has now signed an AHL deal. That means Wisniewski would be eligible to come up to the NHL if needed at some point, but it’s unclear if he’s rediscovered his game enough for that level.
Minor Transactions: 1/27/2017
As is customary over the NHL’s All-Star weekend, many teams have begun the day with sending waivers-exempt players down to the minors for some salary cap savings over the next few days. No team has been as enthusiastic to move some bodies as the New Jersey Devils, who announced that nearly half of their defensive corps will take a short trip to Albany to visit the AHL Devils. Joining the recently demoted Yohann Auvitu this weekend will be Steve Santini, Seth Helgeson, and Karl Stollery. Although the trio has only played in a combined 26 games in 2016-17, Santini and Stollery have formed the bottom pair for the Devils of late with Auvitu, Andy Greene, and John Moore sidelined with injuries. Helgeson has generally been the seventh defenseman this season, spending most games in the press box, but getting to see the ice in five contests. The 29-year-old journeyman Stollery has played in just eight games, but is already having the best season of his NHL career, recording his first big-league points and playing about 16 minutes per night.The rookie Santini has shown promise so far in the first half, skating in 13 games and scoring two goals and three assists while playing a sound defensive game as well. Expect Santini and at least one of Stollery and Helgeson to be back up in New Jersey after a brief break.
Elsewhere in minor moves:
- Another Metropolitan team has moved a majority of one position down to the AHL, but it should come as welcome news to the fans. The Carolina Hurricanes announced that, after a long hiatus dealing with concussion symptoms, goalie Eddie Lack has been activated from the injured reserve and has been assigned to the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers for a rehab stint. With Cam Ward having played in 41 of 48 games for the ‘Canes, including 22 of the last 24, he, the organization, and the fans will be happy to have Lack back in the fold as soon as possible. Joining him in the minors will be his recent replacement, veteran Michael Leighton, whose demotion could be more of the permanent variety this time around. However, Leighton, who is the AHL’s all-time leading goalie in games played, will at least get to participate in the AHL All-Star Game upon his return.
- The Washington Capitals have reassigned forward Chandler Stephenson to the Hershey Bears of the AHL for the time being. Unlike his last call-up to the Caps, Stephenson got to see some game action during this last trip. Though the young center was held scoreless and is still looking for his first NHL point through 11 games, Stephenson played confidently in the past two contests and has earned another promotion in the near future.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have again returned forward Markus Hannikainen to the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters. The big Finnish winger, playing in just his second season in North America, scored his first NHL goal in the Jackets’ 3-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes last Saturday, his only game action on this trip to Columbus.
- The Buffalo Sabres announced that defenseman Casey Nelson has been assigned to the Rochester Americans of the AHL. Nelson has done his best to help Buffalo out with their rash of blue line injuries this season, but has struggled to make much of a difference in nine scoreless games.
- After his recent NHL debut and first career goal, the Arizona Coyotes’ Christian Fischer gets to continue his highlight-reel week by heading to the AHL All-Star Game. The Coyotes announced his demotion, but more than anything the move allows the AHL to honor the league’s top rookie in the first half of the season before he likely heads back to the NHL for the second half.
- In addition to placing Michael Bournival and Gabriel Dumont on waivers, the Tampa Bay Lightning have demoted forward Erik Condra to the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch, which has become common this season. The bottom-six groupings are set to change drastically following the All-Star break.
- The Ottawa Senators have activated Andrew Hammond from the injured reserve, and in a corresponding move and have sent down Chris Driedger to the Binghampton Senators of the AHL. However, this only partially helps the Sens’ logjam in net. Mike Condon has taken over as the starter with Hammond out and Craig Anderson on leave since early December, but with both soon back in the fold, Ottawa will still be carrying three goalies. Expect another move sooner rather than later.
- The San Jose Sharks are using All-Star weekend to get a whole group of guys some play time. The team announced that Barclay Goodrow, Kevin Labanc, Timo Meier, and Tim Heed have all be reassigned to the AHL Barracuda and will join the team in Michigan tonight for a game against the Grand Rapids Griffins.
- After just recalling Ivan Barbashev to replace the injured Kyle Brodziak, the St. Louis Blues have returns the AHL All-Star to the Chicago Wolves for this weekend. Expect he, or fellow All-Star Kenny Agostino, or possibly both, to be right back with the Blue after the break.
- The Boston Bruins have recalled goalie Anton Khudobin from the Providence Bruins and reassigned rookie keeper Zane McIntyre to the AHL. While McIntyre’s demotion was expected, as he has been the best goalie in the AHL this year and a highlight of the AHL All-Star Game, the subsequent recall of Khudobin could signal that the Bruins are ready to return to the veteran as their backup to begin the second half of the season.
- The Winnipeg Jets returned Brian Strait to the Manitoba Moose of the AHL, one day after recalling the six-year veteran defenseman from the minors, the team announced via Twitter. Strait was a healthy scratch last night as the Jets took a 5-3 decision from Chicago. The 6-foot-1, 206-pound blue liner has yet to see action in the NHL this season but has appeared in 182 regular season contests over parts of six seasons with the Pittsburgh and New York Islanders organizations.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets continue to flip-flop backup goalies, sending Joonas Korpisalo to Cleveland of the AHL and recalling Anton Forsberg from the same affiliate. The team announced the corresponding transactions via Twitter. Forsberg has made just one appearance this season for Columbus, allowing four goals on 27 shots in a 5-3 loss to Carolina. Korpisalo has won two of his three starts and has appeared in four games overall.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins have sent Carter Rowney back to the AHL after just a day with the big club. The forward came up last night with Evgeni Malkin out, but didn’t make it into the game against the Boston Bruins. Rowney will need to wait for his next shot with the big club.
- The Anaheim Ducks have signed some depth between the pipes, inking ECHL netminder Ryan Faragher to a one-year deal. The 26-year old Faragher has been in their system since 2014, but wasn’t under a pro-deal until now. He’ll earn $575K if he should ever make it to the NHL (which he most likely will not, unless something drastic happens in Anaheim) and $50K in the AHL.
Snapshots: McDavid Effect, Tortorella, Van Riemsdyk
In 2012-13, Eerie Otters forward J.P. Labardo scored a career-high 62 points. The next season, Otters forward Dane Fox scored a whopping 64 goals in 67 games, more than his previous four seasons’ combined. What do these sudden offensive outbursts have in common? Connor McDavid.
You’re forgiven if you haven’t heard of either of these men. Labardo is out of hockey while Fox is in the ECHL. But they both demonstrate what could be called “The McDavid Effect.”
When McDavid turned pro, struggling former first-overall pick Nail Yakupov had 10 points in 13 games playing with McDavid, but posted just 13 points in his next 47 games without McDavid. Now, Patrick Maroon is six goals above his career-high in just 50 games, mostly on McDavid’s wing.
National Post scribe Michael Traikos mentions those four men as shining examples of beneficiaries to playing with McDavid. Oilers coach Todd McLellan doesn’t want to take anything away from the effort Maroon has put in to improve, but adds that “playing with Connor helps. He has a tendency to make players around him better and that’s what superstars do.”
Maroon’s success is likely a result of being at the right-place at the right-time. He’s finally put in the off-season work: he lost 20 lbs over the summer and gained the step necessary to play with the speedy McDavid. Maroon told Traikos that he doesn’t “just skate around and expect [McDavid] to pass the puck to me… There’s a lot more to it.” McDavid praised Maroon as “one of the best forecheckers in the league.”
Regardless of who is on his wing, one of McDavid’s best attributes is his unselfish ability to improve those around him, and that should lead to more players being interested in the surging Oilers.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets will be without their head coach tonight. The team’s website announced that John Tortorella has returned to Columbus “due to a family emergency.” He will also miss the upcoming NHL All-Star game, where he was scheduled to coach the Metropolitan Division. Tortorella says he did not make the decision lightly and he hopes to back next week. Earlier today, it was announced that Blue Jackets forward Cam Atkinson would join Seth Jones and Sergei Bobrovsky in Los Angeles for the All-Star festivities.
- While some hockey insiders believe that the Maple Leafs should be buyers at the trade deadline in order to make a big playoff push, there’s disagreement on who should be traded. TSN’s Dave Poulin believes the Maple Leafs should hold on to James Van Riemsdyk, despite the swirling trade rumors. While the big winger could get the team an upgrade on defense, Poulin argues that Van Riemsdyk is a veteran leader who is a perfect fit for the young Maple Leafs as they fight to make the playoffs for the first time since 2013. Van Riemsdyk has 39 points in 46 games and has been a great influence on rookie Mitch Marner.
Metro Division Notes: Atkinson, Penguins-Capitals, Devils
After a tough 2015-16 season, the Columbus Blue Jackets have been one of the feel-good stories of the year.
That positivity continued today, as Cam Atkinson was named to the NHL All-Star Game, according to Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch. He’ll join teammates Seth Jones and Sergei Bobrovsky on the Metropolitan Division team. Atkinson is replacing Penguins star Evgeni Malkin, who is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
The 27-year-old Atkinson told the Blue Jackets website that being named to the All-Star Game is “obviously very special and very humbling. To be playing with the best players in the world, it’s going to be fun. I’m going to take it all in and really enjoy the moment.”
Atkinson has 24 goals and 46 points in 47 games to lead the Blue Jackets in scoring. He’s just three goals and seven points shy of his career-high, set last season in 81 games played.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins are preparing to go for back-to-back Stanley Cups for the first time since Detroit won in 1997 and 1998. GM Jim Rutherford told Sam Werner of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he has yet to identify any specific area of his team’s roster to improve by the deadline. Rutherford once again stated that having two legitimate starting goaltenders in Marc-Andre Fleury and Matt Murray “doesn’t work ideally.” With the upcoming expansion draft, Rutherford will have to make a goaltending move eventually, but he doesn’t feel pressure to make a move until an offer makes sense to improve the roster or clear up the goaltending situation. The Penguins currently have zero dollars of cap space.
- Moving to D.C. and the Penguins’ biggest rival, Capitals GM Brian MacLellan told TSN and ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun that he’s content with his team going forward. MacLellan feels that everything is running smoothly, so he’s “more inclined to do nothing” before March 1. However, that’s not to say the team won’t “go through the process of [asking], ‘Can we upgrade on guys?'” The President’s Trophy-winning Capitals were eliminated in six games by the Penguins last season, and will be looking for revenge. LeBrun writes that the two teams will be preparing for an early matchup, perhaps even in the first round.
- Continuing the trend of NHL teams moving their AHL affiliates, the New Jersey Devils will be moving their AAA squad from Albany to Binghamton, New York. Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union writes that the Baby Devils will be replacing the Binghamton Senators, who are moving to Belleville, Ontario. Albany ranks last in the AHL with regards to attendance; Binghamton is second-last, but gets nearly 20 per cent more people per game. The Devils organization reportedly ate a seven-figure loss in 2015-16, but still signed a new three-year contract with the Times Union Center. Dougherty reports that the organization will likely be making use of an out-clause. The move will be officially ratified at the AHL’s board of governors meeting on Sunday.
PHR’s Glen Miller also contributed to this post.
Could Stars Follow Columbus, Minnesota Blue Print?
A year after surprisingly capturing a Central Division title and an appearance in the second round of the postseason, the Dallas Stars have stumbled this season to a 19-20-10 start and are currently three points out of a potential playoff berth. While there is still plenty of time to right the ship, it’s nonetheless fair to say the team has failed to meet preseason expectations. It’s at least conceivable that barring a deep postseason run the Stars could look to make some significant changes this summer. However, as Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News writes, the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild may have already provided a solid blue print the Stars could follow in their search for success.
Currently Columbus and Minnesota reside among the best teams in the league, which is a far cry from where the were last year. While the Wild made it to the playoffs, they were eliminated in the first round and looked nothing like a Stanley Cup contender. Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets were once again one of the worst teams in the league and appeared to be at least a few years away from contention. However, as Heika points out, each team has benefited immensely from recent coaching changes – with John Tortorella taking over early last season in Columbus and Minnesota turning to Bruce Boudreau this past summer – and that could provide the Stars with a more palatable option than potentially making wholesale roster changes.
Current bench boss Lindy Ruff has had a long and accomplished career as a head coach in this league, first with the Buffalo Sabres and then for the last four in Dallas. On the heels of what can only be considered a successful 2015-16 campaign it might seem unwarranted to move on from Ruff after a season derailed by injuries to several key regulars. Nonetheless, Ruff is in the final season of his contract and it’s feasible general manager Jim Nill may conclude a fresh voice and approach is needed at this point.
However, despite some calls from fans to make a move now while the current campaign can still be saved, Heika advises against such a decision, and suggests waiting until after the season when more candidates will be available. As the scribe notes, Gerard Gallant certainly qualifies as an appealing option and any team interested in hiring might be best served doing so now with so few jobs open. But as Heika points out, a veteran bench boss like Gallant would require a three or four-year guaranteed commitment and it might be best to wait until after the season instead of caving to immediate pressures to go that direction.
Heika also identifies goaltending as an area the Stars could look to upgrade and while their are long-term options available now – Marc-Andre Fleury jumps immediately to mind – he cautions that the team might be better off trying to identify a young, up-and-coming net minder that represents more of an upside play rather than taking a chance on an expensive veteran. Martin Jones and Cam Talbot are two goalies that the scribe references that fit the former category. With teams looking ahead to the expansion draft, several backup types could be made available at a reduced rate as opposed to potentially losing them for nothing to the Vegas Golden Knights.
There is no questioning the impact that Tortorella and Boudreau have had on their respective team’s fortunes this season and it makes sense that the Stars could look to duplicate that success by bringing in their own new coach. It’s an easier move to make than trying to trade an expensive core player and/or trying to reshape the organization with blockbuster acquisitions. Yet there are no certainties regardless of what direction the Stars take. Hiring a new bench boss could pay off in Dallas as it has for Minnesota and Columbus. Or, as has been the case in Florida, the move may not yield the dividends the team hopes for.